Clara was pleased to arrive back in Coal Valley, and as she pulled into Town on the first stagecoach of the morning, she realised Coal Valley, indeed, was home. It had been nice to go back to Benson Hills, but she didn't feel the need to go there anymore; this Town, these people, Abigail in particular, had become her family along with everyone else.
As she went to collect her bag from the driver, Nathan stepped forward, collecting it for her. Clara looked up and smiled, "thank you, Nathan. I appreciate it."
"Clara, it's good to see your home. Let me carry your bag to the Cafe for you; I was heading there myself to have breakfast with Allie.
"Wouldn't she be arriving with you?" she asked, curious.
"Actually, she stayed with Abigail last night," Shrugging, he grinned and said, "it's a long story we can tell you over breakfast."
Clara nodded and followed Nathan inside the Cafe, eager to see Abigail and settle back in.
Nathan walked to the Cafe and held the kitchen door open for Clara, pleased to see Elizabeth already inside, sitting next to Allie at the table. There was a huge plate of steaming pancakes, a jug of maple syrup, and a bowl of blueberries on the table before them.
Nathan smiled at the sight of Allie, her face smeared with maple syrup from her pancakes. She was laughing at something Elizabeth had said, and it seemed all was well with their relationship.
As the people inside noticed him and Clara, there was a barrage of voices and excitement to see Clara home. Abigail rushed over and hugged her, as did Elizabeth. Nathan took the opportunity to go and sit with Allie and see how she was.
"How was your night with Mrs Stanton Allie? Did you get to taste many cakes?"
Allie smiled at her uncle "Not last night, it was too late to do much baking, but Mrs Stanton and I are going to try them more this morning. Once we've picked our favourites, she said I can take them on my picnic with Elizabeth." Allie's face was alight with excitement.
Nathan was pleased to see Allie back to her old self and eager to spend time with Elizabeth. He wondered if there would be lingering effects from what Lisa had said to her about Elizabeth but hoped there wouldn't be. With everyone reassuring her, she would soon understand how much she meant to Elizabeth. Lisa would be out of their lives as soon as he could manage it, and then there wouldn't be an ongoing problem; she wouldn't have another chance to poison Allie's mind with lies.
Nathan couldn't wait to get Elizabeth alone and hear about how Allie had been when she arrived that morning and how hard she had to work to overcome whatever Lisa had said.
Elizabeth walked over to Nathan and smiled; taking his hand; she asked, "can I interest you in a coffee, Nathan? Maybe some pancakes?"
"Who made the pancakes, Elizabeth? he asked, teasing her.
"Oh, hush you," she said, laughing with him. Her inability to cook anything edible was common knowledge and a running joke amongst those who knew her. "Abigail made the pancakes, although I did help her and Allie."
"They're delicious, Uncle Nathan," Allie assured him.
"Well, I can tell you enjoyed them from the syrup all over your face."
Nathan was pleased when his teasing comment drew a laugh from his Niece; it was good to hear her laughing.
Well, Allie, you've convinced me. I'd love to have some pancakes before I go to work." Nathan looked at Elizabeth and said, "I would love some coffee to go with them, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth smiled as Nathan went to join Allie at the table; she liked seeing them so happy and carefree, which had been missing from their recent visits. Elizabeth set his coffee cup next to him on the table as Allie jumped up and helped Abigail prepare his plate.
Elizabeth sat close beside Nathan and lowered her voice, so Allie wouldn't overhear, "once you finish breakfast and we clean up, I will head over to the Mountie office. Allie will be distracted helping Abigail with the baking. I'll fill you in on what happened this morning."
"Will there be any baking samples you can bring along?" Nathan asked, grinning at her.
"I'm sure I can find something sweet for you," Elizabeth said as she returned his smile, her eyes shining. She was enjoying his teasing. "Although I hoped I was sweet enough."
"Oh, you are, Miss Thatcher, very sweet. And gorgeous." Nathan peeked over her shoulder to make sure no one was looking and placed a quick kiss on her upturned mouth. "Very sweet," he said. "You taste like blueberries and maple syrup, two of my favourite things."
"I have all day to spend with Allie; Rosemary agreed to run the school for me today," Elizabeth said, blushing at his compliment before changing the subject. "She suggested she might put on a play with the children."
