"You know, Elias, mmm, there are a good many people who believe you would have it burned to the ground." He held up his hands, "Hold on, hold on. Now, whatever you say about that accusation, and honestly, you certainly have a fight to be upset about it. Including your response will give my readers a clear understanding of your feelings on the issue."

Elias sat back, his face contorted a bit with the anger welling up. The veins in his neck were standing out and then slowly receded. "You don't tread lightly, do you? Yes. That had been my initial reaction to the news she was getting this done, and she chose to shut me out. But no, I came to my senses about it." He paused, "She has done a great thing, a positive thing, and she did not need my name attached to it. Yes, I would like it named after her, hell, I'm her father and proud of her, and her accomplishments."

"Then you fully support the hospital? Is that what I'm hearing? As it sure sounds like it." Phin asked.

"You're damned right I do, and you can tell those boys that sided with her not to fear, no reprisals. None!" Elias said flatly. "I won't rehire 'em, but I won't set my men against them either."

"Josiah."  Addy gave the man a nod and a smile, relieved that he was here, although he was supposed to be!  But she'd known him for a while, and she trusted him.  Not that she didn't trust the others, but this was new territory for her, and she knew he would protect her.

"Glad ya made it.  I'm all flustrated on this, an' it'll be good ta have someone who can explain things all proper, how this investor nonsense works."  She knew, of course, that they wouldn't be meeting here if it wasn't a good idea, it was just a matter of understanding.

Tully caught Shin's comment about his wife, but didn't follow it more than to murmur, "I bet she was right pretty."  Indeed, she was genuinely curious to see what a woman from Japan looked like, likely with jet black hair and dark, mysterious eyes...

"There's a man in town that makes dresses an' clothes an' whatnot," Tully pointed out, "but I ain't sure how that works."  She shrugged, curious about what a kimono would look like, and how it would be to wear one.  "Don't reckon a body could climb a tree in one?"  

Of course, 'ladies' shouldn't be climbing trees, but sometimes that was a good way for Tully to get away from the world.

"Ya know, I could try sketchin' yer wife, if you've a mind?  Could tell me how she looked an' I can try..."  Well, maybe that was a bad idea.

Shintaro inclined his head slightly when she said she trusted him. To have any young woman say that, especially one who didn't really know him was a pleasure. He didn't know many people who he trusted but his gut was telling him he could trust Tully much the same way he felt he could trust the Marshall and a few other people in town. Thinking on it now, he realized just how different the atmosphere was in Kelispell compared to San Francisco and other places he had been since coming to America.

"I don't know Mr. McVey or Miss Katherine all that well myself but what I've seen and heard of them, they do sound like good people and worthy of your trust." Shintaro couldn't help but feel honoured to be one of the few people Tully claim to trust. "I'm touched I'm amoung the few you trust and will do my best to continue to deserve that honour."

As he had never worn lace or ribbons he couldn't say whether they were itchy or too tight. Once again he wondered will she enjoy a kimono instead of Western clothing for women. Kimono's could be restrictive till you were used moving in them. Then again there was a huge difference in the style of Japanese clothing for women among peasants than what was worn by women of samurai families, especially wealthy ones.

"My wife once told me she enjoyed wearing kimono not because it was what Japanese women typically wore but it was because it made her feel beautiful. The colours and patterns, the way they fit her body and most importantly the way it made me smile." Shintaro looked away slightly at this last bit, realizing it was a bit too personal to have shared. He hadn't been able to afford as fine clothing once they had moved to America that he had been able to purchase before the Boshin War. He brought in quite a bit of money once he joined the Shinsengumi but those funds had dried up completely after the Boshin War. With all that happened duirng the Meiji Restoration he doubted he would have been able to afford to keep the two of them fed, much less spend money on anything fancy. Times had been tough in America but they had been better off than what would have happened if they stayed in Japan.

"A shame there is nobody here who could make a Kimono and hte usual assessories necessary to wear one. They are something far more beautiful and more comfortable to wear than Western dresses. It would be interesting to see if you would enjoy wearing one, even one designed for everyday wear on the farm. Not that those were fancy."

Morning had been busy for Addy, although all of her deliveries had been local so that she was had time after putting up the team to clean up before heading to the Lickskillet for the meeting that would help set the course for her future as well as Weedy's.

Clad in a blue wool skirt and mis-matched blue wasitcoat, Addy made her way to the cafe and stepped inside.  Clara had been told about the meeting before hand, and had set up a private table for them in the front corner by the window, so they could have their meeting without being disturbed.

A few minutes early, Addy stepped into the cafe and took in the wonderful aromas.

"I trust ya," Tully murmured, more confident in that than she sounded.  Even though she'd only known Shin for a short time, there was a calm steadiness in him that made her enjoy his company.  "An' Mr. McVey an' Miss Katherine...enough fer now."  

Too many people around, too many 'friends', could be confusing, she thought, or, well, maybe not seem so genuine, so she'd stick with a few to begin with, until she got used to not being dependent only on herself.

"You do not like lace and ribbons?"

"Not terrible practical," she answered, shrugging.  "All itchy an' scratchy," she laughed, "too tight ta move in, an' ya gotta worry 'bout gettin' dirty an' all.  Don't make much sense fer a gal like me."  At least the clothes she had now were clean, didn't need patches and fit!

Cicely Jane Lister, would have taken Wheeler, and what might have happened afterward? That was anybody's guess, though Tom Love had a plan, and as far as he was concerned, he planned to kill Em, Barnbas was sure of that, but Wheele? Cicely, and Clement? He had no idea other than something really bad for them.

"I can press them charges whenever I like, within reason, right? I mean, if I wait, say a week 'er so, I can still have her arrested, right?" Barnabas asked, a bit hesitant to just do it. Cicely and Clement had been duped, tricked into something they might have shied away from.

@JulieS

@Bongo

"Press charges?"  Emeline glanced between Barnabas and Speed, uncertain how she felt on the matter.  Yes, the young woman had put her through hell, and worse, involved Wheeler, but then, Emeline was inclined to believe that she'd been duped by this Love man, and really didn't understand what was going on.  

And more, she'd said that she wanted to protect Wheeler, even though she had no problem with her brother...

Well...

Emeline sighed and shook her head.  "I'll leave it to Barnabas, what to do with Miss Lister.  I do forgive her, but that's between me and God, and doesn't effect the law."