Original subtitles

Perhaps it was hubris or just stubborn pride that set me on my journey west.

My first instinct was to refuse the offer of a teaching post in Coal Valley.

My education certainly qualified me for the post, but I feared my privileged

upbringing might leave me ill-prepared and unequipped to brave the hardships

and dangers out west.

It was my sister, Julie, who bolstered my resolve because she so doubted my

fortitude.

She tried to frighten me with tales of cowboys, whiskey runners, and outlaws.

But it only emboldened my determination to prove to her and my parents that I am

Elizabeth Thatcher, a strong, independent, capable woman.

I can face any obstacle with courage, grace, and dignity.

Love you.

Hey. Hello.

Good afternoon.

I'm Elizabeth Thatcher.

I'm your new teacher.

Well, hello. I'm Abigail Stanton.

Kat Montgomery.

Florence Blakely.

We were expecting you two days ago.

Yes. I'm sorry.

The stagecoach was robbed and my belongings were stolen. I...

I traveled by foot for hours before I was rescued. Are you all right?

Yes, I'm fine. Thank you. Why don't we go somewhere we can all sit down and

have a nice chat?

Follow me, Ms. Thatcher.

Thank you, Mr. Yost.

This teaching post is one of the only things the Pacific Northwest Mining

Company no longer owns.

We mothers decided to take charge of our children's education.

Please sit down. So we started a school.

Unfortunately, the church burned and the classroom is currently located here in

the saloon.

The... the school is in this saloon? It's the only place big enough to hold

our children, Ms. Thatcher. We had requested a mature, experienced teacher,

someone who would not shrink from the challenges that Coal Valley presents.

I realize I am perhaps not what you expected, but I assure you I am

acquainted with the most modern teaching theories.

The superintendent of schools did tell you what happened here.

No, he didn't.

Three months ago, there was a terrible explosion in the mine.

47 brave men lost their lives, and many of us lost our husbands and our sons.

Many of the children became fatherless that day.

I'm so sorry. I didn't realize.

What she's saying is that we don't have any need for a princess.

Well, I assure you, I'm not... It would be the mothers who are paying your

salary. And for many of us, our children are the only thing we have left. And,

well, their education is all that we have control over. So whomever we

entrust them to must be fearless.

You would not just be teaching them to read and write. You will be fighting for

their future.

In Latin, that means knowledge itself is power.

You need to get back on the stagecoach and go back to Latin or wherever it is

you come from.

Please, please, just... I've come so far.

Just... Give me a chance to prove myself to you.

Well, it will take the stagecoach one week to return. We could give her a

short try.

In the meantime, there's a teacherage where you can stay and get settled.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

I promise I am not afraid of rolling up my sleeves.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

Vermin and I are not usually on such...

friendly terms.

One week is going to be a long time.

Elizabeth, you're up early.

I hope you were able to sleep after what happened last night.

I wanted to apologize before I left for the school.

I had no idea my dress was hanging so close to the fire. And of course, I will

reimburse the town for burning down the teacher. Elizabeth, it's okay. It was an

old building.

Thank you for taking me in and for loaning me these clothes and... You

must think I'm silly and incompetent.

No.

I know how hard it is to come to a new place and find your footing.

When my husband Noah and I first moved to Coal Valley with our son Peter, we

were so young.

We didn't know anything.

But we found our way.

And I know you'll find your way, too.

Thank you for saying that. That's very kind of you.

Well, I'm off for my first day of school.

Good luck.

I know the first few days might be a bit bumpy, but I have every confidence in

you. Thank you.

I'm a qualified teacher.

I trained at one of the best colleges. I can do this.

I can absolutely do this.

My Rosaline can't see the blackboard if she's in back. She needs to be in the

front. Oh, well, that's fine.

My boy's a whiz with numbers, but can't spell a lick.

My mom says she's glad you're here.

I'm glad to be here, too.

