The day before Emily was to return home was a busier day than anyone had anticipated, but not for reasons that were on anyone's agenda. Nathan stopped by the hotel with Pilot in tow as he had every day that week. He would get Emily's horse when he went to pick up Newton and would go to work after he dropped Pilot off to her. Since the hotel was right around the corner from the stables, she could have just as easily done it herself but they both loved the extra time in the morning that the arrangement afforded them to be together, so no one complained.
The Mountie jumped down from his steed and was about to secure him when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
"You're early!" he said, pleased that she had come out to greet him.
"I am." she responded. "I'm anxious to get started."
"Really? Any particular reason why?"
"Yes. So that I can get done quicker and come back to the hotel."
"Bouchard isn't giving you trouble, is he?" he asked with a tilt of the head.
She rolled her eyes. "No. Lucas is a perfect gentleman, as you would expect him to be. It's just, he doesn't need me. He's motivated enough on his own to know what to do and his house has been set up the best that it can be since day two. We've mostly been working on something he wants to do for Elizabeth."
Nathan sighed. "I probably could have told you that. Hey, what do you say, if you get done with whatever you're working on with him, we grab a little lunch at Abigail's later? We hardly see each other during the day and since you're going home tomorrow."
"I would very much like that, Nathan Grant." she smiled. "Then, perhaps…you can show me a little more of what you do around here?"
"What I do? I'm a Mountie."
She sighed. "Well, I know that, silly. But I've never seen you in action except when you and Newton are galloping around town. In fact, I've been in Hope Valley all week and so far, the most exciting thing that has happened was Lucas getting the car into gear. I'm ready for some adventure."
"Afraid you may be in for some disappointment then. Hope Valley is generally a very peaceful community. Things happen on occasion, but I wouldn't really call living here an adventure. It's a family town."
"Is that why you decided to settle here?" she asked. "To find a nice peaceful place to raise Allie?"
"Why I came to Hope Valley is a long story but, yes, Allie is why I stayed. It was important that she be able to have some stability. You know, make some friends." He decided to switch subjects. "Hey, is that new?" he asked, motioning with his hand to the particular outfit that she had on that day.
"Oh, these?" she smiled, twisting back and forth. "They're called 'Freedom Alls'. Faith saw some in Chicago and said they were all the rage. They weren't really selling well at Dottie's so I stopped by and purchased a couple of pairs. Supporting local trade and all. Do you like them?"
"Sure." Nathan replied. "You look beautiful."
Emily's smile widened and Nathan knew did well. He smiled his winsome smile that would ultimately become his secret weapon against her.
She bit her lip. "Why thank you, Nathan." she said, drawing closer to him and touching his serge. "Of course, you always look…"
"There you are!" Billy Avery seemed to come from out of nowhere and stood beside them. "Sorry to interrupt."
Nathan stiffened. "Bill."
"Bill Avery?" Emily stated.
"Yes? And you are?"
Nathan stepped forward to make the introduction. He was none too pleased.
"Bill Avery. Emily Reardon"
"Ah, the famous Miss Reardon. We finally meet." Bill said, sticking out his hand to shake hers. "I was beginning to think Constable Grant was going to keep you away forever."
She laughed. "Well, I'm pleased to finally meet you as well, Judge Avery. Nathan has told me all about you." She said, returning the handshake.
"Oh…Nathan did, did he?" Bill said with a smirk. "I probably stand guilty as charged but, unfortunately, I can't stick around for the details. I'm here on official business."
"What's going on?" Nathan asked.
"Benson Hills called my office saying they've been trying to reach you all morning."
"Really? I was in the office a little earlier. Maybe I was at the stable. What's it about? Did they say?" Nathan asked.
"Yeah. Does the name Charlie Hill ring a bell?"
"The lunatic that Lucas had me drag out of the saloon last Summer after he brandished a gun?"
"Correct. He wound up having felony warrants out for his arrest for murder and kidnapping."
"I remember him. What about him?"
"Guess who's out of jail."
Nathan's face grew very serious. "You're kidding. When?"
"Sometime yesterday morning. They believe he is somewhere along Red Deer Trail, heading this way."
"Anyone tell Lucas?" he asked.
"Haven't had the chance. Thought I'd let you know first so we can come up with a game plan."
Nathan exhaled. "Well, I say let's make sure Lucas knows and maybe bring him into town. I doubt the guy knows where he lives, but he'll be safer and we can give him some added protection until Hill is apprehended."
