As he hung up the receiver in Lee's office, Nathan grinned. Maybe this one last wedding gift he had been working on for weeks was actually going to happen after all. His soon-to-be business partner walked in the room. "Well, are you going to be able to give Elizabeth your surprise?"
Nathan stood and clapped Lee on the shoulder. "Looks that way! Hopefully Elizabeth won't be too upset that I kept this from her, but I'm pretty sure her elation will be enough to get me off the hook. Thanks for letting me use the phone here, and let Rosemary know I appreciate her help. I will go to the train station on Friday before the bridal shower so we can deliver the precious cargo to the bride before we leave for the bachelor party."
"Sounds like you have it all figured out," Lee surmised. "But right now, we need to meet everyone at the warehouse and get all of that furniture moved to your house. School is out, which means Jack and his friends should be on their way."
A big group was ready and waiting to move the big pieces of hand-crafted wood that would make up the bulk of the furnishings in Nathan and Elizabeth's new home. Once the last load was taken into the correct rooms, Nathan thanked all who had shown up to help and offered to take them all out for ice cream at the soda shop. Most declined, needing to get back to work or to their wives; but Jack and some of his friends from school enthusiastically agreed. Excited about getting to know more of the young men who spent time with Jack, Nathan drove the five of them into town where they ate and talked together.
All of the years of experience in law enforcement had made Nathan a good listener and observer. He could tell a lot about someone by the way they acted in a group setting. Usually, he had their personality and character pegged after a brief encounter. At first, all of the boys seemed nervous around him, but soon they began opening up about school and their hopes for the future. Ben, who seemed to be a leader among his peers, was also very articulate and planned to attend University the next year and eventually become a lawyer. Joe was very physically strong from hard labor on his family's farm and had plans to take over for his father, since he was the only boy in his family. His parents believed in all of their children receiving a formal education, so he was finishing out his final year at the Hope Valley School before working full time and finding a wife to start a life together. Steven was the quietest of the group, only chiming in when absolutely necessary. He was Jack's age, with two more years to decide what he wanted to do next. He hoped to eventually go to the city and work in finance, since he was a math whiz.
When Jack definitively told his friends he was joining the Mounties at 17, Nathan wasn't sure if he should feel pride or discouragement. He knew the boy had the right skill set and temperament to wear the red serge; but he also knew Elizabeth still was adamantly against it, which had the potential to be a source of contention in their marriage and new family unit. He suddenly realized the boys were all staring at him, expecting an answer to something one of them had asked.
"I'm sorry, what?" he asked.
They begged him to share about what it was like to be a Mountie for 30 years, and what he thought about Jack following in the footsteps of himself, as well as his father Jack Thornton Sr and his grandfather. Trying to tread lightly, Nathan shared a few stories he thought boys their age would appreciate from his days as a Constable. Not wanting to cause trouble, he was brief when talking about Jack becoming a Mountie. He was honest about the way Jack handled Annie's emergency on their hike; but reiterated that it was a lifelong commitment to take that oath to serve and protect, assuring them when the time came Jack would know if it was the right decision.
After filling up on ice cream, they piled in the car so Nathan could drop each one of them off at their respective homes. "Don't let that treat ruin your dinner, or your moms will all have my hide," he told them all. They all laughed and assured him that it wouldn't be a problem.
Once they reached the row houses, Elizabeth came outside as Jack went inside to change and clean up for dinner. She smiled and met Nathan by the car, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him between the houses where no one could see them. "I was starting to wonder what was taking you so long," she admitted, pulling him close and running her hands up and down his muscular arms. "Were you able to get everything moved? Dinner is in the oven and should be ready soon."
He leaned down and gave her a short kiss in greeting, then pulled her into his arms and buried his face into her hair breathing in deeply. "I've missed you today," he whispered in her ear. "I can't believe how many showed up to help us get all of that moved into the house. Tomorrow, I'll go put all of the pieces together with the mattresses as well as the sofa set and rugs that came into Ned's yesterday. Maybe after dinner we can go over and you can show me where you want everything."
