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Chapter Eighty-two

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Introductions and Insights

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Neither Nathan, Elizabeth nor Allie found it easy to concentrate on this Monday. Each of them tried to rein in their thoughts as they considered aspects of their meeting the previous evening and excitedly looked forward to being together once more this evening.

Having enjoyed a glimpse of downtown Regina, been driven past St. Anne's Academy, the RCMP Headquarters and Depot, Elizabeth was very thoughtful during the afternoon. She spent some time with her journal in her lap, planning to write. Yet most of the time, she stared out the window, half-praying and half-daydreaming. She dared not put the words on paper yet, but Elizabeth was sensing a major change was coming in her life and it was with both excitement and anxiety that she considered her future.

Knowing the meal wouldn't take long to prepare and would mostly take time in the oven, Elizabeth waited in the main house for Allie to return from school. She planned to introduce Allie to her mother while Allie enjoyed an afternoon snack that Carol usually made available to her, before going to the Cottage to prepare their meal.

Entering the hallway, Allie called, "Gramma Carol? Mrs. Thornton?"

"We are in the living room, Sweetheart. Come in!" Gramma Carol welcomed Allie home as Allie hugged her and then her teacher. Standing beside Elizabeth, Allie was introduced.

"Mother? Please meet Allison Grant, known as Allie. Allie? Meet my mother, Mrs. Thatcher."

Allie immediately walked to where Grace was seated and extended her hand, saying "Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Thatcher. I really enjoyed Mr. Thatcher's visit and I'm looking forward to getting to know you."

Already impressed, Grace Thatcher responded as she shook Allie's hand. "Lovely to meet you, Allie. My husband gave us glowing reports upon his return and you and your father made a big impression!"

"I hope a good one?" Allie smiled. "He made quite an impression too!"

Laughing softly, Grace continued. "So, I understand this is a full and exiting week for you?"

"Yes, Ma'am. My school chorus concert is on Friday and it's in the auditorium at City Hall! I never sang in a place that enormous! We went there for a piano concert on Saturday evening and it is beautiful, and elegant, and big!"

Spontaneously Grace Thatcher wrapped her arm around Allie's waist, looking up into her face. "My daughter has informed me that I will be able to attend your concert with your dad and her, so I will be able to see this lovely place. How dressy do you think I should be? A long formal gown or just a party or church outfit? Did your choir director mention a dress code?" Grace laughed. "What I wear really doesn't matter though does it? What will you be wearing for the event? Your uniform or something extra pretty?"

"No uniforms, thank goodness!" Allie giggled. "When I shopped with Aunt Jane for my new coat, we chose a dress that might be good. Plus, Aunt Rosemary sent a few outfits too. Maybe I should try them on for you all? You can help me decide?" Allie was liking this idea. "Dad usually likes whatever I choose, so he is not helpful in making decisions! I sometimes decide for him…" Allie blushed. "Oops, I probably shouldn't have told you that…"

Elizabeth laughed. "Well, you are probably doing what most daughters do and that is helping your Dad stay looking sharp, right? I'm sure he is grateful, Allie!"

"I think so. I also have to help him learn new words, you know? A few weeks ago I had to explain what 'sharp' meant!"

Elizabeth, Carol and Grace laughed at that admission, fully understanding a teenage girl assisting her father to keep up with the times!

Grace was charmed with Allie's admissions, humor and concern for her father, thinking to herself, 'William was right. Allie is delightful!'

"Would you like to take a piece of fruit and a cookie to have your snack in the Cottage, Sweetheart?" Carol suggested. "You and Mrs. Thornton may want to begin your cooking, right?"

"Yes, please, Gramma Carol." Allie turned and gave Grace Thatcher a quick hug and just like that, Allie had established her greetings and farewells with one of Hamilton's most well-known of Society. Yet, as Grace thought about it later, the sincerity of Allie Grant's hug was far superior to the fake air kisses her colleagues exchanged at their big events. Allie was genuine and sweet and refreshing!

Entering the Cottage, Allie deposited her book tote beside the coat rack, placed the basket of snacks on the desk and offered to take Elizabeth's coat.

"Thank you, Allie. I'll let you show me where everything is, as I only checked for the food when I came in this morning." Elizabeth handed her coat to Allie. "We didn't need to purchase anything for tonight's meal."

As they entered the kitchen and Allie pointed to two aprons on the hook, Allie washed her hands and set out the snack, washing then cutting the pear in quarters and placing the cookies on a plate. Elizabeth washed up and began to gather the materials for the stuffing. "Please show me where you have a pan that will fit the three stuffed chops? I see there is a mixing bowl here on the shelf."

