Episode 1: Lost & Found
During
Frontier Times in a small Canadian town named Coal Valley, newly
appointed schoolteacher Elizabeth Thatcher becomes acquainted with her
new community, one that is still coping with the pain of a recent coal
mining disaster that took the lives of most of town’s miners. When a
wooden plank inscribed with a sentimental message is discovered in the
mine, new constable Jack Thornton begins an investigation to discover
the plank’s rightful owner, while Elizabeth struggles with capturing the
enthusiasm of her students in the wake of tragedy.
Episode 2: Cease & Desist
When
the widows of Coal Valley receive eviction notices from the Coal
Company to make way for new miner recruits, Elizabeth tries desperately
to hatch a plan to keep the widows from moving out of the only town they
know. While Elizabeth enlists her students to help her find a legal
loophole, the widows, led by Abigail, propose a risky ultimatum to
Gowen. The widows will work in the mines, and if a majority of the
blocked passageways are cleared before the new recruits are set to
arrive, the widows get to keep their homes and lives in Coal Valley. But
of course, all does not go according to plan.
Episode 3: A Telling Silence
Elizabeth
and Jack are helping the Coal Valley residents cope with the fatal
mining accident while learning to overcome their own differences and
work together. One of Elizabeth’s younger students, Rosaleen, is
especially devastated over her father's death and hasn't spoken a word
since the day of the disaster. Elizabeth talks with Rosaleen's mother,
Molly, and agrees to keep a special eye on Rosaleen to help her open up
again. Meanwhile, Jack investigates the fire that burned down Reverend
Anderson's church. Suspicion hangs over widow and rival spiritual leader
Cat Montgomery, who may have turned to arson out of anger towards the
Pacific Northwest Mining Company that also owned the church. As Jack
questions Cat about the fire, he is summoned to Elizabeth's aid when she
realizes Rosaleen has gone missing from class. Jack and Elisabeth come
together to start searching for the troubled little girl, and soon find
that silence can speak volumes.
Episode 4: Secrets And Lies
Elizabeth
and Jack's relationship heats up as they spend more time together. They
especially bond in the wake of the shocking arrest of widowed mother
Cat Montgomery. At first Elizabeth is angry, but she stands by Jack as
he reluctantly takes Cat into custody after noticing a stockpile of the
same oil cans in Cat’s shed that were used to burn down the church. As
Elizabeth takes care of Cat’s angry and confused children and Jack
investigates the case, they work together to find clues so Cat can
return home amidst the town’s rumor mill. Then, the discovery of a
discarded necklace by one of Elizabeth’s students gives her a lead to
follow. Elizabeth learns that Cat had a mysterious suitor following her
husband’s death, who could be just the suspect they are looking for.
With Elizabeth hot on the trail to prove Cat’s innocence, she quickly
discovers the truth behind the church fire, and must rely on Jack to
save her when she becomes the target of a lying man’s pistol.
Episode 5: The Dance
The
Stanton house is turned into a makeshift hospital as a concerned
Abigail takes in very pregnant widow Carla Noonan to keep an eye on her
health. Meanwhile, the new coal miners arrive to start working while
bunking above the saloon, and Elizabeth is immediately charmed by young
miner Billy Hamilton, much to Jack's annoyance—and jealousy. Sensing
smooth-talker Billy isn’t who he says he is, Jack decides to get to the
bottom of his suspicion, while Elizabeth agrees to let Billy take her to
Coal Valley’s upcoming dance at the saloon, brushing off Jack’s
warnings. Most of the rowdy group of miners seems like trouble, but some
of the widows discover not all the men are so bad. Mary Dunbar is
flattered by honest and quiet miner Dewitt Graves, whose offer to join
her for dinner and accompany her to Coal Valley’s festive saloon dance
causes Mary’s son, Caleb, to act out and grieve for his late father. And
on the night of the dance, Jack finds out the truth about Billy, and
must find a way to make Elizabeth listen.
Episode 6: These Games
Coal
Valley hosts the annual Miner’s Games, where all the new coalminers
engage in a series of friendly competitions. New miner DeWitt Graves is
still competing for the affections of Mary Dunbar, but finds his
attempts at bonding with her son Caleb are not going as smoothly as he
hoped. Meanwhile Elizabeth feels caught between overprotective Jack and
her new beau Billy Hamilton. When Jack tells her he has proof Billy is
lying about his identity, Elizabeth decides she's had enough and pushes
Jack away. Abigail too has her hands full as Carla Noonan goes into
premature labor. With no doctor in town, it seems unlikely that Carla or
her baby will make it through safely. And making matters worse, a
string of burglaries is plaguing Coal Valley. Convinced that Billy
Hamilton is the culprit, Jack devises a plan to catch him the act. But
springing the trap reveals a surprise criminal and also reveals the
truth about Billy’s motivations for pursuing Elizabeth.
Episode 7: Second Chances
After
Elizabeth raves about her baking, Abigail is inspired to re-open Coal
Valley’s dilapidated and abandoned café. But when she approaches Mr.
Gowen about purchasing the property, Abigail learns her dream of
pursuing a new purpose in life will come at a price—Gowen wants her row
home in exchange, leaving Abigail a week to decide if she can make that
sacrifice. Meanwhile, in the wake of Elizabeth’s brief romance with the
dishonest Billy Hamilton, Jack and Elizabeth remain at odds. Making
matters worse, Jack accidentally insults her as he fumbles his attempt
to confess his growing feelings. Elizabeth becomes eager to help one of
her older students, Bo Grady, learn how to read. After giving Bo an
intelligence test, Elizabeth discovers that he is very intelligent, but
suffers from dyslexia. Elizabeth urges Bo’s parents, Matilda and Carl,
to let her give Bo special reading lessons. Carl, however, is adamant
that Bo joins him, working in the mine. Elizabeth refuses to give up on
Bo’s future and comes up with a plan to get through to both of the Grady
men, while Jack finally finds the right way to open up to her about
their rocky relationship in hopes of starting over.
