Summary:  A companion story to You Can Always Check In by BettyHT.

Rating:  T  (17,700 words)

PROLOGUE (AUTHOR’S NOTE)

I have received permission from BettyHT to take her one shot “You can Always Check In” and write a longer story. Originally I planned to simply take it and expound on it, keeping the same beginning and same ending. However, the muse had different ideas. So, her story is back drop to this story while “Justice For Abigail” is a continuation of her one shot. Anyone who hasn’t read it, I highly suggest you do…it’s located on Fanfiction.net, as it might as well be a prologue to this one. Since the name of the town is never mentioned, I have taken the liberty of making up a name. The same goes for any characters that I mention, or use, from her story (Ex. The owner; the clerk etc) If any town exists today with the same name as I’ve given the town, it is pure coincidence. Also, I might as well say it … there MIGHT be a major character death. I’m not really sure since I think there’s a good chance the only reason for the feeling of death is…of course…the ghost BettyHT has let me use.

I also want to publicly thank BettyHT for allowing me to do this.

 

Justice for Abigail

Chapter One

The ride home from Brinesville had been not been very pleasant, with the driver of the stagecoach Adam had been riding in, hitting every hole in the road and an expected rain storm causing a few problems. That and the fact that the other passengers kept staring at him, or looking away from him, had made him rather irritable. By the time he stepped off the coach in Virginia City Adam was more than ready to go home with his pa and brothers, who were waiting for him, and take a long bath. However, he was shocked when his pa and brothers looked at him with great concern.

“What’s wrong? You look at me like I’ve got the plague or something.” Adam gave his family one of his famous glares, the one that said he wanted and answer and he wanted it yesterday.

“How are you feeling, son? You don’t look so good.” Ben answered, afraid his son’s busy schedule and had last caught up with him. His brothers voicing the same thing.

“I’ve never felt better.” Adam answered, understanding now why the other passengers at looked at him the way they had and silently wondered, if his experience in Brinesville had anything to do with what people were seeing. Of course, he didn’t voice that thought. Why should he? His family would only deem him crazy, and he sure didn’t want that one to happen.

Ben wasn’t convinced. They had a lot to do on the ranch, and he didn’t need Adam working if he was sick which is exactly what the case looked like. “Let’s stop in at Dr. Martin’s and have him look at you, please.” He added the ‘please’ because Adam was a full grown man. Ben, couldn’t expect him to be led about as if he were a small child.

Adam rolled his eyes. “I’m fine pa, just wound up doing a bit more than I originally planned and had one very rough ride home. All I need is a bath and some rest.”

Ben heard his son’s words and saw his sickly appearance and argued with him. “Please, you don’t look well. We can stop by Paul’s and have him take a quick look at you. Then we’ll go home.” He hoped Adam would go, because he didn’t feel like dragging a thirty-two year old man to the doctor’s office.

Adam rolled his eyes once more…and agreed only because he wasn’t up to having an argument with any member of this family. He was just glad there was a pleasant breeze blowing through the city, or it might have been extremely tempting to go straight home in spite of the fact he’d have to fight his father.

As the four walked towards the doctor’s office, Ben, Hoss and Little Joe talked about the upcoming week’s schedule. Adam was listening, until he caught sight of a young woman standing by the corner of the hotel. His heart skipped a beat. The brown haired woman looked just like the spirit he’d held in his arms in Brinesvile. The moment the young woman looked his way, Adam felt as if invisible hands reached out and grabbed him, and his legs go out from under him. He began to fall and would have hit the ground his father reached out and grabbed him as he called out Adam’s name.

~oOo~

Ben stood by the window of the doctor’s office while Hoss and Little Joe sat on the chairs the good doctor had provide them. Each and every one of them was worried sick. Adam had left as healthy as a horse, and returned looking paler than they’d ever seen him. Yet, they were confused too. Other than very pale looking skin, he hadn’t acted sick.

“What is taking Dr. Martin so long?” Little Joe stood up and paced the floor. It was enough to drive his brother and father up the wall. He wanted to know what was wrong with Adam. He wanted whatever it was to be cured and gone.

“It’s only been ten minutes, Joseph!” Ben spoke sternly, though there was no harshness in his voice. He understood his youngest son’s desire to know what he was going on, but there was nothing any of them could do about it. No, the only choice they had was to wait for Dr. Martin to come out and tell them something.

“I’m sorry, pa, it’s just…” Little Joe started to answer when they heard the door to the back room open and Dr. Martin stepped into the office part of the medical building looking rather confused and troubled.

“What is it, Paul?” Ben asked with a bit of fear in his voice; he was afraid of what the good doctor had to tell him.

Paul sighed, as he took a deep breath and looked at the Cartwrights. “I don’t know. He has no fever, his heartbeat is normal; in fact, everything about him is normal except for the color of his skin…and the fact he is unconscious. I’m totally baffled. Maybe…” His words were interrupted as they all had shock waves roll through them when the door to the office blew open with such force it hit the wall hit the wall. They might have said something only a mist seemed to roll through the room and spread throughout the whole building. What was going on!

“Pa…” Little Joe started to speak only to have the mist vanish and the wind stop.

Ben wasn’t sure why, but his first thought was for his oldest and he bolted for the room where they’d laid Adam; the others followed him. However, they were all stopped dead in their tracks once they reached the room. The door, which they’d all heard Dr. Martin close, was wide open. Adam was sitting up and looking quite normal. Well, to the naked eye he appeared to be normal. However, due to what had just occurred, Ben got the most uncomfortable feeling their lives would not be the same for quite awhile.

Chapter Two

Adam, unable to sleep, made his way out of his room and down the stairs. Soon he was sitting in front of the empty fireplace. Since it was the first of June, the temperature in the room should have been pleasant enough. As it was, Adam sat in his chair with a light blanket wrapped around him. For the life of him, he couldn’t seem to get warm without it and, if he were to be honest with himself, that worried him. As he held the blanket close around him, Adam let his mind wander back to his time in the motel and to the things he’d both seen and heard.

Adam had checked into the hotel at Brinesville. When he had gone to check out the next morning he was told that no one ever checked out and there was no way he could exit. He recalled everything from looking at the men, women and the handful of children that were there, the talks with the clerk and to hunting upside down and the other trying to find a way out. It wasn’t until he kissed the ghost of a young woman was he and the others in the hotel finally able to leave. Adam realized then that not only could he not sleep because he was cold, but because something just wasn’t sitting right. As he started going through the memories again Adam thought he heard his father walking down the stairs, and turned his head. Sure enough, Ben had was up also.

“Didn’t mean to wake you,” Adam said, as he watched his father sat down in his own chair, still looking as concerned as he had when Adam stepped off the stagecoach.

Kicking his right foot over his left one, Ben rested his elbows and lower arms on the side of the chair while clasping his hands together. Looking at Adam wrapped in a blanket, Ben’s face was full of even more concern. The bluish tinge to Adam’s lips and dark circles under his eyes were alarming. Adam feeling cold sent shivers of worry down his own back. “You’re cold?” He didn’t like it, and it showed as plainly as the noon day sun.

Adam shrugged his shoulders and answered, “A little, don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

Ben had seen a lot in his days, been through a lot with his sons too, and he knew when something was wrong…and something was wrong with Adam. “I have to go into town tomorrow.” Ben said as sat back in his chair. “I think Dr. Martin should take another look at you.” Okay, so he didn’t know if the good man would find anything new or not, but Adam had to have something wrong with him. If he didn’t, why was he acting like it was the middle of November? Besides, Ben had just received word that a gentleman was interested in the small partial of land the Cartwrights were trying to sell for a friend. Ben needed Adam to be well to help with the deal and he said as much.

Adam might have said something only, the minute his father mentioned Mr. Tyler Matthews, he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up straight for two reasons. One, he remembered the nametag that the young clerk in Brinesville had worn…and it had the name of Tyler Matthews on it. Two, he felt an invisible hand moved across the top of his back, and it grew hard when his father said Mr. Matthew’s name. “I don’t need to see a doctor.” Adam stood up abruptly, laying the blanket down as all of a sudden he’d went from being cold to being far too hot. “I just need some fresh air.” He hurried out of the house before his father could say another word.

Once outside Adam headed straight for the barn and for Sport. The whole time he could feel ‘her’ near, almost as if they were connected somehow. It both intrigued and worried him greatly. He had to get away from the house, had to find a place where he could simply sit and relax without worrying about his family looking at him as if he was sick. Then again, maybe he was. Soon he was riding away from the house.

If Adam thought he’d leave the barn unnoticed, he was wrong. Ben stood by the window near his desk and watched as his son tore out of the barn faster than lightning that flashes across the sky. He sighed and prayed. What else could he do? Something was going on with Adam, but he had no clue as to what it was and following him would have been fruitless. After all, if Adam didn’t want to talk? He didn’t talk!

~oOo~

By the time Adam stopped riding and dismounted Sport, it was close to eleven o’clock at night. With a full moon hanging in the sky, Adam easily found his way to a boulder that set roughly a hundred feet from a clearing that lay about four miles from his family’s home. He had no sooner sat down upon the boulder than the young woman he’d seen in the hotel and then in Virginia City, appeared not ten feet from him. She stood five feet two inches; her brown hair hung unrestrained, and it reached her lower back. If Adam hadn’t seen her eyes in the hotel, he wouldn’t have know how sky blue they were. He remembered how cold it had been in the hotel when he walked into his room and how cold it had felt to him at the house and grew puzzled. Adam had left the house feeling more than hot and he felt fine now. He wondered about the difference. Though, he didn’t about it at that time. No, he had other questions pressing themselves upon his mind.

