Poor Nathan. Hope Valley’s resident Mountie seems to be permanently unlucky in love. In the Sept. 10 episode of When Calls the Heart, Faith makes it clear she’s not interested in him romantically. And he’s not the only person dealing with romantic disappointment this week. Bill, who has definitely developed feelings for Madeline, gets some unwelcome news about the town’s newest resident in “Best Laid Plans.”
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for When Calls the Heart Season 10 Episode 7.]
Molly’s daughter returns in ‘When Calls the Heart’ Season 10 Episode 7
This season of When Calls the Heart has already featured the brief return of two long-missing characters: Elizabeth’s Aunt Agatha and her sister Julie. This week, another character fans haven’t seen in years is back in Hope Valley. Molly’s (Johannah Newmarch) daughter Rosaleen (Mamie Laverock) is in town for a short visit. When we last saw her in season 1, she was a traumatized child struggling to cope with the tragic death of her father. Now, she’s a poised young woman trying to figure out her next step in life.
Rosaleen has been nannying for a family in another town. They’re planning to move to South Carolina (random!) and she’s going to go with them. But is that what she really wants? Recently, she turned down a marriage proposal because she wants a career. Her hope is to save enough money from nannying to pay for nursing school, but her old teacher Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) knows that will take a long time. Lucas (Chris McNally) offers Rosaleen a job at the hotel, but she’s hesitant to take it.
Why turn down such a generous offer? Being back in Hope Valley brings up some painful memories for Rosaleen, especially considering that former mine owner Henry Gowen (Martin Cummins) is still around. She still hasn’t forgiven him for the accident that killed her father. Nor has Henry forgiven himself. He tries to make amends by providing an anonymous scholarship to all the young people of Hope Valley. Rosaleen’s thrilled when she learns she might have an opportunity to go to college. But how will she feel when she inevitably discovers who’s funding the scholarship? At this point, neither wants to talk to the other about the past, but perhaps coming together and clearing the air will help both of them heal.
Faith puts Nathan in the friend zone
Faith (Andrea Brooks) has proven time and again she’s more than a capable doctor. But this week, she confronts something we don’t see too often in the idyllic world of Hope Valley: outright sexism. When Nathan (Kevin McGarry) finds a man nearly passed out on a road outside of town, he brings him to the clinic. The ornery patient (David Beairsto) refuses to believe that Faith is a physician. To get him to take his medicine, Faith orders Hickam (Ben Rosenbaum) to put on a white coat and play doctor. The ruse works. But Faith is understandably frustrated that he won’t take her seriously because she’s a woman. Eventually, she gives the man a stern talking to.
“I am a good doctor,” she says after explaining how she saved his life. “And I am your doctor. Now, let me help you.”
When Faith isn’t busy dealing with men who question her medical skills, she’s coping with some complications in her personal life. Last week, it seemed like Faith and Nathan’s tentative romance might be back on track when he asked her to dance at the community dinner. But apparently not. When he asks her to go to the saloon in this episode, she makes it clear that there’s nothing romantic between them.
“Nothing’s changed since we last tried,” she says. “I know that you’re trying. And I appreciate that. There’s something in the way … I wish things could be different.”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” a disappointed Nathan replies.
Understanding Faith and Nathan’s current relationship has been challenging. Something happened between them between seasons 9 and 10, but the show hasn’t been explicit about what. Although things ended badly, buNathan clearly still has feelings for Faith. But for some reason, she can’t reciprocate. It could be because her feelings toward him are purely platonic, but based on what she said in season 9, that’s probably not the case. The issue seems to be Nathan – perhaps his difficulty being open about his emotions.
For now, Faith just wants Nathan as a friend, and he accepts that. However, even though she has every right not to want a relationship with him, it’s still tough to watch him get shot down again after his heartbreak with Elizabeth. Maybe what Hope Valley needs is a good therapist so that he can talk through his issues.
Bill discovers the truth about Madeline
We knew something was up with Madeline (Stefanie Von Pfetten). The new-in-town single mom has caught Bill’s (Jack Wagner) eye, though he’s been adamant about denying his growing feelings for her. He even agreed to sell her his piece of land outside of town when he realized she might be leaving Hope Valley.
Bill and Madeline finalize their deal in “Best Laid Plans.” But before the ink is dry on the deed, she’s raced off to Union City on some business related to her late husband’s estate. Bill takes that opportunity to set up the cabin for her. He even hauls out an old butter churn that he’s convinced would be perfect for flowers. (Aww, Bill’s romantic side is coming out.)
With Madeline committed to staying in Hope Valley, Bill’s obviously envisioning some kind of future for them together. So, it’s a blow when he meets a strange, well-dressed man named Bernhardt Montague (Benjamin Wilkinson) at her cabin.
“Mrs. St. John and I are engaged to be married,” he tells a stunned Bill. “Madeline is my fiancé.”
Oh no. Not only is Madeline not single, but her husband-to-be looks altogether too slick for this quaint frontier town. Could he be another outsider like Wyman Walden who’s intent on changing things in Hope Valley?
Elsewhere in this episode of When Calls the Heart Season 10:
- Joseph (Viv Leacock) turns down Lee’s (Kavan Smith) partnership offer so he can focus on being a pastor.
- Hope Valley gets its first-ever radio thanks to Lucas. But it’s Fiona (Kayla Wallace) who actually gets the finicky device up and running thanks to her technical know-how.
- Still no mention of Elizabeth and Lucas’s wedding. We have a feeling that these two won’t be walking down the aisle until season 11.
New episodes of When Calls the Heart Season 10 air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel.
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