A good person is like a good gun: Reliable to the Last.
Roland extended his hand to greet the local luminary who ran the hotel.
"Mister Wentworth, a pleasure. You may call me Roland. I'm recently moved to your fine town from London. Setting myself up as a gunmaker and... heh, well, a Smith. Hope to show you Yanks that there's more than one Smith worth knowing in the gun industry." He let out a little 'har har' at his own joke.
He leaned towards Mr. Wentworth then, putting on a faux conspiratorial tone, "Rumor has it that your hotel has the best restaurant in town. So I thought to treat Miss Thornton, and see if I can't learn something about running a worthy establishment from your example."
He smiled. His company had clearly put him in good spirits.
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
"Rumour should also say that the Belle has the only fine dining restaurant in town," Matt replied in a jovial tone, "The Lick Skillet and the saloon are good places to eat but sometimes people want that little bit extra and that's what we hope we are achieving here."
Sarah smiled as she listened to Matt's reply. It looked he was already being the diplomat and he hadn't even been elected mayor yet.
Remembering that Smith had mentioned being a gunmaker, Matt continued, "Well, if there's one thing we need in town, it's definitely a gunsmith. I hope you stay around a lot longer than the last one did. That fellow disappeared as quickly as he appeared.
@[Cuban]
A good person is like a good gun: Reliable to the Last.
"Well, if Miss Thornton isn't deserving of 'that little bit extra' then I don't know who should be," Roland replied with a smile.
When Mr. Wentworth suggested that the town was in deep need of a gunsmith, Roland took it as an encouraging remark.
"There's nothing a tradesman likes to hear more, than that a place has need of his trade.
It promises that I'll soon recover the costs of supper." He winked and let loose his accented 'har har,' hoping the jest wouldn't make him sound cheap.
"But in fact I have purchased that same man's building from the bank, so I imagine things will proceed as before, save with a new face and an odder accent coming from behind the counter.
Only I'll endeavor to stick a bit better than the last fellow."
He glanced past the proprietor, "Is the restaurant this way, then? Do you suggest any particular meal? A house specialty, or a renowned local Kalispell dish?"
@[Matt Wentworth]
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
"As owner I heartily recommend all of the meals we have on offer," Matt said with a smile, "If you allow me, I will show you both the best table in the house."
He guided his two guests through the archway that was the entrance to the restaurant from the hotel's lobby. "As you can see we have seating for anywhere between 20-40 people...although it is rare that we ever have a full house."
When they reached the table, Matt motioned for one of the waiters to come over. "This is Richard and he will take care of you this evening."
Turning to Roland, he continued, "May I offer you both a complimentary glass of our finest wine as way of welcoming you to our community?"
@[Cuban Writer]
A good person is like a good gun: Reliable to the Last.
"I have made it a point in my life never to turn down a compliment," Roland said cheekily, making sure to get his companion seated before taking his own chair.
"Thank you for your hospitality," he added, and then nodded to their server. "Richard. A Lionhearted aid to tonight's repast, no doubt." He chuckled a bit at his own joke, as he was wont to do.
"I imagine you might host wedding parties here from time to time," Roland mused, glancing about the place. It was probably the most elegant site in the town outside of the church, and perhaps even then.
Turning his attention to his guest, Roland asked, "Do you take wine? Or would something else suit you better?"
@[Matt Wentworth]
"Wine will be fine," Sarah replied. "I will let you choose."
Matt nodded, "Well, I have other guests that need to be seen to. I might come back later after you have had your meal as I'm always interested in what my guests say about the hotel."
With that he turned and went off, leaving Sarah and Roland.
Sarah smiled, "I wouldn't be surprised if he quizzes you about your thoughts on Kalispell as well since he is running for mayor."
Picking up the menu, she perused it before continuing, "I've dined here many times and I can heartily recommend the roast pork with apple sauce."
@[Cuban Writer]
A good person is like a good gun: Reliable to the Last.
"And I will let you choose," he said to their server, not pretending to know the locally available vintages well enough.
As Matt withdrew, Roland nodded to the man, "It was a pleasure meeting you."
