When Calls the Heart Season 11 Episode 6: Believe

Lee, Rosemary, Elizabeth, little Jack and Goldie are gathered at the Coulter house for Goldie's first birthday. They sing to her, blow out the candle on her cake, and little Jack gives her a stuffed bear. Rosemary asks Elizabeth how she is feeling ahead of her first day working as an employee of The Valley School Board. Elizabeth says she is looking on the bright side, because the change means more resources and better opportunities for the students. Rosemary tells her it will be easy as pie. Lee arrives with large slices of cake for Goldie and Jack.

Nathan joins Elizabeth and little Jack as they walk past his house and offers to carry Elizabeth's books. He tells her that Allie is worried about what the school's merger with the board will mean. Elizabeth assures him that Lucas said it is just a technicality and that day-to-day operations will stay the same; she has a meeting with Mr. Wilcox from the school board that afternoon to find out more. Nathan asks if she has plans for lunch. Elizabeth says it depends on how long the meeting runs, but that she can stop by the jail afterwards if she is free.

Rosemary and Lee walk through town, and she asks the newly appointed Mayor what is on his agenda. Lee is excited to get started and wants to get town leaders together to pick their brains. Rosemary suggests a dinner party at the saloon with champagne and hors d'oeuvres, black tie optional, and then — to Lee's displeasure — suggests something more intimate where people can share their thoughts. She notes that they will need the Governor there, so they have to wait until Lucas is back from his appearance in Capital City.

She also raises the matter of Lee's appearance, which he laughs at, and says she will put together some clothing options for him.

At the schoolhouse, Elizabeth is cleaning the chalkboard when Mr. Thomas Higgins walks in from the school board. She asks what he is doing there, because she was expecting Mr. Wilcox. Higgins explains that he is the territorial superintendent and decided to come himself when he heard it was Elizabeth's school being affected. Elizabeth remembers him from the past: he made advances towards her, she rejected him, and he then tried to have her removed as a teacher, writing a damaging letter that implied she had used nepotism and payoffs to get her job.

Higgins says he wants to go over the formalities of the merger and make sure the school is up to date on teaching protocols and guidelines. He asks to meet her later to walk her through everything. She says she is busy. As the students come in, he says he will stop by later.

Outside The Valley Voice, Mike hangs a sign that reads “Mayor's Office.” Lee tells Joseph about the gathering at the saloon and asks whether he and Minnie would join them. Mike and Ned overhear, and say they will let Mei and Florence know as well.

Rosemary arrives at Bill's office with the baby carriage. Bill asks after Goldie, then sees that the carriage is filled instead with files on Clayton Pike. He notes that going through them would take her hours; she has already started. Bill says he hopes they will grant their request for an interview with Pike, and Rosemary shows him Pike's refusal. Pike is declining to speak to anyone, and the two of them feel they have hit a brick wall.

At the café, Mike tells Mei about the gathering Lee is holding at the saloon. Mei says it is great that Mike's family is around, and admits she has been thinking about her own family a lot. She tells him her mother was a wonderful cook. Mike says he wishes he could hear embarrassing stories about Mei from her, and that he will ask her brother instead — but Mei says he will have to find him first, because her brother is in the Marines and is always somewhere new, though he writes occasionally.

Mei says that she and her brother loved their mother's xiaolongbao, and Mike asks whether she would make it for him sometime.

Mr. Higgins returns to the schoolhouse as the children leave for lunch, and Elizabeth is startled. He remarks that her nerves must be running thin, what with the Governor ending their engagement. Elizabeth changes the subject to the school board protocols she has been reading and raises questions about standardized testing. Higgins says he would rather discuss all of it under more comfortable circumstances and asks her to dinner that night. Elizabeth says that would not be appropriate and that they can discuss it here.

Higgins says he is surprised to see her putting their “old grudge” ahead of the students' growth, and Elizabeth is shocked to hear her rejection of his advances described that way. He says he has to leave, asks her to reconsider, and says he will be back tomorrow.

Elizabeth runs into Nathan, who asks how the meeting with Mr. Wilcox went. She tells him Mr. Higgins came instead. Nathan asks whether everything is all right and whether she can still do lunch. Elizabeth says she does not have the time today, and he suggests another day. He asks again whether everything is fine. She says it is.

At Lucas's office, Lucas and Henry speak with Grayson by telephone about reconsidering doing business with them. Grayson says word around town is that Lucas will turn around and take all the profits. Henry swears that the Governor honours contracts and that his operations are above board. Grayson says that doing business with them simply is not in the cards this time.

