Chapter 7: Dinners and Daisies

"Can we go today Uncle Nathan?' Allie begged, grabbing her schoolbooks from the table. Ever since Nathan had told her about Dani's invitation, she hadn't been able to think about anything since. Without realizing it, Nathan had brought up Dani a lot in their conversations, making Allie's anticipation grow with every mention of her. The invitation brought all her excitement to the forefront, and every morning, she put the question to her uncle. "Can you please take me on your rounds?" Nathan shook his head as he placed a jam sandwich in Allie's dinner pail. "Not today Allie" he declined, a little sadly. "The Yost's invited us to their house for dinner tonight, and we won't arrive on time if you come. I'm going to be cutting it close as is." Allie sighed impatiently. "Tomorrow then, at least?" she begged. "You said Miss Lemont wants to meet me. I want to meet her too." Nathan smiled to himself at the thought of Dani being referred to once again as "Miss Lemont." He couldn't imagine her as anything other than Dani now. "We'll see" he promised vaguely. "If the weather is good. Now, head on out. It's time for school." Allie hoisted her stack of books under one arm and grabbed her dinner pail with her free hand. She stopped at the door and watched as her uncle stood near the wash basin, scrubbing the breakfast plates and utensils before his rounds. As he stood there, she noticed his eyes wandering out the window and a faint smile showing at the corners of his mouth. She didn't know exactly what or who he was thinking about, but she was pretty sure she had a good idea. "Have a good day Uncle Nathan!" she called, opening the door. Nathan came out of his distracted revery and looked up quickly. "What was that, Allie?" he asked, apologetically. Allie smiled and shook her head. "Never mind" she murmured. "You already seem like you're having a good day anyway…"

Bill, who was in a particularly agitated mood this morning on account of the upcoming dinner party, barely greeted Lee and Rosemary as they entered the café for a quick bite to eat. With Rosemary's new occupation as the editor in chief of the Valley Voice, she was left with very little time or energy to do much cooking these days. Bill scowled darkly. "What do you want?" he asked, wiping his soapy hands on his apron from the dishes he had been washing. Lee was a bit taken aback by Bill's brooding expression and raised his eyebrows, confused. "A piece of pie?" he asked. "That would be great…" Rosemary settled herself down at one of the tables, her arms full of articles, notes, and other newspapers that she intended to read for journalism purposes. "Come Lee" she called, setting down the stack and opening the first newspaper on the top. Lee looked from her to Bill, who had disappeared into the back to bring them coffee. Something was on Bill's mind, Lee could tell. "Give me a minute Rosie" he said, before cautiously following Bill into the kitchen. "Bill…" He ventured to say, before waiting to see how Bill would react. Bill, in typical fashion, turned and eyed Lee agitatedly. "What are you doing back here?" he asked, annoyed. Lee shrugged, his eyes traveling back to where Rosie was sitting. "I just wanted to see if there was something on your mind" he faltered. "But… I can see that you're busy, so I will… leave you to your work." Lee turned to retreat, but Bill gave in with a helpless sigh. "Wait…" he called after Lee. "There is something that has me rattled this morning." Lee turned around again, frowning thoughtfully. "What's up?" he asked. Bill shook his head with a sigh. "It's this mining case" he mourned. "All of the evidence is out there somewhere. I know it! I just can't seem to get a hold of any of the right sources. Ned and I went through several lists of names, and I've already made several phone calls. Still nothing…" Lee shook his head sympathetically. "I'm sorry Bill" he said. "I know that case has kind of been like your life's work." Bill nodded soberly. "I know I've just hit a bump in the rode, but I'm not sure exactly how to continue forward. Maybe I'll ride down to the old mine and have a look around. The answer might be staring me in the face, and I just can't see it." Lee held up his finger in warning. "I agree you with" he said, "But don't forget, you have a dinner party to go to tonight. Rosie and I can't make it since we're printing out flyers for the election. But Molly…? Bill, I heard her telling three different people that the two of you will be going together tonight. If I were you, I wouldn't make plans to leave just yet…" Bill rolled his eyes, but inwardly agreed. "Fine' he said tersely. "Just don't expect me to like it." Lee nodded and gave him a quick pat on the shoulder. "Let me know how it goes" he quipped, before rejoining Rosemary at the table. Bill sighed as he stared after him. Being tied down to someone was difficult for him. It always had been. Bill's heart would always be with his work, no matter what. Still, he had to do his best to make things work with Molly. Commitment may not come easy for him when it came to relationships, but loyalty was everything. Therefore, out of loyalty, he would try his best to give up his independent ways for a minute and be there for Molly at the Yost's dinner party. "One day at a time" he mumbled to himself as he flipped some flapjacks on the stove.

