Nathan looked up as he heard Elizabeth's voice outside the Mountie office, calling out a greeting to one of her students. His lips curled up into a smile at the joy he heard in her voice. She had settled into Coal Valley and was finally feeling secure in her position, allowing her to relax. He was feeling the same way. People had welcomed him to Town, accepting that he was different from previous Mounties who had been there for short periods, he was here to stay, or so he hoped.
He had hoped as Elizabeth relaxed and established herself, she would also soften her stance on remaining just friends and keeping her distance from him. Today would be the test of whether their relationship would change, it was her first riding lesson, and he planned to do it well away from the Town's prying eyes.
Nathan stood in anticipation of Elizabeth's entrance, hat in hand, slinging the saddlebags over his shoulder. He smiled when she opened the door, her eyes widening when she saw him waiting.
"Well," she said, recovering, "it's nice to see you're ready to go. Are you sure you don't mind doing this?"
"I definitely don't mind," Nathan said, smiling at her reassuringly. He looked at Elizabeth and asked, I hope you don't mind if we go out of Town on our ride; I want to see more of the countryside around Coal Valley." Slapping the saddlebags, he said, "I have packed supplies for us; I thought we could break up our ride by having an afternoon snack."
"Of course not," Elizabeth said, smiling wide. "I would prefer not to have an audience for obvious reasons." Elizabeth was happy with Nathan's suggestions for more reasons than she wanted to admit. She was finding it harder and harder to resist Nathan Grant and was now asking herself why she was still trying.
"The break will be wonderful too. On my way here, I called into the Mercantile, and Ned gave me my mail," pausing, she continued, eyes narrowing, "He seemed to know all about our riding lessons." she said, confused, still not used to how small towns worked. "I hope you don't mind he gave me your letters too," she finished, handing them to him.
"Not at all," Nathan replied distractedly, focusing on the letters in his hand. He was delighted to see letters from his Mother and Colleen, plus one from someone unexpected, Rosemary LeVeaux.
"It looks like you will need a long break to read all of them," Elizabeth teased.
"You too," he said, grinning back. Even after giving him his pile of letters, Elizabeth still had several letters in her hand.
"Shall we go?" Nathan asked.
The two of them walked through Town to the Livery. Nathan had arranged for a horse for Elizabeth, and he would ride Newton. They chatted easily as they walked, not talking about anything of consequence, oblivious to the looks and whispers from those observing them. Their whispers and smiles were all about what a striking couple the two of them made.
Nathan was pleased to find out Elizabeth was a complete novice around horses. To ensure her education was as thorough as possible, they would need to spend a lot of time together, something he wouldn't mind.
In the Livery, he stood near Elizabeth, explaining what he was doing with the saddle and bridle. He could smell the soft floral fragrance of her hair and feel the heat from her body as they stood side by side, and he was trying not to let it distract him.
Elizabeth knew she should object to Nathan's closeness, but she was interested in learning everything about how to saddle a horse, and, well... she liked it. She enjoyed the feeling of Nathan standing so close, his muscular body warm and solid, the deep timbre of his voice intimate in the tiny stall. For such a large man, Nathan was gentle, his movements confident and economical. Elizabeth was mesmerised by his hands as she watched him saddle and bridle Newton before moving on to her horse, Sugar.
"Ready to try and mount Sugar?" Nathan asked, turning to face Elizabeth, realising it put them closer together than he planned. "I can help you the first time so you can do it next time, or I can find something for you to stand on?"
"Maybe you should help me, please. I should know how to do this myself," Elizabeth answered. Swallowing, Elizabeth stared into his stunning blue eyes, unable to look away or step away from him to put distance between them. She wondered how to convince her feet to move.
"You will have to trust me, Elizabeth," Nathan said softly. "I will need to touch you to help you mount; I hope that is okay," he asked, trying to hide a grin; he didn't mind at all.
"Of course, Nathan, as a Mountie and gentlemen, I know you wouldn't ask unless it was essential," Elizabeth responded sweetly, letting him know she could see through his words, pleased when his cheeks reddened slightly at getting caught out.
Clearing his throat and growing serious, Nathan walked the two of them and Sugar outside the Livery, ensuring they had plenty of room to mount. Nathan demonstrated how to drop the mounting stirrup if needed and readjust afterwards. He explained to Elizabeth which side to mount from and the importance of always holding onto the reins. He showed Elizabeth how to grab the saddle's pommel and use it to pull herself up once she had her left foot in the stirrup.
