A mountie to rely upon

by awdeano

This is the story of how Nathan rescued Little Jack and his visit to Fort Clay. He had to move on from Elizabeth and other new characters came into his life. They all avert catastrophe and they are forced to test how they feel now that we venture into season 9 and beyond. It's not going to be easy. I, along with the program's aim, try to arrive at a positive outcome for all of us.

3. Chapter 3

The dust hadn't settled on Elizabeth's traumatic departure from the church. People looked at each other in disbelief; what in the world has just happened. There were no words from anyone, just sympathetic stares in the direction of Lucas who could not comprehend the last sixty seconds. He looked at Pastor Canfield perhaps hoping that the answer might come from the infinite wisdom that he was renowned for, but alas, he had been thrown off balance like everybody else. Without a word, a downcast Lucas, not looking at anyone, calmly walked back down the aisle, out the door, into the car and drove away.

Rosemary watched the car drive away, maybe he was going to drive to Elizabeth's place to talk and eventually the wedding may still be able to go ahead. Nerves may have just got the better of her. There was no turn off to the row house. Lucas's car disappeared down the road into the distance and out of town in the direction of Union City.

Everybody, back in the church were totally bewildered and had no idea what to do next. Elizabeth was their greatest friend which made it worse as they felt powerless to help in any way. Allie looked at Nathan who seemed visibly disturbed. "What do we do now, has anyone got any idea." was the forlorn voice of Clara. They had all known what Elizabeth had gone through these last few weeks and could see how it had all come to a head right at the altar. "Well, we can't sit here for the rest of the day, we need to pack up and return home." said Bill, "We are going to have to give her some time, I can't imagine what is going through her head at the moment." He turned to the children, "It seems to me that your schoolteacher is not going to be leaving after all. Mrs Thornton is going to need all of you to help her over the next few weeks. We are all her family, but she will depend on you children most of all."

Lucas was totally deflated; however, he was not annoyed or embarrassed as he drove along the road. He could see exactly what had occurred back at the church. He had fallen in love with the schoolteacher from Hope Valley and, although he was extremely upset, he could understand that she had chosen her life and her extended family over himself and the city. She had said how he knew her so well. He had settled down after the shock and reluctantly accepted her decision. Maybe he could write to her in the coming months. There had been no point in trying to discuss the situation with her after she had fled the scene so stressfully. He was going to miss her terribly. He suddenly realised that he had departed without even saying goodbye to his mother. Surely, she would have understood and probably be as devastated as himself. He would have to deal with this sometime down the track.

As people were leaving the church, they were thinking about a very confused and heartbroken lady sitting in her home not far from them. "Is there anything we can possibly do to help her," asked Faith. Bill remarked, "We can't all just front up at her doorstep even with the best of intentions, it would seem like a delegation. No, we will have to give her the space she needs for a while. Anyhow, I couldn't imagine what I could possibly say if I was there standing right in front of her." He shrugged his shoulders and sat back down. "You are quite right; she is one of the most remarkable women I have ever had the pleasure to meet. She will come through this with the help of the most wonderful community that she could ever have on her side. I witnessed it all in her book. I am extremely envious of her." said Helen Bouchard.

"Goodbye everybody, this has been quite a week," said Rosemary thinking that it was only yesterday afternoon when Elizabeth was saying her last tearful goodbyes to her. "Lee, what are we going to do, we can't just leave her. She probably hasn't got anything for Little Jack to eat. She probably won't be able to face any of us for ages, the longer it goes on for, the harder it will be for her. Do you mind if I knock on her door later on after we get home?" Lee figured that it couldn't make it any worse than it already was. The sooner the ice could be broken the better it would be.

"Allie, you should talk to the others about expecting Mrs Thornton back into the classroom on a day very soon. You will all have to be ready for anything." suggested Nathan. Fiona could see how upset Nathan was, as they were walking together down the track. "I can see that something is really bothering you Nathan, I'm a very good listener when it involves someone I care about." A very thoughtful Nathan looked intently at Fiona and said, "Fiona, if there is to be anything between us, there can be no secrets." He started at the beginning on how he came to be posted to Hope Valley and how it involved Mountie Jack's widow. "I felt responsible for her and her child. After a while I became totally infatuated with her; I had never had anyone put themselves out for me and I really felt in love. It was a huge blow when she chose Lucas, however, I eventually accepted it. After all, said and done, all I ever wanted was for her to be happy. It was very hard to see her in such distress. I even felt for Lucas, now he's on his way without a new wife." Fiona was quite overcome at hearing Nathan open up like this and take her into his confidence. "Nathan, I'm going to find it very easy to fall in love with you."

At dusk, there was a very tentative knock at the door which remained unanswered. Rosemary ventured inside and saw a very despondent Elizabeth sitting in the chair with her son at her feet. "Elizabeth, I quite understand if you want to be left alone but you may like me to see to Little Jack. I can take him over home and get a bite to eat for him if you like." There was a very uneasy silence with Elizabeth not even looking up. "Rosemary, I just couldn't do it, I just couldn't do it. I kept on seeing Little Jack in his school uniform wandering sadly around an asphalt square in a big school in the city. I would have betrayed Jack if that happened. I always said that I couldn't imagine raising my son anywhere other than Hope Valley. Have I done the right thing?"

Rosemary was very relieved that she was, at least, able to be with her best friend when she was needed the most. She couldn't imagine Elizabeth closed up in her home not being able to face anyone let alone her friends and all of her extended family. "Elizabeth," she said, "now isn't the time for you to decide whether you made good or bad decisions. That can happen over the next few weeks or more. The important thing for you to know is how much you mean to us and how much we all love you." Elizabeth finally looked Rosemary in the eye and searched for the hug that she so desperately needed.

"I let Lucas down terribly, what must he be thinking now. I love him so much that I was nearly going to uproot Little Jack and me to wherever he would take us. I will never know whether we could have been happy in Union City." She continued on, "I can't believe I did this to him, how was he after I left?" Rosemary picked up Little Jack and sat him on her knee, "Lucas was absolutely stunned and speechless as we all were. He just walked out of the church and drove out of town. I think that was the only way he could handle it. I must tell you; his mother was very understanding and sang high praises of you. She seems to be a very strong but a very nice woman."

There was no food, or anything left in the house as they weren't expecting to be back there after the wedding ceremony. Elizabeth wasn't interested in any food for herself but did appreciate Rosemary bringing something for Little Jack. "You must be such a hungry little boy," remarked Rosemary as they saw him tuck into some bread and jam. He liked his milk in his special little cup. "It's going to be weeks before you can come up with the answers to all the questions in your head right now, it will be one day at a time. Elizabeth, we go back such a long way together and have been through so much. You know that you can depend on all of us for always. I can go shopping for you in the morning if you like, I could take Little Jack."

