A/N: Sometimes I'm guilty of a bit of silliness in my stories. I don't know what comes over me. You'll find a bit of comic relief in this chapter, but there are still some very serious underlying themes that I'll certainly address in the future. I hope you enjoy this one. Thanks to all those who continue to read and review.

Chapter 5

"Lucas. Lucas, darling, wake up."

For the second morning in a row, Lucas awakened to his wife's soft hand on his bare chest. He lay in her bed, his eyes too heavy to open, his body too blissfully satiated from their night of lovemaking to move.

"But Teacher, I don't want to go to school," he mumbled dreamily, his lips quirking into an amused smile, though his eyes remained stubbornly closed.

"Lucas," she whispered, "you accidentally stayed the night. You need to go before Jack wakes up."

"Hm?"

She repeated herself, her strained voice and determined words finally registering. His eyes flew open, and his heart jumped to life.

"Dammit," he muttered, then sheepishly excused his language to his wife.

She gave a low chuckle as, suddenly wide awake, he sat up in bed, swung his legs over the side, and stood up. Elizabeth allowed herself a moment to admire her husband's naked form as he searched the floor and a chair before finding and pulling on his union suit. Not bothering to button it, he paused to meet her eyes.

"I believe the rest of my clothes are downstairs."

"Yes, that's how I remember it," she said with a blushing grin.

The moment he'd arrived at her house the night before, he'd kissed her until they could no longer think straight, dispensing with clothes before he sat on the settee and pulled her, facing him, onto his lap.

"We're going to wake the neighbors," she'd cautioned breathlessly.

"Only if I'm doing this right," he'd said, and her answering laugh had quickly turned into a low moan.

Now, as faint morning light peeped in through the open window, Lucas forced himself to slow his movements lest he awaken the little boy across the hall. Jack hadn't fully developed his social filter, so for now, it was necessary to avoid any embarrassing oversharing with the Hope Valley residents. Quietly, one slightly creaky step at a time, he followed a berobed Elizabeth downstairs.

"I wish you could stay forever," she said wistfully, as they both began gathering his clothes from their haphazard resting places. He paused, trousers in hand, and drew her into his arms.

"Someday, very soon, my love." He kissed her briefly but passionately, stopping just before he was unable to leave.

The knock on the front door froze them in place.

"Elizabeth? Are you up?"

"Rosemary!" she and Lucas whispered frantically, eyes like deer in headlights.

Quickly returning upstairs would be too loud and would awaken Jack, so Elizabeth hissed: "The back door!"

She piled the garments she'd collected into his arms and steered him past her small kitchen and dining room to the door. Still only in his underwear, he nearly tripped down the back steps and stood barefooted on the dewy grass, breathing quickly over his armful of clothing while Elizabeth closed the door. A few seconds later, she opened it again and tossed out his shoes, which he just barely dodged.

"Sorry! I love you!" she said, sotto voce, and he was left alone.

Lucas expelled a heavy, frustrated sigh and shook his head at this already untenable situation. It was then that he happened to glance toward the Coulters' house, only to meet the amused eyes of Lee, looking out his window, holding a coffee cup midway to his mouth. His lips formed a slow grin, and, offering a silent toast with his cup, took a sip and left Lucas, heart racing, to shakily get dressed.

Xxxxxxxxx

An hour later, bathed, coiffed, and dressed in a fresh suit for church, he received a phone call in his office.

"Did you make it home all right?" Elizabeth asked him, when Florence had left the line.

"Yes, I came into the hotel through the kitchen, and successfully avoided Gustave, but we have a slight…problem."

"What?"

"Lee saw me out his window."

She gasped. "Oh no! What he must think of me!" Lucas imagined she was blushing to her hair. "Do you think he'll tell Rosemary?"

In hindsight, he could see the humor in the situation, and a smile filled his voice. "I don't think so. There is a gentleman's discretion about such things, especially between friends."

"I don't want to know how you know this."

"As a gentleman, I wouldn't be able to tell you anyway," he teased. "How did things go with Rosemary? Did she suspect anything?"

"I don't think so, although I did have to hide your tie in my robe pocket when I found it hanging over the back of the settee."

"I wondered what happened to that. As I recall, you were quite…insistent upon its removal last night." His voice dropped to its most suggestive timbre. "And by the way, I'm in possession of one of your discarded stockings. It was madly clinging to the arm of my shirt. I'm not sure if I'll return it anytime soon, however; it's a lovely memento."

