Adam's Heart by Marianne Spitzer

Author:Marianne Spitzer [Spitzer, Marianne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-12-14T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Judge Magarey paced back and forth in the new community meeting room with his hands behind his back. The scent of fresh hewn wood surrounded him, but his anger grew the longer he paced, and the sound of silent hammers was deafening. There should be men working on the floors above him. How can an order of lumber meant for a town hall be delivered to someone else? The first-floor community room was finished, but the second-floor courtroom and offices were behind schedule. He groaned wondering when the third floor would finally be completed. His office would be on the third floor, and the view out of his windows would be of the open fields and trees, not the sight of Main Street that his office had now.

At least, he mused, they could now hold this ridiculous council meeting in the new hall and not the church. The city had rules and laws for a reason. How dare Malcolm Reed try to change the rules to fit his business needs. As progressive as the town of Gentle Falls was, he would not see Reed’s new saloon drag the town backward. After all, they now had a woman on the city council along with a younger business owner. Both Henrietta Picklesimer, the former Widow Biggs, and young Callahan added a progressive element to the city council. Progressive or not, the town would not allow Reed to have working girls in his new saloon.

Sheriff Ben Clay pushed the heavy wooden double doors open and told the residents to find a seat quietly and quickly if they wanted to attend the council meeting. He would not allow a boisterous meeting and did his best to explain that to people as they passed. As the town residents filled the newly completed community room, the rest of the council members entered through a side door. Louis Masters and Morton Willoughby joined Henrietta, Callahan, and the judge at the table placed at the front of the hall. Five chairs were set behind the table facing the large group of residents.

The judge whispered to Morton, “Did the entire town come out for this meeting?”

“I believe so,” Morton replied. “I heard my wife say the Church Ladies League would be here along with their husbands. That would account for about half the people here.”

“I hope your wife won’t cause another scene.”

“I warned her, Judge, but the ladies have strong feelings when it comes to having soiled doves in town. Alberta declared during breakfast that they would go to jail before allowing the council to change any rules.”

The judge nodded, rubbed his forehead, greeted the other council members, and sat on the middle chair at the table. He glanced out over the faces he recognized and noticed that most of the women sat in a group near the front of the room. The burgundy fabric upholstered backless benches added a bit of dignity to the room, but they also allowed the ladies to sit close together and whisper. He groaned inwardly knowing at least a few of them would cause a ruckus before the meeting was over.

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