Elizabeth felt panic setting in when she saw Jack's horse roaming freely in the street, alongside another horse that must have been her father's. She knew that if Jack and her father had returned to town, they would have returned the horses to the livery or at least tied them up outside the jail.

"Mother, I think we should go to the jail and see if father and Jack are there, come on," Elizabeth took her mother's arm.

At the jail, Bill Avery stepped out onto the porch as the ladies approached, "Hello…"

"Is Jack here?" Elizabeth asked.

"No," he noticed her worried look, "what's wrong?"

Elizabeth pointed to the horses, "Something must be wrong."

Bill saw the horses, "Are you sure they aren't at the café?"

"I'm not sure, but why would the horses be in the street?" Elizabeth asked, "Something is definitely wrong."

Out in the woods, Jack was at the bottom of the hill with a disheveled William. He touched his shoulder, "Are you okay? Can you move?"

William turned, wincing slightly, "I'm fine," he attempted to get up and fell back down, "maybe not. How could this happen? Look at me, I'm covered in blueberries!" He looked at Jack, "We're a sight! Good heavens how do we get out of here?"

"You're going to have to climb up, here, I'll help you," Jack took William's arm and managed to help him stand. "Dig your toe into the sand as you climb, it will help support you."

William did as Jack instructed and was able to move up, "Did the Mounties teach you these maneuvers?" William asked as he clutched Jack's arm.

"Let's concentrate on getting out of here," Jack was serious.

For every step they accomplished, William managed to slide back and fall to his knees several times. "Well Jack, think of the stories we can tell from this adventure."

"Let's just get out of here first, then you can tell all the stories you want," Jack responded.

"Did my Beth ever take a tumble like this? She's always been a bit clumsy," William said.

Jack scowled for a moment, then smiled to himself thinking of occasions when Elizabeth had tumbled into his arms, "She's had her moments."

"Well, I'm glad you're around to protect her. Don't want to see her get hurt again," he said.

Jack looked at him, "She got hurt? Bad fall?"

"A fall of a different kind," he groaned lifting himself up, "we're almost there."

Jack concentrated on getting William up the hill and tried not to think about what kind of fall had hurt Elizabeth. She never mentioned a fall, maybe he would ask her about it later.

At the jail, Elizabeth and Bill discussed a plan to go out and look for Jack and Mr. Thatcher. "Let's head over to the café again and make sure they didn't come back to town," Bill said.

At the café, Mrs. Thornton and Mrs. Thatcher, letting Jack and Bill manage the missing men, shared tea in the dining room. "I'm sure they are off looking at the countryside," she poured tea, "and I am certainly glad to see that my son has chosen a teacher, being a teacher myself, it comes in quite handy once children arrive," Mrs. Thornton said.

"Yes, well they can wait for children, Elizabeth really enjoys teaching and I know she wants to teach as long as possible," Mrs. Thatcher was cautious around Mrs. Thornton, still curious about her relationship with her husband William.

"Of course, but as you know children sometimes appear … well, without planning shall we say?"

"She won't let that happen, I assure you," Kate Thatcher took a sip of tea.

"I hope you aren't implying that she doesn't want children. I believe Jack would like a family someday and I wouldn't want to see him tricked into believing something that wasn't true." Mrs. Thornton had growing concern.

"Tricked? You think my daughter would trick your son?" Kate stood.

"I don't want him hurt. He's been hurt before by a woman and I can't bear to see that happen again," Mary Thornton stood.

"I don't want my daughter hurt either Mrs. Thornton," Kath Thatcher stood.

Elizabeth entered the dining room, sensing the tension between the two women, "Is everything okay?" She looked at her mother, "Have you seen Jack and father?"

"No, they haven't returned here, they must be at the stable," Kate said, tugging on her jacket.

"It's a livery mother, and no, they aren't there," she turned to Bill, "we need to go look for them, something may have happened. They could be hurt."

William Thatcher pushed his way to the top of the hill, "I think I've done it, Jack, I think I'm good now," he grabbed onto a branch and pulled himself up to level land. He then proceeded to sit down and let out a deep breath, "that was exhausting."

Jack brushed the dirt from his pants and jacket, "We should head back, if the horses are there and we aren't people will worry."

