Entering the livery for a late afternoon ride on Newton, Jack was in such a hurry he didn't notice the young woman crying in the corner at first. Once he saw her, his heart began racing and he wondered if he should say something or just continue with what he came to do. In Hamilton, his exposure to other girls his age was in formal settings; but he had never been a fan of all the pomp and decorum. Even though he didn't remember everything from his childhood in Hope Valley, Jack felt more at home since being back than at any time during the past 10 years in the city. He felt closer to his father in this town where his parents met, and he noticed his mother was far more relaxed and hopeful since being back as well. Soft sniffles reminded him of his current predicament; unsure of how to proceed, he took a step back and accidentally knocked a bucket of oats off a stall.
A loud crash startled Sarah and she suddenly stood up and wiped the tears from her eyes. She looked toward the sound and saw a shocked Jack Thornton Jr staring back at her. Embarrassed, she wanted nothing more than to rush out of the livery and escape having to face him; but she was frozen, staring into his big blue eyes and wondering why she suddenly felt nervous. He looked much older than 15 and was more handsome than the other boys she grew up with, but there was also a boyish naivety she saw in him that, while endearing, brought out his young age.
Jack cleared his throat and took a step forward. "Are you ok?" he asked softly. "I'm sorry I interrupted you, I'm just coming for my ride with Newton. Were you here seeing Lucky?"
Nodding slowly, she turned to her brother's horse and scratched his neck just the way he liked. "I didn't expect anyone else to be here right now. Please don't tell anyone you found me…I, I just needed a little time alone."
Still feeling awkward, Jack went to Newton's stall to begin getting him ready for their ride. "You are welcome to come riding with me if Robert says it's ok to take out Lucky. I'm not going for long, because I promised my mom I would be home in time for dinner."
Sarah bit her lip, wanting to say yes but knowing it wasn't a good idea. "I need to get home to help my mom with dinner, and Robert already had Lucky out earlier. Enjoy your ride, Jack."
His name on her lips made Jack's heart beat faster, and her love for horses made Sarah Wolf even more enticing to him. "Have a good evening. If you ever want to go on a ride together, I'm sure Newton would enjoy the company sometime."
Just a brief conversation with this new boy who had recently arrived in town, lifted Sarah's spirits and made her forget why she had been crying in the first place. "I'll talk to the Constable and see if he can spare his partner sometime." She kissed Lucky before walking out of the livery and toward her home.
When Newton was ready to go, Jack led him out of the livery and began riding. They flew across the hills and finally stopped at their usual destination. Pulling some wildflowers in bloom near the entrance, Jack entered the cemetery and put them down on his father Jack Thornton Sr's grave. He hadn't told anyone, including his mother, that he had been going there almost every day he rode Newton. Sometimes it was hard for him to comprehend that he had never known his father, or that no one even knew about his existence at the time of Jack Sr's death. He had vague memories of people in Hope Valley talking about their love for the Constable that was taken too soon from all of them, but in Hamilton he never heard mention of him.
"Dad, I wish you were here to give me advice…especially about girls. I met someone who makes me feel things I don't quite understand. Maybe I'll ask Nathan, although he might not be the best person to ask since Allie is related to Sarah." He thought for a minute about Nathan Grant and the role he played in their lives now. He felt like there was something between him and his mom from the minute they saw each other again, but he wasn't sure where things stood with the two of them. Should he feel guilty he saw Nathan as a father figure? And it wasn't just because he was a Mountie, although as a child there had been some association because of the red serge. Jack had wanted a real family. Dad, mom, big sister; he had dreams about living in a house with Nathan, Allie, Elizabeth, and himself. Someday, he hoped to learn how to fish, a favorite pastime of the Grants if he remembered correctly.
Newton whinnied and Jack looked at the position of the sun to estimate the time, since he had forgotten his watch. "Dad, I promised I would get back to dinner in time, so I guess I'm leaving now. I'll be back soon." He ran his fingers over the letters of his dad's name in the headstone before leaving the cemetery.
After getting Newton settled for the night, Jack began walking home just as Robert was leaving the Mountie office. "Jack, hello. How was your ride?"
"Hey, Constable Wolf. I really enjoy taking Newton out. How is everyone at your house feeling?" A few days after getting back from Union City, Nathan had come down with a bad cold that Allie had caught shortly thereafter. Robert had been spared any major symptoms, so he was still working and trying to look after the others when he got home at night.
