Chapter 47 – Last Minute Prep
Jack left the saloon and headed to the cafe to meet Elizabeth. Jack wasn't sure what Abigail wanted, especially since he had talked to her earlier. The lights were still on at the cafe, so Jack went to the side door and knocked. Abigail let him in and found Elizabeth in the kitchen having some tea. Jack looked at Elizabeth and then back to Abigail. He wondered what was going on when Abigail pointed for Jack to sit at the table. Jack went to sit at the table with Elizabeth and that was when Abigail put a warm plate of food in front of Jack. She knew that he had left before he could get a chance to eat and she wanted to make sure Jack had eaten.
"Thought you would need to eat." Abigail said.
"Thank you." Jack said. "Is this why you wanted me to stop when I was done?"
"Yes." Abigail said. "You left before you could eat and I wanted to make sure that you were taking care of yourself. You are no good to anyone if you don't."
Abigail sat at the table and had a cup of tea with Elizabeth as Jack ate. Abigail wanted to know if Faith was okay. Jack told them that she was, but Abigail knew that there was more to the story and Jack wasn't saying. She tried to ask a couple of times, but he said that it wasn't his place to stay. All he would say was that she was fine and that they had talked.
"I told her if she needed anything tonight to wake you or Bill." Jack said. "I hope that was okay."
"Of course." Abigail said.
Both Abigail and Elizabeth wanted to know more, but both knew better. If Jack didn't want to say, he wouldn't. Jack finished eating and he wanted to get home, because he figured Elizabeth was tired. Jack and Elizabeth made their way home in the light rain. Both had had a long day by the time that they got home that night. Elizabeth was tired, she wondered if she was still fighting whatever had her down over the weekend because she was more tired then she could remember in a long time. She still didn't think that she was pregnant, but she wanted to be. She wanted to give Jack a child because she knew that he would be a wonderful father. She let Jack know that she just wanted to head to bed, because she was tired and sore. She didn't want Jack to worry about her, but she knew that it would have been worse if she hadn't shared with him how she was feeling. Jack admitted that he was tired and sore as well. He knew that the constant wet weather wasn't helping things.
Jack suggested that they sit by the fire and warm up before they headed to bed. Elizabeth was too tired to argue. She just enjoyed being in Jack's arms. Jack wondered if he was wrong about her being pregnant because she hadn't said anything. Jack was wondering if Elizabeth was pushing herself too much, especially in light of what had happened the previous fall. He wanted to ask her about it, but he also didn't want to upset her. He also knew that he was going to keep a much closer eye on her as they went forward. He wondered if there was something that the doctors had missed before. Jack knew that there had been a lot of discoveries in the medical field over the last number of years. Jack made up his mind that if things didn't get better, he was going to insist that they take a trip to Union City and see a doctor. He would take her to Hamilton if he had to. The last thing that Jack wanted was to have something wrong with Elizabeth that could be fixed. He knew that they had money and if it came to Elizabeth's health, he was going to insist on the best.
They sat there for a bit warming up before Jack got up to bank the fires and close things up for the night. By the time that he was ready to head upstairs, Elizabeth could barely keep her eyes open, so Jack scooped her up in his arms and carried her up to bed. He helped her change for bed and by the time that Jack changed and crawled in next to her, she was sound asleep. Jack pulled her close. Once again, Jack put his hand on Elizabeth's stomach and prayed for and over her. He left his hand on her stomach and fell asleep himself dreaming of chasing children in a meadow.
Thursday morning was still overcast. Jack wanted to check the river, but he also wanted to check on Faith. Elizabeth was up at the same time as Jack and insisted that they eat before Jack left. She wanted him to have a warm breakfast if he was going to be out in the cool weather again. She made them oatmeal and then made them each a lunch to take with. Jack waited long enough to walk Elizabeth to school before he went to the jail and checked in with Bill. Jack wanted to check on Faith, but he wanted to check in with Bill first. When Jack got to jail, Bill was there. Bill poured each of them a cup of coffee. Jack accepted the cup and then sat down. He knew that if Bill was pouring coffee that it wasn't going to be a quick chat. Jack was also worried about Elizabeth and wanted to ask Faith a couple of questions.
