"I'm so sorry." Jonah was indeed regretting that he had tried to get Leah here on a day like this to look over the building and discuss the orphanage and hospital, but he was anxious to...well, see her again! Now, though, he'd really messed that up and he'd have to get her back to the hotel without further damage.
"Will you at least sit a moment for cookies and milk?" He grinned, but then frowned and shook his head. "Of course not, you need to get dry, I'm sorry..." He glanced at Weedy. "I'll get those for you, though, you did a fine job." He smiled again.
"No, sir, not yet, I'll come back after I make sure Miz Leah makes it back." Standing, he took Leah's hand.
With a chuckle, Jonah reached for his coat. "You are making it difficult for me to be the gentleman and impress the lady, young man," he commented, "I'll get my umbrella and we'll be on our way."
"I'm so sorry." Jonah was indeed regretting that he had tried to get Leah here on a day like this to look over the building and discuss the orphanage and hospital, but he was anxious to...well, see her again! Now, though, he'd really messed that up and he'd have to get her back to the hotel without further damage.
“Jonah please, you can’t take the responsibility for what that driver did.” She all but demanded
"Will you at least sit a moment for cookies and milk?" He grinned, but then frowned and shook his head. "Of course not, you need to get dry, I'm sorry..." He glanced at Weedy. "I'll get those for you, though, you did a fine job." He smiled again.
"No, sir, not yet, I'll come back after I make sure Miz Leah makes it back." Standing, he took Leah's hand.
Leah smiled, “Indeed he did. I’d suggest a few extra as this young man clearly went the extra for me.” She said. “And I’ll not forget that Master Weedy. Not for one moment.” And quite suddenly she wondered, what was happening to her.
With a chuckle, Jonah reached for his coat. "You are making it difficult for me to be the gentleman and impress the lady, young man," he commented, "I'll get my umbrella and we'll be on our way."
To that, Leah laughed. “Yes let’s be on our way and try not to be drowned by this storm.”
Ah, well, if Leah Steelegrave didn't mind getting wet and muddy, why should he? Not that his accompanying her would really change anything, but then, there was no reason not to, and Jonah was determined to make it up to her later, somehow. Holding the umbrella up, he offered her his arm as Weedy took her other arm. The trio would certainly be a sight, and lord knew what sort of rude gossip would follow the lady, but there was nothing to do for it than hold up your head and....
...and flag down the stage coach that was just coming into town!
Handing Leah his umbrella, Jonah dashed into the street, waving his arms, stopping the stage. The driver, that Addy woman, looked pretty miserable, but he didn't care, so long as she was willing to help out. Her nose wrinkled up when he mentioned Leah, but she nodded anyway, and Jonah motioned to Leah and Weedy as he opened the door to the stage for them.
Handing Leah his umbrella, Jonah dashed into the street, waving his arms, stopping the stage. The driver, that Addy woman, looked pretty miserable, but he didn't care, so long as she was willing to help out. Her nose wrinkled up when he mentioned Leah, but she nodded anyway, and Jonah motioned to Leah and Weedy as he opened the door to the stage for them.
Leah was impressed by Jonah’s actions. His sincerity over the coach incident. Perhaps he might be the partner she was looking for in her endeavors. A man not out for what he could get, but out for what they could build together.
She noted Addy’s distaste for her as she handed the umbrella back to Jonah, then lifted Weedy up and inside, she stepped up on the iron footstep, grabbing the hand hold to pull herself up. “Thank you Jonah, we must get together once this rain stops.” Then she looked up, Thank you Addy.” And ducked inside reaching to pull the door shut.
She noted Addy’s distaste for her as she handed the umbrella back to Jonah, then lifted Weedy up and inside, she stepped up on the iron footstep, grabbing the hand hold to pull herself up. “Thank you Jonah, we must get together once this rain stops.” Then she looked up, Thank you Addy.” And ducked inside reaching to pull the door shut.
"Not a problem." Addy actually smiled and tipped the brim of her hat, causing a small deluge of water to run off it into her lap. Not that it made a difference...day like this, there weren't enough oil cloths in the territory to make life pleasant. And really, no man, nor beast, nor even a Steelegrave should be out in this weather.
Pulling the door shut as he stepped in last, Jonah shook water from his hair. "Well, you see how I can provide the best accommodations!" He laughed as the stage moved forward. At least it was empty and dry, and although the trip was short, he was grateful for the protection.
At the hotel, he hopped out and stood to help Leah, just then realizing that he was going to have to walk home. Oh, well, it was worth it, and at least Leah could have a nice, warm bath here. But really, sometimes, trying to be a gentleman sucked!
