Chapter Twenty-Two

Winter slowly warmed towards spring, and the town's men were finally able to break ground on the Grant house. Nathan spent much of his free time either at the building site helping dig the foundation and raise the walls, or in a back room at the sawmill, building cabinets, tables, chairs, and shelves. He was waiting for Elizabeth to decide what style crib and cradle she wanted before he began work on the baby's furniture, and he had the frame for Jack's new bed cut and nearly ready, just waiting for the boy to decide if he wanted horses, trains, or trees engraved. Allie had turned down the suggestion of new furniture for her room, choosing instead to take the bed and dresser set that had been her mother's. In their place, Alice Grant was putting together a nursery and playroom for when her grandchildren came to visit. Both Allie and Elizabeth's old bedroom sets would go in guest rooms in the new house.

While thrilled with the progress on the new house, Elizabeth was also enjoying the ability to move around town unhindered. Not only did she know the physical discomfort she would soon face just trying to get across the street without losing her breath, but there was the selfish pleasure at being able to pass the saloon without being accosted. No one besides Gustav had heard from the saloon's owner in several weeks, and only then to discuss purchasing and payroll matters.

Lucas had left Hope Valley the day after learning about Elizabeth's pregnancy, with no indication of where he was going or how long he'd be away. No one was surprised, since he was rather notorious for running away when things didn't go his way, and after the months of awkward encounters, everyone in town was relieved to have a little peace. Gustav and the staff were more than capable of keeping the saloon running smoothly, and between Mike Hickam and Henry Gowan, the oil business was flourishing.

Ironically it was Elizabeth who inadvertently discovered the real reason for Lucas's sudden departure. She was sitting opposite Nathan at the desk in the jail, grading papers while he finished his reports, and then they were going to the café for dinner. Allie was having dinner at Opal's and Jack was enjoying a play day with his 'Grandpa Bill', so Elizabeth and Nathan were having a date night. They were both engrossed in their work when the phone rang.

"Mounted Police," Nathan answered seriously.

"Nathan," Florence replied, relieved to have caught him. "Is Elizabeth with you? I have a someone from her publishers on the line for her."

Nathan quickly stood, gesturing Elizabeth around the desk to his chair. "She's right here. Just a moment."

Elizabeth settled into his seat, her curiosity piqued. She knew Helen was working on the book tour stops, but the first one was still several weeks away. "Hello?"

"Good afternoon," a smooth male voice came over the line. "Is this Elizabeth Thornton Grant?"

"It is," she confirmed, confused.

"My name is Lincoln Mead. I am Mrs. Bouchard's assistant. Since she is unavailable for a time, I wanted to check in with you to make sure everything was still on track for your book tour. The first stop is…" she heard papers rustling before he came back on the line, "the Silverton public library."

"Yes, in a few weeks," Elizabeth replied. "I'm sorry, but why is Helen unavailable?" After what had happened with Lucas and the man pretending to be a part of the marketing team, she was hesitant to trust another new name at the publishers.

Mr. Mead cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I thought her son would have told you before he left. Vincent Bouchard is quite ill. Helen has taken a leave of absence from the company, and she called their son home, just in case…"

Elizabeth took a deep breath and her heart dropped. Seeing her face pale, Nathan rose and started around the desk, raising his brows in silent question.

Offering a grateful smile, she shook her head and returned her attention to the man on the phone. "I was not aware of their situation," she explained. "I'm sorry. We can reschedule the tour dates if necessary. I don't want to add any more stress for Helen and her family."

"Nonsense," Mr. Mead replied quickly. "I've been Mrs. Bouchard's assistant for over five years now. I know how she thinks and what she'd want, and she would want you to get your time in the spotlight. Mr. Bouchard is doing much better. The doctors expect him to make a full recovery, it's just going to take some time. She and their son will both be staying here in Hamilton for a few more weeks, but she should be back to work by your second tour stop at the latest."

Elizabeth sagged in relief, smiling at Nathan. "I'm glad to hear that Mr. Bouchard is on the road to recovery. I will certainly let everyone here in Hope Valley know about Lucas's father and his extended absence, and we will send our prayers for the family. I look forward to working with you, Mr. Mead."

