{"id":12481,"date":"2016-01-17T20:21:52","date_gmt":"2016-01-18T01:21:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12481"},"modified":"2025-02-18T19:20:20","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T00:20:20","slug":"pride-and-ponderosa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12481","title":{"rendered":"Pride and Ponderosa (by Sandspur)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong> What happens when Jane Austen\u2019s ultimate chick-fic, \u201cPride & Prejudice,\u201d crosses into the burly, macho, he-man world of Bonanza? Confusion? Kidnappings? Crossover characters from other series like \u201cBronco\u201d and \u201cthe Big Valley\u201d? Anything can happen\u2014and anything\u00a0does!<\/p>\n

Rating:<\/strong> T. Totally clean, but one description of an unseemly death. \u00a0WC 86,200<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pride and Ponderosa<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chapter 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr. Bennet\u2014and Those Other People<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife. So said Jane Austen in 1813, and so it was more than half a century later.<\/p>\n

Of course, over time other philosophers had observed many other truisms as well: chief among them was the fact that while love was both deaf and blind (and frequently stupid), marriage opened the eyes, ears, and mind admirably. Such were often the thoughts of Mr. Bennet, fast approaching his 24th<\/sup> wedding anniversary. In his callow youth, when he had been a single man in possession of a goodly fortune, he had married a great beauty. She was pink-cheeked and blue eyed; her curls were golden and soft to the touch; she dimpled when she smiled. And she always smiled. She was the prettiest of three sisters, and Bennet had scarce believed his luck when he won her hand from the other ardent suitors.<\/p>\n

About three weeks after the wedding he figured out why<\/em> he had won her. Beauty notwithstanding, his pretty, dimpled bride was about as dim as a morning in the London fog. Generations of inbreeding, that was the sad conclusion he reached\u2014the Gardiners and the Plums always intermarried. It was a joke that the Plums could not exist without proper gardening, after all. And somehow he had inserted himself into that family, and won himself a bride\u2026and she was congenitally stupid.<\/p>\n

It might not have been so bad had she been stupid but good-hearted. She was not even that. She was self-centered, prone to clinging to him and whining or sobbing until she got her way. In the early years of their marriage he had the strength to put his foot down, shouting \u201cno!\u201d for good measure. But that was only in the early years.<\/p>\n

Bennet\u2019s older brother inherited the family estate of Longbourn; Bennet himself had to settle for the running of a business the Gardiners owned in London. But between the foul-smelling fogs of his home city and the whining of his wife, Bennet occasionally wondered whether he disliked his residence or his marriage the most.<\/p>\n

One day he came into possession of a dime novel about the western territories of the United States. Mr. Bennet loved to read, and fancied himself a great intellectual\u2014but his strongest reading preference was for dime novels, since they always worked the problems out by the end of the story\u2026no one had ever bothered to tell him that real life usually was not so conveniently arranged. This book in particular seemed to paint that land out West as everything good, where the men were real men, strong and decisive, and where the women knew who was boss. It was a land where one could strike gold or silver and make a fortune. Giving the matter considerable thought, he decided that, removed from her family, perhaps his wife would improve. And even if she did not, he could make his own fortune and a name for himself\u2014quickly, as the men in the dime novels did. So he sold his share in the business, gathered up his sobbing wife and two sobbing daughters, and caught a ship across the sea. Landing in New York City, he took them as far as he could by train (not very) and then purchased a wagon and a team of powerful horses. He had seen pictures depicting the pioneers going across the country, the women silent and brave in their modest ginghams and bonnets, the men stoic and masculine in their suspenders and slouch hats, whipping the horses to greater effort and traveling great ground-eating distances each day.<\/p>\n

But no one had told him that horses tended to resist this procedure; that even a well-trained team of four could tell when there was a novice driving them; that his soft hands would be cut and scarred by the leather reins; that wagons had all the suspension of a box of rocks and his bottom would be roundly bruised by the end of the day. And no one had told him how his wife, far from being silent and brave, would whine endlessly about the inconveniences in travel and the state of her nerves. She also possessed a disdain for ginghams and refused to wear a bonnet from last year. Such disheartening obstacles nearly forced him to stop for good in four states and two territories, but his pride compelled him on, for he had told his family he intended to make a fortune in \u201cthe Colonies.\u201d<\/p>\n

At length Bennet arrived in Virginia City, and invested most of his money in a silver mine. He had the bad luck of investing in the only silver mine to stop producing before the year was out, and so he sighed, hearing by now that gold had been discovered in California, and packed up again.<\/p>\n

As it turned out, panning for gold was hard work. Thinking long and hard about his predicament, Bennet realized that gold strikes were not a guarantee of riches. In fact, it seemed to him that the only way to guarantee an influx of money was to be the one who sold supplies to the miners. There were always more miners coming from the East, or even from other countries, to try their fortunes. And those miners needed food. Mainly, they needed beef. Prime cattle were a more surefire guarantee of riches than any gold or silver mine. And so Bennet packed up his sobbing wife, his two silent and confused daughters, and his new infant\u2014another girl\u2014and located some promising property in the north of California, near a fledgling city called Sacramento. He moved his family there, knowing deep within himself that this time he would succeed. After all, cattle were stupid, lazy and slow. All one had to do was feed them, keep them producing, and then sell them to other people as the prime ingredient in their dinners.<\/p>\n

No one had told him that ranching was even harder than mining. He had never realized the extent of trouble a slow, lazy and stupid animal could cause (although in the philosophical reflections of his later years, he berated himself for not seeing it foreshadowed in the behavior of his beloved, dimpled wife). He had never known that cattle could not be kept in one place for long or they would eat all the grass and then starve. They were not good at seeking shelter from storms, and in fact when loud noises came they lost all pretense of sense and rushed headlong in every direction, trampling anything in the way.<\/p>\n

Again he gave up, and determined to try his hand at shop-keeping in San Francisco, since, in spite of his best efforts to separate his wife from her family, Bennet\u2019s brother-in-law had brought Mrs. Bennet\u2019s sister there the previous year. But before he could pack his sobbing wife, three silent and confused daughters, and new infant\u2014yet another girl\u2014into the wagon and move again, he chanced to meet a man who would change his life.<\/p>\n

The man\u2019s name was Saul Driscoll, and he was a cattleman\u2026of sorts.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell you what I\u2019ll do,\u201d Driscoll told him over brandy and cigars. \u201cI need a reliable man and a sizable piece of land to run my beef on, and you have both. You obviously don\u2019t know what you\u2019re doin\u2019 or you\u2019d be makin\u2019 a better job of it. I need the land but not the publicity. So you and your family can stay. I\u2019ll buy the place lock, stock, and barrel, but you can live here free\u2014until you die. Once you die, your family will need to clear out, because everybody knows a woman can\u2019t make a job of running beef. But until that day you can live here pretty as you please, and I\u2019ll bring in a foreman of my own to run the place. I\u2019ll even pay you a stipend for keeping your mouth shut. Deal?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDeal,\u201d Bennet said, and there it was. He didn\u2019t know that Saul Driscoll was a rustler, and he needed a nice respectable ranch to keep his stolen cattle. Nor did it occur to Bennet ask questions, since he had never seen such a plot device in a dime novel and because he was running rapidly out of options.<\/p>\n

Well, now things would be different, he told himself. And they were. For the next ten years the Bennets\u2014Mr. Bennet, his sobbing wife, his five daughters (who were not silent any longer, though they were all occasionally confused)\u2014lived comfortably and respectably on a ranch they did not own, and Saul Driscoll prospered in silence.<\/p>\n

The sole, self-imposed duty of Mrs. Bennet\u2019s life had always been to see her daughters all married to wealthy young men. But sometime during the decade in which Longbourn ranch prospered under Saul Driscoll\u2019s silent leadership, Mr. Bennet allowed Mrs. Bennet to find out his secret\u2014that he was no longer the master of Longbourn. Since learning that choice fact, finding rich husbands for her daughters was now Mrs. Bennet\u2019s sacred mission. After all, the ranch would not be passed on to any of the women upon Mr. Bennet\u2019s death; therefore, she had to think of her own place in life. And she did\u2014to the point of actually worrying her \u201cpoor nerves\u201d into a state.<\/p>\n

Jane and Lizzy, the two older daughters, were 21 and 20, and not particularly worried about finding husbands. Spinsterhood didn\u2019t really apply until the late 20\u2019s, and in a part of the country where men still outnumbered women, the two girls were pretty enough and bright enough to have their pick of eligible bachelors, as long as those eligible bachelors didn\u2019t require a prospective mate to have a lot of money. Mary, 19, had Lizzy\u2019s love of reading and Jane\u2019s shy smile, but no interest in men. Her life was spent in absorbing useless legal or historical information and then wondering what to do with it. Kitty, 18, was bright enough, but quite ashamed of it, and thus preferred flirting. Lydia\u2014the \u201cbirthday surprise\u201d as Mr. Bennet called her in his more charitable moments\u2014was but 15, and had but one thing on her mind. And alas, she was such a featherbrain that no one could figure out what it was\u2026else this story would be 40 pages shorter.<\/p>\n

Chapter 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr. Cartwright\u2014and Those Other People<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some 150 miles northeast of Sacramento was a second ranch, being worked by no less a man than its owner. It was called the Ponderosa, and the Messrs. Cartwright, who owned and operated the ranch, had built it up from a 40-acre claim to a wonder of the modern West.<\/p>\n

Benjamin Cartwright had once been a sailor, and he still knew the tides, winds, currents, knots, sails, and all the other things sailors needed to know. But when he was still very young he had gotten the dream of going out West and establishing himself \u201cwhere there\u2019s room to grow.\u201d And so he had done. Like Mr. Bennet, he had taken a wagon and team across the states and territories; like Bennet he had invested in a silver mine and claimed a piece of ranch land. Unlike Bennet, he expected the work to be hard, but that was something he was used to, so he was never disappointed. Like Bennet, he had married a beautiful wife; unlike Bennet, he found his wife intelligent and lovable. And unlike Bennet, he lost her with the birth of his first son. During his travels Cartwright had taken another wife; she too had died, a casualty in an Indian attack not long after the birth of Cartwright\u2019s second son. Finally establishing himself to some extent in the cattle business and with a small amount of cash recouped from his silver mine investment, Cartwright took a trip to New Orleans and returned with a new wife. This one also gave him a son, and she even lasted long enough that Ben and his skeptical firstborn thought she might stay with them a while, but a badly behaved horse ended that hope not long after the third son\u2019s fourth birthday.<\/p>\n

Ben and his boys built their ranch with their own blood, sweat and tears, and while they toiled, they added to their land and cattle almost daily. Eventually, when Ben\u2019s youngest was 17 years old, Ben Cartwright could claim 1,000 square miles as his own land, and of course, on his death it would be divided among his sons, unless he chose to give them their share upon their marriage. Not that any of them had an immediate interest in marriage. They were young and busy and there was plenty of time.<\/p>\n

Some 50 miles away from Sacramento, and some 200 miles from the Ponderosa, there was a third ranch being built up. It was called the Barkley Ranch\u2014no fancy naming conventions here\u2014and was owned by a man named Tom Barkley. Barkley had no claim to fame, but he was known to Ben Cartwright chiefly because Tom\u2019s wife, Victoria, had been the best friend of Ben\u2019s first wife, Elizabeth. Little had Ben known Victoria would marry a cattle rancher too. Or that Tom would die suddenly\u2014and that far from being the silly, simpering woman everyone assumed her to be, Victoria would prove herself a force to be reckoned with, silently declaring war on the men who laughed and patronized her about her \u201cnice little farm.\u201d She soon drove those unfortunate souls out of the business and swallowed their ranches with her own. As ruthless as any man, she succeeded because no one expected such behavior from her.<\/p>\n

Now, Ben Cartwright would never have patronized Victoria in the first place, and his own ranch was far enough away that they generally did not compete. Except for friendship, he knew of no bond between the two families. His three sons were friends with Victoria\u2019s four sons (she had adopted a blond boy named Heath who coincidentally looked a lot like Tom not long after Tom\u2019s death), and Ben\u2019s three sons were all polite and friendly to Victoria\u2019s blonde and beautiful daughter, Audra.<\/p>\n

What Ben didn\u2019t know was that when Elizabeth was alive, she and Victoria had often discussed their status as \u201csisters in all but blood,\u201d and talked about how lovely it would be if they could somehow be truly related. At one point Liz had said \u201cperhaps we\u2019ll have common grandchildren. Suppose one of my children married one of yours.\u201d Well, she had only had one child, Ben\u2019s firstborn son Adam, and Tom and Victoria knew that well enough for they had stood godparents to Adam back in Boston. And Victoria only had one child who was eligible to marry Adam, and that was her only daughter. Well, she decided, the Lord had provided. Audra and Adam would marry.<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t bother to ask either Audra or Adam how they felt about this arrangement.<\/p>\n

Chapter 3<\/strong><\/p>\n

East Comes West<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright and his two brothers arrived at the Bar Fly ranch after four hot and dusty days in the saddle; they\u2019d pushed it a bit at the end because Adam was getting crabby. He\u2019d been opposed to the idea from the very beginning; it struck his engineering and architectural bent as decidedly impractical at best and downright foolish at worst.<\/p>\n

In Ben Cartwright\u2019s view it was simple. The Army post at Ord Barracks needed to eat. He had bid on the contract to supply them with beef. Adam had hit the roof at the very beginning.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, that\u2019s nearly 200 miles from here. It\u2019ll take the better part of a month to move a herd that far, and through those mountain passes we\u2019re likely to lose a third of the bunch\u2014not to mention they\u2019ll lose so much weight on the trip it would scarcely be worth it at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot the way I have it worked out,\u201d Ben had replied, unrolling a map of Nevada and California. \u201cRight here\u2014\u201d he jabbed the map\u2014\u201cis a little more than two thirds of the way. I\u2019ve done some checking, and there\u2019s a failed ranch there that\u2019s been standing empty for two or three years. I\u2019ve taken a lease on the place. It\u2019s probably in some disrepair; you and your brothers can go down and make it right before we send the first herd west.\u201d He squinted at the map. \u201cYou\u2019ll move the herd to that point, keep them there about a week and a half, feed \u2019em up good and proper, and they\u2019ll gain back the weight they lost. Then you take them the remaining way to Ord\u2014that part of the trail is easy on the cattle\u2014and we\u2019ll recoup the losses and then some.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cBetween the cost of leasing this white elephant of a ranch and the costs of making it operational again, I don\u2019t see how we\u2019ll make much of a profit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe won\u2019t,\u201d Ben said with a shrug. \u201cNot this time. But we have to think of the future. Look, son\u2014we\u2019re already supplying the cavalry with horses. We\u2019re trying to move our beef with the Army as well. Army posts are scarce in this part of Nevada. We have to look westward. And as the Ponderosa brand gets better known west and south, we\u2019ll be able to increase our market there. By the time the railroad is complete our cattle will be known in San Francisco and even further south.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what you\u2019re trying to do, Pa, but it just seems like a very risky proposition without much return on the investment. Maybe ten years from now, but this just isn\u2019t a good time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs our Hebrew friends like to say, \u2018if not now, when?\u2019 I believe that\u2019s the way the saying goes. I\u2019m broadening our horizons, son. Have a little faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had did have a little faith, but he still thought the idea was a bad notion\u2014and his opinions were not improved when he, Hoss and Little Joe finally arrived at the Bar Fly. The place was a mess. Abandoned by its last owner almost three years earlier, the fences were in a sad state. The house had become a home for coyote and bats in the last year, the barn was filled with rats and owls, and deer had trampled down the hay. It would take weeks, if not months, to get this place into decent enough shape to use it as the way station his father intended.<\/p>\n

Adam looked around the place while he took a swig from his canteen. His nose and throat both felt covered with dust, and he choked on his first swallow. Joe and Hoss were feeling daunted by the task before them, too. \u201cReckon we shoulda brought more pack horses,\u201d Hoss observed. \u201cWe ain\u2019t got nowhere near what we\u2019ll be needin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s supposed to be a town somewhere nearby,\u201d Joe said, trying to remain cheerful. \u201cMulberry Ridge. Tomorrow we can start the real work.\u201d<\/p>\n

They spent the rest of the little sunlight making the six horses comfortable, then pulled their bed rolls out and dropped into them. They\u2019d start on the house in the morning.<\/p>\n

Joe and Hoss went into the tiny town of Mulberry Ridge the next morning with a list of supplies to procure, probably four times the amount they had brought along. They took Sport along to replace his lost shoe. In the store they lifted their hats politely to a group of girls, two of whom burst into hysterical giggles; the other three merely looked embarrassed. Little Joe, however, ran a practiced eye over them (he was the quickest in the Cartwright family at evaluating horses and women) and singled out an interesting possibility on the spot. Then a shrill-voiced older woman, who had probably once been pretty, called them, and the five girls instantly dashed out to her. Joe wondered about the pretty girl\u2014but, unfortunately, they were there for supplies, and Adam tended not to be understanding about priorities being rearranged. Joe had never figured out the inner workings of his brother\u2019s mind\u2014for some reason Adam always preferred following his father\u2019s instructions to flirting with pretty girls, and that alone was enough to keep Joe a safe distance from Adam\u2019s brain.<\/p>\n

Eventually they returned to the Bar Fly in a rented buckboard with enough supplies to build a whole new ranch, so they claimed. They had left Adam with what they thought would be the easy work of cleaning up the house. They walked in to see, much to their surprise, that the broken windows had been knocked out, swept up, covered with waxed paper as a temporary fix, while being measured and marked for glass; the kitchen had been scrubbed from ceiling to floor, and the floors of two of the three other downstairs rooms, as well as all the upstairs, had been washed and waxed. However, their repeated calls for Adam going unanswered, they went into the last downstairs room and found him unconscious, under a rat-nibbled moose head that had fallen from the wall at about the moment he had slid in a pile of coyote droppings and bat guano.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hate this place,\u201d was all Adam said when he was finally able to talk again.<\/p>\n

Chapter 4<\/strong><\/p>\n

East Almost Meets West<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mrs. Bennet had a way of getting information when she really wanted it. There were two new men in town, one of them a downright pleasure to look upon, and the other, though taking a little more getting used to, had a sweet and kind countenance as well. They had money, obviously, considering the two well-bred, stylish horses on which they had arrived. The muscular chestnut on the long lead had raised interesting possibilities as well\u2014obviously he was a saddle horse, but where was his rider? Then there was the large rented wagon piled high with expensive supplies with which the two had departed. This town did not easily extend credit to strangers, after all.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Bennet! Mr. Bennet!\u201d she screeched upon returning to their buggy from the store. \u201cYou will never believe it! Someone has let the Bar Fly!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally? That monstrosity? I am sorry for him, then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Papa; it is not him<\/em>. It is them<\/em>,\u201d cried his youngest daughter, Lydia, who also liked finding out choice informational morsels. \u201cThey<\/em> are three sons from the Ponderosa ranch in Nevada, and their name is Cartwright!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, their name will be mud by the time they\u2019re finished with that place,\u201d Bennet replied. \u201cInto the buggy, children, and let us go home. I have a newspaper from San Francisco that calls out to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Papa,\u201d Lizzy protested, \u201cThe Ponderosa is famous. I\u2019ve seen it mentioned in the newspaper before. It is a vast ranch and very successful. Perhaps you could learn something from them!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do well enough, daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Mr. Bennet, surely we must welcome them as neighbors! Is that not the hospitality for which the American West is so famous?\u201d His wife\u2019s lower lip began to tremble.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dear, you say \u2018American West\u2019 as if it is a place in a book and not a place where you have dwelled the last 16 years. Consider the customs you know from experience, and then<\/em> ask me your questions.\u201d For many years now he had attempted to induce her to think a little on a subject before asking him, but it was not working.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Bennet, you simply have no compassion on my poor nerves! All I wanted was to exhibit Christian charity to a couple of poor newcomers to our town, and you have turned it into a Latin examination!\u201d<\/p>\n

While Mr. Bennet had no idea what was Latin about his comment, he did know there would be no peace in his house if he did not stop off at the Bar Fly on the way home to greet the \u201cpoor newcomers;\u201d therefore he sighed and clucked to the horses. An hour later they drove through the gates of the Bar Fly to find the fully loaded wagon still sitting in front of the house. The two young men they had seen at the store were carrying out a trunk, while inside they could hear another voice indistinctly articulating its owner\u2019s dissatisfaction with this part of the country, the people who lived there, and said people\u2019s parents, cattle, and housecats. This was followed by a large crash from indoors, followed by another stream of highly imaginative adjectives and at least one verb to which the Bennet girls had never been exposed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter go tell him we got company,\u201d mouthed the smaller man.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ain\u2019t in no fittin\u2019 condition to receive guests,\u201d replied the other, turning back toward the inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell at least tell him to shut his trap!\u201d Then he turned back toward the buggy with a lovely smile. \u201cGood morning, sir; ladies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning,\u201d returned Mr. Bennet. \u201cWe\u2019re the Bennet family, your neighbors, sir. Just stopped by to give you greetings. We live but four miles to the north off this same road. We have the Longbourn Ranch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLonghorn?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; LongBOURN.\u201d Bennet smiled. \u201cIt\u2019s the name of my family\u2019s estate in England. Again, welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s real nice of you, sir. My name\u2019s Joe Cartwright, and the big fella that just went back inside is my brother Hoss. Our brother Adam\u2019s here too, but the shape the inside of the house is in right now, it just wouldn\u2019t be polite of me to invite you in. Apparently the bats and coyotes have made themselves real at home in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not surprised,\u201d Bennet said dryly. \u201cThe previous owner was not noted for cleanliness. When he departed this area, he left a rotting hog carcass on the table and a side of beef hanging in the kitchen. I\u2019m sorry you find the place in such a wretched state.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that\u2019s all right,\u201d Joe said with a smile that none of the six females missed. \u201cReckon me and my brothers\u2019ll get it whipped into shape pretty quick. That\u2019s what we\u2019re doin\u2019 right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Bennet could wait no longer. \u201cMr. Cartwright, you must meet my daughters. These are Jane, Lizzy, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia.\u201d She smiled and added breathlessly, \u201cthey\u2019re not married.\u201d<\/p>\n

Four of the daughters crimsoned at that; Jane actually turned her face away. Lydia giggled shrilly. Looking uncomfortable, Joe put on his charming face again and said, \u201cWell, I\u2019m real glad to meet all of you, and I thank you for bein\u2019 such good neighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll come and dine with us tomorrow after church, won\u2019t you?\u201d Mrs. Bennet demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cUm\u2026well\u2026we\u2019d love to, Mrs. Bennet. Now if you\u2019ll excuse me\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

At that minute Hoss burst through the front door, one hand over his nose and mouth, and the other clutching a huge moose head by the antlers. Although yet inside, it seemed Adam Cartwright still had words for the situation, and the words found their way outside most disadvantageously: \u201cI dunno what grit-eatin\u2019 flannel-mouthed sidewinder of a hound-dog crawled up in there and died, but if I catch its mother I\u2019m gonna slap her right into next Tuesday\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe turned red and apologized.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Mr. Bennet chuckled. \u201cI was always taught that the hallmark of a proper gentleman is the ability to swear without repeating oneself in a sentence. We\u2019ll see you all tomorrow, then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYessir,\u201d Joe agreed, and Bennet quickly pulled the buggy away before any other question-inducing words could be heard from the great indoors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell!\u201d Mrs. Bennet uttered. \u201cWhoever that last fellow is, he certainly snubbed our hospitality most rudely. And based solely on his vocabulary I can already tell that he is hardly a gentleman!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the smell issuing from the house was any provocation, I believe he was justified,\u201d Mr. Bennet murmured. \u201cBut then, perhaps you would like to return and help him clean it up, my dear.\u201d<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Hoss walked over to Joe as the buggy departed. \u201cWho was that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur new neighbors, I reckon. Just tryin\u2019 to be neighborly and welcome us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI figger a real neighborly sort would\u2019ve offered to help out. We got enough work here for 10 people and there\u2019s just three of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he only has daughters.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw that. But he ain\u2019t a girl hisself, is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno. What happened in there, anyhow? Adam usually ain\u2019t quite that careless with his words.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell in the first place, he\u2019s got a knot on his head the size of a Coulter pinecone, and in the second place, whoever stuffed that moose head didn\u2019t do a good job of it; the thing busted wide open right after I got back inside and it smells like Satan\u2019s butt, I\u2019m tellin\u2019 ya. Now the whole house is stinkin\u2019 to high heaven after Adam just scrubbed the place on his hands and knees for the last three hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo wonder he\u2019s mad. Well, let\u2019s get back in there and help him before he drops somethin\u2019 else on his head. Think we oughtta get a doctor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI already asked him. He said he\u2019d fry me in my own juices if I tried.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, he must be okay. He always agrees to see a doctor if there\u2019s really something wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Joe, I think he\u2019s got a concussion. The way he\u2019s staggerin\u2019 and stumblin\u2019 I\u2019m just about positive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith a granite head like his? If he\u2019s not worried enough for a doctor, I won\u2019t worry about it either. Hey, did you notice that oldest Bennet girl, with the strawberry blonde hair? She sure was pretty\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 5<\/strong><\/p>\n

Great Ladies and Perfect Gentlemen<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joe and Hoss duly reported to the Bennets\u2019 house the following afternoon, making polite and rueful excuses for their elder brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m real sorry about Adam, but he got hurt yesterday and just ain\u2019t up to visitin\u2019 yet,\u201d Joe informed the Bennet family.<\/p>\n

\u201cHas he seen a doctor?\u201d Mr. Bennet asked. \u201cThere is one in town, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s purdy stubborn about seein\u2019 medical men iffen he don\u2019t hafta,\u201d Hoss put in. \u201cWe think he\u2019s just got a little concussion, so if he just stays off his feet for a couple a\u2019 days he\u2019ll be right as rain. We don\u2019t call him the Yankee granite head for nothin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen perhaps he will come with you to the dance Saturday night,\u201d said a dark-haired, dark-eyed girl whom Hoss remembered from the store as Kitty.<\/p>\n

\u201cDance?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes, by all means!\u201d The youngest girl, Lydia, set up an instant clamor. \u201cThere\u2019s one in town each Friday this time of year, and if you don\u2019t all come we shall be SO disappointed!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe and Hoss exchanged warring glances. Of course they wanted to go; how could they not? It was a dance, after all. But Adam thought they were there only to work\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cUm, Miss Bennet\u2026and all the other Miss Bennets\u2026\u201d Joe stammered, \u201cMaybe we haven\u2019t made it real clear up to now, but you see, we\u2019re not actually movin\u2019 here to stay. Our Pa just took a lease on the Bar Fly. We\u2019re fixin\u2019 it up right now and we\u2019ll be usin\u2019 it periodically whenever we move cattle through. We won\u2019t be livin\u2019 here. So maybe it\u2019s not a good idea to be part of your community\u2014appealing though the idea surely is.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the outpouring from the table was heartbreaking to both Hoss and Joe, and in the end they agreed to come to the dance anyway, though they could not vouch for their elder brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps he thinks he is too good for such company as us!\u201d Mrs. Bennet said sharply, already being bitterly disappointed by the young man\u2019s earlier \u201csnubbing,\u201d and now finding her sensitivity compounded by his failure to turn up for dinner.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no ma\u2019am,\u201d Joe hastened to assure her. \u201cIt ain\u2019t like that at all. Adam just\u2014he, well, he\u2019s a real hard worker, and when he ain\u2019t workin\u2019, he don\u2019t hardly know how to enjoy himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

This was not the least bit true, although Joe believed it was. Adam knew a great many ways of enjoying himself, and he had been known to be fond of dancing. But as far as Adam was concerned, the Bar Fly was a project to be finished, and that as quickly as possible, so he could return to his pleasant home. This trip had already cost him the chance to see a Mozart opera and two concerts. And he still wanted nothing more than to get home, even after Hoss and Joe returned with glowing reports of their reception at the Bennet ranch. He further remained unmoved at their mention of the dance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got three weeks worth of work here,\u201d he growled. \u201cIt\u2019s not gonna happen by itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s also not gonna happen after dark,\u201d Joe reminded him. \u201cThe dance starts at sundown. Now whether you go or not is up to you, but seems to me you could spare the two of us when it\u2019s too late to do any work anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed. \u201cAll right. Go ahead. Have a good time; relax a little. But don\u2019t go drinkin\u2019 too much. Come Saturday morning, it\u2019s right back to work again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno,\u201d Hoss put in. \u201cIt\u2019s awful hard fer me to keep track of Little Joe, the way he\u2019s always skitterin\u2019 around. You know it usually takes both of us to watch him, older brother, else he\u2019ll go gettin\u2019 hisself into all kindsa trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam made no answer to that, but he did have to admit that Hoss was right. Joe was seldom deliberately irresponsible, but at age 21, he had not yet completely figured out just how much whiskey was safe to drink and where the line was drawn between cute tipsiness and disgusting drunkenness, and when the whiskey was disguised in punch, it was that much harder to keep watch on one\u2019s condition. Perhaps it might be best for both older brothers to go along\u2014in a purely supervisory role.<\/p>\n

The week wore on, excruciatingly slow, but while Adam managed not to further injure himself again\u2014much\u2014the brothers saw a carriage approaching on Wednesday that could only mean bad news. It was not the Bennets\u2014which momentarily relieved the Cartwrights until they saw who it was. Adam couldn\u2019t help an audible groan. He\u2019d forgotten they<\/em> lived in Sacramento now.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright,\u201d Deborah Banning called with her usual cool elegance. \u201cHow lovely to see you again. Your father said you were out here. Very cruel of you not to come and visit us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re only here on business, Mrs. Banning,\u201d Adam said, managing to sound friendly. \u201cWhat occasions this visit?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard about your project and thought you could use some help. Melinda and I can help you clean the place up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally,\u201d Adam muttered, and cleared his throat with an effort. \u201cHonestly, Mrs. Banning, most of the indoor work is complete. It\u2019s just the outside that we could use assistance with, and that\u2019s hardly lady\u2019s work. I\u2019m sorry to have brought you all this way for nothing\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing? Don\u2019t be silly. I can see from here\u2014and you haven\u2019t invited me down yet, by the way\u2014all sorts of things still crying out for a woman\u2019s touch. We\u2019ll stay here and get the place ship-shape while you boys do the outside things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda Banning was no more anxious to be there than the Cartwrights were to have her there. She still had cheek-burning memories of their first encounter some years before. Her mother had insisted on pushing her at Little Joe, who would have quite welcomed a wife at the time, but Melinda had been more interested in Adam. In fact, she had thrown herself at him, much to his annoyance. (He hadn\u2019t even been embarrassed about it, she realized later. Just annoyed.) Joe had been furious at Adam, who had rolled his eyes and ridden off to Tucson for a month. Melinda was certain Adam had at least gotten a nice vacation out of the deal, but he had managed to avoid every visit the Bannings had paid since their move West, and Melinda was certain it was because of her. But now, there was no escaping contact with him\u2014and in less than five minutes she knew his feelings for her had not changed, either. It was a bitter pill to swallow\u2026so she didn\u2019t swallow it. Instead she vowed to renew her efforts.<\/p>\n

Deborah Banning declared it would require weeks\u2014and servants from her home\u2014to fix the place up properly, and nobody could talk her out of it. Even Joe\u2019s protest that there simply wasn\u2019t room for them fell on deaf ears. \u201cWe\u2019ll share a room, of course. We can \u2018rough it\u2019 as well as you \u2018menfolk\u2019 can.\u201d<\/p>\n

This further meant, of course, that when Friday night arrived (to find the Bar Fly headquarters looking and smelling like a mostly decent house) and the three Cartwright boys in varying states of excitement over the upcoming dance, there was also no way to avoid taking the Bannings along. None of them had brought their really fancy duds, but they did at least have clean clothes. Hoss drove the ladies over while Adam and Joe took their baths (cold ones\u2014the chimney still needed a cleaning and the stove was backed up). At sundown they left for Mulberry Ridge. It was a pleasant ride, the weather warm but not yet hot, and there was a nice breeze.<\/p>\n

And apparently there was a pack of coyotes out, whose scent wafted across that pleasant breeze all of a sudden, and hit the sensitive noses of the two Cartwright horses full blast. Both of them squealed and bolted, and one decided to rid himself of his rider first. And his rider, who had been thinking of supply lists and work schedules, less-taxing cattle routes, and other niceties, found himself sitting on his\u2026niceties\u2026while Sport tore off squealing into the night.<\/p>\n

By the time Joe had recaptured Sport and Adam had finished pulling the thorns out of his right arm and outer thigh, it was after dark. Not only that, but the simple act of standing upright sent out shooting pains in every direction from an old back injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be late,\u201d Joe fretted, while Adam looked at him in amazement.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you kidding? I can\u2019t go like this! I\u2019m filthy. No decent girl would dance with me, and besides\u2026.\u201d His pride wouldn\u2019t let him admit just how badly his back was hurting; not to Little Joe, anyway. His younger brother believed him indestructible. He finished lamely, \u201cI\u2019ve turned into a pincushion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, those nice Bennet sisters already think you\u2019re stuck up. You don\u2019t go to the dance tonight and you\u2019ll prove it, especially if you\u2019re sending the Bannings in your stead. Just dust yourself off and you\u2019ll be as good as new.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do we care what they think?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we\u2019re gonna be keeping a herd of cattle here a couple weeks at a time to fatten them up again before they go on to Ord Barracks, so we\u2019d best be neighborly. You never know what can happen,\u201d Joe said with a shrug.<\/p>\n

\u201cNeighborly, huh. They already drove off and left us with all our cleaning and me with a busted head. How neighborly is that?\u201d But there was no point in continuing as Joe had already put Cochise into a lope.<\/p>\n

Adam sighed and wondered why he was in such a bad mood. Granted, he still thought this was a bad idea; granted, his father had given him the real poop-end of the stick by putting him in charge of this assignment; granted, he wanted to be home with a book and a brandy. But none of that could be blamed on his brothers, or the Bennets, or even the Bannings, so he squared his shoulders and resolved to be nice.<\/p>\n

The resolution lasted until they reached Mulberry Ridge, but not long after. Arriving at the dance, they were immediately accosted by Mrs. Bennet and her daughters\u2014all of whom had met with a frosty reception by the Bannings and were feeling quite put upon. And Adam had been in too bad a shape on Sunday to realize quite how shrill Mrs. Bennet and Lydia could be, but it didn\u2019t take long to catch on to it now. All he could think of was retreating from the noise, as soon as he could.<\/p>\n

He danced dutifully with Mrs. Banning and Melinda, then grabbed a whisky to soothe his throbbing back and found a hiding place. There was a quiet corner to lean into, where he could watch things in peace. As long as Little Joe didn\u2019t have too much punch and Hoss didn\u2019t trod on poor Kitty\u2019s foot, maybe things would be all right and Adam could get to bed soon.<\/p>\n

Joe had hit it off almost immediately with the oldest Bennet girl. Right now he was dancing with someone else\u2014Rosita, Adam vaguely remembered from their introduction\u2014but even so he was glancing over at Jane periodically and smiling.<\/p>\n

Adam watched Joe, dancing with Rosita but smiling at Jane with a look like a calf who\u2019d just seen its first meadow. Gee, I hope he doesn\u2019t go falling in love again. He\u2019s already done it twice this spring.<\/em><\/p>\n

He groaned at the thought. Whenever Joe fell in love, he fell over a cliff, and it was the rest of the family who had to pick up the pieces. And Jane was a pretty thing with her strawberry blonde curls and big innocent eyes, but who\u2019d want to be a part of that family with that shrill cow of a mother?<\/p>\n

He was jarred out of his less-than-pleasant thoughts by the arrival of Hoss, who had fallen victim to a cut-in.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow come you ain\u2019t dancin\u2019, Adam?\u201d he demanded. \u201cIt\u2019s like a smorgasbord and here we are\u2014all we need\u2019s a plate! I\u2019ll tell ya, Joe\u2019s about fit to be tied over that Jane girl and even I\u2019m findin\u2019 pretty gals to talk to!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t you, Hoss? You\u2019re a prime specimen.\u201d Adam shook his head. \u201cYou and Joe have been keeping company with all the good-looking girls anyhow. And the rest\u2026.\u201d He rolled his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, Adam, that just ain\u2019t so. Look at that dark haired gal over there. That\u2019s Jane and Kitty\u2019s sister Liz\u2019beth, and she\u2019s about as purdy as a picture. Whyn\u2019t you go ask her for a dance?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam followed the huge but discreet finger and nodded a little. \u201cShe\u2019s not bad, I guess. But then all the other fellas are avoiding her like the plague. Now where we come from there\u2019s usually a reason for that kind of treatment, and I don\u2019t need to jump into a tub of scalding water.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you don\u2019t even know the girl! She might be just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, I don\u2019t even want to be here. You and Joe dragged me along, remember?\u201d He cut himself off from telling Hoss about his injured back. Hoss could be as big a mollycoddler as Pa. \u201cLast thing I want to do is go cavorting around the room with some girl that\u2019s gettin\u2019 stood up by all the other fellas. I\u2019d rather be in bed with a book right now. So you go dance with whoever you please, and just leave me here. Come get me when it\u2019s time to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Bennet had just walked by and heard the last part of Adam\u2019s lecture, and was smiling, half in rage and half in incredulity. She bit her lip and waited until the dance ended, whereupon she immediately sought out her best friend Rosie. \u201cYou must hear this,\u201d she whispered. \u201cSee that dark fellow over there, the one all in black?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes. He\u2019s quite handsome.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut wait until you hear what he said about me. He said he didn\u2019t want to \u2018cavort about the room\u2019 with a girl all the other fellows were \u2018standing up,\u2019 and for that matter he said he\u2019d rather be in bed with a book!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Lizzy, you love to read before you go to bed!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, but not when I\u2019m at a dance. If he didn\u2019t want to be here, why did he come at all? Why just stand around looking as if he\u2019d been sucking a lemon rind?\u201d<\/p>\n

Across the room, Adam saw the two girls giggling together. He sighed at the thought of being that free, or even just having someone to laugh with. But something was bothering him besides his back. Who was this Rosita girl? He knew he\u2019d never met her before; he would have remembered a girl who looked like that. But her name was somehow familiar.<\/p>\n

That<\/em> was it\u2026Rosita Morales, whose real name was Isabella Maria In\u00e9z de Castro de la Cuesta, had a centuries-old land grant from Spain, back when all this land was a Spanish possession\u2014and she wanted what was hers. Ben and Adam had written a beautiful letter, detailing the number of people living on the land, and how long they had lived there, and what struggles they had gone through to make their homes there, and what would happen if they lost the land. It was not only a portion of the Ponderosa that was at stake. There were other families in the area, farmers like Andy and Mary Logan, who would\u2019ve lost everything. The letter had pleaded their case in words a big-city lawyer would never have used, but somehow, it had worked. The de la Cuesta grant claim had been withdrawn, and Rosita Morales had descended back to the anonymity she\u2019d risen from\u2026but where that was, and who<\/em> she was\u2026.<\/p>\n

Naw,<\/em> he told himself. Rosita Morales is as common a name as Rosie Smith in these parts. Couldn\u2019t be the same one. Besides, this Rosita Morales is a cantina girl. Hardly<\/u> a great lady.<\/em><\/p>\n

Chapter 6<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unwelcome Guests<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mrs. Bennet declared Friday night\u2019s dance to have been quite a triumph for her eldest daughter, Jane. All the other girls at the dance had been quite overshadowed by Jane\u2019s loveliness. And that absolutely darling young man, Little Joe Cartwright, certainly could not keep his eyes off Jane. That politeness and good breeding had forced him to dance with other girls as well (including her own, for he had danced that night with all five of her girls\u2014and a few other town girls, even the odious tart, Rosita Morales) was an inconvenience but certainly not a tragedy, for he certainly had no interest in any of them. He seemed quite riveted to Jane and, should Mrs. Bennet have anything to do with it, he would be literally riveted to her before long.<\/p>\n

As for the other two brothers, Mrs. Bennet had plans for at least one of them as well. Hoss was, as she snidely observed, not the most fragrant gardenia in the greenhouse, but having a third-share of a wealthy ranch was nothing over which to turn up one\u2019s nose, and he was agreeable enough to follow Mary and Kitty wherever they led. As far as Mrs. Bennet was concerned, Mary and Kitty were the unremarkable ones. Jane was beautiful; Lizzy was stubborn; Lydia was the baby. Yes, Hoss could have one of the other two without unduly inconveniencing her\u2026and Adam\u2026well, he was a rude, arrogant, bad-tempered fellow; that was quite plain. His rudeness would have been perfectly acceptable, had he exhibited an interest in any of her daughters, but since he had not, well, he was quite unpardonable. Unfortunately, Mrs. Bennet had to remain civil to him (or at least what passed for civil with her), since he was generally with his brothers.<\/p>\n

It was the Monday following the dance that Mrs. Bennet hit upon the brilliant idea of sending Jane out to the Bar Fly to offer her housekeeping services while the men worked out on the range. \u201cRemember what the place smelled like last time we were there, dear. Those men will be so grateful to you that Little Joe is bound to ask if he may walk out with you. And then you\u2019ll have him where you want him!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you mean, where you<\/em> want him, Mother?\u201d Lizzy asked.<\/p>\n

Jane blushed and looked near tears. \u201cMother, please, I don\u2019t think this is a good idea at all. Besides, those other women who went to the dance with the Cartwrights are probably cleaning the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be silly, Jane. Those are real<\/em> ladies. They can\u2019t be bothered with anything menial. And the Cartwrights are a working family. You\u2019re sure to impress them all if you show them what a hard, cheerful worker you are!\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Bennet rolled his eyes in disappointment, but this was a clear occasion where if Mrs. Bennet did not have her way, the entire house\u2014and especially Mr. Bennet\u2014would suffer. Jane was a good-natured, phlegmatic girl. Surely she could tolerate an afternoon of floor mopping, or whatever people did when they cleaned a house. He had no time for such trivialities, anyway. He was preparing for his annual meeting with Saul Driscoll and Driscoll\u2019s foreman, Tunney.<\/p>\n

Spring roundup had gone well and the herd size was increasing dramatically. (Bennet assumed the increase was due to calving, and both Driscoll and Tunney kindly allowed him to think so.) Business was going so well that Driscoll even provided a little bonus for Mr. Bennet.<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad to see you\u2019re lookin\u2019 healthy,\u201d Driscoll observed. \u201cI like the way the place is running. Yup, business is going mighty well. I wish my home life was going half so well.\u201d<\/p>\n

That brought to Mr. Bennet\u2019s mind the tales he had heard, years ago, of a notorious gunfighter, a kid named Sam Driscoll. Of course, \u201cDriscoll\u201d was not exactly a rare name, and that young buck had been somewhere around Kansas City, but even so, he couldn\u2019t help wondering if the two were any kin. Not that he would have asked; oh no, that would be ever so indecorous. He was therefore mightily surprised when Saul Driscoll looked at him and said, \u201cIn a way I envy you, havin\u2019 girls, Bennet. Had to cut my son off, you know, and he\u2019s the only kin I got in the world. Keep meanin\u2019 to re-write my will and make it official but then I keep hopin\u2019 he\u2019ll come back.\u201d He sighed. \u201cMust be nice to have girls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Outside, following her mother\u2019s plan\u2014and at the moment, feeling rather dreadful about being a girl\u2014Jane put the sidesaddle on Nelly and rode down the road toward the Bar Fly. She was a little less than a mile shy of the place when her day got a lot worse.<\/p>\n

The snake was just a little coral-bellied ringneck, barely a foot and a half long and no bigger around than a man\u2019s thumb. Its venom wasn\u2019t much to speak of, even if it was inclined to bite horses or people, and its red underside was just something to display when it needed to look scary. However, venturing out into the open on a cloudy day like this one was something for only the boldest snakes, so this one had decided to look its meanest and boldest.<\/p>\n

And as far as the horse was concerned, it worked just fine. At first sight of the blue and red creature by the road, she reared sky-high with a squeal that could be heard a mile away, and came down running hard for home. Not that Jane cared\u2014never the best rider, she had come off while Nelly was still in the air.<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright saw the whole thing\u2014all but the cause\u2014from the fence he\u2019d been repairing. He mounted Sport and galloped to the rescue. Well, it didn\u2019t look as if anything was broken. She had a nice-sized knot on her head, though. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry,\u201d the girl whispered, and began to cry.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be fine,\u201d Adam said reassuringly. Carefully, he lifted her into Sport\u2019s saddle, and then got up behind her. He got her back to the house as quickly as he could while still remaining gentle, and handed her down to Hoss and the two Banning ladies.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere ya want me to put her?\u201d Hoss asked, holding the girl\u2014who had apparently fainted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno\u2014in my bed, I guess. I\u2019ll sleep on the kitchen floor tonight. It doesn\u2019t matter. She\u2019s in no shape to be moved far. Do what you can; I\u2019ll go get the doctor and on the way back I\u2019ll tell her folks.\u201d<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

The doctor kept going straight at the Longbourn turn-off, but Adam took a deep breath and turned left onto the narrow road. He met a buggy at one point, vaguely remembered enough from the brief meeting at the dance to know that this was not Mr. Bennet, and so he nodded politely and kept going. \u00a0At the house he jumped down from Sport, tossed a rein over a nearby hitching rail and strode rapidly to the front door. Something in him cringed as he heard two young voices giggling behind him, but he refused to turn and look at them and instead pounded on the door. Inside he heard the awful woman whose loud voice he\u2019d heard several times at the dance. \u201cHeavens, Mr. Bennet, someone knows Mr. Driscoll has just been here and has come to rob you! We shall all be killed!\u201d<\/p>\n

Mentally, Adam steeled himself as the door opened. Fortunately it was Bennet himself. He looked at Adam in puzzlement. \u201cMr. Cartwright the eldest, isn\u2019t it? How may I help you, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Bennet, I\u2019m sorry to tell you there was an accident. One of your daughters was riding a horse near our house and she took a bad fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indoors, Mrs. Bennet shrieked at the top of her lungs. \u201cJane! My darling Jane is dead!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo ma\u2019am!\u201d he said, and that made the woman silent for a moment. \u201cShe\u2019s not dead. She\u2019s got a bruise on her head that looked pretty bad, and she fainted on the way back to the house. The doctor\u2019s on his way there now. I came to see if\u2026\u201d he looked pleadingly at Mr. Bennet\u2026\u201cif YOU, sir, might want to come back with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense!\u201d shrieked Mrs. Bennet. \u201cI\u2019m Jane\u2019s mother! I shall go!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMother, think,\u201d cried another female voice, and the brown-eyed girl Adam remembered from the dance, the girl all the fellows had avoided, came marching up to the doorway like a general to the battlefield. \u201cMother, Jane is injured. There will be blood and possibly even\u2026\u201d she glanced at Adam and blushed, then said defiantly: \u201cvomit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh good heavens!\u201d Mrs. Bennet screeched. \u201cOh, my poor nerves!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, of course,\u201d Mr. Bennet murmured. \u201cHow dare Jane be ill in the presence of your nerves, my dear Mrs. Bennet. You\u2019re absolutely right, Lizzy\u2014go get Patch and go with Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot Lizzy!\u201d Mrs. Bennet wailed. \u201cWhy, none of the men there even liked her. Get Kitty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMother!\u201d Lizzy urged, \u201cWe are scouting neither for Indians nor husbands! My sister is hurt, and I am the best suited to take care of her. Kitty would only make herself ill, and I am certain those Ponderosa men would be most disappointed in such weak behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam wondered for a minute if everyone in the Bennet household always acted as if there was no Mr. Bennet present, and decided it wasn\u2019t his business. He did have a sudden, indistinct mental picture of how Ben Cartwright would act if a similar situation occurred in his house, and covered a smile as he turned to go back out.<\/p>\n

Lizzy had led out a mostly white horse with a large brown blotch across its face and neck, and was, with some difficulty, throwing a saddle across it. He rushed over to her and with a muttered \u201cExcuse me,\u201d saddled the horse himself. \u201cYou, um, don\u2019t ride side saddle?\u201d he asked as he tightened the cinch. She eyeballed him without a word, and then climbed into the saddle, ignoring his outstretched hands. Before he had mounted Sport, she and Patch were leaving a dusty wake. As Adam looked up the trail after them, the first raindrops splattered on his hands. By the time he and Sport had caught up to the slower Patch, it was raining, and as they reached the yard of the Bar Fly the sky broke wide open and dumped Noah\u2019s flood on them.<\/p>\n

Chapter 7<\/strong><\/p>\n

Down in the Valley<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bar Fly sat in a valley, so the constant downpour resulted in the road being washed out, and the water was almost hip-deep on Little Joe, who returned from his fence line only with difficulty. The doctor\u2019s carriage was trapped, as was the Bannings\u2019. So for three days the Cartwrights found themselves playing host to the Banning women, the two Bennet sisters, and the doctor. Had this been one of Mr. Bennet\u2019s dime novels, it would have been the setting of a great romance, as there were four men and four women stuck under one roof and a great flood going on all around them.<\/p>\n

But the Banning women looked with barely concealed disdain on the Bennet sisters, and were forever finding fault with their clothing, horses, ranch, and in general this part of the country\u2014although in truth it was less than 30 miles from the Banning home in Sacramento. Jane Bennet, even if she had felt well enough to participate, would never have lowered herself to retaliate. Lizzy Bennet, however, was another story. She had a sparkling and malicious wit, and little compunction about using it when she felt put upon.<\/p>\n

Between the doctor and Mrs. Banning an almost instant loathing sprang up. Melinda Banning still sighed after Adam Cartwright, and Joe could not look at Melinda without embarrassment. On the other hand, Joe\u2019s new flame Jane was also a captive audience, and so Joe made a point of bringing up the hot water for bathing and cold water for drinking and even the medicines, when he could wrest them from the doctor\u2019s grasp. Then he would look around for any excuse to stay, in spite of Lizzy\u2019s murmurs about what their father would say, or Mrs. Banning\u2019s huffy \u201cWell!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I read to you, Miss Jane?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like that,\u201d Jane said softly. She said everything softly\u2014one of the things Joe liked about her. (She also called him \u201cJoseph,\u201d and for some reason he liked that about her, too.) But she also stood her ground when charged\u2014another thing he liked. He had taken her outside at the dance and tried to steal a kiss, but while she had been polite about it, her answer had been a positive \u201cno.\u201d She didn\u2019t kiss men she wasn\u2019t engaged to, she had told Joe quite firmly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ever been engaged?\u201d he asked her.<\/em><\/p>\n

She looked down. \u201cNo\u2026I have peculiar ideals for an engagement, Joseph. That is to say, the man I marry will have to meet a high standard.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cReally? What kind of standard?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe must be a man of honor\u2014someone I can completely respect.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

That alone had made Joe gulp. He had expected money and property. This crazy girl was talking character.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t mind if he liked to wet his whistle, but I could not marry a drunkard.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Another gulp.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t mind if he occasionally played at cards, but I would not want a gambler.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe broke into a cold sweat.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe must be a man who can control his temper and think things through. I have known people who made decisions in the heat of the moment, or because of some misplaced passion, and then watched them regret those decisions forever.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe began to give serious thought to handing Jane over to Adam and going after the giddy sister, Lydia.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t have to be a great scholar, but I would like a man who does not mind reading\u2014you see, I like to read, and I like to be read to. So I hope my husband would read to me from time to time; of course this also means he must have a pleasant voice.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Definitely gotta turn this girl over to Adam, Joe thought\u2014until her next words.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have a decidedly pleasant voice, Joseph.\u201d She was looking right at him, something few girls did for more than a minute before demurely dropping their eyes. \u201cI\u2019m sure you think I\u2019m a bit silly\u2014don\u2019t protest, please. Let me finish. You see, the man I marry will be someone I can worship and adore whole-heartedly. So, don\u2019t you think he should be worthy of that worship and adoration?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, uh, sure.\u201d He had given her a weak smile. \u201cSo what does worship and adoration consist of, Jane?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2026\u201d And she giggled. He loved her giggle. \u201cAt a minimum, frequent kisses.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d Things were looking up. \u201cWhat else?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m an excellent cook,\u201d she proclaimed. \u201cMy husband would be the best-fed man within a hundred miles. Don\u2019t you think proper nutrition is important to a man?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI, uh, sure do.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

She looked around suddenly, her expression secretive. So he looked around, too. Satisfied that no one else was near, he asked, \u201cAny other special treatment?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, of course after a hard day\u2019s work, my husband would be tired, and so I would draw him a hot bath, and wash his hair, and scrub him head to foot.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHead to foot? Really?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCleanliness is next to godliness, isn\u2019t it? I\u2019m a virtuous woman, Joseph.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI can tell. So you\u2019d make your husband nice and clean.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that\u2019s not all. Then I would rub his feet to help him relax. I would think a relaxed husband would be much happier than a tense one. What do you think?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI think relaxing is a great idea, Jane. I\u2019d love to be relaxed.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Shy girls offered the most delightful surprises. Joe had been her devoted slave from then on. So he spent his time reading to her\u2014something he would not have done for anyone else in the country, not even his brothers.<\/p>\n

For Hoss the time was unmitigated boredom. None of the women interested him in the least; he disliked and distrusted the Bannings, although he was far too kindhearted to let it show. He was shy and tongue-tied with the Bennets; as much as he had enjoyed himself at the dance with their younger sister Kitty, he simply had little in common with the two older sisters and little interest in their subjects of discussion.<\/p>\n

For Adam, he might as well have been in the ninth circle of Dante\u2019s hell. Here he was stuck playing nursemaid to two snobs, a sick girl, and another girl who obviously hated him, since her every word to him was coated in ice and her every movement in his presence was veiled with suspicious glances. He did not waste time wondering what was wrong with her, however\u2014he was too tired. He was sleeping next to the doctor (who snored louder than Hoss) on the kitchen floor\u2014until the water slid under the door and covered the ground floor. At that point he and the doctor moved upstairs to the room Hoss and Joe were sharing, and for Adam and Hoss, it was reminiscent of the covered wagon days when everyone crowded into the back of the thing, sitting or lying atop the trunks and boxes and furniture in a vain effort to stay warm and comfortable.<\/p>\n

Of course, once Hoss and the doctor got really going, the sounds emanating from the room sounded like a huge hive of bees on the warpath, and at times like those Adam and Joe slept at the top of the stairs.<\/p>\n

It was worse, or so Adam thought, when the limited dry portions of the house made neither avoiding each other nor ignoring each other possible. He didn\u2019t know the one positive effect it had on Elizabeth Bennet. Lizzy, being ensconced with Jane in Adam\u2019s room, had noticed the small stash of books he had brought along. Not knowing whose books they were, but noticing Joe seemed to have free access to them since he spent a bit of time reading to Jane, she had asked Joe if she could read one of them, and Joe had agreed. So it was that Adam passed the doorway at one point to hear her reading aloud to Jane from a volume of John Greenleaf Whittier. Unsettled, he stopped for a moment to listen. Then, shaking his head with a wry smile, he turned away to find the hall blocked by Melinda Banning. \u201cI read Whittier in college,\u201d she said in superior tones. \u201cPretty poor stuff, if you ask me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I believe you\u2019re in agreement with Hawthorne,\u201d he replied coldly. \u201cTo the very word, in fact. Now, if I<\/em> were going to plagiarize, I would choose Whipple\u2014but I would also say<\/em> I\u2019m quoting him. Whipple said reading Whittier was having your soul take a bath in holy water. I feel much the same when I read Whittier. I\u2019m sorry your experience with him wasn\u2019t more pleasant, but I\u2019m sure if you continue reading Hawthorne, you\u2019ll be able to express his displeasure more eloquently next time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy heard this, and for a moment sat in silence. Against her will, she smiled a little, and then turned back to Jane and continued reading.<\/p>\n

