"Now who can tell me what they know about space?" Elizabeth addressed the class Monday morning.

"It's where then moon and sun and stars are" Rosalie said.

"That's right, now the stars make up formations like pictures in the sky, Kate what are these called?"

"Constellations" Kate said.

"That's right, a constellation is made up of stars" Elizabeth turned to the board beginning to draw when suddenly the door opened a everyone turned. A dozen men walked in carrying lunch pails, from the looks fo them they are minors but she didn't recognize any of them.

"Is this the saloon?" One asked

"It is at night, during the day it is the school" Elizabeth said as they all gathered in her classroom.

"We are looking for the saloon, we are supposed to have rooms here" Another man said.

"Men, it is so good to have you here" said Hank the bar and saloon owner coming down the stairs.

"These are the new minors" He told Elizabeth.

"Welcome to our town, but as you can see we are right in the middle of our school day." Elizabeth said politely trying to usher them out of her room.

"Are there any children with you?" Gabe asked the men standing around.

"No, company only wanted single men for the job" another man told him.

"We have been traveling for six days I am not going anywhere without a drink" A particular gruff man stated. Elizabeth put her hands on her hips and Kate knew that face. The man was about to be sorry he said something but before Elizabeth could say anything Jack came down the stairs. From his room.

"Mister, is that really the first impression you want to make in Coal Valley?" Jack asked.

"The constable is right, how about I buy a round later" A man from the back said. Kate turned as he was takin off his hat. He looked cleaner then the rest and his face was kinder. The gruff man muttered something but went up the stairs. The Kinder looking man turned to Elizabeth.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion, some of these man don't know what it's like to be in the presents of a lady, good day professor." He told her Kindly climbing the stairs Jack gave him a nod of thanks catching Elizabeth's eye.

"Ma'am" Jack winked at her as he left and Elizabeth smiled after him.

"Is that the big dipper your drawing?" Kate asked as Elizabeth stared just a little to long at Jack.

"Oh of course yes, who can tell me what they know about the big dipper" Elizabeth asked shooting Kate a grateful look going back to her lesson.


That night Kate sat inside Abigail's house with Cat, Elizabeth and a few other women from town. One of them, Carla was heavily pregnant and they were all sitting together while knitting blankets for her.

"There you are, don't drop the stitch, very good, you may be making hats and scarfs come Christmas" Abigail smiled softly helping Kate at the table.

"And we will need them, I feel like we are so unprepared for winter" Elizabeth sighed.

"No one is prepared for their first winter on the prairie" Cat smiled at her.

"I will need a lot of warm blankets when I deliver in a few months" Carla said rubbing her large belly uncomfortably.

"Carla you are bigger then seven months, I would say your about eight" Abigail said gently.

"Well maybe I counted wrong, I supposed we will find out" Carla sighed as Abigail smiled at her.

"Oh this is so pretty, violets are my favorite" Elizabeth said picking up a roll of fabric from where she was sewing with Cat on the couch.

"You know my Joe never noticed flowers, I could go out and pick some and put them on the table and he would just ask what's for supper" Cat said with a smile and everyone in the room laughed.

"Did you hear, all those new men who came to town are bachelors" Florence said.

"I saw them, they are staying in rooms above the saloon." Elizabeth said.

"How did they look?" Carla asked.

"Wet and dirty" Elizabeth smirked as she and Kate smiled at each other.

"I'm sure they are all drifters and trouble makers, I don't think I want that sort coming into Coal Valley. Especially with most of us being women who live alone with our children." Florence said. She was a women of few words, but Kate noticed what she did say was short and to the point.

"Let's not be to quick to judge, my husband wasn't a chivalrous man but he provided just fine for Caleb and me" One women, Mary said.

"Your right, we all know how hard it is to find a good man" Abigail nodded.

"Or a good father for our children" Carla agreed rubbing her belly again uncomfortable.

"Oh Carla I think it's time we get you home so you can get some rest" Abigail said as she quickly helped Carla up and everyone started packing away their things.

