{"id":1170,"date":"2007-03-01T22:26:30","date_gmt":"2007-03-02T03:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1170"},"modified":"2026-07-28T11:55:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T15:55:08","slug":"adams-surprise-visitor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1170","title":{"rendered":"Adam’s Surprise Visitor (by acspeej)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/strong>This is a sequel to “Adam’s Journey of Memories.” Sam returns to Virginia City to help Doc Martin and also to try to rekindle the romance with Adam. But Adam is involved with another woman. Sam’s life is in danger, but who is the culprit?<\/span><\/p>\n

Rated T (53,215 words)<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam & Sam Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam’s Journey of Memories
\nAdam’s Surprise Visitor<\/a><\/span>
\nAdam’s Angels
\n<\/a><\/span>Bringing up Babies<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ADAM\u2019S SURPRISE VISITOR<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER ONE<\/span><\/p>\n

Unbraiding her hair, Dr. Samantha Nielsen stomped across the floor of the hotel room and scolded herself. Twit! Idiot! Cretin! Fool! What had she expected? Did she really think, after six months, that Adam would put his life on hold until she made up her mind about Dr. Robert Sternberg? Sure, she had written Adam on many occasions to ask how he was, what things he had remembered, how his family was doing. And he had answered her letters. He never mentioned the book by Kipling \u2013 \u201cGunga Din\u201d – or the bar of lavender soap, but she knew that Hop Sing had left them both on his bed as she had requested. Hop Sing was completely dependable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sitting down and brushing her long brunette hair in front of the mirror, she looked at her reflection and stuck out her tongue at the woman she saw. Silently, she thought about the situation. I\u2019m crazy. I left Adam to see if my relationship with Robert would work out. True, Robert is a wonderful man and I will always love him, in my own way. But I knew within weeks of returning to San Francisco that things between us could just never be more than what they were \u2013 a wonderful professional relationship and an incredible friendship. There was no fire with Robert, no passion. Yet I stayed and stayed, dragging my feet about whether or not to come back to Virginia City. I waited too long. And, to make matters worse, I just planted myself on the front porch of the Ponderosa without any warning that I was coming. I swore Doc Martin to secrecy about my arrival. I\u2019m just damn lucky that anybody was at home to begin with! Ah, but surprises have a way of backfiring, don\u2019t they? After the way I left him, did I expect Adam to welcome me with open arms?<\/span><\/p>\n

Removing her robe, Sam climbed tiredly into bed. It had been a long day but she couldn\u2019t sleep. She kept re-playing the evening\u2019s events in her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWO<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam had arrived via stage after twilight had fallen. She had gotten a hotel room, changed into her riding clothes, rented a horse at the livery stable and had galloped out of town toward the Ponderosa. It never entered her mind that the house might be empty; she didn\u2019t care whether or not she interrupted the evening meal. She just didn\u2019t think things through in her excitement.<\/span><\/p>\n

She walked her horse as quietly as she could to the hitching post. She saw a buggy there but thought nothing of it. Rapping on the door, she stood in nervous anticipation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing answered the door, and his face broke into a wide smile. Sam put her fingers to her lips to indicate to him that he should be quiet. The two spoke in whispers in Chinese. Hop Sing cackled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho is it, Hop Sing?\u201d Ben called.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVisitor at door. Would like to speak with you,\u201d Hop Sing replied, still cackling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben rose from the table, walked to the front door and, when he saw who the visitor was, his face lit up. A broad grin and a hearty \u201cHello, stranger!\u201d were the most welcoming signs that Sam could\u2019ve hoped for. She hugged him tightly and kissed him on the cheek.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome in! Come in and have supper with us!\u201d Ben said, taking her by the elbow.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the pair rounded the corner into the dining room, Sam saw Hoss and Joe first. Rising quickly, they gave and received welcoming hugs. Sam was elated, her green eyes sparkling. Her reception was more than she had hoped for.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, there was Adam. He rose to his feet, smiled, and extended his hand. \u201cIt\u2019s good to see you again. It\u2019s been a long time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And sitting next to Adam was a woman. Sam\u2019s heart missed a beat as she considered the possibility that she might be looking at Adam\u2019s wife. There was nothing she could do but smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, very formally, made the introductions. \u201cDr. Samantha Nielsen, I\u2019d like you to meet Miss Gretchen Werner. Gretchen, this is Dr. Samantha Nielsen \u2013 the doctor who helped me regain my memory after the accident.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen was beautifully dressed \u2013 not too revealing but showing just enough of her body to make men look at her more than several times. Her hair was the color of spun gold and was piled on top of her head in beautiful curls; her eyes were blue, and her skin was the unflawed texture of fine porcelain. Sam thought momentarily of her own freckled pug nose, her naturally curly hair, and the fact that she was wearing her riding clothes. This is not the surprise I had envisioned.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Sam had excellent social graces and extended her hand to the woman. When Gretchen rose to reach for Sam\u2019s hand, Sam realized how petite the woman was. Adam had a curious look on his face. Hoss and Joe seemed to find no discomfort in this scenario. Ben continued beaming \u2013 he was genuinely happy to see the woman who had helped his son through a journey of memories.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing had set a place for Sam at the table and Ben began pulling a chair out for her to sit in.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSit down and eat while it\u2019s hot,\u201d Ben boomed happily. Though he did give a sideways glance at Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry. I can\u2019t stay,\u201d Sam said, trying to give her best smile. \u201cI just thought I would ride out and say hello.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense!\u201d boomed Ben. \u201cYou\u2019re here just at the right time. Now sit down and eat!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam knew Ben well enough to not refuse this invitation. Besides, she was curious about this Gretchen-creature. So she sat down as Ben sliced the leg of lamb for her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019ve come full-circle,\u201d Sam commented as she looked at the lamb. \u201cThis is what Hop Sing served the first night I was here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe passed platters of vegetables. \u201cHey, that\u2019s right! Adam remembered liking lamb. It was his first memory.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSecond,\u201d Adam said, avoiding Sam\u2019s eyes. \u201cThe first was a name from a book, I believe. \u2018Gunga Din\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam half-choked on her first sip of wine, then recovered. \u201cI seem to recall that to be quite true, Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, who felt no tension in the air, began to ask questions. \u201cWhat brings you here, Sam? Are you just passing through or what?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam paused. She might as well tell the truth. \u201cWell, I\u2019ve been writing to Doc Martin and he suggested that having a lady doctor in town might be worth trying. Though internal medicine isn\u2019t my specialty, I took a whole bunch of remedial classes in San Francisco to jog my memory. I\u2019ll watch and work with Doc Martin for a while to see if this is what I want to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow odd,\u201d interjected Adam, \u201cthat Doc Martin failed to mention this to any of us. He\u2019s had plenty of time to broach the subject in the last six months.\u201d There was an edge of sarcasm to his voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin didn\u2019t mention to me that you had a girlfriend, Sam thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen spoke with a soft drawl. \u201cI think it\u2019s a wonderful idea to have another doctor in town. How did you come to pick Virginia City? Do you have family here? Or other interests, perhaps?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked into Gretchen\u2019s blue eyes and didn\u2019t like what she saw there. The woman was being nosy, bordering on catty, and Sam took an instant dislike to this woman who had laid her hand possessively across Adam\u2019s arm.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking at Gretchen intently, Sam answered flatly. \u201cMy family is dead. I have no ties in San Francisco, and I learned to love this part of the country. Doc Martin\u2019s idea of having another doctor here seemed like the perfect plan. We\u2019ll see how it works out. While I\u2019m working with Doc Martin, I\u2019ll be staying at the hotel and, if things go well, I\u2019ll buy a place of my own and open my own practice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen batted her eyelashes. \u201cI know we all have you to thank for being such a help to Adam. Isn\u2019t that right, dear?\u201d And she flashed a smile up into Adam\u2019s face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben flinched. Hoss stole a sideways glance at Little Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s eyebrow shot up to her hairline. \u201cAdam remembered on his own. I just helped lead him a bit to help his mind relax and be open.\u201d What Sam wanted to do was to fly across the table and slap the smirk off Gretchen\u2019s face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, all that\u2019s behind us now,\u201d Ben said. And skillfully, he changed the subject.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the meal was finished, Ben offered Sam a brandy which was politely refused.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have a lot of unpacking to do,\u201d Sam said. What she didn\u2019t say was that she wanted to get the hell out of the house. Quick! \u201cTomorrow, I\u2019ll spend the day with Doc Martin and get to know some of his patients. Most folks are used to a male physician, so he can let me assist him and let people decide whether a female doctor is worth having around.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As she reached the door, Sam turned. \u201cIt was wonderful to see all of you again. I hope to see a lot more of you. Just not as a patient!\u201d She smiled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd, of course, Adam and I would like to see more of you,\u201d Gretchen said evenly.<\/span><\/p>\n

I bet you would, Sam thought. Women have a gut feeling when a man is involved.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood night, and thank you for the lovely meal,\u201d Sam called as she swung into the saddle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had the strangest look on his face while the other Cartwrights waved. Even Hop Sing (who secretly hated Gretchen) called out a \u201cGood night!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam rode away. Unhappy and disconcerted. She wondered if Adam had plans to marry Gretchen. Sam was very afraid that she had waited too late in returning\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THREE<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam appeared at Doc Martin\u2019s office bright and early \u2013 she wanted to have a talk with him in private \u2013 but she would have to wait. Three patients had arrived ahead of her, and the doctor was busy. He had to check on the progress of young Johnnie Pearson\u2019s broken leg; old Mrs. Jackson had a sore throat and a nasty-sounding cough; and then there was Jed Tyson with a boil on his backside that needed to be lanced.<\/span><\/p>\n

To Doc Martin\u2019s joy, Sam stepped right in and helped wherever and whenever she could. Her demeanor was calm and self-assured, and the patients responded to her positively. Word would spread about this new lady doctor \u2013 Doc Martin was sure of this.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even Jed Tyson, who had balked at first about a woman looking at his backside, responded to Sam\u2019s gentle ways and finally relented and allowed her to assist Doc Martin. Very few folks got along with Jed, but Sam\u2019s demeanor won him over. She was so sympathetic to his condition, praised him for being so brave when the boil was lanced, and told him what an excellent patient he was. She was sincere, and Jed could tell insincerity when he saw it. This Dr. Nielsen was special.<\/span><\/p>\n

As soon as Jed had left the office (walking quite gingerly), Sam grabbed a trash can and promptly threw up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now Doc Martin was sympathetic. \u201cBoils are very common out here. I never get used to the smell, but I\u2019ve learned how to control my stomach. It helps if you breathe through your mouth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Embarrassed, Sam nodded. After she had popped a peppermint in her mouth \u2013 a candy that was good for settling stomachs \u2013 she turned to look at Doc Martin. With hands on her hips, she spoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me that Adam had a girlfriend?\u201d Though well-controlled, her voice still had a touch of anger.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin was surprised. \u201cMy letters to you were strictly professional. I didn\u2019t know that you would be interested.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I am! I made a fool out of myself by arriving at the Ponderosa last night and finding Gretchen Werner quite attached to Adam Cartwright!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Chuckling, Doc Martin looked into Sam\u2019s green eyes. \u201cI had no idea that you were interested in Adam. I would have warned you had I known. You told me only that you and Dr. Sternberg were involved once but that things didn\u2019t work out. I guess my crystal ball doesn\u2019t work well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam mulled this over in her mind. What the doctor had said was true. He didn\u2019t know about Sam\u2019s feelings for Adam. How could he? None of the Cartwrights would ever had said a word to anybody.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her anger dissipating, Sam sighed. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Doc. Of course you didn\u2019t know. I was just terribly embarrassed last night and wanted to blame somebody for my own mistake.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And the two had a private discussion about Adam. And how Sam felt about the man. And why she had jumped at the chance to come work in Virginia City. And Doc Martin told Sam all about the Werner family. They were from Germany, had lived just outside of town for several years and had their own farm \u2013 growing a huge array of vegetables (summer and winter), hay and alfalfa. Friedhelm and Ilsa had donated as much hay as they were able when the winters were intense and neighboring ranchers had cattle that were starving, unable to find food in the deep snows that fell. In return, the cattle ranchers always saw to it that the Werner family had plenty of beef to eat. The Werners were neither rich nor poor, and they were well-liked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen was the only child, and Friedhelm and Ilsa doted on her. Subsequently, the girl grew up a little on the spoiled side and could be snobby when she wanted to be. But, for the most part, she had many friends in and around Virginia City. Some women had the tendency to be slightly jealous of her because of her flawless appearance; men were attracted to her beauty and to the soft drawl she had acquired from a Texas tutor who had home-schooled her. She subsequently didn\u2019t have the German accent of her parents.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Sam still didn\u2019t like her. Oh, she would be nice to her if they happened to meet, but she just couldn\u2019t pretend to like the woman \u2013 not because Adam was squiring her around but because there was something not quite right about what was behind those blue eyes. This tidbit of information, Sam kept to herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FOUR<\/span><\/p>\n

With no new patients arriving at Doc Martin\u2019s, Sam had borrowed one of Doc\u2019s medical books and had taken it with her to lunch. So engrossed was she in her reading, she failed to realize that she was being spoken to.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSam?\u201d said Ben, laying a hand gently on her shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

Startled, Sam jumped. Then, recognizing Ben, she had to laugh at herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen, how nice to see you! And it\u2019s my turn to ask you to sit down and have something to eat!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben gave her shoulder a squeeze and sat down. He smiled at her \u2013 she almost always made him smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was at the bank and thought I saw you come in here,\u201d he said as he looked at the menu. \u201cI wanted to tell you how wonderful it was to see you last night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam closed the medical book. \u201cI wanted to surprise you. I think I was the one who was surprised. I shouldn\u2019t have gone out to the Ponderosa unexpectedly, but I was excited\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSam,\u201d Ben interrupted. \u201cI want you to know that you are always welcome at the Ponderosa. We all care a great deal about you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam chewed the inside of her cheek. \u201cI think I made Adam uncomfortable. I\u2019m sorry. But I didn\u2019t know about Gretchen. Doc Martin hadn\u2019t filled me in on that bit of news. Nobody had.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was quiet for a moment. Then he chose his words carefully. \u201cAdam cared a great deal for you. When you left, he had a very difficult time. When Gretchen approached him and showed an\u2026interest \u2026in him, his ego took an upward swing. It was what he needed at the time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam got right to the point. \u201cIs he in love with her?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As always, Ben was impressed with Sam\u2019s forthright manner. But he was reticent to talk about his son\u2019s personal life. Yet he knew this was important to Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe may think he is. But you know how private Adam can be, so I really can\u2019t say exactly what he feels.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam sighed. \u201cI really made a mess of things, didn\u2019t I?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRemember the night we talked?\u201d Ben asked. \u201cYou told me about your young man back in San Francisco. I suggested that you do what was right for you at the time, and you did just that. I assume, since you\u2019re here in Virginia City, that you did what you needed to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThings with Robert just didn\u2019t work out,\u201d Sam answered slowly. \u201cWe came to a mutual understanding, and it was the right one for both of us. And, because of Doc Martin\u2019s kindness, here I am.\u201d Then another forthright question. \u201cWhat do you think of Gretchen?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben had ordered only a cup of coffee and he sipped it while he was thinking. \u201cShe\u2019s an attractive woman but I don\u2019t think that she\u2019s Adam\u2019s intellectual equal. On the other hand, I\u2019ve heard many times that opposites attract. I can\u2019t tell you any more.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Nodding her head and smiling, Sam touched Ben\u2019s arm. \u201cI\u2019ve never heard you say anything unkind about anybody. And you\u2019ve never been one to talk out of turn. If I put you in a bad position, I apologize.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo apology necessary,\u201d Ben answered, finishing his cup of coffee in a hurry. He rose to leave. \u201cI\u2019ve got more business to attend to. I just wanted to wish you well in your work with Doc Martin. And I hope that you decide to stay. This town needs another doctor. And we can always use an extra friend.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Ben.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With a smile, Ben paid for his coffee and Sam\u2019s meal. Sam was deeply touched by this most honest man and what he had said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Surprisingly, Ben returned to the table to say one last thing. \u201cIf I were you, I wouldn\u2019t give up.\u201d He gave Sam a conspiratorial wink.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam, taken off guard, answered. \u201cI won\u2019t. Count on it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, Ben was gone, leaving Sam with her medical book – which she couldn\u2019t concentrate on \u2013 and a heart that had wings of hope.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIVE<\/span><\/p>\n

As she was walking down the street, Sam spied Adam leaning against a building, his hat shading his face, chewing on a toothpick. She remembered the day he had plucked a blade of grass and put the stem between his teeth \u2013 what a wonderful day that was! Gathering her courage, she walked up to him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Adam!\u201d she said brightly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tipping back his hat, he looked into the familiar green eyes. He smiled. \u201cHello, yourself. Doc Martin\u2019s office is in the other direction. What brings you this way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam had to think fast. Way beyond where Adam was standing was the livery stable.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want to buy a horse. While I was away, I practiced riding and my skills have improved. Liar Can you advise me on where I can find a good horse for a reasonable amount of money?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shifting his toothpick casually to the other side of his mouth, Adam answered. \u201cI hear that some decent horses were just sold to the livery stable. You might take a look there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh, Adam?\u201d Sam asked, lying through her teeth. \u201cHow would I know if a horse is good or not?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can help you with that, if you can wait a minute or two. Jess would sell you a horse with two legs if he thought he could get away with it.\u201d Adam gave her that lop-sided grin that she loved.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can wait,\u201d Sam answered quickly without asking why.<\/span><\/p>\n

All of a sudden, there was tension between the two. Adam asked about the medical book that was in Sam\u2019s hand. She answered and then there was silence. Sam asked how Old Betsy was doing. Adam answered and there was another silence. Neither of them knew quite how to carry on a conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a loud \u201cAdam, dear, will you help me with these boxes?\u201d the door behind Adam had opened. And there was Gretchen. Sam looked at the name over the door and realized that it said \u201cWomen\u2019s Wear,\u201d and that Adam had been waiting for Gretchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Dr. Nielsen,\u201d Gretchen said politely as she handed the boxes to Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Miss Werner,\u201d Sam answered with an equal politeness.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy, what a wonderful day for shopping. I found some beautiful things in this store. You should go in there and look around.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Is she insinuating that there\u2019s something improper about my clothes? was what Sam was wondering. Or is she carrying on a conversation?<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of saying what she was wondering, Sam smiled brightly. \u201cI\u2019m not looking for clothes right now. I\u2019m looking for a horse to buy. Adam was kind enough to offer to help me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For a fleeting moment, Gretchen looked like she had bitten into a lemon. But she recovered quickly. \u201cHow nice of Adam. But I don\u2019t think we have time right now\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure we do,\u201d interjected Adam. He seemed quite amused. \u201cThe livery stable is just down the street. Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen opened her mouth to protest and then shut it quickly. The three of them took up the whole boardwalk \u2013 Adam carrying boxes, Gretchen clinging to his arm, and Sam refusing to walk behind the two.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arriving at the corral behind the livery stable, Adam looked at the six horses enclosed behind the wooden fence. He put Gretchen\u2019s packages on a nearby tree stump.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen complained bitterly \u2013 about the smell, the dust, the dirt, the flies. Sam wasn\u2019t bothered by any of those things and neither was Adam. Gretchen whined about getting her shoes dirty until a look from Adam shut her up. Sam stifled a chuckle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Out came Jess, a man who had been around horses all his life and knew his business.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam introduced Sam to Jess and told him that \u201cDr. Nielsen\u201d wanted to buy a horse. Jess looked at Sam, sizing her up and wondering what he could get away with. Adam knew good horseflesh. He tried pointing out two horses, but Adam shook his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJess, that buckskin has a bad hoof. You need to tend to that. And that roan over there wouldn\u2019t last two minutes at a gallop. He has no chest, no room to breathe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam continued looking. In the far corner was a palomino mare. \u201cLet\u2019s look at that one.\u201d Adam, of course, had picked out the best horse in the corral. And Jess knew it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Throwing a halter around her neck, Jess led the palomino over to Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe looks perfect,\u201d Sam said, stroking the mare\u2019s nose. \u201cBut I need to ride her to see how she acts and reacts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen gaped at Sam. But you\u2019re wearing a dress!<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam shrugged as Jess put the bit in the horse\u2019s mouth and made adjustments so the mare\u2019s ears fit correctly. He turned to reach for a saddle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t bother,\u201d said Sam as she climbed through the fence, forcing her medical book into Gretchen\u2019s hands. \u201cI\u2019d rather ride bareback. Jess, give me a leg up, please. And open the gate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jess\u2019s gawk was the mirror-image of Gretchen\u2019s. Adam grinned as there was a flash of Sam\u2019s petticoats and then bare legs dangling down the palomino\u2019s sides. And then Sam was trotting down the street and, when she reached the outskirts of town, she gave a loud whoop and urged the mare into a canter and then a gallop. She was still galloping when she returned minutes later.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s perfect!\u201d Sam exclaimed as she sat on the palomino\u2019s back.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen just couldn\u2019t keep her mouth shut. \u201cDr. Nielsen, ladies don\u2019t ride astride a horse! They do not ride bareback \u2013 it\u2019s indecent. They ride side-saddle and with decorum. They certainly don\u2019t whoop like a wild Indian!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked down at Gretchen, a frown appearing between his eyebrows. \u201cThis lady does!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dropping the medical book on the ground, Gretchen snatched her packages from the tree stump and stomped off, dust billowing from her long skirt.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam watched her walk away and then turned his attention to Sam as she slid off the horse\u2019s back. I still care for her. A lot.<\/span><\/p>\n

The only thing left for Adam and Sam to do was to haggle over the selling price. Jess ended up accepting less money than he had hoped for but felt a great respect for the new buyer. He whispered to Adam, as Sam pulled money out of her purse, \u201cThis one\u2019s a keeper.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam made arrangements to have her new horse, who she named \u201cFancy,\u201d stabled with Jess temporarily. Jess was glad to charge her extra for this service. Jess was happy; Sam was ecstatic, and Adam was both happy and confused. He didn\u2019t want to like Sam, but he did anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning to walk up the street, Adam saw that Gretchen had managed to drop her packages.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was Sam who said, \u201cShe needs help, Adam. I hope I didn\u2019t keep you too long, and I\u2019m sorry if I caused trouble.\u201d Sam was not sorry, but it sounded like the thing to say. \u201cThank you for all your help.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, momentarily, got lost in Sam\u2019s green eyes. Touching the brim of his hat, he walked toward Gretchen and helped her pick up the packages she had dropped. Adam didn\u2019t see the glare that she flashed at Sam seconds before she grabbed Adam\u2019s arm and flounced away.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam grinned. The war was on.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIX<\/span><\/p>\n

Being in Virginia City, knowing that she might run into Adam, was difficult for Sam. Gossip had it that the eldest Cartwright son and the beautiful Gretchen Werner would surely be tying the knot soon. Sam tried to ignore what she heard but, as the old saying went, \u201cwhere there\u2019s smoke, there\u2019s fire.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And here, on Doc Martin\u2019s table, was an obese spinster lady known as the biggest town gossip of them all \u2013 Miss Drucilla Campbell. Sam sighed as she listened to the long litany of complaints \u2013 sore back, swollen legs and feet, stomach upset. The list went on and on. And Doc Martin had left Sam alone with this lady; Sam suspected that he did it on purpose because the list probably never changed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at the obese woman and tried to be sympathetic as she examined the woman\u2019s back and found herself only half-listening. In the medical profession, not listening to a patient\u2019s complaints could cause the physician to overlook something important, and Sam knew this. But Miss Drucilla\u2019s problems were undoubtedly due to her constant overeating, so she heard only<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026Adam Cartwright is a fool.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s senses perked up immediately. She should have been paying more attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Miss Drucilla, but I was concentrating on your spine (what a lie) and your voice was muffled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s quite all right, dear,\u201d Miss Drucilla responded as she struggled to turn herself over onto her back. \u201cWhat I was saying is that Adam Cartwright is a fool if he can\u2019t see that Gretchen Werner is after his name and the family money.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Concentrating on Miss Drucilla\u2019s fat leg, Sam decided that this woman might be a good source of information. So she responded in a conversational way, taking a lot of time with her examination. \u201cDo you really think that\u2019s true, Miss Drucilla? I haven\u2019t had much time to get to know anybody here, but I would hate to think that Adam Cartwright would let a woman pull the wool over his eyes. I worked with him, you know, and he\u2019s quite intelligent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There was a knock on the outer door and, covering Miss Drucilla with a sheet, Sam closed the exam room door, went to the outer door and opened it. There was a skinny lady, wringing her hands, standing on the other side.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been so worried about my dear friend,\u201d the skinny lady said, her hands fluttering like birds\u2019 wings. \u201cI\u2019ve just got to know if she\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam introduced herself and learned the name of this rather odd-looking woman with eyes that seemed to pop out unnaturally.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you\u2019re the lady doctor working with Doctor Martin,\u201d said the lady, pushing her way into the room. \u201cI\u2019m so glad we finally have a woman doctor in town.\u201d Very conspiratorially she added, \u201cThere are just some things that a man doesn\u2019t need to know, much less examine!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

From out of the closed exam room, Drucilla screeched, \u201cThelma, is that you? Ask Doctor Sam if you can come in. We need to chat!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThelma\u201d turned out to be \u201cThelma Mott,\u201d another spinster lady whose gossiping was overshadowed only by Drucilla\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan I go in and see Drucilla?\u201d Thelma asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as Miss Drucilla says it\u2019s okay with her, then it\u2019s fine with me,\u201d Sam said, almost too eagerly.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Sam examined Drucilla\u2019s other leg, Thelma began to stop wringing her hands. But Sam\u2019s mind was on the conversation about Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, let\u2019s see. Where were we?\u201d Sam asked, pretending that she\u2019d forgotten.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Drucilla, when it came to gossip, never forgot what she was saying. \u201cWe were discussing Adam Cartwright and that gold-digger Gretchen Werner.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam smiled. This examination was going to take much longer than necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that Gretchen,\u201d said Thelma. \u201cShe\u2019s from such a nice family. I just don\u2019t know if she has a brain in her head.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked up at Thelma and asked innocently, \u201cIs she retarded? Does she have mental problems?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Leaning forward in her chair, Thelma said loudly, \u201cOh, my dear! The only mental problem she has is getting her hooks into a rich man!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Using her innocent look again, Sam tried her best to look surprised. \u201cSurely, Adam enjoys her company or he wouldn\u2019t be going out with her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla shook her head sadly. \u201cAfter Adam got his memory back \u2013 thanks to you, Doctor Sam \u2013 Gretchen just pounced on him. I don\u2019t think the poor man knew what hit him!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike a cat on a mouse,\u201d added Thelma, nodding her head in agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla made a noise that sounded like a cross between a cough and a growl. \u201cWhy, Gretchen has been\u2026friendly \u2026with several men in town. But her relationships never lasted for long. I guess the men didn\u2019t have enough money.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Thelma dabbed with her hankie at one of her pop eyes. \u201cThat poor Adam. Men see only what they want to see. He\u2019ll end up marrying that woman and will be miserable the rest of his life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201dNot if I can help it,\u201d Sam thought to herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Miss Drucilla was getting dressed, Sam and Miss Thelma sat in the outer office.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs Drucilla going to die?\u201d Miss Thelma asked morosely.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smothering a laugh, Sam reassured the lady that her friend would not die. \u201cBut I\u2019m going to give her some pills that will help her feel better.\u201d Going to a special medicine cabinet, Sam took down a bottle of pills, and then closed the cabinet.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Miss Drucilla emerged from the examination room, she sat down heavily in a chair which creaked and groaned. Sam feared that the chair might break. It didn\u2019t, thankfully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Miss Drucilla. I want you and Miss Thelma to listen very carefully to me. These pills that I\u2019m giving you are very strong. You must take them three times a day without fail. The only thing you must be aware of is that they react horribly with some foods. You will become very ill if you eat a cake or a pie or a donut or potatoes or corn.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla sighed. \u201cBut I love those things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you can choose between your pain or you can take the pills and avoid those things that have a bad reaction with certain foods.\u201d Sam tried desperately to sound professional but kind.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan she eat fruits and vegetables and meat?\u201d Thelma asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes!\u201d Sam answered with enthusiasm. \u201cShe can have as many fruits and vegetables as she wants. And good, lean cuts of meat too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The door opened and in came Doc Martin, surprised to see both Drucilla and Thelma still in his office. He thought he had given Sam enough time to complete her examination.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Doc Martin!\u201d gushed Drucilla. \u201cDr. Sam is just the finest doctor! She\u2019s given me these wonderful pills to take to ease my pain!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Before either Drucilla or Thelma could say anything more, Sam accepted payment from Drucilla and then ushered both women out the door with a final warning to Drucilla. \u201cTake those pills three times a day, and remember what I told you about the bad reaction to certain foods.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will! I will!\u201d called back Drucilla. And then the two ladies were gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin looked at Sam sternly. \u201cYou know there\u2019s nothing wrong with Drucilla except for the fact that she\u2019s severely overweight. What kind of pills did you give her!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Chuckling, Sam pointed to the bottle of pills in the special cabinet. \u201cShe thinks that she has to stop eating sugar and carbohydrates or she\u2019ll be ill. My guess is that she\u2019ll lose a lot of weight and will feel better sooner than we know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The pills, of course, were sugar pills. Good for absolutely nothing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin shook his head. \u201cDo you think they\u2019ll work?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe mind is very powerful. If she believes they\u2019ll work, they will.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin looked at his pocket watch. \u201cThat examination took a very long time. Much longer than necessary. Is there a reason for that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ve learned that Miss Drucilla and Miss Thelma love to talk. I didn\u2019t want to appear rude when I\u2019m seeing a patient for the first time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin looked at Sam\u2019s expression and the slightest upturning of her lips. He said nothing.<\/span><\/p>\n

And Sam was armed with quite a bit more knowledge than she had expected. Very useful knowledge.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s life fell into a comfortable ritual \u2013 mornings were devoted to grooming and riding Fancy, followed by breakfast at the small caf\u00e9. Then she would change clothes and go to Doc Martin\u2019s office, often to work with patients, often to read more medical books. Then she would have a quick lunch after which she would go back to work. Then there would be supper (sometimes alone, sometimes with new friends \u2013 her personality won a place in many hearts), an evening ride aboard her favorite horse, and then back to her hotel room. Though her days were busy, the nights were long, and Sam was lonely. Reading medical books filled her head with knowledge but her heart was empty. Often her thoughts would turn to Adam and Gretchen, and Sam wondered if Adam was kissing Gretchen the same way he had kissed her. At those times, Sam would talk to herself. Instead of sitting around waiting for Adam to come to his senses about Gretchen, then I need to do something. Maybe Adam doesn\u2019t want me but he deserves so much better than a gold-digger who only wants his name and his money. But what can I do? Sighing, she punched her pillow and went to sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

