"All I'm saying is, I will do whatever is needed of me, be that nursing, at the front desk, sweeping and mopping up, I'll be there when I'm needed," Leah said."You'll all have to put up that!"
"I'm so grateful to you all for everything you've done, or will do to help this hospital be what it can be. That it is even being built is a miracle. There were times when I thought the dream would never come true, that the Town Council would never approve the trade, and the right-of-ways would be lost. Which they almost were. But here we are, on the cusp." She beamed, "And tomorrow we get to show her off to our new doctor."
"You've got a good business sense, Leah, and we'll need someone to manage the books, order supplies..." It wasn't romantic, nor 'heroic', but it was vital, and something he had no aptitude for. Hell, he didn't want anything to do with handling money! "Of course, you can try your hand at nursing. I'd be happy to help you, and I'm sure Josiah and Angelique will as well." Maybe Leah would do fine as a nurse, and her kind nature would be nothing but a benefit.
"Oh hell Jonah, we'll hire someone to take care of those things, put an ad in the paper," Josiah said. "Really, and a janitor or two, we'll need them to clean up after we do some of the things we'll be doing. It's not going to break the bank!" Then he leaned forward, "Leah Steegrave, you are the face of this hospital and I'll not have you be anything else, no matter if you want to olr not. You are the one who will need to get out and get funding to keep us in bandages. This place won't run on what we will bring in to start, and your money might help, but for how long?"
"Since Houser wants this thing, well, he needs to pony up to keep it viable. A job for you and Jonah. And don't you say it isn't! The Medical Director and Kalispell's Angel and damn it, that's what you are!"
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"I'm hardly one to represent the hospital," Jonah insisted, but Addy had other ideas.
"You've been with this about from th' start," she pointed out, "So folks'll expect ya ta be there." She grinned. "All ya gotta do though is just stand there an' look pretty...let Miss Leah do th' talkin', an' it should be all right."
Weedy snickered, but Jonah rolled his eyes, glancing at Leah. "You hear that?" Then he grinned. "Well, I suppose I am rather pretty!"
"She's right, Jonah. You and Leah here are the ones to go out fund hunting for our hospital." Josiah said, reinforcing the idea. And when you're gone, why Angire and I can hold down the fort, if we ever get any nurses to lend a hand, till you get back."
"It would certainly look better with you along, Jonah. Together, we got this going, and I'll admit that together, we can get funding to keep it going. You present well, are well spoken, and I would imagine that you would thrive in Helena's social settings." Leah added, "It will be fun!"
"Addy's right, Leah's right, and so is Jpsiah. Leah, the two of you should bowl them over." Angie spoke up. "You're perfect for the job!"
Well, Jonah certainly couldn't argue that a trip to Helena would be a welcome change from a back-water like Kalispell, and if it was with Leah, all the better!
"I suppose I can be charming," he chuckled, "and nod wisely as Leah does all the talking!"
But there was one little problem...well, not so little. "Of course, we'd need another lady to accompany us, for propriety, mind you. Perhaps your mother? Or Addy could come with us." Yes, that made sense, the teamster could actually drive them, she knew the trails, and how to go about all the camping that was involved in a multi-day trip. After all, she'd just gotten Dr. Laurant here safely.
Of course, there was another option, but Jonah didn't quite feel that this was the place.
"I suppose I can be charming," he chuckled, "and nod wisely as Leah does all the talking!"
Josiah harrumphed,
Lerah giggled, "As if, sir, it would be a task of some difficulty for you." She chided
"Of course, we'd need another lady to accompany us, for propriety, mind you. Perhaps your mother? Or Addy could come with us."
At that moment, the front door opened, and everyone turned to see who had come in. "Hello. I suppose I am late for dinner, but banking business takes forever these days, but that nice young man, Luke Johnson, was so helpful. Anyway, what did I miss?" It was Eleanor.
"There is more on the stove, chicken and dumplings stew, Mother," Leah told her. "We were talking about Jonah and I going to Helena to raise funds from the Territorial Governor, and the need for a female to come along for propriety's sake."