That night after Little Jack had gone down Elizabeth sat and pondered over the day's events. "What a rollercoaster ride I have had in the last few weeks. I actually had said goodbye to everybody without even considering what I was moving into." Having a life with Lucas would have been wonderful but she really thought that she would be miserable away from the life she had built at Hope Valley. Even though she had mentioned this on a number of occasions, she had put it aside having been swept up in the oncoming book publishing, their engagement and wedding plans. She was sad to think that she may never see Lucas again.

Rosemary came early next morning and took Little Jack down the street to see if the mercantile was open. She thought, being a Sunday before church, it might be imposing on Ned and Florence, however, she thought they would be thankful for some news of how Elizabeth was coping. She had to knock on the front door to get their attention. Any annoyance was soon dissipated once they saw Little Jack with her. "My goodness Rosemary, come right in, how is Elizabeth? She must be in a state. You went and saw her when, last night, that was very brave of you."

"I have to admit to being quite apprehensive at knocking on the door but very relieved when I was able to talk to her inside." said Rosemary. "I was having visions of her barricading herself in her house for weeks and not coming out for anything. Thank God we may have got past that." She collected a few items for Elizabeth and said, "I don't think Elizabeth will be able to find the energy for church this morning, however, I have an idea that you can help with at the service if you like."

Everybody at the morning service was thankful for Rosemary's effort. She had described Elizabeth's look of resignation and how she was going to need all their prayers to get her through. After the service concluded, Florence and Rosemary went to work. All seemed to be in widespread agreement.

Next morning Elizabeth was up and about and tending to Little Jack when there was a knock on the door. She couldn't help the frown on her face, she could do without any visitors at this early stage, however, she decided to open the door anyway. Outside there were at least twenty children all packed and ready for school. She nearly collapsed, she was out of breath and her heart skipped a beat as she saw them all. "Hello Mrs Thornton, we are all here on a Monday morning ready to have our teacher back with us. We all understand if you're not ready for us yet, but we thought that you needed to know how much we love you. We can go home if you like and start another day," She immediately went out and hugged them all, "No, no," she cried, "we are going to school today, is it okay if Little Jack comes with us?"

Elizabeth couldn't believe the warmest sensation walking back into the classroom with all the school children. Any doubts she had simply washed away as she sat her son at the front of the class. She grabbed a chair and sat close to them all and said, "Children, I need to talk to you first. Thank you so much for helping me to find my way back. You all know that I planned to marry Mr Bouchard and that we were going to have to move away. I worked out right at the finish that I just couldn't do it and leave all of you when you need me the most. I promise I will not let you down again. I am here to stay." She looked at her son beside her. "Little Jack will be old enough to go to school eventually and right here is where it will be." She added, "and yes, there will be homework tonight."

On the way home after school she felt that today had been a defining moment in her life. It came back to her yet again how she had remembered why she came to Coal Valley in the first place. Anything else was secondary. It was time for her to knock on Rosemary's door. For a change Lee answered the door, "Where is that wife of yours, kindly trot her out here immediately if you please!" Rosemary appeared from around the corner rather taken aback. Elizabeth handed Little Jack to Lee and rushed over to embrace her best friend. "I know this was your handiwork today organizing all those children to show up this morning. Today made up for all the distress from the last few weeks and made me take notice of who I am and what we are all here for." Rosemary smiled and said," I had help." Elizabeth added, "I can't imagine who would have come up with the idea for the children to sing Danny Boy," staring directly into Rosemary's eyes. She hoped there would be a time in the future where she could do something equally as nice to pay Rosemary back. "It is still going to be hard for a while, everywhere I go I will see Lucas, but I think now I will be able to cope.

First thing next morning Elizabeth quickly headed down to the stable after dropping Little Jack next door. Rosemary could see that she was in a hurry so there wasn't much more than a hello and see you later. She wanted to get down the street before the town stirred for the day. As she saddled up Sergeant she said, "I want you to forget everything I told you the other day, you are my family and we won't be going anywhere."

She rode straight to the bridge. There was a strange calmness as she stood in the middle and recalled that memorable encounter where she made the commitment to a new beginning. How strange it was now that she was doing the same thing again in the same place. It was now time to say goodbye to Lucas. She hoped eventually the heartache would ease and be replaced by the many fond memories that they shared.

She rode to the land and sat again on the stone. She looked around at how wonderful the landscape was here in the morning. The cool breeze, birds chirping away and the lovely sky, she thought she would never take all this for granted ever again. She thought to herself, "You don't know what you have until you are faced with losing it." It was now time to head back and get ready for school. Again, a contented smile came to her as she thought of the children and how it was all of them helping her through the sadness. A sobering moment struck her as she hurried past the library on her way home. "It's going to take me a while before I'm ready to set foot back in there." she thought.

As the weeks went by, she gradually became able to resume her life within the community. She was coping better but still felt an embarrassment at causing such calamity. As always, everybody was pleased to see her and would comment on how they were so glad to have her as the town's schoolteacher and how grown up Little Jack was becoming. It took two weeks before she would venture back into the library. She had felt Lucas's presence all over town but none more so than in the library. Bill couldn't hide his joy at having his Godchild still living at Hope Valley. He understood Elizabeth's plight and how a healing process would have to take time. "Elizabeth, I can still remember telling you that you don't have to explain yourself to any of us at any time. You went through quite a traumatic experience. We are just happy that you are okay."

She wrote to her parents and her sisters pouring out all the emotion, while trying to provide some form of explanation of what and how everything turned out the way it did. At least the effort of putting it all into words on the pages was helping her make sense of everything. She actually asked for their forgiveness, having put them through the joy of an impending marriage only to have it withdrawn at the very end.

One day, down at the mercantile, Ned handed Elizabeth a letter that had just recently come in for her. She noticed that there was no return address written on the back, however, the handwriting on the front seemed vaguely familiar. She thanked Ned, said goodbye to Florence, placed the envelope in her basket with other items and returned home. She preferred to be alone at home when she would open it because she wondered whether it was from Lucas.

Sitting at home she felt a strange loneliness as she stared at the letter sitting on the table. She had gradually regained some normality in her life after these last few weeks. Now, suddenly, all the anxiety returned with all the haunting memories as well. Calling on the courage needed, taking two deep breaths, she then opened it and flipped immediately to the ending where it was signed, Helen Bouchard. She wasn't sure of her mixed feelings of relief when she saw that it wasn't from Lucas.

"My dearest Elizabeth," the letter started, "I hope you are well and can find a nice quiet relaxing moment to read my thoughts through my letter to you. I felt very sad for you for weeks after your exit from the church and the ultimate break-up with Lucas. I recognised that you were going through major hardship when I saw you come into the saloon on that last day. I could not possibly fail to understand the pain and suffering that you had to confront with the decision to leave Hope Valley. I have a head start on everybody else because I had a major hand in the preparation of your most wonderful book. Many questions are answered in the chapters of your book my dear. Your heart and soul are in every word. You were much more of a help to me than you will ever know during the time we spent together at Hope Valley, a wonderful community I might add. I often reflect on how close I came to finally having the daughter in my life that I longed for over the years. Even though that one more step didn't eventuate, I hope that you can find a little spot in your heart for someone who would have loved to have you for a daughter. As you get your life back together again, I can understand that the publishing of your book may present a rather painful experience for you so far. Please do not be deterred as it will be heaven on earth for many women who are having to endure the same fate. I will be there for you if you let me. I didn't put a return address because I am rarely in the same place for any length of time as I visit authors and publishers frequently all over the country, hence, I haven't been able to speak with Lucas yet. If you can think of me from time to time as a loving mother, then that will answer many prayers for me." signed, "with much devoted love eternally yours, Helen Bouchard." PS "I'm saving the biggest hug for you for next time."

