"Circus?" Rosemary blinked and frowned slightly as she replaced the canister of flour on the shelf in her cupboard. "Of course the circus is coming to town." She turned to face Abigail and Elizabeth and put her hands on her hips.

"I promised the children that day of that awful flood and like Mrs. Thornton," she sighed. "I never break a promise." Abigail and Elizabeth looked at one another and their smiles slowly widened in delight.

"Although it took Lee very long time to find a circus to come this far west but with the railroad station her now…." Rosemary's voice trailed off as she stopped stirring her batter and looked at her smiling friends. She cocked her head in confusion.

"Lee hasn't gotten final confirmation from them yet," she said. "How did you know?" Abigail and Elizabeth swung wide eyes to her.

"There's this man in town who was at the library," Abigail explained quickly.

"And he came into the café to get a dinner basket from Abigail for Mrs. McCormick," Abigail added. Rosemary was taken aback and her frown deepened.

"I know!" Abigail cried in disbelief. "That…Mrs. McCormick."

"And before he left with the basket he whispered into her ear that the circus was coming to town," Elizabeth finished. Rosemary tipped her head thoughtfully.

"Mrs. McCormick?" she said in disbelief. Elizabeth sighed in exasperation.

"No…" she corrected. "The man in the library."

"But why would he be taking a dinner basket to the library?" she asked. "Especially when it's not even open to borrow books yet."

"Pay attention, Rosemary," Abigail chuckled. "There is a man in town who says that the circus is coming. Now you said that Lee hasn't gotten word as to…when…its coming but someone must know if he's here." Elizabeth nodded in agreement.

"Well, I think someone should find this man and talk to him," Rosemary replied with determination. They all looked up as the front door opened and Lee entered with a paper wrapped package in his hands.

"Lee," Rosemary straightened. "We were just talking about…"

"The circus?" he interrupted with a smile. Rosemary frowned slightly as he pressed a kiss to her cheek and pushed her bowls aside to set the package on the table. He untied the string and folded back the paper to reveal a stack of colorful posters. Elizabeth and Abigail gasped as he handed each of them a poster.

"I'll have Hickham put these up around town today," he said as his smile widened while studying the poster. "They'll be parked on the spur line for three days. We'll have to delay some lumber deliveries or make arrangements to ship by wagon but I think it will be worth it."

"Oh, Lee," Rosemary scowled. "That woman is wearing barely any clothes." His smile faded as he studied the poster again. He tipped his head down to look at a small picture in the corner.

"It's a high wire act, Rosie," he scoffed. "She's wearing the right clothes for that. It's a costume."

"It says their performance is Saturday," Abigail said. "This Saturday?" Lee nodded and picked up the rest of the posters.

"I need to send some wires about lumber deliveries," he said and planted another kiss on his wife's cheek. "And get these posters up so people can plan to come. I'll see you at dinner." He was still grinning as he left, closing the door behind him. Rosemary pulled the poster closer and studied the picture in the corner again. Abigail glanced at Elizabeth who was grinning as she read the poster again and again. And then her friend's smile faded.

"What's the matter?" she asked. Elizabeth sighed and hugged the poster to her chest.

"I was just thinking that this is going to be the longest rest of the week ever in the Hope Valley schoolroom," she sighed. The three women glanced worriedly from one to another and then Elizabeth chuckled.

"You need to be at school when I tell the children," Elizabeth said as she turned to Rosemary. "When can you come?"

"Oh, I don't think that's really necessary," Rosemary shook her head.

"This was all your doing," Abigail spoke up and rolled her eyes. "Of course you need to be there! They'll be so excited." Rosemary glanced from one to the other.

"Just before lunch?" she offered. Elizabeth grinned and nodded.

"It's going to be a very long morning for me," she sighed as she headed for the door. "I'll see you then."

"I need to get to the café," Abigail said. "I'll wait till after lunch to hang this outside the door." She held the poster out and studied it as she followed Elizabeth to the door. She grinned excitedly at Rosemary as she closed the door behind her.

