Chapter 12: The Chance of a Lifetime
The ringing of the phone woke Nathan with a start. He glanced at the little clock on his nightstand and frowned groggily. It was still so early. Who would be calling at this hour? Pulling on his dark flannel robe, Nathan snuck downstairs, hoping not to wake Allie as he did. The phone rang again, shattering the silence, and he grabbed it quickly to cut the sound short. "Constable Grant…" he muttered huskily into the receiver, his eyes still adjusting to the faint light of the morning. "Good morning Constable" a clear voice responded over the line. Nathan rolled his eyes and held the headpiece away from himself momentarily, sighing indignantly. Wyman Walden! "What seems to be the problem Mr. Walden?" he asked when he had regained his composure. There was a faint chuckle on the other end that made Nathan's face darken. "I was hoping that you could come by the bank" Walden said confidently. "Something's come up and I would like to speak with you about it." Nathan nodded, rubbing his eyes wearily. "I'm on my way" he muttered, before hanging up the phone. Putting down the receiver with a thud, he sighed and turned to get himself ready.
Dani was humming softly to herself as she packed several necessary items for the day when Rosemary came cheerfully down the stairs. "Good morning Dani!" she exclaimed. "You're up early, even for a school day." Dani smiled as she placed a bright red apple into the satchel Lee had lent her. "I always like to take my time in the mornings" she said. "Plus, there's nothing like a little walk to clear your head. I need to stop at the Mercantile to buy a few things." Rosemary raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Well, well!" she marveled. "You must have some elaborate plans for the day then!" Dani shrugged modestly. "Anything to keep the children occupied" she answered lightly, swinging the satchel over her shoulder. "See you later then?" Rosemary nodded and smiled. "Good luck!" she said, waving as Dani headed out the door.
Dani hummed softly to herself as she walked down the dusty lane, her eyes traveling over the sparkling, dewy fields. The sun had not yet risen, and a light shade of pink cast a rosy hue over the awakening world. A small bush of wild roses caught her eye, as its branches reached out into the road at her feet. Smiling, she bent down and lifted some of its blossoms to her face, breathing in deeply and closing her eyes in delight. "Good morning!" a voice called from one of the rowhouses. She looked up and smiled as Nathan strode over to her side. "Look Nathan" she indicated. "Aren't these wild roses lovely?" She cupped the thorny branch in her hand again and inhaled as he got down on his knee beside her. "I guess I never noticed them before" he admitted, though his admiring gaze was not directed at the flowers. "So, you like wild roses?" "They've always been a favorite of mine" she said, straightening up and dusting off her skirt. "Growing up, we had a little clearing in the woods that was covered in them. I used to go out everyday and pick a fresh bouquet for the kitchen table." Nathan smiled and plucking one of the blooms from the bush, examined it in his hand. "That must have been nice" he said, deciding to carefully remove the thorns. "Maybe Allie can pick a few for our kitchen table." Dani nodded, though she eyed him with some confusion. "What are you doing?" she asked playfully. Nathan laughed and held up the little rose, now free of thorns. "Just giving you a little something to help you through the school day" he grinned. He reached out and moving her hair aside, gently placed the little white flower behind her ear. The touch however, as small as it was suddenly caused his heart to jump wildly in his chest. He drew in a quick breath and heard her do the same. As if by magic, their eyes suddenly met and for a long moment, Nathan stared into those soft, deep blue eyes. Those beautiful eyes… When he saw them widening, he quickly averted his gaze and glanced at the flower in her hair again. "There…" he murmured, a little more tensely than he would have liked. "There…" she replied gently, lifting a delicate hand to touch the little bloom. "I thought my appearance was missing something." Nathan gave a nervous laugh and turned back toward Hope Valley. "Can I walk you to the schoolhouse?" he asked. "It's on the way, so…" Dani shook her head. "Actually, I have to stop by the mercantile first" she admitted. "I need to buy some colored chalk." "That's great!" Nathan exclaimed excitedly. Maybe a little too excitedly, he chided himself. "I'm heading into town anyway. We can go together." Dani smiled and folding her hands behind her back, felling into step beside him.
