Nathan set off toward the Bouchard home at a trot. Rosemary had said that Elizabeth was not answering the phone, but he knew her home was the first place he needed to check. Though part of him longed to get there quickly, he knew he needed to be vigilant in his ride off. If Dr. Simmons had wanted to keep Elizabeth at the infirmary, then there was a chance that Elizabeth could not make it home. It wouldn't be good to pass her in a rush to get out to her house.
Rosemary had told him that Elizabeth had fallen down the steps. He wanted to give Lucas the benefit of the doubt, for Elizabeth's sake if nothing else, but he had sense that Rosemary was holding back when he asked about Lucas.
Nathan also had a feeling that she had not been completely forthcoming with why Elizabeth had still been at the infirmary giving his observation from the day before.
There had been no sign of Elizabeth during his ride out to her new home. A quick check of the house showed no indication that she had come back. Stepping back outside, Nathan stood on the porch and looked around. He tried to think of where she might go.
Bill had told him about the land Jack had bought with the plans of building a home for Elizabeth. Though the land was now in her father's name, it remained untouched. Given the distance to it and Rosemary's information of her injuries, Nathan doubted Elizabeth would go there.
There was a chance that she might have gone out to Jack's grave. Another possibility came to Nathan. A possibility that was very close to town and Nathan regretted not checking there first. Hurrying toward Newton, Nathan mounted the horse and turned him back toward town.
With the new school that had been built by the railroad station, the one room school house that Jack Thornton Sr. had built so Elizabeth would not have to teach in a saloon stood empty through most of the week. It was still Hope Valley's church, though once again it did not have a full time pastor. Nathan headed there now, praying that was the sanctuary that Elizabeth had sought.
Not wanting to attract undue attention, Nathan picked a route that would bring him to the little schoolhouse without going into town. Reaching it, he tied Newton behind the schoolhouse and went in through the side door. He knocked softly, in case Elizabeth was inside as he hoped, before pushing the door slowly open and walking inside.
Nathan's heart broke once more at the sight before him. Elizabeth had sat down on the floor in front of the platform where her desk still sat. Her arms and head rested on the platform, her face buried in her arms as sobs shook her shoulders. If she was aware of his arrival, Elizabeth made no move to acknowledge his presence.
Taking off his hat, Nathan slowly walked into the room. To him, his footsteps seemed to echo loudly through the near empty building but Elizabeth still seemed oblivious to his presence.
"Elizabeth," Nathan called out softly as he approached her. Placing his hat on the platform, Nathan sat down near her. Reaching out, he placed a hand softly on her back.
Elizabeth finally lifted her head and looked toward him with a tear stained face. Fresh tears still slid from her eyes, tracing the tracks of the ones before them. Their eyes met only briefly before Elizabeth leaned toward him. Her fingers gripped the material of his serge as she cried against it. Instinctively, just like all the other times he had comforted a distraught woman since becoming a Mountie, Nathan wrapped his arms around her, offering her what comfort he could. The only consolation in this instance was knowing that he had not been the bearer of the news that was causing these tears.
Nathan sat quietly, holding Elizabeth as she cried. For now, he knew that was all that was needed. Elizabeth needed to get all her pent up emotions out. There would be a time for words but they were not at that point yet.
The minutes ticked by quietly. Eventually, Elizabeth's tears slowed and then stopped. Even then, she leaned quietly against him, making no move. Nathan did not rush her even then. He continued stay motionless, holding her.
Eventually, Elizabeth finally lifted her head from his jacket. She seemed to take in the red serge and then raised her face to look up at him. He saw the color rise in her cheeks as she murmured a quiet "I'm sorry." Elizabeth moved to sit up, and only then did Nathan finally release her.
"Don't be sorry," Nathan told her softly, meeting her gaze. "Sometimes we just need someone to be there for us."
Pulling a clean handkerchief out of his pocket Nathan held it out to Elizabeth.
"How did you know I was here?" Elizabeth asked as she wiped the remnants of her tears away with the handkerchief.
"I was looking for you," Nathan replied easily. "Rosemary said you left the infirmary without the doctor's permission and she was worried."
"What did she say about why I was there?" Elizabeth asked, her voice laced with uneasiness. It was the classic sign that the person was trying to hide something. Giving the personal nature of the situation, Nathan understood the reaction.
