**** Writers Note ... I would like to wish all my readers a wonderful Christmas and thank you once again for all the amazing reviews. I just wanted to let you all know that it will be about 4 weeks before I publish the next chapters to our story. Not enough hours in the day at the moment with all Christmas preparations and work. Could I also just add that I have had a couple of messages asking "Where is Allie?" Please don't worry, I haven't forgotten her, she will make a return to Hope Valley soon. ****

CHAPTER 83

Nathan had left a little earlier, being Saturday his working week should finish around lunchtime, in the past it never really bothered him if it didn't but from now on, unless something pressing was happening, then he would try and have Saturday afternoons and Sundays free.

Bea was going to meet him and they would walk home together. She had called in at the church to check how the bouquet looked, sadly it was now well past its best. Her eyes filled with tears, she removed the note Nathan had written, that would go in their memory box, the ribbons she took off too. As she picked it up the two pieces of sandalwood fell out, those she would also keep. She had the pressed roses, Nathan's buttonhole, and the wonderful photographs to treasure, not forgetting her two heather plants. They would be planted with love when they moved. Still, it was sad to have to throw the dead and dying flowers in the rubbish. Maybe she should have waited and done this when Nathan was with her, too late now.

She went back in to collect her purse and basket as she turned to leave Joseph and Minnie were just walking along the road.

"Morning Bea, are you alright there you look a bit teary-eyed?"

"I am Minnie but I will be fine, I have just thrown my flowers in the rubbish. They have lasted so well really, just being a bit sentimental, they meant so much to me. I have pressed ones to treasure and photographs."

"Well if they are all as beautiful as the one on the front page of the newspaper they will be a treasure."

"Oh dear, are we front-page news?" she laughed, " I haven't seen it yet."

"I have to say Bea you both looked wonderful, I am so sorry I missed it. I wanted to thank you for doing what you did for Angela, that was so thoughtful of you."

"Joseph it was nothing, I actually wanted to ask you both if there is anything else I could do to help her?. I know how hard it can be growing up and being "different", not in the same way of course but I know how cruel others can be at times."

"We won't lie to you Bea, she has had it tough but here in Hope Valley, everything is much better. We just hope her dream to start school goes ahead."

"Yes Minnie the school is a bit of an issue at the moment. The new children all need places, the town council will have to find a solution there. Does Angela read Braille?"

"We have been learning together, and are doing well. Apart from the book we have that we are learning from we have no others yet, they are hard to find and very expensive. The libraries don't seem to have any."

"Maybe that is something I can look into, leave that one with me, let me do some research."

Bea took the longer length of ribbon from her basket and handed it to Minnie.

"Would you give her this from me, it is from the handle of my bouquet, I thought she might like to keep it."

"Bea she will love it, thank you so much. She picked up on your idea of a memory box when you mentioned you and Nathan were starting one, Joseph is going to make her one."

"Well, that can be a memory to go in there."

"It will indeed."

"Right I must be on my way, I have the boys to take out and shopping to do before I meet Nathan at lunchtime. We will see you both in the morning."

Finding books for Angela would go on her to-do list she thought as she walked to the livery.

She walked in and checked for Newton, he wasn't back yet she looked at the board " Front page news Mrs. Grant. Bea careful. "

How these little messages could lift her spirits, she couldn't wait to see The Valley Voice now. Extra copies needed, she thought.

Today she did saddle Sergeant just so he could feel it on his back again. He was doing well and quite happy to walk or trot along beside Hero. She had intended to head out towards the mountains but something made her change her mind at the last minute and she headed down towards the bridge. Nathan had told her it was in need of repair and to be careful if she did cross it, she didn't get that far. As they came down the little bank in the road she pulled Hero up to an abrupt halt, a shiver ran up her spine, a Bea moment. Now she knew why she had been sent this way, she was being given a warning. She felt it, she saw something was going to happen here before it was repaired, an accident of some kind, try as she might she couldn't see exactly what but she sensed a crowd of people around the bridge, this didn't feel good, no this felt bad, very bad. This was one of those times when she wished she was just "normal". To be shown something like this, what was she supposed to do about it?

Turning the boys she headed back up the hill deep in thought. All she could do would be to mention it to Nathan and or Colin, she couldn't tell anyone else, they could only be prepared. What was that saying "Prepare for the worst and hope for the best."

She found herself back in town with no recollection of getting there, the boys had just headed home. Colin, who was sitting outside the forge having a drink saw her, he could tell just by the way she was riding something wasn't right. He followed her into the livery, she was just dismounting,

"Sis, what's wrong?"

"Colin I didn't see you, sorry. I am alright."

"Bea this is me, you can't fool me. Something is wrong, now what is it?"

He took the saddle from her, "Come on tell me? Isn't that what I am here for, now share please?"

She sat on one of the bales and looked at him. He was right, there was only Nathan and him she could tell. He came and sat beside her and took hold of her hand, "Please sis, I know something is wrong, share."