Jane improved slowly, and by the morning of the fourth day, when the water had receded enough to make the roads passable, the doctor declared her fit to go home. This, she and Lizzy were glad to do.<\/p>\n

Chapter 8<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Most Unwelcome Guests of All<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI declare, I have never met such a horrid man as that Adam Cartwright.\u201d Mrs. Bennet was clearly vexed, not that it took much. This time, however, she and her husband were in complete agreement about something.<\/p>\n

The oldest Cartwright boy had shown up this morning, herding five cows. It was enraging enough to Mr. Bennet that the man was able to keep the cows together and moving, as it was a skill Bennet had never attained.<\/p>\n

The look on the young man\u2019s face spoke volumes, both of anger and of a strange sort of discomfort. \u201cMay I speak to you privately, sir?\u201d he had addressed the man of the house in polite but strained tones, and then all but dragged him outside and as far from the women as he could.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat on earth is your meaning, sir?\u201d Bennet had demanded. \u201cI\u2019ve not even had my breakfast yet!\u201d It was barely 7:30 in the morning, after all.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese cows were on our property this morning,\u201d Cartwright said quietly, but there was a hard edge to his voice that made Mr. Bennet quite nervous.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy apologies, of course, but perhaps you should mend your fences.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m working on that, Mr. Bennet,\u201d Cartwright replied, in that same polite but threatening tone. \u201cSir, my intent was simply to drive them back onto your land\u2026but then I started looking at them and saw something that concerned me. Mr. Bennet, how intimately are you involved in the day-to-day running of this place?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, I\u2019m involved in all of it, of course. It\u2019s, um, my land, after all. What an impertinent young man you are! To what end was that question?\u201d<\/p>\n

He just countered the question with another of his own. \u201cHow many head of cattle do you run?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026um\u2026five or six thousand, I think\u2026give or take a few. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat kind of hay are you growing in your south field?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bennet thought long and hard, certain that Tunney and Driscoll must have discussed this in their meeting, but equally certain that he couldn\u2019t remember what they had said. \u201cUm, alfalfa, I think\u2026or perhaps timothy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Scowling, Cartwright went on, \u201cHow many stomachs does a cow have?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood Lord, young man! How many stomachs does anything have? The Almighty gave me but one, and that\u2019s enough for any cow. Why in the name of all that is civil are you asking me these foolish questions?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright pinched the bridge of his nose and turned away, and Bennet was quick to press the advantage he didn\u2019t have. \u201cMr. Cartwright, you have turned up early in the morning\u2014I\u2019m barely awake for heaven\u2019s sake\u2014and without a word of apology have begun interrogating me about the workings of my ranch, something I don\u2019t see as being any business of yours. Now I\u2019m sorry my cows discommoded you, but really, that\u2019s the problem of your property, not mine. I thank you for the return of these cows, and wish you a safe journey back to the Bar Fly.\u201d<\/p>\n

He started to stride past the young man and back to his house, only to be brought back face-to-face with Cartwright in a most forceful manner as Cartwright grabbed him by the lapels of his dressing gown and swung him about. \u201cI could have you hanged. Or run out of town. But I don\u2019t believe in killing people for being foolish. Who really owns this place, and who really runs it? If you don\u2019t come up with a believable story real fast I\u2019ll leave, all right, but I won\u2019t go to the Bar Fly, and I\u2019ll be back here within the hour and the sheriff will be with me. Do you have any great desire to be hanged for cattle rustling, Mr. Bennet?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bennet shook off the offending hand. \u201cI don\u2019t have any great desire to be hanged for ANY reason, sir! Now pray tell me how MY cattle wandering onto YOUR unfenced land is grounds for branding ME a thief?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFunny you should say \u2018branding,\u2019\u201d Cartwright retorted. He pushed Mr. Bennet by the shoulder and continued to push him until he was standing face to hindquarters with one of the retrieved cows. Cartwright stretched out a hand toward the large, elaborate \u201cLB\u201d brand that Saul Driscoll had designed. \u201cBennet, you are a lucky man. If you\u2019d been capable of answering even one of my questions correctly the sheriff would be here now. I\u2019ve seen brand altering for years, and this stuff is an expert job of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf what are you talking, sir? You are grossly insulting both my intelligence and my honor!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so,\u201d came the reply. \u201cYour land won\u2019t support more than 3,000 head of cattle, not the five or six you claim. The stuff growing in your south field is wildrye. Alfalfa and timothy won\u2019t grow here. And the good Lord may have given you only one stomach, Mr. Bennet, but he gave cows four. Not to mention that any real rancher would\u2019ve been up, fed, and at work for hours by 7:30 when you had just gotten up. As for your honor\u2014\u201d he pointed at the cow\u2019s branded flank again. The cow regarded his hand with patient uninterest, and returned to grazing. \u201cDo you mean to say you really<\/em> don\u2019t know what I\u2019m getting at?\u201d<\/p>\n

He covered the L and the curlicues on the B, and Bennet could\u2014if he tried\u2014make out the tracings of a very plain, stylized B. \u201cThat\u2019s the brand of the Barkley ranch in Stockton, 40 miles from here.\u201d He dragged Bennet over to another cow, covered most of the B and a portion of the loops on the L. There stood the stark II of the famous Double-Eye ranch some 30 miles away, with the arched \u201ceyebrow\u201d under one of the L\u2019s loops. \u201cThat one over there is your neighbor on the other side. But most of them are from farther away. Most of these cows are being stolen from herds a good way off, and then brought here. Since you\u2019re not the one doing it, I\u2019d like to know who is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bennet felt the blood leave his face and rush for somewhere safer. \u201cI\u2026I didn\u2019t know. I swear, I didn\u2019t\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI already said I know you\u2019re not a part of it. But you know who is, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ranch isn\u2019t mine. Not anymore. Hasn\u2019t been for some time. I sold it many years ago, to a Mr. Driscoll. He\u2026he calls himself my silent partner. He brings the cows here. He and Tunney, the foreman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cartwright made an almost animal growl. \u201cMr. Bennet, how long ago did this happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Bennet correctly deduced that he was in considerable danger, but considering the vile temper of the young man in front of him, he knew not from where the greatest danger would come. \u201cTen years\u2026I sold the ranch to Driscoll ten years ago. He\u2026he said he was a philanthropist but everyone plagued him about his money, so he wanted a quiet place to keep the cows without attaching his name to it. He\u2026he paid me a yearly stipend to keep up the land, and then hired the ranch hands himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red-faced, Adam Cartwright threw his hat on the ground. \u201cSaul Driscoll and Hogan Tunney used to be part of the Attaway outfit. They must\u2019ve stolen more cows than are in all of Texas. They\u2019ve been wanted men for 11 years! And you\u2019ve made it possible for them to keep their cattle rustling operation going for a decade now!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, how was I supposed to know?\u201d Bennet asked, quite reasonably\u2014he thought. \u201cI\u2019m English. I have no interest in all this cattle wrestling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRustling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever it is, I have no interest in it. It never occurred to me to steal cows from other people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it never occurred to you to wonder why a man would finance the running of this ranch with you living on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it didn\u2019t. He was always a soft-spoken gentleman, Mr. Cartwright, with a great concern for his reputation. Considerably more so than yourself. Why, he told me only a few days ago that he was ashamed of his son and was going to cut him off for disgracing the family name.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cartwright burst out laughing, but it was not a good-humored laugh. \u201cDid he tell you how the son disgraced the name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, of course not. And I never asked. Wouldn\u2019t have been discreet, would it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bending down to pick up his hat, Cartwright dusted it slowly and thoughtfully on his black canvas work trousers, and then turned back to face Mr. Bennet. \u201cThe Driscoll family never did an honest day\u2019s work in their lives, Mr. Bennet. Saul Driscoll used to have real reasons to be proud of his son, too. But one day the kid got religion and off he went to a seminary. He\u2019s a preacher now. That\u2019s why he\u2019s a disgrace to the family. And it works both ways. He\u2019s so ashamed of Saul that he won\u2019t even use the Driscoll name anymore. Mr. Bennet, I\u2019ll give you two weeks to make things right\u2014go to the sheriff, report your dealings with Driscoll. Tell him you didn\u2019t know\u2014I\u2019ll back you up, and who knows, my name may carry some weight out here. But if you don\u2019t fix this, I will.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the house, Bennet dimly heard Kitty and Lydia loudly squabbling over the ownership of a hat. \u201cBut I have a family,\u201d he said softly. \u201cWhat will happen to my girls? We have no place to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the first time, young Cartwright looked uneasy. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned and went back to his horse, and rode away without saying goodbye. Mrs. Bennet, at the door, had heard little of the conversation; just enough to know that Cartwright expected them to leave. \u201cWho does that young rascal think he is?\u201d she demanded. \u201cI declare, I never met such a horrid man as that Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bennet pondered. He had always considered himself an honorable man, but now he realized he had merely been a failure and a dupe. And the position he found himself in now was no easier. Adam Cartwright had the look of a man who did not issue threats lightly. He would certainly go to the sheriff if Bennet did not. But going to the sheriff would\u2014at best\u2014end the comfortable life of the last decade, leaving Bennet with no idea where he could take his family or what he could do. And at worst, if Driscoll was as bad as Cartwright said\u2026and again, he didn\u2019t look like the sort of fellow to exaggerate\u2026Driscoll could come after him for vengeance, and his wife and five daughters would be left alone in the world.<\/p>\n

Finally, he decided to send word to Adam Cartwright that he would see the sheriff\u2014provided Cartwright accompany him. But the next morning, it was taken out of his hands. Tunney, the foreman, rode in from a trip out of town to report that Mr. Driscoll had been killed in an \u201caccident.\u201d Tunney just as quickly quit his job and departed in haste, taking the payroll and the ranch hands with him. The next day, the sheriff arrived with a large posse and a grim look in his eye. He said little to Mr. Bennet, but handed him a warrant and subpoena, and the posse set about rounding up the cattle. By the end of the day there wasn\u2019t a single bovine on the place. Even Bessie the milk cow was taken.<\/p>\n

For a brief day or so Mr. Bennet thought, despite the loss of the cattle, money, and employees, things really might be over. After all, Driscoll\u2019s son would surely not want to be associated with anything his father had been involved in; he would not claim the ranch, would he? And perhaps the Cartwrights would lease the land for their own beef. Then he and his family could keep the house and their easy lives, and the land would go on as before. But at the end of the week a letter arrived.<\/p>\n

Dear Mr. Bennet,<\/p>\n

Doubtless you have heard of how my unhappy father, Saul Driscoll, met his recent demise. My name is David Clayton, and I am his son. We were estranged, as you were probably aware, but I am his sole heir.<\/p>\n

I have inherited the Longbourn ranch. Apparently, it was one of the few things my father legally owned and was not seized after the fall of his empire. I will be arriving a fortnight from this Wednesday evening to discuss events with you. I was originally inclined to tell you simply to get off the place, but there are those who tell me you never understood the nature of my father\u2019s business, and I am willing to entertain the possibility that they are right. I will beg your gracious hospitality to put me up for the night, sir, and on Thursday morning we will thrash out matters further, for the present state of events just will not do.<\/p>\n

Yours faithfully,<\/p>\n

S. David Clayton<\/p>\n

n\u00e9 Samuel D. Driscoll<\/p>\n

Chapter 9<\/strong><\/p>\n

My Kingdom for a Dance<\/strong><\/p>\n

There were two more dances in the next fortnight, and the Cartwright boys\u2014and the Banning women\u2014were found at both of them, although Adam was usually standing in the corner leaning against the wall with a whisky in his hand. The \u201cuppity\u201d Cartwright, as he was known, came to the dances only to find fault with the others there\u2014so said the town. He danced only with the Banning women (the townspeople never noticed that he danced but one dance with each) and then headed for the whisky. He was probably a drunk, said some.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Bennet was always willing to contribute to the gossip, telling anyone who would listen that she had personally overheard that uppity Cartwright threatening Mr. Bennet with jail<\/em> if he didn\u2019t leave the Longbourn ranch. One thing led to another, and the story grew to the extent that the Ponderosa \u201cempire\u201d was trying to expand into California. In a sense, of course, this was true, but not the sense which the townspeople understood.<\/p>\n

Still, the two younger Cartwright brothers were so bright and pleasing as to disarm the Mulberry Ridge residents for the most part. It was only the uppity eldest who was to blame for the unwelcome events\u2014whatever they<\/em> were, for no one really understood\u2014that had befallen the Bennets.<\/p>\n

Hurt and sore though he was that night, Adam had kept an eye on Lizzy Bennet for a large portion of the evening. He\u2019d been trying for some time to figure out why other fellows tended to avoid her, and finally reached the conclusion that it was because her conversation usually consisted of books, and also that people who weren\u2019t prepared frequently fell victim to her wit. At that point, he had smacked his own head in frustration, for she was exactly the kind of girl he liked to spend time with. Of course, now he had somehow enraged her as well, for her every movement around him spoke of cold indifference, and she never spoke to him at all if she could help it.<\/p>\n

Well, maybe he could fix that. He\u2019d been known to exhibit his own brand of charm on occasion, and any girl who liked Whittier couldn\u2019t be all bad. Maybe an apology would do. Not that he knew just what he had done that demanded an apology, but women always loved apologies.<\/p>\n

He smiled, watching Little Joe waltz across the room with Jane Bennet. There was a fellow in love. Of course, Joe was usually in love with somebody\u2014Melinda Banning being a prime example\u2014but maybe Jane Bennet was smarter. She seemed to be, although she also seemed like a pretty cool customer. He wondered about her incongruities for just a second, and turned his attention back to Jane\u2019s younger sister. Yes, he\u2019d see if the old Cartwright charm would work tonight. He took a couple of halting steps across the room, wondering if his back would hold up long enough for a dance, and bumped into Mr. Bennet. Well, at least Bennet couldn\u2019t be too angry at him now, not after he\u2019d interceded both with the sheriff and with Dave Clayton, Saul Driscoll\u2019s son, on Bennet\u2019s behalf. He grinned at the older man, prepared to brush off the thank-you and simply get on with the mission of the evening.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright,\u201d Bennet said coolly.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Bennet,\u201d he replied, still smiling. \u201cGlad your little problem worked out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy little problem,\u201d repeated the Englishman, one eyebrow lifting. \u201cSir, calling what exists in my life just now a \u2018little problem\u2019 is like calling the American Revolution a \u2018minor disagreement.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, that was unexpected. \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Adam said in some puzzlement. \u201cIs there any way I can help?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m certain you helped already,\u201d Bennet retorted. \u201cPlease just go and dance with somebody, and leave me alone.\u201d He jerked his head toward Lizzy, who was watching the dance nearby. \u201cLook, there\u2019s my daughter. Dance with her<\/em>\u2014if tonight you can somehow bring yourself to dance with someone all the other fellows stood up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now Adam was completely bewildered, but there was something about that snide statement that sounded familiar. \u201cActually, sir, I did intend to ask Miss Elizabeth to dance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy looked over at him with cool condescension. \u201cMr. Cartwright, I cannot tell you how grateful I am for your attention, but I have no inclination to dance.\u201d With that she turned and walked away, and Adam was left wondering why he had thought he heard a \u201cwith you<\/em>\u201d at the end of her sentence.<\/p>\n

Chapter 10<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nodding Acquaintances<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lizzy Bennet\u2019s best friend in the world was her sister Jane, but outside family, that honor was held by Rosita Morales, who had been her friend for some eight or nine years now. Lizzy\u2019s mother loathed and despised Rosita, but her father had dubbed the girl \u201cRosie\u201d and given Lizzy his blessing to be her friend. \u201cShe has a good heart, and uncommon sense of integrity,\u201d he had pronounced. \u201cOf course, other than that she\u2019s just as silly as the rest of your sex. I suppose that makes her ideal as your friend.\u201d In Bennet\u2019s dime novels, trollops always had hearts of gold and were simply looking for a chance for redemption. He would have thought the same about any \u201ctrollop\u201d Lizzy befriended\u2026but at least in this case, he was fairly close to being correct.<\/p>\n

Rosita was four years older than Lizzy, and her background was about as different as could be imagined. The adopted daughter of a drunken innkeeper, she had run away from home while very young and had worked in places as diverse as seamstress\u2019s shops and cantinas to earn her keep. A man had once come and tried to convince her that she was the natural-born daughter of a great Spanish aristocrat and entitled to some of the choicest lands in California and Nevada. Rosita had thought that was a fine idea until she discovered there were people already living on the land. Someone had written her a letter, telling her all about the people who lived there, and how much they had suffered and lost to make their homes there\u2014now only to lose it to her. \u201cThey worked for it; I didn\u2019t,\u201d she had said, and withdrew her claim, walking away from the name and the land, right back to the cantina where she worked now. She poured the drinks, served food, and occasionally played the guitar or danced. There were rumors of other duties she had been known to perform, but Lizzy had never asked or cared. Mrs. Bennet thought it shocking that Lizzy would consider befriending such a person, declaring that the girl was little more than a \u201cstrumpet.\u201d But Lizzy loved \u201cRosie\u201d for the simple reason that she was the only girl of Lizzy\u2019s acquaintance who thought of things other than men and marriage, though she could put in an interesting viewpoint about both. (Also, since she actually knew a little about those strange creatures called men, she was fun to talk to about them.) Rosie liked to read and discuss ideas. She lived on her own out in the world and understood its workings far better than Lizzy, but she had retained a sense of optimism that Lizzy had never had to start with. Maybe, Rosita said on occasion, not everything was ordained by destiny. Maybe there was some way for her to become one of the \u201cgood women.\u201d \u201cBut you ARE one of the good women!\u201d Lizzy would always protest, and Rosita would only smile.<\/p>\n

On Rosie\u2019s afternoon off, the two would sometimes walk to the seamstress shop or the milliner\u2019s together. Today, they were doing both. They had started off by talking about one of Whittier\u2019s anti-slavery papers, and it had led to Lizzy\u2019s account of the time spent at the Bar Fly and how Adam Cartwright had told Melinda Banning just what was what.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe almost seems like a man of some intelligence,\u201d Lizzy said. \u201cBut then too, he seems quite arrogant, and the two don\u2019t seem a comfortable combination.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there is anything I have learned in life, it is that things are seldom as they seem. Tell me, the youngest Cartwright boy seems<\/em> quite interested in your sister Jane. Is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that\u2019s one instance where things are exactly<\/em> as they seem,\u201d Lizzy replied with a smile. \u201cHe is forever coming by the house on some pretext, and finding reasons to make puppy-eyes at Jane. If she weren\u2019t quite so besotted by him, one would think she would find it amusing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo Jane is besotted by Little Joe Cartwright, as well?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course.\u201d Lizzy couldn\u2019t help giggling. \u201cShe finds the strangest ways of working him into the conversation. Yesterday Papa mentioned that poor Nellie should be having her foal any day now, and Jane suddenly recalled Little Joe\u2019s account of four foals being born the same day at the Ponderosa on April 4th<\/sup> of last year. What the one has to do with the other, I have no idea, but she found it ever so fascinating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s fascinating to me is that Jane never seems as \u2018besotted\u2019 as you say when she and Joe are together. Interested and polite, at best. She would be better served by showing him how enthusiastically she feels about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy\u2019s eyes widened, and she laughed. \u201cRosita, really\u2014you\u2019re thinking like a cantina girl again. Jane wants to marry the man, not be his \u2018kept\u2019 woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd still I maintain, the way to do that is to show him how she feels. If she does not, there\u2019s nothing to keep him by her side.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJane isn\u2019t like that. In the first place, she\u2019s too shy to be so demonstrative, and in the second, around here, that\u2019s the quickest way to be taken for a loose woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know exactly<\/em> how to be taken for a loose woman around here,\u201d Rosita shrugged. \u201cI hope I\u2019m wrong about Jane, but\u2014oh, look, there\u2019s the man himself!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith his lemon-rind-sucking brother,\u201d Lizzy observed, as Joe and Adam emerged from the General Store. With a grin the size of a saddle, Joe changed direction to come and greet her, with Adam in his wake, and to Lizzy\u2019s surprise, the oldest Cartwright was smiling\u2014rather lopsidedly\u2014as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Elizabeth,\u201d he and Joe said at the same time, and Lizzy, to her own surprise, found herself smiling at both of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright\u2014and Mr. Cartwright. What brings you to town this morning?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m just here for more nails,\u201d Joe said with a grin. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t believe how fast we can go through those things. Now, my older brother here has bigger fish to fry. He\u2019s handling the negotiations with the cavalry for the beef. I bet when he\u2019s done they not only buy every last scrawny cow we bring in but they also give him their daughters\u2019 names and visiting cards, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLadies, please excuse my younger brother,\u201d Adam said. \u201cHe suffers from hero worship\u2014but only in public.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe giggled, then cocked his head. \u201cI think they\u2019re coming. Sounds like about 10 or 15. They must\u2019ve known Pa was sending you, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two brothers chuckled, and for a minute Lizzy could not believe Adam Cartwright was the same man she had known before: the man who seemed only to exist to find fault with people. Why, the man was smiling and laughing like any ordinary person.<\/p>\n

Then she heard a slow rumble and turned back to see a unit of blue-uniformed cavalry troops, about 12 altogether, trotting into town. \u201cDetachment, halt!\u201d Four more steps and the horses all stopped, tossing their heads. \u201cDIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSS-MOUNT!\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy looked back, just in case Adam had found fault with the way the soldiers rode. Apparently he had. His face had frozen in a look that approximated disgust and contempt as clearly she had ever seen; his whole body had stiffened in hostility; his jaw was working overtime, and his fists were clenched so hard his knuckles were white.<\/p>\n

Little Joe had seen it too, and put a hand on his brother\u2019s arm. \u201cHey,\u201d he said. \u201cAdam, not here. Not now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf not now, when,\u201d Adam said softly, but there was such low anger in his voice that Lizzy thought he might spit.<\/p>\n

One of the soldiers, a tall, handsome fellow with a rakish mustache and charming smile, was making a beeline right for Adam, and had one of his yellow-gloved hands out ready to shake.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t do it,\u201d Joe said again. \u201cGo get a drink or something. I\u2019ll handle this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam wrenched away from Joe, turned sharply and strode off down the street; not to a saloon but to the big chestnut gelding he rode. He mounted and he and the horse tore down the street as the officer looked after him.<\/p>\n

Little Joe swallowed hard and took the officer\u2019s proffered hand. \u201cWill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, this is one reserved greeting for a cousin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026you\u2019re in uniform,\u201d Joe said lamely. \u201cGood to see you, Cos. I, uh, didn\u2019t realize you\u2019d gone into the Army.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will sighed. \u201cI have to eat too, you know. And being persona non grata<\/em> at the Ponderosa has some severe disadvantages. I can\u2019t get a line of credit anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou seem to be doing okay.\u201d Joe cleared his throat. \u201cLadies, this is\u2026my cousin, Lieutenant Will Cartwright. Will, this lovely lady is Rosita Morales, and this is Elizabeth Bennet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrust you to know where to find the prettiest girls,\u201d Will Cartwright said lightly, and he briefly took Rosita\u2019s hand, then Lizzy\u2019s. \u201cLadies, I\u2019m delighted. Truly the desert grows the most beautiful flowers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh, it was a clich\u00e9, and Lizzy knew it, but she couldn\u2019t help smiling back, and it was with reluctance that she took possession of her hand again. For that brief moment she had felt like the only woman in the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse us, ladies,\u201d Will said smoothly. \u201cI\u2019ll hope to see you again soon, as we\u2019ll be here for a couple of weeks. Now, it looks like I\u2019m buying some beef from you, Joe\u2026\u201d Joe tipped his hat to the women and turned to follow his cousin.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that was strange,\u201d Rosita observed. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen Adam Cartwright act like that, even when he was being snooty at the dance. I take it he really does not like his cousin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you were the one who said things are seldom as they seem,\u201d Lizzy said distractedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; I think in that case at least, things are exactly as they seem. Now, I suppose we had best get over to the station if you\u2019re meeting your father and that young man who\u2019s coming to visit your family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Lizzy agreed, her thoughts far away, and her hand feeling very warm where Will Cartwright had held it.<\/p>\n

Chapter 11<\/strong><\/p>\n

Collared<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was with considerable trepidation that Lizzy extended her hand\u2014fresh from meeting the charming Will\u2014to her father\u2019s newly arrived guest. In the first place, the tension between her father and the new arrival had been palpable from the time the man dismounted from the stage. In the second place, the guest bore a hazy but disturbing likeness to Adam Cartwright. And in the third place, his sober clothing and discreet collar proclaimed him a member of the clergy. Lizzy was not sure which of the three was the worst offense.<\/p>\n

\u201cLizzy, this is the Reverend Clayton,\u201d her father said, as if he\u2019d found a cactus thorn in his foot.<\/p>\n

She forced a smile. \u201cI\u2019m not ready for the Last Rites just yet, Reverend, but thank you for coming all the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clayton laughed, much to her surprise\u2014and her father\u2019s. \u201cThat\u2019s just as well then, Miss Elizabeth, as that\u2019s not what I\u2019m here for. But I will say you look the very picture of good health.\u201d<\/p>\n

The reverend greeted Rosita equally politely and with a grave smile that announced both his knowledge of how she made her living, and his acceptance of same.<\/p>\n

The trip home was quiet. Apparently whatever business her father and this preacher had would be conducted away from the family, but Lizzy couldn\u2019t help wonder what it was. Her father had never held preachers in much esteem, but he seemed almost frightened of this one.<\/p>\n

Even stranger was their arrival home. Mrs. Bennet was more subdued than Lizzy had ever seen her. Obviously this change in their mother affected her other sisters as well, for they were all quiet and watchful. Only Mary seemed to truly enjoy meeting the reverend, and throughout supper she questioned him constantly about this or that passage of scripture and where he stood on free will versus predestination. He answered every question with assurance and without the least bit of irony, and probably would still have been doing so at breakfast had not Mr. Bennet cut in and sent Mary off to help clean the kitchen.<\/p>\n

When the meal was over, Mr. Bennet dragged the reverend off to his study, gave his wife and daughters a severe warning glare, shut the door firmly and leaned on it for a moment, gaining strength, while Reverend Clayton looked on mildly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had planned to have our discussion in the morning, Mr. Bennet. I\u2019m tired.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cForgive me then, sir, but for two weeks I have scarcely slept at all. I would much prefer to learn where I stand tonight. Would you like a brandy, Reverend?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you mind if I have one?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot in the least.\u201d Clayton smiled, an almost mischievous look in his eyes. \u201cMake it a double if you like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Bennet seldom regarded ecclesiastical advice with much credence, but this time he decided the preacher merited listening to, and poured himself twice his usual amount. David Clayton busied himself looking at the books on the shelves and did not comment on the size or fullness of the glass.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to cut directly to the heart of the matter, Mr. Bennet,\u201d Clayton said as Mr. Bennet took his chair. \u201cIt\u2019s a very foolish man who chooses to live on land not his own with a \u2018silent partner\u2019 fronting the money for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bennet\u2019s jaw dropped. \u201cYou\u2019ve spoken to Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve spoken to several people, and it\u2019s fortunate for you that I did. Had you actually been involved in the work my father did, I would have thrown you off this land directly without so much as a howdy-do. Eight years ago, Mr. Bennet, I saw the errors of my own ways, and have been working to mend the damage I\u2019ve done ever since then. Some of it is damage that can never be undone\u2014but I do at least have the sincere desire not to do more damage in the rest of my life. I have no ill wishes toward you, Mr. Bennet. As I understand things, you tried your hand at several what one might call \u2018get rich quick\u2019 schemes, and failed at all of them. Gold mining, silver mining, cattle ranching. That\u2019s no different than a great many people everywhere, and you don\u2019t need to be punished for that. How you became involved with my father\u2019s outfit, I don\u2019t know. It\u2019s enough for me to know that you didn\u2019t know what he was up to. I prayed for years that my father would see the light as I did, but that didn\u2019t take place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t actually know what happened to your father, Reverend Clayton. I was told he met with an accident.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you call being caught red-handed stealing 150 head of cattle and getting yourself lynched an accident, Mr. Bennet, I reckon that would be what happened.\u201d One shoulder rose and then dropped again in a half-shrug. \u201cThe point I want to make is that the only way to make a lot of money is either to get very, very lucky\u2014or to work very, very hard. It\u2019s a precious few people who get that lucky. The rest of us work. You\u2019ve been living here for free\u2014getting paid to do it is my understanding\u2014for many years, sir, but that stops now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Bennet\u2019s heart began to beat faster; he was certain his wife and daughters could hear it in their rooms.<\/p>\n

\u201cReverend Clayton\u2026I have a wife and five daughters, and\u2026frankly, if you make me leave here, we\u2019ll have no place to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot relevant, sir. I\u2019m not sending you anywhere. You can stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d And his gasp nearly sucked the oil lamp on the desk right into his mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I was clear. You can stay. But here\u2019s my problem. I\u2019m poor as a church mouse, myself, sir. What I do is honest, and it\u2019s the Lord\u2019s, but there\u2019s not much money in it, and what I make goes right back into the work anyway. You see I\u2019m what\u2019s called a church planter. I find areas that need a church\u2026 and with the Lord\u2019s help and guidance, I build up a churchgoing population. Once it\u2019s stable, I turn it over to another preacher and I\u2019m on my way to the next place. Right now I\u2019m working close to Stockton. I could sure use some money to put into this project. Out Stockton way there\u2019s one family that seems to control everything, and they don\u2019t seem enthusiastic about puttin\u2019 a church there, which means it\u2019s hard to scare up a crowd and harder still to find anyone to donate to a building fund. So I\u2019d like to sell off some of this ranch land to raise church money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood heavens, sir, sell all of it if you like! What care I for such things? Just leave me the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reverend Clayton said nothing for a full minute, but the silent rebuke was enough to let Mr. Bennet know he had made a serious mistake.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Bennet, I catalogued all your professional failures a few minutes ago. Are you really satisfied with that legacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bennet squirmed. Nobody in his dime novels ever got treated this way. Of course, nobody in his dime novels ever ran a shelter for rustled cattle without his own knowledge, either. \u201cOf course I\u2019m not happy with it. But what would you have me do? It may have been a bad idea, but I came to this country with very little knowledge of its ways and means of work, and I\u2019ve managed to learn very little since.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue enough, sir, but you do have a powerful incentive right now: my father\u2019s business is gone, and with it you have no income. With no money coming in, you may starve in a comfortable house, but you\u2019ll starve all the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh. I see what you mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you could still make something of yourself. This is a 15,000-acre ranch. I have an offer on 12,000 of those acres right now. The remnant would be more than sufficient to feed yourself and your family, and depending on what kind of crops you put in, you could even have leftover produce to sell in town. Now, Longbourn Farm may not be as prestigious sounding as Longbourn Ranch, and you\u2019ll have to do some work yourself. Quite a lot, probably, although you may be able to get a couple of the town boys to work for you in exchange for bed and board and a share of the crops. It\u2019ll be hard work, sir, but it\u2019ll be honest. And to keep you from simply selling out the place and leaving again on a bad note, I will retain the deed to the land for 10 years. You lived here for 10 years without working. Now you can try it the other way around. At the end of 10 years successfully working the land, you\u2019ll have the house and 3,000 acres free and clear. What do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026I\u2026I scarcely know what<\/em> to think, sir. I\u2019m astonished at your generosity, but quite frankly, I am frightened by the notion of farm work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve spent most of your life frightened by any<\/em> work,\u201d Clayton said. \u201cEven preachers get their hands dirty, Mr. Bennet. Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but the Lord put an awful lot of dirt in this world, and he gave us the job of moving it around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, I suppose\u2026\u201d Bennet sat for a while, thinking. He\u2019d never made such a commitment as the one this preacher expected, and that was even more terrifying than the idea of working.<\/p>\n

Clayton said nothing, just sat regarding him steadily, and finally Bennet nodded. \u201cI\u2019ll try.\u201d<\/p>\n

He extended a trembling hand, and Clayton took it.<\/p>\n

Mr. Bennet broke into a broad grin. \u201cReverend, your influence just may get me back into a church one of these days. If you were inclined to put a church here in Mulberry Ridge, I should be your most faithful disciple\u2014provided I could sit nearest the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clayton laughed and stood up. \u201cI\u2019ve already got people buying tickets for those seats, Mr. Bennet. If you\u2019d excuse me, though, it\u2019s been a long day for me and I\u2019d like to go to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course\u2026but may I ask one more question?\u201d Bennet got up and walked him to the study door.<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could have told me all this by letter. Why take it upon yourself to make this trip?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026\u201d Clayton looked intently at the floor, his hands clasped in front of him. \u201cPartly, Mr. Bennet, I wanted to meet you and be sure I was doing the right thing. I\u2019m pretty good at reading people, but I do it better in person than through correspondence.\u201d He looked up, then quickly returned his gaze to the floor. \u201cThe other reason\u2026well, having made you the offer I did, I\u2019m pretty sure your estimation of my intelligence has already gone way down, so I\u2019ll go ahead and say it. I\u2019ve about decided against looking here, anyway, but you see, the last five years people have told me in one town after another that I\u2019d have better success with what I\u2019m doing if I were to get married. And last year the Lord himself impressed upon me most powerfully that I was to take a wife. Only problem is, he was never real clear on just who<\/em> that lady was to be. I heard you had some daughters of marriageable age, so I thought I\u2019d look \u2019em over and see if any of them spoke to my heart. Unfortunately, they all seem a little young for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, devil with that, Reverend. I\u2019ve got five daughters and you\u2019ve seen \u2019em all. As far as I\u2019m concerned you may take your pick of any that will have you. Or all of them, if you wish\u2014are you a Latter Day Saint, by any chance?\u201d<\/p>\n

A grin. \u201cNo sir, but it\u2019s my aim to be a present-day one. And I think one wife will do me fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the other side of the door, a wild squeal was heard, and Mrs. Bennet shot off like a rabbit. Mr. Bennet sighed. \u201cI suppose she was listening to our whole talk through the keyhole, Reverend. You\u2019d be even more welcome to her, you know, but I don\u2019t suppose you\u2019d look on my own such generosity with favor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clayton laughed heartily. \u201cNo sir, but thanks all the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 12<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stepping Out<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lizzy wasn\u2019t quite sure what was going on when she awoke the next morning, but apparently the reverend and her father had resolved whatever differences they had had before. Now they were all ease and friendliness to one another. In fact, her father was calling the fellow \u201cDave.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the other hand, her mother was about to have a conniption. She apparently knew some great secret but could not say it, and it was driving her mad. \u201cAfter breakfast,\u201d she said with such forcedly casual tones that all five sisters exchanged nervous glances, \u201cI shall have the carriage hitched. Lizzy, Mary, Lydia, the good reverend needs to rent a horse. I want you to take him to the livery. And ensure that that evil Billingsley does not cheat the poor preacher.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut mother, I\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo buts, Lydia!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy us three in particular, mother?\u201d Lizzy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, of course, because I have things for Jane and Kitty to do here. Now don\u2019t argue, girls. This is important!\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy stopped arguing, but of course she knew immediately. Hoss and Joe must be coming over, and her mother wanted to give them plenty of room in case they wanted to propose. Lizzy shook her head in disgust. Why, the two couples hadn\u2019t even known each other a full month\u2026she looked across the table to see the Reverend looking intently at her, and dropped her fork in shock. He gave her a cool, friendly smile, and returned to his breakfast, and instantly her thoughts about Jane and Kitty were replaced by imaginings much more serious and sinister.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe you forgot crow bars,\u201d Adam muttered. \u201cYou came back with shovels for an army, and forgot the crow bars. How in the world\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were worried about you,\u201d Joe said. \u201cAfter all, you were laid up and hurtin\u2019, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember you already forgot nails. Twice. I\u2019m wondering what\u2019s next? And why did you throw away the list?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI figgered if we had everything there wasn\u2019t no need to keep the list,\u201d Hoss put in.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut how do we know we have everything if we don\u2019t have the list to check it against?\u201d Adam sighed as his brothers looked owlishly back, uncomprehending. \u201cOkay. Never mind. We could argue all day and not solve anything. Hoss, you saddle up and go into town for crow bars.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe might need help,\u201d Joe said quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor crow bars?\u201d For a moment Adam just stared at him. Then he shook his head. \u201cDoes this sudden desire to be helpful have anything to do with the necessity of riding past the Bennet place on the way to and from town?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe didn\u2019t say a word, but the answer was clearly reflected in their eyes. Adam chuckled. \u201cYeah, yeah, go ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

It was a shame, Lizzy reflected later on the way into town, that this whole trip was being engineered by her mother. This Clayton fellow could actually have been pleasant company, in spite of his choice of vocations. He was well-read, intelligent, and very funny. But he was, in the end, a preacher, and whether it was his idea or Mrs. Bennet\u2019s, there was something very contrived about the way they had been thrown together.<\/p>\n

At the livery stable, however, Clayton dismissed all three of the Bennet girls. \u201cYour mother would never believe it, but I\u2019ve negotiated a few horse deals in my time, ladies. And I\u2019ve found out what I need to know, as well. Why not take an hour or two and enjoy the town? I\u2019ll meet up with you later and we can go back to the house together.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t say it aloud, but Lizzy had a feeling that there had been a \u201cwith your mother none the wiser\u201d implied somewhere in there. Gratefully, she turned to him. \u201cThank you so much, Reverend. I\u2019ll just step down to the cantina. My friend Rosita should be up by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you spend much time with her?\u201d Clayton asked with an expression she couldn\u2019t make out, but his words alone made all her defenses come to the fore.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody tells me with whom I may or may not be friends,\u201d she retorted. \u201cRosita is a wonderful person.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why I asked,\u201d the reverend said reproachfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cI spend every available minute with her. She\u2019s my best friend. Does that bother you, Preacher?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there a reason it should bother me, Lizzy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, my!\u201d Lydia shouted suddenly. \u201cLook at THAT!\u201d Lizzy cringed; she had never been able to convince her younger sister that screaming in the middle of the street was uncouth. But then again, this was something to generate excitement. Four of the soldiers who had come into town yesterday were wandering down the street toward them. And one, about as resplendent in his blue uniform as any peacock she had ever seen, was Will Cartwright, a look of recognition and pleasure in his eye at the sight of Lizzy. Briefly she wondered how such a nice man could be related to such a lemon-sucker as Adam Cartwright, although of course Joe and Hoss had the same affliction and had somehow survived it.<\/p>\n

She looked dismissively at Clayton. \u201cExcuse me, Reverend. I have to go and see a friend.\u201d The reverend tipped his hat and turned away at once, and she wondered if perhaps he had a strong aversion to soldiers.<\/p>\n

She took her sisters to Will and introduced them; he introduced the other three soldiers. Mary instantly made as if to go into the lending library, but Lydia snapped, \u201cYou know you can\u2019t leave me. If you do we\u2019ll both get stuck with old Lizzy. Come on, Denny, Walter, Monty\u2014walk with Mary and me. We\u2019ll show you where to get the best coffee!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you are the very person I was hoping to see today,\u201d Will greeted Lizzy. \u201cTell me, what does a body do for excitement around here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf a body is here until Friday, there is a dance that has amusing moments,\u201d Lizzy replied with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis<\/em> body is certainly here until Friday. Actually I\u2019ll be here another week. It would be nice if you were to come into town during that time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see what I can do. I was thinking it would be nice if you were to come out to Longbourn during that time, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell! I\u2019ll certainly see what I can do.\u201d He held out one arm, and Lizzy crooked hers through it.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo tell me, how did your \u2018negotiations\u2019 go with your cousin Joe? Did you wrap him around your finger?\u201d<\/p>\n

He chuckled. \u201cJoe and I have always had a very pleasant friendship. I\u2019m very fond of Joe and Hoss\u2014and my uncle Ben, their father. Have you met him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; he isn\u2019t here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I expect the Ponderosa keeps him pretty busy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t mention your cousin Adam,\u201d Lizzy said with studied casualness. \u201cSurely it was an oversight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, an oversight,\u201d Will replied. \u201cAlthough these days, to be truthful, Adam and I don\u2019t get along so well. My mother always told me, if you can\u2019t say something good about someone, don\u2019t say anything at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t resist a giggle at that. \u201cYour mother must have known Adam. He is a sourpuss, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, you\u2019ve noticed.\u201d Will sighed. \u201cYou know, it wasn\u2019t always like this. Adam and I were great friends as children back in Ohio. He and his father lived with my family for almost two years. Who knew he would grow up to be so\u2014well, never mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry; I don\u2019t mean to be impertinent, but I did notice his reaction to you yesterday. It was hardly familial.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t know the story? I guess not. Well, I came out West a couple of years ago and met my Uncle Ben, and he invited me to the Ponderosa. It was my first meeting with the younger two boys, but Adam and I fell back into our easy friendship very fast. It was so good to have a family again. I was an only child, and both my parents are dead. The Ponderosa was very much a home to me\u2026for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019m surprised you would ever leave it, especially for the rootless life of a soldier.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never intended any of this, but\u2026well, I couldn\u2019t stay. Not after things with Adam. You see, we both had the misfortune to fall in love with the same girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

That shocked Lizzy more than she let on, but in truth, she couldn\u2019t picture Adam Cartwright in love with anybody. Will\u2019s voice brought her back from her reverie, though.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer name was Laura, and she was the dearest lady you could imagine. We were both taken with her\u2014but in the end she preferred me to Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

One could hardly blame her<\/em>, Lizzy thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen had made me so welcome at the Ponderosa. He told me I would always have a home there. He intended\u2014so he told me\u2014to rewrite his will, so that I would have a quarter-share in the ranch. But after I proposed to Laura, I just couldn\u2019t stay. It wouldn\u2019t have been doing right by Adam. So, Laura and I went to San Francisco\u2026and I\u2019ve never been back to Nevada since.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what happened to Laura?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe died not long after we arrived in San Francisco. I was so bereft. Adam was in town for something or other, and I spoke to him. We talked about Laura and then about my coming back to the Ponderosa. I reminded him that Uncle Ben had promised me a home there, and\u2014well, Adam and I had a great row\u2026he told me if I ever came back to the Ponderosa again, he\u2019d shoot me on sight. He meant it, too\u2014and not only that, but he gave the rest of the family the word, so now Uncle Ben won\u2019t allow me there, either. I didn\u2019t know what else to do, so I joined the Army. And here I am\u2014sitting here boring a very pretty girl by whining about my troubles! Come on, let\u2019s find that place with wonderful coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

As they walked down the street, Will said, \u201cOh, Lizzy\u2014what I told you\u2026you wouldn\u2019t spread that around, I trust. Adam\u2019s in town, and I would hate to have this family business affect his professional dealings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore you even came to town, Adam had already made his own name into mud,\u201d Lizzy assured him. \u201cNobody likes him here, I can tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m glad to see it\u2019s nothing I said or did. In spite of everything, I still like Adam, and I hope one day we can make amends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re certainly a more generous and forgiving man than your cousin.\u201d Lizzy murmured, and they walked on.<\/p>\n

They passed by the cantina and discovered, to Lizzy\u2019s shock, Reverend Clayton sitting inside, talking animatedly to the bartender.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo much for preachers,\u201d Will observed. It wasn\u2019t until much later that she had occasion to wonder how he could tell, from where they were, that the man at the bar was a preacher.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Kitty had been giggling incessantly almost ever since the brothers\u2019 arrival, and when Jane and Joe had taken a walk, leaving Hoss and Kitty behind, Hoss finally decided the time had come. \u201cMiss Kitty.\u201d<\/p>\n

The giggles stopped. \u201cYes, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I said a minute ago\u2026it wasn\u2019t really that funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed again.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Kitty\u2026can I say something without makin\u2019 you upset?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course!\u201d<\/p>\n

He soldiered on. \u201cYou\u2019re a nice gal, but I can\u2019t figger you out. You laugh at everything I say, and some things I don\u2019t<\/em> say.\u201d<\/p>\n

She giggled again. \u201cThat\u2019s so funny!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope, not really, it ain\u2019t. Honest to goodness, ma\u2019am, you don\u2019t have to laugh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kitty stared at him. \u201cNo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut my mother said\u2014I mean\u2026.\u201d She cleared her throat. \u201cI thought gentlemen liked it when ladies laughed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I can only speak for myself, but honestly, no, you don\u2019t have to laugh on my account. Besides, that giggle of yours never quite gets into your eyes, so it kinda looks put-on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2026oh, my. I\u2019m sorry. I don\u2019t mean to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, ma\u2019am, it\u2019s all right to be serious. Why, sometimes I like to be serious too. For instance, about that mare your sister was ridin\u2019 when she come to visit us and got hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNelly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2019m. She\u2019s in foal, and due pretty soon, ain\u2019t she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI, um, I don\u2019t think I\u2019m supposed to discuss that, Hoss. It\u2019s not polite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, I\u2019ll tell you what\u2014I won\u2019t tell anybody we talked about the mare and you don\u2019t tell anybody you don\u2019t laugh at everything I say. Deal?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right\u2026I guess. But\u2026Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2019m?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019m not supposed to laugh all the time, when should I laugh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow \u2018bout when you think things are funny?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all? But my mother\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems like the best time to laugh is when something strikes you as funny. Where I come from, girls that giggle all the time get a reputation for bein\u2019 silly\u2026and I\u2019d hate to see that happen to you, \u2019cause I think you\u2019re a fine young woman, Miss Kitty. In fact, I don\u2019t reckon I\u2019ve ever known a finer one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tears came to her eyes. \u201cThank you, Hoss!\u201d She threw her arms around him\u2014not all the way, as he was too big\u2014and then ran back inside, leaving Hoss scratching his head and grinning foolishly.<\/p>\n

Chapter 13<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Business Proposal<\/strong><\/p>\n

The next day, Reverend Dave announced his intention to ride out to the Bar Fly. At the surprise expressed by those at the table, he merely said he had known the Cartwrights\u2014one of them in particular\u2014for a long time, and in addition to having some business to transact, he wanted to pay them a visit.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Bennet lost no time in ordering the carriage and telling Lizzy, Jane and Kitty to don their \u201coutside\u201d clothes. That simple act was enough to convince Lizzy. She knew she was an extra wheel on any Cartwright visit; Jane liked Joe and Kitty seemed interested in Hoss. Her mother had long ago given up Adam as a lost cause; therefore, Mrs. Bennet had formed a design between Lizzy and the preacher. Lizzy wondered idly whose idea it was, but it didn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n

At the Bar Fly, Hoss and Joe collected Kitty and Jane in record-breaking time. Lizzy the wallflower was turned over to the Banning ladies, a situation which was almost as distasteful to her as to them. But whatever business Clayton had with the Cartwrights must have been quickly transacted, as the men returned within just a few minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have no idea how much this will help us, Dave,\u201d Adam Cartwright was saying. \u201cI was in despair over how we were gonna feed the cattle on this acreage. This is only the second time I ever recall my father going after land sight unseen, and it just doesn\u2019t do well; 12,000 acres of decent grazing range will make a lot of difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019m gettin\u2019 the best end of the bargain,\u201d Dave Clayton replied. \u201cNot that I don\u2019t respect Mrs. Barkley, but having a little money of my own makes it a lot easier to stand my ground when she starts trying to throw up road blocks if I don\u2019t play by her rules.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam snorted. \u201cAunt Vic has always been one for insisting people play by her rules, even when it\u2019s a game she\u2019s not part of. Don\u2019t let her dictate to you, Dave. Stick to your guns.\u201d<\/p>\n

At that, Clayton winced, and the look he gave Adam echoed those glares Adam was always sending his brothers. Adam ducked his head a little. \u201cSorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you two related?\u201d Lizzy blurted. She hardly wanted to talk to either of them, but their resemblance was driving her mad. The Banning ladies smiled tolerantly, as if to say \u201cwhat an idiot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe used to wonder that,\u201d Adam shrugged. \u201cBut my family is out of New England, and Dave is of Kentucky stock, so I really don\u2019t see how we could be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI still maintain that somewhere in the Cartwright or Stoddard bloodline there was a wandering minstrel boy who knew that Kentucky was the best place to play a guitar,\u201d Dave chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I maintain that you\u2019ve got some crazy notions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve always said that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot always. I thought you\u2019d make a pretty good preacher, as I recall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s open to debate,\u201d Dave said modestly.<\/p>\n

He and Adam excused themselves and went outside, saying something about a tour of the land. The Bannings, of course, used the time wisely. It was always easiest to attack Lizzy when nobody else was around.<\/p>\n

Thus it was that when Adam and Dave returned, they found Lizzy, her eyes fairly shooting sparks of rage, defending her education and her state as Deborah Banning deplored the \u201clack of opportunities\u201d girls had in this part of the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Banning, I have never felt particularly deprived,\u201d she was saying. \u201cI did, in fact, have music lessons\u2014and we have a piano at Longbourn. We have even been known to read the occasional book in our spare time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smoothly, Adam moved between the combatants, turning to Lizzy as he did so. \u201cYes, I recall you have a liking for Whittier that approaches my own, Miss Elizabeth. I overheard your sister telling Joe that you have a fondness for walking out in the woods and enjoying nature\u2019s majesties, too; is that true?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy looked at him in such surprise that she forgot to be hostile. \u201cIt\u2026it\u2026is, Mr. Cartwright. I am very fond of taking long walks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes your fondness for nature extend to reading about it? I wondered if you had read any Thoreau, by any chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you mean Walden<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda Banning cut in. \u201cI read Walden <\/em>in college, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced at her. \u201cAnd sometime you simply must<\/em> tell me what Mr. Hawthorne thought of it, Melinda, but I was asking Miss Elizabeth a question.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026haven\u2019t read it, Mr. Cartwright. The lending library in Mulberry Ridge, unfortunately, does not have it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I do. I even have it here with me. Would you like to borrow it?\u201d<\/p>\n

And then she recalled Will Cartwright and his sad story. Her head came up, and she looked coldly at him. \u201cNo, Mr. Cartwright, I could not borrow your book. I am far too busy just now for frivolous reading. Reverend Clayton, my sisters and I really should be returning home now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 14<\/strong><\/p>\n

Previous Occupations<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kitty had reported to Hoss that Nelly was due to foal soon, and he wanted to take another look at the horse, so he saddled up Chubb and trotted alongside them on the way back. Lizzy found herself smiling every time she looked at Hoss; he was so very different from his brothers, but she was certain he would be an equally great friend for her or a fine husband for Kitty, should either opportunity present itself. She thought about his good-heartedness and Joe\u2019s likable nature and Will\u2019s sincerity, and wondered how on earth any of them had been so unfortunate as to be related to Adam. But then, she realized, even Adam apparently had moments of charm. She had almost taken that book from him; if she hadn\u2019t remembered his shameful treatment of Will, and every sour look she had seen him make or equally sour word she had ever heard him say, she might have been taken in as well. For a girl of Lizzy\u2019s common sense, that was a terrible shock.<\/p>\n

Arriving home brought a different kind of shock\u2014two horses with cavalry saddles and \u201cUS\u201d brands were hitched out front, and in the back, Lydia, with Will Cartwright and Denny flanking her, was determinedly holding a government-issue Colt with both hands and taking a bead on a glass jar atop the fence rail.<\/p>\n

Lizzy stopped and stared, uncertain whether she was most annoyed by the fact that Will had been there and she had missed much of his visit, or the fact that in his attempt to show the hopelessly inept Lydia how to hold the firearm, he had put his arms around her from behind and was holding her hands steady.<\/p>\n

\u201cLine up the front sight with the rear\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got it, Will!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow gently squeeeeeeeze the trigger.\u201d<\/p>\n

A deafening \u201cboom\u201d split the air; Lydia\u2019s two hands flew up and she dropped the gun, which barely missed Will\u2019s nose in its descent\u2014and a duck dropped from the sky.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Lord!\u201d Lydia squealed. \u201cI\u2019ve just caught our dinner tonight! Oh, my hand is bruised\u2014oh, Will, I am a wonderful shot, aren\u2019t I!\u201d<\/p>\n

The glass jar she had aimed at sat serenely in place on the fence rail, but the late lamented duck nullified any other flaws. She ran off to pick up the fallen bird, and Will and Denny laughed heartily at her retreating figure. Then they caught sight of the just-arrived passengers from the carriage.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Lizzy,\u201d cried Will. \u201cWe were waiting for\u2026\u201d His voice trailed off suddenly, as he looked over her head to Dave Clayton. A carefully composed, bland expression replaced his earlier enthusiasm and he said neutrally, \u201cAfternoon, Preacher.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfternoon,\u201d Clayton replied with an affable grin. \u201cThat was some interesting shootin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSaw all that?\u201d Denny asked. \u201cWhat\u2019d ya think?\u201d<\/p>\n

Clayton chuckled as they walked over to the soldiers. \u201cI reckon if you\u2019re ever attacked by glass jars or ducks, you\u2019ll do just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy, Jane, Kitty, and even Will laughed at that one. Hoss, his eyes locked on Will, said nothing at all\u2014and Denny scowled. Denny took in the collar, the lack of any firearm on the preacher\u2019s person, and the harmless grin, and they all added up to one thing for him. But then, he\u2019d never been much good at math.<\/p>\n

\u201cReckon maybe you think you could do better?\u201d he demanded.<\/p>\n

Dave Clayton, easy grin still in place, scratched his chin and looked up at the sky.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou gonna answer, or not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m thinkin\u2019 it over,\u201d Clayton said mildly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIffen you need a piece, you just say so,\u201d Hoss murmured, and Clayton turned to him. The two exchanged a long look, and then the reverend nodded. Hoss unbuckled his gun belt and handed it to him, and with a practiced ease Dave Clayton put it on. He could almost have wrapped it around his frame twice, and even though he had buckled it in the last hole, it still hung loose on him. He tucked the end of the belt in as best he could and laced the tie-down.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a little out of practice; y\u2019all might want to stand clear,\u201d he said, and Lydia, coming back from the house, yelped and ran back to the door; why, Lizzy couldn\u2019t imagine, as the six jars were in the opposite direction of the house\u2014but then she remembered Lydia\u2019s shooting, and it made more sense.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatcha waitin\u2019 for, Preacher? I wanna see if the Book\u2019s really mightier than the sword!\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave Clayton smiled. \u201cBut you\u2019re forgettin\u2019 somethin\u2019 crucial, son\u2014I wasn\u2019t always a preacher.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy hadn\u2019t even seen his hand move, but the gun was suddenly in it and three shots rapid-fired knocked three of the jars into another dimension. Then the preacher twirled the gun swiftly, tossed it into the air and caught it with his left hand\u2014and blew the other three jars to smithereens with equal speed and precision. And somehow\u2014she still missed it\u2014the gun was in his right hand again, and sliding back into the holster.<\/p>\n

Clayton bent down, unlaced the tie-down and slowly took the belt off. \u201cMight want to file that front sight down a mite, Hoss,\u201d Clayton said mildly, and then turned back to Denny. \u201cJust something to remember\u2026it\u2019s awful hard for even the best-intentioned leopard to change its spots.\u201d He glanced at Will\u2014who had gone very pale\u2014as he said it. And then he left them and walked slowly toward the house, his shoulders hunched, and Lizzy wondered if he was expecting a bullet in the back after his little show.<\/p>\n

Will looked sullenly at Hoss. \u201cNo greeting for me, cousin?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked at the ground. \u201cHullo Will,\u201d he said, and then turned away, taking Kitty by the arm. \u201cLet\u2019s go see that mare afore it gets dark.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy and Jane looked helplessly at each other. Lizzy cleared her throat and smiled determinedly. \u201cWill you be staying to dinner, Will? Denny?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think not,\u201d Will replied. \u201cLooks like the Ponderosa isn\u2019t the only place where I\u2019m persona non grata<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense,\u201d Lizzy exclaimed. \u201cYou\u2019re welcome here as long as I have something to say about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t like to cause trouble. But I\u2019ll see you at the dance tomorrow, Lizzy. Save a waltz for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that, he and the bewildered Denny left.<\/p>\n

