Chapter 125 – More Family Talk
While they waited for Wynn to return, there was more talk of the house and what they were going to need to fill it. They had only been sitting there for about five more minutes when Wynn walked back into the house. Aunt Elizabeth immediately got up and got the plate that she had been keeping warm for her husband. She set it in front of him just as he sat back down.
"We were holding dessert for you." Aunt Elizabeth said. "Eat, relax. We were just talking about the house that Jack is going to build for Beth."
"Fun." Wynn said. "I will have to hear about that sometime."
"Is everything alright in town?" Jack asked.
"It is now." Wynn said. "A couple of men got out of control while drinking and playing cards. I took care of things. Another man challenged me and he has been dealt with as well."
"I told him that." Dee said.
"I am sure that you did." Wynn said.
"I am actually glad that Bill and Jacobs are here." Jack said. "I mean I know McGinty can handle things, but I am glad that he has them here to help. I wish I could help."
"You need to get better." Charlotte said.
"I know, Ma." Jack said. "But this town is also my responsibility."
"And it will be again, when you are well." Dee said.
"So can I ask who was causing trouble?" Jack asked.
"Two men that you have dealt with before." Wynn said.
"I requested some information on some men that work for Lee that were causing trouble." Jack said.
"I know." Wynn said.
"It arrived." Dee said. "I looked through it briefly, but left it for you."
"I did the same thing." Wynn said. "I have ordered Jacobs and Bill to go through it and see if there is information about the two men sitting at the jail. Don't worry about it. Jacobs will deal with them. He is not happy with either of them."
"What happened to the other man?" Jack asked.
Wynn looked at Jack and shook his head. Once Wynn had swallowed the food in his mouth, he looked at Jack again.
"Jacobs gave him a choice." Wynn said. "He could sit in jail and wait for the judge or pay a fine. He chose to pay the fine. The fine also came with the conditions that he not be in the saloon except for meals for the next five days and if Jacobs caught him with alcohol during that time, he was going to be in more trouble then he already was. It was one of the men that came into work for two weeks. Bill was also going to have a conversation with the man to remind him that this kind of behavior was not permitted here and if wished to continue to be employed by whoever hired him, he better change his ways."
"Bill has a way of convincing people about things." Jack said.
"That he does." Charlotte said.
"I know he does." Wynn said. "I just don't always approve of those ideas."
"What?" Charlotte said. "Bill Avery would never break the law. He has too much respect for it. He may do things in an unusual way, but he would never intentionally break the law."
"I know." Wynn said. "He does however like to bend the law, sometimes."
Charlotte and Jack laughed as they both knew what Wynn was saying.
"You really can't argue with his methods." Charlotte said. "He can be very effective when he wants to be."
Wynn nodded.
"Does Lee know about his men?" Jack asked.
"Yes." Wynn said. "Lee fired them. He was fed up with their behavior. He was going to have Chris clean out their space at the bunkhouse."
"Good." Jack said. "I knew that he didn't like the way that they were acting. I also know that he didn't have just cause to fire them, as they actually did their work."
"Well." Wynn said. "He had cause now and he used it."
"I am sure he will have no trouble filling those two spots." Dee said.
"You're right about that." Jack said.
"I didn't know that Lee had a bunkhouse for the saw mill." Charlotte said.
"I did." Jack said. "He took the back third of one of the sheds used to store lumber and converted it. I know that he was also talking about building another as he expanded the sawmill."
"Good." Dee said. "It will help with the housing."
"That is why he was focused on hiring single men." Jack said. "I know that he would like housing for men with families, but he just hasn't been able to do that yet. I also know that he is interested in houses on the field behind here. Just past this strip of trees, there is another large field. Lee owns it and I know he talked about putting some more houses there."
"A lot of the children play in that field." Elizabeth said.
"Lee and I both know that." Jack said. "I am not sure what Lee is thinking, but I have drawn him some plans and there would still be a place for the children to play, but it would be closer to the pond and town."
"I know that Abigail was also concerned about that." Dee said. "She might not have said anything, but I saw her look when we were looking at and filling in the land map."
"I don't want the children to lose the place to play." Jack said. "But face it, the town needs more housing and the town is going to grow. I also know that the town owns most of the property around the schoolhouse. I also know who owns the rest of it and I doubt that they will develop it much."
"Who owns it?" Elizabeth asked.
"Bill." Jack said. "Bill bought several plats. He knew as the town grew, he would get his investment back and he also wanted to ensure that there was green space for the children to play, but if you ask him about it, he will deny it."
"Sounds like Bill." Charlotte said.
"He didn't indicate that he owns parcels of land." Wynn said. "He also knew that I was looking to figure it out."
"Do you have the map?" Jack asked.
"I have a copy of it." Dee said.
Dee pulled out several pieces of paper that he had drawn the map on and handed it to Jack. Jack looked at it for a bit and then a smile grew across his face.
"What are you smiling at?" Dee asked.
"Bill marked a couple of the pieces further out as his." Jack said. "But he also marked the closer ones. He just didn't use his name."
"What are you talking about?" Wynn asked.
"Look here." Jack said pointing to a parcel of land.
"I was going to ask Abigail about those." Wynn said. "I can't find anything about Ryan Spencer. I was wondering who it was. No one seemed to know."
Charlotte laughed out loud when she heard the name.
"What?" Dee asked. "I think I missed something."
"Ryan was Thomas' middle name." Charlotte said. "Spencer is Bill's middle name. They used to use Ryan Spencer or Spencer Ryan when they needed to talk to each other in code. I think Bill has used those names undercover as well. It was a running joke for a long time."