“Miss, I’ve got the feeling that we have been connected, somehow, since you came to me in the hotel. Why, and what do you want from me now? And,” he asked as he leaned forward, “Why does the name of Tyler Matthews make you angry?” Adam asked as he watched the young woman lean against a nearby tree.

For a moment the young woman did not answer, though Adam saw a sad look appear in her eyes. Finally she sighed and started talking. “My name is Abigail.” She started walking towards him slowly. “You are right; we are connected, only I’m not sure how that happened.” Abigail paused as she stopped in front of him and then let out another sigh and then said, “Maybe it’s a good thing we are though. I mean, your father is getting ready to do business with Tyler Matthews, and he is not to be trusted.” She then turned and walked back towards the tree only to disappear out of view without giving him an exact answer when it came to Mr. Matthews. Adam was left to wonder about the young clerk and the man he had become… and why someone who was supposed to have committed murder would care enough to tell him Mr. Matthew’s wasn’t trustworthy.

Chapter Three

Ben, Hoss and Little Joe were already sitting at the table eating breakfast, when Adam walked through the front door. They stopped eating and waited for him to pull out a chair and sit down. After he had done so, Little Joe spoke up. “Where have you been? Pa was thinkin’ he’d have to go into town and talk with Mr. Matthews himself.”

“Joseph,” Ben spoke in his warning voice, as he’d already told Little Joe and Hoss not to bother Adam when got home.

“What? He ups and leaves for the night, and we can’t even ask where he went?” Little Joe looked from his father to Adam and back to his father. The fact he was rather annoyed was something he didn’t even try to hide.

Ben went to chastise his youngest, only to have Adam speak up first. “I simply slept under the stars, Little Joe. Nothing wrong with that,” he didn’t see any reason to add that he’d lain on the ground for a couple of hours wondering why Abigail had said Mr. Matthew’s could not be trusted. Also, the look he’d seen in her eyes as she’d turned her back to him had reached out and grabbed him in such a manner that, somehow, he knew there was more to her story than he’d been told.

The whole time his sons had been talking, Ben had been looking at Adam. While his skin did not hold the cold look it had the night before, there was still a faint color of blue around his lips. Also, even if he didn’t understand it, there was something in his son’s eyes, something that he, Ben, did not understand. “Little Joe is right. I do have to go into Virginia City later, and Mr. Matthews is supposed to be there. I would like it if you came along and sat in on the meeting. After all, the land we may very well be selling is adjacent to the land you’re supposed to be inheriting from me. You might as well meet the man, he could be your neighbor one day,” said Ben, thinking that afterwards he’d do what he could to get Adam to go see the doctor again.

The moment Ben said the man’s name, Adam again felt movement across the back of his neck, only this time it wasn’t near as cold as before. Still, he could tell the movement came from a woman’s hand, and that she was pressing it ever so slightly against his skin. He knew that she was warning him against Mr. Matthew’s once more, which meant he gave his father no argument when it came to go into town. Somebody had to keep an eye on him.

~oOo~

When Ben and Adam walked into the International Hotel and looked around. They saw no one fitting Mr. Matthews’s description that had been given in his letter. Though, to be honest, once Ben had showed him the portion of the letter with the man’s description, Adam hadn’t expected too. The description was wrong, he just knew it. It made him wonder why the man would lie to them. He was shocked to hear Abigail whisper in his ear. “He lies. He doesn’t really know what truth is, never did. Look,” Adam heard the word look and felt Abigail place her hands on each side of his head as she turned his head to his left. He was a bit confused. The man did come close to fitting the description, yet there were some things about him that didn’t fit the description given. For a split second he thought maybe, just maybe, the man’s brother or a cousin had come instead only to have Abigail…who seemed to read his mind…say “It’s not a relative of his, it’s him!”

“Pa,” Adam touched his father’s shoulder and nodded towards the gentleman Abigail had pointed out to him.

Ben turned and looked at the man Adam was indicating and his eyebrows turned downwards. For a moment he, like Adam, wondered if the man was related to Mr. Matthews. “He doesn’t fit the description. We…” He never finished his sentence as Adam began walking toward the man. With each step he took, Adam could feel the anger seething from Abigail’s presence. The question was why? The man couldn’t have been more than eighteen years old when Adam saw him in the hotel back at Brinesville. Matthews had claimed he never really had a chance to do anything but check Abigail and her fiancé into the motel, and that everything he’d told Adam was things he’d learned from others in the hotel. “He lies…” Abigail’s words repeated themselves, as he and Ben stopped in front of the man who looked a bit unsettled. Though Adam said nothing as his father spoke up.

“Mr. Matthews?”

Tyler Matthews looked at Adam, who he recognized without a problem. He was surprised beyond measure. He had not been aware that the Adam Cartwright who had freed him and the other occupants that had resided in the Brinesville Hotel had any connection to the Ben Cartwright of the Ponderosa. “Yes, that’s me.” He forced a smile upon his face as Ben started talking.

“You said in your letter that, if you bought this land, you would be interested in buying a hundred head or so of cattle to start your own herd. You do realize the land is mostly hills and rocks, don’t you? Even if you have had a couple years of experience in ranching it would be difficult to run cattle there.”

Adam had to force himself to keep his face neutral. If what the man had told him while in the hotel was true, this man had no ranching experience at all.

“Yeah, well, I must apologize if I made it sound as if I’ve done ranching recently.” Mr. Matthews back tracked on some of the lies he’d planned on telling. After all, having met him already, Adam would have picked up on many of the lies in a heartbeat. Only thing was, he forgot he’d already told Adam a few things about himself. This being the case, he still slipped up. “Truth is…I worked on my uncle’s ranch for a couple of years before I took a job as a clerk in a hotel. Still, I’ve always wanted to own one. Is any of the land suitable for cattle?”

Ben nodded as he began talking about the land, while Adam again felt Abigail’s hand and heard her say, “He’s lying. Remember, he told you how he’d grown up in Brinesville, knew every nook and cranny like the back of his hand. I know for a fact he told my intended he began working at the hotel when he was only fourteen! The man wants something else. You need to find out what it is.” With these facts on his mind, Adam swore to do just as Abigail had said, find out what the man really wanted. With that promise made, Adam made mental notes of everything Mr. Matthews claimed with his mouth… and observed every contradiction his body language said afterwards.

Chapter Four

After the meeting with Mr. Matthews, Ben had pressed Adam to go see Dr. Martin again. It had infuriated Adam, only he’d gone upon the condition that his father promised him within an inch of his life to back off and drop the subject afterwards.

“As long as you don’t pass out like you did when you first got home, I’ll agree.” Ben had answered reluctantly, as he remembered how cold Adam had looked the night before. Still, if the doctor still found nothing wrong, what could he do? Now Ben sat in the waiting room while Dr. Martin and Adam talked.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what to tell you.” Dr. Martin shook his head as he finished examining Adam. “From what you’ve told me the worst thing that’s happened is that you’re getting cold easier, and there’s nothing I can do for that.”

Adam buttoned his shirt up and smiled knowing full well if he had told Paul absolutely everything the good doctor would have seen to it that his patient was committed. “Do me a favor…tell my father that. Now,” he said as put on his hat, “I have to go.” Moments later he was riding away from the doctor’s office while Ben stayed behind to talk to Dr. Martin.

~oOo~

Adam, who had ridden over to the Virginia City Land Office, now stood in front of the clerk’s desk once again wearing an expression that gave nothing away. It was a difficult task, but Adam managed it, even though, he was seeing Abigail standing behind the desk in the farthest corner. Miss Julie, who worked in the office, apparently saw nothing as she opened a drawer and starting looking for the papers he’d requested, papers showed not only the boundary lines of the land his father was selling, but one that showed just what was on the land…timber, mines, and water catchments.

“Here they are.” Miss Julie turned around and, papers in hand, walked over to Adam and handed them to him. “I can allow you to look at them over at that table,” she said, as she pointed to a table that sat in the far north corner of the room. “However, I can’t have you take them out of here.”

“Fine,” Adam took the papers and walked over to the desk. He wasn’t surprised to see Abigail next to the table by the time he sat down. He was glad she did not try to talk to him, as he was sure Miss Julie would flee the office if she heard him ‘talking to himself.’ With that that he started looking over the papers, for what he wasn’t sure. Still he looked. More than once his eyebrows turned down and frowned slightly as he found himself moving his finger over the pages as he read them. Actually, seconds after he’d started doing that, Adam realized Abigail had moved behind him and was holding onto his wrist and moving his hand. He wanted to ask what she thought she was doing only he couldn’t. Once again, he didn’t like the idea of the clerk running screaming out of the building. However, he about jumped out of his skin when Abigail let go of his wrist and yelled, “I KNEW IT! I KNEW he was up to something! Look!” She took a hold of his finger and pointed to the words “Blue Lakes Mine…closed due to unsafe conditions.”

As Abigail let go of his wrist Adam sat back in his chair and thought. “Owner’s name was Daniel Jenkins. Had quite an operation going,” the young Mr. Matthews stood behind the desk and told him all he knew about ‘the case’. “Folks say he was using the silver from Blue Lakes to get to finance all his illegal activity. I never heard of such a place, though.” Never heard of it? Adam shook his head and stood up. He had believed the man at the time only now he wondered. He’d walked back to the clerk’s desk and handed her the papers back. “Thanks,” he said and then turned and left the building.

“You should go to the assay office. I bet you ten to one Mr. Matthews is after that mine and whatever’s in it.” Abigail said as she sat on the back of Sport as Adam rode away from the Land Office.

Adam muttered under his breath, not wanting to drawn anyone’s attention to himself. “Do you have to talk to me while we’re in town?”