Elizabeth listened carefully to Nathan's instructions, determined she would learn this skill and learn it quickly. She loved how Nathan spoke of the horses, his respect and admiration evident as he advised her to settle herself gently onto the horse's back, not land too hard if she could help it. Elizabeth thought back to her first ride with Colin when the wagon broke down and said a silent apology to the horse she had ridden that day, the poor animal.
"So, do you think you are ready to try, Elizabeth?" Nathan asked. "I promise to be here to catch up or help you if something goes wrong."
"Promise?" Elizabeth asked.
"Always," Nathan said earnestly.
"Okay," Elizabeth said, taking a deep breath and moving toward the horse, gathering Sugar's reins in her left hand and putting them over her head. She stroked Sugar's neck and whispered, "hello girl, thank you for letting me ride you; I promise to do my best not to hurt you; if you promise me the same, I would be grateful."
Nathan smiled as he listened to her conversation with Sugar, knowing that while the horse couldn't understand her words, she would respond to the tone of her voice. Nathan reached into the pocket of his serge and pulled out a small object; he held it out to Elizabeth, who laughed at the shiny red apple resting in his palm.
"Is the apple for the Teacher or the horse? Surely Sugar would prefer her namesake?" Elizabeth teased.
"She might, but apples are better for her, and it's all about making friends; she will welcome either," Nathan said. He waited until Elizabeth finished feeding Sugar and asked, "Are you ready?"
"Yes," Elizabeth said, her face bright with excitement. Positioning herself as he had described, she looked over her shoulder as Nathan stepped up behind her. Taking a breath, she braced herself for his touch.
Nathan stood behind Elizabeth, his hands loosely by his side. He had been looking forward to this part of the riding lesson, but now it was about to happen, he was suddenly nervous. Reaching forward, he hesitated before placing his hands on her waist; he took a steadying breath, her floral scent enveloping him once again as he inhaled. He touched her gently, his large hands grazing her tiny waist; the jolt of electricity that shot through him was anything he had imagined. It was much more.
Elizabeth gasped at his intimate touch, the heat of his hands setting off butterflies in her stomach and a new sensation - heat, which spread through her, pooling low in her stomach. She hadn't felt anything like it before and wasn't sure how to respond.
"Elizabeth, I..." Nathan began before stopping, having no idea what he would say. Elizabeth saved him from finding words when she moved, making her first attempt to mount Sugar. As Nathan felt her move beneath his hands, he reacted automatically and assisted her by lifting her as she pushed up. Their combined efforts lifted Elizabeth much higher than expected, the force almost carrying her completely over Sugar's back. Nathan reacted quickly, using one hand to grip Elizabeth's leg, preventing her from toppling over.
Elizabeth stared down at Nathan as he stood looking at her wide-eyed. She smiled, then snorted with laughter as she realised what had almost happened. The look of surprise on Nathan's face was her undoing, and she burst into peals of laughter.
Nathan was shocked, he couldn't believe Elizabeth had almost catapulted over Sugar, and she was laughing about it.
"Elizabeth, I am so sorry," Nathan sputtered, "I didn't realise how light you would be; I..."
"Nathan, it's fine, no harm done," Elizabeth said as she regained control of herself, "it's certainly been an interesting start to my lesson."
Nathan shook his head, pleased she wasn't upset. As he stood beside her, looking into her beaming face, he realised his hand was still resting on her thigh. He looked at his hand, horrified, pulling it back quickly, his cheeks flushing at his impropriety.
"Sorry," he mumbled.
"What happens next, Nathan? When I rode with Colin, he directed my horse, and I just held on." Elizabeth ignored what had just happened; understanding Nathan hadn't even realised what he was doing. She remembered doing something similar in the carriage the first day they met, so who was she to be offended.
Elizabeth knew she would enjoy her second horse ride more than the first; this time, she could appreciate the new perspective, the views of Coal Valley and her riding companion. Nathan was glad of the distraction and patiently walked Elizabeth through the different methods of having her horse start and stop. Eventually, after Elizabeth practised a few times, Nathan mounted Newton, and the two slowly walked their horses away from the Town.