Looking worn out, Robert answered: "With everything else Nathan and Allie are going through physically, it has been a real struggle. Your mom has been very helpful providing meals for us, along with some other neighbors; but we don't want to give it to both of you."
When they reached the row houses, Elizabeth was just stepping outside with a pot of soup. "Oh good," she called. "Robert, can you take this over to your house and I'll go get the rolls and some chamomile tea I picked up today at the Mercantile? Jack, I have dinner all set out for us. Why don't you go get washed up and we can eat when I get back from taking this over to the Wolf's house?"
"Sure, Mom. Tell Nathan and Allie to get better soon for me." Jack waved goodbye to Robert and went inside. He had wanted to ask about Sarah but lacked the courage at the moment. He went to the bathroom and washed up after a long day working with Lee and the crew, preparing the land for their house. Nathan was only able to work for two days before getting too sick. Already in that short time, Jack had come to really enjoy Nathan's company and learned a lot from him. After about one hour together, he had asked Jack to call him Nathan instead of Mr. Grant. Jack was discovering that he liked the informal and comfortable way people addressed one another in the country as opposed to the city. He hoped they would be back to work together again soon. Once he was clean, Jack went to the kitchen and poured a glass of water while he waited.
When Elizabeth and Robert entered the house, a round of coughs greeted them. Allie was in her nightgown and a robe, relaxing in the living room, while Nathan was in his bedroom with the door ajar. "Allie, why aren't you in bed?" Robert rushed over to his wife and pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. "You don't feel warm anymore, but how is the cough? I know that is what the doctor is most worried about because of the baby."
Allie squeezed Robert's hand in reassurance, "Don't you worry, love. I am much better today, and the baby has been moving just fine. It's my dad I'm most worried about. His cough is horrible, and he is discouraged that this has stalled his leg's recovery since he hasn't been able to do his therapy and go on walks."
Trying not to show too much emotion or the worry she felt, Elizabeth busied herself by dishing up soup and putting the kettle on to make the tea. She assembled two trays of food, giving the first one to Allie and Robert so they could eat together. "I'll take Nathan his dinner and let you two enjoy some time alone."
"He doesn't want to get you sick," Allie tried to warn her, but it didn't stop Elizabeth from going into his room.
Another bout of coughs racked Nathan's weary body as his door opened. Seeing Elizabeth standing there was like a ray of sunshine peeking through on a cloudy day. "Hi," he uttered, his voice raspy. "What are you doing here? Trust me, you don't want to catch this illness. I'm pretty sure I picked it up at the hospital during my checkups last week." He began shivering and pulled a blanket around him. "I'm serious, Elizabeth. You need to stay away until I'm better."
"Nonsense," she insisted, setting his tray down on the nightstand and pulling a chair over to sit beside him. Feeling his forehead with the back of her hand, Elizabeth noticed Nathan felt slightly warm to the touch, but nothing severe. "Why don't you drink some of this chamomile tea to soothe your throat before letting me feed you this soup."
Resigning to the fact he couldn't talk her into leaving, Nathan sipped the tea and had to admit it helped. "I can feed myself," he contended. "But who am I to stand in your way when you offer to spoon that soup in my mouth and nurse me back to health?"
"Shhhhh," Elizabeth shushed, placing her finger on his lips. Her mind suddenly returned to the week before when they walked to the pond and shared their first kiss. His eyes, though slightly clouded with sickness, pierced hers as they both remembered the moment everything changed between them. "I need you to eat and get well so we can take more walks to the pond," she finally managed to murmur.
Nathan reached out and touched her arm. "That sounds wonderful," he confessed. "How about I promise to eat this wonderful smelling soup and drink all of this tea, but in return I want you to go home to Jack and have supper with him. Please. I would never forgive myself if you caught this nasty bug from me."
She moved the tray closer to him and handed over the spoon. "Nathan, I…" Unable to complete the thought, a single tear fell down her face.
"I know…" he whispered. "I miss you too." Doing his best to not let his own emotions get the better of him, Nathan changed the subject. "I just hope the building crew is making progress without me there. Has Jack mentioned how it's coming?"
Forcing a smile, Elizabeth nodded. "Lee has made sure things are on schedule and takes Jack up there every day. I can tell he misses spending time with you."