Morning. I got cheese for lunch.

Oh, I like cheese.

You give out schoolwork for home?

I think work should be done in class and not at my supper table.

We're paying your salary.

Yes, well, I want my son to be smart so we don't have to work in no coal mine.

Ladies,

ladies, please, let's give Miss Thatcher a little breathing room.

We should feel blessed that she has come this far to teach our children in these

less than ideal circumstances.

who so neglects learning and his youth, loses the past and is dead to the

future.

I was quoting Euripides.

I... Sorry, I just need a drink.

Not a drink-drink. I don't drink.

Good day.

I'd like to talk about what I expect from you.

I expect you to pay attention when I am speaking.

I expect you to raise your hand when you would like to speak.

Please don't leave your seats without asking, and please, please don't talk

while I am... Children, wait!

You didn't ask for permission!

Sit down, please, stop!

You're already breaking my rules!

I'm warning you, everyone who leaves this classroom without permission will

receive a written notice to their parents.

Ms. Thatcher?

Yes, what is it?

I'm Rachel, and no disrespect, but you shouldn't try and stop him.

Why is that?

The whistle's from the mine.

It means somewhere the daddies have been found.

Found? Yes, ma'am.

Now their folks can take a membrane proper.

Everyone follow me.

Neighbors, we have done what we promised.

Today, we dug out the last of the lost men.

Now, I know these past few months have left us all feeling like, well, like

there ain't nothing right in this world.

But besides finding the brave men who lost their lives, we found something

else today.

I hope it'll bring comfort to at least one Coal Valley family.

I could see a teacher.

Forgive me, Paul.

Ladies,

I promise that I'll take good care of this plank.

Till it's decided what we're going to do with it minor one of our own Spent his

last minutes on this earth Brighten those words to his family.

We should be the ones who decide where it goes Going

back to my office, mr. Spurlock

Kindly step aside, Mr. Palmer.

This ain't your decision, Mr. Gowan.

This is a matter for the miners and the widows to decide.

And you're neither, sir.

Step aside, Mr. Palmer. Or what?

Or you'll run me down?

Is that what you want, Mr. Gowan, huh?

One more dead miner?

Move back.

Who's that, Ms. Thatcher?

That's Mountie.

Sir, would you like to tell me what's behind this commotion?

We've had a mine disaster in this town recently.

I'm aware of that.

Today, this was found.

But the identity of the deceased miner who wrote it is unclear.

Now, understandably, everyone is very emotional about it.

But this is a distraction that we can ill afford.

No one is going to be thinking about that job.

until we find the owner of that message.

There is no reason why both can't happen at the same time.

Folks!

Only fair way to judge who should have it is for all the widows to submit a

sample of their husband's writing to Mr. Gow and his evidence.

I'm sure he can come to a decision in three days.

Who might you be, young man?

My name is Jack Thornton.

I'm the new constable of Coal Valley.

contain... Oh!

Hello.

I didn't know anyone else was here.

Good morning.

I'm staying in one of the rooms upstairs until something more permanent can be

arranged.

I'm Elizabeth Thatcher. I'm the new teacher here.

But I guess you probably already gathered that.

Constable Jack Thornton. But I guess you already gathered that.

I'm sorry.

I'm afraid I may have left you with some of my chalk dust.

No. No chalk dust.

Now I feel cheated.

I have to say, I'm a little surprised that Coal Valley merits a full-time

Mountie.

That makes two of us.

My original posting was in Cape Fullerton, but that suddenly changed.

Oh. I imagine Coal Valley will be a little quieter for you than a busy

shipping port like that.

Wait. You know the place?

Very well.

My father's done business in Cape Fullerton for many years.

What's your father's name?

William Thatcher.

William Thatcher, the shipping tycoon. Well, I don't think of him that way, but

yes, I suppose he is.

Now it's all making sense.

What is?

Miss Thatcher.