Abigail couldn’t help it; she started chuckling, something she hadn’t done in years. While Adam said nothing, he stiffened ever so slightly. Abigail, who had always had had a knack of ‘feeling people’s emotions’ could tell the man called Adam Cartwright was rather annoyed at her. “I’m sorry, Mr. Cartwright, only it feels so good to talk to anyone. I forget you’re the only one who can see me right now. I’ll be quiet until after you go to the assay office, and we’re out of town.”

Again, Adam wondered exactly more about Abigail and what her story was. While he’d believed everything that had been said about her while he was in the hotel, he was now having some serious doubts. If Mr. Matthews would lie now, then more likely than not, he’d have lied back at the motel. Only question was…why?

As they drew closer to the assay office, Adam saw the closed sign in the window. He might have wondered why it was closed; only there as another sign that read “FAMILY EMERGENCY, BE BACK LATER.” He cussed under his breath, turned his horse around and headed out of town. Only when they’d gone a good two miles out of town did Adam speak up.

“Why are you doing this? And don’t tell me it’s just out of concern for me and my family. Something else on top of that. I can feel it.” Adam spoke bluntly and to the point. He saw no reason to do otherwise. Before he knew it, he had moved backwards on the saddle, and Abigail was sitting in the front and facing him.

“Once we’re back on your family’s ranch, and I have a chance to rest, we’ll talk. I will explain everything then. Now,” she yawned, “spirits aren’t supposed to get tired, only I am doing just that. Do you mind?” She laid the side of her head against his chest and closed her eyes. “If you do, just say so and I’ll move behind you and simply lean up against you.”

Adam would have asked why she didn’t simply go somewhere else, if she really needed to rest and then find him only he figured, if she was going to hang around him, he might as well know where she was. At least he was pleasantly surprised to have only the slightest of chill run through him as she rested up against him…and even that was only for a moment. “You’re fine, but I want every last detail later.” The only answer he received was a movement of her head and a long, drawn out, tired sigh. Adam found himself smiling down upon the young woman; there was just something good about her. In that moment, he knew for sure there was more to her story than he’d been told and he wanted answers. “Well,” he spoke only to himself, “Since she’s promised to tell me everything later, I just have to be patient.”

Chapter Five

Ben was once again sitting in his chair and looking at Adam. If it was for the fact that he looked as if he was in deep in thought, Ben would have thought nothing of it. As it was, his heart skipped a beat as a gust of wind blew the front door open; he felt a slightly cold breeze float into the room and he saw Adam’s skin begin to pale. “Adam,” Ben stood up as the cold breezed disappeared. Before he could say anything more, Adam stood up.

Earlier when they had arrived home, and by the time Adam had reached the ranch door, Abigail had disappeared off his horse telling him she’d send for him when she was up to talking and not to worry as he’d know for sure when she called he’d know it. Several hours later, sure enough, he could felt as if someone was literally pulling him towards the front door and he could hear his name being called in the gust of wind that had gone through the house.

“Adam! You don’t look…” Ben started towards his son only to stop dead in his tracks. His eyes widened as Adam went from looking like he was getting sick again to looking normal once more. He’d never stopped worrying for his son since the day Adam came home, and that worry did not go away now.

“I’ll be back later.” Adam turned as he reached the open door. “Though, I meant what I said. Mr. Matthews doesn’t want that land for ranching purposes.” He then turned and disappeared out the door. By that time Hoss and Little Joe were coming down the stairs.

“Where’s Adam’s going?” Hoss asked as he reached the bottom of the steps. Little Joe wondered too, but did not voice it. “I don’t know, but we’re going to follow…” Ben’s words were cut short as a gust of wind blew through the house and the open door, slamming it shut. Ben hurried over to the door and went to open it only to find it would not budge. He might have started hunting up some tools to get it to open up only a female’s voice stopped him, Hoss and Little Joe in their tracks. Chills went down their backs as they heard the words that the unseen person spoke.

“If you promise not to follow Adam, and keep that promise, the doors and windows to your home will work just fine. If you make the promise, but break it, you will find yourselves trapped in this house until he returns.”

Ben did not move or answer at first. He couldn’t as he was far too shocked to do so. Only when Little Joe, who had hurried over to the windows, cried out that the windows were now just pictures of windows, did Ben practically fly over to his son’s side. His eyes widened as he saw Little Joe was speaking the truth. “Check the rest of the house!” He barked as he started doing the same. Within fifteen minutes they were back in the living room and realized they had no choice.

Ben was sure he’d lost his mind as he yelled out, “If you’ll make it so we can come and go as we please, we won’t try to find Adam tonight!” Even as he spoke the words, Ben felt like climbing the walls. How was he going to be able to endure simply waiting for Adam to come back when he wanted answers more than ever? Little Joe and Hoss might have objected, only they cold plainly see their father didn’t have many options, and neither did they.

The moment Ben said the words, the door and windows turned back to normal. It was enough to send chills down all their spines once more. No one said a word until Ben broke the silence. “Go do some something and,” he said as he looked at Hoss and Little Joe while speaking sternly, “don’t even think about leaving to go and try to find Adam. He’ll be back.” The look in his eyes softened as he added quietly, “I just know he will.”

~oOo~

Adam’s thoughts kept bouncing from Tyler Matthews to Abigail. He again pondered everything he’d ever been told about ghosts and this one who now seem to have such a strong hold over him that he had to answer her call. He passed by one tree and rock after another. The moon was not as bright as it had been before; still, he could see the path ahead of him well enough. He again began going over what he’d been told when he felt as a ton of bricks hit him. Mr. Matthews had made a point of stating more than once that it was Abigail who had inflicted mortal wounds upon the hotel owner and then died from injuries that the owner had inflicted upon her. What if, as in the International House, the man was lying? Just as this thought entered his mind, Adam found himself in the place he and Abigail had talked before. She was sitting on the same boulder he’d used waiting for him.

He dismounted Sport, tethered him to a nearby tree and then made his way over to Abigail. “What do you want that you had to pull me out here at this time of night?” Adam didn’t hesitate to use the word pull as he’d come to realize that there had been some sort of force Abigail used with him; ever since he’d held her in his arms.

Adam was shocked when a look of sorrow passed over Abigail’s eyes as she lowered them. “What choice do I have? You have work to do during the day and..” she paused hesitating to confess what she’d done to ensure his family did not follow them, but then she finally started speaking and confessed everything. Before Adam could explode, which it looked as if he was going to do, she looked up and quickly added, “How could I do otherwise? They would have wanted answers, and that would have taken hours. I need to talk to you now.”

Adam’s look softened as he took his place beside her. If she was going to pull him away from the house at nine o’clock at night, he might as well get a few answers of his own. “Why? I mean, why now? Why not earlier? I thought spirits didn’t need rest.”

Abigail shrugged her shoulders and answered, “Spirits who have totally crossed over don’t. I…” she sighed and said softly, “I’m stuck in between earth life and the afterlife. I guess it’s because of that. I mean, all I can do is guess. I don’t know for sure. There’s a lot of things about this I don’t understand, thirty years of thinking hasn’t helped me either.”

“So, what did you need? Why are you helping us?” Adam asked, keeping his eyes on Abigail.

“What do I need?” She repeated the question and then said, “After I rested, I went out to the property Mr. Matthews is trying to buy from your father. I hoped to find Mr. Matthews and see what he was up to. Well, I saw him riding around as if he was searching for something only, Adam; he wasn’t on the right side of the boundary line. He was ten feet over your family’s land!”

Adam stiffened. The hotel owner’s wealth had come from that mine, he just knew it. What would Mr. Matthews be looking for on the Cartwright’s side of the propriety? He wasn’t sure what made his mind change its course, only he found himself exclaiming, “You didn’t kill the owner of the Brinesville Hotel! He did! That’s why you’re helping us now! That’s the truth isn’t it?” He wasn’t surprised to see Abigail nod her head. When she did that, Adam asked, “Is that why you kept the hotel shut up? To keep Matthews in there?”

Abigail didn’t answer at first; she was too busy thinking about the past. When Adam repeated his question, she broke her silence as she turned her face away from him and said, “I went to confront the owner, but he was already dead. Mr. Matthews then attacked me; he mocked me as I lay dying on the floor. He’d killed the owner for reasons only he knows, though it probably has something to do with money and that mine. He was going to make sure I got the blame.” Her eyes grew cold and hard. “My fiancé had told them I had the ability to keep people where I wanted to and free them when I wanted to. He mocked that one too. I swore then he’d eat his words, swore he’d do time in a prison I made just for him. I just… I let my anger towards him push the thought away of what would happen to those inside and those who might come into the hotel later. Later, when I approached the men, tried to get them to listen to me; they ran and spoke more lies about me.” Her eyes then softened as she turned her face back to face Adam, “Then a tall dark and very handsome stranger who in spite of the lies he’d been told held me in his arms and kissed me with more kindness and passion than I’d ever known.” She sighed, “Thirty years is long enough for the others to suffer, but him?” She shook her head vigorously, “He committed two murders, and there’s no statute of limitations to murder.” She laid her free hand on his chest and pleaded, “Please, help me prove he’s the real killer and clear my name? I think I have to do this. Like I just said, it’s like my soul won’t rest. I’m stuck here. ”

The moment she laid his hand on his chest, Adam felt tremors roll through him and an urge to hold her in his arms again came over him…only he resisted the temptation. Holding her and kissing her had somehow connected them for awhile at least. He didn’t want to chance of doing anything that would make the bond even stronger. He forced himself to remove her hand and then stood up. “I’ll do that. Maybe then you can get unstuck and move on.” He hoped so anyway. Neither one of them needed an existence like that.

