"See you this afternoon, Laura," Elizabeth called as she closed the door and rushed down her front stairs. After she returned to her home last night, there had been no update on Quinn, so she must still be with that mad man. She was hurrying to town to see what, if anything, she could do to help. She had thought she heard Rosemary and Lee come home the night before, but it had been quite late, so she hadn't disturbed them; someone would have come and told her if there was news.
As she walked down the road, she looked back over her shoulder as she heard the Coulter's door open. Elizabeth halted and called out cheerily, "you are off to a late start this morning; you're usually already at your desks when I leave for school."
"We got a late start this morning; after everything that happened yesterday and the celebration last night, it took quite a while to get to sleep, "Lee explained.
"Celebration?" Elizabeth said quizzically, wrinkling her nose in confusion, "I didn't hear anything. Did they find Quinn?"
"Yes, we did, Elizabeth," exclaimed Rosemary. "Andrew Booth was apprehended, and Quinn rescued, it was all so exhilarating, and we were so glad to play even a tiny part in it. That's why we were included in the celebration last night."
"What part did the two of you play, and who was there with you?" No one mentioned anything to me about needing assistance." Elizabeth thought Nathan probably didn't want to ask her to help, given what had happened between her and Quinn, but that wasn't common knowledge, so she was shocked no one else had come to her. Elizabeth frowned as her friends caught up to her, and they started walking to town.
"Lucas asked us to help him," Lee explained briefly, glancing at his wife and indicating he wanted her to remain quiet. He knew Elizabeth would be upset, and he wanted to discuss this with her to protect Rosemary.
"Lucas asked you." she cried, her voice rising, "Why wouldn't he ask me or come and tell me about it?"
Lee shook his head and replied, "We really can't say Elizabeth, everything happened very fast, but you should ask Lucas; I am sure there is an explanation."
Elizabeth continued to frown, and she pressed her lips together, clearly wanting to say more but choosing not to. Everything about her radiated her annoyance.
Rosemary turned to her friend as they reached Abigail's, breaking the awkward silence after Lee's last comment. "Will you join us for breakfast, Elizabeth?" she asked kindly.
"No, thank you, Rosemary, I need to see Lucas; it seems he has a lot he hasn't told me, Elizabeth responded. Tilting her chin back and swinging her basket into her left hand, she stalked off towards the Queen of Hearts.
"I don't envy Lucas right now," commented Lee as he ushered his wife up the stairs and inside.
"Oh, hush Lee," she admonished him, swiping his arm. She shouldn't blame Lee for his comments the thought; she had seen the look on her friend's face and knew Elizabeth didn't take kindly to being left out of things. Silently she agreed with Lee; she wouldn't want to be in Lucas' shoes right now either.
Joshua Fielding strode down the stairs inside the Queen of Hearts, glad the dining area was empty; he didn't want to be distracted or delayed this morning; he wanted to see Quinn as soon as possible. Opening the door, he noticed a woman striding toward the Saloon, a look of outrage on her face, and he was glad it wasn't him she was here to see. Instead of walking through the door, he waited, holding it open for her, convinced she would walk straight through him otherwise.
Elizabeth barely noticed the man holding the door open for her, sweeping past him on her quest to find Lucas. Bursting through his office door, she saw Lucas look up from his desk, startled by her sudden appearance.
Standing, he said quickly, "Elizabeth, what brings you here this morning," followed soon by, "are you okay?" Lucas could see she was agitated about something but couldn't imagine what.
"Lucas, I had to hear from Rosemary that Quinn had been found, and you asked her and Lee to help. Why didn't you tell me," she wailed? "I should have been told, Lucas?"
Lucas looked at her perplexed; sometimes, he couldn't believe how self-centred she was, not asking about Quinn's condition, asking if everyone was safe or his part in the rescue. It was all about Elizabeth and why she hadn't known and been in the middle of it. "Why," he asked.
Elizabeth gaped at him, "what do you mean why? I..., this was important information, Lucas."
"Important to you, how?" he said, walking around from behind the desk, leaning casually back against the front of it. Inside he was anything but calm; he was fuming at Elizabeth. "why was this information so important you needed to be disturbed late at night, possibly disturbing your sleeping son. Why should I or anyone else have told you?" he asked again.
