"Well, you know I had to have loved Archie Grant once, at least," Rebecca said with a wink. She had Jack on her lap and was, as usual, feeding him. Elizabeth thought it was lucky her boy was very active.

Elizabeth smiled and set aside her thank you notes for the wedding gifts she and Nathan had received. She also had so many notes to write simply for kindnesses - Henry buying the train tickets; Lucas, Bill and Gustav for the food; Clara and Rosemary for their wedding clothes. How she would begin to thank Rebecca for everything was beyond her.

On this Saturday morning two weeks after her wedding, Elizabeth was sitting at her very own harvest table in her very own house with Rebecca, and she couldn't be happier.

It was July in Hope Valley and the weather was seasonably warm. Elizabeth had discovered that opening both the back door and the front door would cool the whole house with either the air from the stand of trees behind them or the pond in front of them, depending on the direction of the wind.

They were having a cup of tea before heading out to weed the vegetable garden. Nathan and Charlie were outside, setting up the posts for the barn and the paddocks and beginning to clear the land. Allie had invited Anna and Hattie over and they were out back too, deciding where Allie's treehouse would go. Nathan had promised to use the leftover wood to build her one.

Elizabeth had just brought up a subject that needed to be talked about; Archie Grant. Nathan knew that he was still a little too raw about his father to sit down and talk to Rebecca with any clear perspective, so he asked Elizabeth to broach the subject. There would come a time very soon when Archie would visit Hope Valley again.

"I can't imagine the pain you all went through," Elizabeth said softly. "And I know how hard it is to get past that. It certainly has been for Nathan."

Rebecca shrugged. "It's been a long time. Once you let go of that 'being in love' stage with someone who hurts you, it's a lot easier." Jack was done with his breakfast and wanted to get down. Rebecca put him down and he got right on his wooden horse, rocking happily and walking his Mountie across its yarn mane.

Rebecca freshened her tea and continued. "The hardest part for Nathan was how many times I took Archie back, thinking he'd changed. I should have taken that into account. That was my mistake. Because I got the charming and sorry Archie when I let him back in the house. Nathan just had to watch the hurt come on when Archie left again with my favorite ruby brooch or a necklace he'd bought for me during the flush times. It wasn't fair of me to do that to Nathan."

Nodding, Elizabeth said, "I am sure you did the best you could, Rebecca. It wasn't an easy situation for any of you. Nathan told me once that Archie would call him the 'man of the house' whenever he left, and he took that job seriously. He thought it was his responsibility to take care of you and Sarah."

Rebecca frowned. "Oh, he did." She looked out the window at her son and her eyes glistened. "He grew so fast. At sixteen he was just a long tall drink of water, that boy. But the last time Archie came home, Nathan stood over him and wouldn't let him in the front door. Nearly broke my heart to see that. He'd not only grown tall, but he'd had to grow up too fast."

Elizabeth put her hand over Rebecca's. "He survived, you know. He's a strong, loving, compassionate man now. I watched him turn a corner with his father. He may not have forgotten everything that happened, but he's on the road to forgiving Archie."

Rebecca nodded. "I never wanted to take his father away from him. I just didn't want him to get hurt, but that happened anyway, didn't it?"

"You couldn't prevent that, Rebecca. We can protect our children as mothers, but we can't shield them completely," Elizabeth said softly.

Suddenly, Elizabeth frowned. "We were so busy in Airdrie I don't think we had the chance to tell you. Did you know that Caleb came here?"

Rebecca's eyes grew wide and she gasped softly. "No. Did Allie see him? What did he want?"

"She did see him, but he was pretending to be someone else. By the time we told her he was her father, she knew he wasn't a truthful person... At first he said he wanted Allie, but Nathan knew he only wanted money, so he gave it to him and put him on the train. Caleb signed away his rights to Allie." Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief. "Which is still so baffling to me, how a father could do that."

Rebecca gave a soft snort and her eyes went steely. "Oh, Caleb could. He never wanted children. He wanted Sarah and whiskey and a fine easy life. But not children."

Elizabeth nodded. "Bill Avery had him investigated. Turns out he was running from conscription and was overdue reporting for duty. Bill had him arrested when he got off the train. As far as we know, he's in military prison or more likely on his way to the front in Europe."

Rebecca took a deep breath and nodded. "Well, that's a fair end to him." She stared into her teacup, her eyes hard. "Did Nathan tell you that Sarah died with a black eye? It was why she went to the ranch instead of being near the hospital in Edmonton. She was running from him."

