Summary: Photos of two Cartwrights discussing papers, drawings, or maps. Write a new Sourdough or expand a previous one.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2436
This one is from one of the Sadie Hawkins Stories we did in Oct. 2018.
Adding the original and in blue is the new part
Lucy and her sister, Isabelle were walking down the boardwalk in Virginia City when they spotted a poster for an upcoming dance.
“Belle, it’s a women’s dance! The women are to ask the men to the dance,” Lucy read.
“That should be fun. Who will you ask?” Isabelle asked.
“I don’t know.” Lucy shrugged.
“Oh come on, I know you’ll want to ask Adam Cartwright. I know you like him.”
“So does every other girl in Virginia City. I’m sure he’s already been asked. I don’t think I’ll go.”
“What if he hasn’t been asked yet?”
“Belle, I could never ask him to a dance. I’m not smart enough for him. Or even pretty enough. Adam likes girls who are smart and pretty,” Lucy replied.
“Luc, you are pretty. Don’t think otherwise. I’ve seen how he looks at you when we’ve been at other socials or at church.”
“He probably thinks I’m ugly and wonders how I can show my face in public.”
Isabelle playfully smacked her sister’s arm.
“Stop it, Lucy. He likes you. You should ask. There’s no harm in it.”
“I guess.” Lucy sighed.
Days later, Lucy was still agonizing over the dance and Adam. Lucy and Isabelle were at lunch talking about the dance again.
“How am I to ask? I can’t even get the courage to ask him! He’s come in here a few times to send telegrams for his father and I go to ask him, but chicken out,” Lucy lamented.
Lucy worked as a telegrapher in Virginia City and enjoyed the work. Her father was a farmer. Their older brother, Steve, helped on the farm also. The girls got jobs in town to help support the family.
“I have already asked Ryan. Steve’s been asked too. I heard that Adam’s been asked many times to the dance,” Isabelle said taking a bite of her sandwich.
Lucy groaned. “I’m too late.”
“No, you’re not.”
“What do you mean?”
“He hasn’t said yes to any of those girls. He said that he’s waiting for the right girl to ask.”
“You’re joshing.”
“I’m not. You should ask!”
“But he’ll say no. I’m not the right girl for him.”
“Sure you are. Adam will say yes to you because you’re the one he wants to be with. That girl is you.”
“That sounds like a fairy tale,” Lucy scoffed.
“And look where that got Cinderella,” Isabelle joked.
“Oh you.” Lucy laughed.
The next day, Lucy was walking back to the telegraph office when she ran into Adam.
“Adam, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.”
“It’s all right. I was hoping to see you,” he replied.
“You were?” she asked in surprise.
Adam smiled and nodded.
“Well, I have been wanting to talk to you. I, um, wondered if you wanted to go to the dance with me?” Lucy stuttered mumbled.
She had looked away when she asked.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear what you said.”
She looked up at him.
“I wondered if you wanted to go to the dance with me,” she repeated.
“I would love to go to the dance with you.”
“You would?” Her voice going up on octave.
“I would.”
“But I heard you were waiting for the right girl to ask you.”
“I did and it was you.”
Lucy’s eyebrows went up in surprise.
“I didn’t think I would be the right girl.”
“Well, you are and I would be happy to accompany the prettiest girl in Virginia City to the dance. I’ll walk you back to work.”
He took her hand and walked to the telegraph office, both wearing big smiles.
The day of the dance came, finding the girls getting ready. Even though it had been a girl’s choice dance, Adam was to pick Lucy up. Isabelle’s date would be picking her up too. A knock came at the door and Isabelle got it. It was Adam.
“Come in, Adam,” Isabelle said moving out of the way.
Adam walked in and saw Lucy. She wore a burgundy and white dress. The burgundy parts pulled up two inches by bows showing the white part of the dress. His jaw dropped. Lucy reached up and nervously tugged on her curled
hair.
“You look beautiful, Lucy.”
“Thank you.”
Adam held out his arm to her and she took it. Lucy gave a backward glance at her sister and smiled. Isabelle smiled back and waved. Adam helped her into the buggy and they were off.
