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Nathan & Elizabeth: An Epic Love

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Chapter Twenty-Seven

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Promotions

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Part I

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Nathan got up early Wednesday morning, just as he always did, first spending a bit of time reading his Bible and saying his prayer for the day as his personal devotional.

Though he usually chose a certain Book and read the chapters straight through, this morning, for some unknown reason, he simply opened his Bible, letting it randomly fall where it may, and this was the first passage he read: Psalms 75:6-7:

"For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He putteth down one and setteth up another." (*68)

"Dear Lord, I'm not at all sure how this applies, but use these words, your words, in my life today for your glory. I ask that you be with me as I meet with my superior officer, 2nd in command of all Mounties. Help me think clearly, immediately, and precisely so that my lips know what to wisely say. Then help me to speak accurately and succinctly while communicating those thoughts. Thy will be done. Amen!"

Late last night Nathan had walked Elizabeth and Jack home, then returned home and to take a long relaxing bath, after having ridden quite a while during the day. So this morning, he laid out his newly cleaned uniform, as well as his boots that had been shined to perfection.

He walked quietly next door, splashed water on his face and hair, brushed his teeth, and quickly shaved, then completed his toiletry by combing his unruly hair into place.

After he returned to his room and first removed his robe and pajamas, then dressed in his undergarments, with his mind wandering as to what the day's purpose could be for Hope Valley and its citizens, what exactly would be accomplished, and what his role would be in whatever played out.

Oddly, at least it would be to most, he had no preconceived answers to any of the three suppositions.

But Nathan was a patient man and preferred to take life as it came.

Perhaps it was his patience that had gotten him through the last few difficult years of persevering, as Elizabeth took a circuitous journey eventually leading back to him, the place both of them had always known was where they were meant to be.

It was definitely his patience, along with his caution, that made him a most capable Mountie who was able to be successful where others were not.

But as he now dressed in his jodhpurs and boots, he couldn't help but feel whatever was about to happen was significant and would perhaps even prove life-altering for this little town he loved. Though in what ways, there was really no way to tell.

Dressed, except for putting on his Serge, he peeked in to make sure Allie was okay. He smiled, glad that after her exhausting day of re-doing the house yesterday, she was sleeping soundly. She was also very pleased her ploy had clearly worked, with both her Mama and Jack wishing to live here with them rather than residing in their current rowhouse.

Little did Nathan know just how significant Elizabeth's choice had been, nor that it screamed how much she loved him, given her previous refusal to move, period.

He walked down the staircase as carefully as he could so as not to waken his daughter.

Pausing, he looked back over everything.

"Allie, in one day, you have accomplished making a truly beautiful home for the two of us, soon to be the four of us!"

Nathan, sighed, so thankful for the present, while looking forward to spending a lifetime with his Lizbeth.

"We will simply take life as it comes, enjoying every single possible moment!"

Rather than taking time to make a quick breakfast at home, contented, the Constable of Hope Valley instead decided to stop by and grab his thermos of coffee from the Café, along with one of Minnie's famous egg sandwiches, so he could get an earlier start on rounds…

While Nathan was completing rounds, he was thankful everything had gone smoothly so far.

That is until he came upon Mrs. Haversham's cow, who had decided to jump her newly raised fence yet again and was mingling with the Campbell horses, who lived next door.

"You need to be in a fair to win best-jumping cow of the century, Daisy Lou! I can't make that fence any higher, and Mrs. Haversham isn't in good enough health to track you down. Come on, let's get you home!"

But unfortunately, Daisy Lou was having a rather rough day, and prodding was the last thing on her mind.

"Oh, no, Daisy! No, no, no! You cannot have that baby now. Not now, please not now!"

Daisy clearly had her own ideas about the matter, which the horses could also plainly see, staring at the Constable, like:

"You've got to do something! All we can do is support her, but you can actually help her!"

