Late November 1919

By the time the Grant family arrived in Hamilton, fall was slowly giving way to winter. Autumn colors still clung to some of the trees, but by and large the leaves had fallen and a chill was ever-present in the air.

Nathan stared at the large, stately home that their car stopped before. He knew the Thatchers were wealthy, but this display of fortune stunned him.

"You grew up here?" he whispered, looking wide-eyed at his wife.

She smiled, looking completely at ease. "Yes." Aurora was on her lap, while Jack sat beside them. The little boy was gazing out the window as well, eyes huge as he took in the house.

"We're staying here?" Allie asked, a note of awe in her voice. She'd never seen houses like this before.

"Yes," Elizabeth said again, smiling. "It's a beautiful home. You'll be staying in my old room. I hope you like it."

Allie raised a brow, still staring at the house. "Oh, I'm sure I will!" she enthused. She wore an excited look, telling Nathan she was thrilled to be living at this house for a short time.

They were greeted at the door by Elizabeth's parents, who welcomed them with open arms. Allie and Jack were whisked away by their grandparents to see their new rooms. Grace looked back at Elizabeth.

"I have you and Nathan in the blue room," she said.

Elizabeth nodded as if that made perfect sense. Nathan looked between her and her mother, brows raised in question. "The blue room?"

His wife chuckled. "You'll see why it's called that shortly. Come on." She led him up the widest, most elegant staircase Nathan had ever seen. They walked down a corridor with many doors. Elizabeth stopped at one of them. Nathan could hear their children exclaiming in excitement from somewhere nearby. Elizabeth pushed the door open and led him inside. "The blue room," she announced with a grin.

Nathan found himself staring yet again. The room was huge. The walls were painted dark blue, while the furniture matched it perfectly. Light wooden accents contrasted with the darkness of the walls. The comforter on the bed and the accent pillows on the sofas were in lighter shades of blue, providing a splash of brightness. Sheer, gauzy blue curtains hung from the many windows, which gave the room enough natural light to still appear bright regardless of the dark walls. It was tasteful and elegant.

Sinking onto one of the couches, Nathan shook his head. "This is something," he murmured.

Elizabeth sat beside him. "I know it's a lot to take in," she said softly. "But this was my life growing up. I'm glad you'll be able to see this side of me, even if it's a side that isn't quite who I am anymore."

Aurora began to fuss. Elizabeth quickly set about feeding their daughter. Nathan smiled tenderly, watching her. He looked around the room again, then back at his wife as she gave their little girl sustenance. "This Hamilton life might be a part of you, while Hope Valley is another part of you, but this –" he nodded at her feeding the baby. " – this life of self-sacrifice and love and kindness is who you truly are, no matter where you happen to live." He leaned over, giving her a kiss. "This is the woman I fell in love with."

Elizabeth placed a hand on his cheek, letting the kiss linger on. Finally, Nathan pulled away and stood. "You take whatever time you need to get comfortable," he said. "I'm going to check on the kids."

She nodded with a smile. Nathan leaned down to give her one more kiss, then exited the room and walked through the massive hallway in search of his children.

"We're going to see the boats!" Jack exclaimed at breakfast, clapping his hands in exuberance.

Elizabeth smiled, feeding Aurora some mashed bananas. "Are we?" she said, her eyes twinkling. They had been in Hamilton for all of a day, and already Jack had convinced his grandfather to give them a tour of his shipping docks and the boats that went with it.

"Yes!" Jack enthused. "I can't wait!"

"I can," Allie said, wrinkling her nose. "How fun can a bunch of boats be?"

William chuckled. "Just you wait," he said, beaming with pride. "I promise to make the tour as interesting as possible." He winked. "And your Aunts Julie and Viola promised to take you shopping tomorrow, if I'm not mistaken. Maybe that will make up for looking at a bunch of boats."

Allie glowed as she began talking about everything Julie and Viola had promised to show her. Elizabeth smiled to herself. She was going along on that trip too, as was Viola's little Marjorie. The men would be taking Jack and Harold – Lionel and Viola's son – to a large park where they would play a modified game of baseball.

