Summary:  Are the rumours and newspaper reports circulating among Virginia City’s citizens concerning Ben and Clementine Hawkins true?  Or, might there be something more sinister afoot?

Rating:  K+  (5,400 words)

 

DOES CLEMMIE GET HER MAN?

 

“…and to all of you, good night!”

The door closed upon the speaker leaving the three men standing in the big room in attitudes that related to the news that their visitor had given them before his rather abrupt departure.

Ben cleared his throat and then looked at his younger sons with his dark eyes narrowed and his lips compressed tightly together “Well, have either of you anything to say?”

Joe shook his head “No, Pa, nothing comes to mind just now.”

Ben fixed his eyes upon Hoss “And you? You’ve been struck dumb as well I take it?”
“Shucks, no Pa, jest ain’t got nothing to say is all.” Hoss replied anxious to dispel any idea from his father’s mind that he was dumb in any sense whatsoever. His blue eyes turned to his brother “You sure you don’t know nothing?”

“I just said I didn’t, didn’t I?” Joe hissed giving his brother a warning glare.

Ben rubbed the back of his neck and stared down at the floor, he pursed his lips in a familiar pout which gave his sons a little niggle of anxiety knowing from experience that their fathers face indicated he was giving the matter serious thought which often led to his arriving at the correct conclusions.

“Pa, perhaps you should wait until Adam gets back from town, he may have heard more about what’s been going on.” Joe suggested and edged back towards the settee in order to sit down, somehow he felt safer sitting.

“I’m sure he will, Joseph.” Ben replied looking up now and staring deeply into Joe’s hazel eyes, “I’m sure he will,” he repeated thoughtfully, “But what concerns me is why Roy rode out here tonight to inform us, officially, about the incident.”

“It isn’t an incident, Pa.” Joe said, stressing the word ‘isn’t’, “It was just something that’s happened in town and – er – Roy just thought would interest us.”

“Why would anything concerning Clementine Hawkins interest us…” Ben growled with his eyes swivelling from one son to the other.

“Roy may have thought it would interest you more than us, Pa.” Joe replied earnestly but sweetening the comment with a smile

“Yeah, that’s true, Pa. After all you and Widder Hawkins are good friends.”

“Real good friends,” Joe murmured with a broader smile and easing himself into the cushions on the settee

Ben opened his mouth, closed it again and growled something beneath his breath. He was making his way to his chair, stroking his chin and thinking over what his sons had said when the sound of footsteps were heard on the boards of the porch, the door was pushed open and Adam stepped into the room.

He paused as the three other men turned to stare at him rather – he thought – significantly. Slowly he removed his hat and put it on the peg, then began to unbuckle his gunbelt. “I – er – just saw Roy heading back to town.”

“He’s been here,” Ben growled.

“Oh.” Adam released his breath and looked at Joe and then at Hoss, “So you know then?”

“Know what?” Ben narrowed his eyes again, “Know what?” he repeated.

“The news … about Widow Hawkins … and you.”

Ben immediately turned to Joe, then Hoss “No, he didn’t say anything about me…just told me that there was a rumour about town that Widow Hawkins …”

“Yes?” Adam prompted, looking thoughtfully at Joe who had slowly reddened in the face

“A rumour that Widow Hawkins was moving out of town to get married.” Ben hissed, “Roy wanted to know if we knew anything about it.”

“Oh!” Adam stared at Ben for a moment and then shook his head “Oh” he said again and cleared his throat “Didn’t he say anything else?”

“He just asked your brothers if they knew anything about it. When they denied any knowledge he just looked at me – rather – suspiciously I may add – and left.”

“Oh” Adam said for the third time and shook his head, “Well, there’s a mystery.” he added and took his chair by the fire. He looked at Ben “There’s notices all over town about it.”

“About what?”

“That you and Widow Hawkins are getting married. From all accounts she’s busy packing and ready to move to the Ponderosa – as your wife.”