"Can I help?" Emily asked.
Nathan looked at her surprised. "Help? With what?"
"With Lucas -he's my patient, after all. Since I'm already heading out there, I can tell him about this Hill fellow and can even watch over him if you'll give me a pistol."
"You, guard Lucas?" Bill asked, incredulously.
"Absolutely!" she stated raising her chin. "I had to guard prisoners several times over in Europe when the men were in the thick of the battle. I have experience!"
"That may be so, Emily, but this is different." Nathan said. "This guy is crazy and has already killed before. He threatened to 'get' Lucas and the town and I think he meant it. So, no you cannot help. This is Mountie business."
"Nathan! I'm not some withering rose. If I can survive the war in Europe then I can survive some local thuggery. Seriously. I know all about looking out for myself and others in a combat zone. I..."
"Emily, no!" he replied, strongly. "I appreciate the offer but I don't need to worry about you too."
"Oh, nonsense." She replied.
"No nonsense, Emily. Just go back to the hotel and I'll see if we can get Lucas down here for his therapy."
"So now I can't even go up to his house?"
"I'd prefer that you didn't." Nathan said.
"Fine." She said, tightening her jaw and climbing up on the horse. "Pilot and I will just take a ride then."
"Emily, there's a dangerous felon around here."
"Then the two of you should be lookin' for him now rather than chattin' with me, shouldn't you?" she said, defiantly. "Let's go boy!" she said, clicking her tongue. In a matter of seconds, Emily and Pilot were gone.
"So, this is the woman you met in Baltimore." Bill asked, raising his eyebrows.
Nathan turned to Bill. "Yeah, that's her."
Bill laughed. "Good luck with that."
Nathan shook his head. "I'm going to run to the office for a second then I'm heading to Bouchard's. Will you keep watch on the town until I get back?"
"Be happy to." Bill replied.
A mile away, Charlie Hill stood on a hillside overlooking the valley and smoking a cigarette. Within his hand was the latest edition of The Valley Voice featuring the return of Lucas Bouchard as its lead story. Not only did the article explain what happened to Lucas (without getting too specific about his exact injuries) but it had a photograph of Bouchard on the cover with Elizabeth's arm looped through his. Inside, she was quoted as saying that she and Lucas looked forward to spending a peaceful summer together as he recovered. If Hill wanted to hurt Bouchard and get revenge on the town, he now knew where to aim.
It took around two hours for Nathan to call Benson Hills back, reach Bouchard, arrange for Henry to come pick him up, and touch base with Bill to see if there had been any sign of the escapee. Satisfied he had done everything he could, he returned to the stables, determined to find Emily and take her to lunch. When he walked up to Newton's stall, however, he noted that Pilot's stall was still empty.
"Awe! Emily!" he groaned in frustration. He slapped the side of the stall and remounted Newton. Riding back into town, he told Bill that he was going to look for her and the latter agreed to continue keeping watch.
A few hours later, at the school, Elizabeth had just finished teaching for the day and had dismissed most of the children – all except for Opal, Allie and Anna. When the room was cleared, she looked at the three young ladies with a stern look on her face and had them take a seat at the front of the room.
"Now, which one of you is going to tell me why you were arguing at recess today?" she asked.
All three girls kept their mouths shut.
"Okay. If that is how you're going to be, we'll just have to bring in your parents."
Opal's eyes grew wide and she looked at Allie who finally confessed.
"It was me, Mrs. Thornton." Allie said. "I thought Anna was flirting with Robert and went to confront her about it."
"I'm not even interested in him." Anna said. "I'm interested in Cody."
"Cody just got here." Allie said. "You don't even know him."
"Of course, I do. We knew him when he lived here before and you should mind your own business."
"Like I'd care what you do." Allie said.
"Alright, girls." Elizabeth said. "I believe I see what happened here and you both need to calm down and be nice to each other. Now, Opal, do you want to tell me how you became involved?"
"Anna said something mean to Allie." she said.
"I did not."
"Did too! You called her a puppy."
"That's 'cause she looks after Robert like a love-sick dog."
"Anna!" Elizabeth said. "All of you just stop. Now, you each know better than to…"
The door to the school swung open, interrupting the conversation. Charlie Hill stood at the entry.
"Elizabeth Thornton?" he asked.