Before she could answer, Allie appeared looking around. "Oh!" she exclaimed when she saw them. "Sorry to interrupt, but I wondered where Dad went after I heard his car pull up. I'm just going to go back inside. As you were."
"We were just about to have dinner," Elizabeth stammered, moving toward the front of the house. "You and Robert are welcome to join us. I haven't seen Colleen all day."
Nathan gave Allie a side hug and kiss on the head. "How was your day? I hope my granddaughter let you have a nap after a rough night."
"Oh Dad, I'm sure you are going to be so happy to be out of my house and away from a crying baby," Allie sighed. "I did take a nap while she slept today, but because of that I haven't been able to get dinner ready and Robert is running late."
Elizabeth grabbed Allie's hand. "I made plenty of food. Why don't you let your dad go get Colleen while you call Robert and let him know you'll be eating with us tonight." Everyone agreed to the arrangement, and they had one of their last meals together in the little row house that Elizabeth had lived in during some of the most important years of her life.
Friday morning, after dropping Elizabeth off at school, Nathan put the final touches on the house. He had built benches for the ceremony which would be in the main living area of the house, then planned to use them in the barn and workshop after the wedding was over. With Elizabeth's help, he had set up all of the bedrooms and placed other furniture throughout the many different rooms. Their master bedroom was on the main floor next to a bathroom, with another small room close to theirs. He told himself it was perfect for times when a grandchild might spend the night or could easily be a little playroom; but in the back of his mind, he had built it as a nursery just in case. A big living and dining area, along with a spacious kitchen next to a washroom, took up a large portion of the main floor. Just inside the door was a charming foyer with a parlor on one side and staircase on the other, leading to an upstairs with three bedrooms and one bathroom. Jack had already claimed one of the larger two bedrooms for his own.
Realization hit Nathan that in exactly one week their house would be filled with guests, followed by him and Elizabeth spending their first night together alone as husband and wife in their new home. Warmth spread through his body as he anticipated the biggest day of his life playing out in the very edifice that had been such a labor of love for him to design and build for his future family. Before leaving for his important pickup, Nathan stopped to see the horses. He looked forward to riding Newton with Elizabeth riding Gypsy next to him. Zeus was growing healthy and strong, and his mother was showing signs of longing to be ridden. He promised Newt that Jack would be along shortly for their ride.
Nathan had told Elizabeth he wouldn't be seeing her until after the bridal shower due to working on the house and preparing for his bachelor party, so she wouldn't suspect anything. He went home to clean up and change before heading to the train station. Nerves hit him harder than expected, but once he was on the platform and a spunky redhead waved and rushed over to him he felt at home with his new sister. He was taken aback by her very obvious round belly that held her first child, and knew it would also come as an even bigger shock to Elizabeth who had no idea her baby sister was going to make it to her big day after all.
"Nathan Grant as I live and breathe! How does my sister get not one, but two handsome Mounties in a lifetime? It is so good to finally meet you in person after all of those phone calls." She wrapped him in a hug, then let him take the carry-on bag she was holding before they went to retrieve her bigger luggage.
When they were in the car driving to the Coulter's house, Nathan commented, "I had no idea that we were getting two visitors. Your sister is going to go crazy not only seeing you, but finding out she'll be getting a new niece or nephew."
"We've been trying to give William an heir since we married, and now I'm only a few months away from that dream being fulfilled," Julie gushed. "He was nervous about me traveling, and after this trip he's making me stay put until this baby arrives. He had some business to finish up in Vancouver, then will join me here next week so we can return to Montreal together."
Approaching the house, they saw Lee pacing as he watched for them. "Right on time," he declared as Nathan got out of the car and assisted Julie while Lee helped with her bags. "Now, the rest of the wedding party is in there doing their final fittings. Elizabeth, of course, is going to try on her dress at the end, so as not to spoil things for the groom here."
