Chapter Thirty-Seven: Changes in Hope Valley
BREAKFAST:
"Good morning, Darling! What are you doing up so early?" asked Nathan, as he placed his arms around Millicent's tiny waist.
"I want you and Allie to have a good breakfast!"
She turned with her beautiful smile, and their lips came together with such tenderness, as though they were floating away together, and it didn't matter where, because nothing else existed, but their love...
"Oh, I was so right, Constable! Your good morning kisses are every bit as good as your good night kisses! Aren't I the lucky girl?"
"Not even close! I'm the lucky one! But, you're our guest, Mil! I was coming down to do all this. We're supposed to be pampering you, remember?"
"Not today, you're not! But I will take a raincheck!" she grinned.
"I've got breakfast from here on out! You sleep in!"
"Oh, Bill left a note and said he'd meet you at the office after rounds. He borrowed some milk and a few eggs from Rosemary. Eggs and Bacon are on and I've got biscuits in the oven. Everything should be ready in about ten minutes!"
"Looks wonderful! I'd better go check on Allie. She's usually up and about, by now!"
His Serge was still unbuttoned at the very top.
"What is this? The new Mountie look? If so, I highly approve!" she said cheekily.
He grinned that lop-sided grin.
"Old Miss Hemstadt might have a stroke if I show up on rounds, unbuttoned!"
She laughed as she quickly buttoned him up!
"Well, we most certainly don't want old Miss Hemstadt to have a stroke, now, do we?"
"That gets you another kiss!" he laughed, pulling her to him with her happily obliging.
"Enough! You go check on Allie! I'll finish up!"
He reluctantly went to the bottom of the stairs, looking back at her every few seconds, not believing she was really standing in his kitchen!
"Allie, time for breakfast!"
"So sorry, Dad," and she came running down the stairs with her books. "I just turned over when Momma got up and fell back to sleep."
"It's okay Sweetheart. We've got enough time to make it to school. But we do need to step it up if we're going to go see Cookie beforehand! And you did promise her. Wait, I have something for you! One charm bracelet with two new charms firmly attached for my Girl!"
He opened his hand as if it had magically appeared there…
"Dad…"
"What? It was good! Allison Grant, you just don't appreciate a good magic trick!"
"Okay, it's pretty good…" she laughed.
He hooked the bracelet around Allie's wrist, clasping it tightly.
"Thank you, Dad. These look beautiful! Do I really, really have a Mother? And a horse, too? And cousins?" And…"
Nathan chuckled.
"You most certainly do, my Little Princess! You have it all!" and he reached to kiss her good morning. "It's pretty wonderful, too, isn't it?"
"I'll say! Part of me still can't believe it all, but Dad I'm so happy I don't know what to do! Where's Uncle Bill?"
"He's already at his Office. And your Momma's in the kitchen, finishing up breakfast! She beat me to it!"
"Wow! That's pretty amazing! She loves us a lot, Dad!"
Allie had a smile that lit up her entire face, and she took off running in front of her Dad to greet Millicent.
"Woah, Girl!" called Nathan after her. "Slow down…"
Allie hugged Millicent so tightly, Nathan and Millicent both thought she wasn't ever going to let go!
"Thanks for sleeping with me, Momma. I slept the best ever!"
"Thanks for letting me sleep with you, Allie. Are you ready for a big day at school today?"
"Not really, I've already done the chapters of math they're covering, on my own, and I pretty much just have to sit there and read while the others catch up!"
"Are you serious, Allie?" asked her Dad.
"Yes, it's so boring, since the others are way behind. I would really rather be with you! But I do want to tell Mrs. Nelson and all the kids about my new family! And if it's alright, may I take them to see Cookie after school?"
Nathan and Millicent looked at each other and both smiled.
"I see no reason why you can't. But don't forget about your hour on the switchboard. As long as you make it to work on time, we're good!"
"I promise, Dad!"
Millicent served Breakfast, placing everything on the table.
"Wow, the table looks beautiful!"
"You're sure right about that, Allie, and these biscuits look even better! And gravy, too? You're spoiling for sure!"
He held Millicent's seat for her, kissing her cheek, then he held Allie's kissing the top of her head.
"Dad, you can kiss her kiss her!"
"I can, can I?" he asked, looking flustered.
Millicent was blushing all shades of pink.
"I like it!" explained Allie.
"And since when have you seen us kiss, Young Lady?" asked Nathan adroitly reading between the lines.
Allie twisted her lip, just like Millicent did when she was pondering.
"I don't know if I really should say…"
"Since when have we ever kept secrets?" asked her Dad.
"Last night in the Livery," giggled Allie. "And boy, it was a good one, too!"
"Allison Grant…"
And then they all started laughing, but Nathan was trying hard to get serious and was failing miserably.
"Allie, this is serious…"
"I'll say!"
Nathan was getting more and more flustered by the minute.
"Let's start again! Allie, you do know that kissing between a man and a woman is a wonderful thing, but it's a very private thing, and it stays here in our family. That means you feel free to discuss it with us anytime you want, but not with anyone else. Got it?"
"Got it, Dad!" grinned Allie like the cat who had swallowed the canary!
Millicent cleared her throat, not having expected to have their kissing as a morning topic of discussion.
"Allie, your Father and I love each other very much! And when two adults love each other, they tend to show it by kissing each other. Does that make sense? Do you have any questions about it?"
"No, but Dad must love you an awful lot!" she grinned with a burst of giggles.
"Allie, I love Millicent with my whole heart, just like I love you with my whole heart, but in a different way. Can we talk about the gravy? This is really good gravy," Nathan was loosening the top buttons of his Serge again, and starting to perspire.
By now, Millicent was giggling along with Allie.
"Is it getting hot in here?" asked an extremely flustered Constable.
And then the Girls outright laughed.
"All right! You two have had you're fun! If we don't pray, our food's getting cold! And, this is important, Ladies. This is our first official meal as a family!"
Both Allie and Millicent were glowing.
The three gathered hands.
"Dear Heavenly Father, many prayers have gone up to you and you heard each and every one of them, bringing us together as a family! We are so very grateful and humbled. May we each do our best to make our family unit, the Grant Family, as strong as it possibly can be. We thank you, immeasurably, for bringing Millicent…into our hearts and into our lives. Allie and I are so very blessed. We also thank you for the food she has prepared for us this morning. In your most blessed name, Amen!"
Millicent and Allie each said a hearty "Amen!"
Nathan's voice cracked at the mention of Millicent's name, and both Millicent and Allie noticed it.
In his mind, there was no possible way he could do justice to what Millicent meant to him.
But he would willingly spend his life trying to do just that, and his sparkling blue eyes, across the table, told her so.