"He's a good kid. Tell him hi for me, and we'll be back at work in no time." She stood to leave, but before she walked away, he spoke. "Thank you for coming to see me and brightening my day. Allie told me how you've been bringing meals and checking in on us. Please know it is appreciated and doesn't go unnoticed."
All Elizabeth wanted to do was hold Nathan while he was sick, like she did with Jack when he was small. Still not wanting to tip off Allie and Robert to their closer bond, Elizabeth spoke up so they could hear. "Feel better soon, Nathan. Goodbye."
Robert and Allie were just finishing their soup when Elizabeth walked out of Nathan's bedroom. She carried their tray to the kitchen, put their dishes in the sink, and washed her hands. "I need to get home to eat with Jack, but please let me know if you need anything at all."
"Thanks Elizabeth," Allie remarked with a smile. "I'm sure that made my dad's day to see you. He's been a little depressed not being able to go for walks and work on your house. I just hope he can get some rest tonight, then maybe he'll improve as much as I have."
Elizabeth's heart dropped a little that she couldn't stay and be with the man she couldn't stop thinking about, but she knew he would be in good hands. "I'll be back tomorrow to check on everyone. Take care."
When she walked inside her own house, Elizabeth discovered Jack just finishing up his dinner. "I'm glad you didn't wait for me to eat; sorry, I took longer than I expected."
"I was just hungry after a long day," Jack explained. "I noticed our wood pile is getting low again, and the neighbors could probably use some as well. Why don't you eat while I go out back and take care of that?" He kissed his mom on the cheek before making his way to the back door. "How are Nathan and Allie feeling today?" he asked before going outside.
Elizabeth sighed. "Allie is much better already and is on the mend. I know what it's like to easily catch every little thing going around when you are pregnant. Nathan's cough is still pretty bad, and he was a little warm when I was there; but he drank some tea and promised to eat the soup I gave him. I'll go check on him again tomorrow morning."
Jack studied his mother's face for a moment, and finally just came right out and asked her what he had been wondering for a while. "Mom, is something going on between you and Nathan? Last week you both seemed…different or something. If you want to date him, I have no problem with it, you know."
"I know," she replied. "Right now, we are just getting reacquainted. I promise if we decide to start any kind of courtship, we will tell you. At the moment, I'm just worried about him getting well and healing from all of his wounds. If I can help him do that, I am willing to do whatever it takes." She looked at her son who still seemed troubled about something. "What is it, Jack? Something is obviously on your mind."
He shrugged and tried to push away the nagging thoughts about a certain young woman he had run into earlier. "I guess I just don't understand women, that's all." He hurried outside before he could get a response and decided that chopping wood sounded like a good way to work through things. With every log the axe split, Jack felt a release. It was nice to do something physical to distract himself.
Inside, Elizabeth quickly cleaned up dinner. She looked out the window at the house next door, wishing she could have just stayed to keep Nathan company for a little while longer. As she was caught up in her thoughts while staring, Elizabeth noticed Sarah coming out of the Wolf house with an empty basket. She assumed Mrs. Wolf had sent some provisions for the family since they were sick. Deciding it wasn't polite to spy, she went to the sink to finish washing dishes before taking a long soak in the tub and preparing for bed.
As Sarah left her brother's home after bringing the herbs and food her mother had sent over, she heard a familiar sound of wood cracking behind the row houses. Knowing who lived in that particular home, her curiosity got the better of her and she snuck between the houses for a better view of the backyard. As Jack Thornton Jr came into her view, Sarah gasped quietly. His blonde hair was tousled and falling in his face as he effortlessly struck each log. Sweat caused the shirt to cling to his muscular, yet lean frame; and the heat had obviously caused him to unbutton his shirt lower than usual, leaving some of his chest exposed. Even though she had been seeing Jimmy Davis for over a year, he had never evoked the kind of physical response she was now experiencing. Feeling very vulnerable, Sarah turned quickly to escape unseen; but the basket she was holding went flying right in the direction of Jack and hit one of the logs he had just split.
A flying basket landing in front of him, brought Jack out of his trance. His eyes darted in the direction it had come from, and to his surprise he saw Sarah Wolf standing with a shocked and embarrassed look on her face. "Sarah, um…hi," he muttered, picking up the basket and walking toward her. "What are you doing here?"
