Chapter 12

Elizabeth had been trying to keep herself busy for the past 3 days and her mind occupied. Nathan had been called out of town to Brookfield at the request of the local Mountie there, Constable Kinslow. He and Nathan were good friends and when the request had been made he had jumped on it right away without hesitation, feeling an obligation to go and help not only a fellow Mountie, but a friend. When he had told Elizabeth, she had asked him what the problem was and she was almost certain that he had downplayed it by telling her that it was just routine Mountie business, but something told her that it wasn't that simple and he was trying to protect her from worrying about him.

Later that day after he had left she found out that there had been a bank robbery in Brookfield and Constable Kinslow needed an experienced tracker. Nathan was one of the best scouters in the area so it made since that he would get called away from something like that. She knew though that she would always worry about him, not because he was a Mountie, but because he was the man that she knew she was falling hard for and she couldn't deny those feelings any longer.

It was finally Friday and he was due back today, promising to keep his date with her. She had hardly slept the night before thinking about that date and what he had planned. She had to admit that her curiosity was peaked because for some reason she couldn't picture him as being much of a dinner by candlelight everywhere kind of guy. She couldn't help but wonder why a man as private as he was would ask her to have a date with him in such a public setting. She smiled at the thought of just how complex of man he really was and she was certain that she was going to enjoy the journey of pealing those layers back and discovering more about him.

Elizabeth had been in such deep thought that she didn't even realize that she had finally made it to the schoolhouse steps. She looked around, it was still too early for the students and she found peace in the stilled silence. The early morning dew droplets were clinging to the railing in pebbled dots as she climbed the steps to the door and there was a slight chill to the air. She would have to heat up the stove to warm the schoolhouse up before the children arrived.

Upon opening the door, she noticed that there was already a settled warmth in the room and she turned her head to see that the stove in the back corner of the room had a light orange glow emanating from it. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and perplexed, she focused her attention back to the front of the room. Walking up the aisle toward her desk, that's when she saw it. Sitting there in the middle of her desk was a shiny red apple. She smiled and as if on cue she heard someone clear their throat from the doorway. Turning she caught sight of the red serge and followed her eyes up to his face. Nathan was standing there leaning his tall physique against the doorframe with arms crossed in front of his chest, smiling at her.

She smiled back at him as he pushed himself off of the door frame and walked up the aisle towards her, "Welcome back! You're early, I didn't think you would be back until later in the day."

"I got up really early this morning. I just couldn't wait to see you and I was hoping to get here before school started to steal a few moments with you," her reached up and gently brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. "I missed you, Elizabeth," he sighed.

Elizabeth couldn't help herself any longer, she threw her arms around him and drew him in closer to her. He responded by wrapping his own arms around her and they stood there for a minute, taking comfort in the fact that they were back together. Elizabeth pulled back and looked up at him, "I missed you too."

He leaned his head forward and softly kissed her and then released her. He cocked his head and flashed her a mischievous grin, "Well that fulfilled one of my fantasies."

"Oh," she questioned.

"The one where I kiss the pretty school teacher in the schoolhouse." He watched as she laughed at him and her cheeks turned a slight shade of red.

"You are incorrigible," she playfully tapped him on the nose.

They suddenly heard a voice call out from the back of the classroom, "Uncle Nathan, you're back!"

Nathan turned to see his niece running up the aisle towards him and then embracing him in a hug. He put his arm around her and hugged her back, "Hi Allie, I missed you."

"I missed you too," and as an afterthought added, "and so did Mrs. Thornton. She couldn't stop talking about you while you were gone."

He looked back up at Elizabeth with a chesshire grin on his face. "Really," he said drawn out, "and what did she say about me?"

"Good morning, Mrs. Thornton," called Robert while walking in. She let out a sigh of relief for the interruption.

"Well, the other students are starting to arrive, I should probably get going," he then leaned in so that only Elizabeth could hear him, "saved by the bell….for now." He then looked at his niece and putting his hand on her shoulder bid her good-bye.

"Nathan," Elizabeth called out to him while moving to walk to the door with him, "I know you must be tired after getting up so early, please get some rest."

He turned to her before heading down the steps of the schoolhouse, "I will."

"You promise," she asked looking at him with concern in her eyes.

"I promise, besides I need to in order to make sure I stay awake this evening. I have a date tonight with this very beautiful school teacher and she deserves all of my attention."

For a second time that morning she blushed again. "Good morning, Mrs. Thornton," Opal said while walking up the steps, "Wow, your cheeks are all red."

Elizabeth pursed her lips and then looked down at Opal, "Yes, well, I think maybe I got a little too close to the stove this morning."

Opal looked confused and her eyes floated back and forth between Mrs. Thornton and Mountie Nathan, "You know, my mom must stand next to the stove too much too, especially when my dad's around and telling her how nice she looks."

Elizabeth cleared her throat and turned back to Opal, "interesting, Opal. Uh, why don't you go ahead and go inside and get your things put away." Opal shrugged and moved through the doorway.

"All right," Nathan said while glancing at Elizabeth, "I better get going. I'll pick you up at 5:00."

"I'll be ready." She smiled at him and he smiled back, winking at her and tipping his hat. He then bounded down the steps as more students started to enter the building. He hadn't made it far before he turned, smiled, and waved at her. She smiled and waved back and then let out a long breath she didn't realize she had been holding. 'That man is more handsome than any man has right to be,' she thought. She greeted the last student as he entered the schoolhouse and then turned to close the doors and begin the day. It was going to be a long one.

TBC...