When Calls the Heart Season 9 Episode 7: Hope Valley Days (1)

Outside the mercantile Hickam speaks to the town. He has cleared traffic from main street and has another announcement: as mayor, Hickam declares this week will be the first annual Hope Valley Days. Celebrations include Elizabeth's Thanksgiving, Florence and Ned's Hanukkah, Lee and Rosemary's Halloween and new town council member Mei's Valentine's Day. He jokes that Bill is overseeing April Fool's.

Already in Halloween mode, Lee is dressed as Mark Antony when he finds a letter for Rosemary, dressed as Cleopatra, from a gentleman who works for William Randolph Hearst. Rosemary is hopeful it means he wants to add their little newspaper to his mighty empire.

Faith finds Mei putting up decorations for Valentine's Day and Qixi, the Chinese celebration of love. Nathan walks by the door and Faith notices Mei's eyes linger on him. Faith reminds her there is nothing wrong with love.

Jeffrey, a very rude and demanding man, barges into Bill's office stating his wife is in town and needs to be arrested. Bill demands he come back when he is more reasonable, but the man refuses to leave. Bill tells him that was a big mistake, and shortly after he rolls a barrel past Hickam's office containing an unconscious Jeffrey. Hickam assumes the limp body is an April fool's joke.

At the jail Nathan tells Bill there are no arrest warrants for Jeffrey, but there are three for Mei Soo, for larceny, forgery, and spousal abandonment. Bill admits that Mei hired him as her attorney.

As Elizabeth picks up buttermilk biscuits from the cafe, Minnie shares her excitement over applying for a loan to purchase Abigail's portion of the cafe. Elizabeth congratulates her and finds former student Emma working at the cafe, though something is off with her.

Later at the schoolhouse, Emma asks for Elizabeth's help as her mother got a better job in Bellingham. Emma does not want to move with her; she would rather stay in Hope Valley and earn enough money at the cafe to go to college.

Ned and Florence ask Mei to stay on as their permanent pharmacist, and Mei is elated. Her excitement soon comes to a halt when Bill and Nathan confront her about Jeffrey's claims and her arrest warrants.

Faith asks Hickam about getting an X-ray for the infirmary. His hands are tied, and he cannot offer her any special treatment, though he believes that with hard work Faith can grow her private practice enough to get what the infirmary needs to support the town.

Faith gives Bill a checkup and orders him to go into the city for a chest x-ray, as she suspects pneumonia.

Nathan finds Elizabeth outside the library and asks for a driving lesson now. She agrees to get Lucas's car and meet him by the saloon.

Joseph and Minnie pray the bank will give them the loan. However, Joseph tries to brace Minnie for the reality that many places are not like St. Louis, where her family was well respected.

Nathan and Elizabeth sit in Lucas's car. Nathan is impressed by the buttons, wondering what they do, and presses one that honks the horn. Elizabeth tries to go through each item in the car before taking off, just like her father taught her. Nathan hops out of the car and asks if Lucas can teach him instead.

Bill finds Mei at the jail with news that they have found a marriage license with Mei's signature. She insists it is a forgery. Bill has no choice but to let Jeffrey go. As Mei leaves, Jeffrey follows her and pleads with her to come back with him to Chicago; she refuses and tells him goodbye.

Joseph comes back to drop off Lee's car from their travels to the bank in Buxton. He is sad to report the bank refused to give them the loan. After Joseph leaves, Lee calls the banker to back the Canfields' loan as Joseph has been a great friend and colleague. Rosemary is all for backing the loan but thinks Lee should have asked Joseph first.

Lucas finds Nathan in his car for a lesson. However, Lucas finds Nathan deep in thought over Mei's situation with Jeffrey, wondering why she did not mention the marriage. Lucas suggests Nathan talk to Mei before walking away from her. Nathan hops out of the car again, and thanks Lucas for the lesson.

Ned leads a Hanukkah celebration at the saloon. Minnie and Joseph arrive with exciting news that the bank called and approved their loan. Lee says it could not have happened to a better man, and also admits that Hickam did a great job with Hope Valley Days.

Later at the bonfire, Lucas asks whether Elizabeth would ever consider a fall wedding. Elizabeth asks whether he would ever consider a spring wedding.

The episode leaves Mei's position unresolved. Bill tells her a marriage license bearing her signature has been found, she insists it is a forgery, and Bill has no choice but to let Jeffrey go; whether the license is genuine and whether Mei will be charged are not confirmed within the episode, and the three warrants against her are not withdrawn. Jeffrey leaves town after she refuses him, which does not settle the case against her.

The Canfields' loan resolves in their favour, but on terms that are left open. The bank refuses them, Lee calls the banker to back the loan without telling Joseph, and the bank approves it; whether Joseph accepts Lee's intervention is not confirmed within the episode, with Rosemary already saying Lee should have asked first.

Two threads carry into the second part. Bill's health is unresolved: Faith orders him into the city for a chest x-ray because she suspects pneumonia, and the result is not shown. The episode closes at the bonfire with Lucas asking whether Elizabeth would ever consider a fall wedding and Elizabeth asking whether he would ever consider a spring wedding, leaving the question of marriage unsettled.