CHAPTER 1

“I am so very glad that you have finally come back for a visit.”

“So am I Ben.”

“Is this Storm?”

“Yes it is. Quite different isn’t she?”

“Yes, all I can recall is a cute little angel who would quite often speak her mind.”

“She still speaks her mind.”

“And she still resembles an angel.”

“Thank you Mr. Cartwright. I must say the Ponderosa is even more lovely then I remember.”

“Thank you, now why don’t we go inside.”
“That is a very good idea. Thank you Ben.”
Storm and Nate entered the door Ben held open for them.

“But when is your son going to arrive Nate?”

“Oh Matthew should be here in a week or so. Speaking of sons where are your three?”

“Little Joe should be home shortly. Adam and Hoss should be back in three or four days. Storm you look tired, would you like to go to your room and rest up?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Ben showed Storm to the room that would be hers for the length of her stay here. After making sure she was comfortable he rejoined Nate downstairs.

“She’s grown into a beautiful young woman Nate.”

“Yes she has. She’s the very image of her mother.”

“Yes there is a very strong resemblance.”

“Except that my Constance would never have done half the things that Storm has.”

“She seems to me to be very like her mother.”

“Yes my Connie was very strong willed but it will take someone other than myself to show Storm just how to behave as she should. Perhaps a husband?”

“Nate are you still hoping that Storm and Little Joe will marry?”
“Aren’t you? Or do you feel that my daughter is now below your son?”

Ben knew Nate was joking. It had long been a wish of both of them for Little Joe to marry Storm. Ever since she had been born four months after Little Joe. It had also been a wish of Nate’s wife Constance and Ben’s wife Marie.

“Nate, I’m just afraid that your daughter may be too good for my son.”

“Ben I long for the day that she finds a man strong enough to control her. I know it’s all my fault, I indulged her too much. I’m afraid I failed to realize in time that she and Matthew should be taught to behave differently and once I did it was too late.”

“I don’t believe she’s that bad.”

“No she’s not, it’s just at times she is a little too strong in her opinions and not afraid to share them.”

“Then she’s also a lot like her father.”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

Storm sat on the bed and wondered what was going on downstairs. She only hoped that her father wasn’t giving her away. She knew her father and Mr. Cartwright had long hoped for a marriage between her and Ben’s youngest son, Little Joe. She knew in her heart her father would never force her to marry against her will but she also knew he was growing tired of her not showing interest in any gentleman who had tried to court her. She had tried to explain to him that none of them were willing to challenge her but that had only succeeded in irritating him. It was as if they were silenced by the beauty they all said she possessed, or if not that then it was surely the money her father possessed that made them hold their tongues. Maybe Little Joe would be different, after all he hadn’t been raised in Boston like the other men. Maybe this time she would finally find a real man. One not threatened by a woman with opinions and a mind of her own.

“Storm may I come in?” She hadn’t realized she’d fallen asleep but she must have.

“Yes papa, of course.”
“Ben says that supper will be served shortly. Why don’t you get ready?”
“Yes papa.”

“Oh and by the way, Joseph’s back.”

“That’s nice papa.”

“Storm he’s grown up to be rather handsome.”

“Yes papa.”

Storm prepared for dinner and joined the others. When Little Joe saw her he had to agree with his father she was very lovely and Storm admitted to herself that he was handsome enough.

“It’s good to see you again Storm.”

“And you as well Little Joe.”

After a delicious meal it was suggested that Little Joe and Storm take a walk and allow their fathers time to reminisce without fearing that they were boring their children.

“It’s a very beautiful night.”

“Yes it is Storm.”
“Little Joe, if I were to tell you that that was the sun what would you say?” She pointed up to the full moon shining down upon them.

“I would tell you it was the moon.”

So far so good Storm thought but this is where it usually went wrong or where the gentleman usually went wrong. “And what if I were to insist Little Joe?”

“Then I’d say it really doesn’t matter, if it makes you happy to say it’s the sun then sun it is.”

“Oh.” Maybe Nevada men were no different then Boston men after all.

“Is something wrong Storm?” Why did he feel as if he’d just failed something.

“No, I’m just feeling a little chilly and a little tired.”

“Then why don’t we go inside.”

When they heard the door open Ben and Nate wondered why their children were back so soon.

“Is something wrong? That was a rather short walk Joseph.” Ben was sure that Joe would have wished to take a young lady as beautiful as Storm down by the lake, after all it was a full moon and a clear sky tonight.

“Storm is feeling tired pa.”

“”Yes, I’m afraid it’s my fault Mr. Cartwright. It has been a very busy day and it’s finally caught up with me.”

“Of course. It was thoughtless of me not to realize that you would be tired.” Ben felt there was more to it but let it go. He knew that Storm had taken a nap this afternoon so had thought she would be rested enough to allow Joe to take her to the lake tonight. Perhaps, because of the friendship between their fathers, Joe had just decided to take it slow.

“Good night papa, Mr. Cartwright, Little Joe.”

 

CHAPTER 2

Ben and Nate were happy to see Little Joe and Storm spending so much time together. While they did enjoy each other’s company, both Storm and Little Joe knew their relationship would never be what their father’s hoped. They had been friends growing up and they were both happy to let things remain that way.

This day found them out riding. Neither Hoss nor Adam had seen Little Joe, Hoss hadn’t seen Storm but Adam had.

“…so if we….” Hoss looked over to where Adam should have been, but wasn’t. “Hey what’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something.”

“For a minute I thought I had.”

Adam remembered that night so clearly. He was barely sixteen and his pa had asked him to go over to the Kendall’s and invite them for supper on Saturday. When he arrived he found only Mrs. Kendall at home, Nate had taken Storm and Matthew into town with him. She had invited him to come in and wait if he liked, or perhaps he would like to come in and have some of the pie she had taken out of the oven a short while ago. He couldn’t resist the offer of fresh pie, especially Mrs. Kendall’s fresh pie, so he followed her in. He wasn’t there long when the three men burst in. He had tried to stop them but was no match for three grown men. They had beaten him but they had killed Mrs. Kendall, among other things. He remembered the message they had instructed him to give to Nate. How he should have never locked them up in the first place and how they had warned him that they would get even with him.

“Adam are you alright?”
“Yeah Hoss, just some bad memories that’s all. We better get home, I do believe it’s almost supper time.”

“I do believe you’re right. I think I can smell it.”

 

**********

“It’s nice to see that you two are finally home and only two days late.”

“Yeah finally.” If Hoss had had his way they would have been home early, but there was a young woman who had caught Adam’s eye and Hoss found himself happy to stay and watch his older brother acting like his younger brother. That was something that rarely happened.

“Hoss you had better hurry and let Hop-Sing know that you’re home because right now he’s only planning on four for supper.”

“I’ll go and let him know right away.”

Hoss ran inside, his mind so consumed with the thought of a good meal he didn’t comprehend what Adam had.

“Pa did you say four?”

“Yes Adam, we have guests.”

“Really? Who?”

“Hello Adam.”

“Nate?”

Ben noticed the odd expression on his son’s face. “Adam is something wrong?

Before he could answer Little Joe and Storm came riding up.

“It would seem as if I have won again Little Joe.”

“You cheated.”

“I did not! You’re just a very bad loser. Papa who…..” Storm looked towards her father and noticed standing near him a man who, for some reason, scared her. Maybe scared wasn’t really the correct word but he certainly did stir some emotion in her that she couldn’t ever recall feeling and being frightened was the only emotion she knew that she hadn’t felt very often.

“Storm come here. You remember Ben’s eldest son, Adam?”

“Yes of course. It’s very good to see you again Adam.”

“Well that explains the ghost.”
“I’m sorry?”

“You look very much like your mother.”

“Yes she does. Unlike her mother, though, she can’t keep track of time. Don’t you think you should go and prepare for supper?”

“Yes papa.”

She couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of Adam and neither Nate nor Ben failed to notice it.

“Storm, it is rather rude to stare.”

“Yes papa, I’m sorry I hadn’t realized I was staring.” She turned and ran into the house. Once in her room she kept thinking about what had just happened. She couldn’t believe it but she had just acted like a lovesick schoolgirl. She had behaved like all those girls she knew so well back in Boston. The ones who seemed to lose all capacity for intelligent thought when looking at a handsome man. But, oh God, he was handsome but would he pass the test? She had to find out before she became too deeply lost in his eyes, those beautiful eyes. How though? If their fathers had their way Little Joe would again take Storm for a walk after supper as he had every other night since she had arrived. She had to have the chance to walk with Adam, to ask him the same thing she had asked every man who wished to court her. Of course it wasn’t really he who wished to court her. She went to Little Joe’s bedroom and knocked on the door.

“Little Joe, may I speak with you?”

“Of course Storm, come on in.”

She went in and closed the door behind her.

“I need to ask you a question, and a favor.”

“What?” Joe found himself a little nervous. Why had Storm closed the door?
“Do you like me Little Joe?” She knew, as she had stated it, it was a question any man would be afraid to answer. “ I mean do you like me as our fathers wish us to like each other.”

“Storm I…..” Now her action of closing the door took on a whole new meaning.

“Little Joe you asked me to the dance next Saturday.”

“Yes, we should have fun.” Joe found himself expecting his door to open at any moment and to find himself facing his father. He began to try and come up with some plausible explanation as to why he and Storm were in his bedroom with the door closed.

Storm tried to think of a reason as to why Little Joe seemed so nervous. “Would you have more fun if you were going with someone else?”

“Well…” Joe now was completely confused.

“Then you should ask her Little Joe.”

“Are you sure?” Joe breathed a sigh of relief. For once thankful that a pretty girl wasn’t attracted to him.

“I’m sure. That takes care of the question, now for the favor.”

“What is it?”

“Will you…well you see I…I would kind of like to walk with Adam after supper tonight.”

“But if I’m there our fathers will expect me to escort you.”

“I think so.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll eat and leave.”

“Thank you.”

Little Joe thought it over and decided on something better then just eating and leaving, he would do his best to get Adam to take that walk with Storm. He hadn’t failed to notice the way she had looked at his oldest brother and if he had remembered it sooner he might have not been quite as nervous earlier. Well, he thought, no accounting for taste.

As supper was finished Storm waited for Little Joe to excuse himself before their fathers had a chance to suggest they take their walk, but he didn’t seem to be making any effort to leave.

“Aren’t you two going for your nightly stroll?”
Little Joe didn’t miss the look Storm gave him, and began to wonder if even his oldest brother would be capable of handling her. “Actually I’m feeling a little tired. Adam?”

“Yes Little Joe?”

“Would you mind greatly accompanying Storm tonight. She so loves to take a walk after supper.”

Storm faced softened to a smile, she would have to remember to thank Little Joe tomorrow. He had made sure that now there was no way Adam could refuse.

“Of course not Little Joe. I don’t mind at all. Storm may I?” Once again Adam took on the responsibility of being the eldest and picking up his youngest brothers slack.

The irritation in Adam’s voice did not escape Joe but he just put on his best smile and grinned at his brother.

“Of course.” Oh God, Storm prayed, please let him pass the test.

Nate and Ben looked at each other as Adam helped Storm from her seat. They both knew something was going on just not what.

********

They hadn’t walked far when Storm posed her question.

“It’s a very lovely night Adam.”

“Yes it is Storm.”

“Adam if I were to tell you that that’s the sun, what would you say?”

“I’d tell you it’s the moon.”

“And if I were to insist?” Storm found herself holding her breath waiting for his answer.

“Then I would tell you no amount of insisting would change the fact that that is the moon.” Adam knew something was going on and perhaps if he weren’t so irritated at having been trapped into escorting Storm on this walk when all he wanted to do was go to bed he might have just agreed with her, but as it was he was happy to be given the chance to argue with someone. It wasn’t so much that he minded walking with her it’s just that he was very tired, it had been a very long week that had left him wondering just how Joe managed to do it. Pursuing a young lady was hard work especially when that young lady thought playing hard to get made her all the more desirable. All Adam knew was that he was becoming way to old for those games.

Storm didn’t know what to say next. No man had ever answered that question correctly.

“And if I again insisted?”

“Then I would be forced to explain to you the difference between the sun and the moon.”

“Thank you Adam.”

This was not the reaction he had expected. He would have thought to hear how he should have agreed with her out of politeness “For what?”

“For proving to me that not every man is willing to indulge a woman just because she is a woman. That even if a lady is either pretty or rich when she’s wrong she’s wrong.”

“I honestly don’t believe you thought that to be the sun.”

“No, but there are men who are willing to let me believe that. That to them it’s easier to let me believe the wrong thing because to argue the point would mean they might have to try and teach me the right thing. To many of them I’m just a female and incapable of learning.”

“You get all that from asking that one question?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not too sure how Shakespeare would feel. He might have thought it best to have just agreed.”

“And prove what?! That you’re nothing more than a mindless idiot willing to agree with something that is clearly wrong because of love or just because it’s what everyone else feels is the right way to behave. I’m not a shrew Adam, but I have a brain and unlike some other ladies I know I have a desire, no not desire because a desire is something you can walk away from something not necessary for one’s survival it’s more of a need, to use it. I won’t take a man’s word as gospel just because I care for him.”

“I would like to think that if a man cared for you he wouldn’t expect you too.”

“Oh you’d be surprised. Every man, EVERY MAN, I’ve posed that question too has found it easier to agree with me. It wasn’t because they thought me to be correct but because it was easier too. After all who would the world believe me, a stupid woman, or them. Who would people take seriously, me or them. Then there were those who wished to kiss me and thought that by agreeing they just might be allowed to.”

“I take it that not many got their wish.”

“Not one, although there were those that tried anyway.”

********

 

“Little Joe I thought you were tired?”

“I am pa, so tired in fact I have to sit here until I build up enough strength to walk up the stairs.”

“This has certainly lasted longer than your first walk.”

“Yes Mr. Kendall, I suppose that Adam just may have passed the test.”

“Test? What test?”

“I’m not really sure pa. I just felt as if I’d failed one that night.”

“Well if anyone should know about failing tests it’s you little brother.”

“Little Joe did she tell you the moon was the sun?”

“Yes she did Mr. Kendall.”

“And you agreed with her?”

“Yes I did.”

“When is she going to learn that is not a test. That sometimes people will agree with her just because it is a foolish question.”

“I have a feeling that Adam didn’t agree. Now I think I’m finally strong enough to attempt those stairs. Goodnight pa, Mr. Kendall, Hoss.”

Five minutes after Little Joe went to bed Hoss followed. Five minutes or so after that Adam and Storm returned. Adam found he was no longer too upset about having been forced to take that walk. Oddly enough he wasn’t as tired as he had been either.

“So did you enjoy your walk tonight Storm?”

“Yes papa, very much.”

“I see and you Adam, did you enjoy your stroll under the sun?”

“PAPA.”

“I can’t believe you’re still asking that question. Haven’t I told you it is a foolish one. It is hardly one to use to judge whether or not a man is worthy of your affection.”

“It’s not my affection I’m trying to determine if he’s worthy of. If I surrender my heart to him then my body….”

“STORM!”

“What papa! There is no separating my heart from my body from my soul from my mind. If he can command one then he can command them all. I would like to know he would not blindly lead or expect me to follow without question. If he is going to prove himself deserving of my love then he must show he will accept me as an equal.”

“From that one question Storm!”

“No papa not the question, from the answer.”

“Storm I believe you had best get on up to bed. We will discuss this later.”

“Yes papa. Goodnight everyone.”

After they clearly heard Storm’s door close Nate turned to Adam. “You’ll have to excuse her Adam. I’m afraid I allowed her too much freedom growing up.”

“It’s alright Nate, I found her quite intelligent.”

“In other words too smart for her own good.”

“That’s not what I said.” In fact Adam found himself thinking maybe for his own good.
“No, but others have.”

 

The following morning when Strom awoke she found only Little Joe waiting at the table. She had stayed in her room longer hoping that she wouldn’t have to face her father and was glad to see that it had worked but she was also disappointed that it had ended up meaning she hadn’t gotten to see Adam.

“So did you enjoy your walk last night?”
“Yes I did Little Joe, thank you.”

“For what?”

“For making sure Adam had no choice but to accompany me.”

“I guess he got the answer right, but then Adam always was the smart one.”

“Little Joe your answer wasn’t wrong, it was just wrong for me. You see that’s a question that the correct answer is different for each person who asks it.”

“Storm are you sure about the dance Saturday? I’m not too sure if I can get Adam to ask you to that.”

“Little Joe you just worry about who you wish to escort and let me worry about myself.”

“Alright, if you’re sure.” Little Joe had a feeling his brother had better watch out.

“I am. Little Joe do you know where Adam is?”

“Down by the corral, if you want I’ll take you there.”

“I can find my way.”

“I have to go that way anyway, if I have any hopes of getting a date for Saturday’s dance.”

********

 

The whole way there Storm kept thinking of what to say. How to try and appear not nervous. Before she could completely work things through Little Joe said they were there. Oh well, she thought, it will be what it will be.

“Storm was that Little Joe with you?”

“Yes Mr. Cartwright.”

“Where is he going Storm?”

“To ask the girl he wants to take to the dance to go with him before it gets too late papa.”

“But I thought he wanted to take you?”
“No papa, you and Mr. Cartwright wanted him to take me.”

“What about you?”

“I’m working on that papa.”

He watched her as she walked towards where Adam was standing with some men. At first he thought she was going to see the horses. Only after it was too late did it occur to him what she might really be up to.

“Good morning Adam.”

“Good morning Storm.” Adam could see by the expressions on some of the men’s faces how desirable they thought her to be. He would have to remember to tell Nate to tell her to not go out alone. He supposed he could tell her himself but feared what kind of reaction that kind of a suggestion might receive.

“Adam if you don’t have a date for Saturday’s dance would you like to go with me?”

Nate and Ben caught up with her just in time to hear her question but not in time to stop her from asking it.

“Storm Margaret Kendall! You apologize to Adam this instant.”

“What for papa?”
“Storm you get back to the house now. I will be there shortly and we will discuss what for then.”

“But I haven’t gotten my answer yet.”

“STORM!” Nate couldn’t believe she was behaving like this. He watched her stomp to her horse and ride away. “I’m sorry Adam.”

“It’s alright Nate.”

“No it’s not. She knows better, or at least she will know better!” Nate turned and prepared to go and teach his daughter a lesson she’d not soon forget.

“Pa I think maybe you should go and try to calm him down a little before he starts that lesson.”

“I think you may be right. I don’t ever recall seeing Nate that angry before.”

Once Ben was gone Adam turned back to the men he had been talking to before Storm had walked up.

“Now where were we?”

“Cartwright.”

“Yes Edgars?”

“If I were you I’d accept that offer.”

“And why’s that?”

“A female that would ask a man to a dance may just offer you other favors that a man usually has to ask of a woman. Course a lady like that I would think would refuse such requests but if she’s the one doing the offering then….tell me Cartwright are you so much of a gentleman that would you refuse such a pretty thing.”

If Edgars had been watching Adam’s face instead of laughing he would know what the other men did. He would know he should duck.

********

 

Ben finally caught up with Nate, thankfully before he had gotten to Storm.

“Nate why don’t we sit down for a minute.”

“I just don’t know what’s gotten into her Ben. She has never been like this before, at least not this bad.”

“Nate we always wanted your daughter to marry my son. Maybe we just picked the wrong son.”

“I don’t know Ben.”

“Do you question Adam?”

“No Ben of course not. Every one of your sons have become fine, decent, honorable men. I just hope that if Storm continues with this obvious…well it’s just I hope that Adam wouldn’t allow….Ben you and I both know that Adam feels a responsibility for what happened to Connie. Even after I assured him it wasn’t his fault, that he had done more than any grown man would have done, yet he still felt guilty. I suppose that’s because he’s your son. I would just hate to think that he would allow that unfounded guilt to cloud his judgment about Storm. Ben if the way she’s behaving is because she has feelings for Adam, she has never felt like this before because she has never acted like this before.”

“Nate, I’m sure she’s had men court her before.”

“Yes and every single one of them answered that stupid question wrong. The only reason she would allow men to call on her was because I forced her too. I told her the only way to know if a man was suited to her, if she could possibly have feelings for him, was to give it time. That it took time for feelings to grow, to get to know someone. She would tell me she didn’t need time, she would say that she would just look at him and know. The way she looked at Adam the first time she saw him when he and Hoss got back, Ben she never looked at a man like that, never.”

“Nate this may just be a way for her to show you and me that she has a mind of her own. You will have to admit that we have been pushing her and Little Joe together, it was only a matter of time before one of them pushed back.”

“There are other ways to do that.”

“Perhaps, but few this effective.”

“I think I will go and suggest a few others to her.”

Before Nate could reach the stairs the door opened and Adam came in.

“My Lord Adam, what happened?”

“Nothing pa, nothing.”

Ben walked to where his son had sat down and was examining the cuts on his face when Nate spoke.

“Nothing Adam? I find when a man says nothing is the cause for his fighting, that cause is usually a woman. In this instance I would venture to say that woman is Storm.”

“It’s not important Nate. Edgars just said some things he shouldn’t have.”

“Now you’re defending my daughter. You will find Adam that Storm is different from her mother in this respect. She seems to believe she is capable of defending herself. I suppose that too is my fault. You see when she was growing up I forgot, or maybe chose to be blind to the fact, that she would grow into a woman.”

Nate went to his daughter a lot calmer then he was before but no less determined.

“Storm may I come in?”

Storm was relieved that he didn’t sound quite as angry as he had been. “Of course papa.”
“Would you like to know what you have done?”
“What have I done now?”

“Adam is downstairs right now with a split lip and quite a few bruises as well.”

“And why is this my fault?”

“Because he was defending your honor!”

“Who asked him to?”

“Storm I don’t know what is wrong with you!?”

“Do you really want to know papa? Really? He makes me feel like no man ever has before! Oh papa is this what it feels like when you love someone? If it is I don’t think I like it much.”

“Storm you barely know Adam.”

“And I told you I wouldn’t need to know him well, that I would just know.”

“Storm is this all because he answered that foolish question of yours the way you wanted him too?”

“No papa, it’s because I believe even if he had answered it as all the others had I would of found a way to believe it to be right this time.”

“Storm, just because you care for Adam doesn’t mean he will care for you in the same way.”

“I know that papa, maybe he’s the one who needs time.”

“Maybe.” Nate turned and left the room. He had never seen her like this. She looked so lost, so unsure. He had started out with every intentions of trying to dissuade her with a very strong lecture and had yet wound up determined to try and help her. He went downstairs and was at least happy to see that Adam was no longer bleeding.

“Ben may I speak with you?”

“Of course Nate.”

“Would you mind greatly walking as we talk?”

“Of course not.”

Shortly after Adam heard the front door close he heard Storm’s door open.

“I’m not going to apologize.”

“I didn’t expect you to.” He looked quickly up. He had never heard her come downstairs.

“I didn’t ask you to defend me.” She walked to where he had remained seated and picked up the rag and immersed it in the cool water that was in the basin on the table. “Does it hurt much?”

“No, I’ve been hit worse.” Adam was immediately sorry for saying that. He could see what it had started her thinking about and that wasn’t what he had wanted.

Storm knew he had been beaten worse. She vaguely remembered how badly the men who had killed their mother had beaten Adam and once her father had told her and her brother just how serious it had been. She didn’t like remembering so she changed the topic of conversation to one she hoped would be more pleasant.

“Have you thought about my question?”

“What question?”

“About whether or not you want to come to the dance with me?”

“You don’t give up.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then I guess I don’t have much of a choice.”

“Yes you do. You can either say yes or have me haunt you the entire time we’re here.”
“Then I guess it’s yes.”

“You mean it Adam? Really?”

It appeared as if she actually thought he would have said no. “Yes really but I have one question. Since you asked me does that mean you come and escort me to the dance?”

“Adam we’re in the same house, I hardly think it necessary to worry about that detail.”

“I see. So you’re too cheap to rent a carriage.”

“If you like I’ll buy you a carriage.”

“Now you’re trying to buy my affections.”

“Are they for sale?”

“Not for the price of a carriage.”

“How about if I throw in a team of horses to pull it?”

She watched as a smile spread across his face. She was surprised at how it seemed to light the entire room and warm her very soul.

“Storm you are like no woman I have ever known.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“Yes I believe it could be.”

“Adam, may I….will you….”

Before Storm could finish her question Nate and Ben came back into the house. Adam was glad they had because she didn’t need to finish it for him to know what it would be. He need only look into her eyes to know she wanted him to kiss her but only because he found himself wanting to kiss her.

 

 

CHAPTER 3

 

Saturday arrived and found everyone anxious to go to the dance.

“I can’t believe she’s taking this long to get dressed. Usually she’s ready to go before Matthew.”

“Nate I’m sure she’ll be down soon. Meanwhile Little Joe, Hoss why don’t you head on into town. You don’t want to keep your dates…..” Ben stopped because he could tell by his son’s faces they were no longer listening anyway. He looked in the direction they were and could understand why. “ My God Nate, your daughter is beautiful.”

“She is isn’t she Ben.”

“You sound surprised papa.”
“You have never put this much effort into getting ready before. I mean you have always been beautiful Storm, just never this entrancingly so.”

“Do you agree with papa Adam?”

“Huh.”

“Do you find me entrancingly beautiful?” She could feel Adam looking at her and the longer he did the warmer she felt. “Adam, I’ve heard it’s not polite to stare.”

“Storm, you shouldn’t have given him something so pleasing to stare at.”
“OH, and I suppose papa he wasn’t pleasing for me to stare at.”

“Storm!”

“Alright. Staring will now cease. Little Joe, Hoss you best get going, Adam why don’t you go and get the carriage.” Ben watched his sons reluctantly turn from the vision of beauty before them. “I’m afraid Storm that you may have made Joseph regret his willingness to let Adam escort you.”