*****

Adam strolled nonchalantly over to the blue chair and sat down, stretched out his legs and then looked from Joe to Hoss with a bemused expression on his face and his eyebrows raised as though he were asking them for an explanation. His younger brothers could only hang their heads and survey their boots glumly while Ben stared at his eldest son as though he couldn’t really comprehend what had been said. Eventually he coughed, shook his head and asked Adam to repeat himself.

“Well, as I just said, Widow Hawkins is under the impression you and she are getting married and she’s packing right now to come to the Ponderosa.” Adam leaned further back against the chair and laced his fingers together in his lap. He looked totally relaxed and amused, his dark eyes slid ominously back to his brothers “Of course, I expect Roy came here to make sure it was just a joke.”

“I don’t know.” Ben said slowly remembering how hastily Roy had left with that ‘”…and a good night to all” before slamming the door. “I don’t really know what Roy came here for, he … he wasn’t very explicit.”

“Ho-hum,” Adam sighed and raised his arms above his head and stretched, “I’m sure you’ll soon find out, so will he.” he smiled at his brothers “So will you.”

“But we didn’t do nothing.” Hoss protested.

Ben said nothing but groped blindly for his pipe, glanced up and over at Adam who was shaking his head with a sorrowful expression on his face “You’ll have to stop that, Pa.”

“Stop what?” Ben said as he struck a match

“Stop smoking. One thing Clemmie can’t abide is pipe smoke.” Adam sighed,

“Sorry, Pa.” he stood up and walked over to Ben whereupon he placed a consoling hand on his father’s shoulder.

“You can’t be serious?” Ben spluttered, but Adam only shrugged and shook his head in commiseration. “Now look here,” Ben slung the match away (it had burnt his fingers anyway) and stood up “This has gone far enough … Joseph! Hoss! Explain yourselves.”

“It has nothing to do with us, Pa. I promise you.” Joe said standing up himself in order to confront his father face to face.

“Nothing at all, Pa. Honest.” Hoss nodded to add emphasis to the statement.

“Then someone …” Ben paused, shook his head and looked at Adam “Are you sure about this?”

“Roy came here, didn’t he? He may not have been sure about all the facts, but …” Adam sighed melodramatically, “Well, as I’m only the portender of sad news, I think I’ll bide you all good night.” he cleared his throat and turned, raised a hand in mock farewell and strode over to the stairs.

“Wait.” Ben commanded, which caused Adam to stop immediately and turn to confront his father who was standing in front of the fire waving his pipe back and forth “Something isn’t right about this.”

“I presume not,” his eldest son replied in his best manner of speaking “Unless you have been holding out on us and intended to marry the Widow Hawkins without telling us.”

“For heavens sake,” Ben spluttered “The very idea…”

“I think wedding invitations are being handed out as we speak….” Adam sighed with a hand resting gently upon his chest and his eyes raised to the ceiling in imitation of his idea of a theatrical Romeo.

“No, wait a bit…” Hoss stepped forward with a hand raised “Something here smells doggone fishy.”

Adam nodded “That’s what I’ve been saying all along, brother.”

Joe bowed his head “Look, it wasn’t meant to go this far …”

Three pairs of eyes swivelled towards the hapless youth who cringed slightly but held his ground stalwartly. “It was like this…”

“Go on,” Ben prompted his chest swelling with indignation and his face purpling while veins stood out on his temples “Go on.”

“Yes, go on, Joe, you know confession is good for the soul.” Adam said in his sweetest but most evil tones.

“I kinda got a little drunk the other night…” Joe paused and glanced over at Hoss as though for help, but Hoss was having none of that, he just shook his head and looked affronted.

Joe licked his lips that had gone suddenly dry “I got a bit drunk, just a little, and Mitch suggested that we got Pa .. I mean … we were talking about how long you had been widowed, Pa, and Mitch thought it was only fitting that we did something about it. You know? Kind of helped you out. We were only thinking of you, Pa. Truly we were….”

