Bill stood at the window, looking out at the street beyond. He took a deep breath and then turned toward Nathan and Elizabeth. "One thing I know for certain. If Jack let those guides go, it was for a good reason. He was always willing to take help when it was offered, especially when it affected the men he rode with."

Nathan nodded. "There's more to this story. And I don't think we can trust that Hargreaves is telling us the full truth or that he will manage it fairly. He'll want to sweep it under the rug, save the Force's reputation at all costs."

Bill nodded and said grimly. "And his own."

Nathan looked directly at Bill. "I think we've seen that firsthand. We need to read Jack's journal."

Elizabeth had been listening silently, but now she took Nathan's hand and spoke softly. "I'm so lucky to have both of you." She gazed at Nathan and then Bill. "Thank you."

Bill raised an eyebrow. "Don't thank us yet. I don't have the slightest idea how we get hold of that journal, short of stealing it. And I'm not interested in spending the rest of my days in a cell."

"But we both know people who would do a lot for us, and more importantly, for Jack Thornton," Nathan said. He squeezed Elizabeth's hand. "It will take Hargreaves a day or more to get back to Fort Clay. In the meantime, I'm going to find out where they have Jack's journal. There's only one secure office with a safe there, and that's in the clerk's office. I've stayed in touch with Hargreaves' assistant Constable Taylor and I may be able to convince him to let me "borrow" it for a night."

Elizabeth frowned. "Wouldn't the fort have high security around something like that?"

Nathan and Bill exchanged a glance and then looked at Elizabeth.

Bill chuckled. "Calling a collection of log cabins a 'fort' has always been a part of the Mountie hubris," he said. "They've certainly improved over the years, but it's not the medieval fortress most associate with the word. Fort Clay is really no more than ten or so moderately-sized buildings spread out over the forest floor."

Elizabeth nodded. "When I went up there with Jack, he said goodbye to me at the train station, so I never saw it. And if what Hargreaves said is true, he wasn't going there anyway – he was going to Fort McPherson."

Bill looked at Nathan. "So would this Constable Taylor fly in the face of regulations to that extent?"

Nathan chuckled. "Believe me, there is no love lost between Hargreaves and his men. He's not the type of officer who commands respect. Fear, maybe. Loathing, certainly. But not respect. Jimmy Taylor functions as Hargreaves' adjutant, and has taken no small amount of abuse from the man. Jimmy is a kind person, but he actually hates Hargreaves."

Nathan turned to Elizabeth. "On the other hand, Jack commanded respect, and I can guarantee you that if the choice is between loyalty to Jack Thornton or Andrew Hargreaves, Jack would win every time."

Bill raised an eyebrow. "And you know that being a Judge, I'm not hearing any of this…"

Elizabeth smiled, and took the first easy breath she'd taken since they'd stepped into the office. "So if you have the journal for a night, what will you do with it?"

Nathan shrugged. "Well, I have two choices. Memorize it, or transcribe it. And I'm afraid my memory isn't that good."

Bill nodded. "And we have no idea how long it is." He raised his eyebrows. "The Jack Thornton I knew was thorough and could be a bit long-winded in his reports."

Elizabeth tilted her head and smiled. "You'll need someone to verify the handwriting. And I assume two transcribers would be better than one?"

Nathan shook his head and said, "I need Bill here to watch over Hope Valley while I'm gone, and what we just learned can't go beyond this office." He took a deep breath. "No, I'll just have to write fast."

Elizabeth adopted her most patient schoolteacher look. "I wasn't talking about Bill," she said to Nathan. "Why don't I come with you? We can transcribe twice as fast. You take the left page, I take the right…"

Nathan shook his head immediately. "Elizabeth. No. A Mountie fort is really no place for a woman…" He knew as soon as the words left his mouth that he'd made a mistake. Elizabeth narrowed her eyes in the way he knew well.

"Is that right? Yet you dragged a four-year-old child around Mountie forts for years." She raised her eyebrows alarmingly. "Am I not as capable as a four-year-old child?"

Nathan moved toward her and placed his hands lightly on her shoulders. "You know that's not what I meant," he said softly. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ears affectionately. "I'll be riding up on Newton without breaks, and I want to be as inconspicuous as possible."

Elizabeth smiled. "You know I'm a good rider. And I assume there's an inn outside the fort? I can get us a room and no one will even know you're there."

Nathan returned her smile and paused, taking a deep breath at the prospect. "As enticing as that sounds… It just isn't a good idea. I need you to wait for me here. I'll send word."

Placing her hand gently on his cheek, Elizabeth said, "Nathan. For my entire relationship with Jack it felt like I was waiting. Waiting for him to come home, waiting for word to come, waiting for my life to begin. And while I waited, he died. I'm not waiting anymore for the man I love to come home to me."

Nathan saw the set of her jaw, and the steel in her eyes. Slowly, a smile started. This woman, he thought, is a force to be reckoned with.

