Chapter 7- Cold and Hot
The next afternoon, while walking back to the row houses with Allie and Opal, Charlotte could not contain her excitement for the rest of the summer lessons with the children. Even though her favorite blouse now carried stained remnants of strawberries, the jam making with Minnie had been so much fun.
That morning, Charlotte and Allie had met the rest of the students on the stairs of the schoolhouse. Charlotte refused to even let them step foot in the classroom today. The storm that had moved through the night before removed some of the blistering heat from the past week and the day was shaping up to be a beauty!
The children and Charlotte spent all morning in the woods behind the row houses. Picking the strawberries for their project, but also documenting other plants, flowers, bugs, and animals that they discovered along the way. Around noon, she and the students found a place to picnic in the shade of the trees on the meadow's edge. Charlotte peacefully looked about, observing the comings and goings that the town laid out in front of her.
As their lunch started to wrap up, Charlotte noticed Nathan and Newton approaching in the distance. Nervous energy again seemed to take over her body, so Charlotte busied herself folding up the picnic blankets she had borrowed from Minnie and Rosemary that morning, while Allie walked over to greet her uncle, who she hadn't seen since his return from Brookfield. They were too far away for Charlotte to hear what was being said, but when both Nathan and Allie looked in her direction and smiled, Charlotte could not help but wonder if she was the subject of choice.
"You didn't tell me you took Uncle Nathan dinner last night!" Allie said eagerly when she returned to Charlotte's side after Nathan rode off.
"It was nothing special Allie. Just leftovers of what we had for dinner. I wanted to let him know that you were safe at my house and not to worry that you weren't in your own bed. That is all." Charlotte's tone came across harsher than she had hoped it would.
"Sure." Allie smiled and raised her eyebrow "That is all." A strong inflection added to her speech.
Allie was right. That wasn't all. What had Charlotte been thinking with her letter?
Figured it was time someone took care of you for a change.
The sentiment coming out of nowhere, too easily flowing from the tip of her pen onto the note to Nathan. Hadn't just the day before Charlotte made a vow to keep her boundaries up with Nathan? That way Allie, and Nathan, would not have to experience the same hurt they had just gone through with Mrs. Thornton.
"Look Allie! It seems like your Uncle Nathan is at home. We should ask him if it is okay for you to spend the night at my house!" Opal exclaimed, bringing Charlotte back to the present.
Charlotte watched as the two girls bounded up the front steps beside where Newton's reins were tied to the post.
Why was he home so early? Charlotte questioned herself.
When the girl's knock produced Nathan at the door, Charlotte got her answer. The Mountie was obviously feeling under the weather. Nathan's face flushed, his nose was as red as the unbuttoned serge he wore, and those piercing eyes, a much more muted shade of blue. In that moment, a magnetic force drew her to Nathan, pulling Charlotte a couple steps closer before she stopped herself. What was she planning to do? Wrap him in a blanket, make a cup of tea, and tell him everything would be okay?
Panic rose in her chest at the thought of getting that close to another man.
"Uncle Nathan, you don't look so good," Allie commented in her matter-of-fact way.
"I'm fine. Just have a summer cold from getting wet in that storm last night on my way back from Brookfield." Nathan said before a convulsing cough shook his body.
"Well, we were going to ask if it was okay for me to spend the night at Opal's, but if you're not feeling well, I will stay home and take care of you," Allie said in a concerned voice.
"No. Go have fun. I will be fine. I just came home to rest for a few minutes before I take Newton back to the livery for the night."
"I'll take him for you," Charlotte offered. Feeling it was something she could do to help.
Nathan looked past Allie and Opal, seeing Charlotte for the first time in the lane behind them. A weak smile forming across his face, "Really? You would do that?"
"Of course." Charlotte said moving forward to untie Newton's reins from the porch and patting the bay's neck as he again nuzzled into her body. "Remember, he and I are already friends." Charlotte looked up at Nathan, their eyes connected, both realizing that she was not just talking about Newton in that moment.
