Hope Leads the Heart
Chapter 5 Conversations
As the meeting ended and everyone began to file out of the church, Bill turned to Nathan and said, "Shall we be on our way? I'm really looking forward to seeing what Lee and Rosemary have done to the old saloon, and to tasting some of Gustave's pastries!" He stepped into the aisle, assuming Nathan was following close behind.
Nathan did not respond. He was oblivious to what was going on around him and the fact that Bill had turned his head, was looking at him and waiting for a response. He didn't hear anyone and all he saw was the back of a raving beauty in green proceeding out the door, smiling and talking with Pastor Joseph and the new teacher. Nathan was acutely aware of the fact that his palms were sweaty and he felt like he had been gut-punched.
"Nathan, did you hear me?", said Bill. "Nathan! Are you feeling all right?"
"Huh?! What was that?", said Nathan as he shook his head a little.
"I said, let's head over to the Le Veaux. Is there something wrong with your hearing? You've got the silliest expression on your face. You haven't heard a word I've said, have you? I know it was a long meeting and we are both tired of sitting still for so long, but pay attention, will you?" Bill was rather irritable and hungry, too.
"Sorry, Bill. Yes, let's hurry and join Allie. She is probably wondering why we haven't caught up to the others yet."
In a matter of a few minutes, they had walked the short distance to main street and the hotel. Allie was waiting right outside the entry with her friends, Opal, Emily, Cooper, and Minnie. From the interior of the hotel, they could hear the sound of Rosemary's infectious laughter and Scott Joplin's ragtime music playing on the piano. Standing next to Allie's circle of friends, was a very official looking but young Mountie.
"Well, Robert, I can see that you have things well in hand! It has been a very peaceful few days while I deserted you to attend to our move. I must say, though, that I did miss wearing the Serge and riding Newton on rounds. How are you liking your first real assignment here in Hope Valley? I know Gabe Kinzlow was hoping you'd stay on in Brookfield after you finished your training," remarked Nathan. "He wasn't too happy that Hope Valley managed to steal you away."
Mountie Robert Wolfe, Allie's former schoolmate and first adolescent crush, beamed. "I am happy to return home to serve and protect the community I grew up in. It's nice to see family and friends again. Most especially, I am honored to serve with you, Inspector, and to learn from Bill as well! I'm very grateful that you two tied up all the loose ends on the Bouchard case, though, so that I can start without that hanging over my head!"
Smirking a little from the compliment Bill interjected, "I'm an old rancher now, Robert, and all too happy to have you and Nathan team up and take the reins! If you ever need some advice, though, don't hesitate to ask. Welcome!"
On that note, the group entered the hotel and stepped up to the receiving line to greet the Coulters. Rosemary immediately insisted on giving them a personal tour of the first floor: new front desk and lobby area; adjacent dining room with a small bar and corner stage to accommodate musicians or vaudeville acts; small reception room for private parties; and Gustave's kingdom in the back. Upstairs, she showed them 6 sleeping rooms and 1 suite. The visitors were amazed at the new look and feel of the old Queen of Hearts. Gone were the dark colors, the long bar, gaming tables, and focus on alcohol and gambling. The spaces were now filled with neutral and brighter colors, piano music, beautiful woods from the Coulter mill, white tablecloths and brighter lighting. It almost felt as though the eerie evil of the former owner had been swept right out the door with all the broken teacups, as light and hope made their way in.
Allie and her friends separated from the adults, and convinced Robert to join them as they attacked the buffet table, loaded their plates with food, and settled at one of the tables in the dining room. While she wasn't sure if she still "like liked" Robert, Allie definitely considered him a friend and was interested in hearing all about his adventures and Mountie training. Before they could dig in to the scrumptious looking pastries and ply Robert with questions, Mr. Doyle stopped by their table to introduce himself to his new students.
"Hello, everyone! Let me introduce myself. As he glanced at Robert and noted the Serge, he said, "I am Mr. Doyle, the new teacher, and I look forward to seeing some of you in my classroom. We are going to be starting the new school year in a few days and I am excited to get to work together. What are your names?"
As they went around the table introducing themselves, the students sized up the new teacher. Allie thought he was very interesting and was mesmerized by his blue eyes and sandy hair. Once he stated that he had a special interest in mathematics, though, she decided it just might be a long, tough school year! She was convinced he would be one to assign lots of homework and projects. Now that she lived at the ranch, there were lots of more interesting things to do. Besides, she wasn't at all sure that she would like having a man for a teacher! Who would she go to when she wanted to talk about "girl stuff" and ask for advice? Dr. Carter was gone, and so was Mrs. Thatcher. Sadness momentarily enveloped her, as she remembered a time when she thought Mrs. Thatcher would always be there for her and her dad.
To the horror of the little group of friends, Mr. Doyle decided to join them and took the last seat at their table right next to Allie.
"Great", she thought, suddenly very self-conscious and fearful that she would not make a good impression on her teacher.