For a little while, they were both silent, Dani lost in thought, Nathan trying to think of something to say. "You know" he said at last. "I never really got to thank you for stepping up to teach today. It means a lot to the community here." Dani sighed and gave him a winning smile. "I wanted to" she murmured honestly. "I'm a part of this place now. It's about time I started giving back to it." She eyed him playfully, and with her elbow, gave him a mischievous jab. "Besides, you're giving back all the time. I couldn't let myself be outdone by you." Nathan laughed and gave her a little nudge in return, sending her into a fit of giggles. Nathan smiled, once again marveling at how he loved to see her laugh. She was always so joyful, and it was contagious. He wasn't aware that Rosemary had been watching the entire interaction from her window, smiling thoughtfully to herself. Her imagination was already arriving at plans for the wedding when they were interrupted by the sound of Lee's footsteps on the stairs. "Sweetheart, have you seen my blue tie?" he asked, shuffling down to the living room, and overturning some of the couch cushions. "It's not in my dresser drawer." Rosemary held up her hand without looking back. "Hold that thought" she said mysteriously. "Lee Coulter, come over here and see this. Am I seeing things, or are those two a perfect pair?" Lee stumbled over to the window and frowned distractedly. "Who?' he asked, straining his eyes. "You mean Nathan and Danielle?" Rosemary's eyes widened, and nodding, she lifted her hands in agreement. "Well?" Lee frowned and shook his head. "Oh no" he protested. "Rosie, not again!" Rosemary eyed his in distress. "But Lee!" she protested. "Have you seen them together? Have you seen how happy Nathan is when he's with her? I think someone just needs to give them a little push…" Lee held up his finger sternly. "No!" he said firmly. "We've had enough ambush dinner parties… Enough surprise set ups… Enough matchmaking! What if they just want to be friends?" Rosemary opened her mouth to object, but Lee didn't back down. "Rosie!" he cautioned. "I know you want everyone to find true love, but if I were you, I'd stay out of it." Rosemary pouted for a moment, before her frown softened and she smiled again. "I guess you're right…" She admitted, putting her arms around his waist. "I suppose love will find its own way. We found ours, didn't we?" Lee smiled and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Yes we did" he agreed. "And I am forever grateful." After a moment, he looked at his watch. "As much as I would like to stay" he said softly. "I should probably head to work." Rosemary nodded and tucked in his collar. "Were you and Jesse able to work things out?" she asked. Lee shook his head with a sigh. "Not yet" he admitted. "Maybe Clara will talk some sense into him." Rosemary nodded doubtfully. "Maybe…" she said, biting her lip, knowing it was very unlikely.
Nathan strode into the darkened interior and looked around warily. The bar had been transformed into the teller's desk, surrounded by a dark iron grill. All the tables had been removed and several desks had been set up instead. At each one, a clerk sat diligently pounding the keys of a typewriter or counseling a distraught customer through the process of asking for a loan. Nathan's eyes fell upon Wyman Walden, who was descending the stairs, looking fresh and rested. "Good morning Constable" he said airily. "You're a bit tardy in your response to calls, I see." Nathan's serious expression did not change, and he grunted curtly in his throat. "Get to the point Walden" he murmured. "Why'd you call me here?" Wyman smiled, though Nathan could clearly detect that it was forced. "I and my right arm, Agent Spurlock would like to have a word" he explained, as Julius Spurlock emerged from where the kitchen used to be. "I believe you two have already met, haven't you?" Nathan didn't reply, but Spurlock smugly showed his teeth in a grin. "Mountie" he greeted him rudely. "Won't you follow me please? We would like to speak with you somewhere a little more… private." It was against Nathan's better judgement to follow, but he did anyway, swallowing hard. He shadowed the two men warily as they made their way out the back door to the patch of dirt that lay behind of the saloon's exterior.