The answer to her prayers came in the form of literally bumping into Little Joe the very next morning. The youngest Cartwright had ridden into town with Hop Sing to pick up supplies, and Sam (deep in thought and not watching where she was going) almost knocked Little Joe over as he was exiting the general store.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d Sam exclaimed. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry! I wasn\u2019t paying attention!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe flashed his boyish grin. \u201cSam! I haven\u2019t seen you in two weeks!\u201d Little Joe was never backward coming forward and immediately gave Sam a big hug. \u201cI needed to talk to you anyway.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Immediate concern shadowed Sam\u2019s face. \u201cIs everything all right at the Ponderosa? Nobody\u2019s hurt or sick?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe laughed. \u201cNah. Nothing like that. Pa wanted me to invite you to come to the Ponderosa for supper tonight. We haven\u2019t had the pleasure of your company in quite a while. I know it\u2019s short notice, but\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Clapping her hands with delight, Sam answered before Joe could finish his sentence. \u201cI\u2019d love to have supper tonight! I can ride Fancy out there \u2013 what a treat!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing appeared and his face lit up. \u201cMissie Doctor Sam! What nice surprise!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And while Little Joe was picking up the dropped boxes of supplies and loading the wagon, Sam and Hop Sing carried on a conversation in Chinese. At one point, Hop Sing made a disgusted face and shook his head. Sam smiled and kissed the man on the cheek, something that just was not done between a white woman and an Oriental man. Not in public, anyway. But Sam didn\u2019t care what people thought, and Hop Sing was so surprised that all he could do was cackle and then scurry away excitedly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe had watched this scenario play out. He had long since learned that \u2018propriety\u201d was in the eye of the beholder and he was delighted to see that Sam genuinely cared for the cook. But he didn\u2019t understand Chinese at all. And probably never would. Sometimes it was better not knowing what Hop Sing was muttering about\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould you mind if I asked what all that was about?\u201d Joe asked. He was curious.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam considered lying and then dispensed with the idea. \u201cI told Hop Sing that I was invited to supper tonight and that I would be there. I also asked him if Gretchen would be there also. He said that she most certainly would not be there.\u201d Pausing, Sam looked into Joe\u2019s eyes and saw the understanding there. She continued, \u201cI don\u2019t want there to be any\u2026um\u2026surprises \u2026tonight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Laughing, Joe answered. \u201cNo surprises. Just family. Very informal.\u201d With that, he hopped up into the wagon and made room for Hop Sing. \u201cWe\u2019ll see you tonight, then? Around early evening?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam waved. \u201cFancy and I will be there!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What Sam didn\u2019t know was that Gretchen was across the street, and this woman could hear a bat sneeze forty miles away. She had heard every word of the conversation. And Gretchen was not happy at this turn of events. She knew that Adam had been in Carson City and would be returning home in the early evening. She also knew that she and Adam had no plans until later in the week. The timing of this \u201csupper\u201d was just right for \u201cDr. Nielsen\u201d to arrive for a family get-together. With her Adam. She plotted a strategy of her own.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHT<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout the day, Sam was noticeably distracted while she sat in Doc Martin\u2019s office. Finally, Doc Martin, realizing that Sam\u2019s focus wasn\u2019t where it should be, chastised Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou show excellent progress in your knowledge of medical things. You work exceedingly well with every single person who comes through this door. Surprisingly, not only are women comfortable with you, but men are too. But you must remember that you are a doctor and you can\u2019t afford to let your mind wander. It could mean that somebody\u2019s life is at stake.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking very contrite, Sam answered. \u201cYou\u2019re right. My personal life should never interfere with my professional life. I won\u2019t allow my concentration to lose focus from now on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gently, Doc Martin spoke. \u201cWould you like to talk about what\u2019s bothering you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam had to laugh at the irony. \u201cI\u2019m a trained psychiatrist and you\u2019re a general practitioner. I think our positions just switched.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin smiled and leaned back in his chair. He remained silent.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been invited out to the Ponderosa for supper. And Gretchen won\u2019t be there. I\u2019m excited and edgy and a little bit afraid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfraid of what?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf how Adam will react. Of how I\u2019ll react to Adam in a setting that\u2019s so familiar. I want things to be like they were before I left but I know that\u2019s not possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin smiled. \u201cAnything\u2019s possible,\u201d he said. \u201cBut Adam is hard-headed and stubborn. From what you\u2019ve told me, you hurt him badly. His feelings may have changed toward you although your feelings haven\u2019t changed toward him. You need to be aware of that possibility and then learn to deal with it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked sad. \u201cI know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Pushing back his chair, Doc Martin rose and took Sam\u2019s hands in his. \u201cThings are quiet here now. I handled this office for years before you arrived, and I can handle things again. Why don\u2019t you go take a nice hot bath, relax, and then go have a pleasant meal with your friends? I know where to find you if I need you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Sam said simply. Then she added, with a wink, \u201cMaybe you ought to specialize in psychiatry!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She could still hear the doctor\u2019s laughter as she closed the office door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her next stop was the livery stable where she found Jess repairing a bridle. He looked up and smiled when she entered the double doorway. He liked this woman, mostly because she had the love of horses that he did. But he liked her spirit, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJess, I\u2019d like to ask a favor,\u201d Sam stated. \u201cI\u2019m going to the Ponderosa for supper and I need Fancy to be saddled and ready to go in about two hours. Could you tend to that for me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jess rolled his chewing tobacco to the other side of his mouth and then spat expertly into a fancy spittoon he had acquired at some point.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure, I can do that for you,\u201d he said amiably. \u201cShe\u2019ll be ready when you are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you so much, Jess. You are so kind to do this for me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGlad to be of help,\u201d Jess answered, spitting again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam waved as she left and headed swiftly to the hotel for a bath. To be on the safe side, just so she didn\u2019t smell like medicine and alcohol, she scrubbed twice as long as usual. Then she picked out a split skirt, a fitted shirt, and her favorite boots \u2013 which she hadn\u2019t worn since she\u2019d arrived in Virginia City. She\u2019d been saving them for special occasions. And tonight definitely fell into a special occasion. She had been assured that there would be no surprises \u2013 but she hadn\u2019t counted on Gretchen\u2019s plans.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER NINE<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam felt the gentle breeze against her face, felt it blowing through her hair, and enjoyed rocking with the gentle motion of Fancy\u2019s slow canter on the trail to the Ponderosa. The scent of the Ponderosa pines reminded Sam of the days when she and Adam had gone riding \u2013 of the days when Adam discovered trails that he had temporarily forgotten and how happy he was when his memory came back bit by bit after exploring each trail. Oh, to have those days back again!<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam arrived at the house sooner than she had expected and found Hoss outside, on his way to gather wood for the huge fireplace inside. The nights were growing chilly now, and already some leaves were just beginning to change into their Fall colors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s broad grin was a welcoming sight as Sam neared the hitching post. Sam adored this giant of a man \u2013 he looked for truth and beauty in all things.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Sam!\u201d he exclaimed as he practically pulled her out of her saddle and swung her around in the air happily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss!\u201d Sam replied with equal joy. \u201cYou\u2019re making me dizzy!\u201d She clung to his big neck tightly, but her laughter let him know that she was just teasing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe and Ben appeared, having heard the noise from outside the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, don\u2019t make her sick! Hop Sing\u2019s been in the kitchen most of the day and will be mad if she can\u2019t eat!\u201d Joe was pretending to be stern, but that boyish grin of his gave him away.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her feet once again planted on the ground, Sam gave Little Joe a quick hug and then turned to face Ben. She hugged him tightly and then felt his arm around her shoulders as they turned to walk into the house. Hoss and Joe gathered firewood and came into the house as Ben and Sam were sitting down \u2013 Ben in his large chair and Sam on the sofa.<\/span><\/p>\n

But somebody was missing, and Sam felt her heart drop.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s face was an open book and Ben could read it well. \u201cAdam just got back from Carson City. He\u2019s changing clothes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing emerged from the kitchen, all smiles. \u201cMissie Doctor Sam! Always good to see you here! Supper ready in half an hour.\u201d Then he disappeared, mumbling happily to himself.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam giggled. \u201cHop Sing\u2019s mumbling again. I guess some things never change.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This brought a round of laughter from all three Cartwrights. Upstairs, Adam heard the laughter, recognized the lilt of Sam\u2019s voice and, uncharacteristically nervous, he tucked his shirt into his trousers. By the time he was going down the stairs, the laughter had increased.<\/span><\/p>\n

He saw Sam before she saw him. He stopped a moment to watch her \u2013 her nose wrinkling as she laughed, the way her mane of hair curled erratically around her face, the fullness of her lips, the way her shirt hugged her. He had been tired when he arrived from Carson City, but he wasn\u2019t tired now!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s all this laughter that I\u2019ve been hearing?\u201d he asked with a smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam turned to look at him, saw the dimples in his cheeks, the familiar broad shoulders and the barrel chest with all that curly black hair poking out. Her heart stopped.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam spoke first, trying to look insulted. \u201cI was telling them about the day I gathered eggs for Hop Sing, and they seem to think the whole thing was hilarious!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam crossed the room, took Sam\u2019s hands in his and gave them a squeeze. \u201cIt\u2019s good to see you.\u201d Hazel eyes met green eyes and held them just a split-second too long. Then came that lop-sided grin that Sam loved so.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I remember correctly, you referred to the hens as \u2018murderous creatures\u2019,\u201d Adam said, rubbing his cheek thoughtfully. \u201cBut, then you also accused Old Betsy of trying to kill you. I think you need a good psychiatrist with this \u2018animal phobia\u2019 you have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss guffawed and then looked at Sam. \u201cI bet I can tell you the name of a good \u2018un!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben joined in the laughter but it didn\u2019t affect his scrutinizing his eldest son. Adam hadn\u2019t been this animated for a long time. Since Sam was living in the house, in fact.<\/span><\/p>\n

The conversation before and during supper was comfortable and relaxed. Ben kept a close eye on Adam and Sam, watching to see how they interacted. He didn\u2019t miss the fact that there was a lot of eye contact between the two \u2013 a good sign. What he didn\u2019t see was that Adam\u2019s leg had accidentally bumped Sam\u2019s leg and that Sam didn\u2019t move away. The two legs touched through the entire meal. Ben relaxed and smiled to himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Until there was a knock on the door and the sound of a woman\u2019s voice calling out, \u201cYoo-hoo! I made pies today and just thought I\u2019d bring one out here.\u201d The voice, of course, belonged to Gretchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s face turned to stone. But he rose to his feet as Gretchen swept into the room bearing a cheesecloth-covered plate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ignoring the rest of the family, Gretchen put the plate in Adam\u2019s hands, stood on tip-toe and kissed him on the cheek.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at Little Joe who gave a slight shrug as if to say, \u201cI had no idea that this was coming.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss just looked stunned. Ben, ever the gentleman, greeted Gretchen and asked her to sit down and have dessert with them. What else could he do?<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen protested that she \u201cjust couldn\u2019t be such a bother\u201d even as she pulled a chair up to the table. She wedged it between Adam and Sam. Only then did she greet the other Cartwrights. And, as an afterthought, she frostily greeted Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing emerged from the kitchen with a huge apple pie in his hands. It smelled delicious \u2013 fresh apples and the sweet scent of cinnamon. When he saw Gretchen, he turned on his heels and disappeared into the kitchen. A big crash ensued. Though Ben didn\u2019t ask about the crash, everybody but Gretchen knew that the apple pie was suffering from the death throes of noisily hitting the sides of the garbage can.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cheerfully, Gretchen asked, \u201cIs everybody ready for my homemade gooseberry pie?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking at her, Adam answered dryly, \u201cI wasn\u2019t aware you knew how to cook.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Adam,\u201d Gretchen responded, \u201cI\u2019m just full of surprises!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, you are, Sam thought, looking first at Gretchen\u2019s sly eyes and then at Adam\u2019s expressionless face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, who had the tendency to find good in just about everything, broke the tension. \u201cGooseberry pie is one of my favorites!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And, with a flourish, Gretchen whipped the cheesecloth from her dessert. There was stunned silence as all eyes looked at the contents of the plate. There were hills and valleys in the partially-burnt and cracked crust. Juice oozed from underneath the uncrimped sides of the crust and pooled in the plate in gelatinous goo. Gretchen seemed oblivious to the reaction to her \u201ccreation.\u201d Gleefully, she cut this unmitigated disaster and seemed unphased when gooseberries and liquid spilled back into the plate. She just used a spoon to capture the \u201cescapees\u201d and dribbled them on top of the crust.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at Adam behind Gretchen\u2019s back and felt her lips start to twitch into a laugh. Adam\u2019s raised eyebrow only made Sam want to laugh more. She didn\u2019t dare look at Hoss and Joe, but she did look at Ben. She never remembered his eyes look that wide before. She had to cough to cover up the laughter that threatened to erupt.<\/span><\/p>\n

As bad as the pie looked, it tasted worse. Obviously some important ingredients had been omitted. As if they were one entity, everybody took a bite at the same time. Even Gretchen\u2019s face reflected the fact that something was terribly wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just don\u2019t know what happened,\u201d she drawled.<\/span><\/p>\n

As much as Sam hated to say it, she tried to find some comforting words. \u201cSometimes things don\u2019t turn out like one would hope. Keep practicing and you\u2019ll get the knack of it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With her face turned toward Sam, Gretchen spoke angrily. \u201cLike you would know about cooking! You spend your days riding horses astraddle. You lance boils! And you openly kiss Chinese men in the middle of the street! I certainly don\u2019t have to take advice from you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As quickly as Gretchen was talking, Sam was turning her plate slowly. While there was a stunned silence, Sam \u2013 with surgical precision \u2013 sliced with vigor into her dessert. And the pie exploded all over Gretchen\u2019s beautiful dress, staining the material as it headed from bodice to waist.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen shrieked like a banshee. Hoss and Joe jumped in startled surprise. Ben opened his mouth, but no words would come out. Adam, the sensible one, ran into the kitchen for some cool water and a towel. Hop Sing peered around the corner, cackled, and disappeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, my,\u201d Sam said. \u201cI\u2019m terribly sorry. Who could\u2019ve known how dangerous gooseberry pie could be?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe asked to be excused from the table \u2013 he had plans for the evening and didn\u2019t want to be late. Hoss had no excuse but asked if he could leave the table. Ben, who didn\u2019t trust himself not to laugh out loud, just waved his sons away.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam returned with the towel and a pitcher of water but was at a loss of where on Gretchen\u2019s body was a decent place to touch. Gretchen snatched the towel from his hands and began trying to dab at the gooey mess staining and still sliding down her bodice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy beautiful dress! It\u2019s ruined!\u201d sobbed Gretchen. \u201cI\u2019ve got to go home and see if Mama knows what to do!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With a final glare at Sam, Gretchen stood up so suddenly that she almost knocked Adam over backwards. Gretchen fled from the house, with Adam and Sam behind her; Ben finally began to laugh but had the decency to laugh into his napkin so that the sounds were muffled.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam helped Gretchen into her buggy and watched as she sped away without saying a word.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a mess,\u201d said Adam, looking at the sticky goop on his hands. He wished he hadn\u2019t helped Gretchen into the buggy because there was no safe place to touch.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUmmm,\u201d murmured Sam. \u201cHow unfortunate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunate?\u201d Adam asked. \u201cThat\u2019s an odd choice of words.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe dress was beautiful. I was aiming for her face!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou?\u201d Adam looked at Sam, his face angry. \u201cYou did that on purpose?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam flashed her sweetest smile. And then Adam began to chuckle. The chuckle turned into explosive laughter, with Adam having to lean against the hitching post just to be able to keep his legs under him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Between fits of laughter, he tried to scold Sam. \u201cThat was a terrible thing to do!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam snorted. \u201cShe said some terrible things and deserved what she got. Besides, it\u2019s quite obvious that her little surprise visit was planned.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, still chuckling, began to calm down. \u201cI don\u2019t follow you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam snorted again. \u201cShe knew I would be here tonight. She either heard me talking to Little Joe or somebody overheard the conversation and told her about it. What woman makes a special trip out of town, on the very night I was invited to supper, not knowing when you would be home, and wearing such a beautiful dress? The pie was an excuse to come out here. For God\u2019s sake, Adam, open your eyes! She sees me as competition and she wants to show me that you belong to her!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam thought this over for a minute, searching Sam\u2019s eyes for answers. \u201cWhat was that remark she made about your kissing a Chinaman?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Little Joe and Hop Sing were in town, I kissed Hop Sing on the cheek.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly, Adam put his arm around Sam\u2019s shoulders and steered her back toward the house. Without looking at her, he spoke. \u201cThings have been too tame around here. It\u2019s good to have you back, Gunga Din.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam wasn\u2019t exactly sure what that meant but she wisely chose to keep her mouth shut. Right now, she just wanted to revel in the feeling of the weight of Adam\u2019s arm on her shoulders.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was still in the dining room when Adam and Sam walked in. And, as it turned out, Hop Sing hadn\u2019t thrown away the apple pie; he had kicked the trash can with his foot. As Ben, Adam and Sam enjoyed the delicious apple pie, Adam told his father what had really happened. Ben roared with laughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Later, though she couldn\u2019t find Hoss to say good night, Sam hugged Ben and thanked him for a wonderful evening. Ben left Adam to walk Sam outside.<\/span><\/p>\n

Climbing into Fancy\u2019s saddle, Sam smiled down at Adam. He rested one hand on her leg and told her to be careful on the way back to town. His eyes were warm, and Sam didn\u2019t want to leave. But she had to. Touching his hand briefly, Sam rode away.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once again, Adam was left to watch as Sam left. But this time, it felt different. He had a lot to think about.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam rested his head on his pillow and tried to sleep, but sleep just wouldn\u2019t come. He began to think in a realistic way.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Sam left me, I was hurt. Really hurt. I thought she cared as much for me as I did for her. Then Gretchen appeared \u2013 beautiful Gretchen with her constant attention to my every need. Every need. True, she lacks in areas of education, and it\u2019s true that she can be a little on the meek side and a little on the uppity side, but she was so good for my ego. I\u2019ve heard rumors about her and other men, but rumors don\u2019t mean much to me. She\u2019s always acted like a lady \u2013 in public anyway.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

But I can\u2019t dismiss how she acted tonight at supper. I\u2019ve never seen her act or speak like I did tonight. And, the more I think about it, Sam probably was right about Gretchen\u2019s arriving to sabotage our meal. There doesn\u2019t seem to be any explanation for her showing up at such an opportune time. Have I been a fool?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Throwing the covers back, Adam walked over to his armoire. Opening its door, he found, way back in a small corner of a shelf, a small box filled with tissue paper. And inside the paper was a bar of lavender soap. The scent made him smile. Wrapping the soap back in its paper, returning it to its box, Adam got in bed again. And thought about Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam isn\u2019t the raving beauty that Gretchen is, but outward beauty isn\u2019t all that important to me. Maybe it was when Gretchen and I began seeing each other but it doesn\u2019t seem to matter now. Sam is forthright and sassy and outspoken. She makes me laugh \u2013 hell, she makes the whole family laugh. She\u2019s devoted to her work, and people trust her. She doesn\u2019t care whether she rides bareback or in a saddle; she whoops with glee and doesn\u2019t care whether she kisses an Oriental in broad daylight in the middle of the street. She knows when to talk and she knows when to be quiet. She\u2019s a lady with high standards.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sat bolt upright in bed. An honest lady with high standards! Of course! That\u2019s it!<\/em> Adam suddenly realized why Sam had<\/em> to go back to San Francisco. Her honesty and sense of responsibility were the reasons she had to return to Robert!<\/span><\/p>\n

Why couldn\u2019t I see that at the time? Pure selfishness on my part. That doesn\u2019t say a lot for my character. And I see now that Sam was in a predicament \u2013 the same one I\u2019m in now. One relationship has to be seen through before another one can be started.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Adam put his head on his pillow and fell into a deep, relaxing sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER ELEVEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Due to pressing ranch issues, it was four days before Adam had an opportunity to ride into town. His first stop was at Doc Martin\u2019s office. He knew what he wanted to say to Sam \u2013 needed to say to her.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin turned when he heard the door open. As Adam entered the office, the two men shook hands. Adam got right to the point.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Sam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s at Ned and Matilda\u2019s place. Ned came rushing in here four days ago in frenzy over Matilda, and Sam hasn\u2019t been back since. Seems Matilda\u2019s been running a high fever, and Sam volunteered to go check on her. I\u2019ve been out there myself to take over, but Sam was adamant that she could handle everything by herself. It\u2019s a good thing I came back \u2013 I\u2019ve delivered two babies and set some broken bones. Virginia City really does need two doctors, I\u2019ve discovered.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Doc,\u201d Adam said as he quickly exited the office. Climbing into the saddle, he kicked Sport into a full gallop and headed out to Ned\u2019s place.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam liked both Ned and Matilda. Though they were among the poorest citizens of Virginia City, they were hard workers, tending to their small vegetable garden from dawn to dusk, and they were proud people. Matilda must\u2019ve been really sick for Ned to be asking for help that he undoubtedly couldn\u2019t afford.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ned was working in his garden, tending to his winter vegetables, when Adam rode up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Mr. Adam,\u201d Ned said respectfully. The Cartwrights were among the very few people who were constantly kind to him and his wife.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Matilda?\u201d Adam asked as he dismounted and tied Sport\u2019s reins to the branches of a spindly tree near where Fancy was tethered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Sam has taken mighty good care of her. I don\u2019t think she\u2019s gotten no sleep for almost four days now. But my Matilda\u2019s fever has broken and she can keep down broth and crackers now. That\u2019s a good sign, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam smiled at Ned. \u201cYes, that\u2019s a very good sign.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam entered the one room shack and saw Matilda first. She looked up at Adam and smiled, continuing to dip her crackers into what smelled like a hearty broth. Adam spoke gently to the woman and then asked where Sam was.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe be outside, gathering some wood for the stove, I think.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam entered the shack at that moment, her arms loaded with wood. Adam was horrified at her appearance \u2013 her clothes were filthy, her hair was a nest of snarls, and her eyes were encircled by dark shadows.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam! What brings you out here,\u201d Sam asked tiredly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoc Martin was curious as to Matilda\u2019s recovery,\u201d Adam lied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMatilda had some bad food poisoning, but she\u2019s on the mend now. I\u2019ll be coming back to town later.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam rushed to take the stack of wood from Sam\u2019s arms. \u201cYou look so tired, Sam. Why don\u2019t you let me stay here with Ned and Matilda and you leave right now and go get some rest?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam couldn\u2019t help but notice the concern on Adam\u2019s face and the gentleness in his eyes. She smiled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Adam. But I\u2019m planning on cooking some lunch \u2013 something with some body to it \u2013 and I want to be sure that Matilda\u2019s stomach will stay settled.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam hesitated. He didn\u2019t want to leave Sam \u2013 there were so many things he wanted to discuss with her. But this wasn\u2019t the time. And there was nothing he could do helpful.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at him curiously. \u201cIs there something you need to tell me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNothing that can\u2019t wait until you\u2019re rested.\u201d He stroked the line of her jaw with one finger. \u201cBut I want you to know that I understand the fact that relationships just can\u2019t be terminated willy-nilly. People have feelings that should be handled carefully.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And then he left, leaving Sam wondering what in the world he was talking about.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWELVE<\/span><\/p>\n

Two days later, a much-rested Sam was eating lunch in the caf\u00e9 when the third member of the \u201cgossip triumvirate\u201d appeared. Her name was \u201cHenrietta,\u201d and she had the face of a horse and the body of a giraffe. Her only saving features were her beautiful big brown eyes and her gleaming white teeth. Sam had met her only once and, like Drucilla and Thelma, she couldn\u2019t help but like this woman.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Sam!\u201d said Henrietta breathlessly. \u201cHave you seen Drucilla recently?<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam had to admit that she had not.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, her back pain and swollen legs are improving practically before my very eyes! Those pills you gave her have just made a new person out of her! Why, she\u2019s even having to buy some new clothes because she\u2019s getting thinner!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam kept her face looking professional and thought, Her symptoms are improving because she\u2019s carrying less weight around. Instead of saying that, she asked Henrietta to tell Drucilla to come see her at Doc Martin\u2019s and perhaps a medication adjustment might be in order.<\/span><\/p>\n

Henrietta nodded. \u201cAre you going to be able to go to the big barbecue on Friday?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat big barbecue?\u201d Samantha hadn\u2019t heard about it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, the Cartwrights always have a huge barbecue at the beginning of Fall. They have it every year and the whole town is invited. Of course, we all bring some kind of covered dish so there\u2019s always food left over \u2013 not that Hop Sing doesn\u2019t make enough for half the world. There\u2019s music and dancing and everything! There are no written invitations, so we just pass on the news to everybody we see.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounds like a wonderful get-together,\u201d Sam smiled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, that Gretchen will be there with Adam. She acts like she\u2019s some kind of princess or something. Frankly, I don\u2019t know what Adam sees in her, but\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The thought of being anywhere around Gretchen made Sam lose her appetite. \u201cWell, I\u2019d love to go, Miss Henrietta, but I have my job with Doc Martin. He may want for me to stay in town.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense! He attends the barbecue himself every year.\u201d Then, \u201cYou might catch yourself an eligible man out there. You\u2019re too pretty to still be single.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As Henrietta rose abruptly to leave, Sam told her that she would be there if she could. What she didn\u2019t say was that the only eligible man she wanted was Adam Cartwright.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

The next day, the day before the big barbecue, Adam returned to Doc Martin\u2019s office and found Sam there alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure do look better than the last time I saw you,\u201d Adam commented as he entered the outer room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, \u2018hello\u2019 to you too,\u201d answered Sam, a little on edge.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Doc Martin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHaving a late lunch. He should be back soon. Is everything okay? I can go get him if you need him.\u201d Sam\u2019s voice lost its edginess and she was immediately alert.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRelax, Gunga Din. Everything\u2019s fine,\u201d Adam answered. He was ready to talk to Sam, had been putting it off way too long, but he didn\u2019t want to interrupt if Doc Martin was in the other room with a patient.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPull up a chair and make yourself comfortable,\u201d Sam invited. Being called by her pet name pleased her.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sat and looked around the office. He didn\u2019t know how to start the conversation. But he got side-tracked when he saw a guitar in the corner of the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know Doc played the guitar,\u201d Adam mused.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t. I do,\u201d came the answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking surprised, Adam asked, \u201cI didn\u2019t know you could play. You never told me that. Let me look at your fingers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, Sam extended her left hand, fingertips pointed upward. Indeed, there were hard callouses on the tips of each finger, a sure sign of skin pressing against a stringed instrument.<\/span><\/p>\n

Handing the guitar to Sam, Adam leaned back in his chair. And Sam went through several chord progressions easily, even managing to throw in a few arpeggios. Adam was impressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter I heard you play, I thought that music would be a good way to relax. I bought this old guitar and took lessons in San Francisco. Lordy, my fingers hurt for weeks! First my fingertips turned bright red, then they blistered, and finally the callouses popped up. But the music is relaxing, and I enjoy it. Too bad I don\u2019t sing well.\u201d Sam shrugged her shoulders.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou play very well,\u201d Adam said with a smile. \u201cSome people just give up when the blisters appear and decide the pain isn\u2019t worth it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was determined,\u201d Sam answered. But she didn\u2019t tell Adam the reason for her determination \u2013 she had wanted to play the guitar because it reminded her of Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWill you bring your guitar to the barbecue tomorrow? The folks who can play instruments always bring them and we sit and have a good time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if I play well enough to do that,\u201d Sam said as she considered the idea. \u201cAnd I haven\u2019t practiced much in the last week. I only found out about the barbecue yesterday from Henrietta.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh, yes. Henrietta. She and Drucilla and Thelma do keep the town apprised of just about everything.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam raised an eyebrow. \u201cI understand that you\u2019re taking Gretchen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now was the time to talk, and Adam knew it. \u201cI want to talk to you about Gretchen. I\u2019ve seen glimpses of things that I find unacceptable about her. I paid very close attention to what you said the other night. Unfortunately, Gretchen and I made plans for this barbecue before the\u2026um\u2026er\u2026gooseberry pie incident. I can\u2019t \u2013 won\u2019t \u2013 break a date with anybody unless there\u2019s some kind of emergency.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam listened intently then spoke. \u201cAre you going to continue to see her?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, you\u2019ve seen only the bad side of her personality. Up to now, I\u2019ve seen the good in her. I need time to figure out if this relationship is ever going anywhere. I\u2019m not sure about a lot of things. But I finally understand why you had to go back to Robert to see how things would work out. I was angry with you for a long time, Gunga Din. I thought that you had just been playing games with me. I know better now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam had unconsciously been holding her breath, and now she exhaled and inhaled again. \u201cThank you for understanding, Adam. And thank you for telling me all this. I know, for a man like you, that this was difficult to say. A wise man once told me to do what was right for me, and you have to do the same.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood advice,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cSounds like something Pa would say.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe did,\u201d was Sam\u2019s answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reaching for Sam\u2019s hands, Adam held them, turned them over and ran his thumbs across her palms, stroking gently. Adam opened his mouth to speak.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin chose this unpropitious moment to return to his office and immediately realized how bad his timing was. But it was too late to do anything about it. Cheerfully, he ignored the fact that he had seen the two holding hands and said, \u201cI hope that you\u2019ve come to give us a personal invitation to the barbecue, Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam released Sam\u2019s hands and stood up. \u201cNobody in this whole town needs a formal invitation, Doc. You know that. And I expect to see both of you tomorrow evening. Last year, Timmy fell out of the tree, Meredith skinned both knees, Corky got a tooth knocked out, and Amy had a cut on her head. And that was just the beginning! You\u2019ll need all the help you can get!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin thought back. \u201cThere were several adults who had problems. I think it had something to do with the punch bowl that your father hid. That recipe sure did pack a wallop!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam grinned that lop-sided grin and did his best to look innocent. \u201cI have no idea what you\u2019re talking about.\u201d And then he headed out the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFine man, that Adam Cartwright,\u201d Doc said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam answered wistfully, \u201cYes, he is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FOURTEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

In the late evening, after she had eaten supper, Sam took Fancy out for a long ride. There was no particular destination \u2013 just a nice long walk under the stars. Sam talked to Fancy as they moseyed along, and the topic of conversation was about Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

I understand more about Adam now than I ever did before. He\u2019s an honorable man and, even if he\u2019s too blind to see through Gretchen, he\u2019s willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. For the life of me, I just don\u2019t understand what he sees in her, but then I\u2019m not the one to judge someone else\u2019s feelings. He cares for me \u2013 I can see it in his eyes, feel it in the touch of his hands \u2013 but I hurt him and I don\u2019t know if he can ever look back and try to pick up where things left off. He has to make decisions as he sees fit \u2013 without any pushing from me.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fancy stopped and looked at Sam, bobbing her head as if in agreement. Then the two rode on for a very long time until the chill of the night air penetrated Sam\u2019s light jacket and she turned back in the direction of town. Arriving at the livery stable, Fancy got a good brushing and some extra sweet-feed and watched with her soft eyes as Sam left for the hotel.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, Sam was thirsty. The hour was late and, as she passed a saloon, she decided to stop in to have a beer. She peeked over the swinging doors and saw that the saloon was almost empty, so she entered and headed for the bar. The few men sitting there gaped, but Sam didn\u2019t care. She had met the bartender, Cosmo, more than a week ago and felt safe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Sam,\u201d Cosmo smiled in greeting. \u201cWhat can I do for you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI would love a beer, Cosmo,\u201d Sam smiled back. \u201cThe colder the better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cComing right up,\u201d Cosmo answered. He disappeared briefly and returned with a beer-filled mug. \u201cGot this from the ice house downstairs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The beer was, indeed, cold. Sam drank it quickly \u2013 maybe a little too quickly. She felt her eyes beginning to lose their focus, so she thanked Cosmo, paid him, and headed for the hotel. She would sleep well tonight.<\/span><\/p>\n