"I hope you both like the breakfast standbys. I fancied up the eggs into an omelette because I wasn't sure how you like your eggs, Allie."
"This is great, Momma! Better than the way we usually fix them! Isn't it Dad?"
"Allie's right about that! This is a hit! Everything's delicious, Mil!"
"Just wait till I can go shopping and add all kinds of goodies inside!" she teased.
"You definitely are spoiling us. The biscuits are every bit as good as Essie's, and that's a high compliment!"
"She was very patient, teaching me. I think it took us about fifty tries for me to finally get it right!"
"You got it better than right, Love!"
"Will you teach me, Momma?"
"I'd be happy to teach you everything I know in the kitchen! But you've got to teach me how you do things around here, too!"
"I will, Momma! Dad says he's gonna teach me French! And now I want to learn Cree like my Grandmama!"
"One at a time, Allie! Your Momma's going to help me teach you French! She's a little more fluent than me, living in Montreal!"
"That's even better! I can't wait to see Montreal. But I really can't wait to see my cousins, and my new Grandparents, and my Aunties and Uncles! Plus, I'll get to see Gramma and Grappa too! I wish we were going tomorrow!"
The banter never stopped, till finally, they all helped clear the dishes, and Millicent fixed a quick lunch for Allie, at her direction.
"Sorry, it's just peanut butter and jam, Sweetie. I'll get groceries today!" promised Millicent.
Then the three quickly bundled up to go out into the cold and start their first full day in Hope Valley as a family...
First Stop: The Livery
"Momma, she's as beautiful as I remembered! Cookie, I promised I would come to see you, and I brought you and your Momma carrots. Do you like carrots, Cookie? Momma cut yours up so you won't get choked. Here you go!"
Millicent was fussing over Serena, giving her equal attention, feeding her whole carrots.
"Best surprise, ever, Darling!" smiled Millicent.
Nathan was at the point he desperately needed to kiss her, but after their breakfast discussion, he was weighing whether or not he should go for it, when he finally just decided to go for it!
"Okay, Allie, get ready! If you want to see a kiss, this is a kiss!"
And he kissed Millicent beautifully and romantically and tenderly all at once, showing her his love and showing his daughter their beautiful love together, making Allie feel even more sure that all this was really true. They really were a family. Because there was just too much love for them not to be!
Allie came and hugged them, and they quickly embraced her, including her in their love.
And there they were: the three of them, at the Livery, in Serena's and Cookie's stall, laughing and hugging each other!
"Now that's the way I like to start my day!" exclaimed Seth, coming up behind them with a grin.
Second Stop: The School
Allie insisted on walking the entire way to school, between her Dad and new Momma, hand-in-hand with both.
She had missed her Dad terribly, and she was, just as Nathan knew she would be, completely over the moon about Millicent becoming part of their family!
The couple walked her all the way, both feeling so happy that she was so ecstatic!
But as they reached the play area, Allie stopped and called to all the kids.
"My Dad's back and this is my new Momma. We're getting married on New Year's Day!" and off she ran to accept all their congratulations. "I'm going to be a Bridesmaid, too. The main Bridesmaid!"
Nathan shook his head and reached to shake her teacher's hand.
"Sorry about all the exuberant enthusiasm!"
"Don't ever apologize for that, Constable. I wish a few of my other children had some of that same enthusiasm! You two have made her a very happy child! And that's a wonderful thing to see."
"Mrs. Nelson, so lovely to see you again. We so enjoyed meeting you last night!"
"It was all my pleasure. Such a lovely engagement party for a lovely couple! I'm looking forward to getting to know you both! But none of this Mrs. Nelson stuff. It's Katrin."
"How beautiful! It's Millicent!"
"I absolutely love your name! It's so unique, as is mine, especially around here. Being a teacher, I love unusual names, and it seems I'm always collecting them!"
"Likewise, please call me Nathan. Your husband and I are planning to get together soon. Perhaps we could discuss our business over dinner, and have your family join us?"
"We would love that, but the little ones are still quite the handful. Perhaps one evening we can dine as couples, with a babysitter for them. It seems I seldom get a meal without crying! But don't you worry about that till after your wedding, and then we'll make it all happen!" she smiled.
"I'm sure that can be arranged! Katrin, Allie mentioned she was caught up with her schoolwork, and since Millicent is only going to be here a week, we were wondering if we might be able to take her out of school tomorrow to go to Union City? I have to go on business, and Allie was hoping for a trip there."
"Allie's an excellent student. Truthfully, she's so far ahead of the others, a few days off with her new family would do her a world of good! If you'd like, I see no problem in her staying with you while Millicent's here, if you'll have her spend a few hours a day on assignments. I'll get them all to you, say by Friday if that's suitable?"
"That's perfect. Thank you! We better let you get back to your work," offered Nathan.
"And we'll see that those assignments are completed in full!" promised Millicent. "Thank you, Katrin, for understanding! Lovely to see you again!"
But as Nathan and Millicent turned to leave, Nathan turned back.
"Katrin, the children already love you and that's quite the accomplishment! I know how it feels to follow a Thornton, and I just wanted you to know what a difference you've made in the short time you've been here!"
He said it simply, but profoundly, for he had been in her shoes.
Her grateful face said it all before she even said the words.
In this, they were kindred spirits.
"Constable, I can't tell you how much that means to me. You never quite know how you're being perceived. But I can tell you this. I love these children already as if they were my own! And it's wonderful to know I'm not just treading water as far as their education is concerned. I want each and every one of them to be the very best they can be. That's my goal! And I give you my word, we'll all succeed together! You've made my day and even my week! Thank you both! Enjoy Union City tomorrow!"
And with a huge smile, she called the Children in to begin their lessons…
Third Stop: The Queen of Hearts Saloon
As Nathan and Millicent walked back to town, Bill caught sight of them from his office window and ran out to meet them.
"We were just coming to see you, Bill, hoping you could join us to meet with Millicent's Security Team."
"My pleasure. What's the plan today?"
"I thought we'd go over a few general things together, then I'll take the entire Team with me on rounds, so they can get a feel for the lay of the land. That is if you wouldn't mind staying with Millicent?"
"My absolute pleasure! Oh, I stopped by the Train Depot, and already have our tickets for the early Train to Union City in the morning. It was seven adult tickets and one child, right?"
"Right. But, Bill, you can't pay for all that!"
"I'm not," he chuckled. "I just told them to bill it to the Constable! Didn't even question me! Gonna have to use that trick more often!"
"Oh, that makes me feel good!" said Nathan, sarcastically. "But, seriously, thanks for getting the tickets!"
The three of them walked on together to The Queen of Hearts Saloon.
The Security Team met them inside at a corner, more private, table, anxious to familiarize themselves with the area and see where they were going to be living.