Elizabeth's eyes welled up and she tried to blink away the tears. She looked away, out the window and back to the letter as she reread it again and again. It was the most amazing thing that could happen to her right out of the blue like this. She wanted desperately to be able to tell her how much help it was to have her blessing and understanding. But that was not to be, "I might not see her for many agonizing months." she lamented. She filed the letter away with her copy of the manuscript although she was bursting to show it to Rosemary.

She seemed to be much more relaxed and contented these days and didn't try to avoid seeing her friends like she had been. Nathan was sitting outside the jailhouse soaking up the sunshine for a while as she walked along the path. She sat with him now that she was finally able to see all her friends now even more so, without feeling any pressure. "Elizabeth, it's good to see you out and about with us all. It was one of the worst moments of my life to see you under such stress before and with all of us powerless to help in any way." By now Little Jack was sitting on Nathan's lap also enjoying the sunshine. "I should keep a couple of books here so I can read to him," said Nathan, "I've got a wanted poster inside, would that be okay?" Elizabeth was in shock, "Heaven's no!" she gasped, "he might think that it's okay to be on the wrong side of the law."

This is how she had wanted it to be for a long time between her and Nathan. Neither was on edge, stumbling over words or trying to avoid the eye contact or awkward silence. Nathan suggested, "Him and me could draw up a wanted poster and have him inside the picture. Imagine, Wanted, Little Jack for hiding toys and not eating his dinner." Elizabeth scolded him, "You will do no such thing!" Nathan added, "Can you visualize Bill seeing it and saying that we have to bring Little Jack in, a fugitive from justice. Elizabeth smiled, "Jack, you mustn't listen to any of this ridiculous jargon coming from your Uncle Nathan. I can just imagine your Godfather sending me a message to have to come and bail you out of jail. Anyhow, he always eats his dinner." Nathan looked at Little Jack, "Can't be too careful, I'm going to have my eye on you from now on."

"How's Allie and Fiona going?" asked Elizabeth. "That woman is a handful. She nearly got me thrown out of the Mercantile the other day. I'm sure her and Allie conspired against me." said Nathan. "Whatever happened to cause all that. "enquired a horrified Elizabeth. "Well, Fiona was over at home with me and Allie looking through a magazine. She found this recipe and said, Allie, let's have a go at making this. Allie had looked over and saw where it said Swedish meatballs." He said, "Next thing you know she says, come on you two, let's go and get all the ingredients and get started. I was included because I had to help carry all the stuff back." He added, "We get to the Mercantile and she starts reeling off all the items on her list, then she says to Ned that Nathan has assured me that you have everything that we need." Elizabeth clearly was enjoying all this. Nathan continued, "I told Ned that I had said nothing of the sort. After a while pondering over the list Ned asked Fiona. What is this here, a teaspoon of dill seed. What do you do with that? She said that it was just on the list and would figure it all out when she read the instructions." Elizabeth asked, "Did he have everything?" The reply was, "of course not, but then, Ned says to Florence, why don't you make anything like this for me?" Elizabeth couldn't contain herself and said, "I wish I had been there to see all this. What did Florence say, I bet she was not impressed at all." Nathan responded, "She growled at him and said, beef and beans for you from now on, and then Ned says to me, Nathan, now look what you've done. If I miss out on dinner tonight, I'm coming after you. Ned pointed to Fiona and said that she should be locked up. I said, I'm sure you meant both of them and throw away the key. Of course, the two ring leaders were silent during the whole show. I swear Ned and Florence were smirking as we left the shop." Elizabeth laughed and said, "Now look at us, I have a son who is a fugitive from justice, and you have a niece who is one step away from doing time. By the way, how much is the reward on that wanted poster, I just might claim it myself. My goodness, now I'm being as silly as you are. " On her way home, she thought how refreshing it had been to have such a light-hearted, easy going conversation with Nathan. She was quite sure that Fiona knew exactly what she was doing and how she was so good for him.

She had noticed that man Wyman Walden across the street by the saloon. That was a place that she had avoided long since the aborted wedding ceremony. He acknowledged her presence and was somewhat surprised when she completely ignored him. She thought that there weren't many people she could take an instant dislike to, but he was one of them. He was now the new owner of the saloon, the very man who had ultimately caused the demise of her relationship with Lucas. Bill had said recently how the saloon didn't seem to be operating very well and to a great degree, it wasn't hardly open for business at all. It was a shame not only because of her time with Lucas but also, the history of when it used to be the venue for the school classroom, all the weddings and the wonderful Christmas parties.

Walden was rarely seen around Hope Valley. Nobody could seem to understand why somebody would buy a business even if it was on the cheap just to let it run down. This was obviously not his main form of income. He was probably acting for some big city financier with an agenda which may not suit the residents of Hope Valley. What possible motive could there be for someone to buy up many or all the properties in the street and surrounding areas. If there was to be some big establishment proposed in the region, maybe access to decent water supply and the rail link would come under consideration. If most properties were bought up, then there would a reduced amount of opposition to any project.

It seemed, indeed that this was Walden's charter, hence, one morning his brazened approach saw him wander forcefully into the café. His abrasive attitude managed to get Clara offside, warranting a customer to feel the need to step in to remind him of his manners if he actually had some. "I want to see Bill Avery," he said, "I have a proposition for him." The helpful customer suggested that it would be a good idea for him to wait outside for Bill to return. He stood toe to toe convincing Walden that there was no other option available. There was plenty of room for him to wait outside on the landing.

Bill eventually returned from some legal duties at the jailhouse and immediately saw Walden outside. "What do you want," snarled Bill, "I don't have a lot of time for people I don't like." Walden of course was undeterred as always, "I came to see you with a proposition." Bill was already running out of patience with this man. "You came with a proposition some time ago if I recall, just remember, I'm not Lucas Bouchard. I am someone who can put you behind bars when I eventually find out what you are up to." Bill could see how agitated and troubled Clara was, "What did you say to her," he growled grabbing his jacket by the lapels. "You can count yourself very fortunate that her husband wasn't here, he's not as easy going as I am." He threw him off the landing onto the street, "You can keep your proposition until you can find some decency. You owe the lady an apology." Walden dusted himself off and just walked away.