"Lucas," she breathed, "if you keep talking like that, I'll never be able to face you in public without giving myself away."

He secretly hoped so, but he didn't say it. "Speaking of which, would you like me to drive over and escort you to church this morning?"

"Rosemary already offered, so Jack and I will meet you there. Thank you, Lucas, for your understanding for—for everything. You must know this is extremely difficult for me too, especially now, when all I can think about is lying in your arms."

Lucas closed his eyes, feeling physically the pain of their separation. "Now who's going to get me into trouble? I'll see you very soon, dear wife. I love you."

"I love you too, my wonderfully patient husband."

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Normally, church was an uplifting experience for Lucas and Elizabeth, but this morning, they were both awash in a maelstrom of conflicting emotions. Sitting beside Elizabeth, her sweet, delicate scent captivating his senses, made it difficult not to pull her into his arms. The touch of her hand beneath his on the pew seat conjured some very unchurchly images, and he had to focus most of his attention on avoiding them rather than listening to Joseph's sermon.

Coincidentally, (or not so, for a Christian), the sermon itself happened to be about the biblical story of Ananias and Sapphira, a married couple who attempted to conceal a big lie, paying the ultimate price in the end.* Lucas and Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably in their seats at the moral lesson, avoiding everyone's eyes, realizing perhaps that this road they were on would not lead to a good outcome.

After the service, Elizabeth sought out Allie, who was leaving the church with her grandparents. She greeted all of them warmly on the church lawn, and even coaxed a half-hearted smile from her student after her eyes flitted to Elizabeth's bare ring-finger.

"Allie, I was hoping you, Jack, and I might go for ice cream sometime this week," she suggested. "Maybe you could take a break and join us for a little while." Allie had gotten a summer job working for Mei at the soda fountain.

"That sounds lovely, Mrs. Thornton," said Mrs. Grant.

"I love ice cream!" exclaimed Jack, whose addiction to the treat was known far and wide.

Allie grinned at Jack, knowing when she'd been beaten. "I know you do, little ice cream monster." Then, she tentatively met Elizabeth's eyes. "Sure. How about Tuesday?"

Elizabeth smiled. "We'll meet you at the shop at two on Tuesday."

Meanwhile, Lucas had found a moment to talk to Lee briefly in private.

"Lee—what you saw was—"

"None of my business," Lee interrupted, "and rest assured, I'm no gossip."

Lucas remembered how Lee had caught him and Elizabeth together when his car had been stuck in the mud months before, and had kept their secret then.

"I appreciate that, but I hope you don't think ill of Elizabeth. She did nothing wrong."

"I'm not one to throw stones, my friend," he said, glancing lovingly at his wife, who had joined Elizabeth and Allie. The implication was clear enough to Lucas, and the two gentlemen discussed the matter no further.

Lucas drove Elizabeth and Jack back to the Queen of Hearts, where Gustave had a gourmet lunch (including one small peanut butter sandwich) awaiting them. Since the weather was so fine, they ate at one of the tables outside. The couple tried to be cheerful for Jack's sake, but the mood between the newlyweds was somewhat somber.

"Jack and I are going to meet Allie for ice cream on Tuesday."

"Well, that's wonderful," said Lucas wholeheartedly. "You two really need to talk."

"Yes we do." And she reached for her husband's hand, looking meaningfully into his eyes. He brought her hand to his lips.

"I think I'll get chocolate with sprinkles," added Jack.

"Good choice, Buddy," Lucas replied, smiling at his new family. He blinked back sudden tears as the reality of his new situation had suddenly occurred to him.

Finally, Lucas Bouchard had everything he'd ever wanted.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Monday found Lucas back at work at the theatre while Elizabeth spent her day at the library, helping her more studious students find entertainment to while away the summer hours. Jack spent the day at the daycare, a place he loved because he had friends his age to play with.

In the late afternoon, when Elizabeth went to pick up her son, the mother of one of Jack's friends was waiting to speak with her.

"Mrs. Thornton, Jimmy was wondering if Jack might come over this evening to play for awhile."

Caroline Harker was new to Hope Valley. A widow like Elizabeth, she'd come to town from Edmonton to be near her family, and she had gotten a job working days at the café. Jimmy would be starting school in the fall along with Jack, and Elizabeth knew how important it was to find new friends in a strange town. Elizabeth had known the Harker family for years, knew them to be good people, and had spoken with Caroline often when she'd met her at the daycare.