Elizabeth stared at him, "because you knew I would want to know. The people in this town are important to me. I am Allie's teacher-"
Lucas's harsh laugh stopped her from speaking, "oh, and what were you hoping for your student, that her father's future wife was injured or worse in an accident, and they would turn to you for comfort?" Shaking his head, he returned and sat down, folding his shaking hands on the desk. "Sorry to disappoint you, Elizabeth, but Quinn is fine; no thanks to your meddling, Julie looking into Quinn was what allowed Booth to find her. It was best you were not around last night; you should remain that way."
Elizabeth folded her hands across her chest, "I am sure you are wrong, Lucas. I am going there now to see if I can be of assistance," she informed him. Spinning on her heel, she stalked out of his office, heading to the cafe.
Lucas watched her leave, stunned. He remembered only days ago, Elizabeth had told him how terrible she felt about asking Julie to investigate Quinn. Her remorse certainly hadn't lasted long, just long enough for her to be frustrated at a lack of involvement in something happening in Hope Valley. Lucas didn't understand her desire to be 'part' of everything, and Elizabeth had developed an annoying habit of inserting herself into all situations and convincing herself people wanted her involvement. Rosemary was a journalist, and she managed to remain out of people's business more of the time. Lucas shook his head sadly; he knew this wasn't going to end well for Elizabeth, but there was no way she would let anyone stop her.
Quinn stroked Misty's face, feeding her the last of her apple, the other horses already having eaten theirs and forgiven them. It turned out Nathan had enough apples for all the horses. Quinn finally felt peace seeping back into her after yesterday's drama and her nightmare that morning. A cuddle with Misty was precisely what she needed. "I wish we could ride and ride Nathan," she said dreamily, "and not stop until we are far away."
Nathan stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, "I wish we could too, but unfortunately, we would always have to come back," softening his words, he joked, "at least to get Allie when she wakes up."
"True," she said, leaning back against his chest and smiling at him. "I suppose it is time to check on her and make sure she is okay." She put her hands over his arms, where they wrapped around her waist and whispered, "do you think Booth will be up for a visit on the way back?"
"I don't think we should check Quinn; I can't see a visit to him being good for my appetite, and I really want to eat some of Minnie's breakfast today and enjoy it," he said, nuzzling her head. "I'm not saying no, or trying to talk you out of it, but I think we should see Allie first and have something to eat."
Quinn laughed, "Minnie does make a good breakfast; let's do that," she laughed. "I am keen to see Allie, too, considering we didn't get to say goodnight last night, and I snuck out this morning." Stepping away from Nathan, she gave Misty one last pat before taking his outstretched hand, "Let's go home, Constable."
Joshua stepped inside the cafe, taking the opportunity to look around the inside while looking for Quinn. He thought the room was quaint; the smell wafting from the kitchen made his stomach rumble, and he realised just how long it had been since he had eaten. He saw a woman staring at him, eyes narrowed, and smiled at her. His smile did not affect her at all. Joshua approached her and asked, "would it be okay if I took a seat and ordered breakfast?"
The server stammered at him but didn't respond before turning and heading out of the room, walking between two curtains into what he assumed was the kitchen. Joshua stood awkwardly until a different woman came through the curtains, heading toward him.
"Can I help you, sir?" she asked softly, looking at him kindly, her gaze direct. "I apologise for Julie; she didn't mean any harm, you are uncannily similar to your brother, and she just delivered breakfast to him at the jail," she explained. "Please take a seat, Mr Booth. I will get you a menu."
Joshua shook his head; he hadn't thought about Andrew having been in town before him, sitting in this same cafe, ordering food, maybe even pretending to be him. "Thank you, I appreciate it," he said, smiling at her and sitting.
Minnie returned with a menu, plus the coffee pot and some milk, "Can I pour you some coffee Mr Booth?" she asked as she handed him the menu.
