Chapter 3 – Settlement
Jack was home shortly after he said he would be. Elizabeth finished the paper that she was on then went to finish getting their supper ready. While Elizabeth finished getting supper ready. Jack took the opportunity to read the paper that he had picked up. He enjoyed that he and Elizabeth could be together without talking. Not that he didn't like talking and sharing with Elizabeth, but it was nice to come home and have that little bit of quiet, especially after some days. Jack also knew that once they started having children that quiet would be short lived. He couldn't wait to have children, but they were both still young, so there was no real rush. Jack was also not going to pressure Elizabeth, especially after what happened with their family teasing them at Christmas.
Elizabeth set the table and got everything ready before she called Jack for supper. She knew that he had had a long day and was trying to unwind. They enjoyed a quiet meal and then Jack returned to the couch to finish reading the paper. Elizabeth put the food away and cleaned up the kitchen. She then joined Jack on the couch. She was concerned about how quiet he was being.
"Jack." Elizabeth said. "Are you really okay? You have been really quiet."
"Sorry." Jack said. "I am so used to just keeping things to myself that sometimes I forget that other people realize what I am doing."
"Are you worried about the Garrison gang?" Elizabeth asked.
"That is part of it." Jack said. "They didn't get what they wanted in Union City, so they are probably going to try and hit again. They are a deadly gang and when they are unhappy, things get worse. Part of the reason that I think that we are safer here, is because they have turned to hitting trains versus stagecoaches. Lee is worried with payroll coming in this Thursday for Friday. The last thing that I want is for them to hit the stagecoach with Lee's payroll in. We talked about changing the delivery, but at this late stage, Lee wasn't sure if it would work. There is something else, but I can't really talk about it."
"Thank you for sharing." Elizabeth said. "I know that you can't share everything with me, but I am glad that you do share what you can. I am just worried when you get so quiet."
"I will try to keep that in mind for the future." Jack said. "It was a long day and Pastor Frank and I want to ride out to the settlement tomorrow, so want to head upstairs?"
"Yes." Elizabeth said.
Tuesday morning, Jack and Elizabeth had breakfast together and then Jack walked Elizabeth to school. He needed to head over to the livery to meet Pastor Frank. Before Jack left, he wrapped his arms around Elizabeth and gave her a kiss.
"Remember." Jack said. "I may not be back to walk you home this afternoon. It is about a half hour ride each way to the settlement, so just be aware. I also want to check a few other things as long as I am out that way."
"Thanks for reminding me." Elizabeth said. "I think I may go over to Abigail's after school."
Jack gave Elizabeth another quick kiss and then headed out toward the livery. He was glad that Pastor Frank was willing to ride out to the settlement with him. He wanted to talk to him a little more about the Garrison gang, but was also glad to not be riding alone. Jack also wasn't sure how Frank would react to talking about his past, especially with the way that he reacted when he first came to town and Jack talked to him. Jack also knew that he had to try as it might be the only way to get ahead of the Garrison gang.
Elizabeth got busy getting things ready for the children to arrive. That morning, Nellie approached her about what Mountie Jack had talked to them about the day before. Elizabeth wasn't sure where Bill was, but knew that Jack would be gone most of the day. She had Nellie write down everything that she could remember about the man, including where she had seen him. Later that morning, Laura approached Elizabeth about seeing someone. Again, Elizabeth had Laura write down everything that she could remember. She reassured both girls that they were safe and that she would give their notes to Mountie Jack. The rest of the school day was uneventful. Elizabeth waited for a little bit after dismissal before she headed to the cafe.
Jack and Frank had a good day at the settlement. They were able to help a lot of the ladies and also got to know them a little better. Pastor Frank promised to make a couple trips a week out to the settlement to bring supplies. The ladies were concerned that they wouldn't be able to afford things. Pastor Frank assured them that there was a fund through church that would help with necessities. Some of the ladies were still unsure, but Pastor Frank tried to assure them that he wouldn't charge for bringing supplies out. It was decided that Pastor Frank would come out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On the ride back, Jack talked to Frank about him using his reward money to help the settlers.
