Granting a Family - Chapter 9: Guarded Hearts

Hustle and bustle of the city had never been Nathan’s preference. Big crowds left him nervous and claustrophobic. He was grateful he only had to be in Union City for a short time, but still wanted to get the most out of this time away from the pressures he felt in Hope Valley. It was his home, but as well-intentioned as people were, he felt judged and gossiped about because of what happened with Elizabeth last year. Nathan fell hard for Jack’s widow that he moved to Hope Valley to protect, after Jack was killed in a training mission that Nathan was originally supposed to lead. Almost a year ago, he had declared his love to her, but she couldn’t see past the red serge and REALLY get to know HIM. He wouldn’t make that mistake again with anyone, and was determined to be more guarded with his heart.

Allie had no trouble making friends her first week at Advanced Learning Academy, and some girls had invited her to study with them this evening, followed by dinner. Nathan arrived back at the boarding house following a long day of court. He was set to testify tomorrow against Spurlock and the other Pinkertons who were forging documents to take land away from Hope Valley residents, both for revenge, and to turn a profit on their own. Nathan dressed in civilian clothes a little nicer than he usually wore in Hope Valley, but not as fancy as, say, Lucas Bouchard would wear. A button-down shirt with a vest should be nice enough to eat at the boarding house dining facilities.  

Nathan arrived and only saw one small table available. Smelling the food made his stomach grumble, and he realized he had not eaten since breakfast and needed a good meal. While he was waiting for his food to arrive, he looked up and felt his heart skip a beat. A beautiful woman with long, golden hair and emerald eyes looked around anxiously for a place to sit. She wore a pretty, but not overly fancy, yellow dress that made her look like a bright ray of spring sunshine. Her eyes met Nathan’s and he motioned for her to join him at his table. She shyly walked over and he immediately stood up and pulled out the chair for her to sit down.

“Thank you, sir. I thought I would have to skip dinner tonight if I couldn’t find a place to sit,” the woman said, smiling gratefully and revealing a dimple in her right cheek.

“It’s no problem, but you can call me Nathan. Sir always makes me feel like an old man,” he joked.

“It’s very nice to meet you Nathan. I always feel so awkward dining alone,” she admitted. “If we are going to proceed on a first-name basis, you may call me Kathryn.”

“Kathryn is a splendid name,” Nathan remarked. “But you look more like a Kate to me, so I think that’s what I’ll call you.” Where is this coming from? Nathan wondered. He wasn’t usually so open and flirtatious with women, but something about her was making him blurt out unexpected things.

Kathryn had noticed the handsome man with piercing blue eyes, brought out by the light blue shirt he wore, immediately when entering the dining hall. She hadn’t seen him before, but she had only been staying at the boarding house for a couple of weeks. As she had approached his table, she was blown away by this tall, attractive man. He had silky brown hair that she felt a desire to run her fingers through, and she observed his muscular build that meant he probably did more manual labor than most of the men in the city who had others do it for them, and did most of their work sitting at desks. She pulled herself out of her thoughts to respond to what he had just said. “I most certainly do not see myself as a Kate,” she huffed. “I am an intelligent woman with high standards, so Kathryn is far better suited for me.”

“If you insist, Kathryn.” Nathan chuckled at her spunk as their dinner arrived. Both of them were starving, so they ate in silence for a few minutes. “Are you from around here?” Nathan asked politely to spark some conversation.

“No, I grew up in the country on a farm with my parents and five older brothers,” she answered. 

“Five big brothers huh, and you were the only girl? No wonder you have learned to stand up for yourself around other men,” Nathan quipped. “So what is a country girl like you doing in the big city then.”

“I’m here for work,” Kathryn said without elaborating. “I have a wealthy aunt who insisted I be properly educated, and took me in while I was in school and first starting my career." She continued on, "Without many other children around to play with growing up on the farm, I relied on books to make friends and travel to far away places.” Her eyes danced with memories of her favorite characters and stories.

“I’ve always found joy and solace in the written word as well,” Nathan divulged. “Reading was an escape for me as a child, just as you described. When things were crumbling around me at home, I turned to a good book for adventure, and to transport me somewhere far away from my reality.” A sadness swept over him as he thought back to his difficult childhood, with a father in and out of jail due to a gambling addiction supported by petty theft.

Kathryn felt the urge to take his hand at his confession, then shook herself out of that crazy thought. She was usually so in control of her emotions, but something about this man was throwing her off her normal behavior. The server interrupted her thoughts, asking if she would like some coffee and pie. “That would be nice, thank you.”

“Some for me as well,” Nathan requested. “I’m not ready to leave quite yet. Are you, Kate?” he winked at the use of the nickname and this time she just rolled her eyes, but with a hint of a smile. As they waited for their dessert, Nathan and Kathryn discussed their favorite childhood books and what they had recently read. They found out they had very similar tastes when it came to literature both in their childhood and now. 

“I don’t find a lot of men who read the works of Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, and other women like Lucy Maud Montgomery. I’m impressed,” Kathryn professed.

“I like getting a woman’s perspective on things, so I enjoy reading many great women authors. I hoped it would help me understand women, but so far it really hasn’t helped,” Nathan sighed.

Kathryn laughed and quipped, “I have a hard time believing a man like you has any trouble with women.” As soon as she said it her mouth dropped open and she mentally kicked herself as her cheeks turned a deep crimson color. Right at that moment, the server brought their pie and coffee, but she had lost her appetite after embarrassing herself. 

