Author's Note:
Thank you, LJD21690, lynnkersting, Ann Dalton, rsuzymitchell, Linda Merriss, Karen Pearson, WCTH1, Joan Jones, Kat Cavanaugh, eatanygoodbookslately, rheatha14, Sindie, daseyshipper, Loretta Sua Chang, Jamiwa and guests for your wonderful feedback. Our couple is so very special to me and I'm happy that you are enjoying their adventures.

Team Nathan readers, I'm so very happy you like how Nathan is being portrayed. I wanted this story to show that there is a way the two sides could be reconciled (while acknowledging that reconciliation doesn't necessarily mean flipping anyone to the other side - just that both sides can look at the dynamics between the LucaBeth and Nathan and feel more comfortable) and to see you enjoying the story pleases me. As I stated before, I want a happy ending for Nathan too and feel he needs just the right type of woman in order to fulfill that role (one that would fully understand and accept his role as a Mountie). I'm glad Emily is to your liking.

More specific notes (which I wish I could write to all of you but here's a few) - Jami Wa, I'm so happy to hear from you and loved your review. I wanted to have all of the 'feels' in the story and agree it's been an emotional journey for everyone involved. Expect more of that ahead :) rheatha14, the closest I've been to Europe is the Gatewick airport in London, so I am glad I adequately captured Versailles. I was a European history major in college (also a theology major for a 2nd degree) so you will always see these elements interwoven in my stories. I think that it helps bring the characters more to life. eatanygoodbookslately, no. It wasn't evil of you. Just the facts. Elizabeth needs to remember her man's limitations when she's going to have a meltdown :) To the rest, thank you again!

A note about content: This chapter includes a little bit of the actual historical context that the WCTH characters were living in at the time, and while it is true that the show seldom shows these things, seeing that LucaBeth is smack dab in the middle of Europe in the aftermath of the first world war, the historian in me couldn't let it lie. These events changed the world. How might our characters react to them? That won't be all you'll find in this chapter, but thought I'd supply a little background for the choice to include. Now, back to our story where Elizabeth is writing in her journal...

They say that you never truly know a person until you're married to them, and while I don't really know if that's true, I do know that being married to my darling Lucas over the past month has been one of the most special and enlightening times in my life.

When I accepted his proposal, I knew that things would inevitably change in our lives and that as we spent time together, I'd get exposed to all those parts of Lucas that had remained hidden while we were courting. You know, the little bad habits, the patterns of thought, the secrets of his mind and personality he'd never share if we were just in a courtship situation. And now, as I sit in our cabin on a train bound for Calais on the anniversary of our first month together as husband and wife, I can say that I've encountered nothing negative in my husband at all. In terms of bad habits, I've discovered none – save for the fact that he puts far too much sugar in his tea (5 cubes! ). He doesn't leave his clothes lying around for me to pick up. He doesn't snore. Doesn't grind his teeth. He doesn't hog the covers when we sleep – in fact, he's quite still as long as he's not having a bad dream which has happened once since we've been married. He doesn't leave the seat down, nor does he leave the sink dirty when he trims his beard throughout the week. And even though his hair is a glorious disaster when he awakens every morning, I love it and everything about him. In short, I've married a near-perfect man.

To some, that may sound boring. But to that, I say 'au contraire!' Lucas Bouchard is absolutely one of the most fascinating people I've ever met. Before we married, I knew he was intelligent. We would spend hours talking about literature or events, and he'd be right there with me. Still, I never realized how deeply and seriously he considers everything in coming up with those opinions. I should have. He is such a well-rounded individual and so sure of his values.

On a related note, I never realized how much planning goes into everything he does. He makes it look so effortless that I often miss that he spent a lot of time and effort making things happen, and very little that he does is spontaneous. I don't say that as a negative. Lucas is not a controlling man who simply must have things his way. He is quite adaptable to almost any situation. But, what motivates him is pleasing others, and he works tirelessly to see that those he cares about are comfortable and well taken care of. It goes without saying, he is constantly finding ways to please me.

