"Fast or slow?" Nathan asked.
It was their shorthand. Instead of telling Elizabeth that he had an assignment that would take him away from her, Nathan had found that giving her the choice of how to hear it made it easier for her.
When she was a little nervous and needed to just rip off the bandage, she would say, "Fast." When she was feeling strong and confident, she said, "Slow," and she could get more information.
Tonight Elizabeth was feeling strong. "Slow," she said.
They had just finished a dinner of lasagna that Allie had made all by herself. Elizabeth was teaching her, which always made her smile a little because she remembered so well what a terrible cook she had been when she'd first travelled west.
Allie loved the story about how Elizabeth had actually burned down the teacherage when she first arrived in town. She was afraid of the coyotes' wails outside the windows and had left her dress too close to the fire on the stove.
Then it was burned biscuits, charred roast and every cooking catastrophe under the sun before Elizabeth began to get the hang of it. Now she was a very good cook, and it gave Allie hope that she would be sometime soon as well.
It was one of the things Allie truly loved about Elizabeth. She didn't have to be perfect all the time. She would tell stories of her exploits and it made Allie feel that if Elizabeth could learn, then she could too.
And tonight, the lasagna had been absolutely delicious. Everyone had seconds and Allie was very proud of herself. They'd had a wonderful talk over dinner about Italy and what it would be like to travel there to see the canals of Venice and the Vatican in Rome, and the time had flown by.
Since Allie cooked, Elizabeth and Nathan were doing the dishes. Allie was reading to Jack on the sofa.
Elizabeth looked over at Nathan and handed him another dish to dry. "Where are you going?"
"Brookfield," he said, taking the dish. "Gabe sent a message with the stage. He's got two investigations going at the same time and needs me to help him with some tracking."
"Well, you are one of the best trackers in the territory." Elizabeth smiled up at him. "How long will you be gone?"
"Probably two days. It's a case of bank fraud. They are actual bankers, not professionals, so it should be pretty quick, Elizabeth. They're just running scared."
She took a deep breath and handed him another plate. "Good." Elizabeth reached up a warm hand and touched his face. "Do what you have to do, my love. And then, come home to me."
Nathan put his hand over hers, holding her there. "And you know there's nowhere I'd rather be." He kissed her lightly. "And you're okay with Allie?"
"Always, Nathan. We have some sewing to do anyway. She's outgrowing everything so fast, and Rosemary just got some new cottons in. Anyway, I love having her here. I can't wait until we're all together in that big house by the pond." She handed him a bowl, laughing a little. "But five bedrooms? Really? Are we starting a hockey team?"
Nathan laughed. "We'll have a frozen body of water right in front of the house. Maybe in my old age," he said. "No, Allie needs her own room, Jack needs his, and then if Mom and Charlie visit before the house in the back is built, and of course, we'll need... ours."
Elizabeth's cheeks flushed a little and she covered it by wiping her forehead, blaming it on the hot water. She and Nathan were so comfortable together, but talking about this part of their future could still turn them into blushing adolescents. In truth, she liked that he was also a little nervous and unsure.
To bring them back to the present, Elizabeth said, "When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow morning, first thing. Bill can cover for a couple of days."
Elizabeth was finished with the dishes and Nathan was just drying the last of them. She turned to him and frowned. "There's no phone in Brookfield, is there?"
He shook his head. "No, but I can send a message with the stage tomorrow to let you know I'm there safely."
Elizabeth dried her hands and put them, warm, on either side of Nathan's face. She was smiling slyly. "So this means I get to oversee the building for a couple of days? Hmmmm. What can I add...?"
Nathan bent to kiss her tenderly. He whispered against her lips, "Another couple of bedrooms?"
She pushed him away and laughed. "You do want a hockey team! I knew it." Hanging up the towel to dry she said, "I was thinking more along the lines of a sunroom. Lots of windows."
Moving over to the table, Nathan said, "Sunroom in the summer, but in the winter, those rooms get very cold."
Elizabeth lifted her eyebrows. "So, we add another stove."
Nathan put his hands around her waist. "Porch swing, ranch kitchen, extra stove... you're getting very expensive, you know that?"
She smiled sweetly up at him. "And the second part of that sentence is..."
"You're worth it," Nathan said, without hesitating. He kissed her softly and said, "I should probably go." He sighed, "Early morning."
Elizabeth pulled him closer and put her head on his chest. She held him for a moment, and then said against the cotton of his shirt, "I'll miss you. I love you. Be safe, please."
"I'll miss you, too," Nathan said. He moved away a little and whispered to her, "I love you, my angel."