“Heigh ho,” Adam sighed and rolled his eyes while Hoss sunk down upon the blue chair that Adam had vacated and shook his head.

“We were going to put in an advertisement with Aunt Mame’s Agony Column .. But then Jake …”

“Jake?” roared Ben so loudly that Hop Sing came running form the kitchen “You call? Bread not baked yet?” he said.

“Jake Hollings from the Box G …” stammered Joe, “He suggested that there were plenty of widows in town to choose from .. So Pete…”

“Pete? Not Pete Dobley?” Hoss groaned.

“Well, he was there … kinda…” Joe sighed

“Oh Lordy,” Adam shook his head “How many others were in on this little scheme of yours, brother?”

“Well, there was Charley from the Box G, and Henry Miller from…”

“Enough..” Ben yelled, “That’s enough… I’ve never heard…”

It was at that moment that the door was thrown open, a hat box rolled its way into the room and then a carpet bag and then Clementine Hawkins stepped in, looked around the room “Coooeeeee, Benny … I’ve arrived.”

*****

For a moment there was a stunned silence as all five men stared open mouthed and round eyed at the flamboyant figure of the widow who stood with a beaming smile on her powdered face and her false eyelashes batting up and down like demented spiders. Hop Sing did a very impromptu disappearing trick back into the safety of the kitchen while only a very faintly whispered “Oh ye gods…” drifted from Ben’s lips.

Adam was first to recover, with a resolute look on his face and his shoulders squared he approached the widow, and took her hand “Well, good evening , Mrs Hawkins, how – pleasant – to have your company. Do you intend to be staying long?”

Clemmie primmed up her lips and simpered, “Aw duckie, don’t mind me, I shan’t stay longer than I need to, after all, it’s up to Benny really ain’t it, ducky? Now that we’re engaged like, and we need to make all the necessary plans, don’t we?”

She did a neat back flip with one foot and sent the door slamming shut behind her, then with a satisfied smile she entered the room and approached Ben, resting a fond hand upon his arm, “’Course, I knows ‘ow shy yer ‘ave always bin, me ducks, so won’t rush you, although everyone in town is fair delighted at the news.”

“The … the news?” Ben stammered and dropped his pipe which shattered at the widow’s feet. She looked down and shook her head,

“Aw now, ain’t that a bloomin’ shame. Never mind, mucky dirty things is pipes, never could abide them. My ‘Arry used to say they stunt yer growth and he was a B-I-G strong man … much like you, Hoss luvvie.” and she strolled over to Hoss and slipped her arm through his and batted her eyelashes at him causing the poor man to blush red to the roots of what hair he had left and gulping as though he had swallowed a whole fish in one mouthful. She squeezed his bicep and sighed “Cor lumme, ducks, you so remind me of my ‘Arry, if’n I wasn’t already spoken for I’d …well, guess it don’t do to go chasing them kind of dreams now that my Benny wants to marry me.”

“Clemmie…” Ben stammered, “There’s something you need to know …”

She sighed and shook her head so that the feathers on her hat fluttered furiously and some drifted off to float into the room, “Now then, my sweet heart, I think it’s time we ‘ad ourselves a little private time together, so’s we can talk.” she looked at the three brothers and smiled a bright red lipped smile “Now,, orf you go, duckies, off to bed with yer.”

“No, it’s alright,” Ben cried as he clutched at Hoss as he passed him by “There’s no need, Mrs Hawkins and I really have nothing to speak about, in private, that is…” his voice trailed away as the widow gave him a rather fierce look.

“What do you mean by that, Benny dear? Of course there’s a lot we have to discuss. I mean, I knows how it’s a bit odd having the wedding announcement put in the Territorial Enterprise before you actually asked me personally but I ain’t minding that, a proposal is a proposal…ain’t that right, Adam?”