Elizabeth furrowed her brow. "Did you need something?"
He walked into the room and shut the door behind him, pulling out a gun. "Yeah…to make some people pay."
Newton and Nathan rode along in the direction that they had seen Emily go and soon found themselves around a mile North of town in the middle of the woods following hoofprints. Considering Emily wasn't familiar with the terrain, he was growing increasingly worried that she might get lost or worse, injured. His worries came to an end, however, when he turned a corner near a cave and a blanket full of rocks, sticks and leaves came raining down on him from above. Newton spooked at the sight and threw Nathan off onto his back against the ground.
Grant rolled over onto his side and was beginning to sit up when he faced into a pair of very familiar looking women's riding boots.
"Oh, Nathan! Are you hurt?" Emily asked, kneeling down beside him.
Nathan rolled onto his elbow and looked up at her. "Well, I've felt better. I was looking for you. What are you doing?!"
"I thought Hill was around here and set up a trap." she replied. "Come over here! I think I found something."
Nathan got up and followed her, watching as Emily walked over to Pilot and retrieved a piece of wrinkled paper from her saddlebag. She walked straight to the Mountie and handed it to him.
"Just found it and was going back to town to show it to you when you ran into my trap."
Nathan rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the paper recognizing it as the latest Valley Voice. "It's Rosemary's paper."
"Right. I found it up around the bend over there along with some cigarette butts and a campfire that had recently been put out. Looks like someone stayed here overnight and I'll bet it's your guy."
Nathan considered what she said and asked her to take him to the spot where she found it. From there he had a perfect view of the town. "I think you're right."
"I know I am." She replied. "Nathan, that newspaper article told an awful lot about Lucas which puts Lucas in even more danger – and Elizabeth."
Nathan's eyes met hers, knowing exactly what she was saying. "We need to go." he said. "Follow me?"
"I'm right behind you." She replied.
Back at the Queen of the Valley, Lucas Bouchard greeted some guests then made his way through the restaurant, in search of a cup of tea. His mind wasn't on business nor was it even on the fact that Hill was hanging around. It was on the special surprise that he had for Elizabeth – a surprise he hoped to unveil very soon.
Pouring his tea, he climbed the stairway to the second floor and walked down the fresh, clean hallway of his new hotel. Everything was so beautiful and modern looking, no more of the musty smell of beer and mildew that had plagued the old establishment. Seeing it all and knowing it was his gave him a sense of comfort and even confidence that things in his life were coming together.
Reaching the end of the hallway, Lucas walked out onto the balcony and took a seat on one of the rattan chairs that overlooked the town. He was amazed at how much the place was changing and even a bit disturbed. Hope Valley had been a refuge for him from years of weary travelling and had, without him even knowing it, become his home. Just as his Elizabeth had told him on his first Christmas with them, the people of this community had truly become like family to him. He hated to see it change with the times. But he knew that change was inevitable and cheered himself with the thought that not all change was bad.
He smiled as he lifted his teacup up to his lips and thought of her, something that always made him feel inexpressibly wonderful inside – bringing pure joy to his soul. Setting down the cup, he recognized from the sun's rays what time it was and quickly checked his pocket watch. School had been out for a half an hour and he knew that if he timed it right, from that vantage point he might just see Elizabeth leave for the day. He stood and walked to the railing looking down the street between the Mercantile and Coulter's office toward the church. And then he saw it. Smoke.
Inside the church, Elizabeth, Allie, Anna and Opal sat tied, hand and foot, struggling to break free and crying out for anyone who might hear them. But their cries became anguished when Opal saw the smoke as it snaked underneath the church's front door. From that point forward, Elizabeth just tried to keep everyone calm even though in her own mind she could see her son becoming an orphan and her true love mourning her death.
"Girls, let's pray!" she said. The screams turned to whimpers, but each girl bowed her head and obeyed.
Nathan and Emily rode back into town just as Lucas exited the building. He had snatched ahold of Mike's keys was frantically trying to unlock the doors to the Gowen Petroleum truck that Hickham had parked nearby when Grant and Reardon arrived.
"Lucas! What are you doing?" Nathan asked.
He looked at Nathan, fear in his eyes. "The school's on fire!"
Nathan turned his head toward the school and then back to Bouchard. "Hill." He said. Reaching into his saddle he pulled out a rifle and tossed it to Lucas. "Take this. Let's go."