“I doubt that Mr. Cartwright, but thank you.”

When they arrived at the dance all eyes were on Storm. She realized she may have fussed a little too much, that some of the other women might believe she’d done so in an effort to try and show them up. Honestly she’d never wished so strongly to look good for a man. She hadn’t done it to make the woman jealous or the men envious, she had done it because she wished to please Adam.

Storm felt as if she hadn’t sat out one dance since they had arrived, of course since dancing meant being in Adam’s arms it was alright with her. She was beginning to feel a little tired though and, besides, other men had begun cutting in.

“Adam, I’m beginning to feel a little warm. Would it be alright if we stepped outside for a few minutes?”

“If you’d like.”

As they walked she kept hoping he would kiss her. There were a few times she thought he might but something seemed to stop him each time. Finally Storm did as she usually did when she found subtleties weren’t working.

“Adam will you ever kiss me?”

“You certainly do come straight to the point.”

“Straight to the point?! I’ve been hinting ever since we started walking.”

“Have you?” Adam hadn’t missed the hints he had just chosen to ignore them to see how far she would go.

“I suppose I’m not use to being coy. Usually when I want something I ask.”

“So I’ve noticed.”

And, Storm thought, that’s not the kind of a woman you want. “I’m sorry Adam but I can’t change. I wish I could, if only to please you I wish I could, but even if I did I would only be lying to myself, lying to you. Eventually I’d change back because this is who I am.”

“Storm I wouldn’t want you to change.”

“Then I don’t understand? Why won’t you kiss me?”

“Storm you are a very beautiful woman.”’

“And you only kiss ugly woman?”

“No I’m just afraid if I start kissing you I might not be able to stop there.”

“That would be fine with me.”

“I’m afraid it wouldn’t be fine with me.”

“Go away Matthew.”

“I can’t, as your older brother it is my responsibility to protect you.”

“From what?”

“In this instance from yourself. Hello Adam. She has grown up to be quite a persistent little pest hasn’t she.”

“Perhaps, but a very lovely one as well. When did you get here?”

“A little while ago. When I saw all the lights I hoped I’d find everyone here. Now aren’t you going to come and give your big brother a kiss hello.”

She reluctantly left Adam’s side and went to her brother.
“Oh come on Storm, you must be at least a little happy to see me.”

“Only a little.” He could tell by the smile that had slowly come to her face she was more than a little happy.

“Now what’s this? I thought you were suppose to be with Little Joe.”

“It would seem, as always, your sister had plans of her own. Hello Matthew.” Nate went and greeted his son.

“She usually does papa. Hello Ben.”

“Hello Matthew.”

“Wait a minute! I had absolutely no plans when I came here. If anyone had any plans it was papa, all I wanted was to….OOOH!”

They watched as she marched her way back to the crowd.

“I do believe that is the first time she has ever walked away from an argument.”

“That may be Matthew but we best go join her before she ends up taking her anger out on some unsuspecting soul.”

“I do believe she is my date. I’ll go see after her Nate.”

Adam left and Matthew turned to his father and Ben. “Has she been acting like this the whole time you’ve been here papa?”
“No, just since Adam returned.”

“Ben I think you had better warn Adam.”

“About what?”
“When my little sister wants something she usually finds a way to get it.”

“I can think of worse things for Adam to have to worry about.” Besides, Ben thought, maybe his son had finally met his match.

 

**********

It was very early the following morning when Storm finally gave up trying to sleep. Perhaps if she went for a ride it would help take her mind off how it had felt being in Adam’s arms while they had danced. Maybe it would let her mind stop trying to imagine his lips on hers.

She rode a short distance when she decided to rest a little. The sun would be rising soon so there was no need to try and hurry back in hopes of being able to catch a few hours sleep before it was time to awake.

“Well, well, well. Miss. Kendall isn’t it?”

“Yes and just who are you?” Storm knew the man looked slightly familiar.

“Edgars.”

“Hello Mr. Edgars.” Storm didn’t like the way he’d positioned himself between her and her horse. She should have heard him approaching but she had been busy trying to imagine how Adam kissing her would feel. “If you will please excuse me Mr. Edgars, I best be getting back.”

“Wait. I heard tell that Adam accepted your invitation to the dance.”

“I don’t think that is any of your affair Mr. Edgars.”

“I don’t really care what you think Miss. Kendall.”

Storm knew she was in a very bad position. If she backed away she would fall down the bluff and going forward would only put her nearer to Mr. Edgars. She decided to try and run around him even though she didn’t think there was enough distance between them for her too. She was right and he grabbed her arm. When he pulled her to him she hit him and he hit her back.

“You will find Miss. Kendall that I’m not quite the gentleman Adam is.”

“And you will find Mr. Edgars that I am not quite like the ladies you are use to dealing with.”

“I certainly hope not.”

Storm did something that was very unladylike but not something she hadn’t done before. She brought her knee up rather quickly and ran as soon as the pain he felt made Edgars release her. The whole ride back she expected to look back and find him following her. She wasn’t afraid that he would catch her, well not too afraid he’d catch her, what frightened her was how to explain being chased by a man to anyone who might see . The nearer she got to the house she began to hope that no one was yet awake. She opened the door and hurriedly made her way to the stairs. She could hear her father and Mr. Cartwright speaking and she only hoped that they would ignore her until she could try to hide the mark on her face.

“Storm?”

She was so close. Her foot was already on the bottom stair.

“I’m just going to wash up a bit papa. I’ll be right back down.” She placed her other foot on the step.

“Where have you been Storm?” Nate had believed she was upstairs still in bed when she hadn’t shown up for breakfast with the others. He had decided to let her sleep a little while longer and then he was going to go up and check on her. Sleeping late was not something that came naturally to his daughter but then dancing as much as she had last night was not something she had done very often.

“Out riding papa. I couldn’t sleep.” She was up one more step.

Nate could sense something was wrong. It may have been due to the nervous tone in his daughter’s voice.

“Storm I want you to come here.”

“Papa please just let me….”

“Now Storm!”

She reached her father just as the front door opened and Adam, Hoss and Little Joe came in.

“Storm what happened?”

“It’s nothing papa.”

Nate believed there to be only one person she would want to protect. “Did Adam do this to you?”

“Adam? Papa what makes you think that I would fight….I mean no.”

“What’s wrong Nate?” Adam walked over to see just what he’d been accused of doing. When he saw her face he forgot that Nate thought him capable of doing it.. “Storm who did this?”

“It doesn’t matter.” She once again made her way to the staircase. Adam followed behind her.

“Ben, boys why don’t we sit down, this should be rather interesting.” Nate was curious to see if Adam could get an answer when he was sure he would have failed.

“I’d have to agree with you Nate.” Ben could tell that both Adam and Storm had seemed to forget that there were others in the room.

“Storm who did this to you?”

“What difference does it make Adam. At least he wanted to kiss me badly enough to try and fight for the right to.”

“Storm who did this?!”

“Adam why don’t you want to kiss me?”

“I never said I didn’t want to and stop trying to change the subject.”

“But if you want to why don’t you?”

“Storm!”

“Oh to hell with it!” She took Adam’s face in her hands and pulled his lips to hers. Storm only hoped he was enjoying it as much as she.

Their lips parted and Storm, once she was again in control of her thoughts, spoke. “See Adam it wasn’t so bad was….” Not to be outdone Adam pulled her to him and kissed her. When he let her go she finished her sentence. “…it?”

Matthew came downstairs and was wondering about the scene that greeted him. “Alright, so what did I miss?” Everyone just looked at him and laughed. He kept walking and bent to kiss Storm good morning. “Hey Storm did someone hit you?”

“Thank you for reminding me Matthew. Storm who did this?”

Matt quickly joined the others.

“It doesn’t matter Adam.” Storm could tell by the look in his eyes there was no use in arguing and besides she had looked there too long and had lost any will to do so. “He said his names was Edgars.”

“Where is he?”

“I left him on the bluff and considering where I hit him and how hard, he may still be there.”

Thankfully for Edgars sake he had decided it in his best interest to suffer through the pain and leave before anyone had found out what had happened.

 

 

**********

 

Nate spent the next few weeks watching in amazement as his daughter fell deeper and deeper in love. He was surprised to see how it managed to curb her anger where nothing ever could. Oh she still argued and voiced her opinions, just in a more ladylike way, and if she ever got too out of control it seemed as if just one look from Adam could quiet her.

One night the question that had begun to haunt her every waking moment, and had begun to seep into her sleeping ones as well, became too loud for her to ignore. She quietly left her room and snuck into Adam’s. Luckily he had just begun to get ready for bed.

“Storm what are you doing in here?”

“Adam do you love me?”

“Excuse me?”

“Do you love me? I think you have had enough time to know the answer.”

“I think it may be best if you go back to your own room.”
“Tell me yes Adam and I’ll leave this room right now.”

“And if I say no?”

“I love you Adam. I know it. I also know that I will never love anyone like this again. So if you tell me no I will beg you to take me to your bed.”

“Than it would be the foolish man who would say yes.”

“And you are no fool Adam.”
“No maybe not a complete one, but I suppose there is one other type of man who would say yes.”

“Who?”

“One who really meant it. You are very good at thinking up questions.”

“You still haven’t answered this one.”

“Will you at least give me a hint as to which answer is the right one this time?”

“I don’t know Adam, I really don’t know. So much of me wants you to say yes, but there is also a part of me that hopes you‘ll say no.”

“God help me. Yes Storm, I love you.” She began to walk towards him. “Wait, you said you would leave.”

“Just one kiss?”

“No, because one will lead to another which will lead to another and so on and then I may as well have said no.”

“Really Adam? Do you really want…I mean…oh it’s just not fair. Why does propriety say that when two people love each other they have to wait.”

“The why isn’t important. It’s nice to know that at least Adam is willing to abide by what society dictates.”

“Go away Matthew.”

“I’ll go. I’ll go and get papa.”

“NO. I’m leaving. Goodnight Adam.”

“Goodnight sweetheart.”

They heard Storm’s door close and yet Matthew didn‘t leave Adam‘s doorway.

“Would you like to come in Matthew?”

“Well maybe for a few minutes. You are a miracle worker Adam.”

“Why do you say that?”
“You’ve done what no other man could, you have made my little sister fall in love.”

“And?”
“And if you ever do anything to hurt her, I’ll make sure you pay for it.”

“I believe you would Matthew, somehow I think you might have to stand in line for your chance too though.”

**********

“Don’t you look happy this morning.”

“I am papa, I really am. Mr. Cartwright where’s Adam?”

“Storm you’re being rude again.”

“Papa?”

“Asking questions before bidding anyone good morning? Is that how I raised you?”
“No papa. Good morning papa, Mr. Cartwright. Now may I inquire as to where Adam is?”

Ben smiled at her. “He’s down by the corral with Hoss and Little Joe.”

“Oh I had hoped to see him before he left this morning.”

“Didn’t you see enough of him last night?”

“What do you mean by that son?”
“He doesn’t mean anything! Good morning Matthew.”

“Good morning little sister, papa, Ben.”

Nate didn’t miss the look that passed between his children. Lord knows he had seen enough of it when they were growing up. It was a look that meant they had a secret and both had better keep it no matter what.

“Storm I was thinking that maybe after breakfast I would like to take a ride down to the corral. Would you like to come with me?”

“Yes Matthew I would love to.” She ran past him as he reached the table.

“Aren’t you going to join me for breakfast?”

“I don’t have time to eat Matthew, I have to go and get dressed.”

She ran upstairs in search of something to wear.

“Funny but she looked dressed to me.”
“She was dressed only to please herself now she has to go and dress to please Adam.”
“You know papa I’m not sure if I like her better now or before Adam told her he loved her.”
“Just when did Adam tell her that?” Ben found himself hoping it was true.
“Last….I mean I just assumed he had told her.”

“Just what happened last night Matthew?”
“Nothing papa, nothing. I had best get to eating or I feel whether or not I’m finished when she comes down I’ll be leaving.” To assure no more answers would be expected of him Matthew made sure his mouth was full every minute until Storm finally did reappear.

 

***********

“Alright what are you two grinning at?”

“Oh nothing big brother.”
“Yeah nothing. It’s just Hoss and me couldn’t help but notice how you seem to be smiling more than usual this morning.”

“Maybe it’s because I intend to sit here and let you try your luck at that wild one first.”

“I don’t think that’s a nice way to repay me for getting you and Storm together.”

“Little Joe you know as well as I that Storm would have managed that with or without your help.”

“I don’t think it much matters who got who together.”

“What do you mean Hoss?”
“Cause here she comes now Adam.”

“Well good morning.”

“Good morning Adam.”
“I was speaking to Matthew.”

“Ha Ha.”

“You certainly slept later than usual this morning.” Adam had found himself trying to delay leaving the house as long as possible in hopes that she would appear but for once his brothers were more anxious to get to work then he was.

“I suppose that could be because I got to sleep later than usual.”

Adam went to help her down from her horse. She waited for his help only because she knew it would mean that she would get to feel his hands around her waist if she did. The others watched as Storm and Adam seemed to forget their presence.

“AHEM. Good morning Storm.”
“Oh Good morning Little Joe, Hoss.”

Adam removed his hands and followed Storm to the corral fence.

“Who’s going to try that wild one first?”

“Storm, Adam said…”
“ADAM? You can’t! You could get hurt.”
“Actually he said I should try first.”

“Oh, okay.”
“Thanks a lot.”

“I don’t mean…. Ah Little Joe I‘d be upset if you got hurt.”

“Thanks.”

Her and Matthew watched the bronc riding for awhile, that’s where Nate found them.

“Storm would you like to come with me?”

“Where papa?”
“Virginia City. I need to send wires back east. Don’t forget I still have a business to run.”

“I remember papa.” Even if she wanted to, Storm couldn’t forget that. She knew that eventually it was that business that would force them to return. “Can I shop while you wait for your wires?”
“Of course.”

“Than I’ll go with you.”

Matthew knew his sister’s true reason for wanting to go. “Storm we all know that shopping is not one of the things you enjoy doing so could your desire to leave be because it’s Adam’s turn to try and break a horse?”

“Shut up Matthew. Adam you had better be alright when I come back.”

“Or?”

“Or I’ll…”

“Storm this is not the first time I’ve done this.”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you.”

“Actually it’s not.”

“Alright the first time….” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “Oh Adam I love you so.”
“Your father is waiting Storm.”

“I don’t care.”

“But he does. Besides that horse is waiting for me.” And Adam knew if this embrace went on much longer getting on and riding would prove to be more painful then getting thrown.

“Be careful Adam.”

“I will be.”

“Storm are you coming?!” There was a part of Nate that was happy to see the woman she had become and a part of him that missed his little girl.

“Yes papa.”

CHAPTER 4

As soon as they arrived in Virginia City Nate dropped Storm off at the general store and headed for the telegraph office.

Storm had finished her shopping and went in search of her father. She had found him still in the telegraph office awaiting a reply to a wire he had sent. She sat there with him and waited for a while but became bored. She decided to take a little walk and soon found herself in the less socially acceptable part of Virginia City.

“Hey! What are you lost or something? The Ponderosa is big but it’s not this big.”

“I didn’t think it was against the law for me to walk here.”

“You’re the one they call Storm aren’t you?”
“Yes.”

“I hear tell that Adam’s takin’ quite a likin’ to you.”

“I don’t think that is any of your business.”

“My business? Do you want to know what my business is? It’s making men happy and believe me I’ve made Adam very happy quite a number of times. Would you like to know how?” Without waiting for an answer she proceeded to describe in detail just how. “If you don’t believe me ask Adam. Ask him how much he liked doing all the things I’ve told you with me.”

“Just who are you?” Some of the things this woman had told her, under other circumstances, would have had Storm questioning the gentlemen’s morality but knowing she was speaking of Adam had Storm questioning her own because she found herself trying to picture what she was being told only with herself as Adam’s partner.

“I’m sorry, I’m April.” She could see that she had Storm upset and was glad for it. So maybe some of the things she had said she and Adam had done were lies but she had done them with men other than Adam and who‘s to say she wouldn‘t do them with Adam in the future.

“Storm! What are you doing?”

“You think on what I’ve told you. Think if you’d be willing to do what I’ve done to please him.”

“STORM!”

“Excuse me April.”

Storm ran away from April but, unfortunately, she brought the images she had put into her head with her.

“Storm what were you doing?” Nate knew that the section of town that Storm had been in hadn’t changed much and he didn’t like her being there.

“Nothing papa. Did you get the answer you were waiting for?”

“Yes I did.” And, Nate thought, you’re not going to like what it means.

After supper that evening Adam thought Storm seemed reluctant to go for their usual walk. Eventually they were outside walking in unusual silence.

“Storm what’s wrong?”

“Nothing Adam, nothing’s wrong.”

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“I don’t know.” She tried to look into his eyes, something she usually found quite enjoyable, but doing it now only brought back to mind all that April had said clearer then it already was.

“You don’t know? Then let me tell you. I believe there to be something wrong because you haven’t been able to look me in the eyes all night. Now you sound as if you’re having a hard time catching your breath.”

“Adam, oh God Adam.”

“Storm.” He pulled her down with him till they were both sitting in the grass. “Now tell me what’s wrong.”
“I can’t get it out of my head. I’ve tried but I can’t. I just keep thinking about all of it over and over. When I look into your eyes it gets even worse.”

“Storm what is it?

“You don’t want to know Adam.”

“If I didn’t want to know I wouldn’t have asked.”

“Adam believe me you don’t want to know.”

“STORM, tell me!”

“In town today, while papa was waiting for an answer to his wire, I got bored waiting with him so I took a walk. I met a girl.”

“What girl?”

“She said her name was April.”

So that was it. She was upset because, if he knew April, she had told her that he’d been with her. “Storm, sweetheart, surely you must know that…”

“No Adam that’s not what’s wrong. I know that, well that you’ve been with other women. That’s not what’s bothering me.”

“Then what is it?”

“If I tell you you’ll think I’m bad.”

“Bad? Storm if you don’t tell me I’ll….Please just tell me.”
“She told me…she told me what you did with her, in detail. Now when I look at you all I can picture is….well the two of us naked and….and you lying on top of me with my legs crossed over your back.”

She watched his eyes close and knew by his deep breathing that the pictures that had been haunting her all day were now in his mind as well.

“You had to share that image with me.”

“You wanted me too!”

“You should have told me no!”

“I did!”

He looked at her intending to argue that she should have refused him longer and maybe he would have given up, but as soon as their eyes met they locked. Each could tell that they were thinking the same thing because they could see the image of their own thoughts reflected in the other’s eyes.

 

**********

“So Nate was the news you received today good?”

“I guess that would depend on who you were to ask.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Ben the news was very good, the consequences that will be brought about by it aren’t going to please Storm. There is a big shipping contract to be bid on and while the agent I left in charge is capable of handling most of the daily business affairs, I’m afraid this is not an every day matter.”

“So you’ll have to return to Boston.”

“I’m afraid so.”

“That may be a good thing. Nate, I love my sons dearly, but in certain areas they need a push. This just may be what Adam needs to force him to make a decision.”

“You’re right Ben. At least, either way, we’ll know.”

“Have you told Storm?”

“No, I think I’ll wait for tomorrow.”

Nate and Ben were kept from discussing it any further by the front door crashing open.

“You can’t blame me for this Adam!”

“I CAN’T?”

“No! if you don’t truly wish to know something then don’t ask.”

“Perhaps I felt that not even you would repeat something like that!”

“If you want a woman who’s afraid to say what’s on her mind then maybe you’d be better with one of those society girls back in Boston!”

“Believe me Storm there are women right here like that!”

“REALLY, and yet you went with April.”

“At least she didn’t pretend to be something she‘s not.”

“And I did! Adam there is one very big difference between her and I.”

“And what is that?”

Storm stood in front of Adam and looked into his eyes which seemed even easier to lose herself in when they were clouded with anger. She whispered her answer while she tenderly caressed his cheek.

“She’s willingly surrenders to any man I, on the other hand, would surrender only to you.”

“Storm.” Adam knew he would never be able to win against her. Her touch had the ability to weaken his will. He pulled her to him.

“Oh Adam. What she said should disturb me more than it does you.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because you know the true nature of what she told me. I only have my mind to interpret what she said, and if you ask papa he will tell you that I have a very vivid imagination.”

“Excuse me, but who is April and what is it that she has you imagining about?”

“April is the girl I was speaking to in town this afternoon papa.”

“But who is she and just what is it she’s told you?”

“Don’t make the same mistake I did Nate. You don’t want to push it because you really don’t want to know.”

“ADAM, I wouldn’t tell him!”

“You told me.”

“That’s different, he’s my father.”
“And who am I?”

She stepped onto the first step which put her lips the same level as his ear.

“You, my love, are the man of my dreams.”

“ENOUGH. Young lady you tell me right now what is going on?” If it weren’t his daughter Nate might be finding some amusement in the seductive way in which Storm was behaving. In the way she had managed with only words to cool Adam’s temper, which was not an easy task for a man even thrice her size to do with his fists. He realized that she didn’t need to be taught how to behave like a woman, it was an instinct brought out of any female when in the presence of the man they loved. He was also aware that while their tempers may be cooling other emotions were now becoming heated.

“It’s nothing papa, it’s over now. Goodnight everybody.”
“Adam will you please explain to me what just happened?”
“As I said before Nate, you really don’t want to know. Now as Storm has said, goodnight.”

Nate watched as Adam disappeared up the steps as Storm had done only moments before. He turned to the one person he might get an answer from.

“Ben?”

“Nate, maybe if I told you that April is one of the girls that works on D Street.”

“Oh. You don’t think that she told Storm….I mean have she and Adam…You don’t think that she would…”

“Whatever it is, as Storm has pointed out, it’s over.”

 

**********

Storm had tried for hours to fall asleep but every time she closed her eyes another image brought about by something April had said became clearly displayed in her mind. She knew before what occurred between a man and a woman, supposedly for her only after she had become some man’s wife, but it wasn’t until April had spoken of Adam in that way that she had begun to give it some serious thought. Now it was all she could think about. As always, when Storm was faced with a problem she attacked it head on.

“Storm what are you doing in here?”

“You’re awake.”

“Yes and I’m sure for the same reason you are.” In fact Adam had laid down the book he was attempting to read only five or six minutes ago. He watched as she closed the door and walked over to his bed. He only seemed to find his voice when she began to climb into it beside him.

“Storm please go back to your room.”

“Am I really that undesirable Adam?”

Undesirable? If she only knew the effect she was having on him she would never have asked such a foolish question. “Storm I love you.”

“I’m beginning to believe you only said that so I’d leave that night and now you’re saying it again so I’ll leave again.”

“Storm.”

“Adam, you say that you love me then why won’t you…..I mean you don’t love April and you did with her.”

“You and April have a few more differences other than whether or not I love you.”

“You mean because she’s been with other men! You weren’t her first! Fine, maybe I’ll go and find someone not so hypocritical. Maybe someone like Edgars!”

“STORM.”

What he did next was stupid. Done in a second of anger at the thought of her with someone like Edgars. One second Storm was sitting the next found her lying beneath Adam. She found she barely possessed enough breath to whisper his name.

“Adam?”

He could feel himself losing any remaining self control he might posses. He knew if he didn’t stop kissing her all would be lost. With great effort he rolled off of her thankful that tonight had been one he had chosen to wear a nightshirt, although that was doing little to hide how desirable he did indeed find her.

“Storm please go back to your room.”

“But Adam?” While Storm was uncertain of exactly what she had felt, feel something she did and it had aroused new desires within her.

“Storm; please. You know this is wrong.”

“But Adam.”
“Storm you and April are worlds apart. It wouldn’t matter if you’d been with other men before because nothing could change what your true nature is. You’re a lady Storm pure and simple.”

“And April?”

“April is a user. She will take from any man what he is willing to give. She tries to capture his heart by giving him her body, not because she loves him but because a man in love can be talked into doing anything. When that kind of devotion is given without being received in kind it is a very dangerous thing. Is that what you want Storm, to be like April?”

“Adam I could never do that to you. I love you.”

“And you couldn’t do this because it’s wrong, for you it’s wrong.”

“Adam, I’m afraid.”

“Afraid of what?”

“Of losing you, but even more so, of never having you. You’re right Adam, I know it’s wrong, I know it is but knowing it’s wrong doesn’t make me want it less doesn‘t make me want you less.”

“Let’s just give it a little more time.”
Suddenly something occurred to Storm that she hadn’t thought of before. “Adam do you love April?”

“No Storm I do not now nor have I ever loved April.”

But there was someone. Storm could tell there was someone.

Adam watched as she left his bed, left his room, but he knew she would never leave his heart.

 

CHAPTER 5

“Storm would you like to walk with me for a little while?”
“Why papa?”
“Because you’re my daughter, I’m your father, and it is a beautiful morning outside.” And I have to tell you something you’re not going to like. He had already told Matthew they would be leaving by the end of next week.

“It’s a beautiful moon in the sky.”
“Papa, don’t be silly.”

“I see. Calling the sun the moon is silly but calling the moon the sun isn’t.”

“Papa, I promise you I will never ask that question of anyone ever again.”

Nate didn’t know if that news should make him happy or not. He knew the reason behind her abandoning her test was because she felt she had met the only man who could pass it, and now he was about to tell her he was going to take her away from him.

“Storm do you remember yesterday I was waiting for a wire from back east?”

“Of course I do.” It was because of that waiting that she had met up with April.

“I could have just as well gone into town and picked it up another day, or asked someone to bring it out here to me.”

“What are you trying so hard not to tell me papa?”
“There are some rather profitable contracts coming up to be bid on.”