Chapter Six

Adam sat on Sport at the edge of the front yard, looking at his family’s home. The sun had been up for a good thirty minutes and he knew the moment he walked into the house his family would want answers. If it weren’t for what Abigail had confessed to doing to keep his family from following him, Adam might have simple found a way to get them word he was going to ride through their friend’s land and look around. As it was, he dismounted and led his horse into the barn and into its stall. Once he had taken care of Sport, Adam walked out of the barn and headed slowly towards the house.

Ben, Hoss and Little Joe had just sat down at the table and had blessing over their breakfast when Adam walked in. They all fidgeted slightly, as Adam took his place at the table, but they said nothing. Not knowing about Abigail or her visit, they weren’t sure they should tell him what had happened the night before…yet they wanted answers as where he had spent the night. When the silence was broken, it was Adam who actually broke it. “Abigail told me to tell you she’s sorry for having to make sure you didn’t follow me last night.” He knew the words would shock his family, as they didn’t know who Abigail was. Still, what was he suppose to say? Abigail had made the request. Even if she hadn’t, his family still had the right to know what was going on.

Ben put his fork down and stared at his son, as did Hoss and Little Joe. “Abigail?” Ben asked with his eyes wide open. The only Abigail he knew was the schoolteacher, and she sure hadn’t been around the night before.

Adam took a deep breath and began telling them all about his trip through Brinesville, and what had been taking place since. Although, he left out the fact that she and he now seemed to be connected to each other. He figured what he was telling them was enough for them to handle at the moment. “She didn’t kill the hotel owner; Mr. Matthews did.” He went on to tell them about the maps and other paperwork they’d looked at while at the land office. “I don’t know what he’s planning. It doesn’t really matter; if we can get him to confess to killing the hotel owner, one Robert Crandell, and Abigail. He’d be hung for the murders, and anything he was planning would come to a stop.” Adam sat back, as he finished talking and looked at his family, not surprised to see the pure shock on all their faces.

Little Joe, who was still trying to come to terms what had happened the night before, couldn’t seem to grasp that his brother was having dealings with a ghost. “How can you be sure she’s tellin’ you the truth?” The moment the words were out of Little Joe’s mouth, Adam was on his feet and slamming his open palms down upon the table.

“Abigail does not lie!” While Adam was shocked how firmly he stated a fact about a woman, a spirit at that, that he barely knew, somehow he was speaking the truth. And then, due to the look of one about to make some smart remark, Adam spoke in his low warning tone, “Don’t even think about mocking her dear brother. She, like everyone else I know, does not like anyone doing that to her.” He was surprised, but not shocked, to feel warmth and gratitude rolling through him; it was Abigail’s way of saying ‘thanks’. He just knew it.

Little Joe might have come back with some smart remark anyway, only he knew ‘that’ tone all too well; Adam had been pushed too far and if he, Joe, said anything else something was bound to happen.

“So,” Hoss did his best to smile in spite of the tension and asked as Adam sat back down. “I reckon the two of ya have some sort of plan?” After what had happened the night before, and from Adam had just told them, Hoss was more than willing to help in any way he could. He told that to Adam too. The way Ben, and even Little Joe, was looking at him, Adam knew they felt the same way.

“Not really, we’re still thinking on it. Wouldn’t hurt for you all to do the same,” Adam answered as he began eating the food Hop Sing had just brought out to the table, his mind on the connection he and Abigail shared, along with getting Mr. Matthews to confess.

~oOo~

Mr. Matthews stood inside the mine cursing. Thirty years! He’d waited thirty years to find the silver Mr. Crandall had hidden in the mine and to search for the chest of gold the man had confessed he’d buried during their altercation in the hotel room…the room where the owner had eventually died. It wasn’t supposed to have taken so long for Tyler to get to the mine! Now, with the Cartwrights owning the part of land that was suppose to hold the gold, Mr. Matthews was pacing around inside the old silver mine, trying to decide on a new plan of action. While he’d been stuck in the hotel, he had still held out hope that the part of the treasure Mr. Crandall had boasted about was hidden in the mine was still there. However, no matter how much he searched the mine, using a map he’d stolen from Crandall’s room had proved useless. Mr. Matthews could only assume that the men who had worked the mine had, somehow, found the treasure and taken it. Now there was nothing for him here…except for a place to hide.

When it come to the gold, Tyler had figured to get Ben Cartwright to simply sell him a ‘few extra acres as he would, eventually be getting a few more cattle from his brother’, not realizing the famous rancher had left that part of the land to his oldest son… the one man he, Mr. Tyler, could not push any off lies onto. One of the lies being…he had a living brother. Originally, Matthews let out a string of cuss words and swore to find, and get the gold, if it was the last thing he did.

Chapter Seven

Ben and Adam sat outside talking about the situation with their friend’s land, Mr. Matthews, and just what the man would want with it as it had been completely mined out over the past thirty years. However, when Adam paled a bit and stiffened ever so slightly, instant concern was all over Ben’s face.

“Adam?” Ben took a step forward only to realize his oldest looked rather shocked and was staring straight ahead. Ben turned his head and felt his jaw drop to the ground when he saw a young woman dressed in a reddish dress with lace around the neckline and the end of her sleeves. The fact that her feet were roughly an inch from the ground did not pass him by, either.

“Abigail?” Ben asked after looking at his son, who no longer looked pale.

Ben addressing her snapped Adam out of his shock and put a look of surprise upon Abigail’s features. No one in town had acted like they could see her, and yet here was Adam’s father seeing her with no problem at all.

“Hello, Mr. Cartwright.” Abigail managed to get the surprise off her face and smiled politely at Ben and then looked at Adam. “I’m sorry. I know you said you’d meet me tomorrow night and tell me what the results of your talk with your father, and whatever else you were able to find out during the hours we weren’t together…only I’ve been busy today too, and we need to talk.” She then glanced at Ben and added, “As long as your father can see me, he might as well join in the visit.”

Not wanting to chance any of the ranch hands, or his other sons, who were working elsewhere on the Ponderosa, showing up and seeing him and Adam ‘talking to thin air’, Ben gestured toward the front door and suggested they move inside. “There’s no chance of any interruptions if we’re inside. Well, not unless Hoss or Little Joe should come home and we will hear them if they do.”

Neither Adam nor Abigail argued, agreeing whole heartily. Thus, while Ben led the way, Adam and Abigail followed right behind him. Once inside, Ben shut the door and headed for his chair. If they were going to be talking for any length of time, he wanted to be comfortable. Soon he and Adam were seated in their chairs while Abigail sat on the settee. Actually, she wasn’t on the settee; there was a good inch if not two between her and the seat. It made it extremely difficult for Ben to make himself focus on the business at hand. On the other hand, Adam acted, as if it was rather quite natural. Ben assumed it was because of his experience at the hotel and Abigail consistently haunting his son.

“What’s so important that you’d come here to see me instead of sending for me?” Adam asked remembering the few times he’d felt ‘that’ pull and left the house.

Abigail took a deep breath and explained how she’d been keeping an eye on Mr. Matthews. “You know,” she smiled at Adam, “This would be so much easier if you’d just consent to letting me break my promise to you the second time we talked.”

Confused, Ben looked at Adam. What on earth had the young woman promised Adam? For Adam’s part, he was smiling from ear to ear. He was glad to realize Abigail was indeed a woman of her word. Adam looked at his father and told him their guest had half way joked she should just make another prison for Mr. Matthews. “I got her to promise me that she’d do no such thing, and that she’d leave that part to those of us who were living in the flesh.”

Ben grinned. While he’d never admit it, he sort of wished Adam hadn’t done such a thing. As it was, he looked at Abigail and asked, “So, what did you find out that’s so important?”

Abigail told them about hearing Tyler Matthews talking to himself about the portion of the treasure that had been hidden in the mine and just what he was still looking for, as well as his plans for it. “The amount that’s hidden is supposed to be an extremely large amount.” She said as she grew very serious as she looked at Ben, “Enough to buy favors from the ‘right’ people, ones that could make it look like you don’t even own a portion of the Ponderosa.”

Ben’s eyes widened. He’d never heard any stories to suggest such an amount ever existed upon his land. However, before he could say anything, Adam spoke up. “There’s more to your visit. What is it?”

Abigail was amazed how perceptive Adam was proving to be. It made her admire him even more than she already did. Still, the news she had to tell him would not be easy and, while his father had every right to know what she was going to tell Adam, she could not bring herself to tell Adam what she needed to with Ben present. “I need to talk to Adam in private.” She finally spoke. “Then he can tell you if he so chooses.” Without having to say another word both Ben and Adam knew that the second item had nothing to do with Mr. Matthews, but everything to do with Adam and her.

“I have some things I can keep myself busy with in the barn.” Ben told them as he stood up. “Take all the time you need.” The look in his eyes pleaded with Adam to tell him everything as soon as he possibly could. It was a message that was met with a light nod from Adam indicating he would do just that. Ben then walked away from his son and their visitor and out the front door.

“What is it?” Adam asked, his own face showing his own trepidation on what she had to say.

Abigail stood up and walked towards the fireplace, though she simply went through the table instead of around it, her nervousness showing. “I had something happen today that’s never happened before.”

“Oh,” Adam’s eyebrows turned slowly downwards as he stood up and joined her by the fireplace. “And just what is that?”

“I got a couple of visitors from the place mortals call Paradise. One of them was my mother.” She replied and turned and looked at Adam and shocked him beyond measure when she added, “The other woman? She was a dark haired English woman who said her name was Elizabeth.”

Adam sucked in his breath as he grabbed onto the mantle to steady himself. His mother had appeared to Abigail? It made his head spin. “What did they want?” he finally managed to ask after he’d made his way back to his chair and sat down.

