SUMMARY:  The third in the series.  The first two stories in the series featured Adam, but this one showcases all the brothers in a lighter story of what they can do to build their father’s dream and their own.

Rating:  T  Word Count:  14,525

Truth Series:

Truth Be Told
Truth is What You Make It
Matchmaking and More Truth
Half-Truths and Omissions (by BettyHT)

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Matchmaking and More Truth

Chapter 1

Sitting on the porch with Belle, Hoss found he was able to pour out his heart more than he had ever been able to do with any other person. They were the only two on the ranch that day and had a lot of time. After he finished his chores and she finished up in the house, she brought some lemonade to the porch. His father was gone on a trip to Sacramento and Joe was over in Carson City. Adam had taken the buckboard to Virginia City to pick up some things for their new home. The plan was that he and Belle would move in as soon as he finished some major renovations to the house on the Edwards ranch which had been purchased only a few weeks earlier. Hop Sing had taken the carriage to get supplies. That’s what left Hoss home with Adam’s wife and a chance to talk with her.

“I’d like to have what you and Adam have, but I cain’t never seem ta find a woman who wants me. They always look to someone more handsome than me or they look for someone like Joe or like Adam. Ya know, they want a handsome one or a charming one.”

Then Hoss had talked of some of his failed relationships. Belle already knew some of that history because Adam had told her stories. But there were some things Adam didn’t know because of the time he had been away. Belle felt bad about how Hoss had been treated by women but thought there might be something he didn’t know about how men and women ought to get along. He had such a kind and generous nature, he didn’t see how he could be used and abused by a woman. She asked him if he had a couple of dollars.

“All right then, we’re going to try a few things, and you don’t get to say anything until we’re done. Now, hand me a dollar.”

Hoss handed Belle a dollar and she gave him a quarter in return. His eyes got big, and he was going to say something, but she put a finger over her lips to remind him not to speak. Then she made a second request.

“All right, now, hand me another dollar.”

Belle could see that Hoss was reluctant, but he handed it over to her. She handed him back the two dollars he had given her, an extra dollar, and two cookies she had on a plate because she hadn’t eaten them. Hoss grinned broadly. He looked at her quizzically as if asking if he could talk.

“Yes, you can talk now.”

“You want to explain all of that?”

“You get taken advantage of by a lady and you still give to her, don’t you?”

“Oh, that was the second dollar, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, how did you feel about then?”

“I didn’t feel so good. I felt like you was maybe makin’ fun of me or something.”

“But it didn’t stop you. You still gave me the dollar and played by my rules.”

“Yes’m, I did.”

“Hoss, that’s part of the problem. Adam would never let me or any woman get away with that. If you don’t show respect for yourself, then you can’t expect others to show respect for you. Now, how did you feel when you got extra back for what you gave to me?”

“I was mighty pleased.”

“That’s how it should be when you do something nice for someone. They should want to do something nice for you to make you feel good.”

Hoss leaned back and munched on a cookie, sipped some lemonade, and grinned. “Thank you. I know now why you and Adam is always smiling at each other.” Hoss thought a bit more. “So what I should be doing is paying attention to the women who seem interested in being nice to me instead of me falling all over myself trying to be nice to women to try to git them ta notice me?” Belle nodded. “Ya know, last week, I helped a lady at the general store with a stack of packages, and she said I could help her anytime. She said she’d be pleased to offer me some refreshment at her house too or even if I didn’t help her out but only wanted to stop by. That’s the kind of thing you mean, ain’t it?”

“Yes, that’s what I mean. She gave you an opening. It’s up to you to follow up.”

“She was kind of ordinary looking and kind of short, but she had a cute little button nose and her hair was pretty and all curls around her face.”

“Seems like she made an impression on you. She might be the one for you.”

“I seen her at church too.”

“Perhaps tomorrow at church, you might want to go up to her and suggest a ride?”

“Yeah, what’s the worst that could happen?”

“Oh, please don’t say things like that. With this family, I hate to even think about the worst that could happen.”

“Sorry. I should have thought about what happened to Adam already. He’s only now recovered from getting shot in the back.” While munching on the cookies and drinking lemonade, Hoss was thinking. Then he voiced a question he had wondered about for quite some time and one that he knew was unlikely to be answered by his older brother. “Belle, how did you and Adam meet? I mean, the two of you got together real fast so I’m guessing it was no ordinary meeting like in the saloon where you was working.”

“I suppose I can tell you. You would never repeat this to anyone. I met Adam when he saved me. Two men were trying to, ah, be friendlier than I wanted them to be, if you know what I mean.” Hoss was upset by that but nodded. “Adam stopped them with a few words. He had his pistol out, but it was the words that did it. That and his eyes, I guess. They could tell by his voice and his eyes that he was the kind of man who would kill them or die trying if they didn’t do what he said. Neither one of them had the kind of courage to stand against a man like that. So there were two of them but they left. The sheriff came up then and Adam’s voice and everything was different. It was to me too. He was a different person the way he was with us especially how he was with me. So I knew he was all tough and hard on the outside, but inside, he was a gentle kind man.” Smiling softly then, she looked at Hoss with a bit of a whimsical smile. “And Hoss, I didn’t pick Adam because he was so handsome or charming. In fact, if you recall when you first met him, he had that long hair and thick beard. He wore that slouch hat and clothing that you might expect on a cowboy who worked a lot in Mexico or someone who rode with outlaws.”

“Oh, yeah, I remember. It was hard to see my brother under all of that.”

“No, what shone through was his heart. I knew he was different than any man I had ever met, and I fell in love with him almost right away. He showed me he cared about what happened to me.”

“Yeah, he’s always had that big heart.”

“He does, but he can hide it well. He hides many things very well.”

“But not so much from those who know him well.”

“It is maddening some times though to have to guess or figure it out when he won’t talk about it. I wish we talked more.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. You’ve only had a few months of that. I’ve had years. He’s better about some things than others, and I’m sure you’ve figured out that there are times that are better for talking than others.”

“I have, but what do you do when you know he needs to talk and he doesn’t?”

“Well, I know he talks most easily when he’s relaxing some and it’s just the two of us especially at night. We’ve had some real good talks around the campfires or out here some nights.”

“So the timing of when I ask that burning question is the key.”

“And where. You don’t want to ask where anyone else could hear the answer.” Hoss knew well how Adam valued his privacy in all matters.

“Thank you. You’re a great brother.”

“You’re real welcome. You’re a pretty darn great sister too. I’m sure glad Adam up and married you, Belle.”

Belle hugged Hoss then and kissed him on the cheek just as Adam drove the wagon into the yard. As Adam cocked his head to the side at the sight, his brother and his wife broke apart looking embarrassed.

“We was jest talkin’ ’bout you, older brother.”

“And that made you kiss my wife?”

“I didn’t kiss her. She kissed me!”

The twinkle in his eyes belied Adam’s attempt to look affronted by the behavior he had seen. Belle walked over and slapped him on the arm before kissing him quite a bit differently than she had kissed Hoss.

“I guess that does make up for what I witnessed.” The tone of his voice and the way he was looking at his wife though made his words sound teasing instead of threatening.

“You’re terrible. Stop trying to make Hoss feel bad. We had a wonderful conversation, and he said he was glad you married me and that I was a great sister so I kissed him on the cheek. Now be nice!”

Laughing then, Adam reached into the wagon and grabbed a small bag tossing it to Hoss who caught it, opened it, and thanked his older brother for the hard candies. Next, he pulled out several large parcels wrapped in brown paper. Belle was curious about those.

“These are the fabrics you wanted for curtains and such for the house. They came in early so you can get started on these. I have all the measurements for windows and beds.”

“What about all the things you ordered?”

“Some materials arrived but not all. I have enough to keep working on the house though.”

“Good because the sooner we get in our own home, the better.”

Surprised at her comment, Adam looked at her and paused for a moment. “You don’t like it here? I could make other arrangements if it’s a problem.”

“Oh, no, Adam, I only meant I’m looking forward to us being in our own home.”