Bill let Jack know that he stayed at the saloon until Adam headed upstairs. Bill said that he drank plenty but didn't go anywhere. Bill also let Jack know that he hadn't seen either Adam or Faith yet that morning. He doubted that Adam was even up after how much he drank. Bill let Jack know that he would ride out and check the river if he wanted to stay. Jack said that he would ride out to the river, because there was something else that he wanted to check on. He also let Bill know that he was going to check on Faith first. Jack finished his coffee, thankful that it wasn't one of Bill's long talks and then headed over to the infirmary. He knocked but there was no answer, so he headed around the back. He went up and knocked on the door. Faith answered and was surprised to see Jack. He let her know that he was just checking on her before he rode out to check the river. Faith let him know that she was fine and was just getting ready to head down to the infirmary. Jack let her know that Bill was next door and he would be back soon.
Jack left and went to the livery to saddle Sergeant. He rode out to check a few things before he headed to check the river. The river didn't seem higher, but Jack noticed that there was more standing water as he rode toward the river. He was worried that the ground was getting saturated and that was dangerous. Jack knew that they had reached a critical stage in the spring and that any rain or a large storm with lots of wind could be the tipping point. He made a note of the standing water and the river height. He also talked to a few of the farmers that had land near the river, he warned them to be careful and to let him know if they saw trees start to go down. Jack was glad that there was a small ridge between the river and Hope Valley or things could be a lot worse. He knew that some of the farmers might suffer and that the settlement would be in danger if the river rose, but there wasn't much more that Jack could do to get ready. Jack headed back to town because there wasn't much that he could do other than keep an eye on things. When Jack got back to town, he let both Abigail and Bill know about the situation with the river and the standing water. He then logged the information and sent the information down river so that they could be ready as well. Jack wanted to have a controlled evacuation and not a hurried one. There was a part of him that wished that he could force the evacuation, but he knew that he really didn't have a legal leg to stand on.
Later that morning, Jack was surprised to see Adam at the stagecoach platform. Jack didn't think that there was a stage that day. When he stopped at the stagecoach office he learned that Adam had sent for a stage from Buxton the day before. Jack left the office and headed back to the infirmary to check on Faith. When he got there, she let him know that Adam hadn't come by. She let Jack know that she was staying. Faith told Jack that she had wired the hospital in Union City and let them know that she was needed out in Hope Valley for a little longer and would let them know more later. Jack was glad that she was staying, but felt bad that it was at the cost of her relationship with her fiance. Jack didn't know what to say, so he just let Faith know that he was there if she wanted to talk. Jack then left the infirmary and headed to the cafe to look for Abigail. He had an idea and he needed her help. If the town couldn't have a full time doctor, maybe a full time nurse and the traveling doctor would have to be okay for the time being.
When Jack got to the stagecoach platform, he wanted to wait and talk to the driver, but he didn't want a confrontation with Adam. Jack took his chances and waited, since he was in his uniform and could arrest Adam if he got out of control. Adam wasn't happy that Jack was there, but he didn't say anything to him. When the stagecoach pulled up, Jack hopped up to talk to the driver and he didn't have much of anything different then the driver Jack had talked to before. The roads were muddy, but passable at that point. Jack let the driver know that he had seen standing water that morning, and to be careful. The driver agreed with Jack that there was standing water, but it wasn't affecting the roads yet. Jack hopped back down and wished the driver safe travels. He watched the stagecoach pull out of town. Jack felt bad for Faith for her relationship, but was also glad that she was staying.
Jack then headed to the cafe to find Abigail. After he talked to her, she agreed that Jack's idea was a good one. She said that she would talk to Faith and see what she thought. Jack was glad that Faith was staying for at least a little while. He was still worried about Faith, but he knew that she would be safer in Hope Valley then she would have been in Union City or anywhere with Adam for that matter. Faith staying solved one of the things that Jack was worried about, he also knew that there wasn't much more that he could do about the water except wait it out. Jack was also worried about Elizabeth because she still wasn't feeling well. He wondered if there wasn't something more going on than just a cold. Jack really wanted Elizabeth to see a doctor, but he knew that there was no arguing with Elizabeth when it came to certain things. Jack had thought for sure that she was pregnant, but she hadn't said anything, so he had dismissed the idea. He didn't think that would be something that she would have kept from him. They had both talked about how much they wanted kids. Jack realized that he was a little disappointed that Elizabeth wasn't pregnant. He really wanted children, but also wasn't going to pressure Elizabeth. He had seen how upset she had gotten when their families were teasing them at Christmas. The rest of the day was uneventful and Jack was glad for that. He kept an eye on the sky and prayed that the sun would come out. It remained overcast all day, but it didn't rain.