They quietly snuck into the house and temporarily set the luggage in the room off the entrance before slipping into the room where Allie was modeling her gown as Rosemary pinned a few places that still needed alterations. Nathan went and softly put his hands on Elizabeth's shoulders, startling her as she looked up. "Hi, love," he greeted sweetly. "I have one more gift for my beautiful bride."
Julie appeared behind Nathan and Elizabeth squealed in delight, jumping up to embrace her younger sibling. " You were supposed to be traveling with William," she screeched, then noticing the baby bump they both burst into tears. "Oh, Julie! You are finally getting the baby you've dreamed of since you married."
"I wouldn't have missed my dear sister Elizabeth marrying the man she pined for in Hamilton for over a decade!" she nearly shouted. "Nathan contacted me for this surprise, and I was able to plan around our trip so I could spend a week here in Hope Valley and be a third matron of honor. Rosemary got my new measurements, and I think I'm next to try on my dress."
While Julie went to freshen up in the room the Coulters had prepared for her to stay in for the week before trying on her dress, Elizabeth walked Nathan to his car so he could get ready for his fishing trip with the guys that doubled as a bachelor party. "It means so much to have at least one member of my family here, Nathan. You knew how much I needed that. Thank you." She pressed her lips to his and didn't hold back in showing her appreciation for his kind gesture. Both were breathless when they pulled apart and went their separate ways.
Back inside, all of the women were amazed at the talent of Rosemary's dress designing and the speed of her sewing skills. Julie loved her maternity version of the color-coordinated dresses they would wear down the aisle. Right before the other guests were set to arrive for the bridal shower, Elizabeth slipped into her simple, yet elegant, bridal gown. She didn't want something too extravagant; however, she wanted to be stylish and modern, as well as leave Nathan a little speechless. She walked into the room, causing them all to go silent as they admired the stunning gown and woman insider of it.
"Oh, Elizabeth," they all gasped in unison. Once the pins were in place, and Rosemary had what she needed for any last-minute alterations, they all changed into their party dresses instead. Soon guests for the shower began arriving. Elizabeth's new students and their mothers all came, including Mary and Sarah Wolf, who felt more like family. Allie and Rosemary had worked together to make a fun tea party with sandwiches, scones, and cookies. They played a few games, then watched as Elizabeth opened her gifts.
She was stunned by the generosity of all who came and gave her meaningful presents for her upcoming nuptials. Many of the women had gotten together and made a marvelous quilt in their wedding colors, which brought tears to all of their eyes as Elizabeth gave her heartfelt thanks to each of them. Julie gave the final gift of the night, which was a fashionable silk nightgown and robe from France for her wedding night. She blushed for a moment as she hugged her sister, but secretly couldn't wait to try it on later. It was an overwhelmingly perfect night for the bride-to-be, and she couldn't believe that in just one week she would be Mrs. Elizabeth Grant.
Nathan had no desire to make a big deal of leaving his bachelor days behind, but his friends insisted they do something while the girls had their big to-do. Because the weather was still nice for the beginning of October, they decided to go on what might be the last fishing trip of the season. Their plan was to catch enough for dinner, then fry it up and enjoy a bonfire. It was a fairly small group of them, but they had an enjoyable time together despite Bill asking if Nathan needed some advice for his wedding night. He gave a resounding "No!" as an answer.
As they sat in front of the fire, Nathan suddenly had a realization. "Lee, I need to ask a favor."
"Anything for my new business partner," Lee responded, then looked around to make sure no one had heard their news before they even told their significant others. "Within reason that is."
Chuckling, Nathan continued. "I've been bothered ever since the night we asked everyone to be in our wedding party, that you were left out. But especially now with Julie in the wedding, I feel like it would be ok for me to have one more best man with me. What do you say? Can Rosemary make sure you are outfitted in a blue suit?"
