Willliam Thatcher stared at the woman before him, was it really Mary or was he imagining it? When she looked at him, he knew it was her, he would recognize those eyes anywhere.

"William Thatcher, is that really you?" she stepped toward him, "It's been a long time."

He stared at her, "I would say close to 30 years Mary, that's a very long time." He looked to the others, who were just staring, "Mary….now Mary Thornton I assume, we knew each other many years ago."

"Yes, many years ago, well put William," she smiled at him.

He noticed the sarcasm in her tone, "Her father backed out of a business deal, too bad it could have made him wealthy." He could barely get the words out.

Mary Thornton was shocked at his statement, "Mr. Thatcher, this is not the place to discuss your diluted remembrance of a fraudulent deal from your youth."

"Fraudulent? Your memory is feeble, nothing about me is fraudulent," he tugged on his suit jacket and walked into the dining room.

Jack stepped forward, "Okay, well what happened many years ago shouldn't influence us now, should it." He held his hands out, "why don't we all go into the dining room."

Mary Thornton spoke, as if the words exchanged with William Thatcher didn't happen, "My son told me his lovely fiancé's name was Elizabeth, he neglected to tell me the last name," Mary said with a nervous laugh. She walked to Elizabeth, "So very nice to meet you my dear."

Elizabeth reached out her hand to the woman, who had most definitely passed on her amazing smile to her son, "It's such a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Thornton." She nervously glanced at Jack. "Do you know my mother?"

"No, no I don't," Mary shook hands with Kate Thatcher, "Nice to meet you."

"Pleasure, Mrs. Thornton." Kate was somewhat dumbfounded and didn't know what to think.

Jack spoke up again, "Please, let's sit and have something to eat." He went to Elizabeth, "I never expected this," he whispered.

"Did your mother ever mention my father?" she asked.

"No, I don't know," he shook his head, "this is really strange." He took her arm, "I'll have to talk to my mother and find out the story."

After an uncomfortable lunch where the talk revolved around nothing more than the weather and the long ride to Coal Valley, Jack offered to accompany his mother to the saloon where she would stay.

"Mother, it's just you and me now, so talk to me." Jack brought the last of her bags into the room. "Just how do you know William Thatcher."

"Oh Jack, it was so long ago. It was your grandfather who really knew him. William Thatcher worked with my father at the Calgary Transport Company and he used to come to our home," she smiled remembering, "my mother thought he was interested in me."

"Was he?" Jack sat on the bed.

She smiled at her son's inquisitive look, "Well, I thought so too, but let me just say that it was my father's help that he was really after. After they had worked together for a while, William asked my father to back him in a business venture. I can't even remember the details now, anyway William never got the assistance he wanted from my father, he thought it was too much of a risk, and soon William came around less and less."

"So he really wanted to do a business deal with grandfather?" Jack was somewhat relieved.

"I suppose. In any event, it's a good thing because he then went to someone else for backing and proceeded to lose all their investment," she opened a satchel and took out some items.

"So grandfather made the right decision," Jack opened the trunk for her.

"Yes, I suppose he did. None of that matters now," she took her son's hand, "you look well Jack and your Elizabeth is a very pretty young lady. Things must be going well here, your letters have been less frequent."

"Sorry I haven't written more, but things here are good. I want you to get to know Elizabeth."

"I do apologize for assuming you were engaged again to Rosemary. I guess I always assumed that she would come running back to you one day."

"I should have told you Elizabeth's name, guess in my excitement to tell you I left that out," Jack smiled, he turned to move the trunk, "I should tell you that Rosemary did come here, running back as you say, but she was only looking for attention and money, neither of which I gave her."

"I see, well it's all for the best. I never really could envision her as a wife…to anyone." She touched Jack's arm, "I'm sorry she hurt you, but it brought you here to your Elizabeth."

Jack embraced his mother, "Thank you Mother, it's so good to have you here."

"I'm so happy to be here son." She hugged her son, but thought of William Thatcher and shook her head in disbelief.

At the café, the Thatcher's went upstairs where Elizabeth questioned her father, "Did you know Mrs. Thornton from school?"

"No, her father was going to back me in a business venture, until he backed out. So I went to someone else and we made a fortune. It was his loss," he removed his jacket.

"So Jack's grandfather and you were business partners? How old were you?" Elizabeth asked.

"I was very young, full of ambition and we worked at the same company, I had vision, something he never had. He had the money, that's about the only thing he had. We worked on a plan and then he just backed out," he shook his head, "It's all okay. I'm sure your Mountie doesn't have the means to make foolish business decisions and he better not back out of any commitment like his grandfather."