Allie and Opal exchanged a look between themselves, giggling as they disappeared inside, past Nathan, and upstairs to pack a bag for the sleepover.
"Thank you for this," Nathan said through a struggling smile. "And for last night. I can't tell you how much I appreciated it."
"What are neighbors for constable?" Charlotte replied as she turned down the lane, leading Newton towards the livery.
Charlotte and Newton had made it to the edge of town when they were spotted.
"Charlotte!" Rosemary called out as she bounded off the steps of her and Lee's office. "Is Nathan alright? Why do you have Newton?" A real look of concern coming across her face.
"Nathan's fine Rosemary. He was caught in that storm last night on the way back from Brookfield. Got wet and chilled which seems to have brought on a cold. Nothing some rest shouldn't help with. I offered to bring Newton back to the stable, so Nathan didn't have to."
"Ohhh," Rosemary said, twisting her head slightly with a very mischievous smile. "Well, I do hope with you being his neighbor, Nathan will make a full recovery."
"Rosie," Lee scolded from behind his wife as he joined the two women in the street.
"What?" Rosemary turned towards her husband, sneaking an arm around his back and playfully running her elegant fingers up the buttons of Lee's vest. "I seem to remember having taken care of you a time or two when you have felt under the weather, Mr. Coulter."
"You are the perfect nurse, Mrs. Coulter." Lee smiled, bringing his lips to Rosemary's in a quick kiss.
Charlotte couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of her. Lee and Rosemary were such a complementary couple. It was easy to see their love and devotion to one another. "Have a nice night." Charlotte said to the pair as she and Newton continued across the street towards the livery, waving up in greeting to Elizabeth and Lucas who were standing on the balcony of the saloon.
Lucas, teacup in one hand, kindly returned the wave from Charlotte, Elizabeth did not. Instead, an expression of discontent crossed the woman's face, at the site of Charlotte leading Newton into town, before Elizabeth turned on her heel and scuttled back into the interior of the hotel. Lucas taking notice of his fiancé's suspicious exit.
"Where is Nathan? Is he okay?" Elizabeth asked bursting into Rosemary's office across the street. "Why is Ms. Thompson bringing Newton into town?"
Rosemary looked up from her typewriter and the latest article she was constructing for the Valley Voice to take in her friend's appearance. She had wondered what Elizabeth's reaction would be to seeing Charlotte bring Newton into town. Rosemary had observed Elizabeth and Lucas at the balcony of the saloon a short while earlier and judging from Elizabeth's cool departure upon seeing Charlotte, Rosie figured it was only a matter of time before her friend showed up in the office.
"Nathan is fine. According to Charlotte, he was away in Brookfield yesterday and got caught in the storm on his way back. Between being wet and lack of sleep, he's picked up a bit of a summer cold" Rosemary explained. "Seems Charlotte offered to return Newton to the livery so Nathan could rest."
"Oh, poor Nathan!" A look of concern had spread across Elizabeth's face. "I should check in on him tonight on my way back home."
Rosemary wasn't shocked at Elizabeth's statement. She had assumed that was the path her friend would take when finding out Nathan was unwell. This was a conversation Rosemary hadn't been looking forward to with Elizabeth, but now was as good of time as any. For both the salvation of Elizabeth upcoming wedding and Nathan's future happiness.
"Elizabeth." Rosemary stood and rounded the desk corner to stand in front of her friend before continuing, "Last fall you made a choice. A choice that only you could make. You chose Lucas. I know you will always love Nathan and that you have hoped to remain friends with him. I still believe you can, but not at the jeopardy of your future marriage to Lucas." Rosemary paused before continuing. "And perhaps at the jeopardy of Nathan's future. With Charlotte."
