Summary:\u00a0 The Cartwrights have a troublesome dispute on their hands and Adam has a new love interest, both of which, influence the day to day happenings of the entire family as they live and work together on the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n
Rating: T \u00a0Word Count: 91,250<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Truth Begets a Peaceful Heart<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em>Chapter 1<\/strong><\/p>\n Ben Cartwright buttoned his dress shirt and smiled as he listened to his three sons getting ready for the spring dance.\u00a0 He was glad the constant bickering of the past few weeks had been replaced with gentle teasing.\u00a0 It was the same every spring.\u00a0 When the winter snows thawed, the boys found themselves knee deep in mud and slush.\u00a0 This winter had been particularly harsh and they had spent week after miserable week repairing damaged fence lines, clearing debris out of ice-cold creeks, and rescuing stubborn calves out of muddy bogs.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t surprising tempers had flared and fists had threatened to fly.\u00a0 But now, with the dirtiest of jobs done, they could all heave a sigh of relief and turn their attention toward more pleasant pursuits.\u00a0 With a ranch the size of the Ponderosa, the work was never ending, but he had learned long ago how important it was for the boys\u2019 morale and his own sanity to take time out for a little fun.\u00a0 With the exception of a trip to town yesterday for supplies, none of the boys had been to Virginia City in weeks, so it was no surprise they were all in good humor and looking forward to tonight\u2019s dance.<\/p>\n ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~<\/p>\n Adam put his foot on the trunk at the end of his bed and bent over to brush a scuff mark from his dress boot.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Adam, can yuh help me with this dang tie?\u201d Hoss asked, wrinkling his nose at his reflection in the mirror.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t seem to get it straight.\u201d<\/p>\n Finished with his boot, Adam tossed the brush on his bed and walked over to Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cAll right, but pay attention this time, will yuh?\u201d He lifted the collar to Hoss\u2019 shirt and frowned.\u00a0 \u201cHow come you don\u2019t have a top button?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know, just ain\u2019t got one.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe stopped combing his hair long enough to glance at Hoss and shake his head in amazement.\u00a0 \u201cYou mean to tell me you still don\u2019t have a button on that shirt!\u00a0 It\u2019s been missing since the box social.\u201d<\/p>\n Unconcerned, Hoss shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, I reckon it has, but it don\u2019t matter none, my collar\u2019s too dang tight with it buttoned anyhow.\u00a0 Besides,\u201d he added with a twinkle in his eye, \u201cif I show up lookin\u2019 too spiffy, you two won\u2019t stand a chance with the ladies.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam rolled his eyes in amusement.\u00a0 \u201cThanks, Hoss, but Bessie Sue is all yours.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss gave him an earnest look.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t make fun, Adam, for a big gal, she sure can whirl around the dance floor.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam caught the look of disbelief crossing Little Joe\u2019s face and smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll say,\u201d Joe exclaimed with a shake of his head.\u00a0 \u201cShe dang near whirled me into the next town the last time I <\/em>danced with her.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss twisted to look at Little Joe, but Adam took a firm hold of his collar and yanked him back.\u00a0 Surprised, Hoss grinned at him before giving Little Joe a sideways look.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, well, if you weren\u2019t so puny, little brother, you could handle a real woman.\u201d\u00a0 His declaration was accompanied by a self-satisfied smirk.<\/p>\n \u201cHah!\u201d Joe retorted, reaching for Adam\u2019s bay rum.\u00a0 \u201cI may not be as big as you, yuh big galoot, but I can hold my own with any normal-sized gal.\u201d\u00a0 With a smug smile he sniffed the cologne appreciatively.\u00a0 Pouring a generous amount into his palm, he rubbed his hands together and carefully gave his cheeks a pat.<\/p>\n Hoss glowered at him.\u00a0 \u201cLittle Joe,\u201d he warned, \u201cif you make fun of Bessie Sue one more time, I swear I\u2019m gonna bash yuh!\u201d<\/p>\n Satisfied with his handiwork, Adam jumped into the conversation, interrupting their teasing before it got out of hand.\u00a0 He\u2019d already been pulled into a number of petty squabbles between these two and he had no intention of getting mixed up in yet another one.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cOkay, Hoss, you\u2019re all set and I, for one, don\u2019t intend to waste any more time debating the charms of Miss Bessie Sue Hightower.\u00a0 I defer to your opinion.\u201d\u00a0 Adam smiled and gave Hoss a friendly pat on the cheek, successfully diffusing his indignation.<\/p>\n Hoss gave Little Joe a triumphant look and then hurriedly reached for his tan coat.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t want to waste any more time talking about Bessie Sue, either; not when he could be dancing with her.\u00a0 He blushed at the thought.\u00a0 It was true, Bessie Sue was a big gal all right, a real armful, but she was his<\/em> armful and he\u2019d only put up with so much teasing.<\/p>\n Having donned his suit coat, Adam grabbed Little Joe\u2019s arm in annoyance and firmly tugged the bottle of cologne out of his hand.\u00a0 \u201cGive me that before you drown in it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey! What\u2019s the big idea?\u201d Joe asked, reluctantly letting go.<\/p>\n \u201cTrust me little brother, if you want to attract the women, a little of this will go a long way\u2026it\u2019s\u2026ah\u2026more enticing that way.\u201d\u00a0 Smiling, he gave his baby brother a knowing look and then firmly corked the bottle of cologne before heading out the door.<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s eyes widened and a conspiratorial smile lit his face as he followed him into the hallway.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, Adam, for once I think you might be right.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam turned and grinned while Little Joe, eager to get going, called down the hall for their father.\u00a0 \u201cHey Pa! You ready?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben emerged from his room fully dressed in a dark blue suit and silver brocade vest.\u00a0 \u201cYes, Joseph, I\u2019m ready.\u00a0 There\u2019s no need to shout.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe appraised his father\u2019s appearance and gave him a wink.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re looking mighty fine, Pa.\u00a0 If looks have anything to do with it, at least two of the Cartwright men are gonna have a good time tonight!\u201d<\/p>\n Adam looked at his father and gave him a wink of his own.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re right, Joe.\u00a0 Pa and I should have a fine time.\u201d\u00a0 Adam, handsomely dressed in a black suit and fancy vest, smirked as he whisked past his younger brother, taking the lead down the stairs.\u00a0 Little Joe made a face and followed Adam, fairly certain he cut a more dashing figure in his new grey suit.\u00a0 Ben came next, an amused expression on his face and Hoss brought up the rear, having stopped to use some of Adam\u2019s cologne.<\/p>\n Chapter<\/strong> 2<\/strong><\/p>\n The town hall was decorated, the musicians were playing, and the dance was in full swing.\u00a0 Standing at the punch bowl, Ben merrily tapped his foot in time to the music as he filled his glass.\u00a0 After taking a tentative sip, he politely stepped away from the table and found a spot where he could observe the festivities.\u00a0 He chuckled when he caught sight of Adam gallantly offering Abigail Jones his arm.\u00a0 Miss Abigail was Virginia City\u2019s school mistress and she considered herself to be the perfect match for his 29-year-old college educated son.\u00a0 While Adam didn\u2019t share her opinion, to his credit, he usually took her unwanted attention and his brothers\u2019 endless jokes in stride.<\/p>\n Unbeknownst to Ben, however, Adam was having a hard time living up to that reputation tonight.\u00a0 In fact, his patience was wearing exceedingly thin.\u00a0 Abigail\u2019s unrelenting pursuit was making it impossible for him to even look at another woman, let alone approach one.\u00a0 Embarrassed by her attention and annoyed at having to sidestep her at every turn, he\u2019d finally given in and asked her to dance in the hopes that her pride and sense of etiquette would put an end to her bothersome attempts to monopolize his time.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the possessive way she was clinging to his arm told him he\u2019d made a huge mistake.\u00a0 Too late to turn tail and run, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and spin her around the dance floor with a modicum of grace and charm.<\/p>\n Ben caught Adam\u2019s eye and cast him a commiserative glance, thankful his own pesky admirer, the Widow Hawkins, was not in attendance.\u00a0 Clementine was just as persistent, if not more so, than Abigail.\u00a0 He shuddered at the unpleasant thought and left Adam to fend for himself while he searched the crowd for his youngest.\u00a0 His eyes were immediately drawn to a group of young ladies across the room.\u00a0 Sure enough, his 17-year-old son was in their midst.\u00a0 That boy! <\/em>he thought, shaking his head.\u00a0 He\u2019s got too much charm for his own good<\/em>, but at least he\u2019s behaving<\/em>.\u00a0 In preparation for the dance, he\u2019d had a serious talk with Little Joe about the responsibilities of being a gentleman and the impropriety of leaving the hall for a moonlight stroll.\u00a0 He\u2019d made it implicitly clear he would be very unhappy<\/em> if there was another incident like the one marring the box social last fall.\u00a0 It had taken him the better part of an hour to calm down Trinity Parker\u2019s angry father after he\u2019d caught Little Joe and his daughter \u201cstrolling\u201d behind the barn.\u00a0 Thank goodness they were only kissing,<\/em> Ben thought as he watched his youngest bestow a handsome smile on the Jenkins\u2019 middle girl.\u00a0 With another shake of his head, he looked away and sought out his own middle child.<\/p>\n True to form, Hoss was on the dance floor with Bessie Sue.\u00a0 His blue eyes twinkled and his cheeks were flushed as he danced a lively reel.\u00a0 Ben\u2019s smile broadened at the sight of him having such a good time and the pleasant memory of Adam patiently teaching Hoss to dance, night after agonizing night, came to mind.\u00a0 At 6\u20194\u201d and 250 pounds, Hoss had been afraid of looking silly, or worse yet, stomping on some poor gal\u2019s feet.\u00a0 But with Adam\u2019s encouragement, he\u2019d kept at it and to his own amazement he had discovered he was actually light on his feet.\u00a0 And once he\u2019d discovered dancing with a girl was a whole lot easier than talking to one, he began to look forward to the dances just as much as his more confident older brother.\u00a0 Now, at 23-years-old, Hoss could kick up his heels with the best of them.<\/p>\n Immersed in the memory and wondering where the time had gone, he was pulled from his thoughts by a familiar voice.\u00a0 \u201cEvening Ben!\u201d<\/p>\n Smiling, Ben turned to Sheriff Coffee and greeted him with a hearty hand shake.\u00a0 Roy was a good friend and he greatly admired his ability to keep the peace in a town teeming with rough miners, loggers, ranch hands, and drifters.\u00a0 \u201cRoy! Good to see you!\u201d<\/p>\n Roy nodded toward the dance floor, a playful smile on his face.\u00a0 \u201cYou, too, but I\u2019m kinda surprised to see you standing here by yourself.\u00a0 It seems to me a gent like you oughta be able to find a willing partner.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben stood a little taller and puffed out his chest with mock indignation.\u00a0 \u201cFor your information, I\u2019ve already had several dances.\u201d\u00a0 He nodded at Roy.