As she walked toward her hotel, she saw a young couple in a passionate embrace, and thought how nice it was to see two people so in love. But, as she got closer, one figure looked quite familiar. Too familiar. Sam\u2019s head cleared immediately. As she neared the couple, she recognized Gretchen. And Gretchen and her male friend were also headed in the direction of the hotel!<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam decided to go up the back stairway to get to her room, hoping that she wouldn\u2019t be seen. Her timing was off. Just as Sam turned the corner to the hallway leading to her room, there was Gretchen, still clinging to the arm of the unknown man. Gretchen turned her head slightly, and her eyes met Sam\u2019s. Almost in defiance, Gretchen glared, grabbed the man\u2019s hand, and disappeared into the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was astounded! Should she tell Adam or not? The question plagued her off and on all night. Her decision was to keep her mouth shut. But she wasn\u2019t happy at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIFTEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Due to a few last-minute patients, Sam and Doc Martin got a late start heading out to the Ponderosa but Sam was reassured by Doc that being late was no problem \u2013 the festivities would last well into the night. Sam looked behind her seat and saw that her guitar was there, wedged in between two medical bags. She had almost changed her mind about coming to the barbecue in view of what she had seen last night but had changed her mind at the last minute. But, to wise Doc Martin, Sam was subdued.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFeel like talking about what\u2019s bothering you?\u201d Doc asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam answered with a question of her own. \u201cIf a person has knowledge of something that another person needs to know, should the information be shared?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould such information be hurtful to somebody?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt might be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs this information a matter of life or death?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen it\u2019s wise for a person to keep the information private.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam sighed. \u201cThat\u2019s what I thought.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially if the information is in regard to the goings-on of a certain female and an unknown man last night.\u201d Doc kept his eyes on the road.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s jaw dropped open.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI saw them last night when I was walking back to the office. I saw you, too, coming out of the Sazarak.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was still speechless.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s a grown man, Sam. He needs to make up his own mind based on what he sees in a person. If you were to ask my advice, I would tell you to keep your mouth shut. I know for a fact that I\u2019m not the only person who is privy to personal information. Let another person tell him \u2013 don\u2019t be the eager bearer of evil tidings yourself. He may want to shoot the messenger because he doesn\u2019t like the message.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked thoughtfully for a moment and then put her hand on Doc\u2019s arm. \u201cThank you for your non-advice. I had already made up my mind \u2013 well, mostly \u2013 to say nothing. You just helped me make up my mind completely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin smiled and changed the subject. \u201cI can smell the barbecue from here! I sure am hungry!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam smiled, \u201cSo am I!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIXTEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam drew in a deep breath when she saw the hundreds of Chinese lanterns all lit up, the garlands of flowers trailing from the roof of the big house, massive tables set out in the front yard to hold platters containing all kinds of food. Huge sides of beef on spits were being turned slowly over open fires, the scented smoke rising into the cool night air. Throngs of people were sitting everywhere \u2013 on benches, in chairs, and even on the ground. Children were playing, adults were talking and laughing. What a wonderful sight!<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc helped Sam from the buggy and led her around to greet all the outside guests, most of whom Sam had met before. Drucilla, Thelma and Henrietta were helping themselves to the plates that had been set out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss was trying to make his way through the throng, a piglet under one arm and a happy, dirty-faced child under the other. He greeted Sam and Doc, then added, \u201cI don\u2019t know for sure which one of these to wash. Go have fun.\u201d And he strode off toward the water trough. Sam giggled.<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe had cornered a very attractive young lady and was busy giving her his \u201clittle boy\u201d smile. He waved and then turned back to the young lady.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin chuckled. \u201cTypical Little Joe. Lasso a gal and then monopolize her time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe likes it!\u201d Sam laughed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing passed by, all smiles. \u201cYou eat. Plenty food!\u201d He was on his way to help Ned turn one of the spits.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben appeared out of nowhere. \u201cI was beginning to think that you two weren\u2019t coming,\u201d he said, squeezing Sam\u2019s hands and then shaking Doc\u2019s hand. \u201cPlease, grab a plate and help yourselves. There\u2019s a lot to choose from!\u201d Then he excused himself to greet a few other late arrivals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc saw Sam looking around. \u201cMy best guess is that Adam is in the house. Go say hello, why don\u2019t you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam kissed him on the cheek and then walked into the house. The transformation was incredible! All the furniture had been moved which left the floor ready for dancing. One large corner held musical instruments while the band members ate outside. Candles were lit everywhere and the fireplace gave off a cheery glow.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam saw Sam the minute she walked through the door. He had been afraid she wouldn\u2019t come and he was more than delighted to see her. She kissed him on both cheeks as he held her hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so glad you\u2019re here,\u201d he whispered. \u201cYou look beautiful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam had taken great pains in choosing what to wear. She finally settled on a moderately low-cut green dress, simple but quite form-fitting. She had obviously made the right choice, judging by the look on Adam\u2019s face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Guided by Adam\u2019s hand on her elbow, she walked into the room. The first couple she was introduced to were Friedhelm and Ilsa Werner. Gretchen\u2019s parents.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve heard so much about you,\u201d Mrs. Werner said. \u201cI\u2019m glad we\u2019ve finally got the chance to meet you in person.\u201d Mr. Werner, never much for words, just smiled and shook Sam\u2019s hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked into their faces, their eyes, and saw simple honesty. Evidently, Gretchen hadn\u2019t said anything unkind to her parents about Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow very nice to meet you,\u201d Sam answered. \u201cI\u2019ve heard that you grow the largest crops of vegetables for miles around.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard work, but we take pride in what we do,\u201d Mr. Werner said. His smile said the rest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam steered Sam over to a large group of people, introduced her to those she hadn\u2019t met, and then disappeared. Sam was on her own but wasn\u2019t intimidated. She could carry on small talk as well as anyone could.<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly, she felt a firm tug on her arm. Turning, she stared into Gretchen\u2019s eyes. \u201cI need to talk to you. Now!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As petite as Gretchen was, she was quite strong, and Sam felt herself being half-dragged into the kitchen. If the top of the Dutch door hadn\u2019t been open, the heat would\u2019ve been stifling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know you don\u2019t like me,\u201d began Gretchen, \u201cbut please don\u2019t tell Adam what you saw last night. It was just a\u2026fling\u2026just for one night with a man I met at the restaurant. Adam would hate me if he knew what I did.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam took a deep breath, trying to calculate what to say. \u201cI have no intention of telling Adam anything of what I saw last night. If he knew you were in a hotel room with another man having what you call a \u2018fling\u2019, it would break his heart. Adam is a good man with high standards and he deserves a woman who has those same standards. Apparently, you don\u2019t. What a shame.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That being said, Sam turned and left the room, leaving Gretchen standing alone. Neither woman had known that Adam had been on his way into the kitchen from outside to refill a punch bowl. He heard the whole conversation. He waited until Gretchen had left the kitchen before he went inside. His mind was spinning.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam decided to go outside and get something to eat even though she had thought she had lost her appetite. But listening to the laughter of so many people, looking at the decorations and watching the stars twinkling in the clear sky was comforting and relaxing. She ate more than she had intended.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam materialized at her side. \u201cWhere\u2019s your guitar? You did bring it, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Swallowing the last bite of potato salad on her plate, Sam could only nod.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, let\u2019s go get it! It\u2019s time for some singing before the dancing starts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen watched from the shadows as Adam and Sam walked to Doc Martin\u2019s buggy. Her mouth turned down in an ugly snarl as she heard them laughing.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sounds of a harmonica filled the air; then there were two harmonicas. Added to that were the sounds of banjos and fiddles and then guitars. With the addition of Adam and Sam, the front porch was soon full as the makeshift band segued into a song that everybody knew. Sam was glad because the chords to this song were ones she was familiar with, and she tapped her foot to the beat. Adam looked at her and grinned as he sang \u2013 his wonderful baritone and perfect pitch taking the lead. And then, distracted by his harmony, Sam just forgot to strum and looked into his face. Gently, he prodded her with his knee, and she began to strum again. True, she wasn\u2019t the best singer in the world, but she could carry a decent tune. And, as she relaxed, she felt like she and Adam were the only two people in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

There were, of course, songs that she didn\u2019t know. At those times, Adam turned his guitar neck toward her so that she could watch the chord progressions. It didn\u2019t take long for her to catch on.<\/span><\/p>\n

How wonderful it was to be a part of this! People singing, tapping their feet, clapping their hands. Even the children got involved in the singing of songs that were familiar to them. Sam couldn\u2019t remember a time when she had so much fun!<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen\u2019s mood got blacker. She saw the way Adam looked at Sam and felt \u201cher man\u201d slipping out of her grasp.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now the evening was growing late. And the chill air set in. Parents gathered up their children and began heading for home. There were still plenty of adults left, and they helped carry food into the kitchen. Hop Sing was delighted \u2013 he wouldn\u2019t have to cook for a week!<\/span><\/p>\n

And the dancing started. Though Gretchen clung to Adam like a second skin, Sam tried to convince herself that she didn\u2019t mind. And Sam discovered that she was not destined to be a wall-flower. Every now and then, she would peek over her dance partner\u2019s shoulders and see Adam looking at her. Sometimes he would smile and sometimes his face was absolutely inscrutable. Lord help me. I hope he\u2019s jealous!<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam wasn\u2019t sure just when things changed but, when she looked across the floor at Adam, Gretchen had disappeared. And Adam was dancing with Drucilla! Sam found herself in Jess\u2019s arms and was trying hard to concentrate on following his lead (or lack of it) and, when she looked up, she saw Adam\u2019s face. He was trying hard to not laugh, and Sam started to giggle. She forgot to concentrate on Jess\u2019s flying feet and, if weren\u2019t for her quick reflexes, she might have gotten stomped on. Fortunately, the song was over.<\/span><\/p>\n

Heading swiftly to the punch bowl, Sam stood behind the table and tried to look inconspicuous. Feeling a gentle nudge, she saw Adam standing next to her, his lips twitching.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEnjoy your dance with Jess?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs much as you enjoyed dancing with Drucilla. Though she does look like she\u2019s lost weight,\u201d Sam countered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cActually, she\u2019s very light on her feet. Are you?\u201d Adam\u2019s tone sounded more like a friendly dare than a question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFortunately, I dance better than I sing,\u201d Sam answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

And then Adam put her cup of punch on the table and guided her onto the dance floor. The band began playing a waltz, and Sam found herself in Adam\u2019s strong arms, being guided expertly across the floor. They began the dance at a reasonable and accepted distance apart but, gradually, Sam felt Adam\u2019s hand pulling her closer. And closer. Until their bodies actually touched. In order to keep her balance, Sam was forced to put her right leg between both of Adam\u2019s legs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, stop that! It\u2019s indecent!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep,\u201d came the reply as hazel eyes bored into green ones.<\/span><\/p>\n

The pair moved as one entity, and Adam\u2019s eyes never left Sam\u2019s face. Sam trembled. Or was Adam trembling? All Sam knew was that she was where she wanted to be, in Adam\u2019s arms, feeling his heart beat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are staring at us,\u201d Sam whispered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh-huh,\u201d was the answer. No lop-sided grin. No funny remark.<\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, people were watching the two as they dipped and turned in perfect rhythm. Maybe Adam and Sam were dancing rather immodestly, but what a beautiful couple they made.<\/span><\/p>\n

The music stopped, and Adam was slow to release Sam. Breaking the spell, Sam made a low curtsy. Adam bowed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The applause was broken by an unearthly shriek. This horrible sound continued as Gretchen swept onto the floor and stood facing Sam. Her beautiful face had turned into something hideous.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou get away from him!\u201d Gretchen screamed. The room fell into a stunned silence. There was no time for anybody to react.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI said to get away from him! He\u2019s mine! Mine!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam started to move toward Gretchen, but Sam put up her hand for him to stop. Sam\u2019s medical experience told her how to act and react.<\/span><\/p>\n

As calmly as she could, Sam answered. \u201cI\u2019m not trying to take Adam away from you. All we did was have one dance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen\u2019s voice lowered but her expression didn\u2019t change. \u201cI saw it. I\u2019ve been watching you two all night. Touching each other, smiling and laughing with each other, rubbing against each other. It\u2019s disgusting! You spend time lancing boils and touching dirty bodies. You spent four days in that shack of a place that Ned and Matilda call \u2018home\u2019 and then you bring God-only-knows what kind of vermin home in your hair and on your clothes. Tell me, you tramp, how many naked men do you look at? What do you do with them when nobody\u2019s looking? Have you had a good look at Adam\u2019s naked body?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam felt like his feet were nailed to the floor. But Ben moved quickly to take Gretchen\u2019s arm as Friedhelm and Ilsa just stood and looked horrified.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wrestling her arm away from Ben, Gretchen closed the distance between her and Sam. With lightning speed, she hit Sam square on the cheekbone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam steeled herself against the stinging blow, trying hard to maintain her calm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGretchen, somebody should slap some sense into you. But it won\u2019t be me. It won\u2019t be me.\u201d Then, \u201cOh, the hell it will be!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam slapped Gretchen so hard that it sounded like the crack of a bullwhip. Gretchen went flying backward, windmilling her arms to try to keep her balance, but failing. She fell in a heap by the front door. She sat there and cried hysterically.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ilsa was at her side first, wrapping her loving mother\u2019s arms around her daughter. Friedhelm, at a loss of what to do, patted his daughter\u2019s shoulders awkwardly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin was the next one to approach. \u201cHoss, help me get her outside.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss scooped the hysterical Gretchen into his arms and, as he did so, Gretchen\u2019s face could clearly be seen. On her face was a bright red hand print which was getting redder by the second. Doc herded the Werners and Hoss out the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, still stunned \u2013 as were the other guests \u2013 finally found his voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you all right?\u201d he asked Sam, looking at the swelling bruise under her right eye.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGo talk to her, Adam. I think she needs you right now. I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Grudgingly, Adam did as Sam asked. Meanwhile, Hop Sing had soaked a towel in cool water and helped Sam put it to her cheek. Quietly, guests began gathering their belongings and, when Doc Martin entered and said that the Werners had taken their daughter home, people began thanking Ben for the party and then they disappeared. Doc Martin planned to follow the Werners home and to give Gretchen a sedative.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam appeared. \u201cWell, my problems are over. She never wants to see me again. What a shame.\u201d Adam\u2019s sarcastic tone only served to reveal that he was relieved.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomebody tell me what happened!\u201d demanded Little Joe. \u201cI was outside and heard screaming and then Gretchen was outside crying and\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot now, Joseph!\u201d Ben warned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the strangest thing I ever did see,\u201d Hoss commented to nobody in particular.<\/span><\/p>\n

Removing the towel from her cheek, Sam looked at Ben. \u201cI ruined your party. I\u2019m so sorry. So much for my years of medical training\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s deep chuckle was a surprise. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t your fault, Sam. She just pushed you too far. Feisty little thing, wasn\u2019t she? This sure will be a party to remember.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And Sam found herself laughing in spite of the trembling in her body.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked at her face. \u201cPretty colors,\u201d he said as he looked at the growing bruise. Then, \u201cNothing\u2019s ever dull when you\u2019re around.\u201d He put the towel gently back on Sam\u2019s cheek and pulled her head over onto his shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWill somebody please tell me what happened?\u201d Joe begged.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss put his big arm around his brother\u2019s shoulders and walked him to the door. \u201cWhere were you anyhow?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTaking a walk with Connie,\u201d Joe answered as he was steered outside. His voice faded away as the door closed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe and his walks in the moonlight,\u201d Ben muttered.<\/span><\/p>\n

From underneath the towel, Sam giggled.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss and Little Joe had come back inside. Little Joe was unusually quiet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBrandy is what we all need!\u201d Ben boomed. He filled snifters for everyone, including Hop Sing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam removed the towel from her face and lifted her head from Adam\u2019s shoulder. She accepted the brandy gratefully. The warm liquid offset the adrenalin that had been rushing through her body and she felt herself relaxing. She felt so tired and her eyelids were so heavy. The fire felt so good and warm. The voices in the room began to fade away\u2026so far away\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid she faint, Pa?\u201d Hoss asked, concern in his voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, son. I think she just fell asleep,\u201d Ben answered quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

To Adam, he said, \u201cGo put her in the guest room. There\u2019s no sense in taking her home in this condition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam gathered Sam into his arms and she stirred slightly, resting her head against his chest. Adam caught the scent of lavender soap.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing had run into the guest room and pulled the covers down and then hurried back out again. There was cleaning up to be done.<\/span><\/p>\n

Placing her on the bed, Adam remembered to take off Sam\u2019s shoes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam opened one bleary eye. \u201cAre you groping me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet, Gunga Din. Not yet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was deep asleep now. She didn\u2019t feel the kiss on her cheek or on the top of her head. She didn\u2019t feel Adam\u2019s fingertips trail across her lips. She didn\u2019t hear him say \u201cGood night, love,\u201d as he closed the door behind him. But she smiled in her sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER NINETEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

It was mid-morning when Sam awoke, cobwebs of sleep making her mind fuzzy. The first thing she was aware of was that her cheek was sore. The second thing she was aware of was that she had slept in her dress. The third thing was that she was not in her hotel room \u2013 she was in the familiar surroundings of the guest room at the Ponderosa. The memories of last night flooded her mind and cleared the cobwebs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quickly, she jumped out of bed and stood in front of the mirror. She saw the bruise on her cheek \u2013 actually it wasn\u2019t as bad as it felt. She touched it once, tentatively, and decided that she wouldn\u2019t touch it again. The mirror reflected the thousand wrinkles in her dress, and she rolled her eyes. The floor was cool on her feet, and she looked for her shoes, found them placed neatly at the foot of the bed, and decided not to put them on. She was embarrassed about slapping Gretchen and didn\u2019t want to face the Cartwrights, but she couldn\u2019t stay in bed all day. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped out.<\/span><\/p>\n

The furniture was back in place. Hoss and Little Joe weren\u2019t there, but Ben and Adam were sitting and talking quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben rose and smiled. \u201cGood morning, sleepy head! Can I pour you a cup of coffee?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam pulled out a chair for her to be seated. \u201cI thought you were gonna sleep the day away.\u201d He smiled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m mortified,\u201d Sam said morosely as she sat down. \u201cI have no excuse to offer for what I did last night. I beg your forgiveness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked at her. \u201cSam, I\u2019m not condoning what happened, but things are what they are. The circumstances were unfortunate but they\u2019re over and done with. Today is a new day. There\u2019s nothing to forgive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut I ruined your party.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGretchen \u2018ruined\u2019 the party,\u201d Adam interjected. \u201cWe all could\u2019ve handled things in a different way, but everything happened so suddenly\u2026\u201d His voice trailed off and then he grinned. \u201cThat bruise isn\u2019t nearly as colorful as I thought it would be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Sam retorted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing appeared, his eyes twinkling. \u201cMissie Doctor Sam ready for breakfast?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot if I have to fight the chickens for their eggs,\u201d Sam answered. \u201cI think I\u2019ve had enough trouble already.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing cackled, disappeared, and returned with some toast, apple butter and a big glass of milk. Though Sam wasn\u2019t hungry, she appreciated the cook\u2019s efforts, and decided she ought to eat. She thanked Hop Sing and then buttered the toast. It tasted wonderful and so did the milk!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have to get back to town. Would you mind if I borrowed one of your horses?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got to go to town anyway, so you can ride with me in the buckboard,\u201d Adam answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019ll be an interesting sight,\u201d Sam retorted. \u201cMe with a wrinkled dress riding into town with you. What will people think?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you really care?\u201d Adam asked, smirking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes. No. Well, a little bit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBy the time you finish eating, I\u2019ll be ready,\u201d Adam said, rising and heading toward the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen, I\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben held up his hand to indicate silence. \u201cNot another word, Sam. I already told you that today is a new day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY<\/span><\/p>\n

After retrieving her shoes, Sam went outside to meet Adam. Helping her onto the high seat of the buckboard, Adam\u2019s hand slipped slightly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, are you groping me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope. If I\u2019d wanted to grope you, I\u2019d have done it last night when I put you in bed.\u201d There was a merry twinkle in his eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam wrinkled her nose and made a face. \u201cYou\u2019re incorrigible! And, if memory serves me, you\u2019re also a Peeping Tom. Who knows what you might have done to me last night when I was asleep!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With a serious face, Adam answered. \u201cIf I were to do anything to you, it wouldn\u2019t be while you were asleep.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam opened her mouth and then shut it again. Adam climbed onto the seat, clucked at the horses and headed them toward the road to Virginia City.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE<\/span><\/p>\n

Dark clouds were beginning to appear way off on the horizon. Adam had been unusually quiet, completely different than he had been earlier. Sam attempted small talk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like we\u2019re in for some rain later today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh-huh.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be good for Ned and Matilda\u2019s crops,\u201d Sam added.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh-huh.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it\u2019ll settle some of this dust.\u201d Sam kept trying to get Adam to talk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh-huh.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re angry with me, aren\u2019t you?\u201d Sam asked, looking at Adam\u2019s profile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh-huh.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I apologized to you and your family for what I did. I was wrong. Continuing to say that I\u2019m sorry won\u2019t make things better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam stopped the horses abruptly and turned to look into Sam\u2019s eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not angry with you for what you did, Sam. I\u2019m angry at you for what you didn\u2019t do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam shook her head, confused. Adam didn\u2019t call her \u201cGunga Din.\u201d He called her \u201cSam.\u201d He was angry at what she didn\u2019t do?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou should have told me,\u201d Adam said. \u201cAbout Gretchen and the hotel room.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you know about that?\u201d Sam asked, stalling for time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam considered telling a lie but dispensed with that idea. \u201cWhile you and Gretchen were in the kitchen talking last night, I was standing outside the door. I heard everything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh,\u201d was all Sam could say.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me what you knew?\u201d Adam\u2019s face was confused. \u201cI thought we had a better relationship than for you to hide important information from me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam thought for a minute. \u201cFirst of all, I wasn\u2019t aware that we even had a relationship. Second, I wasn\u2019t deliberately trying to hide anything from you. I thought for a long time about how I should handle the situation and decided that it wasn\u2019t up to me to be the bearer of bad news. If I saw Gretchen committing an indiscretion, then other people probably saw her too. You would\u2019ve found out sooner or later. You had to make your own decisions based on how you felt with what knowledge you already had. It\u2019s not my place to interfere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam listened intently.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam continued. \u201cThe way things are between you and me, I wasn\u2019t comfortable telling tales about someone you cared for.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd how are things between you and me?\u201d Adam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Slowly, Sam answered. \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think you do know. And so do I .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, he clucked again at the horses and they began to plod forward.<\/span><\/p>\n

Neither Sam nor Adam spoke a word all the way to town. Both were lost in their own thoughts.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO<\/span><\/p>\n

While Sam was trying to sort out her thoughts, Adam was also thinking things through.<\/span><\/p>\n

What would I have done if the situation had been reversed? What if I knew Robert and caught him cheating on Sam? Would telling her what I had seen cause problems forever between us or would Sam have been grateful to know what was happening behind her back? Would she have believed me or would she have thought that I was making up a story to try to keep us together?<\/span><\/p>\n

Moments before they arrived in town, Adam touched Sam\u2019s hand. \u201cYou did the right thing, Sam.\u201d And that was all he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE<\/span><\/p>\n

As Adam drove the wagon into town, the stage passed by them in a cloud of dust. And, in front of the hotel, here came Henrietta sprinting across the street. Adam hardly had time to help Sam out of the wagon before Henrietta began chattering. And right behind her came Drucilla and Thelma.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, my dear,\u201d Henrietta cried. \u201cLook at your poor face!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Thelma glared at Adam. \u201cYou should have done something to stop this!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Last in line was Drucilla. \u201cYou just missed the stage. Why, with the sedative Doc Martin gave Gretchen, she almost had to be carried into the stage! Ilsa looked just miserable and Friedhelm didn\u2019t look much better!\u201d Drucilla whispered, \u201cThey\u2019re taking her to Denver to some kind of hospital that specializes in mental problems.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

To Henrietta, Sam said, \u201cMy face is much better than it looks. And I was wrong in slapping Gretchen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

To Thelma, Sam said, \u201cDon\u2019t blame Adam. I stopped him from stepping in because I thought I could handle it. I used very poor judgment in an awkward situation, and the fault lies with me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

To Drucilla, Sam said, \u201cIt\u2019s probably best that we missed the stage. Doc Martin knows what he\u2019s doing. And there\u2019s no shame in getting help \u2013 either physically or mentally. Please don\u2019t judge her so harshly. I\u2019d consider it a personal favor if none of you spoke of this ever again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning to Adam, Sam said, \u201cThank you for the ride into town. I\u2019m going to my room for a little while and then I need to get back to work with Doc Martin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam nodded, touched the brim of his hat to all four ladies, climbed aboard the wagon and drove off. He had errands to run, and a beer or two might not be a bad idea\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR<\/span><\/p>\n

In her hotel room, Sam shed her slept-in clothing, wondering vaguely if anybody had noticed how wrinkled her dress was. In fact, though she never knew this, more folks were interested in how her face looked than in what she was wearing. And nobody asked what she was doing with Adam at that time of the morning because they were more interested in Gretchen\u2019s trip to Denver. The word of the trip had spread like wildfire.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam rushed to wash up, put on fresh clothing, and then sped toward Doc Martin\u2019s office. She found him sitting in his chair with his feet propped up on the desk. He smiled at her as she entered the office, a little out of breath.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry I\u2019m so late\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin waved his hand. \u201cHoss came by here earlier and told me what happened after we all had left. I trust you slept well?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Guiltily, Sam answered, \u201cLike a log.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Rising, Doc Martin took a look at Sam\u2019s face. She flinched as his expert fingers probed the bruised cheek. \u201cNothing broken. You\u2019ll live.\u201d Then he sat down again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDrucilla told me that Gretchen\u2019s going to the hospital in Denver. Is that true?\u201d Sam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin nodded. \u201cShe\u2019s overwrought and not thinking clearly. I suggested to the Werners that they take her there where she could get the help she needed. I know that you are a specialist, but she would never open up to you. You understand, I am sure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly, I understand,\u201d Sam answered. \u201cI know about the hospital in Denver. It\u2019s a good place with wonderful people. You were right to suggest that she go there.\u201d She paused. \u201cI had a talk with Adam. He overheard a conversation I had with Gretchen, begging me to keep my mouth shut about her\u2026indiscretion. I explained to him my reasons for not telling him myself. I think he understands.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s a thinker. I believe you underestimate him sometimes,\u201d Doc said as he headed for the door. \u201cI\u2019m going to lunch now. I\u2019ll bring you back something to eat. You\u2019re okay to hold down the office?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam smiled. \u201cI\u2019m fine. Enjoy your lunch.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam felt like playing something on her guitar. But it was missing from its corner, and she realized that it must still be at the Ponderosa. She decided that retrieving it would be a good excuse to visit the Cartwrights again.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the meantime, studying some of Doc\u2019s medical books couldn\u2019t hurt. When the doctor returned from lunch, Sam continued to read. The day passed quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Doc closed the office, Sam put the book back and headed toward the livery stable. She had completely forgotten about Fancy! But, arriving at the stable, she found the mare chewing contentedly on fresh hay. Her water bucket was full and she had been brushed until her mane and tail looked like silk.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hearing Jess in one of the back stalls, Sam walked around to him to thank him for taking such good of her horse.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t thank me,\u201d Jess said. \u201cAdam\u2019s been here twice today to take care of her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam smiled. \u201cHow thoughtful of him.\u201d Adam was fast making a place in her heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Too tired to ride tonight, Sam ate a hasty meal at the restaurant, ignoring not-so-subtle looks from other people, and then returned to her room. She made the decision to take a bath early in the morning, after riding Fancy. Right now, she wanted to sleep. And she dreamed happily about waltzing with Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE<\/span><\/p>\n

Today was Sunday, almost a week since the party. The bruise on Sam\u2019s cheek had turned a ghastly light yellow but could be mostly covered up by a light application of powder. And Sam, though she wanted to stay in bed just a little longer, got up, got dressed and headed toward the church.<\/span><\/p>\n

She felt an arm at her elbow and looked up into Ben\u2019s smiling face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome sit with us,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe fell in step behind the two.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Adam?\u201d Sam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben answered gently. \u201cHe\u2019s in Denver. He got a wire from Friedhelm Werner asking him to come to the hospital.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

All Sam could say was, \u201cOh. I\u2019m sure that\u2019s a good thing.\u201d But she didn\u2019t mean it. And she had no idea what the Sunday sermon was about. All she could think of was that Adam had gone to visit Gretchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX<\/span><\/p>\n

This was haying season, and men worked from dawn to dusk as they gathered the hay in piles to let it dry and then began the laborious process of loading it into wagons to be put in barns as winter fodder. Wives saw little of their husbands, men left girlfriends to lend a hand, and Sam hadn\u2019t seen the Cartwrights in a very long time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla, looking quite fit and having lost an incredible amount of weight, stopped in to say hello to Sam. Doc Martin, making up an excuse, scuttled out the door as Drucilla sat down. And that\u2019s how Sam learned that Adam was back \u2013 had been back for quite a while.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a heavy heart, but trying to put on her best smile, Sam listened to Drucilla drone on and on. Drucilla was delighted that her back no longer hurt and that the swelling in her legs had all but disappeared. Sam made an adjustment in the woman\u2019s \u201cmedication,\u201d praised her for taking the pills as prescribed, and then was delighted when Drucilla left the office.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam wondered about Adam. He hadn\u2019t been to see her. But she hadn\u2019t seen any of the Cartwrights lately either. Maybe they were involved in the haying.<\/span><\/p>\n

The door banged open and Doc Martin hurried in and grabbed his medical bag, several bottles of pills, and talked in a rush to Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSarah Miller\u2019s having her baby. Her first. It\u2019s breech. You know what that means. I\u2019ll be back when I can.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go with you,\u201d Sam said as she reached for her medical bag.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d came the answer. \u201cSomebody needs to stay here. I don\u2019t know when I\u2019ll be back. Say a prayer for Sarah and the baby.\u201d And Doc was gone in a flash.<\/span><\/p>\n

An hour later, as Sam kept busy putting clean sheets on the examination table, she heard the door bang open and then heard heavy footsteps.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoc!\u201d rang out a familiar voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rushing into the outer office, there was Adam, carrying Ted Dodd. Wrapped around Ted\u2019s leg was a large make-shift bandage, soaked with blood. Ted\u2019s face was ashen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cQuick, Adam! Bring him back here and put him on the table.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Sam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGot cut by a scythe. Down to the bone from what I can tell. Where\u2019s Doc Martin?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt the Miller house. Sarah\u2019s baby is coming and it\u2019s breech. He can\u2019t leave her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Grabbing a pair of scissors, Sam began cutting Ted\u2019s trousers up to the bandage. For all she knew, the bandage might be the only thing holding Ted\u2019s leg onto his body.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease,\u201d Ted moaned, \u201cdon\u2019t cut off my leg.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense, Ted. I don\u2019t cut off a man\u2019s legs,\u201d Sam answered, but she feared the worst. She needed Doc Martin \u2013 but so did Sarah. Ted was helpful \u2013 he immediately fell into unconsciousness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Slowly, Sam cut the bandage and was elated to see that there were two bandages \u2013 one over the wound and a tighter one above it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomebody was smart in applying a tourniquet. How long has it been on there?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout twenty minutes.\u201d Adam\u2019s face was grim. \u201cI got here as fast as I could.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood. That gives me a little time. Light that lamp and bring it here closer so I can see what I\u2019m doing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Quickly, Sam plopped instruments into a bowl and then poured alcohol over them and over her hands. Soaking towels with water from a pitcher, she hurriedly cleaned around the wound and then into the wound itself. Much relieved, she saw that the leg was not even close to being severed, but the wound was long and had cut deep into the muscle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked into Adam\u2019s eyes. \u201cI need to loosen the tourniquet to see if a major blood vessel has been cut.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if it has?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never done an amputation before. All I\u2019ll be able to do is to tie the tourniquet tighter and Ted\u2019s leg will begin to die.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Holding her breath, Sam loosened the top bandage and then removed it. She sighed with relief when only a small amount of blood seeped out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good. How that scythe managed to make a wound like this without severing a major blood vessel is a miracle. Wash your hands in that alcohol over there; I\u2019ll need you to assist me. We have to work quickly to get blood back into that lower leg.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam gawked at her. He was no novice when it came to fixing up minor scrapes and cuts, both animal and human, but he had never worked on a wound like this.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust do it, Adam!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ted\u2019s friend, Allen, came through the door, saw the blood, and promptly fainted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLeave him there, Adam. Maybe he\u2019ll be quiet until we finish this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Following each of Sam\u2019s instructions to the letter, Adam managed to help get Ted\u2019s wound cleaned out and sewn up. It was a messy business. Allen, who was regaining consciousness, was instructed by Adam to go back and let everybody know that Ted was fine but wouldn\u2019t be doing any haying for quite a while.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam finished the last stitch and then added a pressure dressing. Sweat was running down her face; Adam noticed that she was now trembling. He discovered that he was a little unsettled too.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou did a fine job,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI\u2019m proud of you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam gave a wan smile and teetered on her feet. And suddenly, Adam\u2019s strong arms were around her. She felt him tremble and thought it was just the aftermath of what the two of them had gone through \u2013 an adrenalin drop.<\/span><\/p>\n

She looked up at him, sweat dripping off her nose. They washed their hands in silence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou are a most remarkable woman,\u201d Adam said abruptly. And then he kissed her. A kiss that felt natural. A kiss that felt right. It wasn\u2019t a passionate kiss and it wasn\u2019t just a peck on the lips \u2013 it was somewhere in between. Adam held her so tight that she couldn\u2019t tell if it was her heart pounding or if it was Adam\u2019s. He kept his arms around her for several minutes, neither of them speaking.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then Ted woke up and interrupted the embrace. Bleary-eyed, he caught a glimpse of Sam in Adam\u2019s arms and then remembered what he was doing in the doctor\u2019s office to begin with.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy leg!\u201d he shouted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour leg is fine,\u201d Sam answered, leaving the comfort of Adam\u2019s arms. \u201cYou\u2019ve got more stitches than the finest dresses in Paris, but you\u2019ll be just fine. But I want to let Doc Martin take a look at you before you go home. So just lie still, and I\u2019ll give you some powders for pain relief.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As Sam went into the outer office, she heard Ted say something strange to Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you saved my life. About Gretchen\u2026I\u2019m so sorry. It just happened.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam heard the sound of Adam\u2019s voice but couldn\u2019t hear the words. She wondered what Ted meant.<\/span><\/p>\n

She would soon find out.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam kept a close eye on Ted as his eyes began to close.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI feel so sleepy,\u201d he muttered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHas the pain stopped?\u201d Sam asked. She didn\u2019t want to give him too much laudanum but she didn\u2019t want to give him too little either.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo pain. Just so sleepy,\u201d came the answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cClose your eyes, Ted. Sleep will be good for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The last thing Ted said before he fell asleep was, \u201cForgive me, Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam turned and looked at Adam. His expression was unreadable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking Sam\u2019s arm, he propelled her into the outer office.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had hoped to put off this conversation until a more appropriate time, but it can\u2019t wait. Allen has informed everybody that Ted\u2019s okay, so nobody will worry about him. I don\u2019t reckon anyone will worry about me either. Sit down, Sam. I have a lot to say and I\u2019d appreciate it if you would just listen until I\u2019m finished.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam plopped into a chair. She was afraid.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam paced the floor, rubbing the dark stubble on his chin. Refusing to sit down, he leaned against Doc Martin\u2019s desk, took a deep breath and began to speak.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the \u2018incident\u2019 at the party, I knew that my relationship with Gretchen was over and done. But I received a wire from Mr. Werner, begging me to come to Denver. I didn\u2019t want to go, but the wire seemed urgent. I went to Denver and spent a week there with Gretchen and with her family. At first, Gretchen begged me not to leave her. She was hysterical for two days and I had a really hard time talking to her. When she finally calmed down, thanks to whatever pills the doctor was giving her, we talked. Sometimes with her family present, sometimes just the two of us. I started at the very beginning, when I lost my memory. I started with your arrival at the Ponderosa and kept talking until the time you left. I told her how I felt about that. How hurt I had been. How she came along at just the right time \u2013 when I was vulnerable. How gentle and kind she had been when we were together. I had heard rumors that she might be seeing other men, but I chose to close my ears and my mind to what I thought was idle gossip.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam kept her mouth shut. She had so many questions to ask but this was a time to be quiet. Adam was struggling to speak.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe was very sick one day, and nobody would let me see her. I couldn\u2019t find out anything. The next two days, I listened to Gretchen and we finally talked things out. She\u2019s mortified at how she acted at the barbecue, and she wanted for me to beg your forgiveness. She still wanted to have me in her future, and it was very difficult for me to tell her that we didn\u2019t have a future together. She promised to change \u2013 to be the woman I deserve \u2013 but we finally agreed that it was just too late. We broke things off \u2013 amicably, for the most part.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam poured a glass of water. His mouth was dry. Now he sat down in a chair and ran his fingers through his hair.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSam, Gretchen was pregnant. On the day that she was so sick, she suffered a miscarriage. I know this is true because both the doctor and the Werners told me on my last day in Denver. It was the same day that Gretchen and I talked and decided there was no future for us. I didn\u2019t know she had been pregnant \u2013 I guess that was her last hope of holding on to me. But I have to give her this: She admitted that she didn\u2019t know for sure if I was the father. She told me only that a possibility was a guy I know. And, from listening to Ted, I think that\u2019s who she was referring to. And, I suppose, there could be other possibilities\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s gaze was intense. For all her medical training, for her specialized training, Sam found herself speechless.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a long silence, Sam weighed her words carefully. \u201cAdam, you didn\u2019t have to tell me all this. I can only imagine how difficult this is for you. You told me that I was a \u2018remarkable\u2019 woman. I find you to be a most remarkable man. All you had to tell me was that things were over between you and Gretchen, and yet you chose to tell me the whole story. I won\u2019t lie to you and say that I\u2019m not unhappy about the possibility that you might have been the baby\u2019s father, but I\u2019m not surprised either. I\u2019m not some na\u00efve young girl who believes that every person in the world is celibate. The news of the miscarriage and the death of your relationship with Gretchen, all falling at the same time, must have been devastating. I am truly sorry for your loss.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam stood up and looked like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think I should go now,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m suddenly very tired, and there are some important things I need to concentrate on. Thank you, Sam, for listening to me and for not judging me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam stayed seated. Her mind was whirling. \u201cBe safe on the way home, Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, Adam left. Sam stared at the closed door. She wondered where things would go from here.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE<\/span><\/p>\n