"Jack you're very conscientious, have you ever considered a future in the business world? You should think about it, it could offer you and Beth a great deal monetarily." He stood and brushed dirt from his pants, "well it's hopeless between the dirt, the blueberries and the rips this suit is not salvageable."

Jack wasn't looking at William Thatcher's torn suit clothes, but was thinking of his statement about the future. Would Elizabeth prefer a better lifestyle than what he could offer her? She certainly was accustomed to one. Perhaps it was worth a discussion at some point.

"I think I'm good," William moved around, "nothing broken. Let's see if we can find those horses."

Jack looked around, "They're back in town by now. Bill Avery could be ready to search for us, so we better head back." Jack thought of asking William about two things he said about Elizabeth, but decided now was not the time and he wanted to get back to town. He had visions of a panicked Elizabeth worrying about both of them and that didn't settle well with him. He also didn't want to think of how Elizabeth may have been hurt in the past. He knew she was now used to the hardships of life in Coal Valley and knew she deserved more, in the long term would she really be comfortable living here? Jack shook his head thinking of her lack of domestic skills, but those were things they could learn and do together…weren't they?

In town, Elizabeth and Bill along with the ladies, were in the kitchen of the café discussing Jack and William Thatcher. "Jack can handle finding his way back to town, I'm sure they're fine, the horses just wandered away from them, that's all," Bill Avery stated.

"I know Jack could find his way back, but they could be hurt…father may have taken a fall and Jack may need help getting him back here," Elizabeth's imagination was starting the get the best of her.

"Hurt?" Kate Thatcher asked. "I certainly hope nothing's happened, Mr. Avery perhaps you should organize a search party. Elizabeth, your father doesn't ride regularly, he could have fallen off!"

"I'll take a ride out and look around," Bill gave Elizabeth a wink and headed for the door, thinking Jack was fine but wanting to calm the nervous fears of the women.

The café door opened and in walked Jack.

Elizabeth squealed, "Jack! Is everything…"

Followed by William Thatcher, blueberry stained all the way up his suit, along with patches of dirt and grass stains. His face had minor scratches and his hair was flat against his head on one side and standing up straight on the other.

"Father!" Elizabeth yelled.

Kate Thatcher gasped. "What on earth? William!"

"Good heavens!" Mary Thornton said looking at Jack, "what happened to you two?"

Bill and Abigail closed their gapping mouths and sprang into action, "Here, sit down Mr. Thatcher," Abigail pulled a chair around.

Bill went to Jack, "You two okay…" he looked at Thatcher, "overall?"

William Thatcher tried to make light of the situation, "Mrs. Stanton, I don't think you'll be making blueberry pie anytime soon, I've seemed to have used up all the local berries." He practically collapsed onto the chair.

"From the looks of you, we could just squeeze your clothes and use that," Abigail gave the man a towel.

Elizabeth, still too stunned to speak, was watching Jack, who she noticed was not as blueberry stained as her father.

Jack walked to her, "He's okay, just took a tumble," he reached for her arm, "I'm sorry Elizabeth."

"I was worried, about both of you," she whispered.

"Come with me," Jack wanted to speak to her privately, then walked through the dining room and out the door. "I asked your father for your hand," Jack beamed.

Elizabeth, wide eyed, "With a fist full of blueberries?"

"No, I'm serious, we talked and he gave his blessing to us. Isn't that good news?" Jack was looking intently at her.

Elizabeth softened, seeing how sincere Jack was, "Yes," she whispered, eyes cast down, "I'm happy to hear that."

He squeezed her arms, "I want to kiss you right now, so badly…" He laughed his nervous laugh.

Elizabeth smiled and took a glance around then grabbed Jack's hand and led him out to the back of the café. Once out of sight, she bounced up and down anticipating his kiss.

He took her hands, "Elizabeth, today I asked your father for your hand in marriage," he smiled but tried to stay in his most serious and formal tone, "and I'm happy to say that he was pleased to have me, Jack Thornton, marry his beautiful, intelligent, lovely daughter. Elizabeth, I love you with all my heart. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

Elizabeth could barely see through the tears in her eyes, "Jack Thornton, you are an amazing, confident, handsome man and I would be so honored to be by your side as your wife and have you forever with me as my husband."

They sealed their special vows with a kiss, a passionate kiss complete with their arms securely bonding themselves to each other, their hearts close enough to beat as one.