It was understandable that Rosemary didn't want to put Violet down.

Right now Violet was sound asleep on Rosemary's chest as she sat on the sofa in front of the fire. Elizabeth put the quilt from the crib around them both without even suggesting that Rosemary should put her down in Jack's room for a nap.

Lee had gone with Nathan to town. Elizabeth was certain they were in Bill's office sending wires back and forth with Gabe.

Elizabeth had never seen Rosemary so subdued. She'd made her a cup of tea, which was now sitting cold and untouched on the side table.

She'd tried silence, but she was beginning to think that Rosemary needed to talk, and Elizabeth was debating what she could say that would be the most helpful.

"Do you remember when Caleb Butler came to get Allie?" Elizabeth said softly.

Rosemary didn't answer, she only nodded and turned her eyes toward Elizabeth to let her know she was listening.

"Before he came to Hope Valley, he was this... thing, this threat that was out there, somewhere. Nathan worried about it, because he knew there was always the possibility that Caleb would show up and try to claim Allie," Elizabeth said.

Rosemary didn't speak, but she kept her eyes on Elizabeth.

"When he finally showed up, it was terrible at first, but then it was a relief. We had the chance to get him to sign papers, once and for all. She's ours now and always will be, and that's a blessing." Elizabeth took Rosemary's hand in hers. "That fear of the unknown is gone."

Rosemary opened her lips and then closed them again. Then she took a breath and said, almost in a whisper, "What if they won't sign papers?"

Elizabeth said, "I know. It's a possibility. But you'll know the answer to that now. You won't hear from them when Violet is six, or twelve, or suddenly on her wedding day. It won't be a sword hanging over your head."

Rosemary looked into Elizabeth's eyes for a moment and then she nodded. "I was just thinking that very thing," she said.

Rosemary turned and looked into the fire, her voice almost a monotone. "When I was a little girl, I remember being so afraid of bees," Rosemary said quietly. She was rubbing Violet's back rhythmically, more for her own comfort than the baby's. "I used to run from them, screaming, and though I'd never been stung, I would magnify what I thought it would feel like in my mind. It was as if I'd been stung a thousand times before it actually happened. And when it finally did, I remember saying to my mother, 'That was what all the fuss was about? It hurts for a minute, but it's not that bad.' I remember thinking that it was a lot of wasted worry. And I told myself that when I was afraid of something, it would almost be better to put myself in its path and just get it over with, rather than worrying about it."

"Always do what you are afraid to do," Elizabeth said softly.

"Yes, exactly," Rosemary said, finally smiling. "It's how I became an actress. It terrified me, so I did it."

Smiling at her friend, Elizabeth said, "You're one of the bravest people I know, Rosemary."

Rosemary nodded. "I know I'm strong. I don't want you to worry about me." Rosemary leaned down and kissed Violet's soft brown curls. "Every day since we've had Violet, I've imagined her mother coming to get her. Many times a day. I've thought of it every time I've told her I love her, at every laugh, every hiccup, every cry." Honestly, it's positively exhausting."

She exhaled and closed her eyes for a moment. "It is a relief, Elizabeth. I don't know how long I could have kept that up. While at the same time, I'm so afraid, because we might lose her. But you're right. It will be better to know."

Elizabeth squeezed her hand. "And no matter what, you have her with you through the winter, according to Nathan." Smiling, Elizabeth said, "I don't think you can fall any more in love with her than you are now."

Rosemary smiled back. "No. I can't." Violet was stirring a little, and Rosemary whispered, "If you can put the quilt on the floor, I'll put her down in front of the fire."

With Violet settled, Rosemary picked up her teacup and went to the kitchen. She poured out the cold tea and put the water on to boil. Now they could speak up a little more, and could still see Violet.

"It was a shock, is all," Rosemary said. "Lillian and Grace were so clear with us." She laughed softly. "How could I think I wouldn't fall head over heels in love with that little girl? That somehow I could hold back a part of my heart?"

Elizabeth smiled and sat at the harvest table. "Of course you couldn't. You and Lee have the biggest hearts I've ever known. You're wonderful parents."