"Is it really hard to find a good man?" Kate asked as Cat and the other women called their good byes and Elizabeth and Abigail were finishing cleaning up.

"Kathryn!" Elizabeth cried.

"Well thats what you all said." Kate frowned.

"It's not so hard, you just have to wait, and if you are a good person a good man will find their way to you by Gods will. But not all men are good and it's important we wait for the right one, not just the one who gets our attention." Abigail said.

"How do you know if it's a good man?" Kate asked her.

"I know that eleven years old is to young for such questions." Elizabeth said firmly as Kate sighed.

"Off to bed with you, don't forget to say your prayers" Elizabeth said. Kate nodded giving Abigail a hug before climbing the stairs.

"She's not so young" Abigail whispered when they heard Kate's footsteps upstairs.

"To be asking questions about men she most certainly is" Elizabeth shook her head.

"It was harmless, she's not asking for herself, more of just the little girl wondering about the fairy-tail." Abigail said gently.

"she's only eleven, much to young to be thinking about men." Elizabeth said

"If I didn't know better I would say someone doesn't quite fancy the idea of her little sister growing up." Abigail smiled at Elizabeth who sighed.

"I suppose I was a little harsh" Elizabeth nodded.

"You mean well she knows that, everything is all set here why don't you go the bed it's late."

"Alright, good night" Elizabeth said climbing the stairs and quickly getting ready for bed, she slipped in next to Kate knowing she was still awake.

"I was short with you. You can ask questions, I want you to ask questions, to ask me them. I may just be a little resentful that you are getting old enough to hear the answers" Elizabeth said softly.

"I was out of turn" Kate sighed rolling onto her back.

"You weren't, it's important you know the answers, but let's be clear I don't want you thinking about finding a good man for yourself for many many years" Elizabeth said.

"I wasn't asking for me!" Kate cried horrified that she would even think that.

"Then why in the world where you asking?" Elizabeth giggled.

"For you?"

"For me!"

"Sure, your of marrying age now, you need to find a good man Grandmother would make you if we were still living at home." Kate said.

"Trying to marry me off are you?" Elizabeth asked surprised.

"No, but girls your age get married, I don't want you to miss out on that."

"And why would I miss out on that?" Elizabeth asked.

"I don't know… me?" Kate whispered. Elizabeth rolled over looking at her in the dark.

"Never, Any man who is going to be good enough for me will care for you almost as much as I do. It's not your fault Kate. Further more I have no plans to marry anytime soon. We just got here, who knows if we are staying past this year. I have no intentions of settling us down right now, and thats not because of you." Elizabeth said.

"Ok" Kate nodded.

"Good, go to sleep Katie it's late" Elizabeth nodded rolling back over to her side.

"Is Jack a good man?" Kate asked softly. Elizabeth felt her eyes pop open.

"I'm sure Jack is a good man for someone" She said.

"I think he is too" Kate smiled rolling over giggling as Elizabeth kicked her with her heel.

"Go to sleep"


Kate handed Elizabeth another nail as she hung a piece of paper to to the post.

"It was a good idea to hold a dance." Kate said looking over the paper advertising a dance that Sunday. Elizabeth just nodded looking ahead, Kate turned to see Jack riding up on Sergeant and hopping off near them.

"Hi Jack, Hi Sergeant look at you" Kate said going to pet the horse's nose.

"Hi Jack" Elizabeth smiled.

"Hi, how is preparations for the dance coming?" Jack asked handing Kate some treats to give the horse.

"Very well" Elizabeth nodded.

"Good, I am looking forward to something besides twenty new minors sawing logs all night" Jack said making Elizabeth laugh.

"I'm picking up some more supplies, the children are making the decorations and we are running out of paper" Elizabeth said.

"How nice" Jack smiled stepping a little closer to her.

"So are you going to the dance?" Elizabeth asked softly.

"Yes, but I will be on duty" Jack said.

"Oh I see" Elizabeth tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"Your not allowed to have any fun. What is going to happen when you settle down and have a family?" Elizabeth asked.