As Belle carried the bolts of cloth into the house, Adam watched her go and Hoss watched Adam fairly certain that his older brother was worried. Noticing that Belle hadn’t eaten any cookies and had hardly sipped any lemonade either, Hoss was beginning to think there was a reason for Belle to want her own home. He decided to pay more attention to Belle and her behavior. He guessed that Adam hadn’t noticed anything unusual yet because if he had, Hoss knew he would be overly concerned and would never have let Belle carry those bolts of cloth. Adam however noticed Hoss smiling.

“What’s funny?”

“Oh, me and Belle was talking about men and women and marriage, and it’s kinda funny seeing the two of you being married and all acting all married up and all.”

Simply shaking his head at his brother’s response, Adam led the team toward the stable as Hoss walked with him offering to help.

“So you and Belle were talking about marriage. Learn anything?”

“Yeah, I did. You know, you really got a right smart wife there. She kinda got me thinking on how I oughta take a look at how women treat me and not only how I treat them. It’s not just one way like I gotta make women happy. They should be thinkin’ on makin’ me happy too.”

Stopping what he was doing, Adam stared at Hoss for a time. He shook his head then and pulled at the rest of the harness getting most of it off the horses. Hoss stopped working and stared at Adam.

“All right, what’re you thinking?”

“Hoss, I had no idea you didn’t know that. You always talk about me not sharing enough. After all this time, it’s amazing we never talked about that. Of course, a woman needs to think about making a man happy too. It’s not much of a relationship if it’s all one doing everything and the other benefits.”

Hoss pulled the rest of the harness and followed Adam into the tack room. “Say, that’s what was wrong between you and Laura, wasn’t it? You did all you could for her, and she didn’t make much of an effort to see ifn you was happy or not.” Seeing Adam’s pained expression, Hoss felt bad about bringing that up. “Sorry, didn’t mean to open old wounds.”

“It’s not Laura. It’s that I think about Peggy fairly often. I know I dodged a bullet by not marrying Laura. Like you said, she had no concern about my happiness. But Peggy cared and I cared about Peggy. I do miss not being able to be her father. That’s the regret I have. That’s the loss I suffered.”

“Yeah, I could see that. I miss that little scamp too. I wonder how she’s doing.”

“I wonder too. I hope Will is being a good father to her. She needed a good father.”

“You woulda been a great father.” Then Hoss decided to broach a related subject. “Maybe you’ll get to be a father with Belle. She’s young enough that she could still have some babies.”

“I hope not.”

Shocked, Hoss stared at his older brother. “Why not?”

“I finally found someone to love and to love me. I don’t want to lose her.”

“Adam, she’s a strong woman. You know your mama wasn’t a strong woman. Lots of women have babies and don’t have no problems.”

“And lots do. Why take the chance?”

“Cause you’d get to be a father.”

“Not worth the risk.”

“You sure about that.”

“I’m sure.”

Hoss was worried then because he suspected Adam was going to have to face that dilemma sooner rather than later. Not sure how well his marriage might hold up to the stress of that kind of confrontation, Hoss thought he better alert his father so they could talk about this to see if there was a way to help. Meanwhile he decided to lighten the mood.

“Tomorrow, I’m going to church with you and Belle, but I’ll be taking the surrey.”

“Something I said?”

“Nope. Something Belle said. I’m thinking about asking a gal ta take a ride with me. And ya know something? Ifn she says no, I’m thinkin’ I might jest ask somebody else who’ll say yes.”

Grinning, Adam slapped Hoss on the shoulder to show he agreed with his plan. Hop Sing had arrived home with supplies. They went to help him so he could get busy with dinner.

 

Chapter 2

The next morning was complicated a little because Joe was home. He wondered of course why they were taking two vehicles and why he and Hoss weren’t simply riding horses if Adam and Belle wanted the carriage. So Hoss had to tell him his plan which meant that Joe immediately began thinking of things he could do to help Hoss with his romance.

“No, Joe, I don’t want ya doing nothing.”

“But Hoss, I’m good at this. I could really help you with the ladies.”

“Joe, you married?”

“Of course not. I’m not ready to be married yet.”

“Yeah, that’s what you say, but I know the truth. Now Adam got married. Belle got married. Ifn I’m lookin’ for anybody ta help me with what I need ta do, I’m gonna be askin’ them not that I’m askin’, but I would ifn I had to.” Hoss didn’t want Joe to know he’d discussed the issues with Belle at length and with Adam briefly already.

“Aw, if it’s talking, we could do that. I’m really good at talking.”

“Yeah, but how good are you at listening?”

“I could listen too.”

“Forget it, Joe. My mind is already made up. You stay out of it.”

“All right, all right, but you might find that you need me.”

Rather wisely, or at least Belle thought it was so, Adam stayed out of the two brothers bickering. When it was time to ride to church, Belle asked him why he hadn’t said anything.

“My experience has been that sometimes when I back Hoss, it only makes Joe argue more. It seemed better to let Hoss handle it.”

However, when they got to church, Adam ended up encouraging Joe to help. As Hoss walked to talk to his intended date for the day, Lucy Hendricks targeted him and moved to intercept him. Belle saw it and warned Adam.

“Oh, no, there goes that harpy who is so upset that you married me. She’s always got some little barb to throw my way. Now if she can’t have you, it looks like she may have set her sights on Hoss.”

Processing that information as fast as he could, Adam grabbed Joe’s arm. “If you want to help Hoss’ romance, you need to sacrifice yourself and head off Lucy. Charm her and keep her busy.”

“Gees, Adam, that’s no sacrifice. She’s beautiful.”

As Joe headed off to try to dazzle Lucy with his smile and his charm, Adam muttered under his breath. Belle frowned.

“What did you say?”

“I said that Joe may find that she’s as beautiful as a Mojave sidewinder and just as nasty.”

“I didn’t think you knew her that well.”

“I haven’t spent any time with her recently so you don’t have to be jealous. When I was younger though, I did socialize with her on occasion, and there’s a meanness under that pretty cover.”

“Yet, you sent Joe into her clutches.”

“He’s only going to stop her from going after Hoss until he gets a chance to talk to the lady he intended to see.”

“Oh, really. Well, Joe’s walking into church with her. They look quite friendly.”

It was Adam’s turn to frown as he saw Lucy’s arm twined through Joe’s and Joe smiling broadly at Lucy. He had thought his youngest brother would be immune to Lucy’s false charms. Now he was worried that he might have set something in motion that he had not intended and wondered if he could tell Joe about his experience with that woman.

“There are good reasons why a woman of her age is not married in an area where men outnumber women by about ten to one.”

“How old is she?”

“Older than Joe but younger than Hoss. I don’t know the exact age, but it doesn’t matter. She’s wrong for anyone.”

“You sound bitter.”

“Let’s go into church.”

Clearly Adam didn’t want to discuss it. Hoss was walking in with a woman they didn’t know. Apparently at least his plan was working. In church, the six of them sat in one long pew drawing a lot of attention from the congregation. Adam always got a lot having returned when everyone thought he had died and then marrying a saloon girl. Those two things alone were enough to make him the object of many a conversation in town. Now Hoss seemed to have chosen a woman to pursue so there was another topic that was going to get a workout. The juiciest news of all though was seeing Lucy hanging on Joe’s arm. The women didn’t like her and many of the men shuddered at the memory of having spent time with her. Any man with money Hoss’ age or older probably had some story to tell of Lucy and her devious behavior and had paid dearly for it, literally. Some knew what had happened between her and Adam so it was no surprise that Hoss had avoided her, but that Adam would allow Joe to go anywhere near her made people wonder. Of course, they did know how difficult a time Ben had over the years in getting that youngest one to follow any kind of sage advice and assumed that was what must have happened. Surely his oldest brother wouldn’t have let him get involved with Lucy otherwise.

After church, the best news for Joe was not what he thought of as good at all, but he had to ride home with Adam and Belle so he couldn’t spend any more time with Lucy. At her urging, he did agree to come see her at the earliest opportunity. She smiled demurely and offered her hand for a kiss. If it had been anywhere else, she would have tried to entice the youngest Cartwright to go somewhere else for a more passionate goodbye, but even Lucy couldn’t manage that at the churchyard.

