SUMMARY:  There are times when one of the Cartwright ends up playing the game of romance even when he hadn’t planned on it and didn’t want to play, but it gets even more complicated when a brother wants to play too.

rating = T  word count = 3369

Playing Games

There was one thing Adam had to admit at least to himself even if he would likely not ever tell anyone else. He was happier to see Little Joe than any other person at that point. No single person in the world could have made him happier than his youngest brother. Leaning against his father’s shoulder and doing his best to look as pitiful as possible, he sighed and groaned a little for effect.

“I’m so sorry, Christine. I won’t be able to go riding with you today, and I doubt very much that I’ll be able to manage it tomorrow. I know we both had our hearts set on it, but I wouldn’t want to make you sick with whatever I have or leave you somewhere on the ranch on your own because I fall too ill to continue.” Then realizing he had talked quite a lot for someone so ill, he closed his eyes and sighed again. Ben was getting slightly suspicious of the whole situation, but Adam had never been one to fake illness or injury to shirk his responsibilities so he couldn’t imagine him doing it now. Little Joe approached with genuine concern for his brother who rested against his father’s arm seemingly needing it for support.

“Pa, what’s wrong with Adam?”

“He was dizzy and threw up his lunch, and then nearly collapsed. He’s very sick.”

“Dy’a think it was sumthin’ he ate?” Hoss followed Little Joe over after tying off the horses.

Opening his eyes to slits, Adam seized on that. “That could be it. I didn’t feel too good after I had lunch. Maybe something went bad with the food I brought out here.” He knew he was talking too much for someone who was supposed to be seriously ill. He had to shut up so he did. All he could do was hope the others took this scenario to its logical conclusion.

“Hoss, help me get Adam to the wagon. We’ll take him to the house, and Hop Sing will probably have something to help.”

“I’ll ride with him, Mister Cartwright. He needs a nurse.”

“You most certainly will not. He made good sense even though he’s sick. There is no reason for you to be exposed to whatever he has. You let them take care of him. They are perfectly capable of doing so.” Christine’s father was not going to let her go with Adam for the obvious reasons no matter how much he had hoped they might form a couple. Adam had seemed reluctant as it was, and now he was sick as well.

“Joe, will you take our horses back and ride with the Martins, please?”

“Sure, Pa. I’ll take care of everything here.”

Matthew Martin looked over at Joe who looked healthy but he had to be sure. “How are you feeling, young man?”

“I feel fine.”

“Very good then, we shall ride with you.”

Suddenly, Christine decided to take a closer look at Joe to see if he might be a better prospect than she had first considered. Although younger than her by two years, she considered that might be a benefit in some ways giving her an edge in their relationship. She struck up a conversation with him as soon as she could once he managed to get the two horses he was leading under control and following docilely.

“Joe, now I know it is selfish of me to ask, but now that Adam is ill, and I do only have two more days to visit here, I have a question for you.”

Perking up at that because he had a good idea of what the question might be, Joe nodded. “If it’s the question I think it is, the answer is yes.”

“Oh, Joe, you are so sweet. Yes is the answer I truly wanted to hear. I do so want to ride around the Ponderosa and see all the beautiful sights here. I’m sure there are wonderful places you can show me.”

“Oh, Christine, there’s a lot I want to show you.”

If Matthew wasn’t so confident in his daughter’s abilities to handle a young man, that last statement might have worried him. He smiled a little thinking that perhaps young Joseph Cartwright was going to get a education in romance from what he would consider an unlikely source.

At the house, an hour later, Little Joe and Christine continued their conversation and getting to know one another as Ben left his son in Hop Sing’s capable hands. The family cook and friend was not amused. When the patriarch of the Ponderosa left Adam’s bedroom and pulled the door closed, he decided it was time to find out what the charade was all about. He gave up all pretense of tending to a patient and sat down on a chair glowering at the eldest son and waited for him to explain.