"Well that is unlikely to happen. Mounties and marriage are two subjects that don't go together, if Mounties were to have a wife we would have been issued one with out coat and boots" Jack said.

"So you don't ever want to get married?" Elizabeth asked softly.

"Well I didn't say that. It's just the mountie life can put a wife through a lot of hardship. Like living out of a tent for six months at a time without so much as an outhouse" Jack said.

"So theoretically, mounties don't marry because they think women as delicate?" Elizabeth asked. Jack smirked a little looking over her with her feathered hat and white dress. She was fitting into life in Coal Valley much better, but he clothing still made her stick out. It that wasn't delicate he didn't know what was. Her outfits of course, the women inside had proven to be braver then he first took her for lately. But Jack could tell he had offended her.

"I uhh just remembered I have some work to do, so I'm going to get to that." Jack said.

"Mmhhmm" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at him as Jack tipped his had to her.

"See you little shadow, no more treats for him, he's getting fat" Jack said tugging on the end of Kate's braid teasingly as he left her and Sergeant.


That afternoon Kate sat at the table doing her homework as Abigail was trying to teach Elizabeth how to make pickles.

"I can't believe you have to do all this work just to get pickles" Elizabeth said wiping her hair from her face.

"Well it doesn't happen by magic." Abigail told her.

"Back home they were always just in the serving dish…magically." Kate said as she and Elizabeth giggled at Abigail's knowing smile.

Suddenly someone yelled from outside as Abigail hurried to the door where Carla was bent over on the porch.

"Oh Carla come inside" Abigail said quickly helping her up.

"Here sit here" Elizabeth quickly pulled out a chair and watched wide eyed as Abigail helped Carla into a house and to sit down.

"Carla I think you should move in here with me until the baby comes" Abigail said.

"Oh no I couldn't impose" Carla said firmly gasping through a pain in her side.

"It's no imposition, I insist, we have an extra mattress we can set up for you here so you don't have to be up and down the stairs." Abigail said.

"Alright" Carla nodded. Kate smiled watching them catching Elizabeth's eye. Kate didn't think she had ever witnesses such kindness in Hamilton before they came here. Back home a women would just be sent off to her home with her maids to run the house and to stay in bed until her time came. Here that wasn't an option and Kate was pretty sure she liked that better.


The next afternoon Kate and Elizabeth were walking home from school as the minors were coming home from work.

"I do hope they wipe their feet" Kate whispered looking over their black clothes. She knew the other minors in town, she had seen them in church and walking home at night, they were always kind and greeted her with a smile. But these men were gruff, they smelled and chewed tobacco spitting it into the street. Jack didn't trust them either which made Kate feel even more uncomforted around them.

"This town needs everyone who will work. We are a mining town therefor we have minors" Elizabeth told her.

"Oh professor!" A voice called and the kind man from the other day stepped closer to Elizabeth.

"Please it's just Miss Thatcher" Elizabeth said with a smile.

"I found my book of poems in with my things, it made me think of you, I know small towns like this can be low on school supplies so I thought I would offer it to you to borrow for the children."

"That's so kind of you, I must say it's rare to find a minor who enjoys Poetry" Elizabeth said. The man stepped in front of Kate to walk next to Elizabeth cutting her off so Kate had to halt to a stop to keep from bumping into him as he didn't even glance at her. Kate frowned at his back as they continued walking.

"I was the only one of six in my family to get through secondary school."

"Did you attend collage?" Elizabeth asked interested. Kate gave a huff of annoyance that went unheard and stepped around them crossing the street and making her way down the lane to the row houses.

"I had dreams, but then ended when my father died."

"I am sorry" Elizabeth said softly.

"Oh no it's all for the best. I never thought I would be a minor. I found a job at a mine back east and I have been hopping from mine to mine and now here I am"

"Well welcome to Coal Valley" Elizabeth said.

"Perhaps you could show me around?"

"There's not much to see" Elizabeth chuckled glancing around the small town. Five buildings and a stable was all there was here.