\u00a0 \u201cWhat about you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEvening\u2019s still young,\u201d he replied with a chuckle that abruptly died in his throat when he spotted a couple of trouble makers coming into the hall.<\/p>\n Curious about his sudden change in expression, Ben followed his gaze.\u00a0 Tom Logan\u2019s two sons, Dave and Pete, were coming in the door.\u00a0 \u201cNow, Roy, you\u2019ve got nothing to worry about,\u201d he said, reassuring him.\u00a0 \u201cTom and I took our dispute to the judge and it\u2019s all settled now.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure they\u2019re only here to enjoy the dance the same as everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m<\/em> not so sure, not after what happened between Adam and Dave in the Silver Dollar yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n Caught unaware, Ben bristled.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t told of any trouble.\u00a0 \u201cIs there something I should know about?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour boys didn\u2019t tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s expression darkened and he shook his head.<\/p>\n Roy raised an eyebrow in surprise.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t like Adam to keep this kind of trouble from his Pa.\u00a0 Well, no matter, he didn\u2019t have time to puzzle on it.\u00a0 He intended to fill Ben in on what happened and if that landed his boys in hot water, so be it, after all they\u2019d lit the kindling themselves.\u00a0 \u201cThey ran into the Logans at the Silver Dollar yesterday and things got out of hand.\u00a0 It seems Dave and Pete were spouting off about you cheating their Pa by paying off Judge Riley.\u00a0 Something about there not being anything in writing about no water rights agreement.\u00a0 Naturally, your boys didn\u2019t take too kindly to their accusations and things started to heat up.\u00a0 Sam sent for me and when I walked in, Adam and Dave was just about to draw on one another.\u00a0 I broke it up and sent \u2018em all packing, but I\u2019d be surprised if that was the end of it.\u00a0 There\u2019s some bad blood between those boys now.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben drew a deep breath, none too pleased to hear this bit of news.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll see to it my boys don\u2019t do anything rash.\u00a0 The last thing I want is a feud on our hands.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy nodded, confident Ben would do just that.\u00a0 \u201cThem two would be fools to start a ruckus here, but I\u2019ll keep an eye on \u2018em just the same.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben gave him a grateful pat on the back and then headed off to find his eldest.\u00a0 Spotting him a short distance away with Ross and Delphine and the ever present Abigail, he managed to make eye contact and with an almost imperceptible jerk of his head summoned Adam to his side.\u00a0 Ross caught the exchange and grinned.\u00a0 Knowing the Cartwrights the way he did, he could see ol\u2019 Ben was riled and it didn\u2019t bode well for his friend.\u00a0 Adam ignored his amusement and politely excused himself from the ladies, eliciting a soft chuckle from Ross.<\/p>\n Adam sighed to himself as he made his way over to his father.\u00a0 Roy must have told him about his run-in with Dave.\u00a0 He\u2019d taken note of Dave and Pete\u2019s arrival, but as far as he was concerned, he had no intention of being goaded into any action that would foolishly endanger innocent bystanders.\u00a0 In a situation where he had no other choice, he wouldn\u2019t hesitate to defend himself or his family, but this was neither the time nor the place. \u00a0Regrettably, he hadn\u2019t exercised as much control yesterday.\u00a0 He\u2019d lost his temper the same as his hot-headed little brother.\u00a0 Reaching his father\u2019s side, he spoke first, his voice discreet.\u00a0 \u201cI take it Roy told you about our little disagreement with the Logans yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben took his arm and drew him close so they wouldn\u2019t be overheard, but while he matched Adam\u2019s hushed tone, his words were razor sharp.\u00a0 \u201cIs that what you call resorting to gunplay?\u00a0 A little<\/em> disagreement?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam eyed his father.\u00a0 His outward appearance gave nothing away, but there was no mistaking the anger simmering beneath the surface.\u00a0 Well, he wasn\u2019t surprised.\u00a0 This wasn\u2019t the kind of thing his father took lightly.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cPa\u2014\u201d he began but got no further.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, Adam, you shouldn\u2019t have let a couple of loudmouths get to you like that, but we\u2019ll talk about that later, right now just help me keep an eye on your brothers and try to head off any trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam nodded, grateful for the reprieve.\u00a0 \u201cSure, Pa, don\u2019t worry.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think Little Joe and Hoss even know the Logans are here.\u00a0 Little Joe hasn\u2019t taken his eyes off Sarah Jenkins all evening and Bessie Sue has Hoss\u2019 undivided attention.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, let\u2019s just hope the Logans don\u2019t take any notice of them<\/em>,\u201d he said, tightening his grip.\u00a0 \u201cAnd see to it you keep your own temper in check.\u201d<\/p>\n Irritated at being in a position usually reserved for his little brother, Adam glanced down at the floor.\u00a0 His response was quiet, but conveyed a definite challenge to his father\u2019s remark.\u00a0 \u201cYou know I wouldn\u2019t start any trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s expression softened, aware his worry had caused him to speak unfairly.\u00a0 Adam could be hot-tempered, but the days of him instigating any trouble were long gone.\u00a0 \u201cJust be careful,\u201d he said without any edge.<\/p>\n Detecting the concern in his voice, the wisp of tension between them vanished as quickly as it had risen.\u00a0 Adam gave him a parting smile and headed off.\u00a0 As he made his way, his eyes swept the room and he briefly watched the Logan brothers cavorting with their usual crowd before turning his attention to other, more pleasant matters.\u00a0 He smiled when he found the person he was looking for.\u00a0 At least Pa\u2019s summons had gotten him out of Abigail\u2019s clutches.<\/p>\n Chapter<\/strong> 3<\/strong><\/p>\n Lillian, the Reverend Walker\u2019s wife, was pleased to see Adam Cartwright approach.\u00a0 It was the perfect opportunity to introduce her cousin, Eleanor DeWitt.\u00a0 Ellie was visiting from Boston and Lily ardently hoped she would decide to stay on permanently.\u00a0 Her husband Daniel had died the previous spring and with no other ties to the city, Lily saw no reason for her cousin to stay back east.\u00a0 She had just sold his thriving book publishing company and that, combined with several profitable investments, had allowed her to support herself and her ten-year-old son quite comfortably.\u00a0 And that, thought Lily, was the problem.\u00a0 Her cousin was far too young to lead a comfortable life devoid of passion.\u00a0 Ellie had been deeply in love with her husband, and after Daniel had died, she had thrown all her love and energy into making a good life for their son, failing to see she was neglecting herself.\u00a0 Lily was sure the excitement of moving west and starting a new life would ignite the banked fire in Ellie; now, if she could only convince dear Eleanor!<\/p>\n \u201cAdam, so good to see you,\u201d Lily said as she extended one hand to Adam and drew Ellie closer with the other.\u00a0 \u201cI was beginning to wonder if you\u2019d come over.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam smiled engagingly, making sure to include both women.\u00a0 \u201cNow, Lily, you know I wouldn\u2019t ignore you.\u201d<\/p>\n Lily noted his interested gaze with delight.\u00a0 \u201cEleanor, this is Adam Cartwright.\u00a0 Adam, this is my cousin, Mrs. Eleanor DeWitt.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam politely inclined his head.\u00a0 \u201cA pleasure to meet you Mrs. DeWitt.\u201d\u00a0 He\u2019d heard Lily\u2019s widowed cousin was visiting, but had no idea she was so lovely until tonight.<\/p>\n Ellie graced him with a pleasant smile, aware the Cartwrights were good friends and important members of the congregation.\u00a0 \u201cPlease, call me Ellie, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d\u00a0 She hoped she wasn\u2019t being too forward, but being addressed as Mrs. DeWitt only reminded her of her loss and she was desperately trying to take Lily\u2019s advice and put her sadness behind her.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, if you\u2019ll call me Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded in acknowledgement and then looked to Lily, hoping her cousin would take charge of the conversation.\u00a0 She was disturbingly unprepared for her reaction to this man and found herself at a loss for words.\u00a0 He was tall, dark and strikingly handsome, things she hadn\u2019t noticed in a man for quite some time and she felt somewhat guilty thinking about it now.\u00a0 Much to her dismay, Lily failed to rescue her.<\/p>\n \u201cEllie, dear, if you\u2019ll excuse me, I need to check on the refreshments.\u201d\u00a0 She smiled at Adam.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t mind keeping Ellie company, do you Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all, in fact, I was hoping she would favor me with a dance.\u201d\u00a0 He looked at Ellie and smiled.\u00a0 \u201cMay I?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026I\u2026I\u2026don\u2019t know.\u00a0 I mean I would love to, but I really should be getting home to Mathew.\u201d\u00a0 Oh, this is ridiculous<\/em>, she thought, it\u2019s only a dance<\/em>.<\/p>\n He gave her a curious look.\u00a0 \u201cMathew?\u201d<\/p>\n Lily stopped to explain as she gave Ellie a little push.\u00a0 \u201cMathew is Ellie\u2019s ten-year-old son, who at the moment is probably beating the apron strings off Mrs. Wilkins in a game of checkers.\u00a0 Now, go on, enjoy yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n Not wishing to appear ungracious, Ellie politely acquiesced and much to her surprise, her nervousness vanished almost as soon as they took to the dance floor.\u00a0 Adam was a confident dancer and expertly led her through the turns of the dance.\u00a0 She matched him step for step gracefully gliding about the floor.\u00a0 By the time the music came to an end, her cheeks were pink and her eyes bright from enjoyment.<\/p>\n Adam smiled down at her, his eyes still dancing.\u00a0 \u201cShall we?\u201d he asked as the musicians struck up a waltz.\u00a0 This time she didn\u2019t hesitate.<\/p>\n Lily hurriedly replenished the cookies and cakes and then sat down next to her husband on one of the benches fringing the dance floor.\u00a0 Noticing two hopeful wallflowers sitting nearby, she immediately began scanning the room looking for suitable dance partners.\u00a0 In her quest, she spotted Adam and Ellie and sighed with contentment.\u00a0 \u201cThey make a handsome couple, don\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n Struggling to balance his cake and coffee, Cliff Walker frowned in puzzlement.\u00a0 \u201cWho?\u201d he asked with barely a glance.<\/p>\n Lily gave him an impatient look and took his cup.\u00a0 \u201cEllie and Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n With a groan, Cliff lowered his fork and gave his wife his full attention, his right eyebrow arching disapprovingly.\u00a0 \u201cMatchmaking again?\u201d<\/p>\n Lily peeked at her husband from behind lowered lashes.\u00a0 As the reverend\u2019s wife she took great pains to make sure her behavior was above reproach, but she couldn\u2019t help being a hopeless romantic and much to her husband\u2019s embarrassment, she had earned herself a bit of a reputation.\u00a0 Giving Cliff a sheepish smile, she affectionately took his arm.\u00a0 \u201cOh Cliff!\u201d she exclaimed.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t help it, I just want everyone to be as happy as we are, especially Ellie.\u201d<\/p>\n Cliff smiled indulgently and nodded.\u00a0 He knew his wife\u2019s intentions were good, even if things didn\u2019t always turn out as planned.\u00a0 Lily rewarded him with a radiant smile.\u00a0 \u201cOh look!\u201d she said with excitement.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re stepping outside!