"Or perhaps it's just foolish naivete," Emeline sighed, although she realized that it was just in her nature to want to see the good in people and to help when she could. Of course, that didn't mean she was completely starry-eyed, or she wouldn't have a shotgun by the door, nor would she have tried to kill the man who had had the gall to shoot at Barnabas!
"At any rate, I'll do what I can to help Miss Steelegrave...maybe I should extend an invitation to her, I'd like to hear what she has to say, but then, I doubt she has time."
“You could do that, Em. No reason she wouldn’t accept it, I mean, ain’t no sense in figgerin’ she ain’t got the time, er wouldn’t make the time. Woman has to eat, don’t she? Might ask her to lunch, maybe get Clara to watch the place like she has before.”
“Folks get the notion because a bodies got plannin’ an’ such to do that they got no time fer nothin’ else, an’ to a point, that’s true. I’d say with Leah Steelgrave, the plannin’s done, be done fer a spell now. So send her an invite. Reckon you’ll be surprised.” Barnabas concluded.
"I'll do that." Emeline nodded. "It certainly won't hurt to expand my social aspects, I've been here long enough that I should start getting acquainted with more of the ladies in town, and you are right, Clara can see after the place for a while."
It was a little ironic, though, that she was finally considering becoming more active in town at about the time she might be moving out to the ranch, and wouldn't be spending as much time in town. Of course, she wasn't sure how she felt about that. The ranch was beautiful, it would be hers...well, theirs!..and she wouldn't be alone there, there would be plenty for her to do to see to the every day operation...
But it would still be different, and she knew she'd miss the cafe.
"I'll send a note to her this evening, after I close up." She grinned. "I hope she's not upset that I almost shot down some of her father's men!"
“Social aspects’d be a good thing, I’spose. Ya need ta branch out with the folks in town, get at know ‘em some. I know you see a number of ‘em in here, time ta time, but gettin’ out and sayin’ howdy at their place is differn’t.” Barnabas agreed.
“You got this notion you’ll be tied down at the ranch, tha’d be why I’ll be hirin’ a foreman. An’ until there’s young uns, you’ll be here, if I know you. That ranch’ll jest be home fer a spell. An the cafe’ll be where you spend yer days. That is less I’m mistaken.”
"I'll send a note to her this evening, after I close up." She grinned. "I hope she's not upset that I almost shot down some of her father's men!"
He laughed, lightly, but he laughed. “Doubt she’d care about thet. I figger she’da shot ‘em her own self, given the chance, but them men a hers would be havin’ any of that! They ain’t there as decoration, from what I heard, they signed on as protection when she up an’ cut herself outta the Steelgrave herd. An’ it ain’t fer pay. No sir! Oh, she covers their expenses, which are minimal at best. Ain’t even a dollar a day." . "It’s been said she was always kind to the men her father employed, jest their way’a payin’ her back.”
"That speaks to her character," Emeline commented with a smile. To have 'employees', 'hands', or whatever, respect you so much that they'd stand by you, and especially against the man who had initially employed them. And even though she didn't really know Leah yet, Emeline was glad that she had men like that to keep her safe.
Of course, it was sad that she needed anyone to keep her safe, especially from family, but Emeline would try to let her know she had family, or at least support, here in town.
"It's reassuring to know there is so much more good than not in town, that makes it a good place to live." Despite the occasional bank robbery!
"Reassurin' folks that's pretty much the job. Lettin' 'em know this is a right nice place ta live an bring p yer kids. I mean, ain't we got ever-thing a body could want in a town?" Barnabas asked, tongue in cheek. "Just ain't hardly no trouble keepin' the peace around here, softest job I ever had, aside from washing them dishes at the Lickskillet! Now that's a fact!"
The fact of the matter was that Barnabas Pike would just as soon spend his days pearl diving with his betrothed than just about anything. The fact was that he considered himself just about the luckiest man in Kalispell, bar none.
Emeline gave Barnabas a light jab in the shoulder as she laughed, but then she hugged him. "I know your job isn't easy, and I don't mean washing dishes. And I know that Kalispell isn't ideal, and it doesn't have everything but it has enough, and not so much as to be unpleasant."
She was of the opinion that large cities just had more opportunities for vices, and she didn't want their children to grow up in a 'sophisticated' city, she preferred the values of a hard-working community where there weren't so many people that you got lost in the crowd.
"I'll send an invitation to Miss Steelgrave, but I'd better get back to work now. And you be careful, promise." While she didn't think it was likely, there was still a chance that there might be trouble in town, and she tried not to think about that.
"Whoa now, whoever said that Kalispell weren't ideal? An, no the job ain't all peaches an' cream, b8ut I been at it the better part of my life, down Texas way an' here. Surely it's got drawbacks, but then somebodies gotta do it." Then he grinned. "I love that, 'not so much as ta be unpleasant.' She sure don't!"
"But then too, them bigger cities like Helena, 'er San Francisco, 'er Virginia City, either one don't face Injun trouble. They get the bank robbers time to time, an' other things, but they got police departments, we got Speed an' me, an' good citizens time to time. I see yer point, don't get me wrong."
"Sendin' out an invite's good, I'm sure she'll come." He concluded. "Yer pies 'er legendary already!" He rose picked up his hat. "See you in a bit."And with that, he watched her head back to her kitchen as he put on his hat, then turned and walked out the door.