CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
At a quarter till seven, fifteen minutes earlier than Elizabeth had predicted, Chuck and Tess Stewart walked into the Livery, and Nathan went to welcome them.
"Thanks so much for coming. It means the world to us. Hello, Mrs. Stewart, so glad you could come too."
Nathan bent to kiss her hand, and then quickly led them both into Sargent's stall.
Elizabeth rose to greet them with a smile, she had somehow conjured up from deep within.
But Nathan could still see the pain in her eyes.
"Glad to do it. Bill says Sargent choked on beets?"
Nathan nodded.
"He was in a very bad way when we first got back from Buxton. I could tell he was choking, so I injected him with a gram of muscle relaxant, and have more drawn up if you need it. It wasn't till after the injection that we were able to find out that he had choked on sugar beets."
"Who in their right mind would place sugar beets close to a horse?"
"It appears to be someone who is not very knowledgeable about horses. I'm sure it wasn't intentional, but we've just been sick about it. It's almost worse knowing how it happened."
"Well, let's take a look!"
"Heart rate good, especially after all this trauma. No pieces of food anywhere. Was there any blood?"
"No," Nathan replied simply. "I was very thankful for that."
"Nathan, if you don't mind me asking, how did you know what to do?"
"I grew up on a Horse Ranch, and we didn't have a Vet for miles, so you learned pretty quickly."
"Well, I don't have to tell you, but you do know you saved this horse's life. It appears you did everything perfectly! Very smart to bring in the second horse. Perfect to have given the muscle relaxant. May I ask where you injected it?"
"Here, I'll show you the exact spot. I applied a rocking pressure, here with my left hand and injected the medicine with the right one here. He didn't even flinch."
"That's a pretty smart technique. I'll have to remember to use that. I think the Germans do something like that."
"Do we need to give another injection?"
"Yes, I think we should, but I really don't think he's going to need anymore after that."
"Is there something we can do to help dissolve the sugar beets?"
"The only thing I know is to get them out manually, but looking down his throat, I think they've already passed to his stomach. And I don't feel any bulges in the neck area. I hate to put him through an extraction for no need. You did exactly the right thing to clear the stall of hay and water. And also making him stand. You've done everything right. He's not in any distress now. Let's give him the shot and go grab a bite."
Nathan handed the pre-filled syringe to Chuck and helped hold Sargent while Chuck gave the injection. The whole time, Nathan continued to speak softly and reassuringly to Sargent.
Tess had wrapped her arms around Elizabeth, knowing what it was like to come this close to losing your horse. And Elizabeth just fell into her arms, sobbing.
Nathan gave Tess a pained look, but she just smiled and shook her head, telling Nathan everything was going to be okay, to just give it a little time. Of course, she had no idea of the entire reason Elizabeth was crying.
"Nathan, can you get someone to watch Sargent while we go eat. I know you'll want to spend the night with him and you have to have a break. I'll check back in on him after we eat. And you can take back over from there. Sound good?"
"Yes, perfect, Chuck! Let me go see if I can get Gabe or Aaron. Do you mind waiting with Sargent and Elizabeth?"
"Of course not, you go. We'll be right here. I'll watch Sargent."
As luck would have it, Gabe was headed toward the Livery.
"Heard about Sargent, Nathan. Need any help?"
"Oh, Gabe, that would be wonderful. In fact, I was coming to get you, and ask that very thing! Chuck and Tess are here, and I promised them Dinner at the Cafe. Do you mind watching Sargent? Just make sure he keeps standing, with no water or food. I've got Newton beside him, and that seems to help keep him calm. I'll bring you Dinner if you don't mind it being late."
"Nah, don't bother. I ate earlier. A Dessert might be nice, though. Hello Mrs. Stewart, Elizabeth. Hello Chuck. Thanks for coming."
"Gabe, if there are any changes whatsoever, send Seth after me!"
"I promise, Nathan. We'll be fine!"