Completely oblivious to his family, Hoss escorted his lady friend to the surrey without even thinking to introduce her to his family. He drove off without even a wave causing Adam to turn to Belle with a smirk.

“Looks like you did it.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Whatever you said yesterday put the two of them together. Face it. You’re the matchmaker in this pairing. You’ll have to take responsibility for the results.”

“Adam, you can’t call me a matchmaker if I didn’t even know the lady.”

Pursing his lips, Adam thought about that before responding. “All right, you may have a point, but if Hoss thanks you when he gets home, I’m sticking to my conclusion. Fair enough?”

“I guess so.”

Quiet for a time then, Adam listened as Joe talked about Lucy. He wanted to tell Joe not to see her but it would mean admitting an embarrassing time for him. When Joe said he was going to go see Lucy later that week though, Adam decided he had to swallow some of that pride and tell the story.

“Joe, I think it’s a mistake.”

“I know she’s got a reputation, Adam, but you, better than most, should know reputation can be false.”

“Not in her case.”

“How do you know.”

“I know.”

“Not good enough. I like her and she seemed to like me. Without more detail, I’m not going to change my mind.”

“I went with her a few times. Then one time, I had a drink, and the next thing I knew, I woke up in a state that made it look like a lot had happened. I was suspicious and accused her of putting something in that drink. She denied it, but we didn’t see each other again. A couple of months later, she showed up and said she was carrying my child and that I had to marry her or pay enough to support her and her child at a level similar to what our family had. I said no. She said she would fight it, but when she tried by going public, two other men came forward to say she had said the same to them and settled for money. Who knows if there were others too embarrassed to say anything. She was poison to men around here for a long time. Apparently, some have forgotten or never knew. You were too young then to know about it. Hoss knows. Pa knows.”

Belle was astonished never having heard this story. “What happened to the baby?”

“Lucy’s ‘sister’ adopted her. She lives in Carson City and was never able to have children. What’s unusual is that Lucy never mentioned having a sister until she needed a place for her child. The suspicion was that she placed her baby with a childless couple for a fee. It’s of questionable legality, but no one challenged it because we all thought the little girl was far better off that way.”

However, Joe was still defensive. “She could have changed.”

“Yes, she may be more devious now. It only makes her a greater problem.”

“More than most, older brother, you should know that people can decide to take their life in another direction. I’m going to see her and give her a chance.”

The rest of the ride was fairly quiet. When Hoss got home, he was all smiles and wanted to share all that had happened for him, but the mood in the room was such that he knew he had to find out what the problem was that had been brewing in his absence. When Adam told him that Joe had decided to see Lucy, Hoss sat down.

“Oh, Lordy, Joe, you shur you wanta do that?”

“Not you too!”

“Now don’t get your back up. It’s only that we’re worried about you.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Around that one then, you better keep you wits about you and don’t drink nothing she offers.”

“Why not?”

“Every story I ever heard ’bout men having trouble wit her had to do wit them having something she offered them ta drink just like what happened wit Adam.”

“You know, maybe she’s changed. Why can’t anyone accept that she could have decided to be a better person?”

With Belle sitting there, Adam and Hoss didn’t want to pursue that kind of conversation so the topic was dropped. Dinner was quiet and everyone except Hoss went to bed early. Ben had pushed hard to arrive home that Sunday evening and was surprised to find only Hoss sitting by the fire when he entered the house.

“Pa, ifn I knew you was home, I woulda come out ta help ya.”

“It’s all right. Candy and a couple of the hands rode in about the same time and took care of things for me. Where is everyone?”

Although Hoss had hoped to talk about his father’s trip with him, he had to get right to the issues in the family. “Well, first of all, everybody is fine. Everything is going real good on the ranch.”

Reading between the lines, Ben knew Hoss was hiding that something was amiss in the family. “But my sons may have some problems?”

“Dadburnit, Pa, how do you always know?”

“It’s a father’s instinct. Now don’t try to evade me like your older brother does. What is going on that I should know?”

“Well, you been noticing at all how Belle’s been picking at her food and looking a bit peaked lately?” At his father’s nod, Hoss continued. “I think she may be in the family way. She’s looking that way some and acting more emotional too. I ain’t never spent much time with a woman early in that state, but it seems she might be.”

“I had the same thought, but surely you’re not worried about that because that would be good news if it’s true.”

“Yeah, it shur would be, but it’s Adam who’s worrying me. He says he don’t want no children. He’s worried about losing Belle.”

“Oh, no. I’ve been worried about that. So many years that he focused on that seems to have left scars on him as much as those whips did. I don’t know what we can do about it. I assume we’ll have some time to think about that. Now, what else is bothering you because it seems there’s something more pressing than that based on those frown lines you have.”

So Hoss told the whole story starting with his discussion with Belle and ending with the discussion with Joe about Lucy which had not gone well. Ben was quiet during the whole oration smiling with Hoss’ enthusiasm for his new lady friend and then shocked with Joe’s new interest and his rejection of his brothers’ advice.

“He’s too old for me to forbid him to see her.”

“Pa, that didn’t work when he was young. Only made him more determined to see the one who was forbidden. At this point, we jest gotta give him the best information we kin and hope he follows his head.”

“Hoss, we know what he usually follows.”

“Yeah, but he’s older now, and he’s been warned. Maybe ifn we trust him, he’ll keep his wits about him and be real careful. He thinks she’s changed.”

“You don’t though, do you?”

“No more than you do, Pa.”

“I think you’re right, though. It’s time to trust Joe and hope he is careful enough. I can’t say I won’t be worried every time they’re together though.”

“I shur know what ya mean ’bout that.”

At the top of the stairs, Joe had heard most of the conversation. Debating whether to go back to his room or go down to greet his father as he first intended, he chose to do the manly thing.

“Hi, Pa. I didn’t know you were getting home tonight.”

“I missed my family and had a chance to get home today so I took it. Hoss has been telling me about all the news.”

Joe dropped his head and then looked up. “I heard.”

“I guessed you probably did. How do you feel about what we said.”

“Thank you for trusting me, and yes, I do want to see if she’s changed. I like her. I will be careful because I believe what Adam told me.”

“That’s all I wanted to hear.”

Ben hugged Joe and then all three headed up to bed. Seeing a light under Adam’s door, Ben knocked. Adam opened the door and Ben greeted him, hugged him and Belle, and updated him on his conversation with Hoss and then with Joe. It meant that Adam slept better that night too, but Belle didn’t sleep well tossing and turning much of the night. She was thinking about how to share her news with Adam and wished she could enlist Ben’s help. However, Adam deserved to be told first. The next morning was going to have to be the morning for it though because it was getting too difficult to hide the nausea she felt several times a day.

 

Chapter 3

In the morning, Belle decided she had to tell Adam. She felt too ill to get out of bed. The room was spinning and she knew if she got up, she was going to throw up. It was better to lay back and keep her eyes closed. She lay that way even when she felt the bed shift as Adam awoke and rolled out to take care of business. He slipped back into the bed as he often did to wake her with kisses. Before he could do anything, she stopped him.

“No. I’m awake and I don’t feel well. If I move, I may retch. I want to lay right here a while.”

“You’re sick.”

“Not exactly. It will pass. It does every day.”

“But you said you don’t feel well and.”

He stopped there and she knew he had figured it out. He got out of the bed and got dressed. She wasn’t sure how she expected him to react, but that hadn’t been at all any of the reactions she had anticipated. He left quietly closing the door leaving her alone. She spoke to that closed door.

“All right, mister, I know I didn’t do that well, but you sure as hell did worse.”

Downstairs, Ben and his younger sons were already at the table having coffee when Adam walked by them into the kitchen. Hoss was the first to speak and confused Joe.

“I think Belle musta said something to him this morning.”

“What could she say to make him look like that? She’s not leaving him, is she?”

Ben reassured him. “No, I’m sure that’s not it. Let’s not say anything until they say something.”

