{"id":13554,"date":"2014-01-12T08:16:00","date_gmt":"2014-01-12T13:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13554"},"modified":"2025-02-18T19:13:36","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T00:13:36","slug":"to-everything-there-is-a-season-5-family-ties-by-monicasj","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13554","title":{"rendered":"To Everything, There is a Season #5 – Family Ties (by MonicaSJ)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cA time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing\u2026\u201d \u2013 Ecclesiastes 3.5,<\/em> The Holy Bible<\/p>\n

Summary<\/strong>:\u00a0 Adam and Shiloh are in their seventh month of marriage and have been busy learning the boundaries of married life and how to live with each of their busy schedules.\u00a0 They think the ghosts of the past are gone. \u00a0The worst is behind them, \u00a0In life, things can change in an instant. \u00a0They think they\u2019ve learned to compromise. \u00a0Rating: PG-13\u00a0 Reader Alert: Some violence, mild adult situations\u00a0 (159,575 words)<\/p>\n

Feedback: I like all feedback, good or bad. Truly. Even if it’s brutal. How else will I learn?<\/p>\n

To Everything, There is a Season Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reacquaintance
\n<\/a>Falling
\n<\/a>Togetherness
\n<\/a>Growing Pains
\n<\/a>Family Ties
\n<\/a><\/em>Life\u2019s Demands<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Family Ties<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter One<\/p>\n

Tiptoeing into the bedroom, Adam sat down on the chair by the bed, watching Shiloh sleep.\u00a0\u00a0 They had arrived home just the day before from her last performances of the year in Salt Lake City and Denver City where, after fainting on the last note of the last song of the last performance, they discovered she was carrying their first child.<\/p>\n

The private coach her brother, Micah, had purchased for her had been a blessing for their travels.\u00a0 Even so, this last trip home had taken its toll on her.\u00a0 For days, she sat by the window, trying to stay comfortable in the unusually warm October weather while watching the starkness of the desert landscape pass by.\u00a0 Occasionally she\u2019d sigh and move her hand to her stomach.\u00a0 She had been virtually silent after they left Denver City, saying little more than \u2018thank you\u2019 or \u2018no thank you\u2019 and offering a timid smile every now and then.\u00a0 Adam patiently waited, knowing she would speak when she had settled all the conflict going through her mind that she could alone.<\/p>\n

She had questioned whether she was ready.\u00a0 She had said the idea of being responsible for another life frightened her.\u00a0 Yet, she had stopped being careful, knowing how badly he wanted a child. \u00a0Over the course of the nine day return trip and now at home, she was quietly coming to terms with the effect a child would have on their lives, her independence, and her aspirations.<\/p>\n

If loving her even more deeply was possible, he did.<\/p>\n

She had felt fine through most of the trip until they reached the Forty Mile Desert.\u00a0 Adam had made very specific preparations for crossing that part of the desert.\u00a0 He knew the heat, the sand and the lack of water would turn the distance from what normally would have taken a few days into possibly a week long hot, gritty, sweaty journey that many people as well as animals didn\u2019t survive.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He had her change into a light day dress and stay in the coach out of the sun, bringing forth complaints that the coach was like an oven.\u00a0 Adam knew it felt no different than being outside in the scorching heat.\u00a0 He had acquired a barrel of water that he placed in the rear boot, knowing that any water they drank, they\u2019d sweat out.\u00a0 He also purchased dried beef, bacon, beans and coffee for them and the driver, and hay for the horses.<\/p>\n

Her growing lethargy had concerned him.\u00a0 Not only had she become physically tired, she also had begun to show mental weariness.\u00a0 He knew she hadn\u2019t slept well during the trip.\u00a0 He also knew this baby weighed heavily on her mind.\u00a0 He had hoped that after they arrived at the Flying W, where she would be comfortable in her own home and her own bed, her physical fatigue would diminish.\u00a0 And perhaps after a visit with Paul Martin, some of her fears would be assuaged.\u00a0 Until then, all he had been able to do was make her as comfortable as possible.<\/p>\n

Instead of going on into Virginia City, Adam had decided to stop at home and send for the doctor, but Dr. Martin had been delayed.<\/p>\n

When her eyes fluttered open, she looked at him for a moment, and then turned away.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you angry with me?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, she pulled the sheet up to her chin.\u00a0 \u201cNot angry.\u00a0 Worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you didn\u2019t even let me walk into the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou heard what the doctor said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe saw me for all of twenty minutes after I fainted.\u00a0\u00a0 I haven\u2019t fainted before this, and I feel fine.\u00a0 I don\u2019t even have a stomach ache.\u00a0 I\u2019m just tired.\u201d<\/p>\n

He moved to the side of the bed, and smiling, brought her hand to his lips.\u00a0 \u201cPaul will be here soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so,\u201d she said, eliciting a wide grin from him.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s so amusing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour willingness to see Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be a captive for the next six months if I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart, there will be things for you to do that won\u2019t require you to be on your feet if Paul agrees with Dr. Westley,\u201d he said, leaning over her and moving a lock of hair out of her face. \u00a0\u201cI think what concerned Dr. Westley most was the pain you\u2019ve been feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sighed.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not pain\u2026really\u2026and it\u2019s not bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Paul might even tell us it\u2019s normal, but until then, I don\u2019t want to take any chances.\u201d\u00a0 He turned her face to his and gently kissed her, then looked into her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cYou still look tired.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not that tired,\u201d she said, sitting up against the headboard.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, did you read the Denver newspaper?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWhat did it say\u2026about me fainting on the stage?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt speculated that your performances in Salt Lake City and Denver City were tiring, and that all you needed was rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing about the baby?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing.\u00a0 There were two articles; one about your performances, and the other about your apparent change of attitude toward your admirers.\u00a0 Both were good articles.\u00a0 You should read them.\u00a0 I brought the paper home with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

With her eyes closed, she said, \u201cMaybe later.\u00a0 What\u2019s left to be done here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you pretty much took care of the winter preparations before you left for Salt Lake City.\u00a0 Micah\u2019s moved the herd down, and the hay\u2019s been brought in.\u00a0 He\u2019s got the line shacks stocked, too.\u00a0 And with the Flying W hands helping, the Ponderosa is almost ready for the winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled and took his hand.\u00a0 \u201cHoss is on his way to Philadelphia.\u00a0 You think he\u2019ll come back?\u201d she giggled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think Hoss will do anything to distract Annie from her school work.\u00a0 He knows how important it is to her to follow in her father\u2019s footsteps.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we\u2019re in for the winter?\u201d she asked, yawning.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot exactly.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have Shorty continue milling square sets until the snow starts, so we\u2019ll have some for our mine.\u00a0 Then I need to help Micah get it started.\u201d Pushing the cover away, she moved her legs over the side of the bed.\u00a0 \u201cAnd just where do you think you\u2019re going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t been home for weeks.\u00a0 I need to check the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve already spoken with Johnny this morning.\u00a0 The horses are fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

She frowned.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not going to make me stay in this bed all day, are you?\u201d\u00a0 His eyebrow arched, and she returned a wounded look.\u00a0 \u201cDr. Westley didn\u2019t say I needed to be confined to bed.\u00a0 He said I shouldn\u2019t be on my feet too long<\/em> until I spoke to my doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing, Adam lifted her legs and swung them back around on the bed, quickly sitting next to her to prevent her from getting back up. \u00a0He inhaled deeply. \u00a0\u201cShiloh\u2026I would like to hear what Paul has to say\u2026to make sure.\u00a0 If Paul says you\u2019re all right, and you can do what you normally do, I\u2019ll stop coddling you.\u00a0 But if Paul gives you restrictions, I expect you to follow them.\u201d\u00a0 Letting out a timorous sigh, she looked at him with watery eyes. \u201cYou\u2019re afraid of what Paul will have to say, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not afraid of that.\u00a0 I\u2019m afraid it won\u2019t make any difference.\u201d\u00a0 She sniffled.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m afraid you\u2019ll put limits on me beyond what Paul says.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had leaned closer, but now straightened up.\u00a0 \u201cWhy don\u2019t I bring up some breakfast for you?\u00a0 You didn\u2019t have dinner last night, and you\u2019re eating for two now.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him wretchedly and closed her eyes, knowing he planned to keep her in the bed until Dr. Martin could see her.\u00a0 Sinking down under the covers, she turned away from him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be back up in a few minutes with your breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

After he left, she turned back over, looking out the open door.\u00a0 He\u2019s doing this to me because his mother died.<\/em><\/p>\n

Chapter Two<\/p>\n

Adam and Ming Lin both came back to the bedroom bearing a tray of food and a pot of coffee.\u00a0 Setting the pot of coffee and cups on a table by a chair, Ming Lin excused himself as Adam waited for Shiloh to sit up in bed so he could place the tray over her lap.\u00a0 On her plate were eggs and fried potatoes, and on separate plates, biscuits and bacon; enough to share.\u00a0 The setting also included a honey pot and butter.<\/p>\n

Preparing two cups of coffee, Adam took one to Shiloh, and then retrieved his own, staying near the table to look out the window.\u00a0 \u201cIt looks like a storm\u2019s coming in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s going to be a bad storm, I want my foundation horses in the big barn.\u00a0 Tommy and Johnny can move them there.\u00a0 How close does it look?\u201d\u00a0 Just as she asked, a single, large raindrop struck the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s almost on top of us.\u00a0 Excuse me,\u201d he said, setting his cup of coffee on the table.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll go find them.\u201d\u00a0 He hurried out of the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 When he stuck his head back in, she said, \u201cI want Eli and Sampson in the barn up here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d he asked with furrowed brows.<\/p>\n

She raised her eyebrows.\u00a0 \u201cBecause that\u2019s what I want.\u201d<\/p>\n

He rolled his eyes and disappeared.<\/p>\n

Moving the tray off her lap onto the bed, she got up, tied her robe around her and stood by the window, watching Hank, Adam, and some of the other men running around the yard, moving wagons, feed, hay, and saddled horses to the barn.\u00a0 Adam and Hank spoke, and in another minute, Hank ran into the bunkhouse.\u00a0\u00a0 Soon, Johnny and Tommy came out in rain slickers, heading for the back corral.\u00a0 When Adam turned back to the house, he glanced up at the bedroom window and stopped, looking directly at her with his hands on his hips.\u00a0 She could easily see the deep breath he took, exasperated she was sure. Smiling, she moved the tray to the table and sat in the chair, sipping her coffee.<\/p>\n

When he stepped into the bedroom, he wore the same annoyed expression he had looking up at her from the yard.<\/p>\n

She smiled up at him, appreciating that he was trying so desperately to take care of her and their child.\u00a0 She really couldn\u2019t be angry with him\u2026but she would stand her ground\u2026to a point.\u00a0 \u201cYou need to relax.\u00a0 I\u2019m not on my feet, and I\u2019m sure no one would object to the few steps it took to get to this chair.\u00a0 Now, I\u2019ve warmed your coffee, and there are extra biscuits and bacon for you, so why don\u2019t you sit with me and tell me about your morning?\u201d<\/p>\n

His flared nostrils and furrowed brow slowly melted to a slight smile that created small dimples at each corner of his mouth. As he walked toward her, he opened his mouth slightly and crooked his jaw, she guessed, to prevent an all-out grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou really shouldn\u2019t try so hard not to smile,\u201d she said in a teasing tone that took over her eyes.<\/p>\n

He sat down and took a biscuit out of the towel in which they were wrapped.\u00a0 It was still warm enough to melt the butter he spread over it after he gently pulled it open.\u00a0 Finally, he set it on a plate and dripped honey over it.\u00a0 He then set the plate next to her and began another one for himself.\u00a0 \u201cI assume you haven\u2019t eaten anything because you were waiting for me,\u201d he said, looking up at her from under his brow as he moved several pieces of bacon to his plate next to his biscuit. \u00a0He was on to her little game of being purposefully sweet to the point that one couldn\u2019t quite argue.<\/p>\n

She tightened her lips into a defeated smile, beaten at her own game, and then picked up her fork and began to eat.<\/p>\n

The rain began to pour down and with it came lightening and a thunderclap that made both of them jump.\u00a0 \u201cThat got bad fast,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI hope Paul wasn\u2019t already on his way out.\u00a0 He\u2019ll be drenched by the time he gets here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Twisting his mouth, Adam looked out the window, and then cut his eyes back to her.<\/p>\n

She interrupted the motion of her fork to her mouth, setting it back on her plate, and leaning back in her chair.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not telling me something.\u00a0 Out with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt may be awhile before Paul gets out here,\u201d he replied, wiping his mouth, and looking straight into her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cThere was an accident at one of the mines.\u00a0 They don\u2019t have everyone out yet, and Paul has his hands full with the men they\u2019ve gotten out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you said cave-ins weren\u2019t as likely with the square set timbering.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis mine doesn\u2019t use square sets.\u201d<\/p>\n

What little appetite she had was suddenly gone.\u00a0 Even though she wasn\u2019t directly affected by the cave-in other than Dr. Martin being delayed, she still felt sad.\u00a0 She had seen wives receive news that their men were never coming up out of the ground.\u00a0 It made her heart sink. \u00a0She stared off into the space of the room.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, promise me we will never be ruled by silver or gold.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to become some faceless mine owner who cares nothing about the people who work for us; who only thinks of suspended production when our men are killed or injured, and who does nothing to help the families left behind by mine accidents.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reaching across the table, he covered her hand.\u00a0 \u201cSweetheart, we\u2019ve never been that way, and we\u2019re not about to start now.\u00a0 Try to eat a little more, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

She moved the plate of eggs and potatoes away and pulled the biscuit that Adam had prepared for her forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo more eggs?\u201d<\/p>\n

She winced.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pouring a glass of milk, he set it in front of her.\u00a0 \u201cDrink this, then.\u201d\u00a0 He expected a complaint, but instead, he got a coy smile as she moved her hand to her stomach.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMm hm,\u201d he grunted with his mouth full of bacon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to die.\u00a0 Neither of us is going to die.\u201d<\/p>\n

He hesitated for a moment, and then picked up his coffee cup and sat back.\u00a0 \u201cOf course you aren\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy is it that you expect me to share everything with you, yet you can\u2019t share your fears with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Another clap of thunder roared and shook the house followed by a shout from downstairs. \u201cHey Adam!\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood and went to her side.\u00a0 \u201cI need to see what Micah wants,\u201d he said as he bent to kiss her.\u00a0 \u201cFinish your breakfast.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be back up in a few minutes to help you back into bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Three<\/p>\n

Mornings were no longer Shiloh\u2019s favorite time of day.\u00a0 Adam insisted she eat breakfast, but she felt so nauseated in the morning, she couldn\u2019t make herself eat as much as he wanted.\u00a0 This morning, he left, so she drank her milk.\u00a0 That was all.<\/p>\n

She had no intention of waiting for him to come back upstairs to help her back into bed.\u00a0 In fact, she had no plans to get back in the bed at all.\u00a0 Shrugging off her robe, she laid it over the back of the chair with her gown and went to her closet, looking for something to wear.\u00a0 She tried on dress after dress, but the waists had become uncomfortably tight.\u00a0 She even tried on a pair of her britches and just barely got them buttoned.\u00a0 Settling on a blouse and skirt, she left the bottom of the blouse and the top of the skirt unbuttoned.\u00a0 She needed to go into town to have her clothes altered and to purchase appropriate under things, but it seemed Adam wasn\u2019t going to let her go anywhere until she saw Paul.\u00a0 Biting her lip, she thought maybe he\u2019d take her if she promised to see Paul while she was there.<\/p>\n

Looking out the window one more time, she knew she\u2019d have to wait, at least until this storm blew itself out, and at the moment, it didn\u2019t appear it was going to do that anytime soon.<\/p>\n

She stopped at the top of the stairs, trying to make out where Micah and Adam\u2019s voices were coming from.\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t make out the words, but they were definitely in the study.\u00a0 Tiptoeing down the stairs, she quietly made her way to the door of the study, and listened for a moment before stepping in.<\/p>\n

Both men stopped talking and glared at her.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re supposed to be in bed,\u201d Adam said with furrowed brows.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot exactly.\u00a0 You left me sitting at the table and said you\u2019d be back up to help me to bed.\u201d\u00a0 When he cocked his head, giving her a deadpan look that she knew meant he was displeased, she smiled.\u00a0 \u201cIf I hadn\u2019t left the bedroom when I had the opportunity, you would still have me imprisoned up there.\u201d\u00a0 She raised her chin stubbornly.\u00a0 \u201cI have the advantage in our little tug of war now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah sat on the edge of the desk.\u00a0 \u201cAre you two fighting again?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Dear Brother, we are not.\u00a0 We don\u2019t fight anymore.\u00a0 We have\u2026discussions.\u00a0 This time, let\u2019s just say we\u2019re trying to see who can out-maneuver who.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rising from his chair with a sarcastically sweet smile, Adam walked around behind Shiloh, putting one hand at her waist while the other firmly grasped her arm.\u00a0 \u201cMicah and I were just talking about the mining equipment that\u2019s out in the rain,\u201d he said as he guided her to the desk chair and glared her into it, leaning over her as she sat down.\u00a0 \u201cI can always carry you back up the stairs.\u201d\u00a0 He looked into her eyes and raised his eyebrows again, making sure she understood he would win any physical battle.<\/p>\n

\u201cMining equipment is always out in the rain,\u201d she said, acquiescing for the moment. \u00a0\u201cWhy is it a problem now?\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah moved to sit on the edge of the desk next to her.\u00a0 \u201cRails and headstocks that are already put together are out in the rain and snow.\u00a0 They rust, and that helps keep the bolts tight.\u00a0 But if they rust before they\u2019re together, it\u2019s hard to get them together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBring the rails back here,\u201d said Adam.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll keep them in the barn until we can build a storage building at the mine site.\u00a0 Some of the men can dry them off.\u00a0 We know where we want the headstock, so we might as well put it together now, even if we won\u2019t be using it until we have to go deep.\u00a0 Store the timbering with the tools in the shaft, so as the men dig, the supports will be right there.\u201d\u00a0 Adam leaned over the map laid out on the desk, pointing to the place where the vein of silver was discovered.\u00a0 \u201cMicah, the vein has a minor slope, so have the men start shafts to the east and west of this point.\u00a0 They won\u2019t get very far going east since the vein angles up on that side.\u00a0 They\u2019ll probably come out on top of the ridge. The west side angles down, and I\u2019m betting it widens as it goes.\u00a0 We\u2019ll want the headstock at the point the vein is at grade with the existing shaft.\u201d\u00a0 He made a mark on the map.\u00a0 \u201cRight about here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah smiled.\u00a0 \u201cDoes this mean we\u2019re digging?\u201d<\/p>\n