"I'm truly honored you asked, my friend. I'll happily stand next to you and your sons. A blue suit is no problem." They embraced and patted each other's backs. "It's starting to get late. We better get this fire put out and see if the ladies are calling it a night as well."
Everyone helped clean up and extinguish the fire, then Nathan drove behind Lee to the Coulter's so he could drive Elizabeth, Allie, and Colleen home. As soon as they got in the car, Nathan knew something was going on, but he waited until his daughter and grandbaby were inside their house to find out what was wrong.
"'My love, what is it?" he questioned, attempting to put Elizabeth's hand in his. She pulled away and got out of the car, slamming the door as she hurried onto the front porch. He quickly followed and blurted, "No! We can't just walk away when we are upset. If I did something wrong, I need to know. Communication and working through things is the only way our marriage will stay strong." Nathan stood inches behind her near the front door, not touching her as she processed what was causing her to be agitated.
Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth turned around and looked up at him with pain in her eyes. "I was having such a lovely time tonight. Everything was wonderful; however, as guests were starting to leave, I had a conversation with Mrs. Miller about her son Ben having ice cream with you the other day. He was retelling her all kinds of stories about your days as a Mountie, then she told me how shocked she was by your support of Jack Jr becoming a Mountie at 17. You know how I feel about this, Nathan."
"Can we discuss this further on the porch swing or something?" Nathan asked, finally daring to reach out again to try and take her hand. This time she didn't pull away, and they walked together to Robert and Allie's porch. Jack had already gotten home and gone to his room, and Colleen was being put to bed by both her parents after a long, excitement-filled day.
At first, Elizabeth was cold and distant, but she remembered their promise to talk things through whenever they disagreed. "I apologize for my behavior, Nathan; but after what happened before, I'm confused. You said you were on my side about Jack not joining. What changed?"
Nathan exhaled, preparing to say some things he knew Elizabeth wouldn't want to hear. "As I've been spending more time with Jack and getting to know his character, I've actually been convinced that being a Mountie is in his blood and makes a lot of sense. How he handled that emergency on their hike was the final proof I needed. I know losing him scares you, but we can't let fear control us."
Standing up angrily, Elizabeth again pulled her hand away and began walking back home. She turned briefly and spewed her final opinion of the night. "My husband Jack was taken away from his family too soon, and his father was taken from him when he was still just a boy. I don't understand why a third generation of Thornton men need to be sacrificed to the mighty red serge. Duty and honor almost took your life, Nathan. But Jack is MY SON, not yours. His father is dead." She ran into her house and slammed the door.
Knowing she needed time and space, Nathan wearily went inside and ran a bath to get the smell of smoke from the bonfire off him and soak his leg that had been aching more than usual since he had been pushing so hard to finish the house. He hadn't dared tell anyone, because the last thing he wanted to do was upset the important people in his life during the final wedding preparations. He decided that maybe a visit to Dr. Burton wasn't such a bad idea to make sure he hadn't reinjured anything once the wedding was over. After soaking and getting clean, he wrapped in a robe and immediately fell onto his bed where he allowed himself to drift off into much-needed oblivion.
Saturday, Elizabeth spent the entire day with Julie catching up and eating out at the cafe. Her sister didn't press her on why she wasn't spending time with Nathan, or why she looked like she had been crying the entire night before. They were able to talk and laugh, reminiscing about their childhood and remembering the time they had spent together over the past several years when their parents were sick. Elizabeth soaked up all of the details of Julie's fancy lifestyle with her handsome husband who came from one of the richest families in Canada. William J. Roy IV, though wealthy, was a kind man who had fallen deeply for the vivacious Julie Thatcher. He was a business acquaintance of Sir Lionel who was married to their sister Viola, and the two met at a very exclusive event when the eldest Thatcher sister was in Hamilton visiting family.