At least twice a week, Adam would ride into town and visit Sam. Sometimes they would have lunch or supper together, sometimes they would just enjoy a ride outside of town. Adam could feel that Sam was a bit distant, and he was wise to not push her. But that didn\u2019t stop him from touching her shoulder or hand or even twirling one of her errant brunette curls. Only once did he try to kiss her on the cheek, and he had been aware that her body stiffened. He never tried that again. For now, he would settle for being \u201cfriends.\u201d Which seemed to work for Sam. She was much more relaxed in his presence and could talk a blue streak about things she\u2019d seen or done or read. They would discuss books and poetry at length and intensely, sometimes agreeing on the way things were written and sometimes disagreeing. But Sam never showed any signs of anger.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had told only one other person the truth about Gretchen. And that was Ben. He listened as intently as Sam had listened and, when the talking was done, Ben was both sympathetic and understanding. Adam was a grown man \u2013 what he did in private was his own business, and Ben was wise to be non-judgmental.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had also discussed his feelings about Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you love her, Adam?\u201d Ben had asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure. I think I do. I do know that I want her in my life. She\u2019s very special, Pa. She\u2019s a joy to be around, and she\u2019s very smart \u2013 not just about medical things but about life experience in general. We share a lot of the same interests. But I can\u2019t seem to break through to her that I\u2019d like to be more than just a friend.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben thought about this. \u201cPerhaps she feels that you might be jumping from one woman to another. It happened with Gretchen and she may fear you\u2019re turning to her on a rebound situation. Just give her time, son. Women are mysterious creatures, and men often have to wait to see just which way they\u2019ll make up their minds.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sighed and looked around. He decided that he needed music to relax him. That was when he noticed that Sam\u2019s guitar had been placed, by the match-making Hop Sing, right next to Adam\u2019s guitar. They looked so right next to each other. Picking up Sam\u2019s guitar, Adam went out on the front porch in the cool nigh air and began to strum softly, humming tunes that he and Sam had sung together on a night that seemed a lifetime ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY<\/span><\/p>\n

The relationship began to change for the better quite by accident. Literally. Because the nights had grown quite cold, Adam and Sam had decided to take a late afternoon ride and to return before the sun began to set. Both of them wore only light-weight jackets which they left unbuttoned.<\/span><\/p>\n

Every time they rode together, Adam took Sam to a different scenic place \u2013 and this ride was no exception. They rode, relaxed and engaged in friendly conversation. The place where Adam stopped was on a ridge overlooking a small canyon. The red sun had changed the colors of the rocks so that the sides of the canyon looked like they were painted by hand. The view was breathtaking!<\/span><\/p>\n

Dismounting, Adam tied Sport to a tree and spoke as he walked over to help Sam dismount. Sam always got out of her saddle by swinging her right leg behind her. But this time, she was eager to stand and watch the changing colors of the canyon as the sun began to set. For the first time, she swung her right leg in front of her, over Fancy\u2019s neck. As Adam reached to help her down, Sam\u2019s pant leg got caught in the saddle horn, she lost her balance and fell into Adam\u2019s arms, knocking him to the ground. He hadn\u2019t let go of her waist, so he pulled her with him, and she promptly landed on top of him, pinning him to the ground.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you groping me?\u201d he asked, the wind slightly knocked out of him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam replied in almost the same words that Adam had said to her a long time ago. \u201cMister, if I was groping you, you\u2019d know it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh, Sam?\u201d Adam wheezed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t catch my breath. If you\u2019re not gonna grope me, would you mind getting off my chest? Besides, one of your jacket buttons is poking into me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I hate to inform you, but that\u2019s not a jacket button. I\u2019m either cold or happy to see you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s laugh started as a giggle and then bubbled out in uncontrollable laughter. As she and Adam got into a standing position, she threw her arms around the man and clung tightly to him, still laughing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her laughter was contagious. The situation hit them both as being hilarious. The canyon and its beautiful colors were forgotten.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, their laughter began to subside. Adam kissed the top of Sam\u2019s head and she tilted her face to look up at him. Then she did the strangest thing. She kissed him – right on the mouth. And that kiss didn\u2019t fall under the category of \u201cfriendly\u201d and they both knew it.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Adam put his arm around her shoulders, he whispered in her ear, \u201cI hope you were glad to see me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Sam said, blushing slightly, letting her arms fall at her sides.<\/span><\/p>\n

He wiggled his eyebrows at her; his mouth turned into an impish grin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam slipped an arm around Adam\u2019s back, and they stood together and watched as the sun went down. Both their hearts told them that something had changed \u2013 for the better.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE<\/span>
\nNot only Ben, but Hoss and Little Joe as well, noticed a change in Adam. He seemed truly happy for the first time in a long time. He still picked on his younger brothers, but he had lost much of his sarcasm; he was teased unmercifully by his siblings about how a woman can change a man, and Adam would just smile. “Wait til it happens to you two,” he would say.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben had cautioned both Hoss and Joe to be careful not to use the words “love” or “in love” when referring to Sam and Adam. Ben, seeing this romance as being in a delicate stage, wanted to make sure that Adam wouldn’t be forced into the opposite direction by being constantly bombarded about the feelings in his heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

As for Sam, Doc Martin had noticed a change in her as well. Her lips seemed perpetually turned upward into a smile, whether it was raining or whether the sun was shining. She was still sassy and outspoken, but the cutting edges of her comments were tempered with gentleness. There was softness about her that Doc had never seen before; it suited her.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam’s fluent Chinese and fairly fluent Spanish were of tremendous help to Doc Martin. His patient load increased so dramatically that he had hopes of building a small hospital; one examination room just wasn\u2019t enough any more. And now, except for surgical cases and difficult births, there was a division of labor. Women were more likely to talk with Sam than with Doc; men patients, though they liked and trusted Sam, were more comfortable with a man. Sam and Doc had their hands full.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was a frequent guest at the Ponderosa \u2013 and a welcome one. Hoss and Joe adored her, and Ben loved her like a daughter. He smiled to himself as he caught Sam and Adam holding hands or touching each other\u2019s arms or just looking into each other\u2019s eyes. Sam had re-acquired her guitar but chose to leave it at the Ponderosa for safe-keeping. Adam and Sam, on the ever-colder Fall evenings, often launched into strumming their guitars and leading the rest of the family in song.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many times, Sam and Adam would bundle up in warm coats and would walk outside. Though they held hands or strolled arm-in-arm, their kisses were unhurried and bordered just shy of passion. Neither felt the necessity to rush things.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam continued to make his trips to town on an almost-daily basis. There were lunches and early suppers, smiles and laughter, that didn\u2019t go unnoticed by Drucilla, Thelma and Henrietta.<\/span><\/p>\n

“They’re going to get married,” Thelma would cackle.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, I wish they’d hurry up and do just that!” Drucilla replied impatiently.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’ve already started making a dress for the wedding,” Henrietta added. “It’ll be the talk of the town, you know.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Everything seemed idyllic.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was smiling as he poked his head into Doc’s outer office. Sam was gnawing on the inside of her cheek, as she usually did when she was deep in thought, and she was reading a letter. Adam’s smile faded.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Anything wrong, Sam?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam sighed. “I’ve been so busy, I had forgotten about the seminar in St. Louis. I have to be there to keep my credentials current. The dumb seminar lasts a full week, and I don\u2019t want to go. I’m usually bored out of my mind. But every now and then something interesting pops up…”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam leaned against the desk, close to Sam and read the letter and then looked at the postmark on it. It had been mailed two weeks ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

“According to this, you have to leave in three days if you plan to get there in time. We can’t count on getting mail in a timely fashion yet, though when the Truckee Railroad gets finished, things will improve.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“What a boring trip,” Sam said and then her face brightened. “Adam, can you go with me? We wouldn’t be able to spend the days together, but we’d have plenty of time at night!” Sam eyes looked absolutely impish.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam tugged playfully at Sam\u2019s hair. “Are you propositioning me? Planning to lead me astray maybe?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam reached up and pulled out several of Adam’s chest hairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Ouch! What was that for?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“For that devilish look in your eyes,” Sam snorted and then got back to the original question. “Do you think you could go with me?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. “I wish I could go with you. There’s nothing I’d like better, but a bunch of us are getting together to take care of the haying for the Werners. They’ve been so good to everybody here when the chips were down and it’s time we lent them a hand while they’re in Denver.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam sighed. “Well, it was a just a thought. But I understand.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam knew Sam’s mannerisms well. And she was still gnawing on the inside of her cheek.<\/span><\/p>\n

“What else is bothering you? Spit it out.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was blunt. “Robert undoubtedly will be there.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sucked in a lungful of air. “Is that why you want me to go with you? Do you not trust yourself with him?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam turned the full brunt of her green eyes on Adam. The last time he had seen her eyes that green was the evening when Sam had slapped Gretchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I don’t deserve a comment like that, Adam, and you know it! Robert and I are friends. Period. No more, no less. I asked you to go with me because I thought it would be fun for both of us. I don’t need a watchdog. I’m not Gretchen. You just have to trust me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I know you’re not Gretchen. Not anything like her. If I insinuated that I don’t trust you, then I apologize.”<\/span><\/p>\n

But he was telling a white lie. He knew it and he could tell that Sam knew it too. He couldn’t help but be unsettled by the thought of Sam spending a whole week with Robert. Jealousy tugged at his heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abruptly, he said, “Well, I have to go out to the Werner ranch. There’s lots of work to be done.”<\/span><\/p>\n

There was an awkward silence.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Will you be there when I leave on the stage? I’d like to see you before I leave…”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s face softened. “Have you already got your ticket? What time does the stage leave?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Around noon,” Sam answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’ll be there. Count on it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

As a patient came in through the door, Adam turned and walked out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam’s heart was heavy. She had been honest, and that was the best she could do.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE<\/span>
\nThe hay was now safely in the Werner’s barn which was a good thing. Winter seemed to be coming in early \u2013 clouds hung in the sky and the temperature was plummeting. Adam had truly been working hard and hadn’t seen Sam at all in the last two days. But today was the day that Sam was to leave, and nothing could keep Adam from being at the stage depot.<\/span><\/p>\n

He had thought a lot about what Sam had said and knew that she should not be penalized because of what Gretchen had done to him. Sam could have lied if she\u2019d wanted to but chose to tell the truth. He had no reason to mistrust her. He urged Sport into a gallop and reached town with time to spare.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam opened the door to the waiting area of the stage depot and couldn’t wipe the smile off his face when he saw Sam. And Sam’s face lit up when she saw Adam. Sitting next to her and unbuttoning his coat in the warm room, pieces of hay dropped to the floor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam picked up a piece of hay out of his hat and tickled his face with it, wrinkling her nose as she laughed.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Did you get the hay put away in time?” she asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Just finished,” he answered as he snatched the hay away from her. “I gave Sport some good exercise getting here. I didn’t want to be late.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I was afraid you wouldn’t come.” Sam bowed her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Nothing could’ve stopped me from being here. Don’t you know that?” He kissed her on the tip of her nose.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I really don’t want to go, Adam.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I wish you could stay.” Then, “I’m sorry for the way I acted the other day. Sorry for what I said. Sorry for the way I thought. I had to tell you that.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Thank you for that, Adam. That means more to me than you know.” Sam slipped her arm through his.<\/span><\/p>\n

The door opened and two more travelers walked in. One was Debbie Strom and the other was Celeste, her twenty-year old daughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Sam greeted them and carried on small talk until they all heard the sounds of the stage pulling up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Debbie and Celeste had already walked outside and Adam was reaching for Sam’s luggage when he heard Sam say, “Uh-oh. Look who’s back.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam peered out the small window. Disembarking from the stage and collecting their luggage were Mr. and Mrs. Werner. And Gretchen. And waiting for them in the Werner buggy was Ted.<\/span><\/p>\n

“That’s odd,” Adam thought aloud. “Ted drove the hay wagon yesterday. He still can’t walk well but he offered to handle the horses. He never mentioned anything about the Werners’ coming back.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Now it was Sam\u2019s turn to worry. She’d be gone for a whole week. She believed that she could trust Adam \u2013 but how would he react with Gretchen back in town?<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam buttoned the top of Sam’s coat and saw her chewing on the inside of her cheek.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Everything will be just fine. Trust me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The two walked outside and Adam handed Sam’s luggage to the stage driver. Adam looked at Ted curiously, but Ted looked away. Friedhelm was helping Ilsa into the buggy when Gretchen turned and approached Sam and Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Hello, Dr. Nielsen,” Gretchen said. “Are you leaving town?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’m taking a short trip. I’ll be back soon,” came Sam’s answer. She gave as little information as she could.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen looked up at Adam and said, “Hello, Adam. Are you getting on the stage too?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam simply shook his head. “No. I’m sure that Ted will tell your parents that the hay is in the barn. We got it dried and safely put away.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“How kind of you to do that,” Gretchen said. “I know how much that’ll mean to my parents.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen turned and walked toward the waiting buggy, leaving Adam and Sam to look at each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Come back to me, Sam,” Adam whispered as he put his arms around Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Be here for me when I get back,” Sam answered, putting her arms around Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam climbed into the stagecoach and leaned her head out the window. Adam had time to give her one quick kiss before the horses pulled away onto the road.<\/span><\/p>\n

Neither Sam nor Adam saw Gretchen’s face. She had a most unusual smile on her face.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR<\/span>
\nIn St. Louis, Sam was bored spitless with most of the seminars. As a matter of fact, if she hadn’t been nudged by her old friend Cynthia, she would have slept through one in its entirety! But the breaks for lunch and then the evening suppers gave her the opportunity to rekindle old friendships with some of the now-physicians who were in her graduating class. Robert was constantly present, but so were a lot of other men.<\/span><\/p>\n

The only problem with Robert occurred one evening when supper was over, a particularly interesting seminar on hereditary mental problems had been discussed, and the group disbanded. Robert, who had drunk a wee bit too much, followed Sam as she headed back to her hotel.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Wait,” he called. “I wanna talk with you!”<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam turned around and waited. She was cold and had been looking forward to the warmth of the wood-burning stoves in the hotel. Robert was staying at a different hotel which was located in the opposite direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I still love you, you know,” Robert said as he tried to reach for Sam’s hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Robert, we’ve been over this and over this. We both decided that there was no future in our relationship. Just let it go.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert could see that trying to hold Sam’s hand wasn’t going to work, so he latched on to her heavy coat instead, almost knocking Sam off her feet as she tried to turn away.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Don’t you think we could try again?\u201d Robert begged.<\/span><\/p>\n

“No! The time we had together was very precious to me, but I’ve moved on. I have a life in Virginia City and I don\u2019t want to leave there. Now let go of my coat. I’m cold and I want to go to my room!”<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of letting go, Robert tightened his grip. Even through her heavy coat, Sam could feel Robert\u2019s iron grip. Clumsily, he turned her around and tried to put his other arm around her.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Robert,” said Sam, her green eyes smoldering, “if you ever want to become a father, I suggest you let go of me. And I mean right now!”<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert looked down and saw how close Sam’s knee was to his groin. He knew her well enough to realize that she wouldn’t hesitate to jam her knee into him. He let go of her and backed away a safe distance.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I hope your latest love is half the man that I am!” he said angrily.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Robert, he’s at least twice the man that you are!\u201d Sam spun around and hurriedly made her way to the hotel and its warmth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Later, alone in her room, Sam thought about Adam. Again. She missed him terribly. And she also wondered what was happening now that Gretchen was back in town.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE<\/span>
\nIn Virginia City, people were talking about the changes in Gretchen. She had toned down her way of dressing; she had friendly conversations with people she had been snobbish to previously; her smiles were genuine. The negative gossip that had started upon her arrival home was quickly changing to more positive remarks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Snow had come early and unexpectedly when Adam stopped in to visit Doc Martin. Except for the doctor\u2019s presence, the office was empty. Adam entered the office, closing the door firmly behind him. The heat from the wood stove was welcome, and Adam stood close to it and rubbed his hands together.<\/span><\/p>\n

“No patients to see today?” Adam asked conversationally.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Nary a one,” Doc answered. “Not good financially but I’m glad nobody’s ill. I don’t relish the thought of making house calls in this freezing weather.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Can I talk you into going down the street for some lunch?” Adam asked. Somehow he felt not so out-of-touch with Sam when he was in Doc’s office.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin sprang to his feet. “Hot food! How about the restaurant \u2013 it’s right across the street. Maybe we won’t freeze to death before we get there.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam laughed. The two men bundled up, put their heads into the wind, and practically sprinted across the street.<\/span><\/p>\n

As they took their seats at a table, Doc wiggled his eyebrows. “I guess nothing can make those women stay at home.” He gently jerked his chin to his right side.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked in that direction and saw Drucilla, Thelma and Henrietta. Both Adam and Doc smiled at them and received smiles and waves of hands in return.<\/span><\/p>\n

“You know, Adam,” Doc began, “they’re good women at heart. But sometimes I have this strong desire to sew their lips shut.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam laughed out loud, an action which caused Thelma to begin wondering aloud.<\/span><\/p>\n

“He looks happy. Sam is out of town, and Gretchen comes to town quite frequently. You don’t suppose…”<\/span><\/p>\n

Right at that moment, Gretchen walked into the restaurant. She smiled at the three women and made a beeline towards Adam and Doc. When she reached their table, the two men rose to their feet. And Gretchen was obviously invited to sit down because Doc pulled a chair out and saw that she was seated. Adam was smiling.<\/span><\/p>\n

The gossipy triumvirate put their heads together and whispered among themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen looked at Adam and laughed. “I think I’ve caused quite a stir. Mama’s doing some shopping, but I was hungry and opted to come in here. If either of you is uncomfortable, I’ll go to a different table.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin spoke, “Gretchen, you sit right where you are. There’s so little going on in town due to the weather that somebody needs to have something to talk about.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen smiled and her blue eyes twinkled. “Is it all right with you, Adam?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Of course,” came the answer. He didn’t know what else to say.<\/span><\/p>\n

Orders were placed and soon the food was served. Gretchen ate daintily while Doc and Adam carried on most of the conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla, with her bat ears, could hear most of the conversation. She passed on what she could hear. “Adam and Doc Martin are talking about the weather mostly. When Gretchen speaks, it’s just small talk.” All three women were disappointed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin’s keen senses told him that Gretchen had something on her mind. And it had nothing to do with him. So, after finishing his meal, he excused himself and headed back to his office. This left Adam and Gretchen alone at the table.<\/span><\/p>\n

Henrietta decided that she and her friends needed another cup of coffee and perhaps a sweet roll for dessert. All three women kept their eyes and ears open.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen put her hand on Adam’s arm. “I know that I’m making you uncomfortable,” she began. “But I want you to know that I’ve changed.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam shifted position and moved his arm. Gretchen was up to something and curiosity got the best of him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen leaned across the table and made sure to keep her voice low. “What will it take for you to forgive me? I made some bad choices \u2013 big mistakes \u2013 but I won\u2019t let anything happen again. I want for us to have another chance, Adam. I miss you and want you back in my life.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam leaned forward and kept his voice low also. “Gretchen, what I thought we had wasn’t real. I don’t want to try again. I’ve moved on with my life, and you need to move on with yours. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot of business to attend to.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla strained to listen but could hear nothing. She and her friends were bitterly disappointed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam left the restaurant. Almost immediately, Gretchen left also.<\/span><\/p>\n

“What was that all about?” Thelma asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I wish I knew,” Drucilla answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam did have errands to run and barely got back to the Ponderosa before the snow began falling in earnest. He was upset by the things Gretchen had to say, and he missed Sam now, more than ever.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin returned to his office and put more wood in the stove. Something caught his eye and he looked twice before investigating. Sam’s guitar was broken to smithereens.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the Werner house, Ilsa had her arms around her sobbing daughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Adam doesn’t want me, Mama,” Gretchen wailed. “I’m different now. Why can’t he just let me show him? I humiliated myself by asking him to try again.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Ilsa spoke soothingly to her only child. Friedhelm stood by helplessly, knowing that his daughter’s heart was broken and there was nothing he could do or say to make her pain go away.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was irritable. So close and yet so far. She walked outside of the way station, the last station until the stop at Virginia City, and kicked at a drift of snow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHaven\u2019t you made your minds up yet?\u201d she asked Delmas, one of the stage drivers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Nielsen, look at that sky yonder. Them clouds is trying they best to build up into a big storm. Mebbe rain or sleet. Mebbe snow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked to the west and saw the clouds off in the distance. She had to admit that they did look rather threatening \u2013 but they were a long way off. She said so to Delmas.<\/span><\/p>\n

The other driver, Jake, shook his head. \u201cIt\u2019s chancy. Might blow another way. Might not.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked up at the bright, clear morning sky. It was cold outside \u2013 very cold. But, as far as she knew, cold weather had never stopped a stagecoach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease,\u201d she begged Delmas and Jake. \u201cPlease get me to Virginia City. I\u2019m the only passenger and all I have is one piece of luggage. I just have to get home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Delmas looked at her, looked at the sky again, and made a decision. \u201cI think we\u2019ll be okay. I\u2019ll drive those hosses hard as I kin. The only thing worrisome is that the road might be covered in ice in places. That ole stagecoach might go to swervin\u2019 or somethin\u2019 and joggle you around.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t mind being joggled,\u201d Sam said gratefully. Quickly she went inside to get her luggage and then she stood outside impatiently waiting for the horses to be hitched up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t goin\u2019,\u201d Jake said. \u201cI\u2019m stayin\u2019 here where it\u2019s warm. There\u2019ll be another stage tomorrow. The sky is clear as a bell to the east.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Delmas nodded. \u201cSee ya in Virginia City.\u201d He climbed into the driver\u2019s seat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jake helped Sam into the stagecoach and made sure that the oilskin curtains were snugged down tight.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGonna be a cold ride,\u201d he said. \u201cTake this with you.\u201d He threw in a red, moth-eaten blanket. But it was a good heavy blanket. And Sam would be warm enough.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Jake,\u201d Sam said, giving the startled man a quick kiss on the cheek.<\/span><\/p>\n

The wagon lurched to a roll, skidded on a small patch of ice, and Sam slid down the seat, banging her elbow against the wood.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou okay?\u201d Delmas shouted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just fine,\u201d Sam answered, rubbing her elbow. Still, she had to smile. Adam would be waiting for her.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had parked the buggy, with its top securely fastened down to give protection against the wind, in the livery stable where it was warm. He strode quickly to the stage depot knowing that he had arrived in plenty of time. He already knew what stage Sam would be on because she had wired him from the last \u201ctown stop\u201d farther east. Soon, the Truckee Railroad would be finished and stagecoaches would eventually be a thing of the past. Right now, they were a necessary evil.<\/span><\/p>\n

He looked at the cloudy sky. A blizzard had come through quickly the day before, dropping almost two feet of snow, and then had passed on to the east. He worried, wondering if the stagecoach would be held up if the bad weather continued in its current direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

He went into the stage depot and sat down to wait. The appointed time for the stage\u2019s arrival came and went. Still, he waited. Three hours and no stage. He headed for the telegraph office.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, the lines are down along the way to the east. Ain\u2019t nothin\u2019 comin\u2019 in til they get fixed. I imagine the bad weather is to blame.\u201d This from Freddy, the telegrapher.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked down the street. Very few horses were tied up outside the local businesses.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d a voice called.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked around and spotted Doc Martin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome up here where it\u2019s warm! Drink some coffee with me!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Which is exactly what Adam did. Stomping the snow off his boots, he opened the door and could feel the welcome warmth from the wood-burning stove. Doc closed the door and shoved Adam in the direction of the stove. Adam quickly removed his gloves and wrapped his hands around the cup of coffee.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStage not in yet?\u201d Doc asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope. And the telegraph lines are dead to the east.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI bet Sam is holed up in one of the way stations,\u201d Doc said, trying to be comforting. He could see the worry on Adam\u2019s face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019m sure that\u2019s what happened. But I won\u2019t leave town until Sam gets here. Even if there\u2019s no snow, the road will be icy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Doc said, \u201csit down and rest yourself. I know you won\u2019t be going home. And I could use the company. I\u2019m tired of talking to myself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had to grin. But the grin disappeared when he saw Sam\u2019s smashed guitar.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Adam. I found it like that when I came back from lunch with you the other day. The day that Gretchen sat and ate with us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow strange,\u201d Adam mused. \u201cWas anything missing from the office?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope. I did a quick inventory and nothing was out of place. I don\u2019t usually lock the front door when I go eat. Guess I\u2019ll have to start doing that now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSam\u2019s gonna be mad when she sees this.\u201d Adam imagined flashing green eyes, and a bit of a smile lit his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam ended up waiting for the stage all night.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT<\/span><\/p>\n

The morning dawned bright, clear and cold. The cloudless sky was a welcome relief. Adam woke abruptly, stretched his cramped legs and looked around, spying Doc Martin with his head on his desk, snoring softly. Adam heard heavy footsteps on the boardwalk outside Doc\u2019s office and discovered that his father and brothers had come into town and were looking for him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure are hard to find, son,\u201d Ben said as he looked at Adam\u2019s bleary eyes and unshaven face. \u201cWe\u2019ve been to the stage depot and to every business that\u2019s open at this hour. Nobody knew where you were.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin raised his head off his desk. \u201cI guess we got bored with each other\u2019s company.\u201d He didn\u2019t like the look on Ben\u2019s face and was trying to lighten the conversation. It didn\u2019t help.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid I miss the stage?\u201d Adam was on his feet immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss answered in his own gentle way. \u201cAdam, the stage ain\u2019t come in yet. But don\u2019t worry. The storm probably hit the last way station and the stage couldn\u2019t leave.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t we all go to the caf\u00e9 and have some breakfast?\u201d Joe suggested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not hungry,\u201d Adam said, his voice tense.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can have a cup of coffee and we can watch for the stage from the window.\u201d Ben suggested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood idea!\u201d Doc Martin popped up and put on his coat.<\/span><\/p>\n

And so it was that Adam got swept away to the caf\u00e9. But Doc Martin remembered to lock his door as they left.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE<\/span><\/p>\n

In spite of himself, Adam did eat some breakfast. He was on his second cup of coffee when he heard yelling in the street and the pounding of horses\u2019 hooves.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFinally!\u201d he yelled, jumping out of his chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

But the words died on his lips. The horses were running by, all right, but there was no stagecoach behind them. The horses were running down the street to a place that was familiar to them \u2013 and that was the stage depot.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam reached the depot at a dead run with his family in close pursuit. Despite the cold air, the animals were lathered and spent, still hooked up to their traces which apparently had broken free from the stagecoach tongue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam shook his head in disbelief and fear. If the horses had broken free of the stage, then it must be out somewhere on the road. In the cold and snowdrifts. And who knew for how long? A shiver of fear ran up Adam\u2019s spine and made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He headed for the livery stable and saddled the first horse he saw. He glanced at the buggy he had ridden in last night and felt a huge lump in his throat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben headed for the telegraph office to see if he could find out anything. Hoss and Joe removed harnesses and traces from the backs of the tired horses and then led them into the barn. Groups of people \u2013 men mostly \u2013 began to gather and whisper among themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was halfway out of the stable when Ben grabbed the reins of the horse and stopped him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I\u2019ve gotta go find her!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going with you,\u201d Ben said in his commanding voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be right behind you,\u201d shouted Ted, speaking for a whole group of men who nodded their heads in agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m commandeering your buggy,\u201d Doc Martin said as he pushed his way into the stable. \u201cI might be needed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As Ben climbed into his saddle, his deep voice could be heard all the way up and down the street. \u201cWe\u2019re taking the main road. Everybody else fan out. If you see anything, fire three shots and we\u2019ll find you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was at the end of the street before any rider could even close the gap.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FORTY<\/span><\/p>\n

Following the trail of the horses which had been attached to the stagecoach was easy. But the snow along the sides of the road had blown into huge white drifts around rocks and trees and, to Adam, everything looked light it might have been an overturned stagecoach. At some points, his horse had to plow its way through chest-high snow so that Adam could investigate. The same held true with his family\u2019s situation \u2013 they couldn\u2019t take a chance of missing anything.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hours went by. Adam cursed himself for not going to St. Louis with Sam. He cursed the stagecoach driver. He cursed the telegraph lines. He cursed the snow and the hundreds of high snowdrifts.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Adam heard the first gunshot, he reined his horse in so hard that the poor animal almost fell over backward. Then there was silence. Nobody spoke. A second gunshot echoed \u2013 and then a third.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhich way? Which way?\u201d Adam hollered. The sounds seemed to be coming from anywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis way!\u201d shouted Hoss as he urged Chub through a snow bank. \u201cThose shots aren\u2019t far away.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was well-aware of Hoss\u2019s outdoor instincts and didn\u2019t hesitate to follow his brother. Ben and Little Joe caught up to them quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s instincts were right. Adam silently blessed his brother as they reached a group of men standing beside the upside-down stagecoach. Friedhelm Werner was still holding up his gun until someone suggested that he put it down.<\/span><\/p>\n

Only one wheel of the stage was visible. Adam pushed his way through and began digging frantically to get to a window or a door. He was aware of Hoss and Joe next to him, and he could hear Ted\u2019s voice on the other side of the wreckage as he urged his group to dig faster.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSam! Sam!\u201d Adam called. But there was no answer. Because the stagecoach was empty.<\/span><\/p>\n

By now, the whole search party had gathered \u2013 on horseback, in buggies, in wagons. They stood in silence when the heard that nobody was aboard the stage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe they got trapped under it,\u201d suggested Doc Martin.<\/span><\/p>\n

And with the help of ropes and horses and brute strength, the vehicle was turned right-side up. One wheel fell of immediately and one door hung half-off its hinges. There was a big hole in one oilskin window. And there was one piece of luggage \u2013 Adam recognized it as Sam\u2019s. His shoulders sagged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no time to waste,\u201d Ben said, taking command. \u201cWe know that there had to be at least one driver \u2013 maybe two \u2013 and Dr. Sam. We\u2019ll spread out on foot. They can\u2019t be too far away. And the driver, or drivers, would know how to make a shelter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Searching on foot was difficult because of the depth of the snow. And now they were hindered because they weren\u2019t looking for a large object. There were some who whispered that they were now looking for bodies.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam tried to think of what he would do if he had to find shelter under such conditions. His mind was so muddled that he had trouble thinking straight. So he turned to Hoss, the consummate outdoorsman, and asked his opinion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss looked around the snow-covered landscape. \u201cWell, first I\u2019d look for a bunch of trees. They\u2019d give some shelter. But, seein\u2019 as how there ain\u2019t no trees around here, I\u2019d look for a cave in the side of a mountain or a big hill. Right here, the land is too flat for anything like that.\u201d Hoss squinted his eyes, deep in thought. \u201cRocks! Big rocks! That\u2019s what I\u2019d look for. I could hide on the lee side of a big rock \u2013 that would make a good shelter from the wind and a whole bunch of snow too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam thought Hoss\u2019s idea was a good one and, if Adam had been thinking straight, he probably would\u2019ve come to the same conclusion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, spread the word to everybody to look behind anything and everything that even looks like a rock!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And Hoss spread the word. Soon, people were poking their noses behind anything that stuck up out of the snow. Adam stood alone for a moment and said a small prayer and then began the search anew.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE<\/span><\/p>\n

Call it Fate, call it a prayer answered, call it what you will, but it was Adam who found Sam and Delmas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was wet and chilled to the bone and so tired that he could hardly take another step when he saw a bright red patch of something sticking out of the snow behind a large rock several yards away. Wondering what could possibly be that bright at this time of year, he slogged through the snow to investigate. Oh, it\u2019s just a piece of an old blanket. But why would it be sticking out of the snow instead of being buried by it? Tugging at the material, he saw the tops of two heads \u2013 and one brunette head bore the familiar clasp that belonged to Sam!<\/span><\/p>\n

