Bill's Reaction – Chapter 24
Hope Valley – Wednesday
Nathan was looking forward to starting the day. He was refreshed after having yesterday afternoon off to go riding with Allie. It meant so much to him that she shared what was in her heart with him. Now he knew how to pray for her. They had spent about an hour on Bill's land also, exploring and discovering. Nathan couldn't help but notice there was more than one suitable building site and Allie said she found the perfect spot for a picnic near the best fishing hole. They would have stayed longer except they didn't want to ride home in the dark.
Allie had been pretty tired after all the fresh air and emotional discussion, so he agreed she could sleep in this morning. Rather than making too much noise in the kitchen, he decided to grab breakfast at the Café. He could see Bill at the same time. It was unlikely that anything untoward had happened yesterday afternoon, but it was best to touch base with him.
Nathan walked into the Café and greeted Bill. "Good morning, Bill. Just a breakfast special, please." Nathan took the newspaper off the counter and went and sat down at one of the empty tables.
Bill passed the order to Clara and told her to wait ten minutes before cooking it, as he wanted a word with Nathan first. He then went and sat in the empty chair across from Nathan, bringing with him two cups of coffee.
He passed Nathan his coffee and quipped, "Don't expect this kind of personal service all the time." Bill went on to ask, "So, how was yesterday afternoon?"
Nathan grinned and replied, "That's funny – I was going to ask you the same thing. Anything I should know about?"
Bill chuckled and replied, "There was a bit of a skirmish in the saloon after hours. I was there having a drink after work. A couple of guys could have come to blows, but I showed them my gun and my judge's glare. Remarkably, they not only calmed down but they left without paying their bill. Lucas watched them leave. I asked him if he wanted to file a complaint, but he just turned and walked away without even replying. I took that as a 'no', paid my bill and left. I didn't even make a report."
Nathan smirked at Bill, "A part of me is sorry I missed that. I always keep the serge on when I go to the saloon, which isn't often. The last time I was in the saloon by myself in civilian clothes, I got arrested by an overzealous Sheriff!"
Bill, not wanting to reminisce about arresting Nathan on his first day in town, deftly changed the subject. "How was the ride?"
Before Nathan could reply, Clara arrived with Nathan's breakfast special – two eggs, bacon, home fries and toast. He already had his coffee.
As they started eating Nathan summarized the previous afternoon's ride. "Allie and Sargeant really took to one another." Nathan paused, wondering if he should mention where he and Allie had stopped. He decided to proceed with caution.
"I was taking Allie up to see your land. We came across another beautiful spot, not far from your land, in the meadow. Beautiful panoramic view."
"Yeah," Bill said, with a gravelly voice. "You know whose land you were on, don't you? Guess I neglected to mention that part."
Nathan tilted his head to one side, raised his eyebrows and widened his eyes at Bill, by way of response.
Bill continued, "That is Jack Thornton's land – well, Elizabeth's land, now. My land is adjacent to it. I can't believe I never told you that." Bill shook his head and continued, "I'm not sure what Elizabeth plans to do with her land, but after Jack passed, I didn't have the heart to build on mine. That's why it's for sale – but only to the right person. Are you interested in it again?"
Nathan looked at Bill, with a pensive look, "You never know, I just might be. I'll let you know."
Bill stood up and put his hand on Nathan's shoulder, "I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that. Come and see me whenever you are ready. I promise to make you an offer you can't refuse!"
Nathan smiled and resumed eating his breakfast.
Hamilton
Elizabeth was so eager to finally spend a day of quality time with her mother. Growing up, mother and daughters had often taken a day to update their wardrobe. It was always good to be prepared for the many social events and society balls they were invited to attend.
Since her father had taken the entire day off to care for Little Jack, her mother had made an appointment at Suzanne's of Hamilton for 10 a.m. Suzanne's boutique always had the latest in designer-wear, straight from Paris.
Fortunately, Elizabeth had brought a suitable dress for a day of shopping with her mother. She wore the sage green dress with small white polka dots and the lovely lace insert she wore to the graduation ceremony back in Hope Valley. She had been told she looked lovely in it and it met the dress code for her parents' country club, where they would be dining for lunch.
Elizabeth went through the normal routine of dressing Little Jack first and then herself, before taking his hand and walking downstairs for breakfast with her parents. As she applied his tiny suspenders, she couldn't help thinking of another individual, frequently seen in suspenders, who was never very far from her thoughts.
The toast and coffee were a much lighter fare than usual, keeping in mind they would be having a more elaborate luncheon.
Benson's services had been requested to chauffeur the two ladies around Hamilton. He had polished up the car and was waiting for the ladies, promptly at 9:30 a.m.