At Rosemary's office, Lee tells her he has invited Minnie and Joseph to the salon. Rosemary says there is a guest list with a handful of VIHVPs — Very Important Hope Valley People. Lee adds that he invited Mike and Mei, and Rosemary puts them on the list. She shows Lee colour swatches for a potential outfit to wear to the salon. Molly and Florence arrive; Florence thanks Lee for the invitation to her and Ned and shares that she has invited Molly as well. Florence will put a sign on the community board to let everyone know about the event.

At the café, Joseph works on a letter back to his brother Jacob. He tells Minnie he is struggling to find the right words. Minnie asks what he wants from Jacob. Joseph says he wants them to go back to being best friends, and that he does not know where it all went so wrong.

Rosemary comes over to Elizabeth's at night, and Elizabeth tells her that Thomas Higgins is in town. Rosemary asks whether he propositioned her again today. Elizabeth says yes, she thinks so, but that Higgins makes her question whether she is right. Because it was her word against his last time, she fears it would be the same this time. Rosemary thinks Elizabeth should tell Nathan. Elizabeth worries that Higgins will find a way to punish not only her but the students as well. Rosemary reminds her that she is strong, brilliant and resourceful, and that she knows how to manage this.

In town at the café, Lee tells Rosemary that the soiree she has planned is a little too exclusive and does not feel right. He wants the townspeople to be able to come and talk with him about anything, any time they want, and he says he is going to show them that they can.

At the schoolhouse, Mr. Higgins comes back to see Elizabeth. She tells him the book's lessons are a bit rigid and prescriptive, and he says it sounds as though she wants to operate outside the school board's guidance. Elizabeth says every child learns differently and that she is not sure she can address specific student needs under these guidelines — one of her students, for instance, learns best with visual aids. Higgins suggests that student belongs in a remedial classroom. He agrees there could be room for compromise, and suggests that if she scratches his back he will scratch hers.

She says she does not know what he means; he says he can be flexible if she can be too. Anna walks in, and after pleasantries Higgins leaves, telling Elizabeth to consider what he said.

At the saloon, Rosemary explains to Bill that she was going through Pike's records and found that he briefly worked for a company Montague owns, which proves their connection. Lucas returns, and Rosemary wonders whether they should tell him. Bill says to wait until they know more. Lucas and Edwin run into Mr. Higgins at the saloon, and Higgins asks for some of Lucas's time later to discuss educational strategies.

At the mercantile, Mei looks for ingredients for her xiaolongbao, but they are not in stock. Florence says they can special order them, and when Mei asks about a wok, Florence produces one from the back that has been collecting dust and gives it to her.

In town, Elizabeth sees Higgins talking to Anna, and then he walks into the saloon. Anna tells Elizabeth that Higgins asked her where she would like to teach, that he is visiting the college next month and can introduce her to some regional recruiters, and that she accepted his offer. Elizabeth tells her to be careful. A taxi comes for Anna; she thanks Elizabeth for always being there for her and departs.

Inside the saloon, Elizabeth approaches Higgins at the bar and asks what he said to Anna. She tells him she knows the special interest he takes in students and that he needs to leave Anna alone. He asks how she can bandy about such unfounded things, and she tells him they are not unfounded. He threatens to rename their school from the Jack Thornton School, now that they are under the school board's jurisdiction.

Nathan sees Elizabeth pondering outside the schoolhouse and approaches. He asks what is the matter as she is crying, and she hugs him and tells him she does not know what to do. Inside, Elizabeth tells Nathan about her time as a student in teacher's college: Mr. Higgins was the director of the college then and took an interest in her and her career. She was flattered, because she felt he thought she was special, but he began making advances — subtle at first and then more overt. Nathan asks what Higgins did. Elizabeth says he was persistent; she told him no, and he made her life miserable.

Now he is threatening her job and the students, and she saw him with Anna. Nathan jumps up, wanting to set Higgins straight, and Elizabeth tells him he cannot. She is scared, because Higgins has all the power; Nathan tells her that is not true, that Higgins only wants her to think so. He tells her she is strong and never runs from a challenge. Elizabeth knows he is right, and knows she has to do something to make sure Higgins never does this again — to her, to Anna, or to anyone. Nathan asks what he can do to help.

