Jack stepped into the dress shop, nervously twisting his hat in his hands.
"Jack?" Elizabeth came out from the back room, her smile fading at the serious look on his face. "What is it?"
He sighed. "I've been asked to go help out with a case in Union City. I don't have a lot of details, but I'm hoping I'll only be gone for a couple of days."
She sucked in a breath. "How dangerous is it?"
He gave her a half-hearted shrug. "I'm good at my job, Elizabeth."
"You didn't answer my question, Jack." She crossed her arms over her chest.
He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "I really don't know right now. Like I said, I don't have a lot of details. In all likelihood, I'll be in an office most of the time. They probably just need another set of eyes to look over some details about the case. See if there's anything they missed."
"Well, all I have to say is that you'd better come back in one piece."
He chuckled, grabbing her hand almost without thought. "I'll do my best."
"When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow morning. They wanted me to leave today, but I asked for some extra time to get everything sorted with Allie."
She squeezed his fingers. "She's welcome to stay with me while you're gone."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. You know she can stay with me any time. Gilbert, too. Willie and Emma will be thrilled to have them staying with us."
"Thank you." He leaned down to kiss her cheek. "I'll bring her things by tomorrow morning. I should get back to the jail now. I have some things to finish up before I go. Why don't you and the children join me and Allie for dinner at the café tonight?"
She gave him a smile. "We'll be there."
...
"Can Mr. Mountie come in and play?" William asked, looking up at his mother as they approached the row house.
"It's time for you and Emma to go to bed," she explained.
"Aw, man." He dropped his head, disappointed.
"Willie," Jack crouched down in front of him. "I promise I'll come over and play with you when I get back from my trip. Maybe we can even go fishing."
"Okay." A little smile flashed across his face.
Jack hugged him tightly, then Emma, before gently nudging them up the steps.
"I'll be up in a minute," Elizabeth told them, watching them enter the house.
"I should, uh…" He tilted his head in the direction of his own house.
Allie glanced between the adults, sensing that there was more that her dad wanted to say to Elizabeth. "I'm going to go check on Gilbert."
"Oh." Jack turned toward her as she started off down the road. "I'll be there in a few minutes, Al!" he called out after her. "Bless that girl," he said with a chuckle.
Elizabeth smiled, a flush rising in her cheeks when she realized that Allie left to give them a moment alone. "Um, thank you for inviting us to dinner."
"Thank you for coming." He took a step toward her, closing the space between them.
"So, I'll see you in the morning?"
He nodded, gently taking her hands in his. "I'll bring by Allie's things, and we can walk her and William to school together before I have to leave."
Without hesitation, she stepped into his arms, leaning her cheek against his chest. "Are you sure you have to go?"
"I won't be gone long," he promised. Leaning in and lowering his voice, he added, "and when I get back, I'm going to take you on a proper date. Between sickness and the holidays, it's been far too long since we've had some time without the children."
A smile played on her lips. "In that case, I really hope you hurry back."
"I'll do my best." He pulled back, just enough to look into her face. "I love you, Elizabeth."
Leaning up to press her lips to his, she replied, "I love you, too."
He cupped her cheek in his palm. "I would love to stay right here, but we really should check on our children."
She sighed. "I suppose you're right."
"Sweet dreams." He kissed her once more before pulling back fully, their hands remaining connected until the distance between them was too great. "I'll see you in the morning."
She waved, staying on her porch until he reached his own home, both getting one last glimpse of the other before heading inside for the night.
The smile was still on Jack's face when he climbed the stairs to check on Allie. She was already in her bed, Gilbert curled up at her feet.
"Did you talk to Mrs. Spencer?" She raised her eyebrows, her lips curling into a smirk.
"I did. We'll stop by her house tomorrow before school to drop off your bag."
"Why do you have to leave, dad?" She questioned as Jack pulled the quilt up to cover her, a bit of a whine in her voice.
He took a seat on the edge of the bed. "They need my help there, Al."
She sighed. "But can't someone else help?"
"Probably, but they asked me. And hopefully I'll only be gone for a few days. Besides, you're going to have so much fun staying with William and Emma and Mrs. Spencer."
"Dad?" Her voice was small as she spoke. "I wish Mrs. Spencer was my mom. Can you please marry her?"
He couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face. "Don't tell anybody, but that's my plan, Allie-girl. I just have to wait until the time is right. And in the meantime, I need your help to plan a proposal."
She grinned. "You should take her for a ride out to somewhere really pretty."
"Yeah? What else should I do?"
She put a finger to her chin as she thought. "Bring some cake or chocolate or something. And tell her you love her."
"So you'd really be okay if Mrs. Spencer and I got married?"
"Yes. She makes you happy, and I want her to be my mom. And William and Emma would be my brother and sister, and I really want a brother and sister." She gasped. "And you could give us more brothers and sisters."
He chuckled. "Slow down there. That's something Elizabeth and I will need to talk about, and probably not until we're engaged."
"Okay, but I think we need a brother for William."
He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I love you, Allie-girl. Sleep tight."
...
"Thornton!"
Jack glanced up from the papers strewn across the desk in front of him, finding another Mountie standing in the doorway. "Constable Wilson."
He had been in Union City for five days, assisting a small group of Mounties in tracking a band of robbers who had been hitting banks across the province. Thus far, they seemed to be making good progress, with a plan in place to apprehend the criminals when they were likely to arrive in town in a few days' time.
"We got some new intel. Seems they've split up. The sheriff over in Pincher Creek spotted one of the men this morning. Said none of the others was with him."
"Any idea where the others are?"
Constable Wilson shook his head. "No specifics, but we have a general area where we expect them to show up. Sergeant Anderson wants all the small towns around notified to be on the lookout. Red Deer, Benson Hills, Hope Valley, Rock Creek," he listed off a few of the towns that had been mentioned to him.
Jack's stomach dropped. "Hope Valley? Sergeant specifically mentioned Hope Valley?"
He furrowed his brow, trying to remember. "I'm pretty sure he did. Why? You know it?"
"That's where I'm posted. My daughter is there, and my…" he trailed off, unable to find a word to properly describe his relationship with Elizabeth among all the thoughts swirling in his head.
The robbers might be headed to Hope Valley. His town, his people might be in danger.
Abruptly, he stood. "I have to get back there."
"I don't think that's a good idea, Thornton. You really should wait to get your orders from Sergeant Anderson."
"I don't care." He started to gather his things. "If they might hit these towns, we need men there."
"You could lose your job!" he declared.
"I'd rather lose my job than lose my family," Jack replied matter-of-factly.
Without another word, he donned his hat and headed out to prepare for the journey home.
...
"When will Mr. Mountie be home?" William asked, tossing a ball in Allie's direction.
"I don't know." Allie tossed the ball back to him. "Whenever he catches the bad guys, I guess."
"I hope he comes back soon. But I like when you and Gilbert stay at our house."
"I like staying there, too." She quickly glanced around, ensuring nobody was paying attention to their conversation. "Can I tell you a secret?"
William nodded.
"Dad told me not to tell anybody," she lowered her voice, "but I told him that I want him to marry your mom, and he said he wants that, too."
The boy's eyes widened. "He's going to marry my mom?"
She nodded. "He has to ask her first, but I bet she'll say yes. I saw them kissing after we had dinner the other night."
"And then he'll be my dad? And you'll be my sister?"
"Mhmm," she confirmed. "I wonder where we'll live."
William was quiet for a few moments, absentmindedly turning the ball in his hands. "Allie? Is Mr. Mountie a good dad?"
A smile stretched across her face. "He's the best dad. Remember? He's not a bad guy. He puts the bad guys in jail."
"I hope they get married soon. I really want a good dad."
"He said he has to wait until the time is right." She shrugged. "I don't really know what that means."
"Maybe we need to help them," William suggested, his face brightening. "Like we did when they stopped talking before."
"Oh!" Allie gasped. "Another plan!"
Behind them, a bell started ringing. William dropped the ball and grasped Allie's hand as they headed back to the schoolhouse.
"We can start planning later," she assured him. "Maybe before dinner."
"I wonder what we're having for dinner," William mused. "I hope it's shepherd's pie."
"Ooh! I hope so, too!"
...
Elizabeth stood as Lee exited the infirmary, running a hand through his hair. "How is she?" she asked, shifting Emma on her hip.
Earlier that morning, Rosemary had felt some pains in her stomach. Knowing she was still two months from her due date, Elizabeth insisted she let Faith check her over, to ensure that she and the baby were okay. Her thoughts had been racing while she waited for any news, her mind drawn to the baby she had lost over half a year before, praying that Rosemary wasn't hearing those same words.
"Faith wants her to be seen by a doctor," he explained. "The baby is okay right now, but Faith wants a doctor around in case this turns out to be labor and the baby is born early."
She put a comforting hand on his arm. "Well, I'll say a prayer that it's just a false alarm."
"Thank you." He sank down onto the bench she had vacated. "She's resting now, and there's not much to do besides waiting, so you can head back to the dress shop if you want."
"Is there anything you two need before I go? I can stop by the café and get some food from Abigail, or if there's anything you need from the house…"
"I think we're okay for now." He sighed, his lips curling into the hint of a smile. "Thank you, Elizabeth."
"Let me know if you need anything at all," she insisted. Lee and Rosemary had been such a help to her when she first arrived in town, and she desperately wanted to return the favor.
"I will."
Elizabeth gave him a nod before heading back toward the dress shop.
"Mama?" Emma spoke quietly. "Is Miss Rosemary going to be okay?"
"I think so. Nurse Faith just wants to make sure her baby stays inside her for a few more weeks."
"Why?"
She lowered her daughter to the ground, taking her hand as they stepped into the little store. "The baby isn't done growing yet, and if it's not big enough when it's born, the baby could be really sick."
"Oh. I don't want her baby to be sick."
"Me neither, sweet girl." She crouched down, taking her daughter's other hand in her own. "So we should keep Miss Rosemary and her baby in our prayers."
"Okay, mama." She smiled. "Can I go play?"
"Go ahead." Elizabeth nudged her toward the back room. "I'll be out here if you need me."
She skipped away to find her toys that were stashed in the back of the store, leaving Elizabeth alone.
Though she knew her thoughts should have been with her friends and their unborn baby, she couldn't help but wonder what Jack was doing. He had warned her that he may be too busy with the case to communicate much with her, and that had turned out to be true. In the days since he had left, she had only received one telegram from him, to inform her that he had arrived safely.
She figured that no news was good news, but she still struggled having no word from him. How much longer would he be gone? Was he in danger?
She sighed, turning to reorganize a rack of dresses in an attempt to distract herself from all of her worries. Lingering over those thoughts wasn't going to help. All she could do was pray.
...
Jack looked out the window of the train, watching the landscape roll by as they got closer and closer to Hope Valley, wishing they were moving faster. He prayed that none of the robbers would arrive in town before him.
He needed to get home to Allie, to Elizabeth and William and Emma. His family. They had to be safe. He had so many plans for them.
He fingered the small box in his pocket. While he hadn't been happy to be temporarily assigned to Union City, the trip had provided him with an opportunity to pick up something he had been wanting to give Elizabeth for a long time.
A smile played on his lips at the thought of seeing her again. It hadn't even been a week since he had last seen her, but it felt like a lifetime. What would she do when she saw him? Eager to get home, he hadn't sent word ahead that he was on his way back. He imagined the look of surprise on her face, the way she would feel in his arms. Perhaps she would even kiss him right there in the middle of Main Street.
He glanced at his watch, willing the hands to move more quickly, counting down the minutes until he was home.
He wondered how things were going in Union City, wondered how upset the Sergeant would be that he left town against orders. He knew he was risking his career, but he hadn't been lying when he told Constable Wilson that he would rather lose his job than lose his family.