Nathan was just as embarrassed as Kathryn seemed to be, since he was never very good at taking a compliment, especially from a good-looking woman (not that it was something that had happened to him much in his life). He did his best to make her feel more comfortable by changing the subject. “Have you lived in Union City long?”

“I have been here since September, but this particular boarding house I have only been staying at for about two weeks.” she answered between small bites of pie and sips of coffee. 

Nathan suddenly realized the time and took the last bite of his pie. “You’ll have to excuse me Kate, I have somewhere to be. I appreciate the company this evening, and it was a pleasure to meet you.” With that, he hurried out of the boarding house, leaving a bewildered Kathryn alone at the little table, wanting to know more about the handsome and kind mystery man named Nathan.

As he walked through the crowded street to pick Allie up at the assigned location, Nathan thought about the dinner he shared with Kate, or Kathryn, which she preferred to be called. In many ways, it seemed easy and natural to talk about books and memories with her. Maybe it was because he knew he would only be here for a few weeks and never see her again. It felt good to have a pleasant conversation with a woman for a change. Every time he had talked to Elizabeth over the past year there was so much tension, anger, and uneasiness that he tried to avoid her whenever possible. That wasn’t the way their relationship started, and most days he felt deep regret for ever letting the words “I love you” escape his lips to Elizabeth. He wouldn’t make that kind of mistake again.

At the specified street corner, Nathan saw Allie jump out of a car and run towards him. “Dad, you made it. I had such a great evening! I hope you weren’t too lonely without me.”

“I managed ok, and I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. We better get you to bed so you can make it to school on time tomorrow.” Nathan put his arm around Allie, and they walked the short distance to the boarding house where they went up to their room to get ready for bed. Nathan had a hard time falling asleep, with thoughts of an alluring blonde woman in a yellow dress occupying his thoughts...the first time a woman other than Elizabeth was the last thing he thought about before drifting off.

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Nathan dreaded testifying in court. The last thing he wanted to do was face Julius Spurlock and the other two lackeys who tried to take away Elizabeth and other Hope Valley residents’ land. But it was a means to an end, and he couldn’t wait to send Spurlock to prison with his brother, where they both deserved to be. Once today was over, he planned on spending the weekend taking Allie to explore the city, before he spent two weeks completing his Inspector training. His thoughts were interrupted by his name being called to the witness stand. 

Giving his testimony was basically a formality. They had all the evidence they needed and more to convict the three men of their accused crimes. Nathan was always pleased when justice was served, especially in cases where he was involved in the arrests. Spurlock looked at Nathan with contempt as he was being taken away in handcuffs and sneered, “This isn’t over Constable.”

“I think it is,” Nathan assured. “I’m not going to ever let you hurt the people I care about, and I’ll never stop protecting them. You picked the wrong town to mess with.” He walked out of the courthouse feeling even more determined to be the best Inspector the Mounties ever had, for Hope Valley.

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Allie was in bed with a bad headache when Nathan returned to the boarding house after court. “Can I get you anything, Allie girl?” Nathan whispered, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“I’ll be ok once I get some rest. I think my brain literally hurts from trying to cram too much information in it this week.” Allie turned on her side and apologized, “Sorry Dad, I know you wanted to go do something in the city tonight. You should go out without me, and tomorrow we can try again.”

Nathan changed out of his uniform and into his city-appropriate casual attire, then decided he needed a walk to clear his head. “I’m going for a short walk, but when I get back I’ll grab some food at the dining hall that I can bring us up to eat in the room.”

“Mmmmhmmm,” Allie murmured as she was in and out of consciousness. Nathan decided to let her sleep off the headache while he was gone.

Out in the fresh air, Nathan was replaying his testimony from earlier in the day as he walked. Suddenly he heard someone call his name, “Nathan!” He smiled, recognizing the voice and turning around.

“Kate,” he greeted. “How are you this afternoon?” Nathan was caught off guard at the way his heart beat faster as he got a better look at her. Today she wore her hair up, and she had on a flattering green dress that brought out her eyes and looked more business-like than the more playful yellow dress she had on last night at dinner.

“I am well, thank you. Is everything ok?” Kathryn asked with a look of concern on her face. “You seemed very deep in thought when I spotted you just now.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize I came across that way,” Nathan replied. “I was just thinking about my day. I find that walks can clear my head. A nice, long ride on Newton would have been even better.”

“I’m assuming that’s your horse, and I approve of the name.” Kathryn liked the thought of Nathan riding a horse, and the mental picture caused color to rise to her cheeks and her breath to momentarily be taken away. “Walking always calms me down when I’ve had a rough day,” Kathryn continued, to try and divert her mind from the thoughts running wild in her head.

“Did you have a hard day?” Nathan inquired. “Is that why you are walking out here right now?”

“Maybe a little, but I already feel much better. What was so bad about your day?” she asked.

“I had to testify in court to put away some really bad men, one in particular, for a good long while.” Nathan sighed and added, “I’ve testified before, but this time it was...personal and the man threatened me after. But enough about me, why was your day so terrible?”

“I wouldn’t call it terrible,” Kathryn decided. “I’m just happy for the weekend to regroup and have time away from work.” 

“Kathryn,” a man called to her and waved as he stepped from his car onto the sidewalk. Both Nathan and Kathryn turned to see the dapper young man smiling at her.

“I’m so sorry, Nathan. I have an engagement and need to go. I hope your walk gives you the peace and calm you need tonight.” With that, Kathryn hurried over to greet the man with a hug and left with him in his car.