This morning we left Brussels after a two-night stay in the hotel I remember staying at as a child – one that reminded me of the hotel in Union City. I mentioned it to Lucas only once, but somehow he had gotten the hotel's name and made sure that he booked us the finest suite. When I asked him about it, he reasoned that this honeymoon was about us, and just as he was showing me some of his favorite spots from his trips as a child, he wanted to learn about my favorite spots as well. To think of how much he considers me and my happiness- it causes me to fall in love with him all over again every day.

One part of our trip was decidedly unhappy, which was really a shame because it involved one of Lucas's favorite places. When we visited Munich, a cloud of sadness lingered over us the whole time we were there.

On the way, Lucas spoke with great exuberance of his memories of cobbled streets and old-world architecture and his experiences in that town. He mentioned that the Christmas Village in Munich was the first place he'd ever tried roasted chestnuts and was excited to take me to one of his favorite restaurants where he wanted me to try Prinzregententorte, a Bavarian dessert made with several thin layers of sponge cake with chocolate buttercream on both sides of the layers and topped with a dark chocolate glaze. You could see the child in Lucas coming out as he described it, making me want to try it. But, when we arrived, things were not at all what we expected, and that childlike wonder was extinguished.

Soldiers walked along the streets, many not having anything better to do, and post-war poverty was everywhere. We saw several people on the street who were either inebriated or had seemingly lost their minds. The restaurant that Lucas wanted to take me to was gone, and the village was in major disrepair.

A man at our hotel lamented that the war had destroyed his Germany – and not just physically. The peace of Versailles has been harsh on German morale and has given rise to extremism and a war-like spirit among some. Food shortages throughout the land have given rise to crime and unrest.

Lucas and I ran into some of this unrest on our final night there as we walked back to our suite after dinner. We were just about a block away from the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, when we found ourselves in the middle of a large crowd outside a local beer hall called the Hofbrauhaus. A new political party was throwing a rally; and, a man named Drexler was on stage. While I do not speak German, I could tell by my husband's countenance that what he was saying wasn't good. He was just finishing up, and we started to go but stopped when another man appeared, and the crowd became quite loud. He looked a year or two younger than Lucas and me, and the people were mesmerized when he spoke. We stopped for a moment to listen, but it wasn't long before Lucas took me by the hand and said we needed to go. He appeared suddenly ashen.

Back at the hotel, Lucas was quiet for several hours but eventually opened up to me. He told me that he had gotten so upset because he saw a flash of evil in the younger man's eyes, an evil like none he'd ever seen. He used the word 'demonic.' He then explained how painful it was to watch the crowd cheering him on.

"There's a reason we're told to do good to our enemies," he said, noting that in our self-righteous zeal, we tend to dehumanize those who oppose us. "When we don't, the result is often what we saw tonight – an anti-democratic, anti-semitic, anti-monarchical movement which takes advantage of the people's poverty of spirit as well as their ancient prejudices and will drive them and the world straight into another war. Mark my words, this won't end well."

Lucas resolved to talk with his father upon our return to see if perhaps he could use some of his diplomatic connections to have the Allied stalwarts back down on some of their terms, which both of us doubted would happen. But he had to try. I then tried to lighten his mood a little by telling him to be careful, or he'd make me a politician's wife.

Without smiling, Lucas responded, "surely you hold me in higher regard than that." I know he wasn't upset with me, and he immediately took my hand to make sure that I knew that as well. But I could tell his heart was broken. The place he remembered so fondly as a child was no more.

Today, we're traveling to Calais, where we will catch the ferry to Dover, and while I hate to give up the special gift of time with just the two of us, both of us are so excited to be reunited with Jack. While we were in Belgium, Lucas surprised me by taking me to the British embassy. He'd arranged with my father to have a radio call between Jack and me there. It was amazing to be on one continent and to have my son be on another, and to be able to hear his voice. They say trans-Atlantic communication is coming, but it's several years away.