Nathan knelt down and checked her, moaning right along with Daisy, the whole time.

It was clear the calf was coming and coming quickly.

Nathan removed his Serge and rolled up his Henley sleeves, reaching inside Daisy to better assess where they were, as he did so, Daisy heaved, and suddenly Nathan could see, Daisy wasn't just having one calf she was having two!

"Oh, no, this means I'm stuck here for at least an hour! Daisy, we have to get a move on! And fast!"

As luck would have it, the first calf was breech, and given that these were twins, the second one would most likely be too!

Nathan worked hard to reposition the first twin whose legs were coming out first, which was not at all best.

Finally, he realized he just had to go with it, keeping the calf's legs as close together as possible, while pulling gently to help the birth along.

"It's alright Daisy, we're getting there. Can you push for me and help a fella out?"

By some miracle, it was as though Daisy understood, though it took all the effort she could muster.

After many contortions on both the Constable's and Daisy's part, the legs and shoulder were out, along with Daisy's bag of water, which burst and gushed all over Nathan.

"Work with me, Daisy! We're almost there!"

With one final push, the first calf was out.

"Please breathe, little one!" as Nathan quickly scooped the phlegm from the baby's mouth, resulting in a weak little cry.

The baby was obviously chilling, and all Nathan could do was grab his Serge to cover it with, since there was no time to reach for the blanket on Newton, who was tied back at the fenceline.

"Please make it, Little One! I'm watching you as best I can, but we've got to get your twin out!"

The little calf let out a weak cry as though he understood.

"Your sibling is breach too, and in a worse way than you were."

So, Nathan pushed on Daisey's belly, trying to reposition the second calf, first, from the outside.

"If you'll just drop a little, Daisey, so I can reach in and help you!"

There hadn't been a lot of placenta with the first, though it had still been messy, which meant the second calf probably had even less surrounding him.

"Where is a good vet when you need one?"

The problem was there wasn't even another human in sight, just the Constable surrounded by horses who seemed to be protecting the little calf who had already arrived and was now being warmed by a red Serge.

It was getting late as more than a half hour had passed.

"Daisy, you've got to help me here. I have a 10 o'clock appointment with top brass. That means I can't miss it or even be late! Work with me. You've got to push this second one out and now!"

As though Daisy understood, she grimaced and gave it all her might, which dropped the second baby calf enough so that Nathan could reach in and grasp it.

"Yoohoo, Constable! It's Mrs. Haversham! I brought the wagon in case something was wrong. Oh, my goodness. There's a baby!"

"And another one is almost here," shouted Nathan.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!"

"I've got this! Can you go get Jeb, to come help transport them back to your place? I've got a meeting I can't miss with the Deputy Commissioner!"

"Oh, oh, oh – yes! I'll go get Jeb, right now! I'm just so sorry, Constable Grant. So terribly sorry for this mess!"

"Not a worry, Mrs. Haversham! It's my job to do the right thing and this was definitely the right thing to do…"

Looking rather bedraggled, Nathan rode Newton into town at a fast gallop determined not to be late for his appointment with Deputy Commissioner Blevins.

Meanwhile, Bill and Hal were drinking their second cup of coffee after breakfast at The Queen of Hearts Hotel.

"Oh, my goodness! There's our Constable, now," and Bill jumped up instructing Mike to put their breakfast and coffee on his tab. "Not lookin' too good, I might add!"

Hal quickly followed, looking pristine in his regal uniform, watching the Constable's grand entrance.

Breathless, Nathan slowed Newton and magnificently brought his steed to a full stop in front of the Hotel, gliding off of him in one graceful movement, though his attire was now anything but.

Nathan immediately stood at attention, his full height stiff, crisply saluting his Commanding Office, Deputy Commissioner Hal Blevins, who returned the formal salute.

With his eyes twinkling, Hal immediately summed up the situation and couldn't wait to hear exactly what had happened.