"Rosemary just said that you had fallen down the stairs," Nathan replied. Elizabeth set out a sigh of relief. The fall was clearly not what she was trying to hide. That told him that the reason he had not heard Elizabeth was pregnant from anyone was simply because she had not told a lot of people, if anyone. Nathan knew he could simply remain quiet, and not acknowledge his observations. However, the last time he had kept information to himself in an attempt to protect Elizabeth it had backfired on him big time. Better to have the information out in the open now then it come to light later. "But you weren't still in the infirmary because of the fall, were you. Did you lose the baby?"he asked softly and gently.
"How did you know?" Elizabeth asked, the fact that she didn't deny it giving Nathan the only answer that he needed.
"I noticed you were expecting yesterday. When Jack grabbed a hold of your skirt, it pulled tight and confirmed my suspicion."
"And yet my own husband has not even noticed," Elizabeth muttered bitterly.
Somehow that admission didn't surprise Nathan all that much. If the person did not have five cards in their hands, Nathan doubted Lucas even paid them much attention. It was an observation he kept to himself, already knowing how Elizabeth felt about his cynical outlook on people, her husband in particular.
"So, Lucas did not know about the baby?"
Elizabeth shook her head even as she looked at him with pleading eyes. "I don't want him to know. Especially not now," she said as she reached out for his hands. "Please don't say anything!"
Nathan gave her hands a reassuring squeeze. "It is not my place to say anything," he assured her. Freeing one hand from Elizabeth's grasp, he reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair back behind her air. "Though in my experience, if a wife is afraid to tell a husband about expecting a baby then something is wrong. It should be joyful news. Not bring about fear."
Elizabeth looked down at her skirt. "I am just not sure that Lucas wants a family and now, there is no reason to even concern him with the situation."
"Except that as your husband he should be there to comfort and support you."
"I don't deserve comfort. First I am not sure I want the baby, then part of me is relieved that I lost it. I am a horrible mother."
"You are not a horrible mother, Elizabeth," Nathan told her. "Jack is a testament to that. As for your conflicting emotions about the baby, the tears tell me what your heart felt about that baby."
At the soft, kind words, Elizabeth's eyes filled again with tears and a look of disbelief came over her features. Nathan remembered that look well. It had often come to Colleen's face when he tired to validate her as a person after she had married Dylan. It made him wonder just what Elizabeth's marriage was like though he knew it was not his place to ask that question. There was a question he did feel comfortable asking though.
"Is there anything you want to tell me, Elizabeth?" Nathan asked. The open-ended question gave Elizabeth the invitation to talk if she chose while not crossing invisible boundaries that life had created between them.
Elizabeth shook her head in response.
Nathan nodded in consent as he said a soft "all right." His mother and sister had given him experience in dealing with women who suffered emotional or physical abuse from loved ones and he knew trying to force them to talk would accomplish nothing except get them mad at you. There was a fine line you had to walk between offering support and a listening ear and pushing them further away. "If you ever need my help, Elizabeth, you can ask," he added.
This time Elizabeth nodded in response.
"Now, can I help you back to the infirmary?" Nathan asked.
Again, Elizabeth shook her head. "I do not want to go back there," she said as she lifted her face to meet his gaze again. Nathan could see the plea in her eyes. "Could you please just take me home?"
Nathan felt a war inside him. If Dr. Simmons had not released her then the doctor had his reasons. However, he also knew the desire to be at home when you were hurt or not feeling well. Nathan sighed.
"I will take you home but as soon as we get there I am calling for Rosemary. She's worried about you and you should also not be alone at this time."
"Thank you, Nathan," Elizabeth replied in meek acquiescence to his terms.
Carefully and slowly, Nathan helped Elizabeth to her feet. The pain on her face tore at his heart but he knew there was not much he could do. Both emotional and physical pain needed time to heal. Supporting a good portion of Elizabeth's weight, Nathan helped her walk out the door he had come in and down the steps to where Newton waited.
Reaching the horse, Nathan lifted Elizabeth as gently as he could so that she could sit sidesaddle on Newton. He then mounted the horse behind her. Reaching his arms around her, Nathan grasped the reigns.
"Are you all right?" Nathan asked Elizabeth. He doubted that comfortable was an option no matter what he did at this point.
