Elizabeth and Helen returned home from the orphanage around 4:00. Elizabeth gave Helen some blocks to play with on the floor while she made Jack's favorite, Shepard's pie, for supper.

She cooked the potatoes in a pot and browned and seasoned the beef in a pan. She added carrots and peas to the meat and after mashing the potatoes with a fork, she layered them on top of the meat mixture and put it in the oven.

Then she tackled a loaf of bread. About the time Jack was to be home, she heard a wagon outside the house.

She and Helen peeked out the door.

"Dat!"

Jack and Jesse jumped down from the wagon and waved.

"Hi, Daisy girl! I have a surprise for you and Me-Me."

"A surprise, Jack?" Elizabeth wondered. He and Jesse lifted the heavy bathtub from the back of the wagon and she gasped. "Oh! Finally." It had been ages since she'd had the pleasure of a hot bath. It sounded perfect.

"What tat?" Helen asked.

"It's a bathtub, Helen. You just wait. You'll love it."

They walked inside and they placed the tub by the fireplace.

"Thanks, Jesse. I really appreciate your help."

"Of course. Anytime. Good to see you, Mrs. Thornton," he said to Elizabeth.

"You may call me Beth, as always, Jesse."

"Ma'am." He nodded his head and left the house.

….

About an hour later…

"Don't tell my mom but that was the best Shepard's pie I've ever had," Jack told her.

"I'm glad you liked it," she said with a giggle.

"Loved it. I could eat that every night and never get sick of it."

Elizabeth blushed slightly and took his plate and hers and Helen's to the kitchen.

Jack grabbed two buckets and filled them at the pump in the kitchen. Then he heated them on the top of the stove and poured them into the tub. Then he lit a fire in the fireplace.

"Helen, come see," he called.

Helen and Elizabeth came into the room with a towel and a fresh nightdress and underclothes for her.

"Dat."

"Hi. I got a nice warm bath for you, sweet girl."

Elizabeth disrobed Helen and slipped her into the water, laughing when she started splashing. "See? Fun."

Jack went to heat more water for Elizabeth, four buckets this time. It was heated by the time Helen was in bed. When Elizabeth came out into the living room, he had lit a few candles and left a bottle of bubble bath and lavender soap. There was a note on the table that said, "Let me know when you are finished and I'll empty the tub. Enjoy your quiet time. -J."

"Oh, Jack." She wandered into her room, changed into a robe and grabbed another towel and then headed in to relax in the tub.

As she soaked, she wondered how it was possible that some other woman hadn't snatched him up before her. What a thoughtful, sweet man he was.

She stayed in the tub until the water started to get cool and then she wrapped herself in a towel and then in her robe. She wandered down the hall to knock on his door.

"Come in."

She peeked her head in. "I'm finished."

He stood and slipped a shirt over his head but not before she caught a glimpse of his muscles and his chest and started blushing like a crazy person.

"Did you enjoy yourself?"

She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. "Thank you, Jack."

He hugged her back and kissed her forehead taking a deep breath of her lavender scented skin and hair. "You're welcome."

"I'll be right out to do the dishes," she told him as she stepped away.

"I'll do them. You head to bed."

"You don't…." she started but was quickly learning to take him up on his offers to do things for her. "Thank you."

He winked and headed down the hall.

….

The kitchen at Hope Home….

"So, Beth, how are things going?" Abigail wondered.

"Good."

"Is he treating you well?"

"Of course he is. He's the sweetest man." Elizabeth poured herself a cup of tea. "We write letters and read by the fire each night. He drew me a bath last night and lit candles and bought me lavender soap and bubble bath. He even did the dishes."

"Sounds like he is courting you," Abigail mused.

"No….I mean…do you think?"

"It's been many years since a man has courted me but…yes. That man is taking very good care of you."

"Why would he court me? We're already married."

"Has he held your hand or kissed you yet?"

"No. On the forehead or the cheek but not the lips. Abigail we didn't marry for ourselves, remember?"

"Maybe he wants to move things along."

….

That evening when he came home, he brought her wildflowers, much like the ones he and Helen had picked for her wedding bouquet.

"Fowers, Me-me!" Helen told her. "Pity."

"Yes, baby girl, they are beautiful. Thank you, Jack." Abigail's words came back to her.

If he was going to court her, she wasn't going to spoil his fun. She was enjoying his attentions.

"You're welcome."

"Dat, walk?"

"Yes, after dinner we will take a walk, Daisy girl. Would Me-Me like to come too?" he asked, his eyes searching hers.

"I should do the dishes."

"I'll help you with those later. Come for a walk."

"Okay."

After a simple dinner of chicken soup and fresh bread, they set off on the quiet, empty road that stretched between their home and the orphanage.

Helen ran ahead and examined bugs and rocks and bubberfies, as she called butterflies.

Jack and Elizabeth walked quietly, her hand securely in his elbow.

"How was your day, Elizabeth?"

"Good. Since its Saturday, I did the laundry and went shopping at the Mercantile. Helen had no more accidents in her potty training. She's really making progress there."

"She's wonderful," he said with complete love and adoration for the little girl. "I think we should move forward with the adoption. What do you think?"

"I would love nothing more. To think that I'll actually be her mother….it makes me so happy." He nodded and patted her hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Me too."

Helen ran back a few minutes later with a tiny white flower in her hand, a weed really, but she thought it was "pity" so Jack tucked it in her hair behind her ear. She raised her arms and he picked her up.

"Dat," she mumbled as she snuggled into his shoulder.

"Love you, Daisy girl," he said with a gentle pat on her back.

"Love Dat," she whispered as she closed her eyes.

