Rosemary sat in her flat in Benson Hills and watched as Clara, her roommate, sat staring at the piece of material she held on her lap, not making any progress with her sewing. She thought about starting a conversation with her many times but stopped, not knowing how to start. She wanted Clara to open up to her, not be scared away.

"Clara," she began. "I know something is troubling you. Would you like to talk about it? I can be an excellent listener for someone who talks a lot." Rosemary spoke the words gently, keeping her voice low and smiling while making fun of herself.

Clara looked at her roommate; she was tempted to talk to Rosemary; her kind smile and soft words penetrated the wall she had built around herself. Her grief was still so raw she worried if the wound on her heart would ever heal if she opened up to someone and talked about it. Rosemary seemed to genuinely care, and she felt she could trust her. She didn't even mind that Rosemary had spoken to the Manager and had them assigned the same shift; she was enjoying having company again. It had been so lonely.

Sensing that Clara might be willing to talk to her, Rosemary jumped off the lounge and clapped her hands together, "how about I make you some tea? Then if you decide to tell me your story, your throat won't get dry."

Clara surprised them both by laughing aloud; she stood up and walked over to where Rosemary was preparing the tea. "How about I cut some cake to go with the tea?" she offered.

They prepared the tea in companionable silence, carrying it to the sitting area. Sitting at opposite ends of the sofa, Rosemary sipped her tea while waiting for Clara to begin her story. "My husband died several months ago in an industrial accident," Clara said quietly before bursting into tears, covering her face with her hands, sobbing.

Rosemary placed her tea down and slid quickly across the sofa toward her friend, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, holding her, and letting her cry. When Clara's tears had slowed, Rosemary asked gently, "Tell me about him."

Clara did. Clara talked about meeting her husband, Peter Stanton when he travelled into Benson Hills on deliveries for the mining company he worked for. She described how wonderful he was, kind, caring, funny and handsome. The more time they spent together, the more they realised they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. Peter was worried his mother would disapprove of him marrying so young, he was an only child, and while she didn't baby him, he was still living with his parents, who doted on him. They had married in secret the last time he was in Benson Hills.

Before Peter could tell his mother about Clara and their marriage, he and his father died in a mining accident. They had only been married for two days before Peter travelled home and the accident occurred. Clara had anticipated travelling with him but couldn't as her father was ill. After his death, Clara didn't know what reception she would receive from Peter's mother and didn't want to intrude on her grief, so she stayed away, grieving alone. Her father died soon after, leaving her completely alone.

"Have you thought of reaching out to her now?" Rosemary asked, "maybe now some time has passed, it might be easier to tell her. You could comfort each other."

"I don't know, Rosemary, not yet; I am not ready if she does reject me; I don't think I could take it right now," Clara admitted.

Rosemary squeezed her shoulder, "Well, I am here to help you if you change your mind."

Elizabeth sat at Abigail's kitchen table, reading Rosemary's second letter to her. Elizabeth laughed as she read her friend's words; Rosemary's flair for the dramatic carried over into her written words as well. Elizabeth decided to write back immediately, telling her all the disasters which have befallen her since she arrived in Coal Valley. The letter to her family would contain an edited version of her trip because she didn't want them to worry about her. In her heart, she knew it was because she didn't want to admit to such a bumpy start, proving they were right.

Elizabeth's thought drifted to Nathan, which she told herself was only natural when responding to Rosemary; she had included a letter specifically about him, after all. Elizabeth still found it difficult to believe they had ended up in the same small town. Yes, she had been pleased when she found out why he hadn't responded to her letter or reached out to her, so she had to be even more careful around him. Nathan Grant could steal her heart without even trying, and she couldn't allow herself to become romantically involved with him or anyone; her focus had to be on teaching.

Sighing, if only he weren't so easy to be with and talk to. Elizabeth shook her head, grinning to herself as she thought his crooked smile and those eyes should be illegal.

