Leah Steelgrave ventured out in a slicker, trousers, and boots to have a look at her building after the torrential rains of the previous day. And that meant, unlike the Christmas party, three of her men accompanied her to the building site. At Christmas they had followed her and Danforth to the turn-off, then headed back, she would be safe enough at the Deputies home. Which proved out to be true.

Leah stood looking at the barely completed first floor from the outside as it was still covered, sealed against the rain and snow that had not been anything like the previous winter. Rivulets were eroding the streets which would need attention, but that was something done every spring and this year was no exception.

The Kalispell Regional Hospital would be finished and open for business before the summer was half way over. Equipment and furniture would begin arriving within the month, she had made arrangements to store all that was not needed until the building was complete and the staff began to arrive from ads that were out as far east as New York, and blanketing the south and southwest. She had high hopes that they would get the people they needed.

She had not seen Jonah Danforth fer at least a week, but he was a busy man with the normal winter illnesses that happened every winter. he would be along soon enough, if not that very morning. The workers had not yet begun to arrive either but then it was seven o'clock in the morning. She was excited, and she could sense the men were as well, even though this was not something that would ordinarily excite men of the caliber. They knew what it meant to her and possibly what it would mean to the town.

"Won't be long, Miss Leah, not long at all." Santee observed, "Not long at all."

"No, no it won't and I can hardly wait!" She replied, a wide smile on her face.

It had been a long couple of days, and Jonah was exhausted, but glad to be finally getting back into town, and he was looking forward to a good, hot meal, and his own soft bed!  He was on his way back from the Harding farm, where he'd been treating the five-year-old twins for croup.  For a time, it had been touch-and-go, and they'd almost lost little Emery, but during the night, they'd taken a turn for the better, and finally, they were out of the woods, and Jonah was on his way home.

But as he passed the hospital site, he couldn't help but stop the buggy for a moment to look at the place, amazed and pleased at how quickly it was coming along.  Wouldn't be long now...

Then he spotted Leah, looking surprisingly alluring in her casual attire, and...well, no time like the present to check out the hospital's progress, right?

He pulled his buggy up near the front, set the brake, then hopped down, only mildly annoyed that he hadn't thought about how muddy it was...but what was a bit of mud on his boots where there was Leah to talk to?

"It's looking good, isn't it?" he commented as he approached her, trying to ignore her goons.  "You've done a great thing here."

"Now that may be true, but it's a long way from being ready for patients." She said with a smile. And it might be a while before the real work can start again."

"Most of the men are here, been talkin' with 'em an' they're strainin' at the bit to get at it again." Santee said. Ma'am, I'll get back to the house since the Doc's here now. Good seein' ya Danforth. Real good." And with that the gunfighter turned and walked back toward the street where the cottage was.

"Not sure if you caught that, Jonah, but that was a sign of trust," Leah stated. "Now the things holed up in Helena can start coming this way and piece by piece we can get them into storage. That is exciting. In fact I had wired several ads east of us for help, doctors, and nurses, most other positions we can hire locally."

She looked at him a long moment, "Seriously Jonah, before we know it we'll be open and busy. I understand the community is anxiously awaiting the opening."

Jonah did, indeed, recognize the trust that Santee had put in him, but then, Jonah never had been a danger, and if the real danger that Leah's guards were there for ever did show up, he could hardly do much about it.  Oh, he would readily put himself in harm's way for her, but the only weapon he carried was a derringer, and that wouldn't protect her from an attack.

Oh, well, they were in town, and no one had bothered her in a long time, so he was sure she was safe. 

"We can talk to Miss Chappel about getting the equipment that's waiting here.  We've got the barn to store it in, and the roads should be open soon."

It was all moving so fast now, and and they needed to keep one step ahead, so that when the building was finally done, everything would be in place.

"Shall we look inside?" he gestured to the porch, offering her his arm.  "How were you thinking about conducting interviews?"  He had no idea, really, how such things worked.  He'd always just looked for little back-water places, like Kalispell, that were in desperate need and would take what they could get!  "We should ask for references, or resumes."

"We can talk to Miss Chappel about getting the equipment that's waiting here. We've got the barn to store it in, and the roads should be open soon."

