Chapter 9

Allie and Emily couldn't stop giggling. Nathan had agreed that a sleepover would be ok, as with six of the Mounties boarding at Cat Montgomery's he knew that his daughter would be well protected.

For the two girls it was as if the last four years had never happened and they were back to being the best of friends, finishing each other's sentences and understanding what the other meant without needing to say very much. The intervening years had seen them both change so there was a lot to discuss. That their lives were heading in different directions was clear but each was happy that the other had found what they wanted to be doing and were pursuing their dreams.

Emily was still finishing her last year at school, envious of Allie whose placement on the advanced learning programme meant that she had been able to complete her final year early. While Allie was planning to pursue a career in journalism after college, inspired by her mother's past, Emily had decided that she was too much of a home girl to think about leaving Hope Valley. She had started a Saturday job at the dress shop and it wasn't long before her natural talent for sewing and design caught the attention of Wilma Lawson who had bought the shop from Dottie Ramsay. They came to an understanding that once her schooling was done then she would work there full time.

Although Allie was pleased for her friend she privately thought that it all sounded rather boring. After hearing her mother talk about her time as a war correspondent in France, breaking down barriers alongside such women as Mary MacLeod Moore and Elizabeth Montizambert (2), she knew that whatever she did she wanted it to make a difference. But first she had to get the best training and as much experience as possible. She explained about the articles she was hoping to write for Mrs Coulter, relating some of the stories she would tell and how she hoped to add a bit of intrigue to make it interesting for people, her enthusiasm rubbing off on Emily who was listening avidly.

In Molly's rowhouse Abigail had been busy baking, anxious to go and talk to Elizabeth but now knowing that she hadn't withdrawn totally from everything she felt it would be best to first hear what others had to say. They had arranged to meet at Rosemary and Lee's house for dinner, where they would speak once the two boys had gone to bed. She had a feeling that what they were going to be told was not something any child should overhear about their mother. So to fill the time until then she did what she did best. Two of her famous cherry pies were cooling on the side, Bill having asked if she would make an extra one for Nathan and Cecilia to have that evening.

Sitting down with a coffee in the afternoon she had let her mind wander back to the many conversations she had with Jack Thornton, often in the kitchen of the café or on the chairs outside the Mountie office as she took in the night air after the last of her customers had left. They talked about many things. Having arrived in Hope Valley not long after the mine disaster that killed both her husband and son, Jack had seen her through one of the worst periods of her life. Then it had been her turn to help him.

That he loved Elizabeth was undeniable, but so was his deep sense of duty to serve others, the belief that being a Mountie was his calling. She knew that whatever he had written in his notebook was not a statement of fact but a voicing of doubts, an outlet for him to get his feelings out and something he would never have expected Elizabeth to see.

While Abigail baked, Henry spent the day wandering around the town having a drink in each of the saloons, visiting Ned and Florence in The Mercantile and getting a general feel for what was happening. He chatted amiably with everyone but noticed how few of the old familiar faces were out and about, and those who were had a weariness about them that reminded him of his own hard times in Hope Valley.

He felt great shame for the things he had done in the past, no matter how many times Abigail reminded him that he was a different man now and that his willingness to testify against the mining company had meant that those responsible for the deaths of so many good men were finally brought to justice. Because of the report he had written the mine had now been blasted shut and would never re-open, something he knew had turned Lucas Bouchard against him more than ever.

The thought of Bouchard made him frown. That the man was dangerous went without saying but it was the level of his corruption that surprised Henry. He found himself outside the Mountie Office, knowing that another step along his path to redemption was to find a way to help this town overcome the problems they now faced. Sometimes you had to understand the way the likes of Bouchard thought, something Henry was not proud to admit he did.

Nathan was seated at his desk, the reports from yesterday's exercise spread in front of him as he tried to create a mental picture of the operation at the warehouse compound. Looking up as the door opened he was surprised to see Henry Gowan. He knew through Bill that the man had turned over a new leaf as he tried very hard to right the wrongs of his past and now, married to one of the best women Nathan had ever met, he had no doubt he was achieving what he had set out to do.