Rosemary spent the day doing dress alterations, and they were all able to find time for a quick final fitting. Elizabeth went through the motions of trying on her wedding dress, but her anger mixed with sadness didn't allow her to feel much of anything as she did. She knew there was no way she could walk down the aisle until she worked things out with Nathan but couldn't bring herself to accept her son making the biggest mistake of his life.
Lee offered to drive her home late Saturday evening, hoping to get Elizabeth to open up to him. "Whatever is going on with you and Nathan, I promise you can work it out if you just talk about whatever it is that is bothering you."
"I tried the talking thing last night, and it didn't help," Elizabeth tried to explain. "He supports Jack wanting to join the Mounties when he turns 17. It feels like a betrayal when both his father and grandfather were killed in the line of duty. How do I let something like that go?"
As Lee parked in front of her row house, he put his hand over hers. "Elizabeth, you are like a sister to me, but Nathan has become like a brother as well these past months. Jack Jr is like my own son, or at the very least a nephew, just like my twins are family to you. A career in law enforcement does seem scary, but it isn't a death sentence. In fact, someone in any profession could die at any time. Remember how I nearly met my demise on the mountain when a tree fell and hit me? And there have been plenty of other close calls. We have to put our trust in God. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, but we can't live in fear. I've never known a 15 year old boy more suited to follow in the footsteps of those good men in his life. That might be hard to hear, but I find it necessary. You are not really mad at Nathan or Constable/Inspector/Superintendent Grant; you are angry with the circumstances that took those other men from the earth too soon. But you also need to remember that God has a plan for our lives if we put our trust in Him."
Everything Lee said spoke to Elizabeth's weary, yet hopeful, soul. "Thank you for not giving up on me, and for being willing to say what is hard to hear." She put her free hand on top of his. "I've given something a lot of thought, and understand if you are not comfortable doing it. You and Rosemary are the closest thing I have to family here. Like you said, we see each other like brother and sister. Will you walk me down the aisle and give me away? I know Nathan already asked you to be the third best man, but you can always stand with Jack and Robert once we both get to the altar. What do you say?"
Tears formed in Lee's eyes as he pulled her in for a brotherly hug. "I can't think of anything better than being a part of the wedding and giving you to the guy I know will bring you joy for the rest of your life. But before we can even discuss the wedding taking place, you better find a way to work things out with the groom." Giving Lee a kiss on the cheek, Elizabeth exited the car. Instead of going straight home, she knocked on the Wolf's door and was disappointed when she was told Nathan hadn't come back from checking on the horses. She quickly caught Lee before he left and asked him to drive her to her new home instead.
Seeing Nathan's car in the driveway, Lee felt comfortable leaving Elizabeth to make amends and drove away. She approached the barn as the sun was setting and the sky was full of bold colors. When she was almost to the door, she noticed Nathan and Jack petting the horses, deep in conversation. She kept herself hidden and listened.
"I feel bad I got you in trouble with her again," she heard Jack tell Nathan. "Sometimes I wish I didn't feel this strong urge to be a Mountie. When I was young, I promised myself I would never let it become my calling; but it's too late for that now. I can't change what I know in my heart. But having it come between you two is not ok. I want us to be a family. You have to work this out before the wedding."
Her heart was breaking and she almost revealed herself, but Nathan put his arm around Jack and spoke words that gave both of them comfort. "Son, the love between your mother and me is stronger than a single disagreement. Plus, our love for you is unconditional. We have you for two more years before any decisions have to be made about your future, so let's focus on that."
"I agree," Elizabeth interjected, appearing next to them inside the barn. "Two years also gives me time to get used to the idea, as well as understanding you and your desire to serve your country and community. If you turn out to be the kind of man Nathan is, then I will be proud of you for choosing the Mounties as your life's work." Knowing there was a good chance things might get awkward once his parents made up, Jack hugged his mom and insisted he had something to check inside the house. As he walked away, Elizabeth closed the space between them and threw herself into Nathan's arms. "Forgive me?" she asked with her head against his chest. "You are a wonderful father to Jack, and I should have trusted you more."
