Adam suppressed the smile on his face as the two ladies explained their side of the fight to Matt. He turned to see a young lady, wiping the tears from her eyes and giving him a smile. In response, he tipped his hat and said, "Ma'am".
He then turned to his attention to the newspaper man who had stepped forward with his hand outstretched. Matt quickly answered both ladies with nod and stepped forward towards both Adam and Phin. "Mr. McVay...and ladies. May I have the honour of introducing to you Judge Adam Townsend. He is taking over from Judge Robertson."
Taking Phin's hand, Adam gave it a firm shake, "Mr. McVay."
Matt, then reluctantly introduced the women with a sweeping gesture, "Missus Dorothea Orr, Missus Mary Wigfall, and Miss Anæsthesia Orr."
"Ladies, it's a pleasure to meet you despite the circumstances."
@[Javia] Flip
"Every town needs a newspaper."
"Judge Townsend, a pleasure sir. Good to have you here." Phin responded with a genuine smile. A new Judge, and likely not one of Elias' cronies. He shook hands with both men, Wentworth was wasting little time, and if the Town Council matched up with this new judge, perhaps not here on Matt's request, then the town might find itself on solid footing once more.
Historically Phin was able to find out, that the previous councils before Orr had been forthright with the town and its citizens foremost in everything they did. It would appear that Matthew Wentworth was the right choice for Mayor.
Javia, JulieS
"Ladies should be seen and not heard"
"Ladies, it's a pleasure to meet you despite the circumstances."
The two more mature ladies, needing to keep their hands on their failing modesty, could do little more than smile, but bold Anæsthesia, being untrammeled by such sartorial concerns, was able to glide forward and offer a fey be-gloved hand for the handsome Adam to kiss, with a murmur of "Charmed, I'm sure."
She tipped her head to her 'elders and betters' "It is true that my Mother and Mrs Wigfall did have a slight tiff, Mr Townsend..." Slight tiff? Mrs Orr had a fat lip and Mrs Wigfall was showing the first tint of a lovely burgeoning black eye "... but you must know that this is because they are both still women of great passion! You will find many such in Kalispell, Sir."
The two middle-aged women gave a unified and grateful "Awwww, Anæsthesia!" to the girl for her well-chosen sentiment, and looked at each other with kinder eyes "Come on Dolly, we'd better go fix ourselves up before any more loafers come along to gawk at us!" said Mrs W. "Let's go out the back so nobody sees!" suggested Mrs O. "Sure, come to mine, it's nearer, we'll get Jemima to patch us up!" returned Mrs W.
The two previous enemies busied out the back way.
Anæsthesia gave a beatific smile and turned her enormous blue eyes upon Adam again.
"Oh, Judge Townsend, how wonderful to see how unto like Solomon your presence here has been, that it has calmed the hearts of enemies and poured balm upon the turbulent and troubled waters stirred up by Mister McVay's turpitudinous newspaper article." she said, sticking in the dagger with a dainty smile.
"Every town needs a newspaper."
"I can attest to that gentlemen, passion indeed." Phin agreed, but as they made their way out of the building, Phin had a burning question, "So, what has happened with Judge Robertson, once an undisputed pillar of this fair community? I simply don't understand his disappearance, I mean it was so sudden and all."
He knew this would be a good one, and to be frank, he was aware that Robertson could have simply rushed off for reasons that no one would be aware of. It had been said he had a second home in Miles City, though that had never been cooberated.
JulieS, Javia
The two more mature ladies, needing to keep their hands on their failing modesty, could do little more than smile, but bold Anæsthesia, being untrammeled by such sartorial concerns, was able to glide forward and offer a fey be-gloved hand for the handsome Adam to kiss, with a murmur of "Charmed, I'm sure."
Adam took the offered hand and lightly kissed it before letting it go and replying with a polite "Ma'am".
He listened and watched as the younger woman with the odd name and the two even odder older women conversed with each other. When the older ladies left room, Anæsthesia spoke again...
"Oh, Judge Townsend, how wonderful to see how unto like Solomon your presence here has been, that it has calmed the hearts of enemies and poured balm upon the turbulent and troubled waters stirred up by Mister McVay's turpitudinous newspaper article." she said, sticking in the dagger with a dainty smile.
Adam raised an eyebrow in response to what she had just said. To him, it was a long-winded way of saying thank you but he kept that opinion to himself. However, his response was delayed by the newspaper man...
"I can attest to that gentlemen, passion indeed." Phin agreed, but as they made their way out of the building, Phin had a burning question, "So, what has happened with Judge Robertson, once an undisputed pillar of this fair community? I simply don't understand his disappearance, I mean it was so sudden and all."
"Well, from what I know, the Governor was just as surprised and as curious as you are when Judge Robertson turned up in Helena a few weeks ago with no warning," Adam said, "Governor Houser didn't elaborate the circumstances of Robertson's sudden departure from this town. All he told me was that Robertson had retired and that he wanted me to take his place here."
Matt nodded, "Yes, Robertson's sudden decision to leave Kalispell surprised us all. Whatever the reason was, I hope that he is now happy and able to enjoy his long-awaited retirement."
"I couldn't agree more," Adam replied, "When I've been a judge as long as he was, I hope to have a well-earned retirement as well. However, that is far into the future and right now I'm here to dispense territorial justice on behalf of the good folk here in Kalispell."
@[Javia] Flip
"Ladies should be seen and not heard"
Anæsthesia was having a nice chat with the handsome Mr Townsend when that annoying newspaper man, McVay, interrupted and started going on about that old twit Judge Robertson and his possible whereabouts. She could have just bunched up her little fists and screamed!