Of course she’s attached to someone, Nathan thought. A woman as fascinating and smart as Kathryn wouldn’t stay single for long. It was just his luck that he would meet a woman who, just for a short time, made him forget Elizabeth, but then wasn’t available. He watched her drive away, then walked slowly back to the boarding house to get himself and Allie dinner to eat in their room.

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Allie felt better on Saturday, so she dressed up in an elegant cream-colored dress they had found in a boutique last week when they first arrived in Union City. She headed out with Nathan, who was dressed in his finest suit, for a day on the town to explore the city. One of Nathan’s Mountie friends was able to secure them a reservation at a fancy restaurant for the evening, and tickets to a production of The Tempest, which Allie was excited about since she had just read the play for a school assignment. 

“You look so lovely in that dress, Allie. But I’m not sure I like how grown up you are getting,” Nathan lamented. 

“If only Robert could see me now,” Allie half-joked and Nathan rolled his eyes. “I just can’t believe how fancy dinner was in that magnificent restaurant. I can’t wait to see the theatre!”

“I’m so glad we can make these memories together, but don’t get used to it, because I will never earn enough money to do this on a regular basis.” Nathan was secretly just as excited to see The Tempest as Allie was, since it was one of his favorite Shakespeare plays. The theatre was a lavish building, and all the patrons were dressed to the nines. They both felt a little out of place, but once the curtain rose, the actors drew them both into the story. 

During intermission, they stood to stretch their legs but stayed close by their seats. Nathan looked around to scan the crowd (a habit that most likely came from his Mountie training), and his heart nearly stopped. Across the room, he saw a gorgeous blonde woman in a burgundy dress laughing and smiling so big that he could see the dimple in her cheek. Kate, he thought. Who was she with? He noticed the same man she had left with yesterday evening, sitting in the same row, along with some other women she was talking and laughing with. What were the odds the two of them would be at the same play on the same night? Luckily, intermission was ending and the lights were dimming to signal the second act beginning. As much as he tried to mentally get back into the play, his mind was a few sections over in that theatre.

When the play ended, Nathan rushed Allie outside, insisting they were exhausted and needed to get back to the boarding house to go to bed. What he really wanted to do was find out who Kathryn was with, and ask her what she had thought of the play. But he also remembered the vow he made to himself to guard his heart. He wasn’t sure how much more it could take, and he was sure Kate had the potential to break it into a million pieces again.

“You ok, Dad?” Allie questioned. “Didn’t you enjoy the play?”

“Of course I did, especially with the prettiest girl in the theatre!” Nathan assured her. “This has been an unforgettable night, but we better get some rest so we are ready for the two big weeks coming up. My Inspector training and your school will take a lot out of us, so let’s get a good night’s sleep, then tomorrow take it easy for a while and maybe take a picnic to the park in the afternoon.” Allie nodded, and they headed back to their room to settle in for the night. 

Nathan tried to fall asleep, but his mind was processing all that had happened during their first week in Union City. Allie was thriving at Advanced Learning Academy, the trial against the Pinkertons ended with a guilty verdict, and Nathan had met a woman who had made him feel something for the first time since Elizabeth. He longed to know more about her, and wondered who the man was that she was with this weekend. Nathan tried to push all thoughts aside and get some rest. He needed to focus on his objectives: keep the town safe, and raise Allie. Nothing else mattered.

Granting a Family - Chapter 8: Changing Seasons

Nathan closed his eyes and let the warmth of the sun wash over him and Newton as they rode back into town from completing their rounds. Winter was coming to a close, and the change in seasons was just what he needed. Spring meant new life, and he had a feeling this spring would bring some much-needed hope back to Hope Valley. 

Next week, Nathan and Allie would be heading to Union City for a few weeks. He first had to testify at the trial of Agent Julius Spurlock and the other two Pinkertons, then he would be attending two weeks of training for his promotion. When he returned home to Hope Valley, he would be Inspector Nathan Grant, no longer just a Constable. Nathan sat up a little taller on Newton with pride, remembering how Superintendent Lewis raved about his handling of the investigation and arrests of the rogue Pinkertons, not to mention all the extra work Nathan had been doing to keep the town safe with the influx of new settlers. He immediately offered the promotion to Nathan, and in the weeks since then, Nathan had been preparing for the new Constable to come to town. 

Constable Thomas Bradshaw would be coming to Hope Valley with his wife Anne, who was expecting their first child. Nathan had to admit, it would be nice to have the company of a fellow law enforcement officer. Having help with reigning in the rowdy bunch of men who had been working on the new factory, would relieve a lot of pressure off of Nathan. He would enlist Bill to help the new Constable while he was away at training. He decided he better get back to town and see if the Bradshaws had arrived and needed any help moving into the newly-vacant row house, two doors down from Nathan and Allie.

Nathan rode up to the Mountie office, and instead of the new Constable, it was Elizabeth waiting for him. She was a vision in the blush pink outfit she had been wearing at Allie’s adoption ceremony with her hair also pinned up like it had been that day. “Elizabeth,” he greeted, trying not to look her up and down and feel anything other than friendship for her. She really needed a new wardrobe so he wouldn’t have memories associated with every outfit she wore. “This is a surprise. Is everything ok?”

“Hi Nathan. Allie just told me you plan to take her to Union City with you next week.” Elizabeth began. 

“I know it isn’t ideal to have her miss three weeks of school, but I really want her with me,” Nathan started to defend himself.

“No, no. I’m not here to talk you out of taking Allie. I first wanted to sincerely congratulate you on your promotion. I have felt guilty for a long time about you giving that up two years ago, and I’m so glad the Mountie’s recognized how deserving you are to get that position now. I’m sorry I haven’t thanked you for helping put away this other Spurlock who tried to take my land.” 