A week ago, I had never even heard of Coal Valley. And while I was planning my

trip to Cape Fullerton, I was told I was being reassigned here.

Reassigned at the request of a very powerful man.

Surely you don't think that... What?

That a very wealthy man's daughter might be why I now have to eat coal dust for

the next God knows how long?

I'm absolutely sure that's why I'm here, to keep William Thatcher's princess from

stubbing a toe in a town she had no business coming to.

To be candid, sir, I think you're way off base with that remark.

And just so we're clear, even if my father did pull strings to get you here,

I don't need you.

I can take care of my own stubbed toes, thank you very much.

You know, on second thought...

It's obvious I won't have to be here long because you won't last a month in a

town like this.

Well, Constable Thornton, I think you'd better settle in and get used to a

steady diet of coal dust.

I'm a Thatcher.

We don't run from a challenge.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have reading materials to prepare for my students.

Good day to you, sir.

Therefore, I am strongly requesting an immediate transfer to a new post.

Salutations, Constable Jack Thornton.

If that's it, I will get this sent right away.

Constable?

Seek your violations.

You compare his signature on our marriage license to that piece of wood

and you'll see it's the same writing.

I was asleep when he left for the mine that day.

That board is his goodbye to me and my children.

Thank you. I'll consider it, Mrs. Crocker.

Next.

Morning, Mrs. Montgomery.

My Joseph left little notes like that all the time.

He would be working nights, and I would find them by the icebox or on my pillow.

It... It makes sense to me that... Well, he'd leave.

One last note for us.

I'll let you know.

Thank you.

Next.

Who can identify this part of speech?

Is it a noun?

A verb?

Anyone?

It's a verb.

Alright. Boys and girls, listen up.

May I have your attention, please?

I'd like to see all of your eyes.

Your parents have charged me with giving you an education so you can become

anything you wish.

Maybe a doctor?

Or a dentist?

You're dead wrong.

Boys, remember the rules. No talking while I'm talking. Is too.

Ma says my papi rules. Boys, you're not listening to me. Take it back. Stop it.

Stop it this minute!

Oh,

Elizabeth,

just in time for dinner. Would you mind setting the table for three?

Remember how you said the first few days

Might be a little bumpy.

Well, you were right.

Black and blue, too, it appears.

What happened?

Some boy's gotten a tussle over the message on the wood.

I stepped in the middle and caught the worst of it.

Never step between two cold boys when they're mixing it up.

I need to get them interested in their lessons, but I've never been through

anything like what they've been through before.

I don't know how to help them.

When my Peter was little, I was the only teacher he had.

He was so bored during his lessons, sometimes he would nod off like an old

man in a rocker.

So what did you do?

Levity.

I added a little levity to the learning.

Levity.

Oh, would you mind?

You.

You?

Nice shiner.

It's my first, actually, but I think I earned it.

Got those bags packed yet?

Why, had your fill of coal dust already?

Good evening, Constable.

Evening, Mrs. Stanton. We're glad you could make supper on short notice.

To tell you the truth, I'm not too popular in town yet.

Supper invitations aren't exactly pouring in.

Well, we're very happy to have you here, aren't we, Elizabeth?

Happy isn't the word for it.

Do you like it?

Very much, ma'am. The artist has a wonderful grasp of color and

composition.

You know art, do you?

A little.

My mother taught me to appreciate different techniques and subjects.

Is she an artist herself?

No.

A teacher.

The most honorable profession.

In any event, a very talented artist.

Was.

My late husband.

God rest his soul.

No, it's dead.

So, Constable, why the Mounties?

Yes, Constable. Please tell us why someone like yourself chose such an

honorable profession.

And while we're at it, how did you come to be in Coal Valley?

What a... You answer that question.

I'm sure I wouldn't know.

In that case, just lucky, I guess.

But as to being a Mountie, that is in my blood.

My father made a career of being a peace officer, and my mother told me never let

a day go by without serving somebody else.

