Chapter 231 – Cat Makes Lunch
True to her word, Cat was back just before noon with lunch for Jack and Doug. Not only did she bring chicken and dumpling soup, she had made a pan of Abigail's biscuits. She made sure the meal was warming on the stove and the biscuits were warm in the oven before she left. Doug got Jack up and served them their lunch. Doug thought it was one of the best meals he had eaten after only a couple of bites.
"I have no idea how you stay fit living here." Doug said. "Between what you have said about the cafe, Elizabeth and now this."
"It is not easy." Jack said. "I have cut a lot of wood in the last year and I have also pulled a lot of fence and it is still hard."
"If I lived here." Doug teased.
"I know. I know." Jack said. "You would be so big that you couldn't move."
"It is true." Doug said.
The boys were just finishing up lunch when Elizabeth came in the door. She had stayed for most of lunch at the schoolhouse and then had her guards walk her into town to send the letter off to her Uncle Henry. She had been excited to send off the letter and hoped that he would be interested in helping the young man. Elizabeth knew that the young man was smart and very creative. She also knew that if they were able to patent the fan and make it, the family could use the money. From what she gathered from the younger brothers, their family didn't have a lot and she figured it was a lot less than most that were living in Hope Valley.
"Afternoon." Elizabeth said. "So what did you make for lunch?"
"Mrs Montgomery brought us soup and biscuits." Doug said. "There is enough left if you want some."
"I think I might." Elizabeth said. "The sandwich I had was good, but I am still hungry."
"I am glad you are feeling better enough to eat." Jack said.
"I feel like all I have been doing all day is eating." Elizabeth said. "Everytime I sat down at my desk, I was snacking on those crackers. Speaking of which, I picked up some more as well as a few other things as I had to run into town and send a letter out."
"Did you check the mail?" Jack asked.
"No." Elizabeth said. "I forgot."
"I can go in after lunch here." Doug said. "It will do me good to stretch my legs a bit."
"Sounds good." Jack said. "And if there is something that you want to pick up at the mercantile, please do so and charge it to our account. If Ned has a problem, he can talk to me."
"I already let him know." Elizabeth said. "He said that he would be fine with any of our guests charging to our account unless we say otherwise. He also mentioned that Uncle Wynn had said something similar about the Mounties, as long as it was within reason."
"Sounds good." Jack said.
"Then it is settled." Jack said. "Doug can head in once we are done."
Elizabeth quickly put her things away and then dished herself up a bowl of the lunch that Cat had brought. She made a mental note to write a thank you note to her and get something nice for her. Elizabeth knew that she didn't have a lot to share, so it was a huge thing for Cat to make lunch for them, especially something with meat in it. She just hoped that Cat didn't feel that she had to make something for them. She knew that her aunt had mentioned something about people making meals for the house, and Aunt Elizabeth shut that down, saying that there were plenty of them that they could handle it. Aunt Elizabeth told Elizabeth that she didn't want these people to go out of their way to make meals to feed all of them when they had so little themselves. Elizabeth tried to explain that it was just the way that people were, but she also agreed that it was too much for people to be making meals for them. Maybe after the baby came, it might be a different story.
After lunch and once both Jack and Elizabeth were settled for a nap upstairs, Doug headed to town. He had let the guards know that the couple were sleeping and people could call in later. Doug had figured that since Jack was feeling better, people would start to call in and try to visit. He wasn't opposed to people visiting Jack, but he knew that Jack still had a lot of healing to do and it would require him to rest still. Doug had seen the wound on Jack's hip and was pleased with how it was healing, but he also knew that it was far from completely healed. He knew that spot would cause Jack pain for months if not years to come because he had been there. The muscle that had been damaged would be painful for a long time as it regrew and the scar tissue stretched. It was the reason that Doug had started Jack on the stretching. He knew that if Jack let the scar tissue heal without using it, he might never get back to full duty. Doug had been lucky and was younger when it happened to him, but he also knew that if he moved certain ways, he still hurt.
Once Jack and Elizabeth were settled comfortably in bed, Jack pulled Elizabeth close to him. He wanted to be with her more than she knew, but he knew that it would still be too painful, so he figured they could at least snuggle. As he held her, he put his hand on her baby bump, which was growing every day.
"I have missed holding you." Jack said.
"I have missed you holding me." Elizabeth said.
"I finally read that letter from Pastor Frank." Jack said. "His Easter sermon was amazing. Did he tell you that he knew my father?"
"He mentioned something in passing." Elizabeth said. "He did say that if we read his Easter sermon it would make more sense."
