Elizabeth was helped out of the carriage after it had stopped adjacent to the parade ground of Fort Clay. She was overawed at being the centre of attention. To see for the first time, the lady in the wheelchair welcoming her to a place that she never thought that she would ever be able to return to again. Somehow it was Sandra who had given her the strength to face such an agonising past and meet it head on with all the memories. Elizabeth felt like she had known this woman for eternity and the look into her eyes confirmed the instant bond between them. She remembered the most heartfelt letter that she has received right out of the blue and thought that there could not be a nicer or more caring person on this earth than her.
She looked around to see Janie clinging tightly to Simon at the edge of the gathering. They had arrived the day before as part of the arrangements made by Nathan. The men of the post were ready to give Simon some stick for riding in a posh looking coach but stopped short when the saw the gorgeous, stunning young woman climb out beside him. They pushed each other out of the way to welcome her to Fort Clay. She was saving her red serge for the arrival of Elizabeth the next day. Many of the longer serving men from the post could see the striking resemblance of her to Sarah but knew not to say anything. They hadn't seen much of Simon over the last few months with his temporary transfer to Union City, but they could see that she had a good influence, enough to bring the best out of him.
He had returned from Hope Valley back to Union City and Janie was the first person who he had sought out. He trusted her judgement implicitly and she was the one person who he could confide in where he wouldn't feel insecure and weak. He was in a very vulnerable state after having seen Amy in such a scared and desperate state and her being held at the mercy of the worst examples of humanity that she could ever have the misfortune to meet. He sat with Janie, arm in arm for ages while he recounted the entire episode from when he was monitoring the outcome from the previous court case to where he finally brought Amy back to Hope Valley. Janie cried during much of the story and felt for Simon especially when he was powerless to help Amy when he first saw her. She was sad for him when he said how he was prepared to put his career on the line when he would eventually file his report. She knew this man's dedication was beyond reproach and she could only support him as best as she could. She hoped that his officers in charge could help him to tread wearily.
They were good for each other as Simon could see and admire the dedication that she displayed in her vocation. During the time he had known her, she and her father had lost patients, some elderly and even some youngsters and it was heartbreaking. These were people who she had got to know even for such a short time, and she would never get used to having to face the families involved. She was so grateful to have Simon along with her father to pour her heart out to when she needed to. There was hardly anyone better than her to have an understanding for Simon than now. "Simon," she impressed upon him, "the most important thing out of all of this is that she is safe and back home and it is all because of you." Simon with tears in his eyes told her, "Amy said when she learns to read and write, she is going to send me a letter. That's how I want to remember her, not when she was so scared and frightened." Janie was relieved when eventually Simon reluctantly toned down his report and how the eventual outcome proved the judge to be worthy of his position. Simon and Janie were given permission to represent the Mounties at the sad occasion of Judge Tierney's funeral.
Janie often spoke to her father and the subject of Simon would come up at regular intervals. "Janie, you are two of a kind," he would say, "I'm not biased when I say how you are one of the most dedicated nurses that I've worked with and now I can add Simon as your equal. There's nothing wrong with a man wearing his heart on his sleeve occasionally. It could mean that he is an honest man and he cares most vehemently about what he stands for. Men like him don't come around every day. Janie, if you find that you love this man don't let anything stand in your way." She always took her father's advice very seriously and especially now as her and Simon had never been closer. She had to weigh up the fact that he had a very dangerous job and it was always a possibility that she could lose him at any stage. Should that be an issue to consider even though she found herself falling in love.
There was no band music or fanfare at the arrival of Elizabeth Thornton other than a warm welcome from Superintendent Mills. She had remembered him from his visit to her home which had been prompted by his discovery that she was the widow of a highly credentialed Mountie who tragically died during a Fort Clay operation. His welcome was tempered in the knowledge that this was going to be a very difficult experience for her, and she would need all the support that he and everyone could provide. The hearts of the entire garrison pumped heavily as they saw the little boy lifted out of the carriage and placed on the ground beside his mother. They all knew that this was the son of their heroic Mountie Jack and he represented the dramatic recovery of Mrs Thornton after her tragic loss. A few of the complement who were long serving could remember Jack Thornton and now, seeing the arrival of his wife and the little son caused many a lump in the throat of every man. Sandra sobbed at the sight of Little Jack. "Hello little man, we're all so glad you could come and see us." Her father knelt down and shook his hand and grinned, "My how you've grown since the last time I saw you." Little Jack was overawed at the big occasion and retreated to the shelter of his mother.