Now Joe was curious too. Apparently, his father and Hoss knew something about Adam and Belle that he didn’t know and they weren’t about to tell him either. He had been forbidden to ask as well. So with only one option left, he began to think of all the possibilities. When Adam walked back out with a tray of biscuits, tea, and toast, he nodded but waited until his oldest brother was up the stairs and out of sight.

“They’re having a baby?”

Ben and Hoss shrugged.

“Aw, c’mon, you can tell me.”

“Son, we don’t know. We’ll all have to wait for the announcement if that is what it is.”

Upstairs, Adam brought the tray into their bedroom and surprised Belle who was sitting up in bed by that point. Adam put the tray on her bedside table and then sat in the chair next to it.

“I’m sorry. I know I should be happy, but all I felt was shock and then fear. All I can think of is losing you. All that’s ever happened to me was that I have lost all the women I have loved. From my mother to Inger and everyone else. I can’t face it again.”

“Damn, but you can be depressing. You are not going to lose me. We’re going to have a baby. The only one at real risk here is that baby. That’s the little one who’s so tiny now and will be so little when he or she is born. I’m scared too. We’re going to be responsible for that little one for a long time and have to care for him and protect him and teach him. It’s a big responsibility. That’s scary.”

Then Belle realized what she had done. She had never spoken harshly to Adam, and now she had unleashed a whole lecture at him. Her eyes got rather big as she waited for his anger to erupt as she thought it must. He stared at her and her heart beat so fast she thought she might pass out. He frowned as he looked at her.

“Belle, are you all right? You look pale.”

Moving quickly to her, Adam wrapped an arm around her and eased her back on her pillow and grabbed the cup of tea offering her a sip. He helped her sip the tea until she had a good third of the cup.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes. I thought you were going to yell. I got scared.”

“Oh, Belle, I wouldn’t yell at you. At least not for that.”

Adam kissed her then and held her as she wrapped her arms around him. They sat that way for quite a while resting in each other’s arms and taking solace in the other’s embrace until it was time to talk.

“You’re not happy about us having a baby?”

“I guess I am, but I have to get used to the idea. Somehow, I was thinking we would just go on as we had been. I knew a baby was possible, but because we’re both older, I didn’t think it would be so soon if at all.” Then with a frown, he thought of another possibility. “Are you happy about having a baby?”

“I am now. I guess like you, it was kind of a shock to realize I might be with child. As I waited to know, I had the chance to get used to the idea. I am happy about it now. I understand how you could use some time too.”

“I’m getting used to the idea already. It could be fun to be a larger family and have a smiling little one to come home to as well as a beautiful wife. This could be a great new adventure for us. Oh, is this why you were so interested in getting the house ready for us to move in?” When Belle smiled, he grinned. “We’ll be in the house in plenty of time to welcome our little one. I’ll make a special nursery and I’ll make sure it’s nice and warm too. I suppose we ought to get some cloth more appropriate to a child’s room so you can take care of the linens for the nursery.”

“You know, this has been a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.”

“It was?”

“Well, all except for you walking out at first.”
“I was in shock.”

“I know that now. I guess I could have prepared you a little first.”

“Yes, next time, drop a few hints first.”

“Next time? We only got used to the idea of one and you’re talking next time?”

“I do like the way we got here and would hate to give that up.”

“Oh, yes, that’s true. I suppose you’re right. If we keep doing all of that, there is likely to be a next time.”

They began laughing then. It was loud enough to be heard downstairs which made Ben and Hoss relax so they could enjoy their breakfast more. Hop Sing brought out another tray with more food on it and asked who would bring it up to the couple. Joe volunteered on the chance that he would find out what was happening. He came back down a short time later and sat down with a grin but began to eat without saying anything. His father and Hoss stared at him until Hoss couldn’t stand it.

“Well, what did Adam say?”

“Oh, he said thank you like you’d expect.”

“No, dadburnit, what’d he say ’bout him and Belle?”

Grinning, Joe looked to his father and then at Hoss and back to his father. “They’re having a baby.”

“Hot diggity, I knew it.”

Ben was happy but more serious too. “How did they seem? I mean, did they seem happy?”

“They were both smiling when Adam said it.”

That satisfied Ben that Adam had been able to accept the news reasonably well. He guessed his son would have some concerns over the following months, but he would be so busy that hopefully those worries wouldn’t intrude too much on his anticipation of his child arriving. Hoss was thinking the same thing.

“We gotta keep Adam focused on getting ready for that little one getting here and not on what could go wrong.”

“You mean because his mother died when he was born?”

Wincing at how bluntly Joe stated that, Ben had to agree though. “Yes, but it would be best not to bring it up especially not tying the two together like that. Adam has been haunted by that thought for years.”

“I know he told me that when we was really young. How’d he know that, Pa?”

“Oh, I told some of the men on the wagon train when they asked about how I lost my wife but had a son. They knew that Inger and I had recently married. One of the men said something mean to Adam one day about him being the reason his mother was dead. It was cruel, but to a child, it was worse because the idea stuck with him.”

“Yeah, I suppose telling him that she had a weak heart and that the doctor told her having a baby might be too much for her wouldn’t have much impact on a young’un like that. Wouldn’t have done any good to say it to him then.”

“No, Liz never told me that either until after Adam was born. Then she admitted the whole truth. It was too late of course. No, none of that news would likely have helped, but I never had a chance either. It was years before I found out that is what Adam thought. He kept it to himself.”

“So he’s always been like that keeping things bottled up inside.”

“Joe, that’s my fault. I wasn’t the father to him that I was to you. I learned how to be a father with Adam and I made mistakes. I was often an angry man in those days mostly before I met Inger and she taught me how to face my losses and move on. Too often, I treated Adam harshly because of that anger. I was far too busy many times too to give him the time he needed so he learned to take care of things himself. If he is a bit too independent and keeps things to himself, it’s because I made him that way. He can’t help how I brought him up.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Startled, the three looked to see that Adam and Belle were approaching the dining table. They had come downstairs while Ben was talking and heard the whole explanation. They had not heard the reason for it though, but Adam could guess. He also knew they wouldn’t continue that conversation with him there.

“With Hop Sing’s breakfast, Belle is feeling better. We thought we would come down here so we could all celebrate our news together.”

After pulling out a chair for Belle to sit, Adam was surprised when she abruptly turned and headed out the front door instead. Ben told him to follow saying the smells from the bacon and ham may have been too much for her. When Adam got outside, he found that was exactly the case. Belle was breathing deeply and trying to avoid retching. She managed but didn’t want to go back inside. A short time later, Ben stepped out and asked if the smell of coffee would be a problem. Belle said that would be fine so the three other men joined the couple on the porch and had coffee and talked about how life on the Ponderosa was going to be different.

“It’s going to be a big challenge for me. Adam says he remembers a little about taking care of Hoss and Joe when they were little. I really don’t know anything about taking care of babies or children.”

“Gosh, Belle, didn’t ya have any babies in yer family?”

Sipping his coffee, Adam didn’t look at Belle. He wanted her to decide how much to share about her past. His whole family knew of course that she had come to Carson City as a single woman and got a job in the saloons. She clearly was experienced at that work too so she had worked in saloons elsewhere. Adam knew the rest of the story, and although it wasn’t anything that would cause her shame or embarrassment, it was a source of pain to her. He didn’t know if she would tell the story.

“I came out here with my family in the rush to the gold fields. My father was sure he was going to be one of the ones who would strike it rich. I was fourteen. My mother had been in poor health for years. She was with child a couple of times, but they were stillborn. Each time, she seemed to be in worse health. The trip was very hard on her. She became afraid of everything expecting wild animals or Indians to get her every night. During the day, she watched the skies expecting storms. She was always afraid of something. In the mining camp, she got even worse afraid of all those men and what she thought they might do to her or to me. She talked to me all the time about things like that.”

“She was ill then.”

