Nathan rushed down the main street of Coal Valley, making a beeline for Coulter Enterprises. He clutched the Telegram Ned Yost had handed him as his thoughts raced about why Gabe had requested, he come to Brookfield. Without hesitation, he leapt up the stairs outside Lee's office and bolted through the door.
"Lee! Can I talk to you, please? I need a favour."
Nathan stopped as he realised two things. Lee wasn't alone, and he was on the telephone. He must have looked more concerned than he realised as Rosemary, sitting opposite Lee at his desk, jumped up and rushed toward him. As he tried to form a smile for Rosemary, he heard Lee hurriedly end his telephone call.
"What is it?" Rosemary asked, full of concern.
"Sorry, Rosemary," Nathan said, taking a deep breath and smiling down at her and Lee as he walked over to join them. "I didn't mean to worry you." Holding up the paper in his hand, he explained, "Gabriel Kinslow sent me a Telegram asking me to come to Brookfield."
"Has something happened to Elizabeth?" Rosemary demanded as she reached for Lee's hand.
"No," Nathan assured her. "Gabe was clear about saying she was fine. They are all fine. It must be something else he needs me for."
"How can we help?" Lee asked.
"If I go to Brookfield, and Bill is already there, Coal Valley has no one enforcing law and order." Nathan knew Coal Valley was generally quiet and orderly, but he remembered the Bouchard's and what had happened recently with Henry and didn't want to take any chances. "I have wired Mountie headquarters for someone to cover for me while I am gone, but they won't get here in time for me to leave today, and I want to leave today."
"Are you asking me to look after Coal Valley?" Lee asked incredulously.
"Yes. If you feel comfortable doing it. It's just being available if something goes wrong and monitoring James to ensure he checks in at the end of each day. The relief the Mounties are sending from Benson Hills should arrive on the lunchtime train tomorrow."
"I'm comfortable doing it; I just assumed you would ask someone else, maybe Ned Yost or Tom from the livery."
"With Bill out of Town, there is no one I trust more than you to oversee our Town."
"And you're sure nothing dangerous will happen," Rosemary asked, her brow wrinkled in concern, her usual smile missing from her face.
"He can't guarantee that, Rosie," Lee said softly. "But think about how often bad things happen here, sweetheart. Coal Valley is hardly a dangerous frontier town anymore, and it's only one day."
"So, that's a yes. From both of you?"
After receiving positive responses from Lee and Rosemary, Nathan hurried back to the Mercantile to update Mountie headquarters and send a return telegram to Gabe, advising when to expect him. Nathan called in briefly at the Cafe to speak to Clara, asking her to prepare him food for the road. He could have made something at home, but it would be quicker and tastier if Clara helped him.
Nathan called to the livery, collected Newton, and then into the Café for his food before riding briskly out of Town, heading for home. He needed to pack clothing for several days, just in case, as he wasn't sure what Gabe needed him for. He hoped he could spend some time with Elizabeth while he was in Brookfield. It would be awful to get to Brookfield only to find they were heading out of Town immediately on their mission.
He had asked Gabe to let Elizabeth know he was on his way. He didn't want to spoil her plans, but he hoped she could adjust them so he could see her.
His last stop was Henry Gowan's home. He wanted to tell Henry that he was leaving and ask him to support Lee, and of course, he needed to let Colleen know. He had to cancel his plans to join them for dinner before his sister spent too much time and effort preparing it. When it was more than Henry for dinner, his sister prepared more elaborate dishes than everyday evening meals. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten breakfast, having put all the food Clara had prepared for him aside to eat on the road.
Nathan tied Newton's reins to the verandah post at the front of Colleen's home. A quick knock on the door, which went unanswered, told him Colleen and Allie were at Henry's. He glanced at his pocket watch and hurried toward the back door. This would need to be a quick visit if he wanted to reach Brookfield while it was still daylight.
Stepping up to the back door, Nathan heard laughter inside Henry's kitchen. He hated interrupting when Colleen sounded so happy, and Henry did too. He couldn't remember ever hearing Henry sound so carefree. Whatever was happening between Henry and Colleen, if something was happening and he was sure it was, was another reason he was keen to get to Brookfield. Maybe Gabe would have answers about Dylan, and he could talk to Elizabeth about what he had been seeing between his sister and Henry.
Nathan knocked on the back door and waited for someone to open it. He looked through the window and saw Colleen recognise his red serge before indicating it was okay for Allie to let their visitor in. Allie's greeting was as enthusiastic as ever as she threw herself into his arms. Nathan held on a little tighter and longer than usual, knowing there would be a time when his niece wouldn't greet him that way.