Nathan helped Fiona out of the carriage to the odd whistle from the men on parade. They all remembered her from her last visit and how she was such a good sport with their teasing of her. She had said that she would return for them and hopefully her and Nathan would be able to help Elizabeth as she navigated one of the most difficult periods of her life. Nathan saw Janie dressed in her red serge clinging tightly to Simon and immediately went over to embrace her. He had only one recollection of her even though they had spent six weeks together during his recovery. He never forgot her words and encouragement when he had blamed himself for his accident. Simon had explained to the personnel of the fort how it was Janie who had painstakingly saved Nathan and helped put his life back together. Many of the men had served on the search mission at Hope Valley when they had despaired at the end of each day after having had no luck in finding him. They could see that there was more to this pretty lady than just good looks and they now considered her to be one of their own.
Nathan was well aware that he and Bill may be away from Hope Valley for some considerable period to enable Elizabeth to have the successful visit to Fort Clay that she needed. He had made prior arrangements for his office to be covered during this period and Captain Edwards from Union City had happily and obligingly made one of his officers available to serve at Hope Valley during this period. So, it was a surprise to the townsfolk of Hope Valley to see a new Mountie ride in and make himself at home in Nathan's office. Elizabeth, Fiona, Bill and Nathan had set off to Fort Clay about four hours prior to his arrival in town. He could see that Hope Valley was a nice quiet little town, but he was well aware that it had seen more than its fair share of activity over recent years. He was hoping for an incident free time where he could meet all the people and see why Nathan and Simon spoke so passionately of the town of Hope Valley. He was in no hurry as he would need time to acquaint himself with his duties which would involve regular rounds and inspections. Nathan had left no instructions for him to follow so he accepted that he was on his own and he would have to make it up as he went along. He had years of experience in the force, so he expected to have no difficulties in dealing with any incidences which may arise while he was in Hope Valley.
About a hundred miles away from Hope Valley a tiny little town was supporting a few people going about their daily business as per usual. They had a little saloon which looked more like a café where people could get a cup of coffee and talk over daily events and gossip. This was not unlike most country places and most people looked forward to getting on with the day's activities. Every town as always seemed to have its negative people who could not see their way clear to make other folk happy to see them and they were very annoying. One such person had strolled into the café again much to the displeasure of the other customers. His regular complaints would always fall on deaf ears as townsfolk would do their best to ignore him, but his grizzles were always persistent. He always went out of his way to ensure that people knew that his wife had left him years ago but of course it was not any of his fault that this happened. Times had long gone when townsfolk had tried to help him by discussing why she had left. "I work very hard and this was the thanks I got. A woman's place is in the home and looking after her husband and family. She knew that I had to put her straight and pull her into line sometimes, but she just wasn't up to it. Good riddance as far as I'm concerned." He was never going to accept that he may have been the cause by treating her rudely and with contempt over the years.
Captain Foster greeted Elizabeth and also welcomed her to Fort Clay. "You must be tired and overwhelmed from your trip. We will have some men show you to your quarters for some rest and recuperation. I am about to dismiss the parade; however, all the men are going to want to talk to you sometime over the next few days, but we won't inundate you for a while." She remembered how Nathan had spoken of Captain Foster in glowing terms. She looked around in awe at all the men who had turned out for her on parade. Any of them could have been Jack she thought. She put a hand up in the air to acknowledge them. "Thank you, captain, and thank you also for the care in helping Nathan that time when he arrived here unannounced. I daresay if it wasn't for you and Superintendent Mills, he may have resigned and left the life he loves so dearly. I was somewhat responsible for his frame of mind that day. I am so grateful to you." She took an instant liking to this man who she had never met, and she loved the honesty and sincerity that he displayed. He looked at her sympathetically, "I understand, Mrs Thornton that this will be a difficult visit for you, but I hope, all the same that you can get through it all and that it will be memorable. I'm sure that Sandra is looking forward to helping you settle in." He thought how they had only seen her for a short time but she was everything that they thought that she would be.