“I suppose you want to know why I made my father and the others believe I was ill. I did retch, but as you know, I’m not ill. My stomach though has been upset for days now because of that woman. She follows me around. She touches me. She hounds me with questions. I have no peace. When I went out to work today, I thought I had gotten away from her, but she came out there. I had been working in the hot sun and I did eat that lunch. Then I drank the warm water in my canteen because I forgot to put it someplace cool. I went back to working in the hot sun and my stomach rebelled. I threw up my lunch. When I saw Pa and Mister Martin riding in from the other direction, it suddenly hit me that I could try this so I exaggerated my symptoms.”

“You lie.”

“Yes, I did, but please forgive me. I was sick to my stomach and I did throw up my lunch.” Realizing at that moment what had upset Hop Sing the most, Adam was ready with an apology. “I’m sorry for telling them that the food might have been bad. I was desperate and seized on the first excuse that entered my mind. It was despicable, and I never should have said that.”

Somewhat placated, Hop Sing inclined his head ever so slightly in acknowledgement, but then delivered the news of what his punishment for the transgression would be. “I bring tea and broth for meals until stomach feel better. Maybe tomorrow this time, stomach will like Hop Sing food again. I tell father how I make you feel better.”

All Adam could do was accept his fate as graciously as possible. He did think he could probably manage to either sneak down to the kitchen during the night to get a snack or get Hoss on his side to help him out on that issue. Hoss did visit but not until after his father stopped in to see him and checked his forehead.

“You don’t seem to have a fever although you seemed quite warm when we brought you home.”

“I guess I overdid it in the sun too, Pa. Hop Sing seems to think tea and broth will bring my stomach back to normal by tomorrow.”

“I hope so. If it doesn’t, I’ll see if Doctor Martin can come see you.”

“Oh, no, Pa, I’m sure Hop Sing has it right. I’ll be fine.”

“We’ll see. You stay in that bed now, and I don’t want you sneaking downstairs either. I know you think you can do more than you can every time you’re sick. So promise me you’ll stay here in this bed tonight.”

Boxed in by that, Adam had no alternative except to agree. He had already fibbed which made him feel guilty so he wouldn’t be able to break this promise. The only hope he had of feeling as if he was starving was Hoss but that hope was dashed as his father left the room.

“Hoss, don’t visit too long with Adam, and don’t listen to any ideas he has about what he wants. Hop Sing is in charge and Adam is to follow what he says.”

“Yessir, Pa. I wouldn’t never go agin what Hop Sing says ta do.”

By Sunday morning, when Adam walked downstairs to have breakfast, he was feeling a bit faint and was hungrier than he could remember being in a long time. After sitting at the table, he waited for Hop Sing to bring out platters of food so he could satisfy the empty pit in his middle. What he got though was a plate with a small amount of soft eggs, a piece of toast, and some warm baked apples. Hoss snickered at what he saw even as Adam objected.

“I’m feeling fine, Hop Sing.”

“You eat that first. Maybe for lunch, you eat more.”

Still caught in the trap of his own creation, Adam ate what he had which at least stilled those rumbles of hunger although didn’t satisfy his appetite. As he ate though, Christine, her father, and Joe joined them at the table.

“Adam, you’re looking so much better. You don’t look sick at all. Perhaps you would like to ride with me today?”

Those words and the fierce glare Adam got from Joe made his stomach lurch again. Deciding that Hop Sing might be correct in his assessment of what his system could tolerate, Adam smiled wanly.

“No, I don’t think I’m up to that.”

Noticing that Adam had suddenly paled a bit, Ben’s suspicion was replaced by concern. “Adam, are you feeling all right?”

“Yes, Pa, I’m fine.”

