CHAPTER 81
When the alarm went off at 6.30 am Bea was already awake. While Nathan went to get washed and dressed she set the coffee away. It was the thing whoever was up first did now, they both liked their morning cup.
"You could have stayed in bed princess, I have managed for years you know" he smiled at her.
"I know darling I just wanted to see you before you left, it is going to be strange not having you around after the last few days, we will find our new normal I know. As long as I can wake up and go to sleep beside you every day then I am happy."
"That is what I dreamed of for weeks, coming home to you being here will do me."
She watched him put his boots on, "You couldn't put them on in a hurry could you" she laughed.
"Definitely not and I am quicker at it now, they aren't the most comfortable things but they make you walk straight."
"You always walk tall and proud, very manly it is."
He laughed, " Is it indeed, as long as you think so."
"Here let me help you with that."
As Bea held his serge and helped him on with it he had a sudden flashback. Elizabeth had done the same that day, no he didn't need that memory.
"Are you OK darling, you look like you have seen a ghost."
"I have in a way Bea, but a hug and a kiss from you will chase it away, a big one."
His wish was granted and that put a smile on his face, this memory would wipe out that one.
"Right Mrs. Grant, I will see you later, don't be going too far with the boys, I will see what I can find out about where we stand with Sergeant."
They kissed goodbye and she watched him walk down the road. How she loved that man, how lucky she was he loved her just as much.
After pouring herself another coffee she went over to the table and stood looking again at the photographs. Without a doubt, her favourite was the one of Nathan, she would order another one of those and buy a frame for it. A list that was what they needed, that made her smile, she knew what he would have said. That one was first on the list followed by the one of her in front of the window just after she was dressed, that was the one Nathan would choose. For the frame, she thought one of them outside the office looking at each other but she would see which Nathan thought, that one she did decide she wanted a couple of copies of to send to the UK. That was a start, the sooner she could get them in the post the better, oh to be a fly on the wall when they arrived there.
Having washed, dressed, and tidied up she picked up her purse and headed into town.
Nathan had already left on his rounds as Newton's stall was empty. Sure enough, he had left a message, "Not far Mrs. Grant remember." She rubbed that out and wrote, "Just around the lake and back, promise."
As she was saddling Hero and talking away to him Jed appeared. "The way you talk to this lot it wouldn't surprise me if one of them answered you one of these days."
They both laughed, "I guess they do in their own way, the men back at Bramble tried to fool me once by hiding and answering me pretending to be Lunar but I didn't fall for it."
"I am going to take Sergeant with me Jed, see how he does, I won't saddle him though. Nathan is going to see if he can find out where we stand with him today. Oh and Jed will you let Mary know we have the photographs, tell her she will need a handkerchief when she comes."
"That will make her day, she is so looking forward to those. I had a word with Nathan this morning Bea and am going to speak to our solicitor today about selling, should be straightforward enough."
"We will need to organise one too I suppose, I will speak to the bank maybe they have one they use. Shouldn't be any problems at all Jed and thank you again."
"Right come on big lad, you wait there while I get this beautiful boy out."
Sergeant was more than happy to walk along beside Hero, what a fine pair of horses they made. She knew he would be fine with a little love and attention, it would just take time and she had plenty of that.
Nathan had headed out on his usual route, he would go up as far as the factory site this morning. Tomorrow he wanted to call in and see Mrs. Jamieson, really just to ask if she would sell to them, if she said yes then they would get the ball rolling. Neither sale should take that long as loans would not be needed, the money was there waiting. He still felt a bit uneasy about that, maybe in time, he would feel differently, as Bea said they were now a couple and couples shared. They were investing in their future so it made no difference who made that possible, he must try to think of it that way.
Would he have ever guessed Bea was an heiress if she hadn't told him? He didn't think he would have, she certainly didn't act like someone who had the kind of money she had. Her vision was to get back to work as soon as possible when really she need never work another day in her life. Giving it all up to spend just another day with her Dad or Uncle, as she herself had said, he knew she would do no questions asked. Would he love her any differently if he had known from day one or if she gave every penny away, no he would not. In fact, he loved her more for telling him and trusting it would not make a difference to him. Money or no money the love they shared grew deeper by the day and that was priceless.
