He was more than happy to let George sleep for as long as he wanted to because he thought that he must be absolutely exhausted after his long ordeal. Hopefully Peter would not return too early in the day as they were all supposed to visit the mother's gravesite at some stage. A very subdued George eventually wandered out from the bedroom and saw his father sitting with two photos. He sat down next to him and took a look at both photos which he had remembered from his childhood. One photo had him sitting on his horse when he was about eleven years old and the other was one where he was sitting with his parents. His father just stared at him hoping that it was not a dream as he could not believe that his son was actually back home after all this time. He had watched the door to his son's bedroom for most of the night and he could hardly believe that he was there after all these years.
"You loved that horse so much and we were so proud how you took care of him. He knew you had gone so suddenly and he was never the same again. When your mother passed it was like the end of the world, it was not a home anymore without you and her here as a family and I would just sit and stare at these photos wondering where you were and whether you were safe." This was a lot for George to absorb and it was going to take some time for him to fully realise that his epic journey was now finally over and that he really was home. "Dad, I'm home now and I'm here to stay and we will have lots of time to talk to each other."
A cart eventually pulled up out the front with Peter and, much to the surprise of Mr Harris, it contained Mrs Gibson and her son Danny. She watched him come out of the front door and she thought that he looked to be a very different Mr Harris than the one who had regularly shown up at her place. "Welcome Mrs Gibson, I'm so glad that you could come this morning, I want you to meet my son George." He was smiling but she could see that he had shed many a tear over the last day. She noticed that there was none of the arrogance that he always showed towards her, rather than a kindly more gentlemanly appearance which would easily become infectious. He had a great deal to say to her but, for now, his look said it all. She felt much more at ease as they wandered inside.
George had found just enough time to dress as the three welcome visitors entered into the living room. Emma saw this young man who had travelled halfway round the world to return back home to his family. Her heart melted as she noticed the degree of discomfort that he was in as he approached her. "Good morning, George, Peter told me quite a story yesterday afternoon, I'm very happy to meet you." She suddenly had tears in her eyes and she could now understand and feel the heartfelt emotion that Peter had shown when he returned yesterday. This was a victory against all the odds after being looked after so well by medical people in a foreign country and how he was able to make his way back home under such duress. Mr Harris clearly wanted to talk with Emma, "Mrs Gibson, do you think that you could find it in your heart to forgive a grumpy, bitter old man, my behaviour towards you over the years has been appalling and I am planning to make up for it." She could see that he had been given a huge shock and now he had a new lease of life to live with his son. "I'd like to talk to you when we come back from my wife's gravesite." All of a sudden two years of rudeness seemed to disappear as she gave him a hug. George was now ready to head down to the gravesite, he was so relieved to have Peter with him for support.
This was becoming more frustrating by the hour and the day. There was no word on the extent of damage to the telegraph and phone lines and their continuous efforts to get through were having no success. It was possible to have poles blown over but there was a huge probability of trees falling on the wires in many places and it was going to take time to scour the countryside to plan for restoration. It might take days before a decent comprehensive report may become available and the true extent of the damage be understood. "Can you send in the telegraphers and see if you can find Simon Morgan for me if you please." Captain Edwards was not one to sit around and wait possibly for weeks for communications to be back on deck, so he was looking for some practical suggestions in the interim.
It was ill fortune for them as they seemed to have had a realistic lead on Captain Glover's travels but now after this horrific storm, he could have gone anywhere. His telegraphers could not offer any good news and men had ridden to some outlying places and had eventually reported back with similar responses. Simon soon reported in and went to Captain Edwards' office and between the two of them, sprawling over the maps, they recalled that Grampton seemed to be the last place where Peter had been. "Simon, the information that we have so far is that he was with his parents for some time at Ashford and there was some reason that drew his attention to the town of Grampton. We have no way of knowing but it is a consideration for us that he may have called into the police station when and if he arrived there. It would seem to be the most obvious place to seek some assistance."