"I knew the moment I saw it." Jack said. "I am sure that Bill doesn't want people to know that it is him. I mean look at the parcels."
Jack laid the pages out and started pointing to them.
"See what I see?" Jack asked.
As Jack pointed out the land, everyone at the table noticed that the land that was marked Ryan Spencer was near the pond and other places that were considered less desirable to build.
"I am sure he bought those pieces to have green space." Jack said. "I mean think about it. Bill loves to be outdoors and hates being in the city because there isn't a place to just go sit and relax, to be away from people."
"I see it." Charlotte said. "I mean he could build in a couple of those places closer, but they look like a great place to expand the livery and also to have for children to run around and play."
Wynn shook his head.
"I have known that man for years." Wynn said. "And I have learned more about him in the last week than I have when we worked together."
"Bill is a little secretive about his past." Charlotte said. "I think it has something to do with the way he was raised. What little I do know is that he didn't have a great childhood and then when he lost his parents."
"You knew that he lost his parents?" Wynn asked.
"Yes." Charlotte said. "He said something to me after Thomas died. He said that the boys would be fine, especially since they still had one parent. When I looked at him with confusion. He explained that he lost both of his parents within a year when he was nine or ten. He said that after spending some time in an orphanage, he was taken in by a nice man who helped him through school. I tried to get more information out of him, but he refused to speak about it."
"Wow." Jack said. "I didn't even know that. No wonder he was always looking out for me."
"More than that." Charlotte said. "We were never very religious, so we didn't do the whole godparents thing, but I think that Thomas wanted Bill to be godfather to both you boys and I am sure that he asked him to unofficially do just that. Thomas was raised Catholic, but I don't know what happened, but he didn't fully subscribe to everything they taught. I was raised in a household that believed, but didn't really attend church regularly. Part of that was because most of the places that we were in didn't always have a regular pastor. We raised you boys to believe, but neither of us wanted to try and force something on either of you that we didn't fully subscribe to. So we taught you about God, but left it up to you what you believed as you got older. Maybe I should have done a better job with Tommy."
"I wouldn't doubt it." Aunt Elizabeth said. "Especially about Thomas asking Bill to keep an eye on his family."
"Do you have godparents, Elizabeth?" Jack asked.
"I don't know." Elizabeth said. "I don't remember my parents ever talking about things like that."
"You actually have several." Aunt Elizabeth said. "As is tradition in England."
"Who?" Elizabeth asked with surprise.
"Wynn and I for one." Aunt Elizabeth said. "I believe the senior Charles Kensington and his wife, Anne. George Monclair and his wife Edith and there was another business associate of your father's."
"Wow." Elizabeth said. "I never knew."
"Viola and Julie have several as well." Aunt Elizabeth said. "They are all business associates of your father. I believe that the Kensingtons and Monclairs are included in there with one or the other."
"That would explain a few things growing up." Elizabeth said. "The Kensingtons and Monclairs were always around."
"It would also explain when Edward Monclair said you were all raised as siblings." Dee said.
"Which makes his comments and behavior toward me even more disturbing." Elizabeth said.
She shook her head in disgust.
"Since we are talking about godparents." Jack said. "Is that something that you want for our children?"
"I do." Elizabeth said. "But we need to talk about what we want. I know that it is different out here, but I also think that we are different. We both believe and attend church here."
"Yes." Jack said. "Granted, since being here it is the first time I have attended services with regularity. Don't get me wrong, I believe in God and read the Bible a lot, but I have never felt like I fit in at church. Maybe it was because we didn't attend much growing up."
"That is my fault." Charlotte said. "Before, it was because we moved around and found it hard to feel included. After your father died, I was angry at God for so long. I know that my brother and sister-in-law tried to do right by you boys, but I guess I failed you there as well."
"You didn't fail me, Ma." Jack said. "You weren't the only one that was angry with God after Dad died. It took me until I was in academy for me to realize that."
"Thank you." Charlotte said.
"For me it was different." Elizabeth said. "We always went to church at St Thomas Anglican Church on Sunday, but it felt more like it was an obligation and to show that we were 'good Christian' people. I know that my parents are still members there and when in town, that is where Agatha and Henry go as well.
My parents never talked about God with us girls. The only reason that I know as much as I do was because our governess insisted that we read the Bible stories. Then when I was teacher college, there were classes that we took and that was when I felt I understood more. I feel that I have learned more since I have come out here than I ever did growing up. The people out here really live that Christian calling. I mean look at the way everyone has pulled together with what has happened."
"And it isn't the first time." Jack said.
"Very true." Elizabeth said. "I don't think that the widows would have survived last year if they wouldn't have had a deep faith."
"I think you are right, Beth." Wynn said.
"Religion and faith are very different for adults than it is for children." Aunt Elizabeth said. "It is our job as parents to teach our children about faith and help guide them to make the right choices. I think that it is easier when you have a deep faith yourself. I think that you two will be fine. There is no way that you two could have survived without a deep faith. You haven't known each other for a year, but you have been through so much."
"Wow." Elizabeth said. "She is right. I can't believe that a year ago, I didn't know you Jack. I was preparing to come out here despite what Mother and Father wanted. Now look at us – married and expecting a child of our own."
"I know what you mean." Jack said. "If anyone would have told me a year ago that I would be stationed in a small mining town and loving it, not to mention finding the love of my life in that small town, I would have called them crazy."
Elizabeth leaned over and gave Jack a kiss.
"I am forever grateful that Father demanded a Mountie be assigned." Elizabeth said.
"Me too." Jack said with a smile.
