Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted June 22, 2018
Character: NPC, Marshal Scott Cory
The brawlers had spent considerable time accounting for themselves to Marshal Scott Cory. Much to the consternation of the Evergreen foreman, the two hands identified as Greer and Billy, were taken into custody pending charges being pressed for robbery and assault. In the end, Cory had only been able to keep Greer in jail for striking the Redmond girl. Billy was told to leave the grounds for the evening and to think really hard about returning the girl's property. Scott might only have Clara Redmond's word to go on, but he believed her over the men. She had no reason to lie. They did.
Scott Cory sighed. They had had small dust-ups at previous Founder's Day Celebrations. People that disputed the allotment of prizes or the outcome of a race or other event. Of course, his voice had prevailed over the town fathers in the past, and there had been no saloon tent. This year, the Belle-St. Regis won the day and persuaded the council that its tent would keep people on the fairgrounds and spending money.
Yeah, that had gone really well.
After Scott had sorted out the brawlers and closed down the saloon tent for the night, everyone had gone their separate ways to clean up for the buffet supper and dance. The Belle-St. Regis had donated a couple of the remaining beer barrels which were now set up in the tent near the dance floor. The sun was dipping low as the band warmed up, preparing to open the dance with a lively country waltz.
Posted June 22, 2018
Hannah returned to the fairgrounds well after the mayor had officially kicked off the dance. She felt awkward in her gown, the one she had saved up for and had made for the evening. The material was a soft blue that made her hazel eyes appear more blue than green. The bodice was fitted with a square-cut neck and three-quarter sleeves. White lace fell from the cuffs to midway down her forearm. The Corys' housekeeper had dressed her hair for her, pilling it up on her head and allowing a cascade of carefully curled ringlets to fall down her back. The blue overskirt was layered over white lace.
She had spent quite a while staring in the mirror at her transformation. A transformation that was not entirely without flaws. Her left eye was black and blue, and the cut along her right cheek throbbed painfully. Nina, the housekeeper, had not wanted to apply makeup as it would get into the cut and perhaps fester. This meant Hannah would be attending the dance wearing her war wounds for all to see.
In the end, she decided to go to the dance even if she was likely to spend the evening as a wallflower.
A lively country waltz was in progress when she arrived. There were not many couples on the dance floor yet, mainly the older married folks from town. Others stood around in small groups talking or watching the dancers. Many more were still seated at the long trestle tables that had been set up for the buffet, finishing their supper. Hannah went inside the tent to get a plate for herself. Surprisingly, she was starving. Seemed that getting into a brawl was good for the appetite.
Posted June 22, 2018
Lost Lake Ranch had leased a small block of rooms at the Belle-St. Regis for the night as it was far closer than the main house at the ranch. The twins were spending the night with family friends who had children their age and a young mother that had no desire to go dancing. It had worked out well, leaving the adults to enjoy the rest of the evening without having to chase after the children or cut the night short to put them to bed.
Ezra pulled the ranch's carriage to a stop by the picket line. The horses stood patiently as he handed the ladies out of the wagon. Once she had alighted on the ground, Harriet took a moment to smooth out the folds of her evening gown of emerald satin. Her dark hair was styled simply. It was pulled up and back with tendrils allowed to curl over her forehead. Even as critical of herself as Harriet was prone to be, she felt she looked nice - at least in keeping with the other ladies attending the evening's festivities. The dress was one of her favorites. It brought out the sparks of copper in her dark hair.
Dinner was quite enjoyable although everyone had been chattering about the fight. Harriet looked across the table where Shade and Quentin sat, seeming none the worse for the fight. She would contact Judge Mandrell on Monday and explain what had happened. Fortunately, Scott Cory had not been inclined to start hauling people into the jail once he had gotten to the bottom of what had started the contretemps. Harriet would have to discuss the incident with the two men at some point, but that could wait until after she saw the judge.
