Quickly removing his hat, he raked his fingers through his hair, replaced the hat, then stepped into the lobby, looking around for the lovely Leah.

Having completed her business with her two escorts she stepped out of the alcove once they had left. A Pinkerton may or may not present problems for her family, but there was no reason to keep her father in the dark about this development.

She instantly saw Doctor Danforth and that made her smile, a quality gentleman in Kalispell, just another reason to prefer it over Whitefish. She glided over to him and said, “I hope I’ve not kept you waiting, I so abhor being late. So nice to see you again Doctor.”

"No, of course not." Jonah smiled as he removed his hat and gave her a slight bow. "Good evening, you look lovely." As if she could look any other way, even if she was in rags...and even those wouldn't hide the way she moved with such grace -- it was born into her.

"So," he offered his arm, "is there a place you prefer? I'm rather new to town and have only frequented the more...home-style establishments, and a chop house is hardly appropriate accommodations for a lady." He wouldn't deign to drag her into a saloon for a meal! No, she was candlelight and wine. "Whatever is your pleasure."

"No, of course not."  Jonah smiled as he removed his hat and gave her a slight bow.  "Good evening, you look lovely."  As if she could look any other way, even if she was in rags...and even those wouldn't hide the way she moved with such grace -- it was born into her.

“Why thank you, Doctor. Compliments are always welcomed and appreciated.” Leah responded joyously. She had been feeling much different all afternoon after her supposed interview with Phinias McVay, as if a weight had been lifted, but not enough of it, at least, it hadn’t all been lifted yet.

"So," he offered his arm, "is there a place you prefer?  I'm rather new to town and have only frequented the more...home-style establishments, and a chop house is hardly appropriate accommodations for a lady."  He wouldn't deign to drag her into a saloon for a meal!  No, she was candlelight and wine.  "Whatever is your pleasure."

Accepting the offer of his arm she looked up and said; “The dining room here is very good, but also, quite expensive compared and the last thing I would want is to create a financial hardship over a meal, unless, of course, you were to accept my offer of being my guest.” The suggestion in and of itself was hardly like the Leah Steelgrave every one believed they knew, yet it was sincere, as she understood that he may not be in a position to afford an extravagant evening. “Please, it would be my pleasure, and I do owe you for your time today.” She smiled.

Not that he didn't appreciate her offer, but Jonah was about to decline when Leah insisted, leaving him with a bit of a dilemma. While the 'gentlemanly' thing to do was buy supper, it wasn't gentlemanly to refuse a lady's request, and since that was the choice that served him best, it was the one he opted for. "I'll concede, Miss Steelegrave," he answered, "but only if you will allow me to pay back the kindness once I'm a little more established in town." He grinned. "Of course, I can offer chickens, eggs, any sort of preserves and even a 'real fine breeding sow'!"

"My, that's quite a treasure trove, I am flattered, sir." She responded. "Shall we get a table and continue this discussion of personal and professional riches?" There was a new gaiety emanating from her, it was in her voice, and also in her eyes.

"I must be frank with you Jonah, may I call you Jonah? You see I was relieved of a burden today and I must confess, I am thrilled by it, so please, don't think me unbalanced as I'm sure it will pass far too quickly, not that I want it to."

"Ah, well, far be it from me to ruin a good mood!"  Jonah offered his arm to escort her to the restaurant.  "I'd be happy for you to call me 'Jonah', so long as I can call you 'Leah'.  And I'm more than willing to bore you to tears with tales of all the odd assortment of payments I receive."  He shrugged and laughed.  "They give what they can, and it is a help, but I'm just becoming accustomed to it.  In St. Louis, everything was in cash."  He laughed again.  "I don't even know that any of my patients even had livestock to give!"

At the table, he held the chair for her, then settled across from her, dazzled by how lovely she looked in the candlelight.

“I would much prefer you to call me Leah. Miss Steelgrave sounds so formal with us in an informal setting.” She said.

“Kalispel is most certainly not like the bigger towns and big cities where the people are working and being paid, but from what I am told, the area is growing and soon well, with mineral discoveries, increased cattle trade, the city life might not be all that far off.” She added. “I know, it’s speculation, but still, it is exciting.”

She smiled, it was pleasant being with a gentleman and enjoying an evening away from life on the Evergreen. A note of hope crept in that this sort of thing might continue.

"It really would be something to be in on the groundwork of a new town," Jonah observed, but then he amended, "well, at least the groundwork of the actual growth and maturity. With the train, I imagine Kalispell will expand quickly, and it will be up to the citizens whether we become St. Louis or Dodge." The former was rather refined, at least by Western standards, and the latter was wild and untamed. "I'd prefer good schools and an opera house over more saloons any day!" He laughed.

Not that he particularly cared, rowdy meant business, but it also meant a good deal of headaches and crime. No, he preferred the finer things in a town, including pretty ladies!

"It really would be something to be in on the groundwork of a new town," Jonah observed, but then he amended, "well, at least the groundwork of the actual growth and maturity.  With the train, I imagine Kalispell will expand quickly, and it will be up to the citizens whether we become St. Louis or Dodge."  The former was rather refined, at least by Western standards, and the latter was wild and untamed.  "I'd prefer good schools and an opera house over more saloons any day!"  He laughed.

Leah laughed with him and added, “Yes, the railroad, sort of an if and when proposition at this time, but I imagine there’s a real chance it could come through here. You did hear the rumor about the Army sending in troops didn’t you? Now that will make the Indians stop and consider what they’re up to.” Yes, the railroad, which she was personally, deeply invested in.

 The Army, now that may present a problem for her father and his various ‘enterprises’ as well as her brother Case, but time would tell about both the railroad and the Army. For the moment it was candlelight and wine with a real gentleman. ‘One thing at a time.’ She thought.