As if sensing her discomfort, Nathan and Bill stopped by the table on their way to fill up their plates at the buffet. Allie and the others gave the two men their brightest smiles and joyful greetings, hoping that they would be rescued from what they considered to be a fate worse than death.
"Dad, Uncle Bill, I don't know if you have met our new teacher yet, Mr. Doyle. Mr. Doyle, this is my dad, Inspector Nathan Grant, and my uncle, Bill Avery. We just moved to the Double M ranch just outside of town."
"Please, call me Tom," said Mr. Doyle. "Nice to meet you both. I'd invite you to join us all so we can get better acquainted, but there doesn't seem to be enough room for two more chairs at the table. I hope we will have more time to talk at the parent's meeting the day before the new school year starts. See you there?"
"A pleasure to meet you, and welcome to Hope Valley," said Bill.
"I will be there, Tom," responded Nathan. "Always interested in helping Allie get a good start on the school year."
He turned to Bill. "I'm starved. Why don't we get something to eat? It appears Gustave outdid himself!", exclaimed Nathan. "Please excuse us."
Both Gustave and Fiona were proudly greeting and assisting guests at the long buffet table. After saying hello and congratulating them on the successful opening, Bill and Nathan helped themselves to an assortment of sandwiches, pastries, and punch. Turning around, they scanned the room to find a place to sit down and enjoy. All the tables seemed to be filled with guests, except for one in the far corner nearest the little stage. It was empty, except for one person sitting alone.
"There's some seating, Nathan," said Bill as he headed in that direction. "It looks like our new doctor is all by herself and that's really not much of a welcome to Hope Valley."
As Bill stopped in front of the table, the beautiful young doctor looked up from her plate and smiled disarmingly at the two handsome men in front of her. She couldn't help noticing the contrast between the two men: one was younger and the other, older; one had perfectly tamed light hair and the other unruly, dark, wavy hair; one was taller and slender of build while the other was of average height and weight. Both, she decided, had equally appealing smiles and a twinkle in their blue eyes. They seemed to be polite and friendly, although the taller one had taken one glance at her and looked away immediately. She waited for someone to speak.
"Hello, Dr. Bryant. May we join you?", Bill asked. "I can't stand the thought of a lovely lady sitting all by herself at such a wonderful party." He gave a sidelong glance at Nathan and thought he noticed a ruddy flush creeping up Nathan's neck.
"Why of course. Please join me. There is plenty of room and we will have the best seats in the house when the barbershop quartet starts singing," Joanna said. "The Coulters couldn't stop singing their praises and seem very happy about bringing them here today." As the two men took their seats, she looked at them directly, querying, "And who do I have the pleasure of meeting and eating with?"
"I am Bill Avery, part owner of the Double M ranch. It is a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Bryant. We are so happy that you have decided to set up your practice here in Hope Valley. It has been a while since Faith Carter passed, and we will be keeping you quite busy taking care of us!"
Bill looked Nathan's way, waiting for him to speak and again noticed the ruddiness of his complexion.
Finally, Nathan spoke up, "I am Inspector Nathan Grant and Bill's ranching partner." Looking into her green eyes he almost choked on his words. "Happy to welcome you, Doctor." He shuffled a bit uncomfortably as he took his seat, and looked at his hands. Darn! His palms were moist again. And, what was going on in his stomach? It wasn't ALL hunger, he was sure.
Nathan's discomfort did not escape Bill's attention. His eyebrows went up with sudden understanding and he smirked. "Well, well," he thought to himself. It had been a long while since Bill had seen Nathan react to a woman in such a manner. Actually, he was pretty sure Elizabeth had been the last to evoke such a response. Bill decided he was going to enjoy this Open House more than he thought.
"Please, call me Joanna," the doctor said. "We don't need formalities as we are going to be neighbors and friends! Tell me, Inspector, why you are not wearing the red Serge?"
The food on their plates gradually disappeared as they laughed together and enjoyed the songs from the barbershop quartet. At one point, Joanna hummed a little and joined in the singing. Her voice was clear, strong, lovely and turned heads in the dining room. Conversation flowed freely among the threesome, as the men shared information about the town, its' history, and its' citizens. They learned a little about Joanna's passion for music as well as for medicine, when she shared her hopes that she would be allowed to sing in the church choir. Nathan gradually relaxed and found himself enjoying Joanna's company immensely. She made him smile and her presence was comforting and exhilarating at the same time.
It was growing later in the afternoon, and Allie had tired of the conversation at her table. She excused herself and wandered over to find Nathan and Uncle Bill.
"Wasn't this a lot of fun, Dad?" she said to Nathan as she took in the woman in green sitting with Uncle Bill and her dad. "Gustave's Napoleons were just scrumptious! They were better than cupcakes. I ate two."
"Glad you have been enjoying yourself," said Nathan. "Joanna, this is my niece, Allie. Allie, this is our new doctor, Dr. Joanna Bryant."
