Love's Destiny -- When Calls The Heart

by Susan Firth

What if - instead of Jack Thornton being assigned to Hope Valley in 1910, it was Nathan Grant? *Re-posted as one chapter to avoid sending out 76 emails to my followers :- ) Hope the larger chapter titles will help you keep track of where you are, I wish there was a bookmark function in Fanfic, but I keep track of where I am in some stories on Notes on my phone*

CHAPTER 1

August, 1910

The two Mounties eyed each other somewhat warily as they sat side-by-side opposite the imposing desk of Superintendent Martin. On the other side of the glass partition behind them, the life of the Union City Mountie Headquarters was bustling noisily by, although inside the office, it was silent.

Well, nearly silent - except for the drumming of Nathan's long fingers on his campaign hat, which he was holding loosely in his lap.

"Do you mind?" Jack said, looking sideways with his eyes narrowed.

Nathan looked over and then down at his hands, completely unaware that he'd been tapping out S-O-S in Morse Code for the last five minutes. He'd acquired the knowledge in a recent class outlining the latest technologies, and the pattern seemed to have stuck.

Jack raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I'll admit I'm a little nervous too, but I don't think it's an emergency. Yet."

Nathan smiled back. "Sorry," he said a little sheepishly. "Just can't remember the last time I was called in here."

"Neither can I," Jack said, taking his own hat from his lap and hanging it casually on his knee. "Probably just a new assignment."

Now Nathan narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, but why both of us?"

Jack started to reply when the door to the office opened, and Superintendent Peter Martin stepped in and hung his hat on the hook. Both Jack and Nathan immediately stood to attention, and simultaneously said crisply, "Superintendent Martin."

Jack had forgotten how tall Nathan Grant was. They'd completed some trainings together over the last year, though they'd hardly spoken - but Jack had remembered Grant as a man who seldom said much anyway. They'd probably exchanged more words right here in this office today than they had in the last year.

"At ease, gentlemen," the Superintendent said, sitting heavily into his chair and causing it to squeak in protest. He waved his hand in front of him a little impatiently, and Jack and Nathan sat down.

Superintendent Martin shuffled some papers on his desk and then moved the entire pile off to the side, taking up another pile and leafing through it. Nathan began tapping on his hat again until Jack gave him a sharp sideways glance and Nathan stopped, raising his eyebrows apologetically.

"Ah, here we are," the Superintendent said, laying two pieces of paper side by side in front of him.

He leaned back, causing another chorus of squeaks. He folded his arms across his ample stomach and said, "Two postings. Two Mounties. You two are as equal in skills as we've got, and pretty much equal in seniority, although Thornton here is a legacy."

Jack and Nathan looked at each other, suddenly aware that this had turned into a competition. What kind, they didn't know yet, but the wariness returned.

"I'll be honest with you," Martin continued, "these two postings couldn't be more different." He picked up one sheet of paper. "Cape Fullerton, which is becoming overrun with rumrunners and illegal traders. A busy and dangerous seaport, but just the posting for an adventurous young buck..." Martin looked at Jack and then Nathan, "...like one of you."

He placed the paper back on his desk, and picked up the second sheet, adjusting his reading glasses. "Coal Valley. Never had a Mountie, and not quite ready for one yet from the looks of it, except that we've had a special request from one of our most supportive benefactors to the North West Mounted Police, who seems to have taken a shine to the town." Martin sighed and looked up at them over his glasses. "And we do like to keep our benefactors happy."

Jack and Nathan were already weighing the choices.

Jack didn't have to weigh long. He knew exactly where he wanted to be, and he looked over at Nathan and steeled his resolve. Of course he'll want the same thing. Who wants to live on a steady diet of coal dust in some backwoods town with a rich benefactor who probably expects to stand over the Constable's shoulder and call the shots?

"So," the Superintendent said, "you boys both going to want to fight over Cape Fullerton, or does one of you want a simpler life?"

At this point, Martin turned to Nathan and lowered his voice a bit. "Was sorry to hear about your sister, Grant. You have the NWMP's sympathy." He leaned forward and added, "I understand you're fostering her girl?"

Nathan was caught off guard by the unexpectedly personal turn the conversation had taken. His brow knit into a frown and he pursed his lips tightly. "Yes, sir. Thank you. It's Allie," he said, still a little off his feet. "My niece is Allie, she just turned four."

Martin looked at him for a moment and then his voice softened. "Cape Fullerton runs at a pretty fast pace, Grant."

"Yes, sir," Nathan said, looking across the desk at him. "I was thinking the same thing." Then he looked over at Jack and raised an eyebrow. "So if I had my choice, it would be Coal Valley."

Nathan saw a sudden flash of triumph cross Jack's face. Jack controlled it quickly, realizing that the Mountie across from him had obviously been through some difficult times recently. Nathan smiled and nodded and then looked back at Superintendent Martin. "And I have a feeling that will sit just fine with Constable Thornton."

Jack nodded his assent and Martin flattened both palms on his desk and stood. Nathan and Jack did the same.

"Your orders will come through in the morning," the Superintendent said. "Best of luck to both of you." He put his hand out and shook first Nathan's hand and then Jack's. The meeting was clearly over.

As Nathan led Jack out of the office, both men were aware that for the near-future at least, their destinies had been decided.

Just like that.

---

"Hey, Grant!"

Nathan turned, looking down the long aisle between the desks in the main room. He stood and waited while Jack caught up to him. Sometimes Nathan forgot how long his legs were and how fast he traveled on them.

"You want to get a coffee?" Jack said. "I don't know anyone here, and don't suppose you do either."

Nathan tilted his head, weighing a noisy night in the barracks trying to read against a cup of coffee and a talk with another Mountie. He chose the latter.

"Sure," Nathan said. "Actually, I didn't get any dinner on the way in, can we get a bite to eat?"

Jack nodded and turned to the closest Mountie sitting at the desk next to him. "Good place to eat?"

The man barely looked up, but pointed to his left, "Out that door and to the left. About five blocks. Sally's." And after imparting that wealth of information, he simply bent back down to his work.

Jack turned and grinned at Nathan, and Nathan had the fleeting thought that it was a smile that must really charm the girls. "Sally's," Jack said, raising his eyebrows. Nathan laughed, finding he liked Jack Thornton. Nathan nodded and shrugged. "Sally's," he said, leading the way.

On the way out the door, Nathan stopped and peered closely at a large map on the wall. There it was. A tiny dot just past Murrayville. Coal Valley.

Outside, Jack climbed up on Sergeant as Nathan mounted Newton. They started slowly down the busy street without conversation, too consumed with avoiding wagons, automobiles and pedestrians to talk.

A wooden sign showed them they'd arrived and after they'd tethered their horses, Nathan and Jack found a table inside.

"You're not hungry?" Nathan said, after he'd ordered steak, eggs and coffee.

Jack chuckled. "I think you're eating enough for both of us," he said.

Nathan smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Not sure where it all goes," he said. "But I do love to get food in my belly."

Jack smoothed down the front of his red serge jacket. Looking around, he was relieved to see there were other Mounties in the restaurant. It wasn't always easy to be the center of attention, and the red serge usually made that a certainty.

"I ate on the way down from Fort Simpson," Jack said.

"That where you're... you were stationed?" Nathan asked, digging into the rolls and butter the waitress dropped off.

"Yeah," Jack said. "You?"

"Not too far, Benson Hills. I could probably ride it tonight if I didn't have to wait for orders. It's on the way from here to Coal Valley, actually."

"You have a girl?" Jack asked, sipping his coffee.

"Yes," Nathan said, his mouth around a roll. "She's four. My niece."

Jack laughed softly. "I meant..." he said, his eyebrows raised, "Do you have a girl, someone you're sweet on."

Nathan looked up from buttering a second roll. "Oh. No. Been pretty busy..." he said. "And now, with Allie..." Nathan shrugged and sighed. "I'm not really very good with girls," he finally said.

Jack smiled. He thought Nathan Grant would probably be just fine with girls if he would look up from his dinner once in a while. Tall, dark, square-jawed and with eyes that made you look twice at how blue they were. Jack looked around them and yep, there was a table of two young women who weren't just looking at the uniforms.

"I had a girl," Jack said, leaning back expansively. "Rosemary. Even got engaged, but it seemed she loved the theatre more than me, so..." He leaned forward again and looked down into his coffee, the hurt still surprisingly there.

"I'm sorry," Nathan said, with evident sincerity in his voice, and Jack looked up.

"It's okay. It's probably for the best. You know what they say, 'If we'd wanted you to have a wife, we'd..."

"...have issued you one," Nathan finished for him. They both laughed and Nathan leaned back as his steak arrived. Before too long, it had disappeared.

They managed to have a good conversation while Nathan ate, talking about their current postings and the ups and downs of Mountie life. Jack talked about the Northern Territories and all the challenges the men were facing up there. He said he would put in some time in Cape Fullerton and then expected he'd volunteer to head up north.

Nathan nodded. "It's good you feel that way, because men are needed up there, but I just know it's not for me. I think smaller. What we're protecting is a way of life, our families... and the idea of a town like Coal Valley, a growing town..." Nathan looked out the window at the automobiles and crowds of people going by. "Where you walk down the street and people know your face and your name..."

Nathan often had trouble translating the deep feelings that rose up in him into words. But right now, his instincts were telling him that he'd absolutely made the right choice. He not only felt that he had something to offer Coal Valley, but that a small town like the one he'd grown up in might help to heal the deep hole he and Allie were still feeling at the loss of Colleen.

Nathan had spent the last few years in big cities. A year in Calgary, then training up in Edmonton, and even some time in Quebec City. After growing up on the ranch and farm lands of Airdrie, Nathan was craving small, quiet streets.

Twenty-six years old. Fatherless. Sisterless. Grieving. Lost. Suddenly a parent to a child I love deeply but have no idea how to care for...

"Where'd you go?" Jack asked, peering into Nathan's slightly vacant eyes.

Nathan shook his head slowly and looked at Jack.

"Sorry," he said, coming back to his surroundings. Then he smiled. "I was in Coal Valley, actually." Nathan opened his leather pouch and pulled out the money for the bill as he nodded to Jack. "I made the right decision."

Jack smiled back. "So did I," he said. He lifted his coffee cup and waited until Nathan did the same. "To fighting the good fight," Jack said firmly. He touched Nathan's cup with his own.

"Wherever we are," Nathan said. "Best of luck, Jack."

Jack said, "And to you, Nathan." He drained the last of his coffee cup and said, "And if our paths don't cross again? Have a good life." There was that smile again.

Jack and Nathan stood and shook hands. "You too, Jack."

Two decisions, and the ripples were already beginning to form.

---

CHAPTER 2

Allie peered out of the window of the stagecoach from the safety of Nathan's arms held tightly around her. He watched her face, as always loving her curiosity. Nathan had recently found himself easily susceptible to a mild darkness since Colleen died, and Allie's unbridled enthusiasm for life was a wonderful antidote to that.

Nathan knew that being forced to care for Allie every day was having a good effect on him. Nathan's mother, Rebecca, had tried to care for her, but after three months, Rebecca owned up to the fact that she couldn't chase an active four-year-old the way she needed to on a big ranch. When she said she was thinking of hiring help to watch her, Nathan stepped in. He felt strongly that Colleen would have wanted Allie to spend time in the world, and the Grant Ranch in Airdrie was about as far from the world as you could get. It was stunningly beautiful, with sprawling green meadows and even a small river, but it was also isolated and far from schools and other children.

Now that he was with her full-time, Nathan was beginning to see just how social his niece was. Allie had no trouble going up to strangers and showing them her latest toy, or moving into a group of children and beginning to play as if she'd known them all her life. She was like Colleen in that way, with an adventurous spirit and a vivid imagination. Nathan just couldn't leave her on the ranch to live only in her own head.

"Cows!" Allie yelled at the top of her lungs, waking the elderly man who sat across from them in the stagecoach and eliciting a deeply irritated frown.

Nathan smiled apologetically at the gentleman as he pulled Allie in and sat her on the bench next to him. "Yes, cows, Allie. Lots of them," he said, stifling a laugh.

And of course, Allie had to look up at him and do what she always did, "Cows say?" He cringed, knowing that he'd created this monster himself with the animal noises he loved to do with Allie. Dogs say? Woof! Cats say? Meow! Allie could never get enough, and the real problem was that Nathan did really good animal noises.

Nathan looked across at the man who was right now narrowing his eyes and tilting his head dangerously; almost daring Nathan to do as Allie was asking. He looked back down at Allie, whose eyes were dancing in anticipation. It only took him a moment to decide.

"Moooooooooo!" Nathan said, sending Allie into gales of laughter. He stole a look across the coach and actually saw the glimmer of a smile from the man.

Nathan had opted to wear his civilian clothes for the trip, though he probably should be wearing the red serge, as he was traveling toward a new posting. He'd escorted the wagon with their things on horseback, and had left Newton at the Coal Valley livery while he took the stage back to Benson Hills to get Allie. By the time they got to their new home this afternoon, the two men he'd hired to unload the wagon would have completed the process of moving their furniture and belongings into their row house.

The first accommodation he'd been offered was a room above the saloon, but it didn't take him more than a minute to refuse that. Running a four-year-old through a saloon multiple times a day didn't feel right, so he'd asked around and found out one of the row houses was available. He'd also learned that it was vacant due to the death of an unmarried man who'd been lost in the Pacific Northwest Mining Company explosion just three months ago.

In fact, during the two times he'd been there, the accident was all anyone was talking about in Coal Valley. Forty-seven men lost their lives, which made widows of more than half the women in town. It was a tragedy that had ripped the fabric of Coal Valley, and it was also something that Superintendent Martin had neglected to share.

Now Nathan was charged with keeping the peace, though emotions were clearly running very high in what Nathan had at first imagined as a sleepy little town.

Then, there was also the matter of the "benefactor" that Superintendent Martin had quickly glossed over.

For the first day after receiving his posting, Nathan had used the Benson Hills Mountie Office and his considerable contacts there to find out the identity of the person who had requested a Constable for Coal Valley. His first guess had been a man named Henry Gowen, who seemed to run the town as the owner of the mining company and the town's primary employer.

But it turned out the benefactor wasn't Gowen. Just before the stagecoach left, Nathan had finally received a message from a clerk in the Mountie Office he'd helped out on occasion. He now had a name to go with the description of benefactor; William Thatcher, a shipping tycoon who lived in, of all places, Hamilton.

Nathan hadn't had the time to do any research into Thatcher to find out why he might have an interest in a town like Coal Valley, but he intended to as soon as he got settled. It had to have some connection to Gowen, Nathan thought. There really didn't seem any other logical explanation.

---

Elizabeth Marie Thatcher felt like she'd spent her entire life bumping along in the stagecoach, though it had only been a week. She knew herself to be stubborn, and once she had an idea in her head it was hard to shake it, but this idea was her most radical yet.

After a life of privilege, the middle daughter of William Thatcher had decided to forgo the easy life she was promised by her upbringing, and come west. She was a teacher, and teachers were needed in small towns like Coal Valley.

Julie, her younger sister, had warned her of the dangers of the wild west, but she'd done it with a sparkle in her eyes. She was clearly envious of Elizabeth's determination to live rough among the cowboys and outlaws, even as Elizabeth laughed at her exaggerations.

Looking out the window, Elizabeth sighed and adjusted herself on the hard coach seat. After having company much of the way, she was now the only one who was braving the journey this far west. And being alone, Elizabeth did something that would have scandalized anyone connected with Hamilton society. She reached back and loosened the ties on her corset.

Leaning back, Elizabeth allowed herself a much-needed deep breath.

Three more days and she would be in her classroom in Coal Valley. She would be the molder of young minds, and the rosy-faced and eager children she imagined would open themselves up to great literature and art and the skills they needed to have successful lives.

Since she was alone, Elizabeth spoke out loud as she watched the newly-minted Saskatchewan Province fly by. "I am Elizabeth Thatcher," she said, drawing strength from hearing the steadiness of her own voice. "I am a strong, independent, capable woman. I can face any obstacle with courage, grace and dignity." It had been her mantra for months, and now, seeing the raw country outside the stagecoach window, Elizabeth could feel it taking on a life of its own.

---

"Stand still, please," Nathan said to Allie as she fidgeted. "You'll thank me later."

Allie looked up at her Uncle Nathan and pressed her back against the door frame as he made the pencil mark just at the top of her head. She had no idea why she was doing it, but she did a lot of things she didn't fully understand. What she knew is that she loved her uncle and that his voice and his smile and his long arms made her feel safe.

"Okay, you can move now," Nathan said, and Allie ran back to the box of toys they had just opened on the hardwood floor. She'd been worried about her dolls, and she pulled each one out in turn, setting them up with their backs against the wall so she could count them.

Nathan talked to her as he continued emptying the kitchen boxes. "We'll do that every year and we can watch you grow." He looked over at Allie and stopped what he was doing for a moment, just gazing at her. His heart clenched as he thought of Colleen and how his sister wouldn't see Allie grow up. Nathan never wanted to take for granted that he would have that privilege.

"Allie?" he said, and she looked up at him, her eyes bright. "Do you like it here?"

At four, she didn't understand all the colors of that question, but she could hear the tone of her uncle's voice and she knew he was being serious. Her dolls made her happy, so she thought they might make her Uncle Nathan happy, too. She picked up her favorite and ran over to him and held it up for him to see. "This is Mary," she said, grinning.

Nathan bent down and then just sat on the floor of the kitchen. Allie made him feel so tall sometimes, and he always wanted to get on her level so he could see her eyes. "Hello, Mary," he said, taking the doll's hand and shaking it. Nathan's long legs were stretched out in front of him, and Allie simply sat down on one of them and leaned against his chest, talking softly to Mary about her dress.

Nathan felt the familiar emotion welling up. Sometimes it was too much to think about, all the years ahead. He'd had a plan for his life; first of all to be the best Mountie he could be, and everything had hinged on that. Now everything seemed to be dangling on two hinges, and his decisions were based not only on his life as a Mountie, but on whether it would be good for Allie.

He looked around at the little row house that was now their home. It was larger than he would have chosen alone, certainly, and it had a homey atmosphere to it already. His mother had packed some things for him that he wouldn't usually think of - pictures in frames, vases, decorative bowls and pitchers – and she had encouraged him to put them out first. "That way you'll be unpacking into a home, not just a house," Rebecca had said. As he looked around now, he knew that his mother had again given him good advice.

Nathan and Allie had been in Coal Valley for two days now. They'd explored the town, met Ned Yost at the Mercantile and Tom Trevoy at the saloon. Nathan had tipped his hat to more widows with children than he wanted to think about, and he felt the deep sadness about the town. It felt like a place that was struggling just to get through each day, but already Nathan was impressed with the people in it. They didn't have any "give up" in them, as Colleen used to say.

One of the first widows he'd met, Catherine Montgomery, had told him that they had a teacher coming on the stage tomorrow from the east, and that the mothers were all very hopeful about how she would impact the town. He'd seen tears come to her eyes as she described the burdens the children were bearing in dealing not only with their own grief but also the pain of their mothers. Cat hoped that being in school would lighten that load for the children and give them other things to think about.

What Nathan also realized as he'd walked the town wearing his red serge, introducing himself and Allie to everyone they met, was that he, himself, was giving the town a measure of hope. If they warranted the posting of a Mountie, as Florence Blakeley had said, perhaps they had a future after all.

A town that was grieving being served by a man who was grieving. There was a symmetry to it, but Nathan also had the vague feeling it was a case of the blind leading the blind. He supposed they would all find their way together.

---

CHAPTER 3

Nathan sat outside the Mountie office drinking his coffee as Allie played on the bench nearby. He found that being visible was half the battle in getting to know the people of a new town, so he made it as easy as possible for them to find him. His red serge drew people in, and one by one, they were beginning to introduce themselves and tell him about the life of Coal Valley.

Nathan had already deduced that Cat Montgomery and Abigail Stanton were the women to talk to if he wanted any information about the widows and their children. They were like mother hens, making certain that everyone had dinner on the table and that the children were being cared for. They, along with Florence Blakeley to a lesser degree, functioned as a moveable support group, offering shoulders to cry on, a compassionate ear and solutions to their problems. It was even more remarkable because they were dealing with their own grief at the same time.

Nathan knew better than anyone that working through grief was a tricky process, and he gave a wide berth to anyone in the middle of it. He knew that for him it was simply a matter of putting one foot in front of the other and doing his job. For Cat, Abigail and Florence, it was gathering their chicks and caring for them.

Florence was rapidly emerging in Nathan's mind as that most necessary component of any town; its communication hub. The woman had strong opinions and no problem expressing them, and he'd already noticed that she gravitated toward him as the authority in Coal Valley. It was from Florence that he had learned what the widows thought about Henry Gowen and the way he ran his business.

Nathan was planning to let another day or two go by before he went to visit Gowen. Of course he'd met the man and spoken briefly with him as he moved through the town. Gowen had first walked by the Mountie office with his ever-present Pinkertons, one on either side of him, like some kind of local royalty. Gowen had merely tipped his hat and said gruffly, "Constable," as he walked by, not even leaving open the possibility of a conversation.

The second time he'd seen him, Gowen had obviously decided it was time to let Nathan know who was actually in charge in Coal Valley. He'd point-blank said that since the church burned down there seemed to be some gatherings happening out in the grove just beyond the pond. Gowen made it clear that he didn't like the idea of the townspeople assembling without any evident authority present. He suggested it was Nathan's duty to find out what they were doing out there, and then made it pretty clear he expected a report afterwards.

Nathan had a set to his mouth and a way of using his height that could be intimidating to shorter men, and he used it to his advantage as he stood over Henry Gowen on the boardwalk outside the Mountie office.

"I appreciate your concern, but I wouldn't want our relationship to begin on a false note." Nathan hooked his thumb into his Sam Browne belt and straightened up yet another half-inch. "Although most of the men in town seem to be working for you, I'm not your employee, Mr. Gowen. I serve this town, and while you're a resident of Coal Valley, you hold no more weight with me than any other resident. I understand from some of the ladies that the gatherings are on Sundays and that they're for the purpose of worship. Perhaps you might find your way out there yourself and see if any of their teachings are valuable to you."

Gowen had simply blinked at him, and then his eyes had narrowed ominously. He turned to his left and said, "Spurlock?" while inclining his head toward the automobile they'd left in the middle of the street. Spurlock nodded and went down the steps to turn the crank while Gowen got back in. They drove off, leaving behind a cloud of smoke and the incongruous sound of the engine in the silence of the Coal Valley street. It had not escaped Nathan's notice that Gowen's was the only car in town.

Allie suddenly popped up and started running, "Emily!" she called out, as Nathan went quickly after her. He watched as she stopped in front of Emily Montgomery, who was walking with her brother Gabe. Cat was a short way behind, saying hello to Molly and Rosaleen Sullivan as they came out of the Mercantile.

"Look!" Allie said excitedly, showing Emily a wooden dog that Nathan had carved the night before. Nathan loved working with wood, and Allie had dozens of animals he'd made for her. Sitting on the porch of his row house and looking over to the mountains had quickly become a deep pleasure to him in the few days they'd been in Coal Valley.

Cat turned and saw him. "Constable Grant. We were just on our way to see you. I have a concern," she said, walking quickly toward him. Nathan had gathered up Allie by now and was bent down to eye-level, talking to her. He looked up at Cat, asking for just a moment, and Cat nodded and smiled.

"Allie," he said softly, making sure she was focused on his eyes. "You can't run away like that. It's not safe." Allie was listening intently to him. "Did you see the car?" he said, pointing in the direction of the smoke. Allie nodded, her intelligent eyes showing that she remembered. "Cars can hurt you because they go very fast. Please don't run away like that again."

Allie smiled and nodded. "Okay." She raised her eyebrows and Nathan smiled at her. "Go ahead." Allie turned quickly back to Emily and Nathan looked up. Cat had been standing and listening and now a soft smile made its way across her face.

"You're good with her," she said with admiration in her voice.

"Thank you, Mrs. Montgomery. Not sure what I'm doing day to day, but the days keep dawning, so..." He smiled and tipped his hat a little belatedly in his self-consciousness.

"None of us do, Constable." Cat smiled again and patted his arm. "You have a natural way with her. You'll do fine."

"You wanted to talk to me?" Nathan said.

"Yes. The stagecoach is late, and we've been expecting our schoolteacher. I was wondering if you'd heard anything," Cat said. Gabe had gone into the Mercantile and Emily and Allie were playing on the boardwalk with her wooden dog.

"How late?" Nathan asked, making a mental note to get the stagecoach schedule and put it on his wall in the office.

"A day-and-a-half," Cat said, looking down and checking on Emily.

Nathan opened his mouth in some shock. In his experience, when a coach was late, you were talking about minutes or hours at the outside. Not days.

"How often does it come to Coal Valley?" he asked, a frown starting.

"Once a week, usually. Sometimes a little longer. I might not have even noticed this one, but we're anxious to have Miss Thatcher start school."

Nathan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Excuse me. What is the schoolteacher's name?"

"Miss Elizabeth Thatcher. She's coming from the east. We're very lucky to have someone with her education..."

Nathan loved it when puzzle pieces fell into place. He was a natural investigator, which was the reason he was such a good tracker. Right now, the size of the puzzle piece that just fell made him smile, which was slightly confusing to Cat Montgomery.

"Constable?"

Nathan looked at her. "Yes, sorry, Mrs. Montgomery."

Cat looked a little impatient with him. "You need to call me Cat. We're friends now," she said quickly.

Nathan pointed to himself and said, "Nathan."

Cat nodded. "So, Nathan, about the coach? We're worried for her safety."

Nathan said, "Of course. I can send a wire to Murrayville and make sure the coach came through there on time..."

"And if it did?" Cat said, raising her eyebrows. She could see his hesitation. "If you're worried about Allie, we'd love to have her come home with us. She and Emily..." Cat looked down at the two girls playing, "...they get along so well. Emily has two brothers and would truly love to have a girl to play with."

Nathan smiled and said, "That's very kind of you, if you don't mind. We haven't really figured that part out yet..."

Cat nodded quickly. "No trouble. And that way, you can ride out and see?"

Nathan bent down again and said, "Allie? Do you want to go to Emily's house to play for a while? I need to work." By way of an answer, Allie simply turned and put her arms around Nathan's neck and said, "Bye." Then she turned back to Emily.

Cat laughed. "I guess that's settled," she said.

Nathan laughed too. "I guess it is." He tipped his hat again quickly, " Well, thank you, and I'll let you know what I find out," he said, walking toward the Mercantile where the telegraph office was located.

Nathan got his answer quickly from the Murrayville coach depot. Right on time yesterday morning, and yes, there was a female passenger in a pink dress and the frilliest hat to come through town in a while.

Within minutes, Nathan had saddled Newton and was riding out toward Murrayville.

Miss Elizabeth Thatcher. Well, at least now I know what I'm doing here. I'm here to keep a Hamilton princess from breaking a fingernail or tearing the lace of the hem of her dress on a stray nail in the boardwalk.

Nathan knew the type from his time in Quebec City. There were entire details of Mounties called in for protection of the richest men in town and their families. He'd actually been assigned to one such detail and had listened to a girl of nineteen berate a member of the Mounted Police for the place his horse had chosen to relieve himself. And the Mountie was forced to stand and listen while the girl's father stood and watched. Nathan knew there were plenty of very good and kind people who also happened to have lots of money, but the truth was, he hadn't met many of them yet.

As he rode, Nathan thought for a moment about Jack Thornton, probably right now handcuffing a whiskey runner in Cape Fullerton. He wondered how Jack would be feeling making this ride.

But Nathan still knew he'd made the right decision. The question was going to be how to do his job and keep the princess happy.

---

Elizabeth had never spent a longer, colder night in her life. As she blinked awake at the sunlight streaming through the open windows she looked at the floor of the stagecoach and was grateful she'd finally decided to lie down when it was completely dark. In the bright light of morning, the floor looked as if it had been used as a spittoon for years without cleaning, not to mention the dirt and the tobacco. She sat up more suddenly than she intended and her head hit the handle of the door.

"Ouch!" she said, loudly, channeling the frustration of the last twenty-four hours into that small lever of metal at her eye-level. She pushed herself up onto the coach seat and rubbed her head, waiting until the stars in front of her eyes went away.

The stagecoach had actually been robbed. What Elizabeth had read about in novels and heard from Julie in breathless recountings of news stories from the west had actually happened to her. Elizabeth Thatcher had been robbed in a stagecoach. She shook her head in disbelief.

The bandits' faces had been covered with bandanas, and in any case, she wouldn't have been able to identify them from her spot on the floor of the coach, cowering in fear. She listened to them take her bags and boxes down, and bore the ridicule they gave her clothing, hats and shoes while throwing them like so much rubbish across the roadway.

Elizabeth had listened as they unhitched the horses and drove the coach driver into the woods where the coward ran for his life. One of the men had poked his head into the coach and yelled to the others. "Just a woman!" Elizabeth had heeded the advice she'd been given about wearing no jewelry when traveling, and with her head still covered, she held up her hands so the man could see she had no rings or bracelets on. "Nothin' of value!" he shouted back to his accomplices.

"There's plenty in the bags," she heard another yell back, and she imagined they'd found her purse with all the cash and jewelry she had to her name. They'd ridden off soon after, but Elizabeth had huddled on the floor of the coach for much longer until her muscles were sore, and then finally she ventured to look out the window.

What she saw was her entire wardrobe spread out over the coach road, everything else she had of value gone, and the horses taken. She had the shelter of the coach and nothing else. And she had absolutely no idea of where she was except that she was somewhere between Murrayville and Coal Valley.

Because she didn't know what else to do, Elizabeth began folding her clothes back into her suitcases. It was late afternoon now, and although she was tempted to begin to walk to Coal Valley, she certainly didn't want to do it in the dark. So if no one came along, she would spend the night and then begin walking in the morning in the direction the coach was facing.

Elizabeth had never felt more helpless in her life.

It was so cold that night in the coach that she ended up unpacking many of her things in order to cover herself with them. She was hungrier than she could ever remember being, and though they hadn't taken her greatest comfort, her books, she had no candle. So as the sun sank down, she lay on the floor of the coach and prayed for someone... someone good and kind and not of the robber variety... to come help her.

All through the night she listened to the sounds of animals she'd never heard before and had only read about. The hoot of owls, the howling of coyotes or perhaps wolves, and the fear of hearing the growl of a bear kept her awake for the long hours of the night.

Now it was morning and with the sun, Elizabeth's spirits had lifted slightly. She was alive and someone must have missed the coach by now. There were children waiting to be taught, and of course their mothers would wonder where she was.

Elizabeth knew that help must be on its way. She went to the window and peered out. For a moment she thought the red spot in the distance was a remnant of having just hit her head, but it began to grow and then it was on a horse.

"Oh." She let out a deep and grateful breath and spoke the words softly, like a prayer. "That's a Mountie."

---

CHAPTER 4

Nathan rounded the corner and saw it. The coach was a little off to the side of the road, probably because the driver knew there was no way to outrun the bandits. From a distance all he could see was the coach itself; they'd taken the horses and there was no driver to be seen. Then he saw the door open and out she stepped.

Miss Elizabeth Thatcher, Canadian Princess. But definitely a little worse for wear.

Nathan was at first very grateful that his charge was in one piece. Nothing seemed to be broken, except perhaps her hat, which teetered at an odd angle on her very disheveled head. Her pink cotton and lace dress looked appropriately filthy for a garment that had spent the night in road dust on the floor of a stagecoach.

As he got closer, he could see that Miss Thatcher was quite beautiful, despite the dirty face and the scowl she wore. She was waving her arms as if he might just trot past her, and Nathan held back a smile.

"Looks like you have a problem," he said, trying to look serious.

She tilted her head at him. "It looks like I have a problem?" she said incredulously. "They took my money, my jewelry, ruined my clothes, and left me alone on this deserted road!"

Elizabeth had of course seen her share of Mounties, but they were generally much more polite than this one. Here she was, practically dead, and he was still sitting on his horse. And she thought he might be trying not to smile. "What's your name, Constable?" she said, calling up her haughtiest tone and narrowing her eyes at him. It didn't help that the sun was behind him and he was very tall. Craning up at him made her neck hurt after the night on the coach floor.

The man had the audacity to give her a full smile now. "Nathan Grant, Miss." He moved down off of his horse in a motion so fluid she hardly knew it happened, and suddenly, there he was, blocking out the sun entirely. He removed his heavy riding gloves and put out a hand with long, graceful fingers.

Regaining some of her composure, Elizabeth tried to straighten her hat and smooth down the lines of her dress. She remembered too late that she had loosened her corset and she could feel it bunching up on the sides of her bodice, making any smoothing impossible.

Putting out her hand, she said, as regally as possible, "Miss Elizabeth Thatcher."

Nathan took her hand and shook it. "I know who you are," he said softly, with a smile that went up further on the right than on the left. Elizabeth found that for some inexplicable reason, that imperfection made her stomach flutter. And it wasn't hunger. She could feel his hand, strong and warm, in hers, and for a moment she forgot where she was.

Then, his actual words reached her and she let go of his hand and frowned. "Did you say you know who I am?" she said quickly.

"Yes," Nathan said easily. "You're Elizabeth Thatcher, recently of Hamilton, daughter of William Thatcher, shipping tycoon, and you're traveling to Coal Valley to be their new schoolteacher."

Elizabeth wasn't sure how she felt about this Mountie knowing all that. But she especially didn't like the way he was saying it. She felt that some part of him under that red serge uniform was laughing at her. And Elizabeth really didn't like being laughed at.

Elizabeth pulled herself up to her full height and said, "And how might it be that you know so much about me, Constable... Grant, was it?"

Nathan smiled again, relishing this just a bit. If he had to have this assignment, the least he could do was enjoy it.

"Well, Miss Thatcher, I am a recent resident of Coal Valley myself. It turns out that the town had no need of a Mountie until your father, William Thatcher, called in a favor and had me posted here." Elizabeth still didn't seem to be getting the point, so Nathan made it more clear. "To watch over you. To keep you safe."

Elizabeth's heart began to pound and she felt her breath coming faster. Every illusion she'd had as her father had wished her well on her journey evaporated. All his talk of independence and fortitude and his trust in her good sense went out the window. All the while he was saying goodbye and telling her how proud he was of her, he was planning this.

"I don't need a babysitter," Elizabeth said forcefully through her teeth.

Nathan nodded. "It seems your father would beg to differ on that point," he said. He was beginning to enjoy this a little less. There was something about the pride, the stubbornness, and the courage of the woman standing before him that was starting to impress Nathan. Which made it more difficult to see her feeling uncomfortable.

Raising her chin, Elizabeth said, "My father doesn't know what I'm made of." She turned and walked past Nathan in the direction he'd come. Nathan watched her for a moment and then called out to her.

"Are you planning on walking to Coal Valley? Because it's about three miles," he said.

"I'm young and strong," she called over her shoulder. "I have legs. I can walk."

Nathan smiled and shook his head. Nope, not your typical princess. He scooped up Newton's reins and pulled them over his head, leading him out. Nathan's long legs took him quickly to where Elizabeth was picking out a path in her high-heeled boots. There were rocks and potholes beneath her feet and she needed to keep close watch.

They walked in silence for a minute, and finally Nathan said, "I have a horse." He was trying not to smile, but it wasn't easy.

"Yes, I can see that," Elizabeth said, keeping her eyes on the path. "I suggest you get on it and ride away."

Nathan snorted softly, unable to control the laugh that came up suddenly. Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and looked at him. Now that the sun wasn't behind him, she could see him clearly. He is handsome, I do have to give him that. In that rugged, tan, dark, curly-haired, blue-eyed way. If you like that sort of thing.

She must have looked a little too long, because her heel rolled off of a rock in the dirt and she stumbled sideways. But it was as if she hadn't fallen at all, because his arm was out and holding her up before she knew it.

Nathan smiled at her and this time she was ready for the crooked smile, though it affected her no less. "You're going to need to get some better shoes," he said, letting go as she righted herself.

Elizabeth's feet were hurting so much right now that she didn't even have a decently sharp retort. She stopped suddenly and sighed. Yes, she wanted to assert her independence. No, she didn't need a babysitter. But maybe she could prove all those things tomorrow. After a meal and a hot bath.

Elizabeth looked over at Newton. "We can both ride her?" Elizabeth said plaintively.

Nathan laughed softly. "Well, he won't let you ride him anywhere until you apologize for thinking he's a she."

"What's his name?" Elizabeth asked wearily.

"Newton," Nathan said, smiling.

Elizabeth finally smiled back, just briefly. There was something charming about this Mountie and she was finally succumbing slightly to it. "After the physicist or the cookie?" she asked, looking sideways at him.

Nathan chuckled. "I believe the cookie was named after the physicist, so it may be a moot point."

Elizabeth laughed. And that sound took hold of Nathan's heart in a way that surprised him right out of his boots. He couldn't be more out of breath if Newton had reached back and kicked him.

They stood by the side of the road for a moment, both mid-laugh, and then they both remembered their situation.

Don't even think about it, was the thought that ran simultaneously through both of their heads.

Elizabeth looked up at the saddle. "How do I get up there?" she asked, shading her eyes.

Nathan frowned. "Have you ever ridden a horse?" he asked, afraid of the answer.

"Of course I have," she said, raising her chin. Then she said more softly, "Sidesaddle."

"I'm sorry?" Nathan said, not sure he'd heard her.

"Sidesaddle," Elizabeth said firmly, looking him directly in the eye.

Nathan smiled, "With a parasol, I'll bet. And it matched your dress?"

Elizabeth squinted her eyes at him again. "You seem to have a very narrow view of me, Constable Grant."

"I was stationed in Quebec City for a time," Nathan said, his jaw squared. "We encountered some... wealthy young ladies... in our work."

Nodding, Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I see," she said. "And you're comparing me to those wealthy young ladies who have regiments of Mounties escort them to and from church. For their safety." She said the last word as if it were dirty.

When Nathan didn't answer, Elizabeth stretched her neck so she was as tall as possible. "Well, I'm not one of them, and shame on you for making snap judgements." She walked over to Newton and put her hand gently on his cheek. "I'm sorry I thought you were a girl," Elizabeth said softly. Behind her, Nathan smiled despite himself.

Elizabeth was only able to put her foot in the stirrup because Nathan's legs were so long. He watched, ready to catch her, as she stubbornly grabbed hold of the horn and tried repeatedly to pull herself up into the saddle, making little oofing sounds.

"Would you like some help?" Nathan asked quietly.

Elizabeth stood there, out of breath, with one foot in the stirrup and one on the ground. She was hungry and exhausted and hot.

"Yes, please," she said, resigned.

Nathan took hold of her waist and realized immediately that her corset had come all the way around to her sides. It only increased his admiration for her. Silly things. I've never understood why women feel a need to torture themselves with their clothing. Colleen hated them with a passion.

In the split second Elizabeth was in his hands, he felt her strength and her substance, unusual in a woman so slender and small. She had a solidity that he found so appealing that for the first time in his memory of school dances and the few fleeting times he'd held a woman, he didn't want to let her go.

Nathan handed his hat up to Elizabeth and he put his own foot into the stirrup. Gripping the cantle at the back of the saddle, he pulled himself up onto Newton's rump, and reached around her for the reins. He could feel her warm between his arms for just a moment, and she didn't flinch. In fact, perhaps he imagined it, but it seemed she almost leaned back into him on purpose.

Elizabeth turned slightly and handed him his campaign hat. For a moment he saw her eyes, just inches from his own. She looked away quickly, but if the eyes were the window to the soul, Nathan had seen right into Elizabeth's.

He knew she was afraid, and that all of this was new. And suddenly, he felt ashamed for making fun of her, even if only in his mind. She did seem different from the girls he'd seen in Quebec City, and instead of a wealthy eastern princess, Nathan began to see the brave woman who had traveled alone across the country, been robbed and then spent the night in a dark stagecoach in a strange place.

"I'm sorry," Nathan said softly as he replaced his hat on his head and pushed his heels gently into Newton's flanks.

"For what?" Elizabeth asked. She was still reeling a little from how very blue this Mountie's eyes were. Like the mountain lake she'd seen once on a holiday.

As they started moving, the breeze that blew through her hair right in front of Nathan's face had undertones of lavender on it, and for a moment, Nathan lost his train of thought. She spent a night on the floor of a stagecoach and she still smells like lavender.

"For... the snap judgement," Nathan finally managed to say.

He felt more than heard her laugh. His hands still held the reins and it was impossible not to touch her. She sighed deeply. "I know what people think of me. I'm sure it will be the same in Coal Valley. People think that rich people have everything laid at their feet, but the thing I want the most is the hardest to get. Respect, a belief that I'm a hard worker and that I care about things. I'm always having to prove myself," she said, her voice going softer.

Now Nathan knew it wasn't his imagination. Elizabeth was not only leaning back, she was leaning on him. Before he could say anything else, he heard a soft snore.

Nathan Grant, Constable of Coal Valley, had rescued the damsel in distress, and what did she do? She fell asleep.

Nathan didn't need to keep his arms at a distance anymore. In fact, he felt if he didn't hold her, she might just topple off Newton. So he put his arms around her and let her head fall gently onto his shoulder. Her face, her beautiful face streaked with road dust, was right next to his.

All he could think was, three miles wasn't nearly enough.

---

CHAPTER 5

At a certain point, a horse gets tired of having someone Nathan's size ride back behind the saddle. It throws off their balance and confuses them. And that point happened to Newton at about the mile-and-three-quarters mark of the three miles to Coal Valley.

Nathan pondered for a while how to make it easier for Newton, not to mention the fact that it wasn't easy keeping Elizabeth in the saddle with her being so sound asleep; his own back was starting to feel the strain of leaning forward and holding her.

She's a little thing, Nathan thought, and he knew that they would both be fine in the saddle. So, finally, when Newton threw his head back again in frustration, Nathan took Miss Thatcher by the waist and lifted her up while he scooted forward and dropped down into the saddle with her.

Nathan was worried the movement might wake her, but he needn't have been concerned. In fact, once they were together in the saddle, her head fit perfectly under his chin and she moved in her sleep to close the space between them. This turn of events, in combination with the scent of lavender that assailed him, made Nathan close his eyes for a moment and remind himself of his duty.

Nathan was certain that some people might consider this proximity a shocking breach of etiquette, and he suspected that were she awake, the young lady in the saddle with him would be first in line. But Miss Elizabeth Thatcher had clearly not slept much the night before and he couldn't bear to wake her. And after all, Nathan Grant had been raised to be a gentleman. Taking advantage of a situation such as this simply wasn't in his nature.

However, as Newton relaxed back into a comfortable pace with the weight in the saddle, Nathan had to admit that this was turning out to be a not unpleasant ride.

She was different, this one. She had the air of a Quebec City rich girl, but her spirit reminded Nathan of his mother or Colleen. Strong, intelligent, with a quick wit and a sense of herself that showed she didn't think she was better than everyone else just because of the money she had. Well, technically, she didn't have money anymore, Nathan thought, remembering about the coach robbery. But, as he went back and forth in his mind, Nathan knew that all she had to do was wire her father and she could probably have whatever she wanted.

Her father. William Thatcher. Suddenly Nathan was beginning to understand why so many alarms were ringing in his head right now.

Coal Valley was a good fit for Allie, and Nathan had to admit he had already started to like the place immensely. He had talked to Mounties who were parents, and the constant moving that was usually required wasn't good for children. It taught them to keep themselves separate from their peers, and many children didn't want to make friends that they knew they would just have to leave in six months. Nathan didn't want that for Allie.

There was growth on the horizon for the town, and the stability of it appealed to Nathan. He wanted Coal Valley to be his home. And Allie's.

Superintendent Martin had said very clearly that Coal Valley only warranted a Mountie because William Thatcher desired it. So, by deduction, the woman he was now holding in his arms, so soft and warm and infused with lavender, was, in simple terms, off limits. William Thatcher wasn't counting on the North West Mounted Police to court his daughter, he was counting on them to keep her safe.

Nathan sighed, knowing that already a part of him had calmed just being near Elizabeth. Holding her in the quiet of the morning, with a soft breeze blowing while Newton walked easily on the road to Coal Valley, gave Nathan a measure of peace he hadn't felt in a long time; really since Colleen died. And there was something deeper than that, something he didn't understand, and something that he could certainly never tell to a living soul. For this short ride together, Nathan felt somehow that all was right with the world, that the stars were in the heavens where they should be. That he was where he should be.

Nathan looked over Newton's head at the road ahead of them. He could see the wooden peak of the livery barn in the distance. They were close enough now that Newton could handle the weight change, and Nathan didn't want Elizabeth embarrassed by waking up in his arms. Also, he had a pretty good idea he might get slapped, and he had a feeling Elizabeth Thatcher had an arm like Ty Cobb when she was really angry.

He looked down and enjoyed one more minute of what he knew could never happen again. Elizabeth's eyelids were fluttering slightly, as if she were dreaming, and in the few moments Nathan gazed at her, he memorized it all. He had an almost overwhelming desire to reach his thumb up and touch the softness of her cheek, streaked with dirt but still pink in the heat of the day. And of course, he was too much of a gentleman.

"Miss Thatcher," Nathan said softly. Nothing. "Miss Thatcher," he said more loudly, and when she began to stir, he quickly vaulted back onto Newton's rump, while holding her firmly by the waist to keep her in her seat.

Elizabeth came awake with a start and grabbed the horn of the saddle, "Wha..." she said with a squeak at the end that made Nathan laugh. Turning to look at him, she frowned and said, "Oh... Constable..." Her mouth was open slightly as she tried to make sense of her surroundings, and for a moment he saw a look in her eyes that was sweet, trusting, glad to see him, almost inviting, and then the walls came up and she remembered it all. "Constable Grant."

Elizabeth turned forward and her hands went up to her hair. "I seem to always be straightening my hat these days," she said, slightly confused. "Where are we?"

Nathan leaned past her and pointed to the livery in the distance. "That's Coal Valley," he said, softly.

Elizabeth felt his breath on her cheek and wondered why she was having such a hard time organizing her thoughts. She looked into the distance and she could feel Constable Grant's arms on either side of hers, holding the reins. She searched her memory for his first name and for a moment came up blank.

She closed her eyes and tried to remember what he had said, standing there with his hand out, the blinding sunlight behind him turning the edges of his red serge a bright yellow and changing the ends of his dark hair to nearly blonde beneath his hat.

Nathan.

And then Elizabeth remembered that this was the man her father had basically hired to be available to wipe her nose whenever necessary, and Elizabeth stiffened in the saddle. The best way she could think of to convince her father that she needed no babysitting was for her to be on her own. For Constable Nathan Grant to report back that no watching over her was necessary.

Elizabeth resolved that this Mountie, her father's spy, would hear not a peep from her. She would manage just fine by herself, especially when he was around.

When they reached Coal Valley and Nathan jumped off of Newton, the hand he put out for her was haughtily declined. But Elizabeth wasn't accustomed to getting down from a horse without a step, and certainly not with her skirts wrapped tightly around her legs on either side of the horse. But she managed.

It wasn't pretty, Elizabeth thought, but I did it, while that insufferable Mountie stood by and watched with his crooked smile and his blue eyes and all that... hair.

Nathan was standing by and watching because he really didn't want Miss Elizabeth Thatcher to land on her head in her first few moments in Coal Valley.

"Where are you staying tonight?" Nathan asked her, giving her time to do whatever straightening she could.

Again, her nose went in the air. Nathan had already learned that she did that when she felt the least sure of herself, and he found that instead of being annoyed by that little quirk, his heart expanded a little each time she did it.

"I understand there is a teacherage?" Elizabeth said, taking a deep breath.

Nathan nodded. "Yes, it's just over there. I can walk you? And then I'll ask Tom to have one of the kitchen boys take his wagon out and get your things and bring them back..."

As he was talking, Elizabeth was starting to have doubts about being on her own because she was so hungry and tired that she was afraid she might lose her balance. The world was spinning a little and the stars were back.

Nathan saw it and took her arm quickly. "Oh, you didn't have any food out there, did you? You're hungry."

Elizabeth was beyond fighting him, and he felt so strong and solid next to her. "Yes," she said softly. "Maybe just a cup of tea and some..."

"Chili?" Nathan said, his eyebrows raised. "Because that's what the saloon has. Chili and bread. And... chili." He smiled at her and it was finally too much for Elizabeth. Her eyes filled and she was ashamed to feel a tear make its way down her cheek.

Nathan was not good with tears. He never had been. Colleen had known it. All she'd had to do was quiver her bottom lip and he would pull down the moon for her.

"Oh, no..." Nathan said, taking her gently by the arm in one hand and leading Newton to the rail with the other. He let go of the reins and walked Elizabeth up to the bench outside the saloon and then went back to tether Newton.

Nathan sat down next to her. "Let me take you inside and get you some... tea," Nathan said, wondering if there was any chance that Tom had some tea behind the bar. It didn't really seem to be a tea kind of place. "And then I'll ride over to Mrs. Montgomery's and have her come meet you. I need to pick up my niece anyway..." Nathan trailed off, aware that the exhausted, hungry young woman sitting next to him didn't need to know his life story. "Let's get you some food," he said finally.

Nathan walked Elizabeth into the saloon and found a table away from the spirited card game that was going on near the bar. He left for a moment and came back with a cup of coffee. "Sorry, no tea, but Tom is making you a sandwich. Thought you might like that better than the chili," Nathan said apologetically, as if he had anything to do with the menu. "I'll be back soon with Mrs. Montgomery." Nathan looked over at Tom behind the bar and he waved. "Tom will keep an eye on you."

Now sitting down again and knowing that food was on the way, Elizabeth felt slightly stronger and her resolve returned. She took a deep breath and said firmly, "I don't need anyone to keep an eye on me, Constable."

Nathan stood and put his hands behind his back. "No, of course not." He raised his eyebrows at her and nodded. "Back in about a half hour." He turned and started for the door, but stopped halfway there, sighing. Even if Miss Thatcher felt she didn't need his help, Nathan knew she had no mirror, and that she was about to meet her new employer. Nathan's mother, Rebecca, had a number of colorful sayings. One of them was: "Friends tell friends when they have spinach in their teeth." This situation didn't involve green vegetables, but Nathan knew Elizabeth had no idea how much dirt she had on her face at present.

Nathan turned and walked back. Taking the napkin from the table, he dipped it in Elizabeth's water glass. Holding out the napkin, he said, "You'll want to clean your face before you meet Mrs. Montgomery." When she didn't move, Nathan took the wet edge of the napkin and ran it gently over her cheek. "Here," he said, moving more slowly, "...and... here." Nathan was surprised to find his heart was racing a little. He blinked a few times and Elizabeth finally managed to reach up to take the napkin.

Without another word, Nathan began walking toward the door again as Elizabeth watched him. He had a lanky grace about him, and already she had a hard time imagining anyone else in the red serge uniform. Just as he reached the door, he turned back and caught Elizabeth watching him. The crooked smile returned, and for some reason, Elizabeth's recently cleaned cheeks went very pink.

---

CHAPTER 6

The coffee helped, and once the sandwich came, Elizabeth finished it quickly. She was hardly noticed in the saloon, and she managed to straighten her hair and quickly reach back and secure her corset, though not so tightly. Every muscle in her body felt stretched to the limit and now that she'd eaten, Elizabeth found the music and the noise in the saloon strangely soothing. I'll just close my eyes for a moment, she thought, to listen...

"Miss Thatcher?"

Elizabeth's head popped up and there were three women standing in a semicircle around the table in front of her. Behind them stood Constable Grant, and to her amazement, on his hip he held a little girl, probably three or four years old. All of them were staring at Elizabeth and she realized to her horror that she had fallen asleep. In a saloon.

This had definitely been a day of firsts.

She sat up quickly and again attempted to fix her hat, which now seemed beyond repair. Finally she simply took it off and placed it on the table.

"Hello," she said feebly to the three women, who she assumed were the mothers who had hired her. "I'm your new teacher."

The three women looked concerned at what they were seeing. "We expected someone more... mature," the dark-haired woman on the right said, clearly disappointed.

The small, pretty woman on the left put out her hand. "I'm Abigail Stanton. Welcome to Coal Valley, Miss Thatcher." She pulled a chair closer to Elizabeth and said kindly, "Constable Grant told us that the coach was robbed. I'm so sorry. Mr. Trevoy has sent someone out to get your things and we can take you up to the teacherage. You must be exhausted. You'll have a couple of days to find your way around and then you can start teaching the children on Monday."

Despite her appearance, Elizabeth at least wanted to appear somewhat professional. "And when may I see the schoolroom?" she asked. Elizabeth sat up straighter, beginning to feel more in control.

The woman in the middle raised an eyebrow. "You're seeing it," she said. "We used to have school in the church, but it burned down. Now classes are held here. It's the only place large enough to hold all the children." She held out her hand as well. "Cat Montgomery."

"School... in the.. saloon," Elizabeth said, shaking Cat's hand and falling back into a bit of a daze. She looked around and now could see that there was a desk with a blackboard tucked into the corner over by the stairs.

"Until we build another church," the third woman said. "Florence Blakeley," she said offering her hand.

Elizabeth bit her lip, not certain how much more excitement she could take. The trip out west, the robbery, spending the night on the floor of the stagecoach, an insufferable Mountie who now held an adorable little girl on his hip, and the news that the saloon was the schoolroom – these were all things that she could breathlessly recount for her journal later, and that Julie would relish in the telling, but for now, Elizabeth thought she might be quite done with new information.

"Is there a bathtub in the teacherage?" she asked suddenly, not caring about the inappropriateness of asking such a question in front of a man. She looked up and could see that it didn't seem to faze him, and that the little girl in Nathan's arms was focused on her hat.

"Yes," Abigail said, relieved that there could be a piece of good news in this conversation. "You only need to heat the water on the stove..."

"Ah," Elizabeth said, suddenly so anxious to get started on that process that she didn't care in the least that she hadn't the first idea how to go about it.

Elizabeth pushed back her chair and stood with as much dignity as she could muster in a filthy dress with her hair going in a hundred directions. She looked down, seeing her empty plate and then she looked for her purse. And then she remembered.

"Oh," she said softly, having reached the absolute bottom in her quest for any dignity at all. "I have no money."

Nathan stepped around quickly, seeing her distress. "I'm sure Tom would be willing to start a tab for you," he said kindly. That smile was starting to unnerve Elizabeth, so she looked at the little girl in his arms. Following her gaze, Elizabeth could see that she was still looking at her hat on the table.

Elizabeth picked it up and smiled. "Do you like hats?" she asked, holding it closer and trying, without much success, to straighten the flowers and ribbons. A leaf had become lodged in the pink netting and she picked it out and put it on her empty plate.

The little girl nodded, smiling back at her. "What's your name?" Elizabeth asked softly.

Allie was being uncharacteristically shy, which Nathan found curious. But the tone of voice Elizabeth was using was so kind, so hypnotic, that Nathan could understand her inability to speak. He was starting to show some of the same symptoms.

"Allie," he said, taking a deep breath. "Her name is... is Allie." When Elizabeth didn't respond right away, Nathan said, "Short for Alice. She's my... my niece."

Oh no, Nathan thought. It's started. Tongue-tied, unable to string thoughts together, the familiar stutter. It took him back to his school days. Before he knew he liked a girl, he could talk at length on any subject. He could make sense, and actually sound somewhat intelligent. As soon as he liked her, everything went south. His vocabulary, his coherence, his understanding of when to stop talking, just rattling on. Things just... came out. So he'd learned over time to be silent and keep his thoughts to himself until he could form full sentences.

"Allie," Elizabeth said softly, unaware of the turmoil going on in Nathan's mind. "That's a very nice name." She held up the hat, and Allie looked at her. "You can touch it." Elizabeth laughed softly, "It's a little dirty, but I think we might be able to clean it. What do you think?" Allie reached out a hand tentatively and ran her fingers across one of the shiny pink ribbons that had survived the night in the stagecoach. She smiled and looked back at Elizabeth. "Pretty hat," she said. Then Elizabeth placed it on Allie's head, and the little girl giggled.

There was a silence around the table and even Florence Blakeley was smiling. Abigail, Cat and Florence had been through so much in the last three months, and all were concerned for their children. As they watched Elizabeth with Allie, a weight lifted from their shoulders. Their new schoolteacher might be young, and she might have had a rough couple of days, but her natural way with the little girl, and Allie's obvious ease with Elizabeth, allowed them to take a deep breath.

The three women looked at each other and smiled, relieved. The schoolteacher they had hired, sight unseen from the east, was going to be just fine.

---

As Elizabeth began unpacking the boxes Tom Trevoy had brought up, she heard a noise out back behind the teacherage. She pulled back the curtain and peered timidly out of the upstairs window.

The Constable was no longer wearing his red serge. He wore a white long-sleeved shirt with the buttons open at the collar, his suspenders firmly over his wide shoulders and attached to his Mountie jodhpurs. He positioned a piece of wood on a stump and eyed it carefully. Then, in one masterful stroke, he raised the axe above his head and brought it down squarely in the middle of the piece of wood, splitting it into two equal pieces.

Suddenly, Elizabeth was finding it hard to catch her breath.

Elizabeth had only witnessed this particular activity once before in her life. One of the boys who worked for her father had been in charge of keeping the stoves filled in their large home in Hamilton, and in the winter, he spent most of every day chopping wood for the fires. She had been fifteen, and had hidden behind the barn watching him, trying to understand why she couldn't take her eyes off of him. As was the way with fifteen-year-old girls, she had moved on and found other delights, but she'd never forgotten the feeling.

Now, watching Constable Nathan Grant, Elizabeth realized that she knew this man to a degree far beyond her lack of acquaintance with the young man in Hamilton. She knew Nathan's voice, his skeptical raised eyebrow, his kindness, his annoying way of smiling at her when she was at her least confident, the feel of his arms around her holding Newton's reins, the depth of his blue eyes...

Elizabeth closed the curtain suddenly, nearly pulling the fabric off of the rod. She turned and put her back to the wall, closing her eyes and willing herself not to look again, but that battle was quickly lost.

Slowly, Elizabeth turned and moved a corner of the curtain. Once more, Nathan positioned the wood, took a moment, and brought the axe down perfectly. His exertion had caused him to roll up his sleeves, and he was so close to the back of the teacherage that she could see the lines of muscle in his forearms when the axe came down, and the sprinkling of dark hairs there...

"Oh, my..." she said aloud.

"Where do you want this?" came a voice behind her, and she spun around so quickly it made her a little giddy. Tom Trevoy was standing with his kitchen helper, Jake, at the door. They were carrying her largest trunk, the one that held most of her dresses and shoes.

"Right over there," Elizabeth said, a little breathlessly, pointing to a corner of what she could only call the living room, although it was indistinguishable from the kitchen and the bedroom. The entire teacherage was smaller than her bedroom in Hamilton.

Once Tom and Jake had set down the trunk, they turned and went back to the door, nearly running into Constable Grant with a load of wood in his arms.

"Sorry," he said quickly, stepping back and allowing the two men to pass him and go down the stairs. He looked at Elizabeth and said, "Wood. For your fire." When she didn't respond, he blinked a few times and said, "So you'll be warm tonight."

Idiot, he thought, sighing. Brilliant. As usual.

Nathan inclined his head toward the stove. "I'll just put these over here," he mumbled, thinking that Elizabeth's silence was probably due to her amazement that a grown man could have so much difficulty with simple sentence structure.

In fact, Elizabeth's silence was due to the fact that she couldn't stop looking at his arms, now straining a little under the weight of the stack of wood he'd chopped for her. To keep her warm.

"Thank you," she finally managed to say. Her voice sounded small and thin to her, and she hoped it didn't to him.

"You know how to start a fire?" he asked. He'd said it quickly, without thinking how it sounded.

That snapped Elizabeth out of her reverie. "I'll manage," she said.

A frown creased Nathan's forehead. He watched as Elizabeth's chin rose again, and that made him think she didn't have the first idea how to start a fire. "I can do it for you, if you want," he said, feeling a little defensive at her sudden coldness.

"No, thank you, Constable." She remembered her promise to herself that she would accept no assistance from her father's hired help, and she said, more sharply than she intended, "And I didn't ask you to chop the wood."

Nathan stood up and put his thumbs into his suspenders. Elizabeth was beginning to notice that when he was perturbed, he had a way of putting his tongue into his cheek and raising one eyebrow. "No, you didn't," he said with steel in his blue eyes. "I'll remember that in the future."

Why is it that I can talk to her just fine when she makes me angry? Nathan thought. Right now he had a virtual encyclopedia of words he wanted to express to Miss Elizabeth Thatcher.

They both stood for a moment, stubborn, giving each other looks that could freeze the sun right out of the sky. Finally, Nathan reached up to tip his hat, and quickly realized he didn't have one on his head. So it turned into a sort of awkward salute. "Have a good evening, Miss Thatcher." He turned on his heel and walked back through the door.

"You do the same, Constable Grant," she called after him, feeling somehow that she had lost this round, but wanting the last word.

"Annoying man," she said out loud as she began to open her trunk. "Do I know how to start a fire... insufferable!" She looked over at the stove and sighed. She didn't know how to start a fire.

Narrowing her eyes at the offending appliance, she said, "I am Elizabeth Thatcher. I am a strong, independent, capable woman. I can face any obstacle with courage, grace and dignity." Her voice had a little less power in it than she'd heard in the months she'd been repeating it to herself, but now she added quickly, "And I can learn anything. Even how to start a fire."

Two hours later, Elizabeth stood on the ground near where Nathan had been chopping wood, watching as the teacherage went up in flames. Through her tears, she whispered, "Well, I learned how to start a fire..."

---

CHAPTER 7

Nathan was sitting on his front porch carving another animal for Allie; this time, a turtle. They'd been out by the pond just before dinner when she'd seen one for the first time, and it had prompted Nathan to tell her the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. Of course, now Allie wanted to be able to act out the story, so the next two animals for her considerable menagerie would be a turtle and a rabbit.

Nathan had been thrilled to find out that Cat Montgomery's row house was only two doors down, with Carla Noonan and her son Jacob in between. Since he'd had Allie, Nathan had been so grateful for the help of the mothers around him. In Benson Hills, he'd found a neighbor with a little girl near Allie's age, and she'd been willing to care for Allie whenever he'd had to go out of town on Mountie business. Nathan was hoping it would be the same in Coal Valley, and if anything, this broken-hearted town had been even more willing to bring Allie into the fold.

Emily Montgomery and Allie had quickly become fast friends. Emily was a year older, and having grown up with two older brothers, she was glad for once to be the one doing the teaching and for having someone younger to play with. Allie adored Emily already, and would often ask to run down the row houses to find out if she wanted to play. In the short time they'd been in Coal Valley, there had even been a time or two that Cat had asked if Nathan could watch both girls at the Mountie office while she ran a quick errand.

So, as Nathan carved the tortoise for Allie, he was thinking about how his life had changed since she'd come into it. Nathan had been drawn to the brotherhood of the Mounties in part by a life dominated by women, primarily his mother and older sister. His relationship with his father was troubled and complicated, and he'd never had a brother of his own, so he sought out thousands of them. Wearing the red serge into practically any town in Canada yielded him immediate camaraderie and a shared language with other Mounties, but although women might stare at the uniform, it didn't really bring them closer to knowing Nathan Grant.

Since he'd had Allie, however, Nathan had found that there had been a huge shift in the gender of those who surrounded him. Nathan was so deeply grateful for the way mothers who saw a single man raising a little girl were drawn like magnets to help. He had no idea how he would have survived both the loss of Colleen and the addition of Allie to his life without the maternal care he felt around him. He'd wondered if it was only a large town like Benson Hills that offered this gift, but now that he was in Coal Valley, he was beginning to think it was universal.

Allie was only four, and according to Cat, the official age to begin schooling was five years old. So for a year at least, Nathan knew that his work as a Mountie and his parenting of Allie would present the same challenges as it had in Benson Hills. So far, Allie had been just fine with coming to work with him, and Cat and Carla had been happy to pick her up when needed. As Emily and Jacob went off to school in two days, Nathan would have to adapt. In fact, he was beginning to understand that the parenting of a child required constant adaptation.

Nathan turned in his chair and smiled as he watched through the open front door as Allie played. He'd loved her from the moment Colleen had brought her into the world, but their relationship now had surprised him with how deeply important it had become to him. Beyond the fact that Allie was a piece of his sister, Nathan loved Allie's mind, her affection for those around her, and her sense of humor. When he allowed his thoughts to weigh him down, Allie seemed to know and could always pull him out of it. Although he never wanted to give a little girl of four that responsibility, sometimes Nathan wondered who was caring for whom.

Turning back, Nathan looked up at the sky. The sunset was spectacular tonight, and Nathan stood up from his chair to get a better look. Emily was playing on her porch two doors down, and Cat came out to bring her inside to help with the dinner dishes and then have dessert. She saw Nathan and waved, and then she turned, also looking at the gold and orange in the sky. They both squinted, noticing that something wasn't quite right with this sunset. For some reason, the orange had dipped far down on one side and appeared to be dancing.

"It's a fire..." Cat said, at first to herself, and then she called out to Nathan. "A fire!"

Nathan moved quickly, pulling on his red serge and gathering up his hat and belt. He was glad he hadn't yet changed out of his jodhpurs and boots for the night. "Allie?" he called out, and she came from around the kitchen counter where she was playing with her dolls. "Get your coat please, Allie, and some toys. I need to work."

Allie knew that tone of voice, and she especially knew the word work, so she ran back and gathered up her three favorite dolls and two of her carved animals. They were going either to the Mountie office or she was going to Emily's. She hoped it was Emily's.

Nathan scooped Allie up and walked quickly to the Montgomery's. He looked up at Cat and raised his eyebrows in a question. "Of course," Cat said. "Come on up, Allie, we're having cobbler for dessert. Blueberry."

Allie ran up the steps and Nathan said, "Thank you. Again."

"Don't be silly," she said. She looked off in the distance and shook her head. "Oh, Lord," she said, suddenly. "Nathan, I think it might be the teacherage."

Nathan followed her gaze, his heart pounding. Elizabeth.

During the time it took him to sprint to the livery, saddle Newton and get out to the teacherage, Nathan's heart was in his throat. It wasn't until he saw the lone figure - her braided hair hanging down almost to the middle of her back, wrapped in a blanket but still shivering - that he was able to calm himself.

Nathan set his jaw, jumped down from Newton and walked to her. "Are you alright?" he asked Elizabeth softly. "You're not hurt?"

She shook her head vigorously. He could see her tear- and soot-stained cheeks glistening with all the colors of the fire, but she seemed unharmed.

Elizabeth looked so little against the backdrop of the fire, and she was probably in shock. Nathan couldn't imagine how she was feeling. All he wanted right now was to do or say something, anything, to comfort her. But instead, they stood in silence and watched as the fire quickly set about consuming the small wooden structure.

Everyone knew there was no saving the building. Even the members of the Coal Valley Volunteer Fire Department were standing and squinting their eyes at the blaze, knowing it was a lost cause. Nathan had seen earlier what an old building it was, and had even made a mental note to come back and fix the railing on the stairs that was wobbling dangerously. He looked at it now and watched as it wobbled and fell, throwing a fountain of embers into the air.

Next to him, Nathan heard Elizabeth gasp softly, and then he heard a sniffle and then a sob. Now he couldn't bear it, and he turned to her, putting his hand gently on her shoulder. "Miss Thatcher?"

She turned so quickly he hardly knew what had happened, but there she was, her face buried in his red serge, and her arms, complete with blanket, wrapped around his waist. For a moment he was so surprised, he didn't move. But then Nathan dropped his heavy riding gloves on the ground and put his hands around her back. She clutched him even tighter, and he could hear her crying.

Nathan held her, moving his hand gently up and down her back. "Oh, it's okay. No one got hurt... and from what I saw, if there was ever a building that needed burning down, it was that one." Elizabeth was in the middle of a sob and she was so surprised by what Nathan said, that it melded with a laugh and turned into a hiccup of sorts. She looked up at him, still clutching him for dear life. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face still covered in soot except for two long tracks that had been washed away by her tears. So how was it that by the light of the fire, Nathan thought he had never seen anyone more beautiful?

"It's my first day," she said plaintively, the tears still falling.

Nathan reached up simply to wipe away a tear, but after he'd done that, it seemed impossible for him to remove his hand from her face. It stayed there, almost with a will of its own, his thumb moving back and forth softly on her cheek.

Elizabeth closed her eyes. In her fear and her exhaustion, she had lost all sense of herself, and she felt like Alice, falling down the rabbit hole. She leaned into Nathan's hand, feeling so comforted by that simple touch that she never wanted it to stop. She'd been so alone just moments ago, and now she wasn't.

But fires draw crowds, and though it was relatively dark, it was hard to miss the new young schoolteacher in her nightgown and a blanket, clinging tightly to the new young Mountie in his red serge. They were quite the picture, outlined by the colors of the fire, and Nathan thought half the onlookers might be interested in more than the blazing building. It surprised him to realize that he already cared more for her reputation than he did for his own.

"Miss Thatcher," Nathan said, softly, "I'm going to take you to Mrs. Stanton's house. It's on my way home, and she'll be able to help you." Elizabeth opened her eyes and nodded. Nathan could see that all the fight was gone from her. He turned with one arm still around her and walked her carefully over to Newton.

Elizabeth turned back suddenly. "My clothes, my... oh," she said, looking at the charred remnants of the building and realizing again that absolutely everything she owned was now gone, except for the nightgown she wore and the boots she had quickly put on as she ran out the door.

"Do you want to walk or ride?" Nathan asked. Elizabeth looked down at her boots and then gave him a pained look. Her feet still hurt from the walk this morning. Before she knew it, he had taken her by the waist and boosted her up into the saddle. Again. And finally Elizabeth smiled.

"You're getting very good at that, Constable Grant," she said, sniffling and looking down at him.

He smiled up at her, and it didn't escape her notice that he hadn't removed one of his hands from around her waist. "Practice makes perfect, Miss Thatcher."

Elizabeth sighed deeply, and he could feel her shudder. Nathan took his hand away and pulled the reins over Newton's head. He looked back up at her, "You okay? You're not going to fall out of the saddle, are you?" And just when he was forming full sentences, the moonlight caught her hair and he remembered how it felt to have her in his arms, and his brain took a leave of absence. "...because...well, that would be..." He trailed off, forgetting completely where he was going with that thought.

With a tilt of her head, she sniffled again and said, "...that would be...?"

Nathan frowned, wondering if it was too soon to joke. "Very unbecoming of a Thatcher..." he said, and immediately regretted it.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him, feeling that he was making fun of her again. "I think I can manage to keep myself in a saddle, Constable Grant."

"I... I didn't mean..." Nathan started, feeling a colossal bout of stuttering coming on. He looked up at her, and finally settled on, "Sorry. I was trying to cheer you up."

"Mission accomplished, Constable. I feel so much better. Perhaps we should just not talk," Elizabeth said. Her indignation had cured her sniffles and in fact it had brought her almost completely back to her senses. What had she been thinking? Throwing her arms around a Mountie, and especially one who thought so little of her? That was unbecoming of a Thatcher, she thought, holding tightly to the horn on the saddle and attempting to sit up straight with some dignity. The truth was, she was so completely spent that if she wasn't careful, she might just fall off of his horse. Elizabeth couldn't remember being more tired.

Nathan sighed and took Newton's reins. Neither of them spoke a word for the walk to Abigail Stanton's, which thankfully wasn't far. Both of them would be surprised to know that their thoughts were nearly identical as the row houses came into view.

It's for the best. I need to keep my distance anyway. But for that moment... it felt so good to feel so completely safe in another person's arms.

---

Nathan watched as Mrs. Stanton took yet another chick under her wing. He was grateful that Abigail said not a word about the loss of the teacherage. When she asked if there was anything else to bring inside, Elizabeth started crying again, and Nathan simply shook his head.

"Oh, I know I have some things that will fit you. I have far too many dresses anyway," she said kindly, putting her arm around Elizabeth. Abigail looked at Nathan. "Thank you, Constable. This was the right place to come."

Nathan tipped his hat. "Thank you, ma'am." He waited until Elizabeth turned, as he was hoping she would. He touched his hat again as he spoke as gently as he could. "Miss Thatcher."

Elizabeth's eyes were so sad and soft as she looked at him. "Thank you, Constable," she said, almost in a whisper.

And as the door closed and he started to walk Newton back to the livery, all Nathan could think was that he'd had the bad luck to meet Miss Elizabeth Thatcher on what had to have been the worst day of her life.

---

CHAPTER 8

Elizabeth opened her eyes slowly and for a moment, she had absolutely no idea where she was. The sun was streaming in the window and the white eyelet curtains fluttered on a soft breeze. She started to stretch and then thought better of it, as every muscle in her body sent reminders of the cold night on the floor of the stagecoach after a week of bumpy dirt roads.

Slowly, the memories filtered in. First, the kindness of Abigail Stanton as she'd tucked her into this soft, cozy feather bed after warming water for her bath and leaving her to soak blissfully, dozing until the water turned cool.

Elizabeth had come to appreciate things that she'd never even thought about appreciating before. A hairbrush, a washcloth, a toothbrush, this lovely quilt and the pure white sheets and pillowcases...

The teacherage.

Elizabeth's eyes flew open and her breath caught. I burned down the teacherage. She hadn't yet taught for one day in Coal Valley and she already owed them the cost of an entire building. And the cost of a sandwich and coffee at the saloon.

The Mountie.

Now the memories were coming so fast that Elizabeth pulled the quilt up over her head to see if she could stop them. It didn't work. Elizabeth was having such a hard time separating what was real from who she knew herself to be – had she really thrown her arms around Constable Nathan Grant and cried into his red serge? Could that person be the Elizabeth Marie Thatcher she knew?

But the more disturbing question was: had it really felt as good as I remember?

What had he said to her that had finally made her feel better? If there was ever a building that needed burning down, it was that one. She could still hear his voice, magnified in her ear right against his chest. Elizabeth touched her cheek, remembering the soft scratch of the red serge, and then his hand, with his thumb moving slowly across her skin, feeling truly safe for the first time all day...

Suddenly, for no apparent reason, Elizabeth's mind went to Charles Kensington. The man she knew her mother had hoped would be courting her right now, the man who worked for her father and was everything William Thatcher could desire in a son-in-law. The man she had never cared for as more than a friend, and never would. Elizabeth had left all that behind, and though she hadn't thought much about it, she realized now that she hadn't only come here for a job. What Elizabeth really expected to do was to find her life here in the west.

Even as her friend, Charles had never understood her desire to come to Coal Valley. And she suspected he thought, they all thought, she would be back on the next coach. What they were forgetting - her father, her mother, Viola and Charles – was that a Thatcher doesn't shrink from a challenge. And Elizabeth thought if she could survive yesterday, she could survive anything.

For a moment, Elizabeth smiled, trying to think of Charles Kensington in Coal Valley. Then she giggled, imagining his reaction to the outhouse she'd used at the teacherage. At least that was still standing, she thought. I didn't burn everything down.

Elizabeth threw back the covers and sat up, but she did it a little too quickly. Reaching back, she felt a small bump on the side of her head where she'd come into contact with the door handle on the stagecoach. Then she looked at her hands and could see that the bath hadn't fully cleaned the soot from under her fingernails.

You're definitely not in Hamilton anymore, Elizabeth.

She'd tried so hard to put out the fire, but she hadn't realized that throwing an entire bucket of cold water on it would do nothing but send it flying sideways. That's when the curtains caught fire, and then the dresses she was trying to dry... it had all happened so quickly. Finally, she had run for her life.

And she'd stood there, watching the flames, and feeling more alone than she'd ever felt in her life. Until a kind voice filtered through the fog she was in. The insufferable Mountie, who, as she looked back at it, turned out to be a very good person who was there every time she needed him.

Elizabeth sighed, wondering why life was never simple.

She brought the brush through her curls a little too forcefully. Right now she had more important things to think about. She was teaching school in two days. In the saloon.

For a short time while Elizabeth soaked in the bath, Abigail stayed nearby. Most likely because she was afraid I might drown if I was left alone for a minute, Elizabeth thought, shaking her head. This was not the first impression she wanted to make. Abigail had continued to tell her not to worry, and then she had shared something with Elizabeth that had rocked her to her core. Something the Superintendent of Schools had neglected to tell her before she took the position.

Forty-seven men had died, just three months ago. And among them, Abigail's husband and son, Mrs. Montgomery's husband, and Mrs. Blakeley's husband. Remembering the three women standing on the other side of the table in the saloon yesterday, she had thought of them only as mothers. But they were also widows. And Abigail had lost a child as well. And there Elizabeth was, mourning the loss of her pink hat.

Elizabeth sighed, remembering her mantra: "I am Elizabeth Thatcher. I am a strong, independent, capable woman. I can face any obstacle with courage, grace and dignity." She knew she had so much to learn from these women about strength and dignity. And as she lay in the cooling water of the bath, she had vowed that she was going to be worthy of the trust of these women and this town.

Elizabeth looked over at the closet and saw the three dresses that Abigail had hung there for her. Also the shoes on the floor, which she could already see would be too small. The hats above the dresses were both straw, with very little embellishment.

Elizabeth smiled. She would need to get some new clothes, or perhaps have Julie send some of her cotton dresses from Hamilton, but she did admit she liked the look of the things Abigail had set aside for her. And as Constable Grant had told her in their first few minutes together, she really did need to get another pair of shoes.

Elizabeth closed her eyes. She didn't seem to be able to keep her mind off of that Mountie. And now she was struggling to remember what he'd said when he'd walked around Florence Blakeley, again coming to her rescue when she'd realized she had no money. He hadn't called Allie his daughter. Elizabeth thought he'd said she was his niece. Perhaps she was visiting?

As she pinned back her hair, Elizabeth realized she knew nothing about Nathan Grant. He knew everything about her, and for all she knew, the man could be married. After all, yesterday he'd done nothing but his job. Well, perhaps chopping the wood was a little above and beyond, but maybe that's a tradition in Coal Valley, that newcomers have their wood chopped by... the Mountie.

And then there was the matter of that embrace, which had been entirely her doing. The man was simply trying to comfort her. For all Elizabeth knew, that was also a part of the job of Mountie in a town as small as Coal Valley.

Frowning at herself in the mirror, Elizabeth took a deep breath and put both hands on the dressing table. This has to stop, she whispered to her reflection. Focus, Elizabeth. Your priority is your job, and while you're doing that, you need to make sure that no one in Hamilton ever doubts your resolve again. And that means as little contact as possible with the Constable of Coal Valley.

---

Nathan's job had become considerably more complicated. And not just by the fact that the young lady he was supposed to protect was clearly not going to allow him to do it.

There was the usual required paperwork with the determination that the teacherage, a town building, had burned down by accident rather than by arson. More importantly, there was a stagecoach robbery to investigate, and it would require coordination with the Murrayville Mountie office. The day after tomorrow, school would be starting, and Nathan would need to make arrangements for Allie to be cared for while he accomplished all this.

Nathan looked down at the piece of wood in his hand. It was looking less and less like a rabbit the more he thought of Miss Elizabeth Thatcher. Already he was thinking he would need to make this into something much smaller, like a mouse, because he had carved a little too deeply.

He couldn't seem to get her face out of his mind. Her eyes full of tears, her face sooty and streaked, looking up at him with her chin on his chest and her arms tightly around his waist. It had barely been twenty-four hours since he'd laid eyes on her, and now she was so much a part of his thoughts he couldn't even remember what he'd thought about yesterday at this time.

Nathan looked again at his carving. Definitely a mouse. Setting the wood and his knife aside, Nathan looked out over the meadow in front of the row houses. It was Saturday, and although he planned to spend time in the office later today, it was too beautiful a morning to waste.

"Allie?" he called inside the front door. She popped her head around and smiled at him. She had her dolls set up in such a way that Nathan wished it wasn't such a long time until Christmas. He already had the plans in his head for a dollhouse he was going to make for her, but before that, he would need to build a shed in the backyard that he could use as a wood shop.

"It's a pretty day. Do you want to take a ride on Newton?" he asked her. She grinned back at him and nodded.

"Can Emily come?" she asked. This question came as no surprise to Nathan, because it was what she asked now for every activity.

"No, sweetie, let's let Emily spend some time with her family. Maybe tomorrow, after church. Okay?"

"Okay," Allie said, sitting down on the floor and starting to pull on her boots.

"Here, let me help you," Nathan said, reaching down.

Allie pulled her foot away and said, "No! I do it."

Nathan laughed and shook his head. "I'm surrounded," he said softly. "By women who don't need my help."

---

Elizabeth had slept until nearly noon, and by the time she came downstairs, Abigail had already done the washing and hung it out to dry, and then canned twelve jars of peaches. They smelled so good that Elizabeth was ready to open up a jar and eat the whole thing herself.

"Morning," Elizabeth said.

Abigail looked up and grinned. "I'm afraid you've missed the morning entirely. You must have needed sleep."

Elizabeth sat down at the kitchen table. "I don't think I slept a wink out in that stagecoach. I kept hearing animals..." She looked at Abigail, washing the large pot from the peaches, and saw her own nightgown out on the line drying in the breeze. She looked down at her hands. "You must think me silly and incompetent," she said softly.

Abigail stopped what she was doing and looked at Elizabeth. "Not at all." She smiled. "I would say you had a very bad day."

Elizabeth laughed in spite of herself. "Yes. I would agree with that." She looked earnestly at Abigail. "I will reimburse the town for burning down the teacherage."

Abigail laughed softly. "It was an old building anyway," she said.

"That's what Constable Grant said, too," Elizabeth said, laughing with her.

"Did he?" Abigail asked. She turned back around and continued washing her pot, and Elizabeth frowned. There was something about the way Abigail had spoken those two simple words that made her think there was something she needed to know.

"Abigail?" Elizabeth said. When she turned around again, Elizabeth tilted her head with a question in her eyes.

Wiping her hands on a towel, Abigail came over to the table and sat down. "This is a small town, Elizabeth," she began, "And..."

Horrified, Elizabeth said, "There were people there."

Abigail nodded, and Elizabeth was very glad to see she was still smiling. "Franklin is a member of the Volunteer Fire Department and he told Ned Yost, who told Molly, who told Carla, who told me..."

"That the new schoolteacher was..." Elizabeth's hands went to her mouth and she lowered her face into them. "Oh, Abigail, I'm so sorry..."

"Well, they understood that you were quite upset. But it's been mentioned that you were very... close..." Abigail stood up quickly and went to the washbasin again to finish her pot. Elizabeth looked closely and she thought she might be smiling.

"Abigail?"

She turned around and the smile had progressed to a laugh. "You haven't been here a day and you're already..."

"...making an impression?" Elizabeth said. Abigail's laugh was infectious, and Elizabeth really needed to release everything she was feeling. They laughed together for some time until Abigail said, "I hate gossip. It's just the worst kind of communication. But that news made it over the back fence in record time this morning."

Shaking her head, Elizabeth said, "What do I do?"

"Oh, it'll die down in record time, too." She paused and raised an eyebrow. "Unless you're..."

Elizabeth's eyes went wide. "NO!" she said, aware that she may have said it just a little too loudly.

Abigail gave her a long knowing look. "He's quite handsome, don't you think?"

Suddenly, Elizabeth found a very interesting thread on the tablecloth. "I hadn't noticed," she said, trying for casual and ending up with petulant.

Abigail walked back over and sat down. She took a deep breath. "It will die down if you let it," she said kindly but pointedly. When Elizabeth looked up at her, Abigail said softly, "Let's let all the mothers get used to having a new schoolteacher without any added complications, shall we?"

Elizabeth nodded and then lifted her chin a little. "Believe me, I have no intention of..."

Abigail took her hand and patted it gently. "Yes, I know. I had no intentions with Noah either. And within six months we were married." She smiled. "You're both new to town. Get settled in. Get to know people. Then you can see what happens."

"Nothing is going to happen," Elizabeth said, but her voice didn't sound very convincing, even to her.

"Mmm-hmmm," Abigail said, smiling. She stood and said, "You must be hungry. Eggs and toast sound okay?"

Elizabeth was famished. She sighed and smiled. "Sounds wonderful."

---

Elizabeth needed to wire her family to let them know she'd arrived safely. Abigail told her exactly how to get to the Mercantile and that Ned Yost would handle it. Elizabeth sighed. The same Ned Yost who told Molly, who told Carla... She wondered just how long it would take to live down that spontaneous embrace in front of practically everyone in town.

Looking down, Elizabeth was thinking she would also see about getting another pair of boots. She was wearing the ones she had on yesterday because Abigail's shoes were definitely too small. But her feet still hurt and she was imagining a nice suede boot with a lace that could be let out...

"Afternoon."

She looked up suddenly and there he was again. So tall on Newton with the sun behind him, but this time he was out of uniform and he had Allie sitting in front of him in the saddle.

Allie was looking at the straw hat Elizabeth had borrowed from Abigail. It had a thick robin's egg blue grosgrain ribbon around it with a bow at the front. It was very simple compared to the pink-ribboned, floppy-feathered affair that Elizabeth had been wearing yesterday.

Allie frowned a little and said, "Your hat was pretty."

Elizabeth made a sad face and then laughed. "I know. It's gone. Burned. But I learned how to make hats from a friend, and I bet we could make another one just like it," she said to Allie, hoping to make her smile.

It did make her smile, and then Allie did something that surprised both Elizabeth and Nathan. She put her arms out so that Elizabeth could take her down from the saddle. Elizabeth looked up at Nathan and he smiled and nodded. She lifted her down and Allie set about inspecting the lace on Elizabeth's collar. "That's pretty, too, isn't it?" Elizabeth said softly.

Nathan jumped down off of Newton and watched for a moment. He'd seen Allie being held by plenty of women, the neighbor in Benson Hills and most recently, Cat and Molly, but it hadn't made him feel like this.

Nathan took a deep breath to make a little more room in his chest. For the first time since Nathan had taken on Allie, he was feeling there might be something missing in their lives.

---

CHAPTER 9

While Allie looked at the lace on the collar of Elizabeth's dress, Nathan was keeping his distance and practicing silence, which, in light of their interactions yesterday, felt like his best option. He stood next to Newton and ran his fingers absentmindedly through his mane while Elizabeth talked softly to Allie. She moved on from the lace and was now curling a lock of Elizabeth's hair around her finger. Nathan thought Allie might see Elizabeth as just a larger version of one of her very pretty dolls.

Thinking about that made him smile and look down at his boots, and when he raised his eyes again, Elizabeth was looking at him.

There was no coldness in her eyes, which was encouraging. "I'm amusing you again, Constable Grant."

He smiled and shook his head slowly, thinking of how to answer. In truth, he was hoping for a conversation of longer than a few sentences before they were at each other's throats again. "No," he said, measuring his words carefully. "I like to see Allie happy." He inclined his head toward his niece. "She's happy with you."

Elizabeth smiled radiantly and Nathan suddenly found himself needing another breath. Elizabeth looked at Allie and said, "I like you, too." She looked back over at Nathan. "She's your...niece?"

Nathan nodded. "Yes, my sister's girl. Colleen, my sister... passed away. Five months ago." Nathan still hadn't mastered the kick in the stomach that came with that phrase. No matter how many times he said it, it didn't seem to get easier. To cover his discomfort, he looked down and pushed a small rock with the toe of his boot.

"I'm so sorry," Elizabeth said quickly, her eyes soft. She could see that Nathan was avoiding her eyes and she gave him some space. She looked back at Allie, who was still playing with the curl that fell just in front of Elizabeth's ear. "When I was a little girl," Elizabeth said, "I had an older sister and a younger sister. And we used to curl each other's hair." Allie looked into Elizabeth's eyes, and Elizabeth smiled, thinking, There's a lot going on inside that little head.

"How old are you, Allie?" Elizabeth asked.

Allie put up her hand with three fingers. "You're three?" Elizabeth asked, with a look of mock surprise on her face. "You look older than that," she said, smiling.

Nathan moved from around Newton. "She just turned four in August," he said. "August 8th."

Elizabeth looked at Allie's fingers. "So if that's three, how many is one more?" Allie looked at her hand and Elizabeth gently took her baby finger and put it up with the others. "One, two, three, four!" she said, and Allie giggled.

"Four," Allie said.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. "And do you know what that means?"

Allie shook her head.

"That means that next year, you will be one of my students," she said. "And I will be your teacher."

Allie digested that information for a moment and then said, "Do you want to see my dolls?"

"Oh," Elizabeth said, "I would love to see them, but right now I have to go to the Mercantile."

"Okay," Allie said, wriggling out of her arms as Elizabeth set her down carefully on her feet. Allie took Elizabeth's hand and started walking back toward town.

Nathan said quickly, "No, Allie... We need to... get home."

"Why?" Allie said, turning to him with her forehead furrowed.

Nathan was wracking his brain for a reason that made sense. Actually, he needed to go home and get into his uniform so that he could work for a while. He didn't have a plan for Allie yet today.

Elizabeth spoke softly so Allie wouldn't be disappointed if he said no. "I could take her." But speaking more softly meant she needed to move a little closer, and Nathan did the same.

It was impossible not to think about it. To not remember what it felt like. How her exhaustion and his worry still couldn't keep the feelings at bay last night. They both knew it.

Elizabeth held tight to Allie's hand, and Allie stood patiently waiting for the grownups to figure it out. She passed the time by sticking her fingers into the wide row of open lace at the hem of Elizabeth's dress.

Nathan and Elizabeth looked at each other, and to Elizabeth, time seemed to stretch out a little, in the way it did when she'd had a little too much champagne last year at the Hamilton Museum Ball.

It had to be his eyes that were rattling her senses. She didn't think she'd ever seen eyes so blue, and she could swear that they were actually increasing in intensity the longer she stood here.

"You wouldn't mind?" he asked.

"Mind what?" Elizabeth said, having completely lost the thread of the conversation.

Nathan frowned, thinking maybe he'd misunderstood. "Did you... just say you would take Allie with you?"

"Oh," Elizabeth said, nodding. "Yes, of course, I'd be happy to take her."

"It would actually be a big help. If you don't mind. She seems to be... to have an ease with you. I need to get home and change and then go to work for a while," Nathan said. "If you could bring her to my office?" Then he realized he might be assuming too much. "It doesn't take me long to change my clothes..." He stopped himself, his eyes wide. "I can be... fast," he finally managed to say.

Elizabeth tilted her head and narrowed her eyes a little. She was trying to reconcile the Constable Grant she'd met out at the stagecoach with this one. Because the one she'd first met seemed to have as many words as he needed at his disposal. In fact, perhaps too many, she thought, remembering how casual he was about her distress. But this Constable Grant, the one with the adorable niece who was right now happily occupied tucking tiny rocks into the holes in the lace at the bottom of her dress, was different.

And then Elizabeth reminded herself that it didn't matter whether she liked this Nathan Grant, the tongue-tied one, better than the one she'd met yesterday morning. Because she had no business liking either one of them.

"Constable Grant... I..." Elizabeth started.

"Do you think you could call me Nathan?" he said, softly interrupting her.

To her dismay, Elizabeth felt a blush begin. She did her best to pretend it wasn't there, but the Constable's irregular smile was starting again.

"Elizabeth," she said, feeling the heat grow in her cheeks. She was trying to use the voice she used in class, to show she was in charge.

"I need to tell you something... Nathan," Elizabeth said. She straightened up a little and realized that her skirt was beginning to feel like it weighed a bit more. She looked down and realized that Allie had managed to put quite a few tiny rocks into the lace. But Elizabeth just had one more thing to say and wanted to do it now. And Allie was being very good.

Elizabeth looked up and met Nathan's eyes. "Mrs. Stanton mentioned to me this morning that there has been some... talk," Elizabeth said.

"About us?" Nathan said without thinking.

Nathan realized he was beginning to recognize the warning signs. Two eyebrows were a question, but one eyebrow was a warning.

"There is no us, Constable..." Elizabeth started. Then she heard herself and stopped.

"I'm sorry," she said, blushing and looking down again. "I don't know what it is about you that makes me so... so..." She was trying to choose between rude and unkind when Nathan saved her from having to decide.

"Look, Elizabeth..." She looked up at the sound of him saying her name. He didn't quite get all the syllables out, so it came out something like Lizbeth. It sounded almost like an endearment, and the charm of it made her stomach flutter again. And this time she knew she wasn't hungry.

"Can we just start over?" Nathan said.

"Yes, but..." Elizabeth started. She looked up at him and there was that crooked smile again.

"How can there be a but when we just started over?" Nathan said, raising his eyebrows.

"Because last night doesn't just go away," Elizabeth said quickly.

That silenced both of them.

For a moment they both stood, eyes joined and minds racing. Elizabeth hadn't meant to say it so bluntly, and Nathan was frantically trying to decipher what she was saying to him.

"And by last night, you mean..." he said tentatively.

"Well, when I..." Elizabeth said, trying to decide between hug and embrace.

"Yes," Nathan said, saving her the trouble.

Whatever word disease Nathan had, Elizabeth realized she was rapidly catching it. She shook her head. This is ridiculous. Spit it out, Elizabeth.

"Abigail says that people saw us, and that it might not be seemly for the new schoolteacher and the new Mountie to be so...familiar. She suggested that I let the mothers get used to having a new teacher, without… complications."

Nathan was nodding, but not speaking. He realized that this would be the perfect solution to his need to keep his distance from Miss Elizabeth Thatcher in order to better fulfill her father's wishes. But he was also realizing he had very little desire to keep his distance.

As Elizabeth waited for him to say something, she was feeling herself being pulled slightly toward the ground and she looked down again. The wide lace at the hem of the dress was bulging and Elizabeth laughed. "Allie?"

The little girl looked up at her with such a sweet grin that Elizabeth couldn't even chastise her. Nathan looked down and saw what Allie had been doing, and started laughing too. "Allie. Please stop decorating Miss Thatcher's skirt." He bent down and started removing the small stones, and Elizabeth did the same. Now all three were crouched in the middle of the path, laughing, while Nathan held the hem of Elizabeth's skirt and they both picked at it.

At one point, they reached for the same rock and their fingers touched. They looked up and now their eyes met from an even shorter distance. Neither of them could look away.

"Hello," came a voice from behind Elizabeth. It was Abigail, walking toward them.

"Hi!" Elizabeth said, popping up as if she were on a spring. What made Abigail smile in spite of herself was the fact that Nathan did and said exactly the same thing at the same time. They were like two children who had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Abigail looked down at the small pile of rocks and saw the ones still left in the lace, and along with the fact that Allie was industriously beginning to put them all back in, she had the whole story. She looked at Elizabeth and raised her eyebrows. "I'm heading into town, Elizabeth. Would you like to join me?"

"Yes!" Elizabeth said, a little too brightly. She looked at Nathan and said, "I can still take Allie, if you'd like?" Then she looked at Abigail with a question and Abigail nodded slightly.

"That would be great," Nathan said.

"Great!" Elizabeth said.

Abigail looked down at her basket to hide the smile that she couldn't prevent, saying very softly, "Great."

---

CHAPTER 10

Elizabeth had Allie's hand in hers as she and Abigail walked toward the Mercantile. Elizabeth felt she really should say something.

"We ran into each other by accident, Abigail," Elizabeth said, looking over.

Abigail smiled kindly and nodded. "As I said before, it's a small town. And since I hope you'll stay with me until you get settled, you'll both be living in the row houses, so you might as well get used to it."

A strange combination of happiness and horror flashed across Elizabeth's face for a moment before she collected herself, but Abigail saw it. "He lives in one of the row houses?" Elizabeth said thinly.

Smiling, Abigail said, "The one on the far end." She raised an eyebrow slyly. "As far away from mine as possible."

Elizabeth laughed. "Well, that's a blessing." Shaking her head, Elizabeth said, "Oh, Abigail. How can I have been here such a short time and have already gotten myself into so much trouble?"

Abigail laughed too and put her arm around Elizabeth. "Well, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that trouble will find you no matter where you go. It's how you deal with it that matters." She squeezed Elizabeth's shoulder gently. "And if I'm reading things correctly, you're not the only one in trouble," Abigail said softly.

Elizabeth turned quickly, her eyes wide. She started to shake her head slowly, and then stopped and looked down at Allie. Allie felt her looking and turned to gaze adoringly up at her. Elizabeth made a face and Allie giggled.

"Oh, dear," Abigail said, both eyebrows going up this time. "It's all three of you." She let out a big sigh. They were almost to the Mercantile. "Ned Yost is in there, and he'll take care of your wire. I need to go to the bank, and I may see you on the way home. If not, the door is always unlocked."

Abigail leaned down and touched Allie's cheek tenderly. "Bye, Allie. I hope to see you again soon." Abigail hadn't missed the fact that Allie hadn't let go of Elizabeth's hand for a second, and she didn't now. That little girl wants a mother, Abigail thought. She looked back at Elizabeth and grinned. "Stay out of trouble?"

Elizabeth laughed. "Oh, I'll try," she said.

---

Elizabeth glossed over the stagecoach robbery in the wire to her father, and he was so glad to hear she was safe that he wired her more money immediately. All she had to do was go to the bank and get it. All the while she was handling her business, Allie was absolutely content to simply hold her hand and go with her anywhere.

After picking up her money, Elizabeth went back to the Mercantile and found a plain hat, and she let Allie choose the ribbons and notions to dress it up. She loved that Allie's favorite color seemed to be blue, which was also hers. Of course, Allie wanted to decorate the hat right away, but Elizabeth said that it would be better if they could find a special time when they could do that and nothing else. Maybe after church tomorrow.

Elizabeth had learned early in her teaching that she should never make promises to children if she wasn't completely sure that she could keep them. So when Allie said, "Promise?" to her suggestion, Elizabeth said, "We'll have to ask your Uncle Nathan," at which point, Allie simply took Elizabeth's hand and began leading her around the corner to the Mountie office.

Laughing, Elizabeth said, "I don't think he's there, Allie." She didn't want to say she'd been watching for the red serge to ride by.

Allie pointed. "Newton," she said simply, and yes, there was Nathan's horse, tethered outside the office of the Coal Valley North West Mounted Police.

"He is fast," Elizabeth said softly.

When they came to the office door, Elizabeth felt a shyness coming on, but Allie was full-steam ahead. "Uncle Nathan, I want to make a hat."

Nathan looked up from his seat at the desk and smiled. "You want to make a hat?" He gazed up at Elizabeth, and she laughed. She brought her basket over to his desk and showed him the ribbons and lace they'd found, and then she pulled out the straw hat she had in a paper bag.

"We thought after services tomorrow?" Elizabeth said. "I'm sure Abigail wouldn't mind if Allie and I spent some time at her dining room table."

Nathan looked at Allie's face, seeing how bright it was. "I think that would be fine," Nathan said. As soon as he had given his okay, Allie happily went over to the corner of the office that had a veritable zoo of her carved animals and some of her toys.

Nathan looked up at Elizabeth and said, "Hat making after church it is," as he smiled a little awkwardly. What he was realizing was that he really wanted to ask Elizabeth if they could all walk together out to the grove tomorrow, and perhaps sit together, but he knew she would say what she should say – it would only keep people talking.

When they'd looked at each other a little too long, Elizabeth turned away. And then she saw the bookshelf.

She stopped and tilted her head to the side so that she could read the titles on the bindings. She smiled, seeing that it was an eclectic mix that included Moby Dick, The Complete Stories of Edgar Allan Poe, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Last of the Mohicans, The Scarlet Letter and Pride and Prejudice. She turned and looked at Nathan, her eyes narrowed slightly. "This is quite a library for a Mountie's office," she said with no small amount of admiration in her voice.

Nathan laughed softly. "And what would you expect? Nothing but Sherlock Holmes, or Crime and Punishment, perhaps?"

"Ah," Elizabeth said, even more impressed, "A literary Mountie." She turned back to the bookshelf. "Oh, Emily Dickenson." She pulled the book from the shelf and held it tenderly, opening it to a random page. "Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all."

Elizabeth sighed and looked over at Nathan. "I don't really care that I lost all my dresses and shoes..." she said softly. She peeked past him to the corner of the office to be sure Allie wasn't listening, "...even my hats," and Nathan smiled back at her. Elizabeth's face went suddenly sad. "But my books... all gone," she said. "I looked in the Mercantile, and Ned only seems to have Farmer's Almanacs and books on how to do things, like build a chicken coop," she said sadly.

She looked back at Nathan. "So you must have brought all these with you. I've already looked and Coal Valley doesn't have a library..." Elizabeth trailed her fingers lovingly across the spines of the books on the second shelf. Uncle Tom's Cabin, Oliver Twist, Shakespeare's Sonnets, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Journey to the Center of the Earth..." She gazed back over at Nathan, her eyebrows raised, "Jules Verne. So you enjoy fantasy stories?"

"It's all fantasy unless it's non-fiction, isn't it?" Nathan asked. "Even Melville's story of the whale, and... Emily Dickinson's poems." Talking about books had Nathan feeling more on solid ground than he felt trying to make conversation with a woman as beautiful and kind as Elizabeth. He knew books. Women were the mystery.

Nathan saw the look in her eyes and recognized a longing there for something lost. It was a look he knew well because he had seen it so often in his own mirror. Elizabeth's books were much more easily replaced than Colleen or his father, so Nathan stood and went to the bookshelf.

"Close your eyes," he said.

Elizabeth's forehead creased, just between her eyebrows. "Why?" she said, tilting her head.

"Just do it, please," Nathan said gently.

Elizabeth smiled and did as he asked.

"Now keep them closed, and choose five books," Nathan said. He put his hand very lightly on hers and guided it up to the bookshelf. "No looking," he warned her. "The ones you choose, you can borrow. From the Mountie Library."

Elizabeth couldn't see him, and yet she somehow knew that he was wearing the crooked smile. "But how will I know which books I'm getting?" she asked.

"You won't... and you will," Nathan said. "You just saw all the titles, and where they were." He turned and looked at her, and since her eyes were closed, he could gaze at her as long as he wanted while he talked to her. "Do you believe in fate, Elizabeth?" he asked. "That certain things are meant to be and that we'll make choices that lead us there, whether we know it or not?"

Elizabeth was running her hands across the spines of the books on the second shelf. There was a particular book she wanted more than any other. "Well, I had a choice to come to Coal Valley or to stay in Hamilton. But you were assigned here, weren't you? That wasn't your choice." She thought the book was one of the three she had her hand on.

Nathan smiled again. "That's where you're wrong. Not ten days ago I was sitting in an office with another Mountie and he and I got to choose where we wanted to be. I chose Coal Valley. Jack decided to go to Cape Fullerton and live a much more exciting life."

Now Elizabeth was trying to measure the width of each book with her fingers to see if it matched her memory of how the book had looked just moments ago. "And if you'd chosen differently, then it would be Mountie Jack who would be standing here torturing me with blind man's bluff," she said laughing.

"Ah, no, that's not how things work," Nathan said, watching her hands as they measured each book and moved on. She had beautiful hands with slender, graceful fingers. "Each moment leads to the next, and it's possible Jack wouldn't have come out to get you at the stagecoach. Perhaps you would have met him later. He's a single man and doesn't have a child to care for, so it's likely you wouldn't be in this office right now at all," Nathan said. "Everything would be different."

Elizabeth laughed softly. "Maybe if Mountie Jack had shown up in Coal Valley, I wouldn't have burned down the teacherage," she said.

Nathan laughed too. "Possibly. But another possibility is that burning down the teacherage was necessary for you to live with Abigail for a while and become the friends that you wouldn't have become if you were living out there by yourself. And if it hadn't burned, then we... " Nathan suddenly felt himself on dangerous ground and stopped.

But Elizabeth's eyes were still closed, and for some reason that made it easier to tell the truth. Maybe it was because she wasn't distracted by his eyes. "If it hadn't burned, then I wouldn't have shamelessly thrown myself into your arms and cried on your fine red serge jacket..."

She couldn't know that Nathan's eyes were closed now too, as he remembered. He spoke very softly. "I didn't mind," he said.

Elizabeth couldn't describe what she was feeling right now, and she hoped that once she got upstairs and into the privacy of her room at Abigail's, that she would be able to write it on the lined pages of the blank book she'd purchased at the Mercantile. She'd lost her journal in the fire as well, and though it was a great loss, it didn't yet have any of her impressions of Coal Valley, and that was the part she needed so badly to process right now.

Elizabeth could hear Allie in the corner with her dolls talking to them. She heard people chatting outside and horses walking by, and she could feel Nathan next to her. She could still feel the place on her hand where his fingers had been, guiding her to the bookshelf. And she could feel a book in her hands that she knew was the one she wanted. She had been drawn to it. She pulled it out, and still with her eyes closed, she held it up. "This one," she said.

Nathan opened his eyes and grinned. "Hope is the thing with feathers," he said softly. "Now four more." Elizabeth would have felt grateful to borrow any one of the other books on the shelves, so now that she'd gotten the one she really wanted, it didn't matter so much. In fact, she enjoyed just letting her fingers roam and pick whatever fate chose for her.

Nathan called them out to her. "Captains Courageous. Kipling is never a mistake. A Christmas Carol. You'll find that one a little dog-eared from Christmases past. Pride and Prejudice. Always a good choice. Last one. Oh, The Fall of the House of Usher. Don't read that one in the dark," Nathan said, laughing.

"May I open my eyes now?" Elizabeth said, laughing too.

"Yes," Nathan said, finally peering into her eyes again. "You did very well."

"And I can really borrow these?" Elizabeth said as she stacked them one on top of the other. "I don't think I realized how much I missed my books until I saw yours." She frowned slightly. "And I'll ask you again. What is a library like this doing in a Mountie office?"

Nathan smiled his crooked smile. "You seem to have a very narrow view of me, Miss Thatcher."

Elizabeth laughed. "Oh, I did say that to you yesterday morning, didn't I?" She looked at him from under her lashes. "I am sorry I was so rude to you, but I was upset about the fact that my father thinks so little of me."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Or perhaps he thinks so much of you that he wants you to be safe?"

"Perhaps," Elizabeth said softly. She looked seriously into Nathan's eyes. "But I can't prove myself here if I have a Mountie constantly coming to my rescue, Nathan. I need to do this on my own."

"I know," he said. "Though I already have no doubt about how strong you are."

They both simply looked at each other, breathing a little more quickly. That was just about as much straightforward honesty as the two of them could handle at this point, and they both looked back at the bookshelf.

"Do you think Mountie Jack would have a library like this?" Elizabeth said, hoping to move the conversation onto a less perilous path.

Nathan nodded slowly. "He seemed like a pretty smart guy, but if he had one, they would be different books."

Elizabeth looked directly at Nathan and said softly, "I like these books."

Suddenly Emily Montgomery ran through the open door and went straight over to Allie in the corner and sat down to play. Cat wasn't far behind and by the time she arrived at the doorway, Elizabeth had moved back to her basket and was making a show of arranging its contents.

Cat looked at Nathan and then at Elizabeth and raised an eyebrow. "Miss Thatcher. Good to see you again. I trust you're settled in at Abigail's?"

Elizabeth turned. "Oh, please, call me Elizabeth, and yes..." She felt a blush coming on, "I'm very comfortable there. And Mrs. Montgomery..."

"Call me Cat," she said, nodding.

"Cat... as I told Abigail, I will pay the town back every penny for the teacherage. I am so sorry..."

"It was a very old building," Cat said, and Nathan laughed.

"That seems to be the consensus," he said. "I saw it up close, and I'm not sure it would have made it through the week even without a fire."

Cat laughed, and then, so did Elizabeth. "Thank you both," she said gratefully. "Everyone has been so kind."

"We'll see you at Sunday services tomorrow, Elizabeth?" Cat asked. "We're holding the meetings outside in the grove since we have no church. And I've been giving the sermon, since Reverend Anderson is owned by the mining company and we choose not to have him tell us about the Lord."

Elizabeth heard Cat's voice go uncharacteristically cold, and she looked at Nathan. Elizabeth could see that he was hearing the same thing, but if he was opting not to address it, she wouldn't either.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it," Elizabeth said. She walked around to where Allie was playing, to say goodbye, and Allie looked up and said, "This is Emily." Emily stood up and said formally, "Hello, Miss Thatcher. You're our new teacher." She smiled at Elizabeth and said, "I like school. I'm glad you're here."

Touched, Elizabeth said, "Thank you, Emily. I'm glad to be here." She smiled and said, "I will see you in class on Monday." Elizabeth looked at Allie. "See you tomorrow, Allie?" Before she knew it, Allie had stood and put her arms around Elizabeth's legs, hugging her. She looked up and said, "We make a pretty hat," and then ran back over to Emily.

Elizabeth laughed and walked over to Nathan's desk to get her basket. As she was walking by him, he handed her the five books she'd chosen. "Miss Thatcher," he said, affecting a casual tone.

"Thank you, Constable," Elizabeth said, doing the same.

As Elizabeth went out the door, Cat looked from one to the other and took a deep breath.

She was not fooled. Not for a moment.

---

CHAPTER 11

The first page of a new journal always feels like a fresh start. It's very welcome this evening, as my last journal was lost in a fire that I accidentally started in the Coal Valley teacherage. My cheeks go red again, just writing that. I have been assured by multiple town residents that it was an old building and might have needed to come down; but I feel that, being new here, it's likely I shouldn't have been the one to do it. On the bright side, which I always wish to seek out, I have now learned how to start a fire. Turns out I'm quite good at it.

As I think about my lost journal, I realize that it primarily contained the speculations of a young girl who didn't know yet what she was getting herself into. She was bright-eyed and ready to face a challenge, but blissfully unaware that challenges don't generally stand in a neat and tidy line waiting to confront you. They will sometimes come rushing at you all at once, leaving you stunned and breathless.

Where to begin? I feel my life has turned on its ear in the space of a mere few days, and it's still hard to make any sense of it.

I'm in the west, at last. After many long months of deciding to go, then seeking a position, and finally setting foot in Coal Valley, it seems as though I've been making this journey for my entire life.

And as I write that, I know it's not only metaphorically, but also literally, true. I feel such gratitude for the benefits of my Hamilton life – the comfort, the security, the education and opportunities. They remind me to thank my father and mother every night in my prayers. And while I miss them and my sisters, I know beyond a doubt that this is where I am supposed to be.

I'm not able to go into everything that has happened since I arrived in Coal Valley, because my eyes are closing as it is. I need sleep, and I'll fill in as time goes on. Let me just say that this little town has some of the kindest, strongest, and most open-hearted people I have ever had the privilege to meet.

P.S. Coal Valley also has a Mountie. A very tall, handsome, slightly infuriating, blue-eyed, well-read, tongue-tied, and exceedingly kind Mountie. And of course, this is the person that Father brought here to babysit me. We've already made a spectacle of ourselves, and in a matter of days, this new relationship has become one of the most complicated I can ever remember. Oh, my. I called it a "relationship." That surprises even me, and I wrote it.

I'll stop there, as I would be astonished if Constable Nathan Grant didn't make his way into this journal in future entries. To use Aunt Agatha's expression, I have my feet firmly planted in midair regarding my feelings for the Coal Valley Mountie.

P.P.S. I know I said I would stop, and here I am, back again. But I didn't want to forget to say that I see a very deep sadness in Nathan, and I feel certain it has to do in part with the loss of his sister. It's only been five months and now he's raising her little girl, Allie, as his own, and doing such a fine job of it. But I feel his grief, and I find myself wishing I could comfort him somehow. So as I prayed tonight, I added one for Nathan. I won't analyze why I did that. I will only say that it felt right.

---

The red serge was hard to miss.

Elizabeth was grateful that she and Abigail were walking behind Allie and Nathan on their way out to the grove for church, because if they'd been in front of them, Allie would certainly be by her side already.

Nathan had looked back once and had seen her. She'd smiled and he'd given her a look that was incongruously a blend of happiness and sadness. And Elizabeth was surprised to realize that it was exactly how she felt. She wanted to be walking beside him with Allie's hand in hers, and she knew it wasn't a good idea.

Abigail seemed to sense her conflict, and was content to fall back in the group of townspeople walking out to the grove. Elizabeth was glad to see so many, and then she remembered Abigail saying that there were quite a few outlying farms that were virtually self-sufficient, and the farmers and their families only came into town for the things they couldn't produce themselves, and for Sunday services.

Elizabeth smiled. She had been one of the few children in their Hamilton church who hadn't squirmed and fussed in the hard pews on Sundays. She remembered loving the sound of the choir and of the pastor's voice, echoing powerfully off of the cavernous ceilings. Even when she didn't understand what he was saying, the words seemed to elicit a feeling of well-being in her. Elizabeth also always loved the sense of community, of joining together to celebrate something much larger than herself or her own small family.

So as she walked with Abigail, Elizabeth was looking forward to hearing Cat Montgomery speak, and she was especially looking forward to being out in nature as she did it.

As they came into the clearing, Elizabeth was surprised to see that all of the seating was taken and people were starting to stand at the edges by the trees. Of course there were no pews out here, but there were rows of thick logs being used as benches. Elizabeth could see Nathan and Allie sitting on the left side of the aisle, on the last log at the back.

Again, Nathan turned, and she knew what he was going to do even before he did it. He bent down to speak to Allie and she turned too, seeing Elizabeth. She started to get up and then Nathan said something gently to her and she sat back down. Nathan stood and walked toward Elizabeth and Abigail.

He kept his voice low. "If you ladies would like to sit down, I really should stand here in the back. I'd like to keep an eye on those two." Nathan inclined his head toward the two Pinkertons leaning up against a tree to his right. They were dressed in head-to-toe black and both wore smirking scowls on their faces.

"Those are Henry Gowen's men," Abigail said softly. "They stand back here and take notes while Cat speaks every Sunday."

Elizabeth frowned when she saw the pistols they wore on their hips. "Why would there need to be armed men taking notes at a Sunday service?" she asked.

Nathan narrowed his eyes and said, "Gowen doesn't seem too fond of things that he doesn't control." He looked back toward Allie. "I would appreciate it if you would both sit with Allie while I stand back here. Would you mind?"

Abigail nodded and said, "Not at all." She looked at Elizabeth and smiled and then she walked over to sit next to Allie.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "That was a very clever way of getting us to take your seat, Constable," she said.

Nathan didn't turn, but his crooked smile began as he looked straight forward. "I thought we'd progressed past the point of Constable, Elizabeth," he said softly.

She smiled and kept her eyes forward too. "Only when we're not in public, Constable Grant."

His smile widened. "That might give me incentive to find you when you're not in public, but I'm certain that's not what you're suggesting, Miss Thatcher."

Elizabeth looked sharply at him, but he could see that she was trying not to laugh. "I think I liked you better when you were having trouble finding your words, Constable."

"Then I shall be silent," he said softly. And then, just as she began to walk away, he said, almost in a whisper, "Lizbeth."

She was lucky she stayed upright long enough to get to the log and sit down.

---

Cat was inspiring. Elizabeth found herself spellbound, listening to the joy Cat found in scripture, and how she managed to relate passages that offered just the right note of hope for so many in the congregation who were women without husbands and children without fathers.

Looking around at the children, Elizabeth realized that tomorrow, she would be the one standing in front of them. She closed her eyes and thanked God for the reminder that she needed not just to educate them, but to inspire them to continue to find joy and hope in the world around them.

Allie had spent the hour sitting quietly between Elizabeth and Abigail on the bench, holding two of her wooden animals. Before the service started, Elizabeth had asked her about them.

Allie held up the rabbit. "Hare," she said. Then she held up the turtle. "Torta, torsa..." she started, tentatively, and Elizabeth helped her.

"Tor-toise," Elizabeth said, slowly drawing out the syllables.

"Tortoise," Allie said perfectly. "The rabbit and the turtle have a race and the rabbit thinks he's faster but he's not and the turtle wins," she said, in one long sentence.

Elizabeth smiled. "That's a very good story, and it gives us a lesson," she said. "Sometimes..." Elizabeth exhaled, realizing what she was about to say. "Sometimes, slow is good, and fast is not. Sometimes, if we take our time, we can still win the race."

Sometimes, slow is good.

Several times during the service, Allie had turned and looked for Nathan. She found him in the same place every time, and then turned back. Elizabeth felt the little girl's need for his calm steadiness, her trust that he would be there each time she looked. Allie wasn't worried, she was just reaching out to touch him. One of the times Allie had turned, Elizabeth had been unable to stop herself from turning with her. Since they were on the last log in the rows, there was no one behind them.

It was harder for Elizabeth to turn back once she saw him. He stood with his hands behind his back and his legs slightly apart. His hat was smartly level on his head, his jaw was square and his face serious. But as he looked at her, just the hint of a corner of his mouth rose, just by a fraction, and she took a deep breath and turned forward again.

Slow down, Elizabeth. Slow is good.

Cat's voice brought Elizabeth back to the service. "We've all known what it's like when it seems that our only light is the flicker of a candle in the heart of a shaft. But I believe that candle is Providence, guiding us through our own darkness in these past few months. Together, we can see a way into the light."

---

Elizabeth had certainly seen more elegant hats, but she'd never had anything close to this much fun buying a hat as she did making one with Allie and Abigail. They had laughed together so much that her stomach hurt.

Allie had ideas, and none of them were small. If a curl of ribbon was good, then ten curls must be better. So they kept piling feathers and flowers on top until the straw was no longer visible and it began to look as if it might actually be alive.

Allie loved it. And that was all that mattered.

By the time Nathan came to pick her up at Abigail's row house, they were laughing so hard that they didn't hear him knock at the door. But he could hear them, so he poked his head inside.

"Hello?" he said.

All three turned and then Nathan began to laugh.

Allie was wearing her new hat, but she had decided that she needed to decorate Elizabeth and Abigail's hair so they would feel like they had hats too. Abigail and Elizabeth had ribbons and feathers and flowers wrapped around strands of their hair to such a degree that they had begun to look slightly like fantastical creatures. Nathan was reminded of a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream he'd seen in Quebec City.

Elizabeth, suddenly self-conscious, started to pull some of the pieces out of her hair, but Nathan came closer and smiled at her. "Don't," he said softly.

"But, it looks…" she started to say, still laughing.

"You look… beautiful," he said. And then, suddenly realizing he'd said it out loud, he turned to Allie and Abigail. "You all look beautiful."

Nathan turned to Abigail. "Would you mind, just for a moment, if we stepped outside? I have something I'd like to discuss with Miss Thatcher," he said, rather formally.

Abigail laughed. "Listen, you two. You may think you're fooling people, and you may be fooling some of them, but not me." She smiled up at Nathan. "When you're around me, please feel free to call Elizabeth by her first name. I don't have a child in the school, and I have no worries about Elizabeth's skills as a teacher." She looked at Allie in her hat and laughed again. "And if the teaching doesn't work out, we could certainly use a hat shop."

Nathan smiled and inclined his head toward the door. "Would you join me, Elizabeth?"

Blushing, Elizabeth followed him, grabbing at ribbons and feathers in her hair, trying to remove them. She was moderately successful, unaware of a few stragglers.

They stepped outside onto the porch and looked at the meadow in front of them. "I love this view," Nathan said. He smiled and looked all the way down the row houses to his own at the end.

"Bookends," Elizabeth said softly.

Nathan looked up and down the row of houses and laughed. "It is a little like that, isn't it?"

They stood in silence for a moment, neither of them feeling the need to fill it. Finally, Nathan reached over to the railing on the porch and picked something up. "I have something for you," he said, smiling.

Elizabeth turned and faced him. Nathan reached out and pulled the last two ribbons from her hair very slowly as she studied his face. She laughed softly, "I adore Allie," she said.

"And she adores you," Nathan said.

"She showed me her animals. The tortoise and the hare?" Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. "You're very good. At carving."

"Thank you," he said. "It calms me down." She got the feeling he felt he'd said too much, because he looked down at his boot as he moved a leaf between the boards of the porch.

"Nathan. If you ever need to talk to someone… about your sister. Or anything. I would be glad to listen." He looked up at her and she finally saw it there, full-blown, the pain in his eyes.

She didn't know whether she had overstepped or not, but he took a deep breath and said softly, "It might be too soon yet, but I'll remember. And it's very kind of you."

"Good," she said quietly.

Nathan smiled and said, "So. I have something for you.

"So you said." Elizabeth could see now that he had his hand behind his back. As she watched, he swung his arm around and held a large red apple in front of her eyes. "For the teacher. For your first day of school tomorrow," he said, as the crooked smile stole across his face.

Elizabeth had been given many gifts by men during her cotillion and debutante days. Jewelry, scarves, flowers… most of them ridiculously expensive. But the gift Nathan held in his hand meant so much more.

Grinning, Elizabeth took it from him and began inspecting it. "It's a practically perfect apple," she said.

"I thought you might like to put it on your desk, to remind you of what a good teacher you are."

Elizabeth tilted her head. She didn't realize that she was holding the apple with both hands and had moved it to just over her heart. "And how do you know I'm a good teacher?" she asked.

Nathan's face was open, guileless. "Because I've seen you with Allie."

"She's a very smart little girl, Nathan. I'm looking forward to next year, having her in my class."

He suddenly smiled. "I like the sound of that. Next year." He raised his eyebrows. "I've moved around a lot, with the Force. I won't do that to Allie, so I guess we're here for a while."

"Do you have control over that?" Elizabeth asked. She tried to say it casually, but Nathan could tell the answer mattered to her.

Nathan looked down again and raised his eyebrows. "I guess that's up to you," he said.

"Me?" Elizabeth said. "How can it be up to me?"

He looked back at her, smiling. "Coal Valley didn't need a Mountie until your father requested one? Remember?"

"Oh," she said, very softly.

"So I would imagine that as long as you stay safe, I stay in Coal Valley."

His eyes were definitely getting bluer. And the bluer they got, the more rattled Elizabeth got. It was like a mathematical equation.

"Well, then," she said. "I suppose I'd better stay safe."

Nathan had never wanted more to take a woman in his arms and hold her. But he knew it wasn't the time or the place. So he stepped back, down the stairs, to make it impossible.

He started to back out onto the path, and Elizabeth began to laugh.

"Nathan?" she said, raising her eyebrows, "Have you forgotten something?"

He stopped and his eyes narrowed a little as he thought. Then they flew open.

"Allie," he said suddenly, and then he started to laugh too. "I almost forgot Allie." He bounded up the stairs in two long strides and opened the front door. "Allie, time to go home. Yes, you can bring your new hat."

"Can I show it to Emily?" she asked, jumping down from the chair.

"Yes," Nathan said, smiling at her. "We can stop off on the way home."

Elizabeth stood on the porch watching them, still holding the apple to her chest. When they reached Emily's house, Allie ran in and Nathan stood outside, looking back toward Abigail's. Elizabeth waved and Nathan waved back.

Sometimes, slow is good.

---

CHAPTER 12

Rebecca Grant

Airdrie, Alberta

Sunday, 28th August, 1910

Dear Mom,

Sorry I missed my letter last week, and hoping the wire reached you saying we'd arrived in Coal Valley safely. It's been a busy time to say the least. Your letter reached us yesterday and you addressed it perfectly. The post office, such as it is, resides in the Mercantile. Truth is, in this town, you could throw a letter into the middle of the street and if it said Nathan Grant on it, I would get it.

Allie and I are settling in well, and this feels like a place we could live for a long while. I told you that I discovered who the mysterious benefactor was, and now I know why he cares about this particular place. Turns out his daughter is the new schoolteacher in Coal Valley, and he was worried that without a Mountie in town she would be less safe. So I am here under the good graces of William Thatcher and his daughter, Elizabeth.

I met the lady in question after her stagecoach had been robbed and she'd spent the night alone and afraid. I misjudged her immediately, thinking she might be like one of those Quebec City princesses I told you so much about, but she's nothing like that. She's headstrong for sure, but also brave and kind and Allie is already head over heels in love with her.

So, as long as Miss Thatcher is kept safe, I believe I will have a job here in Coal Valley, which makes me happy. (And of course you know I would keep her safe even without the added incentive.)