Elizabeth set the pace for the ride, but Nathan set the direction, pointing out people's homes and other things he thought would interest her. Nathan wanted to keep the riding part of today short, knowing how sore muscles could get when you were learning to ride. As they approached a meadow Nathan had ridden through; he suggested they stop and take a break. He knew the field had several large trees toward the cliff, which would provide shade while they read their letters and ate the snack he had brought along. The view over Coal Valley was also beautiful, and he wanted to share it with Elizabeth.
"When we reach the group of trees ahead," Nathan said, pointing them out, "I will dismount first, and then I can help you if needed. It's just the reverse of what you did to get on," Nathan assured her.
"And that went so well," Elizabeth teased as they rode into the shade of the trees. Elizabeth followed Nathan, then did as he had instructed her, pulling back on Sugar's reins, slowing then stopping her.
Elizabeth glanced around, pleased at the spot Nathan had chosen. It was beautiful, serene, and secluded, the perfect place to rest and read their letters. Elizabeth watched Nathan, her eyes drawn to his graceful movements as he dismounted from Newton; she tried her best not to stare as he walked toward her but felt her mouth go dry as he got closer.
"Ready to try the dismount?" Nathan asked, standing close to her but not too close.
"Yes, but don't tell me what I should do; let me try and remember what you said," Elizabeth suggested.
Nathan hid his smile, taking a step back and spreading out his arms, indicating she should go ahead, amused by the look of determination on her face and the little crease on her forehead. Nathan watched as Elizabeth readied herself to dismount, kicking her feet from the stirrups, gathering, and holding the reins. As her saw her swing her leg over the horse, he stepped forward, ready in case she needed him.
Elizabeth was proud of her dismount; she may have wobbled a little, alright, a lot, when she landed, and she did need Nathan to steady her, but she stayed on her feet. She smiled at Nathan as he stood, his hand holding her arm lightly.
"Well done, Elizabeth, for a first effort that was very good," Nathan said, nodding at her. "Let me grab the saddle bags and blanket, and we can find somewhere to take our break." Nathan hurried toward Newton, releasing her arm, grabbing Sugar's reins and taking her with him. He loosely tied the two horses so they could graze but not wander too far.
Elizabeth's first few steps away from Sugar was stiff and awkward, so she was glad Nathan was otherwise distracted. Taking small steps and walking in a circle worked the kinks out of her muscles, and by the time Nathan came back, she was able to walk almost normally.
Nathan placed the blanket down first and then settled the saddle bags. He waited for Elizabeth to sit, hiding his smile when he saw her grimace.
"Food or letters first?" Nathan asked.
"Food. No. Letters. Both." Elizabeth said quickly. "No letters, please; I want to know how my family and Rosemary are; I miss them so."
"Letters is it," Nathan said. "I am looking forward to reading mine too; it feels like such a long time since I heard from my sister, I was starting to worry.
While Elizabeth was curious, she didn't want to pry, and when Nathan didn't elaborate, she let her questions drop. She smiled as he wriggled around, getting comfortable before opening the first of his letters. She watched Nathan discreetly as he read his first letter and couldn't help but smile as she saw his eyes light up at the contents. Not wanting to get caught studying him, she forced herself to concentrate on her own letters and started the letter from her Mother.
Nathan started with the letter from his Mother, glad to read about her day-to-day life and was pleased she was doing well. What she didn't say in her letters to him often told him the most. If his Mother described external activities and trips outside the home, this told him she was feeling well. He knew she was poorly when her letters described at-home activities or projects. Nathan frowned when he reached the end of her letter, where she mentioned his sister Colleen and her family had moved away from Hamilton. While his mother didn't say it, Nathan knew that Colleen had once again followed her husband, Dylan, to his next grand venture. Often, these ventures failed, primarily due to Dylan's unwillingness to work hard to make something successful; he was always chasing the easy money. Nathan worried about Colleen and Allie, Dylan he knew would never physically harm them; however, the emotional pain he caused his sister, and their daughter was enough that Nathan despised the man.
Nathan quickly opened the letter from his sister, glancing briefly at the folded items that fell out before scanning the contents to understand her whereabouts. Colleen had followed Dylan from Hamilton to Benson Hills. Nathan was unhappy she had followed Dylan anywhere but was glad she and Allie were closer to him than they had been. Colleen sounded happy; she always did when Dylan was, then when things became difficult, and Dylan fell back into his old, bad habits, he would take it out on her, and she would become quiet and withdrawn.