The new Mountie had decided to travel around the township of Hope Valley on horseback to try and familiarise himself with various locations of note. A bit of a leisurely ride around the street and surrounding areas would help make him visible to everyone as he went past. He took note of the barber shop, which was closed, the Mercantile, the dress shop and the Infirmary. He rode out of the main street and soon came in contact with a lovely looking white structure which looked very much like a church. There were children playing outside so he deduced that it must be the local school and recess, or lunchtime must be in progress. He thought what a happy bunch of young people they were, some throwing a ball to each other and some younger ones sitting with an older teenager reading some books. When he found out that he would be stationed at Hope Valley for a while, he knew that he would get to meet Amy and see the lady who had been dramatically rescued by Simon. Just to see her from a distance and looking happy made it all worthwhile. He had read Jason's and Simon's reports and he could see that there were many people who cared for her. The children looked up and saw this new Mountie and waved to him enthusiastically. Amy knew that Nathan and Mr Avery along with Mrs Thornton would be away for some time so he must be a temporary replacement until they returned. She missed them already and hoped that Mrs Thornton would be alright. He would eventually meet her and talk to her and he would remain on a very low-key basis. Now, having seen her, he decided that he would be very interested in her progress over the next few years along with everyone else. He would be there for her as well.
"Hello Sam, I can see that you are your usual cheery self as like any other day," said a frustrated towns folk who had long since run out of patience with him. "It wouldn't hurt you to take an interest in what somebody else was doing and maybe you could learn something worthwhile from them instead of moaning and groaning about your lot in life. Sam looked annoyed at him and replied, "I don't tell you what to do or interfere with your day so do me a favour and leave me alone." He was just in the process of leaving the café when the other man said, "You could read a book or something." Sam scowled at him, "What a waste of time. I don't need to know how to read a book to muck out the pigs. I don't have to read to know how to collect the eggs or throw hay out for the cow or mend the fence. I know how to make a cup of coffee or drink whisky when I feel like it without having to read or write. The other man walked off in disgust wishing he had not brought up the subject at all.
Two constables and Sandra escorted Elizabeth to her father's home where there was a special guest room. Elizabeth noticed how Sandra was totally self sufficient and how neither of the constables had offered to push her along in the wheelchair. They obviously held her in the greatest respect, something her character had earned along the way. She took Elizabeth's hand, "Elizabeth, I can't begin to thank you for coming here. It will most probably be quite painful for you, but I promise you that you will see how important it is for so many of us. Many of the men still suffer with the loss of one of their Mounties and your presence here may help them. I really wondered whether you would fully understand the importance of your visit, but I suspect that you do or else you couldn't have brought yourself to make the journey. The entire compound is yours to venture out from here whenever you may be ready. I have so much to talk to you about but all that can wait. You are going to be in big demand over the next few days Elizabeth."
"I just saw a Mountie ride past and go into Nathan's office, I wonder who he is and what he is doing here?" wondered Christine looking out of the Infirmary window. "If he's looking for Bill or Nathan he's going to be out of luck for a while. They are going to be away for some time." said Faith, "Maybe we should go and talk to him and find out what he wants." They had a bit of a lull at the Infirmary for a while, so they hurried down to the jailhouse and wandered in through the door. They were surprised to see him sitting quietly and relaxed in Nathan's chair looking through papers. He looked up and smiled at the two astonished ladies, "Good afternoon ladies, I haven't got around yet at the job of introducing myself to anyone in Hope Valley. Nathan has asked me to fill in for him while he is away at Fort Clay. I'm Constable Earl Grey from Union City and I was only too pleased to help him out on this occasion. From what I've seen so far, you have a nice little town here, I hope I'm fortunate enough to keep it that way." he grinned. Faith introduced herself and Christine and he could see from their uniforms that they were from the Infirmary down the street. They took an instant liking to this pleasant looking Mountie from out of town. He promised to invent something wrong so that he could come and visit them from time to time.
It wasn't long before Sam wandered back into the saloon/café and continued with his muttering about his misfortunes. He sat down somewhat oblivious to the fact that no one was listening or interested in what he was saying. Two tables down the passage there was some sort of a reunion between people. "I've just returned from my visit to see Andrew and his family. His wife Sally is expecting another child and they are very happy with life." They looked over and saw Sam who growled, "What are you all looking at?" They just turned away and resumed their conversation quietly, "While we were there in Hope Valley, we saw a young lady happily having some help at learning to read and write. It was quite inspiring if you ask me." Sam pricked his ears up trying to hear more of the story about the young lady apparently learning to read but the interesting conversation went in a different direction. He had taken note of the town as being Hope Valley and he would have to find out where it was.