Allie is learning her numbers quickly and can write her name, though she can't fully understand why she needs two Ls in it. It looks as if school in Coal Valley takes children from 5 through 17 so she'll have another year stuck with me for her learning, and then she will gratefully, I'm sure, move into Miss Thatcher's classroom.

We're living in a house with two bedrooms upstairs and a kitchen and living room downstairs. I notice you snuck some of my treasures from Airdrie into the box you sent, and I'm glad of it. I'm starting to understand what you mean about having familiar things in an unfamiliar place. It does tend to transform it. (I really should start listening to you. Ha ha.)

We have a bit of a backyard here, so I'll be building a shed where I can do my woodworking. Since the yard isn't large and I'll be sharing it with the outhouse, that will be another project sooner rather than later. You know how I like to stay busy, and there's plenty to occupy me.

This town has been through a terrible tragedy that I wasn't told of in my orders. Just three months ago there was a mine explosion that killed half the men in town, forty-seven miners. Everywhere you look there are widows leading children by the hand, and although they are strong, faithful people, they've been stretched to their limit. The remarkable thing is that there is still a great deal of joy in Coal Valley, and "love thy neighbor" seems to be the credo of the town.

I've been the beneficiary of that attitude in many ways, but none so welcome as the help I receive with Allie. It doesn't hurt that Allie is a bright, gregarious child who makes friends everywhere she goes. There is a woman two doors down, Catherine Montgomery, who is called Cat, who has two boys and a little girl just a year older than Allie. Cat lost her husband in the mine explosion, yet she gives of herself to everyone and leads the Sunday services with a sense of hope and faith in the greater good that is inspiring. (And you know I can use all the inspiration I can get these days.)

I came upon a quote in my reading last night that resonated deeply. "No amount of guilt can change the past and no amount of worrying can change the future." The fact that it was spoken by a Persian caliph in the year 644 tells me that perhaps we haven't changed much in 1200 years, or at the very least, guilt hasn't.

I know you keep saying that what happened to Colleen wasn't my fault, but I don't seem to be able to believe that. In any case, I can tell you this - if Allie and I are going to heal anywhere, it might as well be in Coal Valley.

Tomorrow is a big day, so I'll close this now. I have a stagecoach robbery to investigate, a small-town baron to speak to, and paperwork to complete for an accidental fire that burned down the teacherage.

Regarding the fire, I will only tell you that Miss Thatcher was involved, after having assured me she knew how to properly start a fire in the stove. If she hadn't looked so very pitiful watching everything she owned go up in smoke, I might have chastised her for fibbing to me, but I just couldn't.

Kiss the new foal for me, and yes, whenever you wish to send on a care package of honey from the hives, it will be gratefully accepted by your sweet-toothed granddaughter and me.

For now, we send all our love,

Your son, Nathan

P.S. There were some books lost in the fire as well, and I'm wondering if you could have Seth or one of the other hands package up the books on the shelves in my room and send them on to me? I know they would be appreciated and would certainly get more use than they do gathering dust in my boyhood room. As always, thank you. xo

---

Elizabeth woke while it was still dark. The first day of school.

As she lay in bed watching the hint of sunrise color the ceiling, she could hear Cat Montgomery's voice in her head: "For many of us, our children are the only things we have left, and their education is all that we have control over. So whomever we entrust them to must be fearless. You're not just teaching them to read and write, you're fighting for their future."

Elizabeth knew she was up to the task of teaching - the challenge would be teaching children who had been through so much already.

Abigail had warned her about the "coal boys," raised to be hardy and robust so that they could go into the mine as soon as they reached sixteen. Their lives had changed immediately when they'd lost their fathers. Many of them now felt the responsibility of being the "man in the family" no matter what their age, and some thought school was a waste of time if they were only going into the mine for the rest of their lives.

Elizabeth had met some of the children already, so there would be familiar faces today. Emily Montgomery and her brothers, Miles and Gabe; Rachel Stonelake, who had come up to her after church and told her how much she loved learning; Rosaleen Sullivan, who was a sweet child who hadn't spoken since her father had died in the mine, though she loved to draw and she studied well, according to her mother; Anna Hayford, who smiled easily and seemed to be friends with everyone, and Jacob Noonan, who Allie had introduced to Elizabeth as her next-door-neighbor on their walk through town. It gave Elizabeth some confidence to know that they wouldn't all be strangers.

It was time. Elizabeth took one last deep breath and whispered to herself: "I'm a qualified teacher, trained at one of the best colleges. I can do this. I can absolutely do this."

Elizabeth threw back the covers. She put her feet on the cold wood floor and quickly moved them to the braided rug nearby. She looked over at the small table next to her bed and smiled.

A practically perfect red apple.

What had Nathan said? I thought you might like to put it on your desk, to remind you of what a good teacher you are.

Elizabeth picked up the apple and turned it around and around in her hands, and she realized she was looking for an imperfection. She found it, a small brown spot near the bottom where it had perhaps sat too long resting on a twig. She put her thumb there and closed her eyes.

I won't be perfect, but I will do my best. I am a good teacher, and although I am afraid right now, I will come from love, and everything will be fine.

---

Allie didn't like to get up early. And Nathan realized that their schedule during and after the move had been less than regular, so in part it was his fault that she was now rubbing her eyes and wanting to go back to sleep on his shoulder. But he needed to saddle Newton, so he propped her up on a wooden box where he could see her, and she simply laid back down and went to sleep again.

Carla Noonan was going to watch Allie later today while Nathan met the Murrayville Mountie at the place where the coach was robbed. Yesterday, the Western Coach Service had brought out horses and taken their stagecoach. Nathan had been out there once already while the coach was still there and had searched the area, but he wanted to see if he had missed anything.

Nathan laid the stirrup over the saddle and reached down to tighten the cinch. He looked over at Allie, sleeping peacefully on a hard wooden box as if it were a feather bed, and he smiled. That girl could sleep anywhere.

When he was done, rather than try to ride, Nathan decided to just let her sleep on his shoulder while he led Newton out and walked. He was quite the picture walking from the livery in the early hours of the morning. A Mountie in full uniform, holding the reins to his horse, and at the same time holding a sleeping four-year-old, was not a common sight.

There were plenty of people already up. Ned Yost was bringing in the boxes of overnight deliveries from the front of the Mercantile, and Nathan could see many of the men who hadn't been in the shaft that exploded trudging off in twos and threes to the mine. He knew that they were still searching for bodies, and Nathan understood better than most what a terrible duty that was.

Nathan still had some trouble looking those men in the eyes. They were suffering from something he knew all too well - survivor's guilt. Every time he saw them it brought up his own questions. What could I have done differently, why wasn't it me who died, what if we had waited just a little while to go out that day, what if I hadn't been in such a hurry, what if we hadn't been walking on that particular street... what if.

Nathan adjusted Allie a little on his shoulder. He was thinking about himself standing at the bookshelf talking so confidently about fate and destiny with Elizabeth. He did wholeheartedly believe what he'd said to her, but he wondered why he found it so difficult to apply the principle to himself.

The lights were on in the saloon, and Nathan realized he hadn't seen that this early since he'd been in Coal Valley. But he had been thinking all morning about this being Elizabeth's first day of teaching, and after he tethered Newton in front of the Mountie office, he walked over with Allie still sound asleep.

The saloon door was unlocked, and he pushed it open quietly. She was there, standing at the blackboard with her back to him, and he couldn't stop himself from just watching her for a time. The curls in her hair were pinned up instead of flowing down her back the way they usually were, and Nathan had to admit it added a layer of authority to her demeanor. She wore one of Abigail's simple dresses, but Nathan thought there was an elegance about Elizabeth Thatcher that never quite went away no matter what she was wearing. What Nathan knew beyond a shadow of a doubt was that he liked the look of her. Very much.

Elizabeth was writing her name on the blackboard in large, proper cursive letters. When she finished, she turned, and Nathan's red serge caught her eye immediately.

"Oh!" she said, jumping and putting her hand on her chest. She took a deep breath and laughed. "You gave me a fright!" she said. "I didn't think anyone else would be up this early."

Nathan walked slowly toward her as she walked toward him through the round saloon tables that very soon would become school desks. Elizabeth quickly realized that the reason he hadn't spoken yet was that Allie was sound asleep on his shoulder.

"Aww," Elizabeth said, "A little early for her?"

Nathan smiled, and spoke very softly. "She might sleep until noon some days if I let her. She loves her sleep."

Allie looked so angelic with her pink cheeks, that Elizabeth couldn't help reaching out a finger to tenderly move the hair from in front of her eyes, but to do that, she needed to stand very close to Nathan.

Lavender. He smiled and closed his eyes for just a split second, but Elizabeth noticed.

"What is it?" she said, and then she smiled when she actually saw a light blush come into Nathan's tanned cheeks. She raised her eyebrows and said, laughing softly, "Constable Grant. What could you possibly be thinking at this hour of the morning that would make you blush?"

Nathan sighed and looked down, completely caught. And in a flash of understanding, he knew he couldn't lie to her. After a moment he sheepishly looked back up into her eyes. "Lavender. When we were riding back from the stagecoach, I noticed that you... preferred lavender. It's... very nice." After managing to stutter through that stellar prose, Nathan looked down again, wondering if just turning and walking out of the saloon was an option. He was also wondering how it was that he could be so confident at times with this woman, and at other times completely unable to speak?

Elizabeth felt a blush starting across her own cheeks. She'd been complimented on her perfume by men for as long as she had been going to dances and charity balls, but this was so different. Discussing the scent of her soap - standing in a saloon in Coal Valley in the early hours of the morning, with a man holding a sleeping child - would not have been on her list of romantic possibilities until this very moment. But it was. Romantic.

"It's my soap," she said feebly. "I found it at the Mercantile. Ned had lavender soap." Oh, she thought, it's happening again. I'm speaking in short, simple sentences. She looked up into his eyes, finally, and said, "Thank you."

His crooked smile blossomed suddenly and it was as if the sun came out. "You're welcome," Nathan said. In truth, he liked it when Elizabeth was a little tongue-tied herself. It made him feel that perhaps words weren't that important after all.

"I'm riding out to meet the Murrayville Mountie today, to see if there's anything I missed where your coach was robbed. Carla Noonan will be watching Allie." Why am I telling her all this? Nathan thought. Because I want her to know.

He started to back out, "Well, I should let you get to it. You have a big day today," he said.

"Nathan," Elizabeth said, and he stopped. She turned, smiling, and pointed to her desk. On the corner in the front sat the apple.

Grinning, Nathan said, "Don't forget. You're a very good teacher."

---

Elizabeth had planned to be waiting outside in front of the door to greet the children, and she had thought of the perfect quote from Euripides to show the mothers how mature and capable she was, but Nathan's visit had left her a little behind in her preparations.

So, instead, she met them inside, and though she didn't know it, she looked more mature and capable standing up at the blackboard than she would have out front.

Elizabeth introduced herself to her students and then asked each child's name and age as she did her best to memorize them. "Please understand that there are twenty-two of you and it may take me some time, but I promise I will do my best," she said. "You can expect that I will always do my best and that I will be prepared with lessons for you each day."

Her heart had stopped pounding quite so loudly in her ears, and Elizabeth was starting to feel more comfortable. She walked slowly down the aisle between the round tables. "And I'd like to talk about what I expect from you. I expect you to pay attention when I am speaking. I expect you to raise your hand when you would like to speak. Please don't leave your seats without asking and please don't talk while I am…"

Suddenly, the most mournful whistle Elizabeth had ever heard sounded in the distance. For a moment, every child in the room sat up straight and turned their head toward the sound. Then, half of them stood and ran toward the door.

The whistle sounded again and Elizabeth watched frantically as her classroom began to empty. "Children, wait! You didn't ask for permission!" Standing in the middle aisle, Elizabeth was in the pathway to the door, and she was almost run over by one of the larger boys. "Sit down! Please, stop! You're already breaking my rules!"

They weren't listening to her. How she had gone from feeling so confident to suddenly losing complete control was baffling her. "I'm warning you, everyone who leaves this classroom without permission will receive a written notice to their parents..."

"Miss Thatcher?" Elizabeth heard a voice and spun around, frustrated.

"Yes, what is it?" she asked, more roughly than she intended. It was Rachel, the sweet girl who had spoken to her after church. She had her hand raised.

"I'm Rachel. And no disrespect, but you shouldn't try and stop them. The whistle's from the mine. It means more of the daddies have been found. Now their folks can take 'em and bury 'em proper."

Elizabeth gasped softly and stopped in her tracks. She looked around the room and realized that the children who were left were either the ones whose fathers had already been found, or had survived the blast. All of the children who ran out of the door were still waiting, perhaps even hoping for some miracle, or at the very least, some peace.

She went to the window and looked out. People were running, walking, riding… all of them toward the mine. Then she saw a car, with Henry Gowen riding like a king in the backseat, going in the same direction.

And suddenly, the facts that she knew about the explosion and the men who died became personal to Elizabeth. This was her town, and these were her students, and this thing happened to them.

She gathered up the smallest child in her room and said to the others in a firm voice, "Everyone follow me."

---

CHAPTER 13

Abigail heard the whistle just as she was finishing her mending. The sound of it cut through her as it did every time it blew. They hadn't found Noah's or Peter's bodies yet, but it was understood that the eight men who had yet to be found were the ones who had been furthest into the mountain.

Cat Montgomery, Molly Sullivan, Abigail and two other women were still waiting to bury their loved ones. After three months, they'd long ago ceased to believe that they could still be alive somewhere deep in that mine shaft.

With her teeth set, Abigail calmly put aside her sewing basket and stood, methodically removing her apron and straightening her skirt. She'd done this four times already, and this time, she refused to run along with the other wives. This time, she would walk. She'd had enough talks with Noah and Peter that they knew how much she cared. Four times she'd run and been disappointed, and she simply couldn't do it again.

There were a few stragglers heading out to the mine by the time she got to the main road in town.

"Abigail," she heard to her left and she shaded her eyes with her hand as she saw Nathan riding up from his investigation on the road to Murrayville. He got down from Newton when he pulled up next to her. "What's going on?" he asked.

"They've found more of the men," she said softly. "In the mine."

Nathan exhaled. He knew the names of the eight that were still missing, and he knew that Noah and Peter were among them. Also Cat Montgomery's husband, Joseph, and Molly Sullivan's Patrick. There were four others - two men who left no wives or children, and Michael Stonelake and Arthur Crocker.

Eight miners. Still, after three months, in that cold, dark shaft.

Nathan began walking with Abigail, leading Newton behind him. "I'm so sorry, Abigail. I can't think how hard this has been for you."

Nathan had found that he admired Abigail Stanton immensely, and in the short time he'd been in Coal Valley, they'd become friends. Abigail didn't seem to be in a hurry, and they did have a bit of a walk ahead of them, so they settled into a slow, easy pace.

She looked over at him and gave him a sad smile. "It would be nice to finish it, is all. I know they're gone, but I want a service, and headstones. I want a place to put flowers."

Nathan looked down at his boots as he walked, and said softly, "I understand."

Abigail smiled and looked over at him again. "I believe you do, Nathan." She took a deep breath. "Grief recognizes grief, you know?"

Nathan looked over at her and nodded. "I do." He looked ahead at the path in front of them. "I just don't know how to get past it. In five months you'd think I'd have made some sense of it..."

Abigail nodded. "That would assume it makes any sense at all."

They began to hear voices being raised and they could see that Herbert Ansvil, the foreman of the mine, was speaking to those assembled around the mine office.

Nathan saw Elizabeth right away. She was in the middle of the crowd holding one of the smaller children, and was surrounded by students from her class. He tied Newton's reins off loosely to a low branch of a tree and walked with Abigail to the back of the group.

"We found something else today," Herbert was saying. "And I hope it will bring comfort to at least one Coal Valley family." He held up a plank of wood that had the words, Forgive me, Pa, on it, written with a piece of coal.

Next to him, Abigail gasped. They were far enough at the back that her reaction was lost in the noise of the crowd, but Nathan turned and looked closely at her. Abigail turned to him and he saw the recognition in her eyes, along with the tears that had formed there. Very softly he asked, "Peter or Noah?"

She broke eye contact with Nathan, and then said, almost in a whisper, "Noah."

Nathan started to step forward, and Abigail put her hand on his arm. "No," she said, and he turned and looked back at her with a question in his eyes.

"Why?" he asked.

"I don't... I don't want to set myself apart... from the other wives. Maybe it will give them some comfort if they think their men wrote it."

Nathan looked up as he heard the crowd getting louder. Now instead of Herbert holding up the plank, Henry Gowen was walking to his car, carrying it.

Then one of the miners, Franklin Palmer, moved in front of Gowen's car. Things were escalating quickly.

"I won't tell... yet," Nathan said to Abigail. "But I need to stop this."

Abigail nodded, rooted to the spot.

Nathan walked swiftly through the crowd, his red serge causing people to turn around and move aside. He walked right past Elizabeth and couldn't prevent himself from reaching out and touching her arm quickly, letting her know he was there.

Gowen's voice held an ominous threat. "Step aside, Mr. Palmer."

"Or what, you'll run me down?"

"Mr. Gowen," Nathan called out, his voice deep and confident.

Henry Gowen turned and glared at him from the back seat of his car. "This is none of your business, Constable," he said, his voice icy.

"I'm afraid it is," Nathan said, now standing next to Franklin Palmer at the front of Gowen's car. He moved Palmer gently but firmly off to the side so that he was the only one stopping Gowen's forward progress.

"And how's that?" Gowen said, nearly spitting out the words.

Nathan placed his hand on his holster and narrowed his eyes, which were now like blue steel. His voice held the same warning as Gowen's had. "Because I believe, Mr. Gowen, this has now become an investigation. And investigations not only happen to be my specialty, they're my duty. That plank is evidence, and by the authority of the North West Mounted Police, I'll thank you to hand it over."

The entire town watched as the two men stared each other down. A long minute stretched out before Gowen said, "This is a distraction we can ill-afford, Constable. There's work to be done in this mine."

"Then we're agreed. You let me do my job, and I'll leave you to do yours." Nathan had a feeling if he stepped away from the front of the car, Gowen would simply nod to Spurlock to drive away with the plank in his hands, so he didn't move.

Instead, he looked at Franklin and said, "Kindly allow Mr. Gowen to give you the plank, Mr. Palmer. And then I will take it to my office and will begin my investigation as to the identity of its owner."

Sitting in his car looking at this upstart Mountie, Henry Gowen was livid. He'd been able to do pretty much what he wanted for a number of years in Coal Valley without a fight, so this was all new to him.

But as he narrowed his eyes almost to slits at the brash young man in the red serge, he wondered if this was the battle he wanted to pick. A weather-beaten piece of wood with a few scrawls of coal on it was nothing to him. But losing in front of the entire town was a different thing.

Nathan saw it. He needed to find some way for Gowen to save face. He softened his eyes and his stance. "Mr. Gowen, you're a businessman. I know that having the benefit of a Mountie in Coal Valley is new to everyone, but I'm sure that an important man such as yourself doesn't have the time to speak to every widow in this town about whether that's their husband's handwriting." He inclined his head toward the plank in Gowen's hands. "That's my job."

Elizabeth watched in wonder as Nathan smiled, and she felt the whole crowd calm. There was a transparent honesty about him that showed he could be trusted, and she knew that what had been rapidly turning into a mob had already decided they would rather have that plank in Nathan Grant's hands than Henry Gowen's.

And Gowen knew it too. His smirk turned slowly into a smile as he exhaled. "I am a busy man, Constable Grant. And my time is better spent on running my business. I'll let you do the dirty work," he added with a sneer.

Nathan raised an eyebrow. A part of him wanted to fight back, but he decided to take yes for an answer. He nodded to Franklin, who stepped over and took the plank that Gowen held out to him. Once that was done, Nathan stepped aside and motioned with his hand that Gowen could proceed.

The crowd exhaled a collective breath and Gowen drove off in a cloud of dust and smoke.

Elizabeth was spellbound. The Nathan Grant she knew, the one who sometimes had trouble getting a sentence out when talking to her, was absolutely magnificent standing tall and square-jawed in his red serge. She watched him in wonder, her lips apart and her heart beating as if she had just run miles.

And then, miraculously, he looked directly at her. His eyes had gone from steel back to the mountain blue she already knew so well. Then he smiled at her.

Elizabeth smiled back, softly breaking into a laugh, her eyes dancing. As she watched Nathan receive the grateful slaps on the back from the miners, she wondered how in the world he would ever get all that coal dust off of his red serge.

---

"Very few people knew that we called each other that," Abigail said, holding the precious piece of wood in her lap. She smiled at Elizabeth and Nathan. "Right after Peter was born, I started calling Noah Pa, and he called me Ma, and Peter naturally picked it up." She ran her fingers lightly over the lettering, not wanting to disturb the coal marks. "Noah was asking us both to forgive him. Peter never wanted to be a miner. He did it for his father, and Noah knew that."

Elizabeth put her arm around Abigail, wishing there was something she could say that would ease the pain she saw in her friend's eyes.

Abigail took a deep breath and turned to Elizabeth, patting her on the knee. "It's over," she said, nodding. "There's a great comfort in that. Now I can lay them in the cemetery where they belong. I couldn't bear that they were still in that mine shaft."

Nathan sat across from them, leaning his elbows on his knees. "What will you do with it?" he asked Abigail.

She smiled at him. "Well, I wanted to talk to you about that." She took a long look at the plank again and then she handed it to Nathan. "It doesn't belong to me. It belongs to this town. For Coal Valley to heal and move on, every woman who lost a husband, and every child who lost a father needs to give their men that forgiveness."

Abigail stood and went over to put the kettle back on the fire. "If we had a church, I would say we should hang it there, but we don't." She looked at Elizabeth. "But you have a school, and every day those children can look up and know that their fathers loved them, so I think it should go there."

After thinking for a moment, Nathan said, "And my investigation?"

Abigail smiled and tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. "Inconclusive?" she said.

Nathan smiled and nodded, looking down at the floor. Then he looked back at Abigail. "The paperwork will need to contain the truth, but we're able to grant anonymity to witnesses who request it. For purposes of safety."

Abigail said firmly, "Constable Grant. I wish to remain anonymous, for my safety."

Nathan's mouth formed into his crooked smile and he looked at Elizabeth. "Witness?"

She grinned and raised her hand. "Absolutely."

Abigail went to a drawer and pulled out a hammer and some nails. She walked over and touched the plank one more time. "I would appreciate it if you would hang this on the wall of the schoolroom where the children can best see it. But I'd rather you didn't do it this time of day when the saloon is filled. It would be better early in the morning, before school."

Then Abigail turned to Elizabeth and smiled before turning back to Nathan. "And you should probably take our schoolteacher with you." She raised an eyebrow. "To hold the ladder."

---

The sun was just beginning to set as Elizabeth walked Nathan out to the porch. "What time do you pick Allie up?" Elizabeth asked.

"I have a little time," Nathan said. "She loves her friends here so much that I try not to get my feelings hurt when she wants to stay instead of coming home."

Elizabeth sat down on the top step and patted the wood next to her. "Sit with me for a bit?"

Nathan smiled and folded his long legs down into a sitting position. He and Elizabeth weren't touching, but there was a warmth between them that was unmistakable.

Looking at him, Elizabeth said, "You were incredible today. That situation could have turned very bad, and you took control of it so quickly." She smiled. "How did you know just what to do?"

"I didn't. It's mostly instinct, I guess. But there's a Henry Gowen in every town I've ever been in. They're pretty easy to read. If you flatter them with their own importance, they tend to come around."

When he looked at her again, Elizabeth was smiling at him with an inscrutable look on her face.

"What?" he said, frowning slightly.

"I'm just wondering... why is it that sometimes you can talk to me so eloquently, and other times, it feels like such a struggle?"

Nathan took a deep breath and laughed softly. "I think I know, but I'm not sure I want to tell you."

Elizabeth laughed too. "Why, because it might let me know too much about what goes on in that head of yours?"

"Yes," he said seriously, turning and looking directly at her. The sun was setting, but she could still see how blue his eyes were. She had to look away before she got lost in them.

He turned too, and watched the sunset for a moment. "The house I grew up in, well, it's on a ranch, but we have a porch with a swing on it." He nodded his head toward the setting sun. "With a perfect view of the sunset."

Elizabeth looked out over the meadow and saw the green of the grass turning from gold to red in the dying light. "It sounds lovely."

All Nathan could think was that he wanted to be on that swing this very moment, sitting next to Elizabeth, watching the sun go down. He would have been surprised to know that she was thinking the same thing.

Nathan opened his mouth to say something and then stopped himself.

"What?" Elizabeth said.

"I wanted to say... I appreciate what you said about how I handled that situation today, but..." he stopped and Elizabeth could see him struggling again. He set his mouth in a line, as if he was resolving to say something the right way. "Elizabeth, I don't want you to set me up as something more than I am. I may not be the person you imagine."

The sun was down now and the deep blue beginnings of twilight lit his face as she looked over at him. His hand was leaning on the wooden boards between them, and before she knew it, she had covered his hand with hers.

Nathan closed his eyes and let out a breath, feeling the warmth of her hand on his skin. It was a simple matter of turning his hand over, and suddenly they were clasped tightly together. With his eyes still closed, he lifted her hand and brought it tenderly to his lips, holding it there.

Elizabeth's heart was beating so fast she thought he must have felt it. Neither of them could say a word because anything they might say would be more dangerous than silence.

It felt too soon for this. How can you know so quickly that another person is your person?

Nathan turned with his lips still touching the back of her hand, and looked into her eyes. She saw tenderness and fear mingled together, and then he closed his eyes again and allowed himself to properly kiss her hand before moving it gently into her lap and letting go.

"Goodnight, Elizabeth," he said softly, before he stood and walked down the steps. Then she could dimly see him smile in the encroaching darkness. "What time does school start?"

"Eight o'clock," she said, her voice a little shaky.

"I'll be here at seven-thirty," he said.

She nodded and smiled back. "I'll be ready to hold the ladder for you."

Nathan smiled and turned. When he was down on the path he looked up. "Sleep well," he said softly.

Elizabeth nodded, her eyes bright. Again, she watched him as long as she could, and then stood and went inside to Abigail.

---

CHAPTER 14

Miss Julia Thatcher

Hamilton, Ontario

Sunday, 11th September, 1910

Dear Julie,

I will begin this letter by telling you that you will be furious with me when you read it. You will ask why I mentioned none of this in my previous newsy letters, but I beg of you to understand, my emotions have been such a terrible jumble that had I tried to write to you before this, I would have changed my mind from one paragraph to the next and never have gotten the letter in the mail.

You will be upset with me because the story I am about to tell you has everything you crave; adventure, danger, intrigue - and what you have always enjoyed most in your literature - forbidden romance.

As I have now sat here turning my pencil round and round through the candle wax dozens of times, I will clearly need some sort of literary device to get this story on paper.

Once upon a time... (yes, I am really doing this. Stop laughing, please.) ...there was an idealistic young woman who left her home and family to travel west. She journeyed by stagecoach, and just as she was nearing her destination, the stagecoach was robbed and she lost all her valuables and spent the night alone in the dark coach on a deserted road. (Yes, this really happened, but I've lived to tell the tale, so take heart!)

She was rescued by a Mountie (I knew you'd like this part). A very tall, dark, handsome Mountie with eyes the color of a mountain lake. His name was Nathan Grant.

They didn't like each other at first: he thought she was a spoiled rich girl, and she thought him arrogant and rude.

So, they fought, and she burned down a building (I wonder if you'll let me skip over that part? It was fairly simple. I lit a match and it was downhill from there), and she was so distraught that she threw herself into his arms, sobbing, wearing only her nightshift and a blanket. In front of practically the entire town.

Are you still breathing? Are you worried that your dear sister Elizabeth has taken leave of her senses, or has been kidnapped and this letter is being written by someone far less straight-laced and proper? Keep reading...

The Mountie and the Schoolteacher learned something very early on. The Mountie had only been stationed in Coal Valley because shipping magnate William Thatcher had requested him. Why? For the purpose of babysitting his obviously helpless daughter.

(Yes, I'm as angry as you are right now) After Father stood and told me how proud he was of my striving for independence! (you mustn't tell him we know. He holds Nathan's future in Coal Valley in his hands)

I can hear you. You're asking, where is the romance? And why is it forbidden?

I can't think when I'm around him, Julie. My heart races and I blush and I can't find my words. And for me to have trouble with words, you must know I'm suffering from a serious malady. His eyes affect me like some kind of potion. And I can't imagine anyone else in the red serge uniform anymore, or at the very least anyone as handsome as he is. And he's kind, and funny and has read more books than I have, and he remembers them all.

He kissed my hand last Monday, and I can still feel it, all of it, the minute I close my eyes. Am I filling your need for romance?

A lovely story. But why is it forbidden?

A) I am entrusted with the minds and morals of the children of this town and I didn't make a good impression on my first night. There has been gossip about us and I've been asked to make it stop.

B) Nathan has quickly grown fond of Coal Valley and its people (as have I), and if he's only here because Father wants him here, Father can also want him gone and replaced. How do you think our father would feel about his Mountie being romantically involved with the daughter he thinks is so helpless?

C) Nathan's sister died five months ago and though I don't know the circumstances, he has been affected deeply and is still clearly grieving. He is now doing a wonderful job raising his sister's absolutely precious four-year-old daughter, Allie, alone. That gives me no pause, as I love her already, but this is a man who currently has a number of balls in the air. Perhaps I should let him catch a few before I throw him another.

So, although I want nothing more than to see him, talk to him, hear him laugh and lose myself in those eyes of his, I've been avoiding him. Not an easy feat in a town the size of Coal Valley.

The last time we were alone together was last Tuesday, though we've shared many hours with Allie, and with Abigail, one of the widows who has taken me under her wing and is rapidly becoming a very good friend. We wave to each other across the street every day, and I know he watches me until I round the corner. Sometimes I see him ride off. (Oh, Julie, you should see him on his horse in his red serge. It fairly takes my breath away. It's like a painting.)

We both know why we're avoiding each other, so neither of us has made it more difficult than it needs to be. But I see a longing in his eyes at odd moments, and I know that look is mirrored when he gazes at me. In all honesty, I'm not certain how long we can last.

Oh, that is a great weight from my shoulders to tell you that. And now that I see it all here on these pages, organized, logical and rational, I am encouraged by how very mature Nathan and I are being in handling this situation. I am proud of us.

School is going very well. The students are beginning to respect me and to trust that I have their best interests at heart. They are wonderful, bright, loving children who have lived through a terrible loss. I see them all as heroes. Likewise their mothers, who soldier on without their husbands with such grace and dignity that it makes me ashamed for wishing I could have more time with my Mountie.

And now, as I've spent what little time I have before sleep in talking about romance, I'll need to postpone any other news. But I am glad that the ice is broken and now you have the full story... which I am certain is to be continued...

Your loving sister,

Elizabeth

---

Nathan guided the horses down the main road on his way to the row houses. His order of lumber had finally come in from the sawmill in Benson Hills, and Nathan had borrowed Tom Trevoy's wagon to take it up to the house. He was anxious to get started on his woodshop so he could begin all the projects that had begun piling up in his head.

Allie's dollhouse would be first, and he wondered if he'd be able to keep it a secret until Christmas. Knowing Allie's curiosity, he would likely only be able to work on it when she was playing with her friends at their houses.

Nathan also had another project in mind; a gift for Elizabeth. One he should probably not give to her, but he couldn't seem to get it out of his mind.

Also in the back of his wagon were five boxes of books that his mother had sent from Airdrie. He was anxious to open them and see if his memory of those treasured bookshelves matched the reality. He hoped Seth had simply put them into the boxes, because Nathan knew that as a teenager he had slipped pages of writing in between books on those shelves – poetry, stories, observations – things he hadn't looked at for a decade at least.

The main reason he wanted the books was to replenish the library in the Mountie office. Elizabeth was going through it at an alarming rate. He'd never known a reader as voracious as he was, except maybe Colleen.

Elizabeth had managed to return and take out new books only when there were others in the office with him, and a few times when he'd run out for a few minutes. He would find a book on his desk and a note in her fine flowing handwriting telling him which new book she'd taken. She'd started by signing the notes Elizabeth, and now it was simply E. Nathan couldn't explain why that made him smile, but he thought it had to do with the familiarity of it. It almost felt like intimacy to him.

He knew why they were avoiding each other. He even agreed. But he didn't like it. And he knew the psychology of the Capulet/Montague principle. It only made him want to be with her more. It wasn't getting better, it was getting worse.

Nathan's office was across the street and three doors down from the saloon. He considered it a part of his job to spend some time outside every day greeting townspeople, so almost every day at two-o'clock, Nathan would step outside and stand at the edge of the boardwalk. She would close the saloon door with her ever-present basket over her arm, and she would turn. Then the smile and the wave, which he would return.

One of the best parts of his day. He would watch as she walked gracefully toward the road to the row houses, her skirt swinging side to side, almost as if she were dancing. At the turn, she would look again, and he would still be there. This time, he would tip his hat and she would laugh.

Nathan sighed, running the wagon up in front of his row house and easing the horses around the back. He got it unloaded quickly into the backyard and turned the horses to take the wagon back to Tom. Allie was with the Noonans and she was then having a sleepover with Emily, so he had the night to himself.

And there she was. He could see Elizabeth rounding the corner toward Abigail's house, and then she looked up and saw him. She stood on the bottom step of the row house, making a show of going through her basket, but he knew she was waiting for him. He smiled, happy for the moment that he'd get to say hello with no one else around.

"Hello," Nathan said, pulling up the horses, and then an involuntary deep breath took hold of him, and he shook his head and laughed softly. "How have you been?"

Elizabeth nodded, her eyes bright. "Good. School is going well. The children are starting to like me, I think," she said, meaning it as a joke.

"I don't know how they could help it," Nathan said, his eyes soft.

Elizabeth smiled and tilted her head. She exhaled a deep breath. "Oh, don't be too nice to me, or I'll break down and ask you to dinner or something scandalous like that..."

She wasn't aware that Abigail had just opened the door, wondering why a wagon was suddenly parked outside her house. "Actually," Abigail said, wiping her hands on her apron, "I just realized that we haven't had the new Constable of Coal Valley over for supper yet. I think our hospitality is sadly lacking." She said the last to Elizabeth, raising an eyebrow.

Elizabeth laughed. "Abigail! You're the one who said we needed to let the gossip die down!"

Abigail moved down and stood on the bottom step with Elizabeth. "And you've done very well. I'm proud of both of you, because it's working. I haven't heard a peep over the back fence all week," she said, smiling. "Anyway, how scandalous can supper be with Allie and me there?" She looked up at Nathan in the wagon. "Come to supper tomorrow night? I'm making roast with potatoes and carrots." When Nathan didn't say yes right away, she added, "And pie."

Nathan smiled and narrowed his eyes. "What kind of pie?"

"Cherry," Abigail said, laughing.

Nodding, Nathan said, "Allie and I would be delighted to join you for supper." He raised his eyebrows and looked at Elizabeth. "I'm going to eat very slowly," he said softly.

Elizabeth laughed. "Good," she said.

Nathan flicked the reins. "Hup," he said and the horses started up again. As he turned the corner, he looked back. Elizabeth raised her hand and wiggled her fingers in a wave. She was still smiling as she and Abigail walked up the steps.

"That was very sweet of you," Elizabeth said, putting her arm through Abigail's.

"You two have earned it," Abigail said. "And I have some dolls from my childhood up in my bedroom that I've been wanting to show to Allie." She looked over at Elizabeth. "It will probably take some time."

Elizabeth squeezed her arm as they went through the door. "You're a good friend, Abigail."

"Oh, I see what a good match you are. It's just unfortunate it all started the way it did. I do wonder sometimes if Providence makes things difficult for us so we can find out if we really want it." She closed the door and looked over at Elizabeth, "Tea?"

"Yes, please," Elizabeth said.

"Noah's mother didn't like me. She had another girl picked out for him." Abigail moved the kettle on to the fire and then sat down with Elizabeth at the table. "We had to sneak around for a while."

Elizabeth sighed. "That's the thing, Abigail. We're not even sneaking."

Nodding in sympathy, Abigail said, "I know." She took Elizabeth's hand across the table. "Do you know how long you've been in Coal Valley?"

Elizabeth looked sheepishly down at the tablecloth. "A little over two weeks."

Raising her eyebrows, Abigail said softly, "Give it time."

"The heart wants what it wants, or else it does not care..." Elizabeth said, smiling back at her friend. "Emily Dickenson wrote that in a letter."

Abigail laughed, "Oh, I know." She patted Elizabeth's hand and got up to tend to the boiling kettle. "Let's start with supper, shall we?"

---

"Thanks again, Tom," Nathan said. "Wagon's out back. I appreciate it."

"Anytime, Nathan," Tom said from behind the bar. "Always good to butter up the law in town," he added, grinning.

Nathan gave him a quick salute and a smile, "Smart man."

As he walked outside toward home, Nathan looked up at the sky. The clouds were just now turning yellow and orange at the edges as the sun was starting to set. Every sunset reminded him of sitting on Abigail's steps with Elizabeth that evening. When he'd kissed her hand.

Even now, he shook his head, wondering where the courage to do that had come from. And he could still smell the lavender on her skin.

He could never come around the corner without looking at Abigail's row house, and tonight was no different. But tonight, Elizabeth was sitting on the steps in the same place as she had been that night, watching the colors change in the sky as she sipped on a cup of tea.

Nathan felt the familiar jump of his heart and smiled at her.

"Good evening, Miss Thatcher," he said.

The crooked smile. Elizabeth smiled back at him and shook her head slightly. "You've been busy today."

Nathan leaned against the railing, wanting so much to simply walk up the steps and sit beside her. Instead, he used the tip of his shoe to nudge a rock. "I'm building a shed out back where I can do my woodworking." He looked up at her. "Did I tell you I'm making a dollhouse for Allie for Christmas?"

Elizabeth smiled. "No, but it doesn't surprise me. She might need two. One for your office and one for home."

Nathan took a deep breath. "I've been lucky that I haven't had anyone in the jail while we've been here. I can't keep taking her to work with me much longer, and she misses Emily something terrible."

Elizabeth looked at him over the rim of her cup. "I've actually been thinking about that, and I have an idea."

Nathan smiled. He was surprised at how good it made him feel, to know that he wasn't alone in thinking about Allie's well-being.

"Allie is mature for her age, Nathan. I don't know if it's because of what she's experienced in her life..." Dangerous ground, Elizabeth thought as she saw Nathan flinch just slightly, "...or if she's naturally advanced. In any case, I wonder if we could try her in the schoolroom for a time? I have some children from the farms that have just turned five and she could easily hold her own with them."

"Oh, Elizabeth. Do you think so? I try so hard to engage her mind, but when I have reports to do... and there are times I just have to leave, and Cat and Carla have been so kind, but I think I'm starting to wear out my welcome..."

Elizabeth smiled. "Let's try it," she said, nodding. "She's such a smart girl, and it will be good for her to be around the other children every day."

"I thought there were rules about this sort of thing," Nathan said, raising an eyebrow.

"That's why it's good to know people in high places, Constable," Elizabeth said. "It turns out that I'm the one who makes the rules in the classroom."

The sun was truly setting now, and Nathan looked up and down the row of houses and out to the path. Seeing no one, he walked up the steps and sat down next to Elizabeth. "It occurs to me," he said, looking first at her and then out at the sunset, "That our relationship has just changed." He gazed back at her. "It seems that I am now a parent with a child in your class, and you and I have just had an entirely professional conversation, of the type that you would have with any parent. Am I correct?"

Elizabeth laughed softly. "Yes, I suppose we have." She looked over at him. "But I might not be comfortable sitting this close to any other man who had a child in my class."

Nathan looked directly at her. In the dying light, his eyes were still very blue. "But you're comfortable now?"

Elizabeth laughed again, "Comfortable? Never," she said, taking a deep breath. "But happy? Yes."

Softly, Nathan said, "I am, too." He took her hand from her lap and held it as he turned toward the sunset. They sat there quietly until the light was gone. Finally, Nathan lifted her hand and kissed it, and then stood.

"Good night, Elizabeth," he said.

Elizabeth sighed. "Good night, Nathan." As he started to walk back to his house, she stood and called out softly, "Don't forget about supper tomorrow."

He turned and walked backwards for a few steps, laughing. "As if I could." Then he turned again and headed toward home.

---

CHAPTER 15

Elizabeth laughed as she picked up Nathan's plate. "Oh, no, you definitely don't want me to cook," she said, looking over at Abigail.

"You're getting better, Elizabeth," Abigail said, but she was laughing too. "Those biscuits last night weren't bad."

Tilting her head, Elizabeth gave her a skeptical look. "You could use them to drive nails," she said.

Nathan was trying very hard not to laugh at this conversation because it felt like one of those subjects that was funny until it wasn't funny anymore, and he wasn't always the best at determining where that line was drawn. But the "driving nails" comment surprised him, and he snorted before he was able to get the napkin up to his face.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and looked at him, still laughing. "I was thinking about making you dinner one of these nights, but now you've done it. No stone biscuits for you!"

Nathan tried to salvage the moment, but his crooked smile gave him away. "I would love to sample your cooking, Elizabeth."

There it was again. Lizbeth.

She spoke to Abigail but looked directly at Nathan. "Abigail, have you noticed how the Constable says my name? He misses a few of the vowels, and it sounds like Lizbeth." Her eyes went soft. "It's quite charming."

Nathan smiled and rose to help clear the table. "Not a word often used to describe me," he said, passing very closely by Elizabeth to put the dishes on the counter, "So I'll take it."

Abigail was watching this little display from her place at the table and she shook her head and laughed softly. She turned to Allie, who was just finishing her piece of cherry pie. "Allie, would you like to see some pretty dolls?" Abigail looked over at Nathan and Elizabeth and raised an eyebrow, "While your uncle and Miss Thatcher wash and dry the dishes?"

Elizabeth laughed and nodded to Abigail. "Always a price to pay..."

Before they knew it, Nathan and Elizabeth were alone in the kitchen. And though just moments before they had been engaged in playful banter and entirely comfortable, they both felt the familiar shyness coming on. It was never a matter of too little to say to each other. It was always a matter of wanting to say so much, and not knowing how much was too much.

Elizabeth held up the towel. "Wash or dry?"

"Wash," he said.

Elizabeth took a large pot and put it under the pump at the side of the counter. She expertly raised the handle and brought it down again as Nathan watched her.

Smiling, he said, "You do that very well. Most people try to pump by pushing down instead of pulling up. It goes against our instincts."

She looked up at him. "I had to learn. I started out doing just what you described. Abigail has taught me so much."

Nathan took the pot from her and put it on the stove to heat. Before he lit the fire, he looked at Elizabeth with his eyebrow raised, "Unless you want to..."

Laughing, she said, "Very funny." She closed her eyes and put her face into her hands. "Oh, will I ever live that down? Will I forever be known as the schoolteacher who burned down her own teacherage?"

Nathan looked back at her. "No. You'll be known as the very capable woman who opened the bright young minds of Coal Valley," he said.

Elizabeth looked up quickly and smiled, "That's exactly how I see teaching! And they are so bright, Nathan. Wonderful minds, ready and willing. And they've been through so much... but they still see joy..."

Nathan knew he was staring at her, but he couldn't stop. He could see her passion and how much she loved what she did. It was how he felt about his work. He hadn't spent long periods of time around women who had actual jobs, although he'd met plenty of them in Quebec City. He'd thought many of them had sharp edges through no fault of their own, from fighting to be successful in what was essentially a man's world. He and Colleen had talked about how hard it was, but Elizabeth had none of that. She was soft and natural in her work, and he could see her love for her students in everything she said.

"Thank you for taking Allie on," he said suddenly. He surprised even himself by saying it. "I'm grateful you want to teach her. She needs the... encouragement, the creativity... that you can give her..."

Elizabeth put down her towel. They had to wait for the water to heat anyway. She moved closer to Nathan and touched his arm lightly. "There," she said, looking into his eyes. "Why was that hard to say?"

Nathan answered as quickly as she'd asked. "Because it matters."

They stood for a long moment like that, just looking into each other's eyes. Nathan could feel her hand lightly on his arm. Yes, of course, he wanted to kiss her, to take her in his arms and see how it felt to hold her when she wasn't distraught and crying. But this was so much more than that.

He thought maybe Elizabeth understood him. He could see it in her eyes.

"I know what you mean," she said softly. "And if it matters, and you lose it..." Elizabeth was thinking about her own life, her teaching position, her new friends. She hadn't thought about where Nathan's mind would go. But she saw it happen and instantly his eyes went dark and filled with pain. Before she could stop herself, she reached both hands up and held him by the shoulders. "Oh, Nathan," she said, "What happened...?"

He blinked, realizing he'd stopped breathing for a moment. If he could only get the pictures out of his head, he felt like he might be able to move on. But they were so vivid, as if he was still standing there, watching... Nathan looked at Elizabeth and knew it was too soon. He couldn't bear it if there was even the slightest bit of accusation in her eyes...

Nathan took a deep breath and reached up to put his hands over hers. "I will tell you. I just... I need a little more time," he said.

Elizabeth nodded, taken aback at the emotions she saw cross his face. Something terrible happened, she thought, and he saw it. I can see it replaying behind his eyes.

"Take all the time you need," she said softly. "I'm here, whenever you're ready."

Nathan was still holding both of her hands and he drew them into his chest, near his heart. "And you can't know how much that means to me," he said softly.

Elizabeth saw his eyes grow more blue, more translucent. "I want to..." she started to say it, and then she just did it. She wanted to hold him, to give him some comfort, to hug him the way she would Abigail or Julie if they were in pain, and it didn't seem fair that she couldn't do that because of rules made by other people...

She put her arms around him and he pulled her to him as if for dear life. She could feel his chest rise and fall and hear his heart beating strong and steady in her ear. She loved the feel of him, lean and muscular, warm and solid. Elizabeth thought they could stand there for a very long time and neither would mind.

But water boils, and when it gets to a rolling boil it can sometimes spill over. They both heard the splashing and the hiss of the water as it bubbled out and hit the fire, and still, for just a moment longer, they held on tightly to each other.

"Thank you, Elizabeth," Nathan finally said, almost whispering. Then, though he didn't want to, he pulled away and looked into her eyes. He raised his eyebrows and said, "One of us should get that."

"One of us should," she said softly, still lost in his eyes.

Nathan sighed deeply and smiled as he turned toward the stove. Using the towel to protect him from the heat of the handles, he turned the pot over into the wash basin and then used the pump to adjust the temperature. Elizabeth watched him closely.

"You do this all the time, don't you?" she said with admiration in her voice. "You probably cook too?"

Nathan turned to her, laughing softly. "Yes. And I'm not half-bad." He tilted his head. "Why does that surprise you?"

Elizabeth watched as he scraped the dishes into the compost and rubbed the washcloth across a bar of soap. "Because I doubt any man I ever met in Hamilton could wash a dish or cook if his life depended on it."

Nathan looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. "And I imagine you met a lot of men in Hamilton?" he said, a little warily.

Elizabeth smiled, picking up her drying towel. "Not as many as you might think."

Handing her a clean plate, Nathan said, "But there must have been one man in Hamilton who caught your eye," he said, smiling. He wasn't expecting a completely serious answer, but he saw Elizabeth look away, and his eyes went a little wider. "Oh, there was."

Immediately, Elizabeth shook her head, "No. Not for me. For my parents," she said cryptically, running the towel around the plate.

"Ah," Nathan said, taking a deep breath. "An arranged marriage. Like Darcy's."

Elizabeth laughed. "Well, I suppose it was like Darcy's in that I was as anxious to follow their wishes as he was with Lady Catherine." She laughed again and shook her head. "Arranged marriages. Barbaric custom."

"Spoken like a true Austen heroine," Nathan said, laughing and handing her another dish. "So who was this paragon of virtue they wanted you to marry?"

"Charles Kensington," Elizabeth said, in her best clipped Hamilton tones. Then she smiled. "He's not a bad person, he's just not at all my type."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "And your type would be...?"

Elizabeth blushed a little and pursed her lips. "The strong silent type... with the emphasis on silent..." she said, grinning and moving over to the table to pick up the last of the forks and spoons.

"And where is Mr. Kensington now?" Nathan asked. He'd often wondered how a woman as intelligent and beautiful as Elizabeth had escaped attachment in a place like Hamilton. In Airdrie, the next girl was many miles away and courting suffered badly for it.

Nathan was glad to hear that Elizabeth's voice was light, without any hurt in it. "Still in Hamilton. He works for my father. He was always my friend, I mean, we grew up together, and the parallels to Darcy don't stop there. I do believe my father liked the idea of 'uniting two great estates' with the Kensingtons." She shook her head and laughed, taking a small plate as Nathan held it out. "So old-fashioned! As if I would even agree to something like that, without being in love..."

Elizabeth stopped suddenly and looked at Nathan. He had stopped too. Something about saying that word out loud had frozen both of them in an instant.

Trying to recover, Elizabeth said quickly, "Did you know that Austen's original title for Pride and Prejudice was First Impressions?" she said, her voice rising a little.

Nathan smiled at her, as always slightly comforted by her nervousness. "I did know that," he said. "She improved on the title, I think, though first impressions can be deceiving," he said, eyebrow raised and his crooked smile in place.

Elizabeth laughed. "I was actually thinking about this the other day. When we first met, I was consumed by pride, wanting to be on my own without your help. And you," she looked pointedly at him, "were prejudiced against a person you thought was a typical Hamilton rich girl."

Nathan was finished with the dishes, and he used Elizabeth's towel to dry his hands. "That's very astute, Miss Thatcher." He took one of her hands in his, amazed that it was now so easy to do. He'd wanted to, so many times. "But we've moved past that, haven't we?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said, inching closer.

Nathan's eyes again began to look like the mountain lake. "Elizabeth," he said, "I can't... I really would... Um..."

"Yes-s-s?" Elizabeth said, smiling up at him.

"I want to spend more time with you." Having finally gotten that out, Nathan took a deep breath and smiled.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Elizabeth said, laughing softly.

Nathan laughed too, shaking his head. "Oh, you have no idea..."

Elizabeth looked back into his eyes. "I want that, too."

"How do we do that?" he asked, frowning slightly.

They looked at each other for a long moment, both thinking. Then Elizabeth grinned. "Nathan," she said, tilting her head. "Would you teach me how to ride a horse?"

A grin broke out on Nathan's face as well. "I would be happy to, Elizabeth."

"Because," she said, biting her lip a little, "We would need to be away from town. To ride."

Nodding, Nathan said, "But how would we get away from town if you don't know how to ride... away from town?"

Elizabeth laughed again, "I'm a pretty fast learner. I'm hoping you can talk me through getting to the pond, and then we can go from there..."

They had been moving closer as they talked, and Elizabeth felt his hands rest lightly on her waist. Nathan was no longer looking into her eyes, he was looking at her lips. He's going to kiss me, she thought. And I want him to. She closed her eyes and she could already feel the warmth in the air that filled the small space between them...

A squeak on the stair turned into what sounded like a herd of buffalo as Allie came running down from Abigail's bedroom. "Unca Nathan!" she said, her voice filled with joy. "Abgail has the same doll! From Gamma! The same hair!"

Nathan and Elizabeth moved quickly apart, backing up against the counters in the kitchen, more for support than anything else. Their eyes were locked in an understanding that they had just been denied something that they both wanted very much. Their chests were both rising and falling much faster than was normal and each gripped the edge of the counter behind them tightly.

Allie ran and stood between them, looking from one to the other. She held up Abigail's doll as high as she could reach. "Look!" she said.

Slowly, Nathan tore his eyes from Elizabeth's and looked down. Allie was so excited, he couldn't help but laugh. "That is exactly like your doll. They could be sisters!" he said, his joy matching Allie's. He bent down and took the doll she handed him.

Abigail was standing on the stairs. "Allie, would you like to take her home with you?"

Allie's eyes went wide. "Can I?" she asked.

Abigail nodded. As Allie ran to give her a hug, Abigail looked around her.

A dinner table filled with happy conversation. The privilege of watching love develop between two people I care about. This precious child, who reminds me that life not only goes on, but it does it joyfully and with abandon.

A month ago, I was alone here, wondering what the future had in store for me. Then a building burns down and I end up with all this.

Abigail reached up and quickly wiped away a tear that slid down her cheek.

Thank you, God, for reminding me that there is always more. When you least expect it, there is more.

---

CHAPTER 16

Elizabeth sat in front of her class as they wrote their essays on "What Coal Valley Means To Me." She had been following her instincts on how best to inspire the children to find hope even as they coped with the loss of their fathers and the grief and fearfulness that came with it. What she'd discovered during her time in Coal Valley was that these children loved the town they lived in. It was all most of them had ever known, and to them, the tragedy of the mine disaster only served to make them cling to home more tightly.

She smiled, listening to the absolute quiet in the room except for the scratching of pencils. They were bent over their workbooks, writing avidly, and Elizabeth felt their connection to the assignment and their need to express this most basic of loves, the love of place.

To her right was the round table with the youngest children, who weren't writing their essays in words, but in pictures. Allie sat among them, and Elizabeth smiled again. It had only been three days since she'd joined the class, and she was already establishing herself. Allie was the youngest in the whole room, but as Elizabeth had suspected, she had an understanding of complex ideas that was more advanced than some of the five-year-olds from the farms. And when she didn't understand, she didn't fidget or disrupt the class. She simply drew on her slate or on paper, or she sat back and watched and listened to Elizabeth, which was something she clearly loved to do.

Also sitting with Allie was a little girl of eight, Rosaleen Sullivan. She had her mother's striking red hair, a sprinkling of freckles and an unfailingly sweet disposition. She was sitting up front because she could see the blackboard better, but Elizabeth suspected that Rosaleen also felt comfortable there.

Rosaleen hadn't spoken a word since her father, Patrick, had died in the mine over three months ago. Her grief was so palpable, it was like a shield around her, and she sat inside it, in silence.

Eight-year-olds were generally very gregarious and chatty, and Elizabeth knew that Rosaleen had felt out of place among them, so she'd asked her if she would sit with the younger children in order to help them with their drawings. Rosaleen was already quite an accomplished artist for her age, and Elizabeth knew there were so many words in that little head of hers. She just had to figure out why she couldn't say them out loud.

Elizabeth had actually met Rosaleen's mother, Molly, through Nathan. By the time Elizabeth arrived in Coal Valley, Nathan was already well-acquainted with some of the mothers of the town because of Allie, and Elizabeth had met Molly on one of the first times she was returning a book to the "Mountie library."

While Rosaleen sat on the floor with Allie and her toys in the Mountie office, Molly had taken Elizabeth outside and whispered fervently to her about what a joyful child Rosaleen had been before her father died.

"She so loved her father, Patrick. Every day she'd take his lunch pail to him and the two of them..." Molly shook her head slightly as the tears came to her eyes. "...the two of them, Patrick so big and little Rosaleen, they'd sit at the entrance of the mine and she'd laugh with him. She hasn't spoken since that day." Now Molly looked desperately into Elizabeth's eyes. "You're a teacher, you can help her, can't you? You must know some way we can reach her."

Elizabeth had been overwhelmed by Molly's grief, and before she thought it through, she'd said, "We'll find a way." She'd put her arms around Molly Sullivan right there on the boardwalk in front of the Mountie office and made what amounted to a promise she had no idea how to keep.

Elizabeth had gone to supper at Molly's hoping to see something that would give her a way to reach Rosaleen, but even in her own home, the little girl didn't speak a word.

The bell rang on the alarm clock Elizabeth kept on her desk to time the children for tests and essays. They were slow to put down their pencils, which always made Elizabeth happy.

"Alright, class, pencils down, please, and bring your workbooks up to my desk. Once you've done that, you may go outside and enjoy the sunshine, and I'll see you all tomorrow!"

As she said the words, her heart started beating just a little faster, because she knew what would come next. And there he was, right on time, standing in the doorway. He smiled and she returned it. Then she thought she would have a little fun, so she said, grinning, "And children, on your way out, please say hello to Mountie Nathan. Let him know how much we appreciate the way he protects our town."

Nathan narrowed his eyes at her, but he was soon overwhelmed with the good wishes of twenty children; shaking hands, nodding, and tipping his hat to them as he stepped inside the saloon to avoid being run over.

Once the crowd had thinned, Nathan walked between the tables toward her. "Well, that was fun. Let's do that every day," he said, making a face at her and removing his hat.

Elizabeth giggled. "I just thought it was time we showed some appreciation for our Mountie."

Nathan looked at her with soft eyes. "I feel very appreciated," he said quietly.

He looked to his left and saw that Allie was still working hard at her drawing, and Rosaleen was still sitting with her doing the same. Nathan walked over and sat down next to Allie. "What are you drawing, Allie?" he asked.

Allie pushed it around in front of him. He thought it might be the main road of the town with buildings on both sides. There were animals, horses, he thought, and wagons. A large square with squiggles looked to be the Mountie office sign and under it a man in red. Nathan smiled. "That is a wonderful picture of..."

He looked up at Elizabeth and she whispered, "Coal Valley."

"...Coal Valley," Nathan said. Allie grinned at him and jumped into his arms to give him a hug. "You are quite the little artist," Nathan said, hugging her back.

Elizabeth sighed. There was nothing sweeter than watching Nathan and Allie together. Elizabeth always had a picture in her mind of two drifting boats that had found each other and held fast. The more she got to know both of them, the more she knew that although they had unspoken grief and memories they couldn't reconcile, the two of them were so strong together.

Allie took the picture back from Nathan and sat down to finish it. Elizabeth smiled, shaking her head. Allie had been in the classroom, except for recess, for nearly five hours, and she still didn't want to leave. Elizabeth thought it would be a privilege to watch her grow and learn. She knew she already loved her spirit and intelligence, and now she was beginning to realize how very attached she'd become to Allie in a short time.

Rosaleen was still at the table, too, finishing up her drawing, when Molly came to the saloon door. "Rosaleen, come sweet love," she said, walking toward her, "Momma has some shopping to do." Elizabeth saw the change in Rosaleen as she quickly sat upright and covered her drawing furtively with another piece of paper. She gathered her things and then brought the still-covered drawing up to Elizabeth.

There was a look in her eyes, not of fear, but almost pleading, as she handed the drawing to Elizabeth. It felt as if she didn't want her mother to see it, and Elizabeth nodded silently and took it from her. Rosaleen gave her a tiny smile and then turned and took her mother's hand. "Don't forget your lunch pail," Elizabeth called out. "And we'll see you tomorrow, Rosaleen."

Elizabeth slowly moved the piece of paper that was covering the drawing, and she exhaled. It was a picture of the entrance to the mine, and there was a little girl with red hair holding a lunch pail. Alone, with no father in sight.

Just as Molly had described. Every day Rosaleen would take her father's lunch to him and they would sit together while he ate it. That was Coal Valley to Rosaleen. And Elizabeth realized that this sweet eight-year-old no longer felt a connection to the town or the people in it because her father was no longer here.

Elizabeth's heart broke for her, and she sat heavily down into her chair. Nathan saw it, and moved quickly over to her desk. "Elizabeth. What is it?"

She put her head in her hands and felt tears coming. Every day she saw the eyes of the children who were having the hardest time and she simply didn't know what the answer was. And somehow she felt it was her responsibility to find it.

"I can't..." she started, and Nathan could see how upset she was. He brought a chair around and sat next to her, putting his hand lightly on her shoulder. She looked at him, her eyes filled with tears. "I can't make it better for them, Nathan. They all miss their fathers so much."

He nodded, feeling the familiar clench in his own heart. He remembered what Abigail had said to him, "Grief recognizes grief." Nathan saw it everywhere he looked in Coal Valley. It simultaneously made him feel helpless and also not so alone.

"They need to find their own way, Elizabeth. You give them a safe place to do that. It's a great gift," Nathan said softly. Elizabeth looked into his eyes, knowing that he wasn't just speaking about the children, and the tender feelings she had for him expanded another notch.

Nathan reached up and brushed a tear from her cheek. "Don't cry, Lizbeth," he said softly, emphasizing her name the way he knew she liked it. He smiled at her and touched another tear that had reached the corner of her mouth. He held his thumb there for a moment, and they both had the same thought. So close and we still haven't kissed.

Nathan had spent the last two days closing out the investigation of the stagecoach robbery. The robbers had hit another stage just five days later, and that, coupled with evidence Nathan had collected from the scene, was enough to put the men in prison for a while. It meant Nathan had been called as a witness in the trial in Murrayville, so he'd had long days riding back and forth, and Allie had happily stayed with Abigail and Elizabeth.

Of course, the money and almost all the jewelry they'd stolen from Elizabeth was long gone, but Nathan did bring back a pair of earrings and a necklace that they hadn't managed to pawn before they were caught. He surprised Elizabeth with them when he'd come to pick Allie up last night, and she was wearing both today.

Nathan reached up and touched one of her earrings. "These look much better on you than they did in that evidence pouch," he said, smiling.

Elizabeth sniffled and reached into her desk drawer for a handkerchief. "Thank you for getting them for me. I'm surprised at how much it means to have just a little piece of myself back." She touched the necklace. "And as I was going to sleep last night, I realized that if they hadn't taken them from me in the robbery, I wouldn't have them at all because they would have been lost in the teacherage." She smiled a little and looked at Nathan. "So, that's a blessing."

Nathan moved a stray curl from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. "You're a wonder, Elizabeth. You find the good in everything." She saw his eyes cloud for just a split second. "Even me."

Capturing his hand with her own before he pulled it away from her hair, Elizabeth said softly, "But that's so easy. There so much good in you."

Nathan took a deep breath and felt himself moving closer to her. Elizabeth looked over at Allie and raised an eyebrow. Not to mention, Tom Trevoy had just walked from the back room to begin setting up behind the bar.

Sighing, Nathan took her hand and put it to his lips. "We need to spend some time alone," he said. There was a slow fire going in his eyes and it made Elizabeth a little weak in the knees. She was glad she wasn't standing right now.

Elizabeth couldn't look away, nor did she want to. "You promised me riding lessons," she said softly.

Nathan smiled and raised an eyebrow. "How about now?"

Elizabeth's eyes went wide and it pulled her out of the lovely dream state she'd been inhabiting for the last few minutes. "Now?" She looked at the pile of workbooks on her desk. "I have eighteen essays to grade tonight," she said.

"Priorities, Miss Thatcher," Nathan said, releasing her hand and pushing back his chair. "Perhaps that means you don't get to write about me in your journal until the wee hours of the morning..."

Elizabeth's mouth dropped open. "I do not..." She closed her mouth and said, "How do you know I write about you in my journal at all?" she said indignantly.

Nathan put his hat back on his head and looked sideways at her. "You told Abigail you thought I was charming... Isn't that what young women write about in their journals?" He was starting to laugh, and Elizabeth couldn't stay serious.

"I might have mentioned you... once or twice," she said, gathering up her things.

Nathan went over to Allie and said, "Time to go, sweetie. Meatloaf for dinner tonight. You love meatloaf." He looked over at Elizabeth and she was narrowing her eyes a little. "What?" he said.

"I was wondering how pathetic it would be to not only be getting riding lessons from a Mountie, but also cooking lessons. Meatloaf? I don't even know what that is."

Nathan laughed, picking up Allie's bookbag. "It's exactly what it sounds like. You take leftover meat, whatever you have, chop it up, and mix it with eggs and breadcrumbs and bake it in the oven. It's delicious," he said. Nathan looked around the saloon which was empty except for Tom stacking glasses behind the bar. "I've been meaning to ask you. Does our need to avoid gossip include a parent asking his child's teacher over for dinner? Didn't you say you've been to Molly's and Cat's in that capacity?"

Elizabeth laughed and shook her head. "If this Mountie thing doesn't work out, you might consider practicing law, Constable. That's a pretty flawless argument for getting me over to your house for dinner."

"Is that a yes?" Nathan said, eyebrows raised. "If it is, that was a lot easier than I thought it would be."

"Let's start with riding lessons," Elizabeth said. "Then we can revisit the idea of dinner."

Nathan laughed. "I thought you might say that. Fine. Lessons start tomorrow, after school. But I'm not giving up on dinner."

"I'm counting on that," Elizabeth said, smiling at him from under her lashes.

Nathan put his arm around Allie and swung her small book bag over his shoulder. He reached a hand out to Elizabeth. "May I carry your books home from school, Miss Thatcher?"

She nodded and handed him her large basket filled with the essays she needed to grade tonight. "Thank you, Constable," she said softly.

When they reached Abigail's, Nathan handed Elizabeth her basket and took hold of her hand. For a moment, Elizabeth thought he might actually kiss her. The intention was there, but she had a feeling that he knew, as she did, that it wouldn't be quick. And here they were, so visible to the path and all the row houses. He looked deeply into her eyes and said, "One of these days..."

Elizabeth smiled, her heart beating faster. "I know."

Just then, Carla Noonan came around the corner with Jacob. Nathan let go of Elizabeth's hand and they both stepped back. This was the worst time of day for any kind of privacy on Abigail's steps, and Elizabeth and Nathan both knew it. In fact, right behind Carla were two of the men from the mine, covered in coal dust.

Nathan exhaled and then laughed. He gave her one last look and started backing away. "Well, don't stay up too late with your journal..."

"...my essays..." she said, raising an eyebrow.

Nathan's crooked smile made her take a deep breath. "Oh, right, your essays..." he said.

Elizabeth laughed. "Allie, let me know how the meatloaf is, okay?" Allie nodded. That was one word she knew very well.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Elizabeth said as they started down the path.

Nathan turned and looked at her, his eyes soft. "Yes. You will," he said. Then he turned and put his arm around Allie and started asking her about her day at school. Elizabeth watched as the two of them chattered away until they walked up their steps and Nathan turned and waved.

---

Thursday 15th September

Today, it almost happened. I know it almost happened three days ago too, but today he actually spoke about it. Well, not really spoke about it, but I knew what he meant. "One of these days" he said. And I said, "I know." And his eyes were on my lips while he said it, just as they do in my books.

That is possibly the most romantic conversation I've ever had in my life, and we never really said a thing. But I found I could hardly breathe. Breathless.

How many times have I read about first kisses? But now that it's Constable Nathan Grant, and it's my lips he's looking at, it's so different...

I'm starting to understand the state of mind of some of my favorite heroines. I knew what they were saying, but what they were feeling had always eluded me, although I loved the language they used to describe it. Breathless. It's not hyperbole. It's literal. And all that melting they do, and blushing, and losing track of time. It's all real.

So what that tells me, that I will only share here, is that I've never been in love before. I've felt attraction and infatuation, but not love.

And I will stop there, because the next sentence is too much for me to write. But I find myself brazenly wishing "One of these days" will come soon. Very soon.

Perhaps tomorrow.

---

CHAPTER 17

"So," Nathan said, "Once we get you out of town, I can help you more with the finer points, but you're going to have to do this part alone."

Nathan had just saddled Sarah, the sweetest, gentlest mare in the livery, and was adjusting the stirrups for Elizabeth while she sat in the saddle.

He sighed, looking at her voluminous skirts, wrapped around her legs. "My mother rides the ranch in men's work trousers." He looked up at Elizabeth and smiled, "Don't suppose I could convince you to do that?"

Elizabeth laughed. "I would love to, actually! But I think I might be having another discussion with the mothers about the example I'm setting for the children."

Nathan shook his head and patted her knee, asking her to lift her foot out of the stirrup again so he could make a final adjustment. Just that touch made Elizabeth's breath catch as she moved her leg.

"As if being comfortable and safe in the saddle is setting a bad example," he said. "If you fell off for some reason, these skirts would all go over your head." He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head, smiling, "Of course, they might also break your fall..."

Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Could we stop talking about falling, please?" she said, looking a little distressed as she visually measured the distance that now stretched out between herself and the ground.

Nathan looked up at her and smiled. "I won't let you fall," he said softly. They had another of their moments, and Nathan suddenly realized he had his hand on her knee again. He pulled back as if he'd been burned, and after a self-conscious moment, they both laughed. "Honestly, Elizabeth," he said, shaking his head and moving her foot back into the stirrup. "I've always been fairly awkward around women, but being around you..." he looked up at her in consternation, "...it's just a whole new level of awkward. Why do you think that is?"

She looked at him tenderly. "Because it matters?"

Nathan's eyes were very blue as he gazed up at her. He didn't speak, but he smiled and nodded. His heart was pounding in his chest. Yes, it matters. More than I could ever have imagined for myself.

Finally, Nathan managed to break the grip her eyes had on him. In truth, he wanted so badly to put his arms around her right now that getting away from town was foremost in his mind.

"Alright. Remember, with a horse like Sarah, you could probably let go of the reins and she would just do what was best. You only need to give her a little direction. This for left, this for right. She'll go slow, unless you put your heels in her flanks, so keep your feet away from her..." Nathan held on to Elizabeth's boot and pulled it just slightly away from Sarah's sides, "...and she'll take you on a nice, easy walk."

Elizabeth nodded. Nathan's eyes softened and he put his hand over hers on the reins. He smiled and said, "She knows what to do." He took hold of Sarah's bridle and led her around. "You remember where we'll meet? I can keep an eye on you from the trees."

"Yes," Elizabeth said, her voice a little higher than usual.

"I'm going to get Newton. She'll stay right here until you let her know you want her to move."

Within moments, Nathan was beside her astride Newton. He touched her hand again and smiled at her. "You look good on her, Elizabeth. We may need to get you your own horse someday."

Elizabeth's eyes were excited. "I'd like that," she said, feeling more confident now that Nathan was beside her at eye level.

"Okay. You take her out. I'll go around the back and meet you. But I'll be watching."

Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Thank you, Nathan." Then she smiled at him. "You're not a bad teacher yourself, you know?"

He smiled back at her and made a clicking noise. Sarah moved slowly into a walk, and Elizabeth turned around and looked at him, her eyes wide. "I want to learn how to make that noise," she said.

"One thing at a time, cowgirl," Nathan said, laughing, as she moved out of the large livery door. He eased past her and took Newton at a run around the back of the livery.

Elizabeth breathed deeply and touched Sarah's neck on the left side with the reins. The horse turned easily and walked toward town.

I'm riding a horse. By myself. Nathan was right, Sarah knew exactly what to do. Elizabeth thought it really wasn't difficult; a little like sitting in a chair. Just one that was moving.

There weren't many people out at this hour, so she managed to get from the livery to the road out of town without meeting anyone she knew. Elizabeth started to relax and she settled into the saddle as she found a rhythm. She loved it immediately.

The birds were in the trees, there was a glorious blue sky with cotton clouds above her. What was surprising was how quiet it was out here on the road with just the sound of Sarah's footfalls.

"Sarah," she said softly, reaching down to touch her mane and feel the sleek coat at her neck. "You and I are getting along just fine, aren't we?" They were getting further from town, with the pond on the right and a large meadow on the left that ended at the continuous stand of trees that bordered it.

Elizabeth squinted and tried to see Nathan, but of course he wasn't wearing his red serge. Elizabeth loved his civilian clothes, and she realized that he favored the colors of nature, so very different from the brightness of his uniform. He wore browns and greens, with a splash of the blue sky every now and then. She loved the look of them, but she realized she would never see him camouflaged in the trees. He would just blend in, like some sort of woodland creature.

That made her laugh softly, and it got her thinking about the fact that very soon, they would finally be alone. A tingle started down the back of her neck and she took a deep breath.

Today is the day.

To be honest, if he didn't kiss her, she might just have to kiss him.

---

Nathan had found a good spot close to the road, but still in the trees. He smiled to himself. He had to admit he didn't always mind all the cloak and dagger they were being forced into right now. It certainly made things interesting.

He looked out at the road and saw her in the distance. She was swaying slightly side to side along with Sarah's easy walk, and he realized he was right about Elizabeth's natural grace. The woman had never been alone on a horse out in the country, and she looked as if she belonged there.

It was a spectacular afternoon. Just the right temperature because of a mild breeze. Nathan knew exactly where he was going to take her, and then, finally, they would be alone. The thought of it heightened his senses to such a degree that he took a deep breath and forced himself to focus on the lone figure out in the middle of the road.

Nathan had chosen a spot at a turn, so that he could see both ways down the road. Elizabeth could only see up to where he was.

And then, something happened that Nathan hadn't anticipated, but he realized he should have. There was only one car in Coal Valley, and it belonged to Henry Gowen. It usually spent time parked either outside the mine or on the edge of town where Gowen lived.

What sounded at first like the buzzing of bees around him got louder and made him turn his head. The wind was blowing against the sound, and all of Nathan's tracking instincts kicked into high gear.

The noise didn't reach him until the car was almost at the turn, and Spurlock was driving fast. Nathan's heart went into his throat.

Not again, was the thought that entered his mind before he had a chance to push it away. Not again. The terror that filled him was almost like a current of electricity, coursing through his veins. And Nathan did what he did best. He leapt into action.

Nathan jumped Newton out of the trees, choking on the dust cloud that trailed behind the car, and then he pulled alongside. Newton could race at about thirty miles per hour for a short period of time, and Spurlock was probably going just about that fast.

Gowen was giving Spurlock instructions about something, and the Pinkerton looked into the backseat to talk to him. Nathan pulled ahead and yelled, "Stop!" He pointed frantically in front of him at Elizabeth in the middle of the road, but Spurlock only sneered at him, thinking it was just the Mountie telling him to slow down.

Elizabeth saw this unfold so quickly, it was hard to know what was happening. But she was transfixed by something on Nathan's face, a stricken look in his eyes as he sped toward her that held the same pain she'd seen before. So primal and terrifying that she knew in an instant that this was not the first time he'd experienced this. And then, because she was so connected to Nathan, she knew intuitively that he had watched Colleen die.

Spurlock laughed and looked forward, and then he saw Elizabeth. He didn't slow down, but he did pull slightly to the left to avoid her, missing by inches. Sarah was gentle, but no horse should be expected not to react to a near-miss with an automobile, and she reared up.

Nathan saw Elizabeth grab hold of the horn on the saddle, and for a moment it looked as if she would be able to hold on, but her hands slipped off. He was right behind her and he vaulted off of Newton so that when Elizabeth tumbled over the cantle and off Sarah's rump, Nathan was there. He put his arms around her and fell backward, taking the brunt of the fall as she landed squarely on his chest, knocking the wind out of him completely.

He lay there gasping for breath and Elizabeth was lying directly on top of him, completely unhurt. And then, to his utter amazement, she started laughing. If he had been able to breathe, he would have had some choice words for her, but in truth, while one half of him struggled to stay alive, the other half was absolutely, ecstatically, enjoying the moment. It was almost too much to take in.

"I...said...I...wouldn't...let...you...fall," he managed to choke out. Elizabeth's hair had come undone, and her curls fell around his face in a cloud of lavender. If he could get some air in his lungs, he was sure this would be one of the happiest moments of his life.

Elizabeth was having trouble catching her breath as well, but it was because she couldn't stop laughing. The picture she imagined of herself going heels over teakettle from the back of a horse, petticoats flying, and landing directly on Nathan just wouldn't leave her.

And then she looked at him, his face so close to hers. Now that he had managed to take a few breaths she could see the smile starting to form on his face too, and then she felt him laughing under her. She would be grateful later, and there would be muscles in his body that would ache, but for right now, the two of them only wanted one thing.

Elizabeth looked at him for a moment and she saw the fire start in his eyes again. That was all it took. She moved a short distance until her lips were on his and his arms came quickly around her back as he responded with a soft sound like a sigh.

Whatever she imagined it would be like to kiss Nathan Grant, she had never imagined this. And it wasn't that they were lying in the middle of the road that was surprising, it was how it felt to finally, completely give herself to him and to feel him throw caution to the wind and do the same.

Nathan felt her fingers on the back of his neck, and all of the terror of the last few moments channeled into a hunger he'd underestimated. He had to admit that when he'd imagined kissing Elizabeth he thought it would be sweet and tender, and it was, but there was so much more, for both of them. There was a heat that neither of them expected.

But there was also the fact that Nathan hadn't fully recovered his breath yet, and now his heart was racing as well. Reluctantly, he moved his lips to her cheek and felt the softness there. "Need to breathe," he said, his voice low and rough. The extreme emotions of the last few minutes had him completely undone.

He rolled gently to the side so that her weight was off of his chest, and Elizabeth nuzzled her head into the hollow of his neck. She laughed softly, self-consciously, abundantly aware that she had just kissed him in a way that might not be described as ladylike. "Sorry," she whispered.

Nathan rolled on to his back, breathing deeply now. "Don't ever be sorry. If I had the breath to say it, I would tell you that was a truly outstanding first kiss."

Elizabeth smiled. "It was, wasn't it?" She turned and looked at him. "I was so nervous," she said. "But I guess it's like riding a horse..."

Nathan laughed out loud. "Which you do so well..."

He managed to raise his head and could see that Newton had moved into the protective stance of a trained Mountie horse when his man was down. Yeah, I'm down alright, Nathan thought, allowing his head to fall back onto the dirt. I may never get up again. On the other side of them, Sarah had done the same, whether through some equine telepathy or her own training. Protected or not, Nathan thought it would be a good idea for them to get out of the middle of the road.

But maybe just one more, he thought, turning to Elizabeth. She was so beautiful, even with dirt on her face and her hair disheveled. He laughed softly, "This is how I met you," he said in wonder, rubbing his thumb across her dirty face.

She smiled back at him, her eyes dancing. "Always the damsel in distress..." Nathan couldn't wait any longer and he pressed his lips to hers, this time more tenderly, taking in the way she first yielded and then pulled him toward her, running her fingers into his hair. After a long moment he moved away and held her, his face buried in her curls, and whispered, "We should probably get out of the road..."

Elizabeth sighed deeply. "Are we in the road?" she said, her voice dreamlike.

Nathan laughed softly. "Yes, and we should move." With a burst of supreme willpower, he pulled himself away from her and took her hand. When he stood, he could feel every muscle in his shoulders and back wrench, reminding him of the hard fall he took. "You okay?" he asked her, putting out his hand to pull her up.

She looked up at him and smiled. "Mmmm-hmmm," she said. Nathan pulled her up and she went naturally right back into his arms. They both stood there for a time, breathing together, listening to the birdsong in the trees.

And then it wasn't just birdsong. There was a voice calling from the direction of the town and they both turned to see Ned Yost running toward them. He stopped for breath, putting his hands onto his knees.

"Constable!" he managed to say through deep breaths. "We need to organize a search party."

Nathan took Elizabeth's hand and started walking toward Ned. "What's happened?" he said, shading his eyes from the lowering sun.

"Rosaleen Sullivan. She's missing."

---

CHAPTER 18

"Molly and the other mothers are going door-to-door right now," Ned said as they walked quickly back into town.

Nathan squeezed Elizabeth's hand. "Take Sarah back to the livery, and ask Jed to unsaddle her. Then please ask him to come and join the search." He turned and looked up toward the row houses. "Allie is with Carla, can you let her know what I'm doing and ask if she can keep her a little longer?"

Elizabeth nodded. "After that," she said, "I'll check the schoolroom to see if Rosaleen might have gone back there."

Nathan tilted his head and looked for a long moment into Elizabeth's eyes. Again, they were sheltered between the two horses, and he reached up and smoothed her hair back from her face. "We have a lot to talk about."

Elizabeth turned her head and let her lips graze his hand. "We do." She smiled softly at him, and then he saw the shadow move across her eyes.

"We'll find her, Elizabeth. Don't worry," he said.

Just before he left, he let his thumb brush across her lips, lingering there.

Then, before she knew it, he was back up on Newton and turning him toward the houses just outside of town where many of the miners lived.

"Be safe," she said to him.

Nathan turned and nodded, and then he was off with Newton at a run.

After taking Sarah up to the livery, Elizabeth ran to see about Allie. Carla had already heard, and she said she would keep Allie for as long as Nathan needed her to. "Allie can stay the night," Carla said. "Just find Rosaleen." She set her mouth in a hard line. "Most Coal Valley kids can take care of themselves, Elizabeth, but Rosaleen is different."

"I know," Elizabeth said, feeling the tears start. "We'll find her."

Just as she was about to turn, Allie came up and took hold of her skirts. "For Rosaleen," she said, looking up at Elizabeth as she put something in her hand. "It's quiet too," Allie said, and then she went back to play with Jacob.

Elizabeth opened her hand and saw a beautifully carved wooden mouse.

---

Rosaleen wasn't in the schoolroom, but something else was. As Elizabeth turned to go, she saw a corner of Rosaleen's drawing on her desk, and she pulled the piece of paper out.

The mine. And in a flash, Elizabeth knew. It made perfect sense. The last time Rosaleen had felt like she was a part of the world, she was sitting next to her father outside of the mine. Somehow, Elizabeth knew if she went there, she would find Rosaleen on that bench.

Elizabeth looked out of the windows. It was already twilight and getting darker. She didn't think Tom would mind if she borrowed one of the lanterns he kept at the back door for getting supplies out of the shed. She grabbed it quickly and went out the front door of the saloon.

Ned was still in the Mercantile, acting as a sort of central information center for the search. Elizabeth was hoping to find some people to come with her to the mine, but Ned was alone.

"I think she may be at the mine, Ned," Elizabeth said. "I'm sure I'll run into people on the way, but if I don't, can you please tell Constable Grant that's where I'm going?"

"Sure thing, Elizabeth," Ned said. He looked outside and the darkening sky. "I hope they find her soon. It's going to get cold."

Elizabeth nodded and then she realized she didn't even have a coat on, and Rosaleen probably didn't either. She walked over to a shelf and found two blankets. "May I, Ned? I'll pay you later?"

Ned shook his head, "On the house, Elizabeth. Just find her."

Coal Valley looked like a ghost town as she walked through it, carrying one blanket under her arm and the other wrapped around her shoulders. She could hear distant voices in the meadow and by the pond, as everyone called out "Rosaleen!" and though Elizabeth kept thinking she would run into someone, she arrived at the short road out to the mine without seeing a soul. Ned knows where I am, she thought, holding out her lantern and forging ahead. She was so sure that she would find the little girl that she wanted to get there as fast as possible.

But when the bench came into sight, it was empty.

Elizabeth had never seen a mineshaft before, except for the quick view of it from a distance when she'd brought the children out the day the plank was found.

"Rosaleen?" She called out, hoping that she was somewhere near.

Right now, looking into the pitch blackness of the mine with only the light of a lantern, it looked positively terrifying. The thought of walking into that shaft stopped Elizabeth in her tracks and she considered going back and getting help.

But then she heard something.

It was a sound more faint than the voices out in the meadow had been, but it drew Elizabeth closer to the entrance of the mine. It sounded like a small high voice calling out for help and although alarms were going off in her head, Elizabeth continued to step closer, holding the lantern in front of her.

The light fell in a round pool, illuminating only the smallest circle just ahead, and as she stepped inside the rectangular entrance she could hear her own footsteps echoing into a distance she didn't even want to think about. She couldn't remember being more afraid.

"Rosaleen?" she called out, her voice sounding simultaneously tiny and loud as it bounced off the walls on either side of her.

Then she heard it again. It sounded like it might be a small child calling for help.

Now there was nothing that would stop Elizabeth. She picked up speed, swaying the lantern side to side so that she could see the walls and the floor as she walked. Her breath was coming in great gulps, from a combination of fear and the stale, close air that filled the dank mine.

"Rosaleen?" she called out, louder now, gathering strength from her purpose, which quickly became larger than her fear.

The voice came back, clear as day. A voice Elizabeth had never heard, but instinctively knew. Rosaleen's voice.

"M-Miss Thatcher?" She followed the sound, moving down the wrong shaft first and then finding the right one, calling out, over and over, and hearing Rosaleen answer.

Finally, Elizabeth heard her voice, but she was at what looked like a dead end. There were large pieces of wood, long beams, across the entrance to another shaft, and Elizabeth's heart sank as she realized that Rosaleen had gone through the entrance just before it had collapsed.

She held the lantern up to a space between the boards, and she could barely see her. Terrified, cold, with no light, in the depth of this long mineshaft, alone. A little girl only eight years old. Crying, lost.

"Oh, Rosaleen, I'm so glad I found you. Are you hurt?"

Rosaleen shook her head. She looked so afraid.

Elizabeth suddenly understood the stories she'd heard of the superhuman strength that took hold when a parent saw their child in danger. She was no longer frightened for herself. The only thing she had to do was to get past what was in front of her so that she could hold Rosaleen in her arms and tell her everything would be alright.

Elizabeth put down the lantern and tried to assess what she was seeing. There were smaller pieces of wood that had fallen across the shaft along with the large ones, and she moved those first. The whole time she worked she talked to Rosaleen.

"You're going to be fine, sweetheart. We're going to get you out of here and then we'll take you to your mother." Elizabeth moved a board and felt a shudder that stopped her. She watched in horror as dirt began to trickle from the ceiling of the shaft. She waited until it stopped and then continued, trying to undo the puzzle of wood she saw in front of her.

"Can you put your hand through, Rosaleen? I want to see where you are."

To her left and low, she saw a tiny hand come through one of the small openings she'd made, and she bent down with the lantern to see if she could shine some light into where Rosaleen was. Elizabeth held her little hand between her own, feeling how cold it was, and she remembered the blanket. Before getting up, she held Rosaleen's hand to her own cheek and kissed it. "Oh, sweetheart. I'm going to get you out of here. I promise." She could hear Rosaleen crying softly.

Elizabeth stood and found a spot toward the top of the jumble of wood and dirt that was large enough to push the blanket through. "Stand back a little, sweetheart, I'm putting a blanket through so you can keep warm." She heard the soft thud on the other side and said, "Did you get it? Put it around you, Rosaleen. It won't be so cold."

Now Elizabeth was on a mission. Little by little, she moved the wood, rocks and dirt away from a portion of the shaft entrance until she thought she could just barely climb through. She still had her own blanket over her shoulders and she pulled it tightly around her. Stepping through and bending down, she felt something scratch her leg and then her hair caught on a ragged piece of wood, but she kept moving, and before she knew it, she was almost completely in the shaft with Rosaleen.

But at the last second, the blanket caught on a nail, and her forward momentum dropped her on the other side with it still partially around her. As she looked up in horror, she could see that the piece of wood was pulling down the rest of the structure. She grabbed Rosaleen and went further into the shaft, and within moments she and Rosaleen were plunged into a dusty darkness that was so complete she had no idea which way was up. She held tightly to the little girl, sheltering her while she cried.

In horror, Elizabeth realized that the entrance was now completely blocked.

And she had left the lantern on the other side.

---

Nathan came back into town on Newton, exhausted after spending hours searching through the trees alongside the meadow. He was cold and needed a cup of coffee to warm up and stay awake, and then he would head back out.

All the men were still out looking, so the saloon was empty. Tom was behind the bar, keeping the coffee pot going.

"Thanks, Tom," Nathan said, standing at the bar. After being in the saddle for so long, it felt good to stretch out a little. He looked over at Elizabeth's desk and the blackboard, and just a small corner of his mouth rose into a tired smile.

Nathan had spent the last few hours with nothing to do but peer through the darkness and call out Rosaleen's name. It had given the rest of his brain enough time to go over what had happened today. Multiple times.

It still seemed somewhat surreal, in the best possible way. He couldn't stop thinking about how it felt to hold her, his lips on hers, feeling her respond to him…

Cat walked through the front door of the saloon and brought him back to the present.

"Coffee, please, Tom. We're just taking a break," She exhaled and said to Nathan, "Molly refuses to stop until we find her."

Nodding, Nathan said, "I'm on my way back out to the meadow. I'll see if I can talk her into a cup of coffee." Nathan swallowed the last of his own coffee and started for the front door. "I want to ask Elizabeth something. Rosaleen was drawing a picture…" he was almost to the door when Cat stopped him.

"Elizabeth isn't with us," she said, a frown forming between her brows. "I assumed she was with you, or she'd gone home."

Nathan turned sharply and looked at her. "When was the last time you saw her?" he asked, forcing his voice into control.

Cat shook her head. "Nathan, I don't think I've seen her all night."

Cat had felt there was something going on between Nathan and Elizabeth, and Nathan's look confirmed it. She went to him and touched his arm. "Go talk to Ned. He's been in the Mercantile since we started searching. He might know something."

Nathan nodded quickly and said, "Thank you." He stepped outside and Cat saw him take off running toward the Mercantile.

When he got there and asked about Elizabeth, Ned didn't hesitate. "Yes, she told me she was going to the mine..." he said, scratching his head. Before Ned even got his full sentence out, Nathan ran back through the door and Ned could see him jump onto Newton and ride like the wind out of town.

---

CHAPTER 19

When Elizabeth and Julie were little girls and they were afraid, they used to play a game called "the bright side." It was always a funny game, where they would think of the terrible scrapes that their heroines would get into, and try to find the happier notes: At least she didn't fall off the cliff! And they would dissolve into fits of laughter together.

As Elizabeth huddled with Rosaleen under their two blankets, she was surprised at how many bright sides she could find. She had found Rosaleen. They were warm. She'd told Ned where she was going. Nathan wouldn't rest until he found them.

She knew the last point was absolutely true. Somehow, some way, at some time, Elizabeth knew that she would hear Nathan's voice on the other side of the pile of wood, rocks, and dirt that was keeping them from stepping out of this cold, dark shaft.

Elizabeth had read once about sensory deprivation. How when all sounds, sights, and feelings were removed, the mind could roam freely. The darkness around her was of a type she had never experienced, even in sleep. It was so complete and disorienting that she found it was easier to simply keep her eyes closed.

Rosaleen was finally sleeping, warm in her arms under the blankets. The little girl had attached herself to Elizabeth immediately and now still clung tightly, even in sleep. They had talked for a long while together, and Elizabeth had been right about all the words Rosaleen had stuck in her head. She thought she might have spoken three month's-worth in the hours they'd sat here.

Rosaleen had confirmed what Elizabeth thought, as she tearfully recounted the day of the disaster. "I… I... didn't... bring him his lunch. That day, Anna asked me to play, I wanted to play and I didn't bring him his lunch. Then the boom came."

Elizabeth had held Rosaleen tightly, rocking her back and forth as she cried. She knew that part of being a child and having a limited understanding of the complexities of life meant that children often thought things beyond their control were of their doing.

"Sweetheart," Elizabeth had whispered softly, "It is not your fault that your daddy lost his life in this mine."

Then Rosaleen expressed her fear, and Elizabeth knew why she had covered up her drawing when Molly had come into the schoolroom. "But what will mommy say when she finds out I didn't bring him his lunch?"

Elizabeth held her tighter, feeling her own heart breaking. Not only was Rosaleen carrying the guilt of having not done enough, but she was also lost in the fear that her mother, the only person she had left, would think less of her for it. No wonder Rosaleen had retreated into silence. Guilt and fear had been gripping her in a stranglehold.

"Rosaleen, listen to me," Elizabeth said firmly. "Your mother loves you so much. When she sees you again, she will tell you that she loves you more than life itself. The whole town is out looking for you. We all love you. And it wasn't your fault. Sometimes..." Elizabeth felt the tears coursing down her own cheeks, "...sometimes, things just happen, and we have to know that God has a greater plan than ours. You are so loved, sweetheart."

Rosaleen had calmed then, and they'd whispered to each other for a long time in the darkness.

Elizabeth had found Allie's mouse in the pocket of her skirt, and Rosaleen talked about how much she liked the carvings that Constable Grant made for Allie, and how much she cared for the other students, and how she had heard and enjoyed every lesson Elizabeth had taught.

It was such a joy to finally have access to Rosaleen's mind, that for a time, Elizabeth had tried to imagine it was just like the late nights talking to Julie in the dark. Instead of a cold coal mine that creaked ominously and offered up all sorts of terrors if one thought about it too much, Elizabeth imagined she was in the large feather bed, whispering with her sister. It worked for a while.

But now, hours later, Elizabeth could no longer pretend. She was so frightened and stiff and thirsty that she began to cry again softly, not wanting to wake Rosaleen.

She spent quite a while talking to God, and asking Him to guide Nathan to her. She made the promises that people make to God when they think they might have finally gone too far, or done too much, or trusted a false sense of safety in a dangerous world. What she promised most fervently was to not take things for granted anymore. A view of the sunset, clean air to breathe, warmth and the love that she knew was all around her. Allie and the other children. Molly and Cat and Abigail. And Nathan.

She had fallen off of a horse today. Although it seemed as if days had passed since that time, she realized it had only been late this afternoon. And what had happened afterwards had felt so wonderful and exciting and right, that she could still bring up the joy of it, even now in this dark mine.

For those long moments they'd held each other in the middle of the road, his lips warm on hers while her senses whirled, Elizabeth realized it felt like just another version of home. Not a place, but a state of being, as if being in Nathan's arms was where all her journeys had been leading all along.

And in the long hours as she waited with her back leaned up against the wall of the mine, Elizabeth remembered her conversation with Nathan about fate and destiny. About how one tiny move can change your future and then lead to another change and another. What if she had taken one of the other offers of employment she'd received? A larger town, not so far west? Would there have been a Mountie there who would have caught her as she fell off a horse? Would she have been on a horse at all?

What if Nathan had chosen Cape Fullerton instead of Coal Valley? Elizabeth smiled, remembering their conversation about what Mountie Jack's library would look like. No matter how hard she tried, Elizabeth couldn't see another Mountie in that office, in that uniform, in Coal Valley. In her arms.

Elizabeth hadn't been able to write it in her journal, but she could say it in her head now, in this dark place that held so many terrors. She had never wanted to be thought of as one of those silly girls who fall in love at the drop of a hat. Julie had that tendency, but Elizabeth was the sensible sister, like Elinor Dashwood. And, she thought, sighing, even Elinor had fallen in love.

Where was Nathan now? Had he discovered she was missing? Had he talked to Ned? Of course he wouldn't rest until they'd found Rosaleen, and Rosaleen was here with her. In the darkness, Elizabeth could see his face so clearly, his eyes, translucent and so blue. What was he feeling right now?

That kiss hadn't been one-sided. She felt the now-familiar tingles down the back of her neck as she remembered, and a phrase materialized in her mind. Still waters run deep. Kissing him had opened up a whole new side of Nathan to Elizabeth. He'd been right on the edge of control, passionate, his caution and reticence gone, and she'd had a small look into the complexity she'd always known was a part of him.

And what about that moment she'd seen as he rushed toward her? Now she had time to think it through and to analyze why she'd been so certain, on an intuitive level, that he'd not only lost his sister, but he'd watched it happen. It was because she'd not only seen him afraid for her, she'd seen him remembering. It was exactly the same look she'd seen earlier, as she imagined some horror replaying behind his eyes.

Rosaleen stirred a little, and Elizabeth had a moment of understanding. Guilt and fear. That was the look she'd seen, and now that she knew Nathan better, she knew that if something happened and he'd been unable to prevent it, he would feel he should have.

Thinking back to Elinor Dashwood and the men in Austen's story, Elizabeth realized that she'd always preferred the ones with quiet passion, like Colonel Brandon or Edward. Willoughby held no interest with her, because she never fully trusted a man who performed for others. Nathan never performed; and she could even say he might go a little too far in the other direction. But what he had shown her of himself today was worth every moment of wondering what he was thinking.

Elizabeth breathed deeply. She wanted to kiss him again. She wanted the porch swing he had talked about on his family ranch. She wanted to hear the story of his life in all its joy and pain. She wanted sunsets and rides on horses out to meadows where they could lie in each other's arms and talk for hours. She wanted Nathan.

She loved him.

---

He could hardly keep a thought in his head, he was so afraid of losing her. Newton's mane was flying back as he raced out to the mine, and any sleepiness Nathan had felt just minutes ago was long gone. The adrenaline was coursing through his veins at such a rate that he felt his heart beating even over the wind in his ears and Newton's hoofs pounding the dirt below him. He was praying harder than he ever had in his life. Please God, let her be safe.

His lantern from the search had still been hanging off of Newton's saddle when he'd stopped for coffee. He reached the mine and lit it again, calling out, frantically, "Elizabeth!" There was no sign of her, and he ran quickly into the mineshaft.

Nathan had to keep pushing away the thought of Elizabeth walking into this dark place alone and how afraid she must have been. What he'd wanted to talk to her about when he started to leave the saloon was Rosaleen's picture. He'd seen that it was the entrance to the mine, and although he didn't know the full story, he, too, had thought there might be a chance that Rosaleen would come here.

"Elizabeth!" he called out, as loudly as he could, ignoring the sprinkling of dirt from the ceiling that was dislodged even by the vibrations of his voice. And with that terrifying evidence, the thought came again. Forty-seven men died in this mine when it collapsed.

It began to feel more frightening to call out so loudly, so Nathan consciously calmed himself. The echo in the shaft was enough to send his voice quite a long way, so he spoke softer and listened.

And suddenly, he realized that he'd been using this lantern for hours. The fire on the mantle began to sputter and he reached down to turn the wheel to raise it up. When he did, the lantern went out completely. It was out of oil, and Nathan was abruptly plunged into a darkness that was deeper than any he'd ever seen.

Except... there was a glow so faint that he had to wait for his eyes to adjust to fully see it. He dropped his lantern and put his hands out in front of him to make sure he didn't run into anything, but he thought it might be getting just a tiny bit brighter.

Soon, he could make out a shaft to the right and he could see just a faint view of the mine floor. He could run now, and it got brighter and brighter, until he saw the lantern, still lit on the ground next to a pile of wood, dirt and rocks. He looked behind him, realizing that this shaft was much too short.

His mouth opened, but he couldn't say her name this time. In horror, he pushed away the picture that leapt to his mind of Elizabeth under that pile, and concentrated on the one of her on the other side of it.

Finally, he choked out her name. "Elizabeth!" and as he said it, he heard the fear in his own voice, and the sob that was right on its heels.

Elizabeth's eyes flew open, although there was still nothing to see. She thought she might have imagined it, but she called out, "Nathan!"

Rosaleen woke up with a start and clutched Elizabeth tighter. "Stay here, sweetheart," Elizabeth said gently, and she stood, scraping her hands along the rough wall until she reached the place where the shaft had collapsed.

"Nathan," she screamed again, ignoring the dust that fell from the ceiling as she did it. "Nathan! We're in here!"

She's alive. Now Nathan felt a tear run hotly down his cheek as he called out again, and he started to pull at the things he could free up from the collapse. Thank you, God, now please help me. Please.

Elizabeth saw just the tiniest sliver of light as it pierced through the darkness, creating an infinitesimal beam that caught the motes of dust in the air. She moved her mouth toward it and called out, "Nathan!" She was sobbing now and it was a cry more than a shout, but then she heard his voice clearly, and the beam of light widened.

Elizabeth could see her hands in front of her and she got closer to the small hole and reached her fingers through it, calling his name. Then the hole got wider still and she gasped as she felt his fingers come around hers, warm and strong and feeling like salvation.

"Are you alright? You're not hurt?" Nathan's voice was so filled with emotion, Elizabeth could hardly recognize it, but she knew that hers was the same as she answered.

"Yes, we're fine. I have Rosaleen. We're both fine." She squeezed his fingers gratefully. "I'm so glad you're here. It was so dark, Nathan..." and then her voice broke into sobs as the long, dreadful hours finally took their toll on her.

"Lizbeth," he said softly, feeling an actual pain in his heart as he heard her cry. And then Elizabeth heard a shift in his voice, to that of the Mountie, now in charge and ready to make things right.

"I can't do this alone, Elizabeth. I need to go for help. These beams are too heavy for one person, and I'm afraid it will collapse more. I'll go get some of the miners to come and help shore this up so we can get you out safely."

"No!" she said frantically, whispering through her sobs. "What if you don't come back?"

Nathan could hear the raw terror in her voice. "I will always come back," he said, his voice soft but with an undercurrent of steel in it. She felt his lips, warm and trembling, on her fingers, and then he said firmly, "I'm leaving the lantern. Move away from here, Elizabeth, just in case more falls. I'll be back as fast as I can."

"Please hurry," she whispered, and with every ounce of his strength, Nathan let go of her fingers. He turned at a run and for a while could see the shaft in front of him, but finally, as he turned back into the main shaft, it was completely dark. He kept his hand on the wall next to him, scraping and cutting the skin of his palms without feeling it. At one point he tripped over something and realized it was the lantern he had abandoned. He picked it up as he got back to his feet and kept going.

As he started feeling that he was getting close, he began calling Newton, and Nathan heard him whinny softly, and then saw him in the ambient light of the moon outside, walking toward him.

Nathan led Newton out of the shaft and jumped on him, pressing his heels firmly into his flanks, and Newton ran, all of his training recognizing Nathan's urgency. Luckily, Herbert Ansvil was walking his path toward home with a lantern, and Nathan called out to him. "Elizabeth and Rosaleen are in the mine, the second shaft on the right, they're behind a collapse. I'm getting more men." Herbert nodded and started off running.

Within minutes, Nathan had gathered ten men with lanterns and the news was traveling among the women out in the meadow that Rosaleen had been found. Molly came running, and although she was completely exhausted, she pleaded with Nathan to take her to her daughter. A couple of the men boosted her up onto Newton and Nathan turned back toward the mine holding her tightly in the saddle with him.

Molly sobbed in front of him. "She's alright? She's not hurt? Oh, thank the sweet Lord, my dear girl..."

"Elizabeth is with her, Molly. We'll have them out quickly," Nathan said. All around them, townspeople were heading toward the mine with lanterns. He rode Newton hard all the way back and by the time they got there, the main shaft was ablaze with light from the men going in to shore up the collapse.

Nathan led Molly to where they were, and they had to stand back while the men worked. But through the noise and commotion, Molly could hear a voice she hadn't heard in more than three months. A voice that gave her so much joy she almost collapsed under the weight of it.

"Mommy!" It was Rosaleen's voice, calling out high and loud over the voices of the miners.

"Oh my dear one!" Molly called out, as Nathan held her back from running toward her little girl.

Within just a few minutes, there was enough space for Elizabeth to hand Rosaleen through a wide opening cleared by the men. She ran, sobbing, to her mother. "Mommy, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I wanted to bring daddy his lunch!"

Molly wrapped her arms around Rosaleen, clutching her tightly, mixing their tears together on Rosaleen's cheeks as she kissed her over and over. "Oh, my sweet girl, my dear little one, I love you so much. I love you. I love you."

They were quickly surrounded by Cat, Florence and Abigail, who had rushed in to help. They enclosed Molly and Rosaleen into a sort of cocoon and began walking them out into the fresh air.

Abigail stayed behind and took Nathan's arm. She looked into his eyes and could see that he was completely spent, breathing deeply, his gaze focused only on the rapidly opening space in the rubble.

Abigail stood with him, watching, with her arm through his. She felt she might actually be helping him a little to stand, and she was happy to do it. She'd never seen a man more terrified. Or, Abigail thought, more in love.

Nathan saw her curls first, as she bent almost double to get through the space they'd cleared. He felt tears spring to his eyes as she looked up, tear-stained, covered in coal dust and a look in her eyes that he'd seen before with Mounties who had been through an ordeal that was beyond immediate description.

Without hesitating, they went silently into each other's arms and he held her as she sobbed. He closed his eyes and it took him back to the night they stood in the light of the fire in the teacherage. But he knew so much more of her now.

Elizabeth was incredibly strong, but she had her limit. He stroked her hair and whispered to her that everything was okay and he was here with her, but his own terror at possibly losing her was still so fresh and raw that he was taking as much comfort from her as he was giving.

Little by little, the men walked away, knowing that tomorrow would be soon enough to repair the shaft. The women, except for Abigail, had followed Molly.

Still they stood, not moving, oblivious to everyone around them. Abigail quietly left her lantern on the floor of the shaft and walked into the light the others were carrying, leaving them finally alone.

Nathan opened his eyes and looked around, and then took Elizabeth's face in both of his hands. "I was so afraid I was going to lose you," he said, his voice rough. He bent to kiss her, tasting the salt of her tears and feeling her lips trembling under his. She put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, channeling all of the terror and uncertainty of the long dark hours into the warmth and comfort of his kiss, completely letting go into his care.

"I knew you'd come," she said finally, as she put her head on his chest.

"Always," he said softly, as he picked up the lantern and began to walk her down the long shaft toward home.

---

CHAPTER 20

When they finally emerged from the mine, Elizabeth opened her eyes wide and took a deep breath. Then she looked up at the crescent moon, which seemed to be giving off a surprising amount of light for being so small.

"Does the moon look brighter to you?" she asked, as Nathan pulled Newton around.

Nathan put his arm around her and looked up. "I would imagine everything looks a little brighter after spending seven hours in a mineshaft."

"Is that how long it was?" Elizabeth asked, turning to look at him.

"You said you left the saloon at about seven, and it's 2:30 now, so, yes, give or take."

Elizabeth looked over at Newton's saddle. "Nathan. What's in that canteen?" she asked.

"Water," he said. And then it came to him, "Oh, you have to be thirsty..." and he walked over and took it off of the ring on the saddle. He opened the top and handed it to Elizabeth.

She took a big gulp, and Nathan rubbed her cheek softly. "Small sips... you don't want to make yourself sick..."

She looked at him over the canteen and continued to drink.

"Or..." he said, laughing, "You can do whatever you want..."

After she had drained his canteen, she handed it back. "Do you have any idea how good that tastes?"

Nathan nodded. "Actually, I do. I got separated from my squad once up in the Mackenzies, in the Rocky Mountains. Summer. No snow, no rivers, so I lived for two days on the dew off of leaves while I hiked out." He reattached his canteen to the saddle. "Yeah, I know how good it tastes."

Elizabeth smiled at him. "Speaking of all the things you did before you came to Coal Valley... I thought about something else while I was in there," she said softly.

Raising an eyebrow, Nathan said, "And what was that?"

Elizabeth moved closer to him. He'd given her his coat as soon as they'd walked out into the cold night air, and he was in rolled-up sleeves and a vest. The man never gets cold, Elizabeth thought. She took his hands in hers. "I thought about the fact that I want to know where you've been, and what you've done, and what it was like to decide to become a Mountie, and about Airdrie, and the name of your horse growing up, and your favorite book when you were thirteen, and ..."

Nathan laughed. "Whoa," he said, "You'll be bored to tears halfway through that list. Except horses are never boring..."

"I just meant," Elizabeth said, "As I was wondering if we would ever get out of there, I realized I wanted to have many more conversations with you."

Nathan pulled her gently into his arms. "I know what you mean. And during the short but terrifying time from the Mercantile to hearing your voice inside that mine, I thought the same thing. I want to know everything about you." He paused and added softly. "Everything that you want to tell me."

Elizabeth knew instinctively that the disclaimer Nathan added on was for his own benefit as well as hers. And she understood. Now that she had a sense of how deeply traumatic Colleen's death was to Nathan, she wanted even more to give him the time he needed to talk about it.

She'd been reminded of something during those long hours with Rosaleen. It didn't matter how hard everyone around her tried to get her to speak – she had to do it in her own time. Rosaleen knew when the time was right for her, and Nathan would too.

Nathan exhaled and cradled her head on his shoulder. "I can't get over how brave you were. You probably saved Rosaleen's life. If we hadn't found her tonight, they wouldn't have been back to work until Monday... " He shook his head and moved a strand of hair away from her eyes. "What did you do in there for all that time?"

Elizabeth exhaled softly. "We talked. I think Rosaleen was trying to make up for all the months she hadn't said a word." She smiled up at him, "And then after she went to sleep, I had a few conversations with God..."

Nathan nodded. "Yes, He was hearing from both of us..."

Elizabeth looked into his eyes, just visible in the light of the moon. "I thought about... things," she said softly.

Nathan smiled. "I wonder what the chances are that we were thinking about the same things?" In the moonlight, Nathan could still see the smudges of coal on her face. He smoothed one away gently.

Elizabeth laughed softly. "You seem to be forever cleaning my face, Constable."

Nathan leaned down and kissed her, lingering for a long moment on her lips. Then he put his arm around her and walked her over to Newton, grinning. "I think we should probably try to spend some less... dramatic... time together in the future."

Elizabeth smiled. "You mean, with clean faces? We could play chess? Or read?"

Nathan started to put his hands around her waist to boost her up into the saddle, but Elizabeth stopped him. "I can do this myself," she said, raising an eyebrow and lifting her foot to put it in the stirrup.

Laughing, Nathan was reminded of Allie pulling her boots on. I do myself!

He stood back and put his hands up. "Allie is already starting to say that to me," he said, smiling at her. "I may have outlived my usefulness."

Elizabeth took her foot down, turned, and went to him. She looked very seriously into his eyes and ran her fingers slowly through the hair at his forehead. "You found me in there. If you hadn't done that, I wouldn't be out here under a glorious moon, with my arms around you..." She threaded her arms through his and tilted her head up.

Nathan kept thinking that she must be exhausted, and that he should be, but it seemed he never wanted to stop kissing her. It took him to a world where tired didn't exist, and everything bad that had happened in the last twenty-four hours moved to the periphery, outside of whatever safe bubble the two of them inhabited.

Elizabeth gave him another quick kiss, and walked back over to Newton. Nathan smiled, watching her as she hiked her skirt up a little, put her foot into the stirrup, grabbed the horn, and gave a little bounce before landing firmly in the saddle. She looked over at him triumphantly. What made him almost burst out laughing was that Newton looked over at exactly the same time. Nathan thought if his horse could lift an eyebrow, he would have.

Nathan shook his head in disbelief. "After the day you've had..."

She grinned at him. "I seem to have found my second wind."

Nathan grinned back at her and patted her leg so she would lift it out of the stirrup. When she did, he pulled himself up by the cantle and sat back on Newton's rump. But then he did something Elizabeth didn't expect.

He knew he could do it, because he'd done it before. When she'd fallen asleep on the ride after their very first meeting, and he'd needed to hang on to her, he'd vaulted into the saddle with her.

He did it again, but this time, Elizabeth wasn't asleep.

"Oh!" Elizabeth said, laughing. "This is different." Now he could put his arms comfortably around her to hold the reins.

"I have a confession to make," Nathan said. "This isn't the first time we've done this."

He couldn't see Elizabeth's frown, but he already knew it so well that he laughed softly. "You won't remember it, because you were asleep."

They were starting down the mine road now toward town. Elizabeth turned and looked at him. "That first day? From the stagecoach?" Now he could see the warning eyebrow. "While I was asleep?"

Nathan kept his eyes concentrated on the road ahead of them. "I was afraid you might fall off."

He was so serious that Elizabeth started to smile. She turned around again and snuggled back into his arms. "So, it was for my safety," she said. "That makes sense," she said, nodding.

Suddenly she turned again. "You didn't…"

"No," he said. "My mother would have my hide if I ever behaved that way," he said, laughing. Then he nuzzled her cheek, feeling her curls tickling his face. "But I wanted to."

Elizabeth settled back down against his chest and thought for a moment. "So, what I don't understand is how we ended up riding into Coal Valley with you back behind the saddle again."

Nathan finally laughed. "Well, you tell me. On that day, how would you have reacted if we'd been... like this... when you woke up?"

"On that day?" she said, laughing, "I probably would have slapped you."

"Bingo," Nathan said. "I was trying to come out of our first meeting without a shiner."

They were in town now, and of course, at three in the morning, there was no one around. Even the saloon was locked up tight.

Nathan said, "You want me to take you up to Abigail's and then take Newton to the livery?"

Elizabeth smiled, "No, I'll go with you. We can walk together."

Nathan leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I'd like that," he said softly, turning toward the livery.

While he unsaddled and brushed Newton quickly, Elizabeth walked down the line of stalls and found Sarah. By the time Nathan came up behind her, she was rubbing Sarah's nose and talking softly to her. "You found her," Nathan said, slightly impressed.

Elizabeth nodded. They whispered so they wouldn't wake up Jed, who slept in the loft above the stables. "I used to think all horses looked alike, except for their colors, but I'm starting to see they're a little like people." She ran her fingers gently down Sarah's cheek. "It's in the eyes, I think."

"She's for sale," Nathan said softly.

Elizabeth turned and looked at him. "She doesn't belong to anyone?" she said, her eyes wide.

"No, Jed keeps her for exactly what we did today... sorry, yesterday. He rents her out."

Elizabeth didn't know why that made her feel sad, but she turned and put her arm around Sarah's neck and said, "Awww, Sarah."

Nathan smiled. "I think she's glad you don't hold it against her that she threw you."

Elizabeth spoke softly into Sarah's neck. "It wasn't your fault. It was that mean Henry Gowen..."

Nathan reached up casually and touched Sarah's nose. "He wants to meet with me," he said.

Turning, Elizabeth said, "Gowen? What about?"

"Not sure," Nathan said, looking at her. "Probably a little demonstration of superiority. Have you ever owned a rooster?" Nathan laughed at the look she gave him. "Never mind, of course you haven't. Well, roosters are very territorial, and they tend to circle each other, or peck each other's backsides to prove their status as the leader."

Elizabeth laughed. "You expect Henry Gowen to peck your backside?" she said, her eyes dancing.

Nathan nodded, laughing too. "Kind of. He's not used to having any other law but himself in Coal Valley. He'll want to establish the ground rules."

Elizabeth tilted her head, enjoying this discussion immensely. "And will you let him?"

Nathan raised one eyebrow. "I'll let him think he's done that. But no, Henry Gowen doesn't run this town. The town runs the town. And the town hired me to make sure of it."

Elizabeth smiled softly at him. "You make it sound so simple." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "But it can also be dangerous, can't it? They have guns too, Nathan."

Nathan smiled at her. "In your capacity as a schoolteacher, you had a harrowing experience tonight. Everything is dangerous. Stepping out into the street is... " Nathan stopped suddenly, his eyes going vacant for a moment. Elizabeth knew about this now, and she stepped forward and put her hand on his arm. She looked into his eyes until he came back, and then he put his arms around her and held her tightly.

They breathed together, listening to the soft sounds of the stables. Elizabeth could hear Nathan's heart slow as he moved through whatever memories had taken him away. She didn't know what he was seeing, but she wasn't going to let go. She wasn't afraid of what he was going through, in fact, Elizabeth wanted to walk through it with him if he would let her.

But not tonight, she thought, finally hitting a wall. Nathan felt it too, and he said, "You need sleep..."

With her head still against his chest, she said, "You do, too." And then, since they hadn't budged, she said, "We'd have to move to do that, wouldn't we?"

Nathan kissed the top of her head gently. "Mmmm-hmmm." Then he took a deep breath and turned toward the door with his arm around her. They walked the short distance from the livery to the row houses and again they found themselves on Abigail's front steps.

This time Nathan didn't sit down, but stood at the bottom step looking at her in such a way that Elizabeth felt he was moving incongruously into nervous and tongue-tied Nathan again.

She stepped down so she was facing him, but one step up. "What is it, Nathan?" she said, suddenly feeling more awake.

He opened his mouth and then closed it, and looked down at his feet.

Elizabeth put her hands on either side of his face and kissed him quickly. "Don't you know that you can say anything to me?"

He looked up into her eyes and gave her his crooked smile. "I think you might know more about all this than I do," he said.

"About what?" Elizabeth asked, completely baffled.

"About... well... courting." He took a deep breath. "I mean, I know the basic rules, and I've read some... and I wouldn't even bring it up except that I think after tonight... this morning, again... with us standing there..."

Elizabeth smiled and raised her hand to his cheek again. "And what do you think courting means?" she asked him.

Now he looked completely into her eyes and even in the moonlight Elizabeth could see the intensity there. "I don't want to be with anyone but you. And I think you feel the same. It's too soon for anything... more... but I want you to know that I can see it... I can see us..."

He was going to have to stop anyway, because he felt he'd completely ceased making sense. But he ended up needing to stop because Elizabeth's lips were on his and he forgot entirely where he was in his rather convoluted request for courtship.

As Elizabeth sighed softly against his lips, he thought a kiss like that might qualify as a yes.

"Yes," she said, her breath warm on his cheek.

"Oh, good." Nathan breathed deeply, and then a laugh escaped. "How'd I do?" he said, pulling away and looking at her. "Probably not Hamilton caliber..."

She shook her head, and Nathan could see there were tears in her eyes. "No, not like Hamilton at all. So much better."

Nathan suddenly felt so tired, he wondered if he would make it to his own house. "Carla will be bringing Allie home early, I'm sure. I should..."

"Yes," she said, smiling as he started walking backwards. "Thank you for saving my life," she said softly. "Again."

"Anytime," he said, whispering. Then he stopped and raised an eyebrow. "Are you still going to tell me I'm not in that journal of yours?" he said.

Elizabeth sighed, moving backwards up to the top step. She tilted her head and looked at him, her eyes very soft.

"Tonight, you might have earned a few words," she said, and she blew him a kiss before she stepped inside and closed the door.

---

CHAPTER 21

The next morning there were some bleary eyes at church in the grove, including Cat's, but no one doubted that this was a day to be there, even perhaps more than any other day. To give thanks. To worship with community. To be aware again that every person in Coal Valley stood for every other person, and that God watched over all of them in His infinite love.

Molly and Rosaleen sat up front and when it came time to sing, Rosaleen's sweet small voice rose up with everyone else's. In fact, Cat was still searching for the right subject for her talk before the service when Elizabeth shared something she'd written in her journal: "The light of love restores every lost voice." Cat hugged her and laughed, wondering why she ever worried about inspiration. "God always provides, just when I need it," she said.

For services, Allie now went right away to Abigail and sat with her, while Nathan and Elizabeth stood at the back for a time as people gathered. Then, when the service started, Elizabeth would go to sit on the other side of Allie.

Nathan had been so busy with the investigation of the stagecoach robbery, the paperwork for the teacherage, getting settled in with Allie and making himself known to the town – not to mention the lovely distraction of Elizabeth Thatcher – that he hadn't yet explored another matter. In the back of his mind, there had always been a nagging feeling about the fact that the church burned down in Coal Valley and there wasn't a good explanation for it. It was next on his list.

The Pinkertons still stood at the back of Sunday services each week with full holsters, and they still took notes. Nathan glanced over at Charles Spurlock and wondered when exactly it was that he had sold out. Nathan had known many fine members of the Pinkerton Detective Agency, and had even considered that line of work for himself for a time. Of course, in every profession there were bad apples, but to go from the honorable and important work of putting criminals behind bars to serving as the hired muscle of a man like Henry Gowen seemed a pretty long fall to Nathan.

He wandered over casually and stood, perhaps a little closer than was comfortable for them. "Gentlemen," he said softly. Cat hadn't begun speaking yet and people were still finding their seats.

"Grant," Spurlock said, still looking ahead. The other man, Mayfield, was making hash marks in his notebook as people walked into the grove, and didn't even acknowledge Nathan's presence.

Nathan put his hands behind his back and gazed forward. "You know, I've known quite a few Pinkertons, and I don't think I've ever seen two quite as God-fearing as you gentlemen. In all the time I've been in Coal Valley, you boys haven't missed a Sunday yet."

Spurlock sneered, still looking forward. "Always lookin' for salvation, Constable." Then Spurlock reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out a card. He finally looked at Nathan as he handed it to him. "From the boss," he said, and then he turned forward again. This conversation was clearly over.

Nathan took the card and read it. At the top in engraved letters, it simply said, HENRY GOWEN. Under that, in his heavy, dark scrawl, Gowen had written: Monday, 9 am.

Nathan smiled and raised an eyebrow, placing the card in his pouch at his hip. He tipped his hat and again said, "Gentlemen," and walked back to his place against the trees as Cat began speaking.

"We give thanks to God for all the gifts we receive every day, and today we offer special thanks for our sweet Rosaleen Sullivan, who was returned to us in the loving arms of our own schoolteacher, Miss Thatcher. I was speaking with Elizabeth this morning and she shared a lovely phrase with me: The light of love restores every lost voice. It is that light I would like to speak about this morning..."

Nathan looked over at Elizabeth, who had her arm protectively around Allie as they listened. They were all exhausted and functioning on a few short hours of sleep, but he still felt the rush of exhilaration that was becoming a constant companion when he was around her. This woman, this extraordinarily beautiful, kind, intelligent and unique woman, seemed to feel about him the way he felt about her.

That in itself was a miracle.

---

"How did you know?" Abigail said, offering another biscuit to Allie, who happily took it. Nathan helped her with the jar of honey from the ranch in Airdrie that he'd brought with him to Sunday supper. It had come with the care package his mother had sent, and he'd given a full jar to Abigail in thanks for her kindness.

"The picture she drew," Elizabeth said. "I asked the students to write or draw what Coal Valley meant to them, and Rosaleen drew the entrance to the mine."

"I saw it too, when I came to pick up Allie, which is why I went there looking for Elizabeth," Nathan said, offering a taste of the honey left on the spoon to Elizabeth. For a moment, she closed her eyes, savoring the sweetness of it, as Nathan watched her.

And Abigail watched both of them.

When they rejoined the world, Abigail was still smiling with eyebrows raised. "You won't be surprised to know that the gossip has started again," she said. "But..." she started, as they both began to explain, "...it's a completely different kind of gossip." She smiled at them. "The general consensus is that you're a good match."

Perhaps because she was still so tired, Elizabeth was ready with a few choice words to the people in town who felt a need to approve her selection in men, but Nathan felt it bubbling up next to him and quickly took her hand under the table. He turned to her and smiled softly. "My mother has another expression. Take yes for an answer," he said quietly.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and then softened. She raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I'm very much looking forward to meeting your mother," she said. "She sounds like a extremely wise woman."

Nathan laughed. "She is. Annoyingly so. It's hard growing up with someone who is almost always right." He released Elizabeth's hand, certain that the crisis was over. "In fact, I write to her every Sunday, so maybe I'll share your compliment with her tonight." Allie was trying to get into the honey jar on her own and Nathan managed to get hold of it just in time to avert disaster.

Elizabeth turned to Abigail. She didn't want to care what people thought of her, but she loved her job and realized that reality dictated that there was a bit of a game to be played. "What about the mothers of the students, Abigail? What are they saying?"

Abigail took another bite of potatoes. "After what you did last night? There's not much you can do wrong at this point. You risked your life for one of your students. One of their children. They can't stop talking about how wonderful you are. Most of them are counting their lucky stars that we got you to come to Coal Valley."

"Most of them?" Elizabeth asked.

Abigail laughed. "Florence is a tough nut to crack, Elizabeth, but once you do, you'll find she's more loyal and loving than anyone you could ever know." Abigail reached across the table and took Elizabeth's hand. "She'll come around."

"Oh," Nathan said suddenly, "I forgot to tell you..." He stood up from the table and went over to his coat hanging on the rack by the door. He came back and put the card he'd received from Spurlock on the table. "I have been summoned."

Abigail picked up the card. "What does he want with you?" she said suspiciously.

"To peck at his backside," Elizabeth said, laughing. Nathan laughed too, and Abigail smiled, waiting patiently for them to explain. She remembered all too well what young love was like, and in truth, she was enjoying watching it with Elizabeth and Nathan. They were clearly so happy, and she agreed with the rest of the town. It was a good match.

Nathan looked at Abigail. "Roosters," was all he said, and Abigail nodded, understanding immediately.

"Be careful with Henry, Nathan," Abigail said, standing and beginning to clear the table. "We all like to believe that there's a streak of good in people, and I still believe that with him. But it's buried pretty deep."

Nathan nodded, picking up his own plate and taking it to the kitchen counter. "I told Elizabeth that I've met a Gowen in every town I've been in. I think I know how to handle him."

Abigail smiled. "Well, if how you handled him out at the mine is any indication, I don't need to give you advice." She pumped water into the pot to begin heating it. "But Henry Gowen hasn't had to answer to any law but himself since the day he set foot in this town. He won't take kindly to... direction."

Elizabeth had set to the task of freeing Allie's hands and face of the liberal helpings of honey she'd managed to smear on them. "But honestly, what can he do?" Elizabeth said, looking over at Abigail. "You're not really connected to him anymore, are you? He doesn't hold any power over you."