Faith had just released her last patient and was about to walk over to the barbershop to speak to Fiona when she spied Nathan riding by and called after him. "Nathan!" Nathan pulled Newton to a halt and turned in the saddle to see who was calling him. "Faith!" he exclaimed in surprise. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. What can I do for you?" Faith took a few steps closer toward the horse and rider. "I wanted to thank you for what you said" she murmured, smiling brightly. "Last night… It was very kind of you." She paused thoughtfully for a moment before continuing. "Not many people have believed in me since I decided to become a doctor, so… You have no idea how much it means to me that you do." A smile flashed over Nathan's face, and he nodded, a little shyly. "Well, I'm glad…" he murmured, before cocking his head to one side. "How are feeling about everything this morning?" Faith shrugged uncertainly. "Still afraid" she admitted. "But I know when the time comes, I will just have to face my fears. It's like what that lovely plaque hanging in the library says. Always do what you are afraid to do." Nathan nodded, and smiled again. It was nice to know that his handiwork was inspiring people, even if they didn't know it had been his. Nodding, he touched his hat and continued down the road to start his rounds.

The weather turned sour around noon as Nathan made his way past some of the new log cabins. Faint rumbles of thunder sounded in the distance as a looming, dark cloud edged its way slowly over the horizon. Newton had been trained and taught to remain calm, but storms always managed to scare him. Every once in a while, he would rear slightly, forcing Nathan to take a firm hold of the reigns and run a hand down the agitated horse's neck. "It's okay old buddy" Nathan reassured him. "It's not gonna hurt you. It's just a storm." As Nathan passed through the darkened woods, there was a great stillness in the air. He knew it wouldn't last long as the storm grew closer and the winds began to pick up, so he urged Newton into a gallop. As he guided the skittish horse down the dirt road, he happened to pass a darkened log cabin, which was fairly visible, even thought the leafy trees. There was something about it that caused Nathan to turn his head for a moment and stare. Something wasn't right. He could feel it. As his eyes scanned the sinister property, a shadow moved among the shrubs towards the dark house. From what Nathan could He was darkly dressed and far away, so Nathan couldn't quite make out who he was. That there was a musket in his hand however was unmistakable. One of the Pinkertons… Nathan shook his head in disgust. He just couldn't seem to get away from them, they always stirred up so much trouble whether in town or not. Had the cabin been inhabited, he would have investigated further. But given the oncoming storm and the length that he still had to go, Nathan had to let it be for now.

The rain hit just as Nathan arrived on the quiet dirt road where Dani lived. He and Newton were both soaked by the time they passed her house. Nathan was warmed by the sight of the happy glow that shown from the windows of the cabin. She was probably reading or baking something right now. She had told him that's what she liked to do on rainy days. With a smile, he passed by, forgetting about how drenched his clothes were and thinking instead about her. She was probably curled up in front of the fire, book in hand, with a glass of fresh milk close by. She was most likely wearing that blue dress that always brought out the blue of her eyes. She would be smiling to herself as the fire cast a flickering glow over her face. The thought of Dani's smile made Nathan smile too and wish that he could be a part of that picture. He loved being with Dani. Their friendship had become something very special to him. It cast a welcome radiance over gloom that had previously occupied many aspects of his life. The thought of her always made him smile, just like he was smiling now. He sighed contentedly as the rain drummed against the rim of his hat and soaked through his red serge. It would have been an odd sight for anyone to see, a drenched Mountie, in the middle of a downpour, grinning blithely to himself. But Nathan's thoughts were far from the storm at hand. Unconsciously, he started humming a tune to himself, something that he hadn't done for a long time.

It was late when he finally got back to the rowhouse to get ready for the dinner party. His clothes were soaked through, and his hair hung limply down in his face. "Allie!" he called, quickly hanging up the dripping red serge and hat. "Are you here?" Allie immerged from her room, wearing her favorite blue and white dress. "You're late" she teased, doing a spin in front of him to show off the pretty dress. "Do you think I should wear this to the party tonight?" Nathan, who wasn't an expert on dresses, but knew that his daughter looked pretty in it, smiled lovingly. "It's perfect" he said. "You look great Allie." Allie smiled proudly. "Thanks Uncle Nathan" she beamed, before crossing her arms. "You might want to hurry if we're going to be on time." Nathan nodded quickly. "Right!" he murmured, moving towards the stairs. "Can you see if my shoes are near the door?" Allie held them up impatiently. "Found em" she said, raising her eyebrows at him. Nathan nodded. "Great!" he said sheepishly. "I'll be right down. Then we can go, okay? Just hold your horses."

