Gabriel surveyed the table and limited counter space in his small apartment, making sure he had laid out everything he and Faith would need for the lesson—minus an ingredient that he had purposely left in the cupboard. He didn't want to make things too easy for her. Though he seldom used them these days, he had even pulled out the small notebook his mother had filled with recipes when he had headed off to his first posting. She had wanted to send a little piece of home out into the world with him. More than once, he had been grateful that she did. It had helped keep the tears away when he had longed for home. Though those early days he had relied on the recipes to cook a good portion of his meals, now he mostly took it out when he wanted to see his mother's familiar script—not that he would ever admit that to anyone.
As Faith had said her cooking skills were limited, Gabriel had chosen a simple chicken Alfredo dish for this first lesson. Chicken was fairly easy to make sure you cooked it enough and there wasn't many ingredients. He had already baked a loaf of bread the night before, knowing that bread making was a lesson for the future.
Satisfied everything was in order, Gabriel turned and left his apartment. Though his dress shirt and slacks were probably too much for a cooking lesson, he still wanted to look nice tonight. He hoped Faith didn't find him silly for the notion. Not that it mattered now. It was too late to change as he strode across the street to the infirmary. As the infirmary was dark, he made his way to the private entrance to the building's apartment and knocked.
As if she had been waiting for his knock, Faith opened the door immediately. The blue, flowing skirt that she wore matched her eyes perfectly. The white blouse was simple, a pattern of forget-me-nots were stitched across the front of the dress from the collar to where it met the sleeve. It wasn't fancy but in Gabriel's mind, it allowed Faith's natural beauty to shine through. She had swept her hair up into an elegant updo.
"You look lovely," Gabriel said, his voice breathy. The compliment brought a tinge of pink to Faith's cheeks.
"Thank you. You look nice yourself. As it was a cooking lesson I didn't want to overdress," Faith replied.
"You are beautiful and practically dressed for a cooking lesson," Gabriel said, his voice low and full of sincerity.
"Good," Faith replied. "I never thought I'd have to get ready for a cooking lesson honestly because I had no desire to take any."
"So what changed your mind?"
Faith smiled up at Gabriel. "The man who offered the lesson. I'd sit and stare at rocks to get to spend more time with you."
Gabriel chuckled. "I hope I will always be able to find something more interesting than staring at rocks, for the two of us to do. When I am on a stakeout is about the only time I want to be just sitting and staring."
"Well, I definitely don't want to be a subject of your stakeout," Faith replied.
"I wouldn't want you to be either," Gabriel countered. "Are you ready? I've got everything we need for a scrumptious chicken Alfredo sitting out just across the street."
"I'll settle for edible by the time I'm done with the ingredients," Faith replied as she reached for a shawl that was hanging from a nearby peg. "But I am as ready as I'll ever be."
"Here let me help you with that," Gabriel said, reaching out for the shawl. Faith surrendered the garment without protest. She turned to allow him to drape the material around her shoulders, allowing his fingertips to brush against the bare skin on the back of her neck as he did so.
"Thank you," Faith murmured, as she pulled the two sides of the shawl together in the front and buttoned it.
Gabriel offered her his arm. With a smile, Faith slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. Leading her out of the house and onto the platform at the top of the outside steps, Gabriel pulled the door shut behind them. Faith held up a key. Taking it, he locked the door before returning it to her.
"Given the medication in the infirmary, I like to keep all the doors locked when it isn't business hours," Faith told him as she slipped the key back into her pocket.
"A wise precaution," Gabriel replied, as he led her down the steps. "Brookfield is a fairly quiet town, but you can never be too careful."
"How long has Brookfield been your posting?"
"I got this posting after I returned from the Northern Territories," Gabriel told her. They had reached the street, and he checked for traffic before starting to lead Faith across it. "It wasn't the assignment I wanted. I thought for sure I would be bored to tears in a little town—even with the potential for cattle rustlers. My commanding officer from our mission up North, Jack Thornton, convinced me to give it a try. He said I might be surprised about how a little town could grow on me. Did you know Jack?"