Elizabeth still had to close her eyes and breathe when he called her that. She never got tired of it.
"Allie?" Nathan said, turning toward the sofa. "You okay with staying here tonight and tomorrow night? I have to ride out early to Brookfield."
Allie smiled. "Sure!" She looked at Elizabeth hopefully, "Maybe we can make cookies tomorrow?" Elizabeth nodded and Allie clapped.
Elizabeth said, "Say hello to Grace and Lillian if you see them."
"I will." He hugged Elizabeth again, then Allie, and then picked Jack up into his arms. "And you, little man, be good for your mother and Allie, okay?" Jack looked him in the eye seriously, as if to say, and would I be anything else but good? Nathan laughed softly and blew into his neck, making a funny sound that sent Jack into giggles.
At the door, Nathan sighed and looked back at the three of them. "It's very hard to leave you. But I'll see you in a couple of days. Love you." And he was gone.
Allie kept overnight things at Elizabeth's house so that she would always be ready to spend the night if her Uncle Nathan was called away. So she went upstairs and got into her flannel nightgown and then came back downstairs. They stayed up reading for just a little while and then Elizabeth put a sleeping Jack into his crib. Allie went to her rollaway bed next to Elizabeth's, and they were all fast asleep within minutes.
By the time they got up and were ready for school, Nathan was on his way to Brookfield. He always knew that there was a possibility of danger in his own job, but he had no idea that Elizabeth, Allie and Jack might ever be in danger in Hope Valley.
Caleb Butler arrived by train that afternoon. He'd not only ridden a freight car for free down to Calgary, but a man at the train station there had been a bit lax in keeping his eye on his bags. Caleb managed to pick them up and in the process acquired a new suit of clothes, shaving equipment, and best of all, nearly $200 in cash.
So, when he boarded a train from Calgary to Hope Valley, Caleb looked every bit the gentleman with his gray suit and vest, gray bowler and fine leather suitcases.
When he arrived, he went straight to the saloon and secured a room under the name of Cal Baker. He had his eye out for Nathan, but it didn't take much listening at the bar of the saloon to hear that the Judge, a former Mountie, was covering for Constable Grant for a couple of days.
Caleb smiled at that news. These small towns were probably all the same. Trusting souls who would give you any information you wanted, and you didn't even have to ask for it.
Now to find Allie. She would be in the care of some adult in town, but right now, she would be in school. As Caleb wandered out into the street under the pretense of stretching his legs, he could see a church in the distance. There were children playing outside.
It's a nice day for a walk, Caleb thought. The path to the church was perfect for that, and it wasn't even empty, so he'd hardly be noticed.
Of course, coming from Edmonton and before that, Montreal, Caleb had no real experience in a town like Hope Valley. He had already been noticed numerous times, starting with Lucas at the saloon. He wasn't a sawmill or an oil field worker, he hadn't tried to sell anything to anyone, and he wasn't accompanied by any of the townspeople.
If a stranger in a three-piece suit didn't have business with Lee, Henry, Bill or Lucas, and they were no one's relative, one had to wonder who on earth they were.
So before Caleb Butler reached the church, he was already being talked about by Bill, Clara, Rosemary, Florence and Lucas.
As Caleb approached the steps to the church, a very pretty young schoolteacher with long curly brown hair stepped out, ringing a cowbell, of all things. "Have a good evening, children. Don't forget your book reports for tomorrow!"
The stampede of children started down the stairs and as he stepped aside, Caleb listened carefully in case anyone called out to Allie. He scanned their faces, but the last time he'd seen her, Allie was only four. He really had no idea what she looked like.
And then, the teacher turned back to the inside of the church. "Allie, do you mind erasing the blackboard for me, please?"
From inside the church, Caleb heard a young girl's voice say, "Sure, Mrs. Thornton."
"Can I help you?" the teacher said, kindly.
Caleb tipped his bowler formally and bowed. "Thank you, ma'am, I'm a visitor in town and I like to look at churches when I travel. I had no idea this was a school."
Smiling, Elizabeth said, "It functions as both. You're welcome to come in, Mr...?"
"Cal Baker, ma'am, from Edmonton," he said, halfway up the steps.
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. "You're a long way from home, Mr. Baker." She stepped aside and showed him the way into the church.
As he walked in, Caleb couldn't help but notice the sign on the wall: THE JACK THORNTON SCHOOL. He frowned and turned to Elizabeth. "I'm sorry for being so forward, but I thought I heard that young lady call you Mrs. Thornton." He pointed to the sign. "Any relation?"
