All I Want For Christmas – Chapter 7
It was William who came to get his daughters, asking them to join him and their mother in the drawing room. To Viola and Elizabeth he suggested they bring their husbands as Grace had requested that the whole family be there.
Nathan was surprised and not sure whether he should question the wisdom of that but Wiliam just looked at him with a mixture of resignation and relief on his face before simply stating, "It is what she wishes."
Tom understood that something was going on to which he wasn't a party so discreetly suggested that he read stories to the children in the nursery and the squealed response when he opened the door told them how well that was received.
In the drawing room Wilson had poured drinks for them all as they settled on the sofas around the fireplace, although Nathan chose to stand behind Elizabeth, his hand protectively by her shoulder. It didn't go unnoticed by Grace and inwardly she felt a lessening of her nerves at the sight of this. A Mountie was doing what good Mounties do best, protecting those they love, and she no longer felt a stab at her heart to see that.
Once the butler had closed the door she cleared her throat, indicating that she wished to speak.
"I know this must have seemed a strange request but we … um, er….I … wanted to speak to you all about something."
She gave a nervous laugh and looked sideways at her husband who nodded for her to go on. "A few things actually".
Before her mother could say anything more Viola suddenly felt a tight pain gripping her chest and she rose in a panic. "No, no, no! Please don't tell me you are getting divorced. The scandal of that would shatter the small grasp we have on society. We would be ruined!"
She began to gasp for air as though struggling to breathe and Lionel was quickly beside her, trying to coax her back onto the sofa.
"Sit down, my dear. Let us hear what your mother has to say before we start worrying about anything."
His face showed some embarrassment at his wife's outburst but Nathan thought he also caught a glimpse of genuine concern.
But Viola wasn't listening to him or anyone, the image of a life as outcasts from the very thing she craved so much was whirling around in her mind. "This would destroy the children's future. Who would want to be associated with a family where divorce was the norm."
Elizabeth almost spoke up to point out that surely it wouldn't be that bad. After all their Royal family and their religion, The Church of England, had divorce as a major part of their history. But she knew that would not go down well with Viola.
Instead they watched as Lionel took his wife in his arms, his hand brushing the back of her hair as he spoke soothingly in her ear. "Sshhh, my love. As long as we have each other and the children there is nothing we can't overcome."
Slowly Viola's breathing settled back to normal and she gave a small smile to her husband as he wiped the tears from her face.
"I'm sorry everyone, I don't know what came over me. I guess I'm just a little tired." She sat down, keeping her hand in Lionel's.
It was the first time Grace had observed such a private moment between her oldest daughter and her son-in-law and she was surprised to realise that there really was a adeep love that existed between them. She understood then that Lionel was exactly who Viola needed, a steady calm to her fractiousness. Maybe tonight was going to be the moment Viola realised that too and was able to decide what mattered most to her.
Almost as though orchestrated they each reached for their glass and took a sip, perhaps using that pause as a way to cast the incident from their minds, before Grace once again began to speak.
"I know I haven't always been the best mother to you girls…."
She was interrupted by her daughters who began to protest before William's voice rang out, sharp and clear. "Please let your mother say what she needs to and then everyone can have their say. I don't think for one moment that she doubts your love for her and, for the record, I believe she has been a wonderful mother. But she has things she wishes to tell you, to explain about the past."
All three sank back down into the sofas. Elizabeth could feel Nathan's gaze on her without needing to turn and look. It gave her strength to know if something really bad was waiting to be told that he would have given some kind of warning.
Grace took a deep breath once more and began again. In a quiet voice she told them the story of her young love and the way she had been treated by her father when he found out. Then when she realised that none of them were looking at her in disgust she explained the bitterness she had carried for so many years. First towards her father and then her husband.
Julie let out a small gasp at that admission but otherwise everyone sat silently taking in every word she was saying.
"I have apologies to make. To you all".
She reached out and took William's hand before continuing, as though she was drawing strength from his unwavering love and support.