"Now that's what we should be doing, yes!" She said excitedly. It was progress on the project. It was something that they could do, and it was something they should do. "A great idea, I'm not sure why I didn't think of that, I mean we have storage available and we should make use of it." That was certainly the practical side of it, and she was a practical girl, most of the time.

"Shall we look inside?" he gestured to the porch, offering her his arm. "How were you thinking about conducting interviews?" He had no idea, really, how such things worked. He'd always just looked for little back-water places, like Kalispell, that were in desperate need and would take what they could get! "We should ask for references, or resumes."

"Oh, I expect resumes to come by mail before possible applicants would venture out here. I mean, there will always be a certain few that do make the trip, but they would be looking to move on from wherever they might be anyhow." She explained. "Most medical men and women, and you can bet your boots there are some, even if you don't wear boots! Now, like I said, first we hire local men and women for positions where we can before looking elsewhere. That's only right, it is their hospital after all."

"Oh, inside, no, no, they still have covers over what they have finished, and honestly, it would look the same as it did when they began covering it after our last visit. I just had to get out and look at it. Besides, it's locked and I don't have the key, at least not at the moment. I fully intend to get one from Mister Mason Aldridge just as soon as I can!" She promised. "But, isn't she pretty?"

"She most surely is..."  Jonah realized that he was staring at Leah and quickly turned his attention to the building.  "Tall and strong, I think she'll be here a long time, and others are going to envy her."

Smiling, he looked at Leah again, reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze.  "You've accomplished an amazing thing here, Leah.  I truly had my doubts, your nay-sayers were..." he chuckled, "loudly saying nay!  Before you know it, you'll be mayor of Kalispell!"

Still holding her hand, he turned to face her.  "You really are a remarkable woman."

"It is amazing, but anyone could have done it. I did have resources to do this, but others have the same, if not more than I." She stated as honestly as she could because that is what she believed. And yes, there were men with the financial wherewithal to accomplish the same thing. "But I appreciate you saying so." He smiled.

"We've a long way to go yet, I'm afraid. And your idea about Addy Chapel is a great start for this second half of the build and preparation." She added. "It's cold and damp out here, maybe we need to head back to the Lickskillet for some coffee while we discuss what's next, and how to go about it?"

"Lickskillet it is!"  Jonah offered her his arm, then started walking that way, trying to avoid the worst of the mud.  "And I doubt there would be many who would have had your perseverance...most would have given up in tears a long while ago."

It truly hadn't been the money or the logistics of it that had been the problem, it had been the resistance of the City Council that had stalled things, and someone less hardy than Leah would have just given up.

"Have you heard that Miss Arabella Mudd is back in town?  Apparently, she fancies herself some sort of artist, of the likes Lotta Crabtree and Lola Montez!"  He chuckled, then shrugged. "Word has it that she'd putting on some sort of show.  I'd be happy to take you, if you'd like.  If nothing else, it should be amusing, and we can always sneak away if it's too bad!"

"Maybe, but there are men who would not have given up, or given in, for that matter. I just went forward with what I wanted to do, and no, I did not let the Town Council dissuade me from this project. Not even, you." She giggled at the last part. "So let's slog through this mud and get some coffee. Have you had breakfast as yet?"

"Arabella Mudd has returned, honestly? Oh my, are we in for it!" This time she outright laughed. "Lord, what would bring her back here? Though I would suppose we'll find out soon enough, won't we?" It was like a barrage of unanswerable questions, but then, it was Arabella that they were talking about. "And it's spitting again, I just want it to stop so we can get on with construction." It had not actually rained or snowed, but intermittent showers for the past week, making everyone's life miserable, if they had anything to do out of doors, as most people did.

"Perhaps Miss Mudd didn't stand out as much as she fancied in the big city?"  Jonah shrugged.  "Here, she's got little competition for the attention."  It wasn't as if Kalispell was teeming with stage talent, so, any port in a storm.

Speaking of storms...well, not a storm, but drizzle, of the sort that had been in abundance this year.  "Nature at its finest!"  Chuckling, he plopped his hat on her head to keep her hair dry, then draped his coat around her shoulders.  "I think Mother Nature senses when we need good weather most and does her best to foil our plans!"

After mounting the steps of the cafe, he opened the door for Leah, smiling a bit at the wonderful aromas that met them.