He had been that deep in thought he had not noticed how far he had come. The half-built factory was ahead of him now. Nothing had changed there, he carried on up the road towards where the new settlements were. He stopped outside Colin's, the cabin was all locked up still and looked secure. Colin was going to have to decide what to do with the land and cabin. As he went to remount someone called him "Constable, have you got a moment?"
It was two of the other newcomers.
"Yes of course gentleman."
"We were wondering about this pipeline and the prospect of work. Is it right what Colin told us, that if the survey is satisfactory it will go ahead and that we will be given the chance of work."
"It is indeed. Hopefully, the results should be in any day. The town council has given the go-ahead for the pipeline as long as the survey is satisfactory. The company concerned are all geared up to go and knowing your situation here, how a promise of work was one of the reasons you all opted to come here, they would like to offer the work to you first."
"We thought it sounded a bit too good to be true."
"No, it is all legitimate. We are also keen to find out if any more of you like Mr. Farley have hidden talents. We have needed a smithy here for a while and there are a couple of trades we would really like to encourage to the town. That is one of the reasons for the meeting this week. We would like to find out who in your families would be looking for work, have they got a trade already, please include your wives and daughters, Hope Valley really does want to help you all."
"Well thank you for that Constable, we can't ask for fairer. We will make sure as many of us come as can. Would it be alright for those who can't come if we bring their details?"
"Yes by all means. My wife and Mr. Farley, Colin, will be there. I will try to make it too, hopefully, we will have an update on the pipeline for you. There could also be work at the lumber yard. We are trying to find out if anyone else is looking at hiring help so hopefully we will have good news for you. Has anyone else arrived over the last few days, I have been on leave for a week?"
"No one new, maybe word got out. I hope it has, it has been a nightmare. Maybe that will change thanks to the town's forward-thinking. We are all very thankful Constable and we won't let anyone down I promise you that."
"Sure you won't, we will look forward to meeting you all on Thursday. Now I will be on my way, you know where to find me if you need me."
"We do Constable, and we will be there on Thursday."
As he headed back into town Nathan couldn't help but think what a nightmare it must have been for these families. Most had given up everything they had for a new start only to have their dream shattered. He would eventually find out what happened there.
On the way back into town he called at the livery just to check if Bea was back, there was a message for him " Back S&S, will get us some lunch." S&S? Oh safe and sound he laughed. He led Newton up the street, he would need to head out for an hour later he wanted to check the bridge, it would need repairing soon.
As so often he heard Bea before he saw her, singing away to herself, it always made him smile.
She was sitting at his desk surrounded by books and little posters.
"Someone has been busy," he said as he kissed her head. She tilted it back and pursed her lips, he laughed and kissed her.
"Nearly finished, just this one then I will go and leave them in place. I checked with everyone this morning and have ordered four chalkboards, Ned said they will only be a couple of days. He was saying how impressive our photographs were, he will do copies for us as soon as we decide. Oh and I bought these, one for you and one for me." Two lovely photo frames just the right size.
"Right all done, let me move this lot, sorry I commandeered your desk darling. Lunch?"
"I am hungry for some reason, is that fresh coffee in the pot?"
"It is, and we have pie and salad from the cafe."
"You Mrs. Grant are spoiling me, I could get used to this."
"Good, that is my plan." She blew him a kiss across the desk, he just shook his head and laughed at her.
"Tell you what, while we eat this I will telephone to see if I can catch Vic having his lunch in the office, Bill didn't know what the situation was about Sergeant, he thought Elizabeth had taken him somewhere, he will try and find out if Vic has no idea."
Florence connected the call straight away, Nathan had timed it right and after congratulations and questions about the wedding he went on to explain why he was calling. Vic was not a happy man, every one of the horses that had passed through his stables was like a child to him.
"Nathan, let me check, ask Bea to carry on the way she feels is best. I will be up a week on Friday if that is still alright and will take a look at him. Mystery package is fine by the way."
"We are looking forward to seeing you and I will tell her, where do you think we stand with someone riding him?"
"Well as Master of Horse here Nathan I feel that he was handed to Mrs. Thornton to care for, if she isn't doing that and we need to check how he is I give you permission as a fellow Mountie to ride him if you are comfortable doing that, if not I will when I come."
"I will play that by ear Vic, it won't be for a few days anyway, he is picking up a bit, at least he is eating again. Now I will let you get back to it and if we don't speak before then we will see you in a week."
Bea had picked up most of the conversation and felt better that they were doing the right thing in Vic's eyes.
