Chapter 319 – Tough News

Jack let out a harsh breath. He needed to think for a moment and not let his emotions get the best of him.

"Rune." Wynn said.

Yes, Sir." Rune said, standing up and at attention.

"Relax son." Wynn said. "But I am going to give you an assignment."

"Yes, Sir." Rune said.

"I want you to start patrolling in town." Wynn said. "Keep the schedule a bit random at this point. If you catch the boys smoking or loitering, tell them to move along and if you catch them again within seven days, they will be receiving a fine and a third time will result in a night in jail."

"Yes, Sir." Rune said.

"Feel free to bring Joe and Bill up to speed." Wynn said. "They can help you as well."

"Yes, Sir." Rune said.

"I also want detailed reports of your findings." Wynn said. "I want names, parents names if possible, what they were doing, where they were caught and their response."

"Yes, Sir." Rune said.

"Once we get a few reports." Wynn said. "We will ALL sit down, including Joe and Bill. We will talk about what we can do to improve things. I am not above arresting these boys and sending them in front of a judge. These boys and families need to learn that Hope Valley works together and helps one another. This needs to end and the sooner the better. I am not going to let these new families create discord for residents who just want to live in a nice small town."

"I agree." Frank said. "I have heard different comments from several of the residents. Many of the new settlers don't come to services. From my understanding, many of them 'hold their own'. I can understand some of the Catholic families not feeling comfortable and gathering to pray, but I think it is more than that. I have spoken to a number of the Catholic families and they have no problem with me, but do prefer to gather together and pray. There was talk of them trying to bring in a priest once a month and maybe raise their own building."

"If they want to do that." Wynn said. "We will support them. But we also need to remind them that they need to be a part of the community and not create discord."

"Understood." Frank said. "I hope my continued conversations with some of them will help them feel more included. Many of them want to live here long term. Many of them fled because they were Irish Catholic and were persecuted. The last thing many of them want is to create trouble. Granted there are always some that are willing to cause trouble, but if you are willing to show that it is not tolerated, I think it will go a long way to creating a bridge between the groups."

"I think that sounds great." Wynn said. "Let me know if there is anything I can do to help."

"I will." Frank said. "But I think dealing with the troublemakers will go a long way to helping things."

"I agree." Jack said. "I think showing that we are out there and trying to make things better, will also help. As much as I want to be out there, I can't right now and that pains me. This is my town and my station and I feel like I have let people down."

"You haven't let anyone down, Jack." Frank said. "You have done more for this town than most people. You have a right to take the time to bond with your children and get them settled, all four of them."

"Frank is right." Wynn said. "We will do what we can to try and help make things better. I know that I said we were here to help, but if Dee and I have to make a show in town, we can do that. Do you think having Doug come help for a few days would help?"

"It couldn't hurt." Jack said. "But you should probably talk to Joe and Bill before you recall him."

"I hear you." Wynn said. "What I want to know more about was how they planned to get rid of my wife and/or the new teacher."

"Yes." Jack said. "I would like to know more about that as well."

"I spoke to some of the boys." Rune said. "All they said was that the older boys had a plan to scare those dumb women teachers and they would run back to the city where they belonged as single women didn't belong on the frontier."

"They do realize that Deb is married and she isn't going anywhere." Jack said. "Her husband works for the mining company."

"I don't know." Rune said. "They called all the teachers Miss and no one corrected them."

"My wife doesn't run nor does she scare easily." Wynn said. "When we were first married, we were stationed in an area where we were one of only a few white men. Most of the children that my wife taught were native children whose parents wanted them to learn English and how to do math. She didn't teach much beyond that because the elders were very clear about what they wanted and didn't want. She respected their culture enough to not cross them. She also will admit that she learned just as much from those children as they learned from her. As she taught them English, they taught her Cree. I would be gone for days at a time on patrol and she was in that village alone. She was actually there when a rival tribe tried to attack. She stood her ground and when the other tribe realized who she was married to, they left in fear. I was a young Sergeant at the time, but the point is my wife is not one that runs scared."

"I hear you." Frank said. "She struck me as a woman not to mess with. I just fear that someone is going to get hurt."

"Me as well." Jack said. "The boys that were here when I first arrived know that I have no problem handing out punishments and speaking to parents, but I think that these new boys don't realize they have messed with the wrong people. I think that they are used to bullying and getting their way. I wish that there was more that I could do, but Elizabeth really needs me here as the twins require a lot of care and we are still trying to get the girls into a routine."