Faith nodded. "He was a good friend. I actually first met him in Hamilton when he escorted Elizabeth home to see her mother. When I found my way to Hope Valley to be its nurse for a short interim, Jack introduced me to a lot of people. When I chose to break off my engagement and stay, he and some of the other townsfolk were very supportive."
"This was the guy who wanted you to give up nursing?" Gabriel asked.
"Yes, that was Peter. He wasn't happy about it but I found I couldn't leave the people of Hope Valley with no medical staff after I met everyone. I also didn't like the idea of being told what to do."
"I will keep that in mind,"Gabriel replied, as they approached the door to the apartment behind the jail. Reaching out with his free hand, he turned the knob and pushed the door open. He motioned for Faith to precede him inside.
"Thank you," Faith said, with a smile and a nod of her head as she let go of Gabriel's hand. She took a couple steps inside and then stopped. Reaching up, she unbuttoned her shawl.
"Let me take that," Gabriel said, having followed her inside, pulling the door shut behind him. Not waiting for an answer, he gently took hold of the shawl and lifted it from her shoulders.
Though she didn't offer a verbal reply, Faith did look back over her shoulder at him. Gabriel didn't need the words to see the appreciation as it showed in her eyes. His breath caught and he found himself at a loss for words as her gaze held him captive.
"Weren't you going to give me a cooking lesson?" Faith finally asked, the tone of her voice matching the amusement in her eyes.
Giving himself a mental shake, Gabriel finally looked away and down at the shawl he still held. "Yes. Cooking lesson," he said, hoping that his voice didn't sound as flustered as he felt. Turning toward the pegs on the wall by the door, Gabriel hung the shawl on the peg he purposely kept empty for visitors to use. Taking a few extra moments than he really needed, he tried to get his emotions in check. He wasn't going to be much of a teacher if he wasn't able to concentrate.
When he turned back, he found that Faith had moved toward the kitchen area of the apartment. Perhaps she needed a little space as well, Gabriel thought as he followed her. "I put things we would need out already. The last thing I wanted was to be in the middle of my first lesson and realize that I didn't have something. Normally I would just experiment by either leaving it out or trying something else, but I didn't want to take the risk of confusing you."
Faith glanced over her shoulder at him. "I appreciate that," she replied, the gratefulness in her voice echoing that emotion in her eyes. "So teacher, where do we begin?"
Gabriel moved toward the pegs where two aprons, his and the one he had borrowed from Pearl earlier in the day, hung. Lifting the dark purple one lined with lace from its peg, he headed back toward Faith. "We start with an apron," he informed her. Reaching her, he placed the loop at the top of the apron over Faith's head. "We wouldn't want you to get food all over your blouse and skirt."
"No we wouldn't," Faith agreed. As Gabriel motioned for her to turn she did so, deciding not to test her 'bow-tying behind her back skills' in front of him. As Gabriel set about tying the bow, Faith looked down at the apron. The dark purple didn't do anything to compliment the blue of her skirt. "I am definitely not going to win any fashion contests any time soon but it will serve it's purpose."
"I borrowed it from Pearl. Sorry, I didn't think to ask you what color you planned on wearing tonight," Gabriel said, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice.
Faith turned to face him and Gabriel saw the merriment in her pretty blue eyes. "Well, you could wear this lacy purple one and I could wear your black one."
Gabriel laughed. "If I wasn't sure that the second I put that apron on some citizen would come knocking on that door, looking for either the town Mountie or doctor, I would. However, while I would mind you having a laugh at how I would look in that, I do not care to give anyone else the satisfaction."
Faith laughed merrily at that. "I have experienced people coming to look for me at inopportune moments on many occasions when living in Hope Valley, I won't argue with you. So far, I haven't had anyone here come looking for me outside of hospital hours," she replied, immediately reaching out and rapping her fingers against the back of one of the chairs at the table. "Let's hope I didn't just jinx us."
"In case you did, shall we start the lesson?" Gabriel asked.
Faith nodded. Turning, Gabriel retrieved his own apron as he led the way over to the counter. "First thing my mother taught me, was that any time you are making a recipe you don't know by heart yet, you should always read through the entire recipe and make sure you have everything for it. Why don't you start there," he suggested, as he put the loop of the apron over his head.
"I thought you said you made sure you had everything already?" Faith asked.