When they disconnected, Elizabeth rose, walking around the desk and wrapping her arms around her husband. "I feel so terrible about how I've been acting," she admitted. "Here I was, celebrating that Lucas isn't here because his absence makes my life easier, and he's been sitting at his father's sickbed."

Nathan hugged her close, running a hand soothingly up and down her back. "You are not a terrible person," he assured her. "Or if you are, we all are. Everyone in town has been breathing a little easier with Lucas gone. I don't think anyone in Hope Valley truly wishes him ill, but he has been making you, our children, and a lot of other people uncomfortable with his relentless pursuit of you. It's only natural that you would be relieved to have that stress taken away, especially in your condition."

"My condition?" she asked tartly, leaning back to glare up at him. "I hope you aren't implying that being pregnant has somehow made me less capable of functioning in society?"

Surprised by her sudden mood swing, Nathan merely held her tighter. There had been a few episodes recently where she had gone from happy and smiling to sobbing in an instant, one of them quite literally at the drop of a hat. Jack had taken his cap off when he ran in the door after playing outside, abandoning it on the floor as he rushed to tell his mother about his adventure in the woods with Allie and Nathan. Elizabeth had leaned down to pick up the cap and started crying, her mind locked on how fast her son was growing up and how soon he would be leaving her. The children had stood back, unsure how to react. Nathan, having been warned about the mood swings by Faith, Mrs. Weiss, and Mr. Canfield, had merely held her until she'd stopped crying. She had then kissed his cheek and resumed making dinner as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Still uncertain how to navigate the potentially dangerous waters he found himself in, Nathan prayed silently for direction as he met his wife's icy gaze. "I don't think you being pregnant makes you anything less than amazing," he started, watching her carefully. "In fact, it makes you more aware of everyone around you and how they are feeling. I would say that is a definite bonus."

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed at him briefly before she flashed him a brilliant smile. "You always know just what to say to make me feel better."

Nathan breathed a quick sigh of relief as she turned to gather her coat, smiling back as he helped her into it. Taking his hat from the hook next to the door, he closed and locked the jail before offering his arm. A quick conversation with Florence and another with Molly assured that the news about Lucas's father would make its way through town by the end of the day tomorrow. Just to be certain, they told Minnie Canfield about it over dinner at the café, asking her to pass the prayer request on to her husband for Sunday's service.

Lucas was in a hurry. When he left Hope Valley nearly three months ago, he had been unsure when he would be returning. The only thing on his mind had been the call from his mother, telling him of his father's dire illness and wish to see him before it was too late. Everything related to the saloon, Gowen Petroleum, and a certain schoolteacher had been remanded to the back of his mind. It was only after he'd arrived back in Hamilton and spent a few days at his father's side that he was able to think clearly. He had called Gustav and Mike, planning for both businesses to run in his extended absence, and talked to the bank about keeping payroll going for all of his employees.

Had the circumstances been different, he might have used the time in Hamilton to meet with William Thatcher again, or perhaps found a way to make inroads with Elizabeth's mother and sister. His father, however, had strongly urged him to leave the Thatcher family alone. Once they were assured that Vincent Bouchard would make a full recovery, Lucas had stepped in to help oversee his father's company. Learning his way around there left him little time for socializing. It did not, however, keep him from thinking of Elizabeth.

Lucas had made a number of plans to win Elizabeth Thornton back from Constable Grant. He was sure that they were destined to be together, and that her wedding to the other man was merely a small bump in their road to happiness. He convinced himself that it was a marriage in name only, that she was merely hiding from her true feelings and that with a little encouragement from Lucas, would put her fears aside and come back to him.

Then Nathan had announced that she was pregnant.

It wasn't as though Lucas disliked children entirely. He simply had no patience for the mess and inconvenience they brought with them. Everyone told him that someday, down the road, he would want a son or two to carry on his name, but he felt there was still so much living to do before then. While courting Elizabeth, he had found it difficult to make any sort of connection with her son because that's how he saw the boy- her son. He didn't feel any fatherly bond. He didn't see any need to ruin his suit crawling around on the floor or playing in the dirt. When he thought about teaching Jack to ride once he was older, it was with polo matches in mind, not muddy trails through the woods.

