Chapter 17

Once Bill and Lucas had helped get Nathan back on the bed Maggie quickly began shooing everyone out of the room, saying "I just want one person here to help me, the rest of you can wait outside."

Abigail spoke up quickly before anyone else had a chance, "I can do that", then Elizabeth followed with, "Or I can". Maggie shook her head, "It's okay, I think Abigail will be perfect. It will be easier for both me and Nathan to have someone who has no deep emotional connection to him as they will stay clearheaded while I examine him. He may experience some pain which you could find upsetting. I promise I will come out to let you and Allie know as quickly as possible".

Nathan looked at the two of them and nodded, "It will be fine. Let Maggie do her job and work out what is going on. Then she will be able to decide how I can be treated".

Whilst all the others moved back downstairs Allie and Elizabeth sat quietly along the hallway, both deep in thought trying to figure out what this would mean for all of them.

"Mrs Thornton, if Uncle Nathan is unable to walk does that mean he will have to stop being a Mountie?"

"I honestly don't know Allie, but let's not think the worst immediately. All sorts of things could be causing this that may not be permanent. We must just pray that he will heal and everything will be fine." She managed to keep her voice calm, not wanting to add to what the girl was already going through, although she could feel the fear knotted tightly deep inside her.

Allie nodded, looking out the window for a while clearly trying to keep control of her own feelings. Elizabeth watched her, questioning how much more she was going to be put through and wondering where she found her resilience. Most adults would struggle with what she had been made to face in her young life. "Allie you do know this changes nothing. I feel a great deal for your Uncle Nathan and he for me. It has just taken us some time to both understand that. We will be a family, I promise you. Love is about what is inside a person and a physical injury doesn't affect that. I love your uncle and I love you, that is all that matters."

Allie cried then, without turning around, but Elizabeth could still see the silent tears rolling slowly down her cheeks in the reflection of the glass. Not the hugging for comfort type of tears but the ones that are softly letting emotion out without making a fuss. Elizabeth reached out and took hold of her hand but said nothing, knowing that no words were necessary for Allie to feel her love.

They stayed like that for a while, taking in the breathtaking beauty of the landscape outside. Now that the snowstorm had passed there was an ethereal quality to the vast expanse of white that stretched without a break all the way to the tall peaks in the distance. A sense of peace in the world that belied the turmoil both were feeling inside. The only relief from the perfect blanket of snow were the banks of trees that glistened in the sunshine as their heavily ladened branches began to thaw. In front of them on the road down from the orphanage she could see Chuck and Bill heading into town in the wagon, their movement creating a small cleft in the still landscape. Elizabeth and Allie both watched as they grew smaller and disappeared out of view. So many people doing so much, it really was humbling.

Surprisingly, Elizabeth hadn't minded being asked to leave the room because she knew Maggie was right. Abigail would certainly be calmer than she could be in the circumstances and her experience garnered over many years would be of greater help. Nathan too would find it easier to be honest about his pain as he would not be worried about upsetting her. But somehow she thought there had been more to the decision and now looking at Allie sitting beside her she suspected that both women had known exactly where she could do the most good, where she needed to be.

In the bedroom Abigail kept her mind focused, not wanting to think what this could mean for Nathan and Elizabeth. How cruel was life that something like this should happen just as they seemed to have finally found their way to each other. But she knew that Elizabeth would accept whatever lay ahead for them. Nathan was alive, that was all that mattered to her and they would deal with what the future brought together as a family.

Maggie was speaking quietly to Nathan as he lay on his back, asking questions about what had happened when he tried to stand. That he could sit and turn sideways was a good sign, she only hoped that in doing that he hadn't done any more damage to himself. The had rolled him onto his front so that she had could feel around his neck and down his back for signs of any damage. Then they turned him back and standing beside him she asked Abigail to move his legs, watching as he tried not to show the pain until it became too much and he let out a low grunt. She said nothing, just walked to the end of the bed and using a small metal stick she hit the bottom of each foot, waiting for a reaction. When he winced and curled his toes she smiled.

"That's good Nathan, the fact you can feel pain and react makes me believe this is only a temporary problem."

"I feel as though my legs are on fire and tingling, Maggie, like I have fallen into an ants' nest and they are crawling all over me" was his response.

She was impressed by his calmness. Not many people would find themselves here like he was and be so matter of fact about it. Over the past few years she had heard people who knew him talk about his down to earth manner and how he looked at problems objectively, almost in a detached manner. Which she guessed was what made him such a good Mountie. To apply that same attitude to a situation that affected your own self was a step beyond that.

She gave a little smile then, something Nathan noticed and at the raising of his eyebrow she let out a laugh. "You're a very good patient Nathan, an exception to what I usually have to deal with. If I didn't love Joe Moody as I do then I may even have set my cap on you". She paused to laugh again, "except there would be one big problem. It is very clear to see that you only have eyes for one woman!"

Both Nathan and Abigail laughed along with her then, any tension that had existed in the room now broken. Maggie continued, "I think you are going to be fine. If you are in agreement I will do some physical manipulation of your back and neck and then you must follow the exercises that I am going to set for you. If I am correct in my thinking this is what is known as subluxation, where you have inflammation around your spine, probably from carrying Gabe and the way you had to twist your body to bear his weight."