Elizabeth looked down thoughtfully then remembering what she really came to see him about, handed him some papers and explained, “But the real reason I came to see you is regarding Allie’s schooling while you are away. She would have been just fine to do make-up work on her own, but since you will be in Union City, I have talked to the Advanced Learning Academy there, which is the school providing Allie’s advanced math class. They have agreed to let her be taught there for those three weeks by teachers who are credentialed for higher education. In fact, that’s why I’m dressed the way I am today. Mr. Landis is meeting with me about bringing in a teacher with those qualifications to teach the older children next year.”

Nathan now understood why she was dressed up that way. A part of him was glad this wasn’t done for Lucas, although he wondered where their relationship stood after finding out his ties to Frontier Estates. Nathan was trying to stay out of everyone’s business right now while he focused on his advancing career and his two major objectives: keeping the town safe and raising Allie.

Nathan took the papers from Elizabeth and gratefully replied, “Thank you for this, and for looking out for Allie in that way. I’m sorry I haven’t spoken with you since the Pinkerton incident, but my job has been very demanding getting ready for the new Constable, my promotion and getting ready to leave…” he let his sentence hang in the air as they saw a Mountie approach on a beautiful black stallion that looked similar to Sergeant. 

Elizabeth was taken aback with yet another man in red serge in Hope Valley. She looked at Nathan who looked up and greeted “Constable Bradshaw, welcome.”

“Constable Grant, I assume,” he responded with a solute. He dismounted from his horse and shook Nathan’s hand. “You can call me Thomas,” he instructed. “This here is Midnight,” he said, patting his horse. “My wife Anne will be here tomorrow. She is expecting our first child and wanted to take the train for a smoother ride.” 

Nathan turned and motioned toward Elizabeth and said, “Thomas, I want to introduce you to Elizabeth Thornton.”

“THE Elizabeth Thornton?” Thomas questioned. “Jack Thornton is a legend among the Mounties, and we all know about his legendary love story with the school teacher. I think you will get along really well with my wife.”

“I look forward to meeting your wife, Constable. Welcome to Hope Valley, and thank you for your kind words. If you will excuse me, I have to be back at the school for a meeting. Nathan, please let me know if you have any questions about the school” she smiled at him and walked away.

Thomas noticed Nathan’s gaze following Elizabeth as she left and smirked, “No way! You and Jack’s widow? Didn’t he replace you in the training exercise? Wow, I wouldn’t think she would have given you the time of day once she found that out.”

Nathan scowled at the new Constable and sternly cautioned, “You need to learn how to think a little before you speak. No, there is nothing more than friendship between me and Elizabeth...now. And everyone involved has moved past what happened at Fort Clay.” Nathan wasn’t sure how he felt about Thomas Bradshaw. He examined him closer, noting he was several inches shorter than himself, with sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes. He exuded confidence and self-assuredness, something Nathan had never been known for.

“You’ve had a long journey,” Nathan acknowledged, coming out of his thoughts. “Let’s get you to the café for a warm meal, then I can give you a tour of the office before we head to your house and get you settled.”

“That sounds great. Sorry if I upset you before. My wife always tells me I’m too quick to spit out my thoughts before thinking about what I’m about to say and how it might not be appropriate. Having a good woman by your side can really improve your life, Nathan. I thank God every day I have Anne in my life.”

Nathan was inclined to agree with him, as his greatest wish was to find his one true love to spend the rest of his life with. He sighed and clapped Thomas’ shoulder saying, “One day it may happen for me, but you are a lucky man to have found that in your life. I do have a wonderful girl in my life right now, my daughter Allie who is turning 13 soon.”

“So you’ve been married before?” Thomas asked, a little confused.

“No, she was my sister’s daughter. When Colleen passed, Allie’s father left and I was the only person able to take care of her. Allie’s adoption became final a few months ago.” Nathan spoke with great pride and reverence about this special father/daughter relationship. He didn’t know what he would do without Allie in his life, but now was not the time to get emotional about that when he was trying to make a strong leadership appearance, his first chance at being in a superior role. “Let’s go get you fed, and I think you’ll get to meet Bill Avery over at the café. He will be able to help you out a lot while I’m out of town.”

“Bill Avery?!” Thomas exclaimed. “That man is a legend with the Mounties. I heard he just turned in his uniform, and that’s a shame based on the stories I’ve heard.”

Nathan chuckled, “Don’t tell him that, he already thinks too highly of himself.”

The two Mounties headed to the café where Thomas met his hero Bill Avery, got a hearty meal, and was introduced to several townspeople who looked with curiosity at the new Constable. Nathan hoped people would be welcoming, and felt pride in the way he had served and protected this town over the past few years. He was excited to finally be an Inspector and live out his dream. Nathan was known for his tracking and investigating skills, so this new position would perfectly fit his skills. Finally something in his life seemed to be headed in a positive direction, for the first time in a very long time.

Thomas’ wife arrived the next day, and the entire neighborhood was eager to help the Bradshaws get settled. Anne was a put-together, attractive woman in her mid 20s with curly chocolate-colored hair, dark brown eyes, and olive-toned skin. Unlike her exuberant husband, she was more reserved; however, she was extremely kind and cheerful and made friends easily, which helped with the Mountie lifestyle of moving around frequently. She had a small round belly, holding her first-born child that would arrive in the late summer. Smiling and thanking everyone, she went inside what would be her new home, and went straight up to the bedroom to rest after her tiresome journey.