At first, I said a few words to father before he brought Jack up to the mouthpiece. I began to cry when I heard my son's voice. Lucas comforted me by wrapping his arms around my waist and holding me as we talked. I believe he stood behind me because, the truth be told, he was a bit teary-eyed himself.

Jack, who is used to seeing telephones, was confused by the apparatus at first but quickly took to it and told me all about how he and his little cousins had visited a friend of Sir Lionel's named Bertram Mills who is forming a circus. It's not expected to open until later this year, but several of the circus performers and animals were already onsite, and Jack couldn't stop talking about what he'd seen while there. He was especially excited about seeing an actual elephant (not just one in the picture books from the library back home). He told us that he wanted to get one as a pet to take back home with him since he had seen a baby elephant and thought he could keep it in the house. When I explained that the baby would grow as big as the adult elephant, he seemed disappointed but rationalized it to his own acceptance by saying keeping an elephant in the house might get a little smelly. After that, he…

The door to the train compartment slid open, and Lucas poked his head into the room. "The conductor radioed ahead and made special arrangements for all our packages. Everything should be set."

"All of your packages," she said with a raise of the eyebrow while continuing to write.

Lucas saw her with her journal and pen in hand and briefly lowered his eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

Elizabeth finished her sentence and carefully capped her fountain pen, sliding it into a pocket in her journal for safekeeping before shutting the book and setting it to the side. "You're not interrupting. I was just finishing up. Come, sit with me," she said as she patted the seat beside her.

Lucas smiled and sat down next to his wife, who quickly nestled up to his side. He wrapped an arm around her. "I'm afraid our honeymoon is keeping our world-class author from her writing. I'll have to remedy that by making myself scarce so you can think.

Elizabeth pursed her lips, "Don't you dare! I love being with you every moment of the day."

"Oh, yeah?" he asked, pleased.

"Yeah. Besides, you're helping me to write whether you know it or not."

"How so?"

She smiled. "Every good story entails a little research."

"Oh. So, you're saying I'm research?" he responded.

"Not exactly," she replied. "But, I will say that Elsa and Luther's next great adventure might bear a slight resemblance to real-life events."

Lucas chuckled. "I see. Well, as long as I don't have to become a Pinkerton."

Elizabeth smiled and looped her arm through his. "Not a chance," she replied. "I love you just the way you are."

Constable Nathan Grant sat tall in his saddle as he patrolled the streets of Hope Valley upon the ever-faithful Newton. Ever since his engagement to Emily the prior week, people had remarked how much happier he'd seemed, and in truth, he felt happier. For the first time in his life, he felt like a piece that had long been missing in his life had finally fallen into place. His heart felt full and thankful for his lovely Irish rose and the future he imagined them having together.

Emily had telephoned Bachy in Baltimore and told her all about her happy news. Naturally, the nurse had inquired whether there was anything she could do to help Emily move. Reardon was secretly hoping that would be the case and asked her friend if she could enlist the help of others at Johns Hopkins to help pack up Emily's apartment in preparation for her move west. Emily would return to Baltimore one more time to process out from the hospital and close down her apartment and bank account. She planned to sell most of her furniture and then pack the rest up and take it with her on the train trip home. All-in-all, she'd be gone around two weeks. While she was away, a visiting resident from Union City Hospital would fill in for her at the infirmary. Then, by mid-September, she expected to be living in Hope Valley in Elizabeth's old rowhouse until she and Nathan married later that year.

She couldn't wait, neither could Nathan, which was why they both agreed to a short engagement. December 26th was the date they picked to commit their lives to each other before God and the community – a Sunday following the morning service. The church would still be decorated for Christmas, which was Emily's favorite holiday, and family would have time to come and witness the event – at least Nathan's would. Emily's father wouldn't be able to make the trip from Ireland – or so she was told. In truth, Nathan was paving the way for them to visit him as part of their honeymoon. It wouldn't be easy, with his career with the Mounties and hers at the infirmary, but he figured this was a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, and he might as well make it special. Allie would travel with them and meet her new step-grandfather, and Emily's father would meet the man who had stolen his daughter's heart. It would be a wonderful start to the new year.

