AN: Okay, so I finally got through this chapter. Sorry it is taking so long Jillian. I do introduce the last prompt - being stuck away from home during a snowstorm in this chapter. Hope you all enjoy. Thank you Amy for the look over and fixing clunky wording and missing commas.

When they arrived back at New Hope Orphanage, Ben was just climbing into his sleigh parked in front of the building. He paused and turned back to Lillian when he saw her approaching.

"Lee and Rosemary checked into the hotel. With so much snow on the roads still, I suggested they leave the car in town and I would bring them out," Ben told her.

"Thank you, Ben."

"Sam is going to borrow the sleigh and take them back to the hotel after supper tonight. If there is anything else I can do for you, let me know."

"I will," Lillian assured him, before leading the two girls inside as he climbed into his sleigh.

"It's nice that people accept us as part of the community now," Mary Louise commented as they walked.

Lillian reached out to rest a hand on the girl's shoulder. She and Vincent were the only two still with her that had endured those harsh first months. It couldn't have been easy, but Lillian was glad that she saw the difference in the community. "Yes, it is," she consented, though she didn't bother looking back to gauge if Ben had heard or not.

Rosemary and Lee were both sitting in the parlor, mugs of a warm beverage in their hands. Both put them down to greet the girls and Lillian. As Rosemary released her, Abigail came in from the dinning room.

"Now that you two are here, why don't we all have some hot chocolate and pumpkin bread in the kitchen," Abigail said, motioning to the two girls to come with her.

Allie and Mary Louise went without protest, leaving Lillian alone with Rosemary and Lee. All three founds seats. Soon, Elizabeth came in from where she had been helping Eleanor in the kitchen. Without hesitation, the other Mountie wife sat down next to the redhead.

"So what more can you tell us?" Elizabeth said, asking the question that was on both women's mind. Lillian was thankful for that as it made her feel less like an ungrateful hostess asking about her husband other than her guests well being.

"Well, as it is a Mounted Police mission, we don't have many details of the exact plan," Lee began. "However, Nathan was certain that Dylan's message through Lillian meant that he went back to the cabin he had in Elk Neck Rapids, which is the next town north of Benson Hills. They were sending a Mountie from Benson Hills out immediately to do some scouting."

"But Dylan only wanted Nathan to come. He might harm Gabriel if he sees another Mountie," Lillian said, fear making her voice tremble even to her own ears. She felt Elizabeth give her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Nathan relayed Dylan's words to them," Rosemary assured her. "None of the Mounties will do anything that might jeopardize Gabriel's safety but they also aren't going to let Nathan go into the situation alone. They will make sure they stay out of sight."

Lillian nodded, feeling a bit silly in her concern. She should know both of those facts but it still didn't mean she didn't worry.

"The scout will get the exact lay of the land for Nathan and the others. Nathan and Bill headed for Elk Neck Rapids at first light this morning to rendevous with several other Mounties. Carson went with them just in case a doctor was needed."

"I hope for everyone's sake his presence is not required," Elizabeth stated.

"Bill said they would make their final plans once they had rendezvoused with the others and got a situation reading from the Scout. Once they have a plan, Nathan will approach the cabin and Dylan alone with others watching the area. I think their intention is to approach him to detain him when he doesn't have a hostage - so either he leaves the cabin or Nathan and Gabriel do before they close in."

"I just hope nobody gets hurt," Elizabeth said softly.

"We all do," Rosemary said, her voice filled with hopeful determination. "All we can do is pray for their safety and trust in their trainees. You know Nathan is going to insist on having the best people back him up that he can get."

Elizabeth nodded.

Beside her, Lillian was already offering up a silent prayer - not only for Gabriel and the men involved in his rescue but strength for herself while waiting for words. She knew she had to stay strong so that the children would not worry too much.

Her talk with God over, Lillian got to her feet. "Let me go check on lunch. I'm sure you both are hungry after your drive here."

"I won't deny that," Lee said.

"And then afterwards you can try on the dresses I brought with me and pick one for the wedding," Rosemary said.

Lillian had taken a few steps toward the kitchen but that statement from Rosemary made her pause and look back at the woman. "I told you I wasn't putting money into a new dress. I will simply wear one of the good dresses I currently own," she said, keeping her voice firm but she hoped kind.

