Chapter 19

Rosemary held Lee's arm as they walked toward Abigail's to have breakfast. "I am so glad you finally asked me to dinner, Lee," Rosemary said, smiling at him. "I was starting to worry that you didn't know I was interested; you missed all my hints."

Lee smiled at Rosemary, unable to believe how close he came to letting her walk out of his life. "When did you let me know you were interested, Rosemary?"

"Why the first day we met, remember after the trial when you made your little speech in the cafe?"

Lee was quiet, remembering the day of the trial when the townspeople gathered at Abigail's Cafe and let the Trial outcome sink in.

"The mood at Abigail's was sombre. Yes, they had beaten the mining company, and there was compensation for the Widows, but what about everyone else? With the Mine closed, there was no work. The families couldn't afford to live in a town without work. As people began to leave and there was no one to support the businesses, they would close, and Coal Valley would die.

He watched as the realisation hit everyone, the dark-haired young woman whispering to the Constable look shocked, and the Constable's face was grim as he gazed around the room. He watched as the Constable and Sam Madison made eye contact, and she shook her head; there was nothing to be done.

Lee knew he had to do something, had to say something. "Excuse

me, everyone, can I have your attention, please?"

Lee stood before the townspeople with quiet confidence, smiling at everyone as they turned to look at him.

"My name is Leeland Coulter, and I own a Timber business. I plan to open a sawmill, and I think Coal Valley would be the perfect place to do that."

He had paused at their expectant faces; smiling, he continued, "to make the sawmill successful, I am going to need a lot of men to work there, and I promise to make it as safe as possible for anyone who comes to work for me."

The mood in Abigail's changed in an instant. There were cheers and exciting conversations to replace the misery and despair. Lee stood there talking and explaining his plans to the many Townspeople who approached him, patiently outlining what he intended for his new business."

When the furore died down, Lee had asked Nathan to show him around the Town; he wanted to find out where he could set up an office. Once he got up and running, he would manage the sawmill between the site and Town.

Lee grinned, "Ah when you invited yourself on the tour of the Town, I asked Nathan to give me."

"Of course, and then every time you came into the Cafe, I gave you extra sweets, and you still didn't ask me out; just let me feed you. I started to worry."

"I am so sorry, Rosemary; I promise never to be so dense in the future; maybe I was distracted trying to get the business up and running."

"Well, that is a vital thing for Coal Valley, people finally have hope things will improve, so I will forgive you. When you finally start hiring, it will feel real to everyone."

Lee laughed at Rosemary; he couldn't believe one date was all it took for him to know she was the one.


As Colleen prepared to leave Rosemary and Clara's apartment, she bent down to Allie and said, "remember, we need to be very quiet; let's see who can be the quietest, you or me."

Colleen was pleased when Allie nodded, smiling, excited to play this game again. Allie had no idea they were quiet, so they could sneak out without being seen. So far, no one had discovered them staying in the flat without permission, and she needed that to continue until Rosemary and Clara came home; who knew where they would end up?

Colleen hated to lie, and she hated including Allie in this one, but she had been out of choices. Dylan had left her. He had been gone before, but this time was different. He had not only left her but also left her and Allie with no money and nowhere to live. She hadn't known how far behind on the rent Dylan had been, so any money she had been paying was only paying off previous debt, with no chance of catching up in the foreseeable future. The Landlord wasn't sympathetic to her plight; no amount of coaxing and eventually begging had moved him. She and Allie were homeless.

Colleen had been so tired, and when she saw the sign for the Hills Cafe, she almost sobbed in relief. She had dragged Allie across Benson Hills to introduce themselves to Rosemary LeVeaux, a friend of Nathan's. She hoped Rosemary was as welcoming as Nathan said she would be because she could use a friend now.

When Colleen had heard Rosemary wasn't there, exhaustion had taken over, and she almost gave in to her tears, but the feel of Allie's hand in hers had kept her going.

Colleen was about to leave but took a deep breath and turned back to the Manager, "you don't need a waitress, do you, considering Rosemary is away?"

"I do; I am very short. Rosemary went away with another one of my servers, so I am two people down. Do you have experience?"

"I have a lot of experience and am happy to give you references if you need them." Colleen offered.