For a moment, they just looked at each other. Then Elizabeth said softly, "Please promise that you'll talk to me whenever you want to about all this? About any part of it."

Rosemary tilted her head at Elizabeth. "Be careful what you ask for." She smiled and tapped her forehead. "I'm not sure you're ready to be up in here for very long."

"Why would you say that?" Elizabeth said, frowning.

"When you sat down and I was looking at the fire? I was wondering if we could just move Violet's nineteen-year-old mother and her grandfather into our house and we could all care for her together." She turned to Elizabeth and raised her eyebrows. "How's that for a really bad idea?"

Elizabeth was slightly speechless, so she just tilted her head at Rosemary and said, "Well, um, I suppose you're not ruling out any possibilities... but why would you do that?"

The water was boiling now and Rosemary poured it over her tea. Then she walked around and sat at the table.

"Think about this, Elizabeth. They're Violet's family, and they live in a... a shack. We take this to court, and, best case scenario, we win the case. Then we keep their child and send her only blood relatives back to that cold, bleak life without helping them somehow? Could you do that?"

Elizabeth stared at her and put herself firmly in Rosemary's shoes. A frown started, and then Elizabeth said, "No. Not without helping."

"They don't seem to be bad people, from Nathan's description. A young girl who made a mistake, and a grandfather who had Violet's best interests in mind when he left her at the orphanage." Rosemary's eyes widened and then a tear slipped down her cheek. "It changes everything, Elizabeth. And I can't see a way out of it."

Frowning, Elizabeth said, "Not now. You can't see a way out of it now. So, let's do what Nathan said. Just let the world take a turn. And if we pray and think and look for answers, one will appear."

Rosemary took Elizabeth's hand. "You're a very good friend. I would hate to be going through this without you." She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "So, how did you keep that little piece of your heart separate when Jack died? I thought I could do it with Violet, but I failed miserably."

"Violet is very different. She gives you unconditional love, and is intensely loveable. Now that I think about it, I wouldn't have been able to withhold any part of me from little Jack, so it was unfair of me to think you could with Violet. I shouldn't have said what I said to you about keeping yourself safe."

Rosemary shook her head, "No, it really helped me. It's meant that I've always had the idea that this might not work out. It's been in the back of my mind as a possibility. I know it's made today easier because I almost expected it." She took a sip of her tea. "So with Jack...?"

Elizabeth sighed. "It was easier to keep a part of me separate with Jack because there had already been a number of times I'd almost lost him. I had so many memories of how it felt to think he was hurt or worse, that I knew I needed to protect myself." Elizabeth suddenly laughed. "And I know everyone thinks ours was the perfect relationship, but we had arguments, Rosemary. Lots of them. There were a few times that we fought so hard I didn't think we'd make it."

Rosemary laughed softly. "Well, Jack could argue."

Elizabeth turned to her, "And with Nathan it was the same. He and I had some terrible disagreements early on, before we finally admitted it was love we felt. There was one time that we stood in a cabin and shouted at each other." Elizabeth shook her head. "And why? Because he was afraid I would get hurt, and I was afraid I'd pushed him away for good. It was all about how much we loved each other. And I think the passion of those arguments still serve us well in our marriage."

Nodding, Rosemary said, "Absolutely! Lee and I have had some doozies, and of course we each had to be right." Tilting her head, Rosemary said, "And it's true. Nearly every argument Lee and I have had has come from love."

Elizabeth smiled. "How that man loves you, Rosemary. I know everyone has told you how he sat by your bed when you were ill. But there really is no way to describe the emptiness in his eyes when he thought he might lose you." Taking her hand again, Elizabeth said, "And in yours when Lee's been in danger."

Rosemary nodded and laughed softly. "I do love that man. When he's not driving me crazy." Then she frowned. "What do you think about Lee, Elizabeth? About how he's taking this?" Rosemary said, looking over her teacup.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and smiled. "In a very Lee fashion. He's a problem-solver, Rosemary. He has to be in his work, and I think it's much easier to think of this as a challenge than to let it continue to break his heart." She reached across and squeezed Rosemary's hand. "Just remember that he's a very good problem-solver."

