"Oh thank you, Jonah," Leah said, smiling as she got up, turning to him and kissing him on the lips. "That takes one thing off of my list. Clara will appreciate the business, I'm sure."
"Certainly Jonah, I've all the time in the world I'll walk to the clinic with you if you don't mind unless you'll be walking the ladies to wherever they might be going. If it's the hospital, I'll tag along, but if it's your clinic, I'm with you."
"Doctor Boone, so good to see you again, and Doctor Danforth, Jonah, I'll be seeing you later. Perhaps we can all meet at the hotel for supper this evening. On me. And I do intend to steal my daughter for the majority of the day."
Leah was smiling, first Jonah had acquiesced and accepted how he felt about her and them. Then in walked her mother and now they would have some time to talk about what was happening and what had happened, including Elias' heart problem. What did that mean?
"Oh, well, of course we'd be remiss if we didn't see you safely home." Glancing at Josiah, Jonah offered his arm to Elinor. "M'lady, if you would!" He could actually get used to this sort of thing -- acting like a real gentleman, a 'normal' person.
"And certainly, we will call for you tomorrow, hopefully it won't be raining, although I do fancy the sound of rain on a roof, so long as I'm dry!" To a degree, anyway. After a few days it got a little annoying!
"And if you need anything here in town, Mrs. Steelegrave, feel free to contact Josiah or myself, and we'll pretend to know what we're doing!"\
"I'm sure that the two of you can pretend with the best of them,!" She replied taking his offered arm, "The weather is something we just contend with and if it is rain, then I have clothing for just that sort of thing. Oh will you look at that, snow!"
"It's been doing that on and off for days, but then you know how the weather here can be," Lea said as she and Josiah stood.
"And Miss Steegrave, if you would allow," He said as he offered his arm, "Not that would try and steal you away from Danforth unless of course, I thought I could get away with it." And then he laughed at his remark. For the moment, life was good, but he had to wonder what Elinor Steelgrave was doing back in Kalispell.
Leah was wondering the very something, and it would appear that she would have a chance to find out once they reached the Belle-St. Regis Hotel and the suit that the family maintained. She had been gone a long while, and suddenly turning up again could only spell trouble of some sort, but for what and for whom was anyone's guess.
"I suppose weather is all part of it," Jonah murmured as they stepped into the cold air, "but come summer we'll wish for the cold!"
Heat, glaring sun, gnats and mosquitos...Jonah wasn't sure if the cold and snow drifts were worse!
"And the offer of dinner at the hotel is welcome. What time should we meet you there?" At least the snow wasn't as wet as rain as they headed for the hotel, not that that made the streets any less muddy.
"Josiah, do you have any luggage to take to my home once we see the ladies safely to the hotel?"
Leah took his arm, which was not unusual as Jonah was always the gentleman. "Oh yes, we wish for the opposite depending on the weather we have, every time."
Jonah then posed a question to Elinor, "And the offer of dinner at the hotel is welcome. What time should we meet you there?"
"I do prefer a later evening meal, say seven o'clock? Is that alright by everyone?" She asked in reply.
"Yes, perfect, Mother," Leah responded. Clearly, she was glad to see her mother and have her back in town again. However, there was a suspicion as to why she was there and what she wanted. Elinor and Elias were like two peas in a pod, something she should not forget.
Josiah Boone missed very little, and he too wondered why, after all this time, Elinor came back, almost the moment the trails had opened, but he knew that it would be evident in no time at all.
"Seven would be just fine with me, and everything I have is in my buggy, so we can just head on over to your place, and I can get settled, that is, until I run the vermin from my place, should have left someone to take care of the place for me, but I did not. So, we'll see what the damage is, if any."
"I kept an eye on the place," Jonah commented, "and had young Weedy Porter take that mangy cat Buster over there now and again to chase out the mice." He chuckled. "Cat's getting fat and lazy, so he must have found something!"
They made it across the muddy street to the boardwalk of the hotel. "You can stay with me tonight," he continued, "and we can check your place over in the morning, before the picnic. Of course, if it still needs more work, you can stay with me as long as you need...just don't mind the rooster who thinks you need to wake up an hour before sunrise!"
"Yes of couse, best we have a look." Josiah agreed, it had been a while since he had stopped in. The place would always be home. He had bought it from a farmer who was giving up, what with the weather, the recent drought, and the Indians it had proved too much for him. It had been a rough year, sixty-five.
Kalispell was just half a dozen buildings at that time, none would withstand progress as she grew and new buildings took their place along the main street. Times had changed, that was for sure, his house that was outside of town was now right at the edge of it, just south-east of where the hospital was going up. and where one day the orphanage would stand.
"Nothing quite like the crowing of the rooster to mark the start of a new day. Seems there's always one willing to accommodate those in earshot! Like it or not."
(ending it here unless you post)