Grinning back, Adam answered, \u201cYep, we\u2019re digging.\u201d\u00a0 The two men shook hands with the beginning of their new venture, and Micah turned to leave.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, aren\u2019t you going?\u201d asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes before he answered calmly, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah cleared his throat.\u00a0 \u201cExcuse me.\u00a0 I\u2019ll go find some men to help move the rails.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Adam heard the front door open and close, he finished.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t trust you to stay off your feet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh glanced down at the map on the desk with her mouth puckered.\u00a0 \u201cI have no intention of putting my life or the life of this baby at risk, and I have to admit, I\u2019m a little\u2026annoyed\u2026that you think I would.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, I have no doubt you think you\u2019re fine, but the doctor\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe doctor said I shouldn\u2019t be on my feet for any length of time\u2026no more than to walk across a room or to prepare a light meal,\u201d she interrupted.\u00a0 \u201cHe did not confine me to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what will you do if I go with Micah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll practice my piano,\u201d she said, raising her hand, turning it over and examining the scar.\u00a0 \u201cI haven\u2019t exercised my hand since I left for Salt Lake City.\u00a0 If I want to play again the way I used to, I need to get serious about it.\u201d\u00a0 Smiling up at him, she finished, \u201cThough I don\u2019t believe Dr. Martin is going to limit my activities as drastically as you would like, I do think he will forbid any that are strenuous\u2026like cleaning hooves, moving hay\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Her smile disappeared as she continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c\u2026maybe even\u2026riding.\u201d\u00a0 She had said the last word so quietly, Adam barely heard her.\u00a0 She sighed and looked up with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cI will wait until he has time to see me.\u00a0 Until then, I will limit myself to things I can do in the house that won\u2019t require me to be on my feet for any appreciable amount of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking her hand, Adam pulled her up out of the chair and held her.\u00a0 \u201cPromise me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t smile when she looked up into his eyes, but rather let him see her own concern.\u00a0 \u201cI won\u2019t do anything that will harm our child.\u201d<\/p>\n

His kiss was different; light and tender, and his embrace, gentle as if he were holding his most precious and fragile possession.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Four<\/p>\n

Before Shiloh left for Salt Lake City, Dr. Martin had sat with her at the piano.\u00a0 After watching her play with her left hand, he had suggested short, repetitive scales at first to retrain the muscles in her hand.\u00a0 Once there was no pain and her hand felt flexible instead of stiff with that exercise, he asked her to add on another repetitive, but different movement and continue that routine until she was playing full runs from one end of the keyboard to the other.<\/p>\n

While she was away, she hadn\u2019t practiced at all, and when she sat down at the piano after Adam left with Micah, she realized she would have to start at the beginning.\u00a0 Her hand had become stiff again.<\/p>\n

Playing the same scale over and over again lasted only an hour.\u00a0 She tried a full piece of music and failed miserably, so she continued to play her scales, understanding this would be the only way she would ever be able to play as she had before…before Will had impaled her hand with a knife.<\/p>\n

Laying her hands in her lap, she let her head fall back.\u00a0 \u201cDamn you, Will Stewart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re too late,\u201d said Ben, standing at the door of the parlor.<\/p>\n

She jumped and quickly turned her head.\u00a0 \u201cPa, I didn\u2019t hear you come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMing Lin must have seen me ride up.\u00a0 He was at the door before I was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rising from the piano bench, she went to greet him, tiptoeing to give him a kiss on his cheek.\u00a0 \u201cPlease come in and have a seat.\u00a0 I\u2019ll ask Ming Lin to bring some coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hear you\u2019re supposed to be staying off our feet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho told you that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah.\u00a0 Ming Lin has been told, too.\u00a0 He\u2019s already making coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walking him into the room, he waited for her to be seated on the sofa before he sat on the chair next to it.\u00a0 \u201cYou must have enjoyed your trip based on what I\u2019ve been reading in the newspaper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, yes, except for that last night.\u201d\u00a0 She fidgeted.\u00a0 \u201cActually, the faint wasn\u2019t so bad.\u00a0 It was the last note I was going to sing anyway.\u00a0 It\u2019s just been\u2026uncomfortable since.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u00a0 In what way?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Micah tell you why I fainted?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell no.\u00a0 I just assumed you were tired.\u00a0 At least that\u2019s what I\u2019ve read in the newspaper.\u00a0 Is there something else wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no,\u201d she answered quickly.\u00a0 \u201cNothing else is wrong at all.\u00a0 So what brings you all the way over here in the middle of a storm?\u00a0 Is it still raining?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not raining, my dear, it\u2019s pouring.\u00a0 And it hasn\u2019t slowed down since it started.\u00a0 I came over to speak with Adam.\u00a0 The grocers in Sacramento want a delivery of cattle\u2026like you did your first fall back.\u00a0 Since you started it, I think it should be Flying W cattle, if Adam will agree to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ming Lin brought in the coffee service, handing Ben a cup before serving Shiloh.<\/p>\n

She rolled her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cPa, if I remember it all correctly\u2026\u201d\u00a0 She paused and gave him a pointed look.\u00a0 \u201c\u2026and I do, he called me reckless and irresponsible for doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the part you don\u2019t know occurred on the front porch at the Ponderosa where he admitted that under the same circumstances and conditions, he\u2019d have done it, too.\u00a0 So I don\u2019t think he still believes you were reckless.\u00a0 But with this early storm, it may not be possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSurely it\u2019s not producing any snow up on Johnson\u2019s Pass.\u00a0 It\u2019s still a little early for snow, even in a normal year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one of the reasons I wanted to talk to him.\u00a0 I also need to talk to him about the town council meeting that took place while he was gone, but Ming Lin said he\u2019s not here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe went with Micah to the mine to put the headstock together before everything rusts.\u00a0 I have no idea how long that takes, but I don\u2019t really think he\u2019ll be much longer.\u00a0 He\u2019s been gone since this morning. \u00a0He\u2019s adamant about me staying off my feet to the point that he\u2019s hovering.\u00a0 I just hope Dr. Martin can get here soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben furrowed his brow.\u00a0 \u201cAre you sure this isn\u2019t something more serious?\u201d<\/p>\n

They were interrupted by someone running in through the front door out of the storm.\u00a0 \u201cThat would be Adam,\u201d said Shiloh.<\/p>\n

After he hung his hat, rain slicker, and jacket on the coat tree, he hurried into the study.\u00a0 \u201cPa, what brings you over here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stood and shook Adam\u2019s hand.\u00a0 \u201cCattle.\u00a0 But I was just asking if there\u2019s something more serious going on with Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh bit the inside of her cheek when she looked up at Adam who answered, \u201cOh\u2026well\u2026no\u2026Pa\u2026it\u2019s nothing really serious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut she says you\u2019re keeping her off her feet until Paul can see her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bowing his head and scratching his nose, Adam looked back up and smiled at Shiloh.\u00a0 \u201cWe wanted this to be a surprise.\u201d\u00a0 Walking over to her, he asked for her hand and pulled her up to his side, wrapping an arm around her and smiling proudly at his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re expecting a baby, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Five<\/p>\n

Ben stood wide-eyed and speechless for a moment wearing a wide grin and at a loss for words.\u00a0 \u201cWell, I…I have to admit, I suspected this when Micah told me you were keeping Shiloh off her feet, but then I thought you\u2019d have come straight over with that kind of news.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Pa.\u00a0 Shiloh slept through to this morning after we got home, and I had to make sure we were ready for winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben scoffed.\u00a0 \u201cNo matter,\u201d he said excitedly, drawing Adam into a hug when he offered his hand. \u00a0\u201cA new generation of Cartwrights.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you, young lady,\u201d he said, taking Shiloh\u2019s hands.\u00a0 \u201cYou look radiant.\u00a0 I should have known just by looking at you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI probably should have told you when you first asked, but I wanted Adam to be the one to tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pulling Shiloh into a gentle hug, he said, \u201cYou must make sure you don\u2019t take on too much.\u00a0 You may have a hard time with all of us around you as the only woman in the family and carrying the first grandchild and the first niece or nephew.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the first son or daughter,\u201d added Adam.<\/p>\n

Shiloh laughed nervously.\u00a0 \u201cOh my. I\u2019m already having trouble with one of you. I can\u2019t imagine being around all of you if you’re all going to be that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSpeaking of all of us, we should ask Joe over to dinner so we can tell him.\u00a0 I\u2019ll send someone after him,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n

When Adam returned, Shiloh sat quietly on the sofa, thinking she needed to tell Hoss and Annie, too. She stole away into the study while her husband and his father discussed a late cattle drive to Sacramento.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, we know it can be done.\u00a0 Shiloh did it.\u00a0 Besides that, they\u2019re offering top dollar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, it\u2019s still risky taking cattle over the pass.\u00a0 Johnson\u2019s Cutoff has gotten a lot busier since she did this.\u00a0 You wouldn\u2019t believe how slow it was coming back from San Francisco.\u00a0 If you got off the road, you couldn\u2019t get back on for hours.\u00a0 We can\u2019t herd cattle through that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben grunted.\u00a0 \u201cWhat about the north route, Henness Pass?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s no good either.\u00a0 It\u2019s as crowded as Johnson\u2019s Cutoff, and it\u2019s too narrow in places.\u201d\u00a0 Adam leaned forward, propping his arms on this thighs in thought.\u00a0 \u201cWe might be able to take them through Hope Valley; the old stage route before Kingsbury opened up.\u00a0 Shiloh sent a hundred head.\u00a0 If the Hope Valley route is still in decent shape, we could possibly double that.\u00a0 I\u2019ll send some men to scout it out.\u00a0 That route ends in Placerville, so we\u2019ll know by the end of the week if it\u2019s passable.\u201d\u00a0 Looking around him, Adam sat straight up.\u00a0 \u201cWhere did Shiloh go?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting behind the desk in the study, Shiloh stared at a blank piece of paper.\u00a0 Should I write both Annie and Hoss?\u00a0\u00a0 Both letters should be sent at the same time so that one doesn\u2019t get news of the child before the other.\u00a0 But Adam should write Hoss to tell him the news.<\/em><\/p>\n

My Dearest Annie,<\/em><\/p>\n

I must apologize for not writing to you sooner.\u00a0 My time has not been my own with performances in Salt Lake City and Denver City, and since I have arrived back home, I have been, well, overly coddled.\u00a0 I can understand Adam\u2019s reasoning.\u00a0 I wish he would heed mine some of the time.<\/em><\/p>\n

I am three months with child.\u00a0 I remember telling you my fears in our long talks before my marriage, not only with childbirth, but with the changes having a child will necessitate in my chosen path in life.\u00a0 I do not know how I will continue to do all that I do with a child.\u00a0 Adam believes I can continue everything with the help of a nursemaid, however I am not convinced.<\/em><\/p>\n

As you have most likely read in the newspaper, I took ill during my last performance in Denver City.\u00a0 The doctor there advised me to limit my time on my feet.\u00a0 Adam has chosen to limit all of my time on my feet until we are able to consult Dr. Martin here in Virginia City.\u00a0 Unfortunately, Dr. Martin has been unavailable due to a mining accident.\u00a0 Until I see him, I will do as Adam asks, though not happily, and praying that Dr. Martin finds me well enough to continue some of my work with the horses.\u00a0 Winter is upon us, and there is not much to do but feed them and keep them warm.<\/em><\/p>\n

I hope this letter finds you well and happy.\u00a0 We have not heard from Hoss as yet.\u00a0 If he has arrived or when he does arrive, please ask him to let us know he is safe and well.<\/em><\/p>\n

I am very excited for you both that Mr. Cartwright allowed Hoss to visit, and I pray that you both have a wonderful holiday.<\/em><\/p>\n

All my love,<\/em><\/p>\n

Shiloh <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart?\u201d<\/p>\n

Without looking up, she answered, \u201cHm?\u201d and folded the letter, slipping it into an envelope.\u00a0 \u201cI was just writing a letter to Annie.\u00a0 You should write one to Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked up and cocked her head.\u00a0 \u201cTo tell him he\u2019s going to be an uncle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled. \u201cI\u2019ll write one tonight, and I\u2019ll take both letters to town tomorrow.\u201d He held out his hand to her.\u00a0 \u201cCome on.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s here and dinner is ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, Ming Lin seems to be working out well,\u201d said Ben after biting into a piece of tender roast pork.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe rarely have to ask him to do anything,\u201d she replied.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s always one step ahead of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam winked. \u201cCan\u2019t complain about his cooking either, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019s almost as good as Hop Sing, but\u2026ah\u2026don\u2019t tell Hop Sing I said that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cutting her eyes up to Adam\u2019s, Shiloh asked, \u201cWhat did you two decide about the cattle?\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam said, \u201cI\u2019m sending someone to scout the route through Hope Valley. Johnson\u2019s Cutoff has gotten too busy to drive cattle down the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it can be done, I\u2019m willing,\u201d offered Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d answered Adam.\u00a0 \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go ahead and bring two hundred head down to the corral behind the barn and arrange a cook for the chuck wagon.\u00a0 If we\u2019re going to do this, we\u2019ll need to do it quickly before the weather turns.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about the city council?\u201d asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s brow creased, and he turned his attention to his father.\u00a0 \u201cPa, is there council business we need to discuss?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Ben set his fork down and took a sip of water.\u00a0 \u201cThe council is concerned that between your new partnership and Shiloh\u2019s performance schedules your time for the council will be limited.\u00a0 They want to know if you\u2019ll be able to continue as a member.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there something pressing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStatehood, Son.\u00a0 Virginia City will be entertaining politicians and territorial legislators.\u00a0 The council wants to compete for the site of the new state capital.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought Carson City was the popular choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as the decision is still to be made, the council believes we have a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess I have missed a lot,\u201d said Adam, frowning.\u00a0 \u201cIsn\u2019t there a council meeting tomorrow?\u201d\u00a0 Ben nodded.\u00a0 \u201cThen I shall be there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh had stopped eating to listen to the council conversation and wondered what Adam would do.\u00a0 Neither of them would be doing much travelling in winter, so their immediate future wasn\u2019t in question, but come spring\u2026no, she still wouldn\u2019t be travelling with a new baby.\u00a0 He might.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, I\u2019d like to go to town with you tomorrow if it\u2019s not raining.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if that\u2019s a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Closing her eyes, Shiloh took a deep breath before she replied.\u00a0 \u201cIt will be easier for Paul to see me if I go to him, rather than expecting him to take several hours out of his day to come here.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think he\u2019ll need more than a few minutes with me, and he won\u2019t have to leave his patients from the mine accident.\u201d\u00a0 She bowed her head.\u00a0 \u201cI also need to have some clothes let out.\u00a0 They\u2019re almost too tight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam covered her hand with his, prompting her to look up at him.\u00a0 Even though his smile was slight, it was a contented smile, and along with his eyes, it conveyed his love for her.<\/p>\n

Joe had been quietly listening as well, but when Shiloh spoke about clothes being too tight, he jumped right in, smiling impishly.\u00a0 \u201cIs there something you need to tell us, Older Brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Shiloh looked at each other and grimaced as both had forgotten why Joe was there.\u00a0 Ben covered his mouth with his napkin and chuckled even as Micah stood up to fill everyone\u2019s wine glass. \u201cAs a matter of fact, Joe, there is another reason you\u2019re eating dinner here tonight,\u201d Adam said, smiling.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s mischievous smile changed to an open mouth, matching his raised brows.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re kidding.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chuckling, Adam replied, \u201cNope.\u00a0 You\u2019re going to be an uncle.\u201d\u00a0 Lifting his eyes up to the ceiling, he added, \u201cHeaven help us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Six<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I want you to go Dr. Martin\u2019s office with me, so why don\u2019t you drop me off at the dress shop before you go to your council meeting, and then we\u2019ll go to his office when you\u2019re done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOn one condition; you wait there for me to come get you.\u201d<\/p>\n

A sly smile played across her lips as she turned away.\u00a0 \u201cAnd what are you gonna do if I don\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising his chin, he shifted his eyes toward her.\u00a0 \u201cYou won\u2019t like it, I promise you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She crossed her arms and looked up at the second story windows they passed as they drove through town, all the while, tapping her foot.\u00a0 \u201cWhen Dr. Martin says I can stand on my own two feet, I\u2019m going to walk <\/em>to the post office, and then I\u2019m going to walk <\/em>to the International House for lunch with your father.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stopping the buggy in front of the dress shop, Adam turned and leaned so that his mouth was at her ear.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I shall walk with you\u2026if<\/em>\u2026Paul says it\u2019s all right for you to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Facing him nose to nose she gazed into his cheerful hazel eyes.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

He kissed her with a loud smack, and then helped her out of the buggy and into the dress shop with a bag of dresses to be let out.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ll be more than an hour, and I expect to find you right here where I left you.\u201d\u00a0 He pulled her into him with one arm, and while he gave her more than a smack, he removed his hat and held it next to their faces to block the public\u2019s view.<\/p>\n

Looking at her with an arched eyebrow, he was rewarded with a demure smile.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam arrived in front of Frank Armisted\u2019s office just as his father was dismounting his horse.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, I thought Shiloh would be with you this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is, Pa,\u201d he said as he shook his father\u2019s hand.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s at the dress shop.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled at the thought of his first grandchild.\u00a0 \u201cShe seemed a bit annoyed at you yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scratching his nose, Adam looked down at his feet, and then looked everywhere else but at his father. \u201cMaybe I have been a little overly protective.\u00a0 I just don\u2019t want to take any chances until we know she\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t envy you living with her if Paul places too many restrictions on her.\u00a0 She doesn\u2019t sit still very well,\u201d said Ben, climbing the steps to the office door with Adam.<\/p>\n

