"Please call me Clara," the girl encouraged her new acquaintance. A part of her wondered if this woman was married? Certainly she must be. She was quite striking, well for her age anyhow, and very nice to converse with. For a few seconds she thought of her now widower father but then dismissed the possibility of him remarrying. He still missed his wife, the children's mother too much. Clara missed her mother very badly still too. But you had to carry on with life.
"Thank you, go tend to your other paying customers now," Clara stated as the woman then left to do just that.
After another few bites, Wyatt was finished with his pie, "That was really good. How is yours?"
Clara did not answer at first, she had a mouthful but once that was swallowed she nodded, "It is excellent. She really is a good baker. I fear I am in for some fierce competition next festival."
"Though I must confess if I were running this place, I would not be giving away free pie such as this. Seems a waste of resources and labor," she pointed out, ever the practical one.
Then she watched as Emmeline conversed with the cowboy at the far table. She did not know the man but if looks were any indication of personality, he was a mean one.
"I believe I'll take you up on that offer, Barnabas," she commented as she sat across from him, "I have a few minutes, and I need to sample my cooking now and then to make sure the quality doesn't slip." Grinning, she poured a bit of the cream over her cobbler then offered the decanter to the man. "You'll let me know if it doesn't meet standards?"
Pronto smiled wide waving off the decanter. "Thanks, but I figger if the good Lord wanted cream in coffee, why he’d’a up an put it in the bean to start with. Might add some to this here cobbler though” Realizing why she offered it. He half rose as she sat down. “Now, I ain’t hardly one ta be a judgin’ much of anything, but it surely does smell good.” He dug his fork in and drew it out a fork load which went directly into his mouth. It sat there as he savored it a long moment before he chewed and swallowed. “Now that’s cobbler, Emeline!”
"I'd like to say that it's an old family recipe, but I'm afraid my mother wasn't much of a cook." Grinning, Emeline took a bite of the cobbler, then nodded. The creme offset the sweetness of the peach mixture, making it just right. "This is from Mrs. Higgens, 'up the street', and I actually pulled it off this time!"
After a sip of coffee, she added, "I'm always looking for new things to try, so if there's something in particular you'd like, let me know and I'll see what I can do." Her grin widened. "No promises, of course, and I'll blame any major errors on the cookbook!"
"This is from Mrs. Higgens, 'up the street', and I actually pulled it off this time!"
“Can’t say as to what you were after Miss Emeline, but this here’s right fine cobbler. Yes Ma’am!” And in his mouth disappeared another fork load.
After a sip of coffee, she added, "I'm always looking for new things to try, so if there's something in particular you'd like, let me know and I'll see what I can do." Her grin widened. "No promises, of course, and I'll blame any major errors on the cookbook!"
“Problem is I’m one of them beef and potato kinda fellas, but I’d be willin’ ta test whatever you’d be a mind to try.” He stated. “Oh, I like me some soups an’ a course chili when I kin find it. A bit north though for it.” He paused a second to muster up some more courage. “So where is it yer from? I mean if that ain’t here, well, ah, you know what I mean I reckon.”
"Men and their meat and potatoes!" Emeline commented with a smile and a quick shake of her head. "I convinced my Andrew there were other things that were at least palatable, so maybe I'll make you my next project!"
She munched on another bit of cobbler, then answered, "I'm from Illinois originally, but Andrew got caught up in the silver fever and moved us to Dakota." Her tone was even, but there was a hint of sadness. "He was killed in an accident a few years ago, so I started cooking to support myself." It was really a lucrative business, especially with women being a relatively rare commodity in this area, so she was doing well with it. "I just relocated here when I heard that the cafe was available...a building beats a tent any day, especially when it's cold and wet!"
"Men and their meat and potatoes!" Emeline commented with a smile and a quick shake of her head. "I convinced my Andrew there were other things that were at least palatable, so maybe I'll make you my next project!"
He looked at her almost in disbelief. “Well, shore.” He all but mumbled
She munched on another bit of cobbler, then answered, "I'm from Illinois originally, but Andrew got caught up in the silver fever and moved us to Dakota." Her tone was even, but there was a hint of sadness. "He was killed in an accident a few years ago, so I started cooking to support myself." It was really a lucrative business, especially with women being a relatively rare commodity in this area, so she was doing well with it. "I just relocated here when I heard that the cafe was available...a building beats a tent any day, especially when it's cold and wet!"