Holding the door open for Nathan and shutting it behind him, Spurlock suddenly turned on him, his grin completely gone. "What's the idea Grant?" he asked angrily. "Going behind my back? Bringing the authorities into this? I thought I told you to stay out of my way." Nathan gazed stonily into Spurlock's angry face, his blue eyes blazing. "I think we both know who attacked Judge Avery the other night" he murmured slowly. "Attacked him and left him for dead." Wyman Walden eyed Spurlock, a little shocked, but didn't say anything. Agent Spurlock looked down at Nathan with a sneer. "And how exactly do you plan on proving that?" he asked. "You have no eyewitnesses to testify." Nathan frowned faintly. "Maybe not…" he admitted. "But I know what I heard in that mine. It was you, Julius." Spurlock looked at Nathan for a long moment, before he began to laugh; a loud, cruel laugh. With a mocking grin, he eyed Nathan and shook his head. "And who at headquarters is going to listen to you, the gambler's son?" he asked, nodding. "And before you ask… Yes. I did my research. At least the last Mountie here had some credibility" he muttered with sneer. "Whatever happened to him? Oh, that's right… He died. And it was your fault." Nathan's face went white with rage as Spurlock let out another laugh in his face. "Yeah, I know about that too" he taunted. "You have a very interesting history Mountie! I'll give you that! It certainly made for good reading." Nathan's eyes narrowed. "One thing you don't know about me…" He muttered fiercely. "I'm not easily intimidated by people like you." Spurlock shook his head warningly. "Maybe you should be…" he said in a low voice, taking a step closer to Nathan. When Nathan didn't give an inch and continued to stare up at him with defiance, Spurlock clenched his fist and gave him a sharp jab in the midriff. Nathan would have cried out in pain, but the wind had been completely knocked out of him. He staggered backwards and fell, holding his stomach and gasping for breath. From where he lay, he saw Wyman Walden grab Spurlock by the arm and try to pull him back. "That's enough Julius!' he shouted fearfully. "You've gone too far! You always go too far!" Spurlock roughly shrugged Walden off before turned his gaze back to Nathan. "Don't get in my way again Mountie" he muttered. "I won't be so easy on you next time." Finally, on Walden's nervous prompting, Spurlock disappeared back into the saloon, the other man close at his heels. As the door clicked shut behind them, Nathan sucked in a deep breath and slowly started to get up, a hand still resting over his midriff. "Breath" he tried to tell himself. "Just breath…" Suddenly, from behind him, he felt two strong arms helping him to his feet. "What'd you do now" Bill spluttered indignantly, turning Nathan around by the shoulders to face him and scanning him worriedly. "You alright?" he asked, his face taken over by a concerned frown. Nathan nodded, taking in another breath. "I'm fine" he muttered. "Just got the wind knocked out of me. That's all." Bill nodded doubtfully. "Uh huh…" he mumbled, before laying a hand on Nathan's shoulder. "My office… Right now…"
Lee slipped into his office soundlessly, and spied Jesse rummaging through the filing cabinet. "Good morning Jesse" he said cheerfully, hoping that his right hand man had forgotten the dispute they had had the previous night. Jesse simply turned and glared. "Lee…" he muttered, grabbing one of the files. Lee eyed him, frowning faintly, before giving a little shrug and taking his place behind his desk. The two maintained an icy silence until Kurt Lawson swept through the front door, his face distraught. "Rodger Henny's folks told me he can't make it to the Wolfe's place to drop off that delivery" he said soberly. "Said it was an accident, or something. I saw him at the infirmary this morning. He looked pretty bad." Lee looked up quickly, his brown creased with concern. "Is he alright?" he asked. "How's his family taking it?" Kurt shook his head. "Not well" he admitted. "His wife's pretty upset. I was hoping maybe you and Jesse here could drive over and see if they need anything." "NO!" Jesse and Lee said in unison. They looked at one another, before Jesse raised his hand with a scowl. "I'll go myself" he muttered, heading out the front door. Kurt watched him go in surprise, and quickly turned to Lee once the door had closed. "What was that all about?" he asked. "Lee buried his face in his hands and groaned. "Don't ask…" he murmured wearily. "You don't wanna know." As Kurt followed Jesse out the door, Lee shook his head and sighed. "This calls for an intervention" he muttered to himself, scrawling on a piece of scrap paper "Call Nathan" as a reminder. The tension between he and Jesse was unnecessary and quickly getting out of hand.