Holding the door open, Adam waited for his father to enter.\u00a0 \u201cNo, Pa, she doesn\u2019t sit still at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they entered the office, Mr. Carter was already seated in front of Mr. Armisted\u2019s desk while Mr. Browning leaned against the back wall.\u00a0 Extending his hand, Frank Armisted welcomed Ben and Adam to his office.\u00a0 \u201cPlease, have a seat.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll be very long.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrank, I thought this was a closed meeting,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is, Ben.\u00a0 But Browning speaks for many of Virginia City\u2019s citizens.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t think there was any harm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sat forward on his chair. \u201cThis goes against our bylaws.\u00a0\u00a0 If we are going to have a meeting that\u2019s open to anyone, it has to be open to everyone.\u00a0 Besides that, if this meeting is to discuss my availability, I might just have something to say that I don\u2019t want to become public knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019ve got something to hide that has to do with your position on the council, Adam, the citizens of Virginia City have a right to know,\u201d countered Browning.<\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam turned in his chair to face Browning. \u201cWhat I have to say in no way affects the people of Virginia City.\u00a0 Pa can vouch for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen, that\u2019s beside the point.\u00a0 We can\u2019t start ignoring our own bylaws when we feel like it,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n

Nodding, Armisted stood up from behind his desk.\u00a0 \u201cBrowning, I\u2019m afraid I\u2019m going to have to agree with Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

Browning turned to leave the office, and just as he passed through the door, he turned back.\u00a0 \u201cMark my words.\u00a0 If young Cartwright doesn\u2019t start taking his council responsibilities seriously, he won\u2019t be re-elected next spring.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI may not run for re-election,\u201d Adam replied coolly without turning around.<\/p>\n

Browning continued out the door even as Armisted sat and leaned over his desk.\u00a0 \u201cNow, Adam.\u00a0 Don\u2019t let Browning get to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not.\u00a0 It was a statement of fact.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve done very well for the citizens of Virginia City in the past.\u00a0 There\u2019s no reason to think the townspeople won\u2019t remember that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou misunderstand me, Frank.\u00a0 If I don\u2019t have the time, I won\u2019t run.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t that why we\u2019re here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, yes, it is, but I had hoped we could work this out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam shifted in his chair and crossed his legs.\u00a0 \u201cIn the immediate future, I don\u2019t see a problem.\u00a0 I\u2019m not planning any business trips over the winter, and there\u2019s nothing else that will take me out of town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Mrs. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife is home for the winter\u2026and much of the spring\u2026and quite possibly summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u00a0 She takes care of your horse business, doesn\u2019t she?\u00a0\u00a0 And what about her singing?\u00a0 You missed the last council meeting because you were in Denver City with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Glancing back at his father and smiling, Adam propped his elbow on the arm of the chair and held his chin in his hand.\u00a0 \u201cFrank, Carter, I don\u2019t want this to leave this office.\u00a0 Shiloh and I are expecting a child in the spring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men sprang to their feet with smiles and extended hands, offering their congratulations.\u00a0 \u201cWell, I can see why you\u2019ll be staying put for awhile\u2026besides, of course, winter,\u201d said Armisted.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven so, I believe we should think seriously about opening another council seat at the next election,\u201d said Adam.\u00a0 \u201cThe growth of Virginia City alone warrants it.\u00a0 And with the way the West is growing, representation from the outlying ranches will be more difficult.\u00a0\u00a0 Every other ranch will be just as busy getting their herd to market as we are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true,\u201d agreed Ben.\u00a0 \u201cWith a fifth council member, a majority vote will be easier to achieve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Armisted leaned back in his chair.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s an excellent idea.\u00a0 It will certainly solve the problem with a split vote.\u201d\u00a0 Standing, he walked around his desk.\u00a0 \u201cWell, I think this concern has been addressed quite adequately.\u00a0 I\u2019ll let Browning know that you plan to be available, at least to the next election, Adam.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He shook Adam\u2019s hand as he and Ben walked toward the door.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I assure you, Carter and I will say nothing about Mrs. Cartwright\u2019s condition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Armisted.\u00a0 Carter.\u201d\u00a0 Tipping his hat, Adam followed his father out of the office.<\/p>\n

Chapter Seven<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I have some business over at the bank before lunch,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be going over to Doc Martin\u2019s when Shiloh is finished at the dress shop.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t we just meet you at the International House when we\u2019re finished?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds good, Son,\u201d said Ben as he turned to make his way across the street.<\/p>\n

Normally, Adam would have walked the few blocks to the dress shop, but that would mean that Shiloh would have to walk back to the buggy.\u00a0 He climbed in and drove, and when he arrived and opened the door, he removed his hat and called, \u201cHello?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, is that you?\u201d came Shiloh\u2019s voice, floating melodically from the back.<\/p>\n

\u201cNone other,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n

She and Mrs. Lewis chatted all the way from the back door to the front counter.\u00a0 Looking at the pile of clothes on the counter, Adam said with a bright smile, \u201cWell, I can see you two have been busy.\u00a0 How are you, Mrs. Lewis?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, never better.\u00a0 I\u2019m just so happy to see the Cartwright family growing again.\u00a0 It\u2019s been far too long.\u00a0 Adam, did you know I made some of Marie\u2019s dresses while she was carrying Little Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, no Ma\u2019am, I didn\u2019t. \u00a0But then, I was only twelve at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were just homesteaders back then.\u00a0 I took in sewing to help make ends meet.\u00a0 Now Shiloh, these are the ones you decided to leave alone, so let\u2019s get these back in your bag.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have the buttons moved over on the rest of the skirts shortly, so you can come back on your way out of town to get those.\u00a0 That should last you at least a couple of weeks, and by that time, I\u2019ll have these dresses let out, and your new ones ready.\u201d\u00a0 Both women folded dresses to pack into the valise.\u00a0 \u201cOh, and let\u2019s not forget these,\u201d Mrs. Lewis said, moving boxes from the back counter onto the front.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s all this?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

Shiloh glanced up at him with a timid, but adorable dimpled smile.\u00a0 \u201cUnder things.\u00a0 I won\u2019t be able to wear what I have for very long.\u00a0 I\u2019m afraid there\u2019s not much room to grow in them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take these boxes to the buggy while you ladies finish up.\u201d\u00a0 Scooping up the boxes, Adam balanced them on one arm as he opened the door, and just as he was coming back in, Shiloh met him with her bag.\u00a0 Taking the bag, he waited for her to drape her shawl over her shoulders before he offered his arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be back in a few hours, Mrs. Lewis.\u201d\u00a0 Shiloh waved and stepped out the door.<\/p>\n

As Adam helped her into the buggy, he said, \u201cNext stop is Paul\u2019s.\u201d\u00a0 When he was seated, he turned to her before he reined the horses forward.\u00a0 \u201cNervous?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot in the slightest,\u201d she replied, facing forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou, my love, are lying,\u201d he quipped as they started down the street.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d greeted Paul. \u201cThis is a surprise.\u201d\u00a0 He took Shiloh\u2019s hand.\u00a0 \u201cHow are you, my dear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were hoping you could tell us that, Dr. Martin,\u201d she answered, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe thought it might be easier for you if we came here instead of you taking several hours to come out to the house,\u201d explained Adam.\u00a0 \u201cWe know you have your hands full.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, Adam, it\u2019s not a bad idea.\u00a0 I really can\u2019t leave for any amount of time.\u00a0 I still have some injured men here.\u00a0 But I do have some time to talk to you both before lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, how about when we finish here, you join us at the International House.\u00a0 We\u2019re meeting Pa there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSplendid.\u00a0 Now, why don\u2019t you two come into my office,\u201d Paul said, stepping to the side and motioning for Shiloh to lead the way.\u00a0 He closed the door and turned.\u00a0 \u201cI know that a doctor in Denver City pronounced you a mother-to-be.\u00a0 And I read that you fainted on stage.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t you have a seat here, Shiloh?\u00a0 Adam, pull up a chair,\u201d he said, walking behind his desk.<\/p>\n

Shiloh took a deep breath before she spoke.\u00a0 \u201cYes, well, Dr. Westley advised that I limit my time on my feet until we could speak with you.\u00a0 I did pass out, but I think Dr. Westley was more concerned with my stomach discomfort.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you singing when you fainted?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I was singing the song that closes my performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt didn\u2019t happen to occur on that last note, did it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, yes, it did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not surprised.\u00a0 That last note takes a lot of air, and I\u2019m sure you had depleted it by the time you got to the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

Snickering, Shiloh said, \u201cTrue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny more stomach aches?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not really aches\u2026more like the uncomfortable feeling I have just before my time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s anything to worry about.\u00a0 Shiloh, your womb is growing right along with the child you\u2019re carrying.\u00a0 That kind of discomfort is normal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning her head toward Adam, she raised her chin and gave him a triumphant smile.\u00a0 He snorted and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t celebrate just yet.\u00a0 If it were possible for all the mothers I see to stay off their feet while they\u2019re expecting, I\u2019d prescribe rest for every one of them.\u00a0 But for most women, it\u2019s just not.\u00a0 On the other hand, for you, it is.\u00a0 You have Ming Lin to take care of the cooking and the house.\u00a0 There\u2019s no reason you can\u2019t rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes widened, and she turned away, clenching her teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, don\u2019t panic.\u00a0 I know you\u2019re normally a busy woman.\u00a0 And I won\u2019t tell you that you can\u2019t continue to do some of the easier things you do.\u00a0 But I don\u2019t want you lifting saddles, or throwing hay, or cleaning hooves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about riding?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d prefer that you didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

She bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling while Adam listened intently.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Martin, you don\u2019t understand.\u00a0 If you give me any restrictions, Adam will have me confined to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat isn\u2019t necessary,\u201d Paul chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cUnless you over do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam reached over and took her hand.\u00a0 \u201cPaul, want can she do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t see a need to restrict her time on her feet just yet, but I don\u2019t want her to do anything strenuous.\u00a0 She can still groom her horses as long as she does no lifting, she can still sing, though I\u2019d stay away from those long, high notes, and if she goes anywhere, I\u2019d prefer she go in a buggy or a buckboard with springs.\u00a0 And taking walks will only do her good.\u00a0 In a few months, Shiloh, you won\u2019t be able to get up on a horse anyway.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be too big.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh stared at the front of the desk as Adam watched her.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your feet and ankles start to swell, I want you to prop them up for awhile, and if it continues, I just might tell you to stay off your feet.\u00a0 We\u2019ll just have to see how it goes.\u00a0 Now, how far along did Dr. Westley think you are?\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men looked at Shiloh, but she was now staring at the floor.\u00a0 \u201cThree months,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, let\u2019s see.\u00a0 Shiloh, come lie on the chaise.\u00a0 I want to listen to your stomach.\u00a0 Adam, this won\u2019t take but a few minutes.\u00a0 You can stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam watched as Paul moved the big bell of his stethoscope over Shiloh\u2019s stomach at the same time he moved his hand over it.\u00a0 Standing up straight, he looked over at Adam.\u00a0 \u201cEverything sounds just fine.\u00a0 I still put her at about three months.\u00a0 How much of an examination did Dr. Westley perform?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t do much.\u00a0 He felt her stomach, but he didn\u2019t listen\u2026just asked questions about how she felt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, have your clothes gotten any tighter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was at the dress shop before we came here having some of my dresses and skirts let out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s about right.\u00a0 We\u2019ll still call it three months.\u00a0 Now, unless you two have more questions, I\u2019m hungry, and I don\u2019t have much time before I need to be back.\u201d<\/p>\n

As they walked out of the office, Paul pulled Adam back and spoke in a low voice\u2026too low for Shiloh to hear.\u00a0 \u201cEverything is normal, Adam.\u00a0 I\u2019ll tell you when it isn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

After lunch, Paul and Ben said their goodbyes, Paul going back to his office, and Ben heading for the Ponderosa.\u00a0 Shiloh and Adam walked to the post office and back to Paul\u2019s office where they had left the buggy.\u00a0 On the way out of town, they stopped by the dress shop to pick up Shiloh\u2019s altered skirts, and then headed toward home.<\/p>\n

Chapter Eight<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry it wasn\u2019t what you wanted to hear.\u201d\u00a0 Adam moved the reins he was holding in his right hand to his left and reached for hers.<\/p>\n

She sighed and sat quietly until he drove past the road to the Flying W.\u00a0 \u201cWhere are we going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a surprise for you,\u201d he said, smiling.\u00a0 \u201cWith everything you\u2019ve been doing lately, you\u2019ve probably forgotten about your wedding present.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked up at him, and her eyes brightened with her mood.\u00a0 \u201cThe house?\u201d<\/p>\n

When his eyebrows rose, she moved closer to him and wrapped her arm around his.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not that I wasn\u2019t expecting most of it.\u00a0 I just wish I could still ride.\u00a0 And I never thought he\u2019d yell at me for not eating enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t yell at you,” Adam laughed. \u00a0“He didn\u2019t raise his voice at all.\u00a0 And you don\u2019t eat enough to sustain a bird.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said it loud enough for practically everyone in the restaurant to hear.\u00a0 What do you think they\u2019re thinking now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart, you won\u2019t be able to hide it much longer anyway.\u00a0 And it\u2019s nothing to be ashamed of.\u00a0 We all came about the same way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sighing again, she pulled her arm from around his and folded her hands in her lap, looking away.\u00a0 Adam worriedly glanced over at her, but said nothing, hoping that seeing the house would cheer her up.<\/p>\n

When they started up the hill toward the house, Adam heard her take a deep breath, but didn\u2019t hear her exhale. \u00a0\u201cShiloh, you need to breathe.\u201d<\/p>\n

She let out the breath she was holding.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s beautiful.\u00a0 It looks big\u2026as big as Pa\u2019s house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not quite as big.\u00a0 It\u2019s just laid out differently, though it could be as big with a few additions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do we need such a big house?\u201d<\/p>\n

The corner of Adam\u2019s mouth turned up as he moved his hand to her stomach.\u00a0 \u201cThis one is going to have someone to play with, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

She cocked her head slightly and resumed her sullen mood, causing Adam to look apprehensively at her again.\u00a0\u00a0 Pulling up to the front of the house, he tied the reins and stepped out and around the buggy to help her down.\u00a0 He turned his head and twisted his mouth, looking at the front door, then turned back to her and lifted her into his arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing?\u00a0 Dr. Martin did say that walking is good for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising his chin, he smiled smugly as he walked toward the door.\u00a0 \u201cThis is<\/em> your new home, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t live here yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, but we could,\u201d he said as he squeezed the latch with the hand under her knees and stepped in. \u00a0\u201cFirst things first.\u201d\u00a0 His lascivious gaze caused her to catch her breath and made it impossible for her to draw her eyes away from his.\u00a0 Before she realized it, his lips hovered over hers, and when he kissed her, she felt the old familiar warmth flow through her at the same time a chill washed over her skin; sensations she hadn\u2019t felt since their last night in Denver City.<\/p>\n

He set her feet on the floor, and held her close, kissing her again.\u00a0 \u201cThat was nice,\u201d he said, staying close enough to feel her breath on his face and the rise and fall of her breasts against him.\u00a0 His hands slipped down her arms until he found her hands.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s look at the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh looked up and down in each room.\u00a0 Stepping up on the hearth and touching the mantel over the fireplace in the living room, she smiled.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m surprised you didn\u2019t make it as big as your father\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

He chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI thought you\u2019d like to have a mantel you could reach.\u201d\u00a0 Taking her hand, he guided her to the back of the house beyond the living area where there was a large area surrounded by windows.\u00a0 \u201cYour piano will go here. \u00a0And on the other side is the space for the study.\u00a0 I\u2019m building bookshelves around the room for all of our books.\u00a0 The dining room is there, and beyond that the kitchen.\u00a0 Ming Lin\u2019s room is off the kitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, if Ming Lin\u2019s room is off the kitchen, where will the bath house be?\u201d she asked, poking her head into the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a bathhouse back there off the end, but\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Grinning widely, Adam took her hand again and led her up the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cOur bedroom is here, and there\u2019s a washroom with a water closet here next to it.\u00a0 There\u2019s also a door into it from our bedroom.\u00a0 You have a sitting room that we can use for a nursery at the other end, and I\u2019ve finished another bedroom there,\u201d he said, pointing.<\/p>\n

She smiled as she walked into the washroom.\u00a0 \u201cIt will be nice not to have to go out in the middle of the night\u2026and not be worried that someone is going to walk in on me in the bath house.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Shiloh came out of their bedroom, she walked down the hall toward the second bedroom intending to go in, but her jaw dropped at what she saw beyond.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, what\u2019s all this?\u201d<\/p>\n

He walked up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.\u00a0 Those will be bedrooms.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many are there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have four more framed.\u00a0 I\u2019ll work on them this winter.\u00a0 And if we need more, we can extend the side of the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning around and wrapping her arms around him, she looked up to his eyes and smiled.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are we going to do with all those bedrooms?\u201d<\/p>\n

He raised his eyebrows and looked innocently back at her.\u00a0 \u201cWell, we could fill them.\u201d\u00a0 A sudden tingle moved over her, and she cast her eyes down.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re trembling.\u201d<\/p>\n

She glanced quickly up at him, and then turned away.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m a little chilly,\u201d she lied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know just the thing,\u201d he said, leading her back to the second bedroom.\u00a0 He pushed open the door and waited for her to walk in.<\/p>\n

Dragging her hand over the furniture, she surveyed the room. \u201cWhere did all this come from?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my furniture from Pa\u2019s house.\u00a0 Hoss and Joe moved it over for me while we were away.\u201d\u00a0 Standing against her back, he moved his arms around her and placed both hands on her stomach.\u00a0 \u201cThis will be his room when he\u2019s ready for a bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked down at his hands.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s the second time you\u2019ve referred to the baby as a \u2018he\u2019.\u00a0 Are you going to be disappointed if it\u2019s a girl?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot in the least.\u00a0 I\u2019ll just have to get one of those other rooms finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy can\u2019t a girl have this bedroom?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, just look at it.\u00a0 It\u2019s not very\u2026girlish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Folding her lips together, she nodded, taking on her former sullen look.<\/p>\n

He turned her around, taking her hands hanging at her sides.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve had that look on your face for most of the ride here.\u00a0 What\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to miss riding in the winter.\u00a0 Everything is so quiet and peaceful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not all of it.\u00a0 You\u2019ve been in a mood since we left Denver City.\u201d<\/p>\n