Sarah mentioned that the proprietor was running for Mayor, and Roland smiled. "Well, you could do worse than a fine dining establishment when campaigning for Mayor. Politics tends to leave a bad taste in people's mouths, but this roast pork sounds like just the thing for it."
He gave a little 'har har' laugh, and then spoke to their server Richard, "I shall take her fine advice on supper, and your advice on wine, and then I shall be assured of a well-advised evening of delectable pleasures."
Once she'd placed her order and they were alone at the table, Roland smiled at Sarah, "So, I have concluded that your story must be more intriguing than my own. How does someone come to be a newspaper reporter? Surely it's a rare enough career for a man, let alone a young woman."
Sarah smiled, "There's nothing really intriguing about it. I just went to the Union and asked Mr. McVay for a job. I had already written articles for a few ladies' journals in the east and so I had the skills. I also put forward the argument that I could take care of the mundane town news such as socials, marriages and who had a baby...for which he was very grateful."
She took a sip from the glass of water the waiter had bought before continuing, "As to why I became a writer in the first place, well it was something I had always been interested in and after my husband died I needed to do something more than just go to parties and balls. Thankfully, I had my own money as well as what my husband left me to do so."
Opening her reticule, she took out a notepad and pencil, "However, the main point of this dinner is not to talk about me but to get your views on Kalispell and what you plan for the future."
@[Cuban-Writer]
A good person is like a good gun: Reliable to the Last.
Roland nodded appreciatively. "Sensible and simple. Find something someone doesn't want to do a job themselves, and then offer to do it for them."
He added, "Many people of means might have preferred to live a life of leisure. It speaks to a lively spirit that you eschewed parties in favor of print."
When the topic shifted to his own opinions and plans, Roland leaned back somewhat in his seat. This was the ostensible purpose behind their dinner, so he should have been glad to get to it. But he found the topic of Miss Thornton to be eminently more interesting than talking about himself.
Oh, well. Business before pleasure. Or perhaps instead of pleasure, in this case. He did want to promote his business, after all.
"Well... my first impression of your fine burg came from one of its residents. Miss Chappel, my freight wagon driver. She met me in Oakdale and helped me bring my equipment over from the train station. I was surprised to find a woman working in such a trade. In London, I doubt you'd find any women drivers of any description. Yet she knew her business as well as any man. It occurred to me that this was the meritocracy of frontier living. Traditional roles seem to matter less here than capability and need.
Why, you yourself are a mirror of it, Miss Thornton. Having a woman writing articles for a paper is rare. But your paper had a need, and you had the capability. And so traditional expectation is cast aside in preference to practical needs. Merit and ability conquer all else out here.
Something I was glad of, as the road to Kalispell illustrated for me the very reason my services might be in need.
We were attacked by road agents, criminals who turned out to be wanted men. Miss Chappel's able tactics and competence with a firearm- and my own modest skill- brought us through the fracas. So my first impression of Kalispell was really this: It is a town that breeds capable souls. Souls who, when pressed to the rough elements of the frontier, were made sharper for it.
This opinion would be reinforced when I came upon the town proper and started to meet more citizens. The experienced town Marshal, the kind waitstaff at the saloon, the professional employees of the bank. They were all people of the best ilk and temperament."
He intentionally left out the details of his encounter with Zenobia.
"In short, the residents of Kalispell are like the finest people everywhere I've been, but with the added strength and temper that frontier living must bring."
There was a brief pause before he concluded, "Such people deserve the best tools to make the most of their strength. That is what the Smith Gunmaker and Shop hopes to bring to Kalispell. The finest defense and hunting implements for the finest people braving the frontier."
Sarah listened as Roland talked about his trip to Kalispell and his first impressions of the town. Addy Chappel's capability of looking after herself was something she agreed with. She was also impressed by Roland's eloquence which indicated that he had some sort of education. For a moment she debated whether to ask him about his life in England and where he was educated but she decided against. The west was full of people from other countries wanting to make a new start and therefore she would leave it up to Roland if he wanted to tell her.
Since their meal hadn't arrived, she continued with the interview, "I find it admirable that you think highly of the people you have met so far and I am sure that your services are very much needed. The previous gunsmith wasn't around for long before he disappeared without a word. I do hope that you plan to stay here a longer than he did."
@[Cuban_Writer]