Harriet buttered a roll and took a small bite. It was hard not to roll her eyes as the yeasty sweetness filled her mouth. The Town Mothers had put on a fantastic repast. Most of the townswomen had donated the food they had entered in various contests, and the rest had been prepared just for the evening. Lost Lake Ranch had donated two large steers that were roasting over a slow fire. Someone else had provided a couple of large hogs which were also being cooked in deep pits. The meat was tender and juicy. Various casseroles and vegetable dishes made up the balance of the meal. There were also numerous pies, cakes, and cobblers for dessert. Harriet found her appetite stimulated by the setting and her day's activities. Keeping her ladylike decorum was not easy.
Posted June 22, 2018
Quentin ate and enjoyed the food, but he had to do so carefully. His jaw still stung with each chew, the ache moving back through the muscles and into his neck. He had been forced to pick from the less solid options for dinner, although picking something unsuitable was pretty much impossible with the spread that had greeted them on their arrival.
Quentin kept chewing as his eyes flicked across at Harriet and felt her looking at him. He had to admit that he didn't mind as he had been looking at her quite a bit for most of the evening. Her outfit was amazing and without all the usual icy walls that constantly drifted between them she was a very entertaining companion, once he finally got over being skewered by her hatpin during the brawl. Quentin let out a snort as he looked over at Shade and did a take. He watched the younger man chewing with a bit of the same deliberation Quentin was employing. The older man lightly nudged Shade with an elbow. "You doing okay?"
Shade had been surveying the crowd in the tent. Seemed that most of the town and the people from almost all of the nearby ranches had shown up for the evening's festivities. All of the tables were quickly filling up. One whole side of the tent had been rolled up so that air flowed through and they could see the dance floor just outside. Soon the moon would rise, adding its light to the lanterns and torches set around the dance floor. The night promised to be fair and not overly warm which would help keep the dance floor active.
Nodding at Quentin, he grinned around a small mouthful of barbecued beef brisket, "Yeah - could be worse," Shade said to his friend. Like Quentin, Shade had dressed up for the evening in a clean white shirt and narrow western-style tie. He wore a supple leather vest over the shirt and had donned clean, dark jeans for the night. His boots were polished and his thick, black hair clean and brushed back. He had also made sure to brush all the dust from his trusty Stetson and polish his boots. The one thing he had not given up was his gun which he wore as always although it was not tied down and ready for use. Fortunately, Marshal Cory had not banned weapons at the gathering.
Harriet glanced around the tent, noting with a slight feeling of concern that the Steelgraves had arrived in full force. They occupied at table set apart from everyone else and occupied by only members of the family, their slimy lawyer, Carson Tyndall, and an unknown man, probably the Evergreen ranch foreman. Case Steelgrave caught her eyes and raised his wineglass in her direction. Harriet nodded cooly and returned her gaze to her dinner companions. The table set aside for Lost Lake Ranch showed a notable distinction over the Steelgraves. Here, the hands, their families and the Thorntons sat in companionable groups, mixing and mingling freely. There were also townspeople and members of other ranches sharing the table. Everyone was having a wonderful time, enjoying life, and companionship. The general bonhomie sharply contrasted with the stilted conversation that drifted over from the Steelgrave table.
She also could not fault the appearance of her dinner companions. Quentin Cantrell was drawing his fair share of batting eyelashes and feminine sighs from around the room. He looked striking in his dark suit and tie. His smile and deep voice was the envy of many a young lad as he teased and talked with his companions while the lads' dates hope to have those dark looks turned their way. Shade was also a pleasant surprise, having put off his dusty cowboy garb for a tie and crisply ironed shirt. He was getting his fair share of looks, but with more diffidence. It seemed the younger man's reputation was more a source of speculation than his looks. Harriet smiled at something Kate Hale said and made a mental note to revise her opinions of Lost Lake's men. Shade, and especially Quentin, were worthy of more than her original hasty assessments. The evening promised to be an interesting one.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted June 23, 2018
She was most assuredly not the dance sort, that was where the food was, and Addy wasn't going to pass up a good spread. Most meals were pretty mundane for her, by practicality more than anything, there wasn't time for fancy meals, so this was an opportunity to jump at, even if it meant putting on a clean skirt and puffy-sleeved silk blouse...oh, and leaving her hat and boots behind.