"He did really well today but has a ways to go yet. We will get him back though. I was thinking today these boys would all love just to be turned out in one of the paddocks up at Mrs. J's. Maybe we could use one of them for that?"
"Lots of possibilities there princess, we will have lots to think about but let's wait until we see what is what first. We will have a better idea after I speak to her tomorrow."
"You are right darling, one thing we will need to do is sort out a lawyer, I did wonder about asking at the bank if they have one we could use, that would make sense to me."
"That actually sounds like a great plan, maybe that way things would move quicker, they seem to bend over backward to help you. Mind that is not surprising really, yes we should definitely ask at least."
"Right well once we know what is what tomorrow one of us can ring them and ask, and now husband dearest I will get out of your hair, go and deliver these, and head home. I will leave this one here and put the poster up outside, once the boards come we can put one of those up instead."
She leaned over his shoulder and kissed his cheek, "Ermmm just you wait Mrs. Grant, proper kiss please."
"Well, I won't say no, I was trying not to be a distraction, guess I failed."
As she went to walk out the door she turned " Love you Constable" and winked.
After leaving a book and poster at the Mercantile, the Stagecoach Office, and the Saloon she made her way home. Her plan had been to see if she could catch Faith or Henry, but Faith had a full surgery and there was no sign of Henry. Both had problems she sensed it, maybe they would open up to her most people did, that was all part and parcel of being Bea. Colin looked busy as she passed the forge, that was a great sight to see so she just called and waved.
It was the first time in a few weeks she actually could just sit with nothing pressing to do, trouble was she wasn't that good at doing nothing. She had called at the fruit stand and bought lemons amongst other things and made fresh lemonade. She must ask Ethel to send the recipe for making the ginger beer she loved. In fact, she thought, I will start that list of things I would like them to send over, it would need crating and shipping and could take a while to arrive so the sooner she did that the better. Where to start? Her veterinarian equipment first she thought most of those were already crated and stored in the stables. Then her saddles and tack, riding gear, her guns, once she started the list just grew.
Her mind wandered as she visualised every room in the house trying to think if there was anything in them she would like to be sent. For the first time in a few weeks she started to feel really homesick. Bramble was so full of memories, happy and sad but it told the history of her life. What would they do with it? Her life was here now, with Nathan, they were making their own memories and if Mrs. Jamieson agreed to the sale she knew that house would become as memorable as Bramble. Maybe when they went back next year they would come up with a plan, for now, things could carry on as they were. Her mind was now doing somersaults, she folded the list away. Having poured another coffee she went and sat out in the garden with her sketch pad and lost herself drawing, that always worked.
Nathan too had been reminiscing. He had ridden down to the bridge and was taken back in time to his first duty in Hope Valley over 3 years ago now. It was a supposed stagecoach hold-up, he and Bill had soon got to the bottom of that one. How his life had changed in those three years, when he came here he didn't know how long he would stay and he had thought a few times of moving away, now he couldn't picture himself anywhere else. He remembered his Mum saying once that to appreciate the good you had to experience the bad, how right she was as always.
Having had a good look at the bridge he and Newton headed back. He would need to mention the state of it to Lee, urgent repairs were required before someone had an accident. He stabled Newton and then checked on Hero and tonight also Sergeant. Although smaller than Newton he was a fine-looking animal or would be again once Bea worked her magic, such a waste he thought. These horses were trained for work, so intelligent, they faced the toughest of duties and to be just left unattended as he had been was a crying shame. None the wonder he had given up. Once Vic arrived they would sort something he made himself and Sergeant that promise.
He looked in at the forge and Colin was busy shoeing one of the horses from the lumber yard. Lee had called that morning and asked if one of the men brought them in one at a time would Colin check them all, great business and ongoing too. He could not have wished for a better first day. "Say hi to sis for me, I didn't get a chance to speak to her."
"Will do, she is sure to ask if I have spoken to you, has she mentioned anything about checking Sergeants shoes?"
"No, but just tell her to bring him in, I will have a look. "
"Cheers Colin, catch you tomorrow."
After locking up he headed home, this is what he had so looked forward to, going home to find her there, his wife, his wife! How long before that didn't make him smile as it did now. Hopefully never.
The smell of dinner cooking and the sight of Bea singing and swinging her hips greeted him as he walked in. "Yes," he thought, "What more could I want."