\u201d<\/p>\n Perspiring from the exertion, Adam took Ellie into the courtyard and found a quiet spot away from the young couples who\u2019d stepped outside to steal a kiss in the moonlight.\u00a0 Out of habit, he quickly glanced around, half expecting to see Little Joe.\u00a0 Satisfied the young lothario was nowhere in sight, he turned to Ellie.\u00a0 \u201cEnjoying yourself?\u201d he asked with a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yes, Adam.\u00a0 Thank you.\u00a0 \u00a0I haven\u2019t danced like that in ages.\u201d\u00a0 Her cheeks were flushed and she was slightly out of breath.<\/p>\n Adam smiled and discreetly admired her beauty in the moonlight.\u00a0 Her dark hair was simply adorned and shimmered in the soft light.\u00a0 Her gown was elegant and fit her in a way he couldn\u2019t help but appreciate.\u00a0 \u201cYou could have fooled me, you danced beautifully.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s very kind of you to say, but I know I\u2019m a bit rusty.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t danced at all since\u2026well since\u2026.\u201d\u00a0 Ellie\u2019s eyes glistened at the memory.\u00a0 \u201cMy husband and I used to attend all the charity balls.\u00a0 Daniel loved to dance and we made it a point to keep abreast of the latest steps.\u201d\u00a0 Helpless to stop it, a wistful look overcame her and she momentarily lost herself in her memories.\u00a0 She was embarrassed when she came back to the present and found Adam giving her a thoughtful look.\u00a0 \u201cForgive me.\u00a0 Lily keeps telling me I need to live in the present.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam smiled warmly and took her hand in his.\u00a0 \u201cMemories are a wonderful thing\u2026 it\u2019s important to remember our loved ones\u2026the things they taught us and the moments we shared\u2026it\u2019s part of who we are today.\u201d<\/p>\n Ellie looked into Adam\u2019s eyes, touched by his tenderness and understanding and wondered\u00a0about those\u00a0he had lost.\u00a0 \u201cYes, I agree,\u201d she said softly.\u00a0 \u201cBut getting back to the present, I really should be going.\u00a0 Mathew can be quite a handful and I\u2019m sure Mrs. Wilkins must be exhausted by now.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam nodded, but before he took her back inside, he spoke up, eager to claim more of her time.\u00a0 \u201cI, uh, hope you don\u2019t think I\u2019m being too forward, but I\u2019d like to see you again and meet your son, too, maybe take you both to the lake, have a picnic, do a little fishing?\u00a0 What do you say?\u201d<\/p>\n Ellie hesitated, caught off guard by the invitation.\u00a0 She was admittedly attracted to Adam and it unsettled her.\u00a0 Since becoming a widow, she\u2019d become adept at avoiding the unwanted attention of gentlemen callers, finding it much too difficult to accept even the most innocent invitations.\u00a0 But now, faced with Adam\u2019s invitation, she was startled to find the idea of seeing him again was actually very pleasing.\u00a0 She met Adam\u2019s gaze and nodded, giving him a genuine smile.\u00a0 \u201cI say that sounds quite nice.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s eyes sparkled and the smile he bestowed on her brought out the dimples in his cheeks. \u00a0\u201cI wish it could be tomorrow, but I\u2019m afraid I have a busy week.\u00a0 Will next Sunday be all right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, of course, that\u2019ll be fine,\u201d she replied, feeling a little flutter in her stomach, but whether it was from nerves or excitement she wasn\u2019t quite sure.<\/p>\n Smiling, he took her hand and they headed back inside, their progress suddenly halted by a man barring their way through the courtyard doors.\u00a0 Adam looked with distaste at Dave Logan.\u00a0 \u201cExcuse us,\u201d he said, leveling a cold stare.<\/p>\n Dave glared at him through blood-shot eyes, a bitter smile on his face.\u00a0 \u201cSure, Cartwright, no problem.\u201d\u00a0 He unhurriedly stepped aside.<\/p>\n Recognizing the game for what it was, Adam held his glare until they passed and then once again softened his expression as he turned back to Ellie and guided her through the crowd.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam?\u201d she asked, questioning the exchange.<\/p>\n He smiled and shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like someone dipped into the punch bowl one too many times,\u201d he replied, dismissing the incident.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t about to let Dave Logan worry Ellie or ruin the rest of his evening.<\/p>\n Ellie accepted his explanation and readily put the unpleasantness behind her as Adam escorted her to the entrance where the Walkers were waiting.\u00a0 Turning to him, she quietly thanked him for the pleasant evening while Lily shamelessly moved closer to listen.\u00a0 She smiled when she heard the happy lilt in Ellie\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n Cliff shot Adam a sympathetic look as they shook hands and in a hushed tone, offered to intervene.\u00a0 \u201cJust say the word, Adam, and I\u2019ll put a stop to Lily\u2019s meddling.\u201d<\/p>\n Smiling, Adam whispered back.\u00a0 \u201cThanks, Cliff, but I\u2019ve got no objections.\u201d<\/p>\n Having a pretty good idea what the men folk were talking about, Lily stepped closer and bid Adam a warm goodnight with a kiss to the cheek.<\/p>\n Pleased, Adam saw them out and then leaned against the doorframe and smiled into the darkness as the trio made their way down the street.\u00a0 He chided himself for being so captivated, but made no move to pull his eyes away until Ellie rounded the corner and was out of sight.\u00a0 With a besotted sigh, embarrassingly reminiscent of his little brother, he turned around and headed back inside.\u00a0 Much to his alarm, he ran smack dab into Abigail Jones.\u00a0 Pouncing on him like a cat after its prey, she latched onto his arm and possessively pulled him into the hall, admonishing him for neglecting her.\u00a0 Irritated, he came close to setting her straight, but his innate sense of decorum worked to her advantage and he managed to curb his tongue.\u00a0 He knew Abigail was a sensitive soul and as much as he wanted to be rid of her, he managed a smile and accompanied her to the dance floor.<\/p>\n Nearby, another woman, hoping to catch Adam\u2019s attention, watched the proceedings with a wistful look.\u00a0 With the evening drawing to an end, Mercy knew she\u2019d lost her chance to speak with him.\u00a0 She sighed painfully and retrieved her wrap.\u00a0 Perhaps it was for the best.<\/p>\n Chapter<\/strong> 4<\/strong><\/p>\n Hop Sing came from the kitchen with a second platter of ham and eggs and a fresh pot of coffee.\u00a0 \u201cMore coffee, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, thank you, Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss made a reach for the platter but Hop Sing was too quick.\u00a0 \u201cYou eat too much already,\u201d he said firmly.\u00a0 \u201cLeave some for Little Joe.\u00a0 He too skinny.\u201d<\/p>\n Right on cue, Little Joe bounded down the stairs and took his place at the table.\u00a0 \u201cMornin\u2019 everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben and Adam greeted him, but Hoss could only watch in dismay as Hop Sing spooned a heaping portion of eggs onto Little Joe\u2019s plate.\u00a0 \u201cAw, Hop Sing, I didn\u2019t get nearly enough of them eggs to fill me up,\u201d he said, complaining.<\/p>\n Hop Sing waved the spoon at him and delivered a scolding.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe not, but I think you get plenty full anyway\u2014full from donuts you steal from kitchen! Donuts were for boys on range, not sneaky big boy.\u00a0 Now I got plenty big work!\u201d\u00a0 With a huff he turned and stalked back into the kitchen muttering in his native tongue.<\/p>\n Joe cackled.\u00a0 \u201cYou better watch yourself big brother or you\u2019ll be eating rabbit food for lunch and I hear tell Bessie Sue don\u2019t like her men too skinny.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss gulped and nervously looked toward the kitchen.\u00a0 \u201cAw, Hop Sing wouldn\u2019t hold a grudge clear to lunch time.\u201d\u00a0 He scrunched his nose.\u00a0 \u201cWould he?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben smiled at the exchange.\u00a0 He knew darn well Hop Sing would have sulked all day if Hoss hadn\u2019t snitched a few donuts.\u00a0 \u201cSpeaking of Bessie Sue, did she enjoy the dance last night?\u201d\u00a0 He already knew the answer, but wanted to give his son a chance to crow about it.<\/p>\n Hoss brightened.\u00a0 \u201cShe sure did, Pa.\u00a0 We danced so much my feet still ache!\u201d\u00a0 His exclamation was paired with a furtive glance toward the kitchen.\u00a0 Satisfied Hop Sing was nowhere in sight, he hastily scooped a good portion of eggs off Little Joe\u2019s plate.<\/p>\n Ben shook his head and turned his attention to his youngest, who was busy grinning at his brother, glad to be rid of all that food.\u00a0 \u201cWhat about you, Little Joe?\u00a0 You have a good time?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe gave him an enthusiastic nod.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, Pa, I had a great time.\u00a0 Sarah\u2019s a nice girl and a real good dancer, too.\u201d\u00a0 Joe smiled dreamily at the memory.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t tell his Pa, but the best thing about the dance was holding Sarah in his arms.\u00a0 He\u2019d held her at a respectable distance, of course, but even still, she\u2019d managed to stir his imagination.\u00a0 He\u2019d longed to kiss her, but his father\u2019s edict had made it impossible.\u00a0 Unfortunately, just thinking about the unfairness of it all put a scowl on his face.\u00a0 \u201cIt sure woulda been nice to get a breath of fresh air, though.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam raised a quizzical eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cOh? Why is that? I didn\u2019t notice the hall being particularly stuffy.\u201d\u00a0 His face was the picture of innocence, but Little Joe knew better.\u00a0 He shot him an irritated glance prompting Adam to smile into his coffee cup.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not fair.\u00a0 How come it\u2019s all right for Adam to take a moonlight stroll with a pretty girl?\u201d he complained.<\/p>\n \u201cNot a pretty girl<\/em>, little brother, a pretty woman<\/em> and that<\/em> is the difference,\u201d Adam said with an air of authority.<\/p>\n Little Joe didn\u2019t hesitate to dispute his remark.\u00a0 \u201cOkay, so she\u2019s older, but Pa said a man should always protect a woman\u2019s reputation.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t that right, Pa?\u201d He looked at his father for confirmation.<\/p>\n Ben wiped his mouth with his napkin and nodded in agreement.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s right, Joe, and I\u2019m pleased you remembered it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but what about Adam?\u00a0 It seems to me he took an awful long<\/em> stroll.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam smirked at his youngest brother while Hoss let out a loud guffaw.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, Adam, Miss Abigail must have thought so too.\u00a0 She sure was pacing up a storm.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam groaned at the mention of Abigail Jones.\u00a0 \u201cI swear that woman is a menace,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n Ben smiled.\u00a0 Surely Adam didn\u2019t think he could be put off that easily.\u00a0 \u201cWell, son, what were<\/em> you doing out in the moonlight with a pretty woman all that time?\u201d His expression was serious, but his eyes were full of merriment.<\/p>\n Adam quirked an eyebrow and met his father\u2019s gaze.\u00a0 \u201cGetting a breath of fresh air, Pa.\u00a0 What else?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben smiled in amusement and resolved to satisfy his curiosity later that evening.<\/p>\n Catching his inquisitive look, Adam groaned inwardly.\u00a0 His father seemed to be taking an inordinate amount of interest in his personal life lately.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I bet,\u201d Joe snorted.<\/p>\n Ben glanced at him and shook his head, deciding to put a stop to the conversation before it got out of hand.\u00a0 Now that breakfast was done, it was time to question his sons and he had a feeling that would be trouble enough.