CHAPTER 12

Bea and Faith spent a wonderful morning together.

Although they worked in completely different areas of "medicine", one human, one animal, the similarities were there. Add on the fact they were both females breaking into previously all-male careers and the connection these two young women had found was a blessing to them both.

Molly had sat and listened to their chat thinking how amazing the pair of them were. To train as a doctor was one thing but a veterinarian, that was something else, and to look at Bea you would never think she was in that profession at all. Truly remarkable ladies.

Faith had a patient coming in just before 12, so Bea made to leave.

"What are you doing for lunch Faith?"

"I don't normally bother if I am truthful but with this heat, I may just treat myself to an ice cream."

"Oh, that sounds like a plan. I need to send a telegram and was going to the Mercantile anyway, let me treat you. What flavour would you like?"

"Strawberry for me, with sprinkles on" she laughed.

"Sprinkles? I need to have some of these."

Bea headed off saying she would return with ice cream in 30 minutes or so.

Having called at the Saloon to collect some letters she had written the evening before, one to Ethel and Stan and the other a full report for Uncle Charles, she headed to post them and send the promised telegram.

Ned went out of his way to help her. With letters posted, and a telegram sent she bought the ice-creams. Again, she struggled with the money and ended up just handing over dollar bills.

I am going to end up with a mountain of coins at this rate she thought. She would need to sit and look at the coins, so she knew which was which. Pounds, shillings, and pence seem much easier.

Faith was sitting on the boardwalk enjoying the sun. Bea handed her the ice-cream.

"Double scoops and sprinkles, today is a good day."

"We need to live a little"

Bea was telling Faith about her conversation with Jesse that morning about a horse, she hoped he was successful in finding one.

"Bea please just take a loan of Hero,"

"Hero?" Bea questioned.

"Yes, he is mine, well no he is Carson's horse really. Obviously he wasn't able to take him to Boston, he left him for me to use and take care of. The trouble is now I can drive and have the little car I use, it is much quicker. I do try to ride Hero as much as I can, but I have never really been a rider, and I am failing there.

I do feel that I am neglecting him a bit when it comes to exercise. He is a lovely, sweet horse, and I am sure he misses human contact."

"If he is used to being ridden then he will. Can I meet him, do you think?"

"Yes of course he is in the livery, old Jed looks after him for me. He wants for nothing that way, just the exercise really, you would be doing me, and him a massive favour if you did want to borrow him while you are here."

"Would you have a saddle I could borrow as well?"

"Yes, everything you could possibly need; I hope you find him OK; it really would take a worry off my mind for now."

"I am sure I will, I haven't found a horse yet I can't handle."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Faith was laughing again. She hadn't laughed so much in months.

"Good joke?" said a voice

"Oh no Gabe, just something Bea said, have you two met?"

"No, we haven't actually, but I have heard talk of our overseas visitor."

"Let me introduce you then, Bea this is Constable Kinslow, Gabe to all of us. He as you can see is Hope Valley's Mountie. Gabe this is Bea Gregory, the visitor herself."

"Pleased to meet you Bea, I hope everyone is making you feel welcome?"

"They are indeed, you have a lovely little town here Constable."

"Yes, I will be sad to say goodbye to it."

"Gabe of course when are you heading off?"

"Well Nathan is due back either today or tomorrow, I will update him on all that has been going on then I will head back to Brookfield. I will be sad to go really, six months have flown over, and have given me a new lease of life. I have missed Lillian though, at least my time here has made me realise how much.

"While we will be sad to see you go, I think everyone is looking forward to seeing Nathan. We all hope and pray his time away has given him a new lease of life too. You will always be welcome back Gabe."

"Gabe, before you go can I ask if the town runs a "check out/in service for visitors wanting to head off and explore?"

She knew by the look on his face he had no idea what she meant.

"I take it you don't, by your expression."

"Well, whatever it is no we don't, can I ask what it is?"

"It is just something we introduced a few years ago in Scotland when I worked there. The area I was in, The Highlands, is incredibly beautiful, with lochs, mountains, valleys. It attracts a lot of visitors who head off into the great unknown. The trouble was they didn't tell anyone where they were going and would get lost, it is easy to do. The rescue teams would head out but have no clue where to start looking. We introduced this simple check-in/out system where everyone heading off like that would do just that. They would register where they intended to head for then if the worst happened, we would at least have a clue where to start looking. We saved people because of it."

"What a great idea, that might be something we could do here. So where did they check-in?"

"It varied from village to village really, in some it was the post office, the pub, village store. I guess it would work well with your jail-houses."

"I only asked as I am hoping to head off exploring myself and have always let someone know where I am heading, doing that saved my life."

"Really?" said Faith.

"It did, but that is a long story, maybe another day, I want to meet my new Hero."

Gabe spoke again "Bea you should mention the scheme to Nathan, am sure he will be interested in hearing about it, I will look at doing something similar in Brookfield, may even pass it on to Headquarters as a suggestion. Would you be willing to talk to them about it if they were keen?"

"Yes, of course, it is such a simple easy thing to implement, I will gladly let them know how it worked for us."

"When you say us, who is us may I ask?"

"I forgot that bit, I was a member of the Mountain Rescue Service."

Faith sat listening to all of this, this new friend I have made is truly incredible she thought.

After Gabe left the girls headed to the livery where Bea met the wonderful Hero. What a beautiful big lad he was. She knew from entering his stall they would soon become the best of friends; he would be her perfect companion.

Faith showed her where all the tack was kept, the two saddles she could use. Bea had to admit she was a bit excited at getting back in the saddle.