Abigail let out a half amused chuckle, “Well, first your mother thanked me for working with you and your family when it came to Mr. Matthews, and then Mother chastised me for allowing my anger towards Mr. Matthews and the others back at the Brinesville hotel get the better of me. She said she’s been trying to get through to me for years now. Afterwards, she and your mother explained a lot of things to me, one of them being our how our connection is negatively affecting you and what we need to do to try and counteract that negativity and,” she said solemnly, “we do have to do our best to do something about it. Though, the question is, will you let me do what’s necessary?”

Abigail didn’t have to tell him how it had been affecting him or why it was necessary that was something was done about it. Adam could figure that one out for himself. As far as letting her do what she had to needed to went… she was proving what kind of woman she really was so he knew he could trust her. Besides, what choice did he really have? It was that or find himself unable to recover from ‘the spells’, as he’d started calling them. “Do what you have to do. I won’t fight you.” Adam replied.

Moments later his eyes were widening as one moment Abigail was walking towards him and the next he was being engulfed in what seemed to be a foggy mist.

Chapter Eight

“What?” Ben felt the blood drain from his face as he quickly sat down in his chair. He had come in from the barn to find shock waves going through him as he witnessed Adam suspended in the air almost to the ceiling; his legs, head and arms hanging down while his body was in a U shape and his eyes were closed. The thin layer of fog like matter was wrapped around him. The moment Ben walked into the house, whatever was keeping Adam suspended like that lowered him gently down and laid him on the couch and the fog disappeared. Ben had tried to arouse him, but failed. Only when he yelled for Hop Sing did Adam open his eyes and stop him.

Adam, who now sat on the couch, wished he hadn’t felt compelled to tell his father everything. Only, as he had thought on it he realized that whether or not he liked it, Ben was right; he had to know…especially after seeing what he had.

“You heard me.” Adam said slowly as he sat up straight. “Doctor Martin does not know how often I’ve gone a bit pale…I never told him that part. I had other things to do besides have a doctor poking at me.” Adam paused knowing that Ben would be unhappy about the revelation as he, Ben, had not said a thing about it either assuming his oldest son had done that. Adam then said quietly, “I didn’t know what was causing them and neither did Abigail. For that matter, it’s like she told me the first time I saw her on the Ponderosa, she doesn’t know how we got connected.” Adam paused realizing he’d used the word ‘doesn’t’ which was, after the visit she’d received, was no longer true. He took a deep breath and continued, “That is until her mother and mine appeared unto to her and told her everything.”

Adam stood up and walked over to the empty fireplace. “Apparently spirits or ‘ghosts’ aren’t supposed to touch you, let alone embrace you. Though, with her mind on making sure her murderer and the men who mocked her were kept in that hotel, no other spirit could get her to hear them to tell her that. If she had known, she’d simply have approached me like she would a brother and talked to me without every allowing us to touch.” Adam shrugged his shoulders and said, “She had no idea that my actions would release her captives, nor did she realize that we’d, somehow, made a connection until later. Also, until the talk with her mother and mine, she didn’t know that the connection we’d made was dangerous to me. As it is now, it wouldn’t matter if we touched each other or not, as the connection has already been made.” Adam held up his hand before his father could say anything negative about Abigail, which it looked like he was going to do. “How many times have you or I, or anyone else not listened to someone?”

“And hanging you up in the air like she did?” While Ben had to admit Adam was right when it came to people’s listening skills at times, he didn’t like seeing Adam hang in the air; it had been more than unsettling.

Adam turned up the palms of his hand and answered, “I can’t explain what I don’t understand and neither can Abigail; she’s only doing what she was told to do by her mother and mine. However,” Adam said as he looked down at his hands and then back at his father, “We know this much, the spells that I’m having, I mean, the times my skin goes pale have to be stopped. If they’re not…” Adam stood up and put his hands on his hips, giving his father a look that said…’ Well you get the picture; do I really have to finish that sentence?’

Ben felt fear grip his heart. Dealing with men like Tyler Matthews he was used to. However, things like spirits and fogs that wrapped themselves around people were out of his league. “How soon will you know if it, whatever she did, worked?” He wasn’t prepared to lose Adam. For that matter, he wasn’t ready to bury any of his sons.

“According to my mother, I shouldn’t have allowed you to touch me. THat is, unless I was doing this procedure after every time we were talked to each other. Somehow it keeps things in order.” Adam could hear Abigail’s voice, but not see her face as she’d had him close his eyes the moment the fog first closed in around him. “I’ll have to treat you twice right now. After that, you can expect this once before we actually talk and once afterwards.” Abigail’s frustration could be heard in her voice. “I know what to do; I just don’t get how it helps no matter what they say. Still, mother never lied to me, and she says it’s the only chance we have. Your mother says the same thing. So…I can’t stand by and not do my best to save your life. I mean, you shouldn’t have to die just because you were willing to help me. Just be prepared, some of it will feel so good you won’t want me to stop while parts you’ll want to scream. Do that only if absolutely necessary. I mean, we don’t want just anybody to come running do we?” She then proceeded to do what she’d been told to, while Adam gasped as a portion of the fog started rolling through his entire being, from head to foot while the other part stayed wrapped around him. He could feel himself slowly being lifted up into the air and the ‘treatment’ began to intensify. Once more, he found out Abigail was not one to lie.

When Adam didn’t answer him, Ben grew alarmed. “Do you know already that it won’t?” he asked as he leaned forward. One look at his son’s lips which were still a tad bit off in color and Ben was afraid he knew the answer.

He wasn’t surprised by the question as he had not explained ‘the treatment plan’ yet. “It’s like taking medicine, Pa. You have to take more than one pill. But,” Adam hurried to change the subject as he heard horses approaching, “We’ve got other things to worry about right now. It sounds like Hoss and Little Joe are home. Let’s hope they have some helpful news.”

Ben nodded as he fought to keep his composure as he looked upon his oldest. The sooner they got Mr. Matthews taken care of, the sooner this Abigail could move on, and the sooner he and his sons could get back to the normal every day things.

~oOo~

Mr. Matthews once again walked around on Ponderosa land while he looked at the map in his hands. He was growing more and more impatient. He was sure he had the right map; still, he was finding nothing. It didn’t help that any time he began walking around he felt as if he was being watched. More than once he thought about the young woman that had been known as Abigail Hunter, and more than once he pushed the thought aside. After all, Adam Cartwright had gotten her to release everyone in the motel and everyone had moved on. This being the case, he began to think Adam had to be watching him somehow. But, if that was so, why didn’t he approach him? After all, he, Tyler, was on the Cartwright’s land.

In all reality, Tyler Matthews had two people watching him. One was a friend of the Cartwright’s, who had they had pulled in to keep tabs on their “friend”. The other one, the one that Mr. Matthews did not consider a possibility, was indeed Abigail. While she and Adam were to meet in the same hidden grove in a few hours, she had wanted to make sure Mr. Matthews had not left the area. It was all she could do not to trick him back into the mine and trap him there. As it was, it was only her promise to Adam that kept her from doing so. However, it did not stop her from making a very solemn vow. “If you ever lay a finger on Adam or any of his family, I will make you pay!” She spoke the words in a low, firm tone….and the hair on the back of Tyler Matthew’s neck stood straight up, causing him to move his search elsewhere in the hopes of getting rid of the uneasy feeling that had just come over him.

Chapter Nine

The wind was starting to blow rather fiercely, as Adam made his way towards the section of the lake where he and Abigail had agreed to meet. His father and brothers had not been happy when he announced he was leaving to meet Abigail on his own. They had wanted at least one of them to go with him.

“No!” Adam stood his ground and looked at his family. “You need to make sure someone keeps an eye on Mr. Matthews, and someone needs to keep in touch with the banks and such. Besides,” he said as he looked at his father, who he had had an in depth conversation with the night before, “I told you everything, Pa. I want to make a trip out to the lake and I prefer to make it alone.”

Adam sighed as he pushed Sport forward through the wind as he thought on the conversation he and his father had had, one where he admitted he was starting to feel ‘a tad ill’ again and was planning to go see Abigail. “She’ll know I’m coming.” Adam had told his father when Ben questioned the wisdom of Adam simply going and hoping she’d be there waiting for him. A portion of him didn’t like leaving his family out; he had to admit that. Only what choice did he have? The more people who were aware of Mr. Matthews’s activities, the better off they’d all be.

By the time he reached the lake, Adam felt himself sliding off his horse only to be picked up by the mist once more. After hanging in the air and feeling the fog roll though his entire being for a solid thirty minutes, Adam found himself on a patch of grass, flat on his back and looking up into the face of Abigail. “I told Pa you’d be waiting for me.” Adam smiled up at Abigail, who smiled back and held out her hand to help him up.”

“I felt you coming.” Abigail told him as she sat down on the bank and gazed at the crystal blue lake in front of them. She then waited until Adam had sat down a few feet away from her until before she spoke again. “Mr. Matthews is a stubborn one. He’s still looking for that hidden gold.”

Adam wasn’t surprised to hear that Abigail had been keeping an eye on the man and his activities. “We’ve been over that part of our land time and time again, dug holes for various reasons over the years. We never found anything.” Adam, who had also been looking at the lake, turned his head and looked at Abigail. “I don’t know why he thinks he’ll find anything.”

Abigail pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, resting her chin on the top of her knees. Men like Matthews seldom took the time to think of anything but what they wanted, even if what they wanted was nonexistent. “He’s always lusted after wealth, probably will be for years to come.” She turned her head slightly and sighed again. “He won’t succeed though. Your family is looking out for him, as are others they have pulled in. I’m watching out for him too.”