"Can I please get whatever smells so good this morning? Whatever you have will be fine if it tastes anywhere near as good as it smells," he said, trying to be charming. He had never had any issues with making people like him before, but these people were Quinn's people, and they probably knew his part in why she left Oakville. They would associate him with his brother if they didn't know about Oakville; he wouldn't be popular. Between what he had done to Quinn, and Andrew's presence, winning over the people of Hope Valley was a lost cause. He knew if they returned to Oakville, the people there would accept them, especially when they found out about his mother, brother and what they had done.
Quinn had entered the kitchen by the side door, delighted to see Allie sitting at the table with Angela and Cooper Canfield. There were plates of pancakes and bacon and egg on the table near them, and the sight made Quinn's mouth water. Hurrying around the table toward Allie, Quinn stretched her arms out and wrapped the young woman in a hug, "good morning, Allie; how did you sleep?"
Swallowing, Allie said, good, "I was worried when I woke, and you weren't there; thank you for leaving me a note." Smiling at her father, she held out her hand to him and pulled him into her hug with Quinn, "morning Dad, did you and Uncle Gabe stay up talking all night."
Nathan laughed, mussing up her hair, "it wasn't a sleepover, you know, we were working," winking at her, he finished by saying, "We only stayed up half the night." Allie laughed at his silliness. Sliding over on the long bench at the table, she said, "sit down and have some breakfast; we helped Minnie cook it; Cooper's bacon are the burnt pieces." Nathan glanced at Cooper to gauge his reaction, laughing again as he just shrugged, agreeing with Allie.
Minnie walked into the kitchen, taking in the sweet scene, hating to ruin it. "Quinn, can I talk to you, please?" she asked softly as she walked close to her.
Quinn looked at her friend, seeing the concern on her face, "Of course, Minnie. What is it?"
Minni leaned in to whisper to her friend but was interrupted by the curtain rustling behind her.
Joshua Fielding poked his head through the curtain separating the dining area and kitchen, seeing Quinn in front of him. As he sat waiting, he heard voices behind the curtain and recognised Quinn's. He walked towards the kitchen, intending to see her without delay. Opening the curtain, he saw her standing at the table talking to a group of children, the woman who served him and the Mountie.
As Nathan straddled the bench, preparing to sit, the curtain between the kitchen and dining room parted; he looked up to see Joshua. He grimaced; the last person he wanted to see was Joshua Fielding, he just wanted to spend time with friends and family, and he was neither.
Hearing a noise, he looked at Quinn, who had caught her breath when she saw Joshua looking into the kitchen. "Joshua, what are you doing here? Quinn's face showed her shock at seeing him there unexpectedly, intruding on her private space.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly. While she knew it couldn't be Andrew Booth, it was him she thought of when she first looked up. She relaxed as she heard Nathan standing up from the bench and coming up behind her.
"I came to see you, Quinn; I need to talk to you; about many things," Joshua said, staring at her, ignoring the Mountie at her side. "I can't leave Hope Valley until we talk."
The group of people stood frozen in the kitchen, no one speaking. The private entrance door opening startled the group. Lucas Bouchard also froze as he looked into the kitchen, realising he had interrupted something.
"Morning Mr Lucas," called Allie, surprising everyone with her familiarity, Lucas most of all. Nathan and Quinn shared a surprised look. "Would you like to join us for breakfast?"
"Thank you, Allie, but I was hoping to see Constable Grant on official business," he advised, his eyes softening. He turned his attention to Nathan, "Constable Kinslow told me where to find you, Nathan. Can I have a moment, please?" Lucas smiled reassuringly at Allie, not wanting her to worry. Lucas had a soft spot for Allie.
Nathan squeezed Quinn's hand and walked toward the door; "Are you okay, Lucas?" Nathan asked, although he could see by the look on his face that he wasn't. Nathan admitted that if what was bothering Lucas was personal, he wasn't entirely comfortable discussing it.
"I will be fine, Nathan; thank you for asking, but this isn't about me," Lucas said, knowing Nathan wouldn't want to discuss him and Elizabeth. "I wondered what you would like to do about the things in Andrew Booth's room at the Saloon. I thought you or Gabe might want to be there when I pack his things, assuming his trial will be elsewhere.
Nodding, Nathan said, "yes, I would; thank you, Lucas. Are you sure you won't come in and have some breakfast with us, and we can head back afterwards?"