She raised her hands to his chest, but still didn\u2019t look him in the eye.\u00a0 \u201cWell, you haven\u2019t\u2026I mean\u2026you\u2019ve certainly been attentive in keeping me off my feet, and you still hold me at night, but you\u2026\u201d\u00a0 She glanced up at his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cYou haven\u2019t\u2026touched me\u2026since we left Denver City.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving his hands around her waist and laying his forehead on hers, he said softly, \u201cI didn\u2019t want to the take the chance that I\u2019d hurt you.\u00a0 But now that we\u2019ve seen Paul\u2026\u201d As he wrapped his arms around her, he whispered, \u201cHold on tight,\u201d then lifted her, taking her to his former bed.<\/p>\n

Chapter Nine<\/p>\n

The trip across the Isthmus of Panama had been mostly quiet other than the rattles and grinds of the old steam train.\u00a0 Even so, Hoss got no sleep or any rest to speak of.\u00a0 The heat and humidity were worse than any he had ever experienced, and the conductor insisted he wear his jacket to avoid insect bites.\u00a0 He heaved a sigh of relief as he disembarked in the town of Aspinwall and was immediately escorted to the ship he would be taking to New York.<\/p>\n

With the Union Blockade of all ports in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic coast, his travel papers were checked and rechecked before the ship left Panama.\u00a0 The ship made it through the Gulf untouched, but after rounding the peninsula of Florida and heading up the East coast, the ship was stopped somewhere off the coast of Georgia.\u00a0 All passengers were ordered to their cabins.<\/p>\n

Hoss lay back on a bed that was too short and too narrow for his big frame.\u00a0 Still, it was the one place in his cabin where he could find the most comfort.\u00a0 There was a swift knock at the door just before it flew open and three uniformed men stepped into the cramped quarters. Hoss didn\u2019t bother to stand.\u00a0 There was no room.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are\u2026\u201d\u00a0 The officer looked down at a paper in his hands.\u00a0 \u201cEric Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting up, Hoss answered, \u201cYessir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, I apologize for the intrusion, but we have reason to believe that persons aboard this ship are carrying contraband for the Confederacy.\u00a0 We must search your baggage.\u00a0 \u00a0Do you have any weapons, ammunition or gold?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo sir.\u00a0 Nothing but my clothes and such.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I see your tickets?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss complied.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is your business in New York?\u201d asked the officer as he shuffled through Hoss\u2019s travel papers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t staying in New York.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be takin\u2019 a train to Philadelphia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m visitin\u2019 a young lady.\u201d<\/p>\n

The officer looked up, surprised.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve come all this way to see a young lady.\u00a0 She must be very important to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Hoss looked the officer straight in the eyes.\u00a0 \u201cI hope to make her my wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSir, nothing but clothes and personal items, except for these,\u201d said one of the enlisted men, holding out the Christmas presents Shiloh had sent.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd these?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy brother\u2019s wife is this young lady\u2019s best friend.\u00a0 She sent one for Annie and one for me since I won\u2019t be home for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, are you hiding something?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss raised his eyebrows.\u00a0 \u201cYou haven\u2019t stood up since we\u2019ve been here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss chuckled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, there ain\u2019t hardly room, but if you insist.\u201d\u00a0 The act of standing backed the officer away.\u00a0 Hoss stood with his hands in his pockets and his head bent to one side to avoid hitting the ceiling of his small cabin.\u201d<\/p>\n

The officer\u2019s lower jaw dropped as he followed Hoss up with his eyes.\u00a0 Clearing his throat, he said, \u201cYes, I see.\u00a0 Do you know what\u2019s in these boxes?\u201d<\/p>\n

At this point, Hoss was beginning to get agitated. \u201cWell, they are Christmas presents, so no, I don\u2019t.\u00a0 But I can tell you there ain\u2019t no gold or ammunition in \u2018em.\u00a0 They ain\u2019t heavy enough.\u00a0 And they ain\u2019t big enough for no gun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Passing one of his men his papers, the officer hefted a box in each hand, and then passed them over to Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cEnjoy your trip, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 And please remain in your cabin until the ship is underway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, sir,\u201d said Hoss.\u00a0 The officer stopped and turned back into the cabin.\u00a0 \u201cWhy would you be lookin\u2019 for someone to be carryin\u2019 anything for the Confederacy on a ship that\u2019s headed for New York?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Confederate sympathizers travel away from the Confederacy believing that we won\u2019t search them.\u00a0 They simply throw whatever they happen to be carrying over the side to a passing blockade runner.\u00a0 Good day, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Settling back down on the bed, Hoss frowned at the growl from his stomach.\u00a0 He\u2019d have to wait until the soldiers left before he could wander into the dining room.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam watched Shiloh as he dressed and made his way to the door, looking back one more time to make sure he hadn\u2019t awakened her before he slipped out to take care of the horses and buggy.\u00a0 The sky had darkened early with heavy, gray clouds that threatened to rain sheets down on them at any moment.<\/p>\n

There was a temporary shed next to the house where Adam moved the buggy after which he put the horses in a small corral built for the worker\u2019s horses while the house was under construction.\u00a0 He moved several loads of firewood to the front porch, and then took some into the house for the main fireplace.\u00a0 Once he had a fire going downstairs, he carried another arm load upstairs, and tiptoeing into the bedroom, he quietly placed the logs one by one in the fire box.<\/p>\n

After lighting the fire, he turned around and found Shiloh snuggled underneath a blanket watching him, the light of the fire flickering in her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should go.\u00a0 Micah and Ming Lin will be worried,\u201d she said quietly.<\/p>\n

He walked over to the bed, sitting and leaning over her.\u00a0 \u201cNo one will be worried,\u201d he said, kissing her.\u00a0 \u201cI told both of them we\u2019d be here, and that we\u2019d stay here tonight if a storm blew in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not raining yet, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but it will be any minute.\u201d\u00a0 Rising up on his forearms, he furrowed his brow.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t want to stay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre we alone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he replied, rolling his eyes.<\/p>\n

Moving her arms out from under the blanket, she wrapped them around his neck.\u00a0 \u201cThen yes, I would like to stay.\u201d\u00a0 She pulled him over her into the bed, rolling on top of him and smothering any surprise or objection with a sizzling kiss.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, Shiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm,\u201d she grunted as she continued to kiss his neck.<\/p>\n

Taking her by her arms, he pushed her up, wearing a wary look.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

With a nervous laugh, he said, \u201cWell\u2026you\u2026ah\u2026you\u2019ve never\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a long time,\u201d she answered teasingly with smiling eyes, laughing as she kissed him again.\u00a0 This time he laughed with her, drawing her back down and returning her kiss.<\/p>\n

Chapter Ten<\/p>\n

Adam and Shiloh slept peacefully in each other\u2019s arms amid the pouring rain and distant rumbles of thunder outside the cozy bedroom until their eyes flew open at hearing a deafening thunderclap.\u00a0 Looking out the window, they both squinted at the close lightning that made the evening look brighter than midday in the sun outside.<\/p>\n

Adam settled back down on his pillow while Shiloh sat up.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, the house sits awfully high on this hill.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking her arm, he drew her back down next to him, pulled the blanket over her, and nuzzled her cheek sleepily.\u00a0 \u201cWe have a lightning rod.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere?\u00a0 I didn\u2019t see a lightning rod on the house?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the weather vane.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0 After another minute, she asked, \u201cWhat time is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes it matter?\u201d came the muffled reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hungry,\u201d she answered, rolling and facing him with big, blue, round eyes.<\/p>\n

Adam opened his eyes to see her blue eyes staring back at him and wondered if Shiloh was going to be like he remembered Marie when she was carrying Little Joe; up at all hours of the night eating some odd concoction she\u2019d brewed in the kitchen. Rolling away from her, he reached down for his trousers on the floor and retrieved his pocket watch.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s ten.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose there\u2019s nothing in the house to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t assume.\u00a0 Ming Lin has been busy stocking this kitchen, and he knew we would be here.\u00a0 I\u2019ll bet there\u2019s something in the icebox.\u201d\u00a0 He sat up, ran his fingers through his hair, being very careful to hide his smile and chuckle from her.\u00a0 Standing, he pulled on his trousers, and then held out his hand to her.\u00a0 \u201cCome on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gathering the blanket around her, she took his hand and followed him down the stairs and into the kitchen.\u00a0 Adam opened the ice box and both peered in.\u00a0 Reaching in, he named items as he moved them around.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s see\u2026ham, cheese, corn, fried chicken\u2026what\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

She stuck her finger in the bowl and pulled back a gob, tasting it.\u00a0 \u201cPotatoes.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Trying another bowl, she smiled and pulled it out, then turned and stopped, looking up toward the ceiling.\u00a0 \u201cYou know what I\u2019d really like right now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever happens to be in that bowl,\u201d answered Adam as he pulled out fried chicken, potatoes and corn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess this will have to do.\u00a0 But what I\u2019d really like is\u2026you know those little oysters that come in a flat can from Monterrey.\u00a0 We saw some in Santa Cruz.\u00a0 And you ordered some when we were in San Francisco on our honeymoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stopped preparing his plate and looked up at her from under his brow. \u201cYou want oysters?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0 And mustard sauce.\u201d<\/p>\n

He grimaced disgustedly.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not serious.\u00a0 You don\u2019t even like oysters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sinking into a chair at the kitchen table, she scooped up a spoonful of custard.\u00a0 \u201cDo you think Mr. Cass can order some?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u00a0 He usually orders by the case.\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure he gets many requests for canned oysters when there are plenty of fresh oysters available in Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, I\u2019ll order a case.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam cringed and shuddered, thinking about oysters and mustard sauce as he watched her put a spoonful of custard in her mouth. After preparing two plates and pouring two glasses of milk, he sat down next to her, taking the bowl of custard away from her and sliding one of the plates in front of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill Hoss have any problems once he boards a ship from Panama?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would there be any trouble?\u201d he asked, biting into a chicken leg.<\/p>\n

She took a sip of milk.\u00a0 \u201cWell, he has to travel north from the Gulf of Mexico\u2026through the Confederacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam snorted.\u00a0 \u201cThe Union Blockade has the ports in the South shut down.\u00a0 He shouldn\u2019t have any problems, especially traveling north.\u00a0 He might be questioned on his way back, but I don\u2019t think they\u2019ll give him any trouble once they know he had been in Philadelphia.\u00a0 Did Annie say if she had any trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u00a0 She said her trip was pretty peaceful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t think they\u2019d give a woman travelling north on a ship any trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll feel a lot better when we hear from him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Picking her fork up off her plate, he handed it to her with raised eyebrows.\u00a0 \u201cI thought you were hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

She dutifully took it and dug into her mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still early.\u00a0 He\u2019s probably on a ship heading up the coast now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d she said with a mouthful of chicken as she pulled the blanket tighter around her with her other hand.<\/p>\n

He stopped eating and watched her expectantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen can we move in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2026ah\u2026like the house?\u201d he teased between bites.\u00a0\u00a0 Her smile and eyes suddenly transported him back in time to when she was a child who had gotten exactly what she wanted for Christmas.\u00a0 He maintained his smile, but his brow furrowed slightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing\u2019s wrong.\u00a0 Some of your expressions haven\u2019t changed from when you were a little girl.\u00a0 Like the way you turn your feet inward so your big toes touch, then glance up at me when you want to do something you know I might not want you to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he declared, laughing, \u201cyou do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes it work?\u201d she asked, looking up at him with a very mature smile.<\/p>\n

He chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cSometimes.\u201d\u00a0 Sitting up straight, he dug his watch out of his pocket.\u00a0 \u201cWe should get back to bed.\u00a0 It\u2019s almost midnight.\u201d<\/p>\n

On her way up from the table, she gathered her dishes and asked again, \u201cSo when can we move in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I suppose we could start tomorrow,\u201d he said, following her with his dishes to the wash basin.\u00a0 \u201cThe first thing we need to do is decide what comes here and what stays with Micah.\u00a0 I\u2019ll get Micah and Joe to help me move the furniture over, and you and Ming Lin can start packing boxes.\u201d\u00a0 They moved the food back into the icebox.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s get some sleep,\u201d he said, taking her hand and leading her out of the kitchen.<\/p>\n

Chapter Eleven<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that\u2019s called planning,\u201d said Adam as he carried the piano bench into the house.<\/p>\n

Micah and Joe stopped in the middle of the porch to rest from lugging the sofa up the front steps.\u00a0 \u201cPlanning had nothing to do with it.\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019re lucky it hasn\u2019t rained for the last three days,\u201d said Micah.\u00a0 He pointed to dark gray clouds slowly moving over the lake from the west.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re luck is about to run out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jim Tyler stuck his head out the front door.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, the window is back in.\u00a0 You should come check it before I leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

Setting the bench down in the entryway, Adam turned to Micah and Joe.\u00a0 \u201cAs luck <\/em>would have it, the window is the last thing that needed to be finished before it rains.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe folded his arms across his chest and smiled impishly. \u201cYour wife, Older Brother, will be happy she has her piano.\u00a0 That\u2019s a fact.\u00a0\u00a0 But what are you going to do with her horses, her coach and your buggy?\u00a0 You have no barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJim\u2019s men are working on the stable for her foundation horses, and her other horses will stay in the south corral.\u00a0 She\u2019ll be able to see them from our bedroom.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be working on a barn up here.\u00a0\u00a0 In the meantime, the horses and the coach can stay where they are.\u00a0 Now if you\u2019ll excuse me, I am going to inspect a window.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 On his way, he stopped to watch Shiloh walk down the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cSweetheart, come make sure the piano is positioned the way you want it.\u201d\u00a0 Motioning for Shiloh to go ahead of him, he resumed his walk to the back of the house.<\/p>\n

When they returned with Jim, Micah and Joe were relaxing on the sofa in the living area.\u00a0 Shiloh sat on a chair next to the fireplace as Adam walked Jim to the front door.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, all we have left on the stable is the inside work, so rain won\u2019t slow us down there. But Mrs. Cartwright mentioned something about a bunkhouse.\u00a0 I know you wanted the layout of the stable to be a surprise, so I didn\u2019t say anything about your plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate that, Jim,\u201d said Adam, placing his hand on Jim\u2019s back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m calling it quits for the day, but we\u2019ll be back out tomorrow morning.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have the men go straight to the stable, so we won\u2019t bother you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds good.\u00a0 I\u2019ll see you sometime tomorrow to square the bill for the house.\u201d\u00a0 Adam waved as Jim mounted his horse and rode down the road leading away from the house.\u00a0 Turning and closing the door, he rubbed his hands together as he walked toward the living area.\u00a0 \u201cFellas, I guess that\u2019s it until the new furniture gets here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNew furniture?\u201d said Joe incredulously.\u00a0 \u201cDidn\u2019t you have enough furniture in the other house?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh cocked her head and smiled.\u00a0 \u201cJoe, we couldn\u2019t just empty the house.\u00a0 Micah still lives there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking around him at all the living and dining room furniture, Joe asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s left?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI kept the study furniture, the bedroom furniture and the kitchen table,\u201d explained Micah.\u00a0 \u201cI wouldn\u2019t have eaten in the dining room, and this furniture,\u201d he said, patting the arm of the sofa, \u201cis Shiloh\u2019s.\u00a0 She bought new furniture for the parlor when the tree fell on the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked to the liquor cabinet and pulled out the whiskey, holding it up, asking if Joe or Micah wanted a drink.\u00a0\u00a0 Both men nodded. \u00a0\u201cWe\u2019ll be using my bedroom furniture from Pa\u2019s until our new furniture gets here.\u00a0 I\u2019ve still got to order a desk for the study.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah, you\u2019ll have to come over here for dinner,\u201d said Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stifled a chuckle.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause there\u2019s no one to cook for you at the Flying W.\u00a0 We brought the last of the boxes over today.\u00a0 Ming Lin almost has the kitchen the way he wants it, so he won\u2019t be back over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah looked pointedly at her after he turned up his glass for the last drop of whiskey. \u201cJust because you never learned to cook doesn\u2019t mean I didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean you did?\u201d Shiloh asked quietly with a frown.<\/p>\n

Standing, Micah picked his hat up from a side table.\u00a0 \u201cShy, a man learns to cook when he\u2019s on the trail. \u00a0If he doesn\u2019t, he starves. \u00a0Until I came back here, I didn\u2019t sleep under a roof much.\u201d<\/p>\n

She closed her eyes and lowered her head, reminded of the life he had led before he came home.\u00a0 \u201cWill you ever settle down?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m runnin\u2019 a ranch and a mine, and I\u2019m livin\u2019 in a house.\u00a0 How much more settled can I get?\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked up at him and arched an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you be gettin\u2019 any ideas, Little Sister.\u00a0 If I decide to take a wife one day, she\u2019ll be someone of my own choosing.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He bent and kissed her cheek.\u00a0 \u201cI need to be headin\u2019 out.\u00a0 I still need to ride over to the mine and see if the headstock is standing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stood and walked with Micah to the front door.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d better be getting back to the house.\u00a0 Pa\u2019ll have my head if I\u2019m late for dinner again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following Joe to the door, Shiloh stepped into Adam\u2019s side, wrapping her arm around him at the same time he moved his arm around her shoulders.\u00a0 They waved as Joe and Micah rode away, and then turned to each other.\u00a0 Looking up into Adam\u2019s eyes, she softly said, \u201cWe\u2019re home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Twelve<\/p>\n

Shiloh had spent the next few weeks unpacking boxes and decorating the house.\u00a0 Adam had noticed she seemed quite tired in the evening.\u00a0 On this cold, cloudy day, when he came in for lunch, he had to go in search of her.\u00a0 He became concerned when Ming Lin said he hadn\u2019t seen her for the last few hours.\u00a0 Being quiet and still wasn\u2019t like her.<\/p>\n

He found her lying on her side across the bed next to a pile of clothes she had been folding and putting away.\u00a0 Sitting next to her, he moved her hair away from her face.\u00a0 \u201cSweetheart?\u201d\u00a0 She rolled to her back, and he leaned over her.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s time for lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can\u2019t be time for lunch.\u00a0 I just stopped to rest my eyes,\u201d she said, keeping her eyes closed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not kidding.\u00a0 It\u2019s lunchtime.\u201d<\/p>\n