"It would seem that Jonah here is not to be trusted alone with Miss Leah," Josiah said. "Proprieties' sake, he says.The other choice was Addy here, and that does make sense, if she can get one of Milligan's coaches, pardon, what is it now? The A and A Stage line or some such
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"We've given the local gossips enough to rant on," Josiah pointed out, not that he cared so much for himself, but he didn't want anyone to have cause to speak ill of Leah, especially in the bigger towns like Helena. Un-attached men and women simply didn't travel alone.
"I won't mind drivin' ya," Addy commented, "or ridin' alongside, should ya want'a take a buggy." That would be more comfortable (a relative concept) ride than a coach or wagon. "Depends on when yer goin', but I'm gonna be doin' some business fer Speed, an' th' lumber mill."
"I assume it won't be too far off?" Jonah glanced at Leah, then chuckled. "If we could wait until the train comes through town..." Of course, that was a long way off, if ever, so not to be fretted over.
"I could go!" Weedy offered, ready for a way to get out of school. He didn't understand why someone else had to go, but he didn't care, so long as he wasn't in class!
He jumped up, grabbing his plate and spoon. "You can sit there, Ma'am," he told Mrs. Steelegrave as he moved to the counter.
"Wait, what? I missed something here. Propriety does matter, especially should you be seeking funding from the Territory. I would go, and that would settle any possible whispers. Mother and daughter? Who could say anything? But I will stay clear of your meetings with the Governor, or any of his staff, except dear Ditton Peabody."
"Now that would make perfect sense, and here we sat trying to reinvent the wheel over this trip. I'm not sure when you're thinking it should take place, but I'd say it needs to be soon." Josiah said flatly. "Angie and I can certainly hold down the fort while you're gone, and no Weedy, you can't go, there's an education to get! Besides, your Maw here has plenty to keep her busy, but none of this is up to me."
"Perhaps we should get to planning this, I mean, Marshal Guyer's wedding, and the Founder's Day Celebration are coming up, and we don't want to miss either of them!" Leah said.
"Now that Dr. Laurant is here, we can make the trip whenever you like," Jonah commented. "I can rent a surrey for us, so we have more room, and Addy will tell us what supplies we should take, I'm certain."
"Of course," Addy nodded, "me an' Weedy can write somethin' up, an' I can loan you some'a my kit. No use ya haftin' ta buy things like an axe, oil cloths, cookin' gear an' whatnot." The trip might be interesting for someone who wasn't accustomed to spending the night on the trail, but there were several little outposts they could stop at in a pinch, and even the stage swing stations.
"I can sketch ya out a map, too. Only problem might be snows in th' mountains." But that could be through June, so sometimes you just had to take your chances.
"That would be very helpful." Josiah could easily allow that they could use all the help and advice they could get, and while it would be an adventure, he was a bit skeptical about spending a few days on the trail with the Steelegrave ladies!
"What I understood was that they had opened a trail at the foot of the mountains that leads directly to Helena, folks do tend to use it rather than the old route over the mountain, it's said to be more direct than any of the other ways. I don't know. I've never tried it, hell, I haven't been to Helena in two years, and no reason to go back by any route." Josiah explained. "Pardon the language. Weedy? You don't never talk like that either."
"I would be willing to try the faster easier route." Leah stated.
"Never said it was easier, might be, then again, it might not. Worth a try though." Josia chipped in. "'cept I ain't a'goin along." Then he laughed.
"Well, I came that way, a bit rough in spots, but then so is any other way of getting there," Elenor added her two cents worth. "Smoother in some spots, not so good in others, or that was how it was when I came through. But no way stations as yet, need to consider that, as there are on the old route." She looked at Addy for a long moment, then asked, "So what do you think, Addy?"
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"So long as th' weather holds out," Addy commented. "Too much rain an' ya may as well stay at home...even can get some snow up there this time'a year." While the weather could be unpredictable, the pass was a viable option so long as there hadn't been any significant rain in a week or so. "Just wise ta be ready ta be stuck fer a time."
One day, there would be a decent road, but that was still a ways off.
"So, when are you thinking about doing this?" Jonah asked. It sounded like this trip might be imminent, but there was planning to do, arrangements to be made...