Bill went inside to the café and immediately sought out Clara, "are you all right Clara, what happened?" She settled down now that Bill was here, "That Mr Walden was rude and aggressive but this nice man," she turned around to point him out, but he had gone. "That's strange, he was just sitting here with a cup of coffee and now he's gone." Bill looked at her and said, "See if you can avoid telling Jesse, I don't really need him to deal with our Mr Walden in his way. Let me know if you see that customer again, I should thank him for stepping in to help."

Bill went and filled Nathan in on the day's events and between the two of them, they decided that they should make some outside enquiries. There was something big going on and they needed to know about it before it became too late. They placed phone calls to mounted police headquarters in various cities and hoped for advice on the possibility of a proposed factory and why someone would be forcefully trying to acquire places in Hope Valley. They also decided to spend a lot of time scouring the countryside and hills for any other clues. Surely it would be difficult to conceal any unauthorised development within the district. Even so, there was a great deal of territory to cover, especially as they weren't sure exactly what they were looking for. Wheel tracks and broken fences and smoke may be some sort of indication. Some of the terrain was so inaccessible that owners could have uninvited guests on their property without even knowing about it. Seeking out many of the landowners would be a good starting point.

With the use of a map of the district, Bill and Nathan were able to make some assessment of the time it was going to take to carry out this level of inspection. Much of the open plains could be ruled out fairly quickly whereas forest and hills would be more of a challenge. They hoped that the weather would not intervene too much to cause disruption to their plans.

Their preparations were just about complete with sections divided up so that they could get started. They were in the jailhouse almost ready to make a move when Wyman Walden, a much more subdued version knocked on the front door. "Judge Avery, I said before that I had a proposition for you." Bill and Nathan looked at each other, "I want to make you an offer for the café." Bill continued with what he was doing at the time and then, rather abruptly, "It's not for sale, to you or anyone else for that matter at any price. That will be my last word on this." Bill then went over with great pleasure and shut the door in his face.

Bill had organised with Lee and Jesse to keep an eye on the place as they were going to be out of town for the main part of the day. Clara would be on her own at the café. He had also asked Ned and Florence to let him know if there were any newcomers or strangers in town. They rode out and thought they could make an easy first day and review the local plains areas. They should be able to rule much of the area out as they could see for a long distance if there was anything untoward. To allay any concern or suspicion, they decided to carry out this project maybe once or twice a week initially.

They carried on their uneventful procedure for a few weeks and had found nothing out of the ordinary on the plains. They weren't looking forward to the many mountainous and forest areas where clandestine activities could be easily concealed from the mainstream. While they were away, things remained quiet in the street and particularly in the café. Clara was able to serve meals and tea and coffee generally without incident. The customer who had stood up for her previously seemed to be a regular on the days when Bill and Nathan were away. She thanked him for being there when she needed someone and introduced herself to him. He said he was here looking after a friend's cabin out of town while his family were away for a time.

One afternoon a family came into town and sought out the infirmary. Faith welcomed them all inside and proceeded with introductions. They were a family of three, the father, the mother and a young boy not quite of school age yet. "Hello, I'm Sally Turner, this is my husband Andrew, and this is Robbie," said the mother pointing to the young boy. There were many families living on farms in outlying areas who were generally self-sufficient, hence they rarely ventured into the township. Faith knew that she couldn't be expected to know everyone in the entirety of the district. They worked a little farm just situated into the foothills about fifteen miles out of town. They grew their own vegetables and had some cows for milking and ran a few sheep. All in all, they had quite a good existence out there on their own. They said that they would love to have their son, when he gets old enough, go to school in Hope Valley, they had heard many good reports.

"What can I do today for all of you, "enquired Doctor Faith in her professional capacity. "It may not be anything to worry about, but we thought we had better get this seen to just in case there was a problem." said the mother. She took the boy's jacket off and rolled up his sleeve to reveal quite a pronounced rash. "It has just started to get worse over the last day or so, and what's more, we both have it as well." Faith was trying very hard not to appear horrified so as not to alarm them. "You are right," she replied, "it may not be anything much to concern ourselves with, but we will have to find out what has caused this." She checked the mother and the father and saw that they both had the same affliction but in different places.

It was very unusual for the entire family to have a rash like this all at the same time, just out of the blue so Faith suddenly, had many questions running through her head. Was this just an isolated occurrence or could this be something that was going to rage through the entire town. She asked whether they had eaten anything different or more precisely, had anything different happened that they could recall over the last few days. This was very puzzling indeed; she was not sure what to subscribe at this early stage that may be of some benefit. She applied a cream on one little spot on the child and hoped that it may stop the itching.

"Use this very sparingly and I will need to see you every day for a while. I may even have to come to your place to have a look around for myself if that's okay. When you come again, I would like you to draw me a map so that I know how to get there without getting lost." She was going to do her best for them, they seemed such a nice family.

Bill and Nathan returned late in the day. They were pleasantly surprised when Clara turned up at the jailhouse with some nice dinner for them both. It was greatly appreciated, and they showed Fiona as she poked her head in the door. "I could have made you some Swedish meatballs," They frowned at each other, Bill had heard the story the other day. Bill said, "I am not wishing to get thrown out of the Mercantile on my ear. Already I'm in trouble with Elizabeth for laughing about the Little Jack wanted poster." Fiona asked, "I hear you're selling the café, is that true, I can't believe it." Clara had told her of the fiasco with Wyman Walden so she was sure that she would hit a nerve. She smiled at Bill who replied, "Ned was right, you should be locked up."

Both Nathan and Bill were concerned, "Fiona, if Walden goes into your shop again with his outrageous proposals, you let me know. I can soon invent a reason to provide him with free board and lodging for a while. We have to get to the bottom of all this." Nathan wondered if they should give the same assurance to Ned and Florence, maybe even Faith. Surely, he wouldn't try to take over the infirmary. It was all a mystery that they were not even close to solving. Clara mentioned how there was this new customer who always seemed to be in the café while Bill and Nathan were away for the day. She said how it was reassuring to have him there even though they knew so little about him. Fiona wished them all goodnight, "I'm going home to find another recipe. Tell Allie not to forget the sugar next time."

The Turner family arrived again around midday and headed straight to the infirmary as expected. Faith had arranged for nobody else to be there at that time just in case this rash was contagious. The cream had provided a soothing effect, but the rash was still there and not improving on all three of them. It was at least a blessing although rather strange that there were no other cases of the same rash coming in from other people. The father had drawn a map to show directions to his farm as Faith had asked. She didn't want to travel out there alone so she wondered who she could ask to accompany her. Bothering Nathan or Bill would be out of the question, they were far to busy for this task. Maybe Lee and Rosemary would be available, although a newspaper article about a possible contagious rash might not be appropriate at this point. Jesse could look after their office while they were out. The Turner family had said that she could come out there any time that she was available.