Elizabeth nodded. "My late husband. He was a Mountie and he built this church." Caleb affected his devastated look and said, "Oh, dear me, my apologies, Mrs. Thornton. I am so very sorry for your loss."
Frowning a little, Elizabeth said, "Thank you."
The frown came from a feeling that Elizabeth was having. She had been fooled once by a man named Billy Hamilton who turned out to be a con man who wanted a piece of the Thatcher fortune. She was getting a hint of the same impression of Cal Baker, and he even bore a slight resemblance to Billy.
But Elizabeth knew that there were all different sorts of people in the world, and she didn't like to make snap judgements of them. Mr. Baker had been nothing but polite to her, so she continued to be so to him.
"So, Mr. Baker, you like churches? Are you an architect or a pastor?"
Caleb laughed and said, "Oh, no. I just like the feel of them, is all. Quiet, solemn places. Good places to think." He had made his way up to the front of the room where Allie was finishing up with the blackboard. When she turned, he nearly gasped, and had to cover it with a cough.
His daughter had the absolute look of Sarah; the half-moon eyes, long nose and wide smile. But she had his light-brown hair, straight as a stick, nothing like Sarah's.
"Hello," she said, guilelessly. So she trusts people, Caleb thought. That's a good thing.
"And who might you be, young lady?" he asked. Allie said, brightly, "Allie Grant. Pleased to meet you." She had her hand out, and Caleb shook it. Very grown up. But Allie Grant, is it? No longer Alice Rebecca Butler. Erased from the family, just as though I never existed.
Elizabeth got her books. "Thank you, Allie. You did a very nice job." To Caleb, she said, "We need to be going, Mr. Baker. May we walk you out?"
"Yes," Caleb said, recovering his composure. "Thank you kindly."
As they walked the path back to town, Caleb said, trying to sound casual, "Well, then, your husband was a Mountie. A very fine profession. I suppose all these little towns have Mounties now," he said.
Allie was all too ready to provide information, because she was so proud. "My Uncle Nathan is the Mountie here in Hope Valley," she said.
"Is that a fact?" Caleb said. "Well, you must be very proud of him. Perhaps I could meet him while I'm here?"
Allie was just about to say her Uncle was gone for a couple of days, when Elizabeth said quickly, "We expect him back soon." She wasn't sure why, but she didn't want to give this man too much information.
Caleb narrowed his eyes just a bit. We expect him back. And at the saloon they said a couple of days before Nathan would be back. Just how do you fit in this puzzle, Mrs. Thornton?
Thinking that he would probably get nothing else of value from them, and knowing that it was Nathan he needed to deal with, Caleb decided to cut his losses. "Well, ladies, I believe I will depart from you now and take a look at this lovely pond."
Looking out past the meadow, he saw the house under construction. The front porch was built and some of the framing had been done for the rest of the house. The porch looked strangely familiar, and Caleb thought he saw a porch swing out there before the rest of the house was built. Caleb knew all of the Grant family stories. He nodded back at them, "Growing town. Wonderful."
Before Elizabeth could stop her, Allie, who was so proud and happy about the future, walked closer to him and said, "That's our house. My Uncle Nathan and Mrs. Thornton are getting married in two-and-a-half weeks and we're all going to live there."
Elizabeth came forward and took Allie's hand gently. "Allie, we need to go now. You've got Hattie and Rachel coming over to bake cookies and we still have to get a few things at the Mercantile." She turned to Caleb. "It was very nice to meet you, Mr. Baker. I hope you enjoy your stay in town."
Caleb bowed low and said, "Thank you, Mrs. Thornton. And congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. I wish you many years of happiness. Have a wonderful afternoon." He looked at Allie. "Goodbye, young miss."
As they walked away, Caleb smiled.
He'd had to do quite a bit of digging to find out where Nathan Grant was posted, and when you search through the library, you come across things you might not have expected. And when you search on information about Mounties, you come across newspaper stories.
Like the story of Constable Jack Thornton and his wife, Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton. Thatcher, as in William Thatcher, shipping tycoon.
Caleb laughed to himself. And now Nathan Grant, the quintessential Mountie, integrity and honor personified, had found his way to the Thatcher fortune. Caleb never would have figured Nathan for being a gold digger, but maybe he'd underestimated him.
With all that money, they would be persuaded to give up quite a bit of it. They'd never even miss it. And obviously this schoolteacher had a soft spot for Allie.
This was all going to work out just fine. It would be steak and a baked potato in the saloon tonight, Caleb thought.
And the best whiskey they had.