Storm could feel her heart as it began to break. “And you have to be there to do the bidding?”

He could hear the tears in her voice. “Yes.”

“But papa I don’t want to go back to Boston.”

“I know but…”

“No papa, I’ll stay here. Mr. Cartwright won’t mind, I just know he won’t.”

“Storm, you are my daughter and you will return with me to Boston.” Nate wouldn’t admit that he was afraid to leave her. He was afraid that in doing so he would lose his little girl, unaware that she was no longer his little girl. Once a girl’s heart is given in true love it doesn’t matter if that love is returned or not she becomes a woman.

“But papa!”

“Storm, Adam has had three months. We have been here three months. That is longer than I had intended to stay, longer than I’m sure Ben thought we would have stayed.”

“But you’re the one who said love takes time. Three months isn’t very long.”

He couldn’t bear the tears on his daughter’s face. “Storm how about if I promise you we will come back.”
“Really papa? When?”

“Next spring.”

“Spring! Oh papa.” She ran into the house.

Adam watched as she ran past everyone in tears. “Nate what’s going on?”

“What’s going on Adam?! What’s going on! I just ripped my daughter’s heart out that’s all!” Nate knew he was wrong to take the guilt he was feeling at having hurt his little girl and turn it into anger against someone else, so he took a deep breath. “I’m sorry Adam. I just told Storm it was time to return to Boston. As you can plainly see she was none too happy about the news.”

“I’ll go and talk with her.”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea Adam.”
“Maybe not Nate, but it’s the only one I’ve got.”

********

Adam could hear her crying through the closed door. He gently knocked and called in.

“Sweetheart may I come in?”

Of course it was a rhetorical question, even before he was finished asking he had the door open. As soon as he stepped into the room she ran to him.

“Adam papa says we’re going back to Boston. I don’t want to go.”

“Maybe if pa tells him…”

“No I already tried that. He won’t let me stay. He said we’ll come back next spring. Adam, that’s almost a whole year away! I don’t want to wait a year to see you again.”
“Neither do I.”
“What am I going to do?”

“The only thing you can do. You’re going to marry me.” Adam found himself surprised at how easy it was to say this. He knew it had come from his heart because the words were said before he had a chance to think about them.

“What?” It was what she had hoped for but not what she had expected.

“You’re going to marry me.”

“Do you mean it Adam? You really want ….; really?”

“Yes sweetheart, really. I love you Storm, whether or not you believe me.”

“I believe you Adam.” And she really did.

“Good, then we best go and tell everyone else.”

“One minute. Shouldn’t we kiss to seal the deal?”

“I usually shake hands to seal any and all business deals.”

“But this is not a business deal, it’s a deal of the heart and that kind of deal can only be sealed with a kiss.”

“You’re right and besides most of my business partners aren’t as lovely as you.”

Never was a deal more willingly or more intensely sealed.

 

**********

“I don’t hear anymore crying.”

“I’m not too sure if that’s a good thing or not Ben.”
“Let’s hope it’s a good thing Nate.”
From the looks on their faces as they came downstairs everyone could tell it was a good thing. When everyone heard the news there were quite a few sighs of relief and a roomful of smiles.

“I hate to be the one to intrude on this happiness with a dose of reality, but Storm where and when is this wedding going to take place?”

“Well papa, is September enough time to get your business deals completed.”

“Storm that’s only five months away.” Now that everyone knew Adam felt himself becoming a little nervous.

“I know Adam. Is it enough time papa?”

“Yes, I suppose it will have to be. I feel if you could have it your way the wedding would be tomorrow.”

“Can it be?”

“No.” Nate wasn’t about to let go that easily.

“That settles the when.” Ben knew where he wished the where to be. “How about the where?”

“Mr. Cartwright if you wouldn’t mind greatly I’d like it to be right here.”
“Here Storm? Are you sure here and not back in Boston?”

“Papa there isn’t a church in all of New England that can equal the majesty of the Ponderosa.”

“Hey pa she’s already thinkin’ like a Cartwright.”

“She most certainly is Hoss.”

“Alright that settles the where and the when but I still think you should return with me to Boston.”

“But why papa?”

“Storm please hear me out. You come back to Boston with me and stay only long enough to pick out a wedding dress, then you come back.”

“Why do I feel there is more to this.”

“When you do return, Mattie comes with you.”

“Mattie!”

“Who is this Mattie?”

“Adam if Mattie comes back we won’t….” Storm looked at her father with complete understanding. “We won’t have a minute alone.”

“Exactly. You see your father is not as stupid as you may think young lady.”

“But papa why can’t Mattie just pick out a dress. I know she’d pick out a pretty one, then she can bring it out with her.”

“Storm?”

“Let me try Nate. Sweetheart?

“Yes Adam.”

“I’m sure it won’t be for long.”

“Not for long? Adam by the time we get back to Boston it’ll be almost a month, then another month to get back. Add in the time it will take me to get a dress and I won’t be back until July sometime, if I’m lucky.”
“Storm you must realize that there are people back in Boston who will want to see you.”
“I don’t suppose I have much of a choice.”

“It’s better then next spring.”
“ADAM. I thought you at least would be on my side.”
“I am, but this is purely a matter of self-preservation.”

“What is that suppose to mean?”

“What he means little sister is that a man can say no to temptation only so many times before he gives in.”

“Just what kind of temptation are we speaking of Matthew?”

“Nothing papa, right big brother?”

“Little sister, papa is not stupid.”

 

**********

Storm and Adam spent the few remaining days before she would leave for Boston making as many plans as they could. This day found everyone, except Ben and Nate, with plans in town. Adam and Storm had gone to speak with the preacher and everyone else to tend to whatever business they needed to attend to. Ben and Nate were sitting on the porch awaiting everyone’s return. They were enjoying the quiet time they had but only because they knew it would end.

“You know Ben I’ve been thinking and I realized something.”

“What’s that Nate.”

“It’s always been Adam.”
“What?”

“Think about it. We always assumed Storm tailed after him because Little Joe was or because Matthew was with him but when I think back there were so many times I found her with him when neither Little Joe nor Matthew were around. And you want to know something, when he came to visit back east her face would just light up whenever Matthew would say he’d gotten a letter from Adam saying he’d be stopping by.”

“Maybe you’re right Nate.”
“Is something wrong Ben?”

“Wrong? No nothing’s wrong. I was just thinking of that night.”

“The night Connie was killed?”

“Yes. You had sent Matthew into town for the doc and the sheriff. I had taken Storm with me to the Ponderosa. I’d put Adam in his bed and we were waiting for the doctor. I had told Hoss to take care of Little Joe and since Storm had fallen asleep on the way here I had lain her on the settee. Not five minutes could have passed and she came into Adam’s room. I didn’t even know she was there until I heard her climbing into the bed. I didn’t want her to see how bad Adam was hurt so I went to get her and I was going to put her in the guest room but she told me no. She said she wanted to stay there and hold Adam’s hand because whenever her papa had got hurt or felt bad that’s what her mama did and her papa always got better.”

“I still miss her Ben. After all these years, I still miss her.”

“I know Nate, believe me I know.”

 

**********

 

The closer they day they were to leave approached the more inseparable Storm and Adam became. There were nights everyone would go to bed and leave them sitting in front of the fire only to find them in the same place the following morning.

As they boarded the stage Nate could see his daughter’s tears and almost relented and let her stay. If he had known the danger her return trip would hold he would have let her stay.

 

So for one of the few times in their lives Adam and Storm were separated. They survived, or more accurately they existed while everyone around them survived.

Storm picked out a dress as quickly as Mattie would allow her too and visited all the people her father wished her too.

“Now papa, can we make the arrangements for me to go back now?”

“Are you sure Storm? The Constance is due in port soon and wouldn’t you like to wait for Capt. Tanner to come back so you can see him?”

“Papa while I am very fond of Capt. Tanner why would I want….” Then Storm realized what her father was hinting at. “Papa I have never cared for Ogden, NEVER!”

Ogden Mapore was Capt. Tanner’s first mate and was one of the few men Storm had actually agreed to go to more than one dance with. It wasn’t because she cared for him but because she knew he didn’t care for her. The only thing Ogden had found acceptable about her was her father’s ships. She had once overheard him saying that she was extremely pleasing to look at but she would need a strong man to tame her wild spirit. She knew he had no reservations about hitting women, she had heard rumors of how he treated the girls that worked the waterfront. Some might argue that he would treat her differently but she knew to a man like Ogden a woman was a woman.

“I know, I was just teasing you.” Nate went to his desk and took out an envelope. “Here you go.”
“What is it papa? Storm took the envelope and opened it. Inside she found two passages to Nevada. “Papa when did you get these?”

Nate took his daughter into his arms. “The very day we got back.”

“Oh papa, I love you,”

“Enough to stay here with me?”

“Papa?”

“I’m only teasing you Storm. I always thought it would be Matthew who would go back. I should have know it would be you.”

CHAPTER 6

“Now you behave little sister.”

“Don’t you worry Mr. Matthew I’ll make sure she does.”

“I have complete faith that you will Mattie.”

“Thank you Mr. Kendall.”

So they boarded the train and began their journey. They should be in Virginia City by mid July. Once they were in Saint Louis they sent a wire to Adam letting him know when they were due to arrive then they boarded the stage.

For Mattie the trip was like nothing she’d ever experienced. When Mr. Kendall had first asked if she would like to accompany Storm she had agreed without reservation, but the more she thought about it the more anxious she became. If it weren’t for the fact that she loved Storm as if she were her own child she might have even changed her mind.

“Miss. Storm why is the stage stopping?”

“I don’t know? We’re almost to Virginia City.”

They waited for the driver to come and tell them and when the door opened they had their answer.

“If you ladies and gentleman will kindly step out.”

Along with Mattie and herself there were two other young ladies and one older gentleman on board.

“Just who do you think you are?” Storm was very angry. An hour or so more and she would be in Adam’s arms. How dare these men get in the way of that.

“You want to know who I am?”

“I could care less who you are, I asked who do you think you are.” As if oblivious to what she was implying the man continued.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Lyle Benton, over there is Judd Shelton and that’s Grant Kellen.”

Storm wished she had a gun because she would have killed these three men without hesitation. How often had she heard those names? Benton, Shelton and Kellen the men who had killed her mother, the ones who had beaten Adam. Adam, she knew she couldn’t let them know who she was or she might never get to see Adam again. She only hoped the others would understand what she was doing and follow her lead.

“Well Mr. Benton, I’m Margaret Tanner. I have very important business to attend to in Virginia City, so if you will please get on with whatever it is you’re doing.”

“That’s just it ma’am, the driver said we were wrong, that the money we thought was on this stage ain’t here. We’re inclined to believe him since we looked everywhere and found nothin‘.”

“Then why are you keeping us?”

“Me and the boys we’re trying to figure out how to make up for what we didn’t get. We figure maybe you passengers have something of value.”

“I have some money. If I give it to you can we go?” Storm was glad her father had wired most of the money to the bank in Virginia City.

“You can.”

“What do you mean, I can?”

“Let’s just say that everyone has to pay a toll. This money covers yours, and the driver well he’s paid his.”

For the first time Storm and the other passengers noticed the driver’s body. Storm couldn’t figure how they had managed to stop the stage and kill the driver without so much as a single sound. Then she saw that they had blocked the road and, although, she couldn’t tell for sure they had probably beaten the driver to death. It made her thankful that Adam had been younger and stronger then the driver when they had beaten him or he just might not have survived.

“That just leaves the gentleman and you ladies.”

“Mattie here is my servant. My money covers us both. I am also inclined to believe that there is enough there to cover us all.”

“It ain’t the amount that matters, it’s the principle.”

“And you and your men are so highly principled.”

Benton liked this little spitfire, in a way she reminded him of himself. The gentleman reached into his pockets and pulled out whatever money he had.

“Very good, now that just leaves you two ladies.”

“We don’t have any money. What little we did we spent on our stage fare. We have family waiting for us in Virginia City.”

“I’m sure we could find a way for two such pretty young ladies to pay for their safe passage besides money.” Benton stretched out his hand and Storm watched as the young girl tried to get out of his reach. Before the gentleman passenger could react Storm slapped Benton’s arm down.

“Mr. Benton you want money; I can get you money. Let the stage and it’s passengers go and I’ll tell you how.”

“Miss….”

“Mattie it will be alright. Well Mr. Benton?”

“How much money?” Again he found that looking into this ones eyes was almost like looking into his own.

“How much were you expecting?”

“We heard tell that there was as much as six thousand.”
“Alright Mr. Benton, I’ll guarantee you six thousand.”

“How?”

“I’m not stupid Mr. Benton. I watch this stage, along with it’s passengers, leave here safely and then I will tell you.”

“And what if you’re lyin’”

“Then you can take it out of my hide.”

“A debt that large could take quite a while to pay off that way.”

“Then you must realize I’m telling the truth because I’d rather be dead than to be touched by you.”

“It might take till you were dead to work off six thousand.”

“Do we have a deal?”

“Yes Miss. Tanner, we have a deal.”

“I can’t leave you here.”
“Mattie please I need you to tell him what’s going on.”

“But Miss…”

“Mattie! Please, I’ll be fine.” Storm would have allowed Mattie to stay if she wasn’t so afraid she would slip and call her by her real name.

Storm watched as the passengers got back on the stage and the gentleman, who had been a passenger, headed it off towards Virginia City.

“Now Miss. Tanner, just how is it you can guarantee me six thousand dollars.”

“You’ve heard of the Cartwrights Mr. Benton?”

“Yes I have.”

“Well I’m engaged to marry one of them.”

“Which one?”

“Adam. So you see Mr. Benton I’m sure he’d be willing to pay six thousand dollars to get me back.”

“He’d be a fool not to.”

**********

 

The stage was late. Ben must have told his sons every possible reason twice, of course it was being robbed was not one he had mentioned even if it was one they had all thought of. They finally saw the stage coming into town and each let out very deep sighs of relief. That relief lasted only until they saw that the man driving wasn’t who it should be.

“Where’s the driver?”

“Inside, he’s dead.”

“I knew it! I should have rode out as soon as it was late.”

“Adam why don’t we….”

Before Ben finished the door of the stage opened.

“Are you Miss. Storm’s Mr. Adam?”

“Yes, where is she?”

“They took her!”

“They who?” At this point Adam didn’t really care who, he just knew they had better not hurt her.

“The men who robbed the stage.”
“Adam.” Ben didn’t like the look in Adam’s eyes. “You’re Mattie right?”

“Yes sir.”

“Pa what difference does it make! They’ve got Storm! We have to go and get her.”
“I agree son, but first let’s find out what happened.”

Ben led Mattie and the other passengers over to Sheriff Coffee’s office. His sons followed, Adam rather reluctantly.

“Now Mattie please sit down and tell us what happened.”
“Those gentlemen that robbed the stage were real upset when the money they thought was there wasn’t. They killed the driver then they said that we all had to pay a toll to go free. Miss. Storm gave them whatever money she had and told them it was enough to cover all of us. They told her it wasn’t the amount it was the principle. This gentleman gave them whatever money he had and Miss Storm said since I was her servant her money paid for me as well. These two young ladies had no money so those thieves said they could arrange to pay in another way. That’s when Miss. Storm said she could guarantee them the six thousand they said they were expecting to get.”
“So they’re holding her for ransom?!”
“Adam, son, at least that means they won’t be going far.”
“Excuse me, but there is one thing I don’t understand.” Everyone turned to one of the young ladies Storm had just saved from Benton and the others. “I thought she said her name was Storm and you just said her name is Storm. Why then did she tell those men her name was Margaret?”

Adam knew of only one reason. She didn’t want the men to know her name. Obviously they didn’t know her on sight or it wouldn’t have mattered what name she gave. He could only think of three men who Storm knew of who would be capable of robbery and murder, only three men who if they knew her true name would make her pay for it.

“Mattie, these men who robbed the stage, do you know their names? Did they mention their names?”

“Yes they did. They said the were Benton, Shelton….”

“NO.” Even though he had suspected it knowing it was much worse.

“and Kellen.”

“NO! NO!”

“Adam.”

“Pa if they find out who she is…” All Adam could think of is what they had done to Storm’s mother.

“They won’t. Storm isn’t going to tell them.”

“Who are those men?”

“Mattie, those are the men who killed Storm’s mother.”
Ben watched as Adam slammed the door to the sheriff’s office behind him. He caught up with him just as he was preparing to mount his horse.

“Adam.”

“Pa I can’t.”

“They’ll have to send a ransom note.”

“You wait for it. I have to try and find her.”

“Adam there’s three of them.”

“That’s why we’re going with him.”
“Yeah pa.”
“See, three against three, four against three if you count Storm and I would most definitely count Storm.”

“Adam think, what if someone is watching.”
Adam was about to tell his father he didn’t care, he couldn’t sit here and wait, when he saw a man ride into town. This man had a face he recognized as one that had haunted his dreams for a very long time.

Ben didn’t know what had gotten his son off of his horse, he was just glad something had but only until he saw his eyes.

“Adam?” He just pushed past his father as if he hadn’t heard. He walked straight to the man who had just ridden into Virginia City.

“Hello, these ladies tell me you’re Adam…..” Adam hit him with all the force he could. “Hey! What you hit me for!”

Ben reached Adam just as he pulled the stranger to his feet. “ADAM.”

“You want to know why I hit you? As I figure it I owe you quite a few more.”

“Adam who is he?”

“Who is he pa? This is Grant Kellen. Now you tell me where they’ve got her or I’ll kill you right here.”
“Listen I was paid to deliver this message to Adam Cartwright. What makes you think I’m this Grant Kellen?”

“What makes me think it?” While Adam talked Ben took the note Kellen held and read it. “I don’t think it I know it. You see I find it hard to forget a man who beat me as bad as you did.”
“Beat you? Mister I ain’t never seen you before.”
“I was only sixteen at the time, and of course you and your friend we’re preoccupied with what else you were doing.”
Kellen tried to remember a kid he, Benton and Shelton had all beaten up on, then it hit him. Kendall’s wife, there had been a kid there.

“Kendall’s wife?”

“Yes, Mrs. Kendall. Now tell me where Storm is or I will kill you and go and find her myself.”

“Storm? Are you tellin’ me that girl that Benton has is Kendall’s daughter?”

“Yes she is and you’re going to take me to her.”

“Yeah and if I take you to her Benton will kill me.”
“As I see it Kellen you have three choices. You can take me to Storm and have Benton maybe have a chance at shooting you, not take me and be assured I will kill you now, or you can maybe put it off a little while and wait to hang. Which one will it be?”

Grant Kellen was, as most men like him, afraid to die. Given the life they had led that was one condition they would gladly delay whenever possible.

“Alright, I’ll take you to where they got her.”

“Good choice Mr. Kellen.”

 

**********

 

“What’s the matter Lyle?”

“I don’t know Judd but I would swear she looks familiar.”
“Come on Lyle, we’ve been in Mexico for the past, what sixteen-seventeen years. She’s barely twenty maybe twenty two, that would have made her five or six last time we was in Nevada.”

“You’re right.” You could see the truth hit Benton. “You’re right!”

He walked over to where Storm was standing. He hadn’t tied her up because he knew she had nowhere to go. They were inside a box canyon and the only way out was past him and Judd.

“Miss. Tanner I can’t help but feel as if we’ve met before. I was just over there telling my friend that very thing.”

“I’m sure you and I don’t have any friends in common Mr. Benton.”

“Friends Miss. Tanner? I wasn’t talking of friends, I was thinking more like enemies. Well enemy to me, father to you.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you are talking about. My father is in Boston. He runs his family’s shipping company.”

“Not when I knew him. When I knew him he was a marshal. He locked us away but, like we told him, we got out and when we did we found a way to make him regret ever putting us in jail.”

“I have absolutely no interest….”

Benton grabbed her arm as she attempted to turn away from him.

“You may not be interested in hearing but I’m gonna’ tell you anyway. Once we escaped it took almost three years to find him. He had decided to quit marshalling right after we were convicted and he took his pretty wife, that boy, and his baby daughter and left town. We did catch up with him not far from here. Originally we were just going to kill him but that would have been too easy on him. Then we thought why not kill those two kids, especially that little girl of his. Boy he sure did dote on her, but maybe I’m just too softhearted because I just couldn’t bring myself to do it although I did have the opportunity. So that left his wife. If I don’t say so myself she was pretty. We hadn’t set out intending to kill her but things just got a little rougher than we had planned. She didn’t like that we was beaten up on that boy. I mean we was just kinda’ using him to amuse ourselves. Man he sure did fight hard for a kid. If we didn’t know better we would have thought she was his mother. Tell me Miss. Kendall do you know what ever became of that boy?”

Maybe if Benton had been paying more attention to Storm then to his memories he would have noticed that a very short while ago the fear had left her eyes.

“Yes I know.”

“Then you won’t deny that you’re Kendall’s daughter?”

“No.”

“So tell me what happened to that kid.”

“Why don’t you turn around and see Mr. Benton.”

“Do you really think I’ll fall for that old trick? Do you think I was born yesterday?”

“I’ll tell you what I think Benton, if you weren’t born yesterday you don’t stand a very good chance of seeing another birthday.”

Benton spun around and found himself face to face with a look of determination he‘d seen before only it was no longer on the face of a sixteen year old kid. “What you gonna’ do? Kill me.”

“No I’ll leave that to the hangman.”

Storm would have know better if the need to be in Adam’s arms wasn’t so strong but it was so she ran right past Benton. As she did he grabbed her.

“Let her go Benton!”

“Let her go? Right now she’s the only thing I have to bargain my way out of here.”
Again Benton would have been wiser if he would have paid more attention to Storm. She did exactly as she had with Edgars, she brought up her knee and ran to Adam as Benton fell to the ground.

“Storm are you alright?”

“I am now. Adam you’re not here alone are you?”
“No the others are waiting outside the canyon. They already have Shelton and Kellen.”

“You’re telling me that Kellen led you here?” Benton muttered through clenched teeth.

“I didn’t give him much of a choice.”

“Maybe I won’t give you a choice either.”

“What are you talking about?” Storm had felt Adam tense and start to pull her away.

“Why don’t you tell her the truth.” Benton had managed to regain his feet even if he was still slightly pained.

“What is he talking about Adam? What truth?”
“That your mama wasn’t mindin’ what they did to her.”
“You’re lying, I know you’re lying.”
“Did your father ever tell you where he met your mother?”

“Shut up Benton!”

From that Storm knew that Adam knew the answer to Benton’s question.

“Fancy that, a Cartwright marrying the daughter of a whore.”

Adam was on Benton so fast that Storm didn’t have a chance to try and stop him. Luckily for her Hoss and Ben had left the other two men with Little Joe, the sheriff and the posse and had decided to see what was taking so long.

“Hoss! Stop Adam or he’ll kill him.”
If the fighting had gone on a little bit longer Storm would have been right. She went to Adam and tried to stop him from trying to break free of Hoss’s hold.

“It doesn’t matter.” She just kept repeating this over and over as she caressed his face. She stopped only when she could see a slight calming in his eyes.

“Hey Cartwright I think I finally figured out something that’s been bothering me for sixteen years now.”

“Don’t you know enough to shut up?!” Storm looked to where Ben was holding Benton.

“You might be interested in this too. You see I could never figure out why you fought so hard to protect someone who was no kin to you. It just occurred to me though that a boy would defend a woman who was his first like that specially when it probably wasn’t that long before.”

“ADAM NO! I know he’s lying and that’s all that matters.”
“Lying! You ever wonder why I didn’t take my turn at her? Ask him, I never did. Of course for Shelton and Kellen it wasn’t the first time they had but even I’m not sick enough to bed my own sister. I hope my sister taught you well at least for your sake my sweet little niece.”

“Your lying!”

“Am I? You just ask your father. Then you ask him just why he married her.”

“Adam he is lying?”

“Storm?”

She walked over to Benton and looked him in the face.

“There is no way in hell you could be my mother’s brother.”

“I’m sure our mother and father would disagree with you.”
“No. They probably just felt sorry for you. They probably picked you up from where your mother had thrown you.”
“You just ask your father when you see him.”

“If what you’re saying is true, how could you kill your own sister?”

“ Like I said, it wasn’t what we had started out to do but I didn’t feel too bad about it either. You see she betrayed me. She told your father where to find us. No one betrays me, no one.”

 

 

CHAPTER 7

They were finally on their way back to the Ponderosa. Ben had seen to it that Mattie had been taken there when they had left Virginia City. When they reached the point where one way led to Virginia City and one to the Ponderosa Hoss, Little Joe, Sheriff Coffee and the posse along with their prisoners took the road to Virginia City and Storm, Adam and Ben went towards home.

She had been sitting on the porch waiting and at first sight Mattie could tell that something had deeply upset Storm.

“Mr. Cartwright is Miss. Storm alright?”

“She will be Mattie. Do you think you could allow them some time? Right now I think Storm needs to be alone with Adam.”

Mattie watched as Adam helped Storm inside. A little surprised at the way in which Storm leaned on him. After what she had been through the fact that she needed to lean on him was not what surprised her but that it seemed as if she would be lost without him to lean on did.

“They didn’t….hurt her did they?”

“No Mattie, not physically.”

“What did they do?”

“They told her something. Something I think Nate didn’t want her to ever have to hear.”
“Somehow the truth always finds a way to be known.”

“You’re right Mattie, that’s why it’s usually best to tell it.”

 

 

********

“Storm, sweetheart, are you alright?”

“Yes Adam, I just… why didn’t papa ever tell me?”

“Tell you what? How do you tell a child something like that?”

“I’m no longer a child.”