Rising from his chair he held out his hand, "Henry, it is good to see you. I am so glad that you and Abigail were able to come at such short notice. Have you seen Elizabeth yet?"

Henry shook his head before taking the seat across the desk. "Not yet, although we do know that she left her house today so hopefully that means she isn't quite as fragile as everyone believes. Rosemary and Lee will be updating us on the situation tonight and then we will try to speak with her tomorrow."

Nathan smiled, "I heard that she had been in town. Allie bumped into her in The Mercantile this morning and had a short conversation. I think she is bottling up her feelings and we all know that eventually the dam will burst. That is when she will need you the most."

Nodding in agreement, Henry replied. "And when that happens we will be there for her, if she lets us. For now, I am here to speak about a different matter. Lucas Bouchard."

Looking quizzically at the older man, Nathan signalled for him to continue.

"I know how he thinks, especially now when things aren't all going his way and he may be starting to feel like he's being backed into a corner. That is when a man like him becomes the most dangerous. I'm here to help, if you will let me." Without hesitation Nathan stood, "We would be more than grateful, Henry. Come on upstairs and meet the team."

In the top floor Mountie Office they quickly went through the information they had with Henry, listening patiently as he thought out loud about the possibilities of each part of the puzzle. They were all impressed. The man had a logical mind, able to recognise patterns in what was going on that confirmed the suspicions Nathan had when he first arrived. The warehouses were too obvious for anything important to be happening there, so the question was, from what were they trying to draw the attention away?

After a few hours they decided to call it a day in the office, although the investigating never stopped. Henry felt that he might learn more over dinner from both Bill and Lee, not to mention Rosemary. He also had some contacts he said he would ring to see if there was any word circulating about things happening in the local area.

Patrick O'Connell, the Irish Canadian amongst them, was planning to visit The Tipperary that evening, taking with him Walter Jardine as he knew that anyone with a Scottish name was always welcome in an Irish Bar. They knew they would be recognised as Mounties but hoped that being off duty would mean they were accepted. At the very least they may stir the pot some and with a bit of luck get an indication as to why a Chinese mobster's men were frequenting the establishment.

Jim was still recovering from his head injury, following strictly the rules set out by his doctors so that he could participate in the investigation. Greg had volunteered to man the Mountie office for the night, watching the comings and goings of the drinking establishments for a period before settling down on the cot in the back room ready to react to any trouble that may occur.

Meanwhile Ed and Harold had headed out to do the evening rounds, making sure that they included a ride past the warehouses to see what, if anything, happened out there at night and for Ed to familiarise himself more with that area having not participated in yesterday's surveillance exercise. They would head back to Cat Montgomery's for dinner and what they knew was their most important task of all, keeping Allie safe.

Nathan was given strict instructions by all his men that he should spend the evening at home with his wife, something with which he was more than happy to comply. Feeling confident that they had everything covered for now, knowing that the information gathering period was the most difficult and slowest part of any investigation, he willingly agreed.

He stopped quickly on the way to buy some flowers for Cecilia, who never needing grand material gestures would appreciate the simple bunch of brilliant yellow daffodils Florence was wrapping for him. Pressing a small box of heart shaped chocolates into his hand she whispered, "Every lady deserves chocolates, Nathan. These are for your beautiful wife with our love."

Whistling as he walked on down the main street he realised that no matter what troubles he had to face each day, having this woman he loved to go home to made everything bearable. How he had existed before she came into his life he didn't know but then he smiled to himself. Of course it was because he had Allie. Taking the front steps two at a time he quickly opened the door, calling out down the hallway. "Mrs Grant, we have the whole night to ourselves. How wonderful is that?"

He was met by silence. "Cecilia" he called again, a slight nervousness gripping him. "Where are you? Are you upstairs my love".

Nothing.

At that moment Nathan felt his heart start pounding harder as he raced through to the back of the house, the silence in the rooms overwhelming as his mind tried hard to think where she could be and not give in to the panic that was beginning to rise within him.