"Yes," Elizabeth replied, leaning her head against him.
Nathan started Newton off at a walk. They had not gone far when he realized that Elizabeth's weight against him had increased. Looking down, he saw that Elizabeth had fallen asleep. Despite everything that had happened between them, Nathan was relieved to see that Elizabeth trusted him enough to fall asleep while with him. At least it gave him hope that when Elizabeth was ready to ask for help that he would be in a position to give her that help.
Assuming of course that she was ready to receive that help before it was too late.
Opening her eyes, Elizabeth was aware of voices nearby. Looking around, she realized she was in her sitting room. She was lying on the sofa, a throw pillow under her head and an afghan over her.
"Thank you for finding her, Nathan," Elizabeth heard Rosemary say.
"Just take care of her, Rosemary," Nathan replied. Elizabeth could hear the concern in his voice.
It all came back to her then. When she had left the infirmary, she had intended to go to Jack's grave. She had felt an overwhelming desire to be close to her late husband. Elizabeth had soon realized she would never make it to the graveyard the way she felt. The schoolhouse had been closer and still a link to Jack.
Nathan had found her there. He had held her while she cried. He had assumed correctly about a miscarriage and he had offered her words of comfort. He had even agreed to take her home at her request.
Being on the horse with Nathan was the last thing she remembered. The fact that she had slept through him bringing her inside made her realize how tired she was. She also knew it had been no easy feat for Nathan to accomplish the task but he had.
Elizabeth heard the door shut and then footsteps coming into the sitting room. Rosemary walked quietly into the room but seeing that Elizabeth was awake, her friend lost no time asking what was on her mind.
"Elizabeth, what were you thinking?" Rosemary demanded as she hurried forward and knelt next to the sofa. Reaching out, Rosemary took Elizabeth's hands.
"With everything that is going on, I just had a sudden desire to feel close to Jack," Elizabeth told her. "I did not intend to worry people. I wasn't thinking."
"Clearly," Rosemary told her. "Because if you needed to feel close to Jack, Lee and I would have taken you wherever you needed to go. You did not have to try getting there by yourself."
Elizabeth nodded. If it weren't for Rosemary, these days she really would feel all alone.
"Lee and I have also been talking, and we want you to come stay with us until Lucas gets home. You should not be alone after what has happened," Rosemary told her. "With that being said, if being around Aster right now will cause you undue emotional pain then Lee is prepared to bring some of my things here so that I can stay with you for a day or two while you heal. He will watch Aster and I will help you and Jack."
Elizabeth shook her head. She didn't want her friends to be apart because of her. At the same time she wasn't sure she wanted to be in the house with them. Rosemary and Lee had the type of marriage she could only dream of now. A loving and supporting marriage. The type of marriage that she could have enjoyed with Jack. That she had expected to share with Lucas but had never materialized. There was no support from Lucas. That had become clear as soon as the romance and charm of the new relationship had fizzled out.
"I am not taking no for an answer," Rosemary told her. "You cannot be here alone after what you went through."
Elizabeth sighed. She knew Rosemary was right. She probably should not be alone right now. She didn't feel like she could take care of herself let alone look after her son as well.
Nor did she really want to be.
"I will come stay with you and Lee, but tell Lee not to leave work early on my account."
"I will do that," Rosemary told her. "Meanwhile, let me go get you some soup."
"You made soup already?" Elizabeth asked.
"Nathan made the soup while waiting for me to come," Rosemary told her as she got to her feet. "I will taste it to make sure it is edible before bringing it to you," her friend promised as she headed in the direction of the kitchen.
Elizabeth smiled at the comment, though she figured Nathan was a decent cook. He had been cooking for himself and Ally for ten years now.
The fact that he had cooked for her was what touched her. After all she had put him through, Nathan had brought her home and then stayed with her until Rosemary had gotten here. That alone was more than Lucas had done. Her husband had simply left her lying on the floor after the fall and went on his business trip.
Nathan had gone even further, making sure she had something to eat when she woke up. There was nothing in it for him. He had simply done it out of the kindness of her heart.
Elizabeth rested back against the pillow. She knew it was something else that she would need to keep from her husband. Lucas would probably cause trouble for Nathan rather then be thankful that he had made sure she was all right.