Shouting at the top of his lungs, he began to dig around the top of the blanket, sharp ice crystals cutting through his gloves and into his fingers. Ben dropped onto his knees beside his eldest son and began pulling at the blanket as soon as Adam had cleared the snow.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two faces were revealed at the same time \u2013 Sam\u2019s face and the face of another man. Both had icicles in their hair and both of them had closed eyes. Blood had frozen on the cuts on their faces.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam could hear someone shouting, \u201cSam! Sam! Don\u2019t you die on me, Sam!\u201d Vaguely he realized the voice was his own. But Sam gave no response.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many hands began digging and then Adam was able to scoop Sam into his arms. Hoss picked up the other man and put him in a wagon bed where he was covered with dry blankets from head to toe. He had a badly-broken leg and let out a moan. He was alive.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was still kneeling, holding Sam close to him, trying to warm her half-frozen body. He wouldn\u2019t let her go until Doc Martin spoke in his sternest voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam! Get up! Get in my carriage and let\u2019s get back to town! Now!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam staggered to his feet, not taking his eyes from Sam\u2019s face. And suddenly her eyes opened.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I came back to you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Her eyes closed again. But she was alive!<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre there blankets in this rig?\u201d Doc asked Adam, his voice tense.<\/span><\/p>\n

If Doc had been driving his own buggy, there would have been blankets galore. He never knew when they might be needed while making house calls. But he had jumped into the buggy that Adam had brought and hadn\u2019t retrieved blankets from his own rig.<\/span><\/p>\n

With Sam securely in his lap with his arms wrapped tightly around her, Adam shook his head. \u201cDidn\u2019t bring any,\u201d he said tersely.<\/span><\/p>\n

Friedhelm drove his wagon close. \u201cI\u2019ve got blankets if you need them,\u201d he called.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI need as many as you can spare,\u201d Doc answered. \u201cIs the other man well-covered?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Friedhelm handed over several blankets and answered. \u201cYes. I saw Ted covering him up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Quickly, Doc Martin passed the blankets to Adam. \u201cWrap these around Sam and rub her as briskly as you can. And hang on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And Doc drove the horse forward with a lurch and didn\u2019t slow down until he reached his office. The wagon hauling the as-yet unknown man was slower in arriving.<\/span><\/p>\n

A large crowd had gathered outside Doc\u2019s office \u2013 word had traveled fast. Doc jumped out of the buggy and began fumbling in his pocket for the key to his office, cursing himself for locking the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam refused to let go of Sam. Clumsily, he climbed out of the rig and waited impatiently while Doc, his hands cold, fiddled with the lock and the key. The door finally opened and Adam rushed to the back office, finally depositing Sam\u2019s limp body on the examination table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, get some wood in that stove,\u201d Doc commanded as he began removing the blankets that Sam was wrapped in.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Adam didn\u2019t have to do anything. Drucilla and friends had arrived and, while Drucilla and Thelma threw wood into the stoves in the outer and inner offices, Henrietta had quickly put on water to boil. She had brought tea and honey, just in case it might be needed. Doc already had a supply of coffee, and she was getting it ready.<\/span><\/p>\n

Without taking the time to shut the doors between the inner and outer offices, Doc was already pulling off Sam\u2019s wet clothes. Drucilla, with her sense of propriety, closed the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you\u2019re soaked to the skin,\u201d Thelma said as the stove began to put out heat. \u201cStand here, close to the stove, and dry out. Coffee will be ready soon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

By the time Ben, Hoss and Joe arrived, it was obvious that things were being taken care of. Ben put his arm around Adam\u2019s shoulders and told him that they\u2019d be in the restaurant across the street. Adam nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shouting through the closed door, Adam called to Doc. \u201cIs she all right? Is she all right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe will be as soon as I can get her warmed up. So far, I see only superficial scratches.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen can I see her?\u201d Adam demanded impatiently.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla opened the door a slight bit. \u201cIs the tea ready yet, Henrietta?\u201d And a steaming cup was handed to her. Before the door closed again, Drucilla spoke kindly to Adam. \u201cJust a few more minutes. Then you can come in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

By now, the wagon had arrived with the unknown man and, leaving Drucilla to tend to Sam, Doc emerged into the outer office. The man was still unconscious. As Doc took scissors to the man\u2019s britches, he knew he would need help setting the broken leg.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Sam?\u201d Adam demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSam has no broken bones that I can see. Drucilla is keeping her warm and trying to spoon hot tea into her. But this man will lose the use of his leg if it\u2019s not set right away. I need your help, Adam, before he wakes up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam grabbed the man\u2019s arms and pulled in one direction while Doc pulled the broken leg in the other direction. The bone went back into place with a satisfying snap.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning to Thelma and Henrietta, Doc advised the two women to keep the stove hot, cover the man with dry blankets, and get some coffee into him \u2013 even if they had to spoon it in as Drucilla was doing with Sam. Doc disappeared into the back room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam paced the floor and kept his eyes on the closed door as if he were trying to see through it. His mind kept replaying images of Sam \u2013 her hair frozen in places, her closed eyelids with snowflakes on her dark eyelashes, her pale face. He could still feel how cold her cheek was against his lips when he bent to kiss her, could still feel how limp her body was.<\/span><\/p>\n

Banging on the door, he shouted, \u201cWhat in the hell is taking you so long!\u201d Not bothering to wait for an answer, he opened the door and charged into the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE<\/span><\/p>\n

Scattered around the floor were items of Sam\u2019s clothing, along with wet blankets, sitting in a melting pool of water. Drucilla was hurrying to clean up the sodden mess. And Doc Martin was just finishing putting another dry blanket over Sam\u2019s still body.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was going to tell you that you could come in, but I see that you\u2019re already in,\u201d Doc said with a tiny trace of humor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow is she?\u201d Adam whispered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s shivering and that\u2019s a good sign. It means that her body is reversing the effects of being half-frozen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam walked over to Sam\u2019s side. \u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the human body gets too cold, it involuntarily starts the shivering process, trying to generate more heat. Sam lost way too much heat, and her body was too cold to shiver any more. Right now, every time she shakes, it means that her body is working correctly again. It\u2019s trying to warm her up. But we need to speed up the process by warming her more quickly. The blankets are helping and so is the hot tea. The honey in the tea will give her strength.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s so pale,\u201d Adam said as he touched her cheek.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs she warms up, the color to her face will return.\u201d A bit of a smile played at Doc\u2019s lips.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you would like to, you can pick her up and sit close to the stove. Rub her briskly but gently all over to help stimulate her circulation. Keep a blanket under her back and keep a blanket over her front to help retain body heat.\u201d And then Doc went out the door to check on the man with the broken leg.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carefully, Adam slid his arms under the bottom blanket and lifted Sam into his arms. Drucilla had put a rocking chair next to the stove; she smiled as she watched how tender Adam was in carrying Sam and how careful he was when he sat down. She was truly touched.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBe sure to rub her down,\u201d Drucilla said. \u201cAnd spoon some of this tea into her.\u201d Then she left the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was wrapped up rather like a mummy, and Adam began rubbing wherever his hands could touch on the top blanket. Legs, arms, neck, face, and oh-my-God, what was that that I rubbed?<\/span><\/p>\n

He reached for the hot tea on the side of the stove. As he would\u2019ve done with a child, he tasted it first to make sure it wasn\u2019t too hot. It was and he blew on it to cool it off. He had to contort himself slightly to use the spoon, but he managed. Carefully he wedged the spoon between Sam\u2019s lips and dribbled some liquid into her mouth. He watched to make sure that she swallowed. Another dribble. And another dribble. Then he rubbed her body some more.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so cold,\u201d Sam whispered, her teeth chattering. Her eyes were closed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHush, love,\u201d Adam crooned. \u201cI\u2019ve got you. Can you feel my arms around you?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMmm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Henrietta brought in a hot cup of coffee for Adam and refilled the cup of tea. \u201cI think she looks better already, Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so,\u201d Adam murmured as Henrietta left the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben came in. \u201cShall I take her for a while, son? You look so tired.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Pa. I\u2019m fine. But I can\u2019t reach her legs to rub them very well without dropping her head over the arm of the chair.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Wordlessly, Ben knelt down and began rubbing Sam\u2019s blanketed legs. Father and son worked together in a companionable silence. Adam\u2019s arms ached and Ben\u2019s legs ached, but they continued with the process of rubbing, spoonfuls of tea, and then more rubbing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss and Little Joe peeked in, their faces softening at the sight. They backed away and closed the door just in time to turn around and face the Werner family. Gretchen said not a word \u2013 she appeared very frightened. Ilsa did the talking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe just had to find out how Doctor Nielsen is!\u201d she said breathlessly. \u201cIs she all right? She\u2019s not dying, is she? Nobody knows anything, and if we can help\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

From a corner of the room, Doc Martin answered. \u201cDoctor Nielsen is gonna be just fine. These things take time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the man with the broken leg? Is he all right too?\u201d Friedhelm seldom spoke, but when he did, he got right to the point.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHis broken leg is set. Thank God that the cold kept the bleeding to a minimum. If it hadn\u2019t been for your finding the stagecoach, Friedhelm, we might never have found either of the two people. If you would be so kind, please tell the people outside to go home and stay warm. Their presence is appreciated, but there\u2019s nothing they can do here. And don\u2019t let me forget that I have blankets that belong to you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAch!\u201d Friedhelm said. \u201cWe have blankets at home. Keep them and put them to good use.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, the Werners left. Gretchen gave an odd backwards glance as she closed the door behind her.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam felt Sam wiggling in his arms and looked into her face. Her eyes were open, and there was a bit of pink in her cheeks. She had long since stopped shivering; Ben had left the room and gone to run normal errands on a not-so-normal day.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d she murmured. Her eyes weren\u2019t quite focused yet. \u201cI had the strangest dream. I was looking for you and couldn\u2019t find you. And I was so cold.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m right here,\u201d was Adam\u2019s reply. \u201cNow drink some of this tea. It\u2019s got honey in it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Putting the cup to her lips, Adam made sure she didn\u2019t drink too much and choke. Then he put the cup back down and gently rubbed her some more.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you groping me?\u201d Sam\u2019s voice was trailing away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, love. I most certainly am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u201d And Sam\u2019s eyes closed as she fell asleep with a smile on her lips. She snuggled her head against Adam\u2019s chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

And Adam wept.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE<\/span><\/p>\n

The stage driven by Jake arrived in the early evening. Upon discovering that Delmas had been in an accident, Jake hurried over to Doc Martin\u2019s office to check on his friend. And to check on that nice doctor-lady who had kissed him on the cheek. All he had done was to give her that old red blanket.<\/span><\/p>\n

Delmas had awakened earlier, had spoken incoherently, and had then fallen asleep. He was snoring peacefully when Jake arrived and Doc Martin didn\u2019t want to wake him. But Jake explained what had transpired at the last way station and had confirmed the fact that there was one driver and one passenger.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDelmas is a new driver on this route. I should\u2019ve gone with him,\u201d Jake said ruefully.<\/span>
\n\u201cNow his leg is broke and he\u2019ll be out of work for a while. He should\u2019ve listened to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe walked in and recognized Jake as one of the regular drivers; Jake had to tell the story again. When he got to the part about giving the red blanket to \u201cthat nice doctor-lady,\u201d Doc spoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s somebody who\u2019d be very interested in hearing about this.\u201d And he led Jake into the back room where Adam continued to rock a precious package.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I think you know Jake.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam nodded. He wasn\u2019t in the mood to focus on anyone but Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jake spoke. \u201cI gave that red blanket to your lady friend. I told her that it would keep her warm. I guess it helped a little.\u201d Jake looked at the sleeping Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt not only helped keep her warm,\u201d Adam said, \u201cit was responsible for saving two lives. It was the bright red against the snow that caught my eye and made me investigate. I\u2019d shake your hand, Jake, but I don\u2019t want to wake Sam. There\u2019s no way I can begin to thank you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAw,\u201d Jake said. \u201cThe lady thanked me. She kissed me right here on my cheek.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the guy with the broken leg is Jake\u2019s friend, Delmas. He\u2019s new to this route. Only Delmas and Sam were on that stage. We won\u2019t have to worry about looking for anybody else.\u201d Doc looked relieved.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat sure is a nice lady,\u201d Jake said as he turned to leave. \u201cShe was in a mighty big hurry to get here, so see that she\u2019s taken good care of.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cCount on it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jake left. The office was quiet again. Henrietta and Drucilla had gone home; Thelma stayed and kept both the coffee and tea hot. She sat quietly in a corner and her head began to nod.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla and Henrietta brought in plenty of food for Adam, Doc Martin, Thelma and the two patients and then quietly made their exit. Having seen that all was well, and having spoken to Adam who wouldn\u2019t leave Sam, Ben had gone back to the Ponderosa with Hoss and Little Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

And two important things happened.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first important thing was that Delmas woke up. He ate a little supper and, at Doc Martin\u2019s urging, recalled the trip from the way station as best he could. The pain killers that Doc had given him for his leg made his mind a little fuzzy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJake told me not to git on the road. I shoulda knowed better. But that lady begged me, so I decided I could make it here if\u2019n I hurried. There\u2019s one place back yonder a ways where I needed to make a sharp turn and I got to thinkin\u2019 that I oughta slow them horses down. I had \u2018em runnin\u2019 pretty hard. Skidded on some ice, I did. And next thing I knowed, I was in a bunch of rocks with a broke leg.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Delmas stopped. \u201cNo, wait, there\u2019s somethin\u2019 else itchin\u2019 at my brain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Delmas sipped his coffee slowly and rubbed his leg. \u201cI did slow them horses down. Way before the turn. But somethin\u2019\u2026.the horses took off…I lost my grip on the reins.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe you should just rest now, Delmas,\u201d Doc said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo! There\u2019s somethin\u2019 important.\u201d Delmas sighed in frustration. \u201cGunshots! Somebody was shootin\u2019 at me! One bullet hit the seat right next to me! That\u2019s when them horses took off runnin\u2019 and the reins slipped outta my hands! The wheels hit that icy place in the road and the stage started swervin\u2019 and skiddin\u2019 ever which way. And them horses ran blind, off the road. The wagon tongue broke and the stage started to tilt. I hollered at that lady to jump and then I jumped. That\u2019s when I fell on them rocks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Delmas paused. His face looked drained. But he kept on talking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat lady got out \u2013 she told me there was a hole in the oilskin \u2013 and I heered her callin\u2019 out to me. Walked through the snow, she did, with that red blanket around her, and she found me. And then she half-toted me to a big rock that I seen \u2013 I told her it would keep us outta the wind. She wrapped that red blanket \u2018round us and huddled up next to me to keep warm. We were so cold and my leg hurt somethin\u2019 awful. And after a while, it didn\u2019t hurt no more. She said it was \u2018cause my leg was cold. I don\u2019t remember anythin\u2019 after that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Delmas looked completely exhausted. \u201cDoc, did that doctor-lady die? She saved my life!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Nielsen is gonna be just fine. In fact, she\u2019s sleeping in the next room. Rest now. There\u2019ll be time to talk tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Delmas closed his eyes and went to sleep. The pain killers were doing their job.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin spoke quietly with Adam and told him what Delmas had said. Adam was astounded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomebody deliberately shot at Delmas? We need to get Roy Coffee over here right now!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc shook his head. \u201cDelmas won\u2019t wake up until morning. He can talk to Roy then, when his mind is clearer. Maybe he\u2019ll remember something else important. Or maybe his mind is playing tricks on him right now. What we need to do is keep this to ourselves until we can discuss it with Roy. We don\u2019t want to tip our hand if Delmas is telling the truth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Though he didn\u2019t want to, Adam had to agree with Doc Martin. \u201cFirst thing in the morning, we\u2019ll get Roy over here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc left the room. He wanted to keep an eye on Delmas, and he needed time to think.<\/span><\/p>\n

The second important thing that happened began when Sam opened her eyes and was quite coherent.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had been holding her, rocking her, all day and into the night. His muscles were cramped and his arms ached; he had rubbed Sam\u2019s body so much that his hands hurt. But when he saw those green eyes looking at him, he forgot about his own discomfort.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam touched his cheek, ran her finger over the dark stubble. \u201cYou need to shave, Adam Cartwright!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam laughed. \u201cYeah, I guess I do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow long have I been asleep?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA few hours,\u201d Adam lied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn your lap?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam abruptly sat up and, when she did, the blanket fell down to her waist. Adam got a good view of the curves of two breasts and the indentation of a narrow waist.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood God Almighty!\u201d Sam shrieked, yanking the blanket back up to her neck. \u201cI\u2019m naked!<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam wiggled his eyebrows. \u201cThat\u2019d be my guess.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam struggled to get out of Adam\u2019s lap, but weakness and getting tangled up in both front and back blankets proved to be a hindrance. Adam watched with amusement but was ready to catch her if she fell. The sudden rush of blood from her head to her lower body made her teeter on her feet, and Adam stood and picked her up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust put me on the table,\u201d she said, \u201cand turn your back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam did as he was told. But he chuckled as he heard the rustle of blankets being arranged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay. You can turn around now.\u201d Sam had covered herself completely, even her face. \u201cI\u2019m not making one more move until I have some clothes!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to drink some hot tea with honey. And maybe eat a biscuit,\u201d Adam stated to the blanketed face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot until I get some clothes!\u201d came the muffled answer. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve got a room full of clothes at the hotel.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Pulling the blanket down to just below her green eyes, Sam looked at Adam. His eyes were dancing but he managed to keep a straight face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, would you please go to my hotel room and get me something to wear? Just a shirt and some jeans. I can do without\u2026anything else\u2026for right now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd for this errand, what do I get in return?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou get to watch me drink tea and eat a biscuit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam could hear the weariness in Sam\u2019s voice. This was not the time for playing games and Adam knew it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay. I\u2019ll be back in a few minutes. Don\u2019t go anywhere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As he limped painfully to the door, his muscles screaming at him for having sat too long, he heard muttering from under the blanket. It sounded much like Hop Sing\u2019s muttering in Chinese.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s awake?\u201d Doc asked as Adam appeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep. And she wants some clothes from the hotel. I\u2019ll be right back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Rushing to the hotel, Adam got the key to Sam\u2019s room from the desk clerk. But when he got to Sam\u2019s room, he didn\u2019t need the key. The door was unlocked. Stepping into the room, Adam was shocked. Sam\u2019s clothes littered the floor from one wall to the other. Every drawer in the bureau had been pulled out and the contents dumped on the floor. Instinctively, Adam reached for his gun \u2013 then realized he wasn\u2019t wearing it. It was at Doc\u2019s office.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam held perfectly still. He neither heard nor saw anyone. The curtains were open and the window was closed. On the bed was Sam\u2019s green dress \u2013 the one she had worn to the barbecue \u2013 and it was ripped apart beyond repair. This was no ordinary burglary. Only Sam would know if anything had been taken. But she was too weak to hear about this problem. So Adam sorted through the pile of clothes on the floor, pulled out the first shirt and the first jeans he could find, snatched up two mismatched socks and Sam\u2019s boots, and backed out of the room. He closed the door and locked it. And kept the key.<\/span><\/p>\n

He sprinted back to Doc Martin\u2019s, his mind reeling. But he made himself walk in the door as though nothing was wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSam said to tell you that she drank two cups of tea and ate a biscuit,\u201d Doc said as he was closing the door to the inner office. \u201cShe went to sleep immediately after that. But she said to show you her empty cup and plate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sagged against the front door. \u201cGood. We\u2019ve got a new problem and she doesn\u2019t need to know about it yet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc took one look at Adam\u2019s face. \u201cSit down and tell me what\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When Adam finished speaking, both he and Doc had the same thought \u2013 did this have something to do with Sam\u2019s smashed guitar?<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam peeked in to check on Sam. She was still sleeping, still under her blankets. The color in her face was much-improved, and Adam bent to kiss her freckled nose. Then he returned to the outer office and spoke to Doc in hushed whispers. Delmas was tossing and turning and would probably wake up soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to talk to Roy,\u201d Doc Martin said, \u201cbut I don\u2019t feel comfortable leaving either Sam or Delmas alone. We can\u2019t talk here if we\u2019re gonna keep things a secret.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There was a soft rap on the door and, when Doc opened it, there stood Drucilla. \u201cI brought some things to make breakfast with. I know you cook in here, Doc, so you obviously have some kind of utensils.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc put his arm around Drucilla. \u201cYou and Thelma and Henrietta have been a God-send. But nobody\u2019s awake right now, and Adam and I have to run by Roy Coffee\u2019s office for a little while. Do you have time to keep an eye on my two patients?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla snorted. \u201cOf course I have time.\u201d She paused. \u201cI can find you at the sheriff\u2019s office?\u201d She wanted more information.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNothing important,\u201d Adam hastened to say. \u201cDelmas gave us his story about the stage turning over and Roy will have a report to file.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla looked disappointed at such mundane news. Then she clucked like a mother hen and began looking for pots and pans to cook in. \u201cGo on with you then. If I need help, I know where to find you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc and Adam ran into Ben as he was coming up the walk. Under his arm, he carried fresh clothes for Adam. \u201cYou need to shave, son,\u201d he said as he looked at Adam\u2019s face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo I\u2019ve been told,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cI\u2019ll change clothes at Roy\u2019s office, and I\u2019ll shave there too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam gave a quick recap of last night\u2019s happenings at the hotel and the information given by Delmas. With the clean clothes under his arm, Ben accompanied his son and Doc Martin to Roy\u2019s office. Adam was now wearing his gun \u2013 he had put it on last night after returning from the hotel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Only one person paid attention to the group as they entered the sheriff\u2019s office. And that person\u2019s face turned ugly.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy listened to the stories from start to finish but wasn\u2019t sure that there was a connection between the smashed guitar, the shots fired at the stagecoach, and the ransacking of Sam\u2019s hotel room. But he didn\u2019t rule the connection out either.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam shaved quickly, washed up and dressed in the clean clothes that Ben had brought. He also strapped on his gun. He listened as Roy spoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing we have to do is look at Sam\u2019s hotel room. Maybe there\u2019ll be something there that will give us a clue. Adam, did you move anything?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I just fished around for something for Sam to wear. I closed the door and locked it when I left. I have the key. I\u2019m sure Sam has the other key in her purse, but I don\u2019t remember retrieving a purse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to ride out and check that stage. All around it. There might be some clues there that we didn\u2019t know to look for. I\u2019d like to see if there\u2019s a bullet hole where Delmas says one should be. Doc, keep Delmas in your office for a while, and caution him to repeat nothing that he\u2019 said. We need to talk to Sam too. She might shed some light on the accident.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben spoke. \u201cI don\u2019t think we should all ride out together. That would look suspicious. Why don\u2019t we meet outside of town in about an hour?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Both Adam and Roy nodded. Adam handed his dirty clothes to Ben. \u201cThis is your excuse for being in town. Nobody would think twice about a father bringing clean clothes into town. Maybe you and Roy could sneak up the back stairs at the hotel and look at Sam\u2019s room. I\u2019ll give you the key. Then you could split up and we\u2019ll meet in an hour, give or take. I don\u2019t want to alarm Sam just yet. I don\u2019t want her to know there\u2019s something suspicious going on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can keep her at my office for only so long, Adam. You know how head-strong she is, and she\u2019ll want to go back to the hotel.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKeep her in your office until tonight,\u201d Ben said as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. \u201cBy then, we can figure out what to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think you three should slip out my back door,\u201d Roy said. \u201cYou know how folks talk, and it would look odd for all of you to be walking out the front door at the same time. Ben, I\u2019ll meet you at the hotel in fifteen minutes. Doc, you sneak out first and go straight to your office. Adam, give him a five-minute head start and then leave.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With all men in agreement, the sneaking out the back door began.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE<\/span><\/p>\n

Concerned citizens stopped Doc several times to ask about \u201cDoctor Sam\u201d and the unknown man.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSam is still very weak,\u201d Doc would answer. \u201cAnd the man\u2019s name is \u2018Delmas\u2019. His broken leg will heal, but he\u2019ll be on crutches for a while. He plans to head back east when the stage arrives in a few days.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc was very careful to say the same thing to everybody. Adam\u2019s version, as he was stopped, was basically the same. Tell as little as you can.<\/span><\/p>\n

As he headed toward Doc\u2019s office, Adam noticed that the Werner buggy was parked in front of the caf\u00e9. Gretchen almost flew out the door when she saw Adam going by.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam! Wait!\u201d she called. When Adam turned, Gretchen caught up with him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell me how Dr. Nielsen is!\u201d she asked, her breath coming out frosty in the cold air.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s weak but improving,\u201d Adam answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good to hear,\u201d Gretchen answered, but she didn\u2019t look very happy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat brings you to town so early?\u201d Adam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPapa had some business to attend to and decided we could all eat breakfast here. I\u2019m just finishing my last cup of coffee. Alone. Mama has gone to get a few supplies, and I\u2019m just going to go window shopping. I saw a beautiful green dress in Francine\u2019s window. Do you like green, Adam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam shrugged. \u201cI like most all colors. Now, if you\u2019ll excuse me, I need to get to Doc\u2019s office.\u201d He turned and walked away. He didn\u2019t hear Gretchen\u2019s sigh.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIFTY<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam could hear laughter coming from Doc Martin\u2019s office even before he got there. That\u2019s a good sign. He opened the door and went inside and was delighted to see that breakfast had been cooked and was being devoured by four hungry people. And Sam was dressed, the color of her cheeks looked normal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quickly, Drucilla fixed Adam a big plate of his own. \u201cI want you to eat every bite, Adam! You need your energy!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And Adam realized that he, in fact, was starving! Accepting a cup of coffee from Drucilla, Adam looked at Sam and smiled. She was still laughing, her green eyes dancing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay,\u201d Adam said, between bites of eggs and ham. \u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam contorted her body until her feet were in the air. \u201cDoes anything look strange to you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, yeah,\u201d Adam answered, teasing Sam. \u201cYou\u2019re not barefoot like you used to be when you were at the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla rolled her eyes. Doc almost spit out his coffee. Delmas grinned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright!\u201d Sam snickered. \u201cLook again!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour socks don\u2019t match,\u201d Adam answered correctly. \u201cYou have one brown sock and one red one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy in the world would you bring back mismatched socks?\u201d Sam asked between giggles as she put her feet back down.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking quickly at Doc and then turning his eyes back to Sam, Adam answered with a grin, \u201cI was in a hurry.\u201d But I can\u2019t tell you why I was in a hurry.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI should have gone to the hotel myself,\u201d Sam muttered, but she wasn\u2019t angry.<\/span><\/p>\n

Again Adam looked at Doc. This conversation needed to be light and happy for the moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA woman running down the street wearing nothing but a blanket would have made an interesting sight,\u201d Adam grinned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe could\u2019ve been arrested,\u201d Doc grinned back, playing along with Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou two are absolutely demented!\u201d Sam shot back. \u201cIf you hadn\u2019t brought back my boots, then I\u2019d just sashay myself to the hotel and pick out my own socks. I learned to match them when I was young, unlike some people I know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla laughed. \u201cIt\u2019s a good thing that Hop Sing tends to such things. Who knows what any of you Cartwrights might be wearing!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Breakfast continued with this light-hearted banter and, when everything was eaten, Drucilla rose to wash the dishes. Sam got up to help and Adam couldn\u2019t help but notice the slight bounce of Sam\u2019s breasts beneath her shirt as she moved about. He remembered what he had seen last night when the blanket had fallen to Sam\u2019s waist. His body remembered too, and he was forced to shift positions in his chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

Delmas spoke. \u201cDoc, Miss Drucilla said there\u2019s an extra room at the boarding house where she lives. I can rent that room until my leg gets a little better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Before Doc could speak, Sam spoke. \u201cAnd there\u2019s no reason why I can\u2019t go back to my hotel room and not be here sleeping on your exam table.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam held his breath, waiting for Doc Martin to say something.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking very professional, Doc addressed his two patients. \u201cDelmas, you have a broken leg and are still taking very strong pain killers. You need to stay here at least one more night. And, Sam, you feel pretty good now. You\u2019ve had a lot of sleep and one good meal. But, in a little while, you\u2019re going to lose your energy, and I want to be here to check out your vital signs when that happens. Hold off on going back to the hotel until we see how you\u2019re feeling tonight. Today you need to rest and not socialize or work or do anything else.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam exhaled. Doc had handled the situation with ease. Sam looked at Delmas and shrugged her shoulders. She knew that Doc was right.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoc, keep an eagle eye on these two,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI\u2019ve got things I have to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re leaving?\u201d Sam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have to, Sam,\u201d Adam answered gently. And then he whispered in her ear, \u201cI\u2019d much rather hold you and rock in that old chair. Blankets or none. Your choice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Sam hissed.<\/span><\/p>\n

He kissed her ear, making her skin tingle, then he thanked Drucilla for the breakfast. With a wave at Delmas and a knowing look at Doc, Adam left the office and headed down the street to the livery stable. Ben had brought Sport in this morning and left him there.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE<\/span><\/p>\n

As planned, Adam met up with Ben and Roy outside of town.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy handed Sam\u2019s room key back to Adam. There were only two keys to Sam\u2019s room, and Adam needed to return one if the other one could be found.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat room looked like a tornado had hit it!\u201d Roy exclaimed. \u201cBut a robber could\u2019ve made that kind of mess looking for something to take.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded in agreement. \u201cRight now, I\u2019m keeping an open mind. Let\u2019s look at the stagecoach and see what we find.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

No snow had fallen since the accident, and the road was easy to follow. And the trampled-down areas where the search party had gathered was just as easy to find and follow. And there was the stagecoach, sitting exactly as it had been left.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dismounting quickly, all three men walked to the stagecoach and began to examine it closely from different sides. It wasn\u2019t long before Ben called out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome here! Look at this!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And a bullet hole was right where Delmas had said it would be. Roy pried the squashed bullet out with his pocket knife.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we know that there was a gunshot fired and we know that we\u2019ve got a bullet. But what we don\u2019t know is whether it was fired deliberately or if a hunter shot at something and missed.\u201d Roy looked at the bullet again. \u201cCan\u2019t even tell what kind it is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Remembering to look for Sam\u2019s hotel key, Adam climbed into the stagecoach. The one piece of luggage had spilled out its contents (or had been plundered), and Adam tried to stuff everything back into the bag. He touched a lacy camisole and felt a heat spread over his body. Quickly, he stuffed the camisole into the bag. Out of sight, out of mind. After rooting around for a minute, he found Sam\u2019s purse; it had either opened itself on impact or some stranger\u2019s hands had opened it. There was no hotel key but there were several personal things that Sam might want. Adam climbed out of the coach and showed what he had found. \u201cThe key is missing. I looked everywhere but it\u2019s not in the stage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam rubbed his forehead. \u201cDelmas said there were \u2018gunshots \u2019. That means more than one.\u201d He began to look more closely this time. And his sharp eyes finally found what they were looking for.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa! Roy! What do you think about this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Where the wagon tongue joined the body of the stagecoach, there was another hole. But whatever had made that hole had gone completely through \u2013 there was no bullet to be found.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben found what would turn out to be the last hole. It had wedged itself into the hub of the fallen-down wagon wheel. And it was as flat as the first one had been.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy shook his head. \u201cThat kinda lets out the idea of a hunter, I\u2019d say. Somebody didn\u2019t want the stage to get to Virginia City. Or they were after Delmas or Sam. And Delmas wasn\u2019t carrying a strongbox.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe holes are all on the right side of the stage,\u201d Ben thought aloud. \u201cWhoever did the shooting had to be over there.\u201d He indicated an area behind him. \u201cThere aren\u2019t any trees, but there\u2019re plenty of rocks. And from the way the bullets are flattened, they were still traveling at high velocity. Somebody had to be fairly close.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked all around and could see nothing but virgin snow. Not even a jackrabbit had made any tracks. As he climbed into the saddle, he suggested that they all take a look.<\/span><\/p>\n

And, after about fifteen minutes, they found the remains of what had been a small campfire. Just as Ben had said, it was behind a small rock formation. And in a crevice of that rock formation was the impression of a rifle barrel. There were five empty casings half-buried in the snow.<\/span><\/p>\n

The three men looked at each other in silence. It was Roy who finally spoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis cinches it. Somebody deliberately shot at the stage. And whoever it was had to wait for just the right place \u2013 probably where the horses would be slowing down to make a sharp turn.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s what Delmas said he did. He slowed the horses down because he was afraid there would be an ice patch ahead. The shots scared the horses and they ran off the road a little way back behind us. The stage got separated from the horses and rolled over this way. The horses got back on the right trail again and headed for the familiar road to town,\u201d Adam added.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThese casings are pretty common,\u201d Ben mused. \u201cJust about every man in Virginia City could own something like this. And some women too. I don\u2019t think I know of a single home that doesn\u2019t have at least one rifle for either hunting or protection or both.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot a word of this to anyone. We don\u2019t want to let this news out just yet. Except for telling Doc. He needs to stay alert for anything out of the ordinary.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike a smashed guitar in his own office?\u201d Adam asked with a little sarcasm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think you need to talk to Sam,\u201d Ben interjected. \u201cSee what she remembers about the ride here. Maybe she heard or saw something that we don\u2019t know about.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cI don\u2019t know when to tell her about the mess in her hotel room. I\u2019m not even sure what to tell her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe simplest thing to do right now is just to tell her that somebody knew she wouldn\u2019t be in her room and it looked like a good place to try to steal something. She needs to look around to make sure that nothing\u2019s missing.\u201d Roy sighed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t hide the ripped dress,\u201d Adam said. \u201cHow do I explain that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There was no answer to his question. Adam tied Sam\u2019s luggage to his saddle and put her purse in his saddle bag. The three men headed back to town, entering at different points in case anybody was watching.<\/span><\/p>\n