Quickly sitting up, she held his shoulder and the arm still across her as she swayed from the sudden movement.\u00a0 Adam twisted toward her and pulled her against him.\u00a0 \u201cYou all right?\u201d he asked softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cMm hm.\u00a0 Just a little dizzy,\u201d she answered, keeping her eyes closed.\u00a0 \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have sat up so fast.\u201d\u00a0 After a moment, she opened them and looked back at Adam.\u00a0 \u201cHas it really been that long?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he answered, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid I didn\u2019t get much done this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Helping her up off the bed, Adam wrapped her arm around his and walked her out of the bedroom and down the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe you\u2019re trying to do too much.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t we have some lunch and see how you feel afterward?\u201d<\/p>\n

When they were seated at the table, Ming Lin served hot beef stew.\u00a0 \u201cMing Lin, this is perfect; just the thing to warm me up,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n

Ming Lin bowed.\u00a0 \u201cI thought you would like something warm after working outside all morning.\u00a0 And Mrs. Cartwright did not finish her breakfast this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

She gave Ming Lin a displeased look, and then glanced at Adam who was returning the same look at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s doing what I asked,\u201d Adam said sternly.\u00a0 Ming Lin quickly returned to the kitchen.\u00a0 \u201cDid you ever stop to think that maybe the reason you\u2019ve been so tired is because you\u2019re not eating what Paul asked you to eat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never eaten this much food in my life.\u00a0 If I keep it up, I\u2019ll be as big as the side of the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam laughed as he filled her bowl with stew.\u00a0 \u201cI need to go into town for more building supplies.\u00a0 I\u2019d like you to go with me and see Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to pick up the rest of my clothes from Mrs. Lewis.\u00a0 But why do you want me to see Paul?\u00a0 It\u2019s only been a few weeks since I saw him last.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause you don\u2019t seem to be feeling very well\u2026and you\u2019re not eating like you should.\u00a0 I know you\u2019re still a little sick in the mornings, but Paul said that should pass.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at the bowl of stew he placed in front of her, she sighed.\u00a0 \u201cI need to go to the Flying W and see how Tom is doing with the horses.\u00a0 And I\u2019d like to spend some time working on their ground manners.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take you if you\u2019ll see Paul, and if<\/em> he says it\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t even look at him, but rather looked at her bowl as she took a bite of stew.\u00a0 She felt too tired to argue.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Looking disappointed, Paul Martin stood in front of Shiloh seated on the examination table.\u00a0 \u201cShiloh, do you realize that the reason you\u2019re so tired is because you\u2019re not eating what I told you to eat?\u00a0 Besides that, it\u2019s not unusual for expectant mothers to require a nap during their day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you expect me to eat when I\u2019m sick or beyond full?\u00a0 I throw up when I don\u2019t eat, I throw up when I do eat, especially in the amounts you suggested.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cHave Ming Lin prepare two more small meals for her every day; one between breakfast and lunch and another between lunch and supper. \u00a0Maybe if we spread the food out, she\u2019ll be able to keep it down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul, is this normal?\u201d Adam asked with his brow furrowed and wearing a frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d have thought she\u2019d be past the stomach upset by now,\u201d answered Paul.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s never been a good eater.\u201d\u00a0 Turning back to Shiloh, he continued.\u00a0 \u201cBut you\u2019re not just eating for your own nourishment, Shiloh.\u00a0 What and how much you eat will affect your child.\u201d<\/p>\n

She lowered her forehead into her hands.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m trying.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two men looked at each other, Adam giving her a sympathetic look first, and then nodding at Paul.<\/p>\n

After a long pause, she asked, \u201cDr. Martin, can I do some ground work with my horses?\u00a0 I won\u2019t be riding.\u00a0 I\u2019ll just be walking around the corral with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u00a0 Not until you start eating what you\u2019re supposed to and keep it down.\u201d<\/p>\n

She closed her eyes and let her head fall backward, groaning.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Late afternoon in Virginia City was early evening in Philadelphia where Hoss Cartwright stepped off the train from New York.\u00a0\u00a0 As he looked over the crowd at the depot, he finally saw a sight that made his blue eyes sparkle like the sun on Lake Tahoe and his mouth turn up into probably the biggest smile he had ever worn.\u00a0 Annie was jumping up and down and waving to be seen over the multitudes loading and unloading.<\/p>\n

Hoss retrieved both of his bags from the steward. With everyone stepping out of his way, his trip through the crowd was short and easy.\u00a0\u00a0 Suddenly, he was standing in front of Annie who was all smiles and fidgety, but he was at a loss for words.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, it\u2019s good to see you.\u00a0 Did you have a nice trip?\u201d asked Annie.<\/p>\n

Blushing and raising his shoulders, Hoss smiled down at her.\u00a0 \u201cMiss Annie, just about all I thought on was you.\u00a0 It sure is good to see you, too.\u201d\u00a0 Looking around him and seeing that no one was paying attention, he bent and kissed her cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t we get out of his crowd?\u201d said Annie.\u00a0 When Hoss picked up his bags, one in each hand, Annie wrapped her arm around his.\u00a0 \u201cHave you had dinner yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo Ma\u2019am, and I\u2019m awful hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, let\u2019s get you fed, and then I\u2019ll introduce you to Mrs. Levine.\u00a0 She owns a boarding house that\u2019s right down the street from the hospital.\u00a0 I\u2019ve told her all about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they arrived at the restaurant, Annie arranged for Hoss\u2019s bags to be left in a back room while they dined.\u00a0 Once they were seated and their food was ordered, both sat back in their chairs smiling in awkward silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Annie\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, it\u2019s just Annie,\u201d she corrected him, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been awhile since I seen you.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t sure if anything had changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reaching across the table, Annie held her hand open.\u00a0 \u201cI feel the same way I did the day I left Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss took her hand and held it, looking into her eyes.\u00a0 His expression was serious, and his brows were slightly furrowed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI do, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Thirteen<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think Philadelphia is anything like San Francisco, Hoss?\u201d Annie asked as they walked through town toward the boarding house.<\/p>\n

Hoss moved the bag he was carrying underneath his other arm, and took Annie\u2019s hand, holding it as they walked.\u00a0 \u201cThis doesn\u2019t seem to be as rough a city as San Francisco.\u00a0 But then, I don\u2019t expect you have a Barbary Coast here either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u00a0 You don\u2019t have to worry about being shanghaied here.\u00a0 But don\u2019t sign anything while you\u2019re here.\u00a0 If the military finds out you\u2019re staying until spring, they might try to draft you into the Union Army.\u00a0 And there\u2019s a curfew, so once I introduce you to Mrs. Levine, I have to get back to the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI woulda thought after Gettysburg things would settle down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they have, especially after the entrenchments around the city were built.\u00a0 But that didn\u2019t stop the Confederates from trying to get in.\u00a0 They\u2019d be fools to try it now.\u00a0 All the soldiers from New York and New Jersey come through here, so there are a good many troops in the city all the time.\u00a0 In fact, many of the wounded are brought here.\u00a0 Some of my training has been in the military hospital.\u201d\u00a0 She pointed to a house just up the street.\u00a0 \u201cThat one is Mrs. Levine\u2019s.\u201d\u00a0 When they were on the porch, Hoss knocked on the door, and a woman answered.\u00a0 \u201cHello, Mrs. Levine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnnie, I was starting to get worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright hadn\u2019t eaten dinner, so we stopped to eat, and then walked here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, do come in,\u201d said Mrs. Levine as she stepped back and opened the door wide.\u00a0 \u201cMy, you are a big man.\u00a0 You\u2019ll have to be careful.\u00a0 The Army might take one look at you and forget to ask any questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss set his bags on the floor next to him and smiled.\u00a0 \u201cMiss Annie already warned me, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Levine, I hate to leave you so soon after we arrived, but I have to get back to the hospital before the curfew.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frowning, Mrs. Levine eyed Hoss warily.\u00a0 \u201cWell, you\u2019ve already told me so much about him\u2026and I trust you, Annie\u2026besides, I could use a strong back around here at Christmas.\u00a0 You will help me decorate, won\u2019t you Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be happy to help, Ma\u2019am,\u201d replied Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cAnd please, Ma\u2019am, call me Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that one of those frontier names?\u00a0 We don\u2019t hear that one here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, my name is Eric, but most folks call me Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Hoss, let\u2019s get Annie on her way, and then I\u2019ll show you to your room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Levine walked both Hoss and Annie to the front porch, and then excused herself.\u00a0 \u201cHoss, I have classes tomorrow, so I won\u2019t see you until the afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on.\u00a0 We\u2019ll talk while I walk you to the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you can\u2019t, Hoss.\u00a0 You won\u2019t be back before the curfew.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou let me worry about that.\u00a0 I ain\u2019t about to let you walk down to the hospital at night by yourself.\u201d\u00a0 With a huge grin, he bowed somewhat, held out his arm, and slightly wagged his head.\u00a0 \u201cShall we?\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Annie took his arm, and the two hurried down the street.\u00a0 When they arrived, Annie stopped at the door and turned to Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnnie, would it be all right if I kissed you goodnight?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would be awfully disappointed if you didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

What started as a soft, tender kiss turned into long, firm one as Hoss pulled her into his arms.\u00a0 By the time the kiss was finished, Annie was short of breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHoss,\u201d she breathed.\u00a0 \u201cNo one\u2019s ever kissed me like that before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss blushed. \u201cYeah, I guess I got a little carried away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s not that,\u201d she said, smiling and stepping into him.<\/p>\n

Kissing her again, Hoss picked her up against him and straightened up, bringing her feet off the ground.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, can we please stop by the Flying W?\u00a0 I promise\u2026I won\u2019t do anything.\u00a0 I just want to see them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Giving her a stern look, he gave in when he saw her pleading blue eyes.\u00a0 \u201cYou are not to go into the corral.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stifled a smile and returned a short nod.<\/p>\n

When the buggy entered the Flying W yard, a man was riding out and tipped his hat to Shiloh and Adam.\u00a0 Micah was standing near the barn, his feet apart about shoulder width, his hands down at his sides with his right hand hovering near his gun.<\/p>\n

Shiloh recognized that stance.\u00a0 She moved quickly to step out of the buggy, but Adam held her arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s none of our business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jerking her arm away, she continued out of the buggy, stomping toward Micah.<\/p>\n

Placing a hand on the arm of the seat and the other on the dash, Adam swung out of the buggy, reaching Shiloh just as she stopped in front of her brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did that man want?\u201d she asked brusquely, pointing in the direction he left.<\/p>\n

Micah crossed his arms and smiled at her, answering calmly. \u00a0\u201cIs that any way to welcome me back from a cattle drive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t avoid the question.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour husband is not pleased with you,\u201d said Micah, nodding toward Adam who was standing right behind her.<\/p>\n

Adam reached around her and held out his hand to Micah.\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019d it go?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking Adam\u2019s hand, Micah replied, \u201cIt went so well, I think we should plan to do it every fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stepping into Micah\u2019s chest, Shiloh tiptoed to look him in the eye.\u00a0 When Adam pulled her back, she stiffened and glanced back over her shoulder, seeing only the black of his shirt as he stepped into her back and squeezed her shoulders.\u00a0 Ignoring him, she turned back to Micah.\u00a0 \u201cWas he looking for Mort Williams?\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah took a deep breath and looked down, twisting his mouth.\u00a0 Looking back up from under his brows, he replied, \u201cAdam\u2019s right.\u00a0 This doesn\u2019t concern you.\u201d\u00a0 He expected the fire he saw smoldering in her eyes, but he didn\u2019t expect the fear that accompanied it.<\/p>\n

Before her marriage, Shiloh tended to blurt out whatever she was thinking, but lately, she had learned to hold her tongue and consider her words.\u00a0 \u00a0Looking him in the eye, she explained, \u201cOrdinarily, I wouldn\u2019t be so concerned because I wouldn\u2019t have the knowledge of who you were.\u00a0 But because I know what I know, if something is going to happen to you, I don\u2019t want to be surprised.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to come over here one day and find you dead in the yard.\u00a0 I want to know upfront if you\u2019re in danger.\u201d\u00a0 Lowering her eyes, she continued, \u201cEven so, I don\u2019t know if I could handle finding you dead in the yard, or hearing about it from Adam, or\u2026seeing it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Relaxing his grip on her shoulders, Adam looked at Micah, raised his brows and gave a short nod.<\/p>\n

Micah took another deep breath and studied both of them, first Adam, and then Shiloh.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s something to be said for living alone.\u00a0 You don\u2019t have to explain yourself to anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh wilted and looked away to hide the moistness in her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cShy,\u201d he said, turning her face forward again with a finger.\u00a0 \u201cMen like the one who just left here aren\u2019t a problem.\u00a0 I can deal with them when they ask me if I\u2019m Mort Williams to my face.\u00a0 It\u2019s the ones who won\u2019t ask\u2026the ones who won\u2019t face me, but will shoot while my back is turned who\u2019ll be a problem.\u00a0\u00a0 I can\u2019t warn you about something I don\u2019t see coming, Little Sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it that bad?\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u00a0 I did make some enemies, but not that many who would want to kill me.\u00a0 And those who do would want people to know they\u2019re the one who killed Mort Williams, so they\u2019ll be facing me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGunfights!\u201d she spat disgustedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, most of \u2018em won\u2019t try because they know they can\u2019t outdraw me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201dAnd bragging about it,\u201d she said, glaring.<\/p>\n

Motioning toward the house, he chuckled, \u201cI\u2019m not bragging. \u00a0Now, let\u2019s have some coffee.\u00a0 The breeze is a might brisk out here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two go ahead,\u201d said Shiloh, pouting and stopping as the two men stepped past her.\u00a0 \u201cI came to see my horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men stopped and turned back.\u00a0 \u201cStay on this side of the fence,\u201d said Adam, meeting her eyes.\u00a0 He kissed her frown and continued to the house with Micah.<\/p>\n

Chapter Fourteen<\/p>\n

Shiloh waited for both men to enter the house before she made her way to the corral.\u00a0 As they always did, her horses met her at the fence.\u00a0 \u201cSorry, fellas.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t have anything for you today,\u201d she said as she scratched each nose in turn.<\/p>\n

After watching Shiloh with her horses for so long, Tom had gotten into the habit of carrying a bag of carrot pieces with him as he worked around the corrals.\u00a0\u00a0 When he presented himself next to her at the corral, he did so with an open bag at which she gave him a wide grin before she dug in and retrieved some carrots.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are they, Tom?\u00a0 How are they really<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve been away from here for so long, you probably don\u2019t know that four of them have foals on the way?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes sparkled when she looked at him, making his heart flutter.\u00a0 He had been what some people would call cruel to her when they were in school, but the truth was, she captivated him as much now as she did then.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow are last year\u2019s foals?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got them all up here,\u201d he answered, pointing across the corral.\u00a0 Two of them look like they\u2019re gonna have Sampson\u2019s color.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcellent.\u00a0 With Sampson and Eli, and possibly two more, we can keep the high quality in our foundation horses.\u00a0 I was worried about that when I lost Max.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Adam and Micah entered the parlor with their coffee, Adam slowly wandered over to the side parlor window.\u00a0 If he leaned against the frame on the front side, he could just see the back corral. \u00a0\u201cWhat was the final take on the drive after you paid the men?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cA little over six.\u00a0 And we have enough ore out of the mine to take a load to the mill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlready?\u201d said Adam, looking at Micah, and then turning back to the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, so we\u2019ll be sittin\u2019 pretty fat over the winter.\u201d\u00a0 Micah took a sip of his coffee and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, don\u2019t you trust your wife?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI trust her implicitly.\u00a0 It\u2019s Tom I don\u2019t trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re forgetting who you\u2019re talking about.\u00a0 Shy can handle him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam was leaning and looking when Tom moved behind Shiloh and bent forward to smell her hair. Crooking his jaw and flaring his nostrils, Adam abruptly sat his coffee cup on a table and walked toward the front door. \u201cShe can\u2019t handle him when she doesn\u2019t see him,\u201d he said on his way out.<\/p>\n

Micah watched him go, shook his head, and took a sip of his coffee before he followed at a discreet distance.\u00a0 He knew Adam would calm himself before he approached Shiloh and Tom, but still, he would be ready to step in if necessary.<\/p>\n

Stopping at the corner of the house, Adam unclenched his fists and breathed. In reality, Tom had only smelled her hair, and Adam was sure she didn\u2019t even know it.\u00a0 If he confronted Tom in front of Shiloh, it would upset her, and he had no desire to do that to her in her condition.\u00a0 Taking one final deep breath, he forced himself to relax.\u00a0 As soon as he stepped around the corner, he called her name so both she and Tom would know he was there.\u00a0 Tom sidestepped away from her just before Adam stepped into her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cSo how are they?\u201d he asked with a wink.<\/p>\n

She smiled lovingly up at him.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re all just fine.\u00a0 Tom\u2019s been taking excellent care of them.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Her wink at Tom brought out a handsome, bright smile that instantly disappeared when he saw the look on Adam\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, now that you\u2019ve seen them for yourself, I think we should be heading home.\u201d\u00a0 Pointing at the sky, he added, \u201cClouds are moving in, and I have no intention of letting you get wet before we get home.\u201d<\/p>\n

He swung her around toward the house, but she turned back.\u00a0 \u201cTom, thank you.\u00a0 You\u2019re doing a wonderful job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tom smiled at her again, but quickly turned back to the horses when Adam glared back at him.\u00a0 He stayed at the back of the house until he heard the buggy leave the yard, and then hurried into the barn.\u00a0 He knew Adam was aware of his feelings for his wife, and wondered how long it would be before Adam decided to do something about it.<\/p>\n

