Chapter 250 – A Busy Week
The next week flew by and before anyone realized it, it was Saturday again. David and Andrew had left on Sunday afternoon. Based on the wires they sent back to Hope Valley, they ended up spending most of Monday in Buxton getting paperwork filed and others sent back to Hope Valley. They ended up taking a late stage to Union City where they spent Tuesday morning making sure everything at the bank was taken care of and the appropriate paperwork was sent back to Hope Valley. It took some time and a few wires back and forth, but Andrew was able to set up all four accounts that he needed. He did the one for Jack and Elizabeth, one for Abigail and a second for the cafe. The surprise account had been taking half of Frank's reward and putting it in Union City. He felt better with it out of Hope Valley. It had been easier after Abigail wired her cousin to help Andrew. Tuesday afternoon, David and Andrew boarded the train to head back east. They had sent a wire to Elizabeth that they would be in touch as soon as they had an answer from their wives.
It had been a busy week in Hope Valley as well. Aunt Elizabeth and Patty went over to the schoolhouse after the breakfast rush of the day and then stayed until school was out. Elizabeth had stayed mostly all day all week. She had gone home a couple hours early Monday and Tuesday, but by Wednesday she was feeling up to staying all day. It had taken a few days to work out how much she needed to pack for lunch and snacks. She had spent close to an hour answering questions from the children on Monday and that was after her announcement in church the day before. She had wanted to wait until Jack could be with her, but she was really starting to show, so her aunt and uncle had convinced her that she needed to say something before the gossip got worse. Elizabeth was glad it was publicly known, but she wasn't happy with some of the comments that she heard from the mothers in the mornings and afternoons. There was a part of her that wanted to address them, but after a few conversations with Jack, Aunt Elizabeth and Abigail it was decided it was just better to ignore it and let those that know the truth speak out to squash the rumors.
After school, Aunt Elizabeth and Patty would head back to the cafe to help so Ann could go home and spend time with her newly adopted son and mother. Her husband also got to come home for a few days that week, so she liked going home early those days. Adrik's adoption was the only one that had gone through right away. There were still questions that needed to be answered about the twin girls as well as Katie and Lucy. Wynn promised he would do what he could to help the adoption along, but they needed to understand that they might end up fostering the girls long term and eventually adopting later. Both Katie and Lucy were okay with that as they just wanted to have the girls with them.
Wynn, Jacobs and Dee were able to get through a lot more paperwork even as more came in. There still had been no word about the escaped prisoner, but Wynn felt it was okay to send some of the Mounties back. He kept the ten cadets, mainly because they were useful and he felt that they still needed to learn more. On Wednesday he had made the decision to send Constables Patel, Carlson, Wilson and Lane as well as Captain Cook all back to where they were posted. He kept Constables Bennett and Gill as well as Captain Eddie Wilson, who was still working undercover. Eddie had been able to gather a lot of information about many of the new people that had arrived in Hope Valley and for that Bill had been grateful. He felt it would help him get ahead of potential issues.
The guys had their hands full at the saloon in the evenings, especially as the last seventeen men that Lee had hired arrived. He thought it had only been fifteen, but Hickum had paperwork for seventeen, so Lee went with it. There was plenty of work for them to do. All of Lee's men were staying out near the sawmill, even though some of them were not happy about it. Lee informed them that if they wanted to rent an apartment or cabin, they were free to put their name on the list, but they would be going to families first since they were for the new miners families. Lee had told them that the faster they got the bunkhouses completed, the sooner they would be out of the tents, but that was all he could do and they had been informed of the situation when they had been hired, so he wasn't going to listen to any complaints. His foreman, Chris, echoed those words and added those that continued to complain could and would be replaced.
There was only one man that had rented a cabin, but he had been a temporary worker and he had gotten the cabin before the other workers Lee hired showed up. No one knew much about the man, as he kept to himself. Lee and Hickum hadn't done a background check on him and when Bill asked them about it, Lee said he didn't feel it was needed as the man's references checked out. Bill wasn't happy and when he went to Wynn, he was told unless the man did something, he was to leave him alone. The man went to work on the new houses each morning, would stop and get something at the mercantile and then go back to his cabin. He had only been in the saloon once and found that there were too many people for him. Bill's curiosity had been piqued even more when the man had received several packages over the course of a few days. All Bill could learn was that they were from Kingston and Montreal. There wasn't much more that Bill could learn as he had been basically ordered to leave the man alone and he didn't want to risk the wrath of Wynn. Still Bill was determined to find out more information any way that he could.