Nathan chuckled, imagining how different the children's day would be with Rosemary in charge. Nathan worried that if Rosemary put on a play with the children, they would need an audience. He was sure he would be roped in to sit through whatever they came up with. At least he wouldn't be alone, Elizabeth would insist on watching the children, and Lee would be there whether he liked it or not. Abigail would also insist on providing snacks for the audience and children so it wouldn't be all bad.
Nathan strode out of the Cafe toward the Mountie office, pleased breakfast had been a diversion from everything else. The morning spent with Allie and Elizabeth, laughing, and joking, was how it should be, how it would be again soon.
Nathan was frowning again when he reached his office, his displeasure increasing when he found the door open and someone waiting inside for him.
"You're here bright and early. I wasn't expecting you."
Bill looked up from the papers he was reading as he sat behind Nathan's desk. "And you're late; what kind of Mountie turns up this late for work?"
"One that has been having breakfast with his Niece, trying to repair the damage a certain person had done." Nathan hung his hat on the hook and debated whether it was worth getting Bill to move out of his seat. Sighing, he decided it wasn't and instead went to pour himself some of the coffee Bill had made. There may be some positives about finding him in the office.
"Did you find out anything last night or this morning?"
"Nothing I liked. Lisa has been poisoning Allie against Elizabeth, telling her lies, suggesting Elizabeth thinks she is in the way." Nathan held up his hand, stopping Bill's tirade, "it's okay; Abigail was able to reassure her last night that it wasn't true, and she is spending the day with Elizabeth today."
"Anything else I should know?"
"I walked Lisa home last night, and I don't think she suspects that I don't trust her," Nathan explained their conversation over dinner and how Lisa behaved. "Oh, and Elizabeth hates the plan."
"I'm not surprised; I didn't think she would like it," Bill said, laughing, glad he wasn't in Nathan's shoes.
"Did I also mention I told her it was your idea...and she is on her way here; I expect her any minute."
Bill jumped out of Nathan's seat and grabbed his papers and hat, rushing toward the door.
"Bill, wait!" Nathan called after him, laughing. "You haven't told me why you came by."
"It can wait; I can come back later when Elizabeth is gone," Bill grinned.
"Chicken!" Nathan called as the door slammed shut behind him. At least he had his desk back.
Elizabeth saw Bill hurrying up the walk away from the Mountie office and wondered why he was rushing out.
"Hi Nathan, is everything alright? Bill seemed to be in a hurry."
"He had a pressing matter; he said he would come back later." Nathan was proud of himself for keeping a straight face. "Come in. Would you like a cup of coffee?"
"No, thank you," she said, placing a basket of goodies she had brought on his desk. "Abigail sent these; although her and Allie's baking isn't ready, she wanted you to have these." Smiling, she said, "you know I plan on using these to bribe you into telling me everything about last night."
"You don't have to bribe me, I want to tell you, but first, I want to hear about Allie this morning."
As Elizabeth sat opposite him and started talking, Nathan listened, taking in every word she said. His anger grew as he heard Elizabeth describe the initial fear she saw in Allie's eyes and how hard she had to work to get the little girl to trust her again. Nathan was glad Abigail was there to help; Elizabeth said she had been invaluable in getting the little girl to open up.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Elizabeth," Nathan growled.
"It's okay. At least I could fix it, and spending the day with her will help cement it. I am glad she is staying with Abigail again and won't see Lisa tonight, but my heart breaks for Colleen."
"Faith is calling to see Colleen today, and hopefully, she will get to the bottom of how she is feeling and if Lisa has been putting medication in her food. Colleen is worried about that." Nathan's anger rose again; it was another reason to expose Lisa and get her out of their lives.
It was Nathan's turn to tell Elizabeth about his evening with Lisa. He saw her eyes flash with jealousy and anger and realised how much he was risking and how many people would be hurt if this ended badly. He couldn't place the people he loved at risk; he needed to do something and do it fast.
"I need her to trust me, Elizabeth. So I can get proof of what she has been doing so I can arrest her and charge."
"I don't like this, Nathan, not one little bit." Elizabeth stood and walked around the desk, standing in front of him. "I trust you, Nathan. I trust you to do the right thing, not to allow her to hurt your family, not to taint what we have," her voice broke on her last words.
