On Christmas eve, the Grant family and their guests began the walk to the Coulters' house as a group, using the well-travelled path between the houses. Lucas and Julie had come out early to spend some time around the harvest table and to walk over with them.

Nathan was holding Jack on his shoulders, so Elizabeth walked between Rebecca and Stella with her arms through theirs. Nathan and Lee were very good about keeping the path well-shoveled so Rosemary, Elizabeth, and the children could easily travel back and forth, which they did daily, often multiple times a day.

In fact, the snow shoveling had turned into something that functioned much the same way as Elizabeth and Rosemary's meetings over the fence at the row houses while they hung laundry. Lee and Nathan were performing an essential task after it snowed, but would often meet in the middle between the two houses and find the time to talk.

More than once Elizabeth had looked out the window and had seen them both leaning on their shovels and talking. And because it made her smile, she always wanted to call Rosemary and see if she was watching them from her side of the path.

In addition to being neighbors, the two families were the best of friends. Jack loved being around Violet, and Elizabeth could see he was enjoying being the older of the two of them. He protected her, and when she cried, he would immediately look up at Rosemary and Elizabeth with his very concerned two-year-old face as if to say, "What are we going to do about this?" In fact they all spent so much time at each other's houses that Elizabeth had joked to Rosemary that Jack and Violet probably thought they all lived in both houses with a snowy pathway in between.

And now on Christmas eve, the path was especially appreciated. From where they walked they could see the steady stream of guests coming up to the front of the house, while they made their way toward the back door.

This was shaping up to be a wonderful Christmas, and it was really just getting started. Stella and Jessie had fit in beautifully, and had worked their way into everyone's heart already. Elizabeth didn't want to think about how hard it was going to be for Allie to say goodbye to Jessie. The girls had gone riding together every day and were inseparable.

Elizabeth had spoken to Stella again about whether it would be possible for them to move to Hope Valley. She'd learned that there really wasn't anything keeping them in Spruce Grove now that Archie had moved.

Elizabeth wanted to be sure that she introduced Stella to Bill tonight, in case the café was looking for help. While they were around the harvest table earlier, she'd noticed that Stella had been deep in conversation with Lucas and Julie, possibly another good sign for her future in Hope Valley.

She didn't want to think of it as meddling in people's lives, but Elizabeth felt so safe and loved here that she wanted everyone to know how that felt. Especially good people like Stella and Jessie who were hungry for the type of community the town offered. And she wasn't really meddling, she told herself. She was simply introducing people and offering them new possibilities.

Elizabeth and Stella had been enjoying their time together immensely, especially in the kitchen along with Rebecca. The three of them had laughed over Stella's stories of her regular customers at the Spruce Café, the quirks of the cooks and the other waitresses. Stella had an easy way of connecting to people, and Elizabeth could see why Archie had so easily taken her under his wing.

On the path ahead, Elizabeth could see Jessie and Allie walking with their heads together the way they'd been for days. Aside from their mutual love of horses, Jane Austen, Queen Victoria, and Jane Eyre, they had numerous other common interests. Elizabeth's only worry was that they weren't getting enough sleep because they talked so late into the night.

It was very cold outside tonight, definitely below freezing, and in the lights reflecting from Rosemary and Lee's house, the snow on the path had crisp edges that crunched noisily under their feet.

Archie walked just a little behind Elizabeth, and she noticed that Charlie was walking just a few steps ahead of her. She tilted her head up at Nathan, and narrowed her eyes slightly.

"What?" he said, looking down at her from around Stella.

She smiled and looked at Stella, Rebecca, Charlie and then at Archie behind her. She was surrounded by a sort of protective cocoon. "Am I in some kind of formation here, Constable?"

Nathan gave her his crooked smile and raised an eyebrow. "It can get a little slippery out here," he said. Elizabeth noticed that her four protectors were strangely silent, though there was a smile threatening the corner of Stella's mouth.

Elizabeth shook her head. "So if I start to slip, I have four people ready to hit the ground and break my fall?"

Charlie turned around and smiled, "Try not to fall forward. I'm not sure how steady I am, myself." Rebecca snorted, and he looked back at her, laughing. "Who do you think is going to run that ranch if I break a hip, woman?"