Abigail stopped what she was doing and looked directly at Elizabeth. "He owns the house we're living in. In fact, he owns all the row houses. Except for a few who pay rent, like Nathan, we are all still living here under his good graces."

Elizabeth turned and looked at Abigail. "He... he does?"

"Yes. This is miner housing, owned by the Pacific Northwest Mining Company. And the widows haven't paid a penny in rent since we lost our men." She exhaled softly. "Henry Gowen holds our life in Coal Valley in his hands."

---

Elizabeth walked with Nathan and Allie back to their house at the end of the row. "I've watched you walk home so many times, and I've never been up here. I thought it was time I walked you home," she said, swinging Allie's arm and smiling down at her.

Nathan laughed. "Now I'm trying to think how I left the place. And whether it's proper to ask you in." He turned to her. "Is it?"

Laughing, Elizabeth said, "You're asking me?" She looked at Allie again, "I suppose we have a little chaperone..." Then she looked back at Nathan, "But since the town currently approves of us, we might not want to push it. We could sit on your porch for a bit?"

He pulled her close and put his arm around her shoulders. "Good compromise."

They were close now, and Allie ran up the steps and into the house, heading for her dolls. Elizabeth whispered to Nathan, "How's the dollhouse coming?"

Nathan raised his eyebrows and nodded. "Well, I have been a little busy... rescuing damsels in distress and all..."

Elizabeth laughed. "And if I promise to stay out of trouble?" she said, leaning in closer to him.

"I will be amazed..." he said, starting up the steps. She punched him lightly on the arm and followed him. Allie had left the door wide open and she could see a surprisingly homey room inside. She stepped in, looking around in wonder.

"You're already breaking your rule, Miss Thatcher," Nathan said, pointing down to the threshold.

"Just a peek," she said, looking down the row of houses. "No one is around..."

Nathan jumped in front of her and quickly picked up his red serge where he'd left it over the back of the sofa, and pushed his boots from beside the door, and then moved to the kitchen to put a few dishes in the wash basin.

Elizabeth came up behind him and held his arms. "Stop," she said. He turned and smiled at her and she looked into his eyes. "Things don't have to be perfect, Nathan." She laughed softly. "In fact, they never will be, so we might as well get used to it."

He put his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "I don't know. Things feel pretty perfect."

Elizabeth never ceased to be amazed at how good it felt to hold him. From that very first night when she was so afraid, she'd loved how solid he was and how his long arms wrapped her so securely. They stood there for a time, and Elizabeth began to feel the lack of sleep again. Her eyes were closed and she felt so safe and warm that she actually found herself falling a little bit asleep.

She pulled away and looked up at him, her eyelids heavy. "On second thought, can I take a raincheck on the porch sitting?" she said.

Nathan moved a curl behind her ear, "Anytime you want." He took a deep breath. "I'm dead on my feet too, and I still need to write a letter to my mother. Sundays..." he said, raising his eyebrows. "But for the record, I was prepared to make scintillating conversation..."

Elizabeth leaned up and kissed him quickly. "Who are we kidding? We'd both fall asleep out there and they'd find us in the morning," she said, laughing. "And I love that you write to your mother every week. She raised you well."

She walked with him to the door, and Nathan said, "I'm starting to build my woodworking shed out back tomorrow. Don't suppose a kind-hearted soul would bring me some lemonade for my parched throat at about... say... three?"

Elizabeth smiled up at him. "That's a definite possibility. We can't have a parched Constable," she said. "And then you can tell me all about your meeting with Henry Gowen."

"Deal," he said. They were on the porch now and he took her into his arms. "I feel like I should walk you home, but then you'd have to walk me home, and this could go on all night," he said softly.

The sun was going down, and the light on her face was so exquisite... she was so exquisite, that he held her face in his hands for a moment, just gazing at her.

Elizabeth smiled and pointed to her cheek. "Clean face," she said.

Nathan laughed softly and leaned down, very slowly, to touch his lips to hers. She sighed and felt his strong arms go around her, and for a moment they both lost themselves in each other. These feelings, the depth of them, were new to both of them. It was hard to let go, even for a night, but the weariness and lack of sleep was relentless.

Elizabeth held him close for another moment and then whispered, "Goodnight, Nathan."

She pulled away and he held onto her hand as she started down the stairs. In the fading light, she could see his crooked smile as he said, "Goodnight, Lizbeth," which produced the sigh he was hoping for.

As she started down the path toward Abigail's, she looked back and raised an eyebrow. "Watch your backside tomorrow morning," she said, laughing.

Nathan laughed too, "I will." He watched her as she walked, her skirt swaying side to side in tandem with her long curls. Finally, a sigh escaped him as well as he turned and said to Allie, "Bedtime, sweetie. Brush your teeth and I'll tell you a story..."

---

Rebecca Grant

Airdrie, Alberta

Sunday, 18th September, 1910

Dear Mom,

This will be a short one, as I'm falling asleep over the paper and pen. I'll explain later why that is, but I didn't want to let this week go by without a letter to you.

Got the second shipment of books on Wednesday and can't thank you enough. Or Charlie, or whoever handled it. It's becoming clear that Coal Valley needs a library, because the foot traffic through the Mountie office is increasing almost daily as people ask if I happen to have such-and-such book. An encyclopedia salesman came through town last week and I actually considered ordering a set, but then thought better of it. I'm running out of room in my small office as it is. In any case, thank you.

Glad to hear the ranch is doing so well this year, and I appreciate receiving my half of the quarterly profits. As you know, I don't have much use or desire for the money, but I do love that it will ensure Allie a strong education and a house of her own when she's ready for it. And I must admit that it has crossed my mind that I might like to build a house here for myself someday, but more on that later as well.

Allie is taking to school like a fish to water. Miss Thatcher.. Elizabeth... tells me that she is on a par with the five- and six-year-olds in her class, and she has no doubt that she'll do well in the long term. Allie adores her, and I believe part of the reason she loves school is that Elizabeth is there.

You mentioned in one of your recent letters (and not very subtly, I might add) that I seemed to be talking quite a bit about a certain schoolteacher in Coal Valley. In my last letter to you, I recall that I told you I was interested in serving all of the residents of the town. Your subsequent quote from Hamlet about me protesting too much left me certain that I hadn't convinced you in the slightest that she was nothing special. As always, you're on to me.

You might want to sit down, Mom. Your son (the one who said he had no time for, or interest in, the complications that women bring to daily life), is now officially courting said schoolteacher, and is generally making a happy fool of himself on a regular basis doing it. The good news, and my incredible good luck, is that she actually seems to be fairly smitten by the fool herself.

If you're still reading (and haven't fainted at the news of the previous paragraph), I'll tell you that I've never felt more content. She gives me all the space I need for my quirks and my dark moods, and though I haven't yet been up to telling her about Colleen (or my father's situation), I'm feeling closer to that time. I've told you before that I've never been in love and haven't entirely understood those who felt they were… and I don't honestly know if that's what this is. But I can tell you that she matters to me. Very much.

I'll leave it there for tonight, although I'm certain you're bursting with questions. Perhaps you'll have to leave the ranch to Charlie and the hands for a week and come visit my new home. I know how you hate the train, but if it brings you into the arms of your beloved Alliebeck, and allows you to meet my lovely schoolteacher, might it be worth it?

Much love and more later,

Your son, Nathan

---

CHAPTER 22

It was a classic move by a small town baron. Set up an appointment, and then, to show how busy and crucial you are to your company, have all of your subordinates come in at intervals with issues you need to resolve. It makes the person sitting in the chair opposite you feel that not only are you very important, but that they are not.

Henry Gowen must have figured that since Nathan was young, he was also inexperienced. If he'd done his homework, he would know that Nathan had served in Calgary, Edmonton, and Quebec City, and had already met enough Henry Gowens to learn a few things. But Henry Gowen had underestimated Nathan Grant, and until he started seeing that, he would continue to find himself at odds with the new Mountie of Coal Valley. Nathan had the perspective to know that someone like Gowen would be a very small fish in a large city pond. Henry would be the one in the chair cooling his heels.

Nathan was ready for the "look how busy I am" ploy. He'd been given the idea by a brother Mountie who had dealt with this often. So every time Gowen looked insincerely apologetic and said, "Sorry, gotta handle this," Nathan simply took out his copy of The Art of War and began reading it.

The book is a military treatise that dates back to the 5th century, devoted to all aspects of warfare and tactics. One of the most famous of its teachings, which Henry may or may not have known, was "Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer."

Nathan had no idea if Henry had read the book, and he suspected he hadn't, but at the very least, it kept a smile firmly on Nathan's face while Gowen grandstanded.

Right now, Herbert Ansvil was giving Gowen an update on the shafts at the mine that needed repair. What was making Nathan smile was that any efficient supervisor would have managed this before a scheduled meeting. It only served to make Henry look bad.

Ansvil stood at Gowen's desk with his hat in his hand. "The boys got the last of the inner shafts cleared of the roof fall this morning.

Gowen said, "Retimbered too?"

"Almost," Ansvil said, "But some of the deeper sections are still blocked, shafts fourteen and sixteen are still closed. And then, there's the matter of the shaft where the Sullivan girl and the teacher got trapped. We managed to shore it up enough to get them out, but that shaft needs a full retimber. It keeps coming down as soon as we put it back up."

Gowen glared at him. "I'm counting on you, Mr. Ansvil. It's why I named you my new superintendent."

Again, classic. Reprimand a subordinate, make him stand with his hat in his hand and then lean back in your chair like some kind of prince in your three-piece suit and tie. Nathan kept his head in his book, and Gowen stole a look at him now and then, but he could see that Constable Grant was not impressed.

Ansvil shifted from one foot to the other, and every time he did, a small cloud of coal dust rose up from his boots. "I know, sir, and I'm doing the best I can. I just don't have the manpower to clear those shafts any faster."

This time, Gowen looked directly at Nathan and waited until the silence made the Constable look up. When he did, Gowen spoke directly to him, very pointedly ignoring Herbert Ansvil.

"Well, it shouldn't be a worry too much longer," he said, squinting his eyes and affecting a sneer. "I've been doing some recruiting, and help should be on its way soon."

Nathan closed his book and looked back at Gowen, because it seemed he might finally be ready to start the meeting. Nathan took a quick look at his pocket watch. 9:24, and he'd been right on time at 9 am.

Gowen looked up at Ansvil and said, "Keep me posted." Then he turned back to Nathan, and Ansvil backed out slowly, realizing that the meeting was over.

Nathan didn't like Henry Gowen much when he'd first walked through the door. Now he was pretty sure he actively disliked him.

Raising his eyebrows, Nathan said, "You think we can get to what I came here for, Mr. Gowen?"

"Sorry," Gowen said, though it was clear he wasn't sorry at all, "The workday doesn't stop just because you're sitting across from me, Constable."

Nathan smiled. "That makes it sound like you've forgotten that you're the one who called this meeting."

Henry shuffled some papers and came up with one that he pushed across the desk to Nathan. Picking it up, Nathan read the notice which was typed on the mining company letterhead:

"By order of Henry Gowen, executive director of the Pacific Northwest Mining Company, you are hereby given fourteen (14) days advanced notice to vacate your company owned house. Failure to comply with the order given will result in the conviction and incarceration of the individual."

Nathan narrowed his eyes. "Before we discuss the subject of this notice, there's no date on it," Nathan said, pushing it back across the desk.

Gowen nodded. "Yes. I was planning to have these nailed on the front doors of each of the row houses this morning..." he looked at Nathan and drawled slowly, "...except for yours, of course."

Nathan nodded and said, "Because I'm paying rent, and the widows aren't?"

"That's correct," Gowen said. "I've been more than generous with these women. I've allowed them to stay in company housing, rent-free, since the mine disaster, when clearly, according to the contract, I could have evicted them much sooner."

"After their husbands and sons gave their lives for your mining operation," Nathan said with steel in his voice.

Gowen pushed back from his desk and folded his arms across his chest. "And they knew the dangers when they walked into that mine, Constable."

For a long moment, the two stared at each other in a stand-off.

Finally, Nathan spoke. "How many widows are we talking about?" he asked.

"The twelve that are currently in the row houses," Henry said.

"So, you're telling me that for want of twelve beds, you plan to..." Nathan snatched the paper from Gowen's desk and read, "...convict and incarcerate twelve widows if they don't leave their homes in fourteen days? Where are these women and children supposed to go, Mr. Gowen?"

"Not my problem, Constable," Gowen said. "I need those men and they need places to live. My men are the only thing standing between me and a complete shuttering of that mine. Then the whole town is out of work. I don't think you want that, do you, Constable Grant?"

Nathan decided to cut to the chase. "And why are you telling me all this?"

Gowen's sneer widened. "I wanted to be certain that you know, as an officer of the law, that you cannot take a position on a property dispute one way or the other, and that, should the evictions become necessary, it will fall on you to enforce them."

Nathan narrowed his eyes. Then he smiled. "But that doesn't stop me from trying to come up with a solution that will be beneficial to all parties."

This time, Gowen laughed. "You go right ahead, Constable. Lucky for you, that little girl threw a wrench in my plans. I'm a businessman, but I'm not completely without feelings. You have three days."

Henry Gowen stood up and put out his hand. Nathan sat for a moment, letting him stand there with his hand over his desk, until Gowen took a deep breath and pulled his hand back. "Good day, Constable."

Nathan placed his hat firmly on his head and raised an eyebrow. "You'll be hearing from me, Mr. Gowen."

By the time Nathan turned to go, Henry Gowen was leaning over the paperwork on his desk, behaving as if Constable Nathan Grant had ceased to exist.

---

"I probably should have taken his hand," Nathan said, reaching up to hammer in a nail at the top of the board that Elizabeth was holding in place for him. With her help he'd made great strides on building his woodworking shop for the backyard. "It was petty of me, but it felt a little like shaking hands with the devil."

"I don't know how you could even stand to be in the same room with him. I'm sure I would have walked out and had no chance of coming to an agreement," Elizabeth said. "You did the right thing. You stood your ground, but you let him know how you felt about what he was planning."

Nathan turned and looked at Elizabeth, who had the frown between her eyebrows that she wore when she was particularly peeved. He bent down and kissed her forehead and the lines went away as she smiled up at him. But then they quickly returned.

"So what are we going to do? These women don't have any money, they're living on the measly death benefit they got from the mining company. There's not enough work in this town for women that they can all get jobs and pay rent. And anyway, most of them have children at home."

"I don't think renting the row houses is in Gowen's plans. He wants them out."

"Twelve men, Nathan. And many of these women have been living in the row houses for years. Their homes. There has to be another solution."

She held up another board for him and said, muttering, "Too bad you can't fit a bed in here..."

Nathan stopped hammering mid-stroke. He was staring at the board he was nailing, and finally, he put the hammer down and took Elizabeth into his arms. "You're a genius!" he said. He twirled her around while she laughed, and Allie came out from where she was playing under the back porch to see what was going on.

"What did I say?" Elizabeth said, laughing along with Nathan.

"The widows don't have to lose their houses, we just have to build on to the housing out near the mine. I've been out there. They're all one-story, single-man dwellings, one attached to the next, like the row houses. I had this lumber brought in from Murrayville. We only need to build twelve of them, and there's plenty of land out there..."

"And you think Henry Gowen will pay to have that done? I don't know, Nathan..."

"It won't cost him a penny," Nathan said. Elizabeth could see that he was already calculating the materials he would need.

"But then how does it get paid for?"

"We build it, we all build it. The entire town." Nathan started laughing again. "Like a barn raising. And while we're at it, we'll build a new church."

"Nathan!" Elizabeth said, thinking he might have lost his mind. "You still haven't said how we pay for all this."

Nathan looked at her and said, "Come sit with me." He took her over to the back porch and they sat down on the stoop. Allie went back underneath where she had her toys set up.

Nathan took her hand. "I haven't told you this, because it just hasn't come up. I told you that I grew up on a ranch in Airdrie. It's about ten acres, and we sell beef, pork, lamb, chickens, eggs, goat's milk, cow's milk and cheese."

Elizabeth listened intently, but she was wondering about the sudden leap in the conversation.

"I still have things to tell you about my life, Elizabeth," he said softly. "About my father, and... about Colleen... and I will, but for now... the main thing is that the ranch is in my name and I get half the profits from the business we do there. My mother gets the other half. And..." Nathan paused, not quite sure how to say it. "It's a pretty substantial amount of money every year."

Tilting her head at him in some wonder, Elizabeth said, "So... are you saying you're rich?" She knew that word could cover a considerable range, and usually had to do with individual perception. There were many people in Hamilton who didn't consider the Thatchers "rich." It was all a matter of perspective.

Nathan clearly agreed with her. "It depends on what you call 'rich,' I suppose. I have fairly simple tastes, and I can live easily on my salary as a Mountie, so the money from the ranch just goes right into the bank. I already have enough to pay for any type of education Allie will want, and if she wants to buy or build a house when she comes of age, she can have whatever type of house she wants. Beyond that, there's plenty for me to build a house of my... my own." He shrugged. Talking about money always felt strange for him. He saw it only as a means to an end.

"Nathan. What are you thinking?" she asked,

He looked into her eyes, and she saw an intensity there. "I want to do this, Elizabeth. I don't know what money is for if you can't do good with it. I won't even miss it, and these women... these fine, strong women who have lost so much are in need. If I can do something to make their lives easier, shouldn't I do it?"

Elizabeth looked down, trying to measure her words. "You make me a little ashamed I didn't think of it first," she said.

Nathan put his finger under her chin and lifted it until she looked in his eyes again. "You came up with the idea," he said, grinning at her. "It's brilliant. Gowen needs housing for his new men, and we'll build it for him. This town knows how to pull together for each other. We just saw it with Rosaleen."

Elizabeth nodded, biting her lip. "I suppose if we all do the labor, the materials won't cost that much." She smiled softly at Nathan and touched his cheek with her fingers. "You're a good man, Nathan." She leaned forward and kissed him tenderly.

Holding her, Nathan said, "I just can't stand by and watch people like Abigail and Cat and Carla lose their homes, after they've lost so much already," Nathan said.

"Which is what makes you a good man." Elizabeth took a deep breath. "So you would buy the materials, and the town would do the building, and what does Henry Gowen do?" she asked.

"He takes the credit," Nathan said simply. "It's the only way we'll get him to agree. I tell him we found an anonymous donor, and we make sure that papers are drawn up giving him complete ownership of what we build. At the same time he gives ownership of the row houses to the twelve widows he was planning to evict. He gains brand new housing for twelve men and loses the twelve row houses, which are much older and in need of repair."

"And you think he'll agree?" Elizabeth asked, but Nathan could already see that she was working it through. Lumber, pumps, fencing, outhouses, each of those things times twelve. "And you have enough money for all that?"

Nathan took her hands again and held them. "More than enough. And I'm telling you all this, but I don't want anyone else in town to know. I'm certain I don't need to tell you how money changes the way people look at you."

Elizabeth said, "No, you don't." She reached up and moved her fingers through the curl of dark hair at his forehead. "We're starting to have secrets we keep for each other, you and I," she said, smiling.

"Another of the mysteries of courting..." he said softly, "Confidences?" Nathan was moving closer to her on the step and he put his arm around her shoulders. "I'll see if I can get a meeting with Henry tomorrow. He gave me three days, but I don't need that much time. I think he has men on the way, and I want to get started on the plans."

"You think the men who live out there would be willing to double up until the new quarters are built?" Elizabeth asked.

Nathan nodded. "Twelve of them might," he said, smiling at her. Then he raised an eyebrow. "You know," he said, toying with one of her curls, "Women are so much more persuasive than men."

Elizabeth laughed. "So you're saying that if perhaps, a group of women were to take casseroles and biscuits and pies out to the miners, they might be more willing to give up their sofas or a warm spot by the fire, in order to help us keep the row houses?"

Nathan grinned. "You're very perceptive, Elizabeth."

"I've been told that before," she said, smiling back at him. "And I know that you're aware of my questionable cooking skills, but what you may not know about me is that I am quite good with a hammer, and a screwdriver, but most especially with a paintbrush. I spent a summer volunteering with a charity that built homes for people who couldn't afford them."

Nathan laughed. "Elizabeth Thatcher. You are a constant source of amazement." Nathan took her in his arms and said against her cheek, "You're hired."

It was a short distance for her to turn and her lips were on his. Suddenly a head poked up between the boards in the steps. "Kisses!" Allie said, giggling.

"Oh, yeah?" Nathan said, laughing and pulling her out from her hiding place. "You want kisses?" he said, and he buried his face in her neck, causing her to dissolve into laughter.

Elizabeth watched them, filled with joy. And again, she found herself feeling the wonder of getting to know more about the man across from her. The man who was so strong and protective in his uniform, and so sweet and gentle with Allie here in his white shirt and suspenders. A man who was humble and now, incredibly, a man of some means. A man who still held secrets about his father and his sister, but was opening his heart to her like a book waiting to be read.

And just like the books Elizabeth loved so much, she couldn't wait to turn the next page.

---

CHAPTER 23

"And why would I agree to that?"

Henry Gowen's eyes were narrowed as far as they would go as he leaned back in his chair and eyed the new Constable. Henry thought the man was either brilliant or insane, and right now he was trying to decide which one it was. Nathan kept eye contact with Gowen while he worked it through.

Nathan wasn't a card player, but he had studied plenty of people who were. There was a moment when players decided to go all in. When they made the determination that they had the winning hand, and at that point, there was nothing that would sway them. Nathan wanted to get Henry Gowen to that place - to the place where Gowen was certain he had four aces and Nathan only had three of a kind.

Nathan leaned forward in the chair with his elbows on his knees. "Your company is growing, and you said it yourself, the mine is the life-blood of this town. You've had a little setback, but you know you need to look to the future, Henry." Nathan had, without prompting, started calling Gowen by his first name. He figured if they were going to be negotiating, it might be better for them to speak to each other on level ground.

"How many new shafts are you planning on opening up in the next few years?" Nathan said. "You're a smart businessman. If you think ahead, you know you'll need more men to do that, and the row houses are starting to show their age. This way you have room to grow and all your men will be in the same place. They'll be closer to the mine, so not as much travel time to work."

Henry Gowen had always believed that he was successful in business because he was suspicious. When a deal looked too good to be true, he figured it probably was. His lip curled a little. "And where in the world did you find someone with enough money to donate all this? There's got to be a catch."

Nathan raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "No catch. Just someone who doesn't like the idea of twelve widows being put out of their homes."

Nathan had promised himself before he'd walked into the office that he wouldn't let his contempt for Henry Gowen show. He tried to remember Abigail and Cat and Carla every time he felt like losing his temper. And he knew that, much as he disliked being disingenuous, the way to Henry Gowen's heart was flattery.

"So what we're proposing is that the town supports you in continuing to be a valued part of this community. They want to help you grow so that the town can grow. Everyone wins."

Gowen frowned. "In exchange for what, Constable?"

"Twelve row houses," Nathan said. "And you get all the credit for being generous without having to put out a penny. No one has to know about this but us."

Henry leaned back in his chair and thought for a long moment. Nathan stayed quiet, giving him the time and the space he needed to decide. Finally, Gowen took a deep breath.

"We use my lawyer to draw up the paperwork," Henry said.

And with that, Henry Gowen was all in, certain he had the four aces.

Smiling, Nathan said, "And my lawyer to double-check it."

Nathan smiled and leaned back. The battle was won. Gowen had agreed, and now they were just haggling over details.

---

When Nathan left Gowen's office, he looked at his watch. School was in session, but recess would be coming up soon. He had just scored a victory, and the only person he wanted to tell was Elizabeth.

Is this what love is? Nathan was asking himself that a lot these days. He'd read in books that it was wanting that person to be the first person you see in the morning and the last at night. That whether you had a good day or a bad day, they were the one you wanted to talk to about it. That their cares were your cares, their joy your joy. And as he walked along the boardwalk toward the saloon, Nathan knew that all those things were true for him with Elizabeth.

Nathan had always been the type of man who needed to be convinced of things. His mother had said that when he was a child, he'd even questioned that the sun came up each day until he'd watched it happen enough times to believe it. And that very important question: how many times was enough until he believed something? His answer was always that he'd know it when he saw it.

He walked past the saloon, and of course the door was closed. As he headed toward his office to wait until he saw the children playing ball in the street, he passed by the window and he slowed, looking in. She was there at the blackboard, writing something in Latin, he thought. Nathan's curiosity got the better of him, and he stopped and squinted to read it. Sol omnibus lucet.

Nathan smiled. His Latin from school was rusty, but this one he knew. The sun shines for everyone. And suddenly, the students were getting up from their chairs and heading toward the door. And all he could think was, Elizabeth is such a good teacher. That phrase will stick in their heads because they're going right out into the sunshine.

Gabe and James came flying out of the door and around the corner so fast that they almost ran right into him. "Sorry, Constable Grant!" they said in unison, though the apology didn't slow them down much. Finally, Nathan put his back against the wall and waited, laughing, until the unbridled energy of a number of cooped-up students flew past him.

When he got to the door, he peered around the corner just in case there were any stragglers. Elizabeth was erasing the blackboard and hadn't heard him come in, so he stood at the back of the room and watched her for a moment.

She was moving the white cloth in perfect circles, each one just an inch or so to the left of the one before. He watched as the word lucet disappeared, then omnibus, then Sol, but still he couldn't seem to announce his presence. There was something quietly intimate about watching someone when they didn't know, as if he had come upon her while she was sleeping. Her grace, and the strength and softness he knew was in her, was all on display as he stood, breathing in how beautiful she was.

He realized that on some level, he was also daring her to know that he was there. To feel the energy that coursed through him when he was near her. And just as that thought made him smile, she turned.

Elizabeth didn't gasp or jump at the sight of him; it was as if she had turned because she knew he was standing there. And another box in his mind was ticked, another moment that reminded him of the extraordinary connection they had to each other.

She put her hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow. "You're lurking," she said, a smile pulling up the corner of her mouth.

"I'm watching," he said softly, beginning to walk toward her. "There's a difference."

"Really?" Elizabeth said, wiping the chalk dust off of her hands and putting down the cloth.

"Yes," Nathan said, nodding seriously and taking off his hat. "Lurking usually has some evil intent attached. Watching is done for observation and study."

Elizabeth looked around to be certain there were no students left in the classroom. Nathan was nearly up to her desk now, and the look in his eyes told her that although he didn't have evil intentions, he might have intentions of another kind.

She thought she would head him off at the pass. "You can't kiss me in my classroom, Nathan," she whispered.

Nathan's eyebrows shot up as he smiled. "And what made you think I meant to kiss you?"

Elizabeth laughed. "I know that look."

"You're on to me," he said softly, reaching out and taking her hand.

"You're not hard to read," she said, laughing. Then she remembered. "Oh! Your meeting with Henry Gowen! How did it go?"

Nathan looked down at his boot, his face serious. He didn't answer for a moment and Elizabeth sighed, frowning. "It's okay, we'll find another way..."

When he looked up at her, his eyes were dancing. "He said yes."

Elizabeth completely forgot that she was in her classroom. The sudden knowledge that Abigail would get to stay in her row house, that Cat and her children wouldn't have to move, that Henry Gowen had budged on something, anything – filled her with such joy that she threw her arms around Nathan's neck and hugged him. "That's wonderful!" she said, laughing.

Nathan laughed too, putting his arms around her waist.

He did want to kiss her. Looking around, he took her hand and led her behind the large blackboard.

"Nathan," she said, laughing, "We can't..." but his lips were on hers and she suddenly forgot why they couldn't. They were completely hidden, and there were still ten minutes of recess... and...

"Miss Thatcher?"

Elizabeth peered around the blackboard while Nathan moved further into the shadows under the stairs.

"Albert," Elizabeth said, coming around to find one of her students standing at the door. She straightened her hair and walked down the middle aisle between the tables. "What is it, Albert? Don't you want to play with the other children? Is there anything wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, it's just that I've got a little something for you."

He opened up a small jewelry box and held it out in front of her.

"Oh, good heavens," Elizabeth said, looking at the necklace that was inside the box. It was worked in gold with onyx stones, and looked like something her mother would wear.

"Don't you like it?" Albert said, frowning.

"It's beautiful," Elizabeth said, "And far too expensive. Albert, I'm so sorry, but I can't accept this."

His face fell. "Why not?"

Elizabeth smiled at him. "Because it's too much. Where did you get this?"

Albert looked down, wishing that she liked it more. "I found it when I was fishing in the creek. I snagged it."

Shaking her head, Elizabeth said, "I can't imagine who could be so careless, to drop this in the creek."

Albert took a deep breath. "I think it might have been Mr. Spurlock. He told me if I found it, he'd trade me a penknife for it. I guess he saw me watching him over by the creek. He told me how the necklace fell out of his pocket and he lost it. I guess I should have given it to him, but I already have a penknife and it's just so pretty... and you're so pretty..." Albert trailed off, self-consciously.

Elizabeth knew she needed to let him down gently. "I appreciate your generosity, I really do. But I'm sure Mr. Spurlock misses this very much. Why don't I return it to him and set his mind at ease."

Albert sighed. "It's just that, I knew you used to be rich. So when I found it, I thought you'd appreciate it."

Elizabeth tilted her head and looked affectionately at him. "May I let you in on a little secret, Albert? Girls don't care if the gift is fancy, even girls who used to be rich. What we care about are gifts that come from the heart." Elizabeth walked back to her desk. She'd found a carved bird there first thing in the morning, and she'd seen Albert near her desk as she'd come in. She picked it up now and said, "Like this one."

Albert grinned as his eyes went wide. "I made that!" he said.

"So, you clearly don't need my advice. You already know how to give gifts from the heart. And you're going to make some young lady very happy someday. Just like this bird made me." Elizabeth leaned down and kissed Albert lightly on the head. He looked up at her in a bit of a daze and then slowly turned and went out the door.

When he was gone, Nathan came from around the blackboard. He went straight to Elizabeth's desk and picked up the box with the necklace. He looked over at Elizabeth and smiled softly. "I seem to have some competition," he said.

"He's a sweet boy," Elizabeth said.

Nathan frowned, looking at the necklace. "What is Charles Spurlock doing with something as expensive as this? And why? Have you heard anything about him and a woman in town?"

"Heavens, no," Elizabeth said. "The way he scowls around Coal Valley, joined at the hip with Henry Gowen, I can't think of a woman who would have him."

Nathan held up the necklace again. "Do you mind if I return this to Spurlock? There's something not right here."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't want him angry with Albert. Can you keep it a secret about where you got it?"

Nathan smiled. "More secrets," he said, raising an eyebrow. He put the box in his pouch and took Elizabeth's hand. "I'm taking Allie out for a ride this afternoon. Want to come?"

"Yes!" Elizabeth said. Then she narrowed her eyes a little. "Can we stay away from Henry Gowen's car? I can't always expect you to catch me," she said, keeping an eye on the door in case some of the children started coming back into the schoolroom.

Nathan squeezed her hand. "We'll go around the back and ride through the meadow by the pond. No roads this time."

"You think we can get Sarah again?" Elizabeth asked.

Grinning, Nathan said, "Don't see why not. You seem pretty partial to her."

"I am," Elizabeth said. "We like each other."

Nathan laughed softly. "Careful with that. Horses may not talk much, but they can still work their way into your heart."

Elizabeth laughed too. "Sounds familiar," she said.

Just as he was moving closer, Emily, Rachel and Allie came back into the schoolroom, and Elizabeth moved to put some space between them. "Recess is over, Constable."

"Sol omnibus lucet," he said softly, with nearly perfect pronunciation.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows in admiration. "Why, Constable. That tells me two things. One, you were spying through the window. And two, you paid attention in school."

Nathan laughed. "Guilty on both counts," he said. "I just wanted to let you know I'm very much looking forward to spending some time in the sunshine with you."

He started backing down the aisle toward the door. "Meet you at three at the livery?"

Elizabeth nodded, smiling. She watched as he touched Allie's shoulder and when she turned, he made a face, causing her to laugh along with Emily and Rachel.

At the door, Nathan stood and put his hat smartly on his head. He smiled softly and nodded.

Elizabeth sighed, and then watched out the window, waiting for him to pass by. When he did, he smiled again and tipped his hat to her.

As he was walking to his office, Nathan could hear Elizabeth's words in his head. Girls don't care if the gift is fancy, even girls who used to be rich. What we care about are gifts that come from the heart.

It happened that Nathan was working on a gift for Elizabeth. He had put off giving it to her because he worried that it was too simple. As he hung his hat on the peg in his office, he smiled. I should know better, he thought.

Nathan went to his bookshelf. On the ranch, he'd spent many long days helping Charlie to build the housing for the hands out by the far paddocks. He reached up and found what he was looking for: The Handyman's Book of Tools, Processes and Materials for Building Houses.

Tomorrow, he would ride to Murraysville, and with any luck, the next day what he needed to get started on building twelve small homes would arrive in Coal Valley by wagon. He would enlist the help of Abigail and Cat to talk to the women about pies and casseroles, and Florence Blakeley would manage bringing the town together for a meeting so that he and Elizabeth could explain what they were doing and why.

Nathan sat at his desk and laughed softly. Coal Valley and its people had found its way into his heart and his blood.

Had he ever lived anywhere else?

---

CHAPTER 24

"How long a ride is it to Murrayville?" Elizabeth asked.

Nathan looked over at her and smiled. "Too long, I'm afraid. I would love it if you could ride with me, but I think there and back might be a bit much to ask for your third time on a horse."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and looked at him. "How did you know that's what I was thinking?"

Nathan laughed and shook his head. "Sometimes I look at you and things just pop in my head. I don't know where they come from." He laughed again and looked forward. "I try not to ask too many questions about all this. About... us." Nathan looked over and smiled softly at her.

Looking back at him, Elizabeth smiled too. She liked the sound of that. Us.

They were riding side by side out to a place that Nathan had found with Allie one day when he was looking for a good spot to go fishing. The pond was always good, but it was so visible to the town, and someone always seemed to have something they needed to talk to the Constable about. This spot was more private, on a small river that ran along the trees, and it happened to be where he was planning to ride with her when Spurlock ran her off the road.

Allie was sitting in front of him in the saddle on Newton, though she had fussed a little about not being able to ride in front of Elizabeth. She couldn't quite understand that Elizabeth wouldn't be experienced enough to hang on to her if anything should happen. Nathan thought Allie felt Elizabeth could do pretty much anything.

This time they were in the meadow, walking slowly, without an internal combustion engine in sight. It was peaceful, and the sound of the birds and the wind in the trees was all that broke the silence when they weren't talking.

Elizabeth looked over at Nathan and grinned. "I love this," she said, leaning back and letting the sun warm her face.

"Sol omnibus lucet," Nathan said softly.

"Your Latin is very good," she said. Elizabeth smiled. "I like that phrase because it applies to everyone. These sweet children have had so much hardship in their young lives, but the sun really does belong to all of us."

"You're a very good teacher, Elizabeth. The children are lucky you chose Coal Valley," Nathan said.

"Thank you," she said, looking down and brushing something nonexistent from the saddle.

"You're not very good with compliments, are you?" When she turned back to look at him, Nathan said, "Neither am I. It's hard for me to say thank you because it feels like I must be agreeing with them, and there's something not quite right about that."

Elizabeth nodded vigorously. "Yes! My mother used to tell me all the time that when she says thank you, in her head, she adds on, 'I know.' You look beautiful today, Mrs. Thatcher. Thank you, I know." Elizabeth laughed. "Can you imagine? She said it gives a lady an air of confidence and a sense of herself, but to me it always just sounds stuck-up and like she thinks she's better than everyone else."

Nathan gave her a crooked smile. "You do look beautiful today, Miss Thatcher," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Stop!" she said, laughing. "Change the subject, please. What were we talking about before you started shamelessly complimenting me?"

"We were talking about choices. How you chose Coal Valley."

"Oh, yes. And you told me once that you chose Coal Valley too, when it was between you and the other Mountie? Jack? What made you choose this instead of... where was it?" Elizabeth asked.

"Cape Fullerton," Nathan said. "And the main reason was Allie." Hearing her name, Allie bent her neck back and looked up at him. Nathan smiled and kissed her on the head.

Elizabeth nodded and said, "Do you regret it at all?"

Nathan grinned at her and narrowed his eyes. "Is this a trick question? Because I've been known to put my foot in my mouth in these situations." He laughed softly. "Do I regret that it's me here riding with you instead of Constable Jack Thornton? Not for a split second," he said. They were riding so close that he could stretch his long arm out and hold her hand if she reached out too, which she did.

Elizabeth laughed. "That's a pretty big assumption, that I would be riding with... Jack… um..."

"Thornton," Nathan said, helping her.

"Jack Thornton," Elizabeth said, raising her eyebrows. "That makes the leap that I would be as..." She felt a blush coming on and she turned so he wouldn't see it. She couldn't think of a better word, so she just said it. "...attracted to any Mountie that was posted here. That I'm interested in the uniform more than the man in it?"

Nathan nodded, taking her question seriously. "I've often wondered about that. It's a great honor to be a Mountie, and the uniform is such a visible symbol..." He looked over at her, frowning a little. "How much of who I am is connected to the red serge for you?"

Elizabeth looked at him softly. "You're not wearing the red serge now. And there's no one I'd rather be with." She looked around at the beauty of the meadow and the trees beyond. "And there's definitely no place I'd rather be than here, riding next to you."

Nathan wasn't ready to let it go. "So your feelings for me have nothing to do with the uniform?"

Elizabeth laughed softly. "I will say that after spending the night in that stagecoach, I was pretty happy to see your red serge in the distance, but that was because I knew that I would be able to trust whoever was wearing it to make sure I was safe." She squeezed his hand. "No, Nathan. We would be here whether you worked in the mine, or owned the Mercantile, or drove the stagecoach."

Nathan laughed. "Ah, but what if I owned the saloon?" he said, raising his eyebrow.

She laughed too, but Elizabeth said, "That might be a stretch." She looked over at him seriously. "But you would never choose that profession, would you? I like Tom, he's a good person, but you must admit that someone who elects to spend their nights serving beer and whiskey to gamblers is a very different type of person from the one who chooses to wear the red serge and live under a code of honor." Elizabeth was beginning to feel passionate about what she was saying, and before she knew it, she said, "And what about children? Can you imagine raising children together in a saloon?"

Elizabeth suddenly heard herself, and the blush that took over her cheeks felt almost as if she had been burned by the sun that was gently warming them from above the trees. She turned and looked to her right just so she could catch her breath without him looking at her, and she laughed self-consciously. "Not certain where that came from," she said quietly.

"Do you want children?" Nathan asked softly.

She turned and looked at him, and again was amazed at his ability to cut right to the heart of a question when she least expected it.

"Yes," she said, smiling. "Very much. You?"

Nathan didn't hesitate before nodding, and then he smoothed Allie's hair affectionately.

Elizabeth looked at Allie, who was leaning back into Nathan's chest peacefully, watching the world go by and taking in every last detail of it. "They are extraordinary." She inclined her head toward Allie. "Look at her. She's only been here for four years, such a short time, and yet, I gaze into her eyes sometimes and I feel like I see the wisdom of the ages..."

Nathan nodded, understanding completely. "I know. I think the same thing. And what she's seen already..." He stopped and looked at Elizabeth, his eyes suddenly intensely focused on her.

For a moment he seemed to go somewhere else, the way he always did when he thought of Colleen. Elizabeth waited with her eyes on his. Finally, Nathan spoke.

"Tomorrow is Saturday," he said, his voice firm and strong. "What if I take Tom's wagon instead of riding to Murrayville? Will you go with me? Abigail is always saying that she'd like to spend a day with Allie."

Even at the distance between the horses, Elizabeth could see how blue Nathan's eyes were.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes. I'd like to go with you." She felt they were on the edge of some kind of precipice, about to step off. And she was ready for it. Ready to hear anything he had to say.

"I want to tell you what happened to Colleen. And I want to tell you why I don't have a father. I want to tell you everything." His voice held a kind of melancholy power as she heard him make the decision to open his heart to her.

Elizabeth thought she could see his eyes not only getting bluer, but glistening slightly in the sunlight. She felt honored by the trust she saw there. "I want to know everything," she said softly.

He looked away and she thought she saw him hold Allie a little tighter to him. "You may not," he said quietly. "But I need to tell you before we... " He took a deep breath that transitioned into a sigh, and then she saw him shift. He turned and looked at her with a faint smile. "You're good company, Elizabeth. I look forward to it."

---

It was a beautiful spot.

Newton and Sarah were grazing under the trees on the tender grass that lay all around them. Nathan, Elizabeth and Allie lazed on the blanket Nathan had brought with him while they nibbled on the apples, bread and cheese he'd packed. Allie was very happily dissecting a peanut butter and honey sandwich. Nathan knew that would require that Allie be practically bathed in the river afterwards, but she loved them so much that he just couldn't say no.

Elizabeth cut off another small piece of cheese and put it with a bite of apple that she popped in her mouth. She smiled at Nathan, "You are a good man to have around, Constable Grant. I will never go hungry with you."

"And you haven't even seen me fish yet," he said, raising an eyebrow. He stood and took his empty canteen over to the river, and Elizabeth watched as he found a spot where the water was rushing by to fill it again. He looked back at her. "Always where it's moving," he said, "And always upstream from animals."

Elizabeth laughed. "You'll turn me into a Mountie yet," she said.

"Simple survival. You may need to know that someday."

"Says the man who lived on the dew from leaves for two days," Elizabeth said, tilting her head.

"You remembered," he said softly, clearly pleased that she had. Nathan walked back over to the blanket and stretched out. He'd taken his boots and socks off and Elizabeth found herself fascinated with his bare feet. She didn't think she had ever been with a man in bare feet before, at least not since she'd been an adult. She could sooner see her father take off and fly to the moon than be anywhere without shoes and socks.

Nathan saw her looking and frowned a little. "Does it bother you? Am I breaking another rule?"

Elizabeth laughed. "I don't think so. At least not in any courting handbook I've ever seen."

Nathan's eyebrows went up. "There's a handbook?" he said incredulously. "Should I read it?"

"I'll let you know if you're crossing any lines," Elizabeth said, smiling at him.

"I appreciate that," Nathan said, handing the canteen to Allie and then balancing it so she could take a drink of water. "Sweetie, you are covered in honey. We're lucky we're not surrounded by bees," he said laughing.

"Here, let me take her," Elizabeth said, starting to stand up.

Nathan looked skeptically at her. "I highly recommend you take off those nice boots. Riding home with wet feet is something you won't ever want to do twice." Then he raised his eyebrows. "And it feels incredible."

At first Elizabeth looked at him as if he'd said something slightly scandalous, and then he watched as she began to see it as a challenge. Nathan gazed at her while she methodically unlaced the brown suede boots she'd ordered through the Mercantile on the first day she was in Coal Valley. They were sensible and comfortable, and no, she didn't want to get them wet. But when it came to her stockings, she raised an eyebrow and twirled her finger in the air indicating she wanted him to turn around.

Nathan laughed out loud and did as she asked. "That must be in the handbook," he muttered, looking at Allie, who smiled and then giggled when he said, "Allie? Dogs say..."

"Ruff!" she said, grinning.

"And cats say..."

"Meowwww," Allie said, with great feeling. But the last one was always for her Uncle Nathan, because no one could do a cow like he could.

"Cows say..." Allie said, her eyes dancing in anticipation.

"Mooooooooooooo," Nathan said, reaching out and tickling her as she collapsed into giggles.

Elizabeth was laughing, just watching them. "You two..." she said, standing up and feeling the cool grass under her bare feet. "Oh, she said, enjoying the sensation so much that she had to stand there for a while, wiggling her toes. "It's been a long time since I've done this," she said.

"Told you..." Nathan said, looking up at her.

"Allie," she said, putting out her hand, "Let's go see what's in the water." She made it sound like an exciting adventure, and Allie jumped up and took her hand. Nathan watched her as she made washing up seem fun, and he felt it again; the warmth of understanding that he wanted to do everything with Elizabeth, take her to every place that mattered to him, and tell her things that had been bottled up inside him for far too long.

Is this love? He asked himself again. Every day he felt closer to the answer. And it was starting to dawn on him that the answer might be yes.

---

CHAPTER 25

Nathan made a final check on his list. He'd wired ahead to the sawmill and the hardware store in Murrayville with his list of materials for the miners' housing and let them know what he wanted to bring back with him. He'd also sent a wire to a Mr. Herbert Anderson, a lawyer he'd gotten to know in Benson Hills, and explained the situation with the row houses. Anderson said he'd be more than happy to read over all the paperwork and make sure that Gowen's lawyer had put no loopholes in the contracts.

"Allie, you ready for a fun day with Abigail?" Allie looked up from her play corner behind his desk and nodded enthusiastically.

"Ab'gail said cookies!" she said, grinning.

Nathan picked her up and gave her a hug. "Cookies, huh? Will you save some for Miss Thatcher and me? We might want cookies when we get home."

Allie nodded and took hold of Nathan's collar. He'd noticed that she did that when she knew he was going away. He knew why she did it and it only made him hold her tighter. "I love you, sweetie," he said softly into her baby-fine hair. "You know that?" he pulled away and looked into her eyes as she nodded to him. What does she remember? She looked back at him and blinked without showing impatience. Nathan gave her a last hug and said, "C'mon. Cookies!"

As they began the walk toward the row houses, Nathan saw Florence Blakeley running toward him.

"Constable!" Nathan stopped and turned as Florence caught up to him. "We're all set for the meeting after church tomorrow. We thought we would just have everyone stay seated, and we were hoping you would explain how everything will work? I know you said it was a choice that we all get to make, but I haven't talked to anyone who doesn't want to help."

Florence paused, which was unusual in itself. But then she took Nathan's hand suddenly. "Thank you, Nathan. You can't know how much this means to all of us. For someone to stand up to Henry Gowen on our behalf... it's just... well..."

Nathan was afraid that Florence might begin to cry, and he knew that would be more than he could take today, so he patted her hand and said, "We're going to make this right, Florence. The whole town is."

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "And you really think we can build a new church at the same time? What a blessing that would be."

Nathan smiled at her. "I don't see why not." He patted her hand again. "We'll all have our hammers out already, so, might as well!"

Allie was anxious to get to the cookies, and she had already been pretty patient. She pulled at his pant leg and Nathan looked at Florence and said, "Allie's on her way to make cookies with Abigail..."

"Oh! I won't keep you," Florence said, already backing away.

"Florence," Nathan said before she got too far away, "Thank you for your help getting the word out and organizing the meeting. I really appreciate it."

He thought he might have seen Florence blush just a bit, and then she grinned widely at him. "People don't often thank me for talking too much," she said, laughing a little. "Enjoy your cookies!" And with that, she was off.

Elizabeth was ready to go when Nathan dropped Allie off at Abigail's. They walked back down and got the wagon and were soon on their way.

For a while they talked about Allie, and Florence, and the plans for the housing, and then they sat in silence for a time.

They both knew why. Elizabeth could feel a difference in Nathan; he was distracted and nervous, and had regressed somewhat to his tongue-tied self. She moved closer to him on the seat of the wagon and put her arm through his, leaning her head on his shoulder.

She felt his breathing change as he took courage from her closeness, and he realized she was allowing him the time to gather his words.

Then, without preamble, Nathan began to talk softly.

"We were in Quebec City," he said, putting his arm around Elizabeth while holding the reins with the other hand. "Colleen was two years older than I was, and worked there as a secretary in a law office. She was brilliant, and had talked about becoming a lawyer herself someday, though she knew what a steep climb that would be for a woman."

Elizabeth could hear the admiration in his voice, and the love he had for his sister. It was palpable and clear.

He shook his head and laughed softly. "We couldn't believe our luck when I got a post there, knowing that we would be able to see each other so often and that I could watch as Allie grew up," Nathan looked over at Elizabeth and shrugged slightly, "At least for a little while, until the Mounties sent me somewhere else."

Nathan paused and Elizabeth got the feeling he might find this less difficult if it were a conversation, which always came so easily to them. "And Allie's father?" she said softly.

Nathan smiled at Elizabeth, grateful for how comfortable he felt with her. He leaned over and kissed her forehead tenderly, and then looked back out at the road, feeling a little more confidence.

"I never liked her husband Dylan too much. I never understood her attraction to him, but I think she liked him because he seemed a little dangerous to her." Nathan looked at Elizabeth again, shrugging. "Growing up in Airdrie gave me a good foundation and a love of the outdoors, but for Colleen, once she was a teenager, I think it just felt stifling. She got out as soon as she could and went all the way to Quebec City. To 'look for her life,' as she put it."

Elizabeth laughed softly. "I understand that. I've gone the other direction and found my life in a small town, but it was the same for me. And she met Dylan in Quebec City?"

"Yes. She fell hard for him, and they were married within six months. Allie was born about a year after that." Nathan sighed and flicked the reins, keeping the horses' pace up. "Dylan always had some scheme or another, and he managed to spend the money she earned just as fast as she made it. But she loved him and saw the best in him. I just never could."

Nathan continued, "Dylan liked to drink and play cards, which made it even more surprising that Colleen... well, it was surprising that she would fall for a gambler. Dylan always seemed to have an angle. He felt he was a born salesman, but there's a difference between a salesman and a con-man, and Colleen never quite saw that."

"But you talked about it? She knew how you felt?" Elizabeth asked.

Nathan nodded and laughed softly. "Oh, yeah. Colleen and I never pulled any punches with each other. She didn't believe in dancing around issues. It was one of her best qualities - you always knew where you stood with her. She knew I didn't like him, and she made sure I knew she did like him. And that was pretty much that." Nathan laughed again and shook his head. "She was something else. She'd have me so mad I'd want to spit, and then the next minute we'd be laughing..."

Nathan took a deep breath, and Elizabeth simply squeezed his arm and gave him a minute. He was staring out at the empty road, but he was seeing something else. She reached up and rubbed his arm, gently, and he nodded, knowing he needed to keep going.

Nathan's tone was different now, and Elizabeth could tell they were reaching the difficult part. "Dylan was traveling, which he did a lot, when... when it happened. Colleen and I were meeting for lunch downtown, and she was late. So I had already been standing outside the café for a half hour before she waved at me from the other side of the street, and I wasn't in the best of moods."

Nathan sighed deeply and put his head down. "God, if we could go back and change things..." His voice was getting thicker, deeper, and Elizabeth could hear the emotion welling there.

He looked up again at the road, now finding it difficult to meet her eyes. "I was upset that day, because I'd been passed over for some assignment I wanted and instead was scheduled for a detail with one of those Quebec City rich girls we talked about." Elizabeth began to hear something creeping into his voice now. Guilt, self-contempt. "What's strange is that, for the life of me I can't remember what the other assignment was." Now he turned to her and his eyes held a coldness in them. "That's how important it was to me."

Another deep breath, and the words came faster.

"She was across the street, holding Allie. I could see her looking from side to side, waiting until the traffic slowed down so that she could run across to join me. I just stood there, shaking my head, wondering why my sister could never be on time, and why I was now forced to eat quickly and run back to work."

Nathan's breath was coming faster, and Elizabeth realized he had entered that world, that time. She moved so she was as close as she could possibly get to him, holding him, wanting to keep at least a part of him here with her in the present.

Nathan's voice was becoming choked now, and he turned the wagon over to the side of the road. He pulled up the horses and let go of the reins, leaning forward. He couldn't stop talking now, as it began to spill out.

"I should have told her to stay where she was." He looked at Elizabeth and his eyes were bright with the tears that were threatening. "I should have done so many things... "

"She was juggling Allie, and her purse, and a bag that turned out to have an early birthday gift for me in it. If I had only... just walked across the street and taken some of those things from her, taken Allie, and then used the red serge to slow some traffic down so we could walk across together... but I was upset with her and disappointed in my day, so instead I just watched her struggle."

Nathan leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees and his face in his hands. The pain Elizabeth felt emanating from him entered into her own heart and she felt her tears welling up and her own breath coming faster.

"I know I looked impatient, and maybe that was what prompted her to take a chance that she shouldn't have. She stepped off the curb and was half-way across when she dropped the bag with the package in it. She reached down to pick it up, but Allie started fidgeting, wanting to get down and walk." Elizabeth saw a tear fall through Nathan's fingers and drop to the boards on the wagon floor, shining and changing the color of the weathered wood. She leaned even closer and put her arms around him.

"Things happened so fast from there that I still have trouble... I just know that my reactions kicked in and I knew that I had to run out there and help her. The cars were going so fast, and there was a streetcar that was coming. And she was standing right on the rails..."

Nathan sat up, and Elizabeth could see his eyes staring almost vacantly ahead while it played out in front of him. She kept hold of him as he talked, reminding him that she was there.

"I was almost to her when a car came flying by and nearly hit me. We were only a few feet apart when I saw the streetcar. So did she. And for one of those moments when time stops, we just looked at each other. I felt like our whole life together was speeding past like the cars that were going in front of and behind both of us, like it was a blur of memories, all held there in her eyes..."

Another tear, this one sliding down Nathan's cheek. His breath was shallow, as if he was still standing there on that busy street in Quebec City. Then his voice got softer, but this time it had some steel in it.

"And then I saw the moment when she knew. One of us was not going to make it. Either I was going to run to her and be hit, or she was going to be lost under that streetcar with Allie... and I saw my sister decide in an instant what was important."

Elizabeth brushed a tear away from her own cheek, mesmerized, horrified, almost unable to bear the depth of the pain he was feeling.

"She dropped her purse and turned Allie around. I saw her say, 'I love you so much,' the words perfectly formed in the few feet between us, as if I could hear them over the roar of the traffic. Then she looked at me... and I saw her say, 'I'm sorry,' and 'I love you' and then...

Nathan's breath caught and so did his voice. Another tear, and almost choking, he said, "She threw her to me. Allie."

"Oh, Nathan..." Elizabeth said, finally unable to hold back her own tears. But Nathan wasn't finished. Now that he had spoken the words, he couldn't stop.

"I caught Allie in my arms in the split second before that streetcar hit her and changed my sister into something unrecognizable, her beauty and her spirit and her passion lost in a moment, in a... rush of metal and glass... and blood. And I stood with Allie, who was wailing... and confused, before I stepped back onto the curb, to safety... aware that Allie was now... mine to take care of, and her mother had... died... giving me that responsibility."

Nathan looked at Elizabeth, his eyes wide, stricken. "Probably five seconds had passed. Allie was clutching my collar so tightly I could hardly breathe. I'd caught her by instinct, and now we held on to each other for dear life."

Nathan's eyes turned cold, hard under the glass of his tears. "And as I stood there in my red serge, the protector, the defender, helpless, holding a screaming child, I knew that my life would never, ever, as long as I lived, be the same."

Elizabeth turned and put her arms around him, cradling his head on her shoulder and he finally, completely, let go of nearly half a year's silence. In the comfort and safety of her arms, he allowed himself to immerse in the guilt, regret, and grief of a memory that couldn't be reconciled or erased, that had played in an endless loop of what ifs for so long that he hardly could recall what his life had been like without it.

During the long minutes that she felt his chest rise and fall in aching spasms, Elizabeth held him tightly, whispering to him that it was alright, that she was here, but most importantly, "It wasn't your fault."

Elizabeth had just done this, with Rosaleen. And the fact that a man of twenty-six and a girl of eight could transfer guilt into silence so completely, reminded her of the power it held over all of us. Relentless, holding our hearts in a vice grip until that daily regret becomes normal, a ritual we play out almost without knowing it.

"It wasn't your fault, Nathan," Elizabeth said, over and over. It was what he needed to hear, and he needed to hear it from her lips. He knew that she would tell him the truth, and if he had feared recrimination or blame from her, he knew now that she would never see it that way. She would say, as she was now, that sometimes things just happen, and they don't always have to be someone's fault.

As she held him, Nathan felt the weight begin to drift off his shoulders, and he already was lighter. He held her more tightly and his breathing began to calm as he felt the strength in her begin to transfer and inhabit his grieving heart.

"Thank you," he whispered fervently into the silkiness of her hair, suddenly in this new freedom taking in the aroma of lavender that filled the air around her, and the peace he felt in her arms.

Nathan knew that something had changed in him, just from speaking out loud what had been his greatest, darkest secret, the thing he had told no one through all these long months of condolences and self-doubt. His greatest fear was that if he told anyone, they would look at him the way he had been looking at himself in the mirror. That they would say what he had said to himself so many times: You should have done more.

Instead of what he feared, Nathan felt Elizabeth's arms around him, offering forgiveness, and as that washed over him, he began to feel something he hadn't considered; he might be able to forgive himself.

Nathan's retelling had been so immediate, so in the moment, that Elizabeth had been able to put herself into Colleen's place, imagining what it would have been like to know that none of them, or two of them, could survive. And in a flash, Elizabeth knew that Colleen was feeling it too, in those split seconds; her own guilt, her own regrets, and the only way she knew to make it right.

"She didn't blame you, Nathan," Elizabeth said in a rush of understanding. "She trusted you, she knew you would care for Allie with every last ounce of your strength. She knew you would catch her. And that had to give her peace."

Elizabeth pulled away and looked into his eyes. They were both gazing through tears now, and Nathan's eyes were so blue and more like that mountain lake than they had ever been. Her heart was breaking for him, thinking about all the months of him carrying this burden alone, and at the same time looking at Allie every day, wondering, wishing he could have done something, anything, different.

Elizabeth saw another tear slip from the translucence of his blue eyes down his cheek and she kissed it, wishing there was something she could do to ease his pain. She didn't know that she already had.

Nathan turned his head until his lips were on hers, wanting not only the comfort of her kiss but also wanting to find some way to let her know the gift she'd given him. And in that moment he knew that it was a gift only she could give, because he loved her.

He wouldn't say it now, though he longed to whisper it against her lips so badly he had to force himself into silence. But Nathan knew he didn't want that moment to be forever joined with this sadness. He was ready to leave the guilt and regret of the last six months here by the side of the road, and to travel into the future with hope, and with Elizabeth.

---

CHAPTER 26

They sat for a long time just holding each other. Elizabeth's head was on Nathan's chest and his arms were completely around her. "I've never done that with another person in my life," Nathan said softly.

"How do you feel?" Elizabeth said, looking up at him.

"Lighter," he said, smiling softly. "Surprisingly lighter."

Elizabeth snuggled back down into his arms. "I can't imagine how hard it's been for you, carrying that alone."

"That's the other thing," he said, holding her tighter and kissing the top of her head. "I really don't feel alone anymore."

"That's because you're not," Elizabeth said softly into his chest.

For a long moment, Nathan just held her tightly. He was so grateful to have someone in his life that he trusted enough to show that side of himself; the side that was so vulnerable, so raw. He had expected only to tell her the story. He hadn't expected to feel free enough to show her the experience of it. But his greatest discovery was that he trusted her with his pain. And Elizabeth hadn't flinched.

"It's strange," Nathan said, resting his chin in the softness of her hair. "It doesn't change anything. Colleen is still gone, but somehow, saying all of that out loud makes it easier to bear."

Elizabeth sat up and looked at him. "Have you ever been in love before?"

Taken aback, Nathan drew in a deep breath. He didn't know whether this was the time to declare himself, or whether there were rules about this as well. Shouldn't it be romantic? Or is sitting by the side of the road in a wagon, after you've just poured your heart out to the woman you love, romantic enough?

Elizabeth laughed softly at his slightly dazed look. She put her hand on his cheek. "I'm not meaning to put you on the spot here, you don't have to answer that." Elizabeth looked down and took his hand in hers, because she was having trouble looking him in the eye. "Well, I've never been in love before, so I'm not an expert, but I just wanted to say that I think that's a part of loving someone. That you can help to carry their burdens, even if it's just by listening..."

Her voice trailed off and she looked up. Nathan was smiling, in fact it was the full version of the crooked smile, the one that told her he was not only charmed by what she was saying, but that it had made him very happy.

"You've never been in love before?" he said.

Elizabeth frowned slightly. "That surprises you?"

Nathan raised his eyebrows and started to speak, but he still couldn't wipe the smile off of his face. "I... I just thought... that all you fine young ladies fell in love... often..."

Uh-oh, Nathan thought. The single eyebrow. The warning.

Making a face, Nathan said, "I'm getting myself in trouble here, aren't I?"

Narrowing her eyes, Elizabeth nodded, silently.

"Let me start again," he said. "You are an intelligent, beautiful and fascinating person, and it would surprise me if you didn't have multiple suitors in Hamilton. I assumed that at least one of them had found their way into your heart."

Elizabeth opened her eyes wide, and then actually laughed. "Nicely said, Constable! Not a stutter in sight!"

"Phew," Nathan said on an exhale. "I was on dangerous ground there..."

Nodding, Elizabeth said, "Yes, you were."

Elizabeth thought for a moment, gazing into his eyes. Then she took a deep breath and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, lingering there with her lips against his skin.

"I have never been in love before..." she said softly. Then she moved her lips to his ear. "...until now."

Nathan couldn't prevent the soft, "Oh..." that escaped his lips, and then he put his arms around her and pulled her tightly to him. She felt his breath come faster and she thought his heart might be beating nearly as quickly as her own.

He pulled away and looked at her, and his eyes were the fathomless blue that she was learning to recognize as a bellwether to his feelings. "That's good, because... actually, the truth is… I'm in love with you, Elizabeth."

For a moment they just gazed at one another, each wondering if this was possible. In his eyes, Elizabeth saw a mirror of her own feelings reflecting back at her, and she finally understood. It's not just a matter of being loved by someone, it's knowing that you love them too that multiplies the gift beyond measure. And though this was a part of every romantic story she'd ever read, she knew that this was not only a gift, it was a rare one.

Nathan's lips found hers and she felt the truth of what they had just expressed to each other, the depth of it, and in her heart she could see the path ahead so clearly. She was bound to him, not only through love, but through respect, and a shared vision of the world. Their values and principles were aligned, and their dreams of a future lay in a town they had both come to love in the same way they'd come to love each other - quickly, deeply and irrevocably.

Nathan's head was spinning, and he finally understood what he'd heard all along. When you know, you know. Love was as impossible to define to someone who hasn't felt it as it was to describe colors to someone who was unable to see.

And as he held Elizabeth, his lips on hers, listening to her soft sighs as they blended with the rustle of the leaves and the sounds of the woods beside them, he knew that they might face challenges and hardships, but they would face them together. Always together.

They pulled away, breathlessly, to hold each other and allow their hearts to calm.

"Well," Nathan whispered softly against her cheek, "This has been a day and a half." As Elizabeth breathed deeply, Nathan allowed himself a short, soft laugh of happiness. "I will say that when I imagined myself saying those words, it wasn't in a wagon by the side of the road." He pulled away and looked at her, frowning slightly. "It wasn't very romantic, was it?"

"Hush," Elizabeth said, putting her fingers on his lips. "That was the most romantic moment of my entire life."

Nathan grinned. "Huh. Then I should probably say I had it all planned out."

Elizabeth laughed. "Don't push your luck..."

Nathan finally took a deep breath and said, "I'd be happy to stay here with you all day, but we need to get going again if we expect to be home before dark."

Her eyes were soft on his. "I forgot we were going anywhere," she said, laughing. "You will clearly be the sensible one in this relationship."

Reluctantly, he let her go and picked up the reins, flicking them to get the horses started. Elizabeth leaned up against him, enjoying the soft sway of the wagon and watching the scenery go by.

For a time, they were both lost in their thoughts and their happiness. There would be time to talk about feelings, but it had been an intense day, and both needed to rest into the comfort they felt with each other.

"A new church," Elizabeth mused softly. "I've loved the grove, but once winter comes that's not going to be possible, is it? I can't stand the idea of worshipping in a saloon, although I'm sure God wouldn't mind as long as our hearts are in the right place."

"We're not going to have to make that choice," Nathan said.

She turned and looked at him. "You're so sure we'll get it built?"

"I am," Nathan said, smiling out at the road. "I have faith in Coal Valley."

Watching him for a moment, Elizabeth thought Nathan did seem lighter. She found herself wondering if she would see that tortured, faraway look in his eyes as often, or at all. And it didn't matter how it had happened - whether it was being able to share his story, or Elizabeth's love that had given him this lightness. What mattered is that it was there.

Then Elizabeth sat up suddenly and looked at him. "Nathan. They used to teach school in the church. That means I won't be teaching in the saloon anymore." She was elated, her face bright. "Can I get a large blackboard in the front? And the pews, can they have desks that fold down so the students can work there?"

Nathan laughed, "Whoa, cowgirl. One thing at a time. Let's get it built first." He looked at her, loving her enthusiasm. "And I have another idea, too."

Elizabeth laughed, shaking her head. "Full of surprises. What now?"

Nathan lifted his chin and raised his eyebrows. "A library."

---

They made good time to Murrayville, and just as Nathan was hoping, everything was ready for them. They could only carry so much back in the wagon, so he asked that the framing lumber, nails, some needed tools and the hardware for the pumps for the first few houses be ready to load into the wagon to take back. The plan was to start right after the meeting in the grove tomorrow.

Elizabeth wanted to get a gift for Abigail to thank her for allowing her to stay in her row house, so she picked up some pretty kitchen towels that Abigail would love, but would think of as an extravagance if she were to get them for herself. And Nathan loved that Elizabeth wanted to get a small doll for Allie.

"You'll spoil her," Nathan said, raising an eyebrow.

"I get to," Elizabeth replied, raising two eyebrows and thus, winning the contest.

Elizabeth couldn't tell him that she would never be able to erase the picture of what Nathan had described to her. And although Elizabeth knew better than anyone how important discipline and clear boundaries were in the development of children, Allie would always have a soft place in her heart because of that picture in her head.

While the wagon was being loaded, they walked arm-in-arm, looking in shop windows, and then they stopped quickly for lunch before heading back to the hardware store. Nathan settled with the owner, made arrangements for the deliveries for the rest of the week, and they were on their way back home.

"Nathan," Elizabeth said, "I know that you said you were going to tell me about your sister and your father, but I just want you to know that you don't need to do this all in one day."

Nodding, Nathan said, "Thank you, but I want to. I don't want you to hear this from anyone but me." He looked over at her and saw the concern in her eyes, and kissed her forehead gently. "You're sweet to give me time, though." Looking back at the road ahead, he said," This will be much easier than telling you about Colleen. I've lived with it longer and... in many ways, it has nothing to do with me. It has to do with the choices my father has made. Very bad choices."

Elizabeth turned to him, letting him know she was listening.

Nathan put his hand on her cheek. "Ask me anything you want to. I'll have no secrets from you."

She nodded silently, and Nathan turned again to look out at the road.

"My father is in prison," he said, glancing over to see what Elizabeth's reaction was to that blunt statement. She looked back at him with clear eyes, although he did see her take a sharp breath.

Nathan turned back and flicked the reins. The wagon was heavier now, and he didn't want to stress the horses, but he also wanted to be sure they got back to Coal Valley before dark.

"I told you I was surprised that Colleen chose a man who liked to gamble, because Archie, my father, is a gambler."

"You call him Archie?" Elizabeth asked.

Nathan laughed softly and looked at her. "Yes. I suppose it's my way of distancing myself from him. I stopped calling him 'Dad' when I was about fourteen." Nathan took a deep breath. "My mother says I need to separate what part of my anger has to do with the things Archie did to hurt me, and to let go of the things he did to hurt her, but I've always found that pretty hard to do, because he hurt our family, and I can't forgive him for that. I've been angry with him for so long, I can't remember a time when I wasn't."

Elizabeth touched his arm and said softly, "Are you sure you can't?"

He looked over at her, at first ready to defend himself, and then he saw the softness in her eyes and thought about it. Releasing a breath, Nathan nodded and said, "I can."

He looked out at the road. "We loved riding together. Colleen and... my father, and me. We had our own horses from the time we were pretty little, and when he was home..." he turned to Elizabeth and raised his eyebrow, "... which wasn't very often, we would ride the ranch. He would tell us about all the fencing, and the livestock, and teach us things. Colleen and I loved those rides..."

Nathan looked forward again. "It doesn't always help to think of the good things, because it just reminds me of what he threw away. For cards." Nathan said the word through his teeth, and Elizabeth squeezed his arm again.

She spoke gently to him, trying to help him move through what he wanted to say. "But gambling doesn't put you in prison..."

"No. He had to replace the money that he lost, so he stole from the bank where he worked, and got caught."

Elizabeth nodded, thinking that was the end of the story.

"The first time," Nathan said. "He got out of prison, and when he tried to get another job, no one would hire him, so he started stealing. At first, he took things from the ranch, my mother's jewelry, small things, just to try to keep the payments up, but then he got further in debt and rode off with a couple of horses up in Edmonton, and that was it. Second offense, back in prison, for much longer."

Nathan turned to her again. "It's why the ranch is in my name. Mom and I started managing it with our head hand, Charlie, and we started turning a profit, but we were afraid the bank would come for it, for Archie's debts, so Mom put it in my name."

Elizabeth sighed. "And he's still in prison?"

Nathan shrugged. "I didn't know exactly where he was until my mother told me I had to write to him to tell him about Colleen. So I did some digging and found out he was up in Calgary. I wrote to him a month before I came to Coal Valley."

"And you haven't..." Elizabeth started.

"No," Nathan said, cutting her off. Then he realized how sharply he'd spoken and he reached over and put his arm around her, pulling her toward him. "I'm sorry. I thought you might be starting to ask if I've spoken with him, and no, I haven't. I can't. I don't want to."

Elizabeth could see how much it still pained Nathan to talk about this, and it had been a long day already. She was so grateful for the trust he was showing in her, and for the windows he was opening into his heart. This didn't all have to get solved today.

She leaned into him and put her arms around him. "Thank you for telling me. And any time you want to tell me more, or talk about it, I'm ready to listen, Nathan."

Nathan looked at her, his eyes narrowed slightly. "So, what are your feelings about 'the sins of the father,' Elizabeth? Does it change the way you see me to know that my father is a thief and is in prison?"

He thought he knew what her answer would be, but he had to hear it. She would never blame him, but he had to know if her voice would hold a different tone; if things would be at all strained between them.

Elizabeth frowned slightly, with her mouth downturned. "You didn't do those things. You're not your father, Nathan."

"And your… family?" he asked softly.

Elizabeth surprised him by smiling. "My father is a businessman, and I asked my mother once exactly what he does. She told me she always felt it was best not to get too much information. Shipping is a cutthroat business, Nathan, and when you make the kind of money my father makes, I would be surprised if it didn't involve stretching a truth or two. I would say the only difference between your father and mine is that my father has too many subordinates for him to actually get caught."

Nathan raised his eyebrows. He was remembering that Superintendent Martin had called William Thatcher a "benefactor," and it dawned on him that requesting a Mountie for Coal Valley may have been a tame request in the grand scheme of things.

Gazing at her, Nathan thought that Elizabeth might be young and inexperienced in some ways, but he reminded himself that she was not naive.

"Thank you," he said. "Again."

Nathan exhaled, and flicked the reins with one hand while he reached out to hold her tightly with the other. As they took the final turn into Coal Valley, he couldn't for the life of him think what he'd ever done to deserve someone like Elizabeth.

---

CHAPTER 27

Elizabeth had never been to a barn raising, though she'd read about plenty of them. They were a staple of the Amish settlements which had cropped up in Ontario, and since she'd grown up in a big city, Elizabeth had been fascinated by them. She loved the idea of a small community pooling its resources in order to tackle projects that felt impossible for a single family. She was excited that she got to participate in one.

Nathan had opted for his civilian clothes at church services today, knowing that they would be going directly from the meeting after church to the miner's housing to begin work. Abigail and Florence had mobilized the kitchens of Coal Valley, and there would be food for hungry workers and plenty of cider and lemonade to manage their thirst. Even Tom Trevoy had gotten in the spirit, and was bringing a large pot of his chili and loaves of bread to share.

Cat had chosen her sermon carefully for today, and those who might have thought they could beg off with some excuse or other found themselves gazing at their feet, somewhat shamefaced, after she began.

"Today I would like to share with you one of my favorite verses from Hebrews. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works." And for good measure, for the particularly hard-headed of the congregation, she added Galatians. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Elizabeth smiled, wondering how anyone could fail to show up after that exhortation.

Nathan sat with Allie, Elizabeth, and Abigail today, but it didn't prevent him from glancing back at Spurlock and Mayfield, who stood in their usual places against the trees at the back. He had no doubt that they would remain for the meeting after and that every word would be reported back to Henry Gowen.

After services, Nathan stood and joined Cat. He thanked everyone for giving generously of their time, and began to get an inventory of tools from the men. At the same time, he found out that there were plenty of skilled workers in Coal Valley. Most had built their own homes or barns, and since the plans for the miners' housing were of simple, sturdy structures, Nathan's only worry was that he wouldn't have enough materials to keep them busy for the entire day.

Murrayville Hardware would be sending a delivery wagon every day for twelve days in order to fulfill the order. The church was being designed by Cat Montgomery and Martin Sommersby, who had studied to be an architect before deciding to go into dentistry when the need arose in the town. Elizabeth would also be consulting on what she would need for her schoolroom in the church building, and late in the afternoon, while the building was going on, the three of them had their heads together over large sheafs of paper on a round table in the corner of the saloon.

Great strides were made on that first Sunday, as the framing and pumps went in for the first six houses. Nathan had learned that the first of the new miners were expected in four days and if they didn't have the roofs closed in by that time, Molly and Abigail had convinced enough men to allow them to bunk in with them. Abigail was sure it would only take a few more cherry pies to convince enough of them to take in all twelve miners until their new houses were ready.

Even the children were helping, under the watchful eyes of Elizabeth and their mothers. Whether it was running to get a cold drink for the thirsty workers, handing boxes of nails to men on ladders, or just cheering as the roof trusses were put in place, there was a festival atmosphere that had the children, and the adults, delighted. When they all sat down to supper together, the food was plentiful, the laughter joyous, and the shared accomplishment deeply felt.

After so much sadness and loss, this sense of growth, gratitude and community was something the town didn't even know it needed. In their happiness, everyone turned their eyes toward Nathan and Elizabeth, who had created this opportunity to come together.

As the sun set on the new buildings, the people of Coal Valley hugged and wished a good night to each other – tired and sore but elated and grateful to God for the abundance they shared.

For the rest of the week, those who could still work would wander to the building site and do what they could, and Nathan checked in on the progress, usually in his red serge, and sometimes on Newton, as he fit the work on the housing into his regular duties.

The first thing on Nathan's list was to look into the fire that had burned down the Coal Valley church. It had happened one month after the mine disaster, at a time when no one should have been in or around it, and from everyone Nathan had spoken to, it had gone up in flames even faster than the teacherage, which was a much older building. The Volunteer Fire Department hadn't even gotten out their buckets. It was a lost cause before they'd even arrived.

Nathan knew that the fire had started while a prayer vigil was being held at the mine, so every conversation began with the same question. "Were you present at the prayer vigil that day?" It was fairly easy to discover that there were a total of seven people who had not attended. Each had a different reason: a sick child in Marta Crocker's and Kate Frazier's cases, James Fremont was unable to put weight on a badly broken leg, Suzanne Lowery was grieving at her mother's in Benson Hills, and Nancy Sanders had moved out of town to live in Medicine Hat with her sister and never wanted to see Coal Valley again after her husband had died in the mine.

That left two people: Cat Montgomery and Charles Spurlock. Of course, Spurlock said he was present at the vigil, and Gowen and Mayfield vouched that he was, but not one other person in town had seen him there. Cat had told Nathan that she preferred to grieve her Joseph alone in her own way, and that she had gone to a favorite spot in the woods while sending Miles, Emily and Gabe along with Florence to the mine.

Nathan had gotten to know Cat Montgomery well in the time he'd been the Constable of Coal Valley, and he'd found her to be unfailingly kind, honest and straightforward. He'd trusted Allie with her numerous times, and had listened to her sermons in awe of her deep faith and sense of hope even as she faced her terrible loss. Cat was devoted to her three children and Nathan couldn't imagine her doing anything that would put them at risk. He respected her highly, and though he needed to pin her down on her whereabouts, he couldn't bring himself to consider her a suspect in the fire.

That left Spurlock at the top of his list.

Nathan had talked to all of the members of the town by the time Henry Gowen appeared in the doorway of the Mountie office. The fact that Gowen had come to him was a first, and Nathan pointed him to the chair across from his desk, curious to know what he had to say. Of course, Henry Gowen was incapable of a meeting where he didn't flex his small-town muscles, so he had Charles Spurlock in tow.

Nathan leaned back in his chair, enjoying being on his own turf. He considered taking out his copy of The Art of War and putting it on his desk, but he thought subtlety might be the order of the day.

Although Nathan offered him a chair, Spurlock stood off to the side at a respectful distance behind Gowen, dressed in his usual ominous head-to-toe black. Nathan had learned that Spurlock had an official title, though he imagined the work he did for Gowen covered a multitude of duties that didn't fit into any conventional job description.

"You know my Head of Security, Mr. Spurlock?" Gowen said after Nathan sat down.

Nathan looked up at the Pinkerton and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I've had the pleasure every Sunday at services in the grove. Mr. Spurlock is clearly a very pious man."

Spurlock sneered at him and said, "You might have had the pleasure earlier if we were any closer in age. Our paths might have crossed at the Academy."

Nathan looked at him, sincerely surprised. "You were a Mountie?"

"Nah," Spurlock said with a nasty smile, "I never let it get that far. Decided half way through training to get a real job at the Pinkerton Agency."

Nathan returned his smile. "Funny, I did the same thing. Considered the Pinkertons, but thought I'd step up to the NWMP."

Henry Gowen shook his head impatiently and sighed. "If you two are entirely finished with your little tug-of-war, I'm a busy man."

Nathan nodded and leaned back in his chair. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Henry?"

There was always a smile on Nathan's face when he called Gowen by his first name. None of Gowen's employees did, even Spurlock, who had been with him longer than any of the others. Calling him Henry always paid off with an irritated twitch of Gowen's eyebrow.

Gowen's voice was more of a growl today than usual. "I understand that you're investigating the church fire, and I want to know what you've found out," Gowen said. Nathan was enjoying the fact that the chair across from him wouldn't allow Henry the feeling of superiority to lean back and look down his nose at him, whereas Nathan's chair did.

Nathan frowned in mock concern. "Oh, Henry, you know I can't divulge information from an ongoing investigation."

Gowen narrowed his eyes to the point that Nathan wondered if he could actually see out of them. "Constable. A church, bought and paid for by the Pacific Northwest Mining Company, was burned to the ground a month after a mine disaster. That, to me, seems suspicious. And it would appear likely that the arsonist is someone who might have a grudge against me or my company."

Nathan leaned forward. "And what makes you think it was arson, Henry?"

"If you don't think it's arson, then what are you investigating, Constable?"

Nathan smiled. "I'm simply trying to find out what happened."

Gowen paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts.

"I understand you've narrowed it down to two suspects. Clearly Mr. Spurlock can be crossed off your list as we have vouched for his whereabouts, so when do you plan on arresting Catherine Montgomery?"

Now it was Nathan's turn to gather his wits. He knew Gowen had plenty of people in town who were anxious to curry favor, but he hadn't expected quite this level and accuracy of information.

"I'm still asking questions, Henry. When my investigation is completed, you'll know the results along with the rest of Coal Valley."

Gowen sat forward in the chair. "Just so we understand one another, Constable, if Cat Montgomery is indeed the culprit, I want her behind bars until she can sit before a magistrate."

Nathan laughed softly. "Because you think she might run? This is her home, Henry, no matter how quick you were to try to evict her from it."

Gowen glared at him. "This is a company town and I need to maintain order or the entire system falls apart. We can't have citizens running around doling out their own sense of warped justice. On that, we can agree, can we not?"

"Henry, what we need to agree on is that you no longer maintain order in this town. I do. And I'll do it thoroughly, and in my own time." Nathan stood, taking a page from Gowen's book and letting him know the meeting was over.

Gowen stood and looked at Nathan with loathing in his eyes. He inclined his head toward the door, and Spurlock walked ahead quickly.

For a few moments after they had both left, Nathan just stood there. He needed to go out to the burn site and see if he could find anything.

And then he needed to talk to Cat Montgomery.

---

Elizabeth was early to her classroom so that she could arrange the lesson she had prepared for her students. Using heavy paper and glue, she was going to have them make sundials and then they would take them outside so she could show them how to calibrate them every hour. It was a complicated project, but would get them out of their chairs and show them how ancient people told time.

She was just getting prepared when she was surprised by the saloon door opening. Nathan walked in with Allie, and Elizabeth smiled. "You two are early," she said, opening her arms as Allie ran down the middle aisle to hug her.

Elizabeth took Allie over to the table for the younger children and set her up with her drawing materials, which Allie dearly loved. "In the new schoolhouse, the children will be able to keep their materials in their desks and they will just be waiting for them when they come in every day."

Nathan smiled at her, walking closer. "So here is a question. Is the building going to be a church where classes are taught, or a classroom where the town worships?"

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "That's a bit of a trick question. I would say it's both," she said.

Nathan stood a short distance away from her and Elizabeth looked curiously around his back. "You're holding something. What is it?" she asked.

"A gift," Nathan said softly.

"Do I get to see?" Elizabeth said.

"Only if you close your eyes first," Nathan said. He took her hand and led her over to one of the round tables. "Sit here," he said, and Elizabeth sat.

"Now, close your eyes," Nathan said.

Elizabeth laughed. "I'm very curious."

"Good," he said, but his voice was much closer than she expected. Suddenly she felt his lips on hers and her eyes flew open. "Nathan, not in the classroom!" she said, trying not to laugh with little success.

"If Allie gets a hug, why can't I get a kiss?" Nathan asked, doing his best to feign innocence.

"Was that my gift?" she asked softly.

"No," he said, "Close your eyes again."

Elizabeth did and she heard the sound of things being placed on the table. She also could smell the sweet aroma of fresh cut wood. Then Nathan said, "Okay, open your eyes."

"Oh... Nathan..." she said looking down at the table. There in front of her were two bookends that looked exactly like the row houses. Nathan's was at the left and in the doorway was a small carved man with a red painted tunic, and next to him was a little girl with brown hair in a peach colored dress. In the doorway of the bookend on the right was a young woman in a white blouse and a robin's egg blue skirt. They were all waving to each other.

Between the bookends were five books. Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, Persuasion, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and Little Women. The books weren't new and looked to be well-read. Elizabeth reached out and picked up the copy of Jane Eyre.

Nathan smiled. "I wondered which one you would pick up first," he said very softly.

"Were you right?" Elizabeth asked, turning the book over in her hands.

Nathan nodded. "It was easy. I know how you love that book."

"Oh, the Brontës and Austen and Alcott. My absolute favorites. And these bookends." She looked up at him and stood. Then she looked around as she put her arms around his neck and leaned up on tiptoes to kiss him. It was a quick kiss, just in case, but Nathan was lost for a moment in the scent of her lavender soap and the tickle of her curls around his face.

"You like them?" Nathan said, although he had already been given her answer.

"You were listening," she said softly against his cheek. "To what I said to Albert." She pulled away and looked into his eyes. "This is a gift from the heart."

Nathan nodded. "It's a little redundant," he said.

She looked at him and tilted her head slightly in a question.

Nathan smiled at her, his eyes soft with love. "My heart is already yours."

---

CHAPTER 28

Elizabeth was just finishing up her day when she saw Nathan slip in through the saloon door and sit down. Almost every day he would come to get Allie at the end of each school day unless he'd made arrangements to have her go home with Emily - but he would usually wait until the children had left and then come in and get her. So it wasn't normal for him to come in before the class was dismissed. Elizabeth also could see that he wasn't wearing his red serge, which he usually had on at this time of day.

As Elizabeth had the students bring their slates and chalk up to the front of the class, she saw Nathan casually ask Albert to sit by him. At first, Albert seemed afraid, as if he'd done something wrong, but Nathan seemed to ease his mind with just a few words and then Albert sat down next to him.

It looked to Elizabeth like Nathan had brought in a couple of baseball cards that he was showing to Albert, and she smiled. He always seemed to understand that with his height and the authority of the red serge, he could be intimidating. Nathan used that intimidation when it suited him, but right now, she could see that he was making an effort to do the opposite.

Allie was accustomed to being the last one out, and she would generally stay at her table and draw until it was time to go. So as Elizabeth watched the last of the students leave, she went over to Allie and pointed out her uncle and said she was going to talk to them. Allie just nodded and smiled and said "Okay," going back to her picture.

As Elizabeth walked toward them, Nathan looked up and Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. Nathan nodded and she sat on the other side of Albert.

"That's a good one," Albert said, pointing to the 1908 Sam Crawford card. "Crawford had seven home runs that year, best in the American League."

Nathan smiled, and nodded. "You know your baseball, Albert," he said.

"I have an Ed Walsh card from '08, he had 269 strikeouts that year." Albert smiled and reached into his pocket. "You want to trade?" he said, making Nathan laugh.

Smiling, Nathan said, "That would be a good trade if I weren't such a big Tigers fan. I just can't let go of Crawford, but I'll take a look at home and see what I can trade, and we'll talk. Deal?" He put out his hand and Albert shook it, smiling. "Deal."

Now Nathan reached into his pocket and pulled out the necklace that Albert had given Elizabeth. Nathan saw his quick look over to her and said, "Miss Thatcher asked me to return this to Mr. Spurlock, and before I do, I just wanted to ask you a little about it. You said you caught it fishing?"

Albert looked back and forth between them and now he was looking a little frightened.

Nathan put a hand gently on his shoulder. "You're not in any trouble, Albert. You haven't done anything wrong. I just want to know what you saw." Nathan's voice was very soft and gentle, and Elizabeth could see that Albert was calming down.

Then Nathan winked and said, "But most of all, I want to know if you used bait or a lure to catch this little treasure. I might need to do some fishing out there in the creek."

Albert grinned and said, "Worms."

Nathan laughed softly. "Ah, worms. Good to know." Nathan leaned back and Albert relaxed a little more.

"So, Miss Thatcher tells me that Mr. Spurlock asked you to look for this necklace, is that right?" Nathan asked casually.

"Y-yessir," Albert said. "He said he lost it out in the creek and that he'd seen me out there." Albert frowned and looked at Nathan, "I'm not in trouble? he asked.

Nathan shook his head. "No, you're not in trouble."

"Can you keep a secret?" Albert said, looking back and forth between Elizabeth and Nathan.

Nathan nodded again and said, "It's a part of our jobs to keep secrets. Do you have something you want to tell us?"

For a moment, Albert looked down at the baseball card he still had in his hand. Then he put it carefully back in his pocket and said softly, "Mr. Spurlock scares me."

Nathan smiled. "I'll tell you a secret of my own, Albert. He scares me a little too."

Albert looked up quickly. "He does?"

Nathan nodded. "But sometimes we have to do what's right even if it scares us." Nathan paused for a moment. "Did you see something?

Albert looked at Elizabeth and she said, "Don't be afraid, Albert. You can trust Constable Grant."

Albert took a breath. "I was in the bushes, because a lot of stuff ends up there, from in the creek. I found a nice pocket watch once. It didn't work, but it was pretty. So I was in there and I looked up and saw Mr. Spurlock with..."

"Who was he with, Albert?" Nathan said softly.

"Mrs. Montgomery."

That was such a surprise to both Nathan and Elizabeth that they looked at each other for a split second. Then Nathan continued.

"And they were alone? Just the two of them?"

Albert nodded. "I saw Mr. Spurlock give the necklace to Mrs. Montgomery and she got really mad. She took it and threw it into the creek and I saw where it landed, and that's how I found it." Albert looked at Nathan. "Will that get me in trouble? I know I should have given it back to him."

"Don't worry. You're not going to get in trouble. Did Mr. Spurlock know you were there... that you saw?" Nathan asked.

"No. I went through the bushes until I was pretty far away and then I walked back on the path. He thought I just got there. Then he asked me if I wanted a penknife and told me the necklace fell out of his pocket."

"And Mrs. Montgomery wasn't there any more?" Nathan asked.

"No, before I crawled away I heard her say that she would rather live in a tent and starve before she'd let him... well, she didn't say what, but she was really mad."

Elizabeth sat up a little straighter and her cheeks went pink. She looked at Nathan and he could tell how angry she was. He looked at her with a warning and turned to Albert again.

"We're very glad you told us this, Albert. When you say you're afraid of Mr. Spurlock... has he ever done anything to scare you? Did he ask you about the necklace?"

"I told him I couldn't find it. He was mad, but he wasn't mad at me. He was just mad."

"We're not going to tell him you told us all this, Albert. It's a secret, and we'll keep it. But it's best you stay away from Mr. Spurlock, okay?"

Albert raised his eyebrows and smiled a little. "That'll be easy..."

Nathan laughed softly. "That's good. And you were right to tell us. Now you go on home, and I'll let you know if I have a baseball card that might be a good trade. As long as it's not a Tiger," Nathan said, winking at him.

"Yessir," Albert said.

As he went out the door, Elizabeth and Nathan looked at each other. They'd been so focused on Albert's story that they hadn't noticed as Mayfield and Spurlock had passed by the window. And they definitely hadn't noticed when Spurlock had narrowed his eyes as they talked to Albert Bickley.

---

Elizabeth frowned. "Cat? And Mr. Spurlock? How can that be, Nathan? Have you ever seen them together?"

"No," Nathan said, and Elizabeth saw him pause and look away.

Elizabeth frowned. "What do you know?"

Nathan raised his eyebrows. "How do you know I know something?"

Elizabeth laughed and just tilted her head. "Because I know you."

He smiled at her. "I have to go talk to Cat. She and Spurlock are the only two who are suspects in the church burning."

Elizabeth's face showed her horror at that statement. "Cat? You can't possibly think..."

Nathan put his hand over hers on the table. "I don't think Cat burned down the church, Elizabeth. But I also wouldn't have thought she would be out by the creek with Spurlock getting an expensive gift from him. Now, it might be a coincidence that I was already planning to talk to her about her whereabouts when the church caught fire, but I've learned not to believe in coincidences. And now I hear that she might have had a..."

"Do not say relationship, Nathan. That is absurd." Elizabeth said quickly.

Nathan shook his head. "No, I don't believe that. But Cat is a fine woman, Elizabeth. She's raising three children alone and she's been living in mining company housing. I wonder if he might have been threatening her somehow."

Elizabeth tilted her head. "With an expensive necklace?"

"There are all sorts of threats. What Albert said? That she would rather live in a tent or starve than..."

Elizabeth shivered involuntarily. "I don't want to know the rest of that sentence."

Nathan stood and took her hand. "I need to talk to Cat. Will you come with me and watch Allie and Emily? I know Miles and Gabe have been working on the miners' housing after school."

Elizabeth nodded. They walked up the middle aisle and Nathan saw that the bookends he'd made were on her desk. Between them were her school texts. He smiled. "You kept them here, but took home the books?"

Elizabeth touched the carved wood on Abigail's row house. "I love to look at them." She smiled up at Nathan. "I spend more time here than I do anywhere else. I like to watch us wave to each other," she said softly.

Nathan put his arm around her waist and looked at them with her.

"There's a belief in the Far East that when you make something with your hands, that your chi, your essential energy, goes into the piece and stays there. And when you give that thing you made to someone else, you are giving them a part of yourself."

Elizabeth looked up at him in wonder. "You will never stop surprising me, will you?"

Nathan smiled. "I hope not."

He tightened his arm around her waist and now their faces were very close. Both looked over at Allie and she was bent industriously over her drawing. Nathan took Elizabeth's hand and walked her around behind the blackboard. She laughed softly and said, "You're making a habit of this, Constable."

"And I won't be able to do it again once the new church is built, because you're getting that blackboard you wanted on the wall." He bent to kiss her and Elizabeth didn't feel like fighting him anymore. She hadn't seen him all day and it felt so good to be in his arms with his lips warm on hers. After a few moments, she came to her senses and moved her lips to his cheek, sighing.

"I want to buy Sarah," she said, voicing a desire she'd been thinking about all day. She knew it would get his attention.

Nathan pulled away, his eyes bright. "You do? When did you decide that?"

Elizabeth straightened her hair and smoothed down her skirt before venturing out from behind the blackboard. "I think I started deciding on our ride, but today I was reading some parts of Black Beauty to the children, and I just decided that I wanted her. I'm going to settle it with Jed today. It makes me sad that Sarah doesn't have a... family."

Nathan laughed softly and took her in his arms again, not thinking about the fact that they were in the classroom. He put his mouth near her ear and whispered tenderly, "I love you, Elizabeth."

---

Nathan decided to walk with Cat up to his row house where they could talk privately. Elizabeth was starting dinner for the children, which was always an adventure, and Cat didn't want to go far.

"What is it, Nathan?" Cat asked. He knew that she wasn't the type of person who needed a lot of preamble to a conversation. Most of the time she was interested in the meat of it and didn't need a lot of preparation.

"A couple of things, Cat. I need to pin you down a little more on where you were during the vigil at the mine."

She looked up at him with clear eyes. "And the second thing?"

"I need to ask you about Charles Spurlock." He took the necklace out of his pocket and simply held it in his hand.

Nathan was watching for a reaction, and he got one. Cat stopped walking and stood for a time, just looking at him, and he could see the wheels turning in her head. He could tell that she wanted to talk about it, but wasn't sure how to start. "Never thought I would see that again," she said softly, looking at the necklace in his hand.

"Cat. Do you trust me?" Nathan said softly.

Slowly, she began nodding. "Yes. I do."

"Please tell me what's going on. Let me help you. Everyone in this town knows how strong you are. You don't have to do everything on your own."

The kindness in his voice and the concern in his eyes finally put her over the edge. Cat's eyes filled with tears.

They had been standing on the far side of Nathan's row house, and now he took her over to the steps and sat her down. Nathan stood at the rail and listened as she talked. At first, she was reluctant, hesitant, but as she continued, she became more confident. In truth, it felt so good for her to finally tell it.

"My husband, Joe, was a good man, Nathan. He was a wonderful father. But he made mistakes. He had a weakness, one that he was terribly ashamed of, one that no one knew about, and the children didn't know about." Cat paused and caught her breath.

She continued, looking down at her hands. "He liked to gamble. Played cards with some men in Silverton. Often he would win, but more often, he would lose. He kept chasing that big win that would get us out of debt." Cat stopped and shook her head, remembering. Nathan gave her the time she needed.

"There was no talking to him, I couldn't keep him from going. He dug himself in a deep, deep hole." She looked up at Nathan, and could see that he was affected by her story.

Nathan took a deep breath. "Cat, no one but Elizabeth knows this, and since you're being brave enough to tell me about Joe, I can trust you enough to share this with you." He narrowed his eyes and looked directly at her. "I understand better than you know what you're describing. My father is a gambler, and our family has felt the pain of it since I was very young. I just want you to know that really I do understand." Nathan nodded so that she would continue.

Cat smiled and said, "Thank you for telling me that. I've felt very alone with this secret." She blinked back tears as she continued, "There was a card shark who saw that Joe was a desperate man and he just kept giving him more and more credit. A week after the mine disaster, that man showed up at my door and asked for his money."

Nathan frowned. "Did you tell him you'd just lost your husband?"

Cat nodded and sighed deeply. "He didn't care. He wanted what he was owed. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't go to my friends, I was too ashamed, and Joe was a good man. There was no way I was going to let this town think poorly of him."

Nathan said, "And how does Spurlock fit in?"

Frowning, Cat's eyes went cold. "He's the only one who knew. He played cards with the same men, with Joe. He knew I was in trouble. He came to me and offered to help. He said he would pay off the debt if I would just... be friendly to him." For a moment, Cat was unable to speak, and Nathan was doing his best to control his anger. How a man could prey on a newly-widowed woman with that sort of intention was something that made his blood run cold.

After a pause, Cat continued. "He played on my worries for my children, he actually thought that I was weak enough, that I..." Nathan saw Cat visibly controlling her anger and her disgust, and he let her take her time.

"He tried to give me that necklace and I was harsh in my rebuke, I was so furious. I told him I would rather live anywhere and that I would starve before I would…" She looked up at Nathan, her green eyes on fire. "...and I hurled that necklace back at him so hard that it landed in the creek. He was really angry."

Nathan nodded, controlling his own anger. "And what about the card shark?"

"Ah, well, it took a while. I used part of Joe's death pension, and I spent a lot of sleepless nights making candles for extra money, but finally I paid it back. All on my own." She looked up at Nathan and raised her eyebrows. "The night of the vigil."

Nathan nodded and exhaled. "That's where you were that night. Settling the debt."

"Yes."

Nathan shook his head, frowning."Cat, why didn't you just tell me that when I first talked to you?"

Cat sighed and looked down at her hands again."Because I'm not the only one who adored my husband. My children had already lost so much, I couldn't let them lose their good memory of their father too."

Nathan nodded slowly. "I understand." He looked down the row of houses, thinking. Then he turned back to Cat and said, "How can I find this card shark?" Nathan asked.

Cat narrowed her eyes. "You would do that? He's not a very reputable man, Nathan, I don't even know if he would confirm my story."

Nathan smiled warmly at her. "I believe you, Cat. I have no doubt you're telling the truth. But there are people in this town who need more than that. If I can rule you out completely, there's only one other person left as a suspect in the church burning."

Cat looked directly at Nathan, her eyes cold. "He did it, Nathan. I can't prove it, but there were things he said to me. Threats… that there might be more to lose than just my home. And…" Cat paused, unsure whether to continue.

"What, Cat? Tell me."

"I'm not one to point fingers, but that church went up pretty fast, didn't it?"

Nathan nodded. "Faster than the teacherage, and it was a much newer building."

Cat stood up and looked Nathan in the eye. "When I make candles, I need to use whale oil. He came to my house while I was out back gardening and he was looking in my shed. I keep close count of what I need to make candles because I was so worried about money. After he left, I noticed there was a can missing."

Nathan narrowed his eyes. "Whale oil? That's hardly used anymore."

"Yes, and I would guess I'm the only one in town who has it. Ned says no one else ever orders it. After the church burned…" Cat's voice caught. She looked at Nathan, her eyes filling. "I was so worried that was what started the fire. It's extremely flammable. I… I… worried that he might have been trying to get revenge for my spurning him…" A tear slipped down Cat's cheek. "I've been so afraid, Nathan."

Nathan's jaw was clenched in anger, but he calmed his voice as he placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "When was the last time you talked to him, Cat?"

She looked down. "Sunday at church. He came up to me and told me how much he enjoyed the sermon. He said he hoped that… we could talk privately. I said that would never happen again, and he turned on his heel. He was very angry."

Nathan took a long breath and calmed himself. "I don't want you going off alone until we get this settled, Cat. I'm going to ride out to Silverton and talk to your card shark, but first I'm going to check again at the burn site and see if I can find any evidence of that oil." Nathan motioned for Cat to follow him and they walked back down to her row house.

When they reached the steps, Nathan turned to her. "Don't worry, Cat. Very soon your house will belong to you, and I promise I'll get to the bottom of this. If I have my way, Spurlock is going to prison for a long time and you won't ever see him again."

Cat took a deep breath and her eyes filled with tears. "I've prayed so much and so hard." She reached up and put her hand on his arm. "And I truly believe that you and Elizabeth are the answer to those prayers. We're so blessed to have both of you in Coal Valley."

Nathan put his hand over hers and smiled. "Blessings go both ways, Cat."

---

CHAPTER 29

"It's too late now for me to ride to Silverton, so I'll head out at first light tomorrow," Nathan said as they walked to the livery. "There's no real urgency after all, unless you consider a royal decree by Henry Gowen urgent."

Nathan and Elizabeth were walking to the livery so that she could purchase Sarah. Now that she'd made up her mind, she didn't want to wait, and she thought she would ride out with Nathan to the church site to see if she could help him.

"I did burn down a building myself, after all," she said with a grin. "Doesn't that make me some kind of an expert witness?"

Nathan laughed and said, "I'll be glad to have you along. But then, I always am."

"I know you can't tell me about your conversation with Cat, but it does seem you got the answers you needed."

Nathan looked over at her. "Thank you for not asking," he said. "You know there will be things I can't share with you about what goes on in Coal Valley. I appreciate you not making that more difficult for me."

Elizabeth smiled back at him. "I'm always interested, and of course, curious, but I trust you'll share what you can. The important thing is that you're not taking Cat to your office to put her in a cell, no matter how much Henry Gowen wants you to." She turned to him. "That would be very hard for me to watch, Nathan."

Nodding, Nathan said, "There may be times that you disagree with the things I do as Constable, but this won't be one of them." He shook his head. "I can tell you that I think Henry is anxious to take Cat down for a couple of reasons. If Cat is guilty, then Spurlock isn't. And if Spurlock did it, I have to wonder why? Why would Gowen want to burn down his own building?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I get the feeling Henry Gowen doesn't like the community aspect of it, the power of us gathering that way." Elizabeth laughed softly. "Abigail told me that she was talking to him one day and she made the mistake of quoting scripture to him. She said he looked her right in the eye and said, "I don't speak Bible, Mrs. Stanton."

Nathan laughed at Elizabeth's fairly accurate depiction of Gowen's sneer. Then he shook his head. "I suppose it just doesn't make sense to me that a man would build a church and then burn it down."

"Maybe Spurlock acted on his own?" Elizabeth said.

"But then why would Henry vouch for him at the vigil by the mine?"

Elizabeth laughed softly. "Probably because he cares more about the trouble of having to train another Pinkerton than he does about the loss of the church," she said casually.

Nathan turned and looked at her with his crooked smile. Then he nodded. "I think you're right. On all counts."

Elizabeth just raised her eyebrows and shrugged. "Anytime you need assistance, you just let me know, Constable."

Nathan laughed and took her arm as they walked into the livery.

They managed Sarah's purchase in short order. What took longer was Nathan's instruction on brushing and saddling her. Elizabeth was a quick study, and again Nathan was impressed with how strong she was. Sarah wasn't tall, so getting the saddle on her back wasn't an issue, but Nathan worried that the seventeen or so pounds might be difficult. He laughed softly when Elizabeth swung it sideways a bit and then lifted it right up.

She heard him laugh and raised an eyebrow. "I'm stronger than I look."

Smiling, he said, "I can see that. I was so wrong about you that first day. I did apologize, didn't I?"

Elizabeth reached up and put her hand on his cheek. "Many times." She turned back and adjusted the saddle so it fit just right on Sarah's back while she talked. "To be fair, I was acting like a bit of a princess, but it was only because I was so frightened."

Nathan reached around her and moved a small leather tie from under the saddle. "This will give her a sore if you don't clear it," he said softly. Both of them stopped for a moment because Nathan was right behind her with his arms around her shoulders and he just rested there in the softness of her hair. Elizabeth leaned back into his arms.

They were alone in the livery except for Jed, who was down at the far end of the stalls scraping the floor with a shovel. The rhythmic sound, along with the soft rustlings of the horses and the cool of the dim light inside the large barn made them both close their eyes as Nathan held her.

"We have stables in Hamilton, you know," Elizabeth said softly. "Now I'm wondering why I didn't spend more time in them." She snuggled her head into the natural curve of his shoulder, under his chin. "I remember thinking it wouldn't smell good in there, but this is amazing." She laughed softly, "Horses yes, and all that goes with them, but the hay and the wood and there's a natural, clean smell to their coats and the leather of the saddles..."

Nathan pulled her tighter to him. "Do you know how much it means to me that you love this? I would still love you if you didn't, but this is so much a part of who I am. Horses." He laughed softly. "You may think I'm awkward now, but you couldn't imagine me at sixteen. Just as tall, but fifty pounds lighter, a beanpole with absolutely no skill at talking to girls or competing with the boys who could. But horses... we always understood each other."

The thought of self-conscious Nathan at sixteen made Elizabeth turn and put her arms around his waist. "You're not really awkward, Nathan. I understand it now, in so many ways. It's because you care so much. You want things to come out of your mouth in the same way they form in your head, and it doesn't always work out that way. I have the same problem, I just don't censor myself as you do."

Nathan laughed and brushed a wayward curl from her cheek. "I censor myself because there have been so many times that it turned out badly. I seem to recall you wanting to throttle me a few times early on."

"That's because I didn't know you." She touched his forehead tenderly. "Now I think I translate, and I hear what you mean to say."

Nathan smiled. "I believe you do." He looked around quickly and then bent to kiss her. It was like the realization of a dream, kissing a woman he loved so dearly, right here in the stables. The sounds around him, Sarah scratching her nose against the wood of the stall, Elizabeth's lips so soft and warm and inviting. Nathan finally pulled away and held her head against his chest.

He laughed softly. "Sixteen-year-old me is in heaven," he said.

Elizabeth pulled away and looked up at him, smiling. "And twenty-six year old you?"

Nathan sighed and ran his thumb across her cheek. "Never imagined I could be this happy."

They both heard a noise and turned to see it was Jed clearing his throat on the other side of the door to the stall. Neither of them had noticed that the scraping had stopped, but that wasn't surprising, because they hadn't noticed much in the last few minutes.

"Just wanted to be sure that tack will work for you. If it does, I'll throw it in," Jed said, grinning down the row of stalls to give them the chance to arrange themselves. Having grown up in stables and also having spent most of his life in them, Jed understood the magic of the place.

Nathan smiled and released Elizabeth, whose blush could be seen even in the limited light. "This will work just fine, Jed, and that's kind of you." He turned to Elizabeth and raised his eyebrows, making sure she agreed.

"This is the saddle I've been riding on, isn't it, Jed?" When he nodded, she said, "Yes, and thank you."

"Okay, then, we'll settle up and you can be on your way. I assume you'll want to board her here?" Elizabeth nodded and he said, "So, $125 for her, and $7 a month for boarding, $5 if you pay six months in advance..."

"Okay if I ride her out and bring the money back, Jed?" Elizabeth said.

Jed grinned again. "Oh, I think I know where I can find you, Miss Thatcher, The schoolroom ain't far if I don't get my money."

Elizabeth laughed. "Thank you." She turned and put her hand on Sarah's neck and then looked at Nathan, her eyes bright. "I own a horse!"

Nathan laughed, his eyes full of love. "Yes, you do."

---

They rode out to the end of the church road and looked at the charred remains of the building. Elizabeth sighed softly. "Such a waste," she said, and then she turned to Nathan and grimaced. "Says the woman who burned down a building herself..."

Nathan smiled back at her. "Yes, but that building didn't have much life left in it. This one was only two years old. Brand new wood, new paint..."

He dismounted and watched Elizabeth as she did the same. "You're getting very good at that." He raised an eyebrow, "But I think it may be time to get you some riding culottes. I saw some in a catalog at the Mercantile. All the rage in Calgary, from what I understand."

Elizabeth laughed out loud. "Constable! Thumbing through catalogs of women's clothing? I have a little trouble imagining that."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "How do you think I buy clothes for Allie?"

Nodding, Elizabeth said, "I stand corrected."

He began walking around the perimeter of the site. Of course he'd been here already a couple of times, but now he was hoping to find something in particular.

"What are we looking for?" Elizabeth asked, very curious.

"When something incendiary is used to start a fire, it doesn't begin slowly. There is a flash point, an area that has lines radiating outward, like a starburst." Nathan used a stick to move small pieces of blackened wood from the dirt beneath. "Often, the fire destroys the evidence, but sometimes, you can still see it."

"Incendiary... so something flammable, like lamp oil or kerosene?" she asked.

Nathan looked up at her and smiled. "You know a lot about a lot of things, Elizabeth."

She grinned and pointed to her chin. "Teacher."

Nathan laughed. "Well, Watson, what would you use if you were going to start a fire?"

Elizabeth tilted her head and raised one eyebrow in warning.

Nathan made a face and said, "Oh, sorry. Well, if you were going to do it in a way other than pouring an entire bucket on a raging fire in the stove..."

The eyebrow went higher, but it was accompanied by a smile. "I would probably use the lamp oil. It feels thicker than kerosene, like it might last longer? Not burn as fast?"

Now Nathan's eyebrows went up. He smiled and said, "I may have to deputize you..."

They wandered around the site, making sure not to disturb too much, although in a couple of days that would be moot. There was already a list of people who were coming out on Saturday to clear the area and get it ready for the new church building.

"Nathan?" Elizabeth said from a place that used to be the back of the church. He walked over to her and bent down to a spot where she was pointing. He looked up at her and smiled and then nodded. "Very nice work, deputy." Elizabeth beamed at him, extremely proud of herself.

Pushing the dirt around gently with a stick, Nathan saw the edge of something paper. He reached down carefully and pulled it out from under the dirt, which was the only reason it hadn't burned completely.

When he held it up he could see clearly that it was a label from a can of whale oil.

---

The next morning, Nathan left at first light. Allie had spent the night with Abigail and Elizabeth and they'd made brownies together. Elizabeth and Nathan talked for a while on the steps while they watched the sunset and then she'd kissed him goodnight. Nathan had no idea how long it would take him to get the answers he needed, but he hoped he'd be back by the afternoon.

Allie happily walked to school with Elizabeth and spent some time with her before the rest of the students arrived. They worked on basic mathematics and just as Elizabeth thought, Allie was very quick. Elizabeth had noticed that Allie was picking up concepts that some of the older children were still having trouble with, and she thought she had an unusual aptitude for numbers.

Then the day went fast and before she knew it, Elizabeth was ringing the bell for the end of the afternoon recess. As she stood on the boardwalk outside the door to the saloon, she happened to look across the street.

Charles Spurlock was standing there, in his usual black clothing and hat, leaning against the wall right outside Nathan's office. He was cleaning his fingernails with a knife, and he was looking directly at her. It was clear that he wanted her to know that he was fully aware that Nathan was out of town.

For a moment, Elizabeth panicked. It was the only time she'd been anxious when Nathan was gone, and she started going down the list of the men she could go to for help. Tom Trevoy was the first one she thought of, and then Ned Yost. Everyone else was at the mine.

Relax, Elizabeth, she said to herself. She matched his glare and gathered the children to her to be sure they all got safely into the classroom.

She was distracted for the rest of the afternoon, and she did steal glances out the window, but didn't see him again. As she dismissed the class, she went up to Albert.

"I need to take Allie home, Albert. Would you like to come play over at Mrs. Stanton's house?" Elizabeth said. She didn't know why, but she didn't like the idea of Albert walking home alone.

"I can't, Miss Thatcher. My mama's waiting for me. She needs help with the milking." Albert said. Elizabeth smiled, seeing that he clearly would rather have a nice slow walk with his teacher.

"Alright, Albert. But you go straight home, okay? In fact, maybe run home so you get there faster to help her."

Albert nodded. He would run home, but first he had a trade he wanted to make with James. He'd been trying to get a painted wooden top from him for a long time, and he thought the set of jacks he had would get James to give it up. They were meeting out behind the livery and Albert was already late.

He got to the door and looked back at her. He never could get over how pretty she was.

"Run, Albert!" Elizabeth said, laughing. And out he ran.

---

CHAPTER 30

"I'm just going to walk down and check on Sarah," Elizabeth said to Abigail. "Are you two okay?"

Abigail and Allie were more than okay. They were deliriously happy. Having lived for most of her adult life with Noah and Peter, Abigail hadn't been able to spend much time around little girls. Right now, she and Allie were sewing new clothes for Allie's dolls out of scraps of fabric.

"Gingham," Abigail said softly, her head right near Allie's as they worked together on a tiny ruffled apron.

"Gin-um?" Allie said, looking up and frowning.

"Ging-am," Abigail said more slowly and clearly.

This time Allie said it perfectly and Abigail smiled.

"Well," Elizabeth said, heading toward the door. "I'll just be going now..." She wasn't sure they'd even heard her until Abigail looked up and said, "Have a good time," and then bent back over her sewing, helping Allie with a thimble that was far too big.

Abigail laughed softly. "We're going to need to get you a smaller thimble..."

Elizabeth closed the door quietly, smiling to herself. She loved it when two needs met. Abigail had been lonely without Peter and Noah, and Allie was very drawn to women since Colleen died. The two of them had been spending more and more time together, and since Elizabeth was with Allie all day long at school, it worked out very well for Allie to have a different woman to go to in the evenings.

It was a lovely late afternoon. Still no word from Nathan, but Elizabeth wasn't surprised. She didn't know the specifics of his trip to Silverton, only that it had to do with clearing Cat, but Nathan had said he might even have to spend the night if he couldn't find who he was looking for.

Entering the twilight of the livery barn, Elizabeth breathed deeply and was transported immediately back to yesterday afternoon with Nathan - which reminded her of kissing him - which made her miss him even more. She went straight to Sarah's stall and opened the latch on the door.

"Hello," she said softly, putting her hand out. Sarah stretched out her long neck and nuzzled Elizabeth's fingers. "Oh, you can smell the apples, can't you?" Moving closer, Elizabeth reached into the pocket of her skirt and took out a small dishcloth. Opening it up, she took a piece of apple out and laid it on the palm of her hand the way Nathan had shown her. "Abigail made apple pies today. The builders got three of them, but we got to keep one," she said, as if she were telling Sarah a very important secret. Sarah rubbed up against Elizabeth happily. "You like that, don't you?" she said, laughing and pulling out another slice.

Elizabeth stroked Sarah's nose gently and looked around the barn. "It's such a beautiful afternoon, and you've been cooped up here all day, haven't you, sweet girl?" It almost looked as if Sarah was answering her with the way she moved her head up and down against Elizabeth's hand.

Laughing, Elizabeth said, "Well, that's that. We're going for a ride." She opened her hand with the rest of the apples and Sarah took them all in one bite. Elizabeth checked to make sure her coat didn't need brushing and then went over to the shelf where the saddles were kept. She had her saddled quickly, and then she remembered what Nathan had said about the culottes.

They rode down to the Mercantile and Elizabeth looked quickly through a catalog to find what she needed. She ordered a pair in soft brown and one in deep mauve and then decided to go out and see how the building was going.

Every day was a wonderful surprise at the new miners' housing. The framing on three of the houses had now been closed in and they were starting on the roof trusses. They still had a couple of days before the first miners arrived and Elizabeth wouldn't be at all surprised if they opted to stay in their new homes even without amenities. Nathan said that doors and windows would arrive first thing in the morning.

But what really made Elizabeth smile was the ongoing feel of the barn raising that they'd all experienced on Sunday. There were children playing ball in the path while their mothers fed the workers with casseroles and cobbler, and it looked like almost all of the single miners were out there helping as well. In some cases, Elizabeth thought that the help came more from a desire for home-cooked meals than from community feeling, but it didn't really matter as long as they did the work. Abigail had told Elizabeth that one of them suggested she open a café because her food was so much better than the saloon's.

Watching the children play from her seat on Sarah, Elizabeth thought for a moment. Her mind kept going back to Albert for some reason, and she thought she might follow the road to the Bickley's farm so she could see him, to ease her worry.

Elizabeth turned Sarah and headed out to the north side of town where many of the farms lay sprawled out under the mountains. She had to keep reminding herself that children didn't mind walking and running long distances, because the Bickleys were all the way at the end of the lane.

As she got closer she squinted to see a woman walking toward her, and very quickly she was able to see that it was Mavis Bickley. Inside Elizabeth's head, alarms were beginning to sound, and getting louder.

She pressed her heels gently into Sarah's flanks so that they were soon at a trot instead of a walk, and they caught up to Mavis quickly.

"Have you seen Albert?" Mavis asked, shading her eyes from the lowering sun. "Did he stay late at school?"

Elizabeth didn't like talking to Mavis from such a height, so she hopped off of Sarah and took the reins over her head. "No. He said he was coming straight home because you needed him to do the milking."

Mavis nodded, looking every inch the frustrated mother. "I did need him. Benjamin and I had to do it for him or those cows would've burst." She started looking concerned now. "And you didn't see him on the road?" Mavis looked up at the position of the sun to get an idea of the time. "He's never been this late before without telling me," she said.

"Mavis, is Benjamin still at the farm?" Elizabeth knew that Albert had an older brother who was in his late teens. He didn't attend school because his father had been lost in the mine and now his mother needed him to tend their small farm. He was a strong, strapping young man and Elizabeth didn't want to do this alone. In truth, she could hear Nathan's voice in her head, and if she did this by herself, she knew that voice would not be happy with her.

Mavis nodded. Elizabeth got back up on Sarah and said, "I'm going to ask him to ride out with me. I think I may know where Albert is."

Her brow furrowing, Mavis said, "Should I be worried, Elizabeth?"

She reached her hand down and Mavis reached hers up. "No, don't worry. Your Albert is a very smart and resourceful boy. We'll find him."

Elizabeth knew vaguely where Spurlock's cabin was only because Nathan had mentioned it once. She knew it was just beyond the mine, and once Benjamin had saddled up and they began to ride, he told her he thought he knew exactly where it was.

"He's a mean one, that Spurlock," Benjamin said, frowning. "He's on our road all 'a time, ridin' that black Morgan, lookin' like death itself. An' you think he might 'ave Albert?"

"I'm not sure, Benjamin. I just want to ask him some questions." She looked over at him. "He has a gun."

Benjamin nodded and pulled aside his coat. "Aye, so do I."

Elizabeth smiled. Of course a young man of seventeen would have a gun on the furthest farm from town with no father to protect the family any longer. She nodded to him, aware again of how very fast children needed to grow up in the west.

The cabin was in the trees, fully sheltered, small and made of weathered logs. It looked to be only one room, and there was a small shed off to the right. Elizabeth had no intention of sneaking up on Spurlock, even if she did have the skills to do that. She simply wanted to get a look inside the cabin to assure herself that Albert wasn't there.

They dismounted and tethered the horses and Benjamin went first to the door while Elizabeth stood a short distance off to the side. She tried to peer in the windows, but they were so dirty that it was impossible to see inside. Benjamin knocked with his left hand, while his right hooked into the strap of his holster on his hip. "Spurlock?" he called out. No answer. He knocked again, and Elizabeth could hear the metallic sound of the latch rising before the door opened just a crack.

Spurlock frowned darkly, surprised to see the young man at his door. "What do you want, Bickley?" he said, opening the door just slightly.

"Albert's missin'," Benjamin said. "Want to ask a few questions."

Spurlock sneered. He still hadn't seen Elizabeth, due to the angle of the door and where she was standing. "Well, if you can't keep track of that little weasel, it's not really my problem, now is it?"

"Mind if we come in and have a look?" Benjamin said. At the word we, Spurlock's brow furrowed and he opened the door enough to gaze around. Seeing Elizabeth caused his sneer to widen, and he laughed a little.

"Ah, you brought reinforcements," he said, raising an eyebrow. "Now I'm scared."

"Mr. Spurlock," Elizabeth said, pulling herself up to her full height despite her pounding heart, "I saw you today. And I know why you might have a reason to be... upset with Albert." She squared her shoulders. "And just so you know, Constable Grant is also aware."

Spurlock's nasty smile now showed some teeth. "Ah, but your Constable's not here now, is he?"

"He's on his way," Elizabeth lied. "Right behind us. Just let us come inside and assure ourselves that Albert isn't here and we'll leave you alone."

Spurlock laughed softly. "Now, Miss Thatcher, it's not Godly to lie. We both know he's more than a town away, doin' whatever it is he does." He narrowed his eyes and opened the door halfway. His voice was taking on an oily tone that made Elizabeth's skin crawl, and his smile made it even worse. "But I'm a reasonable man. Would've liked some notice so I could tidy up the place, but..." the door opened almost all the way, "...I suppose it wouldn't do any harm to have you come in and look around."

Benjamin went in first, while Spurlock stood off the side holding the door. Elizabeth followed, and for a moment her eyes had to adjust to the dim light inside the cabin. It wasn't as filthy as she expected it would be, in fact, it looked somewhat homey, if a little messy. It smelled of coffee and wood smoke, and something like fried fish from the night before.

But when the door closed behind her, what caught her eye was Albert, sitting cross-legged on Spurlock's bed, his hands tied behind his back, a bandana around his mouth, and his terrified eyes looking at her, wide as saucers.

---

It had been a very successful trip. There was really only one gambling hall in Silverton, and Remy Auclair was well-known in town. The common advice was to go to the Jack of Spades saloon and wait, and sooner or later, he would show up.

Nathan had debated on whether to wear the red serge or his civilian clothes, and he'd decided on the burgundy shirt and suspenders. A Mountie cooling his heels in a saloon tended to draw an unwanted amount of attention, and Nathan was hoping to keep this interrogation fairly low-key.

Nathan had waited for four hours nursing a quarter of a beer, but finally the man had swaggered in on jangling spurs, looking for all the world like someone who had stepped right out of a dime novel. He'd been more than happy to talk to Nathan in exchange for a couple of whiskeys, and he seemed almost proud of his business as a gambler and how he conducted it. Nathan told him he was the Constable of Coal Valley, and Auclair hadn't flinched. Nathan got the feeling that he felt his profession was no less honorable than his own.

Of course, Auclair told Nathan, he remembered Catherine Montgomery, and more pointedly, her husband, Joseph.

"The man never held a hand he didn't like," Auclair said with a laugh. "He would stand on a pair of twos, that one."

Nathan had to swallow his distaste for everything he heard and saw from the man sitting across the table, and he realized again that to be a true gambler a person needed to have a severe lack of conscience. It didn't matter a whit to Auclair that Joseph Montgomery had a wife and three children who needed his money to eat and keep a roof over their heads. It was just business.

"She said she'd get it to me, and I'm not a monster," he said, his lilting French accent making everything he said sound slightly elegant. "She paid every last penny of his debt, and I was satisfied."

Nathan leaned forward, putting his hands casually around the bottom of the mug that held his long-warm beer. "And do you remember when that was?"

Auclair downed the last of his whiskey and raised an eyebrow. Nathan motioned to the bartender to refill his glass. Auclair nodded and reached into his brocade vest to pull out a small notebook. After turning some pages, he said, "July 25th, paid in full." The day of the vigil.

"And she came here to you?" Nathan asked.

Auclair replaced his notebook in his pocket and said, "Yes," and he smiled. "She sat nearly where you're sitting, Constable."

Nathan breathed deeply, trying to imagine Cat here in this saloon, handing over the money she had earned making candles during endless sleepless nights while she grieved the loss of her Joseph. All just to keep her husband's honor intact in the eyes of Coal Valley and her children. Being a Mountie allowed Nathan a view into the best and the worst of people, and in this chair he was seeing both.

Nodding, Nathan said, "Thank you, Mr. Auclair, you've been very helpful." He started to push back his chair.

"You fancy a quick game?" Auclair said, his eyes sparkling. "Not against the law, is it?"

Nathan's smile masked the clenching of his jaw. "I'll pass, but thanks for the offer," he said, standing up. "I have a long ride home."

Auclair stood up as well, and pulled his waistcoat down smartly. "And the offer stands, anytime you happen back in town." He put out his manicured hand and Nathan shook it, feeling the softness there, and thinking the man probably hadn't done an honest day's work in his life.

---

Nathan reached Coal Valley in the late afternoon, and he meant to go straight to Cat's and tell her what he'd found, but for some reason he decided to check in on Elizabeth and Allie at Abigail's before heading down to Cat's row house.

"She went to visit Sarah," Abigail said. "About an hour ago, I think."

Nathan frowned, unsure of exactly what he was feeling, but finding that he wanted to see Elizabeth. "Do you mind…" he started.

Abigail nodded and smiled. "We're making an apron for Allie's doll. Take your time," she said, turning back to her sewing.

Sarah's stall was empty.

Ned was out in front of the Mercantile. "Have you seen Elizabeth?" Nathan called out.

"She stopped by to make a catalog order, probably, oh, forty-five minutes ago?" Ned said. "She said she was riding down to see how the building was going."

At the building site, Florence was serving up shepherd's pie. She told Nathan she'd seen Elizabeth riding toward the farms.

Albert. Spurlock.

Newton had already had a long day. But Nathan knew, digging his heels in firmly to his flanks, that his horse could still head out at a run.

---

"Albert!" Elizabeth said, and started toward him. As she did, she heard the sickening sound of something hard hitting flesh and then a loud thump as Benjamin hit the floor. She turned and could see Spurlock standing over him with the butt of his pistol in his hand. Then he turned to her.