\u00a0 \u201cAll right, Joe, that\u2019s enough.\u00a0 There\u2019s something else we need to discuss.\u201d<\/p>\n The change in his tone indicated it was something more serious than moonlight strolls, but while his brothers had no clue, Adam knew exactly what was coming and unwittingly sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Ben said, nodding at him.\u00a0 \u201cI want to know exactly how you got yourself mixed up in a gunfight.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced around the table.\u00a0 \u201cAnd why none of you felt it was necessary to tell me.\u201d\u00a0 He shook his head in disapproval.\u00a0 \u201cIf we\u2019ve got trouble with the Logans, don\u2019t you think I need to know about it?\u00a0 Now start talking.\u201d<\/p>\n It was a command met with silence and he was irritated to see his sons exchanging furtive glances, no doubt trying to figure out how much they should tell.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m waiting,\u201d he snapped in a tone that brooked no nonsense.<\/p>\n Resigned to it, Adam spoke up.\u00a0 \u201cLook, Pa, you already know Dave and Pete were badmouthing you.\u00a0 They were saying you bribed Judge Riley to rule in our favor and uphold the water rights agreement.\u00a0 I lost my temper.\u00a0 Dave and I exchanged words and, well, one thing led to another.\u00a0 I know I shouldn\u2019t have let him get to me like that.\u201d\u00a0 He shrugged and tried to ignore the twinge of guilt at not mentioning Little Joe\u2019s part in the incident.<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s eyes burned into Adam\u2019s.\u00a0 \u201cYou could have gotten yourself killed.\u00a0 And for what?\u00a0 A little name calling!\u201d<\/p>\n Adam ducked his head and lowered his eyes in acceptance of the reprimand and Ben would have let the matter drop if he hadn\u2019t caught the look of relief crossing Little Joe\u2019s face.\u00a0 If Adam\u2019s temper had flared; no doubt Little Joe\u2019s had too.\u00a0 He suspected Adam was covering for him and when Little Joe came to his defense, he was sure of it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not Adam\u2019s fault, Pa.\u00a0 You should\u2019ve heard \u2018em spouting off about how they was gonna knock you down a peg or two.\u201d\u00a0 He felt guilty about Adam getting into trouble with Pa, but not enough to admit his part in the incident, especially if Adam was willing to cover for him.\u00a0 Pa had just given him permission to wear his sidearm into town and he didn\u2019t want to jeopardize it.\u00a0 Besides, he already knew he\u2019d gone off half-cocked, so there wasn\u2019t any reason to upset Pa with all the pesky little details, was there?\u00a0 Heck, it wasn\u2019t as if he\u2019d gotten off free.\u00a0 Adam had dressed him down good.<\/p>\n Hoss nodded his head in agreement with Little Joe.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, it was downright infuriating, Pa.\u00a0 I felt like bashin\u2019 their heads together myself.\u00a0 Why it\u2019s no wonder Little Joe up and done what he did.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s eyes narrowed and Hoss realized his mistake.<\/p>\n Little Joe sent a silent plea to Adam hoping he would intervene, but Adam just shook his head in resignation.\u00a0 Why couldn\u2019t his younger brothers learn to keep their mouths shut?<\/p>\n Seeking confirmation of what his fatherly instincts already told him, Ben questioned his middle son.\u00a0 \u201cAnd what was that, Hoss?\u00a0 What did Little Joe do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh?\u201d Hoss asked miserably.<\/p>\n \u201cYou said Little Joe did something, what was it?\u201d he repeated firmly.<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026sir\u2026uh\u2026I reckon he lost his temper\u2026and uh\u2026\u201d Hoss stammered.\u00a0 He hated to get his brother into trouble, but he wouldn\u2019t tell an outright lie to Pa, not even for Little Joe.\u00a0 \u201cWell things got kind of heated\u2026and Joe told Dave if he didn\u2019t shut up, he was gonna make<\/em> him shut up\u2026and then Dave told Joe he wasn\u2019t man enough\u2026and then\u2026\u201d he paused to steal a glance at Little Joe before continuing, \u201cand then Joe challenged him to a draw.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s eyes widened in disbelief and then his voice thundered and his hand cracked down on the table, making the plates rattle and his sons wince.\u00a0 \u201cHe WHAT?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe sank down as low as possible in his seat and kept his eyes fixed firmly on his plate, wishing with all his might he could disappear altogether.<\/p>\n \u201cGo on,\u201d he ordered Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s hear the rest of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes sir, well, Adam\u2026he tried to calm things down\u2026told Dave he wouldn\u2019t be proving nothin\u2019 by shootin\u2019 a kid and that\u2019s when I took hold of Joe cuz he was kind of riled at Adam now too\u2026course Dave wouldn\u2019t let it go\u2026said one Cartwright was as good as the next.\u00a0 I reckon Adam was pretty riled up, too, cuz he squared off against him and that\u2019s when Sheriff Coffee showed up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0 His voice was furiously quiet now and it made the lot of them brace for the inevitable explosion.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t have long to wait.\u00a0 His angry glare settled on his youngest and his voice boomed.\u00a0 \u201cThat was a fool thing to do, Joseph! Not only did you endanger your own life, you put your brothers in a position of having to defend you.\u00a0 All three of you could have been killed!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know and I\u2019m sorry,\u201d Little Joe said softly, \u201cbut it won\u2019t ever happen again, Pa.\u00a0 I promise.\u201d\u00a0 He looked up, beseechingly.\u00a0 He meant it and hoped it was enough to cool his Pa\u2019s temper because there was no mistaking that tone in his voice.\u00a0 He knew he\u2019d never escape the lecture, but he was too old for a tanning, wasn\u2019t he?<\/p>\n Ben drew a deep breath in an effort to calm down.\u00a0 He felt like taking a strap to the fool boy on the spot and it was all he could do to remain seated.\u00a0 \u201cIf you think being quick on the draw makes you invincible, then you\u2019ve got a lot more to learn than I thought.\u00a0 Wearing a gun is a serious responsibility and only a hot-headed fool would draw his gun if he didn\u2019t have to.\u00a0 I thought you knew that!\u201d<\/p>\n Miserable, Little Joe hung his head and stared at the cold eggs on his plate.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe I didn\u2019t understand before,\u201d he answered truthfully, \u201cbut I do now.\u201d\u00a0 He looked up and met his father\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 Both Pa and Adam had driven home the same message and he\u2019d taken it to heart.\u00a0 He\u2019d recklessly jumped in over his head and the consequences could have been deadly.\u00a0 The thought of it made his mouth go dry.\u00a0 No, sir, he\u2019d never be so stupid again.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, I really do think he\u2019s learned his lesson,\u201d Adam said in his defense.<\/p>\n Ben gave him a sharp look and huffed.\u00a0 \u201cOh, you do, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam held his ground.\u00a0 He\u2019d seen the flicker of fear in his brother\u2019s eyes that day and he was sure Little Joe wouldn\u2019t be so impulsive in the future.\u00a0 \u201cYes, I do.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben exchanged a look with his eldest.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t exactly in his good graces at the moment, either, but he knew Adam would never plead Little Joe\u2019s case if he didn\u2019t think his brother could handle the responsibility.<\/p>\n With a curt nod, Ben relented.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe you\u2019re right,\u201d he said gruffly as he studied Little Joe and considered his options.<\/p>\n Little Joe squirmed uncomfortably.<\/p>\n \u201cAll right, Joseph, this is your one and only warning.\u00a0 If I catch you being irresponsible with that gun again, you won\u2019t be wearing it off this ranch for a very long time nor will you be sitting comfortably.\u00a0 Is that clear?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes sir,\u201d Little Joe answered seriously.\u00a0 Pa was giving him a second chance and he wouldn\u2019t disappoint him, but doggonit he was too old to be threatened with a tanning.\u00a0 When was Pa gonna stop treating him like a kid?\u00a0 He was annoyed, but had the good sense not to show it.<\/p>\n Satisfied he\u2019d made his point, Ben turned to Hoss who was grinning at his brother\u2019s good fortune.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I don\u2019t want you covering for him anymore,\u201d he said firmly.<\/p>\n Hoss instantly dropped the grin and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cYes sir, Pa,\u201d he replied, sincerely hoping he could keep his word.\u00a0 His little brother had the surest way of talking him into things.<\/p>\n \u201cThat goes for you too, Adam.\u00a0 I\u2019m grateful you put a stop to your brother\u2019s foolishness, but I don\u2019t appreciate you withholding information from me.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam gave him a guilty look and nodded, embarrassed by his poor judgment.\u00a0 Being the eldest, he\u2019d covered for his younger brothers many times throughout the years and occasionally suffered the consequences, but with Little Joe old enough to spread his wings now, he knew his father relied on him more than ever to be the voice of reason in his absence.<\/p>\n Accepting his sheepish look for the apology that it was, Ben\u2019s expression softened a little, but the morning\u2019s revelations had left him reeling and it would be a good long time before any of his sons got completely back into his good graces.\u00a0 With a shake of his head, he pushed away the remainder of his breakfast and picked up his coffee.\u00a0 He took a sip and glanced around the table at each of them, thankful their tempers hadn\u2019t gotten them killed.<\/p>\n Subdued by the lecture, the dining room became uncomfortably quiet for the next few minutes until Adam, curious to know where his father stood, risked a question.\u00a0 \u201cSo what do you think we should do about the Logans?\u00a0 Do you think Tom shares his sons\u2019 opinion?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben frowned in thought and then shook his head, unsure what to think.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know, Adam.\u00a0 I just don\u2019t know.\u00a0 Tom\u2019s been a good friend for years and he knows Judge Riley is as honest as the day is long.\u00a0 I can\u2019t believe he\u2019d accuse either one of us of being underhanded.\u201d\u00a0 Struggling with the idea of his longtime friend making such preposterous accusations, he got up from the table and walked over to his chair by the hearth.\u00a0 He sat down heavily and stared at the ashes still smoldering from the morning\u2019s fire.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe Dave and Pete were just blowing off some steam.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam followed him into the other room and sat on the coffee table.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe,\u201d he said with skepticism, \u201cbut if you ask me, Tom\u2019s thinking has been warped ever since they found silver in that exploration shaft.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben nodded, reluctantly agreeing.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t understand it,\u201d he said, trying to make sense of it.\u00a0 \u201cTom and Mary worked hard to carve a home out of the wilderness, to build a home for themselves and a future for their sons.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t make sense for them to resort to hydraulic mining now, not after pouring their lives into the land for so many years.\u00a0 Tom knows how it uproots the trees and destroys good pasture land.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cApparently the almighty dollar means more to him now,\u201d Adam said with disdain.\u00a0 \u201cBut did he really think we\u2019d just go along with it?\u00a0 He must\u2019ve known we\u2019d stop him from fouling the creek.\u00a0 He knows it feeds our entire north pasture.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben thought back to an earlier time.