Chapter 15<\/strong><\/p>\n

Changing Spots<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reverend Clayton went to his room and didn\u2019t come out for dinner, excusing himself by claiming a headache. Lizzy was fairly certain it was a polite fiction, but she couldn\u2019t come right out and say so. At least, she didn\u2019t say it then. The next morning, however, she and Clayton were the first ones to arrive at the breakfast table, and Lizzy took full advantage of the situation. \u201cWill you satisfy my curiosity on two points, sir?\u201d she asked as she poured his tea.<\/p>\n

He regarded her warily. \u201cIf I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wondered, first, how a preacher should know so many parlor tricks with a firearm\u2026and second, why it would distress him so to exhibit them when he was so clearly eager to do so before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cParlor tricks,\u201d he repeated, with a faint smile. \u201cThank you, you dear, sweet girl. I do believe that is the kindest thought anyone has ever shared with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Something on his face kept her from giggling. \u201cHeavens, you don\u2019t really<\/em>\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t,\u201d he replied smoothly. \u201cHaven\u2019t in a long time, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut that implies that you used to, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

A smile played about his lips. \u201cUsed to what<\/em>? Miss Elizabeth, don\u2019t start a conversation if you\u2019re not prepared to finish it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou used to\u2026shoot people? What were you\u2014an outlaw?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was never an outlaw. I never killed but in self-defense. But yes, I did kill people. That\u2019s what gunfighters have to do. There\u2019s always somebody wantin\u2019 to make a name for himself by beating you, and I woke up each day thinking it would be my last. As I told your father, I saw the error of my ways eight years ago, although it took a bullet in the middle of my chest to make me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd so now you\u2019re a preacher. Do you think that excuses your unsavory past?\u201d<\/p>\n

Clayton looked down for a moment, and closed his eyes. Finally he sighed. \u201cThe good Lord forgave me\u2014Heaven knows how!\u2014but there are times when I have a hard time forgiving myself.\u201d He looked at her closely. \u201cI used to think that part of me was dead, but I found out something. You can\u2019t escape your past. Even when nobody else knows, it goes with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd so your showing off before Denny is something you\u2019re now ashamed of?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019d been showing off before Denny, I might be ashamed. However, I wasn\u2019t. I was sending a message. And not to Denny. I\u2019m pretty sure I made my point. But\u2026some people learn their lessons; others don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment Lizzy sat in stunned silence. \u201cYou were threatening Will? Whatever for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t threatening him. I told you, I was sending a message. Miss Elizabeth, you don\u2019t know me very well, so I\u2019ll allow you have no great reason to sympathize with me\u2014but please do yourself the kindness of remembering that you don\u2019t know Will Cartwright very well, either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know him well enough. I know the story of that foolishness between him and Adam Cartwright over a girl, if that\u2019s what you\u2019re referring to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a bit of foolishness involved,\u201d he admitted, looking at his hands. \u201cBut you clearly don\u2019t know the whole story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you think you do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what did Adam Cartwright tell you? I\u2019ll compare your story to Will\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam didn\u2019t say a word\u2014I was there and saw it. But it\u2019s not my story to tell, and I will not tell it. I will say this, however, Miss Elizabeth: if those incidents had happened ten years ago instead of two, and it had been me rather than Adam, Will Cartwright would be long dead, and you and I would have no reason to have this conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI find your attitude disturbing, Reverend. But then you are a preacher; I suppose it\u2019s your job to be judgmental.\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled, his eyes downcast. \u201cI\u2019m not judging Will Cartwright. I\u2019m judging myself. Adam\u2019s a better man than I am, fortunately. And so your friend Will is alive and here now. But I will remind you of what I said to him yesterday. Even the best intentioned leopard will find it hard to change his spots. The proof of that is in my own actions yesterday; I shouldn\u2019t have done what I did. I sincerely hope Will has changed his spots, and I refuse to judge his current motives or his heart. But I\u2019ll make myself free to judge his actions, and if he hurts anyone while I\u2019m here, he\u2019ll account for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to \u2018vengeance is mine, saith the Lord\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTouch\u00e9, Miss Elizabeth. I wouldn\u2019t kill him.\u201d He smiled humbly. \u201cI\u2019d just make him wish I had.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 16<\/strong><\/p>\n

Music to No One\u2019s Ears<\/strong><\/p>\n

They were a sparse party going to the dance that night: Nelly the mare had gone into labor and Hoss opted to stay in the barn in case she should need help. At the last minute, Kitty decided to stay, too. Lizzy wondered what Kitty thought she would accomplish, as the sight of blood made her scream and any smell less pristine than new-cut hay made her sick. Nevertheless, she stayed. Mary, indignant at being sent off to a dance without Kitty, announced her own decision to stay home, and could not be prevailed upon to do otherwise. Thus the Reverend Dave Clayton found himself escorting Jane, Lizzy, and Lydia, while Mr. and Mrs. Bennet would put in an appearance at some point during the evening. Lizzy had the consolation that at least Jane would soon be safe with Joe Cartwright, but as for herself and Lydia\u2026ugh.<\/p>\n

The preacher\u2019s shooting demonstration the previous day had yielded mixed results. Jane seemed more timid than ever in his presence. Lizzy, having seen its effects on him and remembering the strange conversation in the morning, had no idea what to say to him. And Lydia\u2026forward, silly, and impetuous even under the best circumstances\u2026was certain she had found a new champion, and spent the entire carriage ride telling the preacher how he must defend her honor against all those beastly Western men at the dance. Reverend Clayton said nothing to indicate he had heard anything Lydia said, and spent his time driving the horses in abstracted silence.<\/p>\n

Eight of the twelve men from the cavalry detachment were there, some of them having to dance with each other due to the sudden shortage of females. Denny was there, but to Lizzy\u2019s dismay, Will Cartwright was not. Of course, Adam Cartwright was. Well<\/em>, Lizzy thought, filled with resentment, how very gentlemanly of Will not to want to risk a scene with his sullen cousin.<\/em><\/p>\n

Amazing that Adam could do such a thing to his own blood relative and childhood friend\u2014especially when it went against his own father\u2019s word. How dishonorable could a man be?<\/p>\n

She was on her way to tell Rosita all about it, forgetting her promise to Will not to mention his story, when suddenly Adam was standing right in front of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Elizabeth, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Too stunned to say no, she took her guilty, flaming-red cheeks and meekly accompanied him into the midst of the dancers as the pianist struck up a waltz. She was further surprised to discover that Adam Cartwright was an excellent dancer, although she might as well not have been in the room, for as much attention as he paid her.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you like Brahms, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d she finally asked, just because she was tired of being ignored.<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm? Yes\u2014very much. That\u2019s his Waltz in A-flat, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it is. One of my favorites. You seem to have had a classical education, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t that make for an odd mix with rounding up strays and building fences?\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked down at her, frowning. \u201cWhy do you ask?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust trying to learn a little more about you, Mr. Cartwright. You are, after all, the enigmatic one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid I don\u2019t follow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody knows you, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is there to know? I\u2019m Adam Cartwright. My father sent my brothers and me here to fix up a ranch that he leased, and we\u2019re doing the best we can to accomplish what he wants and not get in anybody else\u2019s way doing it. My education\u2014as you said\u2014isn\u2019t particularly suited to the job I\u2019m doing, so there\u2019s not much point in mentioning it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but you don\u2019t seem to talk to anyone. In fact, you seem rather unfriendly at times. Little Joe and Hoss are well-liked all over town, but you can be hard to know. Even your cousin Will is gaining popularity, and yet you are stagnating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just the mention of Will\u2019s name set Adam\u2019s jaw to grinding. \u201cWill has always found it easy to make friends. Keeping them is a little harder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he certainly hasn\u2019t kept you, has he?\u201d Lizzy replied, and she felt his hand tighten on hers. Then he seemed to collect himself, and he loosened his hand again to look blankly at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t wish to seem unfriendly, Miss Elizabeth, but again, my father didn\u2019t send me here to win friends. He sent me here to fix up a ranch. When that job is over, I will go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMust be nice to have a home to go to,\u201d Lizzy said with a triumphant smile. \u201cThat\u2019s more than your unfortunate cousin can boast, thanks to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

At that, Adam\u2019s eyebrows descended like a hawk on a rabbit, but before he could say anything, Dave Clayton appeared behind him and tapped his shoulder. \u201cMind if I cut in?\u201d he asked politely. Adam looked relieved. \u201cSure.\u201d Just that quickly, he walked away.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Parson, I see you\u2019re an excellent dancer too,\u201d Lizzy commented as they floated about the room. \u201cThat surprises me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t usually dance waltzes these days,\u201d Clayton admitted with an embarrassed smile. \u201cBut it was pretty apparent that one of you needed a rescue, and I wasn\u2019t sure which.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I thank you for your kind thoughts, but I<\/em> was doing just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad to hear it,\u201d he said as the dance ended. \u201cIn that case I\u2019ll just leave you with your friend Rosita. By the way,\u201d he commented as they walked past Adam, \u201cI\u2019ve seen Little Joe head over heels a few times, but never this bad. Tell your father I only charge five dollars for weddings.\u201d He grinned and left her, as he\u2019d promised, standing with Rosita, and then he returned to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019ve been popular tonight!\u201d Rosita commented. \u201cDancing with two handsome men and you\u2019ve barely arrived. Have you found out whether those two are related?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrust me, they were both equally glad to be rid of me. Have you seen Lydia? The last time I passed her she seemed to be ingesting the entire contents of the punch bowl.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mother had at last arrived and was involved in an enthusiastic\u2014and far too loud\u2014conversation with Mrs. Long, one Lizzy would have reason to regret. \u201cLove? Love?<\/em> What\u2019s love got to do with it, woman? Those boys stand to gain the wealthiest ranch in Nevada! Kitty and Jane\u2019s sisters should be half so lucky!\u201d<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Kitty Bennet was a tall, pretty girl, but she was usually overlooked in favor of her flamboyant younger sister. She tended to follow Lydia\u2019s lead, but more often than not Lydia got the glory and Kitty found herself in trouble. Why Hoss Cartwright had been paying Kitty his attention rather than Lydia was something of a mystery to her, but one she took great joy in.<\/p>\n

Lydia had laughed riotously the first time Hoss approached them, but for the first time ever, Kitty told her sister to hush. She couldn\u2019t have said what it was that interested her about the big man\u2014as tall as she was, a full 5\u20198\u201d, she couldn\u2019t comfortably keep her hand on his shoulder during a dance, and in the unlikely event that he ever got over his own shyness and tried to kiss her, she knew she wouldn\u2019t be able to get her arms around him. He was certainly nowhere near as handsome as his brothers. But there was something about him that struck her in a way no other man had ever managed. With him she felt safe. He was a man who would do his best never to hurt anyone, and she felt almost comfortable around him. He knew all kinds of wonderful things about nature and farming, but he never made her feel silly the way her father did if she asked a question. He told her never to try and impress him; that he liked her as she was. And on hearing about that, Lydia laughed and said only someone as silly as Kitty would like a man like Hoss.<\/p>\n

But of course, her father had always rolled his eyes at Kitty\u2019s antics and told her she was silly, and she was fairly certain he was right, so possibly Lydia was right too. Her mother had always told her she was a trial on a person\u2019s nerves, and she was probably right too. For herself Kitty was convinced that she was not smart enough to read the way Lizzy did, to remember things the way Mary did, or to be outrageous and courageous like Lydia. About the only thing she could do as well as one of her sisters was to be shy like Jane. And Jane was so pretty it didn\u2019t matter if she was shy. Kitty wasn\u2019t that<\/em> pretty. And like her mother, she fancied herself ill any time she was frightened or worried. Right now, she was worried and<\/em> frightened, and positive she was going to be ill.<\/p>\n

The day before, Hoss had put his hand under the mare\u2019s belly and then looked right at her udders without a hint of shame, then turned to Kitty and said, \u201cThis ole gal\u2019s about to pop. If you don\u2019t have a colt by morning, then I bet you will by tomorrow night. See this waxy stuff here on her teats? She\u2019s\u2014um\u2026\u201d He cocked his head at Kitty\u2019s horrified expression, and then blushed. \u201cOh, I\u2019m sorry, Miss, I didn\u2019t know you embarrassed easy\u2014I mean, I didn\u2019t know you don\u2019t know farm animal stuff\u2014I mean\u2014well\u2014Miss Kitty, it\u2019s just a horse, and you did ask me to look at \u2019er\u2026um\u2026I\u2019m sorry fer lookin\u2019 so close?\u201d Actually, Kitty had been more horrified at the thought of her parents or one of her sisters walking in and seeing where Hoss\u2019s hands and eyes were than anything else. But thinking it over, she had been ashamed of herself. Well of course he had to look DOWN THERE, after all, if he was going to doctor the poor animal. For a great moment Kitty fancied herself with that kind of knowledge and experience, and she felt very wise. From then on she had watched Nelly closely.<\/p>\n

When Hoss arrived that night to take Kitty to the dance, he asked about Nelly, and Kitty told him that she\u2019d been blowing hard and walking in circles for an hour. \u201cUh-oh,\u201d Hoss said, and went out to the barn. He came back, putting his string tie into his pocket, and told Kitty he wouldn\u2019t be accompanying her to the dance; it was Nelly\u2019s time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ll stay with you!\u201d Kitty announced, thinking\u2014then\u2014and voicing the opinion that it would be great fun.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Kitty,\u201d Hoss said slowly, \u201cThere\u2019s a lotta words I\u2019d use to describe a birthin\u2019, but \u2018fun\u2019 ain\u2019t one of \u2019em, and if the way you acted yesterday when I was lookin\u2019 at the poor girl\u2019s belly is any indication, you don\u2019t want to be anywhere near this barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I do want to stay,\u201d Kitty said stubbornly. \u201cPerhaps I can help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHelp <\/em>me,\u201d he repeated. \u201cMiss Kitty, you know I like you an awful lot, and I\u2019m hopin\u2019 you like me a little. But if I got a helper with a birthin\u2019 and that helper\u2019s off in the corner cryin\u2019, I suspect neither of us will like the other very much. You see what I\u2019m gettin\u2019 at?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t cry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr go gettin\u2019 panicky because the poor horse\u2019s fanny is showin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course not!\u201d And she had stayed.<\/p>\n

At first it had been easy enough; they simply sat and watched Nelly as she restlessly paced and sweated and occasionally irritably kicked or bit at her belly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat should we do?\u201d Kitty whispered anxiously as Hoss pitched more straw into the stall and wrapped Nelly\u2019s tail in a clean rag.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it all goes right, we won\u2019t have to do anything,\u201d Hoss said softly. \u201cMost of the time the mare knows what to do and everything\u2019s taken care of by her and the good Lord. We\u2019re just here to stay out of her way and watch. It\u2019s only if somethin\u2019 goes wrong that we have to get into the act.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat could go wrong?\u201d Kitty whispered. Hoss shrugged and didn\u2019t reply.<\/p>\n

Then Nelly sank down onto her knees and into the straw and she groaned; the sound tore at Kitty\u2019s heart and made her wonder if the horse was dying. Hoss took his pocket watch from his vest. \u201cIs this her first young \u2019un?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; she had one three years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, in about half an hour or so she\u2019ll have another one.\u201d<\/p>\n

But half an hour went by and nothing had happened. After a few minutes more, Hoss sighed and pushed his sleeves up, and knelt behind the horse. When she realized what he was about to do, Kitty nearly screamed. But as one hand disappeared inside the mare, Hoss scowled. \u201cKeep quiet. Last thing this mare needs is to get scared.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few minutes later Hoss\u2019s hand reappeared, slimy and blood-smeared. \u201cThis won\u2019t work. My arm\u2019s too big.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kitty\u2019s mouth dropped open. \u201cI\u2019ll go get my father.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour father don\u2019t know any more than you do, and his hands are too big as well. Kitty\u2014\u201d his use of her first name without the formal prefix \u201cMiss\u201d was shocking in itself\u2014\u201cI need your help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou most surely can. I know it and Nelly knows it. She\u2019s trustin\u2019 you to help her, Kitty, and if you let her down, she\u2019ll die. It\u2019s up to you, Kitty. I need you over here helpin\u2019 me. I can\u2019t do this by myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trembling, Kitty approached. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen a horse gives birth, the colt\u2019s front feet are supposed to come out first, and they\u2019re supposed to be straight. This one\u2019s nose is first. The front legs are bent back. It\u2019s kinda tight inside there, Kitty, and my hand\u2019s too big, but yours isn\u2019t. I want you to take this line here, and feel around until you find that baby\u2019s front legs. Then you put the loop around its feet. I\u2019ll pull on the line to straighten its legs, and then it\u2019ll be in the right position. But we\u2019ve gotta hurry before Nelly gets too tired to push.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kitty took the line and slowly pushed her hand inside the mare. A bloody discharge spilled out and covered her arm all the way to the shoulder. \u201cHoss!\u201d she wailed.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you chicken out on me now, Kitty!\u201d Hoss said sternly. \u201cYou do this, and nobody\u2019ll ever call you \u2018silly\u2019 again!\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 17<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Morning After<\/strong><\/p>\n

The dance went on for hours, it seemed, and Lizzy spent most of those hours either forced to dance with some soldier who wasn\u2019t Will Cartwright, or in some equally distasteful engagement. She couldn\u2019t find Lydia and her mother showed no inclination to help. To top things off, Reverend Clayton was the one who finally found Lydia\u2014as she was trying to kiss one of the cavalrymen\u2014and he brought her back inside none too gently and over her squeals of protest. (The look on Adam Cartwright\u2019s face at the sight had NOT been poetry in motion.)<\/p>\n

Then, when they had made ready to go home, the good preacher himself had left, asking Little Joe to escort the ladies home and telling Adam that he had business to conduct. And as they all got into the wagon, Lizzy saw him heading for the cantina next door. Rosita, about to go to work, grinned wryly. \u201cI told you. Preachers are the worst of all. Well, at least he is not too unpleasant to look at.\u201d<\/p>\n

They got home after midnight to find Kitty and Hoss still in the barn, both wet, covered with straw and messy things best not described, grooming Nelly and her new foal. Kitty was alternately laughing and crying, so happy and proud one would think she had accomplished some heroic deed\u2014and according to Hoss, she had. \u201cIf it hadn\u2019t been for your sister, ladies, this little filly wouldn\u2019t be alive and kickin\u2019 tonight. Miz Bennet, you\u2019ve got yerself one smart, brave daughter. She\u2019ll make a great stockman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Bennet had not exactly taken the compliment well, either.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Dear Pa,<\/p>\n

In answer to your last message, everything has gone well here. We\u2019ll be finished up within the week and I, for one, can\u2019t wait to come home. Joe and Hoss may be a bit reluctant, as they have both once again fallen for a couple of gold-digging sisters whose father is a failed miner, failed rancher, and something of an ignorant rustler. It will make for a funny story for you when we get home, but I have no doubt my brothers will both be irked at me for dragging them away from this place. Their intentions were made clear last night. Take some advice, Pa, and don\u2019t send them back this way any time soon. Or me. Seeing Dave Clayton again is the only good thing I can think of about this part of the country. Yes, thanks to your idea and some darned hard work from us here, we may make a few dollars off it, eventually, but that is it.<\/p>\n

Speaking of \u2018this part of the country,\u2019 please reconsider your request to send me to Stockton when the work here is done. Aunt Vic always squeals in protest when we sell our stock in California, but she never does anything. There\u2019s nothing she can do about it, realistically. Why worry about her? She\u2019s no threat. Or is it her personal good will that you want to maintain? If that is the case, you should come down yourself. You know she\u2019s sweet on you. (You might as well admit it. Even Marie knew!)<\/p>\n

As for me, I have never figured her out. I love her as the only remaining link to my mother, but at my current age, I find the disadvantages of visiting her outweigh the advantages. Every time I\u2019m around her she has me squiring Audra around like a poor five-year-old in need of a nanny. It was funny when I was 17 and Audra was 9, but now that I\u2019m 31 and she\u2019s 23, it\u2019s not nearly so cute. Besides, Dave\u2019s new church is down somewhere near Stockton and Aunt Vic\u2019s giving him fits about it. If I go down there she\u2019ll probably try to enlist me to \u2018influence\u2019 him somehow. I don\u2019t think she realizes I would be on his side.<\/p>\n

By the way, congratulations for Dave are in order, Pa. He spent the night with us and told me he\u2019ll be taking a bride. We didn\u2019t get to talk long enough for me to find out who she is, and most likely I\u2019ll be out on the south fence line by the time he gets up, but when I find out who she is I\u2019ll let you know. It\u2019s a bit strange, if he means to marry someone around here; he hasn\u2019t been here but a week, but then Dave was always pretty fast about making up his mind.<\/p>\n

Pa, I\u2019ve done everything you asked and then some. I\u2019d like to get home sometime soon. Peggy should be arriving in about six weeks, and I want to spend any time I can with her; after all she\u2019s been through the least we can do is give her a few pleasant summers to recall. Please respond and let me know if that\u2019s all right.<\/p>\n

Devotedly,<\/p>\n

Adam<\/p>\n

There,<\/em> Adam thought, putting the page into an envelope. If this makes the morning mail stage on Monday, he\u2019ll get it before the end of the week. This time two weeks from now, we could be on our way home.<\/em><\/p>\n

For a minute, he sighed. Joe and Hoss would indeed be broken up to be summoned home, and he found himself sad for them. But why did they always fall for girls who were only out for money?<\/p>\n

He found himself thinking of their sister Lizzy, too. There were so many possibilities about her\u2026if she had only been able to stand him. He wondered why she didn\u2019t like him, and wondered if it had anything to do with Will; she had, for some strange reason, seemed set on talking about him. Well, she\u2019d be disappointed in that case; he had no intentions of talking to or about Will. \u00a0Addressing the envelope, he forced all thought of his cousin from his mind, and thought about Lizzy again. Nice eyes. Lovely smile. A lively conversationalist\u2014at least when she didn\u2019t know he was around.<\/p>\n

He shook head. I think I\u2019ll miss her. Pity. She won\u2019t miss me at all.<\/em><\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Lizzy woke up groggy and confused. It was late morning; she had apparently overslept and her mother was beating on the door, half hysterical, demanding that Lizzy present herself at once.<\/p>\n

\u201cMother, I\u2019m not fit to present myself to anyone just yet. If you can\u2019t wait, please open the door and come in, and tell me what you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door flew open and her mother swept in. \u201cA fine hash you\u2019re making of things, Daughter! Do you realize you left your younger sister un-chaperoned last night with a man?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKitty, of course! She and Hoss Cartwright were out in the barn the entire NIGHT! He\u2019ll have to marry her now, and it\u2019s your fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMother, in the first place I am sure Hoss is a gentleman, and nothing inappropriate happened between them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell it certainly should have!\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment Lizzy looked at her mother, and then she sighed. \u201cIf Hoss has to marry her you should be delighted. That\u2019s what you wanted for her, isn\u2019t it? But why is it my fault? You were home a large portion of the evening. Why didn\u2019t you go and check on them? Or look in when you left for the dance?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would have been disturbing them! It\u2019s impolite!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I understood, Hoss and Kitty were simply in the barn to deliver Nelly\u2019s foal and to clean the horses after.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat they did! You should have seen poor Kitty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did! We came home together, Mother\u2014we all saw her!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was covered with goop from stem to stern! It was an abhorrent spectacle. I told her to burn that dress immediately, and she said she wanted to have it framed! And did you hear what Hoss Cartwright said about her? She will make an excellent stockman?!<\/em> My child is ruined, I tell you! What that man has done to my poor daughter I know not, but she is out of her head. She told me she wants to go to the lending library and learn about farming! My daughter\u2014a farmer!\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy couldn\u2019t imagine Kitty voluntarily opening a book about anything, but whatever her mother said always had to be taken with a few grains of salt, anyway. (Sometimes she wondered if she could die from an overdose of salt.) Later, she would learn the truth from Kitty herself, she was sure.<\/p>\n

\u201cMother, what would you like me to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want you to make all the wedding arrangements with Reverend Clayton of course. He\u2019s back from town and waiting in the study to talk to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vaguely, Lizzy recalled Dave\u2019s joking remark that he only charged five dollars per wedding. \u201cFor Hoss and Kitty? Or for Jane and Little Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHeavens, girl, no! For yourself and him! Reverend Clayton says he has to leave Monday, so everything needs to be settled before then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Lizzy\u2019s heart rate doubled. \u201cBut\u2026he never even mentioned it to me, and I have certainly made no answer to him!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does that have to do with the price of tea in China?\u201d her mother demanded. \u201cGet a move on, girl!\u201d<\/p>\n

Seething, Lizzy dressed. The man had gone off to a cantina, presumably to no good end, and now he intended to take a respectable girl as a wife?<\/p>\n

As quickly as she could manage, Lizzy flounced downstairs to find her father and the reverend in deep discussion of cultivators and plows and what kind of manure made the best fertilizer. Kitty was listening intently\u2014and taking notes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry to impinge on this conversation,\u201d Lizzy announced with as much cold hostility as she could produce without sounding outright rude. \u201cBut I would like to speak the reverend myself. Apparently he has also been discussing \u2018manure\u2019 with my mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 18<\/strong><\/p>\n

How to Decline a Marriage Proposal<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the door closed, Dave Clayton leaned back in his chair and eyed Lizzy. \u201cI don\u2019t recall discussing any manure with your mother. In fact, I\u2019m pretty sure any discussion of that nature would be bad for her \u2018nerves\u2019. All I told her was that I needed to talk to you about getting married. What\u2019s this about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMarriage, that\u2019s exactly what!\u201d Lizzy retorted, and flopped into a chair in a most unladylike manner. \u201cReverend\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, please, call me Dave,\u201d he said sweetly. \u201cWe\u2019re going to be getting to know each other a lot better, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI shall never, ever in this life, call you Dave. What on earth\u2014I have never heard of such presumption! Don\u2019t you even ask<\/em> people first?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk people to call me by name? I just did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2014I mean, don\u2019t you ask people when you intend to marry them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked everyone who was pertinent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you didn\u2019t think I was somehow pertinent?\u201d<\/p>\n

The look he gave her was classic puzzlement. \u201cNo, I didn\u2019t. I\u2019m sorry if that\u2019s a blow, but the arrangement is perfectly satisfactory to everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe arrangement you made is satisfactory to nobody if it doesn\u2019t include me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I were marrying you, I would suppose that to be true. But since it isn\u2019t, and in fact I was only going to tell you in the first place because you are Rosita\u2019s best friend and she asked me to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Lizzy whispered in shock.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes; I asked her last night and she\u2019s done me the honor of agreeing to be my wife. We\u2019re getting married Monday morning and going back to Stockton together.\u201d<\/p>\n

She somehow found her voice again. \u201cYou mean\u2026you don\u2019t want to marry me<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUm\u2026no.\u201d Dave Clayton regarded her with polite suspicion. \u201cThank you for the honor of asking, but no.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shook her head rapidly in a vain attempt to clear it. \u201cYou\u2026you haven\u2019t even known Rosie a week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI met her at the same time I met you, and you seem to regard us as sufficiently knowledgeable.\u201d<\/p>\n

A sigh. \u201cI didn\u2019t want to marry you either, Reverend. I came down to talk you out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh. Well, that proved remarkably easy then, didn\u2019t it? Everyone\u2019s happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you marry Rosie? Seriously! Reverend, she works in a cantina! Don\u2019t you know\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKnow what<\/em>.\u201d The cold, flat tone of his voice should have warned her, but somehow it didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a preacher. I just don\u2019t want my friend ending up in one of your sermons.\u201d<\/p>\n

The room temperature must have dropped ten degrees then, but Dave only looked at her. There was an involuntary twitch of his right index finger on the table; that was all.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Bennet, you need harbor no concerns in that direction,\u201d he finally said, so formal that her eyebrows rose in surprise. \u201cI\u2019m not Hosea. I will not be sermonizing or writing books about my wife. And you would do well to remember that she will shortly be my wife, and I tend not to react favorably to people who sully the good names of the people I care about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReverend, Rosita is my best friend, and I would hardly say anything bad about her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you just did. Rosita has some embarrassing incidents in her past, I\u2019m certain. So do I, as you well know. And if you don\u2019t already have a few embarrassing incidents in your own past, I\u2019m sure you will someday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a terrible thing to say!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNevertheless, it\u2019s true. We\u2019re all sinners, you know. Some people are just better at keeping it hidden. In any case, the past is the past, and I don\u2019t intend to live there.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a while the two looked at each other, too stubborn to look away.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know you\u2019re in love with her?\u201d Lizzy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, finally, an easy question. I\u2019m not. Nor is she in love with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She almost choked. \u201cThen what kind of marriage will it be? A business arrangement in which she gets respectability and security, and you get someone to cook your meals and wash your clothes?\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled, almost shyly. \u201cI sincerely hope, and have every reason to believe, that it will be a long and joyous union, blessed with children at some point, and that while we will certainly work together, we\u2019ll also play, and ultimately we\u2019ll grow old together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you don\u2019t love her!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never said that. I merely said I\u2019m not in love with her. I\u2019ve been in love, Miss Elizabeth, and it\u2019s overrated.\u201d He looked with great interest at his coffee cup. \u201cYou might ask your father about that sometime.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSir! I\u2014I\u2014a gentleman would not say such things about my father!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a lady would not say such things about my wife. Looks like we\u2019re both in equal need of God\u2019s mercy, Miss Elizabeth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026but how can you love Rosita, having known her such a short time? How can you be sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

A little shrug and dimpled smile. \u201cIsaac met Rebecca on their wedding day. And yet the Bible says he loved her. It used to be a standard practice, you know. A marriage was arranged. The lack of knowledge, or love, a couple had for one another didn\u2019t matter. They were married, and they loved each other. How do you suppose it happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no idea,\u201d Lizzy chuckled. \u201cPerhaps you can explain it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can. God told them. \u2018Husbands, love your wives.\u2019 It\u2019s in the New Testament twice\u2014in Ephesians and Colossians. I suspect the good Lord knew men needed both the commandment and a reminder.\u201d<\/p>\n

In spite of herself, Lizzy warmed to the discussion. \u201cAnd where is the counter-command? For the wife to love her husband?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, you raised an interesting point. There isn\u2019t a command. I have a theory on that, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, do please, enlighten me again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCommanding a woman is like telling a mountain stream to run uphill. It started with Eve and has been going on ever since. You don\u2019t command women. You teach them\u2014gently. The book of Titus says women should be taught to love their husbands. And yes, I think Rosita will learn to love me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what of leopards? Supposing Rosita can\u2019t change her spots? You were very particular about that point when it pertained to yourself\u2014and to Will Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

A brief silence, as the Reverend fiddled with his collar. \u201cAs I said, Miss Elizabeth, we\u2019re none of us perfect. I think the main thing is whether or not the person desires to change, and just how willing that person is to allow the good Lord to help them do it. It\u2019s always hard, yes, but we are told that with God, all things are possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy giggled. \u201cNow that is why I couldn\u2019t have married you, Pastor. You would always be sermonizing at me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that is why I couldn\u2019t have married you, Miss Elizabeth. You would always be needing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 19<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Art of Respectability<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright\u2019s jaw was hanging halfway to his knees, Dave Clayton thought in amusement. Some fellows didn\u2019t take surprises all that well.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re kidding. You\u2019ve decided to marry this girl\u2014and I bet you haven\u2019t even known her for five hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take that bet and raise you a sawbuck, Adam. I hadn\u2019t known her five minutes <\/em>before I knew she was the one I was supposed to marry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you just fell in love on the spot. Not very practical.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, to both statements. I\u2019m not in love. You know as well as I do, Adam\u2014or at least you should\u2014being \u2018in love\u2019 is just another word for infatuation\u2014or good old-fashioned lust. And whichever it is, it always dies ugly. Either it\u2019s not fulfilled, and a fella goes crazy, or it is fulfilled, and he\u2019s left cold. Or it just wastes away and dies. I\u2019ve been in love. Never again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, you don\u2019t love her. Then why marry her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t say I don\u2019t love her. I\u2019m not very good at loving, Adam; I never learned how. But nobody\u2019s good at loving on his own. The best love comes from God, and all this is his idea, anyway, so I\u2019m counting on him to show me how to do it. I know what I\u2019ve read\u2014the Bible says a husband is supposed to love his wife the way he loves his own body and the way Christ loves the church. I haven\u2019t figured out quite how that works, but since this is what God wants me to do, I\u2019m not inclined to argue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam just looked at him. \u201c\u2019This is all his<\/em> idea. You mean, God\u2019s.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave nodded. \u201cYup.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is God\u2019s idea,\u201d Adam repeated. \u201cHe actually TOLD you to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave looked up at him, puzzled.<\/p>\n

Adam cleared his throat. \u201cPray tell, how did he communicate this holy wisdom? Did you see a burning bush? Or was it delivered by Western Union?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, Adam, sarcasm doesn\u2019t look that good on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just told me God talks to you! And you expect me to take it seriously?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the last person I knew who heard God talking to him also thought his milk cow was the spirit of his grandmother. All I know is, God never talks to me, and I\u2019ve been on good terms with him a lot longer than you have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave got up from his chair, sighing. \u201cI don\u2019t know what to tell you, Adam. Everybody believes there\u2019s a God. And most people talk to him\u2014usually when things are going wrong. Nobody thinks it\u2019s strange to pray. But if he gives an answer, it\u2019s grounds for putting somebody away. I\u2019ve met Indians who spent months on a spirit quest, and never had a single vision, and then others who had the vision of their lives while they were hunting a deer. I can\u2019t tell you why some people get talked to and some don\u2019t. Maybe the good Lord figures somebody like you is so smart he knows what to do without being told. I\u2019m not that smart; I need to be told everything. Maybe that\u2019s why. Only thing I know for sure is, when I met Miss Rosita Morales, the Lord said, \u2018Dave, this is the one.\u2019 So I\u2019d be pretty stupid to pass her by. She\u2019s the gift from a loving God.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d think a loving God would give you a toy that hadn\u2019t been played with before,\u201d Adam observed, and was completely unprepared for the fist that came his way and sent him sprawling.<\/p>\n

Dave helped him up, shamefaced. \u201cSorry, Adam. I shouldn\u2019t\u2019ve let my temper get away like that. But you can\u2019t talk about her that way, now or ever. I love her, and I\u2019m gonna marry her whether you stand with me or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI deserved it,\u201d Adam said sheepishly, one hand over his eye. \u201cSorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, I\u2019ve done a lot of things in my life just on faith that it was what the Lord wanted me to do. Even when I was scared to death\u2014and now is<\/em> one of those times. You\u2019ve been my best friend in life since we met all those long years ago, and you\u2019ve stood behind me on everything I\u2019ve done before, even when you said I was crazy. Can\u2019t you stand behind me once more, as a favor for a friend?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam reached over and put a hand on Dave\u2019s shoulder. \u201cI can usually do a favor for a friend. Even a crazy one, when he\u2019s the kind of friend you are. You think marryin\u2019 this girl is what you need to do, then I\u2019ll do what I can to help you. Monday morning, eh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt Judge Henry\u2019s office.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not the church? I figured you, of all people, would want a church wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave\u2019s face darkened. \u201cThe town preacher says no, because Rosita\u2019s a Catholic. The priest says no, because I\u2019m not<\/em> a Catholic. One of these days, Adam, I\u2019m gonna nail my own set of 95 theses to somebody\u2019s door. Maybe more than 95, since some of these fellas got a whole lotta ground to cover.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam just chuckled. \u201c\u2018He married others; himself he could not marry.\u2019 Can you stay to supper?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I need to get back to my host. I promised to talk to him about chickens. Adam, do you really think this fella can do it? I don\u2019t mind taking on another lost cause, but I\u2019d prefer to know in advance rather than be disappointed later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grinned. \u201cGod could tell you better than I could. Maybe he will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right. I\u2019ll ask. Shoulda thought of that already.\u201d<\/p>\n

The look on Adam\u2019s face gave Dave something to smile about for a long time to come.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

After church Sunday Lizzy headed directly to the cantina. Rosita usually worked all night and slept in on Sunday morning, so Lizzy was certain of finding her in the little room she kept.<\/p>\n

To her surprise, Rosita was not only awake, but looking into a full-length mirror, and dressed in a modest dark blue frock of a severe cut. Seeing Lizzy, she pirouetted. \u201cWell, what do you think? I bought the cloth and pattern yesterday at the mercantile, and stayed up all night, sewing. Is it suitable for the wife of a preacher?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2014but not for you! Rosie, are you off your head? You can\u2019t marry that man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not? Does he already have a wife? He told me he did not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, as far as I know, he doesn\u2019t have a wife. But\u2026why on earth would you even consider marrying him?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita looked at her. \u201cI thought it would be obvious, Lizzy\u2014you are my friend. You should want this marriage for me, above all things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t love him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLove is a luxury I cannot afford. You really don\u2019t understand, do you? Well, why should you. You were born with something I never had, Lizzy. And you\u2019ll always have it\u2014unless perhaps poor Lydia does something even more idiotic than usual.\u201d Rosita giggled. \u201cDon\u2019t stare at me; you know it\u2019s true. You are respectable, Lizzy. I\u2019m not. It\u2019s as simple as that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean\u2026you\u2019re selling yourself\u2026for respectability? How can you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s exactly what I mean. I sold myself every night to other men, usually several each night, for a couple of dollars. Now I can sell myself to one man and suddenly I am pure as the driven snow. Think of it, Lizzy. I\u2019ve lived in Mulberry Ridge since I was 11. Everyone here knows me and knows what I do. You are the only friend I have, and you don\u2019t care how I make a living\u2014but everyone else, all these people who are not my friends, they do care. They make it their business. Dave Clayton travels around the country and seldom spends more than two years in the same place\u2014but he\u2019s never been to Mulberry Ridge before, and he probably will never be here again. In Stockton, I will be Mrs. Clayton, wife of a preacher. I\u2019ll have respectability.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if you want respectability so badly, why didn\u2019t you go after that land grant a few years ago?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want decorum at the cost of so many people\u2019s homes and work; their misery would have been of my causing. With Dave Clayton, I can have it at the cost of only one person\u2019s misery\u2014his. And he asked, not me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think you\u2019ll make him miserable?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot intentionally, of course. But aren\u2019t most marriages miserable?\u201d she shrugged. \u201cI will do what he wants, whatever that turns out to be. I\u2019ll cook for him, keep the house, wash the clothes, share his bed. I don\u2019t care; I\u2019ve certainly done worse. It will be worth it for the ability to walk down the street without all the women wanting to throw stones at me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Rosie\u2026.\u201d Against her will Lizzy began to cry.<\/p>\n

\u201cCheer up, Lizzy.\u201d Rosita hugged her. \u201cIt may not be so bad. In a few years I\u2019ll lose my looks and I won\u2019t be able to work in the cantinas anyway, and no seamstress will take me now since I used to make my living as a bad girl. So this is just as well. He seems a decent enough man, for a man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Desperate for something positive to say, Lizzy murmured, \u201cHe said you\u2019d love him, in time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he told me that too.\u201d Rosita laughed. \u201cMen are funny that way. They always think they can make a woman love them. Well, if I keep my mouth shut, he can believe whatever he wants.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou told me preachers are the worst kind of men. Did he\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I think he must be trying to make a favorable impression on me. The man called my boss over to our table and paid him the full price I would make in a week\u2019s work, and said I was not to take on anymore clients, that I had been \u2018retired\u2019 from business and was only to sleep in my room\u2014alone\u2014until Monday when he comes to marry me. Well, I\u2019m keeping my part of the bargain. I\u2019m as chaste as Joseph in Pharaoh\u2019s court. When he left that night, he said he was going to stay with the Cartwright boys. Oh, you know I asked if he\u2019s related to Adam, and he said everyone asks him that, but no. He said they met by chance a little over eight years ago, and that after we\u2019re married he\u2019ll tell me the tale. I suspect I\u2019ll have to listen to a lot of his tales. He seems quite the friendly talker, doesn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe friendly talker who used to be a gunfighter. That\u2019s what he told me, Rosie. The man is strange.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was probably only trying to impress you. Men always do that, too. Don\u2019t start crying for me, Lizzy! I\u2019m doing what I want to. I guess you can\u2019t understand, since you\u2019ve been well thought of and virtuous all your life. For me, it\u2019s an even trade. And as I said before, he\u2019s not unpleasant looking. The last man to propose to me weighed 300 pounds, had one eye and one ear, and reeked of whisky. I nearly accepted him, but then I learned he already had a wife. At least this preacher seems fairly clean and unattached.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll miss you,\u201d Lizzy whispered. \u201cWho will talk about Whittier with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita smiled. \u201cMaybe Adam Cartwright.\u201d They both laughed at that. \u201cLizzy\u2014when I am married, will you still be my friend?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly until I die; you know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019ll write to me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course. Will you write back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will. Lizzy\u2026will you visit me? Dave says he will be in Stockton another year or more. Please say you\u2019ll come. I know I\u2019ll be lonely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know I will come. Maybe you can find some excuse to send Dave away for a while and we can visit and eat cookies and discuss whatever we like, without worrying if it\u2019s fit for a preacher\u2019s delicate ears.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will surely try. Will you come to the wedding? It\u2019s tomorrow morning at Judge Henry\u2019s office. Our appointment is at 9 o\u2019clock. I don\u2019t think anyone else will be there except maybe Adam, because he is Dave\u2019s friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need two witnesses; I\u2019ll be honored to stand by you. I only wish it were going to be a happier occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita shrugged. \u201cI\u2019m making my own choice, Lizzy, and I am determined to have some happiness in life, so it will be as happy as I can make it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 20<\/strong><\/p>\n

Violet Eyes to Die For<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reverend S. David Clayton began his wedding day by getting a punch in the eye.<\/p>\n

The attack came from none other than his host, Mr. Bennet, and arrived without preamble or indeed, anything to make him suspect that such an honor was about to be bestowed. Clayton had gotten up, dressed, and come downstairs intending to bid his host good morning and farewell at the same time; he had no inclination to eat since the meal would only have fed the butterflies in his stomach, and he had no intention to return to Longbourn after the ceremony, since the Stockton stage left at noon.<\/p>\n

But he had barely walked into Bennet\u2019s study\u2014the place where the man apparently spent all his time\u2014when Bennet simply appeared in front of him, fists clenched, and popped him in the left eye and cheekbone, shouting, \u201cyou filthy blackguard!\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam Driscoll would never have been caught so completely off-guard. But Dave Clayton lived a different life, so not only was he caught off-guard, but off-balance as well. The impact sent him reeling backwards into a barrister\u2019s-style bookcase, which caught him under the ribcage and knocked the wind out of him. He leaned against the bookcase, struggling to get a teaspoon or so of air into his lungs, and realized to his astonishment that Bennet was winding up for another punch.<\/p>\n

For the first time in his life he forced his hands to stay immobile, and deliberately turned his face to expose the other cheek. And then Adam Cartwright (himself sporting a black eye as well, although Dave already knew about that one) and Lizzy Bennet burst into the room, Lizzy shouting, \u201cFather, are you all right?\u201d and Adam grabbing the senior Bennet and dragging him away from the preacher. In a flash Lizzy slapped Adam across the face, yelling, \u201cGet away from him! Can\u2019t you see he\u2019s injured?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nearly slapped her back, but thought better of it and settled for giving her a one-eyed glare that would have charred a steak in three seconds\u2014which she answered eyelash for eyelash with one of her own, but she had two eyes to work with\u2014and he turned back to his friend then.<\/p>\n

\u201cDave, you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave nodded and, with some difficulty, straightened partially, still waiting for the air to come back.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course he\u2019s<\/em> all right,\u201d Lizzy snapped. \u201cHe just beat up a frightened old man. Father\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t add insult to injury, Lizzy,\u201d Bennet said. \u201cI<\/em> hit him<\/em>. I had no idea it would hurt my hand so much, or I would have done it again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLucky for you, you didn\u2019t,\u201d came a mutter from his opponent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy? I saw you turn your cheek. You would\u2019ve let me!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s what the Book says to do. But the Book don\u2019t say what to do after that, and I had some ideas of my own,\u201d Dave said painfully. \u201cYou want to tell me what all that was about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmph\u2014as if you didn\u2019t know!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s addled,\u201d Adam observed. \u201cLet\u2019s get outta here before he decides to torch the house, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClayton!\u201d Bennet shouted, \u201cDoesn\u2019t the \u2018Good Book\u2019 say \u2018fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bewildered, Clayton retorted, \u201cIf it does, must be in somethin\u2019 other than Hebrew, Aramaic, Chaldean or Koine Greek!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, don\u2019t act innocent and insulted to me, you phony reverend you! I may have fallen for it once, but I\u2019m devilled if I\u2019ll do it again. I didn\u2019t pay attention before. I was ignorant and let that cow thief\u2014your father<\/em>\u2014pull the wool over my eyes. He nearly ruined my life. I could have been killed or sent to prison for life; my daughters\u2019 lives were in danger\u2014THAT fellow there tried to throw me off the property\u2014\u201d one angry finger pointed at Adam\u2014\u201cand now here you are, talking forgiveness and second chances and telling me that you\u2019re as poor as a church mouse yourself\u2014but you<\/em> gave me the money for a plow and a cultivator! You<\/em> gave me the money for two milk cows and five chickens! And that Cartwright fellow there sent me those three men!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat three men?\u201d Lizzy demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cLizzy, leave the room\u2014this is men\u2019s talk!\u201d She rolled her eyes, but obediently went out and shut the door.<\/p>\n

Bennet glared at Dave Clayton. \u201cI\u2019ve been up all night thinking\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThinking?\u201d Adam snapped. \u201cOr drinking<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever I was doing, it showed me the error of my ways! He told me\u2014this very preacher\u2014and you told me as well\u2014don\u2019t accept a \u2018handout\u2019 from someone\u2014and yet he gives me money and you gave me workers! What about the three men that came today looking for \u2018farm work\u2019? They said they would take wages in the form of room and board, and a percentage of the crops next year\u2014but their recommendation letters all came from \u2018Adam Cartwright\u2019! It\u2019s all just a front for some other criminal operation, and I\u2019m not falling for it again, do you understand me? I\u2019m not! I will not endanger my family again; I will not be prey to some scheme\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Bennet,\u201d Adam said, \u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re rattling about, but it\u2019s beginning to get annoying. If you have any suspicions about me, why don\u2019t you talk to your own sheriff? If you\u2019d bothered talking to him about Saul Driscoll ten years ago all this could\u2019ve been avoided anyway. And Dave, you pea-brain, I thought you were gonna use the money from the sale of that acreage for the church work!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I kept some of it,\u201d Dave Clayton mumbled defensively, one hand over his eye. \u201cBesides, the Lord says to take care of your family first, and these people live in my house, and Lizzy is Rosita\u2019s best friend, so I figured it made them my family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWait a minute,\u201d Bennet cried, \u201cyou mean the money came from a land sale?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you I was gonna sell 12,000 acres,\u201d Clayton shrugged, and then gasped. \u201cOh, blast\u2026I think I\u2019ve got a broke rib\u2026Adam bought the acreage, Mr. Bennet. That\u2019s the only scheme we have going.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that was really your own money you gave\u2026but\u2026but\u2026oh, Reverend, why didn\u2019t you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Clayton just looked at him from his one operational eye. \u201cMr. Bennet, if you\u2019ll excuse me, I have to leave this part of the country as quickly as possible now and never come near you again\u2026Adam, does it look very bad?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo steaks, maybe three. It\u2019s gonna be nice and shiny. About like mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, Adam, I know it\u2019s dumb, but I was kinda hoping to look nice for Rosie today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t dumb. And if she can\u2019t take you with a black eye, she ain\u2019t worth havin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t talk bad about my wife again.\u201d Dave gasped, holding his side. \u201cYou know, bookcases are hard!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam put an arm around his friend. \u201cPut your arm around my shoulders; it\u2019ll be easier that way. Come on, you blockhead, we\u2019re gonna get you married if I have to carry you into the courthouse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bennet followed them. \u201cReverend Clayton, I am so sorry\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI forgive you. Now back off. Still think I make a great preacher, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, a better preacher than gunfighter, anyway,\u201d Adam said as he half-carried, half-dragged Dave through the doorway, and Mrs. Bennet, who had heard the last part, began to shriek.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he all right?\u201d Lizzy asked, having been struck by a sudden fit of compassion and hurrying to Dave\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

\u201cCould be worse,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cHe could be marryin\u2019 you<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita made a polite fuss over the condition of her intended, and burst out laughing over Adam\u2019s matching black eye\u2014which he declined to explain\u2014but the wedding went on as scheduled. Adam got his letter out on the morning mail stage, but Dave ended up needing his ribs wrapped, and so the newlyweds missed the noon stage and their last chance to arrive back in Stockton that day. The next Stockton-bound stage left at six p.m. Thus it was that Dave spent most of his wedding day unconscious from a sleeping draught in the doctor\u2019s examining room, and Adam, at Dave\u2019s drowsy orders, took Rosita and Lizzy for cheesecake. When the six o\u2019clock stage came in, Adam bodily loaded him, barely conscious, into the coach; Rosita climbed in next to her husband and waved a tearful farewell to Lizzy. Within a minute of the coach\u2019s forward motion, Dave was asleep again, and Rosita reflected that if he stayed like this the rest of their marriage, it would be easy enough to keep him happy after all.<\/p>\n

Chapter 21<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Dearly Departed<\/strong><\/p>\n

It took Lizzy a day and a half to stop moping over Rosita\u2019s departure, but she was not by nature a moping sort of person. Besides, Will Cartwright was still in town. So, under the guise of taking Kitty into town to the lending library, Lizzy paid several visits to the cavalry detachment under Lt. Cartwright\u2019s command.<\/p>\n

Kitty returned with such delightful, Hoss-recommended reads as Arator: Being a Series of Agricultural Essays, Practical and Political, in Sixty-one Numbers<\/em>; and An Essay on Calcareous Manures<\/em>. (Hoss privately told Kitty that while Adam was the well-read one of the family where literature was concerned, Hoss preferred more practical knowledge.)<\/p>\n

Lizzy took numerous walks around Mulberry Ridge with the handsome and dashing Will. And Adam Cartwright never showed his face in town once. Hoss and Little Joe came over to Longbourn late every afternoon, sometimes even staying to dinner\u2014but Adam didn\u2019t come along with them, either. For all that Lizzy did not in the least miss him, and for all that she was having far too much fun getting to know Will, she could not help but be curious, and she asked Hoss about it.<\/p>\n

With an odd expression, Hoss responded, \u201cAdam tends not to go where he ain\u2019t wanted, Miss Lizzy. And it \u2019pears that every time he\u2019s come around you, you\u2019ve let him know he ain\u2019t wanted. Besides which, you seem to have a likin\u2019 for our cousin Will, and that don\u2019t do nothin\u2019 but add insult to injury.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause that means two women would have preferred Will\u2019s company to Adam\u2019s?\u201d Lizzy asked archly.<\/p>\n

Hoss had been playing with the foal (Kitty had named her \u201cInger,\u201d for what reason Lizzy did not know) and it was sucking on his big fingers. That was the side of Hoss she liked most, Lizzy thought\u2014his gentleness with animals. But there were times he could be rather scary around people, and when he looked up at her after she\u2019d made her little joke, this became one of those times.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Adam ain\u2019t like that. But he does get riled when a woman chooses somebody else and then dies for it. Be careful that don\u2019t happen to you, Miss Lizzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat on earth do you mean, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean Laura Dayton wouldn\u2019t\u2019ve died except for bein\u2019 so foolish as to run off with Will and put her trust in him, that\u2019s what.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019d better explain that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo ma\u2019am, I won\u2019t. That falls to Adam, and he ain\u2019t the kind to go \u2019round moanin\u2019 over his troubles like Will does, so I imagine it\u2019s a bit harder to feel sorry for him than somebody like Will. But that\u2019s the way Adam is, and I ain\u2019t apologizin\u2019 for a bit of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s your brother; I shouldn\u2019t expect you to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt ain\u2019t \u2019cause he\u2019s my brother. He\u2019s my best friend too, and a lot more \u2019n\u2019 that. And nobody needs to apologize fer him. Ain\u2019t nothin\u2019 to apologize for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy wondered if this attitude was shared by both brothers, and later asked Jane if she had ever had the subject come up with Little Joe. \u201cJoseph adores Adam,\u201d Jane replied seriously. \u201cFrom what he tells me, there is much to adore, Lizzy. The impressions on which we judged him initially may have been faulty, or at least our perceptions may have been cloudy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can Joe possibly \u2018adore\u2019 Adam? He forever complains about him, and I have frequently seen them arguing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph says they are both stubborn, which does lead to occasional arguments\u2014but he also says Adam has been like a second father to him. Adam taught him to ride and hunt, and\u2014\u201d she giggled briefly\u2014\u201che even taught Hoss to dance. They\u2019re all very close, Lizzy, and for all that they sometimes complain that Adam is \u2018bossy,\u2019 both Hoss and Joseph say he is very protective of the family. I don\u2019t think they could have such warm relations if Adam were really the sort of person you have decided he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

But a few days later, about the time Lizzy was tossing about the idea of giving Adam another chance, Joe and Hoss rode in and did not hitch their horses. They asked if Jane and Kitty could come out to talk for a minute, and when the girls appeared, they could tell something was wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got a wire from Pa. He wants us home\u2014me and Hoss,\u201d Joe explained. \u201cAdam\u2019s being sent on to Stockton, but we\u2019ve gotta go home. We\u2019re hoping maybe we can be on the first drive bringing the cattle down for the Army, and if that works out we\u2019ll be back in about six weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if somethin\u2019 happens and we cain\u2019t, we\u2019ll figger out a way to get back anyhow,\u201d Hoss told Kitty.<\/p>\n

For a long moment they stood looking at each other, but there was nothing to be done. Joe and Hoss knew the girls were aware of their feelings, but they could not propose without telling their father first. Kitty and Jane knew the boys were aware of their feelings, but they could not so much as accept a farewell kiss, as their father had told them more than once in Hoss and Joe\u2019s presence (they all suspected by design) that a woman who would allow a man to kiss her before they were formally engaged was nothing but a trollop.<\/p>\n

And so the Cartwright boys mounted up. Denied even the clich\u00e9 of riding off into the sunset as their road was eastbound, they simply rode off. And the Bennet girls, denied the luxury of weeping bitter tears over a couple of boys who hadn\u2019t even cared enough to propose (so said their mother), went back inside, Jane to her copy of Robinson Crusoe<\/em> and Kitty to A Muck Manual for Farmers<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright left at the same time as his brothers, but without saying goodbye, and heading due west.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere was Adam going?\u201d Lizzy asked Will when she heard this, for it certainly made no sense to her.<\/p>\n

Will pouted. \u201cI thought you liked me<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d she conceded with a giggle. \u201cBut you can\u2019t blame me for being curious. Adam is an odd duck.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLydia has the best remedy for dealing with ducks,\u201d Will observed. \u201cBut as for my cousin, I believe Joe mentioned Todos Santos. There\u2019s supposed to be some young girl there that Adam\u2019s fond of. Trust Adam to find the best of both worlds. He\u2019s engaged already, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he? Tell me, who\u2019s the unfortunate girl?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHer name\u2019s Audra Barkley. Her mother, old Victoria Barkley, owns a ranch near Stockton, and she\u2019s Adam\u2019s godmother. Adam and Audra are perfect for each other. They\u2019re both rich, both stuck-up, and they both wear pants!\u201d<\/p>\n