Walking into the big room, she paused only long enough to look around, then made a bee-line for the food. Maybe later, once she'd had a couple drinks, she'd look into dancing, but that wasn't a sport for someone who was sober!
Posted June 23, 2018
His first day after setting up shop in town had proved to be pretty busy, and it wasn't even in tow. Jonah had come to enjoy the festivities, but once the brawl had broken out there had been a crush of patients, seeking relief and advice for cuts, bruises, sprains, a missing tooth here and there. Fortunately there was nothing major, only a few needing some stitches, and it gave him a chance to apply his charm and let the folks get to know him, and that he was there.
Now was time for settling down and supper. The hall smelled wonderful, and he had to give credit for the ladies who had prepared the spread. It was varied and plentiful, and soon he had a plate loaded with goodies and was looking for a seat. Then he spotted Miz Harriet Mercer and headed her way, giving her a smile.
"Miz Mercer, so good to see you." He nodded to the empty seat beside her. "Is this taken?"
"Doctor Danforth, please join me," Harriet answered with a smile. She had met Kalispell's new resident physician in the aftermath of the brawl. They had not exchanged much more than their names before she and Kate Hale had set to rounding up clean sheets to be torn into bandaging and assisting in whatever manner they could.
She flashed a pleasant smile at the man, "I hope you are finding the rest of your first day in Kalispell a bit more pleasant than your introduction to our town?" Harriet's gray eyes met Jonah Danforth's deep brown ones directly. She had little time or use for the basics of female coquettishness. Besides, those affectations rarely played well in the courtroom.
"Indeed." He grinned, then shrugged. "But I came out here to get away from the conventions of over-civilization." There was actually a hint of weariness in his tone. "People ask for the impossible and don't want to help themselves any more, but here..." He shrugged. "Folks are more genuine...don't have time to worry about how someone looked at them or the tone of voice that was used."
"Life out here is challenging," Harriet agreed. "I do not regret relocating to Montana. Some of my clients are less than pleased but in this, I had to please myself not them." She surveyed Danforth for a few moments. "You might find yourself getting paid in chickens or home cooked meals. It is still better than life in a big city."
"Chickens?" He laughed. "I have no use of chickens nor place to keep them, but home-cooked meals just might save my life!" Then he shook his head. "I suppose, though, I could trade the chickens for other things." Just sort of the way that money worked, but with limitations. "Once I have a proper office I suppose I can put in a coop...I wouldn't mind having fresh eggs...you know, for those home cooks to prepare for me!"
He flashed a quick smile. "It will be different, but I'll manage or go back. I don't suppose you've heard of any properties in town I could rent?"
"There was a small home on the edge of town that was returned to the bank a few weeks ago," Harriet answered. A gleam appeared in her eye, "It already has a chicken coop." She regarded the doctor for a moment before speaking again, "It belonged to a young couple that decided to leave for California. Unfortunately, they left without warning and without paying their bills. I looked the home over but it does not meet my needs. Nice place though."
"I'll have to look it over." Jonah smiled and nodded. "So long as it has a couple of rooms and it's not too far out of town." He'd need a room for himself, one for an office, a clinic and an operating suite in the least, and he'd prefer a couple rooms for patients that needed to stay. "But I suppose it's good that there's a coop, that way I can keep my payment confined!"
Laughing, he shook his head, not quite sure how to take the idea of being paid in livestock. "Perhaps in the morning you could point it out?"
"It is in town, one street over from Main Street. The home was quite lovely," Harriet assured the doctor. "The wife ran a small dressmaking shop out of the main floor. They lived in the upstairs apartment. It was originally set up as two apartments." That had actually been its appeal for Harriet. However, in the end, it had been better to remain at the Thornton ranch for now.
"Oh, well, that sounds as if it would be ideal." Jonah smiled. "Thank you. I assume I should go to the bank, then? Or is there a lawyer dealing with the estate?" He hoped it was just something simple with the bank, seemed like things got overly complicated when lawyers got involved! And he could only hope that it would be so easy to find a place to set up shop.
"To the best of my knowledge, Doctor, you just need to deal with the bank. I would be happy to read any sales contracts they ask you sign," Harriet replied. "In general, property purchases are fairly straight forward. I have heard nothing untoward about the bank's dealings with people in that regard."
