"What are you doing here? Why are you back?" Rosemary asked, her brow furrowed in confusion as she looked at Elizabeth. "What happened?"
"I wish I had never gone," Elizabeth cried. "There was a picnic and macaroons. He offered me an apple." Elizabeth explained.
"A picnic on the side of the road?" Rosemary asked, her nose screwed up at the thought.
Elizabeth tilted her head and exclaimed, "Rosemary!"
"Sorry, but I don't understand, Elizabeth. What's wrong with apples? Or was it the macaroons?" Rosemary asked, still grappling with where the story was going.
"The day Lucas asked me to Union City, Nathan came to see me and tell me he was going out of Town; he brought me an apple; it was a sweet moment." Elizabeth groaned before looking up at Rosemary again. "When Lucas offered me an apple this morning, I couldn't take it."
"Why?" Rosemary asked, her tone one of slight exasperation. She had thought Elizabeth had finally decided between the two men, maybe not the choice she would have made, but she had been happy her friend had finally decided. She had tried to be enthusiastic for Elizabeth, encouraging her to go. Maybe she had been too enthusiastic? Lee had certainly thought so. Rosemary saw tears welling in her friend's eyes and softened toward her. Reaching out, she took Elizabeth's hand and said, "tell me about the apple."
"I finally realised I said yes to Lucas because I was hiding my feelings. When Nathan left that day, all I could think about was what if he didn't return. I knew I wouldn't cope if something happened to him." Elizabeth explained, her voice thick with tears. "I watched him walk away, and I was so afraid. That's why I went with Lucas, as friends and nothing more, and today ...I realised it was Nathan I wanted to be with, no matter what." Swallowing, she said, "I chose to go to Union City because I was frightened of how much I felt for Nathan, not because I was choosing Lucas. I know going to Union City was wrong."
"It certainly was!" Bill said from behind her. "Do you know how many complaints I have had about your little trip out of Town with Bouchard? The parents are at the point of calling the School Board to have you removed."
"But ... that's so unfair. I didn't even go."
"That's unfair!" Bill cried, almost shouting at her. "What's not fair is that you and that…" he paused, trying to find a word bad enough to describe Lucas, "that man thought it was appropriate to throw all decorum to the wind and galivant off for an overnight visit to Union City."
"Do you know how many of your contract conditions you have broken? You have been flaunting yourself all over Hope Valley with a man of ill repute, a Saloon owner; you travelled in a car with him and left Town, planning to spend the whole night with him, and your students and their parents knew it."
Bill shook his head and frowned at her; his lips pressed into a thin line. "I am not sure I know who you are anymore, Elizabeth; certainly not the person I thought you were. Not the person you were with Jack."
Elizabeth recoiled as though he had slapped her. Bill had never spoken to her like that before. Her eyes flicked to Rosemary, and she saw pity on her face, and she knew at that moment Rosemary agreed with him.
Bill sighed and reined in his emotions, lowering his voice, "I will do what I can, Elizabeth, for your son, but I am not sure how successful I will be. If the parents follow through on their threat to raise a petition against you, I won't be able to stop them or the outcome."
Elizabeth fled. She couldn't stand there any longer and listen to Bill say those things about her, have Rosemary look at her like that. She ran home to hide; she couldn't face anyone; she was so ashamed.
After his rounds that evening, Nathan strode into the schoolhouse where the parents were meeting, which he thought was ironic given they were there to discuss removing the Teacher. He supposed it was the only place in Town large enough for everyone other than the Saloon, and it would have been a worse choice.
Nathan stood at the back of the room as he listened to one parent after another raise concerns about Elizabeth's morals and her ability to be an effective Teacher. He noted a few of the parents held their tongues, Opal and Anna's parents amongst them. He deliberately stayed silent, not that it was unusual for him to do that.
"Constable, what do you think?" Mrs Freid asked. "Surely you have an opinion on this considering how close Allie is to Mrs Thornton."
Nathan gathered his thoughts as he looked at the expectant faces turned toward him. "In my line of work," he said, hiding behind his professional demeanour, "people are innocent until proven guilty." He strolled toward the front of the room, pleased everyone's heads swivelled to follow him. "The fact is, Mrs Thornton didn't go on the trip. She hasn't done anything wrong." He held his hands up as people started arguing with him. "Yes, she may have planned to go but didn't. She changed her mind, and we don't punish people for something they might do. If a person only thinks about stealing, I can't arrest them for theft."
Hands thrust into his pockets, he looked at each person in the room, his blue eyes intense. "Would you like to be punished for things you have only thought of doing?"
A few of the Townspeople looked away, unable to maintain eye contact with him; several started to shuffle in their seats, uncomfortable with the question.
Nathan waited patiently. He was used to using silence as a tool to get people to either admit what they had done or tell him something they hadn't planned to reveal. When the silence grew heavy, he continued.