Lucas thought about the scene with Joshua Booth and declined. Lucas decided he would spend the morning figuring out what to do with Elizabeth, knowing they needed to have an honest conversation about their relationship today. He was already aware their relationship was not perfect, but that had been reinforced by spending time around Rosemary and Lee, Nathan, and Quinn. Whatever those two couples had, he and Elizabeth didn't, and he wasn't sure it was something he wanted to find with her.
Nathan took a moment before walking back into the kitchen; he needed the time to control his emotions regarding Joshua Booth and his desire to see Quinn. He wasn't worried about Quinn having feelings for Joshua; he was concerned about her in general; she had been through a lot over recent days and months. He wanted peace for her, for them.
Opening the door, he looked at the people in the kitchen, standing around awkwardly. Angela and Cooper were gone, but Elizabeth was standing in the kitchen; he sent a curious glance to Minnie, wondering when she had arrived.
"I sent the kids home to change for school, Nathan; although Allie tells me you have given her permission to stay home today," Minnie explained, her voice calm as always.
"That's right, Minnie; after everything yesterday and the late night, we decided Allie would be staying home today." Nathan commented, emphasising the 'we' just enough.
Minnie looked at the group standing in the kitchen and decided food preparation could wait, "I will be out front cleaning up if I can be of assistance,' she said, walking through the curtains to the dining area. As Minnie walked away, she heard Elizabeth ask, "The late night I wasn't invited to?" Shaking her head, Minnie was glad she had decided to give the group as much privacy as possible.
"It wasn't a party Elizabeth; many people weren't invited, only those who contributed to helping me escape Andrew Booth, who made sure I was safe and not in harm's way," Quinn said, mimicking Elizabeth's saccharine tone. Her words, she knew, could be interpreted two ways, and she hoped Elizabeth and Joshua would pick up on it. Quinn wanted Elizabeth to understand that what she asked her sister to do had put her in harm's way, and Joshua, well, it went without saying what his accusations had done.
Joshua blinked at Quinn's words, immediately picking up on her intention and realising she was still angry with him, even if he had come to rescue her last night. "Quinn, we need to talk, is there somewhere private we could go?" he asked, glancing at those remaining in the room. He didn't want to talk to Quinn in front of anyone, especially the Mountie.
Elizabeth finally realised she was in the middle of something which wasn't turning out in her favour. "Allie, why don't you walk to school with me?" Elizabeth suggested to her, holding out her hand for her to take.
"I won't be going to school today, Mrs Thornton; I am staying here with my dad and Miss Quinn," Allie politely but firmly said, glancing at Quinn and her Father to see their reaction.
Quinn walked over and put her arms around Allie, giving her a bear hug, squeezing her tight. Smiling at the teacher, she said, "You heard Allie Elizabeth, her father, and I have given her permission to stay home today. You might want to get started walking to school; you wouldn't want to keep the other children waiting."
Turning her face to Joshua, she said, "I don't believe there is anything you have to say that I need or want to hear; I cannot imagine anything you have to say requiring privacy." Quinn reached out and took Nathan's hand in hers, clearly establishing the relationship as an intimate one. "Nathan can stay if you insist on talking to me.
Elizabeth glared at Quinn; once, she had felt bad for her actions, for her part in what happened to Quinn, but now, she was feeling left out and angry, and her feelings of remorse receded. "Nathan, Allie really should come to school; it isn't wise to have her miss anything for no good reason."
Nathan shook his head, his disappointment with Elizabeth clear on his face, "what happened to Quinn yesterday is an excellent reason to stay home today." he said. "I appreciate your concern Elizabeth, but Allie can afford to miss one day of school to catch up on the sleep she missed and be here with her family after such a traumatic event." Smiling at her, he said, "maybe you could show Joshua out as you leave Elizabeth".
Sitting down on the bench next to his daughter, putting his back to Elizabeth, he said, "pass me the bacon, please, Allie, before it gets too cold." Nathan indicated Quinn should sit too, "eat, Quinn, you must be starving; you hardly ate anything last night."
Nathan commenced eating his breakfast, ignoring Elizabeth and Joshua, hoping they would take the hint and leave; either way, both had been dismissed. His family didn't need their interference.