August 1923

"How about Charles?" Nathan asked, trailing his fingers across Elizabeth's stomach.

They were lying on their bed atop the covers as the summer sun set outside, trying once more to settle on a name for their baby.

She scrunched her nose and shook her head. "No."

"Oh, come on. What's wrong with that one?"

"I had a childhood friend named Charles. He proposed to me when Jack and I were courting, and I'm sure you can imagine that created some issues for us."

"Okay." He chuckled. "Not Charles, then."

She placed her hand beside his, feeling the baby turn beneath her fingers. "I still like the idea of naming him after you. Little Nathan."

"And I still say that's too confusing," he teased, moving his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "What about William? After your father and Bill."

"Hm," she hummed. "William Grant." She had to admit, it did sound good spoken aloud. Strong, dignified. But she couldn't resist. "William Nathan Grant?"

"We can discuss it," he finally relented. "But we also need to discuss names for a girl, too."

"We don't," she insisted. "This is our son in here." She patted her belly.

"What makes you so certain that it's a boy?" he questioned, genuinely curious as to why his wife seemed so adamant that she was carrying their son and not their daughter.

She shrugged. "I don't know how to describe it. It's just a feeling. Physically, I feel a lot like I did when I was pregnant with Jack."

"But what if you're wrong?"

"Then I'm wrong," she said matter-of-factly, her shoulders lifting in a shrug. "I love this baby so much, not because I think it's our son, but because it's our baby. Boy or girl, this baby is part me and part you. How could I not love them?"

He gave her a lopsided grin before leaning in to kiss her. "A little bit of both of us," he echoed as he pulled back. "But I hope this baby is more like you."

"Uh uh," she hummed in disagreement. "He's going to be a little Nathan, even if you won't let me name him Nathan."

"Well," he returned his hand to her stomach. "We'll find out who's right in about two months, right?"

She nodded. "Maybe sooner. Jack was almost a month earlier than we expected."

"We're going to say a prayer that this birth isn't as dramatic as that one," he joked, having been apprised of everything Elizabeth went through to bring her son into the world.

She took his hand. "As long as I have you by my side, everything will be just fine."

"I'll be with you for every moment." He leaned in for one more kiss. "But for now, I need to go pack for the big camping trip, so we can leave first thing in the morning."

"That's right. Jack is very excited. He's been talking about it all week."

"I'm excited, too." Nathan pulled a small bag from the wardrobe, along with a few articles of clothing.

"Just keep an eye on him, please. He's been trying to show the older boys he can keep up with them lately, and I'm afraid he's going to get hurt."

He tucked the clothes into the bag. "You don't need to worry, sweetheart. He'll be with me the whole time. I won't let him do anything he shouldn't."

"Good." She absentmindedly ran her hand over her stomach, feeling little jolts as the baby hiccuped. "I expect the both of you to come back in one piece."

He chuckled. "I'll do my best."

"I don't know if this is right." Allie held up the tangle of yellow yarn that she was attempting to knit into a blanket, her lips turning into a frown.

Elizabeth closed her book and looked over at her daughter's handiwork. "I think you just dropped a few stitches, Allie. It's a pretty easy fix." She moved to sit beside her, taking her step by step through the process of picking up the dropped stitches. "See?" she said a couple of minutes later. "It's like you never dropped those stitches in the first place."

Allie grinned. "Thanks, mom." She worked a few more stitches into the blanket. "And thank you for teaching me how to knit. I'm glad that I can help make some things for the baby."

"He's going to love having things made by his big sister." She rested a hand on her stomach.

"Or she," Allie added with a smirk.

"Or she," Elizabeth conceded, chuckling softly. "You and your father just love reminding me that I could be wrong."

"Maybe a little." Allie shrugged, a mischievous smile crossing her face. "I wonder how he and Jack are doing on their camping trip."

"Hopefully they aren't getting into too much trouble," Elizabeth joked. "I told your dad that they'd better come back in one piece."

"Robert and Opal said you and Jack's dad took them all camping years ago."