Pulling the door shut as he stepped in last, Jonah shook water from his hair. "Well, you see how I can provide the best accommodations!" He laughed as the stage moved forward. At least it was empty and dry, and although the trip was short, he was grateful for the protection.
“Indeed sir, and just in the nick of time.” Leah chided with a smile. “Though you are certainly not at fault for the drivers rude behavior, you acted as a gentleman.”
At the hotel, he hopped out and stood to help Leah, just then realizing that he was going to have to walk home. Oh, well, it was worth it, and at least Leah could have a nice, warm bath here. But really, sometimes, trying to be a gentleman sucked!
As she touched the ground, soggy as it was she kissed him on the cheek. “You’ve been wonderful, Jonah. I believe our alliance Will be one that not only benefits us, it shall benefit the town and surrounding territory. Here.” She pulled a five dollar gold piece from her sodden reticule. “Please see to it that Master Weedy has some replacement clothing and shoes. My way of saying thank you. Perhaps another dinner for us this evening?”
The peck on the cheek sent welcome (in more ways than one!) heat through Jonah, and made the inconvenience worth it. Opening the door to the hotel, he accepted the coin with a nod. "Thank you, Miss Steelegrave, I'll see to it that he has what he needs...and maybe a licorice or two!" It was very generous of the young woman and would buy far more than a set of clothes, but Jonah was certain the boy could used it. "This is very generous, and I look forward to dinner. Here at the hotel?"
Weedy hadn't noticed the exchange...he was standing beside the adults, looking up at Leah then to Addy as she drove the drenched and muddy stage toward the barn -- warm and dry with cookies, or helping an old friend? Finally, he let out an exaggerated sigh.
"Miz Leah, I gotta go help Miz Addy get her stage cleaned up and the horses rubbed down." He wasn't particularly keen on work, but Addy was his best friend in town.
"The cookies will be waiting for you, young man," Jonah commented, then he glanced at Leah. "And I'll bring your cookies this evening!"
"Thank you, Miss Steelegrave, I'll see to it that he has what he needs...and maybe a licorice or two!" It was very generous of the young woman and would buy far more than a set of clothes, but Jonah was certain the boy could used it. "This is very generous, and I look forward to dinner. Here at the hotel?"
“Jonah! My name is Leah. We are far beyond the need to be formal.” She informed him. “We are business partners, if you remember.”
Weedy hadn't noticed the exchange...he was standing beside the adults, looking up at Leah then to Addy as she drove the drenched and muddy stage toward the barn -- warm and dry with cookies, or helping an old friend? Finally, he let out an exaggerated sigh.
"Miz Leah, I gotta go help Miz Addy get her stage cleaned up and the horses rubbed down." He wasn't particularly keen on work, but Addy was his best friend in town.
“Well then I’d suggest you do just that. Jonah can catch up with you and get those clothes for you.” She said with a smile. “Thank you, Weedy, for being a proper gentleman.”
"The cookies will be waiting for you, young man," Jonah commented, then he glanced at Leah. "And I'll bring your cookies this evening!"
"Miz Leah, I gotta go help Miz Addy get her stage cleaned up and the horses rubbed down." He wasn't particularly keen on work, but Addy was his best friend in town.
“Well then I’d suggest you do just that. Jonah can catch up with you and get those clothes for you.” She said with a smile. “Thank you, Weedy, for being a proper gentleman.”
"Yes, Ma'am!" The boy beamed with pride, the words having more weight coming from such a pretty, proper lady! And that made helping Miz Addy all the easier! Grinning, he scrambled up to sit beside the stage driver, he was already soaked, so it didn't much matter.
"Not sure what that boy's story is," Jonah commented to Leah, "except that his father isn't around and his mother likes to drink...a lot." He shook his head. "Those are just the children we need to help." He wasn't accustomed to being such a bleeding-heart, but it was starting to feel more right.
"Not sure what that boy's story is," Jonah commented to Leah, "except that his father isn't around and his mother likes to drink...a lot." He shook his head. "Those are just the children we need to help." He wasn't accustomed to being such a bleeding-heart, but it was starting to feel more right.
A pang of sadness hit Leah and she could not understand why. Granted, she had a family, both parents and siblings, and although she had been molested by her father she had a home, wealth everything she could seemingly want in life, and yet, those few words struck her. “Yes, yes he is the very epitome of those we must help.” She exclaimed.
“Jonah, I must get out of this rain, and you as well. Dinner about six?” She needed to get a hot bath, a brandy as she was soaked through to the skin. She took his hand, “Until then?”