Elizabeth gave Gabe a hug of thanks on their way out and then led the way to the Cafe with Tess.
Nathan and Chuck followed.
Rosemary met them at the door to welcome everyone.
"So nice to see you in Hope Valley, Mrs. Stewart. Thanks so much for helping us, Dr. Stewart!"
"Please, it's Tess. May I call you Rosemary?"
"Please do! I'd love that!"
"It's Chuck, Mrs. Coulter!"
"Only if you call me Rosemary! Come meet my husband and the others."
Rosemary was dripping in charm.
Elizabeth was more than happy for her to take the lead, especially given the circumstances.
"Come, Tess! Come, Chuck! This is my husband, Lee. Lee, this is Tess Stewart and her son, Dr. Chuck Stewart, who is our visiting Veterinarian. Chuck, you set here at the head of the table, and Tess, do come sit by me!"
Elizabeth noticed Bill was nowhere in sight. But she knew exactly where he was sitting, as Rosemary had placed an empty chair on the other side of Tess, with Lee at the other end of the table.
"Of course, you already know Nathan and Elizabeth. This is Nathan's daughter and our beautiful niece, Allie."
"Pleased to meet you, Ma'am, Dr. Stewart. Thank you so much for helping Sargent!" Allie was almost as charming as Rosemary. And she hadn't had all those years to practice!
"It's our pleasure, Allie!" answered both Tess and Chuck, with huge smiles.
"And last, but not least, this is our Little Jack, Elizabeth's son, and our Godson!"
Elizabeth noticed that Tess turned to the empty chair beside her, and Rosemary simply said, "We have one more guest, who will be joining us a bit later!"
Conversation came easily, and it was both robust and jovial. It was evident that all the others were trying their best to get Nathan's and Elizabeth's minds away from Sargent.
"What a charming place! Who owns it?" asked Tess.
And at that exact moment, Bill unknowingly made his grand entrance.
"Well, Rosemary, you didn't tell me we'd have such lovely guests joining us for dinner!" announced Bill.
'Nice start,' thought Nathan.
"Tess, this is Judge Bill Avery, who also owns the Cafe, and tonight is the Chef! Bill, this is Tess Stewart, rancher extraordinaire! And her son, Dr. Chuck Stewart. He's here to see Sargent!"
"Very pleased to meet you, Ma'am, Dr. Stewart."
"Oh, please, it's Tess!"
"And, Chuck!"
"Call me Bill! Now that that's all settled, we have somewhat of a tradition in this Cafe, when my family comes to eat," and he motioned to everyone around the table, "they generally leave it up to me to surprise them with a selection of special food for the meal. Tess, Chuck, are you game to join us, or would you prefer a menu?"
"Oh, we're game for anything!" Tess answered for them both.
It was all Nathan and Lee could do, not to break out laughing, with poor Tess not realizing there were two master matchmakers at work.
But one look from Rosemary froze both of them! So smiles had to suffice!
"Well, I don't think you'll regret that decision! At least not if I've done my job right! Excuse me, Ladies, Gentlemen!" and with that, Bill retreated back to his kitchen.
"How charming! I've heard of Judge Avery, but I had no idea he owned a restaurant and served as Chef! That's quite a combination! A man of many talents, I'd say."
"That he is Tess! He's definitely one of a kind!"
The look Rosemary shot Lee, could have killed! And both Nathan and Lee quickly got the message.
There would be no Bill jokes tonight. Not even a hint of one!
Nathan reached for Elizabeth's hand, and she looked up at him with relief and adoration. He had given her enough space, but now, sitting at this table, he needed her. He was relieved to know that she, too, needed him, no matter what was going on around them.
He held her hand tightly, caressing her palm gently, and she started to relax, giving him a real smile. He was so thankful his Elizabeth was back.
And she was grateful to have a partner, who gave her space, but also cared enough to bring her out of the fit of anger and depression she had just been put in, by someone she had thought was a dear friend.
