Frontier General Store

Audrey puts the last dish on the table as Liz fills the milk glasses. Zander seats Mrs. Hardy while the girls seat themselves and then takes his own seat beside Mrs. Hardy and across from Sarah. Attempting to seat a lady while on crutches is quite the feat even though he'd been attempting to put more weight on the splinted leg. As soon as Zander is seated everyone joins hands and bowing their heads say a brief blessing. After the Amen's, dishes are passed. It is then that Audrey shares the news she'd been holding back all afternoon.

"I had an interesting conversation with Mr. Spencer."

Liz pauses in mid pass with the green beans then recovers and hands them to Sarah. Taking the bread from Zander, "Oh?"

"Well I'd gone over there to invite Lucky to Sunday dinner... but ended up talking to Mr. Spencer instead. Mr. Taggart stopped by with Mr. Morgan-- with information on our new neighbors."

"Are they the ones that were harassing the prospectors on the creek?" Sarah asks.

"Well there is nothing definitive." Audrey states to be clear. "But Mr. Morgan and Mr. Spencer both put great stock in the fact that Mr. Jacks' brother met him down by the creek that leads up to the mine."

"So the brother exists?" Zander asks.

"Oh yes. He is in the valley now too having brought supplies to assist his father and brother. He was in one of the wagons that headed up the valley today." Audrey waits until she has nods from everyone before continuing.

"Who was in the other wagon, Gram?" Sarah prompts. "I recognized Mr. Morgan and the two men... I think they were on the cattle drive."

"That was Dara Jensen. She's going to be staying with the Taggarts' for the winter."

Zander looks up from his meal recognizing the singer's name and then immediately reapplies himself.

"We should go up to the Taggart's and welcome her to the valley." Liz suggests eagerly always up for visiting.

"Darling, I thought the very same thing." Audrey agrees with a nod. "And mentioned it to Mr. Marcus and Mr. Morgan. Both let me know that Miss Jenson has been recently ill and is just now recovering. They don't want her to be overwhelmed."

Sarah swallows to clear her throat. "So we'll spread the visits out to make sure she feels welcome."

Marcus passes the rice to his mother and reaches for the boat of gravy. "Miz Audrey will probably be stopping by tomorrow. Ran into her up at the Spencer's place."

Flo frowns at that one which Dara catches. "Is there a problem?"

"Mrs. Hardy is about the closest we have to a doctor out here. Her husband was a doctor and she assisted him as his nurse for years until he passed. That's what got her moving out to Montana. Looking for a change for her and her granddaughters: Lizzie and Sarah." Gia explains.

"And you believe there is going to be a problem?" Dara repeats again toward Flo.

"Miz Audrey has never been anything but kind." Flo finally says.

"Tell ya later" Gia mouths to Dara.

Washing up in the warm water set aside in the front of the cabin, the guys juggle for position in the getting smaller all the time Spencer cabin. The cabin is built tight for five adults and one child with all their provisions and now there are three extra men in the house, one of whom rivals Marcus Taggart in size. Laura fed Lulu early and sent her to Bobbie and Carly's bed where she could see everything but not be underfoot. The little girl watches closely listening for every addition to her vocabulary. Finally the men gather around the table dishing their own from the serving dishes in the middle. Conversation is nonexistent 'cept for an occasional "Thank you, Ma'am." as glasses of water, milk or cups of coffee are refilled. Only after the table is clear, and compliments given to the cooks do the men get down to some serious jawing.

Lucky who hadn't been at the hunting camp earlier asks Jason. "So what are the Jacks up to?"

Jason shrugs. "Near as I can figure they're like those Cassadines. Looking for a home base and stretching out from there."

Johnny adds. "You should talk to Miss Dara. She was making some inquiries too, right boss?" At Jason's nod, Johnny continues. "That Jax guy was getting telegraphs from all over: back east, out in California... all over."

Luke slowly nods. "So they wouldn't be bothering with this little valley cept for Cassadine. Since he's already got the General Store used to packing things out here."

Jason nods but adds. "That and the proximity to the mine. They are buying up a lot of claims."

"They start cattle rustling they're gonna get shot." Rinaldo growls. The expression on his face changes as Bobbie rests one hand on his shoulder for balance a she pours more coffee. Laura might look more like an angel but men took one look at Bobbie and fell immediately in lust. A slight blush starts climbing up Rinaldo's face as he stutters his thanks.

Luke shakes his head and grins. Barbara Jean did have a way about her. And the bigger they are the harder they fall. "Well I'm going outside to have a smoke and a little nip of..." Luke pats his vest pocket. "Anyone else?"