"One, two. One, two. One, two…" Dani tapped the last student on the head and returned to the center aisle to face them. "Now, I would like anyone with the number one to be seated on the left side of the room. Anyone with the number two may be seated on the right." There was a short commotion as everyone took seats on either side of the room, the biggest boys stomping their way to the back. Dani eyed them thoughtfully, and with a determined smile, seated herself on top of the teacher's desk, her little booted feet not quite touching the floor. She waited silently until all of the children had been seated and had quieted down before she smiled brightly and folded her hands in front of her. "Hello everyone" she said, loudly enough for everyone to hear. "I am Miss Lemont, and I am going to be leading you through a study session today. Now, I don't know about you, but I always found studying to be a little bit boring. So, I made study game for all of use today." A murmur went through the room, and Dani could see rom where she sat that even the big boys in the back looked both intrigued and excited. She went on. "I will be asking both teams a series of questions" she explained. "And each team will choose one member to answer each question. The team that answers the question correctly will get a chance to land this ball" she held up a small ball used by Rosemary to darn socks that she had borrowed, "In this waste basket." She held up the empty waste basket for all to see. "If you score, your team will get a point. At the end of the round, the team with the most points will win a piece of and a point of extra credit on the test tomorrow." A general gasp of delight went up from the bright-eyed children as Dani set the waste basket down at the front of the room and laid the soft, little ball down on the windowsill. Returning to her perch on the teacher's desk, she pulled out a little sheet of folded paper from her apron pocket. "Are there any questions?' she asked, noticing the excited and eager smiles on Timmy and Anna's faces. No one raised their hand or uttered a single sound except that of excited whispers. Dani smiled and went on. "Make sure you have your study guides out" she reminded them, cocking her head to one side as she looked over the sheet of paper in her hand. "You may want to remember some of these answers for tomorrow's test." Now, who's ready for the first question?' A general cheer of consent went up from the crowded room, and Dani's face flushed with delight. This was going to be a fun day for all of them.
Bill eyed Nathan wearily as the younger man poured himself a cup of coffee. "What happened out there?" he asked, for the third time, though Nathan seemed determined not to talk about it. With a sigh, Nathan finally relented, leaned against his desk. "Walden and Spurlock wanted to have some words with me" he divulged. "They were upset that I blew the whistle on them." Bill frowned. "So, they hit you?" he asked, hardly believing his own ears. Nathan held up his hands defensively. "They just wanted to send a message" he calmed Bill. "I'm not hurt." Bill crossed his arms. "It doesn't matter!" he exclaimed. "This is all the proof we need. My kidnapping? Your attack? What more do they want?" Nathan shook his head. "Bill, don't you get it?" he asked, frustrated. "They won't listen to us! If it comes from me, they'll think I'm fabricating a story to procure justice for you. It's no good!" Bill pounded his palm with his fist. "Of all the backward thinking boneheads!" he growled. "I had no idea things had become this corrupt!" Nathan shrugged. "We'll just have to wait a little longer and see what happens" he murmured. Bill stared at Nathan in surprise, thinking it was strange how far removed he seemed about the whole situation. As he glanced at Nathan, he realized the Mountie was staring out the window towards the schoolhouse, his thoughts a million miles away. "Say, what's wrong with you?" Bill asked, greatly agitated. Nathan looked up quickly and frowned. "Me?" he asked. "Nothing… I'm fine, really Bill. Stop fussing over me." Bill stared at Nathan for a minute, biting his lip. "Uh huh…" he muttered doubtfully, before turned to pour himself some coffee while grumpily shaking his head. "Apparently there's been another 'accident' with one of Lee's men" he said, changing the subject. "We need to go and interview him this afternoon." Nathan opened his mouth so reply, but quickly closed it again and ran his fingers along the edge of the desk. "I… can't Bill" he finally admitted. Bill stared at him in disbelief. "Why?" he spluttered. "You have something else going on?!" Nathan eyed Bill warily. "I told Dani I'd ride back with her to her place, after school" he murmured, before cringing sheepishly. "Which reminds me, can I borrow Hero this afternoon?" Bill sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes. "Why don't you just take the whole horse?" he muttered. "See what I care?" He eyed Nathan's hopeful expression and couldn't help but smile a little. "But if it's for Dani, I guess I can make an exception." Nathan beamed. "Thank you Bill!" he said quickly, patting Bill quickly on the shoulder and retreating for the door before Bill could change his mind. "You're the best!" Bill sighed and shook his head with a little smile.