This gave them both something to laugh uproariously about.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever do you find out all these wonderful things, Will?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the Army sent me to Stockton first, you see\u2014old Ma Barkley had submitted a bid on her cattle, too. She withdrew it later, but not before I got to know all the town gossip about her. She\u2019s let it be known for years that Audra\u2019s destined for Adam. And Adam apparently doesn\u2019t have any objections. But then why should he, when she\u2019s rich and he\u2019s got a bit on the side already?\u201d<\/p>\n

A week later, the cavalry detachment returned to Ord Barracks. Will Cartwright left owing some $170 to various merchants\u2026but he did have a nice smile.<\/p>\n

The Bannings also departed for their home in Sacramento, but their absence was noticed by few and lamented by none.<\/p>\n

Chapter 22<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lies and Truths<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dear Ben,<\/p>\n

I received your note, and of course must say it was nothing, really. It was delightful to see your boys again. Why, I can scarcely keep from admiring them all and wishing I were 20 years younger!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s very fortunate you got them away from that place when you did, I must say. While Adam was his usual stoic self and quite immune to the charms of the locals, there were two girls who quite captivated poor Hoss and Little Joe. I do believe the boys would have married those two little schemers, had Adam not intervened. He did intervene, I trust, or you would not have ordered them home so swiftly? It\u2019s just as well, since one of the girls has since been spotted all over town with your blemished nephew, Will Cartwright, and the other, a loud, rowdy girl who sneaks into the punchbowl at every town dance, has been keeping company with at least three of the other soldiers. Well, I recall a time when a blue uniform made my own heart flutter, but it doesn\u2019t speak much for her fidelity, does it?<\/p>\n

Be sure and let me know when the boys go back to Mulberry Ridge\u2014although I would advise you not to send Hoss and Joe\u2014and I\u2019ll be happy to again do any little service I can to help. Poor Melinda misses the boys already.<\/p>\n

Yours faithfully,<\/p>\n

Deborah Banning<\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright frowned and put the letter away discreetly. Wouldn\u2019t do to have Joe and Hoss reading that one. So Adam\u2019s suspicions had been borne out. Too bad. He would have liked to see the boys settle down sometime, but it seemed they only attracted gold diggers.<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t know that there were five daughters, and that Deborah Banning couldn\u2019t tell any of them apart (or that it would have made no difference in her report, even if she could). He had always been a little too forgiving when it came to Deborah Banning, after all. Right now, Ben only knew that he was going to protect his boys. Whether they wanted to be protected, or not.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

The city of Stockton was thriving. Established nearly 20 years now, it also had two churches. In fact, the two churches had sprung up within a day of each other. The Methodists had managed to open their church the day before the Presbyterians, but in Christian love counted them the same age. The Barkley ranch was just outside Stockton by 17 miles, and Victoria Barkley attended faithfully every Sunday, rain or shine, snow or muggy heat, braving the almost two-hour ride in her usual patiently enduring manner. She generally went to the Methodist church, but in the name of Christian love she occasionally attended special fundraising events for the Presbyterians.<\/p>\n

If you were not a Methodist or a Presbyterian, then you absolutely must be a Catholic, for there was a Catholic mission in the area with which she was on friendly terms. She didn\u2019t care much for the other sects, although she kept the peace with them all the same. But if a preacher showed up without a denomination to adhere to, every silver hair on Victoria Barkley\u2019s head practically stood on end.<\/p>\n

In her defense, it must be noted that Victoria had not always been so. It was the advent of a shady faith healer who had taken Audra\u2019s heart\u2014and almost ended up taking her eyesight\u2014that had made Victoria so suspicious. But her paranoia toward non-denominational preachers knew very few bounds.<\/p>\n

Still, there were numerous small ranches and farms spread through the San Joaquin Valley beyond Stockton; scattered across a large land area, the ranchers and small farmers living there comprised a lot of people. The people who lived there, however, with seven-days-per-week jobs, did not have the time (or frequently the inclination) to travel anywhere from 20 to 40 miles to go to church in Stockton; but there were no other churches around. Or at least, such was the state of things before God gave Dave Clayton\u2019s Arabian gelding a stone bruise, and there he found himself surrounded by 29 families of close to 160 people, with another 200 or so ranch and farm hands. (\u201cAnd the Lord opened my eyes\u2014and walloped me over the head with a stick just to be sure I was payin\u2019 attention,\u201d was how he told the story.) Suddenly he heard bells ringing; he always did when he was in a place where God wanted a church. Now he took the next step\u2014finding a place, and getting local support.<\/p>\n

A graduate of Danville Theological Seminary, Dave Clayton had been ordained Presbyterian simply because anyone who graduated Danville was ordained Presbyterian. (That was the major reason Victoria Barkley welcomed him when he came to see her.)<\/p>\n

But Clayton did not necessarily preach Presbyterian doctrine. While still in school it had occurred to him that all denominations put their own stamp on everything, and so three denominations could look at the same Bible verse and see three different meanings. \u201cBaggage,\u201d he dubbed it. Something that accompanied the package, but was not an essential part of it. There was so much of denominationalism that turned Christianity into mere \u201creligion,\u201d removed the love and joy, and in his words, put God Almighty in a box. He refused to debate whether Calvin was more inspired than Wesley, or whether Luther was an anti-Semite, or whether Wycliffe\u2019s Bible was heretical compared to the King James. \u201cJust read the thing and see what God tells you,\u201d he would tell questioners\u2014Pharisee and Sadducee alike.<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t advertise his difference from the Presbyterians, but he didn\u2019t shy away from it either, and that was when Victoria Barkley discovered that he was a heretic. The man had actually read the Vulgate! Not only that, but if a person asked to be baptized by a full-body immersion in water rather than a sprinkling, he would do it! When asked why, he shrugged. \u201cIt\u2019s not the symbolism that\u2019s important, Mrs. Barkley. It\u2019s the belief. When a person asks to be baptized, we talk first about the belief, because it\u2019s the belief that saves the soul. Baptism doesn\u2019t make a person a Christian any more than a wedding ring makes a woman married. It\u2019s a symbol.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a Presbyterian,\u201d she protested, and he politely shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo ma\u2019am. My faith is in God almighty, not a brand.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was when he found himself asked to leave her house. So he had done, cheerfully enough, but at that time he hadn\u2019t realized that if Victoria Barkley didn\u2019t like someone, his chance of being accepted in the valley was small.<\/p>\n

The little piece of land she had considered donating to him was of course the first thing to go; next was when nobody else would donate land, either. There was, however, an old Scotsman who owned a piece that he would sell pretty cheap. A lot of the community had heard about it and begun making their own donations, but $137.92 would not buy much of a piece of land, not in this area. And with that Dave Clayton decided to go to the people he called his prayer \u201cdraft horses.\u201d People like the Cartwrights, who had helped pay his way through school (Dave used to joke that when Hoss prayed, God listened real <\/em>close), and the Bristols and Claytons, his mother\u2019s family in Kentucky who didn\u2019t have much money but had a whole lot of faith. There were others as well, but to describe them all isn\u2019t necessary; suffice it to say that though he seemed a solitary fellow riding through the west, Clayton was a man with friends both among people and among the angels. In fact it turned out that one of his friends was not too far away at all. Adam Cartwright had written him, indicating that Ben had leased a ranch only about 50 miles from Stockton.<\/p>\n

But as was the usual case, God moving in mysterious ways and all, the answer to prayer was not the one Dave would have chosen for himself. Saul Driscoll had been lynched, and the law had taken most of his property. The one thing that could not be taken was the Longbourn Ranch, which butted up against the ranch Adam was renovating, and which, according to Adam, was occupied by a very silly and na\u00efve man who had been duped by Saul years ago.<\/p>\n

When Dave had been making preparations to leave Stockton, he had told Jarrod Barkley\u2014a good fellow, even though he was a lawyer\u2014that he was going to pay a visit to the Cartwright boys. (If Dave had told Victoria Barkley of his longtime friendship with the Cartwrights at the start, she might have trusted him a little more, but Dave had never been one to drop names.) Jarrod and Nick were close to the three Cartwright boys; even Eugene and Audra had spent a little time with them as children. Learning that the Cartwrights thought highly of Dave Clayton and were supporting him in his ventures was enough to allow Victoria Barkley to rescind her order and start her talking to him again. But \u201cOld Vic,\u201d as Adam referred to her when his father wasn\u2019t around, had her ways of doing things. They worked for her, and she expected them to be adopted by others, too. Most fellows who didn\u2019t do things the way she liked did not last very long.<\/p>\n

So Dave\u2019s visit to Mulberry Ridge had yielded many results he hadn\u2019t foreseen\u2014more money in his pockets than he needed for himself; a wife who would lend a certain credibility to his efforts and who would, hopefully, come to love him in time. Inadvertently, it had also solved a portion of the Barkley problem as well. Of course, a woman like Victoria Barkley usually had more than one conundrum up her sleeve.<\/p>\n

Chapter 23<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Ride Southeast<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Dave and Rosita left Mulberry Ridge, it was with the understanding that, should Adam Cartwright have to come to the Stockton area any time soon, he would stay with them. He\u2019d been in Todos Santos for three weeks (long enough to thoroughly annoy his father, who had demanded he immediately get to Victoria\u2019s place), but now he was finally on his way to Stockton\u2014and he had to figure out if it was even possible to visit Dave without setting off Aunt Vic. How he was to accomplish that, Adam had absolutely no idea. Dave had been living in a lean-to he\u2019d built himself on the land the Scotsman had promised to sell him\u2014and although he knew Dave had made a full disclosure of his living situation to Rosita (probably, knowing Dave, he had made it sound worse than it was, simply because he didn\u2019t want her to be shocked), Adam couldn\u2019t imagine the two of them having the room\u2014or the desire\u2014for a guest. After all, most newlyweds needed a bit of privacy.<\/p>\n

There was also Aunt Vic to consider. If he went to stay with Dave, she would be mad, and while she had been mad at Adam a few times in his life and he had survived, he didn\u2019t want to endanger her fragile relations with Dave. Nope, there was no getting around it. The disadvantages\u2014to Dave\u2014of visiting with Dave far outweighed the advantage. Doubtless his friend would be upset, but at least his church work and his honeymoon time wouldn\u2019t suffer.<\/p>\n

Adam found himself wondering just how much of a honeymoon it was, really. Rosita was a pretty enough girl, and he had known a lot of women from her former occupation who had married and made wonderful wives and happy families. But they at least loved the men they married. He knew Rosita didn\u2019t love Dave. Dave knew it too, and surprisingly, didn\u2019t seem bothered by it. Now Dave\u2019s whole life had had some kind of mystical charm over it from what Adam had seen, starting with the day he\u2019d met him going on nine years ago\u2014how many gunfighters, after all, had their lives saved by a rogue Bible? But marrying a woman who danced in a bar with the intention of getting a fellow into a certain state, and who then made the fellow pay to get that state, um, resolved, didn\u2019t seem a good idea if she was fresh from that profession and didn\u2019t care for her husband. It seemed to Adam that Dave deserved better. Then again, Dave was just as stubborn as Adam when he made his mind up, and he had an advantage Adam didn\u2019t. Apparently God told Dave just what to do.<\/p>\n

Why Dave rated this special treatment from God, Adam wasn\u2019t sure. He didn\u2019t begrudge it\u2014he didn\u2019t begrudge Dave anything\u2014but it did seem a little unfair when there were other preachers who\u2019d been pious men their whole lives, who read their Bibles and prayed and did whatever else they were supposed to do, but they had to feel their way in the dark the way everybody else did. For that matter, there were fellows who were pretty decent guys\u2014like Adam Cartwright\u2014who read their Bibles on occasion, and prayed when the situation called for it, and did the best they knew how to do, but God didn\u2019t speak to them.<\/p>\n

Whether God spoke to normal people or not, he apparently spoke to Dave Clayton, though. Of course, Adam had spoken to Dave as well\u2014and had gotten a good belt in the face for his trouble, too. But while he had valued Dave\u2019s friendship enough to back down and provide the help that Dave had requested, he still thought Dave\u2019s marriage flew in the face of all logic and reason. Logic and reason meant a great deal to Adam, and based on his reasoning given the known facts of the situation, he could not imagine Dave\u2019s marriage as anything but an impending disaster.<\/p>\n

So now they\u2019d been married about a month and a half, Adam thought. He wondered if that had been enough time for Dave to figure out how to \u201clove a wife the way Christ loved the church,\u201d or whatever it was that he had said. Or if the girl in question had any notion or appreciation for what had been done on her behalf, and if she\u2019d had time enough to see that Dave wasn\u2019t such a bad fellow and deserved a wife who would treat him kindly and be faithful to him\u2014even if she didn\u2019t love him.<\/p>\n

Well, that was Dave\u2019s lookout, after all. Adam\u2019s problem was Aunt Vic. Once before, not long after Heath had joined the family, she had taken it into her head to drive a bunch of cattle to sell to the Army in Arizona. She hadn\u2019t had enough beef to meet the contract, but had persuaded three other ranchers to join with their herds. Heath had headed the drive, and somehow they had managed to move that herd 550 miles in 24 days. That was just plain insane. Moving at that speed, the cattle would have been skin and bones by the time they got there. But the Army had taken them. She had never done anything that crazy since then\u2014but then, Ord Barracks was a lot closer, after all. Come to think of it, he couldn\u2019t figure out why she hadn\u2019t gone after the contract herself in the first place. She should have been able to scoop it right from under his pa\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n

The more he thought of it, the more it didn\u2019t make sense. And Adam had never cottoned to things that didn\u2019t make sense.<\/p>\n

Chapter 24<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nervous Ticks<\/strong><\/p>\n

People tended to forget that Victoria Barkley only stood five feet five inches tall. She had a presence that made the uninitiated think of her as a foot taller and a hundred pounds heavier. Her voice was deep for a woman\u2019s, and resonant, and her eyes drilled into people\u2014male or female\u2014and made them feel small, insignificant, and lonely.<\/p>\n

Except for Adam. He had met her when he was 11, and she had pulled him into a hug that squeezed the air out of his thin frame and said, \u201cOf course you\u2019re Elizabeth\u2019s boy. I would know you anywhere. You have her eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright didn\u2019t like talking about Elizabeth; for some reason her death had always hit him differently from the other two. Maybe because she was his first loss, before he truly realized such bad things happened to people; or because their time together had been so short; maybe because she had died bringing the baby they had both wanted so much into the world. Maybe because Adam looked something like her, with the same high cheekbones and dimples and eyes that looked dark at first but could take on most any hue of the rainbow. (Or in those years, maybe he didn\u2019t like talking about her simply because Marie was there.)<\/p>\n

But Victoria Barkley had known Elizabeth from childhood and loved to talk about her. For that reason alone Adam could have followed her everywhere and hung on her every word.<\/p>\n

Of course, he\u2019d been 11 then. Nearly 20 years had gone by. Now he had been a man for a long time, and as annoying as it was when Ben still treated him like a child, it was far worse when Aunt Vic did it. Worse, he knew she was going to do it, and he hated her condescension. And for all he loved Aunt Vic, he\u2019d always hated her house. Even his father hated it, quietly dubbing it \u201cthe bordello\u201d\u2014but Adam had heard the nickname and laughed, because the name was accurate. The house itself looked like a pre-war cotton plantation and was surrounded by a high, gated fence. It was as unbearably frilly and ostentatious inside as out, and he wondered how Jarrod, Nick and Heath could stand living in it. Well, considering some of the places Heath had lived, he probably didn\u2019t mind much, but the other two should\u2019ve known better.<\/p>\n

The road to the house was long, and it wound through miles of pasture where cattle were usually grazing. But to his surprise, Adam didn\u2019t see any cows.<\/p>\n

Nick was sitting dejectedly on the porch when he rode up, but stood as he recognized his old friend. \u201cWell, you\u2019re about the last person I expected to see around here,\u201d he said with a grin, extending his hand. \u201cLet me get one of the boys to take your horse. It\u2019s good to see you, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNick, what happened to your cattle? Have you moved them somewhere else, or is something going on? I didn\u2019t see a single cow on the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick looked down and punched a fist into his hand. \u201cKinda caught us at a bad time. There\u2019s a lot going on right now.\u201d He made a gesture inside where the raised voices of Victoria and Jarrod could be heard. \u201cSee what I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds fierce,\u201d Adam agreed. \u201cWhy aren\u2019t you in the thick of it? Isn\u2019t that your normal place?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGot tired of it,\u201d he sighed. \u201cThe only thing they\u2019re accomplishing right now is making the house hotter and harder to breathe in. Why don\u2019t you come on in? Maybe you\u2019ll take their mind off the fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the fight about? It might be one I don\u2019t need to get near.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur cattle are dyin\u2019, Adam. Every time we think we\u2019ve got this thing contained, it breaks out somewhere else. We\u2019ve got the herd split up in small sections all over the ranch so we could kill off the sick ones, but the quarantine isn\u2019t workin\u2019; the cows isolated over in the east section are getting it now too. It\u2019s a mess, and I\u2019m out of ideas. I thought Jarrod might be able to help, and the result, you can hear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what\u2019s causing the cattle deaths?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Course I do. It\u2019s that blasted tick fever, that\u2019s what. But there\u2019s nothing you can do about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure there is. You haven\u2019t heard about sulfur soap dips?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had the same problem a couple years ago\u2014come on, let\u2019s go talk to your Ma. We\u2019ve got to get going on this while you\u2019ve still got some cattle to save.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh, Victoria Barkley was overjoyed to see Adam\u2014and angry about the \u201cshenanigan\u201d his father was pulling, selling his cows to the Army at Ord Barracks \u201cright under her nose.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you bid?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did! I had the contract\u2014and then my cattle started dying. And then your father moved in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAunt Vic, he didn\u2019t even know you were bidding on it, and if he\u2019d known about the tick fever, he certainly would have had us down here already, to help you cure it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s not a cure for tick fever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not once a cow gets it. But you can stop them from developing it in the first place. Just a year or two ago we went through the same thing and were able to save most of our herd.\u201d<\/p>\n

To do her credit, she did listen to him from start to finish. Sometimes his father got irate and wouldn\u2019t even listen. But at the end\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense. A little soap isn\u2019t going to stop a disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just any soap. It\u2019s a lime-sulfur mix and it works. It worked on our cows. If you don\u2019t believe me, ask my father.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour father took the Army contract from me. When I say something to him, it will be to his face. And believe me, he won\u2019t like it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMother, be reasonable\u2014\u201d Jarrod began. Poor man was a lawyer but had never learned that telling a person to be reasonable was the quickest way to make them less reasonable than before.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, when Victoria had gone to bed and Heath finally got home, Adam, Jarrod and Nick were still discussing the problem, but the stone wall Old Vic had put up seemed insurmountable.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d Heath demanded, and Nick related to him how Adam knew of a way to stop the fever but their mother would have none of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you do it anyway and not tell her?\u201d Heath shrugged.<\/p>\n

Adam grinned. \u201cYou just proved you\u2019re the half-brother in the family, Heath. Neither of these two would ever have dreamed of doing something like that on their own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 25<\/strong><\/p>\n

Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first two weeks after Rosita left, Lizzy wrote her three times, thought of her often, and worried almost as much. She still couldn\u2019t fathom her friend\u2019s actions, and wondered how much she would suffer for them. She supposed Dave Clayton probably was a decent fellow, but he seemed a bit cold-blooded under the amiable exterior, and she was awfully glad she hadn\u2019t married him. Or at least, she wouldn\u2019t have married him, even if he had asked.<\/p>\n

Now Will Cartwright was gone, as well, and not only that, but she had heard a strong rumor that he\u2019d gone and proposed to Dorothy King, the daughter of the fellow who owned the general store. She could understand his doing it\u2014as he said, he had to eat too, and the son-in-law of a store owner would never go hungry. But it stung, all the same. He had seemed so very fond of her<\/em>, after all.<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright had left at some point, too\u2014not that she missed him, but it was another painful reminder of the loneliness of two of her sisters. Kitty never cried; she stayed buried in books on farming and animal husbandry, and played with Nelly\u2019s foal Inger for hours at a time. Jane tried not to cry, and she was successful when other people were around, but Lizzy had come upon her alone, sobbing her eyes out, more than once. It seemed a shame about Ben Cartwright sending the boys home. Surely Adam could have told his father about the deeper feelings Hoss and Joe had for Kitty and Jane, and convinced him to let them stay. And then she laughed, wondering why on earth she expected such a caring heart from Adam.<\/p>\n

A month passed after Rosita\u2019s departure, and one day Lizzy realized she still had not received even one letter after the many she had sent. Rosie had been so scared, so worried about loneliness, that Lizzy really couldn\u2019t figure this out. She remembered Dave Clayton saying something at one point about the place being a little \u201cprimitive,\u201d and wondered if her friend even had access to pen and paper, or conveyance to the Post Office.<\/p>\n

Another month, and Lizzy knew this state of affairs could not continue. Her mother, of course, said no. Her mother was still offended, in fact, that she had let Clayton \u201cget away.\u201d Lizzy\u2019s protest that the Reverend never had any design on any of the Bennet girls had not helped; it had only led her mother to lament that her daughters were merely playthings of rich cowboys and not even considered worthy for a dirt-poor preacher. Lizzy just sighed and sneaked away to ask her father, who thought over matters with the usual care and concern he paid his daughters, and gave his consent within minutes. So, almost two months to the day after Dave and Rosita left Mulberry Ridge, Lizzy did too, on the evening stage to Stockton.<\/p>\n

She arrived at eight in the morning, covered with a thin layer of dust, and bruises where the rough road had exceeded the capacity of the coach\u2019s suspension; her ears were all but numb from the constant rattling and banging noises, and her hands and legs just plain shaky from the vibration. But she had made it in one piece. Now to figure out how to find her friend\u2026.<\/p>\n

It had never occurred to her that the church Dave Clayton wanted to build was not in Stockton itself, or that he did not live inside town. Perhaps if she had listened to his talks about church planting\u2014but of course she had escaped most of his church-talk as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n

After asking fruitlessly at several places about the Reverend Clayton\u2014most people seemed not to have heard of him; a few said \u201coh, he\u2019s that preacher building a church out in the middle of nowhere\u201d\u2014she was frustrated and irritated. But no one seemed able to tell her exactly where \u201cthe middle of nowhere\u201d was located.<\/p>\n

Then she saw an uncomfortably familiar sight, and her knees almost buckled. There was no mistaking that brawny chestnut gelding with the small \u201cpine tree\u201d on his flank. Or the tall, black-clad figure carrying the fully loaded saddle bags on one shoulder and the burlap bag on the other. \u201cMr. Cartwright!\u201d she cried out, hating herself but realizing this was no time for pride. He turned and looked at her with a grin as she ran up to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Miss Elizabeth,\u201d he said politely. \u201cI must say, this is a surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me as well,\u201d she said in tones echoing his.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long have you been here?\u201d he asked, leaning back comfortably against his horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am only just arrived. I was looking for Reverend Clayton\u2019s home, and no one seems to know where to find him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be easier if he\u2019d stay in one place,\u201d Adam agreed with a raised eyebrow. \u201cAre you actually looking for him, or are you looking for Rosita? They\u2019re in different places.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI beg your pardon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, she\u2019s at the house, and he\u2019s out in the pits with the ranch hands and the Barkley boys, dipping cows. I just came into town to put in an order for more sulfur and lime. I\u2019m heading back there now, but as I said, Rosita\u2019s at the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I would like to go to the house. Will you give me directions?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI could, but even someone who likes walking would find it a challenge. It\u2019s 30 miles from here\u2014I left when it was still dark to get here as early as I did. Walking, I think you\u2019ll find it a two day trip. Don\u2019t you have a horse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you see, sir, I do not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr money to rent one?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her blood boiling, Lizzy moved her head a fraction of an inch to the right.<\/p>\n

\u201cReckon I\u2019d better get you one, then,\u201d Adam said. \u201cCome along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSir, I cannot possibly\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat you cannot possibly do, Miss Elizabeth, is walk 30 miles. Nor can you wait for Dave and Rosita to come and get you. They\u2019ve only got two horses, and no wagon. So it\u2019s either wait until tomorrow for them to come and get you and then ride double going home with them, or I\u2019ll rent you a horse and you can come with me. I assume you won\u2019t mind riding that far. I\u2019m not even sure we could get a wagon all the way to the house. The last mile or so isn\u2019t cleared very well. You might as well come with me.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd don\u2019t bother to thank me,\u201d he said, his voice dripping equal parts honey and garlic. \u201cWe\u2019ll put it down to friendship. And I reckon while we\u2019re at it I\u2019ll get some more sulfur and lime for your horse, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not very inclined to talk to him, she had thought he shared the sentiment as well, but as soon as she had adjusted her stirrups and tied her carpet bag down, he started asking her about her family and whether her father was making any progress in becoming a farmer. Part of her was furious that he would ask such things. The other part remembered that he had something to do with the farming venture; she wasn\u2019t sure what, having only heard part of the conversation before being banished from the room that fateful morning when her friend Rosita Morales became Rosita Clayton. But the Reverend had said something about this being a \u201cscheme\u201d between him and Adam. She had no doubt that for the Reverend it was some sort of Christian charity. That was just the sort of thing he would do. And Adam? For him it was probably an investment. Little Joe had more than once called him a walking abacus. He probably expected to get interest paid as well.<\/p>\n

Something he said flew past her and she looked up in confusion. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked if Inger was okay.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him blankly.<\/p>\n

\u201cNelly\u2019s foal,\u201d he prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh. Oh yes, she\u2019s fine.\u201d She couldn\u2019t help a smile at the thought. \u201cI don\u2019t think Kitty has ever gotten over that, though. Your brother had quite the effect on her.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t reply to that, but an eyebrow went up.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s reading books on farming and animal husbandry\u2014I do believe she knows more about the subject than my father. She\u2019s always helping him or one of the hands. And she plays with the foal every day. She\u2019s much changed since the days before your brother, but she does miss him terribly. Tell me, do you think he and Little Joe will be on the roundup?\u201d<\/p>\n

His jaw started working. \u201cI doubt it, Miss Elizabeth. The Ponderosa is a very busy ranch, and my brothers and I all manage different operations there. It was unusual that our father allowed us all to work on this venture together. I\u2019m sure Joe and Hoss will be needed at home; we have mining and timber undertakings as well as the ranch itself, and one can\u2019t be neglected in favor of the others for long.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d Her voice grew cold again. \u201cMy sisters will be sad to hear that, Mr. Cartwright. Perhaps to your brothers it was simply a flirtation, but Jane and Kitty are both very shy, and they don\u2019t give their hearts away lightly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. It\u2019s strange to me that your father can manage so well in spite of your<\/em> prolonged absence. Perhaps you don\u2019t manage much?\u201d It was said politely, but the tone of voice made Adam realize that the powder in the burlap bag across Sport\u2019s back was not the only sulfur in the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father sent me here on business at the Barkley ranch. We\u2019ve known them a long time; in fact, Victoria Barkley is my godmother. Right now they\u2019re losing their cattle to a tick fever, and I\u2019m helping them. Dave is, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought he was building a church.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you know Dave\u2014or at least you ought to by now. \u2018Church\u2019 and \u2018God\u2019 are not interchangeable. He figures following after God is way more important than building a church, and God said to love your neighbors. So, the Barkleys being his neighbors, he wants to help them. It\u2019s not as convoluted as it sounds\u2014my Pa brought us up the same way. You always help your family and your neighbors. And my Pa\u2019s not even a preacher,\u201d he chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s very interesting,\u201d Lizzy remarked. \u201cHow does one typically help one\u2019s neighbor at the Ponderosa, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

He shrugged. \u201cHowever they need, I guess. Once there was a drought, and we helped the lowlanders put up windmills to get water. A couple of times we\u2019ve given people land when they needed it. The Indians who live around the Ponderosa know that if things get tough, they can come to us for meat. Things like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMagnanimous, indeed,\u201d she said. \u201cPray, Mr. Cartwright, how did you help your neighbors when you were at the Bar Fly?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d The question seemed to confuse him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were your neighbors. Were you helpful to us?\u201d<\/p>\n

His look of confusion turned into something else then. \u201cDo you mean like the way I\u2019m helping you now, providing not only directions but free transport? Or do you mean some other form of help? Do you mean a kind of help similar to the help your father provided to me and my brothers when we arrived, which was to say, none? Or do you mean the kind of help I provided your father when I kept him out of jail? Miss Bennet, where I come from, it\u2019s the established neighbor who helps the new person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy hadn\u2019t heard much past the part about keeping her father out of jail. She had no idea what he meant, but was too enraged to ask\u2014and from the look on his face, he was probably too enraged to answer. And so they were silent. But she had to wonder what he meant about keeping her father out of jail.<\/p>\n

Chapter 26<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Martyr of Mulberry Ridge<\/strong><\/p>\n

A pen and chute had been set up near a couple of deep-dug pits in the middle of one pasture, and there were cattle and cowboys a-plenty. She also saw the good reverend, not looking terribly reverend-like\u2014stripped to the waist, covered with mud, and his hair plastered over his face and in his eyes. He was standing next to one of the pits with a big bucket, pouring the muddy pit water over the head and back of a steer. A man on horseback and holding a rope cut out a single steer and drove it toward the deep, water-filled ditch, where the second man goaded it down into the muddy pool.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about time you got back,\u201d Dave Clayton shouted to Adam as the other two waved. One of them called out, \u201cI hope you brought plenty. We\u2019re running shy already.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI cleaned out the store,\u201d Adam replied, dropping lightly to the ground and unloading the burlap sacks from both Sport and the livery horse. \u201cWhat are you doin\u2019 all half-naked, anyway, Dave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGaaahh! In the first place, the mercury\u2019s at 80 degrees today if you hadn\u2019t noticed. And in the second place, somebody didn\u2019t tell me that when ticks don\u2019t like sulfur-covered cows, they jump on anything else handy. The little beggars started hiding in my shirt! At least this way I can see \u2019em and get \u2019em off.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to loving all God\u2019s creatures?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to ticks I\u2019m a pagan heathen!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, ya could just run through that dip yourself,\u201d Adam laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome friend you are! You could make a body lose their religion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI bet I could.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re such a Yankee\u2014you don\u2019t even know what it means!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo lose your religion? Hopefully it means you\u2019ll quit preaching at me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot with you in such desperate need of fire and brimstone as you are.\u201d And both laughed; then Dave squinted and called, \u201cWhat\u2019re you doin\u2019 bringin\u2019 ladies here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI brought Rosie a present. Where do you want it delivered?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d he shaded his eyes with his hand and looked in her direction. \u201cOh\u2014hey, is that Lizzy? Well, so it is! Welcome, Lizzy\u2014and please excuse my appearance. I\u2019m baptizing a new flock these days!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook a finger at the preacher. \u201cYou better say \u2018herd\u2019 around here or somebody might accidentally shoot you for a sheep man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood afternoon, Reverend,\u201d Lizzy called. \u201cIs Rosita doing well?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs of this morning, yes,\u201d he called back. \u201cAdam, can you take her up to the house? And tell Rosita I\u2019ll have to miss the swim\u2014and probably dinner too. If she could just keep something warm for me that would be nice\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

The steer climbed out of the pit, shaking its head irritably\u2014and then charged at Lizzy. Her heart jumped into her throat, but before she even tugged the reins, Adam was between her and the angry cow, waving his hat and yelling, and at the last minute it veered away. He ran after it, still yelling, until one of the two men brought his horse around and chased the steer back to the herd.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019ve worn out our welcome,\u201d Adam commented, swinging back up on Sport. \u201cI\u2019ll be back in about an hour, Dave. Come on, Miss Elizabeth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d Lizzy said as politely as her pounding heart would allow. \u201cThat was very\u2026neighborly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned to her and with a mischievous little smile, tipped his dusty hat.<\/p>\n

The pasture butted up against a wood, and a little trail took off to the right. Onto that trail Adam turned. \u201cYou see what I mean about getting here in a wagon\u2014or for that matter, even finding the place,\u201d he called back over his shoulder. \u201cOnce Dave\u2019s ready to start building we\u2019ll probably widen this out to a road, since the house will end up a parsonage and the church will be down here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy urged her horse forward so they could walk abreast, but couldn\u2019t quite make it; the path wasn\u2019t wide enough. \u201cI don\u2019t understand why he would build a church in the middle of nowhere like this!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t the middle of nowhere,\u201d Adam chuckled. \u201cWe\u2019ve got that<\/em> at the Ponderosa. There are a lot of people out here, Miss Elizabeth, and it\u2019s a long way to Stockton. Think about how far you\u2019d want to go for a Sunday service. But you should enjoy the ride. This is the nicest wandering trail I\u2019ve found, outside the Ponderosa. There\u2019s a trail up there that goes right to Lake Tahoe, and when you come out of the trees\u2014hoo-boy, it\u2019ll take your breath away. Pa calls it a sight that approaches heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou certainly seem very fond of the Ponderosa,\u201d she observed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I\u2019m there, I\u2019m always griping and ready to leave,\u201d he said, and shook his head. \u201cSometimes I think I\u2019m perpetually dissatisfied. Or at least, that\u2019s what my father says. The clearing\u2019s only about a mile ahead, Miss Elizabeth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Funny how the man could be so mean one minute and so open and friendly the next, Lizzy thought. But he had given her something to think about\u2014it was true her family had never done anything to help the Cartwrights. In fact, her father hadn\u2019t even wanted to welcome them. There were only three men to work on that large spread and no one would help, not even her father, who was right next door.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, she remembered Adam\u2019s treatment of Will then, and it made it easier not to feel so guilty.<\/p>\n

She saw the house a little ways off, and was surprised to note that it actually was a house, not the hovel she was expecting. \u201cThe way he described the place was pretty bad,\u201d she commented.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt still looked pretty bad last month. But then Aunt Vic decided Dave was worthy to stay in the valley, after all, and she graciously allowed her boys and me a weekend off from cattle dipping, and we threw that place together in a flash. It\u2019s still pretty primitive, though. I\u2019m working on plans to get a pipeline up from the river and install a pump because right now they\u2019re still stuck with lugging water up in buckets.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s terrible.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shrugged. \u201cIt happens the same way every time you build a new place. Dave doesn\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe apparently isn\u2019t the one carrying the water!\u201d Lizzy retorted, pointing.<\/p>\n

Rosita was lugging a bucket up the hill. Adam shook his head and trotted Sport over to her, then dismounted and took the bucket away. \u201cIs that layabout you\u2019re married to making you do all the bucket-toting again?\u201d he asked with a grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe usually brings five buckets up each morning,\u201d she said. \u201cToday he forgot the fifth one. I think he\u2019s worried about your dear old Aunt Vic and her strange need to name things for Tom B\u2014why\u2026Lizzy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy jumped down and rushed over to hug her friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d Rosita exclaimed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I would surprise you. I haven\u2019t heard from you at all since you\u2019ve been here. How are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026I\u2026.\u201d She looked at Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just brought her here,\u201d he shrugged. \u201cOnce I get the water into the house I\u2019ll be gone again. Oh, Dave said he\u2019ll be late tonight and to hold some supper for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded, and he strode off, carrying the water and humming.<\/p>\n

\u201cI missed you,\u201d Lizzy said. \u201cHow bad has it been for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUm\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam reappeared from the house, waved to them, grabbed Sport, and was gone.<\/p>\n

Rosita sighed, looking after him. \u201cCome in, Lizzy. I\u2019m not sure where we\u2019ll put you. It\u2019s only three rooms\u2026and we only have the one bed\u2026would you mind sleeping on the couch? We just got it right after I came here, so it\u2019s in pretty good condition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can put me on the floor or in the outhouse for all I care. I came to see you<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s, um\u2026it\u2019s nice to see you again too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you write? You said you would.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the first month we were so busy, and\u2026and\u2026the second month\u2026we were so busy\u2026\u201d She blushed then, and tears came to her eyes. \u201cCome on in.\u201d<\/p>\n

The kitchen and living room were contained in one large room, and two smaller rooms; bedrooms, she supposed; were off to the side. At least there was a wooden floor. Lizzy set her carpet bag down and looked around. \u201cThis isn\u2019t so bad,\u201d she said cheerily, covering her distaste at the grease-soaked paper in the windows.<\/p>\n

Rosita followed her gaze. \u201cWe have<\/em> ordered glass, Lizzy. I asked Dave, and he\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou had to ask him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe does not readily think of such things,\u201d Rosita shrugged. \u201cBut when I asked, he said of course. He even promised to let me pick out some curtain fabric next time we\u2019re in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow kind,\u201d she murmured.<\/p>\n

\u201cLizzy\u2026you don\u2019t understand. Dave works hard. He and Adam have been helping the Barkleys treat the cattle for the tick fever for nearly a month now. He spends hours going to visit sick or hurt folk. At night he works on sermons. He\u2019s gathering all the materials for the church\u2014they\u2019ll start building as soon as the cattle-dipping is done. And until he married me, he never thought of having a \u2018home\u2019 because he lived in a tent or a lean-to, or if he was lucky and in a town, he could stay in a hotel and work in the kitchen while he was raising support. He doesn\u2019t have it easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t imagine you do, either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have more than I ever had,\u201d Rosita said enigmatically, with a defiant look in her eyes.<\/p>\n

Lizzy smiled. \u201cI know. You\u2019re respectable now. You always were, to me, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita smiled back. \u201cYes, I do. So does Dave. That\u2019s why he always liked you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy had no idea what that meant, but she didn\u2019t care how Dave felt about her. It was Rosie she was worried about. \u201cDo you<\/em> get on well with him?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita blushed. \u201cI\u2026he likes to take long walks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWalking is a good form of exercise,\u201d Lizzy said tactfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and he gets ideas for sermons when he walks, too. He also likes to swim.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s also very healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2026um\u2026I encourage the swims, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, that\u2019s two ways to keep him out of the house,<\/em> Lizzy thought, walking around the room. It was plain, but spotless. \u201cCan I help you with the cooking?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere won\u2019t be much tonight. Just rice and beans. Next week the Barkleys say they\u2019ll let us have a haunch of beef, but until the dipping is complete, everything else must wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy nodded. \u201cHow do you pass the time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I cook a lot. Usually I\u2019d make a big pot of stew and it would last us a few days, so the rest of the time was baking and washing. You know, for a minister, Dave gets very dirty. I guess it\u2019s because he insists on working rather than just living on support. He also tears his clothes sometimes when he works, so I have a lot of sewing to do. When he goes visiting, I usually go with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was strange that Rosita acted so awkward around her, Lizzy thought. But awkward she was, from top to bottom. It was in the halting, disjointed answers, the defiant chin-tilt, the defensive posturing.<\/p>\n

When the man of the house came home\u2014clean and shiny, without a hint of the mud he\u2019d been wearing that afternoon, back in full preacher regalia\u2014Rosita got even worse. Now she seemed awkward in front of them both. Of course, Lizzy reflected, this might be the way she always was now. Maybe that was the kind of marriage she had. But Lizzy was too tired to speculate much, and when the bedroom door shut that night, she was already wrapped in her blanket and fast asleep on the couch.<\/p>\n

Chapter 27<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Rose of Sharon<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nothing made sense, beginning with the conversation Lizzy had heard in the wee hours of the morning as Dave Clayton drank his coffee and prepared to head out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy can\u2019t you just tell the truth?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita\u2019s sad reply: \u201cI don\u2019t know how.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy could hear the disappointment in his voice. \u201cThis is what happens when you worry more about the opinions of others than about the things that last.\u201d<\/p>\n

A derisive snort. \u201cYou of all people should know, David\u2014the opinions of others do<\/em> last.\u201d<\/p>\n

He made no reply; there was a long silence between the two, and then he left the house. A few minutes later, she heard the hoofbeats of his horse.<\/p>\n

Lizzy got up and went to Rosita. \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should you be sorry?\u201d Rosita asked.<\/p>\n

Lizzy shrugged. \u201cI can see you\u2019re miserable with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita looked at her, nonplused.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve been acting strange ever since I arrived. Even stranger when your husband came home. Now you\u2019re arguing with him, and I guess he preaches at you as much as he does everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita sighed. \u201cI\u2019m a fool.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you\u2019re not. I thought you were very brave to marry a man you didn\u2019t know\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLizzy, stop. I\u2019m a fool, yes\u2014but you\u2019re a bigger one. My husband is right. I have to tell you the truth. Sit down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Puzzled, Lizzy sat down at the table, and Rosita poured each of them a cup of coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was telling Dave the whole story a few days ago,\u201d Rosita said slowly. \u201cThe story of how I left Mulberry Ridge, and you, determined to be a lady at last, even at the cost of my soul. I felt such a martyr when I boarded that stagecoach. St. Paul going to the chopping block could not have been more resigned than I was\u2014and I made sure you knew it. And then I saw you yesterday afternoon, and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. It\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t know anything<\/em>. Lizzy, I love Dave.\u201d She blushed. \u201cDo you remember when I left? I was so cynical, so knowledgeable, and so utterly wrong. But everything happened so slowly I didn\u2019t see it happen. Then you walked up to me yesterday, and suddenly I remembered the things I had said, and I couldn\u2019t stomach the notion of telling you that not only was I wrong, but I was an utter idiot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRosita, I don\u2019t understand anything you\u2019re saying.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I will explain, Lizzy. I don\u2019t know if you will be as fortunate as I am; I hope you will be, but not everyone is married to my husband.\u201d A giggle. \u201cDo you know what happened on our wedding night?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy turned red. \u201cYou were on a stagecoach!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t count that. I mean when we got to Stockton. We spent the first week in a hotel, just because he wasn\u2019t up to riding out to that miserable little shack yet. Let me tell you how we spent that week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that would be appropriate\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course you don\u2019t. You\u2019re assuming he demanded his husbandly right. Well, he didn\u2019t. In fact, he refused to even consider it. He told me that I had to stop thinking of myself as merchandise. He said I was so used to thinking of myself that way, I didn\u2019t even realize I was doing it. He said I would never be merchandise as far as he was concerned, and that when we came together as husband and wife, it would be because I<\/em> wanted to. It took a long time for that<\/em> to happen, but he never mentioned it again. We spent the whole week in that hotel just sitting and talking and getting to know each other\u2014and in spite of myself I thought, \u2018what a nice man he is.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked him once how much of my past he wanted to know. He said he would listen to anything I wanted to say, but that as far as he was concerned he didn\u2019t need<\/em> to know anything. I asked if I shouldn\u2019t confess all my sins to him, the way I would a priest, and he said I never had to confess anything to him. He said I would accomplish more by confessing any sins I had to God, and that I shouldn\u2019t worry about a \u2018middle man.\u2019 Lizzy, it was the first time in my life I had no obligation\u2014and yet I was worth something. Not because of what I could do for him, but because of who I was\u2014and not who I was to the rest of the world, but who I was to him. He called me his Rose of Sharon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita looked around the house. \u201cWhen we got out here, I looked at that little hovel he had been living in, and thought I would die if I had to live there. He took one look at my face and said I should go back to Stockton; that he could put me up in the hotel there while he tried to make the place nice enough to live in. Of course I said no; he didn\u2019t have the money to spare. Do you know, Lizzy, except for what he spent on your father, every cent he made from that land sale has either gone for church expenses or for me? He won\u2019t buy himself anything with it. Adam Cartwright gave us a wedding gift\u2014$500 in cash. He gave it to me rather than Dave, because he knew Dave would use it for the church. We used that money to stay in the hotel and order glass windows for the house. I still have some of the money, and I\u2019m saving it for other things that Dave would never buy for himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy wondered what she meant about Dave spending money on her father, but now was not the time to ask, so she filed the question away for future reference.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Lizzy\u2014so sorry. I would\u2019ve let you think I was a martyr because I couldn\u2019t stomach the thought of you finding out how wrong I was. We do have it hard here, but as much as he can, he treats me like royalty\u2014as if I really do deserve the best he can give. How could I not be grateful? At some point my gratitude toward him became admiration, and then it changed into something else entirely. I\u2019m not even sure when it happened. I only know that somehow I began to love him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what he and I were talking about when you woke up this morning. I don\u2019t know how much you heard\u2014not enough, I guess, or you wouldn\u2019t have formed such a bad opinion\u2014but he didn\u2019t see why I couldn\u2019t just tell you the truth. The truth is, I was afraid you would think I had turned into a silly romantic, and it\u2019s not that at all. I do love Dave, but somehow\u2014well, I never loved anybody or anything before, except maybe you, and that\u2019s different\u2014I feel as if I\u2019m having to learn how to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked anxiously at Lizzy. \u201cWill you laugh at me now, or wait until I\u2019m not around?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy found, much to her surprise, tears sliding down her cheeks. \u201cRosita\u2026I don\u2019t think I could be any happier right now even if I were the one who had found such a husband. If I laugh, believe me when I say it will be from purest joy. I only wish you had told me before!\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita sighed and leaned back in her chair. \u201cOh, Lizzy, I feel the way a horse must feel after Hoss Cartwright dismounts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t know; I\u2019m told Hoss\u2019s horse likes him very much. Now Rosita, you have to clarify something you said yesterday. In the bad opinion I held of Dave then, what you said made sense, but now that I know the truth, it doesn\u2019t make sense anymore. If you love him, why do you encourage him to stay away so much?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never said that!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said Dave likes to walk, and you encourage him\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true, but it\u2019s not to get rid of him. He really does get sermon ideas on his walks. He said he used to try to sit in a church office and write and it never worked; he said he would much rather walk and think of God than sit in church and think of walking. Occasionally I walk with him, but I think I talk too much and distract him. So it\u2019s best to let him go alone. It\u2019s only for an hour or so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what of swimming? Does he get sermon ideas while he swims, too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMmmm? Um\u2026no.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why do you encourage him in that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita smiled. \u201cUsually, I go along with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSwimming with men?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust Dave. No others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut whatever do you wear?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita\u2019s grin lit up the whole cabin. \u201cNot a thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 28<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pride\u2014and Prejudice<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Wednesdays and Saturdays, Dave and Rosita put on their best faces, saddled their horses, and rode up to the Barkley ranch for dinner. And now that they had a houseguest, it followed that she would be subjected to the same ordeal. Tonight\u2019s dinner was also a celebration of sorts. Every last Barkley cow had been dipped, and it had been four days since the last cow had had to be shot. No new cases had been found. Clearly the lime-sulfur dip was a success, and Victoria was taking great delight that she<\/em> had had the idea of them doing it.<\/p>\n

Victoria Barkley\u2019s respect was hard-won, and the jury was still out on whether or not she liked<\/em> the enigmatic Reverend or his lovely but equally enigmatic wife. Old Vic was far more impressed by Dave\u2019s help with the Barkley cattle than any of his theology, and even if he had been a \u201cproper\u201d Presbyterian she probably would not have chosen to go to any church he pastored. He was entirely too stubborn to be a preacher at all, or such was her opinion when he refused to let her buy a stained-glass window (to be called the Thomas Barkley Memorial Window). But Adam liked him, and Adam had known him for many years. It had come out over time that Dave\u2019s shady past was not all that shady; he had never been an assassin or a con man, and he had never been a railroad \u201cterrorist\u201d (her battles with the local railroad had been legendary). Dave had only been a gambler and a gunfighter, and so had a lot of people Victoria knew.<\/p>\n

The entire Barkley family had heard by now of the circumstances by which Adam and Dave had become friends\u2014not because Adam and Dave talked about it, but because Ben Cartwright had included a brief sketch of the events in a letter. Because they knew some of the story (and loved trying to learn more) they also understood Dave\u2019s doglike loyalty to Adam. What the Barkleys did not know anything about\u2014and what Victoria delighted in trying to find out\u2014was what had prompted Adam\u2019s same deep feeling toward Dave, which went way beyond those of \u201cAdam bringing home a stray.\u201d And while it was obvious to Dave, Rosita, all three Barkley boys, and even obtuse Audra and outsider Lizzy that Adam would never tell her, Victoria still insisted on trying. This, however, proved boring to the rest of the party, and they began talking among themselves. Lizzy immediately liked all three of the Barkley brothers, but she gravitated toward Jarrod. He was around Adam\u2019s age, and like Adam, learned and articulate. Unlike Adam, though, he was immediately friendly, and when he saw that she did not know the Adam-Dave story, he decided to explain it. The other Barkley siblings were happy to join in the fun.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, they\u2019re really not related,\u201d Jarrod said quietly, as his mother, at the other end of the dinner table, continued to interrogate Adam and Dave. \u201cThey met something around eight or nine years ago in Kansas City. Back then Dave wasn\u2019t known as Dave. And he was a pretty fast gun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut somebody else was faster,\u201d Nick put in. \u201cEverybody wants to prove how fast they are using the established guy as the test. So this time Three-Fingered Louie Martin called him out, and he had to go or be called yellow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMeanwhile, Adam was coming through town on his way back from college, and he couldn\u2019t figure why everybody was givin\u2019 him such a wide berth,\u201d Heath said. \u201cOr why people kept lookin\u2019 at him funny and calling him \u2018Sam.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThree-Fingered Louie and Sam had their gunfight, and they both lost,\u201d Audra said, tossing her hair back over her shoulder. \u201cLouie was faster, but Sam\u2019s bullet still found its mark. By this time everyone had decided that if Adam wasn\u2019t Sam Driscoll, he must be related to him\u2014and so they took Adam to see his dying brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jarrod chuckled. \u201cBen couldn\u2019t say what actually happened then, but somehow Adam helped Sam get out of town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy shook her head in puzzlement. \u201cYes, but what about the \u2018faster bullet\u2019? Dave told me it took a bullet in the chest to make him change his ways, but how did he live through it? Or was he not really hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe certainly was hurt!\u201d Rosita said sharply, and everyone at the table looked at her in surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mrs. Clayton; we didn\u2019t know you were listening,\u201d Jarrod said smoothly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I suppose you think if you were talking behind my husband\u2019s back it is perfectly acceptable<\/em> to gossip about his past. I\u2019ve seen the scar.\u201d Rosita looked at her friend. \u201cWill you doubt me<\/em>, Lizzy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRosie, no!\u201d Lizzy cried. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. And we didn\u2019t mean to gossip. It\u2019s just such an exciting and dramatic tale\u2014rather like one of my father\u2019s dime novels.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave and Adam looked at each other and rolled their eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a dark and stormy night<\/em>,\u201d Adam intoned loudly and dramatically.<\/p>\n

Dave picked it up with a grin. \u201cThe rain fell in torrents–except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets\u2014<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled. \u201cFor it is in London that our story lies!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat on earth are you two talking about? What does London have to do with anything?\u201d Victoria demanded. \u201cDon\u2019t talk as if I\u2019m not in the room.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Aunt Vic,\u201d Adam said with a shrug. \u201cIt\u2019s just that my \u2018cousins\u2019 over there have decided to make the story of how I met Dave into a piece of great literature, so Dave and I decided to help them out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know that I\u2019d call Paul Clifford<\/em> great literature,\u201d Dave said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t know that I\u2019d call our meeting great literature either.\u201d Adam grinned. \u201cMiss Elizabeth, it\u2019s very simple. There he was, and there I was, and I said \u2018that man is far too good-looking to get lynched by Three-Fingered Louie\u2019s friends. So I put him on a train. That\u2019s the end of the story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the beginning of another,\u201d Dave put in. \u201cThat bullet killed Sam Driscoll. The man who stood up and walked away\u2014with the kindly help of God and Adam\u2014was a new creature in Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Adam sighed. \u201cThe new<\/em> creature was Dave Clayton, and instead of using a gun, he\u2019s been boring people to death with his preaching ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a rotten job, but someone\u2019s gotta do it,\u201d Dave said good-humoredly, and the conversation moved to other things.<\/p>\n

Lizzy found herself wondering what was so special about Audra\u2014and then she remembered Will saying that the late beloved Laura had been blonde. Audra was, too. Maybe she looked something like Laura, and Adam had agreed to marry her as a consolation prize? They certainly didn\u2019t seem to have much in common, and Adam treated Audra with the same disinterested courtesy he applied to most women. Nor did Audra seem interested in Adam. Well, they probably didn\u2019t like displaying their feelings in public. Surely Will couldn\u2019t have been mistaken\u2014although it seemed to Lizzy that both Adam and Audra ignored each other except when Victoria Barkley insisted on throwing them together.<\/p>\n

Still, she couldn\u2019t help touching one of her own coal-black curls and wondering what was wrong with brunettes.<\/p>\n

Jarrod broke into her thoughts to ask Lizzy just how it was she had met Adam. It was with slightly malicious joy that she related to him how Adam had accompanied his brothers to one of the Friday evening dances but could not be convinced to participate, although at that particular dance the girls had significantly outnumbered the men and he would have had a crowd from which to choose. Jarrod laughed at that, until a memory hit him, and then he said, \u201cYou know, Adam\u2019s usually pretty sociable at those kind of things. He\u2019s a pretty good dancer, too\u2014taught Audra how to waltz when she was 13. I have to wonder if his back was acting up on him again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, as I recall he took a spill a couple of years ago\u2014don\u2019t know how, might have been from a horse. Anyway he damaged his back pretty badly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me!\u201d Adam looked pointedly at Jarrod from the other end of the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Jarrod asked. \u201cI thought it was public knowledge; you hurt your back a couple of years ago, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and as I recall, there was a real interesting cactus story where you<\/em> hurt your\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBoys,\u201d Victoria cut in smoothly, \u201cIf everyone\u2019s finished with dinner, let\u2019s go to the parlor and have sherry.\u201d<\/p>\n

While she and Dave argued about why Dave would absolutely NOT consider putting in a Thomas Barkley memorial pew, Jarrod asked Lizzy if she played the piano.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes and no,\u201d Lizzy said with a giggle. \u201cIf you\u2019re simply asking me whether I play, the answer is \u2018yes.\u2019 If you\u2019re asking whether I play well<\/em>, there is an entirely different answer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, well,\u201d Adam said playfully, \u201cNow that the obligatory modest and self-deprecating disclaimer has been made, why don\u2019t you play something?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy gave him a long stare from under her hooded eyes. \u201cSome people ask for their own punishment,\u201d she said with a smile, and went to the piano.<\/p>\n

She was<\/em> out of practice. Her mother hated piano music, and only insisted on having a piano because the Gardiners in San Francisco had one. But Lizzy, although dexterous and with a good ear for music, had never had the patience to play the same thing repeatedly. One piece she did know pretty well, though, was Schubert\u2019s Serenade, so she played it, and Jarrod leaned against the piano and hummed along. And when she looked up, Adam was leaning on the other side of the piano, watching her hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh-oh,\u201d she murmured, and kept playing. \u201cMr. Frightful has come to intimidate me. He doesn\u2019t realize I\u2019m as stubborn as he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Jarrod asked.<\/p>\n

