While eating breakfast, Elizabeth was told there was a call for her from Hope Valley. Since they had just finished, Julie promised to watch over Jack until she was done. She made herself comfortable in her father's study and picked up the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Elizabeth, it's Rosemary. Lee and I felt it was too important to wait until you got home."
"What's wrong."
"There's no easy way to say this, but Lucas has been flirting a lot. We have had some new people move to Hope Valley recently, among them some ladies, including a pharmacist that just arrived a few days ago though there's something fishy about it. Fiona has complained too about how he has been acting with her. He has also been taunting Nathan, and it got bad enough that he sent Allie to visit her grandmother because she was so distressed by it. Of course, she might be distressed because of the dreadful mustache that Nathan is now sporting. It reminds me of an actress I once knew who, after being dumped by the director she fell in love with, ended up with bangs, which wasn't a good look for her. I guess a mustache is Nathan's version of breakup bangs. Fiona and I have been trying to talk him into getting rid of it. Oh, and to make it worse, he has this little square patch under his lip too."
Thankfully Rosemary had stopped to take a breath, so Elizabeth jumped in. "I appreciate that you and Lee wanted to let me know. I've come to my own realization here as well. I finally managed to read Lucas' favorite book and had a horrible nightmare. After telling her the dream, Rosemary was shocked.
"What on earth is his favorite book that you would have that nightmare? I mean, the thought that you and the town would abandon its morals is quite shocking."
"His favorite book is Dangerous Liaisons."
"Wait, what?" Rosemary said. "Well, no wonder you had a dream like you did. Oh, Elizabeth, if I had known, but honestly, it doesn't surprise me either, and .…well, it doesn't matter now. What matters is that you end things with him as soon as possible.
The door to her father's study opened, and Julie appeared. At Elizabeth's questioning glance, she said that Viola had taken Jack and her daughter out to the garden to play. Elizabeth quickly explained the reason for the call.
Julie moved to sit next to her sister so they could both participate in the call. "I have an idea though it is a bit underhanded."
"Julie, when it comes to Lucas Bouchard, it would be good to give him a taste of his own medicine. What are you thinking?" Rosemary asked.
"Simple, I'll come for a visit as your cousin, Rosemary, and then engage in flirtations with him. That way, we can gauge the type of character he really is and his intentions toward Elizabeth. I didn't interact much with him, so I'm sure he won't remember me, and with my sister gone, he won't connect the dots."
"We just have to spread the word to those who know you not to give you away," Elizabeth said, warming to the idea.
"You let me handle that, Elizabeth," Rosemary said. "I'll arrange for my cousin Juliette Leveaux to visit for a few weeks. When do you think you can arrive?"
"I can be there, I'd say, in 5 days?" Julie said. "That will give us a week before Beth comes home."
"Sounds good to me," Rosemary said. "Oh, I forgot to tell you that Lee, Mike, Fiona, and Bill are all running for Mayor. When you get back, I also want to do an interview on your book tour. Well, got to go because the news waits for no one." Then with her classic giggle, Rosemary disconnected the line leaving the sisters bemused.
Julie stepped off the train in Hope Valley four days later and was met by Rosemary and another woman Julie's own age.
Julie stepped off the train in Hope Valley four days later and was met by Rosemary and another woman Julie's own age. She was a pretty young woman and was very stylishly dressed and had short brown curly hair.
"Julie," Rosemary said. "It's been so long since I last saw you. This is Fiona Miller, and you will be posing as her cousin instead. Bill, Lee, and I got to talking, and if we really want this to work, then it wouldn't work if you were, in fact, my cousin because it would be too close to Elizabeth. So you'll be staying with Fiona."
"Julie, it is nice to meet you, and please call me Fiona."
"Only if you call me Julie. My sister has spoken so fondly of you that I feel like I already know you. I can tell we are going to have a lot of fun getting to know each other."
"I have a feeling you are right. Why don't we get you settled at my apartment for now, and I'll start introducing you around. Don't worry either because those who would know you are all prepared to keep your secret. Faith will be joining us for supper along with the new pharmacist Mei Sou."
"Apparently, Faith knows her from Chicago. But she is not in our group, so do not reveal who you are to her. I'm not entirely sure that Faith is entirely comfortable yet either, but it could be because she appears to be developing feelings for Nathan as well, although I didn't say anything to Elizabeth." Rosemary said.
"Does he appear to return them?" Julie asked, dreading her answer.
"He doesn't appear to have noticed them. Mei Sou also appears a bit taken by him as well, but I think he is just as oblivious, and though they have had supper one evening when she helped him with Newton, I don't see any big love connection. What do you think, Fiona?"
"I think, going by that awful facial hair he has grown, that he is still pining for Elizabeth. It doesn't help that Lucas has taunted him on occasion about winning the prize." Fiona said her disdain for her boss was evident.
"Does Nathan know who I am and why I am here?" Julie asked.
"He does," Rosemary confirmed.
"I have a plan that, if he is willing, will get him a bit of payback, while at the same time may create a future path for Elizabeth to fix the mess she created by giving in to her fear," Julie said. "But I don't want to say more until I have a chance to think about it more."