The country was vast, and they needed three different maps to try and calculate how far away the town was from Union City. "I make it that Grampton is about one thousand miles from here but at least it is on the railway track. Simon, I want you to get all the relevant timetables as soon as possible and work out how long it would take for you to get there if I decide to eventually send you there. It may be the only option for us in the short term rather than waiting for the restoration which may take an extended period. Surely someone around there might remember seeing him very conspicuously in a naval officer's uniform and know what he is doing and where his next destination might be. It may already be too late but we have no other recourse at our disposal."
Simon started on working out the timetables, but he decided first on a quick phone call to Nathan to discuss the matter with him, they might have already considered this proposal so, if they went together, a long tedious train trip might not be so laborious. He was thankful that communications were still working and uninhibited in their own district so soon he was talking to Fiona who was having a turn at looking after the desk for a while. "Hello Fiona, I was expecting Florence, but it is nice to hear your voice again, it's been a while, have you got around to making any wedding plans yet? Janie and I haven't got very far with ours yet." It seemed like they were both satisfied that getting past the hurdle of the engagement was enough for the moment. "We were close to making some firm plans but then the issue with Christine and her long lost husband came along and everything else has taken a back seat. I imagine that you're looking to talk with my dear fiancé Simon, I'll put you through, hold on for a while."
"You know that you could really hurt yourself Mrs Thornton on that piece of junk outside, I stood on the first rung and nearly took my life in my own hands. I hope that this is not going to ruin my dinner." Elizabeth didn't know whether to smile and laugh or whether to consider herself severely reprimanded. "Yes I know that it was not in very good condition and I was going to ask Bill or Lee about it. It's only in the wintertime when I need it when I have to climb up and shut one of the outside windows when it gets stuck." She looked very guilty when she looked at Little Jack, "I think we're in trouble." The captain was enjoying his dinner and he smiled as he complimented her on her cooking, "I am not going to rest until I replace it for you straight after lunch, I couldn't bear to imagine you falling from such a height in the snow. You'll never have to worry about this again."
He was just relaxing after such a wonderful meal when his face grew tense when he spied a photo on the little shelf in the living room. His heart sank, "Is this Jack?" He was looking at the very reason he worked so hard, above and beyond at meticulously getting everything right and not ever leaving anything to chance, "He looks like he was a wonderful man." He paused sadly and looked right into her eyes, "I bet you think of him every minute of the day." It should have been a difficult task for Elizabeth to have to relive this all over again but it had been years since she had lost Jack and all the tears had been shed long ago. "There is never a day that goes by without a thought of some sort of Jack coming into my head. He will always be with me. There are so many things around Hope Valley that remind me of him and the times that we had."
She smiled at the thought, "he was annoyed when he found out that my father had arranged for him to be at Hope Valley just for my safety. Our relationship was a tumultuous one right from the start. He was completely out of sorts when he came back to Hamilton with me one time. He was just not suited to the lifestyle that I was brought up in and he couldn't wait to get out of there." The captain stared into the photo, "I can see everything completely, what you say Mrs Thornton is in this picture of Jack, it's all there." Elizabeth was amazed how the captain seemed to have an understanding even though there were no words spoken. "We had so many good times as we bonded and fell in love and I will treasure them forever. I can still feel the terrible shock of being told of his death at night-time and the rifle shots at the funeral when he was laid to rest. I can shut my eyes and it's just like he is still here." Captain Foster had not been there at Fort Clay when Jack died but he couldn't help the feeling of having some responsibility as if Jack had been one of his men in the field. It seemed like the only thing that she had left of Jack was this photo but now he knew that this was not true. "Thank you for the most wonderful dinner, Mrs Thornton, now I'm going to go and arrange for a new ladder for you today."
George was noticeably quiet during the ride to the little cemetery just like when Peter had picked him up yesterday. Peter and Emma couldn't imagine what thoughts must be going on in his head. Emma sat there and watched George continually, this quiet unassuming young man, "how could he possibly have come halfway round the world to return home to his family, he must have to be the most determined man that I have ever seen." It was not much more than five minutes at little more than a brisk but relaxed walking pace in the cart when the graveyard came into view.