She nodded toward Adam. \u201cHe found a fatal flaw in my fingering.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSay that<\/em> five times fast,\u201d Adam chuckled. \u201cI saw no such thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you must be terribly disappointed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t that why you came over here? To tell me what\u2019s wrong? My dear<\/em> Mr. Cartwright, as long as I have known you, I\u2019ve only seen you tell people the wrong of things. Nobody can please you, because nobody is good enough for you. Where I come from, we call that \u2018pride.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled gently. \u201cAnd as long as I\u2019ve known you, my dear<\/em> Miss Elizabeth, you\u2019ve formed your entire opinion of a person\u2019s character based on your first impression of them\u2014and at every subsequent meeting, you\u2019ve added in any evidence that fit your first impression, and discarded everything else, no matter how interesting or different. Where I come from, we call that \u2018prejudice.\u2019 You actually play the piano quite well, and I looked at your hands because I think you have lovely hands. But I have no doubt that by the time you go to bed tonight, you will have bitten off all your fingernails and blamed it on me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would take more than the likes of you to make me bite off my fingernails, my dear<\/em> Mr. Cartwright!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would never attempt to frighten you, my dear<\/em> Miss Elizabeth. I will leave that to the right reverend over there, who is your host and therefore authorized to unleash fire and brimstone in your direction. As for li\u2019l ole me, I fear I can no longer tolerate your abuse. You\u2019ve scared me to death good and proper, and given me a headache beside, so I think I must surrender to your indomitable will.\u201d He turned to Jarrod. \u201cI really am kinda tired, Jarrod. Make my goodnights to Aunt Vic if she ever comes up for air. Poor Dave; if he doesn\u2019t at least put an ashtray in the church and name it after your pa, Dave\u2019s never gonna hear the end of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, her ambitions have really come down,\u201d Jarrod replied with a grin. \u201cI think she originally was going to try and get the whole church named after my father.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam clapped him once on the shoulder and then turned back to Lizzy. \u201cGood night, Miss Elizabeth. Whoops\u2014hangnail!\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy involuntarily looked down at her hands and then glared after the rapidly retreating Adam in astonishment. \u201cThat man is a disease!\u201d she finally muttered. \u201cIf someone ever bottles a cure for him, they\u2019ll make a fortune.\u201d<\/p>\n

Continue to next chapter -><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Chapter 29<\/strong><\/p>\n

Making Friends and Influencing People<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Sunday Adam came over for dinner with the Clayton household. Afterwards he took out the guitar he had brought along, and Dave got out his own. They tuned up while Rosita and Lizzy cleared the table, and by the time the water was hot in the dishpan, the two men had a full-blown concert going. They started with a wistful, sad piece that Lizzy had never heard.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s called Endless Road<\/em>,\u201d Rosita told her as she handed a plate over. \u201cDave said that before he met me, it was his favorite song. Now he says it\u2019s the saddest song he knows, but that Adam still loves it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy dried it and put it on the stack of clean dishes to return to the cabinet. \u201cThey have amazing harmony.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t they? Mrs. Barkley heard them once and said they sounded like the same voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know Mr. Cartwright could sing. I suppose it\u2019s helpful for a preacher like Dave, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDave says he always played the guitar, but he never sang much until Adam taught him Amazing Grace<\/em>. Then he sang all the time. You know, since Dave has told me so much about Adam, I\u2019ve thought of him as a friend almost as much as Dave does. He\u2019s been very good to us, Lizzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you told me about the wedding present. I suppose it\u2019s easy enough for the likes of him to throw a little money in Dave\u2019s direction, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t a little,\u201d Rosita replied. \u201cAnd as much money as he and Dave have spent to put your father right, a little gratitude from you might be in order as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk your father,\u201d Rosita said, and would not explain further. And for the first time ever, Lizzy and Rosita found themselves at an impasse, each unwilling to be the first to break the silence, while the two men continued their easy singing with Kathleen Mavourneen<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI often think Adam\u2019s wasted as a rancher,\u201d Rosita finally observed. \u201cNot that he isn\u2019t a good one; from what I\u2019ve heard, the Ponderosa went from being a 40-acre land claim to more than 500 squares miles mostly due to Adam and his father. Since then the place has doubled again in size as the younger brothers became more involved too. Dave says there are parts of it where you can ride for days without seeing anything but trees and cows. And yet, Adam does so many other things, and so well\u2014but he stays there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does he do besides sing?\u201d And annoy people<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he does<\/em> sing wonderfully. But he also builds things. He has a degree in engineering, with training in architecture. He built several homes around Virginia City, and from what Dave told me he redesigned the Ponderosa ranch house. Oh, and a few years ago he helped a German engineer devise some kind of structural support for all the mines that\u2019s all but stopped the mines caving in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite the boy genius,\u201d Lizzy laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, not just that,\u201d Rosita said with a serious frown. \u201cRemember, while you\u2019re making fun of him, that if he hadn\u2019t been with Dave in Kansas City all that long time ago, you and I would probably not be having this conversation. I would still be dancing and selling myself to drunken cowboys.\u201d She shuddered. \u201cI\u2019ll never go back to that life. Dave tells me that before he changed, he was always a solitary man. He has many friends now, a great many. But Adam is still his best friend, and that, if nothing else, makes him special to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy sighed, and then looked across the room at the two men.<\/p>\n

\u201cKathleen mavourneen, awake from thy slumbers,<\/em><\/p>\n

The blue mountains glow in the sun’s golden light,<\/em><\/p>\n

Ah! where is the spell that once hung on thy numbers,<\/em><\/p>\n

Arise in thy beauty, Thou star of my night,<\/em><\/p>\n

Arise in thy beauty, Thou star of my night.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt really makes no sense,\u201d Lizzy murmured thoughtfully. \u201cI hear such conflicting stories of him everywhere. How can he be the kind of person who takes his near kin and forbids him from a share of the inheritance he was promised? How can he threaten to kill his own cousin if the man even sets foot on the ranch? Why, poor Will cannot even visit his uncle without endangering his own life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita shook her head. \u201cPerhaps Will\u2019s uncle doesn\u2019t want to see him either\u2014have you considered that? I don\u2019t know, Lizzy, but neither you nor I was there that day. I do know this, though: Dave is a good judge of people, and he loves Adam. And Dave never lies to me, but while he won\u2019t tell me the story of Will Cartwright either, he insists that Adam\u2019s grievance is justified.\u201d A shrug. \u201cThink about it before you dismiss him out of hand, Lizzy. He may end up being not such a bad fellow after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

The song had changed again: the men were playing Schubert\u2019s Serenade<\/em>. Dave looked across the room at Rosita as they played, and when he smiled at her, it made Lizzy ache just to know that somewhere there were men who felt so. And then to her surprise she saw Adam was looking at her<\/em>. When he saw her returning his gaze, he blushed\u2014he blushed<\/em>?\u2014and turned back to Dave.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou always played that on the piano,\u201d Rosita whispered. \u201cI used to think nothing could be prettier. But it sounds good on guitars, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy swallowed, and dried a plate, and said nothing. But she thought many things.<\/p>\n

The next day work began on the church, or as Adam had dubbed it, the \u201cThis is not the Tom Barkley Memorial Building\u201d building. Dave had not asked the Barkleys for help, but all three of the men had volunteered after his assistance with the cattle. They showed up with Adam at a little before sunrise, and Lizzy barely registered the arrival of four and departure of five.<\/p>\n

Late that morning Lizzy and Rosie saddled their horses and took a picnic hamper out to the church site, where the five men had dug the foundation already and were putting up the two-by-fours that would make the frame of the building.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Adam design this?\u201d Lizzy asked Rosita.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe designs most of the churches Dave builds. Sometimes Dave gets lucky and can use an existing building, but when it\u2019s in a new place like this he sends Adam a letter. He\u2019s almost memorized all the questions Adam will ask, so Adam doesn\u2019t even come to look anymore. Now and then he\u2019ll send a local surveyor in; that\u2019s about it. Of course this time, he was here already, so he did everything himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had no idea church-building was such a science,\u201d Lizzy said, unable to stop a giggle. \u201cNow, tell me, what would have happened if the Barkley boys had been unable to help with this project?\u201d<\/p>\n

A shrug. \u201cDave would have gone into the community and gotten some volunteers, and they would probably have thrown the whole place together in a day. But it wouldn\u2019t be as well-made.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long will it take to complete it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked up then. \u201cMorning, Rosie; morning, Miss Elizabeth. We plan to have it done by Saturday. Aunt Vic wants her boys back by then. What do you ladies think of the place?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks wonderful to me,\u201d Rosie said. \u201cI can imagine Dave at the pulpit already.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo can Dave,\u201d Adam laughed. \u201cHe\u2019s warming up his best fire-and-brimstone voice. Why don\u2019t you go let him practice sermonizing on you, Rosie?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think I need a push? I\u2019m only here as long as it takes to unpack the sandwiches and then I fly straight to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she walked away, Adam and Lizzy looked after her. Adam spoke first. \u201cI never thought I\u2019d admit this, but Dave picked himself a darn good wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought to admit it either,\u201d Lizzy confessed. \u201cBut Rosita picked a darn good husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou had some doubts?\u201d Adam shook his head. \u201cFunny, I thought I wrote the book on that. I said some bad things when he told me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo did I,\u201d Lizzy replied. \u201cPerhaps there really was some providential intervention.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith Dave, I wouldn\u2019t doubt it a bit. Miss Elizabeth, are you still enjoying your stay here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am, very much. Unfortunately, I have to leave on Monday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFunny; I\u2019m pulling out myself, on Sunday. Are you going home, then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly briefly,\u201d Lizzy replied. \u201cEvery year for the last few years my aunt and uncle take one of us girls on a summer trip. This is my year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you like them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes. Aunt Gardiner is my mother\u2019s sister, but she\u2019s quiet and sensible and likes to read. We always talk about books together, and she loves Whittier.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess you\u2019ll have a good time, then.\u201d He looked thoughtful, but said nothing else.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I ask where you\u2019ll be going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have some legal and personal business to take care of in Todos Santos,\u201d he said, looking uncomfortable, and she changed the subject.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved listening to you and Dave sing yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has a nice voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed. \u201cYou\u2019re only saying that because he sounds like you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; I concede we look alike, but I don\u2019t think we sound at all alike. He\u2019s got that awful southern accent, for one thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat awful southern accent would that be, my fine upstanding Yankee friend?\u201d Dave had just walked up behind Adam, and now he grinned broadly at his friend. \u201cGotta watch what you say around those awful southerners, you know. Never know when one of \u2019em\u2019ll walk up right behind you. Walk with me, Adam; I want to show you something.\u201d He dragged Adam away, pointing at one of the structural supports for the building, and as he did so, Jarrod Barkley came over. \u201cMind if I sit with you a minute?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, Mr. Barkley. Please do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI overheard you say you\u2019re leaving soon; is that correct?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019ll be going on Monday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m drawing up some papers for your father. If I give them to you on Saturday, will you deliver them?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy frowned. \u201cWhat business do you have with my father?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m only drawing up the papers, Miss Bennet. The transaction is between your father and another party. If you don\u2019t want to take the papers, that\u2019s all right; I\u2019ll have a courier take them. It\u2019s just that if I do it that way, someone will have to pay a fee for the courier.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNever mind, Mr. Barkley. I\u2019ll take them. Just tell me\u2014is my father in some kind of trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n

He patted her hand. \u201cOf course not, Miss Bennet. I am<\/em> sorry, but most people have to deal with a lawyer at some time or another. We only seem<\/em> big and scary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll keep that in mind. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she and Rosita made their way back to the little house in the woods, Lizzy was thinking of the two conversations\u2014the one with Adam, and the one with Jarrod Barkley. Funny, each had been pleasant for a minute or two, and then become uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

Maybe it\u2019s me<\/em>, she thought.<\/p>\n

Chapter 30<\/strong><\/p>\n

How Not to Decline a Marriage Proposal<\/strong><\/p>\n

For the rest of the week, Lizzy and Rosie had breakfast, cleaned the small house, talked for a while, then made a big stack of sandwiches for the five-man construction crew and rode out to the church site together. The place was coming together beautifully, they would agree as they rode up. And then the hungry men would present themselves, the two women would dole out food, and Dave and his Rose of Sharon would get as far away as possible from the rest and talk together until it was time to leave. Somehow, to her own astonishment, Lizzy found she and Adam were becoming a couple as well, or at least the Barkleys seemed to think so. Thus Lizzy and Adam ate and talked together until it was time to resume work\u2014and to her even greater surprise, Lizzy enjoyed the conversations. He was quite a different Adam from the scowling fellow in Mulberry Ridge, and one day she told him so.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s only because you don\u2019t see me at the end of the day,\u201d he replied with a rueful grin. \u201cIt takes a whiskey and a couple of headache powders to make me normal enough to get through dinner. It was worse in Mulberry Ridge, because I didn\u2019t have any headache powders and had to rely on whisky. Not exactly my medication of choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy started to contest that, as he had seemed fine at Wednesday\u2019s dinner, but she remembered that he had again gone to bed early.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know what causes this pain?\u201d<\/p>\n

He shrugged. \u201cThis is a body that\u2019s taken some abuse, Miss Elizabeth. A couple of years ago I was building a house and fell off the roof. I was unable to walk for several weeks.\u201d He held a hand up at her horrified look. \u201cI\u2019m fine now, really. It\u2019s just that right after we got to Mulberry Ridge I got clumsy. I was still feeling the effects of a concussion when we went to the dance, and my horse bolted out from under me that night. I landed in a briar patch, so besides still finding thorns in myself a couple of days later, I wrenched my back.\u201d He gave her a long, searching look. \u201cMiss Elizabeth, I\u2019d appreciate it a lot if you didn\u2019t take my behavior in Mulberry Ridge as the sum total of my character. Nobody will ever mistake me for Dave Clayton, but I\u2019m not as bad as I seemed then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou weren\u2019t that bad,\u201d Lizzy lied.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t do that, Miss Elizabeth. You never backed down on me before. I was a jackass, but in my own defense\u2014and not that it\u2019s much of one\u2014I was dragged out, worried about meeting a schedule, annoyed about all the money we were pouring into a sinkhole, and in a lot of pain. Still, that\u2019s no excuse for treating other people badly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy made a little smile. \u201cDoes this mean you\u2019re apologizing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess so. Shucks, I\u2019ve been around Dave almost a month now, and being around him for long always does give me the urge to confess all my sins and get my heart right. Besides, today\u2019s Friday; I\u2019ll be gone day after tomorrow, and not likely to see you for a while. I want to make sure things between us are cleared up when I leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen things are certainly cleared up, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d He took a deep breath. \u201cThat\u2019s good, because\u2026Miss Bennet, I can make Mulberry Ridge a stop on my way back to the Ponderosa. Would you have any objection to my speaking to your father about\u2026about courting you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Whatever she had expected from him, this was not it. She just sat stunned for several minutes. \u201cWhat about Audra?\u201d<\/p>\n

An expression of vague distaste crossed his face. \u201cWhat about her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you mean\u2026you\u2019re thinking of marriage? With me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s what I mean.\u201d His gaze was steady but warm, his face uncertain.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is quite a surprise, Mr. Cartwright. I hardly know what to say. I\u2026didn\u2019t realize you felt that way about me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll grant, it\u2019s sudden. But\u2026well, that\u2019s the way I work. Miss Elizabeth, I won\u2019t force anything. Take the day and think it over. I know maybe I didn\u2019t give you much of a chance to get to know me. If you\u2019re uncomfortable, we can court for a while before we start talking about setting dates. For now I\u2019d just settle for that hope. I figure if your friend Rosita learned to love Dave, you might be able to learn to love me. Tomorrow, when you come out for lunch, bring your answer then.\u201d<\/p>\n

She could hardly wait to talk to Rosita about it\u2014but when they were together again, she found herself unable to say a word. And so while it weighed heavily on her mind, it did not become a topic of conversation. Nobody like Adam Cartwright had ever paid attention to her before. Men found her pretty, but among the men she<\/em> knew, women who read a great deal and had ideas<\/em> were regarded as neither accomplished nor lovable. But the things other men disliked about her were the things that seemed to attract Adam. And there were many things she found attractive about Adam\u2014when he wasn\u2019t being the fire-breather he\u2019d been in Mulberry Ridge. But he had explained his behavior then, and apologized. Maybe he would improve even more on closer acquaintance.<\/p>\n

There was that nagging little thing about Will Cartwright\u2026but maybe Rosita was right, maybe Will had lied; maybe there was a reason\u2026<\/p>\n

She was barely able to sleep that night, and in the morning was still turning things over\u2026but as she and Rosita rode out that morning, she reached her decision, and she was all smiles and blushes when they arrived.<\/p>\n

Jarrod was the first one she saw, and he was in town clothes, not the work outfit he\u2019d been wearing. \u201cHi there,\u201d he greeted them when they arrived. \u201cYou\u2019re late.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly a little,\u201d Rosita said. \u201cYou don\u2019t look like you\u2019ve been working, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot the way you\u2019d think of as work,\u201d Jarrod said with a lopsided smile. \u201cOnly writing legal documents, which of course is a very easy<\/em> thing to do and not work at all. Rosita, the fellows doing the real work are on the other side of the building right now\u2014can you let me borrow Lizzy for a minute?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita nodded with a smile and departed with the basket.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is for your father,\u201d Jarrod said, holding up a long, light-blue envelope with red sealing wax covering the flap.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose this means I\u2019m not allowed to look at it.\u201d Lizzy traced the raised seal and grinned.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2014but it\u2019s not confidential, according to the, um, party of the first part\u2014meaning our friend Dave\u2014so I can tell you what it is, if you want to know.\u201d At her nod, he went on. \u201cIt\u2019s an agreement between Dave and your father that after working the acreage as farmland and making a living on it for ten years, the land parcel, being 3,000 acres, will revert its ownership back to your father.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? But\u2026it\u2019s always been ours\u2026and only 3,000 acres? I understood the place to be much bigger than that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was apparently a miscommunication at some point, Lizzy. Your father didn\u2019t own the land; hasn\u2019t for some time. Dave Clayton owns it. And as for the \u2018much bigger\u2019 aspect, he sold 12,000 acres to Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2026Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Now this is the document that contains the agreement; your father should sign all three copies in the presence of a notary and keep one for copy himself, then send the other two back to me. And this document is marking off the boundaries of the land. He can have it independently surveyed if he wants\u2014at his own expense\u2014and once he agrees, again, sign all three copies and return two of them to me. This other document here separates out the 12,000 acres that were sold to Adam and is mainly just informational so your father doesn\u2019t plant any crops there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand all this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure your father can explain it further. Between him and Dave\u2014not to mention Adam\u2014they\u2019ve certainly kept me busy the last two weeks. And here I am with no secretary! I had two of them for the office here; one\u2019s gotten married and won\u2019t come near my place now, and the other broke her hand. A broken leg I could have coped with\u2014but a hand!\u201d He sighed. \u201cAnyhow, having taken the last month and a half to work on either cattle or churches, and all this stuff the only legal work I\u2019ve done, I need to get back to San Francisco. Of course, that leaves my poor helpless brothers alone and unprotected, but maybe they\u2019ll get by\u2014this time. Take care, Lizzy.\u201d He turned and walked off toward his horse, and she turned and walked with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you really as protective as you seem of them?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy brothers? Not really\u2014but they would tell you I am. That\u2019s just the way younger brothers are. You do one good thing for them and they think you\u2019re interfering. Last week I kept Nick from investing in some railroad stock that turned out to be from a phony railroad. He nearly hit me in the mouth, but Adam grabbed him just in time. I think Adam and I get along so well for that very reason. He knows how it feels to have two younger brothers always running headlong into trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI met his brothers. They seemed very intelligent and levelheaded.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, just like mine. But let \u2019em fall in love with a girl and they lose all their sense. Just like mine. Nick thought that poor girl was desperate, selling off her father\u2019s stock like that. Huh! And you know, right after he got here, Adam told me that his <\/em>two brothers had gone completely giddy over a couple of gold-diggers near that ranch they had leased, and Adam had to get them away before they did anything foolish. Fortunately, his pa was just as eager to avoid trouble as Adam was, so he helped out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy stopped walking for a minute, then ran to catch up. \u201cAdam had to\u2026get them away?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I think he manufactured some excuse. I\u2019m sure it was for the best, though. I can\u2019t count the number of times he\u2019s had to pull one or the other of them out some sort of scrape with a girl who was after the Ponderosa payroll. Oh, for Pete\u2019s sake, I forgot to give Adam his stuff. Would you be a good girl and do it for me?\u201d He pulled two envelopes from his saddlebag and slapped them into her dazed hands. \u201cThis is the wardship application\u2014I know he\u2019ll be glad when any reminder of Will is out of the way\u2014and this is the land deed and bill of sale. Thanks, Lizzy. It was quite a pleasure meeting you, by the way\u2014I hope you\u2019ve enjoyed your stay out here with Rosita and Dave. Goodbye!\u201d<\/p>\n

With that he swung into the saddle and reined the horse around.<\/p>\n

Nick appeared at her side. \u201cHi, Lizzy. Rosita says you\u2019re missing lunch, and Adam wants to talk to you. Are you okay? You look kind of sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d Lizzy set her jaw and walked back with him, barely noticing the sight of the completed church, narrowly missing a bucket of white paint. She saw Adam and headed to him. \u201cJarrod said these are for you. One is the deed for the land that used to belong to my father, and the other \u2018resolves that whole mess with your cousin Will.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks; I was afraid I\u2019d forget to pick them up.\u201d He looked at her in concern. \u201cAre you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine. It\u2019s just hot; that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you like some water?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thank you. I\u2026I don\u2019t want anything from you, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back a little to look down at her. \u201cWhat is it I\u2019m supposed to have done now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d Nothing to my sisters, nothing to me, certainly nothing to your cousin Will. <\/em>\u201cBut I did think over your proposal, and my answer is a decided \u2018no.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see. Not just any \u2018no,\u2019 but a decided \u2018no.\u2019 Without an explanation, or any reason at all\u2014and yet I didn\u2019t do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her throat was too tight to give him an explanation, even if she had wanted to discuss it. She merely looked at him in dismissal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI kind of thought you were leaning my way yesterday. That maybe Dave and Rosita, and the example they set, would have showed you something\u2026that you could get past a first impression; that you could learn to love somebody.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith sufficient labor, no doubt,\u201d Lizzy finally said. \u201cIf I worked at it hard enough, I might convince myself to love a cockroach, too. But in the end there would be no benefit to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

His hat shaded his face, so when she gave him her coldly triumphant smile, she could not see the expression there. She hoped it was one of hurt. But when he responded, his voice was cool. \u201cWell, then, think of me next time you step on one. Maybe it\u2019ll give you some pleasure. Obviously, you take a lot of pleasure in stepping on roaches\u2026and people. Goodbye, Miss Elizabeth.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned and walked back to the church, straight of back, arms swinging loosely at his sides, to all appearances, unconcerned about his lot in life. She ran to her horse and galloped back to Dave and Rosita\u2019s house, crying the whole way.<\/p>\n

Chapter 31<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dying of Love (and Other Things)<\/strong><\/p>\n

She was sitting on the couch with her head in her hands when Rosita got back. She told Rosita she had a headache. Rosita told her she was a bad liar. She said she had no other lies handy, and Rosita suggested that it might be more expedient to tell the truth.<\/p>\n

So it all came out. Jarrod\u2019s story. Adam\u2019s declared intent from the previous day. Her response, then, and now. \u201cThe man back-shot his own brothers!\u201d She began to sob. \u201cIn the face of that, how can Will\u2019s story not be true? Adam Cartwright is a\u2026a\u2026monster. That\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Things were going no better for Adam. It hadn\u2019t taken long to figure out that Lizzy\u2019s whole attitude had changed after her talk with Jarrod. Whether he had told her about Joe and Hoss, or the land deal with her father, or the bit about Will, something in that conversation had upset her. And when Dave tried to persuade Adam to explain things to her, Adam regaled him with a few of the more colorful metaphors at his command, and stamped away. However, Dave\u2014like Adam\u2014had never been one to give up easily.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just don\u2019t get it,\u201d Adam finally said. \u201cIf she wants to think the worst of me, she\u2019s going to. Doesn\u2019t matter that the deal with her father was your idea, or that I\u2019m the one who kept his butt out of jail. Doesn\u2019t matter that every time I looked at those two sisters of hers they had prize winning poker faces. Doesn\u2019t even matter that the only reason I thought she<\/em> was genuine was that she hated me. Doesn\u2019t matter about Will, either. All that matters is that she\u2019s decided I\u2019m bad, and there\u2019s no redemption possible\u2014not for someone like me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr it could be as simple as providing an explanation where none has been provided before,\u201d Dave drawled with a smile. \u201cYou could write her a letter and explain the whole thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd she could publish it in the Territorial Enterprise<\/em>, too. The kind of woman whose loyalty depends on my having a good enough explanation for the things I do is not the kind of woman I want to marry. But maybe that didn\u2019t occur to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course not. You want some mealy-mouthed girl without the sense to come in out of the rain. You don\u2019t want one that\u2019ll keep you honest. It would be too much work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy and Rosita were still arguing inside the house when Adam and Dave\u2014also still arguing\u2014rode up.<\/p>\n

Adam dismounted sullenly and led Sport to the water trough as Dave went inside. Dave barely spared Rosita a quick kiss before turning to Lizzy. \u201cThere\u2019s somebody outside would very much like to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to see him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you do.\u201d He grabbed her none too gently by the arm and pulled her outside.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re hurting me!\u201d she yelled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never quite figured out why the good Lord gave women the kind of brain that says it\u2019s okay to kick, stomp, slap, or even horsewhip a man, but yowl like a motherless puppy when a man touches her arm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDave, let her go,\u201d Adam ordered. \u201cIf she doesn\u2019t want to hear it, I\u2019ve certainly got no desire to say it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt needs sayin\u2019, Adam. You haven\u2019t ever talked to a soul about it, not even me, and I was there. It\u2019ll fester inside you like a cancer if you don\u2019t get it out in the open. I\u2019ll be inside if you need me.\u201d With that he let go Lizzy\u2019s arm and went back into the house.<\/p>\n

Adam sat down on the porch. \u201cYou might as well join me. You know what Dave\u2019s like. On Christ the solid rock he stands\u2014and if you try and get past him he\u2019ll belt you in the mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n

That much, at least, was probably true; Dave was something of an immovable object. She sat down a safe distance from Adam and braced her feet on the step.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need to worry. I\u2019m not going to talk about marrying again,\u201d Adam said. \u201cLike teaching a pig to sing\u2014wastes the man\u2019s time and annoys the daylights out of the pig.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you calling me a pig?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI probably should, since you called me a cockroach. But no; I\u2019m here as a favor to Dave. You probably won\u2019t even believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably not. Just tell me one thing, Mr. Cartwright, for my vanity\u2019s sake. Is it true you sent your brothers away to\u2026to rescue them from my sisters?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep. That\u2019s the way it was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, in heaven\u2019s name, did you send them away and then ask me<\/em>\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

He was silent for a few minutes, taking off his hat, turning it in his hands, and finally putting it back on. \u201cI reckon because I was always better at protecting them than I was at protecting myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou thought they were gold-diggers? My sisters?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot because I wanted to. I want my brothers to get married and settle down just as much as my father does, but I\u2019ve seen it happen time and again: Joe or Hoss notices a girl, spends a little time with her, she starts talking about white dresses, and suddenly we find out all she was after was money. Shoot, Melinda Banning was one of them\u2014one of the worst! Maybe your sisters loved my brothers, but I never saw any evidence. Every time I saw them together both your sisters were cool as cucumbers\u2014but it was real easy to see the dollar signs in your mother\u2019s eyes. Your mother was even too busy counting the change to notice your youngest sister always getting roostered at the punchbowl and trying to sneak off into the moonlight with the soldiers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou horrible\u2014\u201d Lizzy drew back a hand, but he was faster, and caught her in mid-slap.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot this time, Lizzy,\u201d he said quietly, but his voice was steel. He had even dropped the formal \u201cMiss.\u201d He shook his head grimly. \u201cI\u2019m not saying anything you don\u2019t already know, at least not if you\u2019re honest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir hearts were broken,\u201d she murmured. \u201cJane cries\u2026she hardly eats. Kitty is convinced Hoss will come back for her. She reads book after book on farming and has learned how to operate a plow. She\u2019s better at it than my father is\u2014she wants Hoss to be proud of her when he returns.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Adam said softly. \u201cIt was done for the best reasons.\u201d He let go her wrist and sighed. \u201cThat\u2019s not what I\u2019m here for, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are <\/em>you here, then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m here to talk about the falling out I had with my cousin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t really care about any falling out you had with Will Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course you do. It\u2019s been on your mind since you met him. You\u2019re dying to gossip about me; this will give you all kinds of things to say. Now, I\u2019d really love to know what he told you<\/em>, but I don\u2019t imagine you\u2019d tell me that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said that you and he both fell in love with a girl named Laura, but that in the end she preferred him, and that they left for San Francisco together. And that she died not long after they got there. Do you deny any of that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled thinly. \u201cNot a lick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe also told me that after her death he saw you and told you he wanted to come back to the Ponderosa, and that you threatened to shoot him if he tried. Do you deny that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope. Every word is true. Is that all he told you?\u201d<\/p>\n

A bitter laugh. \u201cHeavens, Mr. Cartwright, isn\u2019t that enough<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

For what seemed an age, he did not respond; he only sat looking at her in sort of a pitying way.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is if you want it to be,\u201d he finally said. \u201cBut my cousin Will has always had the habit of telling the exact truth while leaving out one or two key facts which he finds inconvenient for other people to know.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaura Dayton was the name of the lady in question. She was a pretty little blonde widow with a six-year-old daughter named Peggy. When Laura was first widowed I spent a lot of time trying to get things in order for her; I also befriended Peggy. Town gossip started linking me to the family, and while I don\u2019t think I really loved Laura the way she wanted, I was fond of her. I asked her to marry me. Will had shown up sometime during that time, on the run from a counterfeiting ring. We thought he was an innocent victim and helped him as best we could. My father was ready to re-divide the ranch so that Will would have a share, but Will couldn\u2019t settle down. He was talking about moving on to San Francisco from the time he got to our home.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then he met Laura. I think she fell for him on the spot. My own courtship had always been a little half-hearted, and Laura wanted to be swept off her feet. I don\u2019t know exactly what happened between them; I was busy building a house that was supposed to be a wedding present for her. But I fell off the roof; you\u2019ve already heard about that.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile I was trying to heal, Laura was trying to figure out how to break the news to me, and she couldn\u2019t. Peggy was the one who made me feel human. She wanted me to play, and for her sake I would get in the wheelchair and go out and play with her. That was how I happened to overhear Will and Laura talking. I don\u2019t think I was happy about it; it was a blow to my conceit if nothing else. But in a way it was a relief. I talked to them, told them they were free to go. And just to prove it, I got out of the darned chair. Fell on my behind about ten minutes after they were gone, but at least they were gone. Laura sold her ranch, and the three of them left town. The one I missed most was Peggy\u2014but I thought Will was a good man, and he\u2019d do right.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t explain why you threatened his life,\u201d Lizzy prompted. In return, he clasped and unclasped his hands a few times. Finally he cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never talked about this part before. Hoss and Dave know because they were there. Hoss told Joe and my father about it\u2026enough so they\u2019d understand about why Will shouldn\u2019t ever come back\u2026but I was never able\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cMy premature attempt at walking put me back in bed for another couple of weeks. I still wasn\u2019t able to walk without a cane, but when the telegram came I was ready to try to leave anyway. Will, Laura and Peggy had gone to San Francisco, to a boarding house called Lisa-Marie\u2019s\u2026and then Will disappeared and Laura was frantic.<\/p>\n

\u201cDave was already in San Francisco at some kind of church convention; Hoss wired and asked him to find Laura, but we only had a vague idea where she might be. It took a long time for Dave to locate the place, but from what Peggy told me; Lisa was an \u2018old friend\u2019 of Will\u2019s, and very accommodating. He and Laura stayed in that boarding house as man and wife, but never married. Laura even called herself Cartwright\u2014but she was always asking Will when they were going to make things legal. He never did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy gasped involuntarily, but Adam went on, grimly determined.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe counterfeiters that were following Will had gotten to town, looking for a missing plate. Will didn\u2019t have it\u2014we later found it in a hole he\u2019d dug inside our barn. Will apparently told the San Francisco police about the counterfeiters, but he fed them some story about being an undercover Treasury agent, and they swallowed it. The police went to Lisa-Marie\u2019s and found the two counterfeiters there slapping Laura and Peggy around to make them tell where Will was. The police arrested the men, so Will was free and clear. Of course, he was also broke, and he had gambling debts to pay. Back he went to Laura and asked her for the money from the sale of her ranch. By then she was starting to wonder what was going on: why he hadn\u2019t rescued her and Peggy from the men; why he hadn\u2019t married her. She said no money until he was truthful with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nothing further seemed to be forthcoming. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d Lizzy asked. Adam looked at her, but did not reply. She decided to wait, and finally, he swallowed and began again.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy said Will\u2026knocked Laura across the room. There was blood everywhere.\u201d His voice was lower than normal. \u201cHe tore through all the belongings until he found the money. I had left the Ponderosa by then, Hoss came with me; but I wasn\u2019t well and the stage ride was killing me. I was drinking half a bottle of laudanum a day to keep the pain at bay and was no good to anybody, and there was delay after delay in getting there. Dave turned Lisa Marie\u2019s upside down and found Laura\u2014and Will was there, drunk. He kicked Will out, and Will never came back. Laura said nothing was wrong, just that she\u2019d bitten her tongue and her jaw hurt a little. Dave wired us at the next way station; but the next morning before we left we got another telegram. Laura was in the hospital, screaming in pain, couldn\u2019t eat, couldn\u2019t swallow. Her tongue was black\u2026.\u201d He stared fixedly ahead. \u201cBy that night she was delirious. She thought Dave was me and called him Adam. Dave let her think so. He stayed with her, held her hand, prayed with her, told her they\u2019d get married\u2026did everything he could to maintain the illusion and make her feel better. Before long, though, they couldn\u2019t give her enough morphine to block the pain. She lapsed into a coma\u2026and died about half an hour before I got there. Acute massive gangrene of the tongue, the doctors said.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment, Lizzy couldn\u2019t even think. Finally she asked, \u201cWhat happened to Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to adopt her, but I\u2019m a single man and not related to the family. Laura\u2019s Aunt Lil lived outside San Francisco in Todos Santos; she was awarded custody. Lil agreed that Peggy could come for summers with me. Now Lil\u2019s health has taken a bad turn, and she says she\u2019ll put a good word in for me if I ask for wardship. One of the papers you brought me today was the application. Peggy\u2026she\u2019s doing well enough, I suppose, but she hates strangers\u2026any mention of Will scares her\u2026she\u2019s not like she used to be. I visited her between leaving Mulberry Ridge and coming to Stockton, and I\u2019ll be going back tomorrow to pick her up for her summer trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood up. \u201cThat\u2019s the story. You can believe it or not, but Dave will back me. Hoss will, too\u2014he was with me. They had to keep me in the hospital for a couple of days, so Hoss probably remembers it better than I do. Oh\u2014one more thing. Last year I was in San Francisco when I happened to run across Will. I couldn\u2019t believe all I\u2019d heard about him\u2026he was my cousin, after all. So I asked if he knew what had happened to Laura. He figured she had run out on him after he took her money, but he never bothered to find out. I told him. He said it was too bad, but it was all an accident. Then he said he\u2019d like to \u2018come home\u2019 to the Ponderosa. Now that I think on it, he probably just wanted the hidden plate; he didn\u2019t know we\u2019d turned it in. Anyway, I beat the stuffing out of him and told him if he ever came near me again I\u2019d kill him, and if he ever set foot on the Ponderosa I\u2019d shoot him, in the front or in the back, made no difference to me. Dave tells me now that it\u2019s time to let it all go and forgive, and that even if Will was a rat, he never meant for Laura to die, but it\u2019s a little easier to say \u2018forgive\u2019 than to do it\u2014and on Dave\u2019s more honest days, he\u2019ll admit that himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

The way he held himself was stiff, as if his back was bothering him again. \u201cI\u2019ll be gone before daylight, so please tell Dave I\u2019m sorry I\u2019ll miss his sermon. And tell him I did what he wanted. Goodbye, Lizzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 32<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blurry Reflections<\/strong><\/p>\n

With one final hug to Rosita, Lizzy turned to board the stage. Behind her, Dave cleared his throat, and when she looked at him in puzzlement, he raised an eyebrow. \u201cNot even a handshake?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReverend Clayton,\u201d she said very formally, \u201cMight I request permission to call you \u2018Dave\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

He considered things for so long that Lizzy began to worry, before he winked and said, \u201cOnly if I can call you Lizzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita burst out laughing. \u201cYou already<\/em> call her Lizzy!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, but I want formal permission.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a trade,\u201d Lizzy said with a smile, and received a brief and gentle hug from Dave in return.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome back soon,\u201d Rosita called as the stagecoach pulled away, and Lizzy watched them as they turned, Dave\u2019s arm around Rosita, and went back to their horses.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder if anyone will ever treat me that way,\u201d she murmured, and the elderly lady on the opposite seat looked at her curiously.<\/p>\n

Lizzy gazed out the window and barely heard the rattling and banging of the coach as her mind drifted back to the terrible things she had said to Adam on Saturday. Well, not that he hadn\u2019t had a few choice words for her, too\u2014but then she supposed that, having fired the opening salvo herself, she probably had asked for whatever she got. Of course, a real gentleman wouldn\u2019t have responded the way Adam had\u2026but then again, it was nice to see an intelligent man who still had a bit of spunk.<\/p>\n

Then she thought about the story Adam had told\u2014more horrible than she could ever have dreamed. Even after hearing it she hadn\u2019t believed it at first.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

She\u2019d still been sitting on the porch, dazed, when Dave came out and sat down next to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it really true?\u201d she finally asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the way it happened,\u201d he responded slowly. \u201cYeah, I kind of eavesdropped, in case Adam couldn\u2019t get the story out. I think he did pretty well, though. Life isn\u2019t always pretty, Lizzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think he\u2019ll be able to keep Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

A shrug. \u201cBureaucracy is a funny critter. He might have a better chance if he bought the Bar Fly and lived there\u2026but I don\u2019t think he will. Not now. He\u2019d have Peggy, but I don\u2019t imagine it would be much fun living that close to you and not being welcome to visit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, that was true. It was not something she wanted to talk about, though, even with Dave. But something about the notion of purchasing the Bar Fly reminded her about the land deal. \u201cJarrod Barkley says Longbourn doesn\u2019t belong to my father, but to you. Can you tell me about that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReckon I can, but it doesn\u2019t show your father at his best. You sure you want to hear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

He thought for a few minutes. \u201cOrdinarily I\u2019m not this forthcoming with a story that\u2019s not all mine, but it sounds like your whole family\u2019s been kept in the dark a mite too long, and somebody needs to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

And so he told her the things she didn\u2019t know about her father, and his own. Then he told her about how the church planting business worked, and how it wasn\u2019t always possible to get sufficient support to make things happen, and how he\u2019d sold the excess land to Adam for the money he needed to get his Stockton project in motion.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Adam just happened to know all of this already?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot quite the way I\u2019d put it, Lizzy. Adam was the one who figured out all the cattle on \u2018your\u2019 ranch were stolen merchandise, and the one who told your father about it. And when word got out about my father being lynched, Adam\u2019s the one who went to the Mulberry Ridge sheriff and told him your father was not a part of anything. He had to stick his neck out pretty far on that one. If Adam hadn\u2019t convinced the sheriff that Mr. Bennet was a dupe, I believe your pa and mine would be sharing a tombstone. Don\u2019t cry, Lizzy. Nothing will happen to your pa now, and he\u2019s got ten years to learn how to be self-sufficient. Granted, he didn\u2019t learn it in his prior 40-odd years, but then again, he never had motivation like now, either. He\u2019s a bright man, your pa\u2014just not if life departs from his dime novels. But he\u2019ll catch on. And I hear Kitty is makin\u2019 a great teacher.\u201d He stood up again. \u201cSupper\u2019ll be ready soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

A darn shame, that\u2019s what it was. A great, tragic story she could gleefully have told her family, had it only happened to someone else. But it had happened to the Cartwrights\u2014and all of Lizzy\u2019s family, whether they knew it or not\u2014as well as Dave. Even Rosita had been affected. And all that made it a story that could not be told.<\/p>\n

Suddenly she couldn\u2019t wait to see her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. They were such nice, normal, ordinary people. No lynchings, land deals, lost loves, frightened children or gangrenous tongues with them.<\/p>\n

She recalled the last letter her Uncle Gardiner had sent to her father. Her father had read it aloud to the family, but she had the strangest notion that he had stopped early. Her curiosity had gotten the better of her, and she sneaked into her father\u2019s study one evening and read the letter herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cPoor Lizzy; I know she\u2019ll be disappointed not to come back to San Francisco, as I know she loves the big city. But my wife really wants a change of scenery and custom, and as I\u2019m sure you know, it is a dangerous thing to deny a Plum her due. Therefore I have determined to take the two ladies\u2014with your permission as regards Lizzy of course\u2014up into the Lake Tahoe countryside. We have never been there, but have been assured of its incomparable beauty by many a traveler, and my wife yearns to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Actually, the thought appealed greatly to her until she found out that was where Adam Cartwright lived. But surely, it was a huge lake, and his family could hardly own all of it. She read on:<\/p>\n

\u201cPostScript\u2014don\u2019t read this out to the dear wife, but I understand you have decided to try digging in the soil for a living. Well, as a longtime Gardiner and gardener, I can safely tell you that a field is happiest when it is ploughed regularly. Never allow it to lie fallow. You know what I mean, of course\u2014affectionately, James.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since she had no memory of her uncle ever trying his hand at real gardening, she had no idea what he meant. Besides, he and his wife had seven children. When did he<\/em> ever have time to work in the fields?<\/p>\n

Chapter 33<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whittier and Thoreau<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lizzy was home two days between one trip and the next\u2014long enough to see that Jane and Kitty had not recovered from the loss of the Cartwright brothers. Long enough to be annoyed to death by Lydia. Lydia had acquired three new girlfriends in town as well as a special friend\u2014a secret admirer, she claimed. While she teased her sisters and her parents mercilessly that \u201cnow I know how it feels to be loved\u201d she could not be persuaded to reveal the name of the suitor. While this was a great taxation on Mrs. Bennet\u2019s nerves, Mr. Bennet\u2014for the first time in his life, having stuck with a difficult occupation longer than two months\u2014was too sore and tired at the end of the day to care beans for Lydia\u2019s inflated sense of self-importance, and told her so. \u201cOh, I\u2019ll get your attention yet, Papa,\u201d Lydia replied.<\/p>\n

Lizzy tried to talk to him about it\u2014Adam\u2019s remark about Lydia\u2019s getting roostered at the punchbowl and sneaking into the moonlight with the soldiers had stung more than he could have known\u2014but little came of it.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

\u201cLydia is the slowest-burning of all my candles,\u201d Mr. Bennet said. \u201cShe exists only to be a thorn in somebody\u2019s side, Lizzy. If she behaves capriciously enough, someone or other will be forced to marry her, and then she can be a thorn in his<\/em> side, not mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr the \u2018someone\u2019 in question will respond that he would rather die than marry her, in which case my sisters and I will also be ruined on her account, and you will be stuck with a house full of old maids.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Lizzy,\u201d he replied. \u201cAnybody who courts any of you five will have to do it for love and not money\u2014thanks to Adam Cartwright, everyone in the county knows we have none.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell it to Jane and Kitty, Papa,\u201d Lizzy snapped. \u201cThey were courted for love as well\u2014and they were torn asunder, and the two of them are miserable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBroken hearts are the easiest breaks to fix. Wait until the next batch of soldiers comes over from Ord Barracks. On the other hand, my back and shoulders are killing me, and the only remedy for that sort of break is a lot of very hot water and some decent quality alcohol.\u201d<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

The biggest news was that Miss King, the store owner\u2019s daughter to whom Will Cartwright had become engaged, had suddenly been sent off to an eastern ladies college and was not expected back for at least four years. The engagement broken, Will was once again available.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps you mean \u2018on the prowl,\u2019\u201d Lizzy snorted when she heard the news.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I thought you quite liked him,\u201d Jane protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, even I<\/em> can\u2019t be right all the time,\u201d Lizzy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill Cartwright was quite satisfied by the likes of Lizzy back in the days before he learned to aim high,\u201d Lydia commented. \u201cShe\u2019ll be of no use to him now, though, since he has learned that there are real<\/em> women in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no idea what you mean by any of that,\u201d Lizzy snapped. \u201cBut if you fancy yourself to be a real woman, at barely sixteen now, you have a lot to learn about living.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lydia ran sobbing to her mother.<\/p>\n

As for Mary, she was beside herself with boredom and had memorized all the California Mining Statutes of 1860 as well as the results of the 1860 California Geological Survey. She had no idea what any of it meant, but simply being able to quote from it gave her an immense boost in her sense of self-worth.<\/p>\n

Finally, Lizzy was able to leave with the Gardiners. She hated leaving Jane behind\u2014she had even discovered a real liking for Kitty that she would once have thought impossible. Kitty, much to her surprise, had approached her on her return and said, \u201cI have something for you. It\u2019s a book I think you\u2019ll like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d she had tried to make herself sound interested, but since Kitty\u2019s literary awakening seemed limited to books about soil types, crop rotation, and compost, it was difficult\u2026until she saw the book. It was Walden<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere on earth did you get this, Kitty?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Hoss and Joe were leaving for home, they came to say goodbye, remember? Hoss gave me this for you. He said not to give it to you until Adam was gone and the time was right. I\u2019m still not sure if the time is right, but at least you don\u2019t seem as hostile toward Adam as you used to be. The book is from him, and Hoss told me that Adam said you may keep it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She had kept it indeed; it was in her reticule right now, but she could not read because Aunt Gardiner was talking. At least Aunt Gardiner\u2019s talk was usually pleasant.<\/p>\n

Aunt Gardiner had been reading about Lake Tahoe, and she filled Lizzy\u2019s head with delightful stories about how the place had got its name, and how there was supposed to be a sea monster lurking in its depths, and how most of the eastern shores of the lake were owned by a family called \u201cCartwright\u201d who had come to the country some 20 years ago and had transformed the place into a great empire\u2014but because old Ben Cartwright had some mighty strange ideas, there were parts of the ranch that didn\u2019t even look as if humans lived anywhere near.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re said to be an odd family, these Cartwrights,\u201d she proclaimed. \u201cHave you ever heard of them, Lizzy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI met three of them,\u201d Lizzy replied with a smile. \u201cThey actually leased a ranch near ours, and will be using it as a rest-stop for cattle they move through California.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, my! Wait, didn\u2019t you once write me about a young man named Will Cartwright? Was he one of that famous family?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Lizzy replied firmly. \u201cHe was a distant relation, but certainly not part of that family. I was referring to the three Cartwright brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat were they like?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026the younger two were quite friendly and likable. One of them, Hoss, is the one who got Kitty so passionately interested in farming. And although Little Joe was well-liked by all the young ladies, he seemed rather fond of Jane, although she was too shy to provide much encouragement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what of the eldest?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was\u2026very businesslike. He and my father had several dealings together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Uncle Gardiner laughed at that. \u201cOh, then is he the one your father must have been referring to when he said \u2018that young cock-of-the-walk down the road\u2019 who threatened him with jail time!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure I don\u2019t know anything about that, Uncle Gardiner,\u201d Lizzy replied with a swallow. \u201cMr. Cartwright was actually quite helpful to our family on a couple of occasions.\u201d<\/p>\n

She had never imagined herself defending Adam Cartwright to her dearest relatives, but having said the words, Lizzy had no desire to call them back. In fact, the only words she desired to call back were the ones she had said to Adam Cartwright\u2026almost from the time she had met him. But of course, second chances didn\u2019t exist in this life.<\/p>\n

She took out Walden<\/em>, finally ready to read for a while\u2014and found an ancient, folded sheet of paper bookmarking one underlined section: The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation\u2026But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.<\/em><\/p>\n

Strange that such a section should be highlighted, she thought. Then, seeing Adam\u2019s bold, if faded, handwriting on the old paper that served as bookmark, she opened it and began to read\u2014a painstakingly copied poem. It was John Greenleaf Whittier\u2019s Maud Muller<\/em>. And she found herself wishing again for that undeserved second chance.<\/p>\n

For all sad words of tongue or pen,<\/em><\/p>\n

The saddest are these: \u201cit might have been!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Chapter 34<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ponderosa Pines<\/strong><\/p>\n

Made breathless by the uncommon beauty of the area, they skirted the western side of Lake Tahoe and rounded the northern shores. The climbs were gradual in some spots, but definite. The air was thinner, and one had to breathe deep to get any good stuff into the lungs. The horses\u2014the Gardiners\u2019 own from San Francisco\u2014had to be stopped more often to rest. These were the Sierra Nevadas, and though the passes they went through kept them from having to climb to the crest of the mountains, they were still getting higher all the time, and the land was changing. Somehow, the sky seemed bluer here. The pine trees tried to touch that blue sky. The pine cones that lay on the needled forest bed ranged from the deceptively small Ponderosa pine cones\u2014which could be huge, long-lived trees\u2014to the much smaller Coulter pine, with cones as long as a man\u2019s forearm and as big around as his head. And every once in a while, the road that curled back and forth through the mountains would come into an ever-so-slight clearing through which, in the distance, a great body of water could be seen. It was a blue so vibrant she thought if she put her hand in the water, sparks would shoot out and jolt her right into the pines.<\/p>\n

They had a map of the area\u2026not entirely accurate, as it turned out, for one of the towns indicated just wasn\u2019t there, and they spent the night in the middle of nowhere, sleeping on the ground. But when Lizzy arose the next morning, she was fiercely proud of herself and almost wished Adam Cartwright would appear so she could wave a finger at him and tell him \u201cso there, I can rough it just as well as a cowboy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The thought, though, was enough to put Adam back into her head, and in a most disturbing way.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe next time I see Rosita, I must make a large apology to her,\u201d she thought. \u201cShe was ashamed to tell me that she had been all wrong about Dave. I know how she feels, since I built a lovely house out of all my misperceptions, and like the house in the fairy tale, mine was blown down because it was made of straw! Adam would have been right to call me a pig on that day. I almost wish he had, for then at least I would be able to comfort my wounded vanity, if nothing else.\u201d<\/p>\n

What an unbearably rude awakening. There were charming people who were vicious liars; there were ways to die that did not involve sweetly breathed last words like Beth March in Little Women<\/em>; and there were haughty, arrogant men who sometimes weren\u2019t all that haughty or arrogant but were just overprotective and in pain.<\/p>\n

Every single assumption she had made about him\u2014and even the things her parents had said\u2014had been wrong. Adam Cartwright hadn\u2019t been trying to get them off the land; he was trying to keep them from being thrown off it. He hadn\u2019t wanted her father to go to jail; he\u2019d tried to keep him out of jail. And yes, Will Cartwright had told the truth, but not enough of it; and even if she was still horrified that one cousin could threaten another\u2019s life, she could understand it after hearing the circumstances.<\/p>\n

Now she was somewhere near the place where Adam Cartwright lived\u2014she remembered when he\u2019d claimed the Ponderosa had the dubious honor of having the spot that was \u201cin the middle of nowhere,\u201d and suspected that was where she had camped the night before. She also remembered his talking about the lake, and his father\u2019s boast that the sight approached heaven. She could see, now, that he hadn\u2019t been exaggerating\u2026and she could see, now, that although he wasn\u2019t quite as gentle-spoken a fellow as Dave Clayton, he probably would be a good man to pass one\u2019s life with\u2026if only the one in question hadn\u2019t, in ignorant prejudice, called him a cockroach and sent him packing.<\/p>\n

And she didn\u2019t want to be anywhere near him now; how could she, when she was \u201cthe one\u201d who had done all that? And having been so, wouldn\u2019t he<\/em> be justified if he gave her one of the withering stares she had lavished on him\u2026and sending her packing just as fast?<\/p>\n

He had gone to get Peggy\u2026that had to have added a few days to his travel time\u2026surely he wouldn\u2019t be home yet. And ranch or no ranch, she would talk her aunt and uncle out of their plan to visit the Ponderosa. She didn\u2019t want to see it or any of the Cartwrights, ever again.<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle, is it necessary that we go to the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead of responding, Gardiner turned to Harold, the driver. Harold listened, and nodded, and called back, \u201cYes mum, we\u2019re already on it. Have been for some hours now. I understand if we came down this part straight south instead of headin\u2019 southeast as we are, we could be on it for days. I\u2019m told that young Mister Adam, the oldest Cartwright boy, put this road in so that people wouldn\u2019t have to go 30 miles out of the way to keep off the Ponderosa land when crossing this part of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we won\u2019t go to the house, will we?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her uncle looked at her. \u201cWhy not? I wrote to this Mr. Ben Cartwright, told him of our trip, and asked permission. He responded quite generously. Besides, it\u2019s beautiful countryside around here, just what your aunt wanted to see, and I\u2019m told this oldest Cartwright son\u2014funny how he keeps popping up\u2014designed the house. I have a real interest in seeing all this \u2018genius,\u2019 don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen the genius,\u201d Lizzy said miserably. \u201cI\u2019ve no desire to see him again.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was, and wasn\u2019t, a lie.<\/p>\n

Chapter 35<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some Broken Hearts Never Mend<\/strong><\/p>\n

They had taken the stage most of the way back from San Francisco with Sport, tied to the back, loping easily behind, but now it would be less crowded and more pleasant to ride. Peggy was always game to ride Sport (a \u201cbig people horse\u201d) double with Adam anyway. He left the bags on the stage for later pickup at the station and he and Peggy rode the last few hours. They arrived to see a familiar carriage, and Adam\u2019s heart sank into his boots.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want to ride a big people horse while you\u2019re here?\u201d he asked Peggy, and she nodded enthusiastically.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo ask Hoss to show you some of them, and he\u2019ll pick out one just for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She ran off, and he went inside to his father\u2019s study. \u201cPa.\u201d He stuck a hand out. His father came around the desk to him, ignored his hand, and gave him a quick hug instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s all right. A little skittish. I sent her off to see Hoss and choose a horse. She seems to do well with horses, so I think I\u2019ll have her ride a lot while she\u2019s here. Maybe it\u2019ll help. Do you think talking to Paul might do any good?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCouldn\u2019t hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ll do that sometime this week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Victoria?\u201d his father asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cStill upset that you had the brazen temerity to sell cattle in California, but somewhat appeased since I taught the fellas how to do tick-dips. Half her herd died. We managed to save the rest. But if you think you\u2019re off the hook for selling to the Army, you\u2019ve got more thinking to do,\u201d Adam chuckled.<\/p>\n

Ben sighed. \u201cWell, I\u2019ve had her mad at me before. I\u2019ll send her a couple of good horses at Christmas; maybe that\u2019ll get her back on my good side. All right, what was all that business about Hoss and Joe, Adam? I brought them back as fast as I could, but you know\u2026\u201d He hesitated. \u201cThey\u2019re getting worse instead of better. Hoss is more absent-minded than you\u2019d believe\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

His father shrugged. \u201cI know. But even that pales in comparison to his loss of appetite. I think he\u2019s lost 20 pounds since he\u2019s been home. And Joe never smiles anymore. He\u2019s lost his sense of humor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject. \u201cPa, what are the Bannings doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the moment, they\u2019re helping Hop Sing in the kitchen. But I assume you mean why are they visiting. If that is the question, they\u2019re here because when I sent Deborah the thank-you note, she said she would love to see the Ponderosa again, and I invited her up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d Adam turned away.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you\u2019re not still upset about all that foolishness with Melinda a few years ago, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Pa, I\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked back at his father. \u201cHow long will they be here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust three weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d He walked off, and Ben Cartwright shrugged and went back to his books.<\/p>\n

I can live with anything for three weeks<\/em>, Adam told himself as he went to the corral, to find Peggy up on old Sparks, a husky gelding who hadn\u2019t been a bad cow pony in his prime, but his normal temperament was so placid it was sometimes hard to tell whether he was awake or asleep. Now he was 15, and Joe had been heard to giggle about him, \u201cHe\u2019s so much more reliable since he\u2019s settled down.\u201d Of course, that was back when Joe still had a sense of humor. Hoss was standing in the center of the corral calling out instructions, but he didn\u2019t look any too chipper, either.<\/p>\n