"Good morning! Gentlemen, this is Judge Bill Avery. Bill this is Kyle Hanson, Lance Emory, Tom Baylor, and Matt Logan. Tom is the Team Supervisor and will be working closely with us as to strategies."
"Pleased to meet you, all! Welcome to Hope Valley!"
"Have you all had breakfast?" asked Nathan.
"We just finished, and it wasn't half-bad!"
"Aww. This is nothin. Wait till you try the Café's breakfast. It's the bomb!"
"Says the owner of the Café!" retorted Nathan, dryly.
The men all laughed but saw that Bill was serious, and quickly straightened up.
"We'll check it out, Judge, tomorrow morning!" they promised, like chastised children.
After all, nobody wants to start out in a new town, with the Judge on your bad side!
"Well, you won't be back here, after that!" assured Bill, raring back in his chair! "I'm as sure as Christmas!"
Of that, Bill was confident!
"The plan for this morning is for all four of you to accompany me on rounds. We'll encircle the town, as well as the outlying farms that are close by, so you can get a feel for the roads, landmarks, etc. Do all of you ride?"
The men nodded, but a couple admitted, not too expertly.
"I guess we should say for the most part!" explained Tom. "But, none of us expertly."
"That's a skill you'll have to hone in these parts. I can give you lessons, myself. I'll set up classes for this afternoon."
"And I'll help," volunteered Bill, although the men weren't quite sure they wanted this gruff man to be the one teaching them.
Little did they know, it was the tall calm Mountie they should have been worried about!
He was the one who was an absolute taskmaster when it came to horses!
"Were your accommodations okay?" asked Nathan.
"Not the best. A bit noisy," said Lance. "But we can get used to it!"
"We're hoping you won't have to. I want you as close to Millicent and Allie as possible. Which brings me to this, Bill. Can you check to see if we can get a hold put on the rowhouse next to us? It's supposed to be available. The last time I checked, they were just waiting for the cleaning crew. The problem is it's only three bedrooms, which means we've got to build a fourth. Would you mind giving Lee a call and have him look at it to see how he thinks it's best to do that?"
"Consider it done!"
"When we return from rounds, we'll go over every crevice of the town, and then hopefully squeeze in a few riding tips. Any questions?"
Millicent had been quiet up until now, but she spoke up succinctly.
"Gentlemen, I'm used to having Security, but our daughter is not. We've somehow got to break the news to her, that this is part of our new life. I beg of you, please, at the Constable's lead, think of ways, we can make this as unobtrusive as possible for her. Which brings us to the idea Nathan had about the school."
"What idea?" asked Bill.
"It's always concerned me that the school is left unguarded. If we had any untoward situation, the children would be sitting ducks to be taken as hostages, or worse. Of course, Millicent and I are paying for all this and will continue to do so, but if the Agent guarding Allie at school could be seen more simply as an Agent guarding the school, i.e. the teacher and all the children, it would be much less of a burden on her, and it would fill a huge community need at the same time."
"I love that, Nathan. That's perfect. I'll add that to my list for Lee. I don't think he or the school board will have a problem with that. In fact, they should be quite receptive! And most grateful that you'll foot the bill."
"The other concern I have is the neighborhood. I don't want any of you shot because you're mistaken for an intruder. Miss Bradford and I are having the neighbors over for dessert tonight at seven sharp, and we'll need all of you there, to make introductions, so they will know why you're in the neighborhood and town."
"Count me in, too!" noted Bill.
"Another concern is: do we call a town meeting and explain this to the entire town?"
Bill looked stumped.
"Let's play it by ear for a few days. It might come to that and then again it might not. Once you tell Florence and Molly, it'll be all over town anyway!"
The men laughed, and Nathan just smiled.
"I hate to tell you this, and no disrespect to Florence and Molly as they are lovely ladies, but the Judge is right! Are there any questions? Or do you not feel like you know enough to ask questions yet?"
"The latter!" "Yep, that one!" "Only know the inside of a tiny room upstairs!" "Wouldn't know where to begin!" the men laughed.
"Hey, Nathan, I'll go get these boys saddled up at the Livery and Millicent can go with you while you check in at your Office. I'll meet you there!"
"Appreciate that, Bill. Gentlemen, see you in a few!"
As they got up to leave, Nathan noticed that Lucas had just come out of his office, but was standing in the shadows, without greeting them.
He was first watching the men leave with Bill, and then switched his intent gaze to Millicent and him, which reminded Nathan he had a wiretap to set up and he needed to do it soon.
"Mil, don't turn around. Let's get out of here…" he whispered.
He held her chair and placed his hand at her back.
Then as they turned, she smiled and looped her arm through his, and he wrapped his hand around hers, as had become their usual custom.
Outside, Millicent was concerned.
"What's wrong, Darling?"
"Just a case I'm working on."
"Ah, Monsieur Bouchard. Don't worry about it now, Love. You'll have plenty of time to deal with all that after…" and she stopped herself. "I'm sorry, Nathan."
"There's not a thing in this world that's going to stop us from enjoying every single minute of every single day that we have, including my former fear, which you helped me conquer last night. You're right, Mil, every single day will just bring us closer to our Wedding Day!"
"And that makes everything we have to go through, including being apart, so totally worth it!"
"I know now, we'll get through them, Darling. Both together and apart. I just pray those apart days pass faster than our together days…"
Fourth Stop: The Royal North-West Mounted Police Office
Millicent smiled up at Nathan radiantly, as he walked her across the street to his office.
He closed the door behind them and pulled the shade, grinning from ear to ear.
She had walked to his deck, but turned and ran into his arms.
He picked her up and swung her around right there in front of his door.
"Ah! Millicent Bradford, I am terribly addicted to you!"
And he kissed her in complete privacy, in this, his office, knowing this was the woman who would share every aspect of his life, and intimately so. The woman who set his heart on fire. The woman who calmed him. The woman who would soon be his gorgeous wife.
The very thought sent an electrical charge so strong through his being, causing a million visions of her to run flying through his mind.
Visions of their future together, and every single one of them was more wonderful than the last.
She played with the top buttons of his Serge, flirtatiously unbuttoning them, wrapping her long slender fingers around his neck, and running them through the nape of his hair.
"Why, Millicent Bradford, I do believe you're flirting with me!"
"Took you long enough!" she laughed. "I have to be quick. We don't want old Miss Hemstadt to have that stroke, now, do we?"
He chuckled.
"Not on your life!"
She went one button lower, and then stopped.
"Don't stop."
"It's just that I caught a glimpse of that Henley beneath your Serge, and If I'm not mistaken, there are a few buttons there, too, right?"