Nathan continued to cut up the carrots that would be added to the roasting pan for dinner that night. He was well aware of Bill's unwavering stare as the man leaned up against the nearby counter. He had just gotten through with explaining to Bill about finding Elizabeth and taking her home. Surprisingly, the man had been silence since he had finished his account.
"Are you trying to tell me that you have never made sure a distraught woman who you just brought life changing news to had a decent meal to eat before leaving her during your years as a Mountie?" Nathan asked, not looking in Bill's direction.
"Of course I have," Bill replied. "But that is not the point."
"Then what is the point, Bill?" Nathan asked, dropping the cut up carrots into the roasting pan with the piece of meat.
"I hope you are seasoning that," Bill commented.
Nathan grabbed a handful of parsley. He held it up for Bill before placing it on the cutting board and beginning to mince it.
"Good," Bill replied. "However, the point is that I don't want you to get hurt again. I am convinced even more that Elizabeth made a bad choice and it pains me that I do not know how to help her. I do not want to see you getting hurt as well."
"I was just doing my job, Bill. Rosemary asked me to find Elizabeth. I found her and brought her home and stayed with her until Rosemary could get there. There is nothing wrong with that."
"You're right. There isn't. However, if Lucas finds out about it, how do you think he is going to view it?"
"I frankly do not care what Lucas Bouchard thinks, Bill," Nathan replied looking up at him. "If Lucas actually cared about Elizabeth, he would have figured out she was pregnant before this. The fact that Elizabeth didn't want to tell him raises question for me."
"A lot of what Lucas does raises questions for me. Getting proof is the problem," Bill replied.
Nathan sprinkled the parsley over the ingredients in the roasting pan and then added some other seasonings. He picked up the pan, and slid it into the oven. Closing the oven door, Nathan looked at the older man.
"Has Elizabeth ever said anything to you about Lucas being abusive, Bill?"
Bill shook his head. "Though I think, I might be the last person Elizabeth would confide in theses days. I only go over when I know Lucas won't be around and then I spend most my time with Jack. Do you really think it is that bad, Nathan?"
"Physically, I can't be sure. Emotionally though, Elizabeth is reminding me a lot of my mother back when my Dad was having his problems. She seems sad. She is keeping secrets from him. The fact that he will not let her have pictures of Jack Sr. is an emotional abuse all in itself. What kind of man is so insecure that he feels threatened by a man's memory?"
Bill nodded thoughtfully. "The photos of Jack are at my place," he admitted. "Elizabeth brought them over saying she was afraid to leave them in the attic for fear of Lucas destroying them."
"Something is off, Bill," Nathan stated. "Unfortunately, unless I actually witness something or Elizabeth seeks help, there is nothing I can do that will not make the situation worse."
Bill nodded. "I'll see about strengthening my relationship with Elizabeth again and I will ask Lee to keep a closer eye on her."
"Thank you," Nathan said, even as the front door opened followed shortly by Ally's greeting.
Nathan called back a hello. As the fourteen-year-old came into the kitchen, he asked her how her first day at school was.
Ally shrugged her shoulders. "Remember how I describe Mrs. Thornton as a bit bossy and smelled like chalk when I skipped school my first day in Hope Valley?"
"Yes," Nathan replied.
"Well, that description fits Miss Wilson perfectly," Ally replied. "I also do not think she enjoys teaching. I think she only does it because she thinks it is the only way she could support herself."
"Well, you only have a couple of months of the school year left," Nathan told her. "Just be respectful and do your work. If things stay the same, she will not be your teacher next year."
"From the sounds of things I might miss her come next year. I could hear the teacher for the older students shouting at his class through the walls."
"We've had a couple of students drop out early instead of going to his class," Bill admitted. "The factory might have built a nice building for the school but the three teachers they have employed leave something to be desired."
"Opal said her mother is looking into another option for her schooling next year," Ally commented.
Nathan sighed. "Let's just concentrate on finishing this year for now," though he planned on touching base with Ellen Weisse about the teacher situation.
"Yes, sir," Ally said. "Are you joining us for dinner tonight, Judge Avery?" the girl asked.
"I was," Bill told her. "Which was why I was supervising the cooking of it," he added with a wink.
Nathan's response was to pick up the dish towel, ball it up, and throw it at the older man causing all three of them to laugh.