"What can I do?" Emily asked.
"Get Bill. And get some townspeople together to put out the fire." Nathan said as he raced ahead.
Lucas got into the truck and started it.
"Remember, Lucas. Clutch, shift, release. Clutch, shift…" Emily said.
"I know!" Lucas barked, knowing it wasn't the order of things but his dexterity that needed work. He peeled out of the parking spot. A slight grinding of the gears occurred as he shifted gears, not towards the Mercantile but taking the back road past the library.
Outside of the church, a small pile of brush burned in the left front corner of the building. The side of the actual building was thus far only singed as Hill was busy gathering more grass and brush for kindling. He had just thrown another armful on the fire when a shot rang out from 75 yards away, grazing him in his side. He looked up and saw the Mountie and quickly drew his own pistol, shooting back. Nathan took cover behind a stack of firewood.
A volley of shots rang out from both sides until Grant's gun ran out of bullets. Any extras he had were in his saddlebag on Newton who was at least thirty feet away – a precarious trek to say the least. He briefly considered calling Newton but knew the horse would be dead in seconds if he did so and so he tried to formulate a different plan.
Hill smiled a maniacal smile and stood up from his position, retrieving a second pistol from near his ankle as he too had run out of bullets.
"Well, if it isn't my old friend Mountie Grant." he stated, walking leisurely toward Nathan. Nathan looked for a way of escape.
At this same time, Emily and Pilot were leading Bill Avery and several others towards the school down the street beside the mercantile. From where she was perched, she had a perfect view of what was happening and knew that Nathan was in trouble.
"Yah!" she said, unsure of what she was going to do given that she was unarmed. Perhaps she could cause a diversion. But no diversion was necessary, for from the right came a speeding truck headed straight for Charlie Hill!
Hill jumped out of the way as Lucas slowed and tossed Nathan his rifle. Bouchard then spun the truck around and parked it just outside the church door. Jumping out of the truck, Lucas moved, without fear or hesitation, as quickly as he could toward church door as Nathan broke cover with rifle in hand. Hill was torn between Lucas and the Mountie and chose to shoot at the former but missed. Another shot rang out, this time from Nathan's rifle, and the threat of Charlie Hill was eliminated forever.
Elizabeth's eyes flew open as the front door to the building did the same. Through the smoke she could see the outline of Lucas, who immediately came bounding toward her, embracing her briefly and then untying her. Together, they untied the girls. All five of them made their way through the smoke to the open door and began to exit the building with Lucas and Elizabeth at the rear. By the time they were outside, a bucket brigade had formed from the pond to the corner of the schoolhouse/church.
The couple stepped down onto the grass and, after seeing the children were secure, sat down on the ground in order to catch their breath. Only then, did Elizabeth cry. Lucas held her close to himself caressing her hair and kissing the top of her head, comforting her. Speech wasn't necessary as the love between the two overflowed. Finally, as her tears subsided, he kissed her tenderly on the forehead, the cheeks and then the mouth.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "You had me pretty well terrified, you know."
She meekly shook her head yes and nestled her head against his chest. He kissed the top of her head again and looked out over the crowd who by now had all but extinguished the fire. As he did, his eyes landed upon Allie who was looking straight at him and Elizabeth with her mouth twisted to one side, but it wasn't Bouchard and Thornton that had caused her reaction. Lucas tilted his head and she rolled her eyes motioning toward the water with her head. Then, Elizabeth swore that she heard Lucas chuckle.
Pulling back a little, Elizabeth looked up at her boyfriend and saw he was indeed smiling.
"What's so funny?" she asked.
He nodded toward the pond.
She turned to look and there she saw Nathan and Emily sitting together, holding one another and kissing just as she and Lucas had just done a few seconds before. She started to grin.
"Another soldier down." he stated, matter-of-factly as his smile grew.
She elbowed him in the ribs. "Lucas Bouchard, you're awful!" she said, feigning offense.
"Yes, but you love me anyway." he said, turning toward her and passionately kissing her once again.
The next morning, Nathan rose early in order to see Emily off. After the excitement of the day before, a few of the townspeople had a small going away party for her at the Queen of the Valley and she said her goodbyes to all who gathered. Mysteriously, she also whispered "Good luck." with a wink to Lucas, something Nathan wouldn't understand until later.