Looking into his deep blue eyes, Sarah swallowed hard and slowly moved toward him. "Sorry, I was bringing supplies to Robert and Allie, but when I heard you chopping wood, I wanted to come see…or, uh." Not really having a solid explanation of what she was doing, Sarah decided it would be better to stop trying to explain. She motioned to the basket. "I'm glad that didn't go far enough to hurt you, and at least I have terrible aim." They both laughed, which helped break some of the tension.
Jack held out the basket and as she reached to take it, he got the courage to ask: "Why were you crying in the livery, Sarah? Ever since I saw you, I just couldn't get it off my mind. I want to help if I can."
"Oh, that," she stammered. "It's nothing. How was your ride on Newton? I just asked Robert if I can take Lucky out tomorrow. What do you say about going together?"
All color drained from Jack's face and his mouth went dry. "Uh, sure," he finally managed to say. "As long as it doesn't upset certain people."
Sarah's eyes had fire in them as she responded. "If you are talking about Jimmy, he is not in charge of telling me what I can do or who I can spend time with. Plus, it's not like riding horses together is a date or anything."
Heart sinking a little, Jack couldn't help feeling sad Sarah had a beau already; but he decided it would take the pressure off, knowing they could just be together as friends. "How about we go for a ride in the morning, say 8:00 before it gets too hot?"
She nodded in agreement and looked down at the basket where both of them were holding on to it, their hands just inches away from one another's. "I better be getting home before my mother worries. See you in the morning."
Jack let go of the basket and moved back to the woodpile where he aimed to complete his task before dark. He stacked wood neatly near his back door, then took a bunch to stack near the back door of the Wolf's house. Robert opened the door and looked surprised to see Jack bringing over newly chopped wood. "Oh hi, Constable Wolf. I thought you could use some extra wood for your kitchen stove, since you've been busy taking care of sick people."
Looking relieved, Robert helped Jack finish stacking. "That was very thoughtful, thank you. Your mother has also been a godsend this week keeping us all fed. I think her visit to Nathan really lifted his spirits, because he ate a full meal and was able to fall asleep more easily tonight."
"So, what do you think is going on with the two of them?" Jack asked thoughtfully. "My mom is being tight lipped about anything to do with her and Nathan."
Robert chuckled. "Nathan is one of the best Mounties ever to serve in the profession, so getting anything out of him is a futile endeavor. Allie has been trying to play matchmaker for the two of them, but I told her we have to just let them work things out and not interfere."
"True," he acknowledged. "So, are you really ok with Sarah taking Lucky out with me and Newton tomorrow?"
Rubbing his chin, Robert gave Jack a stern look. "Depends. What are your intentions with my baby sister?"
"Uh, just friends. I mean, she is dating Jimmy Davis." Jack hoped Robert thought the heat on his neck was just from the physical exertion. "We both just like riding horses."
Robert slapped him on the back. "Relax, I trust you way more than that annoying Davis kid. I don't know what she sees in him, but don't tell her I said that."
When they were done stacking enough wood to get them through the next several days, both retired to their homes to get ready for bed. Jack couldn't stop thinking about the next morning and felt a rush of excitement combined with nerves. He could just be Sarah's friend if it meant spending more time with her, but he hoped his heart could take seeing her and knowing nothing more would ever happen beyond friendship. He tried to read a book to take his mind off the next morning, and eventually drifted off with a smile of anticipation.
Sarah was already brushing Lucky and getting him ready to saddle up for the ride when Jack reached the livery Saturday morning. "Here, let me help you," Jack offered, grabbing the saddle and effortlessly throwing it over the large animal. They worked side by side to make sure everything was buckled securely, and their hands ended up brushing lightly. Shocked by the intense spark he felt, Jack quickly moved to Newton's stall to try and calm his racing heart. But to his surprise, Sarah joined him to help brush and tack up Newton. They talked and laughed as they led the horses out of the livery and mounted the large steeds.
"I'll race you to the meadow. Ready, set…" before she said go, Sarah flew away, and Jack pushed Newton as fast as the old boy could take to try and catch up. They both slowed down as they neared a grove of trees, and he led the way to their next destination. When they arrived, he dismounted and helped her down as well. "What are we doing at the cemetery?" she asked curiously.
Picking some flowers like he normally did, Jack motioned for Sarah to follow him to his father's grave. A look of understanding passed between them as she read the name on the headstone. He placed the flowers near the ones from all the days before, as he knelt down on the grass. "I never met my dad. I keep wondering if I make him proud, and how much I might be like him. It might sound silly but being here in Hope Valley has made me feel closer to him. I like to ride out here just to talk to him, even though I'm not sure he can hear me."