“Terrible sorry to hear of your loss. Seems that prospectin’ causes more grief of one kind or another than it does makin’ folks rich.” Pronto said. “Now, Marshal Guyer, he’s whatcha call a speculator. Buys and sell claims. ‘Course him Marshalin’ don’t give him time to be looking. But that seems a mite easier, and safer way to make money off’n mining.” The took the last of the cobbler before continuing, “Ain’t no camparin’ no tent to a buildin’, none a-tall. Glad you ws the one what bought the place.”
Emeline gave Barnabas a slight smile and a nod at his comment on losing people. While the sting was still sharp, even a couple of years later, she had gotten past the awkwardness that came with the topic. "Mining or something else..." It had taken her a long time to accept that life was frail and tenuous, especially for children, although she didn't broach that subject.
"I was very pleased to find this place, it suits me much better than some of the places I looked at and the owner was willing to help me finance it." She smiled. "Goodness, some of the available properties I looked at along the way were little better than shacks, some were far too large and expensive, and some were in towns so tiny and floundering that there was no question why they were for sale. This has the rooms above it, and is just right...oh, but I'm rambling. What about you, Barnabas, do I detect an accent?"
"Mining or something else..." It had taken her a long time to accept that life was frail and tenuous, especially for children, although she didn't broach that subject.
"Oh, minin’. Speed, he’s on the level.” Pike responded, afraid he may have given the wrong impression of the man.
"I was very pleased to find this place, it suits me much better than some of the places I looked at and the owner was willing to help me finance it." She smiled. "Goodness, some of the available properties I looked at along the way were little better than shacks, some were far too large and expensive, and some were in towns so tiny and floundering that there was no question why they were for sale. This has the rooms above it, and is just right...oh, but I'm rambling. What about you, Barnabas, do I detect an accent?"
Enthralled, it almost surprised him that he caught her question. “Texas. Crockett Texas, named fer Davy.” He explained. “Died with the rest at the Alamo back in ‘36. Me, I been a sight a places. Rode fer the pony express, fought with the eighth Texas, drove freight some, was rangerin’ there fer a spell after the war. Ever hear of Virginia City, down Nevada way? Was up there a while afore here.” He shook his head, realizing he sounded like some ne’er-do-well, saddle tramp.
"I've heard of Virginia City," Emeline answered, "I hear it's pretty wild...worse than this place!" She laughed, then shrugged. "Must be a pretty interesting place. I've never been farther west than this, though. It sounds like you have seen plenty of places." And it made her wonder how lone he would stay here. "I would like to go to San Francisco one day, to see the Pacific Ocean. I can't imagine what that must look like."
The idea of such a huge body of water was almost incomprehensible, and it was one of the few dreams she had allowed herself, not that she'd ever get to see it through. "So, have you ever seen anything like that?" Texas had the Gulf, but it was a huge territory, and one could likely live there all their life and not see it all. "What is the most amazing thing you've seen?"
"I've heard of Virginia City," Emeline answered, "I hear it's pretty wild...worse than this place!" She laughed, then shrugged. "Must be a pretty interesting place. I've never been farther west than this, though. It sounds like you have seen plenty of places." And it made her wonder how lone he would stay here. "I would like to go to San Francisco one day, to see the Pacific Ocean. I can't imagine what that must look like."
“Seen a paintin’ of it once, ‘bout as close as I’d ever come.” Pronto admitted. “The Comstock, thet’s what it’s called up there on Sun Mountain. It’s wild enough. They’ve law and order, but it can get outta hand time to time. Lotta crooked deals goin’ on. But a lotta hard workin', honest folk for the most part.” He grinned, “Folks from all over the world."
The idea of such a huge body of water was almost incomprehensible, and it was one of the few dreams she had allowed herself, not that she'd ever get to see it through. "So, have you ever seen anything like that?" Texas had the Gulf, but it was a huge territory, and one could likely live there all their life and not see it all. "What is the most amazing thing you've seen?"
“Well, was down to Galveston once, right there on the gulf, thet was a pretty big body o’ water. It jest sortta went on an’ on, seemingly without end. Reckon the Pacific’d be jest like it.” He paused. “Seen a lot, I have. Whot with the war an’ all, ridin’ for the express, bein’ a Ranger. But mostly what I’d say was amazin’, well, some pretty simple things I reckon. Sun rises an’ sun sets when I shouldn’t’a seen either. But, open country, clouds rollin’ across a wide blue sky, the prairie glistenin’ after a rain. Things of that sort.”