"Well, from what I know, the Governor was just as surprised and as curious as you are when Judge Robertson turned up in Helena a few weeks ago with no warning," Adam said, "Governor Houser didn't elaborate the circumstances of Robertson's sudden departure from this town. All he told me was that Robertson had retired and that he wanted me to take his place here."
Matt nodded, "Yes, Robertson's sudden decision to leave Kalispell surprised us all. Whatever the reason was, I hope that he is now happy and able to enjoy his long-awaited retirement."
"I couldn't agree more," Adam replied, "When I've been a judge as long as he was, I hope to have a well-earned retirement as well. However, that is far into the future and right now I'm here to dispense territorial justice on behalf of the good folk here in Kalispell."
"Oh" frowned Anæsthesia with innocent bafflement "So that rumour that Judge Robertson had to leave town over some scandal involving a woman is completely fictitious?" she asked. "That is a relief."
There had indeed been such a rumour. She'd started it!
"Every town needs a newspaper."
Matt nodded, "Yes, Robertson's sudden decision to leave Kalispell surprised us all. Whatever the reason was, I hope that he is now happy and able to enjoy his long-awaited retirement."
"Hmmm, yes, of course," Phin agreed, there was a real story in there somewhere.
"I couldn't agree more," Adam replied, "When I've been a judge as long as he was, I hope to have a well-earned retirement as well. However, that is far into the future and right now I'm here to dispense territorial justice on behalf of the good folk here in Kalispell."
"That is good news for this community, this part of the territory actually," Phin said, believing that this man was not going to turn tail at the slightest provocation.
"Oh" frowned Anæsthesia with innocent bafflement "So that rumour that Judge Robertson had to leave town over some scandal involving a woman is completely fictitious?" she asked. "That is a relief."
Phin smiled at the suggestion that there was another woman in Robertson's life, one that had caused a scandal. Enough for him and his wife to have bolted from Kalispell. Nothing as shallow he was sure. If he had his druthers on the matter, Elias Steelgrave was in there somewhere! "I doubt that there is any basis for such a rumor, Miss Orr, it is perhaps exactly as Judge Townsend here has said, the chance to get away and start his full retirement elsewhere, may have been just what he had been planning all along. That did leave his seat open on the Town Council, but the man deserves to move on if that is what he wants."
Javia, JulieS
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
Matt turned to Anæsthesia, "I agree with Mr. McVay. Any rumours surrounding Judge Robertson are just that and if anybody believed that he was involved with another woman, didn't know him or his wife for that matter. In fact, I think most rumours are just idle talk from those who don't have anything else better to do than to make their own petty lives seem more significant."
He had no idea that Anæsthesia was the starter of many of the rumours currently circulating around town but he had felt compelled to make a general statement for the benefit of McVay.
"I have no idea why Judge Robertson left so suddenly but I wish him all the best in his retirement," Matt said with conviction, although he had a good idea that it had something to do with Robertson's machinations in trying to stop the hospital from going ahead. It was also a good idea not to mention that Robertson probably hoped that his sudden depature would prevent the contract with Leah getting signed due to that long-forgotten town ordinance. Now that he was mayor, Matt had already started to fix that problem by creating an ordinance that would only require the mayor to sign any contracts on behalf of the town council.
Remember that McVay mentioned something about the vacant seat in the town council, Matt continued, "As you know Judge Robertson's departure made it impossible to hold any more council meetings until after the mayoral elections. However, I can assure you that they new town council has been selected and I plan to make a formal announcement next week. Today I'm here to introduce Judge Townsend."
"Every town needs a newspaper."
Phin smiled, "I'd heard you were out talking to potential Council members, and that is new before it had been kept quiet. Almost a secret, and quite honestly I have long believed that Elias Steelgrave had a hand in those that sat on the Town Council. Like that slippery Cole Latham, and his cohort, or so it would seem, Nolan Ashworth our Postmaster."
"This will be a new day for Kalispell, one where everyone is looked after, and the rights of everyone are taken into account. Yes sir, Matt, it was a grand moment when you were elected Mayor. And I like the fact you are personally taking to those you want on the Council with you." He paused,
"Question is, how long will Guyer be laid up, been better than a month now, and I do realize that gunshot wounds take time to mend, but, if Pike would get back I think folks would feel a bit better about it. Now that's not to say Charlie can't do the job, not what I mean at all. Just an experienced man to help Charlie along would be good."
"Ladies should be seen and not heard"
Remember that McVay mentioned something about the vacant seat in the town council, Matt continued, "As you know Judge Robertson's departure made it impossible to hold any more council meetings until after the mayoral elections. However, I can assure you that they new town council has been selected and I plan to make a formal announcement next week. Today I'm here to introduce Judge Townsend."
Anæsthesia gave the said newcomer an encouraging smile. "I'm sure there won't be any awful rumours about you, Judge Townsend, despite the fact that any lady would be pleased to receive your calls." she added flirtatiously. She was just about to get busy with some more coquetry, when McVay weighed in again with more blather about Mayors and Marshalls and Deputies and all sorts of other unromantical and tedious matters. Really, the man was impossible!
"Question is, how long will Guyer be laid up, been better than a month now, and I do realize that gunshot wounds take time to mend, but, if Pike would get back I think folks would feel a bit better about it. Now that's not to say Charlie can't do the job, not what I mean at all. Just an experienced man to help Charlie along would be good."
"Won't Mister Pike be all exhausted from his honeymoon?" asked Anæsthesia. She filled Townsend in with the facts. "Mister and Mrs Pike have been on their honeymoon for weeks, Judge! I wonder what on earth they might have been up to?" she asked, turning those big, blue, oh so innocent eyes upon each gentleman in turn.