Despite the busy week, Jack and Elizabeth had been able to celebrate the one year anniversary of meeting each other. They convinced everyone else to let them have a quiet night in since it was a school night. Doug made a nice supper for them before leaving to join the others at the cafe. After they ate, Jack and Elizabeth had turned in for the night and thoroughly enjoyed their time alone. They had made love several times before they fell asleep in each other's arms. They both had needed that time as they hadn't been together in a few days.
The other thing that happened on Wednesday, was that Jack started spending two hours at the office after a morning rest. He was able to get through reports as he was restricted to the office. Doug came in as well and sat in the office and worked on various things, including going through paperwork for Dee. Jack also quickly realized that he wouldn't be able to do more than a few hours. He would go in at eleven and have lunch while he read reports and by one he was in need of a short nap. Both Dee and Doug reminded him that his strength and stamina would come back the more that he did things but it was also good to know one's own limits.
Frank, Joe and Doug had been busy as well. With the help of the cadets, they had been able to get the entire expansion framed out and mostly closed in. They were just waiting on more lumber. Frank and Abigail had also sat down and figured out what else they needed. They knew that they were going to open up the wall that was in the middle and leave some pillars, so those and a new beam were also ordered. Lee assured them if it wasn't needed, he would be able to use it somewhere else. They also realized that the small stove was not going to be enough to heat the larger room, so they made the decision to leave that one with the small brick wall intact and add another one in the far corner of the expansion. So the new heat stove had also been ordered. Becky and Frank had sat and figured out the best use of the space and ordered the tables and chairs. As a surprise, Elizabeth Rose and Patty had ordered three full sets of linens for all the tables they would have. It was going to be a gift to Abigail, so she couldn't argue.
Since they were just waiting on things, it was easy to get some of the other little projects done. Frank had finished all the repairs that Abigail needed and also with the help of Becky had figured out how to better use the storage area off the back of the kitchen. With all the deliveries coming it and the new people, Abigail and Ann had made larger than usual orders, so the cupboards and small cellar were full. Frank also quickly realized that a large cellar was going to be needed, but he wasn't sure how to go about it. After talking to some people, it was decided that adding a second one might just be easier. The other thing that Frank and company had gotten done while they waited for more lumber was they had gotten the fencing up around the new lot and it turned over for a large garden. The lot was quite large, so they took the back half of it and turned it into a garden.
That was how Elizabeth, Patty and Aunt Elizabeth found themselves helping Frank, Cody and Becky plant the large garden with the help of some of the other children. They planted beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, onions, and peas. Patty and Aunt Elizabeth had looked at each other an knew that when they came back in the fall that they were going to have to help Abigail with the canning, so Aunt Elizabeth made a note so when she got back to Hamilton, she could start sending canning jars so that they would have enough. Again, it was something that wasn't told to Abigail as everyone knew that she would object.
That was how people found themselves at the cafe celebrating two birthdays – one a week late and the other a week early. In all that was going on, most everyone had forgotten Elizabeth Rose's birthday the week before. Wynn had remembered and had spent Saturday night and part of Sunday morning showing his wife how much he loved her. Elizabeth and Patty had both apologized over and over when they realized that they had forgotten her birthday. She assured them that it was fine, she also didn't want them to make a big fuss, but when Patty and Ann had learned that Abigail hadn't celebrated her birthday the year before because of everything going on, they had decided that they needed to celebrate both women. Little did everyone know that in the coming year that there would be something else that bonded the two ladies together even more.
Since it was a nice evening, Doug and Joe had set up some tables in the expansion. They had found them in some storage when they had been cleaning up above the Mountie office that week. They had to borrow some chairs so there were enough for everyone, but they were all able to sit together without closing the cafe. Abigail made it clear she was going to be in the kitchen until close and then she would join the group. Ann, Patty and even Clara had tried to get her to go sit, but she refused. So it was Wynn, Aunt Elizabeth, Dee, Jack, Elizabeth, Joe, Doug, Frank, Becky, Cody, Bill and Jacobs who were all eating in the new cafe expansion. They were having a nice time visiting as everyone knew that the time of having everyone in Hope Valley was coming to a close. Bill was still having a hard time with Frank and Abigail getting so close. He knew it was only a matter of time and they would be married, but he didn't want to think about that. He had had his chance with Abigail and they weren't meant to be. He just hoped that there might be a woman out there for him, yet.
It was during this time that Abigail had brought someone out to sit at one of the extra spots that was at the tables that had been set up.
"Everyone." Abigail said. "I hope you don't mind. But this is Carson Shepherd. He works for Lee. The main room is full and I knew there were a few spots out here."