She sat next to Albert on the bed, taking the bandana off of his mouth and putting her arms around him. "Are you alright? He didn't hurt you?"

"No, ma'am," Albert said softly, starting to cry.

Elizabeth held him tighter and started to reach around to untie the rope at his hands when Spurlock walked calmly over and said, "I'd like to leave him tied up, if it's all the same to you…"

"No! It's not!" Elizabeth said vehemently. "He's just a child!" She kept at the rope, gasping at the red welts she saw at Albert's tiny wrists.

Spurlock grabbed her arm and pulled her up. Elizabeth couldn't believe how strong he was, and before she knew it, he had his arms around her and she could smell his rancid breath and feel the hard stubble of his beard as he rubbed his chin against her cheek. "You're a pretty little thing, aren't you? And you smell good…"

"Let me go!" Elizabeth said, struggling fiercely against him. To her horror, Albert stood up, and even with his hands tied behind his back he was trying to force himself between them. Spurlock took one meaty hand and slapped him across the face, sending him flying across the floor.

She looked at Spurlock, whose face was now very close to hers. She could see the black coldness of his eyes.

"You'll enjoy it more if you don't struggle so much, but I'll have my way whether you do or not…"

A tear rolled hotly down Elizabeth's cheek, her breath coming so fast that she thought she might pass out. But through her teeth she said, "I'll kill you first…"

"Or I will…" came a voice from the doorway.

They both turned and Nathan was there, gun in hand and his eyes filled with blue steel.

Spurlock quickly looked around for his gun and realized he'd dropped it when he'd taken Elizabeth into his arms. For a split-second, Nathan could see him considering if he could pick it up in time.

"Don't try it. I'm just waiting for an excuse to kill you," Nathan said.

Spurlock still had his arm around Elizabeth's neck, using her as a shield. "Well, then you might as well kill me, because I'm not going to prison."

Nathan smiled the smile that no one in their right mind wanted to see when he had a gun in his hand. He said softly, "I beg to differ…" and he lowered the gun and shot Spurlock squarely in the kneecap.

It's likely the second most painful place a man can be shot and still live. And Spurlock went down like a bag of cement, howling in agony. Nathan went quickly to Spurlock's gun on the floor and picked it up, tucking it into his belt.

Elizabeth gave a small cry and ran into Nathan's arms, holding on to him for dear life and beginning to sob.

"It's alright," he said, allowing himself finally to feel the terror he'd held at bay since he'd realized she was here. If he hadn't arrived at this moment… but he couldn't even think about that. "I'm here," he said softly, his voice faltering as he buried his face in her mass of curls. "I'm here."

---

CHAPTER 31

Martin Sommersby was just sitting down to supper when Nathan rode up at a gallop. Nathan called out from outside the small house without even getting down from Newton, and Sommersby stepped onto his front porch with his napkin still tucked into his collar. It wasn't the first time his supper would get cold, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

"Got three patients for you, doc," Nathan said, "Gunshot wound to the knee is the worst, but he deserved it. Blow to the back of the head on a seventeen-year-old male, may be concussed, but he seems to know who he is, and an eight-year-old boy with a possible broken nose. All out at the Bickley's farm. I'm heading over to see about Allie and then to get ice and Tom's wagon from the saloon. Charles Spurlock is the gunshot wound and he's headed for my jail cell. Then," Nathan said, his voice turning cold, "to prison. I just need you to patch him up enough to get him there."

Martin was already heading back into the house to get his medical bag. "I'll ride out now, Nathan."

"And Martin..." Nathan called out before Sommersby could go through the door, "Very thorough notes, please. This will be questioned by Henry Gowen and we want to have as much information about the injuries as possible." Sommersby nodded, understanding completely.

Turning Newton quickly, Nathan went to Abigail's. He calmed himself on the doorstep so he wouldn't upset Allie, and then he spoke softly to Abigail, giving her a shortened version of what had happened.

Abigail started to take off her apron, "Should I..."

Nathan put his hand on Abigail's shoulder. "Thank you, but no. The best thing you can do is care for Allie, if you don't mind?"

"Not at all, but Elizabeth...?"

Nathan nodded. "...will be very glad to see you when we get back into town."

Nodding, Abigail said, "Yes, you're right, Nathan." She looked around her kitchen. "Is there anything you need? Bandages...?"

"Mavis has everything we need out at the farm, and Martin is riding out now." Nathan gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Just didn't want you to worry if we weren't back for a while."

"And Spurlock?" Abigail whispered, her anger barely concealed, and only for Allie's sake.

Nathan smiled. "He's chained to the wood stove, whimpering like a baby." Nathan shook his head. "Funny how the tougher they are, the more they snivel," he whispered. He walked over to Allie who was holding her doll and trying on and taking off the apron she and Abigail had made.

"Gin-am," she said, holding it up. "Blue gin-am."

In the way that a near loss can make everything seem more precious, Nathan gazed for just a moment into Allie's eyes. "It's very pretty, sweetie." He kissed her on the cheek and then did the same for her doll. Allie laughed, and Nathan said, "I'm going back out, but you'll stay here with Abigail, okay?"

Allie nodded and said, "Okay," and started again to untie the small apron.

"We'll be back as soon as we can," Nathan said to Abigail, going out the door.

Nathan rode over to the saloon, and Tom volunteered to take the wagon out to the Bickley's so they could transport Spurlock back to the jail. After getting a bag of ice, Nathan took off at a run back to the farm.

---

If Albert's nose didn't hurt so much, he might think that this was a pretty good place to be. Sitting on his mama's good settee and she wasn't even worrying about the blood. But the best part was that Miss Thatcher was sitting next to him and she had her arm around him. Albert thought it might even be worth the broken nose.

"Are you feeling better?" Elizabeth said softly, brushing his hair off of his forehead.

Albert thought his voice sounded pretty funny. He tried to say "I'm fine," and it came out "I'b fide." At least it made Miss Thatcher smile.

"Albert, you were so brave. Even with your hands tied behind your back, you came to protect me. Thank you."

Thinking it might be better not to try to talk, Albert simply looked up at her and smiled. Except smiling made his nose hurt.

"Hey, Squirt," Benjamin said, bending down so his eyes were level with Albert's. "You gonna have a couple 'a good shiners there. Other boys are gonna be jealous."

Elizabeth frowned at Benjamin. "I never would have taken you out there if I'd known…"

Benjamin smiled. "Nah, don't think nothin' of it, Miss Thatcher. Wish I coulda done more. Shoulda seen that comin'."

"And how's your head?" Elizabeth asked.

Benjamin looked down and laughed. "Mama says it was the best place he coulda clocked me, 'cause it's sure enough the hardest."

---

When Nathan reached the farm, Elizabeth was sitting on the porch swing in front. He went straight to her and she stood and went into his arms. The bag of ice was dripping and he kissed her quickly and said, "I'll be right back."

In moments, he was back at her side sitting on the porch swing, and Elizabeth leaned in next to him under the protection of his arm. "I tried not to be foolish," she said softly.

Nathan pulled her closer and kissed her head, "You did everything right. I don't know what Spurlock was planning to do with Albert, but whatever it was, you saved him from it." Nathan turned and looked at her, smiling. "Two children in a month. I'll be surprised if they don't put up a statue in the square."

Elizabeth laughed softly and then shook her head. "Oh, Nathan. If you could have seen Albert's eyes. He was absolutely terrified. I will never understand how anyone can hurt a child..." Her breath caught and she encircled Nathan's strong body with her arms, laying her head on his chest.

For a time they sat there, and Nathan pushed the swing gently with his boot. "I've had to think about this a lot, being a Mountie. It's easy to start thinking the world is a terrible place, and that people have no kindness in them, when you see only the bad things day after day." Nathan pulled away to look at her. "And then I see someone like you, who will always choose good, and you put yourself in danger in order to make sure others are safe..."

Elizabeth's eyes were filled with tears, in part because she was so glad it was over and that everyone was safe, but also because of the love she saw in Nathan's eyes. She put her hand on his cheek and said softly, "I love you. Thank you for always being there..."

Nathan wasn't sure how appropriate it would be to kiss Elizabeth the way he wanted to right now, considering the harrowing ordeal she'd just been through. But he couldn't stop himself, and he leaned down to press his lips to hers. At first it was tender, but strong feelings bring on strong feelings and it had been that kind of day.

Elizabeth was always surprised by the heat she felt from Nathan when he kissed her this way. That a man so used to controlling himself, a man who could have the steel in his eyes that she saw today with Spurlock, but could also offer this level of passion and tenderness, was a revelation.

And just as Elizabeth was thinking they might escape interruptions, the screen door opened, and she and Nathan quickly moved apart.

Of course, Martin Sommersby, as town dentist and hence town doctor, had pretty much seen everything, and he knew what flushed cheeks and darting eyes meant. And he'd also been young once, so he smiled.

"Well, the good news is, they're all going to live. And you're right, the biggest baby in that room is Charles Spurlock." Then he raised an eyebrow and looked at Nathan. "Shot him in the knee on purpose, did you? He won't ever forget you. That knee will never be the same."

Nathan nodded. "That's one way I don't mind being remembered," he said. "Not that he'll ever get out of prison after a combination of arson, kidnaping, attempted assault of a woman and battery of two minors, but I'd like Spurlock to always be reminded of how he got that bum knee."

Martin nodded. "Gowen will try to fight this. Don't know how, but he will. And you're not going to be very popular with him, you know?"

Nathan laughed. "Believe me, that horse has already left the barn."

---

By the time they'd handled everything and had Spurlock locked up tightly in the jail, it was nearly ten at night. Nathan had no deputy and he wouldn't put anyone in Coal Valley at risk, so he would spend the night in the Mountie office, making sure that Spurlock stayed put.

"Allie will love spending the night," Elizabeth said. "With Abigail baking constantly for the miners, there are always cookies or muffins or cupcakes to get ready for the next day. And pies! It smells like a bakery in that house!" she said laughing.

Nathan nodded. "I grew up with one of the best cooks there is, and don't tell my mother, but I think Abigail is just as good. I know half the town would like to be invited for one of her dinners," he said. Then he stopped and said, "It's too bad Abigail isn't interested in opening a restaurant in Coal Valley. I shudder to think how many men in this town live on nothing but Tom's chili and beer."

Smiling, Elizabeth said, "It's funny you should say that. One of the men at the building site asked her to open a café. And Abigail repeated that comment to me with a bit of a sparkle in her eye."

Nathan said, "You think she would consider it? That would be a step up for the growth of this town."

Elizabeth nodded. "I know Abigail is a woman who likes to stay busy, and since she lost Noah and Peter, she's been looking for a purpose for her life. I don't know if a café constitutes a purpose in life, but it certainly would keep her busy."

From inside the Mountie office, they heard a loud groan. "Morphine's worn off," Nathan said.

Martin had given Spurlock morphine when he'd taken the bullet and the bone fragments out of his knee, and he'd left a few ampules with Nathan so he could get through the night. Tomorrow Spurlock would be transported to the hospital in Buxton where he would also be under arrest.

The groaning was growing in volume and intensity. "I'd better go put him to sleep again," Nathan said. "I don't expect I'll get much rest tonight anyway. I've wired Buxton to send a wagon and some men, and they'll be here in the morning. Then I'll probably sleep tomorrow for a while in my own bed while Allie is at school."

Elizabeth heard another moan from inside and kissed Nathan softly on the cheek. "Go," she said. "Put him out of his misery."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "After what he did to you today..."

Elizabeth smiled. "Leaving him in agony won't change what happened to me today." She started to walk up toward the path to Abigail's. "I don't like to see anyone in pain, Nathan. Even people I don't like."

Nathan smiled. "I love you, Elizabeth," he said.

She stopped and blew him a kiss and Nathan said, "Hang on, I want to ask you something. Spurlock can wait one minute."

They were now in the middle of the street, and they could see the moon overhead, nearly full. Nathan looked up and down the street, and seeing no one, leaned down and kissed her quickly. "So, Elizabeth..." he said softly. "Just so I know, since it's all kind of new to me... how do you think this courting thing is going so far?"

Elizabeth smiled. "Since I've never courted before, I'm no expert, but I would say..." She paused, thinking, and Nathan decided to help her.

"You're a teacher, maybe it would be easier to give it a grade," Nathan said, giving her the crooked smile.

Laughing, Elizabeth said, "An A, Constable." Leaning up, she kissed his cheek and started walking again.

Then she turned and said, "But you get extra credit for today, so you're at an A+."

Another loud groan came from the jail.

Nathan grinned at her. "'Night, Lizbeth."

She turned and smiled back at him. "'Night, Nathan."

---

CHAPTER 32

"I have a surprise for you," Nathan said, as the school room emptied out and he walked up the middle aisle to the blackboard.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and whispered, "I'm not letting you take me around the blackboard again, Constable."

Nathan laughed and said, "Not a bad idea, but that wasn't what I had in mind... right now..."

"Is this surprise something you can show me here, or do we have to go somewhere?" Elizabeth said, intrigued.

"We go somewhere," Nathan said, as he went over and gave Allie a kiss on the top of the head. He sat down next to her and looked at her picture. "Horses," he said, as Allie beamed up at him. "Very nice."

"Sarah," Allie said, pointing to what Nathan could recognize as a brown bay horse.

He hugged her. "I can see that. She's a very pretty horse." He started to pull together her drawing things. "Let's get ready to go, sweetie. I have a surprise for Miss Thatcher."

Elizabeth wasn't sure where Nathan was taking her, but she didn't expect it would be through the door from the saloon to the kitchen. Tom was just bringing out a block of ice and he nodded his head at her. "Elizabeth," he said, and then smiled at Nathan.

Frowning, Elizabeth said, "What's going on?"

"Patience," Nathan said. He put his arm around her, while holding Allie in the other arm. "You know, I've noticed that you have a little trouble with patience, Elizabeth."

She made a face at him and laughed as they walked through the kitchen behind the saloon. She couldn't believe that after all the time she'd spent in the saloon, she'd never been back here. It was, not surprisingly, filled with the aroma of chili and fresh-baked bread.

Nathan took her through another door and pointed out a storage room that looked, from its brand new wood and shelving, as if it had just been built. It was very large and held all the stores for the drinks and food served in the saloon. Nathan raised his eyebrows and said, "Tom's new storage room. Just finished!"

Elizabeth's mouth was slightly open and she wore a perplexed look. "That's... nice...?" She looked up at Nathan with her head tilted. "Is this my surprise?"

Nathan shook his head and smiled his crooked smile. He took her hand and led her out through another door, and although Elizabeth was a little turned around, she thought they were heading in the direction of the street.

Suddenly, they found themselves in what was clearly Tom's old storage room. It had a few cans left on the floor-to-ceiling shelves and it needed a good cleaning, but it was a good-sized room and looked to be well-built. There was a door that was boarded over with musty curtains over a window. Elizabeth pulled back the curtain and was surprised to see the Mountie office directly across the street.

She turned to Nathan and he just smiled at her. Suddenly she started to see it. Shelves, a door to the street... a Library!

Elizabeth laughed and nodded. "It's perfect."

Nathan raised his eyebrows. "I thought so, too." He started walking around the room, showing Allie. "We'll put books in here. Lots of them. And people will sit over there at a table and they can read them."

Allie peered at the shelf closest to her and made a face. "Dirty," she said, looking up at him.

Nathan laughed and looked at Elizabeth. "We do have a bit of work to do. But with cleaning, and paint..."

Elizabeth grinned, her eyes bright. "There's a bookseller in Hamilton where I've spent many happy hours. I was going to get in touch with them anyway for the new school room, to ask for some posters for the walls, artwork and book readings. I can get extra for the walls here."

Nathan smiled back at her, loving her enthusiasm.

"I can see it, Nathan. A library." She walked to him and put her arms around his neck. "Thank you," she said softly, and then she leaned up and kissed him.

This time, Allie didn't shout out kisses! She simply walked over to them and put her arms around their legs while Nathan and Elizabeth looked down at her and laughed softly. Each put a hand on one of her shoulders and they stood there happily in the musty storeroom that would someday be a library.

Elizabeth looked up at Nathan and he put his hand tenderly on her cheek. It seemed to him that they were feeling a little more like a family every day.

---

Nathan and Allie were making it somewhat of a habit to stop off at Abigail's for a time after walking Elizabeth home. Abigail loved it; and these days they could be assured of taking home some sort of baked goods, or leftover roast, or shepherd's pie that Abigail would insist on giving them.

"I'm going to forget how to cook," Nathan said, as Abigail wrapped up yet another plate of food for them.

"After what you've done for this town, Nathan, it's the least I can do." She looked around at the kitchen and the living room of her house. "I can't believe this is going to belong to me. It wasn't even a dream that Noah and I could imagine, to be able to buy it from Henry Gowen. Even if he would sell. I think he's always enjoyed having this hanging over our heads." She turned and opened the oven, knowing by instinct exactly when the scones were done to perfection.

Elizabeth smiled and raised an eyebrow, taking Nathan's hand under the table. "And speaking of things Nathan has done for this town..." She looked over at him. "Nathan may have another surprise for you. Tell her, Nathan," Elizabeth said excitedly.

Abigail turned around and wiped her hands on her apron. She raised her eyebrows. "What now, Father Christmas?" she said laughing.

Nathan hesitated and Elizabeth couldn't wait any longer. "A Coal Valley Library!" she said.

Abigail grinned. "Well, you are running out of room in the Mountie office. I walked by there the other day and it looked like you had ten people crowded around your bookshelves."

"And he's ordered Encyclopedias!" Elizabeth burst out.

Nathan laughed and looked at Abigail. "I'm doing a very good job of telling you this news, aren't I?"

Elizabeth laughed and clapped her hand over her mouth. "Sorry," she said. "I'm just so thrilled. The children will have resources for their reports, and I'm thinking we'll just go through the Encyclopedia book by book!"

Abigail grinned. "That's wonderful. I have some books up in the attic that I could donate, and I'm sure others will too."

"Yes!" Elizabeth said. "And you can't imagine the number of books my father has in his library in the house in Hamilton. Some of them only read once by me, tucked in corners. I'm going to write Julie and have her pack some up and send them to me. Father will never even notice," she said smiling.

Nathan said, "Florence Blakeley was just saying the other day that she wished she had something to occupy her time during the day, so I spoke with her about managing the Library and she said she would love to."

Abigail took a deep breath and untied her apron. She put three scones on a plate and came to sit with Nathan, Elizabeth and Allie. She clearly had something she wanted to tell them.

"Speaking of occupying our days..." she began, a little tentatively. "I went to see Henry Gowen yesterday."

"Henry Gowen? Whatever for?" Elizabeth frowned and picked up one of the blueberry scones that Abigail had just taken out of the oven. She broke it in half and offered some to Allie, who gladly took it and then bent over her dolls again.

"You know the building at the end of town, on the other side of the saloon? It used to be a café. There was a time when all the single miners would eat their meals there." Abigail took a sip of her tea. "It was food without the drink of the saloon, but the food wasn't really much better than Tom's chili," Abigail said, laughing softly. "The couple that ran it just couldn't make a go of it, and they left town for Cloverdale soon after. I remember thinking at the time what kind of a menu would work for a café. A place serving sandwiches, soups, teas, baked goods and other confections? But I had Noah and Peter to care for, so it wasn't even a possibility..."

Nathan raised his eyebrows. "So you talked to Gowen about renting his building from him?"

Abigail looked down at her teacup, and Nathan could tell she was a little uncomfortable. She spoke softly. "Nathan, you've done so much for us, and it's such a gift that you allowed us the opportunity to own these houses..."

It dawned on Nathan, and he nodded, saying, "Ah. You want to trade your row house for that building?"

Abigail looked up sharply to see his reaction. Nathan was smiling and it gave her the courage to go on. "It has two rooms upstairs, and a sitting room downstairs." She looked quickly at Elizabeth and took her hand. "You would still have your own room, and I love having you with me. The rooms are actually larger than the ones here, and you'd be closer to the school..."

Elizabeth squeezed her hand. "Abigail, this isn't about me. How do you feel about it? About... leaving your home?"

Abigail looked around. "When Gowen threatened us with losing the row houses, I had a chance to really think about how I felt. Yes, this is a place where Noah and Peter and I made so many memories..." She looked back at Nathan and Elizabeth. "But Noah and Peter are gone, and nothing will ever bring them back. Perhaps it's time for me to make new memories in a place that doesn't constantly remind me of the old ones."

Nathan smiled. "And what did Henry say?"

Raising an eyebrow, Abigail said, "He told me that the saloon was plenty for a town this size. I said that people need variety, a place to gather, to break bread together." Abigail laughed softly, "And when that didn't move him, I told him I believe a café can get people to spend their money in town instead of going to places like Union City and Benson Hills for their outings. Then his eyes lit up."

Elizabeth was hanging on her every word. "And then what did he say?"

Abigail sat up straighter, looking very proud of herself. "He told me to make him an offer." She looked at Nathan. "I told him I would think about it and get back to him to today. I wanted to talk to you first, Nathan. To be sure you didn't feel..."

Nathan reached out and took her hand across the table. "Abigail. If owning this row house allows you to use it as collateral to fulfill a dream, it makes me happy."

Exhaling in relief, Abigail squeezed his hand. "I was so hoping you would feel that way." She looked back and forth between Elizabeth and Nathan. "I haven't been this excited about something since that mine took my men. I really do think I can make a go of it, and all of the new miners coming into town are single and have no one to cook for them, not to mention how many there are in town already."

"I can see people flocking to your cooking, Abigail." Elizabeth took another bite of her blueberry scone and sighed. "These are heavenly. You know, my family has employed some of the best chefs from some of the finest culinary schools, and your scones and pies are lighter and tastier than any I ever had at home."

"Do you really think so?" Abigail said, looking even more hopeful.

"I know so," Elizabeth said, popping the last of the scone into her mouth.

"These were my grandmother's recipe. Noah did love my baking. I took great pride in cooking for Noah and Peter. And they did often brag to others about my cooking, but they only had me to compare to. Certainly not that fancy big-city food that you're talking about."

"Well trust me, they were right," Elizabeth said. "Whether in the big city or here in Coal Valley."

Abigail's eyes went wide and she looked at both of them. "Oh, my," she said, suddenly realizing what a chance she was taking. She would be giving up her home in hopes that an untested business would succeed.

But as she looked at her friends, Abigail knew that she wouldn't be alone.

---

Billy Hamilton understood one thing about himself, and that was that he was destined for greatness. The fact that it hadn't found him yet in his thirtieth year of life only meant that he needed to look a little harder.

He'd been through a lot of towns in the last twelve years and had done more menial jobs than he wanted to think about, but this was his time. He could feel it.

Billy's last job at the shipyard in Cape Fullerton had been a minor disaster, and he'd gotten out of town by the skin of his teeth with a Mountie on his tail. Working for William Thatcher offered good pay, but not nearly as good as "borrowing" bottles of rum from his shipping boxes. That nosy Mountie, Thornton was his name, had been sniffing around and had caught him in the act, but Billy had managed to give him the slip. So he thought it might be best to lay low for a while in the smallest town he could find.

The wagon had been waiting in Buxton for the six men who were headed to the Northern Pacific Mining Company to dig out of their mine in Coal Valley. Billy knew that coal work was hard, hot, and dangerous, but he didn't intend on doing for very long.

Because Coal Valley's size wasn't the only reason Billy had chosen that particular small town. Billy knew that one of his best qualities was his charm. He'd practiced it on plenty of pretty young women and had been highly successful, but they weren't the type of women that helped a man get ahead in the world. And Billy had learned something while he worked for William Thatcher – sometimes it was more valuable to read the society pages than the business section of the newspaper.

He pulled the newspaper article out of his pocket again and unfolded it. It was falling apart and Billy thought he had it practically memorized by now.

Miss Elizabeth Thatcher, middle daughter of William and Grace Thatcher of Hamilton, Ontario, is traveling west this month. Despite being an heiress to the vast Thatcher fortune along with her two sisters, Viola and Julia, Miss Thatcher intends to bestow her considerable gifts as a teacher on the poor and underserved children of Coal Valley in Alberta. The Cape Fullerton Courier wishes her the best of luck in her travels, and commends her for her good works.

The newspaper article was dated three months ago.

Billy had been rattling along in the buckboard wagon with four other men for the entire day and his backside was sore. What kept him going was knowing for a certainty that he would leave Coal Valley in style, with money in his pocket and a steak, a baked potato, and some fine whiskey in his belly.

He'd even changed his last name to Hamilton in order to remind Miss Thatcher that her future didn't reside in a dusty backwoods town in the west. She belonged back in society in her hometown, and he intended to be at her side. At least for a while.

He didn't know if Miss Elizabeth Thatcher had managed to find a suitor yet in Coal Valley, though from her picture in the paper, she was very pretty. He imagined that she probably hadn't found a man who was as well-read, as charming, as handsome, or as attentive as Billy would be.

Billy took a deep breath as they pulled into town. If by chance, she had found someone, he would make short order of that small-town hayseed. He leaned back and smiled, feeling a little like the king of the world just before his coronation.

---

CHAPTER 33

When the wagon arrived in Coal Valley, the new men were taken directly to their housing. From there, they had the option of bunking in with the miners that would let them, or they could stay in the new housing, sleeping rough. Billy Hamilton chose to sleep rough because he liked the idea of needing to depend on Miss Thatcher to help him be more comfortable in his new surroundings. Perhaps she would find it in her heart to fix a weary traveler a home-cooked meal, and then possibly, he would get away with a kiss on the hand...

"Lemonade?"

Billy looked up and there she was, looking even more beautiful than her picture in the paper. The key to his quest. The new object of his affection. With skin like alabaster, curls that fell in cascades around her face, and a voice worthy of the angels in heaven.

He gave her his best and most charming smile. "Why, yes, Miss, I would dearly love some lemonade. One does get parched out on the open road," he said, doing his best to sound like the fine gentlemen he was sure she was accustomed to hearing.

Elizabeth frowned a little. She couldn't quite tell if this new miner was flirting with her or just putting on airs. In any case, she thought she ought to be polite. "I'm Miss Thatcher, I'm the schoolteacher in Coal Valley."

Billy took off his brown felt hat and made a slow and deep bow. "Billy Hamilton, at your service, Miss Thatcher."

Elizabeth smiled. "Hamilton. That's where I grew up."

Billy gave her a look of utter and complete surprise. "Well, what do you know? It's like a sign, isn't it?"

Frowning again, Elizabeth said, "I'm sorry?"

Moving closer, Billy said softly, "A sign from the gods, Miss Thatcher. We have a connection."

Now she knew he was flirting with her and Elizabeth didn't much like it. "I would call it a coincidence, Mr. Hamilton," she said curtly. She handed him his lemonade and turned her back on him.

Billy frowned. It always surprised him when women didn't find him as charming as he found himself. He narrowed his eyes a little. So, Miss Elizabeth Thatcher is going to be a tough nut to crack. That's fine. I like a challenge.

"And how does a lovely rose like you end up out here among the tumbleweeds, Miss Thatcher?" Billy said, undefeated, even though he was now speaking to the back of Elizabeth's head.

Miss Thatcher turned as he had hoped, and though her initial look was one of some irritation, her eyes suddenly went soft and the sweetest smile overtook her face. Billy felt himself gaining ground, but strangely, it dawned on him that she wasn't looking at him. She seemed to be gazing about a foot over his head.

Turning, Billy was faced with the shock of the red serge, never a color he liked to see, and especially not when it was less than five inches away from his nose. His eyes moved slowly upward, and still further upward, until he found a face. Square-jawed, grim-lipped, with eyes like ice, and most alarmingly, with the addition of the campaign hat that sat low over his brow, the man stood nearly a foot taller than Billy.

"Seems the lady isn't interested in conversation," the Mountie said, and his voice matched the coldness of his eyes.

Billy stepped backward and nearly trampled Miss Thatcher's feet. He looked at her, intending to make a grand apology, and he could see that she was on the verge of laughter.

This had not gone nearly the way Billy Hamilton had hoped.

Billy thought he'd better assert himself, or Miss Thatcher might think he wasn't equal to this bullying Mountie. "Well, Constable," Billy said, straightening up in a futile search to find another inch of height over his usual five-foot-ten, "It seems the better part of valor dictates that we should let the lady decide." After narrowing his eyes at Nathan, he turned to Elizabeth and tilted his head, raising his eyebrows over his most humble and captivating smile.

She smiled back and for a moment Billy thought his elegant speech might have turned the tide. But then she walked right past him and put her arm through the Mountie's and leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"The lady has already decided, Mr. Hamilton," Elizabeth said sweetly. And with that, she and the Mountie walked away, arm in arm. And if he wasn't mistaken, it looked like they might be laughing.

---

"I have to say, I'm surprised you're going through with this, Mrs. Stanton," Gowen said from behind his desk.

"Trust me, that makes two of us," Abigail said, smiling.

"All that's left is for you to sign at the bottom of the page. Then the café is yours, and your row house is mine." Abigail signed without hesitating and they exchanged deeds. Henry pushed his chair back and stood, putting his hand out. "Congratulations," he said, smiling.

Abigail shook it. "Thank you," she said, standing as well. She turned, exhilarated, and walked toward the door.

Henry was still standing, and Abigail was surprised when he started speaking again.

"You widows put me through hell over those row houses," Henry said coldly, putting his hands in his pockets. "I'm glad to finally get one back."

Abigail took a deep breath and forced a smile back at him.

Henry narrowed his eyes. "Just for the record, this town will never support a café," he said, his voice nearly a growl.

"How do you know?" Abigail asked, her heart beating faster.

"Well, I don't know much, but I know business. And if Coal Valley were ready for another eatery, I would have opened it myself."

Abigail looked back at him and steeled her own eyes.

Henry had one last thing to say. "But because I'm not as cold-hearted as some would paint me, I just want you to know that I'll be willing to take the café off of your hands when it fails." An ugly smile started at the corners of his mouth. "At twenty-five cents on the dollar."

Abigail took a deep breath and stood a little taller. She reminded herself that Henry Gowen couldn't call the shots anymore because he had absolutely no ownership in her café. It was all hers now, and she would be able to do whatever she wanted without his interference. She turned and walked back toward him, her mouth in a grim line.

"It must gall you that there are starting to be buildings and businesses in this town that don't belong to you, Mr. Gowen. But I suggest you get used to it. Coal Valley is growing and it will do it with or without you."

For a long moment, they held each other's eyes, and then Henry sat down.

"Good day, Mrs. Stanton," he said roughly, bending his head to his ledgers.

Abigail stood there for a moment longer, smiling, because she wanted him to know that she was no longer afraid of him. But she also stood there a little longer because of something else.

It felt very good to get the last word with Henry Gowen.

"Good day, Mr. Gowen."

---

Jack Thornton really didn't like being outsmarted, and he had to admit that Billy Baxter had done it.

It had taken some detective work, but after following his trail to Buxton, Jack had discovered that Baxter had taken a job with the Pacific North West Mining Company and was on his way to, of all places, Coal Valley.

Jack had thought about sending a wire to Nathan letting him know that he was on his way, but there was a line at the telegraph office and he didn't want Billy to get too much of a head start. Jack thought Baxter was probably arriving right about now, and with Sergeant at a run, even with rests, he could get there in a couple of hours.

Smiling, Jack thought that he must have been destined to see Coal Valley after all. He had to admit it would be interesting to compare Grant's life to his own after over three months' experience in their new postings. Cape Fullerton had been everything Jack had hoped it would be; exciting, dangerous, fast-paced and satisfying. He'd already escorted a number of rumrunners to prison, and had established himself as an up-and-coming man to watch at the NWMP in the busy harbor town.

There was one man in Cape Fullerton who wasn't overly pleased with him, however, and that was the man who ran Mr. William Thatcher's shipping business there. He had expected Jack to nab Billy Baxter after finding out he'd stolen a significant number of bottles from his crates. Jack had assured him that he'd catch him, and then he'd gone and lost him. Now he had to make it right. It seemed that Mr. Thatcher was one of those "benefactors" that Superintendent Martin had been talking about, and Jack had already been called on the carpet to have it made clear that Baxter was one man who could not be allowed to get away.

Another hour or so, and he would be there. Jack already knew where the nearest prisoner wagon could be procured, and he had it all planned out. He would arrest Billy Baxter, have him brought back to Cape Fullerton for trial, and then Jack would put in for his transfer to the Northwest Territories. There was always something more exciting around the corner, and Jack was just about ready for something new.

---

"You seem to be forever rescuing me, Constable," Elizabeth said, smiling up at Nathan as they walked toward the new Library. They were planning to get some cleaning and painting done today after Nathan changed out of his red serge in his office.

Nathan laughed. "I wouldn't really call that a rescue. He didn't seem to have much life in him after he saw the uniform." Laughing again, Nathan said, "And when you kissed me, the poor man deflated like a balloon."

Elizabeth laughed too. "I must say I enjoyed that. Billy Hamilton reminds me of every conceited dandy I ever met in Hamilton. They're so in love with themselves they have no capacity left in them to love others." She smiled up at Nathan. "I will say that when I was a little younger and more naïve, I would have fallen for that. But now that I know you..." Elizabeth stopped and put her hand on his cheek, "...I know what real love looks like."

Nathan breathed deeply, suddenly so filled with deep affection for her that he felt he had to kiss her. But they were on the boardwalk outside the Mercantile with him in his uniform, and there were people everywhere. "I'm going to tell you how much that means to me in just a little while, when we're supposed to be cleaning..."

Elizabeth laughed softly. "I'll look forward to it..."

They started walking again and Nathan went into the Mountie office, while Elizabeth went to the Library. They had pulled the boards off of the inside of the door and now it could be accessed from the main street. They were still in the process of clearing things out of it, but Elizabeth had borrowed buckets and cleaning solution from Tom in the saloon, and they were ready to begin in earnest.

Elizabeth decided to start with a good sweep, and she pulled out the broom, beginning with the outside of the windows and pulling down cobwebs from the roof over the boardwalk.

She turned and looked up the street, hearing the stagecoach arriving. It was always exciting to see the people getting off and to find out who they were. There were new residents arriving all the time in Coal Valley, and often relatives visiting those who lived in the town.

Elizabeth leaned on her broom and watched as a woman emerged from the coach, dressed head-to-toe in deep red brocade and velvet. To be honest, her clothing reminded Elizabeth of a costume she'd seen Viola wear in a school production of Twelfth Night, complete with pantaloons. On her head, the woman wore a bohemian beret, also red velvet, which was canted at the perfect angle to offset the lush deep blonde curls that fell beyond her shoulders. She was quite beautiful, and there was something about her that made it difficult to turn away.

Without waiting for the coachman to throw down her bag, the woman climbed up herself to retrieve it, and then jumped down to the ground, causing a small cloud of dust to rise around her pant legs.

Elizabeth was transfixed. She'd heard about women like this, and of course she'd seen quite a few of them in Hamilton. Her mother called them "loose women," and refused to let Elizabeth within ten feet of them. According to Grace, they flaunted every custom, broke every rule and seemed to revel in it. Grace Thatcher thought they were a harbinger to the end of civility.

While she stared, the woman turned to her.

"Excuse me, is this Coal Valley?" she asked.

"Yes, it is," Elizabeth said, walking toward her.

"Where's the... rest of it?" the woman asked, looking around.

Elizabeth laughed, enjoying the dramatic flair of this stranger. "I'm afraid you're looking at it."

"Oh, well," she said, looking slightly alarmed. Then she raised her eyebrows and smiled quite the biggest smile Elizabeth had ever seen. The woman had a lot of really beautiful teeth, and her smile practically lit up the boardwalk. "Charming!"

"It can be." Elizabeth wiped her hand on her apron and then put it out and smiled. "I'm Elizabeth Thatcher."

"Rosemary LeVeaux," the woman said, shaking Elizabeth's hand and adding a very dramatic curtsey. Her voice was as smooth as silk.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss LeVeaux," Elizabeth said, "And what brings you here?"

Rosemary sighed in the way Elizabeth had heard romantic heroines do on stage. "My fiancée," she said, using the French pronunciation and raising her chin regally.

"Oh! Congratulations," Elizabeth said happily. "Perhaps I know him? Is he one of the miners?"

Rosemary laughed loudly, "Lord, no," she said. She picked a piece of lint off of her sleeve. "Actually..." she said, leaning in conspiratorially. "He's the Mountie in Coal Valley."

The emotions that crossed Elizabeth's face in the seconds following would have rivaled Rosemary's acting skills. Disbelief, confusion, hurt, anger; all melding into a softly uttered, "Oh."

At that moment, Nathan stepped out of his office, dressed in his suspenders and casual trousers. He saw Elizabeth talking to a woman he'd never seen before and he walked over to them. "Hello," he said, casually standing next to Elizabeth, who was snapped out of her shocked reverie.

Elizabeth gave Nathan a look that confused him. Sweet, but with an undercurrent of suspicion and nearly... anger? "Perhaps you know Miss Rosemary LeVeaux?" she said, looking up and searching his eyes.

"Not had the pleasure," he said, his brow furrowing at Elizabeth. He turned to Rosemary and tried to tip his hat, again realizing he wasn't in uniform. "Nathan Grant. Nice to meet you, Miss LeVeaux."

Rosemary curtseyed again, "And you, Mr. Grant."

Nathan smiled. "Actually, it's Constable. I'm the Mountie here in Coal Valley."

Rosemary frowned. "No, you're not."

Nathan laughed and nodded. "Well, then, I'd better get myself out of that office," he said, pointing across the street.

"You're not Jack," Rosemary said, confused.

As fate would have it, at that moment, Jack Thornton rounded the corner in full red serge on Sergeant.

Rosemary's smile was incandescent as she looked up at him. "That's Jack."

Jack Thornton couldn't have been more surprised if he'd fallen right off the face of the earth. He squinted into the sunlight down the street, his mouth open.

"Rosie?"

---

CHAPTER 34

For a moment, no one moved.

Except, of course, for Rosemary, who ran to Jack. She looked up at him on Sergeant and gave him her sweetest smile and a shrug.

"I'm back," she said, looking as apologetic as it was possible for Rosemary to look.

Jumping down from Sergeant, Jack stood stock still while Rosemary threw her arms around him. "I've missed you so much, Jack." She put her hands on his shoulders and held him at arm's length. "Look at you," she said. "You look more handsome than ever."

When Jack didn't answer right away, she said, "And aren't you going to tell me how I look?"

Jack struggled with a response. "Well, you look awfully... healthy. How did you find me, Rosie?" Jack said,

"I called Mountie Headquarters in Union City. They told me you'd been assigned to Coal Valley, and I just wanted to come see you."

"Well, they gave you the wrong information," Jack said, walking past her to tie Sergeant to the rail.

Rosemary frowned. "But... you're here," she said, looking extremely confused.

Elizabeth had recovered from the shock of the last few minutes, and now she was standing with her arm through Nathan's just watching the show unfold. She leaned over to him.

"That's Mountie Jack?" Elizabeth whispered.

Nathan nodded and spoke quietly. "I suppose now you can ask him what would be in his Mountie library," he said, raising an eyebrow and making her laugh.

As Jack started to walk toward Nathan, Rosemary stood firmly in his path. "You don't seem very happy to see me, Jack," she said with a much more pronounced pout.

Jack took her by the shoulders and moved her gently out of his way. "We need to talk about this later, Rosie. Right now I have business to attend to."

Rosemary gave him her best smile. "Good. We'll talk later. It's a date."

Jack scowled at her and then kept walking toward Nathan.

"Hello, Jack," Nathan said, putting his hand out.

"Good to see you again, Nathan," Jack said, taking off his heavy riding gloves and shaking Nathan's hand.

Elizabeth had stepped aside a little to let the two Mounties greet each other, but now Nathan reached his arm out and pulled her toward him. "Jack, I'd like to introduce you to Miss Elizabeth Thatcher, Coal Valley's schoolteacher." He turned to Elizabeth. "Constable Jack Thornton."

Seeing the protective arm Nathan had around Elizabeth, Jack raised his eyebrows and grinned back at Nathan. They were both remembering their conversation in Union City over dinner, when Nathan had said he wasn't very good with girls. Looking at Elizabeth and seeing not only how very pretty she was but also how she was looking at Nathan, Jack thought Constable Grant must have figured it out.

Nathan smiled back at him and shrugged a little sheepishly in answer.

Jack tipped his hat to Elizabeth. "Very nice to meet you, Miss Thatcher."

Elizabeth smiled and inclined her head toward him. "And you, Constable Thornton. Nathan has told me a little about meeting you in Union City. I'm glad to put a face to the name."

"I hope the face doesn't disappoint," Jack said, smiling back at her.

Elizabeth laughed and said, "No, not at all."

Nathan said, "What brings you here, Jack? Cape Fullerton not what you hoped? Changed your mind?" He raised his eyebrows.

Jack laughed. "Oh, no, it has more than met expectations. And I definitely made the right decision." He raised his eyebrows, looking at the two of them. "And it seems that you did as well."

Nathan looked at Elizabeth and her smile back at him told Jack Thornton everything he needed to know. Nathan Grant had found love in Coal Valley, and Jack was very glad for him.

"I'm looking for..." Suddenly Jack stopped and looked back at Elizabeth. "Wait. Did you say, Thatcher? You wouldn't happen to be related to the shipping tycoon, William Thatcher?"

Elizabeth looked surprised, but she nodded. "Yes, he's my father."

Both Nathan and Elizabeth watched as Jack frowned, thinking. He was putting all the puzzle pieces together.

"The man I'm after, Billy Baxter, worked for your father in Cape Fullerton, Miss Thatcher, and I caught him stealing from the crates on the dock." He turned to Nathan, "And I was told that Mr. Thatcher is one of the NWMP's most... influential of supporters..."

Nathan laughed and nodded, pulling Elizabeth a little closer. "Yes, we know. He's the reason a Mountie was posted here." He looked at Elizabeth and raised his eyebrows, wanting to be sure she didn't mind if he shared the information.

Elizabeth laughed softly and turned to Jack. "And I am the reason for the posting..." she said. "My father believed I needed protecting." She looked up at Nathan again. "And considering Nathan has saved my life more than once already, I'm afraid my father may have had a point."

"So you think this Billy Baxter is here in Coal Valley?" Nathan said.

"Yes," Jack said, "I believe he came in today with a wagonload of miners from Buxton headed to the Pacific Northwest Mining Company."

"Did you say his name was Billy?" Elizabeth said.

"Yes, Billy Baxter," Jack said.

"I met a miner who came in on the wagon from Buxton. But he said his name was Billy Hamilton."

Jack laughed and shook his head. "Of course. And did it get your attention because you originally came from Hamilton?"

Elizabeth frowned and her mouth opened slightly. "So... he knew when he met me who my father was? The man he had just stolen from?" She looked slightly horrified. "How can people do things like that?"

Jack exhaled. "You'd be surprised, Miss Thatcher."

"Please," she said, "Call me Elizabeth."

Jack nodded. "And I'm Jack."

Nathan looked over at Rosemary, who was happily humming to herself and stroking Sergeant's long nose. She had been watching the entire conversation while leaning rather jauntily against the tie rail.

Jack turned around and followed his sightline, and then looked back to them. "Must say that was a surprise. I thought she was still in New York."

Elizabeth smiled at him and then looked back at Rosemary. "She's quite something."

Jack laughed. "You don't know the half of it."

Elizabeth laughed too, "Somehow I think it might be a very interesting story." She thought for a moment. "I expect you'll be spending the night here in Coal Valley?"

Jack nodded. "I need to get Baxter into your jail, if you don't mind," he said, looking at Nathan, "And then I'll have him taken back to Cape Fullerton for trial. So I'll need to call Benson Hills for a wagon and a couple of guards. And since they won't be here until the morning, I suppose I will need to depend upon the hospitality of Coal Valley for the night."

"You can't call Benson Hills," Nathan said. "No telephone in Coal Valley. But we do have a telegraph."

Jack grinned back at him and laughed. "Oh, I definitely made the right decision."

Elizabeth said, "Will you join us for supper, Jack? You and... Rosemary?"

Jack sighed. "I would be grateful, Elizabeth." He looked at Rosemary and she blessed him with a beatific smile. He turned back and said, "And I will admit that Rosemary and I need to talk."

"Good," Elizabeth said. "We have a very dear friend who is such an incredible cook that she's planning on opening a café here in town. I happen to know that she has a huge pot of beef stew simmering, and that she's looking for people to try it for her. Does that and fresh-baked bread sound good?"

Jack grinned at her. "Better than good."

Then Jack looked at Nathan and raised an eyebrow. "Ready to go nab us a thief, Grant?"

Nathan nodded and pointed to his office. "Uniform's right in there. I'll get changed."

Jack looked back at Rosemary and she tilted her head at him. "I'll be bunking in at the jail with my prisoner, but I suppose Miss LeVeaux will need a room for the night."

Nathan nodded toward the end of the street. "Rooms above the saloon, over there."

"I'll meet you at the Mountie office once I get her settled," Jack said to Nathan. Then he tipped his hat again to Elizabeth and walked over to Rosemary.

"And I'll talk to Abigail about supper," Elizabeth said, looking up at Nathan.

"Six-thirty should be fine," he said, smiling. "If Billy Hamilton is Billy Baxter, I don't think he's up for much of a fight. He couldn't even look me in the eye out there at the site."

Elizabeth leaned up and kissed his cheek. "He wasn't quite tall enough to look you in the eye," she said laughing softly. "Be careful, please."

Nathan's eyes went soft and very blue as he tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. "I have every reason in the world to be careful."

He looked around and saw no one coming down the boardwalk, so Nathan quickly leaned down and kissed her on the lips. It was always hard for him to pull away, but he forced himself to, with a sigh. His arms went around her and he said, "It looks like I'm not getting that kiss in the library I was hoping for..."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Except we both know you're a quick-change artist with your red serge... and Rosemary will need to get checked into her room, and get settled..." With a slightly teasing look, she took Nathan's hand and led him to the door of the Library, where she turned. "Constable, I believe I need some assistance adjusting a shelf..."

Nathan grinned. "At your service, Miss..."

Jack Thornton turned the corner toward the saloon and looked back. He watched, smiling, as Elizabeth led Nathan through the door. Both of them were laughing.

Yep. Nathan Grant has definitely figured out how to talk to girls. At least, one girl in particular.

---

Billy Baxter reached into his pocket and counted the change he'd just won in a game of dice against some of the other miners. Though no one had caught him cheating, he frowned at his meager winnings. Nothing like his usual take at the shipyard where the pay was better.

Exhaling, Billy looked out at the sun lowering in the sky. He needed to think about how to change his plans. Miss Thatcher had clearly already given her heart, and though Billy knew he could stack his charm up against any man, he didn't particularly want that man to be a Mountie who was a good deal taller than he was.

But perhaps this trip wasn't completely wasted. Miss Thatcher probably had a whole treasure chest of expensive jewelry, and none of the doors in Coal Valley seemed very sturdy. All he had to do was find out where she lived...

"Billy Baxter?" Came a voice from his left, and before he thought better of it, he turned.

To his great surprise, it was Constable Jack Thornton, the Mountie he thought he'd finally given the slip to in Cape Fullerton. Billy turned to his right, meaning to run, only to see the other Mountie, the tall one that Miss Thatcher had kissed. He turned to look behind him and saw the wall of rock that rose up behind the miner's housing. The way out was forward, but both men in red serge had their hands on their holsters and were beginning to move toward the only place he could run.

Billy sighed and put his hands up.

"Billy Baxter, I am arresting you under the authority of the North West Mounted Police for the crimes of theft, the illegal sale of stolen goods, and for being a fugitive of justice." Jack moved closer, as did Nathan, until they were on either side of him. Jack pulled out his handcuffs and put them on Billy's wrists.

Billy wore his most innocent look. "I'm just a hard-working man trying to make an honest living digging coal, Constable. I have no idea what you're talking about."

Jack laughed. "Tell it to the Judge, Baxter. For now, we'd like to invite you to spend the night in the Coal Valley jail."

---

"Tell us again!" Rosemary said, sipping on her lemonade and taking another bite of beef stew.

Jack laughed. "Rosie, as arrests go, this one was very tame."

Rosemary looked at Abigail across the table. "He's so modest, really. He's out there risking his life for all of us every day. I'm so very proud of him," she said, squeezing his arm next to her. "And this delicious stew rivals anything I've had in restaurants in New York, Abigail. Absolutely impeccably seasoned!"

Abigail's beef stew was, of course, the best any of them had ever tasted. Allie had even asked for seconds and was currently mopping up the delicious remains with a crust of sourdough bread.

Rosemary leaned over to Elizabeth. "She's adorable," she said, gazing at Allie. "My first love has always been the theatre, and of course, raising children doesn't really mix with traipsing around the country starring in plays. But now that I feel ready to settle down..." She looked at Jack and smiled.

Elizabeth said softly, "And you're willing to give up the theatre for Jack?"

Rosemary nodded. "It turns out a life in the theatre is quite empty without him." She turned to Elizabeth and laughed softly, "I'm as surprised as anyone by that fact. And I'm certain there must be a theatre in Cape Fullerton where I can keep my skills honed. Until we're married and have children..." Another one of Rosemary's brilliant smiles lit her face.

Elizabeth smiled back at her. "Has Jack ever told you that if Mounties wanted their men to have a wife, they would have..."

"...issued them one?" Rosemary said, laughing. "Oh, yes. And one of the girls I met who actually married one said that they tend to say that when they are most afraid they're going to break that little rule. So if you've heard it from Nathan, you might as well start looking for a wedding dress, Elizabeth."

Laughing, Elizabeth said, "He has shared that with me, but he doesn't seem to put much stock in it. Nathan says they can regulate his days, but they can't make rules for his heart."

Rosemary nodded. "He's a keeper, that Nathan. Don't you let him go."

"I don't plan to," Elizabeth said, looking across the table as Nathan helped Allie with her spoon. Then she looked back at Rosemary. "And I wish you good luck with Jack," she said softly.

Rosemary raised her eyebrows high on her forehead. "Oh, the Mounties aren't the only ones who always get their man," she said, making Elizabeth giggle.

Elizabeth smiled at her with genuine affection. "I wish you were staying in Coal Valley, Rosemary. I think you and I could be good friends."

Rosemary took Elizabeth's hand in hers. "We already are. I'll write to you. And you and Nathan can come visit us in Cape Fullerton. We'll go see a play!"

Frowning a little, Elizabeth said, "So, has Jack asked you to come back to Cape Fullerton with him?"

"Not yet, but he will." Rosemary gazed over at Jack who was deep in conversation with Abigail and Nathan about a recent arrest he'd made. "We've known each other forever, just about. Our fathers were Mounties together. Although Jack didn't always want to be a Mountie. He wanted to be a painter."

"Your father was a Mountie? How was that, growing up?" Elizabeth was already wondering what it would be like to raise children with Nathan, and she was genuinely curious.

Rosemary raised an eyebrow. "Well, it turned me into an actress," she said dramatically. At Elizabeth's unspoken question, Rosemary said, "He was home so seldom that when he was, I wanted to make an impression. So I would write little plays and make costumes, and perform them each time he came back home. I thought he would remember me better when he left..."

"Oh, Rosemary..." Elizabeth said, squeezing her arm. "Though I must admit, I remember feeling the same about my father. But it wasn't the Mounties that took him away from us, it was business."

Rosemary looked at her warmly. "Let's not lose touch, Elizabeth." She turned to her with determination in her eyes and put out her hand. "Let's make a promise that we'll write to each other at least once a month."

Elizabeth smiled and shook her hand. "Deal," she said.

---

They'd stayed much later than Jack expected to, and he needed to get back to the jail to relieve Herbert Ansvil, who had volunteered to keep an eye on Baxter while they had supper. Jack had met Ansvil in the saloon and Herbert had expressed his regret that the mining company hadn't done due diligence before hiring Billy.

Rosemary had her arm possessively around Jack's as they walked. She took a deep breath and said, "Just as it used to be."

Jack looked over at her. "Rosemary, you can't expect that after two years, things would stay exactly the same."

She waved her hand in the air expressively. "Two years, two hours, two minutes... it's just time," she said, looking over at him.

Jack sighed, remembering the pain he'd had to get through when she'd given him back his grandmother's ring. "It's a lifetime."

"Certainly, some living has happened since then," Rosemary said softly, "But my feelings haven't changed. And if yours have, well, then, I'm just going to have to do whatever it takes to win them back."

Jack laughed and shook his head. "You are so persistent."

Rosemary nodded, and spoke seriously to him. "I know things didn't end well between us, but they will this time. We have a future together, Jack. It's going to be exciting and unpredictable, and perfect. Just like we always dreamed."

Jack stopped walking and looked at her. "I'm planning to put in for a transfer to the Northern Territories, Rosie."

She frowned for a moment but then caught her breath. "But you haven't done it yet?"

"No, not yet," he said.

Rosemary raised her chin and smiled. "Well, until you do, I think Cape Fullerton sounds like a lovely place to live." She gazed at him and tilted her head. "I still love you, Jack. I always will. And you should know better than anyone that once I set my sights on something, I always get it."

Jack sighed and moved his hand up to her face. "You broke my heart, Rosie."

Rosemary put her hand over his. "I know. And I've regretted it every day since. It was a mistake, but I intend to make it right."

The moon was nearly full and the main street of town was empty except for a few straggling miners making their way home from the saloon. Rosemary looked at Jack and he felt all the memories flooding back. He'd loved her for as long as he could remember, and though he'd fallen back on believing that the Mountie life didn't include wives, he knew now that he'd missed Rosemary deeply.

She knew him so well that she could almost see his thoughts. "If you were entirely committed to a single life in the Northern Territories, would you be so easily sidetracked by my presence?"

Jack curled a lock of her hair around his finger and smiled. "Rosie, your presence could sidetrack an army."

She laughed and moved closer. "I've missed you so much, Jack." She leaned up and very tenderly touched her lips to his. Almost against his will, Jack found himself encircling her with his arms, and as he fell into her kiss, he allowed himself to remember. For the first time in two years, he let himself feel how much she'd meant to him.

When he finally moved his lips to her cheek, they were both breathless. Jack held her tightly and whispered into her soft curls. "I've missed you too, Rosie."

She pulled away and smiled at him. "I think I'm going to like Cape Fullerton," she said, raising an eyebrow.

Jack laughed, shaking his head. "You're impossible, you know that?" He kissed her quickly again before beginning to walk her to her room. "And I think you'll like Cape Fullerton, too."

---

CHAPTER 35

Elizabeth had two reasons this morning to be standing outside the jail. Firstly, she had to admit she didn't mind watching Billy Baxter being loaded into the prisoner wagon in chains and handcuffs. Now that she knew his primary reason for coming to Coal Valley was to get a piece of the Thatcher fortune and possibly break her heart in the process, she could allow herself this little indulgence.

Elizabeth's second reason was that in a very short time she had come to appreciate her unlikely friendship with Rosemary LeVeaux, and she was feeling very sorry to see her go.

"Write every month, remember?" Rosemary said, pouting a little.

Elizabeth smiled. "You have to write to me first, to let me know where you are. Don't forget."

Rosemary leaned in and whispered, "I'm hoping my first letter will tell you that the engagement is back on. Jack told me last night that he still has his grandmother's ring with him in his quarters in Cape Fullerton."

Raising her eyebrows, Elizabeth said, "Well, that's a good sign, isn't it?"

Grinning, Rosemary nodded and said, "I always get my man."

Elizabeth laughed and took hold of her hands. "You have a history together, Rosemary, and you have so much in common. A man doesn't propose to a woman and get over it so easily." Elizabeth raised her eyebrow. "And from the way I've seen him look at you, you don't have anything to worry about."

Rosemary pulled away and tilted her head. "If that's any indication, you and Nathan should be headed down the same aisle, and very soon."

Laughing, Elizabeth said, "I have a feeling things move a little more slowly in Coal Valley than they do in Cape Fullerton. I love him very much, but there's no need to hurry beyond that."

Rosemary tutted and shook her head. "So sensible, Elizabeth. I need to see if I can get you to go a little wild..."

Elizabeth laughed. "This is why my mother warned me about women like you!" She hugged her again. "Oh, how can it be that I already miss you. I only met you yesterday! What if you hadn't come in search of Jack? We might never have even met."

Rosemary hugged her back tightly. "Destiny, Elizabeth. When two souls are meant to meet, the universe finds a way."

Over by the prisoner wagon, Nathan shook hands with Jack. "Hope the trip back is uneventful." He looked at Billy Baxter trussed up in the wagon. "Not quite the trip he was expecting. Thought he'd be riding in style to Hamilton with Elizabeth, and instead he's got lots of miles on a hard wooden floor in chains."

Jack saw Nathan's narrowed blue eyes and he smiled. "You're pretty sweet on her, aren't you?"

Looking over quickly, Nathan smiled and said, "Where'd that come from?"

Jack laughed. "The fact that you'd gladly tear Baxter limb from limb right now for trying to fool your girl?"

Nathan laughed and looked down at the dusty road. "Well, yes, there's that." He looked up at Jack and smiled. "I just wonder when she's going to figure out what a mess I am and give me the boot."

Jack slapped him on the shoulder. "No chance of that, friend. She happens to be just as sweet on you as you are on her." He nodded, "I'm happy for you. I hope our paths cross again, Nathan."

Looking up, Nathan said, "If Rosemary and Elizabeth have anything to say about it, you and I will be choking on neckties at the opera somewhere in Cape Fullerton before too long."

Jack smiled and shook his head. "Don't know why we men always manage to convince ourselves that we're in charge of this whole courting process. They call all the shots." He looked up at Nathan who wasn't really responding. Jack laughed, "Okay, well, maybe it's just Rosemary."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "So... is it back on? Or are you still sticking to 'they would have issued us one' ?"

Jack exhaled. "Yeah, I've loved Rosie for as long as I can remember. I'll probably dig that ring out again."

Nathan smiled, "And the Northern Territories?"

Nodding seriously, Jack said, "I'm going to put that on hold for now. But Rosemary understands that's where my heart is, with those men up there. I'll have to go sooner or later, no matter if we marry or not."

Nathan nodded. "It's a noble cause, Jack."

Jack looked up sharply and said, "So is Coal Valley, Nathan. I never thought I would feel this way, but you've got a wonderful community here. Growing, building. They may not have needed a Mountie four months ago, but they do now." He put his hand out to shake Nathan's. "And you're just the right man for the job."

Nathan shook his hand warmly, "Thank you, Jack. That means a lot."

Jack gave Nathan a quick salute and pulled himself up on Sergeant, moving out of the saddle and onto Sergeant's rump. He put his hand down for Rosemary and said, smiling, "Care to join me, Miss LeVeaux?"

Rosemary looked over at Nathan, who smiled and said to Jack, "May I?"

Jack laughed and nodded. Nathan took Rosemary around the waist and hoisted her into the saddle as if she weighed nothing. She giggled and Jack moved forward and put his arms around her.

"Be safe," Nathan said, as Elizabeth came up and put her arm around his waist.

"See you at the opera!" Jack said, turning back and laughing. He motioned to the guards to get the wagon moving.

Nathan and Elizabeth stood together and waved until they were all out of sight.

---

There was no such thing as leisure time these days in Coal Valley. Every able-bodied man and woman, and even the children in certain capacities, had some job to do. Whether it was finishing off the interiors of the miner's housing, helping to build the church, putting the final touches on Abigail's, or bringing books to the newly opened Library – the townspeople were busier than they had ever been.

And in that busyness, all working toward common goals, there was a veil of grief that had lifted from the town. Coal Valley was no longer defined by its sorrow for the past, but was instead defined by its hope in the future.

Elizabeth even saw it in the children in her classroom, and she knew exactly what it was.

"Hope is the thing with feathers," she said, reading it out as she wrote it on the blackboard. She'd meant to give this lesson weeks ago, but wanted to wait until she had enough copies of Dickinson's poems so that the children could check them out of the Library. She and Nathan had been quietly stocking it with books, not wanting to draw attention to themselves, though Ned Yost seemed to have an inkling of what was going on.

"Just ten of Emily Dickinson's poems were published while she was alive. Now millions have read them." She walked slowly down the middle aisle between the round tables. Soon they would be in her new schoolroom in the church, and Elizabeth could hardly contain her excitement.

"What do we think Dickinson meant by hope being a thing with feathers?" she asked.

Anna Hayford raised her hand, and Elizabeth nodded to her. "Because hope can fly?"

Elizabeth smiled. "Very good, Anna." Then she frowned a little, "But hope is a feeling, and feelings can't really fly, can they?"

Jacob's hand shot up, "No, it's a metaphor," he said.

"That's right, Jacob! So what does the metaphor of hope being like feathers signify?"

Elizabeth was glad to see Rachel's hand go up. Not only was Rachel very good at writing and conceiving stories, but she was one of the children who had lost her father seven months ago and had somehow managed to stay hopeful through a terrible tragedy. In a way, Rachel was Elizabeth's metaphor for Coal Valley.

"Yes, Rachel?"

"Well, if hope has feathers, then I think she meant that hope is like a bird. A free bird, one that lives inside our souls, right alongside God. That bird will sing, come rain or sunshine, good times or bad ones, if we let it. But we have to let it sing, no matter what."

Elizabeth stood still and smiled at Rachel. She pushed back the tears she felt coming into her eyes and said, "Very good, Rachel. Yes. I think that's exactly what Dickenson meant." Elizabeth took the walk up the aisle to the blackboard to compose herself, and then she turned.

"So metaphors can give us a picture in our mind that helps us to understand things that might not otherwise make sense..."

---

"Class dismissed!" Elizabeth said, ringing the bell on her desk. "Be sure you all bring coats tomorrow, the newspaper says possible snow."

And there he was. Standing in his red serge with his thumbs in his belt, smiling his crooked smile and making her heart jump the way it did every day.

Today, because of the lesson she'd just taught, Elizabeth's emotions were a little closer to the surface. That, coupled with the fact that by next week she would be teaching classes in the finished church, had her in a bit of a mood.

She walked toward Nathan and took his hand silently. "What?" he said, blending a smile and a confused frown as she led him up the middle aisle. Then his face turned to surprise when Elizabeth took him behind the blackboard.

Nathan had stolen a look at Allie on his way up the aisle, and he could see that she was, as usual, engrossed in her drawing. Now he turned to Elizabeth and felt his knees weaken slightly as he saw the look in her eyes.

"We won't be able to do this much longer..." she said, leaning up to touch her lips to his.

There was something about the combination of Elizabeth's natural elegance and grace, coupled with a passion in her that came out at times like this, that rocked Nathan back on his heels. Not only had he never felt this way about a woman, he'd never experienced this level of wanting before, a kind of need, like hunger.

Elizabeth had a fire in her, and she felt so good in his arms, but what amazed Nathan was that her innocence was always there, surrounding everything else. He clearly understood that this was as new to her as it was to him. That they were exploring these feelings together, which made it even better.

They both realized where they were at the same time, and each pulled back. Nathan sighed against her cheek, and he could hear Elizabeth's breath slowing. "I don't know what brought that on," Nathan said, quietly, "But let me know where to send the thank you note."

Elizabeth laughed softly, "Rachel Stoneman." She looked up at him and combed her fingers through the curl that had fallen down onto his forehead. "I'll explain later," she said, looking around him to be sure Allie was still drawing. She was, and hadn't looked up. Elizabeth smiled at Nathan. "We should be very grateful for her love of art, you know."

Nathan laughed and hugged Elizabeth tightly. "I'm going to lobby the church committee for a large blackboard on wheels instead of the one they're putting on the wall..."

Elizabeth listened to his laugh as it vibrated through his chest, and she felt the gentle scratch of the red serge on her cheek as she laughed with him. She couldn't honestly remember being happier.

"I love you, Nathan," she said softly.

Nathan pulled away because he wanted to see her eyes. "Say it again, please," he said, almost in a whisper.

Elizabeth smiled and looked directly into his very soft, very blue eyes.

"I love you."

Nathan took a deep breath. "Sometimes I can't believe it. What on earth did I ever do to deserve you?"

Elizabeth kissed him on the cheek. "What's wonderful is that I feel exactly the same way." She sighed and took his hand, leading him out from behind the blackboard.

Nathan kissed her hand and then let go of it, walking over to Allie. "What are we drawing today?" He said, sitting down to see if this one would make it into the picture frames he had scattered around the house for her best artwork.

"Feathers," Allie said, not looking up. "Miss Thatcher talked about feathers."

Nathan looked up quickly and Elizabeth smiled. Even when she thought lessons would go over Allie's head, she was pleased that she seemed to retain some part of everything Elizabeth taught.

"Hope is the thing with feathers," Elizabeth said, her eyes soft on Nathan's. She was remembering when he had asked her to choose books from his bookshelf in the office without looking. Dickenson's poems had been the first book she'd chosen. Now she had a real Library and could choose from so many books.

Elizabeth frowned, seeing the stunned look on Nathan's face. "What is it, Nathan?"

He raised his eyebrows and stood up. "C'mon, Allie, we're going to give Miss Thatcher her surprise." Allie grinned up at him and smiled. "Feathers," she said, nodding.

Nathan took Elizabeth's hand and she looked back at her desk. "It's okay," he said, smiling. "We'll come right back."

He took her around the corner and down two doors to the Library. He stood behind Elizabeth and said, "Open the door."

When she did, her eyes were drawn immediately to the wall in front of her. Centered there was an exquisitely crafted wooden plaque. On it was carved:

Hope is the thing with feathers... Emily Dickenson

---

CHAPTER 36

December 4th, 1910

Inspector William Avery

Mountie Headquarters

Edmonton Alberta

Dear Inspector Avery,

You won't recognize my name, as I never had the pleasure of attending one of your Forensics Investigation classes while training in Edmonton. But I've recently spoken with some of my fellow recruits and they have nothing but good things to say about your methodology, your thoroughness, and to a man, your sense of humor. That last quality may not seem to be a requirement for the job, but I could argue the point. They also say that you have a history of fighting for the underdog. And that you're a Yankees fan, but more on that later.

I'm certain your schedule is pretty full, but I wanted to make a personal appeal on behalf of a small town in southern Alberta called Coal Valley. The town has been dominated by one Henry Gowen, who is the man who runs the Pacific Northwest Mining Company and employs more than three-quarters of the men in town. Until the moment I set foot here, he'd conducted business in Coal Valley as if the town belonged only to him, and in essence, it did.

There was an explosion in the mine seven months ago that killed forty-seven men. Though I never had the honor of meeting any of them, I look into the eyes of their wives and children daily. The grief there can fairly knock you over some days.

Mr. Gowen doesn't strike me as the type of man who is overly concerned with how these fine men died. He seems much more worried about how to continue to squeeze a dime's worth of hard work out of those who are left. The only investigators who have gone into that deadly shaft were bought and paid for by Gowen or the Mining Company, and I would be very surprised if negligence, or possibly even foul play, wasn't involved in the explosion.

I was pleased to discover that you had recently been promoted to Inspector, and I wonder if that serves to ease up your schedule or make it worse? In any case, I would like to humbly request your assistance. This little town needs your help, and so do I.

In the interests of full disclosure, and I hope I'm not shooting myself in the foot here, I am a long-time Detroit Tigers fan. As part of our agreement, I would promise not to bring up the game of August 7th when the Tigers just squeaked by on top. If it helps, I will admit that it seemed to be a bad call at home plate there at the end, and your boys probably should have won.

Thank you for your consideration. I realize it's fairly unorthodox to make this appeal personally rather than going through channels, but desperate times call for desperate measures. These are such good people. They need good people on their side.

Respectfully,

Constable Nathan Grant

Coal Valley

Alberta

---

Abigail stood back from the curtains to make a final check on whether the tie-backs were even on both sides. She knew that wouldn't have any bearing on the quality of the food, but she just wanted everything to be as perfect as possible.

She had absolutely no idea what she should expect on her first day of serving food at Abigail's Café. Many people in town had already tasted her cooking, some had been inside the Café helping with repairs and painting, and quite a few had stopped by in the last few weeks to see how things were going. But as far as paying customers were concerned, Abigail knew that the possibility existed that she and Katie Yost would sit all day with plenty of food and no customers at all.

The bell rang over the door and Abigail turned sharply. Nathan walked in holding Allie, and Elizabeth was right behind him. She smiled at them. "My first customers," she said, looking back into the kitchen to find Katie standing at attention with the coffee pot.

Nathan took off his hat and smiled back at her. "But not the last. There's a line starting outside the door. We thought we'd just crash in here early to be sure to get a good seat."

Abigail went to the window and pulled back a corner of the curtain. "Oh, my," she said, "There are people out there." She looked up at the clock on the wall and saw that there were still five minutes before her scheduled opening time of eight o'clock. "What should I do?"

Elizabeth laughed. "Well, to start, you might get another pot of coffee brewing."

It continued throughout the day, and no one was more surprised than Abigail. By ten in the morning, she was completely out of blueberry scones, and the ones she put in the oven to replace them seemed to bring even more people through the door.

There was a venting system in the café that took all the lovely aromas of Abigail's baking and sent them wafting down the main street of town. Even those who had just finished a perfectly good breakfast at home found themselves following their noses to Abigail's. Then at lunchtime it was the freshly-baked bread and the beef barley soup that brought them in. And at suppertime, the warm, savory smells of shepherd's pie made people reconsider the cold chicken and hard biscuits waiting at home.

By eight o'clock in the evening, Abigail had cycled three times through every cup, saucer, plate and piece of silver she owned, and she'd pulled Sally Weaver and her sister Martha in to wash dishes in exchange for supper to take home to their large family.

By nine o'clock, she was sitting with Nathan, Elizabeth and Allie with the door securely locked against any from the saloon who might think a late-night snack was just the thing they needed.

Abigail laughed, exhausted. "What was I thinking?" she said, leaning back with a cup of tea in her hands. "Not only am I dead on my feet, but now I need to get started on the food for tomorrow. I've already doubled my order with Ned, and can only hope the supply wagon isn't late in the morning. Do you think it will be like this every day?"

Elizabeth smiled. "There may have been a few extras today who simply wanted to find out what all the fuss was about, but yes, I think you should assume the best." Elizabeth helped Allie with her cherry cobbler and then took a bite of it herself. "I'm only glad we're having school in the church now, because it would have been a challenge to get the children to concentrate after recess with the smell of your ginger cookies filling the street."

"Katie was selling them out the back door at lunchtime! I'll need to have twice as many on hand if that keeps up." She sighed and sat forward, smiling at her friends. "How can I ever thank you?" she said softly.

Frowning, Elizabeth said, "Thank us? For what?"

"Encouragement, faith, painting..." then looking at Nathan, she said, "... fixing the leaky roof..."

Nathan smiled and looked over at Allie, who was now wearing nearly as much cherry cobbler as she was managing to fit in her mouth. "And how many times have you watched Allie when I needed help…?"

Elizabeth took her hand across the table. "And Abigail, you took me in when I was so scared and lost. You gave me a home. I'll never be able to repay you for that."

Abigail smiled back at the three of them. "I suppose we help each other," she said. She took a deep breath. "I don't think you two know how you've transformed this town." She raised her eyebrows and lifted her teacup. "I'm thinking we should change the name from Coal Valley to Hope Valley. Even Henry Gowen came in for lunch today. I couldn't find him a table, which sent him scowling out the door saying he'd have better luck at the saloon."

Nathan lifted a spoon from the table and rolled it over in his hands. "Abigail, I want to be sure you're ready for whatever Henry Gowen throws at you once this investigation starts." He looked up at her. "He'll be desperate to blame anyone but himself, and that might include Noah. Are you prepared for that?"

Abigail sat up a little straighter. "Yes. And I trust the people of this town to remember who Noah was. I know he was the supervisor, but everyone remembers that Gowen would dock anyone who balked at setting foot in that mine, no matter what the dangers were. The men had been telling him for nearly a year that it was very difficult to breathe in the deepest shafts. Noah and Peter would come home light-headed more often than not, and they always used to say the smell in there was foul."

Nathan nodded. "I'm hoping that Inspector Avery will agree to come down here and investigate, and I have an idea for what we should do once he does. This town knows how to pull together. We've learned that." Nathan focused his gaze on Abigail. "We know Gowen can make pretty speeches, and Coal Valley has been under his thumb for so long, it's hard for the people here to imagine fighting back. But if we use our time after church, which we know Henry never attends, to have community meetings, I think we can anticipate his reaction to an investigation of the mine."

Abigail spoke slowly. "And what about his henchmen? Those terrible Pinkertons he sends to stand in the back of the church?"

Nathan nodded, "Yes, I know. And we'll never close the doors of that church to anyone in the community, but since Gowen lost Spurlock, Mayfield seems to have fewer teeth. And the new man, McBride, feels to me to be more Pinkerton than henchman. He's older and I've actually had some good conversations about the Agency and the work he's done in the past."

Abigail frowned, "You think they can be swayed?" she said, skeptical.

Nathan smiled. "Well, we all know there are colors to the way we tell stories, and Spurlock just liked a fight wherever he could find it. I don't think these two will be as quick to start squabbles. Just my intuition."

Elizabeth took his hand on the table. "Which is excellent."

Nathan smiled at her and kissed her hand. "Thank you," he said softly.

Abigail looked over the rim of her teacup at them and smiled. It didn't seem that long ago that she and Noah were looking at each other that way. She loved being with Nathan and Elizabeth. The joy they felt in each other's company was palpable, and it filled her with hopeful energy.

Taking a deep breath, Abigail put down her cup and pushed back from the table. "I haven't been this tired in as long as I can remember, and the day will start early."

Elizabeth smiled up at her. "I'll be up in just a bit. We're halfway through the A's in the encyclopedia and I have my lesson plan for tomorrow, so I'll get up early with you to help with the baking."

Abigail smiled. "Would you? I'd be so grateful, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth nodded. "I can't sleep through the smell of your scones anyway. I might as well get up and help," she said, laughing.

Abigail walked around the table and leaned down to give Allie a kiss on the cheek, getting a little taste of cherry cobbler in the bargain. "Mmm, your cheek is very yummy..." she said, making Allie laugh. "How about we get a cloth with some of the warm water from the pot and clean you up?" She raised an eyebrow at Nathan and Elizabeth, "Which will give your uncle and Miss Thatcher a chance to say goodnight..."

Nathan looked at her with a crooked smile from under his brows. "Thank you, Abigail..."

She took Allie by the hand and helped her down from the chair. On the way behind Nathan she reached down and gave him a light hug. "I'm so very glad you chose Coal Valley, Nathan."

He looked up at her as she started through the curtain to the kitchen. "So am I, Abigail."

When they disappeared behind the curtain, Nathan took Elizabeth's hand and stood, pulling her up to him. He put his arms around her and they simply stood together as they loved to do, in silence, listening to each other's hearts.

Elizabeth murmured softly into his cotton shirt. "We fit together very well..."

Nathan sighed into the silkiness of her hair. "In every way possible..."

She leaned back and looked up into his eyes. The lighting in the Café was soft, with a golden tinge that reflected off of the natural tan Nathan always seemed to have from spending so much time outdoors. "We're going to have a fight on our hands with Gowen, aren't we?"

Nathan smiled and touched a curl at her forehead with his finger gently. "Do you know one of the things I love about you? You don't say that Abigail is going to have a fight on her hands... it's our fight."

She smiled softly. "If there's one thing the people in this town have taught me, it's that doing things together is always easier than trying to do them alone." She hooked her thumb absentmindedly through his suspender. "Do you know, I was thinking the other day, I have no idea who our neighbors were in Hamilton? But you know who did know the people who lived closest to us? The servants. They knew the servants on the other estates. And I've realized that they understood so much better than we did about community."

"Do you ever miss Hamilton?" Nathan said.

"I miss my parents, and I miss Julie with a passion, but no, I don't miss that life at all." She laughed suddenly. "I take that back, indoor plumbing would be nice."

"So you never think about going back?" Nathan asked.

"Oh, heavens, no," Elizabeth said quickly. "This is my life now. This town is my life." She looked up at him and ran her fingers across his lips tenderly. "You are my life, Nathan."

He bent to kiss her and held there for a long moment. She knew him so well now that she could feel the emotion welling up in him, and it spurred on the feelings that were already so close to the surface in her.

It was impossible to describe this adequately, and she'd tried so many times in her journal. The feeling that she would do anything to give Nathan even an ounce of comfort. The gratitude she felt that in this immense world they had found each other. The knowledge that though she might not know the size and shape of the hole that would be left in her life if she'd never met him, she would still feel it, an unexplained emptiness somewhere just below her heart.

She curled her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and felt him shiver slightly at her touch as his kiss deepened. They might have stood there all night, Elizabeth thought, if Abigail hadn't spoken softly to Allie from behind the curtain, warning them that they would soon not be alone.

By the time Abigail parted the curtain with Allie in her arms, Allie's eyes were closing on her shoulder. "I think this one needs to get to bed," she said, handing her gently over to Nathan. Abigail yawned, "And so do I..."

"Goodnight, Nathan," Abigail said sleepily, going through the curtain.

"I'll be up in a minute," Elizabeth said. She put her arm through Nathan's and walked him to the door of the café, pulling the bolt back.

He put his arm around her and she snuggled up against Allie's impossibly soft face.

"She loves you, you know?" Nathan whispered.

Elizabeth looked up at him. "And I love her," she said, brushing her lips across Allie's cheek.

---

Bill Avery sat back in the saddle, preparing himself for a long ride. Normally he would take the train down to Coal Valley, but he'd decided that he might be there for a while, so he wanted his horse with him.

Avery had been impressed with Nathan Grant's letter. Not just the mystery of the mine, because mysteries always drew Bill in, but also Grant's love of the town and his passion for the grieving of its people. And of course, the baseball talk hadn't hurt. It had been a long time since Bill had a decent discussion about baseball, and if Grant knew about that squeaker of a game between the Tigers and the Yankees, he must be a real fan.

But there was another reason Bill Avery was making the long trip down to Coal Valley.

Henry Gowen. A name he hadn't heard in a long while, and never expected to hear again. No surprise that Gowen was now running roughshod over a tiny town. That was always Henry's way. Find a small town, or a small company, or small people - and step on them.

It really was time someone put a foot on Henry Gowen's throat.

---

CHAPTER 37

Friday afternoon lessons were always difficult, especially when the snow was falling outside and the children were anxious to get out and have snowball fights and make snow angels and snowmen.

Elizabeth decided she needed to get the children up and moving, so she had them move all the desks to the church walls and sit down in the middle. The idea of community was very firmly in her mind, thinking about what was to come with Inspector Avery's hoped-for arrival tomorrow. The community would need to pull together to fight Henry Gowen, and she wanted to give the children an idea of what that might mean.

Without giving an introduction, Elizabeth pointed to students and said, "Rachel, you have carrots. Jacob, you have potatoes. Anna, you have turnips..." And she went around the room, giving each child a vegetable or a type of meat, and then finally, she said to Albert, "You are the boy with a cooking pot."

She put Albert in the middle of the room and began.

"There was a poor boy who had no food to eat, but he had a cooking pot. And he had an idea. He filled the pot with water from the stream and then he built a fire under it. He found a large rock and put it in the pot and used a stick to stir the water as it boiled."

While Elizabeth spoke, the children giggled as Albert mimed everything she was saying.

"The boy sat in the middle of the town square, stirring the water in the pot with the rock, and Rachel..." Elizabeth said, pointing to her, "...walked by, and said, 'what are you doing with that pot?'"

Rachel got up, smiling, and stood by Albert. Elizabeth continued, "The boy said, 'I'm making stone soup.'" The children laughed.

"Stone soup?" Elizabeth said, with dramatic surprise in her voice, "That doesn't sound very good." She pointed to Rachel and said, "What do you have, Rachel?"

"I have carrots!" Rachel said, understanding.

Elizabeth laughed and nodded. "So Rachel went home and got her carrots and put them in the boiling water."

All of the children were nodding now, and it didn't take long for them to get to the point where all Elizabeth had to do was point to them and they would get up and say, "Stone soup? That doesn't sound very good!" and then they would run off and come back to mime putting barley, or turnips, or onions, or potatoes into the pot.

Of course, when they were all finished, the soup was delicious and they all shared it.

As they sat in a circle on the floor afterwards, Elizabeth said, "What do you think this story means, children?"

Many hands went up, and Elizabeth pointed to Miles. "That we're better together?"

"Yes! Exactly, Miles. We're better together." Then she called on Hattie.

"That we each have special things, and they might be good on their own, but when we put them together, we make a really good soup." The children laughed and Elizabeth nodded.

"And what is the soup?" Elizabeth asked. "Rachel?"

Rachel paused for a moment, and Elizabeth waited. "It's this church, Miss Thatcher. And the new houses for the miners. And the Library."

Elizabeth nodded, feeling the familiar tightness in her chest at the resiliency and deep wells of love she saw daily in these children.

"Yes, Rachel. That's what the soup is. It's all of us coming together to make something that we couldn't make all on our own. It's our feeling of fellowship. The idea that perhaps someone is good at painting, and another is good at nailing boards together, and another one can make curtains..."

Elizabeth was surprised to see Allie's hand go up. She was always a listener, but she hadn't felt comfortable raising her hand yet.

Raising her eyebrows and smiling, Elizabeth said, "Allie?"

"That story makes me hungry," Allie said.

The rest of the students laughed, saying "Me, too!" and "I want some stone soup!"

Elizabeth laughed too, and looked at the clock on the wall. Five minutes early wouldn't hurt.

"Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Class dismissed!"

---

Saturday dawned crisp and cold, with the brilliant blue sky that can come after a heavy snow. The blanket of white sparkled across Coal Valley's streets, and it was so thick that even the wagons were quiet until Mike Hickam was able to pull the plow across the main road.

Elizabeth sat bundled up with Allie out behind Abigail's, watching as Nathan brought the axe down squarely in the middle of the piece of wood on the block.

She and Allie had made a snowman about Allie's size, and Elizabeth had just donated one of her scarves and a wool beret to the cause. Abigail had brought out a carrot and some raisins for eyes and a mouth, and Elizabeth and Allie were sitting on the back stoop admiring their handiwork while Nathan filled the Café's stores of wood for the stoves. Allie was introducing her dolls to the snowman, and again, Elizabeth marveled at the creativity and humor that danced around in the little girl's head.

Elizabeth looked up and watched Nathan for a moment and then said, "This isn't the first time I've watched you do this, you know?"

Nathan secured the axe in the block and leaned on it, catching his breath. It curled out in clouds around his face and his cheeks had a tinge of red that made Elizabeth smile. Nathan tilted his head, looking at her.

"Is that right?" he said, smiling his crooked smile. "And when was that?'

"Do you remember when I first arrived and you chopped the wood for the teacherage? I was watching you from the upstairs window." Elizabeth knew her cheeks were already red, so she didn't have to worry about the blush that overtook them.

Nathan laughed and nodded, saying under his breath, "Didn't know you were going to make such a large fire with that wood..."

Elizabeth reached down and got a handful of snow. She narrowed her eyes as Nathan put out his arms, laughing, to make a bigger target for her. Instead of throwing it, she walked calmly over to him and acted like she was going to kiss him, and then put the whole handful down the back of his jacket.

Laughing, Nathan bent over and billowed his jacket out. "Not fair! I thought I was going to get a kiss!"

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "You still might..."

Nathan took hold of the lapels of her coat and pulled her toward him. Their noses and lips were cold, but only for a moment, as the warmth of their kiss rapidly began to thaw them. Elizabeth put her arms around Nathan's neck and they held each other as tightly as their heavy coats would allow, eyes closed and unaware that their breath was mingling together in white puffs in the air around them.

"Mmmm," Nathan said, "You should come out and watch me chop wood more often..."

A man's voice came from the edge of the fencing and both Elizabeth and Nathan turned as the man drawled, "Don't know what it is about a man chopping wood that women find so fascinating..."

Not many strangers came into Coal Valley, and certainly not many like this one, with his bowler hat, smooth voice and easy smile.

Nathan turned first to make sure Allie was okay, and he could see that she was still playing happily on the stoop. Then Nathan moved Elizabeth gently around behind him, while putting his other hand on the axe handle. It was all instinctive, to immediately find a defensive position in the face of a stranger.

"Can I help you?" Nathan said cautiously.

"Mrs. Stanton said I could find you out here. And I believe I'm here to help you, Constable." The man now raised an eyebrow to go with the jaunty smile. Finally, he put out his hand. "Bill Avery, Forensics Investigator. I assume you're Constable Nathan Grant?"

Nathan released a held breath and smiled back. "Inspector Avery. So glad you got here safely. When that snow started falling yesterday, I was a little worried you might be delayed." He moved forward to shake Bill's hand, still holding Elizabeth's tightly in his other one.

Nodding, Bill said "It was touch and go there for a while, but I moved out ahead of it. And call me Bill, because I expect to call you Nathan." He shook Nathan's hand firmly, and then looked at Elizabeth with a warm smile.

Elizabeth put out her hand and said, "Elizabeth Thatcher. I'm the schoolteacher in Coal Valley."

Bill shook her hand and said, "I'm very glad to meet you, Elizabeth. And I wouldn't need to be an investigator to surmise that you two are..." He looked back and forth between them with an amused smile.

"Courting," they both said in perfect unison.

Bill laughed softly. "The Mountie and the Schoolteacher," he said, raising an eyebrow. "Sounds like a good story." He inhaled deeply. "I don't suppose we could take this inside? I'm half frozen."

Both Nathan and Elizabeth reacted immediately. "Of course," Nathan said, while Elizabeth began recommending Abigail's hot chocolate. She went to Allie and picked her up along with her doll and they all headed into the warmth of Abigail's sitting room.

At the door, Nathan stopped and said, "Thank you, Bill. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you coming."

Bill smiled. "We'll see how you feel once I've been here for a while. I've been told I can be quite a piece of work."

Nathan laughed. "Yeah, I heard that about you too."

"They might not be mistaken," Bill said, smiling. "Oh, and you were right in your letter. That ump was blind when he called Cobb safe at home."

Nathan laughed and put out his arm for Bill to enter the Café. "I don't know, Bill, I think Mitchell's foot might have slipped off the base a little…"

---

After a cup of strong coffee laced with hot chocolate and one of Abigail's scones, Bill thought he might live. He'd been colder than he could remember for the last twenty miles, and from the small part of Coal Valley he'd seen so far, Nathan hadn't oversold it. Not only was the food and drink delicious, but the woman serving it was gracious, beautiful and kind. The investigator in Bill took him to Abigail's eyes, and though he saw a trace of sadness there, he also saw excitement and hope about her new business. But most of all, Bill saw a deep friendship among these four people: Nathan, Elizabeth, Abigail and Allie.

It got Bill to thinking, as he listened to them talk and sipped his coffee, that families come in all shapes and sizes. These good people had all found their way to this little town in Alberta in various ways, but they were family now. And for the first time in a long time, Bill found himself feeling a tinge of longing. As he watched Nathan with Allie, he was remembering Martin, and wishing... something.

Enough of that, Bill thought. There's work to be done.

Bill met Cat Montgomery with her three children as they came to pick up Allie to play for the day, and then, as people came into the café to grab lunch or a cup of coffee, he began to get a feel for the town. Nathan's letter had captured it well, including the grief that was so evident that it was almost another resident of Coal Valley. There was joy, and hope, and humor, certainly, but there was something unresolved here. And as he sat and took it all in, Bill Avery decided he wanted to help to resolve it. Apart from his feelings about putting Henry Gowen in his place, Bill began to care just a little about Coal Valley.

Elizabeth was helping Abigail with the Saturday lunch rush while Bill and Nathan talked.

"So what's the plan?" Nathan asked, making short work of a sandwich, a bowl of soup and a piece of apple pie that would have Bill heading somewhere for a quick nap.

"I need to get into that mine," Bill said. "And I don't imagine Mr. Gowen is going to be too open to that idea." Bill had his reasons for keeping it to himself that he already knew Henry Gowen. He'd learned over the years that sharing too much was an indulgence that could often do more harm than good.

Nathan nodded, taking another bite of pie. "The shaft in question is locked up tight, according to the men who go into the mine every day. Padlocks, chains... a heavy wooden door. There must be something in there that Gowen wants very much to keep hidden."

Bill raised an eyebrow and smiled. "So, I don't suppose asking nicely will do the trick." He looked at Nathan, who snorted and shook his head.

"Not likely."

"Well, Constable," Bill said, finishing off his coffee. "You fancy a little midnight fact-finding?"

Nathan smiled and nodded enthusiastically. He happened to like the cloak-and-dagger work of being a Mountie.

"Security?" Bill asked.

"Gowen has two Pinkertons that are pretty much joined at his hips. We sent his last one off in a wagon a month or so ago for arson, kidnaping a child and threatened assault... on Elizabeth," Nathan said, his voice lowering ominously at the last part of the sentence.

Not much has changed with Gowen, obviously, Bill thought. He watched as Elizabeth poured coffee and laughed with the customers in the café, then he looked back at Nathan.

"How's your temper, Nathan?" he asked softly.

Nathan took a deep breath and looked back at him. "I've got one, especially when it has to do with the people I love, but I know how to keep it under control when I have to."

"Good man," Bill said, convinced. The last thing he needed was a Mountie with a vendetta against Gowen. Actually, he thought, smiling to himself, two Mounties with vendettas.

"How far does your authority carry in a case like this, Bill? We just walk into the mine at midnight and break and enter?"

Bill reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "It's not breaking and entering when you have a warrant," he said smiling.

Nathan laughed softly and shook his head, finishing off the very last of his pie. "Oh, Henry Gowen is not going to be happy to see you."

You have no idea, Bill thought.

---

CHAPTER 38

Elizabeth tucked the quilt up around Allie's neck, though the woodstoves in the main dining room and the sitting room kept the downstairs of Abigail's nice and warm. Not to mention the fact that the oven and stove in the kitchen were going now during almost every waking hour to keep up with the demand of baking and cooking for a town that had very clearly needed a café.

Allie had fallen asleep on Elizabeth's lap while she and Nathan talked. She would be spending the night with Abigail and Elizabeth since Nathan was meeting Bill here at a little after eleven to go to the mine. Elizabeth had decided to stay up with him, so now they sat on the sofa in the dim light of a single candle and the glow of the embers in the woodstove.

"Should I be worried?" Elizabeth said softly, curled up under his chin with her arms around him.

"No," Nathan said, kissing the top of her head. "Gowen's not guarding the mine, and anyway, we have a warrant."

"And that shaft is stable?" Elizabeth asked. She would never forget the long hours she'd spent with Rosaleen in that dark mine.

Nathan exhaled softly. "Since it's been locked up for a good six months, we don't really know." He squeezed her gently. "Don't worry, Elizabeth. We'll be fine."

Nathan pulled away so he could look into her eyes. She gazed up at him and he kissed her, feeling the warmth of her face where she had been pressed against his chest. "Though I must admit it's nice to have you worry about me. No one's done that for a while."

Elizabeth murmured softly against his cheek. "We worry about the people we love."

Nathan pulled away and looked at her for a long moment. Then he smoothed her hair back from her face and said, "Are you happy here?"

Sitting up, but being careful not to wake Allie, Elizabeth said, frowning a little, "In Coal Valley?"

Nathan tilted his head slightly. "No, here at Abigail's."

Elizabeth laughed softly. "Aside from the fact that I'm going to eat my way out of all my corsets, yes. I love Abigail. She's my dearest friend," she touched his cheek, "Apart from you, of course..."

Nathan smiled. Elizabeth knew this look well by now. Nathan had something to say and it was important, but he was unsure how to phrase it. Sometimes he just needed time to figure it out, and sometimes it helped if she asked questions.

"What is it?" she said, searching his eyes in the dim light.

Nathan raised his eyebrows and smiled at her. "I'm thinking I want to build a house in the spring. Out on the meadow, near the trees. With a view of the pond and the church. With a small barn for Newton... and... Sarah."

Elizabeth felt her heart expand and she smiled. Leave it to Nathan to move from courtship to what sounded like more by asking her horse before he asked her. She decided that this was too important a discussion for her to make it too easy for him.

"Well, that would certainly save me some money, being able to board Sarah with you at your new house. But it would be further for me to go when I wanted to ride her..."

Nathan laughed softly. "Elizabeth." He smiled at her. "You know what I'm talking about."

She smiled back at him, her heart starting to race a little. "Yes, but I want to hear you say it."

He took a deep breath while she waited. "I can't imagine being in that house without you," he said softly. "I love you more every day, and I just don't see that changing anytime soon. It just seems that when it's right, you know it, and so I thought we..."

Elizabeth gasped softly as she saw Nathan pull something from his pocket. It was a small square of black velvet and as he folded the corners back, Elizabeth could see the sparkle of diamonds flickering in the light of the candle. She gazed at his hand, holding a ring, and her breath started to come faster.

"This was my great-grandmother's ring. It was also my mother's but she hasn't worn it in years and she wanted me to have it. Just in case." Nathan searched Elizabeth's eyes, and what he saw there gave him the courage to slip off of the sofa and on to one knee. He wasn't sure that this was the right place, or whether asking Elizabeth to marry him while she held Allie asleep on her lap was standard procedure, but she had said that saying I love you in a wagon by the side of the road was romantic, so...

"Lizbeth..." Nathan smiled as he saw Elizabeth's eyes begin to glisten in the candlelight. "I want to live in that house on the meadow with you and Allie. I want us to be a family. I want to wake up to you every morning and fall asleep with you in my arms at night..." He was getting ahead of himself, but now that he'd started, he couldn't seem to stop. All the dreams that had been forming in his head and his heart over the last five months began to spill out. "I want us to have a porch swing where we can watch the sunset, and I want to fill that house with children. Our children..." He finally stopped, thinking he was making a mess of this. "I'm not doing this very well..."

"Oh, yes, you are." Elizabeth moved Allie gently over to the side and she didn't even stir. She leaned forward and took Nathan's hands, smiling, as her eyes filled and she laughed softly. "You're almost there..."

Nathan laughed too, and took another deep breath. "Elizabeth Marie Thatcher. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. Will you marry me?"

Elizabeth took both of his hands and brought them up to her lips. "Yes," she said, a little breathlessly, and the tears spilled over. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Nathan took the ring out of the velvet and slipped it on her finger. It was a little too large, but she clasped it tightly, turning it from side to side in the flickering light. It had four small diamonds set in a square, and although Elizabeth had grown up surrounded by elaborate and exquisite jewelry, she had never seen anything more beautiful.

Nathan stood and pulled her up with him, holding her tightly. "I can't believe this is really happening," he whispered into the softness of her hair.

"I know," Elizabeth said, her tears staining the plaid of his shirt. "But it is..."

A voice came from the doorway and they both turned.

"I don't mean to make it a habit to keep interrupting you two, but you're not making it easy..." Bill said, laughing.

---

Did they think he was stupid?

Henry Gowen sat in his living room with his stockinged feet up on the table, sipping a whiskey and watching the fire. He'd owned Coal Valley for a long time, and now a rookie Mountie thinks he can bring his version of the law to the town and erase everything Henry had worked for all these years?

Today had been a surprise, he had to admit. But they must know that Henry was aware that Bill Avery had ridden into town. Having Silas in his pocket had proved to be very helpful. From his window at the Office of the Mayor, Silas could see everyone who came in and out of Coal Valley, and since Mayor Ramsey did virtually nothing that Henry Gowen didn't ask him to do, Henry had known within minutes.

Taking another long draw on his whiskey, Henry narrowed his eyes at the fire. It had to be about the mine, and Avery probably intended on getting into that shaft somehow. He would have to post guards now, which meant more money going out the door.

But Henry wasn't going to worry about that tonight. It was too cold for even Avery to venture out, so Henry decided to handle it first thing in the morning. The shaft could remain unguarded for one more night.

Truth was, right now Henry was feeling underappreciated. He'd kept this town afloat through a disaster that would have sent other business owners off to find their fortunes elsewhere. Instead, he had stayed. He didn't know why, and in a way, Henry considered it a weakness that he cared at all about these people. But he had developed... not feelings, as such... but a sliver of respect for the way they got back up every time they got knocked down. It reminded him of when he was young.

Seven months. He shook his head, gritting his teeth. You'd think if something happened seven months ago, folks would be willing to let it go. But not Abigail Stanton.

Henry heard from Silas that right after the livery, Bill had gone to the Café, and since Elizabeth and Nathan were practically fixtures on the walls there, of course he was talking to them too. So Abigail, Nathan, Elizabeth and Bill Avery were joining forces against him.

Fine. Let them try.

---

Bill jumped down from his horse as Nathan did the same. They tethered them outside the entrance to the mineshaft and both unhooked their lanterns and lit them.

Nathan found himself feeling very grateful that it had been a much warmer season when Elizabeth had been trapped in the mine. It would have been so much more dangerous in there for all those hours at this time of year.

"You know, I didn't think I could be colder than I was on my horse coming into town, but I was wrong," Bill said, finding his fingers going numb even through his heavy gloves.

Nathan shivered. "Yep. It's pretty cold."

Bill laughed and looked over at him. "You're a bit of a master of the understatement, Nathan. I get the feeling you're not much of a talker."

Nathan smiled, "You're not the first to say that. I talk when there's something to say, but I guess I'm just not very good at small talk."

"Well, you must have said something right to Elizabeth. That girl looks at you like the sun rises and sets in you." He looked over at Nathan in the meager light from the lanterns. "And I noticed she was wearing something new on her finger when I came to get you at Abigail's," Bill said, turning before they entered the mine. "Congratulations."

Nathan raised his eyebrows and laughed softly. "Pretty observant of you, Bill."

"C'mon, that's chapter one of forensics investigation. It's always important to know relationships between people so you know who's motivated to do what. And the ring was a little too big, so probably your grandmother's?"

Nodding, Nathan said, "Great-grandmother." Looking ahead, Nathan added, "And my mother's."

Bill frowned in the half-light. "And if your mother isn't still wearing it, you've lost your father, in which case, I'm sorry."

Nathan stopped walking and looked over at Bill. "Just who's being investigated here?" he said, a little defensively.

Raising his eyebrows and smiling, Bill heard the nerve he'd just touched and thought there was a lot more to that story. But he said, softly, "Just making conversation, Nathan."

Nathan paused to collect himself and then he smiled his crooked smile. "I get the feeling you don't ever just make conversation, Bill."

Bill laughed. "Excellent observation." He slapped Nathan on the back. "I like you, Grant. I liked your letter, and I like you. And I'm not that fond of many people." He turned back toward the entrance to the mine. "So, you ready to do this?"

"Lead on, Macduff," Nathan said, raising his lantern.

"Ah!" Bill said, pleasantly surprised. "Macbeth! So you're a reader, too. You do know that's a misquote, even though it's a common one... it's actually..."

"Lay on, Macduff, yes." Nathan laughed. Their voices were starting to echo in the silence of the mine shaft, and both realized that their conversation was an effort to belay the natural fear that came up in anyone walking into a freezing, pitch-black, possibly unstable mine shaft at a little after midnight. Even if they happened to be Mounties who were supposed to be fearless.

"Elizabeth was trapped in this mine a few months ago. She came in after a student. An eight-year-old girl who lost her father in here. The shaft they were in collapsed and we had to dig her out. After nearly eight hours." Nathan was speaking softly, almost reverently, and Bill heard the emotion there.

"So Elizabeth is brave as well," Bill said, looking over at Nathan in the shadowy glow of the lanterns.

"She's the bravest woman I know," Nathan said.

Bill nodded and then after a moment he said, "Not unlike her friend Abigail."

Nathan looked over at Bill. He heard not only admiration, but interest in the older man's voice, and although he already liked Bill Avery very much, Nathan found himself feeling wary. "She's been through a lot, Bill."

Bill heard it all very clearly. The respect, appreciation, and most of all, the protective tone. Smiling, he said, "You're a good friend to her. You probably should be cautious of a man like me."

Nathan frowned, a little perplexed. "Not cautious, so much as wondering how long you'll be around. I don't get the feeling you put down roots too easily."

Bill laughed, nodding. "You're not a bad observer yourself. No, not usually my style. I tend to cut and run." He looked over at Nathan. "But you were right about this town." He shook his head, peering into the deep darkness ahead of them. "I can't figure it out, but Coal Valley does have a certain charm to it."

Nathan raised his eyebrows. "Apart from Abigail Stanton?"

"I can't lie, that woman does sweeten the pot. Strong, beautiful, and with a smart mouth on her. That's quite a combination."

Nathan took a deep breath. "Don't hurt her, Bill, or you'll have me to contend with."

Bill laughed. "You do realize I'm still your superior officer, right?"

Nathan held his lantern a little higher. "I haven't forgotten. But right now we're both in a mineshaft that killed forty-seven men, and that tends to equalize things a bit."

Exhaling, Bill said, "True words, Nathan." He thought for a moment. "I need to tell you something, but I'm going to trust you to keep it to yourself for now."

Nathan stopped and turned to Bill, hearing the very serious tone in his voice. "You can trust me."

Bill nodded. "I know I can." He looked at Nathan. "I just want you to know that Henry Gowen and I have a history together. I won't share the particulars right now, but... we each have very good reasons to dislike the other. It will probably come out somehow in this investigation, and I didn't want you to think I wasn't being straight with you."

Nathan nodded. "Thank you for telling me. And after five months of getting to know Henry Gowen, and one day of knowing you, I'm pretty clear on which one of you I'm likely to trust."

They had reached the closed-off mineshaft. Bill hung his lantern on a hook to his right and Nathan did the same with his on the left. Bill turned to Nathan and smiled. "You were right." To Nathan's questioning look, Bill said, "You do talk when there's something to say."

Nathan laughed softly, and both stood for a moment, looking at the wooden doors that met in the middle and were held together by a thick chain secured with a padlock.

"Gowen said they closed off this shaft for the protection of his men," Nathan said.

Bill pulled out his flashlight and was checking around the doors as he said absently, "Henry Gowen only does things for his own protection. He doesn't give a lot of thought for others."

Nathan paused for a moment. "Bill. I appreciate you telling me you have a history with Gowen, but..."

Bill turned to him and narrowed his eyes a little. "But, you're wondering if I can be unbiased in this investigation? That's a good question, and you just went up a notch in my book for asking it." He nodded. "Yes. Facts are facts, and whatever I find in this shaft will be the basis for my report. I won't be reporting on whether Henry Gowen cared about the men who died here."

Nathan nodded. "Thank you." He pulled out the bolt cutters he had tucked in his belt and made quick work of the chain holding the padlock. They both pushed on the doors and a rush of stale, foul air hit them full in the face. Both stepped back, coughing.

"Methane," Bill said, pulling a kerchief out of his pocket to cover his mouth. "Get that lantern away from the door," he said, pulling his own down and walking backwards. Nathan did the same, and they stood at some distance while the worst of it moved down the shaft behind them.

Bill extinguished the fire on his lantern and Nathan pulled out his own flashlight before doing the same.

Shaking his head, Bill raised an eyebrow. "Well, there's some good news here," he said, turning to Nathan.

"What's that?" Nathan said.

"This is going to be a very short investigation."

---

CHAPTER 39

December 16th, 1910

Mrs. Rosemary Thornton

General Delivery

East Cape Fullerton Station

British Columbia

Dear Rosemary,

I was so glad to receive your letter and to read of your happy news. Having seen you and Jack together, even just for that one night, Nathan and I weren't in the least surprised to hear of your wedding. It was clear to us that the bond between you hadn't suffered with the time you'd spent apart. I think I forgot to tell you that Jack had mentioned you to Nathan all the way back in August when they first met, so he was thinking of you even then.

And of course we understand your desire, after all these years, to marry without delay. I know that the small church in Cape Fullerton might not have been, as you said, the place you'd dreamt of for your wedding, but the night out on the water, on the boat lent to you by Jack's friend, sounded lovely. He really covered the boat with candles? I'm aware I haven't known him for very long, but I would not have pegged Jack Thornton as that kind of romantic. I'm certain you inspired him.

When your letter arrived, I was getting ready to start one to you even without an address, because as it turns out, Nathan and I have some happy news as well. He's anxious to put down roots here in Coal Valley and is planning to build a house out on the meadow we showed you, the one on the way to the church? And he wants me to live there with him and Allie. As his wife. And I have the engagement ring to prove it.

My sweet Nathan got down on one knee and made a perfectly Nathan-like proposal. It started as a way to join our horses and evolved into a lovely collection of dreams and wishes, ending with him pulling out his great-grandmother's ring and asking me to be his wife.

You are already a wife, so I wonder, does that word still make your heart beat faster? It certainly does mine. I suppose as little girls, we are raised to dream of the day we become brides, but there's no way to convey everything it means until it happens and is actually grounded in love. The girlhood dreams are all about the dress and the flowers, and how magical it is all going to be. But for me, none of that matters at all next to the promise that we will spend every day from that moment bound together in love. And from your letter, it sounds as if you feel the same.

You said you thought I might feel sadness about your sweet small wedding in your borrowed white dress, but I have absolutely none - because I know that you were standing next to the man you loved beyond all others. The one you've chosen to spend your life with.

And yes, I agree, I wish we could have been there as well. We would have been happy to stand up for you, but the spontaneity of the moment, from what I already know of you, appears to be very much in character, and it sounds as if it filled you with unspeakable joy to be so swept off your feet.

The photograph is such a lovely gift, and I've never seen two happier people. Jack looked dashing in his uniform, and the glow surrounding you is fairly visible in the picture. It will go in a frame on my small table in my room and then in a place of honor in our new home once it's built.

And in answer to what I know will be your next question? I don't know. Nathan and I would like to manage the wedding arrangements to coincide with the building of the house, so that the first night we spend out on the meadow will be our wedding night. That means a spring wedding at the earliest, as we must wait until the thaw before we even begin laying the foundation.

And I will tell you that I don't mind waiting. Now that I know we'll be together forever, it feels like forever has already started, and this will simply be another step on the path we're taking together.

Oh, Rosemary, I love him so dearly.

You'll remember that we laughed around the dinner table about the ridiculous way we first met, with my broken hat and dirty face out there at the stagecoach. With me thinking Nathan was my father's spy and him thinking I was a spoilt eastern princess. It didn't take us very long to move past that inauspicious beginning, but I realize now that we fell in love almost immediately. Your talk of destiny has me philosophizing and thinking of what ifs, and of all the choices Nathan and I could have made to bring us both to this place in this time – the choices we did make feel like nothing less than God's plan for us.

In other news, Coal Valley is in the throes of an investigation of the mine disaster we touched on briefly with you and Jack. There is an investigator in town, Bill Avery, also a Mountie, who says he remembers Jack from a number of classes at the Academy and wishes me to pass on a hello.

Bill has a gruff demeanor that he uses to cover an abundantly soft heart, though he's really fooling no one. And this part you will especially like - there appears to be something brewing between Bill and Abigail, though it hasn't gone past the playful flirting stage. They do seem as if they would be rather good for each other, but it's far too early to know. And Bill might be a bit of a tumbleweed and not inclined to settle down. Time will tell.

I won't bore you with too many of the particulars, but Nathan is faced with a dilemma. The mine is clearly unsafe, but it is also far and above the main employer in Coal Valley, and shutting it down will leave most of the men in town out of work and unable to put food on their tables. The hope is that the man we told you about, Henry Gowen, will make some very expensive repairs and install a new ventilation system, but we all fear it's a futile hope. The good news is there aren't two better minds than Nathan's and Bill's to work through this problem. I offer opinions and advice, as does Abigail, and we are listened to - which, as you know, being a woman, is not always the case in dealing with men and business.

And now I have bored you with details, and for that I apologize. But when the town you live in and love is going through this kind of upheaval of growth and change, it tends to overshadow other concerns.

Allie is doing well and sends you a very big hug. She heard Jack call you Rosie so many times, and it's so much easier to say than Rosemary, that it is the name she now uses for you. You made quite an impression on that little girl and she wishes you were here to perform Peter Pan as her bedtime story every night. Nathan and I have tried, but Tinker Bell never turns out quite right.

Abigail also sends her best wishes on your marriage. I hope you don't mind that I read parts of your letter to her, as she had immediate fond feelings for you as well.

We are beginning to prepare for Christmas, and though it will be the first one celebrated by many widows and children without their husbands and fathers, there is still the anticipation of joy in Coal Valley. There is talk of bringing the largest tree possible into the middle of town and decorating it together. It's a lovely idea, and I'm one of those working toward making it happen.

I'm glad to hear that Jack has reconsidered volunteering in the Northern Territories. I suppose it will always be our worry as Mountie wives – that they will be posted somewhere dangerous – but I also know countless women, including Abigail, whose husbands went off daily to the mines (considered a somewhat normal job) and one day simply didn't come home. There are dangers everywhere it seems.

All we can do is trust in God and give thanks for every moment we have with these very brave and selfless men. Mountie is truly a noble profession, and I'm nothing but proud of Nathan for choosing it.

On that note, as the candle is burning very low, I will close. Is it too much to hope that we might write more often than monthly? I enjoyed your letter so much, and I feel you as you do, that we have somehow forged a very strong bond, very quickly.

With much love and affection,

Your friend, Elizabeth

---

Nathan and Bill had their heads together at Abigail's leaning over the schematic of the mine shafts. It was long past business hours and the Cafe was empty. Elizabeth was upstairs writing a letter to Rosemary, and Abigail was baking after having read a story to Allie, who had promptly fallen asleep on the downstairs sofa.

"Henry says that closing up the shaft that exploded has effectively solved the problem, and that since the levels of methane in the rest of the shafts are lower, nothing more needs to be done. He's pretty dug in on that, Nathan," Bill said.

"But you and I both know that the levels of methane are rising and that sooner or later, there will be another explosion. And the next step would be that we take your report to the Bureau of Mines and ask them to shut it down." Nathan exhaled. "Which puts a lot of people out of jobs."

Bill thought for a moment, and sipped his coffee. Nathan knew this look already, and he gave Bill plenty of time to gather his thoughts.

"What if..." Bill started, narrowing his eyes, "We found someone, a businessman that we could trust, who was looking for an opportunity? What if we gave these men an alternative to working in the mine?"

Nathan nodded. "What kind of business could employ that many?"

Bill raised an eyebrow. "Where did you say you got all the materials to build the church, and the housing for the miners?"

"In Murrayville. There's a sawmill there." Nathan thought for a moment and then frowned and looked across at Bill. "A sawmill?"

"You worried that you don't have enough trees out here?" Bill tilted his head and smiled. "Who owns the land?"

"Henry Gowen owns some of it in town. I've already purchased the parcel on the meadow where Elizabeth and I will live. I thought it was a good idea to do that before any accusations started flying about the mine explosion."

Bill laughed softly, "Smart man, Nathan. You sure that contract is ironclad? Because once this all becomes public, Gowen won't want to sell you a pencil."

"It is. I had a lawyer in Benson Hills look at it." Nathan narrowed his eyes, "So you're thinking of bringing in someone who wants to start a sawmill?"

Bill nodded. "You said yourself that this town is growing. There's so much more potential here than for just coal work."

Nathan nodded back and continued. "All of the land around Coal Valley belongs to the government. People apply at the Dominion Lands Office in Union City for pieces of land to homestead, so I imagine someone looking for more than a plot of land would go there. But yes, there's plenty of land available all around Coal Valley." Nathan smiled at Bill. "And there are lots of trees on that land."

Bill stood and walked over to the coffee pot, pouring himself another cup. While Abigail wasn't looking, he reached out for a freshly-baked cookie. She turned sharply, smiling, and tapped his hand with a wooden spoon.

"You're eating up my profits, Bill," Abigail said, laughing.

Bill winked at her. "Put it on my tab," he said, heading back out to Nathan.

Sitting down, he said. "I think I'll ride out to Union City tomorrow first thing. I can use my status as inspector to find out if anyone has been thinking of starting up a sawmill in the area. Maybe we can convince them that Coal Valley is just the place."

Nathan frowned. "You know, we're going to have a problem."

Bill looked across at him, narrowing his eyes. "What now?"

Nathan raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Well, what's the name of this town, Bill?"

Bill shook his head. "Coal Valley?" Then it dawned on him. "Ah. So we rename it… I don't know… Lumber Valley? Wood Valley? Sawmill Valley?"

Abigail walked over with a plate of cookies, still steaming from the oven and smelling delicious.

"I told you the other day. We should call it Hope Valley."

Both men nodded as they filled their mouths with the exquisite taste of Abigail's ginger cookies.

"Hope Valley," Nathan said, trying out the sound of it.

Bill nodded, reaching for another cookie. "Hope Valley. I like it." Then he said, "Only one question left," he said.

Abigail and Nathan looked at him, frowning.

"Who's climbing up to repaint the sign on the water tower?"

---

CHAPTER 40

"I miss our blackboard," Nathan said, smiling and looking up toward the front of the church. He and Elizabeth were sitting in the first pew while she leaned her head on his shoulder. Allie had just left with Opal and her mother for the afternoon, and although the meadow was blanketed with snow and it was cold outside, the church was kept warm by its newly-installed wood stoves.

Elizabeth felt so lucky to have her new schoolroom, all freshly painted and silent, and hers. Tom Trevoy had been very good about giving her privacy during school hours, but the guests in the rooms above the saloon were always coming and going and it was distracting for the children. Not to mention the street outside - Elizabeth had never been completely comfortable letting the children play at recess with Henry Gowen's car speeding by. Now they had a field to run in when it was spring and a place to throw snowballs in the winter. All perfectly safe.

Nathan and Elizabeth had found the church after school to be a lovely refuge. Everyone knew where to find them, but they could still be alone for a short time every day. When Allie went off to play with friends, which happened almost every day, Nathan and Elizabeth would usually be found doing just what they were doing now. Just quietly sitting with each other.

Elizabeth smiled. "I miss our blackboard, too," she said softly into Nathan's shoulder. "You've ruined me, you know? There are times during the day when I'm sitting at my desk and the children are working on their essays or taking tests, and I think about us behind that blackboard." She looked up at him, "It didn't seem so scandalous in a saloon, but now that we're in a church..."

Nathan tilted her chin up with his finger. "So it would be wrong for me to kiss you in a church?"

Smiling and holding out her left hand, Elizabeth said, "I believe you'll be kissing me in this church soon enough..."

Nathan couldn't wait any longer. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, at first softly, and then as she responded, more urgently. After a long moment, he moved his lips to her cheek and whispered, "I would marry you today, you know that, don't you?"

Elizabeth was a little breathless and she took a moment to compose herself. "Yes, and I feel the same. But we have plans." She pulled away and looked at him. "You were the one who said that you wanted our marriage to start in our new home, if I'm not mistaken."

Nathan laughed and pulled her toward him. "Yes, I did say that." He shook his head slightly, "What was I thinking?"

Elizabeth kissed him again quickly and stood. "You were thinking that we have our whole lives ahead of us, and that waiting for three months was nothing compared to that." She walked toward her desk to tidy things up and get her books so they could begin their walk back to town.

"I was thinking about the barn..." Nathan said.

Elizabeth spun around and raised her eyebrows. "While you were kissing me just now?" she asked, laughing.

Nathan grinned. "No, definitely not then. Earlier today, while I was supposed to be working on my monthly report for Headquarters."

Elizabeth smiled and moved around her desk. "You seem to be very distracted these days, Constable," she said.

Standing, Nathan said, "And you are the reason, Elizabeth." He walked around behind her and threaded his arms through hers, holding her against his chest. She closed her eyes and leaned back into him, again feeling his strength and warmth. At times like this, she felt she could stay this way forever, just listening to his strong and steady heartbeat against her ear.

Her voice was quiet, dreamlike. "I must admit I have the same problem. I keep thinking of our life out there on the meadow. Every day I walk past it, imagining our house, especially with Christmas coming. Waking up on Christmas morning, sipping hot chocolate and watching Allie open her presents..."

Nathan breathed softly and found his own eyes closing into the vision Elizabeth was describing. "Can you make mine coffee? I have a feeling Allie will be up very early on Christmas morning."

"Coffee it is," Elizabeth said, smiling. "The fire will be going in the stove, and I'll start breakfast. Fresh biscuits, eggs, some of Abigail's raspberry jam..."

"Sounds delicious," Nathan said, opening his eyes and leaning down to kiss her softly on the neck. "You know, we're going to have to remember how to cook again once you move away from Abigail's," Nathan said. "We've been completely spoiled."

Elizabeth turned and looked up into his eyes, smiling. "You seem to be forgetting that I didn't know how to cook before she started the Café. You sure you still want to marry me?"

Nathan's eyes were translucent blue as he said, "I've never been more sure of anything in my life." He framed her face with his hands and moved his lips from her forehead, to her eyes, then her cheeks, and finally her lips.

Elizabeth sighed softly, her eyes closed and her knees going a little weak. When she opened them, she looked back toward the front doors and smiled. "Do you see where we are?" she said, looking up at him.

They were standing right at the front of the middle aisle. Just where they would be when they got married.

Nathan smiled. "I do," he said softly, as he bent to kiss her again.

---

Bill had hoped the snow would let up a little for his ride to Union City and it hadn't disappointed him. He'd had his choice to either take the stage out, or to ride Pilot, and he'd opted for the latter. Once he got to Union City he didn't know how much moving around he'd need to do, and Bill would rather have his own horse than deal with borrowing one from the Mounties.

He'd wired the Dominion Lands Office explaining what he needed and had received a reply that there were four prospective buyers looking for land to start sawmills within a hundred-mile radius of Coal Valley. One of them in particular looked very promising; Leland Coulter, a Union City entrepreneur who was exploring a number of different options and was leaning toward Albert Falls. Coulter hadn't yet considered the lands around Coal Valley, but Bill intended to change his mind.

Bill liked the prospect of Coulter because he wasn't connected to a large company, and from everything the Mountie office had been able to find out about him, Coulter seemed to be an independent thinker. Bill knew that it would take imagination to visualize a new sawmill in a place like Coal Valley, and he had a feeling Coulter had imagination to spare.

Leland Coulter had a small office in Union City and Bill had the address in his pocket. He'd also learned from Mountie Headquarters that the best dinner could be found at a place called Sally's. He'd mentioned it in passing to Nathan, who had grinned. "That's where Jack and I had dinner, right before I got the posting to Coal Valley."

Elizabeth and Abigail had raised their eyebrows and both said at the same time, "Destiny..."

To which both Bill and Nathan had chuckled and said, "Coincidence."

Bill laughed to himself. Funny how a set of people can get under your skin. He'd been a loner for a while now, and his position as Inspector had made that easy. He was always going from one place to another and though at times he'd managed to stay in a town for a couple of weeks, it had never really lasted beyond the end of the investigation.

But Coal Valley – actually he'd found himself thinking of it as Hope Valley now – had managed to get into his blood somehow. He was starting to wonder if he might find someplace more permanent to stay than the room above the saloon. There was a small house available just outside of town, but it was owned by Henry Gowen, and somehow Bill couldn't imagine paying monthly rent to that snake in the grass.

So, for the time being, the saloon would have to do.

Finally, the road beneath Pilot's hooves showed that it had been plowed, and Bill knew he was coming into the outskirts of Union City. He found himself dreading the smoke and the noise he knew he'd find there, and he was already missing the chocolate coffee and scones at Abigail's.

And he was missing Abigail Stanton. Which was the last thing he needed.

---

December 20th, 1910

Miss Elizabeth Thatcher

General Delivery

Coal Valley

Alberta

My dearest Elizabeth,

I so loved your letter. The paper you wrote it on is still warm from my hands as I begin to write this one to you - and I will admit that there may be a few splotches here from the tears that I can't seem to hold back.

Jack is gone to the Northern Territories.

I knew I shouldn't have let him go out for a beer with some of the men, but as a wife of only a little over a month, I didn't want to play the harpy. So I smiled sweetly and told him to have a good time. I should have known better.

They spent the evening telling war stories of the heroism and bravery on display in the worst of the fighting up there, and Jack caught the bug. He woke up the next morning and went straight to Headquarters, and as fate would have it, there was a regiment leaving the day after.

We had such a fight. I may have theatrically thrown some things.

He told me what I already knew – that he has never once lied to me about where he was headed with his career. And he hasn't. I've always known he would go. Although I'd like to believe he has his eyes only on me, it's not true. He has his eyes on the world, and on saving it.

What's hard to swallow is that he makes it clear that this mission of his is so much more important than the time he might spend with me. As I watched him pull himself up on Sergeant, I had a terrible premonition that I will share only with you. I imagined him leaving me, time and time again, until one day he just didn't come home.

I sit here in my empty bed and I wonder why this surprises me. The unvarnished truth is that this is the reason I left him the first time. He says I broke our engagement, but I really felt I was running for dear life. Somehow the perils of New York City seemed tame when compared to Jack's passion for leaving me.

And this is the hardest thing to say, but the truest:

I always knew that, although Jack wanted a wife, he didn't want a marriage.

It hurts to say that, but as I write it, it all becomes clearer. I will always love him more than he will love me, or any woman. What he loves is fighting the good fight. It feeds his soul. And who am I to take away the thing that feeds his soul?

I should have stayed in New York City, but I lost a big part in a Broadway play, and my ego needed a boost. So I came to Coal Valley. And now I am a wife, alone, in Cape Fullerton. And my ego lies on the floor.

Elizabeth, I will admit I'm afraid this time. As you can imagine, I've never been the blushing ingenue – unless I'm playing one on the stage – and I have always landed on my feet no matter what scrapes I've gotten myself into... Not certain what I'm trying to say here... Oh, I would cross all of this out if I had the energy to start this letter over...

I can't explain how I'm feeling and that's something new to me. Rosemary LeVeaux, without words! But I suppose I'm no longer Rosemary LeVeaux. I'm now Mrs. Jack Thornton, and I guarantee you, I'm feeling every ounce of the weight of it.

How is it that I used to be able to go anywhere, live in any town or city in the world, and within a week I would have friends, employment, a place to live, and happiness. But now, I sit here in this Mountie-owned flat in Cape Fullerton, without a friend, and with no real purpose.

I miss my husband. And he doesn't even feel like my husband because we've been married such a short time and now he's gone. I look at the newspapers every day, hungry for news of the Northern Territories, and just a month ago I would have gone straight to the Theatre section and used the news to line the trash bin.

This is a terrible letter, isn't it? Have I dragged you down into the depths of despair with me? I wonder if I'll mail it, or perhaps I'll ball it up and write another telling you about the weather and then casually drop the news that Jack has gone on to save the entire Canadian North and tell you how proud I am of him.

No, I believe I will always tell you the truth, Elizabeth. You are a woman who is much stronger than she looks, with all your delicate beauty and your sweet disposition. There is steel beneath that Hamilton demeanor, and I try to think what you would do if it were you married to Jack Thornton and watching as he rode away to save the world. And I think you would miss him, but you would not allow yourself to be the reason he doesn't find what he feels makes him a man.

And if you could do it, I can.

I don't feel it's too soon in our friendship to say that I love you very much. I'm grateful that if the stars had to take Jack away from me, at least God gave me you.

Although I'm not commenting on all your news of the town or your brilliantly eloquent fashion of describing love and marriage, I want you to know that I enjoyed every word and have read your letter over at least ten times in its entirety. I know I'm not being a very good friend by taking center stage and talking only of myself. I simply don't seem to be able to do anything else at the moment.

My best to your beloved Nathan and his dear Allie, and to Abigail.

Your most faithful friend,

Rosemary

---

The Great North Western Telegraph Company of Canada

To: Mrs. Rosemary Thornton, c/o East Cape Fullerton Mounted Police

PACK YOUR BAGS. YOU'RE SPENDING CHRISTMAS WITH US. NATHAN AND I WILL BE THERE SATURDAY BY STAGE TO PICK YOU UP.

SEND RETURN CONFIRMING.

NO IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER.

ELIZABETH

---

The Great North Western Telegraph Company of Canada

To: Miss Elizabeth Thatcher, c/o Yost's Mercantile, Coal Valley

WON'T EVEN PLAY HARD TO GET. BAGS ALREADY PACKED. THANK YOU DEAR FRIENDS.