The revelation that Elizabeth was having a child with another man had literally taken his breath away, turning his stomach. She deserved so much better than a frontier town and the not unlikely possibility of being widowed a second time, this time being saddled with three children to raise. Lucas thought Nathan had seemed a little smug when sharing the news about the baby, and had he more time to digest the revelation, he would have found a way to respond appropriately.

Now that he was back, he had a lot of ground to recover. He had arrived late last night, getting off the train in Union City and driving his own car back to Hope Valley. He'd slept later than he intended, and then sat down to go over the saloon's books with Gustav. He would do the same with Mike when he went to the oil office tomorrow. Now, it was time to see Elizabeth.

Lucas had spent enough time observing her to know that she usually walked into town after school, with the mercantile or the café her mostly likely stops. He intended to catch her before she went to the jail to see Nathan and hoped that Allie and Jack wouldn't be with her. With any luck, he could convince her to have dinner with him at the saloon, and they could talk about their future.

He was looking down the street towards where Elizabeth would be coming from the school and not watching directly in front of him. When he bustled around the corner, he ran right into someone. Instinctively reaching out to prevent the other person from falling and opening his mouth to apologize, he was horrified to realize it was Elizabeth.

She stepped back quickly, steadying herself on the railing beside her. When her other hand went to cradle her belly, Lucas's eyes followed. They widened in shock at the bump clearly discernable under her dress.

"How…you're…" Lucas stammered, unable to take his eyes off the obvious evidence of her pregnancy. Shaking himself off, he finally met her gaze. "I'm so sorry. Are you alright?"

Elizabeth nodded, taking another step back. She hadn't heard that Lucas was back in town, and this certainly was not how she wanted to encounter him. "Just startled. We're fine."

"We?" Lucas asked, looking around for Jack behind or beside her.

Elizabeth nodded, her hand once again going to her belly. "Yes. We. The baby and I are fine."

Lucas continued to stare at her, long enough that she got uncomfortable and tried to go around him. "I'm sorry," he finally declared. "I just…I heard that you were pregnant but seeing it…it just makes it so… real."

"Real?" Elizabeth scoffed. "Trust me. No one has been imagining my crazy moods or incessant need to eat everything in sight. Just ask Nathan and Allie. Or ask my students how many times a day I excuse myself to go to the bathroom. I can assure you, this is quite real."

Lucas shook his head, still in disbelief. His hopes faded watching her face literally glow as she ran her hand over the little bump. Her eyes lit up when she saw someone behind him, and he turned to see Nathan approaching.

Skirting around the other man, Nathan gave his wife a quick kiss before putting his arm around her and turning. "Lucas," he said solemnly. "I hope your return means your father is doing better."

"He is, thank you," Lucas replied politely. "I hadn't realized my father's illness was common knowledge."

"Elizabeth heard from your mother's assistant, Mr. Mead, while they were planning her book tour. You and your family have been in all our prayers."

Lucas flushed, unable to meet Nathan's gaze.

"Are you ready to go?" Nathan asked, turning back to Elizabeth. "I know Faith is waiting for us."

"Faith?" Lucas looked up quickly. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine," Elizabeth grinned, leaning into Nathan as she replied. "Just a checkup. She's going to tell me again to watch what I eat and measure how much the baby is growing. Nathan is going to lie and tell her that I've been a saint, when I know I can be a bit…difficult these days."

Nathan smiled. "You aren't that difficult, and besides, you have good reason to be a little fussy."

That the man was clearly besotted not only with his wife, but their unborn child was abundantly clear. Lucas stepped back, waving his hand for them to pass him.

"Congratulations," he managed say.

"Thank you," Elizabeth replied.

