Chapter 211 – Doug Burke Arrives in Hope Valley
Wynn sat down, leaned his elbows on his knees and looked at Frank. If Frank was worried, Wynn didn't see it. All Wynn saw was concern for his friends and parishioners. Wynn was relieved to see this side of Frank. At first, he had been worried when he learned that Frank was coming to Hope Valley. Wynn knew that he had to inform Jack of Frank's past and was glad that Jack saw beyond Frank's past to the man he had become. Wynn had known that if Jack gave Frank a second chance then others would as well. Wynn was so happy that he had been right about the situation.
"Thank you for coming." Wynn said. "I hope you know how fortunate this town is to have you. I want to thank you for reaching out to Jack and Beth. I will tell you that Beth has always been more private about her faith. So for her to share what she has is a huge thing."
Frank was glad that Wynn had looked beyond his past to the man that he was now. Frank knew that he had more than proved that he had changed his ways and it felt good to get that acknowledgement from other people.
"I agree." Elizabeth Rose said. "Beth has also told me that living in this place has made it easier for her to truly live a Christian life. Maybe it has something to do with truly needing to rely on others to get things done to survive. All I know is that the niece I saw grow up in a sheltered environment of the big city is so much different then the young women that I see here.
I know, I know that there is a lot of growing up that happened. But I truly believe that it is more than that. I think that the struggles that Jack and Beth have made them so much stronger then they ever would have been on their own. I think a lot of the growth that I have seen in Jack and Beth are due to the guidance that you and Abigail have given them."
"Thank you." Frank said.
"Pastor." Andrew said.
"Please call me Frank." Frank said.
"Okay." Andrew said. "Frank, I don't know if you know the story of my wife, Elizabeth and Wynn's daughter Sophie."
"No." Frank said. "I know that at Christmas, that you were expecting a little one. I think that Wynn mentioned something about an accident and how wonderful it was that you were able to have children."
"Right." Andrew said. "My wife was injured in a horrific accident when she was seventeen years old. She had been traveling with Beth's family. They were heading to New York for Beth's birthday. They stopped at Niagara Falls. A man that had been following them, pushed Sophie down a steep cliff in an attempt to take Beth. When Sophie was brought up and taken to the hospital, she was unconscious. She had cuts to her arms and face where she had fallen. The worst part was a head injury or so they thought. When Sophie woke up, they realized that her spine had been damaged. She worked very hard to be able to walk with assistance. Most days she uses a wheelchair, but she can take a few steps if needed.
We have around the clock live in help because of what happened. It took me a year to convince Sophie that it was worth taking the chance and marrying me. She didn't want me to settle and maybe never have kids. I told her that I didn't care about that. I loved her and because I loved her enough for both of us that it was worth it. Finally she agreed. Not only do we have a beautiful little boy who was born in February. We have been married for two years.
I am not telling you this so you feel sorry for me. I am telling you this because I firmly believe that Sophie and Beth are a lot alike. They have an inner strength that would put most of us to shame. They don't share it with a lot of people and most never know that they have it, but you have been fortunate to have a front row seat to watch something truly extraordinary and I hope that you know that."
"Do you realize that Jack and Beth will celebrate their four month anniversary tomorrow." Dee said. "In those four months, Jack has been hurt more than he had been healthy. They didn't really get a honeymoon because of Jack's work, but you didn't hear either of them complain. Do you know why that is?"
Frank shook his head.
"Because." Dee said. "Jack and Beth, especially Beth, realize that they have much more than most of the people in this town and they should just be grateful that they are together. They are fully aware that others have had a much harder road to walk. Beth knows that she is surrounded by women who had to bury their husbands and find a way to still take care of their children."
Frank looked at Dee and then over to Wynn.
"You are wondering why we are telling you all of this?" Wynn asked.
"Well." Frank said. "Yes."
"We are telling you, so you can see that you shouldn't feel guilty about not being out sooner." David said. "I might not know Jack and Beth very well. But I do know the other people sitting in this room. These are the people who have rallied around Jack and Beth, who have given them strength in the lowest moments the last number of months. The fact that you have a connection to Jack's father is a plus for you."
"Unless you are family." Dee said. "Jack and Beth tend to not let people into their inner circle. For Beth is partly because of the way that she was raised, never knowing if people liked her because of who she was or what she could provide for them. For Jack, a son of a Mountie, it was a matter of self preservation. As a young child Jack told me about moving and never knowing how long he was staying in a place. As tragic as losing his father was, it also caused him to finally have a place to call home – his uncle's ranch."