Nathan stood and took her in his arms, "I would never let her do that to us, Elizabeth, and I am sorry you are hurting." Nathan leaned down and captured her lips, using his kiss to convey to her what he was feeling, how much he loved her. "I won't allow her or anyone else to come between us, I promise you," he said earnestly, hoping she could see the truth behind his words.
Elizabeth stood in Nathan's arms, holding him tight, drawing strength from his words and touch. "I need to go, get back to Allie. I don't want to keep her waiting or have her doubt me."
Nathan allowed Elizabeth to go, but not before he captured her lips again; this time, the kiss was more passionate, the heat rising instantly between them. Elizabeth was the one who broke the kiss, pulling away from him and leaving quickly. As he sat back in his chair after seeing her out, he put his head in his hands and sat, thinking about all the things that could go wrong, hoping none of them did.
Lisa woke in her room above the Saloon, wondering what all the noise was. After dressing quickly, she went downstairs to investigate and was horrified to see Rosemary LeVeaux bustling around in the area where they held school. Lisa frowned, wondering what her presence meant; where was the Princess this morning?
Gathering herself, Lisa strode downstairs, "Good morning, Rosemary. It's a surprise to see you here this morning."
Rosemary breathed in at the breezy, sweet voice she heard behind her, a large smile in place when she turned to greet Lisa. "Well, good morning to you, sleepy head. I didn't realise anyone was still here; I assumed you would already be at the Grant house helping Colleen and Allie."
Rosemary knew very well where Allie was and why Lisa was late, but she wasn't going to let on that there was anything wrong.
"Allie spent the night with Abigail Stanton last night, so I am going in a little later," Lisa explained. She was aware Rosemary had ignored her question about why she was there, "what brings you here so early?"
"Oh, just helping Elizabeth; she had some personal business today and needed a day to get it done."
"I hope everything is okay?" Lisa said, the saccharine in her voice not matching the scorn in her eyes.
"Oh yes, perfectly fine." Rosemary turned her back on Lisa and continued preparing the room for the children; it was a clear dismissal.
"Well, have a lovely day with the children. I am sure they will love having you as their teacher."
Rosemary stood watching Lisa stroll out of the Saloon; she shook her head, wondering if Lisa was aware of the emphasis she put on 'you' and the implication the children didn't like Elizabeth. Lisa had barely maintained a pleasant facade when talking about Elizabeth. Rosemary knew she would need to pass on the details to Elizabeth or Nathan; they would want to know about their conversation. She was curious to see if they knew the extent of the woman's hatred for Elizabeth.
Nathan looked up as the door to the Mountie office opened again, hoping it was Bill but was disappointed to find Lisa standing there instead.
"Good morning, Nathan. I wanted to call in on my way to your house and see how Colleen's night was. I hope you were both able to get some rest."
Nathan stood; he felt vulnerable, sitting behind his desk while she stood before him; he didn't want to get trapped by her. Nathan took in her demeanour; outside, she looked calm and caring, but something in her eyes made him wary. "Colleen slept well, thank you. She seemed quite alert and happy when I left this morning."
"That's good to hear. Have you checked on Allie this morning? Wait, don't answer that; of course, you have; you are the best Uncle ever."
Nathan tried not to wince at the simpering tone and adoration in her eyes. Inside, he was cringing, but outwardly he smiled at the woman before him. "That's sweet of you to say." Chuckling, Nathan said, "and yes, I have checked on her, and she had a great night, the last time I saw her, she was enjoying blueberry pancakes and had syrup all over her face."
Lisa laughed with Nathan, "oh, what a sweet image. I'll miss having her around today. Are you sure Abigail doesn't need help watching her while she runs the Cafe?"
"Allie will be fine; enough people are helping out at the Cafe; they can keep an eye on her. Clara arrived home this morning, so there is an extra person too."
Nathan decided he had had enough and walked toward Lisa and led her toward the door. "I am sure Colleen is looking forward to having your undivided attention today, and hopefully, you will have an easy day."
"Will I see you at lunchtime? I can prepare something for you?"
"Please don't go to that trouble; you never know how my day will go, so it's better not to plan for it." Nathan was torn between wanting to check on Colleen and avoiding Lisa, and what he had said wasn't strictly a lie. Nathan also wanted to keep Lisa guessing about when he would be around.