“My love, are you feeling ok,” Thomas asked her, helping her get comfortable.

“I was a little sick on the train, but the fresh air and kindness of everyone in Hope Valley has helped immensely.” Anne smiled at how handsome her husband looked in suspenders and his casual civilian clothes. “How do you like working with Constable, soon-to-be Inspector, Grant?” she asked with interest. “He seems like a noble and honorable Mountie, very handsome, and he’s still unattached?”

“Don’t get any ideas,” he warned. “You know how well the last set-up worked out.”

“Hey, I’ll have you know at least three Mounties are now happily married thanks to my match-making skills,” Anne defended herself. “I feel bad about that last one, especially because it involved family. I just don’t understand how a selfless man like Nathan, who took in and adopted his niece, can’t get a wife.”

“Slow down there Mrs. Bradshaw,” Thomas teased. “I think he has a thing for Mrs. Thornton, but rumor has it he was turned down for a certain Mr. Bouchard. I suggest we just stay out of it, since he’s my boss and all.”

“Oh, all right,” she agreed as she began drifting off to sleep. Thomas sat and watched her until he knew she was in a deep slumber, then dressed in his serge and headed to do rounds with Nathan.

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Shutting the office door and walking into the street, Nathan was mentally crossing things off his list of all the things that had to be done before he and Allie headed to Union City tomorrow. He had saved the one thing he was dreading for last. Taking a deep breath, he headed toward the Saloon and walked into a nearly-empty room. Nathan scanned the room with his eyes and noticed Lucas at the bar looking defeated and troubled. He approached the bar cautiously, not exactly sure what he was here for or what he really wanted to say. Lucas looked up, surprised.

“Lucas,” Nathan began. “You may have heard I’m leaving for a few weeks.”

“Yes, I heard about your promotion. Congratulations, Nathan. You deserve it. I really mean that. I would have never forgiven myself if Elizabeth had lost her land because of me.” Lucas looked down embarrassed.

“I wanted to know if you had somewhere we could talk privately,” Nathan asked. 

Lucas looked a little taken aback, but motioned for Nathan to follow him back to his office where the incident with Spurlock happened just a few short weeks ago. “You know, I’ve always been so in control of my life. The master of my own destiny, “Lucas lamented. “I don’t know if I can get myself out of this mess.”

“I just wanted to make sure you were ok before I left town,” Nathan responded. 

“I tried to explain everything to Elizabeth, but she is unsure if she wants to continue in a relationship with me,” Lucas admitted. “Right now we are taking a break and I am giving her space.”

This was news to Nathan, and he felt a surge of mixed emotions at Lucas’ admission. “I guess I just don’t quite understand what is going on with Frontier Estates, or why you hired the Pinkertons and Wyman Walden. I know that the article Rosemary had in the Valley Voice didn’t put you in a very good light, and I’ve seen that people in the community have lost trust in you.”

“First and foremost, I want to be clear that nothing I have done is illegal,” Lucas explained. “When I found out the Pinkertons might be involved in fraudulent activities, I was doing everything I could to make sure they didn’t involve my company in anything unlawful. I stopped letting them be the couriers for the legal documents, and kept all of the original documents in my safe.”

“So what is it exactly that your company does then?” Nathan tried to understand. “You acquire properties like land and businesses to develop, spruce them up, then resell at a much higher value once land values go up due to something like a factory coming to town? Does that just about cover it?” 

“More or less. This business is how I financed all of my other ventures, like the oil business. Now that is in jeopardy because people don’t feel like they can trust me. Luckily, Mike is doing a great job running both Gowen Petroleum, and the pipeline business. Fiona…” Lucas paused at the mention of her name and winced. “I’m not sure she will ever forgive me for not being honest with everyone. I really messed things up this time.”

“What happened to Wyman Walden?” Nathan asked. “I know people had a really hard time with him, especially since he was trying to do his own personal transactions on the side and tried to take all of their money.”

“Mr. Walden has headed to work at another town that is close to booming, like this one, to start buying land and businesses. I’m not the only person involved in Frontier Estates, and I don’t make all of the decisions.” Lucas asserted. “You have to understand, I have done this in multiple frontier towns and my intent is always to make positive changes.”

“And a profit,” Nathan interjected suspiciously.

“Of course I would want to make a profit,” Lucas pointed out. “It doesn’t make me a bad person to want to improve people’s lives and make money in the process.” 

“No, I supposed not,” Nathan said. “I have a suggestion. Why don’t you go to Rosemary and give her your side of the story in an exclusive expose that she can print in the Valley Voice. You need to let people know that hiring the Pinkertons and Wyman Walden was a mistake, and give them a reason to start trusting you again. You need to clean up the Saloon and make it a more family-friendly environment. It can’t continue to be a place where brawls break out and unsavory characters hang out. While I’m gone, work with Constable Bradshaw to really try to keep the peace in Hope Valley.”

Lucas gave Nathan a grateful smile and stood up to go shake his hand. “I don’t deserve your kindness and friendship after the way I treated you back when we were both vying for Elizabeth.”

“It’s all water under the bridge,” Nathan replied, walking out of the office. He turned and sincerely said, “Lucas, everyone deserves a second chance, especially in a place with hope in the name of the town. I’ll see you when I get back home.”

Lucas watched his former adversary walk out of the Saloon and contemplated what he had said. Could he overcome this and actually stay? He was so used to developing a town, turning a profit, then moving on. Hope Valley had become his home, and he was tired of running away.

