Jack couldn't help himself – he'd laughed when Elizabeth had offered to help Mr. Harper with his farm and children. What was she thinking? She really couldn't take care of a farm. He'd seen her in Hamilton in her fancy dress and dinners and the servants who did everything for her.

Jack knew he was being a tad unfair to her, he knew firsthand how strong Elizabeth was, but he couldn't help but feel that the Harper farm would be too much. So, he would look in on her, to make sure that she coped. Why was he even bothering to lie to himself? He would have checked on her whether or not Mr. Harper had asked him to, and not to see how she coped. He could admit it to himself, if no one else; he was going to be at the Harper farm with her because he couldn't bear to stay away from Elizabeth.

The telegram from Mr. Harper saying that he'd been delayed a day was welcome news. Now, he had a legitimate reason to stay the night with Elizabeth. She would surely need help. As they ate dinner with Patrick and Nellie, he couldn't help but picture a time in the future when he and Elizabeth were sitting down to dinner with their own children, laughing and having a great time. As he ate her vegetable stew, he couldn't help but hope and pray that such a time would come soon, a time when spending the night with Elizabeth was a sure way to end the evening.

Jack was on his way to the barn; he'd made sure that everything was where it should be and he was about to turn in. Elizabeth's and Patrick's voices stopped him short and he couldn't help and stay to listen. Elizabeth was so good with children, she was a teacher but hearing her share a story about her childhood with Patrick somehow made him closer to her.

When she joined him after helping Patrick sleep, Jack felt more content than he'd been in weeks. Here he was at the end of the day sharing his dreams with the woman of his dreams. A perfect way to end the day. He was a bit dismayed to find that Elizabeth had fallen asleep, that she hadn't heard his dreams. He shook his head and chuckled softly, she was asleep with her head lying on his shoulder and that was more than he'd hoped for or even imagined. It would do for now.

Jack entered the room and found Elizabeth standing infront of the stove. She seemed quite fidgety and he couldn't help but wonder why.

"Good morning," he smiled at her.

"Good morning," she replied, "someone's been busy this morning."

"I wanted to make sure you had enough firewood before I left to do my rounds," Jack told her.

"That looks like more than enough," she said, serving Patrick his breakfast. "Did you sleep well?"

Jack stood up and watching her again he couldn't help himself. "The floor in the barn is softer than my bed in the jail."

"I'm sorry about that," Elizabeth said.

Jack smiled to himself. "Was there another option?" he teased her. Her 'no' was slow in coming and a bit hesitant, Jack couldn't help but smile even more. He could admit it to himself, although not to anybody else, let alone Elizabeth, he loved her.

It was a spur of the moment decision but he knew that it was one Elizabeth would appreciate, for some strange reason, she understood his weird sense of humour. He really wanted to get her something but he couldn't afford jewelry and he didn't want to seem like he was competing like had happened in Hamilton when Charles Kensington's flowers had outshone his. He wanted to give her something that she could use, that would remind her of him, but especially something that meant something to both of them.

The idea came to him when they were out riding after she'd left the Harper homestead, when they were standing in the fields looking out at Hope Valley. He reached out and took her hand and felt his world righting itself again. Everything was going to be fine, more than fine, between with them.

He walked up to Elizabeth; she was standing by the Church doors waiting for her students to enter.

"Hello," he said.

"Here to enjoy the fruits of your labour?" she quipped.

"I brought you a gift," he told her.

"You're so sweet," she couldn't imagine what he'd brought her.

He watched the emotions chase each other on her face, shock and then finally happiness, and then a knowing smile, Jack knew that getting her the cowbell had been the right decision. It was unique if nothing else.

He knew that there were many obstacles that they were going to face but for now, as he watched her shake the bell to announce the beginning of the school day, Jack was certain of one thing. He could face whatever life threw at them.