Adam might have thought Abigail was simply hanging around out of the need to make sure justice was done and out of duty to him, since his health had been put in danger…only he could tell by the way she looked at him that was not the case. No, he was rather surprised to see genuine concern for his well-being in her eyes. “How long before we know if I’ll be okay?” Adam turned completely away from the lake and looked at her.

Thinking of her mother and Elizabeth’s words, Abigail removed her arms from off her legs and stretched them back out. “Mother and Miss Elizabeth,” She had gone to calling his mother Miss Elizabeth as a way to keep the two women separated in her mind. “They said it’s hard to say. Though,” she said as she recalled how terrified she’d been when Adam had arrived only to see his eyeballs start to roll backwards as he slid out of his saddle, “I dare say I’m going to have to put my trust in your family to deal with Mr. Matthews.”

Adam didn’t have to ask what she meant only he did, out of a need to clarify he was on the right track. “So, I’m going to have a constant companion for a while?” He gave her a smile as his eyes laughed for a small moment. He then grew serious, “If I’m going to be haunted, don’t you think I have the right to know about you?” He had never asked her to tell him anything herself, not thinking they’d ever be around each other long enough to worry about it. However, since circumstance had changed, he felt he had the right.

Abigail stood up and put her hands on her hips as she took a step towards the water. While a small portion of her said Adam had no right to ask about her past, the majority of her knew the man had every right to be told all about her. “My mother was raised in New England, and married my father on one of the few times he was home; he was a sailor by trade. I never knew him though, he died shortly after I was born. Later, my mother moved out west, wishing to live in more wide open places. She might not have been able to do that, but she was traveling with her brother and sister in law. When I was six she remarried. This area became a part of her, though for me it was simply a place to stay for a while.. I’d traveled too much to allow myself to get attached to the land I drove my mother and stepfather crazy. I cared more for the words of Tennyson and Shakespeare than I did pots, pans and knitting needles.” She turned to look at Adam, who was dumbfounded that they shared a similar background when it came to their childhood, along with the same interests in reading material. No wonder they’d made a connection right off the bat!

“How did you meet your fiancé?” Adam asked, recalling hearing how the man was from New York City. Up until now, Adam had assumed she was also from that area.

Adam was to be surprised when she answered rather bluntly, “He was the son of a friend of my stepfather’s. I only accepted his ring because my stepfather had died and mother was dying. She pleaded with me to accept Jim’s proposal. She said she knew he was a good man who would provide for me.” She shrugged his shoulders, “I wasn’t a weakling who needed taken care of, only I wanted my mother to have peace of mind when she crossed over. She was right when it came to Jim; he would have done his best by me, but I can’t help but think it would only have been a merely a marriage of convenience. Oh we were friends though, just not in love. I wonder if it really would have stood the test of time.” After she finished talking she and Adam walked away from the lake, and he began to put up the tent he’d brought with him. However, before he retired for the night, Abigail gave him another ‘disconnection treatment’, as she liked to call them, and informed him she’d be keeping an eye out for him while he slept.

Adam couldn’t help but smile at that. He’d always heard everyone had a guardian angel watching over them. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he lay down. How could he not do such a thing when all he could see was some guardian angel complaining to Saint Peter that ‘Abigail took my job!’

Chapter Ten

Adam sat on a boulder overlooking the lake thinking about Brinesville, Tyler Williams, but most of all about Abigail Hunter. The young woman, even though a spirit, was proving quite a rather interesting companion to have around. She did indeed know the words of Tennyson and Shakespeare well, along with other famous poets such as John Keats. Just that morning she had, out of a sincere desire to see him relax and have some fun, pulled his pillow out from under his head. He’d shot straight up and found himself chasing her around the lake, something he’d never dreamed he’d ever do…chase a ghost that is.

Adam realized that, the more he got to know her, the angrier he became at Tyler Williams for murdering her and framing her. If only…before he could finish his train of thought, he felt as if someone was watching him, and it wasn’t Abigail. Upon his awakening that morning, she’d given him a treatment and then said she was going to take a quick check around the lake to make sure Tyler Williams wasn’t around. This being the case, Adam stood up and turned around. The moment he did, shock appeared on his face and he had to sit back down. Two women dressed in white with their feet just barely above the ground stood in front of him. While he didn’t recognize the one woman who stood five feet four inches with reddish hair, he assumed was Abigail’s mother. He recognized his own mother, Elizabeth from the picture on his father’s desk.

“Mother?” Adam’s questioning tone of voice and his widening eyes was something he couldn’t stop from being heard or seen. He’d never expected to be the recipient of such a visit, and it made him wonder what was wrong.

“Yes, Adam, I’m your mother.” Elizabeth nodded towards Mrs. Hunter and introduced her. Afterwards, Mrs. Hunter encouraged him to listen to his mother, before she excused herself, saying she had to go talk with her daughter. Only when Mrs. Hunter left, did Adam turn his attention to his mother, and all the questions he meant to ask her.

Thinking on Abigail and all the talks they’d had, he looked at his mother and asked, “How many treatments do I need to have?” He instantly grew concerned when a look of apprehension came upon his mother’s face and she turned away, walking towards the lake as she did so. He quickly followed. “Mother?” Adam asked again, “When will the connection between Abigail and I be broken?”

Elizabeth looked around the land Ben had acquired by his hard work; along with the work of their eldest. She thought on his other sons and the hard work they too put into the land. She turned to face Adam and sighed. “You have allowed yourself to develop feelings for Abigail, even though you have never admitted it outloud.” Her eyes dared him to deny it.

“And if I have? Are you going to say that has put me in danger as well?” Adam put his hands on his hips as he looked around the camp and back to his mother.

Elizabeth couldn’t help but smile at the steel like look in her son’s eyes. He was so much like the Ben, independent and always pushing the lines if he felt it was necessary. “It could. That is, if the feelings get to the point where they make the connection even stronger than before.” She moved towards the campsite as she spoke; Adam stuck close by. Once he was standing by the fire pit that had been part of the landscape for months, his mother continued explaining the reason for her and Mrs. Hunter’s visit.

“The thing is Adam if you, by your own choices, make that bond stronger, you will find yourself with Abigail as your mate for life. She’s a spirit, you’re flesh and bones. You could only lie with her as a man lies with a woman once a year. What kind of existence is that?” She shook her head, “The treatments will be through by the end of the week. At that time go back to your father and brothers, force Mr. Williams hand to prove Abigail’s innocence and then let her go.”

Adam was taken aback; he wasn’t holding onto Abigail. So, how was he supposed to let her go? He started to ask his mother just that question when she began to fade from view. Just before she disappeared altogether Adam heard her say, “Remember what I have said and think long and hard. After all, when all said and done, the choice is yours.”

~oOo~

Adam sat in front of the campfire and took a swallow of the coffee he’d brewed up and thought on his mother’s words when he saw Abigail appear not a hundred yards from him. She had a troubled look upon her face, one he guessed was put there by the talk her mother had had with her. He was guessing it was similar to the one his mother had just had with him.

Abigail, who had actually been watching Adam for a few minutes before she showed herself, sighed. As Adam suspected, her mother had indeed given her a similar lecture. Also, like Adam, Abigail had neither confirmed nor denied anything. How could she when she was still fighting with herself? She had never intended to allow any feelings for Adam to develop within her. Having her name cleared and, after realizing the danger Adam was in; saving his life had been the only thing on her mind. Now? She sighed and walked towards him, the whole time telling herself to make sure she did nothing to encourage stronger feelings to grow between them.

“Enjoy your visit?” Adam asked as Abigail sat down on the other side of the fire pit.

She smiled and nodded. “Wasted a lot of years letting anger block her before, guess I should be more careful about my choices.”

That statement, and the fact that Abigail made a point to keep her eyes on the fire that was blazing, told Adam his guess had been right. He also knew what she was doing, and admired her even more for it. He then told her what his mother had said about him and his family forcing Tyler Williams’ hand. “She said the time allotted for the treatments were almost up. How much longer?” He asked as he set his cup down upon one of the rocks that had been used to surround the fire pit.

“Another three days,” she answered. “That is, as long as you don’t go pale on me again. I doubt that will happen though. You’re responding well to the treatments.” Abigail forced herself to keep a neutral look upon her face as she looked up at Adam, though she found herself fighting to keep her thoughts under control.

Adam stood up and looked at Abigail. Even though he said not a word, Abigail knew what he was waiting for. Thirty minutes later Adam was under his covers, and she was watching over him.

Chapter Eleven

“You don’t know what you’re saying!” Abigail spun around on her heels and caught up with Adam, who had packed his things and was heading home. “You’re a mortal man, Adam. If we do as you say, you’ll be stuck with a spirit for a companion and…” She paused not believing Adam would really want the life his mother had told him he’d have if he and she created the kind of connection needed to bind a spirit like her to a mortal man like him, “And any pleasure I could give you would pale against what a woman still living on your side of life could give you.”

Adam stopped his horse and turned his head and looked at Abigail, who was now riding beside him on some horse that had appeared ‘out of nowhere’. Well, not exactly nowhere. Still, Adam hadn’t seen it coming until Abigail was sitting on it. “Why wouldn’t I want you as a companion? You’re better than anyone I’ve ever met before.” The look in Adam’s eyes spoke volumes; he was extremely serious about the matter. “Look, you said this morning that you felt as if we had missed the gold, and that you’re pretty sure where it’s at. So, let’s get my father and brothers. We’ll all go see if you are right. If you are, we’ll set a trap for Mr. Matthews, catch him, force his hand and then turn him over to the law.” Adam leaned forward and, taking a chance, laid his hand on her shoulder. It must have been okay, because he didn’t feel anything happening, and she didn’t try to get him to take it off. “After that,” he paused and then said quietly, “I never thought I’d find myself in love with you, only I am. I would continue working the ranch with my family, though I’d tell Pa I’m way old enough for a home of my own. The house I would build would be small, but it’s not like there would be a need for a large one. Please, consider it.”