ROSEMARY

---

CHAPTER 41

"So let me get this straight. You want to shut down the coal mine and open up a sawmill virtually on the same day?" Lee Coulter was frowning, mid-bite, with a morsel of steak on his fork.

Bill shrugged. "Well, that seems to be simplifying it just a tad, but..." He smiled. "Yes."

Lee finally took his bite. The steak was delicious, and it wasn't the first time he'd been to Sally's. The place was well-known in Union City, and always had some customers in red serge, no matter the time of day.

He looked back at Bill Avery and raised an eyebrow. "You do realize that coal mining and tree felling are two completely different skills, right? These men would need to be trained."

Bill nodded. "Of course. But you won't find a more willing workforce. And I'll bet they'll be mighty grateful for the fresh air." Bill cut a piece of his own steak, moving it through the gravy before popping it in his mouth. "They're hard working men, Lee. They want to provide for their families. They'll all be glad to see you pull into town."

Yeah, wait until they see the motorcycle, Lee thought.

Lee leaned back in his chair and was silent for a moment. Then he nodded. "I gotta admit you're making this look very attractive, Bill." He took a deep breath. "I'm already getting pushback from Albert Falls on a number of issues, and I get the feeling you and Coal Valley won't be fighting me quite as much."

"I don't think we'll be fighting you at all." Bill smiled, feeling that closing this deal was within his grasp. "It's a growing town, and as far as potential, the sky's the limit. These are good people, Lee. You're going to like living there." He took a sip of his beer. "And I guarantee you'll be the most popular man in town the minute that mine closes."

Lee laughed. "Not with the man who owns the mine."

Chuckling, Bill said, "Oh, Henry Gowen probably wouldn't have liked you anyway. He's not fond of anyone who might take a piece of what he considers to be his pie. He wants the whole thing for himself." Bill used his napkin to wipe the corners of his mouth. "But he's gone too far this time. Killing forty-seven men will put him in prison for a while. And that's going to leave a big hole in the town. One you can fill." Bill leaned forward and put out his hand. "So. We have a deal?"

Lee Coulter didn't usually finalize deals over steak and beer. But this felt different to him. Lee was a very good judge of character, and he liked Bill Avery. More to the point, he felt like trusting him, and his instincts were telling him that trust wouldn't be misplaced.

"Deal," Lee said, stretching his hand across the table and shaking Bill's firmly.

"So how soon can you be packed?" Bill said.

Lee laughed. "Wow. I'll admit, it's nice to be wanted. How does a week sound? I can be there by... say, next Saturday? I have a few things to wrap up here, and I want to choose my parcels at the Land Dominion. I need to arrange to have all my equipment transported down to Coal Valley. And you'll find me a space for an office?"

"No problem," Bill said. He had absolutely no idea if office space was available, but then again, he thought with a smile, Henry's would be vacant very soon.

Lee nodded. "Then we're set," he said, pushing back his chair.

Bill raised an eyebrow. "Well, there's just one more thing."

Lee was suspicious of that phrase, because it often meant something was going to be tacked on to the end of an agreement, and it was usually something he didn't like.

"Yes?" Lee said, narrowing his eyes.

"We need a Christmas tree," Bill said.

"Excuse me?" Lee said, frowning.

"The biggest one you can get. For the town square." When Lee didn't respond, Bill said, "We're starting a tradition."

"You want me to cut down a tree and transport it to the town square?" Lee said, perplexed.

"Yep. And then set it up so we can all decorate it," Bill said, smiling. "The school children are already making ornaments."

Lee chuckled, thinking this was definitely the oddest contract rider he'd ever agreed to. Finally he nodded and said, "Sure. I can do that."

"Good," Bill said, finally pushing back his own chair and standing. He put out his hand again. "Pleasure doing business with you, Lee. We'll see you next Saturday."

Lee stood and shook Bill's hand. He grinned. "Yes," he said. "Yes, you will."

Lee laughed to himself. He was excited, and at the same time he was thinking, A Christmas tree? Kids making ornaments? What have I gotten myself into?

---

Rosemary stood outside the Cape Fullerton Stage Depot and pulled her heavy coat up around her neck. The air had the kind of crisp cold that only came with this kind of day. Clear and blue sky as far as the eye could see. A good day for traveling.

Elizabeth and Nathan were due on the stage any minute, and Rosemary found herself feeling excited for the first time in weeks. In fact, she was so eager that her stomach was actually upset. She probably shouldn't have had only black coffee this morning, but she just wasn't hungry. Maybe they could stop on the way and she would feel like having a sandwich.

She'd made sure that the Cape Fullerton Mountie Office had all of her information. Jack wasn't expected back for at least another month, but if they'd had good luck and were able to win the fighting up there, he could be home at any time. Rosemary wanted to be sure he knew she was in Coal Valley with Elizabeth. She'd written Jack every day since he'd left and hadn't yet received a letter back from him, so she'd also contacted the Post Office and made sure any letters would be forwarded to her. There really wasn't anything else she could do.

Rosemary sighed deeply. This had not turned out the way she'd planned. The first six weeks of her marriage to Jack had been so beautiful. He'd been loving, affectionate, and had made her feel like she was the only woman in the world for him. And Rosemary knew she was, but she'd managed to forget for a while about his mistress, the Mounties – and it was a mistress that he would always love more than he loved her. She would never be sorry she married Jack Thornton, but Rosemary was coming to the realization that this would be something she would battle for the rest of her life, and if she was honest with herself, it made her a little weary.

Rosemary wasn't a person who cried easily, but these days she seemed always on the verge of tears. That weakness infuriated her, and as she felt the emotion well up, she gritted her teeth and pushed it back down.

Get a grip on yourself, Rosie. You're headed off on another adventure.

Just the way you like it.

---

It was a beautiful night for a ride.

After being cooped up on the stage all day long, Nathan and Elizabeth had been itching to get outside. The fact that it was nighttime before they had a chance to do it didn't deter them from grabbing lanterns, saddling Sarah and Newton, and heading out to wherever their wanderings took them. They'd left Rosemary in the very capable hands of Abigail, who was baking with Allie.

As it turned out, the lanterns hung on the saddles unlit, as the full moon was easily bright enough to light their way. It had been much colder in Cape Fullerton than it was in Coal Valley, and though their breath and that of the horses puffed out in light clouds, they were all happily warm after they'd gone just a little way.

"I should have you ride Newton sometime so he can get used to you. He gets a little spooky sometimes, but he seems to take to you pretty well," Nathan said.

Elizabeth laughed softly. "Have you forgotten that I've already ridden Newton? Twice?"

Tilting his head, Nathan smiled and said, "I meant alone."

"I would love to ride him," Elizabeth said, looking over at the long shock of brown mane that fell over his forehead. "You think he's forgiven me yet for calling him a girl?" she said laughing.

Nathan laughed too. "He's a very forgiving horse," he said. He leaned over and whispered, "I think he's forgotten it."

They rode in silence for a moment and then Elizabeth said, "What did you think of Rosemary today?"

Nathan frowned. "Think? In what way?"

Smiling, Elizabeth realized again the differences in the way men and women process things. She could ask exactly the same question of Abigail and she would know precisely what she meant. But Nathan needed her to be more specific.

"Her state of mind? Whether she's happy or sad? If her life with Jack is turning out the way she thought it would?"

Nathan raised his eyebrows, understanding. "She seemed a little sad to me. Not like she was when she was here last. But she wasn't feeling well. Probably the long coach ride."

Elizabeth smiled. "Perhaps..."

Nathan laughed softly. "Oh, I know that look. What am I missing?"

Shrugging, Elizabeth said, "Too soon to know, but Abigail took me aside and mentioned it too. She's been tired, can't stand the smell of coffee, her stomach is always upset, lack of appetite..."

"The flu?" Nathan said, looking concerned.

Elizabeth laughed and turned to him. She reached her hand across the space between their horses and he took it, looking slightly confused. Then she saw his eyes go wide and his mouth opened. He released a breath and said, "Ah..." Then he frowned and said, "This soon?"

Smiling, Elizabeth said, "My cousin in Hamilton said she knew a week after her wedding night. And sure enough, nine months later..."

Nathan was glad Elizabeth couldn't see his face too clearly in the moonlight, because he suddenly felt it getting warm. From the moment he'd held Allie as a tiny baby, he'd been aware that fatherhood was something he wanted for himself.

He'd always felt the world was a place of balance; that becoming a Mountie would somehow offset the terrible things his father had done, and that perhaps if he could be a good father, it would do the same. But since he'd met Elizabeth, that vague notion had crystallized into something very specific. Nathan wanted a child with Elizabeth. He could see his children in her eyes.

Elizabeth knew him so well that she felt the change in him. "Nathan?"

He turned to her and she saw him take a deep breath. "How do you feel about children, Elizabeth?" He laughed softly at the question he'd just asked. "Well, you're a teacher, and I've seen you with lots of children, so I know how you feel about children..."

Laughing, Elizabeth squeezed his hand. "I want them." She sighed and looked over at the man she loved so dearly. "I want them with you."

Nathan nodded quickly. "Yes. I know. That's how I feel. I want them with you, too." He smiled. "I guess that's how it's supposed to be, isn't it? That other person, you, make me want them...?"

Elizabeth felt her heart skip, and she let go of his hand. They were on the path out of town and completely alone. She needed to hold him, badly.

She jumped down from Sarah, and Nathan was immediately at her side. His arms went around her tightly, and she shivered at the cold of his face on her neck as he moved her scarf away and pressed his lips to the spot just beneath her jaw. Sighing, she closed her eyes. Pulling her glove off, she ran her fingers through the curl at the nape of his neck, feeling the cold of his skin and his hair change almost immediately to warmth as their touch intensified.

Nathan moved his lips up to her cheek and then to her mouth as the full understanding of what they'd been talking about hit both of them. This was what lay ahead of them, this mystery, the passion of marriage, of waking up together and lying in each other's arms every night. And suddenly, they both wanted it to be now, at the same time they knew that it was too precious, too important, to rush.

But for a time, standing between the warmth of their horses, Nathan and Elizabeth indulged those thoughts and let themselves imagine. His heavy gloves hit the ground as he framed her face with the heat of his hands, his kiss deepening, their breath coming faster and their hearts racing. There was nothing dividing them; it was as if they were one person, blending into each other, completely abandoning restraint.

"Lizbeth..." he whispered against her lips, his voice rough. He moved her head to his shoulder, and she could feel his heart beating wildly at the spot in his neck where her lips touched the fire of his skin.

This was the furthest they'd ventured into this unknown territory, and it had left them breathless. But they both knew now, to a certainty, that they would be very good together. That this marriage would be one not only of deep love and companionship, but also one filled with a shared passion.

And for now, that was enough.

Nathan laughed softly into her hair. "Three months feels like a very long time."

Elizabeth snuggled in under his neck. "Emerson has a quote about this," she said, smiling.

Nathan pulled away, his eyes wide. "About this? Oh, I can't wait to hear it," he said, grinning.

"Well, I'm paraphrasing, but he says, Passionate anticipation transforms what is possible into reality."

Nathan smiled. He bent his lips back down again to her cheek and whispered, "So if we spend time passionately anticipating… this… a lot..." He moved his lips to hers, "...then we'll make it happen?"

Elizabeth sighed and closed her eyes. "Yes… well… essentially..." She was rapidly losing her train of thought.

Nathan laughed softly. "I knew I liked Emerson…"

---

CHAPTER 42

Abigail was taking a much-needed break after the lunch rush and had joined Rosemary at a table close to the kitchen. They were both sipping on tea, though Rosemary's was chamomile.

"Are you feeling any better?" Abigail said softly.

"Not really," Rosemary said, stirring her tea aimlessly.

She'd been in Coal Valley for almost a week, sleeping in Elizabeth's room on the spare bed Nathan and Bill had carried up from storage. Neither Elizabeth nor Abigail had voiced their suspicions about Rosemary's condition, hoping that she would share it herself. Rosemary's mood had been so low that they hadn't wanted to suggest it.

But Abigail was beginning to worry a little about Rosemary and how little she was eating. This felt like the right time.

"Rosemary," Abigail started, leaning closer across the table. They weren't alone in the café, though the one table with customers was all the way across the room. "Have you thought about why you might be feeling this way?"

Rosemary sighed deeply. "I must have caught a bug in Cape Fullerton. That flat was so drafty. I didn't notice it as much when Jack was there, but as soon as he left, it felt like the wind was blowing right through the walls."

Abigail decided that leaping with both feet was the best direction to take. "Did you and Jack talk about having children, Rosemary?"

Sighing again, Rosemary said, "No, it didn't come up, what with me wanting to continue my acting career, and him thinking of leaving..."

Rosemary's spoon had been methodically circling the porcelain cup with a steady, light ringing sound that suddenly stopped. At the same time, Rosemary looked up into Abigail's eyes, her own eyes filled with surprise.

Abigail waited, and then raised her eyebrows slightly.

Rosemary's voice was a little fainter than usual. "That would explain quite a few things, actually..." Then, slowly, Rosemary began to smile, until finally it was the smile Abigail had remembered from months ago. "Oh, do you think it's possible?" Rosemary said, taking Abigail's hand across the table.

Abigail laughed softly. "Not only that, I think it's probable." Already, Abigail could see a difference in Rosemary's level of energy. It was clear that Rosemary wanted very much for it to be true.

Then Rosemary gasped. "Oh. What will Jack say?" she said, her eyes wide.

Abigail smiled and squeezed her hand. "I'm sure he'll be as happy as you are."

"I am happy," Rosemary said, sounding surprised. "I always thought it was more important to be an actress, and that being pregnant would feel bittersweet. But it's not. Not at all. There's nothing I want more, Abigail!"

Abigail nodded, and thought right now she could give Rosemary a very accurate description of bittersweet. She was thinking of Peter at all ages, from a tiny baby to a young man, and thinking about him gave her such joy. At the same time, the loss of him, and of the grandchildren he might have given her, cut straight through to her heart. And again, she reminded herself to be grateful for the time she'd been given with him. "There's nothing like it, Rosemary."

Suddenly, Rosemary frowned, "Oh, Abigail, I'm so sorry..."

Shaking her head, Abigail said firmly. "No, don't ever be sorry. I love that you're bringing a new life into this world, and I'll enjoy every minute of it." Abigail stood and Rosemary stood with her, folding her into a hug.

Just then, the bell rang over the front door. Rosemary and Abigail turned to see Bill with a man neither of them knew. Bill was laughing and shaking his head, watching their embrace. He turned to the man. "Everyone in this town hugs everyone, Lee. I hope you're a hugger. I've walked in on more of these than you could shake a stick at."

Lee looked over and smiled. Abigail straightened her apron and walked toward them. "Hello," she said, putting her hand out, "I'm Abigail."

Nodding and grinning, Lee said, "Ah, of the Café fame." He looked around and said, "Warm little place you have here. I might make this a habit."

Abigail smiled, liking him immediately. "So you're moving to Coal Valley, Mr..."

"Coulter, but everyone calls me Lee." He looked over at Bill. "And I was led to believe that a name change was in the future of this town. I must say I like Hope Valley better."

Looking at Bill, Abigail raised her eyebrows. Bill had already told her that Lee Coulter would be coming to town; she just wasn't sure what day it would be.

"Lee," Abigail said, smiling warmly. "We're very glad to see you. Please, come sit down."

She led them over to the table next to hers with Rosemary.

Lee Coulter's first view of Rosemary Thornton was in the first minutes after she realized she was expecting a child. Her face was flushed, her eyes were dancing, and the smile she wore was brilliant and beatific. He had never seen a more beautiful woman in his life, and she literally stopped him in his tracks. Before he had even said hello, he'd glanced at her left hand and had seen the wedding band there.

All the best ones are taken, Lee thought with a soft sigh.

"Lee, this is Rosemary Thornton. She's staying with us for a time while her husband is serving in the Northern Territories. He's a Mountie," Abigail said, by way of introduction.

Not only is she married, but she's married to a man who is brave enough to be in the middle of that terrible fighting. And now Lee saw it, the vague sadness behind her eyes as Abigail gave her the reminder that her husband was far away and in danger. Lee's heart clenched. And on the heels of that rush of emotion came the realization that, although he had just met this woman, he would do anything for her.

"Lee Coulter," he said softly, putting out his hand. She took it, and he felt the soft strength there, a good, firm handshake, fine-boned and warm.

Then that smile again, the one that seemed to bring out the sun inside the small café. "It's very nice to meet you, Lee Coulter," she said, making his full name sound as if it should always be said that way. Lee wasn't sure what was happening to him, but he was having trouble letting go of her hand. It had only been seconds, but it felt like they'd stood there for a long time.

Rosemary frowned a little, unsure for a moment. Her confusion existed on so many levels that she couldn't make heads nor tails of it. A possible pregnancy, her love for Jack and how she missed him, and now, this stranger who seemed so familiar somehow, as if she'd known him longer than just the few seconds they'd been shaking hands.

Both Lee and Rosemary suddenly let go, laughing a little. "Sorry," Lee said. "I have to ask. Do I know you?"

"I was just thinking the same thing," Rosemary said. "Have you been to Cape Fullerton?" When Lee shook his head, Rosemary said, "New York?"

Lee's eyebrows went up. "Yes! New York. I spent a week there last year with some friends. Just sightseeing, taking in some theatre..."

Rosemary's smile broadened. "What did you see? What shows?"

"Oh, gosh, let's see. Our American Cousin, and Tess of Tennessee? We tried to get into Hamlet, but it was sold out."

Rosemary gasped softly. "Our American Cousin, at the Lyric Theatre?" She raised her chin dramatically. "I was in that play. I played Florence Trenchard," she said, delighted. "You might remember me as Rosemary LeVeaux?"

Lee's eyes went wide. "I do remember! That's where I've seen you. You were wonderful!"

Abigail and Bill hadn't said a word. They felt as if they were watching a tennis match with the rapid-fire conversation that was going on in front of them. Rosemary had turned into the bright, animated woman that Abigail remembered at her dinner table when she'd first met her. And Bill had never seen this side of the somber, quiet woman he'd known for only a week.

"Coffee?" Bill said quietly to Abigail, inclining his head with a smile.

"Absolutely," Abigail said, smiling back at him and leading him toward the kitchen.

"That show closed far too fast," Rosemary said with a pout and indicating a chair for Lee to sit down.

"Well, it was hard for people to forget it was the show that was playing when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theatre," Lee said, nodding. "I think it's why we were able to get last-minute tickets."

Rosemary raised an eyebrow, impressed. "You do know the play, Mr. Coulter."

"Oh, please call me Lee. Only my employees call me Mr. Coulter," Lee said quickly.

"You're a businessman?" Rosemary said, taking a sip of her tea and then putting it down, realizing it had gone cold. She stood before he could answer the question. "I'm getting myself some more tea. Can I get you anything?"

Lee nodded. "Coffee would be great, thanks."

Abigail was just about to pour Bill's coffee when Rosemary took the pot from her. "I'll give this right back!" she said, pulling a cup down from the shelf. Abigail simply stared at her, and then at Bill, who was laughing softly and shaking his head. This was definitely a Rosemary he'd never seen.

Before Abigail's hand had moved, the pot was back in it, and Abigail continued getting Bill his coffee while Rosemary went back to the table with her tea.

"What kind of business are you in, Lee?" Rosemary said.

"I'm opening a sawmill in Hope Valley," Lee said.

Rosemary frowned. "And where's that?"

Lee laughed. "Sorry. Here. Coal Valley. But I like the name Hope Valley better, and it's changing so soon..."

Rosemary nodded, remembering. "Oh, yes, I had heard that. It makes sense, since it will no longer be a coal mining town..."

They each raised their cup and sipped, but their eyes never left each other. For a moment there was a sudden silence in the café and then Rosemary did something she almost never did. She blushed.

What is going on? Rosemary thought. This has to be a side effect of pregnancy. Or maybe because I've been alone for so long, and this nice man recognized me. All I know is that I feel good here, talking to him, and I haven't felt good in such a long time. It's not wrong for me to want someone to talk to, is it? But Jack probably wouldn't like it, and that's all I really need to know.

Rosemary put down her cup. "I'm sorry, Lee, I'm a little tired," she said, telling the absolute truth. "I think I'll go upstairs. But I welcome you to Coal... Hope Valley." As she stood, Lee did too.

"Lovely to see you again, Rosemary," Lee said. "Any chance you'll be performing here in town?"

Rosemary smiled broadly again. "Well, I would be, if there was a theatre."

Lee raised his eyebrows. "No theatre, huh?" He bowed slightly. "Maybe we need to build one."

Lee saw a flash of happiness move through Rosemary's eyes and then it disappeared. "I'll need to see where my husband is posted after he returns from the north. This town already has a Mountie, so it's likely we'll be somewhere else."

Smiling, Lee nodded. "Yes, of course." He took a deep breath and said, "But if I could go all the way to New York to see you in a play, I could surely travel a bit here in Canada to see you perform. And I look forward to meeting your husband..."

"Jack," Rosemary said proudly. "Jack Thornton."

"Jack," Lee repeated. "Any chance he'll be home before Christmas?"

Lee saw Rosemary's eyes cloud over again. "I had hoped so, but it doesn't seem possible. I'm assured by Mountie Headquarters that he's still in the thick of it and it's not likely that he'll get here in time."

Lee couldn't stop himself. "You're very brave, Rosemary. Please let me know if there's anything I can do."

Rosemary breathed deeply and shook her head a little, as if to clear it. "Jack is the brave one. I just wait for him. And I'm afraid I don't do it very well," she said softly.

Lee narrowed his eyes a little and smiled. "I think you do it very well. I'll keep him in my thoughts."

"Thank you, Lee," Rosemary said with a heartfelt smile. She put out her hand again. "It was very nice to meet you. And this is a small town, so I'm sure I'll see you again."

She moved past him and picked up her cup and saucer to take to the kitchen. "Have a good evening!" she said with a slightly forced brightness.

Lee watched her walk between the tables and into the kitchen, and then as she turned to the right to head up the stairs. When she disappeared from his sight, he realized that Bill Avery had watched him the entire time.

Lee just smiled and shrugged and sat back down to finish his coffee.

---

Elizabeth came quietly down the stairs from Allie's bedroom as Nathan finished up the dinner dishes. They'd decided that they needed to eat at Nathan's more often, and force themselves to cook, or it really was going to be a huge adjustment once they'd moved into their new house out on the meadow.

Elizabeth picked up the dish towel and started drying the dishes in the rack.

"Allie's very excited about Christmas," Elizabeth said, looking over at the tree in the corner. The three of them had chosen the tree and decorated it together, and it looked beautiful in front of the window in Nathan's row house. "Five days seems like an eternity to her."

Nathan laughed. "I remember those days, don't you? Colleen and I used to try every year to wait up for Santa Claus, and every year we fell asleep and woke up in our beds, so angry with ourselves!" He handed Elizabeth another dish and turned back to the sink.

She ran the towel across the fine blue roses that decorated the edges of the plate and smiled at him. "How did a bachelor like you end up with such beautiful dishes? These are so pretty," she said.

Nathan nodded. "That would be my mother's doing. She's the least fussy person you can imagine, but she always said it made the meal taste better if the china was nice. Something about making every day like a holiday."

Elizabeth laughed softly. "She's not wrong." Stacking the dish on top of the others on the shelf, Elizabeth said, "I should probably meet your mother before we get married, don't you think?"

Nathan suddenly seemed to be avoiding her eyes, and he was trying to hand her another dish, but she kept her hands at her sides, waiting until he looked at her.

Finally, he set the plate down. "You know I'm completely incapable of lying to you, Elizabeth." He shook his head. "But that makes it very hard to surprise you."

Elizabeth's eyes went wide and she smiled. "Tell me."

Nathan released a large sigh. "She'll be here in two days. She's coming for Christmas."

Elizabeth gasped and threw her arms around his neck. "I get to meet Rebecca? Does Allie know?"

Nathan was trying to keep his soapy hands from getting Elizabeth wet, but he finally just gave up and put them around her. He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head. "If Allie knew, do you think there's any way she would be able to keep from telling you? She tells you everything."

Elizabeth got up on tiptoes and kissed him. "I know. She's my little spy," she said against his lips. Nathan pulled her closer and let his lips graze across hers. Elizabeth sighed and closed her eyes. He tasted faintly of the honey they had spread liberally on toast for their dessert, and Elizabeth knew now that Rebecca was probably bringing more.

Nathan moved his lips slowly down the curve of her jaw to her neck, kissing her just below her ear. "And what does your spy tell you about me?" he whispered, smiling.

Elizabeth was having trouble thinking clearly, but she managed to say, "That you've been wrapping packages and putting them under the tree, and that there is one far in the back that has my name on it."

Nathan pulled away and looked at her. "She didn't!"

"Mmmm-hmmm," Elizabeth murmured, her eyes still closed. Since he'd stopped kissing her, she opened her eyes and saw the look on his face. Putting her hand on his cheek, she said, "She didn't tell me what was in it."

Nathan laughed. "Only because she doesn't know!"

Now Elizabeth laughed. "She says it rattles."

Narrowing his eyes, Nathan began to smile his crooked smile. "I'm officially putting in my request for a boy first. I'm going to be outnumbered in that house. I need reinforcements."

Laughing, Elizabeth said, "Duly noted, Constable." She turned to keep drying the dishes and Nathan went back to the sink to finish up.

"What if the first one is a girl?" Elizabeth said, raising her eyebrow.

He couldn't resist nuzzling her neck just once more, even with his hands in the soapy water. Elizabeth moved closer to make it easier for him. "Then we keep trying..." he whispered. He pulled away and Elizabeth could see his eyes were very blue.

Elizabeth found herself suddenly needing a breath, and Nathan laughed as he watched her inhale deeply. He loved that he could affect her that way, and he loved the way he felt right now. He loved her.

"What if your mother doesn't like me?" Elizabeth said, suddenly frowning.

Nathan looked tenderly at her. "She will adore you." When Elizabeth looked unconvinced, he said, "I'm just worried she'll like you more than she likes me."

That finally made Elizabeth laugh. "So, two days? Christmas Eve?"

"Yes," Nathan said, putting the last dish into Elizabeth's hands. "She'll be on the afternoon train."

"And where will she stay?"

"Here," Nathan said, drying his hands. "She'll sleep with Allie in her room."

Elizabeth's eyes went wide. "Nathan! I don't have a gift for her!"

Nathan laughed. "She won't have one for you either." He put his hands on her shoulders gently. "She can't wait to meet you. She told me that you will be each other's gifts."

Elizabeth sighed. "I think I love her already."

---

CHAPTER 43

12th December, 1910

Mrs. Rosemary Thornton

General Delivery, East Cape Fullerton

British Columbia

Dear Rosemary,

I don't know when, or if, this letter will get to you. I'm handing it off to a rider very soon who looks as dead on his feet as I am, so this won't be very long. I did get your letter of the 9th and have read it so many times the ink is starting to wear thin.

I think of you all the time, Rosie. Life is terrible up here, and I've never been so cold, sleeping rough on the frozen ground in a tent that can't keep a breath of air out, much less a gale force wind.

But I keep going because of you, and the life we'll have together when we've won this fight. That's what gets me through each day.

I hope I'll be home soon, but probably not for Christmas. I can't see any way the fighting will be over by then.

I must say something, and I'm glad for once that we are apart, because you would never let me say this otherwise. I know how strong you are, Rosie.

Yesterday, a man died in my arms on an icy field, and his last words were for his sweetheart. I've just finished the letter to her in which I told her that he wants her to open her heart and love again, and not to pine after him. As I sealed her letter, I realized I needed to tell you the same thing.

Men are falling all around me, and though I expect to come through this fight and be back with you soon, I must say this. If something should happen to me, I hope you will take your big heart and give it to someone else. It would be like dying all over again to think of you spending your life alone out of some misguided loyalty to me. If I don't come home, go out and love again, and I'll be smiling down on you. Know that, Rosie.

I love you, Mrs. Thornton. As I lie in this tent at night and listen to the storms outside, I wonder how I ever left you.

Jack

Rosemary dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief and Elizabeth moved from the chair to the sofa so she could put her arm around her. Rosemary had asked Elizabeth to stay while she read the letter that Ned Yost had just brought to Abigail's.

Rather than trying to speak, Rosemary simply handed the letter to Elizabeth. While Rosemary sniffled, Elizabeth read it through and then looked at her friend.

"He's a good man, Rosemary. And he loves you very much. That's clear."

Rosemary took a deep breath. "He thinks he's going to die, Elizabeth. That's what's clear." Another tear made its way down her flushed cheeks. "And I knew it, too, when I said goodbye to him. I knew..."

Elizabeth took Rosemary into her arms. "You can't lose hope. I know the fighting is bad up there, but Jack is a good Mountie, well-trained. You have to pray for the strength to get through this."

"The last letter he got from me was two weeks ago. He doesn't even know he's going to be a father..." Rosemary looked at Elizabeth, her eyes a little frantic. "Oh, I should have known better than to marry him..."

Elizabeth gasped. "Rosemary! You can't mean that."

Rosemary sighed deeply and brought the handkerchief back up to her eyes. "Only because I know Jack, and I knew he would always leave me to go fight the... fight, or whatever it was he said. I've always loved him, but how much can he love me if he went straight up there after we got married?" Her eyes began to fill again and she said softly, "Nathan would never do that to you, would he?"

Elizabeth was taken aback by the question, and for a moment she simply stared into Rosemary's eyes. "I know... that he..." she started, slowly. "I know he would do his duty," Elizabeth said, nodding. "Wherever he was assigned."

Rosemary smiled sadly. "Jack wasn't assigned, Elizabeth. He volunteered," she said.

For a moment, Elizabeth was speechless, and it was impossible for her to hear the pain in Rosemary's voice without wondering if Nathan would ever do such a thing. The realization came quickly with a flood of love and gratitude, as Elizabeth knew that Nathan would do everything humanly possible to stay near her and Allie. Volunteering for dangerous duty would never be his choice.

Rosemary could see her answer in Elizabeth's eyes, and she was suddenly more weary than she could ever remember being. She laid her head on Elizabeth's shoulder and closed her eyes as her tears calmed.

"I don't know how I would manage this without your kindness, Elizabeth. If I was reading that letter in a cold flat, alone..." Rosemary's voice trailed off as she imagined herself in Cape Fullerton instead of here in Abigail's warm sitting room, being held and kept safe, surrounded with the aroma of fresh-baked bread and cookies.

Elizabeth squeezed Rosemary's shoulder. "And you're staying here until Jack gets home," she said firmly. "You're not going back to that cold flat. You're staying in Coal Valley."

There was a soft rap on the side door, and both women looked up as Nathan stuck his head through. Even from across the room he could see the tear-stains on Rosemary's pink cheeks. "Sorry. I can come back later..." he said, starting to back out.

"No, Nathan, come in," Rosemary said, sitting up straight. "I was just going upstairs. She took a deep breath as Nathan came inside and quickly closed the door to keep the cold out. He brushed some snow off of the shoulders of his heavy coat before taking it off and hanging it on the coat rack.

"Allie's all settled at Emily's. I'll never understand why they call it a sleepover, because I don't think those two will be getting much sleep tonight." Both Rosemary and Elizabeth laughed softly, remembering the long nights of whispering in the dark with friends, telling ghost stories and talking of boys.

Rosemary raised an eyebrow. "Just wait until Allie wants to have friends over for a sleepover at your house," she said, smiling.

Nathan nodded and looked over at Elizabeth. "By that time, there will be someone else helping me," he said softly as Elizabeth smiled back at him.

Rosemary had meant to go upstairs, but instead, she lifted the one-page letter from Jack and held it gently in her hands. When Nathan sat down in the chair opposite them and removed his heavy gloves, Rosemary held it out to him.

"I would appreciate it if you would read this, Nathan, and tell me what you think." Nathan could tell that Rosemary was upset, but she gave him no indication of what she thought he might find in the letter.

He took it and his eye went immediately to the bottom of the back page and the name there. "Oh, good, you got a letter from Jack," he said, nodding to Rosemary. "I know you'd said you were waiting..." When Rosemary didn't speak, Nathan bent his head and began to read.

The only sound in the room was the soft crackling of the fire, and the intermittent creaking of the stove's metal as it cooled slowly from the long day's cooking.

Rosemary gave Nathan the time to read the letter twice, and then he finally looked up. She stayed silent and he realized she was waiting for him to speak.

"This is very common, Rosemary. To see a man die in front of you makes you come face-to-face with your own mortality. That's why he said that. It's not good to go into the fight with unfinished business." Nathan looked at Elizabeth, his eyes soft. "I would probably write the same thing."

As Nathan and Elizabeth's eyes met, they did what many had been witness to in recent months – they began a silent conversation. Rosemary smiled and said genuinely, "Thank you, Nathan. That does make me feel a little better."

Nathan was still in his uniform and Rosemary gazed at him, her eyes glistening as she laughed softly. "You Mounties. You just don't know what that uniform does to us, do you?"

The crooked smile returned to Nathan's face and he said, "We have an idea. But..." He looked over at Elizabeth and finished his sentence, "...we hope it has more to do with the man inside..."

Rosemary nodded, and then she turned to Elizabeth and patted her hand. "I'm going to bed." In her eyes Elizabeth saw Rosemary's thoughts clearly, almost as if she had spoken them. You be with your Mountie, and appreciate every second you have with him. Rosemary picked up the letter from the table where Nathan had placed it. "I'll be a good Mountie wife and get a cheery, hopeful letter off to my husband."

Elizabeth stood and hugged Rosemary tightly. "I'll be up in a while," she said, softly. Rosemary turned to Nathan where he was standing to wish her goodnight. They were good friends now and had hugged before, but Rosemary simply put her hand out, looking at the buttons on Nathan's red serge. The sadness in her eyes told him she couldn't bear to feel that jacket under her cheek or to have his arms around her. So he took her hand and squeezed it.

"Jack will be fine, Rosemary," Nathan said, with all the confidence he could muster.

Rosemary smiled softly. "Thank you, Nathan," she said gratefully. Then she tilted her head. "But you can't know that." She turned to Elizabeth once more and then released Nathan's hand and walked upstairs.

Once she was out of sight and they heard the boards creak upstairs, Elizabeth moved quickly into Nathan's arms. They held each other tightly for a time, each grateful for where they were, together and safe.

Elizabeth pulled away and looked up into his eyes. "Would you ever volunteer to go up to the Northern Territories?" She tried to keep all of the emotion out of her voice, but the intensity of her question was clear.

Nathan reached his hand up and moved his thumb across her cheek gently, much the way he had done to comfort her when they'd stood just this way as the teacherage burned down. His voice was sure and quiet. "No. And I would refuse them if I were reassigned."

"And if they wouldn't let you?" Elizabeth said, gazing into his eyes, which even in the lamplight, were very blue.

Nathan moved his hand up to push a soft curl away from her forehead. "I would resign."

Elizabeth couldn't keep the shock from widening her eyes. Nathan could see that she hadn't expected this answer. "Elizabeth," he said softly. "Could you ever imagine that the Mounties are more important to me than you and Allie?"

He took her hand and led her back over to the sofa. It was warm in the room, and he unbuttoned his red serge and removed it, hanging it on the rack next to his coat. Then he sat down next to her and she snuggled under his arm, feeling the solid strength of his chest beneath her cheek. As he spoke, she moved contentedly into the vibrations of his voice in her ear.

"I don't think I told you everything Jack and I talked about when we met in Union City," he said, his fingers curling through her hair. "When he talked about volunteering, I told him that I was grateful he wanted to do that, because men are needed up there. But I said that I thought smaller. That to me, being a Mountie had to do with protecting those I love, those in a town like Airdrie, or like Coal Valley. There's important work for me to do right here."

Elizabeth murmured softly to let him know she was hearing everything he was saying, and she tightened her arms around his chest.

Nathan continued. "It wouldn't make sense for me to be a Mountie if that work took me away from you and Allie and everyone else in this town. That would assume that those in the Northern Territories were more deserving of my help than all of you are." Nathan took a deep breath and Elizabeth felt her head rise and fall with the power of it.

She heard a low laugh escape his lips. "I'm not heroic, Elizabeth. I never have been."

Elizabeth sat up and looked into his eyes. She loved him so much in this moment, she could hardly speak. "Oh, but you are." She reached up and cupped his cheek with her hand. "And the fact that you don't think you are makes you so much more of a man than those who do." She leaned up and touched her lips to his, and suddenly she felt Rosemary's loss and how lucky she was to have Nathan here in her arms.

All of the longing she'd seen in Rosemary infused Elizabeth with a love that blended into quick passion, and Nathan nearly melted under it. Gratitude for their blessings took hold of both of them and the kiss deepened into that dangerous territory they'd explored out on the path in the cold night.

But now they were inside, warm and wrapped together on the sofa, their breath rising and falling in unison. Elizabeth's fingers were threading through his hair while Nathan's caressed her neck, her shoulders...

"We need to stop," Nathan said breathlessly, moving his lips to her cheek and feeling the fire there. For a moment they both let their breathing calm, and felt their hearts slow into a regular rhythm.

"I love you so much, Nathan," Elizabeth said, moving her lips down to his neck and feeling his pulse throbbing there.

He stroked her hair gently. "And that makes me the luckiest man alive," he said, his voice rough and low. He pulled away and looked into her eyes, glistening in the lamplight. Tracing her forehead and her cheek with his finger, he said, "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? Not just on the outside," he moved his finger to her lips and ran it across them tenderly. "Do you know how much this town already loves you? How much Allie loves you? How much I..." he couldn't bear it any longer, and he replaced his finger with his lips, pressing them gently and then parting them slightly to taste the faint sweetness of tea still there. "How much I love you?" he whispered against her mouth.

They heard voices out in the main room of the café, and they knew that Abigail and Bill were coming back from their meeting with Lee and Henry Gowen. While they were very interested in what had happened, it was hard for Nathan and Elizabeth to move from this moment to the next. They sighed deeply and with great strength of will, moved apart on the sofa, still holding hands and looking so guilty that it caused Bill to laugh the minute he walked in the room.

"You two are a sight," Bill said, shaking his head as Elizabeth tried to put some order to her hair. He turned to Abigail, whose smile was as wide as his. "Remember those days?" Bill said, raising an eyebrow.

Abigail raised her chin and smiled warmly at him. "They may not be entirely in the past," she said, coyly.

Bill tilted his head. "Abigail. Are you flirting with me?" He gave her a combination of a smile and a frown and she simply shrugged and moved toward the stove.

"Coffee?" she said, and Elizabeth thought she was very definitely flirting.

"I'd love some," Bill said, taking off his coat and adding it to Nathan's on the rack. He sat down in the chair opposite the sofa. "And how are we this fine evening?" he said to Elizabeth and Nathan.

"The meeting must have gone well," Nathan said, grinning.

"Couldn't have been better," Bill said, leaning back and moving his wet boots nearer to the fire. "The sawmill will open the day the mine closes down. Henry couldn't argue with the report from the Bureau of Mines, and he all but admitted that he figured his days were numbered in that business. He looked a little tired, to tell the truth." Bill looked back at Abigail. "Do you agree?"

"I do," Abigail said, bringing a cup to Bill and pouring one for herself. She raised the pot in a question to Nathan and Elizabeth, and they both shook their heads. "Henry said that mining was turning out to be a little more trouble than it was worth, and then," Abigail laughed, "he tried to talk Lee into a fifty-fifty split on the sawmill business. To which Lee said, 'are you planning on helping me run it from prison?'" Shaking her head, Abigail said, "Lee Coulter has some steel in him, for all that cheerful nature and good humor."

Bill laughed too. "Can you imagine the nerve of Gowen?" He looked at Nathan, "And because we're not heartless, we're letting him have Christmas. We'll arrest him on the 26th."

"And how do you keep him from skipping town?" Nathan said, leaning forward.

Bill smiled and raised his eyebrows. "I told him I'd speak to the Judge and argue for leniency if he kept himself clean and came peacefully. I actually saw a sliver of remorse in the man, and that's something new. Believe it or not, I think this town may have gotten to his stone cold heart, and that's saying a lot, coming from me."

Abigail sat down in the chair next to Bill. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think Henry might have some good in him. As we were leaving, he said he was sorry about Noah and Peter, though he knew I could never forgive him."

Elizabeth took a deep breath. "And what did you say, Abigail?"

Abigail took a sip of her coffee and looked at Elizabeth over the rim of her cup. "I said, 'Never say never, Mr. Gowen.' Then he told me to call him Henry." Abigail shook her head and gave a small laugh. "Will wonders never cease."

Elizabeth smiled at her. "Well, it is Christmas," she said brightly.

"Speaking of which, when is your mother arriving, Nathan?" Abigail said.

"Tomorrow, three o'clock train," Nathan said, leaning back and putting his arm around Elizabeth again. He laughed and looked at her. "Coal Valley will never be the same, I fear."

"Ah, that's another thing. As of January 1st, this town will be named Hope Valley. The Town Council voted it in," Abigail said. She turned to Bill. "And I have the answer to your question about who will be repainting the sign on the water tower."

Bill laughed and said, "Not that it's been keeping me up nights, but I can't wait to hear it. Who'd you rope into that sorry duty?"

Abigail smiled and said, "Mike Hickam."

Nodding, Bill said, "Of course. Who else? What would we do without him?"

---

CHAPTER 44

"Alliebeck!"

Elizabeth felt Allie's hand slip from hers as the little girl ran across the train station toward her grandmother.

"Grandma!" Allie called joyfully, and she nearly jumped into Rebecca's arms.

"Oh, you're getting so big!" Rebecca said, kissing her and looking into her bright face. Even from a distance, Elizabeth could see that Nathan had inherited his mother's mountain lake blue eyes.

Though most women of her age would wear their hair held back in a tight bun, Rebecca's was long and flowing, steel-gray with streaks of dark brown the color of Nathan's, secured at the sides with barrettes of mother-of-pearl, almost like abalone shells. She had a bohemian, country style about her that was accessible and warm, and combined with a very familiar crooked smile, Elizabeth found she liked her immediately.

As they got closer, Elizabeth could see how very tall Rebecca was. She put Allie down and threw her arms around Nathan and she was only a few inches shorter than her son.

"Hi, Mom," Nathan said, kissing her on the cheek and accepting his mother's usual bone-crushing hug with a knowing laugh.

Elizabeth stood back just a bit, allowing the family their homecoming, but Rebecca was having none of it. She looked over Nathan's shoulder and put one long arm out to fold Elizabeth into the family hug. Elizabeth laughed, suddenly encased in a tall, warm, ebullient embrace with the Grants.

Realizing that Allie was trying to get up, Elizabeth bent down and raised her so she could be at eye-level with the adults, and Allie was glad because she had things to say. And she said them all in one long sentence.

"Grandma this is 'Lizabeth but she's Miss Thatcher at school and Emily says she's going to be my mom."

Elizabeth saw a number of emotions cross Rebecca's face, and it was so like Nathan that Elizabeth felt herself taking a deep breath. Happiness, grief, joy, sadness, and finally Rebecca settled into what looked like deep gratitude at the way Allie had described Elizabeth as a new member of the family.

Rebecca's eyes glistened suddenly as she put her hand on Elizabeth's cheek. "Very happy to meet you finally, Elizabeth who is going to be Alliebeck's mom." She smiled warmly. "Which means you will also be my daughter."

Elizabeth was overwhelmed with the suddenness of the acceptance she felt from Rebecca. Any horror stories she'd heard of mothers-in-law quickly evaporated, and she felt her own eyes filling. "Thank you," she said, feeling the inadequacy of those two words.

Looking over at Nathan, Elizabeth saw his eyes go very soft and blue as he gazed at his mother, then the woman he was going to marry, and then the niece he loved so dearly. She could clearly see his wonder in the moment, a kind of disbelief at the twists and turns of life. She felt his arm pull her even closer, and he kissed the curl at her forehead.

From the look in Rebecca's eyes, it was something she'd never seen Nathan do before. She laughed, a wonderful, light bubble of a laugh as she raised her eyebrows at her son before turning to Elizabeth. "Oh, honey," she said, squeezing her arm, "My boy is head over heels."

"Mom..." Nathan said, in the time-honored tone of sons being embarrassed by their mothers.

"Just callin' 'em the way I see 'em, Nathan," Rebecca said, putting her arm around Elizabeth's shoulders and leaving her bag for Nathan to pick up. He laughed and shook his head as his mother walked off with his fiancée without saying another word.

In truth, he'd expected nothing less. Nathan had known that his mother would love Elizabeth immediately, and that it would be mutual. He looked down at Allie, who was trying without success to pick up Rebecca's bag. Nathan leaned down and smiled at her, "Here, sweetie, let's get it together." He lifted Allie up into his arms at the same time he picked up the bag, and they followed Rebecca and Elizabeth toward the town center.

"You ready to see the Christmas tree? They should be putting it up right now." Nathan said to Allie, and he watched her eyes light up.

"It's going to be really big," Allie said excitedly. "Emily says so!

Nathan laughed. "Well, if Emily says so..."

---

Lee Coulter had walked his new land with a great sense of pride early this morning. He'd slogged through the deep snow in snowshoes and had done something he hadn't imagined for himself in a long time. He'd searched for the perfect Christmas tree.

And what was making him smile now was the fact that he'd found it.

While he walked he was trying to remember back to his childhood with his brother and sister, and how excited he'd been when the family went out into the snow to cut down their tree. It had been a long time since he'd felt this way, and now, as he watched the tree being raised by his men in the center of Coal Valley, his heart was full of bittersweet memories.

Because now his parents were gone, as was Patrick, and he and Susanna hadn't talked for years. That family of his memory had faded, but for the first time in a long while, Lee felt an inkling of joy beginning in his Christmas heart.

It must be this town, Lee thought, as he directed the men pulling the ropes. Bill Avery told me it would get hold of me, and he wasn't wrong.

"Keep that rope taut," he called out, as the huge tree began listing a bit to the left. The men tightened it up, and Lee watched as the tree began to rise into the place where it would stand until after the New Year.

1911. Lee shook his head just at the thought. Time seemed to be flying by.

A crowd was starting to gather, and since Lee seemed to be in charge, they were beginning to whisper amongst themselves. Lee had been in enough small towns to know that newcomers stuck out like sore thumbs. The only people he knew in Coal Valley were Bill, Abigail, Elizabeth, Nathan and Rosemary. He supposed he also knew Henry Gowen, but that hadn't really been the most pleasant of meetings.

Herbert Ansvil was the foreman in the coal mine, and though he hadn't been privy to any of the meetings behind the scenes, gossip had been an unavoidable side-effect of the turmoil surrounding the mine since the explosion last June. Herbert felt it was his duty to get to the truth, and he thought this was the right time.

"Mr. Coulter?" he said, walking up to Lee and putting out his hand. "Herbert Ansvil. I'm foreman of the coal mine. I don't mean to bother you..."

Lee put out his hand and shook Herbert's, while still keeping one eye on the tree raising. "Mr. Ansvil. I'm very glad to meet you. I've been meaning to come out to the mine housing and say hello, but as you can see..." Lee looked up at the tree and laughed, "I've been given priorities..."

Herbert liked Lee right away. He'd heard he was a straight shooter, and that information seemed to have some truth to it.

"Fine looking tree," Herbert said, craning his neck to see all the way to the top. "Should give the town some Christmas cheer. God knows we need it."

Lee turned and looked at Herbert, his face somber. "You've all been through a lot, Mr. Ansvil. And yet..." he watched as the tree began tilting, and called out, "Harry, pull that end tighter!" The men had almost secured the tree to the wooden frame they'd built to hold it perfectly upright and stable.

Lee turned again to Herbert. "I was going to say, you've been through a lot, but this town seems to have a good strong center, you know?"

Herbert had his hat in his hands, and he turned it on its brim in long, lazy circles. He looked directly at Lee. "Only if we have jobs, Mr. Coulter. If we don't, we won't be so strong."

Lee paused for a moment and nodded. This wasn't something he was expecting to do today, but right now, with this man, seemed suddenly to be the right time. Lee looked over at the tree and saw that it was standing tall. "Harry, make sure that's secure and then get those ropes off, please. Can you bring out the ladders? Then we're done for the day." Harry gave him a short salute and Lee turned to Herbert.

"Let's go have a seat, Mr. Ansvil."

They fell into an easy pace as they walked toward the bench outside of the saloon. Lee waited until they were both sitting before speaking. When he did, his voice was quiet. As he looked around, he could see there were a number of men and their families who were very interested in the fact that Herbert Ansvil and the new owner of the sawmill were talking, and they simply stood and watched.

Lee thought he might as well cut to the chase. "I'm opening a sawmill in Coal Valley on the day after Christmas. I'll need men. And since you're Henry Gowen's foreman, but he hasn't seen fit to share with you what's happening, I will. The mine is closing because it's not safe anymore, and I think you all know that better than any of us. I'm hoping that all the miners will come over and work with me." Lee let that sink in for a moment, and he could see that none of it was a surprise to Herbert.

"Well, that was the scuttlebutt," Herbert said, sighing. "Guess this time it was true." He sat up straighter and looked at Lee. "We're not loggers, Mr. Coulter, we're miners. We're hard workers and we'll give you our best, but we won't know how."

Lee smiled and nodded, putting his hand on Herbert's shoulder. "That's all I can expect. And you'll get plenty of training. I've brought some men with me who can help you with all you need to know." Lee looked out at the men getting the ropes down from the thick trunk of the tree. "Harry is my foreman and has been for a long time, but I'd like you to lead the miners just the way you have been, if you're willing. It'll make it easier for them to make the change. And of course, you'll be compensated for the extra responsibility."

Herbert exhaled and smiled for the first time. He nodded enthusiastically. "That will be just fine, Mr. Coulter. You just tell me what you need."

"You talk to the men and have them come to the sawmill office day after tomorrow. We'll be taking over Henry Gowen's office, so it should be easy to find," Lee said, smiling.

Herbert nodded and then looked down at his hat, still in his hands. "May I ask... only if you're able to say..." He looked up. "What's going to happen to Mr. Gowen?"

Lee narrowed his eyes slightly. "He's going to jail, Mr. Ansvil. Leaving the day after Christmas. He put you all in danger in order to fill his pockets, and the law doesn't look kindly on that. Not when it takes the lives of forty-seven men." Lee saw the pain wash across Herbert's face and was aware that every one of those who were lost were known well by the man sitting next to him. Friends, probably, most of them.

Lee sighed and looked Herbert directly in the eyes. "Logging isn't easy work, and it's dangerous, I can't pretend it's not. But I won't ever put you or your men into unnecessary danger just to make a dollar, Mr. Ansvil. You have my word on that."

Herbert let out a long shuddering sigh. "That's all we can ask, Mr. Coulter." He gave Lee a small smile and said, "I have a feeling it will be an honor working for you, sir."

Lee laughed. "Ah, none of that sir with me. In fact, when you and I talk privately, I'd like it if you'd call me Lee. Probably best to keep it at Mr. Coulter in front of the men, but you call me Lee and I'll call you Herbert. How's that?"

Herbert put out his hand. "That's just fine..." He looked around and saw there was no one nearby, "...Lee."

Lee shook his hand firmly and stood up. "Then we'll see you and your men day after tomorrow. Eight sharp. We'll get you all signed up and start your training."

Herbert Ansvil broke into a large grin and raised his eyebrows. "Making a living in the open air. Almost too much to think about," he said, letting loose with a small laugh. "Thank you," he said fervently.

"Thank you, Herbert," Lee said. As Herbert started to walk away, Lee called out, "Oh, and... Merry Christmas!"

Herbert turned and laughed. "And to you!"

Lee stood on the boardwalk and looked up at the Christmas tree in the middle of town. There were already people walking around it, and some of the children had brought out the ornaments they'd made in Elizabeth's schoolroom and were beginning to hang them on the lowest branches.

Abigail and Rosemary came out of the café and laughed in wonder at what they were seeing as Lee walked over to them.

Rosemary gave Lee the gift of a huge smile. "Why, Mr. Coulter, what have you done?"

Lee laughed and shook his head. "I'm not telling you until you start calling me Lee, Rosemary."

She laughed too, and said, "If you're the one responsible for this tree, I think I should call you Father Christmas," she said, raising an eyebrow.

Lee shrugged and grinned at her. "Just a little tree. I'm a logger. I cut down trees."

Rosemary looked over at Lee, feeling something strange in her chest. "I have a feeling you're much more than that, Mr... Lee," she said quickly, seeing his warning look before calling him Mr. Coulter again.

Rosemary wasn't sure what was happening, but she knew she had an overwhelming desire to be friends with this man. She knew that she was a married woman, and she also knew that if she'd met Lee Coulter in New York, before she'd come to find Jack, she would have felt an attraction to him.

As it was, she was a wife without a man in her life, and Rosemary had always needed to have male energy around her. She'd had plenty of male friends in the theatre, and Lee could be just like them. By the time she'd turned back to look at the tree in the center of town, she had it all worked out in her mind.

Rosemary Thornton and Lee Coulter would be good friends. In fact, she felt they already were.

---

Elizabeth and Rebecca had been walking together locked arm-in-arm from the moment they'd left the train station. Nathan was walking behind them carrying Allie and talking to her about their Christmas plans. He was fully engaged with Allie while also watching in wonder as the two women, strangers until just minutes ago, managed to look as if they'd known each other all their lives.

He couldn't hear what they were talking about, but occasionally one of them would look back, so Nathan imagined he might be at least one of their topics of conversation. He wasn't overly worried, but he did raise an eyebrow when his mother laughed a little too loudly and turned to shake her head at him. Nathan thought he might have heard the word stagecoach.

This was a ritual Nathan had never experienced. He thought the last time he'd introduced a girl to his mother was for a school dance when he was sixteen, and that relationship couldn't even be described as short-lived. He'd danced with her twice and then she'd gone off with another boy and that had been that. From that point on, he thought he'd best keep his love life, what there was of it, away from his mother.

So as Nathan watched them, he assumed Rebecca had ten years' worth of questions saved up, and poor Elizabeth was the lucky recipient. He smiled to himself, thinking it was a good thing Elizabeth had a strong constitution.

The conversation had centered primarily on Nathan, but right now Elizabeth was telling Rebecca about her Christmas gift to Allie. "I realized that I had these beautiful dolls that I'd played with as a child, and they were all just sitting in the window seat of my room in Hamilton, and had been for years," Elizabeth said. "So I wrote to Julie and asked her to pack up the best of them and ship them to me. They arrived last week."

Rebecca smiled. "And I'll bet you spent a little time with them before wrapping them up for Allie?" she said, patting Elizabeth's hand on her arm.

Elizabeth laughed and felt herself blushing a little. "How did you know?"

Rebecca moved her head closer. "I would have," she whispered. "You may not be a child anymore, but that child is still inside you."

"It's true," Elizabeth said, laughing softly. "I even remembered all of their names."

Nodding, Rebecca said, "And Allie will give them new ones."

Elizabeth smiled. "If I may say, you seem to be very good at the process of letting go and moving on, Rebecca."

Laughing softly, Rebecca said, "Oh, I wouldn't say I'm good at it. I would say that I've learned that change is inevitable, and the faster you simply agree to it, the sooner it will become your new normal."

Elizabeth laughed. "I can see that I'll need to be carrying my journal around when I'm with you. You've already said five things that I want to write down!"

Rebecca grinned. "And you can rest assured that I'll repeat myself, so no need to worry."

Elizabeth laughed and this time even Nathan heard it from behind them. He picked up his pace and caught up to them, even carrying Rebecca's large carpetbag in one hand and Allie on his other arm.

"Okay, now I need to know. What are you two talking about?"

Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "Well, of course we're talking about you, but we've managed to fit in a few other things." She leaned over and snuggled Allie's neck, making her laugh. "Are you excited about Christmas, Alliebeck?"

Just then, they came around the corner and the tree came into view. Allie's eyes went wide as she saw how tall it was. When they'd left for the train station, it had been on its side in the middle of the road. Now it was towering over them and Mike Hickam and a couple of the other men were stringing electric lights while standing on the ladders that Lee's workers had positioned around the tree.

"TREE!" Allie said at the top of her lungs, causing a few of the onlookers to turn around and smile at the joy they heard in her voice.

Rebecca laughed. "Yes, Alliebeck, that is most certainly a tree."

Nathan put his arm around her. "Glad you're here, Mom."

Rebecca took a deep breath. She looked at Allie and Elizabeth and then back to the tree in front of them which was now beginning the sparkle with light. She squeezed her son's arm.

"Nathan, I can honestly say there is no place I would rather be."

---

CHAPTER 45

Christmas morning of 1910 dawned bright and beautiful in Coal Valley. Actually, the town was in a sort of limbo as far as its name was concerned, as Mike Hickam had already painted over the word "Coal" on the water tower, but was waiting until the new year to paint "Hope" in its place.

Elizabeth, Abigail and Rosemary awakened to a familiar rhythmic sound behind the café, and after coffee was brewed and biscuits buttered, they found themselves standing at the back window with their robes pulled tightly around them, watching.

Abigail sighed. "What is it about a man chopping wood?" she said softly.

Rosemary exhaled. "What is it about three men chopping wood?" she said, her voice filled with the wonder of what she was seeing.

Nathan was on the left, Bill in the middle, and Lee on the right. A thing of beauty to watch, and a true Christmas gift to the women in the window gazing at them. The morning didn't look to be too cold, and none of them had hats on. So adding to the sight were three usually well-combed heads that had been set blissfully free. Nathan's was especially out of control, with a floppy lock of dark brown hair that continually fell near his eyes and required his hand combing through it to tame.

Abigail had to admit that her eyes were drawn to Bill Avery. Older, maybe a tiny bit more measured on the uptake, but still very strong. There was something about the set of his mouth that had her heart beating a little faster. And Abigail had to admit it had been a while since she'd felt this way.

Every now and then, Bill would turn to his left or his right, and just a few words drifting through the silence of the morning let the women know that they were talking about baseball.

"Men chopping wood and talking about baseball," Rosemary said wistfully. "Ladies? Does it get any better than this?"

Elizabeth and Abigail shook their heads in agreement, laughing softly.

As it turned out, each woman had her eye on a different man. Rosemary tilted her head watching Lee, who was clearly no stranger to an axe, having been around logging for most of his career. He had a way of lifting his chin and eyeing the piece of wood almost as a challenge each time, just before he pulled the axe over his head and dropped it neatly in the center.

Rosemary was allowing herself a little holiday from stress, especially since she knew it wasn't good for her growing baby. She'd had a long talk with herself, and she was also beginning to take the advice of the two very kind and intelligent women she was living with. Rosemary was exhausted from worrying about Jack and she was trying not to do it anymore. She had to admit that watching Lee Coulter chop wood was a very good antidote to her recent stress. It was simple and it was beautiful - beyond that, on this beautiful Christmas morning, she didn't question it.

Of course, Elizabeth was watching Nathan. She found that rather than being more immune to seeing the rise and fall of the axe in his hands since that first day outside the teacherage, her breath was coming even faster now. Because not only could she see the strength and perfection of his arms, she also knew how it felt to be held by them. When she saw him press his lips together just before splitting the wood precisely down the middle, she could remember the feel of them on her own lips, warm, urgent, passionate...

Elizabeth's sudden, very audible, and involuntary intake of breath, and the "oh!" that she uttered self-consciously after it, caused Abigail and Rosemary to look over at her. All three women burst out laughing.

Abigail shook her head, but her eyes still gravitated back outside. "You'd think we were schoolgirls, standing here fluttering over three men with axes."

Rosemary sighed. "But they are beautiful, aren't they?" she said, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes, they certainly are," Abigail said softly, lifting the cup to her lips.

Elizabeth said, "They'd probably appreciate some coffee, don't you think?"

Abigail laughed. "Go ahead," she said, nodding. Elizabeth had already started toward the rack by the door to get her heavy coat. Abigail got a tray with three cups and the coffee pot, along with some warm biscuits, butter, and jam in a basket covered with a napkin. Elizabeth took off her slippers and put on her heavy boots and took the tray outside.

"Merry Christmas!" she called out from the back porch. Rosemary and Abigail were still watching from the window as all three men gratefully secured their axes in the blocks and walked toward her.

While Bill and Lee made their way to the coffee and biscuits, Nathan walked straight to Elizabeth. "Merry Christmas," he said softly, pressing his cold nose against her ear and making her shiver and giggle before she put her arms around him.

"Are Rebecca and Allie up yet?" Elizabeth asked, giving him a quick kiss.

"Yes, they're making breakfast together. And you need to get ready, because Allie isn't going to be able to wait for very long. I've had the dollhouse hidden in the shed out back, but she knows something is up."

Elizabeth smiled. "She's going to love it so much, Nathan. It's beautifully made, and the dolls I'm giving her will be the perfect size for it. Once she opens that present, we probably won't see her for the rest of the morning."

"How long will it take you to get dressed?" Nathan asked, looking toward the steaming cups of coffee that Bill and Lee were already enjoying.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "I'm nearly as fast as you are," she said. "Two shakes of a lamb's tail." She giggled and wrinkled her forehead. "Who said that first, I wonder..."

Nathan laughed. "Let's talk about it on the way," he said, giving her a warm hug before stepping over to the coffee tray.

"Morning, Elizabeth," Bill said, raising his cup. "Greatly appreciated. And Merry Christmas."

Lee raised his cup as well. "Likewise!"

Elizabeth smiled. "So what has all of you out here this morning?" She smiled over at the window and waved. "Not that we're complaining. We've been enjoying the show from inside."

Lee nodded and grinned. "Glad to be of service," he said, giving a low bow to the ladies in the window. He turned back to Elizabeth. "I needed wood for the stove in the sawmill office, and Nathan needed it for the Mountie office, and Bill..." Lee looked over at Bill and shook his head, "Bill just doesn't like to be left out, I guess."

Bill laughed. "Just being a good neighbor, Lee." He looked back at the pile of wood he'd created. "This is for the ladies of the café," he said, raising a biscuit slathered with jam to Abigail in the window and taking a bite. "Truth is, I'm just here for Abigail's coffee and biscuits." Lee raised an eyebrow skeptically, thinking it might be more for Abigail than for her biscuits.

"And it's appreciated," Elizabeth said to Bill before turning to go. "Come inside if you need to warm up." She inclined her head toward the coffee tray. "There's plenty more where those came from."

Lee closed his eyes, savoring the flaky biscuits and homemade jam. He turned to Bill again. "I think I'm going to be chopping a lot of wood out here..."

---

By the time Nathan and Elizabeth left, Bill and Abigail were at the stove cooking ham and eggs while Lee and Rosemary watched them from the sitting room.

"Enjoy your morning," Abigail said to Elizabeth. "Give Allie a big kiss from her Auntie Abigail. And don't forget her present."

"I've got it right here," Elizabeth said. She looked into Abigail's eyes, almost feeling tears coming on. "You're such a dear friend," she said, hugging her. "You've given me so much, Abigail. Merry Christmas."

Abigail hugged her back. "Not nearly as much as you've given me." She was feeling the sting of tears as well, so she said quickly, "Now go, have fun!"

As Nathan closed the door from the outside, Elizabeth said, "Four people who would have been alone on Christmas." She gazed up at Nathan, her heart full. "And there they are, together."

Nathan turned to her and put his arm around her shoulders. "Families come in all shapes and sizes," he said, taking a deep breath of the cool, crisp air.

Elizabeth turned to him. "That sounds like something Rebecca would say," she said, smiling.

Nathan laughed. "It is. As I get older, I find myself quoting her more and more.

"She's a very wise woman. And I already like her so much," Elizabeth said.

"I like her around you too," Nathan said, raising an eyebrow. "She's on her best behavior."

Elizabeth laughed. "I'm glad I rate her best behavior, then." She turned to Nathan. "What does bad behavior look like? I can't imagine your mother behaving badly."

Nathan turned and smiled. "Opinionated, stubborn, and she knows how to use a wooden spoon like no one else."

Laughing, Elizabeth said, "Oh, I'd like to see that."

Nathan chuckled warily, "If I get out of line, you just might."

They'd been walking, and suddenly, Nathan stopped in front of what used to be Abigail's row house. There was a miner living here now, a single man named DeWitt Graves, though it was widely expected that he and Mary Dunbar would be announcing their engagement soon. Nathan happened to know that DeWitt was celebrating Christmas morning with Mary and her son Caleb at Mary's house, so there was no one at home here. Nathan didn't think DeWitt would mind.

They both had heavy coats on and the steps were free of snow and ice because DeWitt always kept them that way. Nathan set down the bag holding the gifts Elizabeth was bringing and he tilted his head. "Sit with me?" he asked with a smile.

Elizabeth had wonderful memories of these steps. They'd watched so many sunsets here. Nathan had first kissed her hand, he'd gifted her with the apple on her first day of school, and he'd asked if he could court her, right here on these steps. Not to mention the wonderful conversations they'd had about Allie, and the town, and life.

"I would love to," she said, taking his hand and walking up. They both turned and sat down, and then just naturally moved closer to the center and locked their arms together, snuggling into each other.

They sat in silence for a time, looking out at the field covered in a soft blanket of snow and the trees beyond, with their branches heavy and dripping tiny sparkling waterfalls in the light and heat of the sun moving higher in the sky. Elizabeth leaned her head on Nathan's shoulder and said, "I can't remember being happier than this."

Nathan exhaled softly. "Neither can I." He turned and kissed her forehead. "You're my best Christmas present."

"Ah," she said, smiling, "But not your only one."

Nathan looked at her suspiciously. "We promised nothing big, remember?"

Elizabeth looked up at him and nodded, "It's not big. It's from the heart."

Moving closer, Nathan said, "Then it's perfect." He pressed his lips to hers and Elizabeth's arms came up around his shoulders; she sighed as she pulled him closer, feeling their shared heat thaw the cold skin of their cheeks and noses. Elizabeth couldn't help remembering how she was feeling earlier watching him from the window, and she let that memory lead her further into the kiss. After a time, she pulled away, breathless, and Nathan exhaled deeply into her curls.

"Do I need to ask where that came from?" he said, laughing softly. "How long were the three of you standing there?"

Elizabeth laughed too. "Obviously, long enough…"

Nathan put his arm around her and they looked back out at the rising sun. "I think we should get married on these steps," he said.

Smiling, Elizabeth said, "I know you're kidding, but I might not argue with you."

Taking a deep breath, Nathan said, "I wonder how many of Mom's presents Allie has opened by now?"

Elizabeth pulled away, perturbed. "Before we get there? I love watching people open presents!"

Nathan stood and took her hand. "Allie can be very persuasive," he said.

"You're preaching to the choir," Elizabeth said, laughing. "Remember, she's in my classroom all day." She took Nathan's hand and stood up. They walked quickly up to Nathan's row house and were greeted with the aroma of pancakes, bacon and eggs, mixed with fresh coffee and undertones of honey and syrup.

"I just got very hungry," Elizabeth said, coming through the door with Nathan close behind her.

Rebecca wiped her hands on her apron and came quickly to her, engulfing Elizabeth in a warm, soft, floury hug. "Merry Christmas! And it's good you're hungry because I've made too much!"

Allie was patiently waiting her turn and once Elizabeth was released by Rebecca, she put her arms up. "I got a dog," she said, as Elizabeth pulled her up into a hug.

Nathan looked around in alarm and Rebecca laughed. "Not a real one, a stuffed one," she said quickly, accepting a hug from her son enthusiastically. She leaned up and said softly, "Not sure how much longer we can hold her off. She keeps saying Santa might have left something in the shed…"

"Did she have breakfast?" Nathan asked quietly. When Rebecca nodded, he said, "Okay, I'll be right back." He turned to Elizabeth and tilted his head toward the back yard and she nodded. She made a point of talking to Allie so that they were faced the other way, toward the front door.

When Nathan came back in, he was carrying something large covered by a small blanket. He set it down in front of the tree and stepped back, nodding to Elizabeth. "Allie," she said, turning. "What's under the tree?"

Allie looked and then her eyes went wide at the new addition. She wriggled out of Elizabeth's arms and ran to it. It was nearly as tall as she was, and she bent down to lift a corner of the blanket. Then she squealed in delight as Nathan helped her lift the blanket completely.

It was a perfect, three-story Victorian mansion, painted white with pink trim, with clapboard siding and shingled roof. Nathan showed Allie the latch, and then opened the front of the house on a hinge to reveal a living room, kitchen, sitting room, staircases on each side that led to upstairs bedrooms, and finally an attic with round latticed windows.

Allie looked up at Nathan with wide eyes. "Mine?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Nathan got down on his knee and smiled at her. "Yours, sweetie. Merry Christmas." He put his arms out and Allie rushed into them, hugging him.

Elizabeth brought her bag over and put a large box wrapped in colored paper down in front of the dollhouse. "You might want to open this, too, Allie."

Allie turned and tore into the paper, then opened the box. In it she found six exquisite dolls dressed in various colors of satin and lace. And to Allie's delight, they were all wearing elaborate hats.

"Hats!" she said happily, and turned to hug Elizabeth. Nathan picked up the dollhouse and moved it over to Allie's play area. "We'll get you set up over here…" Allie followed him, and in no time, she had a doll situated in each room. Allie turned.

"Lizabeth?" Allie called out. "What are they named?"

Elizabeth turned quickly to Rebecca, remembering their conversation from yesterday. She smiled and turned back to Allie. "I don't know, honey. You'll have to ask them."

Allie turned back and began talking to the dolls softly. Rebecca took Elizabeth's hand and pulled her over to the sofa, planting herself right next to her and grinning contentedly. "That is one very happy little girl," Rebecca said. "And not just because of the dollhouse, or the dolls, wonderful as they are." She was still holding Elizabeth's hand, and she squeezed it tightly. "She's happy because she has a family again," Rebecca said softly.

Elizabeth smiled back at her. "And families come in all shapes and sizes…"

Rebecca beamed at her. "That's what I say!"

Laughing, Elizabeth said, "I know. Nathan told me that."

Her eyes wide, Rebecca said, "You're saying he actually listens to me?"

Nathan sat down on the other side of Elizabeth. "Occasionally, Mom," he said, grinning and raising an eyebrow. Nathan put a small handmade wooden box into Elizabeth's hands on her lap. She looked over at him.

"Something small," he said. "And from the heart," he added, his eyes soft and nearly translucent blue.

Elizabeth opened the top of the box and from a bed of blue plaid fabric, she lifted out a charm bracelet of fine silver. It had three charms already on it. She held it up and looked at it as it shone in the lights from the tree.

Smiling, she held the tiny stagecoach dangling there. Elizabeth laughed and turned to Rebecca. "Where we first met," she said softly, tears forming in her eyes.

Rebecca moved closer and peered at it. "Just as you described it," she said quietly.

Elizabeth looked at Nathan for a long moment, and he tilted his head toward the bracelet in her hands. "There are more…" he said.

The second charm Elizabeth held up was a silver apple. Again, she turned to Rebecca. "Apple for the teacher. Nathan gave me one for my first day at school." Rebecca looked at her son affectionately, showing her pleasure at the sweetness of this gift.

The third charm was an angel with wings and long flowing curls. Elizabeth turned to Nathan with a question in her eyes. "An angel?" she said.

Nathan's eyes seemed to turn even more blue. "Because you've saved me in every way possible," he said softly. "You're my angel, and I want you to always be reminded of that."

Elizabeth's tears started just a split second after Rebecca's. And when Elizabeth put her arms around Nathan, Rebecca put hers around Elizabeth.

Nathan held them both. Elizabeth was crying because she loved Nathan so dearly. Rebecca was crying because in this love, she finally saw the possibility of healing for her son.

And as any mother knows, there is no greater gift.

---

CHAPTER 46

Elizabeth took one last bite of pancake and put her fork down. "I can't eat another bite," she said, leaning back in her chair.

Rebecca smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, come on now, I thought you said you were hungry."

Elizabeth said, "That's the biggest breakfast I've seen in a long time..." she put her hands over her stomach, laughing. "...and I live over a Café."

Rebecca nodded. "I suppose I am used to feeding ranch hands. Those boys can put it away." Taking a long sip of her coffee, Rebecca looked at the Christmas tree. "I can't remember if Nathan has ever had his own tree at Christmas," she said.

Elizabeth smiled. "He wanted one for Allie. We all went out together and he chopped it down, and then we decorated it. I had my sister send some of the hundreds of ornaments my mother doesn't even know she has, and Nathan made the rest in his woodshop." Elizabeth pointed at the carved birds that he had hung on red and green strings, and gazed at them, smiling.

Rebecca wasn't looking at the ornaments. She was looking at Elizabeth. "Good," she said softly, as Elizabeth turned to her and tilted her head. "You love him just as much as he loves you."

Elizabeth looked over at Nathan who was lying on the floor with Allie in front of her dollhouse. Allie had changed all of the hats around on the dolls, and one of them had made its way to Nathan's head. He was making faces at her, and she was dissolving into giggles.

"I do love him so much, Rebecca," Elizabeth said, looking back at Nathan. "And I believe we love each other equally." She turned. "That's rare, isn't it?"

Rebecca nodded. "Oh, you bet it is. Rare as rubies."

Elizabeth reached for the coffee pot and was reminded of her new charm bracelet by the sparkle and the soft sound it made. Instead of picking up the pot, she held her wrist up and looked at it, as she had dozens of times since Nathan had closed the clasp and kissed it.

She couldn't help smiling again at the tiny stagecoach, then the apple, and finally the angel, which still made her heart feel so full it might burst. She shook her head. "How did he ever get the idea to do this?" she said, half to Rebecca and half to herself.

"I can tell you, but I don't want you to think it's any less special that he picked that out for you. In fact, you should think you're very special," Rebecca said, looking over the rim of her teacup.

Elizabeth frowned a little. "Why would I think it was less special? I can't think of a more personal gift." She peered into Rebecca's eyes and they were so blue, like Nathan's, that she knew Rebecca was feeling something intense, though she looked calm. And in a flash, Elizabeth knew what it was. Colleen. The person that Rebecca and Nathan had both lost.

Smiling, Elizabeth said, "His sister had one of these, didn't she?"

Rebecca took Elizabeth's hand on the table and held the apple charm gently between her fingers. "Every year from the time she was thirteen, we would give Colleen a charm. It got so from about November, it was a guessing game with her." Rebecca laughed softly. "It had to be very personal, each year, so sometimes she guessed right..."

Elizabeth saw tears begin in Rebecca's eyes and she moved closer. "We don't have to talk about this, Rebecca..."

Rebecca shook her head. "Oh, I talk about it as much as I can. That's the only way for me to make sense of it." She looked over at Nathan and Allie, now rearranging the tiny furniture in the rooms. "I worry about those two, though. Nathan's never been much of a talker as a rule, and Allie's still too young to put those big feelings into words." She turned back to Elizabeth. "But you're good for them. I can see it already. I read it in Nathan's letters, and I just had to come see for myself."

Elizabeth smiled back at her. "I'm so glad you're here, Rebecca. It's clear how much Nathan and Allie love being with you at Christmas."

Rebecca smiled and then looked down again. She turned the silver angel between her fingers. "This was a good choice for you." She looked back at Elizabeth. "That little girl wants a mother, and she already loves you." Rebecca let go of the charm and moved her hands over to Elizabeth's left hand.

Smiling, Rebecca said, "He had to have this sized down, didn't he? It must have been too big for your pretty finger."

Elizabeth laughed softly, "Not too big." She turned the ring in the light. "I love this ring," she said.

Rebecca grinned. "So did I. But the one who really loved it was my Grandma Penny. She and my grandfather were married for over sixty years and she never took it off as far as I know, until she gave it to me. Women used to be buried with their wedding rings back then, and she wanted this one to have another life." Rebecca smiled at Elizabeth warmly. "I didn't really do it justice. But you will."

Elizabeth moved her hand unconsciously to her heart, covering it with her right hand. "We will. I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

They both looked over and Nathan was sitting up, gazing at them with his eyes narrowed. "Why does it make me nervous that the two of you are sitting there with your heads together?" He raised an eyebrow, "She's not telling you about that time I put a snake in Colleen's room, is she?"

Rebecca laughed. "I wasn't, but now I will."

Nathan stood up and came to sit next to Elizabeth, shaking his head. "It was a bull snake. They don't even have venom." Nathan's dining room table had benches instead of chairs, so he was able to scoot in next to Elizabeth and put his arm around her. She leaned back a little and looked at him, her eyes wide.

"Nathan. A snake?" Elizabeth said.

Laughing, Nathan said, "Believe me, Colleen deserved it. She had a bad habit of nailing my shirt to a fencepost and leaving me with the choice of either walking home barechested, or ripping it and dealing with this one's wrath," he said, looking at his mother.

Elizabeth laughed too. "With my sisters, it was spiders in my bed and substituting salt for the sugar. I guess I had it pretty easy, considering."

"Uncle Nathan," Allie called out, "Mary's stuck in the window."

Nathan kissed Elizabeth quickly on the cheek. "Doll emergency," he said, "Mountie to the rescue." Nathan wiggled his eyebrows dramatically, making them both laugh.

As he walked toward Allie, Rebecca released a large breath, and Elizabeth turned. "What is it?" Elizabeth said, slightly alarmed.

"He hasn't told a story and laughed about his sister since the day we put her to rest in the graveyard on the hill in Airdrie." Rebecca took Elizabeth's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Bless you, Elizabeth."

---

There were still packages under the tree. The dollhouse was finally latched with the promise that Allie could play with it again after her nap. But before Rebecca took her upstairs to continue reading The Wind in the Willows to her, they finished opening the last remaining presents.

Allie took charge of distributing the packages, and since she could now recognize the difference between an N and an E and an A, she was surprisingly good at getting them to the right person. Nathan's gift to his mother, a new wooden kitchen cutting board, had "Mom" written on it, and for a moment, Allie stood frowning in the middle of the room. Nathan helped her with that one.

Elizabeth and Nathan were sitting together on the floor by the tree and Allie handed Nathan a flat package. He read the card and looked at Elizabeth. "What's this?" he said, tilting his head at her.

"Open it and find out," Elizabeth said, smiling.

When Nathan removed the paper, he found a photograph in a lovely wooden frame, and his eyes glistened as he studied it. It was a picture of Elizabeth astride Sarah, and she had Allie sitting in front of her in the saddle. Both had enormous smiles on their faces, and behind them were the tall stands of trees that bordered the meadow. Nathan turned the photo so that Rebecca could see it from her chair on the other side of the Christmas tree. Then he turned it back and looked closely at it.

"Is that..." Nathan looked at Elizabeth with such love in his eyes that she could hardly breathe.

"Yes. It's our land. We're standing right where we're going to build the house," she said, placing her hand on the side of his face.

Allie moved closer and put her finger on the glass covering the photo. "That's me," she said, grinning. "I rode Sarah with 'Lizabeth."

Elizabeth laughed. "Not very far, honey. Just for the picture," she said, looking at Nathan's raised eyebrow.

Nathan couldn't stop looking at it, mesmerized by the photo. It was in perfect focus. There was snow on the ground and Elizabeth wore her white wool beret that he loved so much. Allie was holding the reins along with her, and had a look of absolute joy on her face.

"Who took this?" Nathan asked softly.

"Bill," Elizabeth said. "With the camera he uses as an inspector." Elizabeth moved her hand tenderly through the hair at Nathan's forehead. "He said he liked the subject matter a lot more than what he usually photographs," she said, laughing softly.

Nathan looked first at Allie and then at Elizabeth. "I don't know how to tell you how much I love this," he said, his voice choking a little. He put down the frame and wrapped his arms around both of them, pulling them into a hug. As he did, he looked over Allie's shoulder at Rebecca, who had her feet tucked up under her in the soft living room chair. Her hand was at her mouth, and even from a distance, he could see the tear slide slowly down her wrinkled cheek.

Allie, ever impatient, pulled away and said, "I have a picture too!" Then her eyes went wide and she said, "Oh, Emily's mom said it was 'sposed to be a surprise." She ran back to the tree and pulled out a cylindrical package with a ribbon bow on it. She brought it back to Nathan and Elizabeth.

Nathan raised his eyebrows, taking it. "Who's it for?" he asked Allie.

"Both," she said, grinning. Then she looked at Elizabeth and said, "All of us."

Nathan handed the package to Elizabeth and said, "You get the honors." He'd been holding her hand and he gave it a quick kiss and released it so she could take the wrapping off.

Elizabeth looked at Allie. "This is beautiful paper, Allie." It was plain brown paper, but it had the type of drawings Elizabeth had seen Allie make so often in her classroom.

"Emily's mom helped," Allie said, her eyes bright. "She wrapped."

Rebecca watched, every once in a while wiping her cheek. Since March, and what they had simply referred to so many times as "the accident," she had wondered how Nathan and Allie would begin to live again.

Of course, Rebecca had her own grief and regrets, her own secret places where she spoke to Colleen and held her in her heart. But Nathan's grief had been so fathomless, his regret so complete, that there hadn't really been room for hers. Now, seeing her son's happiness, and witnessing the perfect and pure affection Allie had for Elizabeth, Rebecca's thoughts could focus on her own pain.

And all Rebecca could think was, Colleen would have loved this. Rebecca was no stranger to heartache, and she'd learned in life that the more she faced it head-on, the faster she got through it. Losing a daughter had shattered her heart, but as she watched Allie, Nathan and Elizabeth laughing, Rebecca began to feel her heart stitching together, the pieces gravitating back to an approximation of wholeness.

As Elizabeth carefully unwrapped the package, preserving the paper with Allie's scribbles, she began to see that it was another drawing, rolled up. It was of the three of them, and Nathan and Elizabeth peered closely at it.

At the center was Nathan in his red serge, holding the reins to Newton. Beside him was Elizabeth, with long brown hair and a robins' egg blue skirt, holding Sarah's reins. Between them with her arms up holding their hands, was Allie.

But what caused Nathan and Elizabeth to look at each other with suddenly tear-filled eyes was an angel up in the blue sky next to a cheerily yellow sun.

She had hair the deep brown color of Nathan's, and she was waving and smiling.

---

CHAPTER 47

By the time Allie woke from her nap, the dishes were done, wrappings and ribbons folded and tucked away for next year, and Rebecca, Nathan and Elizabeth had sat for an hour at the dining room table in conversation.

Elizabeth already loved Rebecca completely. The parts of Nathan that were so precious to her – his kindness, strength, humor, capacity to love, integrity, humility – were all a part of Rebecca too. She had a homespun wisdom and a way of laughing at herself that endeared her immediately to Elizabeth, and the way she was weathering the storm of Colleen's sudden and unspeakable death was an inspiration.

Rebecca didn't believe in keeping skeletons in closets, and she shared more of Archie Grant's story. Nathan stayed silent for much of it, but he never let go of Elizabeth throughout. He was either holding her hand, or had his arm around her shoulders or her waist while Rebecca spoke. In truth, he didn't mind that his mother told the story from her own perspective, because Nathan didn't fully trust himself to tell it. Rebecca had become philosophical over the years, but to Nathan the wound was still raw.

Nathan heard a creak on the stair and looked up to see Allie. "Hi, sweetie, did you have a good nap?" He stood quickly to get her at the top of the stairs.

She was wide-eyed. "Still Christmas?"

Nathan laughed as he carried her down. "You didn't miss it. It's still Christmas."

"Can we see the tree?" Allie said.

Nathan reached the bottom step and put Allie down on the bench next to Rebecca. He pointed to the tree in the living room and said, "This tree?"

Allie shook her head. "No. The big tree." And in case no one understood how passionate she was about just how big the tree was, Allie spread her arms as far as they would go.

"Oh," Elizabeth said, laughing. "You mean the really big tree in the town square?"

Allie nodded enthusiastically and wiggled down from the bench. She started back up the stairs, and Nathan said, "Allie, where are you going?"

"Get dressed," was all she said as she continued her progress.

Nathan started to follow her and Rebecca stood, nodding. "I'll help her. I want to memorize every minute with that little girl so I can take it back with me." She gave Nathan a quick hug and looked into his eyes. "You're doing a wonderful job with her, Nathan." She leaned up and kissed his cheek, and then she turned to Elizabeth. "You both are."

Nathan and Elizabeth watched Rebecca as she climbed the stairs after Allie, and the moment Rebecca was out of sight, Nathan reached down and took Elizabeth's hand, quickly pulling her up into his arms.

"I've been wanting to do this all day," he said, though the last few words were muffled against her lips.

Elizabeth felt her knees go weak and for a long moment she forgot where she was. He tasted of the coffee and chocolate that was still warm on his mouth, and she could feel the light stubble of his beard under her cheek. One of his arms went completely around her as his other hand moved up to her neck, then slowly to her chin and finally combing into the curls around her face. He pulled her closer, deeper into the kiss, sighing...

"Nathan? She wants her purple sweater," Rebecca's voice called down the stairwell from Allie's room.

With a start, Nathan cradled Elizabeth's head against his chest. He took a moment to collect himself before answering. "It's in the wash. Tell her the red one is better for Christmas," he said, his voice nearly a monotone as he tried to catch his breath.

Elizabeth was starting to laugh against his chest. This was an entirely new Nathan voice. This was the I was kissing my girl in the kitchen and my mother caught me voice, and something about it just tickled Elizabeth.

Nathan looked down at her, his eyes dancing. "Oh, you think that's funny, do you?"

"That you jumped when your mother caught us kissing?" Elizabeth said, giggling. She nodded. "Yes."

Nathan bent down and nuzzled Elizabeth's neck, making her laugh even harder. Both of them had forgotten that the row houses had walls as thin as paper until Elizabeth looked up over Nathan's shoulder and saw Rebecca at the top of the stairs, grinning.

"She says the red one is too tight," Rebecca said, trying not to laugh herself.

This time, Nathan simply turned around in front of Elizabeth. "The green one is new. Tell her she'll match the tree," he said, smiling sheepishly up at his mother.

Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "You sure you two want to wait until the spring?" Neither of them answered, and Rebecca went back across the hall, chuckling.

Nathan turned. "Do we?" he said, his eyes wide.

"Do we what?" Elizabeth said, beginning to frown a little. And then, Nathan saw the warning sign, the one raised eyebrow.

Nathan nodded, smiling. "We do. We want to wait until the spring." He leaned down and kissed her, tenderly this time, gently brushing his lips across hers.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and sighed. "I want a white wedding. In the church."

"And you shall have it, my love," Nathan said, putting his arm around her and leading her back to the table, where he turned to her and said softly, "So do I." He kissed her once more quickly and went to refill his coffee cup. "It would seem that we're going to see the tree in the square," Nathan said, sitting down with his coffee.

"It would seem we are." Elizabeth leaned back a little. "And I won't mind a walk after that breakfast!"

Elizabeth poured out hot water from the teapot and added some honey. As she stirred it, she made sure to jangle her charm bracelet and looked sideways at Nathan. As she hoped he would, he took her wrist gently into his hand and looked at the charms.

"I saw you looking at this with Mom," he said. Nathan looked up into Elizabeth's eyes in that pure, guileless way she so loved. "Did she tell you?"

Nodding, Elizabeth said, "Yes."

Looking back down at the bracelet, Nathan asked softly, "And how does that make you feel?"

Elizabeth smiled and used her finger to turn his head up to look at her. She gazed into his translucent blue eyes and said, "Loved. Honored," she leaned over and kissed him tenderly, "Cherished."

Nathan moved a curl away from her forehead. "I thought..." He narrowed his eyes slightly, trying to find the right words.

"You thought I might think that because it was Colleen's present every year, that it would seem less personal?" Elizabeth smiled at him with pure love in her eyes. "Nathan, I know how much you love your sister. That makes it more special to me." She laid her head on his shoulder, hooking her thumb through a suspender on his chest and turning her wrist from side to side so the charms caught the light. "You know how I love to tell stories? Every year, we'll add to this story. To our story."

She looked back up into his eyes. "I can't imagine a better gift."

---

Rebecca had seen the tree in the square yesterday, but she hadn't seen it completely decorated and with lights on it. And now that it was Christmas Day, the bustle of the day before had calmed as people walked slowly, threw snowballs and talked to each other in small groups around the town square.

Allie was riding on Nathan's shoulders and she spread her arms out wide again. "Tree!" she said.

Rebecca laughed. "My darling girl, you are a master of the obvious. That is most certainly a tree!" Putting her arms up, Rebecca reached out for Allie. Nathan lifted her off of his shoulders and Allie took Rebecca's hand as they started to walk around the tree. Allie wanted to see the ornaments and because it had been decorated by adults and children, there were plenty for her to see down at her eye level.

Nathan and Elizabeth held hands too, and walked around the other side of the tree.

They both heard Rosemary's voice before they saw her. "You can't do something as monumental as opening up a sawmill without some sort of celebration." She was walking with Lee, doing just what everyone else was doing, looking at the tree.

Rosemary's eyes went wide when she saw Nathan and Elizabeth. "Oh, good. Maybe you two can talk some sense into him," Rosemary said, walking quickly toward them. "Please tell Lee he needs to throw a party for his new sawmill."

Nathan just raised his eyebrows at Lee, which Rosemary found less than helpful.

"Elizabeth?" she said, tilting her head at her friend.

Elizabeth laughed. "Parties are nice," she said, looking at Lee. Then she leaned in a little closer. "You'll learn with Rosemary that it's easier just to say yes. She's very persistent, and she's probably not letting this go."

"I most certainly am not letting it go," Rosemary said. "I even told him I would make all the arrangements. No one can plan a party like I can," she said, pulling herself up a little taller.

Lee could see he was fighting a losing battle, and now that he thought about it, there was nothing he'd rather do than plan a celebration with Rosemary. They'd spent all of Christmas day so far together, and it was hard to believe that it was early this morning that he'd come over to the café to chop some wood. He'd thought that he'd just say hello, take the wood back to the new sawmill office, and then spend the day working on his business plan. As it was, he'd laughed with Bill, Abigail and Rosemary all morning and most of the afternoon, eating far too many scones and completely neglecting business.

And he didn't mind a bit.

Yes, he'd been reminding himself every five minutes that she was a married woman. And through the course of the morning, he'd also learned that she was expecting, so it was clear that whatever this was could go nowhere. But Lee felt happier around Rosemary than he had in a long time, and he was giving himself this Christmas present; a joyous, carefree day in a place that he hoped would give him a brand new start.

And though Rosemary was at all times very clear in her position as a married woman, she had spoken to him about the loneliness of being a Mountie wife with her husband far away. She'd talked about the small, drafty flat in Cape Fullerton, the lack of any communication except for the one letter she'd received, and the short month and a half they'd had together before Jack had volunteered.

Lee thought that it was patently wrong for a woman as vibrant and full of life as Rosemary to be sad on Christmas, so he'd done everything he could to make her laugh. And he had – they'd found they had the same sense of humor, and at times during the morning, Lee had to admit he'd forgotten that she had a husband. She'd told a story of how she had filled the decanter on stage with real gin instead of water and had watched an obnoxious actress that everyone disliked become progressively drunk during the third act, and Lee thought he was going to split his sides laughing. No one could tell a story quite like Rosemary.

"Lee?"

He turned and Rosemary had her eyebrows raised. Lee thought he'd probably missed a part of the conversation. "Yes?"

"You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?" she said, shaking her head. "I was thinking that New Year's Eve would be a good night for a party. A new beginning!" she said dramatically, sweeping her hand through the air across an imaginary billboard. "We can talk to Tom Trevoy about using the saloon. I know we can decorate that drab room to make it festive, and I can play the piano and sing!"

"It sounds like fun," Elizabeth said. "And maybe we can celebrate changing the name of the town to Hope Valley at the same time? Have an unveiling of the water tower and then warm up with hot chocolate?"

Rosemary gasped. "Yes! We'll need a very large piece of cloth to put over the name. We can attach a rope to it and pull it down. Is there a brass band in town?"

All three looked at her blankly for a moment, and Nathan finally laughed. "I don't believe we have a brass band in Coal Valley, Rosemary."

"Actually..." Elizabeth said, tentatively, looking at Nathan, "We were talking about musical instruments in class one day, and it turns out that Wilma Lawson plays the trombone. And I know Mike Hickam has a trumpet..."

"And I play the flute!" Rosemary said, her face bright. "That's a band!" She looked at Elizabeth. "I just saw Hickam in the saloon. Where do I find Wilma Lawson?" She grabbed Lee's arm. "We have to rehearse!"

Lee looked at Nathan and shrugged as Rosemary dragged him off toward the saloon. "Merry Christmas!" Lee called out, laughing.

Elizabeth and Nathan watched until they went through the doors of the saloon. Rosemary still hadn't stopped talking when the doors closed behind them. And Lee hadn't stopped smiling.

Nathan took Elizabeth into his arms. She giggled and squirmed a little. "Nathan. We're in the middle of the street!"

He took hold of her left hand and brought the ring on her third finger up to his lips. "We're engaged to be married," he said softly.

"One quick kiss," she said, moving him closer to the huge tree so that they would be slightly hidden. It wasn't quick, but it wasn't scandalous either. And as Elizabeth held him tightly, with the sounds of the town around them and the heady aroma of evergreen mixed with cinnamon and chocolate that wafted down the street from Abigail's, Elizabeth knew that she would forever remember this moment on their first Christmas together.

Elizabeth had never been happier, and as she moved her head to Nathan's chest and heard his strong heartbeat warm against her ear, she knew that this was only the first of many. Her right hand rested gently on his chest and she could see the charm bracelet there.

Yes, it would tell their story, year by year. And she couldn't wait to find out what secrets it held.

"A-hem..."

Nathan and Elizabeth looked around and Rebecca was smiling broadly at them, holding Allie's hand.

"We want to ride the horses," Allie said simply.

Nathan didn't let go of Elizabeth, and they stood there in each other's arms with Elizabeth's head still on his shoulder. She looked up at him and raised her eyebrows, nodding slightly.

"You want to see our land, Mom? Where we're building the house?"

"I'd love to, but it seems I've left Nugget back in Airdrie," she said, looking around her and laughing.

"I'm sure Jed won't mind if we take one of his horses out for a short ride," Nathan said.

Elizabeth looked up at the sky. Bright blue with a few cotton clouds. Crisp, cold air and the smell of Christmas.

She couldn't think of a better day for a ride.

---

CHAPTER 48

As the sun rose over Coal Valley on the morning after Christmas, big changes were already happening.

Mike Hickam had climbed the water tower, and at first light was beginning to sketch out the word Hope on the painted-over space that used to say Coal. He'd decided to add the words Welcome to above the town name, not because the Town Council had ordered it, but because Hickam believed that was the spirit of the town.

Hickam loved Coal Valley, and had from the moment he'd arrived. He'd probably managed to do more jobs in town than anyone else, from horse-handling to carpentry and even pulling the plough that cleared the roads of snow on the many winter days when it needed it. He was used to waking early and accomplishing these tasks before anyone else was up. It was his favorite time of the day.

This morning, from his perch high above the town, Mike watched as the miners began to exit their houses, but this time they walked from their homes to a new location. Instead of trudging out to the mine road in clothes permanently blackened by coal dust, they were making their way to the new sawmill office, most of them hoping to make a good impression in their Sunday best.

He watched as the sign for "L. Coulter Enterprises" went up at 7:00 a.m., and saw the line of miners begin to form at 7:01.

Then, hearing the sound of an engine, Mike turned and saw Henry Gowen leaning back in his car with his Pinkerton driving, too fast as usual. It looked as if Gowen was simply on an outing, when in fact, Hickam knew that Gowen was meeting Inspector Bill Avery at the Mountie Office. From there, Henry would be taken into custody and he and Bill would head out to Buxton where Henry's trial would take place. The transfer wagon was already in front of the jail, waiting.

Mike smiled as he watched Abigail Stanton, kindhearted as usual, put some pillows and a blanket into the transfer wagon so that Henry might be more comfortable. He could imagine her voice in his head: "Henry is ready to pay his debt to society. No reason for him to be cold and sore on his way to doing it."

Turning back to the tower, Mike looked up and smiled. He thought he might start with the Welcome to before finishing the word Hope.

Yep. That felt right.

---

"Um, folks?" Lee said, standing in front of the line of men and raising his arms to get their attention. Once they quieted down, he said, "I'd like to thank you all for coming out today, and I know Mr. Ansvil has told you some of what you're here for. My name is Leland Coulter."

The men stayed in line, but began to edge closer. Most of them would say later that they liked Lee Coulter from the moment he started talking; and they would add that what they were feeling right now would be borne out in the months to come - that Lee was trustworthy and had their best interests at heart.

Lee continued. "Now that the mine is closed, the future of this town, the future of your town, is timber. And the good news is - it's everywhere." Lee smiled and spread his arms out wide as he looked up at the tree-filled mountains. "I'm starting a sawmill, right here in Hope Valley, and I'm going to need lots of men to help me build it and then run it. My goal is to find jobs for each and every one of you."

They couldn't stop themselves. One man started clapping and it simply gave permission to the rest of them. They felt hopeful for the first time in months. An honest job that could be done in the fresh air with only the clean smells of pitch and sawdust and evergreen and soil around them? It sounded like heaven.

As Lee began to speak again, he noticed that the attention of a few men was drifting to their left, and then more followed their line of sight. Finally Lee jumped down from the front porch of the sawmill office and walked among them, trying to see what they were seeing.

Lee saw the Mountie office in the distance and the prisoner wagon out front. There were two Mountie guards in red serge with Nathan, and they all stood by as Bill Avery brought Henry Gowen out of the jail. Bill shook hands with Nathan and then got up on his horse.

Lee looked around and could see that some of the miners narrowed their eyes as Gowen stepped up to the wagon and disappeared inside with the help of one of the guards. Some allowed themselves a small smile as the barred door was closed and locked. Lee stood with them as the men watched until the wagon rounded the corner. And they continued to watch as Bill, riding behind it, disappeared from sight.

There were smiles and plenty of nodding after that. A couple of men shook hands, and a few clapped each other on the back. It gave Lee time to make his way back to the steps in front of the office. As Lee reached the top step, he saw Nathan walking over on his rounds. He looked directly at him and Nathan came and leaned on the railing.

One man moved forward in the crowd. "With all due respect for what you're trying to do, Mr. Coulter, my trade is mining. I don't know the first thing about timber."

Lee nodded. "Thank you for saying that, Mister...?"

"Palmer," the man said. "Franklin Palmer."

"We'll train you, Mr. Palmer. As soon as the mill is up and running, you can have a crack at any job my foreman can teach you to do. Alright? But first, we have to have a sawmill."

Lee looked over at Nathan and grinned. "Now, I have it on good authority that you men know how to build things." Nathan smiled and nodded. "The first thing we need to do is build the mill. Then we'll get you trained to be loggers."

Lee took a deep breath. "I know you've been through a lot, and from everything I've heard, you've done your jobs in some pretty terrible conditions." Lee chuckled. "I'm not saying I can stop the rain and the snow and the wind up there," he inclined his head toward the mountains, "but I'll listen to your foremen if they tell me it's too much. And I won't ever put you in unnecessary danger."

Again, the men nodded and clapped. A few called out, "Thank you, Mr. Coulter."

Lee made a face and looked down, a little embarrassed. "Okay, okay, thank you. I came to Hope Valley to make a profit, but if I can? I'd like to make a difference too."

Lee reached his arm out and motioned to the first one in the line. "Let's go, young man," he said enthusiastically, showing the way through the door to the sawmill office.

Before turning, Lee nodded to Nathan, who tipped his hat and started back up the street. Smiling, Nathan thought that if this was the way Lee Coulter was going to do business and treat his men, his job just got a whole lot easier. Nathan was pretty sure that all of the complaints and bar fights and bad feelings that had been brought on by the conditions and management at the mine had suddenly left town in the back of that wagon with Henry Gowen.

---

Elizabeth stood at the front door to the café and shaded her eyes from the sun as she looked up the road toward the row houses. She was watching for Rebecca and Allie to come around the corner. Elizabeth and Nathan had waxed poetic about the food at Abigail's so often that Rebecca decided she had to find out what all the fuss was about.

Nathan had risen early to stand by Bill as he read Henry his rights and took him into custody, and now he was out on his rounds. He would be meeting them here at the café for breakfast.

Elizabeth loved the look of Coal Valley in winter. There was still snow on the ground in patches in town, and it still covered the meadow, but the warm sunshine of the last few days had melted much of it. The road to the church was completely clear, and as Elizabeth gazed up, she could see Mike Hickam on the water tower platform as he repainted the town sign. She smiled as she saw the word Welcome.

Elizabeth was remembering writing in her journal when she'd first arrived in Coal Valley. It seemed a long time ago now, but she had written about not only looking for a job and a place that fulfilled her, but that she was also looking for her life here in the west. As she watched Mike with her hand at her forehead shading her eyes, she knew she'd found it.

"Standing guard?"

Elizabeth turned quickly to see Nathan behind her, and she laughed.

"Kind of," she said, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek.

"With your hand up like that, it looked like you were saluting the water tower," Nathan said, putting his arms around her waist and pulling her toward him gently. He walked her slowly around to the side of the café where they could be a little further from the main road.

Elizabeth smiled and reached her arms up around his neck. "I suppose I was, in a way. I was remembering when I first arrived here, and I was reading the word Welcome," she said, raising her eyebrows.

Nathan reached around and held her hand with the charm bracelet between them. "Not much of a welcome, I'm afraid. All alone in a stagecoach..." He held the charm between his fingers and watched as the sunlight played on the tiny wheels.

Elizabeth moved forward just an inch and touched her lips to his hand. "But it brought you to me," she said softly.

"I rescued you," Nathan said, grinning and moving his lips closer to hers.

"Well," Elizabeth said, so close that she needed only to whisper, "I wouldn't call it a rescue. It might have been a rescue if you'd arrived the day before while those terrible men were throwing my clothes all over the roadway..."

"Semantics..." Nathan said, finally touching his lips to hers. He moved her further into the shadows, remembering how the red serge tended to act as a beacon, drawing eyes toward him.

Nathan had spent much of his rounds this morning with his mind wandering back to the Christmas they'd shared together. There were three women Nathan loved above all others in the world, and they were Elizabeth, Allie and Rebecca. He'd been able to spend the day with all three, and was feeling particularly blessed on this day after Christmas. And as he'd walked through the town, he'd known without a doubt that this was his home in a way he'd not felt since Airdrie.

He'd stopped for a moment at the edge of town and had looked up at the blue peaks of the mountains, covered thickly in snow. Nathan seldom called it praying, but he knew that he did it, and today he thanked God for all he'd been given. He also talked to Colleen as he gazed up at the mountains, and he'd never been more sure that she was there, watching, smiling, just like Allie's angel in the sky in her picture.

"I won't worry about you anymore," he said softly. "And since you know my heart, you know that I'm going to stop blaming myself. It's time I got on with my life, because I know that's what you want." Nathan felt the familiar emotion welling up and looked around. He was alone, and he took a deep breath, feeling himself filled with nothing but joy. And then he turned back toward the town and finished his rounds.

Now, with the warmth of Elizabeth's lips on his, Nathan pulled her even closer. He remembered that first day as he'd taken hold of her and helped her up on Newton. He'd felt her strength then, and he felt it now, coupled with the fiery passion that always surprised him. They belonged completely to each other, and as they kissed, he felt his entire body melting into hers. They were hidden in the shadows, but there was one set of eyes that they couldn't hide from.

Hickam stood with his paintbrush hanging in mid-air. He knew that he should turn away, but he couldn't seem to. The whole town reveled in the happiness of their Mountie and their Schoolteacher, and Mike knew better than anyone else how things had changed from the moment they'd come to Coal Valley. Henry Gowen was gone, the mine was closed down, and a new day was dawning. Mike looked back up at the water tower. Even a new name.

As he finished painting the word Welcome, Hickam stole one last glance at the man in red serge holding tightly to the woman in the white blouse and peach-colored skirt.

He smiled again and turned back to his work.

---

"Nathan," Elizabeth said breathlessly, moving her head down to his shoulder. "I think your mother may be right." She laughed softly, feeling Nathan's heart hammering under her ear. "I'm not sure we should wait until spring."

A voice came from behind them. "Smart girl, Elizabeth."

Nathan and Elizabeth both turned and saw Rebecca's head peek around the corner. She was holding Allie's hand, and as soon as Allie saw them, she ran to hug their legs. "Kisses!" she squealed, and Nathan scooped her up to hold between them. Both Elizabeth and Nathan covered Allie with kisses while she giggled uncontrollably.

"Winter weddings are nice," Rebecca said, walking around to take Nathan's arm in hers. "Your father and I were married in January and it was lovely." She looked at the three of them, her eyes shining. "Come home with me to Airdrie. We'll clear the pergola and get Pastor Grady to meet us out there. Charlie can probably warm up the Summer Cabin for you..."

Elizabeth laughed. "Pergola? Summer Cabin?" She looked at Nathan with her eyebrows raised. I obviously need to ask you more questions about where you grew up."

"Oh, just come see it. That'll be faster than trying to get it out of my tight-lipped son," Rebecca said, threading her arm through Elizabeth's. "Now, I'm hungry. I'm ready for some of this famous Abigail's food I've been hearing so much about."

Nathan followed, holding Allie. He laughed softly and kissed her cheek again. "You don't think I'm tight-lipped, do you, sweetie?" When she simply looked at him with her wise eyes, Nathan grinned. He nuzzled her neck and blew air into it, and Allie giggled again as he followed Elizabeth and Rebecca into the café.

---

Hickam turned at the faint sound of the laughter that wafted up on the wind from down below. What it also carried with it, the tantalizing aroma of Abigail's blueberry scones and the smell of frying bacon, had him dropping his paintbrush into the turpentine can until later. Hope could wait another hour while he had breakfast.

As he wiped his hands on the paint rag, Mike turned back and watched Nathan, Elizabeth, Allie and Rebecca a little wistfully for a moment. They looked so happy together.

Someday, Mike thought. That's what I want someday.

---

CHAPTER 49

December 28th, 1910

Constable Jack Thornton

c/o Mountie Headquarters

East Cape Fullerton Station

British Columbia

Dearest Jack,

I just keep writing, although in all this time I've only received one letter from you. I've read it so many times that I have it memorized. And I have to tell myself that all of these letters I've written to you have made their way to you somehow and that they are warming those cold nights you wrote to me about.

I've had something to tell you for a while now, but I haven't wanted to do it in a letter. I kept hoping against hope that you would simply show up at the door one day, foolish as that might sound. There have been regiments of Mounties that have traveled through Coal Valley, and every time they ride by, I search the faces of the men in red serge. But yours is never among them.

We're having a baby, Jack. Yours and mine. A little person created by us, and the thought of it fills me with wonder and gratitude. And then the fear grips me that you won't be home in time to see our child born. If that happens, I'll be surrounded by all the love that Coal Valley has to give, and believe me, it's a lot - but it's not you.

In three days it will be a new year, 1911, the year our baby will be born. I have to imagine us together, the three of us, when that happens, or I can't bear it.

But I won't dwell on sad things. I will be brave and hopeful.

When you see the town next, it will have a new name. The town's jack-of-all-trades, Michael Hickam, has been up on the water tower changing the name from Coal Valley to Hope Valley, and if ever a name fit a town, that is it. I told you about the mine closing, and how there was a man who is opening a sawmill. People are hopeful about all of it.

And you're probably thinking, what is Miss Rosemary LeVeaux, the celebrated actress, doing talking about water towers, and sawmills and coal mines? I can't say I quite believe it myself. I suppose this little town has grabbed me by the ankles and won't let go. And I'm not struggling.

I love it here, Jack. And if you're always going to be off where the fighting is, as I suspect you will be, I might as well be right here waiting for you. I'm thinking very seriously of having our things packed up and brought here. Please write to me and tell me how you feel about that.

Or, just write to me about anything. I miss you so much. And our little wedding and short month together is starting to feel like a dream. I wonder if it really happened.

Your loving wife,

Rosie

Rosemary freshened her lipstick and kissed the page right near her name, as she did with all of her letters to Jack. It was something her character had done on Broadway in The Yankee Prince, and she'd always liked the idea. Now that she had someone to write to, Rosemary felt that the character she played, Evelyn, should have been sadder as she kissed the letter and mailed it off to her sweetheart. Nothing like life experience to make you a better actress, she thought, sighing.

After sealing the letter, Rosemary walked downstairs, and as always, she stood for a moment on the landing, taking in the aromas of Abigail's cooking. She was grateful to be past the really nauseous stage of her pregnancy, although the chicken fried steak on Fridays still caused her to move quickly through the kitchen and out into the fresh air.

Today, Abigail was making her nearly legendary corn chowder. Rosemary was convinced that a bowl of that, with bread and butter on the side, could cure anything, including morning sickness.

"How are you feeling?" Abigail said, seeing Rosemary on the stairs with her eyes closed.

"Better now," Rosemary said. "I forgot it was corn chowder day. My absolute favorite." She moved quickly over to the stove, hoping for a taste. The fact that it was eight o'clock in the morning didn't faze her a bit. Abigail smiled and picked up a clean spoon, dipping it in the large pot and holding it for Rosemary to blow on it and cool it off a bit before she put it in her mouth.

"Mmmmm," Rosemary said, her eyes closed and a satisfied smile on her face. "Oh, Abigail, it's like the nectar of the gods..."

Laughing, Abigail said, "As long as it sticks to their ribs, I'll be happy." She put down the spoon and said, "You're going to mail Jack's letter?"

Rosemary nodded, pouting a little. "Yes, and again, I'll ask Ned if he has anything for me. He's started hiding when I come in. He pushes Katie out front instead."

Abigail gave her a quick hug. "No one likes disappointing you, Rosemary. We all wish we could bring Jack home to you."

Rosemary sighed. "I'm trying to play the part of a good Mountie wife, Abigail. I'm just not very good at it."

Reaching up to pat her cheek, Abigail said, "You're doing better than I could. You're very strong."

Raising her chin and forcing a smile, Rosemary said, "I suppose the show must go on!"

Abigail smiled. "That's my brave girl." In a short time, she'd come to care very much for Rosemary. For all her theatricality, she had a warmth and kindness about her, not to mention the wonderful humor that had already endeared her to half the town.

Rosemary walked over and pulled down her coat from the rack by the door. "I'll stop off at Lee's office after dropping the letter. I have some more ideas for his grand opening."

Laughing, Abigail said, "What more can you add to it? I keep waiting for you to say there will be elephants walking down the main street!"

Rosemary raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Oh, if only I could..." She looked off into the distance dramatically. "I once saw a photograph of the actress Theda Bara on an elephant. So... exotic!" she said, opening the side door.

Abigail shook her head, "Okay," was all she managed to say before starting to laugh again. "Say hello to Lee and Mike," she said.

"Save me some?" Rosemary said, looking at the pot Abigail was stirring.

"It's a promise," Abigail said.

"Tally-ho!" Rosemary said cheerfully as she closed the door with a flourish.

Elizabeth had left for school early, and Nathan was just walking Allie out to the schoolhouse as Rosemary crossed the road. Allie ran to her and put her arms up. "Rosie!" Allie said, using the name she'd first heard from Jack and now always used for Rosemary.

"Hello, my sweet bug!" Rosemary said, pulling her up and hugging her. Allie held up a finger with a bandage on it and frowned deeply.

Rosemary mirrored her frown and said, "Oh!" giving Allie the reaction she'd hoped for. "What did you do?"

"Spinter," Allie said, looking as pitiful as possible. Rosemary nodded and kissed it, and Allie smiled at her.

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Looks like I'm going to have to take some sandpaper to the railing on the front porch," he said.

Rosemary tilted her head, "Or, you could just begin building that house you keep promising Elizabeth..."

Nathan laughed. "As soon as the ground thaws out there..." he moved his chin toward the meadow, "...we'll start."

"And how's Rebecca? Still enjoying her stay?" Rosemary asked.

Nathan laughed. "She's cleaning. I can't get her to stop. I just left her on her hands and knees scrubbing the baseboards."

Rosemary shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Mothers!" Then, hearing herself, she laughed and said, "Oh! I'm going to be one of those! I'd better stop saying it that way, hadn't I?"

Allie put her head on Rosemary's shoulder and closed her eyes, ready to go back to sleep. Rosemary laughed softly, "Still not much of a morning person, is she?"

Nathan exhaled. "Never has been. But ten o'clock at night? She's ready to take on the world."

Rosemary smiled. "Perfect for a life in the theatre," she said, handing her gently back to Nathan.

"Off to mail Jack's letter?" Nathan asked. "Still no word?"

Rosemary simply sighed, and Nathan reached a hand out and put it on her shoulder. "You can't imagine the route the mail has to take between here and the Northern Territories, Rosemary. There are hundreds of explanations for why his letters aren't reaching you. But I'm sure he's thinking about you. Probably every minute."

"Thank you, Nathan," Rosemary said, gazing at his red serge jacket and wishing so much that she could see Jack in his. She looked over at the Mercantile and smiled. "Maybe today!"

"I hope so," Nathan said. He'd tried in every way possible to find out exactly where Jack Thornton was. Even Bill had tried. But the fighting was so bad up there, and the casualties so heavy, that record-keeping had gone by the wayside.

"Have a good day, Rosemary," Nathan said, tipping his hat to her and starting up the road to the school.

---

Lee stared at her, open-mouthed. "Fireworks?" he finally managed to say. He was somewhere between complete shock and bursting out laughing.

"Yes!" Rosemary said enthusiastically. She had too much to describe to stay seated, so she stood, using her hands and her outstretched arms to illustrate her point. "Can't you just see it? Lighting up the sky! Happy New Year! And there, in the distance, the water tower." At this, she turned around completely so that she was facing Mike Hickam's desk. "Welcome to Hope Valley." Making a complete circle, she turned back to Lee. "And the Coulter Sawmill!"

"Rosemary," Lee said, smiling, "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but where on earth are we going to get fireworks in three days?"

Raising her chin, Rosemary said, "I already ordered them. They'll be here tomorrow."

Lee narrowed his eyes. "And you paid for them, how?"

Rosemary gave him her most brilliant smile. "On your tab."

"On my...?" Lee started to say, leaning forward on his desk, but before he could continue, Rosemary turned back to Hickam. "And Michael, someone will need to... shoot them into the sky. I trust you'll be able to figure that out?" Mike's forehead creased and he looked at her the way he usually looked at Rosemary, in complete confusion.

"Good," she said, moving toward the door. "It's all settled!" Rosemary opened the door and stood there for a moment, beaming at both of them. "This is going to be so much fun!" she said, and then she was gone.

Lee and Mike stared at the door for a moment and then at each other.

"What just happened?" Lee said, shaking his head in wonder.

Hickam shrugged and simply said, "Rosemary."

---

Allie was sound asleep with Rebecca up at Nathan's row house. In fact, it was Rebecca who suggested Nathan walk back down to the cafe to say goodnight to Elizabeth. Nathan's raised eyebrow and crooked smile told his mother that he knew exactly what she was doing, and Rebecca's identical look back to him told Nathan that she wasn't even trying to hide it.

He'd slipped quietly in through the side door and had found Elizabeth up writing in her journal by lamplight in the sitting room. Rosemary and Abigail were asleep upstairs and the usually busy and noisy cafe was silent.

"Writing about me?" Nathan said, hanging up his jacket on the rack.

Elizabeth laughed softly, "You know, there are other things in my life besides romance."

Sitting down beside her, Nathan smiled. "Of course there are, but do you write about them in your journal?"

Elizabeth made a face and narrowed her eyes. "You really want to know what I write in here, don't you?"

Nathan leaned back and looked at the ceiling. "Couldn't care less," he said, still smiling.

"Liar," she said, putting away her journal and leaning down to kiss his neck. "Someday, I may just leave it open on a table in our new house, and that will mean you have permission to read it." She nuzzled in closer, loving the feel of his warm skin and the faint aroma of soap and leather that always lingered there.

Nathan pulled her closer and bent his head down to touch his lips to hers. Will I ever tire of this? he thought as he sighed into the kiss. Will there ever come a time when this feeling, this warm electricity, doesn't happen between us? He couldn't imagine it would ever go away, this wanting, this need for her.

Nathan moved closer and she made room for him, her arms going around his neck and their hearts pressed together tightly, so that she could almost feel them beating in tandem. All the stories Elizabeth had read, all the Austen romances, the Bronte tragedies, the Shakespeare sonnets, took on new meanings when she joined with Nathan like this. On the page the words were beautiful. In real life, here in his arms, they were profound and eternal, and just like her heroines… oh, how she wanted all of him.

Elizabeth moved her lips from his, aware that she was crossing over again into that place that made her senses whirl and her good sense disappear. With great force of will, she sat up and looked into his eyes. "I love you so much." She touched the curl at his forehead with her fingers. "Is this normal, do you think?" she asked, her eyes searching his.

Nathan laughed softly and closed his eyes into her touch. "I was just wondering the same thing…" he said, his voice low and rough. He reached his arms around her and buried his head in her curls. "Do you know what I love about this?" he asked softly.

Elizabeth smiled. "I can think of a few things off the top of my head," she said into his chest.

Nathan held her even closer, "Well, yes, so can I, but what I really love is that this is new to both of us. I've never felt anything that can touch this, 'Lizbeth. Not even close."

"And neither have I," she said, looking up into his eyes. It was dim in the room, but she knew how blue his eyes were.

They held each other for a moment and then Elizabeth turned and moved under his arm. She slipped off her shoes and pulled her feet up under her on the sofa, curling herself even closer to Nathan as he kicked off his shoes and leaned back with his stockinged feet on the table. The room was warm from the woodstove fire and the day's cooking. The savory memory of the corn chowder and sourdough bread permeated the small room, making it even cozier.

"I saw Rosemary today," Nathan said. "She was on her way to mail another letter to Jack."

"And still no letter from him," Elizabeth said, sighing. She shook her head. "I can't imagine how hard that is for her, just waiting and wondering. I don't know if I could do it."

Resting his lips on the top of her head, Nathan said. "You would be strong. You'd do what you had to do. I have no doubt of that." Nathan exhaled softly. "There could be a lot of reasons why she's not hearing from him," he said, but there was hesitation in his voice, and Elizabeth sat up and looked at him.

"What are you thinking?" she said, frowning at him in the dim light.

Nathan looked self-consciously at the stairwell to his left and lowered his voice. He would never say this to Rosemary, but he was actually becoming concerned himself about Jack. "It's not… standard… to keep running into dead ends the way I am. There's always someone who knows something about men in the field, even when it's as bad as it is up there."

"So do you think they're withholding information from you? Or that they really don't know where he is?" Elizabeth whispered.

Nathan nodded. "It could be either of those things…" he said.

Elizabeth saw Nathan avert his eyes and she reached out to his chin and lifted his face so he had to look at her. "Which one do you think it is?"

Nathan took a deep breath, knowing he would never keep something this important from Elizabeth. "Up until now, I've simply been making requests for information by wire. Tomorrow, I'm going to send them one to let them know that Rosemary is here in Coal Valley. I'm afraid they may be looking for her."

Chills went down Elizabeth's spine, and she felt tears starting. Her voice was a monotone, without feeling. "To tell her what, Nathan?"

He shook his head and put his hand on Elizabeth's face. "I don't know for sure. I would tell you if I did."

"But you have an idea," Elizabeth whispered, her voice breaking.

Nathan sighed and looked down again. He spoke just barely above a whisper. "They may be looking for next of kin."

---

CHAPTER 50

Two days before the New Year, Nathan sent a wire to Mountie Headquarters in Cape Fullerton, letting them know that Mrs. Jack Thornton was currently residing in Coal Valley, Alberta.

On New Year's Eve afternoon, the day of Lee's grand opening, Nathan received word back by wire.

The Great North Western Telegraph Company of Canada

To: Constable Nathan Grant, c/o Yost's Mercantile, Coal Valley

WILL NOT SEND CONSTABLE TO INFORM NOK. DUTY IS YOURS. CONSTABLE JACK THORNTON KILLED IN LOD, 12/19/1910, NT, GUNSHOT WOUND. PLS REPORT WHEN COMPLETE. NOTIFY DEST FOR TRB.

HQ

Nathan exhaled and reached out his hand to steady himself on Ned Yost's counter. As he did, he looked into Ned's eyes, which were filling as fast as his own.

"Oh, Nathan," Ned said, his face a mask of pain. "I'm so sorry."

Nathan found his voice slowly. "Thank you," he said woodenly. "I would appreciate it if you would share this with no one, Ned."

"Wires are always confidential, Nathan," Ned said, nodding.

Nathan nodded back and folded the paper in half. He needed to get somewhere to think. To collect himself. To figure out how on earth he was going to give this news to Rosemary.

And the only person he wanted to see right now was Elizabeth.

---

The Library was closed on New Year's Eve, and Nathan and Elizabeth had pulled all the curtains and locked the doors. For a while they'd sat in the chairs at the small table while Elizabeth wept and Nathan held her.

Elizabeth finally wiped her eyes and picked up the piece of paper that lay between them on the table. "NOK, next of kin?" Nathan nodded. "LOD, line of duty. NT, Northern Territories," she said softly, her hands shaking slightly and causing the paper to quiver. "What is DEST for TRB?"

Nathan took a deep breath. "Destination for transfer of remains for burial," he said, his eyes icy blue.

Elizabeth looked up at Nathan, her eyes stricken. "The duty is yours." She put her arms around him, "Oh, my love, what can I do? How can I make this easier for you?"

Nathan held her tightly. "I should have known. Why would they send a Constable all the way from Cape Fullerton when they already have one posted here? I wasn't thinking that far ahead, but I should have been." Elizabeth felt him take a shuddering breath and then he pulled away, his eyes focused on hers.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "This is a part of being a Mountie, I shouldn't be thinking about how I could have avoided it. I should be grateful that Rosemary will hear this from someone who cares about her. Someone who knows… who knew Jack."

Elizabeth watched in awe as Nathan found his center, and even sat a little taller in the chair. His mouth set into a firm line and he took Elizabeth's hand on the table. "We're trained in this," he said softly. Then he added, "The duty is mine."

They sat for a time, both imagining the terrible moment that lay ahead. There was no question in Elizabeth's mind that she would be there when he told her. She would stand next to Nathan and she would hold Rosemary. Supporting two people that she loved.

Elizabeth sighed heavily. "So, do you let Rosemary have this party that she's so looked forward to and then tell her, or are you bound to tell her now?"

"At earliest opportunity is how they phrased it in training, as I recall," Nathan said. "And considering the fact that I know Rosemary is out by the water tower right now with Lee and Mike, I guess the manual would say I should just walk out there and tell her."

Elizabeth squeezed his hand gently. "That's what the manual says. What's in your heart, Nathan?"

Raising his eyebrows in some resignation, Nathan said, "That we let her have this celebration and then tell her after."

Elizabeth smiled sadly at him. "That's what's in my heart too."

Nathan nodded and they sat in silence for a moment. Then Nathan spoke, "I know that Jack's father died in the line of duty as a Mountie, and I thought he said his mother is still living. And he has a brother?"

"Yes, Tom. Rosemary has mentioned him. It came up because he lives in Hamilton."

"And where is his mother?" Nathan asked.

"Rosemary said her name is Charlotte and she lives in Aberdeen. She knows her well and they've been writing to each other quite a lot since the wedding. Rosemary will probably want to be the one to tell her. The first time she and Jack broke off their engagement, Charlotte told her that she would always be like a daughter to her."

Nathan nodded. "A husband, and now a son, both lost because of their courage," he said. "Seems almost more than a person can bear."

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. "And yet Abigail has…"

Nathan's head came up sharply and he began to nod slowly as he looked into Elizabeth's eyes. "You women are made of steel, Elizabeth. We go out and fight, but when we do, we're doing things. You wait. I think that's harder."

Elizabeth felt her eyes filling again as she watched the color change in Nathan's eyes. "I can't even imagine losing you..."