Friday they were given a little reprieve when the sun came out for most of the day. Elizabeth was glad that the sun had come out, she was able to let the kids play outside. She was still worried about the mud and what the parents would say, but the kids had been inside enough and they needed to run off the energy. She was able to get through Friday afternoon much better than earlier in the week. Elizabeth was looking forward to the weekend and spending time with Jack. She was also hoping that she felt better enough to go for a ride. She was still tired a lot, but the worst of things had passed. She had dismissed the idea of her being pregnant because she didn't feel pregnant. She hadn't said anything to Jack and felt bad about it, she knew how much he wanted to be a father. Elizabeth hoped that it was just the weather that had her down and some time outside was just what she needed. She knew that Jack was worried about the river and the rising water, but there was nothing more he could do and the waiting was driving him nuts. In turn, he was driving her, Bill and Abigail crazy worrying and wondering if there was something that he missed.
The reprieve was short lived when it started raining again late Saturday afternoon. It rained pretty hard for a time so Jack and Bill ended up riding out in the rain to check the river. It was out of its banks in places and again, they stopped at the settlement and tried to talk to them about evacuating and coming closer to Hope Valley just until the water went down. They reminded Jack and Bill that they were paying rent to be on the land and if they left, that they might lose the land. Bill tried to assure them that if they signed a lease that the owner couldn't just give the land away if they weren't there. Try as they might, the people of the settlement wouldn't go. They did tell Jack and Bill that they would get things ready to leave at a moment's notice, but they weren't leaving. There was nothing more Jack and Bill could do, so they accepted what they were told and left. Neither was happy, but they had done what they could to get the people out of harm's way. Jack just wondered if they would have enough warning to get out if something happened.
Sunday was overcast again, but it didn't look like rain and for that everyone was relieved. Despite it still being a little cool, Pastor Frank had held services in the grove. He had been worried about the mud, but wanted to be outside since people had been in so much. He loved the outdoor area and wished to use it when the weather allowed. Jack convinced Elizabeth to go for a short ride on Sunday afternoon despite the weather. Elizabeth was glad to get out for a short time, but by the time that they got back home she was exhausted. Jack felt bad so he dropped her at the house and took Thor to the livery with him. After he had taken care of the horses, he headed to the house. He found Elizabeth sleeping on the couch when he got home. He wanted to take her upstairs, but instead chose to leave her on the couch and make himself something to eat. Jack was concerned that a short ride like that would wear Elizabeth out so much that she fell asleep. He wondered if he shouldn't send for a doctor, or at least talk to Faith again. He didn't want anything to happen to Elizabeth.
After he ate, Jack picked up a book and read for a bit while Elizabeth slept on the couch. Elizabeth woke up when there was a knock at the door. Both Jack and Elizabeth were surprised when Jack opened the door and his mother, Charlotte stood there. She had gotten a room at the saloon, but wanted to let them know that she had come to town. Jack made them all something to eat despite him not being all that hungry. Afterward, he convinced Elizabeth to head up to bed even though it was still pretty early. Jack decided to walk his mother back to town and have a little talk with her. Mainly he wanted to know what she was doing in town since Lee and Rosemary had decided to have a fall wedding and not a spring one. Charlotte tried to argue that she was just passing through and missed her son. Jack wasn't buying it. He wondered what she was up to, but if she wasn't going to say, then he wasn't going to get her to talk. He may be a skilled Mountie, but he was no match for his mother. Elizabeth wanted to wait for Jack to come back from town, but he didn't know how long he was going to be. She was laying in bed and fell asleep. She was so tired that it was good that she fell asleep, but there was a part of her that wanted to wait for Jack and find out what Charlotte was up to.
When Jack got back to the house, he played with his guitar for some time before heading up to bed. He was trying to work out what his mother was up to. He knew that she would show her hand when she was ready, but there was just something that had Jack on edge with her showing up like she did. As Jack was thinking, he wondered if she didn't have another fight with her brother. They were eleven months apart and so much alike that it was scary. The problem was that they were both so stubborn that neither would admit that they were wrong. When they got into a fight, one of them always left. It had been that way for years. As the boys got older, it was always Charlotte that would leave for a few days or a week. Then come home and pretend that nothing happened. Jack made a note to wire his uncle in Aberdeen to see what he had to say. He tried to put it out of his mind to relax enough to go to sleep. Jack quickly changed and crawled under the covers. Elizabeth immediately snuggled close to him as he wrapped his arms around her. He took a moment to say a prayer before laying back and quickly falling asleep.