"Come sit." Wynn said, pointing to the open spot furthest from Bill.
"I am sorry." Carson said. "I didn't mean to interrupt family time. I can wait until a different table opens up."
"It is fine." Wynn said. "Actually, I am going to insist you join us."
"We might be family." Jack said. "But we aren't all blood related. We have made our family what it is. Please join us. This is one of the first times I have been able to sit and visit with other people in a while."
Carson took a seat near Doug and Frank. Wynn could see that the man was uncomfortable, but tried to make him feel welcome.
"I hope you are liking Hope Valley." Wynn said.
"Yes, Sir." Carson said.
"Please." Wynn said. "Call me Wynn. I am not working and you aren't one of my Mounties."
"So are you all Mounties?" Carson asked.
"Frank is the pastor here." Doug said. "But otherwise, yes. Granted, Bill is retired and playing sheriff right now. Just ignore him, his bark is worse than his bite."
Bill made a face at Doug, who in turn stuck out his tongue at Bill. That brought several giggles from the others. Carson smiled.
"Thank you." Carson said. "I came here for two weeks and found I liked the small town feeling so I talked to Mr Coulter and got hired on for the summer. If he is willing, I wouldn't mind staying."
"So you are used to a larger city?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes." Carson said. "I grew up in Montreal. I have also lived in Ottawa, Kingston and Cape Fullerton."
"I have been in Cape Fullerton." Dee said.
"Nice." Carson said. "Were you stationed there?"
"For a short time." Dee said. "But I work with Dad now. Dad was back and forth between there and Hamilton for years."
"So you're his (pointing at Wynn) son." Carson said.
"Yes, sorry." Wynn said.
Wynn quickly went around the table and told Carson who everyone was. He didn't include that he was Elizabeth's uncle, but did mention that Jack, Doug and Joe were best friends from the academy. Carson nodded, but didn't say much more. Wynn let him sit back and just listen after that. Bill tried to pepper him with questions, but Wynn shut it down.
"William Avery." Wynn said in a stern Mountie tone.
Bill just looked at him.
"Leave him alone." Wynn said.
"I agree." Jacobs said. "You have been trying to bug the man for over two weeks, and if you don't leave him alone, I will lock you in a cell until you can behave."
Another round of laughter erupted and Carson gave Wynn a thankful look. Wynn just nodded. Carson only said a few more words as he sat there and ate. The others were telling stories and having a great time. As soon as he was finished, he excused himself, despite others asking him to stay.
"I have interrupted your family time enough." Carson said. "Maybe if I stay, we can sit and visit another time."
"I will hold you to that." Jack said.
Carson nodded and went back inside.
"He is hiding something." Bill said.
"William Avery." Jacobs said. "What did we say?"
"I am just saying." Bill said.
"And I said to leave him alone." Wynn said. "That is an order. Just because he is shy and doesn't want to be interrogated by you means that he is hiding something."
Bill harrumphed and pouted as he sat there. He knew that there was nothing that he could do at that point and he wasn't happy about it. About twenty minutes later, Bill got up and went to the kitchen and kicked Abigail out to go sit with everyone. They were past the worst of the rush and he could finish up with the cadets. He also sent Ann home. Clara stayed until they closed the dining room and then she left as well. She wanted to sit and celebrate Abigail, but she was tired. She had worked all day in the dress shop and then came over to work at the cafe. Abigail understood.
Once the kitchen was cleaned up, Bill left with the cadets. Frank and Abigail took the kids up to bed, as the others worked to bring everything back into the cafe. Doug and Joe pushed the tables together, tucked in all the chairs and then covered everything with one of the extra large tarps that Frank had ordered. As everyone was saying goodnight, Jacobs went and got his car so he could take Jack and Elizabeth home. Doug went with and said he would be fine until the guard arrived. Dee said he would be along later. Jacobs agreed as they knew that they were going to have to start going without the cadets soon enough anyway.
When Jacobs left, he said he would see people the next day because he was heading to the saloon when he got back. Joe left saying he was going to check in at the saloon and see how things were going. After it was just Patty and his parents, Dee turned to them.
"Go." Dee said. "I will finish up the dishes here. I need to talk to Frank anyway."
"Are you sure?" Elizabeth Rose asked.
"Go." Dee said. "I know that Dad is hoping I will talk to him, but I just can't right now. There are some things where I need an objective opinion."
"I understand." Wynn said. "I might not like it, but I do understand."
"Thank you." Dee said.
Elizabeth Rose, Wynn and Patty headed back while Dee set about finishing up the few dishes that they had left.
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