Her heart broke for this boy she had only known for a few weeks. She had heard about the Thorntons from many people through the years, but Sarah was starting to see why everyone had such affection for them. "Your father had an influence on just about everyone in this community when he was Constable here. I'm sure he is looking down on you right now with pride. If you want to talk to him, I can go wait with the horses for a few minutes."
"No, I just wanted to come and introduce you to my father, since we are going to be friends now; and I haven't really had many friends before, especially not a girl." He gave her a boyish grin and ran his fingers over the name on the headstone before standing up to leave. "We better finish our ride before it starts to get too hot."
Thoughts were swirling through Sarah's mind as she tried to process this moment with Jack and figure out what, if anything, it meant. "Where are we going next?" she asked when they reached the horses. "Will you show me your land and the work that's been done on the house so far?"
"Well, it's basically a huge hole in the ground so far, but let's go." They explored the Thornton's land before going back to the livery where they worked together to get both horses settled back into their stalls. "I had a really great time." Jack said. "Maybe I'll see you at church tomorrow."
Sarah couldn't hold back a smile when she thought about how much she had really enjoyed her time with Jack. "Hey, I just wanted to say I appreciate you trusting me enough to share things with me; like going to see your father. I wasn't as nice as I should have been when we first met, but I do think we can be good friends. And since we're friends, I wanted to thank you for your kindness yesterday. I had a fight with Jimmy so that's why I was crying, but I'm sure we'll work things out. I'll look for you tomorrow. Bye, Jack." Both left the livery to go home, wondering what would become of their newly formed connection.
Elizabeth was up early Saturday morning and made Jack breakfast before he left to go for his ride on Newton. While he was gone, she began her Saturday morning cleaning to take her mind off of Nathan and his health. Taking some of the rugs out to beat the dirt out of them on the front porch, to her surprise she looked over and saw him sitting on the porch swing while enjoying the beautiful summer morning. She immediately dropped the rugs and rushed over to him.
"Nathan!" She exclaimed, sitting next to him and assessing the state of his illness. "You look much better than last night! How are you feeling?"
He reached out and threaded his fingers through hers. "That soup must have had magical powers, because I feel like a new man this morning."
Using her free hand to check his temperature, Elizabeth decided to use a more accurate method. Kissing his forehead, she slowly pulled away then explained: "This is the most accurate way to test whether or not someone has a fever. I used it on Jack when he was little all the time."
"Maybe I should get sick more often," Nathan rasped, enjoying her touch and nearness. "I may not be up for a walk today, but maybe tomorrow." A round of coughs hit him again, but it sounded less severe than the night before. "I think I'm going to go inside and take a bath to clean up and soak my leg. Plus, you look very busy right now, and I don't want to keep you from your very important rug cleaning over there."
Tears began falling down Elizabeth's cheeks. "I'm sorry I can't stop crying, but I was just so worried about you. I just got you back in my life again. Last night I prayed for you and cried myself to sleep. Life is short, and I don't want to waste any more time not being with the people I care about."
"You matter to me too, Elizabeth," Nathan whispered, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "You and Jack both. I'm sorry about being sick, but I'm doing a lot better and so is Allie. We are going to have plenty of time to be together, I promise." Both heard someone running toward Elizabeth's house. They turned to see Jack approaching. He stopped and stared at them, an inquisitive look on his face.
Jack wasn't necessarily surprised when he saw his mom with Nathan on the porch swing as he was getting back home. As he neared them, he could have sworn he saw them quickly stop holding hands. "Hello," he greeted them both. "Nathan, it's good to see you up and feeling better. Newton sure had a good time on our ride this morning."
"That's great, Jack. I really appreciate your help with him right now. I can't wait for my leg to get to a point where I can ride again. I was just telling your mom I am going inside, but I hope to be back to work on Monday again." Nathan stood and slowly walked to the door. "Elizabeth, thanks again for checking on me, and for all of the delicious meals you've been feeding us. I'll see you two later."
"Bye," Jack and Elizabeth said in unison. Without a word and lost in their own thoughts, mother and son walked home to continue on with Saturday chores; and to wonder about what the future held for them as they navigated their new relationships in Hope Valley.