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Allie went over the list she had made and checked her suitcase for the umpteenth time. She was used to moving around, but not since they had been in Hope Valley the past three years. She knew they would only be gone for a few weeks, but she had a feeling this trip was going to change things. Hearing the door close, she headed down to serve her Dad the last dinner in their own home before they left.

“Allie, you made all this for me?” Nathan asked, impressed. “That was very thoughtful. Are you packed and ready to go?”

“Sure am!” she exclaimed. “Are YOU all packed?”

“You know I don’t need much,” he joked. “Are you excited to spend some time in the city and go to a big school?” 

“I’m a little nervous I won’t measure up to the other kids there, but I know it will be good for me. I’ll miss my friends...and Robert.” Allie giggled and her cheeks turned a bright pink.

“Maybe getting you away from here for a while will be good for more than one reason,” Nathan suggested, rolling his eyes and laughing.

“Dad!” Allie groaned. “What about you, are you nervous about your training?”

“Just excited,” Nathan confessed. “I think this is going to be good for us both.”

After dinner, Nathan read Allie a few chapters of Anne of Green Gables, one of her favorite books, because Allie had always felt a little like an orphan and related to the Anne character. They always laughed at Anne Shirley’s antics together and discussed who they thought were Kindred Spirits in their own lives. The duo went to bed early, and both dreamt of excitement and adventure that awaited them in Union City: a trip that could prove to be a major turning point in the Grant Family.

Granting a Family - Chapter 7: A Tale of Two Spurlocks

Winter was nearing an end, but the snow and cold was keeping its tight grip on Hope Valley. Nathan built up the fire in the Mountie office and was startled when the phone rang. Superintendent Lewis was on the line to get a report on the new developments and factory. Nathan informed him that the factory was set to open in the spring, bringing an influx of even more settlers to the area. 

“We have decided to train Inspectors to be in the field at places where growth is happening. Training happens the first three weeks of April, and you will be directly supervised by the new Inspector we are planning to send to Hope Valley,” he heard Superintendent Lewis say.

“Yes sir,” Nathan answered, trying not to sound disappointed. Lately, he regretted giving up his promotion to Inspector quite often. This felt like a slap in the face to not be considered for the position, but at least he would have another Mountie to help him keep the peace in the ever-growing Hope Valley area. If they could just solve these real estate cases and save Jack’s land, maybe he could prove himself to the Superintendent.

So far they had come up empty handed while searching for evidence against Spurlock, and they hadn’t been able to prove Lucas had any involvement in Frontier Estates. They needed to get a break in the case somehow. Nathan decided to continue cleaning out the desk and files to make room for a new Mountie to come.

Nathan pulled out the desk drawers, but the bottom one was getting stuck on something and wouldn’t come all the way out. On closer inspection, he saw a file wedged between the bottom of the drawer and the wood underneath. Nathan carefully got the file unstuck and he could feel his heart pounding harder as he saw what the file was labeled: Jack Thornton Legal Documents. Had Jack hidden this file for safekeeping? 

Nathan almost sacredly opened up the file. The first document was Jack’s birth certificate, followed by legal papers regarding Sergeant, Jack’s Mountie horse and companion. Finally, the document Nathan needed: the original deed to Jack’s land with accompanying tax documents that showed it had been paid in full when the land was purchased. Nathan suddenly realized he had been holding his breath, and let it out as he looked at the final piece of paper, which were plans for a beautiful home to be built on Jack's land for him and Elizabeth. Nathan felt a familiar feeling of guilt for being the reason Jack didn’t get to live out that dream, then tried to suppress those feelings by reminding himself it wasn’t his fault.

Nathan rushed over to Bill’s office, but he wasn’t there. Of all the times for that man to be late for work, it had to be today when there was suddenly a huge break in the case? He left the office and went to the café to see if Bill happened to be helping there today. Nathan walked in the back door and saw Minnie pulling some biscuits out of the oven.

“Hello Nathan, can I get you something to eat?” Minnie asked kindly.

“No, I’m fine,” Nathan answered politely. “I’m actually just looking for Bill, have you seen him?”

“I haven’t. Would you like me to relay a message if he comes in later?”

“Sure. Just tell him I have an urgent matter to discuss with him and send him to my office,” Nathan responded. “Maybe I will take one of those biscuits to go, they smell delicious.”

“Go right ahead and grab one, it’s on the house. We all appreciate how hard you are working to keep the town safe, especially the past several months” Minnie said gratefully.

“Thank you Minnie. Mmmmm,” he said, taking a bite out of the biscuit. “Soooo good. Thanks again.” With that, he left the café and walked back to his office. 

Nathan was cleaning out more old files when Bill came in a little while later. “Minnie said you needed to see me, what’s up?” Bill asked.

Nathan grabbed Jack’s file and handed it to Bill. “I found this file stuck under one of my desk drawers while making space for a new Mountie,” Nathan explained. “I don’t want Elizabeth to know I found this, so please tell her whatever you need to so she thinks you found them.”

“If that’s what you really want,” Bill replied, looking through the file. “These are going to mean a lot to Elizabeth. Good work, Nathan.”

“I don’t know why I haven’t run across this file before,” Nathan wondered out loud. “It was pretty stuck under that drawer. I’m not sure if Jack hid them intentionally, or if it just fell down there. I hope these documents are all the evidence we need to save the land.” 

Bill was nodding as he looked over the deed and exclaimed, “I knew that the other document couldn’t be correct and must be a forgery! I can run forensics just to make sure, but I have no doubt these are the originals. Now we just have to prove who is behind this. I suspect Spurlock and his lackeys are behind this, but we have to find proof and we have to make sure we have enough to put them away for a good, long while.”