“Yes, she was. My father brought her to Doctor Cowan who put her in the hospital at Stockton. With Doctor Reid’s care and with Matilda helping, she seemed to do rather well. In six months, she was like a new woman. They released her saying to bring her back if she wasn’t as healthy as she seemed. She got home, fixed dinner, and was dead the next morning. She took poison. We buried her there in the camp cemetery up in those hills. My father started trying to marry me off then. I didn’t know why he was so insistent that I get married, but I didn’t want to marry one of those men. I was seventeen. I hoped to go to school and maybe have a business and marry a respectable man. I packed my things and ran off. Then I felt bad about it, and after less than a week and being hungry, I went back. He had killed himself on my mother’s grave. I was all alone then and had to figure out what to do next. I got to the first town I could and being a saloon girl was the best job I could find.”

“So you think he was trying to get you married because he was planning to kill himself and wanted to make sure someone was there to take care of you first?”

“Yes, Joe, I think that was it. When I ran away, he was free to do what he wanted to do.”

“Gosh, Belle, you ain’t never really had a family.”

“Yes, Hoss, I do now. I look forward to raising a child here with all of your help.”

Although they had a lot of sympathy for the life Belle had lived as a child, Uncles Hoss and Joe and Grandpa Ben sat there rather proudly looking forward to the day when they could do as Belle wished. Adam reached for Belle’s hand holding it and looking at her with pride and love. With gratitude, she gazed back. Knowing he was there and that he would support her had made it possible for her to tell her story. They had both had difficult childhoods, and they were already committed to making sure their child had a wonderful one or at least a secure and loving one.

 

Chapter 4

Belle had been relieved and a bit surprised that the family had received her story so calmly and without reproach. She had expected some negative reaction and there was none. When Belle and Adam got a chance to talk privately, she sighed and looked at him. “You can say it.”

At least he didn’t insult her intelligence by asking what she meant. “I’m not going to say it. You didn’t know them as well as I did. Now you see what I mean. You are part of the family now, and we all pull together no matter what.”

Quiet for a short time, Belle got a wicked smile. “You mean if Hoss came home and said he and Miss Davis had to get married at short notice, your father wouldn’t be upset?”

“Oh, on the outside, there would be that stern look, of course. Pa has a certain image to portray, and he’s not going to let anyone dispute what he has spent a few decades polishing up. No, but underneath, he’d probably be pleased that something would finally be forcing Hoss to stand in front of a minister to say ‘I do’ because he’s been waiting a long time.”

“He does need to invite her to dinner so we can meet her other than in passing and get to know her.”

“It’s bothering you, isn’t it, that you pushed them together, and now you haven’t met her so you’re wondering if you did the right thing.”

“Well, I have met her, but I haven’t had a chance to talk with her and get to know her. Wouldn’t you like to do that too?”

“I guess I’d rather have you not worrying at all, but if you have to worry, worrying about something that is no problem at all is a good one. That’s one little story that’s likely to have a happy ending too.”

“A happy ending? Aren’t you worried about pushing Joe and Lucy Hendricks together?”

“First of all, I did not push them together. I asked Joe to stop her from interfering with Hoss and his plans to talk with Lorry. Secondly, Joe knows what she’s like. He’ll keep his eyes open, and sooner or later, she’ll show her true colors.”

“The longer it takes, the less he’s going to be ready for her.”

“You would have to bring up the one thing that is bothering me about that.” Pausing then as he thought about Joe still spending time with Lucy, Adam had to compliment Belle. “You’re very smart about people.”

“You get quite an education working in saloons seeing all sides of people, but I also saw how some women used that job to work their will on men.” It was Belle’s turn to pause and think for a bit. “Have you talked with Joe about this lately?” She didn’t need the answer when she saw Adam’s expression. “You need to talk with him. Hoss is too much in love to talk realistically about something like this.” She paused once more. “And your father doesn’t know her like you do.” That effectively removed any other option Adam might have offered.

“All right. I’ll find a way.”

As it turned out, Adam talked with Candy first because the two worked at the forge together. Adam wasn’t working away from the ranch yet and needed some things for his new house and the ranch needed some things too. A session working the forge was the solution. Ben had suggested the work would go faster if Candy helped him with the work there too. It didn’t take long for Adam to be impressed with Candy’s speed and efficiency. As Adam began to do the more intricate and time-consuming work, Candy took over the bulk work. By lunchtime, they had worked their way through nearly three-fourths of the items on the list they had. Belle brought their lunch to the porch.

Candy made a suggestion. “You know, Adam, we could switch jobs for the afternoon. You could do the wagon straps and springs, and I could do the gate hinges.”

“Yes, that would keep us busy the whole afternoon, or we could keep doing what we’ve been doing and get done early so we could have some time to relax and perhaps have a chess match.”

“You see, that’s why you’re the boss. Always thinking and planning ahead.”

“Not always.”

“Tell me one time you didn’t think ahead.”

So Adam told him about sending Joe to head off Lucy Hendricks and how he worried now about what she was planning for Joe. Candy frowned a great deal and asked why he was so concerned so he had to tell him about what Lucy had tried to do with him.

“I hadn’t heard that kind of story about her.”

“She’s become more subtle than when she was younger. But you have to wonder how she lives so well with no job and no other means of support.”

“Blackmail?”

“The thought has come to mind.”

“So she’ll try to put Joe in a position where she can blackmail him?”

“That’s my concern.”

“Why don’t you tell Joe that?” Then Candy nodded as he understood. “Yeah, you and Joe have been getting along. You’re worried that something like this could set you back. You know, I could talk with him. The two of us can say most anything to each other with no problem. I can say I’ve heard things to get him thinking and keep him alert.”

“Thank you. That would be a big help.”

That worked reasonably well except that Joe did guess Adam and Candy had talked. The timing of the conversation with Candy was too coincidental with his oldest brother and best friend working together. However, it didn’t stop Joe from taking Candy’s advice seriously. Although he bristled a little that Adam had acted so much like a big brother, he was still relieved to know that his brother cared so much and was so sensitive to how he would react that he had talked with Candy about how best to broach the subject. The next time he went to see Lucy, he had a few words for Adam that he could take care of himself, but a smile and a squeeze to his brother’s shoulder softened the words.

As usual, when Joe arrived at Lucy’s home, he was greeted at the door by her house servant, Maria. The dark-haired girl with the blue eyes spoke only as needed each time, but this time, she told Joe one more thing in a whisper before he entered the house. As she took his hat and jacket to hang them up, she leaned close.

“Don’t drink the wine. No matter what you do: Don’t have any wine.”

Then she led him into the parlor to wait for Lucy’s grand entrance which was the typical order of events when he arrived. They would have dinner, and then they would retire to her sitting room for wine, some discussion, and then some kissing and other affectionate behavior. Lucy always called a halt at that point and sent him home frustrated.

As they had dinner, Joe sat across the table from Lucy. There was a bottle of wine and wine glasses. Her wine glass was already full as was his. She proposed a toast to their relationship almost as soon as they sat. Joe feigned sipping the wine.

“You don’t like the wine?”

“No, but I like to have a little food first before I have a lot of wine. I haven’t had much to eat today so wine could affect me quite a lot if I don’t eat something first.”

Lucy smiled at that. Several more times during the meal, she proposed toasts and Joe would cover his glass with his fingers and appear to take large gulps of wine. Instead the empty gravy boat and his nearly empty coffee cup became full again when he pulled the glass down and before he set it on the table. He started to act drowsy and stood moving toward the door.

“I’m sorry. I guess I had too much wine. I should head on home before I fall asleep here.”

Instead, Lucy took his arm and led him toward her bedroom. She helped him to take off his coat and his shirt. Then she had him sit on the edge of the bed and take off his boots. Once he was naked to the waist, she made him lay back in the bed and pull the covers up over his legs. He closed his eyes, and Lucy smiled. Next, she undressed as she called out.

“All right, Henry, bring in your equipment. He’s ready.”

A man carried photographic equipment into the bedroom then seemingly unaffected by the naked woman standing there. He began to set up to photograph the couple on the bed. He had done it before a number of times. The man’s hands and mouth would be positioned to appear they were in the midst of lovemaking and voluntarily being photographed. He got a share of the blackmail money and it was quite lucrative. The only problem was that this time, the subject opened his eyes and got out of the bed.