The Yost's dinner party was louder and more crowded than Nathan would have liked. Everyone was packed into the small living room, sitting wherever there was room. Nathan preferred to stand. He could see everyone around him that way. As he glanced about the chattering room, he noticed that Allie was talking animatedly to Opal and Robert. He smiled to himself, glad that at least one of them was having a good time. "Nathan!" Fiona's voice cut through the din. Nathan looked up startled and saw her beckoning him over to where she, Clara, and Jesse were sitting. Feeling his nerves rising, Nathan strode over to where they were sitting, his face turning red with embarrassment. Ever since their discussion with Faith over tea in the back room of the café, Fiona and Clara had both decided together to get to know Nathan better, hoping not to be outdone by their friend. Jesse eyed Nathan thankfully as he strode over to the three of them. "Hi there!" Clara greeted him, trying to avoid any awkwardness. "Come join us! We were just talking about all the new fashions that are coming in this summer." "And…" Jesse cut in desperately, "We were hoping you would change the subject." "Jesse!" Clara gave him a jab with her elbow and frowned. Nathan didn't know what to say. Fiona sensed his discomfort and patted the empty place on the settee beside her. "Have a seat" she said casually. "Mike went to talk to Lee about the election, and I don't think he's coming back anytime soon." Nathan smiled awkwardly and sank down next to her. He could feel she and Clara's eyes on him as he unconsciously glanced down at the floor. "So, Nathan…" Clara said slowly, as if using his name didn't yet come naturally to her. "I understand there have been a lot of new folks moving into Hope Valley." Nathan looked up quickly and nodded. "Yeah, there have" he reported. "A lot of new homesteaders. I'm sure things have been busy for you at the sawmill Jesse…" Jesse shrugged. "We've had plenty of new orders for sure" he admitted. "I've delivered lumber to some plots of land I didn't even know existed. The whole east side of the woods is just covered in new cabins now."

Fiona sat up eagerly. "Speaking of newcomers…" she said slowly, as if she were about to pitch an idea. "Mike and I were thinking about starting a weekly social group. We'd get together and just… have fun! We could play games, sing songs, have contests… Personally, I think it would be a lot of fun! Would that be something the rest of you would be interested in?" Clara looked at Jesse and laid a hand on his knee. "I think we would both like that very much" she said, speaking for both of them. Jesse nodded his agreement eagerly. "Yeah!' he chimed in. "Why not?" Fiona smiled, then turned to Nathan. "Nathan?" she asked expectantly. "What are your thoughts?" Nathan was surprised. "You want me to come?" he asked, feeling both flattered and flustered. Clara smiled and shrugged. "Why not?" she asked. "You're one of us too, aren't you?" Nathan didn't really know how to answer that, but simply nodded gratefully. "Thank you…" he murmured. "So, is that a yes?" Fiona asked hopefully. Nathan shrugged, shyly. "I guess it is" he admitted. "If I have the time…" The three of them looked excited and hopeful at his answer. "That's great!" Clara exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "And Nathan if there's ever someone else you'd like to invite too, she is welcome. I mean, they… are welcome!" Clara caught herself, her eyes suddenly bulging with embarrassment at her slip-up. Nathan frowned, a little confused. Who was Clara talking about? Elizabeth? Everyone knew by now that Elizabeth and Lucas were seriously courting and that both were frequently out of town. Why would they think he'd be asking her to go with him to weekly social gatherings? He saw Fiona and Clara exchange wide-eyed glances before it suddenly hit him. Dani! They were talking about Dani! Now Nathan was the one blushing. Why did everything have to be everyone else's business? Before anyone could say anything else, they were saved by Florence emerging with the dinner bell. "Dinner is served!" she called. Nathan shot up from the settee, and Jesse quickly followed suit. "Let's head in then" he said, a little awkwardly, as he passed Nathan, giving him an apologetic pat on the shoulder. Wordlessly, Fiona and Clara followed Jesse, though they both looked sorry for causing Nathan to feel so awkward. Nathan took a deep breath. There was nothing he hated more than being the subject of gossip, especially gossip involving Dani. Ever since he had taken to riding past her house every day, he had begun to feel protective of her, even regarding what other people said about her. He stared after Clara and Fiona, his lips pursed together with frustration. Just then, he realized Ned was at his elbow, smiling up at him. "Hi Nathan!" he beamed. "Are you ready to eat?" Nathan nodded, shaking himself out of his thoughts. "Yes…" he muttered. "Of course… On my way Ned."