Joe. Hoss<\/em>. I should have known; interfering in love affairs always leaves them worse off than before\u2026and especially now, when I\u2019m finding myself believing what Lizzy said\u2014that Jane and Kitty really did love them. After all, what motivation did she have to lie when she was telling me in the same breath how much she hated me?<\/em><\/p>\n

And\u2026why shouldn\u2019t she have felt that way about me. I was an ass. Sure, my back was killing me, but it would\u2019ve been better to stay at the house than to show up at places and ruin everyone else\u2019s good times.<\/em><\/p>\n

Without warning, Joe clapped him on the arm. \u201cGood you\u2019re back, Older Brother,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cDoesn\u2019t look like we can get rid of the Banshees, does it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chortled. \u201cNope. But Dave says God never gives us more than we can handle, so\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I wish he didn\u2019t have such confidence in my ability,\u201d Joe muttered. \u201cYou know the old lady\u2019s still pushing Melinda at me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you feel about that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike I need a bath. I declare, Adam, it\u2019s got to be how the poor evening gals feel when the fellas come in and start lookin\u2019 \u2019em over; like they\u2019re meat on the hoof. And Melinda has no more interest in me than she ever had; I only wish I could find a good excuse to stay far away from her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMelinda was still hurling herself at me back at Mulberry Ridge,\u201d Adam empathized. \u201cMade me feel the way a worm must feel when the fisherman looks in the bait cup.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKinda shriveled,\u201d Joe agreed. \u201cListen, I know Peggy just got here and you want to spend some time with her, but Hoss and I were thinking about all the busted fences up by the north road.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre the fences busted up by the north road?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they ain\u2019t, they will be,\u201d came the grim reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, unless I can get Pa to let Peggy come along\u2014and that\u2019s not likely\u2014then I\u2019ll probably be stuck here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy loves going out with us, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but Pa thinks it\u2019s not appropriate for a little girl to go gallivanting around the ranch with men.\u201d He rolled his eyes. \u201cGood thing he didn\u2019t have any daughters.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that may not be outta the realm of possibility,\u201d Joe muttered. \u201cI think the senior Banshee is setting her cap at him. After all, Horace has been dead a little over a year, and there\u2019s no time like the present.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t think of a quicker way of guaranteeing himself a shortage of help at the ranch than marrying Deborah Banning,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI\u2019d be on the next stage to Boston and taking Peggy along, and I bet even you and Hoss would be ready to leave the ranch if something like that really happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t doubt it either. The problem is, making Pa see it,\u201d Joe replied with a sad smile.<\/p>\n

Chapter 36<\/strong><\/p>\n

Full House<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben had, on Adam\u2019s request, purchased a spinet piano for Peggy, who had been taking lessons ever since her arrival in Todos Santos. It was about the only \u201cfeminine\u201d activity Peggy enjoyed, aside from playing with dolls. She was determined to be a cowboy when she grew up, and no amount of talking from Ben would change her mind. Ben then told Adam to give it a try, but as far as Adam was concerned, for now, if being a tomboy made her happy, that was fine\u2014he\u2019d seen too much of her unhappy. She had a lifetime to grow up and do what society wanted. So he went out tree climbing with her, and squirrel hunting, carrying Helen Praybaby (her favorite doll) in a little papoose cradle board on his back. He actually kind of liked it. Aside from the strange looks\u2014the ranch hands would just have to get used to it\u2014the board actually made his back feel better.<\/p>\n

In the late afternoons when they came back she practiced earnestly on piano\u2014and Melinda Banning usually dominated those times, much to Adam\u2019s displeasure. But he had to admit Melinda was better with a piano than he was; he could pick all day on a guitar but figuring out where he was on a piano took a little longer. After dinner he would read to Peggy, or have her read to him. They were currently working their way through The Lady of the Lake<\/em> by Sir Walter Scott, and while both Melinda and Deborah Banning thought the material was much too tough for an eight-year-old, Peggy loved it.<\/p>\n

But Adam spent most of the week while Hoss and Joe were gone either worrying about Peggy, or worrying about Hoss and Joe. He was going to have to tell them about Kitty and Jane\u2014he knew that now\u2014it was only a question of when. He really didn\u2019t want to be left alone with the \u201cBanshees,\u201d but the deception on his brothers had gone on too long and hurt too much already. His father had reluctantly agreed that that weekend he could take Peggy out camping up at the lake to join Hoss and Joe, and they could all return together. Finally, he decided he would tell them on the way back from the lake. They\u2019d probably leave for Mulberry Ridge straightaway, if they didn\u2019t decide to stick around long enough to throw him into the manure pile first\u2026and that was a distinct possibility.<\/p>\n

Still, it was the day he was looking forward to. The thought of making right what he had wronged got him through the week, tolerating the unrelenting company of the Bannings, and kept him in good cheer.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the way,\u201d Ben told him as he packed a bedroll and saddlebags for Peggy, \u201cWe\u2019ll have company soon. I\u2019m not sure quite when, but a family called Gardiner is due to visit soon. I just realized they\u2019ll be here at the same time as the Bannings, and I\u2019m a little uncertain as to where to put everyone. The house is already full.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged. \u201cPa, I have a feeling the house won\u2019t be as full as you think. I\u2019ll bet you $50 that Hoss and Joe will light out from here and head to Mulberry Ridge as soon as we get home tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stared at him. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember the two gold-diggers I told you about? Well, I had occasion to learn a little more about them, and it turns out they\u2019re the genuine item. Pure gold, both of \u2019em. I can\u2019t go on letting my brothers be miserable when it was all a lie, based on a mistake\u2014and it all comes back on me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know? You were pretty certain before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged. \u201cI was, but I was certainly wrong. I don\u2019t back down on what I said about the parents. If they were cattle in our herd, they\u2019d never have been allowed to breed. But the sins of the parents can\u2019t always be blamed on the children. I found out from someone who\u2026has always been scrupulously, painfully truthful with me. Those two girls really love Hoss and Joe, and my brothers really love them back. Things may not work out between them anyway, but I\u2019m hanged if I\u2019ll let it be on my account.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell.\u201d Ben thought for a minute. \u201cReckon I\u2019ll have to let \u2019em go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReckon you will.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben clapped Adam on the back. \u201cYou mind doubling up with Peggy if you need to?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot if she doesn\u2019t mind. Who are these Gardiners, anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. Tourists. They wrote a few months ago saying the wife had always wanted to see Lake Tahoe.\u201d Ben laughed. \u201cMaybe we should build a hotel on the shore and run it ourselves. Someday it may be more profitable than running cattle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Peggy rode north and found a string of healthy fences\u2014and Hoss and Joe fishing in the lake.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot even a little guilt for leaving your favorite oldest brother and your favorite Peggy behind to entertain the company either, I\u2019ll bet,\u201d Adam said as he settled down next to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot a lick,\u201d Hoss replied equably. Joe wiggled his bare toes and grinned, but didn\u2019t bother opening his eyes.<\/p>\n

They fished the rest of the afternoon (Peggy caught the biggest one\u2014a 12-pound lake trout that Hoss finally had to bring in) and ate their catch for dinner that night and breakfast the next morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cNice, ain\u2019t it?\u201d Joe observed that night, after Peggy had fallen asleep in Adam\u2019s lap.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Adam asked. \u201cEscaping the Banshees?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot just that,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cI dunno. First time in a long while I\u2019ve almost felt like myself again. Dunno where I\u2019ve been lately, but it ain\u2019t here, and that\u2019s pretty strange for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. \u201cYeah, me too\u2026kind of nice just the three of us again, not worryin\u2019 about a schedule or stuff that has to be done, and just kinda measuring how good life is by the number of fish we catch. And even Adam\u2019s in a good mood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d that<\/em> happen,\u201d Hoss chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can be just as happy-go-lucky as you two,\u201d Adam protested. \u201cOnly difference is I need to not have any responsibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but we\u2019re both here,\u201d Hoss reminded him.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2019s Peggy,\u201d Joe put in.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue, but for a change, you\u2019re all being fairly quiet, so I can relax too,\u201d Adam said with a wistful smile, knowing the good mood wouldn\u2019t last.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure wish we didn\u2019t have to go back tomorrow,\u201d Joe said softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe too,\u201d Adam whispered.<\/p>\n

The next morning, as they cleaned up the campsite and packed up the horses for the trip back, Adam turned to Peggy. \u201cHow about you scout for us. Can you take the road back to the trail, and turn off there for the house? We can meet on the trail, or back at the house if you beat us there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d she said. \u201cCan I use my gun if necessary?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but only if necessary,\u201d he said, straight-faced. Hoss had carved a wooden pistol for her; Ben had painted it black and brown; and Joe had made her a gunbelt out of some scrap leather. She tended to think the entire setup was real, and they all encouraged her to think so, since it provided an opportunity to start teaching gun safety at a young age.<\/p>\n

She nudged Sparks, and he trotted off toward the road.<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe exchanged a look. Joe was the first to speak. \u201cOkay, what\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to talk to you both about something important. Let\u2019s take the long way back,\u201d Adam said, and felt himself getting cold in a way that had nothing to do with the weather. This wasn\u2019t going to be easy.<\/p>\n

Chapter 37<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Cartwrights, in Absentia<\/strong><\/p>\n

This was the third time they had made the circuit around this portion of the road, and everyone was beginning to get a bit angry. Lizzy said nothing aloud, but she was certain it was the kind of prank Adam Cartwright could easily pull\u2014putting in a circular road like this. The turn-off indicated by the map hadn\u2019t taken them anywhere near any house; only to another turn-off. That took them to another turn-off. That brought them back here.<\/p>\n

But this time something different happened. There was a little blonde girl on a chunky bay gelding trotting ahead of them on the road; hearing the carriage behind her, she jumped in the saddle and looked back. Then she reined her horse around and stopped, blocking the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re trespassing,\u201d she said, squinting her eyes and displaying something that looked like a small, rather asymmetrical revolver.<\/p>\n

Harold stopped the carriage at once and raised his hands. \u201cI\u2019m very sorry, Miss,\u201d he said calmly, \u201cbut we\u2019re not from around here, and we are quite lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d She put the toy gun away. \u201cWhere do you wanna go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d like to go to the Ponderosa, Miss. We have an invitation from Mr. Ben Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLemme see.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at Mr. Gardiner, who shrugged and produced the letter. Perhaps the child could give them directions.<\/p>\n

The girl took it and looked at it briefly, though whether she was able to read was anyone\u2019s guess.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay,\u201d she said, handing back the page. \u201cI know Granpa Ben\u2019s handwriting pretty good. So I reckon you can come. But you shoulda rode horses instead of a carriage. There ain\u2019t a regular road to the house from here, just a little old trail. Nobody ever drives to the house from this road.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d Harold asked.<\/p>\n

She rolled her eyes. \u201c\u2019Cause you ain\u2019t supposed to. The road\u2019s just for people to go from town across the ranch. It ain\u2019t for visitors. Visitors are s\u2019poseta come in the front way. But I\u2019ll take ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I inquire your name, little girl?\u201d Mr. Gardiner demanded.<\/p>\n

The child produced the gun again. \u201cI\u2019m a lot bigger when I\u2019m holdin\u2019 this, ain\u2019t I? Say please.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Gardiner put his hands up. \u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Peggy.\u201d She holstered the weapon again as Lizzy gasped involuntarily.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy Dayton?\u201d Lizzy asked.<\/p>\n

Peggy just looked at her. \u201cWho wants ta know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Elizabeth Bennet. Most people call me Lizzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy looked at Lizzy a long time, her face unreadable. \u201cI know all about you. You ain\u2019t a real stranger.\u201d She turned her horse. \u201cCome on.\u201d<\/p>\n

She led them past the road they had been turning on, to a narrow trail that cut right through the woods. \u201cWhat are you stoppin\u2019 for?\u201d she demanded when Harold looked doubtful. \u201cC\u2019mon, I won\u2019t get you lost. I promise. I\u2019m an honorary Cartwright, and Cartwrights always keep their word.\u201d<\/p>\n

They had to stop once so that Gardiner and Harold could move a small fallen tree, but other than that, the journey was uneventful, and eventually they rounded a curve into a large clearing where a massive log house stood. Harold jumped down and knocked at the door while the Gardiners and Lizzy just sat and stared.<\/p>\n

Butted against the trees as it was, even Lizzy could see how the house seemed like part of the forest while at the same time making it hard to mount any kind of sneak attack. But what really astonished her was the contrast to the Barkley house. Everything about Victoria Barkley\u2019s house spoke richness and a woman\u2019s touch. Three men lived there, but one would never know. She remembered the elegantly curved and polished staircase, the white walls and brightly colored curtains.<\/p>\n

None of that here. She wondered if the inside was as stark and blatantly masculine as the outside. The house didn\u2019t say \u201clook at me; I\u2019m rich\u201d as the Barkley place did. It spoke instead of an unshakable confidence and a simplicity that was in itself elegant. It said, \u201cI am here. Try to move me. We\u2019ll see who gives way first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam designed\u2026this.\u201d The voice came from far away and surprised her. It was her own.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what Harold said,\u201d her aunt responded. \u201cA bit plain, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose one could call it that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy was looking curiously at her. \u201cYou know Adam, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUm\u2026a little.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harold had returned with a small Oriental man, and Lizzy couldn\u2019t help staring. Her one visit to San Francisco had yielded only brief glimpses of Orientals, all at a distance. She\u2019d never been so close to one before.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am Hop Sing. Mr. Cartlight tell me you coming, Mr. Gardiner. Please get down, come inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still nervous, Lizzy followed her aunt and uncle. \u201cPeggy,\u201d she whispered to the little girl, \u201cwhere is Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno,\u201d Peggy shrugged.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing raised one hand, beckoning. \u201cMr. Cartlight say I show house. You come.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was all done too quickly for Lizzy\u2019s taste\u2014especially when they passed by Adam\u2019s room. She wanted to see the titles of all those books. But all too soon they were finished and standing in Ben Cartwright\u2019s study, looking at three painted miniatures on the desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartlight marry three times. Joe mother live here. Only one live here. Hoss mother die on trip west. Indians. Velly sad. Mr. Adam only small child then. Mr. Ben told me Mr. Adam hold baby Hoss in arms while mother fight Indians. Indians kill her. But Mr. Adam take care of Hoss ever since. Now Hoss bigger than Mr. Adam, but still Mr. Adam take care of him. Lady on end Mr. Adam mother. She die in Boston when Mr. Adam born. Joe mother live here some years, though. Velly pretty. Hop Sing teach her make biscuit.\u201d<\/p>\n

He started to take them back to the living room, but Mrs. Gardiner had stopped to look at three photographs on the wall. Lizzy, of course, recognized them immediately. Her aunt turned to her. \u201cWhich is which, Lizzy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing looked at Lizzy curiously. \u201cYou know boys?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA little,\u201d Lizzy said softly. \u201cThe wiry one with curly hair is Joe\u2026the big one is Hoss, and the one on the chair is\u2026Adam.\u201d She had to gather herself to say it, because she\u2019d never imagined Adam like that. He was sitting backwards on the chair, straddling it like a horse with his arms over the back. He had his hat on, his sleeves pulled up, and the cheeky, devil-may-care grin bore the promise of a short-sheeted bed or a snake in someone\u2019s boot.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, my\u2026\u201d her aunt murmured. \u201cThey are all fine-looking young men, but\u2026oh, I cannot believe the eldest is the one of whom my sister spoke so ill. I never saw such a good-humored look about anyone. Is he like that in person, Lizzy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026um\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Adam?\u201d Hop Sing chortled. \u201cI tell you. Chinese say humor is found in spleen.\u201d He patted his abdomen. \u201cMr. Adam have great spleen. I tell you story about mean lady of Spain\u2026\u201d and he went on to relate in his odd accent and strange word choices how Adam had gotten into a battle of wills with an evil Spanish lady who had broken his guitar, and he had retaliated by undoing the bolts in her bed so that when she flopped into it, it crumbled to the floor. \u201cHoss and Little Joe, too.\u201d Another story followed, about how the two younger brothers had once robbed a bank to stop a bank robbery. It was hopelessly confusing but they must have laughed at all the right spots, for he continued. \u201cBoys have good hearts, too\u2014velly brave, all\u2026\u201d He began to tell about a time just a few years ago when of the people of Virginia City had wanted to get rid of all the Chinese\u2014how he himself had been thrashed by some bullies\u2014and how Adam had convinced the lying townspeople to tell the truth, and Ben Cartwright had shamed the people into seeing what was going on.<\/p>\n

It was beyond strange to see the boys portrayed in this heroic fashion. Lizzy had always thought of Hoss and Joe as either cowboys, businessmen, or the light-hearted, easygoing young men they had seemed in Mulberry Ridge\u2014and of course, she had developed her own view of Adam. Their last confrontation had shown her that there was certainly more to Adam than had met her eye. But to find out his other hidden qualities, like humor, or compassion, or the kind of bravery to stand up to anyone\u2014to find out that Joe and Hoss were just as fierce as they were funny\u2014all these things added up to a very different picture of the three brothers she had known. They brought depth and shadings to a portrait already full of color.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they\u2019re back,\u201d Peggy announced suddenly as Hop Sing was telling them another story\u2014this one about a horrid criminal named Sam Bryant. \u201cC\u2019mon Lizzy, Adam can take us both<\/em> fishing. I catch the biggest fish. Hoss has to go out and get them, \u2019cause he\u2019s the strongest. But Adam\u2019s bravest and nicest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so,\u201d replied Uncle Gardiner. \u201cI, for one, cannot wait to meet this acting sheriff who dared the racketeer to kill his father.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr the two brothers who stood by his side and shot down the evil henchman,\u201d put in Aunt Gardiner.<\/p>\n

The polite introductions, however, were not to be made. Outside, all they could hear was \u201cAll this time and you never saw fit to say a dad-blamed word?\u201d The other shouting\u2014for shouting it all was\u2014was indiscernible. And as they headed to the door, they heard a few other muffled sounds they could not identify, although Hop Sing seemed to have some idea what was happening.<\/p>\n

But the splash they heard was definitely a splash. And the galloping hoofbeats were easy for anyone to recognize.<\/p>\n

Chapter 38<\/strong><\/p>\n

All Wet<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cHelen Praybaby!\u201d Peggy shrieked, and ran outside. Lizzy and her uncle followed; Aunt Gardiner waited prudently near the door.<\/p>\n

Sport was standing, unhitched, in the middle of the yard, his owner nowhere to be seen. But Peggy seemed to know where he was, as she was charging directly for the water trough. A hint of black bobbed to the surface, and Peggy grabbed the hat and threw it to one side. \u201cAdam, you get outta there! My dolly\u2019s in there! Adam!\u201d<\/p>\n

A shock of black hair appeared, and then two hands reached over the sides of the trough. With an effort, the eldest Cartwright son sat up, seeming a little dazed. He sputtered wordlessly, shook his head a couple of times, and wiped the water out of his eyes\u2014then winced as his hand made contact with a puffy red cheek. He pulled himself partially upright, but seemed to think better of it. His hands disappeared for a minute, and when he finally managed to stagger to his feet, he was holding his pants up with one hand and attempting to tuck in his black shirt with the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you\u2019re supposed to swim in the lake, not the horse trough! And my dolly\u2019s in there!\u201d<\/p>\n

The board strapped across his back had broken at some point in his fall. \u201cI\u2019ll get her in a minute, Peggy. Can you run and get me a blanket, please?\u201d<\/p>\n

He sat back on the edge of the trough, from the look of him probing the inside of said puffy cheek with his tongue as if to ascertain further damage.<\/p>\n

Uncle Gardiner strode over to him. \u201cMr. Cartwright? I apologize for having caught you at a bad time\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam waved vaguely. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. Just give me a minute\u2014\u201d and then he stopped, and both eyes locked on one person. \u201cLizzy?\u201d He started to get up, and fell backwards into the trough again instead. Gardiner reached in and helped him pull him out.<\/p>\n

\u201cUm\u2026thanks. Yes, I\u2019m Adam Cartwright.\u201d He held out one hand, the one that was not<\/em> holding up his trousers. \u201cAre you the \u2018Gardiners\u2019 my father was expecting?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we are, and this is our niece, Elizabeth, whom I believe you have already met.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy steeled herself for the coldly polite stare that asked how she dared intrude on this sacred ground, her fight-or-flight reflex urging her to either run or swing at him\u2026but she was completely unprepared for the somewhat pained smile\u2014even reflected in those oddly colored eyes\u2014that he bestowed on her. He reached out his soggy hand and grasped hers. \u201cI apologize for my appearance, Miss Elizabeth,\u201d he said, most correct and formal to the ear, but with a warmth that belied the words. \u201cI hope your family is well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are; thank you for asking,\u201d she said, a little hesitantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd, I hope Jane and Kitty are prepared to receive guests,\u201d he went on with a quirky grin. \u201cMy brothers just left in rather a hurry, to pay a somewhat impromptu social call. I hope there\u2019s some clean clothes at the Bar Fly, or it may be a very short<\/em> call, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mouth dropped open at that and wouldn\u2019t shut until Peggy ran back out with the heavy Indian blanket Lizzy had seen tossed across the stair rail. \u201cHere. You\u2019re gonna catch your death of cold now, silly. Where\u2019s Helen Praybaby?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam fished around in the trough and retrieved the doll. \u201cI think she needs a blanket of her own. Um\u2026Mr. Gardiner; Miss Elizabeth, please come inside?\u201d<\/p>\n

He led the way and at the door was introduced to Lizzy\u2019s aunt, who greeted him politely. Then, indicating that they seat themselves, he excused himself to go upstairs and change. Lizzy glanced over at the portrait again, that strange photograph of Adam on the chair.<\/p>\n

Behind her Lizzy heard her aunt\u2019s soft chuckle. \u201cOh dear; this was not the laughing hero I was expecting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you suppose he came to fall in the water trough?\u201d Uncle Gardiner wondered. \u201cDo you suppose someone\u2019s horse accidentally pushed him as the other riders left?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI could not say.\u201d Lizzy suppressed a smile. She had at least been around the Cartwrights long enough to know exactly what had happened. Adam\u2019s appearance, attitude, and that strange grin had told her the whole story. Of course it was one that would never occur to her uncle. In his circles, men never fought. It wasn\u2019t polite. She supposed her father would find it just as foreign, but here in this land where even a house could exude masculinity, it not only seemed normal, but right, that brothers settle their disagreements with a couple of punches and perhaps a shove into a horse trough. Adam didn\u2019t seem to find it distressing, at any rate.<\/p>\n

In a few minutes Adam reappeared in dry clothes\u2014and there was another surprise. He was wearing a shirt of deep red. Lizzy had never seen him in anything but black before.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you seen the lake yet?\u201d he asked as he rejoined them. \u201cIt\u2019s great for fishing\u2014do you enjoy fishing, Mr. Gardiner?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve only done it a little, but I liked it well enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, while you\u2019re here, if you like, I\u2019ll take you fishing. You too, Mrs. Gardiner and Miss Elizabeth, if you\u2019re interested. There are some pretty spots on this side of the lake. Makes for a great picnic place, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen quite a bit of the other side of the lake,\u201d Aunt Gardiner noted. \u201cWe began in the southwestern corner and have been working our way around it with the aid of this map.\u201d She held it aloft.<\/p>\n

Adam looked at it and smiled. \u201cToo bad, ma\u2019am. That map is about six years old. One of the mining camps on it dried up and blew away a couple of years ago. It also doesn\u2019t depict the Ponderosa correctly. I\u2019m surprised you found your way here so easily. Not many people can find us from the back road; it\u2019s not really meant for visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we learned from our tour guide,\u201d Lizzy\u2019s uncle said with a raised eyebrow. \u201cI suppose the little girl is your daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but I hope to rectify that situation someday,\u201d Adam said evenly. \u201cPeggy showed you the way here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen she wasn\u2019t threatening to shoot us,\u201d Uncle Gardiner replied.<\/p>\n

A brief look of pain crossed Adam\u2019s face. \u201cPeggy hasn\u2019t had an easy life, sir. She likes to feel safe\u2014and in my opinion, every child should feel safe. So she carries a toy gun and it makes her feel a little safer. Maybe once her life stabilizes a little, she won\u2019t need the gun anymore. Until then, I admit I indulge her. I apologize if she scared you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, it\u2019s quite all right,\u201d Uncle Gardiner shrugged, as if threats from little girls wielding toy guns was a daily event.<\/p>\n

Adam turned to Lizzy. \u201cI should warn you that we have other \u2018guests\u2019 as well, Miss Elizabeth\u2026and that you have some acquaintance with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy only gave him a questioning glance.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father, unbeknownst to me, invited the Banning ladies out. I think he took them into town today since there weren\u2019t any other, ah, men to amuse them. They\u2019ll probably be back within an hour or two.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for the notification, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d Lizzy smiled a little. \u201cI\u2019m sure they\u2019ll be as happy to see me as I will to see them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 39<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Little Night Music<\/strong><\/p>\n

The effusive warmth with which the Bannings greeted Lizzy and her family was lost on nobody\u2014not Lizzy\u2019s family, not Ben Cartwright, not Adam, and certainly not Lizzy. (Peggy disliked both Banning women and had run off to hide in the barn when she saw them coming.) Everyone, of course, interpreted it according to their own lights. Ben, having no reason to think differently, thought Lizzy must have become great friends with the Bannings and wondered if something was wrong with himself for not being able to warm up to the two ladies more. After all, they were related to his friend Horace. The Gardiners, on the other hand, had heard a few of Lizzy\u2019s opinions about the Bannings in the past week, and resolved to be cautious and keep their purses close at hand.<\/p>\n

Adam and Lizzy exchanged ironic glances and wondered just how much more the Almighty would throw at them before being satisfied that they had indeed reached capacity.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing took to Lizzy at once\u2014this had both good and bad repercussions. She genuinely liked him as well, and did not mind at all coming into the kitchen to watch the \u201cmaster\u201d at work, but on seeing this, Deborah Banning sent Melinda in to help as well.<\/p>\n

I wonder whether she really wants Melinda to learn the fine art of cooking, or whether she thinks the silver is at risk in my presence<\/em>, Lizzy thought, and it made her smile. This, in turn, made Melinda wonder what she was up to, and so she made certain to keep a safe distance away from Lizzy and the big knife she was using to chop the onions.<\/p>\n

But Melinda was not above a mind game of her own.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think of the Ponderosa, Lizzy?\u201d she asked in her friendliest voice. \u201cAre you as fascinated as I am?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Lizzy replied honestly. \u201cI have no idea how fascinated you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI find this place a tribute to survival,\u201d Melinda laughed. \u201cCan you imagine all these men living together without a woman in sight?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey seem to manage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut how? And how well? Could you imagine bringing a woman into this environment? For example, Lizzy, what would you do if you lived here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy thought of the lake, and the horses she had seen, and the rugged beauty of the countryside, and the strange raw power of the house she was standing in. But her thoughts could not have been easily articulated, even to Rosita. To someone she did not like or trust she would not even try.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat would you do?\u201d she asked instead.<\/p>\n

Melinda laughed. \u201cFirst thing, I\u2019d burn all those awful heavy red curtains. They must be older than Noah\u2019s ark, and about as musty. Then I\u2019d put a bit of lace here and there. A few doilies would jolly the place up so much, and add an air of refinement sadly lacking. Don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy thought about it\u2026and smiled. \u201cHow many years have you known the Cartwrights, Melinda?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, my father and Ben Cartwright were friends for ages. I\u2019ve been here three or four times in the last five years. I know all the boys quite well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, so I\u2019ve heard,\u201d Lizzy replied, remembering what Adam had said about her. \u201cFunny, isn\u2019t it, that they never asked you to stay and run the house yourself, isn\u2019t it? Perhaps they overheard your plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda\u2019s face darkened, and she said nothing more.<\/p>\n

Peggy, meanwhile, went to practicing her little spinet, mumbling to herself and hoping Melinda wouldn\u2019t come out of the kitchen to tell her everything she was doing wrong, and Adam and Ben found their roundup planning repeatedly interrupted by Deborah Banning, who wanted to know if they intended to hold any autumn dances since the end of September was approaching.<\/p>\n

At dinner, Ben asked Peggy what piano pieces she was working on.<\/p>\n

\u201cCuppla nocturnes by Choppin,\u201d she replied off-handedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cChopin<\/em>,\u201d Adam corrected.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you play them tonight for me?\u201d Ben persisted.<\/p>\n

Peggy shook her head. \u201cNaw. I was gonna but Adam wants me to play that thing he made me learn last week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomethin\u2019 by Brahms and Shoo-bert.\u201d She looked over at Lizzy with a significant arch to her eyebrows. \u201cHe said you<\/em> play better\u2019n anybody in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, by all means, I must hear it from the virtuoso herself,\u201d Melinda put in, smiling malevolently.<\/p>\n

Adam smiled back, ever-so-sweetly. \u201cI hope you do, Melinda. Lizzy has excellent<\/em> hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy\u2019s aunt and uncle looked at their niece quizzically. She gave them a weak grin and looked back at her plate.<\/p>\n

The concert, of course, could not be delayed. As far as Lizzy was concerned, her honor was at stake and had to be defended. This she did, playing the Waltz in A-flat<\/em> as she had never done before, and before its final notes had died she launched into St\u00e4ndchen<\/em>, the beautiful Schubert serenade Adam and Dave had played together on their guitars that night in Stockton. And although Adam didn\u2019t say a word, the light in his eyes was reward enough for a lifetime.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t play that good,\u201d Peggy mumbled afterward as Adam nudged her to the piano.<\/p>\n

\u201cI listened to you practice,\u201d Lizzy whispered. \u201cI thought you sounded wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy looked hard at her. \u201cYou mean that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell in that case, I\u2019ll try. But I\u2019m a lot better at fishing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you\u2019re better than I am,\u201d Lizzy said. \u201cI\u2019ve never fished at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that\u2019s just strange,\u201d Peggy said, opening her music book to the simplified version of the waltz as Adam leaned back against the wall and grinned.<\/p>\n

And then Melinda fired her big cannons in a 21-gun salute. \u201cYou were <\/em>good, Lizzy. Tell me, when did you ever get any practicing done this summer? Weren\u2019t you busy with Will Cartwright almost every day?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy went white, but Peggy\u2019s reaction dwarfed anyone else\u2019s: she screamed at the top of her lungs and bolted from the room. Adam spared Melinda one look of unmistakable hatred before he ran after Peggy. Lizzy, torn for a moment between following Adam or facing their common enemy, swallowed and turned toward Melinda. Heedless of her aunt and uncle, or Ben Cartwright and Deborah Banning nearby, all of whom had risen to their feet in confusion and horror, she looked Melinda up and down and said, \u201cIf you want to spew your venom at me, Melinda, you are more than welcome to do it. I am a big girl and can take care of myself. But when you pick on innocent children, that\u2019s going too far. And if you come near that child again while I\u2019m here, I\u2019ll snatch you bald-headed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did I say?\u201d Melinda demanded in honest confusion as Lizzy left.<\/p>\n

Ben looked around for a moment, then excused himself and followed.<\/p>\n

He found them all in Adam\u2019s room; Adam was seated on the bed rocking the sobbing child in his arms and stroking her hair; Lizzy was looking on in helpless concern. But when Adam saw his father, he stood, handed Peggy over to Lizzy, and advanced on his father in a quiet fury.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I want the Bannings out of here. Tomorrow morning I\u2019m going to take Peggy and the Gardiners fishing. I want the Bannings gone by the time we get back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked at him in dismay. \u201cThat\u2019s hardly good manners.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a low voice, Adam said, \u201cDo you call what just happened good manners? Pa, you asked me last week if I was still upset about that foolishness a few years ago, and I said I wasn\u2019t. But I am upset that it\u2019s still going on. I tolerated that insipid girl all summer at Mulberry Ridge. I was prepared to tolerate her here too. But this has gone too far.\u201d He lowered his voice even more. \u201cShe knows I have no interest in her, so now she\u2019s trying to ruin me for anyone else. And what just happened with Peggy is\u2026just inexcusable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not even sure what just happened. Would you care to enlighten me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I wouldn\u2019t.\u201d Their eyes locked and held. \u201cYou\u2019re going to have to trust me\u2014or you\u2019re going to find someone else to head up the fall roundup.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, are you\u2026threatening me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Pa. I\u2019m making a promise. If the Bannings are still here when I get back tomorrow night, Peggy and I will leave the Ponderosa. That\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 40<\/strong><\/p>\n

Things Always Look Better in the Morning<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben went one better than Adam had expected. In the morning when he came downstairs he found the Bannings already packed and preparing to take their leave. As few words as possible were exchanged, and then the Banshees were gone from the Ponderosa and, both Ben and Adam fervently hoped, from their lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat got you moving so fast?\u201d Adam asked his father. \u201cWere you that worried about losing me at the roundup?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben laughed softly. \u201cNope. Sorry to wound you, but that never entered into it. When I started talking to Deborah about what had happened last night, I found an old feeling awakening in me that I thought I\u2019d never feel again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that?\u201d Adam ventured.<\/p>\n

\u201cUtter terror. Son, all this time I thought we were great friends, but last night when I started telling her about the awkwardness between you and Melinda, she let slip some of her plans for me<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid I just detect a shudder from the mighty Ponderosa patriarch?\u201d Adam chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll patriarch you<\/em>. You can laugh; I suddenly understood how you felt back when Abigail Jones was chasing you around town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s always more romantic to be thought of as the one that got away,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cForget it. Do you know, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve been fishing at all this year\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, are you \u2018fishing\u2019 for an invitation to join the rest of us?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf that\u2019s what it takes, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam laughed and put a hand on his father\u2019s shoulders; upstairs, Lizzy looked out the window and saw this unaccustomed display of warmth. When had Adam gotten affectionate? Then, from a long time ago, she remembered him doing the same thing once to Little Joe. She sighed. \u201cBack then my views were so warped I probably expected it to be a prelude to choking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Gardiner was by no means a confident rider, but at Adam\u2019s promise of a gentle, smooth-gaited horse and a slow ride, she agreed to make the trek by horseback, which meant they could take the trails up to the meadow above the lake.<\/p>\n

Ben and Mr. Gardiner rode in front, with Mrs. Gardiner and Peggy in between, while Lizzy and Adam brought up the rear. At exactly the same time, though, they all seemed to burst through the trees and into a high mountain pasture, and Ben in the front, and Adam at the back, shouted simultaneously, \u201cFeast thine eyes on a spot that approaches Heaven itself!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam couldn\u2019t help laughing then, because every time for 20 years that they had ridden to that spot, his father had said the exact same thing. Peggy also giggled, because even in her limited experience, she, like Adam, had known what was coming. But the visitors, although they may have smiled, found themselves in agreement with Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think this is the most beautiful spot I have ever seen!\u201d Mrs. Gardiner rhapsodized, and her husband burbled something equally agreeable. Lizzy, however, who was never at a loss for words, suddenly was. The only thing she could think was, \u201cI could have lived here, if only I had had the sense to recognize a good man when he was standing in front of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked around for Adam then, but he had helped Peggy off Sparks and was busy unsaddling and hobbling the two horses. She got down from her own horse with no help and unsaddled him too, but before she had put the hobbles on, her horse squealed and tore away, leaving her standing there with the ropes in her hand and a silly expression on her face. She was of course immediately accosted by her relatives, demanding to know if she was all right, and then they had to figure out how they would return with six people and five horses, but her eyes were fixed on Adam, who was looking at her with an expression that could best be termed as a smirk.<\/p>\n

After a few jokes at her expense, they began fishing, and Adam and Peggy helped her bait her pole while Ben helped Mr. and Mrs. Gardner. She looked at Adam, who was still suppressing a smile as he studiously impaled a large night crawler on her hook. \u201cWhat was that expression for a moment ago?\u201d she asked quietly.<\/p>\n

He pushed his hat back and grinned a close approximation of the grin he\u2019d used in the portrait in Ben\u2019s study. \u201cI was just thinkin\u2019 about how you\u2019re going to get back to the ranch,\u201d he said pleasantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said I was to ride with Peggy\u2019s horse, and she would ride with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did indeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why the look?\u201d<\/p>\n

He grinned again. \u201cBecause I was thinking just how much more fun it be if you had to ride with me. After all, that would gall you, wouldn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t help smiling back. \u201cMaybe I wouldn\u2019t mind as much as you thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally, now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, I don\u2019t suppose we\u2019ll ever know, now, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReckon not,\u201d he said, and holding hands with Peggy, strode off to the lake. Then he looked back. \u201cOr maybe we might still find out\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 41<\/strong><\/p>\n

Letters from Home<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Gardiners had originally planned to stay only overnight at the Ponderosa and then move on to Virginia City, but Ben could tell easily enough that Adam wanted the visitors to stay, and he liked them well enough himself. Thus, he invited them to remain. A week went by almost before Lizzy recognized it. There were horseback rides, picnics, a visit to a mine, and a tour of other portions of the ranch to maintain her, the Gardiners\u2019, and Peggy\u2019s interest. Adam was gone for two days to bring some cattle down from another area of the ranch in preparation for the coming roundup, which irked Lizzy greatly, but Ben and Peggy took her out riding on those days. Peggy had become her best friend and almost made up for Adam\u2019s temporary absence by telling many Cartwright \u201cfamily secrets,\u201d especially of a medical nature. \u201cSsssshhhh\u2026don\u2019t tell anybody but Granpa Ben has to put on spectacles when he reads \u2019cause he has presbyterians in his eyes. And he gets headaches sometimes \u2019cause he has stickytisms, too, but he says he can still shoot the stripes off a raccoon on a dark night, so you don\u2019t need to be scared of no varmints when he\u2019s around. Granpa Ben\u2019s best friends are the doctor and the sheriff, but he hates doctors. Ain\u2019t that funny? And don\u2019t tell anybody, but Adam likes sheriffs but he still hates doctors. Hoss says Adam would rather die than go see a doctor\u2014and even worse \u2019n\u2019 that, Joe says Adam would rather see a preacher<\/em> than a doctor! But don\u2019t tell Reverend Dave that Adam don\u2019t like preachers, \u2019cause he\u2019s one of Adam\u2019s best friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

A letter from Mary arrived on Saturday. She had sent it General Delivery since as far as she knew the family was in Virginia City. A ranch hand picking up the Ponderosa\u2019s correspondence brought the letter in.<\/p>\n

Dear Lizzy,<\/p>\n

Jane said she would write you, but since Little Joe and Hoss arrived four days ago neither she nor Kitty can be bothered with anything so banal. Lydia has not the sense to put pen to paper but then she never did. Mama\u2019s nerves are once again in some kind of an uproar brought on either by the price of turnip seeds or the new preacher in Mulberry Ridge (a most unpleasant man named Cyrus Culbreth who will not discuss one thing of interest\u2014I do miss Reverend Clayton). Therefore I am honored with this duty but be forewarned that I do not want to do it.<\/p>\n

The weather is fine. Papa has done a lot of planting of various winter crops including turnips, early cabbages, and some other vegetables which hold absolutely no interest for me. He has also acquired a new milk cow and insisted that I learn to milk it, whereupon Kitty observed that the cow had no milk and would not have any until she was bred to a bull and produced of a calf. At this my mother had yet another nervous attack and Lydia, who laughs more these days than anyone has a right to, nearly split the seams of her dress.<\/p>\n

Will Cartwright was here a week or so ago and spent a great many hours whining about how unfair life is and how evil and villainous Adam Cartwright is. While I, however, harbor no real liking for Adam, I dislike Will enough to find favor in anyone else who dislikes Will. Fortunately, this week he left on some business at the Presidio, and I hope he will be gone for a long time. Men who talk as much as he does are such a bother, although Lydia certainly listens to him enough.<\/p>\n

Lydia is a great vexation to me. She never helps with chores, saying they will destroy her hands. Her hands, however, do not stop her from spending far too much time with her three friends. I am, as usual, a minority in my opinion\u2014the three sisters have charmed Mama. Even Jane and Kitty, who I thought had better sense, are too busy with TRUE LOVE to be mindful of earthly matters such as Frigga, Brunhild, and Freya. But then since they are the daughters of the dreadful Reverend Culbreth I suppose this makes them above reproach. It seems to me that any preacher who names his daughters for women in Norse mythology is already suspect, but no one listens to me.<\/p>\n

Mama as usual takes Lydia\u2019s part and worries about her hands more than Lydia herself, although no one seems to care that Jane, Kitty and I also have hands and that our hands suffer too. Of course since Hoss and Little Joe have been coming over every day I doubt Jane and Kitty have had to lift a finger to do much work. I on the other hand am still plagued by such foolery and it has kept me from memorizing the latest revisions to the California penal code.<\/p>\n

Lydia\u2019s three friends have got their parents to take them to San Francisco for a month, and Lydia wants to go along. Mama thinks she should go too, but Papa says he will only allow one silly woman to leave Longbourn at a time so it is to be Lydia. Jane roused herself at this from her Joe-induced stupor, growing most concerned and speaking with some warmth to Papa. She told him that Lydia does not have sense enough to go to a big city, even under the supervision of Reverend and Mrs. Culbreth. Papa just said that Jane had already been there, and that you, Lizzy, had run off to Stockton all by yourself, so he didn\u2019t see why Lydia shouldn\u2019t go somewhere as long as she went with nice people. Jane told him that at least you and she had exhibited a little sense, but our father doesn\u2019t believe girls have any sense anyway and so Lydia is leaving with her idiot friends tomorrow. I say why not. Lydia is useless here and only eats all the apples. I expect by the time you get this letter she will be in San Francisco and busy being as useless there as she is here. At least I don\u2019t have to write to her as well as you, since this is already intolerable. I don\u2019t mind writing, but letters such as this serve no real purpose as you have doubtless realized by now.<\/p>\n

Father sends his love but he of course won\u2019t put a pen to paper either. All the more for me to do. I am a martyr for my family\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n

Your most affectionate sister,<\/p>\n

Mary<\/p>\n

The day after Adam came back, he surprised everybody by inviting Lizzy\u2014and only Lizzy\u2014for a horseback ride. Up to that point he had been careful to include the Gardiners and\/or Peggy in every outing with Lizzy. The Gardiners carefully concealed their pleasure in this turn of events, however, as they had seen for a while that Lizzy, in spite of her neutral observations about Adam, seemed to harbor some liking for him, and that Adam also seemed to like her. Peggy would have felt left out if Hop Sing had not suddenly remembered that he had to make the world\u2019s biggest batch of cookies and needed all the help he could get.<\/p>\n

As he saddled her horse\u2014Lizzy had intended to do the honors herself but Adam insisted\u2014she said, \u201cMr. Cartwright, I\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d he corrected her, reaching for the cinch. \u201cAnd I would take it as a great honor to be allowed the use of your Christian name, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled shyly. \u201cThank you, Adam\u2014you may call me Lizzy. I wanted to tell you that the\u2026the tragic story you imparted\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He cut her off, flinging one stirrup over the horn. \u201cLet\u2019s not talk about that on such a nice day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI only wanted to say that\u2026I didn\u2019t gossip about it. It was hard even to speak to Dave about it. I certainly would not have spoken of it to anyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood enough. Mount up and let\u2019s check your stirrup length.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish some of the people in my family did <\/em>know about it though\u2014they all like your cousin far too much, and he apparently has made himself quite at home there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss and Joe are there, Lizzy. They\u2019ll take care of him if he gets too uppity. Please, let\u2019s not ruin this beautiful day by talking about something ugly.\u201d<\/p>\n

So Lizzy and Adam rode up to the \u201cFeast Thine Eyes\u201d spot, without fishing poles, and the first thing Adam did was show Lizzy how to hobble a horse. Then he took Lizzy for a good long walk through all of nature\u2019s bounty, and they spoke at some length of Thoreau and Walden<\/em>. Here a harmless quote Lizzy made about the railroad that ran near Walden Pond led to Adam telling a story about the Ponderosa and how the railroad had tried to swallow huge chunks of the ranch for its own use.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to think railroads were progress, and necessary. I guess back then I thought I was a visionary. Pa and I used to argue about it a lot. But when I saw some of what the railroad men wanted to do, and some of the effects to the land\u2026\u201d he shook his head. \u201cI still believe in progress, but not at the expense of our home. I\u2019ve come to realize everything you want has an associated cost, and the question is whether or not you\u2019re willing to pay.\u201d He glanced at her, and for the first time seemed a little uncertain. A silence grew between them.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor example,\u201d he went on slowly, after a while, \u201cI like being a bachelor. It\u2019s comfortable for me, I guess, because I\u2019m used to it. Marriage would mean the end to some of the things I like, so that\u2019s the cost. But I\u2019ve always thought if I found the right girl to marry, it would be worth the cost. Lizzy, a while back I asked about going to your father for permission to court you\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t help the sharp intake of breath. \u201cYou mean you still want to?\u201d<\/p>\n

He shrugged. \u201cI\u2019m stubborn. Stick around long enough, and you\u2019ll see. I\u2019m also honest. I don\u2019t know if honesty and stubbornness make the best recommendations, but you might find other good qualities if you look real hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t stop trembling. \u201cYou\u2026you\u2026may\u2026speak to my father, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sun was warm overhead, but the smile on Adam\u2019s face was warmer still, and he pulled her over to him. \u201cYou know how we seal these things,\u201d he said softly, and put a hand on either side of her face.<\/p>\n

Her eyes widened. \u201cAdam, you can\u2019t kiss me!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d he replied, unperturbed.<\/p>\n

She backed away. \u201cMy father says only a trollop would let a man kiss her if they\u2019re not properly engaged!\u201d<\/p>\n

Manfully, Adam refrained from telling her that her father was an idiot. \u201cLizzy, what do you think I\u2019m trying to do? I just expressed my intent, didn\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026but he didn\u2019t say \u2018yes\u2019 yet!\u201d<\/p>\n

Her intended rolled his eyes. \u201cLizzy, I consider your opinion far more valuable to me than his.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I also have a not-unwarranted reputation for stubbornness.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe it.\u201d With a sheepish grin, he shook his head. \u201cC\u2019mon, let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n

She had the feeling she was being treated with an amused, almost paternal indulgence now; that he was sure she was insane and was simply allowing her to be. Part of her appreciated it; another part was enraged. And yet another part sat off to one side and howled that she was<\/em> insane; she should\u2019ve said hang her father and let Adam kiss her anyway. But the moment was past. Silently, they returned to the horses.<\/p>\n

Back at the house, everyone could tell that something had happened between the two, but no one could tell whether or not it was a good thing. To Ben, however, that was of secondary importance. He called Adam into his study at once. \u201cThis came while you were gone.\u201d He handed Adam an envelope from the Western Union office.<\/p>\n

Adam opened it. \u201cNeed you right now brother. Get out here at once. Urgent. Hoss.\u201d He looked at his father. \u201cLooks like I need to travel. Can you take care of Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but what do you suppose it is?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWon\u2019t know till I get there. Can\u2019t be Joe or he would have called for both of us.\u201d He chuckled. \u201cMaybe it\u2019s a shotgun wedding and he needs a best man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know better. Wire me as soon as you find out something, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Pa.\u201d Despite the easy air he had taken with his father, Adam\u2019s mind was already racing with possibilities. Hoss would not have sent him such a telegram without a genuine need behind it.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Lizzy had retreated to her room for sanctuary, intending to cry for a while but distracted by the clumping of boots on the stairs, she recognized Adam\u2019s tread, heading to his room. A couple of minutes later he was back out. She heard his steps pause a moment outside her closed door, and then he went on. Curiously, she went to the door, cracked it, and peeked out just in time to see him at the bottom of the steps, a pair of bulging saddlebags slung over his shoulders. He stopped long enough to take a rifle from the gun cabinet and grab his hat, gun belt, and jacket. Then he was gone again, closing the door behind him.<\/p>\n

She went back to her room, and this time, she did cry.<\/p>\n

Ben was uncharacteristically silent the rest of the day, and when the Gardiners asked about Adam, they were told he had been called away on a matter of business. Lizzy, with surprising boldness, went to Ben privately and asked, \u201cSir, did the business matter involve me in any way?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben frowned in consternation. \u201cNot that I know of, Miss Elizabeth\u2014why on earth would it?\u201d<\/p>\n

He hadn\u2019t even confided his intentions to his own father? Lizzy no longer knew what to think.<\/p>\n

Two days passed, and though Ben and Peggy again tried to take up the slack, it was a sad time. Finally, as Lizzy and the Gardiners prepared to leave the Ponderosa, another letter from Mary arrived.<\/p>\n

Dear Lizzy,<\/p>\n

Of all things, Lydia has apparently been kidnapped. Papa will not tell the sheriff as he has been informed Lydia will be killed if he does. I may be endangering Lydia\u2019s life myself by writing this, so please do not tell anyone. I confess, however, that I have a hard time believing this is serious, as would you if you saw the ransom note. Anyway you would probably do better to come home since Mama is having shrieking fits and will not accept any solace from Kitty or Jane. Frankly I doubt she will accept any from you either, but she wants you to be here, probably just to spoil your trip.<\/p>\n

Little Joe and Hoss and the farm hands have been searching without success but Lydia is not to be found. Her three friends, and the idiot Reverend, say she took a walk to stretch her legs at a way station on the road to San Francisco, but never came back. That was a week ago. This morning the ransom note arrived, looking like an invention from a dime novel; it was a single sheet of paper with words clipped from newspapers and glued onto the page, demanding $50,000 by next Saturday or Lydia will be killed. Mama intends to come up with the money, although from whence I know not. Apparently Papa has none. I heard them arguing about it after the note came. This is news to me; I always assumed having this land made us wealthy, and I know Lydia thought so too.<\/p>\n

At any rate you had best come home. If nothing else the next few days may prove interesting enough to make me forego my memorization of the California Penal Code.<\/p>\n

Your most affectionate sister,<\/p>\n

Mary<\/p>\n

Chapter 42<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Ride(s)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whatever his faults\u2014and he knew he had many\u2014Adam Cartwright had among his virtues the desire to always be prepared for the situations he rode into. Oh, the desire didn\u2019t always materialize. Over the years he had stumbled into some bad places through a lack of preparedness, but he had learned well from those mistakes. When possible, he tried to know what he was facing. Again, he thought over the telegram, trying to deduce the possibilities behind the demand, and came only to the conclusion that Hoss would never have sent such a wire out of caprice.<\/p>\n

It couldn\u2019t be Lizzy. Hoss knew Lizzy was safe and sound at the Ponderosa. It couldn\u2019t be Dave and Rosita or any of the Barkleys; they were all in Stockton. It couldn\u2019t be Joe. Joking aside, Hoss would never dare to leave Ben Cartwright out of anything if Joseph Francis were in trouble.<\/p>\n

That only left the remaining Bennets. Adam could hardly imagine Hoss summoning him to come on behalf of the Bennet family without including a summons for Lizzy as well\u2014unless it was something that could be helped by direct action, and that Lizzy couldn\u2019t be part of. That meant someone in the Bennet family was in danger. Not the entire family obviously\u2014Hoss and Joe were spending nights at the Bar Fly, but each day they were over at Longbourn helping the senior Bennet learn farming. If the entire family was in danger, Hoss and Joe were in danger as well, and probably not at liberty to ride into Mulberry Ridge to send wires.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Bennet seldom left the house except to gossip with her cronies. Mary Bennet never left at all if she could help it. Possibly Jane or Kitty\u2014but then, with their fianc\u00e9s and protectors there constantly, how could they be under threat?<\/p>\n

But Lydia\u2026she had gone to San Francisco. Lizzy had told him of a letter from one of her sisters, in which the news had been disseminated that Lydia was leaving for San Francisco with some friends and their parents.<\/p>\n

Lydia Bennet. The girl had nothing but air between her ears, and while she was a beauty, she embodied all the worst traits of both her parents. Spoiled all her life, shallow, self-centered, lazy, noisy, possessing the loud and opulent tastes of the nouveau riche<\/em>, but with the purse of the longtime poor, Lydia was the prime example of why some people shouldn\u2019t be allowed to breed. And Mr. Bennet\u2014idiot that he was\u2014had let her go to San Francisco. Nothing good could come of that. And he would bet his entire bank account that nothing good had<\/em> come of it.<\/p>\n

Sport was a one-of-a-kind horse. Half thoroughbred, half Arabian, he could make 60 miles in a day, and given sufficient rest overnight, repeat the whole process over again for up to five or six days. They had started later in the day than Adam would have liked, but when the sun dipped below the horizon they had gone nearly 40 miles already.<\/p>\n

He stopped at a way station overnight, one that had a telegraph office, and wired Hoss that he was on the way and any information would be helpful. When morning came, he grabbed a cup of coffee and saddled Sport, reflecting as he did so that only 24 hours ago, he had been saddling Sport and Streak, the horse Lizzy had ridden, for their ride to the lake\u2014and she had been talking about Will Cartwright.<\/p>\n

And Will\u2019s propensity for hanging around her relatives.<\/em><\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t something that seemed particularly relevant\u2026surely Will was too old and Lydia too young for any foolishness along those lines\u2026but somehow the idea stuck in his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright? Hang on a minute, sir. You got a wire comin\u2019 in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly he had his answer. \u201cL disappeared en route to Frisco. Demand received.\u201d<\/p>\n

He sent three messages in response. One was to Hoss, assuring him and Joe that he\u2019d be there by the following morning. The second was to the commander of Ord Barracks, one Colonel Fisher, asking if Lieutenant Cartwright was still stationed there and in good standing. The third was to Dave Clayton, asking if he could spare Rosita for a while. Soon enough Lizzy would find all this out, he figured, and she would be hurting.<\/p>\n

Then he mounted up. Sport, rested and chipper, snorted and tossed his head, and they were on their way again. With each rhythmic three-beat plunge forward, Adam found himself murmuring, \u201cCould be wrong. Hope I\u2019m wrong.\u201d But he knew he wasn\u2019t, and he knew when he arrived he would only find confirmation of what he already saw ever-so-clearly in his head.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Jarrod Barkley had gotten home from San Francisco only the day before and had gone to the little house he maintained near his Stockton office\u2014he didn\u2019t feel like facing his mother right now, and he was busy as sin with no secretary and the work in Stockton piling up. He hadn\u2019t even eaten dinner, and soon it would be supper time. But his office never seemed to allow him time to do anything: he had three wills to prepare, and a criminal case to plead next month. And<\/em> that jackass in Mulberry Ridge had written a nasty letter about the legal arrangement for Dave\u2019s land. Some people honestly didn\u2019t know a good thing when it hit them in the face.<\/p>\n

And speaking of things hitting people in the face, he nearly bumped into Manny Ortega from the telegraph office. \u201cSe\u00f1or Barkley! Are you going to the ranch?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWasn\u2019t planning to, Manny\u2014why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, there\u2019s a telegram here for your friend the preacher. If I know him it will be a week or more before he\u2019s in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jarrod thought it over briefly. Well, he could go and see Dave. He wanted to ask about this Bennet fellow anyway. If he was lucky he could even spend the night on Dave\u2019s couch. \u201cI guess I\u2019ll take it to him after all, Manny. Thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ride out to the little parsonage took nearly four hours and it was dark before he got there. As he knocked on the door, he decided that if his luck today held true, not only would he not get any dinner but the good Reverend would greet him with a fist in the face for calling after 9 o\u2019clock.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d apparently forgotten with whom he was dealing. Dave opened the door and grinned. \u201cWell, hello, stranger. Come on in. You took a long ride, didn\u2019t you? Anything wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know; I\u2019m just a messenger boy.\u201d Jarrod handed him the telegraph envelope. Dave looked at it for a minute and stuffed it in his pocket.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever it is can wait until you\u2019ve eaten and I\u2019ve stabled your horse. Somebody forgot to tell you what time it gets dark around these parts, and it\u2019s not like San Francisco where you can rely on the gas lamps. Rosie, dish up some stew for Jarrod, if you will\u2014I\u2019ll be back when I finish takin\u2019 care of the horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gratefully, Jarrod turned to Rosita, who smiled shyly and took his hat.<\/p>\n