Adam coughed, swallowed hard and nodded “Yes, I guess so, ma’am.”

“S’right, see. Ben dear, you ain’t gonna go shy on me now, are ya?” she smiled coyly up at him and batted her eyelashes a little more, “Sweetie pie?”

Joe’s eyes widened so much that he began to see double and had to blink to get things back into focus, he turned to Adam and whispered “Sweetie pie?” in disbelief while Hoss was going all shades of red from deep crimson to pale pink from embarrassment for his poor father.

“Mrs Hawkins…” Ben said very sternly as though he realised that if he didn’t speak up now all would be lost, or rather, he would be, he looked the widow bravely in the eye “Mrs Hawkins, I really don’t know what this is all about, I promise you that the proposal about which you speak , was not put into the newspaper by myself.” he paused and heaved in a deep breath while Clemmie stepped back, her hand on her heart (well, approximately, it was hard to locate beneath all her ribbons and furbelows), “Believe me, madam, if I intended marriage I would not place my intentions in the newspaper, I’d ask face to face … as a gentleman should.”

“Wal, I did think it odd that you didn’t see me first, but got the impression that …” she pulled a tiny lace trimmed square of cambric from her sleeve and dabbed at her eyes which were now brimming with tears “I thought for sure, Benny, that you meant it sincerely even if it were a bit queer like.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Clemmie, but …” Ben paused as the widow gave a groan, clutched at her chest and staggered slightly into his arms, “Are you alright? Clemmie?”

“It’s me heart, ducky… just sit me down … some brandy if you would be so kind … my ticker ‘as never been very strong not since them two con men tried to do me out of the Burma Rarity that time.”

Joe and Hoss both rushed to get the decanter of brandy colliding into one another somewhere between the table and the liquor cupboard, there was a rattle of glass for a moment or two, as one grabbed at the decanter and the other managed to find the tumbler into which the brandy could be poured. For some reason Adam began to make strange choking sounds from where he was standing and hurried gasping and clutching at his throat, into the kitchen for water …or so he said.

Clemmie took the brandy and drank it down in one gulp, then dabbed at her eyes and began to sob loudly, “I just don’t understand, duckie, I just don’t understand.” she lamented drowning out by her bawling any comments or statements or explanations that Ben tried to make .

“Pa, I – I didn’t mean this to happen.” Joe whispered to his father while Clemmie blew her nose and continued to wail “We were only joshing about it in the saloon, I didn’t put anything in the paper , honest to goodness I didn’t. you can ask Hoss if you like..”

“Keep me out of this, Joe.” Hoss cried desperately

“But you got me out of the saloon before anything happened. You remember? You said I needed sobering up so took me to Jamie’s for coffee.”

“Shucks so I did too.” Hoss frowned, “Must’ve been one of those other fella’s that did it, mean minded some of ‘em are… unless…” he turned to Ben “You didn’t, did you, Pa?”

Ben was prevented from saying a word by Clemmie sobbing aloud “I need to get to my bed, I really do… before I faint …”

Ben winced and took hold of the widow’s hand, patted it gently “There, there, my dear, you’re a long way from your bed, I’m afraid. Do you think you could hold off from fainting until I get one of my men to take you home?”

The silence that followed that remark was – as they say in books – deafening, although there were some strange choking sounds coming from the kitchen ….

*****

Clemmie gave a heart rending sob that sent Hoss hurrying to refill the glass with brandy which he then attempted to thrust into her hand, but she waved him away imperiously and shook her head with such vigour that a feather floated onto the floor and one of her eyelashes went along with it. Joe gave a gurgle of hysteria as he struggled to restrain himself from breaking out into giggles which were quelled by a dark glare from his father “Don’t you dare….” Ben hissed but Joe was incorrigible and put up his hand like a school boy in class “Please sir, I need go to the out house….” he gasped holding his stomach with his free hand in an effort to restrain himself.