“So this is how you do it.”

Grabbing a robe, Lucy was shocked. “How did you do that? You had four or five glasses of the wine.”

“No, I had none. I dumped it in the gravy boat and the coffee cup.”

“How did you know?” Suddenly Lucy knew. “Maria, get in here!”

Joe was getting dressed, and by the time Maria arrived, he was ready to leave. Maria was terrified as Lucy was about to scream at her. Joe laughed.

“Lucy, you and Henry better pack and head out of town soon. We’re going to the sheriff’s office and then to the Territorial Enterprise. We’re going to tell both of them the whole story.”

“Joe, you can’t. She said if I tried to leave, she would tell the sheriff that I stole from her, and she would have me arrested.”

“Maria, thank you. That’s more that we can tell the sheriff. He’ll arrest her instead if she’s still here. I think you’re going to get to keep the house and whatever else she has to leave behind. Better get going Lucy, time’s a wasting.”

If Lucy had a gun, she would have shot him. Henry did have a gun but wouldn’t dare go against Joe Cartwright. He was packing up his equipment and wondering what town he could get to that wouldn’t know about any of this. He thought perhaps Portland would be a possibility. He hoped to get as far away from Lucy as he could before she got him hanged. Lucy had no idea where she would go.

Joe walked with Maria to Sheriff Coffee’s office talking with her as they went reassuring her that he would make sure she was taken care of and got in no trouble. “In fact, I know a couple who are going to have a baby and are moving into a house. They could probably use a housekeeper and cook. I think Belle would like someone else there. It can get lonely being the only woman on a ranch.”

Late that night, Joe walked to the house on the Ponderosa and Ben looked out the window with shock. He pulled on a robe and hurried to meet his son downstairs but not before knocking on Adam’s door and Hoss’ on the way.

“Joe’s brought a woman home with him!”

By the time Joe got Maria in the house and helped her take off her coat and hat, the whole family had come down the stairs only to stand and stare. Not one of them knew the young woman who was there with Joe. She was pretty, young, and looked scared. She also had two valises so it was clear she was staying.

“You’re all probably wondering who this is. This is Maria Reynolds. She’s going to be staying here, and if things work out, she may be here for a long time.”

“Are you getting married?” Ben almost choked the words out.

Joe’s eyes got very big with that. “NO! I mean, no. It’s late, but I guess we all should sit down, and I’ll tell you all about it.” Once everyone was seated, Joe gave the short version of the whole story. “Lucy tried to drug me so she could blackmail me. She had it in the wine. Maria warned me in advance. I faked drinking the wine and getting drugged, and Lucy led me to the bedroom and called in her photographer. That’s how she was doing it. They took pictures of men in bed with her and then blackmailed them. Maria worked for her because Lucy said if she left, she would tell the sheriff that Maria had stolen from her. Anyway, we left Lucy standing there in her bedroom with her photographer, and we went to the sheriff and to the Enterprise.”

“Joe, you didn’t!” Ben was aghast.

“Pa, it will free up a lot of men who have been paying her. They’re all free now, and the story will follow her so she can’t set up somewhere else to try the same thing. It had to be done. The last we knew, she had taken her carriage, packed up, and headed out of town. We don’t know where she went, but it doesn’t matter as long as she’s gone. Oh, and Sam says we have free drinks for a month at the Silver Dollar from an anonymous donor.”

“Now you’re talking, little brother. I like that part of the story the best.” Hoss was quite pleased with the conclusion of the story.

Ben frowned a bit at Hoss and the returned his attention to Joe. “And Maria?”

“Well, I was thinking she could stay here until we could find her a respectable place to work.”

“Oh, Adam and I need a housekeeper.” Then Belle realized she should have consulted Adam first. “Don’t we, Adam?”

“I was thinking that too, Belle. We could have talked about it first, but yes, if it works out, that could be a very good solution for all.”

It was a mild rebuke to Belle, but the small smile he had showed he wasn’t seriously displeased with how things had worked out, and he had endorsed her offer to Maria too. Joe grinned, and Maria looked to him as he nodded.

“I think you just got hired. We can all talk more tomorrow. I’ll show you to a guest room now.”

After picking up both of her valises with one hand, Joe offered his other arm, and Maria smiled up at him. The two walked up the stairs talking softly together as the others regarded the two. Joe seemed to be trying to reassure Maria that everything was going to be all right. Hoss turned to the others.

“You all thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’ ’bout those two?”

“And what would you be thinking, big brother?”

“Older brother, I’m thinking that little brother done found a gem, but he don’t know it yet.”

“Belle and I will keep her safe for him.”

“You two are terrible. She found him. Didn’t you hear him? All those men, but it was for Joe that she risked everything and warned him. She took a big chance because she already cared for him. I only hope he knows that.” Standing with her hands on her hips, Belle regarded both Adam and Hoss as if she was a schoolteacher with two recalcitrant schoolboys.

“Well, ifn he don’t, Belle, we’ll make sure he does.”

With a triumphant smile then, Belle turned toward the stairs and waited for Adam. They headed up to their room as Ben and Hoss locked the front door and turned down the lamp. Hoss remarked then that at least Adam knew what he had. Ben nodded in agreement.

 

Chapter 5

On Sunday evening, it was Hoss’ turn to shake things up. The seating at the table was full with his lady there to meet the family. Maria was staying, and she and Belle had spent two days getting to know each other and sewing linens for the nursery with cloth Adam had brought from town. When Hoss announced on Saturday that he was inviting his lady for Sunday dinner and had cleared it with Hop Sing, Ben was all smiles. He asked Hop Sing to be ready for an announcement should one be coming. Hop Sing only smiled broadly looking at bottles of champagne on the counter which let Ben know that Hoss had already made the request.

The whole thing almost fell apart though when Hoss made the invitation. Lorry was terribly nervous about meeting his family. Any previous efforts Hoss had made to get her to the ranch for dinner had been met with too much resistance. This time however he held the ace in the hole.

“Darling, we’re gonna get married. You said as soon as I ask your father, we can go ahead with the formal courting and the announcement in church. Now, your pa gets back from his trip on Monday. You’re gonna be living on the Ponderosa. You gotta get ta know my family.”

“Oh, Hoss, they’re not like you. Your father is the most intimidating presence in any room, and your brother Adam can be downright frightening.”

“Now, Pa is only that way to other men. He’s really a charmer to the ladies. You jest wait and see, and nobody has ever been as kind and gentle to women as my brother Adam. You must see how he treats Belle whenever you see them together.”

“I know that men can put on quite a show in public.”

“Now when have you ever known me to lie ’bout anything?”

“Oh, you don’t.”

“Then you kin trust me on this. Now what about Joe?”

“He’s so mischievous. I don’t know what he’s likely to do next.”

“Well, I kin tell you he’ll be on his best behavior around you.”

“How can you know that?”

“He knows I’ll thump him good ifn he ain’t. Either that or I’ll toss him in the horse trough.”

“You wouldn’t!”

“I would. I done it before. I done it to Adam too. “Course he done it to me once too. Only once though. He didn’t dare do it again after what happened next.”

“What happened next?”

“He put his hand out to say no hard feelings, and well, I kinda made him walk into that horse trough and sit down.”

“You and your family do some of the craziest things.”

“You see. It’s all fun. Nothing to worry about.”

“All right, I’ll go to dinner with your family.”

“Thank you.”

Hoss hugged and kissed her then, and that led to quite a bit more of that until Lorry called a halt. One or the other of them had to do that every time they were together because neither wanted to be in a situation where they had to get married. It was what had made them talk of marriage. Neither wanted to wait any longer, but both wanted to follow the traditions of the institution too. Hoss knew that Adam or Joe might have simply eloped under the circumstances, but he wanted to be able to look back at his wedding day and be able to tell his daughters about it. Both he and Lorry wanted children so he expected to be able to do that one day too.

“Lorry, maybe we oughta take a walk again and talk some. We seem to be able to do that and have fun too.”

“Yes, Hoss, I would enjoy that.”