"Father, Jack may not have wealth, but he has everything else, surely you can tell the type of quality man he is. He keeps his word, he has high moral character."

William looked at his daughter's loving look when she spoke of Jack Thornton, he touched her face, "I only want your happiness Beth and if you don't miss the luxuries in life, what can I say?"

Elizabeth smiled, "Well, I do miss the luxuries, I won't deny that, but my heart is here now, with Jack."

After dinner, William had the chance to speak with Mary, when Kate helped Abigail in the kitchen and Jack and Elizabeth went for a walk. "So Mary, I do apologize for my outburst earlier. Life has been good? Your son seems like a fine young man."

"Yes, he's a wonderful man, like his father who was a Mountie. I did teach school for quite a while. Of course you did very well for yourself."

"All planned out, that was the way I made a name for myself."

"With the help of others."

"That's unfair of you to say that, you have no idea …," he leaned across the table, "you could have shared it all. You didn't want anything to do with me if I remember correctly."

She looked at him, "You were pushy and rude then William, I see you haven't changed." She stood, "excuse me."

On their walk, Jack took Elizabeth's hand, "Things are going pretty well…aren't they?"

They both laughed softly. Elizabeth looked at him, "I guess. Who would have guessed that your mother and my father knew each other so many years ago. Isn't that amazing?"

"Yes it is and I guess it's a good thing my grandfather didn't help your father way back then." Jack put her hand to his chest.

"What? Help my father? Your grandfather missed out on a big business opportunity."

They sat down at their favorite spot. Jack leaned in and kissed her, "I've been waiting all day to do that," he said.

"Jack, do you think my father courted your mother? She's a very attractive woman…" she played with a button on his shirt.

"She didn't say that. She only told me about how your father wanted money…"

"Money? My father?"

"Yes, for some deal that swindled money from..."

"Swindled money? What are you talking about?" Elizabeth interrupted and stood.

"Maybe swindled isn't the right word, but he wanted money and I guess it was good that my grandfather didn't give it to him."

"Jack, it was a business proposition."

"Yes, one that didn't work," Jack stood. "Elizabeth, I don't want to talk about this…"

"Too late." She folded her arms.

Jack went to touch her arms but she stepped back.

"Elizabeth, please." Jack respected her space.

She sighed, "So, have you asked my father yet?" she asked softly.

"Asked him what?" Jack wanted to kiss her again and stepped towards her.

Elizabeth moved and looked at him, "Asked him for my hand?"

"Oh, not yet…I think tomorrow we should be able to have a private talk," Jack reached for her.

"But now you'll be spending time with your mother, so you best talk to him the next opportunity you get," she said a bit annoyed.

"Yes M'am, I will," Jack replied.

She looked up at him, "Don't you want to ask him?"

Jack sighed, "Of course I do….come here," he touched her arm, wanting to hold her, but she moved away.

"Jack, you need to talk to my father, before any more time goes by and he thinks you won't ask him."

"What? Have you asked him if I asked him?" Jack asked.

"What?" she was annoyed at his tone.

"Did you ask him if I talked to him about our getting married?" Jack thought about it, "Or did he ask you if I was going to ask him?"

Elizabeth turned, "I think I want to go back now."

Jack reached for her, "Elizabeth, I will talk to your father tomorrow, I promise."

"Can we go back now…please?" she asked.

"Sure," Jack didn't want to upset her further and he didn't want to continue this conversation, he walked up beside her and offered her his arm.

They walked in silence back to town, but once at the café Jack took Elizabeth's hands, "Elizabeth, this is ….this is quite a different time for us… please bear with me," he looked down, "if you're angry with me about not talking to your father, I'm sorry. I will talk to him. You know I plan to do that." He moved closer to her, "I love you," he ran his hands down her arms and caressed her hands with his thumbs, "that's what matters, doesn't it?"

She finally looked up and into his eyes, seeing his sincerity.

"Elizabeth, you're the reason I'm here, the reason I want to be here. For me, you're the sunshine behind all the dark clouds…you're the cool breeze when I'm warm, every morning I wake up wanting to see you…every single day. I hope you know how much I love you and that I don't take our relationship lightly…"

Elizabeth gasped softly, her eyes filled with tears, "Jack…"

Jack wrapped his arms around her and kissed her softly. Elizabeth responded by falling against him and touching his face as they repeatedly kissed. "Jack…I'm….sorry. I love you."

"That's all that matters." He kissed her again.