Rosemary smiled and nodded. "Yes, he is."

"So, who do you have in your corner? The orphanage. Both Mounties on the case, the most-likely judge, and Violet's grandfather. That's a pretty impressive list," Elizabeth said.

Squeezing back on Elizabeth's hand, Rosemary said, "And the best friend in the world."

They sat in silence for a while, and then Elizabeth heard Jack from his room down the hall. She started to get up and Rosemary said, "Do you mind if Auntie Rosie gets him up?"

Elizabeth smiled. "Not at all. He will love seeing you after his nap."

Rosemary grinned. "Thank you." Elizabeth watched her disappear around the corner and then heard the joyful Rosemary voice she loved so much. "How's my little munchkin? Did you have a good nap?"

Elizabeth sighed. We don't ever know how the story is going to end. As she watched little Violet sleeping peacefully in front of the warm fire, Elizabeth knew that love would find a way.

Nathan leaned back in his chair and put his boots up on his desk, glad that the jail was empty. This had been a long day already, and although his preference would be to go home and fall into Elizabeth's arms, he knew that Rosemary was still there, and Lee was on his way out to the meadow. Nathan felt like he'd been talking all day, and right now, he needed some time to just let his thoughts be.

He loved his work as a Mountie, but sometimes it was a relief to not have everyone looking at you for answers. Especially when the questions were so hard.

Nathan started the day waking up in Elizabeth's arms, so far the best part of his day. Then, working on too little sleep and still sore from yesterday, he had spent a couple of hours with John Sutherland helping him make one of the hardest decisions of John's life. And if that weren't draining enough, there was the wire from Gabe that had dropped the bottom out of Lee and Rosemary's world.

Nathan closed his eyes, feeling completely drained. Tomorrow he would go to Brookfield with Lee to meet with Gabe and take Bill's paperwork requesting the case.

Nathan had tried to talk Lee out of going, but there was nothing that would stop him. Nathan realized again that he had to remember Lee was a natural negotiator.

Lee had taught Nathan to drive a car a while ago, but Nathan didn't often get to practice. As part of the package of letting Lee come with him, Nathan got to drive Lee's car to and from Brookfield.

Normally Nathan could resist the offer, but considering he'd spent the last two days in Bear's saddle, stumbling over rough terrain on steep inclines and in heavy snow, he just didn't welcome another long ride.

Also, Nathan knew that Elizabeth wouldn't be riding a horse until late spring at the earliest. He might like to drive her to Benson Hills or possibly Union City for a night out, and before he did that, he needed a refresher.

Lee had actually wanted to get right in the car and go today, but Nathan and Bill had talked him out of it. The roads would still be rutted with snow right now, with just a few hours' worth of stage coaches, wagons and horse traffic running between Hope Valley and Brookfield. But by tomorrow morning the traffic and the good weather will have made the road easily passable in Lee's car. If they left early enough in the morning, they would get back in the late afternoon.

Nathan stretched his arms over his head and felt his muscles ache again. He looked forward to getting home to Elizabeth and feeling her strong hands on his shoulders. She always knew how to relax him.

How many years had he moved through these nights alone? After giving almost everything he had to the Mounties during the day, and then giving whatever little he had left over with Allie; then falling into bed. He could never imagine that his life could fit with a woman by his side.

Right now, he knew Elizabeth was probably sitting with Rosemary, helping her through one of the hardest days of her life. She might be talking with Archie, as always making him feel loved and a part of their family. Or perhaps she was working with Allie on needlework, or helping her to understand a passage in a book, or just talking with her about what it feels like to be thirteen. And while she did it all, she was showing Jack what it meant to be a good person and helping him to keep his heart open to life as he grew.

And Nathan was here, with his feet up, taking a moment to himself. Because Elizabeth was there, doing what she always did. Offering love wherever it was needed.

Nathan took his feet down off of the desk and opened the drawer next to him. He pulled out the folded circular that Fiona had given him for Orcas Island.

It was time for that honeymoon. Long past time.