"We did," she confirmed. A smile played on her lips at the memory. She and Jack had taken the schoolchildren camping just outside of town. The trip hadn't quite gone to plan, with the boys ending up in Jack's tent after getting a little too spooked by the ghost stories he insisted on telling. "Maybe next Spring, we can do another school camping trip. I'm sure dad would be up for it."

"That would be fun," Allie agreed. "I know Angela and I really enjoyed camping with dad and Pastor Canfield. I bet it would be even more fun with the rest of our friends there, too."

"That settles it, then. I'll talk to dad when he and Jack get home tomorrow."

Allie continued on the blanket before speaking again. "Did you ever go camping when you were young?"

Elizabeth let out a laugh. "No. My parents aren't the type to enjoy the outdoors beyond the occasional walk through the garden."

"So what sorts of things did you do for fun?"

She reached for the book she had set aside earlier. "I read a lot. I wrote stories. I went to social events."

"Do you ever miss living in Hamilton? Having a big house with everything at your fingertips? It sounds so glamorous."

"Truthfully?" She sighed, settling back into her seat. "I don't miss it. I love it here, the slower pace of life, the sense of community, the friendships. I didn't have any of that in Hamilton." Her gaze shifted to the wall as the memories started flowing. "I will admit I almost went back after I lost Jack's father, but once I knew Jack was on his way, I knew I didn't want to be anywhere but here. I can't imagine Jack—or this baby—growing up anywhere else. I'm sure dad felt the same when he came here with you."

"It is a pretty great place to live," Allie concurred.

Jack looked over at Nathan, still holding his pole steady as the line floated in the stream. "Do you think mom is missing us?"

"I'm sure she is." The corner of his lips turned up. "I'm sure missing her right now."

"Maybe after the baby is born, we can all go camping. Mom and Allie, you and me, and the baby."

"That sounds like a great idea, Jack. And in a few years, you and I can take your little brother or sister camping and teach them how to fish."

"I hope it's a brother," he stated matter-of-factly. "Since I already have a sister."

Nathan chuckled. "Well, your mom thinks the baby is a boy, so if she's right, you'll get your wish. But we're going to be happy no matter what, right? Boy or girl, we're blessed to have this baby join our family."

"Yeah, I guess." He shifted from one foot to the other. "Hey, dad? What happens if we don't catch any fish for dinner?"

Nathan smiled and shook his head at the change in subject. "I packed a few tins of food just in case, but I have a feeling we'll be feasting on fish tonight."

"I'm going to catch more than you," Jack challenged with a smirk.

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you think so?"

"Mhmm." The boy nodded. "I'm getting really good at fishing."

"You sure are, Jack."

The two lapsed into a companionable silence. Jack locked his eyes on his line, waiting for a fish to swim near.

Nathan watched him, not really caring about his own line anymore. His heart swelled with pride. He still couldn't believe that he had the privilege of being the boy's father, that he would get to watch him grow up, to teach him how to be a man.

"I love you, Jack."

Jack rolled his eyes playfully. "I love you, dad."

"Auntie Wizbeth!" Goldie screeched as she climbed up the steps of the café, running as fast as her little legs would carry her.

"There's my favorite little goddaughter." She lifted the girl to her lap, looking up as Rosemary finally caught up with the toddler.

"It's amazing how quickly she can run now." Rosemary shook her head and laughed. "It almost makes me miss the days when she couldn't get around on her own."

"Before you know it, she'll be off, figuring out what she wants to do with her life," Elizabeth stated with a glance toward the infirmary, where Allie was spending the day helping Faith.

Rosemary chuckled and took a seat across from her friend. "Oh, no. Lee has already made her promise she won't be growing up any time soon. She's still our little baby."

"Auntie Wizbeth got a baby." Goldie informed her mother, tapping on Elizabeth's stomach.

"That's right, sweet girl. There's a baby in here." Elizabeth ran her fingers through the girl's soft curls. "It won't be long before this baby is out here with us."

"How are you feeling?" Rosemary asked.

"Pretty good." She moved a hand to her stomach. "Nathan has been waiting on me hand and foot, so I haven't really been able to feel anything but good," she joked. A smile played on her lips. "I can't wait to see him with this baby. He was so good with Jack when he was little, and he's been wonderful with Goldie, too."