The men file out, grabbing their coats, to stand on the porch, rolling cigarettes or packing pipes.

Bobbie, Laura and Carly quickly set the room to rights, Lulu scrambles down from the loft to help as she can-- sweeping and tidying up. The women move the benches and stools around to make more room in the center of the room. After every thing is set to rights, Laura dishes three plates and the women finally get their evening meal.

When the men come back in, the woodstove rather than the table becomes the center of attention. Everyone gets comfortable. Carly stays on the wood covered earth bench that is the back of the main part of the cabin. It's kinda far from the woodstove but thanks to all the extra bodies in the cabin it is no hardship. Specially when Jason slides into the spot next to her.

Luke whispers in Lulu's ear. She nods and then runs across the room and crawls under the table and between Carly and Jason. "Hello."

"Hello." Jason looks down at the little girl carefully masking his frustration.

"Your eyes are as blue as the sky in summer."

"Lulu!" Carly protest. "Sorry."

"It's true!" Lulu protests right back.

Jason just shakes his head. What could you say to that?

Lucky pulls up a stool across from Carly and Jason. He'd promised his cousin way back when to treat Jason right if he came around the front door. "I hear Miss Dara is staying down at the Taggart's. Now that gal can sing." Lucky practically gushes.

"She ran in to some trouble in Charlestown." Jason finally says. "Better she takes the winter off from town."

"I can't complain about that." Luke also pulls up a stool. Lulu starts to duck under the table again to sit in her daddy's lap but Luke stays her with a quick hand movement close to the table. Lulu nods and settles back between Carly and Jason. "Played piano for her a few times when I was in town. She definitely is the draw at Jakes. Glad to have her in the valley. What kind of trouble?"

Jason looks down at Lulu who looks back up at him with interest in his answer. "Trouble. Just trouble."

Bobbie's face goes blank as she mind races. Singer, Jakes, Saloon, trouble. She slowly interjects measuring her words carefully. "Then we'll just have to make sure that she doesn't have any trouble here."

"I was hoping you'd say that, ma'am."

Natasha takes a last look in the mirror before rising and smoothing down her dress. The fashion is more practical than in times past with a close fitting skirt that accentuate a woman's frame if perhaps a bit padded to create a more generous posterior. But the bodice of the dinner dress is cut less modestly than some. A look she can pull off thanks to her age and European upbringing. Natasha adjusts the bodice and then reaching to the vanity top picks up one of the cut crystal perfume bottles and uses the stopper to put a trace amount on her wrists and throat.
The benefits of a classical education, She knows how to play this game. Nobody plays it better than a Cassadine and nobody better than a Cassadine woman. While Stefan recognized her intelligence and had encouraged her studies, it was not her original lot in life. Unless she wanted to be a little drudge of a governess powerless and paid a pittance. No, the only path to power is a liaison either formal, as in marriage, or informal what her mother had shared with Prince Mikkos Cassadine until her death at the hand's of Mikko's wife, Helena.

"Madam?" Mrs. Lansbury finally interrupts Natasha's internal dialogue.

"Yes, Mrs. Lansbury?" Natasha replies absently.

"Your guests have arrived. They are straightening up now. Master Nikolas is changing for dinner."

"And dinner?"

"Master Stefan wishes to dine late. I've set up the sherry in the living room."

"The spare rooms have been prepared if the evening goes late?"

"Of course, Madam."

"I will be right down."

Down the way at the Taggart's place, Dara washes while Gia puts away the dishes. It's real obvious where things go, as there are hooks on the wall for anything with a handle and the plates up on a rail. But it gives them a chance to get know each other better. Flo stays back a bit but keeps a careful ear on the conversation to make sure there is nothing said that might influence her daughter toward a path she shouldn't go.

"Where are you from?"

"Originally-- Kansas City, Missouri." Dara hands Gia a plate.

Mindful of the other ears listening, Gia decides to keep it to the stuff that is relevant to the whole family and where she figures that Dara can be of the greatest assistance to the Taggart's. "It gets cold there too right?"

Dara laughs. "Oh yeah, it gets cold. I've seen drifts of snow fifteen feet deep with my own eyes. It hasn't even begun to get cold here yet."

"My lands." Flo mutters with a shiver. It had been bad enough with the breaking ice off the water barrels. There had been a dusting of snow back in April and then again this month but she can't even imagine snow as deep as a man standing on another's shoulders. "How does a body manage?"

Gia gives an internal sigh of relief. Dara's welcome to the valley is now set as far as her mama is concerned. Dara is now the expert for the Taggart family for all things winter related. "The Hardy's and The Spencer's, they're all from New York. So they been telling some tales and it's nothing like Alabama that is for sure."