"Oh I disagree, I have never been out west, it's beautiful. Besides there must be a reason why someone like you came out here, maybe you could show me why?"

"I would be happy too" Elizabeth smiled.

"Tomorrow?"

"Sure"

"Then it's a date" He reached out taking her hand giving it a gentle kiss before turning and heading back to the Saloon.

Elizabeth turned heading for the row houses, neither of them had seen Jack watching the whole thing.


"Elizabeth! Kate! The children and I are headed to the valley to pick the gapes, would you like to come?" Cat called the next afternoon as Elizabeth and Kate climbed the steps about to go into the house.

"They have the goats there Miss Thatcher, and they eat from your hand" Emily said skipping beside Cat.

"They have wild horses too, they won't come anywhere near us but they are fun to watch." Gabe nodded.

"Thank you for the invitation but I can't." Elizabeth smiled sadly.

"Would you like to come Kate?" Cat asked.

"Can I?"

"Alright, go in and get your basket" Elizabeth smiled as Kate scurried inside grabbing her wicker basket.

"Have fun" Elizabeth waved them off as they headed across the field and the kind man from yesterday was making his way down the lane.

"Ready for my tour Ma'am" He said.

"Right this way" Elizabeth smiled.


"This is one of my favorite spots" Elizabeth said leading the man who's name she learned was Billy to the Grove the next day.

"When the church burnt town the town started holding services here, it's beautiful in the spring and summer.

"Oh you can feel it. It's like God is here with you" Billy said looking around.

"I have only been in town a short while but the town changes you. When you see people helping each other and loving their neighbor, I know it is making me a better person." Elizabeth said gently.

"My father would love a place like this." Billy said.

"What did he do for a living?"

"He worked with his hands his whole life. A man of all trades"

"It must have been hard for you losing your father, I know a thing or two about that." Elizabeth said softly. Suddenly there were pounding hoofbeats and Jack road up in his everyday clothes.

"Hello Jack" Elizabeth said, her voice missing the usual lightness it had around him lately.

"Hello Constable, how is the hunting going?" Billy asked.

"It's easy enough in these parts, you just have to have good aim" Jack said firmly, he was giving Billy a firm look that Elizabeth could see was not very friendly.

"Enjoy your walk" Jack said shortly before quickly riding away.

"Elizabeth what do you want to do after Coal Valley?" Billy asked as they started walking back and Elizabeth tried to push Jack out of her mind.

"What do yo mean after?"

"I mean this is a wonderful place, but I just see something bigger for you" Billy said.

"Well I have really only just begun my work with the children, I have not given it much thought. But I have some dreams" Elizabeth smiled.

"What are they?" Billy asked.

"I think dreams are like birthday wishes, if you say them out loud they might not come true" Elizabeth smile.

"Very well, you keep them tucked away." Billy smiled

"I also can't just think about my dreams. I have a younger sister I have to take into consideration" Elizabeth said surprised she had not mentioned Kate up until this point.

"You do?" Billy asked.

"Yes, she is still a child and very dear to me. I uprooted her to come here and while I know it was the right choice it has been an adjustment. I just recently feel like she is adjusting and so much happier here. I don't want to think about moving her again anytime soon." Elizabeth shrugged.

"That's so kind of you, you sound like you take amazing care of her."

"She's my favorite person in the world." Elizabeth smiled.

"I was wondering, about the dance, would you like to go with me?" Billy asked.

"I would like that" Elizabeth smiled. Billy grinned offering her his arm as she reached out taking it warmly and they continued their walk.


"Are you sure you don't want any supper?" Abigail asked Carla in the house later that night.

"No thank you I will just sleep" Carla said going into the other room where they had set up a bed for her.

"How is she feeling?" Elizabeth asked from where she was sitting at the desk writing. Kate sat on the couch reading her book close by.

"She has a slight fever and she doesn't want to eat" Abigail sighed bringing the lamp over to Kate as the room got darker.

"I'm surprised there is no midwife in town" Elizabeth frowned.