My son Peter considered joining the Royal Northwest Mounties, but his father

convinced him that coal mining was also a noble profession.

It is, ma'am.

One of the noblest.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you to have them both go into

that mine every day.

Well, most days I didn't think about it, you know?

I just went about my business, and I pretended I didn't know what they were

doing or how deep into that mountain they really were.

And then their shift would end, and in they'd come, sometimes laughing,

sometimes grousing, always covered in that coal dust.

Did they ever talk about the danger?

He didn't need to.

It's an unspoken contract that every coal miner makes between himself and his

family.

Mrs. Stanton, can you tell me what you remember about the day of the explosion?

I'm sure Mrs. Stanton doesn't want to discuss that subject now.

It's okay, Elizabeth.

I don't mind.

I remember...

Everything. The explosion was so loud, it shattered windows and rattled the

whole house.

Then it dawned on me what had happened.

No one said a word.

We didn't need to.

All we could think to do was run.

There are no words for what we felt.

What was in our hearts.

But they never came home.

Thank you so much for coming, Constable.

Was it really necessary to make her relive the worst day of her life?

I'm inquisitive. I gather information as part of who I am. It's insensitive.

But apparently that's part of who you are, too. You won't have to deal with me

for very long.

I put in a transfer request, and I am hoping for a quick response.

Good. Because this town does not require the services of a second-rate Mountie

who runs from a challenge.

I hardly consider this town a challenge.

Really?

Seems to me that a town whose church burns to the ground and whose mine

explodes, killing half the town's population would warrant investigation.

In the short time that I am forced to stay here, Ms. Thatcher, I fully intend

to investigate all suspicious events that have taken place.

Which is why I was asking questions tonight.

So you think you can see something or talk to someone for a few moments and

juice all sorts of facts that everyone else has missed?

Sometimes.

How clever.

I knew after just two minutes of talking to you that you weren't wearing your own

shoes or dress and that you weren't disappointed when you found out I was

coming to dinner.

How could you know that?

You walk in on the outside of your feet to compensate for your shoes pinching

and dresses three inches too short and a little tight around the waist.

And not being disappointed about seeing you at dinner?

That was just a guess.

How dare you?

I never...

Shouldn't you be in school, son?

I'm not your son.

I'm just walking. It's not a crime to walk, is it? No, but truancy is a crime,

young man. Gabe!

There you are.

This boy should be in class.

Tell me, do you normally allow your students to wander around the streets

during school hours?

Gabe was running an errand for me, if you must know.

An errand? Yes.

School business.

Thank you for your concern, Constable, but we are perfectly fine.

Thanks.

You left to use the outhouse half an hour ago. I was worried about you. No

need to worry about me. I can take care of myself.

Well, during school hours, I expect you to stay in the classroom unless you have

permission to leave. School doesn't matter.

Nothing matters anymore.

Gabe! Gabe, come back here!

Eternal God.

our hope in every time of trouble.

Send thy Holy Spirit to comfort and strengthen us that we may have hope

of life eternal and trust in your goodness and

mercy.

Please, take a moment of silence to remember your loved ones.

When did you notice the plank was gone?

When I got back from the funeral.

Anything else taken?

Not that I can tell.

But seeing as you started the ticking clock for me to find out the true owner

of the message, you better get out there and find out where it went.

Just so we're clear, Mr. Gown, I work for all the people in Coal Valley.

I'm not a minor and I'm not on your payroll, so I don't take my orders from

you.

Does all the people include me?

Of course.

Then I would appreciate your presence when I have to tell the townsfolk that

the plank has gone missing.

Let's see what I can find out.

You should start with that rabble-rouser, Franklin Palmer.

If I didn't need every able-bodied man that I can get right now, I would have

fired him on the spot for challenging me in front of everyone.

Palmer's not your man.

I saw him at the funeral.

Now I'm gonna make the rounds and figure out who wasn't there.

