Posted December 9, 2020 | Emeline Pike | With: Barnabas

“It’s what we come for, Em. Let’s get to it!” He said smiling as he took her hand and started for the dance floor. Standing about gabbing was all fine an dandy, but this was a dance, and dancing was what they’d come to do.

This was a more jaunty dance than the previous one, and Emeline soon found herself laughing as she and Barnabas swirled around the floor. Not every step was perfect, but they did well enough that there was no major incident, and Emeline was having a wonderful time, especially knowing that this was her future.

"We need to be sure to take time to dance," she declared, "I love the idea of our own ranch, but I want to be sure that we remember to have fun now and then." It was too easy, she knew, to get caught up in daily life and the running of a business, that the simple things could be lost.

Posted December 9, 2020 | Barnabas Pike

The music stopped and he pulled her a couple of steps off the floor, ready for the next dance. “Life will be fun, and sometimes, it won’t. But we’ll weather the storms that come our way, and there’ll be some, that’s certain. I mean we’ve survived to this point ain’t we? So together we’ll be stronger, and as the family grows, so will that strength, and all them simple things that go into the makin’s of a family. You’ll see."

" 'Course there won't always be dancin' an' such, lest we're doin' it at home, an' that's likely.. When there ain't good time to be had here in town, why, we'll jest make 'em ourselves!" He added.

Posted December 9, 2020 | Leah Steelgrave | With: Jonah Danforth

"But the end result will be worth it, and..." Well, he was going to say that once this was done and operational the conflict would be over, but he suspected that this was going to be a life-long struggle for Leah unless she changed her name and moved away, cutting all ties with her past, which wasn't necessarily a better option.

Leah smile as he interrupted himself, waiting on what he had to say.

"It will be worth it, and you will make a huge difference in scores of lives, and that isn't something many people can claim." He wished he could reassure her that life was going to be trouble-free and dandy, but she wasn't that ignorant, but he really did see her being remembered for her altruism for generations, so long as her family didn't stop her.

“I do not, for a moment, underestimate my father and brothers, not at all. Though it seems, from what I’ve heard, my brothers have been pulling away, however, my father still has his riders and those of Case’s old outfit. I have two, perhaps the Marshal and his deputy Pike, not sure Hannah Cory wants to get mixed up in whatever is coming Kalispell’s way, but between you and I, I have a contingency plan." She divulged.

"Would you like to stroll out in the fresh air for a bit?"

“Why yes, that would be , ah, shall we say, a better choice for this particular conversation.” The smile was more of a Cheshire cat smile. “Shall we then?”

Posted December 10, 2020 | Brendan Connolly | With: Clara, Charlie, and Arabella 

Brendan had expected Clara to explode at his comment, or at the very least come up with a fancy scathing retort. But she seemed calm as she answered, "First off, as you should well remember, I do not own the farm, my father does and I live with him and my brother."

She did not seem as bothered by his comment as he had thought she might be, which was good for him, but also frustrating, since he had wanted to see her reaction, and Charlie's too. But as unbothered as she seemed, there was no way she would accept his offer of a dance. At least that was what he thought.

"I would be delighted. Thank you for asking." She held out her hand like she thought she was a princess or a queen and Brendan took it, feeling very much like a peasant.

In his uncertainty, there was only one feeling he was sure of, and that was gladness that Clara was not dancing with Charlie anymore. He grinned at the Lost Lake hand and gave a mock salute. "Sorry, Charlie," he said flippantly. "See you around later."

With that he slid his free arm through Clara's, like they were about to do the do-si-do. And since it was a square dance, they were. As the band began with a burst of arpeggio fiddle chords, he grinned at her, once again taking in her fine dress and flowing hair.

"You look like you ought'a be dancing in some fancy ballroom back East." He meant it as a compliment, but there was no telling how Clara would take it.

Posted December 10, 2020 | Clara Redmond-Lutz | With: Brendan, Charlie (Arabella?)

:: on the dance floor ::

Was that a look of surprise on Brendan's face when she readily accepted? If that was the case, why on Earth had he asked her to dance in the first place? No matter, she wasn't a mind reader and she did want to dance again. The first one was invigorating and this was a square dance, another fast paced one. Fine with her.

