Hello Harties! This is my first When Calls The Heart story. I love Clara, she's one of my favorites (the first being Abigail) and I thought of this story the other day while watching the last episode of season 3.
I hope you enjoy!
I own nothing but all OC characters.
Summary:. When Clara is kidnapped from Hope Valley, she will have to find the confidence, courage, bravery and hope that she had learned in her little town, in order to get past the bad days and return home
1: New Faces.
It was a warm Spring morning in the small town of Hope Valley. The sun hidden behind few smokey clouds, but a sky clear blue. The people woke up at their usual times and began their usual mornings; making breakfast, getting ready for school or work, doing the morning chores before anything else would be done.
Clara Stanton had woken up a half hour later than she usually would of woken, with the birds singing their sweet morning tunes, as they flew past her window. She had stayed up a little late reading a book that she had brought along with her when she moved to Hope Valley. Around the World in Seventy-Two Days by Nellie Bly. Clara was just a little two year old when the event happened, so she didn't know any personal experiences, but she loved reading about something that happened while she was alive (even if she had no memory of it at all).
Clara had helped get her mother-in-law's cafe get ready for the day. She had organized a couple of the dishes after breakfast.
"Clara, would you mind going to the mercantile and picking up an order I placed?" Abigail asked.
"I don't mind at all Abigail." Clara said with a nice smile. "I'll be back shortly."
A little down the path Clara made her entrance into the mercantile. She told the clerk about picking up Abigail's order. While she waited for the order she opted to walk around the store and see if there was anything new that caught her eyes. A little into the back Clara caught her eyes on some new clothing material; some yarn and new thimble. She picked up the materials and felt them, feeling the new texture of both. She needed another thimble after losing her old one and she needed some yarn to make another scarf for the winter coming up later in the year.
Clara turned the corner to return up front, when she bumped into someone. "Oh, I'm sorry."
"No problem at all." The man replied. The man looked a bit older than Clara, maybe about thirty, with very light brown hair and clear blue eyes. He had the usual mounties attire. "Just exploring a bit before settling down."
"Oh, I didn't know another Mountie was going to live in Hope Valley." Clara spoke.
The man's face stared at her for a couple of seconds and then released a loud laugh. "Oh yes, I've heard there was a constable here. Where is the old man's work station? I just arrived this morning."
"I be happy to show you the way. I have to pass constable Thorton's work anyways." Clara said.
"Thank you Ma'me."
Once she had purchased the order, Clara the the man began leaving the store to their destinations The man to be very bliss and had a sense of humor, making only a few small jokes. "Hope Valley, yes? When I asked about coming to Coal Valley, the local in the town over said they had a name change after some explosions."
"Yes. There was a mine explosion a while ago. After the mines were shut down everyone decided to rename the city." Clara explained, though her tone at the end of her sentence was sad. Something not unnoticed by the man.
"You okay, ma'me?" He asked her.
"Yes. It just hurts a little to think of the mine explosion."
"Lost your father?"
"No, my husband. Peter." Clara answered. "We had known one another for about a year and married, then three days later he died in the explosion."
"Oh, I'm very sorry for you lost ma'am." The man said, tipping his hat at her. "My condolences to Mrs..."
"Clara Stanton."
"Mrs. Clara Stanton." He said. He stood up and said, "My name is James Murphy, but my friends call me by my last name usually. Murphy."
The two of them were at Jack's work station. "Well, here we are." Clara said. "Constable Thornton's work station."
Just then, Jack came out of the door and saw the familiar girl with an unfamiliar man, but in familiar clothing. "Morning Clara," He greeted the young woman.
"Morning Jack." Clara greeted. "Jack, this is James Murphy."
"Oh, hello," Jack said and shook hands with the man. "You're a week early."
"Yes, I thought I had some last minute things to do. But things were handled and now here I am." He explained. "Call me Murphy."
"Well nice to meet you, Murphy." Jack said. ""Care to walk around to get a better view of the town?"
"Sounds like real joy. Thank you." Murphy said. "And thank you Mrs. Stanton," He tipped his hat towards her. "I hope to see you around more often."
"You too." Clara said with a smile.