All of this is what was on Nathan's mind as he parked Newton in front of the infirmary to meet his fiancée and take her to Abigail's for lunch. Emily was just finishing up with a patient as he entered the building.

"Have her keep icing it, and if the cut looks like it's getting infected, come back to see me," Emily said as Opal Weise and her mother turned to exit the infirmary.

Nathan furrowed his brow. "Opal, what happened?"

Opal looked up at her mother and sighed, then held out her hand," I got my finger mashed in the printing press."

Nathan looked up at Opal's mother, Mary, inquisitively.

"Opal's been doing a little extra work for Darius Judson with his new paper and accidentally stuck her hand near one of the rollers. Thankfully, Timmy was nearby and unplugged the machine before it did any more damage.

"Yeah, but it messed up the print job," Opal said. "I'm afraid Mr. Judson's going to take it out of my pay since I bled on the paper."

"Are you saying Judson has children working heavy machinery?" Nathan asked.

Mary nodded, "If a printing press is called heavy machinery, I suppose so."

"Without adult supervision?"

"Mr. Sanders is there," Opal said. "Or, he's nearby."

Nathan frowned toward Emily but said no more, and the Weise's left the building.

"You ready to eat?" Emily asked. "I'm starvin'."

Nathan shook his head, yes, but his expression was troubled. "Say…you haven't had many students like Opal in here recently, have you?"

"You mean students with work-related injuries?"

"Yeah. Students working for Judson. Allie told me quite a few of the children at the school have signed up to do odds and ends with him – but there was nothing about a twelve-year-old working heavy machinery."

Emily placed a roll of gauze back into its cabinet. "I've probably had four or five children that fall into that category – not the heavy machinery—mostly small injuries such as cuts and bruises. Robby Peterson was the worst injury, and that's only because he nodded off in his chair and fell and hit his head. Had a bit of a knot, but he's fine," she said as she walked up to Nathan and wrapped her arms around his waist. "It's nice that you worry about them, though."

Nathan smiled halfway and wrapped his arms around her. "Well, it's my job - but also, these are Allie's friends, and there are child labor laws involved. Something isn't sitting right with me."

"Then maybe you should follow that hunch," Emily replied, squeezing him a little tighter.

"How's that?"

"Why don't you go visit Mr. Judson so you can see what sort of setup he has and what he has the children engaged in."

Nathan nodded in agreement. "I think that I'll do just that. But for now…" he leaned in and kissed her tenderly, yet not without passion. "The only thing I want to be engaged in is spending as much time as I can with the beautiful woman I'm engaged to. You, ready to go?"

"Anywhere. As long as you are there," she responded.

Sir Lionel and Viola's Wingrave estate was about an hour and a half outside of London and far enough away from city life that their family could live a quiet life while still allowing for them to interact when they needed to with polite society, as was expected. The main mansion was 25,000 square feet with a brick exterior and had eleven bedrooms. It was inherited when Sir Lionel's bachelor uncle Sir Richard Thorpe passed away suddenly just before Sir Lionel had asked Viola to marry him. It took two years for the couple to move into the estate, even though Sir Richard's wishes were carried out swiftly, because Viola insisted on selecting the designs for each of the interior's rooms – and despite the significant financial outlay for such an endeavor, what Viola wanted, Viola usually got. In truth, Sir Lionel and Viola were up to their eyeballs in debt, but when the Thatcher family arrived on their grounds, the pretense remained that all was well. That was until the Bouchards arrived.

Arriving at Elizabeth's sisters exactly one month from the day they said "I do," the first moments the newlyweds spent at Wingrave solely involved reuniting with Jack. It seemed to Elizabeth that he'd grown at least two inches in the time they'd left, which probably wasn't true. However, he did look quite a bit older since Auntie Viola had insisted they go shopping for a new wardrobe for him, complete with a sailor's shirt and hat and navy-colored knickers. He ran to his parents when he saw them, and Lucas had to suppress a laugh when he greeted them in the most formal of ways with a hint of a British accent.

