It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
"That sounds reasonable," Matt replied, "Sometimes I feel like a vacation, myself. Maybe I'll try for sometime next summer when things have hopefully settled down and after I have taken care of some personal matters."
For now, he didn't want to divulge what those personal matters were, especially the one that concerned another lady in town. Maybe if things went the way he wanted them to go, then he wouldn't be going on his vacation alone. However, now was not the time to think about that.
Now that he had two of the people he wanted on his council, Matt felt a little relieved, "Thank you, Leah for accepting my offer. I know it's all a bit out of the ordinary but I think at this point Kalispell needs that. When I announce who is going to be on the council, it will be a distraction from what is going on outside of town. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing but I am positive I will not regret any of the choices I have made."
He stood up and smiled, "Now, that I've done what I came here to do, I hope you don't mind me not staying any longer. I need to go and see Pettigrew to make the offer to him. I will let you know when the first meeting of the council will be."
A reassuring smile appeared on his face, "And, unlike the last time, you will get plenty of warning of when it will be. In fact, that is one of the first amendments I will be making to the town council's rules."
"I hope I'm not the only woman selected for this honor, there will be plenty of tar and feathers to go around!" She joked. "When the truble stars, Matthew, remember, I warned you." She rose and walked with him to the door.
"And, unlike the last time, you will get plenty of warning of when it will be. In fact, that is one of the first amendments I will be making to the town council's rules."
"That will be a good start. Show people that the meetings will be properly posted, and that will be no secrecy about them. Yes, a great start. And Matthew, thank you again." she said, smiling. Who would have thought?
@JulieS
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
Matt made his farewells to Leah and then made his way to Pettigrew's place. On the way, he thought about his meeting later in the morning with the new county judge, Adam Townsend. He had met the man yesterday afternoon and was surprised to find out that the man had been in town for about a week or so. Adam had told him that he had been looking around the town and the countryside to learn more about what was going on in the area.
The plan was to meet near the Union Office where they were to meet Phin McVay and put some sort of announcement in the newspaper. It would also provide a good opportunity to ask McVay to hold off printing a story about the new town council until he met with Harriet Mercer. Even though McVay didn't know about his choices, Matt knew the man would write an article speculating what those choices would be.
However, he first had to go and see Pettigrew. When arrived at the Emporium, he walked in and rang the bell on the counter.
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
However, he first had to go and see Pettigrew. When arrived at the Emporium, he walked in and rang the bell on the counter.
A rather frowsy looking girl shot up from behind the counter, beneath which she had been storing the spare button tray. She gave a sniff.
"What you want Mister Wentworth?" she asked with dull eyes and a lifeless flat voice. Jemima looked him up and down; she recognised Matt as not only as a fine figure of a man she had admired from afar, but as the handsome manager of the fancy hotel she'd never been in and the new Town Mayor, apparently.
"You want to buy a dress?" she asked, suspiciously. It seemed unlikely, but after having walked in on her brother once, trying on her best Sunday smock, anything was possible.
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
"Er...no," Matt replied, "I've come to see Mr. Pettigrew. Is he in?"
He recognised the girl at the counter as a Wigfall but he couldn't remember what her name was. It was understandable since he had very little to do with her and she with him which in a way was good considering her odd demeanour.
Since there was nothing much he could do, he smiled graciously and waited for the girl to reply.
"Where are the snows of yesterday" - Villon
"Er...no," Matt replied, "I've come to see Mr. Pettigrew. Is he in?"
Jemima frowned at him and then nodded, turned and disappeared behind a velvet curtain that separated the 'front of house' from the workshop in the back of the drapers' store where garments were made, altered or amended. There was a muffled murmuring and Pettigrew appeared through the veil, putting his jacket on, presumably having been busing at work pattern cutting or what not.
"Mister Wentworth, Mister Wentworth, a pleasure to see you again, Sir, and congratulations once again upon your tremendous victory!" he beamed thrusting out his hand while Jemima peeped through the curtains suspiciously.
"May I invite you in for a little celebratory drink, Sir? A little mid-afternoon tipple to show there are no hard feelings?" he asked with genuine bonhomie: for he had only been narrowly persuaded by Lewis Cass Reeve to stand for Mayor on a Democrat ticket in the first place, was sincerely flattered to have received at least some of the votes, but was ultimately relieved not to have won.
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
Matt shook his head slightly, "Maybe another time as I still have some business to conduct today. As for hard feelings, there are none as far as I am concerned...which is why I am here today."
Seeing that there was no place to sit, he continued, "To put it plainly, I would like to invite you to be a part of the town council."
"Where are the snows of yesterday" - Villon
Matt shook his head slightly, "Maybe another time as I still have some business to conduct today. As for hard feelings, there are none as far as I am concerned...which is why I am here today."
"Oh, how's that?" asked Wus with genuine curiosity.
Seeing that there was no place to sit, he continued, "To put it plainly, I would like to invite you to be a part of the town council."
Pettigrew felt immensely pleased and honoured by this revelation but managed, just about, to resist saying YES right away, there and then, for he felt the responsibility of what he was being asked to do too deeply for that.
"Hmmm" he ruminated, rubbing his chin. "This is indeed and honour, Sir, an honour indeed!" He narrowed his eyes, deep in thought and squinting to see, as it were, what the future would hold, should he accept. Why, the job, if done in the proper manner, would require time and energy, and could even involve some danger. On the other hand, it was his moral duty to give back to the town that had given him a livelihood, and a good one, for the past four years.
"I believe the answer must be 'Yes', Mister Mayor!" he finally said, sticking out his hand once again to shake on the thing. "And I hope you will find me worthy, Sir, of the responsibilities appertaining thereunto!" To Jemima Wigfall, peeping through the curtains, it seemed that her employers pomposity settings had just been switched up a couple of gears in one fell swoop, listening to that sort of language!
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
"Splendid. Now all that is left is let you know who your fellow councillors are," Matt replied.
Although he still wasn't one hundred percent sure that he had made the right decision in asking Pettigrew to join the council, Matt knew that it would be better than having someone who had known ties to Elias Steelgrave.
"The two others that have accepted so far are Christoph Alders and Leah Steelgrave."
"Where are the snows of yesterday" - Villon
"Alders and Miss Steelgrave, eh?" nodded Pettigrew, speaking in a neutral tone while he settled his own mind on what he thought about such a choice.
"I know Mrs Alders well, of course, she is often here with young Miss Catherine." Never having had occasion to buy a large pile if wood, he didn't really know the husband at all. He must be quite well off though, judging by the amount his wife and daughter spent on dresses and fripperies in Pettigrew's drapers store.
The other mentioned name was more difficult to assess, for a number of reasons; and Pettigrew couldn't help wonder at the choice. He could only start as he meant to go on and be perfectly frank with Wentworth.
"As for Miss Steelgrave, Mister Mayor, you know better than I the baggage that attends her, through no fault of her own. You must have a lot of faith in her abilities to include the young lady amongst your councillors: and I must place my faith in you that you have chosen wisely." In truth, it was hard to see the advantage of including a woman, especially a young woman of so few years within their number. Quite apart from the fact that, by making her a councillor, they more or less signalled their opposition to the great cattle magnate who lived, brooding, beyond the town bounds. Still, she would have her chance to prove whether her talents were worth the risk.
"Oh, I, er, imagine you'll be retaining young Mister Wigfall as minute taker. I understand he has a clear legible hand and knows the format of the council business and is, I can vouch, the soul of discretion." he recommended: what he said was true, but he also felt something of an obligation to the quite good looking young man after an unfortunate indiscretion a few months ago.