"That won't be necessary; I'll take your word for it, and if you are no good, it's only a couple of weeks, right? My name is Mr Arthur. Is this your daughter?"

"Yes, her name is Allie," Colleen explained after introducing herself to him. "I can start now if you need me to; Allie won't be trouble."

Mr Arthur looked at the girl, standing quietly, playing with her doll. "Why

don't you get yourself and Allie something to eat? You can start once you've eaten a meal."

The afternoon flew past; Colleen was pleased to see the other staff, including Mr Arthur, check in on Allie regularly, talking to her and making sure she didn't need anything. Colleen sensed the team at Hill's Cafe was like a family.

It was at the end of her shift when Colleen made a choice she couldn't take back and might live to regret.

"You did very well today, Colleen; the job is yours if you want it."

"Thank you. Yes, I do." Colleen signed in relief, hoping her desperation didn't show on her face. At least now she had a job; she could look for somewhere to live.

"OK, good, I have a favour to ask, if that's alright?" Mr Arthur said.

"What is it? she asked warily.

"I promised Rosemary and Clara I would send someone around to check their flat; it's empty while they are away. I haven't had the chance to send anyone yet, so, as you're a friend of hers, I was hoping you wouldn't mind doing it." As he spoke, he took a key out of the drawer under the counter and held it to her.

"Of course, I would be happy to do that for you and Rosemary," Colleen said, taking the key. She knew it was wrong, but if there was an empty flat, she and Allie could spend the next few days there without anyone ever finding out.

Colleen had intended to find somewhere to live, she honestly had, but fatigue had stopped her. At least Colleen had secured a babysitter for Allie after asking at the Hill's Cafe for someone reputable. Allie liked the woman she had found, and Colleen trusted her.

All she needed now was to get better. Tears filled Colleen's eyes at that thought. She didn't want to admit it, not even to herself, but she was petrified it wouldn't happen.


Elizabeth had agreed to meet Nathan at the Mountie office following their date; they could collect their dishes and have breakfast together at the Cafe. Nathan greeted her with a smile and a kiss which Elizabeth returned, remembering their sweet date the evening before. As they broke apart, Elizabeth rested her forehead on his chest, content with the feel of Nathan's strong arms around her, the sound of his heart in her ear. She was pleased she had let herself take a chance on Nathan; she couldn't remember being this happy.

"I was thinking about something Rosemary said earlier, about Benson Hills being closer than you realise. Do you think you will visit Colleen and Allie soon?"

"I am not sure I could get the time off soon after arriving here, although if Bill decides to stay a while, I could look into it. I will see how she sounds when her next letter arrives; she is overdue to send one."

"Do you think he will stay? He does seem to like it here," she said with a

cheeky smile.

"Yes," he agreed, winking at her, "he does seem to have gotten attached to Coal Valley very quickly. Do you think Abigail is still the only one with no idea that he likes her?"

"I think Clara picked up on it, and I wonder if she has told her; if not, I will mention it. Abigail deserves to be happy, and it seems he could make her happy. He is a wonderful man beneath his gruff exterior."

"Of course, although I don't know much about his personal life, we have only discussed Mountie business."

"I can't imagine the two of you sitting around discussing your relationships and feelings," Elizabeth said, laughing. "As long as Bill makes Abigail happy, I am delighted. Now Rosemary is staying; everything is falling into place.

"Have you thought any more about where you are going to live? I know you will have your room back with Clara leaving, but do you see yourself living there long term?"

"I would like to give Abigail back her privacy, and it does get very crowded sometimes, which makes it hard to concentrate on lesson preparation." Elizabeth frowned; she hadn't realised how many friends would drop into the Cafe, and not talking to them would be rude.

"I heard the Wrights are moving away, leaving town to look after her parents, who are elderly; their row house will be empty."

"Do you think Henry Gowan will rent it to me? We aren't his favourite people." Elizabeth's face had lit up at the prospect of her own home, but her smile dropped at having to ask Henry Gowan. Henry had been furious ever since the Mine closed.

"Rent is rent, Elizabeth; I think he would rather have anyone's money, even yours."

"Do you think Bill would want to move in there? He will be looking for somewhere."