Nathan placed her letter down and stared into the distance; he wondered what to say in his return letter. He had stopped pretending to like Dylan long ago, but he had refrained from running him down to Colleen. Instead of fixating on the negatives, he picked up the other papers included with her letter. The first was an address card for Colleen and Dylan, which he tucked into his pocket. The second was a drawing from his Niece, Allie.
Nathan unfolded the drawing, a huge smile lighting up his face; his niece, as always, could chase away the darkness. Her picture was of him and Gabe, standing with their horses in front of what he assumed was the Train from Hamilton.
Elizabeth glanced over at Nathan, glad to see him smiling once again. She had unashamedly spied on him while he was reading his letters, especially the second one. He had become tense as he finished his first letter, sitting straight up and sighing more than once. He had become more agitated reading his second letter, throwing it onto the blanket next to him when he finished. She had listened to him sigh deeply before picking up the item he now held, and his demeanour changed; he had relaxed slightly.
"That's a charming picture of you," Elizabeth said, able to see it from where she was sitting near him.
"My niece Allie drew it; its Gabe and I leaving on the Train; well, I think it is a train. She is only three and a half, so I use my imagination for her drawings." Nathan held the drawing out for Elizabeth to take a closer look, pleased when instead of taking it, she leaned into him to see it more clearly.
"She is very good for her age, Nathan; I would have guessed she was older," Elizabeth explained, impressed with the girl's talent.
"She is very bright, but I am biased, I admit." Nathan smiled at Elizabeth, the love for his niece evident.
"Where does your Niece live?" Elizabeth asked and instantly regretted it when Nathan's smile faltered. "I am sorry, Nathan, you don't have to talk about it."
Nathan hesitated, then decided to share a little about his sister, Allie, and his mother, skimming over his impressions of Dylan while conveying his disdain for the man. He never mentioned his father at all.
Elizabeth was grateful he had opened to her at all and didn't push when he trailed off and failed to mention certain members. She could tell from his tone that his upbringing was not always a happy story.
"It's lovely they are so much closer to you. I have been reading a letter from Julie, my sister, and honestly, Hamilton seems like a different world now and so far away." Elizabeth shook her head; three months ago, she would have to attend the same parties as Julie, and while she avoided as many as she could, it was exhausting just reading about them.
"Tell me more about your family," Nathan invited and listened as Elizabeth described her family to him. He knew about them, of course, but he didn't want her to see that he had done some digging around into them.
"It seems our last letters are both from Rosemary," Nathan commented, seeing the familiar writing on the envelope Elizabeth held.
"Yes," Elizabeth responded, wondering why Rosemary was writing to Nathan. She was only curious. She wasn't jealous; she told herself that Nathan and Rosemary had every right to correspond if they wished.
Opening her letter Elizabeth started to read it, smiling as she did. Rosemary, as always, was delightful, and the stories of her life in Benson Hills, the customers, and the restaurant staff soon had Elizabeth laughing. Wondering at Nathan's reaction to his letter from their friend, she looked over, only to see him frowning.
"Is everything alright, Nathan?" she questioned softly. "You would tell me if Rosemary was in trouble, wouldn't you?"
Nathan paused before responding, he didn't want to lie to Elizabeth, but he needed to respect Rosemary's confidence. Nathan was positive Rosemary was right, and Abigail was Clara's mother-in-law, and he wasn't sure how he felt about keeping that from Elizabeth and Abigail.
"If I thought she was in trouble, I would tell you. Rosemary is fine; she has just asked me to look into something for her." He looked at her intently, "can you trust me please, Elizabeth?"
"Yes, of course, Nathan." Elizabeth knew he was talking about the letter from Rosemary, but when she answered him, she meant it more broadly. She did trust Nathan and hoped he would never do anything to breach that trust.
"Would you like the last cookie, Elizabeth?" Nathan asked, changing the subject.
"No, thank you, I couldn't eat another bite," Elizabeth said, groaning. "I think I might have trouble lifting myself back onto Sugar as it is."
Despite her concerns, Elizabeth managed to mount Sugar without any problems or assistance from Nathan, even though he stood close by. They took their time walking the horses back to Town, happy to spend time together. Elizabeth asked about going faster, and Nathan demonstrated both a trot and canter, although he advised Elizabeth more lessons were required before she should try them herself. Neither one of them minded the possibility of more lessons.