"He is a good dad," Rosemary agreed. "And I can't wait to watch Goldie and your little one grow up together. They'll be the best of friends."

Nathan's mind was reeling as he hurried toward town as quickly as possible without jostling Jack. How would he tell Elizabeth? What could he have done differently? He thought back to what had happened that afternoon.

Their fishing expedition had been successful, and with their catch in tow, they headed back toward their camp. Jack was chattering away, reminding Nathan that he had caught the most fish. Neither of them saw the hole in the ground until it was too late.

Jack's foot caught in the hole and he went tumbling to the ground, throwing his arms straight out in an attempt to catch himself. He immediately shrieked in pain, clutching his left arm to his chest. Nathan's heart sank when he examined the boy, knowing right away that the arm was broken.

Nathan stabilized Jack's arm as best as he could before the two made their way to the infirmary. Faith rushed over as soon as the door opened.

"Dad? Jack?" Allie's voice cracked when she saw her brother being carried by their dad. "What happened?"

Nathan carefully laid Jack on the bed. "He tripped and fell. I'm almost positive his arm is broken, and his ankle might be hurt, too."

"It hurts!" Jack whimpered. "I want mama."

"I'll get her," Allie assured him. "She's just down the street with Miss Rosemary."

Faith was in the middle of her examination when Allie arrived with Elizabeth just a few minutes later.

"I'm here, Jack." She moved to his side, gently running her fingers through his hair to comfort him. "Allie said he broke his arm?"

Faith nodded, fingers gently probing Jack's arm. "Luckily, it seems like it's a clean break. He'll need to be in a cast for a few weeks until it heals. His ankle is sprained, too, so I'll need to wrap that up."

"How did this happen?" She directed her question to Nathan.

"It was an accident. He tripped." He shook his head, tears filling his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I should've been paying more attention. If I would've seen that hole…"

"It's okay, Nathan. These things happen. I'm sure you broke a bone or two when you were a boy."

"Mama," Jack sniffled. "My arm hurts."

"I know, Honey Bear. Dr. Carter is going to put a cast on it, and it should start feeling much better."

"And you'll stay with me?"

She pressed her lips to his forehead. "Of course, I will. Dad and Allie, too."

Nathan took Jack's uninjured hand. "We'll be right here the whole time."

Hours later, Jack was settled on his bed, his arm now secured in a cast, and his ankle wrapped and propped up on a pillow.

"Are you comfortable, Honey Bear?" Elizabeth pulled a blanket over him.

He shrugged.

"Any pain? Dr. Carter said you can take some more aspirin before bed if you need it."

"I'm okay, mama."

"Okay." She kissed his cheek. "I'll be right back with a glass of water and something to eat."

"How is he?" Nathan asked as she came down the stairs. "He's not hurting too much, is he?"

"He says he's fine."

He sighed, following her into the kitchen. "I still feel bad. If I would've just looked down, then maybe—"

"Nathan," she cut him off. "It was an accident. It wasn't your fault." She padded across the room, taking his hands. "Jack isn't mad at you. And you heard Faith. He'll be as good as new in a few weeks."

"He's our little boy, Elizabeth. I just hate seeing him hurt."

"I know." She reached up to touch his cheek, feeling the stubble along his jaw. "That's part of what makes you such a good dad."

He wrapped his arms around her, a smile finally appearing on his lips when he felt the baby kick.

"See?" She grabbed his hand and placed it directly over the baby. "Even the baby knows you're the best dad, and he isn't even born yet."

Nathan chuckled. "I don't know if I'm the best dad. I certainly try my best, though."

She leaned up to kiss him. "I think you're the best, and I'm sure that Allie and Jack would agree. I love you, Nathan."

Elizabeth made her way to the door, opening it to find Faith and Lily on the other side. She greeted the pair, informing Faith that Jack was out back with Allie and Scout.

"I hope it's okay that I brought Lily with me," Faith said quietly as they headed toward the back door. "She overheard me mention that I was coming to check on Jack, and she really wanted to see him."

"It's probably good for him to have a visitor, especially when that visitor is Lily," Elizabeth assured her. "He's been pretty upset about being so restricted on what he can do. I'm sure Lily will really help lift his spirits."