"I know what you said, and these aren't new dresses exactly," Rosemary told her.

Lillian felt confused but Elizabeth chimed in.

"Some of the women of Hope Valley got together and gathered the wedding dresses that women were willing to part with. We hope that one of them will be to your liking even if it requires a few modifications and any of the dresses can be altered. That was one of the stipulations we made clear while collecting them. It is also why, though I was able to include my dress from my wedding to Jack, I couldn't part with the dress from my second wedding. It may not be as fancy as the first one, but I am just not ready to part with it."

"I understand," Lillian replied. She looked to Rosemary feeling a bit of panic rise in her. "If the wedding happens on time you won't have much time to do any alterations - even if it is just to make it fit right."

Rosemary waved a hand. "When the wedding happens on time, you are going to look lovely in a dress you will feel beautiful in and not just okay with. I will make sure I find the time to do so."

"Rosemary can work wonders with fabric just like she can with her words," Lee chimed in.

Still sitting beside her husband, Rosemary placed a kiss on his cheek for the compliment. "But as wonderful a seamstress as I am, it is still best if you pick a dress immediately," she said, looking at Lillian.

"And don't worry about the boys, I will keep tabs on them so that all of you ladies can be involved in the process," Lee told her.

"Thank you," Lillian told him. She let her gaze drift around to each of her friends from Hope Valley. The broken wagon wheel that had caused them to spend that first Christmas in the strange but welcoming town had been a blessing is disguise. She hadn't known then how important these people would become in her life. "Let me check on that food," she added before heading for the kitchen.

While Lee kept Vincent, Roy, Theo, and Cody occupied after lunch, the women and Mary Louise retreated to Lillian's bedroom where Abigail had already helped Lee carry the five dresses brought from Hope Valley. Though Lillian tried on all the dresses, all the women had seen her eyes light up on the third dress - which happened to be Elizabeth's dress from her first wedding. No one mentioned that as the redhead tried on the last two dresses, not wanting to influence her choice.

After looking briefly at herself in the mirror in the fifth dress, Lillian turned back to the four on the bed. She picked up Elizabeth's old dress. "This was my favorite, but I didn't care for the neckline," she admitted.

"Well, put it back on and we'll figure out how to make it yours," Rosemary told her. She lifted a carpet bag next to her. "I have needles, scissors, thread, fabric, lace and other accouterments right in here."

"Whose dress is it?" Lillian asked.

Abigail and Rosemary looked toward Elizabeth. Lillian followed their gaze.

"That is the dress I married Jack in," Elizabeth told her. "I am thrilled that you want to make it your own and wear it again. Marrying Jack was one of the best decisions I have ever made."

"One of?" Lillian inquired.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes. Coming to Hope Valley to teach in the first place is another and so is finally finding the courage to marry Nathan. You and Gabriel are going to be happy together, Lillian. I can feel it."

Handing the dress to Eleanor who stood nearby, Lillian moved to embrace Elizabeth."Thank you," she whispered. "I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that until you said it."

Elizabeth hugged her friend back. Given Nathan and Gabriel's friendship, she knew she and Lillian would be seeing more of each other in the future.

Taking a step back from Elizabeth, Lillian turned to Rosemary. "Are you sure you want to spend your time here altering a dress? The one I had planned to wear would be just fine."

Rosemary reached out for her hands. "Just fine is not good enough for your wedding," she told the red head. "Now go put on the dress you chose so we can get started."

"Abigail and I will get back to making sure the everyday things are getting done," Eleanor said. "Mary Louise, why don't you come help. I was going to make buttermilk but you know these old arms get worn out after awhile."

"They aren't old, they are well seasoned," Mary Louise commented as she got up to follow Eleanor and Abigail from the bedroom.

"And just where did you pick up that phrase?" Eleanor asked as they stepped into the hallway.

Lillian was biting her lip to keep from laughing as she had a feeling she knew exactly where the girl had picked up the phrase. Sure enough, Mary Louise confirmed her suspicion as they moved out ear shot.

"Mountie Gabriel," Mary Louise replied nonchalantly. "Lillian called the pocket watch he carried around old. He told her it wasn't old. That it was well seasoned."

