Elizabeth noticed the first flakes outside the window at a little past one in the afternoon. Violet was sound asleep on Elizabeth's chest, and she had to admit she wasn't anxious to let go of her. Rosemary was right, Violet had a completely different energy than Jack at this age. Mellower, calmer; as Rosemary had called it, serene. It was hard not to absorb some of that peace.
Jack was on the quilt in front of the fire, and had reached the stage just before sleep. He was lying with his head to the side, talking very softly to his beloved Mountie, now a little ragged from too much love. Elizabeth was thinking she would need to see if Ned had any red felt at the Mercantile so she could fashion another tunic for him.
Elizabeth basked in the peace of the moment inside her warm, cozy house. With a toddler on the floor, a baby on her breast, the soft crack of wood being chopped outside by the man she loved so dearly, Elizabeth looked out the window and reflected on the joy in her life.
It was first one flake, then another, circling lazily down, and combined with the warm sleeping child, Jack's singsong whispering and the snapping of the fire, Elizabeth thought she might just nod off herself. Then, as always, Elizabeth thought of others. Allie and Robert in the treehouse, Nathan out chopping wood, Rosemary needing to walk back from their house to collect Violet, and the necessity for her to drive the car home before the snow got too deep.
But especially, Elizabeth was thinking of Grace and Chuck out on the road with a couple of hours' travel still ahead of them.
Anyone who had lived in Hope Valley for multiple winters knew that this was only the beginning. It was cold enough today for the snow to stick, and it was falling faster than it could possibly melt. Elizabeth worried for a moment about the little pine tree, but Nathan had assured her that pines were particularly built for this sort of weather, which is why they thrived out here. If it got really bad, he said he would build a small tent for it.
In a very short span of time, it wasn't just a few flakes and they weren't falling lazily. The wind had picked up slightly and Elizabeth was reminded of their wedding photo, except this time it was actual snow.
She looked down at Jack. His eyes were now closed and his breathing told her that a soft snore wasn't far away. She got up carefully from the floor and adjusted Violet to her other shoulder. Walking to the window she was glad to see Rosemary walking back from her new house, a little angled against the wind and her scarf over her face against the snow.
Nathan had his arms full of wood ready to bring into the mud room outside the kitchen. He had obviously called up to Allie and Robert, as they were picking up stray pieces of wood to bring in as well.
Everyone arrived at once, and keeping them quiet was impossible, so Jack sat up, rubbing his eyes sleepily, and started to cry.
So much for the peace of the first real snowfall.
Nathan came in first, rubbing his hands together. He'd shaken off the snow in the mudroom, and Elizabeth called softly out to Robert and Allie to do the same before they entered the kitchen.
Then Rosemary threw off her coat, snow and all, and took Violet from Elizabeth's arms so she could tend to a loudly crying Jack.
Rosemary looked outside, frowning. "Nathan, Lee wants to know if you can pull the car around and put it in your barn? He says this storm is coming down from the mountains where the sawmill land is, and it's five feet deep up there," Rosemary said. "He doesn't expect it to stop anytime soon." Until they had their own covered space at their new house, the car would have to go to the Grants' barn, the livery, or just sit and be covered with snow in front of their row house.
Nathan nodded, "He's right. It doesn't look like it's stopping." He headed back out to get his coat, and just as he did, the phone rang from the sunroom.
"You go," Elizabeth said to Nathan. "I'll get the telephone." Jack had calmed now, and was over his initial shock at the shattered peace and quiet. "Mama has to get the phone, Jack. You stay here with Allie, okay?"
It was Robert's mother from the Mercantile, asking Elizabeth to send him home. She bundled up and watched from under the front porch eaves as he ran to town, and waved to Mrs. Wolf when she could see they'd met up at the corner.
Jack was still going to need a nap, and as it was, he sat with Allie with his eyes at half-mast. Elizabeth picked him up gently and said, "I'm going to put him down. It shouldn't take long."
After all the excitement of yesterday and an early morning, Jack was sound asleep after less than five minutes in the rocking chair.
