HAMILTON, Jan 7, 1910
Grace sat in her husband's office, the muted colors of the room deepening the sense of unease that knotted in her stomach. The clock ticked softly, each second amplifying her anticipation as she waited for William's call. Memories of earlier conversations swirled in her mind, igniting her anger and protective instincts, making the air around her feel heavy. Just as she thought she might drown in her thoughts, the phone rang, shattering the silence like a stone dropped in water.
With a surge of adrenaline, she leaped for the receiver, her heart racing in her chest. "William?" she breathed into the phone, her voice laced with hope and trepidation.
"It's me, Gracie," came his warm and familiar voice wrapping around her like a comforting blanket. It had been far too long since she had heard him address her that way. Instead of the outraged feelings that had consumed her moments before, a gentle warmth blossomed within her, filling her with a rekindled sense of hope and longing.
"She wants you and Julie to come for a visit. William said without preamble, knowing how anxious she was.
"Oh!" Grace exclaimed, her voice trembling as she soaked in the weight of the moment. Overcome with emotion, she sank into the desk chair, feeling the tension of uncertainty lift from her shoulders.
"This could be a new beginning for all of us," William said, his tone soothing yet firm as sincerity radiated from his tone. "We just need to embrace the changes ahead and be ready to put in the necessary effort."
Grace felt a flicker of hope ignite within her; the gravity of his words resonated deeply. "I would love that, William," she replied softly, her heartbeat steadying as she considered the possibilities that lay before them.
A contemplative silence enveloped them, filled with unspoken dreams and aspirations. Breaking the stillness, he asked, "How soon can you come?" His voice carried a sense of urgency as if the potential for transformation depended on her answer. She could also sense a hint of vulnerability in him that lifted her spirits.
Grace giggled. "We can board the 6:30 AM train with a bit of faith, Julie and I began packing as soon as I got off the phone with you this afternoon," she added sheepishly.
William chuckled. "That doesn't surprise me. Elizabeth agreed to talk with you, but that won't be possible if you're catching the early train."
"Should I wait until the day after then?" Grace asked with trepidation. "I don't want to do anything to mess up this moment."
"No, I think she will understand. However, you'll need to get off at the stop before Aberdeen. Then, William proceeded to let her in on the plan.
"I'm so excited to meet everyone, especially Allie," Grace exclaimed.
William laughed. "Be prepared to lose your heart because Allie has already wrapped me around her finger."
"Well, if I recall correctly, when our girls were little, you were a big softie," Grace teased.
Sadly, I've missed those days," William rasped. "Things were just so much easier and simpler then."
With a heavy sigh, Grace traced a finger over a picture that sat prominently on his desk. Looking at the sweet faces of their little girls, she said, "I know exactly what you mean. Mother always told me that I would miss those days, and she was right."
"I can't wait to see you, Gracie," William said.
"Me neither, William. We will see you on the 11th."
"Please be safe," William said before disconnecting the call.
"I will, my love,"Grace said as she replaced the receiver on the hook. Her heart soared with hope, but she feared getting her hopes up too much. But as she thought of the conversation, suddenly, Grace felt giddy as if she were a schoolgirl again. Jumping up, she went to find Julie and Thompson to finalize the arrangements.
ABERDEEN, January 8th, 1910
Elizabeth was finishing up the pancakes when William appeared in the kitchen.
"Beth, I talked to your mother last night. She is so excited that they have already packed, hoping you would agree to let them come. They're catching the 6:30 AM train this morning, so I told her that you would understand if she didn't speak on the phone beforehand. If you're upset, the blame should be on me, not your mother. She was willing to wait and not sure what to do.
Elizabeth smiled, "That's just fine," and then moved to give him a reassuring hug. "I can't wait to see them."
He sat beside Allie and added, "I warned her that this little one here would quickly steal her heart."
Then he leaned over to hug her before ruffling her hair and making her giggle.
Once everyone gathered at the breakfast table, the conversation turned to plans for the day and the impending arrival of Grace and Julie.
"I'm going to work on Allie's nightgown and maybe start on the quilt block that Helena gave me to start working on," Elizabeth said. "I think I need a break from town and any more confrontations. I also wanted to start working with Allie on her letters and numbers. I picked up a slate and some chalk while I was in town yesterday."
"Since you'll be here, Catherine and I will go into town today. Helena is ready for me to try on my dress for the ceremony. I also wanted to start talking to Marianne and the others about arrangements for it."
"William, I'll reach out to Gabe and let him know about Grace and Julie," Nathan said. "That way, he can be sure that he's there just in case something happens and we can't be there on time."
"That would be great, Nathan. Is there a way to send a message to Grace and let her know?"
"Absolutely. I'll take care of that, don't worry," Nathan assured him.
As Elizabeth escorted Nathan to the door, their lighthearted conversation drifting into the crisp morning air, William was bustling about the kitchen, lending a hand to Agatha as she balanced a stack of dishes laden with remnants of their shared meal. Meanwhile, Catherine and Moira were making preparations for their trip to town.
"I never thought I'd witness William Thatcher, of all people, assisting with clean-up duty," Agatha teased, a playful glint in her eye.
"Well, I could say the same about you," William shot back, a smirk playing on his lips.
Agatha huffed in mock indignation, rolling her eyes with dramatic flair. "I'm no stranger to chores, you know. Whenever I visit Catherine and James, I dived right in. I even pitch in at home from time to time."
"Really?" he replied, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"Why do you think my staff are so loyal?" she quipped, a laugh simmering beneath her words.
William chuckled at the thought. "I believe Thompson and my staff would be rendered speechless if I ever dared to set foot in the kitchens."
"Probably so," Agatha agreed with a smirk as she rinsed a plate.