He was just pushing his almost-empty bowl aside when Dave reappeared, reaching in his pocket for the crumpled telegram. He joined Jarrod at the table and opened the envelope to read, \u201cLydia Bennet disappeared. Possible kidnapping. Send Rosie to Bennets for Lizzy\u2019s sake. I ride to SF and LMP. Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was the last sentence that really sent Dave\u2019s heavy brows into his hairline.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s LMP?\u201d Jarrod and Rosita asked, almost at the same time.<\/p>\n

For a moment, Dave sat wonderingly. \u201cYou\u2019d never believe it,\u201d he finally murmured. \u201cIt\u2019s a boarding house\u2014or a brothel\u2014never was quite sure which\u2026near the waterfront. It sounds like Adam thinks Will Cartwright is involved in this.\u201d He drummed his fingers on the table for a moment. \u201cJarrod, you\u2019ll be stayin\u2019 the night, won\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t mind, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot as long as you don\u2019t mind our couch. Sorry, but this ain\u2019t the Waldorf.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour couch sounds mighty good right now, Dave. What are you going to do about this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave grinned. \u201cI\u2019m gonna pray.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 43<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Devil and Sam Driscoll<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dave prayed, but no answer was forthcoming, so he just smiled at Rosita and said, \u201cI want you to go and see Lizzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going with Adam to San Francisco,\u201d she said flatly. He shrugged a little, because he had not decided. Tears came to her large brown eyes and she murmured, \u201cI don\u2019t want you to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

They went to bed then, but Dave found it hard to sleep. He kept remembering another pair of large brown eyes and a murmured \u201cI don\u2019t want you to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

At age 13, Samuel David Driscoll was kicked out of school. His father Saul put the boy to work in his \u201coutfit,\u201d where he became a valuable criminal. Over the next three years Sam Driscoll stole more than 2,000 cattle and 150 horses. But at age 16 he and a few other fellows from the outfit got drunk and into an argument that left one of them dead. It had been self-defense, but Sam had shot Wally Morton deader than a doorknob, and Wally had been known to be a pretty fast gun. It wasn\u2019t long before another man had shown up, looking to challenge the kid who\u2019d outdrawn Wally.<\/p>\n

Things changed. People eyed him funny; men came to the door with a shotgun if he looked at their daughters. And then the preacher came on visitation one day and told a very hung-over Sam, \u201cBoy, Satan has your heart in his clutches so tight right now that when you look in the mirror, you don\u2019t see yourself\u2014you see him<\/em>, and boy, he\u2019ll torment you right down to the grave!\u201d With those words in his head, Sam Driscoll quit looking in mirrors and stuffed his clothes into a saddlebag. His mother, trembling, with tears rimming her large brown eyes, whispered, \u201cI don\u2019t want you to go.\u201d But he laughed, gave her a quick hug, and headed out the door. She followed behind him, carrying a pocket Bible. \u201cAt least take this,\u201d she begged him. \u201cThink of me when you read it.\u201d He took it, but never read it, and seldom thought of his mother, either. She died the following year.<\/p>\n

The next seven years blurred into a long recitation of women, guns, booze, cards, dice, whisky\u2026and elegant white shirts and black frock coats. Somehow that little Bible found its way into the breast pocket of any coat he wore. It was a convenient place to keep a cash reserve, at least.<\/p>\n

And then came Three-Fingered Louie Martin. When the smoke cleared, Sam Driscoll closed his eyes against the red splash, his mind reeling in a haze of pain, his heart begging for his mother\u2026in desperation to avoid the Hell he knew he deserved, he forced his eyes open again\u2026and saw himself<\/em>. Just like the preacher had said. The Devil had come for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhoa, I bet that hurts like the devil,\u201d Satan said. He and another man picked up the dying man and carried him inside\u2014and Sam cried out in panic as he realized it was an undertaker\u2019s shop. He was<\/em> being tormented right into the grave.<\/p>\n

Satan had surprisingly gentle fingers, though, and as he tore open the shirt and examined the wound, he actually seemed to care for the man he was attending. \u201cKeep still and quiet,\u201d Satan said. \u201cThat mob out there is pretty mad. They think you\u2019re dying; that\u2019s the only reason they\u2019re not all over you right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am dying,\u201d Sam whispered, involuntary tears in his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t bet on it,\u201d Satan replied.<\/p>\n

The undertaker was coming back with a couple of men carrying Three-Fingered Louie. \u201cKeep as quiet as you can,\u201d Satan whispered. \u201cLook dead. It shouldn\u2019t be too hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam Driscoll froze in place, but between the pain and the terror, the pulse in his throat was jumping visibly, and Satan quickly covered him with a sheet.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he dead?\u201d someone shouted. \u201cHe killed Louie! He better be dead!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell he is!\u201d Satan shouted back in a deep and resonant voice laced with anguish. \u201cAre you happy? Louie killed my brother. My only brother! What am I supposed to tell our mother now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell\u2019er he got what was comin\u2019 to him, and he shoulda got worse!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust get out! Can\u2019t a fellow grieve over his baby brother without you shouting? You want to celebrate, do it outside and leave us alone!\u201d<\/p>\n

Under his funeral shroud, Sam was beginning to realize that the hand holding the sheet over him was trembling\u2014and sweating. If the fellow was really Satan, why would Satan be afraid? But he stopped wondering as pain and shock overcame him and he slipped into unconsciousness.<\/p>\n

When he came to, he was in pitch-blackness and the air was reverberating with thumping noises and loud wails. Hell is full of souls in pain and agony<\/em>, the preacher had said. So he was in Hell after all. An instinctive whimper escaped him, and suddenly he felt that gentle hand again. \u201cShhh. It\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam turned his head\u2014and bumped into wood. He stretched out a tentative hand\u2014and realized he was in a coffin. Well, the Devil was the Prince of Liars, after all.<\/p>\n

A single flame flared up, and there was Satan himself, holding a lantern over the coffin and smiling. \u201cIt\u2019s about time you woke up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAm I in Hell?\u201d Sam asked softly.<\/p>\n

Heavy eyebrows formed a confused curlicue as the apparition stared at him. \u201cYou\u2019re on the 8:15 to Jefferson City.\u201d He shrugged and further clarified. \u201cIt\u2019s a train. I had to get you outta there. That mob wanted to lynch you, even thinkin\u2019 you were already dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAm<\/em> I dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not. And if I have anything to say about it, you\u2019re not going to be. You shot in self-defense; that\u2019s not a hanging offense where I come from.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere do<\/em> you\u2026come from? Are you from Hell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope\u2014just Nevada. Although when the weather\u2019s bad there\u2019s not much difference. Now stay still. You move around, you\u2019ll open that wound and start bleeding again. When we get to Jeff City, I\u2019ll find you a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not dead\u2026I\u2019m not in Hell\u2026then I guess you\u2019re not Satan.\u201d<\/p>\n

A short, surprised laugh. \u201cSorry to disappoint you. I\u2019m Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in a coffin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBest way to get you out of there. The undertaker charged four times the normal cost, too\u2014the scoundrel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow bad\u2026is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot all that bad, really. Here. This absorbed most of the bullet\u2019s impact.\u201d Cartwright pressed something small and leather into his hand.<\/p>\n

It was his mother\u2019s Bible, and there was a hole the size of a .44 round drilled right through the center.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat thing saved your life.\u201d Cartwright chuckled. \u201cNormally I think they\u2019re supposed to save souls, but anything\u2019s possible in Missouri.\u201d<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

All that night Sam Driscoll lay in a coffin, talking to a man who looked just like him, convinced that at some point he would wake up to find all this a terrible nightmare. But when the train rolled into Jefferson City, Adam Cartwright nailed the top on the coffin, loaded it onto a wagon, and took it to the nearest doctor. And when the man in the coffin stood up and took his first steps, he said \u201cCall me Dave. Dave Clayton.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFunny,\u201d Adam said dryly. \u201cI thought you were Sam Driscoll.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSam Driscoll\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam thought for a while. \u201cI sure wouldn\u2019t go back to Kansas City any time soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWrong direction,\u201d Dave agreed with a shake of his head. \u201cYou got me pointed right, Adam. I\u2019m going east. My mother\u2019s people, the Claytons and Bristols, live in Kentucky. Near Danville.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve heard of it. There\u2019s a seminary there, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I don\u2019t know how much it costs, Adam, but if God Almighty was this determined to get my attention and save my soul, there must be something I can do for him\u2026and I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll make a way for me to get into that school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you think you\u2019ll be a preacher?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam raised a skeptical eyebrow. \u201cYesterday this time you knew I was Satan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYesterday I was Sam Driscoll and a lot of things were different. Dave Clayton\u2019s going to be harder to deceive.\u201d He opened the Bible. \u201cMatthew 10:16: Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.<\/em> That\u2019s me, Adam. I was a wolf and a snake most of my life. Now all that experience can be put to some good use. The Lord saved me for a purpose, and I think I know what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re plumb crazy,\u201d Adam chuckled. \u201cBut, if you think that\u2019s what you need to do, you\u2019ll probably make a good preacher. Look, here\u2019s my address at home. When you get settled, write me. I\u2019ve got a little money saved up, and my father says I\u2019ve never seen a lost cause I didn\u2019t love. I don\u2019t know how much I can help you, but I\u2019ll try.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you already risked your life to save mine\u2014and me a complete stranger. You\u2019ve done plenty for me. And I don\u2019t even know why, unless it\u2019s because you and I look something alike.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam said quietly. \u201cThat wasn\u2019t it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen\u2026what was it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked uncomfortable and waved a dismissive hand. \u201cI don\u2019t know. Don\u2019t ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

It had been years before Adam would tell Dave the truth\u2014that he had heard Sam Driscoll whimper, \u201cMama, I\u2019m sorry.\u201d By then, it didn\u2019t much matter why Adam had done it\u2014just that he had. And it hadn\u2019t stopped there. He had given Dave Clayton most of his money for the trip to Danville. Again, it had been years before Dave found out that Adam had, in those days before the telegraph, had to work his own way home. And on finally reaching home, Adam had received Dave\u2019s letter soon after and had tapped into his bank account to help Dave pay for his schooling. Eventually, he had persuaded his father of Dave\u2019s worthiness as well, and the contribution had doubled. The two had stayed in touch, first by correspondence, and now and again when Dave\u2019s itinerant church work had taken him through Nevada, he always made a point of stopping by the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

As clear as yesterday, Dave could remember that day nearly nine years ago when the bullet killed Sam Driscoll. And just as clearly, he remembered Adam\u2019s hands, gentle and sure as he worked on him, then trembling and sweating as he lied through his teeth to save a man he didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

He wondered how there could have ever been any doubt. And he went to sleep with a smile.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

The next morning before sunrise, Dave was up, dressed, and having coffee by the time Jarrod awoke. \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m goin\u2019 to San Francisco,\u201d Dave replied with his usual maddening good cheer. \u201cSay, is Mr. Bennet still bein\u2019 unreasonable?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe invented the word. But\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen it\u2019s all perfect. Jarrod, would you go to Mulberry Ridge for me? You can take Rosita to see Lizzy, and you can see Mr. Bennet on my behalf. I\u2019m going to see some old friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about all my work in Stockton? I can\u2019t run off and leave it any more than you can run off and leave your church!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t leave my church. I already rode over to Jimmy Newbury\u2019s place\u2014he\u2019s the farmer and lay minister who\u2019s been studying with me on Saturdays. He\u2019s been wantin\u2019 to get a chance to preach, and this is it. Jarrod, I know you\u2019re not much on faith, but help me out and take my wife to see Lizzy. If things turn out the way I think they might, I could be the answer to my friend Adam\u2019s prayers. You\u2019re certainly the answer to mine; and it could be you\u2019ll find your own answers to prayers on the way to, or from, Mulberry Ridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Jarrod wondered just what answer to prayer he could possibly find in Mulberry Ridge, Rosita emerged from the bedroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what of my prayers, David?\u201d she asked softly, her eyes large and anxious. \u201cIf you go to San Francisco looking for trouble, won\u2019t you find it? How can I be an answer to prayer if I\u2019m fearful for what will happen to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave smiled and touched her cheek. \u201cHow many times do I have to tell you, my Rose of Sharon? Perfect love casteth out fear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy love for you is not perfect. It\u2019s only human.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep workin\u2019 at it.\u201d He put an arm around her and looked at Jarrod. \u201cWill you do this for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d Jarrod chuckled. He\u2019d seen crazy preachers before, but this one took the fur-lined bathtub. \u201cWhy not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave pulled Rosita into a tight embrace and kissed her long and hard, for a preacher. Or for anyone<\/em>, Jarrod thought, and turned away hastily.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Jarrod\u2014use a buggy if you would,\u201d Dave said merrily as he left. \u201cShe doesn\u2019t need the bumps, either. Get out and carry her over them if you have to. She\u2019s my queen, and I want her back safe and sound.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t forget,\u201d Rosita whispered to the closed door, \u201cI want you back safe and sound, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 44<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reunions<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam caught up to Hoss and Joe at a little caf\u00e9 in Dewey Morn, about 20 miles from Fairfield. This was where Lydia had disappeared, and Joe had torn the little town apart while Hoss wreaked equal havoc on Fairfield. Their travail had brought forth nothing but frustration. Never had anyone disappeared so completely as Lydia Bennet.<\/p>\n

Hoss motioned for more coffee while Joe quickly filled Adam in. \u201cIt\u2019s been nine days now. She said the stagecoach had made her legs cramp and she just wanted to walk a little while. The folks she was with all wanted to eat, so they went inside. When they came out, she was gone. There weren\u2019t any trackers, so they sent for one, and he said there was just one horse; we can show you where, and he thought the prints were deep enough so it might have been double-mounted. Not any signs of a real struggle, although there were a couple of small branches broke.\u201d He shrugged. \u201cNot that Lydia could\u2019ve put up much of a fight, Adam. She wasn\u2019t what I\u2019d call strong. Anyway, later they found a horse on its own near a ravine, just kind of lost and limping around. The tracker thought the horse might have stumbled and pitched them both down the side, but it was too steep to go down and look.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToo obvious.\u201d Adam shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019re right there, but when you\u2019re frantic like we were, it doesn\u2019t always occur to you to be logical. We were just about to go out to the creek and work our way back toward the ravine from the bottom when another tracker found this.\u201d He produced a green hair ribbon. \u201cLydia was wearing that on the stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd where was it found?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the Suisin Marsh. That\u2019s why we backtracked to Fairfield. We searched the marsh too, but no results. I mean, we found horse tracks around it, but that\u2019s not unusual. A lot of people hunt there. That was when Hoss wired you. We were gonna go back to Mulberry Ridge but then got the telegram from you telling us to stay put.\u201d His eyes narrowed. \u201cYou know something\u2026or you think you do. What is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled the telegram from his pocket.<\/p>\n

Col. Eugene Fisher<\/p>\n

Cdr, Ord Barracks<\/p>\n

Lt Will Cartwright sent to Presidio SF 12 days ago. Due in Presidio 10 days ago. Never reported. Due back Ord 3 days ago. Never reported. Current status AWOL. Will be considered deserter if does not report to nearest military post in 9 days.<\/p>\n

Hoss looked doubtful. \u201cI don\u2019t like him any more\u2019n you do, Adam, but just \u2019cause he went to Frisco\u2014or didn\u2019t go\u2014is no reason to suspect him bein\u2019 involved in kidnappin\u2019 a little girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom what Lizzy said, he\u2019d been a frequent visitor at Longbourn after we left, then after she left with her aunt and uncle. \u00a0Come on, Hoss, you know Will always needs money. And you know what he\u2019ll do to get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t,\u201d Joe put in, his eyebrows down and his jaw out. \u201cAnd I\u2019m sittin\u2019 right here and tired of you two acting like I\u2019m a six-year-old who can\u2019t understand whenever the subject comes up. You don\u2019t have to tell me what happened if you don\u2019t want to, but I do want to know why Will is Adam\u2019s favorite suspect whenever something so completely unrelated comes along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to send another cable.\u201d Adam stood stiffly and walked out, and Joe looked questioningly at Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, it\u2026ain\u2019t that you\u2019re not able to understand. It\u2019s just that it\u2019s hard to talk about. You know there\u2019s subjects like that. And you know him<\/em>, anyhow. He ain\u2019t even talked to me about it, ever, and I was right there. Simplest way to put it is Adam holds Will responsible for Laura\u2019s death.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew that much! What I don\u2019t know is why<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wanted the money she had from the sale of her ranch, and he beat her up some to get it. She got an infection from the beating and died. That\u2019s all. To this day Will says it ain\u2019t his fault, that he just wanted the money and never meant anybody to die. Now what all this has to do with Lydia, though, I\u2019m just as in the dark as you. She\u2019s way too young to be interesting to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a while Joe sat rock-still, a range of emotions playing across his face, as he absorbed the information he\u2019d been given.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was there once when I was,\u201d he finally said. \u201cRemember the day I went over early\u2026he was there. He and\u2026I guess now it was Lydia. I thought it was Mary then; they sound just alike, and I only saw her from the back. They were in the barn. He was saying he\u2019d miss her, and she said he didn\u2019t have to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLord, Joe! Why didn\u2019t you say something before?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you, I thought it was Mary! She was always fussing about having no interest in men; I thought it was like that expression Adam uses, you know, about the lady protesting too much. Besides, Will just laughed and walked away when she said it. I never realized anything would come of it; never had a reason to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Hoss murmured, deep in thought. \u201cIt still doesn\u2019t make much sense. I know Will\u2019s always short on cash, but it sure doesn\u2019t make sense to run off with Lydia\u2014for love or<\/em> money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHer family doesn\u2019t have any money. Doesn\u2019t Will know that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI woulda thought so. But maybe he\u2019s countin\u2019 on us to help the Bennets. He knows you and me are gonna marry Jane and Kitty.\u201d He sighed. \u201cCome to that, maybe we oughtta wire Pa and ask if we can scrape that much cash together. We don\u2019t have much time left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe that\u2019s what Adam did. Let\u2019s ask him.\u201d Joe stood up\u2014and bumped smack into Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d Adam said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere to?\u201d Joe demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cSan Francisco.\u201d He looked at Hoss. \u201cI\u2019m pretty sure I know where to find them. Both of them. And if we leave now, we can get there day after tomorrow. One little hop across the water on the Sausalito Ferry and it\u2019ll be done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean we\u2019re gonna pay the ransom?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pinched Hoss\u2019s cheek. \u201cNo. I mean I\u2019m going to pound the stuffing out of somebody who desperately needs it\u2026and then I\u2019m gonna put that girl over my knee and wear her out with my holster.\u201d<\/p>\n

As they left, Adam asked one other question that had been on his mind for a while. \u201cWhere\u2019s Mr. Bennet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was with us at first,\u201d Joe said with a shrug. \u201cBut it was easier without him, Adam. The man\u2019s useless if it ain\u2019t somethin\u2019 to do with books.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe sits a horse worse than Jane,\u201d Hoss confirmed. \u201cSorry, Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQuit callin\u2019 me \u2018Little.\u2019 It\u2019s true about Jane. But at least she\u2019s trying to learn. Mr. Bennet\u2019s had 45 years to learn to ride and he still stinks at it. He was only slowing us down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut didn\u2019t he at least argue when you two wanted to go on without him?\u201d Adam demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t matter,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cWe weren\u2019t gonna take him nohow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cIf it was Peggy there\u2019s no way you\u2019d leave me behind, and we\u2019re not even related. I don\u2019t understand that man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ain\u2019t really a bad feller. He just ain\u2019t used to livin\u2019 in the West.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam raised an eyebrow. \u201cHe\u2019s had 20 years to learn. Almost as long as we\u2019ve<\/em> been here. Never mind. I said I don\u2019t understand him; I didn\u2019t say I was gonna waste my time tryin\u2019. If not for Lizzy I\u2019d have no use for him anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLizzy?\u201d Joe asked. \u201cYou mean Lizzy<\/em>, Jane\u2019s sister?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the one. I\u2019m gonna marry her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you really, now,\u201d Hoss said with forced casualness.<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged. \u201cMight as well. What with you two marryin\u2019 her sisters and all\u2026\u201d He ducked his head and grinned.<\/p>\n

Joe burst out laughing, and reached over and punched Adam in the shoulder. Hoss smacked him\u2014gently\u2014on the back of the head. Little more was said until they camped for the night, when both brothers gave their eldest brother a hug and Hoss said, \u201cWelcome to the family. Again.\u201d<\/p>\n

They reached Sausalito two days later. They had covered a lot of ground fast, so conversation had been minimal, mostly at night, when they were too tired to talk much.<\/p>\n

In Sausalito they took the ferry to San Francisco. And as they led their horses down the boat ramp and onto the dock, Hoss whistled. \u201cNow ain\u2019t that the purtiest little \u2019rabian y\u2019ever saw?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced over at the compact, alert little chestnut gelding, noting the upraised flag of a tail, the small ears curving inward, and the large, intelligent eyes\u2026and he found himself grinning. Sure, there was probably more than one such horse in California\u2014but more than one with a brand that looked like three crosses on its left hip?<\/p>\n

\u201cDave\u2019s here,\u201d he said bemusedly, looking around.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s he doin\u2019 here?\u201d Joe demanded. \u201cThere\u2019s noplace here but bars and brothels.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYup,\u201d Adam said, and headed off at a fast walk for the nearest bar.<\/p>\n

They found him at a table with a gaudy painted lady, waving his hands as he told her the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. \u201cJews and Samaritans hated each other. The only thing more surprising than the woman actually talking to Jesus is that he\u2019s<\/em> the one who started the conversation. That\u2019s because he didn\u2019t care that they were supposed to be enemies. The point is that everybody <\/em>matters to him\u2014Adam, Joe, Hoss! This is my friend Jenna.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI bet she has a lot of friends,\u201d Joe muttered to Hoss, and got an elbow in the ribs. Jenna seized the opportunity to escape as Adam looked at Dave with raised eyebrows. \u201cCare to tell me what you\u2019re doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know me, Adam. I always meet the devil on his home ground.\u201d Dave grinned.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what I mean, you puddin\u2019 head. Why are you in San Francisco?\u201d<\/p>\n

The grin disappeared. \u201cHad to see a feller about a dog.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould the fella be Will Cartwright, or would the dog?\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave shook his head. \u201cSorry, Adam; I know he\u2019s your cousin, but don\u2019t call him a dog. Gives dogs a bad name. I got here yesterday mornin\u2019, and with the exception of the last two hours, I\u2019ve been watchin\u2019 the Magic Lasso the whole time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMagic Lasso?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Lisa-Marie re-named the place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHope you stayed out of sight. After what happened last time I\u2019m pretty sure she\u2019d still remember you.\u201d<\/p>\n

A slight nod. \u201cI can blend in pretty well when I want to. They\u2019re both there, Lydia and Will. And if it\u2019s a real kidnappin\u2019, it\u2019s the strangest one I ever saw. She went out yesterday afternoon to a store\u2014by herself. Bought a hat. Just about the ugliest hat you ever saw, too. If I owned that hat I\u2019d use it in every sermon and tell \u2019em that\u2019s what hell looks like. They\u2019d be runnin\u2019 down the aisle so fast\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo they\u2019re both in cahoots?\u201d Hoss asked, his tone half an octave higher than usual.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s my guess.\u201d Dave shrugged. \u201cI wonder, though, about the ransom. When\u2019s the deadline for the cash delivery, and where\u2019s the rendezvous?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been on the road for five days all told\u2026what day is it now, anyway? Thursday?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFriday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood grief. The money\u2019s supposed to be delivered tomorrow, in Vallejo. That\u2019s a full day\u2019s ride from here, and if he\u2019s expecting to pick up money, he\u2019ll want to get out of town quick. It makes no sense for him to be here today. He should be in Vallejo already, tonight at the latest, resting his horse for the getaway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d For just a minute, a look came across Dave\u2019s face that almost\u2014almost\u2014made Hoss and Joe believe he might really have been a gunfighter, once. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot about this setup that doesn\u2019t make sense. Come with me, fellas, I\u2019ll show you where I\u2019ve been hiding. You can generally get a pretty good view of their room from that spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Dave,\u201d Joe asked as they left the bar, \u201chow did you know when we\u2019d be here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave grinned over at Adam. \u201cWell, it was a combination of knowing the distance and direction and your older brother\u2019s temperament. I could just say the good Lord told me, but then Adam would get nasty and I\u2019d have to poke him in the eye again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 45<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lizzy had arrived back at Longbourn with her Aunt and Uncle Gardner, all of them tense, irritable, and worried sick. Mrs. Bennet was half hysterical, alternately demanding smelling salts and brandy, bewailing Lydia and cursing the evil people of the world who defaced newspapers and kidnapped children; at the next moment, cursing her husband for allowing Lydia to leave, and conveniently forgetting that she had been the one urging him. Then she would curse the Reverend and Mrs. Culbreth, who had chaperoned Lydia, because they had botched it, and not only that, but Mr. Bennet should have known a preacher was a bad chaperone. After all, what experience did preachers have with evil?<\/p>\n

Lizzy\u2019s father was drinking more than she had ever seen him drink, and reading his old dime novels as if they held the key to his salvation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you go with the search party?\u201d she asked him.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think I could have done any good?\u201d he asked, with as near a thought of hope as she had ever seen, and suddenly she realized: no sir, you couldn\u2019t<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Mercifully, she changed the subject. \u201cWho did<\/em> go?\u201d<\/p>\n

He shrugged. \u201cMy two future sons-in-law, of course. Who better to search the wild, wild West than a couple of rugged cowboys?\u201d<\/p>\n

That only made her wonder where Adam had run off to. He had left without so much as a goodbye, before the letter arrived about Lydia\u2019s disappearance, so he couldn\u2019t be involved in the search. Well, she decided, it didn\u2019t matter where he was. If he could leave \u201con business\u201d without a parting glance, just because she\u2019d been properly chaste and refused a kiss, she had nothing to say to him anyway.<\/p>\n

The Gardiners decided to stay at Longbourn for a few days. There was nothing they could do elsewhere, with no idea where the search party had gone. The last message had been a cable from Little Joe at Fairfield three days earlier, in which he said he and Hoss could deliver the ransom if Mr. Bennet had been able to arrange the funds.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat funds do I have to arrange?\u201d Bennet had muttered. He had only managed to put together $753.98, and even with the Gardiners\u2019 help he could go no higher than $3500.<\/p>\n

That Mary had reacted rather unemotionally to all the hysteria was no surprise. But Jane and Kitty had also been uncharacteristically free of tears; they were not anxious because they knew Hoss and Joe were on the job.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am marrying the best man in the world,\u201d Jane declared\u2014out of Kitty\u2019s hearing, for her younger sister might have given her an argument. \u201cMy Joe is taking care of everything. He and Hoss went into action as soon as Lydia disappeared, and have not ceased their efforts yet. If they don\u2019t bring Lydia back, it will only be because they have found her and she does not want to return.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy was befuddled by that statement. \u201cHow could she not want to return? This is her home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jane looked away, embarrassed. \u201cKitty, Mary and I have talked it over, and we are of the opinion that Lydia was not completely reluctant to leave the stagecoach that day. I know it sounds terrible, Lizzy, but we believe she might not have been kidnapped at all. Father and Mother won\u2019t hear of it, of course, but\u2026well, we have reasons to suspect Lydia may have run away with a man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re joking! Lydia is a child of 16\u2014even if she had such thoughts, what on earth could she have that would entice a man to run away with her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLizzy, our mother was but 16 when she married our father.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that<\/em> worked out uncommonly well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be unkind, Lizzy,\u201d Jane said quietly, but there was an assertive quality to her voice Lizzy had not heard before. \u201cIt\u2019s true, our parents don\u2019t have the best marriage, and are not perhaps ideally suited. But don\u2019t blame Mother for it all. Our father must also bear some of the blame. And if nothing else, they have served all us girls quite well as examples.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExamples! Of what?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jane smiled, a mischievous grin not unlike Little Joe Cartwright\u2019s. \u201cWe now know exactly what to avoid<\/em> if we want to have happy marriages.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 46<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Magic Lasso<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dave\u2019s hiding spot was an empty house directly across the street from the Magic Lasso, and from the corner room on the second floor they had a bird\u2019s-eye view into the room Will and Lydia were apparently occupying. Adam was temporarily distressed to see that Will had gone out during Dave\u2019s absence, but his horse, Dave assured them all, was still there. Lydia was still there as well and quite content, it seemed, to stay, drinking wine and eating chocolates from Ghirardelli\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t we go over now, while he\u2019s gone, and rescue her?\u201d Joe demanded hotly. Damsels in distress had always made his blood boil. \u201cWe could be halfway back to Mulberry Ridge before he figures out it was us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave him the look<\/em>\u2014the one that even his father found it difficult to match. \u201cNo. I want Will to know what he did, and I want to give him a much-needed education.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine thing for Will to know what he did\u2026but we<\/em> don\u2019t know what he did ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019all are being too emotional about this,\u201d Dave put in, which earned him an open-mouthed stare from Adam. \u201cI\u2019m thinking we could just go over there and kinda stay with Lydia until Will gets back. Who knows; she might tell us what\u2019s going on herself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neither Joe nor Hoss had ever been seen at the Magic Lasso. Adam had never been there either, but his resemblance to Dave put him out of the running. Joe was thus decided upon as the diversion; he would keep the folk downstairs busy while Adam, Hoss and Dave sneaked past them upstairs. It was not a perfect plan. Little Joe was one who preferred action, and although his good looks made him a more suitable diversionary tactic than Hoss, he would have greatly preferred being in on the confrontation with Will. Finally he threw his hands up. \u201cI\u2019ll give it a try.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere used to be a trap door in the cloak room,\u201d Dave warned Joe as they crossed the street. \u201cI think somebody used to use the building as a shanghai point. Don\u2019t let \u2019em get you near that place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s Lisa-Marie,\u201d Dave muttered, pointing through the window. He had taken off his collar and was busy stuffing it into his pocket, so he didn\u2019t notice Joe\u2019s grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s cute,\u201d Joe commented.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat does it\u2014Hoss will stay downstairs,\u201d Adam snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, for Pete\u2019s sake, Adam, I\u2019m engaged to Jane! I\u2019m not gonna fall for some other girl. But if she\u2019s cute it makes me more convincing in the part I have to play.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just make sure you\u2019re only<\/em> playin\u2019 a part,\u201d Hoss said quietly. \u201cYou get in trouble with Jane, I\u2019ll be in trouble with Kitty by default, and I ain\u2019t havin\u2019 that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe rolled his eyes and stalked off to the swinging doors.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope he doesn\u2019t underestimate her,\u201d Dave murmured. \u201cShe\u2019s little and cute, and meaner than a snake. And I won\u2019t even mention her pal Rinnie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s her pal Rinnie?\u201d Hoss whispered.<\/p>\n

Dave pointed through the window. \u201cThe blonde doing rope tricks on the stage. She\u2019s behind the name change. This place used to be called just \u2018Lisa-Marie\u2019s Place\u2019. Now\u2026well, there\u2019s a reason it\u2019s called the Magic Lasso.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe had moved into position. Lisa-Marie was well-known as a sucker for a pretty face.\u00a0 Joe soon had her full attention, and when her back was turned, while the men who worked for her turned to watch Rinnie the Rope Girl, Adam and Dave sneaked up the back stairs. Hoss stayed just long enough to make sure Joe wasn\u2019t getting funny with Lisa-Marie, and then followed.<\/p>\n

The door wasn\u2019t locked. Adam didn\u2019t waste time knocking. He just walked in and said \u201cHi, Lydia.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked up from her copy of Harper\u2019s Bazaar<\/em> and her face lit up. \u201cWell, Adam! You must be the first of the party to arrive! Oh, and Hoss too\u2014and the preacher! Reverend Dave, do you still charge only five dollars for a wedding? We haven\u2019t got my inheritance yet, so it\u2019ll have to do. Look at this, Adam. Crinoline is completely out of fashion this year; hoops are narrower, and look at this padding device here! It\u2019s called a \u2018bustle\u2019 and they say it will completely revolutionize the way women dress. I can\u2019t wait. I\u2019m so tired of looking frumpy. People will be mistaking me for Mary or Lizzy in short order. Where\u2019s Little Joe? And my sisters?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLydia, are you saying you came here to get married\u2014and that my cousin Will is supposed to be bringing us all here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLord, you are<\/em> slow. I always thought you didn\u2019t say much because you were stuck-up and vile, as Lizzy said, but you just aren\u2019t very smart. Well, that\u2019s all right. Not everyone can be like my fianc\u00e9 Will.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave moved forward, laying a calming hand on Adam\u2019s arm before Adam could provide the spanking he was sure she needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cLydia, when is Will supposed to be back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot until morning. It\u2019s just as well he sent you lot over ahead of everyone else. I\u2019m so<\/em> bored. I had thought of trying to make a bustle, but I simply can\u2019t figure out this design. Adam, Kitty said you design things. Can you figure out this apparatus?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so,\u201d he replied tensely, barely glancing at the magazine.<\/p>\n

She sighed. \u201cYou really are thick, aren\u2019t you? Well, just sit down, in that case, and catch me up on my sisters.\u201d<\/p>\n

She devoutly refused to provide any details on where Will had gone or why, except that he had promised to be back by morning and that the wedding party would be arriving in the next couple of days. And the night wore on, long and horrible as lamps were lit and Lydia debated about what to order for supper.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand why Will left you all alone.\u201d Dave was trying in his usual caring way to draw her out, but she just shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you worry about me<\/em>, preacher. Remember I\u2019m not unprotected.\u201d She hiked her skirts far higher than any man in the room had a right or a desire to see, and from a lacy garter with a small holster she drew out a .41-caliber, pearl-handled derringer with over-under barrels. \u201cSee?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t wave that thing around! You want to kill somebody?\u201d Adam yelped.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I did, it wouldn\u2019t be hard. I\u2019m a crack shot,\u201d Lydia replied, replacing the derringer. Dave peeked between his fingers and whispered, \u201cGod forgive me, I hope<\/em> not\u201d as he, Hoss, and Adam all turned various shades of red.<\/p>\n

And the interminable waiting continued.<\/p>\n

Chapter 47<\/strong><\/p>\n

Brothels and Brides<\/strong><\/p>\n

The next day, as Lizzy and Jane watched Kitty leading Nelly\u2019s foal hither and yon without aid of either a harness or a rope, a carriage appeared in the distance, and Mary, reading the 1869 revisions to the California state statutes, muttered, \u201cMore people. Will it never end?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, it\u2019s Jarrod Barkley!\u201d Lizzy cried. \u201cAnd there\u2019s Rosita!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother marriage bites the dust,\u201d Mary said gloomily.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be ridiculous,\u201d Lizzy snapped, and jumped down from the corral fence to meet the carriage. \u201cJarrod, Rosita\u2014whatever are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita didn\u2019t wait for Jarrod to do the gentlemanly thing; she simply jumped into Lizzy\u2019s waiting embrace. \u201cDave sent me to cheer you up! Are you all right, Lizzy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy pulled back in mid-hug. \u201cWhat do you mean, he sent you to cheer me up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHas Lydia been found yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you know she was missing?\u201d Lizzy demanded. \u201cI think you\u2019d better come in, sit down, and tell me everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAhem,\u201d Jarrod announced rather loudly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2026I\u2019m sorry, Jarrod. Jarrod, these are my sisters, Jane and Mary, and over in the corral is Kitty\u2014and girls, this is Jarrod Barkley, a friend of mine\u2014and Rosita and the Reverend\u2019s\u2014from Stockton. He\u2019s a lawyer. Come along, Jarrod. Are you merely providing transportation, or is this a legal matter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLegal!\u201d exclaimed Mary, giving the lawyer another look. \u201cYou may be an interesting person after all. What kind of law do you practice, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust about every kind, Miss,\u201d Jarrod replied. \u201cIn my area of the country the city is not built-up enough to have much diversification. Any lawyer around Stockton is something of a jack-of-all-trades. It\u2019s a pleasure to meet all you young ladies, and I hope I\u2019ll be able to talk with you more, later. But for now, Miss Elizabeth, I would very much like an introduction to your father; I have things to discuss with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Mary went to get Jarrod situated, and Lizzy returned to Rosita, to find her with Jane and Kitty and congratulating them on their engagements to Joe and Hoss. \u201cWe didn\u2019t even know you knew!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDave told me. I think Adam must have told him. But I\u2019m happy for both of you. They\u2019re wonderful men; Dave has told me all kinds of stories about them. Have any of you met Ben yet\u2014their father? Dave said Ben and Adam paid a lot of the costs of Dave\u2019s schooling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI met Ben,\u201d Lizzy put in. \u201cWe never really talked about Dave, though. If I had known Dave was such friends with the entire family, and not just Adam, I would have made sure to get a few stories especially for you. But what are you doing here? Where is Dave? And how did you know about Lydia?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDave had to go to San Francisco to meet the Cartwright boys. And I told you, he sent me here to cheer you up, Lizzy. Although I confess, you might have to cheer me up some now. This is the first time Dave and I have been apart since we were married, and I miss him awfully.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Rosita,\u201d Jane persisted, \u201chow do you know the Cartwrights are in San Francisco? The last I heard, Joe and Hoss were in Fairfield.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita shook her head. \u201cI don\u2019t really understand it. I just know Adam\u2019s telegram said he was going to meet Joe and Hoss in San Francisco, and go to \u2018LMP\u2019\u2014which Dave said means \u2018Lisa-Marie\u2019s Place.\u2019\u201d Her eyes widened. \u201cDave says it\u2019s a brothel!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Lizzy and Jane shrieked, and by then Kitty, who had just joined them, nearly fell over from shock.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot like that, sillies\u2014they think that\u2019s where Lydia was taken. Or at least that\u2019s what Adam thought. Dave knows something about the place as well, and he went to help them get Lydia back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow does Adam even know any of this? I don\u2019t understand it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. But he cabled Dave. Jarrod brought us the telegram, and Dave thought about it and prayed about it and the next day told me he had to go to San Francisco. He told me he was afraid the leopard hadn\u2019t changed its spots, whatever that meant.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jane and Lizzy exchanged a stunned glance. Jane found her voice first. \u201cWill Cartwright. Dave thinks Will Cartwright took Lydia. Oh\u2026oh dear. How could this happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would have been easy enough,\u201d Lizzy muttered. \u201cLydia fancies herself quite the adult these days, but you all know her head is empty. When Will was around me I knew he was only flirting, but if he flirted with her, she would have taken it all seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe insisted that she had a secret admirer,\u201d Kitty added. \u201cOf course it must have been Will, all along. She was always sweet on Will, and why not\u2014he always seemed so handsome, charming, dashing, heroic\u2026but why would he want Lydia?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy sighed. \u201cJane\u2026Kitty\u2026there are some things I didn\u2019t tell you\u2026about Will Cartwright. And\u2026about Adam Cartwright\u2014that very fine and noble brother of your two intended partners.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, tell us\u2014but you needn\u2019t be hateful, Lizzy,\u201d Jane returned. \u201cSome of us here actually do like Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Lizzy nodded. \u201cAnd I\u2026am one of them. I like him\u2026very much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 48<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bigger They Are<\/strong><\/p>\n

The last wire Adam had sent had been to his father, telling him the latest news about Will, his current Army status, and what was known about the affair with Lydia. Ben\u2019s reply had infuriated Adam, but after discussing it with Dave he figured it would probably be the best thing for everyone. Still, he wished his father was a little less forgiving. But then he could always hope Will would turn the offer down, in which case Adam would take great pleasure in the alternative solution.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you mean about your inheritance?\u201d Adam asked Lydia at one point. \u201cYou said you don\u2019t have it yet\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lydia suddenly looked coy. \u201cIt\u2019ll come. But it\u2019s really not your business. I think I\u2019d prefer to dine downstairs tonight. Hoss, will you take me? You\u2019re not as boring as these other two.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss,\u201d Adam instructed, \u201cMake sure the bouncers see you escorting Lydia.\u201d Hoss looked confused, but nodded and took Lydia\u2019s arm. On returning an hour later from the bar downstairs, Hoss drew Adam aside. \u201cLittle Joe\u2019s been made part of the act with Rinnie the Rope Girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Helplessly, Hoss nodded. \u201cRinnie\u2019s catchin\u2019 him with her lasso and reelin\u2019 him up to the stage. Then she kisses him\u2014and then they make him disappear in a big puff a\u2019 smoke. So far, he\u2019s still comin\u2019 back. But them women are startin\u2019 to make me nervous, Adam. There\u2019s one crazy lady that keeps flingin\u2019 quarters at Joe\u2019s backside. And that little Lisa-Marie\u2019s looking at him like he\u2019s a jar of strawberry preserves. Besides, if he\u2019s on the stage when Will comes in, that\u2019ll be all she wrote.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, did you make sure the bouncers saw you with Lydia?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYup, just like you told me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. Then you should be able to move around pretty freely down there. So get back down there, find a deep dark corner, and keep an eye on Joe. If anything else happens, don\u2019t go after him by yourself. Get back here pronto.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m bored,\u201d Lydia announced, taking a card deck off the nightstand. \u201cWill one of you play with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry; I gave up cards a while back,\u201d Dave said politely.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll play with you,\u201d Adam replied. His nerves were on edge; he hated waiting\u2014an infantile game couldn\u2019t make things any worse. For the next two hours he and Lydia questioned each other about threes and jacks and told each other to \u201cgo fish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m bored again,\u201d Lydia declared. \u201cI don\u2019t want to play anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silently Adam gathered up the cards, shuffled them a couple of times, and began a game of solitaire as Lydia went back to her magazine.<\/p>\n

It was going on midnight now, and Lydia blew out one of the lamps and regarded the two remaining men curiously. \u201cAre you intending to stay here tonight? I\u2019m not sure Will would approve. In fact, I\u2019m fairly certain he won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the more reason for you to let us stay,\u201d Adam said with his most winning smile. \u201cYou don\u2019t want your husband to take you for granted, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOoooh! My husband<\/em>!\u201d Lydia squealed, and smiled. \u201cOh, Adam, you\u2019re not as stupid as I thought. All right, just stay in those chairs over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo we need to step out so you can go to bed?\u201d Dave asked in gravest embarrassment.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no. I\u2019m not going. When Will stays out late I wait up for him.\u201d She glanced at the clock. \u201cHe\u2019ll be back in two or three hours, I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was wrong. At about 1:30 they heard stumbling footsteps on the stairs outside, and Lydia smiled in anticipation. \u201cHe must have had a bad night tonight. Oh well. I\u2019ll comfort him. But you two have to leave now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Dave exchanged a glance, and Adam stood up, absent-mindedly depositing the deck of cards in his shirt pocket.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember,\u201d Dave said softly, one hand on Adam\u2019s arm, as the door opened.<\/p>\n

Will stood there unsteadily, looking at Adam with bloodshot eyes. \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHowdy, Cos,\u201d Adam said politely\u2014and clocked him with a straight left. \u201cThat<\/em> was for Laura.\u201d<\/p>\n

The force of the blow knocked Will back out into the hallway as Lydia screamed and went for the derringer. Just in time, Dave\u2019s hands closed around both her wrists, drawing them up to her shoulders, immobilizing them. She twisted around and bit his hand but he didn\u2019t let go, and as she struggled against him, Adam dragged Will back into the room and belted him again. \u201cThat one\u2019s for Peggy, you murdering\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I told you\u2014\u201d Dave cut in.<\/p>\n

Adam turned automatically toward Dave\u2014and got an ear clipped by one of Will\u2019s wildly flailing fists. With an expression of disgust, Adam handed Will a right hook that knocked his nose off-center, and Will bellowed and brought a knee into his cousin\u2019s gut. As Adam doubled up, Will tore free and ran back into the hall. In a flash, Adam dove after him, landed on him at the top of the stairs, and they both tumbled down the short flight to the next landing, where Adam, with some difficulty, drew a fist back that caught Will under the cheekbone and loosened a tooth. \u201cAnd that one was for Lizzy!\u201d he spat, hauling the bigger man up by the collar. \u201cI got lots more women I can name,\u201d he told Will, backhanding him across the face. \u201cWanna go another round?\u201d He smashed Will back against the wall. \u201cI may even give you one for that little thing upstairs!\u201d<\/p>\n

Will raised both hands weakly. \u201cWhat do you want, Adam? I didn\u2019t do anything to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t you?\u201d Adam grabbed Will\u2019s right arm and doubled it behind his back, eliciting a pained gasp from the other man as he shoved him back up the stairs. \u201cWe\u2019re gonna have a nice, long talk, Will. About the past, the present, and especially, the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 49<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fine Crystal<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cPoor Laura,\u201d Kitty murmured, tears running down her face. \u201cShe was cruelly used. I can\u2019t imagine going through that. Her love and trust for Will cost her everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPoor Dave,\u201d Rosita whispered, her eyes shut. \u201cHe never told me. He wouldn\u2019t even let me near the window when Adam told you, Lizzy. I knew he loved Adam, but how he could stay with that poor woman until the end and pretend to be Adam for her sake\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPoor Adam,\u201d Jane said quietly. \u201cHe blames himself to this day for something he had no part in. He had no choice but to let Laura go with Will, and he fought his own body to get to Laura as fast as he could when he found out she was in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPoor Peggy,\u201d Mary muttered, and everyone looked at her in surprise. She had rejoined them during the story, and no one could figure out whether Lizzy\u2019s story or Mary\u2019s actually having an emotional capacity for anything other than annoyance was the bigger surprise. \u201cWhat are you all looking at me for? This child witnessed horrible things happening to her mother and has to live with it every day. She\u2019s an orphan now; her only remaining relative is dying, and no one cares for her but Adam. Granted, he\u2019s an unlikable fellow, but there must be something charitable deep down inside the man to have him take an orphan in like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy said nothing, though at some point during the last few weeks she had had all of these thoughts (except, notably, the \u201cunlikable Adam\u201d one), and some others beside, bumping about in her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe good side to all this\u2026\u201d she finally began, and the four other women all stared at her in shock. \u201cDon\u2019t look at me like that. There is<\/em> a good side. None of us will end up that way, because in the first place, we have better judgment than poor Laura, and we will end up with far better men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me,\u201d Kitty cut in, \u201cbut exactly when did your distaste for Adam Cartwright turn into such strong affection? Last I heard from you, he was\u2014possibly\u2014above cockroaches on the likability scale, but not by much. Perhaps he rated as high as a ladybug: a bit attractive, but still an insect. So when did you discover your liking for him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPossibly when she saw the Ponderosa,\u201d Mary said calmly. \u201cI\u2019m given to understand it\u2019s quite a piece of work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy\u2019s cheeks were flaming with outrage and embarrassed honesty. \u201cIt took a lot of thought. I had to understand that I only looked at things from one point of view, without knowing the reasons for any of the actions I saw. I still make that mistake sometimes. I even thought when Adam left the Ponderosa, it was because he was angry at me, and I became angry at him. Now I think Hoss and Joe must have summoned him. He knew about Lydia before I did, if he sent the wire to Dave so fast. It\u2019s a flaw of mine that I never knew I had, to judge too quickly. Now that I know the problem exists, I will have to work hard to overcome it and not be so ready to think ill of my future husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFuture husband?\u201d Jane asked. \u201cI thought you said you liked<\/em> him. And how do you know his feelings for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told me,\u201d Lizzy confessed. \u201cHe has already asked twice for permission to court me. I don\u2019t know why he still wants me after the way I acted, but he does. I want him as well. I do like him, so very much. And I greatly admire him. I don\u2019t know about love yet. I\u2019ve never loved a man, so I don\u2019t know what it\u2019s like. But I have a feeling love isn\u2019t quite like it is in books. Rosita, your husband once told me that wives had to learn to love their husbands. At the time he told me, I thought he was an idiot. But now, I rather wonder if that may be true after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita laughed. \u201cHe was right, at least in my case. You remember, Lizzy, my thoughts about marriage in general, and marriage to him in particular. Fortunately, I learned fast. Of course, it doesn\u2019t hurt to be married to someone who treats you like finest crystal, either. Dave is the kindest man in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t think so,\u201d Kitty said fiercely. \u201cThat honor falls to Hoss. He\u2019s wonderfully gentle, whether with people or animals, and behaves as if I might shatter if he isn\u2019t perfect with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jane smiled in comfortable superiority. \u201cWell, you both mean well, so I\u2019ll forgive you for being wrong, but I think my own Joseph is the most adorable and superbly kind man in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

The festival of comparisons suddenly paused, as the three turned to look at Lizzy. She smiled. \u201cI don\u2019t know yet. I\u2019ve seen Adam do some amazing things, though. I\u2026think\u2026the potential is there. Perhaps, in my haste to prove to him that I\u2019m not<\/em> a china doll, I haven\u2019t really allowed him much chance to be kind. And while I\u2019m not sure I want to be treated like something breakable, I do find kindness suddenly appealing. You\u2019ll all have to remind me, when he comes back, to give him plenty of opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 50<\/strong><\/p>\n

Till Death<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cSiddown.\u201d Adam punctuated the command by slamming the door and pushing Will into a chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is all this about?\u201d Lydia demanded, again struggling unsuccessfully against Dave\u2019s patient grip.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember, Adam\u2014we want answers and cooperation, not more blood,\u201d Dave prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t overestimate my capacity for kindness,\u201d Adam replied, never taking his eyes off Will. \u201cI don\u2019t mind getting all three.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Will\u2026wilted. \u201cLook, I didn\u2019t mean any harm. I just wanted a good time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou never seem to mean any harm. It just happens. People die. Money gets stolen. You owe Peggy $17,500 that she\u2019ll never see. And now here you are, back at your little buddy Lisa-Marie\u2019s\u2026with a kid<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKid?\u201d Lydia screamed. \u201cI\u2019m more woman than you<\/em> can handle, Adam Cartwright!\u201d<\/p>\n

She might not have been in the room for as much attention as he gave her. He drummed his fingers on the table. \u201cYou wanted a good time with Laura, too. And probably a lot more women that I don\u2019t know\u2014and don\u2019t want to know\u2014about. I hoped Laura\u2019s death would teach you a lesson, or at least, that the pasting I gave you then might teach you a lesson. But they\u2019re getting younger all the time. What\u2019ll it be next, Will?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook\u2026Adam\u2026this was just a lark. Besides, my unit at Ord Barracks is going to the Canadian border soon. You don\u2019t have to worry about me anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNice try, Cos. And very typical. You told the exact truth, but not all of it. Hey, Dave, did you know that in order to support that move to the Canadian border, Will was sent here to San Francisco to pick up an entire supply train and escort them back to Ord?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but that\u2019s quite an honor, ain\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is indeed, Dave. Of course, Will never showed up at the Presidio like he was supposed to. He\u2019s classified as Absent Without Leave\u2014that\u2019s what they call AWOL.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds serious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah; in fact, it\u2019s so serious that if he\u2019s not reported in either at the Presidio or back at Ord in, I believe, four days, he\u2019ll be classified as a deserter and subject to death by firing squad. Funny Will didn\u2019t see fit to mention any of that in our little chat just now, ain\u2019t it, Dave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m finding all this very educational, Adam. How about you, Lydia?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what any of you are talking about! Let me go!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned back to Will. \u201cNow, shall we be straight with each other, or do you want to leave out anything else?\u201d<\/p>\n

A sullen shrug. \u201cI\u2019ve asked you already what you want from me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you might start with telling me what prompted this whole kidnapping farce.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat kidnapping? Lydia got off the stage by herself, met me in the woods, by her own pre-arrangement, and came with me to San Francisco of her own free will. There was no kidnapping.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why was there a ransom note?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat ransom note? I didn\u2019t write one\u2014talk sense, Adam. Old Man Bennet\u2019s flat broke. Everybody knows that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is not<\/em>,\u201d Lydia shouted. \u201cHe\u2019s landed gentry!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a landed idiot,\u201d Will murmured in tones too low for Lydia to hear. Aloud, he said, \u201cThere is no ransom note, Adam, and there was no kidnapping.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI<\/em> wrote the ransom note,\u201d Lydia put in haughtily. \u201cI get so tired of all you men<\/em> thinking I\u2019m good for only one thing. My father has a huge ranch. He should be able to raise $50,000 for his favorite daughter. He\u2019s just stingy and doesn\u2019t like to give anything away. I wrote the note so he wouldn\u2019t have any choice but to hand over the money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nobody had foreseen that one; Adam, Dave, and Will alike all stared at the girl, who blinked back. \u201cWhat? It\u2019s rightfully mine anyway, you know\u2014an inheritance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam finally sighed. \u201cYou don\u2019t have any concept of money, or you would have known that whole parcel of land isn\u2019t worth more than $25,000. And your father doesn\u2019t own the dirt in your privy. I own most of the Longbourn property, and Dave owns the rest. There is no way your father can give you any \u2018inheritance.\u2019\u201d He turned back to face his cousin. \u201cOkay, one charge dropped, Will. But you still broke my father\u2019s heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never asked him to love me. Or even trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; he\u2019s foolish that way. Thinks a man with the Cartwright name, son of his good brother John, has to be just as good as any of his own sons. Tried making you one of his own sons; certainly treated you that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will nodded tiredly. \u201cYeah, yeah. Add \u2018breaking Ben Cartwright\u2019s heart\u2019 to my list of sins. Then get on with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right. The point is that my father still loves you, Will. And he isn\u2019t altogether comfortable with any relative of his going up before a firing squad. So he\u2019s already talked to the commander of Ord Barracks. Seems Colonel Fisher and my father are good friends. So, on the condition that you sign in at the Presidio, all charges against you will be dropped.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t find that a great inducement.\u201d Will shrugged. \u201cThey\u2019d be dropped anyway once I showed up, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of them? Even the one about the money? Aren\u2019t you forgetting to tell the whole story again?\u201d Adam looked back at Dave. \u201cHey, Dave, did you know that when Will left Ord Barracks, he was carrying $5,000 cash from the Ord Supply and Logistics section to turn in at the Presidio? And that when Will didn\u2019t show up, the money didn\u2019t either?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Adam, but I find that mighty enlightening. What do you suspect happened to it? Maybe he stopped off for a poker game, and\u2014just like that\u2014uh-oh, it was all gone?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked back at Will. \u201cSo what kept you from going to the Presidio? The lack of money, or a sudden desire not to go to Canada?\u201d<\/p>\n

Will stared at the floor. \u201cBoth. I lost the money in a poker game. Thought I could make it up, but I\u2019m having a run of bad luck. Yeah, I didn\u2019t want to show up without the cash. And no, I\u2019m not enthusiastic about going north, either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what, Dave\u2014if Will were to walk into the Presidio tonight, even with the money, but without Ben Cartwright\u2019s good word, he\u2019d spend 30 days in the stockade. If he walked in without the money, he\u2019d be looking at five to ten years at Leavenworth on a chain gang. What are your thoughts on that, Dave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBen Cartwright carries enough sway with the Army to have both those penalties dropped?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, partly it\u2019s sway. Partly it\u2019s money. He\u2019d pay back the $5,000 on Will\u2019s behalf and then some, to get Fisher\u2019s men properly outfitted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Will wouldn\u2019t have to do any stockade time either?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot even 15 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like a pretty sweet deal to me, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d Will blustered. \u201cAnd then I get back to Ord and Colonel Fisher gives me latrine digging duty for the rest of my military career.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Adam said. \u201cMy father\u2019s taken care of that, too. It won\u2019t go on your military records at all. When you get to the Presidio you\u2019ll find new orders cut, assigning you to a new cavalry regiment being formed out at Fort Riley.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKansas? Why\u2019d I want to go there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to Kansas either way. You can go to Fort Riley, Kansas, or Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.\u201d Adam looked at his fingernails, and blew an imaginary speck of dust off. \u201cOne\u2019s about the same as the other for all I care, but I think you might notice the difference when you\u2019re pounding big boulders into little pebbles at Leavenworth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will\u2019s frown deepened as he thought of his choices. The realization dawned. \u201cYou\u2019re right. But what\u2019s the catch?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes you think there\u2019s a catch? All you have to do is take your wife here and go to the Presidio.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWife? We\u2019re not married!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Lydia assured us that you intended to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you kidding? Adam, there\u2019s no way I\u2019d marry that<\/em> thing!\u201d<\/p>\n