"Dear Rosemary

Thank you so much for your letter, it arrived at the perfect time when I needed to hear from a friend.

I am glad you are settling into Benson Hills despite not being what you expected it to be. I cannot wait to hear about what happens next for you, especially finding out more about your mysterious flatmate.

I wish my Coal Valley story were as positive as yours, although I am sure you will find what has happened amusing..."

Elizabeth went on to tell Rosemary about her disastrous start in Coal Valley, including the resentment from the widows who wanted someone older because of a recent mining accident. Elizabeth described the fire she started at the Teacherage, burning her new home to the ground, and the kindness shown to her by one of the widows, Abigail Stanton.

Elizabeth blushed as she wrote of Nathan's arrival, admitting to her friend how pleased she was to find out the letter had gotten lost. Elizabeth explained to Rosemary that despite what she felt about Nathan, they had agreed to be friends, her focus being on the children, not romance.

As she wrote that sentence, she sat back and thought about it, admitting to herself how disappointed she was they had settled on friendship only. Frowning, she wondered if Nathan would struggle to be only friends the way she would, admitting that deep down, she hoped so.

Nathan spent the rest of his morning cleaning the Mountie office. Abigail surprised him by arriving to help him, bringing some sandwiches and fruit for them to share for lunch. Nathan was grateful for the food and company.

As they worked, she spoke to him about Coal Valley's residents; as she did, he realised Abigail was the heart of the Town; she knew everyone and everything that happened. When Abigail spoke of the families, it was not to gossip or judge. Abigail used her knowledge about her community to offer support and guidance when needed.

Nathan hesitated but decided to ask Abigail what she thought would happen with Elizabeth and teaching at the school. He had been trying not to mention her because he was concerned Abigail would misconstrue his interest. While it was true that he was fascinated by her, he was trying to respect Elizabeth's wishes to be friends. He had agreed that, knowing it wasn't what he wanted and wondered how long he could pretend he didn't care for her as much more than that.

Abigail took pity on Nathan and explained that they had agreed on a week's trial for her, and she would see they honoured that. Abigail knew that once Elizabeth started teaching, the mothers would allow her to continue, they were desperate for someone in the role, and she was there.

"Would you tell me about the mining disaster; I have heard about it but not from someone who experienced it." Nathan knew he was risking upsetting Abigail, but he needed to understand. Knowing what people had gone through would make him a better Mountie for the Town and its people.

Abigail paused before responding to Nathan, wondering how to share the details of the tragedy with him. She started by describing her way of life before the Mine disaster, telling him about her husband Noah and their son Peter and how happy the three of them had been.

Abigail explained that she had heard a loud explosion on the day of the tragedy. Everyone in Town heard it; it was so loud. They ran to the Mine without saying a word; they knew what had happened. When they saw the extent of the damage, they were frozen in shock and grief; they expected no one to survive. They were almost right, only one person was rescued, and he was still recovering in the hospital. They were yet to recover all the miner's bodies, meaning some widows, including Abigail, hadn't been able to grieve properly.

Nathan watched Abigail as she spoke, her face etched with pain, her voice quavering, and he felt Abigail's grief deeply. Nathan appreciated she had been willing to share it with him. Knowing what had happened wasn't the same as experiencing it, but he now understood how significant the loss had been for the Town's women and children. There would also be a lingering sense of guilt from the men who had survived because they weren't working that day.

Nathan asked Abigail about the company that owned the Mine, and he could see from the look on her face she had some concerns, real concerns.

"My husband Noah often came home upset at what he thought was mismanagement or safety violations in the Mine," she explained. "I know he raised those same concerns with Henry Gowen, the Pacific Northwest Mining Company Manager, but Henry ignored him. Henry went out of his way to discredit Noah, to make it look like he was trying to cause trouble."