“Yes, that is something I am well aware of and so is your father. Perhaps he felt you would never have to hear it.”

“He should have told me anyway. He couldn’t believe I’d love mama any less.”
“Maybe he thought it would change how you felt about yourself.”

“How could I. You would never let me feel bad about myself, besides if you love me how could I be anything less…”

“But up until a little while ago you didn’t have me or my love.”

“No I didn’t. Do I still?”

“Storm, as I am sure you have already figured out, this is not new information to me.”

“But why did papa tell you?”

“Because he felt I had a right to know the whole truth. That night Benton had said some things. I had mentioned them to pa and pa must have mentioned them to Nate because a few days later Nate came and told me everything. He only asked that I not say anything to either you or Matthew. I told him that it didn’t matter that your mother was one of the finest ladies I have ever known.”
“Adam what did Benton mean when he said I should ask papa why he married mama?”

“Storm I promised Nate I wouldn’t tell you or Matthew what he told me. You wouldn’t want me to break that promise would you?”

“No.” But Storm would try and do her best to find out from her father. She felt she already knew the worst. Adam watched her and waited for what he knew would come. When she began to slowly look around he knew she had realized what he had been waiting for her too. “Adam we’re alone.”

“Yes we are.”

She walked directly into his arms.

“I’ve missed you so Adam.”

“And I’ve missed you.”

********

When Mattie and Ben walked in, Mattie could clearly see why she had been sent to keep an eye on things.

“Miss. Storm!”

“Mattie?!”

“You come here right now young lady!”

“He was kissing too!”

“He’s a man. I expect it of him. You are a young lady, it is your responsibility to stop these things.”

“What if I don’t want to stop them?!”

“Storm Margaret Kendall! You will go to your room right now and say no less than one hundred Hail Marys.”

“Why don’t we make it one hundred and one.” With that she pulled Adam’s lips to hers. The kiss ended when she felt Mattie’s hand across her backside. Before she followed Storm upstairs Mattie turned to Adam. He prepared himself for a rebuke but that’s not what he got.

“Mr. Cartwright?”
“Please Mattie. To keep things from getting too confused call me Adam.”
“How about Mr. Adam, I’ll feel better that way.”
“That would be fine.”

“Mr. Adam, I’m glad I came. I never thought to see her lovin’ a man so much, but I am going to warn you that I will do whatever necessary to keep that love from being consummated before the vows are taken’” Mattie turned and went to Storm.

“I think I like Mattie.”

“And why is that Adam? Could it be because she’s making Storm do all the penance for something you two share the blame for?”
“You heard Mattie, I’m a man so she expects it from me.”

“Adam.” Ben watched as the smile left his son’s face.

“I’ll tell you something pa, it’s a good thing Mattie is here because right now all I want to do is hold Storm in my arms. I just want to keep her as close to me as I possibly can. Do you know what I’m trying to say pa?”

“Yes I do Adam.”

“I remember one time when I was back east, I think Storm was maybe nine, she followed Matthew and I. We had gone out celebrating, I don’t recall exactly what it was we were celebrating but it must have been something big. Nine years old and she’s down on the waterfront looking for us. Well she found us alright. We were in some run down hole with two…um two ladies. Storm walks in that place past men that quite frankly scared me but I swear they all stepped aside for her. She walks past all of them and walks straight up to me and tells me that I shouldn’t be there that she loves me and the lady on my lap doesn’t. I don’t know what sobered me up faster, having a nine year old child tell me that she loves me or having the men in that place look at me as if they would do me great harm if I hurt her, or maybe it was that even at nine years old I believed she understood what she was saying and meant it.”

“That’s why the first time I saw you here, you had me all confused. I think like most girls I always had a dream of what the man who could win my heart would look like, what he would be like. I’d come to believe that no man could ever live up to that dream, that I’d never find the one man I’d be willing to surrender too. I’d forgotten that before there was the dream there was you. I didn’t need to try and imagine who he would be because he was you, so how could I give my heart to someone when it was already yours and no longer mine to give.”

“What are you doing down here? Does Mattie know you’re missing?”
“Not yet Adam. I gave her my word that I’d be good.”
“Your word doesn’t seem to be worth too much.”

“I never said what it was I’d be good at Adam.”

“And just what do you plan on being good at young lady?”

“Giving your son a kiss goodnight.” Before another second could pass she was in his arms.
“MISS STORM! I find you back in his arms! So help me child tonight I sleep on the floor in front of your door.”

“Thanks for the warning, now I’ll know enough to step over you.”

“You will be spending the time from now until your wedding on your knees asking for forgiveness.”

“For what! I haven’t done anything but kiss him and even papa let me kiss him.”

“I am not your papa. I know what kind of thoughts kissing can put into a woman’s head.”

“Why Mattie Kincaid.”

“Do you think that I have never been in love? Now get upstairs.”

As she passed her on the landing Storm leaned and gave Mattie a kiss on the cheek.

“I love you Mattie.”

“Don’t you be thinkin’ that’ll make me go any easier on you.”
“That’s not why I said it, I said it because it’s true.”
“I know. Now why don’t you go to bed.”

“Mattie, I’m kinda hungry.”

“Forgive me child, I’d forgotten that you hadn’t eaten.”

“Oh yeah, for food too.”

“You are determined to dig yourself a hole so deep that you’ll be lucky to climb your way out by the time our wedding day arrives.”

“Adam, I’m only joshing. Mattie you know I was only joshing right?”

“Joshing or not young lady for you to put those thoughts into words it’s because somewhere you’re thinkin’ them. Now up to bed.”
“But Mattie I really am hungry.”

“Fine then I’ll go and fix you something and I will bring it up to you, and so help me I had better not find you down these steps again tonight or I will tie you to your bed.”

“Fine. At least then he’ll know where to find me.”

“What was that?” Even though Storm had whispered Mattie, as well as Adam and Ben, knew exactly what she had said.

“Nothing, I just said I’d hate it if you had to bind me.”
“Very good Storm.”
“I don’t know what you mean Adam. That’s exactly what I said.” Storm marched up the remaining steps.

Mattie reached the bottom step and Adam began to climb them.

“And just where do you think you’re going?”

“To bed Mattie. It’s been a very tiring day.”
“You will stay down here until I have finished what I need to do and gone up.”

“Mattie.”
“Don’t you Mattie me. If you think for one minute I’d not tie you to your bed you’d be wrong.”

“Why not just tie us to the same bed, it’ll make keeping watch a whole lot easier.”
“Mr. Cartwright did you ever take a strap to this boy to teach him a lesson?”

“More than once Mattie.”
“It seems you might be needin’ to do it again.”

 

**********

 

Mattie did her best to make sure Storm and Adam were never alone and for the most part she succeeded. Up until this day they had only managed a few minutes here and there, barely enough time for one stolen kiss.

This day, though, found Storm with too many unanswered questions and only one person she knew of who could help her answer them. She quietly climbed down the stairs hoping that she wouldn’t be found out too soon. Mattie knew she hadn’t been sleeping well and at first had assumed it to be because of the incident with Benton, then perhaps the upcoming wedding. Storm felt neither was true or perhaps, in a way, both were.

She found Adam where Little Joe had said he would be and alone as he had promised he’d be.

“This explains Little Joe’s hasty departure. Does Mattie know you’re here?”

“Would I be here if she did? I told her I was tired and that I had a headache. She knows that I haven’t been sleeping too well lately.”

“So you decided to use that knowledge and Little Joe as well.” Upon looking at her he could tell being alone with him was not the motivation for this deception, or more accurately the reason she wished to be alone with him was different than he had at first thought. “Sweetheart what’s wrong?”

She ran to him. “Oh Adam what should I do?”

“About what?”

“Papa will be here soon.”
“According to the wire the day after tomorrow.”
“I don’t want to hurt him but how can I live not knowing the truth?”

“Is that what this is really about?”

“Yes…no. It’s just that I know you know and I would never ask you to break your promise.”

“But if you don’t ask then there will always be a secret between us.”

“Yes.”

“Storm only you know what you can and can not live with. Is the truth that bad? Do I think it will change anything? No, but only you can truly answer that.”

“I know you can’t tell me what to do, I know you wouldn’t. All I really want is for you to hold me. I feel safe when you hold me and it makes it easier to think just knowing you’re there.”
“I’ll always be there.”
So they sat down under a tree and in time the security of his arms allowed Storm to relax, let her mind calm down enough to realize that no matter what she decided he would never leave her. For the first time in quite a while she slept peacefully.

 

 

**********

 

“I best go wake Miss. Storm for lunch.”
Little Joe nervously watched as Mattie slowly made her way upstairs. Where was Adam? Storm had promised that she would make sure they were back before lunch. If Mattie found her missing there would be hell to pay and if she found out he had helped….he didn’t want to think about that. He ended up doing what he had done as a child. He turned to the one person who he knew would protect him.

“Pa I have something I have to tell you.”
“What is it Joe?”

“Storm’s not up there, she’s with Adam.”

JOSEPH!”

“Mr. Cartwright!” Mattie came running down the stairs. “Miss. Storm’s not in her room!”

“I know.”

“You know?! Is she with him?!”

“Mattie, Storm said she needed to talk to Adam. I believed her.” Little Joe backed away the instant Mattie turned towards him.

“You helped her!”

Ben feared that this woman was capable of harming his son more than any man.

“Mattie.” He stepped between them. “In all honesty don’t you really trust Storm?”

“Where that son of your’s is concerned? NO! She loves him and, surely you must realize, with that kind of love comes forgetfulness.”

“I’ll go get them.” Ben turned to leave.

“I’m going with you.”
“Mattie…..”

“I am going with you.”

Ben knew there was no way to make her stay. God help his son.

 

 

**********

Adam saw them as they approached. He gently laid Storm’s head down on the grass and rose to take his punishment.

“Good afternoon pa, Mattie.”

Mattie quickly got off her horse and ran to Storm. “Look at her. She’s sleeping so peacefully, like she use to when she was a child.”

Both Adam and Ben were surprised by the gentleness in her tone.

“I swear to you Mattie all we did was talk.”

“It’s a good thing for you I see no signs to the contrary.”

“Come on Mattie, do you mean to say you would have known just by looking at her?”

Mattie turned and glared.

“Son I think you best quit while you’re ahead.”
“I think you mean while I still have a head.”

Mattie turned back to Storm. “I had best wake up sleeping beauty.”
“Mattie no, don’t.”

“Don’t!? Do you think I’m going to leave the two of you here alone now that I know?”

“I just meant don’t wake her, I’ll bring her back in the wagon.”

Mattie watched as Adam gently lifted Storm. She noticed how Storm settled into his arms as if she knew without waking that she was safe. She watched him gingerly place her in the wagon and tenderly kiss her cheek. That’s when a sinful thought occurred to Mattie, maybe keeping these two apart wasn’t that important.

“Is there something wrong Mattie?” Ben noticed how she was watching Adam and Storm and how she had jumped at the sound of his voice.

“No, no there’s nothing wrong.”

“He’s my son Mattie but there are times he still surprises me.”

 

**********

 

Nate and Matthew were due to arrive the following morning and Mattie had agreed to allow Adam to walk alone with Storm after supper but only after he had given her his word they would do nothing more than talk.

“This is nice Adam. How did you ever convince Mattie to allow us to be alone?”

She tenderly put her arms around his waist and closed her eyes in anticipation of a kiss that never came. Adam could see the disappointment in her eyes once she had opened them.

“The only way was to promise her we would do nothing more than talk.”
“You had to promise?”

“It was the only way.”

“What is it you want to talk about?”

He could distinctly make out the irritation in her voice.

“There was a time you enjoyed just talking with me.”
“That was before, when our time alone wasn’t so rare and hard to come by. Back when only thinking of kissing you didn’t get me in trouble.”

“Think of it this way, you only have to wait three weeks and then we can be alone as much as you wish.”
“Two weeks and six days.”

“And how many hours?”
“I’m not sure, what time is it now?”

“Time for me to get to the point before Mattie comes to make sure I’m keeping my promise.”

“Alright than, what is it?”

“Would you mind if I go into town alone tomorrow.”
“So you can warn papa?”
“Storm.”
“Adam I haven’t even decided if I want to know yet. That’s not exactly true. I do want to know but I just don’t want to cause papa to remember things he’d rather not.”
“Seeing Benton and the others will do that I’m afraid.”
“Will you tell papa that if he really feels I’d be better off not knowing to just tell me Benton lied.”

“And you’d believe that?”

“No, but for his sake I’d say I did.”

**********

Adam set out early, and alone, the following morning.

“Hello Nate, Matthew. It’s good too see you’ve returned safely.”

Nate looked around and was a little disappointed. “Adam are you alone? Where’s Storm?”

“I asked her to wait at the house. Matthew would you mind riding to the Ponderosa alone, I need to speak with your father.”

“Does this have something to do with Storm?”

“Yes and no Matthew.”

“You’re not going to back out are you?”
Adam knew that if he said yes he would find Matthew’s fist flying towards his face.

“And risk hurting her? Not a chance Matthew.”

Nate could sense this was something Adam wanted to discuss between the two of them alone.

“It’s alright Matt.”

They waited until they saw Matthew reach the edge of town.

“Now what is it Adam? You’re really haven’t changed your mind have you?”

“No Nate. Why don’t we go on over to the saloon?”

Why was Adam being so serious? Alright so serious today? Nate had thought that today would be a very happy one. Finally they were sitting in the saloon with a half empty glass of beer in front of each of them.

“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong or are you going to wait until I’m completely drunk, because if that’s the case Adam then we had better get a bottle of whiskey.”

“If I thought you’re being drunk would make this any easier then I’d order that bottle and wait.”

“Adam is Storm alright?”

“Yes Nate and if the situation was different I’d wait until you could see that for yourself before telling you that the stage she and Mattie came here on was robbed.”

“They didn’t hurt her?!”

“No, like I said she’s fine. They caught the men who did it.” Now came the hard part. “Nate, it was Benton, Shelton and Kellen.”

“NO!”

“Nate, Benton told Storm some things.”

“And you’re warning me so I’ll be ready when she asks.”

“If she asks.”

“If?”

“She hasn’t decided yet if knowing the truth is worth the risk of hurting you.”

“Does she know that you know?”

“Yes.”
“But she would never ask you to break your promise.”

“No.”

“Than I have no choice but to tell her. I won’t have this coming between you two, Connie wouldn’t want me to.”

“Thank you Nate.”

“Now can I go and see my daughter?”

“Would you like to go to the jail first?”

“Do you think I would do anything that might make me miss my daughter’s wedding?” Nate knew seeing those men would make him do something, something he would regret.

“I would hope not. Nate, what about Matthew?”

“He already knows and has for quite some time.”

 

**********

 

All the dust and discomfort of the journey were forgotten when Nate saw his daughter’s smile.

“PAPA, oh papa, I’ve missed you so.”
“And I you my little sunshine.”
“Papa you haven’t called me sunshine in years.”
“That’s because you haven’t been sunshine in years.”
“Oh papa.”

“Would you like to take a walk with me?”

Storm knew only too well why. “Now papa? You just got here and you must be tired, wouldn’t you like to rest up some first?”
“Storm the best time for the truth is now.”
“But I haven’t even decided…”

“This is not your decision to make, it’s mine. Now come on.”

“Yes papa.”

They walked in silence for a few minutes, Nate trying to think of how to tell his little girl the truth. Then he looked at her and saw for the first time that she was no longer his little girl but a woman, one about to be married.

“Storm, your mother wasn’t exactly what most people would consider a lady.”

“Some don’t consider me a lady either.”

“Storm this is different.”

“Benton said that she worked in the saloon.”

“Yes she did but it didn’t matter, not to me, because to me she was always a lady.”

“Papa, Benton said he was her brother.”
“Yes he is Storm.”

“But maybe they weren’t really. Maybe mama’s parents found him or maybe his parents found mama.”
“Storm, they were twins.”
“Than how could he let them do that do her, how? Matthew would never allow anyone to hurt me, it wouldn’t matter if I’d betrayed him or not. He’s my brother.”

“Your half brother Storm.”
“What?”

“When I married your mother Matthew was already a year old.”

“But papa…” Then Storm remember the question Benton had told her to ask. “Is that why mama married you?”

“Your mother married me because we loved each other! Don’t you ever believe any different, is that clear!”

“Yes papa.”

“I’m sorry Storm I didn’t mean to yell like that.”

“It’s alright papa, I guess we’re both a little on edge.”

“After your mother and I were married I wanted to take her and Matthew and go back to Boston but she wouldn’t go. She said she didn’t think she was good enough for Boston, I assured her that Boston wasn’t good enough for her. I suppose that was as it should have been because if we had gone back you would have never met Adam.”

“Yes I would have, of course the oldest I would have been was eleven.”

“Even at that age you would have stolen his heart.”

“Funny I gave him mine when I was only nine.”

“What?”

“Nothing papa. Now is that all you have to tell me?”

“Let’s see. You mother use to work the saloons, her twin brother was one of the men involved in her death, and your brother is only your half brother. That about covers it. Would you like there to be more?” And now that it had been said Nate realized it wasn’t so bad telling it. It had been worse hiding it and worrying about Storm finding it out.

“No!”

“Then that’s all I have to tell you, except that I love you.”

“I love you too papa.”

CHAPTER 8

The time seemed to pass by so slowly that when the day arrived Storm couldn’t quite understand how it had done so so quickly.

“So tomorrow you will be married.”
“Yes Mattie which means you’ll be out of one job.”
“Miss. Storm, about that, I think that maybe we had best discuss what will be expected of you tomorrow night. I should have spoken of it sooner but I thought if I didn’t then it would never happen and you would always remain the little girl I love so dearly.”
“Mattie, I love you too but it’s not necessary.”

“Miss. Storm it is best to know what to expect. Not knowing can only lead to you being frightened.”

“I could never be afraid of Adam.”
“Believe me when I tell you that a man is….well when he is excited in that way he has very little control over his actions. It’s not his mind or his heart that is in control.”

“Mattie, I already know what to expect. As a matter of fact I have known for some time now.”
“And just who told you?”

“That’s not important, what is is that I know Adam would never hurt me.”
“I’m afraid on that he’ll have no choice.” Mattie could see a slight hint of uncertainty come to Storm’s eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“It will be your first time child, there will be pain whether or not he wishes it. There will be no way for him to stop it.”
“No Mattie, Adam would never hurt me.”

If she didn’t know any better Mattie might have been swayed by the conviction in Storm’s voice. “Miss. Storm he will but I promise you something, the pain will be quickly forgotten in the pleasure he is sure to give you.”

“Mattie I need to speak with Adam.”

“I don’t think that would be a very good idea.”
“Please Mattie, I really need too.”

“If I refuse I suppose you’ll only find a way.”
“Yes.”

“Just so you know, I will be right outside the door the whole time.”
“Then I’ll be sure to tell Adam we have to be extra quiet.”

Mattie had seen this as an attempt by Storm to lighten the mood so Mattie tried to do the same. “Maybe I’ll stay inside the door.”

“Please Mattie.”

“Alright but I’m only going to allow you fifteen minutes.”
“It will be long enough.”

“Long enough for talking only.” And maybe one or two kisses.

Mattie would have to remember to say one or two Hail Marys for that thought tonight. She went to get Adam hoping he was still awake.

Adam heard the knock on his door and at first had thought it might be Storm, then he realized that Storm wouldn’t be knocking.

“Mattie, it must be after midnight, what are you doing here?”

“Miss. Storm needs to speak with you.”

“And you’re helping her?”

“Well as you said it is after midnight, which means it is your wedding day, besides I told her I’d allow you fifteen minutes only and I’d be outside the door the whole time.”

“Do you have any idea why she needs to see me?” Adam knew for Mattie to be helping to arrange this meeting it had to be important.

“I’m afraid I might have frightened her with something I said. It would appear as if you are the one person who can ease all her fears.” Even when you’re the cause of them.

Mattie followed Adam down the hall and watched as he entered the room. She closed the door behind him. She hadn’t seen that Storm had changed into her bed clothes or she might have changed her mind about letting them be alone.

“What’s wrong Storm?” He looked at her, the nightgown she wore barely hiding the form beneath. He realized that come tomorrow it would no longer be hidden from him and if it weren’t for the hint of fear in her eyes that realization would be having a very different effect on him.

“Adam, Mattie told me something.”
“Something she said that might have frightened you.”

“Maybe a little. She told me that you would hurt me tomorrow night.”

“Didn’t she tell you it would pass?”

“Yes, she said it would be forgotten in the pleasure you would give me.”

“I will have to remember to thank her for that at least.” I only pray she’s right. Adam now realized that he had never been any woman’s first and while he may have a very good idea as to what to do he couldn‘t be absolutely certain. “Storm, come here.”
“But Mattie’s right outside the door.”
“You must really be frightened Storm to refuse to come into my arms when we are clearly alone.”

“No, it’s just that I told her I only wanted to talk to you.”

“Storm, If I’m going to try and ease your fears then I need you to come into my arms, so come here.”

There was something in his voice that compelled her to walk towards him. As his arms closed around her his lips lowered to hers.

“Storm, Mattie is right, there will be pain and if there was a way to avoid it I would, but there isn’t. I hope that I can prove her right and that any pain will be forgotten. Storm I will promise you this, we will go slow and only as far as you wish.”

“Adam I love you so very much. I know that whatever tomorrow brings you would never do anything to truly hurt me. Any way how could any pain be worse than the time you spanked me.”

“Come on Storm, I barely touched you.”

“It wasn’t my backside that hurt most, it was my heart.”

“You never played in that mine again did you?” Adam wasn’t about to admit that it had hurt his heart when he had seen the tears come into her eyes. It had hurt even more when she had refused to allow him to dry them.

“No, but it wasn’t…..”

“Wasn’t what?”

“Nothing.”

“Storm once we’re married I hope there will be no secrets between us.”

“Little Joe was with me.”
“Little Joe was with you? I remember specifically asking you if you were there alone and I remember you telling me yes.”

“You looked so angry when we saw you riding up. Little Joe was real scared and he said you would tan his backside, but that you would never do that to me.”

“I guess I proved him wrong!”

“I guess you did!”

The door opened and when they looked they saw everyone standing there.

“What is going on?”

“What’s going on little brother? What’s going on is that I just found out I owe you a tanning.”

“What?”
“You let a little seven year old girl take all the punishment for something that both of you…..”

“It seems to me that is something you and your brother are both guilty of.”

“What pa?”
“If I recall correctly Adam, Storm still hasn’t finished saying all of her penance yet.”

“What is she saying penance for now? Young lady do you realize what time it is?”

“Yes papa.” They had all heard the clock chime one a short while ago. “Adam in a little more than eight hours I’ll be your wife.”

“Eight hours, and if you don’t spend some of them sleeping you are going to fall asleep during the ceremony.”

“As long as I don’t fall asleep after the ceremony that will be alright Mattie.”

“STORM. Adam are you sure about this. I mean you still have eight hours to change your mind.”

“PAPA.”

“I’m afraid on this Nate my mind is firmly made up.”

“Then we all know the futility in trying to change it.”

“Yes pa, or you should by now.”

**********

Morning came fast, but not fast enough for Storm. She had spent the remainder of the night trying to fall asleep and when sleep finally did come all she could dream of was that day Adam had hit her backside. She knew now that he had done it more out of fear than anger.

She and Little Joe had loved to play there, it was a world all their own. No one knew of it until Adam had come riding up and saw her horse tied outside the entrance. She had been there alone that time, Little Joe was suppose to have met her but had never shown up. Adam told her it wasn’t a safe place to play and told her not to play there anymore. She told him she wouldn’t. Then about a week or so later he found her there again. This time he was angry. When he found her there he had actually yelled at her, said he had told her not to play there. She had yelled back that he was not her papa and had no right to be yelling at her or telling her what to do. That was when he had hit her backside. Little Joe had said he was sorry and that he would go and tell Adam he was there too but Storm had said not to bother. There wasn’t much sense in both of them getting a spanking, besides she was the one Adam had told not to play there. That was why she had told Little Joe that they had better tie their horses up a little ways away and walk to the mine.

It was only later that she found out that some men had robbed and murdered the Potter family and that’s why he was so upset. The men were seen heading in the direction of the mine and he thought they might have been using it as a hiding place. He had gone to her father to warn her again to stay away from there and when he was told she wasn’t home he rode there to look for her. He was hoping she wasn’t there but he was afraid she was. It wasn’t too soon after that they had moved to Boston. Storm had thought it was because Adam was angry at her and had told her father he didn’t want her there any more but when she got older she had asked her father and he had said they had left Nevada because he thought she and Matthew would have a better life in Boston, and seeing as how it was almost time for Matthew to go to college they would be closer to him there.

 

“Are you planning on getting up or are you going to sleep through you’re entire wedding day?”

“What time is it? Mattie it took so long for me to finally fall asleep.”

“I know, I heard you tossing and turning until three or four.”

“I hope I’ll look rested enough.”
“You will be beautiful. Now get out of bed and I’ll go and get you something to eat.”

“I don’t think I could eat anything.”

“You’ll eat.”

Mattie made her way downstairs and as soon as Storm felt it was safe she snuck out of her room and went to Adam’s.

He watched in the mirror as she opened the door and quietly closed it behind her. “If you don’t stop this Mattie will have you saying penance until our first anniversary.”

He kept watching her in the mirror expecting her to walk towards him. When she didn’t he turned around and faced her.

“Storm?”

“Adam?”

“Sweetheart what is it?”

“I’ve never seen you without a shirt before.”

“Tell me do you approve.”

“I don’t know. I think I need a closer look.”

If Adam hadn’t been so entranced by her as she began to walk towards him he might have noticed that his door had opened.

“Just take one more step and you will find yourself spending your wedding day unable to sit down.”