"Actually, Dad asked me to bake a dessert so maybe I should bake that first? He wanted me to ask if you like brownies?"

"Oh, Allie, they are probably my favorite dessert! Well, brownies or ice cream or raspberry pie or…" Elizabeth laughed. "Let's just say I love chocolate and brownies are one of my favorites!"

Giggling in return, Allie said, "You should ask Dad what his favorite dessert is. Actually, ask him what his favorite meal is and you might be surprised at his answer!"

"Oh? You're not going to tell me?" Elizabeth wiggled her eyebrows. "Maybe give me a hint?"

Shaking her head, Allie responded. "Not going to tell you and I already gave you a hint, Mrs. Thornton. You just need to pay attention!" Allie grinned as she popped part of a cookie in her mouth. "Would you like a glass of milk?"

Elizabeth laughed. "Oh, is that so? No thanks for the milk, but I may put on the kettle for some tea. Okay then, let's get the brownies in the oven then we'll work on the meal."

As the Cottage was filling with the fragrance of chocolate, pork chops and an extra dish of dressing were ready to place in the oven as soon as the brownies were baked. Apples were sliced, drizzled with honey, butter and seasoning, ready to sauté later, green beans waited in a pan and tea was made.

Elizabeth then asked, "Should we wait for your Dad to get home, or can you give me a tour, Allie?"

"Of course I can. We don't need to wait. Tours are my job anyway!" Allie reached her hand out to lead her teacher into her room. "This is my bedroom. That painting is my mother's and those of the seasons are as well. I especially love those."

"They all are beautiful, Allie. Do you know where the locations are? Are they from your mother's childhood?"

"Dad knows all of them, so yes, they are from the ranch. He can describe them best. Dad says that my mother would bring her paints and he would bring his guitar and notebook and they would talk and paint and sing together a lot when they grew up." Allie pointed to a sepia-toned photograph of a young woman holding a baby. "That's my mother holding me."

Elizabeth picked up the framed photo and held it towards the window. "Oh Allie. You look like your mother! Beautiful. And you were a little cherub!"

Allie blushed and giggled. "That's what Grandmom and Grandpa say. Dad too. I look like my mother. She had blue eyes though and I don't."

"Sparkling brown eyes are just as beautiful, Sweetheart." Elizabeth stroked Allie's hair as she replaced the frame. "That little sculpture is pretty. Does that have special meaning?"

Smiling, Allie explained. "Dad carved that butterfly for me."

"Really? It's so delicate and detailed. Just lovely, Allie." Elizabeth turned to a set of coordinated bookends on the student-sized desk, with a butterfly balanced on a branch. "And those too?"

Nodding, Allie pointed to the new jewelry box on her dresser. "And that too. He just gave me that for my fifteenth birthday. He said I needed a more grownup jewelry box. Look!" Allie lifted the lid to show the velvet lining and compartments. "Dad's really good at working with his hands."

"The more I see, the more I realize your father is good at a lot of things!" Elizabeth admitted admiringly. "Now tell me about those drawings? They are yours, right?"

"Yes, they are. I can bring my sketchbook to show you when we are in the front room. I think I need to check the brownies before I show you Dad's room. Be right back." Allie disappeared.

Elizabeth glanced at the titles of the books stacked beside Allie's bedtable, then perused those in her bookcase. When Allie returned Elizabeth commented. "You, Allie, are a voracious reader!"

"Dad and I both are!" Allie laughed. "Shall we look at Dad's room?"

"Yes, please." Elizabeth said, slightly breathless. To enter Nathan's personal space was to see inside his person and Elizabeth couldn't wait. "Oh…"

Nathan's room was as neat as Elizabeth expected, yet it was comfortable too. A carved Celtic cross hung above his chest of drawers, where his hair brush and hand mirror laid side-by-side. Beside his bed, the stack of books was a little crooked, but stacked neatly, with a brown leather Bible set on the top. Nathan's bed quilt was aligned perfectly and the blanket at the bottom of his bed was folded with precision. That habit Elizabeth recognized from Jack, as the Mounties trained their men well!

Elizabeth gently touched the wooden box carved with an image of an evergreen branch on Nathan's dresser, knowing he had created it for himself. "This is beautiful, Allie. Is this something your father carved in his youth or more recently?"

"Dad made that when he was a teenager and they had a bad winter. My mother painted, my grandmother baked and quilted and Dad carved and sang!"

Elizabeth commented, gaining insights into Nathan's youth. "Sounds like a happy household."