"Hi, Jack!" Lily immediately ran over to the swing, where Jack was sitting with his foot propped up.

"How has he been? Any complaints of pain?" Faith asked, deciding to let the children catch up before beginning her examination.

"No." Elizabeth shook her head. "Like I said, he's mostly just been upset that he can't move around like he wants to. He really misses being able to go for rides with Nathan."

"Well, depending on how his ankle is doing, he might be able to get back on his feet. And if that's the case, then I suppose I could allow him to ride Pal as long as Bill or Nathan is right there with him."

"Oh, he would love that."

"Hi, Dr. Carter," Allie said cheerfully as she approached the adults. "Are you here to check on Jack or mom?"

"I'm here for Jack today. Although," she looked over at Elizabeth, "it wouldn't hurt to do a quick checkup on you when I'm finished with Jack, just to make sure everything still looks good."

She rested her arms across her stomach. "Anything to make sure the baby is okay," she agreed.

"Can I help?" Allie requested sweetly.

"Of course. Let's go see how your brother is doing."

"Dad!" Jack sat up at the sound of the front door, his crayons clattering to the floor. "Guess what! Dr. Carter said my ankle is getting better, so I can ride Pal again!"

Nathan chuckled at the boy's excitement. "That's great news, Jack."

"Can we go tomorrow? She said I gotta have you or Uncle Bill right by me when I ride until my arm is better."

"We'll go soon, Jack." He ruffled his hair. "I promise. Where's your mom?"

"Upstairs. She said she needed to lie down."

Nathan's stomach dropped. Taking the stairs two at a time, he hurried up to the bedroom. "'Lizabeth? Sweetheart?"

She looked up from the book she was reading. "Nathan."

"Are you okay? The baby?" He took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Jack said you had to come lie down."

"I'm fine. The baby's fine. I'm just feeling a little sore, which Faith assured me is normal at this stage of pregnancy. She told me to rest when I need to. We want to keep this baby in for as long as possible."

"But not forever," he joked, placing a hand on her stomach. "Okay, little one? We'd like to meet you eventually."

She smiled. "But he can stay little forever, right? Allie and Jack are growing up, but he doesn't have to."

Nathan leaned in to kiss her. "I don't think we have any control over that, sweetheart."

"So how was your day? I notice you're home a little early." She took his hand, entwining her fingers with his.

He sighed. "Well, I got a call from Gabe."

"That doesn't sound good."

"I know it's not an ideal time with Jack being injured, and with the pregnancy and everything, but he needs me to go to Brookfield. One of the children from the orphanage is missing."

She gasped. "Oh, my goodness. Of course, you need to go. We'll be just fine here."

"I need to leave as soon as I can pack a bag." He stood, moving toward the wardrobe. "Where's Allie? I don't want to leave without saying goodbye to her and Jack."

"She's spending the afternoon with Angela."

"Okay." He folded a shirt and placed it in his bag. "I'll stop by the Canfields' place on my way."

A few minutes later, the pair stood at the door. Elizabeth slipped her arms around his waist.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." He kissed her hair. "Don't overdo it, okay? Keep that little one cooking."

She smiled. "I promise. I'll call Rosemary if I need anything and Faith if anything seems off."

He tightened his arms around her. "I love you, Elizabeth."

"I love you, Nathan. Be safe."

Nathan leaned on the desk, looking over the notes that Gabe had taken regarding the case. A nine-year-old girl named Lucy had gone missing a few days before. She had just arrived at the orphanage earlier in the week, and after speaking with some of the other children, Gabe had learned that she hadn't been adjusting well.

"Lillian thinks she may have run away," Gabe told him. "But she's new to this area. She could easily get lost."

The door swung open, startling them both.

"Mountie Gabriel." Two young boys stood in the doorway, out of breath, as though they had run all the way there.

"Miss Lillian hasn't come back yet," one boy explained through gasps. "She went to look for Lucy."

"She said she'd be back for dinner, but she isn't back yet."

Gabe huffed. "I told her not to go off looking by herself."

"But she knows the area."

"Not in the dark." Gabe glanced out the window, noting the setting sun. "Boys, get back to the house. Sergeant Grant and I will find Miss Lillian and Lucy. I promise."

