Nathan and Elizabeth strolled back to Town, hands brushing against each other, wanting the connection but too shy to let everyone know about their relationship. Nathan was torn up inside, elation about what just happened, competing with his guilt of Elizabeth not knowing why he was in Coal Valley.

He knew he should have told her before they kissed, before they took their relationship to the next level, but he loved her. He knew he did; he loved her with everything inside him and was determined to find a way to tell her so she wouldn't hate him.

As they reached the middle of Town and stopped outside the Mountie office, Nathan faced Elizabeth and smiled. Her answering smile made his heart leap; he wanted nothing more than to reach out and kiss her but knew that couldn't happen.

"Elizabeth..." Nathan stopped, his words interrupted as the Mountie office door opened and a man stepped out, someone he wasn't expecting. Nathan frowned as the man stood, hands on hips watching him without speaking.

"Is everything alright, Nathan?"

"I am sure everything is fine, Elizabeth; I have some Mountie business to attend to; it's urgent."

It was Elizabeth's turn to frown; how could he know it was urgent? They had just arrived back in Town.

Turning to follow his gaze Elizabeth could see a tall, older man. He had sandy blonde hair and a weather-lined face that had a stern expression. Standing with his arms crossed over his chest, he appeared relaxed, but Elizabeth could tell he was ready to spring into action at any moment.

"Who is that man, Nathan?" Elizabeth asked, concerned at why this stranger had caused such tension in Nathan. As she spoke, she placed her hand on his arm and could feel the stress through his muscles.

Nathan glanced at Elizabeth, relieved she didn't recognise Bill Avery. He knew he should be ashamed of himself for being pleased his reason for being in Coal Valley would remain hidden for a little longer. Nathan knew Elizabeth would be upset and angry at her father and possibly him by association when she found out what her father had done.

"Could I see you later, Elizabeth? I will find you as soon as I can."

"Of course, Nathan, please do what you need. I will be at Abigail's when you are ready." Turning to walk away, she stopped and, turning back, asked him, "you are going to be okay, aren't you?"

Nathan smiled at her, his pleasure at her concern evident on his face, "it's Mountie business, but not dangerous, I promise."

Nathan watched Elizabeth walk away before joining Bill and ushering him inside.

"What are you doing here, Bill? I expected you to respond via Telegram, not turn up."

"Sorry, Nathan, but when I read the name Henry Gowan, I knew I had to come. Henry and I go way back, and none of it has been good. If he is involved, we need to investigate fast; if Henry finds out what we are doing, he will hide any evidence which might be left."

"Did you find the safety report I asked about?"

"Better," Bill replied, his mouth lifting in a smile, 'I found Joseph Sweeney, and he is willing to testify against Gowan and the Mining Company."

"Okay. I will introduce you to Abigail Stanton; her husband and son died in the Mine; she is the one who brought the issue to my attention." Nathan wondered how to broach his concerns with Bill, hoping the man didn't try and deflect his questions. "But before we do, I need to ask you about something."

"Go ahead."

"Is my being in Coal Valley because Elizabeth Thatcher is here? Did William Thatcher arrange for a Mountie in Coal Valley to keep his daughter safe?"

"Yes."

Nathan blew out a breath of frustration. He knew it. Elizabeth would be furious when she found out. Her anger would be directed at her father, and possibly him for not telling her his suspicions. He hoped she would give him a chance to explain.

"Don't focus on why you are here, Nathan; you are here now, and it's good you are. If you hadn't come to Coal Valley, the mining company might have gotten away with murder."

Nathan looked at the older man, wondering if he was being dramatic. After studying his body language and the conviction in his eyes and voice, he decided he wasn't.

"Are you hungry, Bill?"

Puzzled by the change in conversation, Bill frowned before answering, "I suppose so; why?"

"Let's go and meet Abigail Stanton, and you can eat some of the best food you will ever eat while she tells you about her concerns."


Nathan settled Bill at one of the tables, glad the Cafe was yet to open to the Public. He knew Abigail was experimenting with recipes and baking up a storm and would have food to share with Bill.