It was so hard for Elizabeth to relax there at Fort Clay. The memories of the wonderful honeymoon came back at every location that she could recognise only to have the news of the tragedy repeat itself over and over again. It was the same at dinner with the superintendent and family and they could sense how she was feeling and tried hard to help. "We are so thankful to have you here Elizabeth," said Superintendent Mills, "your boy is so big now from the time I saw him at your home. I remember my visit to present the award to Nathan, but I also made a point of offering him many options of a deserving promotion and said for him to keep it all in mind. He never took me up on it and I suspect Elizabeth that his plans focussed on looking after you and the township of Hope Valley." He paused for a moment to reflect, "I imagine that this might be a difficult visit for him as well and there would be a lot of things going through his head while he is here." Sandra added, "I'm sure that it would not be easy for Simon either having gone through the loss of his wife that time in the middle of the street. I can't wait to have a talk with Janie." Sandra then asked, "Simon's little girl lives in Hope Valley now, how is she going Elizabeth?" The mood became a little lighter for Elizabeth, "That little girl is making her way quite very well thank you very much. She has a new little girlfriend named Marie, a few months younger and they sneaked their little dog into the church during the Sunday service much to the horror of her stepmother." Sandra's jaw dropped in shock before she grinned as Elizabeth continued on, "There is quite a story about Marie's great grandmother that I must tell you about."
Constable Grey wandered across to the Mercantile and immediately ran into Ned and Florence busily attending to their duties including the telephone system. They knew that Nathan was away, but they hadn't known about any replacement, so they were surprised to see the new Mountie in uniform gracing their establishment. "I'll be here for a while until Nathan and Bill return. I'm Constable Earl Grey from Union City." Florence immediately piped up, "Oh, then you must know Simon, he's there for a while from Fort Clay." There was an immediate acknowledgement from the constable, "Yes, I know Simon, he's a fine officer and a good man. We are lucky to have him on our side. I just thought that I'd drop in and introduce myself." Florence's eyes lit up as she saw a young lady enter through the front door, "Hi mother, I forgot something from upstairs." said Amy. "Amy, come and meet the new constable." He turned around to see the young girl who had been sitting at the school yard. Here right before him was the young woman that Simon had risked his life for and lost sleep over as he had prepared his report. He was having difficulty controlling his emotions as she hurriedly said hello and raced upstairs. Florence could sense his off balance as he had seen her for the first time. Amy soon returned and waved with a smile as she flew past the door and out into the street. "What's the matter constable, I can see that there is something not right." He took a moment to regain his composure, "So, this is the young lady who has caused all the fuss over the last few weeks. I was part of Simon's plan that successfully rescued Amy after being abducted a while ago. His plan was masterful but then it was compromised when those two men obtained an early release, but we had a contingency plan ready. Our hearts were in our mouths for a while, but it worked out in the end. The whole episode really shook Simon up and I hated to see him so upset but that's the nature of the man. He had never met Amy before, but he treated her like a little sister. Seeing her now, I can understand how this has happened, right from Nathan extending an olive branch to her in the beginning. She looks happy and carefree and I plan for it to stay that way for her." Florence with tears in her eyes put her arms around him. He added, "So you are the lovely family who took her in. I can see the love that you have for her and now you can add me to the list of everyone who you can call on if you are in need.
Sam had despondently returned home to tend to the animals and reluctantly prepare something by himself for his dinner. Permanently embedded in his mind was the fact that he was doing woman's work because his wife and daughter had left him. So far, he had been powerless to do anything about it, but he had taken note of a girl at Hope Valley learning to read and write. They should have realised and accepted that the woman's place was tending house and home and looking after the husband and father. He had vaguely heard of the town of Hope Valley in the past but had little idea of where it was and how far away it might be. He had little perception or care that someone may not wish to be treated as a worthless inferior anymore and how they may desire to better themselves in some way. He would need to get someone to look after his place and his animals for a while if he eventually decided to make the trip to Hope Valley and see for himself. He had finally had enough of doing work that he shouldn't have to do, and he would now have to put an end to it.