"Tess, are you still working hard on the Ranch, or do you have enough help, that you can take it a bit easier?" asked Elizabeth, with genuine interest.
"Oh, Elizabeth, Chuck would say I could take it easier, and I could. But truthfully, I haven't had much of a reason to do so! There seems to be enough work on that Ranch to fill my days and nights!"
"But, Tess, you know what they say about all work and no play!"
"Yes, but I've worked so long and so hard, I think I've forgotten how to play!"
"Well, maybe you could start by helping Rosemary and me with some of our cultural events. We would love to have input from someone as experienced as you!"
"Didn't you tell me you used to act in Shakespearean plays?" asked Rosemary.
"I did! In Quebec, before I moved to the Ranch. I can't believe you remembered that! Brookfield is much too small for a theater, but I can see it happening here. What are you two thinking?"
"Well, Lee promised to build me a theater someday, and I'm determined to make it happen, but I need a patron who truly knows the ins and outs, like you! Whenever Elizabeth and I work on it, we just get overwhelmed and end up not knowing which direction to go in!"
"Have you ever thought about tying a theater in with your church and school productions?"
"See, that's why we need you! No, we had not, but it's a marvelous idea, isn't it Elizabeth?"
"I would love that!" chimed in Elizabeth.
"Oh, my! It looks like I'm going to be building a theater, Ladies!"
And they all laughed at Lee's apparent dismay!
"Well, a promise is a promise, Sweetheart!"
On that note, Bill arrived from the kitchen with a covered meat platter.
He lifted the lid with a more formal flourish than he usually used, to reveal the most delectable Beef Wellington, any of them had ever seen!
Clara followed closely behind, handing him a glorious sky-high Corn Soufflé, which had obviously been perfected, along with a second dish of Potatoes Dauphinoise. She then brought out a platter of Cold Wilted Greens with Caramelized Onions that was to serve as the Salad. Bill arranged everything beautifully in the center of the table, then returned to the kitchen to bring out his famous Yeast Rolls.
Tess and Chuck were very impressed, as was everyone else around the table!
Bill seated himself, and Rosemary asked Lee to lead in prayer.
They all joined hands, and Elizabeth specifically noticed that Tess instinctively reached for Bill's hand, too. And wonder of wonders, Bill even smiled at her.
"Dear God, we ask You to bless our family and new friends represented around this glorious table of food. We thank You for this exceptional meal that has been prepared for us. And we thank You for those who have prepared it. Most of all, Dear Father, we thank You for Chuck and Tess, who have traveled so far to help save Sargent. We pray for You to give them a safe journey back to their home, and that You will continue to be with this beautiful horse till he is completely healed. We also ask that You will place each of us in the center of Your Divine Will. In Your Name, we pray. Amen!"
And everyone said, "Amen!"
Rosemary noticed Tess drying a tear from her eye, but didn't dare say a thing.
"Bon Appétit, everyone!" announced Bill as he started serving the food around the table, beginning with Tess.
Both Elizabeth and Rosemary took note! Bill was receiving very high marks indeed, tonight! And both Bill and Tess seemed totally at ease with each other.
"Oh, my goodness! This is the best Beef Wellington I've ever had. What in the world have you done to make it so special?" asked Tess, looking directly at Bill.
"Chef Secrets!" Bill laughed.
"Hmph, we'll see about that!" she chided, looking him squarely in the eye!
Rosemary and Elizabeth gave each other a knowing look. It was clear to them, Bill had indeed met his match!
"Oh, the Corn Soufflé is remarkable, Bill. That just might be my favorite side dish you've made!" exclaimed Nathan.
"Darling, that's because you haven't tasted the Potatoes Dauphinoise yet!" and Elizabeth fed him a bite of hers.
"Oh! That's so very good!"
"Grace would love these, she loves cream, but hasn't quite figured out how to get it from Bella, their cow, quite yet!"