“But papa.”

“No buts, until you are married proper you are still my little girl.”

“Papa, married or not, I’ll always be your little girl won’t I?”
Nate now knew that was true. Even when, God willing, she became a mother she would still be his little girl. “Yes you will but you had better get back to your room before Mattie finds out you’re missing.”

“Adam, can we continue this later?”

“Most definitely.”

 

Mattie made sure Storm ate something before she would allow her to even begin getting dressed. She wasn’t quite finished dressing when the first guests began to arrive. She knew that Adam was already downstairs and she longed to join him.

“Mattie what time is it?”

“Two minutes later then the last time you asked me. Miss. Storm when it is time your papa will come and get you.”

“Mattie it’s taking too long.”
“It only seems that way. Time is passing the same as it always has.”

“No it’s not, it’s going slower.”
“Are you ready sunshine?”

“Papa really? Is it really time?”

“Yes it is. Unless you’ve changed your mind?”

“Never!”

“Mattie why don’t you go on downstairs and tell everyone to give us five minutes.”
“Yes Mr. Kendall.” She kissed Storm on the cheek. “You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen.”
“Only because it’s Adam who is waiting for me.”

“Five minutes Mr. Kendall? You had best hope she can wait that long.”

Mattie walked out and closed the door behind her.

“Mattie’s right, you are prettier then anything I have ever seen.”
“Papa I love him so much.”
“I know.”

“You will come and visit.”

“Of course.”

“I love you papa.”

“And I love you. Now why don’t we go and get you married.”

“Yes papa.”

They walked downstairs and into a crowd of stunned people. Anyone who had been at the dance remembered how beautiful Storm was then, they didn’t think it was possible for her to surpass that beauty and yet she had.

Once she was at Adam’s side she no longer cared how slow time passed which, of course, is why it seemed to speed up. It felt as if they had no sooner joined hands then the preacher was telling them they were husband and wife. That was followed by kiss the bride so it was okay by Storm.

 

She felt as if she had danced with every man there so when she finally found herself in Adam’s arms once again she wished to never leave them.

“Adam you won’t let anyone else cut in will you?”

“Do you want me to be rude?”
“Yes. I have already danced with everyone here. Please Adam, I don’t want to leave your arms again.”

“Alright sweetheart, I will refuse any man who dare asks.”

“Adam what time is it?”

“Why?”

“Have we been here long enough? Can we go somewhere and be alone?”

“Why Storm Margaret Kendall Cartwright, you are being rather forward.”

“I haven’t even begun being forward. For me this is considered beating around the bush.”

“Just what would you say if you were being forward?”

“You don’t want to know Adam.”

“I believe you may be right about that.”
“Adam, where are we going to stay tonight?”

“You mean you don’t want to stay here?”

“I’d not mind staying here if these people would just leave.”

“You know something I would have thought you would have asked me this long before now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you honestly believe that I would be willing to share you with those brothers of mine forever? It may sound selfish but I want to have you all to myself.”
“I don’t understand?”
“My love, while you were picking out a wedding dress I was busy building us a house.”

“Really Adam? Really? Can we go and see it?”

“Right now?”

“Yes Adam, right now.”

“Let’s go and tell pa and Nate that we’re leaving.”

“Do we have too?”
“It will only take a minute.”

“Okay but only for a minute.”

It took a few more than one minute but soon enough they were on the way to their house.

 

 

**********

 

“Adam, it’s perfect!” How was it possible that he had built the house of her dreams when she had never even told him what it was.

“Do you really like it Storm? If there is anything you wish to change we can?”

“NO. It’s perfect Adam, just like you.”

“Now remember Storm, we will only go as fast and as far as you wish.”
“I’ll remember. Adam did your first time hurt?”

“No my love it didn’t.” He wasn’t about to tell her it had been a little embarrassing.

“That’s not fair is it. I mean a woman’s first time hurts and a man’s doesn’t, a woman suffers the pain of childbirth and a man gets a child.”

“That’s because women are more resilient than men.”

“I don’t know if that’s true. I think it’s just that men suffer different kinds of pain. I know I’d rather be the one suffering through the pain then to have to watch you suffering through it. Oh Adam that would just kill me.”

He pulled her to him and began to tenderly kiss her and run his hands over her body. He knew he was touching places no man ever had and he found himself surprised by the feeling of gratification that filled him with. He didn’t think it to be an important requirement, and he knew it wasn’t as long as there was love and faithfulness, but for some reason it made him feel even more fortunate because he knew Storm was not only loving and faithful but his alone.

“Adam, oh Adam.” My God, Storm thought, if his hands were having the affect they were on her through the layers of clothes she had on, what would happen once those clothes were removed? She felt him lift her off her feet and knew he was carrying her upstairs. Only a little while longer and she would be his wife in every sense of the word.

He set her on her feet and slowly removed her dress. She finally stood before him with only her underclothes on. She had seemed so lost in another world that when her eyes flew open he was taken by surprise.

“Adam?”
“What is it Storm? Do you want to stop?” He knew if she said yes he would but, oh God, how he wished she wouldn’t say yes.

“NO. It’s just….I.” What she did next left him speechless. She put her hands on the collar of his shirt and proceeded to rip it from his body. They could both clearly hear the buttons as they hit the floor. “I promise I’ll sew them all back on.” She had mistaken the desire that had clouded his eyes for anger.
“To hell with them Storm.”
He quickly finished removing her clothes and laid her on their bed and once he had finished removing his clothes he joined her there. She could feel his hands and lips as they caressed her body. She found she no longer possessed the strength to keep her eyes open. It wasn’t until she felt he had positioned himself over her that Mattie’s warning came back to her and again her eyes flew open.

“Adam?”

It took every ounce of will power he possessed but the slight twinge of fear he could hear in her voice helped him to stop.

“What is it sweetheart?”

“This is when it’s going to hurt.”

“Yes. Do you wish to stop?”

“NO. I don’t care how much it hurts, I just want to please you.”
“I promise, my love, I will try and make it as painless….” he thrust forward. “..as possible.”

“ADAM.” He waited for a minute or so until she seemed to become use to the feel of their bodies joined. He knew she was ready for what was next by what she said to him.

“Adam, I can feel you. Adam, it doesn’t hurt any more.”

“And it never will again.”

He started to slowly move and it took only a few seconds for her body to move with his. The closer she came to realizing her release the harder it became for Adam to believe that his was the same little girl who had followed him, the same little girl who at nine years old had told him she loved him. It was hard for him to believe because he could no longer see that little girl, he could only see a woman. A woman who was now lost in a pleasure her body was feeling for the first time.

As Storm nestled in Adam’s arms afterwards they were lost in their own worlds. There was a silence between them that was born out of the total gratification they were feeling. It remained quiet until a strange feeling of guilt overtook Storm. She turned onto her other side so she was facing Adam.

“Adam I lied before.”
“Lied? About what?”

“You remember my friend back in Boston, Greta Wilcox?”

“Yes I believe so.”

“You remember that when you first met her and some of my other friends? Do you remember how they all kinda’ giggled and acted real silly?”

“I do recall that, yes.” He could distinctly recall that day. The way they had reacted to meeting him had him thinking there was something wrong with him.

“Do you also recall that Greta’s father was a doctor?”

“Storm are you going to stop telling me everything I already know and start telling me what I don’t?”

“One day we got kinda’ curious. I was the youngest, Greta and Bonnie were twelve and Marcy and Jill were thirteen. It was Marcy and Jill who really started pushing Greta. See they knew that her papa, being a doctor, would have certain kinds of books. Anatomy books and such. One day we were all alone in Greta’s house and we snuck into her father’s library. We looked at those books and when we got to the one where they showed a…well a man, I told them it was wrong.”

“Wrong? How would you have known it was wrong?”

“Because a week earlier I’d seen you and you didn’t look like that.”

“You saw me?”

“Yes. It wasn’t real close but I did see you without a shirt before.”

“Is that what you lied about?”

“Yes.”

Chances were the book would have not pictured a man’s chest with hair. “So, in other words, the chest of the man in the book wasn’t like mine?”

“No.”

“And that’s all?”

“Yes.” She knew it was useless. “No. Other things weren’t quite right either.”

“Other things? Storm are you going to tell me exactly what it is you saw?!”

“Don’t get angry with me! If you didn’t want to be seen then you shouldn’t have arranged your tryst in such a public place!”

“Tryst? Just who was this tryst with?”

“Sally-Anne Baker!”

That had been one tryst that had not been arranged. One that Adam would not have even attempted to arrange but he was younger and wasn‘t about to look a gift horse in the mouth, so to speak. “Storm, just what did you see?”

She knew by the defeated tone in his voice he already suspected what her answer would be.

“I saw what she did to you Adam. I wanted to leave, I really did, but for some reason I just couldn’t. I heard you and at first I thought she was hurting you. I mean I’ve kicked men there but I’d never bite one there. Then I heard you tell her not to stop. Please don’t be angry Adam.”

“So you left right after that?”

“Yes, right after you both laid down in the grass. Why? Was there something I should have stayed for?”
“Do you think I’m so selfish as to not have in some way returned the favor?”

“But you said I was your first first?”

“You are.”
“But Sally-Anne always said that she would never be like some of the other girls, that she would never give herself to a man that wasn’t her husband.”

“In the traditional sense she didn’t.”

“Do I want to know Adam?”

“You probably already do…” Knowing that April would have not omitted this from the little talk she had had with Storm. “…but if you would you like me to tell you I‘d be more than happy to oblige.”

“No. Just promise me something.”

“What.”

“Someday you’ll show me.”

“Not even one night of marriage and you have become totally wicked.”
“Not totally.”

She saw the smile that touched her soul leave his face.

“Storm you know that I didn’t love her. I was young and….”

“Sowing your oats as papa would say. I know it Adam, besides she started it.”

“Did you miss anything?”

“Obviously yes.”

“So tell me did you get caught?”

“You mean as far as sneaking into Dr. Wilcox’s library? Yes, but I was glad that we did because it gave me the chance to ask him some questions.”

“Questions? Storm just what kind of questions?”

“Adam he is a doctor. I asked him if the man in the book was what all men looked like.”

“And what did he say to that?”

“That it was a drawing and that just as all women were different so too were all men. He said that I must be aware that women came in all shapes and sizes and that so too do all men. He asked me why I asked. I lied.”

“Another lie?”

“Yes. I told him that I had accidentally walked in on Matthew when he was in the bath. Would you have preferred me to tell him the truth, that I had seen you with Sally-Anne?”

“No.”

“Adam, you say that you didn’t love Sally-Anne or April but they still satisfied you didn’t they?”

He had to think of some way to explain to her that they could never make him feel as she did. “Storm have you ever wanted something?” He could see in her eyes that he had better rephrase that. “Have you ever been hungry but you didn’t know what for?”

“Of course.”
“You’re hungry so you eat something. It fills the hunger but it doesn’t satisfy the craving. They satisfied the hunger but not the craving, only you can do both my love. Only you can satisfy every part of me.”

“Adam, are you hungry?”

He could tell she was no longer thinking of food. “Are you sure Storm?”

“I’m sure that I’m hungry, in fact I’m down right starving.”
So again that night they tried to satiate a hunger that’s never able to be truly or completely satisfied.

CHAPTER 9

Adam and Storm settled in as did winter. Storm was happy for the cold nights because they meant that she could seek warmth in Adam’s arms. As the frigidness of winter was nearing an end a cold doubt came upon Storm. It was an unusually warm day for the beginning of March and Adam had taken Storm into town for some supplies and some much needed out and about time. She was in the general store while he was at the bank.

“Excuse me.”

Storm turned around and found herself looking at a very pretty woman.

“Yes, may I help you?”

“You’re Mrs. Cartwright?”

“Yes.”

“You’re married to Adam, right?”

“Yes.” A deep pit began to form in Storm’s stomach, she supposed it had to do with the familiar way her husband‘s name had come from this woman‘s lips.

“Will you please tell him I said hello.”
“He should be here very shortly.”

“Oh no…I just…” At that moment Adam walked into the store.

“Storm darling aren’t you done…..” Storm watched as Adam and the woman saw each other and she knew. She knew that this was her. The one who, in Adam’s mind at least, still owned a piece of his heart.

“Hello Adam.”

“Hello Meryl.”

“It’s so good to see you again.”

“And you. Is your husband with you?”

“No. I’m afraid Ron died last year.”

“Meryl I’m sorry. I hadn’t heard.”
“It’s alright Adam.”

Storm felt as if she had to get out of there. She had heard Adam’s words go from accusing to caring and she wasn’t too sure of which upset her more. All she knew was that she had an overwhelming need to be away from this woman.

“Adam?” She lightly touched his arm.

“Storm, I’m sorry. Meryl this is my wife Storm. Storm this is Meryl Con…I’m sorry it would be Listman.”

He had jumped at her touched, almost as if he had forgotten she was there. “We’ve met. Adam I have everything on the wagon so can we go home now?”

“Of course. It was good to see you Meryl.”

“And you Adam. It was nice to meet you Storm.”

“And you Meryl.”

The ride home was made mostly in silence, as was the rest of the afternoon. Adam sat in his chair pretending to read. Storm knew he was pretending because she watched as it had taken him almost forty minutes to turn one page.

They were sitting after sharing one of the quietest meals since their wedding when Storm’s need to have answers surfaced.

“Adam who was she?”
“I believe I introduced you.”
“You know what I mean Adam!”

“Storm let’s just drop it. Whoever she is doesn’t matter.”

She watched him for the first time get up and walk away from her. Doesn’t matter, she thought. What had she done? She had forced him into this love, or at least into admitting to it. Later when Adam finally came home he found Storm was already in bed. Whether or not he believed her pretense of sleeping didn’t matter because he acted as if he did. As soon as she felt the weight of his body lay down in the bed she wanted to turn to him and rest her head upon his chest as she had done countless nights since their wedding, but she couldn’t. There was something between them now, something Storm couldn’t overcome because it existed in Adam’s mind.

They each spent the night awake, longing for the comfort of the other’s arms. Just before dawn Storm got out of bed.

“I love you Adam.” She whispered as she walked out their bedroom door.

“Storm.” He had heard her and had wanted to call her back but it was too late, she was already on her way downstairs. He got up and went to join her.

“Storm we have to talk.”
“No Adam, it’s alright. I was just being foolish. I have never come face to face with a woman you loved before.”

“It was all in the past Storm.”

“I know it was.” But do you? And if Meryl hadn’t married someone else would it still be?

She knew it didn’t matter because she had already decided what she was going to do. She knew him well enough to know that he needed time alone to think. Roundup would begin next month and then there would be the drive, but he wouldn’t really be alone and he wouldn’t have time to think. She had decided she would go back to Boston. She would stay there until August and if she hadn’t heard from him by then she would return by their first anniversary.

“What are you going to do today?”

“Springs coming fast so I thought I would see how everything has fared this winter. Maybe I’ll go and get Little Joe and Hoss to help me out.”

“They’re probably already out.”

“Probably. So what are you going to do today?”

“I don’t know. There’s so much to do around here. Should I pack you a lunch Adam?”
“That’s a very good idea. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make it back for lunch but I will be home for supper.”

She packed him his lunch and he kissed her goodbye. As soon as she was sure he was gone she went up and changed into her riding clothes and saddled her horse. She would go into town and buy her ticket to Saint Louis because once she had that it would make it harder to change her mind.

She made it as far as the stage office before she began to think that perhaps she was being foolish. Maybe going all the way to Boston wasn’t necessary, maybe the time they would be apart while he was on the drive would be enough. Sure, during the day he would be occupied but not at night. Then she saw them, Adam and Meryl going into the café, she turned to the ticket agent and made her purchase.

 

********

She waited until she saw him leave town and knew if she went and talked to Meryl she might not make it back home before Adam did but she needed to speak with her. She went to the hotel and asked what room Mrs. Listman was in.

When Meryl heard the knock on her door some small part of her hoped that Adam had changed his mind but the majority of her knew it wasn’t him. He was married and that just wasn’t who Adam was even if, she hoped, he had found the offer tempting.

“Hello Meryl.”

This was most definitely not who she had thought she would find when she opened her door. She would have expected Adam first. “Hello Storm.”
“May I come in?”
“Of course.”

“Did you and Adam have a nice lunch?”

Meryl couldn’t believe that any woman would have so much faith that they would allow their husbands to meet with an old lover, but then maybe Storm didn’t know that their relationship had been that intimate. Then again they were speaking of Adam. Even if Storm didn’t know the extent of she and Adam’s relationship, Meryl knew that Storm had sensed something of what had existed between she and Adam at their first meeting.

“I hadn’t realized he had told you we were meeting.”
“He didn’t.”
“Oh. I swear to you we did nothing but talk.” Even if I did offer him more.
“Meryl, I love Adam. I love him so very much. Do you love him?”

Meryl wasn’t sure how to answer this question. Mainly because she wasn’t too certain of the answer.

“I don’t think I should answer that.”
“Then let me rephrase it. Did you ever stop loving Adam?”

“Could you stop loving him?”
“No but then I would have never married someone else, why did you?”

“I was tired of waiting Storm. Don’t get me wrong, I did love my husband but…”

“Not like you loved Adam.”
“No. I’m not as young as you and I guess I was afraid Adam would never ask and Ron did.”

“Maybe you should have done like I did and ask him.”
“You mean you proposed to Adam?”

“No, not exactly. I had best get going, I’ll be lucky if I get home in time to have supper started before he gets home.”

 

********

Supper was not only started but finished and waiting on the table for him.

“I’m sorry I’m late sweetheart.”

“It’s alright.”

He attributed her coldness to what had happened yesterday and she attributed his silence to guilt. After they finished their supper, of which Storm ate very little, she decided to tell him of her plan.

“Adam I’ve made a decision.”
“What’s that?” He had been sitting attempting to read.

“I’ve decided that while you are tending to the roundup and drive I’ll go and visit papa and Matthew in Boston.”
“BOSTON!” He had thought to hear that she wished to rearrange some furniture or at the most change something about the house.

“Yes. I think that you need…”
“What I need is for you to stop talking nonsense!” He slammed the book onto the table.

“NONSENSE? You think it’s nonsense?”

“Yes I do. Storm if this is about Meryl.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you saw her today? When I asked you what you did today you told me a lot except that you met her for lunch. If you’re so sure it’s over with her then why? What reason would there have been to hide it.”

“I wasn’t hiding it.”

“You didn’t mention it either and where‘s the lunch I sent with you? If you weren’t going to hide it then why didn’t you return with it instead of getting rid of it somehow? Did you love her Adam?”

“Don’t ask such a foolish question and as for the lunch Hoss ate it.”
“You’re right, it was a foolish question. I already know that you loved her. How about this one, did you ever stop loving her?”
“That’s even more foolish.”

“I’m sorry Adam but you know my perchance for asking foolish questions.”

“Storm.”

He began to kiss her and she let him. She needed him more than she ever had. He tried to use their lovemaking that night to prove to her that she couldn’t leave him, she loved him. What he didn’t seem to understand was that she needed no proof of that, she already knew it.

********

“You’re up early.”

“I have to go into town. I want to send papa a wire that I’ll be arriving sometime in May.”
“Then you still plan on going.”

“Yes, I’m still going.”

“Okay, let’s see if I have this, basically your plan is that you go to Boston and if you don’t hear from me by August you’ll come back.”
“Yes.”

“And what if I do write to you? What if I should decide I do love Meryl, then what?”

“Then we do whatever it takes to make you happy.”

“You want to make me happy Storm? Then don’t GO!”

“Oh Adam do you think this is easy for me? I’m going to miss you so very much.”
He did his best to harden himself to her tears, after all they were of her own making. “Then don’t GO!”

“I wish it were that simple.”
“IT IS!”

“No, Adam, it’s not. Not anymore.”

“Storm I swear to you I don’t love Meryl. Yes I went to see her maybe to find out just what it was I did feel for her but…Storm I love you.”
“It’s no longer about Meryl, it’s about you.”

“ME?”

“Yes. Don’t you see, I forced you to admit your love for me and now you’re questioning whether that love was truly there. I forced you into a proposal of marriage and now you’re wondering if any love you might have felt for me was that kind of love or if there was enough love of any kind for such a commitment. Adam, I love you, of that I have no doubt whatsoever. The love I feel for you is in my heart, my mind and my soul. Maybe I’m not being fair because I have never been in love with anyone else. Can you honestly tell me that you have no doubts?”

“Storm…”

“Then you need time Adam. Time to decide, and this time I won’t force you but if I’m here my very presence will force you. I know you could never look me in the eyes and tell me that you don’t love me. I know you well enough to know that you do care for me and could never hurt me like that. Please try and understand, please.”
He would never understand but he could no longer see her in such pain and not try to ease it. He pulled her into his arms.

“This doesn’t mean I agree with what you’re doing.”

“I know Adam. It just proves that you could never hurt me.”

 

**********

 

Later that day Storm went into town and Adam went to let his father know what was going on.

“She’s what?!”
“Going to Boston! She says that I need time to think.”

“Why don’t you just tell her that you love her?”

“Because I don’t think she would believe me. I could swear on a stack of bibles and I don’t think she’d believe me. She has it in her head that there is a doubt in my mind and if I don’t take the time…..” Ben heard a strange sounding laughter coming from his son. Strange because it was a laughter filled with sadness. “She’s going because she loves me and I’ll let her go because I love her.”

Ben would have argued more but knew it would be useless. Storm seemed to have her mind set and she was as stubborn as his son. “So tell me Adam would you like to come and stay here with your brothers and I or would you rather stay at your house?”

“I’ll stay home, I’ll feel closer to her there.”

********

 

The day that Storm was due to leave arrived. Adam had refused to take her into town and even though Ben, as well as Hoss and Little Joe, had offered too , Storm had refused them all. She didn’t want to put them in that position. She had made arrangements for a carriage to come and pick her up. Most people in town had just figured that Storm was going home for a visit, a few who had seen Meryl around suspected something else.

“Adam, the carriage is here.”

He knew she wanted him to tell her it was alright, that she was doing the right thing. He just couldn’t.

“I won’t try and stop you Storm. You’re too sure that this is the right thing to do but don’t expect me to make it easy for you either.”

She turned to walk out the door and again he heard her barely whisper something.

“I love you Adam.”
He stood there staring at the closed door.

“Damn you Storm, damn you.”

He caught up with the carriage before it had left the Ponderosa. He pulled her down and into his arms.

“I’ll see you in September.”

“As long as I don’t hear from you before August.”
“I’ll see you in September.”

CHAPTER 10

It was as Storm had thought. Adam was so busy with the roundup and drive he barely had time to think of anything else until the end of July. He found himself sitting in his very lonely house one hot August day when there was a knock on the door. He found himself running in hopes of finding that Storm couldn’t wait until September.

“Hello Meryl.”

“Adam. May I come in?” She didn’t fail to recognize the disappointment in his voice.

“Of course.” He stepped aside to let her enter. “Is there anything I can get you?”
“Then it’s true? She’s gone to Boston?”

“Yes she’s in Boston.”

“Adam that day you and I had lunch, she came to see me. I’m afraid I may have misled her.”

“About what?”

“She asked me if I had stopped loving you. I should have told her yes, that I no longer loved you in the way that I had or that she now did, but I didn’t.”
“What did you tell her Meryl?”

“I answered her question with a question. I asked her if she could stop loving you. Adam I will admit that I was disappointed when I heard you had married. I guess I came back here hoping we could have some fun like we use to. When I heard that your wife was the daughter of an old friend perhaps I hoped in some way it was an arranged marriage that she would be homely and you had only married her out of some kind of an obligation or maybe pity. Then I met her and knew different. She’s very beautiful and she loves you so very much. I just arrived back from San Francisco and heard the rumors that she had gone back to Boston. Some say it’s only to visit her family some say it’s because of me. “

“And which do you believe to be true?”

“I’ve thought long and hard on that. I won’t deny that I want you. I also am well aware that I could never be to you what she is. I like my life in New York. I like the parties and the nights out, I like the noise and the people. I could never live here again. I don’t want children, I don’t want the responsibility of worrying about someone else, but you should have children Adam. You would be such a wonderful father. I know that there were times you would speak of moving east of leaving the Ponderosa, but we both know that’s not true. You could probably stay away a year maybe two but this is your home and even if Storm doesn’t come back this is where your children should be raised. It has taken having been married to Ron to make me realize that I am very selfish but even so this has to have always been a part of me.”

“Meryl this isn’t about you. It may have started with you but it’s not about you. It’s about me and Storm. It’s about the fact that that damnable little witch knows me better than I know myself. She told me that I needed time to think, that somewhere I had a doubt about my love for her. I’ve been telling her that she’s wrong but she wasn’t. There was a doubt, some where in the back of my mind it was there. Seeing you brought it out far enough so that she could see it even if I couldn’t. You’ve helped me to see that it doesn’t matter why I told her I love her or why I asked her to marry me, because I do love her. While you’re right in that I would love to see my children raised here that is not the most important thing. Whether it’s here, Boston, New York as long as Storm was their mother I know they would grow to be remarkable people. I love her Meryl, God how I love her.”

“I’m happy for you Adam even if it makes me a little sad for myself. You see you never said you loved me with such heartfelt conviction.”

“I’m sorry for that Meryl.”

“I’m not. As I’ve said if things had been different, if you had asked me to marry you, I fear that in time I would have come to hate you for forcing me to live here or you would have grown to hate me for making you leave here. Things turned out as they were suppose to.”

“Thank you Meryl.”

“I’ll be heading back to New York shortly, would you like me to go and visit Storm in Boston?”

“I’m hoping by the time you get back she’ll be here. She said she would be back by our anniversary.”