Bill just stood there glowering at Nathan as if he had intentionally sought out trouble.

"Constable Nathan Grant, Sir, reporting for our appointment, Sir!"

"At ease, Son! What in the world happened to you?" chuckled Hal.

"Mrs. Haversham's Daisy Lou, the greatest cow jumper in all of history, Sir! Seems she jumped the new recently built and improved raised fence, Sir. But this time pregnant with twins. Had to deliver them both in a horse field. My apologies, Sir. I assure you, my uniform and boots were pristine when I started rounds this morning, though now, sadly unpresentable! If you'll just give me a moment, I'll remedy all this, as I have an extra uniform at my Office."

"No, Son, not at all necessary! How about Bill and I walk you and your horse to your office, so we can meet there?"

"Of course, Sir! Welcome to Hope Valley!"

"Nathan, of all the days!" grumbled Bill in a low voice of chastisement.

"Tell me about it! So sorry, Bill, but couldn't be helped. As cantankerous as Daisy Lou is, Mrs. Haversham can't afford to lose her! And had I not stopped, I doubt that Daisy or the twins would have survived. Jeb is transporting them back to her farm, now, so I could come on back to Hope Valley."

"You made the Mounties proud, Son! Maintiens le droit! And you just did exactly that. Wish all our men were that committed out in the field!" (*69)

Then he added cheekily.

"Though I don't recall our curriculum including how to birth a single cow, much less twins," and he chuckled again.

"No, Sir! But you also tend to learn a lot being out in the field after training, Sir, if you remain open to learning that is!"

"That's the key, for sure! And sadly, not many of our men are so flexible as to do what you just did! While under the duress of waiting to see me, too! I'm impressed! Bill tells me you've been indispensable to this town from the day you arrived."

"Did he tell you he also arrested me the first night and threw me into jail, Sir?" grinned Nathan.

Hal cackled.

"Bill, you didn't!"

"Now, just hold on a minute! How was I to know? The man was in civilian clothes in the middle of a bar fight!

"Stopping a bar fight," grinned Nathan. "And I was in civilian clothes so I could get the lay of the land!"

"Hmph," grumbled Bill.

"Personally, that's a brilliant ploy!"

"Thank you, Sir!"

Now, I can see why you two gentlemen get along so well," chuckled Hal. "Now that meet and greet is one for the books; one I would have paid money to see too…"

As Nathan opened the door to the Mountie Office, he was literally stunned.

The place was pretty much unrecognizable with its new décor and new furniture.

"Bill, did you do all this? The place has never looked nicer!" exclaimed Nathan.

"Oversaw it, but Hal, here gets all the credit. He brought in several teams who have been working since Monday night, but I'll let him explain as we go," winked Bill.

"Nathan, you are perfectly fine as far as I'm concerned, just as you are, and you will soon see there is no need to change uniforms if you'll trust me."

"Of course, Sir, if you're not offended, I can easily change later. Can I get you some coffee?"

"Thank you, but not now, as we've just had two extra cups after breakfast! Maybe after we talk."

"Yep, two extra cups, waitin' on you, Son!"

"Bill, Constable Grant was not late! In fact, he's early. Which is good, since we've got a lot to cover. You two ready to get to it?"

"Yes, Sir!" nodded Nathan, unsure as to where everyone should sit, or even if he should be the one to direct them.

"Constable, why don't you take your normal seat behind the main desk, and if you don't mind, Bill and I will sit here across from you. I've asked my good friend to be here for a variety of reasons, that is, if you have no problem with that!"

"No, Sir, Bill and I work together as a team, Sir!"

"I can tell, and I'm most grateful for that! They don't come better than this Judge right here! He and I went through Officer's training together as Inspectors and he is without a doubt my dearest lifelong friend. Though he's helped me get some work done here in Hope Valley by managing my cleaning, painting, and moving crews, I haven't been able to fully divulge what all is going on even to him, though I trust him with my own life. I felt it was critical to wait and discuss this most urgent matter with the both of you."