Lucas was sipping tea, perusing the streets, when he spotted Fiona and Rosemary with a stunning redhead. From a distance, he could already see that her bearing and clothing spoke of money which was just his type. He had enjoyed flirtations with Mei, and he was drawn to her air of mystery. But one look at the vivacious redhead, and he knew that he would definitely need to take a closer look. It wouldn't be the first time that he had juggled more than one lady recalling in New Orleans that he had been in a relationship with five ladies at once. It had been unfortunate, though, that his friend Jeanette had needed him, and he had to leave town in a hurry after crossing Amos.
Out of the corner of her eye, Julie saw a man standing on the balcony of the saloon. Looking up she momentarily locked eyes with Lucas. When he raised his teacup to her in a silent toast, she gave him a wink and sultry smile before returning her attention to her companions.
Lucas sighed and went inside, eagerly looking forward to learning the woman's identity. Then he remembered hearing Fiona and Mike discussing her cousin arriving to visit her just yesterday. He was now glad that he managed to smooth things over between him and Fiona after he became a little too obvious in their flirtations one evening when they were working late. Though he knew that that night had changed their friendship although thinking about it maybe it had altered before that. He also knew that his taunting of Nathan had been a big part of the changed friendship, as well. When he had made a disparaging remark about the heartbroken Mountie, she had jumped to his defense. It had made him a bit jealous, and then, of course, he accused her of having feelings for the man and then proceeded to come on a bit strong in an effort to prove that he was better. He chuckled as he recalled how easily she had bought the excuse that they had both had too much to drink and she misunderstood him. By the time he was done, she was the one that apologized to him, and he graciously accepted it.
MEANWHILE IN HAMILTON
Elizabeth sat thinking about her interactions with Nathan and all the hard truths her family had shared with her and wondering how to return to her old self and restore her friendship with Nathan. Looking back, she cringed as she realized in the past eight months how much she had hurled abuse at Nathan, and he had taken it as if it were his due. None of it had been deserved, especially the accusations she made in public. What had given her that right? The worst of it was her words to him in the Jail.
'When I said it just happened to be you who Jack replaced when he was killed, what I didn't say is how thankful I am that it was you. I couldn't have asked for a more courageous, selfless, good man to watch over and care for me. But I also realized that I have been trying to find Jack in you. I've been trying to replace him with you. And that wasn't fair... to anyone. Nathan, I do love you; it would be impossible not to. But I'm not in love with you. I'm just so sorry. Tell Allie that I'll always think you're impeccable.'
He had just stood there, and she cringed again as she saw the light of hope that had been there, the sparkle ever present when he looked at her, die in that moment at her words. Once again, he had stood there and taken what she had dished out in cruelty and desperation without a word. She could see the hurt on his face and knew he was fighting tears as his Adam's apple bobbed up and down, jaw clenched. Her actions contradicted her words as she left with that final remark which looking back, made no sense. Tears began to fall as she thought about her words, and with a quick indrawn breath, she knew that her words had been careless, especially in light of her subsequent decision to continue with Lucas and how it was turning out.'
"I have to apologize to so many, and he and Allie need to be at the top of that list." She whispered to herself. "He deserves the right for me to stand there and hear what he says."
"Hear what who has to say, dear?"
Elizabeth was startled out of her reverie when her aunt and mother entered the parlor.
"I was thinking about Nathan and how he deserves the right for me to hear what he has to say. In the past, I have said my piece and walked away, and he just stood there and not said anything back." Elizabeth then told them all that she had done and said to him.
"He sounds like a good and patient man, Elizabeth." Her mother replied when she was done. "I know your father would not have done that."
"Perhaps, sister. However, that is not always the case. Is he afraid to speak up?" her aunt asked. "You don't want to go through life being catered to. By that, I mean a good strong marriage must have a healthy give and take. In other words, both parties need to be able to feel they can disagree and be heard. Not to mention that the occasional argument always leads to making up."
"Agatha!" Grace said, a bit scandalized at her sister.
"Relax, Grace, we are all three married women and know what happens in a marriage."
Elizabeth laughed as she considered her aunt's words. "No, Nathan hasn't been shy about disagreeing with me. We have had a few arguments before this, which makes it odd that he never responded, come to think of it." On the other hand, it is precisely how Lucas was; she realized with a start that Lucas never disagreed outright but would manipulate things to his satisfaction.
"Sometimes we need that person to step in when we aren't making good choices and call us out. That was one of the things I appreciate most about your uncle." Her aunt said. "Though he could also be one of the most exasperating men I have ever known. Sometimes I didn't know whether I wanted to kiss or hit him. But he never ran from the hard times and stayed by my side through every trial."
Elizabeth chuckled, recalling times that she and Jack had felt the same way about each other, and then blushed thinking of their makeup afterward. This led her to that day at the cabin when she had the urge to kiss Nathan. It hadn't been the first time, either.
"My dear girl, judging by the blush on your cheeks, you definitely know what I'm talking about," Her Aunt Agatha replied. Elizabeth looked up at the older women, and they all broke out into laughter.