"Be sure to rest up tonight" Dani called as the children flooded excitedly out of the double doors to meet their parents later that afternoon. "You don't want to be tired for your exam tomorrow." Over the excited throng of childish voices, Dani could hear several of them eagerly telling their parents about the study game and how much fun it had been. "It didn't even feel like studying" she heard Timmy say as he and Harper trotted away towards the pond. "It was more like baseball!" As Dani stared after them, smiling, Allie, Opal, and Emily all approached her, smiling brightly. "Miss Lemont" Emily ventured. "Will you be teaching us from now on?" Dani smiled and shook her head. "No" she said, a little sadly. "But you will definitely be seeing more of me around town. I talked with Dr. Carter this morning, and she told me she will be needing some help in the infirmary." Opal smiled, though her face was downcast. "I love school and learning" she said, "but I don't think I've ever had that much fun in school. I'll miss you as our teacher." Allie nodded in agreement. "I know, right?" she cried. "Ever the factory boys were having a good time!" Dani smiled and crossed her arms. "Well, I'm glad to hear it" she said sweetly. "And I would love to have you girls over to my place for a tea party sometime. What do you say?" The three girls stared at her with big eyes and wide smiles. "Yes please!" they all cried in unison. Allie's face lit up. "Your land is so pretty!" she said, eyeing Emily and Opal. "The lake there is great for fishing!" Opal frowned faintly. "I want to go!" she said softly. Emily nodded. "Me too!" she agreed emphatically. Dani tossed her flowing her in the blowing breeze. "After I harvest the corn and the potatoes" she agreed. "We'll have a proper tea party with proper food and drink. It will be fun. Now go ahead and play before the sun goes down. There's nothing like exercise to help you study.
Dani smiled when she saw Nathan riding up in his familiar red serge, guiding Hero alongside Newton. "Good afternoon!" he called cheerily, a note of relief in his voice. "How was school today?" Dani trotted down the stairs nimbly and took hold of Hero's reigns. "The children are wonderful" she sighed glowingly, mounting Hero. "I have no idea what Mrs. Miles was talking about!" Nathan smiled, relieved. "I'm glad" he murmured, before grinning again. "So… A homesteader and a teacher" he mused. "What other hidden talents do you have?" Dani laughed and shook her head emphatically as the two made their way out to the open road. "More than I would ever want to put to use" she said. "I did all kinds of work before I came here; sewing, cooking, waitressing, nursing…" Nathan raised his eyebrow, surprised. "Nursing?" he asked. "Where you ever in the field?" Dani shrugged. "If they needed me" she said slowly. "Before Carter died, I followed his battalion whenever I could. And sometimes that meant acting as a nurse when they needed one." Nathan saw the faraway look in her eyes and reaching out, took her hand. "I'm sorry" he murmured softly. "I shouldn't have brought it up… I can't imagine what that must have been like…" Dani looked up at him earnestly and smiled a little. "Actually, I'm sure that you could" she corrected him. "You're in the field everyday Nathan. No one understands better than you do." She looked down at his hand holding hers and smiled gently. "Anyway, it isn't so hard to talk about. And it reminds me!" she added excitedly, giving his hand an enthusiastic squeeze. "I stopped by the infirmary this morning to say hello to Faith, and I volunteered to help her every Thursday so that she can make house calls!" Nathan beamed. "Really?" he breathed happily. "That means we'll get to see each other in town every Thursday." Dani laughed. "Yes!" she cried. "It also means that you won't have to ride all the way out to my place on Thursdays." Nathan grew serious. "You know I don't mind riding out to there, right?" he asked. Dani nodded with a soft smile that made her eyes sparkle. "I'm glad" she murmured. "My days are always better when they have you in them."