Everyone laughed as Chuck just shook his head! Everyone at the table, including Tess, could see he was clearly in love.
"Chuck, when is Grace returning from England?" questioned Elizabeth.
"Not soon enough, if you ask me. But I honestly don't know. Her letters reach me so late, I'm never quite sure just where she is."
"Well, when she does finally make it home, bring her to Dinner here one night, with Tess, of course. We'd love to have all of you. Consider it that all three of you have an open invitation!" said Elizabeth warmly.
"That's lovely, thank you, Elizabeth!" and Tess seemed delighted to be included in the offer.
"Yes, it is Mother. We'll have to take them up on it! And we'll be happy to return the favor whenever you're in Brookfield. Although, don't tell Uncle Ronnie I said so, but he is nowhere near this caliber of food!"
"You've got that right, Darling!" and Tess rolled her eyes as though it were hopeless in Brookfield.
"Maybe I could come and check out the menu. Give Ronnie a few pointers," offered Bill.
Tess turned to him, "Why thank you, Bill. I would love that. But we would have to do it behind Ronnie's back!"
"Even better! Between us, I love a little subterfuge. It's a deal!" Bill had bent in close to Tess to whisper that "subterfuge" part, and the two of them immediately shook on it! Right there at the table, in front of everyone!
Rosemary and Elizabeth almost fell out of their chairs, and Lee and Nathan just gave each other a "Did that just happen?" glance!
But somehow, they made it through. Even Allie was watching her Uncle Bill and Mrs. Stewart intently.
"Who's ready for Dessert?" asked Bill.
"How can we say no?" answered Tess.
"Excuse me, I'll be right back!"
Everyone at the table continued chatting comfortably with each other.
Bill finally came out carrying an antique cake stand with the most beautiful Coconut Cake, they'd ever seen, in one hand, and a cut glass bowl full of Fresh Strawberry Sauce in the other.
"Where in the world did you get fresh Strawberries this time of year?" asked Tess, nonplussed.
"I told you I have my secrets!" he teased, but then admitted, "Actually, this I canned from last summer's crop."
"It's...it's fabulous!" pronounced Tess. "And I can tell you right now, I'm taking a second piece home. Chuck, fend for yourself!" She actually laughed, a throaty, rich laugh they had never heard before.
Bill was beaming, "I think that can be arranged! I do know the Chef, you know!"
And there it was again, that beautiful throaty laugh!
After everyone had devoured their Desserts, Chuck spoke up, and said, "We've enjoyed this so much, but I've got to go back to the Livery and check on Sargent. Mother, shall I pick you up here?"
"Perfect, Son. I'll see what secrets I can tear out of this Master Chef here. I'll be ready whenever you are!"
"This has been delightful, Tess, but the children are staying with us tonight, and I have to get them to bed. Princess Allie has school tomorrow, bright and early. Do come back to see us before too long, dear Tess." and Rosemary bent to give her a kiss on the cheek.
Elizabeth did the same, thanking her for her help and understanding with Sargent.
Nathan grabbed the extra Dessert he had promised Gabe. He and Elizabeth hugged and kissed Allie goodnight, then softly kissed Little Jack, who was sleeping soundly in his pram.
Then they headed back to the Livery with Chuck.
The Coulters bundled up the children for the winter cold and headed home, but not before Allie gave her Uncle Bill a huge kiss, and another one to Mrs. Stewart, who appeared delighted to be included.
When everyone was gone, Bill and Tess just sat and talked animatedly, laughing and joking with each other. Both found themselves hoping that Chuck wouldn't be in any rush to return.
Bill reminded Clara to box up two extra pieces of Coconut Cake, and fill a thermos with the Fresh Strawberry Sauce.
Oh, if only Elizabeth and Rosemary could have seen the two!
The two matchmakers might not have known it yet, and maybe not even Bill and Tess, but something was definitely in the cold winter air.