All three Cartwrights heard that code word fine that said he was anything but feeling that way. Anytime he said that, he was covering up how he was actually feeling. Even Joe relented from his earlier jealous reaction and offered his best wishes that Adam feel better by the end of the day. What helped Adam the most was that Christine left with Joe to go to church services, and then they spent the rest of the day together not returning until dinner. By then, Adam was feeling much better having played some chess with Hoss and done some reading. He had not gone to church services but relaxed at home until his father, Matthew, and Hoss returned. Lunch had gone down well and was better received by his stomach without Christine in the house. He looked forward to the next day when they were scheduled to leave. That hope was dashed and his stomach issues flared with dinner when thunderstorms arrived. Those heavy rains meant that travel to town would be delayed at least one day and perhaps two. The one ray of hope was that the storms were gone by morning and the sun was shining. Adam hoped to get a job far from the house.

“Adam, after your last two days, I think you need to stick close to home. We have some forge work that needs to be done.”

Without looking, Adam knew Joe would be glaring again and couldn’t bring himself to look at Christine to see her predatory look. He truly felt like bait in a bear trap again. Without any logical argument to counter his father’s statement, all Adam could do was to accept his assignment. As he prepared the forge, Joe stopped by before riding off to do his task for the day. He had thought that after spending two days with Christine that he had the advantage with her but didn’t like the idea of her spending the day with Adam.

“I don’t care how well you plan and scheme. She likes me too, and I’ll find a way to beat you at this game.”

“Joe, I’m not playing games, but if I was, this time, I’d be hoping you’d win.”

Looking puzzled, Joe mounted up to ride off with Hoss. After explaining to Hoss, what Adam had said, he was equally confused by Hoss’ response.

“Adam don’t lie, well not usually lessin’ he’s tryin’ ta protect someone even hisself.”

At home, all morning, Christine found all sorts of reasons to pester Adam at the forge offering him water or a snack or asking any number of questions. Then at lunch, Adam got even worse news when his father disclosed what he and Matthew had been discussing that morning about their businesses. “We’ve decided to put in a combined bid for that railroad contract. Both of us have concerns about being able to make the deadlines they have, but together we should be able to manage them quite well. So, I want you to travel with Matthew and Christine to Sacramento. The two of you can work on the bid there and submit it.”

Ben looked so proud of himself and it was such a good idea overall that Adam had to endorse it even as his stomach once again began to protest. He guessed that perhaps he was going to have to be very careful what he ate until he was finally free of this woman. Things got worse after lunch when Christine followed him out to the forge and asked if he could move a chair from the porch to near the forge so she could watch him work.

“The forge is a dangerous place. I can’t afford to be distracted by conversation, and sparks could fly out and harm you.”

“I’ll sit far enough back, and I promise not to chatter on.”

So, Adam got a chair from the porch and set it as far back from the forge as he thought she would accept. Then he went back to work. After the rain, it was humid, and with the sun, it was hot, but with Christine there, he resisted the urge to remove his shirt or even open it much. It made him hotter and surlier than he would have been anyway. His discomfort must have become too obvious though because by late afternoon, Christine approached him when he was sorting through some metal pieces and she had a suggestion.

“I think you look much too hot and uncomfortable. You’ve been working so hard all day. Now I’ve seen men working a forge, and I know a lot of them take their shirt off or they open it up to let the air in to cool them. Your face is so red and you’re sweating so profusely, my sweet man.” As she talked, she moved closer and began to unbutton his shirt even as he quickly dropped the metal pieces he had and moved to stop her except the heavy gloves he was wearing made that difficult. As he moved backwards to evade her but with little room to maneuver, Little Joe and Hoss rode into the yard.

“Adam, what are you doing?”

Looking up at Little Joe and distracted from his effort to elude Christine’s advance, Adam tripped over some metal pieces and fell backwards, and Christine fell with him losing her balance because she had been hanging onto his shirt front when he began to fall. Coming to rest on Adam’s chest and facing him, she couldn’t have been more pleased. She leaned down and kissed him even as he was helpless beneath her and could do nothing to stop her and still be a gentleman. It was Little Joe and Hoss helping her to her feet that rescued him. Hoss helped Adam up then.