Taking her small hand in his large one, Hoss tugged gently to have her follow him. He had some ideas about where they could walk and some things he could show her. There were some sights that made him look with awe no matter how many times he looked upon them, and he wanted to see if Lorry looked the same way. When she did, it only confirmed in his mind that he had made the right choice and that Belle had set him on the right path. When they got back to her home, Hoss stopped at the door.

“I should say goodnight now. I’ll be here in the morning though to take you to church and then we’ll have time for a ride before we go out to the ranch. That sound about right to you?”

“That sounds wonderful until the part about going out to the ranch. That part sound like I won’t be sleeping much tonight.”

“You remember I’ll be by your side the whole time. Think about that and maybe you kin sleep better. I know I think about you being by my side and that gives me sweet dreams nearly every night.”

“Nearly?”

“Yeah, the other nights I’m frustrated ’cause you ain’t really there ifn you know what I mean. Oh, I shouldna oughta not said that, but it’s how I feel.”

“Hoss, I know what you mean. I feel the same way. There are times I wish we could do like you said your brothers would do, but my family would be so upset. I’m going to be counting the days and hours until we can get married though.” Lorry paused and did some calculations. “We could be married in seven weeks. Just think, Hoss, in seven weeks, we could be having this conversation as husband and wife.”

“Well, darling, not this conversation, but I know what ya mean. We’ll be moving into the house ’bout the time Adam and Belle will have moved out into their house.”

“They’re moving out?”

“Yeah, didn’t I tell you that? We bought the old Edwards place and it’s Adam’s now. He’ll be working on the Ponderosa but more of his own choosing or when he’s asked not because Pa told him what to do.”

“But he’s part of the family.”

“He’s been gone some, and he’s got a need to be on his own. This way he’s with us, but he’s his own man too.”

“It’s funny then. He wants what I have and I want what he has.”

“Yeah, you want to be part of the family and have the security of it, and he wants to be more independent. You’re both gonna get your wishes too.”

“What does Joe want?”

“He’s jest beginning to figure that out, I think.”

On the Ponderosa, everyone was figuring it out too. On Sunday morning, Belle asked Ben if Joe had said anything about feelings about Maria.

“He said they’re just friends.”

“Hmm.” Belle smiled and said nothing.

Candy asked Adam if Joe was interested in Maria or if she was available for anyone to see if they had a chance with her.

“Joe says they’re just friends. Maria seems to have a slightly different idea about things.”

“Oh.” After a pause, Candy smiled. “How long do you suppose it will take for Joe to decide that he ought to see if he can charm Maria into liking him as more than a friend.”

“Interesting thought. I’d say about seven weeks.”

Although Candy wanted to say something smart, he knew there had to be a reason why Adam had said something so specific. So he sat and thought for a time until Adam turned to him and reminded him that he was supposed to be helping to get the carriages ready to take the family to church services.

“I suppose your brother Hoss is taking one after church to escort Lorry on a ride before they come back here.” Almost as soon as he said it, Candy understood the seven weeks. “Hoss is getting married. He’s going to announce it as soon as he gets the go ahead from her family this week and then they’ll get married as soon as it’s proper which would be six weeks after that. Joe will get jealous when he sees other men wanting to dance with Maria at the wedding party.” Candy looked a bit smug for having figured it out.

“Don’t look so proud of yourself. You didn’t get it until I gave you the clues.”

“Oh, shut up and do your part of the work.”

Anyone listening might have thought the two didn’t like each other, but both enjoyed the verbal jousting, and Candy understood the limits. There were no insults directed at other family members and no one brought women or children into the discussion. Candy was going to miss seeing Adam as much when he moved to his own ranch. For now though, they had plenty of time to talk. The subject the next morning was Sunday dinner.

“It went well. She seemed nervous around all of us especially me and Pa, but she relaxed after a while. When we started singing after dinner, she seemed to change her opinion of us and decide that we weren’t some frightful men. She’s more relaxed now about the idea of marrying Hoss and being part of this family and living in this house.”

“So you fooled her pretty welll then.” Candy had a big grin.

“Remind me, would you, why I thought I might miss you when Belle and I move over to our house.”

“Because I keep you on your toes. Nobody here will talk to you like I do. They all pussyfoot around you afraid you’re going to leave. Sometimes I think you like that. You hold it over them like a sword of Damocles.”

“Wow, I’m impressed.”

“By my powers of observation and analysis?”

“No, that you could pronounce Damocles.”

“There you go doing that other thing you do so well: evasion.”

“Maybe I’m not evading. Maybe I don’t think your theory has any merit. I’ve told them I’m not leaving. I’m settling down with Belle in a new home. What else can I do?”

“You need to think of something. Your family deserves some feeling that it’s whole again.”

So Adam did think about that and talked with Belle about it. The next Sunday when Lorry was there for dinner again as they celebrated Hoss’ betrothal to her, Adam had a suggestion to make. Everyone was sitting at the table including Maria who was at Joe’s side and doing her best not to stare at him as he ate. The others kept giving each other sly looks and grins at the way the two acted with each other even though Joe was still oblivious to the strong feelings Maria had for him. But the mood was positive so there was no better time for Adam to bring up the idea he and Belle had already discussed.

“Pa, Belle and I will be going to our house in a week or so. Now that Hoss has announced his intentions with Lorry, there will be changes for him too. Who knows about Joe but sooner or later, he’ll be getting married too. I don’t think any of us want to lose the family feeling we have right here though so I’m proposing that we make Sunday dinner a family tradition no matter where we live and how much our family changes. Belle and I will be here for dinner on Sundays as long as you’ll have us and I hope that will be the case for my brothers too.”

Ben’s grin couldn’t have been broader, and Adam’s younger brothers readily agreed. Hoss planned to live in the house so it was going to be easy for him. Adam suspected that when Joe married, he would like his own house too. The oldest and youngest brothers were alike enough in some regards that he could predict that. He was correct too in predicting what would happen at Hoss’ wedding party.

The ceremony was quite traditional in church as Lorry’s parents insisted. The vows and every aspect of the wedding were by the book. Then the celebration was on the Ponderosa, and that was by the Cartwright book. There were copious amounts of food, music, dancing, and lots of good conversation. Ben’s famous punch was there for the men to enjoy. Hoss and Lorry walked around greeting guests and most could swear later that Hoss never stopped smiling. Joe did though. When Maria started getting a great deal of attention from other young men, Joe was suddenly aware that he better make his intentions known to her and asked her to take a walk with him.

“Thank you, Joe. I was getting quite warm with all that dancing.”

“I was getting warm too, but for an entirely different reason.”

“Oh?” Maria asked it as if it was a question but hoped she knew that reason.

“Yes, I don’t like you dancing with all those other men.”

“Why, Joe? I’m not committed to anyone.”

“Well, I guess I thought maybe you were kind of committed to me.”

“I thought you said to everyone that we were just friends.”

Wrapping his arms around Maria, Joe leaned into her and kissed her. She was more than willing to participate in that and twined her fingers into his curly hair. The more she relaxed into his hug, the more passionate Joe became until he knew he had to stop. Pulling back, he looked smug.

“I guess that answers that, doesn’t it? We’re more than friends.”

“Yes, we are. What are we then, Joe?”

“Ah, well, I guess you’re my girl if you agree.”

“I agree.”

“Good. Let’s go back and dance and you only dance with me.”

“Oh, Adam asked if he could have a dance. Belle doesn’t want to dance. She’s starting to feel uncomfortable doing things like that.”

“All right, you can dance with my brothers.” Joe thought for a moment. “And my father, but otherwise, you’re my girl.”

“Yes, Joe.” Maria liked Joe’s take charge attitude. He had done so at Lucy Hendrick’s house, in getting her a job with his brother Adam, and now in making her his girl. Security was very important to a woman who had never had it. Love was a bonus she had not expected. As far as Maria was concerned, life couldn’t be much better.