Elizabeth caught the tears in his eyes before he blinked them away. Loving a child was such a beautiful thing.

He offered his hand and she took it, threading her fingers with his, and they headed back home.

"The walk was nice," she said as she handed him a plate to dry an hour later.

"It was."

"Felt almost like a date," she said, trying to get him to admit what he was doing.

"I agree, although I am limited in my experience with dating."

"I was thinking maybe we could go to the café in town one evening. Maybe Cat and Mary could keep Helen," she suggested.

"That would be nice." It would be more than nice.

"Maybe we can ask at church tomorrow if they can take her and then go to dinner."

He was ecstatic that the courting process seemed to be working. Now to just get through the next day without being too impatient.

…..
The next day...

"Of course we can watch her. Sammy has been wanting to play with her since he saw her last."

"Thanks, Cat."

"So you two are going out to dinner?"

"Yeah. I think it's time."

"So do I."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I can see the way he looks at you when you are across the room or even right next to him."

"Looks at me? How?"

"Like he cares for you a lot."

"I care for him too. That's why I suggested going to the café. I think we need to be alone for a bit."

"Courting is definitely not something you do with your children around."

Elizabeth laughed. "No, I suppose not, but he does a good job regardless."

He walked up and placed his hand on her back. "Shall we go, Mrs. Thornton?"

She smiled up at him. "Yes. Let's go say goodbye to Helen and then we can go."

That was easier said than done. She didn't like the fact that they were both leaving her.

"No, no!"she told them, clinging to Jack's neck. "Me go!"

"Don't you want to play with Sammy?"

"No! Me go home."

Cat knew there would be no convincing her. "Why don't you take her home and about an hour before dinner, I'll come and watch her at your house. Then by the time you get back, she will be asleep."

"We can try it," Elizabeth said, looking up at Jack. "Is that ok with you?"

"Yes. Its fine." He was disappointed though. Their real date wasn't until evening, but he had looked forward to the whole afternoon alone with her.

As they walked home, Jack offered his arm and once her hand was in his elbow, he held it with his own. Just knowing that they wouldn't be alone until dinner, made him desire it all the more. So he held her hand, needing the touch of her soft skin.

All through lunch he watched her eating and helping Helen, like a wonderful mother should. Every so often she would glance up and catch him staring but she never said anything. She just smiled and went back to what she was doing.

Finally, it was time and when Cat showed up, he almost ran to the door.
"Evening, Cat."

"Evening, Jack. I brought Sammy to play with Helen. I thought that might be fun for both of them."

"Daisy girl, come see who's at the door," he called.

"Sammy! Play wit me?" Helen took his hand and pulled him into the living room where her blocks and books and doll were.

"She will be fine," Cat said with a laugh as the children started stacking their blocks. "You two better scoot."

"As soon as Elizabeth is ready…" he started to say and then saw her enter the room. She had changed into a sky blue dress with lace trim that matched her eyes perfectly. It fit her very well, showing off every womanly curve while still being modest. "Wow," he whispered.

"Is it ok? Do I look bad?" She smoothed her dress, glancing down to make sure.

"You could never look bad," he assured her. "Shall we go?"

"Should we say goodbye to her?"

"I think you need to sneak out," Cat said, motioning them toward the door. "Don't worry about a thing."

So they peeked at Helen and then left quietly.

As they walked the short distance to the café, Jack held her hand. "Is that a new dress?"

"No. I was going to wear it when we got married but Abigail refused to let me. She said I needed to trust her but blue was not for a wedding. It's actually a few years old. I made it right before Paul passed."

"I'm sure he loved it too."

She squeezed his hand and stopped walking. "Too?"

"Yeah. It looks beautiful on you." His eyes took her in, making her blush.

"You look pretty handsome in your suit too, Mr. Thornton."

"Yeah? Its older than the hills."

"It still looks good."

He smiled and led them up the steps to Rosie's café. "Where should we sit?"

"Here in the corner?" Elizabeth suggested. It seemed more private than the other tables.

He pulled out her chair for her and sat across from her.

"Evening, Elizabeth."

"Hello, Rosemary."

"The special tonight is herb roasted chicken with red potatoes and green beans. We also have beef stew and biscuits."

"I'll have the chicken please," Elizabeth ordered.

"And you, Mr. Thornton?"

"Beef stew with biscuits please."

"Very nice. It will be right out."

The food was delicious but the company was better.

Jack took Elizabeth home the long way, down by the stream. He wasn't ready to go home quite yet so they strolled slowly as the sun went down.

Once they reached the water's edge, Jack turned and grabbed both of her hands, looking deep in her eyes. "Elizabeth."

"Yes?" she whispered, as he stepped closer, her heart beating faster.

"I don't know if you've noticed but I've been courting you."

She smiled and squeezed his hands. "Truthfully, I didn't until Abigail pointed it out to me, but I've known for a little while."

"Are you ok with it?"

"With you courting me? Yeah, I'm good with it."

He let her hand go and reached up, gently cupping her cheek with his palm. "I'm a lucky man," he said quietly. "Marrying you was the best decision I've ever made."

She reached up and covered his hand with hers. "That was a very sweet thing to say, Jack."

"I meant it." He gently kissed her forehead and temple, inhaling the lavender soap he had bought her. He lowered his head a bit more, his lips very close to hers, but he hesitated.

"Please," she whispered, giving him permission. So he gently pressed his lips to hers, purposely moving slow, enjoying the softness of her mouth against his.

"Is that ok?" She nodded, stretching up on her toes and kissing him back.

"Its good. Very good." She leaned her cheek against his shoulder and sighed.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, knowing now he was in love for the very first time and he was going to love her forever.