Wind of Change, Part 1: The Wild West
Chapter 4 - Friday August 26th, 1873 -
In the morning, Meg ran down the stairs quickly, buttoning up the last buttons of her shirt, as she went. Making a pony tail with her long curly blonde hair, she passed in front of the bar, where Hank and Quentin talked while drinking.
Hank found it amusing how she seemed to take this new job so seriously. "You forgot to take your breakfast this morning, you'll need strength for this job, you know?" and Quentin followed: "And you forgot your lunch too!" They laughed.
Meg stopped and turned to them. "Oh! Yes!" she sighed. "I will pass by Grace Café to take my glass of milk Daddy!" Meg grinned, rolling her eyes and left the building and walked toward the sheriff office.
Preston brought Brittany to town this morning and their first stop was The Gazette. They entered the building and Preston made the introductions.
"Brittany Lodge, Dorothy Jennings, the newspaper owner in town. Dorothy Jennings, my cousin Brittany."
Dorothy smiled to see the new owner of the hotel and shook her hand.
"It is so nice to meet you Miss Lodge. How do you like your new acquisition?" the old women asked.
"Of course I like it, and the place is wonderful here!" Brittany said, while looking toward the newspapers on the desk.
Dorothy noticed the direction of her gaze and held out a newspaper toward the young woman. "Here you are, fresh from the presses!"
"Wonderful! How much do I owe you?" Brittany exclaimed, taking the newspaper.
"Nothing, Preston already paid yesterday!" Dorothy answered.
"Really" Brittany said, raising an eyebrow to her cousin. "Are you sure you are my cousin Preston?"
"Don't forget that we have to complete the file for the transaction," the banker replied, "I only have to add a few more dollars on it and you will not owe me any more!" he said while following her to the door. "Have a nice day, Dorothy," Preston said at the door.
Brittany knocked into Hank on the other side of the door and her newspaper fell to the ground.
"Sorry... Brittany. Let me help you," he said with his soft voice. He picked up part of the newspaper, his eyes skimming a little of what's said. He exclaimed all surprised, "A dressed up ball?"
"Yes, Do you have something against it?" the lady asked.
"No, that is just something unusual to see around here. Is this like a masquerade ball?" Hank asked, continuing to collect the rest of newspaper.
"Yes, I like the mystery side of it, don't you?" she said with a mischievoussmile.
"That sounds interesting..." Hank started before being interrupted by Preston.
"I have a schedule to follow; we must go to the bank to complete the transaction, Brittany."
"Oh yes...," her eyes crossed Hanks glance. "I hope to see you at my evening there, Hank?"
"You can count on me Brittany," he said, while kissing her hand. Preston sighed and Hank smiled victoriously toward the banker.
Matthew entered the office and was surprised to see a woman sitting at his desk.
"You must be Matt?" she asked, pointing toward him.
"Yes, Matthew. And..."
"Meg!" she said, standing up and extending her hand. "I'll work with you for the next few weeks." He shook her hand while he nodded.
"It is nice to meet you Meg. You draw?" he asked pointing toward the desk.
"Yes, Dan asked me to draw the portrait of this coward," pointing toward the guy that was involved in the shooting yesterday, now in the cell. "It's to send to Denver, just in case."
"Oh nice." he saw the badge on her shirt. "Did he give you something else in your task for the day?"
"Ya, he told me to tell you to bring this document to Mr. O'Brien, and to show me around." Matthew took the document and start reading.
"Ok, so, let me know when you are ready. I'll look at the document until then."
Just after entering the bank, Preston sat down on his chair, and said to his cousin: "You seem very familiar with Hank?"
"Oh, you know, I just stay informed about my competitors in town. A strange man I must say..." Brittany answered, sitting in front of Preston's desk.
"If you want any advice, avoid Hank, he can only bring you trouble."
"You are not going to tell me what to do, you azre not my father!" she said eagerly.
"Nicolas never prevented you from doing anything and that is probably what brings you the all problems you've been having."
"If I left Boston, it was because since my father pass away, I couldn't bear hearing your parent's advices any more, every day, they are so perfect together and they know more than anybody how things must be done!" Brittany sighed. "Poor Amelia..."
Preston put the papers down and faced his cousin.
"What does Amy has to do with this discussion?"
"Oh, you know Preston! She is an artist, she can't hide her emotion, and your parents always disagree with this attitude. She is strong, but in front of your parents, now all alone, can you imagine how her life is?"
Preston sighed; continued to look his papers like he hadn't heard a thing.
"I thought..." Brittany paused. Preston raised an eyebrow, intrigued, listening for what she will say. "I thought that you would have come back sooner to Boston, you know?" she asked.
"And why are you saying that? I have a business here now."
"Preston, how can you stay so cold?" she said upset. He tried to ignore her, but knew what she was talking about.
She stood up before continuing the discussion.
"That you left Boston because you can't accept that Amelia married your brother, Edward, for one thing. That you were not there when she needed your comfort is another! She was your best friend since childhood, if I remember correctly; she should have had your support, especially with regard to your parents."
"She managed well without me before; she can easily manage it without me again." Preston answered with a neutral voice, looking again at the papers.
"How is she supposed to understand your attitude? It is close to two years now since Edward died, and you didn't even talk to her at the burial."