"Right, Inspector Bradford! I do believe there may be a few. But if we go there, old Miss Hemstadt's going to have a complete coronary!"
"You know, I'm not sure I like the idea of Old Miss Hemstadt looking at my Man…"
"Your Man?"
"You better believe it, Constable, you are reeled in hook, line, and sinker! And you are mine!"
"That's funny. Never thought I wanted to be a fish. But the idea's actually looking pretty appealing right about now!"
"She giggled and sighed, "Oh well, you can't say I didn't try!"
"I'd say you succeeded, Babe," he whispered into her ear. "If you were a circus, you'd be the Big Top and every other Act combined! Those poor clowns wouldn't stand a chance!"
She giggled, buttoning him back up.
"What's this about?" he asked innocently.
"Getting you ready for my rival, Darling! A girl knows when she's lost the battle. But that war's another matter, entirely. You tell, old Miss Hemstadt she doesn't have a chance in the world! You're coming back to me!"
And she kissed him as an insurance policy in such a way that the poor Constable couldn't have even looked at another woman, if he had even wanted to, all ages included!
"There you go…" she whispered.
He had no words, all he could do was softly chuckle into her ear….
Fifth Stop: Rounds for Nathan and Millicent's Security Team and the Judge's Office for Bill and Millicent
As Nathan confidently led the Security Team out of town on horseback, then men didn't look quite as confident.
Bill couldn't resist a chuckle, and Millicent laughed.
"Poor Nathan! I think he has his hands full!"
"To my office, Miss Bradford?"
"My pleasure, Judge Avery!"
Inside the Judge's chambers, Bill poured two cups of coffee, black coffee so strong it could either bounce itself, or cause the person drinking it to bounce, and handed one to Millicent.
Her first taste startled her, as the coffee was steaming hot, and as strong as really, really strong Turkish Coffee!
She wasn't sure which was more shocking, the burning heat with steam, or the overpowering strength of the black coffee.
It sure had a kick!
But she refused to show her distaste to her host, for it was always, the thought that counted.
This kind man was giving them his week, and her most of his day.
She'd just take much smaller sips!
"Millicent, what are your plans, professionally, when you come to Hope Valley? If you don't mind me askin, that is?"
"Of course not. I don't mind at all, Bill. When I return home, I have to first figure out how to turn over my Montreal Law Practice to a Manager, while still overseeing important matters from here. My brother, Richard, is sending me one of his very best from his firm in Toronto. I also have to reconfigure…" Millicent stopped, not sure how much Bill knew.
So, she simply paused, at a loss how to proceed.
"Millicent, I may live in a small town, but your father's very well known. Edward Bradford is an icon, a most powerful man! If truth be known, probably the most powerful man in all of Canada.
I completely understand why Security is necessary, even here in Hope Valley. And I do agree there really is no other way. I also know that the Bradford Family is a very giving family and that your Charity work is just as important to you as your many Businesses. And that's a pretty commendable thing in my book!"
"Thank you, Bill. Frankly, t's difficult for us to talk about the Family Businesses to people outside our family. As it tends to come off as bragging, and that's not us. We work hard, but we're just simple Christian people, who God has greatly blessed."
"And are positively brilliant at what you do!"
She blushed.
"Well, I can attest, that definitely applies to Father, although if he were sitting here, he'd deny it as well! But, thank you for the compliment."
"I suspected as much! I am, however lookin forward to meetin him, and your mother, especially after that story last night!"
"They'll be honored to meet you, Judge! As for the Charities, and there are quite a few, I'm hoping to be able to restructure them enough for me to oversee them from here, with key directors still in place at the Montreal Offices, of course. The Charities mean the world to me, and honestly, if I had to choose between the two – my Practice or the Charities – the Charities would win every time. Don't get me wrong, I love being a Barrister, too. In fact, I became one because of the Charities, to help the children who were being treated so poorly."
"First of all, it's just Bill to you, Millicent. We're family, already. That's just the way it is. Let's see, you graduated top in an all-male class from McGill University, the most prestigious Law School in Canada. You've carried a heavy caseload, mostly pro bono, ever since graduation. And interestingly enough, haven't lost a case yet! Now, that's a sterling record! You have to practice Law, Millicent. With a record like that, how could you not?"
She didn't know what to say. Bill was even sharper than she had given him credit for, and she had given him a lot of credit! He had done his homework thoroughly. And she felt as though her life had been laid bare in minutes.
She didn't like to talk about her accomplishments, because she just saw them as a means to her end, of helping the Childen of Canada, who desperately needed all the protection they could get.
"It's all about the children, Bill. It has been since I was sixteen and Mother helped me start my work for them."
He took another swig of his coffee, and sat back, trying to discern what she was feeling.
She clearly didn't feel comfortable talking about herself; she kept pulling him back to the children.
And he understood they were her passion.
"You know we have an orphanage close by that could benefit from your expertise by leaps and bounds!"
"Nathan mentioned that. I would be most interested to find ways to help them."
"None of your life has been about you, has it?"
"Why do you ask that?"
"Because you are not your focus. Your Practice, your Charities, your Children are."
She remembered Albert's words and sighed.
"I think you've caught me. And yes, I'm a bit of a workaholic. A perfectionist, too, if you must know. Which I know is not a good thing. But now, finally, I have a family of my own to focus on. And Nathan and Allie are making all the difference," as she spoke the words, her face literally lit up.
Bill watched her face, showing all her love for them shining through.
"Nathan and Allie are now my main focus!"
He smiled a genuine smile.
"I like you, Millicent Bradford, soon to be Grant. You're the only person to sit in that chair and be able to down an entire cup of my deplorable coffee!" then he laughed. "And many have tried! My hat's off to you, Barrister Bradford!"
Bill glanced over to the credenza across from his desk, with a far-away look in his eyes, and his voice changed, as though it too, were far-away.
"Not many people know this, but I once lost a son, my only son. I'm telling you this not for pity, and not to be sad, but to let you know Nathan has filled that spot. We fuss and carry on somethin awful, which tells me, we mean an awful lot to each other. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for him, for Allie, and now, for you. And I want you to know this, Millicent…"
He paused till Millicent raised her eyes and looked straight into his.
"There isn't anyone else I'd rather have partnerin through life with him than you. You have a strength that matches his. Might even surpass it. Don't know how you do it, but you women seem to be a bit stronger than us men! At least some of you. You value him in every way. You love him completely and selflessly. There is no question in my mind. And that girl of mine, no one else could make her the mother you already are, and that took you all of a matter of seconds! With you, Millicent, they both have come alive. You did that. I can't tell you how thrilled we are about this engagement and you bein here with us!"
Bill paused to let his words sink in but then continued.