Lucas watched as she and Nathan hurried down the street towards the infirmary. He could see the happiness they exuded, and his heart was heavy. The last of his plans to win her back faded as he saw them stop suddenly, Elizabeth pulling Nathan's hand to her stomach. He watched as Nathan shook his head, pressing harder before stooping down—in the middle of the boardwalk no less—to talk to their baby. Elizabeth was laughing as she tugged her husband to his feet and he leaned down to kiss her.

Lucas tore his gaze away from the happy couple and shook himself off as he started back towards the saloon. Just because things didn't work out the way he'd planned with Elizabeth didn't mean he had to give up on his dreams entirely. It was just time to rearrange them a bit.

After several delays, the stagecoach finally pulled into town, stopping next to the cafe. A lone woman in a wilted but well-made hat stepped down, turning to thank the driver as he unloaded her luggage. As the coach pulled away, the young woman looked around, her eyes filled with excitement.

"Julie Thatcher, is that you?"

The red head turned, then rushed to hug the man standing on the steps of the café. "Mr. Avery!"

Bill shook his head, groaning internally as he returned Julie's exuberant greeting. He was sure that had they know her sister was coming, Nathan and Elizabeth would have mentioned it. "Come on, let's get your bags inside and then you can tell me what you're doing in Hope Valley."

Julie laughed, turning to lift two of her smaller bags while Bill juggled the larger three. "I'm here to see my sister, of course."

"And does your sister know you were coming?"

"Of course!" she shrugged. "She knew I was planning to come out to help with the baby. I just decided to come a bit sooner."

"A bit?" Bill grumbled. "You didn't bring any outlaws with you this time, did you?"

Julie laughed again. "No outlaws," she promised. "The only handsome men I plan on charming while I'm here are my sweet little nephew and my brother-in-law."

"Heaven help them," Bill muttered. Forcing a smile as he dropped her bags in the parlor, he directed Julie back out to the dining room. "I bet all that traveling has made you hungry. How about some supper before we track down Elizabeth and Nathan?"

"That sounds wonderful, Mr. Avery," Julie cooed. "What is tonight's special?"

"Trout," he replied.

"Sounds delicious."

"Well, let's hope you like it. If you're going to spend any amount of time with Nathan and Allie, you're going to see a lot of fish."

Elizabeth and Nathan made their way from the infirmary to the café. Faith had given both Elizabeth and the baby a clean bill of health, and they couldn't wait to celebrate with the children. A quick stop for something sweet for dessert, and they would head home to relieve Laura and start dinner. Nathan held the door for his wife then followed her inside, bumping into her back when she stopped suddenly.

"Julie?"

"Sister!" Julie exclaimed, rising from her chair and hurrying across the room to embrace Elizabeth. When her older sister remained frozen in disbelief, she turned her attention to Nathan, wrapping him in a quick hug before leaning down to coo at Elizabeth's rounded belly. "And hello, my sweet niece or nephew!"

Coming back to herself, Elizabeth gaped at her younger sister. "It's not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here, Julie?"

The younger woman straightened and grinned. "Why, I'm here to help with the baby, of course."

Raising an eyebrow, Elizabeth studied her sister carefully. "You do realize that the baby won't be here for a few more months? What do you intend to do until then?"

Nathan silently guided the two women across the room to where Julie had been seated. He helped Elizabeth into a chair and then turned to see Bill waiting in the doorway between the kitchen and the dining room. The older man shook his head and shrugged, offering a wry smile.

Unfazed by her sister's less than enthusiastic greeting, Julie rambled on. "I'm sure I can find something to do around town. Perhaps I could help you at school again. Or maybe I could assist at the dress shop. I'm not much for sewing, but I'm sure I could lend my talents to fitting and sales. Or maybe…"

"And where are you planning to stay?" Elizabeth queried. "Our new house isn't habitable yet, and there isn't room at the row house."

"I'm sure I could squeeze into the spare bedroom," Julie shrugged.

"You mean Allie's room?" Elizabeth replied pointedly.

Julie sank back in her chair, finally startled into silence. She pouted her lip for a moment, deep in thought, before she sat up triumphantly, her eyes gleaming. "I guess I'll just stay at the hotel then," she declared. "I'm sure there's room there."