Frowning at her memories, Abigail continued explaining as she scrubbed the desk. "Henry accused Noah and the other Miners of being lazy, of not wanting to work hard." Sighing, Abigail said, "Noah organised for a Safety Inspector to examine the Mine, to investigate his concerns. I don't know if Noah got the report before he died; I assume Henry has it. I never found it amongst Noah's things."

"I haven't introduced myself to Mr Gowen yet," said Nathan. "Thank you for the background. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to my permanent placement here in Coal Valley."

Abigail smiled at Nathan, but it didnt reach her eyes, "Henry won't like it at all; he thinks he's the law in this town." She warned, "be careful, Nathan; Henry makes a dangerous enemy."

Henry sat behind his desk in the Mining office, wondering about the Mountie he had heard about and what kind of man he was. Several people had told him about the Mountie's presence and that he would be in Town permanently.

Henry decided an introduction was required sooner rather than later to ensure the Mountie understood the way things worked in Coal Valley. Henry might not be the law or have any official power over the Town, but he had Mayor Ramsey in his pocket, so he unofficially controlled what happened. Mayor Ramsey was happy with the arrangements; the kickbacks kept him silent and compliant. Henry hoped the Mountie was equally appreciative of how things worked; Henry would be happy to pay for being left in peace and the chance to keep doing things his way; he didn't need any trouble; he had enough of that when Noah Stanton was alive.

As Abigail hurried around the kitchen preparing their meal, Elizabeth helped by doing small things like setting the table and fetching water; she had no skill for cooking or preparing a meal. Elizabeth hummed as she moved around the kitchen and realised she felt better after walking back to Town with Nathan that morning and spending the day writing her letters and sorting through the things Colin had been able to return to her.

Thinking of her walk with Nathan, Elizabeth worried she had done all the talking; Nathan had been quiet. They talked about his and Gabe's trip, meeting with Rosemary, and how small the world could be. He hadn't said much about how he ended up being posted to Coal Valley, only that he was glad to be in a small town away from the city.

Elizabeth finished her tasks and finally admitted to Abigail how nervous she was for her first day of teaching the following day. She was concerned the mothers wouldn't bring their children, and if they did, the children wouldn't respond to her.

Abigail listened patiently to Elizabeth's concerns, understanding her need to discuss them. It was on the tip of her tongue to offer to go with her the following morning, but she knew Elizabeth had to do it alone. Elizabeth had to stand on her own two feet. It was the only way she would prove to everybody she was the right person to teach in Coal Valley. Abigail had a sneaking suspicion that a certain Constable would find excuses to be close to the Saloon in the next few days and weeks so she wouldn't be completely alone.

After cleaning up from their evening meal and sharing a pot of tea, Abigail looked at her young friend and said, "well, Elizabeth, I think we should settle into bed, I've got an early start, and you have a big day tomorrow." Abigail smiled as Elizabeth took a deep breath and let it out slowly; reaching over to pat Elizabeth's hand, she said, "remember, tomorrow is a new day, completely untouched."

"That's a lovely way to look at things Abigail," Elizabeth said, grateful for her concern.

Abigail explained, "my grandmother used to say that to me, especially when I had a bad day, and I remember it when I need to put something behind me and start fresh."

Elizabeth rose early the following day, eager to make an early start and ensure the Saloon was set up as the school. It was probably too early, but she didn't care; she needed to ensure everything was ready to welcome the children of Coal Valley.

Elizabeth glanced at the dress she had laid out to wear, assessing it critically. She was happy Colin had returned her trunks relatively untouched; the broken locks made it clear someone had opened them. Elizabeth felt unease and distaste knowing a stranger had handled her things, but nothing could be done. Colin had been very apologetic, and Elizabeth knew he had done all he could to protect her baggage, but it happened when they were left unattended. She was lucky more hadn't been taken; some jewellery was missing, along with a pair of boots, but all her important pieces were intact as she had brought them with her.