\u00a0 \u201cI remember the day we shook on that water rights agreement.\u00a0 It was just a few months before Little Joe was born.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey Pa?\u201d Hoss called, breaking into his reverie.\u00a0 \u201cWhy doesn\u2019t Mr. Logan just dig that silver out?\u00a0 With some of the other exploration shafts not panning out, there\u2019re plenty of miners that\u2019d jump at the chance to hire on with a crew.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGreed, I suppose.\u00a0 Hydraulics is faster and more profitable.\u201d\u00a0 Ben sighed and looked down in consternation.\u00a0 \u201cI suppose I\u2019ll have to ride over there sometime this week and try to settle this once and for all.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam looked at him in alarm and Hoss and Little Joe exchanged troubled glances.\u00a0 \u201cDo you think that\u2019s a good idea?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n \u201cTom and I have been friends for years, I\u2019ll be perfectly safe, don\u2019t worry,\u201d he assured them.\u00a0 \u201cThe only thing you boys need to worry about is the branding and I suggest you all get to it.\u201d\u00a0 He nodded toward the door and waited for his sons to get moving.<\/p>\n Adam slowly got to his feet and followed his brothers to the sideboard.\u00a0 He buckled his gun belt and pulled it tight without looking up, his father\u2019s words weighing heavily on his mind.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t so sure Tom Logan was still the friend his father thought him to be.<\/p>\n Chapter 5<\/strong><\/p>\n The Ponderosa in spring was a beautiful sight.\u00a0 The pines were a deep green, the meadows were exploding with wildflowers, and the lake\u2014full from the winter runoff\u2014glittered in the sunlight.\u00a0 It was a picture Adam never ceased to appreciate and after a long week in the saddle rounding up calves for branding, the promise of a lazy day amidst the spectacular beauty was a welcome one.\u00a0 He glanced at Ellie and they exchanged a smile as he carefully guided the horses down the narrow path to the lake.\u00a0 When they got to the point where the trees began to thin, he watched her reaction as she took in the view for the first time.<\/p>\n \u201cOh Adam!\u00a0 The lake, the mountains, its breathtaking!\u00a0 I never expected it to be so vast or the water so blue.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam smiled and stopped the horses at a pretty spot where the tree line met the sandy shore.\u00a0 It was the perfect place for a picnic.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad you like it,\u201d he said turning to her and smiling.<\/p>\n She looked at him, her face serene.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s so calm and peaceful here.\u00a0 I almost feel like I\u2019m intruding, like I\u2019ve walked into an artist\u2019s painting and don\u2019t belong.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam came around to help her down.\u00a0 \u201cI know what you mean,\u201d he said softly, \u201cbut from my viewpoint your presence only adds to the beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n Ellie smiled appreciatively and stepped down, her hand in Adam\u2019s.<\/p>\n Matt rolled his eyes at the flowery talk and scanned the lake with excitement.\u00a0 \u201cBet there\u2019s a mess of fish in there,\u201d he exclaimed.\u00a0 \u201cWhen can we go fishing?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam turned his attention to the boy, glad his initial shyness had worn off.\u00a0 \u201cJust as soon as you find us a couple of branches we can use for poles.\u00a0 Do you think you can handle that?\u201d<\/p>\n Matt bobbed his head.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll go find \u2018em right now!\u201d he yelled running off.<\/p>\n Adam chuckled and reached for the picnic basket while Ellie took the blanket and spread it out under the trees.\u00a0 The warm sand was inviting and she longed to go barefoot as she walked to the water\u2019s edge and perched on a large rock in the sun to soak in more of the view.\u00a0 \u201cI hope you like fried chicken,\u201d she called over her shoulder.\u00a0 Getting no response, she curiously turned around and caught Adam polishing off not one, but two chicken legs.<\/p>\n Grinning, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.\u00a0 \u201cNow that I know you\u2019re such a good cook, I won\u2019t feel too bad if we don\u2019t catch anything.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGoodness, don\u2019t let Matt hear you,\u201d she replied, smiling.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s been looking forward to this all week.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s eyes twinkled as he drank in the sight of her.\u00a0 She\u2019d removed her straw hat and looked quite pretty as she unconventionally basked in the sun.\u00a0 \u201cMe too.\u201d<\/p>\n Ellie blushed and looked away.\u00a0 \u201cWell, that makes three of us then,\u201d she said softly as she watched Matt running toward them with two poles in hand.<\/p>\n \u201cWill these work?\u201d he asked, out of breath.<\/p>\n \u201cPerfect,\u201d Adam exclaimed, taking one.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s get \u2018em rigged up and see what we can catch.\u201d<\/p>\n Reveling in the praise, Matt trailed after him and in just a few minutes they were fishing off a large, flat boulder that jutted out into the lake.\u00a0 Excited to have his line in the water, Matt intently watched the cork that marked his hook, waiting for it to dip.\u00a0 He\u2019d done a little fishing in the ocean, but this was altogether different.\u00a0 \u201cHow long you figure we\u2019ll have to wait?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam smiled down at him.\u00a0 He never met a kid yet, who didn\u2019t find the idea<\/em> of fishing a whole lot more exciting than actually doing it.\u00a0 \u201cHard to say\u2026early morning is usually best\u2026 but if this is a good hole we should get some bites.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if we don\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam sat down and let his legs dangle over the edge of the rock as he considered the question.\u00a0 \u201cWell,\u201d he said, tipping his hat to shield his eyes, \u201cthen we try a different spot, but you\u2019ve got to have patience and give this one a fair try.\u201d<\/p>\n Matt nodded and mimicked Adam\u2019s position, right down to the tip of his hat.<\/p>\n Adam smiled to himself.\u00a0 A clear case of misguided hero worship,<\/em> but flattering nonetheless.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n Sitting in the warm sand behind the fishermen, Ellie enjoyed the gentle breeze coming off the lake as she listened to snippets of their conversation.\u00a0 She noticed Adam listening to Matt with the same attention he\u2019d give an adult and it was plain her son enjoyed it.\u00a0 From her vantage point she studied her son.\u00a0 He was a handsome boy with dark unruly hair, brown eyes, and a mischievous grin.\u00a0 He was slim but not skinny and she noticed his skin had turned a golden brown from the sun.\u00a0 He\u2019d embraced their trip to Virginia City as a big adventure, eagerly exploring his new surroundings, but she wondered if he would be as eager to stay on permanently.\u00a0 Would he be excited or upset to leave the home he\u2019d shared with his father? It would be hard for her, to be sure, she had so many memories in that house.\u00a0 But if today was any indication, she had a feeling Matt would take to western life like a duck to water.\u00a0 She, on the other hand, was a city girl and had only agreed to spend the summer out west because she dearly missed her cousin Lily.\u00a0 They had been inseparable as girls, more like sisters than cousins, but their marriages had taken them in different directions and it had been years since they\u2019d actually seen each other.\u00a0 Of course, Lily wanted her to stay and pointed out all the advantages of raising a rambunctious boy in the country.\u00a0 Above all, Ellie wanted to do right by Matt and to her own surprise, she was seriously considering Lily\u2019s suggestion.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what do you do for fun at home?\u201d she heard Adam ask.<\/p>\n Matt shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cNothin\u2019 special.\u00a0 I play stickball and marbles with the fellas.\u00a0 Oh, and I deliver the newspaper for Mr. Hennessey.\u00a0 He pays me ten cents a week,\u201d Matt added proudly.<\/p>\n Adam whistled softly.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s a lot of money for a boy your age.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but Ma doesn\u2019t let me spend much,\u201d he said with a disgusted shake of his head.\u00a0 \u201cI only get a penny and the rest goes in the bank.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam pushed up his hat and looked at Matt.\u00a0 \u201cMark my words, you\u2019ll be glad to have that money saved up one day.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI s\u2019pose,\u201d he said with a disgruntled sigh.<\/p>\n Ellie smiled, pleased with Adam\u2019s wise counsel.\u00a0 She let her gaze roam from Matt to Adam.\u00a0 He looked so strong and rugged in his black pants, shirt, and Stetson; different from the well-dressed sophisticated man he\u2019d presented at the dance, yet both suited him.\u00a0 The gun belt slung low on his hips made him look rough and dangerous but she knew it was a necessity.\u00a0 Without a doubt, she was attracted to his self-confidence and the ease with which he moved and spoke.\u00a0 He was a knowledgeable man, educated in the east, but she had a feeling the practical knowledge he\u2019d acquired here in the west is what gave him his self-confidence.\u00a0 She delighted in his clever sense of humor and could appreciate the easy connection he had with Matt.\u00a0 She sensed he could be very nurturing and supposed that came from having younger brothers.\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t help but notice his physical attractiveness and blushed when she let her thoughts and eyes roam; but surprisingly she didn\u2019t feel guilty.\u00a0 Was she finally moving on, like Lily said she must, or were such thoughts disloyal?\u00a0 Her feelings in a jumble, she pushed it all aside, deciding to simply enjoy the day.\u00a0 The view was beautiful and the sound of the water lapping gently against the shore soothed her soul.\u00a0 Lulled into a peacefulness she hadn\u2019t felt in a long time, she sighed in contentment, but then Matt\u2019s excited shouts abruptly broke the tranquility.\u00a0 Smiling, she turned her attention back to the two fishermen.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s it, Matt, pull it in slow,\u201d Adam instructed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a whopper!\u201d he crowed happily.<\/p>\n \u201cSure is!\u201d Adam agreed, caught up in Matt\u2019s excitement.<\/p>\n \u201cLook Ma! Look at the size of it!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s wonderful!\u201d she exclaimed, delighted Matt wanted to impress her.\u00a0 He\u2019d been acting so big for his britches lately.<\/p>\n Matt flashed a smile and then stood there grinning and happily holding up the fish until an amused Adam finally interrupted the show.\u00a0 \u201cYou planning on admiring that fish all day or do you want to catch another one?\u201d<\/p>\n Reddening, Matt hastily put it on the stringer and then tossed his line back in the water.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t have long to wait.\u00a0 Luck was on his side and when he caught four more to Adam\u2019s one, they put up their poles and Adam showed him how to clean his catch.<\/p>\n \u201cCan I do the next one by myself?\u201d he asked, studying the gutted fish.<\/p>\n Satisfied with his skill in handling a knife, Adam handed it to him.\u00a0 \u201cI tell you what, you can clean \u2018em all.\u00a0 How\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure!\u201d he exclaimed, elated to be trusted with the job.<\/p>\n Chuckling, Adam rinsed his hands off in the lake and then walked over to Ellie.\u00a0 Reaching down, he took her hands in his and pulled her to her feet.\u00a0 \u201cC\u2019mon woman!\u201d he teased.\u00a0 \u201cYou can\u2019t let us men do all<\/em> the work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, sir, I\u2019d be happy to help, but I hope you don\u2019t intend for me to clean those fish!\u201d she said slightly alarmed.