Sandra took charge of looking after Elizabeth and Little Jack at breakfast next morning. She had plans for her this morning which she knew would be difficult to handle but Elizabeth would see how finally coming to Fort Clay after all this time would prove to be imperative. Confronting her fears would be one thing but there were other areas to be addressed. One thing at a time was Sandra's plan. She had confidence in the Mrs Thornton that she had come to know and love. "Elizabeth, I have some people for you to meet. They have asked for my help because they don't know how to face you." Nathan took Little Jack to meet Janie and Simon while a very apprehensive Elizabeth waited while Sandra returned with two very distraught families. Elizabeth, I'd like you to meet Mr and Mrs Temple and Mr and Mrs Darby. These are the two Mounties who only survived the avalanche because your husband Jack pushed them out of danger which resulted in his death." Sandra's words cut through her heart like a knife, but it all sounded like it had to be said. The two families had little children with them, and Elizabeth could see that they only existed because of Jack's bravery. Mrs Temple struggled to get the words out, "Oh, Mrs Thornton, I was so frightened at the thought of having to meet you, but we knew that it would eventually have to happen. I haven't got the words to say how sorry we are. Your husband lost his life to save ours and it shouldn't have been that way. We don't deserve to ask for your forgiveness." Elizabeth put her arms around her as she started to cry. This was a shock for Elizabeth, but she was soon going to realize that there were many people who still suffered from Jack's death and her coming here might provide the closure that they all needed. They all sat and talked together for some time and Nathan brought Little Jack over to see them and play with the little children. She impressed upon them that there was no forgiveness to be had. Jack's death was a tragic accident and we all need to put out lives back together again. Elizabeth could see that these families had gone through the same agony as what she had faced. She thought how wise of Sandra to know all this and be prepared to find a way to help everyone to get through it. Elizabeth grabbed Sandra's hand to show that she understood the importance of this moment. Sandra felt like she had known Elizabeth all her life.
Constable Grey had been very happy to introduce himself to Clara and Minnie in the café and sample some of the excellent items on the menu. "I'm going to become a regular customer here; this food is great. Someone in here is a really good cook and I'm really impressed. Nathan and the others need not hurry back as far as I can see." he commented with a grin. "Who looks after the local school while Mrs Thornton is away?" he asked. "I do," said Minnie in a hurry, "I need to get back there with these cookies that I promised them if they were good." she grinned, "They are always good, and they always do their best. They look after Amy just like as if she is family." They noticed the smile disappear from his face only to be replaced by a long-distance stare. He was remembering the frightful ordeal that she went through previously. He thought how lovely it was that she could fit in here and build a life for herself. "You must all be so proud of that little school that sits on the rise like that. Has it been there for long?" Clara said sadly, "It was built by Mountie Jack Thornton years ago from some reward money after he was decorated for bravery. He will never be forgotten.
Most of the Mounties knew that it was the two families of the ones that Jack had saved from the avalanche and left them all alone so that they could talk to Elizabeth. Later, they all had a chance extend their condolences to her and tell her what an inspiration she was to all of them. Some of them had been part of Simon's search team when Nathan had been missing and they knew what it was like to experience heartbreak. One Mountie was all alone looking quite forlorn in the corner, so Elizabeth went over to say hello and talk to him. She didn't recognise him, and her heart skipped a beat when he told her how he was the one who had to journey to Hope Valley to break the news to her about the death. "I've hardly had a wink of sleep ever since that day Mrs Thornton. Nobody should ever have to do a task like that and be expected to continue with life as if it was of little consequence. I knew Jack quite well and I can see him in your little boy." He had tears in his eyes and his voice became shaky, "I'm so sorry Mrs Thornton, I would gladly trade places if I could. I was supposed to get married a few months after, but I just couldn't face life and we eventually broke up. Perhaps it was for the best. I'm glad that it was me that had to tell you; I wouldn't wish how I feel on anybody else ever." Elizabeth was so sad to see how Jack's death had affected so many people and she now knew that she had to be here to fully understand how it really was. She was heartbroken for this man who now had his life virtually taken away from him by an accident that could happen to anyone at any time. Fancy having been given the task of breaking news of this magnitude to someone and then hope that your life could just continue on as normal. She could only hope that he could see how she had been able after a long period of time to be able to recover from the loss and go on living. She brought Little Jack over to him and he hugged him and told him how handsome he was.
