"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Speed had been loafing against the wall until Emeline stood, then he came to a full stance, looking to Charlie, as he prepared for the one person he knew would be primed for trouble. That would be his friend and deputy, Barnabas Pike.
He would allow anyone to have their say, so long as it was civil. He would not allow anyone to physically attack the members of the council, verbally? They were free to speak their minds, and he would guarantee them that right.
"Every town needs a newspaper."
His pencil was moving as fast he he could to record the goings on of the meeting, paying close attention to Richard T. Orr who was orchestrating the meeting to head in only the direction he chose. This was age old in the halls of any government.
Phin had a smile on his face as Missus Pike unleashed on Dick Orr. And it was, to his way of thinking, well deserved. And then Leah Steelgrave got to her feet and let loose her sentiments, which he agreed with. This was shaping up to be quite the next edition!
"Chair recognises Mrs Emeline Bla... oh, Pike, now, of course." said Orr lazily as Em sprang to her feet.
"You'll discuss the proposed hospital and orphanage!" Emeline jumped up, her tone firm. She wasn't much one for activism, but that Orr man was just...obnoxious, and she wasn't going to let him get away with this!
Dick leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk and steepling his fingers before him, looking upon the pie-making mistress of the Lick Skillet with a sort of patronising bemused look on his face at her excited yelp.
"And you will discuss, sir, not dismiss! If there isn't fair debate on the topic, with fair input from both sides, I promise you, they'll have the news all over the territory, from Helena to Denver, that our fine town council is against improvement, against the safety and good health of our citizens, and against security and kindness to children!"
Orr turned to Hector "Mr Wigfall, please note that Mrs Pike ordered the Town Council to discuss, not dismiss, the Hospital and Orphanage" he directed him with a slightly derisive tone in his voice.
"Discuss not dismiss..." mumbled Hector as he scribbled.
As one lady sat down, another popped up. "Like a room full of Jack-in-the-boxes!" Orr grumbled to nobody in particular.
It was when Emeline Pike stood up and spoke her mind that the fire coursed through Leah's veins, and she came to her feet as the Deputies wife sat down. "In the off chance that someone does not know me, I am Leah Elinor Steelgrave, only daughter to Elinor and Elias Steelgrave."
"I'm sure that we're only all TOO aware of your face and voice, Miss Steelgrave. Feels like we've been listening to you describing your vanity projects for a long, long time." retorted Orr.
She began, "I am here on the matter of the hospital that you 'gentlemen,' and I use the term with much disdain, have been avoiding since the first of the new year, now half gone. Do your worst. I am prepared for that eventuality, you can count on that. Anything that I might say or do here tonight would be a waste of breath or energy."
"Well, I'm glad that we agree on that, Miss Steelgrave, perhaps, then, you should resume your seat and let you elders and betters take care of the business of the Town!" chuckled Orr smugly, hoping that scribbler McVay was getting these bon mots down for his report.
"'Betters' is open to debate!" In the back of the room, Jonah stood, putting in his opinion. "It's abhorrent how you can delay the best in medical care for the citizens of this territory, and no," he smirked as he looked directly at Orr, "I'm not implying that I am the best there is, but a man can only do with what he has to work with. A new hospital will give us advanced equipment and services, and attract the best."
That was his say, and as he sat down, he honestly had to wonder where the passion had come from, except that he hated bullies!
Leah turned, as did most of the others present to look at, and listen to, the Town Doctor. She smiled, he had heard about the meeting and he had shown up for it, now he was speaking in support of a project that was his as much as it was hers.
He had been busy, especially since Josiah Boone had left for Columbia Falls, so they had not seen much of one another, so his appearance , and his support, might just be enough to turn the tide.
Matilda had been sitting listening to everyone else talk, it was so obvious that the public - leastwise those who were in attendance - were all for the hospital but that the stumbling block was this imperious Orr. Arrogant bastard.
"You know, yer majesty, I mean Mr. Orr, you might want to give a think on how you got this here position? You got elected and it seems to me going against the will of the people of the town is a surefire way of getting you voted right out next election. I can pretty much promise you if you don't decide on constructing this hospital there are going to be a whole hell of a lot of us who will do everything we can to see you lose this election," she pointed out in a clear loud voice.
"It takes a mighty bold man and a very stupid politician to go against the tide of public opinion," she added with a smirk.
"'Betters' is open to debate!" In the back of the room, Jonah stood, putting in his opinion. "It's abhorrent how you can delay the best in medical care for the citizens of this territory, and no," he smirked as he looked directly at Orr, "I'm not implying that I am the best there is, but a man can only do with what he has to work with. A new hospital will give us advanced equipment and services, and attract the best."
"Yes, yes" Orr sighed wearily, "... please add Dr. Danforth's name to the minutes, Mr. Wigfall. I hadn't realised that Miss Steelgrave had brought her personal lapdog along to the meeting, as well as her hired gunmen to try and overawe the Council. You can note that Dr. Danforth fully supports the motion to provide him with a sinecure of Chief Medical Officer for the hospital." he drawled.
This remark seemed to sting Tildy into action again.
"You know, yer majesty, I mean Mr. Orr, you might want to give a think on how you got this here position?"
"Your Majesty, I like that, very good." Orr chuckled at Matilda's jibe, even if it was aimed at himself.