"I said that I had everything we needed," Gabriel said, glancing over at Faith as he spoke. "Even Mounties might overlook something on occasion," he added, giving her a wink to go along with his mischievous smile.
Faith chuckled. "Overlook, huh?" she said, the words skeptical as she reached for the recipe card sitting out on the counter. "Somehow, I find that hard to believe but I am willing to accept it as part of my lesson." She began reading the recipe card, mentally checking off each item as she confirmed it was on the counter.
Lillian walked toward town with her hand looped through Sam's arm. As much as she loved the children in her care, she would not deny that having some time away from them was nice. She remembered the first time Grace had tried to give her a day off and how hard it had been for her to accept the leisure time. Not that it had turned out to be a leisurely day. That had been the time that she had casted doubt on Sam as she noticed the resemblance he had to the man on the wanted poster. It had been an honest mistake and they had all moved past it.
Glancing to her right, she studied Sam's profile as they walked. She knew she would never make that mistake again, even if her beau chose to hide behind bushy facial hair again—though right about now, the beard Sam had sported when he arrived in Brookfield would successfully cover most of the welts he still had from the battle with the bees nest. True to his word, the mud paste were gone but the small welts still looked uncomfortable.
"I appreciate your help with the bees' nest," Lillian said. "Though I do wish you hadn't gotten stung doing it."
"Better me than one of the children—especially if you found out the hard way that one of them were allergic," Sam said, his free hand making a dismissive wave to match the easy going tone of his voice.
"You've done so much for the children, and they aren't even your responsibility," Lillian said, the familiar guilt rising up. The orphanage and the children in her care were something that she chose to take on—with Grace's help. Both sisters had wanted to provide children who had found themselves in the same situation as they had at a young age, a loving home environment and the hope that things could still turn out well for them. To ensure they knew that they did have a future despite the situation life had placed them in. She had never expected anyone else to give time and money toward the cause that she had taken up.
But she had found people who genuinely wanted to help for the joy of knowing they helped a child in need. Though she had struggled accepting that help, and still did at times, she knew that would be dismissive of the love being showered on her charges. If anyone deserved that, it was the children in her care.
"Providing for children who do not have a proper home should be a priority of everyone, including your charges. Besides, it brings me a lot of joy spending time with them."
"I'm glad," Lillian responded. "I know they need a male influence in their life—especially the boys. Between you, Chuck and Gabriel I think these kids will be able to learn what Grace and I can't teach them."
Sam looked over at her and Lillian found herself mesmerized by his gaze. "I am not asking you to make any choice right now," Sam told her as he stopped walking, bringing them both to a stop. "However, know that I am quite willing to accept your dream of caring for orphans as my own, if it means I can keep you in my life."
At the words, Lillian felt a sudden surge of panic. Not that she wasn't flattered by the words, she was, but the prospect opened a whole knew avenue that she hadn't already thought through.
Sam reached over with his other hand and patted the porcelain hand tucked in the crook of his elbow. "Relax, you don't need to give me an answer right away. Tonight is just simply supper. I know you will need to make lists of all the pros and cons and everything else before you take a next step like that. I just wanted you to know where I stand before you do start those lists."
Lillian laughed. Her lists had always been a stark contrast to Sam's go with the flow approach to life.
Would their two opposite approaches make it harder for them to learn to live with one another? Could she accept that life would be a little more complicated than usual.
"What about your prospecting?" Lillian asked.
Sam shrugged. "I haven't exactly had much luck with that particular avenue though it did bring me to Brookfield. I like it here. I like the work I do for Hansen. It is rewarding in its own right. That's not to say I may not take short trips to try my luck from time to time, but there are things more important than finding gold." Sam paused as he titled his head toward hers. In a lower voice he added. "I am starting to favor the color red more lately."
Lillian felt the heat rise in her cheeks at the comment. "So, what projects does Hansen have you working on lately?" she asked, hoping to steer the conversation in a direction that she felt more comfortable with.
Romance hadn't been a part of her life plans for a very long time. After her father had passed, finding Grace had been her only focus. Determination had served her well in that search. then came their dream of starting an orphanage together—one in which the children would feel as though they mattered. Never had she imagined that any man would want to be involved with a woman who had the responsibility of orphans as part of the package. Yet it had happened—both with Grace and with herself.