“I’m sure she will be.”
“Have a safe trip.”

“Thank you Adam.”

 

**********

Their wedding anniversary came and past and Storm had not arrived. Adam couldn’t understand what was wrong. If she was going to be late in returning she could have sent a letter or even a wire.

While Adam had spent most of his time at his house he would always go and share supper with his father and brothers. After the first few solitary suppers he had partook of he knew that he needed to be with someone when he ate or he would most likely starve to death. He didn’t seem to have any appetite when he was alone and it had nothing to with his cooking.

“She’s a week late pa.”

“And what do you intend to do about it?”

“What I should have done a long time ago. I’m going to go to Boston and get her.”

“Would you mind if I went with you? It has been quite a while since I’ve been back east.”
“Thanks pa.”

“For what? Winter is coming and it will be slow as usual around here. I think your brothers can handle it.”

“Are you sure? We might return to find that they have sold the ranch.”
“Hey I heard that.”

“I don’t think I was trying to speak so that you wouldn’t Little Joe.”

“Well you could have.”
“Are you really gonna’ go after Storm?”
“Yes Hoss, I’m really going to go after her.”

“Adam, what if she don’t wanna’ come back?”

“Hoss, I’ll worry about that when I need to, if I need to. Now I think I’ll be getting on home.”

Ben walked out with his son.

“Pa, leave it to Hoss to say what everyone’s thinking.”

“What would you do Adam?”
“I don’t know. Right now all I’m concerned with is how to convince her that I love her.”

“I don’t believe it was her she thought needed convincing.”

 

**********

 

It was a bleak day in mid October that found Ben and Adam walking through the streets of Boston. They were finally on their way to Nate’s house after having decided to get a hotel room. They had said it would be to wash up and change in after the trip but they both knew the real reason was they feared they might not be welcome, even though they wouldn’t admit it. They couldn’t know that never would two people be more warmly welcomed. They knocked on the door of a very impressive house which started Adam wondering how Storm could be so pleased by the house he had built her after having grown up in such a fine home. He had forgotten how grand it was. They stood there waiting for the door to open and after five minutes they were about to leave assuming no one was home. When they heard someone fumbling with the door latch they turned back.

“Matthew what is wrong with you?! You haven’t been gone long…..” Nate stood there in stunned silence and only stepped aside to avoid being knocked over when Adam rushed in when he heard Strom yelling his name. “Upstairs Adam, end of the hall.”

Adam ran up the steps and down the hall. He reached the door of the room Storm was in but not before she had screamed his name once more. He stood in the open doorway trying to make sense of the scene before him. He heard the tears and pain in Storm’s voice.

“Mattie, oh Mattie, I want Adam. If he were here it would be hurtin’ so.”
“Now you know as well as I, never was there a babe born into this world without some pain.”

“Then it wouldn’t be hurtin’ this much.”

He silently walked over to the bedside. Mattie only became aware of his presence when he laid his hand upon her shoulder and if Storm hadn’t had her eyes closed in an attempt to block out the pain she would have seen him take Mattie’s place at her side. Mattie had gone out into the hall to give them some privacy.

“I miss him so much Mattie. If he were here then I would know everything would be alright.”

“Then I guess everything is going to be alright.”
Her eyes flew open and if she were able to she would have jumped off the bed and into his arms.

“ADAM, oh Adam you’re here, you’re really here.”
“Yes my love I’m here.”
“I’m sorry, I wanted to tell you, I really did but then it would have been the reason…..”

“Storm it’s not important now. We can discuss it all later. The only thing that matters right now is you and the baby.”
“Babies Adam.”

“What?”

“Babies Adam. Its TWINS!” Storm yelled out as another pain overtook her.

 

**********

 

While Adam was upstairs trying to come to terms with what was happening Ben was downstairs learning the happy news as well.

“She’s so frightened Ben.”

“Nate, she’s only been gone seven months.” Ben worried that something might be wrong.

“She didn’t know that she was almost a month along when she’d left.”
“Still that’s only eight months Nate.”
“Well Everett said not to expect her to go nine months. He says twins usually will arrive early. He’s actually a little surprised she’s held on……”

“Twins? Nate did you say twins?”

“Yes Ben twins.”
“Maybe we should tell Adam.”
It was then they heard Storm yell out.

“I believe he has just found out.”
The front door burst open and Matthew and Dr. Wilcox came in.

“Everett, thank God you’re finally here.” Nate wasn’t sure but he believed seeing Ben and Adam had made him happier and had found him giving more thanks.

Matthew saw Ben but at first didn’t seem to recognize him, once he did he found himself hoping he wasn’t there alone. “Ben? Can I take this to mean that Adam is here as well?”

“Yes Matthew, he’s with Storm.”
“Thank God for that papa.”

“Ben I’d like for you to meet Dr. Everett Wilcox. Everett this is Mr. Ben Cartwright.”

“It’s good to meet you Dr.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well but from the sounds of things I had best get upstairs.”
When Mattie saw the doctor she too said a prayer of thanks.

“Well Mattie should we go in and see what’s going on?”

“I think so.”

“Dr. Wilcox! I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Not as glad as I am Storm. Dr. Wilcox I’m Adam Cartwright.”

“Yes it’s very good to meet….but then we’ve met before.”
“Yes when I was here attending college perhaps.”
“Yes of course. So tell me Storm is this the young man who had you questioning the accuracy of my anatomy books?”

“I told you it was Matthew.”
“So you did.” They all watched as another pain passed through her . “I had better get to work. Mattie would you please help me.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss this for anything.”

“Well then, Mr. Cartwright would you please join everyone else down….”

“NO! Please Adam don’t leave me.”

“Sweetheart I’ll just be down…”

“NO! Please! If you leave I know something will go wrong.”
“Storm.”
“PLEASE ADAM!”

“Alright, I’ll stay, just calm down. I promise I’ll stay.”

“Are you really sure you want to do that?”

“Dr. Wilcox I have see a baby born before.”
“That may be but it wasn’t your child and it wasn’t the woman you love suffering through the pain of it.”

“Dr. Wilcox I won’t leave her.”

Everett knew their was no point in arguing. It appeared to him that Storm had managed to find the one man as hardheaded as she. “Alright.”

Somehow, although if asked later no one would be able to say how, Adam wound up taking the place of Storm’s pillows. She would hold tightly to his legs that were stretched out beside her every time another pain was felt. At first Adam tried to watch but the more pain she felt and at the first sight of blood he realized the doctor was correct, it was different when it was your child and the woman you love. He had decided to pay as little attention to anything but trying to ease Storm’s discomfort.

“Your first child is about to make it’s appearance.” Everett had delivered many babies but he found himself taking personal pleasure in these.

Adam strained to see. He saw it’s head and watched in anticipation as the rest of it’s body came into view. The doctor held the baby up and all could hear his hand and the baby’s cry.

“Would you like to tell your wife the news?” Everett held the baby so Adam could see.

“Adam?” Storm waited anxiously.

“It’s a boy Storm. A son.”

Storm laid her head back contentedly resting it on his chest, until another pain came upon her.

“Did you think you were done? Did you forget it was twins?”

“Just for a minute Dr. Wilcox.”

“This won’t be quite as bad.”

Storm agreed it wasn’t as bad. As before, after the baby’s first cry, Dr. Wilcox held the baby so Adam could again tell Storm the news.

“Well Adam, is it another boy?” Storm was expecting to hear yes or of course but when she got neither she began to worry but only until she looked at Adam’s face. She would swear he was in shock and yet he had one of the biggest smiles she had ever seen. “Adam?”

“It’s a girl Storm. I have a daughter.”

“I want to see them. May I please see my babies.”

“Of course.” Everett was glad that everything had gone well. He would be very happy to tell his daughter that her friend and her children were okay. He would also be delighted to tell her that Storm’s husband had come to fetch her.

“Dr. Wilcox.” Storm was now resting comfortably with a baby in each arm. Adam was still serving as her pillow. “Will you please go down and send everyone up? I’m sure they must be wondering what’s going on.”
“Of course I will and congratulations to the both of you. You have two very beautiful and healthy children. Greta will be so happy to hear it.”

“Tell her to come and visit.”

“I will but not too soon.”

 

**********

“Well Everett? Is everything okay?” Nate had begun to worry.

“Yes Nate, your daughter is fine and she has done a wonderful job. She has given you a grandson and a granddaughter.”

“Granddaughter? You did say grandson and granddaughter?”

“Yes that is what I said.”

They all watched as Ben fell into the chair nearest him.

“Are you alright Ben?”

“It’s funny Nate but his son had the same expression when he saw it was a girl.”

“I suppose that could be because Ben has three sons.”

“If it’s proof you require Storm has asked me to tell you that if you wish to go up she would be very happy to see all of you.”

“She would be happy but is it alright?”

“Yes Nate, just not for too long. They all need their rest.”

 

**********

“They’re perfect Storm.”
“Yes they are Adam. Just like their papa.”

“What shall we call them?”

“May I Adam?”

“I think you have more than earned that right.”

“May we come in?”

“Of course papa. Why don’t you come and see your grandchildren.”

Nate and Matthew entered the room followed by a still stunned Ben. “Ben! I didn’t know you had come too. Adam hadn’t said a word.”

“I’m sorry if I didn’t have a chance to think very clearly once I found out the reason you were yelling my name.”

“Adam?”

“Yes pa?” Adam had never seen his father look so bewildered.

“You have a daughter.”

“I know, and she is beautiful.” Adam again looked at his daughter’s face. “Simply beautiful.”

“Storm.”

“Yes papa?”

“Have you told Adam the names you have chosen?”

“I was just about to when you came in.”

“Yes you were. Can you please tell me so when they start to behave as badly as their mother I will know what I should call them.”

Storm just gave him one of her best I‘m just going to ignore what you said looks and spoke to the others in the room. “I had two boy’s names and two girl’s names just in case. The one’s I had picked if it were one of each are Benjamin Nathaniel and Elizabeth Hope.”

Ben kissed Storm then he kissed his grandchildren. “Adam they sure were worth the wait.”

“Yes pa they sure were.”

“Adam?”

“Yes Matthew?”

“Is that how you’ve sat the entire time?”
“Yes it is.”

Mattie noticed, even if the men didn’t, that Storm was struggling to keep her eyes open. “Alright everyone out. Miss. Storm you give me those babies.”

“Mattie?” She instinctively held them closer to her.

“Give them to me before you drop them.”

“I would never!”

“You can barely keep you eyes open.”

“I guess I am a little tired.”

“I can’t imagine why.”

“Oh papa. Mattie where will you put them?”

“Right beside your bed. Mr. Matthew go and get the bassinet.”

“Yes Mattie.”

“Adam?”

“Yes Storm?”

“You’ll come back, I mean you’ll sleep here with me?”

“Sweetheart I wasn’t planning on leaving.”
Despite the fact that it was a rather uncomfortable position to sleep in, Adam awoke the following morning feeling more rested then he had in months.

 

**********

Storm was confined to bed for two weeks and in a way she was glad for it. It gave her the time she needed to become use to having two little babies depending on her. Adam hadn’t asked any questions, more then likely because he knew that Storm would start talking once she was strong enough. As usual he was right.

It was a cold winters day when the twins were ten days old and taking a nap and everyone else had gone out, under the pretense of having errands to run, that found Adam and Storm alone. Everyone knew that they needed time alone and time to talk.

“Adam I want you to know that I would have told you about the twins.”

“I never thought any differently. Storm what if I hadn’t come after you, what if I took your not returning as a sign that you had changed your mind. What would you have done?”

“I guess I would have written to you asking what you wished to do. If you had answered that you wanted me back then I would have gone back but if you said that you didn’t then I would have waited until all the papers were signed before I went back. I would never have kept your children from you. I wouldn’t have wanted them to grow up not knowing their father, not being able to see what an amazing and wonderful man he is. Besides I would much prefer them to grow up on the Ponderosa then here.”

“You must know that once I knew about the twins everything would be different.”

“But only because of them. It would have been too late anyway, everything would have been legal.”

“You were right. Somewhere buried deep there was a doubt in my mind. Seeing Meryl made it surface far enough for you to see it but not far enough for me to realize it. Until Meryl came to see me one day and made me realize that the reality of the love we share is so much better than any dream could ever hope to have been. I love you and I don’t know how I will accomplish it or how long it will take but it doesn’t matter, because I will do whatever it takes, for the rest of my life if necessary, to prove that to you. I don’t want you to ever question or doubt that I love you with all my heart.”
“Adam there was never a question or doubt in my mind that you loved me, they were all in yours.”

“Are you saying that you never believed that I didn’t love you?”

“Never.”

“Then why did you leave?”

“Because you did. The day I went into town to book passage on the stage, I almost didn’t. Then I saw you and Meryl. Maybe if that night you had told me that you had met with her I would have thrown the tickets away. Instead of telling me you tried to prove to yourself and maybe to me that you loved me by making love to me. As we both know any man and woman can do that. I love you so I would have found pleasure in it and, as you have said, a man can find satisfaction with any woman. I just knew that I couldn’t stay if there was a doubt in your mind.”
“You say that you knew I loved you then why go? If you thought the only place a doubt existed was in my mind and not in my heart.”
“You and I are a lot alike. We can not separate our hearts from our minds. One goes with the other and if the doubt in your mind was never erased then eventually it would have been in your heart as well.”

“Storm I would have never stopped loving you, doubt or no doubt.”
“But then it may have been only because of guilt.”
“Guilt?”

“Papa use to say you felt guilty about not saving mama. Even though he said he told you there was nothing more you could have done and that mama would have never blamed you. Papa said that maybe the only reason you wanted to marry me was because of that feeling of guilt.”

“I won’t deny that I feel things would have turned out better if I had done something different. Maybe I could have fought harder or maybe I should have fought less, that however is not the reason I asked you to marry me. I asked you because, well quite frankly, I was afraid if I didn’t ask you you would have asked me.”

“Adam.” Storm knew that like most men things had begun to get a little too emotional for him and he was just trying to lighten the mood.

“Storm I asked you to be my wife because I love you. You are the only woman I have ever known who could challenge me. The only woman who won’t stand idly by and let a man control everything. You, my love, are the only woman I have ever met that I would call my equal. It’s not because others aren’t but because they are afraid to be. You refuse to act and be what the worlds says you should be. You are who and what you are and I love you, Storm Margaret Cartwright, every stubborn hardheaded inch of you.”
“Do we really need to wait four more days?”

“Sweetheart it’s two weeks for you to be able to get of this bed and two months before we can even think of getting back into it.”

“I was hoping you would forget about that.”

“Not likely, not when it’s for your well being.”

Adam was thankful that his children began to stir within their bassinet. It would take Storm’s mind, and his as well, off of their present conversation.

“I guess it’s feeding time. Will you please hand me your children?”

“Of course.”

 

*********

It was on the third day that Storm had been allowed out of her bed that she found herself alone in the house with just her children.

“Miss. Storm, you have a visitor.”

“Really Tucker, who?” The butler stepped aside to allow the visitor he had just announced entrance to the library where Storm sat reading as the twins slept upstairs.

“Hello Storm.”
“Ogden. So the Constance is back in port. Papa was beginning to worry.”

“We ran into some bad winds but we were lucky. The crew said we had the angels on our side.” And even if he didn’t believe in the superstitions the rest of his fellow sailors did, he was well aware that Storm did put some stock into them.

“I’m glad for it. It’s nice to know that everyone has returned safely home.”

“Since you are out of your bed you must have had those babies.” And it also appeared as if her figure had benefited from it.
“Yes, a son and a daughter.”

“How nice. Perhaps now you will reconsider accepting my offer.”

“Ogden I have already told you I am married and further….”

“STORM. I have already told you that I don’t care if you wish to keep up this charade for the sake of everyone else, it is fine, but we both know that you are not married to a man named Adam Cartwright. Even if he does exist he is just someone who took advantage of you. What I find hard to believe is that your father allowed this to happen, that he didn’t insist that whoever did this to you marry you. Unless, of course, he is such a scoundrel as to have used force. If that is the case then I can well understand your father’s reluctance to have you married to that kind of a man. Maybe I should be speaking to your father. He would clearly see the benefits of my offer and the futility of refusing me again. He could make you see that marriage to me is what would be best for you and those children of yours. Surely you must realize how cruel people can be to babies born under these circumstances.”

“So you say I have no husband, that my children are bastards. You even say that there is no such a person as Adam Cartwright.”

“Then who am I?”

Storm hadn’t known how long Adam had been standing there, she had only seen him a moment ago. Ogden turned to find himself facing a man whom he hated at first sight. He hated him because he could see in the look that passed between he and Storm that he had taken away everything that he himself had hoped to gain. When Storm had come back alone and carrying what he truly believed to be some man’s bastard child he thought she would have no choice but to marry him, even thought she might be grateful for it and certain her father would be indebted to him for accepting not only his daughter but her child. He thought she had made up that story of a husband but surprisingly everyone went along with it. It had never entered his mind to ask if Adam Cartwright did exist he had just assumed that everyone feared for her well being if they didn’t go along with her story. He had been willing to wait for her to see the hopelessness of her situation. Now it appeared as if he would have to find another way.

“Hello Ogden.” Nate feared that if he didn’t break the silence someone was going to get hurt and it wasn‘t Ogden or Adam he was concerned for. Adam was strong but then so was Ogden and therefore they could take care of themselves but he knew that Storm would try to keep Adam from getting hurt by any means and she would most likely be the one harmed.

“Hello Mr. Kendall.”

“Ogden I would like to introduce you to my husband, Adam.”

“Mr. Cartwright.”
“Mr. Mapore.” Adam could recall Storm mentioning this man and how he had hoped to gain a part of Nate’s wealth through her. He could see that as he was sizing Ogden up he was being scrutinized as well. Adam was sure that the man before him could be as dangerous as Storm had said but then he had dealt with men such as this before and it appeared as if he had accepted his loss.

“It would appear as if I owe you an apology Storm.”

“Yes it would.” Storm knew Ogden may be acting as if he had accepted his defeat but she also knew he wouldn’t give up that easily. She could have never imagined how far he would go or she would have taken her children and her husband and left that very day, saving herself from a great deal of heartache.

Ogden watched as Storm went so easily into Adam’s arms. He felt something and if he didn’t know himself better he would have said it was jealousy and even if it were it was over the fact that this man now had what he wanted, not Storm, but the Kendall fortune. Ogden didn’t care for Storm, he cared only for himself.

“It sounds as if your children have decided it’s time for them to eat.” She made her way out of the room but a strange sense of foreboding overtook her. “Adam would you care to help me?”

“I would love to help you.”
They entered the room where their children awaited their meal. Adam picked up their daughter and Storm picked up their son. She settled comfortably into the bed, which was the easiest place to feed both babies.

“What’s the matter Storm? Didn’t you trust me to be alone with Mr. Mapore?”

“Adam please be careful.”

He heard concern and worry in her voice instead of the teasing he had expected. It made him stop trying to turn the confrontation that just happened into a joke.

“I’ll be fine sweetheart.”

“Adam this isn’t Nevada.” She hadn’t meant to hurt his ego but she knew she had but he had to realize that things were different here. While in Virginia City Adam was in his element and therefore at an advantage this was Boston and here the advantage was Ogden’s.

“So you don’t think I can take care of myself?” Did she really doubt his ability to take care of himself?

“That’s not it. You just don’t know Ogden, what he’s capable of. He’s wanted papa’s company for so long he just took for granted that it would be his.”

“The company or you? Don’t’ worry, I’ll be extra careful.”

He settled into the chair next to the bed and watched what had become to him more enjoyable then any opera or play, he watched as his wife nursed his children and with each passing moment his pride repaired itself.

CHAPTER 11

It had been decided that Ben would return to Nevada after the New Year, Storm, Adam and the twins would follow sometime in May. This was met with some opposition from Ben.

“Pa if you don’t go back who’s going to make sure spring roundup goes as it should?”

“I think your brothers can handle it.”

“I’m sure they could. You do realize that they have been running the ranch alone now for three months, granted three slow months, but still.”

“Adam why don’t you go back.”

“I hardly think that Storm would agree to that.”

“I know your right, it’s just that I’ve waited so long for those two. I don’t want to miss one single second of their lives.”

“I can understand that, because neither do I.”
“Maybe I’ll come back as soon as everything at the Ponderosa is settled.”

“That wouldn’t make much sense. You would probably arrive back here just in time to return with us.”

“I know but grandfathers don’t have to make sense.”

“I suppose not.” There were many occasions that had Adam wondering where the sane, sensible man that had been his father had gone too. It seemed that where his grandchildren were concerned nothing was too foolish or childish if it got them to smile. Adam didn’t know that there had been times he had been seen acting just as foolish and childish.

********

 

Once Ben had reluctantly left Adam settled into a routine of sorts. He offered to help with the books and to help out at the shipping office. Matthew had quickly accepted and Nate realized he was going to miss Adam’s help when they returned to Nevada but not as much as he was going to miss his daughter and grandchildren.

“Adam where are you going?”

“Matthew sent word asking if I’d go and help out with the contract details.”

“But we’re leaving in four weeks, he should get use to doing it himself again.”

“In four weeks he’ll have no choice. Right now if I can help I will.”

“I know, I was just hoping to spend the day together.”

“I’ll try and be back before lunch okay?”

“Okay.”
They kissed goodbye and, for the first time in quite a while, Storm felt a cold sense of dread come over her. She tried to forget it but it wouldn’t leave her and she felt that the twins had sensed it too because they were both very restless and cried much more than usual. When lunchtime came and went and Adam hadn’t come back she thought that he and Matthew had simply lost track of time and decided to eat in town. There was a little voice in her head that wouldn’t let her believe that, it just kept telling her that something was wrong and she would never see Adam again. She spent the day watching the clock then a little after five she heard the carriage pull up to the front of the house. She watched the front door and saw Matthew come in and close the door behind him.

“Matthew where’s Adam? Don’t tell me you left him alone at the office all day to figure everything out all by himself while you…..”

“Storm, I’ve been at the office all day and I haven’t seen Adam.”

Matthew watched as for the first time in his life he saw his sister’s strength leave her. She crumbled to the floor in tears.

********

 

When Adam finally awoke it was to darkness and a gentle rocking. He didn’t know what had happened except that he was walking to the office to meet Matthew when he had been hit from behind. It took him a few minutes but he realized that he was no longer on land. Did people get shanghaied in Boston?

“So you’re finally awake.”

“Can you please inform me as to what is going on.”

“Well don’t we talk high and mighty. Let’s see how you are after some hard work.”

He was brought up on deck and put to work. Adam thought it would be in his best interest to do as he was told.

“I must admit I didn’t think you would be capable of work.”

“Ogden, I should have know I’d be seeing you. So tell me what are you planning to do with me?”

“The way I have it planned by the time you make it back, if you make it back, from where I intend to leave you she’ll be my wife and those brats of your’s will be calling me papa.”

“You son of a bitch!”

Adam wasn’t sure which thought angered him more, Ogden touching Storm or him raising his children. He tried to get to him but was stopped when he was again hit from behind.

“Take him below. I don’t want anyone talking to him. He’s to be brought up to work only, he eats down in the hold, is that understood?”

“Yes sir Mr. Mapore.” The man carried Adam to his prison. It was no business of his because when a man was given an order he followed it.

Adam had never realized how much you could miss talking to someone but after two weeks of no one saying a word to him he even missed Little Joe’s attempts at intelligent conversation. Truth was he missed his brothers more then he cared to admit but he missed his wife and children more. He didn’t really care what happened to him or how long it would take for him to get back because he knew he would. What mattered was Storm. He had to get word to her somehow that he was okay. He tried to talk to every man he came in contact with but most turned away from him as if he carried the plague. In a way he guessed he did, he had heard that they had been threatened with no less than 20 lashes if any one was caught talking to him. After the first week he gave up trying to start any conversations thinking it might be best to not try and force anyone to talk to him. He knew if someone were only suspected of talking to him they might be punished and then he would lose any chance of finding an ally. So Adam did what he could to try and win the men’s respect. He worked along side them and even for some who seemed to need help. Eventually he did earn most of the crews respect and admiration. He had almost given up hope of anyone helping him get a message to Storm and that was why he was caught off guard.

“I said mister.” Briggs didn’t want to have to talk any louder. Mr. Mapore wasn’t that far away, he was never far from this man or Briggs would have waited a little longer for a better opportunity. The crew had decided to find out what message this man had seemed so determined to have delivered. Briggs had lost the toss.

“Are you talking to me?”

“Yeah and keep it quiet. Mr. Mapore ain’t far away and I don’t want no lashes for having bad luck.”

“What is it you want?”

“First week out all you kept saying was you only wanted to get a message to someone. Tell me quick what’s the message and to who.”

“I just want someone to tell my wife to wait for me. I’ll be back. Tell her to stay away from Ogden. Tell her to go back to Nevada, she’ll be safe there.”

“Just who is this wife of yours?”

“Storm….”

“BRIGGS! What’s going on?”

“Nothing sir.” Briggs knew he would be paying the price that had been told them but he no longer felt he had been unlucky. He would have sworn that this man had said Storm. Could it be Storm Kendall? If so for her he would gladly take on any punishment.

“You were warned the consequences talking to him would bring.”
“Ogden leave him be! It’s my fault and besides wouldn’t you get more pleasure watching me take the punishment.”

“If you want to take his place that is fine with me. Gentlemen let’s go. Mr. Potts this is one flogging I will enjoy doing myself.”

The crew watched as Adam was tied to the mast. They hadn’t thought to see it but Mr. Mapore looked even crueler then usual and they all feared he wouldn’t stop when the count hit twenty.

“Go and get the captain.”

“What?! Are you crazy Briggs?”