"You got elected and it seems to me going against the will of the people of the town is a surefire way of getting you voted right out next election. I can pretty much promise you if you don't decide on constructing this hospital there are going to be a whole hell of a lot of us who will do everything we can to see you lose this election," she pointed out in a clear loud voice.
The resultant murmur of assent from the crowd made it impossible for Orr to reply immediately, and his eventual success in getting quiet by banging his gavel only gave the feisty and beautiful saloon owner to get another few words in.
"It takes a mighty bold man and a very stupid politician to go against the tide of public opinion," she added with a smirk.
The black-bearded Dick held up his hands in a sort of mock-surrender. "I have to own that our lovely Mrs Deverau has a good point: but I am afraid that my chief responsibility as a Town Councilman is not to garner popularity or votes, but to make the right decisions for the prosperity of our community. Oh, yes, the idea of a hospital and orphanage appeal mightily to the limited intellects and overdeveloped emotions of the fairer sex, but this matter has been given full consideration by the men of the..."
"Ladies should be seen and not heard"
Orr's oration was cut off as the door to the public chamber flew open and a figure in white flew in, like a fairy on the breeze: followed by a motley trio of costumed girls: Miriam Kaufmann, looking somewhat terrified and dressed in some sort of toga affair*; Bridget Monahan, with her false leg off, her crutch under her arm and a strawberry jelly splattered bandage around her head and Arabella Mudd, dressed in a sort of sack, soot smeared on her face, and her spindly white legs and arms poking out all over the place like a Granddaddy Longlegs.
The three formed a sort of tableaux vivant behind Dick Orr's own daughter, Anæsthesia, as she launched into a fancy poem that she had written in support of Miss Steelgrave, the hospital and the orphanage.
"The Goddess smiles on the Orphan and the Maimed,
The..."
Furious banging by Orr's gavel drowned out the rest of the poem and he, for the first time, seemed to lose his temper.
"Deputy Wentworth, please arrest my daughter for breech of the peace and throw her in a cell! And remove her confederates!!" he bellowed and a few southerners, hearing the word 'confederates', including the symbolic orphan behind Miss Orr, gave excited rebel yells.
*50% of the audience guessed that she was 'Liberty', 50% guessed she was 'Truth', 0% guessed that she was the Goddess Hygeia.
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
As the meeting continued with various speakers popping up, Matt wondered how the vocal minority who were in support of the hospital got to hear about the meeting before the rest of the town. Most people in town were from what he knew, in favour of the hospital and orphanage but wanted nothing to do anything that was linked to a Steelgrave. It was a kind of impasse that until now showed no signs of being resolved. If things keep on going like this, Leah Steelgrave would get her hospital but at what cost to both her and the town? Once again, he mused that Leah should have done more to distance herself from her father and perhaps the rest of her family.
From his investigation into the Steelgraves, he knew that Elias wouldn't take what his daughter was attempting to do, passively. He would find a way to gain control of the hospital and anything else his daughter attempted to do. He was that kind of man.
However, his ruminations were interrupted by what was happening in the room. Orr was still trying to take charge when his daughter and three other girls entered. Matt for a moment wondered how the four young ladies had gotten prepared so quickly considering the short notice of the meeting. Then Orr told Charlie to arrest Anæsthesia, which in a way was not so surprising.
Charlie's reaction was one of complete uncertainty as he looked over to the Marshall for help. It was apparent that Charlie was not eager to do Orr's bidding and take on the four of them and this made Matt smile. In fact, the whole situation was bordering on the hilarious and it took Matt all of his control not to burst out laughing.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Speed laid a hand to Charlie's arm, as if to restrain him, even though he didn't appear to be heading for the girls. "Mister Orr, if anybody will be arresting anyone tonight, sir, it will be me, not a brand new Deputy." Then he smiled.
"The girls may have been an interruption, but it is clear that they meant no harm. And I don't believe the place for young women is jail when their correction should be in the hands of their parents." Was that a murmur of agreement and light laughter?
The doors suddenly opened and two badged men entered, followed immediately by Dutton Peabody, and then, the stately, tall man with the graying hair. A smile on his face. “Very nice, ladies." To the girls. He walked to the front of the room. "Good evening. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Thomas Samuel Houser, Territorial Governor Samuel Thomas Houser.” He looked then to the members of the Town Council. This gentleman is Territorial Senator Lincoln Ellisworth, and, and you all know Dutton, Duton Peabody who now serves as my Aide, and the man who insisted I come to your fair town."
“Gentlemen, I’m not here to take over your meeting, not at all, however I, I see that Miss Steelgrave is present, which is the reason I am here. Hullo Leah” Governor Houser began, turning back to those present. “You, you’ll forgive me for the intrusion, and I’m sure that none of you have any idea of the work this young woman did on your behalf, just to be permitted to build a hospital, and yes, later, an orphanage, once the railroad is built.”
“I am just as sure that none of you realize the amount of money expended by her to make this dream of hers a reality.” He then slowly scanned the council members, then back to the citizens. “Now, now, it would seem to me, that the gift of these right of ways would conjure up some feelings of, of gratitude. And, and maybe you gentlemen of the council, might see your way clear to forgive her last name, and, and to allow her to select the site for these buildings, oh, which she has said that, that the construction costs will be borne by her and not town funds.” He smiled and nodded. “And, and through some shrewd investments on her part, the hospital should remain self-sufficient for, for years to come.”