Monday, April 3rd, the morning dawned clear and bright. Jack was glad that the sun was out. He walked Elizabeth to school and then went out to check the river and go on rounds. Jack was glad that the river wasn't any higher when he checked it. It was still very high and the water was running fast, but it wasn't any further out of the banks. Jack knew that it could still get worse again. Jack hoped that the sun would stay out for a few days to dry up some of the water, but he also knew that probably wouldn't happen. He looked to the north and west and saw the clouds starting to gather again. He said a quick prayer and turned Sergeant back toward town. Jack was also worried about Elizabeth; he knew that the weather wasn't helping whatever was going on and then if the weather kept the kids inside, they would be harder to deal with and it would wear Elizabeth out more. He wished that there was something more that he could do, but he had done what he could and ordered things to be ready for the worst. He just hoped that it wouldn't come to that, because he didn't know if Hope Valley could handle any more misfortune.
By the time that Jack headed home that night it was raining pretty hard. It was still raining when Jack got up the next morning. He was worried about what would happen if it continued to rain. Despite the rain, he knew that he would have to ride out to check things out. Charlotte could see the concern on Jack's face and asked him what was wrong. He explained how he was worried about the settlement and he wanted to get them to move, but they wouldn't. Jack had ridden to check the river, but didn't go into the settlement, he was sick of arguing with them. Charlotte asked where the settlement was. Jack explained to her where and then she asked to go with him on Wednesday to talk to the settlers. She was hoping to talk to them. Jack wasn't sure that it would make a difference, but he was willing to try anything. He knew that his mother could be persuasive when she wanted to be.
It rained all day Tuesday and into Wednesday. Because of the rain, Pastor Frank had been limited on what he could bring out to the settlement. He had also tried to talk to a number of the people in the settlement and get them to leave and head to town, but then didn't want to leave the others behind. As a group they had decided that they wanted to stay together. Wednesday, despite the rain, Charlotte rode with Jack out to the river to see for herself what was going on. She was also very concerned with the standing water and where the settlement was. She knew that they could be hit with a flash flood and they would have very little warning to get to safety. She had seen it before. When they got to the settlement, Jack checked on things and then let the kids know to stay away from the river because it was too dangerous. He knew that a couple of the children liked to play under the big trees near the river bank.
While Jack was checking on things, Charlotte tried to talk to some of the mothers and express her concerns. They listened, but didn't feel that they were in as much danger as Jack and Charlotte were making it out to be. They said that they were staying. Charlotte had said her peace, but she couldn't believe how unreasonable they were being. She wondered if there wasn't something more going on. She didn't say anything, but Jack could see the frustration on her face. When Charlotte turned to head back to her horse, Jack could see that she was muttering under her breath. Jack knew that she wasn't happy and he wondered if he was going to get the brunt of her anger. He hoped and prayed not, because he wasn't sure that he could handle that at the moment. He still hadn't figured out why she was there and he hadn't heard back from his uncle.
Jack and Charlotte left the settlement frustrated and didn't know what they could do, but they knew that they would have to keep a close eye on things because it was going to get worse before it got better and they both knew it. Jack expressed his frustration to his mother. She heard what he was saying, but reminded him that he had done everything that he could. She promised that she would stay for a few days to help in case something happened. When they got back to town, Jack let Bill know what was going on. Together, Jack and Bill let Abigail know and they agreed that there wasn't much more that they could do. The rain tapered off Wednesday night, but damage was already done. The river was running out of its banks and there was standing water in most places.
Wednesday night, Elizabeth made supper for Jack and Charlotte joined them. Elizabeth was worried about Jack. He was stressing himself out. She hoped that he would relax because his mother was there, but he was only more stressed. They had a nice supper together and Jack walked Charlotte back to the saloon. Before heading back to the house, he made one last check through town. Everything was quiet and he was glad. All he wanted to do was head home and curl up with his wife. When he got back to the house, Elizabeth had finished up the supper dishes and already headed upstairs. He secured the house, banked the fires and headed up as well. When he got to their room, he saw that Elizabeth was already asleep. So he changed out of his clothes and crawled in bed. He wrapped his arms around Elizabeth and pulled her close. She immediately snuggled into his side.