"Your father and I have had a long talk and I hope will have more in the days to come as I have so much to make up to him. I have known for a long time that I was married to the most remarkable man, even if I couldn't acknowledge it, and for that I am truly grateful."
Turning to Viola she addressed her first.
"I wish I could go back and do so many things differently. Show you that what other people think of you doesn't matter nearly as much as what is in your heart. I made you conform to such rigid rules and high expectations, just as I had been forced to, because I didn't understand how to do things any other way. I had forgotten how to be happy."
She looked briefly at William before shaking her head. "No, that is wrong. I wouldn't allow myself to be happy. I had lost the person I thought was the love of my life and nothing else mattered to me after that. If only I had known he was standing right beside me all these years."
Elizabeth took a quick intake of breath that went unnoticed by everyone but her husband. She felt his hand squeeze her shoulder and as she had so many times before wondered what she had done to deserve this man. This patient man with the biggest heart of them all.
With a look at each other the three sisters let Grace continue without questions.
"Elizabeth, my brave adventurous Elizabeth. You found your Mountie and then you lost him. How my heart broke in so many ways for you. It was like living my pain all over again. I felt guilty, as thought the fates were making you suffer in the way I had because I was so bitter but I couldn't put my past behind me to comfort you as I should. I will forever regret how I treated Jack, treated you at the time. I was hurting so much inside that I couldn't bear to see you happy with him. It brought back so many feelings about what I thought I had lost."
Elizabeth remembered the coldness her mother displayed towards Jack, both in life and death, and while she could now understand it she knew it would be some time before she could totally forgive her. Little steps, she thought, little steps.
Grace's eyes turned towards Nathan and everyone was surprised to see how much they softened when she looked at him.
"But you found Nathan and I think he is where your heart truly belongs. You may not like me saying this Nathan but you remind me of John in some ways. Or at least my mistaken memories of him. I thought he was the perfect man, steadfast, honest, kind. How foolish I was not to see the truth, so blinded was I by the attention and excitement of young love that I didn't see what others could."
She sat more upright then, like someone who is trying to cast off a cloak that has weighed them down for too long. "And now I know the truth thanks to you. It never occurred to me that my father had paid John to leave me. I thought he was a man of honour who would be above such things. That he loved me so much that he would fight for me. But I was wrong."
Her voice began to falter as the regrets of so many wasted years threatened to overwhelm her. Noticing that her hands had begun to shake Nathan spoke up. "If you would like Grace, perhaps I should tell everyone what I found out?"
She looked at him with gratitude and nodded.
Nathan took a moment to formulate the words in his head. Finally he began, a hand still resting on both Elizabeth's and Julie's shoulders, not sure who was giving strength to whom.
"It seems that John Peterson very quickly realised that he had stumbled upon a means of making more money that that paid to a young Mountie. He was transferred, at the request of your grandfather, to a small town outside of Calgary. I understand that a donation was made to the Mountie Benevolent Fund to ensure this happened. It seems that even there, in what in those days was a backwater, he found a vulnerable young lady to woo. Of course she came from a wealthy family and once more when her father found out he paid a considerable sum to the man to leave and not come back."
Nathan could see the shock on all their faces as they listened to him list out each scenario that followed. Except for Grace, on whom he could almost see a sense of calmness settle. He hoped that this was proving to be cathartic for her and that his final words would be the thing that finally drew a line under it all in her mind.
"No-one can get away with such deceit forever and he was finally caught."
Inevitably someone asked the final question that needed to be answered about the man. "What happened to him?"
He kept his gaze on Grace to make sure that she was okay with what he was about to say, "He was shot trying to escape from prison. The other inmates said that he knew it was impossible to get away but he told them he would rather die than spend anymore time in there. Apparently he had a woman waiting for him."