Lee and Rosemary were only too pleased to help out, "With everything that you have done for us all, you can count on us anytime you have to." They planned to leave relatively early next morning. Faith had been very thoughtful while figuring out what she needed to take with her. She had made sure that the Turner's didn't have to come into Hope Valley tomorrow. "You will like the Turners; they are a nice family to have in the district but try to avoid physical contact with them while this rash is still around." she advised

They set out early next morning as planned for their fifteen-mile journey. The car was quicker than a horse and cart, but it was still a bumpy affair. They eventually arrived and saw this quaint cabin surrounded by lush vegetables and fruit trees. They certainly had made a fine job and they could all see that they would be every bit self-sufficient. Lee and Rosemary introduced themselves and soon they were shown around the entire place. Rosemary was a breath of fresh air out in the open with these new people and she absolutely loved little Robbie. Faith was pleased to have Lee's extra set of eyes when they were doing their little investigation. It was possible that he may ask a question or two that she might have overlooked.

They had a tour of the entire property, saw the corn growing in the field, cows being milked and chickens being fed. Nothing appeared to be out of order, but they knew that something had to be the cause of the affliction. Lee asked about paint or whitewash that they may be using from time to time as some products could cause adverse reactions. Andrew showed them all where it was stored, however it had not been used by anyone for weeks. All the vegetables growing looked remarkably healthy. Faith, so far was at a loss to think what the problem might be, she resolved to continually ask questions and monitor the rash, particularly with the young boy. She also took a sample of their water for analysis even though it looked very clean. Lee offered his services again to Faith whenever she may need them. He could see the concern on her face.

They completed their round trip by dropping Faith off at the infirmary around mid-afternoon. Elizabeth had appeared in the street with Little Jack after school had concluded and wandered over to talk to Faith. "That's a lucky break, said Faith with a smile. "I was just going to visit the school to see if you were still there, I need you to keep an eye on something for me." She described the rash on the farming family and how she hoped that it was not going to be contagious. "You will need to see if any child has any itching or scratching which may be annoying to them. So far I am unable to figure out where the cause may be so I'm being very over cautious."

Elizabeth wandered around for a while enjoying the afternoon sun when she noticed Allie at her favourite fishing spot. Today there were three of them all sitting together with fishing poles. Allie had promised to teach Fiona how to catch a fish and declared that they weren't leaving today until they did. So far Fiona thought it was all very easy, you just had to sit there quietly with the line dangling in the water. Allie had put the worm on the hook for her, much to Fiona's revulsion. "Ugh, yuk, do you have to do that all the time, poor worm." Nathan grinned, "Were there any worms in the recipe for the Swedish meatballs," he asked cheekily. "Very funny, what do we do now?" Fiona replied. "Shh! you'll scare the fish away." whispered Allie, Fiona was unimpressed, "If I was a fish you would need more than a worm to catch me." Allie was waiting for her reaction when the time came.

While Fiona was talking about fish on the plate in the café, she felt a little tug on the line. "I think I've got one," she shrieked, "I'm sure I felt something." Allie thought that she had never seen anyone so excited about sitting beside a pond before. "Okay," instructed a masterful Allie, "just reel it in slowly, no quick movement and you'll be fine." Fiona dragged it out slowly as instructed and, gradually, the fish appeared on the end of the line. "Wow, that's a good one," said Allie, "look Uncle Nathan, she's a natural." He added, "just be careful, you haven't got him yet. Get him up here onto the deck." She lifted it out with Allie's help and Fiona grabbed him after the hook was taken out. "Ugh, it's so slimy and wriggly, what do I do now?" All of a sudden it wriggled out of her hand and fell back in the water. "Oh no," she cried, "he's gone." Nathan and Allie were trying to be very sympathetic. "He hasn't gone very far, at least we know where he is." said Nathan with a smirk. "It's okay for you two to laugh but that was going to be my first ever fish." lamented Fiona. Elizabeth waved and laughed, "Better luck next time." as she turned to go home. "At least I caught one, that's more than what you two did." said Fiona. "The day's not over yet." said Allie. Nathan had his head in his hands, "No Swedish mothballs and no fish either." Fiona looked very annoyed, "I will push you in the water if you are not careful, and it's meatballs, not mothballs."

Elizabeth was envious at seeing the three of them enjoy the simple pleasure of fishing and being together just like a family. She remembered some of the fun times that she had shared with Jack which didn't seem such a long time ago. The horse rides, the boat, the dance in the café all came back as clearly as if it was yesterday. Maybe when the local annual dance comes along again with the ladies' choice, she might be a long way back in the queue to get a chance to dance with Nathan.

Faith had made a phone call to a colleague in the city and told him of the unusual phenomenon and asked for a priority analysis on the water sample that they had brought back. She said how it looked okay, but they had to start somewhere. She truly hoped that the water was not where the problem lay. "Will you please call me back as soon as you can as I can't afford the rash on the little boy to get any worse."

The turner family arrived at the infirmary the next morning early and the news was not good. Sally was becoming quite concerned as each day progressed and Faith was sad because she was powerless to give them the solution. The rash was far fiercer on Robbie who looked rather sick to go with it. Both mother and father still had their rash, however the concern was mainly for the sad little boy. "Let's just talk about the farm, what he does, how he spends his time and then we may hit on something." said Faith. They discussed many things like how they had always lived in the country and how the arrival of their little boy was the blessing that they had hoped for. "If you don't mind, I would like to keep him here for a couple of days for observation." asked Faith. Very sad parents hugged their little son and left to return home. They said that they had never been anywhere without him at any stage of his life especially overnight.

Fiona received a pleasant surprise later, when she was in the mercantile. Ned presented her with a nicely wrapped little gift and it wasn't even her birthday. She unwrapped it to find a little packet of dill seeds. She was overjoyed at the thought of someone doing this for her. "I had to order ten packets of this to get it at a cheaper rate, Florence has scoured the entire country to source these. I am expecting to have Spanish meatballs coming out of my ears for weeks. They had better be good." Florence glared at him, "He knows very well that they are Swedish meatballs, he is only trying to be annoying. Anyhow, I can't wait to try them." Fiona, on the way home with her little packet, was trying to remember if she still had the recipe or where it might be.

Elizabeth popped into the infirmary to tell Faith that thankfully there was nothing out of the ordinary from any of the school children. "Hello little man," she exclaimed," I haven't seen you here before, who do you belong to?" Faith popped up from around the corner, "Hello Elizabeth, this is Robbie, he's about the same age as Little Jack. He should be a good playmate." She showed Elizabeth the rash which was quite nasty. "I don't think it is contagious at all, but we still have to be careful." Elizabeth thought what a nice little fellow he was just sitting there happily with his bottle of milk. "I asked to keep him here so that I could monitor him for a day or so. He seems to love his milk." observed Faith.

Bill and Nathan were planning to venture out again tomorrow into the foothills. They had been able so far to rule out over two thirds of the district. Care now had to be taken just in case they discovered something that they were not supposed to see. "We can't go off on our own at any stage from now on. We must stay together. Two pairs of eyes are better than one." Bill was so thankful that Clara had been able to manage in the café so well on her own.

