Hallmark introduced a mysterious new character at the start of Season 9 of When Calls the Heart. Mei Suo (played by Amanda Wong) rode into town dressed as a man, capturing the eye of Mountie Nathan Grant. She showed up for work at the pharmacy, shocking Ned and Florence, who had been corresponding with someone named Geoffrey Lewis.
Fans got a hint of Mei’s backstory in Episode 4, “Straight From the Heart,” when Mei went to visit Bill Avery (Jack Wagner) and told him she needed his help.
“I’m a fugitive, of sorts, from my husband,” she said.
She then goes on to say that the man she’s running from isn’t really her husband. The scene then finishes, so viewers didn’t get to hear the rest of her story.
Fans responded on social media to the new development.
“Finally get to hear Mei Suo’s intriguing side,” one wrote on the show’s Facebook page. “Glad she has Bill to help.”
The return of Augustus Landis
Also in Episode 4, Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) gets another visit from school inspector Augustus Landis (Todd Thomson). In Season 8, he told Elizabeth she wasn’t qualified to teach Angela Canfield (Vienna Leacock) because of her blindness.
In Sunday’s episode, Elizabeth proudly tells him that she earned her certification in Hamilton, so the district doesn’t need to worry anymore. He tells her that he can’t accept training completed outside the district. The two argue, and Elizabeth tells him that the school is still under her authority.
Landis attempts to retrieve his hat, but someone has glued his hat to a table in the classroom. Cooper Canfield (Elias Leacock) eventually admits he was the one who did it.
Wyman Walden causing trouble
Businessman Wyman Walden (Wesley Salter) has been throwing his weight around in town since Season 8, when he announced he wanted to build a foundry. In Sunday’s episode, Bill gets a call from the constable of the town of Brookfield, who said that Walden came to town, attempted to con someone out of money, and then left. A merchant was shot shortly before he skipped town.
When Walden and a Pinkerton agent drive back into Hope Valley, Avery tells them he needs to see Walden’s gun. Walden says he lost it. Soon after, Lucas is attacked as he leaves Elizabeth’s house.