"Not really." Allie admitted. "But they all made the best of it. Dad is good at that, you know, making the best of difficult situations. He's had a lot of practice."

Allie's comment, although totally innocent and not intended to point at Elizabeth Thornton in any way, nevertheless hit a nerve and brought tears to Elizabeth's eyes. Clearing her throat she asked about the paintings.

"You'll have to ask Dad about those. I know the colors in the sky on that one are Dad's favorite shades of blue, but he can tell you more about the location. Oh, and my grandmother made our quilts. I didn't show you mine!"

"Stunning, Allie, and such fine stitches too." Elizabeth rubbed her hand over the soft cotton. "Your entire family is very artistic and talented. Does your grandfather also have an artistic gift?"

"Oh yes, Grandpa sings. He has a wonderful voice and he knows lots of folk songs from 'the old country' as he says. Ireland and Scotland. Grandpa is really good at mathematics though and someone once told me that artsy people can often be good at math."

"You are correct and you are proof positive of that, Allie Grant!" Elizabeth slowly moved to Nathan's bookcase, noting some titles, some small childhood toys, horses, soldiers, sheep and cows. A beautiful needlepoint throw pillow illustrated a family crest and rested in a craftsman style rocking chair where a dark green woven throw was draped over the back. Beside the door was a handsome, wooden wall shelf with hooks below on which hung a couple pairs of suspenders that Elizabeth thought she recognized. With a final glance around the room, Elizabeth caught the scent of balsam and cedar, realizing that it was the fragrance she remembered from whenever she had been close to Nathan. She inhaled deeply.

"I think the brownies should be done now. Shall we put the meat in the oven?" Allie asked.

"Yes. Let's do that. We can set the table too so when your Dad gets home there won't be much to do, right?"

"Hello, hello!" Nathan entered the house, carrying a basket which he placed on the desk and from which he produced two small bouquets of red carnations, white gypsophila, mixed with sprigs of cedar and cuttings of pine and holly. "This is for your room, Elizabeth, as a welcome to Regina." He handed the bouquets to each of the ladies. "Allie, maybe we can use yours on our dining table?"

"Oh, Nathan! How thoughtful. Thank you." Elizabeth admired the bouquet. "We can place mine on the table tonight as well, okay?"

"Sure. Thank you, Dad. Let me get a vase for them." Allie hugged her Dad and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Hello, Elizabeth. Did you have a good day?" Nathan set his swagger stick on his desk with his gloves and hat, shrugged out of his overcoat and hung it on the coat rack. He was ready to remove his belt and strap when Elizabeth stopped him.

"Just a moment please, Nathan? I want to get a good look at this new uniform." Elizabeth looked him up and down. "Very impressive. It is so different to see the serge in blue though. You would not be as easy to find in town, but you look wonderful in it. No weapon though?"

"If I wear one, it would be for a specific occasion, or I might wear one inside my boot, you know on an ankle strap. Here in Depot it is not necessary though some old Mountie habits are ingrained. In a dress parade I might wear a sword attached here. That was not a part of frontier policing in Hope Valley!" Nathan grinned.

"And the hat? Do you miss the campaign hat?" Elizabeth wondered. "It is so distinctive."

"Well, in Regina, we are surrounded by Mounties, so no, I don't really miss it. It serves its purpose out in the elements, but I'm not outside as much and I've been issued a fur cap for the especially cold and windy days here."

"I imagine you look cute in a fur hat." Elizabeth blushed. "I can't believe I said that out loud!"

Nathan chuckled, teasingly. "I don't think 'cute' is the word I would chose!" His eyes twinkled at her embarrassment. "You must be thinking of Jack, right? He's the cute one."

"Actually, no." Elizabeth teased right back. "Although Jack is very cute, I was thinking of you, Sergeant Grant. In spite of your important title."

It was Nathan's turn to blush, but he quickly changed the subject. "So, do I pass inspection, Mrs. Thornton?"

"You'll do, Sergeant." Elizabeth caught Allie watching them, so got serious. "Dinner isn't quite ready because we baked brownies first, but we promise everything looks good, right Allie?"

"Mmm hmm…" Allie went to her father. "May I help you with this so you can change, Dad?" She began to unbuckle his strap while he unbuckled his belt and in no time, Nathan placed them on his desk with his other uniform items.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." Nathan disappeared. "I'll get that fire going too." He added as he went down the hallway.

With her Dad and Mrs. Thornton settled on a chair and the sofa in the front room, enjoying a roaring fire and cups of tea, Allie excused herself. "I was distracted today and I think I read the same paragraph three times, so I have reading homework to work on. May I be excused until dinner is ready, Dad?"

