Leah smiled, "Yes, tea sounds wonderful, and I've no livestock to offer, hopefully cash will do? It would be a long trip to bring back a cow or such like." He was a pleasant enough man, and she realized that she could like him was it not for the information she was seeking. If this Pike person had made it to town he would have needed medical attention, or an undertaker at least. Either way, the Doctor would know of it, and the man.

"You know what I like about Kalispell? I like the fact that it is much much more civilized than Whitefish , which of course is close to my home, but not nearly as friendly and welcoming, even for a Steelgrave." She explained. "I'm sure you've heard all about my family, my father and my brothers, things I'm not proud of."

"Yes, tea sounds wonderful, and I've no livestock to offer, hopefully cash will do? It would be a long trip to bring back a cow or such like."

Jonah laughed, enjoying her smile and her sense of humor.  "Oh, no, real money is fine, and besides, I don't think a cow would fit in the kitchen!"  Although, from the little he'd seen of her so far, he wouldn't put it past her to show up with a cow!

"You know what I like about Kalispel? I like the fact that it is much much more civilized than Whitefish , which of course is close to  my home, but not nearly as friendly and welcoming, even for a Steelgrave." She explained. "I'm sure you've heard all about my family, my father and my brothers, things I'm not proud of."

"I've heard some."  He chuckled.  "Not all of it is bad, really, and now that I've met you, I'm skeptical of the reports."  He flashed a charming smile as he poured tea.  "Don't worry, I've learned to judge people based on their own merit.  Would you like some sugar or cream?"  He handed her the cup of tea.  "And tell me, how did you injure your shoulder?"

“You’ll think me inept, I fell from a horse, and yes, sugar would be just wonderful.” She responded, returning his smile. “Living with brothers, you know, well I wanted to prove my equal and picked a horse that was just past green broke. Unfortunately, not far enough past green broke to allow for a light weight rider like myself.” She giggled lightly. “I once bragged I could ride anything with hair, I no longer make that boast.”

He was somewhat of a surprise for her, far younger that she had expected. A man of obvious breeding, education and manners, something of an oddity in those parts, a most welcome oddity as far as she was concerned and that was beginning to present a problem. How to ferret out information on this Pike fellow and maintain this budding friendship.

She was not smitten, far from it, though he would make for interesting company instead of the men that worked for her father or her brothers that filled her life. “So, any exciting news in Kalispell?”

You’ll think me inept, I fell from a horse, and yes, sugar would be just wonderful.”

"Oh, well I'm sure the horse was responsible."  Jonah smiled as he used silver-plated tongs to drop sugar lumps in to her tea.  He couldn't imagine that she was a poor rider, especially with the little he knew of her background...ladies in the West were, in his experience, competent riders of necessity.

“Living with brothers, you know, well I wanted to prove my equal and picked a horse that was just past green broke. Unfortunately, not far enough past green broke to allow for a light weight rider like myself.” She giggled lightly. “I once bragged I could ride anything with hair, I no longer make that boast.”

At that, Jonah laughed and shook his head.  "I imagine you could ride anything that you put your mind to."  He chuckled as he sat across from her.  "Although I doubt that a bobcat would be suitable competition."

“So, any exciting news in Kalispell?”

"Well, there's the bear that is causing havoc all over the countryside," Jonah replied, leaning back and watching the young woman.  She was pretty, charming and alluring, but there was an undercurrent of danger, a quality that made her all the more appealing over the mundane farm wife.  "There's a party going out to look for him, I hope they find him, he's caused some major problems, and I imagine it will only get worse."

After another sip of tea, he added, "Otherwise, there's nothing you wouldn't expect...broken bones, cuts, a shooting here and there..."

There's a party going out to look for him, I hope they find him, he's caused some major problems, and I imagine it will only get worse."

Leah’s eyes widened, “Gracious. I agree and hopefully none will be injured.” It was true that the only important person to Leah was Leah, yet she also had some compassion. The thought of what a rampaging grizzly could do sent shivers down her spine.

After another sip of tea, he added, "Otherwise, there's nothing you wouldn't expect...broken bones, cuts, a shooting here and there..."

“Shootings?” Now she was getting somewhere, or at least it sounded like it. “You have shootings in the streets, like Whitefish? I never would have guessed that here in Kalispell there would be such uncivilized behavior.”

Jonah chuckled and shook his head. "Oh, Kalispell is plenty uncivilized," he commented, "and strange as it may seem, the shoot-outs are fairly innocuous...seems these cowboys can't hit a thing they shoot at...not that I'm complaining." He chuckled again, then sipped the tea. "As mundane as it is, I think I prefer the sprains and little cuts to the gunshot wounds. We had a gent come in just last night that was shot-up in the shoulder, but it didn't happen here in town. Fortunately, his horse wandered into the stage company livery and the woman there called for me. It was a fairly simple job to patch him up."

No harm in bragging a little for a pretty lady, right?

“Oh my,” She said, raising a gloved hand to her mouth in feigned shock. “Indian I would wager.”

"No, no, to the best of my understanding a bandito, up to no good."  It occurred to Jonah that he really didn't know the full story, nor the man's name, although he had no doubt the gent would find him to pay for services rendered.

“But he’s going to survive then? You made it sound as if it were just a superficial wound, which of course I’m glad to hear.”

"Well, no, it was a potentially grave injury, but so long as the wound doesn't fester, he should recover, although it will likely be a long time before he can use that arm."  He gave her a cheeky grin.  "Besides, he received the best care available."

“I must say Doctor, you make quite a good cup of tea.”

"Ah, yes, my skills go well beyond healing!"  Jonah laughed.  "We took three weeks in medical school to learn to properly boil water!"

With a chuckle, he leaned back in his seat.  "I do hope you are planning to stay in town long enough for me to treat you to dinner?"

“Then Doctor, I would say that was three weeks well spent.” She responded. “As a matter of fact I am at the Belle-St. Regis and I have business which will keep me here in town for a few days and dinner sounds delightful.” He was pleasant company, and perhaps there was more information she could glean from him, or at least have a well mannered, educated gentleman for the evenings company

The man that had been wounded, that would be her quarry, since a body had not been found, it stood to reason that the man would be this Pike fellow he father wanted eliminated. It may not be a task for her, but for one of the men, though she would have no qualms removing a hired gun of the Thorntons, if that is what he was. She smiled both at the thought of ending Mister Pike, and the thought of dinner with the Doctor.

“Then I will expect your call this evening, and perhaps we might have my arm looked at?”

As a matter of fact I am at the Belle-St. Regis and I have business which will keep me here in town for a few days and dinner sounds delightful.”

"Excellent, I look forward to it." At very least it would be interesting conversation, he could tell that Miss Leah was no innocent nor ignorant, and he wondered what her game might be, provided there was one. Even so, a lady like this always had some other motivation, and he was sure she would provide a different sort of relief than the newspaper lady.

“Then I will expect your call this evening, and perhaps we might have my arm looked at?”

"Of course, or we could do that now, so we don't mix business and pleasure?" He raised an eyebrow, returning her smile, and such an engaging smile it was! "Besides, you'd need to bare your shoulder for a proper examination, but I will leave that up to you." It would be a fine line between professional and otherwise, and it certainly would be her decision if she was comfortable alone with him.