CHAPTER NINETEEN

Elizabeth was in Little Jack's bedroom, changing him into warmer undergarments and outerwear, more suitable for the cold weather outside. He was so excited, it had literally taken Nathan to catch him in a pretend tackle to manage this significant feat!

Downstairs, although she hadn't wanted to, Nathan had convinced Allie they could stay out a lot longer if they went home, and she did the same. But then, ever the Jokester Dad, he went to the front door and handed her the satchel he had prepared with her heaviest clothing inside.

Allie, in turn, tackled him with the biggest hug she could give!

"Ask Mrs. Thornton if you may change upstairs, and we'll all be ready for that sleigh in no time!"

"You're the best Uncle Nathan, the very best ever!"

Alone, Nathan sat down with a solemn look on his face. Day or night, he simply couldn't get rid of the flashbacks when Jenny O'Rourke pulled her gun and shot Constable James Crawford.

Instead, he placed his elbows on his knees, bowed his head low, and said yet another prayer for the Crawford Family and for himself.

"Dear Father, there's still so much pain, even with all the beautiful blessings You've given me. I know the pain his family is feeling must be greater. But, truthfully, I don't see how. Will You please be with them every single minute as they deal with this great loss? And will You please teach me how to bear this grief, this blame, this sorrow, this hurt? Please don't let me show this to Elizabeth, Allie, and Little Jack. They've each had their own sorrow, and I don't want to add this, too. Please, just help me. Help me get through this, so I can be strong for them."

Elizabeth had been crossing the hall to go to her room to get an extra blanket to take for the sleigh ride when she heard this voice she loved, and the anguish in it. She stood back in the shadows and listened. Her heart ached for what Nathan was going through.

She had known the hurt was deep, but he was hiding it so well from the three of them, that she could put it somewhat out of her mind when they were together. A tear dropped down her cheek.

So Elizabeth did the only thing she knew to do. She turned to her room, closed the door, and knelt to pray.

"Dear God, Nathan is such a good man, and he feels things so very deeply. I'm begging You today that You give him peace for the day. I promise the next time we're alone, I'll do my best to help too. We love him so much, and each of us needs him. Please, just peace for this special day with the children and the Coulters."

She could hear Little Jack getting restless. So, she grabbed the blanket and went to pick him up.

"Hello, Sweetness! Mama's here, and we're going outside to play!"

Little Jack's laugh was back in an instant!

"Allie, do you need any help?" Elizabeth called.

"Yes, please, Mrs. Thornton. I'm dressed, but I can't get this one hook in the back. Uncle Nathan always has to do it for me."

"Let's take a look. Oh, that's a tough one! You know, Allie, I think the seamstress has put this on backward. Why don't you give it to me tomorrow, and I'll have Mrs. Coulter take a look at it. But this will do for now!"

"That would be great. Thank you! Are we ready?" she asked excitedly.

"We are ready!" Elizabeth said it in her Teacher's voice, just a bit louder, so Nathan would know they were coming.

Nathan immediately got up and stood at the foot of the stairs with a smile.

But Elizabeth could still see the haunted look in his eyes.

She wondered if she would have noticed, had she not heard Nathan's prayer. She was going to have to find a way to help Nathan through this. And she was going to have to pay better attention to subtle clues, where his work was concerned.

Nathan gave Elizabeth a quick kiss on the cheek and grabbed Little Jack, who was delighted! He put his arm around Allie, leading her toward the door.

Elizabeth grabbed their coats. Nathan put Little Jack's heavy wool coat on him, and Elizabeth helped Allie with hers. Next, it was time to layer the scarves, hats, and mittens Allie had already laid out.

The children looked adorable, and they were chomping at the bit to get in that sleigh.

Nathan lifted Elizabeth in first, then Little Jack, and then Allie. He walked to the other side, got in, and took the reins.

"Everybody ready? Let's go on a sleigh ride!" he pronounced excitedly.

They hadn't gone very far till Allie announced, "This is the best ever! The best!"

And the huge smile on Little Jack's face was proof he concurred!

Nathan took his treasured cargo through the town and out on the new road as far as he felt it was safe to go.

He glanced at Elizabeth and took her hand, squeezing it firmly, both of them remembering last night. The look of love and pure joy that passed between them spoke volumes to their hearts.

Nathan remembered one spot that was big enough to turn the sleigh around, and he maneuvered it easily to point them back toward Hope Valley.

The ride back to town was quieter as Nathan pointed out the ice-cycles hanging from the trees to the children. They were enchanted. Allie started telling Little Jack what she thought each of the more prominent collections looked like, with Elizabeth adding in her interpretations. The three of them laughed excitedly about each new discovery.

Nathan couldn't help but notice that whatever Elizabeth or Allie saw, that Jack saw it as something that always had to do with horses! 'That's my Little Man!' he thought.

When they finally reached the town, Allie was hoping her friends would see their sleigh.

That was certainly not a problem, as this was the only sleigh in Hope Valley, and by now, there were a lot more families outside, visiting the Cafe, Saloon, and Shops. Everyone in town was waving cheerily and calling out greetings!

"It's like being in a parade!" exclaimed Allie.

Nathan could see he would probably be giving sleigh rides to all the children of Hope Valley, all afternoon long. But he didn't mind if it made Allie and her schoolmates happy.

Nathan drove the sleigh through town and past the row houses, then down past the school and around the pond.

"Oh, Nathan!" Elizabeth whispered. "It's simply stunning!"

The trees around the pond were dripping in silvery-white snow that glistened like a million diamonds. Crystals of ice sparkled on the shimmering pond as the morning sun reflected off them, creating jeweled toned prisms that appeared to skim the surface of the water as though they were dancing across the pond. And as far as you could see up the mountainside, God had blanketed the trees in a silvery coat of powder that glistened and twinkled like the brightest of stars in a night sky.

Everyone was silent, even the children, taking in the full impact of nature's majesty.

Elizabeth noticed a slight frown on Nathan's face, but it was gone as quickly as it had come. She saw Nathan raise his head to the Heavens and mouth, "Thank You," silently. In that instant, she could feel peace sweep over him. She raised her own eyes and also silently thanked God.

Nathan was fully back to them for the day. She held her arms tightly around Little Jack to keep herself from hugging Nathan. Because then Nathan would have known that she knew. And he didn't need that extra worry, not till he had completely worked through this ordeal.

Instead, she scooted closer to him and whispered softly, "Thanks, Darling, for doing this for all of us."

He smiled down at her tenderly, and this time she only saw love in his sparkly blue eyes. And peace.

"Anybody hungry?" asked Nathan. "I think it's about time we meet the Coulters for Lunch!"

"Oh, so hungry!" Allie continued, "This cold wind really makes your appetite grow!"

"Yes, it does, Sweetheart! Jack, are you hungry too?"

"Eat!" Little Jack was bouncing on Elizabeth's lap!

"Might be nice to warm up too!" laughed Elizabeth, noticing the children's red cheeks.

Although, she could have sat by Nathan the entire day without being cold. She was with him, and that was all the warmth she needed.

Elizabeth wasn't sure she had ever felt this contented, but she loved the feeling.

"Everybody ready? And away we go! Next stop, the Cafe!"