"Nevada? That would be silver, the Comstock Lode I believe. Depending, he could be very wealthy, so it would do no harm to speak with him, and Emeline about their interest in helping out." She pondered, "I realize that with all of that coming together they will be busy, and, there could well be a child in their immediate future. Yes, they certainly would be worth discussing things with."
She laughed, "It seems to me that Mister Pike was somewhat oblivious to his good fortune, unless of course it meant little to him. He just does not fill the expectations one has of a man of substance, financially. Not a man of leisure, whether he is married or not. He just does not fit the mold of the men of wealth I know."
"You're right on that." Jonah chuckled. "Washing dishes at the cafe...I suppose a man will do about anything when he's under a lady's spell! Or perhaps he was worried what she would think if she knew the truth?"
It was easy to hide your secrets, and even easier to worry about what would happen if they came to light. "Not that Mrs. Pike is by any means an opportunist, but perhaps he didn't want his wealth to taint her opinion of him."
She certainly wouldn't have been the first woman to marry a man for wealth and security, even if there was no love there.
"Of course, I have no doubt they are in love, you can see it in the way they look at each other."
"You know, there are a lot of speculations about Deputy Pike And Emeline. Early on I had heard some gossip surmising that he was taking advantage of her, being a widow with a business and all, and now I'm sure the wagging tongues are speculating that she is the one taking advantage of a wealthy man."
Rumors and plain gossip was standard fare for women on the frontier, and Kalispell was on the frontier of a territory destined to become a state, already having all the trappings of one.
"I would dearly love to hear what is said about you and I. I mean we have been seen together on many occasions. Enough time to sponsor any number of rumors, both real and imagined." With that she laughed, but not about the conjecture of their relationship, but the gossip it had spawned.
"Let them think what they will." Jonah grinned, although he really hadn't thought about what people might think about the time they were spending together. Still, it was time mostly spent in public places, discussing business, and if anything, it was her reputation he was concerned about.
"I do think that if there were serious questions of what we were up to, the proper ladies of Kalispell would stop coming to me, and that hasn't happened."
Poor Leah, though, if people thought she was dallying with the Governor, and him as well...but she was strong, and wasn't one to be swayed by opinion.
"Let them think what they will," he repeated, "they are just jealous, I think, of the freedom that you have."
"You could certainly be right about that, and perhaps with movement on the hospital at least, well it wasn't always without snide comment, and I could see any number of women and girls applying to become nurses. The orphanage might be different, that takes a special kind of person." She observed. "That hiring process will be much different. I will not have the children treated badly, fed or dressed poorly and there will be no 'settling' for someone to run it or staff it. I just won't!"
She was firm on that. The horror stories of orphanages and of Indian schools were common knowledge, and she would not have any of that if she could prevent it. She would not have a prison for children in Kalispell, not now, not ever. But it was still a way off for the orphanage, perhaps another year, what with getting the hospital up and running.
"I just cannot wait to get this project started." She said brightly and with a wide smile.
"Well, you certainly deserve to have this finally started, and hopefully finished soon. It's going to be amazing, a great accomplishment for you. And hopefully, now that this is underway, getting the orphanage going won't be nearly as hard."
Unless the nay-sayers protested having orphans running around and attending school with their darling children, presenting a bad influence. But that could be quickly quelled, and Leah could have her orphanage.
"Of course the children will have only the best, at least that we can provide. They should have the opportunity to be happy...to be children..." And there would be a good chance of that with him and Leah overlooking the project.
Leah smiled, was this a chink in the formidable Danforth Armour? "Yes, the best that can be provided, much the same as the care to be provided in the hospital." That actually went without saying, provided her investments kept paying as they had been.
What use had she for the money coming in monthly? None, save for the hospital and the orphanage. Though she was a shrewd investor, Leah Steelgrave had no actual idea how well to do she was, even with her immediate financial plans. Her portfolio was exceptional.
"The staff for both will be the biggest hurdle for us. We are still on the frontier and for the men we want to employ, there is far more money to be made in the larger cities, and I know you realize that, and i thank you for staying here. Kalispell needs you, the hospital will rely on you and your medical judgement. Yours and Josiah Boone's. I fully intend to have him back here in cahoots with you." She took up her coffee cup and took a sip, then smiled.
"Actually, with the right sort of advertising back east, we may not have too much trouble recruiting ladies, and hopefully nurses." Jonah shrugged, explaining his point. "There are plenty of young ladies who want to escape the constraints of 'civilized' life and have more freedom, or are looking for adventure, and would be happy to jump at the chance."
Heck, there were even girls who were coming out sight-unseen to marry men years older than they were, so a chance to have a respectable job would be sweet.
"I'd wager there are young men of the same mind...they would rather not be tied to father's farm or law firm. I think we'd do well to start advertising when we're a few months from completion."
After all, they had to have time to get here and to be trained, but he was certain they'd gain a few good employees this way.
"I Believe you could be right. I also think we stand a real chance of actually getting a nurse or two anxious for the challenge of what essentially a frontier hospital. And I suppose we could use a couple of orderlies." She replied. The idea was a good one, though there would have to be provisions for Montanan's first, that would really only be fair. "I want to be sure and offer positions to Montana girls first."
The she added, actually the more positions we can fill locally the better, but actual trained nurses from wherever would have priority. I believe we'll want some experienced nurses and of course doctors. So the only way the County or the town gets involved, is to make these people County or City employees. Takes that burden off of us." She looked across for Jonah initial reaction.
"I do agree with offering positions to locals, so I suppose we should think about recruiting sooner than later," Jonah suggested, "so we can have a good listing, and then choose the ones that are the best fit closer to the opening."
That way, everyone could be trained when the hospital opened, making the operation much smoother.
Then she mentioned city employees? He didn't want to challenge her, but to his thinking, the idea was absurd!
"Why would you want to have any government body involved in this in any way?" he asked, shaking his head. "Leah, after all we've been through to this point, why would you even suggest that? They'd be wanting to regulate and approve every move, and the next thing you know, they'll be making us hire Auntie Grizelda's cross-eyed cousin who accidentally dropped the baby that one time, but don't worry about it!"