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Chapter 3

Nathan, Elizabeth and Betsy watched Mrs. Fisk bustle off to the café.

"Apparently, we aren't invited to dine with her," Elizabeth mused.

Several crates and a couple of suitcases had been unloaded from the coach, which the driver had driven to the livery so the horses could be fed and rested for the next leg of their journey.

"Let's get your luggage, Betsy," Nathan suggested. "I'll show you where we're staying — for the time being." He glanced at Elizabeth and shook his head as though the choice was out of his hands.

"Wait. Your niece and I haven't officially been introduced, constable," Elizabeth said, rocking the stroller as little Jack began to stir. Wild horses rarely roused him, but stillness often did.

"My apologies. Mrs. Thornton, this is my niece, Betsy Grant. Betsy, this is Mrs. Thornton, who will soon be your new schoolteacher."

Betsy nodded. "I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Thornton," she said politely.

Something in child's eyes halted Elizabeth's impulse to make pleasant conversation. There was a hunger in them — and it wasn't the need of a meal, which would have been understandable after her journey.

However, she reasoned, sharing a meal together might be a way to meet the child's most immediate need, and in the process, discover what was troubling her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Betsy," Elizabeth said warmly, jiggling the carriage handle a little more aggressively as Jack began to whimper. "I must be on my way, but won't you both come to my home for a late lunch in, say, an hour or so?"

When Nathan held up a hand, she preempted his refusal.

"It's not any trouble, and I won't accept 'no' for an answer," she said brightly. "Little Jack's nanny, Laura, will already have started preparing our meal. She's one of my former students, and together, we can give you an idea of what Betsy can expect when she joins the class."

Betsy looked at her uncle with pleading eyes.

He smiled indulgently. "How can we say 'no' to such a kind invitation?"

"Very good." Elizabeth nodded. "We'll see you soon."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, and touched the brim his hat.

Elizabeth watched as they collected Betsy's suitcases and walked around the corner in the direction of the saloon's outer staircase.

At least he's not marching her right through the middle of the place.

The child seemed timid enough without subjecting her to the stares of a dozen or more strangers in various states of intoxication.

A demanding cry from the stroller brought her to attention.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. We'll be home soon. I just have to stop at the mercantile and pick up a few things to help stretch our meal from two servings to four. Thank goodness Laura's a creative cook."

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"This is very good," Nathan said, taking one last bite of a makeshift shepherd's pie and finishing off a biscuit.

Elizabeth winked at Laura.

"It's Mrs. Thornton's specialty," Laura said.

"I haven't had a meal this hearty in a while." He gave a satisfied sigh.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, before noticing that Betsy hadn't finished her dinner. "Is there something in the dish you don't care for, dear? We have some extra vegetables we couldn't quite squeeze in. Or would you like another biscuit?"

When Betsy looked down at her lap, Elizabeth glanced at Nathan, whose posture was unyieldingly stiff, and he seemed on edge.

Elizabeth was at a loss, and Betsy's uncle was less than helpful. She wondered if she should urge the girl to eat, or comfort her some other way.

"Would you like dessert?" she offered, looking first at Nathan, and then at Betsy. "Peach cobbler with fresh cream."

Nathan finally smiled. "Peaches are your favorite," he coaxed.

"Yes, please," Betsy said, appearing to relax.

"Let me serve it, Mrs. Thornton," Laura offered. "Betsy? Would you like to help?"

The girl nodded.

"Something is obviously wrong," Elizabeth stated after the two were out of earshot.

"This entire situation is wrong," he reluctantly admitted. "We shouldn't be here."

"In my home?" she asked, confused.

"In Hope Valley — together. We're the last surviving members of my family. Betsy is all I have. And while she has a grandmother on her mother's side, her parents specifically named me as her guardian."

"I find it hard to imagine why you didn't try to be assigned to a place that could meet her needs a little better. And why couldn't you have arranged for a suitable home before you brought her here? That would have been the responsible thing to do."

"I would have, had I known she'd be with me. My assignment to Hope Valley was finalized several months ago, and I was coming alone. Two weeks before I was set to arrive, my brother and his wife lost their lives." He spoke softly so the girls wouldn't hear.

"How horrible!" Elizabeth put a hand over her mouth to mute her voice. "I'm so sorry. That poor, dear child. She must be traumatized by their deaths."

His face contorted, and she knew he hadn't told her the half of it.

"They were murdered," he revealed.

Her eyes immediately moved to the area of his scar.

"Yes, that's how I was injured. I was part of the company that went after them. When one of the men tried to get away, I got the jump on him. But at close range, his knife was quicker than my gun."

At her look of alarm, he added, "Don't worry. They're in custody now — every last one of them."

"And Betsy's in your custody," Elizabeth sympathized. "What about her grandmother? Is that where Mrs. Fisk comes in?"

"There were certain conditions in the will regarding Betsy's care and education. It was providential that you were at the stage stop to confirm that her schooling wouldn't be interrupted. The saloon, however, would have proved more problematic. Had Mrs. Fisk seen where our rooms were situated, Betsy might already be on her way back to her grandmother's home."

"Will the grandmother be sending people to check on her — and possibly take her from you? And if she did," she paused, considering her words carefully. "Would it truly be such a bad thing?"

"Are you suggesting I don't deserve to have her here with me, Mrs. Thornton?" His lips formed a hard line.

"Not at all, constable," she soothed. "I'm asking if you believe you can give her everything she deserves."

"Of course I can't. No parent or guardian can. But I can give her what she needs — my complete devotion to her well-being, and the fulfillment of my promise to her parents that I would raise her as my own if anything should happen to them."

"It almost sounds as though they had a reason to fear for their lives."

"Not at all," he clarified. "They were killed in a random act of violence, not because they were targeted. Their final instructions were drafted long ago — shortly after Betsy was born."

"Oh," she said, as the guilty realization dawned that she'd been lax in making similar arrangements for little Jack's future, should something happen to her.

His expression softened, as though he'd read her mind. "I'm sure you have nothing to fear. I have no doubt you'll raise your son to adulthood, and even enjoy grandchildren one day."

"Now I feel old." She grinned sheepishly. Even though this man couldn't possibly know what the future held, it still comforted her to be assured that Jack would never be an orphan.

"Even so, you should make arrangements." His blue eyes sparkled with humor. "It would be the responsible thing to do."

She laughed. "Thank you, sir. I'll take care of it at my first opportunity."

She looked beyond his shoulder and saw Laura carrying in a tray with dessert and a pot of tea, as Betsy followed.

"Goodness, that looks delicious," Nathan enthused, as china bowls of cobbler and cream were set at each place.

"Thank you, girls." Elizabeth sighed, thankful that the meal would end on a congenial note.

Unless, that is, she was able to gather the nerve to broach a subject that had been weighing on her mind all afternoon — one that she feared would kill the mood entirely.

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See Chapter 4

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Thank you to all who have offered enthusiastic reviews of my story!

My heart goes out to those who prefer to read stories about Elizabeth and Jack.

I know that his loss will forever be felt.

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If you enjoyed this story, please check out my fan fiction about "Chesapeake Shores."

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