It was unusual for Abigail to be sitting in her own café while someone else stood over the stove, and even more unusual for her food to be brought to her. She was trying to enjoy it, but since it was Charlotte at the stove, it wasn't always easy.
Charlotte liked to make breakfast before going to the school. She said it focused her mind, so after a short tug-of-war, Abigail finally gave up and let her have the stove until school started in the mornings. In truth, Charlotte's eggs were delicious, though it was best not to think about exactly what went into the cooking of them. Abigail had noticed that her supply of lard was going down pretty quickly.
Abigail, Rosemary and Charlotte were good companions for each other these days. Charlotte had lost her husband many years ago, Abigail lost Noah six months ago, and Rosemary had been widowed for only two weeks. There was a progression they saw in each other, of acceptance and allowing joy back into their lives, and it gave Rosemary and Abigail hope for their own futures to see Charlotte embrace life so fully.
As far as the subject of moving on was concerned, they couldn't be more different. Charlotte would never live with another man, according to her vigorous pronouncements, though she was also fond of saying never say never. "I was lucky to find one man who could put up with me. I don't expect the Lord to give me another one."
Abigail was busy with the café and not looking for anyone, but she was also clear that if the right person came along, she wouldn't close that door. In the back of her mind, she was remembering how she'd felt on Christmas Day, watching Bill, Nathan and Lee chopping wood outside the café. Her reaction had surprised her, and if she was honest, she was grateful to still have the capacity to feel that way.
Rosemary had realized over the last two weeks that she'd actually been preparing herself to lose Jack from the moment he'd ridden off and left her in Cape Fullerton in early December. She felt almost as if the future had been cast for Jack whether she had re-entered his life or not. Had she not come to Coal Valley, Rosemary truly believed that he would still have gone to the Northern Territories, and that he would still have died.
There was one thing that wouldn't have happened, however. As she listened to Charlotte and Abigail over breakfast, Rosemary found her hand moving silently down to her belly. No one else could tell yet, but she could. There was just the slightest tightness to her skirts, but beyond that, Rosemary had a connection to that part of her body that she couldn't explain. And her joy about this gift from God was winning out over the grief she felt at Jack's death.
It helped that Rosemary knew it was what Jack wanted for her. If his letter wasn't enough of a confirmation that he hoped she would live the best life she could, the feeling in her heart told her it was true. Early in their relationship, long ago, when they'd had some ridiculous argument or other, she'd asked him to just let go and enjoy life. He'd said, "Rosie, you enjoy life enough for the both of us."
And now that became her goal. She was going to do her best to enjoy life enough for both of them. For the three of them. For herself, for Jack, and for little Madeleine Charlotte.
Rosemary smiled into her chamomile tea. Charlotte Thornton wouldn't want to hear it, but she was wrong. This was definitely a little girl.
Elizabeth opened the door to the cabin and stifled a laugh. "What are you doing?" she asked, as she removed the coat she wore over her nightgown just in case she should run into someone in the long hall of the train car.
Nathan was on his hands and knees facing away from the door, wearing nothing but his trousers. Elizabeth was returning from a quick sponge bath in the facilities at the end of the car. They were hoping to get some sleep before their midnight stop in Winnipeg so that they could go out for a moonlight walk and stretch their legs during the hour layover.
Nathan turned around with triumph in his eyes and a huge grin on his face. "Twenty-four!" he said, holding up the last of the buttons. "It was wedged between the floor and the wall, all the way back under..." he stopped, suddenly overcome by how beautiful Elizabeth looked. Brown curls brushed sleek and shiny and tumbling over her shoulders, the lace of her nightgown falling into a low V at her neck, loosely tied, her skin still rosy from her bath.
Nathan put the button safely into the cup with the others and stood, walking to her. "Sometimes I have to pinch myself. How can it be that I get to see you like this every night?" He put his arms around her and bent his head to her neck, knowing that he would immediately be assailed by the heady aroma of her lavender soap, and by the freshness and warmth of her skin.
