RECAP: When Calls the Heart “Love and Marriage”

It’s the first episode of When Calls the Heart after the BIG wedding, and there was plenty of wedded bliss, a bit of concern for one of Elizabeth’s students, a couple of teary goodbyes and a bit of a surprise for the newlyweds.

Jack and Elizabeth

Naturally the episode opened with the newlyweds having breakfast together, greeting each other as Mr. Thornton and Mrs. Thornton. It’s great to see them starting off their married life together, but it did feel a little odd to see them both in the same room wearing robes. This is only nature since they are now married, but this is the first time to see them that way.

But their joy was abruptly interrupted when they learned that their land was being inspected by men hired by Mr. Jenkins – the disgraced banker, who is desperately trying to save Hope Valley’s bank from financial collapse.

Thankfully, due to a little pressure from Mayor Abigail Stanton, Mr. Jenkins reconsidered his decision, allowing Elizabeth and Jack to keep their land, as long as they continue to make the monthly payments.

But all is not well when Jack learns that he is being assigned to Fort Clay for at least two months to oversee and train new Mountie recruits. That assignment means they cannot go to Chicago for their honeymoon, but Elizabeth told her new husband that she will join him in Fort Clay, allowing that trip to serve as their honeymoon.

Frank and Abigail

It was so nice to see Pastor Frank and Abigail back together again, but I think we all kind of knew that it was going to be a short reunion. It was obvious that he was really meant to be at the Children’s Hospital, helping the children there; and naturally, having little Philip Cantrell be diagnosed with glaucoma made his and Pastor Frank’s departures from Hope Valley bittersweet but at least a little easier to handle. Needless to say, their departures were teary, but I have a feeling that we haven’t seen the last of either of them.

Rosemary and Lee

Watching the normally overly-exuberant Rosemary seem to lose a bit of her color and flair was a bit unsettling; but with good reason. She was feeling a bit blue over her wedded bliss with husband Lee growing a bit cold. Thankfully, Lee – knowing his wife as well as his does – figured out what was happening and reignited their love with a beautiful candlelit dinner at home and tickets to Pirates of Penzance.

Given that Rosemary and Lee have been married for nearly a year at this point (don’t you agree that’s about how much time has elapsed?), maybe it’s time for them to have a child? That would be the natural progression, right?

Bill and Laura

Because of the town’s current financial crisis, a donation drive was started to help those who are in extra need of help. One of those in need is Elizabeth’s student Laura, who got a new winter coat. But what she discovered inside that coat upon attempting to fix a hole in the pocket – an old, difficult to read love letter – led her to Sheriff Bill in the hopes of getting the letter back to its recipient.

Putting his forensic investigator skills to use, Bill was able to ascertain that the letter writer must have been one of the men who worked in the coal mine that was at the core of the town many, many years earlier. He and Laura reached out to Abigail for help with the clues at hand, and she was able to eventually point them in the direction of Florence Blakeley. It turned out the letter was written to her 16-year-old self by her then suitor Paul, who later became her husband.

Please share your thoughts on this episode and what you think is going to happen next.

The next new episode of When Calls the Heart will air on the Hallmark Channel on Sunday, April 1 at 9/8c.

[Photo Credit: Parade Magazine]