Elizabeth smiled at both of them. "I promise I'll try to stay on my feet. But I appreciate all of you." She looked up at Nathan and her eyes went soft. "Thank you for taking such good care of me."

As they got closer, they began to catch whiffs of Rosemary's famous mulled apple cider. The overtones of cinnamon, cloves and oranges, along with something savory, wafted close by and made them all walk a bit faster.

As they came through the side yard they could see inside the house, which was bathed in a warm, yellow light. Christmas music was coming from the Victrola and the faint sound of voices, rising and falling, could be heard from the front room.

"Hello!" Julie called. She and Lucas were at the front of this little procession, and reached the back door first.

Lee opened it. "Welcome!" he said, and stepped back to let everyone in. Elizabeth had come over with Stella earlier in the day to bring Jack's birthday presents and the food they were sharing. Allie's soft farmer's cheese had been such a hit last night, that Elizabeth talked Allie and Jessie through creating a beautiful plate of appetizers much like they'd had the night before.

The warmth inside the house was welcome after the chill outside. Nathan took Jack down from his shoulders and he ran right to the playroom where Violet was holding court with Florence, Faith and Laura. Every room in the house had groups of two, three or more standing, seated, talking, laughing, and sipping on the deliciously aromatic warm cider.

Rosemary was certainly in her element. "Elizabeth! Come sit with me," she said, offering her the deepest, softest chair in the house. It was facing the largest part of the main room and though Rosemary wanted very much for her friend to be comfortable, she also had an ulterior motive.

Sitting close to her, Rosemary said, "I keep getting called here and there, so I need you to help me. I am absolutely determined to get Bill as our Santa for tomorrow, and as you know, he's been avoiding me." She raised an eyebrow and looked around the room as if she were a foreign spy. "When he comes over to sit with you, and he certainly will, you hold on to him."

Elizabeth laughed, "Rosemary, I don't think I want to get involved in this. Can't you get Lee to do it again?"

Rosemary frowned. "He says that since he and Jesse get the tree now every year, I can't ever ask him again."

A voice behind her said, "No one's asked me." Rosemary turned around and Archie was standing there. She looked at him for a moment, blinking, and then a huge smile blossomed on her face.

"Would you?" she said, unable to believe her good luck.

Archie nodded with a delighted grin. "Sure I would. Who wouldn't want to be Santa Claus?" he said, his eyes wide.

"My sentiments exactly!" Rosemary said, and she threw her arms around Archie, almost knocking him backwards. "You're perfect!" She took his hand and started toward the extra bedroom. "Let's just see how that costume fits you. We'll definitely need the pillow, but I think it will be just right..." Elizabeth laughed, watching them disappear down the hall. She thought Rosemary may have found her Santa for a good long time.

For a moment, Elizabeth sat by the fire watching the room full of people as it ebbed and flowed. Ned Yost in deep conversation with Gustav, Fiona and Kevin standing very close together at the Coulters' tree looking at the ornaments, Molly and Hickam chatting as they looked out the window to the moon on the pond.

Elizabeth was enjoying this vantage point very much. She found herself smiling as Stella made her way around the room, comfortable with simply introducing herself to those she didn't know, until finally, she was standing at the front windows with Molly and Hickam. And then, Molly excused herself, and it was just Stella and Hickam.

Mike must have been saying something very funny, because Stella was laughing. Then he looked at her as she spoke, hanging on her every word as she spoke passionately about something, using her hands to make her point. Then both of them just looking out at the moon.

Stella and Hickam. Elizabeth took a deep breath and smiled. Mike. And Stella. And suddenly, in the way Elizabeth was prone to do these days, she had a little peek into the future.

"What are you staring at?" Nathan's voice was right at her ear and she reached up to touch his face gently.

"Nothing," she said casually, feeling slightly caught.

"No, that's not a nothing stare. That's the look you get when your mind is working away at something." He put his head right down next to hers so he could see exactly where she was looking.

"Ah," he said softly. "You think so?"

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows and smiled. "Maybe," she said. "Can you see it?" She turned at looked at him, her lips just inches away from his. "I can see it."

Nathan kissed her quickly. "What is it that makes you want everyone to be in love?" he said softly.