“You all right, older brother?”

Flustered, Adam shrugged off Hoss’ arm. “I’m fine.”

But as he was going to stalk to the house with what little dignity he had left, his right ankle let him know he wasn’t fine. Christine rushed to his aid pulling his arm around her shoulders.

“Adam, you’re not at all fine. I’ll help you.”

Trapped once more because his father had taught him to be a gentleman, Adam sighed and accepted her aid. He didn’t have to look to know that Little Joe was furious but didn’t have any idea how to get out of this predicament knowing it would only be worse when Little Joe found out their father’s plan. Thankfully, once he was in the washroom, Hop Sing rescued him from Christine.

“Missy Christine can go clean up. Hop Sing’s job to take care of Cartwrights. I take care of Mister Adam.”

Christine couldn’t argue with Hop Sing so she was effectively banished from the washroom. Hop Sing went to get clean clothing for Adam and bandages for the ankle telling Adam to strip down and wash. When he got back, he was dismayed to see the condition of Adam’s ankle. It was swollen and tender as Hop Sing probed it gently and Adam winced.

“You hurt it bad this time.”

As Hop Sing began to bandage it, Adam objected.

“If you put any more bandage on that, I won’t be able to put a boot on.”

“Perhaps that’s what is necessary.” Ben had walked into the washroom. “Christine told us about your accident and said you were injured. Hop Sing, how bad is it?”

“Not broken but very bad hurt. Not walk on it until better.”

“I’ll get the crutches.” Ben turned to leave the room.

“Hey, don’t I get any say in this. I don’t need crutches.”

Ben turned back. “I’ll take Hop Sing’s word on that before I take yours. I guess Matthew and I will have to come up with a new plan for that contract plan.”

About to object again, Adam suddenly realized he had been saved from the trip to Sacramento. Instead of objecting, he changed tactics and looked forlorn instead. Playing the dejected and disappointed son, he could only agree. “Yes, I’m sorry, Pa. I hadn’t thought of that.”

Once he had the crutches, Adam maneuvered himself out to the blue chair where he rested until dinner. Unfortunately, he was at the mercy of Christine there as she fussed over him the entire time much to the dismay of Little Joe who could only stare angrily at Adam all that time. However, things improved significantly at dinner. As Ben explained the plan that he and Matthew had devised, Little Joe shot a few glares Adam’s way, but when Ben said they had to change the plan because of Adam’s injury and wondered if Little Joe might be interested in taking Adam’s place, Little Joe was all triumphant smiles. Christine turned her attention to him too and was gratified when he returned her interest. After dinner, they walked outside together and were gone for quite a while. Adam had struggled up the stairs while they were outside and was resting in bed talking with Hoss who sat in the big rocker next to his bed when Little Joe came upstairs later and stopped in to check on him as well as to gloat.

“How’s the ankle?”

“About the same. Thank you for asking. How was your walk?”

“She said she likes me more than you. She said I’m friendlier.”

“I can believe that.”

“So, all your plans didn’t work out at all. I ended up with the girl anyway.”

“I guess you did. Well played.”

“Thanks. Well, good night.”

After Little Joe left, Hoss looked confused. “I thought ya never wanted that gal no how. I thought you were glad ya didn’t have ta go ta Sacramento even if it was because ya had ta hurt your ankle to do it. I didn’t see ya makin’ no play for her.”

“She was and is the one playing the game. She forced me into it and now our little brother volunteered to take my place. Good luck to him playing the game with her. Hopefully, he comes back from Sacramento without marrying her.”

Hoss shuddered. “You don’t think he would, do ya? I don’t think I could stand havin’ her ’round here all the time.”

“We’ll see how well he plays the game now, won’t we?”

 

 

Tags:  Adam Cartwright, Ben Cartwright, Joe / Little Joe Cartwright