"Mommy, Papa! I am so pleased to see you! How have you been?" Jack said, throwing his arms around Elizabeth's neck.

Elizabeth grinned and embraced her son, deciding to play along with his formality. "We've been very well, Jack. Thank you for asking." Lucas reached over and rubbed his son's back, then leaned in and kissed his forehead.

"And who is this?" Elizabeth said as she passed Jack over to Lucas and was greeted by Viola's two children, six-year-old Victor, and four-year-old Violet.

"Say hello to Auntie Elizabeth and Uncle Lucas, Victor and Violet," Viola said, pushing her bespectacled son, who was dressed identically to Jack, toward the couple. Victor stepped forward and stuck out his hand.

"How do you do?" he said quietly, his eyes looking more toward the ground than toward's Elizabeth's.

Elizabeth got down to eye level and gently touched Victor on the shoulder. "I'm doing well, Victor, and so very happy to finally get to spend some time with my favorite nephew."

Immediately stepping up behind her brother was Violet, a beautiful little girl with curly brown hair and a frilly chiffon dress. She curtsied. "And, I'm your favorite niece," she said. "Violet Eugenia."

Elizabeth laughed and looked up at Lucas, who winked. She turned back to the children. "Well, I'm very happy to meet you as well, Violet. What a pretty dress!"

"Thank you," she said, batting her eyelashes.

"Won't you come join us in the parlor?" Viola said. "Everyone has been so anxious to see you."

Lucas and Elizabeth followed Elizabeth's sister down the hallway and into a formal sitting room, where Lucas was surprised to see the entire Thatcher clan present. William and Grace were seated across from Sir Lionel. Julie and Agatha were having a conversation by the serving table as they indulged in a small spread of hors d'oeuvres brought out to celebrate the newlyweds' arrival.

"There's my beautiful daughter and dashing son-in-law!" William said, standing to greet them properly. "You're a little late. Your mother was beginning to worry." William leaned forward to hug Elizabeth and then shook Lucas's hand, clasping his son-in-law by the arm as he did.

"Now, don't go listening to your father's tall tales," Grace responded as she approached the couple too, first receiving a light hug and kiss on the cheek from Lucas and then embracing her daughter. "William has been driving us mad looking at his pocket watch for the past hour and a half."

"It's been running a bit slow," William replied.

"Mm-hmm," Grace said, pursing her lips.

"I'm sorry you were worried," Elizabeth said. "It took a little longer to transfer to the train in Dover than we anticipated. Someone had a lot of packages."

Lucas grinned and looked up at the ceiling.

"Please, come. Sit down," Viola said, leading the guests of honor to a cozy settee near a large stone fireplace that was big enough for people to stand in it.

Lucas set Jack down on the ground before lowering himself into the chair and smoothing out his suit pants with his hands.

"Does it hurt?" Violet asked from out of the blue.

Lucas looked down at her, confused. "I'm sorry?"

"Your leg, where they cut it off?" she asked innocently.

"Violet!" Viola scolded. "Get over here this instant!"

"No, it's okay," Lucas responded. Though a bit surprised by the child's question, he was not offended. He assumed that either Jack or Viola had spoken of the incident and understood the little girl's curiosity. And, while it had been nearly a year since that fateful day, it wasn't something that he spoke of often, choosing rather to go on with his life, enjoying what he had and not dwelling on what he'd lost. Still, he had determined early on that he would always be open with friends and family. "It generally only hurts if I overdo it," he replied. "Such as when your auntie had me traipsing all over Paris insisting that I purchase myself some new suits. Keeping up with the latest in Parisian fashion, I suppose."

"Like her hair?" Aunt Agatha said, taking a seat next to Grace.

Elizabeth lowered her eyes and self-consciously swept her hand through her mid-length locks. "That was a mistake," she said.

"I think it's rather becoming," William's sister replied. "Me too!" Julie agreed.