"You told me to do something good with it." Frank said. "I don't think that there is anything else I would want to spend it on. They have so little and I will be able to help them."
"Very good." Jack said.
Jack and Frank rode back into town shortly after school had gotten out for the day. Jack figured that Elizabeth would be at the cafe by the time that he was done taking care of his horse. So he headed there. When Jack arrived at the cafe, Elizabeth and Abigail were sharing a cup of tea. Elizabeth waved him over and motioned for him to sit.
"I have something that I need to talk to you about." Elizabeth said. "Nellie and Laura both approached me separately and were concerned about someone that they had seen. I had them each write out what they remembered about the man and where they had seen him. I wasn't sure when you would be back and I didn't know where Bill was."
"You did good.." Jack said. "Do you have what was written?"
Elizabeth handed Jack the folded pieces of paper. He opened the first and read through what Nellie had written. Then he opened the second, it was two pieces of paper and was surprised that along with a description, Laura had made a rough sketch of the person and also was able to describe the man's horse. Both descriptions were similar, so Jack figured that they had seen the same person. Since Laura lived closer, he thought that he would ride out and talk to her before supper.
"I think I am going to follow up with Laura." Jack said. "I may come talk to Nellie tomorrow, but both girls did a great job."
"Will you be home for supper?" Elizabeth asked.
"I may be late, but go ahead and eat if you get hungry." Jack said.
Jack left the cafe and went back to the livery. From the livery, he rode out toward the Campbell place. Elizabeth stayed at the cafe and finished her tea. She then went to the mercantile and then went home to start supper. After she got supper going, she started working on grading papers from that day. Elizabeth wondered what Jack had planned for her birthday the next day. They had promised that they would keep it low key, especially since it was a school night. Jack had also already done a special supper, even if it got interrupted. She figured that Jack had a present for her, but had no idea what he could have gotten her. Elizabeth was lost in her own little world and didn't hear Jack come in. He actually startled her when he walked up to her desk. She finished what she was doing and then went to get supper ready to eat. When she joined Jack at the table, he took her hand and said the blessing. When he finished, before letting go of her hand and eating, he lifted her hand and kissed the rings that he had given her.
"Do you think that the man that the girls saw was a bad man?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't know." Jack said. "There are a lot of new lumberjacks in town and I haven't ruled out that the girls saw one of them. Laura explained why she didn't feel comfortable around the man. She said that he smelled of tobacco and alcohol. Other than that she couldn't explain why she felt uncomfortable, but that is fine. I plan on checking with Lee to see if it sounds like one of his men before I do anything else."
"I wasn't sure what to do." Elizabeth said. "I just wanted to make the girls feel like we took them seriously."
"Like I said." Jack said. "You did the right thing. The best thing that we can do, is listen to the children and reassure them that we believe them even if they can't explain why they feel that way. The only thing that I can do right now is try to figure out who the man is and if needed have a talk with him. Did you know that Laura actually drew the man and was also able to describe the horse that he was riding?"
"No I didn't." Elizabeth said. "I didn't look at what they wrote. I only knew what they told me."
"Well." Jack said. "I was also able to leave a description of the horse and man at the livery if they have anyone come in like that. But I don't want to talk anymore about work tonight."
"You're right." Elizabeth said. "Let's not talk about work."
Jack and Elizabeth finished their supper. Jack helped Elizabeth clean up the dishes. He went out to get more water and noticed that it was lightly snowing.
"It is starting to snow." Jack said when he came back in.
"Well." Elizabeth said. "It is a good night to stay inside and keep warm by the fire."
"I can think of another way to stay warm." Jack teased.
"Me too." Elizabeth said. "I was thinking about the nice warm quilt that we have."
"That would work." Jack said. "But I am still thinking of something else."
"Oh what would that be?" Elizabeth teased.