"Nope, Bill found a place, a little out of Town, which he likes, so you don't have any competition unless you count Rosemary."

"Who is desperate to get out of Florence's house? Oh, we could be housemates; this will be perfect." Elizabeth clapped her hands together and bounced up and down. "You are brilliant, Nathan; thank you." Leaping up, she threw her arms around his neck and went to kiss him on the cheek, laughing when he turned his head and captured her lips.


"I know there is something she isn't telling us, Bill, and I believe it is why she is going back to Benson Hills," Abigail said. Her concern for Clara was evident in her voice.

"Have you asked her about it?" he said, frowning. He couldn't imagine Clara doing something she needed to hide from others. "It can't be anything to do with money; she will get her share of the widow's payout."

"But Bill, didn't you hear? She has refused to take it; says she doesn't deserve it because they were only married two days."

"That's crazy; if you hadn't pursued the safety breaches, and Clara bringing the safety report, we would have lost, thanks to Mr Sweeney, the ..."

"Bill," Abigail warned, pressing her lips together to stop from smiling, her face contradicting her serious tone.

Bill looked thoughtful, then said, "I might ask a Mountie buddy to do some investigating for me, then we will know if something serious is happening or not. If it is, we can find an excuse to go and see her and find a way to deal with it."

"We?" Abigail asked, smiling, her eyebrows raised.

"Yes. We," said Bill smiling at her.


Clara looked around her, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything. She was almost tempted to leave something behind as an excuse to come back. She couldn't do that, though; she wouldn't be returning any time soon; she would be stuck in Benson Hills forever.

"Clara, the stage will be here soon," Abigail called to her daughter-in-law. She wasn't sure why she was reminding her; she didn't want her to leave, but Clara insisted she had to go back. Abigail felt guilty talking to Bill about Clara but wanted to know what was stopping her from moving to Coal Valley. Clara was the only family she had left, and she would love for her to stay in Town.

Abigail's face dropped when she saw Clara; she looked sad and miserable. "Clara, please, tell me what is dragging you back to Benson Hills; let me help you."

"It's nothing, Abigail. I need to get home and back to work."

"Alright, Clara, but I want you to know that if you need anything, I am here for you any time."

Clara couldn't believe how many people turned out to say goodbye to her; the friends she had made in Coal Valley really were exceptional. Holding back tears, she thanked everyone for coming to see her off, hugging Elizabeth and Rosemary, both of whom she would miss terribly. Rosemary had promised to visit shortly and collect her things, and Clara suspected she would be travelling with Lee Coulter when she did come.

When it was time to say goodbye to Abigail, she was lost for words. As she tried to find the right ones to convey her feelings, she lost the battle to hold back her tears.

Abigail wrapped her arms around Clara and squeezed tightly, not caring who saw her tears. "Promise me you will keep in touch and that you will let me know if you ever need anything," Abigail whispered.

Clara couldn't speak through her tears and nodded instead. Releasing Abigail, she climbed into the Stage, leaning out the window to wave at everyone as it drove away.

Rosemary wiped away tears as she watched Clara leave, they hadn't known each other long, but she had felt connected to her. Clara had been through so much and was so sad. Rosemary's heart ached, thinking of her all alone in Benson Hills.

When the Stage was no longer visible, Abigail strolled back to the Cafe, Bill walking with her. Nathan, Elizabeth, and Rosemary went their separate ways, heading back to work.

Elizabeth was pleased Florence had offered to watch the children while Elizabeth said goodbye, and she wasn't far away if needed. Elizabeth smiled at the thought of Florence in the Saloon with the children. Florence didn't know it, but they were all quite petrified of her and always on the best behaviour. Florence often commented on how quiet and well-behaved the children of Coal Valley were.


Elizabeth finished the school day and ushered her students out of the Saloon. Spying Nathan, her face broke into a smile as she hurried over to him.

"Nathan, is everything alright?" Elizabeth asked; from the Saloon, she hadn't noticed his frown.

"I still don't have a letter from Coleen. It isn't like her to be out of contact for so long. I checked at the Mercantile; there is nothing wrong with the mail deliveries. I sent a Telegram to my Mother to see if she has heard anything and am waiting to hear back." Nathan sighed heavily; he hated the distance between him and his family, even if Benson Hills was reasonably close.