"You should know this, too. I've never seen Hope Valley so taken with anyone before. You came in and we didn't want to let you go. Not a single one of us. That's sayin a lot! I'm not the best with words, but I think there's a spot for you, right here in this office. It's big enough to set up a Practice or a Central Foundation Office. There's a whole floor upstairs, too, that's just empty except for storage, which we can move. Think about it. The offer will stand as long as you need it."
"I appreciate your beautiful words and your kind and generous offer, Bill, more than you can know. I will most certainly consider it. And Bill, for the record, you're already family, too!" and she got up and kissed both his cheeks.
Bill was rattled at first, then burst into a huge smile!
"How about I buy you lunch? Nathan will be back real soon. And that's with the extra time I allotted for him trainin those greenhorns! He'll find us!"
Her face was radiant at the mention of his name!
"Lunch it is, kind Sir!"
Sixth Stop: The Café for Lunch
Bill hosted Tom, Kyle, Lance, and Matt at a large table in the back corner of his restaurant, leaving Nathan and Millicent to themselves at the table in front of the window.
"I've got to give it to Bill. Poor guy's going out of his way to give us a bit of privacy! And I can't tell you how much that's killing him!" grinned Nathan.
"He offered me space in his office to set up my Practice and/or The Charity Foundations, which was terribly kind of him."
"That's something to consider, Babe!"
"Nathan, he thinks the world of you! You're his Son. Baby, he actually came out and said it!"
"That's hard to believe…oh, Clara, two specials, with Coffee for me, and Cinnamon Tea with honey and a splash of cream for Millicent!"
"Got it. Great to see you, Millicent. And I remembered the honey and cream! Your dresses amaze me. I sew you know, and I'd just love to maybe make a pattern or two…"
"Clara!" called Bill, jolting her from her conversation, and not so gently reminding her about the task at hand!
"Sorry, Bill!" she answered loudly, then addressed Millicent in a whisper. "We'll talk, later!"
"She's lovely!"
"And such a good heart!" agreed Nathan.
"How did rounds go, Darling?"
"Well, if you're asking about old Mrs. Hemstadt," he said with his lop-sided grin. "She's wanting me to come back and check her chicken coop."
"Well, the old biddy! How dare she!" giggled Millicent, feigning outrage.
"But I told her I had other things to do!"
"But do you have other things to do?"
"Oh, most definitely…I have lots of things to do!"
"But what matters most is who you do those things with…"
"Yes! It does, and it just so happens, every single one of them is with you, my Darling!"
"And once again, all is right in our world!" she teased.
They ate their Beef Pot Pies and their Gelatin Salads, chatting away with each other.
Till finally, lunch was over.
"Dessert?" asked Nathan.
"No thank you! Since I'm making pies for tonight!"
"Hope one's Coconut!"
"Of course, it is! Nate, I do need to go to the Mercantile and pick up some groceries to stock things back up, as well as for tonight."
"Bill, can you start the classes, while I help Millicent get the groceries," called Nathan. "Then we can switch off, again."
"Not a problem! We're ready to head out to the Livery now! I'll get the guys started."
Seventh Stop: The Mercantile
"Millicent, we're so excited to see you! What can we help you with?"
"Hello, Florence, the pleasure is all mine! Last night was lovely, by the way! And thanks for your help. Rosemary said you did a lot! And we really appreciate it!"
"It was my absolute pleasure! We're just so happy to have you back! Now, what can I do?"
"Oh, Florence, we're out of everything. Do you think you could just help me get together all the staples, and then whatever else you have that's good. Also, I have to make a couple of desserts, and I was thinking pies. Any suggestions?"
Florence was in seventh heaven, being given a free rein, and for the next half-hour, she took Millicent under her knowledgable wing, overseeing her entire shopping experience!
Nathan and Ned just grinned, and chatted about the latest news, in particular new automobiles.
"Here, I just got a new Automobile Magazine in with the latest models. Take it. I'm not quite ready to go that route. There's just no need with just Florence and me. But with a family, you're definitely on the right track to think about one!"
"Thanks, Ned," and Nathan tucked the magazine inside his Serge.
Of course, when the Ladies were done, there were six large boxes of food, spread across the counter!
"Uh…Nathan, I think I'd better have these delivered for you. I'll get Robert right on that!"
"Thank you, Ned, Florence. Looks like you've fixed us up right! Appreciate it!"
"Oh, I forgot. We have some imported cherries and those would be perfect for your pies. Now, how many pies did you say?"
"Not yet sure how many I'll make. I'd say give us enough cherries for a couple, though."
"And where did you say you were taking them?"
"Oh, you know me Florence, and how much I love to cook. These pies are staying home!"
Millicent had deftly sidestepped the fact they were having guests, and Florence was now more than satisfied!
Nathan couldn't help but be impressed!
"Thanks so much, Florence, Ned! We'll see you both soon!" called Millicent.
Nathan tipped his hat, "Again, thank you!"
As they walked through the door, Florence was abuzz to Ned about Millicent's beautiful outfit.
"You handled that beautifully, Mil," complimented Nathan in a low voice, as they walked down the Mercantile steps and headed to the Livery.
The couple would eventually tell Florence what they needed her to know, but not till they had seen the reaction of their guests!
Eighth Stop: The Livery Again
At the Livery, Millicent ran to check on Serena and Cookie, while Nathan got Newton ready to go out again.
Bill and Seth were helping the Security Agents to saddle and bridle up appropriately, going over all the details, to ensure it was done properly.
Lucas walked in, and nodded, but was very quiet in his horse's stall, not seeming to be doing much of anything.
Both Bill and Nathan thought it was odd, as they had never once seen him around the Livery mid-day.
After a few furtive glances, both men realized they were being scoped.
It was clear to both Bill and Nathan, Lucas was dying to know who these four strong men were and what they were doing in Hope Valley.
Millicent got the same drift and decided to do a bit of covert work on her own, as she turned from Serena.
"Why, Monsieur Bouchard, how nice to see you! I wanted to personally thank you for lending the use of your establishment for our lovely Engagement Party last night!"
"Oh, yes. Uh…my pleasure! And uh…the name is Lucas."
All three, Nathan, Millicent, and Bill could already tell Lucas was really rattled.
Millicent just kept on engaging him in conversation.
"And to put the party together so quickly, is really quite remarkable, Lucas. Are you put in those situations often?
"Occasionally," he murmured. "I suppose I should formally congratulate you! You're a gorgeous and well-bred woman, but I can't help to think you deserve a lot more than Hope Valley can offer. Quite honestly, I'm amazed that a woman as cultured as you…"
"Yes?"
Lucas apparently thought better of what he was going to say, although Millicent knew exactly what it was, even without him saying it.
His tone had been explicitly clear.