But with the morning came the sad realization she was really going. Nathan's heart was so conflicted between the home he knew and the love he now found burgeoning within his heart. What he felt now was different than anything that he'd ever felt before, even with Elizabeth, and the thought of letting her go back to Baltimore and possibly losing her was a dreadful weight that he carried with him for most of the morning.
Arriving at the stagecoach stop at the agreed to time, he rode up on Newton and dismounted once he spotted her waiting for him, dressed in the same tea-length dress and oleander hat that he had seen her in when he first met her on the train. He recognized it immediately and smiled and she teared up.
"Ya sure you don't want to come with me? You know, in case any thieves try to take my luggage?" she asked, her eyes brimming with tears.
Nathan stepped toward her and placed his hand upon her arm, taking his other thumb and wiping away her tears. "Believe me, there's nothing more I'd rather do."
She looked up at him with her glistening blue eyes. "You'll call me? Regularly?"
"Yes. And in a couple of months, I'll take Allie out to Baltimore to really show her the city and we can go catch some baseball."
"That sounds swell." She replied, her chin quivering. "Oh, Nathan!"
He drew her to himself and kissed her passionately and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Finally, when they pulled away, he looked at her through misty eyes. "Emily, I don't know what the future is going to hold for us. But I just wanted to let you know that having you here with me has meant the world to me and…well, I don't want you to go without you knowing that…I've fallen in love with you."
She began to cry in earnest and again threw her arms around his neck, kissing his face and holding him as the stagecoach arrived. "I love you too, Nathan Grant. And, I don't know what the future holds either, but we'll find out together. This isn't goodbye."
"Not by a long shot." He agreed, kissing her one more time.
And as she climbed aboard the stagecoach, she kissed him once more through the window and waved at him, blowing him a kiss as it drove away.
Nathan choked back emotion as the coach disappeared and he somberly donned his Mountie hat and climbed back on top of Newton, beginning his daily rounds.
At precisely the same time, at the end of the row houses, a knock came upon Elizabeth Thornton's door. School was cancelled that day so inspectors could assess any structural damage to the building due to the fire, but she didn't cancel her sitter. Instead, she let Robert carry through with a play date between little Jack and Robert's younger siblings while she planned on sitting down to write another chapter in her latest story. She had no idea how prophetic that plan would be.
Standing up from her desk, she walked to the door and was astonished when she opened the door and saw Lucas standing there in front of her. The sun shown off of his face which appeared to almost glow – that, or it could have been his smile.
"Lucas! Oh, my goodness! Won't you come in?" she asked, knowing he would decline as he always did, ever since she had known him. He took a step to the side, revealing Sergeant and Pilot standing side by side. Her eyes sparkled with amazement.
"You rode a horse out here?" she asked.
Lucas nodded. "Yes. Emily and I have been working all week at getting me to the point where I can ride again. I thought maybe I could show off my new skills to you on a brisk morning ride?"
She smiled broadly. "I would love to!" she said, doing a quick check of the house to make sure it was okay to leave. She then climbed onto Sergeant and the two were off.
Lucas took her into town in front of the Queen of the Valley.
"What are we doing?" she asked with curiosity.
"I'm taking you on a tour." He replied. "This site, this very spot even, this is where I first fell in love with you."
"Here in the street?" she asked.
"Yes. On the day we met. I saw you and I knew."
She laughed. "You thought I was married."
He smiled. "Not at first. Remember I called you 'Miss'. I must admit I was terribly crestfallen when I discovered that you were not only not a 'Miss' but had a young baby."
"But then, you found out I was widowed."
"Yes, and I was saddened for you, but relieved for me." He replied. "At least I could love you and it not be a sin."
She smiled and shook her head. "There's no way that you could have known you loved me that early."
"Au contraire, mademoiselle." He replied. "But, if there was any doubt, the deal was sealed when you walked through where there used to be doors, right about here, and proceeded to give me what-not for starting up a…what was it? A 'gambling school for minors?'"
She smirked. "I thought you were some sort of rogue -teaching a child to gamble."
"And, I thought you were adorable." He replied. "You were a woman who could challenge me and understand me – a compliment to me – my soulmate."
She smiled.
"I knew then that I had to win your heart."
Taking her across the street to the Mercantile, he explained to her how he felt during their first conversation about a library and when he'd asked her to call him Lucas.
"You had me intrigued." she said.
"And I was smitten." He replied. "But the Library was a matter of logic."
