Recap: Forever in My Heart - Season 3 - Episode 6

On a cold and rainy day on the frontier, Jack and Bill arrive at the mill for another talk with Lee Coulter. The accidents at the mill are costing Lee even more contracts and forcing him to cut back on shifts. The situation couldn’t be more dire for Lee and the mill and Jack and Bill still don’t have any suspects. Hoping to learn more, Lee has provided them with a list of all his employees. It’s a shot in the dark, especially since Lee hasn’t fired anyone since the mill opened. But with the situation escalating, Jack and Bill have no other choice but to start interviewing the workers.

Away from the mill a more lighthearted tone has swept across the town. In the café Cody bursts in waving a letter over his head. His sister Becky has written to tell him she’s getting better and that she’ll be leaving the hospital soon. Cody can hardly contain his excitement at the prospect of seeing his sister and having her join his new family in Hope Valley.

Outside town in the settler camp, Jack and Faith arrive to distribute much needed provisions. Frank Hogan is away testifying in the Garrison Gang trial so Jack has volunteered to help. While at the camp Jack and Faith run into Edith, the young mother whose baby Faith treated for fever. The young mother looks tired and worn out and when Jack asks about her husband, Edith explains that he left before she gave birth to their child. He notices that Edith’s tent is in need of several repairs and offers to help. Edith is reluctant at first but Jack insists and she relents.

Since landing in Hope Valley Rosemary has been bereft of the spotlight of the big stage. But, as she enters the saloon to find Lee, Rosemary beams as though she is center stage on Broadway. Rosemary’s just learned that a famous film director is shooting his latest feature in Hope Valley. More importantly, the director will be casting locals in the film. As Rosemary sees it, this is her chance to reach millions of people, far more than some little theatre. Lee can only look on and smile as Rosemary gets caught up in the excitement.

Back at the café Elizabeth and Abigail are talking when Cody barrels down the stairs. He’s headed out to play with the other boys but before he gets to the door a familiar voice calls his name. Cody, Abigail and Elizabeth run into the main room of the café to find Cody’s sister Becky, apparently wheelchair bound. Seeing his sister in the wheelchair initially shocks Cody. Becky explains that it’s just taking her longer to recover and that’s why she’s still in the wheelchair. Becky stretches her arms and Cody, still shocked, hugs her saying that he really missed her.

While Cody and Becky talk, Dr. Burns steps forward to talk with Abigail. The doctor explains that Becky’s legs are fine, but that she hasn’t had the motivation to walk again. Dr. Burns hopes that bringing Becky to Hope Valley around her loved ones will give her the encouragement she needs to walk again. There is also the matter of Cody and Becky’s future. The children still have no guardian and, with no other family, Abigail is all they have. Abigail reveals that she’s thought about taking the children but she’s unsure how Becky would feel. Abigail wants to give Becky time to think about what she wants, but time is not on her side. The doctor explains that the social worker is eager to place the children in a home and if not Abigail’s, some other home must be found.

Back in Lee’s office, Jack and Bill discuss the status of their investigation. While the employees don’t seem to have any grudges against Lee, the evidence still points to the saboteur being an inside man. Since the men have no personal motivations, it seems likely that money is the likely motive. And there is one person who has the means and money to corrupt a worker: Henry Gowen.

As she makes her way into the café, Elizabeth notices Becky drawing sketches at one of the outside tables. When Elizabeth looks at the sketches she sees that they are actually engineering designs for a bridge. Becky explains that she learned drafting from her father, who worked on the Queensland Bridge. The plans she’s drawing are for a model bridge that she and her father had worked on. Seeing her talent, Elizabeth suggests that Becky design a bridge for the regional science fair. Children from all over the west are entering the contest and the top prize is a scholarship. And Elizabeth thinks Becky’s talent might be enough to win the top prize. To celebrate, Elizabeth invites Becky inside for some hot chocolate. Elizabeth then asks if Becky would like to try and walk inside. Despite Elizabeth’s offer to stand right by her, Becky is hesitant and asks if maybe they can try tomorrow. Elizabeth is supportive and agrees that they will try again tomorrow.

Back out at the settlement, Jack’s returned to give Edith a hand with the repairs her tent desperately needs. While they talk, Edith reveals that her husband Roy is now working at a mine nearby. Jack notices that she clutches a locket when she talks about Roy. He asks if she’s got a picture of him in the locket and Edith promptly opens the locket, revealing a picture of Roy and her son. Edith explains that Roy never mistreated her; he just didn’t take to the idea of being a husband. Despite it all he is still the only man she’s ever loved and the father of her son.

Since talking to Elizabeth about the contest, Becky has been completely absorbed in her drawings. Abigail pulls up a chair at the table to talk to her about her drawings and her father. She then asks Becky where she wants to stay. Becky says that she would like to stay with Abigail but that she wasn’t sure if, in her condition, Abigail would be willing to take her in. Abigail assures Becky that she would take her regardless of the wheelchair. She tells Becky that from the moment she and Cody came into her life she knew that the three of them were meant to be together. Cody, who’s been eavesdropping on the stairs, runs down and asks if they are going to be a family. Abigail hugs them both and tells them yes, they are going to be a family.