Elizabeth sighed and looked into his eyes. "Because I can't imagine a better place to be," she said.

Exhaling softly, Nathan said, "Well, I can't argue with that." He came around and sat in the chair next to her. "Do you need anything? Some cider? Tea?"

Elizabeth took his hand. "I'm very happy, and you're very sweet," she said. "I'm really fine. You go mingle."

He tilted his head at her. "Elizabeth. Have you ever known me to be a good mingler?"

She laughed and said, "You're better at it than you think you are."

They both watched Allie for a moment as she passed around her cheese appetizers.

Allie was now supplying soft farmer's cheese and butter to the Coulters as well as Le Bistro and the saloon. Milking Lizzie once or twice a day provided far more milk than the family could use, so it made everyone happy.

"Should we be worried about how much money she's making on that little hobby?" Nathan asked Elizabeth.

Elizabeth smiled, "Maybe if it was anyone else but Allie," she said. "You know, I remember when you two first came to Hope Valley, she had exceptional skills in mathematics in my classroom, and she's only gotten better. And the best part is that she really enjoys it." Elizabeth laughed. "I remember one day when I gave the class a math assignment and every student groaned, while Allie sat there grinning like the Cheshire Cat."

"But what does she do with all that money?" Nathan asked.

"It's all saved, and she has a book with every deposit. She and I sat down and worked on it together."

Nathan smiled gratefully at her. "Thank you." He gazed back at Allie for a moment, then turned back to Elizabeth. "What do you think about me taking her over to the bank and having them set up an account for her?" Nathan said.

"That's a wonderful idea!" Elizabeth said. "Then maybe we can talk to her about goals, and saving for something she wants..."

"What are you two doing hiding in the corner?" Bill said, sitting down on the other side of Elizabeth.

Elizabeth leaned close to him. "Not hiding. Observing," she said.

Bill smiled. "You know Mounties are trained in that," he said, quietly.

Nathan laughed softly. "Elizabeth needs no training in observation. She's a natural."

Just then, Rosemary came around the corner. From the stories Elizabeth had heard from her all week long, she expected Bill to pop up and run away, but he sat calmly, waiting for her to join them.

In fact, he stood and put his hand out to her. "Rosemary. I would just like to say that I haven't been a very good citizen lately." He puffed himself up a little. "I would like to remedy that right now." Raising his chin, he said, "I assume you have something important that you'd like to ask me?"

Rosemary frowned. "Why, whatever do you mean?" She batted her eyelashes at him innocently.

Bill nodded and smiled at her. "No, really, it's alright. You can ask me."

Giving him her best ingenue look, Rosemary said, "Bill, honestly, I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about."

Now Bill was getting impatient. "Look. Everyone in town has told me you've been looking for me. I had to hide under my desk when..."

Rosemary frowned. "You were under the desk?" she said, incredulous.

Bill took a deep breath and said, "Yes, but I've reconsidered," he said, "I feel like it's my civic duty, and well, I don't suppose it would be too bad. And I am a leader in the community..."

Just then, Archie came around the corner in full Santa mode. The suit was perfect once Rosemary had rolled up the sleeves and trousers. "Ho, ho, ho," he said, holding the pillow in front of him. Most of the room turned around and smiled.

Bill stood with his mouth open. Rosemary tilted her head at him and put her arm around Archie. "You were saying, Bill? What was it you wanted to do?"

Frowning, Bill harrumphed. He stood for a moment, staring from Rosemary to Archie, and then said curtly, "Never mind," and went to find the cider.

Elizabeth made a face at Rosemary, to which she said, "No, I will not feel guilty. I have chased that man all over Hope Valley for a week." She shook her head. "Under his desk! Can you imagine? Afraid of little ole me?" she said, giggling.

Nathan was staring at Archie, slightly speechless. "Dad?" he said, and Archie turned to him and said in his jolliest Santa voice, "Yes, son?"

Nathan shook his head slowly. "I can honestly say this is something I never thought I'd see." Nodding, he said, "You look great."

Rosemary held Archie at arm's length. "He does, doesn't he?" she said proudly.

Lee walked over and took one look at Archie and gave him a bear hug.

"Archie? May I say? You have made the men of Hope Valley very happy tonight."