When he peered through the curtain divider, Nathan was pleased to see Abigail and Elizabeth seated at the kitchen table.

"Hello, Nathan. Is everything okay?" Abigail queried; Elizabeth had told her about the visitor waiting for Nathan at the Mountie office.

"Everything is fine, Abigail, but there is someone I would like to introduce to you. Would it be possible to bring coffee and something to eat? He has travelled a distance to be here."

"Of course, Nathan," Abigail responded, jumping up and immediately putting together a selection of food and drinks for them.

Elizabeth stood awkwardly and asked hesitantly, "will I see you later, Nathan?"

"I would like you to join us if you can; it will save Abigail and me explaining it to you later. You are a big part of the families in this community Elizabeth; you need to understand what is happening for them."

Before he could think about it, Nathan took her hand, not caring that Abigail was watching them. When he glanced at Elizabeth, he could see a light blush staining her cheeks at his blatant display of affection between them.

"Let me run upstairs and get a jacket; I won't be long," Abigail said, smiling at their joined hands, then leaving them alone.

"Sorry, Elizabeth, I didn't think," Nathan looked into her eyes, hoping she wasn't too upset with him.

"It's more than fine, Nathan. I am sure Abigail knows how..."Elizabeth trailed off, horrified. She had been about to say how I feel about you. They hadn't had a chance to talk after their kiss. They had been interrupted by the sounds of horses approaching and pulled apart quickly.

"I am sure she does, Elizabeth; I doubt we would be so far along in getting to know each other without her help," Nathan said, grinning. 'I know we haven't much time, so I will just say it. I care about you, Elizabeth, very much, and I want to get to know you better."

"I would like that too, Nathan," Elizabeth replied, her lips curling into a wide smile.

Nathan wanted to formalise what was between them, but it didn't feel right to do that before talking to William Thatcher. He knew Elizabeth needed to understand what her father had done before he asked her to court him.

Nathan leaned down and kissed her quickly, not wanting Abigail to catch them.

"Alright, you two," Abigail called out, warning them of her return, "let's go and meet this mystery gentlemen."

The meeting between Abigail and Bill went well. Bill was pleased to see how intelligent Abigail was, Gowan hadn't been able to get anything past her, and she didn't trust him.

"I don't need Gowan's permission to enter the mine," Bill stated, outlining his plan to investigate. As a forensic investigator with the Mounties, he had jurisdiction, and there was no way Gowan could interfere, no legal way that was.

"You will be careful, won't you," Abigail urged, "you really cannot trust Henry Gowan." Abigail had always been wary of Henry and his behaviour and knew Noah was too.

"I will go with you, Bill," Nathan stated, staring directly at the older man.

"No, Nathan, I need you to be here if something goes wrong. I need you to watch out and come after me." Bill wasn't trying to scare them, but he knew that with so much on the line, the mining company would stop at nothing to prevent them from discovering what had happened.

Nathan started arguing, but Bill held up his hand, "I'm serious, Nathan; I need you on the outside of this. I won't hold anything back from you about what I find."

Nathan shook his head but agreed. As much as he wanted to be in there with Bill, he understood the man's reasons for what he was saying.

Nathan glanced at Elizabeth and Abigail, happy that while both were afraid, they were also determined to do whatever it was to get justice for their Town.

"For now, I want the two of you to go about your business as normal," Bill said to Abigail and Elizabeth. "The more normal, the better. Opening the Cafe will be a good distraction for their Town." Glancing between Nathan and Elizabeth, he said wryly, "I'll need you to stay close to Abigail and Elizabeth if that won't be too much trouble, Constable."

"I am sure I can do that, Bill," Nathan replied, seriously as Abigail laughed.


Bill waited until after dark to investigate the Mine. It was locked up, but he didn't have any trouble getting inside. Looking around, Bill could see the after-effects of the collapse, which had killed the men, along with the rescue operation to recover the bodies.

Bill needed to explore the parts of the mining operation not impacted by the disaster to see the safety measures for normal operations. After pausing to ensure he was alone, Bill lifted his lantern and headed down the secondary mine shaft.


