“Hold on,” the gambler said in a distinct Irish brogue. “I’ll not have you moving away from me, Boudicca.”
Dovie hissed, “You don’t get a say in what I do, Heath Leary.”
“So you keep telling me, love.”
Dovie blew out an exasperated breath.
Regan had no idea who or what a Boudicca was but she was caught by Leary’s affectionate tone and the way the two gazed at each other as if they were the only people in the room. A curious Regan turned to Lucretia who leaned over and whispered, “He’s real sweet on our Dovie. She’s sweet on him, too, but won’t admit it.”
Undertaker Lyman Beck spoke for the first time. “I must admit, I voted no on the raise. I didn’t see why we needed to pay Adams more. I only went to the third grade and I’ve done pretty good for myself. However, I’ve been telling my daughter what a nice town we have, hoping she’ll move here from Indiana, but she has three children. She won’t come now if we don’t have a teacher.”
Dovie said, “And neither will anyone else with little ones.”
Cale asked the men seated around the room, “What do you think?”
One with a beard that rivaled Odell’s replied, “How do the ladies propose we pay a new teacher what they think he’d be worth? Council shouldn’t be asking folks with no children to do it.”
Lucretia turned around in her seat. “Ed Sterling, you have five grandchildren in Cheyenne. Why’d your daughter Lindy and your son-in-law move away from here?”
He grumbled, “We didn’t have a schoolteacher.”
“Exactly. It’s why most of my children moved away, too. Between my children and yours, the town lost good tax-paying families because Paradise won’t offer steady learning.”
Glenda added, “The Territorial government is begging people to settle here so we can gain statehood, but miserly decisions like this will continue to hold us back.”
“Miserly!” Miller snapped. “Arnold, send your wife home. I’ll not be insulted this way.”
Glenda countered, “But you can insult me by asking my husband to send me home? I’m not a child, Chauncey.”
Her husband wheedled, “Glenda, please be civil.”
Arms folded, she sat back in her seat and seethed.
Cale said, “My apologies, Chauncey.”
Glenda snapped, “Don’t you dare apologize for me, Arnold Cale, I’m not your child either.”
He turned beet red.
Regan had no idea the Paradise women were so forceful.
Making a point of avoiding his wife’s glare, Cale said, “I propose that if you ladies can get fifty people in town to sign a petition to pay a teacher more than we paid Adams, the council will take it under consideration.”
Dovie replied sarcastically, “If we get the signatures you’ll consider it? Why not be truthful and simply say you aren’t going to act on this because that’s what you mean.”
Leary weighed in, “Boudicca, if you get the signatures, the council will act, not just consider. You have my word.”
Dovie didn’t appear convinced, so he repeated, “You have my word.”
Regan wondered who she had to bribe to learn the story behind Dovie and the Irish gambler.
Nelson added, “You ladies have my word, too. There’s going to be a territorial college opening next year. If the legislature believes education is important, we should follow their lead. In fact, I’ll help gather signatures.”
Miller stared angrily. The mayor threw up his hands.
Regan wondered why even require the signatures if that was the case, but she supposed it was a way for the council to save face.
Lucretia asked, “And in the meantime, who’ll teach our children?”