And somebody was.<\/span>
\nCHAPTER FIFTY-TWO<\/span><\/p>\n

There was a hand-written note on Doc\u2019s door when Adam arrived. \u201cPatients are sleeping. Unless there\u2019s an emergency, please do not disturb.\u201d At the threshold of the door were small baskets of fruit, bread, cheese, what looked like a large can of beef stew, and even a pie. There were no names attached \u2013 these were gifts from people who truly cared about Sam. They wouldn\u2019t have known Delmas, but Adam didn\u2019t discount that the food might be for Doc.<\/span><\/p>\n

Opening the door quietly, Adam found Doc changing the bandages on Delmas\u2019s leg.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou running a caf\u00e9 of your own outside?\u201d Adam asked as he pointed to the food.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI guess folks just tippy-toed up and left. I never heard a sound.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGive me a hand with this stuff,\u201d Adam said, looking directly into Doc\u2019s eyes and holding the gaze.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc got the message. He had finished with Delmas\u2019s leg and headed to the door. Adam quietly filled Doc in on the morning\u2019s events.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc shook his head and helped Adam carry the baskets in. \u201cGood thing it\u2019s so darn cold outside or this stuff might have spoiled. No telling when I would\u2019ve found it.\u201d Doc shook his head again, but his mind was on what Adam had told him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGo talk to Sam,\u201d Doc whispered. \u201cShe\u2019s been asleep long enough. Lots of folks came to visit while you were gone and she got tired pretty fast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sure enough, Sam was sleeping. She looked so peaceful and so beautiful that he hated to wake her up. He stroked her hair and touched her cheek. His heart felt full. And he knew he was in love with this woman. Dispensing with the idea of picking her up and carrying her to the rocking chair, he ran his hand gently down her arm. She stirred slightly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSam, it\u2019s time to wake up,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t wanna,\u201d came the answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a whole bunch of food to eat,\u201d he coaxed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam opened one eye and then stretched sinuously. Adam\u2019s pants felt too tight, so he sat down in the chair while Sam slowly sat up on the table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid you get your errands run?\u201d Sam asked, wiping the sleep from her eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost of \u2018em. And I brought you a surprise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh-huh.\u201d And Adam pulled out a brand new matching pair of socks.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a squeak of delight, Sam took the socks, pulled off her mismatched ones, and put the new ones on. Her face lit up like a candle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019d known that socks would thrill you so, I should\u2019ve gotten you something other than socks!\u201d Adam rocked and grinned.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam suddenly launched herself at Adam and threw her arms around his neck, almost knocking Adam and the chair over backwards.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a wonderful surprise! Thank you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And then she jumped in Adam\u2019s lap and kissed him. It started out as a quick kiss on the lips but ended up being something quite intense. The kiss lingered on and on, and Sam wasn\u2019t sure whether the heat was coming from her body or from Adam\u2019s or from both. She found herself nipping at Adam\u2019s lower lip; he probed the inside of her mouth with his tongue.<\/span><\/p>\n

She drew away quickly at the sound of Doc\u2019s voice. \u201cLunch is ready! Get yourselves in here and eat!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam blushed. Adam couldn\u2019t speak. Climbing out of Adam\u2019s lap, Sam said with a quavering voice, \u201cGuess we need to humor Doc.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou go ahead,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI\u2019ll be right there.\u201d He knew he didn\u2019t dare stand up right then.<\/span><\/p>\n

A knowing look appeared on Sam\u2019s face. She touched his lips with her finger and went in the other room.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE<\/span><\/p>\n

Thelma had replaced Drucilla and was putting food on the table. \u201cIt\u2019s up to us to make sure you get fed correctly. Doc is a terrible cook.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While eating sandwiches, home fries, and pickles, Adam began to pick Sam\u2019s brain. He was very subtle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan you remember anything about the accident?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot really,\u201d Sam answered, crunching on a pickle. \u201cIt was cold inside the coach, and I covered myself with a blanket. I thought about poor Delmas, sitting up there on that seat and taking the brunt of the wind and snow that kept getting worse. I peeked out the curtain once or twice and that\u2019s why I knew the snow was getting worse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo you didn\u2019t see anybody out there hunting or riding by?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Delmas interjected. \u201cI was the only one foolish enough to be heading into a storm like that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave another sandwich,\u201d Doc interrupted. He didn\u2019t want Delmas to say too much.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope, I didn\u2019t see anybody,\u201d Sam continued. \u201cAnd at some point, I must\u2019ve fallen asleep. Somewhere along the way, I slid across the seat, and it felt like we must\u2019ve hit a patch of ice. Then the coach began to really slide and my suitcase fell on the floor and popped open. And then I was upside down, sitting on the roof of the stage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPoor dear,\u201d Thelma said. \u201cYou must\u2019ve been scared to death!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t really scared until I discovered that Delmas was missing. I kept calling out to him and finally heard him answer. He was in a pile of rocks, and I knew his leg was broken. Even though he was in great pain, he knew just what to do. He told me to look for a big rock that we could hide behind and assured me that somebody would come looking for us. He saved my life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou saved my life,\u201d Delmas said. \u201cYou and that red blanket.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I smelled smoke,\u201d Sam said. \u201cI kept thinking there had to be someone nearby. But I never saw anybody. I guess it was my imagination and wishful thinking.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

No it wasn\u2019t. Adam\u2019s brain was working overtime.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Thelma was putting dishes in the small sink. Sam got up to help. Delmas sat in his designated place and promptly fell asleep. Adam looked at Doc, and an understanding glance passed between the two.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the dishes washed and dried, Sam\u2019s eyes began to get heavy. Adam rose and announced he had more things to do in town.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTime for a nap, young lady,\u201d Doc said sternly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam didn\u2019t argue. \u201cAdam, when you come back, can we go to the livery stable? I want to check on Fancy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d Adam answered. \u201cIf you promise to take a nice, long nap, then we might just take a short ride.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam smiled and then looked at the food that had not yet been eaten.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, look at this beef stew!\u201d she chortled. \u201cWe can have this for supper and have the pie for dessert. How nice all the folks have been to leave food for us!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had been in such a hurry to talk to Sam that he had forgotten her luggage and her purse. Now he retrieved both. As he did, a piece of paper floated to the ground. He stooped to pick it up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGo away!\u201d it read in scrawled lettering.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked around quickly. The only people he saw nearby were Henrietta approaching him and Ted who was walking quickly in the other direction. Adam looked at the piece of paper again. The hair on his neck prickled. It was just a scrap of ordinary cheap paper, unlined, the kind one could purchase at the local General Store. Doc needed to see this and so did Roy. The paper went quickly into Adam\u2019s pocket.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking as nonchalant as he possibly could, Adam strolled back into Doc\u2019s office. Delmas was snoring \u2013 Doc had slipped him some more pain powder in his coffee. Delmas wouldn\u2019t go anywhere for a while.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was talking to Doc. When she saw Adam, her face lit up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan we go riding now?\u201d she asked hopefully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou haven\u2019t had your nap yet,\u201d Adam answered. \u201cI went to the stagecoach and found these. Thought you might want \u2018em.\u201d He was struggling to keep his voice as normal as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, goodie!\u201d chortled Sam as she took the items from Adam\u2019s hands. \u201cThere are some things in here that I need!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam couldn\u2019t help it. He grinned. \u201cI know. I had to put them all back into that bag.\u201d He gave a devilish grin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam opened the bag and saw her lacy camisole on top of the clothes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPervert!\u201d she said and flounced into the back office, breasts bouncing. Of course, Adam didn\u2019t miss her deliberate jiggle. But right now he had other things on his mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoc!\u201d Adam whispered urgently. \u201cYou need to see this before Sam comes back out. And Henrietta is on her way here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc read the words on the scrap of paper. \u201cWhere did you find this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think it fell either out of Sam\u2019s purse or her luggage. I packed everything back in that bag myself, and the paper wasn\u2019t there. It wasn\u2019t in her purse either. I looked through that when I was hunting for her room key.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got to show this to Roy,\u201d Doc whispered as he returned the scrap of paper. It went immediately into Adam\u2019s pocket.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going there, but not in a direct route. The only person who might have seen me pick it up would be Henrietta. But, if she asks, I can say it was a list of things I needed to do. Ted was walking away from me \u2013 perhaps to far to have had time to put this anywhere. But he was walking pretty fast. There weren\u2019t any other folks even close to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is bad, Adam.\u201d Doc looked worried. \u201cI\u2019m doing my best to keep Delmas drugged so he doesn\u2019t say anything, but I can\u2019t do it for too long.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoc, I know you have a gun in here. Keep it handy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Adam. I will.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam strode out the door as Henrietta entered. \u201cHello, Adam! Uh, good bye, Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning to Doc, she gave him a hurt look. \u201cHe didn\u2019t even speak to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc faked a smile and an excuse. \u201cHe\u2019s got errands to run, and I think he\u2019d rather be here with Sam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Henrietta smiled conspiratorially. \u201cOf course. I understand completely. Isn\u2019t seeing people in love just wonderful?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam decided to get a beer to calm his nerves. As luck would have it, Hoss and Little Joe were heading for the same saloon. By the looks on their faces, Adam knew they hadn\u2019t learned of this morning\u2019s events.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2019s in there,\u201d Little Joe grinned. \u201cLet\u2019s see if he\u2019ll spring for beer for all of us!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Again, as luck would have it, Ben happened to be talking to the sheriff. He took one look at Adam\u2019s face and knew there was something amiss.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss and Little Joe bellied up to the bar and flashed their best smiles.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Pa!\u201d Hoss said, laying one big hand on his father\u2019s shoulders and nodding at Roy with a wink of his blue eyes. \u201cWe sure could use a beer and we\u2019re all flat busted.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben pretended to sigh. \u201cWhy is it, when you come in here and I\u2019m not here, you can manage to buy your own drinks? The minute you see me, dollar signs float around in your eyes!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While Ben was talking \u2013 and paying for a round of beer \u2013 Adam was whispering to Roy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe gotta talk. But not here. And not this minute. I\u2019ll drink my beer in a hurry and then meet you in your office. Tell Pa to meet us there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy presented a perfect poker-face and whispered back, \u201cI\u2019ll be there. And so will your Pa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam leaned against the bar, saw his father glance quickly at him and then look away. Roy had passed the message on without anybody noticing. Adam drank his beer and tried to carry on a cheerful conversation. But his mind was on that slip of paper.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy read the words on the paper and then handed the scrap to Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you find this, Adam?\u201d Roy asked, leaning forward and keeping his voice low.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt fell on the ground as I was getting Sam\u2019s luggage and purse. Her purse was in my saddlebag, and I would\u2019ve known for sure if it\u2019d fallen from there. Had to be wedged in next to her valise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re positive that a gust of wind didn\u2019t blow it your way from somewhere else.\u201d Ben was playing the devil\u2019s advocate on purpose.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf a gust of wind had caught it, it wouldn\u2019t have landed right at my feet. It would have blown higher up and past me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs there any chance that this message was meant for you?\u201d Roy asked. \u201cMaybe somebody doesn\u2019t like your hanging around so much.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben spoke in the deep voice that meant \u201cpay attention\u201d. \u201cI don\u2019t think the warning was meant for Adam. My son didn\u2019t have his guitar smashed. My son wasn\u2019t involved in a stagecoach accident. My son didn\u2019t have his room trashed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy looked at Ben and knew the man was trying to keep a lid on his temper. \u201cHold on, Ben. We have to look at every angle. I can\u2019t go around jumping to conclusions. It seems pretty cut-and-dried to me. Somebody is either trying to scare Sam off or\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomebody is trying to kill her.\u201d Adam spoke with a snarl in his voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

The three men began thinking up a strategy. They came up with one they believed would work.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt least it\u2019s not freezing cold outside,\u201d Adam thought to himself as he walked into Doc\u2019s office. Delmas was awake but seemed a bit unsteady. Doc\u2019s powders are working well. Henrietta had brought her knitting and was busy at work. Sam was not there.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Henrietta,\u201d Adam said as he removed his hat. \u201cI apologize for not speaking earlier. I was in a hurry and forgot my manners.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Henrietta smiled. \u201cOh, Adam, that\u2019s quite all right. I understand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Is she winking at me?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Sam?\u201d Adam asked casually. \u201cShe wanted to ride Fancy if she felt up to it.\u201d This was said deliberately so that Henrietta and the half-awake Delmas wouldn\u2019t be suspicious about anything.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSam\u2019s cleaning up the back office. She\u2019s got \u2018cabin fever,\u2019 I think,\u201d Doc replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam stepped into the back room and found Sam folding sheets.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to shave,\u201d Sam said as she looked at Adam\u2019s face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI shaved this morning.\u201d Adam kissed her. Hard.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you need to do it again! You just took off two layers of my skin!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was teasing \u2013 well, sort of. Her chin had gotten pinker.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid you take your nap like a good girl?\u201d Adam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam saluted and answered, \u201cYessir, I did!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou ready to take Fancy out for a short ride?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMore than ready! I\u2019m going crazy in this office!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked pointedly at Sam\u2019s shirt front. \u201cI see you got dressed.\u201d The lacy camisole was quite visible under Sam\u2019s shirt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the only way to make you stop leering at me!\u201d came Sam\u2019s retort.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t count on it.\u201d Adam grinned. And he was being truthful.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT<\/span><\/p>\n

Fancy was delighted to see Sam and vice versa. Sam rubbed the mare\u2019s velvety nose and spoke to her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReady for a ride, Fancy?\u201d Sam asked as she turned to get her saddle blanket on its peg just outside of Fancy\u2019s stall.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fancy pranced in anticipation and snorted eagerly, small puffs of frost exiting her nose.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sport was already saddled \u2013 had been since the morning \u2013 and his cinch had to be tightened. But, as Adam looked over at the place where Fancy\u2019s saddle was always kept, he saw something sticking out from under the stirrup flap. It looked strangely familiar.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was now heading for the saddle; Adam stopped her. \u201cUse your energy for riding. I\u2019ll take care of the saddle and bridle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can take care of myself,\u201d Sam replied impatiently.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know you can. But I like doing things for you.\u201d He kissed her on the tip of her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

I like your doing things for me. Sam smiled as she turned around to curry Fancy\u2019s mane and tail. \u201cYou need to look your best,\u201d she said as she worked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quickly, Adam snatched up the scrap of paper.<\/span><\/p>\n

Go away! The same message as the last one had said. Putting the paper into his pocket, Adam began to check every inch of the saddle. And he didn\u2019t like what he found. The cinch had been neatly sliced almost all the way through. If this hadn\u2019t been discovered, and if Sam had decided to gallop, the saddle would have slipped. Sam would\u2019ve been dumped on the ground.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just to be sure, Adam checked Fancy\u2019s bridle. He could find nothing wrong with it and was somewhat relieved. Then he casually walked over to Fancy, rubbed her face and neck, then her belly and her legs. He looked at her hooves.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d Sam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe hasn\u2019t been ridden in a while and I wanted to make sure she was okay.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t she be?\u201d Sam looked at Adam curiously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s been cooped up in this barn for several days. And it\u2019s been so cold. I wanted to check for muscles that didn\u2019t feel right. And she needs to go to the blacksmith and have her hooves trimmed soon. She\u2019s okay for several days.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, are we going to ride or not?\u201d Sam was impatient.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam thought fast. \u201cI\u2019ve got an idea. Why don\u2019t we ride bareback today? Sport\u2019s been in this saddle all day and I bet he\u2019d like a rest from it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam loved to ride bareback but had never seen Adam do this. \u201cThat\u2019s a wonderful idea!\u201d So she snatched the saddle blanket off while Adam unsaddled Sport.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI do need a leg up, though,\u201d Sam mused.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlways glad to oblige,\u201d Adam said with a devilish gleam in his hazel eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grabbing Sam\u2019s leg, he gave her a boost. \u201cMmm, mmm, mmm!\u201d he said appreciatively as he looked at Sam\u2019s backside.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam hissed at him and headed outside. Adam swung up onto Sport\u2019s back and followed right behind her, his eyes looking up and down both sides of the street. At this time of the day, most folks had finished business and errands. The only person Adam saw was Ted, sitting in a chair with his hat pulled low over his eyes as though he might be taking a snooze. That tidbit stayed in Adam\u2019s mind. He needed to talk to Roy again but wasn\u2019t sure how he\u2019d be able to sneak in another visit.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam wanted to go faster than a walk, so Adam agreed. We might be less of a target if we\u2019re moving fast. \u201cI\u2019ll race you to the Red Rocks! On the count of three, okay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam grinned. \u201cOnetwothreego!\u201d And she was halfway down the street by the time Adam knew she had moved.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sport caught up with her quickly and, together, they raced side by side. At the very last minute, Adam nudged Sport and he surged ahead. Adam was waiting by the time Sam arrived. But he hadn\u2019t been waiting long \u2013 Fancy was quicker than he had thought she was. And nobody had used either of the riders for target practice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam made a face as she reined in next to Adam. \u201cWe let you beat us,\u201d she lied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure you did.\u201d And Adam leaned over, tugged on Sam\u2019s hair and brought her face close to his. \u201cYou\u2019re a remarkable woman, Samantha Nielsen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His kiss caught Sam so by surprise that she almost fell from Fancy\u2019s back. Adam grabbed her in the nick of time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Flustered, Sam righted herself. \u201cYou need to shave.\u201d And she turned Fancy around and headed back to town. Adam let her win but he stayed close behind her.<\/span><\/p>\n

And Ted was sitting in a different chair this time. Right by the livery stable. Was he watching?<\/span><\/p>\n

While Sam was busy talking to Fancy and giving her some sweet feed, Adam saw Jess.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave you seen anybody hanging around here? Maybe taking care of Fancy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jess shook his head. \u201cI knowed Doctor Sam was sick, and I been takin\u2019 care of that mare myself. Ain\u2019t nobody else been doin\u2019 nothin\u2019. As far as folks hangin\u2019 \u2018round, there\u2019s been lots of folks who been keepin\u2019 horses and buggies in here when it\u2019s been cold. No strangers though.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Fishing in his pocket, Adam slipped Jess some money. \u201cYou\u2019ve been very good to Sam and to Fancy. I appreciate your taking the time to do it \u2013 I know how busy you are.\u201d Adam knew that Jess had not been that busy, but an ego stroke never hurt.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jess took the money. \u201cIs Doctor Sam still staying at Doc Martin\u2019s?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Remembering the strategy, Adam answered. \u201cNo. Doc says she can go back to the hotel later on tonight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jess smiled. \u201cI know she\u2019ll be glad!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam said nothing but just nodded his head. He went to stand by Sam\u2019s side and took her by the elbow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve had enough excitement for today,\u201d he said. \u201cLet\u2019s go to Doc\u2019s and eat some of that stew.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy sweet tooth is looking forward to the pie,\u201d Sam answered. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen one so big and so beautiful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ted was gone when Adam and Sam headed towards Doc\u2019s office.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIXTY<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla was taking another turn at helping out at Doc\u2019s office. But she had ulterior motives \u2013 she had taken a liking to Delmas. And he had taken a liking to her . Maybe he couldn\u2019t get up and move around very well because of his pain powders, but he and Drucilla were sharing \u201cspecial looks\u201d at each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam managed to show Doc the second slip of paper and had cued him in on the plans made earlier with Roy and Ben. And now the two men had to sit and act as though nothing was bothering them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI still think Delmas should come back with me to the boarding house,\u201d Drucilla said to Doc as she stirred the stew. \u201cI can take care of him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc pretended to reluctantly concede. \u201cHe can go tonight after supper. But you must make sure he takes his pain medications for that leg. The bandages on that leg need to be changed every day \u2013 either I can do it or you can do it. I see no sign of infection at all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla was thrilled beyond words. \u201cI know infection when I see it. I\u2019ll let you know immediately if there\u2019s a problem.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I almost forgot to add something.\u201d Doc said as he glanced quickly at Adam. \u201cI know it\u2019s a bother, but could you spread the word that Sam is now released from my care and can go back to her hotel tonight? The restaurant is hosting the Cattlemen\u2019s and Farmer\u2019s Association supper tonight, and I know that plenty of people there will be interested to hear that Sam is back to normal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla was beaming. She had never been privy to such interesting information and felt quite important. She could mix and hob-nob with people she didn\u2019t usually socialize with. \u201cI\u2019d be delighted,\u201d she said, hardly able to contain her glee.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at Doc as she was filling bowls of stew. \u201cI can go back to a real bed and have my own room back?\u201d Then, \u201cI can still come back to the office and work with you, can\u2019t I?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Doc answered. \u201cI can keep an eye on you that way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam liked the way Doc was handling this. Everything was going smoothly.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla was letting the pie warm up and sat down at the small table to eat. \u201cMy, this smells wonderful. And how fortunate we have so much good bread to go with it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam had already started to eat. She buttered some bread, took a bite, and immediately began to choke. Both Doc and Adam were at her side in an instant; worried looks creased their faces. Was something wrong with the stew? Only Sam had begun eating.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with you two!\u201d Sam sputtered as she coughed. \u201cI ate too fast and a bread crumb went down the wrong way. Lord, you would have thought there was poison in this food.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you choked on a piece of meat,\u201d Adam said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was ready to give you a good slap on the back,\u201d Doc added.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both Adam and Doc noticed that Delmas and Drucilla were eating and not choking. Perhaps Sam\u2019s choking really was from an errant bread crumb.<\/span><\/p>\n

So Adam and Doc began eating. There were no problems. The stew and the bread were, indeed, delicious.<\/span><\/p>\n

After that part of the meal, the pie was still not warm enough to eat, so Drucilla and Sam washed the dishes. But Drucilla just couldn\u2019t wait another second \u2013 she was facing the delights of telling a roomful of people first-hand news.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just too full to eat any pie,\u201d she said, though that wasn\u2019t really the truth. \u201cDoc, if it\u2019s okay, Delmas and I will go on to the restaurant and tell everybody about Sam going back to her hotel room and about Delmas coming to the boarding house.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut I haven\u2019t had any pie yet,\u201d Delmas said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, Thelma made a pie just this morning. You can have a big slice after we run our \u2018errand\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Delmas shrugged. It didn\u2019t matter to him whether he ate pie now or later. He smiled at Drucilla; the woman actually blushed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBe sure that you tell my father,\u201d Adam said, a little more forcefully than necessary. \u201cHe needs to know what\u2019s going on. It\u2019s important to him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell Mister Cartwright first thing!\u201d Drucilla said enthusiastically.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the last of the dirty dishes were washed, dried, and put away, Doc gave Delmas crutches and repeated his cautions to Drucilla about keeping an eye on Delmas\u2019s leg.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drucilla fairly flew out the door, almost snatching Delmas out of his crutches.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc, Adam and Sam managed to control their explosive laughter until Drucilla was well out of earshot.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t hurt that woman\u2019s feeling for the world,\u201d Doc said, wiping his streaming eyes. \u201cShe and Thelma and Henrietta have been so good to me \u2013 to us. But I wonder if Delmas knows what he\u2019s in for.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam continued to chuckle. And continued to hope the plans from this morning would work out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at the pie and touched its crust. \u201cI don\u2019t know about you two, but I\u2019m having some of this.\u201d She reached for a knife to make the first slice.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam knew how to cut a pie correctly. But she also knew that pies made with fruit are easily penetrated by a knife. This particular pie was proving difficult, so Sam just stabbed the point of the knife into the center of the pie with more vigor. She miscalculated the balance of the pie tin and it tipped over onto the floor. Sam was left holding the knife and embarrassed at the mess she\u2019d made.<\/span><\/p>\n

She looked at Adam and Doc. Both faces were shocked \u2013 but not at the mess on the floor. Sam followed the direction of the men\u2019s eyes and looked at the knife she was holding. Impaled on its sharp tip was a headless dead mouse!<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam wasn\u2019t scared of mice but, out of pure shock, she reflexively shrieked and threw the knife \u2013 with mouse attached \u2013 to the floor, jumping backwards in horror. Adam sprang to his feet and disposed of both mouse and knife in the garbage can beside Doc\u2019s door. Doc seemed rooted to his seat, his jaw working but no words would come out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam stormed back in the door, his face black with rage. \u201cThat\u2019s it! Doc, go get Roy and Pa. Use whatever excuse you have to in order to get them here. Just get them!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc raced out the door and sprinted for the restaurant. Adam put his arms around Sam and found that she was, of course, shaking badly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs this some kind of joke?\u201d Sam asked, her lips beginning to quiver.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid not. I\u2019ll clean up this mess and, as soon as Doc gets back with Pa and Roy, I\u2019ll explain everything to you. Now sit down before your legs collapse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam did as she was told. Fortuitously, most of the food had been eaten during the day; Adam used the sheet Delmas had been sleeping on and threw all the rest of the donated food into the center of the sheet. Tying the corners up tightly, he went outside and dumped everything into the garbage can.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell me that the mouse was dead when it was put into the pie,\u201d Sam said softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam gaped at her. She\u2019s worried that the mouse had been cooked alive \u2013 not that she had a mouse in the pie she was so ready to eat! He answered, \u201cSam, the mouse was dead. It had no head .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam nodded. \u201cOh.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc made it back to the office in record time with both Ben and Roy. On the way to his office, Doc had told them what had happened. All three men looked grim.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before speaking to Sam, Adam pulled the second scrap of paper from his pocket and showed it to Roy. And he explained where he had found it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked completely befuddled. \u201cWill somebody please tell me what\u2019s happening?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam pulled his chair close to Sam\u2019s and told her everything about the smashed guitar, about the gunshots fired into the stagecoach, about her hotel room being trashed, and about the two scraps of paper. He reminded her that her room key wasn\u2019t in her purse when he gathered her things out of the stagecoach.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam blinked, trying to absorb what she was hearing. Finally she spoke. \u201cBut I haven\u2019t done anything bad to anybody. Why would somebody want me\u2026gone?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben spoke. \u201cWould Robert want to frighten you into returning to San Francisco?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s voice was firm. \u201cNo. Definitely no. I know him too well. He wouldn\u2019t stoop to this level. Believe me.\u201d Then, with a quavering smile, she added, \u201cAnd he can\u2019t boil water, much less cook a pie. Besides that, he\u2019s terrified of mice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam hadn\u2019t meant that statement to be funny. But her words broke the tension in the room. Adam chuckled and then started to laugh. Ben, Roy and Doc were soon laughing too. When the laughter settled down, four men and one woman talked seriously about a possible motive for the unsettling events and about the strategy already in place. It was a very good plan, but would it work?<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Sam chatted loud enough to draw attention to themselves as they took a circuitous route to the hotel. People were coming out of the restaurant and they stopped to greet Sam as they went on their way \u2013 and Sam made sure that each person knew she would be staying at the hotel from now on. But she didn\u2019t have to say much because Drucilla had done an excellent job of spreading the news \u2013 that was the thing that she did best!<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam took Sam\u2019s arm as they went up the stairs to Sam\u2019s room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou understand the plan, right?\u201d Adam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPerfectly,\u201d Sam answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam used the key that he had never returned to the desk clerk to gain entry into Sam\u2019s room. Everything was still heaped up all over the floor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, my,\u201d Sam said, distressed. \u201cI have a lot of work to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd not much time to do it. I\u2019ll give you a hand.\u201d Adam began picking clothes up off the floor and hanging dresses in the armoire.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam took care of putting things back into dresser drawers. She could find nothing missing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis was no robbery,\u201d Sam finally said after she had taken inventory of her belongings. She had been sad to see her favorite green dressed ripped to shreds but there was nothing to do about it now. She just wadded up the dress and hid it in her now-empty valise. She would dispose of it in a safe place later.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t ever believe that it was a robbery,\u201d Adam muttered as he closed the door to the armoire.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time,\u201d he added.<\/span><\/p>\n

He looked outside Sam\u2019s door and saw that the hallway was clear.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow!\u201d Adam said tersely.<\/span><\/p>\n

And Sam raced down the hallway to the back stairs. Ben was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Sam jumped on Sport\u2019s back and took off with Ben \u2013 heading for the Ponderosa. If anyone had seen the two, they would have thought that father and son were heading home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam spoke in a loud voice, just in case anybody might be listening. \u201cSleep well, Sam! I\u2019ll see you tomorrow!\u201d He shut the door with a bang and made tromping noises with his boots as though he were leaving. But he was inside Sam\u2019s room. Standing to the side of the open curtains, he made sure that he couldn\u2019t be seen when he closed them. He blew out the lamp and stretched out on Sam\u2019s bed, aware of the familiar lavender scent. He waited.<\/span><\/p>\n

The hours passed slowly and the town grew quiet. Hotel guests had long since gone to sleep. Adam was growing sleepy himself, but he forced himself to stay awake. And then he heard footsteps in the hallway. His mind cleared in a second as he waited to see what would happen. The noise could be a late arrival heading to a room.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sound of a key in the lock to Sam\u2019s room had Adam on his feet. He stood next to the wall behind the door and held his breath. The door opened a crack and someone entered the room. Adam lunged, and a struggle ensued; the intruder had been caught and hand-cuffed (a contribution from Roy) and was now sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam quickly lit the lamp and the light revealed the identity of the intruder. It was Ted! The two men looked at each other \u2013 both equally shocked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know this looks bad, but I can explain,\u201d Ted stuttered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hearing footsteps approach, and knowing the signal of the lighted lamp had been recognized, Adam\u2019s reply was, \u201cTell it to the sheriff, Ted.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy Coffee burst into the room, gun drawn. His face registered shock as he looked at Ted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, let me explain!\u201d Ted repeated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can do that in jail,\u201d Roy snapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

Making sure nobody had opened any doors to the hallway, Roy motioned for Adam to bring Ted out of Sam\u2019s room. They took the back stairs and hid in the shadows as they headed toward the sheriff\u2019s office.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy removed Ted\u2019s handcuffs and led him back to the jail cell. Adam hadn\u2019t said a word and neither had Roy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow you can explain all this,\u201d Roy said as he locked the cell door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know where to start,\u201d Ted said, shaking his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTry explaining what you were doing with Sam\u2019s key and why you were sneaking up on her in the dead of night,\u201d Adam growled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI meant her no harm. I only wanted to warn her that she needs to leave town for her own safety.\u201d Ted looked miserable. \u201cI\u2019m not even wearing a gun!\u201d And then his words came out so fast that he almost tripped over them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been helping the Werners at their ranch for a long time. I know that Gretchen is in love with Adam \u2013 she\u2019s totally obsessed with getting him back. That\u2019s all she ever talks about, and she\u2019s practically hysterical a lot of the time. Sometimes I hear her when I\u2019m close by the house or inside the house when she has long discussions with her parents. They don\u2019t know what to do to make things easier on her. She cries and throws things. She talks to me a lot and has said some weird things \u2013 like how nice it would be if Doctor Sam would just go back to San Francisco, either willingly or in a pine box. Other times she says that Doctor Sam just needs a good scare thrown into her to make her leave. She told me that she had smashed Doctor Sam\u2019s guitar, hoping that Doctor Sam would be scared.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ted paused to catch his breath. \u201cI\u2019m in love with Gretchen. I want to marry her. She doesn\u2019t know how I feel, but if I can keep her talking to me, then maybe she\u2019ll see that it\u2019s me that she cares for. Adam, if I wanted to hurt anyone, if I were to try to get rid of anyone, it would be you. Not Doctor Sam. I wanted Doctor Sam to stay in town and hoped that, in time, Gretchen would come to her senses.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Roy exchanged looks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you get Sam\u2019s room key?\u201d Roy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne night, Gretchen and I were talking. It was during the time that the stagecoach accident happened. Gretchen said that if Doctor Sam didn\u2019t die, then she sure would be scared when she looked in her hotel room. I didn\u2019t know what that meant \u2013 still don\u2019t \u2013 but Gretchen held up Doctor Sam\u2019s room key. I told her that it needed to be taken back so the desk clerk wouldn\u2019t find it missing. She gave me the key and swore me to secrecy; but, every time I tried to sneak the key back, I would\u2019ve gotten caught by the desk clerk. So I kept it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam spoke. \u201cI\u2019ve seen you hanging around town a lot. That\u2019s unusual if you\u2019re supposed to be helping the Werners on the farm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI made it a practice to drive the family here to try to keep an eye on Gretchen. I didn\u2019t know what she might do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the warning notes?\u201d Roy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat warning notes? I don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about.\u201d Ted was either an excellent actor or he had no knowledge of the scraps of paper.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI found two pieces of paper at two separate times in two separate places,\u201d Adam said. \u201cEach scrap of paper said the same thing \u2013 \u2018go away\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ted looked totally confused. \u201cIf you\u2019re thinking that I wrote those, then you\u2019re making a big mistake. The only thing I can write is my name. I never went to school. My pa made me work in the fields with him ever since I can remember, but my ma said I should at least know how to sign my name instead of putting down my mark like other folks have to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere was an incident tonight that had to do with a pie. What do you know about that?\u201d Adam asked, keeping specific details to himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPie? \u201cWhat pie? I\u2019m completely confused.\u201d Ted answered with the most innocent of looks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNever mind,\u201d Adam interjected. \u201cNow tell me why you chose to sneak into Sam\u2019s room, under cover of darkness, and scare the wits out of her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s such a nice lady. I wanted to warn her about Gretchen. I wanted to tell her to keep her eyes open. I knew she\u2019d understand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy\u2019s voice had lost a lot of its gruffness. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you come to me and tell me all this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ted\u2019s shoulders sagged. \u201cI was afraid that Gretchen might get sent back to Denver and I\u2019d never see her again. Or you might end up putting her in jail. That would\u2019ve humiliated her family and would\u2019ve sent her right over the edge. I know she\u2019s high-strung and vindictive, but I love her anyway. Her family spoils her rotten and lets her get away with anything. I could change all that if she knew how I felt. But she doesn\u2019t. I just kept my mouth shut and tried to follow Gretchen wherever she went. If I couldn\u2019t follow Gretchen, I tried to keep an eye on Doctor Sam.\u201d Ted sat down on the cell cot.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam followed Roy out of Ted\u2019s hearing range.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I\u2019ve heard a lot of stories from men sitting behind bars. I\u2019ve looked into their faces and have a good instinct when they lie to me. I think Ted\u2019s telling the truth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. \u201cI don\u2019t want to agree with you, Roy. But I actually believe what Ted is saying. What do we do from here? We still have a problem on our hands. Sam won\u2019t be safe forever, not even if I can talk her into staying on the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think we can trust Ted to keep his mouth shut if I let him go? If he loves Gretchen like he says he does, will he alert her? We don\u2019t know what she might do to Sam if she has an inkling that we know what\u2019s going on.\u201d Roy looked frustrated. \u201cI don\u2019t have legal options to hold him in jail. He didn\u2019t actually do anything except trespass. He didn\u2019t break into Sam\u2019s room. He didn\u2019t hurt anybody. Would he have hurt Sam? I don\u2019t think so\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s talk to Ted,\u201d was all Adam could say.<\/span><\/p>\n