To Nathan's surprise and secret delight, he found himself sitting across from Ned and Faith, with Bill and Molly next to him. Ned's faced lighted up when he realized both Bill and Nathan were across from him. He was eager to continue to discuss the mining case with Bill, as well as the Pinkerton situation with Nathan. Faith looked on, her eyes laughing as Nathan diligently answered Ned's incessant questions as best he could. She and Nathan were even able to exchange a few words whenever a topic subsided. Bill and Molly also did their part to keep the conversation lively with their witty banter, which always made Nathan laugh. By the time dessert had been served and eaten, Nathan realized with relief that he was actually enjoying himself after all. It felt strange for anyone to be interested in listening to him talk about Mountie things. But Ned had been an eager listener, and Nathan had surprised himself by how much knowledge he had to share. As he stood up and grabbed his plate and utensils to wash, Ned suddenly caught him by the arm. "Leave it Nathan" he said, beckoning. "There's something I want to show you." Nathan was a bit bewildered but followed Ned to down a short hallway into a small, storage-like room. On the furthest wall to the door, he was amazed to see an orderly collage of NWMP memorabilia. As Ned led him to take a closer look, he realized that all the newspaper clippings, magazine covers, and pamphlets varying in date, from the present day to years before he had even been born. Ned smiled at Nathan's shocked reaction. "What do you think?" he asked, smiling proudly. Nathan reached out and touched an impressive map that lay spread out on a desk that had been set up beneath the collage on the wall. "Ned…" he breathed, "This is incredible! But why…" Ned grinned and gazed at the map laid out on the table. "When I was much younger, I actually wanted to be a Mountie" he said with a thoughtful smile. Nathan's eyes widened as he tilted his head to one side in surprise. "Really?!" he marveled. "I had no idea! Did you get into the academy?" Ned shrugged modestly. "I may have taken a swing at it, once or twice" he admitted. "They even sent me my letter of acceptance. But by the time it reached me, my life had led me down a different path. I met my first wife and had the opportunity to take over my father's store back east. Joining the Mounties… It would have been unwise at that point. But I've kept up with it over the years. And the more I look back on it, the more I've come to understand that I was never cut out for it. It takes a special kind of person to be a Mountie and have a family." Nathan unconsciously hung his head, his jaw clenching. "You mean, like Jack?" he asked. Ned frowned thoughtfully. "Jack was an excellent Mountie" he agreed. "But he wasn't married very long before he passed. Mounties don't often have families. It's very rare. But you've seemed to make it work. You've been raising Allie on your own for a long time now." Nathan nodded modestly and a little shyly. "Being a Mountie, it's… not as hard as everyone seems to think." He murmured awkwardly. "And Allie makes being a parent easy for me." Ned nodded, a faint frown on his brow. "Have you ever thought about marrying Nathan?" he asked, more seriously. Nathan swallowed uncomfortably. "I did… once" he answered slowly. "But I think it's too much to ask of anyone to commit themselves to a Mountie. It's too unpredictable." Ned shrugged. "What about Allie?" he asked, confused. "She seems alright to me." Nathan smiled doubtfully. "She didn't exactly have a choice Ned" he pointed out. Ned smiled. "Well, from what I can tell, she seems happy" he observed. "And if you were to meet the right woman, I'm sure she would be too." Nathan laughed dryly. "I think that's some newly wedded bliss talking" he teased. Ned laughed. "Maybe so" he admitted. "But don't forget Nathan… The life of a Mountie may be difficult, but the right woman will want to share that with you because she loves you. It is possible for both parties to experience happiness, even if one of them is a Mountie."