Nathan looked down as he felt Lisa's hand on his arm, squeezing it gently, "make sure you take care of yourself today. I would hate for anything to happen to our brave Mountie." Her voice was breathy, and her eyes held an invitation. As she swayed toward him, she moistened her lips, and her eyes dropped to his mouth.
Nathan tried to smile at her but couldn't do it; he hoped the thin-lipped version of a smile was enough to satisfy her. Without saying anything, he lifted her hand from his arm and walked her to the door, "let me know if Colleen needs anything today."
It took everything he had not to slam the door behind her. He took a deep breath; he needed to keep it together. No. What he needed to do was end this. He grabbed his hat off the hook and headed out to search for Bill; he needed to know what he had found.
It was mid-morning when Elizabeth and Allie were finally able to leave for their picnic; Allie and Abigail had done a lot of baking. Elizabeth held Allie's hand as they walked towards the pond near Town; it was a pretty place to eat their picnic, but not too far for Allie to walk. She was pleased the little girl had accepted her explanation so readily this morning, and she knew it was down to the talk Abigail had with her the night before. Once Elizabeth said how much she had missed Allie and spending time with her, then cooked breakfast alongside her, she started to come around. When Elizabeth explained she had taken the whole day away from her classroom to spend with Allie, the little girl believed her. For now. She knew that Lisa could once again poison the girl's mind if she were allowed to spend too much time with her.
Elizabeth looked around and suggested a spot to Allie, who readily agreed. They spread out their picnic basket and settled themselves in. It was too early for more food, both were still full from breakfast and sneaking tastes of the cakes they were baking. Elizabeth had brought a sketchbook, pencils, and paints, and a delighted Allie began to draw immediately. Elizabeth was content to watch the young girl, and they occasionally talked about Allie's pictures. Elizabeth was pleased to spend the day this way; it was a perfect morning to reconnect with the little girl.
Lisa stood at the back door into the Grant house, eavesdropping on Colleen and Faith. She wanted to hear the conversation between the two. Lisa needed to know if Colleen had found out she was drugging her food, nothing that would kill her, just enough to keep her drowsy and pliable. Nathan's comments about how alert Colleen was that morning may have been entirely innocent, but she had to be sure.
Lisa knew the message waiting for her at the Saloon last night added to her unrest. Her brother had hinted he was thinking of coming to Town to visit her. She knew he wasn't interested in seeing her; he was checking up on her. It was his way of threatening her to toe the line. She knew refusing to do the last two jobs he sent her way could lead to this, but her focus was on Nathan Grant and winning him from Elizabeth Thatcher. Her brother might think he controlled her, but he didn't.
Without a word, Nathan strode into Bill's office and threw himself down into a chair opposite him. He watched as Bill's eyebrows raised at Nathan's unusual behaviour, but wisely he didn't comment on it; instead, he waited for Nathan to start talking.
"What did you find out, Bill? Tell me you found something I can use to get her out of my life and out of our Town?"
"Nothing as solid as you wanted. Everyone is scared to talk about their…indiscretions with her. We have no proof of her cheating the others out of anything." Bill sighed, "I did hear something about her and a partner working together selling shares in a company that doesn't exist. That could be what we need. Fraud is a serious charge."
"Do you know the name of the Company?"
"Not yet, but I am working on it." Bill threw the papers down on the desk with a flick of his wrists. "I know this is frustrating, Nathan, but sometimes these things take time, so we get them right."
"I know, Bill. I just have a bad feeling something is going to go wrong; someone is going to get hurt, and I'll feel responsible."
Faith hurried to the Mountie office, impatient to speak to Nathan. She was concerned about Colleen and needed him to know what they had discussed. She paced up and down the Boardwalk, trying to appear calm, despite the furrowed brow and wringing hands. Nathan looked at her waiting for him, and knew he wouldn't like what she had to say.
Another man in another Town was also receiving bad news.
"Order my carriage and pack my trunk," Lucas Bouchard ordered angrily as he read the Telegram, crumpling it into a Ball when he finished. As the door closed behind his assistant, he threw his tumbler of whiskey at it. The tumbler shattered, and shards of glass rained down on the carpet. The amber liquid dripped down the door and walls. Once again, his sister was out of control, well out of his power at least. He needed to see her and remind her of what was expected of her. She needed to understand what was at stake and the consequences of failing to deliver.