The storm had caused trees to be uprooted and fences along the way were damaged. Mr Harris had considered having his wife buried in a little plot close to home, but he was persuaded by many others to stick with a location in the town cemetery. They said that her grave should have her name on it so that she would never be forgotten as the years went by. He had reluctantly agreed and soon they all stepped carefully from the carriage and saw the grave with the name prominently displayed, Mrs Agnes Harris. This showed that she was a lady who had people in the village who had loved her and she was part of a family. Again, George was quiet as he stared helplessly at his mother's resting place. He was in no hurry as the realisation that his mother was really gone was difficult for him to now accept. He was very unsteady on his feet and he had no idea how he felt. It was like a journey which was now finished but what do I do now.
Emma went to him and took his arm for support as he started to sob quietly. With her help he knelt down by the grave with difficulty with his stiff leg, he didn't care whether it was dusty or muddy. "Mum, I'm so, so sorry that I wasn't here for you. I tried so hard, we all did even though we didn't really know why we had to be there. Every day when we were in the trenches my thoughts were always with you and dad and when I could come back home. A doctor and some nurses fixed up my leg as best as they could and I talked to them every day about you. I knew I'd get back and I'm going to come here and see you every day whether it rains, hails or shines. Dad says that we can have a Christmas tree this year, I'm going to decorate it just like what we all did before." Emma helped him stand up and regain his bearings, she thought that when she got up this morning, she never expected anything like this. He hugged his dad, "I'm so glad to be home." Emma had a lump in her throat but she was so pleased because she finally got to see the real Mr Harris rather than the one who had periodically arrived unannounced at her doorstep and rudely wanting to buy her place for a pittance.
They were all about to leave when Emma with sadness in her eyes, motioned for them to come with her to another place in the cemetery. There was another place in the yard which revealed an unmarked grave which could easily be passed by unless it meant something to you. "We will always have something in common Mr Harris, my husband, Jacob is buried here." Mr Harris hugged her sympathetically, "Mrs Gibson, I'm going to organise a proper marker for him, we can't have him lying here forever in an unmarked plot. He was your husband and the father of your son; he's not going to be forgotten while I'm around." He was determined more than ever to provide help for Emma and her son. "I want to thank you both for being there for me, I don't know whether I could have handled this if you weren't there. Dad's the only family I've got but now I have you as well. I will always have you in my heart for what you have done for me." These were the most words that George had spoken since he had returned. Peter was confident now that Mr Harris and his son were going to be alright.
When they soon returned to his home he asked for her and the others to come inside and talk with him and listen to what he had to say. They sat around the table with a cup of tea and cookies and then Mr Harris started to offer his proposition to her. She didn't know what to expect and she was glad to have Peter with her for safekeeping. "Mrs Gibson, I am a very wealthy man and I have my farm and many more assets than I can shake a stick at. None of this matters much when you lose family and you know that I have taken a lot of things badly. Yesterday there was a miracle where my son here, returned after many years when we had no word of his whereabouts or wellbeing. This has shaken me into reality, and I am going to make you the offer that I should have made long ago and one that I'm not going to let you refuse."
He took Emma's hand and his lips started to quiver like as if he was imploring her for forgiveness. George and I would love you to stay right here in this town with us but my arrogance and rudeness has cost your little lad here two years of schooling that he needs. I am prepared to offer you double what you say your place is worth and even more but there is a condition." He was now able to find a little smile after having got all this off his chest but his hand was still shaking. "I have my son back home with me and that's all I need, it doesn't matter wherever you go, we would like to have you and Danny back with us to help celebrate Christmas as many times as possible. It would be our heartfelt desire to have you here. We will always be happy to take care of all travel expenses. Mrs Gibson, you will be doing me and George a great service if you can accept our offer." Emma had to take time to catch her breath and try to absorb what had just transpired, "I'll accept on one condition, you must call me Emma from now on." A handshake was followed by a warm hug, these people were family from now on. "Peter, I hardly know you but I am forever in your debt, you and your wife will always be welcome in our town and in out home."