“Adam,” Abigail took a deep breath, “If you’re going to talk like that you should know something. When I told you why I was going to marry a man I was not in love with, I left one fact out.”

Adam frowned slightly and asked, “What was that, and why did you leave it out?”

Abigail bit her lip and turned her head away. “I…I let myself fall for a gambler once and…well…I bore a child from that relationship. My cousins took the child in and agreed to give her back to me once I was married. No one but my intended was willing to marry a ‘fallen’ woman. After this was over, I was going to go ahead and see how the child turned out. I mean, what kind of woman she became.”

Adam’s frown turned to a compassionate smile and whispered low. “We all make mistakes. My feelings for you are still the same; please, consider my offer.” He then added, “I can even look her up and go visit her if you want. I mean, she might need something.”

Abigail, who was trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Adam wanted her around in spite of her past and the conditions that would exist with such a union, said nothing. However, she did nod and begin to ponder on what she’d have to do in order to bring about the union he was talking about…and how his family would react when they found out if she said yes.

~oOo~

“Are you sure?” Ben, who was sitting in his chair, looked at Adam as did Hoss and Little Joe. “I’ve made sure Mr. Williams has always had someone watching him while we looked around. We haven’t found a thing.”

Adam wasn’t surprised, as Abigail had also told him that, due to different things Tyler Williams had said to the other residents in the hotel, she was pretty sure the gold was actually hidden up in the area called *Eagle’s Point and he said as much to his family. “Let’s check it out. If she’s right, and we find it, we can rebury it and set a trap for Mr. Williams.” He went on to explain exactly what he was thinking of doing. Since a part of the plan including pulling Roy into the mess, Ben sent Little Joe and Hoss in to town to talk to the lawman. Once they had left, Ben asked Adam about their other “guest” and his condition.

“So, you’re going to be fine now?” He asked as he leaned forward, hoping to hear the fact that Adam looked healthier than he had since he arrived home was a good thing.

Was he fine? Adam sighed as he gave his father a small chuckle. “I’m not in danger of dying from any connection that was made if that’s what you’re asking.”

While Ben was relieved to hear that, the fact that he felt Adam was holding something back bothered him and he stood up. “What are you not saying Adam?”

Adam, who had been standing next to the couch, turned around and walked to the window and looked out. He could see Abigail leaning against the hitching rail in front of the house, something he knew none of the ranch hands could see as one of them walked around the corner of the barn, looked around and disappeared though the barn doors.

Ben, who did not like Adam’s silence, walked up beside his son and followed his gaze. His eyebrows furrowed as he asked, “How long as she been there?”

“She came back with me.” The fact that Hoss and Little Joe had not come running back in when they left told Adam that only he and Ben could see Abigail. He wondered why that was, but did not say anything about it as he got the strongest impression it really didn’t matter. Then, feeling a taste of suspicion in his father’s eyes, Adam added, “She wants her name cleared, Pa. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Ben shook his head. “No there’s nothing wrong with that, not as long as that’s all she wants.”

Adam rubbed the back of his neck, knowing what his father was alluding to. “I told you I’m not in danger of dying; well, not from her I’m not.”

Ben might have let things go, only he knew his son well enough to know there was something he wasn’t saying, and that bothered Ben. “Then what else is going on?”

Adam didn’t know whether to be exasperated with his father or not. After all, he, Adam, had not lied to the man. He just didn’t think his Pa would take kindly to being told he very well might have a son who, in the world’s eye, would be a ‘confirmed bachelor’ all his life. After all, he sure wouldn’t be in a position to go around introducing her to everyone. Why tell his father all that when Abigail hadn’t given him her answer yet? “Nothing that needs to be repeated, honestly,” Adam answered, not even attempting to hide the irritation he was feeling. “I’m going for a walk. When Hoss and Little Joe return, I suggest we start our search.”

Adam then hurried out the front door and disappeared out of sight, leaving Ben to struggle to accept the fact that Adam wasn’t going to give him any more information.

Chapter Twelve

The man known as Tyler Williams cursed, as he pushed his horse towards Eagle Point. He’d been in town and, passing by the saloon, saw Adam and one of the Cartwright ranch hands, a young red headed man by the name of Jim, standing in the alley next to the saloon. Thinking he was being clever, Tyler passed the alley and sat down on a chair close to the edge of the building, doing his best to eavesdrop. Unbeknownst to him, another ranch hand, a long haired fellow by the name of George, who was watching him from another spot, sent a signal with a hand held mirror to Adam and his co-worker. The two men had then talked about the gold and what Adam’s guess was as to its whereabouts, making sure they quietly moved closer to the end of the building enabling Mr. Williams to hear them clearly.

Once Tyler had heard what he was sure was ‘all the conversation’ he’d need, he slipped away and headed straight for the stable. Now that he was almost certain he was about to get the money, he needed to carry out the plans he had made. When he finally reached his destination, Mr. Williams eyes went wide… as he was shocked to see a hole had been dug, and an open box of gold was open with Adam sitting on a nearby boulder. Only then did he realize Adam had meant for him to overhear the conversation and come running.

“What’s going on here?” He dismounted his horse and took a step towards Adam, who was as calm as he could be. Had Tyler had a lick of sense in him he’d have learned more about Adam and known how much trouble he, Tyler, was really in.

“I figured if you were going to finish what you started in Brinesville…” Adam said slowly, “You would need the gold you were after in the first place.”

Tyler felt his heart begin to pound. How did Adam know what plans he’d had in Brinesville. For that matter, how would the man know of any of his, Tyler’s, plans? And why did he get the strongest impression he and Adam Cartwright were not alone? He looked around as if he was trying to find Ben, Hoss and Little Joe. When he didn’t see them, Tyler assumed he was wrong. Little did he know all three Cartwrights were watching and listening.

“What do you mean, what I started?” Tyler didn’t like the fact that Adam could very well known of all the shady dealings he’d started once he’d learned of the hotel owner’s illegal activities and taken advantage of that knowledge.

Adam, who had recalled every minute of his time in the Brinesville hotel, along with all that he’d read when it came to the information his father had gathered on the man who stood before him, smiled. “Oh come on now, you don’t think that as I looked for a way out I didn’t hear the other patrons talking? You don’t think I found anything?” He asked, leaving out the part about his father and brothers doing additional research. “The owner had a partner who he kept in the dark a lot and, in spite of what the man claimed, it wasn’t Miss Hunter’s fiancé and the owner, knew exactly what was going on.” Adam thought on the man the private investigator he and his father had hired had written them about. “The banker in town, your own brother, was the silent partner and helped hide what money he knew about. You and he owed a lot of money on that land your parents once had though, and you needed more money.”

Thinking he had a way out, Tyler quickly pointed the finger to his brother. “I don’t know why you looked into me and my brother’s past at all only, if you’re telling the truth about my brother, what makes you think I knew anything about it?”

Adam, who had his one hand behind his back felt an object appear in his hand. He knew then that Abigail had done as she had promised, as he’d hurried to get a head of Tyler and beat him to the gold he and his family had found. He brought his hand out from behind his back and held it towards Tyler. Tyler’s face went pale when he recognized the knife he’d used to kill both the owner and Abigail. He didn’t have to look to know that it must still have his name engraved up on it. “H..how did you find that?” His voice rose a few notches as he began panicking and slipped, “no one knew where I hid it after I killed the owner and that whore.” Remembering what Abigail had said she’d seen just before she’d closed her eyes for the last time, Adam, who had to fight himself to stay calm after hearing what the man called Abigail, shook his head. “If you’re going to hide the murder weapon behind a wall, you best make sure no one has a cause to rip holes in any walls.” He answered as his eyes bore through Tyler’s very being.

That did it. One minute Tyler was feeling panicky and the next he was pulling his gun out, yelling “You should have left it all alone!” However, before he could pull the trigger, Tyler felt two bullets entering his body…one from Ben’s gun and one from the sheriff’, who had traveled with the Cartwrights when they said they needed a witness who carried enough weight with the law that the law, would have to listen to stiffened and cried out, as Adam dove for cover just in case the man managed to get a shot off before he collapsed. “No one was supposed…” Tyler yelled, as he became rigid and did indeed pull the trigger, only to fall down to the earth dead; his shot doing nothing more than to plant itself into a rotting log that sat off to his right.

Adam waited until his father, brothers and Roy appeared before handing the knife over to the sheriff. Roy looked at the knife and then at Adam. “I have heard about the Brinesville Hotel murder for years, but I had no idea someone else was behind it. What was your first clue?” He asked the question and then wondered why the Cartwrights all looked away.

“Let’s just say a friend asked me to look into it.” Adam answered as he began to turn away only to be stopped by Ben.

“Where are you going, Adam. It’s over.” Ben didn’t like the feeling he was getting or the look in Adam’s eyes.

“I’m simply going for a ride, Pa.” He looked at Roy and said, “I’ll be in town later. That is, if you need to talk me?”

Roy shook his head. “This gentleman confessed to the crime just before he died. That’s all I need.” He then asked Hoss to help him get the dead man onto Roy’s extra horse, which was tied up a good five hundred yards away.

Adam then mounted Sport and rode away, leaving his family wondering what else he had to do.

Chapter Thirteen

Adam, who had sat down and talked to Abigail, now sat on his horse overlooking a small ranch outside Carson City. Abigail had confessed to trying to get through to her daughter; however, the woman had been fed so many lies over the years that she, Abigail, couldn’t get through to appear to her. This being the case, Adam had said he’d go alone. His father hadn’t been too happy with him leaving the Ponderosa until Adam had told him about Abigail’s daughter and the fact that Adam, knew where she was.