Mountie Earl headed down early in the morning to the stable to get his horse ready for the day. He was surprised to see Amy tending to him already along with other horses housed there regularly. "Good morning Amy, you are up early in the day with the birds and the chickens." Amy smiled at him, "I'm up early every day and I love to be here working with the horses. I take Mrs Thornton's horse for a ride every morning for exercise and then I go to the school when it's recess time and the children help me learn to read. It makes for a very busy day, but I always look forward to it." He introduced himself properly to her because she had rushed in and out yesterday and wouldn't have remembered his name. "I'm Constable Earl Grey and I'm here helping out while Nathan and Mrs Thornton are away at Fort Clay. He looked at the job that she had done on his horse, "I think he has taken to you; he has a new best friend." She replied, "They can tell when someone shows them some love and care. He knows that you love him as well." He could now see why Nathan had seen the good in her and how Simon had not even met her, but he knew that she was special. "I'll keep a lookout for you Amy when I ride past the school each day."
Sandra waited in the mess hall for breakfast to finalise and Elizabeth to be able to finish talking to the men of the post. "Elizabeth, would you like to go for a walk with me because I have something important to show you. I'll even let you push me across the compound and around the corner. She said thank you to the men who were still there and then they set off. "You are very privileged Mrs Thornton; Sandra gets into a fearful rage if anyone offers to help push the chair along for her." smiled one of the men. She rolled her eyes at them because they knew how single minded and self-sufficient, she was. "It's just as well that I haven't got anything to throw at them." she grinned. As they crossed the compound Elizabeth recognised various landmarks which brought back many memories, some which had faded over time, but they were still there. It took being there to make her fully realise how important she was to all these men and families. She loved Sandra and could see how she was revered by all the people at Fort Clay and how they knew that they had someone to confide in when they needed it.
They rounded the corner and Elizabeth's jaw dropped as she saw something that she had clean forgot about because of all the other things going on for her since she had arrived. It was the most beautiful little building which resembled her little school back in Hope Valley. She slowly walked over totally overcome and ran her hand over the sign that read, 'The Elizabeth Thornton Chapel'. This was the kind of treatment reserved for a celebrity or an important person. "Sandra, this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It's just like the little school. You know that I dreamed that I would see this one day, but I never thought that it would ever happen. Your name should be here, not mine. I can see that you are the rock for all these people, and they couldn't get by without you." Sandra could see how overcome Elizabeth was and how she felt so unworthy, "Would you like to come inside and sit with me for a while Elizabeth. Ever since I wrote to you, I dreamed of this moment." Sandra was grateful for having Elizabeth push her chair up the ramp for her even though she was quite capable of it herself and soon they entered inside. Simon and Jason had told her proudly of their little chapel at Fort Clay especially when they had entered the little school at Hope Valley. Elizabeth walked in and was speechless as she felt the spirituality flow through her. "They don't see you as a celebrity Elizabeth," said Sandra, "You are their inspiration and someone who gives them hope when they need it. When something is hard or gone wrong, this is the first place they look to. They would be faced with a problem and they would ask themselves, what would Mrs Thornton do. It was unanimous to have your name out the front Elizabeth. They all see a woman and a wife grind out a life far away after terrible adversity and provide an example for all of us to see."
There was hustle and bustle in the main street of Hope Valley and Earl Grey was happy to stand out of the front of his office and watch on. He recognised Christine from the Infirmary but the other two with her were unfamiliar to him. They were all heading by the looks, to the café for a meal. Christine was accompanied by a man and a woman and two little girls and a little dog. "We can't just take Rusty in there; we will have to ask Aunt Clara if she minds." said Rosemary. Christine smiled, "if he goes to church on Sundays then he must be allowed in the cafe." She remembered seeing Rosemary's face when she had looked at the children and saw the dog with them on the pew. She couldn't bring herself to be cross with her daughter after remembering how sad she had been in the big city. Marie now had a country life and a best friend to grow up with even though they had conspired together to spirit the dog into the church. Rosemary and Christine had laughed about it a number of times even though they had threatened the pair of them with awful punishment which they would never carry out.