Suddenly, the three men were one, ready to get whatever this most unusual job was, done.

"Nathan, three years ago you gave up a prestigious Inspector's position at Union City. I've reviewed the documents, but can you tell me why in your own words?"

"My daughter, Sir. Allie came to live with me at four years of age when my sister died, and she is my daughter in every sense of the word. In my job, we moved around quite frequently, and she was a trooper, but it was difficult for her to fit in since, as soon as she made friends, it was time to move again. She finally bonded and made friends here in Hope Valley. Because of that, I simply couldn't sacrifice her happiness for the advancement of my career, even though I very much wanted the job. I've always felt being an Inspector was where I could contribute best. Though I don't regret my decision, as it was a necessary one at the time, Sir!"

"And that logic is commendable! Though the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were the losers in that particular scenario…"

"Angela! What are you doing?" called Allie, frantically as she ran outside from the Mercantile to the Boardwalk in front of the entrance.

Angela turned to Allie's voice, smiling.

"I just wanted to see if I could do the steps on my own. Don't worry, I'm holding onto the banister!"

But when Angela took that last step down, two handsome young men chattering away, ran smack dab into her, causing the library books in the crook of her left arm to scatter across the steps, while also causing Angela to lose her balance, falling straight to the road, first feeling around her. However, when she realized she was on solid ground, she began laughing.

"I did it!" she called, full of pride over her accomplishment.

Allie flew down the steps, attempting to help Angela up without much success as the young men appeared to be frozen unsure what they should be doing to help, mortified that apparently, they had caused the tumble in the first place.

"Look at what you've done!" Allie shrieked, still trying to give Angela a hand while holding her friend's white cane and a box of chocolate cupcakes they had picked up at the Café. "What were you two thinking?"

"We're so terribly sorry! We didn't see her, and we didn't know you were blind too, or we would have been even more careful," apologized the handsome, dark-haired youth.

"I'm not blind," Allie seethingly whispered. "My friend is. Could you please give us both our dignity back and help me get her up from the middle of the road? Like now!"

"Yes, Miss! I feel so terrible. We're just so very, very sorry! Aren't we Peyton?"

But Peyton was already busy very carefully lifting Angela up and carrying her up the steps to a chair he had spotted on the Boardwalk.

"I don't know who you two bumpkins think you are, but can you at least open your eyes the next time you are walking down one of our streets?"

Allie, still climbing up the steps to get to Angela, turned around to face the young man with a look he would have rather not received, when she suddenly turned around and tripped on one of Angela's many books causing a further cascade of the books to re-tumble down the stairs along with Allie's cupcakes spilling out of their box as she stumbled backward, straight into the arms of the young man she was thoroughly blessing out, with icing across her face from one of the cupcakes that had been tossed up in the air from her now completely collapsed box!

"There, caught you? Now are we even?"

"Not even close," glared Allie while still in his arms, noticing for the first time his beautiful deep blue eyes, while at the same time, he couldn't look away from her big dark brown ones.

Both cleared their throats, both breathing rapidly, neither understanding what this was they were feeling, though it was suddenly quite a wonderful thing.

"I am not an invalid! And people are staring. Will you please let me down? Like now?"

"You have icing on your nose. Here, let me get it!"

"Will you please stop? I am quite capable of getting icing off my own face!"

"Of course, Miss!" responded the dark-haired guy, unable to take his eyes off this gorgeous, feisty girl, who in his estimation should have said 'beautiful face!'

He knew he sure would have…

Back in the newly renovated Mountie Office, the Deputy Commissioner began anew.