After feeding the horses for the evening, he went to the bunkhouse where Hank was saying goodnight to the rest of hands.\u00a0 \u201cTom, what\u2019s got you moping?\u00a0 Things are going well with the horses, aren\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, sure they are\u2026mostly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hank watched him brood all the way to his bunk where he climbed up on top and turned away from the men.\u00a0 \u201cI wonder what\u2019s got into him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning in so his voice wouldn\u2019t carry, Johnny replied, \u201cMrs. Cartwright musta been here with Mr. Adam.\u00a0 He always gets like that when he sees them together.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam had used the guise of a kiss to pull Shiloh to his side when they were seated in the buggy.\u00a0 She had naturally wrapped her arm around his and stayed close when they drove off.\u00a0 Looking down at her, Adam asked, \u201cHave you thought about what you\u2019d do if Tom leaves?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTom won\u2019t leave.\u00a0 He likes it here.\u00a0 At least, I hope he doesn\u2019t leave.\u00a0 He\u2019s so good with the horses it would be very difficult to replace him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart, I\u2019m concerned that he\u2019s become a little too\u2026familiar\u2026with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning away, she gave him a dubious look, and then laughed.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, you\u2019re not jealous of Tom are you?\u00a0 Because if you are, there\u2019s no reason to be.\u00a0 Tom and I are good friends.\u00a0 We\u2019ve known each other a long time, and the familiarity you think you\u2019re seeing is only a close friendship.\u00a0 Besides, I\u2019m about to get as big as the side of the barn.\u00a0 I can\u2019t imagine anyone thinking of me that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning up the corner of his mouth, he replied, \u201cOh, I don\u2019t know.\u00a0 I can\u2019t think of anything lovelier than a woman full of child.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s probably only true for the man who fathered that child,\u201d she said, pinching his side playfully.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Fifteen<\/p>\n

Hoss walked down the sidewalk with his hands in his jacket pockets and a smile on his face, remembering how good it felt to hold Annie; to kiss her.\u00a0 All his fears that she might not feel the same way she had when she left him were laid to rest when she kissed him back.\u00a0 His pleasant ruminations of the evening were interrupted by a shrill whistle behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou there!\u00a0 Hold your hands out to your sides and turn around slowly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dadgummit!\u00a0 I shoulda been payin\u2019 attention to the curfew instead of appreciatin\u2019 the moment.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEric Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou from around here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u00a0 I\u2019m visitin\u2019 from Virginia City in Nevada Territory.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho you visiting?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m visitin\u2019 a young lady.\u00a0 She took me by Mrs. Levine\u2019s boarding house\u2026\u201d he twisted his large frame and pointed up the street, \u201c\u2026and we was late gettin\u2019 in.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t let her walk on the street at night all by herself, so I walked over to the hospital with her.\u00a0 I was just on my way back to the boardin\u2019 house.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss studied the soldier in front of him.\u00a0 He was just a kid, and a nervous one at that with a twitchy trigger finger.\u00a0 \u201cLook, I ain\u2019t carrying a gun, and I don\u2019t want any trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t anyone tell you there\u2019s a curfew?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but I reckon gettin\u2019 the young lady back to the hospital safe was more important.\u201d The two stood and looked at each other for a minute or two until Hoss decided this young fella didn\u2019t know what to do and was probably scared half to death.\u00a0 Hoss lowered his hands, but the young soldier waved his rifle, so the hands went back up.\u00a0 \u201cLook fella, we can stand out here all night, or you can follow me up to Mrs. Levine\u2019s house.\u00a0 She can tell you I ain\u2019t lying.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

As he stood in the Union Army hall, the sergeant walked all the way around Hoss, looking him up and down.\u00a0 \u201cIf I had a dozen men your size, I\u2019d win this war by the end of the month.\u00a0 How come I haven\u2019t seen you before?\u00a0 It a been mighty hard to miss you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked back at the boy who had brought him in and swallowed hard.\u00a0 \u201cSergeant, he seems a might nervous.\u00a0 Can you tell \u2018im to put down the rifle before he accidently pulls the trigger?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sergeant West leaned to the side to see the young man standing behind Hoss with the barrel of his rifle digging into Hoss\u2019 back.\u00a0 \u201cAt ease, soldier,\u201d he barked.\u00a0 Moving back to an upright position, the sergeant warily looked Hoss in the face.\u00a0 \u201cWhy are you in my office after curfew, Mr\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright, Sir.\u00a0 Hoss Cartwright.\u00a0 I was walking a young lady home, and I knew I was gonna be late gettin\u2019 back to the boardin\u2019 house, but dadburnit, I couldn\u2019t let her walk home at night by herself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving behind his desk, the sergeant sat down and motioned for Hoss to do the same.\u00a0 \u201cNo son, I don\u2019t suppose you could.\u00a0 Any grown man would know that.\u00a0 But I keep gettin\u2019 these barely weaned kids coming in and enlisting just to be fed.\u00a0 Where you from, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVirginia City out in Nevada Territory,\u201d said Hoss, sitting back and crossing his legs.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a long way from home.\u00a0 You staying?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo sir.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be goin\u2019 back in the spring.\u00a0 I came out to spend Christmas with a young lady who\u2019s studyin\u2019 to be a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHa!\u00a0 A female doctor! Them women think they can do a man\u2019s job.\u00a0 We even have some signin\u2019 up as men\u2026and for what?\u00a0 To get their scrawny heads blowed off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss bit the inside of his cheek to keep from expressing his own opinion of the sergeant\u2019s view of women.\u00a0 After all, he still didn\u2019t know if this man was going to let him go or force him to enlist. \u201cLook, Sergeant, Mrs. Levine was expectin\u2019 me back.\u00a0 She\u2019ll be worried by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re staying at Mrs. Levine\u2019s boarding house?\u00a0 Well, why didn\u2019t you say so?\u00a0 If she trusts you, there\u2019s no reason for me not to.\u00a0 You go on, now, and if any of these other army brats stop you, just tell \u2018im you already spoke to Sergeant West.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss stood and offered his hand.\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Sergeant.\u00a0 I\u2019ll do just that.\u201d\u00a0 Wasting no time, Hoss turned and made a quick exit.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The beginning of December brought with it storm after storm, one particularly vicious.\u00a0 Shiloh yawned at the breakfast table, having been kept awake most of the night listening to the wind howl around the outside of the house.<\/p>\n

Adam watched as she opened her mouth wide and squeezed her eyes shut, patiently waiting for the yawn to conclude, but it just kept going.\u00a0 When she finally finished, she didn\u2019t even open her eyes, but rather propped her elbow on the table, chin in hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you go back to bed?\u201d he asked, covering her other hand.\u00a0 \u201cYou didn\u2019t get much sleep last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you know that, you didn\u2019t get much sleep either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, well, I have some work to do this morning in the barn.\u00a0 Another week or two, and it\u2019ll be finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ming Lin brought breakfast to the table, refreshed their coffee and went back into the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to talk to you about that.\u00a0 I\u2019m worried about my horses.\u00a0\u00a0 There isn\u2019t enough room in the big barn at the Flying W for all of them, and I\u2019m worried about them being out in a storm like the one last night.\u00a0 With all that wind, I\u2019m afraid they won\u2019t be warm enough, especially last spring\u2019s foals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at her from under his brow with a slight smile, Adam replied, \u201cYou don\u2019t have to worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

She opened her eyes, and waited, expecting him to continue, but he was silent.\u00a0 \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause they\u2019re here,\u201d he said, raising his eyebrows while still paying attention to his food.\u00a0 \u201cAlong with Johnny, Billy and Tom.\u201d\u00a0 He almost broke out in laughter when he glanced over and saw her face, her brows furrowed and her lips turned in adorable puzzlement.\u00a0 She cut her eyes to his and puckered her lips upon seeing the laughter in his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are they?\u201d she asked impatiently.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the stable,\u201d he responded with a laugh.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean the men are in the stable, too?\u00a0 They can\u2019t be very comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I wanted it to be a surprise, but since you brought it up\u2026there are two rooms at the back of the stables with several bunks.\u201d<\/p>\n

With her mouth wide open and jubilation on her face, she started out of her chair. \u201cCan we go see it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Once again, Adam lowered his head and moved his eyes up to hers.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0 He paused to watch her whole face turn to a frown, then laughed again.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll go down after you eat breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later that morning, Adam drove Shiloh down the hill to the stables.\u00a0 She walked through slowly, looking closely at every little detail; the white-washed finish, the opening in the ceilings above the stalls where hay could be dropped from the loft into feeders, the inside pump and water trough, tack hooks on the outside of each enclosed stall, and the double-hung stall doors. At the back end were two bunk rooms where her three stable men had already stashed their belongings, and at the front end was a room to be used as an office across from a well-organized tack room.\u00a0 There were steps in the office that led up to the loft where Adam had installed double doors in the side of the barn with a rail across them. Shiloh could stand and watch horses being worked in all six large paddocks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the spring when the snow stops falling, I\u2019ll have the fences all painted white,\u201d said Adam, standing with Shiloh as she looked out over the property.<\/p>\n

She moved her fingers over her mouth and looked up at him affectionately.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t remember this in Daddy\u2019s plans.\u00a0 I don\u2019t remember the cupola either.\u00a0 I don\u2019t even remember the double-hung doors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Putting his arm around her and pulling her into his side, he looked out over the land all the way up to the house at the top of the hill.\u00a0 \u201cWell, maybe I added some things. But if you and Hoss are going to have people here to see your horses, the facilities should match the quality of your animals.\u00a0 Did you notice their names on the doors of their stalls?\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded and turned into him, gazing warmly into his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cI did.\u00a0 Thank you.\u00a0 It\u2019s wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the next few weeks, things settled down around the newest piece of the Ponderosa.\u00a0 Adam spent his days finishing the barn at the house, riding with Joe and Micah to check the herd and periodically checking the progress at the mine.\u00a0 His evenings were spent at the dinner table, reading building specifications and making drawings.\u00a0 So why did Shiloh seem so somber?<\/p>\n

Chapter Sixteen<\/p>\n

Adam opened the front door, stomping the snow from his feet.\u00a0 He had just hung his jacket and hat and removed his gun belt when he heard a familiar sound of irritation coming from the back of the house where the piano sat.\u00a0 Just as he looked, he saw a pile of paper rise into the air and float down in what looked like a snow shower, only the flakes were large and rectangle.<\/p>\n

Puckering his mouth, he hunched his shoulders as he thought about whether he wanted to step into one of her outbursts at Will Stewart, but decided he\u2019d console her now rather than waiting for it to turn into a swollen river of tears.\u00a0 As he made his way to the back of the house, he remembered Paul\u2019s warning, \u201cAdam, don\u2019t be surprised if she gets more emotional than usual.\u00a0 Women seem to carry their emotions on their sleeves when they\u2019re expecting a child.\u201d\u00a0 He smiled, remembering the last part of Paul\u2019s advice.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t be surprised if she gets a bit more\u2026affectionate\u2026either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you smiling about?\u201d she asked, pouting.\u00a0 \u201cDo you think it\u2019s funny that I can\u2019t play any one of these pieces of music yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Sweetheart, that\u2019s not what I\u2019m smiling about.\u201d\u00a0 He stood watching her with a pleased look on his face, his arms crossed, his hands tucked into his armpits.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s just that you\u2019ve grown so fast in the last few of weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stomped behind the piano, and made a short sob, looking down at her belly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m fat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes widened as he stumbled over his next words and began to pick up sheet music from the floor.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2026I never said that, Sweetheart.\u00a0 You\u2019re not fat.\u00a0 You\u2019re just\u2026well\u2026\u201d standing, he half-smiled and laid the sheet music on top of the piano.\u00a0 \u201c\u2026you\u2019re\u2026it\u2019s a baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her bent head and frown remained as she glanced up at him, then moved to the sitting area and slowly sat on the sofa, folding her legs up under her.\u00a0 Adam followed and sat next to her. \u201cYou\u2019d think that by now I could play something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul did say it would take some time, Shiloh.\u00a0 It hasn\u2019t been that long since you started practicing again.\u201d \u00a0Taking her hand, he pulled her into his side and moved his arm over her shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cWhy has it suddenly gotten worse?\u00a0\u00a0 What else is bothering you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Pushing herself up from his shoulder, she looked pitifully at him.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t have anything else to do.\u00a0 I can\u2019t work with the horses in the snow.\u00a0 I can\u2019t play my piano.\u00a0 You won\u2019t let me go for a walk alone.\u201d\u00a0 She wrung her hands.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s nothing else for me to do.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know how to cook or sew or knit.\u00a0 I sit in this house all day\u2026and do nothing.\u00a0 Nothing at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not true.\u00a0 You still do the books.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, there\u2019s not much to do with the books.\u00a0 We aren\u2019t selling any cattle right now, and Micah does the books for the mine.\u00a0 And you\u2026you do everything you\u2019ve always done, and then you come home and draw.\u00a0 This is supposed to be our child, but I seem to be the only one who has to\u2026.\u201d\u00a0 Rather than finish her sentence, she threw her hands out in front of her.<\/p>\n

Adam pushed his lower lip up as he bent his head to see her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cYou need to stop feeling sorry for yourself.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Her lower jaw dropped, and as she pushed herself up off the sofa, he grabbed her and transferred her to his lap.\u00a0 \u201cNow, there are plenty of things you can do.\u00a0 You can spend some time in the kitchen helping Ming Lin.\u00a0 He can teach you how to cook.\u00a0 You can ask Mrs. Lewis if she would bring her quilting club here for lunch so you can learn how to quilt.\u00a0 I\u2019ll bet she can even teach you how to sew clothes for the baby.\u00a0 And we\u2019ve only got a few weeks until Christmas, and we have nothing to hang on our tree.\u00a0 You could make some ornaments and plan how to decorate the house.\u00a0 We haven\u2019t had a party here yet. We could have a Christmas party sometime before the party at the Pa\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQuilting, sewing, cooking\u2026all those things I didn\u2019t learn as a girl growing up in a house of men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s your own fault.\u00a0 Amos tried to get you to learn those things, but you wanted no part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, at the time, I was never going to be a mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam raised his chin and looked down on her.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you didn\u2019t care for me either.\u00a0 But things change, don\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess this is one more thing I can blame on you,\u201d she said, propping her hand on her belly.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyebrows shot up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you did do this to me, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t hear you complaining at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh really,\u201d she said, turning away to hide a smile.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you think all that noise was?\u201d<\/p>\n

He gently pushed her backward so that she was lying on her back on the sofa and leaned over her.\u00a0 \u201cThere is one way to find out.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He kissed her smiling lips, and then looked into her eyes while he twirled a lock of her hair around his finger.\u00a0 \u00a0Moving her hands around his neck, she pulled him down to her, and they kissed again, this time, longer, deeper.<\/p>\n

\u201cI smell lunch,\u201d she said distractedly with her eyes closed and a sated look as he nibbled at the side of her neck. \u201cMing Lin could come in at any minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

Folding his lips together, nodding and grunting, Adam pulled her back up onto his lap, his lips lingering close to hers. \u201cI\u2019ll talk to Mrs. Lewis when I go into town.\u00a0 In the meantime, you can offer some help to Ming Lin\u2026or at least ask him to teach you how to cook.\u201d\u00a0 After one more kiss, he carried her up with him as he stood, steadying her when her feet touched the floor, and with an arm around her waist, he walked her to the dining room table.<\/p>\n

Chapter Seventeen<\/p>\n

Adam walked in the front door, stomping the snow off his boots and brushing it off his jacket with his gloved hand.\u00a0 Slowly standing from the wingback chair on the side of the fireplace where she could see the door, she bowed her head and clasped her hands in front of her.\u00a0 Turning up the corner of his mouth, he smiled at the stance he had seen for so many years when she wanted something and was being told \u2018no.\u2019 He crossed his arms and waited to see how her argument for going to town would change since he came back from saddling his horse.<\/p>\n

Her eyes moved up to his without raising her head, and her toes pointed inward. Her view of him had changed quite drastically over the last year.\u00a0 Now as his wife, she couldn\u2019t help but appreciate the vision of a man that he was, both inside and out.\u00a0 She admired his principles, his resolve, his integrity all supported by his imposing charisma, the fearlessness he presented, and his physical abilities as well as his skill with his gun. His baritone voice was strong and commanding when he needed to be and so soft and gentle when she needed him.\u00a0 All that left her wondering what he saw in her, who at the moment was a frumpy, pathetic looking thing with a big, round belly. How could he love her, looking like that?\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t want to be seen with me, do you?\u201d she asked softly, casting her eyes back down.<\/p>\n

His lower jaw dropped.\u00a0 He had expected something out of her that would play on his heartstrings, but this\u2026and the way she said it\u2026she believed it, if only because of her current condition. \u00a0Pulling off his gloves and jacket, he laid them on the entry table and walked to her, her curls falling down over her shoulders, the glowing, smooth skin of her cheeks flushed, her full, pink lips, and a dress of forest green with a long generous plaid apron that draped over the round mound of her belly that was his child. He had watched her grow from an adorable little girl to an awkward, mouthy teenager to a willful, bright, talented young lady, and lately into a beautiful, confident, strong woman; except for right now.<\/p>\n

Taking her face in his hands, he said, \u201cShiloh, if I didn\u2019t want to be seen with you, I wouldn\u2019t be riding to our neighbors and into town to invite all of our friends to a party.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, why can\u2019t you take the buggy so I can go with you?\u00a0 Mrs. Lewis hasn\u2019t been able to get out here to teach me anything.\u00a0 I have no decorations for our tree, and I need material and ribbon to decorate the house.\u00a0 You won\u2019t even let me go outside to collect pine and cones for garland and swags.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pulling her into his arms, he hugged her as tightly as possible with her belly between them.\u00a0 \u201cI can get around much faster on a horse.\u00a0 It will take a lot longer to go where I need to go in the buggy, and I don\u2019t want you out in the cold that long.\u00a0 Besides that, the buggy would probably get stuck.\u201d\u00a0 He turned her face up to his with a finger under her chin. \u201cMing Lin gave me a list of things to get to make decorations, and I can go by Mrs. Lewis\u2019 and pick up material and ribbons and ask if she has some easy ideas.\u00a0 And while you and Ming Lin are working on those, I\u2019ll go out and collect pine boughs and cones.\u201d Maintaining her frown, she looked away.\u00a0 \u201cSweetheart, I know you haven\u2019t enjoyed this time of year for a long time, except maybe last year.\u00a0 And now this year you\u2019re mostly confined to the house, but Shiloh, there\u2019s a lot to keep you busy here.\u201d\u00a0 He placed his hands on her shoulders and bent at his knees, slightly leaning to see her eyes.<\/p>\n