Millicent was as cool as a cucumber when what she wanted to do was throttle him right then and there, as he was implying her Nathan wasn't enough. She ignored that surly implication, and sweetly continued on. Although, much more pointedly so.
"Thank you so much for your genuine concern, but kind sir, I can assure you I have more than any woman could ever desire, in Hope Valley, or not!"
Bill almost cackled at that comeback, and had to turn his back to keep from doing so!
"What about you, Lucas? What are your life dreams? Because apparently, Hope Valley is plenty good enough for you!"
She said it sweetly, but oh the sting!
"Boy, she's good," muttered Bill. "Now, I know why she wins every case!"
"Hope Valley's my home," he retorted.
"Well, Lucas, I assure you, if this is a cultured enough place for you to reside, I'm certain it is for me as well. Besides, people like us make our own circumstances, don't we? Wherever we are."
Bill was losing it and Nathan was grinning, thankful their backs were turned.
"I'm not sure I understand! What do you mean?" asked Lucas, clearly stymied and out of his element.
Yes, Monsieur Bouchard was certainly off his game today!
"Oh, only that you and I have played the game many, many times, I suspect. We know the rules, and we know the plays. And while other people are afraid to play their hands, we are not. Of course, I don't gamble, Lucas, but I do take risks. Very calculated risks, as do you. And like you, I win."
By this time Millicent's Security Team had cleared the Livery, which was part of what she was trying to accomplish.
Of course, Bill and Nathan were still working with Newton and Fireball, not about to leave Millicent alone with 'Mr. Bouchard' for one second, not even in broad daylight!
"A most interesting con…conversation, Millicent, if I may c…call you that," he stammered.
"Of course, we're acquaintances, Lucas, and apparently we'll be seeing a lot more of each other. I would hope both of us would make that as pleasant as possible! There would be no reason whatsoever not to. And, surely with the refined social graces we've both been taught, we should be able to accomplish that in a most cordial manner."
"You intrigue me, Millicent Bradford!"
"Oh, nothing intriguing about me, Lucas Bouchard. I'm pretty much an open book! What about you?"
The question made him cough.
"I…I'd better be getting back to the Qu…Queen of Hearts, Millicent."
"Oh, no! Have I kept you from your ride? I'm so sorry."
"Oh, yes…my ride! I, uh…I'm afraid there's been a change of plans! Lovely conversation. Good day, Millicent," and Monsieur Lucas Bouchard quickly exited the Livery!
As she walked toward Nathan and Bill, they turned and Millicent put her finger to her mouth.
Just as she suspected, Lucas was just outside waiting to hear what they would say.
She could even see the edge of his coat along the open doorway!
"Darling, I really do need to get started on those pies," she said loudly.
"No problem, Mil. I've got my hands full here! But I'll check in on you two as soon as I get back!"
He walked to her and took her in his arms, and as now, only Bill was left inside busying himself with adjusting Fireball's bridle, he kissed her like there was no tomorrow.
Perhaps he was staking his claim for Lucas who was still watching.
Perhaps they were setting a trap.
And perhaps he just needed to kiss his fiancée and show her how much he loved her.
Indeed, the Constable knew exactly what he was doing, accomplishing all three things in one fell swoop.
Seeing it all, Lucas Bouchard, turned to go back to The Queen of Hearts, feeling rather sick inside.
Ninth Stop: Nathan's Rowhouse
"You're a master, Millicent. And remind me never to go up against you in Court!"
Millicent grinned.
"Lucas is so easy to rattle, Bill, he almost doesn't seem fair game!"
"I tell you how Elizabeth was taken in by that man, I will never know! Oh, Millicent, I'm so sorry!"
"I appreciate that, but no need to be sorry. Quite frankly I don't understand it either. I truly don't. And Elizabeth and I discussed it at length. But you need to know, Bill, I hold her no ill will at all. In fact, it's the opposite. I truly want her to be happy and find love again. Nathan will always love her as a dear friend, as well as Little Jack, and he will be there for them when he's needed. I understand that, and I wouldn't have it any other way."
"But isn't that going to be awkward for you?"
She was mixing the pastry for her pies and stopped a moment to really think about his question.
"I honestly don't think so. But then again, I guess the ball's in Elizabeth's court."
"That's wise. I can tell you this. I love her dearly, but I no longer understand her at all. And it pains me. Don't know how to help her."
"I think you just continue to love her through whatever it is she's going through."
"That's good advice. Here, let me help with the dough. We'll get done twice as fast!"
Bill washed up and dried his hands.
"There's an extra apron hanging on the hook by the door. I think with all this flour, you're going to need it! Especially as messy as I am with it!"
He aproned up and Millicent smiled, handing him a rounded mound of pastry to work.
"One thing you should know about me, Bill. Both professionally and personally, and despite our necessary little sting with Lucas, I don't play games. I prefer to be direct."
"I could sense that. So, not at all a surprise! Quite frankly, I admire that!"
"Let's lighten this up," she laughed. "Making pies should be a happy experience. We're much too serious!"
But that most certainly wasn't the case for long…
Bill told story after story till Millicent was literally in stitches, and Bill couldn't remember having had so much fun in a very long time!
She giggled and laughed, and he chuckled, thoroughly enjoying their afternoon together.
Two Cherry Pies, two Chocolate Meringue Pies, and two Coconut Meringue Pies later, all created by Millicent's recipes, which the Judge admitted he was stealing, the pair of new friends shined the kitchen till it was spotless, then bundled up, and headed out in the cold together, to walk Allie home from school.
"Ah, you're a keeper, Millicent. How could our Constable not be head over heels in love with you! I think I am too!"
She laughed, "Afraid I'm taken, Bill Avery! We've got to find you a woman to love…"
Tenth Stop: The School
Bill offered Millicent his arm, which she took with a smile.
"Now, I know you'd rather this be Nathan, and I'm a poor substitute at best. But looks like I'm gonna have to do!"
"Thank you, Bill for this, and for all you've done for Nathan. Your love and support for him mean the world to me. I feel like he's safer with you around. And I can't tell you how much I appreciate that!"
"We're both safer with each other around. Are you dealing with all that Mountie stuff okay?"
"Praying a lot."
"That's the best start there is!"
"Allie!" Millicent called and started running to her daughter, waving to the other girls as she ran.
"Momma! You remember all my friends?"
"Each and every one of them. Hi Angela. Hi Anna. Hi Emily. Hi Opal. So nice to see you all again!
"We think you're the most beautiful woman we've ever met, Miss Bradford. The entire class took a vote, and it was unanimous!"
"Why, thank you, Anna! That's quite a high complement, indeed. But someday, I hope you can say I'm the best Wife, best Mother, and best Barrister you've ever met! The I will have succeeded!"