“Reese go. He says he’s Miss Storm’s husband.”

There wasn’t a man aboard who didn’t have a soft spot for Storm. Most had watched her grow into the beautiful, kind woman she was. There was not one among them who had not benefited from that kindness in one way or another. Whether in the form of money or food or help for their families while they were at sea. After the whip had found it’s mark twice the captain was up top.

“MR. MAPORE. I don’t recall ordering a flogging. As I am sure you are aware it is one punishment I very rarely do order. It is not approved by either myself or Mr. Kendall.”

“But Captain Tanner…” Ogden was kept from making up some lie to justify his actions.

“Alright then by Miss. Kendall.”

“It’s Mrs. Cartwright.” Adam muttered through clenched teeth.

“Yes, so I have heard. Men will you please help Mr. Cartwright to my cabin. Mr. Mapore I will ask you to retire to your own chambers. Mr. Briggs, Mr. Reese will you please see that Mr. Mapore stays put.”

“Yes sir captain.” It was one order both men would enjoy carrying out.

 

**********

 

“Papa where could he be?”

“Storm, we have informed the police and there isn’t a man on the waterfront who isn’t on the lookout for him.”

“But papa I just know Ogden had something to do with it.”

“Storm the Constance left that day on the morning tide, Adam didn’t leave the house until hours after.”

“I know papa. It’s just that I need him so.”

Nate hated seeing his daughter this way. She barely ate or slept. It seemed her only reason for living had become her children but the longer they didn’t know what had happened to Adam even that hold was slipping. Maybe if they only knew what had become of him she would be able to come to terms with it and move on. He was beginning to fear that if they didn’t find out soon they never would. Nate knew that Adam wouldn’t be the first man to disappear into Boston harbor.

“Storm you need him but his children need you.”

“We would be leaving in less than two weeks.”

“I know Storm. You have to believe he’ll be back. You have to take care of yourself if not for you then for Benjamin and Elizabeth.”

“Papa you almost sound as if you don’t believe he’ll be back.”

“What I believe isn’t important, it’s you that matters.”

“I can’t live without him.” She turned and ran upstairs.

What she had just said scared Nate. It wasn’t the words, those she had said before, but she had never said them like that. She had sounded as one sounds when they tell a child that the sun will come back tomorrow, she had said them as if they were undeniable, as if they were a simple statement of an indisputable fact.

********

“Mr. Kendall there is a visitor.”

“Show them in Tucker.”

“Nate where is my son?”

“Ben, I must say I am very glad you are here.”

Nate explained everything that had happened since Ben had left.

“He just disappeared?”

“Storm is convinced that Ogden had something to do with it but he was already at sea.”

“How is she?”

“Not good Ben. I’m afraid she’s beginning to lose hope.”

“Would it be alright if I go and talk to her?”

“I think that seeing you will do her good.”

“Than I’m glad I chose to be foolish.”

Storm heard the knock on her door. She tried to ignore it and stay lost in the daydream she was having of Adam.

“Storm may I come in?”

It sounded like Ben but he was in Nevada. The door opened and she saw that it was indeed Ben and she went into his arms. Being there made her miss Adam even more but it also made her feel closer to him.

“Storm your father explained what has happened. He’s also told me that you’ve almost given up hope.”

“No I haven’t given up it’s just that I miss him so.”

He again took her into his arms. “I know but he’ll be fine. You of all people should know that, and I know that one thing more is for sure and that is that he can not be stopped when he is bound and determined to do something and you can be assured he is determined to return to you.”

“Oh Ben.”

“It’s alright, I’m here now and together we will find him.”

“He’s got to be alright, he’s just got to be.”

**********

Adam’s back was tended too and he was now sitting in the Captain’s quarters with a glass of one of the finest brandies he had ever tasted in front of him.

“So? Cartwright, any relation to a Ben Cartwright?”

“He’s my father.”

“Then you’re Elizabeth Stoddard’s boy?”

“Elizabeth Cartwright sir.”

“Yes, again I stand corrected. I can see her in you.”
“Thank you.”

“But I can sense your father in you as well.”

“Again, thank you.”

“Your father achieved what he set out to do. Capt. Stoddard often spoke of him with pride.”

“Yes sir, although he’d never admit that to pa.”

“No but then that wasn’t his way.”

As much as Adam would have liked to find out how this man knew his father, mother and grandfather there were more pressing things on his mind. “Capt. Tanner we’ve been at sea for what three weeks?”

“Two and a half.”

“Which means it would take another two and a half to get back.”

“Less if we run into favorable winds. Are you suggesting I turn this ship around?”

“I’m asking, for Storm’s sake. She’s got to be worried sick. I can only image what she’s going through, what she must believe happened to me. Normally I’d not worry so much but the twins are only seven, no I guess it’s closer to eight, months old now.”
“That’s right, I heard they were born in October. A boy and a girl wasn’t it? So what did you name them?” Yes Adam Cartwright was very much like his father, more concerned about the woman he loved then himself.

“Benjamin Nathaniel and Elizabeth Hope.”

“Your father must be very proud.”

“Captain he wouldn’t of cared what we called them, he would have been proud anyway.”

Captain Tanner called to the cabin boy. “Daniel come here.”

“Yes captain?”

“Tell Mr. Stevens to turn her around. We’ll be heading back to Boston Harbor.”

“Yes sir.”

“Thank you captain.”

“Don’t thank me, truth be told once the men found out by continuing this voyage I’d be doing harm to Storm I am sure I would find myself facing a mutiny. You will find that your wife has a warm place in the coldest of hearts aboard this ship, including my own.”

The Constance made better time heading back and it was the twelfth day that found them docking in Boston Harbor. The crew had sworn to Adam that they had angels watching over them and Adam thought he knew at least two by name. It was on the first night they were heading back to Boston that he had dreamed of his and Storm’s mother. Once docked, and before they left to see Storm, the captain left strict orders as to what was to be done with Mr. Mapore. Most of the crew had wanted to throw him overboard long before they had reached port and if it hadn’t of been for Adam he may have well been.

“I can’t understand it. He was gonna abandon you and then take your wife and kids as his own.”

“I know it Briggs but I don’t think Storm would want any of you to have to answer for his death.”

“Ain’t one of us on board who would have told so no one would have even known a crime was done.”

“I wasn’t talking about having to answer in man’s court of law.”

“No I suppose not. Miss. Kendall cares too much for other peoples mortal souls.”

“Yes she does and that would include Mr. Mapore’s.” Adam had given up trying to keep these men from calling Storm Miss. Kendall besides it didn’t really bother him.

“We don’t believe he’s got one.”

 

********

Ben and Nate were sitting waiting for Storm to come down. Nate had to admit that, while she wasn’t as well as he had hoped, she was doing much better since Ben had arrived. Nate heard the knock on the door and waited for Tucker to answer it. If he had know who was knocking he would have run to answer it himself.

“Mr. Kendall, sir, I have a message to give you.”

Nate couldn’t understand why the usually solemn faced servant was smiling.

“What’s the message Tucker?”

“Captain Tanner wishes to see you sir.”
“Captain Tanner? Are you telling me that the Constance has returned? Now what’s gone wrong?”

“I’m sorry Mr. Kendall but we had an unwilling crewman on board.”

“So you turned the Constance around?! Captain you should know it wouldn’t be the first time a man changed his mind once he’d sobered up! Do you know what this is going to cost me?”

“I’m sorry Nate and I’ll gladly repay anything you may have lost but setting out to sea was not…..pa?”

“ADAM!” Thank God you’re back safely.” Ben took his son into his arms.

“Nate, where’s my wife.”

“Tucker will you please call my daughter down.”

“Yes sir! Gladly.”

“I’m sorry Adam I know you would probably like to see her in private but it’s been so long since I’ve seen her smile and I know seeing you will make her smile.”

Thankfully Storm had managed to complete her descent down the stairs before she saw Adam. If she hadn’t of chances are she would have fallen down any steps that had remained.

“Adam?” She felt her legs give out and she thought she was about to find herself on the floor, instead she found herself in her husband’s arms. “Oh Adam, Adam.” She wouldn’t remove her hands from his face unless she was replacing them with her lips. Adam knew this had to stop.

“Storm, sweetheart.”

“Yes Adam.”
He was glad that the others had decided to give them, if not total then, limited privacy and had moved out of hearing distance.
“Storm I have just spent the last four weeks at sea on a ship with nothing but men.”

Even If she couldn’t hear the meaning in his words she was beginning to feel it.

“MR. ADAM!”

“Hello Mattie.”

“Heaven be thanked you’re safe.” Mattie could feel the need that was passing between Adam and Storm and was surprised that the others couldn’t. It wasn’t so much that they couldn’t more that they didn’t want to. Every man there had know Storm as a child including Adam but he was now able to see her as the woman she was. The others were still having a hard time believing that she was capable of feeling those desires even if there was sleeping upstairs twofold evidence that she did. “Miss. Storm, I’m sure Mr. Adam would like to see his children.”

“But Mattie we only put them down…..” Then Storm realized what Mattie was doing. Instead of trying to keep them apart she was now trying to give them time together. The twins were use to taking a two hour nap at this time and she had only finished putting them down when Tucker had called her. “You’re right Mattie, I’m sure he does.”

Adam wasn’t to certain of what was happening but he was certain that he could feel Storm’s need with every nerve in his body. Storm took his hand and led him upstairs.

“Mattie you know that those two grandchildren of mine will be asleep for at least two hours.”
“True Mr. Kendall I only pray it’s enough time.”

“Why Mattie Kincaid, you are going to have to stop having such sinful thoughts.”
“Mr. Kendall, I have come to realize that with those two and all the love they have for each other there can be no sin.”
“I suppose I should be thankful that you realized this after the wedding.”

“For certain Mr. Kendall, after the wedding.”

“Mattie?”

“Now Mr. Kendall I give you my word I did my job. Not a thing happened before the vows were said. I will have to be honest and say that there were times I was tempted to turn my back.” Mattie headed towards the twin’s room just in case they decided to awaken sooner then they should.

“Capt. Tanner, thank you.”

“No need to thank me Mr. Kendall, that smile on your daughter’s face was thanks enough. He’s a fine boy Ben.”

“Yes he is Phillip.”

“You two know each other?”

“Yes Nate, I guess you could say that Philip and I are old rivals of sorts.”

“Rivals?”

“Yes Mr. Kendall. You see if I had won that rivalry it would be my son your daughter would be married to.”

“Really? I had no idea.”

“Unfortunately neither did Miss. Stoddard.”

“Now Philip.”

“He’s quite like her Ben.”

“Yes although I can’t quite understand how. He only knows what I’ve told him about her.”

“He’s your son as well Ben. I found myself without a first mate and I offered him the position. He turned me down, said that it was only fair that it go to whoever it should go to. I at first thought that he preferred to be a guest and when I suggested this to him he again politely turned me down. He said that if it were alright he would rather work with the men as he had been doing and work he did. You should be very proud of your son, of the man he has become.”

“Phillip I can take credit for him being my son and for trying to raise him to be the kind of a man I wished him to be, but only he can take credit for the man he has become.”

 

**********

“So tell me Storm did you miss me?”

They lay there in each others arms both content after having achieved a satisfaction they had both begun to think they would never find again. Now that Adam was safely in her arms Storm once again was able to tease as she hadn’t for quite some time.

“I must say there were most definitely some things I missed.”
“I would venture to say they are the same things I missed about you.”

“Now Adam we both know that men and women do not share the same form.” The smile slowly faded from her face and he watched as a cold flash of realization came into her eyes. “Capt. Tanner was downstairs; that means that you were on the Constance! Ogden is to blame!”

“Storm it has been take care of.”

“You mean they threw him overboard.”

“Is that what you would have wanted?”

“No, I wouldn’t want them to do it. It would be more pleasurable if I do it myself.”

“STORM.”

“Adam you just don’t know what it’s been like. I woke up from so many nightmares with images of you lying at the bottom of Boston Harbor.”

“I hate to have to admit it once again but you were right.”

“What about this time?”

“I think we should go home as soon as possible. I have had enough of Boston for quite awhile.”

He pulled her into his arms and a sudden need to touch every part of him overtook her, it was a way for her to be certain that he was really there. He braced himself for what he was sure would come when he felt her hands stop midway down his back.

“Adam what….who….” She knew for certain that it wasn’t Capt. Tanner. “I want to see Ogden.”

“I’m afraid not my love.”

“WHY?”

“Why? Because there is a coldness in your eyes that I have never seen before and quite frankly it scares me.” It reminded him of Benton.

“He did this to you.”

“Yes he did and he will pay for it but not at your hands.”

She took a deep breath in an attempt to get her anger under control. It succeeded in doing that but also in arousing something else.

“Adam you smell of the sea.”

“And you prefer that to the smell of pine.”

“No, I prefer you. Sea or pine, it doesn’t really matter as long as it’s you I smell it on.”

“Are you sure Storm?”

“Huh?”

“I mean I had forgotten how impressive your father’s house was, our house in Nevada isn’t any where near as grand as this one.”

“And you think that I would prefer a house like this? Adam come with me.”

They quickly put on some clothes and went to the attic. She led him to a rather large structure covered with a sheet. When she revealed what was underneath Adam could only stare in wonder.

“When I told you that you had built the house of my dreams did you believe me to have been lying?”

Underneath the sheet had been a rather large doll house and except for some minor details here and there it matched their house exactly.

“Storm what is this?”

“When I was nine papa had me tell a man how I wanted my house to be when I grew up. The man drew it and papa had him build it and then papa gave it to me for Christmas that year.”

“Storm it’s…”

“Our house, the one you built for me and our children. The one whose plans you must have read my mind to draw.”

“So you really want to return to Nevada.”

“The sooner the better.”

 

 

CHAPTER 12

Within the week they were on their way home. Both Storm and Adam found it difficult to say goodbye to Nate and Matthew, and just as hard to say goodbye to Mattie, but it was made a little easier because they all promised to come and visit soon.

“Adam, I don’t understand something.” She had gone over and over the things that had happened between Adam’s disappearance and his return and had been able to answer most questions herself.

They were sitting on the train a days ride out of Boston. The twins had been lulled to sleep by the motion of the train as had Ben.

“What my love?”

“The Constance was set to sail on the morning tide, yet you didn’t leave the house until well after that.”

“It would seem that Mr. Mapore told everyone that they were set to sail on the evening tide. By the time Capt. Tanner realized the error it was too late.”

This made sense but she hadn‘t realized that Captain Tanner would have trusted Ogden to that extent. Now to another question that she needed answered. “Do you think Little Joe and Hoss will like their niece and nephew?”

Ben had awaken just in time to hear this question. “ Of all the foolish questions you’ve asked this one takes the cake. Like them? I had to almost resort to having Roy lock them in jail to keep them put.”
“Then I take it everything is still as it was when I left nine months ago pa?”

“Pretty much. I did, however, leave you the books to sort through.”
“Thanks. May I ask who was the one trying to keep them?”

“If I go by the writing, Hop-Sing.”

“If It were Hop-Sing then I won’t worry about the figures.”
“I think I can understand why your children are having such a hard time staying awake. The way this trains is moving is making me sleepy.” She stretched and then rested her head against Adam’s shoulder and was soon asleep.

“She’s so very beautiful when she’s sleeping.”

“Only when she’s sleeping son?”

“No, but especially then after all that’s the only time…. “

“The only time what son?”

“I was going to say that she’s quiet but that’s not the truth. It’s the only time I can watch her without her knowing, the only time I can stare at her and not feel as if I’m making her feel self conscious.

 

**********

It was later that afternoon that Storm met someone that both she and Adam knew, although Adam knew her slightly better. Storm had gotten up to stretch her legs and had left the twins with Adam and Ben.

“Storm Kendall is that you?”

“Sally-Ann Baker? What are you doing here?”

“Storm I’d like you to meet my husband Guy Poston. We’re on our way to visit my brother, you remember my brother, well he lives in San Francisco now unlike Guy and I who live in London, well mostly London. We’ve been there for three years now. Mother went to live with in San Francisco after father died and I thought it was time to go for a visit.”

“That sounds nice.” Storm didn’t think someone could say so much without taking a breath.

“Where are you going to Storm? Are Matthew and your father with you?”

“We’re going to Nevada, but I’m…..” Storm was about to say not with her father and brother but she didn’t get the chance.

“Nevada! Are you perhaps going to visit Adam? Do you think it would be alright if Guy and I went with you? I would just love to see Adam again.”

“I bet you would.”

“Excuse me?” Sally-Ann was sure that Storm didn’t know what had transpired between her and Adam. She was sure no one knew.

Why Storm decided to do what she did she couldn’t be too sure but she supposed it had to do with her pride. “Sally-Ann, Mr. Poston would you please come with me. Sally-Ann I’m not here with father and Matthew but with my husband.”

“Husband? I hadn’t heard you’d married.” Sally-Ann thought that Ogden had finally succeeded. Well given the choice between Ogden and Adam Sally-Ann would choose Adam to reacquaint herself with although Ogden had been an excitingly different kind of lover. Where Adam was gentle, well mostly gentle, Ogden was quite forceful. Sally-Ann found herself wondering just how Storm was faring with Ogden. Could Matthew’s prim and proper sister actually be enjoying herself? Too bad Matthew wasn’t here, she would have enjoyed becoming reacquainted with him as well. It had been after that little tryst with Adam that Sally-Ann had decided that maybe waiting for her wedding night wasn’t so important. If Adam could do to her what he did without completely taking her what would happen if she allowed him to. Since she had been unable to find a time to ‘accidentally’ be alone with him she had settled for Ogden and while she wasn’t sorry she had been sure that Adam would have pleased her so much more.

Storm led them to where Adam and Ben were sitting. Ben held his grandson, who upon seeing his mother approaching, began reaching for her.

Elizabeth, who was sitting on her father’s lap, had her back to her mother and didn’t see her but when she saw her brother’s reaction she began reaching for him. When they got near enough Storm took Benjamin from his grandfather and turned to her husband. Ben wasn’t too sure of the expression on Storm’s face but it did appear to be a very self-satisfied one.

“Darling look who I met while I was walking.” Adam looked up to see just who his wife was speaking of and gave her a look that said more than words ever could.

“Hello Sally-Ann.” He would have stood up but the child on his lap prevented it.

“This is your husband Storm?”

The shocked tone in Sally-Ann’s voice gave Storm all the satisfaction she needed. “Yes it is and this is our son Benjamin and that is our daughter Elizabeth and this rather impressively handsome gentleman is Adam’s father Ben.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Cartwright and it is nice to see you again Adam. Please allow me to introduce my husband Guy Poston.”

“It is nice to meet you Mr. Poston.” Adam didn’t know how to respond to this. If he hadn’t of known that Storm knew what had occurred between he and Sally-Ann it would be less awkward a situation. Then he looked at his wife and knew she was getting great pleasure out of this, she was most assuredly enjoying watching him squirm. As she leaned to kiss their daughter he whispered to her “Don’t worry my love I will find a way for you to make up for this.”

“I must say, Ogden must be very disappointed.”

Ben quickly stood up and led Storm to the seat he had just vacated. Neither he nor Adam had mistaken the look that came into her eyes at the mere mention of Ogden’s name.

“What do you mean Sally-Ann? Why do you suppose Ogden would be so upset?”

“It’s just that he had long ago mentioned that you would be his wife.” In fact it had been after the first time they had been together.
Storm could tell only too clearly what Sally-Ann was implying. It didn’t matter if it were Ogden or Adam she had been with them first. Adam could read this as well and knew he had better say something or Storm might say something that he didn’t want said at least not in front of his father or Sally-Ann’s husband.

“That may well be but Storm knew long before she had even met Ogden who her husband would be and given the choice between Ogden or my wife I will bet on mywife every time.”

Sally-Ann knew that Adam was reminding her that while they had been together it was never as intimate as he and Storm had been. Instead of taking this as it was intended Sally-Ann took it as a challenge.

 

In spite of Adam’s reluctance an offer was made to Sally-Ann and her husband to spend some time at the Ponderosa. It was an offer readily accepted.

********

When they arrived in Virginia City Hoss and Little Joe were anxiously waiting at the depot. They quickly said their hellos and took their niece and nephew and disappeared.

“I suppose we owe them that much.” Adam knew that his brothers had been bursting at the seams waiting to see his children and it filled him with a sense of pride.

“I’m just surprised that your children went so easily. You know how they can be.”

“My children? Why is it if they do something surprising, and I don’t mean good surprising, they are my children.”

“Because Adam my children would never do anything bad.”

“So you’re saying they are nothing like their mother?”

“I swear Adam if I didn’t love you so much I would….”

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

“Now that is what I would call a welcome change in scenery.”

“Dr. Martin it’s so good to see you.”

“Yes well tell me where are the two newest patients of mine?”

“I believe their uncles are showing them off somewhere.” Adam was sure by the time they returned there wouldn’t be a person in Virginia City who hadn’t seen his children.

“ADAM, go and get my children.”

“Oh so now their your children.”

“Yes and I will not have them inside the saloon.”

“There will come a day when my son will want to go into a saloon.”

“Oh and I suppose so will your daughter.”

“Bite your tongue.” Adam quickly went and got his brothers and returned with them and his children to his wife.

“Aren’t they just perfect Dr. Martin?”

“I will need a closer look but they certainly do appear to be. Storm you know that I was rather upset with you.”

“Why Paul?”

“Why? Because I have waited so very long for this and you go off to Boston and allow some stranger the honor.”

“He wasn’t exactly a stranger but I promise Paul any and all future children Adam and I should have will be born right here.”

“Well then I suppose I can forgive you. Now let me see those two.”

 

**********

That night at supper Storm and Adam were introduced to a very surprising guest.

“Storm, Adam I’d like you to meet Pollyanne Willis.”

Adam gave Hoss a look that seemed to say I know what you’ve been up to while I’ve been gone. “Miss. Willis it is very good to meet you.”

Storm saw Adam’s look and also saw Hoss look away embarrassed. She proceeded to slap her husband on the arm. “ADAM, stop it. Polly come with me I want to know how you and Hoss met.”

Adam followed closely after. “Hey I want to know too.”

Hoss leaned close to Polly and whispered. “See I told you.”

“What did you tell her?” Adam could only imagine the stories this young lady had been told about him and he feared that they had been anything but flattering.

“Nothing Adam, I ain’t told her nothing.”

“Nothing? Are you sure Hoss?” Adam watched his younger brother look down in awkwardness.

“If you don’t keep quiet I will tell her something.” Although she tried to sound scolding she was happy to see that no time apart could change the close relationship that existed between Adam and his brothers. She hoped that it would be the same with her children.

“Yes but sweetheart what you can tell her I wouldn’t be ashamed to have her know. So now tell me little brother will I be ashamed of what you’ve told her?”

“Adam, stop it. We haven’t even been home one whole day and Hoss is probably already wondering why he might have missed you.”

“Aw who missed him. I missed you and, unfortunately, to have you we have to tolerate him.”

“Oh so you missed nothing about me?”

“We missed one thing about you big brother.”

“And what would that be Joe?”
“Your math abilities.”

“Yeah pa mentioned as much.”

Storm leaned close to her husband’s ear. “Yes you do have a way of turning an inch into a mile.”

“And you are the mother of my children.”

“I reiterate my previous statement in my defense.”

“What statement?”

“Pa believe me this is another thing you don’t want to know. Let me just say that at times my wife has a rather sullied mind.”

“I don’t know Adam she was a perfect angel before she married you.”

“You know pa I somehow knew it would be my fault. Now how about those books there should be some time before….”

“Adam there will be time enough for work tomorrow.”

“Yes my angel.”

The knowing grins Hoss and Polly shared do not go unnoticed.

“Alright what was that about.”

“Nothing Adam.”

“Oh Hoss, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I didn’t say it was something to be ashamed of.” Hoss was just afraid of hurting his brother’s feelings so soon after his return.

“Well if you won’t tell him I will. Hoss told me that I shouldn’t believe everything I heard. That some people didn’t know you well enough to know what you were really like. He said if I wanted to know that I should just watch you and Storm together.”

“Oh I see.”

“Just who has been saying things and just what have they been saying.”

Pollyanne heard the defensive tone in Storm’s voice and knew she would defend Adam against anyone or anything.

“It’s not important Storm.” Adam knew only too well that those who didn’t know him would at times think him cold and uncaring but those that mattered knew different and that was all that was important.

 

**********

Sally -Ann and her husband came out to the Ponderosa the next day. Her husband had insisted that after all the time they had been apart it only proper for the family to share their first night home without strangers and had gotten a room for one night in the hotel right after the stage had arrived in Virginia City. For the most part Sally-Ann’s visit was pleasant, or at least pleasant up until the day she decided to leave.

Sally-Ann was suppose to have gone into town with her husband, Storm, Ben and the twins but had backed out at the last minute under the pretense of not feeling well. Storm knew only to well that Sally-Ann was aware that Adam would be home alone because Hoss and Joe were busy checking for strays. Storm had gone into town because she knew that she could trust Adam but the longer she thought on it the more annoyed she became that Sally-Ann would think that Adam would break his vows. Her pride was hurt as well. Having Sally-Ann think that she was not enough to keep her husband satisfied and faithful really began to irritate her. She asked Ben if he wouldn’t mind taking care of Benjamin and Elizabeth and went home. She came upon them just in time to have all she believed to be true proven so. They had seemed to be ignorant of her approach so she watched from the shadows as Sally-Ann snuck up behind Adam and proceeded to wrap her arms around his waist and run her hands up and down his body. Storm was sure if she could have reached she would have gone down to his toes but just above his knee seemed to be the length of her reach or it could have been that she had already touched what she desired. It gave Storm great pride to hear Adam’s response.

