Showdown at Shelby's Shack

- Nellie, darling, you simply must sit up.

One would think all your years at miss Finley's

boarding school for ladies was a complete waste

of your parents' time and money.

- Yes, of course. You're absolutely right, aunt Margaret.

Here, let me help you, dear.

Oh.

Forgive me, aunt Margaret. I was lost in thought.

Lost in thought? A lady?

Such nonsense!

Now then, you simply must tell me about William cabbot.

- What about him? I've only met him once.

- Yes, and I heard he took quite a shine to you

at the warrens' dinner party.

Everyone said so.

I didn't notice.

I was thinking about Ben Harper's story about

the cattle ranches out west.

- Another cattleman trying to cozy up

with the cream of our fine city.

Someone should run him out of town.

Oh, no, this tea simply will not do.

Franklin?

Franklin, where have you gone?

Is it asking too much for a proper cup of tea?

You know, we really should start taking our tea

in the Kennedy garden.

Oh, my. That reminds me.

I was having brunch there last week with Minerva Wilson,

and she said she overheard Sarah Anderson

confiding in Harriet Goodman that she is thinking

of joining the women's suffrage movement.

Can you imagine the scandal?

I see no reason for a scandal.

She's simply standing up for a woman's right to vote.

- Shh. - Perhaps I'll join her.

Nellie!

Lower your voice.

I swear, child.

I really am going to have to talk to your mother about these

crazy ideas you get in this pretty little head of yours!

What will be next? Wearing men's trousers, I suppose?

Nevermind. You know, we have much planning to do.

Planning?

- Have you forgotten my party already?

We have exactly three weeks to plan the meals,

order the new tablecloths, and I'm counting on you

to send out the invitations tomorrow.

Of course, aunt Margaret.

- This year's party is going to be the talk of the town.

Why, I bet it will be all my ladies group

can talk about this season.

Can you imagine?

- That's wonderful, aunt Margaret.

Would you excuse me for a moment?

Good morning.

Good morning, darling.

Your father and I would like a moment of your time.

Of course.

- You see, We've heard rumors.

Rumors suggesting Ben Harper has asked you for your hand?

- And we expect you to put them to rest.

Well, it is true,

and he was planning to ask you for your blessing.

- Well, he will not be getting it.

And that's the last I will hear of it!

You will not be marrying that boy.

- Asking for your hand before even speaking to your father?

It is most inappropriate, my dear.

The man has no sense of common decency,

and from what I hear,

he is completely bereft of any social graces.

- I do not care about any of that, mother.

He loves me!

He even promised to help me open up my own school house.

- Now, Nellie, your father has put his foot down.

There will be no more discussion on the matter.

Besides...

Albert fredericks is quite smitten with you.

I have even heard he is planning

on asking your father's permission to court you.

Father is a beast.

How can I possibly court Albert when I'm in love with Ben?

- Oh, Nellie. My poor little Nellie.

You have my sympathy. You really do.

But it is our duty to make sure you marry the right man.

One who can provide for you, just as your father has.

- I will not court Albert, mother. I'm already in love.

Fine.

There are plenty of nice young men from the right families

and no one is saying that you have to court one right now.

You don't understand love.

Nellie.

Promise me you will not do anything rash. Promise.

I promise.

Very good.

- They say hindsight is 20/20,

and right now, I clearly see

each and every blunder I've made these past months.

You'd think a college-educated person

from one of the finest universities back east

would have had more sense.

It all started six months ago,

when, against my parents' wishes,

I eloped with a man I had known but a few weeks.

He promised to help me build a school house

where I could teach.

Soon after we wed,

my husband and I moved out west to his father's ranch.

Since we arrived, I've been belittled,

repeatedly lied to, manipulated, even.

When I hopped on that train six months ago,

I never thought I'd end up running for my life.

- It's pretty expensive whisky, isn't it?

My goodness. I can't believe what's happenin' to this town.

I don't know where they get the nerve.

Oh, it's too early in the day.

What is this?

Excuse me.

Yeah?

- Could I please have something to drink?

I don't have any money and I'm terribly thirsty.

Do you have anything I could drink? Water, whisky, anything.

- Yeah. Yeah, you can have some water.

I think I saw some horse

drinking out of a bucket down there.

You can see if there's some left.

Uh, yeah. It's right there.

- We better hurry up and get these clothes off the line

before that storm rolls in.

I brought some fresh bread in.

It should still be warm by suppertime.

Ben's due back soon, isn't he?

Yes, that's right.

- Why, I thought you'd be dancing around here,

like you normally do.

Has the new worn off the newly-wed?

- Of course I'm happy he's coming home. It's just...

It's just what?

- Well, I jokingly told him that when he proposed that,

you know, he should've mentioned that he'd be not more

of a ghost of a husband and got really angry at me.

- If that's the worst of your trouble,

consider yourself lucky.

You can't be serious.

- Believe me, a lot worse could happen out here.

You'll just have to learn how to not push Ben's buttons

and you both will be happier.

- I don't understand why he wanted a wife,

if he's never home.

I'm foolishly in love with him and he treats me like some

trinket to be left on the shelf until it's noticed again.

Why did he even bother to marry me at all?

- Oh, I can't speak for Ben, but,

I mean, let's be realistic about it.

You were educated by the best private tutors

on the east coast, you come from money,

and you're not bad to look at, So...

- My parents opposed our marriage.

I didn't exactly come with a marriage dowry.

- Oh, really? I mean, that's the rumor around here.

But the more that I think about it, I mean,

all he had to do was show your picture and tell people

about your family and let people think for themselves.

I mean, honey, you're a fancy feather in his hat

that he can just show off to his friends.

Oh, that's ridiculous.

- Don't you see? He's the big rancher now.

Following in his daddy's footsteps.

He needs to prove himself.

That's why he's out here with all these politicians,

minglin' around with 'em, I mean,

it's the government contracts for the beef that he's after.

He needs a bribe like you to be respectable.

See, with someone like you,

it looks like he's got both feet on the ground.

- Oh, that's horrible for you to say.

Well, it's the truth.

Welcome to the real world, Nellie, but don't you worry.

US girls stick together.

We got each other's back, but,

you just can't let him know how smart you are.

- Ben already knows how smart I am.

I was supposed to start up a school

when I first moved out here,

but now every time I mention it, he changes the subject.

- Well, he knows you're book-smart,

but he gambled on you being delicate and naive.

How do you know?

'Cause I know men.

But don't you give up on that school.

We'll figure out a way, you and me.

- We had a situation last night, keg.

He had to dispose of a sickly batch

of our workers.

- Well, it's all part of the work.

When we eventually shut it down,

we're gonna have to sweep the entire place clean.