Elizabeth looked at the dress again, it was too fancy for Coal Valley, but it was one of the plainest dresses she owned. She had discussed her clothing with Abigail, who advised her to wear what she had brought. As Abigail said, everyone knew she was from Hamilton and expected her to dress differently. If she tried to pretend she wasn't or change her appearance, it might appear not very honest, and Coal Valley wouldn't like it.

Elizabeth wasn't surprised to see Abigail had beaten her downstairs and had prepared a food basket for her first day. She smiled as she thanked her, once again grateful she had Abigail in her life. She slipped her letter to Rosemary into the basket; she could post it at the Mercantile later that day.

Elizabeth drew her coat around her, shivering in the cool morning air as she stepped out of the row house. As she hurried to the Saloon, she studied the homes where the townspeople slept; for now, no one else seemed to have started their morning as early as she had. As she approached the Saloon and stood before the closed doors, steadying herself, she was surprised by a voice behind her,

"Good Morning, Elizabeth," Nathan said as he stepped closer.

Elizabeth shivered again, but this time it wasn't from the cold. Nathan's deep voice, soft and intimate in the quiet of the early morning, affected her deeply. Facing Nathan, she said, "You are out and about early this morning, Constable," glad her voice didn't give away her trembling at his nearness.

"As are you, Miss Thatcher," Nathan replied smiling, "It seems we both decided to make early starts on our first day. Are you all set?"

"I am not sure; I am about to find out if Tom left the place clean and tidy as promised; I wanted to make sure I had time to fix anything that was needed." Elizabeth explained, "What about you? Did you enjoy sleeping in the Mountie office and not the Saloon?"

"I did; it's nice to have a place that is my own. Speaking of the Mountie office, Elizabeth, you know where to find me if you need anything, anything at all." Nathan said his face earnest. "I want you to come to me."

Grateful for his concern Elizabeth smiled, reaching out to brush his arm briefly, "Thank you, Nathan, but I do hope not to have to." She wished she hadn't touched him; even that tiny contact set butterflies off in her stomach. Pulling her hand back quickly, she looked at Nathan, shocked at the sensation, but he was studying his arm, where she had touched his serge, his face unreadable.

Nathan's body reacted instantly to Elizbeth's touch; even that light touch from her made his heart race. He stared at his serge, almost as though he would be able to see the mark of her hand burned into his coat. Looking at Elizabeth, searching her face, he saw her beautiful blue eyes were wide in astonishment; he knew she felt it too. As he watched, her eyes dropped to his lips, then back to his face, and he knew she was as lost in the moment as he was. How would they ever remain just friends?

Elizabeth blinked and took a step back, bumping into the closed doors of the Saloon, trying to stop herself from thinking about kissing Nathan. "Despite my less than spectacular start in Coal Valley, I plan to be here a good long while. I intend to make this my home." Calm down, she thought, hearing the breathlessness in her voice; it was sure to give away her thoughts.

Nathan smiled at her words, "Well, Ms Thatcher, let's settle into Coal Valley together; I don't plan on going anywhere either. Now let's see if you need help setting up your classroom." Nathan was glad Elizabeth turned toward the doors, and he had a moment to gather himself and shake off the effect she had on him.

Elizabeth unlocked the Saloon doors, and they walked inside together, she was pleased Tom had kept his word, and there was little to be done to get the space ready for the children. "All I need to do is unpack the children's writing material and wheel out the chalkboard. I hope it is this easy every day," she exclaimed, her face beaming as she looked around.

Nathan was disappointed there wasn't more to do; he had been hoping for an excuse to spend longer with her.

"Well," he said with a sigh, "it looks like you don't need my help after all." Smiling at the excitement on her face, he said, "Good luck today Elizabeth. I look forward to hearing how it goes."

Elizabeth watched as he walked to the door; as he was about to leave, she realised she hadn't responded and called out, "Good luck to you too, Nathan; stay safe, won't you." He touched the brim of his hat with his fingers, dipping it slightly and with a final flash of that crooked smile, he was gone.