Lucy hadn’t danced so much in her life. She was enjoying herself.
After the music was done and they took a break, Adam led Lucy to a chair, and she sat down.
“I’ll get us some punch.”
Lucy listened to the others around them chattering. As Adam was talking to Hoss by the punch bowl, Lucy listened to two women next to them whispering. Lucy wondered if it was a little louder for her benefit.
“I’m much prettier than Lucy yet Adam is here with her,” one objected.
“I agree. I heard that Adam was asked by many women and he said no. I even asked, and he said no that he was waiting for the right girl to ask him. How could she be the right one for him? What does he see in Lucy? She’s just a farmer’s daughter of no importance,” the other grumbled.
Adam returned to Lucy with a cup in each hand and saw her sullen face looking at her hands.
“Are you all right?” he asked worriedly handing her a cup then sitting next to her.
She looked at him putting a smile on her face, nodding and took the cup.
He didn’t believe her but didn’t press her. He took her free hand and gently squeezed it. Lucy heard the girls gasp and whispering again. She tried ignoring them as Adam talked with her.
The dance came to an end and Adam escorted Lucy to the buggy and helped her in. She had been quiet and it worried Adam. He had driven to the lake. It was a full moon and it reflected off the glass-like lake. He got out of the buggy and helped her out. They stood by the lake and Adam looked at her by the light of the moon.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“You said that earlier. What’s wrong?”
Lucy hesitated then told him what she had overheard. Adam smiled after she was finished.
“Lucy, those women are shallow and I have seen it. Heavens, my brothers even warned me of those women. I’ve had to warn Little Joe about them a few times.”
He looked into her blue eyes as he held her hands.
“Lucy, you are the sweetest, most beautiful woman I have ever met. You’re beautiful inside and out. That is the type of woman that is perfect for me,” he said firmly.
Lucy smiled. He leaned in and kissed her.
“I’d best take you home,” he whispered.
“I guess so,” she whispered back trying not to be disappointed that the evening was over.
“I have had a wonderful night tonight, would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow?”
“I would like that.”
“Wonderful. Let’s get you home.”
I’m adding to my 2020 February Sourdough
Good Friends?
The Harvest Dance was in full swing at the town hall. Keeping time with the music by tapping his fingers on the table by the punch bowl, Ben Cartwright watched his oldest and youngest sons dance the night away. Their ladies had asked them at the last minute and all four seemed to be having a grand time. Ben sipped his punch as he looked around the barn for his middle son.
“My dear Benjamin, would you be so kind as to pour me a cup of punch?” Clementine Hawkins had silently appeared by Ben’s side, as she had a talent to do. Ben set his cup down and did as she asked. “Coo, ‘tis ‘ard work keepin’ a watchful eye on the young folk. I found a couple sneakin’ a kiss in the kitchen. Imagine their surprise when I appeared behind them.”
Ben joined Clementine in a good laugh over what both of them had been through that evening as official chaperones of the dance.
“Well, Clementine, you did volunteer us for this job.”
“Coo, I know that dearie. But just between you an’ me,” she elbowed his arm and winked, “‘tis somethin’ I regret, an’ I won’t be doin’ it again, mind you.”
Ben smiled and raised his glass. “Neither will I. By the way have you seen Hoss and Millie?”
“Oh, aye. They’ve been sittin’ over by the door for the last couple o’ dances. I checked on ‘em. They’re havin’ a good time but I think they’re a bit too shy with each other to do much dancin’.”
Ben nodded in agreement. “When Millie finally asked Hoss to the dance, it seemed that was all either could talk about but now when the pair are together all they do is get tongue-tied.”
Clementine tilted her head as she reached up to twist Ben’s black tie strings around her index finger. “Ye know, Benjamin, they may be choosin’ not to dance but that doesn’t mean we have to be that way.”
Ben took the punch cup from Clementine and set it beside his. “You’re absolutely right. Miss Hawkins, may I have this dance?”
Clementine fanned her face, smiled and batted her eyes. “Why Mister Cartwright, I’d be delighted.”
Ben slipped her hand through his arm and led her onto the dance floor. His sons smiled at the couple as they passed.