Episode 8: Perils of the Soloist
Elizabeth
and Abigail emotionally move out of the row house and into the rooms
above Abigail’s café, starting a new chapter and leaving many memories
behind. Elizabeth panics when she is put in charge of directing the
children in the annual Founder’s Day Play, with only a week to prepare.
With the Mayor’s wife, Dottie, looking over her shoulder, Elizabeth
worries she won’t be able to pull off the spirited tribute to Coal
Valley’s founders the town is anticipating. While rehearsals begin, Jack
surprises Elizabeth with some special talents, and has an even bigger
gesture in mind to help her more than she could have ever hoped. At the
same time, Coal Valley welcomes back the sole survivor of the mine
explosion, Adam Miller, who is finally coming home after many months in a
hospital following the disaster. His wife, Laurel, and two young
daughters, Joleen and Morgan-Rose, are excited to see him, but never
expected he’d return home with only one leg. Adam, frustrated and
embarrassed by his new condition, feels he can barely work or provide
for his family, and his bitter attitude starts to take a toll. Then,
haunted by memories from the explosion, Adam runs away, believing his
family and the town are better off without him. Jack immediately rides
out to find him, leaving a worried Elizabeth behind—making them both
realize their relationship has started to mean so much more. And on the
night of the play, as Joleen solemnly goes on stage to perform without
the support of her father, everyone is in for a tearful surprise.
Episode 9: Change of Heart
A
determined Jack properly asks Elizabeth for a dinner date, finally
making his romantic intentions clear. Elizabeth is excited, and is in
for another very special surprise—an unexpected visit from her younger
sister, Julie. Julie, a stylish, aristocratic young woman with a flair
for the dramatic, is eager to know all about Elizabeth’s life in the
Wild West—including her romance with the handsome Mountie. Elizabeth
hesitates to make a fuss about her date with Jack, but can’t help but be
swept away when he surprises her with a very romantic evening at the
café, with a little help from Abigail. But Jack is hiding a secret from
Elizabeth that could change the course of their relationship; he has
been granted a long-awaited transfer to another post, a request he made
when he unhappily arrived in Coal Valley. Having finally settled in and
hoping to shrug off the lonely life of a Mountie to be with Elizabeth,
Jack is distraught by this news, and must find the right time to tell
her. Meanwhile, Abigail is dealing with pressure from Gowen, who has
suddenly shown a great interest in her and the café. Barring Gowen’s
advances, Abigail talks to Jack, who confides in her he is investigating
Gowen’s role in the mine explosion, sparking Abigail’s anger. And while
Elizabeth deals with the painful news from Jack about his departure,
Julie naively finds herself mixed up in helping an injured man who turns
out to be a dangerous, wanted outlaw on the run.
Episode 10: Love Comes First
Saying
goodbye to Jack has left Elizabeth heartbroken, but she tries to stay
strong in front of her class. Meanwhile, wanting to continue the
investigation into the mine explosion, Abigail tries to outwit Henry
Gowen. But when Mr. Gowen catches wind of her plot, he hatches a devious
attempt to stop her, going so far as to implicate Abigail's husband in
the disaster. Meanwhile, Julie is letting herself fall for Nate's
devious charms. Now back to full health, Nate's true intentions become
clear. But Julie's fairytale infatuation may bring the Thatcher
face-to-face with grave danger.
Episode 11: Rules of Engagement
Jack
is hailed a hero after putting away the Tolliver outlaws, and has
decided to come back to Coal Valley for good. But his return to town—and
to Elizabeth—is unexpectedly complicated by the arrival of gorgeous
big-city actress, Rosemary LeVeaux, Jack’s ex-fiancée. Watching the two
reunite, Elizabeth is devastated and furious with Jack for hiding the
engagement, even as he promises Elizabeth that Rosemary is part of his
past, not his present. Rosemary broke up with Jack years earlier to
pursue her dream of becoming an actress in New York, but she now
believes they can pick up right where they left off. She wastes no time
making Coal Valley her home, making Elizabeth jealous and suddenly
questioning her confidence. Meanwhile, Jack has asked Mountie forensic
investigator and friend Bill Avery to help Abigail make a case against
Gowen and the Pacific Northwest Mining Company regarding the mine
explosion. As Bill and Abigail work together and ward off Gowen’s
threats, Bill quickly becomes interested in Abigail and admits to Jack
that he’d like to get to know her better, and Abigail may share the same
feelings. As Elizabeth deals with her conflicted emotions about Jack
while helping a new student realize his potential, she gets news from
home that makes her doubt she should stay in Coal Valley at all.
Episode 12: Prelude to a Kiss
In
Prelude to a Kiss, the mine disaster investigation heats up and Gowen
realizes that he can use the bond between Abigail and Bill against them.
Meanwhile, a hurt and confused Jack confronts Elizabeth about her job
offer back home. The entire town is looking to Elizabeth to decide the
fate of the school and the children. Meanwhile, Jack's ex-fiancee
Rosemary has charmed everyone with her big personality and she seems
determined not to give up hope that she sill has a future with Jack.
Abigail too clings to the hope that the arrival of the insufferable and
incorruptible Judge Black will finally bring justice. As tensions in
town build, Elizabeth, Jack and Rosemary all make a final choice about
their futures.