He was right.\u00a0 She hated Christmas.\u00a0 She hated being cooped up when ordinarily she\u2019d be spending time outside with her horses and collecting pine branches and red berries herself. Her hand dropped to her belly where she absentmindedly rubbed it gently.\u00a0 He was trying so hard to cheer her up and keep her safe and comfortable at the same time. \u00a0She had to try for him, if not for herself.\u00a0 Slowly raising her eyes to his, she smiled hesitantly and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s my girl.\u201d Adam turned at a knock on the door, but kissed her tenderly before he went to answer it.\u00a0 \u201cJoe, I didn\u2019t expect to see you here.\u00a0 Come on in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stomping the snow from his boots, he shook Adam\u2019s hand and went to Shiloh, kissing her cheek.\u00a0 \u201cHow are my two favorite people?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re fine,\u201d answered Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m not talking about you,\u201d Joe said, looking back briefly at Adam who scowled.\u00a0 Turning back to Shiloh, he smiled.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m talking about these two.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh had smiled, but an odd expression suddenly took over her face as she moved her hands to each side of her stomach, prompting Adam to rush over and shove Joe aside.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d he asked with his hands hovering near her, but not touching her, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open.<\/p>\n

She stood motionless for a moment with her arms wrapped around her belly when understanding settled in, and a grin slowly appeared.\u00a0 Taking Adam\u2019s hands, she placed them on both sides of her belly.\u00a0 \u201cDo you feel it?\u201d she asked, looking up at him, elated and tearful at the same time.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been feeling flutters, but this\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Everyone held their breath and waited.<\/p>\n

Shaking his head, Adam said, \u201cI don\u2019t feel a thing.\u00a0 Except for your stomach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot that,\u201d she scolded.\u00a0 \u201cJust wait.\u201d\u00a0 No one moved. \u00a0Then she moved his hand to the bottom of her stomach.\u00a0 \u201cThere.\u00a0 It feels like he flipped over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving behind her, he put his arms around her and laid his hands on her roundness. \u00a0A look of wonder took over his face when he finally felt the baby move under his hands.\u00a0 \u201cJoe, come \u2018ere.\u201d\u00a0 Taking Joe\u2019s hand in his, he placed it on the side of her stomach and held it there.<\/p>\n

Adam laughed with a wide grin at the same time Joe giggled.\u00a0 \u201cIs that\u2026is that really the baby moving around in there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s him,\u201d said Adam proudly, wrapping his arms around Shiloh and kissing the side of her face.<\/p>\n

She was grinning as widely as he; a sure sign that her day had just gotten better.<\/p>\n

Chapter Eighteen<\/p>\n

Joe had come by the house because Hop Sing had a list of things he needed, and with the recent heavy snows, a wagon wasn\u2019t going to be traveling the roads to Virginia City for quite some time.\u00a0 On his way out, Joe decided Ming Lin might be of like mind since he and Hop Sing usually stocked up on supplies together, so he stopped by to see if Adam, perchance, would be braving the snows today.\u00a0 While Joe waited on the top step, both Adam and Shiloh were still laughing as they kissed goodbye, once, twice, and finally as Adam went back to her for a third time, Joe made his impatience known.\u00a0 \u201cCome on, you two. You act like you won\u2019t see each other in a couple of hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Shiloh stood at the door, letting snow blow into the house as she watched them leave, Adam told Joe his plans.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not going to be a couple of hours\u2026more like four or five.\u00a0 I have to ride to our neighbors to invite them to our party Friday night, and then I have to ride around Virginia City to deliver invitations before I get Ming Lin\u2019s supplies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cParty?\u00a0 How come I haven\u2019t heard about a party?\u201d Joe yelled to be heard over the snow- laden wind whipping around them.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause Pa\u2019s was going to be the last stop on the way home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, let me save you some trouble.\u00a0 I\u2019ll go south, you go north, and we\u2019ll meet at the junction and ride into Virginia City together.\u00a0 Then while I\u2019m getting both orders filled, you can deliver your invitations in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate the help, Joe.\u00a0 Shiloh\u2019s expecting me to gather some pine branches and cones to decorate, and I still need to find a tree.\u00a0 But I\u2019ll get Micah to help with that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pulling the collar of his coat up around his face, Joe said with a smile, \u201cLet\u2019s get started.\u00a0 If we stand still here much longer we\u2019ll freeze like this.\u201d\u00a0 Both men mounted up, and at the end of the road leading to the house, they went in separate directions.<\/p>\n

Shiloh watched until they blended into the driving snow, then shivered and closed the front door.\u00a0 With a hand rubbing her stomach, she turned and looked out at the interior of the house, thinking how warm and inviting it felt, and how much more so it would be once decorated.\u00a0 Smiling, she thought that, perhaps, Christmases would be more enjoyable now that she had a husband and his family to share them with.\u00a0 She even got a little misty-eyed that she could include Micah again.<\/p>\n

Deciding to ask Ming Lin to indulge her in the kitchen, she took a deep breath before she shuffled in.\u00a0 Even though she was only five months along, she felt as if she was waddling. \u201cMing Lin, may I speak with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

He stopped kneading dough for sandwich bread and bowed.\u00a0 \u201cPermission is not required, nor expected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, she sat on a stool across from him.\u00a0 \u201cPlease continue.\u00a0 I think we can talk while you work.\u00a0 I had spoken to Hop Sing when Mr. Cartwright and I were first engaged about this, but\u2026well, I was a bit clumsy, and he got a little irritated at me.\u00a0 But I\u2019d like to learn to cook.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ming Lin stopped kneading and gave her a momentarily startled look before he resumed.\u00a0 \u201cI will do whatever you wish.\u00a0 But I will not allow you to carry a flour bag.\u00a0 I do not wish to turn white.\u201d<\/p>\n

She swore she saw a quick smile as he kept his head bent over his work and erupted in laughter herself. \u00a0\u201cI guess Hop Sing told you about that.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry for laughing, Ming Lin.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t funny at the time, but you should have seen the look on Hop Sing\u2019s face,\u201d she explained still laughing.<\/p>\n

He snickered and blushed, then looked up again with a mortified expression.\u00a0 \u201cI am sorry, Mrs. Cartwright.\u00a0 I did not mean to laugh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMing Lin,\u201d she said with a wide grin.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s all right to laugh at something funny.\u00a0 I hope you\u2019ll be with us for a long time and feel as comfortable here with us as Hop Sing is at the main house\u2026like family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking up again, he hesitated, but eventually smiled. \u201cWhat would you like to learn?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything eventually.\u00a0 I already know how to cook bacon crispy the way Adam likes it, and I can scramble eggs.\u00a0 Hop Sing taught me how to make stew before he gave up trying.\u00a0 And Annie taught me how to make basic cookies and bread.\u00a0 I have no idea how to make preserves or cakes and pies, or how to cook meat so that it\u2019s tender.\u00a0 I\u2019ve never plucked a chicken or turkey, and I\u2019ve never prepared a pig either.\u00a0 I have no clue what herbs to use.\u00a0 But what I\u2019d like to learn first is how to make party food and punch.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be having a party next Friday, and I\u2019d like to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I ask a question?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPermission is not required, nor expected,\u201d she answered with a wink.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you wish to learn to cook?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Ming Lin, the sad story is that I have nothing to do right now except practice the piano, and I can only take that in small doses without getting angry.\u00a0 I need to learn all those things I didn\u2019t as a child in my father\u2019s home\u2026those things my mother would have taught me had she been alive.\u00a0 Mrs. Lewis was going to come out to teach me how to sew and quilt, but the snow is keeping her away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ming Lin placed the dough he had been working in a bowl, brushed the top with butter, and then laid a towel over it and set it aside to rise.\u00a0 \u201cI will teach you to cook.\u00a0 I can also teach you to mend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know how to make Christmas decorations?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am familiar with American decorations.\u00a0 I can help you make what I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam had gone north along the Ponderosa border and began to work his way down to the ranches and homesteads along the way back to the junction at the Ponderosa\u2019s main road and the road to Virginia City.\u00a0 Each time he cleared the cover of the trees, his pace slowed because of the heavy snow coming down that had already accumulated over a foot on the ground.\u00a0 Before he reached the first ranch house, he moved his eyes to either side of him as he rode, having the feeling that he was being followed.\u00a0 When he saw no movement, he smiled and continued on.\u00a0 He was sure the dismal grayness and darkness beyond the trees on either side of the road were making him edgy.\u00a0\u00a0 He stopped at the first three homes, delivered his message and rode on.<\/p>\n

The road to the next ranch ran through a particularly dense grove of trees, and under the cover of the boughs, the darkness enveloped him.\u00a0 Half way through, he jerked his head to the right, sure he\u2019d seen a flash of white, but could see nothing, the only sound the wind through the trees and the occasional crack of a limb under the weight of snow.\u00a0 He relaxed until he saw another movement out of the corner of his eye to the left, but didn\u2019t look this time.\u00a0 Twice was not his imagination.\u00a0 He unbuttoned the lower buttons of his coat and removed the strap of leather over the hammer of his gun, letting his hand rest there as he coaxed Sport into a faster gait. \u00a0Riding on, he already knew what he was facing.\u00a0 The only animals in those parts that would stalk in numbers were wolves.\u00a0 But it was unusual for more than a lone wolf to be this low in the mountains, the only possible reason being they could find no food higher in the Sierra.\u00a0 That would be reasonable considering the ferocity of the recent storms they had experienced in the lower elevations; in the higher ranges, the storms would be worse.<\/p>\n

But there were herds of cattle grazing on all the ranch land, and under cover of one of these storms, a single wolf could easily take a beef.\u00a0 Several working together would be even more efficient.\u00a0 So why were wolves stalking him?<\/p>\n

As he rode, the wolves became bolder, traveling closer to the road, but still in the trees.\u00a0 At any one time, Adam could see more than one on both sides of the road.\u00a0 He knew not to run, but rather turn and face them.\u00a0 If he ran, it would trigger something primal in the animals that told them to follow and attack.\u00a0 A lone wolf might not be so daring, but for a pack of wolves, it would be instinctual.<\/p>\n

He began looking for a suitable place to stop and stand his ground, searching for a rock face or high pile of boulders to cover his back.\u00a0 He had ignored the turns to the other homesteads for fear of leading the pack to the unsuspecting families.\u00a0\u00a0 He was close enough to the junction that under normal circumstances, if Joe was already waiting there, he\u2019d hear the sound of gunfire.\u00a0 But the howl of the wind could easily muffle the sound or carry it away from the junction.\u00a0 Still, he removed his revolver and shot twice into the air.<\/p>\n

The wolves retreated deeper into the forest, but continued to shadow him, so he began to look in earnest for a place to stop.\u00a0 A large mound of boulders was taking shape just beyond where the forest opened up to clear terrain.\u00a0 He replaced his revolver in its holster and slowly pulled his rifle from the scabbard, preparing to quickly dismount and move Sport behind him against the rocks.\u00a0 As he approached the boulders, he tensed.\u00a0\u00a0 If he couldn\u2019t dismount quickly enough and stop Sport, the horse might keep going and fall victim to the pack\u2026or they might decide he was the easier prey.<\/p>\n

There was no more time for thought.\u00a0 He pulled back hard on the reins and swung his leg forward over the saddle, landing on both feet in front of Sport and facing the pack whose members had stopped in a line on the road.\u00a0 Adam scanned them back and forth, watching as they spread out and slowly closed the distance.\u00a0 He aimed for the wolf further to his left, but before he pulled the trigger, a shot rang out from beyond the line of wolves in front of him.\u00a0 Hearing a high pitched whine above and to his back, he risked a quick look and saw a dark, almost black wolf fall to the ground behind Sport.\u00a0 Looking quickly back to the line, he raised his rifle and shot the wolf closest to him.<\/p>\n

The members of the pack, slowly losing their confidence, whined and paced before retreating back into the darkness of the forest.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u00a0 Adam, it\u2019s Joe,\u201d came a call from the darkness.\u00a0 As Joe rode into sight, Adam breathed a loud sigh and caught himself on his saddle.\u00a0 \u201cAre you all right,\u201d asked Joe as he dismounted and rushed to Adam\u2019s side, taking hold of an arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am now, thanks to you.\u00a0 I had no idea another one was above me.\u00a0 I\u2019d have been dinner if you hadn\u2019t come along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was only a few hundred yards south of the junction when I heard the shots.\u201d\u00a0 Looking around them, and then at the wolf on the ground behind Adam, he said, \u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u00a0 We\u2019ve never had a pack down this far, and there\u2019s beef for the taking.\u00a0 Why did they come after you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, but we have to find out before they find the outlying ranches.\u00a0 They went back toward the Ponderosa.\u00a0 We\u2019ve got to warn Pa and Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go back to the house.\u00a0 These supplies will have to wait,\u201d said Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe supplies and the party will have to wait.\u00a0 We can\u2019t have people riding through here with a pack of wolves around.\u00a0\u00a0 But it\u2019s too dangerous for us to ride alone.\u00a0 Pa and Hop Sing are in for the night, but Shiloh may go out on the porch for firewood.\u00a0 There wasn\u2019t a lot left on the hearth when I left.\u00a0 Hopefully Johnny has the horses inside the stable and the doors closed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe took a long look at the wolf that fell from the top of the boulders.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s a big one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mounting his horse, Adam looked down at the carcass.\u00a0 \u201cWe can hope he was the leader of the pack.\u00a0 I\u2019d hate to think what might happen if there are bigger wolves in that pack than this one.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Nineteen<\/p>\n

Ming Lin brought out a cup of hot tea for Shiloh as she sat on the sofa reading a letter.\u00a0 He had begun to offer her a special blend of hot tea rather than preparing coffee for her, knowing that the tea would make her condition more comfortable.<\/p>\n

She had read the letter so many times she knew it by heart.\u00a0 It came from Annie and Hoss, both writing separate paragraphs on the same sheet of paper.\u00a0 Though it was short, it certainly was sweet. Every time she read it, she couldn\u2019t help but smile.<\/p>\n

Hoss had arrived safe and sound a little over a month ago and was settled into a boarding house for the winter.\u00a0 There wasn\u2019t much for him to do on his own until Annie was free from her classes, so he helped the woman who owned the boarding house with minor work and the seasonal chores that came along with Christmas.\u00a0 Evidently, Mrs. Levine was keeping him busy while Annie wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Annie was doing so well in her classes, her instructors made the decision to shorten her time there.\u00a0 She would be coming back to Virginia City in time to spend the next Christmas with the Cartwrights, and couldn\u2019t wait to meet the newest addition to the family.\u00a0 She hoped to offer specialized medical services to the women of Virginia City, but was concerned how she would be accepted.\u00a0 Shiloh made a mental note to bring up the possibility of a female doctor working with the women of Virginia City to Dr. Martin the next time she saw him.\u00a0 Lowering the letter to her lap, she sighed, wondering when the next time would come for her to go to town, considering the harsh winter they were experiencing.<\/p>\n

While Shiloh quietly pored over the letter, Ming Lin busied himself stoking the fire and adding another log.<\/p>\n

\u201cMing Lin, I have a favor to ask of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mrs. Cartwright,\u201d he answered with a smile, approaching her and standing facing her with his hands crossed in front of him.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, sit down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ming Lin\u2019s happy smile changed to a nervous one as he slowly sat in the wing chair next to the sofa.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d prefer that you didn\u2019t call me Mrs. Cartwright.\u00a0 It sounds so formal, and I\u2019d like you to feel at home here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do feel\u2026at home.\u00a0 But I am hired help.\u00a0 It would not be proper to address you any other way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing doesn\u2019t call me Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but he calls the master of the house Mr. Cartwright, and you are the mistress of this house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t require that you don\u2019t, Ming Lin, but it would make me feel more comfortable if you didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps\u2026with time,\u201d said Ming Lin, smiling and nodding.\u00a0 \u201cIf you are ready to learn, we can begin now.\u00a0 I am preparing your lunch and will start dinner after.\u201d<\/p>\n

As they walked into the kitchen, Shiloh asked, \u201cDid I ask you if you know how to make Christmas tree ornaments?\u201d\u00a0 Ming Lin just smiled and continued on.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The new leader of the wolf pack stood on the edge of the woods, his snout held up in the air taking in the scents of the surrounding area.\u00a0 He was bloody, having fought for his position in the pack, and after losing two of the pack\u2019s members including their former leader, he didn\u2019t kill his rival, but rather left him with a nasty bite to his hind quarter.\u00a0 He would live.<\/p>\n

The other pack had driven them away from the plentiful source of food, and finding other suitable meat was proving to be difficult.\u00a0 But now he could smell the unmistakable odor of dung, though light on the bitter wind, and where there was dung, there was meat.\u00a0 Considering the structure in front of him with its unfamiliar odors in the air, odors that did not appeal to him, but would do if necessary, he disappeared back into the trees to follow the more appetizing scent.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Billy had gone outside the stables to retrieve wet towels he had laid on the snow to chill.\u00a0 He was going to use them to wrap one of the horse\u2019s legs where he\u2019d felt heat just above the fetlock.\u00a0 Tom and Johnny were warm in the bunk room, heating up a pot of beans to go with the bread Ming Lin had delivered to them earlier that day.\u00a0 Ming Lin had been good to them this winter, bringing them pork to add to the beans and leaving eggs, bacon and coffee for their mornings.<\/p>\n

They had just finished feeding the horses and returned to the warmth of the bunk room when a disturbance broke out in the stables. The horses suddenly began to fidget in their stalls, kicking at the walls. The two men left their bunk room and watched the horses.\u00a0 Those on the other end of the stables near the door seemed more agitated than those further inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like it,\u201d said Johnny.\u00a0 \u201cSomethin\u2019s got \u2018em spooked.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Taking his gun from the holster hanging on the bunk room wall, he entered the stables, walking slowly down the middle aisle and looking from side to side into the stalls.\u00a0 Tom was close behind when both men jerked to a stop at the sound of a horrific scream coming from the other side of the stable doors.\u00a0 Their first thought was that Billy was outside those doors.<\/p>\n

Running to the end of the aisle, Johnny pushed the door to the side, making a gap wide enough for both men to peer out into the grayness.\u00a0 Dark images moved in from the forest and gathered in a huddled, snapping, writhing mass until Johnny raised his gun and began firing.<\/p>\n

Tom froze, knowing what the wolves had been tearing at, and when the pack had been chased away by Johnny\u2019s bullets, he ran to what was left on the snow.\u00a0 Standing rigid, he looked down at the two bodies below him, the body of a wolf lying limp over the mutilated remains of Billy.\u00a0 Dropping to his knees, he cried.<\/p>\n

Johnny slowly approached the pile, his stomach churning at the thought of what he would find.\u00a0 He stood behind Tom unable to move, the cold chill of winter seemingly more piercing than usual.<\/p>\n