"You're a Barrister?" asked Emily.
"Yes, I am! It's a huge part of what I do."
"But I thought only men did that."
"Not anymore!" piped in the Judge, very proudly. "And she's never lost a case!"
"Wow!" exclaimed a mesmerized Opal.
"Momma, can Angela feel your face, so she will know what you look like?"
"Of course. Do you need me to stoop a bit, Sweetheart?"
"Yeah, just a little, please. Here's my Momma, Angela!"
Bill watched as Millicent stood hunched over, still as a church mouse, letting Angela memorize every aspect of her gorgeous face and hair.
"You really are beautiful, Miss Bradford. Thank you for letting me see you."
"Oh, Angela, Sweetheart, any time! But you girls are the ones with the beautiful faces!"
"You really think so," asked Anna.
"I know so! Look at Angela's beautiful eyes, and Opal's beautiful smile, and Emily's perfect mouth, and Anna's gorgeous hair, and Allie's beautiful cheekbones. You girls are perfect just the way you are!"
Katrin was listening in from the top of the schoolhouse steps, and she was as amazed as the Judge at how easily Millicent had turned a compliment around to build the girls' own self esteem.
It was a beautiful thing to see!
Neither she nor the Judge had any doubt at all, that Allie's future was in the best hands possible, with a discerning mother who would always be there for her, loving and supporting her…
AND THEN THEY WERE HOME
Despite the serious purpose of the evening, the mood was festive.
Millicent had brought out the best china and linen napkins, and she set the dining table with candles, making everyone feel special!
She served the pies buffet style, spread across the table, so that people could have more than one kind if they were so inclined.
She was hoping she had fixed enough, that everyone could take a slice or two of pie home with them, as well!
She had also made a Winter Sangria and served Coffee and Tea to round out the beverage selection.
Everyone was raving about the pies and the Sangria, most of them having never had the fruity drink before!
"I'll get the recipes to all of you! It's all super easy to make, except that infamous crust. I still haven't perfected that!"
"Oh, don't say that!" begged Rosemary. "It's ten times better than mine, and I thought mine were really good. You've got to show me Millicent!"
"Will do, we ladies will just all have to get together one afternoon, and have a cooking clatch!"
"Oh, that sounds wonderful! I'm in," promised Cat Montgomery.
"Oh, me too," insisted Rosemary, as did every other woman in attendance.
"And me too!" declared a very emphatic Judge!
After everyone had eaten their fill, Millicent offered them their choice of wine, and several took her up on the offer.
Once the wine was served, she sat down with Nathan, as he began to explain why they had been invited.
"Millicent and I really appreciate you coming tonight on such short notice. It's our honor to have you here in the Grant Home. We've asked you on this particular night, because we need your advice, and perhaps, your approval even, if you choose to give it, for something we need to do. It's a delicate, even intricate situation, that's difficult for us to talk about, but we've decided we need to be open and explain the situation fully, then listen to your thoughts on the matter, and answer any questions if you have them."
"First, I should formally introduce our new guests with us tonight: this is Kyle Hanson, Lance Emory, Matt Logan, and Tom Baylor. They are here at Millicent's request and my request. They are professional Security Agents who protect Millicent, who's situation is most unique, as her Father is Edward Bradford, whom you may or may not have heard of."
"He's only the richest, I mean the top businessman in all of Canada. Steel, Railway, Construction, Roads, Grain, the list goes on and on. If it's a company he's either developed it or owns it. I had no idea, Millicent, until I saw the newspapers. That's just amazing!" exclaimed Lee. "Needless to say, he's my business hero!"
"And we should note, Mr. Bradford gives a huge portion of what he makes away to the underprivileged, doing more than his fair share of trying to right our country's wrongs," explained Bill. "He is also extremely diligent about providing fair and safe work environments for his employees, which is something we don't see much of!"
Everyone looked at Millicent, who began her explanation.
"My family are good Christian people. We adore each other and work extremely hard. We want more than anything to just live a normal life like everyone else. But because of my father's many businesses, he is very high profile, and so are we, his family, by default. I'm not complaining, none of us do, because we have been greatly blessed. But along with those blessings come a complete lack of privacy and normalcy. I think you all see that invasion of privacy in the many pictures that were published for our engagement. We had authorized one single picture for the newspapers. The rest we thought were being taken for us privately. But the photographers saw an opportunity to make money from them and they betrayed us. Pictures are a minor thing to deal with, although it does hurt, and though seemingly innocent, it caused a fury when we attended church on Sunday, gathering a crowd, and causing great concern for all."
"Unfortunately, every single one of my family members, myself included, receives death threats and kidnapping threats each and every single day, and because of that, we have to have Security around the clock. I know most people might think that's overreacting, but I assure it's not. You would only have to read the threats we get for one single day to know that's not the case, and that we truly have no choice. They are very real and extremely threatening to our lives. I no longer even look at the threats, and instead leave that totally to Security, because I've learned you can't possibly live your life in constant fear. But, the threats can't be ignored either. Because of these ominous threats, it is imperative that we have protection around the clock. Our team, here tonight, will tell you I'd much prefer to live my life without them having to interferre, but with the life I have been given, I am very glad and thankful they are with me. The only freedom I have had away from them my entire life was that beautiful two weeks I spent with you all, right here in Hope Valley. Of course, Nathan watched out for me, and a team of Pinkertons rode the Private Stagecoach with me coming and going. But my time with you was glorious, and it will always remain in my heart as the best time, my free time. You all accepted me with open arms, for just me, no ulterior motives, and I will be forever grateful, because that has never happened before in my life, and probably never will again."
Millicent wiped tears away, at the memory, trying so hard not to let them be seen, but they had been.
She had just poured her soul out to them, sharing with them aspects of her life, she never talked about outside the family.
Nathan gripped her hand, and she smiled broadly, then continued on more happily about their past and future.
"You may not know this, but Nathan and his sister were raised alongside my family, in a beautiful rural area known as Swan Hills. Nathan knows better than anyone what my family experiences on a daily basis, and that he would still choose to love me and marry me, knowing all the difficulties, and even in spite of them, absolutely amazes me! We've only been engaged a matter of days, and we're still trying to work through all the particulars. We've only just told Allie about our Engagement and Wedding. And we're thrilled that she's thrilled. In fact, that's why I'm spending the week with her, to help her adjust to our new family. Allie doesn't yet know what I've told you tonight. We are working up the courage to tell her, although it's breaking our hearts to do so. She's been through so much already, we hate to burden her with the problems of our new life, although we know we have to, and whichever way this goes tonight with you, our neighbors, we will be speaking with our daughter after, explaining the best we can, my family situation and our need for Security."