Nathan was deep in thought over Ned's words as he and Allie rode out together the next day for rounds. Allie noticed and tapped his shoulder as she pulled Hero to a halt. "Are you okay Uncle Nathan?" she asked. "You're not nervous for Miss Lemont to meet me, are you?" Nathan looked up quickly and frowned. "Of course, not Allie!" he exclaimed. "Why would you think that?" Allie shrugged, lowering her head. "I don't know…" she murmured. "Maybe because I'm nervous to meet her?" Nathan smiled kindly and shook his head. "Miss Lemont is the kindest person I have every met" he reassured her. "You're going to love her. And she's going to love you." Allie looked encouraged by his reassurance, and pretty soon started to ride on ahead, her sense of adventure having returned. Nathan couldn't help but smile when Dani's house came into view. He could make out her slim figure, waving to them as he and Allie made their way towards the fence to tie up the horses. Dani was barefoot and her hair was freely blowing in the wind as she came down from her place at the front gate to greet them. "Hello!" she called. Nathan dismounted and waved before helping Allie down from the saddle. "Hi Dani" he said, beaming. He moved Allie forward gently from behind him. "Dani, this is my daughter Allie." Allie smiled shyly. "Hello, Miss Lemont" she said timidly. Dani looked up at Nathan accusingly, though her eyes were smiling. "I thought we talked about this already" she laughed, rolling her eyes. "Allie, you don't have to call me that. Just plain old Dani is fine by me." Allie smiled brightly, encouraged by Dani's easy manner and warm smile. There was something very calming about her. Nathan thought so too as the two of them walked side by side together around the lake, watching Allie gathering wildflowers and catching frogs. Her merry eyes and kind gaze warmed his heart whenever she turned to look at him during their conversation. All week he had been looking forward to spending more time with her. And now here she was, standing beside him. She smiled affectionately as she watched Allie disappear into the reeds, searching for a frog that had escaped her reach. "She's a lovely young lady" Dani observed, smiling. Nathan nodded in agreement. "Yes…" he murmured. "She is. I'm lucky to have her in my life." Dani's eyes looked out over the shimmering lake thoughtfully. "Life's funny that way" she mused. "It gives us what we need, even when we don't know we need it. She's lucky to have you too, you know" she added, glancing up at him with a sweet smile. "Not every little orphan girl is as lucky as she is." Nathan grinned. "Or every Mountie, for that matter" he chuckled. Dani laughed. Nathan loved it when she laughed. It always awakened a smile on his face.

After making their way around the entire lake, Nathan and Dani finally took a seat on a mossy rock that faced the shimmering water as the setting sun cast its brilliant colors over its rippling surface. Dani sighed contentedly and leaned back against her elbows, her loose hair flowing in the breeze. "I've been thinking" she murmured thoughtfully. "I should probably get to know more of the people in town." Nathan smiled ruefully to himself. "I think some of them are pretty anxious to meet you too" he muttered, thinking back on Clara's comment at the dinner party. Dani smiled and rolled her eyes. "Are they still talking about us, riding into town together?" she asked, greatly amused. Nathan shook his head, laughing softly. "Unfortunately, yes" he admitted. "You know how small towns are." "They just can't contain their curiosity" Dani finished, quoting Nathan's own words. She looked up at him and laughed. "Well, you weren't wrong. To be honest, it's kind of flattering. I don't think I've ever been so interesting." Nathan grinned. "That makes two of us" he sighed. They were silent for a little while, as they watched Allie gathering a bunch of daisies close by. Finally, Dani straightened up again. "Allie" she called. "Why don't you bring those over here, and I can show you how to make a daisy chain." Allie came bounding excitedly over to Dani and handed her the bouquet. "Really?!" she breathed eagerly. "I've always wanted to learn!" Dani smiled. "It's very easy, actually" she said, picking up a few of the delicate flowers in her hands. Nathan realized as she did that her hands, like the daisies, were also quite delicate. Dani reminded him of a wildflower; beautiful and free, yet small and simple. He had never met anyone like her before and knew he never would, especially out here on the frontier. As Allie crowned Dani with her first daisy chain, Dani looked at him mirthfully, and Nathan suddenly realized that he had never seen anyone look so beautiful as Dani did in that moment.

As Allie and Nathan untied their horses to begin the two mile trip back into town, Nathan asked Dani if she needed anything, something he had grown accustomed to doing during his daily interactions with her. Dani sighed. "Well…" she admitted slowly. "If you could find someone in town who would be willing to build a shelf for me. I have the lumber" she sighed, "But my closest neighbor is out of town and I was hoping to have it done by next week." Nathan perked up at her request. "I could… build it for you" he offered. "I'd be happy to if you'd like." Dani was surprised. "You would?" she asked. Allie beamed from her place in the saddle. "Uncle Nathan is an expert craftsman" she said proudly. "He made almost all of out furniture." Dani smiled brightly, very impressed. "Alright then" she agreed. "Would you be free, let's say, Saturday afternoon?" Nathan nodded. "Yes" he promised, smiling. "I'll bring my tools with me." Dani eyed his gratefully. "Thank you, Nathan" she murmured. "You know, you really don't have to…" "I would love to, Miss Lemont" he teased playfully. Dani smirked at the formal use of her name and shook her head. "You win" she laughed. She turned to Allie and waved. "It was lovely to meet you Allie" she said. "Come back again soon, okay?" Allie beamed. "I will" she promised.