Nathan usually could do without the phone ringing in his office, an extra bunch of enquiries meant some more tasks for him to have to investigate and follow through when he was already busy with maps and towns many miles away. He reluctantly answered it and introduced himself and waited for the response, "Hello Nathan, it's been a while hasn't it." Nathan smiled to himself as he recognised the voice of his good friend immediately, "Hello there Simon, we were able, at your insistence, to break the news about Emily to Rosemary very carefully at your request. It went off as you asked, she never had a chance to be anxious about it. How is Janie and her family, are they well?" Nathan and Simon went back a long way and they always felt at ease with each other. "Janie is well and always busy at the hospital with her father. Other than Mrs Thornton I don't think that I have ever met more dedicated people than these. Janie is keen to start with pushing the wedding plans along but Captain Edwards has prioritised the task of helping to find that sea captain before he vanishes into thin air. That lady nurse at Hope Valley is his wife I believe; I remember her when I brought Amy back that night. I will never forget how she cared and helped me when I was so distressed. Have you got anywhere near setting a date with you and Fiona?" He didn't mention that he had spoken with Fiona at the desk. Nathan said how even Fiona completely understood how their own wedding plans had to wait until Christine's husband was found. Nathan shared his thoughts with his good friend, "I depend on Fiona more than she probably realises, I don't know how I would have managed with Allie if not for her. She can be an absolute terror though; she knows all of my buttons and when to press them without me even knowing. We were at the café and she complained about the meal before she even got it, she said how she wasn't ever coming here again. It was quite the ordeal until Allie started laughing, she and the cook were both in on it all to my expense. I just wanted to dig a hole and put myself out of my misery. She didn't care whether I was out of my comfort zone but to see the fun that Allie was having was worth the embarrassment. She tricked Ned Yost with her broken toe routine, and he threatened to throw her out of the store after Florence laughed at him. Life with her is going to be a rollercoaster ride I tell you. I was infatuated with Elizabeth but Simon, this is different."
Simon laughed and said how he could just imagine Fiona with her antics and how anyone could be a target. "She has definitely got that influence with Allie after I heard about Jason landing on his backside when trying to mount his horse. Janie doesn't yet have those infuriating traits yet but I'm sure that I will be in for some surprises as we go along. I still remember that smirk on her face when I forgot to give her the ring when I fell all over myself trying to propose to her on the balcony." Nathan knew Simon as well as anyone and he could feel the love in his voice, but it came with a hint of apprehension. 'Is everything going alright for you Simon?" There was a pause and a gulp before there was any reply, "I couldn't imagine life now without Janie being part of it, I had thrown myself into my work and settled things with my daughter after losing Sarah and having that scare on the hilltop. Janie helps me as she knows my history and that I'm always worried that it could all happen over again."
Nathan knew all too well after having his own part of the tragedy of Jack Thornton, "Simon, we can't predict what might happen to any of us even if we wrapped ourselves up with cotton wool and locked the door to the outside world, we can only do our best and pray that we will get to see and be a part of our grandchildren. Who knows, we might get a chance to talk to Sandra so that she can tell us how silly we are." Simon chuckled but his mood was serious, "If I'm serious Nathan, I would have to say that I am petrified as we get closer to the wedding day, I want to be the best husband that I can be and I promise that I won't ask for anything else. Right, now, down to business," he said changing the subject which, after all, was the reason for his call, "Captain Edwards has come up a suggestion to send me on the train to the town of Grampton, the place where Captain Glover was reported to have been. This may be our only option because of the storm damage which may take weeks to rectify. You might like to come along. I have the job of checking how far away this town is and using the timetables, try to figure out how long it would take for us to get there. I'm thinking that it would be about three days and we could assess the extent of the storm damage along the way." Just before they hung up Nathan said, "By the way Simon, do you remember the Turner family living here on their farm? Andrew's wife Sally had twin girls recently, that might be us sometime down the track. That's something to think about."
It was quiet in the street just as the daylight was receding when a lone figure rode in and arrived at the jailhouse. There had been a lot to think about on the return journey for Bill Avery, the sadness of a man having lost five years of his life but there was also the satisfaction of seeing justice being carried out. There was also the frustration and anger that he had for the responsible officers not being prepared to get the job done right in the first place. He wandered inside looking very tired but then perked up with surprise at seeing Captain Foster sitting at the desk. Bill had spent some time completing and providing his extensive and elaborate report detailing the facts and findings coupled with his recommendations to Captain Bedford before he departed. It had made the resultant court hearing to be not much more than academic.