Nathan gave her a sad smile, but his eyes were filled with love. "You would soldier on, my angel. You always will." He reached down and touched the small charm on her bracelet. "My angel Elizabeth. I wonder now how I got through the hardest times without you." He looked back up at her. "This is a terrible duty I have to perform, but knowing you'll be standing beside me makes it easier." He lifted her hand and held it to his lips, closing his eyes.

Elizabeth ran her fingers through his hair tenderly. "I will always be standing beside you, my love. Always."

---

"A little higher, Michael!" Rosemary said, her voice carrying all the way up to the water tower platform. Mike Hickam had attached a large tarpaulin with ropes to the tower so that it was covering the new name of the town. The fact that practically every person in Coal Valley had seen it while Mike was painting it, or had walked by it afterwards, meant little to Rosemary. This was all about the show.

"That's better. And when we pull on this one rope, we want the whole thing to fall. Dramatically!" Rosemary said, illustrating with her hands.

Lee was smiling at her in the way that he found he was doing a lot these days. He'd never met a woman like Rosemary, and the fact that she was equal parts fascinating and baffling had him feeling slightly off his game. For a man like Lee, who was pretty much always in control of a situation, it was a heady, disorienting feeling.

The last few days had been the best he could remember in a long time. Hardly a waking hour would go by without Rosemary popping her head into his office, or stopping him on the street, or simply sitting down at the table at Abigail's as he and Mike had lunch every day. Full of life, full of energy, and full of ideas. That was Rosemary.

At the same time he was enjoying every minute, Lee Coulter was holding his heart back. He knew that this was a woman he could fall for. Hard. Every time his heart expanded a little, he forced himself to look at the ring on her left hand and gave himself a short lecture. Don't you dare think of her that way.

Lee shaded his eyes from the sun as he looked up at Mike on the platform. "So, do we test it?" he called up.

Mike exhaled so loudly that Lee could hear it down below. "If we test it, I have to put it all back up, right?" Mike said.

Lee laughed. "Good point." He turned to Rosemary and raised his eyebrows. "So, we take our chances?" he asked her.

Rosemary flung her arms out wide. "Throw caution to the wind!" she said, laughing. She moved closer to Lee. "It reminds me of a show I did in New York, off-Broadway. Our props and sets got stuck in Chicago and they didn't arrive until an hour before opening night. Did we despair? No! We just went on stage and did it! And it was glorious!"

Lee grinned back at her, laughing and shaking his head. "And who is the lucky person who pulls the rope?" he asked.

"I've already spoken to Mayor Ramsey, and he's agreed to do it. So we'll reveal the name, then we'll go to the saloon and have the party." She took Lee's arm companionably and started walking back toward the saloon to show him how the decorations were progressing. "Of course, we'll want you to say a few words about the sawmill, and how pleased you are to be here in Hope Valley..." she leaned a little closer, as if it was a secret, "because it will be Hope Valley by then..."

"Hey!" Mike called out from the platform. He waited until they turned around and looked up at him. "Are we done here?"

Rosemary gave him her brightest smile and waved her hand in the air. "Yes, Michael! Thank you." She pointed to the large box on the ground that had arrived this morning. "Now, on to the fireworks!"

"Okay! On to the fireworks," Mike said, starting to climb down from the tower.

When Rosemary turned back to Lee, he had an eyebrow raised. "You know Hickam would do anything for you, right?"

Rosemary wrinkled her nose adorably. "He's a sweet boy," she said, starting to walk again.

"He follows around behind you like a puppy dog," Lee said. "Be careful with him, okay?"

Rosemary stopped and looked at Lee, her face serious. For a moment they both simply gazed at each other. She'd heard the tone of his voice, and Lee had surprised himself with his own honesty. And because the two of them had felt a connection from the moment they'd met, they both knew instantly what they were really talking about.

Rosemary smiled, her eyes soft. "I would never do anything to hurt a friend. And we always need to be careful with other people's hearts," Rosemary said. She tilted her head and gave a small shrug. "But things are the way they are."

Lee nodded, his voice as soft as hers. "I hope to always be your friend, Rosemary. And when your husband returns, I hope to be his friend as well." He smiled and patted her hand on his arm, looking down. He had a feeling this would be the last time they'd speak of it, so he wanted to make himself clear. "I might wish it was otherwise, but yes, things are the way they are." He looked back up into Rosemary's eyes and realized in an instant that the time had passed for him to hold back his heart.

It was already hers.

---

"3...2...1...Happy New Year!" Rosemary called out as she looked skyward. Mike had clearly worked out the details of getting the fireworks in the air, because now they burst into color extravagantly in the blackness of the sky above them. Without thinking, Rosemary took Lee's arm, laughing and fully enjoying the complete success that the night had been.

Absolutely nothing had gone wrong. Lee looked over at her in wonder and then back up at the sky. His sawmill had been officially launched, the town was now Hope Valley, and it was a new year. 1911, and everyone was full of hope.

He looked back over at Rosemary and her face was so suffused with happiness that he almost found it difficult to breathe. Her strength, her resilience, the way she embraced life, the joy she found in the people around her was so evident in everything she did.

Yes, he could be her friend and still love her. He would take Rosemary in any way that would keep her in his life.

---

Nathan and Elizabeth had slipped away just before the fireworks began. If they seemed subdued at the unveiling and at the saloon later, people assumed it was because they were so in love that they weren't able to take much else in. The town had gotten used to Elizabeth and Nathan being in their own world.

The fact that Rebecca and Abigail were also slightly quiet had escaped the notice of the townspeople. Everyone was so full of hope in the possibilities for the new year and so excited about the opening of the sawmill, that they couldn't allow a thought of sadness to enter their minds.

Because it was a party, Nathan had been in his civilian clothes for the evening. But now he had a duty to perform, and because it was an official one, he needed to put on the red serge and become Constable Nathan Grant, the Mountie of Hope Valley.

Elizabeth walked silently with him to his office and watched while he removed his jacket and went around the corner to change into his jodhpurs and boots. She helped him straighten his suspenders and then buttoned his red serge jacket for him.

It was almost ceremonial, and it required the silence and respect Nathan and Elizabeth gave it. As he secured his Sam Browne belt, she took the cross strap from behind him and brought it up and around through the epaulet, handing it to him to secure in the ring at his waist. Then his holster, functionally unnecessary, but required for the uniform. Elizabeth took hold of the hem of his jacket and pulled it smartly down under his belt, eliminating any wrinkles.

Both of them had tears in their eyes.

Standing back, Elizabeth watched as Nathan picked up his campaign hat from the desk and placed it squarely on his head. He stood for a moment with his thumbs hooked in his belt, breathing deeply and trying to clear his eyes of the moisture that kept gathering there.

"I love you more than I can say," Elizabeth said simply.

Nathan gazed at her, his eyes the mountain blue that always took her breath away. "And I love you. You can't know what it means to have you here right now." Elizabeth watched as he again set his jaw and raised his chin.

"The duty is mine," Nathan repeated softly, almost like a prayer. Elizabeth nodded. He reached out his hand and she took it, holding it to her lips tenderly. And then she followed him out the door.

---

"Walk with me?" Elizabeth said to Rosemary when she found her talking to Lee after the fireworks. Everyone had congratulated her on the wonderful evening, and in the early morning hour of 1911, many had wandered off home to their beds. The farms and businesses of the new Hope Valley wouldn't know there had been a late celebration when the sun rose. Cows would still need milking and bank doors would still need opening.

"Elizabeth!" Rosemary said, "Did you see the fireworks? Weren't they stunning?"

Rosemary was still in the full flush of the celebration and she didn't notice that Elizabeth seemed a little quiet. But Lee did. He also noticed in the light of the moon that Elizabeth's eyes were glistening. There was a sorrow in her features that was decidedly out of place, and when he met her eyes, she gave him the slightest of nods. Adrenaline coursed through his body as he read her face. Stay close, she was saying. Lee nodded back and followed.

Rosemary saw him from a distance. She knew Nathan so well by now and had seen him in his red serge so often, that she was surprised and how different he seemed. He was standing with his hands behind his back, his feet apart, his hat pulled low over his brow. He looked almost like a statue, ramrod straight. Formal. Official.

And she knew.

In an instant, Rosemary felt her knees go weak and when they did, Elizabeth held her up on one side. Lee's arm came immediately through hers on her other side and she wondered for a moment if her feet were even touching the ground as they moved inexorably toward what she knew would be not only the dawn of a new year but the beginning of something terrible and shattering in her life.

The tears didn't come for her. They came for the child she was carrying, Jack's child, who she knew now as surely as anything she'd ever known, would never know him.

"No..." she said, her voice as broken as her heart as she saw Nathan's eyes in the dim light of the moon.

"Rosemary," he said, his control finally dissolving as she walked into his arms. "I'm so sorry..." Nathan removed his hat and dropped it to the ground as he folded Rosemary into his chest, his eyes desperately searching out Elizabeth's for strength.

Rosemary pressed her cheek against the red serge and sobbed. She couldn't count how many times she had felt this soft wool against her skin. Never again would it be Jack that she held, and along with everything else she was suddenly mourning, she added this.

---

CHAPTER 51

Elizabeth woke from the type of dream that had no clear edges, nothing as concrete as people or places – a dream of endless searching but never finding, its aftermath only frustration and weariness.

She tried to open her eyes but the light that slanted across them was bright enough to be blinding, so she rolled over and buried her face in the pillow. She was on the floor, lying on the quilts that Abigail had quietly brought into Rosemary's room in the early hours of the morning.

Elizabeth looked up at the small bed and she could see that Rosemary was still asleep. After hours of crying as Elizabeth held her in the light of the rising sun, Rosemary's grief had given in to exhaustion. Elizabeth had continued to hold her for a time, afraid she might wake up; but finally, she had slipped out of the bed and onto the floor to fall into a fitful sleep herself.

Rubbing her eyes, Elizabeth looked at the clock. A little after four in the afternoon, and now that she could see more clearly she realized that they hadn't closed the curtains that were needed to shade the room against the strong afternoon sun that came through even in the winter. As quietly as she could, Elizabeth sat up and drew herself to a wobbly standing position, reaching out for the chair for support. She couldn't remember ever being so tired.

Closing the curtains almost all the way, Elizabeth peered outside at the street below. Life went on as usual, with people walking, wagons rumbling by, children playing, mothers meeting each other to share stories on the boardwalk.

As if nothing had happened. As if Jack Thornton hadn't died.

But as Rosemary had said over and over, Jack had died on the 19th, nearly two weeks ago. In fact, Rosemary couldn't stop saying it. "When I wrote my letters, while I planned the party, while I thought of fireworks and water towers and paper streamers... he was already gone." She couldn't get over that she hadn't known somehow, that some part of her hadn't died with him in the freezing Northern Territories, that she had blissfully gone on with her life while Jack's life ebbed away.

Out on the street in the first few minutes of the new year, Rosemary had cried into Nathan's red serge until he nodded to Elizabeth and had turned her toward Abigail's. Elizabeth had come up on her other side, and they had walked her, still crying, to a table in the cafe, where she sat, refusing to go to bed.

Lee had followed them, feeling helpless and desperate to offer some service, until Rosemary had cried out suddenly, "Charlotte! Someone has to find Charlotte!" Lee had taken her hand and simply said, "Where is she?" When Rosemary answered, "Aberdeen," Lee had looked at Nathan. "Go to the Mountie office there and they'll take you out to her. I'll wire ahead." Rosemary had looked at Lee and managed to choke out, "Thank you," and Lee knew that nothing that heaven or earth threw at him would stop him until he'd found Jack's mother and had brought her back to Hope Valley.

And still, Rosemary had refused to sleep. She dispatched Hickam to find out where Tom Thornton was in Hamilton so that a wire could be sent. She begged Nathan to tell her everything he knew and he'd produced the wire that held all the information he had.

More news had arrived by stage in the early morning, in the form of a file addressed to Nathan with the name Constable Jack Thornton on the outside. Jack's personal effects, including some of Rosemary's own letters, nearly filled a small burlap sack. Most of the letters were unopened, having been received while Jack lay in the grip of the sepsis that would finally take him, brought on by a gunshot wound to the abdomen that never healed as infection set in. One letter had been opened and Rosemary had pulled it frantically from the envelope, wondering which set of words had found their way to him. She had deemed its contents the most trivial of news and had said over and over if only she'd known, if only. If only.

Finally, just before the sun came up, Rosemary had allowed Abigail to take her upstairs on the pretense of washing her face and getting her out of her corset, while Elizabeth and Nathan held each other downstairs, giving and taking strength in the only way they knew how, in each other's arms.

Abigail managed to get Rosemary into her nightgown and had convinced her to lie down. When Abigail needed to begin the day's baking, Elizabeth had taken her place, holding Rosemary until she'd finally given in to sleep. Nathan had gone to his office but soon realized there was nothing more to be done until Charlotte and Rosemary decided where Jack was to be laid to rest. Finally, Nathan gave in to his own exhaustion and went home, where Rebecca and Allie were having a late breakfast. With instructions to wake him if he was needed, Nathan finally found some fitful sleep himself.

It was the first day of 1911, and the year hadn't started as any of them had planned.

---

Lee and his Mountie escort found Charlotte after she had been riding the fences on her tiny ranch in Aberdeen. When she saw a Mountie and a stranger at her front porch she searched their faces.

What she found there told her all she needed to know.

"When?" she said, her eyes like steel and her voice stoic. The only indication Lee had that she was upset was the slightest quiver of her chin.

"December 19th, ma'am," the Mountie said, "Up in the Territories."

"How?" Charlotte asked, reaching out to hold the front porch rail. Lee moved toward her with a hand, and Charlotte shot him daggers with her eyes as she tilted her head in warning. "I'm fine," she said, and Lee moved back, nodding.

"Gunshot wound, ma'am," the Mountie replied.

"And where is my boy now?" she asked, a tiny tremor in her voice giving the first indication of her distress.

"Cape Fullerton, ma'am."

Finally, Charlotte turned to Lee. "And who are you?" she asked. Her tone wasn't unkind, just businesslike. Lee had a feeling that if she let go, she would never stop, so he made sure he kept any sympathy or pity out of his voice. He understood what he was seeing, because it was how he himself dealt with grief. He wanted to give Charlotte no reason to break down.

"I'm Lee Coulter, a friend of Rosemary's, Mrs. Thornton. She asked me to come and get you," Lee said, raising his chin and looking her right in the eye.

At Rosemary's name, a crack started in Charlotte's armor, and Lee understood that as well. She couldn't touch her own grief right now, but Rosemary's might break her. Lee saw her eyes begin to glisten and he said quickly, "I have a wagon."

"I'll ride," she said, and she looked at the Mountie. "Anything else?" He shook his head.

She started toward the front door and opened the screen. She stopped there for a moment, remembering her manners. Without turning around, she said, "I'm grateful to you both." She turned and said to the Mountie, "You've done your job well, Constable. Thank you." Then she turned to Lee. "I'll get a few things and we'll be on our way. I appreciate you coming to get me." Then she opened the front door and let the screen door slam as she walked through.

Lee knew that she would go to a room where she could be alone, and Charlotte Thornton would fall apart. He nodded to the Mountie and shook his hand. "Thank you, Constable. I'll take it from here."

Lee sat down in the weathered wicker chair on the front porch and exhaled. He knew he might be here for a while, and he looked out at the late afternoon sunlight on the trees, feeling the lack of sleep begin to catch up with him. Two cups of strong Mountie coffee in the Aberdeen office had clearly not been enough to offset the long night, and now it would be another six hours before they'd be back in Hope Valley.

Hope Valley, Lee thought. A town filled with widows.

And now one more.

---

Elizabeth and Nathan sat in the first pew of the church watching the single flickering candle on the schoolroom desk as it danced and sent patterns of light on the walls. They'd come here to be alone, to be together, to pray, to grieve, to ask for God's grace for Rosemary and for Jack, each now on their separate journeys.

Rosemary had been drawn into the nurturing arms of the widows. The women who understood, who knew what to say, whose own grief had given them pathways that Elizabeth couldn't walk with her. And although Nathan knew those roads well, he also knew that this was work best done by women, by the wives who had also lost their husbands.

Every now and then, a tear would slip down Elizabeth's cheek and she would reach up and wipe it away. If she wasn't quick enough, Nathan would do it for her. He held her securely under his arm as she leaned against his heart, taking comfort in its steady beat and the warmth of his chest.

Neither of them had slept well, and what they wanted more than anything was to stretch out on the wooden church floor, the floor that they had built along with the rest of the town, and just fall asleep in each other's arms. But even in the strangeness of this day and the one before it, they knew that would be unacceptable, scandalous, misunderstood. Impossible.

"I want to get married," Elizabeth murmured into the soft cotton of Nathan's shirt. She'd said it so softly that he hadn't heard her clearly, so he leaned down, trying to find her eyes.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and sparkling in the candlelight. "I want to get married," she said, more forcefully, louder. This time Nathan heard her perfectly.

"So do I," he said, searching her eyes for a hidden meaning. He reached down and took her left hand, holding the ring between his fingers.

Now Elizabeth sat up so that she could look directly at him. It was dark, but as the candle flickered she could catch the blue of his eyes just inches from her own. "I want to get married now," she said, her mouth set in a firm line. "We never know... what can happen. It can happen in an instant." She put her hand on his face and stroked his cheek gently with her thumb. "I want everything with you, all of you, and if anything happened... what a waste it would be..." She knew she wasn't making sense, but she couldn't say it any clearer, so she simply repeated herself. "I want to get married. Now."

Nathan understood. And he understood because he had been feeling the same thing. How life can turn. How a sister can disappear. How a father can disappoint. How a child not yet born can lose a father.

His face was so close to hers that they only had inches to move before their lips were joined, and all the sadness and duty and fear and wakefulness of this horrible new year fused them together in a shared need that they'd been afraid to express until now. Their arms went around each other and they held on as if for dear life, breathing in the heat that they created when they kissed this way, deeply, absolutely, losing themselves in each other.

Nathan's hand went to the back of her neck, threading through her long curls until he found her skin, warm and soft under his fingers. He pulled her closer, pressing more urgently against her lips with his own, and she responded, framing his face with her hands, knowing that he understood and shared her need.

"When?" he said against her lips, and he pulled away slightly. "Now now?" he whispered, and Elizabeth laughed softly, catching her breath against his cheek, her senses overwhelmed.

"Not this minute," she said, her breath ragged, "But... soon." She pulled back and looked into his eyes. "No one even needs to know. Rebecca will watch Allie. We can go to Benson Hills, or Union City, or Buxton. I don't care. I want to be your wife. I want you to be my husband. None of the rest of it matters, Nathan. I love you."

He smiled his crooked smile and said, "Okay." Then he laughed softly and buried his face in her neck, breathing in the lavender there, soft and warm and fragrant. "Okay," he murmured, brushing his lips under her jaw, across her cheek and finally resting again on her mouth.

"Okay," she said. Elizabeth laughed again before closing her eyes and allowing herself to fall weightlessly into Nathan's kiss with a soft sigh.

---

CHAPTER 52

"I suppose we should have known they'd be like two peas in a pod," Nathan said, leaning back on the sofa with his arm around Elizabeth.

"They do have a lot in common," Elizabeth replied, as they watched Rebecca and Charlotte in the kitchen, laughing.

Allie was engrossed in her dollhouse, which now had much more room after the removal of the Christmas tree. Nathan's house was back to normal, or at least as normal as possible, considering Rebecca had cleaned it to within an inch of its life, and had begun rearranging Nathan's boots and fishing poles and other often-used items away from the front door and into corners where he could never find them.

It had been nearly two weeks since Nathan had given the terrible news to Rosemary.

Charlotte had arrived in Hope Valley on New Year's Day, then Tom Thornton by train from Hamilton three days later. Jack's body had been escorted from Cape Fullerton with all the honor and ceremony due a Constable of the North West Mounted Police who had fallen in the service of his country, and the escorts had stayed for the funeral the next day.

In those first few days, Charlotte and Rosemary had been inseparable. As Rosemary had first fled into Charlotte's arms, she'd sobbed against her chest, choking out, "I'm pregnant," before even saying hello. Charlotte's face had gone ashen, and then flushed as she smiled, and she'd whispered over and over, "Thank God, thank God..."

Rosemary, Charlotte and Tom had all agreed that Jack would want to be at rest where Rosemary was, and where his child would be born and grow up. So it was decided that Jack Thornton would be buried in the cemetery beyond the meadow, the one that had grown by forty-seven graves back in July of last year and now seemed unnaturally expansive for a town as small as Hope Valley. The miners' graves were dusted with snow, but underneath were the seeds of wildflowers just waiting for spring to bring them to life.

The ground was frozen solid, and it required some of Lee's equipment to break the soil for the grave. It was done respectfully and carefully, and it was just one of the many things that Lee handled that Rosemary never even knew about. It began to be clear to everyone involved in the arrangements that Lee Coulter would drop whatever he was doing to make one minute of Rosemary's life less painful. The rare times she had truly smiled since New Year's Day had been at something surprising he had said, or in response to a kindness he'd shown her.

The funeral had been filled with more red serge than most townspeople had seen in one place, and the rifle salute, ringing out and echoing back from the mountains, was a glorious demonstration of precision and time-honored ceremony. The day stood in stark contrast to the bleak progressive services that had been held as the miners were found week after week back in July. But there was peace on the widows' faces as they stood next to their men's graves and silently offered them the same honors being given to Constable Jack Thornton - appreciation of their courage, and an acknowledgment of a life that, though far too short, had been well-lived.

Tom Thornton had to get back to work, and left the day after the funeral. The Mountie escort rode out of town, leaving silence behind - and the town did as it always had and always would; it went back to work. Back to the day-to-day struggles and joys of raising growing children and watching as Hope Valley grew as well.

Charlotte and Rebecca had stayed, knowing that grief can be a tricky and unpredictable process. Both had lost a child, and they clung together in that unique sisterhood with Abigail, at the same time they cared for and protected Rosemary. The truth was, Charlotte and Rebecca weren't at all anxious to leave.

Nathan and Elizabeth loved having them in Hope Valley. Allie was getting the benefit of two grandmothers, and Nathan's kitchen had never smelled so good or been so fully utilized. The only drawback was that with Rebecca sleeping in Allie's room upstairs, and Charlotte staying at Abigail's in Rosemary's room with her, there was hardly a moment that Elizabeth and Nathan could find alone.

They took rides on Newton and Sarah, and found stolen moments at the church and in the Library after hours, but they found themselves often daydreaming of the house on the meadow, unbuilt but fully realized in their imaginations.

More than anything else, Nathan and Elizabeth wanted to be married as soon as possible, but they were realizing how deeply the town depended on them. Bill was wrapping up his testimony at Henry Gowen's trial and would be back in town in the next day or so. He would be able to cover Nathan's Mountie duties for a quick wedding and a short honeymoon over a long weekend. School was back in session and Florence and Molly could be called in to cover a Friday or a Monday.

But they also wanted to feel they weren't deserting Rosemary in her grief. It had felt too soon for them to opt for happiness when their friend was so terribly sad. They were waiting for the time it felt right.

They all found that they alternated between Abigail's and Nathan's house for suppers. Rebecca would cook every night if given the choice, but they noticed that Rosemary also enjoyed the bustle of the cafe and the contact with the people of the town in small doses.

Tonight they'd all had dinner at Nathan's, and had been treated to Rebecca's nearly legendary beef stew. Rebecca had needed to wield a pretty heavy hand to keep Charlotte from adding generous dollops of lard to the final stew, and the discussions had continued through preparations for dessert.

"Becky, you don't seem to understand how important lard is in cooking," Charlotte said, her face growing serious. "Truly, you can never add too much."

Nathan turned to Elizabeth and said softly, "My mother hasn't let anyone call her Becky since my father left home. She must really like Charlotte."

Elizabeth laughed quietly. "Charlotte doesn't really leave people much choice in the matter. She keeps calling me Lizzie."

Nodding, Nathan said, "Yep. And I'm Nate." He pulled Elizabeth closer. "She can call me whatever she wants. I'm glad to see her smiling."

Elizabeth and Nathan looked across the room at the large stuffed chair in the corner. Rosemary was curled up in it, sleeping soundly. Charlotte and Rebecca had wrapped her up in quilts and tucked pillows around her until she looked like a swaddled child. Rosemary slept a lot these days, and Rebecca and Charlotte knew it was as important to the baby's health as it was to Rosemary's healing.

"Between those two, and Lee, and the widows – Rosemary hasn't been alone since New Year's Eve," Elizabeth whispered. "It seems to be what she needs."

Nathan nodded, breathing in the hint of lavender in Elizabeth's hair just under his chin. "I wish I'd had this town after Colleen died," he said softly.

Elizabeth turned slowly so that she could look into his eyes. She gazed at him for a moment. "You talk about Colleen more and more," she said. "It feels like it's getting easier for you."

Nathan smiled. "It is. I'm watching Rosemary go through this and it feels like I'm looking behind me, if that makes sense?" Elizabeth nodded and smiled. Nathan took a deep breath and continued. "I'll always miss her, but I'm at peace with it. So is Mom." He looked over at the dollhouse in the corner. "And from the picture she drew, so is Allie."

Nathan turned and brushed a curl back from Elizabeth's forehead. "You've been a big part of it, for all of us."

Elizabeth frowned a little and said, "Me? I don't feel like I've done anything."

Closing his eyes, Nathan pressed his lips against her forehead and held them there, smiling. "I know you don't."

Elizabeth closed her eyes too, feeling Nathan's chest rise and fall easily. His arms were warm around her and with a small shiver, Elizabeth suddenly felt a wave of love wash over her. Frau Bustenhaller, the nanny that cared for Elizabeth, Viola, and Julie when they were little, had a name for it. Die luft. It was the same German word for breath and for wind, and she would say that when a person loves someone, it blows around them like the wind, and they can feel it when they breathe deeply. Elizabeth always thought it was a charming idea, but now she understood. Loving Nathan was like breathing.

Without thinking, Elizabeth turned her head and touched her lips to Nathan's neck as she tightened her arms around his chest. She snuggled even closer, tasting a trace of salt from his exertions this afternoon, chopping wood for the fires. That reminded her of how he had looked while she'd watched him, his hair lifted by the wind, his smile soft as he'd gazed back at her...

There was a small sound from the direction of the kitchen, and both Nathan and Elizabeth opened their eyes and turned.

Charlotte and Rebecca were standing there with identically raised eyebrows, and nearly identical smiles. Rebecca's was crooked, and Charlotte's was more of a smirk, but they had the desired effect. In a split second, Elizabeth was sitting up straight with brightly-colored cheeks, and Nathan was self-consciously running his fingers through his hair after having scooted sideways on the sofa.

At which point, both Charlotte and Rebecca laughed. Charlotte shook her head and turned to Rebecca. "Will you look at those two? Like they got caught in the Christmas chocolate."

Rebecca nodded and inclined her head toward the chairs opposite the sofa. She glanced at Rosemary and could see she was still sound asleep, and then at Allie who was happily pouring out imaginary tea for her dolls.

"So," Rebecca said, narrowing her eyes slightly, "What's the plan?"

Elizabeth had to smile as Nathan mimicked his mother's look almost exactly, and said, "What plan?"

"A wedding, Nathan. You two are long past ready, and I want to know what's stopping you," Rebecca said. Charlotte leaned back in her chair, smiling broadly. It wasn't often that she could sit back and let someone else take the reins, feeling that her sentiments were being expressed adequately. She nodded silently, enjoying it.

Rebecca turned to Elizabeth and spoke more softly. "What kind of wedding do you dream of, honey?"

Elizabeth was taken aback by the question for a moment and then she blinked a few times, measuring her words. "I used to think I wanted a big white wedding like the ones I saw in Hamilton when I was younger." She turned to Nathan, her eyes soft, "But I'd never been in love. I didn't know how little all of that mattered."

Nathan smiled back at her and couldn't keep himself from reaching his hand up to her cheek. They got a little lost in each other for a moment, and Rebecca turned to Charlotte and shook her head, smiling.

Turning to Nathan, Rebecca said, "And you?"

Nathan raised an eyebrow and looked at his mother. "And me, what?"

Rebecca's voice softened. "What do you want?" she asked, her eyes very blue in the lamplight.

Nathan turned to Elizabeth and exhaled softly. "I'd marry her this minute. Any minute." Elizabeth smiled up at him with so much love that he had to close his eyes for a second just to catch his breath.

Charlotte rolled her eyes upward as if asking for strength. "So, what's stopping you?" she said, sounding like she was talking to a couple of five-year-olds.

Both Elizabeth and Nathan glanced over at Rosemary at the same time, and Charlotte nodded.

"You worry it's too soon?" She sighed and leaned forward. "I'd worry more about it being too late." Charlotte looked over at Rosemary and gazed at her peaceful face in sleep. "Do you know about if onlys? That girl has a lot of them. She had thirty-four days being married to my Jack before he left for the Territories. You think she wouldn't take more of them if she had the chance to do it over?"

Nathan and Elizabeth simply stared at Charlotte, and Elizabeth felt her eyes filling. She looked at Nathan and raised her eyebrows in a question. He nodded and leaned down to kiss her quickly, without a care for the others in the room. Then he looked at Rebecca.

"Can you bring Allie to Benson Hills so you can both be there? And then bring her back here so that we can have a short honeymoon?" His eyes were dancing, and Rebecca laughed.

"Wherever you want, tomorrow if you want."

Nathan found his breath coming faster, his excitement building. He looked back at Elizabeth, who was now wiping a tear from her cheek as she laughed too, her face bright. "Tomorrow?" she asked in wonder.

Nathan took her hand and held it to his lips, his eyes glistening. "Elizabeth Marie Thatcher, will you marry me tomorrow?" he said softly.

Elizabeth sighed and breathed out the word, filled with joy. "Yes."

Nathan bent to kiss her, and this time, it wasn't quick. Rebecca and Charlotte nodded to each other and smiled, each a little lost in their own memories. Charlotte leaned over and whispered, "Becky, I believe our work is done here," and she reached out to take Rebecca's hand. They stood and went into the kitchen to finish the dishes and start dessert.

And suddenly, it was all very real.

Elizabeth and Nathan were both thinking the same thing - at this time tomorrow, they would be in a room somewhere in Benson Hills, in each other's arms. It didn't matter where it was, or how any of it happened. What mattered is that they would belong to each other in God's eyes, pledged for their lives, one to the other, and beginning the journey that they'd dreamed of so often.

"I love you," Nathan said ardently against her lips. "So much…"

There was a knock at the door, and everyone looked at it, as if the mystery of who it was on the other side would be solved simply by the looking. Rebecca frowned and walked over to open it.

Ned Yost stood with a telegram in his hand. He looked apologetically at Rebecca and then at Elizabeth. "I'm so sorry to disturb you, but I thought you'd want to have this right away. Abigail said I would find you here…"

Elizabeth stood, her heart hammering in her chest as a reaction to the combination of urgency and sympathy she saw on Ned's face. Nathan stood with her, recognizing a need to stay close.

They walked together to the door and Ned handed the wire to Elizabeth.

She read it and fell back slightly against Nathan, who was ready to put his arms around her.

"It's from my father," Elizabeth said, turning and looking up at him. "My mother's taken ill. They want me home as soon as possible."

---

CHAPTER 53

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Elizabeth turned to Ned. "Can you please send a return wire?" Ned took a notebook and pencil out of the pocket of his apron and held them up.

"Will arrive by train soon as possible. Give Mother my love. Elizabeth."

Ned finished writing and looked up to be sure that was all. When Elizabeth nodded, he moved quickly out of the door and Rebecca closed it.

Elizabeth turned back to Nathan and sighed deeply.

He reached up and smoothed her curls from her face. "I understand. You go and do what you have to do. There will always be time."

Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth started slowly to shake her head. "No." She looked over at Rosemary, who had blissfully slept through it all. "What there will always be are interruptions and distractions and reasons..." She looked back at Nathan and framed his face in her hands gently.

"Will you come with me? To Hamilton...?" Elizabeth started.

"Of course," Nathan said quickly. "Anything you need..."

"...as my husband?" Elizabeth continued.

Now Nathan's eyes went wide. "As your..." A smile started and he nodded, finally leaning down to kiss her. "Yes."

Elizabeth looked over at Rebecca and Charlotte, and then led Nathan over to the dining room table. The pies had cooled and Elizabeth began to pull down the dessert plates.

Rebecca frowned. "Elizabeth. Don't you have to..."

Elizabeth turned and faced Rebecca. She smiled and took the older woman's hands in her own. "For as long as I can remember, my mother has had what the doctors have called 'a weak heart.' When I was in school, if I was away from home for too long, Mother would suffer from anxiety, and that would make it worse." Elizabeth looked down at their joined hands. "Then I would rush home, expecting her to be upstairs in bed, and she would be sipping tea in a chair in the sitting room, dressed for a fine formal supper. Once I got there, within hours she was planning garden parties to show me off to her friends."

Elizabeth smiled. "I'm not being callous, and Mother doesn't mean to be dramatic. She just needs to see me, and then she'll be better. But this time, I'm doing what I need to do first." Looking up, Elizabeth could see that Rebecca's eyes were exactly the color of Nathan's as he stood behind her, listening.

"We will start our trip to Hamilton tomorrow morning. But in order to catch the cross-country train, we have to go to Benson Hills, right?" Elizabeth looked at Nathan and he nodded, his crooked smile beginning to grow.

Nathan walked around Rebecca and faced Elizabeth. "I'll get us a sleeping car?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Under the name of Constable and Mrs. Grant?"

Rebecca smiled and turned to her son. "Outrageously expensive, and worth every penny..." she said, looking as if she had memories to go with that statement.

Nathan couldn't stop looking at Elizabeth. His eyes went very soft and he said, "We met at a stagecoach, and I told you I loved you in a wagon... I suppose it's only fitting that our wedding night will be on a moving train."

Elizabeth couldn't hold back the laughter that bubbled up, and she threw her arms around Nathan. "Another story we can tell our grandchildren," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

At the sound of Elizabeth's laughter, Allie looked up from her dollhouse and ran across the room. Never one to be left out, she launched herself at their legs and giggled.

Charlotte moved the pies back to the table. "Cherry or apple?" she asked, raising a knife in the air. "I made the crust for the cherry." She looked at Rebecca and grinned. "Plenty of lard."

"Apple," Nathan and Elizabeth said in perfect unison.

And after all the talk and the commotion of the evening, it was laughter that finally caused Rosemary to open her eyes. Rubbing them, she sat up and squinted against the lamplight. Looking over at the bustle around the dining room table, she yawned hugely.

"What did I miss?"

---

The truth was, even the cherry pie was delicious. Charlotte was right about the lard; it made the crust decadently flaky and slightly crispy, and very rich.

Everyone filled Rosemary in on the events of the evening, and even she managed a smile at Nathan and Elizabeth's happiness.

At the dining room table, Rosemary took their hands in hers. "Don't let a moment pass you by..." Her eyes began to fill and she waved her hands in the air. "No, not tonight. I realize that I've been far too depressing a companion lately. There's too much to be grateful for." Her hands moved naturally down to her stomach and she smiled wistfully. "I've decided I need to move on from the role of tragic heroine and see if I can find my inner ingenue again!" She brushed a tear away as Charlotte reached a long arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.

"It's a good plan..." Charlotte said, lifting Rosemary's chin to look into her eyes. "But take your time with it." Charlotte grinned at her and raised an eyebrow. "I can tell you that you're the least depressing widow I've ever known. I've known some doozies."

Rosemary put her arms around Charlotte. "What would I do without you?" she said, hugging her tightly.

Charlotte patted her back self-consciously, trying to take in the love she was feeling from Rosemary. Charlotte had been riding fences alone for a long time, and it had been a while since she'd had quite so many hugs. "Well, you won't have to anytime soon," she said, turning back to her pie. "Because I've decided that for the time being, I'd like to be here where you and my grandson are."

Rosemary tilted her head. "How do you know it's a boy?" she said.

Charlotte lifted her chin and looked at Rosemary. "I carried two of 'em, and then I raised 'em. You think I don't know boys?"

Rosemary narrowed her eyes and smiled. "I should show you and have a girl..." she said, raising an eyebrow.

Charlotte grinned and reached up to touch Rosemary's cheek. She could see the healing beginning. "There's that sass..." she said softly. But long talks about feelings weren't Charlotte's strong suit, so she took a deep breath and turned back toward her pie.

She looked directly at Elizabeth. "And Lizzie, I don't think you know what I did for about a hundred years before I took up ranching." She picked up a generous helping of the cherry pie and put it in her mouth.

Elizabeth looked at her blankly. "I'm sorry, no, I don't know..."

Charlotte took a moment to finish her bite of pie and said, "I was a teacher."

She put down her fork. "And instead of subjecting those poor children to Florence Blakeley and Molly Sullivan – I'm not casting aspersions, I'm sure they're fine and intelligent women, if a little... flighty... you really should consider having me take over your classroom while you honeymoon and help your mama." Charlotte picked up her fork again and speared another large piece of pie.

Elizabeth sat with her mouth slightly open for a moment and then said, "You'd be willing to do that?"

Charlotte frowned and looked at Rebecca. "Didn't I just offer? I think love has plugged these kids' ears." Rebecca laughed and so did Elizabeth.

"That would be wonderful," Elizabeth said, gazing gratefully at Charlotte. "I'm afraid they might fall behind with Molly and Florence, but I have a strong feeling that won't happen with you," she said, raising an eyebrow.

Charlotte nodded and took the last bite of pie. "Oh, I'll get 'em thinking," she said, grinning.

No one around the table had any doubt of that.

---

The moon was high in the sky when Nathan walked Elizabeth from the row houses down to Abigail's. Rosemary and Charlotte were staying a little longer, but Elizabeth needed to sort out what she was going to wear tomorrow and get packed for Hamilton.

"Your last night as Elizabeth Thatcher," Nathan said, gazing up at the full moon.

Elizabeth smiled. "Tomorrow is January 14, 1911. Forever our wedding day, our anniversary. For the rest of my life, I'll be Elizabeth Grant," she said, trying it on for size. "I like it. Shorter, and I won't have to be spelling it for people all the time," she said, peering sideways at Nathan.

Nathan frowned a little. "Why is it, I wonder, that women change their names and men don't?"

Elizabeth snorted softly, "I believe it's because I'm supposed to become your property tomorrow."

Nathan laughed out loud and stopped walking. "Not only do I have no desire to own you, I doubt that would even be possible. Your will is far too strong for you to be someone's property."

Elizabeth sighed and put her arms around his neck. "And that statement right there is one of the reasons I love you so much." She leaned up and kissed him, and then said against his cheek, "My heart belongs to you, though."

"And mine to you, my angel," Nathan said, moving his lips back to hers. They weren't exactly in the middle of the street, but in the light of the moon they were completely visible to those stragglers on their way home for a late dinner, or the men from the sawmill off to have a last beer at the saloon. As he kissed her, Nathan walked Elizabeth back into the shadows near the livery. He felt the wall behind him and leaned against it, tightening his hold on her.

Tomorrow night. As Nathan felt himself falling further into the warmth of Elizabeth's kiss, he knew he could never have imagined himself feeling this way. He didn't have the experience, the knowledge of what it was to be so entirely connected to another person. And knowing that they would be married by tomorrow night only increased his hunger for her, his desire to know everything...

Elizabeth sighed into the kiss with the sound that he loved, as if she had just tasted a ripe strawberry, or was watching a breathtakingly beautiful sunset. It was a sound of joy, of wonder, of abandon. Of trust.

Nathan found himself on the edge of control, and with every ounce of strength he had, he pulled his lips away from hers, breathing quickly. "I have to get you into Abigail's, or we're going to need to get married on this street. Now."

Elizabeth laughed against his chest, her own breath calming. She leaned back and looked at him. It was dark and she could just barely see his eyes in the moonlight. The darkness gave her courage.

"Are you nervous?" she asked timidly.

Nathan thought about using the time-honored question in answer to a question in order to buy time, but he stopped himself, realizing they were far past that.

He reached up and tenderly moved a curl from her forehead. "I worry I won't know how... to make you... happy," he said, measuring his words.

Elizabeth smiled, "Oh, my sweet Nathan... how can you imagine that's even possible?" She looked down, glad that he couldn't see the flush in her cheeks. "Neither one of us will know what we're doing, you know." She looked back up at him. "There's a comfort in that..."

Nathan was so overflowing with love for her that he felt his eyes begin to fill. Suddenly his fear was transformed into a sense of discovery, and he knew that they would find their way.

He bent his lips to hers again. "A great comfort..." One more kiss here in the darkness. Just one more before they pledged their lives to each other and moved into the unknown territory.

Together.

---

Clara Weller Stanton needed a new start.

She was tired of walking the streets of Cape Fullerton and seeing Peter everywhere she looked. At the small cafés where they would share quiet dinners, in line at the bakery where they would grab scones and coffee in the mornings as Peter scooped her up for a kiss, laughing, before he jumped up into his wagon and went back to Coal Valley.

They'd had so little time together.

Clara had first met Peter with his father, Noah Stanton, when they'd come to the Miner's Supply where she worked as a clerk in the back, generally helping mine foremen with large orders of headlamps, shovels, picks, wheelbarrows, heavy aprons and at times, explosives. Clara's sunny personality mixed well with the taciturn, filthy, and often gruff miners who looked forward to seeing her smile and her pretty face in a place mostly occupied by men.

She'd noticed Peter right away, with his easy grin and sandy-colored hair, and he'd winked at her, which would usually cause her to raise an eyebrow and tilt her head in warning. She was young, but she wasn't a silly girl whose head could be turned that easily. But with Peter it was different. It was just who he was.

One day he'd arrived alone and said his father was trusting him to make the run for supplies on his own. He'd stood taller that day, and she'd found herself being just as proud of him as he was of himself. Peter and Noah had always come in on Friday, then spent the night before leaving at sunrise on Saturday. They didn't want to be in the dark with a wagon full of supplies. Noah had said it was just asking for trouble.

So Peter got a room at the boarding house that first night alone, and never slept in it. He'd asked Clara to dinner and once the restaurant shut down, they'd moved to a bench overlooking a busy street and had talked until the early hours of the morning. Then they'd taken a walk to a spot overlooking the docks and watched as the sun rose over the city, and as the bright corona moving over the buildings of Cape Fullerton caught the gold in Peter's hair, Clara knew she was in love.

Every Friday, Peter would pull into town, and they never slept. Not once in seventeen Fridays. And on the eighteenth, they didn't sleep, but they were inside the boarding house, married, blissfully happy.

Then, so soon after, came that terrible Friday when Peter didn't arrive. She waited for hours for his wagon to pull around the corner, and spent the night outside the Miner's Supply, twisting her wet handkerchief and gazing hundreds of times at her wedding ring. All she knew was that he lived in a place called Coal Valley, that he was a miner, and that his parents were Abigail and Noah Stanton. When the sun finally rose and Clara went back into the Miner's Supply, she overheard some men talking about an explosion in the mine in Coal Valley and how forty-seven men were missing and presumed dead.

Frantically she searched the eyes of the men, and one who worked at the Silverton Mine confirmed that the mine foreman and his son were among the missing.

She'd been so close to getting on the stage and just going there. But they'd never told anyone because Peter had said his parents would tell them they were too young, and he was afraid he'd never be able to make the Cape Fullerton trip again. He wanted to wait a year, until he'd proven himself more to his father, shown that he could stand on his own two feet, and then he would send for Clara and they would live together in Coal Valley, have children, and grow old together.

How could she simply show up on Abigail Stanton's doorstep, with nothing but two photographs of their wedding and the marriage certificate she kept in her keepsake box? And if Peter was indeed lost in the blackness of that mine, what was there for her to go to anyway?

So she had grieved alone, crying herself to sleep every night, and every day asking for any information she could get. Until finally, when the last of the bodies were found and Peter and Noah's were among them.

Clara had grieved all over again, spending hours upon hours in the places they'd gone together. She felt angry, utterly alone, and cheated of the future they'd planned together. And as time had gone by, she'd held onto their secret as if it was a treasure. Shared with no one, her ring in the keepsake box, her memories still bright, but fading into what felt almost like a fantasy, a dream.

It was definitely time to move on. And when Clara made a decision, she did it in a big way. She'd found a job in Hamilton, all the way across the country, just about as far as she could get from Cape Fullerton. Her train ticket was in her hands, and on January 14th, 1911, her new life would start.

A new year, and a new life.

---

CHAPTER 54

"You look so beautiful," Abigail said, standing behind Elizabeth as she gazed at herself in the full-length mirror.

"This hem will be just fine," Rosemary said from the floor, although with all the pins in her mouth it was hard to decipher exactly what she was saying.

Elizabeth exhaled. "Abigail, how can I thank you? This dress is... it's perfect."

Abigail had tears in her eyes as she gazed at Elizabeth. "Only worn once," she said softly.

Elizabeth turned, causing Rosemary to pull her back around. "Stay still. I'm almost finished!" she said, pulling her needle through the white lace fabric.

Looking at Abigail in the mirror, Elizabeth said, "I can't believe it fits so well."

Abigail laughed. "Considering my clothes were all you had for the first week you were in Coal Valley, it shouldn't surprise you."

"And you don't mind?" Elizabeth said.

Smiling, Abigail brought her face up next to Elizabeth's. "How could I mind? It worked for Noah and me, and you and Nathan are so right for each other. I love that you'll be getting married in this dress."

"There!" Rosemary said, snipping the last thread on the hem. She stood and looked at Elizabeth and then asked her to turn around. "Not bad if I do say so myself," she said, putting her hands on her hips. This was the most animated they had seen Rosemary since New Year's. Wedding planning seemed to suit her.

"Where did you learn to sew like that, Rosemary?" Abigail said.

"Oh, you haven't lived until your leading lady comes down with laryngitis two hours before showtime, and her understudy is three sizes smaller!" Rosemary sighed deeply. "And she had twelve costume changes!" Raising an eyebrow, she said, "You learn to sew pretty darn quick!"

Abigail put her arm around Rosemary. "Well, you did a beautiful job."

Elizabeth turned around and the three of them hugged each other. "I don't know how to thank you both."

Looking at the clock, Abigail said, "If you don't get this packed and downstairs, you won't have anything to thank us for. You have an appointment with the Justice of the Peace." Abigail began the process of unfastening the twenty-four buttons that ran down the back of the dress. "Oh, I remember these now," she said, laughing. She tilted her head toward Rosemary, who started at the bottom while Abigail worked her way down from the top.

Fifteen minutes later, the three women walked downstairs and Nathan was waiting with the wagon. Mike Hickam was coming with them so that he could bring Rebecca and Allie back after Nathan and Elizabeth boarded the train in Benson Hills.

The farewell party grew as the minutes went by, and when Nathan, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Allie and Hickam finally began the two-hour journey to Benson Hills, it looked as if half the town was in the middle of the street, waving them goodbye. Some of them even brought rice.

Elizabeth moved closer to Nathan on the bench seat and threaded her arm through his. She leaned against him and put her head back so she could feel the early morning sunshine on her face. In the back of the wagon, Rebecca was listening while Allie asked Hickam how it felt to climb up on the water tower.

"From up there, you can see all the way across the valley to the mountains on the other side," Hickam said, spreading his arms to show her just how wide the valley really was. "And from up there? People look this big," he said, showing a tiny space between his thumb and forefinger. "And horses? Not a lot bigger."

"What would I look like?" Allie asked, her eyes as big as saucers.

"You?" Hickam leaned in as if he was telling her a secret. "You would look like... a ladybug!" He reached over and tickled Allie, sending her into fits of laughter.

"More!" Allie said excitedly, "What else did you see?"

As Mike proceeded to describe the entire town for Allie, Elizabeth snuggled in closer to Nathan. "What is it about being in love that makes me want everyone else to be in love?" She turned slightly toward the back of the wagon. "Mike Hickam needs a girl."

Nathan laughed. "I would not have pegged you for a matchmaker, Lizzie." After spending so much time around Charlotte, Nathan had started calling her that to tease her, and Elizabeth had to admit she rather liked it.

"Well, Nate," she said, raising an eyebrow, "I'm not usually a matchmaker. But Mike is such a nice person, and he's good-looking, and he can do anything..."

Nathan looked over at her, frowning. "Should I be jealous?"

Elizabeth wiggled her hand in front of his face. "Taken." She moved closer on the bench and turned the ring until it was around her first knuckle. "I almost forgot," she said, taking it off and moving it to her right hand.

"What are you doing?" Nathan asked.

Elizabeth looked over at him. "We don't have wedding bands, so I thought you could use this ring and just put it back on my finger for the ceremony."

Nathan gave her a sly, crooked smile. "You can put it back now," he said softly.

Elizabeth tilted her head. "What did you do?"

"Never mind. We're not married yet, so I still get to have some secrets." Nathan pulled her closer and laughed softly. "Married." He shook his head in wonder. "Now that is a word I thought didn't apply to me." Turning to her, Nathan kissed her gently on the top of her head. "Takes some getting used to."

"Well, get used to it, because in..." Elizabeth reached into his vest pocket and pulled out his watch. "In exactly an hour and thirty-five minutes, you're going to be a married man."

Nathan exhaled and grinned at her. "And it's not nearly as terrifying as I thought it would be."

Elizabeth made a face and said ominously, "Don't speak too soon. As you said, we're not married... yet."

Laughing, Nathan bent down to kiss her. An hour and thirty-five minutes.

And it couldn't come soon enough.

---

The Benson Hills Justice of the Peace Office had a lovely chapel attached where Justice John P. Campbell married an average of twelve couples a week. Justice Campbell was short and angular, with a hook nose, deep pockets in his cheeks, and an easy smile. Mrs. Bula Campbell, who was nearly as wide as her husband was tall, kept the flowers nicely arranged, and she also played a small organ. Elizabeth couldn't imagine a better match.

Mrs. Campbell allowed Elizabeth to use her sitting room to change into her wedding dress, and Rebecca clucked over her like a mother hen. Allie was wearing her best pink pinafore and would be scattering dried rose petals that Cat Montgomery had brought up to the house when she'd heard the news. She had collected them from her garden in the spring, and liked to use them for sachets, but she said she couldn't think of a better use for them than Nathan and Elizabeth's wedding.

"The dress is borrowed, Charlotte's brooch is old, you have the new penny we got from the bank, and..." Rebecca reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a tiny ceramic bluebird. "This has been on the shelf in Nathan's room since he was a young boy. I packed it in his things when he moved to Coal Valley and I saw it the other day on a shelf. He would love that you carry this." Rebecca folded it into a corner of Elizabeth's sleeve and pinned it securely. "You show that to him later, and let him tell you the story."

Rebecca held Elizabeth at arm's length. The gown wasn't overly fancy, but it was simply elegant. Soft brushed satin in champagne white with an overlay of pure white lace. It was gathered at the waist and longer at the back, creating a natural train. The veil that Elizabeth wore over her chestnut curls matched the dress and was held at the sides by pearl barrettes.

"You are the most beautiful bride I think I've ever seen," Rebecca said. Elizabeth gazed at her, thinking her blue eyes truly looked like mountain lakes, as they suddenly filled and spilled over.

Elizabeth went into Rebecca's arms. "Thank you for welcoming me into your family."

"Thank you for giving me my son back," Rebecca said, her voice breaking. She pulled away and looked at Elizabeth. "I thought for a while I might have lost two children on that busy street. But you brought him back to me." Rebecca reached in her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, dabbing at her eyes. When she saw that Elizabeth's cheeks were also wet, she reached over and dried them. "Now, now, don't you start."

Rebecca pulled up to her full height and got control of herself. She fluffed Elizabeth's curls and then picked Allie up from the chair where she was playing with one of the dolls that Elizabeth had given her for Christmas. "You remember what to do, Alliebeck?" Rebecca asked. Allie smiled and said, "Throw the flowers!"

"That's right, my precious girl. You throw the flowers!" Rebecca laughed a wonderful deep laugh as the three of them walked out to what served as an aisle for the small chapel.

Nathan was waiting at the end of the aisle and the look on his face was one that Elizabeth knew she wouldn't forget for as long as she lived. He was wearing his deep blue Sunday suit that she loved because it brought out the color in his eyes. And right now, even from six rows away, Elizabeth could see that they were very, very blue.

Gazing at her, Nathan couldn't believe that in just a few minutes this woman would be his wife. Elizabeth's natural elegance, evident even in culottes as she ran Sarah across the meadow, was on full display as a bride swathed in white lace. He could see that she was as close to tears as he was.

Rebecca walked down the rows of empty chairs and sat in the front next to Hickam. Then she nodded to Mrs. Campbell and turned to Allie. As the strains of the wedding march wheezed softly out of the old organ, Rebecca whispered down the aisle, "Now, Allie."

Nathan laughed softly, thinking Allie might have a future in baseball with the distance she was able to cover with those rose petals. She was obviously taking her wedding job very seriously, with her mouth set in a firm line of concentration until she reached the front of the room where Nathan was standing. Allie put down her basket and put up her arms and Nathan laughed and picked her up.

"I threw the flowers," Allie said, grinning.

Nathan hugged her tightly and said, "You did a great job."

Allie pointed to Nathan's chest and then looked down the aisle at Elizabeth, who was laughing too. Allie turned back to Nathan. "You and 'Lizbeth get married now?"

"Mm-hmm," Nathan said, nodding.

Allie looked back at Elizabeth. "'Lizbeth will be my mom. Emily says so."

Nathan hugged her again. "Yep. Emily is right. Go sit with Grandma," Nathan said, kissing her on the cheek and setting her down. Allie ran to Rebecca and jumped up on her lap.

Mrs. Campbell started the wedding march again, and Elizabeth began to walk toward Nathan.

They had no vows written, and that was just fine. Their vows had been spoken to each other over months, through fear and sorrow, through joy and their shared view of the world, through their commitment to Allie and to each other. There was no need to say more now.

When it was time to exchange rings, Nathan nodded to Hickam, who stood and offered a gold band to Elizabeth, and a smaller one to Nathan. They placed the rings on each other's fingers, and then the tears had to fall.

The most important words they spoke, one to the other, were "I do." And when they kissed, they sealed their promise to God and to each other.

This was forever. A lifetime together. And they couldn't wait to begin.

---

When the train stopped in Benson Hills, Clara decided to get off and stretch her legs. She knew she would be sleeping sitting up for the next three days, and she wanted to take any opportunity that presented itself to breathe fresh air and walk a bit. The stopover was short, only about a half an hour, so she stayed close and watched as passengers at their final destination stepped off the train and new travelers stepped on.

Her eyes were drawn to a newly-married couple, the bride still in her wedding dress and the groom tall and handsome in his blue suit. An older woman was with them, and a four- or five-year-old child, a little girl who was proudly carrying what looked to be the bride's bouquet. Nearby, but at a short distance, was a young man, standing respectfully apart, but obviously filled with happiness for the young couple.

Clara was a watcher of people. She always had been. She loved to try to read the stories that people told in the way they related to each other. Clearly the bride and groom were very much in love. Clara guessed that the older woman was the groom's mother, and that the little girl was her grandchild. How the young man was related was a mystery. The coloring was wrong for a brother, and as always with people-watching, there was more to the story that Clara guessed she would never know.

They all hugged each other goodbye and just as the couple reached the steps up to the car, the groom scooped up the bride and carried her on to the train. The bride's laughter was so spontaneous, so entirely filled with joy that even on the busy train platform, people stopped and watched, unable to keep from smiling themselves.

Clara again found her eyes drawn to the young man. He was laughing too, and reached down to pick up the little girl. Perhaps his daughter? Clara smiled. She thought him very good-looking, which surprised her. Because she hadn't really looked at a man this way since Peter.

Suddenly, he turned and gazed at her, almost as if she had called his name. Clara was mortified to feel a warm blush creep across her cheeks. He was too far away to see it, certainly, but he smiled at her. A kind smile, as his eyes danced in the joy of the moment. For a split-second, Clara felt not so alone.

Clara turned quickly, pretending to need something from her purse. She laughed softly to herself. So silly to be this affected by a stranger on a train platform.

It wasn't like she would ever see him again.

---

The porter helped Nathan and Elizabeth find their cabin and brought in their bags. "Dining car is three cars down, this way," he said, pointing to the left. Smiling at Elizabeth, who had removed her veil but still looked every inch a bride, he added, "If you're feeling indisposed, just leave a note…" He showed them the leather pocket on the outside of the door, "...and we'll put your supper out here." And then, with a wink at Nathan, he was gone and they were alone.

Nathan took Elizabeth into his arms and she laid her head on his chest. He reached under her soft curls so that he could touch the skin at her neck, and he could feel her heart beating quickly. He knew that she could hear his own doing the same under her ear. He laughed softly. "The porter winked at me. You think he knows we're newlyweds?"

Elizabeth laughed too, against his chest. "He seems a very observant man." She pulled back and looked up into Nathan's eyes. "And accommodating. He said he would bring us food."

"We might need him to…" Nathan leaned down and pressed his lips to hers gently. The lavender in her hair and at her neck was rising up to him in the small space and he steadied himself as he felt the train begin to move. Or at least, he assumed the train was moving. He was so lost in Elizabeth he thought he might simply be disoriented and off-balance. Without veering away from her lips, he widened his stance, and realized that the train was indeed moving.

Elizabeth laughed and went quickly to the window, sitting on the small upholstered bench opposite the bunks. Just from the corner of the window, she could see the last of Rebecca, Allie, and Hickam as they waved and turned to go - back to the wagon, back to Hope Valley. Elizabeth sighed. "I'm going to miss them," she said softly.

Nathan sat behind her, enclosing her in his arms. "I will too."

As the train pulled away from the station, the view out of the window changed from the platform to the backs of businesses, more industrial and less than picturesque. Elizabeth and Nathan leaned back and for the first time, looked around their cabin. It was small, to be sure, but cozy. The large window with curtains, the bench on which they were seated, a small built-in folding table under the window, and across from them, two bunks, one on top of the other.

Elizabeth turned to Nathan and grinned. "I get the top bunk," she said.

He raised an eyebrow and gave her his crooked smile, and then leaned down and nuzzled her neck. "Is that where you really want to sleep?" he said softly, moving his lips up under her jaw and causing her to close her eyes and lean back.

"Sleep?" she said, smiling and reaching her fingers up to run them through his hair. She sighed as she felt Nathan's warm breath on her neck, both of them rocking gently with the motion of the train. "Do you have any idea how happy I am? There's nowhere else in the world I would rather be than right here with you."

"I would hope not," Nathan said, his words muffled against her skin. "It's our wedding day." He turned slightly and opened his eyes to look out of the window. He'd known that the departure of the train would coincide nicely with sunset, and had requested a cabin that would have a view of it every evening.

They'd moved out of the city and were now looking at fields of white that stretched out to the mountains. The small radiator in the room hissed lightly as it warmed the small space, and for a time, they simply watched as the light on the snow flickered and changed from gold to pink and then to a muted orange.

To someone watching, they would look entirely calm and as if they hadn't a care in the world, and to a certain extent, that was true. Nathan and Elizabeth always felt at home together, at peace, and they loved enjoying these last moments of light on the mountains. They'd done it so many times, but always, until this night, they knew that no matter how many kisses they shared, they would go home to their separate beds.

As Nathan moved his fingers absentmindedly through Elizabeth's curls to the warmth of her neck, he knew that tonight, soon, he would touch her skin in places that he'd never even seen, and that they would share more than a sunset, more than kisses.

"We're alone," he said softly, as the last rays of the sun dipped down. He grazed his lips across her cheek tenderly. "And it's… proper... " he said, smiling, hearing the incongruity of the word even in its correctness. Elizabeth laughed softly and turned to him. They hadn't switched on the electric lights yet, and the cabin was nearly dark.

"Are you saying that you expect me to be… proper tonight?" she murmured, glad that the darkness was hiding the blush she felt suddenly cross her cheeks. "Because I'm not feeling very…" Nathan didn't let her finish the sentence. He couldn't see the color of her cheeks, but he felt the heat of them as he moved his lips up to hers.

As he pressed against her, Nathan realized that everything he thought he was going to feel in this moment was wrong. No fear, no nervousness, only need, hunger, the desire to know all of her, not as simply a woman, but as Elizabeth, his love, the person who laughed and loved Allie, and stood in the schoolroom, and rode Sarah. Elizabeth, who he dreamed with and cried with, and trusted beyond all others. Elizabeth in all her perfection and her faults. Elizabeth, who loved him the same way.

With fingers that he hoped weren't trembling too badly, Nathan reached around to the back of Elizabeth's neck. He found a button, small and covered with lace, but his hands were accustomed to leather straps and bootlaces, and coupled with the slight tremble, he fumbled for a moment before he felt Elizabeth smile against his lips.

"There are twenty-four of them, and it took two people to get them undone this morning," she whispered, leaving small kisses across his cheeks and lips. "We're going to need light and more concentration than either of us are capable of right now." She laughed softly, trying to catch her breath in the hollow of his neck, and she felt Nathan begin to laugh too.

"You would think a Mountie would be better at reading the terrain," he said, breathing deeply and cradling her head against his chest.

"Now I know what Abigail was talking about when she said she remembered these buttons," Elizabeth said. She kissed him quickly once more and sat up, turning to face the window and lifting her hair. Nathan reached behind him and turned up the small lamp on the wall, and then bent to inspect the task at hand.

"How do they make buttons this small?" he asked, laughing softly. After a moment, he said, triumphantly, "One!" and started on the next in line.

"Since we may be here for a while..." Elizabeth said, smiling at her reflection and his in the window, "...what is the story of this?" She reached into the lace on her sleeve and removed the tiny ceramic bluebird.

Nathan stopped and reached out to take it. "Where did you get this?" he said.

"Your mother gave it to me. For the 'something blue.' She said you would tell me about it," Elizabeth said.

Nathan smiled and handed it back to her while he continued working on the buttons. "Colleen gave it to me. I told you that my home in Airdrie was a ranch, but I don't think I said it was quite a large one…"

"Well, I sort of assumed, since you said it gives you a good income…"

"Three!" Nathan said, moving on to the fourth button. "We have a head ranch hand there, Charlie, who has been around for as long as I can remember. He's Algonquin, and he used to sit in front of the fire with us as kids, telling us stories of his people."

As Nathan moved on to the fifth button, Elizabeth began to be aware of his warm fingers on the skin of her back. It was a place she'd never been touched by him before, or of course, by any man, and it began to feel very intimate. The combination of that and his voice, low and resonant, caused her to close her eyes and arch her back slightly.

"Colleen especially loved Charlie's stories about the bluebird. It's a symbol of happiness, and according to the tribe, when you see a bluebird you can expect something wonderful and new to happen to you. Also, it's believed to be a spirit that drives off the god of winter and brings the spring." Nathan's voice was getting lower as he looked at the skin on Elizabeth's back. She was sighing softly and he could see the gooseflesh rise when his fingers brushed against her. As he unfastened the tenth button, he allowed himself the luxury of running his knuckles a short way down her spine, and then up, feeling the softness and warmth under his fingertips.

Elizabeth released a shuddering breath as Nathan whispered, "It's also a symbol of fertility…" He had reached the top of her corset and he was getting better at the buttons, so in addition, he began to loosen the laces, and Elizabeth felt able finally to take a true deep breath.

Nathan couldn't stop himself, and as he continued working with his hands, he leaned down to place his lips on her back. He needed to know what it felt like, this forbidden place, warm and soft under his lips, and the faint taste of lavender he found there made his head spin.

The rest he could do in the dark. He reached around and switched off the light. With his lips on the skin of her back, Nathan said, "I love you so much. My sweet angel, my Elizabeth."

Not able to wait another moment, Elizabeth turned to him. The buttons could be sewn back on.

And as the train moved on through the night, together they found their way.

---

CHAPTER 55

Elizabeth wasn't certain if it was the rhythmic movement of the train or the gentle light that was coming through the window that first woke her, but as her eyes opened slowly, it all came back to her.

Nathan.

She was facing away from the window, and his arm was under her head as he slept on his back. After they had figured out, hilariously, that there was no possible way Nathan was going to fit his full length in the bunk, they'd pulled down both mattresses from the beds and laid them side by side on the floor. The mattresses barely fit, but they were surprisingly roomy and comfortable.

Elizabeth sighed softly in her happiness. The light from the window was on Nathan's face, which was turned slightly toward her. She gazed in wonder at him, so open and vulnerable in sleep. This man she'd seen ride into danger without a thought for himself was at such complete peace that he seemed almost to be smiling in his sleep.

Feeling a light blush steal across her cheeks, Elizabeth smiled, too. No one could have explained it to her, and any description certainly couldn't capture the communion, the feeling of not knowing where you begin and where the other person ends, the faith and the trust of giving yourself completely to someone. This love had to be God's plan, Elizabeth thought. They'd both known from the beginning that it was beyond their creation.

She didn't want to wake him but it was nearly impossible not to touch him. Reaching out her hand, Elizabeth laid it lightly on the soft, dark hairs of his chest, now with reddish-gold highlights in the diffused morning sun. She watched her hand rise and fall with his breath, the sound coming softly next to her ear through his slightly parted lips.

The sunlight also caught the gold of her wedding ring. The one that matched Nathan's perfectly, that he and Hickam had conspired to buy in Benson Hills while she and Rebecca were struggling with buttons.

Buttons. Elizabeth's smile went ever wider as she remembered. She knew some of them had rolled on to the floor and she and Nathan would need to do a thorough search once they'd moved the mattresses back. She wanted to return Abigail's dress in the same condition in which she'd gotten it. Though, as she remembered Abigail's soft laugh when she'd talked about the buttons, Elizabeth imagined they might have been sewn on more than once.

Moving her hand from Nathan's chest, Elizabeth touched the stubble of beard on his chin, wondering what it would be like to watch him shave, and this time, Nathan did stir. Without opening his eyes, he rolled over and pulled her to him, cradling her against his shoulder and murmuring into her tousled hair.

"Good morning," he said, his voice low and rough from sleep. "I thought I might have dreamed you, but you're still here." He was so warm, Elizabeth had the fleeting thought that she would never be cold at night again as long as he was lying beside her. She let her lips graze the skin of his chest that lay below the lines of his shirts, the part that seldom saw the sun, smooth, lightly muscled, still with the faint fragrance of soap and leather, and... Nathan.

"I love you," she said softly, without removing her lips from his skin.

He pulled her even closer to him, and she felt him take a deep breath. She knew he was trying to find the right words, and finally, in a voice slow and easy with sleep, he said. "I wish I was a poet, like Emerson or Keats. I can't do justice to what I feel right now, what I felt yesterday when you said 'I do' ... last night... I don't know, it was like it all fell into place, everything, my life up to now..." Another deep breath and a light laugh as he gave up trying. "I love you, too."

"Well, if it helps, I think you're a poet," Elizabeth said, pulling back to look at him. The almost transparent blue of his eyes in the light from the window and the way he was looking at her caused Elizabeth to need a quick dose of oxygen. With his finger, he touched the hollow in her neck that was created by her sudden intake of breath.

"I like it when you do that." He raised an eyebrow and gazed at her, his crooked smile blossoming. "I take your breath away..." Then he laughed and held her closer, and she laughed too. It was as if their joy simply couldn't be contained.

Nathan rolled back and ran his fingers through his hair, fully opening his eyes and gazing around their small cabin. "This was a good idea you had, Mrs. Grant. The mattresses on the floor? I think I would have lost all feeling in my feet if we'd tried to stay up there," he said, raising his eyebrows toward the now-bare bunks. "Leave it to a teacher to figure something like that out."

Elizabeth leaned over and kissed the skin on his shoulder, murmuring, "I think we both figured it out."

Nathan propped himself up on his elbow and smiled at her. "Yes, we did." He reached out and lifted a long curl, watching the sunlight bounce off of the strands. "I wish you could wear your hair this way all the time."

Elizabeth laughed. "Oh, I think the widows would have something to say about that..."

Nathan buried his hand in her hair, and gently moved toward her, placing his lips on her cheek. "You are so beautiful, 'Lizbeth..."

Putting her arms around his neck, she whispered, "I feel beautiful with you..." Nathan kissed her softly, and then pulled away, frowning a little. He looked out of the window.

"Does it feel like we're slowing down?" he asked.

"It does," Elizabeth said. She sat up with the sheet around her and looked out. They hadn't drawn the curtains, and she saw a large sign reading REGINA STATION, and then, to her horror, people.

Nathan saw them too. He grabbed the blanket around him and was up in a split-second to close the curtains. He sat on the bench and looked at Elizabeth and both of them burst out laughing.

"That was almost extremely embarrassing," Elizabeth said.

"So we clearly don't have everything figured out..." Nathan said, leaning back.

"Turn around," Elizabeth said, twirling her finger just in case he misunderstood.

"Turn...? Why?" Then he realized that she probably wanted to dress and wasn't quite ready for that level of familiarity. Nathan said quickly, "Oh... okay..." He turned to the wall, and smiled. "We are married, you know..." He could hear her going through bags and rustling clothing while she spoke.

"Yes, we've been married all of..." She realized she had no idea what time it was, and said, "...what does your watch say?"

"It doesn't say anything, it can't talk..." Nathan said, chuckling.

Elizabeth laughed despite her best efforts to hold it in, and then turned to him. "There's going to come a time when Allie won't laugh at those jokes anymore, you know," she said, trying to keep the laughter out of her own voice.

"But you always will," he said, smiling.

"Probably," Elizabeth said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. She then spoke very precisely. "Can you please tell me what the time is on your watch?"

"Ah, yes," Nathan said, reaching down to get it. "It's 11:30."

"Oh, goodness! We've slept half the day away," Elizabeth said.

"Sorry to correct you, but we weren't sleeping..." Nathan said, still facing the wall.

Laughing again, Elizabeth said, "Fine. It's late." She turned around to face him and said, "And now you get dressed, because I need your help."

Nathan turned around, and an involuntary intake of breath surprised him. After what they'd shared last night, how could it be that seeing Elizabeth with her hair cascading around her shoulders and in nothing but her pantaloons and corset felt almost more intimate? "Help..." he said, repeating what she'd said, but making it sound more like he was the one who needed assistance.

Elizabeth turned around and showed him the laces of her corset, hanging loose. "Help," she said, looking over her shoulder and smiling. Truth was, she was enjoying this immensely. Seeing Nathan this perplexed was highly entertaining.

Then she saw it in his eyes. The Mountie. A problem to be solved. A challenge. He was already looking at the corset and calculating his moves. Elizabeth laughed and turned around. "Get dressed first. You'll need both hands free."

Nathan pulled on his trousers quickly and walked toward her.

"I can do this," he said firmly, more to himself than to his wife.

"I am a Mountie, after all."

---

By the time they had dressed and freshened up, the train was pulling away from the Regina Station. They were both famished.

Rebecca had kindly packed some bread, cheese and apples into Elizabeth's bag, along with some fancy chocolates and a small bottle of wine. Elizabeth had discovered the very welcome surprise picnic in the middle of the night, and they'd quickly finished it all off.

An extremely momentous day and no supper had caught up with them, and they'd spread the food out and had sat cross-legged on the mattresses with only the light of the moon coming through the window. And they'd talked. About the house on the meadow, about Allie, about what awaited them in Hamilton, about anything and everything.

And when they'd finally brushed the breadcrumbs from the mattresses and lay back down into each other's arms, they'd made love again, already beginning to know each other's rhythms and feeling a joyous sense of familiarity. And then they'd fallen asleep.

But now, just past noon, they were starving, and didn't want to wait until the porter was able to pick up their order and bring lunch to the cabin. And also, Nathan and Elizabeth were both generally outdoor people. Much as they loved their little room, they wanted to explore, to look through multiple windows and get to know the life of their home for the next three days.

The Club Car, which housed the dining room, was elegant. Small tables lined both sides, each one under a window. Pure white tablecloths, silver place settings, and crisply-folded forest green linen napkins decorated the tables, and each one had a small lamp to the side.

A waiter, all in black except for his impossibly clean white apron, showed them to a table and they sat gazing at each other for a moment, before they both shook their heads and laughed softly. "This is something," Nathan said. "Now I know why it's so expensive... and why my mother said it was completely worth it."

Elizabeth frowned. "But you can afford it...?" she said tentatively.

Nathan took her hands across the table and smiled. "Yes. We can afford it."

"We," she said, her eyes soft. "I like how that sounds."

---

From the other side of the dining room, Clara gazed at the newlyweds, trying not to stare. But they were almost magnetic in their happiness, and she couldn't help letting her imagination run a little wild as she tried to fill in their story. Of course they were both beautiful, and even more now than when she'd seen them yesterday on the platform. Clara smiled, remembering her own wedding night.

Clara looked down and stirred a teaspoon of sugar into the fine china teacup in front of her. She'd made good money at the Miner's Supply and had saved almost all of it for the six months since Peter had died. This was her one luxury. A sleeping cabin would have cost far too much, but an elegant lunch every day for three days felt almost necessary after sleeping upright in her seat and washing and dressing in the small water closets provided on board the train.

Putting down her teaspoon, Clara stole another glance at The Bride, as she had continued to call her. She was holding her husband's hand across the table, and she had the beatific look of a woman who had been loved well. Clara smiled and felt a blush run across her cheeks.

Even after they were married, she and Peter only had their Friday nights together. Seven of them. Ninety-eight hours, as Clara had calculated once, and for some of those hours, sleep had been inevitable. They'd tried to stay up all night when they were together, but sometimes the comfort of each other's arms and the exhaustion of days filled with hard work had gotten the better of them, and they'd awakened with the sun, rested but regretting the lost time.

The Bride laughed and Clara looked up again. She couldn't help smiling herself, and at that moment their eyes met across the car. For some reason, neither could look away. The Groom was watching out the window as the Saskatchewan farms rolled by, and he was talking as he gestured with his fork. The Bride was listening, but as she looked at Clara she tilted her head a bit and nodded. The look said it so clearly. This is waiting for you. Be patient and you'll find it too.

Just then, The Groom had noticed, and had turned slightly, following his wife's sightline. He looked at Clara and raised his eyebrows with an easy smile, then he turned back and continued his story.

Up until this moment, Clara hadn't felt self-conscious about traveling across Canada alone. But now she had to look away toward the window. The reflection she saw there allowed Clara to see herself through the couple's eyes, and there it was. The sadness, the longing, the lightly veiled anger, and the constant battle to accept and move through grief. Clara had wanted to decipher the story of the newlyweds, and in her transparency, had revealed herself to them.

She felt the beginnings of tears sting her eyes. This new start wasn't an adventure at all. It was an escape. An attempt to run away from a life she felt was too tied to Peter. But in her heart, Clara felt the truth of what Confucius had written. "Wherever you go, there you are."

She couldn't leave Peter behind. He was with her. And until she found a way to make peace with that, she would always be running.

---

"If we see her tomorrow, we should ask her to have lunch with us," Elizabeth said quietly.

Nathan smiled at her, his eyes soft. "You have the sweetest heart. Here we are on our honeymoon and you're worrying about a girl across the dining car."

Raising her eyebrows, Elizabeth said, "It's precisely because we're on our honeymoon that I'm worried about her. It feels almost selfish to be this happy..." She laughed softly, "Incandescently happy, as Lizzie Bennet would say. Now I truly know what that word means." She lifted Nathan's hand up to her lips without taking her eyes off of his. She felt her breath coming faster as she saw the look there, and a smile began.

"Have we seen enough of the world for a little while?" Nathan said, his voice soft and low. "Shall we go back to our tiny cave and... nap?" His crooked smile and slightly raised eyebrow made Elizabeth's heart beat a little faster.

"Nap...?" she whispered skeptically.

"Or something..." Nathan said, pushing back his chair. "We'll think of something."

---

CHAPTER 56

It was unusual for Abigail to be sitting in her own café while someone else stood over the stove, and even more unusual for her food to be brought to her. She was trying to enjoy it, but since it was Charlotte at the stove, it wasn't always easy.

Charlotte liked to make breakfast before going to the school. She said it focused her mind, so after a short tug-of-war, Abigail finally gave up and let her have the stove until school started in the mornings. In truth, Charlotte's eggs were delicious, though it was best not to think about exactly what went into the cooking of them. Abigail had noticed that her supply of lard was going down pretty quickly.

Abigail, Rosemary and Charlotte were good companions for each other these days. Charlotte had lost her husband many years ago, Abigail lost Noah six months ago, and Rosemary had been widowed for only two weeks. There was a progression they saw in each other, of acceptance and allowing joy back into their lives, and it gave Rosemary and Abigail hope for their own futures to see Charlotte embrace life so fully.

As far as the subject of moving on was concerned, they couldn't be more different. Charlotte would never live with another man, according to her vigorous pronouncements, though she was also fond of saying never say never. "I was lucky to find one man who could put up with me. I don't expect the Lord to give me another one."

Abigail was busy with the café and not looking for anyone, but she was also clear that if the right person came along, she wouldn't close that door. In the back of her mind, she was remembering how she'd felt on Christmas Day, watching Bill, Nathan and Lee chopping wood outside the café. Her reaction had surprised her, and if she was honest, she was grateful to still have the capacity to feel that way.

Rosemary had realized over the last two weeks that she'd actually been preparing herself to lose Jack from the moment he'd ridden off and left her in Cape Fullerton in early December. She felt almost as if the future had been cast for Jack whether she had re-entered his life or not. Had she not come to Coal Valley, Rosemary truly believed that he would still have gone to the Northern Territories, and that he would still have died.

There was one thing that wouldn't have happened, however. As she listened to Charlotte and Abigail over breakfast, Rosemary found her hand moving silently down to her belly. No one else could tell yet, but she could. There was just the slightest tightness to her skirts, but beyond that, Rosemary had a connection to that part of her body that she couldn't explain. And her joy about this gift from God was winning out over the grief she felt at Jack's death.

It helped that Rosemary knew it was what Jack wanted for her. If his letter wasn't enough of a confirmation that he hoped she would live the best life she could, the feeling in her heart told her it was true. Early in their relationship, long ago, when they'd had some ridiculous argument or other, she'd asked him to just let go and enjoy life. He'd said, "Rosie, you enjoy life enough for the both of us."

And now that became her goal. She was going to do her best to enjoy life enough for both of them. For the three of them. For herself, for Jack, and for little Madeleine Charlotte.

Rosemary smiled into her chamomile tea. Charlotte Thornton wouldn't want to hear it, but she was wrong. This was definitely a little girl.

---

Elizabeth opened the door to the cabin and stifled a laugh. "What are you doing?" she asked, as she removed the coat she wore over her nightgown just in case she should run into someone in the long hall of the train car.

Nathan was on his hands and knees facing away from the door, wearing nothing but his trousers. Elizabeth was returning from a quick sponge bath in the facilities at the end of the car. They were hoping to get some sleep before their midnight stop in Winnipeg so that they could go out for a moonlight walk and stretch their legs during the hour layover.

Nathan turned around with triumph in his eyes and a huge grin on his face. "Twenty-four!" he said, holding up the last of the buttons. "It was wedged between the floor and the wall, all the way back under..." he stopped, suddenly overcome by how beautiful Elizabeth looked. Brown curls brushed sleek and shiny and tumbling over her shoulders, the lace of her nightgown falling into a low V at her neck, loosely tied, her skin still rosy from her bath.

Nathan put the button safely into the cup with the others and stood, walking to her. "Sometimes I have to pinch myself. How can it be that I get to see you like this every night?" He put his arms around her and bent his head to her neck, knowing that he would immediately be assailed by the heady aroma of her lavender soap, and by the freshness and warmth of her skin.

Elizabeth closed her eyes. As she ran her hands up and down the smooth, taut skin of his back, she was feeling as if she might have to pinch herself too. As Nathan held her close, her voice was soft and slow. "I'm going to get used to these greetings, you know. When we're an old, married couple with a houseful of kids, are you still going to be saying hello this way?"

Nathan's voice was muffled in her neck, his face warm against her skin. "Until my last breath," he murmured, his lips traveling up her jaw and causing light chills to trail down her spine.

Elizabeth sighed, moving her hands up to run her fingers through his hair. It was incredible to know, after so many months of having to stop at this point, that this was just the beginning. She knew now that these moments would lead to the next, and then the next, until finally...

Laughing softly, Elizabeth said, "I thought we said we were going to get some sleep..."

"Sleep is highly overrated," Nathan said, reaching back to turn out the light. The moon was nearly full and over the last two nights they'd found it was perfectly positioned outside their window. They just had to remember to close the curtains before they fell asleep.

Hearing a soft sound, Nathan looked down at the charm bracelet on Elizabeth's wrist. This was becoming another one of their nightly rituals, as the clasp was difficult for Elizabeth to undo on her own, and especially hard to do when she was in Nathan's arms. He pulled her down gently onto the mattresses and lifted her wrist.

"Not quite as easy with just moonlight," he said, bending to the task. Elizabeth started to reach back to turn on the light, and he said softly, "No, I can do this..." he kissed her wrist, and then lost his concentration, moving slowly up her arm with his lips in a cloud of lavender.

Elizabeth laughed. "You seem to have a problem focusing these days," she said, enjoying his lack of concentration completely.

"I feel very focused right now..." he said, moving his lips up her arm until he reached her shoulder and then her mouth. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss, lost in the wonder of what she was feeling. Two days. Is that all it had been? And had there ever been a time before this, when they had kissed goodnight at the door and gone their separate ways, both of them wondering, imagining what this would be like?

Elizabeth allowed Nathan to move her gently down, both of them stretching their bodies the full length of the mattresses. Nathan propped himself on his elbow and lifted her wrist again, and she watched his mouth as he set it in a line, concentrating on the tiny clasp.

"So serious..." she said, placing her lips on the bare skin of his shoulder.

Nathan's mouth lifted into a smile and she saw him raise an eyebrow. "Serious business requires... seriousness," he said, finally releasing the clasp and holding up the bracelet. "Success," he said, and reached around to place it on the small table next to him. He turned back to her and wrapped her in his arms. "So, I have a question."

Elizabeth snuggled into the hollow of his shoulder and placed her hand on his chest, loving the feel of the soft hairs there. "Ask me anything."

"The train gets into Hamilton day after tomorrow at about two in the morning. Do your parents know when we're arriving?"

"I told them we would sneak in quietly. Of course, Collins will be waiting..."

"Collins?" Nathan said.

"I suppose he's officially our butler, but he's really so much more than that. He's been with the family for as long as I can remember."

Nathan laughed softly. "Of course you have a butler." Elizabeth felt him take a long, deep breath.

"They're going to love you..." she said, but Nathan wasn't entirely convinced.

"The way they love... Clyde? Calvin? Cyrus?..."

Elizabeth looked over at him and saw that the corner of his mouth was upturned. "Charles," she said, laughing. "His name is Charles Kensington."

"As if I could forget," Nathan said, pulling her closer. "And will he be visiting while I'm there?"

Elizabeth snuggled into his neck. "Well, he is a friend of the family..."

"And rich, and handsome, I imagine?" Nathan's tone let Elizabeth know that he was teasing her, so she decided to tease him back.

She rolled over and gazed out of the window at the moon. "I suppose he's not... unpleasant to look at," she said, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Nathan reached up and moved a lock of hair from her eyes, "And probably quite dashing with the ladies?"

Elizabeth smiled, and even in the dim light, Nathan could see the deep love there. "I wouldn't know. We're only friends."

"No kisses?" Nathan asked, touching her lips with his finger.

"Nathan!" Elizabeth said, indignant. "A peck on the cheek, perhaps, as a friend, but I've never kissed anyone the way..."

"This way...?" Nathan said, stopping her and touching his lips to hers. Elizabeth put her arms around his neck, pulling him toward her and sighing softly against his lips. As they pressed closer, she felt his heart racing, or maybe it was her own.

After a time, she moved her lips to the hollow of his neck and whispered, "Does that convince you?"

Nathan laughed softly. "Clyde doesn't stand a chance," he said, lifting the tie to her nightgown and pulling gently.

Looking into his eyes in the moonlight, Elizabeth could see how blue they were. "No," she said, helping him with the ribbons. "Not a chance."

---

They did manage to get a couple of hours of sleep, and when the train slowed to a stop in Winnipeg, they were dressed and ready to step off into the night. Elizabeth had been surprised to see Nathan put on his uniform, which of course he had brought along, just in case. A Mountie had to be prepared at any time to go on duty, no matter where he was.

"We'll be safer," he said, noticing her look. "Winnipeg is a city, and rail lines aren't always in the best areas. But there is a river, the Red, that runs right by the tracks. We should be able to find a relatively busy path, even at this hour." Nathan pulled out his pistol and checked it before replacing it in the holster. Elizabeth was frowning, and he said, "Just a precaution," walking toward her. He placed his hand on her cheek.

"If you were alone, would you go outside? Would you step off of this train?" he asked her gently.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and thought for a moment. Then, slowly, she shook her head. "No. Probably not."

"And why would that be?" Nathan asked, his voice still soft.

"Because it might be dangerous for a woman out there?" she said, beginning to smile.

Nathan leaned down and kissed her. "Nothing is going to happen, but on the very slight chance that it might, I would never want to be unprepared," he said, matter-of-factly.

The porter was standing at the door as they stepped off the train, and he looked at Nathan with new eyes and no small amount of respect. "Evening, Constable," he said, tipping his cap to Nathan. "Only an hour, now," he warned. "We pull out right on time."

Nathan had opted not to wear his hat, but he reached up and tried to tip it anyway. "Is there a nice place to walk a bit out here?"

"Yessir, by the river. Electric lights and a good view of the city. But I wouldn't go further than the crossing out by the bridge. Can be a little dicey out there."

"Appreciate it," Nathan said, turning to go. "We'll be back early. Just stretching our legs a little."

"No cause to explain. I need the same now and then," the porter said.

Elizabeth was suddenly aware that in the bliss of the last two days, she had forgotten her manners. "Thank you," she said, reaching out her hand. "My name is Elizabeth," she said, smiling. "This is my husband, Nathan."

"Jonathan," the porter said, returning her smile and nodding to Nathan. He tipped his cap again. "You two have a nice walk."

"Thank you, Jonathan," Elizabeth said, giving him a smile that made him remember his days as a young man.

They took a few steps, and Jonathan called out to them. "Oh, and if you could, there's a young lady from the train by herself out on that path. Wearing a light pink coat. I told her to stick to the lights, but if you wouldn't mind keeping an eye out for her, I'd be much obliged. She's just a minute ahead of you."

"Will do, Jonathan," Nathan said.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and smiled up at him as she took his arm and they began walking. "So much for a woman alone not venturing out," she said.

And though she didn't know why, her thoughts went to the young woman they'd seen at lunchtime yesterday.

Elizabeth found herself walking just a little faster. Nathan looked at her and tilted his head. "Just anxious to see the river," she said brightly.

Nathan smiled and squeezed her closer. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "You act as if I don't know you, Elizabeth," he said softly.

Then he faced forward and matched her speed. "We'll catch up to her. Don't worry."

---

CHAPTER 57

Clara couldn't stand it for another minute.

She'd spent the night trying to sleep listening to the enormous man in the seat next to her snore so loudly that she thought she felt the windows rattling. Not to mention he had slowly nursed a bottle of brandy that was hidden inside his coat until the bottle was empty and he now smelled like a distillery. Add to that his pungent body odor and the fact that he continued to move further into her seat and would soon be on top of her, Clara finally was forced to make a decision.

How she would get past him was the first hurdle. She tried tapping his arm and then resorted to an elbow in the ribs, and he still hadn't responded. Finally, she reached into her purse, got out her sewing kit, said a quick prayer for forgiveness, and poked his leg with a needle.

That got his attention. He howled and stood up, and Clara slipped by him, moving blissfully into the center aisle and toward the door. She would stand for the rest of the night if she had to.

And just then, she felt the train slow. She looked out of the window and saw the sign for Winnipeg, unable to believe her good luck. A porter was walking down the aisle checking tickets to see who was planning to get off the train here.

"Excuse me," Clara said, "How long is the stop?"

"An hour, miss," he said, continuing down the aisle.

An hour. Clara breathed a sigh of relief. Fresh air. A chance to walk a little. And then when she boarded the train again, she would see if there were any other seats open.

Clara quickly got her pink coat from the rack, and made her way to the door. She knew that midnight in Winnipeg might not be a good idea, but if she had to, she would just stay in the station near the train and try to find some fresh air.

"Is there anywhere that's safe to walk or should I stay nearby?" she asked the porter as she stepped down off the train.

"There's a path, miss, with electric lights and a view of the city and the river," he said. "Stay in the lights and you'll be fine. And only an hour, miss. We leave the station on time. Best be back early."

Clara smiled. "I will! And thank you so much. I would dearly love to walk a little." More people were stepping on and off the train, and Clara walked in the direction the porter had pointed.

It was beautiful. After being cooped up in her seat next to that vile man, Clara breathed deeply of the fresh air off of the river and leaned on the railing looking at the lights of the city in the distance. For a moment, she closed her eyes.

It's all going to be okay. Of course she was nervous. Starting a new job in a new city, and one even bigger than Cape Fullerton. But she had to get used to the fact that she was the only one paying for her father's doctor bills right now, and the secretarial job with Mr. Fletcher in Hamilton would pay twice as much as she was making at the Miners Supply. The flat she'd found didn't sound too bad, though of course she'd had to send the first month's rent sight unseen.

She would just have to find out when she got there. Clara knew that she was a very resourceful girl and a hard worker. She would make her way in Hamilton in the same way she had in Cape Fullerton. By putting one foot in front of the other...

"Well, ain't you a pretty little thing..."

Clara turned, realizing that she was so lost in her thoughts that she'd broken the cardinal rule of being outside at night alone. She'd lost track of her surroundings.

He was filthy and appeared to be missing a number of teeth. But the worst part was that he was also much taller than Clara and looked to be very strong. Clara could be fast when she needed to be, but he had her trapped in the space between the railing and a large tree, so that if she tried to run around him all he would need to do was put out an arm.

So she would have to talk her way out of it.

"Yes," she said, trying to keep her voice calm. "My husband thinks so." Clara was kicking herself for not wearing her wedding ring. It made her sad to wear it, so she had taken it off on the train and put it in her purse. She slipped her left hand into the pocket of her coat and began moving sideways just a little.

The man leered at her, showing that the few teeth he had left were yellowed and rotted. "And where might he be, missus?" he said, his voice a disgustingly lascivious growl.

"Coming up behind you," she said, looking over his shoulder and getting ready to make a run for it.

The man took the bait and turned, and Clara snuck around him, starting to run. But she was wearing a scarf around her neck and he grabbed it and held tight, choking her.

"Now, that wasn't very nice, was it?" he said, pulling her back toward him. Clara struggled to pull the scarf over her head, but it was too tight. In fact, she was having a little trouble catching her breath. He now had her close enough to put his arm around her neck and turn her so she was facing him. His breath was so revolting that Clara thought she might actually pass out as he leaned down, meaning to kiss her.

She was fighting as hard as she could and making no headway. She tried to get her knee up toward his groin, but her coat was buttoned all the way down and was restricting her. The scarf was still around her neck and it was getting harder to breathe...

And then she heard the click.

"Let go of the lady and you might live."

Clara opened her eyes wide and saw red serge. The relief she felt caused her eyes to fill with tears and she stumbled backwards as the man let go of her. At first she thought she might fall, but she felt soft arms go around her and for some reason, she thought she smelled lavender.

Then everything went black.

---

When Clara opened her eyes, she was still seeing red serge, but she seemed to be lying in a bed. She'd never seen the inside of a sleeping cabin on a train before, but she assumed this is what one looked like.

The first thing she began to process was that The Mountie was also The Groom. Clara blinked and said, in time-honored fashion, "Where am I?"

The Mountie smiled and said, "You're back on the train." He looked at her kindly. "What's your name?"

"Clara Stan... Weller..." Clara said, taking a deep breath. She was starting to feel a little better.

"Do you remember what happened, Miss Stanweller?"

Clara smiled. "No, just Weller. Clara Weller. And... that man... that horrible man..." Clara squinted and closed her eyes, remembering. "I was by the river..." Now she began to take in more of the room. The Bride was standing beside The Groom, looking very concerned. Behind them both was the porter who had pointed out the path to her. He was looking extremely nervous.

"You're a Mountie," Clara said, stating the obvious. "I've always just thought of you as The Groom." She laughed softly, realizing how inane that sounded, but Nathan and Elizabeth laughed too.

"My name is Nathan, Miss Weller. This is my wife, Elizabeth. We've seen you in the dining car, haven't we?"

"It makes sense you would think of us that way," Elizabeth said, moving closer. "Can you sit up, Miss Weller?" Clara thought that Elizabeth had the kindest, softest voice she'd ever heard, almost as if she was speaking to a child.

Clara nodded and said, "I'm fine, and, please, call me Clara." She swung her legs around and sat up. She really did feel fine. "Did I faint?"

"Yes," Nathan said. "I carried you back here. This cabin was used by a passenger who got off the train in Winnipeg. The man who attacked you is in custody. Local Mounties know him. He prowls the river walk..."

Jonathan moved forward, distraught. "Oh, Miss Weller, I never would have suggested you walk there if I'd known. I'm so sorry..."

He was so upset that Clara began to feel bad for him. "No, it's not your fault. I wasn't paying attention. I know better than that." Clara took another deep breath, feeling her head clearing. She looked at Nathan. "Good. So you caught him, and he won't be able to frighten any more women." She started to stand up and began to see stars again, so she sat back down.

Elizabeth sat next to her on the bed. "Just take a minute, Clara."

Clara looked around. "I really do appreciate your kindness, but I'm fine."

"Jonathan says you don't have a sleeping cabin on the train? Where are you headed?" Elizabeth asked.

"No, I don't. I just have a seat. And I'm going to Hamilton," Clara said.

"Oh!" Elizabeth said brightly. "So are we!"

Nathan looked at Jonathan. "So the person in this cabin got off in Winnipeg? And is it booked again before Hamilton?"

Jonathan said, "No, it's empty until the return trip..." He frowned suddenly, seeing where this was going. "Oh, but we couldn't possibly... it won't be cleaned until Hamilton... we can't..." He saw the look on Nathan's face, but most particularly the look in his eyes. The blue was disconcerting under the dark brows, especially with the focus Nathan was training on him.

Nathan looked around. "It doesn't really look dirty to me, Jonathan."

"But the bed... the sheets..." Jonathan said, already feeling like he wasn't going to win this argument.

Now Nathan smiled and said, "But you have extra sheets on board the train, don't you, Jonathan?"

Elizabeth and Clara were watching this in some combination of awe and delight. Elizabeth had seen Nathan at his duties, of course, a number of times. But this was even a new Nathan to her. He spoke in a voice that was soft but compelling, almost as if there was no other reasonable thing to do than what he was asking. The red serge was the final deciding factor. Jonathan sighed and nodded.

"I suppose it wouldn't do any harm." He gave Clara a contrite look. "It's the least I can do after sending you out to that path." Jonathan went to the door. "I'll be back with clean sheets and towels," he said. "Housekeeping isn't on duty this time of night..."

Elizabeth smiled and said, "Oh, don't worry about it, Jonathan! We'll take care of everything."

"Well, thank you," Jonathan said. "Thank you." He closed the door and the three of them looked at each other.

Clara's eyes were wide as she looked up at Nathan. "Did you just get me a sleeping cabin for the next two nights?" she asked, unable to believe it.

Elizabeth laughed. "I believe he did." She gazed up at Nathan with such admiration and love that he shrugged and took a small bow.

Clara shook her head. "I... I don't know what to say."

Elizabeth stood. "Do you feel like you can stand up, Clara? I suppose we should get these sheets off before he gets back."

Clara stood up and smiled. "I feel fine," she said, looking back and forth at both of them. "And... you are the kindest people I think I've ever met."

"Oh, goodness," Elizabeth said, raising an eyebrow. "We weren't going to leave you down by the river, were we?"

Clara suddenly felt overwhelmed and without thinking, she threw her arms around Elizabeth and hugged her. "Thank you!" she said fervently. Then she pulled away and smiled. "Oh, you're the one who caught me. Lavender."

---

It turned out that Jonathan felt very guilty. Enough to bring sandwiches, fruit, cookies and tea from the Club Car.

Elizabeth and Clara changed the bed while Nathan got the chairs from their cabin, and within minutes, the three of them were sitting around the small table. It was nearly three o'clock in the morning, but the type of excitement they'd all just experienced wasn't really conducive to sleep.

"Do you have relatives in Hamilton?" Elizabeth asked Clara, cutting up an apple for all of them.

"No. A job. I was working in Cape Fullerton but the one in Hamilton pays more, so I took it." She took a bite of the turkey sandwich and sighed. "This is delicious," she said, closing her eyes.

Clara was using her lunch in the dining room as her only meal of the day to save money, and she was hungry. She tried not to eat too fast, but she was enjoying it so much it was hard to slow down. She was sitting in a sleeping cabin on a train and sharing a meal with The Bride and Groom. It was a scenario that Clara could never have imagined for herself. She was still getting her bearings.

But she did remember her manners. A person asks you a question, and then you ask one back. "And you?" she said to Elizabeth, "Do you have relatives in Hamilton?"

"It's where I grew up," Elizabeth said, nodding.

"And you got on in Benson Hills," Clara said, and then she blushed a little. "Sorry, I just noticed..."

Elizabeth laughed and looked at Nathan. "We were pretty conspicuous, I'm afraid."

"Oh, no, you were magical!" Clara said. Then, blushing a little more, she said, "I'm so sorry, that was a strange thing to say..."

Elizabeth laughed and put her hand on Clara's shoulder. "It was a very sweet thing to say. And..." she looked at Nathan, her eyes soft. "...we were pretty magical." Nathan lifted Elizabeth's hand and kissed it.

Clara watched, feeling a combination of happiness and envy that brought tears to her eyes. It had been a long night. She'd been terrified, she'd fainted, she hadn't slept a wink, and now, with a full stomach and a perfect love on display in front of her, she fell to pieces.

"Oh, Clara!" Elizabeth said, pulling her chair closer and putting her arm around Clara's shoulder. "What is it?"

"I was married," Clara said, unable to stop herself as large, heavy tears coursed down her cheeks. She was tired of keeping secrets, tired of pretending, and suddenly it all spilled out. "He died in a mining accident in June, along with his father, but they didn't find their bodies until July. I loved him so much..." Now she was sobbing, and didn't notice the look that was passing between Nathan and Elizabeth.

"Where was the accident, Clara? What town?" Elizabeth said softly.

"Coal Valley, in Alberta," Clara said, her sobs turning to hiccups and her green napkin to her face.

"What was your husband's name?" Nathan asked, his voice very soft.

"Peter," Clara said, looking up at him. "Peter Stanton."

Nathan and Elizabeth were unable to stop themselves from turning and looking at each other. Both were trying to think of something to say.

Clara saw them and said, "What?" She looked first at Elizabeth and then at Nathan.

Frowning, Nathan said, "Clara, we're from Coal Valley."

Elizabeth said quickly, "Actually, it's not Coal Valley anymore, the name has been changed to Hope Valley." She looked at Nathan, who was tilting his head slightly, as if to say, not helpful. Elizabeth smiled and nodded.

Clara looked confused. "You're from Coal Valley?" Her eyes darted between the two of them. "Did you know Peter?"

"No," Nathan said softly. "We both arrived after Peter died." He put his hand on Clara's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Clara. We had no idea that Peter was married."

Taking a deep breath, Clara said, "Well, you wouldn't, because we kept it a secret. Peter thought his parents would think we were too young. He wanted to prove himself before we told them."

"Any… children?" Elizabeth asked.

Clara sighed. "No. We were… careful. It was complicated enough to keep the marriage a secret. That would have been… too much," Clara said, her eyes filling again.

"And did you ever try to contact Peter's mother?" Nathan said, trying to look into Clara's eyes.

Clara looked up sharply at Nathan and then at Elizabeth. "Oh, Lord," she said suddenly. "You know Abigail."

"Yes," Elizabeth said. "She's a very dear friend of ours."

"And I've told you all this…" Clara said, her eyes filling.

"Would you like to meet her, Clara?" Elizabeth said.

A large tear slid down Clara's cheek. "Of course I would. She's Peter's mother. But we kept that secret from her, and now he's gone. She would be so angry, wouldn't she? Why on earth would she want to meet me?"

Elizabeth put her arm around Clara again. "I can tell you a very good reason why she would want to meet you." Reaching up with the napkin to catch Clara's tears, Elizabeth smiled.

"Clara. You're the only family she has left."

---

CHAPTER 58

Elizabeth awoke to a shudder and for a moment she thought the train was slowing again. She opened her eyes and she was turned on her side facing Nathan, who was lying on his back. They'd finally gotten to sleep after four in the morning and she was feeling a little disoriented.

In wonder, Elizabeth watched as a tear slowly left the corner of Nathan's eye and moved down his cheek.

"Nathan?" she said softly, reaching up to touch it gently.

His hand moved up quickly and brushed across his face, leaving only a light track of moisture that glistened in the sun coming through the window.

"I didn't mean to wake you," he said, his voice thick. He turned to her. "Did I... " he paused, blinking, as she raised her hand to his cheek. "Did I... shout, or make a sound?"

"No," she said gently, shaking her head. "Nothing. Did you have a bad dream?"

Nathan exhaled deeply. "I've been having them... since Colleen..." He looked up at the ceiling, speaking softly. "It's always the same. On that street with the cars going by. She's reaching out to me and I try to help her... and just as I touch her fingers, she goes under..." Nathan closed his eyes, willing the picture away.

Elizabeth waited, not wanting to minimize what he was feeling by simply telling him it was okay. Instead, she held tightly to his arm and laid her head on his shoulder, waiting for him to speak again.

After a moment, he opened his eyes and turned to her, and Elizabeth could see the blue mountain lake in them.

Nathan smiled and kissed her forehead. "I'm glad you're here."

"What can I do?" she said softly.

"Just what you're doing," he said, holding her closer. "And actually, this one was better," he said. "They used to happen about once a week. I woke up Allie a couple of times, and my mother. She said I just shouted 'No...' over and over until I woke up, usually in a cold sweat."

"Nathan, I'm so sorry..." Elizabeth said.

"But this one," he said, pulling away and searching her eyes, "It was so strange. It was all the same, and then... I know this is crazy, but Colleen turned into Clara and I took hold of her hand and pulled her out before the streetcar got there, and then she turned into the angel from Allie's picture and flew away." Nathan chuckled and shook his head.

Elizabeth smiled. "It seems pretty clear to me," she said.

Nathan frowned. "It does? What does it mean to you?"

"You couldn't save Colleen, but you saved Clara." Nathan was still frowning slightly, and Elizabeth reached her hand up and held his cheek.

"And you're forgiving yourself," she said softly.

Nathan thought for a moment and then smiled again and kissed her. "Have I told you this morning that I love you?" he asked.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "I suppose, technically, since we came to bed at a very early hour this morning…" she murmured as she let her lips graze his neck, "...and I would say that you showed me you loved me…"

Nathan laughed. "It was a yes or no question, Elizabeth…"

"With a very complicated answer..." she said, snuggling closer and letting her hands roam along his neck and up into his hair.

Closing his eyes, Nathan laughed softly, "Never mind…"

---

Abigail thought that either Lee really loved her food, or there was another reason he managed to get to the café a couple of times every day. She had her suspicions about what the other reason might be.

Lee and Hickam came in almost every day for lunch, and always at the same time. Often it would happen that Rosemary was passing through at that very time - on her way to the Mercantile, or out to visit Jack's grave, or just for a walk. And more often than not, she would sit down with them for a while.

And Rosemary would laugh. Abigail thought it was good to hear her laugh again.

Abigail felt no judgement about the way Rosemary lived her life. Apart from the fact that she knew grief and mourning were absolutely personal and individual processes, she'd talked at length with Rosemary and knew her heart. She had no doubt that Rosemary had loved Jack deeply. She also knew that Rosemary naturally looked at the world in front of her, not the one behind.

Abigail recognized her own emerging thoughts about moving on with life, and she knew that Noah would want that for her. The fact that Rosemary might be able to do it faster didn't diminish the love she'd felt for Jack, or her commitment to their relationship.

However, Abigail did worry that Charlotte would probably have different views on the subject. Luckily, Charlotte was at the schoolhouse every day and was generally tired when she came home at night.

In the evenings, Lee had started picking up something from Abigail to take home for dinner. He'd never learned to cook and really didn't have a desire to, but he liked eating at home where the sawmill workers and townspeople couldn't come and pull up a chair to talk business. Sometimes Lee liked not talking about business.

Tonight, he'd had issues at the mill and was very late as he arrived to pick up the neatly packaged special that Abigail had ready for him. There were no customers in the cafe, and Abigail was preparing the dough for the breakfast scones.

There was only one table being used, and Rosemary was the one using it. She was sitting by the woodstove, and the table was covered with papers. She had one pencil in her hand and another stuck in her hair behind her ear, and she looked highly perplexed.

"That brings back memories," Lee said, smiling as she looked up at him. "You have the same look on your face as I did when I opened my first business."

Rosemary pouted. "It's the paperwork for Jack's pension," she said, sighing heavily. "I don't even know where to start." She sat back in her chair and closed her eyes. "But I don't have any money left, and most of my things are still in Cape Fullerton, and the flat is Mountie housing and they need it and want me to clear it out, and I have to have my marriage certificate for the pension, and of course it's in the flat in Cape Fullerton..."

"Whoa, whoa," Lee said, sitting down and opening the buttons on his coat. Rosemary was getting more agitated by the second. Without thinking, Lee put his hand over hers to get her attention. For a moment they both looked down at their hands, and Lee lifted his and moved it back. "Sorry..."

"No," she said quickly. "Don't be..."

They sat awkwardly for a split second and then Lee began speaking, calmly. "So, you need to go to Cape Fullerton. Correct?"

Rosemary nodded mutely.

"Is there a deadline on the paperwork?" he asked.

"Only mine, because I can't keep living here rent-free and eating Abigail's food, and actually, if I bring my things back here I'm going to need to get a place of my own in Coal Valley..."

She was getting worked up again, and Lee stopped her gently, though this time he managed to keep his hands in his lap. "One thing at a time, Rosie." Now he stopped himself, because the name had just come out while he wasn't thinking. He'd heard Allie call her that, and it somehow just fit so much better than Rosemary - it's how he thought of her in his head.

She looked up sharply, surprised, but not unhappy. "That's the first time I've heard that name in a... man's voice... since... Jack," she said.

"I'm sorry, I heard Allie... and it's just..." Lee stuttered.

"No, I like it," Rosemary said softly. She smiled at him and Lee's heart sped up a little.

He laughed nervously, and then took a deep breath. "What if I take you to Cape Fullerton in the sawmill's wagon? We get your things, we find the certificate, and we go to Mountie Headquarters to submit the paperwork, make sure it's all in order, and perhaps get the money from the pension right away? And while we're gone, I can ask Mike to find out what's available in town for you to rent?"

Rosemary exhaled in disbelief. "You would do all that?" she asked.

Lee tilted his head. "Of course I would."

"Why?" Rosemary asked suddenly, frowning a little.

Lee was a little taken aback. "Because you're my friend and you need help," he said simply.

Rosemary thought for a minute. "What will people think?" she said quietly.

"Is there something for them to think about?" Lee asked. Rosemary narrowed her eyes slightly and he put his hands up. "No, strike that. I didn't ask that question."

Rosemary simply raised her eyebrow.

Lee nodded, thinking. Then he said, "What would they think if Mike took you and did the same thing?"

"Ah," Rosemary thought for a moment and said, "That I needed help and he was being a friend?"

"Why is it different with... us?" Lee said. He started the question with the intention of bolstering his case, but he'd ended it as a real question. Because it was different, and they both knew it. They'd known it since the first day they'd met, before Jack had died, before there was any future for them. They'd each felt the connection to the other, and hadn't understood where it had come from.

"It's... not," Rosemary said tentatively, not believing it even as she said it. But she needed to believe it. It needed to be true. She sat up straighter and said more firmly, "It's not. I would very much appreciate your help. Thank you."

Lee nodded, feeling like they had just navigated a minefield of some sort. "Okay, then. Mike can cover the office for the next couple of days…"

"Couple of days?" Rosemary asked.

"Well... " Lee said, "I can't see us getting all of that done in one day. Traveling there, moving you out, getting to Mountie Headquarters and pushing through the pension, then traveling back?" He shrugged a little as Rosemary added it all up.

Lee exhaled, understanding. "Rosemary," he said, pointedly using her full name, "You will stay in your flat, and I will get a room in town. Absolutely respectable in every way."

Rosemary looked at him for a moment, and Lee could almost see the wheels of her brain spinning. Finally, she leaned forward, whispering.

"I don't know how to be a widow," she said, her eyes a combination of confusion and sorrow. "I've never worried about how something looked, or whether what I was feeling was appropriate, or if so-and-so was going to think such-and-such…" Rosemary looked down and began twirling the pencil in her fingers. "I don't know if you know this, but I've been quite the free spirit in my life. The theatre practically requires it."

Lee smiled. "That doesn't surprise me."

Leaning forward again, Rosemary said, "I loved Jack. I can't remember when I didn't love him." She took a deep breath. "But the truth is, I've spent much more time without him than I have with him. He was always going somewhere, and I had to be free to go to Chicago or St. Louis, or Boston if I was cast in a play. We got used to being apart."

Listening intently, Lee nodded.

Rosemary looked back down again. "I know he's gone. That he's… dead. He's not just at a new posting, or on another assignment." She looked up, her eyes glistening. "But, I think I'm supposed to stop living, and I don't know if I can do that. When I go out to his grave, that's what I talk to him about." She smiled and raised an eyebrow. "And I haven't been struck by lightning yet. Probably a good sign."

Lee was so surprised, he laughed out loud. They both looked over at Abigail, who was at her kitchen work table. She smiled at them, amused, and closed the curtains.

Rosemary shrugged. "You see? I'm scandalous."

"You're wonderful," Lee said before thinking.

They looked at each other for a moment. Rosemary smiled.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Lee Coulter," she said. "I'll be happy to take you up on all of it."

---

The train pulled into Sudbury, Ontario at ten minutes after noon and pulled out twenty minutes later. Nathan, Elizabeth and Clara didn't get off the train this time, as they slept right through it and had a plan to meet in the dining car for a late lunch.

"That was the best night of sleep I've had in a very long time," Clara sighed, sipping happily on a lemonade. "I don't think I've known how awfully lumpy my mattress was in my flat in Cape Fullerton. So between being exhausted, the soft mattress, and the movement of the train, well…"

Clara looked across at Elizabeth and Nathan, who were grinning at her. "Oh, my goodness," she said, blushing. "I haven't stopped talking since I sat down." She gave them a slight shrug. "How is your mattress?" And then, suddenly realizing she was talking to newlyweds, she blushed a deeper shade of crimson and put her head down into her hands. "I'm so sorry…"

Elizabeth laughed and reached out to take her hand away from her face and hold it on the table.

"We're so glad you're happy with the cabin, Clara. We were very worried about you last night," Elizabeth said.

Clara looked down and shook her head. "I don't want to think about what would have happened if you hadn't come along. I really am smarter than that," she said, looking back up.

"You've been on your own for a long time, haven't you?" Elizabeth asked, her voice soft and kind.

Clara sat up. "I have. My mother died when I was young and now my father is ill…" Raising her chin a little, Clara continued. "But I'm lucky. I'm a good worker and I can make my way anywhere. It will be the same in Hamilton."

Elizabeth still held Clara's hand. "I'd like it very much if you would come and see us in Hamilton."

Clara's face lit up. "Oh, I would love to!" she said quickly, and then realized she was a little too excited. "That would be lovely," she said, forcing herself to be more subdued.

Nathan smiled and raised an eyebrow. "I haven't met any of them yet," he said conspiratorially. "It might be nice to have another new face around."

Clara grinned. "I'd like that," she said. "Once I find my flat and get settled in…"

Elizabeth sipped her tea. "In what part of town is your flat, Clara?"

"East End," she said, buttering one of the rolls that had just been delivered to the table.

"Oh," Elizabeth said before she could stop herself, and then she took a deep breath and looked at Nathan. "Well… that's an… interesting part of Hamilton. I've actually spent quite a bit of time there… volunteering…"

Clara put the roll down. "It's bad, isn't it?" she said, looking at Elizabeth. "I was afraid of that. At the price, it had to be too good to be true." She sighed and picked up the roll again. "I should know when a landlord uses words like quaint and old-world charm, it means I'll be lucky to have a window and a door that locks."

"I'm sure it's not that bad, but Clara, the train is getting in at 2:00 in the morning. You're not traveling by yourself to the East End at that time of night." She looked at Nathan again. "We can't let her do that."

Nathan smiled. "How many rooms did you say your house in Hamilton has?"

Elizabeth looked down, as always embarrassed when talking about the opulence of her life in Hamilton. "Thirty," she said softly.

Clara's eyes went wide. "Thirty bedrooms?" she said, incredulously.

Looking up quickly, Elizabeth said, "Oh, no, thirty rooms. That includes the servants quarters, and kitchen, sitting room, drawing room, dining rooms…" She had a sense she wasn't really making things sound better, so she said, "There are only sixteen actual bedrooms." Then she heard herself and sighed, sitting back. "It's a large house."

Nathan was suppressing a smile. "And how many of those bedrooms are being used right now?"

Elizabeth looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Probably six."

Nathan turned to Clara. "Since we're sneaking in at two in the morning, I'll bet you can sneak in with us. You'd have your choice of ten bedrooms."

Elizabeth laughed and gave him a light fist to the shoulder. Then she looked at Clara. "Nathan's right. You're coming home with us. And then we can get up the next day and go with you to see your flat. How does that sound?"

"I was assuming I would spend the night in the train station and then go find the flat once it was light, but your offer sounds so much better," Clara said with tears forming in her eyes. "But, you don't even know me," she said, "and you're inviting me into your home?" She looked from one to the other. "I'm not usually this helpless, you know? And you're being so kind."

Elizabeth took her hand across the table again. "Clara, I want to tell you a story about when I first arrived in Coal Valley." She looked over at Nathan, who was smiling and leaning back, looking forward to hearing it again.

"I traveled all the way from Hamilton by myself to become a teacher in Coal Valley, and just before I reached the town, my stagecoach was robbed. All my money, anything valuable, all gone. I only had my clothes and my books."

She looked over at Nathan and her eyes went soft. "Nathan rescued me and took me to town, helped me find my bearings, chopped wood for my fire…" After a quick moment between them, Elizabeth looked back at Clara. "And that night, I accidentally burned down the teacherage." She shook her head and laughed softly as Clara gasped. "My very first night in town."

Clara looked over to Nathan for confirmation that this seemingly tall tale was true. He laughed too.

"Completely accurate. She burned it to the ground. And it went up fast."

"What did you do?" Clara asked, looking back at Elizabeth with her eyes wide with wonder.

Elizabeth smiled. "A very kind woman took me into her home, though she barely knew me and I had just burned down a town building that contained everything I owned except for a nightgown and a pair of boots. She drew me a warm bath and talked softly to me, and lent me her clothes until I could get more. She let me stay with her, and I've lived with her ever since, though now I will live with my husband." Elizabeth looked at Nathan again and they both smiled.

"She sounds like a wonderful person," Clara said.

Turning back to Clara, Elizabeth smiled and squeezed her hand. "Her name is Abigail Stanton."

Tears sprang quickly to Clara's eyes. "Peter's mother," she said softly.

"Please let me repay the kindness your mother-in-law showed me?" Elizabeth said. "I was alone in a new place, and afraid, and she cared for me." Elizabeth gazed at her. "Clara, you need to understand about Hope Valley. We're not just a town, we're like a family."

"Abigail is our family. And that makes you our family."

---

CHAPTER 59

Nathan, Elizabeth and Clara watched, a little bleary-eyed, as the train moved past the industrial areas of Hamilton toward the station. Looking at his watch, Nathan could see that it was 1:54 a.m. Right on time.

Clara had at least gotten a few hours of sleep. Although Elizabeth and Nathan had gone to bed at the same time she had, they still hadn't slept. They'd laid down expecting to, but the moon was framed perfectly by the window, and they'd turned the mattresses and piled up pillows so that they could lie in each other's arms in the moonlight. One thing led to another, and before they'd known it, it was time to get up and get dressed.

Their reluctance to let go was due to the fact that both were thinking about the two nights they'd agreed to sleep apart once they reached the Thatcher mansion. Elizabeth's parents knew she was coming, but they didn't know Nathan would be with her, and they certainly didn't know about Clara.

The one member of the Thatcher household who had the most information about their arrival was the butler, Collins. It was hard for Elizabeth to think of him as simply a butler, because he had been with the family for nearly her entire lifetime. When they were children, Elizabeth, Julie, and Viola would manage to rope poor Mr. Collins into all sorts of non-butler activities. Tea parties, dress-ups, and puppet shows should not have been a part of his job description, but he was a very kind and fun-loving gentleman and there was very little he wouldn't do for the three Thatcher girls.

These days, Collins was a middle-aged gentleman who never failed to behave with the utmost dignity, but Elizabeth believed if she asked him to, he would still sit down for a tea party with Miss Elizabeth and her dolls.

She had shared the knowledge of her marriage with Collins and had asked him to keep the information to himself. Miss Viola was courting and should very soon be engaged to her beau, Sir Lionel, but there were still those in society who believed that the second daughter should at least wait for the first to be engaged before she runs off and gets married.

These matters had to be managed with a delicate hand, and were best discussed face-to-face rather than through wires or over unreliable telephone service. Elizabeth could imagine herself getting to the point of saying, "I'm married," and having the line go dead. No thank you, I'll do it in person.

So Elizabeth had sent a wire directly to Collins to be sure to have two rooms made up; her own childhood room for her, and the Red Room in the West Wing for Nathan. Elizabeth had chosen a room for him that was as far as possible from her own, suspecting that it might be difficult if they were too close.

Now that she was a married woman of nearly four long, exquisite days, Elizabeth knew that the distance between the rooms had been a very good idea indeed. As she and Nathan had basked in the moonlight on the train, they'd talked about how they would accomplish the task of breaking the news to Grace and William Thatcher.

The first order of business would be to find out how Elizabeth's mother was feeling. Once that was established, they would ask Collins to let them know when William and Grace were sitting down to tea, and they would simply tell them. But they did want to give her parents the opportunity to know Nathan a little before they sprung the news on them, hence the two nights.

Elizabeth was glad that Viola and Sir Lionel were spending a month at a winter resort in Tremblant and wouldn't be home for another two weeks. Julie was still at school, so the Thatchers were alone in the mansion with only the servants. Elizabeth didn't think it would be too complicated.

When they stepped off the train, a young man met them. "Miss Thatcher, my name is Thomas, and Mr. Collins said I should meet the two of you and bring you round to the great house." The young man, who seemed very young, made a deep bow.

Elizabeth smiled. "I've never seen you before, Thomas, are you a new driver?"

"Yes miss, just December. Came in for the Christmas parties and stayed on," he said crisply. He was beginning to frown just a little, as Clara walked up behind them. "I was told two, miss..."

Nodding, Elizabeth said, "Yes, I know, but we have another friend coming to stay with us. Miss Clara Weller," Elizabeth said, using the name Clara had asked her to use.

Thomas looked back at the car. "I might've brought the Pullman, miss, if I'd known..."

Elizabeth walked past him and said, smiling. "We're all very good friends, Thomas. We won't mind a little close quarters."

There was virtually no traffic at the early hours, and it only took them ten minutes to pull up in front of the Thatcher mansion.

"It looks like a museum," Nathan said, gazing at the six massive white columns at the entrance of the Edwardian mansion.

Clara's eyes were wide as saucers. "This is bigger than the museums I saw in Cape Fullerton..."

"Miss! How good to see you again!" A tall, balding gentleman with a ruff of salt and pepper hair came out of the front door. He was wearing what looked to Nathan like a full tuxedo, complete with white gloves, at three in the morning. He was speaking softly, though the living quarters were far away from the front entrance. He approached them formally and bowed slightly.

"Collins!" Elizabeth said, throwing her arms around him. Smiling, the butler's demeanor changed completely as his arms went around Elizabeth. He pulled away and held her at arm's length.

"Well, there is something decidedly different about you, Miss Elizabeth," he said, not sounding unhappy with what he was seeing. Elizabeth held up her left hand and wiggled it in front of his eyes. She knew she had to take her wedding band off soon, but she was wearing it right up until the last minute.

Collins' eyes went soft. "Ah, yes. Not Miss Elizabeth any longer." He looked at Nathan who was standing a short distance behind them. "Constable Grant, I presume?" Collins said. "An honor to meet you, sir."

Nathan put out his hand. "And you, Mr. Collins. I've heard all about you from Elizabeth."

Collins arched an eyebrow and looked at Elizabeth. "I'll hope she hasn't told you everything," he said.

Nathan sensed a kindred spirit and his crooked smile appeared. "About the tea parties and the puppet shows?" He shook his head solemnly. "Not a word."

Smiling, Collins lifted his chin. "Good to have some secrets." Then he did the same as Thomas had, and looked past them to see Clara, who was still in awe of the columns at the front entrance. Collins looked at Elizabeth and raised his eyebrows.

"This is Miss Clara Weller, a friend of ours. Might there be a bedroom in the East Wing close to mine?"

Without missing a beat, Collins nodded. "Absolutely, miss." He turned to the valets behind him. "Please take Miss Weller's things up to the Coral Room, Miss Elizabeth's to her bedroom, and Constable Grant's to the Red Room." He arched an eyebrow at the two valets as they picked up the bags. "Silently, please."

He turned back to the party of travelers. "Are you hungry?" Collins asked.

"No, thank you, but we will be when we wake. Please tell Mother and Father that we'll sleep in and probably will come down mid-morning."

"Yes, miss," Collins said, and then he leaned in and smiled conspiratorially, "Ma'am."

"Not for another two days, Collins. For now, I am still Miss Elizabeth."

She kissed him lightly on the cheek and Nathan and Clara watched as his face took on a pink glow. He looked at all three as they began to climb the stairs. "Pull the bell if you need anything at all."

"Thank you, Collins," Elizabeth said, putting her arm through Nathan's.

Collins took a deep breath and allowed himself a small sigh. All grown up and married. Miss Elizabeth. He shook his head as he watched them turn the corner at the top of the grand staircase.

Oh. He'd forgotten to tell Miss Elizabeth that Miss Julie had come home last night. For a moment he considered climbing the stairs to tell her, but then a yawn overtook him and he smiled. Miss Julie likes nothing better than surprising people. And what a surprise it will be when the two girls are together again.

---

After getting Clara settled, Elizabeth walked Nathan around the upstairs balcony on the way to his room, pointing out books on the shelves and rooms down below beyond the railing. They stood and whispered at the large windows that overlooked the back gardens, and even with only the moonlight illuminating them, Nathan could see how they stretched out into the distance.

"Those are the stables," Elizabeth said softly, pointing at a large dark building.

Nathan shook his head, peering into the darkness. "It looks like half the town of Hope Valley could fit in there," he said. "How many horses?"

"Twelve, last time I was here," she said.

"Can't believe I never asked you this, but what's your horse's name?" Nathan said softly, pressing his face up against the cool window.

"I don't have a horse, Nathan. No one rides our horses. They pull wagons and carts and carriages."

Nathan looked over at her, wondering how a young girl could resist a dozen horses right behind the house. Colleen never could, and Allie was shaping up to be the same. But Elizabeth had been inside, having tea parties with her sisters and Collins. Nathan smiled.

"We're going to choose you a horse while you're here. And we're going riding, if it's alright with your parents?"

Elizabeth laughed. "I'm not sure they even know how many horses we have. We have a stablemaster who cares for them." She lifted her chin and smiled. "I like that idea. Of choosing a horse." Elizabeth leaned up and kissed him. "Tomorrow. We'll do it tomorrow."