After the last dance, and everyone had gone home, Ben helped Clementine move the last of the food and punch into the kitchen. His sons had already left to escort their girls home and would return eventually for their horses. Putting out the last of the lights, and closing the doors to the town hall, Ben started to lead Clementine to her home down the street. Pulling him around to the side of the building she glanced up into his handsome face.
“Benjamin, I know you an’ I ‘ave ‘ad our differences over the years, but we’ve become quite good friends, ain’t that so?”
Ben gave her a charming smile. “Yes, Clementine, we have.”
Silence passed between them for a moment, until Clementine stepped a bit closer to Ben and he stepped a bit closer to her. Both shared warm smiles just before their lips touched. Separating, Ben drew Clementine into a hug.
“Indeed, Clementine, the best of friends.”
Smiling and laughing, the couple strolled arm and arm down the street, unaware that three pairs of eyes had unintentionally seen the stolen kiss.
*******************
A Tangled Web
Enjoying the Indian summer evening, Ben escorted Clementine home, sharing stories and calming her worries over the slow start to Hoss and Millie’s romance. Pausing at the door Clementine’s gentle smile made Ben’s own smile widen as he reflected upon the light kiss they had shared earlier. Though not seeing it coming, it was a moment he wouldn’t trade for anything. It led him to realize how much he enjoyed Clementine’s company, at the dance, and at other times.
She rested a gloved hand upon his chest, and stared into his crinkled eyes. “Benjamin, ‘twas a lovely evenin’ I ‘ad t’night.”
“For me, too.” He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “Good night, Clementine.”
Clementine turned her head coyly, then grinned up at her friend as she winked. “I ‘ope you continue to ‘ave a good evenin’, Benjamin.”
Ben stepped off the porch as she entered her home, calling for her niece. “Coo, Millie. Are you ‘ere, love?” As the door closed, he shook his head, puzzled by her last comment. Walking away he pondered the last few wonderful hours, not knowing the next hour was going to be something quite different.
*****
“My key, please?”
“Sure, Mister Cartwright.”
Ben took it and headed for the stairs. He and the boys had decided to stay in town for the night, then head home the next day after breakfast. Heading to the room he was sharing with Adam, Ben paused upon hearing his sons’ voices coming from the other room. He raised his hand to knock, when Hoss’ words stopped him cold.
“Look, we all seen Pa and the widow Hawkins kissin’!”
“Yeah, and what are we going to do about it?”
“We do nothing.”
“Nothing! But Adam…”
“I said ‘nothing’. It was dark, they were in the shadows, and, well, it could have been anything.”
“Oh, come on Adam. You don’t believe that, do ya?”
“Yeah, I know what a kiss looks like and it was a kiss. So back to my question. What are we going to do about it?”
“Nothing! Look, think about it for a minute. Which one of us wants to ask Pa what he and Miz Hawkins were doing in that alley, huh?”
“Certainly not me.”
“Nope.”
“Me either. So we do nothing. If it comes up again, well…we’ll deal with it then.”
“You know, it’s really kinda funny, when you think about it. How many years has Pa been running from the widow, and after the business with that emerald they finally called a truce. You were there Hoss, you saw it.”
“Yeah, and I guess it ain’t so surprisin’ somethin’ like this might happen. Is it?”
“Oh you two, just go to bed. I’m going back to my room. And remember, not…a…word about it. Good night!”
Ben scurried into his room just as Adam left the other one. Soon both were more or less asleep.
*****
Breakfast was a quiet affair, especially after Clementine and Millie appeared. Furtive eyes roamed around the table. Afterward, Adam and Joe headed to the livery and Hoss walked Millie home. Alone on the boardwalk Ben and Clementine stared at each other.
“You knew they were there?”
“No…not right away.”
“Clementine…?”
“Oh ducky, were just a bit o’ fun between good friends.”
Ben rolled his eyes but couldn’t help laughing at Clementine’s innocent, sideways glance at him.
“Oh…Come on, I’ll walk you home.”
She sidled closer and slipped her arm through his, batting her eyes at him. Ben swallowed hard, keeping his thoughts to himself, A bit of fun, my eye!
