Chapter 122 – Explaining Events of the Past Day part 1
Jack and Elizabeth sat at the table where they could still hold hands. Once they were settled, they turned to Wynn. Aunt Elizabeth and Charlotte went to the kitchen to work on things, but were close enough that they could hear."
"So where do you want me to start?" Wynn asked. "There is a lot to cover. Not only what happened this morning, but there are other things that you all need to know."
"How about you start with Elizabeth leaving this morning." Jack said. "Tell us what happened, then if we have questions, we can ask."
"Okay." Wynn said.
Dee handed his father the messenger bag that was sitting between them. Wynn pulled out a folder and set it before him. He knew that he had a lot to talk about, but he wanted to make sure that Jack and Elizabeth had the information that they needed.
"Okay." Wynn said. "I want you to try and listen without reacting, getting mad is not going to change anything."
"I promise to try." Elizabeth said.
"Me too." Jack said.
"Well it started with me allowing Jacobs to run the meeting." Wynn said. "I think that even Bill was surprised about that, but he didn't say anything and just went along with it. Which I am glad about. They didn't want to listen from the start. First it was William objecting to Jacobs calling Beth by Thornton and it went downhill from there. Jacobs wouldn't explain the deal and that only got them going. When he said that they would stand for their crimes, Belanger said that he would petition to have the courtroom closed. Jacobs then said he would volunteer to prosecute the case for the government. When William and Charles refused to back down, Jacobs refused to deal. He wanted Belanger to leave so we could get the prisoners moving, but he refused. It was shortly after that that Beth came out to have her say."
"What did you say, Bella?" Jack asked.
"To who?" Elizabeth said. "I spoke to all three."
"All of it." Jack said.
"She first spoke to Monclair." Wynn said. "What did you call him again?"
"A disgusting excuse of a man." Elizabeth said. "I also said something about being sorry if he ever came near my students again."
"Good." Jack said.
"He won't make it that far." Charlotte said without missing a beat.
Everyone stopped and looked at her.
"He propositioned a fifteen year old in a full cafe while in uniform." Charlotte said. "I will shoot him on the spot if I ever see him near another child. He has been warned."
"Great." Jack said, rolling his eyes. "Please don't make me arrest you, Ma."
"Watch your sass." Charlotte said.
"Jack." Wynn said. "Don't worry about it. We are going to be pushing for the maximum for Monclair. He is facing several years in prison as well as hefty monetary fines."
Jack nodded to what Wynn said. Jack felt bad that they had to deal with another dirty Mountie, but he was glad that Monclair had been dealt with. He never liked him and that went back all the way to the academy. Jack was correct in his first assumption of Monclair – spoiled brat.
"Then what happened?" Jack asked.
"Beth here paced in front of William and Charles for a bit in full scary teacher mode." Wynn said. "Which upset Charles. She then yelled at Charles saying she never wanted to see him again. She then threatened to cause him trouble if he didn't quit lying about her being his. She said it was causing trouble with the board of education and damaging her reputation."
Charlotte and Aunt Elizabeth both chuckled at the 'full scary teacher mode' comment.
"Bella." Jack said. "You didn't say that you were having trouble."
"Nothing official." Elizabeth said. "The letter that I got from my teacher friend said that there were people talking about me after our picture appeared in the paper, then Charles going around telling people that I was his and he was going to marry me. She said that there was some grumbling about my reputation and that I was married to one man but stringing another along for his money. She said that she did what she could to squash rumors, but wanted me to be aware before something became official. I have written a letter to the board. I explained that I am happily married and that the other man is a childhood friend who liked me but we were never a couple, also if they had questions that they could talk to Abigail or Mother or even Aunt Agatha."
"Oh." Jack said.
"I said what I said to get him to back off and know that I was serious." Elizabeth said. "I meant it that if I had trouble with the board, I would be going after him."
"Jacobs and I backed her on that." Wynn said. "Then Charles said that Beth had changed and not for the better."