"I don't understand Rosemary. Nathan and I have always just been friends. Looking after one another is something friends do! I don't see why it should be any different now than before Ms. Thompson's arrival in town." Elizabeth's lips pursed, now set in a stern look.
Rosemary sighed. Flashbacks of the feud from a year ago filtered into her memory. "Elizabeth. You have told me in the past Lucas knows you so well. Do you not think he sees the looks you still give Nathan and Allie? I think it is time you realize that your actions have consequences and if you want to save your marriage with Lucas, you need to put more of a focus on building a relationship with him than continuing to keep Nathan like a puppet on a string. You picked Lucas to be your forever love. Let Nathan be free to find his."
After unsaddling Newt, giving him a good brushing, and making sure he had plenty of oats, hay, and kisses Charlotte decided to make a stop at the Mercantile. For a few days she had been carrying around a letter that needed to be mailed off. Today was as good as any to send it.
While Ned set about posting her letter, Charlotte decided to pick up some supplies and groceries before the weekend.
"Not feeling well Charlotte?" Ned asked when he saw the contents of her shopping basket as it was placed on the counter to check out.
"Oh," Charlotte said. For the first time taking a moment to look over the collection of items she had subconsciously compiled. "Well. I thought it is always good to have a supply of the basics."
Ned's kind eyes sparkled at Charlotte while he finished ringing up her purchases.
What had Charlotte been thinking? This was a bad idea.
Evening was settling into Hope Valley, the sun disappearing over the mountains to the west, casting the house in front of her in a glow of soft twilight colors.
Just leave the basket and go.
Placing one foot in front of the other, Charlotte quietly stepped up onto her neighbor's porch, depositing the parcel she had carried over right in front of the door, before turning and scurrying off, back down the path she had just come.
"Charlotte?" Nathan's voice questioned from behind her as he opened his door.
Damn. Charlotte stopped and closed her eyes. Nathan's Mountie senses weren't thrown off too much from his summer cold. He had caught her in the act. Slowly Charlotte turned to face Nathan. A puzzled look crossed his face as his eyes moved from her to the package left in front of him.
"What's all this for?" Nathan asked as he started to move around the different items in the basket.
"I…. uh..." Charlotte was fumbling for the right words. What was this all for?
"Chicken noodle soup! Warm bread?" Nathan's voice rose in excitement as he lifted out the quart jar of soup and loaf of freshly baked bread Charlotte had made upon her return from town.
"I'll understand if you don't want the soup given how hot of a day it is. I just always remember my mom making chicken noodle soup and homemade bread on days that I wasn't feeling well." Charlotte started to explain. "There are also some cough lozenges and herbal tea in the basket that I picked up at the mercantile."
"It all looks wonderful." Nathan replied, a slight sparkle seeming to return to his eyes at the prospect of another home cooked meal. "Not to sound ungrateful, but I didn't see any more snickerdoodle cookies in the basket. They were so good last night! I could probably eat three dozen in one sitting."
"I'm not sure if that red serge would fit anymore constable if you ate three dozen cookies in one sitting," Charlotte joyfully quipped back.
"A risk I'm more than willing to take Ms. Thompson."
A boisterous laugh unexpectedly escaped from deep within Charlotte.
"There it is," Nathan smiled.
Adrenaline shot straight through Charlotte's core.
"There what is?" she bravely questioned in return.
"Your sense of humor. An unbridled laugh." Nathan's voice lowered to an intimate level. "I'm glad you haven't lost that Charlotte."
Shock fell across Charlotte's body. "Nathan." Her voice cracked, "Nathan I…"
"Charlotte." Nathan paused, steadying himself for the weight of the words to follow. "You don't have to explain it to me."
They stood there. Time seemed to freeze in that moment. Neither one willing to say a word, but at the same time saying everything they needed to.
"Goodnight Nathan." Charlotte said, finally breaking the silence. "Feel better."
"With all of this. There's no way I can't." A blissful expression forming across Nathan's face. "Sleep well Charlotte."