Elizabeth closed her eyes. As she ran her hands up and down the smooth, taut skin of his back, she was feeling as if she might have to pinch herself too. As Nathan held her close, her voice was soft and slow. "I'm going to get used to these greetings, you know. When we're an old, married couple with a houseful of kids, are you still going to be saying hello this way?"
Nathan's voice was muffled in her neck, his face warm against her skin. "Until my last breath," he murmured, his lips traveling up her jaw and causing light chills to trail down her spine.
Elizabeth sighed, moving her hands up to run her fingers through his hair. It was incredible to know, after so many months of having to stop at this point, that this was just the beginning. She knew now that these moments would lead to the next, and then the next, until finally...
Laughing softly, Elizabeth said, "I thought we said we were going to get some sleep..."
"Sleep is highly overrated," Nathan said, reaching back to turn out the light. The moon was nearly full and over the last two nights they'd found it was perfectly positioned outside their window. They just had to remember to close the curtains before they fell asleep.
Hearing a soft sound, Nathan looked down at the charm bracelet on Elizabeth's wrist. This was becoming another one of their nightly rituals, as the clasp was difficult for Elizabeth to undo on her own, and especially hard to do when she was in Nathan's arms. He pulled her down gently onto the mattresses and lifted her wrist.
"Not quite as easy with just moonlight," he said, bending to the task. Elizabeth started to reach back to turn on the light, and he said softly, "No, I can do this..." he kissed her wrist, and then lost his concentration, moving slowly up her arm with his lips in a cloud of lavender.
Elizabeth laughed. "You seem to have a problem focusing these days," she said, enjoying his lack of concentration completely.
"I feel very focused right now..." he said, moving his lips up her arm until he reached her shoulder and then her mouth. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss, lost in the wonder of what she was feeling. Two days. Is that all it had been? And had there ever been a time before this, when they had kissed goodnight at the door and gone their separate ways, both of them wondering, imagining what this would be like?
Elizabeth allowed Nathan to move her gently down, both of them stretching their bodies the full length of the mattresses. Nathan propped himself on his elbow and lifted her wrist again, and she watched his mouth as he set it in a line, concentrating on the tiny clasp.
"So serious..." she said, placing her lips on the bare skin of his shoulder.
Nathan's mouth lifted into a smile and she saw him raise an eyebrow. "Serious business requires... seriousness," he said, finally releasing the clasp and holding up the bracelet. "Success," he said, and reached around to place it on the small table next to him. He turned back to her and wrapped her in his arms. "So, I have a question."
Elizabeth snuggled into the hollow of his shoulder and placed her hand on his chest, loving the feel of the soft hairs there. "Ask me anything."
"The train gets into Hamilton day after tomorrow at about two in the morning. Do your parents know when we're arriving?"
"I told them we would sneak in quietly. Of course, Collins will be waiting..."
"Collins?" Nathan said.
"I suppose he's officially our butler, but he's really so much more than that. He's been with the family for as long as I can remember."
Nathan laughed softly. "Of course you have a butler." Elizabeth felt him take a long, deep breath.
"They're going to love you..." she said, but Nathan wasn't entirely convinced.
"The way they love... Clyde? Calvin? Cyrus?..."
Elizabeth looked over at him and saw that the corner of his mouth was upturned. "Charles," she said, laughing. "His name is Charles Kensington."
"As if I could forget," Nathan said, pulling her closer. "And will he be visiting while I'm there?"
Elizabeth snuggled into his neck. "Well, he is a friend of the family..."
"And rich, and handsome, I imagine?" Nathan's tone let Elizabeth know that he was teasing her, so she decided to tease him back.
She rolled over and gazed out of the window at the moon. "I suppose he's not... unpleasant to look at," she said, fluttering her eyelashes at him.
Nathan reached up and moved a lock of hair from her eyes, "And probably quite dashing with the ladies?"