Jack visibly bristled at that comment.
"It is okay." Dee said. "Beth put him in his place. Saying that she had learned to stand up for herself and that you liked her the way that she was."
Jack lifted Elizabeth's hand and placed a kiss on it giving her a dimpled grin.
"I am almost afraid to ask." Jack asked. "So what happened with William?"
Wynn and Dee looked at Elizabeth. She nodded for them to speak. She couldn't bring herself to repeat what her father said.
"William said that marrying you will lead to nothing but heartbreak." Dee said. "He said that she is going to end up a widow with a bunch of little brats running around that she can't support. I think it was a dig at your mother, but he didn't say it directly."
Jack let out a harsh breath and moved to get up. Charlotte was right there.
"It is okay, Jack." Charlotte said. "It might have been hard after your father died, but we had family to lean on and if something were to happen to you, Lizzie here will not only have family, but a whole community to lean on."
"Your mother is right." Wynn said. "Don't let William get you worked up."
"Before Beth left." Dee said. "William said something to her in Irish and she responded back to him in Irish."
"Do I even want to know?" Jack asked.
Elizabeth took Jack's hand again and squeezed it.
"He said that your children will never be Thatcher heirs." Dee said. "Beth told him that if he kept pushing, he would lose more than he thought."
"Don't worry about it." Elizabeth said. "He can't change the papers and he also can't change what I will get from Mother or Aunt Agatha and Uncle Henry. That combined is more than my father will ever have or be able to leave me and my sisters."
"Anything else before Elizabeth left?" Jack asked.
"Yes." Wynn said. "When she asked someone to walk her home, McGinty volunteered. Charles started to make an inappropriate comment before he was cut off by Jacobs. McGinty also stepped in to defend you. And before you ask, I am not going to repeat what he said or implied."
"I don't remember that." Elizabeth said. "I just wanted to get out of there and basically tuned everything else out."
"Probably for the better, dear." Wynn said.
"I agree." Aunt Elizabeth said. "I can only imagine what was said and that is bad enough."
"I agree." Dee said. "Better you didn't hear, and no need to repeat what was said or implied."
"What happened after Elizabeth left?" Jack asked.
Elizabeth squeezed Jack's hand and he squeezed it back in support.
"Jacobs wanted to get the transport moving." Wynn said. "Belanger was going on again about the deal. Jacobs said it was expired. Monclair was read his charges again. He then yelled that we would never get away with things and didn't know who his father was. While Bill and Captain Anderson were searching Monclair, William asked to speak with me. I told him that he needed to convince Jacobs as he was in charge. He asked what the deal was. Jacobs basically told him that it was his last chance to agree to the stipulations, including new extra ones, sight unseen or take his chances with the judge. William agreed, but Belanger tried to get what the stipulations were first. Jacobs refused to talk to him. William said that he just wanted to keep it quiet and couldn't afford the bad press that it would bring. Jacobs agreed that if anything was printed, it wouldn't come from the Mounties, but he also couldn't stop people from talking.
Jacobs then had William sit down, then turned to Charles and offered him the same deal – agree sight unseen or take his chances with the judge. Charles continued to rant that we wouldn't get away with the way that we have treated him and that Beth was his. Jacobs gave him thirty seconds, even pulling out his watch. When Charles yelled at William that he had promised him Beth and he wasn't leaving without her, Jacobs told him his time was up. It took three of us to get Charles ready for transport. Charles was still yelling and fighting when they loaded him into the wagon, which only added to his charges. Instead of a single count of assault on a Mountie, he now has several counts.
After the transport wagon with Monclair and Charles was gone, Jacobs and I returned to deal with William. Belanger still wanted to hear the stipulations and advised William not to sign the agreement. Jacobs then said he could sit in a cell until another transport could be arranged, then he could take his chances with the judge, but that he – Jacobs, would be there to see that he faced the maximum."