Posted June 23, 2018
It was a dance so of course most folks tried to look their nicest in their best clothes. Well, problem there for Robert was he didn't even own anything like that, no suitcoat and trousers to go with it, no white shirt with tie, no fancy polished shoes. But the young prospector decided he was going to show up anyhow. He might not live in town but he did live in the county so technically he belonged. Besides there was a banquet of good food, heaven on earth for someone like him to lived alone and subsisting on his meager fare cooked by himself. He'd be a fool to not take advantage of such a feast.
He had heard there had been a major brawl at the beer tent earlier and judging by some of the faces it had been a fairly enthusiastic one. Though he did on occasion, and one might also say desperation, engage in prize fights, the young Irishman was very happy to have missed the fisticuffs. No profit to be gained out of a brawl.
Though his clothes were nothing to impress anyone, he had at least endeavored to clean himself up nice having taken a bath in the river and washed his curly mop of dark hair with some cheap whiskey. He'd have shaved but he barely grew any facial hair. Someday he'd have himself a fancy little goatee like a lot of eastern folks.
The table stocked with food was suitably long and filled with a surfeit of choices. He was tempted to try everything, despite his lean build, Robert was a good eater. Taking a plate he soon had it piled full and figured he could always come back for more. That's when he saw the stage driver, Addy. The two had been paired by pure luck for the three legged race and won too, a tiny bit of glory in a life that mostly had none. Plus they got to split the cash prize so he had a few unexpected bucks in his pocket. She didn't seem to be accompanied by anyone so he decided to venture on over.
"Evenin' ta ya, see you decided to enjoy the feed," he grinned, comparing their filled plates, "There might even be a dance later so they say?"
If she didn't want anything to do with him past their few minutes of racing fun, that was her business too and he'd leave her alone. Least earlier she did not seem to be one of those who hated the Irish.
Posted June 23, 2018
Aurelian was a widower and with two children to take care already, not currently looking for adding to his responsibilities by taking another wife. However that did not mean he could not enjoy an evening of feminine company and maybe a few dances. He used to love dancing when SHE was alive, they made quite the pair. There was a second reason he was present now too, for his daughter's sake otherwise Clara probably would not have went. He felt as she was nearing womanhood, she should take part in social events such as this. Clara had so many strengths and gifts but there were times when she lacked some in the whole being sociable with folks area. Wyatt was along too but he had met another boy his age during the festival afternoon and those two wanted to find out more about each other. Oh and eat food too. There would probably be lots of desserts.
Aurelian was in a reasonably fashionable grey suit, he was wearing a tie which was a most rare occasion for that. Clara had helped with trimming his hair, including mustache and goatee. He looked suitably dignified.
"Lot of people here, bound to be some lads approximately your age," he smiled down at his daughter.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted June 23, 2018
Addy grinned when she noticed Robert and gestured to the seat beside her. "Join me." Her grin widened as she nodded. "Yep, gonna be a dance, might be a thing ta see." While notby any means a philosopher, Addy was an observer of people, and dances meant people! "Got good food here, too," she added with a shrug. "Reckon I'll be around a bit ta see what transpires...might still be some hard feelin's after th' row this afternoon, who knows?"
Although there were far more ladies present here than in the beer tent, and children, and families meant civilization -- the men were far more apt to behave!
"So, Robert, what is it that ya do around these parts?"
Posted June 24, 2018
Having been questioned and released after the brawl by Marshal Cory, Pronto cleaned himself up as best as he could. He'd not found a place to lite as yet, but there was always his bedroll. He had used that a number of nights, more than with a roof over his head. He was glad to see Greer shackled an led off to jail. The man deserved worse, but he was not Pike's problem any longer.
His nose was a bit swollen, there were a couple of discolored scrapes on his face and his knuckles were a tad swollen, other than that, he felt pretty fair. So the dinner and the dance appealed to him somewhat. The meal more than the dance, but it was something to do, and a dance was not to be missed when one was held. So he entered the building, stood inside the door for a moment then headed to the food.