Though Eleanor replied, the exact words couldn't be heard as the two women and the girl moved out of earshot. Lillian looked to Elizabeth and Rosemary her expression turning serious.

"I wanted to buy him a new pocket watch and he was telling me that there was no way he could part with that one no matter who the new one came from," Lillian told them. "It seems Nathan gave it to them when they graduated the Mountie Academy, and he's carried it ever since. It has a dent in it. The doctor who treated him after he got shot thought it was from the the bullet. He was told they think the bullet hit the watch and slowed and deflected it and may have saved his life."

"I wouldn't want to part with it either," Rosemary admitted.

"Well seasoned for sure," Elizabeth commented. "I was concerned when I heard about what happened here in Brookfield with Sinclair. Nathan told me that I shouldn't worry if he was with Gabriel because they saved each other's lives - 'it was their thing'."Elizabeth gave a little chuckle. "I'm starting to see how accurate that is, which gives me even more confidence that they are both coming back - safely."

The last word had added confidence to it, which bolstered Lillian's spirit. "Then we had better get to work on getting me the perfect dress to say 'I do' in," she said, moving toward the screen with the dress she had chosen.

After reading Mary Louise the story that Grace had written and sent for the girl in her last letter, Lillian kissed her forehead, turned out the lamp and slipped from the room. A short distance away, the orphanage proprietress could hear Lee's excited voice as he told the boys a story. Though she couldn't quite make out all of the words, she could tell the lumber mill owner was making it sound like quite an adventure. With the boys in good hands, she turned and headed for the stairs.

Despite the cold weather, Lillian grabbed her heavy cloaked and wrapped it around her shoulders before stepping out onto the porch. The snow that they had been warned about in a telegram had started. It was believed that Brookfield would just catch the edge of the storm but reports had it dropping heavy snow further North. Elk Neck Rapids was further north. Was the snow falling there? Was Gabriel still Dylan's hostage or had Nathan and the others managed to arrest the criminal?

"Let him come home safely," Lillian whispered softly, feeling nowhere as brave as the front she had been putting on for the children all day.

The door behind her opened. Lillian glanced back to see Elizabeth stepping out. Rather than donning her coat, the other woman had wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.

"I just needed some fresh air," Lillian said.

Elizabeth nodded, closing the door behind her as she stepped forward. "And hoping that if you look in the direction that Gabriel is in that he might be able to sense that you are thinking about him."

Lillian ducked her head. Her cheeks warm despite the frigid air around her.

"Don't be embarrassed. I do it myself - first with Jack and now with Nathan."

Lillian raised her head. "It is nice having someone who really gets it."

Elizabeth nodded, wrapping an arm around Lillian as she came to stand beside her. "It is. Though it was her father that Rosemary used to worry about, knowing that she got it was a comfort when Jack was away in the Northern Territories."

"Gabriel told us that he served with Jack up there," Lillian replied. "He's told the boys some tales from that time. Cody especially has hung on every word."

"Cody looked up to Jack," Elizabeth replied, not surprised by that information. "Abigail says he has gotten to look to Gabriel the same way."

Lillian nodded. "Vincent as well. The two are talking about applying to the Academy together. It is kind of sad that the Mounties may turn out to be the only family that Vincent ends up with."

"That isn't true. He'll always have you and the connections he has made with the other children here. I have heard quite a bit about Christian. The fact that those two write to each other says a lot."

Lillian nodded. "Helen found her grandfather. Christian and all the others have found families whom they are happy with. I so wanted it to happen for Vincent as well but the older he gets, the less likely it seems it will happen."

"Perhaps you and Gabriel are the only two parental role models that boy needs," Elizabeth offered.

"He has captured a piece of my heart in a way the others haven't," Lillian admitted.

"Things work out for the best despite the heartache we have to go through. I was told that as a child but in my safe world in Hamilton it just seemed like words. Since arriving in Hope Valley, I have come to see for myself how those words can get us the hope and strength to get through life. I have also seen the truth in them time after time."

Lillian nodded and looked out over the snow dusted ground. "Wherever they are, I hope they are warm tonight."

"Me too," Elizabeth said quietly beside her, gazing on the same landscape that Lillian was focused on.