"I was so surprised when I read it." Jack said. "I knew back in November that something felt familiar about the story he told us about his mother's ring. I just couldn't place it and I wasn't going to push the issue with him at the time and then things got busy and I kind of pushed it out of my mind. But that ring that he wears around his neck was held by my mother for years and she sent it to him when he was in prison. He had met my father because of some of the things that he had done, but apparently my father took pity on him and tried to get him to straighten out. I guess my father was the first person to see good in him since his family had passed away and it had a profound impact on him. It might have taken a number of years and reading about my father's passing before it sunk in, but it did.
I guess you never know how you will affect a person you cross. I mean my father could have not gone out of his way to help Frank when he was still going by Matt because of what he had done, but I guess my father saw something in him. I know that my father tried to help people as much as he could, while still upholding the law, but I guess I never actually saw it until Frank."
"Just another way that you are like your father." Elizabeth said. "I mean look at all you have done to help the people around here. Many times it was beyond your job description, but you did it anyway. Look at how much of a difference that you have made in the lives of the children in this town. You were there for them to help them when they had lost their fathers and were struggling. You didn't have to spend time with them, but you did."
"I guess you are right." Jack said. "The more that I learn about my father from other people, especially Wynn, the more that I see that he is right that I am like my father in so many ways. I had grown up thinking I was always more like my mother because of my stubbornness and lack of talking about my feelings. I thought the only way that I was like my father was my desire to be a Mountie."
"You are much more than just a Mountie." Elizabeth said. "And I agree with Uncle Wynn if he says you are like your father. I might never have met your father, but I know Wynn and he doesn't say things unless he believes them. I also think that he was absolutely right in sending you here. He thought not only would you be the perfect man to bring order back to this place, but that you and I would be right for each other. We might have started out on the wrong foot, but look at us now. A year ago we didn't know each other and here we are married and expecting a child this summer."
"So you don't regret anything?" Jack asked.
"No." Elizabeth said. "It might now always be easy because of my family, but I love you more than I thought I could and I love this child, our child. I also love the girls and can't wait to have them here."
"About that." Jack said. "What are we going to do about my mother?"
"What we said." Elizabeth said. "She needs to accept that we are adults and can make our own choices. Also that we know what is right for our family. From what I hear, she and Bill had a large screaming match in the middle of the street this weekend and Bill was not happy about the way she was acting toward us. I guess he even locked her in a cell for a while to calm down."
"I would have loved to see that." Jack laughed.
"Me too." Elizabeth said.
"But he might be the only person that can make her see some sense." Jack said. "I am at the point where I am done talking. We have made our choices and she needs to come around. I will never keep her from the kids, but she needs to accept them all or she won't be welcome. But enough talk for now. How about a few kisses then we can snuggle under the covers."
"Sounds good." Elizabeth said, as she turned over to kiss Jack.
After sharing several kisses, Elizabeth pulled back, brushed a lock of hair off Jack's forehead and looked at him closely.
"So tell me, how are you really doing?" Elizabeth asked.
"I am still very sore and I have a feeling that the soreness won't go away for some time." Jack said. "My breathing feels a little better, but between my ribs and hip, the pain is high, but tolerable. If I remember, Doug said it took him several months to recover from the procedure that I had, but his was also much more extensive. I don't know how much he has shared, but he does understand the pain that I am in. That is why he has been so hard on me about moving and getting better. He knows it isn't easy, but he also knows what happens if I don't move and stretch."
"He didn't share much." Elizabeth said. "He just said that he understood your pain and that he knew what you were feeling. I didn't press him and he didn't offer more. He said that you all got close in the academy and the fact that you had all lost your fathers was part of the reason."
"Yes." Jack said. "Doug was injured by his uncle when Doug was a teenager. I won't go into exactly what happened, because it is not my story to share, but suffice to say his injuries were probably ten times worse than mine and he was only a teenager. Doug almost died from his injuries, but it has made him a much stronger person. If you think I dislike a man raising his hand to a woman or child, it is nothing compared to Doug."
"Wow." Elizabeth said. "I don't need to hear more. I am just glad that he is here for you. From what Dee has said, Doug has been temporarily assigned to you and then they will figure things out later. I don't know what happened at his last post, but I just know that he didn't want to go back."
"He said." Jack said. "His Sergeant had it out for him and that is all I am going to say. Wynn and Dee are handling it and I am not going to worry about it. I just hope he stays close. I know that he would like to be closer to us, especially with us expecting. He can't wait to play uncle to our children."
"I am glad." Elizabeth said. "But depending on where he is stationed, I was thinking there might be another role that either him or Joe would be able to take."
"Are you thinking of asking one of them to be a godfather?" Jack asked, a bit surprised.