Elizabeth exhaled. "Oh, Rebecca. I'm so sorry." Elizabeth shuddered, remembering Caleb in her schoolroom and on the walk to town. And Nathan's anger at him was ever clearer. Even Elizabeth was wondering how he'd had the strength to holster his gun when he'd seen him here in Hope Valley.

"Water under the bridge, Elizabeth." Rebecca took a deep breath. "A sad time, but it's done."

Elizabeth paused for a moment. "Except that Allie remembers some of it now," she said softly.

Rebecca looked up quickly. "What does she remember?"

"Just vague memories. But they're memories of Caleb hurting her and her mother. She mentioned you in one of them. Do you think you could talk to her about it?" Elizabeth smiled sadly. "Nathan said once that if we can tell our stories, we can get past them, and I believe that with all my heart. Allie might need to do that, but I wasn't there, and Nathan is still just getting over it himself."

Rebecca nodded firmly. "I will talk to her. Thank you for telling me."

"Of course," Elizabeth said, squeezing Rebecca's hand.

Rebecca's eyes softened and she looked again out the window. "Nathan was more Allie's father from the day she was born than Caleb ever was. He was just like he is with Jack. You'd come around the corner and Allie would be sound asleep on his chest, or he'd be playing with her, making faces, making her giggle. If she has any sense of what a father is, she got it from Nathan." Smiling, Rebecca said, "Which is why it's so right that he's her father now. Legally. He has been in his heart since the beginning."

Elizabeth smiled softly, following Rebecca's eyes out to Nathan. "Allie was my way into his heart, too. I think I loved that girl from the first day of school, so spirited and intelligent. She's a survivor, but she was troubled, and Nathan had to talk to me." Elizabeth laughed softly. "He was a tough one. He had so much bottled up inside when he first came to Hope Valley. I knew he felt things deeply, but getting them out of him could be a bit of a chore."

Rebecca nodded. "He stopped talking when Sarah died." She sighed. "Up until then he could talk about anything and usually did, at length. Far too many opinions, and no trouble expressing them," she said, laughing. "But he lost his voice somehow." Rebecca's eyes were very blue as she looked at Elizabeth. "He found it again with you."

"Yes, he did," Elizabeth said, sighing. "And it's such a good voice." She gazed out at her husband. "I love him so dearly, Rebecca."

Rebecca laughed and hugged her tightly. "That is not news to any of us, Elizabeth. And if possible, he loves you even more."

They watched for a moment as Charlie and Nathan stretched a rope from one post to another, laying out the foundation for the barn.

"So," Rebecca said, taking a deep breath. "Nathan put you up to breaking it to me gently that Archie will be visiting? What did he think I would do, make a scene?"

Elizabeth laughed. "No. He just wanted to make sure it wouldn't hurt you if he welcomed him into his house."

Shaking her head, Rebecca said, "Well, that's sweet of him. But honestly, I'm just too old to care anymore." She raised her eyebrows and looked outside again. Her eyes rested on Charlie. "And in case you haven't figured it out..."

Elizabeth smiled. "I have..."

Laughing, Rebecca said, "Of course you have. You see everything, don't you?" She took another sip of her tea. "Does Nathan know?"

"Yes. He asked me about it when we were in Airdrie the first time."

"He's a little late to the party, but good he finally got there," Rebecca said, laughing softly. She looked at Elizabeth, her face open and vulnerable, so much like Nathan at times like these. "And what did he say? My Nathan. About his scandalous mother?"

Elizabeth took her hand. "He's glad for you both. And it makes him feel better about you being there... not alone."

Rebecca sighed, clearly relieved. "Charlie is a good man. He loves me and he doesn't want more than I can give. A solitary old age is a pitiful thing, Elizabeth."

"I'm glad you have each other, Rebecca," Elizabeth said softly. "I like Charlie very much. He's what I would call an old soul; I look in his eyes and there's so much there. I would love to write down some of his stories, if he'd be willing."

Laughing, Rebecca said, "Oh, he's willing to talk forever if you want. And yes, he has stories." She stood to take her breakfast plate and Elizabeth's to the kitchen.

"And have you two ever thought of getting married?" Elizabeth asked tentatively.

Rebecca smiled. "He's asked me enough times. I'm not opposed to the idea, but truth is, legally I'm still married to Archie. Never could bring myself to divorce him while he was in prison. Felt like kicking him when he was down somehow."