"It is just one of those times I wish I wasn't like I am Colin. I felt drawn down to the bridge this morning and when I got there I knew why, there is going to be an accident of some kind down there, it feels bad Colin, really bad. I tried to see more but I couldn't, just a crowd of people. I feel so useless in these situations, there is nothing much I can do about it."

"So you didn't actually see what was happening?"

"I tried, I really tried." The tears came now, he put his arm around her and he could feel her shaking.

"Oh sis, come on, you have told me now, we can tell Nathan and together we might be able to do something. Didn't Nathan check it just the other day?"

"He did and knows it is in need of urgent repair, he mentioned it to Lee but it is a town council matter and the next meeting isn't until this next week. I don't know if we have that amount of time."

She was still shaking, he pulled her in closer, "Bea remember why I am here, try and calm down, you are shaking so much."

The tears were really flowing now, she buried her head in his shoulder. Colin felt so useless, he knew all he could do was be here for her like this, to let her draw on his strength, which she was doing, slowly the shaking started to ease off. He held on though, he felt like crying for her. "That's it sis, come on, let it go, let it out." For her to react like this worried him, what was going to happen, he didn't doubt for one minute something was going to..

Colin saw Nathan before she did and just shook his head at him, he was off Newton in a flash,

"Princess what is it, oh Bea" he wrapped her in his arms. He looked at Colin

"She rode down by the bridge this morning and saw something, something bad. I could tell something was wrong the way she rode back into town."

Bea still hadn't spoken, she just let Nathan hold her. Eventually the shaking stopped and the tears dried up.

"Tell me what happened Bea, what did you see?"

"I tried Nathan, I tried to see what had actually happened but I can't, all I can see is a crowd of people, the bridge is gone, it is bad, very bad. What am I supposed to do, why show me things like this?"

Nathan shot Colin a glance, how did he answer that. "We will have to take it as a warning, try and be prepared for something happening."

"Well for a start we could post a couple of signs, one either side warning it is unsafe. We could knock those up easily."

"That's an idea Colin, it's better than nothing for now. Then I think we need to try and get Hope Valley a rescue team set up, a bit like your mountain rescue team Bea."

"Count me in Nathan, we could mention that in the saloon tonight, hopefully a few will volunteer. If ever we get called into action quickly at least we will know who to call on."

"What do you think princess?"

She just nodded and said, "The church bell, you need a signal to call anyone that volunteers to action, use the church bell, three rings then stop, three rings then stop, for five minutes, that is the call out."

"Well we can see Joseph about a key in the morning, we will need one."

"Right, let me sort Sergeant and Hero for you then I will make these signs, I have timber in the forge I can use and some paint. I can go and get them in place straight away."

"Give me half an hour Colin and I will give you a hand, just need to write my daily report then I am done."

Colin headed to the forge while Nathan and Bea headed over to the office. She felt so drained.

"Coffee needed I think, oh come here princess. You have done all you can, all we can do is be prepared and hope that what you saw was a warning of what could happen rather than what will."

"No Nathan as much as I would love to believe that I know it will happen, I can't say when or what actually occurs but it will. I can't go down there again."

"You don't have to, Colin and I will go and post these signs. You stay here until we get back. Now coffee and let me quickly write this report."

When Nathan left she went and lay on the bed in the cell, that is where she still was when they came back over an hour later. The coffee was still warm so he poured them both a cup and they went and sat outside.

"What do we do now then Colin? Do you know because apart from being here for her I don't."

"I think that is it, just be here. I could have cried for her when she said "today it's not nice being me." Hopefully she knows how to pick herself up after episodes like this. It's a learning curve for us two."

"You are right, we watch and we learn. I just pray visions like this one are few and far between."

"They are sweetie, the good far outweighs the bad. Is there one more cup left in the pot?"

She squeezed in between them, "Here princess, finish this one, is there anything we can do to help you, we are so lost here."

"Nothing that you haven't already done, just hold my hand while I try and help myself. My reaction to these nasty things I see is always much more intense than to the happy ones. The old soul feels the pain so strongly, she does not like that with all her years of living, everything she has witnessed there are still situations in which she is powerless. Today though she is very proud of you both, I just love you both more with each day that passes."

"Well if you are sure you are OK and we can do no more I will head back over and lock up. I have a couple of things to do before we go out tonight. Are you still coming ?"

"Are we? I understand if you don't feel up to it."

"No we will be there, I can't miss the fun, speaking of which I still haven't seen this newspaper."

"Frontpage news we are Mrs. Grant, Colin here right beside us too. What a trio we are headlining the local news."

Colin headed off and they went back inside to collect her things. "Here princess look, I got extra copies to send everyone."

There they were under the headline " Love Shines."

She looked at the photograph then at him, he just smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist "I love you too Mrs. Grant."