"I think I am beginning to understand." Frank said. "Jack and Elizabeth have invited me into the inner circle with you."
"Yes." Wynn said. "That inner circle might look big, but if you consider how many people they know, it is very small. It is the people in this room, my daughter Sophie. Charlotte, Abigail, Constables Joe McGinty and Douglas Burke, Sergeant Jeremiah Jacobs and Bill Avery. And now you. So you see that is not a very big group of people. There are other people that are close to the inner circle, but I don't know if they are in it, which is fine."
"I would say that Jack had also put a few people close to the inner circle, but not fully in it." Dee said.
"You are right." Wynn said. "Our point is, we treat that inner circle like family and there is no guilt when dealing with family. The other thing about being in the inner circle, is we will always be there for each other. No matter what. I think a few people have forgotten that, but if they don't remember they will find out the hard way that they aren't welcome back into the circle."
"Thank you for sharing with me." Frank said. "Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help. I will try to help keep the rumors to a minimum. I will be praying for Jack and Elizabeth. I mean it, if there is anything that I can do, please let me know."
"You want to help." Dee said. "Go talk to McGinty and then to Lee and see what you can do to help get that house and property built. I know that is a huge thing on Jack's mind right now. He made a promise that he would have the new house built before that baby arrives and I know that he is struggling thinking he has already failed Beth in the one area that he swore he never would.
Both have talked about their jobs as a calling, but both have also agreed that they always need to put the family first wherever possible. So for Jack by not being able to work on the house, he feels he has failed."
"The house." Frank said.
"Yes, the house." Dee said.
"That I can do." Frank said. "Especially after all the work that Jack put in making sure we had a church and schoolhouse."
"Thank you." Dee said. "The house and prayers. That is what you can do. Also helping to keep rumors down."
"I can do that." Frank said.
"Thank you." Wynn said. "Please feel free to stop back out or inquire about Jack if you see us in town."
"Thank you." Frank said. "Now I will leave you to enjoy the rest of your day."
"Can you please let Abigail know what is going on?" Elizabeth Rose asked. "I know that Jack and Beth would want her to know."
"I can do that." Frank said. "I am actually heading to the cafe from here."
"Remind her that if she needs help, the cadets are there." Wynn said.
Frank nodded, picked up his Bible and let himself out. The family all sat back with a bit of relief after Frank left. They were all worried about Jack and Elizabeth, but they were glad that people cared enough to check on them and make sure that other people knew things were okay. Elizabeth Rose was looking at the clock. She knew that Jacobs would be back soon to check on Jack. She was wondering if anyone was hungry.
"Anyone need anything?" Elizabeth Rose asked. "Since I got Jack and Beth's personal laundry done. I was thinking of baking, just to keep busy."
"Some tea would be nice as we work, Mom." Andrew said.
"I can do that." Elizabeth Rose said. "Anything else?"
"Tea will be fine." Wynn said. "What are you thinking of baking?"
"I am going to make some sugar cookies." Elizabeth Rose said. "Beth can take them in her lunch this coming week for school. They can also be here if people stop to visit Jack. While I am thinking of things, Dee can you please run into town and pick up some stuff at the mercantile?"
"What do you need?" Dee said. "I was thinking of going and checking messages anyway."
"I have a list that Patty started when she was making lunch." Elizabeth Rose said. "Let me double check things and then I will give it to you."
Elizabeth Rose went to the kitchen and looked at a few things, adding to the list that Patty started. She also added more paper for them if they were going to be working from the house for a few days as she suspected.
"Here you go." Elizabeth Rose said. "Why don't you stop at the cafe and bring some bottles of soda back. I have a feeling that Jack might like that when he starts to come around."
"I can do that." Dee said. "Do you see a basket or should I get a crate?"
"There was a large basket outside the back door." Elizabeth Rose said.
"I will grab that and go around the house." Dee said.
Dee left and headed to town. Elizabeth Rose headed back to the kitchen and started to pull the things out that she needed to bake. She took a moment and said a quick prayer before she started to make a batch of sugar cookies. The other guys went back to the paperwork that they had in front of them. They talked quietly among themselves. There was a part of Wynn that wished Dee would take a guard when he went into town, but he also understood why he didn't. Wynn realized that with everyone in the house, Jacobs had sent a third guard just to be safe.