Lucas smiled. "My wife is beautiful no matter how she wears her hair," he said, taking her hand and kissing it. Elizabeth glanced over at him and gave him an adoring look which didn't go unnoticed by Viola, who nudged Sir. Lionel with a frown and a nod toward the couple.

Sir Lionel rolled his eyes at Viola's hint, choosing to ignore her wordless inference that he ought to be more romantic, just like Lucas. "So, tell us about the rest of Europe. Was it as you remembered it to be?" he asked, knowing full well the changes taking place through his involvement with the British government.

Lucas frowned. "Unfortunately, no. It's a far different place since the last time I was there."

"How so?" Grace asked innocently.

Elizabeth responded."Oh mother, there is much poverty there – children begging on the streets, particularly the further east you go," she explained.

"Which is their own fault," Sir Lionel said. "If Germany had just stayed in her place."

"Which is?" Lucas asked, not liking how Lionel had interrupted Elizabeth nor the views that Viola's husband was espousing.

"In Germany, of course." Sir Lionel replied. "The Kaiser, being a militaristic man, was set upon German expansion."

"That may be so," Lucas replied. "But were we any better? Britannia has hardly stayed within Britain."

"You sound like a pacifist – and, frankly, a bit treasonous." Sir Lionel replied.

"Sir Lionel!" Elizabeth gasped. "My Lucas is not treasonous! You take that back!"

"I said sounds like. I didn't say he was," Lionel responded. "Perhaps he can explain himself better."

Lucas looked toward William, whose expression was indecipherable, though not disinterested. He leaned forward in his chair and spoke calmly. "First, I am no pacifist, but neither am I a war hawk. There are times and seasons where the cause is just, and the need is such that war is an unfortunate necessity and cannot be avoided. However, I believe wherever possible, we should live at peace with our fellow man, which includes how we mete out peace when war is over. We should not treat our enemies as less than human…."

"They didn't act like humans," Sir Lionel interjected.

"Nor should we make the resulting punishment worse than the crime," Lucas continued.

"Worse than five million dead?" William asked. "Nine-million if you count their side?"

Lucas sensed his father-in-law beginning to tense and knew he was moments from losing him. He paused, seeking a moment to carefully measure his words to ensure all would understand his position.

"I am in no way minimizing the unspeakable price paid by the allied forces or even the central powers in terms of lives lost. Nor do I discount in any way the many millions more whose lives have been forever changed through their injuries. I'm not even saying we were wrong to get involved," he replied. "But having walked the streets of Munich and seen first hand the destruction of not only personal property but of hope – I fear that we are inadvertently unleashing a greater menace than any of us can imagine in the days to come – and it won't be five-million dead or even ten we're grieving, but perhaps fifty million. If we do not reconsider our present course, mark my words, within the next quarter-century, the world will be at war again, and with the growth in technology and knowledge, the horrors of that day will make the present pale in comparison. We should do everything possible to avoid this calamity if we can; else, we have no one to blame but ourselves when it is our children who are fighting on the front lines as their world is being destroyed."

The room grew uncomfortably quiet for several moments while everyone considered the gravity of what Lucas was saying. Finally, the silence was broken.

"I agree with Lucas," Viola said.

"Viola!" Sir Lionel exclaimed.

"No, he's right, dear," she replied. "The world we build now is the one we will leave to our children, and that includes the messes we make. It's time to start thinking about the long-term implications of our choices today rather than let Victor or Jack be the ones who have to clean up after us. It's at least something we should discuss as custodians of our children's future, is it not?"

Sir Lionel thoughtfully considered what his wife had to say for several seconds, then reached for his glass of wine beside him. He looked toward Lucas and nodded. "Very well, you've convinced me," he said, raising his glass. "To conversations worth having and building a better future for our children."

"Here, here!" William added, raising a toast with all the others before drinking it down.

Elizabeth and Viola's eyes met from across the room, and Elizabeth mouthed, 'thank you!' Viola turned her head toward Lucas and nodded her approval. A new understanding was had between the two young mothers, and an appreciation for each was beginning to grow.