There was one person who was willing to take care of Sam's property and animals because Sam had begrudgingly looked after his horse for some time when fences needed fixing and materials had to be ordered and picked up from out of town. Sam had found out that Hope Valley was quite some distance away and it would be at least three to four days ride to get there. His horse would need some feed and water along the way. It seemed that he cared more for the welfare of his horse than his wife and daughter. The horse had never left him which was more than he could say about his worthless family who had not bothered to stick around with him. There was only one way of finding out about his daughter and that was to plan to set off early next morning and head to Hope Valley. His daughter should be living and working at home rather than wasting all her time on stuff that didn't matter. Reading books and writing letters and stories wasn't going to get the pigs and the chickens fed and the pens cleaned out. He was up early next morning at daybreak and on his way.
It was a quiet day and there was hardly anybody in the café so Aunt Clara said that if Rusty was good then he could stay. He had been in there before and they all had commented that his behaviour had been immaculate, and he had sat next to Emily very quietly without making a fuss. Christine and Rosemary were becoming rather close and Christine had settled into Hope Valley very well. Faith had often said how she wondered how she had functioned without her. They visited the grandmother's gravesite together and talked about how wonderful her grandmother had been with the little children. "My life was a real upheaval with all the uncertainty of a far away husband and father and where I might end up. I am so happy how Marie has settled in and much of the credit can go to you and Emily." said Christine during one of their discussions. Rosemary eventually got around to the subject of how Emily came to be at Hope Valley. "Christine, do you remember that Mountie who brought Amy back home just before dark that evening? I wasn't there that night, but you and Faith had taken Amy into the Infirmary to check her over." Rosemary had suddenly become very serious, "That man is Emily's father and it is quite a story how she came to become my daughter. He is one of the nicest men to have ever come to Hope Valley and he didn't deserve to have the tragedy happen to him like it did." She told Christine the heartbreaking tale of the death of Sarah and how he was shaken into reality when a close shave made him realise that he had come close to death himself. "He didn't want his daughter to become an orphan, so he got Elizabeth to help him find a home for her at Hope Valley. He had put his faith in her and just as we were trying to figure out what we were going to do, little Emily picked me in five seconds and now here we are." Christine was so sad for this man and held Rosemary's hand in support. "Rosemary, the best thing you can do is to raise this little girl as your own and that will be the greatest tribute that you can give for him." They sat together and watched the little girls at play. Rosemary looked at Christine in despair, "He has a sweetheart and they are now very close. Christine, what if they get married and he decides that he wants his little girl back. I don't think that I could bear it if I lost her."
Elizabeth and Sandra sat together quietly in the little chapel hardly saying a word. "I do my painting and reading in a spare room at home which keeps me occupied for many hours, but it is here in this little house where I feel the most fulfilled. Elizabeth, I will say it a thousand times that I am so glad that you had the courage to come here to see us. Your visit has already helped many of the families here and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. The door opened and a visitor wandered in sheepishly and asked to sit down with them for a while. "My goodness Janie, you are most welcome to be here with us, come and have a seat and chat with us." Both Elizabeth and Sandra could see that Janie was feeling some tension and needed to talk with someone. "You have been here for some time and we haven't had a chance to have our little get together." said Sandra. "We all here at Fort Clay can't thank you enough for what you did for Nathan. I cried for days and weeks on end while I sat in here waiting and hoping for good news of his safe return. I knew that Simon and those Mounties were doing their level best, but each day went by and Simon had to report that they never had any luck in finding him or even any clue to his whereabouts. We can look back now and know that he was in such good hands with you and your father while he recovered. I can see just by looking at you that you have a dedication to life and your work that others can only dream of. Janie, Nathan owes you his life, Hope Valley owes you a debt of gratitude and so do we here at Fort Clay. Simon was so proud to offer you your red serge and, along with Elizabeth, I couldn't think of any more worthy recipients. All the men knew about you before you even got here. You are part of our big family and we will always be there for you."