"How very kind of you to offer. Jack, would you like to play with Jimmy at his house this evening?"

"Yes, Mama!"

"Yay!" said Jimmy.

Elizabeth and Caroline laughed. "Well, I suppose that's your answer."

Caroline's smile was a mile wide. "I'll make them dinner, and feel free to pick them up at any time—but no need to hurry. Enjoy an evening to yourself—"
she lowered her voice, "or with that handsome Mr. Bouchard I see you with."

Elizabeth blushed. "Yes, I think I will. Thank you. And please, let me return the favor sometime."

"You have a deal, Mrs. Thornton."

"Well, only if you call me Elizabeth."

"And if you call me Caroline…"

Elizabeth said her goodbyes, hugging her son and reminding him about good guest behavior. With a spring in her step, she made her way to the Queen of Hearts, where she knew Lucas would be as business picked up at the end of the workday.

The saloon was rapidly filling up with workers from the lumber mill, as well as various business owners around town, looking for a drink, a meal, or a hand of cards before going home for the night.

She found Lucas behind the bar serving drinks, and she stood watching him a moment. Sometimes she couldn't get over how handsome he was, how fashionable, how kind and well-spoken. And this amazing man was now her husband. He must have felt her eyes on him, for he suddenly looked directly at her, his entire face lighting up. Her heart skipped a beat and she knew her own expression was equally aglow. She made her way to stand before him at the bar.

"May I help you, madam," he asked casually.

"How about a Negroni?"

Lucas's eyebrows shot up. "Oh really? We don't get much call for fancy cocktails around here."

"Do you know how to make one?" she asked, a teasing challenge in her eye.

"Of course. Coming right up."

She watched, fascinated, as he made the rum, gin, and vermouth concoction, his expressive, dexterous hands just as smooth playing bartender as he was with a deck of cards. He garnished the finished drink with a curled orange peel and set it before her with a flourish. She rewarded his efforts with an impressed grin and took a dainty sip, her eyes widening at how delicious it was.

"That's lovely! Truly, you have many hidden talents, Mr. Bouchard."

His lips quirked and his eyes darkened as he recognized the intended inuendo, but he inclined his head respectfully.

"Thank you, fair lady. So, what brings you here this evening? I would have thought you'd be home making dinner for Jack."

"Well, it seems that Jack was invited to play at a friend's this evening, so I have an unexpectedly open dance card."

He frowned. "I gave the night off to Mike to spend with his wife; I have to work all night, I'm afraid."

Elizabeth's face fell, sharing his disappointment.

A thought occurred to Lucas. "Perhaps I could ask Henry to give me a break for a little while. When will you be collecting Jack?

"Later this evening. There's no set hour. I'll wait for you in the library," she said, lowering her voice so only he cold hear. "That way you won't have to go all the way out to my place."

"Hmm. The library, eh? That sounds…interesting. Enjoy your drink while I give Henry a call."

Lucas hung up the phone a few minutes later and nodded his good news before seeing to a customer.

She sat on a barstool, feeling slightly risqué—the schoolteacher having a cocktail in a saloon with her secret husband-but in that moment, she found she didn't care. She was a grown woman, school wasn't in session, and she was doing nothing wrong. She smiled to herself, thinking that her parents wouldn't approve, but somehow that made the Negroni taste even better.

More than once, she felt Lucas's heavy gaze, and she fully enjoyed herself watching him work: charming toward the ladies, considerate with his staff, joking with the men. She nursed her drink for about an hour before giving Lucas a discreet wave and heading toward the door.

Back at the library, she unlocked the door and went in, though she kept the closed sign up. She busied herself closing all the curtains against the setting sun and made herself comfortable in the armchair Lucas sometimes used for late-night reading. She opened the window above her, letting the breeze blow in, and settled in with a book she'd been meaning to start.

An hour later, just as she was nodding off with help from the earlier cocktail, she heard the sound of Lucas's key in the lock. It was dark outside, and he found her in the dimness of the lamp beside her chair. Neither of them spoke as he locked the door behind him and strode purposefully across the room, dropping to his knees before her. His hands on either of her soft cheeks, he bent and kissed her passionately, pressing her back against the leather chair while her fingers wove their way into his hair.