Clemmie gave another wail and stood up, she regally cast a moist eyed glare at one and all , put her hand to her throat and shook her head “I never thought I’d live to see the day, Ben Cartwright, when you would act so cruel. I never thought you’d break a promise…”

“But, I never made any promise…” Ben almost howled and then grabbed Joe by the collar as he noticed his youngest son trying to sneak out of the room “Joseph, I want a full explanation…”

“Pa, I told you already … it wasn’t me that did it … it wasn’t truly it wasn’t …” Joe turned to Clemmie who was blowing her nose loudly and looking for her lost eyelash “Mrs Hawkins, I’m sorry, really I am, but it wasn’t Pa’s fault, he knew nothing about it.”

“About what?” Clementine Hawkins demanded, her eyes now dry and as hard as two marbles.

“The notice in the newspaper. Pa didn’t put it in there. He didn’t know anything about it. I promise you. He’s innocent.” he spread out his hands as though pleading for his father’s life to be spared from the gallows, his blinked his eyes in t he way he knew young ladies loved so much, he puckered his mouth in t he way he knew the girls thought so romantic but it had no effect on softening Clemmie.

“Innocent? He didn’t want to marry me?”

Ben closed his eyes for a moment, pinched the bridge of his nose in a manner reminiscent of his eldest son, and then opened them to look at the affronted widow who was looking from one to another of the three men standing in front of her “Clemmie, I already explained that I didn’t want … I mean .. I never intended , had no knowledge of that announcement in the Territorial Enterprise. When I see Dan de Quille tomorrow I’ll – I’ll wring his neck for printing such balderdash.!”

Hoss gulped and looked at Joe who shivered and wriggled himself free from Ben’s grip, “Pa, Dan didn’t know anything about it, I – I mean -”

Clementine Hawkins shook her head and stuffed her handkerchief into her ample cleavage before giving a loud sniff “Well, if that‘s how you bring up your sons, Ben Cartwright, I want none of it. You call yourself a good father. Where’s my things, I’m going, I’m not staying here no longer. Gord luv us, my ‘Arry would be turning in ‘is grave if a son of ‘is acted like that to a poor defenceless widow.”

Hoss stepped forward quickly with the hat box in one hand and carpet bag in the other “Here y’are, Ma’am, I’m real right sorry about all this…”

Ben sighed and shook his head “Look, Clemmie, you can’t go home like this, I’ll get one of my men …”

“No,” Adams voice came from the dining room area and he strode forward manfully “No, Pa, you can’t send Mrs Hawkins home at this time of night, alone.. I mean… without a proper escort.” he drew in a deep breath “I’ll take her into town.”

Hoss looked at his eldest brother in admiration, he always knew that beneath that granite headed exterior beat a soft sentimental heart and he beamed a smile upon Adam who answered it with a ‘sweet’ smile of his own. Joe blinked and licked his lips, narrowed his eyes and shook his head which Adam noticed and gave a slight shrug in reply “One has to know where one’s duty lies.” he said with a sigh.

Ben echoed the sigh with one of his own and nodded “Thank you, son.” he turned to Clemmie who had now reached the door “I’m so sorry, Clemmie.”

“Clementine … better still ..Widow Hawkins to you, and to this ‘ere lot as well.” she raised her chin, her nose in the air and waited for Adam to put on his hat, buckle up his gun belt and then take the carpet bag while Hoss opened the door, “And to all a good night.”

Hoss frowned, wondering where he had heard that before. Ben stared at the door as it closed and Joe bit his bottom lip with his head hung low, deep in thought.

Hop Sing peered into the room “Is widow lady gone?”

“Sure, she’s gone.” Hoss said with a sigh and slumped down on the settee “She sure was put out weren’t she, Pa?”

“She had a right to be,” Ben said quietly and then turned to Joe “As for you, Joe, I’ve never felt so ashamed of any of you as I did this evening. You insulted that poor woman, you insulted me … you ingrate.”