Constable Grant began his rounds the next morning with a certain purpose in mind. He wanted to get into Darius Judson's factory and personally examine the working conditions under which the children were performing their jobs. He also wanted to do so unannounced so that if something were amiss, Judson wouldn't have the opportunity to cover it up before Nathan could see it.

Riding up to the factory on horseback, Grant tied Newton to the closest tree and walked up to the large structure made with wood, brick, and a newly patented material called 'cinderblock.' In terms of architectural beauty, Judson Textiles was not much to speak of however it's sheer size garnered attention. It was larger than anything in the valley, including the Queen of the Valley.

Nathan walked through the front door and into a small reception area flanked by at least three offices. A receptionist sat at a desk just outside directing internal traffic.

"May I help you?" a woman in her early sixties with wavy grey hair and a taut expression asked when Nathan entered the area.

Nathan took off his hat. "Yes, ma'am. I was wondering if Mr. Judson might be available to speak with."

"May I ask to what this is pertaining?" she inquired.

Nathan paused, "Just a visit. As the town's constable, I try to make sure that I get to know the community and the members of the community get to know me. Since Mr. Judson and I haven't really had much opportunity to talk, I thought maybe I'd stop by and have him show me around. I…."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Judson is busy today. Perhaps you could make an appointment and stop by some other time?" the woman said.

Nathan started to protest but stopped himself. He had a feeling that Judson's receptionist was on strict marching orders to stonewall anyone seeking access to their facility. "That's okay, ma'am," he replied. "I'll just stop by another time." After speaking with Judge Avery and getting his opinion on what I should do, remained unsaid.

The first night at Wingrave was sweet and restful. After spending a full month on trains and in hotels, it was a nice change of pace for the Bouchards to unpack their things and relax for a while. The way Lucas had planned it, England would be their home base for the next month and a half, though they wouldn't always be staying with Elizabeth's sister. He looked forward to taking Elizabeth throughout the country and up into Scotland and then to Dublin and the Irish coast. On some trips, they would bring Jack with them. But on occasions where he wanted to show his wife a little more romance, they would travel alone. Today, the agenda included breakfast with the family, followed by a ride to Richmond Park with her and Jack to see the beautiful countryside and do a little horseback riding. They would drive to London and see some historical sites as a backup, but only if it rained. The purpose Lucas had in mind was for their family unit to be together and do something fun. At least, that was the plan.

Making their way down the stairs, the newlyweds took a seat at Viola's table, where a scrumptious spread was already being served. There was toast and butter, delicious bacon and eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms sauteed in butter, sausages, and baked beans – in other words, the traditional English breakfast.

Both Bouchards were famished given the fact that they hadn't had anything substantive to eat since docking in Dover other than Viola's hors d'oeuvres. So it was of no surprise that they eagerly began to dig in amidst friendly conversation. But, the rate and quantity at which Elizabeth, in particular, filled her plate raised eyebrows around the table. Lucas just smiled, happy that she was enjoying the feast and amused at her enthusiasm. He happened to glance at Sir Lionel, who seemed uncomfortable. After Elizabeth filled her plate, Lucas noticed his brother-in-law seeming to count the number of sausages left on the platter in the middle of the table. He then noted when Victor reached for one, Lionel stretched forth his hand and stopped him from taking it, shaking his head no. Lucas wondered what that meant.

However, his internal musing was interrupted when Elizabeth's aunt teased his wife as she reached across his plate to get some jam for her toast. "Hungry, are we?" Agatha smirked.

Elizabeth stopped what she was doing and looked around, realizing that in her quest to fill an empty stomach, she'd drawn quite a bit of attention. "Um, I'm sorry," she said, sitting back in her seat, embarrassed.

"Don't be, Elizabeth," Viola said, being the gracious hostess. "It's what it's all here for, so eat as much as you want." Lucas was the only one to notice the slight thump underneath the table and the exasperated look that passed between his new brother-in-law and Viola. He was beginning to get the picture.

Just then, one of the servers walked into the room carrying a silver pot filled with freshly brewed coffee.