“What do you have in mind?” Nathan asked curiously. 

“I’ve already been tracking Spurlock’s movements for the past few weeks since I overheard him talking to Lucas,” Bill admitted with a little twinkle in his eye. “That’s where I was this morning. We know the three Pinkertons spend a lot of time at that cabin that used to be where Charles Spurlock lived and where he tried to kill Elizabeth.”

“Does Elizabeth know this new Agent’s name is also Spurlock?” Nathan asked. Bill shook his head as Nathan continued. “We should verify their relationship through the Pinkertons. I’ll make a phone call later to Mountie headquarters. I know they usually have access to Pinkerton personnel records.”

“Good idea,” Bill said. “I started noticing Spurlock going into the Saloon after hours pretty consistently. Maybe one of these nights we should follow him and see if we can catch him in the act of something illegal.”

“Go verify the documents so you can talk to Elizabeth, then we can strategize more,” Nathan instructed. “I’m just so relieved Jack saved the day and his land.” Nathan had always felt a bond with Jack Thornton, and felt guided to find that file when he did. That is part of why he was so hurt when Elizabeth said she was only seeing Jack in him. He had felt like, in a way, Jack had brought him to Hope Valley, and he was grateful for the bond he felt with him.

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Elizabeth was playing with little Jack on her day off when she heard a knock at her door. “Who could this be, Jack?” she asked, opening the door. “Bill, hello! Come in.”

“Hello Elizabeth. And how is my Godson?” he asked, bending down to acknowledge little Jack. “I have some news on Jack’s land.”

“Oh,” Elizabeth braced herself for bad news, and noticed the file in Bill’s hands. “What did you find out?”

“While searching for information, this file was discovered.” Bill handed the file to Elizabeth, and she gasped when she saw the label. 

“How did I not know this file existed?” Elizabeth asked. She carefully opened the file, and emotionally looked at Jack’s birth certificate, Sergeant’s documents, and the original land purchase documents. When she saw the house plans a sob escaped and tears ran down Elizabeth’s cheeks, as she mourned the life she and Jack would never have together with their son.

“You are the great legal mind, Bill. What does all of this mean?” asked Elizabeth.

“I have run forensics and determined that THESE are the original land documents from Jack’s purchase. The one the county had on file was a forgery. Someone made a switch. I have a lead I’m working on, but no concrete evidence yet. I just wanted to make you aware of my progress. I’ll keep the file in my safe until we get this all squared away. I’ll leave you to your weekend, I just wanted to give you an update,” Bill finished saying as he was leaving.

“I appreciate your help with this, Bill. You are so good to us, and I value your friendship.” Elizabeth walked him out and waved as he rode away on his horse. From her front porch, she noticed Nathan and Allie riding horses together and smiled. Just then, Lucas showed up in his car.

“Elizabeth, what are you doing outside?” he asked, looking in the direction of the Grants on their horses. 

Elizabeth felt a little embarrassed that he noticed her watching them, but defended herself by saying, “Bill just left and I was seeing him out. He gave me some good news about Jack’s land! Do you want to come inside so I can tell you the news?” She knew he still had a hard time feeling comfortable in her row house, but she always invited.

“I am in a bit of a hurry right now, but what did Bill say?” Lucas asked. 

“He found a file with Jack’s original land documents, which proves the dispute is based off forgeries,” Elizabeth told him.

Lucas said under his breath, “I’ve got to talk to Spurlock.” 

“Did you just say Spurlock?” Elizabeth’s face turned white as if she’d see a ghost. “Is that the name of that Pinkerton? I was almost killed by another Agent Spurlock when I first came to teach here, and he was sent to prison after trying to shoot me. Jack saved my life that day.”

Lucas was usually in control of his emotions, but even Elizabeth noticed how angry he appeared to be. “If you’ll excuse me, I have something that requires my attention.” Lucas quickly drove away, leaving Elizabeth more confused and concerned than before.

Nathan and Allie had turned around on their horses and started riding by, just as Lucas had driven off. She smiled politely at them and waved.

“Hi Mrs. Thornton,” Allie greeted.

“Hi there Allie. It looks like you’ve gotten quite good at riding, thanks to your Dad.” Elizabeth looked up at Nathan and saw he was a bit embarrassed at the compliment. “I need to get back inside to check on Jack. Have a good weekend you two.” Nathan waved, but didn’t speak.

“Bye, tell Jack hi for us,” Allie yelled as Elizabeth opened her front door and went inside.

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Rosemary rushed inside the Barber Shop. “Fiona! I’m getting ready to print the latest edition of the Valley Voice and need your updated ad, do you have it ready?”

“Sure do!” Fiona assured her. “It’s over there on my desk, you can go ahead and grab it while I finish up Mike’s haircut.”

“Oh, hello Hickam, I didn’t notice you there.” Rosemary blurted as she looked for the ad on the desk.

“Hello Rosemary,” Hickam interjected. “What’s the latest big news in Hope Valley?”

“Well, I’m still stuck trying to find out anything I can about Wyman Walden, the land acquisitions, and who owns a company called Frontier Estates.” Rosemary babbled on, “At least Bill has found documents to help save Jack’s land for Elizabeth, so that’s a relief!”

“That’s wonderful news about Elizabeth,” said Mike. “She doesn’t deserve someone trying to steal her land.”

“Did you say Frontier Estates?” Fiona inquired thoughtfully. “I am sure I’ve heard that name before and may be able to find out something about that. Let me make a phone call when I’m finished up here, and I’ll get back with you.”