Nathan could see that his wife's patience was growing thin. Fortunately, Bill had realized the same thing, and was already crossing the room with some tea and a chocolate scone. Placing them in front of Elizabeth, he stood back to address them all. "Are you folks planning to stay for dinner, or do you want me to put something together for you to take home?"

"We'll stay," Julie replied at the same time Elizabeth declared, "To go, please."

Sensing Julie was about to argue, Nathan stepped in to diffuse things. "Julie, why don't you join us for dinner at home?" he suggested. "I'm sure Allie and Jack will be thrilled to see you. We can stop to check you into the hotel on our way to the house, and I will escort you back into town after the kids go to bed."

Beaming, Julie stood to hug him again and then gathered her coat. "I've already eaten, but I would love to join you just the same. Mr. Avery was kind enough to help me with my bags earlier. Perhaps my dear brother-in-law could help me carry them to the hotel?"

Nathan nodded, pausing to squeeze Elizabeth's shoulder gently before following Julie into the other room. When he stepped back into the dining room a moment later, he was juggling the three large cases while Julie prattled on about her trip, hardly burdened by her two small cases.

"This is ridiculous," Elizabeth sighed, pulling herself to her feet and crossing the room. "I'll carry these," she said, taking the cases from her sister. "You brought it all here. You can carry one of those bags yourself," she added, nodding towards the larger cases. Julie opened her mouth to argue, but seeing the look on her sister's face, thought better of it. Struggling a bit, she picked up the smallest of the cases next to Nathan.

"I'll get something ready for you all and bring it out to the house," Bill volunteered. "Clara and Minnie can handle things for a bit."

It took several minutes for them to make their way down the street, with Julie stopping every few steps to put her bag down and rest. "It seems I'm making up for the last few days of inactivity all in a few minutes," she joked. "I will definitely have to get more exercise if I'm to keep up with everyone here."

Elizabeth forced a smile as she turned to face her sister. "Hope Valley isn't like Hamilton," she chided gently. "There are no servants or Mr. Christy at your beck and call. If you're going to stay here, you must be able to do things for yourself."

Julie shrugged and once again hefted her case, unperturbed by Elizabeth's rebuke. "I can't wait to do things for myself!" she declared. "You of all people should know how stifling it can be when everyone expects you to just sit back and let the world be handed to you. It's part of the reason you came here, isn't it?

Elizabeth paused, surprised by her sister's revelation. It was true. She had come here in part to gain some independence from her parents and the confining rules of their high society lifestyle. She just never anticipated that Julie might want the same thing. On her previous visit, Julie had done her best to settle into frontier life, but she never quite managed to fit in, still clinging a little too tightly to the life she was accustomed to back in Hamilton. Perhaps this time would be different.

Reaching the saloon, Nathan held the door for the sisters, then stood just inside while the women went to arrange a room for Julie. He couldn't help but notice Lucas catching sight of Elizabeth and Julie. The man was stunned.

Lucas turned from helping a guest at the bar to see Elizabeth standing next to a beautiful young woman. There was something familiar about her, though he couldn't place when or where he had met her before. He hurried across the room to help them.

"Ladies," he greeted smoothly. "Elizabeth, I take it your appointment with the good doctor went well. And who is your enchanting companion?"

Julie laughed, stepping around her sister to greet the saloon owner. "Mr. Bouchard," she smiled. "What a pleasure to see you again."

Lucas paused, struggling to recall where he had seen the lady before. "I am afraid you have me at a bit of a disadvantage," he admitted, his smile never faltering. "We have obviously met before, but I cannot recall when or where. Do tell me."

Julie smirked, her eyes glowing with triumph. "We most certainly have met before, Mr. Bouchard, thought admittedly you were rather distracted by someone else both times."

Lucas appeared completely puzzled by her words.

Elizabeth stepped in, her own eyes filled with some mischief. "Allow me to reintroduce you. Julie, you obviously remember Mr. Bouchard. He owns the saloon and the oil company in town. Lucas, this is my sister, Julie Thatcher."

"Your sister?"