The two rode down the long, dusty road, talking about the last two days, until they both lapsed into a companionable silence. As the sound the horses' hooves filled Nathan's ears, he spied a little blue book tucked under Dani's hand. "Did you stop by the library?" he asked, gesturing towards the book. Dani lifted the worn little book into view and shook her head mirthfully. "No" she murmured, turned it over in her hand. "This one belongs to me. I take it with me everywhere." Nathan nodded thoughtfully. "What's it called?" he asked, eager to know what she liked to read. Dani ran a loving hand over the gold lettering on the clothe cover. "Le Petit Prince" she said pensively. Nathan smiled. "The Little Prince" he translated. "I read that to Allie once, a long time ago." Dani looked up eagerly. "On ne voit clairement qu'avec le Coeur?" she asked. Nathan shook his head, a little sheepishly. "I'm sorry" he apologized with a rueful smile. "My French isn't that great." Dani laughed, glancing down at the book again. "Neither is mine" she admitted. "The only French I know is in this book." Nathan looked up at her in wonder. "What was it that you said… just now?" he asked, curious. Dani's eyes became thoughtful as she fondly looked out to the fields on either side of them. "It's a favorite quote of mine" she explained. "It goes, 'One sees clearly only with the heart.' Pretty, isn't it?" Nathan nodded. "Yes…" he murmured softly. "I like that." Dani nodded contentedly. "Me too" she agreed. "I'm actually making a sampler with those words." Nathan wasn't quite sure what a sampler was, but it sounded nice. He nodded, pretending to understand. "That's great…" he smiled, trying to sound enthusiastic. Dani saw the confusion in his face and laughed softly. "I'll have to show it to you when I'm finished" she reassured him.
Even before she had a chance to properly explain what a sampler was to him however, her little house came into view, and she and Nathan reached the end of the little dirt road. Carefully, Dani dismounted Hero, her skirts swishing. Coming to her side, Nathan unstrapped the wicker suitcase from behind the saddle and handed it to her quietly. She smiled and took a firm grip of the handle. "Thank you Nathan" she said gratefully. "I had a wonderful time. Everyone in town is lovely, but it's always a treat to spend time with you. It's the perfect ending to a perfect day." Nathan felt a warm glow as a smile spread across his face. "Thank you Dani" he murmured softly. "It's always good to see you." For a moment, he found himself lingering, losing his train of thought as he found himself looking into her eyes. The golden light of afternoon cast a dazzling glow over both of them as they stood there, in the middle of the dirt road. It was indeed the perfect way to end the day, Nathan thought. A snort from Newton roused him however, and he quickly caught himself. "Well…" he said, taking hold of Hero's reigns. "I guess I'd better be getting back. Good night Dani." Dani smiled and took a step back from the horses. "Good night Nathan" she answered, before adding playfully. "Promise me you'll get a good night's sleep this time?" Nathan grinned ruefully as he mounted. "If there aren't any more emergencies" he laughed, urging both horses back in the direction of Hope Valley.
It was a quiet night for Nathan. Allie had decided to go to the Montgomery's for a sleep over with Opal and Emily. After coming back from Dani's, he had tried to sit and whittle for a little while in front of the dying fire but had begun to feel restless in the dark, empty house. As the sun slowly began to sink behind the mountains, he finally came out to sit on the front stoop to think. An array of pinks and golds decorated the sky as the orange ball of fire descended downwards into the folds of the shadowy mountains. A faint breeze bent the grasses in the field cross the dusty dirt road and sent little flocks of birds up their hiding places. Nathan sighed and looked out over the view. In spite of the beauty of the evening, he couldn't help feeling a little sad that he had no one to share it with. After years of going through life with Allie for company, he had lately become keenly aware of a strange feeling of loneliness. He loved Alli, he knew, more than anyone else. But for the first time in his life, he couldn't seem to shake the thought that he wanted more. That he needed more… Recalling his ride with Dani and their conversation, Nathan smiled faintly. He loved talking to Dani. She was a good friend. He always looked forward to the end of his route because it meant that he might get to see her. For the first time, he found himself wishing that she didn't live so far away. Then he could end everyday by spending time with her. Then they could talk all night if they wanted to… Sighing heavily on account of the lonely ache in his heart, he ran a hand through his hair wearily.