Nathan had stayed at the Cafe as long as possible until it was inappropriate for him to still be there. He enjoyed spending the evening with the women, helping them set up for the Cafe. They talked about their families and growing up, each having very different experiences. At one point, Abigail spoke of her son Peter and her regret that he hadn't had the chance to grow up, marry and start a family.

Elizabeth glanced at Nathan when Abigail spoke, knowing that now wasn't the time but that she couldn't keep the secret from her indefinitely. Nathan nodded, acknowledging he understood her dilemma; he felt it too. Nathan cared about Abigail, and he didn't like deceiving her.


Nathan sat before the fire in the Mountie office, waiting for Bill, lost in thought. He was thinking about Elizabeth, the mine investigation and Colleen; somehow, the three things all started to connect in his mind, and he became agitated. Jumping out of his chair, he headed for the door to grab his coat and look for Bill. As he got halfway across the room, the door opened, and Bill came in, saving Nathan the trouble.

"What did you find?" Nathan asked, curious whether they had been right to suspect foul play.

"It is clear the Mining company were in breach of appropriate safety standards, and I found the evidence to support it," Bill explained briefly what he had been able to find. "If we don't hurry and get someone to lock the mine up, they will be able to hide what I have found."

Shrugging out of his coat, Bill walked towards Nathan, "I know of a lawyer, Sam Madison, who I have worked with before; I am going to reach out, requesting an emergency order to close the mine and preserve it the way it is." Bill warmed his hands in front of the fire before continuing, "was there any trouble at the cafe?"

"Everything was fine, no one came by, and Abigail is ready to open the cafe tomorrow as scheduled."


The grand opening of Abigail's Cafe was a huge success. The tables were occupied from the moment she opened the doors in the morning until she closed after dinner. Abigail was amazed at the favourable comments she received on her food, pleased that her dream of cooking for others had been a success.

As promised, Nathan was her best customer, eating most meals in the Cafe, ignoring the comments about his presence from people who teased him about Elizabeth. What could he say, they were right, he would have been the best customer even if the food was horrible.

After spending the morning in the Mountie office, at Nathan's desk, Bill had come into the café for lunch. Bill joined Nathan and explained he had received a Telegram from Sam Madison letting him know the details of the Stage and estimated arrival time.

Bill was pleased to hear that Henry was still out of Town, which meant he wouldn't have the chance to cover anything up in the Mine before the trial. Henry had been gone for several weeks, so Bill wasn't sure how much he knew of what had been happening in Coal Valley. They had advised the Mining company of the prosecution and trial date and assumed Henry was preparing with them at the Head office.


The next few days followed the familiar pattern, Bill hanging around the Mountie office, competing with Nathan for the desk. It wasn't until Bill found the collection of ribbons and decorations from Elizabeth's hat that Nathan finally got annoyed at the intrusion.

"Bill, isn't there somewhere else you need to be, or you could work from?"

"Not before you explain this to me," Bill said, holding the bundle of decorations out.

"It's none of your business, Bill; again, isn't there something else you could be doing?" Nathan said, snatching it out of his hands and throwing it on his bed in the Mountie office back room.

Bill laughed as he saw the blush high on Nathan's cheeks, knowing precisely who owned the flowers.

"Well, speaking of doing something, I have some news for you, Nathan; Sam was able to use the information you gave me regarding Clara Stanton and was going to see her. I have no information on the visit, but at least it's a start. Also, I heard back from William Thatcher."

"And you wait until now to tell me!" Nathan exclaimed.

Bill shrugged and looked at Nathan as his mouth dropped open at the revelation.

"He was pleased to hear what a fine, upstanding young man I thought you were. You can thank me later."

Nathan rolled his eyes at Bill, pleased to think he had his blessing. Despite their bantering, Nathan respected Bill as a man of deep integrity. Bill's good opinion of him meant a lot.

"How about you and I ride out to the mine and check it; then, we will have dinner with Abigail and Elizabeth." Bill looked over at Nathan as he suggested it, teasing, "that is if you are okay with seeing Elizabeth."