And when Roy finished talking to Ted, the answer was, \u201cYou can trust me. I\u2019m not educated but that doesn\u2019t mean that I don\u2019t have good values. I promise I won\u2019t tell Gretchen or her family or anybody. I want to see this cleared up as much as you do. Here\u2019s my hand and word on it.\u201d He stuck his hand out between the bars of the cell.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both Roy and Adam shook his hand. And Roy unlocked the cell and released Ted.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was explaining to Hoss, Joe and even Hop Sing, about all the events which had led to Sam\u2019s return to the Ponderosa this night. And about the strategy to catch the culprit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell us, Pa?\u201d Hoss asked, his feelings hurt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSon, I trust everybody in this room implicitly. But the only way to make sure that there are absolutely no slip-ups is to let as few people in on the facts as possible. That\u2019s the main reason that we didn\u2019t even tell Sam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing velly worried for Missie Doctor Sam. She need to live on Ponderosa where she be safe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cI\u2019d like nothing better, Hop Sing. But she\u2019s hard-headed and stubborn, and I don\u2019t think she\u2019d run away from trouble or hide from it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe grinned. \u201cShe doesn\u2019t care what people think of her at all. But she would care what folks think of the us \u2013 especially seeing how she\u2019s so involved with Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam appeared from the guest room, freshly bathed and wearing clean clothes that she had hurriedly packed while she and Adam were cleaning up her hotel room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think I\u2019m deaf or something,\u201d she stormed. \u201c\u2019Head-strong and stubborn\u2019? When have I ever acted that way?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben laughed \u2013 he just had to. He held up his fingers as if to count off examples.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam snorted. \u201cI should be in town trying to help Adam and Roy instead of lolling around in the tub and waiting to see what happens!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSee?\u201d Ben laughed. \u201cThat\u2019s one more example.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam sat by the fire to warm up and let her hair dry. She was worried about Adam. Would the culprit strike tonight or would she really have to stay at the Ponderosa for an unknown period of time? She couldn\u2019t hide forever.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nobody went to sleep \u2013 and nobody could until Adam came home with news, whether it be good or bad. So they all talked into the wee hours of the morning. And, when their vigil was rewarded by Adam\u2019s return, the information he brought was of no comfort. They were back at square one. Retreating to their bedrooms, the Cartwrights fell into exhausted sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was still dark when Sam slipped out of the house, took a horse from the barn and returned to town. Adam had given her the room key, so she went straight to the hotel and sneaked in via the back stairs. But she didn\u2019t sleep. Today she would go to work at Doc Martin\u2019s and act as though everything was perfectly normal. Naturally, the day would not<\/em> be normal.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing was serving breakfast and muttering to himself. \u201cMissie Doctor Sam miss good hot meal if she sleep all day. Food not taste good after so long time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The morning meal was being served \u2013 and eaten \u2013 late because, for once, the Cartwrights had slept longer than usual. Ben looked at Adam, unshaven and distracted and rather impatient with Hop Sing\u2019s mutterings.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGo wake Sam up,\u201d Ben said as Hop Sing went into the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam got up, went to Sam\u2019s door, and rapped lightly. No answer. Adam knocked louder and there was still no answer. So he opened the door and tried to sound cheerful.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWake up, sleepy\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But Sam wasn\u2019t in bed. Except for the fact that the extra blanket over the bedspread was rumpled, there was no sign that Sam had even been in bed at all. Her clothes weren\u2019t in the armoire either.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s not there,\u201d Adam said as he headed outside. He didn\u2019t find her there or in the barn. But one of the horses was missing. Adam swore.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s gone and so is one of our horses,\u201d he announced as he went back into the house. \u201cI\u2019ll bet she\u2019s gone back to town. I\u2019m gonna go to town and bring her back!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The door slammed and soon the sound of galloping hooves signaled that Adam had left the Ponderosa.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEat fast, boys,\u201d Ben intoned. \u201cWe\u2019re going to town too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc was just leaving his office when Sam appeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBilly Jenkins was practicing fast-draw and managed to shoot his fool self in the leg,\u201d Doc said to Sam. \u201cBilly\u2019s pa just rode in and told me that he was afraid to move his son even though the bullet went clean through the leg. Can you hold down the fort while I\u2019m gone?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam had wanted to talk to Doc about Ted and the events of last night, but apparently this wasn\u2019t the time. Doc was in too much of a hurry to ask any questions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course. I\u2019ll be right here,\u201d Sam answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc sprinted down the street to the livery stable, medical bag in hand. Doc had told Frank Jenkins to holler to Jess to hitch up the buggy. Sam shook her head, knowing that a young boy\u2019s loss of blood could be critical.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam went into the office and began to tidy things up a bit. She wanted to give the impression that all was well in case anybody stopped by even though she was a bit nervous being by herself. Somebody out there wants me gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

The door flew open and a white-faced Gretchen appeared. \u201cPlease, Dr. Nielsen! Something is very wrong with Papa! He\u2019s dizzy and beginning to talk weird!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam didn\u2019t hesitate. She left a quick note on the door and jumped into the buggy with Gretchen who was shaking so badly that Sam herself had to take the reins. They left in a cloud of flying snow.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE<\/span><\/p>\n

As the horse galloped along, Gretchen turned to Sam. \u201cMama wanted Doc to come to the house, but I saw his buggy driving in the opposite direction. But I\u2019m so worried about Papa\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam nodded and tried to concentrate on keeping the buggy on the road.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen was wringing her hands, emotionally distraught. \u201cI don\u2019t like you, you know. If it weren\u2019t for you, Adam and I might be married right now. But Papa needs help. And you are a doctor. Can we put our differences aside for now?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked into Gretchen\u2019s eyes. \u201cI never held any animosity toward you, Gretchen. What is or is not between you and Adam is none of my business. But I\u2019ll tell you something that you don\u2019t know. There is a man in Virginia City who loves you very much. If you\u2019d open your eyes and stop obsessing about Adam, you would find that this man has the capability of bringing you much happiness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho is he? Is he wealthy?\u201d Gretchen\u2019s curiosity got the better of her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDammit, Gretchen! Financial riches and material things are not the most important things in the world. Look in a man\u2019s heart and seek \u2018riches\u2019 there! Look for tenderness, caring, empathy, sympathy, trust and love. A man\u2019s heart is the most precious thing he can give. Grow up, Gretchen!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The horse stumbled, the buggy rocked and bumped and then there was the sound of a wheel cracking. Both Sam and Gretchen jumped out to survey the damage. The wheel could be replaced but not right now. Mr. Werner needed attention more than the wheel did.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on. We\u2019ll ride the horse,\u201d Sam said quickly. \u201cWe won\u2019t have to ride far.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen wailed. \u201cThat horse isn\u2019t saddle-broke. Papa uses him only to pull the buggy!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll walk then,\u201d Sam replied as she retrieved her medical bag. \u201cHow far away are we?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot far,\u201d Gretchen answered, her face a mask of fright.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, here\u2019s the plan. We\u2019ll unharness the horse and try to follow the road where the snow isn\u2019t so deep.\u201d Sam\u2019s mind was whirling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut I\u2019m not used to walking in the snow in these shoes,\u201d Gretchen griped. \u201cYou go on to the house and I\u2019ll stay here with the horse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll freeze to death before I can get back. Now start walking and be careful!\u201d Sam snapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen wailed and sobbed so loud that Sam just wanted to slap her and leave her, especially when the spoiled female fell in a snowdrift because she had wobbled in her expensive shoes and a heel had broken off.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGretchen, how sick is your father?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026I\u2026I\u2019m not sure. He says he\u2019s dizzy and that his stomach hurts and that his left arm hurts. He looks awful.\u201d Gretchen sobbed. \u201cI\u2019m so worried!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen get up, and I mean right now. Stop being hysterical and let\u2019s get to him as fast as we can. I don\u2019t want to frighten you, but I can\u2019t drag you to the house and I can\u2019t leave you sitting in the snow \u2013 your father may be having trouble with his heart. You\u2019re causing me to waste precious time.\u201d<\/span>
\nAnd something inside Gretchen changed. With a mighty effort, she pulled her legs underneath her, stopped crying and began to walk. Every time she fell, she got up again with no prodding from Sam. She finally cared enough about someone other than herself that she found strength she didn\u2019t know she had.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arriving at the Werner home, the two women stopped for a second to catch their breath. They were both wet from the snow on the ground and from the light snow that was falling from the sky. They were gasping and leaning against each other from exhaustion, and the cold air burned their lungs with every breath they took. But they had made it. Sam looked backward and saw that the horse had followed them and was now ambling into the barn.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen opened the front door and almost shoved Sam into the house. Sam was met by Ilsa, her face contorted in anger.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI told you to bring Doc Martin! It\u2019s that woman\u2019s fault that your father is sick! How dare you bring her into this house!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, shut up, Mama!\u201d Gretchen yelled, pushing her mother aside.<\/span><\/p>\n

An astounded Sam was led into the living room where Friedhelm was stretched out on the sofa. Ted was kneeling on the floor beside him.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVENTY<\/span><\/p>\n

Friedhelm Werner\u2019s face was ashen and there was a patina of sweat across his face. He really looked quite ill. Sam took his pulse and found that it was erratic and rather faint.<\/span><\/p>\n

He looked at her. \u201cI don\u2019t want you to touch me. I want Doc Martin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoc Martin is at the Jenkins\u2019 place. His son accidentally shot himself in the leg. Looks like you\u2019re stuck with me,\u201d Sam said evenly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGet out of my house!\u201d screeched Ilsa, over and over again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTed,\u201d Sam said with authority, \u201cplease take Mrs. Werner in another room and keep her there. I can\u2019t concentrate while she\u2019s screaming.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And, with a bit of effort, Ted dragged Ilsa into the dining room, sat her down and shut the door. Her face was florid and she tried to attack Ted. His response was to sit on her, pull the tablecloth off the table and then proceeded to restrain her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I do to help?\u201d Gretchen asked, her face full of fear but her voice calm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have garlic in the house? Hawthorne berries?\u201d Sam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a willow tree outside. I need as much bark as you can pull off. Then I want you to boil some water and throw in the garlic, the berries, and the bark and boil them into a tea. The stronger the better. Save some of the bark, rinse it off, and bring it to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Author\u2019s note: Willow leaf and bark contained the basic element (salicylic acid) for modern-day aspirin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen sped out the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Mr. Werner, tell me where you hurt. What does it feel like?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m dizzy,\u201d he said, realizing that Sam was the only help he was going to get. \u201cI feel like I have indigestion, and my left arm hurts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid you fall? Did you eat anything unusual today?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Friedhelm shook his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay. I\u2019m going to make you more comfortable,\u201d Sam said, hoping that she was doing the right thing. \u201cSlide down and prop your feet on the arm of the sofa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With Sam\u2019s help, he did so. But he didn\u2019t feel better. Sam noticed that his face was less ashen, but there were no medicines for heart attacks. Even if there were, she didn\u2019t have them in her medical bag. There would be no time to go back to town anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Emerging from the kitchen, Gretchen handed some willow bark to Sam. \u201cThank you, Gretchen. You\u2019re being a big help.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tearing off a piece of bark, Sam held it to Friedhelm\u2019s lips. \u201cChew on this. When it gets too dry, spit it out and I\u2019ll give you another piece to chew on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Too weak to protest, he opened his mouth, felt the bark against his teeth and began to chew. \u201cArgh,\u201d was all he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know. It tastes bad, but it will help you,\u201d Sam said gently.<\/span><\/p>\n

From the dining room came a great crash and suddenly Ilsa was standing by Sam with a gun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou leave him alone,\u201d she snarled. \u201cYou\u2019re trying to kill him, but I won\u2019t let you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Werner,\u201d Sam said as calmly as she could, \u201cyou can shoot me and maybe your husband will live. Or maybe he\u2019ll die. Right now, I\u2019m all that you\u2019ve got. If he dies, then you can shoot me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ted arrived in the room, sporting a black eye. Ilsa turned the gun on him and then back towards Sam. She was confused as to what to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now Gretchen entered the room, bearing the cup of tea that she had been instructed to brew. She looked at her mother holding a gun on Sam, looked at Ted with his black eye, looked at her father and then focused on Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s the tea,\u201d she said as she handed the cup to Sam. Then she took a step back and waited.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Werner, spit out the bark and drink this tea. Ted, will you help me raise his head, please?\u201d Sam didn\u2019t take her eyes off Friedhelm\u2019s face.<\/span><\/p>\n

The tree bark out of his mouth, the sick man began to sip the tea. He said something in German that Sam didn\u2019t even want to know the translation of. Ted raised and lowered the man\u2019s head with each sip.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with him?\u201d Ilsa demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam knew better than to try to go into a medical explanation, so she simply answered, \u201cHis heart is not well. This tea will help it feel better.\u201d I hope. Otherwise, she\u2019ll shoot me right here.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHas he been under a lot of stress lately?\u201d Sam asked without looking at anybody.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen\u2019s voice quavered. \u201cI\u2019ve been complaining a lot. I\u2019ve cried and thrown tantrums and upset the whole house every single day since you came to town, Doctor Sam.\u201d This was the first time Gretchen had ever called Sam by that name. She had always been quite formal. \u201cGod is paying me back for smashing your guitar and for stealing your hotel key and for tearing up your room and for ripping up your dress.\u201d Gretchen wept softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Friedhelm said nothing. He continued to sip the tea.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy poor daughter. It\u2019s not your fault. I helped you at the hotel by distracting the desk clerk so you could take the room key. And I wanted to scare Dr. Nielsen away by donating that pie after the accident. Your poor Papa almost went crazy with anger when he saw what I was doing.\u201d Ilsa was now sobbing but still hanging onto the gun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat pie?\u201d Gretchen asked, her brows furrowing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe one I put the mouse in.\u201d Ilsa almost choked on the words. \u201cI made him too upset and caused this. I had already told him about the mess in the hotel room. He just went over the edge after that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ted kept his mouth shut. When he saw that Gretchen was about to open her mouth, he took her into the kitchen and helped her pour another cup of tea for her father.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam and Ilsa sat in a tension-filled room and waited.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam fairly leaped from the saddle when he reached Doc Martin\u2019s office. The note on the door said \u201cGone to Werner house.\u201d The initial after the message was an \u201cS\u201d . Adam swore. He rode toward the Werner\u2019s house like a man possessed but had to stop in the middle of the road when he came upon the buggy with the broken wheel. There was no horse. The light snow hadn\u2019t covered up the footprints yet and he recognized the imprints of two sets of human prints \u2013 prints that could be made only by ladies\u2019 shoes. There were also hoof prints in the snow following behind the shoe indentations. Adam wondered why nobody had ridden the horse but didn\u2019t dwell on it. He continued up the road and found big holes in the snowdrifts. He wondered if someone had fallen. He prayed that Sam wasn\u2019t hurt and felt somewhat better when he realized that there was no blood in the snow. He pushed Sport forward at breakneck speed and hoped he wouldn\u2019t be too late to stop a major crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

About thirty minutes behind Adam came the rest of the family. They, too, saw the note on Doc\u2019s door and raced toward the Werner house. Their faces were grim.<\/span>
\nCHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen and Ted came in with a second cup of tea, this time with some honey added to give him some energy. Friedhelm, with Ted\u2019s help, began sipping on his second cup of tea and was beginning to get some color back in his face. Sam was relieved, but the man wasn\u2019t out of the woods yet. When questioned, the man\u2019s dizziness had disappeared as had the pain in his arm. His stomach was beginning to settle.<\/span><\/p>\n

The man looked at Sam. \u201cAm I going to die?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam snorted and answered with a confidence she didn\u2019t feel. \u201cNone of my patients die. It\u2019s not allowed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Friedhelm gave her a weak smile. \u201cForgive me for what I\u2019ve done. Gretchen\u2019s right in saying that God is punishing us.\u201d He touched Sam\u2019s hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ilsa, gun in hand, began screeching. \u201cDon\u2019t tell her anything! We could all go to jail! Is that what you want for your family? Our good name dragged through the dirt? All because this stupid doctor wouldn\u2019t go away?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Friedhelm ignored her and spoke to Sam. \u201cGretchen was so upset. I had to do something. I knew when you were coming back on the stage, so I hid behind some rocks and waited. It was cold and I built a small fire to try and stay warm. Just when I was beginning to think that the stage wasn\u2019t coming, I saw it in the distance. My fingers were so cold and I couldn\u2019t shoot straight. I think I hit the stage. All I wanted to do was to scare the horses into running. I saw them bolt and I ran away and came home to tell Ilsa what I had done. I wasn\u2019t trying to kill anybody. I just wanted to throw a scare into you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShut up! Shut up, you fool!\u201d Ilsa screamed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at Ilsa\u2019s face. She had seen that look on several of her patients when their minds were separating from reality. Sam was very afraid.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Friedhelm kept talking to Sam. \u201cWhen I heard that the stage was missing, I threw extra blankets into the wagon and joined the search party. I didn\u2019t know how many folks might\u2019ve been on that stage. I knew where the stage had been when I fired the shots, so I went there. I was the one who fired the shots to alert the others in the search party where to find us. And the stage. I panicked when I learned that you and the driver were half-frozen. I didn\u2019t know whether you would live or not. I didn\u2019t mean for this to happen. I swear it! Please believe me. And please forgive me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen knelt by her father and took his hand. \u201cPapa! Papa! I\u2019m so sorry that it\u2019s because of me that you felt like you had to do such a thing. I am the one who should take responsibility for all of this!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam noticed that Ted was slowly moving toward Ilsa. Ilsa was still screaming, carrying on about Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t let her go! We have to make her disappear! Can\u2019t any of you see that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam, in her peripheral vision, saw that Ted was getting closer to Ilsa. Sam tried to keep Ilsa from seeing Ted and deliberately kept Ilsa\u2019s focus on herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s all just calm down. We can talk about this like adults and come up with a workable solution for this whole problem.\u201d Sam\u2019s hands began to shake, so she folded them in her lap.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStand up!\u201d Ilsa commanded Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMama! No! Please!\u201d Gretchen wailed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIlsa! Put the gun down!\u201d Friedhelm said in an exhausted voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ilsa pointed the gun steadily at Sam. She pulled the hammer back. Ted made a desperate dive in Ilsa\u2019s direction. Gretchen screamed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ilsa smiled a devilish smile and pulled the trigger.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had arrived at the house and heard the scream and the gunshot. Leaping out of his saddle and bursting through the front door, he found Ilsa and Ted rolling around on the floor \u2013 Ted trying desperately to get the gun in Ilsa\u2019s hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ilsa kept screaming, over and over again, \u201cI\u2019ll kill you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In a split second, Adam\u2019s mind took in the rest of the scene. Friedhelm was half on and half off the sofa. Gretchen was lying across Sam on the floor, and there was blood in a pool beneath them on the carpet.<\/span><\/p>\n

The gun went off again and Adam dove on top of Ted and Ilsa, finally wrestling the gun out of Ilsa\u2019s hands. Immediately she stopped fighting and sat limply in Ted\u2019s grasp.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam and Gretchen were sitting up, blood on both of them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhich one of us is hurt?\u201d Sam asked, trying to clear the cobwebs from her mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretchen ruefully said, \u201cI think it\u2019s me.\u201d She promptly fainted.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Sam bent over Gretchen, she directed Adam to check on Friedhelm. Adam reported to Sam that the man had a pulse but looked very pale.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t doubt it,\u201d Sam snapped. \u201cHe just saw his wife shoot his daughter! Looks like she got shot in her side, and the wound is bleeding a lot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ilsa was still in Ted\u2019s grasp but, from the vacant look in her eyes, she posed no threat to anyone. Her brain had left reality behind.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, find my medical bag. Ted, come over here.\u201d Sam was in control and Gretchen was coming out of her fainting spell.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both men moved quickly. Friedhelm kept asking if his daughter was all right. At least he\u2019s talking and didn\u2019t die of fright, Sam thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam retrieved the medical bag; Ted was at Gretchen\u2019s side holding her hand. Sam cut away the bloody part of Gretchen\u2019s desk and breathed a sigh of relief. It was just a flesh wound \u2013 the bullet had taken a good bit of Gretchen\u2019s skin off but hadn\u2019t entered her body.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, would you get some towels and soak one in some cool water?\u201d Sam asked. She felt a bit shaky and dizzy but was still in control.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour daughter is fine,\u201d Sam told Friedhelm. \u201cIt\u2019s just a flesh wound. Now lie still and be quiet. I can treat only one patient at a time and you won\u2019t be helping me if you get too excited.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, what about Ilsa?\u201d the man feebly asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at Ilsa. \u201cShe\u2019s in shock. She\u2019s okay for now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ted spoke in quiet tones to Gretchen. Adam came in with towels, handed them to Sam and then stood back as Sam began cleaning up Gretchen\u2019s wound. The cool compress stopped the bleeding fairly quickly. Putting a dry towel over the wound, Sam got shakily to her feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

The door burst open and in came Ben, Hoss and Little Joe. They stood in shocked silence. Ben found his voice first.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d he asked, his eyes wide.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFriedhelm had a heart attack, I think. Ilsa tried to shoot me. Gretchen threw herself on top of me to knock me out of the way and got shot in the process. Ted grabbed Ilsa and the gun went off again. Adam came in and helped Ted.\u201d Sam was trying hard to summarize everything. \u201cGo hitch up the Werner\u2019s wagon. We need to get everybody out of here and into Doc\u2019s office. I can\u2019t even think any more.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Feeling Adam\u2019s arms around her shoulders, knowing she had done all she could do and finally feeling safe, Sam slumped over in exhaustion. Ilsa still stared vacantly.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately, as the wagon left the Werner ranch, the skies had turned clear and the snow had stopped. Ted held Gretchen in his arms on one side of the wagon; Adam held a limp Ilsa at the back of the wagon; Sam sat by Friedhelm on the other side of the wagon. Hoss was the driver, and Ben and Little Joe led both Chub and Sport by their reins. They stayed close to the wagon to hear Sam\u2019s explanation of what had happened from beginning to end.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was Ben who asked the final question. \u201cWho wrote the notes to warn Sam to stay away?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Friedhelm answered slowly. \u201cI did. I was afraid of what Ilsa might do. I couldn\u2019t control her any more and I didn\u2019t want to go to the sheriff and admit what we both had done. She\u2019s always had to be watched closely \u2013 ever since her parents got killed years ago. I think she went a little crazy then. But she had always been kind of high-strung.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam thought, \u201cThat\u2019s an understatement.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin swung open the door in a hurry. When he saw the group, all he could say was, \u201cGood Lord!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE<\/span><\/p>\n

Safe in Doc Martin\u2019s office, Ted continued to hold Gretchen\u2019s hand – even when Doc examined her and pronounced that she would be sore but would be just fine. Other than being uncomfortable from the wagon ride into town, Friedhelm appeared to have passed a crisis. No signs of current heart problems. Ilsa was in her own little world, happy to either count her fingers or hum a German lullaby over and over.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc had sent Little Joe to the boarding house to ask Drucilla for help. Drucilla was out dining somewhere with Delmas, so Henrietta came and sat with Ilsa. Gretchen chose to stay in the office to be near her father. Ben told Sam that she would be staying at the Ponderosa for a while. She knew better than to argue with his tone of voice so she offered Ted her hotel room so he could be close if he were needed. Quickly, she ran to her room and gathered some clean clothes and then returned to the office. Ben fetched Roy Coffee and they conferred with Doc as to what to do. They needed to speak to Judge Rainey when he got back into town tomorrow. Plans had to be made as to how to handle this whole mess.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam leaned against a wall, arms crossed over his chest. As he guided Sam to the livery stable to saddle Fancy, he growled, \u201cJust wait til you get home!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s answer? \u201cYou need to shave.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam scowled all the way back to the Ponderosa. He spoke not a word.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam didn\u2019t wait for Adam to help her dismount \u2013 she could tell by the scowl on his face and by his demeanor that he was angry. Ben, Hoss and Little Joe had been unusually quiet on the ride back to the Ponderosa; the tension had been thick and nobody wanted to say anything wrong. Sam had to smile when she saw the latter three scurry into the house after stabling their horses. Which left Adam and Sam alone. Discretion being the better part of valor, Sam quickly headed for the house after she had tended to Fancy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam grabbed her arm in an iron grip. \u201cWe have to talk!\u201d His face was dark with anger.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam knew better than to try to deal with Adam right now. Calmly she answered, \u201cAdam, I\u2019m tired, I\u2019m hungry, and I\u2019m upset. We can talk later. Right now, I want you to let go of my arm because you\u2019re hurting me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam truly didn\u2019t realize how vise-like his grip was and he immediately released Sam\u2019s arm. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to hurt you. But we are going to discuss this whole situation after supper!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam left Adam to finish unsaddling Sport and practically sprinted into the house. She found Hop Sing already serving a light supper \u2013 he hadn\u2019t known when the Cartwrights would return and didn\u2019t take the time to start from scratch to cook an entire meal. He smiled as Sam sat down at the table. But he could feel the tension in the room, so he hurried back to the safety of the kitchen. He could hear whatever conversation the dining room had to offer from where he sat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSam,\u201d Ben began, \u201cit\u2019s been a long and difficult day. There\u2019s a lot to talk about but we need to be calm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam sighed with relief. At least Ben wasn\u2019t angry with her and, by looking at Hoss and Little Joe, she knew that they weren\u2019t angry either.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam entered the dining room and yanked his chair out from the table, scraping its legs roughly across the floor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Ben\u2019s voice was a warning.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry,\u201d was all Adam said as he sat down. He was more careful pulling himself closer to the table.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben controlled the conversation at the table as plates were filled. There was a lot to choose from \u2013 slices of ham and beef and pork, Hop Sing\u2019s signature potatoes and onions, left-over vegetables, and slices of bread. The coffee was hot.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to go into town tomorrow to see Judge Rainey, but I\u2019m not sure what time his stage arrives. Roy told me that Sam can press charges against the entire Werner family; he\u2019ll speak to Sam about that in the morning. Adam has the most knowledge of the warning notes that Friedhelm left, so Adam will definitely have to speak to the Judge. There are other things that Adam can attest to.\u201d Ben deliberately didn\u2019t mention the \u201cpie\u201d incident.<\/span><\/p>\n

After eating a bit of pork and some potatoes, Sam realized that she was still hungry. She and Adam speared the same piece of roast beef at the same time. Sam wouldn\u2019t budge and neither would Adam. The two looked at each other intently \u2013 a battle of wills. Hoss, with the wisdom of Solomon, knew that neither would concede, so he reached out with his knife and cut the beef in half. Ben stifled a smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can Roy charge Gretchen with?\u201d Little Joe asked, breaking the silence of the fight over the roast beef.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben answered. \u201cFrom what he told me, it could be \u2018malicious destruction of property\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about her parents?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not sure. Friedhelm planned to scare the horses pulling the stagecoach into running. He didn\u2019t know that the stage would turn over and that people would be hurt. As for Ilsa, there could be a double charge of malicious mischief or attempted murder.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was handling this calmly, but Adam\u2019s face was smoldering. He left the table and went outside.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam watched Adam walk away and then added her thoughts. \u201cFriedhelm tried to give written warnings. He was in a rough position \u2013 he didn\u2019t want to implicate his wife. He didn\u2019t know about the guitar and the mess at the hotel room until after the fact. Gretchen saved my life by taking a bullet that was meant for me. Ilsa, I\u2019m afraid, needs psychological help. I\u2019m not sure if she\u2019s had a nervous breakdown or if she\u2019s just in shock. At any rate, all Friedhelm and Ilsa were trying to do was to help their daughter. Their hearts were in the right place but their actions were misguided. I\u2019m not sure what is the right thing to do about this. It bears some soul-searching, I guess.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing appeared to tell Sam that her room was now ready for her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMissie Doctor Sam always welcome in this house,\u201d he said, not even looking to Ben to be certain. \u201cHer room always be ready. Any time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Moved almost to tears by this vote of acceptance, Sam smiled at Hop Sing and then excused herself from the table. She put on her coat and went outside to face Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was leaning against the corral, his back to Sam as she approached him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d she said softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

He spun around and faced her. And then he exploded. \u201cI don\u2019t know whether to kiss you or spank you! What were you thinking when you got into that buggy with Gretchen? You were aware that there might be danger in going to the Werner house! They might have set a trap for you, murdered you, and then nobody would ever have found you! You\u2019re a smart lady who chose not to use your intelligence!?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Sam began. \u201cWe didn\u2019t know for sure that anyone but Gretchen was involved. I\u2019m a doctor \u2013 that\u2019s my job. Tell me that you\u2019ve never looked into someone\u2019s face and known they were telling the truth \u2013 that\u2019s the same look I saw on Gretchen\u2019s face when she told me about her father. Doc Martin wasn\u2019t there. I had to go.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam thought back to when Ted was in jail. Both he and the sheriff had looked into Ted\u2019s face and just knew he was telling the truth. In his mind, he grudgingly conceded that Sam was right.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what are you gonna do now as far as pressing charges against the Werners?\u201d Adam\u2019s voice was gruff.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know yet,\u201d Sam answered, chewing on the inside of her cheek. \u201cI need time to think.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam exploded again. \u201cIlsa tried to kill you, for God\u2019s sake! And look what Friedhelm did!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Grabbing Sam by both arms, Adam finished his thoughts. \u201cDon\u2019t you know how frantic I was? How my heart dropped when I heard that gunshot? When I saw the blood on the carpet and thought you were dead? I lost you once. I can\u2019t go through that again!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s heart and mind were flooded with emotions and he, for once, stepped out of character. Pulling Sam to him, he kissed her \u2013 hard. But it wasn\u2019t a pleasant kiss \u2013 it was almost ferocious and Sam felt fear. Adam seemed to have lost all control; his mouth against hers was painful. The harder Sam tried to push away from this man, the tighter he held her. She felt like she couldn\u2019t breathe. She had felt like that before when he kissed her, but it had been a good feeling. This was the opposite.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shocked at himself, Adam released her and stepped back, breathing hard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam spoke. \u201cAdam, I can\u2019t stay on the Ponderosa any more. This running back and forth from here to the hotel and back here again has taken a toll on me. I need to look for a home of my own in town. Returning to San Francisco isn\u2019t an option. But I\u2019ll be leaving in the morning. Both the sheriff and Judge Rainey will want to speak with you and I need for you to be there to tell what you know and what you\u2019ve seen. I know I can live without you in my life. I just don\u2019t want to. But you just attacked me, and I won\u2019t allow that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s voice cracked. \u201cWell, it was easy for you to leave me once. I don\u2019t see why it wouldn\u2019t be easy for you to leave me again. Do what you have to do. I\u2019ll do my civic duty and be in town tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam turned and walked toward the house, tears in her eyes. Too much had happened for her mind to be organized. She knew she loved Adam but his anger had changed him. He could\u2019ve asked her to stay but he didn\u2019t. And, true to her word, she was gone in the morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam kicked himself mentally all night. I could have handled the whole thing differently, but I had to go and lose my temper. I had been so afraid of losing Sam that I ended up pushing her away. I should have told her why I was so afraid for her. I should\u2019ve told her what\u2019s really in my heart. She said she wanted me in her life and I said nothing. This time it\u2019s my fault that she\u2019s walking away. How can I make it up to her? Will she give me another chance?<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was awake early, sitting in the kitchen with Hop Sing. And the cook had a few words of his own.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou chase Missie Doctor Sam away!\u201d Hop Sing scolded. \u201cShe love you, and you too blind to see! She good lady, and you turn her away! What wrong with you! She cry when she leave this morning! Why you hurt her and make her cry?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I\u2019m a fool, Hop Sing,\u201d Adam said remorsefully. \u201cBut I\u2019m going to try to make things right again. I\u2019ve got my work cut out for me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was gone when the rest of the household arose. After a quick breakfast, the rest of the Cartwright family headed to town.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam had cried when she left the Ponderosa that morning. I should\u2019ve understood that Adam was angry because he had been afraid for me. Afraid of losing me. His anger just manifested itself in the form of relief. My medical training has taught me that. Now I\u2019ve dug a hole for myself that\u2019s too deep to get out of. I should have let him vent his anger instead of opening my mouth and making it worse. The only positive thing I said was that I had wanted him in my life \u2013 and then I negated that by accusing him of attacking me. How stupid can I be? Adam would never hurt me on purpose!<\/span><\/p>\n

