“A lot of you
hard working men helping to build our fine hotel have decided to stay on and
the townspeople of Clear Creek appreciate your hard work, welcome you, and hope
you’ll continue to join us on Sunday mornings.
But we’re going to need more workers and thank the Lord above more are
forthcoming. Many of which are …” Josiah
looked over the congregation, cringed slightly, then gripped the pulpit. “Women.”
The church exploded.
Not literally of course, but if the hooting
and hollering was any louder, one would think a full revival was taking
place. And, Madeline supposed, one could
refer to it as a revival of sorts. The
men were certainly paying attention to what Josiah King had to say now. If any
of them were falling asleep in the back they were certainly revived after that statement.
“Quiet!” Josiah shouted over the noise. “Calm down please. Yes it’s exciting news,” he said as he
stepped away from the pulpit and began to walk back and forth across the
platform. “But our new hotel isn’t going
to thrive if you men bombard the new workers with marriage proposals before the
women even have a chance to start to work! So, I’m going to ask you not to
steal away Mr. Van Cleet’s cooks and maids before he opens his establishment!”
The happy crowd suddenly sobered at his statement
and half of them sat with a groan.
“Now see here, preacher. It’s a free country and if we want to court
the new women that come to town, who’s gonna stop us?” a voice called.
“I can.”
Mr. Van Cleet announced as he stood.
“It’s already written into my employee rules. Any employee who fraternizes with the patrons
will be fired.”
Mr. Berg groaned audibly and rolled his
eyes. Madeline looked up at him but he
had his eyes tightly shut and was shaking his head slowly back and forth, his
jaw tight. Was he trying not to laugh?
The men in the church looked at one another a
moment before they began to grumble amongst themselves. Mr. Berg’s eyes sprang open at the sound and
he casually glanced around to take in the disappointed faces of the men. His entire body now shook with the effort it
took not to laugh and Madeline knew it.
But what on Earth was so funny?
Then she knew. Of course!
Madeline slowly glanced about at the rest of
the congregation as the men continued to moan and grumble in protest. How long would it take them, she wondered, to
figure out that to fraternize with the women and get them fired was also the quickest
way to marry them? No wonder Mr. Berg
found it all so amusing. And come to
think of it, it was! She wondered if Mr.
Van Cleet had thought of it yet. Surely
he had!
“We want Clear Creek to grow and prosper, and
yes those of you who have decided to stay will surely be wanting to marry. But you have to give the town a chance to
catch up first! And this means at least
have the courtesy to wait until a second batch of workers arrive once Mr. Van
Cleet figures out exactly how many extra he might need.”
The men in the congregation looked at one
another. A few began to nod their agreement. “Sound’s fair enough,” one said.
“What about those of us that want to stay, but
aren’t needed to finish the inside?”
Another man asked.
“The Triple C will be hiring. They’re sorely in need of hands, isn’t that
right Colin?” Josiah asked.
Colin and Belle sat in the front pew. He stood and turned to the congregation. “That’s right. As soon as the exterior of the hotel is
finished, my brothers and I want to talk with those of you who’ve had
experience working a ranch. Mr. Kincaid
our foreman along with one of us will be doing the hiring. And if Mr. Van Cleet
can spare any of you now, we’d be forever grateful.”
“We’ll talk after service, Colin!” Mr. Van Cleet cried from the back of the
church. Colin waved to him then retook
his seat.
“Now I didn’t mean to turn our first real
church service into a town meeting,” Josiah began. “But church is one of the
few times everyone’s gathered in one place.
But what say we get back to the Lord’s business, then enjoy the nice
lunch the ladies have all pitched in and prepared?”
Another cheer went up, many of the men not
used to being in church. Mr. Berg held
one hand over his mouth and shook in silent laughter as the men behind them
continued to let their preacher know how happy they were at the prospect of being
fed some home cooking.
She looked up at him, and he must have caught
the disapproving gleam in her eye as he quickly cleared his throat, stilled his
body, and took on an air of innocence.
The sudden boyish look he now sported nearly
made Madeline fall off the pew. For a
man of such fierce size and strength, he was absolutely adorable when he wanted
to be, and for some reason, his sudden boyish demeanor made her blush something
awful.
She quickly adjusted her bonnet, hoping he
wouldn’t notice. But even if Mr. Berg
didn’t notice, Mr. King did. He looked
right at her, glanced to Mr. Berg, and smiled.
“Love is a grand thing in the
sight of the Lord. Let us give to Him
then, the kind of love He deserves from us, and out of that love we can then
love the one He brings into our life to wed.”
“You tell em, Josiah!” A man called from the back of the church.
The entire congregation once again erupted
into applause.
Josiah King, his face lit up with joyous
defeat, motioned to the crowed to quiet down one last time. “Good people of Clear Creek,” he began. “Let us pray.”
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