Like any good mother, Elizabeth had some last-minute instructions for her father. "Now Father, please keep an eye on him at all times. He's at the stage where he can just dart away. Also, no sweets before lunch. Finally, you have our itinerary, should you need me for any reason."
William smiled gently and said "You may not remember this, but I have been known to care for three little girls a time or two. Granted, the servants were here to help, as they are today also. Little Jack and I get along just fine. I promise I will hold his little hand the entire time we are outside."
William's eyes twinkled as he ushered Elizabeth toward the door, "Don't worry, Elizabeth. I looked after Little Jack on my own in Hope Valley. Remember, we even played outside for a while?"
Elizabeth blushed as she recalled her father overhearing her apology and unplanned declaration of love to Nathan. She looked pointedly at him and replied, "Yes, but Hamilton is a much more exciting place for a little boy, than Hope Valley."
William muttered under his breath, "I'm sure Hope Valley has its exciting opportunities, too!"
With that, she leaned over and gave her father a kiss goodbye and the two women were off on their day together.
Suzanne's of Hamilton
The doorman held the door open for both ladies, as they entered the boutique. Upon entry, they were both offered Perrier water served in an elegant crystal wine glass.
Elizabeth looked around in awe. It had been some time since she had shopped in a boutique as elite as this one. In fact, she had only gone gown shopping once that she recalled, since moving West.
She saw so many dresses and ball gowns that she loved. However, she had agreed to allow her mother to buy her a couple of simple new dresses that she could re-wear back home and something suitable for church, for the remainder of her time in Hamilton.
As both women perused the selection, Grace saw the most beautiful, white wedding dress.
"Elizabeth," she exclaimed, "isn't this the most exquisite bridal gown you have ever seen?"
Elizabeth looked at the dress her mother was commenting on and replied, "Yes Mother, it is very beautiful however, we are not here for a bridal gown."
Grace looked shocked and softly commented, "Elizabeth, are you telling me you do not wish to remarry?"
Elizabeth was thankful Suzanne chose that moment to arrive for their scheduled appointment.
Suzanne, seeing the ladies looking at the wedding gowns, remarked, "My apologies, I did not realize you were shopping for a bridal gown. I would have allowed for more time had I known."
Elizabeth, quickly interjected, "No apologies required, Suzanne. My mother just came across this beautiful bridal gown and commented on its beauty and elegance.
They then turned to Suzanne's selection of ready to wear garments. They would be fitted and altered after purchase and then sent to the Thatcher home.
It was rather a challenge to select garments that were both acceptable to the Hamilton/Thatcher standard and also practical enough for Hope Valley's way of life with muddier streets and less modern laundry facilities.
Elizabeth opted to select separates that could mix and match with her current wardrobe. Although Elizabeth had resisted the trend of shorter skirts for a long time, she realized it would be nice to have a skirt or two that wouldn't get a dirty hem while walking outside.
As she tried on a slate blue boxy plaid skirt that hit just above her ankles, her mother looked disdainfully at Elizabeth's favorite brown boots, sniffed and said "Suzanne, we will also need some new footwear please." Suzanne called a sales girl to have some sent over from a nearby establishment. Elizabeth called out "Please, only practical choices, not too much of a heel! They have to be sturdy!" This could be a problem. Elizabeth was used to wearing only her functional but comfortable boots and nobody had ever seen them under her long skirts! Wearing shorter skirts could turn out to be complicated as the fashion was to wear decorated half boots with a shapely two-inch heel. She wasn't ready for that in Hope Valley!
Finally, Elizabeth settled on two new skirts with two new blouses with long sleeves, one white with lace inserts and dusty rose with a yoke and gathers. For the skirts, they both had large pockets, a new trend that she was delighted with. She insisted that she could not have a silk blouse, although they were in fashion, because they would be ruined after one or two Hope Valley washes.
At her mother's insistence, she chose one formal gown, gauzy off-white with embroidered detailing, a fashionable cummerbund and elbow length flounced sleeves. She needed somewhat fancy shoes to go with the dress, as one could not wear brown boots with that! She and her mother compromised on a pair of light grey half boots with a slight but sturdy heel.
At the conclusion of their purchases, Suzanne promised to have all the outfits delivered to the Thatcher Mansion, so they could remain in pristine condition, without wrinkles.
Hamilton Country Club
After their successful shopping trip, Benson drove the two ladies to the club for lunch.
Once again, the doorman held the door as the two ladies entered.
When they were seated in the private dining area, their server approached their table. He smiled and greeted Grace, "Good afternoon, Mrs. Thatcher."
Grace returned the smile and replied, "Good afternoon, Edward. Thank you for serving us, today." By way of introduction, Grace gestured towards Elizabeth and said, "Edward, this is my daughter, Mrs. Thornton."