"What about Little Jack?" he said, knowing that he was already giving in.

Elizabeth knew it too, and gave him a brilliant smile back. "Between Rosemary, Goldie, Allie and Angela, Jack will hardly know I'm gone. And of course you know that school is on a break so I'm not needed in the classroom."

During this entire conversation, Bill had been quietly sitting in Nathan's chair, leaning back and grinning. He'd known Elizabeth for eleven years, and Nathan for six – and he could feel, as he had for a long time, how right they were for each other.

Either Nathan and Elizabeth had forgotten Bill was there, or they felt such comfort with him, that when Nathan bent to kiss her and she raised up to him, they held the kiss for just a bit longer than he would have expected.

But there is a happiness to knowing that the people you love also love each other – and right now, Bill was filled to the brim with that warmth.

Their story was simply that Nathan had some business to attend to at Fort Clay, and that Elizabeth was traveling with him to keep him company. Allie had asked to come along, but quickly reminded herself of her conversation with Nathan about the family picnic and how they had at first intended on going without the children, so she didn't press when they said no.

Allie had an ulterior motive, of course. She knew that her dad and Elizabeth were deeply in love, and after all this time, she could see no reason why they had to wait to be a family. Dinners together were becoming more frequent, and she knew it was getting harder and harder for her father to leave Elizabeth and for Mrs. Thornton to let him go – as hard as it was for Allie to leave Jack.

Nothing like a ride under the stars, conversations on the trail, and a romantic moon to get people in the mood. Or at least, that's what Allie had read in books. Her fondest wish was that they return from Fort Clay and announce their engagement.

"I'll help Mrs. Coulter with Jack. Angela, Robert and I can take him to look at the tadpoles whenever she needs a break." She smiled sunnily. "We'll have fun!"

Elizabeth hugged Allie tightly. "Thank you. I won't have a moment's worry knowing that you're helping Rosemary." Stretching out her arms and looking at Allie, she said, "We'll miss you. But we'll be back just as soon as we can."

Rosemary was not as easily convinced. That evening before they left, she gave Elizabeth her best Valley Voice scrutiny and pried further. "There's more to this than what you're saying, isn't there? Why was that villain Hargreaves here?" Taking a deep breath and frowning, she added, "If you can't tell your best friend, who can you tell?"

"No one, Rosemary," Elizabeth said softly. "I can tell no one. Please trust me, and when we get back, you will have the whole story. Maybe not for publication, but I promise I will tell you everything."

Rosemary suddenly tilted her head. "You're eloping!" Then she looked horrified. "Don't you dare! I need a wedding, with a dress and flowers and champagne! Don't you dare take that away from me!"

Elizabeth laughed and shook her head. "No, we're not eloping!" She hugged her friend. "We haven't even talked about that yet…"

"But if he asked, you would say yes?" Rosemary said.

Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth said, "I will not be interviewed, Rosemary!" Then she sighed softly and said, "In a second. I would say yes in a second." She squeezed her friend's hand lightly. "I love him so much. More every day. And what he's doing for me…"

"What is he doing for you?" Rosemary asked quickly. "What is going on?"

Smiling sadly, Elizabeth said, "If I could tell you, I would. When we get back, I will. Just know that Nathan is protecting me in every way possible, and protecting my son – and for that, I love him more than I can express."

Now Rosemary looked concerned. "Protecting? Elizabeth, are you in danger? From whom?"

With a deep sigh, Elizabeth said, "I'm in no danger. I will only tell you this, and you must tell no one but Lee. This is about Jack's reputation, and Nathan is determined that it stays intact." Seeing Rosemary open her mouth to speak, Elizabeth said, "No more. Trust me. I know you'll take good care of my son. And we'll be back before you know it."

They left at sunrise the next morning on Newton and Sargent, with only Bill seeing them off.

Hugging Elizabeth, he said, "I'll do my best to keep the gossip down." He raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Just as I did when you and Lucas traipsed off to Union City for the night,"

Pulling back, Elizabeth said indignantly, "There was no traipsing, Bill. Separate rooms at a hotel and an author reading, nothing more…"

Nathan put his arm around her. "He's teasing you." Then looking at Bill in mock seriousness and nodding, he said, "...but it did look bad…"

Huffing, Elizabeth said under her breath, "You TWO…" She put her foot in the stirrup and pulled herself up on Sargent.

Bill chuckled and shook Nathan's hand. "I'll make inquiries while we wait to see what you find. I don't have the contacts at Fort Clay that you have, but I have plenty of others that may know more about The Lost Patrol."

"Thanks, Bill. I'll send word if I can," he said, moving effortlessly up on Newton.

Bill smiled. "Be safe," he said.

Nathan and Elizabeth gazed at each other, recognizing how those words had seen them through so many difficult and good times. Turning back, they said in unison, "We will."