"Good morning, Uncle Nathan. Mumma told me you were coming for dinner."
"I'm sorry, Allie, but that's what I came to tell you. I have to go out of Town, so we will have to do it another time."
"Where are you headed?" Henry asked. Nathan knew he understood this was serious. Nathan wouldn't leave Coal Valley without Mountie protection if it weren't necessary.
"Brookfield."
"Has something happened to Elizabeth?" Colleen asked, rising from her seat at the table. "Or someone else?"
"Everyone from Coal Valley is fine. Gabe needs me for something else, but he didn't provide the details." Nathan directed his next words to Henry, "Lee has agreed to watch over the Town and James, but I would like you to support him, Henry. Especially with James, he trusts you." Nathan filled Colleen and Henry in on the arrangements he had made for a replacement Mountie.
"Of course, Nathan. I'll see Lee this morning and see what I can do." Henry hesitated, then added, "although I am not sure everyone will support your choice of me as Lee's deputy."
Reaching into the pocket of his serge, he handed Henry a bunch of keys. "I have no doubt you are the right man for the job, Henry. These are for the Mountie office; I didn't have time to go back to Lee once I finished with them."
"I'll make sure the Mountie from Benson Hills gets them."
"This isn't something that will be dangerous, is it?" Colleen asked.
"I don't believe so, Colleen; Gabe would have asked for more backup if that was the case."
"And Coal Valley isn't at risk; Henry and Lee will be fine? If I thought otherwise, I would wait for my replacement." Ruffling Allie's hair, he leaned down and hugged her. "I need to get going; I want to reach Brookfield before dark.
Henry and Colleen bustled around him, checking if he had food and other items he might need. Nathan assured them he had everything, and they walked him out, watching as he mounted Newton. Nathan turned back to wave a final goodbye, noting the three of them once again looked very much like a family as they stood on the verandah watching him go.
Travelling to Brookfield, Nathan pondered the possible reasons Gabe could have asked him come. He hadn't wanted to worry anyone in Coal Valley, but he did think the request was strange. Gabe would ordinarily have told him what mission they were going on so Nathan could prepare himself with information on the criminals. All the Telegram had done was assure him everyone was okay and ask him to come.
Had something happened to Elizabeth or one of the others, and Gabe hadn't wanted to break the news over a Telegram? No, he thought, discarding that almost immediately. If something had happened to Elizabeth, Bill would have come for him. If something had happened to one of the others, Gabe wouldn't have needed Nathan to come. Gabe had sent the Telegram, so Nathan could only assume nothing had happened to his friend.
He wouldn't find any answers until he reached Brookfield. Nathan clicked his tongue at Newton, urging him forward into a fast trot. He needed to reach Brookfield before he drove himself crazy trying to figure it all out.
Gabe returned to the Mountie office after his rounds. He had kept a lookout for Nathan despite knowing there was no way he could have arrived in Brookfield in such a short time. Sitting behind his desk, he reached into the top drawer and took out a collection of papers. He splayed the papers out on his desk. First, there was the Telegram from Nathan asking about Dylan, then Colleen's letter and then the report from the Prison detailing his final arrest, his death, and the location of where he was buried.
Gabe pondered the paperwork on his desk with a sense of Deja vu; he had sat in the same place, contemplating the same issue yesterday. Whether it had been the right decision to reach out to Nathan first, it was too late for him to second-guess himself. Nathan was on his way, and if Colleen were angry with him, he could only apologise to her.
Gabe leaned back in his chair and breathed out a long, tired sigh. It had been quiet in Brookfield, which was good for the Town and him as its Mountie. Having time on his hands should have allowed him to progress other things, like his relationship with Lillian. He knew he wanted more than their close friendship but continued holding back.
Sometimes, Gabe was sure Lillian felt the same way about him as he did for her - actually, most of the time. Every time he built up the courage to say something to Lillian, something would make him doubt himself, or should he say, someone? Sam Tremblay. Sam had been away from Brookfield, prospecting and had been gone for almost a month, and Gabe had not missed him. On his return, he went straight to the Orphanage, and Lillian, Grace, and the children were excited to see him. Gabe had seen him approaching and his stomach dropped; his plans for asking Lillian on a picnic disappearing with each stride that brought Sam closer.
Gabe knew Lillian appreciated Sam's work helping them at the Orphanage and that he was terrific with the children. He hoped that was the reason she was so excited when Sam returned. Gabriel knew Sam had feelings for Lillian; it was evident to anyone who saw him interact with her. Gabe knew his uncertainty about revealing his feelings to Lillian was because he wasn't entirely sure whether Lillian returned Sam's feelings or was being as kind to him as she was to everyone.