"I hope she and Clara connect when she gets back." Elizabeth frowned too, thinking of options, "Maybe you could ask someone in the Mountie office to check when they go to the Cafe; Rosemary said a lot of Mounties eat there."

"That's a great idea; I will do that," Nathan said. He would ask Bill if there was someone he could recommend; Bill was familiar with Benson Hills.

"No, Lee, not there; try it over there, under the window," Rosemary exclaimed. She had tried the same table in three different spots.

Elizabeth caught Nathan's eye as he and Lee manoeuvred the furniture around the little row house, following Rosemary's orders. It was lucky for them that Nathan and Lee were both patient men.


Nathan positioned the table, happy when Rosemary seemed satisfied. Walking past Elizabeth, he grabbed her around the waist and whispered in her ear, "what did you say my reward for helping was? I think my price is going up."

Elizabeth laughed, "I believe I said I would cook you dinner."

"That's hardly a reward, Elizabeth," Rosemary commented, overhearing.

"Rosemary!" Elizabeth exclaimed with mock outrage before laughing along with the others. She wasn't offended; everyone knew she was a terrible cook.

When Lee and Rosemary went to get another load to carry inside, Nathan leaned down and kissed her, then whispered in her ear, "Having the chance to kiss you is enough reward."

"It seems a little unfair, considering I get a reward too," she said, kissing him back. She giggled as Lee made a point of stomping up the stairs, giving them fair warning, that he was coming in.

Elizabeth looked around and beamed; the place had come together. She doubted there was a family in Town who hadn't donated something to her and Rosemary to help them furnish the home. Everyone except Henry Gowan, although she supposed him agreeing to rent the place to them was enough. Elizabeth knew he wanted to say no to her, had planned to, but Bill had said something to him, and suddenly, he agreed.

"So, I have to ask, do you think tonight will go better than the first night in your previous home?"

"Nathan Grant, that is not fair," Elizabeth mock scolded him, hands on her hips. "You know it couldn't go any worse; besides," she added, laughing again, "Rosemary had insisted she will oversee all the cooking and fires, so we should be safe from me."

"Are you excited to be here, in your own space," Nathan asked, hoping there were no regrets. Being here was another important step for Elizabeth to prove her independence to her Father, not that he thought she needed to, but he knew she did.

"Yes, I am. I felt terrible when I moved away from Abigail, leaving her alone, but I hope Clara returns soon." Elizabeth's brow furrowed, 'have you heard anything from Benson Hills, the Mounties or Colleen?"

Nathan put his head down before answering her, "No, but I am worried, Elizabeth, my Mother hasn't heard either, but she isn't able to go looking for her. I am so close to heading out there and finding her."

"You know I will come with you; I don't want you to be alone in Benson Hills." Elizabeth took his hand and looked into his eyes, "I mean it, Nathan, I want to be there for you".


Clara was glad to be home; the journey back to Benson Hills had seemed to take forever. She knew it was because she didn't have Rosemary with her to keep her amused and because she was dreading facing Mr Collins again.

Mr Collins was the reason she needed to return to Benson Hills. Her Father had borrowed a considerable sum of money from him, and the debt became hers to pay when he passed away. Clara hadn't realised how much her Father owed Mr Collins, and she couldn't see a way of ever paying him back. The payout from the mining company had been tempting, but she couldn't take it. She wouldn't use the money from Peter's death to pay back her Father's debt; the money was better divided among the other widows, especially those with children. She didn't want to use the money to pay back Mr Collins; she would continue to clean his house and prepare meals for him until the debt was clear.

Clara opened the door to the apartment, sighing with relief; all she wanted to do was collapse into her bed. She would deal with her luggage in the morning. Stepping inside, she froze; something felt wrong, something felt different.

Clara spun around at the sound of a cry from the lounge room, shocked to see a small child staring at her, her eyes wide with shock and fear. Clara opened her mouth to speak, but the child dropped the doll she was holding and ran from her, rushing into Rosemary's bedroom.

Clara remained frozen to the spot, her mind racing to try and understand what was happening. Who was the child, and how did she get here? Where were her parents, wait...were her parents in the flat, were they dangerous? She should be afraid. What was she going to do?