"I was busy that day, only a few days in Boston and a lot of things to do. And who cares about all this?" he said, with no emotions what so ever.
"Did you one time, only one time, ever tell her that you loved her? I am talking more than best friends here? Before her wedding or after Edward's death? I'm sure not!" Brittany shouted. "You only have what you deserve, alone and crying to yourself!"
"You can speak well!" he shouted while standing up. "It is not you're placed to give me advice on what I should do or should not do! You're just a scatterbrain who has just inherited your father's money and all you are able to do is spend it on a stupid ball for townsfolk who will probably not be able to appreciate it in the manner it should be. In a few months you'll have nothing more if you don't take your business seriously Brittany!" Preston had not thought about what he had said to his cousin, but was sure that she deserved it after her intervention in his private life.
"Well, the 'scatterbrain' will let you go back to your work and take some fresh air outside!" Brittany said with an angry voice. Preston said nothing more, just stared at her leaving the bank and then went back to reading the documents on his desk.
Outside the bank, the sunlight blinded her. It wasn't the first time that she was insulted, far from it! It was true that even in Boston she did not go unnoticed. For some people, she was too eccentric or she seemed not to care about the inheritance she received a few months earlier. Her open mindedness also didn't please this high society inked in some restrained ideas for so many centuries. She had heard many insults but this one coming from her cousin hurt her deeply.
On the other side of the street, Hank saw her and noticed how she seemed disturbed. He walked towards her, while tapping his cowboy hat.
"Brittany."
She turned to him and tried to smile.
"Hank."
"Is something wrong?"
"No. Yes, but no… that is alright. I'm not here to annoying people."
"Do you want to take a walk?" he asked politely, wanting to change the mind of the beautiful newcomer.
"No. I mean, yes, I would like, but I have an appointment with Dr. Quinn for the clinic's resort. I have to go to Denver tomorrow, so if you are always ready for a walk, we could meet Sunday?"
He smiled, "Perfect."
"Why not after church and at the same time you could show me around" she asked.
"A-After church? Yes, that... that will be perfect. Let me accompany you to the clinic now." He offers his arm to the woman who accepts it graciously.
Elisa entered town and stopped at the Café to buy some breakfast for the Reverend. She walked back to the clinic and saw a note from Dr. Mike, who left for the resort. The nurse walked upstairs with some breakfast and she went slowly so as not to disturb the Reverend, in case he was sleeping.
"Reverend?" she whispered.
"Good morning Mrs. Walsh."
"I bring you something to eat, you should be hungry." she said, while putting down the plate on the drawer.
"Thank you, that is nice of you to think about it."
"My job is to take care of the patients health, a good breakfast always helps to feel better. Oh, and this is for you." she took out of her pocket a telegram. "Mr. Bing asks me to deliver it to you."
"A telegram?" he exclaimed.
"Yes, you want..." she asked unsure.
"Yes please, read it."
"That is about the orphanage. The director will come in two weeks and he would like to meet with you." she answered.
"Well, that is perfect, perfect time with the ending of the construction. The orphanage will be ready to open finally." the Reverend said. "Not all children have a chance to have a family, if we can help some of them that would be great." he said, while trying not to grin.
"Are you in pain Reverend? Let me see your wound"
"It's fine, I'm sure."
"We don't have to take any chance Reverend, the wound was really bad. Please, don't be a kid and let me see it, I'm here to heal you, not to hurt you." she smiled.
Just after finishing lunch, Matthew and Meg left the town on their horses and rode for few moments before Matthew start talking.
"If you take the road here, you go to the Springs Château, the other hotel. If Dr. Mike is not in town, she can be at the hotel health resort." Matthew explained.
"She seem really busy this Dr. Mike."
"Ya, she is, but she loves her job and helping people. That is our Dr. Mike."
"I can't wait to be sick; I just heard good things about her." Meg laughed.
"You don't need to be sick to meet her, you know?"
"Ya, maybe but..." the woman paused and glanced at the right side.
"Someone is building a house?" she pointed.
Matthew grinned; they arrived near his new house.
"I am trying to complete it before winter comes."
"This is yours?" Meg laughed again and Matthew wasn't sure. "Sorry Matt, that is nice for you. It's just that I haven't met many people with real ambitions before, like a house, family and all, you know?"
"And what are yours?"
"Mine? What can a woman without education, who gains her life with a riffle, poker and whiskey can possibly think to do?"
"You forget that you are good at drawing, I saw the portrait you made. You know, Hank's son studied in an Art school, maybe you can become an Art teacher?"
"Teaching? I will never go to school and kids scare me! They run everywhere and yell too much. I would rather have my own saloon, where I can be my own boss. That would be the perfect life for m..." she stopped her horse. "Matt, did you see this?"
"What?"
She pointed the shrub, "There is something in the shrub." Both jump down of their horses and Matthew moved his hand, telling to Meg not to move. He pushed the foliage slowly and saw a dead mans body with a scar on his neck.
"But, that is..." he whispered while Meg moved closer to him.
"That is the guys who shot the Reverend! That's him!" she replied, recognizing the scar.
Matthew nodded, unsure about what to think - who had sliced the throat of this guy?