<\/p>\n \u201cNope, but we need some kindling to start a fire and I thought you might like to help me collect it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d be happy to,\u201d she replied, pleased that Adam still held her hand as they strolled away from the lake and into the woods.<\/p>\n Adam watched Ellie bend down to pick up some sticks.\u00a0 Her hair was held loosely in the back with a simple bow.\u00a0 She wore a pretty spring dress that showed off her tiny waist and well-proportioned figure.\u00a0 He knew better than to ask a woman her age, but she\u2019d mentioned getting married at twenty-three, so that would make her a few years older than him.\u00a0 If anything, that made her even more attractive; she was a confident, well-educated, experienced woman, nothing like the nice, but exceedingly bland women his father kept bringing around.\u00a0 He could sense her passionate spirit, despite her attempts, conscious or otherwise, to bury it.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, my goodness!\u201d she said with a start as an equally startled deer leapt away.\u00a0 She laughed with enchantment and turned to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cHe was magnificent.\u00a0 Oh, Adam, I\u2019m enjoying this day as much as Mathew.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad,\u201d he said, impulsively reaching out and turning her towards him.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t intend to kiss her, but found her upturned face irresistible and gently captured her mouth with his.<\/p>\n Her breath caught, surprised by the kiss and the pleasant thrill that ran through her body.\u00a0 His kiss was tender and it awakened a passion in her she had long forgotten.\u00a0 She remained in his arms, looking into his eyes for a long moment before breaking away.\u00a0 \u201cWe better get back,\u201d she said softy.<\/p>\n ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~<\/p>\n Adam sat on his haunches next to the fire and melted some butter in a small skillet while Ellie sat on the blanket, watching intently.\u00a0 \u201cButter?\u201d she asked in astonishment.\u00a0 Just last week she\u2019d churned butter for the first time in years.\u00a0 It was backbreaking work and much to her embarrassment, nothing but a long soak in a hot tub had eased her aching arms.<\/p>\n Adam smiled.\u00a0 \u201cYep, and I hope you appreciate it.\u00a0 I got caught snitching it from the kitchen this morning and got a sound scolding from Hop Sing.\u00a0 Lucky for me it was all in Chinese.\u201d\u00a0 He winked at Matt, who shook his head, unable to imagine Adam getting a scolding from anyone.<\/p>\n \u201cRightly so,\u201d Ellie exclaimed in defense of Hop Sing.\u00a0 \u201cBut I do appreciate it,\u201d she added, smiling.<\/p>\n Dimpling, Adam bent back over his task and as much as she tried not to gawk, her eyes were drawn to the broad expanse of his back and the way it tapered to his waist.\u00a0 He was such an intriguing man\u2026so resourceful and capable\u2026and so\u2026so fit and masculine.\u00a0 A small sigh escaped her lips causing Adam to send another smile her way.\u00a0 She blushed prettily, grateful he couldn\u2019t read her thoughts.<\/p>\n \u201cSomething wrong?\u201d he asked casually, fully aware of the effect he was having on her.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, not at all,\u201d she hastily replied.\u00a0 \u201cAre you sure I can\u2019t help?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam smiled to himself as he kept a watchful eye on the pan.\u00a0 \u201cNope, just sit back and prepare yourself for a feast.\u201d<\/p>\n Matt sniffed the air appreciatively.\u00a0 \u201cMmmm, smells good, don\u2019t it Ma?\u201d<\/p>\n Ellie nodded.\u00a0 \u201cYes, it smells wonderful.\u00a0 We\u2019re lucky Adam is such a good cook.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam looked up and grinned.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t be too impressed; this and heatin\u2019 up beans is about the extent of my cooking skills.\u201d\u00a0 Reaching for the plates, he served up the fish, browned to perfection.<\/p>\n Matt immediately tucked into his meal and declared, without a doubt, it was the best thing he\u2019d ever eaten in his entire life. \u00a0He ate his fill, wiped his mouth, and rested at his mother\u2019s insistence, for all of five minutes before running off to explore.\u00a0 Not so ambitious, Adam lazily stretched out on the blanket and propped himself up on one elbow.\u00a0 He munched on a biscuit and chatted with Ellie as she packed up the picnic basket.\u00a0 They talked long into the afternoon discussing various books, authors, and poets; each passionately defending their favorites.\u00a0 All too soon, it was time to go and Ellie called for Matt.\u00a0 He heard his mother calling but chose to ignore her.\u00a0 He was throwing rocks at a piece of driftwood and was determined to hit it.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, Matt, it\u2019s time to go,\u201d Ellie called again but got no response.\u00a0 \u201cHe hasn\u2019t been minding me very well lately,\u201d she said a little embarrassed.\u00a0 \u201cI suppose it\u2019s because I haven\u2019t taken a firm enough hand with him since his father died, but I just haven\u2019t had the heart to be stern with him.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam responded with a slow, reflective nod, his thoughts drifting back a dozen years ago.\u00a0 \u201cI think I understand.\u00a0 When Little Joe\u2019s mother died, my father was pretty lenient for a while.\u00a0 But I can tell you this, I didn\u2019t think anything would ever be the same until Pa gave one of us a good swat.\u201d<\/p>\n Ellie nodded in understanding and then shifted her gaze over to Matt who hadn\u2019t budged an inch.\u00a0 She wondered if he felt the same.\u00a0 Oh, Matt, I\u2019m so sorry.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t mean to confuse you.\u00a0 I thought I was being kind and compassionate, but instead, I made a mess of things.\u00a0 No wonder you\u2019ve been acting up.\u00a0 The rough language\u2026the disobedience\u2026it all makes perfect sense now.\u00a0 <\/em>With a sad shake of her head, she turned to Adam and smiled gratefully.\u00a0 \u201cAre you the one that got in trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam grinned.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll go get Matt.\u201d<\/p>\n Matt plucked a rock from the ground and then threw it as hard as he could toward the piece of driftwood floating in the water.\u00a0 It splashed into the lake, falling short of its intended target.\u00a0 \u201cAw crap!\u201d he grumbled, bending to pick up another rock.\u00a0 Thought sure I\u2019d get it that time.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n Coming up beside him, Adam raised an eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cDoes your mother allow you to use that kind of language?\u201d he asked sternly.<\/p>\n Startled, Matt looked up and gulped.<\/p>\n Adam fought back the urge to smile.\u00a0 The poor kid looked a little pale.\u00a0 \u201cWell?\u201d he prompted.<\/p>\n Matt looked down and drew a circle in the wet sand with the tip of his boot.\u00a0 \u201cNo,\u201d he answered uncomfortably.<\/p>\n Adam reached out and tipped the boy\u2019s chin up.\u00a0 \u201cThen I suggest you don\u2019t use it again,\u201d he said firmly and then bent to pick up a rock.\u00a0 He bounced it in his hand a couple of times, testing its weight, and then sailed it out over the water, hitting the piece of driftwood dead on.\u00a0 Impressed, Matt shot Adam a small smile but resisted the urge to whoop and holler, unsure of his present status.\u00a0 Adam gave him a reassuring look, but didn\u2019t hesitate to call his poor behavior into question.\u00a0 \u201cYou have any particular reason for not answering your mother when she called?\u201d<\/p>\n Matt shrugged but didn\u2019t answer, so with a disapproving shake of his head, Adam bent down and gently took Matt by the shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cYour mother deserves your respect Matt and if she tells you to do something, don\u2019t you think you ought to do it?\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded, red with shame.\u00a0 He\u2019d been taking advantage of his mother\u2019s leniency for quite some time.\u00a0 When his father died, it hurt so bad he could hardly breathe and he\u2019d clung to his mother for comfort and reassurance.\u00a0 He\u2019d missed his papa terribly and had moped around in misery for weeks having no inclination to be anything but a well-behaved boy; but as the hurt began to fade his natural exuberance returned along with his inclination towards mischief.\u00a0 When his best friend Billy suggested they skip school and spend the day at the wharf, Matt didn\u2019t hesitate to agree\u2014the wharf was strictly off limits but every now and then he couldn\u2019t resist the excitement of prowling the loading docks.\u00a0 His mother was no push over and he fully expected to be punished when his trip was discovered.\u00a0 He was astonished to receive nothing more than a mild lecture.\u00a0 In the past, she would have paddled him with her hairbrush and then banished him to his room.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t that he wanted to be punished, he just wanted things to be as normal as possible and he was afraid his mother would never be the same.\u00a0 He tested her limits in a bid to trigger her temper, but when she still didn\u2019t punish him, he boldly began to take advantage of his newfound freedom.\u00a0 But now, Adam\u2019s gentle reprimand flooded him with guilt.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll go tell Ma I\u2019m sorry,\u201d he whispered, giving Adam a hesitant look.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t really mean to be disrespectful to his mother and he hoped Adam wasn\u2019t mad at him.\u00a0 Adam nodded his approval and waited several minutes before following him.\u00a0 He had a feeling mother and son might need some time to work things out.<\/p>\n Matt trudged up the sandy embankment eager to apologize and couldn\u2019t have been more stunned when she gave him a stiff lecture punctuated by few sharp swats to his backside.\u00a0 After she was done with him, he absently rubbed at the sting and tried not to grin as he climbed into the back seat of the surrey.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t want her to think he didn\u2019t take her seriously because she sure enough made her point, but he couldn\u2019t help smiling.\u00a0 Upon his return, Adam glanced at him and shook his head in amusement; he\u2019d never seen a kid so happy to get walloped.\u00a0 He thought back to the incident with his own father and while he\u2019d been glad Pa had come out of his fog and reacted normally, the dressing down he\u2019d received had been nothing to smile about.\u00a0 He was almost seventeen, Little Joe was five and Hoss was eleven that fateful spring.<\/p>\n ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~ .\u00a0 ~<\/p>\n Adam stopped the buckboard in front of the mercantile and hopped off.\u00a0 \u201cOkay, Little Joe, come on.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Little Joe jumped into his arms and Adam swung him down to the ground while Hoss hopped off the other side and took in the sights of the burgeoning town.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHey Adam,\u201d he exclaimed, \u201cain\u2019t that Ross\u2019s horse?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam looked up the street and was surprised to see his friend\u2019s horse tied to the hitching post outside the newly built Bucket of Blood saloon.\u00a0 \u201cYeah,\u201d he said, frowning, \u201cthat\u2019s his horse all right.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYuh think he\u2019s really in the saloon?\u201d Hoss asked in amazement.<\/em><\/p>\n Adam shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know, but keep it under your hat just in case.\u201d\u00a0 What was the matter with Ross?\u00a0 Didn\u2019t he have any sense?\u00a0 Mr. Marquette didn\u2019t approve of all the saloons springing up in town and if Ross got caught drinking and wasting time, he\u2019d be in trouble.\u00a0 His own Pa felt the same way and insisted he steer clear unless they were together.\u00a0 They\u2019d butt heads over it a few times, but he hadn\u2019t budged.<\/em><\/p>\n Put out by his brother\u2019s remark, Hoss shot him an indignant look.\u00a0 \u201cI ain\u2019t no snitch, Adam.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Hearing the edge in his voice, Adam looked at him with a hint of a smile.