Recap: In Like a Lion - Season 9 - Episode 1
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Elizabeth and Little Jack are welcomed home to Hope Valley by Lucas after a family visit in Hamilton. The cab, which Lucas arranged for them, drops her off along with Mr. Smith. Smith is in town to discuss business with Lucas.
Faith is now running the infirmary, and Joseph is renovating Dottie’s dress shop for Florence and Ned’s mysterious grand re-opening. Meanwhile, Rosemary is hard at work making The Valley Voice into the paper of record for Hope Valley.
Suddenly, everyone in the town stops to look up as Cooper notices a large hot air balloon arriving. Everyone joyfully waves at the balloon. Even Nathan finds himself swayed to wave.
Later, as they ride their horses down main street, Bill informs Nathan things are changing, including for Mounties who must now be trained to drive automobiles. Nathan is not giving up his horse. Bill chides Nathan to at least give up his mustache. Suddenly, a car races by, narrowly missing them. It’s Henry returning to town in a hurry.
Henry finds Jerome Smith at the oil derrick with Lucas, Fiona, and Hickam. He wants nothing to do with Smith and threatens to leave the company if they pursue business with him. Smith and Henry were partners in the past and did not have an amicable split. Off to the side, Lucas asks Fiona if she knew about Henry and Smith’s past. She did and apologizes for not disclosing it.
Back in town, Nathan asks Elizabeth for a favor. Can she ask Lucas to teach him how to drive? Elizabeth offers to give him the lessons herself. Nathan agrees to the lesson and takes off. A man on a horse speeds past him. He tries to follow but loses him.
Outside the row house, the stranger stops and hops off the horse. Little Jack looks on from the window. The rider proceeds to take off hat and coat, revealing not a man but a woman named Mei. She catches Little Jack watching and kindly gestures for him to remain quiet – she does not want to be seen. Mei hops back onto her horse and rides past Nathan again. Nathan gives her a second glance.
Later at the saloon Lucas asks if Henry will join him and Smith for a chat. Henry refuses, claiming Smith should not be trusted.
At a table nearby, Nathan sees Mei. He approaches and comments on the speed with which she rode into town this morning, identifying her as the stranger who blew past him. The introduction is interrupted as a fight breaks out between Henry and Smith. Nathan breaks it up, but Smith declares he wants to press charges against Henry. Fiona looks at Lucas, feeling guilty. Is this all her fault?
Mei arrives at the mercantile and introduces herself to Florence and Ned as a licensed pharmacist. She’d like to become the Yost Mercantile pharmacist.
Ned and Florence are confused as they have been communication with Mei’s husband Geoffrey for the job. Mei admits it is she they have been corresponding with, not Geoffrey.
At the jail, Minnie brings Henry some breakfast. He feels a bit foolish about last night’s fight which landed him in this cell. Minnie takes a moment to sit with him and say grace.
Outside the saloon, Lucas thanks Nathan for breaking up the fight. Nathan appreciates the gesture, but notes Lucas did not need much help. It is surprising as he always considered Lucas a poet, not a fighter.
Nearby, the grand re-opening of the newly renovated Dottie’s begins. Ned and Florence do a song and dance to reveal Dottie’s is now Yost’s Pharmacy & Soda fountain.
At the newly opened soda fountain, Faith confronts Mei to ask what is going on. She tried to reach Geoffrey but could not track him down. Mei is not ready to share more information about her background just yet, simply asking Faith to help her start a new life.
Lucas takes Elizabeth on a hot air balloon ride. During the ride, Lucas shares he is not taking Smith on as a partner and will make it a priority to spend more time with Elizabeth and Little Jack.
Below, things are not so sweet as Nathan encounters a car flying towards him. He tries to get out of the way, but was he fast enough?