But today was all about the Grants looking at the Thatcher shipping empire. Elizabeth knew Nathan and Jack were very intrigued by the planned trip. She was looking forward to it as well, and she had a feeling Allie would be impressed, despite her lack of enthusiasm at the moment.

Jack chose that moment to focus his attention on something else. "Mama, when do we get to bring Millie home?"

The pups that Lucas's dog bore had been ready for their new homes right as the Grants were traveling to Hamilton. They hadn't thought bringing the puppy home then would be a good idea as they were leaving on a trip. Lucas promised to keep it with its mother until they returned. Jack and Allie had picked a brown and white ball of fluff that they named Millie. Both children couldn't wait to have her join their family.

"Millie will come live with us once we get home," Elizabeth said. "Mr. Bouchard is watching over her until we get back."

"He even said he would train the puppy while we were away," Nathan said. "Which I'm thankful for. I know nothing about dog training."

The rest of their breakfast went quickly. Jack was chattering excitedly about boats, and he continued to do so as they made their way from the house to the docks in one of William's cars. Even Allie seemed to catch her brother's enthusiasm as the shipping yard came into view. The large ships were stately and awe-inspiring. Elizabeth smiled when Nathan's jaw dropped at the magnificent display before them. Her husband looked just as much of an excited little boy as Jack.

"Wow," he murmured. "That is amazing."

William heard it. His chest puffed out in happiness. "Glad you think so, son," he boomed, grinning. "Come on. Let's go board a ship!"

The Grants and William made their way onto the biggest of the Thatcher ships. Elizabeth remembered the first time her father brought her here. She'd been five years old and absolutely thunder-struck by the boats. It was fun reliving that experience through the eyes of her husband and son.

And her daughter.

Allie lost the air of indifference and was staring at everything with wide-eyed fascination. William led them on a tour of the boat, explaining what the various rooms were for and how they worked. The tour lasted well over an hour, but it felt like only a few minutes went by. They spent a very pleasant morning after that exploring the ships. When it was time to go, both Jack and Allie pleaded for five more minutes, which their parents happily granted.

After their time at the shipyard, William treated them to lunch. Much to the delight of the children, after lunch he led them to an ice cream shop, where they were both allowed two scoops of whichever flavor they desired. They spent the afternoon exploring more of the town, seeing sights Elizabeth had grown up with and now enjoyed sharing with her family.

That night, an exhausted but happy family went to their respective rooms to sleep. Elizabeth fed Aurora, then placed her in the crib that her parents had provided in the blue room. She then slipped into bed. Nathan held out his arms, and she immediately nestled into him, resting her head against his shoulder as she often did. She loved falling asleep in his arms. They somehow woke up in the morning parted from each other, but for now, she reveled in the feel of Nathan's strength against her. It had been her comfort and security from the very beginning of their marriage, when nightmares had plagued her dreams. Now, it was simply a routine, but it was also a sign of their love. She raised herself to press a soft kiss to his lips, then settled against him once again. "Goodnight, Nathan," she said quietly, already feeling herself sinking into sleep.

She felt his lips against her hair, heard the same sleepiness in his voice as she drifted into dreams. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

Nathan and Elizabeth walked hand-in-hand down the boardwalk. It was sunset, and the view from the pier was magnificent. With only two days left in their trip, they wanted to savor every moment they had left on this family vacation. The pair stopped at the railing and watched as the sun slowly sank toward the horizon. Nathan felt a strong surge of appreciation for his in-laws. William and Grace were watching all three children for the evening so that he and Elizabeth could have a special date night. They'd just finished eating an early dinner at a fancy Italian restaurant, where Nathan couldn't pronounce half the things on the menu, but the meal had been superb. Now they were taking a walk before they headed to the opera house for a concert.

"This is lovely," Elizabeth said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Indeed," he agreed. "It was very generous of your parents to watch the kids in addition to sponsoring this night out."

Elizabeth smiled. "It's their way of welcoming you into the family," she said. "They love you."

He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist. "The feeling is mutual. Your family is wonderful."

Elizabeth laughed. "I can't believe how well you and Lionel get along," she said. "It's like you've known each other forever."

"It feels like we have," Nathan admitted. "I enjoy Lionel's company. He's taking me to lunch, along with your father, tomorrow. I confess I'm nervous. I haven't really spent time with the two of them without children present. Drinks in the library after dinner don't count."

