Emeline so loved that he really understood her, and that he supported her ideas.  He was truly a life-partner, and they were going to have a great ride together!

"Maybe I'll just corner you in the barn on occasion so we can make those children!"  She blushed hotly as she realized that the waiter was there with their food, although the man managed to keep a straight face as he set the plates down.

She grinned and snickered as he walked away, then took a sip of champagne.  "This looks really good!"

As the plates were set in front of them, Pike did not even bother to look up at the waiter, surmising he had heard it all before, and if not, he had just gotten an earful. "Does." He replied about how good the meal looked. "Had a fine house built for you, and you want to corner me in the barn? I reckon." He shook his head, "not that I'd mind all that much."

He was just cutting into the steak on his plate when he looked up at Em, "The horses and cattle should be gettin' close. Depending on weather, Indians and herd cutters." He forked a bite into his mouth and chewed it, swallowed, and added: "They've got rivers to cross, and bad rains could send 'em rushin' to where they'd be delayed, unable to cross. So, maybe we'll be there first. Might be close though." Then he went on with the meal.

"Guess we won't know until we're home."  Emeline cut into the flaky pastry and trout, fascinated at the technical skill it took to make, then popped the bite into her mouth and sighed.  "Oh, my, that is good!  So perfectly seasoned and cooked!"  The pastry was different than what she used for pies and turnovers, it was something she'd tried before, but wasn't practical for the cafe.

"I might try this for us at home, it's a lot of work, though, rolling out the dough real thin, then buttering and folding and rolling and buttering and folding."  She laughed.  "I should be able to find the time now, especially before the baby comes.  Do you want to try some?  I do hope the horses make it all right, I'd hate to think of something happening to any of them." 

"It is unfortunate that we had to have them shipped in with the cattle drive, but there was no other way. Having no hands to drive them any other way, with the cattle was the best way possible." He began, "Uh, no, no thanks, beef and fish don't really go together, at least not for me. But, those Morgans now, they would be a prime target for herd cutters, not to mention the Indians they might come across."

"Back to the matter of the fish, were you to make that for a supper, I'd be sure to eat it. Just don't see mixin' my steak with it, though it does look good, and I can see them wheels a turnin' already, you must have a passel 'o recipes you're waitin' to try on Kalispell's population."

"Besides being more efficient, I'm sure it's safer to have the horses among the cattle," Emeline speculated, "they'd have more men around them, I suspect?"  And maybe it would be more difficult to single the horses out?  She really didn't know exactly how it worked.  "I don't think it would be good to have them just standing in a train car day after day anyway. 

"We'll find out after tomorrow, after punch and Judy ride in a boxcar all day."  Then she had a thought, and brightened.  "I just might try breeding Judy with a Morgan, I think it would make a great workhorse!"  There were all sorts of possibilities, and she could try about anything she liked!

"We'll have more than a dozen riders with an old friend, Frank Teal ramrodding the outfit, so yeah, the herd will be protected. Most, if not alla them cowboys, are likely to stay on. with their trail boss stayin' on as foreman for the Rockin' P, we'll be in good shape so far as having enough, maybe more than enough hands to handle the work around the ranch. 'course now as we grow, that workload will increase, and I'll be needed more and more." He grinned, "But, we'll deal with that when the time comes."

"Now about the Lickskillet, that's yours, plain and simple. You are the one that says whether is kept or sold. It'll be up to you how that goes. You've built quite the clientele and it would be a shame to just let that go for cheap just to get out from under the property. Selling the business, if that's what you want, that makes sense if we keep the ground it sits on, but, as I said, it is yours to decide its future." He concluded.

"There will be time," Emeline commented, actually relieved that there was no rush to make a decision.  "I need to talk to Clara, see how the place is doing."  She chuckled.  "Heck, it could be closed for all we know."  That was really a joke, she had every confidence that Clara had, in the least, maintained clientele, and more likely increased business.

"If Clara doesn't want to be involved, that will change things, and she's going to have a child, too, so..?"  She shrugged.  "Of course we can keep the building, if the cafe doesn't work out, we can find a use for it...an apartment in town...I don't know, but I do have a fondness for it, it's the first thing that was just mine alone, and showed me that I could make it if I had to."

Not that she'd ever thought that she was helpless, but until she had to, she never would have even thought about whether or not she could make it alone.

"I'm glad that I don't have to be alone any more.  It has its advantages, I suppose, but life is so much better this way."

"There will be time," Emeline commented, actually relieved that there was no rush to make a decision. "I need to talk to Clara, see how the place is doing." She chuckled. "Heck, it could be closed for all we know."

"Doubtful, not that young lady. She's not one to give up," Barnabas said.

"If Clara doesn't want to be involved, that will change things, and she's going to have a child, too, so..?" She shrugged. "Of course we can keep the building, if the cafe doesn't work out, we can find a use for it...an apartment in town...I don't know, but I do have a fondness for it, it's the first thing that was just mine alone, and showed me that I could make it if I had to."

"She's driven alright, but a child on the way? Maybe she don't want to run the place, or maybe you two work it while you're able." He suggested, "Maybe you'll find someone to run 'er while you're both out. But then, would either of you really want to get back to work with a baby ta care for? That's the real question, now, ain't it?"

"You know, if not gettin' back to work, cuz you don't ever have to again, is in the cards, an' Clara don't want to run it, there's a couple options, either lease it, or rent the place, but I shorely don't see sellin' your property. Was that railroad ever to reach town, that place would do land office business, and work it or rent it, we'd be makin' a profit on your investment. Somethin' to consider."

"I'm glad that I don't have to be alone any more. It has its advantages, I suppose, but life is so much better this way."

"No Ma'am, I'd say yer stuck with me come what may." He boasted. And glad of it.

"Stuck with me you are!"  Emeline laughed.  "And certainly, we'll keep the property, I'm sure we'll find a use for it if we need to."  The building alone was an asset, and the more property they owned, the more they had to fall back on, should something horrible happen.

"It's true, I guess, that the railroad will encourage more business in town, and properties will be more valuable."  She was more than happy to keep the building, even if the Lutz's didn't need it as a residence.  "I know we have plenty of time to figure this all out, but I still can't help but feel anxious, like I want this to be figured out."  She laughed and shook her head.  "I want to be at the end, when it's all worked out perfectly, and then take the ride getting there!"

She knew that was an impossibility, even if it was possible, since things changed all the time, life was static, so the end result was constantly changing. 

"Well, look on the bright side of things, Em, we'll have plenty of time on the trail to plan for any and all possible outcomes. I do realize that no matter what we may decide on the way home, when we get there everything might change. But to talk out what we're thinking on the Lickskillet will be good. That and the house, and kids, horses, and cattle." He smiled broadly.

"I think one of the things I love about you is that we talk, and we talk a lot about a great number of things. Some folks hardly ever talk like we do, feel bad for 'em. Seems we could all but finish each other's sentences most times. I like that, says a lot about our relationship, and for me, it says we got us a strong one, one that'll stand the test of time. Will ya listen to me? Like I knew what I was talkin' about."

He could not imagine a life without her in it. Things had changed dramatically for them over the past couple of months and they seemed to have taken all of the good fortune in stride, and there was no reason they should not have.