Faith got an answer to her request for water analysis next morning. She was relieved to find out that everything was negative, however it still didn't provide an answer to their problem. At least it was something that they could rule out. The elusive solution still lay elsewhere. The parents had wasted no time getting to town to see their little boy. He was quite perked up and pleased to see them. Faith observed, "If my eyes didn't deceive me, I would say that the rash hasn't gotten any worse today. It doesn't seem nearly as fierce as before. I would still like to keep him here for one more day just to be on the safe side."

Wyman Walden seemed to know when Bill was out of town. Sometimes he would approach the café generally to intimidate Clara. He wandered in early in the afternoon, "Is Bill Avery around," he asked even though he already knew the answer. Clara told him that Bill was out but would be returning later. "In that case I'll have a cup of coffee if you please," He sat down and added, "Soon this café will be mine, you can stay on and work for me." Clara was getting rather agitated; she didn't like this man and his rude nature. "Bill hasn't said anything about this to me." Ignoring her he said, "Hurry up with my coffee." He then felt a tap on his shoulder, "Would you like to leave under your own steam, or would you like an escort?" Before he could answer he found himself pushed out into the street. "I don't expect he will bother you again today ma'am." said the irregular customer who seemed to appear on cue just when necessary. She gathered her faculties and turned to say thanks, but he was gone.

It was rather strange for Doctor Faith over the next few days. She had been quite pleased with the disappearance of the main part of Robbie's rash so that he was able to gladly return home with his ever-thankful parents. After two days unfortunately it reappeared with a vengeance. Rosemary was allowed to have the car that day, so she and Faith headed to the farm for more questions. Now the most pressing one was, what was the difference for Robbie while he was in town as against being home in his own environment. His mother had prepared his food for his stay in town so that shouldn't have to be a concern.

They spent most of the time at the farm consoling Sally who was starting to blame herself for the boy's predicament. Rosemary said how she had never seen a child enjoy his dinner as much as Robbie and also, how he loved his milk. Faith's eyes lit up to the amazement of the others, "That's the only difference." Rosemary, now very impatient said, "Will you ever get around to telling us what is so special about what I may have said?" Faith turned to Sally and said, "Sally, just for the next few days it might be advisable to hold back the milk for Robbie until we can have it tested. This is where our answer may be." Sally was horrified to think that they may have been giving Robbie milk that was no good. "How could that be," she wondered, "it was straight from the cow."

Faith, as always, had brought jars for samples, "We have to get this right the first time," she instructed. The Turners had three milking cows, so Faith took a sample of each one and marked it accordingly. "We must get these tested as soon as possible," so, with that, they returned to Hope Valley. Faith was so thankful to Rosemary for taking her in the car.

Fiona had searched high and low for the recipe without success. She went to get Allie from school in the afternoon and, between the two of them, they thought that it may be in the magazine from Allie's place. She showed Allie the little packet that Ned and Florence had given her. Elizabeth asked them at the school," Did you get to catch a fish after all?" Fiona frowned, "We already had one until Nathan dropped it," They laughed, and Fiona said, "Now, we simply have to find that recipe."

It took two days for the analysis to be completed on the jars of milk. It was an urgent phone call that Faith received that confirmed her suspicions. "Faith, I am really glad that you got me to do this for you. I found some very bad contaminants that shouldn't have been there. I'm sure that this is the source of your dilemma. These chemicals are usually present around industrial areas where stuff has got into the water supply. If this gets out of control, it could be a disaster. I will report this to our head office and your people should get busy, good luck."

There was no time to waste. Bill and Nathan were together in the jailhouse trying to figure out how to deal with Wyman Walden when Faith appeared at the front door. She asked what they had been doing on their daily excursions and whether they had made any headway. Before they could reply, she said that she may be able to provide an answer. They looked at each other and said, "We certainly could use some help right now." She described the unusual rash and how most of the effort to cure it had come to no avail. The two men were listening very intently. She then arrived at the point where tests on the milk samples had returned with nasty surprises.

The problem was not completely solved as yet. The farm water supply had proved to be clear. "Faith, you are an absolute treasure, we might have gone on for weeks and still not found this." said Bill. They were going to need help for a search of that area, so they asked Jesse if he was available.

Their best starting point was to be the Turner's farm. Faith got a good supply of milk to take with them so that Robbie would have plenty for a day or so. This was the first time that the Turner's got to meet Bill and Nathan. It was quite a shock for them to find out about their contaminated milk and the damage it had caused. Andrew was mystified how it could have happened as he had known from Faith's news before that their water was okay. He mentioned, however that the cows often ventured through a broken part of the fence but always knew when to return home when milking and feeding time occurred.

The cows were out there right at this moment, so they tried to observe where they were heading. It was quite dense, but they could see where the cows from day to day had made a track to get to and from. They were about a half a mile into this paddock when they saw a pond where the cows drank from. Faith wasted no time in getting a sample from it when a voice yelled out, "What are you people up to? You are on private property." Two men with guns appeared out of nowhere. Nathan was not in uniform but tried to introduce himself. "We are not interested in who you are, we want you out of here now!" Faith tried to tell them that there may be a problem with the water and proceeded to get her sample. "I advise you to mind your own business and leave right now." Bill stepped into the pond and got a boot full of water and said, "Okay, we will be on our way."

It was unusual for Bill to be that amicable. "Faith, do you have your jar?" he asked as they got out of earshot and a safe distance away. She could see exactly what he had done. He emptied some of the water from his boot into the jar and they hurried off. "I have a feeling that we will be seeing those two again soon." Andrew made sure that his cows would be unable to access the pond from now on. Sally was happy that finally her son should be free of that nasty affliction that had worried them so much.

Fiona breathed a sigh of relief when they found the magazine that had the recipe. "Now we need to get busy, Allie, look at the list and see what we still have to get from the Mercantile." They had a lot of items from their last venture but still needed the minced steak and pork. Whatever else they could get would have to do. The trip to the Mercantile was an adventure for Fiona. She was planning to give as good as she got. "We want only the good stuff thank you, not too fatty," she insisted. Ned was very reserved so far until Fiona and Allie were heading for the door. "Just as well you don't need a fish for this recipe." he said cheekily. "We will have a fish soon enough," Fiona remarked, "We will leave Nathan home next time."

Now to get started was the plan from Fiona when they got back. "We have to soak the breadcrumbs in the milk, have we got the breadcrumbs, oh there they are." said Fiona with a sigh of relief. "They won't laugh at us again when they get a taste of this." Allie loved the determined look on her face and how it was all done with a smile. They followed the instructions to the letter. Allie remembered Fiona telling her that you can do anything you like if you are prepared to just have a go. She knew that it was going to be fine. How could it not be?

A quick phone call by Faith to her colleague, then the new sample was packed and sent off. They were sure of the answer already. Faith sat down in the jailhouse with the others and had a big sigh of relief. "You have earned your keep today," said Bill. "You will need to rinse your foot and that boot so that you don't get that rash yourself." said the ever-alert Doctor Faith. "We need to go back there to find out where that water is coming from. said Nathan.