"So Father agreed to the deal?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes." Wynn said.
Taking some papers out of the folder, Wynn pushed them toward Jack and Elizabeth.
"This is your copy of the agreement." Wynn said. "William got one, I have one, Jacobs has one and you have the other. All are signed. As you can see it shows the charges that your father would face and the conditions that he agreed to. Jacobs added two additional on the back page. He didn't tell William that you were expecting, but after what William had said, he didn't want to take any chances. He made William agree that he wouldn't treat any future children any differently than children from your sisters."
"Wow." Elizabeth said, looking over the papers.
"Thank you." Jack said. "I just hope that this means he will back off."
"He better." Dee said. "We are holding the charges for three years, until the statute of limitations runs out on the attempted kidnapping. William violates any of those conditions or has trouble with the Mounties, and that (pointing to the papers) all comes back on him."
Jack looked at Wynn wide-eyed.
"I don't know if that is what I want." Elizabeth said. "But at least if it gets him to back off then I guess I don't mind."
"Good." Wynn said. "Jacobs also suggested that William write a letter apologizing to you both. He suggested that William send it to him in Benson Hills or Bill here and one of the two of them would make sure that you got it. As you can see one of the conditions is that William cannot contact you unless you make contact first. The exception to that would be a true emergency. You will also notice that Jacobs added that he can't just show up here unannounced."
"Good." Elizabeth said. "That makes me feel better."
"Jacobs thought you might like that." Wynn said. "Jacobs also let William know that he would know if any of the conditions were violated and that he trusted Bill Avery's word when it came to how you two were doing. Jacobs also let William know that he would be checking in with both of you as well as checking in on him without notice."
Jack and Elizabeth looked at each other and knew that they both appreciated what Jacobs had done to protect them. Jack wondered if it was more than just helping a fellow brother in arms.
"It looks like supper is almost ready." Dee said. "We will talk about the rest of the day after supper. There is still a lot to cover."
"Okay." Jack said.
"Dee please come set the table." Elizabeth Rose said.
While Dee set the table for the six of them, Elizabeth cleared away their paperwork. Wynn brought over the other chairs so everyone could sit. Once Charlotte and Elizabeth Rose put the food on the table, everyone sat down.
"Wynn." Jack said. "Please say the blessing."
"Heavenly Father." Wynn prayed. "We come to You on this night that Your Son died for us. We give You thanks for all that You have done for us. I ask that You protect all the Mounties that are out protecting others, be with them and keep them safe, especially those that are traveling to help others in need. Please protect us this weekend as we move forward. Please bless and protect this town for all that they have sacrificed to help others. Please help to make the new residents feel welcome. Please bless this food to our bodies and bless the hands that prepared it. Bless this time we have as a family and help us to all be more understanding with each other. Amen."
"Amen." Jack said.
Which was quickly followed by the rest of the people seated at the table. Jack wondered about some of the words that Wynn had used, but he figured that he would learn what was going on after they ate, if not he made a mental note to ask about it. They started to pass the food around and there was a knock at the door.
"I got it." Dee said, jumping up.
Everyone else at the table stopped and wondered what was going on. No one spoke as Dee hurried to the door. Dee peeked through the window to see Ned standing there.
"How can I help you?" Dee asked, opening the door.
"Two things." Ned said. "Here is a message that came in. Second, Bill needs some help at the saloon."
"Please tell him I will be right there." Dee said.
Ned nodded, then turned and left. Dee walked over to his father and handed him the message.
"Bill needs help." Dee said. "I told Ned that I would go."
"I will go as well." Wynn said.
"Okay." Dee said.
"We will keep your plates warm." Aunt Elizabeth said. "Try not to be too long."
"We will try." Wynn said.
Wynn and Dee quickly headed out to see what Bill needed help with. They were both strapping on their gun belts as the left jackets draped over their shoulders. They knew that if Bill was asking for help it was needed right that moment.