William's expression turned thoughtful as the warm, soapy water splashed around them. "You know, there's a certain fulfillment that comes with manual labor—like the satisfaction of a job well done."
Agatha snorted, her laughter filling the kitchen. "Well, first, we need to see how well you handle these dishes before we can claim that wisdom, don't you think?" she taunted, raising an eyebrow playfully.
In response, William laughed heartily, the sound echoing around the room. In a swift moment of retaliation, he flicked his fingers, sending a sprinkle of water in her direction. His grin was wide as Agatha gasped, both caught in the joy of their banter.
Once Nathan, Moira, and Catherine arrived in town, they split off. He couldn't help but notice that Alice and her friend were heading toward the cafe as he tied Newton to the hitching post. The three of them looked his way for a moment, and he saw the smug smile on Alice's face just before they entered. No doubt they thought Elizabeth would be showing up there soon. Nathan just shook his head as he walked into the Mountie office, anticipating Alice being taught a lesson and hopefully eliminating the problem. Walking through the door, Ray handed him an important message from Gabe, wanting him to call.
"Hey, Gabe, it seems like great minds think alike," Nathan said when his friend answered. I was already planning to call you.
"Oh, what did you need to talk about?"
Nathan explained everything that had happened over the last few days and the plan for sneaking Julie and Grace into town on the 11th.
"That actually helps with what I'm calling you about," Gabe said.
"How is that?"
"Yesterday, I assisted on a mission and encountered one of the worst animal cruelty cases I've ever seen. It was a hideout for a dangerous group of outlaws who had been robbing stages carrying payroll. Several horses, most of them stolen, were starved and emaciated. But there were two very skittish horses there in worse condition than the others."
"What about the owners?"
"They don't match the description of any horses reported stolen like the others, so they can be sold. One of them is a gelding, and the other a mare. From what I can ascertain, they were kept apart from the others and abused because of behavior issues. The shared stall they were in was filthy."
"Which means they would have trust issues," Nathan mused.
"Yes. However, I think, with care, they would be good horses for our wives, and I'd like to see if you would go in to help me buy them. Faith managed to bond a little with the mare, so I'm thinking of making it her horse if we can rehabilitate her enough. She's also had a little success with the gelding, which I think would be good for Elizabeth. Since they appear to be a bonded pair, it would be good to keep them together, especially during rehabilitation. I just have a feeling about them, Nathan. You know I would never risk Faith's or Elizabeth's safety."
Nathan knew Gabe had a really good sense of horses like he did and trusted his instincts. "Well, how will you get them here safely without further traumatizing them?"
"I was thinking we could put them on the train. Faith doesn't think they should walk any distance since they are in such poor condition."
Nathan thought about it for a minute. Will they be able to manage the trip from town to the ranch?"
"She says yes, but not much farther than that."
"All right, I'll get two stalls ready towards the back of the barn, where it's quiet, and I'll wire the money to you when we get off the phone. How much do you need?
"$60.00 each is what was agreed to. I have enough for the mare already."
"Sounds good. When are you planning to do this, and how will it work with our plan?"
"I had planned to escort Faith home on the train tomorrow. Then, I could catch the train back the next day. But if you're okay with it, I can return here with the car and leave Apollo. The Constable I replaced has been medically cleared for full duty but needs a couple of days to get caught up."
"Then you could drive Grace and Julie to the ranch and have Apollo already here?"
"Yes. I think it will be easier to transport the horses with Apollo since they don't mind him too much."
"I think we have a plan. Elizabeth will be excited to see Faith and, of course, the horses."
"Great."
"Oh, one last thing, Gabe. Can you go to the station master and ask him to send a message to the conductor so that Grace will know?"
"Will do," Gabe said before disconnecting the call.
GRANT RANCH
After getting Allie down for her nap, Elizabeth headed to the kitchen and began assembling the ingredients for chocolate cake. Wanting to spend more time with her, William joined her, sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee.
"Watching you with Allie earlier when she was writing her letters was eye-opening. I think she is a very bright child, and you are a talented teacher."
Elizabeth chuckled. "You might be slightly biased, but you're right. Allie is very bright."
"What made you decide to become a teacher, Beth? Was it your Aunt Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth paused in her work to ponder a moment before answering. "I guess the more straightforward answer would be that I want to make a difference in the world. However, the longer answer is that I want to give back and make the world a better place by creating opportunities for those less fortunate to achieve their dreams and not be stuck in a role because of their circumstances.
"The best way I know to do that is through education. I've always wanted to help children in remote places because they don't have the same resources as those in big cities like Hamilton. Who knows, the next Thomas Edison could be found in a coal mining town."
William sat there thinking about her response but couldn't form his own because pride at her answer filled his heart, which was overflowing. Finally, he simply said, "If ever there is something I can do to assist you in that goal, don't hesitate to ask. I can't think of anything more noble than wanting to make the world better for everyone regardless of station."
"Thank you, Father," Elizabeth said as she slid the cake into the oven.
"I can't wait for your mother to see you in the kitchen. William teased. "You have come a long way in your homemaking skills.
Elizabeth blushed. "It's because Mom is such a loving and patient teacher. You didn't see me when I first started cooking. I can't tell you how many burnt biscuits and cooking disasters Nathan and Gabe choked down not to hurt mine or Faith's feelings. I still need to work on my chicken fried steak."
"According to Moira, you are a talented and eager student, which makes her job easy," Agatha said, coming into the kitchen and sitting down.
Elizabeth brought the tea kettle to the table along with her sewing basket. While she worked on Allies' nightgown, they enjoyed a leisurely discussion of people in Hamilton and drank tea. The snow gently fell outside, lightly coating the ground. For the moment, all was right in the world, and a sweet peace prevailed between them.