"I only have an hour," he whispered between kisses, and reached up to turn off the lamp.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day, Allie met Elizabeth and Jack for ice cream, and she seemed amenable to small talk, but evaded any conversation concerning Nathan or Lucas. At least she no longer seemed angry with Elizabeth, but was still a bit distant, acting her usual cheerful self only when speaking to Jack.

Now that the ice was broken, Elizabeth ventured to ask if they might see each other again later in the week.

"I'd really like to talk to you alone," she told the girl. "I've missed you lately."

Allie looked down at the milky remnants of strawberry ice cream in her bowl.

"I don't know, Mrs. Thornton. I've been very busy lately. Robert starts college in the fall, you know."

They'd both been relieved when the young man had decided not to become a Mountie. Instead, he was planning to get a business degree.

"I understand. But this is really important to me, if you can find the time."

Allie paused, looking uncomfortable. "I'll try," she finally said. "I should really get back to work."

"All right. I'll come by in a few days."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

But Allie only had excuses the rest of that week, and most of the next. In the meantime, after the close call with Lee and Rosemary, Elizabeth and Lucas were much more cautious about being caught alone together, but both of them were starting to question the point of their separation. He tried not to say anything negative, but it had started to wrangle that they were allowing a teenaged girl to interfere in their lives.

It was certainly exciting, sneaking around as they were, and they made the most of their stolen moments. Aside from Lee's accidental observation of Lucas half-naked in Elizabeth's backyard, it seemed they were at least able to stick to the plan of keeping their marriage private. Or, so they thought…

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Rosemary perused the baking aisle of Yost's Mercantile, having in mind baking a cake for Lee's upcoming birthday. She was low on flour and sugar, and, once finding the two pantry staples, carried the five-pound sacks up to the counter. At her feet, Goldie was doing her own perusing—of the candy jars.

"You have mail today, Rosemary," said Ned, "and if you wouldn't mind taking that large envelope to Elizabeth, it would be very helpful since Robert is in Union City with his parents."

But Rosemary was too distracted by her little girl to hear what he'd said about the large envelope. "Now, Goldie, it's too close to lunchtime; no candy or you'll ruin your appetite. Oh, wonderful," she said, as Ned handed her the envelope along with her own mail and went back to restocking the canned goods aisle. "This must be the background information on that education bill I'm investigating." She untied the string around the large envelope clasp and began to open it.

"What are you baking today, Rosemary?" asked Florence, beginning to ring-up her purchases.

"Victoria sponge—Lee's favorite."

"Well, if you ask me," said Florence, "as far as sponge cakes go, Angel Food is the superior cake."

"You have to have a strong arm to beat all those egg whites," added Molly, who was behind Rosemary in line.

Rosemary turned to her. "Molly Sullivan, are you implying that I don't have the physical stamina to make an Angel Food cake?"

Molly smiled tightly. "Of course not. I was merely saying…"

At that moment, the tinkling of the bell signaled the arrival of two more customers—Bill and the new constable, Daniel McDaniel having a much friendlier debate over the outcome of the recent World Series.

Now, normally, juggling multiple conversations at once was a piece of cake (pun intended) for Rosemary, but the further distraction of her toddler tugging at her dress, a red lollypop in hand, the wrapper already removed, led her to absently open the envelope Ned had given her without even looking at the address on the front of it. "Goldie! I had said no, sweetheart! Oh, dear."

She paid Florence for the flour sugar, and, with a sigh, the lollypop. While still discussing with the ladies the merits of the two cakes in question, she pulled out the contents of the envelope.

Rosemary's gasp was so loud that all talking in the store came to a complete stop.

"What is it, Rosemary?" asked Bill in concern, but a rarely speechless Rosemary continued to stare down at the beautiful photograph of Elizabeth and Lucas's wedding.

All she could do in reply was hand the pictures to Bill to see for himself.

"Aw, so that's why they really went to Union City a couple weeks ago."

"And that would also explain why the two of them were alone in the dark in the library last night," added Constable McDaniel with a knowing chuckle. "I saw Mr. Bouchard sneaking in to join her when I went on my first patrol. Of course, it was none of my business…"

"What?" cried Florence and Molly together. The wedding photos were passed around amidst echoing exclamations of surprise.

"Why wouldn't they have told me?" Rosemary finally managed forlornly.