“Oh Pa!” Joe winced, ‘ingrate’ indeed? “Pa I told you already it wasn’t me.”

“Alright, explain why you know that Dan deQuille knew nothing about that announcement being printed in the paper?” Ben thrust out his jaw and put his hands on his hips in a manner that indicated to his sons that he meant business.

“I didn’t … did I say that?”

Hoss nodded “Yeah, you did.”

“Oh.” Joe shook his head, looked frantically from right to left “Pa, it wasn’t meant to hurt anyone. Like I said, we were just talking in the saloon about you being a single guy for so long and perhaps now was a good time to think about getting married again “

“To Clementine Hawkins?” Ben bellowed so loudly that Hop Sing promptly returned to his kitchen and began to brew up strong coffee

“Well, when we drew up the list there weren’t that many women in your age group that kinda fitted.”

“Fitted!!” Ben roared

“But I didn’t put it in the newspaper, I just suggested that it would be funny if it was put in there and we had a laugh about it and then I – I -”

“That’s when I found him, Pa, and hauled him to Jamie’s for coffee.” Hoss frowned “They were laughing fit to bust. I betcha one of them put it in the paper.”

“Yeah, I bet they did, Pa. It wasn’t me.” Joe said and licked his lips “Honest.”
Ben shook his head and then scratched it for good measure, he narrowed his eyes “Tomorrow we’ll go into town and you will buy Mrs Hawkins some flowers, some candy, some anything that you think would please her, and then you will take your self to her home and ask her to forgive you. Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir.” Joe whispered meekly and turned away slowly, paused “Pa, I don’t suppose you’ve any loose change on you, have you? Only I – er – already spent all my monthly allowance and -”

*****

Conclusion…..

Adam assisted Clemmie into the wagon in total silence and with a stern look on his face. He glanced rather hastily over at the door to check that they were departing without a parental wave of the hand to see them off and then walked to his side of the wagon seat. He flicked the reins and the horses made their way from the yard with their customary dignity, once beyond the stables and corral he flicked the reins and set them into a faster gait.

Clemmie sat beside him with her hat box clutched against her ample bosom, the feathers in her hat wavered in the breeze created by the motion of the wagon.

Neither spoke nor moved for some while but it was Adam who broke the silence when he broke into unrestrained laughter which was soon echoed by Clemmie herself who had to pull out her handkerchief again to wipe tears from her eyes.

“Clemmie…I mean… Mrs Hawkins, I never knew you were such a fine actress.” Adam gasped eventually, quite breathless from laughing so heartily.

“Blimey, ducks, I was on the stage performing from the minute I could toddle on me own two feet. My gaffer was a music hall act from years back, that’s where I met my ‘Arry.” she wiped her eyes and giggled a little bit more before sobering down, “Well, I think I fair shook ‘em all up, don’t you?”

“You certainly did, yes, you certainly did.” Adam smirked and winked at her rather boldly, “A grand performance, Ma’am, one I don’t think any of us will forget in a hurry.”

“Will you let your Pa in on our little joke, duckie?” she asked rather saucily slipping her arm through his and leaning against his shoulder.

“Oh, he already knows. Roy slipped him a note before he left.” Adam gave another laugh, “Good old Roy, he was looking forward to having a rant at Pa and being able to get away with it.”

They quietened down a little now and for a while were quiet although Clemmie still dabbed at her eyes every so often. The sounds of the wheels upon the hard baked ground and the jingle of harness, the horses breathing were the only sounds audible for some while before Adam sighed “Well, I hope it teaches Joe a lesson.”

“Do you think it will?” Clemmie raised her eyebrows doubtfully, “I’ve known Joe for some years now and whenever I think he’s gone just that bit too far with his shenangagins he bounces back and is up to his neck in something new.”

