Nathan opened his eyes to the sun coming into his room, hitting his face. He reached over for his pocket watch and saw it was still very early. Nathan had gone to bed early and had slept surprisingly well. He never slept well in a new place so he wondered why it was different this time. Nathan had moved many times as a Mountie so starting over in a new place was not a new experience for him. He hoped he would be able to stay here for a little longer than he usually did though. Nathan had heard about Hope Valley and the tragedy of the previous Mountie. He was killed in a training mission just after he was married. His widow still lived in town with the baby she gave birth to after he died. Nathan would need to introduce himself and offer his condolences as soon as he could, to honor the fallen Mountie.

A feeling of calm came over him, that this was the place he was supposed to be. There was a greater plan for him and while he may not know what the plan was, Nathan would enjoy the journey. Nathan remembered last night, sitting on his steps, as he saw the woman walk past him. She looked like she had a lot on her mind, but when he spoke to her she smiled in his direction. She had looked back in his direction too after walking past. He hoped that she lived somewhere in town. Maybe Bill knew who she was and he could introduce them later.

Nathan got up and started to get ready for his day. It was Saturday so he wasn't expected that he would be in his Mountie uniform but he thought it might be better to go on rounds in the uniform to introduce himself to the citizens of Hope Valley. He started to put on his jodhpurs and suspenders with the Henley and went downstairs to get his serge and boots. He remembered that he didn't have much food in the house so maybe he would ask Bill to join him for breakfast.

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Elizabeth was up early that morning as Jack was always up early no matter way day it was. Today felt different though. She wasn't woken up by the baby crying. Instead, the sun had come in the window, shining on her face to wake her up. She had thought she had closed the curtains in her room last night. Elizabeth sat up in her bed with a confused look on her face.

Hadn't she closed them? Maybe she didn't. She had a lot on her mind last night as she went to bed. Bill had come to the schoolhouse as the children had left last night. A new Mountie was in town. Elizabeth hadn't met him yet but she also knew she couldn't avoid him forever. She knew this day would come but suddenly she had a peace about it. She knew in her heart that everything would be ok and there was nothing to worry about. She smiled and started to get ready for her day.

She went to her closet to pick out a skirt and began to think about her walk home. The man sitting on the porch reading. Was that the new Mountie? She had met a lot of Mounties during her relationship with Jack. After they had married, she had traveled with Jack to Fort Clay before his training assignment. She had seen a lot of Mounties there before she had traveled back home but she had never seen one sitting around reading. Jack didn't sit around reading in his spare time either, that was something Elizabeth loved to do.

Elizabeth shook her head. Why was she wondering about this man? Whether he was the new Mountie or not, it should make no difference to her. Jack had only been gone a little over a year. She didn't want to think about another man like that, no yet and maybe not ever. Jack had written her a letter which Rosemary gave to her. The letter told Elizabeth it was ok to love again, Jack wanted that for her. Why had she remembered about Jack's letter now? Elizabeth dismissed the thought and continued to get ready for the day. She was meeting Rosemary for lunch at the cafe later and wanted to go to the mercantile for a few things before lunch.

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Nathan walked into town in his serge. He had shined his boots the night before and everything on his uniform was in its proper place. He passed a few people on his way to the judge's office. He noticed the stares and the whispers as he walked past. Nathan knew it would be a challenge to get people to trust him but he hoped it would be easier with Bill's help. He walked up the steps to his office and knocked on the door. He reached for the door handle when he heard "come in" coming from inside.

Bill looked up from his desk when Nathan walked in. Nathan saw the look of surprise on his face, but just as quick as it was there it was gone. Bill motioned to the chair in front of his desk, "Why don't you sit for a minute? I see you're wearing your serge this morning."

Nathan sat down, "Yes, I thought it would be easier this way to introduce myself if I went out on my horse. I didn't want people to be uneasy about a stranger riding up to their house."

"That is considerate of you. I thought I would join you on the ride. Did I tell you yesterday that I used to be a Mountie and an Inspector?"

Now it was Nathan's turn to be surprised, "No you didn't. I'd be grateful for the company. I was going to ask if you wanted to get some breakfast before we go out. I haven't had a chance to get food or supplies for my house yet."

"Of course, let's stop at the cafe and then we can go to the stables to get the horses. I am part owner of the cafe so we can get lunch there too later. On the way back we can stop at the mercantile and we will get you set up with personal and Mountie accounts."

"Thank you Bill."

Elizabeth walked towards town later that morning. She had made a list of a few things she needed for the classroom as well as some things for dinner that night. She wanted to invite Bill to dinner to thank him for his thoughtfulness in telling her about the Mountie. Jack and Bill had been very close and Elizabeth knew that Bill took it as his responsibility to look out for her. She appreciated it and she wanted to do this little thing for him. Plus, her son always loved it when Uncle Bill came to visit.

The people she passed waved at her but there were also a lot of whispers as she walked towards the mercantile. Elizabeth was confused by the reaction but kept walking. She hadn't spent a lot of time in town lately, choosing instead to spend most of her time at home with Jack. Perhaps that is why people looked concerned? Elizabeth was trying to understand and she wasn't paying attention, walking up the stairs. That is why she completely missed the two horses tied up outside the Mountie office, one being the new Mountie's horse. If Elizabeth would have seen the horses, maybe she wouldn't have been so surprised when she opened the door to the mercantile and ran into a pair of strong arms.

The door to the mercantile opened and Nathan immediately was overwhelmed with the scent of lilies. It wasn't a bad thing at all. Being raised by a mother with his sister, flowers were a big part of his happiest memories. Nathan stood there for a moment and realized the lilies belonged to the woman he had seen the day before. She had come through the door of the mercantile at the same time he was walking out. Nathan had asked the owner, Mr. Yost, if he could pick up the box with his purchases later, so when the woman had run into him, Nathan put his hands out holding her by the shoulders.

"Excuse me, are you ok ma'am?" Nathan looked at her to see if she was hurt. It was his job as a Mountie to make sure everyone in the town was safe, even though he was a little distracted by the woman at this moment.

"Ma'am?" Elizabeth said in a teasing voice.

"I mean, yes. No, miss. Uh, you're not hurt?" Oh no, Nathan thought to himself. She was talking in circles. Why did this always happen to him. The woman smiled which didn't help the butterflies in Nathan's stomach.

"I'm ok, it was my fault." The woman looked into his eyes as Nathan lowered his arms. As soon as his hands were removed from her arms, it was like the woman realized where she was. The smile left her face and she looked alarmed as if something was wrong. "I'm sorry!" She turned quickly and went back down the stairs, the way she came.

Nathan took a step out onto the porch to watch her. Bill came up and stood next to him, looking at Elizabeth almost running down the street and the look on Nathan's face. Bill didn't think they had met yet, but there was something going on between them.

Nathan kept watching the woman as he asked, "Bill, do you know that woman?"

"Do you remember when I told you about the Mountie who was here before you? The one who died, Jack Thornton?" Nathan nodded, turning to Bill as he continued. "That is Elizabeth Thornton, his widow."

Nathan's face fell. The Mountie widow. "I see." Nathan looked back up as Elizabeth went into the cafe. Nathan had been thinking about the woman he saw and started to think about what he would say the next time he saw her. Now, he knew that those thoughts would have to be immediately wiped from his mind. There is no way this woman would ever look his way. He would only remind her of the husband she had lost. Nathan vowed to himself to be polite but to keep his distance from Elizabeth Thornton. Any feelings he thought he had would soon be a distant memory.