Edward nodded towards Elizabeth, by way of greeting and said, "Welcome, Ma'am. It is a pleasure to serve you, as well." Turning to Grace, he said, "Mrs. Thatcher, will anyone else be joining you today?"
Grace smiled and said, "No, not today, Edward. My daughter and I are spending the day together."
"Excellent, Ma'am. Here are your menus. If I can be of any service, please do not hesitate to let me know." Edward left the ladies to make their selections.
Grace looked at Elizabeth and told her to order whatever she wished. "Feel free to order a proper meal, as I arranged for the staff to feed your father a proper meal. Little Jack is to get his usual lunchtime fare." She winked at Elizabeth and said, "I do remember how important it is for children to stick to a routine."
Elizabeth smiled and replied, "Thank you, Mother."
After looking at the menu, Elizabeth opted to order the lemon chicken, with roasted potatoes and glazed carrots. Her mother chose the lamb chops served with mint sauce, roasted potatoes and stringed beans.
Once their order had been taken, Grace looked across the table and asked, "So, Dear, how are you doing? We were so worried about you after Jack passed…and then, with Little Jack's arrival…I can't imagine how hard it was for you."
Elizabeth's features softened and said, "Thank you, Mother. I know you and Father were concerned for me, but you live so far away and I made the choice to return to Hope Valley. I am very blessed to have parents who care so much for me – even from a distance."
She continued, "There have been some good times and some really tough times. I have a tight-knit support system in Hope Valley; wonderful, loving friends. Even still, I made some really poor decisions of late. Some of those decisions may have cost me the love of a really good man."
Grace looked at her daughter in surprise, "Why is this the first I am hearing about this? Does your father know?"
Elizabeth closed her eyes to gain some inner strength and replied, "Yes Father knows, but only because he saw it for himself in Hope Valley. I know the theft of his car was a major inconvenience, but I treasured having him there. I wish you had been there too, Mother."
"Thank you for that, Elizabeth. I wish that also." Grace considered her daughter and said, "Now, tell me all about this new man in your life."
Elizabeth lowered her eyes and spoke sadly, "He is not in my life, Mother. He could have been, but I hurt both him and his daughter, badly. Mercifully, he has forgiven me, but I don't know where I stand with Allie – that's his daughter."
"He has a daughter? So, is he a widower?" Grace inquired.
Elizabeth explained, "No, he has never been married. Nathan took custody of his niece when she was just a four-year old. Her mother passed away and her father left. Nathan stepped up and raised his late sister's daughter. Just this past year, he formally adopted her."
Grace looked impressed, "He must be someone very special. It's not every man who would take on raising a little girl like that on his own – especially when she is not his own child. That could not have been an easy thing to do."
Elizabeth remarked, "You're right Mother, it was not easy for him at all," She prepared herself for her mother's reaction as she spoke the next words, "especially since he is a Mountie and moved around a lot."
Grace's face registered the shock. "A Mountie! After what you have been through, are you actually telling me you have fallen in love with another Mountie?" Grace was stunned, but lowered her voice, "Isn't that just inviting yourself to be widowed again?"
"Believe me, I understand how you feel, Mother. Initially, I couldn't get beyond the serge. I told him I was looking for Jack in him, which hurt him deeply." Amazingly Elizabeth found she could now tell this story without tears.
"Very recently, I have come to realize there are all kinds of ways to lose someone you love, without it having anything to do with their occupation. I have been petitioning God for wisdom and strength not only for myself, but also for both Nathan and Allie. If God intends us to be a family, I now know it will happen, but only in His time."
Grace realized her daughter was now much more mature than she had realized. She nodded her head in support and acceptance. "So, you are hoping to establish a relationship and possible marriage with this special man, who happens to be another Mountie. I would be remiss in my duties as a mother and grandmother if I did not ask this question. How do Nathan and Little Jack get along? After all, if you marry, he will become Little Jack's step-father." Grace looked expectantly at Elizabeth for a reply.
Elizabeth, thankful for this question, happily answered, "Mother, thank you for being concerned for Little Jack, but there is no need. Nathan already thinks of Little Jack as his own and the feeling is mutual with Little Jack and Nathan."
Grace looked at her daughter thoughtfully, "So this fellow, Nathan, is he the friend you are expecting a phone call from this evening?"
Elizabeth blushed and nodded her head. "Yes, he is going to call me right after work."
Grace mused to herself, 'Hmm…perhaps I should have Suzanne set that bridal gown aside.'
Special thanks to Mamabethany – she really pulled out all the stops in this chapter. In addition to her usual contributions, she wrote Elizabeth's shopping spree. Well done and Much Thanks!