"I won't even mind spending the time with you if that's my reward," Nathan said, laughing.


Nathan, Elizabeth and Abigail all stood at the Stagecoach stop, waiting for Sam Madison to arrive. Bill was on his way but had been held up at the Mercantile sending a telegram. Florence, Molly and Cat were there as well, eager to be involved in the prosecution of the Mine. They were pinning their hopes on Sam Madison being able to prove their case. Bill and Abigail had encouraged them to pursue it, based on the evidence he had found and the report from the safety inspector.

The carriage pulled up, the door opened, and a man jumped out, looking around at the group standing before him.

"Well, this is quite the reception party. Do you greet all the coaches this way?" The man was well-spoken and well-dressed, but there was something in his tone that was condescending.

"Welcome to Coal Valley, Mr Madison," Florence said firmly, not even trying to hide her dislike of the newcomer. It didn't bode well for the court case that their Lawyer was unlikeable.

"I am not Sam Madison; my name is Mr Joseph Sweeney; I am a safety expert here at the request of Sam Madison."

"Our apologies, Mr Sweeney; welcome to Coal Valley; we are very pleased you are here. My name is Abigail Stanton. I believe you met my husband, Noah Stanton." Abigail reached out her hand to Mr Sweeney, trying to be polite, despite his coolness.

"Of course, Mrs Stanton, a pleasure to meet you." Mr Sweeney said, tipping his head as he shook her hand.

"Is Mr Madison travelling with you Mr Sweeney?" Molly asked sweetly.

"Miss Madison," a feminine voice said, causing everyone to turn toward it.

Nathan looked at the carriage to see a woman with long dark hair and a stylish outfit leaning out of the carriage, staring at the dumbfounded welcoming committee. There was stunned silence, no one moving as they all stood frozen with shock at the unexpected development.

"Welcome to Coal Valley, Miss Madison," Nathan said, breaking the silence as he stepped forward and took her hand to help her from the stagecoach.

Nathan's welcome broke the paralysis of the crowd, and Abigail was next to speak, "Miss Madison, welcome; you must both be tired after your trip," she said, including Mr Sweeney. "Won't you please come with me to my Cafe, and we can get you refreshments and settled in."

Florence, Molly and Cat followed Abigail and their two visitors to the Cafe while Nathan and Elizabeth stood staring after them.

"Well, that was a surprise. I take it Bill failed to mention Sam Madison was a female?"

"Not a word of it just kept saying Sam; I assumed which was wrong of me."

"And me," Elizabeth giggled, "did you see Florence's face when she realised Sam was a woman?"

Nathan bit his lip to try and keep from laughing, but the mischievous look on Elizabeth's face was his undoing, His laughter burst from him, and she joined in, the two of them standing in the middle of the main street of Coal Valley chuckling.

"What did I miss?" Bill asked the two of them as they tried to bring their amusement under control.

"I will fill you in on the way," Nathan said, smiling at the older man, as they headed to the café.


Sam settled in above the Cafe with Elizabeth and Abigail, Elizabeth happy to have her sharing the room where she slept. Mr Sweeney settled into the Saloon, taking a room upstairs but eating all his meals at the Cafe.

Henry Gowan had arrived back in Town and tried to overturn the lock-out order to no avail. After flying into a rage, he called in the lawyers for the mining company to come early, determined to do anything to win the case against the widows. The Lawyer appeared swiftly, and he and Henry Gowan strode around Town, glaring at those around them, holding the whole Town responsible for the trouble they were facing.

Sam and the widows spent days planning their strategy and the presentation of their case to the Judge, who would finally hear it the following day. Sam talked to Mr Sweeney about his testimony and how best to present his evidence without the final inspection report and felt confident they were ready.

"I feel we are ready, Abigail," Sam walked into the Kitchen and smiled. I will introduce myself to Judge Harshaw now, rather than waiting until tomorrow."

"Good luck. I look forward to hearing what the Judge is like." Abigail watched Sam walk to the Saloon, confident of this young woman's ability to prove their case. Between Sam and Mr Sweeney, they should have more than enough evidence.