"We had one but she left after the mine accident. Cat and I assisted her many times and have delivered a few ourselves, but it would certainly be easier if we had someone who was trained" Abigail said as there was a knock on the door.

"Jack, come in" Abigail let him in with a smile as Elizabeth stood up.

"Thank you" Jack smiled stepping inside as he and Elizabeth both looked at each other Elizabeth feeling a bit awkward from their encounter earlier in the grove. Abigail picked up on the silence.

"Well, I will be upstairs if anyone needs me, come on Kate let's get you to bed" Abigail said. Kate glanced between Jack and Elizabeth closing her book following Abigail.

"Good night Jack" She smiled at him as she passed between them

"Good night" Jack gave her a wink as Abigail ushered her up the stairs.

"I will be up soon" Elizabeth called after her as she stepped closer to Jack.

"Glad to see you got home safe and sound from your walk" Jack said.

"Billy happens to be a perfect gentleman" Elizabeth said shortly.

"Actually that is why I am here, I don't think you really know who Billy Hamilton really is" Jack said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Elizabeth asked.

"Look I have my suspicions about if he is who he says he is." Jack said.

"What suspicions?"

"I am not at liberty to say yet. But I would prefer that you not go out walking alone with him."

"It wasn't a trike to the Amazon, I was showing him around Coal Valley. He says I am an excellent guide by the way" Elizabeth said

"I am sure he did, flattery can get you anywhere" Jack said.

"Flattery, you think I am in search of flattery?" Elizabeth asked with a frown having to remind herself to keep her voice down.

"No I am just saying, he threw down the hay where the goats could get at it" Jack said.

"Your calling me a goat?" Elizabeth asked. This time she did raise her voice.

"Pardon my imagery, but that's the basic idea" Jacks said with a shrug.

"Jack, are you jealous?" Elizabeth asked a twinkle suddenly coming to her eye.

"Jealous? I don't need to be jealous to be concerned" Jack said quickly.

"Well you need not concern yourself with me, or how I spend my time, Billy and I happen to have a lot in common" Elizabeth said. Jack opened his mouth to argue again but she cut him off.

"Good Evening" Elizabeth said firmly. Jack looked like he was about to argue for a second more but then he stopped.

"Ma'am" He said firmly and turned heading out the door.


"Hi Jack!" Kate called to him the next day as Jack carried an arm full of stuff.

"Hey! Shouldn't you be in school?" Jack smiled at her.

"It's recess, I wanted to come say hi" Kate grinned.

"Oh wonderful give me a hand would you" Jack said bending his knees so Kate could take the sack of clothes he tried to balance on the box.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked.

"Well, the minors in the saloon are driving me crazy, they are up all night drinking or snoring, I have not gotten any sleep since they got here. I am moving" Jack said.

"Where are you moving too?" Kate asked as he pushed open the door to the Jail.

"Here" Jack said setting the box down inside the cell and sitting down on the bed.

"Your going to sleep in the jail?" Kate asked looking at him like he was crazy.

"Why not! I have slept on worse beds! It's quiet, It's right next to work"Jack pointed to his desk on the other side of the room. Rip the old hound dog he had adopted a few weeks ago howled in the corner.

"I bet Rip snores" Kate laughed.

"Your probably right, but I can get used to one snore, twenty, no way" Jack chuckled.

"What do you think of the new minors?" Kate asked sitting on top of Jack's desk.

"Why? Did you see something?" Jack asked quickly.

"No, I'm just wondering, one of them seems taken to Elizabeth, is that why you guys are mad at each other?" Kate asked.

"Elizabeth and I are not.." Jack started but Kate just rolled her eyes and he knew there was no point.

"Elizabeth wouldn't want us talking about this" Jack said standing up and starting to unpack.

"Are they bad Jack?"

"They are unmarried men, they work hard and they mostly pay their bills, they are just rougher then I like, especially with so many new ones in town" Jack sighed.

"But are they bad?" Kate asked. Jack walked over bending in front of her so he was eye level with her.

"Just do me a favor, don't get into a situation where you are around them without an adult alright? Elizabeth, Abigail, Me.. unless one of us is with you keep your distance alright?" Jack said gently but seriously.