Cecilia had been happy to see Allie go off to a sleepover with her friend Emily. While she knew that Nathan had made the right decision when they left Hope Valley, she also understand how difficult it was for a teenager to leave everyone she knew behind. As the daughter and step-daughter of a Mountie she had experienced that herself a number of times and it never got any easier. That Allie had done so well was a credit to her resilience and to Nathan's parenting skills. She knew he would move heaven and earth to keep his daughter happy. Rubbing her stomach gently she whispered "You are so blessed little one to have such an incredible man for your father."

Earlier in the afternoon Bill had called in with the most wonderful smelling cherry pie that Abigail baked for them. She was looking forward to meeting more of this family of people her husband and daughter loved but for now she knew that they all had important tasks to focus on so she was happy to wait. Before he left he announced that Nathan was having the night off….at least it had been agreed by the others that he needed to spend some down time with his wife. "I'm not going to argue with that Bill" she laughingly replied.

Looking in the ice box and cupboards, which Molly had generously left well stocked, she realised that she had everything needed to prepare a lovely dinner for them both. The coolness this morning had turned into a glorious spring day as the afternoon wore on, perfect for a stroll around to acquaint herself with more of the town. She knew that Nathan wouldn't be back for some time but still she wrote a quick note to say she had gone out, unaware that as she closed the door it was blown off the kitchen table and under the hoosier.

She walked briskly until she reached the main street, taking a moment there to decide which direction to turn. Allie had shown her around the shops and businesses this morning and although at some point she wanted to go in to meet all the people again for now she was happy to just be out enjoying the warm spring air. There was a pond somewhere near the church, she remembered Nathan telling her. Perhaps she could head for that, maybe taking a longer path around to enjoy the afternoon more. Oblivious to everything but the sound of the birds and the colourful spring flowers, it was a while before she realised that she was lost.

"Serves me right for not taking the direct route", she muttered out loud.

She looked about her, trying to work out the best way to go, then as she skirted around the copse of trees she could just see water shimmering through the gaps. Hitching her dress up a little higher she stepped carefully over fallen logs as she cut through the woodland, now wanting to just get back.

A noise somewhere to her right and then a muffled sound made her stop. "Hello, is anybody there?" she called out. There was no reply but instinctively she knew that someone was near. She kept moving through the trees, turning towards the water.

Another sound made her stop near the edge of the woodland, before she focused enough into the light to see that someone was sitting on the pontoon ahead. A woman. Her head was down and she was making little gasping sounds as she read from the book in her hand. Cecilia was uncertain what to do, she didn't want to go back through the trees but she felt that she was intruding on this woman's privacy. Before she could decide the stranger looked up and seeing her she quickly tried to gather up her belongings and stand.

Cecilia stepped forward, speaking quietly "I didn't mean to disturb you. I got a bit lost on my walk I'm afraid, which is why I came through the trees."

The woman looked at her dress, twigs and leaves caught in the folds, but stayed silent. "I am a bit of a mess," she continued. "I am so sorry for interrupting you, I'll just be on my way and leave you in peace. I can see where I need to go from here."

Suddenly the woman spoke. "You are CC Weston." It was a statement rather than a question.

Cecilia nodded in reply. "That is my pen name. I am a writer, but you obviously already know that." She reached out her hand towards the other woman. "My name is Cecilia Grant, my husband is…"

"I know who he is." the woman said, almost dejectedly.

They stood there for a few moments, neither sure what to do or say next. Eventually Cecilia broke the silence. "Might I know who you are?"

The other woman seemed to hesitate before replying "I am Elizabeth Bouchard. I am sure you will have heard of me, if not from Nathan then from someone else in town as I understand I am a popular topic of gossip."

Trying to keep her voice gentle Cecilia half smiled. "Yes, I do know who you are. I have heard a lot about you from Nathan and Allie. They both care about you very much."

Elizabeth scoffed, a grim expression settling on her face. "If they cared about me then why did they leave town without saying goodbye?"