\u00a0 He was right.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t a snitch; he just had a way of letting things slip out at the worst possible moments.\u00a0 \u201cI know you\u2019re not,\u201d he said in agreement.\u00a0 \u201cNow, c\u2019mon, let\u2019s get those supplies loaded.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Appeased, Hoss nodded and collected Little Joe, who was busy following a trail of ants down the boardwalk.<\/em><\/p>\n As Adam held the door open, he glanced up the street and couldn\u2019t help feeling wistful.\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t seen his friends for weeks, not since his stepmother had died in a riding accident the beginning of summer\u2014a tragedy that had consumed them all with grief.\u00a0 But as painful as it was for he and his brothers, he was old enough to understand how devastating it was for his father and so he\u2019d naturally stepped in to help.\u00a0 To keep his brothers busy, he enlisted their help in doing extra chores, took them swimming and fishing, told them stories, and made up games.\u00a0 Aware the evenings were the hardest on his father, he made sure Little Joe ate his supper, got cleaned up, and was safely tucked in bed for the night; all the things his mother used to do.\u00a0 His father\u2019s grateful glances and pats on the back told him his efforts hadn\u2019t gone unnoticed, but after weeks of trying to restore a sense of normalcy, it was beginning to wear thin.\u00a0 He was impatient to get back to his regular work, impatient for some time to himself, and most of all, impatient for his father to resume his role and act like himself again.\u00a0 The overly indulgent attitude he\u2019d adopted since the accident was anything but comforting.\u00a0 It was unsettling.\u00a0 When he\u2019d merely shooed Little Joe out of his office with a distracted pat on the head after he\u2019d deliberately spilled ink on his desk last night, it felt like he didn\u2019t care.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHey, Cartwright, what brings you ta town?\u201d Rick Bonner yelled from his horse.<\/em><\/p>\n Roused from his thoughts, Adam waved.\u00a0 \u201cWork!\u00a0 Somethin\u2019 you wouldn\u2019t know anything about,\u201d he yelled back with a smile.<\/em><\/p>\n Rick laughed.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, well, if you ain\u2019t too tired after all that work, meet us at the Bucket of Blood, we\u2019re gonna have one whale of a poker game.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam waved him on and entered the store wishing he could go, but that wasn\u2019t likely, not with two little brothers in tow.\u00a0 Frustrated, his brow wrinkled into a frown.\u00a0 He knew it was foolish to even think about, but instead of putting it out of his mind, he began considering his options.\u00a0 He smiled and pulled the supply list from his pocket when he struck upon an idea.<\/em><\/p>\n With Hoss\u2019 help, he carefully loaded the supplies onto the buckboard and tied everything down for the bumpy ride home.\u00a0 \u00a0As he secured the final crate, the storekeeper, Will Cass, came out to settle the bill.\u00a0 Taking a deep breath, Adam stepped up from the street and crossed the boardwalk to meet him.\u00a0 It was now or never.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAll right, Adam, that\u2019ll be five dollars even.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Convinced he was doing no real harm, Adam plunged ahead with his scheme.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Cass? My father said to put the supplies on his account.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Will looked up in surprise, but nodded agreeably.\u00a0 \u201cAll right, Adam.\u00a0 I\u2019ll mark it in my book and you take this bill for your father\u2019s records.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYes sir.\u201d\u00a0 He took the bill and hurriedly stuffed it into his back pocket.\u00a0 Now that he\u2019d managed to hang on to his father\u2019s money, he was eager to get to Daisy\u2019s.\u00a0 If she agreed to watch the boys, he\u2019d be wrapping his hand around a mug of beer in no time.\u00a0 \u201cHey, you two,\u201d he called to his brothers, \u201chow \u2018bout some pie?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Hoss\u2019 face lit up and Little Joe scrambled from his seat on the ground.\u00a0 \u201cOh boy!\u201d he exclaimed, pleased with the unexpected treat.\u00a0 \u201cNothin\u2019 can beat Daisy\u2019s apple pie!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Little Joe frowned, struggling to keep up with his brothers as they crossed the street.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want apple.\u00a0 Can I have boisy-berry?\u201d he asked, half shouting to get his big brother\u2019s attention.<\/em><\/p>\n Adam looked down and smiled.\u00a0 \u201cYou can have whatever you want, little buddy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Nodding happily, Little Joe ran the short distance to Daisy\u2019s.<\/em><\/p>\n Daisy greeted them as soon as they entered the little caf\u00e9 and ushered them over to an empty table.\u00a0 \u201cLand sakes, I haven\u2019t seen you boys in ages.\u201d\u00a0 She bent down and ruffled Little Joe\u2019s unruly hair. \u00a0\u201cYou hungry, Little Joe?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYes ma\u2019am, I\u2019d like a piece of boisy-berry pie please.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Daisy smiled.\u00a0 The Cartwright boys were always so respectful and polite.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve got one in the oven right now, but it\u2019ll be a few minutes.\u00a0 You think you can wait?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Little Joe gave a confident nod.\u00a0 \u201cSure, for boisy-berry pie I can!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhat about you Hoss? Is apple still your favorite?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Hoss bobbed his head, a sunny smile on his face.\u00a0 \u201cYes ma\u2019am!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n She nodded and then looked at Adam expectantly.\u00a0 \u201cWhat can I bring you, Adam?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Smiling nervously, he tugged on his ear.\u00a0 \u201cUh, well actually, I need to run a few errands for my Pa and I was wondering if I could leave the boys here at the caf\u00e9.\u201d\u00a0 He hated to lie but he was certain Daisy would say no if she knew the truth.<\/em><\/p>\n She smiled at him, her eyes full of compassion.\u00a0 \u201cTake all the time you need.\u00a0 Hoss and Little Joe will be fine.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n He smiled appreciatively.\u00a0 \u201cThanks Daisy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Hoss eyed Adam with suspicion, but waited until Daisy was out of ear shot before questioning him.\u00a0 \u201cWhat errands you talkin\u2019 about, Adam?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNever mind, Hoss, just stay here with Joe and eat your pie.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou fixin\u2019 to meet up with Ross?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam jerked his head toward Little Joe and Hoss got the message.\u00a0 Little Joe had big ears and almost always spilled the beans, not that it really mattered these days.<\/em><\/p>\n Little Joe looked up with a worried expression.\u00a0 \u201cYou won\u2019t be gone too long, will yuh, Adam?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n He shook his head and smiled.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be back by the time you finish your boisy-berry pie.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou promise?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI promise,\u201d he replied as he went out the door.\u00a0 Knowing he\u2019d have to wait for his pie to cool once it came out of the oven, Adam figured he\u2019d have plenty of time for a beer and a couple hands of poker.\u00a0 So feeling freer than he had in a long time, he walked up the street and pushed through the doors of the Bucket of Blood without a speck of guilt.\u00a0 For the next hour he intended to forget all about his responsibilities and do exactly as he pleased.<\/em><\/p>\n Ross spied him the minute he walked in.\u00a0 \u201cAdam! Hey Adam! Over here!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n He waved and made his way over to the group.\u00a0 Ross was sitting with the Bonner brothers, Todd McCarran, and Carl Regan.\u00a0 When he got to the table, Carl greeted him with a broad grin, proud of the scantily clad blonde sitting on his lap.\u00a0 \u201cHowdy Adam.\u00a0 This here is Tilly.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam touched his hat and tried not to gape at Tilly\u2019s abundant charms.\u00a0 \u201cPleased to meet you, ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Tilly gave him an appreciative glance.\u00a0 He was clean and the quality of his ranch clothes spoke of money.\u00a0 \u201cMy, aren\u2019t you polite,\u201d she said with a wide smile, \u201cand handsome too! You ever get a hankerin\u2019 to go upstairs, you just let me know, you hear?\u00a0 I\u2019ll see to it you have a real fine time.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Caught off guard by the bold invitation, Adam blushed and studiously ignored Tilly\u2019s remark as well as Carl\u2019s angry scowl.\u00a0 Laughing at his obvious embarrassment, Todd elbowed Ross in the ribs while Rick looked at him and grinned.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHey, Cartwright, glad you could make it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Impatient to play, Jeff held up the deck of cards.\u00a0 \u201cYou in?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam pulled up a chair, glad for the change in subject.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, I\u2019m in.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Jeff nodded and dealt the cards while Ross got Adam a shot of whiskey.\u00a0 \u201cHere yuh go, buddy; first one\u2019s on me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThanks Skinny!\u201d Adam downed the whiskey and tried not to cough.\u00a0 It was cheap rot gut whiskey and burned all the way down, but he motioned for the barkeep to bring another round.\u00a0 \u00a0He couldn\u2019t order beer now, not without looking like a kid, so he just sipped it and studied his cards.<\/em><\/p>\n Thanks to Jonesy, their long-time ranch foreman, he was a pretty good player, but it had come at a high price.\u00a0 He\u2019d repeatedly lost his pay in the weekly bunkhouse games until he\u2019d finally figured out the real skill in playing poker wasn\u2019t in calculating the odds but in reading the other players.\u00a0 Subscribing to the notion that experience was the best teacher, Jonesy hadn\u2019t stepped in to help him out and consequently he\u2019d learned a costly, but useful lesson\u2014one he was about to draw on right now.<\/em><\/p>\n His face a mask, he brought his glass to his lips and casually glanced around the table.\u00a0 Carl had a gleam in his eye, but bet conservatively, so he probably didn\u2019t have much; Todd took four cards before placing his bet; Rick repeatedly rubbed his chin, a sure sign he was bluffing; Ross was glassy eyed and had nothing; Jeff, on the other hand, was hard to read.\u00a0 Adam took a chance and upped the bet, effectively eliminating everyone but Jeff and Carl.\u00a0 Minutes later, he traded a grin with Ross when he won the hand and took the pot.<\/em><\/p>\n An hour and a half later he was still in the game, his promise to Little Joe long forgotten.\u00a0 He\u2019d lost all track of time, partly because of the whiskey, but mostly because Roxanne, a dark haired beauty, had plopped herself firmly in his lap.\u00a0 Uncomfortable, he\u2019d politely tried to rebuff her unwanted attention, but he couldn\u2019t help shivering when she began running her hand through his hair and trailing kisses down his neck.<\/em><\/p>\n Roxanne felt his reaction and didn\u2019t hesitate to kiss him full on the mouth, determined to beat Tilly to this handsome boy with a pocket-full of money.\u00a0 \u00a0Emboldened by the effects of the whiskey, Adam stopped resisting and instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist.\u00a0 Unfortunately, it was at that particular moment his father burst in, eyes blazing with unbridled anger. \u00a0Ben Cartwright was livid and couldn\u2019t wait to get his hands on his errant son.