"Alright" Kate nodded.

'Good girl, come on let's see if we can get Rip a bone" Jack said as Kate hopped of his desk when suddenly the door burst open and Florence Blackly rushed in.

"Constable! Someone stole my husbands gold watch" She said clearly upset.

"When did this happen?" Jack asked.

"Last night, With my child asleep someone broke into my house" Florence said.

"What else did they take?"

"The watch and his cuff links out of my top dresser drawer" Florence said as Jack kindly handed her a handkerchief.

"When did you notice them gone?" Jack asked.

"Just now I came running over, it must have been last night because they were there yesterday and I haven't left the house since."

"Mrs Blackly can you keep this to yourself?" Jack asked.

"I will do my best" She said sounding confused.

"I am going to look into this now, I just don't want whoever did it to get nervous and leave town, do you understand?" Jack asked. Florence nodded and Jack escorted her out looking up and down the street.

"Kate, can I trust you with this very adult secret?" Jack asked turning back to her.

"Yes" Kate nodded.

"Even Elizabeth, do you promise?"

"I promise" Kate nodded firmly.

"Good, alright get back to school I will see you later ok."

"Promise you and Elizabeth won't be mad at each other to much longer?" Kate asked.

"I will do my best little shadow but your sister can be…" Jack trailed off.

"I know, she's stubborn" Kate smiled and hopped down from Jack's desk.

"Remember what I told you about the minors."

"I will." Kate nodded heading back to school.

After recess Elizabeth was letting the children help make the decorations for the dance that was happening. Gabe and some of the older boys were hanging streamers while Kate and the other girls were was cutting out hearts and stars. The younger children were making paintings to be hung up.

"Ok boys what can you tell me about how much crape paper you are measuring, if you have three feet of paper, how many inches is that?" Elizabeth asked

"36?" Gabe asked.

"Your guessing but yes" Elizabeth said when suddenly there was a scream. Kate turned to see Rachel running from her desk as a large snake slithered across the floor. There were more screams and children running as Kate jumped onto her chair and Elizabeth herself jumped onto her desk and more children sat on their tables with their feet up. Jack came running in.

"Is everything alright?" He asked Elizabeth pointed to the snake on the floor. Jack went over looking it over quickly and then picking it up letting it slither across his hands.

"It's just a harmless gopher snake" Jack smiled.

"Get it out of here!" Elizabeth cried.

"You don't want to use it for your lesson? Snakes are truly fascinating you know, they can unhook their jaw.."

"Now!" Elizabeth yelled.

"Of course" Jack smiled turning. He playfully waved the tail in Kate's face making her scream.

"Constable!" Elizabeth snapped

"Right, sorry, couldn't resist" Jack smiled before leaving.

"Alright everyone back to work" Elizabeth said jumping down from her desk and reaching out to help the little ones down.


Kate followed Elizabeth and Abigail into the saloon the next evening. It was decorated beautifully and didn't even look the same as it filled up with people. Kate grinned at Jack who gave her a nod. Today she wore her best dress from Hamilton, she had started wearing her plainer dresses more and more especially outside of school, she hardly ever wore the dresses their Grandmother had sent except for church on Sundays. But today her and Elizabeth were both in gowns with gloved hands, heeled shoes and sparkly hair pieces holding their loose curls back. Mr Yost had a violin and another man had a guitar and Cat could even make the broken piano sound good as they played in the corner.

"I haven't waltzed in so long!" Kate smiled at the circle of people dancing.

"There's the other children" Elizabeth pointed to were the older school children sat watching some of them trying to dance.

"Save me a dance?" Kate asked.

"Of course" Elizabeth smiled as Kate hurried over to join her friends. Elizabeth laughed as Kate tried to show Laura how to waltz to the music.