A beaming Allie and a very proud Fiona appeared at the front door with their very successful creation. "Allie did most of the work, see if you like this, "said Fiona as they offered them around. Bill had a taste and said, "Nathan, take your hat off, you are in the presence of a master chef. Can I have that recipe for the café." Faith was very impressed and stole an extra meatball. Nathan couldn't help noticing Allie with her arms around Fiona. It was the most heart-warming thing that he could imagine. Fiona and Nathan looked deeply into each other's eyes and just for a while, time seemed to stop. She then said, "We are off to the Mercantile, we promised Ned and Florence one of these." Nathan looked at Bill who was looking at him. "What," he enquired. "Oh nothing." said Bill. "Don't look at me," said Faith, "Gee, those meatballs were nice."

They waited for the results to come back from the water analysis. Faith confirmed their suspicions and insisted that she go with them in search of the source of the problem. Nathan was now in uniform and was armed along with Bill and Jesse. Faith had jars to collect water and even mud. They arrived at the Turner farm to a jubilant Sally who said how Robbie's arm had improved so well. "We can't thank you enough for all the work you have done to help us. Faith, we could see that you were very concerned, and we are both so grateful," She wished them well on their quest for further answers.

They set off and were soon at the pool where they were confronted the other day. It appeared that water was feeding into it from two different locations. They decided to split up to investigate both directions at the same time. They would follow the water flow and take samples upstream. It was hoped that all this could be done without incident. Bill and Nathan had gone in one direction with Faith and Jesse heading on the other trail. They got higher up on the hill and found a pool. Faith was just getting a water sample when the same two men confronted them again. Guns were drawn so there was little that they could do. "You were told not to come here again," one man roared, "Now you can come with us." Bill and Nathan appeared from behind bushes and were soon held at gunpoint also. "You can get in a lot of trouble pointing a gun at a Mountie," said Nathan. The men looked at each other and then a third appeared out of nowhere. "Take them to the cabin." he said. As the cabin came into sight, the other man snatched Faith and her bag and dragged her inside. Jesse was incensed and moved to deal with him, but he still had guns pointed at him. The man was yelling, and glass was breaking inside the cabin. Suddenly Faith appeared looking frightened and all four were told to leave immediately. "Let's go," cried Faith. They headed back down the hill and returned to the farm. Jesse was fuming and annoyed that he was unable to go to Faith's aid. Once out of earshot she told him. "Jesse, this man didn't even hit me. He smashed my other jars, but he made sure I had the jar with the sample. He told me to go quickly and be frightened. I tell you; he is not who he seems to be, he's up there for the same reason as us I'm sure." Bill and Nathan heard all this and were astounded. We must get this sample tested straight away.

The results came back with even higher levels of contaminants, so it proved that something was going on beyond the hillside. The operation must involve considerable amounts of chemicals with little or no safe storage or safe disposal. "We now have authority to go up that hill in force." came a voice in the doorway. Bill and Nathan looked around and saw the same man from their run-in the other day at the pond by the cabin. Today he was wearing the red serge of a Mountie. "Good morning gentlemen, Superintendent Mills sends his compliments." It took a while for Bill and Nathan to recover from the shock, "Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners," asked Bill. The visitor laughed and replied, "She is a lot worse than me." He shook hands with them and said, "I finally get a chance to meet you Nathan, I'm Constable Simon Morgan of Fort Clay." Bill remarked, "I thought you looked to be a familiar face, but I couldn't place you anywhere. I now remember a very rude and aggressive cowboy in the saloon about a year ago."

They discussed the clandestine operation and how the Pinkertons probably don't even know what they are guarding. "If they stand in our way, they will be arrested." said Mountie Simon. "I tried for ages to get a water sample for testing, but I was never alone long enough. Infiltrating that group took a long time." They could see that he had been in a rather dangerous position. "Can I offer you breakfast in our café?" asked Bill. Clara saw them all in the street and couldn't help but notice the new Mountie. She was stunned, "Bill, this is the customer who stood up for me in the café," She looked at him, "I'm so grateful." She told Bill that she was going to get Jesse as this would answer a few questions for them.

"I so wanted to hit you the other day," said Jesse as they shook hands. "Clara would tell me occasionally about the mystery man from the café. You are welcome here anytime." They were about to sit for breakfast when Simon asked, "Nathan, who was that very brave lady who was up on the hill the other day. I would like to meet her and offer my apologies." Nathan described the town doctor as one of the most loved members of the Hope Valley community.

Faith was absolutely blown away when this Mountie landed on the doorstep of the infirmary. "I've come to offer my apologies and to meet the most amazing woman that I have ever met. What in heaven's name were you doing up there in such mortal danger from inhospitable people like me." Faith described the Turner family and the bad rash that had befallen them. "I was determined to find the cause at any cost." He added, "I'm sure I can find my own ailment as an excuse to come and see you again."

Simon asked Nathan to point him in the direction of the schoolteacher, Elizabeth Thornton. "I need to offer my apologies to her for the abduction I was involved in with her. I hope she has a great degree of forgiveness." Nathan said that she would be at school until the afternoon and then she would return home." He pointed out the rowhouse and asked, "Have you got everything?"

Elizabeth received a knock on her door well into the afternoon, "That's strange," she thought. "It can't be Rosemary; she just waltzes straight in and doesn't even bother to knock anymore." A lifetime of Hope Valley memories with Mountie Jack flooded back as she opened the door and saw this Mountie standing there. She needed time to take a breath to gather her composure. "Good afternoon Mrs Thornton," he said. "I'm sorry to cause this anxiety for you, I can understand why. You don't always see a mounted policeman at your door very often." He took his hat off and introduced himself as Constable Simon Morgan. "I don't remember why but that name sounds familiar, I'm sure I've heard it before." she pondered. "I'm here for a number of things, one of them to offer my apologies to you." She was quite puzzled," Whatever for," she asked. He proceeded to relive the abduction that she had endured before and how it was he who apprehended the other two men and how he wrote the note for Constable Grant. "That was you," she exclaimed, you don't owe me any apology, I probably owe you my life, please come in." he was still standing in the doorway.

He got to meet Little Jack who was only too pleased to be picked up by the new Mountie. "Superintendent Mills offers his compliments, and, by the way, he couldn't speak highly enough of you when he returned from last time. "So, you are from Fort Clay," Elizabeth asked. "I have been stationed there for around three and a half years and during that time I found out about the circumstances of your late husband's death. I would like to extend my deepest condolences to you for your loss." His voice was quite shaky when he added, "We all get told of the story of Constable Jack Thornton and then we find out that his wife has eked out a life out of the depths of despair in a little town called Hope Valley with a little child." He asked, "How is it possible you could find the courage to do this. You have been, without even knowing it, such a great inspiration to us all at Fort Clay." He pulled out a photo of a quaint little building. "This is our little church; it is named the Elizabeth Thornton Chapel." Elizabeth was overcome and needed to sit down. She never ever looked for recognition, but it was nice to know that somewhere, someone actually cared and would remember the Thornton's.