"We are here for you Jack." Wynn said. "I have every confidence that Rune and Joe can handle things and I am sure that Bill will be able to handle it as well. He is actually pretty scary if you cross him. Speaking of Bill, has he returned?"

"I got a message from him." Rune said. "I didn't really understand it, but Joe looked at it and understood. It basically said he was following up on an old case and would be back by the wedding. Not sure whose wedding."

"Lee's wedding next weekend." Jack said.

"Okay." Rune said.

"I think you need to head back to town and let Joe know the plan." Wynn said. "If he has questions he can come out here and talk to me. Dee and myself at least will be coming into town to services tomorrow and we might stay for a bit, so if he wants to wait and talk tomorrow, we can do that."

"Yes, Sir." Rune said.

"I am going to stay here for a bit." Frank said. "Can you please let Abigail know I will be back as soon as I can."

"Of course." Rune said.

Rune stood and saluted. Wynn, Dee and Jack returned the salute. Dee then stood and walked Rune out. As much as he wanted to speak to Frank, he had a feeling that Wynn and Jack needed to speak to him about something first.

… … … …

Both Elizabeth and her aunt were surprised when the library doors opened and Dee and Rune came out. Aunt Elizabeth looked at son and he made a small motion, so she nodded.

"It was nice to meet you, Rune." Elizabeth Rose said.

"You as well, ma'am." Rune said. "I hope that you stay for a while."

"We plan on staying for at least the month, if not a bit more." Elizabeth Rose said. "I might even stay while my husband and maybe my son travel up to Edmonton before we return to Hamilton for a function in the middle of October."

"I wish you the best ma'am." Rune said. "I better get back to town, it was busy and Sheriff Avery is not back yet."

"Take it easy." Elizabeth Rose said. "If you see Bill, tell him he had better come say hi."

"I will ma'am." Rune said. "He should be back this week."

Elizabeth Rose nodded and quickly left. After Dee saw him off, he came and sat down next to his mother.

"So what is up son?" Elizabeth Rose said.

Instead of answering his mother, he held out his arms to take baby Andrew. Elizabeth Rose handed the baby to her son, but also gave him a pointed look. Dee got Andrew situated before he looked at his mother.

"Some boys are planning to try and scare you and Deb." Dee said. "Maybe even the new teacher that is coming. They are under the impression that you both are single and get scared easily."

Elizabeth Rose laughed.

"Those boys are in for a very rude awakening." Elizabeth said. "Deb is one of the middle children of thirteen. She has several older brothers. She also has very aggressive in-laws. She doesn't scare easily. Also she isn't going anywhere. Her husband, Dan, signed a three year contract with Andy Yeager to work as the office manager for the Hope Valley and Silverton mines. He also agreed to do the accounting for Andy's boarding house that he is building. Deb and Dan aren't going anywhere. They love this area and the last thing that either of them want is to go back to Montreal."

"And you know I don't scare easily either." Elizabeth Rose said. "Besides, I called in a few favors and asked for a male teacher to come out here. I thought the boys might be a problem and figured that a male teacher might just be what was needed. I also made it clear that while he may be teaching the upper level children, he was not in charge."

"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "I hope he is better than the last teacher that was sent."

"I specifically asked for one of three teachers by name." Aunt Elizabeth said. "I know all three families and I also know that these guys can handle it out here. None of them are under a long term contract. They have been working more as private tutors because they wanted to teach in a place that worked for them. They come from affluent families, but didn't want to teach at one of the many private schools where their fathers tried to secure a position for them. They wanted to teach children that wanted to learn. Two of them have been filling for teachers in the greater Hamilton area and the other I know for a fact is working at something other than a teacher in the Regina area because he refused his father's help and actually left the Hamilton area when he didn't get a teaching contract for this fall. He wanted to get away from his father and other brother who thought they could tell him how to live his life."

"Thank you again." Elizabeth said. "I will trust you then. You picked well with Kate and were right about Patty as well, so I will trust your judgment completely."

"So what are these boys planning?" Elizabeth Rose asked.

"I am not sure." Dee said. "I am sure that Dad will talk to you about it more."

"Okay." Elizabeth Rose said.

Elizabeth looked at her cousin who was holding Andrew and smiled.