Cecilia could feel the sadness surrounding this woman. She was beautiful, there was no denying that, but the aura of hopelessness that emanated from her was strong, draining all the life out of her. "That is something you would have to ask Nathan yourself, although I think you already know the answer."

As Cecilia turned to walk away a hand reached out to hold her wrist, "Please don't go. I would like to know some more about you."

As Elizabeth went to stand the book fell from her lap, landing at Cecilia's feet. She picked it up, knowing immediately what it was. "This is your husband's notebook?"

Elizabeth looked shocked. "You know about it? Has Nathan told you what is in it?"

"Yes, I know. Nathan told me about you soon after we met and since then he always makes sure I know of anything that concerns you or Hope Valley. I have assured him it isn't necessary but we made a promise to each other that there would be no secrets and he feels this comes under that."

The emotions playing across Elizabeth's face were hard for Cecilia to read. She knew this woman had treated her husband and daughter cruelly but she also knew that she had paid a high price for that and other things she had done. Now was the time for compassion, for someone to reach out to her, let her know that it was not too late to change things.

Cecilia removed Elizabeth's hand and indicated for her to sit down.

"It is a very hard thing in life to realise that what you thought was perfect wasn't actually so. You need to remember that Jack loved you enough to want to marry you despite his doubts. From what I have been told I believe it was his inner demons, his ongoing need to right the wrongs of the world, that was penning those words, not the man who held you in his arms and made love to you. Believe me, I have clasped the hands of dying men, listened as they spoke their last words and in each case it was not about the fight but about love, about the person they were wishing was there with them and the face they wanted to be the last thing they saw. That is who you were to him."

Elizabeth nodded, wondering how this woman could be so generous and kind to her after all that she had done to the people she held dear. She kept her head down as Cecilia continued.

"Someone like Jack wouldn't have wanted to be put on a pedestal. He was a man not a god. And all men and women have faults, it's part of what makes them who they are. It is what makes good people strive to be better every day. Love doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be real. And it has to be honest. You mustn't settle for something less. No-one should be made to live a life that doesn't allow them to be true to themself. There is always a way out of things, sometimes you just need to ask for help."

Elizabeth felt herself smile for the first time in so long. There was something about what Cecilia had said that brought a calmness to her, an understanding that not everything in life was black and white, so much of it was mixed up with fulfilling the expectations of others whilst also wanting to live up to our own dreams and purposes.

Perhaps that was what Jack was writing, not that he didn't love her but that he loved her enough to see the reality of things rather than looking at their life through rose tinted glasses. They had promised to face any problems together and she wondered if they would have done that had he come back home to her.

Suddenly she knew what she had to do about Lucas. There was to be no more hiding, no more fear. "I don't know what to say. Nathan deserves to have the very best and I believe he has found it in you."

She stood then, her hand resting on the other woman's shoulder as she spoke. "I have so many things I need to sort out. But first I need to speak to Nathan and Bill. It must be in secret, if Lucas or any of his men find out it will put us all in danger. Will you help me?"

Before Cecilia could reply she heard a voice calling out her name. Turning she could see a Mountie on horseback approaching fast, and as he drew near she realised that it was Constable Aldritt.

"Is everything ok, Greg?" she shouted, trying to keep panic from her voice. "Has something happened to Nathan? Or Allie?"

He gave a chuckle as he dismounted, thinking about what his boss was going to say to his wife, then quickly answered "No they are fine, if you consider the Superintendent almost having a heart attack at you going missing to be fine, that is!"

Elizabeth laughed silently behind her, remembering her own incident in the cabin with Nathan, as Cecilia spluttered in protest, "But I left him a note!"

(2) Mary MacLeod Moore and Elizabeth (Elsie) Montizambert were two of the few women journalists allowed to visit the military "lines of communication" in France during WW1, along with fellow Canadians Beatrice Nasmyth and Florence McPhedran, primarily telling the stories of women's contributions to the war and working with organisations that assisted soldiers. I have based Cecilia's character partly on these women.