"I have something else for you," said Simon pulling out an envelope from the package that he had brought along, "Please open it." Elizabeth was sitting down and started to tentatively open it. "Every Mountie at Fort Clay has signed this card for you. It's only a small gesture but I hope it will mean something to you and your son for always." She could feel her eyes welling up, "and that's not all," said Simon. He opened the package to reveal a NWMP red serge which he hoped would be just the right size for her. "We all want you to have this and hopefully, you might wear it on special occasions as you see fit, there is nobody more deserving of this than you." He asked her to stand up and try it on. He then saluted her. She thought that Jack would have been proud of her.

"Can I ask a favour of you and we go for a walk? It's still daylight for some time." he asked. "I'd like you to show me the school if you don't mind." Elizabeth was more than willing although she thought it was a rather strange request. As they wandered along to the school, Elizabeth recalled to him how it was the children that played such a big part in her recovery and then she discovered that she was going to have a baby. Her life gradually began to have some meaning once again.

The school glistened in the afternoon sun. They entered the building and Simon was so overawed that he could only look around in amazement. "It is exactly as I imagined it to be." Elizabeth told him how Jack had built it for her so that they didn't have to use the saloon anymore. "So, this is school through the week and church on Sunday. I am so impressed. You have all come such a long way." He looked at her with sadness in his eyes. "Simon, I hardly even know you but I'm sure that you have something on your mind." she observed. "I'm a good listener."

"You would have loved my wife Sarah," he said, "she could be grumpy, we could argue but she had so much love to give. One day, about eighteen months ago we took our little daughter down the street just for a nice little walk out in the sunshine. One blink was all it took, and she had wandered out into the street. A runaway horse and cart would have hit her but for Sarah's quick action. She pushed the toddler out the way but got hit herself. Within a minute from walking carefree down the street, Sarah died in my arms. I will not go a day in my life without seeing her there and I couldn't help her. I was totally incapable of doing anything for weeks so that is why Nathan had to come and command the training exercise at Fort Clay. I had to come here to meet you because you would be the only one who could understand."

"I am so sorry to hear that this happened to you. I know you will rise above this and it will be because you surround yourself with so many good people" Elizabeth said, "When I first came here, nearly all the women had lost their husbands in a mining accident. It took time and patience and they gradually got their lives back together as you will." They sat together in the school for a while. "So, you have a little daughter, what's her name?" asked Elizabeth. "She is the most adorable little three-year-old and her name is Emily. She is the image of her mother." replied Simon. "She lives with aging grandparents which is not going to be a good environment for her in the long run. Elizabeth, I have a request for you because I trust your judgement implicitly. I would love for her to live at Hope Valley and when the time comes, I want you to be her teacher." She waited with bated breath," Do you know a nice family here who would like to take a little girl in?" he asked. Elizabeth was taken completely by surprise. A request like this doesn't come along every day.

She felt so sad at the predicament that this man was in. "It's obvious you have given this quite some thought. Simon, are you so sure that you can't raise your child yourself and now, it no longer is an option for you?" He pondered the thought for a while and replied, "I hardly see my daughter even now and her grandparents are very frail. I don't want her to become an orphan because the life of a Mountie is very dangerous. I couldn't think of a better outcome for her, to be in Hope Valley with loving parents. I am prepared to place her future in your hands."

She had a question for him that she didn't really want to ask, however, it was necessary. "There are many fine parents here in Hope Valley who would love to foster a little one." said Elizabeth, "I just hate the thought of them having to give a child back after a few years when you might change your mind or remarry." Simon said pointedly, "I have thought of this over some time and I have to think of Emily, and, what better outcome could there be for her than to be here. I told you that I trust you. I am prepared to put her up for adoption as long as I can come and see her from time to time." "I am going to need some time to absorb all of this." gasped Elizabeth. "That's fine," he remarked, "She will be here within a day or so."

After Simon left, Elizabeth went straight to the Coulter's household, no thought of knocking on the door. Rosemary was startled, "Elizabeth, you look like you've seen a ghost. Come and sit for a while and hurry up and tell me what's happening." Elizabeth struggled where to begin, "Rosemary, you won't believe the afternoon I've just had." An impatient Rosemary said, "I promise that I will believe it if you can get around to telling me!" After beginning the long story Rosemary piped in, "Wait a minute, who is this Mountie you are talking about?" Elizabeth said how he was the one who saved her when she was abducted. "If it wasn't for him, who knows what might have happened." Elizabeth added, "He came to my front door earlier to apologize to me and I said, what, for saving my life." She then described how there is a little chapel at Fort Clay named after her and how he had brought some gifts. "Rosemary, this is so sad, he told me how his wife died in his arms and how he has a little three-year-old daughter. He has asked me to find a family at Hope Valley to take her so that she can live here and go to school here. Then he said that she will be here within a couple of days."

"You were right Elizabeth; I don't believe it." Rosemary asked, "Is he actually going to give up his little girl, what, temporarily or for good, I can't believe that anyone would do that." Elizabeth described the situation and how he felt that this was going to be the best outcome. "He's entrusted me to find the right family for her, I know I won't sleep a wink tonight." Between the two of them, they could think of at least six ideal families but, how do we do this they wondered. "What will we do," asked Rosemary, "have an auction or a raffle or something, I tell you, this is impossible."

Elizabeth met Simon when the stage arrived after two days. She, along with Rosemary had not mentioned any of this to anyone. He climbed out and then lifted the most wonderful, striking little girl out of the cabin. She was a happy looking youngster even though she would be very tired after such a long trip. Elizabeth had brought a drink for her which she took eagerly. Elizabeth looked so mournfully at the most beautiful little girl who would not have a clue what was happening. She said to Simon, "We are going to do our best for this little one." Dad planned to carry her, but she wanted to walk along with them. "Look at this." said Elizabeth with a tear in her eye. Emily had taken Little Jack's hand in hers as they wandered along. "She's made a new friend already." said dad.

They went straight to the Coulter's. Rosemary was expecting them sometime but still got a shock when she saw the Mountie. She thought it was like seeing Jack all over again. Then she saw the little girl in the doorway and nearly collapsed in a heap. She looked like a little princess standing next to her dad. "It's very nice to meet you Constable Morgan," Rosemary was almost dumbfounded as she bent down to look at this little treasure. "My daddy says I'm a sausage." said Emily. "Oh, does he now," answered Rosemary trying valiantly to gather her composure. "You don't look like a sausage." Emily had a little grin and asked, "Are you going to be my mummy?" Rosemary picked her up and answered straight away, "Yes my love, just as long as you want me," Ignoring everyone else she sat down with her and had a few sobs. "Why are you crying." asked a puzzled little girl. These are tears of happiness," cried Rosemary ever so gently, "sometimes in your life if you're good, the most wonderful things can happen for you. I've prayed for so long for a little one like you. I'm going to be able to read to you, dress you up, take you to school like everyone else." She then remembered a little lullaby that her mother used to sing for her so many years ago. "Hush little baby don't say a word, Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird, and if that mockingbird don't sing, mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring."