Is Lucas about to get a new love interest on When Calls the Heart? In the next episode, a mysterious “old friend” of his will make a surprise visit to Hope Valley. Based on the teaser for Season 11, Episode 4, there might be romantic feelings there. Who’s Jeannette Aucoin from When Calls the Heart? Read on to learn what happened between her and Lucas.
When Calls the Heart is Hallmark Channel’s drama series following Elizabeth Thatcher, a young teacher accustomed to her high-society life who receives her first classroom assignment in Coal Valley (now named Hope Valley), a small coal-mining town in western Canada. The show, which premiered in July 2014, is based on Janette Oke’s novel of the same title from her Canadian West book series. Season 11 of When Calls the Heart premiered on April 7 on the Hallmark Channel.
At the end of Season 10, Elizabeth made the painful decision to part ways with Lucas rather than get married. “It was a natural progression of the storyline,” showrunner Brian Bird previously told us. “Elizabeth’s heart and indeed her life were always going to be rooted in Hope Valley. And Lucas was bound for a bigger stage.”
After leaving Hope Valley for the Capitol City, the Season 11 premiere revealed that Lucas had been shot shortly after arriving. Thankfully, Lucas survived his gunshot wound and is now governor with big plans for the area. “Now that he’s governor, and now that he’s proposing this grand vision of building this grand resort just outside of Hope Valley, he’s the owner of a resort and a hotel, which could be seen as… a conflict of interest,” the show’s producer/writer Elizabeth Stewart said to Soaps.
Since Lucas and Elizabeth are officially broken up, is there a new love interest for Lucas on the horizon? In the preview for Season 11, Episode 4, Hearties meet Jeanette Aucoin (portrayed by Cecilia Deacon), a widow from Lucas’s past in New Orleans. This is the first time Jeanette appears in person, though she’s been mentioned in earlier episodes in Season 6 and 9.
In Season 6, Jeanette calls Lucas from Cape Fullerton to warn him about Amos Dixon, a loan shark she had trouble with. Lucas set off toward Cape Fullerton on his own, but Nathan intercepted him and advised him to let the Mounties handle it. Jeanette was also referenced in Season 9 while she was working for the U.S. Treasury Department. Lucas teamed up with her to set a trap for Wyman Walden, but Jeanette’s sudden silence during the operation left him to handle things alone.
It’s unclear what Jeanette is seeking now and whether she’s about to bring more trouble for Lucas—or if she’s interested in something more romantic. “Why are you really here,” he asks her in the promo, to which she responds, “Believe it or not… I still care about you.”
You’ll have to tune into tonight’s episode to find out what happens between the old friends. Watch the promo for Season 11, Episode 4, below.
When Calls the Heart returns on Sunday at 9 p.m. on the Hallmark Channel.
For more on When Calls the Heart, check out our gallery below of the cast’s real-life partners and families at home.
Read More: Who’s Jeannette Aucoin From When Calls the Heart? What Happened With Lucas?