Standing in the middle of Main Street, Mr. Pope, the director of the upcoming film, is framing shots of Hope Valley’s scenery. As he and his assistant log the shots, Rosemary makes her appearance. She introduces herself and, after it’s clear that Mr. Pope has never heard of her, launches into her theatre resume. As luck would have it Mr. Pope has a role for her working alongside his star, as her personal maid. Stunned, Rosemary declares, “I am an actress.” Mr. Pope politely nods and tells her that all the roles have been filled then walks away. As Rosemary turns to compose herself she sees Hickam carrying a script. Not only has Hickam been cast, but Mary Dunbar and Molly Sullivan have also been cast.

At a Northridge sawmill, Jack and Bill talk with Tommy Northridge, the mill’s owner. Northridge is one of Lee’s competitors but he’s also loaned Lee equipment to replace his damaged equipment. While talking about his business, Tommy mentions that Henry Gowen had approached him several months ago looking for a partner to help buy Lee out. Northridge turned him down but the evidence is starting to point to Henry Gowen as the likely saboteur.

While out on patrol Jack decides to make a visit to a nearby to find Edith’s husband Roy. The two men sit for a cup of coffee where Jack tells Roy that he has a son. Roy admits that he was a lousy husband and he doesn’t think he’ll fare much better as a dad. Jack tries to encourage him to go back, but Roy is sure that Edith is better without him.

Later in the day, when Jack returns to Hope Valley, he and Elizabeth are walking together when they see an older gentleman waiting outside the jail. Jack immediately recognizes the man, but he can’t let Elizabeth know who he is. He tells Elizabeth that he needs to talk to the man and hurriedly rushes off. The man, Mr. Besser, has a plot of land that Jack is interested in buying for his future home. Another man is also interested in the plot, but Mr. Besser has a soft spot for Jack and wants to give him every opportunity to buy the land. As the two talk Jack notices Elizabeth snooping outside. He pauses the conversation, walks to the window, and pulls down the blind. He then turns to Mr. Besser and the two continue to talk about the plot.

Back in the saloon, Rosemary makes one more attempt to impress Mr. Pope. She approaches him and offers a soliloquy from her days on the stage. Mr. Pope looks up and informs her that moving pictures are silent and that all the roles are have been cast. Rosemary pleads with Mr. Pope and, as luck would have it, her pleas strike a chord. It turns out that despite his impeccable qualifications, Mr. Pope had been rejected for a big job years ago. As he tells the story Rosemary points out that he knows how she feels right now. Her pleas break through and Mr. Pope offers her a role as the saloon girl.

align-center

Outside of town, on a grassy clearing, Henry Gowen and Nora Avery are talking and enjoying a picnic. Jack was standing on the corner when, earlier in the day, Nora arrived back in town. Henry was also present, and he and Nora embraced and she stepped off the coach. Now that they are alone together, Henry reveals that he brought her to this clearing because is considering buying the plot from Mr. Besser. He’s ready to move on with the next chapter of his life and that he hopes that she is too. Nora smiles at Henry and tells him that she just might be ready to make that move on to the next chapter of her life.

Later that night Henry sits in the saloon, playing a very tense game of poker with Bill. As they play, Bill reveals that he’s learned about Gowen’s attempt to team up with Tommy Northridge and force Lee Coulter out of business. Gowen immediately sees what’s going on and makes it clear that he has nothing to do with the sabotage at the mill. He then accuses Jack of trying to run him through the mud to make him look bad in front of Nora. Jack loses the poker game but he knows Gowen and he’s sure that Gowen isn’t the culprit. But if it isn’t him, it’s still up to Bill and Jack to find out who it is.

Out at the settlement, Jack drops by with a gift for Edith. Earlier Roy had come in to town and left, giving Jack money to take to her. The money tells Edith all she needs to know. Jack does his best to cover for Roy but Edith is convinced that he left because of her. Jack disagrees; he thinks Roy is scared. It’s not enough for Edith, who hands back the money and tells Jack that she doesn’t want the money or anything else from Roy.

The next day at the saloon, Rosemary is going over the script with Mr. Pope. She’s searching for her “motivation” and stretching Mr. Pope’s patience. He’s so frustrated that he’s ready to fire her but, as he prepares to say the words, a voice speaks up from behind him. The voice is that of James Addison, the owner of the motion picture company filming in Hope Valley. As luck would have it, he’s a huge fan of Rosemary’s. He’s such a huge fan that he immediately offers Rosemary the chance to be a movie star. Faced with her dream of fame, Rosemary stands shocked and speechless.

align-center

Back at the mill, things have gone from bad to worse for Lee Coulter. The head saw has broken after cutting into a spiked log. Hickam rode into the parcel and found even more spiked trees. Without a head saw and with dozens of spiked trees, the mill can’t operate and Lee has no choice but to shut down. He calls all the men together and prepares to shut down his mill.

Later in the night, Elizabeth joins Abigail and the kids for supper. As she and Abigail head off to look at linens in the café, Cody heads upstairs to do his homework. Becky is left alone at the table with no way to get up her own. Behind her, on top of a cabinet, is her notebook and there’s only one way she can get it. She backs up her wheelchair and attempts to reach. When that fails she has no choice and slowly pulls her legs out off the chair. She struggles at first, but she manages to push herself up onto her feet. As she stands, Abigail and Elizabeth walk into the room. Abigail immediately runs to her and teary eyed, tells her how proud she is of her.

The next day, just as the children leave for school, Abigail gets an early visitor to the café. Assuming the woman is a customer, Abigail apologizes for running late and tells the woman she’ll have the tea on in a moment. The woman apologizes for the confusion and introduces herself as Caroline Conners. Caroline is looking for Cody and Becky… She’s their aunt, and she’s come to find them.