As the stagecoach rumbles across the dirt road, a familiar voice calls out to Jack. Rosemary is eager to welcome Jack and Elizabeth home but she is caught off guard when she realizes Elizabeth isn’t in the coach. Jack explains Elizabeth’s mother is still ill but she’ll return as soon as her mother is well. Jack look around town and notices the many changes that have taken place since he left. When Rosemary tells him of the town’s new name, Jack smiles and says, “It fits.”
In Hamilton, Elizabeth is busy looking after her mother and
spending time with her friend Charles. Charles’ attention toward Elizabeth does
not go unnoticed by Julie. Envious over Elizabeth’s two suitors, Julie has
decided to entertain the advances of a suitor of her own. Julie reveals that
she received a letter from Jack’s rapscallion brother Tom. Remembering Julie’s
brief infatuation with Nate Toliver, Elizabeth is less than thrilled the hear
Julie has fallen for yet another black sheep.
Back in Hope Valley, Rosemary is busy helping Abigail ready
for another busy day at the café. While her voluntary services have been
helpful, the barrage of suggestions and critiques wears on Abigail. Fortunately
today, Bill Avery drops by for a private word with Abigail. Bill is heading
east to assist the Mounties in a criminal investigation and he wanted say
goodbye before leaving. Staring into her eyes, he embraces Abigail and the two
share a tender kiss.
Outside, a middle aged man and his teenaged daughter arrive
in Hope Valley. As they talk it becomes clear that Floyd and Annabelle Conklin
are grifters who’ve stumbled into a town on the upswing. Their
scheme involves collecting money for Bibles they will never order. But their
plan hits an immediate snag when Florence notices the Bibles and immediately
assumes that Floyd is Hope valley’s new pastor, Frank Hogan. Blessed with a
fake identity, Floyd sees his opportunity and eagerly embraces his fake pastor
job.
Across town, Henry Gowen steps in to
Lee Coulter’s new office. When the mining company pulled up stakes, Lee bought all
of Gowen’s office furniture and half the town. Despite his hardship, Gowen believes
he can convince Lee to hire him as a consultant. But Lee’s heard the rumors and
knows that the town views Gowen as “worse than the devil himself" and
wants nothing to do with him. Gowen coldly tells Lee he doesn’t want him as an
enemy.
Back in Hamilton, Charles is trying his best to court Elizabeth. Earlier in the day he accepted an invitation to have Sunday dinner at the Regency with Viola, Sir Lionel, and Elizabeth. He also calls on a physician friend to give a second opinion to Mrs. Thatcher. Dr. Lyden discovers the medication Grace takes for her heart condition is also causing her fainting spells. He gives Grace a new prescription and assures her she’ll be back to normal soon. All of his gestures merit a reward and Elizabeth agrees to have dinner with him later in the evening. The dinner, an impromptu picnic in the mansion, includes a frontier specialty, fried chicken.
Early the next
morning, Abigail is busily preparing to open the café. She stops when someone
knocks at the door. A woman enters and, looking Abigail up and down, asks if
she is Ms. Stanton. Annoyed, the woman says, “I understand you've been spending
quite a bit of time with Bill Avery.” Taken aback, Abigail asks if the woman is
a friend. “Hardly,” the woman responds. “I’m his wife, Nora Avery.” Shocked,
Abigail tries to assure Nora that she had no idea he was married. As Nora
begins to throw accusations Abigail musters the strength to ask Nora to leave.
Unaware of what’s transpired in Hope valley, Bill is somewhere east, standing in an alley cloaked in a dark trench coat and hat. A car pulls up with three nefarious looking men inside. One man opens the door as another steps out onto the sidewalk. The man approaches Bill, who tells him not to come closer. Bill asks for the merchandise and as the man removes a parcel of metal plates, Bill drops a money filled valise. The man retrieves and inspects the contents before telling Bill, “I hope your clients find the work acceptable.” The man turns and gets back into the car, leaving Bill in the alley alone.
Undeterred by his Lee Coulter’s rejection, Henry Gowen now casts his dark shadow over mayor Silas Ramsey. Silas owes Gowen a large debt and Gowen is ready to collect. Silas insists he doesn’t have the money to which Gowen suggests letting the courts settle the matter. Such an investigation would reveal Silas’ mishandling of public funds. The threat seems worthless given that such an investigation would also implicate Gowen. But Gowen reminds Silas that no one has ever been able to implicate him in anything. Now in his pocket, Mr. Gowen is ready to move his pawn into position.
In the saloon, the townsfolk gather to raise money for new church
programs. Before beginning, Florence invites their new pastor to say a few
words. Throughout the saloon eyebrows peak as the pastor delivers his jumbled
prayer. The prayer almost blows the
ruse, but the mood of the crowd gives Floyd a reprieve. As the collection plate
is passed around, DeWitt Graves stands up to make an announcement. The previous
night DeWitt and Mary Dunbar became engaged. The happy couple is eager to wed
and asks the new pastor to perform the service. Sensing a trap, Floyd tries to
get out of performing the wedding, only to be further ensnared by his daughter’s
insistence that he perform the service.
Outside the gates of the Thatcher mansion, Julie peeks around
the corner looking for someone. Behind a tree a voice calls out, “I thought
your wouldn’t come.” Julie looks down the road and sees Tom Thornton emerge.
Tom’s earlier note had been an invitation to meet so Tom could apologize for
their first meeting outside the bar. Tom asks if he can see her again, and a smitten
Julie agrees.
At the Regency hotel, Charles, Elizabeth, Sir Lionel and Viola are enjoying an elegant dinner. The group shares stories from their childhoods, including a humorous story of a prank Charles and Julie played on Aunt Agatha. Viola tries to brandish her own reputation as a prankster, but the story of a prank she pulled on her governess falls flat. The love struck Sir Lionel laughs and jokingly asks if he should know any other mischievous stories from Viola’s past. She responds saying, “You’ll have a lifetime to find out.” Viola smiles before revealing to Elizabeth that she and Sir Lionel are engaged.
Back in Hope Valley the entire town is a flutter. DeWitt and
Mary are about to be married and mayor Ramsey has announced his sudden
retirement due to ‘ill health.’ The town bylaws stipulate that the president of
the town council serves as interim mayor until the next election. As luck would
have it, Henry Gowen is the president of the town council. Satisfied with the
sacrifice of his pawn, Mayor Gowen remarks to Lee how much he’s looking forward
to being mayor. Despite the scandal, the town is prepared to celebrate. Music
begins and Mary walks down the aisle to joyful gasps from the audience. As
Floyd begins the ceremony, a tall and rough looking stranger enters the saloon.
When Floyd asks if anyone has an objection, the man offers one. The man identifies
himself as the real pastor Hogan and calls Floyd out as an imposter. Pastor
Hogan pushes Floyd out of the way and finishes marrying DeWitt and Mary. Floyd
tries to make a quick escape, but is caught by Jack. But instead of sending
Floyd to jail, he sends he and his daughter packing with the warning that he’ll
be sending a poster with their faces to every town in 100 miles. Before departing,
the two agree to leave town and mend their ways.