Grace was following every word with sadness in her eyes. He thought he knew what she was feeling. It was like looking at a beautiful cake in the patisserie only to finally bite into it and find that it wasn't what it seemed. The bitter taste it left behind was hard to get rid of but it could be done.
Now, in a lighter tone he spoke to Elizabeth. "You'll never guess who his arresting officer was?"
She knew there was only one person it could be if Nathan was asking her. "Bill?"
He nodded. "But if you are wondering why he didn't ever mention that case when he met you years later, knowing the people you would have mixed with, it was because someone had any record of John Peterson ever being here wiped. According to Mountie files he was never in Hamilton".
He turned toward his father-in-law although still addressed his words to his wife, "I thought it was your grandfather who had arranged that but then I discovered it was a Third Officer William Thatcher. Apparently although not of high rank he carried some clout in this town. I believe hs still does."
Grace had kept her head down as Nathan spoke and now she slowly raised it, fearing what she would see on the faces of those in front of her. What met her were expressions of love and understanding. Suddenly she felt hope that she could make up for all the years of happiness that they had missed out on.
She hadn't forgotten Julie and now turned to her. "My wild child, how much I have failed you. I think it is because in you I saw the person I always wanted to be but I was too afraid, so I wouldn't let you go and be yourself. Please forgive me. I promise that whatever is in your heart I will be behind you one hundred percent of the way." When William coughed she added, "Both your father and I will be behind you. Whatever you may choose to do."
Almost as though ordained there was a knock on the door at that moment and Wilson opened it to announce that dinner would be served in five minutes.
"Just enough time to say goodnight to the children", Elizabeth said. Looking at her older sister she held out her hand. "Shall we go upstairs together Vi?"
The evening passed with an ease that had been absent from their home before. There was no tension, no criticism, just lots of laughter. Finally after coffee and port had been taken it was time to get ready for the midnight service at the cathedral.
As they were all getting ready to leave William noticed Tom helping Julie with her coat, then standing patiently holding her hat, scarf and gloves until she had finally donned each item.
He caught up with his daughter when they were walking towards the cathedral and quietly said, "I like your young man, Julie. He's grown up a lot since our paths last crossed."
"He's not my young man, father."
"But you'd like him to be?"
With a small sigh she nodded, "I would like to get to know him better if that is what you mean but that's not going to happen seeing as he is heading back to Vancouver in a day or two."
William let her move on ahead to where her mother and sisters were waiting while he pondered an idea that had been forming in his mind. Finally he stopped to wait for Tom, admiring the easy manner of both him and Nathan who had gathered the knee blankets from the cars before sending the two chauffeurs, Roberts and Doyle, on their way.
These were good honest men that his daughters had chosen, and he realised that he should include Lionel in that. For all his stuffy manner it was clear that he loved his family and would do anything for them.
Never one to make rash decisions William was however a man who acted confidently when he felt sure about something. As the men came abreast of him he placed his arm on Tom's. "I wonder if I could have a word with you when we get back to the house. There is something I would like to discuss. Something that I think you may be interested in."
Nathan smiled. He had checked on one other person when he visited the Mountie offices and was glad that everything he found out about Tom Thornton was positive. Since some minor incidents in his youth he had become an upright member of society. He guessed that William Thatcher had done the same.
As they walked up the steps to the big wooden doors old friends gathered around them, surprised to see the whole Thatcher family here. Whispered words were shared about there being something different in the way they were with each other. An ease that only comes when you are with people you trust and love. In particular Grace whose formal, some may call frosty, countenance was gone. She held tight to her husband's arm, laughing at the things he was saying to those they chatted with as they made their way towards the front of the cathedral.
People moved from where they sat to create room for them all to fit into one pew and for some of the older members of the congregation it was like a step back in time as they watched the Thatcher girls laughing together.
Nathan watched his wife, her eyes crinkling as she giggled at something Julie was saying. She may act strong, he thought, but the reality was that there were lots of little cracks in her that were only being held together by willpower and love. Tonight he was glad that some more of them were being filled in.