At the saloon, Mike gives Higgins a note from Elizabeth. Higgins meets Elizabeth at the schoolhouse as the letter asked, and she notes that he had brought up discussing the school's future over dinner. She tells him she is not available for dinner with him tonight, or any night, because that would be highly inappropriate. He tells her that her attempts to embarrass him only embarrass her, by bringing up their relationship from ten years ago. She tells him that was not a relationship. Higgins says other women have benefited from “being nice” to him and that she should learn her place.

Elizabeth says her place is certainly not at a dinner table with him, and he suggests she consider another career. Nathan then emerges from behind a door, telling Higgins he has just confessed to abuse of office. Higgins claims this is entrapment and that he has connections.

At Lucas's office, Higgins tells Lucas and Edwin that Nathan and Elizabeth tricked him and are in cahoots against him, and wants Lucas to call Mountie Command and have all of it dropped. But Lucas had spoken with Nathan and Elizabeth before Higgins went to the schoolhouse. He made a few calls, and gathered that Elizabeth is not the first accusation of this nature against Higgins. Lucas tells him the jig is up, and that he believes Elizabeth and every woman who has accused him. Higgins tells Lucas to tread carefully, as he has a great deal of influence in Capital City.

Lucas notes to Edwin that Higgins has just threatened a public official, and says he will have Constable Grant add that to the list of infractions. Higgins will face a trial; until then, he is suspended.

Elizabeth sees Higgins outside the saloon packing his bags into a car to leave. She tells him that he thought that because he was powerful he could take advantage of her and other women, but that she realized it is because he is weak. She swears to him on everything she holds dear that he will never have the power to abuse another woman again. Higgins leaves, and Elizabeth and Nathan share a smile.

At the hotel event to Meet the Mayor, Molly talks to Lee about noise bylaws, and other townsfolk wait in line to speak with him about issues in town. Elizabeth notes how mayorship really suits Lee. Rosemary says that every Wednesday at 4pm, rain or shine, people are invited to speak with Lee about what concerns them. She asks how Elizabeth is feeling and tells her she is proud of her. Nathan is putting together a case for the Mounties to try Higgins, and Rosemary assures Elizabeth that The Valley Voice will be there to cover Higgins's downfall every step of the way.

Mike joins Mei for dinner with flowers, and finds the entire yard decorated and set up for them. Mei shows him what she made: xiaolongbao soup dumplings and pan-fried noodles. Mike cannot believe she did all this for him. Mei says it was fun making the dishes, and that she could feel her mom nearby. Mike tells her he wants to be part of her whole life, and she tells him she wants that too. They share a kiss. He brings out a pair of chopsticks to eat and tells her he has been practising.

Outside Elizabeth's house, Nathan joins her for company. Elizabeth apologizes for not telling him about everything going on sooner, and he tells her she has nothing to apologize for, and that he cannot imagine what she has been going through. She tells him that when Higgins first walked into her classroom she felt trapped, the way she did back in school, and that she wishes she could have stopped him back then. Nathan reminds her that this is not her fault, that she should be proud of herself, and that he is proud of her. Elizabeth thanks him for being there, and for being here.

He tells her there is nowhere else he would rather be, and she leans on his shoulder as they look at the moon.

“Believe” does not end on the Higgins verdict. It ends on Elizabeth leaning on Nathan's shoulder outside her house, looking at the moon, after telling him that when Higgins first walked into her classroom she felt trapped the way she had in school, and that she wishes she could have stopped him back then. Nathan tells her this is not her fault, that she should be proud of herself, and that he is proud of her. Elizabeth thanks him for being there and for being here; he says there is nowhere else he would rather be. The episode’s last image is Elizabeth leaning on his shoulder as they look at the moon.

The legal outcome is left deliberately unresolved. Higgins is suspended pending a trial, not convicted — Lucas says he will face a trial and that until then he is suspended. Nathan is assembling a case for the Mounties to try him, and Rosemary says The Valley Voice will cover the proceedings. The episode does not show the trial, the verdict, or what happens to Higgins's position in Capital City, and there is no evidence in the recap that his threat to use his influence there was ever acted on or neutralised.

Two threads are also left open rather than closed. Higgins's promise to rename the Jack Thornton School is made as a threat and is not confirmed to have been carried out or withdrawn. And the note Elizabeth sent through Mike, plus the fact that Lucas had already made calls before Higgins went to the schoolhouse, means the confrontation was planned — but the recap does not state how much Nathan and Lucas had agreed in advance beyond Lucas saying he spoke with them beforehand. What is unconfirmed is the sequence of who arranged what, not whether it was arranged.