<\/em><\/p>\n Just thirty minutes earlier he never would have guessed it.\u00a0 Throttling Adam had been the furthest thing from his mind.\u00a0 He\u2019d only come into town to pick up the payroll as quickly and quietly as possible, but things had taken a frightening turn when frantic shouts coming from up the street had filled him with a sense of dread.\u00a0 Drawn to the commotion, he\u2019d found Little Joe standing in the middle of C Street, right in the path of the noon stage.\u00a0 Frightened and confused by all the shouting, it had been agonizingly clear he hadn\u2019t known which way to turn, so with just seconds to spare, Ben had set off at a dead run and had managed to scoop him up and race to safety.\u00a0 Sinking to his knees, he\u2019d buried his face in Little Joe\u2019s hair until the pounding in his heart had subsided and his breathing had returned to normal.\u00a0 With halting words, Little Joe had tearfully told him he\u2019d been looking for Adam because he hadn\u2019t come back to Daisy\u2019s by the time he\u2019d finished his boisy-berry pie.\u00a0 Confused, but determined to find out what in tarnation was going on, Ben had set off toward the caf\u00e9 with Little Joe in his arms.<\/em><\/p>\n At Daisy\u2019s, it hadn\u2019t taken him long to get the story out of Hoss.\u00a0 He\u2019d been fretting about Little Joe and growing angrier with Adam by the minute.\u00a0 Astounded and angered at having learned his eldest son\u2019s whereabouts, Ben had ordered them to stay put and had stormed out the door.<\/em><\/p>\n Striding up the street to the Bucket of Blood, his temper had risen with every step and by the time he entered the saloon, his blood was boiling.\u00a0 The scene that greeted him only added fuel to the fire.\u00a0 \u201cON YOUR FEET!\u201d he commanded.\u00a0 His deep voice easily cut through the noise of the crowd.<\/em><\/p>\n Adam\u2019s head snapped up.\u00a0 He instantly recognized the furious voice as his father\u2019s.\u00a0 Great…just great\u2026why now?\u00a0 Nervously wiping the kiss from his mouth, he stood up, effectively dumping Roxanne from his lap.\u00a0 Annoyed at being interrupted, she clicked her tongue and angrily sashayed away.\u00a0 He spared her a quick glance and then instinctively took a step back as his father advanced on him.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t afraid, exactly, but Ben Cartwright in a temper was a formidable sight.<\/em><\/p>\n Ben didn\u2019t stop until they were nose to nose.\u00a0 \u201cOut,\u201d he hissed.\u00a0 At the same time, he gripped his son\u2019s arm and propelled him forward, prompting a chorus of laughter from the smattering of old codgers decorating the place, not to mention Roxanne and his so-called friends.\u00a0 Scowling, Adam pulled his hat down over his eyes and attempted to exit with a modicum of dignity, but another round of laughter erupted when his father landed a mighty swat to the seat of his pants to hurry him along.<\/em><\/p>\n Ben paid no attention to the men, but he whirled on the boys, instantly silencing their laughter.\u00a0 His stern gaze settled on Ross.\u00a0 \u201cGet on home, boy!\u00a0 I\u2019ll be by to talk to your father later.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Ross gulped.\u00a0 \u201cYes sir, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cTodd!\u00a0 Carl!\u00a0 That goes for you, too.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYes sir,\u201d they chorused, resenting the interference but knowing they\u2019d better not argue.<\/em><\/p>\n With a stern expression, Ben started for the door but was stopped by Ross\u2019s hesitant call.\u00a0 \u201cUh, Mr. Cartwright, this here money is Adam\u2019s.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Amazed by what he considered to be Ross\u2019s stupidity, Jeff Bonner boldly spoke up.\u00a0 He\u2019d lost a heap of money to Adam and he hoped to keep it from walking out the door.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Cartwright, sir, I think you oughta let us keep that money, just to teach Adam a lesson about ill-gotten gains an all, yuh know?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Ben\u2019s eyes narrowed and his hand itched to wipe the impudent smirk from the young man\u2019s face.\u00a0 Instead, he strode purposefully to the table and picked up the cash, folding it carefully and putting it his pocket, his stern gaze putting the young hooligan in his place.\u00a0 Jeff boldly tried to stare him down, but couldn\u2019t take the intense anger in those eyes.\u00a0 He cleared his throat and nervously looked away.\u00a0 With a disgusted shake of his head Ben turned and exited the saloon.\u00a0 Why couldn\u2019t Adam see the Bonner brothers were nothing but trouble?<\/em><\/p>\n Outside, Adam\u2019s mind was reeling as he tried to get a grip on the situation.\u00a0 The fact that Pa seemed to be himself again was encouraging, but the reality of it, given the circumstances, made his stomach churn.\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t counted on having to face him, especially with a gut full of whiskey and the thought was anything but pleasant.\u00a0 He frowned and leaned against the wall, contemplating his fate.<\/em><\/p>\n Good or bad, he didn\u2019t have much time to think about it.\u00a0 Before he knew it, his father had him by the arm and was unceremoniously marching him down the street toward Daisy\u2019s.\u00a0 Reddening, Adam struggled.\u00a0 After weeks of stepping in for his father, he resented being dragged along as if he were a naughty little boy, no older than Little Joe.\u00a0 \u201cLemme go!\u201d he snapped, jerking his arm free.<\/em><\/p>\n Furious, Ben caught him in a grip that made him wince.\u00a0 \u201cKeep it up,\u201d he growled in his ear, \u201cand so help me I\u2019ll tan you right here in the middle of the street!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam stared at him, his mouth dropping open in shock.\u00a0 Pa hadn\u2019t given him a tanning in a good long while and he couldn\u2019t believe he really meant to now.\u00a0 His first instinct was to protest, but there was no mistaking the look in his father\u2019s eye, so he bit his tongue and begrudgingly dropped his gaze to the ground.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t like it, but he wasn\u2019t about to risk his hide in the middle of the street.\u00a0 Pa would be calmer by the time they got home, he told himself, and he could reason with him then.<\/em><\/p>\n With a grunt, Ben set off again, taking long purposeful strides.\u00a0 If nothing else, Adam was at least glad for the fast pace<\/em>.\u00a0 The sooner they got to Daisy\u2019s to pick up the boys, the sooner they could collect the wagon and get out of town, away from prying eyes.\u00a0 But much to his surprise, his father passed up the little caf\u00e9 without so much as a glance.\u00a0 He\u2019d assumed Pa had run into his brothers at the caf\u00e9, but if that were the case, why wasn\u2019t he stopping?\u00a0 Swallowing hard, his mind started to race and suddenly he knew exactly where they were going.\u00a0 Sure enough, when they got to the Sheriff\u2019s office, his father opened the door and pushed him through.<\/em><\/p>\n Roy looked up in surprise.\u00a0 \u201cHowdy, Ben, somethin\u2019 I can help you with?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Ben nodded while Adam blushed and stared at the floor.\u00a0 \u201cI was wondering if I could borrow your office, Roy.\u00a0 I have a son in need of some correction.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Roy looked from Ben to a red-faced Adam and gave a little chuckle.\u00a0 He had a feeling he was gonna be one sorry boy when his father got through with him.\u00a0 \u201cSure thing, Ben, I was just about to do my rounds anyhow.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Ben waited until he shut the door before rounding on his son.\u00a0 \u201cLook at me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam took a deep breath and looked up.\u00a0 He had a healthy respect for his father\u2019s temper, but he was determined to hold his ground.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t a kid anymore and it was high time his father realized it.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAll right, Adam, let\u2019s hear it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam shrugged his shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cI just wanted to catch up with my friends, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Ben\u2019s eyes narrowed with impatience.\u00a0 \u201cNo, that\u2019s not all,\u201d he snapped, \u201cnow get on with it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam\u2019s chin came up defiantly, weeks of mounting frustration causing him to angrily snap back.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry you don\u2019t agree, Pa, but I\u2019m old enough to go in a saloon without you holding my hand!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Ben\u2019s eyes flashed.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d say your behavior today proved just the opposite!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam bit back another angry retort, his face full of resentment.<\/em><\/p>\n Ben angrily pulled Adam\u2019s winnings from his pocket and held it under his son\u2019s nose.\u00a0 \u201cWhere did you get the money to gamble with?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Caught off guard, Adam flushed.\u00a0 \u201cI, uh, used the money you gave me for supplies.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Ben glowered at him.\u00a0 \u201cIn other words, you lied to Mr. Cass and you planned on lying to me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Unable to deny it, Adam\u2019s resolve faltered a little and he averted his eyes.\u00a0 It was one thing to go against his father\u2019s wishes; it was another thing to scheme and lie.\u00a0 \u201cI asked him to put the supplies on your account,\u201d he admitted.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t think you\u2019d notice.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Ben felt a twinge of guilt.\u00a0 He probably wouldn\u2019t have noticed, but in his present state of mind it did little to dissipate his anger.\u00a0 He shook his head and thrust the money in Adam\u2019s hand.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll apologize to Mr. Cass and give him every cent he\u2019s owed before we leave town today.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be keeping the rest, understood?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam nodded and dutifully tucked the money in his pocket.\u00a0 \u201cYes sir, I understand,\u201d he said quietly.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cMr. Cass isn\u2019t the only person you lied to today, is it?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam shook his head, his resolve now completely gone.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t very well take a stand on a hill of deceit.\u00a0 \u201cI, um, lied to Daisy.\u00a0 I wanted her to keep Little Joe and Hoss at the caf\u00e9 so I told her I had some errands to do.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSo you lied to get your own way and left your brothers at Daisy\u2019s without a second thought, is that right?\u201d Ben asked, questioning him in a dangerously low voice.<\/em><\/p>\n Adam shifted apprehensively from one foot to the other, his father\u2019s tone a sure sign his fury was mounting.\u00a0 \u201cWell, no, not exactly.\u00a0 I figured they\u2019d be safe at Daisy\u2019s.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Ben shook his head angrily.\u00a0 \u201cWell you figured wrong.\u201d\u00a0 His voice exploded with fury.\u00a0 \u201cAnd it almost cost Little Joe his life!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Adam stared at him in shock, his heart suddenly racing.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2026he\u2019s all right, isn\u2019t he?\u201d Afraid of the answer, but in desperate need to know, he searched his father\u2019s face for a clue.<\/em><\/p>\n Ben nodded and for a moment his expression softened.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s fine, but the outcome could have been very different.\u201d\u00a0 A shiver of fear ran up his spine just thinking about it and his anger resurfaced in full force.<\/em><\/p>\n Adam waited for him to explain with a sinking feeling.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe was looking for you.\u00a0 He got worried when you didn\u2019t come back.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n