Joanna looked up to see a slender teenage girl with a bright smile, about 16 or 17 years old. She was a bit puzzled, though. Hadn't Allie referred to the Inspector as "dad"? Why, then, did he introduce her as his niece? She didn't feel it was appropriate to ask that question, so she just said, "Hello, Allie. Nice to meet you!"
"Hi, Dr. Bryant."
Bill chimed up, "Well, this has been a very pleasant way to spend our afternoon, but I need to head over to Yost's Mercantile and pick up the supplies I ordered. Allie, would you like to go with me to help load our wagon? We really should be heading home soon, so we can feed the horses and finish chores."
"Sure, Uncle Bill. It was very nice getting to know you a little, Dr. Bryant. And, again, welcome to Hope Valley," said Allie.
"Nathan, why don't you stay and keep Joanna company for a little while longer? It doesn't take all three of us to get the job done, and you might as well enjoy yourself a little longer before returning to Mountie duties tomorrow! I can bring the wagon around in about an hour or so and pick you up," said Bill as he rose to his feet.
Before Nathan could reply, Joanna interjected, "I would love to have someone to talk to for a while longer, Nathan. I don't know too many people in town yet, and it has been such a nice afternoon with you and your family. I hate to see it end."
Feeling a little like Bill was setting him up to be alone with Joanna, Nathan suddenly felt very ill at ease. The dining room was almost empty at this point, and the Le Veaux staff was beginning to clean up. He was uncomfortable at the thought of being left alone with the beautiful doctor, especially since she was looking directly at him with those beautiful green eyes of hers! That one look and his insides felt like mush.
Bill caught the slight change in Nathan's demeanor. Without waiting for Nathan to object, he said good bye and started heading for the door at a brisk pace. One eyebrow up, he looked back over his shoulder at Allie with a beckoning look. She almost had to run to catch up with him.
Intuition told Joanna that the handsome man seated opposite her was a little shy in her presence, now that his family had left the two of them alone. She wanted to know more about this man who obviously had strength of character, loved both his family and a life of service to his community. One thing she had discovered already was that he didn't converse much about himself. If she wanted to learn more about him, it was up to her to draw him out and get him to relax around her. Nathan certainly wasn't going to offer her information on a platter.
"You have a wonderful family, Nathan, and you make quite the threesome! Allie is blessed to have you and Bill in her life and she seems very fond of both of you. I have to admit, though, for brothers, you and Bill don't resemble each other too much. "
"Oh, we are not brothers at all, Joanna, unless you count "brothers in fighting crime". When I came to Hope Valley to be their Mountie, Bill Avery was the Inspector here. We initially didn't get on very well. As time progressed, we learned to work together and experienced a lot of success. We ended up becoming very close friends, especially after he assisted me with Allie's adoption. He later served as our judge, but recently retired to start a small cattle and horse ranch just outside of town. Bill doesn't have a lot of family in the area and neither do Allie and I. It seemed like a good idea to combine resources and become partners in the Double M. As a matter of fact, we just moved out to the ranch very recently."
"Allie is adopted?", said Joanna.
"Yes. She is the only child of my late sister, Colleen. Allie's father deserted them and has been on the wrong side of the law for years," replied Nathan.
Joanna's mind was racing to digest all the information she had just learned. Nathan offered no more in explanation and Joanna didn't press. She looked at the man in front of her with even more admiration and respect. Such an unselfish commitment to make, but an extremely challenging responsibility for a bachelor to try to raise a teenage girl! Well, he seemed to be a bachelor at the moment, anyway. She wondered if he had ever married.
Changing the subject to neutral matters, the two found themselves conversing about books they enjoyed and activities, too. Nathan learned that Joanna enjoyed riding as much as she enjoyed music and her career. She discovered that Nathan enjoyed music also and found woodcarving to be an enjoyable hobby. He admitted that he wasn't much of a cook and was glad to have support in that area from both Bill and Allie. Laughter came easily when they shared stories about their own disasters in the kitchen.
An hour sped by like a few seconds. Nathan glanced up to see Allie at the entry to the dining room motioning to him that it was time to leave.
He turned to Joanna and said, "Well it looks like they have stocked up the wagon and it is time for us to start home. It has been a pleasure to spend the afternoon with you, Joanna. I hope you will come out and visit us at the ranch soon!"
"I have enjoyed the afternoon as well, Nathan. Thank you for the invitation and I would love to see your ranch. Have a safe ride home," responded Joanna.
Nathan headed towards the door, stopping only to say thank you to the hosts. Joanna's eyes were fixed on the back of the tall, slender man who was so reserved and yet so easy to talk to. She smiled to herself as she tried to imagine what he looked like in red Serge. Handsome. He must be even more handsome and dashing dressed in red, she thought!
As the three headed back to the ranch, Bill tried hard to engage Nathan in conversation about the young doctor, but found that Nathan was deep in his own thoughts. Upon arriving home, they dove right into chores as it was almost sunset. Nathan and Allie prepared a light dinner and then they all turned in early. Nathan slept restlessly, with thoughts of a certain brunette with green eyes occupying his dreams.