As a smiling Joe walked back to the dance area with Maria, Ben and Roy talked about the three sons and the ladies they had found. Adam had a bold, independent but loving, supportive wife who would fiercely defend him no matter what. Hoss had found a wife who was more traditional and wanted all those things he wanted with family but had a profound love of beauty and nature as he did too. Now Joe had found a lady who admired him and was willing to follow his lead with patience and love. The two raised their glasses in a toast to the three men and to their futures. Many thought they were toasting Hoss and Lorry and raised their glasses too. The party ended shortly after that as the couple thanked their guests for attending and then the caravan of carriages and wagons headed out so people could get home before dark.

 

Chapter 6

A few months later, there was another party at the Ponderosa as Joe had an announcement to make. He and Maria had been spending time together including a number of nights that Joe was at Adam’s house. So much so that Adam said it seemed that Joe had moved over to the Edwards ranch with him and Belle. In fact, Adam enjoyed Joe visiting because each short contact helped build their brotherly relationship. Brother bonding wasn’t that Joe wanted to talk about though.

“All of you know Maria and I have been spending some time together.”

“That’s like saying that in some years we have winter.” Adam was smirking of course.

“Yeah, and like saying some times I get wet when I jump in the lake.” Hoss had to laugh at his own version of some time.”

“We don’t spend that much time together!”

“Other than every day after work when you can, Friday nights, Saturday after chores, and Sundays, no other than that, you’re hardly together at all.” Ben had to join in on the fun.

In face of his father’s accurate recounting of his activities, Joe had to concede the point. “All right, maybe we do spend quite a lot of time together so you won’t be all that surprised, I guess, at what we have to tell you. I’m going to court Maria. We’re talking about getting married.”

Hoss pulled a ten-dollar bill from his pocket and handed it to Adam.

“You two bet on me marrying Maria!”

“Nah, we wouldn’t bet on something like that. Nah, we bet on when you’d announce it. Adam said it was gonna be tonight. I said you’d wait for a special occasion. It was two to one too. If you’d waited, I was gonna get twenty.”

“Boys, I think we’re missing the point here.” Then Ben realized he should rephrase that. “Sons of mine, we should look at the main point here. Joe made a big announcement. Congratulations Joe and Maria. I look forward to the next announcement of your formal betrothal and setting that wedding date. It will be fun to have another wedding party here.”

All noted the change from boys to sons and the more subtle dig at Adam for his elopement.

“Pa, I did give you the satisfaction of having a son marry and doing things in the right order. Not every father here on the Comstock can claim the same.”

“Yes, son, and thank you for that.” Then looking at Belle who seemed to be shifting about in her chair quite often, Ben wondered if she was all right. “Belle, is something wrong?”

“It’s only a backache. This last month or so, I’ve been having so many backaches but this is the worst one so far.”

Although Ben had some suspicions because he had seen such symptoms before with Inger, he kept those thoughts to himself. “We could get you a pillow to sit on if that would help.”

Adam quickly got up and did that. Belle did her best to try to summon up a smile to reassure him that she was all right. She knew how he worried with every ache and pain she had. These last weeks with the back pains had been hard on both of them.

“Thank you, Adam. That helped a little.”

She wasn’t going to tell him an outright lie though and try to say it had taken care of the pain. That was a line she wouldn’t cross with him. With all the attention on Belle and her distended abdomen, Hoss thought it was a good time for his announcement too.

“Me and Lorry done it in the right order too, Pa.”

Pausing only briefly to process what Hoss said, Ben was all grins. It didn’t take much to interpret Hoss’ words with the proud grin his son sported as he looked at his wife by his side. “You mean you and Lorry are going to have a baby too?”

“We shur are. Gonna be a pretty one too ifn she takes after her momma.”

Reaching down, Hoss took Lorry’s hand. When he first met his wife, he had thought her more ordinary looking, but there was something about being in love that made his wife more beautiful in perception and in fact. Lorry had blossomed with Hoss’ loving companionship as had Hoss relaxed into his role as a loving husband enjoying coming home each day to the arms of his wife. He had always loved the Ponderosa, but it felt more complete to him now.

As Joe looked at Hoss and the way he looked at Lorry, he reached for Maria’s hand and squeezed it getting her attention. He proposed a toast then that he and Maria have a marriage as happy and fulfilled as those of his brothers. His toast was never completed as Belle doubled over and moaned in pain. Adam immediately was on a knee at her side deeply concerned about what was wrong.

“I don’t think anything is wrong. I think it’s time. Our baby is ready to meet the world.”

As Belle sat up again and looked all right, Joe thought it might be time for some humor to lighten the mood. Adopting a baby voice, he had a singsong delivery too.

“Yeah, Adam, let me out. I’ve run out of womb.”

Hoss began to laugh, but Lorry slapped his arm and his father had a glare for Joe even as he told him that he wasn’t helping. Adam didn’t seem to notice as he helped Belle from the chair.

“Belle wants to go home to have the baby. We’ll hurry. Could you send for the doctor, please? Maria, we’re going to need your help.”

Ben took charge. “I’ll drive your carriage. Hoss, can you bring the ladies in our carriage?”

“I’ll do that.”

As Hoss and Joe hurried out to get the carriages ready, Adam got Belle’s wrap.

“Pa, sorry to make such a mess of your dinner.”

“I suspected that Belle might be getting close. Inger had back pains too shortly before she had Hoss. I wasn’t sure when it would happen though.”

“Belle’s sure we have time to get home. Do we?”

“I’m sure you do. It won’t be the most comfortable ride for her, but I know better than to argue with a woman who’s having a baby.”

Rolling his eyes, Adam nodded. He didn’t want to say he had found that out over the previous couple of months as Belle’s mood swings and emotional behavior had stretched the limits of his patience and forbearance. Although he understood the reasons for her behavior, it was still an additional pressure among many he was enduring. With his heart pounding, he helped his wife to walk to the carriage.

By the time Adam got Belle to their house, he had to carry her inside and to their bedroom. He was so glad he had relocated it to the ground floor. Then as the others took care of all necessary preparations, he sat with Belle until the doctor arrived. They talked again of names for the baby and their plans for the future. In between, they endured the labor pains together as Belle squeezed his hand to the point of nearly breaking bones as the pains grew stronger and lasted longer. By the time Doctor Martin arrived, Belle was getting close to delivering that baby. Paul sent Adam from the room and had only the two ladies stay.

“Couldn’t Adam stay?”

“I know you’re concerned about him. But right now, i need you to focus on one thing only and that’s bringing your baby into the world. Adam will be fine. He has his family out there. You have your baby to worry about now, so how about we get to business on that little one?”

It took a couple more hours, but finally Paul was able to step out to tell Adam is was time to meet his daughter. Little Mary Elizabeth was stubborn he said, and had fought her natural progression into the world. Ben and Adam’s brothers had to laugh at that thinking the little one certainly seemed like her father finding her own way and doing things by her own schedule. Adam ignored them and headed in to make sure his wife was fine. Despite Paul’s assurances to that effect, he wasn’t going to believe that until he saw it. Belle was pale, drawn, and smiling broadly when he entered.

“She’s beautiful, Adam. We made a beautiful daughter.”

“We did.” Adam touched the cheek of his daughter and then touched her tiny curls.

Lorry and Maria left so the couple could enjoy their first time as a family. A short time later, Adam invited his father in to meet his first grandchild and to hold her briefly. Then Hoss and Joe came in to meet their first niece.

After Joe had a chance to hold the baby if only for a moment, it was enough to help him make up his mind on one thing. He asked Maria to step back with him and let Hoss have a chance to get to know his niece.  Joe and Maria got deeply involved in conversation as Ben hoped he knew the subject of their intense discussion. Luckily he didn’t have to wait long to find out. After Joe leaned down to speak briefly with Adam, he straightened up and said he had something to say. Wrapping an arm around Maria, he addressed his family.

“Adam said he doesn’t mind me stealing a bit of the show away from him on this one. I hope you all can be as forgiving. Maria and I have decided that we are going to get married as soon as we can make all the arrangements.”

“Here’s your dream starting, Pa!”

“No, Hoss, this is the culmination of my dream. This is the beginning of your dreams and the dreams of your brothers. What will the three of you build now for your children?”

 

 

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