They finished their walk to the West Wing and Elizabeth stopped outside highly-polished mahogany double-doors that were nearly twice Elizabeth's height. She opened the doors and Nathan looked in, squinting in wonder. The room was about the size of Abigail's Café, and Nathan didn't need to ask why it was called the Red Room. Ornate rugs, luxurious satin quilts and pillows, the upholstery on the chairs and sofa arranged around the large marble fireplace – practically everything was some shade of red. Most of it was deep burgundy, but there were spots of brighter color.

Nathan laughed. "If I had my uniform on, I might disappear in here."

Elizabeth laughed softly too. "I thought you would like the color."

Nathan turned to her. "That's an awfully big bed to sleep in all alone..." He leaned down and kissed her and Elizabeth went weak in his arms. There was nothing she wanted more than to simply crawl into the huge four-poster bed with him and make love - here in this room that she'd played in as a child, that held such good memories for her. She knew how warm Nathan would be, how it would feel to sink into the quilts with her hands running over the smooth skin of his back...

Elizabeth moved her lips from his and said, "Oh, this is dangerous..." They were both breathing quickly, and Nathan leaned his chin on the top of her head, trying to recover his senses.

He laughed softly. "Well, this is familiar..." he said. Then he looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. "I didn't dream the last three days, did I?"

Her eyes soft in the lamplight, Elizabeth reached up and drew his head down to hers until their lips were touching again. "No, you didn't dream it." She kissed him in a way that she knew would remind him of their quiet hours in the train cabin, listening to the singing of the rails beneath them, and feeling the steady movement along the tracks. Their hands began to roam, and both knew that it was a very short step to closing the door and simply falling into the bed.

Nathan had a fleeting image of being caught here together, and it gave him the strength to pull away. Two nights, he thought. I'm a Mountie. I've endured two days and two nights in the wilderness with no water. I can last two nights without Elizabeth's body next to me.

He quickly put his arm through Elizabeth's and led her out of the door. "Where is your room?" he said, his voice deep and urgent. "I need to take you there, now."

Elizabeth sighed and made a face at him. "Fine. Back the way we came, but I can get there by myself, you know." She smiled, realizing the ridiculousness of this situation. Three in the morning and she was pouting because she couldn't sleep with her husband. The man she'd made love with more times than she could count in the last three days, and she was acting like a spoiled child.

She turned to him and smiled. "I'll be good," she said, making him laugh softly. To prove it, Elizabeth straightened up and walked like a lady with her hand on his arm, formally. They walked in silence until they came to a set of double doors much like the ones they'd just left, except that they were ivory with gold trim.

Elizabeth pushed open the doors and Nathan almost had to put his hand over his mouth to stifle a gasp. He had never seen so much lace in his life, bordering the pink satin canopy over the bed. The massive four-poster was awash in stuffed bears and dolls and pink satin pillows trimmed with even more lace. All of the furniture was the same ivory color as the door, and with the same gold trim. It was such a contrast to the masculinity of the Red Room that he was rendered speechless.

Nathan began to walk around, touching the leather binding of a book, a wooden cat with articulated limbs sitting on a shelf, a small pink frame with a picture of a little girl in curls. Elizabeth followed him silently, and she couldn't help but remember the thousands of hours she'd spent in this room dreaming of the man she would marry.

She looked at Nathan, and none of her dreams could hold a candle to the man standing before her. His blue eyes dancing, gazing around the room she'd grown up in, with his crooked smile and the full lips that she now wanted to kiss so badly that she thought it was beyond her willpower to prevent it. It was as if she wished to prove to the girl who grew up here that dreams really do come true, that life can be perfect, and that love can be complete and everlasting, just as she'd always imagined it.

Mindfully, deliberately, Elizabeth turned off the lights. Nathan looked at her with narrowed eyes as the moonlight drew long white rectangles on the flowered rug. "Elizabeth..." he said softly. "I should go."

"No," she said, her voice firm and low, "You're my husband. I want you to stay." And then she put her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, letting him know just how committed she was to the idea. She backed him down to the soft bed and together they scattered stuffed animals, dolls and frilled pillows to the floor, scrambled to remove their own and each other's clothing, and finally free, they pulled the soft quilts over themselves and Nathan forgot completely that the room was pink, and Elizabeth forgot completely why she'd thought he should spend the night in the Red Room.

And then, predictably spent, exhausted, and fervently in love, they fell asleep in each other's arms.

---

Julie Thatcher loved surprises. And because she did, she assumed that everyone else did as well. From the time they were little girls, she and Elizabeth had delighted in running into each other's rooms in the morning, taking a leap and yelling "Geronimo!" at the top of their lungs as they jumped on the bed of the last one awake.

Yes, we're all grown up, Julie thought. Yes, I should have moved past this. But will I do it anyway? Yes!

Pushing the door open silently, Julie peered in. She frowned slightly, seeing the piles of dolls, bears, pillows and clothes on the floor. Perhaps Mother was right, Julie thought. Perhaps the Wild West has taken all the civility out of Elizabeth. This certainly didn't look like the way her sister usually went to sleep, with everything hung up neatly, and rows of tidy animals and dolls on the window seat.

No, everything had been thrown, willy-nilly, onto the floor. Julie grinned. Just more to tease her about, she thought.

Julie took a step backwards to get the maximum distance before her leap.

"Geronimo!"

---

Nathan felt the wind being knocked out of him by a heavy object from above, and in the delirium of too-little sleep, he thought he was being attacked. Throwing his arms out, he managed to immobilize the intruder, who was currently screaming bloody murder in, of all things, a high voice belonging to a woman.

He squinted in the morning sunlight and was smothered in a mass of red curly hair and its owner, still screaming, was flailing about in such a fashion that there were going to be injuries if he didn't calm her down. "Stop fighting me!" Nathan said loudly, hoping to be heard. At the same time, Elizabeth sat up with her hands over her ears.

"Julie!" Elizabeth said, and finally the room quieted.

"Sister?" Julie said, looking at Elizabeth, confused. Then she looked down and saw the arms that were locked around her middle. Bare arms, lovely male arms, with a forest of fine dark hair and muscles that were straining to hold her still. In wonder, Julie reached down and touched the warm skin and then looked back at Elizabeth.

"Sister!" she said in shock, turning around to see Nathan, a curl of his hair falling down into his eyes, still squinting in the light and trying to calm his racing heart.

Nathan and Elizabeth didn't think this scenario could get any worse, but they were wrong.

A voice from the doorway boomed into the room.

"Elizabeth Marie Thatcher!" Her father's face was redder than she had ever seen it, and her mother's eyes looked ready to leave her head.

Elizabeth sat with the satin quilt pulled up to her bare shoulders, and Nathan slowly released his hold on Julie and did the same with the quilt on his side.

Elizabeth sighed. This hadn't gone at all to plan. She reached over to Nathan's hand and picked it up. She held it next to her own with the matching wedding bands alongside each other.

"Mother? Father? Julie?" Elizabeth said, looking from one to the other. "I'd like to introduce you to my husband. Constable Nathan Grant of the North West Mounted Police."

Nathan was at a loss. All he could think to do was to give them a weak salute. And then he simply leaned back and pulled the covers over his head.

---

CHAPTER 60

"I heard screaming, is everyone okay?"

As if there weren't enough people suddenly in Elizabeth's bedroom, Clara came around the corner and stood blinking in the doorway with her hair in a shambles and wearing only her nightdress.

It took quite a lot to stun the Thatcher family into silence, but it seemed that this new addition had finally done it. Julie was still on the bed, though she'd managed to move from her perch on Nathan's stomach to the small space between her sister and her new husband.

Grace and William Thatcher were standing just inside the room, trying to decide if a marriage was good news or bad news - when this stranger in a nightdress suddenly appeared.

Grace looked at Clara and took a deep breath that sounded more like a wheeze. In her astonishment, her manners had entirely left her. "Who are you?" she said indelicately.

Clara smiled, wanting to make a good impression, although she feared she may have walked into something rather complicated. But Nathan was still under the covers, so it looked to her as if the two sisters were simply having a sweet reunion on the bed.

She put her hand out firmly and said, "Clara Weller. And you're Mrs. Thatcher? I want to thank you for your hospitality. I'll be off to my own flat today, but it was so kind of you..." Grace was looking at her blankly, and Clara frowned, not feeling as if she was getting the reception she'd hoped for, so her voice trailed off and she put her hand down. She looked over at Elizabeth and raised her eyebrows in a question.

Elizabeth sighed deeply and managed a small smile to Clara. "Mother, Father, this is a friend we met on the train."

"On the..." William Thatcher managed finally to say. A man in my daughter's bed and a waif picked up on a train. He narrowed his eyes at his daughter. "Any more surprises, Elizabeth?"

Feeling like the small child she had been in this four-poster bed for so many years, Elizabeth looked down and said softly, "No, Father, I think that's about it."

That did it. Hearing Elizabeth facing this music alone convinced Nathan that he couldn't stay under the covers any longer. Not only did he need to help his wife through this, but the heavy quilts were actually making it difficult to breathe. With a firm resolve, Nathan summoned his courage and made the decisive move to sit up with as much dignity as he possibly could.

"Oh!" Clara said, seeing Nathan pop up from under the covers. Though they had the sheets pulled up as far as possible, he and Elizabeth were both in a very obvious state of undress, and Clara was beginning to understand what all the screaming might have been about.

"Ooh," she said softly again, realization dawning. Clara thought she might not be helping the situation, so she backed slowly out of the doorway. She looked at Elizabeth, grimacing. "I'll just go... get dressed... um..."

Elizabeth gave her a weak smile. "We'll come get you for breakfast, Clara, and we'll have proper introductions..."

"Proper!" Grace managed to spit out, as if the word had been spoken in an alien tongue. "Proper..." she said again, slightly dazed.

Elizabeth looked at her mother and realized that the first order of business in their plan had been to ask about Grace's health.

"How are you feeling, Mother?" Elizabeth said, trying for cheerfulness.

Perhaps it wasn't the right time for Elizabeth to show her concern, but in the back of her mind she was thinking that if Grace had survived the last few minutes, her heart must be quite healthy.

Nathan peered at Grace and thought she was looking more and more like a recently landed trout, with her mouth opening and closing the way it was. This needs to be over, he thought. And although he was sitting with a pink satin bedspread pulled up to his bare shoulders in front of his new in-laws, Nathan imagined that he was instead wearing the red serge, and modulated his voice accordingly.

"Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher, I think you'll agree that we will all be able to process this much better downstairs and... clothed." Nathan lifted his chin slightly and placed himself firmly in the position of the person in charge of this debacle, as he had so many times as Constable Nathan Grant.

"So, Elizabeth and I will dress and meet you for breakfast, and we will discuss our happy news. Is that agreeable?" He sat up as straight as was possible and set his mouth firmly.

William Thatcher narrowed his eyes ominously, but in truth, he was finding it remarkable that this young man managed to sound authoritative considering the position he was in. Before he could prevent it, a corner of his mouth turned up, and his youngest daughter saw it.

Julie had never been known for her control, and suddenly the entire situation tickled her beyond restraint and she started giggling. She turned to Nathan and put out her hand. "Very nice to meet you, brother-in-law," she said, raising an eyebrow and trying not to look at his bare shoulders and the very attractive masculine chest he was unable to cover completely with the bedspread.

Nathan immediately liked his new sister-in-law. She had the same twinkle in her eye as Elizabeth, and her smile was genuine and welcoming. He smiled back and shook her hand a little awkwardly as he tried to keep himself covered.

Julie turned to Elizabeth and made a face, whispering, "A Mountie? And so handsome..." She wiggled her eyebrows as Elizabeth tilted her head in warning. Then Julie wrinkled her nose adorably and said to the entire group, "Well, this was fun! That was the best Geronimo ever!"

And with that, she crawled over Nathan, none too gracefully, and jumped off the bed.

"Morning, Mother," Julie said, kissing her mother on the cheek as she walked past her. "Father," she said in a deep voice, looking stern.

"See you all at breakfast!"

---

Collins was waiting at the bottom of the stairs as Nathan and Elizabeth walked down with Clara. He was such a professional that no one would know what his thoughts were, but Elizabeth could see the slightly raised eyebrow.

"Constable and Mrs. Grant," he said formally, with a slight smile to Elizabeth. Then he turned to Clara. "Miss Weller, I trust you slept well?"

Clara nodded and gave him a huge smile. "That was the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in, Mr. Collins," she said.

"Very glad to hear it, Miss."

Elizabeth laughed softly, moving closer. "I take it you heard?" she said quietly.

"Miss Julie filled me in on the finer points of this morning's excitement, yes," he said, trying to suppress a smile.

Nathan sighed and smiled himself. "I'd be interested to hear her description..."

"Quite entertaining, sir," Collins said, nodding.

Nathan exhaled, "Oh, I'm sure it was."

"Breakfast is being served in the dining room," Collins said to all of them. Then he looked at Elizabeth. "Miss Julie ate early as she had an unexpected engagement. Your parents are waiting."

Elizabeth made a face. "Are they angry?" she asked softly.

Collins raised his chin. "Surprisingly placid... ma'am," he said, putting emphasis on the final word.

Elizabeth reached out and gave him a hug. "I'm so glad to see you," she said. Then she squared her shoulders and whispered, "I'll ring the bell if I need a distraction."

Collins smiled. "I'll have the cutlery box ready to drop on the tile floor in the butler's pantry," he said. "Accidentally, of course."

She smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Collins."

Nathan had opted for his white shirt, brown vest and brown wool jacket. They had actually discussed the possibility of him wearing the red serge, but had decided it felt a bit too heavy-handed. Plus Elizabeth knew her parents thought of the Mounted Police as just another class of civil servant; they didn't feel the same sense of patriotism that Elizabeth had always felt as a regiment rode by.

In their happiness, Nathan and Elizabeth had decided to look at the disastrous first-meeting philosophically – there was really nowhere to go but up.

Elizabeth always wondered how her parents could hear each other at opposite ends of the long dining room table. She had actually seen them speak through the servants in the large room: "Maisie, could you please ask Mr. Thatcher if he'd like more chicken?" "Alfred, see if Mrs. Thatcher has finished with the Times, will you?" And of course, they'd used the girls for the same purpose.

As Nathan, Elizabeth and Clara entered the dining room, Grace and William Thatcher didn't rise to greet them. Grace had a small amount of fruit on the plate in front of her, and she looked up without speaking from sipping her tea out of a fine china blue cup. Nathan began to understand Elizabeth's reluctance to rush the trip to Hamilton. To him, Grace looked to be the picture of health, and she was definitely dressed for a garden party.

William had just placed a sizable forkful of eggs into his mouth, and he brought his napkin up to his lips as they walked in. Nathan took the spot next to William to buffer Elizabeth. Clara sat next to her on the other side, by Grace.

William finished his bite and sat back. Nathan felt he was being looked at the way Mr. Thatcher might eye a particularly suspect slab of fish, or perhaps a piece of machinery he was hoping to purchase for his shipping business.

"Constable Grant," he finally said. "So. Are you the Mountie posted to Coal Valley?"

Nathan smiled kindly at his new father-in-law. "I assumed you already knew that, sir, since you were the one who requested my posting."

William Thatcher's eyebrow shot up. Nathan knew he was taking a chance, but he assumed that no matter how formidable he was, Elizabeth's father would not request that his daughter's husband now be re-posted somewhere else. In any case, Nathan wouldn't go. His life was with Elizabeth and Allie and the people of Hope Valley.

And Nathan was not going to sit here and beg Mr. Thatcher for his respect. He knew that he would have to earn it, and that would take time. The best he could do was to be himself. He didn't know how to be anyone else.

Nathan filled the silence left by William's mild shock. "And I'd like to thank you for that posting, sir. There is truly no place I'd rather be." He looked at Elizabeth and smiled softly at her.

Grace finally found her tongue. "How were you married?" she asked suddenly, and everyone turned to look at her.

Nathan looked at Elizabeth as if to say, this one is yours. She smiled at him and turned back to her mother. "In a small ceremony in a town called Benson Hills, Mother. It was lovely."

Grace raised her chin just a little too high and asked the last question anyone expected during this first awkward discussion. "And what did you wear?"

Nathan had to look down at the plate that had just appeared before him to keep his feelings hidden. He actually felt he might laugh if he looked at Mrs. Thatcher at this point. Her middle daughter had been spirited away by a rogue Mountie she had never met, and her greatest concern was the bride's couture.

Elizabeth bit her lip, on exactly the same page with Nathan. "It was borrowed, Mother. From a very dear friend." Then Elizabeth looked at Clara next to her and put her hand over hers, speaking softly. "It was Abigail's, Clara. She wore it when she married Noah. Before Peter was born."

Clara let out a little gasp, and held Elizabeth's hand. "Oh, and it was so beautiful. I sew my own clothes, and I notice things like that. The lace, and all those buttons..."

Nathan choked on his coffee suddenly and everyone turned to him. Elizabeth patted him firmly on the back and turned her head to keep from laughing herself.

William Thatcher was seeing everything. He had to see everything in his business, and he had always brought that ability home with him. What he saw before him in the faces of his daughter and her new husband was a decided lack of concern about his approval. Rather than upsetting him, it gave him confidence in this relationship. They didn't need his blessing. They had already given it to themselves.

But he still had questions.

"Why, Elizabeth, in all the letters we've received from you, have you never mentioned this young man?" William asked, gazing at his daughter.

Elizabeth tilted her head and smiled at him. "Because, Father, we were afraid that you would have him re-posted elsewhere." Then she narrowed her eyes slightly at him. "And why, Father, did you give me such lovely speeches about independence and your admiration of my courage, when you were simultaneously having a babysitter from the North West Mounted Police assigned to my protection?"

William found that the smile was threatening the corner of his mouth again. Sweet little Elizabeth, the peacemaker, the dutiful middle daughter, has a bit of the spitfire in her. And William liked it.

"Touché, Elizabeth," he said, spearing another bite of eggs with his fork. He looked up and into his daughter's eyes. And now he finally smiled.

Looking back and forth between Nathan, Elizabeth and Clara, William Thatcher signaled to everyone that the discussion was over. "So, what are your plans for the day?"

Collins had watched the entire exchange from the butler's pantry. He did indeed have the box of cutlery at the ready, prepared to rescue Miss Elizabeth. Now with a smile, he put it away, knowing it wouldn't be needed.

---

Just after noon, they went to find Clara's new flat.

After a surprised look from Thomas at the address, he drove Clara, Nathan and Elizabeth out to the East End of Hamilton. They watched Clara's face grow ever more forlorn, as she realized that she could never walk alone in this neighborhood after nightfall, and probably shouldn't in full daylight.

The flat was dreadful, smelling of mildew, with a broken window and an actual hole in the floor going through to the foundation below. The landlord was a horrible man who kept repeating that Clara had signed a contract and was bound to take the apartment. When Nathan challenged him about getting her out of the lease, the man said he would have to charge her the full six months whether she stayed or not. And no, she wasn't getting a penny back of her first month's rent and deposit.

They left with Clara in tears.

"The deposit and rent and the train trip has taken practically everything I have," she said, sitting in the back seat with Nathan on one side and Elizabeth on the other. "I'm supposed to start my new job on Monday and now I have nowhere to live."

Elizabeth pulled her closer. "Of course that's not true, Clara. You'll stay with us as long as you need to." Elizabeth looked up at Nathan and raised her eyebrows in a question.

Nathan nodded and said, "And I'll go to the Mountie office here and see if I can get information on the landlord. I'm sure you're not the first one he's misrepresented that flat to..."

Clara looked up at both of them, her eyes filled with tears. "You're like angels, both of you. Guardian angels, like Peter sent you ..." she said softly as a large tear rolled down her cheek. "How can I ever thank you?"

Elizabeth wiped the tear away and smiled. "Make us a promise that you'll come visit us in Hope Valley sometime. That you'll come and meet Abigail."

Clara smiled a little at Elizabeth. "I promise." She turned to Nathan. "I'd like that."

---

The day had been busy and exhausting, but Nathan's one wish was to take a walk at sunset out to the stables. Clara was back in the Coral Room, ensconced in peach-colored quilts and reading, feeling for all the world like a princess.

Collins had stopped them before they'd walked out the back door. He directed his question to Nathan.

"May I assume, sir, that you will be wishing to sleep in a... different room tonight?"

Nathan laughed and nodded. "You assume correctly, Mr. Collins. I have a feeling another night in pink satin sheets might bring on nightmares."

"Hey!" Elizabeth said, laughing. "I love my sheets..." She hugged Nathan's arm tightly.

"In fact," Nathan said to Collins. "I believe Mrs. Grant and I will sleep in the Red Room tonight." He turned to Elizabeth who gazed at him with soft eyes and nodded.

Collins smiled, his heart full of happiness for Elizabeth. "I'll have it refreshed while you're on your walk." He tilted his head slightly at Nathan. "And do keep in mind, you have fourteen guest bedrooms from which to choose." He raised an eyebrow. "I suppose you could retire to a different room every night for your stay here."

Nathan and Elizabeth looked at each other with grins starting. Elizabeth reached out and gave Collins a hug. "We might just take you up on that," she said.

Collins smiled as he turned to walk down the hall.

"As you wish. Madam."

---

They hadn't had a moment to themselves all day. Before they even reached the gardens, Nathan pulled Elizabeth close to him. He grazed his lips across her cheek and murmured into her hair, "Do you know how long it's been since I've kissed you?"

Closing her eyes, Elizabeth sighed. "Too long..." Before she could say anything else, she felt the warmth of his lips on hers and she put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. She knew exactly how long it had been since they had finally whispered goodnight the night before, still lost in their shared warmth under the satin sheets, their need for each other fulfilled and sleep beginning to take them.

And now she wanted him again.

Would this ever stop? This feeling of wanting all of him, remembering how it felt to have her fingers trailing across the rise of a muscle in his arm, or feeling the soft stubble of his chin moving along her shoulder, or her lips searching the place below his jaw where she could feel his pulse racing. Racing because he wanted her, too.

Nathan pulled away, catching his breath. He looked into her eyes in the fading light and what he saw there made up his mind.

"I can see the stables tomorrow," he said, his voice low and rough. He pressed his lips to hers again and said against them, "You think the Red Room is refreshed by now?"

Elizabeth laughed softly, breathlessly. "Collins is very fast..." she said, taking his hand and leading him back through the door.

"Collins is a good man," Nathan said, laughing softly and reaching around to close the garden door behind him.

---

CHAPTER 61

Nathan watched wordlessly as Grace spread a toast point with the thinnest layer of butter imaginable and proceeded to do the same with the marmalade. And then she set it down and never picked it up again.

If she had picked it up, it never would have arrived at her mouth, considering she had spent the last twenty minutes talking about the Hamilton social scene in such glowing and exceptionally detailed terms that chewing would have been an impossibility.

Grace was talking primarily to her daughters and to Clara, though she was kind enough to include Nathan with a glance now and then. William was in his usual spot at the end of the table, reading the London Times. Nathan was beginning to understand why the table was so long.

"The Westons, of course, gave the most prestigious holiday ball last season, but they always do. It's no accident that we have our little affair the night before theirs, otherwise our entire guest list would be much too exhausted to attend! This year the last of the Westons' guests wandered out to their carriages at nearly five in the morning! Can you imagine?"

Clara was so rapt that it was clear that she couldn't imagine any of it, and Nathan had to smile at her youthful enjoyment of every word Mrs. Thatcher uttered. Julie was simply nodding in agreement, and Elizabeth was clutching Nathan's leg under the table so tightly that he was beginning to lose feeling in it. That, and the way his wife was raising her eyebrows at him, made him want to burst out laughing.

"Mother?" Elizabeth said finally, having waited quite a while for Grace to take a breath. "What did the doctor say? You seem to be in good spirits?"

Grace suddenly remembered the purpose for her middle daughter's emergency visit and frowned, sighing. "Well, darling, I have good days and bad days..."

Elizabeth smiled sweetly at her mother. "This seems to be a good one, so I hope you won't mind if we all go for a picnic today? Julie and I wanted to show Nathan and Clara the old carriage house."

Grace grimaced. "Oh, Elizabeth, that terrible ancient building? Why not something lovelier, like the greenhouse. The winter jasmine is in bloom..."

"No, Mother. We want to show them where we used to play. Julie and I loved that old cottage," Elizabeth said.

Grace sighed. "Well, if you must. Have James bring out the barouche and plenty of blankets. It should seat the four of you very comfortably..."

Elizabeth smiled at her mother. "Nathan and I will ride," she said, gazing at her husband.

Nodding, Grace said, "Yes, of course, in the carriage..."

"No, Mother. In saddles. On horseback."

For a moment Grace looked as if she was mentally translating what her daughter was saying to her. Her eyes were narrowing just a little. "On horseback." She took a deep breath and looked down the table at William, who had suddenly raised the paper to such a height that he was entirely invisible. Looking back at Elizabeth, Grace said, "Darling, your side saddle hasn't been used in years. James will need to clean it..."

Nathan thought Elizabeth was enjoying this entirely too much. He watched as she raised her chin and said firmly, "That won't be necessary. I'll ride on one of the stable hands' Western saddles."

"Elizabeth!" Grace said, finally at her limit. "You cannot. Your dress..."

"I have culottes. Riding pants," Elizabeth said with more than a touch of pride in her voice.

"Pants?" Grace said, horrified. "Trousers?" She looked down at the end of the table again and this time she wasn't letting her husband off the hook. "William!" she called out.

Dropping the paper, William said, "Yes, dear?" He raised his eyebrows as if he hadn't heard a word of the conversation.

"Elizabeth is going to ride a horse," Grace said.

William nodded. "Very well." He turned to Nathan, who could see the twinkle in his eye. "I assume you've taught your wife to ride?"

Nathan grinned. "Yes, sir." He looked at Elizabeth and then back at William. "She's very good. A natural."

Now pride joined the twinkle in William's eye. "Talk to James out at the stables. He'll bring round a couple of good horses." Then he turned to Julie and Clara. "And he'll drive you out to the carriage house and then come pick you up again whenever you say." He turned to Elizabeth. "I assume you've talked with Collins about a picnic lunch?"

Elizabeth smiled broadly. "Yes, Father."

William looked at Grace and raised his eyebrows. "Good. All settled." And then he raised the paper up and continued to read.

Grace exhaled and simply said, "Well."

Elizabeth started to push back from the table. "So, we'll see you at supper, then?"

Grace found her voice. "You'll be back before supper because we're having the Kensingtons, and you'll need to freshen up from your... horse ride. We're dressing for dinner. Promptly at six, please."

Elizabeth kissed her mother on the cheek. "We'll be right on time, Mother," she said cheerily. The four of them stood and made their way to the staircase.

"Dress for dinner?" Nathan whispered, taking Elizabeth's arm. "Does that mean there are times when you come to dinner... undressed?"

Elizabeth laughed. "No, it means formal wear. Black tie."

Clara spun around. "Oh, I couldn't possibly. This is the best dress I have," she said, her eyes pleading.

Julie laughed and took her arm. "Oh, goodie, you and I are going right now to my closet. I have dozens of dresses that will fit you perfectly."

They ran up the stairs, leaving Elizabeth and Nathan on the landing. Nathan turned and raised an eyebrow. "Don't suppose Julie has anything in her closet for me?"

Elizabeth laughed softly and led him around toward the kitchen. "No, but Collins does. He has an entire room full of formal wear that he keeps for the times we have to bring in extra help for parties. Mother insists on having the servants only in the best and latest styles. Collins will help you find exactly what you need."

Nathan stopped her in the hallway and looked both directions before leaning down to kiss her. Against her lips he said, teasing her, "Kensington... now where have I heard that name before...?"

Elizabeth laughed and ran her lips across his cheek. "Charles and his parents... yes," she said softly.

Pulling away, Nathan looked at her, delighted. "Ah, Clyde! I finally get to meet him?"

Laughing again, Elizabeth said, "Careful, or you'll actually call him that by accident."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "In other news, I think your father is beginning to like me," Nathan whispered.

"I knew he would," Elizabeth said, holding the lapels of Nathan's jacket. "Sooner or later..." she added, smiling.

"Yes," Nathan said, "But somehow I was thinking it was going to be later. I'm not really the perfect suitor in his eyes, am I?"

Smiling, Elizabeth put her hand on his cheek. "It doesn't matter. He's not the one married to you. I am." She leaned up and kissed him quickly. Then she laughed softly. "And we've only been here a few days. I'm still betting he offers you a job in one of his companies and tries to convince you to climb the corporate ladder. It's really the only thing he knows."

Nathan frowned slightly. "So if he doesn't offer me a job, should I be offended?"

Laughing again, Elizabeth took Nathan's hand and brought it to her lips. "Nathan. He does like you. I can see it. But more important is the fact that I can see he also respects you. My father likes straight-talkers." She touched her lips to his hand and spoke against the warm skin there. "And they don't come any straighter than you..."

Nathan bent and kissed her again, this time more slowly. He moved her gently against the deep mahogany wood of the hallway, and Elizabeth thought she might actually be forgetting Charles' name herself. Sighing, she put her arms around Nathan's neck, tasting the richness of coffee on his lips and feeling the strength of his body as he pressed against her.

Wanting him. Always wanting him. She pulled away, exhaling. "It's ten o'clock in the morning and all I want is to go back to bed with you. I had no idea…" Nathan didn't allow her to finish her sentence as he moved even closer to her against the wall. And Elizabeth knew that one of the joys of this love was that he wanted her too. Just as much.

But they were still in the servants' access hallway and Elizabeth was certain that at any moment they would be found. She reluctantly pulled away.

Nathan's voice was low in her ear as he caught his breath. "What color is our room tonight?" he whispered.

"Blue..." Elizabeth said, moving her lips down his jaw and onto his neck. "The color of your eyes right now..."

Nathan laughed. "You can't see my eyes right now," he said.

Elizabeth moved his collar slightly and kissed his chest where the soft dark hairs began. "Trust me," she said, breathlessly. "They're very blue."

---

Elizabeth walked down the line of horses in their stalls. James had pointed out the dray horses that wouldn't take well to having a saddle and rider on their backs, and the choice was down to seven. In the end, she chose a sweet brown mare named Whiskey who reminded her a lot of Sarah.

James had been the Thatcher's stablemaster for just about a year, and though he was young, around Nathan's age, he knew everything there was to know about horses. Like Nathan, he had grown up in a small town on a ranch, and the two of them found they spoke the same language immediately. While James fit Elizabeth for his own saddle, he and Nathan talked amiably about ranch life.

"So the Mounties must have assigned you a horse? Do you get any say in that at all?" James asked, moving Elizabeth's boot back down into the stirrup to check the length. Seeing it was still too long, he said, "Sorry, Ma'am, one more time," asking her to put her leg up on the saddle.

"James," she said, leaning down. "Please call me Elizabeth. No formality necessary with us."

James nodded and bent his head to his task with the stirrup to cover a slight reddening of his cheeks. "So...Nathan?" he said, looking up to be sure the lack of formality extended to Constable Grant. "Were you allowed to choose a horse?"

Nathan nodded. "I got lucky. Newton was the horse given to me when that part of the training started, and we just took to each other. He's been with me ever since."

"But you have horses on your ranch in Airdrie too?" James moved around Whiskey and Elizabeth moved her leg up so he could adjust the stirrup on that side.

"Yes, six of them," Nathan said, running his hand down Whiskey's long nose.

James raised an eyebrow and smiled. "But you've got a special one," he said, making a statement rather than asking a question.

"Yes," Nathan said, smiling back. "Sunset. She's a beauty. I delivered her when I was nineteen."

James turned and smiled, nodding. "Yeah, you never forget the first one, do you?" He looked up at Elizabeth and moved her boot down into the stirrup. "That should do it, Ma'am... Elizabeth," James said, stepping away.

"You didn't need to give me your very own saddle, James," Elizabeth said, settling herself comfortably.

"Whiskey's one of my favorites, and he likes this saddle. I'm so glad to see you're riding. I wasn't aware that you or your sisters were accustomed to riding this way," he said, pulling the reins over Whiskey's head and handing them to Elizabeth.

Laughing, Elizabeth said, "The Wild West, James. It's taught me many things I never learned here."

Nathan pulled himself easily up onto Tango, a spirited black stallion that had been recently acquired by the Thatchers. James was in the process of breaking him in for the carriages, and Nathan had offered to take him out and give him a taste of a new rider.

"He'll try to take the reins from you. Just hold fast," James said. Then he looked up at Nathan and smiled. "You know what to do," he said, seeing how easy Nathan was in the saddle.

James started around the corner where Clara and Julie were waiting in the carriage. "See you out there!" he called out. And then he was gone.

"Ready?" Nathan said to Elizabeth.

"I can't wait," Elizabeth said, grinning. "I need to feel the wind in my hair."

As they walked the horses out of the darkness of the stables and into a beautifully sunny winter's day, Nathan looked over at his wife.

"You're always beautiful, Elizabeth. But on a horse, you nearly take my breath away," he said, reaching out for her hand.

Elizabeth touched his fingers with hers and said softly. "The very first moment I saw you, you were riding up on Newton. I think I fell in love with you right then."

Nathan raised an eyebrow and laughed. "I seem to recall you thought I was rude and arrogant," he said.

Tilting her head, Elizabeth said, "Doesn't mean I wasn't falling in love with you..." She gave him a challenging look. "So, Mountie. You think you can keep up?" She pressed her heels gently into Whiskey's flanks and the mare took off.

Nathan watched as her curls caught the wind and Whiskey threw what little snow there was on the ground up behind his hooves.

He shook his head, smiling, with his heart so full of loving her he had to close his eyes for a moment.

Then, before pulling Tango into a run, he said softly to himself, "Oh, if Clyde could only see you now..."

---

CHAPTER 62

The Blue Room was not only exactly the color of Nathan's eyes - it was also where the girls had played as children, and somehow a number of their toys and dolls had found a permanent home there.

When Elizabeth emerged from her bath, she found Nathan sitting in his dress pants and braces, his black patent leather shoes, and his white tuxedo shirt. He had his head practically buried in an enormous light blue dollhouse.

For a moment, Elizabeth thought he might be inspecting the workmanship. But when she got closer and he looked up, she saw his eyes and she bent down and put her arms around him.

"I miss her too, Nathan."

Sighing, he said, "I didn't know I would miss her this much. It's funny, I actually thought that it would be a relief to not have to worry about her for a little while, but now I just worry about her from a distance..." He gave Elizabeth a wistful smile and she leaned in to kiss him.

"Sweet Nathan," she said softly. "What a gift you and Allie are to each other. And I'm sure she's doing just fine with Rebecca. She's probably gotten our first letter by now, don't you think? And maybe written back?" Elizabeth stood to get dressed and Nathan stood with her.

"So..." Nathan started, and the tone in his voice caused Elizabeth to turn and raise her eyebrows. She walked back toward him and put her hands on his chest.

"What is it?" she said.

"Your mother does seem to be... healthy..." Nathan toyed with the lace on Elizabeth's dressing gown.

Smiling, Elizabeth bent down to catch his eyes. "You're wondering how long we'll be staying?"

Nathan looked up at her. "I love having this time with you. I've enjoyed getting to know your parents and Julie, but... When it was an emergency, it made sense to have Bill covering for me and to have Mom caring for Allie. But it just... doesn't..."

"Feel like an emergency?" Elizabeth smiled. "Yes, I know."

"It's just the way you thought it would be, and I guess I didn't entirely believe that she would be as completely fine as she is." Nathan's eyes dropped again, but this time they settled on a spot that he loved to touch, the soft skin over the line of her collarbone.

Then, without thinking, he bent to kiss it. It still amazed him that he could do this whenever he wanted. For so many months he had gazed at that spot just above her white blouses and tried to imagine what it would be like to do just what he was doing. Feeling the soft warm skin under his lips, still moist from her bath, Nathan knew that his imagination simply hadn't been up to the task.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and sighed. "Nathan. We're in the middle of a fairly important discussion and we're expected downstairs in forty-five minutes..."

"Plenty of time..." he whispered, moving his lips slowly lower.

Elizabeth was feeling her resolve weakening. "I still have to get ready for dinner..."

"You're already beautiful..." Nathan said, moving her slowly toward the four-poster bed with the blue canopy the color of his eyes.

Elizabeth laughed softly and said, "Do you think you could be a little less distracted?"

"No," Nathan murmured, lost in the lavender of her skin. "I don't think I can."

---

"Are you warm enough?" Lee said, reaching over to pull the blanket around Rosemary's legs. She happened to reach down at the same time and their hands touched. Both pulled back as if they'd been burned and then looked at each other and laughed nervously.

"Oh, this is ridiculous," Rosemary said. "We need to talk."

Lee exhaled and turned his eyes back to the road ahead. They had only travelled half of the way to Cape Fullerton and he'd already been worried about how they were going to get through two full days together without touching on the feelings that were plainly obvious to both of them.

"Yes," Lee said, flicking the reins lightly, his heart racing. "We do need to talk."

He turned to her and had to turn back again. It just wasn't right that someone could be so beautiful sitting in a cold wagon on a bumpy dirt road in the middle of nowhere. But somehow, Rosemary looked fresh and bright, her cheeks pink, her curls bouncing and shiny, and then, of course, there was that smile. Lee wasn't a writer by any means, but he thought he might be able to wax poetic about Rosemary's smile.

Another few moments passed with neither one ready to start the conversation. Finally, Rosemary sighed loudly and said, "Fine. I'll start."

She'd been thinking about what she might say to him on this long ride together. Two full days, something she had simultaneously craved and dreaded, anticipated and feared. She'd had the fleeting thought that this much time together would allow her to see that they were entirely incompatible, but already they'd laughed about the people they knew and the things they'd seen in town, they'd talked about serious matters like Jack's pension and how Lee would proceed at Mountie Headquarters, and they'd discussed the apartment that Hickam had already found on the edge of town that would be just right for Rosemary.

Rosemary set her mouth. Lee was practically perfect, bless him.

Lee looked over and smiled. "You're not talking," he said finally.

Rosemary peered back at him and raised her eyebrows. "Imagine that," she said, mystified.

Despite himself, Lee laughed.

"I'm a widow," Rosemary said suddenly. "And as I said before, I don't know how to be one. Honestly, Jack would be shaking his head at me right now. Rosemary LeVeaux, the bohemian actress, worrying about what people might think..."

Lee turned to her again. "Think about what, Rosie?" Lee had finally given in to his desire to call her by this sweetly shortened name. He couldn't imagine her any other way, and she hadn't stopped him, so he'd simply continued.

"About... us," she said simply. Then she turned forward and sighed. "And yes, I know what your next question will be. What about us?" She was silent for a moment and then looked back at him, arching one eyebrow, visibly frustrated. "Feel free to jump in anytime, Lee Coulter. Why is it that you get to ask all the questions?"

He looked over at her, his eyes soft. "Because I don't have any answers."

"And you think I do?" Rosemary said, her voice even sounding a little shrill to her. "Oh, why didn't you come backstage?"

Frowning, Lee said, "Sorry?"

"When you came to New York, and you saw my play. If you'd only come backstage and we'd met then, before I impulsively came to Coal Valley to find Jack. We would have started talking, and then you would have invited me out for a drink after the show..."

Lee smiled. "I would have?"

Rosemary said, "Of course you would have..." Then for a moment she stopped, frowning back at him. "Wouldn't you?"

Lee raised his eyebrows, "Well, yes, if I'd thought I had half a chance of you accepting. But you were practically the star of the show..."

"Practically?" Rosemary said, narrowing her eyes slightly.

Laughing, Lee said, "You were the star of the show. How could I think you'd go for a drink with some strange man in the audience who you didn't know from Adam, and..."

"But, Lee..." Rosemary said, moving her hand back and forth between them, "This... this... connection. It would have happened then, too, don't you think?"

Lee tilted his head and nodded. "Yes." He took a deep breath and smiled. "And you would have been unattached, and I was unattached..." Rosemary was nodding with him now, and Lee said, "I see your point."

Rosemary sighed again. "Well, that's water under the bridge, or over the dam, or whatever people say..." She sat up a little straighter. "So the question is, what do we do about it now?"

Lee kept his eyes forward. "Rosie, I don't mean to hurry you. I can wait..."

Rosemary rolled her eyes. "But that's just the thing, Lee. I don't want to wait. If the last few months have taught me anything, it's that life is too short. You have to grab hold of that shiny red apple and take a big bite."

They had another silent moment, listening to the soft sound of the horses' footfalls on the dirt and the creak of the wagon.

Lee finally turned to her. "Rosie, the last thing I want to do is add any worry to your life right now. But I want you to know that I'm here. Whatever you need, for yourself, or... the baby..."

Rosemary felt the sting of tears behind her eyes. She looked down at her hands in her lap and twirled the wedding rings Jack had given her. Her voice was so soft that Lee could hardly hear her. "You see what a good man you are? Most would run the other direction as fast as they could from a complicated, pregnant, dramatic, confused widow..." She looked over at him. "But not you."

Lee laughed softly, feeling the warmth of the compliment he'd just been given. "I have a feeling you'll always be complicated and dramatic, Rosie. It's what I..." he almost said it, but stopped, just in time. It's what I love about you. "It's what makes you so special."

Rosemary spoke softly, looking down and adjusting the blanket on her knees. "A lot of people would say, have said, it's what makes me so difficult..."

Finally, Lee couldn't help himself, and he reached over and took her hand. They both had to take a breath as they felt the familiar shock of it, but this time, instead of pulling away as he always did, Lee threaded his fingers through hers, and Rosemary put her other hand over his.

They had a feeling something was shifting. For Rosemary, it was as if a great weight was moving from her shoulders to be shared with him. For Lee, it was nothing less than the pure joy that came with that weight.

"You shouldn't have to do this alone, Rosie," Lee said. "And those who love you..." he looked over at her pointedly, his eyes and his voice steady. "Those who love you don't want you to do it alone."

Her eyes filling, Rosemary said, "I know that."

Rosemary took her hand off of their clasped hands and placed it on her stomach. Still invisible, but such a presence in her life already. "Madeleine Charlotte," she said softly, looking over at Lee.

His face lit up in a way that she would never forget for as long as she lived. "A little girl? You know that so soon?"

Rosemary raised an eyebrow. "We actresses are very perceptive," she said, giving him a brilliant smile.

Then she saw Lee's eyes glisten, and the perceptive actress in Rosemary saw love. And in a moment, she knew that this was the man she wanted in her life. For him to feel such immediate love for a child that wasn't his, for the complicated and dramatic woman that she was – well, Rosemary knew that doesn't just come along every day.

Rosemary had loved Jack with all her heart for as long as she could remember, but Jack had never stayed. Now, the love she felt for Jack began to move over to make room.

For Lee. A man with such a big heart, who made her laugh like no one else, who wanted nothing more than to be there for her and help her.

Lee. A man who would stay.

---

Elizabeth stood from the dressing table and found Nathan in front of the full length mirror struggling with his bow tie.

She walked toward him and he saw her in the mirror. Turning, he exhaled and shook his head. "You look... incredible," he said.

Elizabeth still had a closet full of ball gowns in Hamilton and she'd chosen one in robin's egg blue. The combination of her dress, the simple silver necklace she wore, and the silver ornaments she'd tucked into her upswept curls, took Nathan's breath away. And of course, he was having trouble separating this vision in front of him from the one he had still in his head from just ten minutes ago. Nathan knew very well how the soft flush had come to be in her cheeks.

"And you look very handsome." Smiling, Elizabeth gazed at her husband. Somehow the full black tuxedo jacket against the crisp white of his formal shirt made him appear even taller, and his dark brown hair and the blue of his eyes combined to make him look as if he'd been born to this life.

But she knew he hadn't been, and he flipped the ends of his bow tie up in frustration with a look that made Elizabeth laugh. She knew already how little he liked wearing ties of any kind, and this one promised to make it a long evening. Elizabeth loved him even more for his willingness to literally sacrifice his neck for this dinner party.

"Let me help you," she said, walking toward him. While she skillfully adjusted his collar and tied it into a perfect bow, Nathan looked down at the sound of her charm bracelet, jingling cheerfully on her wrist.

"Not exactly formal wear, is it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Don't you have about a hundred diamond bracelets to choose from for tonight?"

Elizabeth raised her chin defiantly. "Yes, but I love it. And all the diamond bracelets in the world can't compare to this one."

She finished with the tie and turned him so that he could see himself in the mirror. It was perfect.

Nathan narrowed his eyes a little. "Should I ask how you got to be so good at that? Perhaps your father taught you?"

Elizabeth tilted her head and smiled sweetly. "Nope."

Now his eyes narrowed further, but Nathan didn't say anything.

Turning him again, Elizabeth pushed him gently against the blue wall. She leaned up to kiss him and whispered in his ear.

"Collins," she said.

Nathan laughed softly, the relief evident in his voice. "Of course. Collins."

Elizabeth held Nathan at arm's length and looked at him for a moment.

"What?" Nathan said.

Smiling, Elizabeth said, "I need to capture this. You, in this tuxedo, looking so handsome, in the blue of this room. Your eyes..." Her voice trailed off as she gazed at him in wonder.

Nathan laughed and put his arms out in front of him, pretending to be made of stone. "I'll never move..." he said.

Elizabeth laughed too. "No, my father has a camera. After dinner, I want a picture of you against this blue wall. To have forever."

He pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her fragrant curls, careful not to disturb them. "You have me forever, if that helps. But I'll happily pose for a photograph. Because no one will ever be able to believe me in this getup otherwise."

They stood for a moment with her head on his chest and their eyes closed. Elizabeth could hear the strong comforting sound of his heartbeat in her ear, feeling as she always did when they stood this way – as if she was home.

Finally, she sighed and turned to look at the clock. She looked up at Nathan and raised her eyebrows. "Ready to meet Clyde, Constable?" she said, smiling.

Steeling his courage, Nathan said, "Ready as I'll ever be, Mrs. Grant."

---

CHAPTER 63

The moment they passed through the archway to the drawing room, Nathan felt Elizabeth being pulled away from his arm by Grace, who was not only looking extremely healthy, but was clearly not suffering from any residual weakness from her recent troubles.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows and gave Nathan a smile. He kissed her hand and smiled back, nodding as he let her go.

The truth was, Nathan was glad that Grace hadn't pulled both of them toward Charles Kensington and his mother, Cecile, who were regally holding court by the massive marble fireplace. Nathan was much more of a stand back and watch before jumping in variety of partygoer, and the reason Elizabeth hadn't dragged him with her was because she knew that.

Nathan found himself suddenly nervous as he arched his neck slightly, hoping to loosen the collar that was feeling more and more like a noose. It clearly wasn't only the Kensingtons that had been invited to dinner. He did a quick count and stopped at twenty. And though Nathan wasn't much of a drinker, he wanted to have something in his hands, so he accepted the crystal champagne flute that was offered on a silver tray by one of the servants. A servant who was, perhaps, wearing a tuxedo that was stored in the same closet from which Collins had pulled the one Nathan was now wearing. It was all a little overwhelming.

This was really the first time he'd seen Elizabeth in full Hamilton mode, and he watched, mesmerized, as she floated effortlessly across the room. Seeing her kiss Cecile Kensington on one cheek and then the other, and watching her accept a light peck on the cheek from the man Nathan could only surmise was the infamous Clyde himself, Nathan was drawn back to the young woman he'd first met out at the stagecoach. The memory only made him more in awe of Elizabeth's courage.

To leave this life of privilege and wealth, one that would be so easy to stay immersed in forever, and to travel across the country to a town like Coal Valley to teach their children, was an act that was nothing less than heroic. Nathan unconsciously reached up to loosen his tie so that he could take a deeper breath. His love for Elizabeth in this moment was something he couldn't adequately describe, and all he could think of was that this woman was his wife, would stand by him as they raised Allie together, and would someday, God-willing, be the mother of his children. He felt again like the luckiest man on the face of the earth.

Nathan smiled, remembering himself as the lanky, awkward teen of just a decade ago. As he'd stuttered through painful conversations with girls, that boy could never have imagined what was in store for him, on every level possible. The woman in the robin's egg blue dress – elegant, smart, kind, compassionate, exquisitely beautiful – had promised to walk through life with him. As long as they both shall live.

After a moment, Elizabeth stole a glance backward, and Nathan gave her a soft smile. Even from across the room he could feel her love, though it eased his nervousness only slightly. When she turned back to the conversation, Nathan moved slowly toward the corner behind him, employing all of his learned techniques of surveillance, as he faded into the background and became almost invisible.

Charles Kensington. The life that Elizabeth hadn't chosen. With his square jaw, dark hair and blindingly white smile, Nathan could feel his practiced charm oozing from across the room. Charles was fond of touching Elizabeth as he spoke; his hand on her arm or shoulder, familiar in the way old friends could be without thinking. But when he touched Elizabeth's wrist and his hand brushed her charm bracelet and held there, Nathan felt a rush of hot jealousy that took him so by surprise, he found himself leaning against the wall behind him for support.

As a young man, Nathan had never been sure enough of his sway over women to get to the point of jealousy. The envy he'd felt in the Force when others had received commendations or he'd been passed over for a posting he wanted, was completely different from this. This was a searing, dark pain that made him a little lightheaded, and there seemed to be only two choices. Either he had to walk across the room and pull his wife away from the charming Clyde, or he would need to walk back through the archway and out of the front door to get some fresh air in his lungs.

Lucky for Nathan, Julie gave him a third choice. He felt her at his arm as she took it and gently moved him toward the window. "You, my dear brother-in-law, are looking very handsome tonight. I was just asking Clara if there was any chance we'd see you in your red serge. She was telling me how you rescued her by the river, and it sounded like a romantic novel!"

Nathan gazed down at Julie and then back at Elizabeth, his eyes still a hard icy blue that made Julie raise her eyebrows and look back over at her sister. She squeezed Nathan's arm protectively, understanding immediately. "We've known Charles our entire lives. Elizabeth took lessons from the same teachers, shared the same friends." She looked up at Nathan and smiled. "If something was going to happen between the two of them, it would have happened long ago."

Nathan exhaled and looked gratefully at Julie. "Thank you," he said, meaning it entirely, but unable to expand on the sentiment.

Julie stopped in front of the large picture window that looked out onto the immense front drive, now filled with carriages and automobiles. She turned so that she was facing Nathan directly, and he moved his gaze from Elizabeth. Julie smiled up at him. "I have never seen her look at anyone the way she looks at you. My dear sister is completely and devastatingly yours, Nathan."

Nathan had liked Julie immediately. On their picnic out to the carriage house he'd had a chance to get to know her better, and the stories she and Elizabeth had told of their growing up in the mansion and on the grounds of the estate had made him aware of how very different children's lives can be. In truth, Nathan had much more in common with James, the stablemaster, than he did with any of the Thatchers. But Julie was an effervescent, strongly loyal and big-hearted girl. Nathan had the feeling that she spent much of her time trying to dispel the notion that she was silly and shallow, at the same time she continued to reinforce the idea with a number of rather silly and shallow pronouncements.

Julie was charmed by the idea that she and Nathan had first encountered each other in a four-poster bed with him in a state of undress and his arms tightly wrapped around her. Nathan had a feeling she would be telling that story for quite some time, and he only hoped she could prevent herself from embellishing it too completely.

But where Nathan had been in his element on a horse and picnicking out on the old carriage house porch in his riding boots, he was very aware that in this drawing room he was in Julie's element. She had just rescued him from doing something foolish and he felt the smartest thing to do now would be to defer to her better judgement.

Nathan narrowed his eyes slightly. "He keeps touching her," was all he managed to say. He didn't think he was on the verge of doing bodily harm to the man across the room because it wasn't his way, but he did feel a heat rising in him that was entirely unfamiliar.

It wasn't unfamiliar to Julie, however. She'd driven a number of men to this state in the short period of time she'd been out in society, and she recognized it immediately. She laughed softly, "You'd beat him easily in a fight, you know. It really wouldn't be fair."

That finally pulled Nathan out of the darkness, and he laughed too, looking back at her. He raised an eyebrow. "I have never in my life seen as many diamonds as there are in this room right now." He shook his head slightly. "I feel just like a fish out of water."

Julie reached up and straightened the bowtie that he had recently loosened. "Well, you don't look like one. You look like you belong here." She let her eyes roam around the room and took his arm again as she inclined her head at a couple on the far left of the party. "Those are the Thompsons. In timber, and they make us look like paupers. Next to them, Armie Franklin and his wife, Pearl. They eloped last month against his father's wishes and they're only here trying to work their way back into society. The dapper gentleman next to them is Alain Bouchard, in steel, from a very old French family. The woman seated is our Aunt Agatha, Mother's sister." Julie leaned in and whispered, "She has a very salty tongue, and I love her dearly because she regularly embarrasses Mother."

Nathan laughed, feeling himself beginning to relax a little. He gazed over at a very staid-looking couple who were talking to no one and looked even more uncomfortable than he felt. "Who are they?"

Julie raised her eyebrows mischievously. "Oh, that's Garrett and Matilda Camp." She turned to Nathan and said softly, "New money," as if it were an indictment. "They struck oil on their farm outside of Florenceville when they were digging for a well, and now they're richer than most of the people in this room." Julie smiled up at Nathan. "I think they're nice. But no one else here will talk to them all night. Mother only invites them because it makes her look charitable."

Nathan was at a loss to know what to say about any of it. He felt as if he'd been picked up and deposited on another planet, and in reality, he had been. He could only remember his mother's words. Be yourself. It was all he knew how to be.

Julie looked up at him. "Ready to join in?" she asked him, smiling brightly. "They won't bite." Then she giggled and said, "Much."

Nathan tilted his head at her. "You're not helping," he said, taking a deep breath and looking over again as Grace Thatcher laughed a little too loudly at something charming that Clyde had just said. Nathan looked back at Julie and raised his eyebrows.

She turned to him and put her hands on his shoulders. "Even if Elizabeth had never met you, she still wouldn't be with Charles. And now that I see you and my sister together, I can't imagine her with anyone else." Julie moved closer. "Don't let this room full of peacocks make you feel you need to be any different than you are. Who you are is quite enough."

Nathan smiled and then said simply, "I'm glad you're my sister."

Of course Julie knew Nathan and Colleen's story from Elizabeth's letters, and tears came to her eyes. She leaned up and kissed Nathan on the cheek. "That may be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

Nathan had the good manners to blush a little.

Julie blinked a few times and raised her chin. "You ready?" she asked.

Nathan nodded. "Ready," he said, putting out his arm for her to take.

"Once more unto the breach, dear friend," Julie said. To Nathan's raised eyebrow, she said, "Putting my literary education to good use."

"A lot of them died at Agincourt, you know," Nathan said, beginning to walk toward Elizabeth.

At that, Julie laughed as if Nathan had just told her the most amusing joke in the world, and four heads turned: Elizabeth, Grace, Cecile and Charles.

"Elizabeth, your husband has the most wonderful sense of humor!" Julie said, overflowing with mirth. "But I've monopolized his company for long enough. It's time some others got to enjoy him."

Elizabeth put her arm through Nathan's just as Julie released him. He felt like a baton being passed from one sister to the other for safekeeping, and it made him smile. It also gave him a measure of confidence.

He put his hand out and looked Charles Kensington straight in the eye. "Charles," he said, "My wife has told me so much about you."

---

"That's the last of it," Lee said as the workmen carried out the leather chair.

Lee had hired two men to move the furniture from the small flat into the wagon. The sun was beginning to go down, and he and Rosemary had decided that it made much more sense for her to get a room at the Chestnut Street Bed and Breakfast where Lee would be staying. They'd both realized it as Rosemary's bed was being carried out the door, and they'd laughed at the same moment.

"Probably not sleeping here tonight," Rosemary said.

Lee grimaced and then smiled apologetically. "I may not have thought that through completely..."

Their lodgings had been chosen in part for the locked barn behind it, where Lee would be able to park the wagon full of Rosemary's belongings safely overnight. When they arrived, they found that the Chestnut B & B had only one room available beyond the one Lee had already reserved.

As they stood in the doorway, still catching their breath from the long climb up the steep staircase, Lee watched as Rosemary's face went through a number of different emotions. The room wasn't much bigger than a broom closet, and the configuration of the roof above it meant that more than half of it would need to be traversed while bent nearly double to avoid hitting one's head on the angled ceiling.

"All we got," Mrs. Broad said, shrugging. The name was well-suited to her short and stout stature, but she was a kindly and apple-cheeked woman. The aroma of the homemade shepherd's pie that was wafting up the stairwell reminded Lee and Rosemary that they'd hardly eaten all day.

"We'll take it," Lee said quickly. Then he amended himself. "I'll take it. Mrs. Thornton will be staying in the first room I reserved."

Rosemary frowned. "Lee. I can't ask you to do that."

Lee laughed. "This room is perfect for an old bachelor like me," he said good-naturedly. He suddenly had the funny picture in his head of their Hope Valley Mountie trying to move around in here. "Not like I'm Nathan, after all," he said.

Rosemary laughed. "Well, yes, that's true," she said.

Mrs. Broad was anxious to get back to her dinner guests. She looked back and forth between them and raised her eyebrows. "Yes?" she asked simply.

Lee and Rosemary both said yes at the same time, looked at each other and laughed again, and Mrs. Broad nodded. She'd run this little inn for over a quarter of a century, and though she tried not to poke her nose into people's business, if these two weren't already married, she thought they should be.

---

Cecile Kensington looked down her pointed aquiline nose at Nathan and adjusted her spectacles. "Ah, Elizabeth. This must be your Mountie." Nathan thought it came out just exactly as it would have if she'd said this must be your cocker spaniel, and he found himself wanting to smile. Mrs. Kensington looked him up and down and finally said, "He's alarmingly tall, isn't he?"

Nathan looked over at her son and did a quick measure with his eyes. Charles was only a couple of inches shorter, but Nathan knew that his own slender build often made him seem taller than he actually was. Charles met his eyes, and Nathan could see that he was also smiling, but only in amusement at his mother.

"I would describe Constable Grant more as imposing, Mother. Seems to me a good quality in a member of our esteemed Mounted Police." Charles reached out and shook Nathan's outstretched hand firmly. To Nathan's astonishment, he found himself looking into a pair of blue eyes much like his own, and they were kind rather than confrontational.

"It's good to meet you, Nathan," Charles said with a smile. "Elizabeth is very precious to all of us. I hope you'll forgive us for looking you over too thoroughly, but this marriage has come as somewhat of a shock, and we simply want to be certain she's in good hands."

"I am," Elizabeth said, looking up at her husband. The silence that fell over the group was a result of watching Nathan and Elizabeth gaze at each other. No one seeing them together could have any doubt about the love that existed between them.

Nathan thought he heard a soft exhale escape from Charles as he said, "Excellent…" Nathan looked over at Charles and what he believed he saw was the final moment of extinguished hope. Suddenly Nathan felt sympathy for Charles Kensington - in a moment he knew that Charles had always been somewhat in love with Elizabeth Thatcher, through all those years. And of course, Nathan understood completely why that would be the case. Nathan's own years of being on the losing end of love had created compassion in him. He looked directly at Charles and said earnestly, "I promise you I'll care for Elizabeth until my last breath."

Charles nodded and raised an eyebrow. "Yes," he said softly. "I believe you will."

Nathan watched as the man across from him shook off the disappointment and raised a friendly but challenging eyebrow. "So, Nathan, I suppose as a Mountie, you're somewhat of a horseman? Does that include polo?"

Smiling, Nathan said, "Can't say I've ever played the game."

Charles turned to Grace and Elizabeth. "I had a dickens of a time during the last chucker. Old Wickham got off a shot that no one could lay a stick on." He looked back at Nathan and gave him a grin.

Nathan raised an eyebrow and grinned back. "How are you at barrel racing, Charles?"

Tilting his head, Charles said, "Can't say I've ever tried it."

The two men narrowed their eyes at each other for a long moment, and Elizabeth finally shook her head. "Oh, good heavens," she said, rolling her eyes and laughing. She leaned up and kissed Nathan's cheek. "When you two are done being... men... I believe dinner is served."

Charles laughed. "Tomorrow?" he said to Nathan, his eyes bright.

Nathan grinned and clapped him on the back. "You're on."

---

"Stand still," Elizabeth said, as she looked into the viewfinder of the camera.

"I've wanted nothing more all evening than to take off this tie and loosen my collar, and you're making me pose for photos," Nathan grumbled, putting his finger between his neck and the starched fabric around it and pulling sharply.

"It will go a lot faster if you'd just stay still." She looked up at him standing against the blue wall. "Good. Now smile."

Nathan looked skyward. "I have to smile, too?" he said, finally giving in to a soft laugh.

He heard the click of the camera, and looked at Elizabeth. "Are we done?"

"Not quite yet," she said, pulling a cord and a small rubber bulb out of the leather case beside her. She attached them the way her father had shown her, and propped the camera up on the dresser. Then she stood next to Nathan and said, "Smile again."

Nathan looked down at her and pulled her closer. He smiled and Elizabeth pressed the bulb. They both heard the click, and Nathan turned to her. He kissed her gently on the forehead and then moved down and pressed his lips to hers. "Been thinking of doing this all night," he murmured against her lips. At the same time he kissed her, he reached up and untied the bow at his neck and then unbuttoned the collar. "Oh, sweet freedom..." he said softly, his relief causing him to deepen the kiss and pull her even closer.

Elizabeth sighed against the soft warmth of his lips and they both heard another click. She looked down at the bulb in her hands and then they both looked at the camera. "Oh..." she said, her mouth slightly open in surprise.

Nathan gave her his crooked smile. "Please don't tell me your father is going to be developing that film?"

Elizabeth laughed softly. "No, Collins does that for him, down in the cellar."

Nathan raised an eyebrow and whispered, "And of course, Collins is very discreet..."

"Of course," Elizabeth said, smiling.

Nathan bent to kiss her again, and this time, Elizabeth very carefully and deliberately dropped the small bulb from her fingers.

---

CHAPTER 64

The shepherd's pie tasted as good as it looked; or it was possible that Lee and Rosemary were simply famished. The bed and breakfast was indeed packed full and there was no room at the large harvest table that seated the rest of the guests, so Mrs. Broad kindly found them a small table behind the stairwell that looked out on the bustle of Chestnut Street and the water beyond. They could even see the lighthouse on Beacon Island as its bright beam made lazy circles guiding ships into Fullerton Harbor.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Lee said, looking out at the water.

Rosemary nodded. "It's strange. I lived here for two months and never really thought about the harbor and the great ocean beyond. I'm not sure why I hid myself away in that little flat like a hermit."

Lee smiled. "You were alone. It's not always easy to get out into the world alone." He took a sip of his wine and looked at her over the rim of his glass. "Maybe we could take a walk after dinner? Down by the water?"

Smiling back, Rosemary said, "I'd like that very much."

"And," Lee said, "In the spring, I'll have a surprise for you."

Rosemary frowned. "Oh, you can't expect me to wait until the spring for a surprise," she said.

Laughing, Lee said, "No, you're right, I can't." He raised one eyebrow and said, "Have you ever seen a motorcycle?"

Rosemary's mouth formed into a perfect O. "I've heard about them, but I haven't ever seen one." She looked at Lee in wonder. "Don't tell me you have one?"

Lee nodded proudly. "Locked up tight inside a garage in Union City. As soon as the snow clears, I'll go get it."

Suddenly Rosemary frowned again. "And by then, I'll be as big as a house."

"There's always the summer..." Lee said, smiling.

"August the fifth..." Rosemary said. "And I'll be a mother." She looked up at Lee with sudden distress in her eyes. "Oh, Lee. I'm so happy about this little one, but I don't know the first thing about children."

Lee reached across the table and put his hand over hers. "But you'll be surrounded by people who do. Abigail, and practically every woman in Hope Valley." They both looked down at their hands and Lee said, "You're not alone anymore, Rosie."

Rosemary looked up and into Lee's kind eyes and she simply said, "I feel very lucky to have you." Then, realizing what she'd just said, she added, "All of you. To have all of you."

Lee took a deep breath and smiled across at her. His hand was still on hers and it felt so comfortable there. He didn't think he'd ever been happier.

A sudden burst of laughter rose up from the harvest table on the other side of the stairwell and it pulled them both back to reality. They separated their hands and looked over, laughing softly. It felt almost as if they were eavesdropping, hiding in the low light of their cozy little table with one tiny candle.

"Is it wrong that I'm glad we were late for dinner?" Lee said, spearing a large forkful of the savory pie. "I think we have the best seat in the house."

Rosemary gave him a knowing smile. "Oh, I think Mrs. Broad knew exactly what she was doing putting us here by ourselves. I can spot a matchmaker a mile away."

Lee stopped with the forkful of potatoes in mid-air. He frowned across the table and said, "No. Really?"

Rosemary laughed. "Oh, Lee. You men really don't understand how eagerly most women want the whole world married off to each other." She'd said it in an offhand way, but there was something about the word married that made them both stop and stare at each other. Lee's potatoes on his fork were getting cold and Rosemary looked across at them, frowning slightly.

Finally her eyes found their way back to his. "I'm assuming that you've never been married, but we've never talked about that, have we?" Rosemary said.

Lee put the fork back down on his plate. "Me? No. Never," he said, shaking his head. "Actually, never even close. Never found anyone I could imagine..."

Looking at Rosemary, with the light from the small candle playing across her face, he suddenly couldn't finish his sentence. Because although Lee Coulter had known a number of women, and had been in mildly serious relationships with a few, it had never crossed his mind to ask them to spend the rest of their lives with him. In fact, he'd been surprised it had occurred to them that he should ask, and that was usually the reason the relationships had ended.

Lee had missed them a little at first, though not in the way a man should feel when the love of his life walks away. But right now, looking at Rosemary, the idea of her walking away forever, just the thought of it, caused him pain.

Rosemary nodded. "I understand," she said softly. Then she took a deep breath and gazed out the window into the harbor beyond. "The course of true love never did run smooth," she said, lifting her chin and speaking in a quietly dramatic tone.

Lee smiled. "A Midsummer Night's Dream," he said.

Impressed, Rosemary gasped a little and turned back to him. "How do you know that?"

Finally taking his bite of cold potatoes, Lee said, "I'm not entirely unfamiliar with Shakespeare. During that same trip to New York, we saw the revival at the Empire Theatre."

"Oh, I saw that one too!" Rosemary said, "It was such a wonderful show! Lord, what fools these mortals be!" She placed her hand on her chest and threw her other arm out, almost knocking over the coat rack that was right beside her.

Lee smiled at her and said softly, "Though she be but little, she is fierce."

Rosemary stopped and looked at him. They gazed at each other for a moment and finally Rosemary said, "Lee Coulter. You are a surprising and extraordinary person."

Lee smiled back at her, his eyes soft. "Yes. I can be." He took a deep breath. "I think you bring out the best in me."

Rosemary picked up the small glass of claret in front of her. She held it between them and Lee raised an eyebrow and picked up his glass as well.

"To bringing out the best in each other," Rosemary said softly.

Lee touched his glass to hers and realized that for the first time, he was imagining what it would be like to spend the rest of his life with someone. And not just someone, but Rosemary.

And he knew that he would wait as long as it took for her to feel the same. But as he looked into her deep green eyes, it didn't feel any more like a matter of if.

It felt like when.

---

The three women stood with their arms resting on the rail to the corral and shaking their heads.

"What is it," Julie asked, "that drives men to competition? I know we women do it too, but men take it to a whole new level."

Elizabeth laughed, nodding. "I had this conversation with Nathan this morning as he was getting dressed for this little showdown. I told him I thought it was something ancient, about warring tribes and providing food for their families," she said, looking over at Julie and Clara.

"What did he think about that?" Clara asked.

"He laughed and said, 'No, it's just fun.'" Elizabeth shook her head again. "I'm not sure I believe him."

Of course James had gotten involved, and there were a few of the unoccupied servants lining the rail. They had all pulled together to line up some old barrels and oil cans in the middle of the corral and now Charles Kensington and the Mountie of Hope Valley were playing a hybrid of polo and barrel racing and laughing like schoolboys.

They were both trying to hit the ball in a pattern around the barrels and then to get it into a goal. Elizabeth had to admit she hadn't ever seen Charles Kensington quite this... loose. And she certainly couldn't remember him laughing with such abandon.

Julie leaned over and said, "Oh, if Cecile could only see him now. She'd be positively scandalized!"

Elizabeth looked back toward the house and checked to see if Grace was still in the window. And yes, there she was, sipping her tea and looking as if she was watching something akin to the apocalypse.

Elizabeth giggled and said to Julie and Clara, "I'm going to be able to go back to Hope Valley in the sure knowledge that our mother's heart is in fine condition. We've certainly been testing it."

"Goal!" Nathan suddenly called out, laughing. The spectators on the rail sent up a cheer.

Charles rode past him, holding his polo mallet high in the air. "You got lucky!" he said. "Best three out of five."

Nathan shrugged and grinned. "Whatever you want. I can do this all day," he said, raising his stick and lightly tapping the one Charles was holding.

The women couldn't help but laugh themselves.

"When are you going back to Hope Valley, Elizabeth?" Clara asked.

"Nathan was just asking me that," Elizabeth said. "We're both missing Allie, and he's feeling that Mother's health isn't an emergency anymore. I agree with him. We're thinking of getting train reservations for the day after tomorrow."

Clara looked as if she was going to say something else, and then stopped herself.

"What is it, Clara?" Elizabeth asked, moving closer.

For a long moment, Clara kept her eyes trained on the men running their horses around the corral. Then she turned to Elizabeth. "Do you think I could find work in Hope Valley?"

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows, surprised. "I'm sure you could. The town is growing so quickly, and I know Abigail can always use help in the Café..." Elizabeth stopped, realizing what she'd just said. She looked over at Clara. "I know how much she'd love to meet you. To know that you're a part of her family."

Clara frowned and her eyes began to glisten. "How could she forgive us... forgive me, for keeping this secret from her?"

Elizabeth put her hand over Clara's on the rail. "Abigail has lost so much, Clara. I really believe it would make her so happy to get something... someone back."

Julie was listening, and she was getting a feeling about something. She turned to Clara and said, "Did something happen at your job with Mr. Fletcher?"

Clara looked up quickly and then looked out at the corral again, clearly embarrassed. Elizabeth and Julie watched as a deep flush spread across her cheeks.

Frowning, Elizabeth squeezed Clara's hand. "What happened, Clara?"

She took a moment longer and then Clara turned to them. "Well, it's a small office. And Mr. Fletcher seems to... he likes to... he leans over me. Too close," Clara said, looking down, her voice faltering.

Julie put her arm around her and nodded. "Yes, I know some leaners," she said, arching an eyebrow ominously. "Sometimes you simply have to smack them on the nose with your fan."

Clara was so surprised that she laughed. "Oh, I couldn't," she said, sighing. "I need this job. I came all the way across the country for this job." Her eyes began to fill with tears. "I probably should have stayed in Cape Fullerton. They were good to me at the Miner's Supply. They... protected me," she said softly.

Elizabeth moved around to Clara's other side and smoothed a curl back from her forehead. "But if you'd stayed in Cape Fullerton, we never would have met you." Raising her eyebrows, Elizabeth said, "And I believe we were supposed to meet, Clara. I think it's your destiny to come to Hope Valley. To meet Abigail."

"My father's doctor bills... sometimes I think I'll never get ahead..." Clara said. Now the tears were threatening to fall.

Elizabeth pulled Clara close. "That does it. You're coming back home with us." Then she leaned away and looked into Clara's eyes. "If you want to."

"Of course I do," Clara said, and the tears slipped over her lower lashes and fell unevenly down her cheeks.

Elizabeth hugged her again. "Good. And don't worry about your father's doctor bills. Nathan and I can help you with that." Elizabeth looked back at the opulence of the mansion behind them and remembered what Nathan had said to her when he had first decided to build the housing for the miners in Coal Valley. I don't know what money is for if you can't do good with it.

Elizabeth had always had access to the Thatcher fortune. Her father had often expressed his amazement that she didn't ask for more. It had been a principle of hers that she wanted to do things on her own whenever possible, but right now she could think of nothing more important than to bring Clara and Abigail together and to ease the mind of this sweet, hard-working girl who belonged in Hope Valley.

"You're coming home with us, Clara," Elizabeth said again. She held Clara out at arm's length and smiled with tears forming in her own eyes. "I can't wait to see Abigail's face when she meets you."

Another roar went up from the crowd that now included all the stable hands and a few of the gardeners. This time, it was Charles who had scored the goal. Elizabeth looked over just as Nathan said, "Four out of seven?"

Julie laughed. "Oh, my goodness. They're going to be at this all day! I don't know about you ladies, but I'm ready for a civilized lunch."

Elizabeth nodded, feeling herself getting hungry. "You go ahead with Clara. I'll be right in."

She stepped up on the lower rail of the corral fencing, and waved to Nathan. He rode over to her, grinning. He was riding Whiskey, who had turned out to be quite a good barrel racer. "Your horse is a good one, 'Lizbeth!" he said, breathing heavily and wiping the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his blue cotton shirt. His eyes were dancing as he leaned far down in the saddle and kissed her.

Elizabeth grimaced a little and laughed. "Once you two adolescents are finished frolicking, lunch is served." She reached up and wiped away the combination of sweat and dirt that Nathan had deposited on her cheek. "And you might want a bath before you join us in the dining room."

Nathan simply took that as a challenge. He jumped down from Whiskey and leaned over the railing, proceeding to give her a kiss that he knew she wouldn't wipe away. By the time he moved back, she was gripping the rail for dear life, her eyes closed, and breathing as deeply as he was.

Nathan adjusted his shoulders a little and groaned. "I might be getting too old for this..." he said, wincing.

"The first sensible words out of your mouth all day," Elizabeth said, smiling at him as she stepped down from the fence.

She started to wipe the dirt off her face again, and Nathan reached out and said softly, "No, don't. It reminds me of the first time I kissed you out there on the road, when you flattened me." He ran his thumb gently across her cheek.

Elizabeth laughed and raised an eyebrow. "I believe I was the one who kissed you," she said.

Nathan leaned closer and whispered, "And I kissed you back..." He had just pressed his lips against hers when a voice from across the corral called out.

"Are you conceding, Constable?" Charles said loudly, leaning down on his saddle and catching his breath.

Nathan kissed Elizabeth quickly and turned, pulling himself up on Whiskey with a little more effort than Elizabeth was used to seeing.

"Not on your life!" Nathan called back, pressing his heels gently into Whiskey's flanks.

Shaking her head, Elizabeth laughed. As she walked toward the house she murmured to herself, "Boys will be boys..."

---

The liniment that Elizabeth had gotten from Collins smelled like a nasty combination of witch hazel and pine tar. She wrinkled her nose while straddling Nathan's lower back as he sprawled out on the bed, groaning softly.

She poured out another measure of the thick liquid and rubbed it between her hands before placing it on Nathan's bare skin. He exhaled loudly as she pressed her fingers into his aching muscles.

"Oh, you're an angel," Nathan said, sighing as she worked on the tightness in his neck and shoulders.

"And you're not twelve anymore," Elizabeth said, laughing softly. "It's high time you remembered that."

Nathan grinned against the down pillows under his head. "Yes, but I won," he said with a note of triumph in his voice.

Elizabeth reached over and pulled the warm towel from the water she'd had brought up with the liniment. She squeezed the excess out and put the towel over Nathan's back and he groaned again. She gently rubbed off the witch hazel and then used it to clean her hands.

The room still smelled of the strong substance, and she knew his skin would as well, but she couldn't stop herself. The skin of his back was so beautiful. Smooth and warm, rising and falling in waves over the muscles that she had just loosened. She leaned down and put her lips in the shallow valley between his shoulder blades, over his spine, and she kissed him gently. Elizabeth felt him shiver and then he arched his back slightly. In one quick move that seemed to contradict the aches he was just feeling, Nathan turned over and held her firmly in place until she was suddenly in his arms.

"You're a good nurse," he murmured against her neck, holding her tightly against him.

She laughed softly. "And you're a terrible patient," she said, but the playful edge she had hoped would be in her voice seemed to transform into a sigh as she melted into his arms.

They were in the Green Room tonight, surrounded by colors that ran the gamut from light sage to deep forest green to mint. The accents of brown in the wood of the bed and the wainscoting on the walls, sprinkled with the aqua of the flowers on the wallpaper made them feel almost as if they were sleeping outside.

"I can never get enough of you," Nathan whispered, gently pulling her nightgown off of her shoulder and kissing the soft skin there.

"Well, I should hope not," she sighed, "We haven't even been married for two weeks yet..."

"Two weeks, two years, twenty years, fifty..." he said, moving his lips up toward hers with soft kisses, until he finally said against her mouth, "Forever..."

Elizabeth yielded and pulled him closer, feeling a happiness she could never have imagined. This man was hers, forever.

Forever and forever and forever.

---

CHAPTER 65

February 2, 1911

Miss Allie Grant

Hope Valley, Alberta

Dear Allie,

Elizabeth and I drew a picture for you. I don't think our horses are as good as yours, but we're getting better! We loved all the pictures you sent in your last letter, although Sarah looks sad. You're right, she will be glad to see Elizabeth again.

We have good news! We're coming home! We'll get on the train tomorrow and then three days later, you and Grandma will come to the train station and we'll get off the train and see you. Ask Grandma to show you on the calendar the way we did it for Christmas and she can mark the days off for you.

I need a really big hug and so does Elizabeth. We miss you very much, sweetie. Are you taller? I bet you are.

Please tell Grandma that we're bringing a friend home with us. Her name is Clara. She's very nice and we know you'll like her.

Hope you've been having fun in school. From your letters it sounds like Mrs. Thornton is very good at teaching you numbers. The ones you wrote for us looked just perfect.

We love you very much, Allie. We can't wait to see you. Just four big X's on the calendar and we'll be home.

xoxo

Uncle Nathan and Elizabeth

P.S. Now that Elizabeth and I are married, she will be living at the house with us. She wants to make brownies with you when we get back. And that means we all get to eat them!

Nathan sighed and folded the letter into the envelope after putting a handful of dried flower petals into it. Ever since the wedding, when Allie had been charged with throwing them as she walked down the aisle, she wanted flower petals. The Thatchers had flowers in every room every day, even in the winter. Nathan couldn't imagine what it cost to have them shipped in.

Once Collins learned that Allie wanted flower petals, he'd had one of the chambermaids drying them for her. Nathan had sent some along in each letter they'd written, and Allie was filling an oatmeal tin with them. She said she was saving them to throw when Nathan and Elizabeth got home.

After addressing the letter, Nathan leaned back, sipping on his coffee. Elizabeth, Julie and Clara were spending the morning shopping - Elizabeth needed another pair of riding boots and some new cotton skirts and blouses, and Clara was so excited to see the Hamilton shops. Knowing they would be gone until afternoon, Nathan had found his favorite spot in the Library.

William Thatcher's library was as masculine a place as you could imagine. There were countless books on the floor-to-ceiling shelves, and the room was filled with dark wood, aromatic leather, and deep red Persian carpet. Nathan could imagine this being a refuge for Elizabeth's father, sitting behind the huge mahogany desk that overlooked the gardens. He clearly loved his wife and his daughters, but the faint aroma of tobacco had Nathan imagining William sitting here enjoying the peace and quiet while Collins managed the tea parties with three little girls.

There was a telephone on the table next to Nathan, and he'd first discovered the Library when Bill had managed to make a call from Mountie Headquarters in Union City while he was there on official business. Telephones were something new to Nathan, and admittedly to most of the country. He found it strange and awkward and at the same time almost mystical that he could hear Bill's voice clearly through the metal receiver. The idea of it fascinated Nathan, that Bill could share information about the goings-on in Hope Valley in seconds, rather than Nathan having to wait for a letter or a wire.

The town was thriving, but Bill had mentioned a couple of times that it was odd not having Nathan and Elizabeth there. In his ever-crusty way, Bill had said that although he and Charlotte could fill in where work was needed, there was something else missing in Hope Valley. Bill also said that everyone was excited to finally celebrate the young couple's marriage.

And the truth was, Nathan was missing Hope Valley more than he could have imagined. Moving around with his postings had been exciting at first, but once Allie came into his life, and then of course meeting Elizabeth, Nathan knew that what he wanted most of all was to build the house in the meadow by the pond, surrounded by his family and the dear friends they'd all made.

A knock at the door made Nathan look up. "Come in," he called out, as Maisie, one of the kitchen girls, poked her head into the library.

"More coffee, sir?" she said, holding up a silver pot.

Nathan smiled and held out his cup. "I'd love some, Maisie. Thank you, but you didn't have to bother. I could have come to the kitchen to get it," he said, picking up Allie's letter and walking toward her.

"Oh, no bother, sir," she said, smiling. She poured out a cup and looked up at him. She looked like there was something she wanted to say.

"What is it, Maisie?" Nathan said, frowning a little.

Looking down at the pot, Maisie said, "Oh, just that I was talking to some of the others, and... we're going to miss you and Mrs. Grant, sir." She looked up at him, her cheeks pink. "It's been so nice having you for a visit."

Nathan smiled. "Well, you've all made it a very nice one. And in case we don't get to talk to everyone, will you let them know how much I've enjoyed meeting all of you?"

Maisie nodded enthusiastically, her brown curls and white cap bobbing up and down. "Oh, I will, sir. I'll tell them all."

Nathan handed her Allie's letter. "Would you mind getting this into the morning mail, Maisie?" he asked.

She took it, nodding. "I'll do it straightaway. She's a lucky little girl that you and Mrs. Grant love her so much, sir."

"We're all lucky," Nathan said, smiling. "And maybe next time we visit, I can get you all to stop calling me sir. That's the name I use for my superiors in the Force, and I'm certainly not superior to any one of you," he said, smiling kindly.

Maisie giggled. "Oh, that's not likely, sir." She heard herself and giggled again, backing out of the room. She nearly backed into William Thatcher at the door. "Oh, sir! I'm so sorry!" she said, her eyes wide.

William laughed softly, "Not your fault, Maisie, I should have announced myself sooner. He looked at the pot of coffee. "If you don't mind, I'd love a cup. Could you bring me one, please?"

Maisie backed out of the door, "Yes, sir. Right away." The door closed softly behind her.

"Thought I might find you here," William said, smiling. He put out his hand, indicating that Nathan sit in the leather wingback chair where he had just been writing the letter to Allie. William sat down in the identical chair on the other side of the small round table, right in front of the window overlooking the gardens.

"I hope you don't mind me being in here," Nathan said, sitting down. "I was just writing a letter to Allie, and this room has such a nice view."

"Not at all," William said. There was another knock at the door.

"Come," William said, in a tone that was kind but conveyed authority. Nathan was getting the distinct impression that there was a "talk" of some kind approaching and though he certainly had some ideas, he began to wonder exactly what the subject would be.

Maisie came back through the door with a silver tray on which was a china cup and saucer, a sugar bowl and a small pitcher of cream. She set it down and efficiently prepared Mr. Thatcher's coffee before saying, "Will there be anything else, sir?"

"No, Maisie. Thank you." She looked at Nathan to be sure his coffee didn't need refreshing and he smiled and put a hand over his cup. Maisie gave a little curtsey and went noiselessly out of the door.

William sipped at his coffee and studied Nathan over the rim of his cup. Nathan had a feeling this was one of his business tactics. He wasn't doing it with precisely an air of superiority, but there was certainly something there that was meant to let Nathan know William was in charge. What William hadn't counted on was the fact that Nathan used the same tactic when questioning prisoners or conducting investigations. What resulted was an entirely cordial, and nearly equal, standoff.

Finally, William smiled.

"I like you, Nathan," he said simply.

Nathan returned his smile. "I like you too, sir," he said, genuinely meaning it.

"First of all, I think it's time you called me William. You're a member of the family now."

"Thank you... William," Nathan said, doing his best to make it sound natural, although he felt he had only moderate success. He could feel his heart speeding a little, and he reminded himself that Elizabeth was already his wife. And anyway, he wasn't getting the feeling this was going to be a hostile conversation.

"How do you feel about being a Mountie, Nathan?"

Of all the questions he thought Mr. Thatcher would ask, this wasn't at the top of the list - and the question took Nathan aback. What was surprising was not that William asked him about his job; it was that he was asking him how he felt about it.

But Nathan answered quickly and honestly. "I love it." William stayed silent, his intelligent eyes focused on Nathan. Clearly he was expecting something more.

Nodding, Nathan said, "I love the law, the way it breeds fairness. Some people are naturally stronger than others and when they misuse that strength, we step in. To help even things out."

William frowned. "That's an interesting way to put it. A lot of people don't want the world evened out."

Smiling, Nathan said, "That's true. And as long as they don't break the law or abuse others, I have no argument with them."

They were clearly talking in code, but it was one they both understood. Nathan did love the underdog, but he also had great admiration for someone like William Thatcher who had made such a success of his life. His voice and his attitude showed it, and William nodded and leaned back in his chair, still focused squarely on his son-in-law, waiting for more.

"I love your daughter very much, William. I will care for her and protect her to my last breath," Nathan said, wondering if this was the assurance Elizabeth's father wanted.

William narrowed his eyes and exhaled. "I don't doubt that you'll want to, Nathan. But being a Mountie can be dangerous."

Aha. Concern that Elizabeth might become a young widow. Like Rosemary.

"You're right," Nathan said. "It can be. But Hope Valley is a very sleepy little town, and I feel as safe there as you do going to and from work here. I have no intention of leaving, and if the Mounties want me elsewhere, I'll resign and run for Sheriff." Nathan took a long sip of his coffee, keeping his eyes trained on William.

Slowly, a corner of his father-in-law's mouth began to rise. William put down his cup and arched an eyebrow. "So, if I were to offer you a job at one of my companies, it's likely that you would turn me down?"

"I'm afraid so." Nathan grinned, feeling excited to let Elizabeth know later that he'd finally been offered a job by William Thatcher. He felt as if he'd arrived. "Though I would be very appreciative and complimented by the offer."

"Hmph," William said, not unkindly, but with a small frown. "I'm not accustomed to being turned down."

Nathan gave William his crooked smile. "I don't mean any disrespect."

William laughed softly. "I know you don't. You're just a hard one to figure out, and I've been told I'm fairly good at figuring people out." Looking out the window, William exhaled. "Viola will become her mother. Julie, well, I haven't come to a conclusion about Julie yet. She has fire in her, and I like that, but she needs to get past the silliness." He looked back at Nathan and said, "Elizabeth is my treasure. She's smart and beautiful and strong. I won't say I feel any regret that she chose against society, though she would have done very well with charity work and helping those in need."

Nathan smiled. "She's still doing that. Just not here."

Laughing again, William said, "True." He nodded. "I could have used you, Nathan. You speak plainly and you have a fine head on your shoulders. But I think a part of me would have been disappointed if you'd accepted."

Nodding, Nathan said, "It's an honor to be asked. It's just not a good fit."

William sat forward and put his elbows on his knees, ready for a change of subject. "About your niece, Allie? Will you adopt her? What about her father?"

The sudden shift caused Nathan to feel a little whiplash, but he recovered quickly and said, "I want to adopt Allie. Her father abandoned her and no one in the family knows where he is. I've already had her name changed legally to Grant."

"And Elizabeth?" William asked.

Nathan smiled. "Allie's very excited to have Elizabeth as her mother. When we adopt, which will be very soon, we hope Allie will choose to see us as her parents."

William nodded. "Very good. Elizabeth clearly loves her very much already."

"And Allie loves her," Nathan said, smiling softly.

For a moment, the two men were silent, wondering if there was more that needed to be talked about. Nathan took a deep breath and decided there was.

"Sir..." he started tentatively.

"William," his father-in-law corrected.

"William. There's something you need to know, and I feel it's information that should come from me. Elizabeth knows all of it." Nathan narrowed his eyes slightly and dove in.

"My father is in prison. For theft due to a gambling problem. I haven't spoken to him in years, and only wrote to him once; last year to inform him of my sister's death." Nathan concentrated on keeping his focus on William's eyes and not looking away, though he desperately wanted to. "I have never gambled and have no desire to; I drink very occasionally and very little. I suppose my greatest vices are Elizabeth, Allie and my mother, because I would do anything for them." Nathan sat up a little straighter. "I do hope this doesn't alter your assessment of me."

William surprised Nathan by smiling. "I know about your father," he said. "That must have been very hard for you."

Nathan was so dumbstruck that he simply stared at William for a moment. "How long have you known?"

Laughing softly, William said, "Imagine your Allie, all grown up, comes home one day with a husband you've never met. And imagine you have access to a whole office full of people who know how to find things out."

Nathan realized he'd been holding his breath, and he exhaled on a soft laugh. "Of course." Then he started nodding, "Of course, I would do the same. You had me investigated." He looked back at his father-in-law. "Of course you did."

William simply smiled and drained the last of his coffee.

Grinning, Nathan said, "How did I check out?"

William leaned back and laced his fingers in front of him on his lap. Then he grinned back at Nathan.

"You're still here, aren't you?"

---

It was their last night in Hamilton and Nathan and Elizabeth had retired right after dinner, using their need to pack and the early morning train as excuses. Although, as they lay in the huge four-poster bed, neither had packed yet, and they were a long way from falling asleep.

"I think I'm going to miss living in a mansion," Nathan said, looking around the bedroom. "Whatever I want, whenever I want it. No wood to chop, nothing to cook. If we want our shoes shined we put them in the hall, and if we need our clothes washed they go in the hamper..." He was lying on his back with Elizabeth's head on his chest, and her chestnut curls were spread out over him like a fan.

Elizabeth laughed. "And it would drive you crazy..." she said, her voice soft. She was in that dreamlike state that was becoming familiar right after they'd made love, when she generally had trouble stringing thoughts together and she wasn't much bothered by the fact.

Nodding, Nathan said, "It would. I think two weeks is my limit for all this assistance. I'm actually looking forward to chopping some firewood."

Elizabeth let her fingers run lazy circles across his bare chest. "And I'm looking forward to watching you."

"You're going to have plenty to do." Laughing softly, Nathan pulled her closer. "It was nice of Bill and Hickam to help Mom get all your things over to my... our row house. A lot of moving going on – your room at Abigail's to our house, Charlotte into your old room, and Hickam has already moved Rosemary's things into her new flat, so there's a room available for Clara to move into Abigail's if things go that way."

Elizabeth sighed. "Oh, I hope they do go that way. I can't imagine Abigail not welcoming Clara with open arms. I'm hoping she'll also bring her on at the Café."

"We can't control it, so we'll just let the world take a turn," Nathan said, murmuring into the curls on the top of her head. "Everything will work out."

Sighing, Elizabeth said, "I know. And no matter what, Clara will be better off in Hope Valley than she would be here working for that terrible man."

"I alerted Headquarters that Mr. Fletcher may be taking advantage of young girls in need of work. They're going to keep an eye on him."

Elizabeth smiled. "It's very nice knowing the law in town," she said, snuggling in closer. "I'm so glad you turned Father down for that job."

Nathan laughed. "Honestly, Elizabeth, can you see me sitting behind a desk in a waistcoat, talking on the phone all day and smoking cigars at... the club?"

Elizabeth giggled. "Don't forget playing polo with Clyde..."

Nathan snorted softly. "Now that was fun, though I'm just recovering..." He adjusted his position on the bed, moving Elizabeth with him. "Then, when the ground thaws, probably in about a month, we can start building our house on the meadow."

Sighing, Elizabeth said, "Our own house. Can you imagine?"

"It's all in my head," he said softly.

Suddenly Nathan frowned as he looked up. "So, what exactly is this color?"

He was gazing up at the velvet canopy above him, and indeed, the walls, the lampshades and anything else capable of having color in the room.

"I believe they call it aubergine," Elizabeth said.

"Which," Nathan said, curling and uncurling a strand of her hair around his finger, "If I remember from my French, means eggplant." He looked down at her, smiling. "Please don't tell me you've named this room after a vegetable."

Elizabeth laughed and looked up at him. "We actually call it the Purple Room, and it's meant to be regal."

Looking around at the various shades of purple with generous accents of gold, Nathan nodded. "Well, it is that." He pulled Elizabeth closer and adjusted the quilt around her shoulders protectively. "In three days, we're going to be in my bedroom in the row house..."

"Which I've never seen," Elizabeth said, smiling, "...because it wouldn't have been proper..."

Nathan laughed softly. "Well, I can tell you, it's certainly not eggplant... I would say more along the lines of... turnip."

Feeling his chest rise and fall as he laughed, Elizabeth turned over and faced him. "I don't care if it's the color of a yellow squash... I will love living there with you." She kissed him gently on his chest, causing him to close his eyes and exhale deeply.

"I've spent a lot of time dreaming of you in that bedroom," he said softly.

Elizabeth looked up, her face exquisitely framed with her brown curls on his bare chest.

"And all of your dreams are going to come true," she whispered.

---

CHAPTER 66

The foyer was so crowded that even in the large space people were having trouble finding room to stand. Nathan, Elizabeth and Clara were being hugged by Julie, Grace and William, with everyone moving around the luggage that was waiting to be taken out to the car by Thomas and the valets. Julie had added to Clara's portion of the baggage by gifting her with not only a number of last season's dresses and shoes, but also a trunk in which to hold them.

There seemed to be a larger than usual number of servants standing on the periphery of the crowd, adding to the confusion. It was clear that they had enjoyed having Elizabeth, Nathan and Clara in the mansion, and they were gathering to say goodbye.

Nathan felt a light tap on his shoulder. "Constable?"

Turning, Nathan found himself looking at Collins, who raised his eyebrows and tilted his head toward the hallway.

"A word, sir?" Collins said quietly.

Nathan nodded and followed the butler a short way down the corridor.

Collins turned, and Nathan could see that he had what looked to be a small dress box in his hands. He held it out and said, "For your Allie. Dried flower petals." Then he winked. "These should last her a while."

Lifting the top and looking in, Nathan saw every color of the rainbow as the aroma of flowers wafted up. Smiling, he said, "You can't imagine how happy this will make her." Then he looked back at Collins. "Next time we come for a visit, we'll have Allie with us." He raised an eyebrow. "You'll like her. She loves tea parties."

Collins grinned. "Well, I shall look forward to that, sir."

Nathan narrowed his eyes slightly and leaned closer. "Collins, what would it take for you to call me Nathan, just once?"

Collins' eyebrow shot up, but a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Well, I suppose it would take a relaxing of the rules, sir."

Laughing softly, Nathan said, "First things first. You know my first name, and I just realized I have no idea what yours is."

With a conspiratorial smile, Collins said, almost in a whisper, "Arthur."

Grinning at the revelation, Nathan put out his hand and said, "Arthur, it has been a great pleasure meeting you."

Collins took a deep breath. "And you... Nathan." He shook Nathan's hand and then reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out an envelope. "You'll want to open this on the train. When you and Mrs. Grant are alone."

Unable to resist, Nathan lifted the flap of the envelope and peered in. He saw enough of the photo with Elizabeth in his arms, both of them so deeply into a kiss that he felt immediately like a voyeur. Closing the flap quickly and feeling the heat come into his cheeks, Nathan looked into Collins' eyes, which were now twinkling.

"As I said, sir. On the train." With that, he nodded once and turned back down the hallway. "Please keep her safe. We love her very much."

Nathan smiled back and nodded. "Always, Arthur."

---

"Stay warm," Grace said, pulling Elizabeth's collar up on her coat. "Those train compartments can be so drafty."

Elizabeth smiled. "And when was the last time you were on a train, Mother?"

Grace raised her chin haughtily and smiled back. "There are things you don't know about your mother. I was quite a traveler when I was younger."

Raising an eyebrow, Elizabeth said, "I'd like to hear all about that. And that gives me hope that you'll come visit us this summer after the house is built. Nathan is planning to put a small cottage out back for family visits."

Smiling, Grace said, "Yes, I heard him speaking with your father about that." She moved a wayward curl away from Elizabeth's forehead. "I believe he said it would be in some proximity to the barn." She said the last word in a tone that made Elizabeth laugh.

"No closer than you are to the stables here, Mother. Don't worry, we won't have you sleeping with the horses."

Grace sighed and gazed at her middle daughter. "You have always been the adventurous one, Elizabeth." Narrowing her eyes, she whispered. "But I must say I do like your Mountie. Your father likes him even better. If you have to wander halfway across the world, at least it's good to know you'll have him by your side."

Elizabeth smiled, her eyes soft, and kissed Grace on the cheek. "Same country, and thank you, Mother."

Grace felt her eyes beginning to fill and pulled herself up with a sharp inhale. "So. When are you making me a grandmother?"

"Mother!" Elizabeth said, laughing.

"Don't wait too long," Grace said. "Knowing you, you'll want to raise the whole passel yourself, with no help from a nanny. You'll need to be young to do that."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm not quite ancient yet."

Grace took Elizabeth's face in her hands and looked seriously into her daughter's eyes. "Come back and visit us soon."

Elizabeth looked back at her mother. "Come visit us in Hope Valley." She put her arms around her mother and gave her a tight hug. Then, feeling tears welling up, she said "We have to go."

Julie and Elizabeth had said heartfelt goodbyes earlier in the morning, and Julie had promised to visit soon, saying she thought she might go west and find her own Mountie. She and Clara had become fast friends very quickly and they hugged each other and promised to write.

One by one, the goodbyes were said, and Elizabeth finally hugged William and then Nathan shook his hand, before they stepped into the overloaded car. William raised an eyebrow and looked at his son-in-law. "Take good care of my daughter, Nathan."

Nathan smiled. "You know I will." He turned to Thomas, who had Clara in the front seat with him. "How far to the station?"

"Ten minutes, sir."

Nathan nodded and said, "We'd better get going then," and he turned and waved with Elizabeth and Clara. As they pulled away from the mansion, he tried to remember if he'd been anxious at all when they had first arrived. He felt none of that now. He'd made friends; Julie, James at the stables, Arthur Collins, and even Maisie from the kitchen. And he felt that he and William and Grace had an understanding and a mutual respect, if not quite the love of family. That would come in time.

Because they had someone in common. Someone they all loved very much. Elizabeth.

---

Rosemary took another look out of the window of the Cape Fullerton Mountie Office. Back in Hope Valley, seeing Nathan every day in his red serge wasn't a shock anymore, in part because he was so different physically from Jack and so much taller. But here in the busy Cape Fullerton Mountie Office, it seemed everywhere she turned, there was a man in red serge with Jack's height and build, or his hair, and it wasn't until they turned around that she could see it was someone completely different.

And if seeing Jack everywhere wasn't confusing enough, Rosemary was just generally baffled at the turn of events on this trip. She'd known that she was starting to have feelings for Lee, but she'd thought they would take time. She and Lee had both assumed that he would be the one waiting until she was ready. Now Rosemary wasn't so sure.

The night before, she and Lee had enjoyed a lovely dinner together and then had taken a walk in the park along the water. They'd talked easily about everything imaginable; about Rosemary's dream of building a theatre someday in Hope Valley and about Lee's hopes for the sawmill. About Madeleine Charlotte, who Lee had already started calling Maddie because he said her full name was too much of a mouthful.

Rosemary had forgotten her wool scarf back in her room, and Lee had taken his own from around his neck and circled it gently around hers. It was still warm from his skin, and Rosemary found it to be the most intimate thing she'd done since she'd last seen Jack. She was grateful that it was dark and Lee couldn't see the flush that spread across her cheeks.

As Lee wound the warm wool around her, he moved closer, and for a moment neither could look away. A foghorn blew out on the island and still their eyes were locked together. For a fleeting moment, Rosemary thought Lee was going to kiss her.

And for a fleeting moment, she wanted him to.

Knowing that she had a "connection" to Lee Coulter was one thing, but the attraction that Rosemary was feeling for Lee was getting stronger, and she knew that one of these days, probably soon, they would find themselves on the precipice of something that couldn't be undone. They were almost there already.

Rosemary gazed through the window at the busy street outside the Mountie Office. They had found her marriage certificate and she had filled out the rest of the paperwork with Lee's help. After she'd managed the necessary forms, validations and certifications, Rosemary had begun to feel the exhaustion of the two days of traveling and moving, and a very nice Constable had led her to a small empty office with a view of the main street. She'd immediately sat in the creaky wooden chair and closed her eyes for a time before the noise of the street caught her curiosity.

Of course, Cape Fullerton was nothing like New York, but it did have a certain similar energy to it. A feeling of endless possibilities, of growth and change. And as she looked out on what used to be exciting to her, all Rosemary wanted was a small apartment in Hope Valley, surrounded by her new friends. A street so calm that she could walk safely right down its middle. A café where you knew everything on the menu and what day it was being served.

And Lee. Yes, if she had to admit it to herself, she wanted Lee there too. With his smile, his kindness and best of all, his laugh, which she found she wanted to hear nearly as much as she used to want to hear applause.

The door opened and Rosemary turned and stood to see Lee standing on the threshold, looking like the cat that swallowed the canary. He closed the door behind him and held up a plain white envelope. Rosemary walked to him and raised her eyebrows. Lee nodded as she took the envelope.

Peeking inside, Rosemary gasped. "Lee!" she said looking up at him. "I had no idea! I could buy a house with this..." Then her eyes widened. "I could build my theatre!" Then, her emotions moving across her face so rapidly that Lee was having trouble keeping up, Rosemary said, "Or... I could save it for Madeleine to go to college..." Her voice drifted off and she looked at Lee, confused.

He took her by the shoulders gently and said, "You don't have to decide right now."

That simple statement caused such a wave of relief to surge through Rosemary, that before she thought twice, she threw her arms around him. She knew she would never have had the energy to handle all this by herself, and her gratitude was causing her to hold him tightly as she said over and over, "Thank you, thank you..."

Lee closed his eyes. One hand was at the back of her head, buried in her curls, and the other was around her back. He'd never held her before, and he was surprised at how small she was. Though she be but little, she is fierce.

They both stopped moving and simply held there in each other's arms, breathing quietly. Rosemary's eyes were closed too. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed this, being held by a man, how solid and strong Lee felt. The sounds continued around them, the noise outside the windows on the street, the ringing of telephones, men's voices beyond the door.

Finally, Lee took a long shuddering breath. "Rosie," he said, almost in a whisper, "Is it wrong that I want to kiss you?"

Rosemary felt her heart begin to race, but she didn't move. She couldn't look at him. "Is it wrong that I want you to?" she said softly.

Lee pulled away only enough so that he could look into her eyes. "Really?" he said, wanting to be sure.

Smiling, Rosemary said softly, "Well, don't talk me out of it..." but before she could finish, Lee had traveled across the inches between them and his lips were on hers, warm and soft and just how she'd imagined them.

And though it felt like she had missed this, and it had been a long time, Rosemary realized that she didn't just want any man to kiss her. She wanted Lee. She realized that alongside the friendship, the gratitude, the shared humor, the admiration – this attraction had been growing faster than she'd known.

Lee hadn't imagined this first kiss beyond a touch of the lips. He'd wanted to do it so many times, and had nearly given in so often, that he mainly hoped not to be slapped. But this was so much more. Rosemary seemed to melt against him, her arms tightening around his neck with a soft sigh as the kiss went on and deepened, and Lee knew that Rosemary had wanted it as much as he had.

"Rosie..." he said against her lips, trying to catch his breath.

"Don't talk," she said softly. She ran her hands around the back of his neck and pulled him closer.

The door opened suddenly, and a young Mountie walked in, talking to an older gentleman. "Sir, if you'll have a seat, I'll get all the particulars..." The Mountie stopped as his voice trailed off, and then he said, "Oh, I beg your pardon..."

Rosemary and Lee separated immediately, looking like two children and feeling completely caught. Their faces were a similar shade of crimson and the Mountie looked from one to the other with a small smile.

Lee pulled Rosemary's coat from the back of the chair and put his arm through hers. "We were just leaving," he said, a smile of his own beginning to form. His happiness was so overwhelming, that he actually thought he might start laughing.

When he looked at Rosemary, it was even worse. He could see her lip quivering and he knew that one of her brilliant smiles wouldn't be far behind. As they passed through the doorway and into the main room, he helped her on with her coat, and by the time they stepped out onto the main street, they were beyond saving.

They collapsed into laughter against each other and Rosemary said, "Was that terrible? I was picking up Jack's pension!"

She turned and looked at Lee and put a hand on his cheek, her eyes holding a combination of elation and horror. "You see? I'm a scandal. I have absolutely no idea how to be a widow."

---

Without a word, Nathan and Elizabeth went to the beds in their sleeping cabin and tugged the mattress off of the top bunk. They laid it on the floor, and then did the same with the mattress on the lower bunk. Once they'd pulled down the pillows, they both kicked off their shoes and laid down, still dressed in their traveling clothes and watching as the last of the station disappeared from view outside the window.

Elizabeth moved closer and put her head on Nathan's chest, sighing in contentment.

"Well, it's not the Blue Room, that's for sure," Nathan said, grinning. "But it does feel a little like home."

Elizabeth rolled over onto her elbows and looked at him. The sun was high in the sky and just a narrow line of gold was beginning to make its way down to Nathan's face. She moved slightly so that she was shading his eyes and she gazed into the bright blueness of them, the mountain lakes that she had loved right from the beginning.

"Anywhere you are is home," she whispered, kissing him lightly on the chin, then down his neck and into the shallow space at the base of his throat.

Nathan put his arms around her and breathed deeply. "I know," he said softly. "I even felt at home in Hamilton, in a mansion, with servants," he said, kissing the top of her head, "Because I was with you."

"They loved you," Elizabeth said against his skin. "I knew they would."

Nathan pulled away and raised an eyebrow. "No, you didn't," he said, laughing softly. "You thought I might go all Mountie on Clyde and ruin the dinner party."

Elizabeth laughed too, unable to meet his eyes. "Maybe only a little..."

"Oh," Nathan said, suddenly remembering. He put his hand down into his jacket pocket and pulled out the envelope that Collins had given him.

"Arthur gave this to me," he said, handing it to her.

Elizabeth sat up, incredulous. "He told you his first name? It took me years to get that out of him, and he practically raised me!"

Nathan smiled and tilted his head. "What can I say? I guess I have the magic touch with butlers..."

Her eyes soft, Elizabeth said, "I'm starting to believe you have the magic touch with everyone..." She opened the envelope and pulled the photos out. Nathan had placed the one of the two of them against the blue wall and smiling at the camera on the top, and she looked at it carefully. "Oh, this turned out wonderfully!" She held it closer as Nathan waited, his crooked smile firmly in place.

Then Elizabeth brought the second photo to the front and Nathan watched as she gasped. "Oh... my..." she said. Nathan watched in wonder as the deep blush crept across her cheeks. Then her eyes went wide. "Collins gave you these? So we can assume... that he... oh!" she said, her voice trailing off. She looked at it again and then looked at Nathan.

"We look beautiful," she said, almost in a whisper. "We're beautiful..." Elizabeth put down the envelope and leaned down, her hair falling in soft curls around his face and tickling his cheeks. She touched her lips to his, gently at first, and then more insistently, as she stretched out full-length beside him on the mattresses. She pulled his jacket over his shoulders, her lips never leaving his, while he unbuttoned her blouse.

"I love you, 'Lizbeth," he said, feeling her urgency and giving in to his own. The sun streaming in the window warmed their skin as they clung to each other, making their way home to Hope Valley to the soft singing of the rails.

---

CHAPTER 67

Much as Rosemary and Lee wanted to stay in Cape Fullerton, they knew that they had to get right into the wagon and start making their way to Hope Valley so they wouldn't get caught by the setting sun. The road between the two towns was often used in the daylight, but anyone with any sense at all knew that driving a wagonload of furniture and belongings in the dark was a fool's errand.

As they walked from Mountie Headquarters toward the locked garage where Rosemary's things had spent the night, Lee reached out and tentatively touched Rosemary's fingers with his own. To his relief, her fingers curled around his warmly, holding tight. They didn't look at each other. Both just looked straight ahead and smiled.

They knew everything was different. That kiss hadn't been just a kiss. It was the culmination of weeks of longing and wondering, and the passion it had brought out in both of them was giving them pause as they walked through the Cape Fullerton crowds. If that kiss was any indication, it wasn't going to be possible for them to remain "just friends."

Rosemary's left hand was in Lee's right, and she was feeling some pressure on one of her fingers - the finger with her wedding band. She suddenly stopped and looked down at their clasped hands. Lee followed her sightline, puzzled, and as she splayed out her fingers and wiggled them slightly, Lee exhaled.

He tilted his head and looked up at her. "Rosie..." He took her hand in his and held it so that she could continue to look at the ring. "We don't have to rush this..."

Rosemary gazed at him, and Lee knew this look well already. There were a million ideas going on behind those sea-green eyes of hers, and he knew enough to just let them play out. And then, there it was, the slight narrowing of her eyes and a steely determination.

She reached down and started to pull off the ring, and Lee said softly, "You don't have to do that..."

"No, Lee," she said firmly. "I want to." She wiggled it off her finger and tucked it into her purse, and then she looked back into his eyes. "I think we both know that the woman who kissed you in that office is no longer committed to another man."

Lee was working very hard at holding it together. He was elated at the turn of events of the last hour, but wanted to be certain this was the right thing for Rosemary. "Are you sure?" he said softly, his dark brown eyes searching hers.

Rosemary suddenly smiled and Lee felt the sun come out. She raised an eyebrow. "Well, Lee Coulter, you were on the other side of that kiss. What do you think?"

Lee was trying to remember the last time he had blushed, and he realized that this was the second time in an hour that it had happened. He was still trying to process how it felt to have her in his arms, to feel her pressing against him, her mouth warm and urgent on his. He was almost wondering if he had dreamed it.

Finally, Lee let out a deep breath and smiled. "What do I think? I think I'm a very happy man right now, Rosie." He took her hand in his again and looked down at it. "But I know a thing or two about grief." He looked up into her eyes again. "I know that it can sneak up on you when you least expect it. You don't have to make any decisions today or tomorrow or the next day."

Rosemary smiled softly at him. "You're a very good man, you know that?"

In answer, Lee shrugged and made a face. Rosemary reached her hand up and put it on his cheek. "Do you realize that you and I have known each other longer than Jack and I lived together as husband and wife?"

Lee frowned and let out a breath. "Wow. Well, that puts it into perspective, doesn't it?"

Rosemary turned and started walking again, her hand still clasped firmly in Lee's. "I'm not worried about anyone but Charlotte." Then she turned and looked at Lee, still striding purposefully toward the garage. "But I won't let Charlotte dictate how I'm going to live the rest of my life. Just because she's chosen to live hers out alone, doesn't mean I have to."

The combination of his happiness and Rosemary's conviction finally spilled over into a laugh that turned into something of a snort from Lee.

Rosemary turned sharply and frowned, "You don't believe me?"

Lee laughed and shook his head. "Oh, I believe you. Believe me, I believe you completely." His eyes went soft and he walked Rosemary over to the space between two buildings. He'd waited so long for this, and now his patience seemed to be at an historic low. He leaned into her and he could see that, rather than pushing him away, Rosemary held a challenge in her eyes.

"Is this okay, Rosie?" Lee said softly, kissing her cheek so gently that Rosemary closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his skin against hers.

"Um-hmmm," she said, a little breathlessly.

"How about this?" Lee whispered, brushing his lips across hers.

Rosemary smiled. "That's good, too," she said as she tilted her head to the side and pulled him toward her. Very quickly, his tentative kisses lost their playfulness as Lee pressed up against her in the dim alleyway. There was still a busy, bustling city life going on just a few feet away, but they were hidden in the shadows, and both of them quickly forgot where they were.

Lee knew that he had fallen over the edge completely. There was no turning back for him, and this sudden abandon made him realize how firmly he'd been keeping his feelings in check. He loved this woman beyond anything he'd even known was possible.

And from the way she was kissing him back, Lee thought there might be hope that Rosemary felt the same.

---

"Tell me about Abigail," Clara said, buttering her toast as the countryside flew by outside the window.

Elizabeth smiled and reached her hand under the table to place it on Nathan's leg. He reciprocated by putting his arm around her as she leaned against him. They hadn't slept quite as well on the mattresses on the floor as they had in the featherbeds of Hamilton, and she was feeling tired.

And yes, she had other suspicions, but she had vowed not to tell Nathan until she was certain. They'd been married for over a month now, and Elizabeth was one of the lucky ones whose cycles ran like clockwork. She was two weeks overdue, and she couldn't remember that ever happening since she was a very young girl.

Holding a secret from Nathan was nearly impossible for Elizabeth, but he'd had so much grief in his life, she had no intention of adding to it. She'd spoken to enough women who had been certain of a pregnancy and had miscarried very early on, that she knew how fragile it was at this point. She would wait until she'd missed at least twice before sharing the news with her husband. And she would talk with Abigail. Abigail would know when it was safe to tell him.

Smiling across at Clara, Elizabeth envied the young girl's appetite. Although Elizabeth had ordered tea, eggs and toast, she'd only sipped at the tea so far. If she was going to keep this from Nathan for a time, she would need to eat, although she had no desire for it this morning.

"Abigail?" Elizabeth said, sitting up straight and reaching for a piece of toast. "I wouldn't know where to begin. Perhaps if you ask questions?"

Clara nodded. "Is she nice?"

Elizabeth laughed. "Very. And kind, and compassionate and smart. And beautiful," Elizabeth said, looking at Nathan for confirmation. He gazed back at her and smiled.

"Much like Elizabeth," Nathan said to Clara, though he couldn't take his eyes off of his wife. There was something different about her and he was trying to put his finger on what it was. The simplest answer he could think of was that she seemed to have changed somehow since they'd married last month, and it was all to the good.

Not that she hadn't been serious before, but she seemed more pensive. And she'd always been beautiful, but there was a shine to her eyes that was brighter, and a depth to her gaze that seemed to hold volumes that he wanted to read. He'd always loved discovering new things about Elizabeth, but now, even more, he wanted to know everything that went on in her head, all her thoughts and dreams.

And in a moment he knew there was something she was keeping from him. And in the next moment, as he watched her grimace after nibbling on her toast, he knew what it was.

Sitting next to her in the Club Car on the train heading back home toward Hope Valley, Nathan's heart suddenly expanded exponentially. Of course he'd thought about it, of course he wanted children. They'd talked about it many times, and both felt the same; the sooner, the better. But now, looking into Elizabeth's eyes, he saw it all – what it had felt like to hold Allie for the first time, just hours after she'd been born. How he'd sat for the longest time looking into her eyes and wondering what mysteries were held there.

And now, it would be a child that he and Elizabeth had created together. Not one that he would love any more than he loved Allie, but one that held their history in its bones and its blood.

"Nathan?" Elizabeth said, and he realized she was frowning. He reached up with his thumb and smoothed the lines in the space between her eyebrows gently.

"Sorry," he said, almost in a whisper. "I was just thinking about everything I have to do when we get back..."

She didn't believe him, but she would ask him later.

---

Lee put his hands on Rosemary's waist and helped her up into the wagon before climbing up himself. The fact that they'd finally managed to tear themselves away from that alley was miraculous in itself, but now they were running late.

"We're going to have to push the horses a little," Lee said, settling in and taking the reins.

Rosemary tucked the blanket around her legs and pulled her coat tighter. She looked up at the sky, and watched as the bright blue was slowly being encroached upon by the clouds coming in from the north. "Does it look like it might rain to you?" she said, squinting her eyes.

Lee looked up and then moved the horses out into the traffic on the street. "It might. It's why I covered all your things with a tarpaulin."

Rosemary looked a little horrified. "And what about us?" she said, her voice rising.

Lee smiled. "Oh, I have one for us, too," he said, reaching back and pointing at a folded green square behind the seat.

Rosemary's eyes went wide. "So you intend to take a pregnant woman across the country in a rainstorm with... that... over us?"

Laughing, Lee turned to her. "Rosie, you do have a flair for the dramatic statement."

Rosemary laughed too. Lee had a way of making her hear herself like no one else, and what she'd just heard sounded ridiculous. She lifted her chin. "Well, I should hope I'm dramatic. I'm an actress, after all."

"That you are, Rosie. That you are." He reached an arm out and she raised an eyebrow before scooting herself over on the seat closer to him. "I'll protect you," Lee said, leaning over and kissing her head.

Rosemary sighed and put her head on his shoulder as the wagon rumbled down the city street heading out of town. For now, she could do this. Show affection, take comfort in the steadiness and solidity that Lee had offered her virtually from the first day they'd met. She moved even closer, feeling his warmth, and he held her tighter, one hand on the reins and one around her.

"Are you warm enough?" Lee asked. "I have more blankets."

Rosemary looked up at him and couldn't help reaching up a finger to trace the angular lines of his chin and up over his jaw, into the dark hair at his temples. "You have a good face," she said softly, gazing at him.

Lee took a deep breath and looked back at her, letting the horses take the reins a little as they moved past the outskirts of town. He leaned down and she raised her chin up as he kissed her. "Rosie..." he said tentatively, closing his eyes.

"I know..." she said against his lips. "Me, too."

---

Nathan and Elizabeth didn't really think they'd ever watch the moon in quite the same way again after these train trips. How they'd managed to have a full moon on the way out to Hamilton and one on the way back was simply serendipity, but this ritual of lying in the moonlight on their bed on the floor was becoming a favorite.

Elizabeth's hand was on Nathan's chest, as she absentmindedly curled a finger through the soft hairs there. She leaned over and kissed the spot just below his ear and began to move closer. Sighing, he moved his head back to give her more room, but as she pressed against him, she felt him stiffen just a little.

"What?" she said, opening her eyes and looking at him.

"I... I just wondered if we should..." He exhaled in slight frustration. Tongue-tied Nathan was back.

"If we should what?" she said, a frown beginning.

After she saw him open his mouth and close it several times, Elizabeth sat up. Her back was toward the moonlight, and Nathan saw a halo form around her curls as she looked quizzically at him.

"Nathan?" she said, brushing her fingers across his cheek, "You haven't been yourself all day. What's going on?"

She was so beautiful that he was having trouble forming the words, and not only because they were difficult to say. Elizabeth's skin looked incandescent in the light, and her nightgown had fallen open at the neck, revealing the rise of her breast just below the lace. He had never wanted her more.

"I just wonder if we should... if it's alright... since you're..." Oh, this was going to take all night if he didn't just spit it out.

"Is it good for the baby?" he finally blurted out, and then exhaled suddenly, as if he'd just been at a full run on Newton.

"The..." Elizabeth gasped, and then her mouth fell open. "How could you possibly know...?"

They stared at each other in the rare perfect storm of both of them being tongue-tied. Finally, Nathan smiled and reached his hand out gently to place it on her stomach. In the moonlight, she could see his eyes beginning to glisten as he whispered, "Is it true?"

Smiling back, and feeling her own tears coming, Elizabeth said, "I think so."

Nathan gently pulled her toward him, already feeling that he was handling something made of fine china, something breakable and even more precious than she'd been before. Elizabeth lay stretched out on top of him, and they held each other in silence for a time, both of them with thoughts racing but too much in their heads to even begin to say it out loud. She felt his breathing calm as his inhale became her exhale, moving naturally together in tandem, as they always did.

Finally, Elizabeth turned her head and looked at him. She put her lips at his throat, feeling the pulse there, and breathing in the familiar aroma of his shaving soap. Her happiness was at a level that was impossible to express. She had never loved him more than she did in this moment.

Moving her mouth up to his, Elizabeth kissed him, gently at first, and then more deeply. Their bodies were already in motion with the train, and Nathan was beginning to realize that there would soon be no turning back.

"'Lizbeth," he said hoarsely against her cheek, "Tell me this is okay..."

Laughing softly, she sat up to pull her nightgown over her head. "It's more than okay." Leaning back down, she said, "And if you think we're going to stop doing this for another eight months, you're dreaming..."

---

CHAPTER 68

The rains started just about exactly halfway between Cape Fullerton and Hope Valley. It began as a sprinkle, then the drops got bigger, and within minutes, Rosemary was completely enveloped in the tarpaulin with her head nearly on Lee's lap, trying to hold the edges together and keep both of them dry.

Lee was hoping that he would begin to see clear sky as he drove the wagon through the torrents of icy rain, but when lightning flashed and the horses spooked, he had his hands full just keeping them all from rolling over into a ditch. He heard a sickening crack and he was afraid they had lost a wheel, or possibly an axle.

It was hard to tell in the encroaching darkness, but Lee could feel that the wagon was on an angle and his worst fear was that it would tumble sideways with them in it. Her belongings could be replaced. Rosemary couldn't.

"We need to get down," he yelled over the wind and the rain. Rosemary nodded, and Lee crawled out of the tarp and wrapped it more tightly around her. Within moments, he was soaked to the skin, but the important thing was to keep Rosemary dry.

His mind was racing, trying to think what was in the wagon that they could use for a shelter, but his priority was to get Rosemary away from the horses, who were stamping in their frustration and rocking the wagon dangerously.

"Rosie, take my hand," he said, reaching out for her as she stepped down and nearly fell into his arms. He held her tightly and walked her from the road to the cover of the trees. "Stay here," he said loudly, "Don't move." He put her next to the strong trunk of a large tree, and she stood sheltered under the wide boughs. If there was anything Lee knew, it was the strength and safety of trees.

He ran back to the wagon and unhitched the horses quickly, leading them around past Rosemary, far enough away for her safety and tethered to low branches. Then he went back to the wagon and retrieved their bags and as many blankets as he could from beneath the tarpaulin, holding them tightly under his coat to try to keep them dry. He couldn't be sure, but the axle looked to be intact, and the wheel had wedged deeply between two rocks, but it also seemed miraculously to be in one piece.

Tomorrow. He would deal with it tomorrow. For now he needed to build some kind of shelter. A lean-to, up against those rocks. Plenty of deadfall on the ground, and if that didn't work, he'd start pulling furniture out of the wagon...

And then he saw it. He couldn't believe his eyes.

A mailbox.

---

Elizabeth and Clara were sitting in the Club Car finishing the last of their dinner and watching the sun as it set over the mountains in the distance. They had passed through Sudbury and were expected in Winnipeg at about midnight. Clara hadn't forgotten her nearly disastrous walk in Winnipeg a month ago, and though she would love to stretch her legs, she wouldn't be leaving the safety of her cozy cabin on the train. Elizabeth and Nathan had no intention of leaving the train either, and they hoped that by midnight, they would be fast asleep in each other's arms.

Right now Nathan was at the end of the car, speaking to the porter. Not Jonathan this time, but a short, squat man named Patrick McGee, originally from Derry, Ireland; and though he'd been in Canada for nearly thirty years, he hadn't lost the lilt in his voice or his lyrical way with a story. Nathan couldn't get enough of talking to him.

Smiling, Elizabeth watched her husband as he laughed at yet another of Patrick's tales. She couldn't make out what he was saying, but she could hear Nathan's full-throated laugh as he threw his head back and leaned against the door between the cars. Shaking her head, Elizabeth laughed too and turned back to Clara.

"Really, for a man who doesn't say much, my husband could make friends anywhere," she said, with obvious admiration filling her voice.

Clara smiled and nodded. "He's just wonderful, Elizabeth. You're very lucky."

Looking back at Nathan, her eyes soft, Elizabeth said, "And it's a good thing I know it."

Clara sighed. "Peter was like that. The same way. Every stranger was just a friend he hadn't met." She turned back to the setting sun, and Elizabeth watched as the younger woman's eyes grew sad. "I wonder if I'll always be alone." Clara's eyes filled, and Elizabeth took her hand across the table.

"Do you want to be alone?" Elizabeth asked softly.

"I thought I did for a while. I couldn't even think of another man than Peter. But now..." She looked at Elizabeth. "I don't really think I'm meant to be alone."

"Then you'll find someone, Clara. When the time is right."

Clara looked out the window. "I can't imagine courting someone in the same town as Peter's mother..." Her voice trailed off, full of all the mysteries that sentence contained. The truth was, Clara was terrified to meet Abigail Stanton. Peter had talked often of his mother, and Nathan and Elizabeth had told her many things, and all of them made it sound as if Abigail was a truly good person. But deep down, Clara was still afraid that Abigail would never forgive her for keeping their marriage a secret.