"So are you looking forward to one of those yourself?" Elizabeth asked.

"I don't know." Dee said. "Annie and I haven't even set a wedding date. It might be a while."

"You never know." Elizabeth teased.

There was more that she wanted to tease her cousin about, but she caught the look that her aunt shot her, so changed mind.

… … … …

After Dee and Rune left, Frank looked at Wynn and Jack.

"So what is it that I can do to help you?" Frank asked.

"First." Jack said. "I wanted to check in and see how you were doing. Carson dropped some pretty big news on you last week and we really haven't had a chance to sit and talk since then."

"I am over the moon excited." Frank said. "I know that Abigail has mixed feelings. She is excited, but she is also worried. She has lost a few in the past and is worried it is going to happen again. I told her to be positive and that I would be praying."

"We will be praying as well." Jack said.

"Us too." Wynn said.

"Thank you." Frank said. "So what else is there."

Jack looked at Wynn and then kind of twisted his foot into the hardwood floor.

"I was just going to ask you to talk to my wife." Wynn said. "It appears whatever is going on with Jack and then Dee is more important. We will talk."

"Slow down." Frank said. "What is going on with your wife?"

"I am worried about her." Wynn said. "She has put on some weight over the summer and has become a little withdrawn. I have tried to get her to see a doctor, but she insists that she is fine. I honestly think it is something else. She always wanted more kids and was never able to give me them, now she is talking about adopting. We spoke to two different agencies back east and neither said they would be comfortable placing small children with us. We both said we were fine with older children, but even then they said it would be up to the child."

"Oh." Frank said. "I am sorry. Did they say why?"

"Our age was the biggest factor." Wynn said. "I am in my fifties and my wife is in her late forties. They basically said that they wouldn't approve the adoption of a child less than thirteen and even then it would be up to the child. So basically if we don't find a teen that wants to live with us, we are out of luck and the longer we wait the less chance there is. They were also worried about how much I travel and that Dee still lives with us. We explained that it was a temporary situation because he was getting married, but still sounded like they didn't approve."

"I am so sorry." Frank said. "You guys would be wonderful parents to any child. I will keep you in my prayers. I just know that something will come along for you guys."

"Thank you." Wynn said. "Now, I will leave you to talk to Jack."

Wynn stood up and started to walk out. He stopped and squeezed Jack's shoulder and then left, making sure that the doors were shut on the way out. When he stepped into the living room, he saw that his wife had that look on her face as she watched Dee make faces at Andrew. Wynn smiled as he watched his son. He really hoped that his son would be a father and that whatever was going on would resolve itself. He knew that Dee and Annie could adopt, but he also knew how much Dee wanted a child of his own to carry on their bloodline. There was something about being the only son to carry on a family that was important to them. If he had a brother, maybe Dee wouldn't put so much pressure on himself. Wynn knew that there was nothing that he could say to Dee to change what he was feeling.

Wynn had felt a part of that pressure to carry on the family name, even when he had a brother who was younger than him. He felt as the oldest it was his job to make sure that the family continued. Wynn was grateful that he had a brother that was nine years younger than him. He was also glad that his brother married and had several children, including five boys. It wasn't that Wynn was close to his two younger siblings. His brother, sister-in-law and family lived out near Ottawa. Wynn and Elizabeth didn't spend a lot of time with Wynn's brother because they were never close. With the nine year age gap, Wynn was out of the house so much sooner than his little brother. Wynn joined the Mounties at seventeen and his brother was only eight. Wynn then spent the better part of the next five years away and was only home for very brief visits, so they never really bonded as they grew up.

Wynn had tried to connect with his brother as he rose in the ranks and spent more time in the Hamilton area, but by then his brother wanted nothing to do with him so Wynn basically stopped trying. They exchanged Christmas and birthday cards and that was about it. Dee and Sophie only meet their cousins on Wynn's side a few times. Things with Wynn's sister were even worse because Wynn was out of the house by the time that she was old enough to remember him. Wynn also tried to connect with her over the years, but she really didn't want to, so again it resulted in someone that he just exchanged Christmas and birthday cards with. She lived on Vancouver Island with her husband and two children. Even with William trying to keep them apart, Dee and Sophie were much closer to Elizabeth and her sisters. Even if Dee and Sophie had pulled away from Julie and Viola as they got older.

… … … …