He could always find another job, but he didn't think he could survive it if anything happened to the people he loved. He had to do whatever he could to keep them safe.
But first, he needed to get back to town. Another glance at his watch told him they were just about half an hour away from the station. He settled back into his seat, starting to plan what he would do when he arrived.
...
"Can we make cookies tonight?" Allie asked, skipping alongside William as they left the schoolhouse.
"Not tonight, Allie. I told Miss Rosemary and Mr. Lee that we would bring them dinner tonight, so I don't think we'll have time," Elizabeth explained. "But maybe tomorrow."
"Well, can we get cookies at the café?" William questioned, giving his mother the most pleading look he could muster.
Elizabeth chuckled. "I suppose we can ask Miss Abigail if she has any cookies today."
Suddenly, Allie gasped. "Dad!"
Elizabeth's head snapped up in the direction Allie had started to run. Sure enough, Jack was standing in the middle of Main Street, having stopped his trek toward the jail at the sound of Allie's voice.
She reached him in no time, launching herself into his arms. He met Elizabeth's eyes as he picked up his little girl, hugging her tight.
A smile played on her lips, butterflies rising in her stomach.
"You're back," was all she could think to say when she finally reached him.
He took her hand, still holding Allie on his hip. "I am."
"Did you catch the bad guys, Mr. Mountie?" William asked.
"Not yet, Willie, but we're working on it." He looked back at Elizabeth, his smile looking a bit forced.
She sensed there was more that he wanted to say, but didn't want to reveal in front of the children. She cleared her throat. "We were just about to go to the café for an after school snack, if you'd like to join us. I know Emma will be excited to see you."
"Why don't I meet you there? I have a few things I need to get done at the jail." He lowered Allie to the ground. "It shouldn't take me long."
"Good, because if you take too long, these two might just eat up all the sweets in the café," she joked.
He chuckled. "I'll try to hurry." He leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I love you."
"I love you, too. It's good to have you back."
...
The man sat in the saloon, peering out the window as he sipped his beer. He was feeling good; the plan was working. And even better, the town's Mountie was nowhere to be found. From what he had heard, the Mountie was off in Union City, looking for him, looking for the others. But they weren't there.
He downed the rest of his beer, strolling out of the saloon like he owned the place.
He had to play his cards right. A small town meant he couldn't blend in the way he liked, but it also meant fewer people in his way.
It was still early afternoon, a few hours before he would set his plan in motion, and Main Street was fairly quiet. A handful of people were meandering down the road, seemingly oblivious to this stranger's presence.
But he didn't see the man in the Mountie Office, watching him out the window, comparing him to the face on the Wanted poster he held. He didn't see him stride out the door, quietly following him.
He startled when the man spoke.
"Can I help you?"
He chuckled softly to cover his surprise. "I'm sorry?"
"You seemed a little lost. Are you looking for somewhere in particular? I can point you in the right direction."
"Oh. No, I'm just going for a stroll. This is a lovely little town you have here."
"We certainly enjoy it." Jack noticed the man's fingers twitching, as though he was thinking about reaching for something. He was beginning to wish he hadn't decided to approach the robber without a plan. He should've found Bill, should've asked for backup. After all, the man probably wasn't planning to rob the bank alone and in broad daylight.
But he couldn't handle the thought of this criminal walking free in his town, so close to the people he cared for more than life itself. He had to lock this man away, where he couldn't bring harm to anyone.
"Perhaps we should take a little walk this way. There's a great view from the jail."
The man narrowed his eyes. "I don't think so."
"Or I suppose I could cuff you and lead you there."
"You must have me confused with someone else, sir."
"It's Constable," Jack corrected him. "And I'm not confused at all, Walt."
For a moment, both men were still, followed by a flurry of movement. Guns were drawn, weapons pointed at each other.
Screams surrounded them, the people nearby ducking around corners. Bill had just left the Mayor's office when he heard the commotion. He started to run, his shout of "Jack!" sounding just as a shot rang out.