Rosemary set the poster on the table and went back to work on the bowl of bread batter. She dropped her hands onto the table and smiled broadly in satisfaction. The circus she had promised was finally coming to town.

Elizabeth had anticipated shrieks and excitement at their announcement just before lunch so she was expecting the noise. Rosemary laughed and covered her ears at the bedlam in the schoolroom.

"All right!" Elizabeth clapped her hands after a few minutes and the children returned to their seats, still laughing and chattering to each other.

"Now," Elizabeth said as order began to return. "I know you are all excited but we need to remember that we have three more school days before the circus arrives." Smiles faded as the children settled even more.

"How many of you have ever been to a circus before?" Elizabeth asked as she moved down the center aisle. Robert's hand shot into the air. Hattie's rose a little more slowly. Anna stared at the friend in the seat next to her with an envious grin.

"Our first…circus…homework will be to talk to your family members tonight," Elizabeth instructed. "Find out how many have seen a circus. I want you to write down some of their observations….what they saw…..or maybe what they think they might see at a circus." Her students were still grinning and nodded.

"But right now it's time for lunch," she said. "Take your pails and baskets outside and run some energy off. We have an arithmetic lesson after recess." There was an excited scramble to put books away and reach for lunch pails as they hurried outside. Rosemary shook her head and studied Elizabeth in amazement.

"You are a genius, Mrs. Thornton," she said as she hugged her. Elizabeth sighed heavily even as she smiled happily.

"Its going to keep me up at night to come up with circus lessons for the next few days," she laughed.

"If anyone can do it, you can," Rosemary assured her.

"Have you ever seen a circus, Mrs. Coulter?" Emily asked as she buttoned her jacket shut.

"Oh goodness, yes," Rosemary chuckled.

"Can you tell me about it?" the little girl asked.

"I would love to!" She took the little girl's hand and Elizabeth smiled as she watched them go out the door. As she turned to go back to her desk, Elizabeth noticed Hattie gathering her things more slowly.

"Hattie," she asked. "Is everything all right?" Hattie nodded slowly and Elizabeth noticed a glint in the tall girl's eyes as she looked at her. Elizabeth's shoulders sagged sadly and she moved toward her and slipped an arm across Hattie's shoulders.

"Sit with me for a minute," she said and guided the tall girl toward the bench by the window. Elizabeth glanced outside and suppressed a smile as she watched the excited children gathered in groups on the grass. She sat next to Hattie and took one of the girl's hands in her own.

"You saw the circus in Hamilton, didn't you?" she asked. "With Janie?" Hattie hesitated a moment and then nodded slowly. She looked up at her teacher as a tear spilled out of her eye and slipped down her cheek. Elizabeth frowned sympathetically and pulled a handkerchief out o her pocket. She held it out an. Hattie took it from her.

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "I know you still miss her sometimes."

"Its been a long time but sometimes something happens and…," Hattie replied sadly. "I don't think I want to go to the circus again,"

"I know," her teacher nodded sadly. "I do. Sometimes its just little things..." Her voice trailed off and she frowned slightly. Then she sighed.

"I'm sure that it was a wonderful memory for you to have with Janie," Elizabeth said as the girl straightened on the bench. "I understand if you don't want to go." Hattie shrugged and nodded.

"But…if you don't go," Elizabeth continued. "You'll be missing out on a chance to make the same kind of memories with Anna, Emily and Cody and all of your other friends here in Hope Valley." Hattie looked up at her thoughtfully.

"It's their very first time," Elizabeth smiled. "I'm so excited for them. Aren't you?" Hattie nodded slowly and then smiled. Elizabeth hugged her quickly again and they stood up and crossed the room to the door. Opal was waiting right outside on the steps for them.

"Mrs. Thornton!" she cried excitedly. "Mrs. Coulter said there are going to be bears at the circus! Dancing bears!" Hattie looked up at Elizabeth and they both laughed. Elizabeth nudged the little girl forward and watched as Hattie took Opal's hand and hurried toward the other girls gathered on the grass eating lunch. She sighed deeply and smiled. It was a good day…..and the circus was coming to town.