"William, I had the opportunity to wire my business manager back in the states to see how things are going," Lucas said as he filled his coffee cup with five lumps of sugar as he saw the servant approaching. Sir Lionel counted everyone.

"Well – I hope." William replied.

"Yes, Mike told me our new accountant, Cy, had some new investment ideas he wanted to run past me. One was for a concept they're calling 'fast food.' Some new restaurant in Kansas called 'White Castle' that one of Cy's friends, a Mr. Anderson, wants to turn into a franchise."

"Coffee, sir?" the servant asked.

"Yes, please," Lucas nodded, and the man reached around him and poured a cup before moving to Elizabeth.

"That sounds interesting. Tell me more," Thatcher replied.

"And for you, ma'am?"

"Yes," Elizabeth responded.

"Well, the way he describes it is they make these small, square hamburger sandwiches and…."

Elizabeth's coffee cup hit the table with a clang, and Lucas stopped speaking. He turned toward her.

"Are you alright?"

Elizabeth shook her head yes, and scooted her chair out from the table. "I'll be right back," she said.

Lucas folded his napkin. "I'll go with you."

"No, it's okay, Lucas. I'm fine. Please stay and finish your conversation." She replied, leaving the room.

A few minutes later, she returned, having regained composure. Her plate had been cleared away, and all that was left was the coffee and some crumpets. Elizabeth asked for some tea before sitting back down.

Lucas looked at her. "Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Much," she smiled, patting him on the leg.

He looked at his inlaws with a smile and explained as Elizabeth began to sip from her teacup. "When we were in Germany, our final night, I'm afraid we had some sauerbraten was a bit, shall we say, too sour. Kind of disturbed her digestion a bit,"

"Are you sure she's not expecting?" Julie blurted out just as Lucas began to raise his coffee cup to his lips. Immediately, Viola's tablecloth received a liquid shower as Elizabeth ejected what was in her mouth at the time in a spectacular fountain of tea. Jack and Violet started giggling while Lucas just stared at her, wide-eyed and mouth agape, a cup of coffee hovering somewhere near his lips.

She swallowed and wiped her mouth. "Sorry," she said, not making eye contact with Lucas and attempting to wipe up the mess she had caused. "I'm not sure why you would ask such a thing," she told her sister.

"Well, it's just, you know how it is with the Thatcher women. You felt sick over certain smells with Jack, and Viola got sick with her two."

"And, I was sick with all three of you girls," Grace added.

"It just makes sense," Julie said.

Lucas slowly lowered his cup to the table but continued looking at his wife. "Elizabeth? Darling?"

Finally, she looked at him. "I can't be. I mean, it's so early. We've only been married a month."

"And you and Jack were married less than a month when you, um…." Julie looked at the children. "When the stork paid a visit."

Lucas again lowered his head, this time searching her eyes for any indication that what they were saying could be true. She finally raised her eyebrows helplessly toward him and shrugged, and he sat back in his chair, pale as a ghost. She reached out and took his hand.

"I guess it's possible. Would that be so bad?" she asked.

A shocked Lucas just shook his head. "No. A bit earlier than expected, but…." He turned to her with misty eyes filled with adoration. "It would be a dream come true."

Elizabeth smiled and squeezed his hand, and leaned up to kiss him.

"I told you that one was virile," Agatha quipped, causing Lucas to choke.

Elizabeth patted him on the back, and he straightened up in his chair, locking eyes with Elizabeth's father, who was giving him as stern of a look as he could muster. Lucas lowered his eyes to his plate, and Grace kicked William under the table as Thatcher cracked a grin. Lucas was so fun to tease. Grace shook her head.

"Well, we don't know anything yet," Viola said, coming to Elizabeth's rescue.

"That's right. It's all just speculation," Elizabeth agreed. "So I suggest we wait until I hear from the doctor for sure before drawing any conclusions."

The family all nodded in unison, each looking to the other and Lucas looking at Elizabeth with a look that could only be described as fear mixed with joy over what the new year might bring their way.