"There you are, my you look lovely" Billy said coming up to greet Elizabeth. She smiled at him as he took her hand leading her out to the dance floor and they joined everyone else. He was a good dancer, she gave him credit for that. As someone who had grown up going to balls and having dance lessons from the time she could walk the fact that he could keep up with her exceeded her expectations. Out of the corner or her eye Elizabeth saw Kate pull Gabe out and was dancing with him laughing even when he stepped on her toes.

"Oh Billy, that is my sister Kate, there" Elizabeth said. Billy glanced over quickly at Kate before turning back to Elizabeth.

"You look exquisite in this dress" He said.

"Thank you" Elizabeth blushed a little as they continued dancing.

Abigail left before the night was over to go back to Carla, but Kate was truly enjoying herself, she was dancing with her friends and eating good food and it felt like the night ended to soon when people started to file out and walk home, a trail of lanterns leading the way.

"See you tomorrow" Kate called to Rachel before running to the door where Elizabeth was putting on her coat.

"There you are! Billy this is my sister Kate, Kate this is Billy Hamilton" Elizabeth said introducing them. Kate took the chance to look him up and down offering him a smile but remembering what Jack had said the day before.

"How do you do" Kate said politely.

"Wonderful to meet you. Elizabeth may I walk you home?" Billy asked giving Kate a nod then turning to Elizabeth.

"Of course, but Kate is walking with us." Elizabeth said.

"Of course, how wonderful" Billy turned back to Kate giving her a smile. Kate glanced at Jack taking the lantern from Elizabeth.

"Put your coat on little shadow it's cold" Jack said.

"Yes sir" Kate said pulling her coat from it's hook and slipping it on as Billy took Elizabeth hand under his arm. Kate followed them out trailing behind them a few steps.

"Come on Katie, Billy was just telling me how he learned to waltz" Elizabeth called waving Kate up to her. Kate quickened her steps, even with her sister for a bit but Billy seemed only to have eyes for Elizabeth and Kate dropped back again holding the lantern tightly. Elizabeth kept glancing back at her but Billy didn't so much as ask about her. They were in the most wooded part of the walk when Jack came riding up behind them scaring Kate almost off her feet.

"Excuse me" Jack called hopping off Sergeant making Elizabeth and Billy turn around.

"Jack!" Elizabeth said surprised. Jack scooped Kate up sitting her on Sergeant and handing her the reigns.

"Keep him here for me" Jack said before walking the few paces to Elizabeth and Billy.

"Elizabeth may I have a private word?" Jack asked.

"Of course constable" Billy nodded.

"Sorry" Elizabeth whispered to him as Billy walked a few feet away. Kate sat on Sergeant shivering watching them.

"What is it?" Elizabeth practically snarled stepping closer to Jack.

"There is something you need to know about Billy, I telegrammed central line, who he said was his previous employer, they never heard of him."

"I know he has lead a difficult life so he may have embellished a bit but I am sure there is an explanation" Elizabeth said looking confused.

"There is an explanation, he is not the man you think he is, at best he lied to you, at worst he is a conman" Jack said. Kate bit her lip glancing at Billy who was far enough not to hear.

"Did you look into everyone's employment history, or just Billy's?" Elizabeth asked with a frown. Jack didn't say anything glancing at his feet.

"You singled him out Jack why did you do that?" Elizabeth asked hurt in her voice.

"Because Elizabeth, I am just trying to protect you" Jack said softly.

"I don't want you to do that, I don't want you to protect me, I appreciate your concern but I do not need a father." Elizabeth said firmly. Jack said nothing .

"Kate, come, we're going home" Elizabeth called.

"Can Jack give me a ride? I'm cold" Kate asked making no move to get off Sergeant. Elizabeth glanced as Jack who just nodded, she looked at her sister again before turning and walking away.

"Billy will you please walk me home?" She asked.

"I would be happy to" Billy nodded offering her his arm as Jack swung up on Sergeant behind Kate taking the reigns from her. He pulled a blanket from his saddle bag wrapping it around Kate's shoulders.

"I don't like him either Jack" Kate whispered watching Elizabeth walk away with Billy.

"Come on let's get you home" Jack sighed giving Sergeant a nudge as they headed to the row house.