"I am sorry, but I cannot support this petition. I don't believe Mrs Thornton has done anything wrong and should be given the benefit of the doubt after so many years of faithful service to this Town." Nathan glanced around the room again before walking down the aisle and out of the building. He had done all he could.
As he returned home, he thought about Elizabeth and her out of Town trip. Despite what he had told the parents, he did have concerns about it, but they were personal concerns. He was devastated knowing she had planned to go away overnight with Lucas, whether it was innocent or not. He was heartbroken, knowing she had chosen Lucas over him. He hadn't been ready to give up, but he had no choice; how many times could he allow Elizabeth to hurt him and Allie, to show them they weren't the ones?
"Thank you, Bill," Elizabeth whispered, her voice low. "I can't repay you for stopping the petition going ahead, especially after my behaviour of late." Elizabeth had heard the news from Rosemary and hurried to thank Bill.
"Elizabeth, I didn't do anything. The meeting was over by the time I got to the schoolhouse," Bill explained. "Nathan stopped the petition, not me."
"Nathan? How? Why?" Elizabeth stammered. That was the last thing she expected. But then she asked herself, why was she surprised by that? She shouldn't be. Nathan had only ever been supportive of her. Even after the number of times she had hurt him, he was still her champion.
"I think you owe him an explanation, and an apology, Elizabeth. I wouldn't waste too much time, either. I saw him earlier, and we discussed postings out of Hope Valley."
Elizabeth's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open, "he can't leave!"
"Why not?" Bill asked, "Is there a reason he should stay?"
Without another word, Elizabeth rose and rushed out of the room to find Nathan.
Bill sat back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his face. Was it his fault Elizabeth hadn't waited for further clarification about the posting?
Nathan sat at his desk, a letter in his hands. He had been reading his response to Constable Taylor, who had asked Nathan about his experience in Fort Clay; he had been offered a promotion there but wasn't sure whether to take it. Nathan had talked through his response with Bill, wanting to be honest without scaring Constable Taylor too much, as his experience there was tainted by what had happened to him.
Nathan looked up as the door opened, rising rapidly from his seat as Elizabeth ran in.
"Is everything all right?" He asked urgently, worried for Allie or Jack.
"No," she gasped, "it's not. Bill told me you were considering a posting out of Hope Valley."
Nathan frowned and then bit back a smile, understanding what Bill had done. "That's right; we were discussing a posting in Fort Clay."
"You can't leave, Nathan."
"Why not? What's keeping us here?" Nathan asked, taking a chance he would get the answer he wanted.
"Me, I hope." Elizabeth took a deep breath, "I don't want you to go. Please stay for me and Jack."
"What about Lucas?"
"Lucas means nothing; I was using him to hide from how I feel about you. I worried about losing you, Nathan, and I allowed fear to overrule my heart, and now because of this stupid trip with Lucas, I could lose you anyway." Elizabeth stepped closer, "I'm so sorry I ever made you doubt my feelings for you, doubt you were the one I wanted. I hurt you, and I will regret that forever."
"You didn't just hurt me," Nathan continued, unwilling yet to trust her words.
"I know, and I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up to Allie, you, and everyone else I let down," Elizabeth promised. It wouldn't be easy, but she knew she had to do it. "I'm sorry; please forgive me."
Nathan wanted to forgive her, but something was holding him back.
"Elizabeth, I ..."
"I love you, Nathan. I'm in love with you." Elizabeth burst out.
That was all he needed to hear. Those simple words broke down his final defence. Nathan reached for her, cradling her face in his hands. Staring down at her, he smiled the crooked smile she loved so much before lowering his lips to hers, soft and gentle, full of promise for what was to come.
When they broke apart, Elizabeth asked softly, "so does this mean you're not going to Fort Clay?"
"I was never going to Fort Clay," Nathan admitted sheepishly, "Bill and I were discussing a posting offered to a fellow Mountie."
Elizabeth sputtered in outrage at being tricked by Bill.
Chuckling, Nathan took the opportunity to place another kiss on her lips; this time, he lingered, allowing himself to enjoy the feel of her soft lips against his. As he deepened the kiss, he heard Elizabeth sigh and slid his arms around her waist, pulling her close, marvelling at how right it felt.
This time, when their kiss ended, Elizabeth rested her head on his chest and murmured, "are we courting now?"
"I would like it to be more than that. I know what I want,"
"So do I," she replied, smiling up at him.
"Marry me, Elizabeth."
"Yes!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck. Leaning back, she looked at his beaming face, "We need to tell Allie."
"No need," Bill responded from the doorway as Allie dashed toward her Uncle and Elizabeth; winking, he said, "you left the door open." He smiled as Nathan and Elizabeth wrapped their arms around Allie, hugging her tight.
As he left the Mountie office, he closed the door firmly behind him, ensuring their privacy. Casting his gaze skyward, he nodded, knowing Jack would be pleased Elizabeth had opened her heart to an honourable man who loved her and would raise his son as he would have.