"You have a right to be afraid to a certain extent," he assured her. "But every young man puts himself in some kind of danger as he makes his way in the world. I will do everything in my power to keep both you and Jack safe." Closing his eyes, Nathan drew Elizabeth closer to him and breathed in her familiar scent. "I love you, Elizabeth," he murmured against her head.
She looked up and into his glistening eyes. "I love you, too," she replied, wishing it could be a week from now already. Her heart nearly beat out of her chest as his lips made their way over hers slowly with raw emotion. When a little moan escaped her lips, Nathan groaned and reluctantly pulled back.
"I better get you home while I still have an ounce of restraint left." He took her hand and after retrieving Jack at the house, drove back to the row houses together for what they knew would be one of the final times.
Last minute wedding preparations took over the first of the week, with everyone pitching in to get everything accomplished. Elizabeth spent as much time with Julie as possible, knowing it could be a long time before they got the chance again. Nathan and Jack moved nearly all of their belongings into the new house in the middle of the week, with the three of them just keeping a small suitcase of essentials to get them through until they were permanently settled. Jack would be spending a week with the Coulters, to give Nathan and Elizabeth time to be alone as they adjusted to married life. When school was out on Thursday, everyone in the wedding party got together for a wedding rehearsal dinner, hosted by Lee and Rosemary. William arrived just in time for dinner, and would stay until Saturday morning when he and Julie would take a train back home where they planned on ceasing travel until after their baby was born.
Everyone, including Nathan, was impressed by how down-to-earth the financial tycoon, who would soon be his brother-in-law, seemed to be. He fit in with the rest of the family, and already had a nice rapport with Jack and Elizabeth, since he had known them when they still lived in Hamilton. William invited Nathan, Elizabeth, and Jack to visit them in Montreal whenever it was convenient and promised to show them around the city.
After eating dinner, Bill walked them all through the ceremony. After enjoying a light dessert, they all decided to make an early night of it with such a big day ahead. Jack had already moved into Daniel's room at the Coulters for the week, so Elizabeth would be spending the final night in her row house alone, while Nathan would spend his last night as a single man in his daughter's home. They drove back to the row houses holding hands in silence. On her porch for the final time, they stood for a moment as the sun disappeared in the western sky.
"It's the end of an era, Nathan," she softly remarked. "This house, my life…it's all going to change tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, in the best possible way; but I can't help but think about how my past has guided me to this future with you. Are you sure you are ready to take on a wife and son?"
Nathan placed one hand on her shoulder, then cupped her face with the other. "My darling Elizabeth, you are making all of my dreams come true. Just one more sleep until you are mine and I am yours forever. How will I ever get any sleep tonight? Both of our pasts have some heartache and trials, but we've also had moments of joy and love. Just like the life we are creating together. I can't promise it will be perfect, but I will always do whatever it takes to make sure you never regret your decision to marry me."
A little giggle erupted from Elizabeth, "Are those your vows? You want to make sure I don't regret marrying you?"
He began to laugh with her, realizing it did sound a little silly. "Hopefully my vows will be a little better than that, once I write them."
"Wait, you still have to do that? I should make sure mine are done, too. Goodnight, sweet Nathan," she almost whispered, caressing his face then placing a kiss in the same spot. He turned her face and caught her lips with his in a fervent and passionate kiss that left them both wanting more, but filled with a promise of what was to come.
Nathan brought her hand to his lips then let it to and began walking away. "This is the last time I have to leave you like this. Tomorrow is a new day at last. Sleep well, my gorgeous bride."
Neither had an easy time falling asleep as they rehearsed vows on their own late into the night. Eventually, they were each able to drift off as they dreamed of a beautiful new life together. Mere hours stood between two lives being joined together for better or worse. No longer would they have to face life alone, and that in and of itself would be the greatest gift of all.