Within minutes, the two men had saddled their horses and were heading in the direction Gabe felt was most likely to bring them to Lillian and Lucy.

"Lillian is smart, but when it comes to the children, she won't think about her own safety."

"Elizabeth is the same with her students." Nathan shook his head and smiled, thinking about the incident years before when Elizabeth had gone out in a wind storm to find Emily, completely ignoring the danger she was putting herself in. "It's frustrating, but it's also one of the things I love most about her."

"I know just what you mean." Gabe let out a chuckle before growing serious again. "We have to find her, Nathan."

"We will." He glanced around, lifting the lantern higher to light the trees around them. "But Gabe, I think we need to discuss the possibility that this might not be a case of a runaway child."

"You think she was kidnapped?"

"It's possible." He shrugged. "Have you noticed anyone new in town lately? Someone who may have shown a bit too much interest in the children?"

"No." Gabe shook his head. "Nothing suspicious. A few of the children mentioned that Lucy was asking about these woods, and about the surrounding towns. She's probably trying to get back home to Pine Lake, which is why I suggested we start our search in this direction."

"We should check the hunting cabins around here. Hopefully Lillian would hunker down for the night when she noticed the sun going down."

"The closest one is about half a mile away. Follow me."

"Allie?" Jack fidgeted with his blanket. "Dad will be okay, right?"

"Sure, he will," she assured him. "He's really good at his job, remember?"

"But everybody says my first dad was a really good Mountie, and he died. And dad got hurt before, with the car. No one talks about it anymore, but I remember."

"Well, I guess there's a chance he could get hurt again. But most of the times he's had to leave town for a case, he's been just fine. Besides," she added, "he has to come back so he can challenge you to another fishing contest."

Jack laughed. "That's right."

"And in the meantime, we can say a prayer that he stays safe."

"Okay."

A few minutes later, Allie joined Elizabeth downstairs. "Jack is worried about dad," she informed her as she took a seat on the sofa. "Are you worried about him?"

Elizabeth sighed. "I worry about your dad every time he walks out that door." She nodded toward the front door.

"So do I," Allie admitted. "I didn't want to scare Jack, but…"

"It's okay, Allie. He understands that the job of a Mountie can be dangerous; he knows his father and grandfather both died on the job, and he knows your dad has been hurt on the job before."

Allie tucked her legs beneath herself. "How do you handle all the worry?"

She shrugged. "I try not to think about everything that could go wrong, and when that doesn't work, I pray." She moved to sit beside the girl, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I'm always going to worry, and I'm always going to be afraid of the possibility of losing him—no matter what his job is—but I just have to trust that everything will work out the way it's supposed to."

Allie leaned against Elizabeth's shoulder. "Just like everything worked out with you and dad."

Elizabeth smiled, giving her daughter a little squeeze. "It took a while, but yes. I believe we were always supposed to be a family." She put a hand on her stomach, feeling the baby shift slightly. "If I would've let myself keep running because I was afraid, I would've missed out on all of this. Being your mother, watching you be a sister to Jack."

"Kissing dad?" Allie teased.

Elizabeth laughed. "That too. The point is, part of loving somebody is opening yourself up to that worry, that fear. But love makes it all worthwhile."

Nathan and Gabriel slowed their horses as they neared the cabin. Dawn was on the horizon, and the two men were exhausted. It was the fourth cabin they had checked. The others had been empty, but a dim light was shining inside this one, indicating that someone was there, or at least, had been there recently. Silently, they looked at each other, Gabe giving Nathan a slight nod.

They dismounted, leaving the horses out of sight. Gabe padded toward the front of the cabin, while Nathan made his way to the back door.

Peering in the window, he could see a small figure lying in the bed, seeming to be asleep. Lillian was seated in a chair next to the bed, also sleeping.

Nathan quietly made his way back to Gabe. "It's just the two of them. Both sleeping. Did you check the door?"

"Not yet. I didn't want to tip anyone off in case there was someone else inside. You're sure it's just Lillian and Lucy?"

"Positive."

Carefully, Gabriel tried the door, finding it unlocked. He shook his head and grumbled, "how many times have I told her to lock doors?" He padded across the room, trying not to startle her. He gently tapped her shoulder. "Lillian? Sweetheart?"