"That's a fact." Dara agrees as she takes some pots from Flo who'd been cleaning up after the meal. "Not that I've ever been down South proper. Heard too many tales from the porters on the trains and on the riverboats. And as to how a body manages... well, you just do all you can and hope for the best. Making sure that you take care of the basics needed to get by: shelter, heat, water, food. Then hope and pray the spell breaks afore you do."

"My lands." Flo mutters again and sits down next to the cleared table. What had she gotten her family into?

"Gia's been keeping a close eye on the other families and their doings making sure we cut at least as much firewood and the like." Marcus interjects.

Dara nods. "It's a year round proposition. Can't have too much in my opinion. Wood burns better if it's had a chance to dry a bit. Seemed to be the thing to do-- go out and cut wood in February for the next winter to give it plenty of time to season."

"But how does a body actually stay warm?" Flo asks.

"Layers." Dara wipes her hands, the last of the dishes done. "You put on as many layers of clothes as it takes to stay warm and to make sure that the layer next to you stays dry. Cause wet and cold means ice. The best barriers to the cold are things that came off of animals to start which makes the most sense of course-- fur, leather, wool. They kept the critters warm." Dara says practically. "It's real important to keep your body warm and dry otherwise you're a goner. Course the first thing that is going to feel the effects are goin' to be your fingers and toes. If they get iced up... well then you might lose them and count your blessings if you didn't get the gangrene."

Jasper Jacks walks into the front parlor of the Cassadine's house. Like others that have come before him, he wonders that the house is less than a year old as it seems to have a timeless quality to it. The furnishings are as grand as any he'd seen in California in the homes of people who'd made their fortunes in gold or cattle.

"Would you care for sherry, Mr. Jacks, while we wait for the others?" Natasha asks from behind the cut crystal decanter.

Jax nods and crosses to where Natasha stands. She hands him a generous glass of sherry. He takes a sip and a brow goes up. Evidently it wasn't just the furnishing that are grand. "Thank you."

"The others will be down soon, I am sure." Natasha accepts his thanks with a nod. "Perhaps you could take this time to fill me in on all the news from Charlestown and beyond." Natasha goes over to a couch taking a seat and then patting the space next to her. "I so seldom get any news." She makes a small shrug that dips the cap sleeves of her evening attire lower on her arms. "Other than Stefan's boring business." Natasha tempts looking over at Jax thru her eyelashes.

Jax takes the seat lured by the lady's invitation and gentle manner and the unwitting possibility of information about the Cassadine interests. "In any way I can be of service, Miss Cassadine."

Isn't that just what a bull does, Mr. Jacks? Natasha focuses on her hands to not give her thought away but then with a small smile looks back at her brother's guest. She angles her body more toward Jax and leans forward giving him her undivided attention and making sure she has his. "Then please do tell me the latest news, Mr. Jacks."

Zander goes out to the barn after dinner to check on the condition of the animals and to make sure that everything is ship shape for the next day. Liz finds an excuse to follow him out there. "You know who she is too. That Dara Jensen when she was living in Charlestown she was living at Jake's saloon. I saw it on your face."

"You saw on my face that she was living at Jake's saloon." Zander hobbles over on his crutches to check the water on all the animals. "Right. You might have seen that I recognized her name. But the only way you could have known about Jake's Saloon..." He gives her a questioning look and shakes his head.

Lizzie winces and flushes. "All right, so you got me there. On a trip to town... we sold produce and soaps and the like to the backdoor of all the businesses."

"We being you and Gia." Zander fills in the blank. "And all the businesses meaning even the businesses you had no business doing business with."

"Are you going to tell Gram... or Sarah?"

"Don't put me in that spot, Elizabeth." Zander warns.

"You didn't say anything at supper." Liz reminds him. "Maybe you've got something to hide too." She suggests slyly. Zander stiffens at that. With resolve and more speed than Lizzie thought him capable of he starts back toward the cabin. "Zander! Wait! I didn't mean that the way it came out. I know you were just trying to save Miss Jenson from any trouble. And I'm a-okay with that. She seemed really nice in town." Liz starts talking fast getting in front of Zander to slow him down. "I think we should let Gram make up her own mind. Not say anything that might cause her to pre- judge Miss Jenson."

Zander slows down. "I might make a deal on that with you."

Liz sticks out her hand before Zander can change his mind. "Deal."

Zander shakes Liz's hand and as he does says. "As long as you promise to stay far, far away from Jakes or any other saloon."