Elizabeth grinned. "You'll be fine. It'll be just like your time with them at the house, except you'll have to dress fancier." She eyed his suit. "Kind of like right now."

Nathan automatically tugged at his bowtie. "This has been an adjustment," he said. "I'm not used to dressing up to go out." He smiled at her appreciatively. "Though I must say, seeing you look this lovely has been quite a nice experience."

Elizabeth blushed, running a hand down her emerald green dress. "I'm glad you like it," she said, looking back up at him. "While I don't like dressing up all the time, it's fun when I'm home." Her smile grew. "But I will say I'll be glad to be back in Hope Valley where we don't have to worry about any kind of formality."

"Amen!" Nathan agreed wholeheartedly. They stood quietly together for a while watching the sunset. Nathan's mind wandered to something William mentioned the other day. Now seemed like a good time to bring it up to Elizabeth.

"We never had a honeymoon," he commented casually.

Elizabeth glanced up at him. "You're right." A smile formed on her face. "And you've been talking to my father."

He smiled sheepishly. "How did you know?"

She laughed. "Because I'm pretty sure he had the same conversation with me. Did he say if we ever decided to take a proper honeymoon that he would be happy to have the children stay here in Hamilton with him and Mother?"

"That's it exactly," Nathan said, his own lips forming a grin. "I think it's an excuse to spend more time with his grandchildren, but I also think it's a good idea." His other hand reached down to find hers so they were facing each other. "I would love to have a honeymoon with you, Elizabeth. What do you think?"

A gleam of excitement lit her eyes. "That would be wonderful," she admitted. "Just you and me spending time together?" She sighed. "That sounds heavenly." A thoughtful look crossed her face. "It would have to be after Aurora is weaned, though. I can't leave her for any length of time if she's still nursing."

Nathan nodded. "It sounded like William was happy to have them come any time, though I'm guessing it will be a while since Aurora is only six months old. When are babies usually weaned?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "It depends on the baby. But usually not before they're a year old, and not usually after they're a year and a half." She squeezed his hands. "Let's plan where we'd like to go. We can figure out the timing later. Like you said, Father and Mother would be happy to have the kids anytime."

"Where would you like to go?" Nathan asked. "I'm happy going anywhere."

"Niagara Falls," Elizabeth answered immediately.

Nathan raised a brow in surprise. "That was fast."

She chuckled. "I've always wanted to see it," she said. "It sounds amazing. And it's fairly close to Hamilton. We can find a nice place to rent on Lake Erie, and then we can spend our time exploring the falls, the lake, and anything else the area has to offer." She smiled, sliding one hand up his arm until it came to rest on his shoulder. "Among other things."

He laughed, pulling her into his arms, not caring that they were standing on a public boardwalk. He kissed her soundly, then held her cheek in one hand. "I love you, Mrs. Grant," he said. "Have I mentioned that lately?"

She smiled, kissing him back. "You have, but I will never, ever tire of hearing it." She grinned. "And in case it wasn't clear, I love you too."

"Noted," Nathan said, giving her a wink. He took her hand in his once more. They began walking, heading for the opera house.

Elizabeth looked up at him. "Have you heard from your parents?"

Nathan smiled. "I have. Dad called this morning. Apparently he and Ma are taking another shot at their marriage. Ma invited him to move in with her." He shook his head in wonder. "She went from not wanting him to know where she was to wanting to live together once more and fight for their marriage." He was quiet for a moment. "I really hope it works out."

"I saw them at our reception," Elizabeth said softly. "When they were dancing, I saw a light in Eva's eyes that was breathtaking. And then I saw the same light in Archie's eyes." She smiled, moving a little closer to him. "I think they have a fighting chance at making it work, Nathan. Your father has changed so much. He's not the same man he was."

"I know," Nathan replied. "And I thank God for that transformation. It's been amazing to watch him become a better man."

Elizabeth squeezed his hand again. "Beauty came from the ashes." She smiled tenderly. "Kind of like our love."

Once more, Nathan pulled her to a stop and took her in his arms, holding her close, thankful for the precious gift of his wife. No words were needed. Their embrace said it all.