So I thought if I got to know a little more about your son, I might be better

equipped to understand where this behavior is coming from.

Fighting.

Disrespectful. Gabe.

Don't tell me he hit you.

What? Oh, no, no, no. That's, um... I was a little clumsy.

What can you tell me about Gabe's relationship with his father?

Joseph?

Well, he was a wonderful man.

Gabe adored him.

Idolized him, even.

I think it made Joe uncomfortable.

How so?

Well, he knew that one day, Gabe would wake up and see him as he really is.

Was.

Just a man.

Would you like me to get that?

Yes, please.

You.

Invite yourself to somebody else's home for dinner so you can ask all sorts of

insensitive questions. Constable?

What can I do for you?

I'm making the rounds, letting folks know that I'm here to serve, ma'am.

Oh, well, that's comforting.

Thank you.

This is my daughter, Emily.

Hi. Thank you for introducing yourself, Constable.

Ma'am.

Children, get washed up for dinner.

Students, please bring your slates, chalk, and rags up to my desk, and then

you are dismissed.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

What are you doing here?

What are you doing here?

Following him.

Me too.

How'd you know?

Know what?

It is the one.

The one what?

You don't know, do you?

Of course I know.

You don't know why you're here in many ways.

I'm here because I had an instinct that Gabe was going somewhere that he didn't

want anyone to know about and that he might need help.

Yes, help.

He seemed troubled.

Instinct is from Mounties, not from teachers.

Let me handle this.

Students are for teachers, not Mounties.

Fair enough.

We'll do this together.

Whatever it is we're doing.

We'll find out in just a minute.

What do you want?

Is that the plank?

It's mine.

You stole it from Mr. Gowan's office, didn't you?

It ain't stealing if it's yours in the first place.

You must miss him very much.

Please, let me keep it.

I just know it was for him.

that simple.

If you're so sure, Gabe, why didn't you wait for Mr. Gowan to give it to your

family?

Pa never trusted Gowan.

I heard him tell Ma that he never did the right thing.

That's why I had to take it.

I know he wrote it for me.

He had to write it for me.

Sometimes people die without I love you's or I forgive you's.

Just because that happens, it doesn't mean they wouldn't have said it if they

could have.

I know who did manage to save before he died.

It's time to tell his wife.

Abigail?

Yes, Elizabeth.

Constable.

Gabe.

I don't understand.

They say this is yours.

Yes.

I know it is.

You've known all along, haven't you?

Then why didn't you try to claim it?

I think you did want it.

But you were worried it would cause a rift between you and the other women.

I knew it would set me apart from them if I had something meaningful to

remember my Noah by, and they didn't.

Sorry, Miss Stanton.

I shouldn't have taken it.

Thank you, Gabe.

It's okay.

It's okay.

There's one more thing that you and I need to do.

And your next word is territory.

Terri-

In closing, I hope I've conveyed that despite the hardships I experienced

coming here, I am for want of nothing.

I am standing strong on my own two feet, a proud Thatcher, just like you raised.

Your loving daughter, Elizabeth.

Post-script, I would, however, mention that they have me teaching the children

here in an actual saloon, so school supplies or anything of cultural value

you could send me, I would be eternally grateful.

Good afternoon, Miss Thatcher.

Afternoon, Constable Thornton.

Do you think that we could dispense with the constable?

And could I persuade you to just call me Jack?

Does your request mean you've come to the conclusion that you'll be here a

good long while?

Not at all.

Making it a week is hardly the test of time now, is it?

I concur with your assessment of time.

However, I still disagree with your assessment of me.

We will be here a good long while.

Therefore, you may call me Elizabeth.

Fine.

Elizabeth it is.

Have yourself a good day, Jack.

Post-post script.

Please greet my younger sister for me and pass along that I've yet to see any

whiskey runners.

However, I have run into some cowboys, outlaws, and one very handsome, annoying

Mountie.