Jack went over to Elizabeth and wrapped his arms around her. He started kissing her neck and caressing her waist and hips. Elizabeth turned in Jack's arms and his hands went to the small of her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and started playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. She claimed Jack's lips with her own. She loved the feel of Jack's lips and kissed him deeply until she had to pull back and catch her breath. She leaned back and gazed into those green eyes that she loved so much. There was so much that she wanted to share with Jack at that moment, but all she could do was lean back in and kiss him.
Elizabeth never wanted to let go of Jack. She knew that they had been lucky and that Jack didn't have to leave town on Mountie business overnight yet. She knew that it was just a matter of time and she wasn't sure what she was going to do when that happened. She didn't want to think about that at the moment. It was the night before her birthday and all she wanted to do was bask in the love that her husband was showing her. When Jack pulled back from their kiss to catch his breath, Elizabeth leaned her head on his shoulder and whispered in his ear.
"Meet me upstairs." She whispered.
Jack let her go and went to bank the fire. Elizabeth quickly put the last of the dishes away and headed up the steps. Jack caught up to her before she reached the top. When he caught her, he once again swooped her up into his arms and carried her the rest of the way to the bedroom. He set her on her feet and pulled her into another kiss.
Jack loved Elizabeth so much and wanted to show her just how much. He knew that he would never tire of loving Elizabeth. He tried not to think about the future. He knew at some point that he would have to go out of town on Mountie business, but he hoped that it wouldn't be for a while and it wouldn't be for a long time when he did have to go. He wondered if his desire to be with Elizabeth was due in part because they hadn't been married that long and were still learning so much about each other. He knew he loved her from the moment that they shook hands so many months ago in the saloon. He tried to fight his feelings for so long, but then he gave into what his heart wanted and now that he had her body and soul, he just couldn't get enough. Jack tried to push all the other thoughts out of his head and focus on Elizabeth. She was right in front of him and he wanted her so bad.
Later when they lay snuggled up under the covers, Elizabeth had her head resting on Jack's chest and his arms were wrapped around her. He was playing with a few loose strands of her hair. Jack loved Elizabeth's hair. He loved the way that it curled and would fall forward at times. Every time that her hair fell forward, Jack had to stop himself from tucking it behind her ear and kissing her. She was tracing her soft fingers across his bare chest. He loved how her small, soft delicate hands felt on his skin. Neither was speaking, each was lost in their own thoughts, but enjoyed being close and having contact with each other. Elizabeth laid there and loved how Jack's larger hands seemed to cover her. His hands weren't soft like hers, there were rough spots that showed that Jack wasn't afraid of hard work. His hands were always warm and when he caressed her, it sent a warmth through her body. Not only his hands, but Jack was just warm, period. She loved the feel of his muscles when she laid on his chest and his arms were wrapped around her. She knew that he took pride in his physical strength as a Mountie, but yet he could be so soft with her. She had been amazed the first time that she had seen Jack without his shirt. She knew he was muscular, but when she saw his very well defined muscles, it took his breath away and still did. She wondered if there would ever be a time that the sight of Jack didn't take her breath away.
Elizabeth was also amazed at how warm his body was and she snuggled into his warmth. She had told him before she always knew when he left the bed because it was suddenly so much colder. Jack was loving the feel of Elizabeth's soft skin under his hand. He was also wondering how her hair was always so soft and smelt so wonderful. Eventually, Elizabeth fell asleep on Jack's chest. Jack knew that she was asleep because her breathing changed. It was slow and steady. Also her hands had stilled on his chest. Once Jack knew that Elizabeth was sound asleep, he closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep himself. Jack knew that there would come a time when he came home tired and would fall asleep before Elizabeth. There was a part of him that always wanted to make sure that she was safe and sound asleep before he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.