"You said it seemed like a good thing and that's why you donated it."
He raised his brows. "Which is true." he replied. "But what I didn't say that day was that it was because I already regarded your opinion so highly that, of course, it's what the town needed. That building was meant to be a library."
"And a wonderful place for dates." she teased.
"Or, 'non-dates' that 'if they were' dates would have been quite lovely." He replied.
"Yes, and sweet." She grinned.
"Next, Lucas spoke of when she asked him to dance and how happy he felt then and during his first Christmas in town because of her. He spoke of their trip to Union City and how thrilled he was to accompany her there, 'just because'; about working to get her book to the publisher and how proud he was when she received that first call. And he took her to the pond, stopping long enough to give her the kiss that he had longed to give to her on that rainy day before turning to their bridge where they recreated their very first kiss and held each other close.
Finally, by mid-afternoon, he took her home. Getting down from his horse, he walked with her up onto her porch where she held him and kissed him once again.
About half a block away, Rosemary and Lee were returning from a walk and the former held Lee back when she saw Lucas and the horses. She hugged her husband's arm. "Let's give them a minute. I don't want to interrupt."
"Lucas, this day has just been so amazing." Elizabeth smiled. "You're amazing. So thoughtful. So romantic. I love you so very much."
Lucas picked up her hand and gave it a kiss. "I love you more than life, Elizabeth Thornton, and…" his mouth suddenly went dry. "…and…would you mind bringing me a glass of water?"
"Oh, sure. Are you sure you won't come in?" she said, tilting her head.
He didn't respond.
Elizabeth returned in a few seconds with a glass and Lucas greedily drank it down and she took it back, setting it just inside the house. "You were saying?"
"As I was saying, Elizabeth, I love you more than life, more than I ever thought a human being could love another. I'd almost despaired of finding you, and then, there you were. All of these places, all of these wonderful moments that we visited today, they are memories that we made together that I will cherish until the day I die, as I will you." he said.
He took a step forward and became more emotional. "Which is why, Elizabeth, I wanted to come to you today and ask you if you would continue making memories with me."
Elizabeth looked a little confused, not getting what he was hinting at. "Of course, I will Lucas. We're courting."
Lucas then took her by both of her hands and dropped to one knee.
Elizabeth's breath hitched as he reached into his pocket and retrieved his grandmother's ring.
"I don't mean as my girlfriend. Elizabeth Thornton, will you fulfill this weary traveler's most treasured dream by marrying me and being my wife?"
Elizabeth took in a deep breath and began to cry, dropping to her knees in front of him and throwing her arms around his neck. "Yes, Lucas! Yes, I will marry you! Yes, I will be your wife."
She kissed him with passion as he pulled her closely to him. When they pulled away, Lucas smiled through his own tears and placed the ring on her finger, oblivious to the audience they had in the distance. Rosemary was ecstatic at what she'd seen and grabbed and kissed Lee out of sheer happiness.
When the newly engaged couple finally stood, they held hands and Elizabeth told him how very much she loved him and how happy he had made her.
"And I love you, forever." He replied, love shining on his face. "But now, if you don't mind, I'd like to do something else."
"Something else?" she asked, quizzically. "What is it?"
"If the offer still stands, I'd like to come inside."
She laughed through tears and opened her door and her heart and he crossed into her home.
A/N: Whew! I hope you are smiling right now because I know I am :) Our adventures are not quite over yet and I hope you will continue to stick with me, reading and reviewing. Thank you so much to Sindie, lynnkersting, Nole, Jennifer May, HopeValleyOwl, HollyElvira, wcthlcr2014, Ljd21690, Lillian Hazaz, Karen Pearson, metacaroliner, Helen, Marybeth, LucaBethStan, Hope reigns on, ETLB, SaSeLi777, Rockchelle99, Paula R Chester and guests (hopefully I haven't forgotten anyone – if I have, please accept my apologies) for your feedback and encouragement. I am no longer on vacation so chapters will still be coming but at a slower pace. Some have asked if I'm going to write more and it is my intent to do so, but I have a couple of stories in another universe that I owe my readers there so it'll probably be later this before I pick up a new story for WCTH. PLEASE continue to give me your feedback as it helps me to develop as a writer and understand how the story is coming off (even when it's a complaint). Will see you all in a few days with a chapter as we check in on our Hope Valley clan and what all they are doing post engagement.