She blinked sleepily. "Gabriel?"

"Are you okay?" He quickly glanced over his wife, looking for any signs of injury.

"I'm fine, but Lucy," she nodded toward the sleeping child, "she tripped and fell in the stream, not far from here. That's where I found her last night. She's pretty banged up."

"We'll have Maggie look her over when we get back to town." He helped Lillian up and pulled her into his arms. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I'm sorry I didn't wait for you. I know you told me not to go looking by myself."

He kissed her cheek. "We'll talk about that later. For now, let's just get everybody home."

"Nathan!" Elizabeth gasped as he limped through the door.

"It looks worse than it is," he assured her. "The nurse in Brookfield did an exam. I just banged up my knee a little."

"You're limping an awful lot, Sergeant." She wrapped an arm around him and helped him to the sofa. "Let's get this leg elevated, and I'll see if we have any ice. We don't want that to swell."

She fluffed a pillow, resting his leg on it.

"Maybe I should see if Faith can stop by."

He grabbed her hand, stopping her from fussing over him. "Elizabeth. I'm fine. I promise. Maggie wouldn't have let me leave if I wasn't. And Gabe wouldn't have let me come back by myself."

"Well," she sighed. "I still want you to rest that leg for a while. I need you in one piece when the baby comes." She brushed the hair back from his forehead. "So how did this happen?"

"The little girl we were looking for, she had slipped in a stream and dropped her doll. I went to look for it and ended up tripping myself. But I found the doll, and Gabe and I found the girl—and Lillian, who had gone off to search on her own after Gabe told her not to." He reached up, tracing his fingers along her cheek and down her jaw. "She reminds me a lot of you, sweetheart."

Elizabeth smiled. "Well, I'm glad that everyone is okay. And I'm very glad you're home. We really missed you here."

"I missed all of you. Speaking of," he looked around the room, "where are the children?"

"Allie took Jack and Lily to get ice cream. We didn't think you'd be home until this evening. I can give Faith a call and have her send Allie and Jack home."

"No, let them have their fun. Come here." He tugged on her hand, pulling her toward him. "I love you, Elizabeth."

She slipped her arm behind his head, feathering her fingers through his hair. "I love you, Nathan," she whispered before pressing her lips to his.

He scooted over, and she squeezed into the space beside him, reclining with her back against his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her close. He smiled into her hair. "It's good to be home."

"Mom?" Allie stepped through the door with Jack and Scout close behind. "Is dad…?" She trailed off when she saw the two of them curled up on the sofa together.

"What's wrong, Allie?" Jack peered around her.

"Shh." She put a finger to her lips, suppressing a smile.

"Dad's home!" he excitedly whispered. "Now he can take me to ride Pal!"

"Let him rest first," she told him with a chuckle. "Scout, no!" she whispered sternly when she noticed the dog nudging her dad's hand with his nose.

Nathan slowly opened his eyes, a sleepy smile appearing when he saw the children. "Hey, Al. Hey, Jack."

"Hi, dad."

"I'd get up and hug you two, but," he motioned toward Elizabeth, who was still sleeping against him.

"She doesn't sleep well when you're gone," Allie informed him.

"Well, I'm here now."

"And we're certainly happy about that. Right, Jack?"

"Yeah. Dad, can you take me to ride Pal tomorrow?"

He laughed softly. "We'll see, Jack. I messed up my knee a bit while I was gone, so we might have to put off our ride for a few more days."

"Aw, man."

"I promise I'll take you before school starts, okay?"

He nodded. "Okay, dad."

"Jack, why don't we go feed Scout and then start making dinner?" Allie suggested. "It'll be a fun surprise for mom."

"Thank you, Allie."

"You're welcome, dad. Love you."

"Love you, too, kid." He smiled, settling back in with Elizabeth while he listened to the children chattering on their way to the kitchen.

As he held his wife, feeling the pressure of their unborn baby moving beneath his hand, he sent up a silent prayer of thanks for his family. For so many years, he could only experience this life in his dreams, and he was still amazed that—by the grace of God—it had finally become his reality.