“The law knows she was innocent now; her daughter should know it too.” It was a statement that Ben could not argue with, even if he still felt as if Adam was keeping more from him.

When Adam saw a woman who looked to be around his age walk out of the two story house with two children by her side and a baby in her arms, Adam pushed Sport forward. By the time he reached the house a brown haired gentleman who wore the clothes of a rancher was standing by the woman’s side. The children, who had been playing in front of the house, scrambled up onto the porch to the safety of their mother.

“May I help you?” Bryon Thomson looked up at their visitor wondering where he had seen him before, and he had seen him from somewhere.

“My name’s Adam Cartwright.” Adam wasn’t surprised when the gentleman and his wife’s eyes widened. It wasn’t like the name Cartwright wasn’t known in the area. “I was hoping to talk to you and your wife.” He answered as he dismounted his horse. Adam didn’t have to ask if he had the right place as Rebecca Thomson was almost the spitting image of Abigail.

“Sure, let’s sit on the porch.” The man turned and climbed up the few stairs that led to the front porch where a few chairs sat. Before long Adam had his horse tied to a nearby tree and was sitting on the porch facing the Thomsons.

“What do you want to talk about?” Bryon, who sat in the chair closest to Adam, put his hand upon his wife’s as he had seen a look appear in Adam’s eyes, one he did not quite understand.

“Rebecca’s mother, Abigail Hunter,” Adam said, again not surprised by the reaction he received.

“You are roughly the same age as us, Mr. Cartwright. What would you know about a loose woman who died thirty years ago, one capable of committing murder?” Bryon snapped as he recalled all that his wife’s adoptive “parents” had told him.

Honestly believing what they’d been told for years, Bryon and Rebecca were shocked when Adam’s eyes turned cold and replied in a steel like voice. “Abigail Hunter was NOT a loose woman, NOR did she kill anyone! That’s,” he said his voice softening as he looked upon Rebecca, “is what I came to tell you.”

Adam pulled out a statement he had wound up going into Virginia City for, after Abigail had asked if he didn’t think it would be good to have something besides his word to take with him. “Not that your word isn’t good, Adam, it is. Only, my daughter won’t know that. She has only heard about your family; she doesn’t actually know you.”

“You should read this.” He handed the statement made by Roy to the Thomsons as he began relating all that Mr. Williams had done and what he’d been trying to get by his actions. “I’m afraid your mother was simply in the right place at the wrong time, and Williams took advantage of that fact.” Adam finished talking and sat back in the chair he was using.

Tears began to form in Rebecca’s eyes as Adam finished talking when she read what Roy had written. Roy had backed up eveything Adam had just told them up with the fact that Tyler Williams had been after the wealth the hotel owner had and how he’d confessed to killing both the owner and Abigail.

“I know it doesn’t change the past any, but I still thought you should know your mother was completely innocent of any wrong doing.” Adam told her as he thought on the woman he’d allowed himself to fall in love with, though he naturally kept that part to himself. He was a hundred percent sure Rebecca and her husband would not be able to handle it if he explained it all to them.

Rebecca wiped her tears away and said, “Mother’s cousin, the one who raised me, will be happy to hear this. She could never accept it, but her husband, Nathanial, said there was enough proof to say otherwise. He said I should be grateful they didn’t give me back to her when she got engaged.” She shook her head. “I admit, it never did feel right, only I had no proof.” Her voice broke as she held the paper close. “That is, until now I didn’t.”

“Do you want to come inside?” Mr. Thomson, who was grateful to be proven wrong when it came to his wife’s biological mother, headed towards the front door.

“Thanks, but no.” Adam smiled as he felt an altogether familiar pull. “I need to go. I have another appointment to keep.” He stood up, excused himself. It didn’t take long for him to mount his horse and ride away.

~oOo~

Ben, who had been working behind his desk when Adam walked in, now stood in the living room completely dumbfounded by what he was hearing coming out of Adams’ mouth. The fact that he now thought Adam had completely lost his mind, was a fact he could not keep out of his eyes. “Your mother is right Adam! Abigail’s a spirit! You can’t have a union with her!” Ben wasn’t actually shouting, though his voice was raised.

“I can and I will if she’ll have me.” Adam told his father as he began turning away. “The only question is ‘Do you want me living and helping you here on the ranch or do I leave? I mean, for whatever reason, you and I are the only ones who can see and hear her. You’d have to keep quiet as much as I would.”

His son’s words, and the serious manner in which he spoke them, hit Ben the same way cold water would if it was thrown into his face. Adam had never been so serious, and Ben knew it. While he still thought the whole idea to be crazy, Ben didn’t want Adam to leave the ranch. He nodded slowly. “Have it your way, but I hope you know what you’re doing.” He then sat down in his chair and watched as Adam walked out the front door, leaving Ben to struggle to truly comprehend the choice his oldest was making.

Chapter Fourteen

Adam, who had tethered Sport to a tree, now stood in the same campsite that he had spent while getting the last of his extra treatments. For all intent and purposes, the place looked rather deserted with simple trees, rocks and lake to keep him company. However, the moment the wind began to blow, Adam knew different. He began walking along the bank of the lake. As he did so each and every memory of the last few months flashed through his mind, including the words of his mother. He knew she meant well and, a part of him said to listen, only the other part, the larger part, wanted Abigail as his companion.

For her part, Abigail was standing on the other side of the lake watching Adam as he walked along the bank, heading her direction. Like Elizabeth, her own mother had also urged her not to make a union with a mortal man. Though, when Abigail had asked her point blank if Adam would be in danger once more if another connection was made, Mrs. Hunter couldn’t deny there was a difference between the kind of connection they’d just broken and the kind that would exist if they were take each other as companions…and that there would be no life threatening consequences to Adam. That being the case, by the time Adam had made it to other side of the lake, Abigail was waiting for him.

For a moment, neither one of them spoke. When the silence was broken, it was Abigail that spoke. Thinking about Adam’s trip to see her daughter, she said, “Thank you Adam for everything.”

Adam couldn’t help but smile. “It was the least I could do. You needed justice Abigail. No innocent person should be thought guilty forever.” He then took a step towards her. “Have you thought anymore on my proposal?”

The love Abigail saw in his eyes was overwhelming. “Are you sure Adam, remember what you were told. Do you really want to live out your life being a faithful son, brother and, someday, doting uncle, but never being able to have a wife who could bear you children, who you could introduce others too, and all the other ‘normal’ things one would expect?”

Adam took another step closer and whispered low, “Nice part of helping with other people’s children is you can always send them home.” That did it, before Adam knew it he found himself up in the air, in a horizontal position. He tried to open his mouth and say something only to find himself being pushed over the top of the lake and to the other side. “Abigail…” Adam managed to speak her name as he saw her appear above him and looked into her eyes.

“Relax, Adam,” Abigail whispered as she began lowering herself. Adam’s eyes widened as he felt the pressure of her body against his and saw her disappear only…she wasn’t really gone. He knew that when every fiber of his being began filling with heat and responding to the things she was doing to him. It was only then he realized that she was actually inside of him. Seconds after realizing that Adam’s body arched, and he closed his eyes as his heart began beating faster. It wasn’t long before the loudest groan he’d ever heard, escaped his lips as Abigail took him the only way she could. By the time, Adam opened his eyes he was lying on the ground next to the fire pit and Abigail was sitting next t him smiling down upon him. “I told you it’s not the same, but until our yearly night comes, it’s the best I can do for you.”

Unable to move as his body was still recovering for the experience, Adam smiled up at her. It wasn’t the same; still, he had no complaints. “It will do until then. Can you at least lie by me?” Adam asked.

Abigail nodded and, before Adam could blink an eye, Abigail was lying next to him and singing softly. It lulled Adam to sleep, and he did not waken until the morning.

Epilogue

Ben watched as Hoss and Little Joe arrived with their wives and children. Adam, who had talked to his brothers and told them he thought it would be great if they would bring their wives and children to the main house and help him and Ben celebrate the Cartwright Patriarch’s eighty-fifth birthday, stood on the porch.

At fifty-five years of age, his oldest was indeed known in the area as the oldest living confirmed bachelor, though it didn’t bother the younger Cartwrights any. Just as Abigail as said, to them he was a kind, loving, doting uncle.

“Hi grandpa! Hi Uncle Adam!” rang through the air as one by one Hoss’ children hopped out of the wagon they had traveled in. The same scene was replayed as Little Joe’s children arrived at their grandfather’s home.

“I think if you go inside you’ll find a treat.” Adam chuckled as he watched his four nephews and three nieces all dart for the front door after he said that.

“You keep getting them treats, and they’ll never leave you alone.” Little Joe said as he laughed and then gave his father a hug.

“It’s an uncle’s prerogative.” Adam smiled from ear to ear. Only after his brothers and their family’s had disappeared inside did Ben look at his oldest. After twenty three years he just had to ask Adam the one question that had been on his mind ever since Adam had come home with Abigail, even if only he and Adam could see her.

“Was it worth it son?”

Adam glanced towards his bedroom window where he could see Abigail’s silhouette and smiled wide. He headed for the front door which was partially open. “What do you think?”

Ben said nothing as he and Adam entered the home, enjoyed the celebration and then watched when the night had come to an end, Adam climb the stairs to his room whistling a lively tune.

Later, when Ben made his way up the stairs, he heard voices and laughter coming from his son’s room. Ben shook his head. “That” night of the year had rolled around again, and he had a feeling Adam wasn’t going to sleep anytime soon.

 

~The End