Elizabeth walked in on a conversation already in progress. Nathan had reheated the morning coffee and was pouring out a cup for himself. "...They'll be fine inside, and they can still get lots of work done. I've got snowshoes if it gets too deep between the houses. I can ride them over to them on Bear," Nathan said.
Rosemary smiled plaintively up at Elizabeth from her spot near the fire. "It seems you'll have some houseguests for the time being, Elizabeth."
Grinning, Elizabeth said, "I'd like nothing more." She led Rosemary down the hall and Violet slept soundly through a move from Rosemary's arms to the crib.
"Tea?" Elizabeth whispered as they walked back toward the kitchen.
"Oh, I would love a cup," Rosemary said.
Elizabeth put the water on and put her arm around Nathan in the kitchen. She looked up at him, worried. "Grace and Chuck?"
Nathan sighed and nodded. "They're probably in the thick of it," he said. I'll take the snowshoes over to Lee's and then I'll ride into town and wire Gabe." He shook his head. "The Brookfield Mountie office is next in line to get a telephone, but that's not going to happen before winter, I'm afraid."
Nathan turned and looked at Elizabeth. "You know I'm working today, and probably tonight? I'll need to be available."
Elizabeth nodded and leaned up to kiss him. "I know."
He took one last gulp of his coffee and took her hand. "Come talk to me while I change," he said softly.
While Nathan washed and set out his red serge, Elizabeth sat on the bed and watched him. He was talking about the trappers and some Native families up in the hills, not to mention the elderly people on the fringes of town that would need to be checked on.
Elizabeth sighed softly, in part because of her ongoing worry for him, but also just at the sight of him. Muscular, long-limbed, effortless in his movements, so familiar to her now, but no less a wonder. That she had ever been shy around him in these moments was now a distant memory. She was so absorbed in watching him that she didn't realize she was staring.
Nathan had stopped talking and was now tilting his head at her with an eyebrow raised. "If you keep looking at me that way, Elizabeth, I'll resign right now and never leave this house..." He walked to her, partially dressed, and lifted her into his arms. Without another word he kissed her, and she responded in kind, her knees going weak. It took them both a few moments to realize that someone was knocking at the bedroom door.
Nathan moved his lips from hers very reluctantly, and took a breath before answering. "Yes?" he said in a casual tone.
"Dad, Judge Avery is on the phone," Allie's voice came through the door. "Should I tell him you'll call him back?"
Taking another deep breath, Nathan still held Elizabeth tightly to him. "No, Allie. Thank you. I'll be right out." He leaned down and kissed Elizabeth again, not yet able to let her go. Then he exhaled and whispered, "Duty calls."
"You'll have to come home sometime. I'll be right here waiting," she said breathlessly into his ear.
Nathan's eyes closed and he sighed. "Oh, angel, you're killing me," he whispered. He kissed her once more and then let her go with great effort, moving toward the bedroom door.
"Nathan," Elizabeth said, stifling a giggle. "You should probably get dressed first."
He looked down and realized he was only wearing his shirt. Smiling at her, he said, "Probably a good idea."
Twenty minutes later, she watched him ride away. Sipping her tea and partially listening to Rosemary, she watched him through the windows as he rode to Lee and Rosemary's and then took off toward town. She kept her eyes on him until he disappeared into the white haze that was rapidly forming around the buildings at the corner.
Bill was meeting Nathan at the Mountie office and they would ride together around the perimeter of Hope Valley, making sure people had what they needed for a few days. The older people wouldn't be able to make their way into town through more than about a foot of snow unless they had horses, and not all did.
Elizabeth was grateful that Bill and Nathan always rode together at times like this. It was another thing she appreciated about Nathan. Jack seemed almost to relish venturing off alone on Sergeant, riding into danger in the dark or in severe weather. Nathan had no problem asking for assistance, and Elizabeth knew that Bill would always have his back.
But of course it was still never easy for Elizabeth to watch her husband ride off into the mist.
Out on the road from Hope Valley to Brookfield, the wagon was stopped. Chuck had expected snow, but he hadn't expected it to come in this fast. The wheels were laboring through five inches of mud and snow in spots and it was nearly impossible to see the road ahead of them.