Early Wednesday morning, Jack woke up with a start. He opened his eyes and looked around. He tried to calm his breathing. He wasn't sure what was wrong, but he had a bad feeling. He didn't want to wake Elizabeth, but he needed to get some air. Jack realized that she wasn't sleeping on his chest anymore and slowly untangled his arms from around Elizabeth. He waited a moment and she didn't wake, so he slid from the bed and pulled on some socks and then wrapped his robe around him. He went downstairs and checked the doors. Both were still bolted as he had left them the night before. He sat down and pulled on his boots and then slipped out the back door. He noticed that they had gotten a couple inches of snow but it shouldn't affect school or travel. He couldn't explain what woke him up.
When he got back in the house. He bolted the back door once more. He pulled his boots off and put them back by the front door. There under the bench he found the gift that he had brought home for Elizabeth. He took it and put it on her writing desk so that she could have it right away in the morning. Before heading back upstairs, he checked the fire in the pot belly stove. He added a log and sat on the couch for a few minutes. He planned to let the log catch and then rebank the fire. He closed his eyes for a few moments and before he knew it he woke again with a start. This time he looked around and realized that he was downstairs. He checked the fire and then headed back upstairs. He slipped his robe off and crawled back in bed with Elizabeth. He pulled her to his side and held her. Elizabeth even in her sleep snuggled into Jack's side as he held her. Jack looked down, let out a contented sigh and tried to push everything else out of his mind.
Jack's mind was racing. He couldn't shake the bad feeling that had woke him twice that morning. Even before he became a Mountie, Jack had learned to trust those feelings. He wished he could figure out why he had the feeling. He didn't think that something had happened in town, Bill would have had someone come wake him. He made a plan to stick close to town. He didn't want to ruin Elizabeth's birthday by worrying her, so he tried to calm his mind once again. He moved his head closer to Elizabeth's hair and inhaled that scent that was uniquely her. Her hair smelled of lavender and vanilla. Taking in Elizabeth's scent did little to calm Jack. It actually seemed to bring every nerve in his body alive. Not only was his head racing, but so was his heart. There was a part of Jack that wanted to wake Elizabeth so they could make love, but he decided that wasn't the best at the moment, no matter how much he wanted her. He needed to calm down, both physically and mentally.
Jack tried two or three times to fall back asleep, but his mind was still racing. Finally, Jack looked over at the clock and saw that it wasn't even 5am yet. He still had over an hour before he had to be up. As much as he wanted to stay there and hold Elizabeth, he needed to do something to calm his mind. Once again he slipped from the bed and headed downstairs. He turned up a lantern and pulled his drawing supplies from the drawer. He took his sketchbook and went to sit on the couch. He finished that drawing that he had started a few days before. Then he started drawing one of the small boys from the settlement. He wasn't quite big enough to help with a lot of the chores, so the entire time that Pastor Frank and Jack were out there, he followed them around. He asked a lot of questions and Jack had been very patient with him. Jack couldn't get his face out of his head. He knew that it wasn't the easiest life and worried about the women and children out there. Jack also knew that they were trying their best, but that didn't ease his worry for them.
When he finished the sketch of the boy, he closed his portfolio, set it on the end table and leaned his head on the back of the couch. Jack had finally calmed his racing mind, but he still felt that something was wrong. He decided to put it out of his mind for the moment, because he was safe in his own home and Elizabeth was safe upstairs in their bed. He knew if something happened in town, that Bill would have sent for him. Jack had finally calmed down enough that shortly after he leaned back on the couch, he fell asleep.
The alarm went off and Elizabeth stretched, she realized that she was alone in bed. She leaned over and shut the alarm off. She wondered where Jack had gone. She slipped from the bed and got dressed for the day before heading downstairs. When she got to the landing, she saw Jack on the couch. She went and got the fire going in the kitchen stove. She got water to heat for coffee before she went over to Jack. She wondered why he had come downstairs. She saw the picture of herself sitting on the steps of the church with a couple of the children. Jack must have seen her one day during lunch and drew it from memory. She still marveled at how he was able to recall details and put them in the pictures that he drew.