Christine had come away from the café thinking sadly of Rosemary's plight but thinking, surely nothing would come of it. Rosemary had said how this man had given his word unconditionally but, even so, she was always going to be worried that her world would be turned upside down. Christine would be there, along with Elizabeth for Rosemary whatever may happen down the track. Despite this, Christine had promised to write to the man who had made her new life become a reality. She was eternally grateful to Captain Palmer who had gone out of his way and did his level best to find any trace of the family of Joshua Reynolds. With no further hesitation she put pen to paper that evening after Marie had been put to bed. This letter was going to be straight from the heart. "Dear Captain Palmer, I have much to tell you from when I saw the story in a newspaper and the photo of the little dog. I had only planned a visit to Hope Valley to see my grandmother's grave but I have fallen in love with the town and its people and now I have decided, with everybody's help to make a new life here in Hope Valley. I now have a job at the Infirmary and my little girl has a new best friend and I couldn't be happier. My grandmother touched the hearts of all the townsfolk and now I have a heritage that I am very proud of. It is good to feel needed and know that you are fulfilling a worthwhile job for the people you serve. Nana Reynolds would be proud of me because I told her that I would make good and I have. My daughter is very happy and that is all that matters to me as she is going to have a wonderful school life to look forward to. You, with your work and dedication has made all this possible for us and I will never forget you, yours everlasting, Christine and Marie Glover."
Elizabeth wondered whether Janie wanted to talk to Sandra alone but as she got up to leave them, Janie grabbed her arm. "Please don't go Elizabeth, I would like you to stay with us." The three women sat arm in arm for quite a while. There was an instant bond between all of them which was so strong and would never be broken. "If there is anything you need or anything we can do for you Janie, don't hesitate to ask. It just looks like you need an ear or two to chew on," surmised a concerned Sandra. "We're here if you need us Janie, how can we help you?" Janie was well out of sorts and didn't really know where to begin and she was thankful that the others were very patient with her. "Wow, Simon told me how spiritual this room is," as she looked around in awe. "He says it's like the little school in Hope Valley that he sat in when he spoke with you Elizabeth for the first time." She tried to smile but she was far from relaxed enough to ease any tension. "I'm normally the level-headed one handing out advice as part of my vocation which I'm very good at. Right now, I feel totally out of control and I don't really know why it should be like this. I know what to do, I know what I'm going to do. If and when Simon asks me, I 'm going to say yes without any doubt and with all my heart. I love this man and I can't possibly be without him." Sandra had seen this many times in the past with the men of the post who had shown apprehension at the thought of entering into marriage and they had sought her out for valuable advice. "What do I do Sandra, I couldn't bear to lose him." said Janie sadly. "It's the chance we all take Janie," said Sandra taking hold of Elizabeth's hand, "It's the same one that Elizabeth took and many other people as well. It's the same one that I took every time I climbed on my horse as a kid." Elizabeth and Janie both pricked their ears up at this comment, "Yes, it's true, I came off my horse once too often and never walked again. The doctor had said that moving me might have caused the paralysis, but we will never know. My father was devastated for about two years before he could come to terms with my situation. He was helped from the beginning by his good friend Judge Tierney who was always there for him as a confidant." Janie immediately felt that her bout of anxiety paled into insignificance compared to what happened to Sandra all those years ago. "I never let the injury stop me even for a moment even though I missed my horse riding, but I knew my future and I accepted it without question. I believe that I have been able to provide an example to everyone when they have needed it." Sandra was quite tearful because she knew exactly how Janie and Elizabeth felt. This was a moment that they would all remember for the rest of their lives.
"I have a photograph of Jack on my shelf at home. That's all I have left of him except for all the wonderful memories we shared. I can tell you honestly and without question that I would not have missed a minute of time that I spent with him and I would do it all again. We never know the future and what it holds for us, but I know that I'm a better person for knowing Jack." She looked at Sandra and Janie, "I can say the same thing about both of you as well. My school teaching and the Hope Valley community saved me, and I eventually fell in love again and almost remarried. He was forced to move away, and the marriage fell through because I couldn't leave Hope Valley and the school children behind. Fiona would be facing the same questions if and when they get around to setting a wedding date. If you love somebody you won't let anything get in the way." Elizabeth needed to take a breath, "Sandra, Nathan told me how your father had posed a question to him about if you could go back in time and decide whether you would do it all again even if you knew the outcome. Nathan says he thinks of that question every time he sees Allie on a horse. I'll ask Jack that same question when I can pluck up the courage some time tomorrow or the day after when I visit his grave." Elizabeth had always had this visit in the forefront of her mind and now the day was coming closer.