Glancing at the clock on the wall, Gabe saw it was time to meet Bill and the others for lunch at the hotel. The two men had arranged to stay behind and catch up while the others visited Tess Stewart and the ranch again. Gabe grabbed the letters from his desk and slipped them in his pocket, wanting to keep them close by. He would let Elizabeth know that Nathan was coming; he was sure she wouldn't mind the change in her plans.
Elizabeth glanced up as the door opened, and momentarily, as she saw the red serge of Gabriel's uniform, her heart leapt, thinking it was her husband. She missed him so much, especially now. She swallowed her disappointment and smiled at him as he weaved through the tables to where they sat.
Elizabeth was surprised when Gabriel reached their table, and instead of sitting in the empty seat beside Bill, he leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"Elizabeth. Can you stay here after lunch instead of going to the Stewart ranch?"
Elizabeth frowned at Gabriel. Why would he need her to stay behind?
"Has something happened? Is it Nathan?" Elizabeth could not keep the fear from her voice.
"No, nothing. I'm sorry; I should have said that immediately. Nothing has happened to Nathan, I promise."
"Okay," Elizabeth said, taking a calming breath. "Yes, I can stay behind. I'll make an excuse."
Elizabeth barely touched her lunch, worried about what Gabriel needed to talk to her about.
After eating two bites of her chicken salad, she placed her fork to the side.
"Elizabeth, I promise you; nothing is wrong."
"Thank you, but I wasn't hungry anyway."
Elizabeth couldn't believe how long the next thirty minutes felt. It was as though time stood still. Although she could see her family and other patrons happily eating their lunch, none seemed close to finishing. Finally, when she didn't think she could take another moment, Julie stood and announced she was going upstairs to collect her coat for their visit to the Stewart ranch.
Julie's announcement was the catalyst for the others to hurry through the remainder of their lunches. Within minutes, the rest of the group were gathering their things.
"Elizabeth? Would you like me to collect your coat for you?"
"Thank you, Mother, but I think I will stay here. I didn't sleep well last night, so I will see if I can catch up on some sleep."
"Are you feeling well? Do you need to speak to Robert?"
"No, I am fine; I just need some sleep."
Elizabeth was pleased when her mother accepted her response and hurried upstairs. Julie was too excited about the prospect of selecting a horse from Tess Stewart to enquire too much into Elizabeth's choice to remain behind. Julie's excitement also meant that once she was ready to leave, she hurried the others along so they could go.
When the door closed behind Robert, the last of their group, Elizabeth spun to Gabriel and demanded answers.
"Nathan is on his way to Brookfield," Gabriel stated.
"What? Why?" Elizabeth demanded.
"What haven't you told me, Gabriel," Bill growled.
Gabriel held up his hands, asking for their silence.
"There is nothing I haven't told you, Bill. This concerns Nathan and his family. Elizabeth, I promise you, Nathan is fine." Gabriel waited for the two of them to relax before he continued.
"I asked Nathan to come here to share some news with him. I didn't want to do it in a Telegram, and I wanted his advice on how to share the news with others."
"Colleen?" Elizabeth asked.
Gabriel hesitated, then nodded. "Elizabeth, if you don't mind, I want to share this with Nathan first. I asked you to stay behind because Nathan wanted to see you when he arrived. He has no idea why I asked him to come; he thinks I need him to go on a mission with me, and he didn't want to miss you, not knowing your plans."
"When is he coming?"
"He is on his way. I expect him here late in the afternoon, certainly before dark."
"And you don't need him to go anywhere with you. Will he be staying here in Brookfield?"
"Yes," Gabriel replied, seeing the hint of a smile on Elizabeth's face. "I know he asked for temporary assistance from Benson Hills, so I am sure he could delay his return and travel back with you."
This time, the smile spread across Elizabeth's face, and her eyes lit up with joy.
"Would you excuse me, Bill? Gabriel? I do want to try to take a nap, although I am not sure I will be able to sleep knowing Nathan is on his way."
"I'll wait for Nathan and make sure he goes to you when he arrives in Town."
Elizabeth thanked him, jumped up and hugged Bill before rushing upstairs.
"What do you need from me, Kinslow," Bill asked.
Reaching into his pocket, Gabriel pulled out the sheaf of papers. "I need you to help me understand how to break this news to Nathan and help me explain to Mountie headquarters why I felt the need to do this in person."
Nathan saw the Brookfield township growing more prominent on the horizon and urged Newton forward. He had conserved Newton's strength for this moment. Now he was so close to Elizabeth, he didn't want anything to delay him. If he only had a short time with Elizabeth before riding out again, he was going to get there as soon as he could.