Brendan grinned at the Lost Lake hand and gave a mock salute. "Sorry, Charlie," he said flippantly. "See you around later."

Clara said nothing but kept her focus on her new dance partner as they made their way onto the floor and joined right in as smoothly as you please. He seemed to know what to do just like Charlie, that was one thing about both of them she was pleasantly surprised about.

"You look like you ought'a be dancing in some fancy ballroom back East."

"Never been to one of those, my family are poor farmers though I have been to Philadelphia," Clara announced as they danced.

"This dress is not mine, my employer lent it to me," she added to be fair, she certainly owned nothing so nice.

"May I say you look quite handsome yourself," she wanted to be nice right back since he seemed to be making the effort.

Posted December 10, 2020 | Benjamin Barlow | With: Addy, Speed

Having downed a heaping plate of the roast beef with sides, Benjamin now had been engaging in people watching. Though he was not much for dancing as he had not done so in many years, the dance couples certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves. About then he spotted a familiar female face, that was driver who dropped off occasional shipments of goods at the fort. You didn't see women doing a job like that much if ever in his experience but she always seemed quite competent. But this time she was dressed like a woman and well......... she was here in attendance at a dance and no one was dancing with her at the moment.... so ....

On a sudden whim, Benjamin made his approach up to pause then right next to her and some fellow she was engaged in a conversation with. It was the local marshal, for the life of him he couldn't remember the man's name but no matter, he wasn't there to speak a lawman anyhow.

So now nattily clad in his formal officer's dress uniform, he stood there calmly and waited to be acknowledged before speaking. He was a gentleman and now did not barge in on other's conversations.

Posted December 10, 2020 | Henry Guyer

Speed looked to the side and saw Captain Barlow standing there, and it didn't take much to figure out why. He nodded. "Captain Barlow, isn't it? Good to see you again, Sir. Addy, Captain, if you'll excuse me, unfortunately I am on duty and duty require my making certain rounds, if you'll excuse me then." He smiled to Addy and again nodded to the Captain.

He turned to see Leah and Doctor Danforth stepping outside. One of these days, he vowed to himself, he would put his Deputy on on duty and come find a lass and dance the night away. He followed the couple outside, noted the three men at the corral who would be watching Miss Steelgrave, caught up his horse and headed for town, and his rounds.

Posted December 10, 2020 | Emeline Pike

“Life will be fun, and sometimes, it won’t. But we’ll weather the storms that come our way, and there’ll be some, that’s certain. I mean we’ve survived to this point ain’t we? So together we’ll be stronger, and as the family grows, so will that strength, and all them simple things that go into the makin’s of a family. You’ll see."

"Older and wiser, is that what you are saying?" Emeline gave him a playful smile, then kissed him on the cheek. "But you are right, we aren't starry eyed youngsters, and that is an advantage." Of course, they both knew the pain that could strike in a heart-beat and last a life time, but strengthened them.

" 'Course there won't always be dancin' an' such, lest we're doin' it at home, an' that's likely.. When there ain't good time to be had here in town, why, we'll jest make 'em ourselves!" He added.

"We'll have to get a music box," she declared, "I saw one from Switzerland that had a little drum, and small bells that were struck by tiny silver birds...it played six tunes..." Well, that was far more extravagant than anything they needed, but a simple box with some interchangeable cylinders would be nice. "Or we could just hire a small orchestra who could play when the whim hits us and they can wrangle horses in the mean time!"

Posted December 11, 2020 | Jonah Danforth

“Why yes, that would be , ah, shall we say, a better choice for this particular conversation.” The smile was more of a Cheshire cat smile. “Shall we then?”

Jonah offered Leah his arm as they moved out into the cool evening air, where it was more quiet and refreshing. "I've no doubt you'll have plenty of support, especially once this is established. And from what I've heard, Mr.s Pike and Guyer are formidable men."

Not to mention the goons who were never more than a few yards away. But then, as much as he was annoyed that there was never any privacy, it was really a sad thought that such a fine young woman needed to have guards, especially against her own family.

"So, now, what was this plan that you have?" He was continually impressed by the way Leah's mind worked!