"I know that we have plenty of time to make decisions." Elizabeth said. "But I have started making lists as I think of things. I know that I don't want to ask either of my sisters to be involved in the children's lives. I wouldn't mind them visiting, but not taking them if something were to happen. I have thought about maybe Frank and Abigail being guardians for now. I have a feeling that they will be married in time. I have an even greater feeling that Frank is closer to proposing than anyone else realizes. I have thought about Dee, Joe and Doug for a godfather. I have also thought about maybe Becky for a godmother. There are a couple other people I am thinking about, but not sure yet. I don't want people's feelings to be hurt if we ask one person over another. So I was thinking, for this one, that we keep it in the family or as close to the family as possible."
"You weren't thinking of your aunt and uncle as guardians?" Jack asked.
"I was." Elizabeth said. "But for some reason, I thought about Frank and Abigail since they live here and this is where we want to raise the children."
"Okay." Jack said. "I see that. You do know that Doug is Catholic right?"
"I figured when I heard him praying in Latin over you." Elizabeth said. "Also the Rosary, it is called, was another giveaway."
"As long as you are okay with it." Jack said. "I think he would be most honored to be a godfather to the little peanut. What about Sophie and Andrew?"
"I would love for them to be a part of our children's lives." Elizabeth said. "But unless we travel to Hamilton, I don't see it happening much other than letters and pictures. Sophie doesn't travel much. I think once we have the house and a place for her to stay, she might be willing to come out."
"Hamilton?" Jack said. "I thought she lived in Ottawa or something, but not Hamilton."
"Right." Elizabeth said. "I didn't tell you. I have asked Andrew and his brother David to be the front people for Hamilton Shipping and Thatcher Industries if I take over. They have both agreed, pending the agreement from their wives."
"Wow." Jack said. "Why those two?"
"Andrew is the best lawyer I have ever met." Elizabeth said. "And according to my Uncle Henry, David is an absolute whiz with numbers and if Henry could have convinced him to work for him, he would have. I also always thought it was unfair that Sophie and Dee were not given the same option to take over the company like I have been given. They are just as much grandchildren as I am. This rights several wrongs."
"So you really think that you will be taking over?" Jack asked.
"Yes. I do." Elizabeth said. "I have asked Andrew and David to make plans accordingly. Both agreed to start looking for places in Hamilton or the surrounding area and be ready to assert my claim if Viola tries anything this fall. I have signed several sets of documents for Andrew already allowing him to speak on my behalf and pull papers that he will need. He agreed to do it all and also to work with Uncle Wynn about setting up the proper accounts for us for my trust and for the girls' trusts as well. All the main accounts will be run through a bank in Hamilton that has a branch in Union City. We will have checkbooks that we can use. We will also be able to go into the Union City branch and get cash when we are there. Andrew also said that they will be able to wire small amounts here to Hope Valley, but they will take a few days."
"Wow." Jack said. "You have really thought this all through."
"We have all been busy while you have been laid up." Elizabeth said. "I figured with Andrew and Uncle Wynn both here, we might as well work through a bunch of the questions that I had. Andrew and David were able to answer a lot of them. Sorry that I haven't kept you more up to date. A lot of the plans we made are only a when or if thing. Andrew said he would make sure that we have a copy of all the final paperwork once he files it. One thing that he did suggest is that in the new house, we have a couple hidden safes where we can keep important papers as well as a stash of cash. Just don't tell people about the cash."
"What kind of stash are we talking about?" Jack asked, looking at Elizabeth surprised.
"From what David has said." Elizabeth said. "According to Uncle Henry, he is suggesting at least what we might need for six to nine months. There is a lot of things shifting in Europe and if the trouble comes over here, it might be hard to get cash for a time. David and Andrew are taking Uncle Henry's advice and creating a stash to last at least six months."
"Then we will do the same." Jack said. "But I will insist that it be split and stored in different areas. Just in case. We can easily add several small safes to the house that will be hidden. We will have to figure out an amount, then go to Union City and get it. Then safely get it back here."
"I know." Elizabeth said. "But I figured if we are going to go to Union City for a few days later this spring, then it wouldn't be that hard. I have figured out what we typically spend in a month, then doubled it and multiplied by seven. I will just have to give Andrew or Uncle Wynn that number so the money can be in the Union City account for us."
"Is Wynn doing that as well?" Jack asked.
"Uncle Wynn and Aunt Elizabeth have always kept a stash of cash in the house." Elizabeth said. "Same with my father and mother, as well as Aunt Agatha. My grandfather even kept a large amount of cash around."
"Okay then." Jack said. "We will take their advice. But right now, I don't want to think about that. I just want to snuggle with my wife."
"Well." Elizabeth said. "I want to snuggle with my husband."
Elizabeth leaned forward and gave Jack another kiss, before turning over and snuggling down into his chest. He wrapped his arm around her and rubbed her growing belly.