Elizabeth smiled, and even in the dim light, Nathan could see the deep love there. "I wouldn't know. We're only friends."
"No kisses?" Nathan asked, touching her lips with his finger.
"Nathan!" Elizabeth said, indignant. "A peck on the cheek, perhaps, as a friend, but I've never kissed anyone the way..."
"This way...?" Nathan said, stopping her and touching his lips to hers. Elizabeth put her arms around his neck, pulling him toward her and sighing softly against his lips. As they pressed closer, she felt his heart racing, or maybe it was her own.
After a time, she moved her lips to the hollow of his neck and whispered, "Does that convince you?"
Nathan laughed softly. "Clyde doesn't stand a chance," he said, lifting the tie to her nightgown and pulling gently.
Looking into his eyes in the moonlight, Elizabeth could see how blue they were. "No," she said, helping him with the ribbons. "Not a chance."
They did manage to get a couple of hours of sleep, and when the train slowed to a stop in Winnipeg, they were dressed and ready to step off into the night. Elizabeth had been surprised to see Nathan put on his uniform, which of course he had brought along, just in case. A Mountie had to be prepared at any time to go on duty, no matter where he was.
"We'll be safer," he said, noticing her look. "Winnipeg is a city, and rail lines aren't always in the best areas. But there is a river, the Red, that runs right by the tracks. We should be able to find a relatively busy path, even at this hour." Nathan pulled out his pistol and checked it before replacing it in the holster. Elizabeth was frowning, and he said, "Just a precaution," walking toward her. He placed his hand on her cheek.
"If you were alone, would you go outside? Would you step off of this train?" he asked her gently.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and thought for a moment. Then, slowly, she shook her head. "No. Probably not."
"And why would that be?" Nathan asked, his voice still soft.
"Because it might be dangerous for a woman out there?" she said, beginning to smile.
Nathan leaned down and kissed her. "Nothing is going to happen, but on the very slight chance that it might, I would never want to be unprepared," he said, matter-of-factly.
The porter was standing at the door as they stepped off the train, and he looked at Nathan with new eyes and no small amount of respect. "Evening, Constable," he said, tipping his cap to Nathan. "Only an hour, now," he warned. "We pull out right on time."
Nathan had opted not to wear his hat, but he reached up and tried to tip it anyway. "Is there a nice place to walk a bit out here?"
"Yessir, by the river. Electric lights and a good view of the city. But I wouldn't go further than the crossing out by the bridge. Can be a little dicey out there."
"Appreciate it," Nathan said, turning to go. "We'll be back early. Just stretching our legs a little."
"No cause to explain. I need the same now and then," the porter said.
Elizabeth was suddenly aware that in the bliss of the last two days, she had forgotten her manners. "Thank you," she said, reaching out her hand. "My name is Elizabeth," she said, smiling. "This is my husband, Nathan."
"Jonathan," the porter said, returning her smile and nodding to Nathan. He tipped his cap again. "You two have a nice walk."
"Thank you, Jonathan," Elizabeth said, giving him a smile that made him remember his days as a young man.
They took a few steps, and Jonathan called out to them. "Oh, and if you could, there's a young lady from the train by herself out on that path. Wearing a light pink coat. I told her to stick to the lights, but if you wouldn't mind keeping an eye out for her, I'd be much obliged. She's just a minute ahead of you."
"Will do, Jonathan," Nathan said.
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and smiled up at him as she took his arm and they began walking. "So much for a woman alone not venturing out," she said.
And though she didn't know why, her thoughts went to the young woman they'd seen at lunchtime yesterday.
Elizabeth found herself walking just a little faster. Nathan looked at her and tilted his head. "Just anxious to see the river," she said brightly.
Nathan smiled and squeezed her closer. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "You act as if I don't know you, Elizabeth," he said softly.
Then he faced forward and matched her speed. "We'll catch up to her. Don't worry."