Taking a deep breath, Clara reached for her teacup and took a sip. It will be what it will be, she thought. One step at a time. For now, she felt so fortunate to be with Elizabeth and Nathan, though she knew it hadn't been luck. Peter had guided her to them. It had to have been him. Otherwise, she just couldn't make sense of it.

---

Rosemary huddled against the tree, clutching the blanket tightly around her head. The canopy of branches over her was so closely woven that very little rain was coming from above, and she'd managed to find the driest side of the tree so that it would shelter her from the wind.

But she was starting to get scared. She knew Lee hadn't been gone very long, but she was surprised to find that she felt lost and alone without him. She wanted to see his face and hear his voice; to feel his arms around her. Rosemary could already sense that his strength was becoming essential to her.

"I found it!" She heard his voice before she could see him, but just the sound of him coming closer allowed her to take a deep breath and calm down. "It's not far. The door was locked, but I found a window that wasn't latched and climbed in. No one's there and it doesn't look like anyone has been for quite a while."

Lee put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her tightly to him. Rosemary reached out of the blanket and circled his waist with both arms, feeling the cold wetness of his shirt and jacket. "Lee! You're soaked!" she said, and he turned to her and laughed.

"Rosie, in case you hadn't noticed, it's raining..."

"Well, we need to get you inside," she said, walking faster and dipping her head down against the wind.

"We need to get you inside," Lee said, shouting over the storm. "I'm not the one expecting a baby."

Rosemary stopped suddenly and turned to him, feeling the driving rain like tiny icicles hitting her face. "But you'll be there," she said, looking intently into his eyes. "I want you there."

Lee laughed and shook his head, causing cold drops to fly off onto her cheeks. "Rosie, can we talk about this later?"

"I want you there!" Rosemary said again more forcefully.

Lee took her face in his hands and kissed her with the rain dripping from his cheeks to hers. "I'm not going anywhere, Rosie. I'll be there. I promise."

Rosemary reached the sopping blanket around his shoulders and held her hands at his neck. "I'm going to hold you to that, Lee Coulter. I feel safe with you," she said, her lips close to his ear. Lee was cold to the bone, but when he felt her warm breath on his neck he closed his eyes, pulling her closer.

"I'll always keep you safe..." he said, holding her tightly. From above, a branch let loose of a stream of water and it dripped down the back of his neck, making him shiver.

Rosemary felt it and pulled back to look at him. She smiled and said, "Okay, we can talk about this later."

Lee laughed again. "Good idea," he said. He'd left a lantern burning in the window of the cabin and it glowed cheerfully through the rain. They made their way there and once Lee had closed the door behind them, it was immediately quiet. Certainly not silent, as the wind whistled around the windows and under the door, but at least the noise wasn't deafening anymore.

Shaking himself, Lee looked over at the fireplace and smiled. "Nice of them to leave us some wood," he said, raising an eyebrow. Within minutes, he had a fire blazing and Rosemary was standing in front of it, taking stock of their new surroundings.

She thought it was the coziest-looking hunting cabin she'd ever seen, not that she'd seen many recently. In the early years of their relationship, Jack and Rosemary had loved camping, but her life in the theatre left little time for that as she became more sought after. She wondered how many in Hope Valley would be surprised to know that she could not only recite Shakespeare and play the piano, but she could also shoot and fish along with the best of them.

The cabin was one room and certainly not large. The fireplace sat right in the middle, with a wide hearth around it made of river rocks. Rosemary sat down on the hearth and felt herself beginning to warm. Lee had already started the coffee pot on the massive wood stove and he was searching the cupboards.

"Aha!" he said triumphantly. "Cocoa! And sugar, and some very stale graham crackers," he said, grimacing before taking an exploratory bite. He raised his eyebrows. "Not bad." Walking over to one of the bags he'd retrieved from the wagon, he produced two apples and some beef jerky he'd purchased in Cape Fullerton just in case. Finding a linen towel, he laid it down on the hearth in front of Rosemary and proceeded to spread out what little they had to eat.

"A feast!" Rosemary said, smiling brightly.

Lee stopped what he was doing and looked at her with wonder in his eyes. "You're an extraordinary woman, Rosie," he said softly.

Rosemary tilted her head and raised one eyebrow. "Yes. I am."

Lee grinned. "And modest," he said, nodding.

Matching his grin, Rosemary said, "Not so much that." She took hold of the lapels on his coat and pulled him toward her gently, pressing her lips on his. Now that they'd finally kissed, Rosemary found that she couldn't seem to stop. His lips and face were warm, but when she reached up to his neck she could feel the cold there, wet from his soaked collar.

Standing quickly, she frowned. "We need to get you out of these clothes," she said matter-of-factly, while unbuttoning his wool coat.

Lee raised both eyebrows and laughed. "Oh, if I had a nickel for every time a beautiful woman has said that to me..."

Rosemary stopped and her frown deepened. "Really?" she said, nonplussed.

Lee smiled. "No. In fact, you're the first." He moved closer and took her in his arms. "And if I have anything to say about it, you'll be the last..." He was still soaking wet, and Rosemary could feel the water wicking slowly from the wool of his coat into the fabric of her jacket, but she didn't care. Then Lee's lips were full on hers and she could feel the warmth of his face from tending the fire. Along with the crackling of the wood as it dried in the flames, she heard his breathing change, and felt him pressing toward her. She tightened her grip around his neck, parting her lips slightly and losing her sense of time and place, focused only on how good this man made her feel and how right she felt in his arms.

Rosemary hadn't meant to, but she couldn't help comparing this to what she'd known with Jack. Lee held nothing back, and now she realized that Jack always had. He had loved her, certainly, but his mind was always half with her and half out on the trail. She'd known it at the time, and it had been worth it, but now, in Lee's arms, she found out what she'd been missing.

Lee's mind was nowhere else. His thoughts were only on her, and the combination of tenderness and desire she felt from him made this a completely new experience. A new world to explore. And Rosemary liked nothing more than the exploration of new worlds.

As their kiss deepened, Rosemary felt herself wanting again, wanting everything Lee had to give her, and everything in her mind and heart told her that it would be so much more than anything she'd known before.

But they were alone in a cabin, in a storm. There was nothing and no one to stop them...

As if he'd read her mind, Lee groaned softly and moved his lips from hers. "No..." he whispered into her hair, his voice rough. "It's too important..." He pulled away and looked at her and she could see the brown in his eyes was even darker than usual, his lashes still wet from his dripping hair, his breath coming quickly. "You're too important to me.. for this..."

"I know," she said softly, closing her eyes against the cold wetness of his hair. Rosemary breathed deeply and composed herself with a final sigh. "I will turn around while you change into dry clothes. Then we'll eat this lovely dinner, and we'll sleep on opposite sides of the fireplace." She smiled and pulled back to look at him. "You'll have to crawl through fire to get to me," she said, raising an eyebrow.

Lee smiled back at her and exhaled, his eyes sparkling. "Don't underestimate me..."

Nodding, Rosemary said, "Oh, believe me, I never will. But tonight..." she said, kissing him quickly, "...tonight we will be good."

"Yes," he said softly. "Yes, we will." With determination, Lee put Rosemary at arm's length. Then he leaned toward her again and whispered in her ear.

"But I really like kissing you. And I'm likely to do it again."

Rosemary smiled. "I'm counting on it..." And then, with a sigh, she watched as Lee moved toward their bags to find some dry clothes.

---

"I'm going to tell you something and I don't want you to be upset," Elizabeth said, snuggling next to Nathan on the floor of their little room in the moonlight. They were coming up on Winnipeg and they knew they would have to close the curtains soon, but for now they were enjoying the blue tinge to everything in their room, and especially how it looked on their bare skin, still warm from making love.

Nathan took a deep breath and looked at her. "That's one of those statements that has no good answer, so you might as well just come out with it."

Elizabeth smiled against the skin on his chest. "Do you know what today is?" she said cryptically.

Nathan sighed. "Oh, it's a test. Well, it can't be our anniversary yet, and you've told me we won't be celebrating each month the way some couples do. And it's not your birthday..."

"Shall I just tell you?" Elizabeth asked, bending her neck and gazing up at him.

"Please," Nathan said.

"It's February 14th. St. Valentine's Day," she said with a smile.

Nathan immediately flinched and exhaled. "Oh," he said, his mind racing.

Elizabeth laughed and sat up. "No. Don't do that." She leaned down and kissed him gently. "I don't care." She put her hand on his cheek and gazed at him in the moonlight. "I just wanted to tell you that it's not necessary for us to have a day to say we love each other and give paper lace cards and candies and have elegant dinners." She sat cross-legged on the mattress and Nathan watched as the moon made the now familiar halo of her curls. "Every day is Valentine's Day, Nathan. Every day with you."

Nathan smiled back at her and raised an eyebrow. "Clyde would have done something," he said, a little glumly.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, Clyde would have done too much. To compensate for the feelings I've never had for him. To try to create romance where it doesn't exist."

Nathan sat up and crossed his legs, mirroring her. "And this..." he said, looking around at their room, "...is romantic?" They had come in from dinner and expected to read for a time, but the various items of clothing that stretched from the door to the mattresses seemed to indicate that very little reading had occurred. In fact, the cabin was actually quite a mess, as small spaces tend to be when people live in them and have other things on their minds than tidying up.

Elizabeth smiled and nodded. "This is a very romantic space," she said, reaching out to touch his cheek.

Nathan covered her hand with his, holding it at his face and then kissing her palm tenderly. "I tell you what. I'll give you two gifts on Valentine's Day next year. Will that put me back in your good graces?"

Smiling, Elizabeth said, "You've never left my good graces..."

"But for now," Nathan said, reaching around behind him to find the jacket he'd worn to dinner. "For now…" he said, finally finding it and reaching into the pocket, "This will have to do."

Nathan produced a tiny cloth bag, made of green linen with a drawstring around the top. He took Elizabeth's hand and opened it flat before placing the bag squarely in her palm.

"You did remember!" she said, looking up at him in some wonder.

Nathan laughed softly and looked into her eyes. "You know I can't lie to you." He looked down at her hand and shook his head. "This was supposed to be a welcome home present for you when you moved into the row house with us. You just get to open it a little early."

"Oh, Nathan," Elizabeth said, her eyes soft in the moonlight. Then she frowned slightly. "So you got this in Hamilton? When did you do that?"

Nathan smiled and said, "Open it and I'll tell you the story."

Elizabeth nodded and pulled the drawstring to open the bag. She turned it over and out fell an exquisite silver chain with a teardrop pendant. Inside the teardrop was a beautiful openwork pattern of woven lines, all in finely polished silver. Sighing in delight, Elizabeth held it up in the light of the moon.

Nathan gazed at it with her. "It's Celtic. Irish. Patrick says it represents eternity."

Elizabeth looked past the pendant to Nathan's face. "Patrick? The porter?" Then she smiled. "Of course. He's Irish…"

Nathan pointed to the fine silverwork. "He makes these. Has for many years. He rides the train back and forth and when he's not being a porter, he works with silver in his cabin, making love knots."

Elizabeth laughed softly. "Love knots. That's what this is?"

Holding the necklace up close to her face, Nathan said, "You see how this is made? It's one continuous strand of silver that has no start or finish. Patrick says it symbolizes how life, love, and eternity are interconnected." Nathan looked into Elizabeth's eyes and said softly, "Eternity." Then he leaned over and kissed her gently. "Us. Forever."

The tears came so quickly that Elizabeth hardly felt them. But she knew they came because her heart expanded to the point that it simply had to overflow. Nathan reached up and brushed the moisture away from her cheek with his thumb. "You like it?" he said shyly, his own eyes glistening.

Elizabeth threw her arms around him and breathed deeply as her tears fell and spread across the smooth skin of his shoulders and neck. She allowed her lips to rest in the space just below his ear as she tried to compose herself enough to speak. Finally, muffled against his skin, she whispered, "I can't think of anything I'd love more."

Nathan laughed softly. "So I saved our first St. Valentine's Day?" He exhaled in relief. "Phew. That was a close one…"

Elizabeth didn't allow him to finish his sentence. Her lips were still trembling when they found his, and she reached behind her to carefully put the necklace on the table before finding her place on the mattress and pulling him down with her.

---

CHAPTER 69

Rosemary woke slowly, lost in the confusion of deciphering where she was and why she was sleeping on the floor of a cabin. The fire was still warm and crackling next to her, and there was bright sunshine streaming in through the space between the curtains. In fact, one of the sunbeams was so bright across her face that she finally had to make the effort to turn over.

She felt her muscles complain and she winced. Lee hadn't allowed her to do any heavy lifting during the move, but as he and his hired helpers had transferred her belongings to the wagon, she'd made more trips up and down the stairs than she could count. And then yesterday, huddled on Lee's lap, and walking through driving rain...

It all came back to her. She rubbed her eyes, hearing a rhythmic sound from outside the cabin that began to take form; the steady thwack of an ax hitting wood. Lee. Of course, Rosemary thought, smiling. Lee would replace the firewood they'd used. It was just how he lived his life.

For a time Rosemary was immobilized by the combination of her body not wanting to move and her mind focused on all that had happened yesterday. She closed her eyes and released an involuntary sigh. Reaching up, she moved her fingers slowly across her lips, as if they might be different for having shared so many kisses with Lee. Wonderful kisses; passionate and tender and revealing.

Rosemary smiled, hearing the wood being chopped outside, and suddenly she wanted to see him. She took a deep breath and sat up, and then, with some difficulty, she took hold of the fireplace hearth and pushed herself up to a standing position. She couldn't remember feeling this tired.

She knew a large part of it was the pregnancy. Madeleine Charlotte, she thought with a smile. Maddie. Now Lee has me thinking of her that way too.

Little Maddie seemed to be taking half of what she ate, and monopolizing more than half of her energy. Every woman she'd talked to said that it happened sometime during a pregnancy, early or late. Rosemary sighed and began talking to her little girl as if she were holding her in her lap. "My turn, now, Maddie. When we get home I'll let you take over, okay?"

Rosemary laughed. Shaking her head, she said, "Half my food. Half my energy. Half my brain, too, obviously, because I'm talking to my stomach."

She was still in the nightdress that she'd changed into in the dark last night after Lee had moved over to the other side of the fireplace. They'd found quilts to layer on the floor and Rosemary had been happily warm next to the fire. She knew that in order for the fire to stay that way, Lee had to have been adding wood and stoking it all during the night. And now he was up and working as the sun rose. Again, Rosemary smiled. Yes, Lee is a very good man.

Fitting her feet into her slippers, pulling her robe around her and tying it at her waist, Rosemary went to the window. She hadn't heard the ax fall in a few minutes and she could see Lee bent over and resting on the handle. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be breathing heavily. Rosemary frowned and went to the back door of the cabin, opening it.

"Lee?" she said, stepping out onto a small stoop.

His head jerked up and he blinked at her a couple of times. Even at the distance between them, she could see that his face was flushed. Without thinking, she walked out in her robe and down the steps to the soggy dirt, ruining her slippers and not feeling in the least worried about it.

"Lee?" she said again, moving closer. He was still looking at her as if he was trying to figure out who she was. Rosemary put her hand on his shoulder and the other hand went naturally to his forehead.

He was ablaze with fever.

"Lee," she said firmly. "We need to get you inside. You're burning up."

And just to be contradictory, at that moment, Lee shivered as if he'd gotten a sudden chill.

Rosemary's heart went cold with a memory. Her mother had died of pneumonia when she was twelve. She remembered so clearly the horrible choking cough that went with it, and the headache that gave her mother such pain she said it felt like her head was ready to explode. Rosemary put her arm around Lee and began walking him to the cabin, still uncertain how serious this was. If he started coughing, she would know.

Then, Lee coughed. A deep racking sound followed by a labored breath, as if he were drowning. It was all very familiar, and most definitely pneumonia. Rosemary knew that there were only two outcomes. If Lee survived, it would take weeks before he was strong enough to leave his bed. If his body couldn't fight it off, then...

Reaching down, Rosemary picked up Lee's limp hand and peered at his fingernails. The beds had a slightly blue tinge. Lack of oxygen. He was literally drowning.

Rosemary pushed down the panic that began to rise in her chest. She had to get him home, back to Dr. Sommersby. Martin would know what to do.

"Lee," she said, working at keeping her voice calm. "We need to get back to Hope Valley. Can you tell me about the wagon and the horses?"

Lee turned and looked at her. She could see a sheen of sweat on his forehead, and his breathing was getting more difficult. "Wagon...fine," he managed to say between deep breaths. "Need to hitch horses..." His eyes began to close and Rosemary stopped to look at him intently.

"I know you want to sleep, and you can, as soon as we get you in the wagon. Please, Lee, can you stay with me until then? I can hitch the horses; I know how. But I won't be able to lift you into the wagon. You're going to have to get up there yourself."

Rosemary was suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of self-pity. How could this be happening to her? Pregnant, already exhausted, and hungry. Her eyes began filling with tears, and then she took a deep breath and steeled herself.

No. I don't have time for that now. I can fall apart after I get Lee to the doctor.

She felt Lee begin to buckle, and she narrowed her eyes at him. "No, you don't, Lee Coulter. You need to help me." She tightened her arm around his waist and he looked directly at her. She saw him fight the weariness and a small fire came back into his glazed eyes. He nodded and stood straighter.

"Okay," he said, and then coughed again. With sheer force of will, he began to walk a little faster around the side of the cabin directly out to the road. He knew he could only do one thing to help Rosemary, and that was to get himself up into the wagon.

He was so grateful that he'd checked the wagon at first light. No cracks or breaks that he could see in either the wheel or the axle. He'd managed to lever one of the rocks out of the way so that the path was clear for the horses to pull it out once they were hitched.

But it was still a longer walk than he remembered to the road. Every time his knees buckled, Rosemary would tighten her arm around him. Finally she could see the horses tethered to two trees on a picket line. She wondered when Lee had done that and realized he must have come back out when the rain and wind calmed, to make sure they were secured.

While she slept. And he'd tended the fire while she slept. And managed to clear the wheel of the wagon. While she slept.

And now it was up to her to get him home. Whatever it took, she would do it. She wouldn't give up on him.

Because Rosemary knew for a fact that Lee would never give up on her.

---

Abigail wiped her hands on her apron and looked at the clock. The sun had just come up and she decided that it was time to wake Hickam.

She'd assumed that Rosemary and Lee had gotten in late and didn't want to wake her, but when she went to Rosemary's bedroom it was empty and it was clear they hadn't come home. Her first thought was that they had decided to stay another night in Cape Fullerton, but she knew that Rosemary would have sent a wire so she wouldn't be concerned. Abigail had checked with Ned Yost repeatedly before finally going to sleep and nothing had come through.

Now she was truly getting worried.

She made one last check of the oven to be sure the roast for lunch was covered securely, and she banked the fire. Removing her apron, she started toward the door when she heard a creak on the stairs.

"Not home yet?" Charlotte said matter-of-factly, buttoning her vest.

"No," Abigail said, continuing toward the door as Charlotte followed. "I'm going to see if Ned has gotten a wire, and then I'll have him contact Mountie Headquarters in Cape Fullerton and make sure they made it there safely. Bill is in Benson Hills today, or I'd ask him..." Abigail stopped at the door. "Then, I think I'll have Hickam ride out. Just in case..."

Charlotte shook her head firmly, as she walked to the back door to retrieve her hat and coat. "You can't send a boy out to do a man's job. I'll ride out."

Abigail frowned. "You have school, Charlotte. And Hickam is very capable..."

"Ask Rebecca to take over school. She loves those children. She can teach them... about... oh, I don't know, about running a ranch."

Charlotte already had her coat and hat on and she was ready to breeze past Abigail toward the livery.

"Charlotte. Let Hickam..." Abigail started.

Stopping inches away from Abigail, Charlotte said in a softly ominous tone, "Let that boy ride out and see to the safety of... my grandson and his mother? My Jack's son? All that I have left of him? While I stay here and wait?" She narrowed her eyes. "I thought you knew me better, Abigail."

Abigail stepped back and exhaled. "Of course, Charlotte, you're right. You have to go. But will you let Hickam go with you?"

"Only if he doesn't get in my way," Charlotte said, opening the door and taking full strides on her long legs toward the livery. "Put a fire under him, because I'm leaving now."

Abigail started toward Hickam's apartment behind the sawmill office. "He'll catch up to you," she called out.

"He can try," Charlotte said.

---

Rosemary filled the bucket again with water from the pump and poured it over the fire. It sputtered and hissed and she stirred it to be sure the embers were completely out. The cabin had probably saved their lives last night, and she had no desire to thank the owners by burning it down.

This was going to be her last trip out to the wagon, but after three of them, she was completely exhausted. She'd made the first trip in her robe and slippers. The slippers she had then simply thrown outside in the trash.

Rosemary knew that Lee needed to stay hydrated, so she'd filled Mason jars with water and had carried them out in a basket, along with as many quilts as she could hold. She'd written a note to the owners of the cabin explaining that they would come back to get their bags and bring back the jars and quilts once they'd gotten help. She thanked them, apologized for the mess and the missing graham crackers, and closed the door behind her.

As she walked out toward the road, her muscles aching and her feet sore, Rosemary was blessing every wretched day she'd spent with her father, and then Jack, out in the wilderness. She'd loved certain aspects of camping, particularly the stories around the fire at night and the pristine scenery; but cooking and cleaning up, sleeping rough, hiking and managing horses hadn't always been her favorite parts of the experience. Now she was so grateful she knew how to hitch a team to a wagon, that she knew she needed to move the picket line to a place where the grass was full and not soggy so the horses could graze. She knew how to untie the lashings on the wagon in order to get Lee under the tarp and onto the dry mattress from her bed. And she knew how to drive a wagon and get them home.

Lee was to the point of being almost delirious. When she got to the wagon, she covered him in more quilts, hoping it would stop his shivering. She forced him to drink some water and checked to be sure his chest pains and headache weren't worsening, and she was grateful that his nails and lips had lost a little of their blue color.

Then, immersed in the pain of seeing him this way, and terrified that she would lose him, she knelt down next to him in the wagon bed and touched her cool cheek to his blazing one.

"Lee Coulter," she said, tears beginning to fill her eyes. "If you leave me now, just as I've found you, I will never forgive you as long as I live." She moved over to kiss his lips, feeling the heat of them reach out into the air between them. A tear fell from her lashes and ran down his cheek.

"I have something else to tell you, though I don't know if you can hear it." She put her lips near his ear. "I love you. I know it's too soon, and I'm supposed to be a widow, and I did love Jack, but I didn't know you then. I didn't know I could feel this much..." Her voice broke and she began to cry softly. Lee's eyes were closed and his breathing sounded as if he was under water.

"Don't you leave me," Rosemary said forcefully through her teeth. "You said you weren't going anywhere. Don't you dare leave me."

---

Elizabeth watched as a rivulet of water snaked its way down the cabin window. It had been raining all day and the sky and the land outside held the same flat gray color. In a way, it matched her mood.

She missed Hope Valley with an intensity that she could hardly describe. If she'd had any question about where home was, having just been in Hamilton, it had been answered. She longed for the rattle of the wagons on the main street, for the smell of Abigail's cooking, for the sound of the children's laughter, for one of Rebecca's hugs, for Ned Yost's smile and Florence's raised eyebrow. And she missed holding Allie with a passion that was near to hunger. Reaching down, she placed her hands on her stomach, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that though this child would come from Nathan and be a part of her, he or she would have no more love than they had for Allie.

From the moment she'd first seen Allie in the saloon, on that day when so many terrible things had happened, she'd been drawn to the little girl in Nathan's arms. The little girl who loved her hat - her broken and battered hat, still beautiful in Allie's eyes. Just remembering that day as she watched the rain, Elizabeth felt tears start.

At four years old, Allie had been thrown across a crowded, terrifying street, into her uncle's strong arms, as her mother died. Elizabeth thought, How can the human spirit survive something like that and still see the world with wonder and joy the way Allie does? And as she watched the rivers of rain curl down the train window, Elizabeth made a promise. Whatever she had to do, she would be a mother to Allie. The best mother she could be.

Elizabeth heard the key turn in the lock and stood to help Nathan with the breakfast he was bringing from the Club Car. Clara was staying in her cabin as well, reading. The weather had made them all introspective, and the fact that they would arrive first thing tomorrow morning back in Hope Valley had them all wanting a quiet day in.

"Eggs, bacon, toast, orange juice and coffee," Nathan said, using his back to hold the door open as Elizabeth took the tray. She grimaced slightly at the smell of the bacon, and Nathan noticed. He quickly took the tray back after closing the door. "I'll eat your bacon," he said, reading her mind and kissing her on the cheek.

"I think we should wait to tell Allie," Elizabeth said, gingerly taking a sip of the orange juice.

Nathan frowned. "About the bacon?" he said.

Smiling at him, Elizabeth said, "No, about the baby."

"Oh," Nathan said, putting the tray down on the table after carefully navigating his way over the mattresses on the floor.

"I just think..." Elizabeth started, and then stopped. "Just in case..."

Nathan took one look at her and moved quickly over to the small couch where she had just sat down. He put his arms around her and wasn't surprised to feel her crying softly against his shoulder. "Oh, angel," he said softly, holding her close and stroking her hair gently.

"It feels so fragile," she said into the warmth of his neck, "And so important, and precious..."

Nathan exhaled softly. "I know." He pulled away and looked into her eyes, which were brimming over again. Smiling, he whispered, "And strong. Like us."

She couldn't help smiling back at him. "We are strong, aren't we?" she said, as Nathan pulled one of the linen napkins from the tray and dried her tears.

Nodding, he said, "Very."

"I want to adopt Allie right away," Elizabeth said suddenly.

Nathan was rapidly becoming accustomed to the quick changes of mood and subject that came with pregnancy. He narrowed his eyes slightly and sighed. "It's complicated, 'Lizbeth," he said. "Her father is still alive, even if we don't know where he is."

"Then we should find him. And ask him. We shouldn't wait for him to come to us. We should find him." Nathan watched as her sadness was replaced with resolve. He couldn't help smiling at her passion.

"Can we do it tomorrow, or does it have to be today?" he said, stifling the laugh that was starting.

Tilting her head and raising an eyebrow, Elizabeth said, "Tomorrow is fine. I just mean soon." She snuggled back down into his shoulder.

"Soon," Nathan said, gazing over her head and out of the rainy window to the expanse of land beyond.

The last thing he wanted to do was talk to Dylan Parks again, but Elizabeth was right. It was time.

---

CHAPTER 70

Rosemary had a problem. Well, she had many problems, but the most pressing was that she suspected that Lee had been driven off of the main road in the blinding wind and rain the night before.

She had naively expected that if she simply walked the horses in the direction the wagon was facing, she would get to Hope Valley eventually, and probably meet plenty of people along the way who could help.

As the day wore on, her panic level began to rise, because she hadn't seen another soul or another house since she'd set out.

She didn't even have a compass to know if she was headed in the right direction. But Jack had taught her how to read the sun, and thank goodness the sun had been very clearly in the sky. She'd watched it rise slowly, reach its apex and begin moving down behind her, and knowing that it generally rose in the east and set in the west, she had already chosen forks in the road that would lead her southeast toward home. She hoped.

But still, no one.

What was worrying her now as she felt the air begin to chill, was that the road seemed to be getting narrower. She remembered Jack saying that it was usually an indication that you were moving away from civilization rather than toward it.

Rosemary looked up at the sky. The sun was low behind her and she could sense just the faintest darkening of the horizon in front of her. Twilight was coming and she felt no closer to home, no more sure of herself, and infinitely more worried about spending a night in the wagon with Lee so ill.

It was time to give Lee more water, and Rosemary moved the reins gently to the right so the horses would stop at the side of the road rather than in the middle of it.

"Not that it matters," she said testily. "Not like we're going to be stopping traffic." She'd been talking to Lee, or more precisely, to herself, since she'd started out. She stopped often to force him to drink water, which he did seemingly without consciousness, though he managed to swallow. His fever had subsided a little, but she'd had to prop him up on her couch pillows to keep him from coughing. He hadn't spoken a coherent word since they'd left the cabin.

"I think we have to spend the night on this blasted road," she said, crawling over the bench and into the bed of the wagon. The mattress was large enough for both of them, and she still had the tarp pulled tight across the sides of the wagon just in case it started to rain again. If it did, she could simply lash it together and they could lie under it like a tent.

She was kicking herself that she hadn't brought the lantern that was sitting plain as day in the cabin window, but it had been brilliant sunshine when she'd left and it just hadn't crossed her mind.

"Here, drink," she said softly. She'd found that if she spooned a small amount between his lips, Lee would swallow.

Rosemary put her cool hand on his cheek. "I know you're in there somewhere..." she said, feeling the tears begin again. "And I'm sure this is what you need to get well, but I really wish I had you here to help me." Rosemary watched him breathing for a while, making sure he was getting enough air. His chest was still rising and falling precipitously, and she knew it wasn't easy for him, but he was alive, and she closed her eyes and thanked God for that.

"We're not going any further tonight," Rosemary said, looking up at the sky. She stood wearily and climbed down from the wagon, retrieving the rope she needed to picket the horses where the grass was plentiful by the trees. The rains had swelled a small creek that paralleled the road, and after unhitching them, she let them drink their fill and then tethered them to the line between two trees for the night.

By the time she climbed back up into the bed of the wagon with Lee, she was completely spent. She ate a few of the leftover graham crackers and some of the beef jerky from her bag, and drank some water.

And then, because she was so tired and she had been looking at a dusty and empty road all day, Rosemary simply stretched out beside Lee. She pulled the quilt over herself and tucked it up around his neck, pressing against his warm body. As she watched the sky turn yellow, then orange, then pink, and finally into a twilight blue, she talked to him. Told him stories of her life growing up, of her life in the theatre. She recited Shakespeare, especially her favorite role of all, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing.

"She loves Benedick. Of course she does," Rosemary said softly, smoothing Lee's hair gently from his forehead and sounding as if she was answering an unspoken question. "But they're both so stubborn and refuse to admit it, until finally she tells him, 'Love on, I will requite thee. Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand...'" Rosemary's arm rose up dramatically over the tarpaulin and into the star-filled sky as she finished the line with a flourish.

Sighing, she sat up and spooned more water between Lee's lips, now functioning in near-darkness. Before screwing the cap back on to the Mason jar, she took a long swallow herself.

"Maybe just a little sleep," she said to Lee, feeling every muscle in her body desperate for rest. She checked him one more time by holding her hand against his skin, on his forehead, his cheek, his neck and then down into the soft hairs of his chest. So intimate and so terrifying, this night. She pulled close to him and tried to will what little energy she had left into his body, to help it heal. And she prayed, more fervently than she ever had, for him to wake up, take her in his arms and tell her everything would be all right.

Finally, she kissed him softly on the lips and whispered, "I love you, Lee Coulter. You come back to me, and I promise you, I'll never let you go."

---

Charlotte narrowed her eyes at the lowering sun. She'd ridden the main road nearly to Cape Fullerton and had seen nothing of the wagon or Rosemary and Lee. Anyone she passed, she asked, and no one had seen them. But they'd all been aware of the weather out on the road the night before, and they'd said it was impossible to see in the driving wind and rain. Most of them had taken shelter until the morning.

So, that's what they did. They took shelter. But alongside the main road they would have been visible, and it didn't make sense for them to move further into the trees, so Charlotte had developed a hypothesis.

Impossible to see. Which meant it was likely they had taken the wrong road. So all the way back, she and Hickam, who had finally caught up with her, had been exploring the side roads and then meeting back on the main one. It was a tedious process, but Charlotte was a good tracker, and she'd quickly told Mike what he should look for, so she was confident they'd been thorough.

And now finally, they'd discovered a small cabin on a side road and had found ruts from a wagon and tracks from two horses. The mud had dried and left clues, but when Charlotte finally jumped down from her horse, she found all she needed. One pair of fuzzy pink slippers, caked in mud, sitting on top of a small pile of refuse by the side of a mailbox.

Charlotte smiled. Rosemary couldn't have left a clearer calling card.

In the light of the setting sun, Charlotte and Mike mounted their horses and headed back toward Hope Valley on the side road. It paralleled the main one with a distance of about a half a mile between.

"If they're on this road, and I reckon they are," Charlotte said to Hickam, "They might be home already."

---

Nathan touched the silver teardrop pendant lightly with his fingertip. It lay high on Elizabeth's chest and was catching the light of the moon that was finally visible after the rains.

"I'm glad you like this," he said softly.

"I don't like it," Elizabeth said, turning to him in the semi-darkness. She leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips. "I love it. I'm not sure I'll ever take it off."

Nathan smiled and reached up to move a curling tendril of hair away from Elizabeth's eyes. "And I think I'll always remember you in this light. Our very own moonlight..."

Elizabeth sighed. "It's been a wonderful honeymoon."

Nathan laughed softly. "Oh, this hasn't been our honeymoon, angel. This was a necessary trip to Hamilton to care for your very ill mother."

Grimacing, Elizabeth said, "Yes, well, I am sorry about that. But I warned you that it was probably more a matter of her missing me." She snuggled closer into his arms. "And it's been a lovely trip, no matter what we call it."

Wrapping her in his long arms, Nathan kissed the top of her head. "Where would you like to go on our honeymoon, then?"

Elizabeth answered quickly. "To our house on the meadow."

"The one we still have to build?" Nathan asked.

"I didn't say it was going to be an easy honeymoon," Elizabeth said, smiling.

For a moment they lay there in the moonlight, trying to memorize the movement of the train on the rails and the muted sound that rose up through the floor of the cabin, vibrating through their bones.

"Boy or girl?" Elizabeth said suddenly.

"Three of each," Nathan said, without missing a beat.

Elizabeth turned and looked at him with wide eyes and they both laughed.

"You think I'm kidding," Nathan said. He leaned down and kissed her, saying softly against her lips, "I'll take as many as you want to give me."

Snuggling back down again, Elizabeth said, "We'll take it one at a time and decide as we go. And considering I spend my days with nearly twenty children, it shouldn't be too much of an adjustment to have four or five little Grants running around."

She felt Nathan's chest rise suddenly and she turned again. "What?"

Elizabeth was surprised to see the beginnings of tears in his eyes, and Nathan looked as surprised as she did. "I don't know. A picture just popped into my head of children, our children, running around our new house." He took another deep breath. "I've never really been able to see it before, but... now I can," he said.

Propping herself up on her elbows, Elizabeth touched a tear with her finger, just as it left the corner of his eye. "I've never known a man like you," she said softly. "So strong, but tender. Fierce when you need to be, but just the thought of children, your children, can do this..." She kissed the spot just below his temple, where the small moist track ran into his dark hair. "I love that you feel this way..."

"I can only see it because of you," he said. "And I think I understand it now when people say that someone made their dreams come true. It's not just a saying, is it? It's literal. The things I've hoped for, dreamed of, are coming true with you."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "You said that you dreamed a lot in that bed of yours. The one we're going to be sharing when we get back?"

Nathan laughed. "Those were different dreams," he said, turning his head to avoid her eyes.

Elizabeth touched his cheek with her thumb. "You're blushing, Constable."

Turning back, Nathan pulled her to him tightly. "Never mind," he said, burying his face in her curls. Elizabeth circled his neck with her arms and laughed.

"I'll get your secrets out of you," she said.

"I don't doubt that for a minute," Nathan said, moving his mouth from her neck to her cheek before he finally found her lips.

---

Charlotte held the lantern up higher to illuminate the road in front of her. The moon was waning and there seemed to be some clouds gathering.

"Do you see that?" she said, never taking her eye off of the road ahead.

Mike squinted into the darkness, blinded by his own lantern. Then he saw it, the faint shape of a box, which slowly formed into a wagon. The wagon he'd driven himself, dozens of times. Lee's wagon.

"That's them," he said, spurring his horse on just as Charlotte did. He could see that the team was picketed just off the road. The tarp was still pulled tightly over Rosemary's belongings, causing irregular bumps and shadowed shapes in the faint light of the moon.

Charlotte reached the wagon first and pulled her horse up sharply. Holding her lantern high above what looked to be an opening in the tarpaulin, she blinked.

There in the bed of the wagon were Rosemary and Lee curled together. Lee was on his back and Rosemary on her side. One of her hands was tenderly cupping his cheek and her head was on his shoulder. They both looked to be sound asleep.

Mike pulled up next to her and raised his eyebrows. "Oh," was all he managed to say before Charlotte cleared her throat loudly and Rosemary started awake. Though Charlotte was focused solely on her daughter-in-law, Hickam noticed that Lee didn't move. At least not until he started coughing.

Rosemary looked wide-eyed at Charlotte, speechless.

"We'll discuss this later," Charlotte said, straining to be heard over Lee's coughing. Rosemary turned back and found one of the Mason jars, quickly opening it. She put her arm under Lee's neck and lifted him up, holding the jar to his mouth. He sputtered, but managed to get some of the water down his throat.

Mike was already untying the horses and bringing them round to be hitched.

Charlotte called out to him. "You drive the wagon with them in the back. I'll take your horse and wake up the doc. That's pneumonia, I'd bet on it. Meet us there."

Charlotte looked at Rosemary still holding Lee in the back of the wagon. Rosemary hadn't budged, and seemed to have a defiant look, though it may have been the shadows playing tricks.

"Not the time or the place," Charlotte said icily. "But there will be a time and place. Count on it." And with that, she rode away.

Rosemary exhaled. She looked down at Lee in her arms. His coughing had stopped and he was still very warm, but she thought there was a chance everything could be okay.

She cradled Lee's head and kissed the top of it. It was all worth it. Whatever music she had to face with Charlotte, it was worth it.

---

CHAPTER 71

There is a certain freedom in having your worst fears realized, Rosemary thought as she watched Charlotte ride away.

For the last three days, her time with Lee had been time she wouldn't have chosen to spend anywhere else. Even with him being so sick, and her day-long worry about finding their way home – she wouldn't have traded a minute of it.

As she lay in the wagon holding him and looking up at the stars while Hickam silently got under way to drive them back to Hope Valley, she wondered how she was going to enjoy what she was feeling in a very small town that expected her to be grieving - and it was a town that thought it knew about the grief of wives who had lost their husbands. In New York, she and Lee would be lost in the crowds; in Hope Valley, their every move would be scrutinized.

Rosemary understood that this new relationship would be difficult to explain to women who were still, a year later, unable to imagine themselves with another man. Here she was, a month later, already there. But they couldn't comprehend her relationship with Jack, and they probably wouldn't understand Rosemary's ability to compartmentalize her grief.

And really, how was Rosemary supposed to explain this immediate and irrevocable connection to Lee Coulter if she couldn't understand it herself?

From the moment they'd met. And she had no doubt that if Lee had come backstage that night in New York, it would have happened then. What came to mind was that overused word: soulmates.

What Rosemary could only say in her own head, and would never be able to utter aloud, was the answer to the question: if she had met Lee first, would she have married Jack? She knew that the answer was no.

Rosemary's happiness in life had been built on the bedrock of understanding the limitations of relationships; because relationships were with people, and people were flawed. Her mother, her father, and every man she'd ever known had disappointed her at some time or another. So to Rosemary, the fact that Jack was flawed wasn't a surprise; and because of that, she knew she had never given her heart fully to him.

But Lee – this was different. Looking over at him with nothing but the moon illuminating his face, Rosemary knew that if he didn't survive this, she would be mourning him for a very long, long time. In fact, she could hardly allow herself to think about it. She didn't expect to feel this way again in a lifetime.

"Oh, Lee," she whispered, placing her lips against his skin and holding them there just under his chin. "You keep fighting. Fight for us."

A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, and in the silence of the night, Rosemary finally faced something else she'd been avoiding all day. Maddie. She took a deep breath, knowing that she had to tiptoe into these thoughts. They were complicated and painful and something she could just barely admit to herself. But lying in the wagon with Lee under the stars, she opened herself up to them.

There was an awareness she'd had from the moment she'd felt she was pregnant, not only of a continuing connection to Jack, but of another small soul inside her. It was unmistakable. And now she put thoughts to what she'd been pushing away all day long. That feeling was gone. She'd allowed herself to think that it was because she was busy, and in charge, and worried – but in the quiet of the wagon next to Lee, Rosemary searched and found nothing.

In the long hours of the day driving the horses in the silence broken only by her own voice, Rosemary had tried not to think about why she felt so alone in her body. It was sooner than even a doctor could tell her that she was expecting, but she'd been so sure she was. And now, she felt an emptiness where Maddie used to be. And the ache in her abdomen was all too familiar; not hunger, not sickness, but a feeling she'd known every month since she was thirteen. She was afraid to look, because she knew what she would see. As always, Shakespeare had the words for it. Out, brief candle.

So as she lay next to Lee and looked up at God's creation above her, she let the tears flow.

Hickam turned back to her, hearing something. "Rosemary? You okay?" he said, his voice gentle.

She'd thought she was crying silently, but clearly she wasn't. "It's been a long day, Michael," she said softly. She had nothing at hand to wipe her eyes, so she buried her face into Lee's chest, soaking the shirt under his coat.

"I know," Hickam said softly. He turned his eyes back to the road, giving her some privacy. "We'll be home soon."

Home. Hope Valley. Rosemary took a shuddering breath and let the feeling wash over her. She knew that no matter what, there would be arms open in Hope Valley, ready to hold and comfort her. Elizabeth and Nathan, Abigail, Florence, Bill, Molly, Cat. And Lee. Always Lee.

Once her tears stopped, she looked up at the stars and tried to find Jack. She couldn't feel him either, and she wondered if he and Maddie were together. That finally made her smile, and it allowed her to feel the sense of deep relief that just moments before had seemed so wrong.

All things work together for good, she thought. She could now admit that it would have been complicated, though she was certain she and Lee would have loved Maddie with their whole hearts. Jack was gone and Rosemary had never been someone who lived in the past. Now there was nothing stretching before her but the future.

She pulled closer to Lee and closed her eyes as Hickam drove on into the night.

---

This time, Nathan wouldn't let Elizabeth help him pick up the mattresses and put them back into their places on the bunks.

She stood looking at him with her hands on her hips and her head tilted. "Is this the way it's going to be for another eight months? You not letting me lift a finger? I'm not an invalid, you know."

Nathan grunted as he put the top bunk mattress back. "No, but you're carrying my son and heir, and that deserves a little coddling."

Elizabeth laughed out loud. "Your son and heir?" she said, completely losing the stern look she'd been wearing moments ago.

Nathan looked at her and wiggled an eyebrow.

"Oh, good," she said, still laughing. "I was worried there for a minute. I've heard you never know how men will react to pregnancy."

After wrestling the second mattress to the bottom bunk, Nathan walked to her. "To tell you the truth, I'm still a little stunned by... this..." He placed his hand gently on Elizabeth's stomach. "Very happy. But stunned."

She smiled at him and reached her hand up to his cheek. "Oh, sweet Nathan. You're going to be such a good father. I see it every day with Allie."

Nathan pulled her close to him and held her for a moment. "It's still pretty mysterious. How does what's happening... in here... become a person...?"

Elizabeth laughed. "There are some books I can show you in the Library," she said, smiling and looking very much the teacher.

Nathan raised an eyebrow as his crooked smile started. "I think I have a handle on the basics," he said, leaning down to kiss her. Elizabeth closed her eyes with a soft sigh, overwhelmed by happiness. "I love you so much," she whispered against his lips.

"That's good, because I'm about to take you home with me," he said, nuzzling into the warmth of her neck.

Pulling away, Elizabeth gave him a slightly worried look. "Your mother has had the house to herself with Allie for a month. You know what they say about two women in a kitchen," she said, raising her eyebrows.

Nathan frowned. "What do they say?"

Elizabeth nodded solemnly. "Power struggle," she said simply.

Now Nathan looked a little more worried. "Over what? Where the wooden spoons go?"

"Yes. And if pots and pans should be dried right away or left in the rack. And if the butter goes on the table or in the icebox. And..."

Nathan put his fingers on her lips. "I get the picture. So, you're going to be the woman of the house, and Mom is going to need to change her ways?" He exhaled and turned to finish packing, laughing softly. "The words 'Mom' and 'change her ways' don't often get said in the same sentence."

Elizabeth laughed and went back to her own suitcase. "I'm teasing you. I love Rebecca. And she's been so wonderful caring for Allie for the last month. She can have the kitchen."

Nathan turned, "Really?"

"For now," Elizabeth said. "I've been sharing a kitchen with Abigail since I first arrived. I think I can manage."

Raising his eyebrow, Nathan mumbled as he folded a shirt. "You had your own kitchen for a night, as I recall..."

"What was that?" Elizabeth said, turning sharply and giving him a warning look. She walked over to him and peered around his shoulder. "Was that another reference to me burning down an entire building by lighting the stove in the kitchen?"

Nathan was glad to see that she was smiling. He felt that pregnant Elizabeth was going to be a challenge if she continued moving through emotions at lightning speed the way she had been lately.

She raised an eyebrow. "Smother, don't douse," she said firmly. "I don't plan on burning anything else down."

"I don't think you planned to burn the first one down..." Nathan said, and seeing the look in his wife's eye, he realized he might have gone one joke too far. He put his arms around her, afraid that he'd made her cry, until he realized that she was laughing.

"Now that you've met my mother," Elizabeth said, pulling away and looking up at him. "You can appreciate that she taught the three of us girls how to make a grand entrance so that we would be remembered. I would say I made quite a grand entrance into Hope Valley."

Nathan thought it was safe to laugh with her. "You did that." He kissed her again lightly and said. "Grace would be proud."

---

Rosemary had never been inside Lee's house, much less seen his bedroom. Now here she was in the early hours of the morning, standing in the corner of the room and watching as Martin Sommersby finished taking Lee's pulse and gently placed his bare arm back under the quilt. She was waiting breathlessly to hear what the doctor had to say.

Lee seemed to have passed through the chills and fever while he rode in the back of the wagon. Now he was pale and still as the cough syrup took effect, and his breathing wasn't as labored as it had been. He looked almost peaceful but his stillness unnerved Rosemary. She had never seen Lee like this, his smile gone, his eyes closed.

Martin turned to her. "You did very well, Rosemary. He's in the best condition we could hope for, considering the day you had."

Rosemary released a breath in relief, but Martin walked to her and took her hand. "But you need to know, he's not out of the woods yet. This is bacterial pneumonia, streptococcus. It's an acute infection of his lungs," he added, seeing Rosemary's blank stare.

"Will he..." She couldn't continue, her own throat constricting in fear.

Martin patted her hand. "We won't know for a couple of days, I'm afraid. And even then, it can take weeks before he'll be up and able to care for himself. Are you willing...?"

"Yes," Rosemary said quickly, "Whatever you need. Whatever Lee needs..." she said, looking around the doctor at Lee in the bed.

Mike Hickam was still standing in the doorway. He was so used to Lee giving him direction that he was having trouble knowing what to do.

Martin turned to him. "Mike, can you find some bottles in the kitchen and fill them with water? We'll need to keep him hydrated." Hickam was so grateful for something to do that he turned and was gone in an instant.

Looking back at Rosemary, Martin said quietly, "I understand you may be expecting?" he asked her. "You'll need to take care of yourself..."

Rosemary stopped him. "No. I was mistaken." She smiled sadly at him. "False alarm."

Martin frowned. "I'm very sorry. Well, in any case, remember that you need sleep too. Is there anyone else who can help you take care of him? I'll come visit every day, and if you need me I'm just down the road, but he won't be able to do for himself for quite some time."

Rosemary nodded. "I understand. And he won't need anyone else. I'm not leaving this room until he's well."

Martin was silent for a moment, taking in the situation. "I'll ask Abigail to bring you some food and look in on you." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Every time you give Lee some water, you drink some yourself. If you get sick you won't be able to take care of him. Remember that."

"I will. Thank you."

Hickam came back in with his arms full of four bottles filled with water. He placed them on the table and Martin turned to him. "One last favor, Mike. Can you help me bring the rollaway bed from the Infirmary?" Hickam looked up sharply, and then over at Rosemary. His eyes went soft and he smiled at her.

"Sure thing," he said, knowing that Lee would be in good hands.

"We'll be right back," Martin said.

Rosemary watched them go and then sat down next to Lee. Rest and plenty of water. And time. She poured a measure of water from the bottle into the cup and moved closer. Holding the cup to his lips, Rosemary put her arm under his neck and lifted him gently. "Just a small sip," she said softly, her voice tender. Lee's involuntary response allowed him to swallow a little, and as usual, the rest dripped down his chin. Rosemary reached over for the towel on the side table and carefully wiped the water away.

So pale. So still. She ran her finger across his lips lightly. No longer with the blue tinge from earlier in the day, which meant he was getting the oxygen he needed. And his cough had stopped, finally overtaken by the morphine in the cough syrup.

She couldn't help herself. All the terror and worry of the day enveloped her, and she needed comfort. She leaned down and touched her lips lightly to his. They were no longer burning but were now soft and cool, and for just a moment, Rosemary remembered...

"Stop that."

Rosemary turned to see Charlotte, dark and imposing, in the doorway. Jumping back quickly, Rosemary found herself facing a look blacker than any she'd seen in a long time, and that included some of the great actors she'd worked with.

"Charlotte," she said, her voice sounding tiny and thin.

Narrowing her eyes, Charlotte said, "Come with me."

Rosemary looked back at Lee, her eyes stricken. "I need to..."

"He won't die in the next ten minutes," Charlotte said harshly. To Rosemary's horrified look, she added, more softly, "I just saw the doc. He needs rest and care, but you can step out to the living room with me for a short chat."

Nodding, Rosemary stood. She tried in vain to smooth her clothes and realized that she had put this dress on yesterday morning, and she was filthy and wrinkled from the long day on the road. She followed Charlotte out through the hall and into Lee's living room. For the first time, she saw the room clearly, with its deep wood and leather, warm plaid throws of dark greens and browns. It was a living room she could happily settle into and read a book.

Or take a nap. Until this moment, Rosemary hadn't allowed herself to think about how very tired she was. Exhausted, really. And now, facing the daunting prospect of Charlotte and the conversation they were surely about to have, Rosemary sat clumsily into what looked like Lee's favorite chair. Her mother-in-law chose to remain standing.

"Charlotte," Rosemary started wearily. "I'm so tired. I'm not sure I can do this right now."

"Fine," Charlotte said crisply. "I'll take you home then, and we can talk when you're rested." She put out her hand, meaning to take Rosemary by the arm.

Rosemary took a deep breath and set her jaw. "I'm staying here until Lee is better," she said, as firmly as her limited energy would allow.

Charlotte narrowed her eyes slightly. "I'm sure there are others who can..."

"No," Rosemary said, more forcefully. "No others. Me. I'm going to care for him."

"And is that what you were doing in there? And in the wagon? Caring for him?" Charlotte said, a slight nastiness creeping into her voice. She put her hands on her hips. "How long has my boy been in the ground, Rosie? A little more than a month? And here you are..." Charlotte stopped, realizing that very soon she would lose complete control of her temper. She took a deep breath and calmed herself.

"What you do with your life is up to you. But what you do with my grandson is another thing entirely. I have a say in that." Charlotte stood while Rosemary simply looked at her with eyes filling with tears. Finally, with great effort, Rosemary stood.

"Charlotte, I'm so sorry. I should have kept it to myself until I was more sure, but..." She took a deep breath. "It turns out I'm not pregnant."

Charlotte looked like she had taken a blow to the stomach. She heard the truth in what Rosemary was saying and it was like she'd lost Jack all over again. "You're not...?" she started to say, and then stopped herself. Rosemary saw Charlotte's chest rising and falling quickly and she was backing away when Mike and Martin came through the front door with the bed.

"You want to sleep in Lee's room with him, or in the hallway, Rosemary?" Martin asked, catching his breath.

Charlotte turned to steel and her voice matched her stance. "Oh, by all means, in the room with Lee, gentlemen." She turned to Rosemary. "Elizabeth will be back in a few hours. I'll be on a train home today." She put her hat on her head firmly and said. "I'm sure we'll see each other again. Considering you had my son buried here."

With that, she moved past an open-mouthed Hickam and went through the door.

Rosemary watched her go wearily, but as the door slammed behind her, she felt a sense of relief. That's done. Not done very well, but done.

"In the bedroom, please," she said to Martin. "As close to Lee as possible."

---

CHAPTER 72

Elizabeth pulled the curtains back to let in the early morning sun. She, Nathan and Clara were fully dressed in their traveling clothes, bags packed and ready to step off the train, finally, in Benson Hills. From there, they'd arranged to have Hickam pick them up in the wagon, along with Rebecca and Allie. Abigail had wanted to come, but the café was now getting so busy that she couldn't pull away for the day.

Clara had begged Elizabeth and Nathan to give her some time before they told Abigail that she was Peter's wife. Elizabeth had agreed, as long as they all sat down together soon, so that she didn't feel she was keeping this from Abigail. But she knew it wasn't her story to tell.

A month away from Hope Valley. And again, Elizabeth marveled at the changing nature of the word home. Hamilton had been home for her whole life, but she knew that had changed. She knew that four days ago she had left Hamilton to come home, and home was now a tiny town in Alberta.

Elizabeth looked over at Nathan, his face illuminated by the just-risen sun. The light made his eyes almost translucent in their blueness, and her heart filled with him. Intelligent, steadfast, loving Nathan. She reached over and took his hand in hers and he turned to her and smiled, tilting his head a little in a question.

"Just because I love you," she whispered. His crooked smile widened and he pulled her hand gently up to his lips, holding it there. Then they both turned and looked again as the farms transitioned to city buildings outside the window.

"I'm nervous," Clara said suddenly.

Nathan and Elizabeth turned to her. "It's a wonderful town, Clara," Nathan said softly. He nodded and smiled. "You're going to love living there."

---

Abigail sat quietly, knowing how much she had to do, but wanting to give Rosemary just a little more sleep. Bill had kindly taken over the duties of scone-making this morning and she was grateful to him for it. She reached out and lifted a corner of the napkin that was over the breakfast she'd brought for Rosemary. She knew that the eggs were cold by now, and it was okay. Rosemary needed sleep more than food.

Abigail already knew the entire story. She'd heard it at top volume while Charlotte had packed her bags, and she'd already worked it through her own filter to find the truth somewhere in the middle. Rosemary wasn't pregnant, though Abigail doubted it had been some sort of "dramatic hallucination" as Charlotte had termed it. And what had gone on between Rosemary and Lee on their trip out of town was something that hadn't taken Abigail as much by surprise as it had Charlotte.

Abigail had seen the way they looked at each other from the very beginning. And she knew better than anyone how much time Lee spent in the café just hoping to see Rosemary. When word of Jack's death had reached Hope Valley, Lee was the one holding Rosemary up. Always there, never pushing, but to Abigail it was clear that he was falling in love, if he hadn't fallen already.

Obviously this trip had allowed Rosemary to see what Abigail had seen; that she was falling in love with him too. Abigail's mixed feelings about how quickly it had happened didn't mitigate her happiness for Rosemary. If anyone knew that people ultimately weren't meant to travel through life alone, it was Abigail.

And who am I to talk? Abigail thought, smiling. It seemed from the moment she'd seen Bill Avery chopping wood outside the café window on Christmas day, he hadn't been far from her thoughts. And she doubted that he'd suddenly developed an interest in cooking for crowds, as his constant presence around her kitchen seemed to indicate.

Abigail took a deep breath and looked down at her empty cup, wishing she had more tea. The cup she'd brought for Rosemary was cold, and though she knew she could rummage around Lee's kitchen, she didn't want to assume...

She heard a soft noise at the door and looked up. Miraculously, Bill was standing in the doorway with a steaming cup of tea in his hands. She smiled, wondering if she'd dreamed him into being, when he crooked his finger, asking her into the hall.

"How did you know?" she whispered, as she joined him outside the door.

Bill shrugged. "I was pouring myself a second cup of coffee, and... just figured," he said, handing it to her.

Abigail took a long sip and closed her eyes. "Perfect," she said softly. "Thank you."

They stood for a long moment just looking at each other, an occurrence that was happening more and more often. Finally, Bill tilted his head toward the bedroom. "How're they doing?"

"Rosemary is still asleep. Obviously exhausted. And Lee's breathing seems to be better than it was before Martin gave him another dose of cough syrup a couple of hours ago." Abigail took a second sip of tea, not caring that they were still standing in the hallway while she did it. She looked at Bill over the rim of the cup. "How are the scones?" she asked, smiling.

"Cooling," Bill said, peeking once more into the bedroom and motioning for her to follow him into the living room. "Hickam left with Charlotte an hour ago." Bill laughed softly. "That woman does have a salty mouth on her. Rebecca had her hands firmly glued over Allie's ears."

Abigail sat down on the sofa and Bill joined her, continuing, "I can see why she's so upset, about the baby and all. I understand that was all she had left of Jack. But this idea that women should put themselves in the grave along with their husbands has never been one that sits well with me..." Bill stopped himself and looked at Abigail on a sharp intake of breath. "Sorry..." he said, his voice trailing off.

Before she knew she was doing it, Abigail reached her hand out and placed it on his. "Don't be," she said, shaking her head. "You're right. Rosemary is a young woman. It's not what Jack would have wanted for her..."

They both looked down at her hand on top of his. When the moment had stretched too far for it to be simply a casual gesture, Bill looked up and said softly, "And what would Noah have wanted for you?"

Abigail felt her heart speed and she could sense the color come into her cheeks. Bill saw it and placed his other hand over hers, waiting for her answer.

"He would want me to be happy," Abigail finally managed to say. She was surprised at the clarity she suddenly felt, and how very true that statement was.

Bill searched her eyes and then smiled as he saw what he was looking for. "I'm probably a pretty lousy risk, you know that, right? This is the longest I've been in one place for quite a while."

Abigail smiled and raised an eyebrow. "And that says something, doesn't it?"

Laughing softly, Bill said, "Yes, I guess it does."

For a moment, Abigail thought he might lean over and kiss her. The thought brought on an attack of nerves that she couldn't remember feeling since she was a young girl at the beginning of a whirlwind courtship with Noah Stanton. She didn't know she could still feel this way, and as she was contemplating that fact, she saw Bill's eyes change, and he lifted her hand up to his lips, touching it lightly.

We're not children, she thought, looking back at him. He's had his life and I've had mine and we both bring angels and demons with us. Then Bill smiled at her, and she simply took a deep breath and smiled back.

"For another time," he said gently.

They both heard a noise in the hallway and turned.

"He's awake," Rosemary said, breathlessly. She smiled brightly through her weariness. "He's hungry!" she said, laughing.

Abigail looked at Bill. "Well, I think we can do something about that," she said, standing and making her way toward the door.

---

They only had about ten minutes before they were scheduled to pull into the Benson Hills Depot. Clara stood, saying, "I have a few more things to pull together. I'll meet you in the hallway once we're stopped?"

Nathan and Elizabeth nodded at the same time, never taking their eyes off of the view outside the window. Clara let herself out, smiling.

Putting his arm around Elizabeth's shoulder, Nathan said, "I'm going to miss this little room."

Elizabeth put her head on his shoulder and sighed. "So am I." She smiled and said, "Maybe we can sleep on the floor once in a while. Just to remember." She turned to him and she was so beautiful in the morning sun that Nathan had to take a breath. The tips of her eyelashes looked as if they had tiny stars on them, and the flecks of gold in her eyes were like sparks dancing in a fire. He leaned down to kiss her, and she closed her eyes in anticipation, lifting her chin.

Nathan stopped midway just to look at her in wonder. His Elizabeth. His wife. The mother of his child. His everything.

"I love you, 'Lizbeth," he whispered, just before his lips touched hers. She responded by parting her lips as the tiniest of sounds escaped, just before she put her arms around his neck and pulled him more firmly toward her.

They could both feel the train slowing as their passion rose, remembering nights together in this room, the moonlight making patterns on their bare skin. They felt the wonder of all they had first discovered while moving through the darkness of night on the train; and how their exploration had brought them to an understanding of each other and of their love that would stay with them forever.

This room, and another just like it, had seen Elizabeth and Nathan become irrevocably bound to each other through the sharing of this mystery, through trust and discovery. It wasn't all there was to a marriage, certainly, but they both knew how good it could be, how well they fit together, and that no matter what trials their future might hold, this wouldn't be one of them.

And both of them wanted, so much, just one more time, to pull the mattresses back down onto the floor, to lock the cabin door, and to hold each other again, stretched out in the moonlight.

"Benson Hills in five minutes!" A knock on the door pulled them back to reality, and Elizabeth caught her breath with her forehead resting on Nathan's shoulder. She felt Nathan laugh softly as he stroked her hair and willed himself back from the edge.

"Oh, we are definitely taking another train trip," he said, breathing in the lavender scent of her hair. "Seattle to Chicago, then on to Boston. I've heard it's slow and has so many stops that it takes forever."

Elizabeth laughed too. "That sounds absolutely perfect..."

---

Allie had her rose petals clutched so tightly in her hands that some of them had turned practically to dust. Rebecca watched her granddaughter's intelligent eyes rapidly scan the windows of the train as they flew by and finally slowed to a stop. The sound of the steam escaping was deafening and the screech of the wheels on the rails made Allie put her rose-filled fists up to her ears and laugh out loud.

Rebecca laughed too. This month with Allie had been exactly what she'd needed, and it was just an added benefit that it had helped Nathan and Elizabeth. Rebecca knew that she had to get back to the ranch, but she also knew that she had been eyeing the small houses at the edge of town and had imagined watching Allie, and any other little Grants that might come along, as they grew like weeds in their wonderful town. She knew that there would be a part of her that would always associate Airdrie with Archie and Colleen, and that came with good and bad memories. Right now, she wasn't ready to let go of the good, but one of these days she might be prepared to sign the ranch over to Charlie and join the only family she had left, peaceful in the shade of the mountains behind Hope Valley.

"Remember, they probably won't be the first ones off, Alliebeck," Rebecca said, once the noise had died down somewhat. "We'll need to watch for them. Let's see who can see them first, okay?"

Allie liked games and she really liked to win. If anything, her focus increased on the sets of small stairs that were beginning to fill with people exiting the train. Her eyes darted back and forth between doors until finally, gloriously, she shouted, "THERE! Gramma there, there!" She was pointing her little finger so hard that she was practically shaking as Rebecca saw Nathan exit first and then put a hand out to help Elizabeth down the stairs.

Rebecca watched as Nathan did the same for a young woman who followed Elizabeth out of the car. At first, Rebecca thought that he was simply helping a fellow passenger, but when the three of them stood together and gathered up their things, she realized that they were together.

Rebecca walked toward them with Allie trying to wriggle out of her arms until finally she was close enough and she set her down on the platform. Allie ran the few feet necessary and threw the rose dust that was left in her fists before she jumped into Nathan's open arms.

Standing for a moment and watching, Rebecca felt tears stinging her eyes. When the people you love also love each other with this kind of depth and totality, there didn't seem to be anything else to do but to cry.

Elizabeth walked toward her, letting Nathan and Allie have their moment, and she put her arms around Rebecca.

"We missed you," Elizabeth said, meaning it completely. "It's so good to be home."

She pulled away and saw the tears in Rebecca's eyes and then followed her gaze to Nathan and Allie. Elizabeth laughed softly, "Those two love each other so much. It's completely obvious to anyone around them."

Rebecca stayed silent but pulled Elizabeth closer. "You all love each other. Nothing more beautiful to these old eyes than that."

Clara was standing a respectful distance away, trying to let everyone have their homecoming. Elizabeth reached out and took her hand, bringing her closer. "Rebecca, this is Clara... Weller," she said, nodding. "We met her on the train, and she's going to make Hope Valley her home."

Rebecca laughed. "Making converts everywhere you go," she said, squeezing Elizabeth. Clara reached her hand out to shake Rebecca's and was immediately pulled into a hug. "Young lady, you're going to need to learn how to say a proper hello if you expect to live in Hope Valley."

Clara nearly lost her hat in the embrace that followed, but she had to admit it had been a long time since she'd been hugged to within an inch of her life, and she very much liked it.

Her eyes traveled beyond Rebecca's shoulder toward a young man sitting in a wagon just in front of the trees. He was the same man she'd seen on this very platform a month ago, the good-looking one that she'd been gazing at when he'd turned and looked back at her.

And now he did it again.

Again, Clara blushed, and this time she was sure he could see it. His mouth moved slowly into a wide smile, kind and warm.

What are the chances, Clara thought, until she realized that this young man had dropped off Nathan and Elizabeth when they'd first boarded the train. Which made it very likely that the wagon she was looking at was the one that would take her to Hope Valley.

Clara smiled because she couldn't help herself. She thought this might be brazen, openly smiling at a stranger in a wagon. But he kept smiling back, and Clara suddenly had the feeling that she and that handsome young man were going to be good friends.

---

CHAPTER 73

It had been far too long since Nathan had held wagon reins in his hands, and Hickam didn't have a chance at them before Nathan jumped up onto the driver's seat and motioned for Elizabeth to join him. Allie had been glued to Nathan's side since the moment they'd stepped off of the train, so she sat between him and Elizabeth, alternating laps when she got restless.

That left Rebecca, Hickam and Clara in the back with the trunks, and not surprisingly, Rebecca was using the time to find out as much as she could about Hope Valley's newest resident. Mike mostly sat back and listened, but his gaze told Clara that he was completely engaged with the conversation.

"My goodness, so you went from Cape Fullerton to Hamilton and now all the way back here," Rebecca said. "That was a piece of luck that you ran into Nathan and Elizabeth, wasn't it?"

Rebecca didn't miss much, and that fact was becoming increasingly evident to Clara. Nathan's mother had a way of narrowing her eyes slightly when her skepticism crept in, and as the conversation continued, Clara became more and more uncomfortable with beginning a relationship in a new town on the basis of a lie. She hadn't yet told a falsehood, but she knew she was being very sparing with the truth.

Clara had debated whether to take off her wedding rings, but as she tried to imagine herself meeting Abigail for the first time, she wanted to be wearing them. Now, talking to Rebecca, she was aware that the older woman was looking at her hand.

"He died," Clara said suddenly, looking down and turning her rings self-consciously on her finger.

Rebecca frowned and reached forward to put her strong, warm hand over Clara's. "I'm sorry. How long ago?"

"July of last year," Clara said quickly. Then before she could stop herself, she said, "In a mining accident." She blinked a few times and realized that she wanted to tell the story. These were good, kind people, and it wasn't a dirty secret she had to keep. So she swallowed and said, "In Coal Valley."

Mike was sitting across from her, and for the first time she saw him react. His mouth opened in a silent gasp and then closed again as he studied her. It wasn't a look of recrimination, but one of sympathy. Clara got the feeling that Michael Hickam had seen more of women's grief than he'd ever expected to. His eyes were soft and she thought she saw the hazel color turn warmly to green as he listened.

Clara realized that they were both keeping silent in order to give her a chance to find the right words. And find them, she did, as they all spilled out. It was the same catharsis she'd felt when she'd told Nathan and Elizabeth; the freedom of telling the truth. It was something she and Peter had never had the chance to do, and now she felt almost as if she was doing it for both of them.

"I know Peter led me to Nathan and Elizabeth. I feel it so strongly," Clara said, finishing her story and leaning back against the wagon bench. She exhaled deeply and realized that Rebecca was holding both of her hands in her own. She felt the power there; the strength from a woman who had lived through her own grief and pain and had come out the other side.

"So Abigail has no idea?" Rebecca finally said softly.

Clara simply shook her head and she felt tears begin behind her eyes. Rebecca saw them and pulled out a handkerchief from her sleeve. It was surprisingly ruffled with lace for a woman as homespun as Rebecca, and it smelled of something sweet from the kitchen, like vanilla and honey.

Dabbing her eyes, Clara said, "I'm so afraid she'll be angry with us for not telling her. Peter wanted to make something of himself, to make his parents proud..."

Rebecca squeezed Clara's hand gently. "Honey, you have no idea how much time I've spent talking with Abigail Stanton." Clara's eyes went wide and she took a deep breath. She realized that she probably should have determined who she was speaking to before she'd bared her soul this way, but it had just... come out.

"Oh," Clara said softly. "You're a friend of Mrs. Stanton's..."

Rebecca laughed, full-throated and infectious. "In Hope Valley, friendship is pretty hard to escape." She nodded. "Yes, I'm Abigail's friend. And I would be very surprised if she doesn't welcome you with open arms." Leaning forward so that she could speak a little softer, just in case Nathan could hear, Rebecca said, "I've lost a child, Clara. Any part of my daughter that I could have back this very minute, I would take. Any story, any word, any bit of laughter that was new to me, I would hold like a treasure. You have stories of Peter that Abigail has never heard. You will be a gift to her from God, sweet girl."

The relief that coursed through Clara opened the floodgates, and she fell forward into Rebecca's arms, sobbing. She hadn't realized how afraid she'd been.

Watching and listening, Mike Hickam had felt himself drawn further and further into the memories of the suffering he had seen on the widows' faces for the past six months. Mike was a person who got things done. This had been something he couldn't solve, couldn't fix, couldn't rebuild – and the helplessness he'd felt suddenly overwhelmed him.

Before he knew it, he'd reached his hand out and placed it on Clara's shoulder as she cried in Rebecca's arms. In wonder, he felt a warmth slowly moving from his hand and up his arm, and it made its way slowly, inexorably, to his heart.

---

It was only a spoonful or two of soup and a piece of toast, but Rosemary felt as elated as if she had watched Lee eat a five-course meal at Delmonico's. She was talking to him the entire time she was spooning the soup into his mouth and offering him the toast for bites.

"I gave them the recipe for their famous biscuits at Delmonico's. They're still using it. And they call them their Rosemary biscuits, although most people think they're named for the herb..."

Lee's voice was low and thready, but his eyes were losing their dullness as he looked at her.

"Thank you, Rosie," he said, barely above a whisper.

Rosemary felt tears spring to her eyes as she leaned down and pressed her cheek against his and whispered, "I was so afraid I was going to lose you."

She felt his mouth move into a weak smile. "Not that easy... to get rid of..." The effort of speech caused him to cough, a deep wracking cough that the doctor had said was a good sign that Lee's lungs were clearing. Rosemary adjusted the pillows so that he could sit up a little, and Lee simply looked at her, his eyes softening as she gave him another dose of the cough syrup.

This time he whispered, not wanting the cough to start up again. "In the wagon...I had dreams..." he said, his eyes beginning to close again. "You said... you love me..."

Rosemary broke into a smile so beatific that the corners of Lee's mouth turned up as well. She leaned down and touched her lips to his. "It wasn't a dream." She put her warm hands on the sides of his face. "I do love you, Lee Coulter."

Lee managed a soft laugh, and though he wanted so much to look at her, he couldn't keep his eyes open. "That's good... good...because I... love you, too..." Rosemary could hardly hear the last words, but they made their way into her heart so completely that she found herself having a little trouble breathing too.

She'd already known it; that this feeling was real and mutual. She'd felt it when he'd kissed her in the shadows of the buildings. She'd even seen it as they'd talked over dinner and walked along the water in Cape Fullerton. But now, here by his bedside, after having almost lost Lee, Rosemary was filled with a feeling so absolute that she suddenly knew she'd never actually been in love before.

What she'd had with Jack moved into a place in her heart she now understood was born of years of deep friendship, of knowing each other so well that it felt like love. But this – she thought, as Lee fell back into sleep, still with a smile on his face, God love him - this was so much more.

Rosemary put the soup aside. She wiped the corners of his mouth and leaned in closer.

"Yes, you sleep. That's the best medicine. And when you wake up, I'll be right here."

From the doorway, Abigail couldn't hear what they were saying to each other, but she needed only to see them to know that what had happened on this trip to Cape Fullerton had been profound. She quietly stepped into the room, putting her hands on Rosemary's shoulders. They watched Lee for a moment, his face peaceful in sleep. Abigail squeezed Rosemary gently. "He'll sleep for a while now. I'll stay here with him and you go back with Bill and have a nice warm bath and get changed. There's stew on the back of the stove, and you should have some of that. You need to keep your strength up so that you can be here for Lee."

Rosemary turned and looked up at Abigail. "You're not angry with me?" she said, softly. She stood and faced Abigail, who put her arms around Rosemary and gave her a warm hug.

"Why would I be angry with you?" Abigail said, almost whispering. She took Rosemary's arm and led her out into the hall.

"Because... Lee..." Rosemary said.

Abigail laughed softly, leaning against the wall. "I don't have any right to be angry with you about how you live your life, Rosemary." She cupped her cheek with a warm hand. "Lee is a good man. And I'm not surprised. I've seen the two of you together."

Rosemary frowned. "But so soon..."

Raising an eyebrow, Abigail said gently, "There's no timetable for love. It happens when it happens. And people aren't meant to be alone."

Looking back at her, Rosemary finally smiled. "Not even you?"

Pulling Rosemary into a hug, Abigail laughed again. "No. Not even me."

---

Elizabeth's first view of Nathan's bedroom, now their bedroom, made her smile. Of course, Rebecca had spent the last month sleeping in here, but it was clear that any changes she had made had been put back to rights, because it was unmistakably a man's bedroom.

Setting down her small bag and taking off her coat, Elizabeth walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, feeling strangely as if she was trespassing, but fascinated to get this solitary look at Nathan's private space. He and Allie were across the hall, as the little girl excitedly took him on a tour through her dolls, telling him everything that had happened while they'd been gone.

The room was indeed turnip-colored, and Elizabeth had to smile again thinking of Nathan living in the opulence of the Aubergine Bedroom with all its velvet and brocade, deep mahogany, and curtain tassels. This room had a dear simplicity to it, with an oak table and a handcrafted cedar chest of drawers that still lent its sweet woody aroma to the room.

On the side tables on either side of the large bed were books piled on top of each other, and Elizabeth couldn't help moving them slightly to read their covers. Zane Grey's Wild Fire, Tom Sawyer, The Secret Garden, Heart of Darkness, a volume of Shakespeare's sonnets and another of Twain's essays, and a book on medicinal plants. Elizabeth stood and went to the window. It needed curtains, and she was already taking a measure in her mind of the fabric she would need. Looking out, it reminded her of the view from her upstairs window at Abigail's, where she had stayed when she'd first arrived in Coal Valley. The same view of the meadow, simply from further down.

How far she'd come since those dark days. The handsome Mountie she'd been unable to banish from her mind for any length of time was now her husband. Elizabeth put her hand on her abdomen. And I'm carrying his child.

A wave of love passed through her that was so profound she needed to hold onto the windowsill for balance. She'd had no idea what was in store for her as she'd awakened so long ago in that bedroom after burning down the teacherage. It's always darkest before the dawn.

Strong arms came around her waist from behind and Elizabeth realized she hadn't heard Nathan come into the room. "You'll probably want curtains in here," he said softly, nuzzling her ear. "This is our bedroom now, so do whatever you want with it." He let his lips trail across her neck, causing her to shiver happily.

Closing her eyes, she said, "I was thinking eggplant..."

Nathan laughed, his warm breath tickling her skin. "Whatever you want. As long as you're in this bedroom with me, I don't care what it looks like." He turned her around gently until his lips could find hers, and Elizabeth let go completely into his kiss. Allie and Rebecca were just in the other room, singing songs, and Clara was downstairs with Hickam, trying to decide if she was ready to go to Abigail's right away.

Elizabeth leaned back against the window, feeling the coolness of the pane reach her skin through her cotton blouse. Nathan's hands were on her waist as he pressed closer, and she threaded her fingers through the soft curls at his neck. Their breath was coming faster, hearts beating in tandem, both wanting what came next, but knowing it would have to wait until tonight. Until they could walk up the stairs together, close the door, and find their way in this new room that belonged to both of them now.

Nathan moved his lips from hers with a sound of mild frustration, "This," he said, his voice rough and low.

Elizabeth turned her head on his chest so that she could hear his heartbeat strong and solid in her ear. "This... what?" she whispered, catching her breath.

"This is what I dreamed about in this room," he said, his voice muffled by her curls.

Elizabeth laughed softly and turned her face up to look at him. She raised an eyebrow and whispered, "Only this?"

Nathan looked at her flushed cheeks and took a deep breath. "No. Not only this..." And in an instant his lips were on hers again, his hands moving through her hair and pulling her closer. "More than this..." And Elizabeth had a fleeting thought that Nathan might just close the door and take her to the bed, no matter who was in the house. And she didn't think she would object...

"Kisses!"

The tiny arms came around their legs and Nathan and Elizabeth laughed as they held each other breathlessly, each reaching down at the same time to pull Allie up between them.

"You're married!" Allie said joyfully. "I threw the flowers." She put her arms around Elizabeth's neck. "You live here now."

Elizabeth hugged her tightly and looked into Nathan's eyes, their mountain lake blue almost translucent. "I do live here now. And I'm very happy about that, Allie."

"Mrs. Grant in school now," Allie said, snuggling into her shoulder. "My mom at home."

Elizabeth's eyes went wide at the same time they filled with tears. She knew she couldn't speak, so as Nathan smiled and pulled them both into his arms, she simply hugged Allie tighter.

---

CHAPTER 74

Clara stopped suddenly. Elizabeth turned and looked at her and realized she was staring up at the green Abigail's sign on the café.

"What if she doesn't like me?" Clara said, her voice sounding small to her own ears.

Elizabeth smiled and took her arm. "I am sure this feels very frightening to you, Clara. But once you meet her, you'll realize there was nothing to be afraid of."

"If she doesn't like me, I can't stay here, Elizabeth. You said it was a small town, but I'm not sure I knew how very small it is. If she's angry, or if I remind her of Peter and it makes her unhappy..." Clara's voice trailed off, and then she looked down at the dirt under her shoes. "I won't be able to stay..." She looked up and into Elizabeth's eyes. "And I already like it here so much..."

They were across the street from the café and Elizabeth was looking toward the Mercantile. She smiled at Clara with the understanding that none of this would be a mystery for very long.

"Elizabeth!" Abigail called out, grinning. "I was just coming to see you! We've missed you both...!" In her excitement, Abigail moved past Clara and hugged Elizabeth enthusiastically. Then she turned to Clara and smiled. "Hello. Are you visiting Hope Valley?" She turned to Elizabeth, now understanding that Clara was with her.

Abigail put out her hand to shake Clara's. "Abigail Stanton," she said kindly with a smile.

Elizabeth could see Clara's chest rise and fall quickly as she struggled to catch her breath. She put out her hand, which was visibly shaking. "Clara," she said softly. Then Elizabeth saw her steel her courage and say, "Clara... Stanton."

Abigail's eyebrows shot up and she laughed. "Well, that's a coincidence!" she said, looking at Elizabeth. Then she tilted her head as she realized that neither of the women in front of her was laughing. In fact, Elizabeth was looking at her as she might look at her students when they were trying to solve a particularly difficult math problem.

Looking back at Clara, Abigail's brow furrowed. "Are we... related?" she said, her face kind and open.

Clara took a deep breath. "Y-yes," she said simply.

Elizabeth realized this was not something that should be discussed in the middle of the street. "Maybe we can go into the café? Talk in there?" She took Abigail's arm on one side and Clara's on the other. Turning to Abigail, Elizabeth said, "We met Clara on the train going out to Hamilton. She stayed with us at the house for most of the month we were there." Squeezing Clara's arm to give her courage, Elizabeth said, "We've become very good friends."

Abigail was craning her neck around to look at Clara, while still keeping an eye on the steps up to the boardwalk. "Have we ever met, Clara? I'm sorry if I don't remember you."

Elizabeth opened the door and Abigail walked through. As Clara passed by her, she said softly, "Do you want me to stay?"

Clara's eyes went wide and she said fervently, "Oh, yes, please don't go."

It was still early. Abigail had finished making the baked goods for the day, and the aroma of ham baking in the oven was so fragrant that Clara almost thought she could taste the brown sugar and cloves. They walked through the empty café and back through the curtains where Clara could see there was a lovely sitting room, warmed by the cooking that was going on in the kitchen.

Clara smiled, even through her nervousness, at a tall man with blonde hair with a holster and gun at his hip, wearing a white apron and basting three glistening plump hams on the stove top. He turned and grinned widely at Elizabeth.

"Heard you were back!" he said happily, putting down the spoon and enveloping Elizabeth into a warm hug. Then he raised an eyebrow. "Guess that means I'm gonna lose my desk at the Mountie office." He gave both Abigail and Elizabeth a sly smile. "I'm not gonna make it easy on him, though."

Elizabeth laughed. "And he wouldn't expect you to." She turned to Clara and said, "Bill, this is Clara..." stopping herself before saying her last name, knowing that Bill would question Clara mercilessly if he knew. "We met her on the train." As it was, Bill was narrowing his eyes at Clara with a smile.

"Bringing home strays now, Elizabeth?" Clara raised her eyebrows, unsure whether it was a joke or a serious question.

Abigail took her arm kindly. "Bill! Mind your manners." She turned to Clara and said, "Don't listen to him. He's always cranky in the morning." She led Clara over to the sofa and turned back to Bill, giving him a warning look. "Actually, all day long, some days."

Bill huffed and made a face. "No offense intended, Clara."

Clara finally smiled and said, "None taken." She felt as if she had walked right into the middle of a complicated family and was already being treated like a member of it. She had to admit it felt very good.

Depositing Clara on the sofa, Abigail said, "Would you like some coffee? Tea? Are you hungry?"

She's so wonderful, Clara thought. And like Peter in so many ways. Clara was already blinking back tears and was wondering how on earth she was going to get through this conversation without crying. "Coffee would be nice. We had breakfast already, thank you."

Elizabeth saw Clara's eyes and turned to Bill. "You know, Nathan was on his way to the office just after we left the house. If you hurry, you might be able to get to the desk before he does." She nodded toward the hams. "I'll be happy to take over, if you'd like?"

Bill narrowed his eyes and looked toward the door. "That's probably a good idea. I need to brief him on a few things..." he said, nodding, at the same time he untied his apron. He tilted his head toward the stove. "Make sure you stir up the sugar in the bottom as you baste..."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "I know how to baste a ham, Bill. Scoot, or you'll get there too late." Bill pulled his coat down from the rack, and was out the door before she finished the sentence.

Abigail laughed softly. "Finally. Now we can talk." She poured a cup of coffee for the three of them and brought the cream and sugar over to the small table. Then she sat across from Clara and smiled. "So, we're related? That's exciting. You're a part of the Stanton family? I thought I knew all of Noah's relatives."

Clara took longer than usual to spoon the sugar and pour the cream into her coffee; and then even longer to stir it. Abigail waited, and looked over at Elizabeth with a small frown, wondering why Clara was taking so long to answer. Elizabeth sent her a silent message with her look. Be patient.

Abigail sat back as Clara took a deep breath.

"I married into the Stanton family," Clara said, setting her jaw and looking directly into Abigail's eyes. "I married Peter."

Elizabeth stood ready to run to whichever of the two women needed her the most, and right now it was a toss-up. Clara was on the verge of tears, and Abigail looked as if Clara had just spoken something in another language and she was struggling to make out the words.

"Peter..." Abigail said slowly. "My son, Peter?"

Clara nodded and silently drew up her hand with the rings. Abigail gasped audibly. "Those were Noah's grandmother's rings. They're in a small velvet pouch in a box upstairs in the closet. We were saving them for Peter..." Her eyes fluttered, and she surprised Elizabeth and Clara by laughing softly. "But they're not in that box upstairs, are they? They're on your finger."

Abigail took Clara's hand and gazed at the rings. A small diamond set in the engagement ring and the gold band that matched. She realized now that she hadn't had the nerve to open the box and look at them since Noah and Peter died. She knew they would only serve to remind her of the life Peter never had the chance to live. Of the wedding that Noah would never see.

She looked up and into Clara's eyes. Here was the person that Peter had decided to spend his life with. This was his future, wrapped up in this lovely girl with the long chestnut curls, the wide eyes that were even now spilling over and down her pink cheeks. Clara's hand was shaking in hers and Abigail realized that the girl was terrified.

And before she knew it, Abigail reached her arms out and folded Clara into them.

---

Hickam was in charge now, and he took his responsibilities very seriously. Because he'd been at Lee's side since the beginning of the sawmill, he knew exactly what needed to be done. What was so surprising to him was that the foremen listened to him, and looked to him for answers in the same way they did with Lee.

Mike knew he had skills that had been untapped. It wasn't that he didn't have ambition; it was just that he knew where he was most needed. He knew that all parts were necessary to keep the machinery functioning. One tiny gear could shut down the entire mill, no matter how inconsequential it might look next to the broad saw blades, and Mike was okay with being that tiny gear.

He was happy being Lee's right-hand man. He respected Lee tremendously and felt proud to work for him. And now, in essence, he was Lee, at least until he recovered enough to come back to work.

Rosemary had allowed Mike fifteen minutes to ask Lee all the crucial questions, and it had only taken him ten. She said she would give him fifteen minutes a day and that he needed to use them wisely. Mike had nodded vigorously and had only barely fought the urge to salute her on the way out.

At first Hickam had thought of begging off the trip to Benson Hills to pick up Elizabeth and Nathan, thinking someone else could drive the wagon. But he'd found that things were moving along smoothly under the capable direction of the mill foremen, and he didn't like to renege on a promise. So he'd gone, thinking it was a responsibility. But by the time he arrived back in Hope Valley, he'd started believing it was fate.

There was something about Mike Hickam that very few people in town had guessed. He was an unabashed romantic. Lee had figured it out and was kind enough not to tease him about it.

Mike believed absolutely in true love, and he knew that there was someone out in the wide world that was his match in every way. He'd only recently begun to doubt that such a person would wander into a tiny town in Alberta and announce herself to him, but the truth was, that very thing had happened on the wagon ride home.

Clara. With her almond eyes and full lips, her curls that shone in the sunlight, even the red of her cheeks as she sobbed in Rebecca's arms. He'd never seen anyone so beautiful in his life. And when he'd touched her shoulder and held it there, he knew. He'd felt the jolt of electricity that he'd read about in novel after novel. He'd thought it was only a metaphor, but now he knew it was real.

Of course he'd remembered her from the train station a month ago. She was the unattainable dream he'd seen from across the platform. She'd smiled and blushed and he'd thought he'd seen something there in her eyes. And then he'd silently chastised himself all the way home with Rebecca and Allie. A person doesn't fall in love in a train station with a stranger he'll never see again, he told himself. That's a recipe for unhappiness. And Mike Hickam didn't plan to spend his life unhappy. So he'd done his best to forget her.

Until he'd looked up from the horses yesterday, and there she was. Astounded, he'd simply stared and she did it again. Looked him right in the eye and blushed.

She'd apologized as he'd carried her bags up into Nathan's row house; she was sorry for crying, for talking so much on the way home, for the weight of the trunk that Julie had packed for her. She seemed to do nothing but apologize, and Mike could only nod and smile and keep telling her that he was happy to do it. Happy just to be near her.

Then Elizabeth and Nathan had gone upstairs, and Allie and Rebecca right after, and suddenly Mike was alone with Clara. They'd sat at the kitchen table and Clara had asked his advice about whether she should go to see Abigail right away or wait. Mike had said that she should wait. Get a good night's sleep. Sleep always made things better, he'd said, and she'd laughed and told him he was absolutely right.

Mike didn't know what was going on upstairs, and he didn't care. He only hoped that they would stay up there forever so he could sit across from Clara and see her eyes sparkle as she talked about Hamilton and the mansion, and hear her laugh when she told him about the horse races between Nathan and Charles.

Leaning on his desk, Mike put his head in his hands. Another widow. He couldn't walk down the street on any given day without talking to five or ten widows, sometimes more. And now he added Clara to their numbers.

Looking across at Lee's desk, Mike remembered a day not too long ago when he thought Lee might finally talk to him about Rosemary. He'd come close. They'd been talking about a widow who lived alone on the outskirts of town, who was complaining about the noise of the work going on next to her land.

Lee had gotten a faraway look and said, almost to himself, "It's hard to know if the time is right, or if it ever will be. Grief is tricky. You think it's gone and then it rears up and teaches you differently."

Mike had stayed quiet, but he'd known that Lee was talking about Rosemary. Mike could see that Lee was in love with her, and from what he'd witnessed in the last two days, he knew now that Rosemary loved him too.

It's possible. If it's possible for them, it's possible for me.

---

Nathan heard a noise at the door and looked up. Bill was standing with the light behind him so that he was almost entirely in silhouette in the morning sun.

"That's my desk," Bill said, striding toward him.

"Not anymore," Nathan said, giving Bill a crooked smile. "Possession is 9/10ths of the law, Bill. You've been a Mountie. You should know that."

Bill laughed. "Not even so much as a thank you for watching the store while you've been off gallivanting with the rich folk?" He hung up his coat and pulled a chair around to the other side of the desk.

Grinning, Nathan said, "I'm not really much of a gallivanter." He leaned forward in his chair and smiled genuinely, extending his hand. "But I do thank you, sincerely, for taking my place here while I was gone."

Bill raised an eyebrow and shook his hand. "Well, don't get all mushy about it. You would have done the same for me."

"That I would," Nathan said. He looked at a stack of papers to the side of the desk. "Do I want to know what these are?" he asked warily.

Bill snorted. "Wires from HQ. Some interesting, most not. The ones you need to read are on top. The rest you can throw away. I just didn't feel I should do it for you." Bill leaned back and folded his hands together on his chest. "So who's Clara?"

Nathan looked up from the wires, surprised. He paused for a moment and then said, "We met her on the train going to Hamilton. She's decided she wants to live in Hope Valley."

Bill narrowed his eyes. "There's a whole lot you're not telling me between those two sentences."

Nathan knew it wasn't up to him to tell Clara's story, especially since he wasn't sure if she'd shared it with Abigail yet. He gave Bill his clearest gaze and said, "Not really. That's about all there is to tell."

Bill laughed. "For a Mountie, you're a terrible liar. But I also know you well enough to know that you don't hide the truth unless you have to." He pushed the chair back and stood up. "But fair warning. I'm an investigator, and I'll find out."

Nathan frowned. "That's it? Nothing more to say after a whole month?"

Bill shook his head. "Well, Margaret Cooper has had me up to her property every day complaining about the noise from the mill workers on the adjacent parcel. I could tell you a lot about that."

Laughing, Nathan said, "That's okay. That's all I need to know."

Moving closer, Bill said, "Oh, and Florence Blakeley wants to know if we can force Horace Sawyer to clean his outhouse more regularly. She says it makes her eyes water when she hangs her laundry."

Nathan grinned. "And can we?"

"I told Horace that we might have to arrest him for disturbing the peace and that seemed to put a scare into him. Haven't heard from Florence in a couple of days, so there's that."

Laughing, Nathan said, "It sounds like you've done a fine job, Bill."

Putting up both hands in surrender, Bill said, "The town is yours again, Constable. With my very best wishes."

Nathan smiled. "Thank you, Bill. I really do appreciate it."

Putting on his coat, Bill said, "The next time Elizabeth's mother decides she's dying, I need to see a note from her doctor."

Nathan was still laughing as Bill went out the door.

---

CHAPTER 75

"Of course you'll stay here," Abigail said, holding Clara's hand.

"I don't want to impose," Clara said, still reeling from her deep relief at Abigail's welcome and the warmth she was feeling.

"Nonsense," Abigail said. "Charlotte just left yesterday and there's an empty bedroom upstairs. "Where are you going to sleep at Nathan and Elizabeth's?"

Clara looked at Elizabeth, who was just putting the last basted ham back into the oven. She raised her eyebrows apologetically and said, "On the couch downstairs, I'm afraid. As it is, Rebecca is now with Allie in her room. Once our house is built, we'll have lots of room, but right now, it's pretty cramped."

"That settles it," Abigail said. "Bill and Nathan can bring your things down when they finish their work this afternoon."

Elizabeth came and sat down with them. She hadn't touched her coffee and of course now it was completely cold. "I think I'll get tea instead, Abigail," she said casually, picking up the cup. Abigail was so consumed with Clara that she didn't even notice.

Elizabeth was getting used to the morning sickness and had learned that fresh air and tea worked best to keep it at bay. She and Nathan had agreed that they would keep her condition just between them until she was a little further along. Finding out about Rosemary had only firmed their resolve on that decision.

Everyone now knew that Rosemary wasn't having a baby after all. News travels fast in a small town like Hope Valley, and especially fast when someone like Rosemary wants people to know something, but doesn't want to have to talk about it. Abigail and Bill told a few specific people and that was all it took. And that was exactly the way Rosemary wanted it.

Rebecca had told Nathan and Elizabeth at the table after breakfast while Allie played at her dollhouse. The news had sent a cold chill down Elizabeth's back, and she'd looked at Nathan next to her and had seen the same look she imagined she was wearing. Nathan reached under the table and squeezed her hand, and they both knew they'd made the right decision.

Right now, the two of them were the only ones who knew. And it would stay that way until they felt it was safe. In a month, Elizabeth would see Dr. Sommersby to confirm, and they would all decide when to share the news.

Now, as Elizabeth sipped her tea, she looked over to the sofa where Abigail and Clara were deep in conversation. Not only did she feel the need for some fresh air, but Elizabeth knew the two women had so much to talk about. At a break in the conversation, she walked over and touched Abigail's arm. "I think I'll go see Rosemary. Is she still at Lee's?"

Abigail looked up and smiled. "Yes, I'm sure she is. She never leaves unless I give her a chance to come back here and change. They've rolled in a bed for her." Abigail squeezed Clara's hand to let her know she would be right back, and she stood to walk Elizabeth to the door.

"Thank you for bringing Clara to me," Abigail said, her eyes shining. "What a gift she is."

"Clara was afraid you'd be upset with them for not telling you they'd gotten married," Elizabeth said, squeezing her hand. "I told her I didn't think that would be the case."

Abigail took a deep breath. "Of course, I would have loved to have known. To have been there." Her eyes grew wistful. "But I won't be greedy. She says that Peter brought you and Nathan to her, and I believe that, too. I'm so grateful."

Elizabeth wrapped her in a hug and they held that way for a moment. Then, remembering something, Elizabeth stepped back. "I have your wedding dress, Abigail, but I need to tell you something."

"How many buttons did you lose?" Abigail said, laughing softly.

Elizabeth's cheeks went pink and she laughed. "We found them all, but I may not have sewn them back on perfectly. I just felt I should tell you."

Abigail squeezed her arm. "I would have been disappointed to hear anything less," she said. "I love that you wore it, Elizabeth."

"It made the day even more special." Smiling, Elizabeth said, "I'll see if Rosemary wants a break. I can sit with Lee for a bit."

"I don't know if Rebecca told you everything," Abigail said softly, "But Rosemary and Lee seem to have... found each other." She smiled and put her arm through Elizabeth's. "In fact, I think they're both head over heels."

Elizabeth laughed softly. "I think some of us have seen that coming for a while." She turned to Abigail and looked seriously at her. "How do you feel about it?"

"I'm happy for her. Honestly. And I've told her that people aren't meant to be alone." Abigail looked back toward the kitchen and lowered her voice even further. "Do you think I would wish a long, solitary life on that beautiful sweet girl in there, just because she was married to Peter? What a terrible waste that would be."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and was silent, but the corners of her mouth were beginning to turn. "It's a good thing you feel that way. Because I think Mike Hickam is half in love with her already."

Her eyes going wide, Abigail said, "Hickam? Does Clara know?"

Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth nodded and said, "I don't think she minds..." Holding Abigail's hand, Elizabeth said, "I'm only telling you this because I know this is all new to you, having a daughter-in-law. I wanted you to have a chance to process it a little. Clara wants to start a life here. Are you going to be okay with watching her fall in love? Get married and start a family?"

For a long moment, Abigail simply stared, but Elizabeth could see her mind working. Finally, Abigail said, "Yes. Because Peter would want that." Then Abigail surprised herself by saying, "And Noah would want it for me."

Now it was Elizabeth's turn to raise her eyebrows with wide eyes. She smiled and said, "Bill?"

Abigail had the good manners to blush a little and Elizabeth laughed. "Oh heavens. We may have to rename this town Love Valley!"

---

Nathan had two priorities now that they were back in Hope Valley. To build their home out on the meadow, and to adopt Allie.

The last he'd heard of Dylan Parks, he had moved up north to the Yukon Territory and then on to Alaska in some get-rich-quick scheme, mining gold on a piece of land he'd won in a card game.

Dylan had never spoken to Nathan after Colleen died. They'd hardly spoken while she was alive, but Nathan had done everything he could to reach him. At first it was because Dylan was Colleen's husband and needed to be notified of her death. But then, as time went on, Nathan wanted to see if he could get Dylan to sign away his rights to Allie so Nathan could become her guardian. When he couldn't find him and it seemed clear that Dylan wasn't coming back, Nathan had reported him as a missing person, and in that way was able to become Allie's formal and legal guardian.

But Nathan knew that would mean nothing if her father returned and wanted his daughter back. As long as Dylan could show that he was fit to be Allie's father, he would win every time. And that fitness wasn't determined by Nathan, who had pretty clear ideas on the matter. It was taken in front of a judge. A stranger.

Nathan leaned forward onto his desk. He took a deep breath and stood, taking his hat from the peg. He thought he'd go see if Ned had a wire back from the Dawson City Mountie Headquarters about what they'd learned. The city had been founded in the early days of the Klondike Gold Rush and had more thorough records of gold claims and their owners than even the Fairbanks Land Office in Alaska. If Dylan could be found, they would find him.

Nathan had only walked a short way down the street when he saw Elizabeth coming toward him, probably from Abigail's. They both began to smile as they came closer, and they met almost exactly at the Mercantile.

"Hello, Mrs. Grant," Nathan said with his crooked smile. They hadn't been married long enough yet for him to tire of how that sounded.

"Good morning, Constable," Elizabeth said sweetly, looking at him from under her lashes.

They moved closer and Nathan took her hand and held it in a fold of her skirt. Pulling her slightly closer, he said softly, "I got spoiled, seeing you all day long in Hamilton and on the train." He wanted so badly to kiss her that he thought he might just do it here in the street. They were married, after all.

"Nathan! Elizabeth!" Cat Montgomery's voice caused them both to move reluctantly apart as they turned to greet her.

Emily waved to them. "Is Allie home?" she called out.

As they all walked toward each other, Nathan said, "She should be. She and her grandma are starting a vegetable garden."

Cat frowned a little. "But you're building a new house," she said, ever practical.

Elizabeth smiled and hugged her. "We won't be in it for a little while. They're starting all the seeds indoors, and Rebecca thinks we can get in a quick harvest before we move."

Cat took Elizabeth's hand and looked at her rings. She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "I know why you did it, but shame on you both for denying us a wedding. Don't suppose you'd be willing to get married again, just so we can all join in?"

Nathan laughed. "I told Elizabeth that I'm never getting married again, but I guess if it's to her again, I could manage it." He turned and looked at Elizabeth and Cat smiled and shook her head. Still so completely in love they hardly know we exist.

"Well, you two think about it. The least we can do is put together a party to celebrate." She leaned over and gave Nathan a hug. "Anyway, congratulations. We're all so happy for you." She took Emily's hand and started toward the row houses. "We'll go see if Rebecca and Allie need any help."

Elizabeth and Nathan watched them walk up the path, and after taking a quick look around, Nathan inclined his head toward the Library. Elizabeth nodded.

Like a couple of teenagers, they walked in very conspicuous fashion up to the boardwalk and through the door. There was no one inside, and Elizabeth remembered that she had no idea where the children stood with their lessons at this point. Charlotte had left so quickly, she hadn't been able to find out; but clearly none of the students were working on reports in the Library.

Nathan raised an eyebrow and reached behind him to lock the door. He barely had a chance to get his hat off before Elizabeth had pressed him up against the door and had her lips firmly on his. He reached one hand up through her hair and finally he just dropped his hat to free up the other hand. Not protocol to let a campaign hat hit the floor, but the ones who make the rules don't have this woman in their arms, he thought, pulling her closer. "I can… never… get enough of you…" he said, his lips on hers.

Elizabeth laughed softly against his cheek. "You may not feel that way when I'm big as a house," she said.

Nathan moved his lips down to her neck and buried his face in her curls. "It won't matter," he said, his voice low.

"You say that now…" Elizabeth put her hands on either side of his face and gently pulled him up so that she could kiss him again. She wondered how she had survived all that time at the beginning, being with him and not kissing him. Right now Elizabeth couldn't tell where she ended and Nathan began. Their bodies were molded so completely to each other up against the door, their breath each other's breath, deeply entwined in a way that, were they at home alone, both knew where it would lead.

Nathan must have been reading her mind, because he moved his lips from hers and whispered, "I need to take you home…"

Elizabeth laughed softly against his chest. "And we'll just wander upstairs past your mother, our neighbor, and two little girls, and close the door?"

Nathan laughed too, holding her tightly. "We need a bigger house," he said.

"You need to build it," Elizabeth said, looking up at him with her eyes twinkling.

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "I mean to. Very soon."

Elizabeth stepped back and took a deep breath. She smoothed her skirt and tucked in her blouse where it had come free of the waistband as she gazed back at her tall, handsome husband, resplendent in his red serge, but with his hair quite a bit more disheveled than it was when they had first entered the Library.

Elizabeth reached up and tenderly ran her fingers through his hair. Nathan didn't move; he simply gazed at her. Her cheeks were brightly pink and her eyes were dancing, her lips slightly parted and her breath not yet completely calmed.

"You are so beautiful…" he said, leaning down to touch his lips lightly to her warm cheek.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh, please don't start that again," she said. "We'll never leave this Library."

"Fine with me…"

The doorknob rattled and they both went perfectly still with eyes wide.

"Must be closed today," they heard from the other side of the door. "You shouldn't have left your report to the last minute, Emma. I hear Miss Thatcher… Mrs. Grant, will be back in school on Monday. She won't be…" The voice traveled away and Elizabeth's eyes stayed wide.

"She won't be… what?" Elizabeth said, again combing back the curl at Nathan's forehead with her fingers. She leaned down and picked up his hat from the floor, making a show of dusting it off.

Nathan gave her a crooked smile. "She won't be… pleased, I think. You must be quite the taskmaster at school, Mrs. Grant."

Elizabeth arched one eyebrow ominously. "And at home, as you'll find out soon enough, Constable Grant."

She placed his hat on his head and straightened his serge jacket. "There! Now we can be seen in public again." Elizabeth reached around him and opened the door, only to jump back from Ned, standing with his hand ready to knock.

"Oh! Ned…" Elizabeth said in surprise.

"Sorry," Ned said, looking a little alarmed. "I saw you come in here, I assumed you were um… organizing books?"

Nathan nodded, trying to look serious, but being given away by the right corner of his mouth, threatening upward. "Yes, exactly what we were doing, Ned."

Reaching in his apron pocket, Ned pulled out a wire. "Thought you might like to see this right away," he said, narrowing his eyes slightly at Nathan. "It seems important."

Nathan raised his eyebrows and took the envelope. "Thanks, Ned. I was just coming to see if this had arrived."

"Well, I'll… um… leave you to it," Ned said awkwardly. He turned and was on his way back across the street.

Nathan closed the door and opened the envelope.

"What is it?" Elizabeth said.

Scanning the page, Nathan exhaled. "From Dawson City. They found Dylan."

"Oh, Nathan!" Elizabeth said. "That's good, isn't it? Maybe he'll sign the papers?"

Nathan dropped the wire to his side and leaned back against the door, closing his eyes.

"That won't be possible," he said softly, almost to himself.

"Nathan…?" Elizabeth said softly, reaching her hand up to his cheek.

Nathan opened his eyes and sighed. "Dylan died last spring from injuries sustained in a bar fight. They're sending the death certificate."

"Oh, Nathan," Elizabeth said quietly. "Allie is a true orphan now." She reached up and touched Nathan's cheek. "We can adopt her right away."

Nathan closed his eyes again and Elizabeth watched as a tear made its way down his cheek and into her fingers. She wiped it away gently as Nathan reached out and enveloped her in his arms.

---

Abigail heard noises outside the front door and looked up at the clock. "Goodness! I'm five minutes late opening!" She stood quickly and put her apron on while she talked to Clara. "We'll have lots of time to finish that conversation with you living here." Abigail grinned and came back to hug Clara. "And I'm so glad you are."

The front door rattled and Abigail pulled away. "They'll be wanting their coffee. Five minutes is like five hours to that crew." Abigail started to go toward the door when she saw Clara putting on one of the aprons that hung from the pegs. "What are you doing?"

"I'm helping you," Clara said, matter-of-factly. "I need to earn my keep somehow." She gave Abigail a dazzling smile, and both women stood a little taller. Abigail linked arms with her and they walked down the aisle to the front door.

"Together," Abigail said, happily, as she unlocked the door. She and Clara stood aside as the men, mostly the Saturday workmen from the Coulter Mill, rushed to find their favorite tables. The same tables, and the same orders every day. There were a few women who sat down by the pot-bellied stove for warmth and as far away from the raucous men as possible.

Last through the door was Mike Hickam, and Clara realized quickly that he had his own table as well, which made sense since he was the manager of the mill now. While they'd sat at the kitchen table at Nathan and Elizabeth's, he'd told her about his boss and what had happened, and about how he was now in charge until Mr. Coulter came back.

She smiled at him and he smiled back. "Coffee?" Clara asked, her eyes sparkling.

Mike nodded and then raised his eyebrows and leaned toward her. "So I take it everything went okay? Abigail wasn't mad?"

Clara laughed softly. "Oh, no, she's wonderful. Not mad at all." Clara looked around at the now-full cafe and realized that there were a lot of people wanting her attention. She leaned down and said conspiratorially, "I'll tell you later."

Mike had to take a deep breath just at the sound of that. "I'd like that. When do you get off work?"

Laughing as she turned, Clara said, "I have no idea. I just started five minutes ago!"

Mike said quickly, "I was thinking that you might like a tour of Hope Valley… since you're new here… and I…" Mike was rapidly losing steam. It had sounded so much better in his head early this morning.

Clara smiled brightly. "I'd love that," she said. "Let me help some of these people and I'll come back."

Mike just beamed at her and nodded back. His eyes never left her as she walked down the path between the tables taking orders. It was a little like watching her at the train station in Benson Hills, but so much better. Because Clara was no longer a fantasy. She was real.

---

"Let me know when the papers come through," Rebecca said, her voice full of emotion.

Nathan looked down at the train platform and again had trouble stifling the grin that he seemed to be wearing all the time now. "I will. And when it's official, the three of us will come visit you in Airdrie. We'll have a celebration with Colleen up on the hill."

Rebecca looked at him with tears swimming in her eyes and he could see her visibly take hold of herself. She breathed deeply and squeezed Nathan's hand.

"Allie has never been an orphan. She's had you and she's had me, and Colleen knows that. She's got to be so pleased with how you're raising Allie." She reached her long arm up and put her hand on her son's cheek. "I know she's so proud of you, Nathan."

Nathan put his hand over hers on his cheek and gave her a soft smile. "I see her every day in Allie. As time goes on, I'll see her more and more." Taking a deep breath, Nathan said, "It's a comfort."

The conductor called out again, and Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "I might start talking to Charlie about running the ranch for me." She grimaced slightly and shook her head. "This little town has taken hold of me, and I don't think it's letting go."

Nathan laughed. "It has a way of doing that."

"I'm glad I said goodbye to Elizabeth and Allie at the house," Rebecca said. "It would be too hard for me to let go of all four of you at once."

Nathan frowned. "You mean three," he said, looking confused.

Rebecca gave him one of her signature brilliant crooked smiles, so like his own. "Nathan. You two aren't fooling anyone. You're right not to tell anyone yet, but don't think your mother was born yesterday."

Nathan's eyes went wide and he laughed. "You never cease to amaze me."

Rebecca winked and started moving toward the train. "And I hope that's always true," she said, laughing as she stepped up into the car.

---

"And I heard Julie scream, so I ran down the hall in my robe. And Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher were standing there in the doorway with their mouths open looking at Julie sitting on the bed between Elizabeth and Nathan. Then Mrs. Thatcher looked at me and said, 'And who are you?'"

Clara's spot-on rendition of Grace Thatcher made Hickam lean forward and double over, he was laughing so hard. "Oh, gosh, what did Nathan do?" he asked, wiping a tear from his cheek.

"He let go of Julie and fell back on the pillows and pulled the covers over his head," Clara said, laughing again at the memory of it.

"Well, that's sure one way of meeting your new in-laws," Mike said, catching his breath.

"It all turned out fine in the end," Clara said, "But it was a good thing they were both wearing their wedding rings."

Hickam and Clara were sitting in the back pew of the empty church. They'd walked all through Hope Valley and Clara had already been introduced to so many people that she had no idea what anyone's name was anymore.

What she did know is that she loved this little town deeply already. She thought it didn't hurt that she'd been with Michael and that he was so well liked.

She'd been calling him Michael all afternoon, because she thought it fit him better than the nickname she heard most people use. Those who didn't call him Mike simply called him by his last name. Clara thought he deserved to be called Michael.

And it may have been that she was with him when she met all these new people, but Clara had a feeling that even without him there, people would still be welcoming her with open arms. And they didn't even know about Peter yet. To them, she was just a stranger who had come to town.

For a moment, Clara and Hickam sat looking forward, enjoying the silence of the church and each other's company. If they had shared their thoughts, they would realize that neither of them had ever felt this easy so quickly with another person.

"I like laughing in church," Mike suddenly said.

Clara turned to him and smiled. "I do too," she said. "And this feels like a church you can laugh in."

"I remember growing up, my brothers and I were taught that we needed to show reverence in church. That it was a sacred place that needed to be respected." He turned to her, nodding. "I agree with that too, but… I think God likes it when we laugh here."

Clara blinked and just looked at him for a moment. She had learned today that Michael Hickam was not only a very nice person, but he was also a very deep thinker. She had a feeling that not many in Hope Valley knew that about him.

"Sometimes it's hard to move past the things our parents teach us. And to realize that they're not always right," Clara said.

Mike nodded, and before thinking, he said, "And we won't be right with our children when we're parents." He'd meant it as a general statement, but as he looked into Clara's almond eyes, what he'd said suddenly took on an intensely personal meaning.

The blush that transformed his entire face made Clara smile. It almost made her laugh but she didn't want to hurt his feelings.

"I… meant… I… oh..." he stammered, his eyes wide.

Clara reached over and put her hand over his to calm him down. "I know what you meant, Michael."

Both of them looked down at her hand over his, and now it was Clara's turn to blush. She pulled back her hand as if she'd been burned, which from the feeling in her fingers it appeared she had. "I'm sorry… that was…"

Mike smiled at her. "It's fine," he said. Then he looked forward to the blackboard, unable to gaze into her eyes again. "I liked it."

Now they both needed a little breather, though their hearts were hammering in their chests. Clara found herself focusing on the words that had been left on the blackboard by Charlotte before she had summarily left town. It was a quote from Mark Twain: "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything."

Clara smiled. "So this is also Elizabeth's school room? How did that come about?"

Mike exhaled, glad that Clara had landed on safer ground. "She used to teach in the Saloon." He smiled and looked over at Clara, getting just the reaction he hoped for. Clara's eyebrows were raised and she had a look of surprise.

Laughing softly, Mike said, "It was the only space big enough for all the kids. Obviously there was no drinking while school was in session. Then the church burned down."

Clara looked alarmed. "Not with anyone inside, I hope."

Mike shook his head. "It's pretty complicated. I'll tell you all about it sometime. But Nathan and the town rebuilt the church and made it a school room too."

"The town?" Clara said, a slight frown on her face.

"Yes, all of us." He looked at her, his face open, and Clara could see the deep pride that went with that statement.

"I'm going to love it here," Clara said simply. They gazed at each other, allowing the word love to hang heavily in the air between them. The sun was setting outside, and the church was getting chilled. Clara shivered a little, but she didn't think it was from the cold.

"We either have to light the stoves in here, or I need to get you back home," Mike said quietly.

Clara took a deep breath. "I've enjoyed this afternoon very much."

Mike stood and put out his hand to help her up. "Then... we should do it again," he said, amazed at his own bravery.

Clara gave him a dazzling smile. "I'd like that," she said.

They walked out into the approaching twilight and Mike closed the doors firmly behind him.

"No locks," Clara said.

Mike nodded. "We think the church should always be open for whoever needs it. And whenever they need it."

Clara tried to imagine a door in Cape Fullerton that didn't have a lock on it.

Yes, she was definitely going to love living here.

---

"I won't be gone long." Rosemary looked at Lee and narrowed her eyes. "Don't you move out of that bed, Lee Coulter," she said, her voice lowering ominously.

Lee smiled and put up his hands in surrender. "Not a muscle," he said, his voice still rasping and a little breathy from the pneumonia that had ravaged his body. He was slowly but surely gaining strength and mobility, though of course it wasn't fast enough for him.

Rosemary was still only allowing Hickam a half-hour to update him daily on the sawmill. Lee had to admit that Mike was doing a bang-up job of running the place, and already Lee had given him almost double the pay he'd been making before he'd gotten sick.

There was a new set of parcels that Lee had his eye on, and he wanted Hickam to run them, crew and all. But when Hickam had tried to give him the mapping they'd done of the area, Rosemary had snatched it out of his hands and taken it to the living room. "You can spend your half-hour tomorrow talking about these," she said, scooting Hickam out the bedroom door. "Today's time is up."

Rosie was putting on her hat and gloves. It was almost April, but there was still a morning chill outside. "So you want the molasses ones, not the ones with the raisins, right?" she said, straightening her hat.

Lee laughed. "I'm allergic to raisins, Rosie. If I ate those, I'd puff up like a sausage."

Rosemary raised her eyebrows and said, "Molasses then. No puffing." She moved toward the door and turned sharply. "Not a muscle," she said firmly. Lee just nodded mutely, trying to look as innocent as possible. He heard the front door close and waited a few seconds more, and then swung his legs around and placed them in his slippers on the floor.

Quietly, he moved from the bed to the door, still feeling the slight disorientation of weakness and the lack of movement during the last week. Lee reached the door and looked both ways down the hallway. Not a sound, so he ventured out and peered around the corner and into the living room.

There they were. Lee recognized Hickam's scribbles, each one estimating the volume-per-acre of the parcels. He reached his hand out and lifted the stack of papers from the table, flipping pages and searching for the bottom line.

"LEE Coulter!"

The shock of Rosemary's voice and Lee's weakness caused him to finally lose his balance and he landed on the sofa with a thud. "Rosie!" he rasped, his voice hoarse. "You scared me half to death!" She came around from her hiding place behind a screen and walked toward him, shaking her head.

"Is this what you call not moving a muscle?" She took the plans from his hands and pulled him up. "There's no stove lit out here and it's freezing, and you without your robe?" She took his arm, circled it around her neck and started walking him back down the hall. "What are you thinking? Do you know how sick you've been?"

Lee sighed deeply, finally giving in to his injured vocal cords and barely whispering. "Yes. You keep telling me…"

Rosemary stopped and turned, her eyes stricken. "Do you know how close I was to losing you?" she said softly, her eyes darting back and forth between his. "I almost lost you." Her voice finally broke as her eyes began to fill.

Lee smiled softly at her and moved a dark blonde curl from her forehead. "I know," he said. "You saved me, Rosie." He kissed her gently on her lips, quivering slightly with emotion. "I'm sorry. I should have stayed in bed."

"Yes, you should have," she said, looking sternly at him. She walked him into the bedroom and sat him down on the side of the bed, removing his slippers and helping him lie down again. Tucking the blankets up under his arms, she kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I'll be right back," she said.

Lee smiled at her. "I love you, Rosie," he said in a whisper.

Rosemary smiled and put her hand on the side of his face. "And you know I adore you," she said quietly. Raising an eyebrow, she stood and said, "No raisins."

Lee nodded and smiled back. He listened as she went into the living room, but he didn't hear the door close. A moment later, Rosemary came back into the room and laid a sheaf of papers on his chest.

Lee looked down and saw that it was the volume report of the new land. Rosemary narrowed her eyes. "Because I know you'll go out and get it anyway the minute I leave," she said with a resigned smile.

"You're a good woman, Rosie," Lee said, grinning up at her.

"And don't you forget it," she said as she disappeared around the corner and went out the door.

---

EPILOGUE

SEVEN MONTHS LATER

Elizabeth watched as the morning sun came through the new eyelet curtains in the bedroom. She couldn't believe that this was the last morning she would wake up in the row house.

The room was still decidedly masculine, and Elizabeth liked it that way. Nathan was in every corner, with his books, and leather straps, and his extra pair of riding boots behind the door. His suspenders hung on hooks near the closet, his hairbrush on the dresser, stray buttons in cups, pictures from Allie, his spare reading glasses (a revelation of marriage and one she cherished). She loved every inch of it just as she loved all of him.

Elizabeth sighed and Allie stirred next to her. Nathan had awakened early to meet Mike, Lee and some of the mill hands to move the bed and dresser from Allie's room, the harvest table from the kitchen, and the rest of the living room furniture over to the new house out in the meadow. Then they were getting the horses from the livery to get them settled in the barn behind the house.

When Nathan had awakened her, Allie had just crawled up into the big bed with Elizabeth and fallen back asleep under her arm. Elizabeth put her lips to Allie's hair, soft and fine as silk and smelling of the soap from her bath the night before. Her little body was so warm and trusting, her face in perfect peace, pink-cheeked and dreaming.

Elizabeth reached down and put her hand on her stomach, now so close to bringing a new life into the world. She and Nathan hoped it would be a boy, but then in the next breath, they would say they'd love for Allie to have a little sister. And she knew it didn't matter. She felt the baby kick as she thought about him, and she laughed softly. "Nate," she said in a whisper. Definitely a boy. Part of her and part of Nathan, wrapped in their love. And though Allie lived outside of her and Elizabeth had had nothing to do with her creation, she knew that the little girl next to her was her daughter and as much a part of her life as Nathan and this child they had created together.

Elizabeth realized that she had loved Allie practically from the moment she'd seen her in the saloon that first terrible day in Coal Valley. In the midst of feeling a failure, a disheveled wreck after the night in the stagecoach, and a disappointment to the mothers of the town - Allie had looked at her with bright eyes and admired her hat. Her broken, dirty pink hat.

Pulling Allie closer, Elizabeth felt a tear snake down her temple and into her hair. How could anyone have so many blessings?

---

By the time Nathan and the men returned in mid-morning, Elizabeth was up and the bedclothes were folded neatly on the window seat. She and Allie watched as Nathan and Mike expertly disassembled the large oak bed and began taking it out to the wagon. She'd cleared off the dressers and put everything into trunks, and within a half hour, the room was empty. All that was left was to clean, and she and Allie made a good start on it. They still had a few days before one of Lee's foremen would be moving in.

In the early afternoon, they took a picnic out to the dock as they had promised Allie they would. She said she loved to watch the sunset, and that was true, but Nathan and Elizabeth knew that what she really wanted was to run up to the new house again.

Allie would go from room to room, calling out their new owners in a confident, joyous voice. She always started with her own room. "MY room," she said, walking around the perimeter with her fingers trailing the walls. Then to the large bedroom at the end of the hall. "Daddy and Mama's room," she said, laughing, again moving around the walls.

The furniture that had seemed so crowded in the little row house now felt slightly sparse in the large rooms. There were a few pictures on the walls and lots of boxes to unpack on the gleaming wood floors. The kitchen had all the necessities for a pancake breakfast, and the large harvest table seemed half its size in the spacious dining room.

Allie continued her journey back into the hall and into the small room that was directly across from hers. She always saved this room for last.

"Baby's room," she said softly, almost reverently. And then, with a giggle, she whispered, "Baby Nate's room."

"So you think it's a boy too, do you?" Nathan said, coming into the room and scooping her up in his arms.

Allie giggled as Nathan nuzzled his nose against her neck. "Baby Nate," she said again, squealing with joy.

"And what if Baby Nate is a girl?" Nathan asked, already knowing the answer.

"'Lizbeth!" Allie cried out.

"That's Mama's name!" Nathan said in mock surprise, following the pattern they had repeated over the last few months. Allie loved it, and she smiled at him, reaching out to hold his collar tightly as she had for so many years. "Nathan Daddy, 'Lizbeth Mama," she said softly. Nathan thought it always sounded like a prayer. Or a dream that had come true for Allie. And for him.

---

That night, after reading and singing to Allie, Nathan sat on the side of the big four-poster bed in their new bedroom. The smell of fresh wood and paint and lacquer lingered in the air faintly.

Elizabeth was propped up on pillows, as she often was these days, trying to get comfortable. Nathan lay down beside her with his head next to hers and his hand comfortably resting on her stomach, hoping for some kicks. He wasn't disappointed.

He laughed softly. "You sure there's only one in there?" he said, smiling up at her.

"Martin is certain it's one," she said, raising an eyebrow. "He has a new stethoscope that he says is essentially foolproof."

Nathan gave her a crooked smile. "So why does he have to add the word 'essentially'?"

Elizabeth laughed and shook her head. "Don't start with me. I'm the mother. I know it's one." She took a deep breath. "In any case, we'll know in a couple of weeks. Martin says probably the week after next." Looking over at Nathan, she said, "Are you ready?"

Reaching out for her hand and kissing it, Nathan said softly, "More than ready."

Elizabeth sighed and adjusted herself on the pillows. "Me too," she said, exhaling. "I just hope it's not in the middle of Clara's engagement party."

Nathan laughed. "Mike might be grateful. He's nervous as a cat about making a speech, and Clara insists that he thank everyone for coming." Looking up and into her eyes, Nathan said, "And don't think I'm letting you off the hook for losing our bet."

Trying to look innocent, Elizabeth said, "What bet?"

Nathan shook his head, "Oh, no, you don't. You know perfectly well what bet. You said Rosemary and Lee would be engaged before Clara and Mike. You lost."

Elizabeth's eyes went wide. "By five days! That hardly counts!"

"Nope. I won. And you need to pay up," Nathan said, beginning to trail his lips along her arm. Elizabeth closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his breath on her skin.

"Mmmmm," she murmured. "I don't recall our bet having anything to do with that, and at this point, you're dreaming…" She laughed softly as he worked his way up to her neck and kissed her behind the ear.

"I always feel like I'm dreaming when I'm with you…"

---

It turned out that Dr. Martin Sommersby was a very good doctor indeed. Nathan William Grant made his way into the world in the early morning hours with gusto, squealing so loudly that folks came running from the Mercantile out to the meadow.

First to arrive was Bill Avery, followed closely by Rosemary. Then Clara and Abigail, and then what seemed like half the town. They had all expected at least a little notice, but young Nate was ready for Hope Valley, even if Hope Valley wasn't quite prepared for him.

At the first sign of labor, Nathan rode Newton at a gallop to get the doctor, and in just a couple of hours it was over. Nathan never left Elizabeth's side, and as he watched her bring his son into the light of day in their beautiful, fresh bedroom, lying in the bed that he had dreamed in for so many years alone - Nathan did the impossible.

He fell even more in love with his wife.

When everyone finally went home and the last casserole was put into their brand new icebox; when Martin proclaimed mother and son in excellent health and packed up his bag, Nathan opened the windows wide to the setting sun. He watched as the descending colors of red, orange and finally soft yellow played across Elizabeth's skin and caught the tips of Nate's eyelashes as he slept between them.

Allie had finally fallen asleep next to Nate after the busiest of days, and though she'd had many offers to stay the night with friends, she flatly refused to leave her brother. Even now her small hand lay gently on his shoulder, rising and falling with his breath.

Nothing could have prepared Nathan for the overwhelming happiness of this moment, and Elizabeth watched as a tear slipped quietly from the corner of his eye, glistening with sunset colors. Nate's tiny hand clutched his finger and she smiled as Nathan's mouth opened slightly in wonder at the pink half-moons of his perfect fingernails.

His voice was thick with emotion as he whispered, "There have been times in my life that I doubted God - even if there was a God." He looked up into Elizabeth's eyes, which were as full of unshed tears as his own.

"I never will again."

He leaned up to kiss her, and felt the soft warmth of their children between them as the sun finally disappeared over the pond.

THE END