He looked up suddenly and was surprised to see Rosemary passing by with a basket of little pink envelopes on the crook of her arm. "Good evening Nathan" she said cheerily. Nathan smiled and gave her a wave. "Hi Rosemary" he said with an enthusiastic smile. "Where are you off too?" "Actually, I was on my way here" she grinned cheerfully, making her way over to the stoop. "Allie and a few of the other girls left a few notes in my mailbox this morning. I just thought I'd come by to drop off my replies." Saying this, she reached into the basket and pulled out a pink envelope with Allie's name written on it. She held it out to Nathan with an encouraging smile. "Just some words of wisdom" she said modestly. Nathan took it and nodded slightly. "Thank you" he said, "I'm sure she'll appreciate it." Rosemary eyed Nathan for a minute as he distantly ran his fingers over the edges of the letter, starring at it listlessly. She took a deep breath. "Nathan…" she ventured. "Do you mind if I…?" She eyed the empty place on the stairs beside him. Nathan looked up startled and nodded quickly. "Not at all" he offered. "I mean; please… Have a seat." Rosemary sat down beside him, laying her basket down on the ground. "You know Nathan" she murmured, when she saw the distant expression start to creep back into his face. "I've wanted to tell you for a while that I never meant to hurt you… that day, in the library. In fact, I was hoping to spare you and Elizabeth from some of the heartache." Nathan nodded slowly, his jaw locked tensely. "I don't really want to talk about it" he murmured, feeling a lump forming in his throat. It was hard enough to battle the feeling of being alone, without thinking about the heartbreak. Rosemary nodded and sighed. "So, you're just going to keep quiet?" she asked. "Because you haven't said a word about it to anyone since it happened." Nathan gave a bitter laugh. "Lee will tell you Rosemary" he said dryly, "I really don't say much." Rosemary nodded. "That may be" she admitted. "But I know that the quietest people often have the most to say." Nathan shrugged, his eyes falling to the ground. Like he had said, he didn't really want to talk about any of this, especially with Rosemary.
Rosemary saw the pain in his expression and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Elizabeth told me what she said to you" she informed him. Nathan shifted uncomfortably and felt the tears stinging his eyes. She went on. "And she told me that you didn't say anything. You just stood there, completely silent. And you've been silent ever since." Nathan stared out at the last rays of the sinking sun and felt his breath catch. "Some things are better left unsaid" he murmured shortly. "What do you want me to say?" Rosemary frowned faintly. "I don't want you to say anything Nathan" she pointed out. "I just want you to know that you can say it, whatever it is you need to say." Nathan looked up at her quizzically. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked, sensing there was more to the conversation than simply an attempt to make him feel better. It was an unfair judgement, he knew, but a cautious one. To his surprise, Rosemary smiled and tapped the envelope in his hand with her finger. "Allie confides in me with her questions" she explained. "And let me just say, she has plenty of them! But I know that children aren't the only ones with questions." She eyed Nathan, hoping he would take the cue. When he continued to stare at her blankly, she went on. "It's alright to not have all the answers Nathan" she reassured him. "I imagine you must have a lot of questions after everything that happened."