"Of course, Allie-girl. Studies come first and we have a busy week ahead, so you don't want to fall behind." Nathan took a sip of tea. "So what did you do today, Lisbeth?"

"David showed us around Regina. I wasn't expecting it to be so developed. Isn't that a terrible thing to say? I just always thought of Regina as barracks out on the plains! But, it is a nice downtown area and Depot is impressive! St. Anne's too. No wonder Allie is thriving with the opportunities in a school like that. Just from the outside, Hope Valley pales in comparison."

"In many ways, yes, but you know, God had his reasons for us to go there? It was your encouragement and support that allowed Allie to make friends for the first time in her life. I am grateful for that, Elizabeth. That Emerson quote you told Allie about, you know being a friend allows you to make a friend? I think I got that backwards, but you know the one? Well, Allie took it to heart and made a lot of friends in Hope Valley. She still is making friends and I am so proud of her."

"As you should be, Nathan. Allie is a lovely young lady and both of my parents are impressed. Oh! Mother met Allie when she came home from school. When do you want to meet her, Nathan?"

"Well," Nathan paused. "Either when I walk you back tonight or, if we have time before dinner we could go up to the house now?" Nathan suggested.

"Could we go up now, Nathan? Mother is really anxious to meet you and she might not be up as late as we might. Is that okay? I think we have a half-hour or so."

"Sure. Let me tell Allie."

Entering the hallway of the main house, Nathan called out. "Carol? Peter? You have a visitor for a few moments." Nathan waved Elizabeth ahead of himself as they headed towards the living room.

"Good evening, Nathan. Elizabeth." Peter said, folding his paper in his lap and standing.

"Hello, Peter. I've brought Nathan to meet Mother." Elizabeth turned to her Mother who, setting her newspaper section aside, stood. "Mother, please meet Staff Sergeant Major Nathan Grant. Nathan, my mother, Mrs. Thatcher."

"So pleased to meet you, Mrs. Thatcher. I am grateful you could travel with Elizabeth." Thankful to have recovered from yesterday's initial shock, Nathan extended his hand to her.

"Oh, no more than I am, Seargeant. I am delighted to meet you having heard so much from my husband. William truly enjoyed your times together and brought home a glowing report of you and your daughter. I met Allie earlier and she is, as William described, a delight."

"Isn't she? Allie and I both enjoyed our time with William and made some memories too!"

"Nathan? Would you please use my given name? Grace? I know my husband requested you address him as William." Grace admitted.

"I would be honored to do so, Grace. Thank you. Please be seated. We cannot stay long as our meal is in the oven!"

"Hello, Carol." Nathan moved to kiss her on the cheek as she entered from the dining room door, then went to shake Peter's hand. "Peter?"

"Son, good to see you. Say, Carol and I wanted to ask you if you could share dinner with us on Wednesday evening? We'll still have a quick dinner on Friday before the concert, but we might be more leisurely on Wednesday? What do you say?"

"I guess that's fine with me. Elizabeth?" Nathan gave Elizabeth a questioning look.

"Oh, my schedule is yours this week, Nathan! Wednesday dinner will be lovely."

"Nathan? One thing about the weekend?" Carol spoke up. "Claire invited Peter and I to go with them. Will you take Grace and Elizabeth? I don't know how early Allie has to be there."

"Sure. If you don't mind waiting with us there, Grace, we will probably have to be an hour early. We could walk around town if it's not too cold, or just be seated early."

"I would gladly go with you and either option is fine. I am just looking forward to the concert." Grace laughed softly. "It has been many years since I attended a school function and I will enjoy the excitement of the children and the parents!"

"Okay, it is settled then. We can all sit together, but if you go with Dan and Claire," Nathan motioned to include Peter and Carol, "I will bring the other ladies!" Nathan winked at Grace, commenting with a chuckle. "I will be the envy of men of all generations that evening!"

Once Elizabeth and Nathan departed for the Cottage, Grace looked at Carol and Peter. "Well! Isn't he a handsome treasure! William was right. I would use the word charming, but I don't mean to infer insincerity. Yet, using the word to describe a gentleman, Nathan Grant is a charming gentleman."

"Yes, Nathan is the genuine article. A wonderful man and we admit we consider him to be the son we never had." Carol confessed, smiling at her husband.

"I can see that and from this moment on, I intend to pray he will become the son that William and I never had as well!"

Carol laughed as she rose to check on their meal. "Would you believe it was just twenty-four hours ago that we were uncertain of the outcome of this visit? Clearly Elizabeth adores him and he certainly is relaxed and happy with her tonight!"

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