The idea of a family beyond her sister and the orphans in her care still felt fresh and uncertain. Lillian knew it was a subject that she would need to devote thought and prayer too but not tonight. For this evening, she just wanted to share a meal with Sam and forget about her responsibilities for just a few hours.
Sam accepted the change in topic, his casual voice telling her about the shelving and rocking chair orders that he was currently working on, as well as some things he had been called to homes to attempt a repair. The conversation flowed easily and in what seemed like no time, they were walking up the steps of the Royal Brookfield. Reaching the door, Sam opened it and held it for her. Stepping in behind her, the couple was quickly greeted by the waitress, Vanessa, who was on that evening and shown to a table.
Lillian didn't even bother looking at the menu, already knowing what she wanted. When the waitress returned with iced tea for both of them, Lillian ordered Shepherd's Pie while Sam went with steak, potatoes and carrots. The two soon found themselves talking about their childhood. Despite all the tales Chuck was able to come up with about their childhood, Lillian always thought of it as dull. As Sam told her about being the youngest of four children, all boys, she became more convinced out that.
"Oh, your poor mother. She must have had a time keeping up with the four of you, especially with your father off on a cargo ship so much."
"She did always seem tired," Sam admitted, but somehow she kept us from getting into too much trouble. "All my brothers went to school and have a steady career in Charlottetown. Fredrick, who owns a tailor shop, just had a child last year. The first grandchild for my parents and it was a girl. As much as my mother gushed about Hannah in her letter, I am even more convinced that she wishes one of us boys were a girl."
Lillian laughed. "I'm sure she loved you all, just the same."
Sam nodded as he cut his steak. "She did. She even helped me pack my rucksack when I decided to strike out to see the world rather than go to college like my brothers. She said it was inevitable that one of her sons would be struck with wanderlust given our father's thirst for adventure. I think she was relieved that I didn't take to the seas like Dad." Sam paused. "I know she is going to be thrilled when she reads about you in my last letter."
"You're only now telling your mother about me?" Lillian asked.
"Yes, because giving our rocky start and knowing how much she worries about me wandering the country, I didn't want to get her hopes up until I was fairly certain this might last."
"So you think we'll last?" Lillian asked, not sure how she felt about that. She did like Sam, a lot but the orphanage and what was best for the children had to come first. Sam is good for the children, she chided herself gently.
Same reached across the table to capture her left hand. "I sure hope so," he told her in a husky voice. The look in his eyes made Lillian's heart beat faster. There was no denying how Sam felt about her in that moment, even if the words weren't the most romantic.
Lillian had a feeling that if Sam thought she would say "yes", he would already be asking her a certain question. With the jumble of emotions she felt inside, she knew she wasn't ready to give that answer.
Would she ever be?
The sound of the hotel door opening broke the spell. Lillian glanced over her shoulder to see Gabriel and Faith walk into the building. The two were laughing, their fingers intertwined as they looked into one another's eyes. Faith had a small white streak on her cheek that Gabriel reached up and wiped away with softly spoken words. There was no denying the love that already sparkled in Faith's blue eyes for the man that held her hand.
Lillian felt a weight lift from her. It was clear that though her choice of Sam had hurt Gabriel for a time, that wound had been healed by another love coming along. She was happy for him. He was a great guy who deserved someone who could love him back. With the dangers of his job, Lillian hadn't been able to do that. It clearly didn't matter to Faith.
"I'm not sure those two are even aware of the rest of us," Sam commented as a waitress finally got the couple's attention.
Lillian looked back at the man who had brought her to dinner. Welts and all, he was the most handsome man she had ever met. Better let, he loved her and accepted her calling of running the orphanage. Would he be happy settling in one place? Had he seen enough of the countryside. Sam seemed content in Brookfield but the last thing she wanted was for him to resent her or the orphanage in a couple of years for holding him in one place.
Before she started asking those questions of Sam, first she knew she needed to settle the questions in her own heart. She needed to have a good long talk with both her sister and God—perhaps not in that order.
For right now, she planned on enjoying the rest of her date with Sam. She could work through her feelings afterwards.