As he rode down the main street, he was torn. He should go to the Mountie office, but he wanted to go to the Hotel and see if Elizabeth was there. Surely, Gabe would understand if he took a few moments to see his wife. Imagine if Elizabeth was in Town and saw Newton tied up outside the Mountie office, but he hadn't come to see her.
Gabriel must have been watching for him, Nathan thought, as he saw his friend step out of the Mountie office. Gabe didn't pause but kept walking out into the street, heading toward the Hotel. Nathan reined Newton in and dismounted, his stiff back reminding him of the length of his ride despite him being used to being in the saddle.
After quickly greeting each other, Gabe said, "Unload the things you will need with you, and I will arrange for someone to take Newton to the livery. Someone else can brush him out, feed and water him for once."
Grateful, Nathan did as he suggested as Gabe went inside the Hotel.
Nathan was pleased Newton would be cared for, but his genuine concern was seeing Elizabeth. When the door to the Hotel opened, he looked up briefly, expecting it to be Gabe, but instead, his wife stood in the doorway, beaming at him.
Nathan dropped his saddlebags onto the verandah and stepped toward Elizabeth, lifting her into his arms as she threw herself at him. Why had he ever thought he could last a week without seeing her, talking to her, or holding her in his arms?
"I missed you, Nathan. So much!"
Nathan drew back, frowning, hearing the tears in Elizabeth's voice as she whispered in his ear. Had Gabe been hiding something from him? Had something happened?
"What is it, Elizabeth. Has something happened?"
"Nothing bad has happened, I promise. I missed you more than I thought possible, and I am not sure how long you're here for."
"Me either. I have no idea what Gabe needs my help with."
"Why don't I explain that to you now," Gabriel offered, having followed Elizabeth from inside, unnoticed by both of them. "Why don't you both follow me? We can do this privately in the Mountie office."
Nathan kept one arm around Elizabeth as they followed Gabe. He didn't want to let her go for a second. He was pleased when Elizabeth gripped his hand in hers, resting their joined hands on her hip. Nathan didn't know how to feel about the mission with Gabe; he lacked the sense of urgency Nathan had anticipated.
Gabriel sat behind his desk, indicating Nathan and Elizabeth should take the seats before him. He reached into the drawer and pulled out Nathan's letter and the official correspondence from the Mounties. He deliberately left Colleen's letter in the drawer.
"Is that my Telegram, Gabe?" Nathan asked although he knew it was.
"Yes. Are you happy for me to share its contents with Elizabeth?"
"Of course." He glanced at Elizabeth and said, "I sent Gabe a Telegram asking if he could find information on Dylan. I sent it after you left for Brookfield, or I would have talked to you about it." Nathan looked back at Gabe, frowning at his friend's serious expression. "Did you find him?"
"Yes, I did." Nathan saw Gabe place his hand on another letter and recognised the Mountie logo. "He was arrested, Nathan, several months ago. While in Granville prison, he was involved in an altercation with another inmate."
"What happened to him,"
"He was killed, Nathan. Dylan is dead."
Nathan felt Elizabeth squeeze his hand. He appreciated her trying to comfort him, but he wasn't sure how he felt. He had never liked Dylan, so there was no sense pretending he was upset to hear of his death. All he cared about was Colleen and Allie and how they would feel.
"Why wasn't Colleen notified? The Mounties should have reached out to his next of kin."
"Dylan listed no next of kin when arrested. The Mounties didn't know there was anyone to contact."
"Nathan, I know Colleen has asked you not to look for Dylan. How do you think Colleen will feel? How is she going to tell Allie."
"Elizabeth. The letter you delivered for Colleen was about Dylan." Gabriel corrected her, "She asked me to look for him."
"You don't seem surprised, Nathan?" Gabriel said, noting the look of understanding on his friend's face.
"Elizabeth snapped her head to look at Nathan; he should have been surprised.
"I'm not, but that part of the story can wait. Thanks for telling me, Gabe, in person. There is no mission, is there."
"This is the mission, Nathan. I'm sorry, but I didn't feel this was news to be shared in a letter or via Telegram."
"It wasn't, and I appreciate it." Nathan stood, bringing Elizabeth to stand beside him. "I think I need some time to process this, Gabe. Can you give me an hour or two?"
"Of course." Gabriel stood and watched as Elizabeth and Nathan walked to the Hotel. Elizabeth had her hands wrapped around Nathan's arm as they walked, and while she was leaning against him, he knew it was her supporting Nathan. Gabriel sighed; he had done the right thing by bringing Nathan to Town. Now, all they had to do was break the news to Colleen.