“Mmm, perhaps you’re right.” the laughter had gone now replaced with some concern on the young man’s face “But I really wanted him to realise that there are times when the consequences of his actions can cause serious harm or hurt to others. He was drunk, I give him that, but at the same time his idea of fun was at someone else’s expense, yours and my Pa’s.”

“But you overheard him in the saloon, why didn’t you stop him then?”

“Oh, he would have dismissed it as big brother interference,” Adam sighed “Then Hoss came in anyway.” he flicked the reins again as the horses had slowed a little, “And it wouldn’t have been as much fun, would it?” he grinned again, “I couldn’t stop from laughing, considering that Pa knew what was going on I can’t believe he managed to keep a straight face. Poor Hoss, he was scared witless.”

“Will you tell Hoss?” Clemmie asked beginning now to feel rather tired from the nights events and the brandy.

“Oh, I daresay I will.” Adam grinned

“And Joe?”

“Maybe. Perhaps.” Adam laughed again, wondering how long he could spin it out and make the wretched boy suffer.

He thought back to the night in the saloon when he had overheard Joe and his friends drawing up the list of ‘favourites’ for Ben’s hand in marriage. Their laughter, their rather smutty innuendo’s, had annoyed him but when the suggestion went as far as inserting the announcement of the impending marriage between Ben and Widow Hawkins he had began to get angry. Had Hoss not entered the saloon and dragged Joe out it was more than probable that Adam would have gone in and shouted the odds about being kind and thoughtful and such , but he lost the opportunity and had time to mull over the situation instead.

Joe was always up for fun, so it seemed logical to Adam to turn the tables and have a little fun at his expense for once. He had had a sharp word with the other men, all of whom were more than a little merry but sobered up enough to apologise and confess that it was a rather stupid idea although meant kindly.
He continued on the ride to town listening to Clemmie telling him about her music hall act, how she met ‘Arry, and the life they had led together until his death “Weren’t able to unlock the padlock, bless ‘im, and he was in that sack down in the River Thames he was, struggling away, bless ‘im and I waited and waited for ‘im to come up to the surface like usual.”

But the time Adam left Clementime Hawkins at her front door and declined an invitation to partake of sarsparilla tea the poor widow was in tears again, lamenting about her dear ‘Arry and how he had drowned trying to escape from countless chains and padlocks far away in London town.

……..

Ben Cartwright sat by the fire and puffed furiously on his pipe while he thought over and over the events of the evening. He couldn’t believe that his youngest son could have committed such a folly as to have a wedding announcement printed in the newspaper, and to have Clemmie Hawkins in his own house expecting to be wed and Roy Coffee coming and bawling them all out for heartlessness….smoke billowed from his pipe at such a furious rate that Hop Sing, bringing in their last drinks for the day, was quite alarmed. “You smoke. Make too much smoke. Not good, not good at all.”

Ben growled something beneath his breath and scowled while Hoss sighed and shook his head . Upstairs they could hear Joe pacing the floor which caused Ben to mutter even more. As Hop Sing poured out the coffee his eyes fell upon a scrap of paper by the door upon which he swooped and looked at with some curiosity.

“What’s that, Hop Sing?” Hoss asked in a rather subdued voice, he was still rather ‘shaky’ from the goings on with Clemmie’s visit.

“Paper on floor. Look like Mr Adam’s writing.” he handed it to Ben who opened it slowly and read the scrawled note several times before he gave a snort and tossed it into the fire.

“What’s it say, Pa?”

Ben went slightly red in the face, narrowed his eyes and seemed to swell up before Hoss’ eyes “Your brother!!”

“Joe? What’s he done this time?” Hoss groaned and shook his head

“Not Joe! Your brother Adam!! Putting me through that – that – fiasco “ he waved his arms in the air and then smacked one fist into the palm of his other hand. “Just wait until he gets home.!”

~The End

 

Tags:  Adam Cartwright, Ben Cartwright, Clementine Hawkins, Hoss Cartwright, Joe / Little Joe Cartwright