To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. \u201cWhat!\u201d Lydia shrieked\u2014and rammed an elbow into Dave\u2019s unsuspecting gut. As he obligingly \u201coofed\u201d and crumpled, he let her go, and suddenly the derringer was in her hand. Then there was flash, issuing from the muzzle of the gun, along with a sound like dynamite exploding\u2014and Adam Cartwright, chair, and all, crashed backward to the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cOops,\u201d said Lydia.<\/p>\n

Chapter 51<\/strong><\/p>\n

On the Road Again<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright loaded himself, Hop Sing, and Peggy into the buckboard, with Sparks and Buck tied behind, and took a road trip.<\/p>\n

The objective: the Bar Fly Ranch, his leased property outside Sacramento. His reasons for going were legion. He wanted to see the place he had leased; he hadn\u2019t leased a property sight unseen before, and it always made him a little nervous. Besides, he had to inspect the job his three boys had done. They had been there several weeks longer than originally anticipated, and in spite of Adam\u2019s regular progress reports, Ben had never understood the reasons for the delay. He brought Adam\u2019s letters along, hoping to go over them and see exactly what had been done. After all, one herd had already been moved through the place. Another was due in less than a month.<\/p>\n

There was another reason; he hoped fervently that Adam had been able to clear up whatever difficulty Will had gotten himself into, because Adam now had a court date for his petition for wardship. Ben wanted Peggy nearby so she could go too; she had more than once said that she would be just as pleased to live with Adam Cartwright. Considering Adam looked on Peggy as a daughter and was the closest thing she had to a father, Ben kept his fingers crossed that the wheels of justice would turn in Adam\u2019s favor.<\/p>\n

And finally, Ben now understood that the nearest ranch to the Bar Fly was the one where so many dramas had played out. Hoss and Little Joe had fallen in love with two of the girls there; Adam had accused the girls of being gold-diggers, and then without any real explanation had said he was mistaken, and insisted that his brothers be allowed to return. This was the ranch where Adam had found the stolen cattle, and found out the place was owned by Dave Clayton\u2019s notorious father, Saul Driscoll. And if he understood correctly, this was the place where the black-haired girl, Lizzy Bennet, had come from; she was some relation to the two girls Hoss and Joe were so fond of\u2026and, while Adam had never confessed to feeling anything for Lizzy, Ben had been around the world a few times and could recognize a spark when he saw it. Left to his own, Adam would probably never announce any feeling for a girl until he\u2019d already married her. That\u2019s just the way Adam was. But Ben Cartwright could get to the bottom of anything, and he intended to.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Two hundred miles from the Ponderosa, at the Barkley place, Victoria Barkley had received a letter.<\/p>\n

Dear Mother,<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll be surprised to learn I am neither in San Francisco nor Stockton. I\u2019m at a little place outside Sacramento which is owned by the Reverend Clayton. His tenant-farmer, a fellow named Bennet, has been giving me some grief about the agreement I drew up, so I had to come up and pay him a visit. I\u2019m staying out at the Bar Fly, Adam\u2019s place, while this agreement is hammered out to everyone\u2019s satisfaction. But neither Adam nor Dave is with me; in fact, I brought Dave\u2019s wife along for a visit with the Bennet family at Dave\u2019s request while Dave and Adam settle some business in San Francisco. They say Will Cartwright is off making trouble again.<\/p>\n

By the way, this may interest you. They said it could never happen, but it seems ALL of Uncle Ben\u2019s boys are getting married\u2014to a set of sisters. This Bennet fellow has five daughters\u2014one of whom, Lizzy, we met when she visited Dave and Rosita. Two of the others, Jane and Kitty, are enamored of Joe and Hoss, and Lizzy has her eye on Adam. Adam being who he is of course hasn\u2019t said, neither has Lizzy. But I wouldn\u2019t blame Adam for liking her.<\/p>\n

Of the other two girls, I haven\u2019t met one of them; she somehow got abducted on the way to San Francisco, and the Cartwrights have gone to bring her back. The remaining girl, Mary, is one of the strangest and most interesting people I have ever met. She doesn\u2019t care much about people but is fascinated by the law, and is practically a walking legal encyclopedia. If I can get her down to Stockton, she\u2019ll be the answer to a prayer. My secretarial problems will be at an end since the girl has no interest in marriage and does not seem prone to breaking her hands, either!<\/p>\n

See you soon, Mother; tell those rascally siblings of mine to watch out as I\u2019ll be returning within a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n

Love,<\/p>\n

Jarrod<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam marrying,\u201d Victoria murmured. \u201cAnd to some farmer\u2019s daughter? When Audra has waited for him all these years?\u201d She shook her head. \u201cSilas, call outside, and have my carriage prepared. And find Audra.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 52<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Marriage of True Minds<\/strong><\/p>\n

Will Cartwright, the intended target of the bullet, remembered the fate of a duck during Lydia\u2019s shooting lessons some months earlier, and blessed his luck as he rushed from the room before she could fire the remaining round\u2014only to smash head-on into his cousin Hoss.<\/p>\n

Before he had time to think or pray about it, Dave had knocked Lydia backward across the bed. \u201cDear Lord, forgive me\u2014I\u2019m real sorry,\u201d he muttered as he yanked the derringer away from her. \u201cBut don\u2019t do that again! Hoss, is Adam okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss gave his struggling cousin a gentle \u201ckeep-quiet\u201d tap that sent him straight to the land of Nod, and then hurried to Adam\u2019s side. \u201cHe\u2019s out cold. Was he hit?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooked like it from here.\u201d Dave, pocketing the derringer, worriedly joined Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t see any blood\u2026danged black shirts\u2026.\u201d Hoss ripped the shirt open, and there was the bullet, poking half-out of the skin, a small ooze of blood around it, and a spreading purple bruise underneath. \u201cIt didn\u2019t go all the way in. Just barely broke the skin! I knew them Remingtons weren\u2019t worth much, but that looks like a pretty weak hit, Dave\u2026.\u201d He flipped the shirt back to see where the bullet had gone in, and found the hole in the shirt pocket. Then he pulled a deck of cards out of the pocket, a perfect hole through the center. \u201cI don\u2019t believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not? For me it was a Bible,\u201d Dave replied with a grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood thing\u2026I\u2019m a sinner,\u201d Adam wheezed, struggling to sit up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heartily agree,\u201d Dave said, taking him by one arm, while Hoss took the other. \u201cCome on, you old reprobate, get your hairy sinful self off the floor and quit scarin\u2019 people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss deposited his brother in the righted chair as Dave crossed the room again to Will\u2019s inert form, now cradled in Lydia\u2019s heaving bosom.<\/p>\n

\u201cMove,\u201d Dave said in a hard voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd let you kill him?\u201d Lydia squealed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re the one was gonna shoot him, if memory doesn\u2019t fail. Now Lydia, I\u2019m sorry I hit you before, and I\u2019ll be sorrier still if I have to do it again. But it won\u2019t stop me, either. So move<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

She backed away, and Dave rifled through the man\u2019s pockets until he found the flask he knew would be there. \u201cThank you.\u201d He returned to Adam and with no warning, began to pour the flask\u2019s contents over the wound. \u201cCan you get that out?\u201d he asked Hoss, who had left the round in the skin.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can, but it might do best to leave it there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy? You said it barely broke the skin.\u201d He grasped the slippery bullet as best he could and flipped it out; Adam howled, and blood gushed forth.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cYou jackass, I bet you were a bad gunfighter too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to define \u2018bad,\u2019 Hoss,\u201d Dave replied, his voice sounding stiff and awkward. \u201cI never needed to learn medicine\u2026the fellas I shot never needed a doctor. Lydia, do you have any clean petticoats?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but you<\/em> can\u2019t have them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne more thing to ask forgiveness for, Lord,\u201d Dave sighed. \u201cYou can either tell me where to find one or I\u2019ll tear off the one you\u2019re wearing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThird dresser drawer!\u201d<\/p>\n

He tossed the flask to Hoss, who took a swig, poured some more over Adam\u2019s chest, and a little more down Adam\u2019s gullet as Dave made a pressure dressing out of the torn-up petticoat.<\/p>\n

Adam grunted as Dave tied the last knot. \u201cMove over. I got words for this \u2018lady\u2019 here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBe nice, Adam. I already did way more fussing and threatening than a godfearin\u2019 man should.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd don\u2019t think I won\u2019t call the constables on you, either,\u201d Lydia whined. \u201cI shall, just as soon as you all leave here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, you do that.\u201d Adam looked at the angry girl. \u201cLydia Bennet, I have two words for you: women\u2019s prison.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cBecause you shot me, and I was just sittin\u2019 across the room in a chair conversing with my cousin. Clearly I was no threat to you, but you shot me\u2014in front of witnesses. That conveys a prison sentence, among a lot of great big women guards called matrons<\/em> who have nothing motherly about them. Now, a husband can\u2019t testify against a wife\u2014just something to think about. So Will\u2019s about the best you\u2019re going to get\u2014unless you want to try throwing yourself on my <\/em>mercy and going home as the sadder but wiser girl. Any hope of that? No, I didn\u2019t think so.\u201d Adam turned back to Will. \u201cYou awake yet, cousin?\u201d<\/p>\n

Will looked at him blearily. \u201cWhat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis offer is strictly a one-shot. If I walk out of here without your agreement, all bets are off, and inside an hour the place is going to be surrounded by irate soldiers who got their weekend passes revoked to go and look for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I have to go to the Presidio with a wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot just any wife. Lydia Bennet. The girl whose reputation\u2014and whose family\u2019s reputation\u2014will be in shreds if you don\u2019t marry her. Besides, Will, you promised her, didn\u2019t you? A Cartwright always keeps his word\u2026or faces the consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will pulled himself together and faced his fate. \u201cLydia, will you marry me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Will! Of course!\u201d She threw her arms around him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, afore you got shot an\u2019 threw off my thinkin\u2019, I was comin\u2019 to get you. Joe\u2019s disappeared clean off the stage and this time he didn\u2019t come back,\u201d Hoss said urgently.<\/p>\n

Adam looked at him, stricken, and lurched to his feet. \u201cDave\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot entirely coincidentally,\u201d Dave announced, \u201cI am authorized to perform marriages in the state of California. Does anyone know a reason why these two shouldn\u2019t marry? Good, I didn\u2019t think so. Adam, Hoss, will you both sign as witnesses? Excellent; sign right here. Will, will you take Lydia here as your lawful wedded wife? Fine. Lydia, will you take Will\u2014okay, I\u2019ll take that as a yes. I now pronounce you husband and wife, here\u2019s your marriage certificate, and Lydia, I\u2019m very sorry for my earlier rudeness\u2014here\u2019s two dollars for the petticoat\u2026and Adam, Hoss, let\u2019s get outta here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have one hour to get to the Presidio before I wire the commander,\u201d Adam told Will, handing him the \u201csafe passage\u201d cable from Ben Cartwright. \u201cThe clock is ticking. Farewell, cos.\u201d He closed the door quietly behind him.<\/p>\n

Chapter 53<\/strong><\/p>\n

Admitting One\u2014no, Two\u2014Impediments<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dave was chuckling as they rushed downstairs, and Hoss couldn\u2019t help but ask him why.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking of something I said to Lizzy a while back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019d you tell her?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat if Will hurt her family, I wouldn\u2019t kill him\u2026but I\u2019d make him wish I had. Well, before the month is out, that boy\u2019s gonna be real sorry he survived this encounter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe may not survive long anyway,\u201d Adam observed. \u201cI hear Colonel Custer is pretty hard to get along with. Hoss, where did you last see Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

They had reached the bottom of the stairs and crossed the floor partway. Hoss gestured toward the right side of the stage. \u201cShoot, they\u2019ve redesigned the whole floor,\u201d Dave said. \u201cThat used to be the cloakroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not doin\u2019 the rope show anymore,\u201d Hoss muttered. \u201cThis is serious. If Rinnie and Lisa-Marie are both gone, it\u2019s a cinch they\u2019ve taken Joe along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he wouldn\u2019t go voluntarily, would he?\u201d Dave asked.<\/p>\n

Hoss looked queasy. \u201cWell, it ain\u2019t likely they\u2019re gonna give him a choice, anyhow. If he\u2019s all trussed up, how much fight can he give \u2019em?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam located another set of stairs, covered by a sliding door. \u201cIf they\u2019re dropping him down a chute, this is probably the other way to get there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re gonna be trapped in one of them Medieval garden mazes, I bet,\u201d Hoss mumbled as they felt their way down. It proved to be easier than they had feared though\u2014they could hear the raised voices through the thin wall and only had to locate the concealed entrance.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrapdoors; hidden passages\u2026who designed this place, the phantom of the opera?\u201d Dave muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cShhhh\u2026listen,\u201d Hoss whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw him first, Lisa!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my place, Rinnie! I ALWAYS get first pick!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I saw him first! I already told you I got dibs on this one!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, who do you think gave you your big break? You\u2019d still be working up in room 5 if I hadn\u2019t decided to put you on stage! What kind of dibs would you have then, hmmmm?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo more than I have now\u2014even though my rope tricks are making you famous, ya little shrimp!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou overgrown Valkyrie, you just listen here\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grimly drew his Colt; Hoss followed suit.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, we\u2019re not shootin\u2019 any women!\u201d Dave said urgently.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll try talking first\u2026maybe,\u201d Adam promised, and then kicked open the door. Joe was sitting on the floor, bound and gagged, with a panic-stricken look on his face, between the two women\u2014Lisa-Marie, the tiny brunette, and Rinnie, the tall and way-too-healthy blonde.<\/p>\n

Lisa-Marie gasped. \u201cReverend Clayton? I told you never to come back here\u2014oh heavens, now there\u2019s two of you!\u201d<\/p>\n

Rinnie looked from one to the other and then at Hoss beyond. \u201cI reckon they\u2019re all about equal ugly, Miss Lisa, but I can take the big \u2019un if you\u2019ll take the hairy twins.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave stepped in front of the other two. \u201cWe just want your little green friend there, Mrs. Halifax. Then we\u2019ll go, nice and peaceable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lisa-Marie glanced down at Joe, who raised his eyebrows hopefully. \u201cI don\u2019t think so, Reverend. Now you can leave or I can call the constables.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOver a man you just kidnapped?\u201d Adam demanded, taking a step forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat man?\u201d Lisa-Marie pulled a lever, and with a muted scream, Joe disappeared into the San Francisco Bay. Adam swore and dived in after him. Hoss jumped in after Adam.<\/p>\n

Lisa-Marie looked triumphantly at Dave. \u201cAren\u2019t you gonna follow your friends?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight after you,\u201d he said politely, and before she even had time to look surprised, he had knocked her through the trap door entrance. Then he looked at Rinnie. \u201cCare to take a swim, lady?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m from the south plains of Texas\u2014we don\u2019t know even what water\u2019s for,\u201d she retorted, and took a closed-fisted swing at him.<\/p>\n

Wrinkling his nose, he ducked and grabbed the rope from her belt loop. \u201cI suspected as much,\u201d he muttered as he drove upward again, his shoulder ramming her and bowling her over backwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cSir,\u201d she gasped when she could breathe again, \u201cyou ain\u2019t a gentleman!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope. I\u2019m a preacher.\u201d At that her eyes widened in something like fear. \u201cNow ma\u2019am, I have a little bitty derringer in my pocket and I could probably shoot you with it, but it\u2019s against my religion to shoot women. We could also continue to exchange blows like a couple of sailors right here too, but I don\u2019t like the idea of hitting a woman if I can help it, and I already did that three times tonight. Seein\u2019 as how you\u2019re the kind of people who appreciates the form of male beauty represented by my friend Joseph, I s\u2019pose I could just take off my shirt and ugly you to death, but my wife would disapprove. So I am left with the only weapon I have at my disposal. I\u2019m going to recite the entire Bible to you. We\u2019ll start with the book of Genesis, chapter 1, verse 1. In the beginning\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

And with one short scream, the woman vaulted to her feet and ran from the room. \u201cOkay,\u201d Dave muttered, and knelt down by the open trapdoor. \u201cHey Adam, you down there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s calm but slightly irate voice wafted back up through the watery background. \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Hoss and Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYup. There\u2019s noplace to go, Dave\u2014there\u2019s some kinda sliding door keeping the place fenced in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWant me to throw down a rope?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019d be real neighborly of you, Dave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReckon I will, then\u2026hey Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Dave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it\u2019s not exactly gentlemanly, but let\u2019s make sure we get a couple of you menfolk up here before we bring up little Lisa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can do that, Dave.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave tied one end of the rope around a sturdy support beam and extended the other through the door and down to the water, and presently Adam\u2019s voice came back: \u201cI\u2019ve got it around Little Joe. Can you pull him up? He\u2019s still tied, and I didn\u2019t have a knife. And those knots are swelled like a colicky horse gut.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill do,\u201d Dave called back, and slowly pulled Joe up. He took the rope from Joe and threw it back down through the door, and then knelt by Joe, took out his pen-knife, and patiently sawed the bonds around his wrists until they gave. Then he handed the knife over to Joe and went to help Adam, who was painfully climbing over the edge. \u201cHey Adam, why were you checkin\u2019 escape routes down there? Didn\u2019t you know I\u2019d be over to get you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou, nothin\u2019\u2014I was tryin\u2019 to flush that little Lisa-Marie out to sea. Hoss, you come up next. If there\u2019s any difficulty we leave the girl right where she is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m comin\u2019 Adam, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, it\u2019s cold down here! Granted, you<\/em> wouldn\u2019t know, you big fur ball\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI may just leave you there on general principle,\u201d Adam yelled down. \u201cShut up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once Hoss had pulled himself over the edge of the trap, they threw the rope down one last time. \u201cTie it under your arms and we\u2019ll pull you up,\u201d Adam called down.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd don\u2019t make me any madder than I am or we\u2019ll demonstrate a three-legged calf-tie on you,\u201d Joe yelled.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat sounds like fun\u2026\u201d Lisa called back wistfully, and Joe whitened and backed away.<\/p>\n

They tied Lisa-Marie as she had tied Joe, and Hoss put her in a crate of coffee grounds even as Adam and Dave lamented the ruination of perfectly good coffee. Dave, who had been in the depths of the maze before (though he had never been persuaded to tell Adam how that happened, or how Lisa-Marie had come to know him in the first place), led the way up the unlighted passage. \u201cI\u2019m pretty sure Rinnie blew out all the lamps,\u201d he called back over his shoulder in disgust. \u201cThe woman was pure angry when she left. Hope she comes back for Lisa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just then Dave gasped\u2014the others stopped in alarm as they heard him fall\u2014and the gunshot echoed through the darkened tunnel.<\/p>\n

Chapter 54<\/strong><\/p>\n

Honorable Men<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dearest Mother, Father, and all my Old Maid Sisters,<\/p>\n

The Cartwright boys told me there was some terrible misunderstanding and that you thought I was kidnapped. What a silly notion! I wonder how ever you got it. I was merely eloping with my beloved Will. That\u2019s right\u2014Will Cartwright. The best-looking and smartest member of the entire family, of course! And since he is a Cartwright I have no doubt he will someday be included in the ownership of that fine Ponderosa Ranch of which we have heard so much. We will be quite rich.<\/p>\n

We were married two days ago and will be leaving directly for his new assignment: the brand new 7th<\/sup> Cavalry Regiment at Fort Riley, Kansas. Will is going to be an officer under Col. Custer, that man who was so distinguished during the Southern Insurrection a couple of years ago. Will has told me all about him and how as an officer and gentleman, Will and I will be included at all the regimental balls and parties. I\u2019m so excited!<\/p>\n

I do wish you could have been there. It was a very small and intimate setting without much fuss, but all the same a memorable ceremony. The guests were so respectful. Will was so sweetly nervous and subdued. Reverend Dave did the honors and says you owe him $10, Father. What a shame my sisters couldn\u2019t see me. Doubtless they are all envious. Well, anyway, it\u2019s all done now.<\/p>\n

I shall write you from Fort Riley, if I\u2019m not too busy with all the parties.<\/p>\n

Your beloved<\/p>\n

Lydia<\/p>\n

\u201cWonder what it says,\u201d Hoss remarked as he and Little Joe left the Presidio and headed back to Mulberry Ridge.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I want to know,\u201d Joe replied. The letter was in his pocket and it seemed to burn a hole right into him. Besides this, he had a terrible bruise on his butt from where some woman had been chucking peanuts or pebbles or something at him the night before.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou reckon she mentioned anything about shooting Adam? Or\u2026\u201d Hoss cleared his throat. \u201cOr what happened to Dave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe doesn\u2019t even know what happened to Dave. Not that she\u2019d care. I never saw such an empty-headed gal in all my life. Hoss, how do you s\u2019pose the same family can produce a Jane and a Lydia?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, they produced Kitty too, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, true.\u201d Joe somehow didn\u2019t mention that when they had first met Kitty, she had been just as addled as Lydia, and she had only started changing after Hoss had started sparking her. How in the world that had raised the girl\u2019s intelligence level, Joe wasn\u2019t sure, but she did seem almost normal now. However much that seemed a compliment to him, though, he wasn\u2019t sure Hoss would take it that way and so kept quiet. There was a lot they were going to have to keep quiet about, he reflected. He only hoped it didn\u2019t cause trouble with Jane.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

\u201cFather, I need to talk to you.\u201d Lizzy had knocked twice on the door and he still hadn\u2019t answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there no peace?\u201d her father\u2019s voice finally wafted back.<\/p>\n

She opened the door and walked in. \u201cNot from me, Father. Whatever is wrong with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour sister vanished, there\u2019s a $50,000 ransom now several days overdue, your mother is suffering from the vapors or hysteria or whatever it is she suffers from, my hands are cracked and blistered and yet I still have not killed all the weeds\u2026and you beat upon my door at the one point in time I can rest and ask me what is wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think things are getting better.\u201d Lizzy put the telegram into his hands. From Joe Cartwright to her sister Jane, it read \u201cFound Lydia. All is well. Returning shortly. Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPretty enigmatic, isn\u2019t it?\u201d her father mused. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t say where or in what situation he found Lydia, or what has been done or is to be done about her. No mention of the ransom, or whether she will be coming with him when he returns. I know very little more than I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know she is safe,\u201d Lizzy replied. \u201cLittle Joe would not say \u2018all is well\u2019 unless it really was.\u201d She found herself smiling. \u201cHe is a Cartwright after all, and they always keep their word.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve wondered about that,\u201d Mr. Bennet said. \u201cWhose word do we have for this? The Cartwrights\u2019. Some recommendation, eh? Your sisters speak as if they are engaged to Hoss and Little Joe, but neither man has asked me for permission to marry them or even court. They already left once without a word, and now they\u2019re gone again\u2014and we have no idea what they\u2019ve been up to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if your confidence in them is so slight, Father, perhaps you should have gone with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could I? Thanks to that eldest boy Adam, we stand daily to lose this place if I don\u2019t make it produce. I think he wants me to fail, so he can take over the rest of the land.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he wanted that, he should have simply purchased it when he purchased the other 12,000 acres. Don\u2019t gape at me, Father; I know all about it, and I heard it from a non-Cartwright. Why do you persist in bad-mouthing Adam? He kept you out of jail, didn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d her father said, a shrewd look in his eyes. \u201cYou\u2019re quite concerned about young Adam, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose I am,\u201d Lizzy replied, red-faced. \u201cBut isn\u2019t that the way you\u2019re supposed to be when you love someone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd do you? Love him? That vile young fellow you so often spoke ill of?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I do, actually.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was spared his answer (but not his sputtering), for just then a wagon pulled into the yard. \u201cIt\u2019s Ben Cartwright\u2014and Peggy!\u201d she cried from the window, and ran outside.<\/p>\n

Her sisters had already surrounded the visitors, with Jarrod in the midst\u2014the only one who knew both parties\u2014performing introductions. But Rosita was off to one side, trembling all over. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d Lizzy asked her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m scared to death,\u201d Rosita replied in a whisper.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever for? He\u2019s Adam\u2019s father\u2014and a very kind man; I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. But Dave once told me that Ben Cartwright is the closest thing he has to a father. Lizzy\u2026what if he knows? What if he can tell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if he\u2019s the kind of man that Dave would admire, I\u2019m sure it won\u2019t matter to him. After all, it doesn\u2019t matter to Dave, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on.\u201d She dragged Rosita over to Ben, and introduced them.<\/p>\n

Ben broke into a surprised smile. \u201cI didn\u2019t know you\u2019d be here\u2014but I\u2019m very glad you are. Adam told me Dave had found a wife. Unfortunately Adam never provides details; I had no idea you would be so lovely. Dave must have had to work pretty hard to persuade you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosita\u2019s cheeks flamed. \u201cNo; he had but to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell in that case, he was doubly lucky.\u201d Ben kissed her cheek.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you would be so kind, sir,\u201d Mr. Bennet told Mr. Cartwright over brandy, \u201cThere is one thing I would very much like to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell you anything I can, Mr. Bennet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. Please tell me what your sons\u2019 intentions are toward my daughters. They have never said, and my curiosity is quite overcoming my politeness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben cleared his throat. \u201cWell, sir, we were together only a short time before my boys had to leave again, and so no intentions were communicated to me, either.\u201d He straightened. \u201cBut I can tell you one thing\u2014my sons are honorable men, and so their intentions will be honorable, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 55<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pre-Nuptial Harassment<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two days passed, and Ben\u2019s inspection of the work done on the Bar Fly was complete. In fact to be truthful, he had stopped inspecting after a while, when he realized that his always-methodical eldest son\u2019s report had not only listed each repair in each location; he had even under-described a few things.<\/p>\n

The only real reason for Ben to stay now was simple curiosity, and he had that in abundance.<\/p>\n

The Bennet sisters were all lovely\u2014even Mary, when she wasn\u2019t being dour and gloomy. Whenever Jarrod Barkley was around she seemed quite animated. Jarrod wanted something from Mary, Ben could tell, and he wondered if Mr. Bennet would soon be questioning that young man over his own \u201cintentions.\u201d And now that Ben had seen the other girls, he could well understand why Jane\u2019s sweet but practical nature appealed to Joe\u2014she would keep his feet on the ground when his head was in the clouds. He could also easily see why Hoss liked Kitty. The girl had the same \u201cearth connection\u201d Hoss did; she loved the land, and animals, and lived to take care of them. Kitty had introduced him to the foal she and Hoss had delivered. She had named it Inger\u2014now there was a strange moment, trying to figure out how to address this horse who had been named for his late wife.<\/p>\n

That Adam felt something for Lizzy, Ben was certain\u2014but he had no idea what, and was not about to ask. So he stayed at the Bar Fly, though he went over to Longbourn each day to offer any help or advice he could, and he waited for the return of his sons.<\/p>\n

But somebody else showed up first.<\/p>\n

Jarrod had left with Mary for the Mulberry Ridge Library to go over the latest revisions to the state statutes, and thus was spared the storm. And the embarrassment\u2014as said storm was caused by his own mother. Victoria Barkley and her daughter Audra\u2014who as usual was in the dark as to what was going on\u2014arrived just as the family had finished breakfast. (One thing Mr. Bennet had not changed was the hours he kept. He still did not finish eating until almost 8:30.) Ben had not yet arrived, but was expected momentarily.<\/p>\n

But when Lizzy saw the elaborate \u201clook-at-me\u201d carriage, she couldn\u2019t help but gasp. \u201cIt\u2019s Mrs. Barkley!\u201d I wonder if Jarrod has irritated her somehow<\/em>, she thought, and went outside to meet the carriage.<\/p>\n

Before long, she found out exactly who had irritated Mrs. Barkley.<\/p>\n

Victoria Barkley met her before she had even made it off the front porch. \u201cYou\u2019re the one I want to see! We\u2019re going to have a little talk, you and I, and if you\u2019re lucky you may still have your liver and kidneys when I\u2019m done with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy just stood on the porch in a state of shock for a moment. Never having been spoken to in such a manner before, it took a minute for the words to sink in. And in that moment, one thing Adam had once said surfaced. \u201cOld Aunt Vic has always been one for insisting people play by her rules, even when it\u2019s a game she\u2019s not part of. Don\u2019t let her dictate to you, Dave. Stick to your guns.\u201d The advice had worked well enough for Dave; perhaps it would work for her as well\u2026although at the moment she had no idea what guns she had to stick to since she had no idea of the charges against her.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Barkley, what a pleasant surprise. If you\u2019ll come in, I\u2019ll introduce you to my parents. Perhaps you and Audra would like some breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would!\u201d Audra chirped.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou stay right there,\u201d Victoria called over her shoulder. \u201cNo, Elizabeth Bennet, I have no intention of meeting your parents or any of your other gold-digging sisters. One of you is plenty for me. Now I want answers. Is it true you\u2019ve wrapped Adam Cartwright around your little finger?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy laughed involuntarily. \u201cI seriously doubt any woman will ever wrap Adam Cartwright around her finger. What in the world are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m talking about this\u2014\u201d and an unrecognizable document was waved. \u201cDo you deny it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can I deny it? I don\u2019t even know what it is!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis letter claims that you are planning to marry my godson Adam. Now, is that true?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have certainly made no such public plans, Mrs. Barkley. And if I have made any plans of any kind regarding anybody, they were made in private, and in private they will remain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook. Adam Cartwright is my godson. I have every possible concern for his welfare.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s an admirable position, Mrs. Barkley. But it has nothing to do with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen there is no connection between you and Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy smiled enigmatically. \u201cDefine \u2018connection.\u2019 Or better yet, define \u2018mind your own business.\u2019 Any relations between Adam and me, whether friendship, courtship, or anything else, are our business and not yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m telling you for the last time, I\u2019m his godmother!\u201d<\/p>\n

Stick to your guns.<\/em> Lizzy took a step forward. \u201cAnd I\u2019m telling you for once and for all, I don\u2019t care. Adam\u2019s father, Ben Cartwright, is right down the road at the Bar Fly. Why don\u2019t you go and harass him? One thing I can tell you though\u2014Adam has not confided any intentions of marriage to his father. If he hasn\u2019t said anything to his own father, what makes you think he\u2014or I\u2014would talk to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Victoria Barkley drew a deep breath and slowly exhaled. \u201cLet\u2019s take a walk and talk sensibly, Lizzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no intention of walking anywhere with you, and I have been talking sensibly. You, however, came to me on the doorway of my house, and have not made a single word of sense, beginning with your opening threats, before even saying good morning, of disemboweling me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, Lizzy\u2026I admit I was in a temper when I approached. Blame it on the bad roads if you like. But we need to straighten out this matter of Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no matter for us to straighten out. I already told you, the relations between us are nobody\u2019s business but our own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if he is already engaged?\u201d<\/p>\n

For a minute Lizzy faltered. Then she said, \u201cEven if he is already married.<\/em> Unless he is married to you or engaged to you, then you have no business talking to me, and I cannot fathom why you have done so!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is engaged to my daughter!\u201d<\/p>\n

Again Lizzy faltered. For a moment she remained silent, while she remembered her earlier resolution to give Adam the benefit of the doubt before believing the worst of him. One thing she knew of his character\u2014he would not have pursued her if his affections lay elsewhere. Whatever he was, he was not Will Cartwright. And he would never have spoken of marriage to her if he had committed himself to someone else.<\/p>\n

\u201cAudra,\u201d Lizzy called out, \u201cDid you know that you\u2019re engaged?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Audra called back. \u201cHow did you know? It\u2019s supposed to be a secret. Nobody else even knows I\u2019m seeing him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see. Are you engaged to Adam Cartwright, by any chance?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot on your life, Lizzy. I can\u2019t even talk to him without getting bored. I\u2019d far rather peel an apple and watch it turn brown if I\u2019m in the mood for excitement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy looked back at Victoria. \u201cWell of course she<\/em> doesn\u2019t know,\u201d Victoria snapped. \u201cNeither does Adam. But they were engaged even before they were born.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I think you\u2019d better tell them pretty darn quick,\u201d Lizzy retorted. \u201cYour daughter appears to be engaged to someone else already, too. So I\u2019m guessing both their ideas for marriage differ somewhat from yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Bennet! Mr. Bennet!\u201d Lizzy\u2019s mother screeched from inside. \u201cAn insane woman is screaming on our front porch! We\u2019re all going to be massacred!\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy\u2019s father appeared in the front doorway, holding a shotgun. \u201cI have had it up to HERE with this,\u201d he bellowed. \u201cI have one insane woman screaming inside<\/em> my home already! I simply will not have another on my porch! Who are you and what the dickens do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am Victoria Barkley, and what I want is for this hussy to leave Adam Cartwright alone!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat hussy is my daughter, and for all I care, she can molest Adam Cartwright until his hair falls out! What is it to you and what gives you the right to come screaming on my porch?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI shall come screaming to anyone\u2019s porch that I choose! I\u2019ll have this pitiful ranch of yours driven out of business if you mess with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell lady, do your best\u2014this ranch is not mine. Most of it belongs to that bloody Adam Cartwright, in fact, and the rest of it belongs to some blasted annoying preacher. I don\u2019t own tuppence worth of it. So get!\u201d<\/p>\n

With that he leveled the shotgun just over her head and pulled the trigger. The first barrel discharged\u2014and the pellets blew the hat off the unheralded approaching Ben Cartwright and panicked his horse into rearing, screaming, and tossing his unprepared rider into a rosebush.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, it isn\u2019t right,\u201d Victoria cried as Lizzy helped Ben doctor the scratches on his hands, face and neck. \u201cThis is what Elizabeth\u2014our<\/em> Elizabeth, your wife, my dearest friend\u2014wanted: for Adam to marry Audra.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy didn\u2019t say anything, but inside she was hot enough to roast peanuts. Ben, however, seemed unperturbed. \u201cVicky, stop it. Liz may have had some romanticized notions of Adam marrying a daughter of yours. But what she really would have wanted\u2014we both know\u2014was for Adam to be happy. He\u2019s a man now and old enough to know his own mind. If he had any interest in Audra he\u2019s had plenty of time to make his intentions known. And Audra\u2019s already made it plain she has no interest in Adam. I think even if they did marry they\u2019d have precious little chance of being happy together, with no more in common than they have. Besides, Audra told me she\u2019s already engaged.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAudra\u2019s engaged to a different man every week,\u201d Victoria replied. \u201cIf she married Adam she might grow up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf she married Adam, she might grow bitter, and he might grow old before his time. Let go, Vic. It\u2019s a nice notion, but you and I know you can\u2019t always get what you want. You have to try real hard just to get what you need.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going home,\u201d Victoria said bitterly. \u201cDon\u2019t bother talking to me anymore, Ben. All you are now is a competitor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben caught her hand. \u201cLizzy, leave us, please\u2026listen, Vic; we don\u2019t have to be competitors. If you want to join empires, it doesn\u2019t have to be by marrying our children to each other\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy had left the room and was shutting the door when she heard that, and it made her stand transfixed on the other side of the closed door. A minute later she heard Ben break into booming laughter. \u201cAnd live in that dollhouse of yours? Are you joking?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you really expect me to live in that primitive little log cabin of yours?\u201d came the rejoinder. And more laughter.<\/p>\n

Lizzy walked away, shaking her head.<\/p>\n

Chapter 56<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Boys are Back in Town<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon, Jane remembered, when she had first seen Little Joe Cartwright in the Mulberry Ridge General Store. And it was a beautiful, sunny afternoon when he and Hoss had returned, after she and Kitty thought them lost forever. Now it was another beautiful, sunny afternoon\u2014and they were back again, with the best possible news: Lydia had not been kidnapped, she was perfectly safe, and far from being in trouble, she was married. Hoss himself had witnessed the ceremony, and when Lydia\u2019s letter was read aloud, he blushingly confessed that each detail was quite true.<\/p>\n

And better still, there could be no doubt in Mr. Bennet\u2019s mind of either Joe\u2019s or Hoss\u2019s intentions. Each had brought back a ring, and on learning of their father\u2019s presence at the Bar Fly, they rode out, returning with Ben Cartwright and broad grins, to talk to Mr. Bennet. Jane and Kitty were between joy and weeping as Joe and Hoss approached Mr. Bennet for permission; Mary and Jarrod watched in amusement, and even Mrs. Bennet, for once, seemed to have nothing to scream about, although she did become ill and found herself throwing up in the back yard.<\/p>\n

But for Rosita and Lizzy the occasion was a little less blissful. Not that they begrudged the happiness of Kitty and Jane. But\u2026\u201cadditional business\u201d? What did that<\/em> mean? And why did Ben Cartwright all but grab his sons by the ear to drag them away and demand what this additional business was, and why would he not talk about whatever he had found out?<\/p>\n

Yes, Dave and Adam were all right, Hoss and Joe reassured them. There was other business for them to take care of. Important stuff, Hoss said. He didn\u2019t know what it was about. There was an almost furtive manner in the way he said it\u2026but he would say no more. Joe would not meet anyone\u2019s eyes when the subject of Dave and Adam was broached. And at one point Lizzy would have sworn she heard the two brothers mumble something about a hospital.<\/p>\n

Rosita must have thought she heard it too. Lizzy found her crying in the barn. \u201cI know something\u2019s wrong with him. I knew from the time he left. I told him he was courting trouble, and he\u2019d find it. He\u2019s my husband, Lizzy\u2026why won\u2019t they tell me? What if he\u2019s dying? Am I never to know?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzy had no words of comfort to offer. Her own situation was almost as bad, and even more awkward. She was not married or even engaged to Adam. Technically, she had no right to worry about him. That made no difference, of course. She was still worried. At length, she sought out Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright,\u201d she began, \u201cWhat I\u2019m about to say is inappropriate and entirely forward. I\u2019m going to say it anyway. I\u2026care very deeply about Adam. Enough so that, if he were hurt, I would want to know. And\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLizzy,\u201d Ben cut in, \u201cAdam was hurt, from what Joe told me, but it was only a flesh wound or I\u2019d be on the way there myself. And it\u2019s never inappropriate to care about somebody.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, sir\u2026is Dave staying with him, then?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cYou might say they\u2019re staying with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 57<\/strong><\/p>\n

I Left my\u2026Heart\u2026in San Francisco<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIs it, or is it not, scriptural?\u201d Dave demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care,\u201d Adam growled. \u201cWill still doesn\u2019t think he did anything wrong. He didn\u2019t ask <\/em>forgiveness. And as for the woman who\u2019s responsible for that<\/em>\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t make a bit of difference. You know what the Word says. While we were yet<\/u> sinners, Christ died for us<\/em>\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine. But I\u2019m not Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLucky for the world, ain\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, well, we can\u2019t all be as saintly as you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not saintly, and we need to be quieter\u2014the nurse is coming, and she already threatened us both with morphine if we didn\u2019t keep still.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do hate morphine,\u201d Adam sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I love it\u2026entirely too much,\u201d Dave said with a shudder. \u201cNever again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd how are my boys feeling this morning?\u201d demanded the militantly perky nurse.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust fine,\u201d Dave said with a sprightliness he did not feel.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could go for a nice long ride,\u201d Adam said confidently.<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad to hear it, but I think not,\u201d the nurse said. \u201cOkay, Mr. Cartwright, let\u2019s see\u2026oh, that\u2019s not looking nearly so angry today, is it? Let me just swab that down\u2026and Reverend Clayton\u2026excellent. Please stay on your back, Mr. Cartwright\u2014and you, please stay on your stomach, Reverend. No sides! Hold still\u2026I\u2019ll have the doctor in shortly to talk about when you\u2019ll be able to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToday?\u201d Dave asked with entirely too much hope.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but maybe by the end of the week. We\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave groaned as she left. \u201cRosita will have my hide. Whatever possessed you to tell Hoss and Joe to keep mum?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want anyone to worry. What\u2019s the first thing people think of when they hear the word \u2018hospital\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat somebody\u2019s hurt,\u201d Dave replied. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with that? You are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, Preacher, but you are too. A lot worse than I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell you\u2019re the one with the infection. You could\u2019ve died, all that nastiness from the water getting into that wound\u2014even if it was just a little wound. At least mine was nice and clean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was very little nice or clean about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the contrary, I feel quite blessed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBlessed? You shot yourself in the\u2014the\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPonderosa,\u201d Dave said serenely.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care what<\/em> Little Joe called it. God help you if you\u2019d had the darn gun facing the other way; you woulda shot yourself right in your pride! As it is, you\u2019ll be lucky if you can walk out of here with a cane. This is NOT what the Lord meant when he said to turn the other cheek.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, for Pete\u2019s sake, Adam, it was hardly intentional! I had the derringer in my pocket. It was dark. How was I to know Rinnie had stretched a trip wire across the stairs?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Adam said wrathfully. \u201cBut if I ever catch that<\/em> woman\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t,\u201d Dave sighed. \u201cIt could\u2019ve been a lot worse. Let it go, Adam. I\u2019ve got three weddings to look forward to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Adam said with a little smile, imagining only one. The minutes went by, and he found himself drowsy.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2026\u201d Dave said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember what General Lee is supposed to have said\u2026about war being so terrible?\u201d<\/p>\n

Awake again, and not pleased about it, Adam looked over at Dave. \u201c\u2019It\u2019s good that war is so terrible, or we\u2019d become too fond of it\u2019\u2026something like that. Right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. I felt like I was supposed to come here\u2026but I kinda wonder now if I was right\u2026I didn\u2019t help you at all, and all I did do was wallop a couple of women! And here I am a preacher, for the love of God!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s exactly why you\u2019re a preacher. For the love of God. Let\u2019s see, you belted a couple of women. That would be Lydia, who had just shot me and who still had a bullet left in her gun, and that would be Lisa-Marie, who had just kidnapped Joe\u2026and you told me you knocked Rinnie down so she couldn\u2019t keep you from getting us out of the water. Did you have fun hitting them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; I hated it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why are you beating yourself up for it now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. I just don\u2019t see it as a good recommendation for preaching repentance and love.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t like it, but it was necessary and you did it. Being a preacher doesn\u2019t give you the right to stand aside and let bad things happen if you can prevent it, Dave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019re thinkin\u2019 I should\u2019ve been there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think Lydia and Will would be married now if you hadn\u2019t? Before I got \u2019em within ten feet of a preacher Will would\u2019ve weaseled off, and besides, I woulda lost Little Joe and never found him without your help. Now, if it\u2019ll make you feel better, next time I need your help I won\u2019t ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t ask this time. I just invited myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t have to mention Lisa-Marie, did I? I knew when I did it that you\u2019d come, sure as shootin\u2019. And you did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I did,\u201d Dave said, puzzled. \u201cI\u2019d always come if I thought you needed help. You\u2019re the closest thing to a brother that I\u2019ve got. The Cartwrights were always my family from the time you and I met.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter you got over thinking I was Satan, you mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m not entirely sure I ever got over thinkin\u2019 that,\u201d Dave smiled. \u201cBut I\u2019d help any of you, any time I could.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen quit griping about it now. You did help. And you did it all without shooting anybody\u2026except yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave chuckled. \u201cI think there\u2019s a kind of poetic justice to that. I lived by the gun and I shot myself in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn more ways than one,\u201d Adam replied, and both men broke out laughing so hard the nurse came back.<\/p>\n

Chapter 58<\/strong><\/p>\n

$25 and Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two full weeks went by. The ranch hands brought the next cattle shipment out to the Bar Fly, and Ben, Hoss and Joe were waiting to open the gates and get the cattle to feeding and gaining weight again. Each day there was an enforced break to visit Longbourn and make plans for the future.<\/p>\n

The issue of Mary had already been resolved. She insisted she had no interest in marriage, and that was fine with Jarrod, but he still wanted her as an employee, and despite her father\u2019s protests that women were too silly to be in the workforce, she packed a bag. \u201cHe\u2019s going to pay me $50 a month, Father,\u201d Mary told him. \u201cUnless you can match that offer, I have no reason to stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFifty dollars?\u201d Bennet whistled. \u201cYou have my blessing.\u201d And with that, Mary and Jarrod left for Stockton together. Rosita stayed behind, waiting for Dave\u2019s return, certain he would come to Longbourn before going home.<\/p>\n

After they were married, Hoss and Kitty would remain in Mulberry Ridge for a year, continuing to help Mr. Bennet. \u201cOne year exactly,\u201d Hoss stressed. \u201cNot a day more. I love your pa too, Kitty, but we have to cut his apron strings sometime or he won\u2019t ever learn to do for himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jane and Joe would return immediately to the Ponderosa. Joe had work at the saw mill to attend, and Ben had a piece of land in mind for the young couple to settle that should work just fine.<\/p>\n

And Adam\u2026Joe and Hoss told their father that Adam had expressed a firm intent to them to marry Lizzy. Based on that intent\u2014and on Peggy\u2019s welfare\u2014it would probably be best for Adam and Lizzy to take over the Bar Fly, at least until they could adopt Peggy and return to Nevada. But then, that depended on Adam\u2019s and Lizzy\u2019s agreement. It was hardly appropriate to ask Lizzy her feelings yet, since Adam had not formally proposed to her, and they could not ask Adam until he came back. So, they waited. And neither Hoss nor Joe would consider marrying without Adam around. If he wanted to marry Lizzy, they could make it a triple wedding; if he had changed his mind\u2014which they could not imagine, as Adam never changed his mind about anything\u2014he could always be their best man.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Bennet seemed quiet enough these days, primarily because she was always sick. While no one else seemed to understand this, Mr. Bennet did, and it left him wordlessly terrified.<\/p>\n

And a telegram arrived, saying Dave and Adam had completed their \u201cbusiness\u201d and were on the way. Rosita and Lizzy began taking long walks together each afternoon and used the time to extol the virtues of their chosen partners. It was such an afternoon, and Lizzy and Rosita were out on such a walk, while Hoss and Joe and Ben and Peggy were paying their daily visit to Longbourn, that Adam and Dave cantered sedately into the yard.<\/p>\n

There were greetings all around; the longest greeting was between Adam and Peggy. He gave her a hug and a big kiss and a new doll to keep Helen Praybaby company. He conferred back-pounding hugs on both brothers and chaste cheek-kisses on his new sisters-to-be. Perhaps the shortest greeting was between Adam and Ben. Adam gave his father a quick hug and said simply, \u201cI think you know what I\u2019m planning to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cI think so.\u201d He squeezed his eldest son\u2019s shoulder. \u201cGo see her father first. He\u2019s out in the back field.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave\u2014who was walking with a cane\u2014was talking animatedly to the two engaged couples, but looking around for someone else. \u201cShe\u2019s gone walking with Lizzy,\u201d Joe said. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go with Adam? You can talk to Mr. Bennet about the wedding; now that everybody\u2019s here, some of us would just as soon not wait any longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave found the two combatants squared off in the field, staring at each other. \u201cThat\u2019s fine with me,\u201d Adam said as Dave approached. \u201cBut aside from your extreme dislike, and the fact that you blame me for most of the bad things that have ever happened to you, is there any reason I shouldn\u2019t marry Lizzy, as long as she wants to marry me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose not,\u201d Bennet replied. \u201cGo ahead. She\u2019s just as silly as any other woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, just because you married a silly woman doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re all silly,\u201d Adam said mildly. \u201cFar as I know, the silliest thing about Lizzy is that she\u2019s unaccountably fond of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that he walked away in search of his intended.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do know that\u2019s your whole problem,\u201d Dave said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2014being surrounded by silly women?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; that you blame every bad choice you make on someone else. Speaking of bad choices, you owe me $10 for marrying Lydia and Will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the first place, I have a distinct memory of your saying that you charged only five dollars per wedding. I\u2019ll pay the charges for Jane and Kitty, and even Lizzy, if necessary. That comes to $15. But I was never even asked if I wanted Lydia to marry Will, and I won\u2019t pay a dime for a wedding I had no say in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Bennet, you had a lot of say. Lydia was bragging about a secret lover before she ever left your house, and you never took steps to even find out who it was. You sent her off to San Francisco with people you knew nothing about, disregarding advice from Mary, Lizzy, and even Jane. You didn\u2019t even stay with Hoss and Joe when they searched for Lydia.\u00a0 You could have had some say in this affair at any of those points in time, and you made a choice not to. Your lack of involvement left us with two alternatives\u2014bringing Lydia back with a loss of reputation, or marrying her to the man she wanted to marry. But that\u2019s the pattern you\u2019ve followed your whole life\u2014doing whatever seemed the least amount of work, and then blaming others when it didn\u2019t work out well for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave started to turn away, and then made a decision and turned back. \u201cAnd you\u2019re right\u2014normally I charge five dollars for a wedding. Mr. Cartwright has already offered to pay for Lizzy, Kitty, and Jane. He even offered to pay for Lydia. But I want the fee for Lydia from you, sir, and I want $10\u2014which, by the way, does not even begin to cover the hospital bill for Adam and me thanks to this little misadventure. Because my wife loves Lizzy, I\u2019ve made a lot of exceptions for you. But you repay every bit of kindness with pigheadedness, and it\u2019s getting mighty tiresome.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that, he did turn away. Mr. Bennet stared at the weeds he had torn from the ground and then cried out, \u201cReverend Clayton!\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave came back, a grim expression on his face. \u201cYes, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you say to a 45-year-old man whose 40-year-old wife is expecting a child?\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave smiled. \u201cNormally, I say congratulations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if it\u2019s the fault of his brother-in-law?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSir, in those cases, standard procedure is to shoot the brother-in-law, though I hardly recommend it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t mean that. I mean\u2014he told me that a field\u2014I mean, he told me that\u2026oh, bloody tunket. You\u2019re right, it is my fault. It\u2019s all my fault! There. Now what do you say?\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave looked him in the eye. \u201cI say, right now you\u2019re at a point most men don\u2019t get. You\u2019ve got a second chance. You\u2019ve already made a few good changes in your life\u2014you\u2019re working, you\u2019re sticking to it even when it\u2019s hard going. You\u2019re loving your wife instead of ignoring her. Now maybe you can make up for all the neglect you did those girls of yours, because none of them was ever as silly as you. You can change.\u201d<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Dave went in search of his Rose of Sharon, and found her sprinting toward him like a rabbit. For a minute he wondered if she\u2019d knock him down, but Adam must have warned her\u2014she stopped when she got to him, eyed his cane, and then just put her arms around him gently and stayed there. He gave her a gentle kiss in greeting and then simply said, \u201cWhere\u2019s Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed and pointed back toward the woods. \u201cFollow the shouting. Lizzy had some displeasure to discuss with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat on earth did Adam do?\u201d he asked as the two of them headed back that way.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s see\u2026he asked to court her without securing his own father\u2019s permission first; he left the Ponderosa without so much as a goodbye; he didn\u2019t tell her he was going to help search for Lydia; he went into a dangerous situation without her knowledge; he left her to face the wrath of Victoria Barkley all alone\u2026I think that\u2019s as far as she\u2019d gotten when I got out of earshot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Apparently they were both within earshot now, but the voice they heard was Adam\u2019s. \u201cI have one thing to say to you, Lizzy Bennet-soon-to-be-Cartwright. There is only one time, and only one place, where I want a woman screaming. And you don\u2019t know a thing about that\u2014yet<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

At that Rosita turned bright red and hid her face in her husband\u2019s chest to muffle the uncontrollable giggling as Adam went on: \u201cNow keep quiet for another minute. I have spoken to your father. But not about courtship. I know my own mind. I expect all the shouting just now as if I\u2019m accountable to you means you know your own mind as well. Do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI certainly do!\u201d Lizzy responded heatedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine!\u201d And with that, Adam pulled her into his arms, and before she could say, \u201cNo, you can\u2019t,\u201d he covered her mouth with one hand. \u201cShut up\u2014I\u2019m proposing.\u201d And he kissed her long enough to make her dizzy.<\/p>\n

\u201cReckon we can leave now,\u201d Dave whispered, but Rosita stood motionless, waiting for the resulting explosion.<\/p>\n

Lizzy just looked at Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell?\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up\u2014I\u2019m giving you my answer,\u201d she said breathlessly, and kissed him back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:\u00a0 Adam Cartwright,\u00a0Ben Cartwright,\u00a0Family,\u00a0Hoss Cartwright,\u00a0hostage,\u00a0Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright,\u00a0kidnap,\u00a0Will Cartwright<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: What happens when Jane Austen\u2019s ultimate chick-fic, \u201cPride & Prejudice,\u201d crosses into the burly, macho, he-man world of Bonanza? Confusion? Kidnappings? Crossover characters from other series like \u201cBronco\u201d and \u201cthe Big Valley\u201d? Anything can happen\u2014and anything\u00a0does!<\/p>\n

Rating: T. Totally clean, but one description of an unseemly death. \u00a0WC 86,200<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":12482,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,24,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-actionadventure","category-crossover","category-humor","wpcat-2-id","wpcat-24-id","wpcat-4-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":3889,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/pandp-cover.jpg?fit=728%2C942&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2332,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2332","url_meta":{"origin":12481,"position":0},"title":"Plain Jane (by Dodo)","author":"Dodo","date":"December 15, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Two years have passed since Alice was murdered. Joe remains convinced he will never find happiness again. But fate decides otherwise..... Rated: T\u00a0 Word Count:\u00a0 38983","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Promises-to-Keeep.png?fit=759%2C568&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Promises-to-Keeep.png?fit=759%2C568&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Promises-to-Keeep.png?fit=759%2C568&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Promises-to-Keeep.png?fit=759%2C568&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":36996,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=36996","url_meta":{"origin":12481,"position":1},"title":"Never Under a Pale Moon (by Sierras)","author":"Sierras","date":"August 16, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Little Joe takes out a girl who's family recently moved from New York. Can he help her to find good in Nevada? And what does a pale moon have to do with anything? Rating:\u00a0 K+ Word count:\u00a0 \u00a02116","rel":"","context":"In "Family"","block_context":{"text":"Family","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1008"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Ponderosa-Paddlewheel-boat.jpg?fit=225%2C225&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14379,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14379","url_meta":{"origin":12481,"position":2},"title":"Watching ‘Ponderosa’ (by Robin)","author":"profrobinw","date":"January 1, 2000","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 It couldn't beat the original, but sure was good for a REALLY Lost Episode. Rating: \u00a0T \u00a0(1,110 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Crossover"","block_context":{"text":"Crossover","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=24"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12454,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12454","url_meta":{"origin":12481,"position":3},"title":"The Nature of Life (by JulieS)","author":"JulieS","date":"January 12, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: The next story in this continuing series. Adam is arrested for the murder of Mitch Hawkins. Another matter then arises leaving Joe in a difficult position. 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Rating\u00a0 G (2,450words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14303,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14303","url_meta":{"origin":12481,"position":5},"title":"Pride Before A Fall (by JC)","author":"JC","date":"May 12, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0 A poem about what can happen when a man's pride gets in the way of love. \u00a0If the subject\u00a0is a Cartwright, it's bound to be Adam. Rating: T \u00a0 (400 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Adam Cartwright"","block_context":{"text":"Adam Cartwright","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1005"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/suffering-Adam.jpg?fit=393%2C393&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12481","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\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12481"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12481\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}