She tied Fancy in front of Doc\u2019s office. She\u2019d have to go house-hunting sometime today.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHTY<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam had a minor surprise waiting for her when she entered Doc\u2019s office. Ilsa was actually talking to Gretchen and Ted, and she was making sense! Well, kind of. Her words were appropriate but she spoke in a strange monotone with an expressionless face. Still, it was an improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc was in the back room so Sam walked over to Gretchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Gretchen,\u201d Sam said with a gentle smile. \u201cGood morning, Ted. Good morning, Ilsa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Doctor Sam,\u201d Gretchen and Ted said in unison.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, good morning Ilsa,\u201d Sam said. \u201cYou look so much better today. How are you feeling?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning,\u201d Ilsa answered in her monotone voice. \u201cI feel better today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow wonderful!\u201d Sam said with enthusiasm. \u201cI\u2019m so glad to hear that!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam wanted to talk more to Ilsa but she also wanted to check on Friedhelm. She poked her head into the back office and found Doc with Gretchen\u2019s father. Doc turned and smiled and indicated that she should come in.<\/span><\/p>\n

Friedhelm looked very well, indeed. Yesterday\u2019s pallor was replaced by his natural healthy complexion and he was sitting up as Doc was listening to his heart. He smiled at Sam and she smiled back.<\/span><\/p>\n

Removing the stethoscope from his ears, Doc spoke. \u201cMy, aren\u2019t you an early-bird this morning? What do you think of this patient?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam put the stethoscope in her ears and listened to Friedhelm\u2019s heart. She was delighted to hear the \u201club-dub, lub-dub\u201d of a regular rate and rhythm. His lungs sounded clear when she listened to them too.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you feel?\u201d Sam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPhysically, I feel fine. Mentally, I\u2019m feeling ashamed of what my family and I did to you. You saved my life, Doctor Sam. I\u2019m beholdin\u2019 to you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked into his eyes and spoke from the heart. \u201cSometimes we do things to help those we love and find out that our choices turn out badly. The lessons we learn from those experiences make us stronger. Then we just move forward.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam thought to herself, \u201cI should pay attention to what I\u2019m saying. I could learn some lessons of my own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Friedhelm buttoned his shirt and went to sit with Ilsa, Gretchen and Ted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Henrietta?\u201d Sam asked, realizing that one person was missing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe fed everybody and then left. She said to fetch her if we needed anything else. She was tired \u2013 she sat up talking with Gretchen and Ilsa all night long.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave you checked Gretchen\u2019s wound? I didn\u2019t want to bring it up in front of Ilsa. She seems better today and I didn\u2019t want to cause her to have a set-back.\u201d Sam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGretchen is fine. Sore but in much better shape than I had originally thought.\u201d Then Doc added, \u201cYou look terrible, if you want my opinion. Which you probably don\u2019t.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam sighed. \u201cAdam was angry; I didn\u2019t handle things well, I\u2019m afraid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave you looked at yourself in the mirror today?\u201d Doc asked as he rooted around in a desk drawer and found a hairbrush. \u201cEither use this or get a curry comb from the livery stable.\u201d With that, he went out to join the others.<\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, she had been in such a hurry to leave the Ponderosa before Adam awoke, she hadn\u2019t brushed her hair or washed her face. She had just put on clean clothes and thrown everything back into her valise. She looked in the mirror and realized that her thick hair was sticking out all over the place. There was a smudge of what looked like dirt on her forehead. And on her top lip was a tiny bruise. She remembered Adam\u2019s kiss and sighed. Lordy, it\u2019s a wonder I didn\u2019t scare everybody to death when I walked in!<\/span><\/p>\n

When she walked into the outer office, she found the sheriff there, drinking a cup of coffee. The two exchanged pleasantries, and Sam poured a cup of coffee for herself. She had a feeling she would need it.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Doc was talking to Gretchen and Ilsa, Roy whispered, \u201cJudge Rainey will be in town soon. Where\u2019s Adam? We\u2019ve got a lot to discuss.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Roy,\u201d Sam answered carefully. \u201cI was in a hurry to get here and left before anyone else had gotten up. He knows he needs to be here, though, so I\u2019m sure it won\u2019t be long before he shows up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy nodded. \u201cI think the best way to handle this is in private in my office. There\u2019s no need to have a public trial before we know what charges to make. And the folks around here don\u2019t need to know any more than Henrietta has probably told already.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam nodded. \u201cWhat time do you think the Judge\u2019s stage will arrive?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m guessing somewhere within the next two hours.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at the clock hanging on the wall and noted the time. \u201cCan we speak to the Judge at around noon? I want to go house-hunting. I need a place of my own. Not a boarding house or a hotel room.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy looked surprised; he simply nodded. \u201cNoon it is, then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Waving goodbye with a cheerfulness she didn\u2019t feel, Sam left Doc\u2019s office, climbed up into Fancy\u2019s saddle and rode off.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE<\/span><\/p>\n

Not long after Sam rode off, Adam appeared. He had circles under his eyes that indicated he hadn\u2019t slept well.<\/span><\/p>\n

After greeting everyone in Doc\u2019s office, he asked, with an innocent look on his face, if Sam had been in yet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeen here and gone,\u201d Doc answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGone house-huntin\u2019,\u201d Roy said with a curious look on his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam walked outside and noticed that a light snow was beginning to fall. Roy startled him when he spoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJudge Rainey will be here soon. I told her that we needed to meet with Judge Rainey privately in my office before any decisions are made as to what to do with this mess of things. Sam asked if we could schedule the meeting for noon. Is that all right with you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Adam asked laconically. \u201cWhich way did she go when she left here?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Adam. I wasn\u2019t watching.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam swung into his saddle. \u201cI\u2019ll see you at noon.\u201d He rode away, leaving Roy wondering what was going on. He had assumed that Sam and Adam would marry. But now Sam was looking for a place to live\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam rode aimlessly through town, looking at the few houses that were for sale. There was one house close to the outskirts of town that showed promise, but most of them were so dilapidated that she\u2019d have to pay twice the price to buy one house and fix it up too. She decided she just wasn\u2019t in the mood to look at houses and turned back toward Doc\u2019s office. She needed to speak at length with Ilsa before the meeting with Judge Rainey. She\u2019d have to contend with her thoughts about Adam at a later time. The snow was falling heavier now anyway. So she took Fancy to the livery stable and walked to Doc\u2019s office.<\/span><\/p>\n

At Sam\u2019s request, Doc let Sam use his back room to have a talk with Ilsa. Gretchen and her father and Ted often heard sounds of weeping; Gretchen wept also. There was more weeping when Sam left. Roy went to check on the estimated time of arrival of Judge Rainey\u2019s stage. Adam continued looking for Sam and decided that she had gone in another direction. He\u2019d find out at noon.<\/span><\/p>\n

As noon approached, he began to worry. He stood outside and could hear Roy talking \u2013 he assumed, correctly, that Roy was talking about the situation at hand. Ben and Adam\u2019s brothers had arrived, had spoken to the already-seated Judge Rainey and had been dismissed. The Judge had advised that the only Cartwright testimony needed would be Adam\u2019s. So Ben, Hoss and Little Joe walked down the street to the saloon \u2013 a drink would be welcome. Finally Doc and Sam appeared, heads bowed slightly into the wind that had begun to blow.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc nodded at Adam and entered the sheriff\u2019s office, leaving Sam and Adam alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hazel eyes met green eyes, each searching for an answer or maybe a glimmer of hope. Adam saw the tiny bruise on Sam\u2019s lip and touched it lightly with his fingertip. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Judge Rainey\u2019s booming voice for the proceedings to start. Sam opened her mouth, changed her mind, and went into the sheriff\u2019s office. Adam followed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Judge Rainey started from the very beginning, all the way back to when Adam had suffered amnesia and had first met \u201cDr. Nielsen.\u201d Adam, Doc, and Sam were excellent at recapping that story, both Sam and Adam wisely omitting any personal feelings between them. Adam was equally succinct in telling about his relationship with Gretchen. Both Adam and Sam were questioned as to why Gretchen had been sent to Denver. Adam was forced to tell the Judge about Gretchen\u2019s miscarriage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWere you the father of that baby?\u201d Judge Rainey asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. It\u2019s possible,\u201d Adam answered. He was careful to answer truthfully and yet not smear Gretchen\u2019s name.<\/span><\/p>\n

An hour passed, and finally Judge Rainey had all the background information he needed. He spoke. \u201cLegally, Miss Gretchen Werner is guilty of malicious destruction of property \u2013 one guitar and one dress. She is guilty of the theft of one hotel room key. She is guilty of entering a room without permission. She may have trashed the entire room but didn\u2019t destroy anything, so we can dismiss that part.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs for Mr. Friedhelm Werner, I find him guilty of premeditating a plan which involved the possibility of death of passengers riding in public transportation. He is guilty as to obstruction of justice by not telling what he did. The writing of warning notes is against the law and falls under the rather vague heading of \u2018scare tactics\u2019. He may have meant well, but he had ample opportunity to talk to Doctors Martin and Nielsen and to warn them in person by confessing what his wife had done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs for Mrs. Friedhelm Werner \u2013 Ilsa \u2013 I find her guilty of malicious mischief by putting a dead mouse in a pie. I find her guilty of obstructing justice, the same as the charge against her husband. I find her guilty of aiding and abetting a theft when she distracted the desk clerk so that her daughter could steal a hotel key. I find her guilty of attempted murder. The fact that she ended up shooting her own daughter doesn\u2019t negate the fact that she was aiming for Dr. Nielsen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Doctor Nielsen, it\u2019s time for you to press charges.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam stood up and looked Judge Rainey in the eye. \u201cI\u2019m not pressing any charges.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Judge Rainey looked at her and gaped. \u201cDoctor Nielsen, are you aware of the gravity of most of these charges?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you choose to not press charges?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s correct.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould you please tell me why you are not pressing charges?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour Honor, Gretchen was in love with Adam Cartwright \u2013 or she thought she was. She felt threatened by my presence here and became obsessively jealous. After her trip to Denver and the unfortunate loss of her child, I believe that she suffered from a disorder of the brain that caused her to act the way she did. This disorder is known as \u2018mania\u2019 and differs from \u2018insanity\u2019. One day, medicine will be able to more define this state of mind. All she wanted to do was to scare me away. But I\u2019ve been told that I\u2019m hard-headed and stubborn (here she glanced quickly at Adam and saw his lips turn up into a grin) and I don\u2019t scare easily. A guitar can be replaced and so can a dress. And so can a simple hotel-room key.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs for Mr. and Mrs. Werner, what they did was wrong. But parents love their children unconditionally. If they see their child suffering, they do what they can to ease that suffering. Mr. Werner, like his daughter, only wanted to scare me away. He wasn\u2019t trying to kill me. He told me himself that the gunshots were to scare the horses into running. His hands were cold; some shots hit the stage by mistake. He had no idea that the stage would turn over. His feelings of guilt caused a great deal of stress on his heart. His allegiance to his wife and daughter stopped him from telling Sheriff Coffee. Yes, he saw Mrs. Werner put the mouse in the pie but he was helpless to stop her. So he resorted to written warnings \u2013 not out of malice but to try to get my attention and make me leave so I\u2019d be safe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs for Mrs. Werner, I think she has suffered from mental problems for a long time. I think she is still suffering from mental problems. Helping to steal the room key is a minor point. On the day that her husband had the heart problem, she expected to see Doctor Martin. But I showed up instead. And I\u2019m the one who caused her daughter so much suffering. Would she have killed me? I don\u2019t know. But she was not in her right mind at the time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Werners are well-liked and well-respected citizens of Virginia City. Pressing charges against them is not what I intend to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Judge Rainey rubbed his jaw and thought. \u201cWhat about this young man named Ted? And what about Delmas with his broken leg?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t speak for them. But I\u2019ll tell you this. Ted is in love with Gretchen \u2013 though she doesn\u2019t know it. When he found out what was going on, she swore him to secrecy. But he kept an eye on me to make sure I was safe. As for Delmas, his leg is healing quickly and he doesn\u2019t even know that Friedhelm was the cause of the stage accident. Delmas is a kind man with a forgiving nature.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re giving me a headache,\u201d the Judge sighed, holding his head in his hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure there are others who would admit that I may have that effect on them,\u201d Sam said evenly. She heard a chuckle and recognized it as being Adam\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what to do with this case,\u201d the Judge sighed again. \u201cThere should be some kind of sanctions imposed against these people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMay I make a suggestion?\u201d Sam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Judge didn\u2019t answer. He just nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGretchen has a wonderful eye for decorating. When I find a place to live, I\u2019d like to have her help me with the d\u00e9cor. For free. Gretchen\u2019s mother needs mental help. I can send a wire to Denver or to San Francisco and see if I can get a specialist to come to Virginia City to help her. To take her away from her family at this point might push her over the edge into complete insanity. If you can write a Court Order to have this done, then I\u2019ll send a wire immediately. As for Mr. Werner, his health is as fragile as his wife\u2019s mind is. More stress would be an endangerment. I ask only that you let him return to his home with his family where he can recuperate more easily without stress.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo ordered,\u201d roared the Judge. \u201cSomebody go inform the Werner family and then let\u2019s go get a drink. I need one badly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam stopped Sam as she walked out the door. Touching her arm gently, he smiled. \u201cI\u2019m so proud of you.\u201d He touched the tiny bruise on her lip. \u201cAnd I\u2019m so sorry for this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She snorted at him. \u201cYou need to shave. I watched your beard grow two inches in Roy\u2019s office.\u201d And then she smiled and raced to catch up with Doc. They needed to tell the Werner family the news.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam made Doc stop at the telegraph office so she could send wires to San Francisco and to Denver. Then they went to Doc\u2019s office.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Werners and Ted had been waiting for over two and a half hours. Ilsa was weeping again. And, when she was told the news, she wept even more. Gretchen threw her arms around Sam and promised that Sam would have the most beautiful house in all of Virginia City. Friedhelm, with watery eyes, took Sam\u2019s hand and said, simply, \u201cThank you, Doctor Sam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan we go home now?\u201d Gretchen asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI need to keep your ma and pa here to make sure that they\u2019re all right,\u201d Doc answered. \u201cBesides, it\u2019s snowing harder outside and none of you need to be going out in this weather.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It was agreed that Friedhelm and Ilsa would stay at Doc\u2019s. Gretchen would take Ted\u2019s room (which was originally Sam\u2019s room), and Ted would find a place at the boarding house, even if he had to share a room with Delmas. It was a foregone conclusion that Sam would go back to the Ponderosa, but Sam knew that wasn\u2019t an option. She had foolishly closed the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a bright voice, Sam announced that she was going to check on Fancy and that she\u2019d be back tomorrow. I\u2019ll figure out something after I leave the stable.<\/span><\/p>\n

The wind had begun to howl and the snow was falling in big fat flakes as Sam made her way to the livery stable. Jess had already cleaned the stalls and added extra hay on the floor of each one. Sam stroked Fancy and spoke softly to her. And then Sam felt so tired. Maybe if I just sit down in this pile of hay, I\u2019ll get my thoughts together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sat in the saloon with his family, Roy and Judge Rainey.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the damndest women I\u2019ve ever seen!\u201d the Judge proclaimed. He ordered another whiskey.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked out at the falling snow. \u201cI think we\u2019d better head home before this storm gets worse. You coming with us, Adam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot right now. I have something important to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben wasn\u2019t stupid. He knew exactly what Adam was referring to. \u201cStay in town if the weather gets worse.\u201d He patted his eldest son on the shoulder and then left with Hoss and Little Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam waited until they had left and headed straight to Doc\u2019s office. Ilsa and Friedhelm had fallen asleep; Gretchen and Ted were involved in an animated conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Sam?\u201d Adam asked Doc, noting there was a little bit of whiskey sitting on Doc\u2019s desk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGone to check on Fancy,\u201d Doc answered. \u201cSam really made an impression on a lot of people today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she did,\u201d Adam answered. He left the office and led Sport to the livery stable.<\/span><\/p>\n

At first he didn\u2019t see Sam and was bitterly disappointed. Jess said that Sam had been there but he didn\u2019t know where she\u2019d gone. Adam worried.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stopping by to give Fancy a handful of sweet feed, Adam saw a figure behind the mare and realized that it was Sam. She had fallen asleep in the hay.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJess? You got an extra blanket or two?\u201d Adam called. \u201cI want to cover Fancy up so she\u2019ll stay good and warm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep,\u201d Jess answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam stepped out of the stall, took the blankets and, when Jess had walked back to his cubbyhole, Adam sat down in the hay next to Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

She opened her sleepy eyes. \u201cIs it tomorrow yet?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be soon. Just close your eyes.\u201d Adam stretched out and put the blankets over both of them. Then he put an arm around Sam and drew her to his chest. She snuggled against him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWill you be here tomorrow?\u201d she asked, her eyes closed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, love. I\u2019ll be right here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sat without moving for a long time. When his muscles started to ache, he moved slightly and rearranged the blankets. The hay was warm, Sam slept in his arms, and his heart was full. And soon, he fell asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam opened her eyes and stared straight into bare wood. Still half-asleep, she tried to figure out what all this hay was doing under her head. And there were horse\u2019s legs, which she correctly identified as those belonging to Fancy. But what was that weight across her shoulders? As her eyes focused, she realized that the weight was due to a hairy arm. Oh, Good Lord! What have I done? Her memory returned in a flash and she lay still, thinking about yesterday\u2019s events. The last thing she remembered was sitting down in Fancy\u2019s stall \u2013 she must\u2019ve fallen asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

She was on her right side in a semi-fetal position and she couldn\u2019t turn over \u2013 something was in her way. So she turned her head slowly to the left and was surprised to be looking into Adam\u2019s hazel eyes. He gave a lazy grin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Morning\u2019, girl,\u201d he said with that lop-sided grin that she loved so much.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be me,\u201d came the answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam struggled to sit up and discovered that there was a weight across her legs also. Adam, in his sleep, had thrown one leg over hers. And his hand was dangerously close to one of her breasts. She wriggled frantically until she heard an \u201coomph\u201d and Adam stopped her thrashing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCareful, girl! Or my voice will be three octaves higher!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam couldn\u2019t help but giggle. Adam moved around until he no longer was touching her. They both propped up on one elbow and looked at each other without speaking.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, Sam broke the silence. \u201cWhy are you here?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI looked for you, and Doc said you had gone to check on Fancy. I found you here, sound asleep. I didn\u2019t have the heart to wake you right then and take you to the hotel. It was snowing too hard to go home. So I sat with you and I guess I fell asleep too.\u201d He touched one of her errant curls and twirled it in his fingers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe just\u2026slept?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep. I didn\u2019t put you in any compromising situation, if that\u2019s what you\u2019re thinking. Though the thought did occur to me,\u201d Adam said, wiggling his eyebrows.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd where did the blankets come from?\u201d Sam asked, seeing that there were, indeed, two blankets.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom Jess.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Good God Almighty!\u201d Sam sputtered. \u201cThe whole town will be talking today. What a wonderful topic of conversation we must be!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam laughed, a full rich laugh. \u201cJess didn\u2019t know you were here. I told him that I needed blankets to cover Fancy with.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to get up and get out of here,\u201d Sam said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d came the answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Neither one moved. And Adam kissed Sam then, the very lightest of kisses. He had bruised her lip once and was careful to not hurt her again. He drew away and then leaned forward to kiss her freckled nose and her still-sleepy eyes. Sam hesitated but only for a second. Her response to this tenderness was quick. And then they were locked in the sweetest of embraces, their arms around each other, their bodies pressed together. Their kisses were passionate and probing. Sam felt the physical response in Adam and she shivered with hunger for him. She guided his hand under her coat and felt the heat everywhere he touched.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX<\/span><\/p>\n

The magic that was happening between them was abruptly ended when the barn door banged and Jess\u2019s off-key whistling could be heard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quickly, Sam jerked away, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Adam\u2019s breathing was equally as labored. They both stood up, and Adam began folding a blanket slowly, letting it hang in front of him as long as he could. Sam threw another blanket over his shoulder \u2013 she wasn\u2019t stupid.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fancy whinnied and Sam\u2019s response was, \u201cOh, Fancy. Shut up!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Morning\u2019, folks,\u201d Jess called out happily. \u201cSnow\u2019s stopped and it\u2019s a beautiful day. I need to clean the stalls in a minute. Maybe y\u2019all should get some breakfast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam couldn\u2019t eat now if she had to. \u201cUh, Jess? Did you mention to anyone that I slept in the barn?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jess grinned and there was a twinkle in his eyes. \u201cI ain\u2019t seen nothin\u2019, Doctor Sam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at Adam. He just grinned as he folded the second blanket.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam rolled her eyes. \u201cOh, go shave!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2026uh\u2026need to change clothes, Sam,\u201d Adam laughed. \u201cYour valise is still here \u2013 he pointed to a corner of the stall. Put on something to ride in, and I\u2019ll meet you at Doc\u2019s office.\u201d He knew that would be the first stop that Sam would make.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have to go by the telegraph office first and see if there\u2019s an answer to my messages I wired yesterday.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou expecting a wire from Robert?\u201d Adam tried to act nonchalant.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRobert? Why would I wire him? He\u2019s a General Practitioner.\u201d Sam couldn\u2019t read the look in Adam\u2019s eyes or the look on his face. \u201cI wired Dr. Osborne and Dr. Morgan.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s face relaxed. \u201cOh,\u201d was all he said. Then, \u201cI\u2019ll bet Jess will let you use his office to wash up and change clothes. Saddle Fancy. I\u2019ll meet you at Doc\u2019s in half an hour.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And he was gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam smiled happily. There were two wires for her. Dr. Montrose had passed the wire to a man he trusted. Though Dr. Osborne stated that he would be unable to come to Virginia City, Dr. Morgan said he would be delighted and would be arriving in two days on the evening stage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam sprinted to Doc Martin\u2019s office, finding Adam already there, leaning back in his chair and sipping a cup of coffee. Sam grabbed an empty cup and poured a cupful for herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is everybody?\u201d Sam asked, looking around.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGretchen and Ted took the Werners to breakfast at the caf\u00e9,\u201d Doc answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow is Ilsa? Has she improved any more?\u201d Sam was worried about the woman.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot much change, I\u2019m afraid. She speaks in that same monotone and her affect is still flat.\u201d Author\u2019s note: A \u201cflat affect\u201d is the medical term for a person who has no facial expression at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Sam said, after she had sipped some coffee, \u201cDr. Stuart Morgan will be arriving in two days on the evening stage. He knows the basic story and is eager to be of help. He understands that Ilsa is just too fragile to travel. He\u2019s a good man and a good physician. This won\u2019t be cheap for the Werners, but it\u2019ll be worth it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam changed the subject. \u201cHow is Friedhelm?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStill a little weak, but all his vital signs are in the normal range. But he needs to lead a stress-free life if he wants to continue to improve.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam nodded. \u201cAnd Gretchen? How is she?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStill sore and healing quicker than I had thought. But I think Ted is a welcome distraction. There seems to be something going on between the two. It\u2019s obvious that Ted loves her, and she\u2019s warming up to his kindness and understanding and attention.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam sighed with relief. \u201cOkay, now I can go on with my day. I still have house-hunting to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She looked at Adam and saw his face turn to stone. She doesn\u2019t want me. This morning was just a bad twist of Fate. I\u2019ve lost her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you said we could go for a ride. I assumed that you meant you would go look at houses with me and give me some good advice.\u201d Sam was genuinely puzzled by the change in Adam\u2019s demeanor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI\u2019ll be glad to help you.\u201d I\u2019m a liar, but the least I can do is to give good advice if she wants to leave me.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Sam was thinking. He\u2019s willing to let me go. I had hoped that, after this morning, he would know how I felt. I was wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc watched as the two walked away. He shook his head sadly. \u201cWhat a waste of genuine love.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam took Sam to all the places that he knew were up for sale \u2013 and there weren\u2019t that many. But Sam took a tour through each house, finding fault with some and being discouraged by Adam\u2019s advice on others. But Sam remembered one house that had possibilities and she wanted to go there and look at it again.<\/span><\/p>\n

The street was a quiet one, and the house did have possibilities. It was larger than what Sam was looking for, and it needed some work done. But there would be no major renovations at least.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at Adam. \u201cWhat do you think?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There was a twitch around Adam\u2019s lips but Sam couldn\u2019t figure out what was so amusing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam spoke. \u201cThis area is quiet. The house needs only a little fixing-up. It may be larger than I need, but maybe I can use the extra space for something.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave you wondered why it\u2019s so quiet?\u201d Adam asked, his lips still twitching.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe the neighbors sleep late? Maybe they\u2019re older folks who don\u2019t make a lot of noise? There aren\u2019t many houses on this street. That\u2019s a good thing, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam chuckled. \u201cThis area gets noisy at night. The neighbors are busier at that time. And, if you live here, you\u2019ll have to change your profession.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The dawn of realization hit Sam. \u201cYou don\u2019t mean\u2026 This isn\u2019t\u2026 Oh, Lord!\u201d Sam blushed to the roots of her hairline. \u201cAdam! I might have bought this house!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam laughed and put his arm around Sam\u2019s shoulders. \u201cThere would have been plenty of men callers. But not the kind you expected.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam sprinted out of the house and Adam was hard-pressed to catch up with her. To his credit, he really tried to smother his laughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s shoulders sagged. \u201cI\u2019ve got to find a place to live! I can\u2019t keep bouncing around from Doc\u2019s office to the hotel to the Ponderosa to a stall in a livery stable. What am I gonna do, Adam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had one more idea. \u201cCome with me,\u201d he said as he turned Sport in another direction. \u201cI have something to show you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, stop laughing!\u201d Sam scolded as she and Adam rode out of town. \u201cIt\u2019s not that funny!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am. No, ma\u2019am,\u201d Adam answered, but he continued to chuckle.<\/span><\/p>\n

The day couldn\u2019t have been more perfect weather-wise if Adam had put in an order for it. The sky was absolutely cloudless; the storm from yesterday had covered the ground with fresh white snow, several inches deep; there was no ice to slip on; and the sun was bright and reflective off icicles hanging from tree limbs. It looked like a thousand diamonds were surrounding him and Sam. Every now and then, a bird would sing or a rabbit would hop by. There was a kind of hush on the land \u2013 a silence broken only by the sound of hooves crunching in the snow.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked at Sam and was happy that her face was completely serene. She had rosy cheeks and a gentle smile on her face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam thoughts turned not toward this morning\u2019s almost-romp in the hay but toward how he had felt last night when he sat in Fancy\u2019s stall in the hay and had held Sam as she slept. How full his heart had been then! He couldn\u2019t imagine life without her. Please let my plan work!<\/span><\/p>\n

Because of the snow that had piled up, landmarks were hard to distinguish. But Sam wasn\u2019t afraid because she knew that Adam could find his way anywhere. Adam. So strong. So smart. So thoughtful. I love him and he doesn\u2019t know.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam reined in Sport outside of a stand of tall Ponderosa pines, dismounted, and tied his horse securely to a fat tree limb. He helped Sam dismount and tied Fancy close to Sport.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can go the rest of the way on foot,\u201d he said as he took Sam\u2019s hand to guide her through a large snowdrift.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, this house is pretty far out of town. I don\u2019t know if I\u2019m gonna like that or not.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust wait til you see it,\u201d came the answer. \u201cIf you don\u2019t like it, I\u2019ll understand.\u201d Please like it!<\/span><\/p>\n

The thick trees had provided protection from most of the snow, so the walking was much easier. They reached the spot quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere,\u201d Adam said proudly. \u201cWhat do you think?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked. She saw a huge clearing with freshly-fallen snow. But there was no house. Adam\u2019s gone crazy. The stress has affected his mind and he is completely insane!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u201d Sam said gently, \u201cthis is a beautiful place but there is no house here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure there is,\u201d Adam grinned. \u201cCan\u2019t you see it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Sam answered sadly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not looking,\u201d Adam said with a smile. \u201cThere\u2019s a two-story house there, made completely out of strong Ponderosa pine. You\u2019re looking at the front of the house \u2013 see the big porch and the rocking chairs? On the left side of the house is the kitchen with a pump to bring water right into the sink. On the right is a big room with a huge fireplace made of stone. There are plenty of windows so the sun can shine in all day. Can\u2019t you see it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And somehow Sam could see it. In her mind\u2019s eye she could see it as though she were looking at a painting.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, there\u2019s a room to the right that can be used as a sort of office,\u201d she said, dreamily. \u201cAnd upstairs are three, maybe four, bedrooms with lots of windows. And another fireplace. And there\u2019s a barn off to the side with a corral. And in back of the house there\u2019s a dining room with windows that look out toward the Sierra Nevadas. What a beautiful house!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at Adam with dreamy eyes. \u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful house. Wonder why nobody has bought it yet?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause it\u2019s been waiting just for you,\u201d Adam said softly. \u201cLook around. Does this land, this view, ring a bell with you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam snapped out of her dream-state, and the house was gone. She looked around and somewhere a past memory began to stir. The iced-over creek was familiar; the hundreds of trees that surrounded the clearing were familiar; the view of the Sierra Nevadas was familiar. And suddenly she remembered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam! This is your land that your father gave you! This is where you planned to build your house! Do you mean you\u2019d sell it to me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be obtuse, Sam,\u201d Adam scolded mildly. \u201cI would never sell this land. But I would share it with you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShare it?\u201d Sam echoed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam chuckled at the shocked look on Sam\u2019s face. \u201cI\u2019m not going about this the right way, am I?\u201d Turning Sam\u2019s face to his, his voice became serious. \u201cI\u2019m going to build a house right where I showed you and it will be just like I described. And like you described. But I want it to be more than just a house. I want it to be a home, filled with the aroma of bread baking and food cooking. And I want it to be filled with the sound of laughter. I want to hear the sounds of children playing. I want to see bars of lavender soap in every bedroom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam gaped. She thought she knew what Adam was getting at. Please let me be right! She stood still.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want to share all of this with you, Samantha Nielsen. I want to marry you. I want to share my name with you. I want to sleep next to you at night and wake up with you beside me in the morning. I want to work during the day and come home and find you waiting for me. I want to stand beside you when our children are born. I want to watch our children grow. And, when we get old, I want to sit on the front porch with you and rock in the rocking chairs. I want to hold you and protect you and take care of you for the rest of my life. I offer you all that is me and mine, the good and the bad.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tears streamed down Sam\u2019s cheeks as she pulled away from Adam and walked into the snow in the clearing. Adam walked slowly behind her, his heart pounding.<\/span><\/p>\n

When he reached her, she turned around. \u201cThere\u2019s something else I need to hear,\u201d she said simply.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had to laugh at himself. With all his flowery words, he had forgotten the most important words of all. Taking her hands in his, he softly uttered the magic words that he had left out. \u201cSamantha, I love you. More than you can ever know. And I want you to be my wife. Will you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI knew I loved you before I met you. I think I dreamed you into life,\u201d Sam said as she touched the dark stubble on Adam\u2019s face. \u201cThe things you want are the same things that I want. God, how I love you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Their arms went around each other and their kisses were sweet and tender. And, when Sam pulled slightly away, she could see that Adam\u2019s cheeks were wet with his own tears. She wiped them away and smiled as he kissed her on her wrinkled little nose.<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly, his lop-sided grin appeared. \u201cCan I take that as a \u2019yes\u2019?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright, you\u2019re absolutely incorrigible!\u201d She stooped to pick up a handful of snow and threw it at him. \u201cThat was definitely a \u2019yes\u2019!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam grabbed her and lifted her high into the air, spinning around and around, his face was joyous. He lost his balance and they both tumbled into the cushioning snow. They were two children playing and their laughter rang through the trees.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go tell your family!\u201d Sam finally said, wiping as much snow from her coat as she could.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWonder what they\u2019ll say?\u201d Adam thought aloud.<\/span><\/p>\n

The answer, when they reached the house, was the sound of three \u2013 no, make that four, because Hop Sing was included \u2013 happy shouts of, \u201cWhat took you so long!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

End<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Next in the Adam & Sam Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam’s Angels
\n<\/a><\/span>Bringing up Babies<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0Sam returns to Virginia City to help Doc Martin and also to try to rekindle the romance with Adam. But Adam is involved with another woman. Sam’s life is in danger, but who is the culprit?<\/p>\n

Rated T (53,215 words)<\/p>\n

Adam and Sam series, links to all the stories within the series included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":378,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1005,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adam-cartwright","category-romance","wpcat-1005-id","wpcat-3-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/bonanza-1.jpg?fit=193%2C140&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/52"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1170"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1170\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}