He turned to Grace. "We need to make a decision," he said.
"It's only going to get worse, isn't it?" Grace said, huddled into her blanket to protect her head from the snow.
"Yes," he said. "So, we either shelter here in the wagon and wait until someone comes by, or we unhook the horses and ride in. Have you ever ridden bareback, Grace?"
She looked at him sideways, raising her eyebrows. "You taught me to ride for the first time with a saddle just this spring, remember?"
Chuck nodded, and smiled at her. "And you were a quick study."
"How far will we need to ride?" she asked.
Chuck turned to her, "Whiteout conditions make it hard to tell where we are, but luckily..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a compass, "...I'm prepared."
Grace laughed softly and raised her chin. "Well, if I had to get stranded in a snowstorm, I'm glad it was with you."
Chuck smiled at her and said, "You're a brave girl, Grace." They both looked at each other for a long moment.
She'd gone on a trip in the early summer and before she'd left he'd told her how much she meant to him. When he asked her if she felt the same, Grace had simply leaned up and kissed him.
They'd been alone since then, but he'd never felt brave enough to revisit that kiss. Now, he wasn't sure he could stop himself.
Chuck moved closer and kissed her, feeling the cold of her cheeks as the snow dropped and melted on their faces. He looked at her again and used his thumb to move an unmelted flake from her cheek.
"I've really enjoyed these two days, Grace. Snowstorm or not," he said softly.
Grace nodded and smiled. "I have too."
Sighing, Chuck said, "But now, we should go." He looked into the back of the wagon and said, "If you can pack up some of that food to bring with us, that would be good. And all the dry blankets. I'll unhitch the team."
Within just a few minutes, Chuck was astride one of the horses and had the other lined up next to the wagon. "C'mon over," he said, and helped her on. Her skirt and petticoats were immediately soaked from the horse's wet coat, and she covered herself with the blankets to try and stay warm.
"You okay?" he said.
Grace smiled and gave him a thumbs up, but as usual, she was putting on a brave face. She'd been through a lot in her young life, and she knew the only way to get through things was one step at a time. Gripping the horse with her shivering thighs to stay on, Grace took the reins and followed Chuck into the white world ahead.
They weren't aware that Constable Gabriel Kinslow was riding toward them on the same road, and that they were now only about ten miles apart. Chuck and Grace didn't know it yet, but thanks to Nathan Grant's wire to the Brookfield Mountie office, help was already on the way.
Elizabeth's dinner party didn't quite go as planned, but as she looked around the table, at least the numbers hadn't changed drastically.
Lucas and Julie decided to stay in town, but in their places were Hickam and Kevin who came over with Lee once it got dark at the Coulter's new house. They had installed all the windows and exterior and interior doors, and tomorrow would start on the floors.
Lee and Rosemary just gave in and agreed to spend the night. Their car was safely out of the snow, and they'd be over at the new house early anyway.
Halfway through dinner the phone rang. Elizabeth ran to it and sighed in relief at the sound of Nathan's voice.
"Sorry we're so late, angel," he said, sounding exhausted. "The Millers and a few others needed staples so we got them at the Mercantile and then went back to deliver them. Margaret Cooper needed wood brought in. One of the trappers is still missing, but we'll head out in the morning to look for him. Probably holed up in a cabin out there."
"Grace and Chuck?" Elizabeth asked, her heart in her throat.
"Gabe rode out and found them. They did the smart thing and left the wagon on horseback. They rode toward Brookfield and Gabe ran into them a few miles out of town." Nathan laughed softly. "Grace wanted you to know she's sorry she had to leave most of the food, but that there will probably be some bears enjoying Archie's birthday cake under the cover of the wagon."
Elizabeth laughed. "Well, we weren't going to finish it anyway. I'm glad someone is enjoying it. Are you coming home?"
"Yes. Bill says he wants you to save some of Gustav's Chicken Surprise for him. We're pretty wet and tired."
"Come home, my love. We'll take good care of you," Elizabeth said softly.
"You always do, angel."
