When Hope Calls
Chapter 2
"Why are you angry with him?" Jack said.
"He was always independent, but he broke my father's heart when he decided to become a doctor. My brother was the only one who could take care of me since Daddy was a Mountie and Ashlynn ran away. He ran off to become a doctor. Daddy had to come home to take care of me since they said my mom couldn't." she finished.
"Did you know Carson Sheperd is a doctor in Hope Valley?" Jack and Elizabeth said.
"All too well." She answered, scoffing lightly.
"It's getting late. I have lots of blankets. The lady can sleep on my bed, Opal and I will stay in front of the fire." Elina said. "Oh, I am so sorry. Where are my manners? I was bringing in more wood when I found Opal. Who are you?" She finished in a breath.
"I am Constable Jack Thorton and this is Hope Valley's school teacher Ms. Elizabeth Thatcher. We are part of the search party to find Opal." Jack said.
Jack put a blanket on the floor and went to sleep right across from the bed of Elizabeth. Opal had a hard time sleeping so Elina told her stories about Mountie battles and the wild Canadian frontier until she fell asleep. Jack smiled, those weren't exactly the best bedtime stories, but Elina made it seem like they were adventures. Even when the fire died down, the 14 year old girl still didn't fall asleep. She got up to put more wood on the fire. The Mountie beat her to it.
"How are you still awake?" he said, sitting her down on a couch.
"I always have a hard time sleeping." she said.
"Why?" Jack said, making coffee.
"Ever since Mother died. We called for Carson. He said he would come. I waited all night. He never came. She died in the morning. At least Ashlynn came. I guess, I never stopped waiting." she said, smiling gently.
He set down a cup of coffee in front of her. She drank it. "Will you come to Hope Valley with us?" he asked.
"I will, but I am not going to have anything to do with my brother." She said forcefully. She slid the cup back to him and went to sleep.
The next morning, Jack and Elina took care of the horses in the barn. It was still snowing but not as bad. Jack had hauled Elina's father onto their wagon and hitched up the horses. "I'm guessing you can drive this thing." he said as he put a blanket over Zachary. She nodded, smiling. Jack helped Elizabeth and Opal into the left side of the wagon while Elina had changed into trousers and her Mountie jacket. Elina had a satchel of clothes that she put in the wagon. Elizabeth gasped as Elina vaulted into the wagon. Opal laughed. As they made their way. Opal asked Elina millions of questions.
Here are the answers.
1. I can read, write and do math,
2. My father taught me geography and French.
3. When Carson was here, he taught me science.
4. I can ride, shoot a gun, and throw knives
Jack started at this.
She was just about to answer the next one when Opal yelled, "We're back!".
Elina looked around. Even though it was winter there were two men at the start of the street. Elina noticed one was Carson.
"Mountie Jack, can you let Carson find out for himself that I am here and about my father." she said her mouth in a line. Jack nodded.
"Carson, Bill, We've found her. We also have a dead man and his daughter here." Carson vaulted into the wagon to get a look at the man. He pulled back the blanket and gasped.
"What? Jack, where's Elina?" he said scared, suddenly nervous for his sister's safety.
"Elina is right here and she wants nothing to do with you." Elina said, jumping off of the wagon into the foot deep snow. She helped Opal off the wagon. Opal's father had been notified at Abigail's Cafe and Elizabeth took her there while Jack helped bring Zachary to the infirmary.
Abigail gasped as she saw a girl in a Mountie jacket. "Mom what's going on?" her son Cody said from the stairs.