“Sally-Ann,” He turned around and faced her. “I want you to stop.” He took hold of her arms and returned them to her side.

“But Adam you use to enjoy my touch.”

“Use to Sally-Ann, a long time ago.” He wasn’t about to tell her that he may have enjoyed it but she was not someone he would have actively pursued.

“It wasn’t that long ago and besides no one need know. I promise I won’t tell a soul.”

“There will be nothing to tell.”

“Come on Adam. You liked what I did to you, you can’t deny that, and now there is no reason for us to stop there.”

“Maybe there is no longer a reason for us to stop but there is now a reason for us to not even begin. You see Sally-Ann you may not love you husband but I love Storm and there is nothing you can do that can satisfy me as she does.”

“Really Adam? You forget that I did spend some time in her company I know that she may be rather outspoken and daring in many areas but pleasing men is not one of them. Lord, she hardly dated back east.”

“Sally-Ann the fact that she hardly dated may be one of the reasons she is so very pleasing to me.”

“So you’re telling me that she is willing to do to you what I am?”

Storm had had enough. She would no longer stand idly by and let Sally-Ann insult her.

“He’s my husband Sally-Ann and pleasing him pleases me greatly.”

Both Sally-Ann and Adam faced Storm. She could tell by the expressions on their faces that they truly had no idea she had been there. Sally-Ann didn’t like the fact that her one chance for fun was being taken away. If she was going to lose she would make sure that she would destroy, if not all then some of the faith Storm had in her husband.

“You should first know what it is I’m speaking of before you make such remarks.”

“I know exactly what you’re speaking of.”

Sally-Ann turned on Adam. “You told her?!”

“He didn’t need to tell me, I saw you with him.”

“Saw us?” Sally-Ann knew that had to be impossible. She had always been sure to be careful. There had only been once that she had let her desire take control and that had been with; oh yes it had been with Adam but that was because she had chased him so long and wasn’t about to let the one chance that had presented itself get away. It was impossible to believe that one man had avoided her as Adam had when she was sure he knew what she had been offering.

“Yes I saw you all those years ago back in Boston and while then I didn’t quite understand what you were doing I understand only too well now.”

“Then surely you must know that I could never believe that you would do that. Ladies such as yourself never do.”

“I suppose I’m not quite the lady you suppose me to be because I not only have done it I have enjoyed it immensely, and I can tell you so did Adam. To be quite frank Sally-Ann comparing the two times…”

“Storm that is quite enough.” While Adam enjoyed listening to Storm fight for him he knew it was unnecessary and it was becoming embarrassing.

Adam was correct in that Storm was fighting but it wasn’t for him, she knew she could never lose him to someone like Sally-Ann, she was fighting for her pride. “No Adam it’s not nearly enough. Sally-Ann he is my husband and there is nothing I would not nor have not done to please him.”

“Nothing?” Storm took this as a question when Sally-Ann meant it more as a shocked statement.

“No nothing.”

“So you’re saying you do anything he asks of you.”

Now Adam’s pride began to take over. Just what kind of a man did Sally-Ann think him to be?

“First of all Sally-Ann I very rarely need to ask Storm for anything, somehow she just seems to know exactly what I need or want without me having too. Secondly, I don’t need or want anything from her that she would be afraid, ashamed, or embarrassed to give me.”

Sally-Ann could tell by the simple look that passed between Storm and Adam that she was beaten. If she wanted some fun she would have to look elsewhere. “Perhaps it is a good idea for Guy and I to continue on to San Francisco.”

“Yes perhaps it is because you are not going to find what you want here, at least not with my husband.”

They both watched as Sally-Ann retreated into the house.

“I thought you were going to be in town most of the day Storm, and where are my children?”

“I had planned on it but I asked Ben if he wouldn’t mind keeping the twins with him while I came back home. I thought you might be needing my help and I figure if I need to I can always go into town tomorrow.”

And although he had a very good idea what her answer would be he asked anyway. “ So what do you plan on doing now?”

Storm drew near to him and touched him as Sally-Ann had, but she got the reaction Sally-Ann could have only hoped for, and even though he wanted too Adam wasn’t too sure if it would be such a good idea.

“Storm we shouldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because someone could come upon us at any moment.”

“That didn’t seem to bother you with Sally-Ann and at least we’re married.”

She took his hand and led him into the privacy of the barn.

“Storm I still think we…..”

“Oh Adam, hush.” She reached to unbutton his pants which magically seemed to seal his lips.

CHAPTER 13

It was a few months after they had returned to the Ponderosa that Storm began to think that Adam might wish her to again go to Boston.

“Adam I need to speak with you.”

“About what sweetheart? Are you still not feeling well? Would you like me to go ask Paul to come out and see you?”

“I feel fine right now but come tomorrow I know I’ll be feeling unwell again.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because I was sick everyday for the first three or four months with Benjamin and Elizabeth.”

“Benjamin and Elizabeth? Storm are you saying that you, that we’re having another baby?”

“Yes Adam I do believe so.”

He pulled her into his arms realizing that he hadn’t gotten the chance to do this the first time.

“Storm I just can’t wait to see what you were like when you were carrying Benjamin and Elizabeth.”

“Are you saying you’re hoping for twins again?”
“I just hope everything goes as well as it did last time.”

“So do I but you don’t realize just how big I was with those two.”

“I think given your condition the bigger you are the happier I’ll be.”

********

Adam had asked Paul to come and check on Storm because he swore something was wrong. It was on this visit that Paul was happy to give them some good news, or at least what he hoped they would see as good news. When Adam had approached him in town the other day Paul found his worries to be curious. Adam had seemed embarrassed to tell him that he was concerned because Storm was getting bigger then seemed normal. Even if he remembered saying this would please him he found it to be worrying him instead. It was then that Paul had begun suspecting the truth and he was sure that Storm was too.

“No arguing Storm, I want you too promise me you will behave and not do too much.”
“I promise Paul.”

“And I am going to tell Adam that I want you to spend the remaining time in bed.”

“But Paul….”

“No buts Storm.”

“Can I at least go down and tell Adam the good news?”
“I’ll call him and tell him to come up.”

Adam found himself feeling very worried and anxious about what was going on upstairs. He was happy that his father had had the good sense to suggest he take the twins for the day knowing that Paul was coming over and also how worried Adam had been. Adam found that he was so on edge that when Paul called to him he jumped. He ran upstairs and cautiously approached the room.

“Is everything okay Paul?”

“Yes Adam everything will be fine as long as Storm does as she is told.”

“Do as I’m told? I feel I will have no choice because it’s a conspiracy.”

“Just what is it you’ve told her to do?”

“He says I have to be confined to bed for the next four months and it‘s all your fault.”

“What are you talking about? Paul what is she talking about?”

“It would seem as if you’ll be welcoming two more children into your quickly growing family Adam.”
“You mean it’s twins?”

“When I first told you I thought you wanted it to be twins like last time.”

“No sweetheart I just wanted it to go as well as last time.”
“And it will as long as she stays in bed.”

“Don’t worry Paul she will.”

********

Adam couldn’t wait for his father and brothers to come over. They were due to arrive in a little while to bring Benjamin and Elizabeth home and join them for supper or at least that’s what Hop-Sing had said when he had arrived fifteen minutes ago to start preparing the meal. Adam had already told Hop-Sing the news and was surprised at how emotional Hop-Sing had become. He had become even more so when Adam had explained that he was as much a part of the family as anyone and why shouldn’t he be among the first to know the good news. Once Hop-Sing had gone into the kitchen to prepare what he had said would be his best meal ever, Adam went upstairs and sat with Storm until she fell asleep then again went downstairs to wait.

Ben had spent a wonderful day with his grandchildren. He kept remarking to Hoss and Little Joe how they were getting rather big and smart just like their father and how most children take after their parents. He was hoping that Hoss at least would understand what he was implying; well he hoped that Joe did as well but since Hoss seemed to have found someone he cared for he stood a better chance of seeing a small version of Hoss before he saw one of Joe. Ben then began to wonder what this next grandchild would be and who would it take after more although thinking on it Storm and Adam were very much alike.

As soon as they arrived Ben knew there was something going on. If not by the singing coming from the kitchen then by the smile on his son’s face.

“I must say Adam you look exceptionally happy.”

“You mean more than usual of late?”

“Yes and is that Hop-Sing?”

“Hoss, Joe just lay those two down on the floor.” Adam proceeded to lay a blanket down for his children to continue napping on. “I should probably wait until Storm is awake but I just can’t. You want to know what has Hop-Sing singing? He already knows that we’re going to have twins.”

“What did you say son?”

“I said we’re having twins. Paul has confined Storm to bed which isn’t making her none to happy.”

“Twins? You know something Adam I was kind of upset that it was taking you so long to start giving me grandchildren.”

“And now Pa?”

“Now I’m beginning to feel that it’s probably for the best that you did.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because the way you’re going at it if you had started any sooner the Ponderosa wouldn’t have been big enough.”

“Ha Ha. Well maybe if these other two sons of yours would start it would take some of the pressure of making sure you’re happy off of Storm and I.”

“I tell you what big brother you find me a woman like Storm and I’ll gladly oblige you.”

“Joe, Storm is one of a kind.”

They all could barely make out the whispered word that drifted down to them.

“Adam?”

“A one of a kind pain. Aren’t you suppose to be in bed?!”

“Yes but I’m lonely. Can’t I just come and sit down there for a little while maybe only until Ben, Hoss and Little Joe get here.”

“Storm?”

“I promise Adam, I’ll just sit.”

They all could hear as she took a step down. Adam made his way towards the stairs knowing that right now he wouldn’t refuse her.

“You know you can get away with this with me but just wait until Mattie gets here.”

“Mattie?! Adam, Mattie is coming?”

He finally reached her and took hold of her arm and helped her downstairs.

“Yes. It was supposed to be a surprise but she’s coming to help you out.”

“Oh Adam I love you!”

“Nate is coming as well.”

“Papa?! Papa is coming too?!”

“Maybe surprises aren’t the wisest of things for you in your present condition.”

“When Adam, when will they arrive?”

“Next Tuesday’s stage.”

“Next Tuesday? That’s awful fast.” They had finally reached the bottom of the stairs and Storm noticed that they were not alone. “Ben, Hoss, Joe? You’re already here.”

“I’m sorry sweetheart I just couldn’t wait to tell them.”

“It’s alright Adam; I don’t think I could have waited either.”

Storm went to pick up Benjamin and Elizabeth out of habit, not because she had intentionally meant to ignore the doctor’s orders. While Adam did understand this that didn’t mean he was going to allow it to happen.

“Storm you pick up either one of them and you will go right back to bed.”

 

********

Tuesday couldn’t arrive fast enough for Adam. There were so very many times he’d wished for Mattie’s help. Ben had gone into town to pick her and Nate up and had brought along Benjamin and Elizabeth in hopes of giving his son some much needed rest.

“So tell me Ben how is my little girl?”

“She’s fine Nate, just fine.”

“Would you look at these two? Haven’t they just gotten so big Mr. Kendall?”

“Yes they most certainly have Mattie.”

“Yes they have and that’s why we are all so very glad that you’ve come out to help Mattie. These two have been running us all ragged. I think Adam will be grateful to go out and chase some stray cattle instead of having to chase these two.”

“Yes sometimes four legged animals seem less troublesome.” At least to most men Mattie thought.

Nate wondered what it was that they weren’t being told.

********

 

“Nate, Mattie it is so good too see you again.” Adam went and picked up a sleeping Benjamin while Ben took the sleeping Elizabeth.

“So Adam how is my daughter?”

“She’s sleeping as well.”
“I see and may I ask why?”
“Nate you already know that she is going to have a baby.”

“Yes but why does it appear as if you are taking care of everything?”

“Why don’t we wait until Storm wakes up and we’ll go and see her and talk.”

Benjamin and Elizabeth awoke well before their mother but were so delighted to have not only two grandpas but Mattie and their father to bow to their every wish they didn’t seem to miss their mother too much.

When Storm did awake and saw her father and Mattie she so wanted to get out of bed and hug them but didn’t.

“You know something Nate I think I liked it better the last time.”

“And why’s that Adam?”

“Because I missed the middle time.”
“I see you’re happy to be there at the conception and birth but not the nine months in between.”

“Papa!”

“I only wish that were so. It just that I didn’t have to worry so much last time. By the time I found out there were to be children there was no time to worry and then when there was time there was no reason.”

Nate hadn’t really noticed until just now how tired Adam was. Nate knew for certain that Adam did love his daughter as much as she loved him. It wasn’t that he had doubted it before he had just never seen it so clearly. “I suppose so but at least this time it won’t be quite as bad. I mean when we found out she was having twins we…..” That’s when Nate saw the look his daughter was giving him that clearly told him to shut up. “It’s twins again?”

“Yes papa it’s twins again. Now will you please tell me what my brother is up too? What was so important that he couldn’t come and visit me?”

“He has a girl.”

“Really papa? Do I know her? Who is she?”

“Yes really and yes you know her and she is Greta Wilcox.”

“Greta?! You mean brother finally looked close enough to see what was right before him this whole time?”

“Yes he did and I do believe there will be a wedding in his future.”

“Well it’s about time.”

 

********

When the time came everything seemed to go along very smoothly but that was only because fate wasn’t so cruel as to deal Adam too many shocks in that one evening. This time the family awaiting the news about Storm and the children she was giving birth two was much larger then last time. When Paul finally appeared and made his announcement every Cartwright there was shocked but none as much as Adam.

“What did you say Paul?”

“Adam I said that you have two daughters.”

“You’re sure Paul? I mean there’s no…..”

“Adam I think I know the difference between a boy and a girl.”

As if the fact that they were both girls wasn’t shocking enough the fact that they were identical was even more so and although most people had a hard time telling them apart their family never did. They didn’t even have to speak for their father to know which was which.

“So tell me Storm do you have names picked for these two.”

“Of course I do after all I have had little else to think about for the past four months.”

“If that were only true. I know you have worried about Benjamin and Elizabeth as well as me.”

“I suppose so but that is something I do all the time.”

“So what names have you come up with?’

“Samantha and Skye.”

CHAPTER 14

When Sammi and Skye were two Storm and Adam anxiously waited to find out if they were expecting two more children. As a precaution Adam had made Storm stay in bed for the past week and it was here that they were awaiting the doctor’s arrival. Mattie, who had come to stay indefinitely, was downstairs with Ben watching over the already existing brood of Adam and Storm Cartwright.

As she sat in bed and studied her husband she could sense something was bothering him. She loved him so very much and hated to be the cause of any worry he might be feeling but knew that she couldn’t prevent him from feeling it.

“Is something wrong Adam?”

“I don’t know Storm. I was just thinking what if it is twins again.”

“If it’s twins then it’s twins. Paul will be here shortly to let us know for sure.” Then something occurred to her. “Are you saying you don’t want it to be twins?”

“You know that I’ll be happy no matter what I just thought you might prefer it not to be.”

“I don’t know Adam, I think I would like it to be twins again.”

“And just why is that?”

“We get to have twice as many children in half the time.”

Paul arrived a few minutes later and after he finished his examination he helped Storm downstairs to join everyone else.

“Paul should she be down here?”

“She’s fine Adam.”

“Yes Paul but are you?”

“What do you mean Storm?”

“I think she means that you almost look as if you’re in shock.”

“Adam I suppose in some small way I am. You see no matter how hard I tried I can hear the heartbeat of only one baby.”

“It’s really not twins?”

“Adam aren’t you happy that our other children were twins?”

“Of course I am, I’m very happy, but it will be nice to know what every other man goes through.”

“But my love you are not every other man.”
Every one could hear in Storm’s voice that she felt as if she had in some way let Adam down so Paul decided to tell her the one thing that might make her enjoy the fact that she would be having only one child this time.

“Storm you do realize that while I do want you to be careful and get as much rest as possible there will be no reason for you to be confined to bed for the last four or five months.”

“That is good news. Isn’t that good Adam?”

“No. Paul you do realize that the only time I had complete peace of mind that she was taking it easy was when she was confined to bed. I mean Mattie can keep an eye on the kids but she can’t watch Storm as well.”

“Then maybe you should hire someone else but I’m sorry Adam I can’t change the fact that you will have only one child this time around.”

“Paul is right Adam. Besides the fact that we’re only having one child is your doing not his.”

“ My doing? Maybe it’s your doing?”

“No it is most definitely your doing.”

 

********

 

Despite Adam’s trepidations Storm behaved herself and was blessed this time to give Adam his namesake. Then when Adam Jr., AJ, was two and a half years old the were again happy to find out that there would be more babies to hold.

“So tell me Paul is it twins?”

Paul noticed that Adam had made asked this question rather smugly and almost as if he knew the answer. “No Adam it’s not twins.”

“So it’s only one baby?”

Paul recognized that Storm sounded a little disappointed. He couldn’t know that it was only because that would mean that Adam was right and therefore she had lost the bet.

“No Storm. Adam I want her to stay in this bed from this point on is that clear?”
“Wait a minute Paul if you told me no when I asked if it were twins and you just now told Storm no when she asked if its only one baby then what is it?”

“Triplets. From what I can tell Adam it’s triplets.”
“But I don’t want to stay in bed. I have five children who need me.”

Paul could tell by the shocked expression still on Adam’s face he would be getting no help from him in placating Storm so he tried to come up with something on his own.

“You know Storm most women with five children would welcome the bed rest.”

“Paul she is not most woman.”

“The very fact that she has given me five grandchildren already is proof of that.”

Adam hadn’t heard his father come in. He supposed it could be because the word triplets kept going through his mind over and over. “Yeah well wait till you hear what she’s going to give you now.”
“What was that Adam?”

“Nothing pa.”

Ben looked questioningly at his son then turned his attention to Paul. “So tell me Paul who was right? Adam swears it will be only one while Storm swears it twins.”

“Ben they both are.”

“What?”

“If you take the one child Adam is expecting and the two that Storm is expecting what do you get?”

“Three Paul you get……Three?”

“Yes three and Paul says I have to stay in bed from now.”

“If he hadn’t I would have. Three? Paul are you sure?”

“Positive, or at least as positive as I can be Ben.”
Ben felt a smile come to his face. “Three.”

Storm watched as everyone turned their eyes on her. She knew they weren’t but she felt as if she were being accused of something.

“Don’t look at me I didn’t do this by myself.”

Paul and Ben looked at Storm’s accomplice.

“You know son she is right, she didn’t do this alone.”
“Don’t look at me.”

“Well it wasn’t anyone else!”

“That’s not what I meant sweetheart.” Adam could see she was upset so he went and sat down on the bed next to her. “I just meant it’s not like this is what I had intended to do.”

“Don’t you want these babies Adam?”

“Of course I want them. What I meant was I hate to see you go through this again.” Adam forgot how sensitive she became and he supposed it would be threefold now.

“So then if you want more babies but you don’t want me to go through what it takes to give them to you then is what you’re saying is that you want another woman to have your children?”

“No love I just meant…..Pa please help me.”

Ben smiled as he looked to Paul. “Isn’t it nice to see that no matter how old they get they still need their father.” Ben went and sat on Storm’s other side. “Storm I think you know what Adam means. You know that he loves you and is just worried.”

“I know. Adam I have never known a better father than you and I’m sorry if I give you too much at once but……” Storm couldn’t say any more once the tears began to fall.

“Sweetheart you don’t give me too much, if anything it’s me who has asked too much of you. You though, you have given me more than any man deserves.”

“My love there will be no reason to worry about me, I’m not even allowed to get out of bed for the next five months so I’ll be doing nothing but rest.”

“That I don’t believe, do you believe that pa?”

Ben smiled. “Not for a minute.”

 

********

Despite everyone’s disbelief Storm did take it easy, or at least easy for Storm. Most nights the kids ate in the bedroom with their mother telling her what they did that day. Adam always waited until Mattie and he had put the children to bed before he would join his wife for supper. He found that Storm usually ate both times. He would tell her of his day, of things their children had done that they had either forgotten or had chose not to tell their mother. There were some nights he would spend reading to her or singing to her.

It was in this way that the time past until the time to welcome child six, seven, and eight arrived. It wasn’t until the night was actually here that Adam began wondering how he was going to survive it. He was thankful that it was after their other children were already asleep that Storm told him to go and fetch Paul. Adam only had to go as far as the guest room because Paul had mercifully suggested after he had examined Storm a week ago that he stay there knowing that Storm would be giving birth any day. Mattie, bless her soul, volunteered to go and get Ben.

“Son what’s wrong?”

“What do you mean pa?”

“I mean you were worried with the others but this time you seem even more so.”
“Maybe that’s because this time there’s three babies.”

“That could be but I don’t think that’s it.”

“Pa, Mrs. Conner died last week giving birth to one child. She was younger than Storm is.”

“Yes she was but then Storm has been through this before and you had better not let her hear you say someone is younger than her.”

“You know pa I never thought I would ever depend on someone like I do her. I don’t mean for food or any kind of physical need but emotionally. I find that whenever I’m feeling tired or alone I just need to think of her and I feel better. If ever things get to be too much I just need to come home and see her and whatever had me worried or upset or angry is forgotten and if I ever start to doubt myself I just need to take her into my arms and look into her eyes and soon I begin to believe I am what I see there even though I know I could never be as perfect as she seems to think. Pa if I lose her I know I’d go on because I’d have five reasons, or maybe I’d have eight, to do so. I’m just not sure what kind of a man I’d be without her.”
“You’d be the man she believes you to be because to be any less would be letting her down but we don’t have to think about any of this because she is going to be fine because to not be would be letting you down.”

Ben and Adam spent the remainder of the time in silence. Adam found himself wishing that his brothers were there instead of in Placerville. He would have to remember to make sure a wire was sent to them. After what seemed like an eternity Paul came downstairs.

“How is she Paul?”

“She’s fine Adam. She’s tired but that I would expect.”

“And the babies?”

“You have done in one evening what it took your father a lot of years and three wives to accomplish. You have three sons Adam and if you have any hopes of seeing your wife awake you had better get on up there. I think she was half asleep before the third one was completely born.”
Adam quietly made his way upstairs and entered the room where Storm was. When Mattie saw him she got up to leave.

“Go on in. She is almost asleep but she’s been holding out in hopes that you’d be up to see her.”

Mattie walked past him and he stood in the doorway looking at the woman who had not only become his world but had helped him create a world of his own making. He had gone from ‘Paradise Lost’ to ‘Paradise Regained’.

“Hey aren’t you going to come and kiss me? I think it’s the least you could do after all I have done.”

“I love you Storm.”

“I know Adam and I love you.”

 

EPILOGUE

Storm watched as the snow fell and reflected on how she and Adam use to love to watch it together. It had been five years since they last had. Had he really left her only five years ago? They had spent many years together but she had always wished for at least one more. Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren had helped her celebrate her eighty-fifth birthday this year but whenever she thought of him she was young again.

It would be dawn soon and also Christmas day. She prayed for only one gift, the only one she wanted and when she opened her eyes she would swear she saw it. It certainly looked like him sitting out there on his horse, she just had to go and see. As she approached him he reached down as he had so many times before and pulled her up into the saddle behind him and rode off and with each step the horse took she became young again.

The following morning Benjamin and Elizabeth got up a little earlier then the others. They loved to share some time before the others would awake and remember their father, uncles, aunts and grandfathers. Their mother had often told them about their birth and the circumstances surrounding it. They had often found it hard to believe that their father had ever loved anyone other than their mother because when he looked at her it was if no other woman existed. They had both expected to find their mother in the same place they had left her last night. They had all tried to get her to go to bed but she had said she just wanted to watch the snow for a few more minutes and promised she would go soon and despite her years their mother was as stubborn as ever. Elizabeth knew she should have never left her mother but she wasn’t young herself and she was tired. They knew that soon all the cousins and their families would be arriving. They decided to go outside and make some snowballs to hide away in a secret spot so that they would be already prepared for the snowball fight that always took place on Christmas day.

They were saddened by what they found but not too shocked. Both could hear the tears in the others voice.

“What do you think she was doing out here Elizabeth?”

“I think, Benjamin, that papa came to give her the only present she wanted.”

“What do you mean?”

“He came and took her with him.”

“You’re not making any sense.”

“No I guess not but I should have known this was coming.”

“Why? Did mama say she wasn’t feeling well or something?”

“No she told me she’s been dreaming of papa for the past two weeks now.”

“Elizabeth mama always dreams of papa.”

“Yes but last night I dreamt of him too, of him and her. I dreamt that papa came and took mama on his horse with him. In my dream I watched as they went riding like they use too. Do you remember Benjamin? Do you remember how mama use to laugh when they did that, how beautiful she was with her hair all flowing behind them in the wind.”

Benjamin took his sister into his arms. “I remember and I guess that’s just what their doing now.”

“How can we be sure?”

Elizabeth looked to where her brother pointed to the horse tracks in the snow. Maybe if they had looked up they would have seen them or maybe they would have just dismissed it as wishful thinking.

“Adam you finally came for me.”

“Yes I did, they finally let me. You were finally ready to come.”

Storm knew she had held on for her children, for his children, but he had come to her in her dreams and told her that they no longer needed her, that they were old enough to take care of themselves and besides he needed her more.

“Adam do you really think they’ll be alright.”

“They will be fine and besides we can come and see them every now and then. Now let’s go there are some people who can’t wait to see you.”

“I guess I’m the last one aren’t I.”

“Yes you are which only proves that you are the most stubborn one.”

“I’m sorry Adam, I’m sorry that I kept you waiting.”

“It’s alright sweetheart, it was longer for you than for me and now we have eternity.”

Storm knew Adam was right. She knew it would seem like no time at all before they would all be together for eternity.

Next Story in the Storm series:

Ante Up
Love Lost, Destiny Found