Captain Bedford had confided in Bill just before he left to return to Hope Valley, that the two investigators were going to find life much more extreme than just a temporary embarrassment to their career, he promised that he would keep Bill informed of the consequences as the inquiry progressed. Even with all this on his mind, he hadn't expected to see Captain Foster here in Hope Valley when he finally returned. There would be time for a very welcome coffee, such as it was, before he would have to tend to his horse so his next target was the kettle. Someone had waited for weeks for Bill to return from Cape Fullarton and she was overjoyed when she had noticed his horse tied up out right out front of the jailhouse. She hurried over with a coffee from the café which was much more palatable than the stuff that they were used to. "Molly, you are a sight for sore eyes." She gave him a welcome back hug and said that she would be back with some dinner for him shortly, she could see how tired he was after his long trip. "Oh Bill, Amy has taken your horse over to the stable for a well-earned rub down and some dinner for him." Now the two men got a chance to discuss the recent weeks events both here and Cape Fullerton. Bill was curious to know why the captain was here instead of at his post at Fort Clay. "You would have to be the last person that I expected to see here." The captain didn't mention anything about how he had been very concerned with Elizabeth after her trip to Fort Clay, he referred to the news of the discovery of Christine's husband and how they were trying to find him. Bill had a soft spot for Christine and asked if there was any task that he could be given to help.
Molly returned with Bill's dinner just as he was starting to recount his experience at Cape Fullerton. Captain Foster was disgusted after hearing about the negligence of the investigation that cost a man five years of his life. "I'm glad that Captain Bedford had the foresight to arrange for you to review the case. Bill, from what you have told me, I want to know the names of the two disgraced officers so that we can have them and their whereabouts under surveillance for your safekeeping. If they lose their jobs after the inquiry, which would be extreme to say the least, they may look to exact some sort of revenge. With your permission Bill, I will discuss this with Captain Bedford. I wouldn't appreciate these two men showing up here in Hope Valley someday without us knowing about it in advance." Bill had made enemies in the past and was unconcerned. "Bill, was this deliberate negligence on their part or was it just an unfortunate oversight which ultimately cost that man so many years of his freedom." The captain was rather surprised at Bill's lack of response.
It was very sobering for Emma to stand in her living room knowing that it was going to be for the last time. She thought of the day when they first walked inside as a family all those years ago when they were full of happiness and expectations and then her husband grew ill and passed away. Since then, her and little Danny were forced to try and scratch a living out of their little farm which had become a shackle around her neck. It hadn't taken long to get packed and ready to leave as most of their belongings were still in the few boxes left untouched in the spare room. It was just a quiet stare as all the tears had been shed before especially as each storm would come and go leaving the destruction in its wake for them to have to attend to over and over again. Thanks to the generosity and about face of Mr Harris, she now had a real chance of starting again and being able to provide for her son. Even so, she had no idea where she was going to travel but Peter had an idea and made a suggestion to help out, "Emma, did you ever know James and Judy Pennington, I went to Hartford to visit them recently hoping that they might put me on the right path for Christine."
Emma was becoming very excited at the thought of some names that she remembered from the past, "Oh my goodness Peter, I remember seeing them about ten years ago, some years before I met Jacob. They were the nicest people that you could ever meet, are they okay?" Peter recounted how he had got off the train and found out that everyone in the town were at Judy's funeral. "I walked in on it and I felt very awkward but they all made me feel welcome and they even asked me to say a few words at the podium. I didn't even know any of them but they were all so wonderful." Emma was sad at the thought of James having lost Judy. "She was the most happy and welcoming lady that I have ever met." They were soon loaded up with just enough room for Danny at the back and were soon on their way not necessarily knowing where they were going to end up. "Emma, I have a suggestion, I'm sure that James would love to have you come and live with him and I saw a nice school there for Danny. We could leave all your gear with Carla Graham and catch the train to get to Hartford. Has Danny ever been on the train before?"