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows slyly. "He's out of prison now."

Laughing again, Rebecca said, "Oh, you newly-marrieds. Ready to marry off the rest of the world too." She gazed at Elizabeth, thinking. "But it would be nice to just have it out in the open, and for Charlie not to have to make that trek from the livery every day and night."

Elizabeth just smiled sweetly at her. The seed is planted.

Rebecca wrapped up the leftover pancakes. "So when is Archie coming? We can only stay for a week more. I have to get back to the ranch and Charlie has some mysterious work to do out at the far barn." She winked at Elizabeth. "Honestly, do those men believe I think the money comes from thin air? I know what they do out there, I just don't want to see it."

Elizabeth laughed. "We haven't invited Archie yet because we wanted to talk to you first. Nathan is so proud of this house and his life here. And Archie made an impression on the town."

Rebecca nodded. "I'm not surprised. Archie Grant can be a charmer." She started tidying up the kitchen. "And there will be Allie's graduation, birthdays, holidays... Now that he's back in good graces, I don't want us dancing around who gets to come and who stays home. Charlie's still mad at Archie, but he'll hold his tongue for me."

"Knock-knock!" Rosemary's voice came through the open front door. Elizabeth could see Julie behind her.

"Good morning!" Elizabeth said, brightly. "Have you eaten? We have pancakes, thanks to my dear mother-in-law."

Rosemary waved her hand quickly, "Oh, no, no, Lee and I had our breakfast already."

Julie said, "Thanks, but I stopped off at the saloon to have a cup of coffee and one of last night's biscuits. Gustav truly rivals our cooks in Hamilton. Lucas was lucky to find him."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "You're spending a lot of time at the saloon, Julie," she said, smiling.

Grimacing, Julie said, "We're just friends, sister. Just because you're hopelessly in love doesn't mean the rest of us have to be." She went directly into the kitchen and got the tea down and began to make herself a cup. "Lucas and I have a lot in common. We both love the exact same café in the Montparnasse in Paris. We think we may have actually been there at the same time and didn't know it! Isn't that just wild?"

Rosemary had already pulled a chair around and was sitting with Jack, who was playing on his wooden rocking horse. "You still like your Christmas present, don't you? We knew you would!"

Julie looked out the kitchen window. "What are they doing out there?"

"They're getting ready to build the barn. As soon as that's finished we can bring Bear, Sarah and Sergeant out here and free up some stalls at the livery."

Rebecca shook her head. "Still can't believe that horse's name was Sarah before Allie got her."

Elizabeth and Rosemary had joined Rebecca and Julie in the kitchen. Elizabeth smiled, trying to imagine this four-way conversation going on while everyone got cups, saucers, and hot water in her tiny kitchen in the row house.

Elizabeth said, "Does that bother you at all? That Allie's horse is named Sarah?"

"Oh, no, not at all. It's a good name," she said, giving Elizabeth a quick hug. "It only makes me wonder sometimes. If there's a master plan and we're all just spinning around inside it, thinking we have some sort of control over how it all comes out."

All four women stopped where they were and thought about that for a moment. Each had her own story and each was at a different place in the timeline. Julie just starting out, Elizabeth newly married, Rosemary with her soulmate but longing for more, and Rebecca moving into a twilight of sorts.

Rebecca nodded, looking at each one in turn. "And here's the best piece of wisdom I can give you girls. It came from my grandmother, who knew a thing or two about life. Work as if there is no prayer and pray as if there is no work. I always took it to mean that we need to live our lives as if help might not be coming from above, at the same time you have to believe with all your heart that it is."

Moved, Elizabeth, Rosemary and Julie all hugged Rebecca at the same time.

"Oh, dear me, you people in this town certainly do touch each other a lot! All this hugging," Rebecca said, struggling, but enjoying every moment.

Julie just came out and said what everyone was thinking. "I wish you lived in Hope Valley."

Rebecca reached her hand up and touched Julie's face affectionately. "That's very sweet, but for now that farm has my heart and soul. It may not always be that way, so keep the door open."

She moved around to sit again at the harvest table in a spot with a view of Nathan and Charlie. "But I'm over my dislike of that smelly, noisy old train. Because it brought me here." Her blue eyes went soft. "And I do love being here."

She looked at all of them, and then lingered on Nathan outside. He was just now being led by the hand, laughing, to Allie's favorite location for her treehouse.

Rebecca smiled. "I think I'll be back before you know it."