"Know that today, Constable Grant, I am speaking to you on behalf of your Commissioner and myself, your Deputy Commissioner. Recently, we have questioned time after time, where your record clearly shows that you should have been given a commendation for outstanding work or a medal for some significant accomplishment, why it has instead either been abominably turned into a trial or ignored altogether. All of this this via your current intermediary Commanding Officer, and through no fault of your own whatsoever. I even offer a recent example of what I'm talking about. You have just determined who the Governor's shooter was, with help from Bill and Rosemary, and you have also captured the most wanted criminal in Canada and the United States, Casimir Shaw, aka Jeanette AuCoin, and though we were waiting to sign off on those two commendations, as usual neither has been submitted."

The Deputy Commissioner paused, then continued on.

"For the record, the Commissioner and I are appalled at that inaction, and we've taken steps to correct those matters on both fronts, as you will soon see."

"On the other hand, your service record is impeccable, Constable Grant, and both the Commissioner and I are very impressed by it. You are highly respected throughout the force, and you are seen as a natural leader who is fair, consistent, and patient, not to mention extremely bright. It has been noted over and over that you see things others don't, but you do it with humility and respect, never arrogance. That is the sort of leader we want to propel forward instead of keeping status quo."

"Today, I'm here in part, on behalf of the Commissioner to re-offer you an Inspector's position. The difference is this time around, the position is right here in Hope Valley. Given that no relocation is required, are you willing to accept this new position?"

"To not uproot Allie and be an Inspector at the same time, of course, I accept! Without question. But, Sir, why do I get the feeling there is more to this?"

"Because there is, Son! In fact, there is a lot more to this!"

"But let it be noted and witnessed you have just accepted the job of Inspector based out of Hope Valley, at 9:45 AM, on this Wednesday morning, since we have started our meeting early. If you'll be so kind as to sign these papers, I will swear you in, making it official, as this is a very important piece to what we'll be discussing."

Nathan glanced at both men with questions but decided to trust his Deputy Commissioner, who seemed like an honest, humble, and good man. And if that was the case, that meant he was just as direct and trustworthy in regard to his position.

"Constable Nathan Grant, please stand, along with Judge Avery. By the authority vested in me as your Deputy Commissioner, it is my distinct honor and privilege to hereby commission and promote you to Inspector Nathan Grant! Congratulations, Inspector Grant! The Mounties are as honored as you with the fulfillment of this long-intended appointment!"

"Thank you, Sir! I gratefully share the honor!"

"Congratulations, Son," seconded Bill grabbing Nathan's hand and shaking it, then just grabbing his boy in a warm embrace!"

"But you have more to tell me, don't you, Sir?"

The three men sat back down.

"Yes, a lot more to tell you and to humbly ask you. If you are agreeable to our plan, you will remain an Inspector till exactly one hour from now at 10:45 AM."

Suddenly, both Bill and Nathan were confounded and did not at all understand what was happening.

"Nathan, in addition to noting the matters I've just addressed, to be completely forthright, the Commissioner and I have had our eye on you for quite some time, even before that initial Inspector's offer from Patrick O'Reilly, which we requested to be offered from the top down. We were gravely disappointed when you had to turn us down but we also understood your position. Even applauded it. Our goal then was to use the time to groom you for a position we knew was going to be coming available soon. Our goal today was originally to once again do the same, giving you at least a six-month period for you to acclimate from Inspector to your next, top-profile position. Regrettably, we don't have that luxury of time today, and the position we see you most effectively filling is now open."

"What position would that be, Sir?" asked Nathan, confused as to where the Deputy Commissioner was going with this conversation.

"We are hoping with all our might, that you are willing to become Chief Inspector of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and that hope is backed up now, with me formally offering you that position."

Bill was dumbfounded.

Nathan was listening attentively, and though he was stoic and didn't show any emotion at all, he was completely shaken inside…

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68. "Psalms 75:6-7," The Holy Bible, King James Version. Public Domain.

69. "Maintiens le droit," the official motto of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, first advocated in 1873 and adopted 2 years later, translated from the French to mean "Uphold the Right." Public Domain.