It was a very prominent piece of equipment now standing in the backyard and she could see with a smile that the old ladder had been hastily removed to avoid any temptation. It meant more to her than just the replacement of something that had seen better days. Rosemary had found Elizabeth standing with Little Jack in the backyard staring at her new ladder. "Mum, look at Mrs Thornton's new ladder," said Emily as she stood proudly on the bottom rung. Rosemary noticed how it was made such that it couldn't come apart eventually with rusty nails that would deteriorate over time. Captain Foster had gone to a great deal of effort to see Lee Coulter and to have a heavy duty ladder that would not fail over the years. It had large screws rather than nails and there was strong binding for added strength. He said that all the men at Fort Clay were required to have reliable equipment so there was to be nothing short for Mrs Thornton.
Elizabeth liked this unassuming young man who asked for no recognition for his little gift which he said was going to ease his mind each time he thought of her climbing up to the top from time to time to secure the upstairs window in the winter snow. Rosemary stood with her arm in arm, "He came to see Lee and he asked for the best and most reliable ladder that they could make. He helped put it together piece by piece and he said that it had to be as good as what they had at Fort Clay. Elizabeth, this man is a fine gentleman who is bent on looking out for you. He doesn't strike me as someone who is planning to be a suitor but I'm sure he is here for your benefit.
"Rosemary, he is so easy to talk to and I confided in him about my encounter with Jack back at the gravesite at Fort Clay. He never once tried to deny it as something fanciful, rather, he was much more understanding than anyone else could have been. Look how gentle he was with Christine when he gave her hope when she was so frantic when she found out about her lost husband. I could see how upset he was when he saw Jack's photo inside, he seems to take on a terrible amount of responsibility, much more than anyone should. Amy would not be here if not for his calm approach to the defiance of the judge. There was no better person to be there for her than him " Rosemary recounted the time when he had seen Emily and she knew that he associated her with Sarah and Simon. He appeared to take on everybody's concerns and accepted them as his own. "Elizabeth, he is determined to not rest until Christine's husband sets foot here in Hope Valley."
It was a nice warm day for a walk down the street for Mrs Glover. There wasn't many items for her to get from the store and she needed to remember to call in at the Post office to save the delivery man a trip just in case there were any letters for her. Ashford was a nice little town where everybody knew everyone else and not much could happen without everyone knowing about it. They all remembered how surprised they were when Peter suddenly arrived virtually unannounced and how he had got to see his grandfather before he passed on. That was still a talking point for many of the people and it would bring tears to their eyes. "Hello Mrs Glover, I'm glad that you dropped in to see us, I have a letter here for you and my young delivery boy won't be back for hours so I can give it to you now. It has taken a while to get here due to the flash floods and many of the roads being boggy and near impassable." She cast a look at the return address on the back and wondered who this could be from. She was sure that she didn't know any Susan Madison so the envelope went on the table while she attended to some of her chores.
There was no one else around to do the sweeping up and she needed to prepare the vegetables for the evening meal. She had forgotten about the letter and only noticed it when it had fallen on the floor later in the day. She was busy but now she was curious so she sat down and quickly open it and soon noticed the beautiful handwriting. "Dear Mrs Glover, we haven't met before because I wasn't able to be at the wedding four years ago but Christine and I grew up together and we looked like twins to most people. Your son Peter came to our town hoping that people on his list, mostly relatives, could tell him where Christine might be. He sat in our living room and saw me down the passage and he thought that I was Christine because we look so much alike. It took a long time for us to get him settled down after that and I was upset for a long time myself. I promised him that I would write to every person that I knew to see if I could help find his wife. Mrs Glover, you must be very proud of Peter, he is a fine man and a wonderful husband for Christine. He is planning to hunt through the entire country to find her and he doesn't care how long it takes. I looked at his list and added to it so the next place he was going to get to was my parents at Clifton. I heard from him that he had to go straight back to active sea duty right after the wedding so we have no idea what happened to Christine after that, unfortunately, she could be anywhere. Will you please let me know if you find out anything and I will do the same. I told him to keep in touch with us from time to time just in case we find out where she is ourselves. I fell in love with my new cousin so I want the best for him. My maiden name was Susan Pennington." Peter's mother had to read the letter again as she was wiping away some tears, she was going to have good news for Susan and hopefully it would eventually get to her son.