Nathan swallowed hard and slowly stood up. He turned to face Rosemary, and she felt a sudden pang at the sight of the tears in his eyes. He took a deep breath. "Let me ask you this" he breathed, his voice choked. "Why does it still hurt so much? I've tried, for months now, to heal from the pain. But it never goes away… Why won't the pain go away?" Rosemary eyed Nathan compassionately for a long moment. "Do you still love Elizabeth?" she finally asked, as discretely as she could. Nathan slowly shook his head. "No…" he admitted. "I don't think so… My feelings aren't really the same anymore." His eyes narrowed in bewilderment. "That's why it doesn't make sense" he thought out loud. "Shouldn't my heart have healed by now?" Rosemary bit her lip, trying to think of the right words to say. "I think" she said, at last, "There's a part of your heart that won't fully mend until you find the right woman. Love has a healing power to it Nathan, and it gives as much as it receives." Nathan frowned, pursing his lips together doubtfully. "I'm not ready to love again" he resisted. "I want to… I would like to share my life with somebody, and I feel so lonely somethings, but… I don't know if I can go through the pain again. It would just hurt too much…" His voice trailed off and he looked down at the ground, trying desperately to pull himself together. Rosemary stood up and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I understand that…" she murmured softly. "I really do. And there was a time when I didn't think I was ready to be swept off my feet. But Nathan… In my fear, I almost missed out on the best part of my life. Would you believe… I turned Lee down when he asked for my heart. Lucky for me, he gave me another chance. Don't throw away the chance to love if it comes your way, because it could be the chance of a lifetime." Nathan swallowed and looked down at her miserably. "And what if there are no more chances?" he asked, his voice choked. Rosemary's eyes softened, and she tightened her grip on his shoulder, though she could feel her heart breaking for him. "Well…" she said slowly, the tears pricking her eyes. "If that's the case Nathan, you'll always have our love here in Hope Valley. I know it's not the same… And it may not make up for what you lost… But we all love you and care about you." Nathan's eyes widened hopefully. "You do?" he murmured, a sense of awe in his tone. Rosemary nodded and smiled. "Yes Nathan" she said gently. "And we'll stay by your side every step of the way." Nathan felt his heart swelling with gratitude, and a solitary tear fell down his face. He wanted to thank Rosemary somehow but couldn't quite express what he was feeling in words, it was so overwhelming. He simply nodded, though the gratitude glowing in his eyes and the telltale tear running down his face told Rosemary all she needed to know. She smiled comfortingly and pulled him in for a hug. "Don't you worry Nathan" she reassured him, her voice soothing and calm. "Everything is going to be alright. I promise." When he drew back again with an appreciative smile, she grinned and reaching down, picked up her basket by the handle. "Well…" she sighed energetically. "I should be off." Nathan, feeling a little lighter and a little less lonely now, gave a faint chuckle. "Please don't tell anyone you saw me cry…" he asked with a quiet smile. "I'll never live that down." Rosemary laughed and waved her hand with a flourish as she turned to walk home. "My lips are sealed" she promised. "Good night Nathan." Nathan gave a faint wave and smiled. "Good night, Rosemary" he called after her.
As Rosemary came through the front door of her rowhouse breezily, she was startled to see Fiona and Florence standing in her sitting room, chatting. They both jumped up as soon as she walked in and cried "Rosemary!" in unison. Rosemary raised both of her hands in surprised. "Goodness!" she cried. "Fiona! Florence! What brings you here at this hour? Without an invitation?" she added under her breath. Fiona beamed and held up a larger sheet of paper. "Aren't they beautiful?" she cried excitedly. "They came in from Union City today on the train!" Rosemary smiled, a little bewildered and looked at what she could see from where she stood. "They're lovely" she said, making out some printed flowers and cursive lettering. "What are they exactly?" Florence clapped her hands excitedly. "The posters for the Founder's Day Dance!" she cried. "Fiona and I were hoping that you would help us plan it! Ned asked me to go with him as soon as he saw them!" Rosemary's face lit up. "My, how romantic!" Rosemary crooned. "It will be exciting to see who else pairs off for the dance!" Florence shook her fists in the air with an excited squeal. "I know!" she cried before eyeing Fiona playfully. "And I know of one gentleman who won't waste any time staking his claim." Fiona laughed. "If you mean Mike, he hasn't asked me yet" she informed the gossip. "And I don't plan of setting my hopes on it either." Rosemary grinned and raised her eyebrow. "Who knows?" she said mysteriously. "Anything can happen before a dance!"