With the busy lunch time over, Emeline was able to start on the cleaning so she could get started on dinner. The current customers were already seen to at the moment and she was just getting ready to refill their coffee when the bell on the door announced an arrival.

"Good afternoon," she called with a smile, "just have a seat and I'll be there in a moment!"

After checking on the occupied tables, she headed over to the newcomer. "Good afternoon, sir, how can I help you?"

"Very well, ma'am," Aurelian nodded then picked out an empty table, an easy enough choice. It wasn't a long wait at all and , once the woman had made the rounds to her remaining customers, she arrived back in front of his table.

"And a good afternoon to you too," he smiled, "Well, to start with I would like a coffee please. Just black. And then I'd also like to make a quick introduction if I am not being too forward."

"I am Aurelian Redmond, I own a farm outside of town and I'm also the father of Clara."

"Oh, Mr. Redmond, it's good to meet you!" Emeline smiled brightly. "Clara said you'd likely come by. She's a wonderful young woman, you should be proud."

Now that she knew who he was, she actually could see a resemblance, especially around the eyes. "Would you like some pie or something? I can get that, then I should have a couple minutes if you'd like to sit and talk?"

"Ahhh, good to hear," that brought a smile to Aurelian who continued, "It is an honor to meet you too, ma'am. Clara has spoken so highly of you."

"Would you like some pie or something?  I can get that, then I should have a couple minutes if you'd like to sit and talk?"

"I could be talked into a slice of pie. The fruit pies Clara had brought home were delicious. While they lasted which wasn't long," he replied.

"And yes, I would like to sit and talk if I am not taking you away from your duties, thanks. But take your time, I don't mind sitting here and relaxing," he assured the woman.

"I don't imagine you have a lot of time for relaxing," Emeline commented with a smile, "from what Clara says, you work pretty hard." Of course, running a farm was difficult, long hours and heavy work, and with caring for children on top of that...

"Just a moment." It only took a couple minutes for her to return with a tray that had two mugs of steaming coffee, along with two slices of warm peach pie and a small pitcher of cream.

"Would you like some cream?" she asked as she set things out, then poured a bit of the cream over her pie. "In the coffee, on the pie..?" It was a personal preference, and she was fine with whatever he chose.

"Well, farming is indeed a good deal of work but I've never been afraid of hard work. And Clara is a big help too, I don't know what I'd do without her. My son, Wyatt, tries but he's young. He'll grow into it," Aurelian answered.

***

The woman returned with coffee and peach pie plus cream should he desire. Being the gentleman he was, he rose from his chair until she too was seated.

"No, quite alright, I like my coffee black. I think I shall just enjoy the peach pie without it too, but thank you," he smiled then accepted the offered cup.

"Anyhow, I don't wish to keep you too long so I will get right to it then. I am here for a few reasons. To check out with my own eyes where Clara is now spending her time. Call it protective or nosey, I won't argue with either. And may I say, you have a very nice looking establishment here," he paused then just to take a sip of the coffee, it was still a bit too hot so he'd wait on it some and keep talking.

"Secondly, I want to thank you for employing Clara. You've no doubt noticed but you've got yourself a good worker, she never gives anything she does less than her best effort. Takes after her mother I reckon, " he smiled.

"Proud as I am about her, I do have to concede she can be a bit.....forward or opinionated at times. Some might even say a 'know it all'? Now that's just her way, but that doesn't mean you have to take it. If ever she goes too far, do not hesitate to put her in her place. Clara is only fifteen but she believes herself to be an adult in every way. It falls upon me to sometimes remind her she is not. "

"But I will say this, Clara likes you .... a lot. And ...well, lemme just say there aren't a lot of folks she feels that way about," he chuckled then tried the coffee again.

Anyhow, I don't wish to keep you too long so I will get right to it then. I am here for a few reasons. To check out with my own eyes where Clara is now spending her time.  Call it protective or nosey, I won't argue with either. And may I say, you have a very nice looking establishment here,"

"Of course, I'd do the same thing."  Emeline admired that he was concerned enough about his daughter to know where she was spending some of her time.  There were plenty of parents who just wouldn't care.

"Secondly, I want to thank you for employing Clara. You've no doubt noticed but you've got yourself a good worker, she never gives anything she does less than her best effort. Takes after her mother I reckon, " he smiled.

"She is very earnest," she observed, a compliment, for the girl was indeed very responsible in her work...almost too much so.

"Proud as I am about her,  I do have to concede she can be a bit.....forward or opinionated at times. Some might even say a 'know it all'? Now that's just her way, but that doesn't mean you have to take it. If ever she goes too far, do not hesitate to put her in her place. Clara is only fifteen but she believes herself to be an adult in every way. It falls upon me to sometimes remind her she is not. "

"I'll keep that in mind."  Although it was almost difficult not to.  Clara was almost too serious in her opinion, and she had the impression her father thought the same.  But then, what she had heard of her life so far, she had good cause to be serious and somber.

"But I will say this, Clara likes you .... a lot. And ...well, lemme just say there aren't a lot of folks she feels that way about," he chuckled then tried the coffee again.

"Well, I do enjoy her company, and I believe you are right, which makes her friendship all the better."  Emeline smiled.  "It's nice to have another woman around, and someone who can speak a coherent thought.  We also share some common interests, such as the books."  He assuredly knew about those.  "If there is something you'd like to borrow, I'd be happy..."

"Very earnest, yes, that fits her," Aurelian nodded.

He had decided to let her know too that his daughter really liked the woman and wanted her to know Clara's list of people she actually liked was ...well, on the short side. So obviously Emeline had made quite the impression.

"Well, I do enjoy her company, and I believe you are right, which makes her friendship all the better."  Emeline smiled.  "It's nice to have another woman around, and someone who can speak a coherent thought.  We also share some common interests, such as the books."

"It is good too you treat her as a woman and not a child, she does not like it when anyone takes her for a child. She always was in such a hurry to grow up," he grinned.

"And yes - your books, she has already finished one and she has taken to reading by lamplight lately. It would be wonderful for Kalispell to have a library but as the town grows I am confident some day that'll happen."

"I'm sure there are plenty of people who will appreciate a library."  Emeline knew that she'd like some fresh reading material, and the time to read it!  "You know, I could start a book exchange here, maybe I'll put up a notice and see if anyone else is willing to contribute books."  Just one more thing to do, but then she grinned.  "I can ask Clara to be in charge of that."  She was certain the girl would enjoy it, and would have a great system to keep track of the books.

She took a bite of the pie and a sip of coffee before adding, "But unfortunately, I don't always behave grown, but I'll be careful of any antics I drag her into.  And Wyatt is welcome to come by, I'd be more than willing to put him to work sweeping the floors in exchange for pies or cookies." 

Sure, the lad was a young, but she didn't think he'd really be any trouble, and he might enjoy a change now and then.  "Weedy comes by almost every day, he really likes apple pie!"