“That would be wonderful,” Rosemary declared. “Well, thanks for the ad. I better get back to work. Goodbye Fiona. Hickam.” With that she was gone.

When Hickam finished his haircut and left the Barber Shop, Fiona headed to the Mercantile to borrow the phone from Florence. Just as she had suspected, her ex-fiancé had information on the San Francisco-based land acquisition company Frontier Estates. He confirmed what Fiona had suspected, but couldn’t prove: the owner of the company was none other than Lucas Bouchard. 

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Lucas wasn’t sure when or where he could catch Agent Spurlock to question him. He had been going through all of the legal land documents for Frontier Estates to see if any of them had been taken or possibly forged. He couldn’t believe another Agent Spurlock had nearly killed Elizabeth. Was this an act of revenge? Lucas wasn’t sure what Spurlock might try if he knew they had found out about the forgery.

“What do we have here?” a voice sneered from behind Lucas. “Have you been holding onto original documents? I thought you had given them all to us for filing.” 

Lucas turned to face Julius Spurlock who had a gun pointed right at him.

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Just outside, Nathan and Bill had decided to follow Spurlock on his nightly visit to the Saloon just after closing. They had entered quietly and tried to follow him through the darkness. Suddenly they heard voices in the back toward Lucas’ old office, or was it his current office? The door was still ajar, but they couldn’t see anyone.

Bill and Nathan had their guns drawn, and Bill motioned for them to rush the door and confront Spurlock before someone got hurt. As they charged into the room, they saw the gun pointed at Lucas and suddenly Agent Spurlock shot towards them, causing them to jump for cover, then he grabbed Lucas and stuck the gun in his back. 

“Drop your guns Judge and Constable,” Spurlock barked. 

“Do you really want to ruin your entire career as a Pinkerton this way?” Bill asked as he threw down his gun.

“You’ll never get away with this Julius. I know you were trying to steal Elizabeth’s land to avenge your brother Charles,” Nathan challenged.

Spurlock looked a little stunned then snarled, “How did you even figure that out? Never mind, you won’t get a chance to do anything about it when I’m finished with you all.”

“Lucas, what’s your involvement in all of this? Would you really do that to Elizabeth?” Bill questioned.

Lucas looked scared, but insisted, “I had nothing to do with Jack’s land or any forgeries. I never do anything illegal in my business dealings.”

“No, but you are a bit deceptive,” a woman’s voice startled them all from the doorway and they all looked to see Fiona pointing a shotgun at Spurlock.

Nathan used the distraction to lunge at Spurlock and knock the gun out of his hands. The two of them struggled in hand to hand combat, while Bill hurried to secure the weapons and pushed Fiona and Lucas out the door to safety before rushing back and pointing a weapon at Spurlock to subdue him enough for Nathan to handcuff him.

“It looks like the Spurlocks like to add attempted murder to their long list of charges,” Nathan remarked as he led him out of the Saloon and across the street to the jail.

Lucas grabbed Fiona’s arm and thanked her for helping save his life. He had never known another woman who was so fearless and brave, both tonight and back when she helped at the oil rig. She quickly pulled her arm away and said, “Just because we have business dealings with the oil company, doesn’t mean I trust you. I don’t understand why you have deceived everyone, acquiring land, including this Saloon, in the name of Frontier Estates. I know you are a gambler, but the people of Hope Valley took both of us in as their own, and they deserve better than that.” Fiona rushed out of the Saloon and left Lucas staring towards her, wondering what these feelings were that he had just experienced. 

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“Bill, you stay here in the jail to watch Spurlock. I’m heading up to the cabin to question the other two Pinkertons,” Nathan instructed.

“Are you sure that’s wise? They have you outnumbered,” Bill worried.

“Come on, those lackeys won’t be a problem. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Allie’s at a sleepover tonight, so I don’t have to worry about going home tonight,” Nathan assured Bill.

As he approached the cabin, Nathan heard the two Pinkertons inside laughing raucously. He drew his gun, secured the perimeter and headed for the door. He tried to look in the window but couldn’t see much. He contemplated how to approach the men without tipping them off, so they wouldn’t have a chance to stop what they were doing. He waited for them to get really loud again and quickly opened the door and yelled, “Mounted Police! Drop your weapons and put your hands on your head.”

Nathan wasn’t surprised they were forging documents in the cabin. He worked quickly to cuff both men and sat them down to ask questions. He also wasn’t surprised they blamed Spurlock for everything, and admitted he threatened them to go along. As soon as he had taken their statements, he helped them on their horses and led them back into town where he locked them up in the jail, along with their boss man. 

Bill congratulated Nathan for his successful arrests and offered to stay the night to keep an eye on things. They decided to take shifts, then call Mountie Headquarters in the morning to discuss transporting the prisoners. They still had questions about Lucas and his involvement with all of the buying and selling of land in Hope Valley through Frontier Estates, but it was clear he hadn’t been involved in trying to take Elizabeth’s land. They would worry about that later, and needed to have a talk with Fiona soon. Rosemary would also want the scoop for the newspaper.

Nathan let out a huge sigh of relief. He thought about what he said to Dylan Parks last year: “The Mounties always get their man”...or men, in this case. Whatever it took to protect the town, he was willing to sacrifice. He was grateful no one was seriously hurt tonight, and thanked God all of their investigating led them to the right place at the right time. Nathan hoped no more Spurlocks ever came to their town looking for trouble ever again. Hope Valley was a safer place tonight with three criminal Pinkertons behind bars.