It was forty-five minutes after he left that Dee returned, but he wasn't alone. Wynn stood up and opened the door when he heard a wagon stop outside the house. He wasn't surprised to see Jacobs and Faith, but he was surprised to see a Constable with them.
"Constable, can I help you?" Wynn asked.
"Constable Douglas Burke, Sir." He said. "I just arrived in town. I had received word that Jack Thornton was injured. I hadn't been able to get away before, but my Sergeant gave me three weeks leave to come see Jack."
"That is good of you to come." Wynn said. "Please come in."
Doug tied his horse to the wagon and grabbed the crate to help Dee carry things in. Dee and Doug took the stuff from the mercantile to the table. Jacobs and Faith had stopped to talk off to the side for a moment. Once his hands were free, Doug offered Wynn a salute.
"At ease, Constable." Wynn said. "I take it, you know who I am?"
"Yes, Sir." Doug said. "I also know that you are an uncle to his new wife. Jack wrote to me and apologized for not inviting me to the wedding. He also went on to explain a little about Elizabeth's family. We had been writing back and forth since this past fall."
"And for reference where are you coming from?" Wynn asked.
"Coaldale, just outside of Lethbridge." Doug said.
"Do you know what is going on?" Wynn asked.
"I know that Jack was injured while trying to recuse a child from a flash flood." Doug said. "The last I heard, he was doing better after a setback with his breathing. Constable McGinty had been keeping me updated. We were all close when at the academy and have stayed in touch."
"I know." Wynn said. "You were in the troop behind Jack and McGinty and were extremely close all the way through the academy."
"Yes, Sir." Doug said. "I am closer with Jack and Joe than anything. I am an only child, so Jack and Joe are like brothers that I never had."
"Wynn." Faith said. "Jeremiah and I are going to head upstairs and check on Jack. Has there been any change?"
"Beth was down for a bit." Wynn said. "She said that Jack moaned in pain a few times, but as far as we know, he hadn't woken up."
"Thank you." Faith said. "I kind of expected that. I am going to try and wake him. We will use smelling salts if we have to. We need him awake to assess his breathing and pain levels."
"Will you be giving him more pain meds?" Wynn asked.
"That will depend on his breathing?" Faith said. "Please excuse us."
Wynn nodded. Faith and Jacobs headed up the steps. Doug was looking around at everything. He was trying to figure out what was going on. This was not how he thought he would be meeting Jack's wife. Even saying that was a foreign concept to Doug as until Jack had come to this posting, he had been so dead set against getting involved with a woman. Doug was actually looking forward to meeting the woman who finally changed Jack Thornton's mind about women and marriage.
All Doug knew was that she must be one extraordinary woman. Beyond who she was related to, Doug alright liked the woman because she loved the man he saw as a brother. Once Doug had read through the letter from Jack several times, he realized why he didn't have him and Joe at the wedding. Doug also realized that it would have been hard to explain to his mother why he was so close and he didn't stop to see her. As it was, Doug was going to have to leave early to spend a few days with his mother in Union City before returning to his post. At the moment, he just wanted to find out what was going on.
"What is going on?" Doug asked. "What happened?"
"Slow down." Wynn said. "Let's go have a seat and we will talk."
Jacobs and Faith got to Jack and Elizabeth's bedroom door.
"Why don't you knock and go in." Jacobs said. "I have a feeling that Elizabeth might be sleeping as well and I don't want to embarrass or startle her."
Faith knocked on the door and there was no answer. She carefully opened the door.
"Elizabeth." Faith said. "It is Nurse Carter. Jeremiah and I are here to check on you and Jack."
At the sound of Faith's voice, she saw Elizabeth's eyes flutter open. She was curled into Jack's chest and had his arm wrapped around her. It took a moment for Elizabeth to focus on Faith.
"Elizabeth." Faith said.
"Yes." Elizabeth said softly.
"Jeremiah and I are here to check on you and Jack." Faith said. "Can we come in?"
"Give me a minute." Elizabeth said. "I will change."
"How about I grab you a robe?" Faith said. "Not only do I want to check over Jack. But I want to check you over as well. The stress of today is not good for the baby, so I want to make sure that everything is okay."
Elizabeth nodded and moved out of Jack's embrace. Faith walked in and grabbed the robe that was on the chair at Elizabeth's vanity.
"Here you go." Faith said.
Elizabeth wrapped the robe around her, as she sat on the bed.