"I think it's wonderfully romantic," said Molly, her eyes dreamy as she admired the smiling faces in the photos, the beautiful couple in their wedding finery.

"Oh, look," added Florence, studying the group picture of the wedding party, "so nice that their parents were there. You can see where Lucas gets his good looks."

"Let me see that," said Rosemary, having been too caught up with the image of Elizabeth in the dress Rosemary had altered, standing in a church—without her—that she hadn't paid much attention to the other photographs. Her throat felt tight with tears of betrayal.

Hearing the commotion, Ned returned to the front of the store, immediately noting the open envelope that had belonged to Elizabeth.

"It's against the law to open other people's mail," said Ned, glancing meaningfully at the constable.

"What?" Rosemary said, having just now realized Elizabeth's wedding pictures would not have been sent to her. She turned over the forgotten envelope, blanching when she saw it was addressed to Mrs. Elizabeth Bouchard.

Florence was looking over her shoulder. She turned to her husband. "Ned, didn't you notice it was addressed to a Mrs. Bouchard?"

"Of course, but unlike some people around here, I don't like to invade other people's privacy." He held out his hand for Rosemary to return the pictures and envelope.

"I didn't mean to," protested Rosemary. "I was distracted—"

"That's no excuse."

"Well, didn't you think I would eventually notice Elizabeth's unusual change of last name?"

Ned was stumped at that, his face coloring. "Perhaps I shouldn't have asked you to deliver it for me. I uh, forgot the significance of the new name."

"You must have been distracted," said Rosemary coldly. "I hear that can happen to busy people."

The store's occupants all looked at one another guiltily.

"Well, it remains pretty clear Lucas and Elizabeth wanted to keep their elopement a secret," observed Bill pragmatically, "so we should continue to respect their privacy until they're ready to tell us." He looked directly at each of the three women in turn, whom everyone knew were the biggest gossips in town.

The door bell jingled again, and in came Mei and Faith. They stopped short at the obvious tension in the store, wondering what they were interrupting. No one had noticed the smaller picture Ned had dropped on the floor, but Faith saw it and bent to pick it up, her eyes widening at the newly-wedded couple smiling back at her.

"Oh my! When did this happen?"

"It was a secret elopement," explained Florence helpfully. "They can't know that we know."

"How exciting!" said Mei.

Rosemary frowned. "I think it was very inconsiderate of them."
"Now, Rosemary," said Bill, "think about it. Nathan hasn't even been gone a year. They must have been worried about what we'd all think, especially Allie. The poor kid has been through so much. Knowing Elizabeth, the last thing she would want to do was hurt her even more."

"But she could have told me. I mean, I'd known they were engaged for weeks—"

"What?" said all four women in unison.

"See? I can keep a secret." She didn't see the irony of that statement until after she'd said the words.

Bill looked heavenward. Women, he thought. "All right, we all need to make a pact. No one here lets on that we know about this, so if word leaks out, we will all know that it came from one of us. I need everyone's promise right now, not a word. Raise your hand and say: I promise." When no one followed his lead, his eyes narrowed dangerously, and they all rushed then to obey his command.

All but Rosemary, of course.

"Rosemary," he prompted gruffly. All eyes turned to her, and she huffed, then reluctantly raised her hand.

"Oh, all right. I promise."

"I pwomise too, Mommy," echoed Goldie's little voice, and they all laughed, relieving some of the tension.

"Thank you, sweetheart," smiled Rosemary down at her daughter. She took her shopping basket from the counter in one hand, Goldie's little hand with her other. "Now, we'd better get home. Daddy is meeting us there for lunch."

She looked around at the friends with whom she'd just made a sacred oath. "Ladies…gentlemen," she nodded, then left the mercantile, head held high, the cheerful bell seemingly mocking her in her wake.

At the bottom of the steps, Rosemary paused. Down the street, she could see Elizabeth entering the Queen of Hearts, and she felt the prick of frustrated tears.

"I promised I wouldn't say anything," she muttered to herself, "but I didn't promise I wouldn't do anything."

A/N: Rosemary, Rosemary. I admit I was inspired to write this last scene by my favorite Friends episode "The One Where Everybody Finds Out" (a comic masterpiece). I plan on amping up the comedy a bit, along with the romance, but there's also some heavy drama to come too. I hope you like rollercoasters.

*See Acts 5:1-11, Holy Bible KJV