Liz drops his hand likes it's a hot coal. "Not fair! We need the business! You know that the General Store doesn't pay enough for the stuff we make!"

"Promise or no deal." Zander says flatly. "I understand that you figure you need the business but you can just work around that. Have Lucky go, or me, or even one of the married ladies. But you got no business, Lizzie, not you nor Gia being anyplace around a saloon and the rough necks that hang out there."

Liz grinds her teeth but finally nods. "I promise."

Mrs. Lansbury serves the main course clearing away the soup. She makes sure that all the wine glasses are filled. Stefan is at one end of the table and Natasha at the other. Jerry and Jax are seated down by Natasha while John Jacks and Nikolas sit down by Stefan. Jerry has already caught on to the game. The Cassadines have been generous in all things but especially the wine, not that he minds since the tucker is fine, and it was something that he would have done in their place. But he keeps a close eye on his little brother.
Jax is used to the finer things in life and takes them as his due. He'd also been raised to treat women as fine china not realizing that women other than Lady Jane also had brains in their head and were a deceptive lot. He could tell already that Jax is smitten with Miss Cassadine and the flow of information is going in one direction... the wrong one. The only hope of getting out of this without totally giving the game away is the fact that they were heading back to Charlestown directly giving them a head start. There was nothing that Cassadine could do about the Jack's interests even if they took a notion to interfere.
At the other end of the table, Stefan talks with John Jacks about current events and business trends reading the older man's body language to ascertain what the Jacks are invested in. He keeps a close eye on the other end of the table noting that Jerry Jack is leaving his wine barely touched. He makes eye contact with Natasha and makes a barely perceptible tilt of his head in the direction of Jerry. Without missing a beat, Natasha turns to Jerry and asks his opinion of something his brother had just said and makes all efforts to involve the standoffish Jacks in the conversation.

Jason looks down at the weight on his arm. The little one had finally givin' up the ghost and is sleeping; most of her weight resting against him and if he wasn't mistaken drooling down his shirt sleeve too.

"Let me." Laura comes around to the bench where Jason and Carly sit with Lulu sandwiched between them. Carly holds the baby steady while Jason slides out. He picks up the little girl and hands her to her mother. "She stayed up as late as she could I guess." Laura takes Lulu up to the loft and changes her into her nightclothes. Bobbie soon follows bringing a brick heated under the stove to warm the sheets.

Jason stays standing and with a sigh finally gives in to the inevitable. Didn't look like there was a chance in heck he was going to get any alone time with Carly. "Figure we should probably turn in for the evening." Johnny and Rinaldo stand up too.

"No reason for the evening to end." Luke says cheerfully. "Why don't we just move it out to the barn. Let the wimmen folk get their rest and we can play a few hands of cards before turning in."

Jason can already see Luke's plan. He wasn't going to be out of Spencer's sight for as long as he was on the property. Before Johnny and Rinaldo can take Spencer up on it, "Thanks but we should be catching some shut eye ourselves-- need to make an early start."

Carly sees it as well and silently curses. "I'm sure Aunt Laura wouldn't want you to be on your way without a warm breakfast. So we'll see you in the morning." She insists.

Jason finally nods. "See you in the morning."

Luke walks the men out and then comes back in making a production of making sure the front door is secure. "Ain't it time you were in bed, Little Girl?" He asks his niece.

"It isn't fair!" Carly exclaims but is careful to keep her voice low enough that she doesn't have to worry about waking Lulu.

"Life ain't fair." Luke agrees with a nod. He plants a chair by the front door and gets comfortable; it's going to be a long night. If he didn't miss a guess, if it wasn't Caroline trying to meet up with her beau then it would be that Rinaldo fella figuring on getting to know Barbara Jean better.

Jerry looks down the valley as he walks his horse back down to Zander Smith's place. The walk would give him time to sober up. He winces as his father bursts into song and almost falls off the wagon that Jax is driving. Luckily the team seemed to know where they were going. The Cassadines had even gotten him. It wasn't the sherry before, or the wine with dinner, or the champagne with dessert, or even the brandy and cigars after. It had been the vodka over a few hands of cards. Cassadine had tossed back the colorless, flavorless beverage like it was water. He'd matched it for the first shot before the heat hit the back of his throat and his stomach. Then it hit his brain harder than any whiskey he'd ever tried. Only now was it all coming back. He hadn't given away any of the Jacks business, at least he didn't think so.

Jerry sees the light in the distance, beyond the little soddie. The Spencer place. Where that fine looking woman with the hair like flame lived. No, he hadn't given away any Jacks business just some wishful thinking of his own.

Evening Fashions of 1882 (year before story is set)

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