A look of relief crossed Nathan's face and he nodded in understanding. The tears he had been holding back in case it was bad news now dry and he felt himself relax.

Maggie continued, "Before I do anything though I am going to head back into town and telephone Carson Shepherd to go over everything with him. But I'm fairly sure he will concur with my diagnosis. There is a relatively new branch of medicine called chiropractic which I have been reading up on a lot as it has been used extensively during the war. One of my dear student nursing colleagues has followed this extensively and now practices it back in England. It was actually founded by one of your very on countrymen I might add, a man called Daniel Palmer, if that makes it sound better! Anyway, it is what I am going to use to treat you."

Nathan tried to shift himself upright but she quickly pushed him back down onto the pillow. "I know you want to be up and about but trust me, the best thing you can do is rest for now. I will come back after I have spoken with Carson and do the treatment and then we'll take it from there, depending on how your body responds. Your only job is to follow the exercises I will write out for you to do a number of times each day…", she looked across at Abigail with those words, who nodded back, "Of course I will make sure he does them."

"I will come and check on you regularly and do more treatment as and if required but I don't think it will be too long before you are back on your feet." She gave him a serious look then, "and from what I know of you Nathan I expect it to be sooner rather than later. But please heed what I am telling you when I say that you will get there faster if you take things slowly!"

In the barn Lucas was surprised to find himelf quite excited at the thought of the physical work he had offered to do. The few stalls they had for horses had obviously not been used for that purpose in some time, a couple of them stacked high with all manner of stored goods, with gaps showing in the outside walls in various places. He quickly sorted the two boys with their tasks of clearing out cans and crates then sweeping out the stalls. He searched further into the barn until he found some wooden planks and nails, then came to a slight halt for a while as he searched for tools to work with. Eventually in a box at the back there was a hammer and he quickly set about doing what he could to fill as many gaps as possible.

Whistling to himself as he worked he wondered what most people he knew would think if they saw him now. It would certainly surprise most of them. Indeed, two people sitting upstairs would find it incredulous that he had taken it upon himself to do this. A memory of the time in the library when Allie had to give him advice on how to build shelves came into his mind and he felt a tightening in his chest as he thought about how others in Hope Valle saw him. Nathan had been right to tell him when he first arrived that he wasn't a good fit for the town. Used to shady dealings and thinking he was better than any of them he knew he certainly hadn't done much to endear himself to the locals, other than those who wanted to frequent the saloon late into the evening. Something he now knew did not sit right with the town he had grown to call home. But Abigail Stanton had quickly put him in his place and although it had taken him until now to realise it, he was glad she had.

What would have happened between him and Elizabeth had Abigail stayed, he wondered. Would he have become a better person under her watchful eye? Someone worthy of Elizabeth's love? The past few days had shown him that may well have been the case but would it have been enough? He doubted it would. And what about Elizabeth? Would she have been able to grieve Jack better and conquer her fears with Abigail's guidance and friendship right there beside her? Watching the two of them interact it was clear they had a close relationship, one that could be as blunt as it was soft and loving. Always supportive no matter what form that needed to take as they only wanted what was best for each other.

But he knew that these thoughts were irrelevant. One only had to see Nathan and Elizabeth together to know that it was an inevitability. They were the missing part of each other and Lucas knew that whatever Nathan's prognosis for the future may be Elizabeth would be there alongside him. He wondered if there would be a place for him as their friend for that was what he would like to be.

He found himself whistling as he worked, enjoying the time out here with the sound of the two boys larking about in the next stall making him smile. He had a plan for this evening and was quite excited, hoping that Brookfield had what he needed. He had grown up believing that Christmas Eve had a magic of it's own and he wanted to add a little bit of fair dust on top for all the children. He may not be the equal of the other men around him in many ways but there was something he was good at…..making people feel special.

Both Allie and Elizabeth jumped up when Maggie and Abigail exited the room out into the hallway, trying to ascertain from their expressions what sort of news to expect. A smile from both ladies was immediately met with deep sighs of relief before Allie, too anxious to wait for them to reach the window seat, shouted out, "Well? Is he going to be okay? Will he walk again?"

Maggie had reached her side by the time she finished and laying a hand on the young girl's shoulder she calmly replied, "I can't say for certain but I'm fairly confident that he will be up and about before you know it."

Allie was beaming, "Can I see him?"

Normally in these circumstances Maggie would say no as she needed her patient to remain quiet and calm but she had a feeling that with Nathan this may work in his favour rather than against. "For a minute only", she replied, indicating that she meant Elizabeth too.

"Come on Mrs Thornton, let's go". The excitement was bursting out of Allie as she tugged at her hand but Elizabeth remained where she was. "Do you know what Allie? I think you should just go by yourself. He needs to rest and he won't do that until he knows that you are okay. That will be his biggest concern right now. I think both of us might be too much for him at this moment. But I want you to tell him that I am ready and will be out here waiting for him."