"But Nathan had a great idea about that, that he'll explain, later. The point is we don't want to disrupt your lives because of our problems, and if you feel having security around and about is something you can't handle, individually or as a neighborhood, please tell us so, and we will totally understand. We both really appreciate you coming and taking your time, to hear us out."
"First of all, Nathan and Millicent, I promise you, we will all be praying as we leave here tonight, that God will give Allie wisdom and help her understand these necessary changes in her life," offered Joseph.
"Yes, of course, we all will!" concurred Rosemary. "I'm just so sorry. I had no idea, Millicent."
"Thank you, Joseph. Thank you, Rosemary," expressed both Nathan and Millicent.
"So, are you saying these Gentlemen would live here in our neighborhood?" asked Cat.
"In order for this to work, if we stay here, we would need them to be here, too, hopefully in the house next door, so they could be close to Millicent and Allie when I'm gone."
"Well, I'll say this. As a widow, one of the hardest things I've had to get used to is going to bed at night not feeling I could protect my own children if something happened. When the Constable moved in, that fear went away, and I started sleeping through the night again. Thank you for that, Nathan! The way I see it, if we have four more Security Agents, we all are just protected that much more! How could we not say yes to that, especially since it wouldn't cost us a cent!"
"That's a great point, Cat! I agree, I feel safer with Nathan here. Why would I turn away help for him? It would make no sense. And these Gentlemen seem lovely. Who are we to say we don't want their services or we don't want to get to know them better?" asked Rosemary.
"Exactly, we would reap all the benefit, without any expense whatsoever. Plus, these Gentlemen seem like fine, upstanding men, who could offer a lot to our community as individuals, beyond their ability to protect us," agreed Minnie.
"What was the idea about protecting Allie, Nathan?" asked Joseph.
"Millicent and I would like the person assigned to Allie to serve as a guard for the entire school and the teacher. I have always been concerned that if something untoward occurred, our children could be kidnapped or worse. A seasoned criminal will often go after the children first, as leverage to hold over us adults. Of course, as you all have mentioned, we would still be paying for the service with no charge at all to anyone."
There was a lot of discussion on this, led by Lee, the School Board Chair, and after it died out, Nathan got their attention again.
"Do you all have concerns or questions we haven't addressed yet?"
"Well, I'd like to say somethin. Hope Valley has had several run-ins with the seamier side of the law, lately. How could we not welcome four times the security we currently have? I've thought and thought about this, and I just can't see a downside!" proclaimed Bill. "I especially like that the children would be protected!"
"Nathan, if we weren't agreeable to this, what would happen?" asked Cat.
"We would respect your wishes, with no hard feelings whatsoever."
"But would you stay with us?" asked Minnie.
"Regrettably, I wouldn't be able to do so. And I love Hope Valley. I love you, the people here. But I also love Millicent with all my heart. She is my fiancée and will be my wife. It is my utmost responsibility to see that she and Allie are safe. And from what I know behind the scenes, even though Millicent hates it, and just wants to be like everyone else, she and Allie must be protected with security. We hope at some point, that changes, though we know the prospect is unlikely. But right now, I think it's most important that all of you express yourselves openly and with each other. Because this affects your lives, too. Darling, why don't we go for a walk to the pond, and we'll wait outside till you all decide what you want to do. And please don't feel any pressure on our account. We will be okay with whatever happens."
Nathan turned to the Security Team.
"Gentlemen, thank you for coming. We'll meet you at the Train Depot first thing in the morning!"
The men got up to return to their rooms at The Queen of Hearts, but not till they had said their goodbyes, and shaken every hand.
Now most people wouldn't have noticed a certain glance, but Minnie was very observant, and when Tom Baylor, the oldest of the four, said goodnight to Cat Montgomery, she was almost certain she saw a spark. She saw the 'look' from both of them. And she couldn't help but notice Agent Baylor was not wearing a wedding ring.
She also noticed Cat's eyes followed him as he walked away.
And just the possibility filled Minnie's heart with joy!
"We do want to say this one last thing. We hope you all are our neighbors, but we only want that if you all want us just as much, even with all of our baggage we've laid before you tonight. Because to a degree, it becomes your baggage or gift, depending on how each of you look at it. But it wouldn't be good for any of us, if there were bad feelings between us. Even if it's only with one of you. We just couldn't bear that for you or for us," added Millicent. "Don't feel any pressure at all; stay true to your own instincts as well as your beliefs and feelings about the matter. Leave us out of the equation. You will know in your heart what is right for you. And that's the only thing that matters…"
As Nathan and Millicent, took their walk to and around the pond, a great peace came over them.
They had laid their souls bare, and been both open and direct.
But above all, they had each other, and that was more than enough.
"Whatever happens, Mil, will be the right thing. I'm sure of it. So, no nerves, okay?"
"I feel exactly the same, Darling. It's Allie, I'm concerned about!"
As they made their way back to Nathan's rowhouse, arm-in-arm, they heard laughter coming from inside, and within minutes, Lee had heard them and was at their front door, opening it to let them in.
Everyone was drinking their wine, laughing and talking, having a good time.
Lee clinked his glass to get everyone's attention.
"First of all, I'd like to thank our hosts and say what a good time all of us have had tonight! We've loved it so much, we're going to take turns and do this the last Friday night every month, and we're calling it the Rowhouse Association!"
Everyone clapped.
"Next, I want to say how much we love and appreciate our Constable. It's taken us three years to get to know him, and after that trial by fire, he's one of us! In many ways, he's our quiet, solid leader and protector. The funny thing is he's chosen a Bride that we've all fallen in love with instantaniously! Millicent, we can't imagine what it's like to live a life like yours. All of us have decided we wouldn't last a day with threats like you receive every day, nor the lack of privacy! And to be so even keeled, so considerate, so giving, so kind, we are truly blessed to know you. Our vote was unanimous, and we're all begging you to stay and be a part of us! We can't imagine our Neighborhood or Hope Valley any other way!"
There were lots of handshakes and shoulder claps for the men, along with hugs, and even kisses for the women, because this was the night the Rowhouses became a real neighborhood, a giving and loving neighborhood, bound more closely together than ever before.
Each and every single neighbor was better for having been there.
Nathan had only one thing left to say: "We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men." (*18)
"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for connecting all those fibers, and us, together."
Because of something that was thought to be an inconvenient and potentially insurmountable problem, individuals banded together with love, hearing each other out, which resulted with them taking a stance to stand united with their neighbors, and in the process make their own neighborhood a better place to live.
Not just because they were more secure, but by helping others, they had truly found each other for the first time, bonding together more closely than ever.
All because they were open-minded and they cared…
(*18) Quote, Herman Melville, 8/1/1819- 9/28/91, Public Domain