Both men looked back up at the sound of howling and barking coming from the edge of the woods.\u00a0 The wolves had regrouped, some struggling to walk forward, but all covered in the blood of their victim, their eyes glowing in the dim light that sifted through the clouds.\u00a0 Each man took an arm and dragged what was left of Billy into the stable, closing the door behind them and dropping the bar that held the doors closed securely.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cMing Lin, did you hear that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard nothing Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI could have sworn I heard gunshots from down the hill.\u201d\u00a0 She walked out of the kitchen to the big windows behind the dining room, watching for any movement at the stables.\u00a0 Seeing nothing, she shrugged at the sudden chill in the room.\u00a0 The fire was dying down, and finding no wood on the hearth, she called to Ming Lin.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going to bring more wood from the front porch.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be right back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ming Lin heard the front door open followed by delicate footsteps moving across the porch to the wood stack.\u00a0 He could see the front porch from the kitchen window and watched as Mrs. Cartwright stacked more wood than she should be carrying in her arms before she turned back toward the door.\u00a0 Then he saw what looked like a dark figure just beyond his ability to clearly see.\u00a0 He wiped his eyes, but upon seeing a second dark, stalking figure, he dropped the mixing bowl he had been holding and ran into the front room.<\/p>\n

Shiloh struggled under the weight of the wood.\u00a0 It was a good thing she had left the door cracked, and just as she stepped in and then leaned back against the door to close it, something hit the other side hard enough for her to lose her grip on the wood.\u00a0 The door had latched, but puzzled, she reached down for the latch and squeezed.<\/p>\n

A hand slammed against the door in front of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat on earth are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo not open the door,\u201d ordered Ming Lin in a tone of voice so forceful, she drew back.<\/p>\n

Chapter Twenty<\/p>\n

Without removing her hand from the latch, she barked, \u201cSomething hit the door.\u00a0 I need to see what it was,\u201d as she squeezed the handle.<\/p>\n

Grasping her wrist so tightly that she released the latch, Ming Lin stepped between her and the door.\u00a0 \u201cIt was a wolf.\u201d<\/p>\n

An icy chill ran from her head to her feet as she stared at Ming Lin with wide eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw from the kitchen.\u00a0 We must hurry and close the shutters,\u201d he said, pointing to the windows on the far side of the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cA wolf,\u201d Shiloh barely uttered, unable to move at the thought of how close it had come to knocking her through the door.<\/p>\n

Ming Lin didn’t wait for her, but instead ran from window to window securing the shutters.\u00a0 Both of them turned at the sound of breaking glass coming from the kitchen.\u00a0 Grabbing Shiloh\u2019s hand, he ordered her up to the top of the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u00a0 The rifles.\u00a0 We need guns.\u00a0 Detouring to the gun cabinet, she fumbled with the key to the lock on the chains as Ming Lin watched beyond the dining room.\u00a0 They could hear pots and pans crashing to the floor before she finally pulled the chain through the trigger guards, handing a rifle to Ming Lin and taking one for herself.\u00a0 Next, she pulled a box of ammunition from a drawer and both climbed the stairs, loading the rifles as they watched the kitchen.<\/p>\n

They held their breath as they waited with their guns at ready.<\/p>\n

Banging at the front door startled Ming Lin so severely that he pulled the trigger.\u00a0 The recoil sent him backward as the bullet lodged in the dining room wall.<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh!\u00a0 It\u2019s Adam.\u00a0 Let me in.\u201d<\/p>\n

She scrambled down the stairs before Ming Lin could restrain her.\u00a0 Running for the door, she threw the latch just as a wolf loped out of the kitchen, stopping at the corner of the dining room and looking around the room, its tongue hanging out and dripping with saliva as it smelled the air.\u00a0 Lowering its head, the wolf slowly stepped closer and closer to the door just as Adam stepped in.\u00a0 Another gun shot rang out as the wolf leapt into the air at the same time Adam pulled Shiloh into him and drew his gun.\u00a0 This time Ming Lin\u2019s shot hit its mark.<\/p>\n

Burying her head in Adam\u2019s chest, she braced herself for the worst, but what she heard was a loud thud.\u00a0 No sooner had she taken a relieved breath when a second wolf thundered around the corner.<\/p>\n

Pulling Shiloh around him, Adam enveloped her in his arms as he turned his back to the animal, expecting to take the brunt of the wolf\u2019s attack.<\/p>\n

Two more gun shots from the direction of the kitchen brought it down on top of its companion.<\/p>\n

Looking over his shoulder, he saw Micah and Joe standing at the corner, their guns drawn and leveled at the wolves.\u00a0 A morbid look passed between the men before Adam nodded at the carcasses on the floor, and then at the door.\u00a0 \u201cGet them out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, we\u2019ve got to get the windows in the rooms back here covered.\u00a0 There might be more of the pack outside,\u201d said Micah, holstering his gun.<\/p>\n

Nodding, Adam turned his attention to Shiloh who had squeezed herself into the smallest amount of space she could manage against him.\u00a0 Her face was ashen, her eyes bloodshot and full of fear, her body trembled uncontrollably, and her fingers gripped his jacket so tightly her knuckles were white.\u00a0 Turning her face up to his, he whispered, \u201cIt\u2019s over.\u00a0 Everyone\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

She blinked back tears as she met his gaze, understanding his words.\u00a0 Even so, she couldn\u2019t stop shaking, nor could she loosen her grip.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, we\u2019ve got everything closed up back there except for the kitchen door.\u00a0 They came right through the glass\u2026splintered the muntins,\u201d said Micah.<\/p>\n

Without taking his eyes off Shiloh, Adam replied, \u201cMove the hutch in front of the door.\u00a0 If they can\u2019t see in, they won\u2019t try to get in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs Shy all right?\u201d asked Micah quietly, taking another step closer.<\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t answer.\u00a0 His eyes remained fixed on Shiloh\u2019s.\u00a0 \u201cAre you?\u201d he asked softly.<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t lie to him; she was more frightened than she had ever been, her thoughts centered on the baby and what might have happened had any of the wolves taken her to the floor. \u00a0Squeezing her eyes shut, she maintained her grip and pressed her body into him as if she could possibly get closer.<\/p>\n

Lifting her into his arms, Adam carried her toward the stairs where Ming Lin, still holding the rifle, stepped to one side. \u201cMing Lin, would you make some of that hot tea she likes and bring it to our bedroom?\u201d<\/p>\n

Dutifully nodding, he took the rifle back to the gun cabinet and made haste to the kitchen.\u00a0 When he entered, he stopped and surveyed the damage.\u00a0 It appeared at least one of the wolves had jumped on top of the work table, scattering all the bowls, pans and dough.\u00a0 The meat that had been basted and readied to go into the oven was gone, remnants of bone and gristle strewn over the floor.\u00a0 Stepping over the debris here and there, he found the kettle where it had been knocked off the stove, washed it in the wash basin and proceeded to heat water for Mrs. Cartwright\u2019s tea.<\/p>\n

Upstairs, Adam laid Shiloh on the bed and pried her hands away from his jacket as he slipped it off.\u00a0 \u201cMing Lin is going to bring you some tea to help you relax.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you stay with me?\u201d she asked in a barely audible whisper.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have some things to do, but I\u2019ll be back as soon as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease don\u2019t go back out,\u201d she said on the verge of tears.\u00a0 \u201cWhat if more are outside?\u00a0\u00a0 What if they get back into the house?\u201d she cried anxiously as she shot up from the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSsh\u2026ssh,\u201d he said comfortingly, hugging her tightly against him.\u00a0 \u201cThe house is buttoned up tight.\u00a0 They won\u2019t get back in.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t really think there are very many left\u2026maybe two or three.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know that?\u201d she whimpered into his shoulder.<\/p>\n

He winced as he looked beyond her toward the window.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t tell her what had happened on the road just yet\u2026it would only upset her more.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s just a guess, Sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA-Adam,\u201d she whispered.\u00a0 \u201cI-I heard g-gun shots earlier.\u00a0 They came fr-fr-from the st-stables.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prying her away, he looked into her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you think I should go down there and make sure everyone\u2019s all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot alone!\u201d she exclaimed.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe and Micah will go with me.\u00a0\u00a0 Once we\u2019ve checked out the stables, we\u2019ll ride over to Pa\u2019s to make sure he and Hop Sing are all right, and before Micah and I leave, we\u2019ll get some men from the bunkhouse to ride back with us.\u00a0 There\u2019s safety in numbers.\u00a0 The wolves won\u2019t come after that many of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he rose from the side of the bed, Shiloh wrapped her arms around herself and looked toward the window, another tear making its way down her already wet face. Reaching down, he wiped the tear away, and then moved his finger under her chin, raising her face.\u00a0 \u201cSweetheart, it\u2019s over.\u00a0 But you\u2019ve had quite a scare.\u00a0 I\u2019d like you to rest until I get back.\u00a0 It\u2019ll be dark soon, and I want everyone where they\u2019re supposed to be before then.\u201d\u00a0 Bending down, he kissed her tenderly before he turned to leave.<\/p>\n

She said nothing as she watched him go.\u00a0\u00a0 Despite his reassurances, she had a nagging feeling deep inside her that the ordeal was far from over.\u00a0 Climbing out of the bed, she went to the window in the empty master bedroom, leaned against the sash and watched as the dim figures of the three riders on their horses trudged through the snow down the hill toward the stables.<\/p>\n

Chapter Twenty-One<\/p>\n

Though their bedroom was devoid of furniture, the sitting room, which would be a nursery when the baby came, contained one piece; a rocking chair Adam had purchased for Shiloh while they were in the house at the Flying W.\u00a0 The sitting room was surrounded by windows looking out over the corrals and stables in a small valley at the side of the house with views of Lake Tahoe through the back windows.\u00a0\u00a0 Even though it was still too early in the day to be dark, no bright light shone into the room.\u00a0 Outside it was dim and gray and\u2026depressing. The gloom seemed to portend the events of the day. \u00a0Even the lake with its small whitecaps looked like the cold coal remnants of a fire. \u00a0The constant snow made it difficult to see any detail at all.\u00a0 The trees looked like a water color painting that had gotten wet and turned into a smear of dull green.<\/p>\n

Sitting quietly in the rocker, Shiloh watched the stables, an ominous foreboding consuming her.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Dismounting their horses at the stable doors, Micah stopped cold when he saw darkened snow off to the side of the stable.\u00a0 \u201cThat doesn\u2019t look good.\u201d<\/p>\n

All three men dropped their reins and walked over to look.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s a lot of blood,\u201d said Joe.\u00a0 \u201cAnd look at the way it\u2019s spread out\u2026like pieces of something were taken.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a dead wolf over here,\u201d called Micah, who had walked at little further toward the side of the stable.<\/p>\n

A chill ran down Adam\u2019s spine as he spoke to Joe.\u00a0 \u201cLike something was eaten.\u201d\u00a0 Bringing his hand up to cover his mouth, he closed his eyes and turned away, quickly stepping back to the stables doors and opening them.<\/p>\n

There in front of him, Johnny and Tom were kneeling over a body, both men in tears as they attempted to pull the shredded remains of a shirt back over its missing gut.<\/p>\n

Slowly removing his hat, Adam new that body had been Billy before he even looked.\u00a0 He turned away to find a blanket as Micah and Joe entered the stable, removing their hats as well.<\/p>\n

Returning with canvas, Adam spoke to Joe, nodding toward Johnny and Tom, and then to the bunk rooms.\u00a0 \u201cTake them back to their bunks, and see if you can find them some whiskey.\u00a0 Micah?\u201d he said, holding out a corner of the canvas.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019re you thinking, Adam?\u201d asked Micah as he helped wrap the body in the canvas.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t leave him in here, and we can\u2019t bury him out there.\u00a0 The ground is too hard to dig anything more than a shallow grave.\u00a0 We\u2019ll take him up to the barn and leave him there until we can get to Roy.\u00a0 It should stay cold enough to\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Without finishing his thought, he secured the canvas with rope, and then went deeper into the stables to retrieve Billy\u2019s horse.<\/p>\n

Once Billy\u2019s body was secured to his horse, Micah and Adam went back to the bunk room.\u00a0 \u201cJohnny?\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking up with red-rimmed eyes, Johnny nodded.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll be all right, Mr. Adam.\u00a0 But what are you going to do with Billy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll be in the barn up at the house until Roy can come out.\u00a0 You two should be all right here.\u00a0 The wolves won\u2019t be able to get in.\u00a0 Even so, I\u2019m bringing another hand back from the main bunkhouse to help with the horses, so expect a knock on the doors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men nodded and watched Joe, Adam and Micah leave with Billy\u2019s horse in tow. When the three men got to the barn, they placed Billy\u2019s body on top of a storage box off the dirt floor.\u00a0 Once they had turned back toward their horses, Adam stopped them.\u00a0 \u201cBoth of you.\u00a0 Not a word to Shiloh.\u00a0 I\u2019ll tell her when she\u2019s calmer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I need to be there when you do,\u201d said Micah.\u00a0 \u201cEver since Dad took him in, Shiloh\u2019s been the one that made sure Billy was taken care of.\u00a0 She\u2019s not going to take this well at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you know about Billy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember Bill Reed?\u00a0 He was foreman at the Flying W before Hank.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cWasn\u2019t he killed by a wolf?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep,\u201d answered Micah, bowing his head and scuffing the dirt floor.\u00a0 \u201cHe was Billy\u2019s pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know Bill had children,\u201d said Adam in surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe kept it quiet because he didn\u2019t want any trouble.\u00a0 He married a Washoe woman.\u00a0 And then when Billy came along\u2026well, after a year or two, they knew he wasn\u2019t quite right.\u00a0 He learned everything later than normal.\u00a0 Anyway, after Bill died, his wife\u2026I don\u2019t remember her name, but Shy will\u2026she said she couldn\u2019t take Billy back to her people.\u00a0 They wouldn\u2019t accept him in the tribe because he was only half Washoe and because he was cursed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know if Billy\u2019s mother is still alive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if I did, I wouldn\u2019t know how to find her.\u00a0 The Washoe are fairly spread out, and they tend to hide from white men.\u00a0 Shiloh might know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m not going to tell her tonight.\u00a0 She\u2019s going to have a hard enough time sleeping.\u00a0 I\u2019ll tell her tomorrow.\u00a0 If she knows if Billy\u2019s mother is alive and where she is, we\u2019ll take Billy\u2019s body to her.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh stood when she saw four distinct shapes leaving the stables.\u00a0 As they got closer to the house, she could see that one of the riders wasn\u2019t upright and hung her head, her mind racing around which of her three men was now wrapped in canvas.<\/p>\n

She jumped at a knock on the open bedroom door.\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 I have brought you tea.\u201d\u00a0 She closed her eyes and didn\u2019t move, prompting Ming Lin to walk to the window.\u00a0 He looked at her first, then looked out the window, and seeing the four horses that had almost reached the house, he gently took her hand.\u00a0 \u201cYou come downstairs with me to drink your tea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jerking her head up, she whispered, \u201cNo,\u201d as if being heard might bring more bad things down upon her.<\/p>\n

Ming Lin smiled.\u00a0 \u201cIt is safe in the house.\u00a0 The shutters are closed and bolted and the kitchen door has been blocked.\u00a0 Nothing can get in.\u00a0 Not even Mr. Cartwright without knocking.\u201d\u00a0 Taking her hand, he urged her again.\u00a0 \u201cPlease, come.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam, Micah and Joe left for the main house, arriving as the already muted light began to fade.\u00a0 They entered the house in such a rush that Ben, who was sitting in the leather chair next to the fireplace, smoking his pipe and reading his paper, jumped to his feet.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Hop Sing?\u201d asked Joe, heading for the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s…,\u201d Ben started, but Joe had already disappeared around the corner.\u00a0 \u201cIn the kitchen.\u201d\u00a0 Glaring at Adam, Ben asked, \u201cWould you mind telling me what\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a wolf problem.\u00a0 A big wolf problem.\u201d\u00a0 Adam filled his father in on what had transpired throughout the day.<\/p>\n

When he relayed what had happened to Shiloh and Billy, Ben fell hard back into his chair.\u00a0 \u201cIs Shiloh all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s pretty shaken up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI imagine so.\u00a0 Does she know about Billy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bowing his head, Adam replied, \u201cNo, not yet.\u00a0 I wanted to make sure everyone was where they needed to be for the night before I told her.\u201d\u00a0 Looking up at the ceiling, he added.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not looking forward to telling her.\u00a0 It\u2019s going to be a long night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben straightened in his chair. \u201cWhat in thunder is a pack of wolves doing down this far when there\u2019s plenty of beef on the range?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Pa.\u00a0 But we don\u2019t have time to figure it out. \u00a0We have to set out bait and kill the rest of this pack.\u00a0 Now you and Micah haven\u2019t seen any signs of them around your places, so I say we bait closer to my house and wait them out.\u00a0 We\u2019ve already killed five that we know of so there can\u2019t be that many left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right.\u00a0 Joe and I will gather some men early tomorrow morning and meet at your place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about the men, except bring one with you.\u00a0 We should travel in threes.\u00a0 I thought I\u2019d take some men back with us so Joe can stay here, and Micah can get back to the Flying W.\u00a0 The men can stay in the bunkhouse there and ride back to my house with him in the morning.\u00a0 And I\u2019ll be putting one of them in the stable with Johnny and Tom until this is over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a good idea, Son,\u201d said Ben as he walked Micah and Adam to the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing said he hasn\u2019t seen any signs.\u00a0 There\u2019s no chickens, goats or pigs missing,\u201d said Joe as he joined them at the front door.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u00a0 Maybe we can keep it that way.\u201d\u00a0 Adam turned and walked out the door, tipping his hat to his father.<\/p>\n

Chapter Twenty-Two<\/p>\n

Adam stood on the front porch, his hand on the door latch, but he couldn\u2019t squeeze it just yet.\u00a0 Taking a deep breath, he looked up at nothing in particular hoping the air would clear his head.\u00a0 Unfortunately, he still had no idea how he was going to keep Shiloh from seeing on his face that things had been much worse that evening.<\/p>\n

In the end, once he opened the door, he knew he couldn\u2019t.\u00a0 Shiloh had heard his boots on the front steps and stood ten feet away from the door, waiting.\u00a0 She had already unbolted the door; something that his troubled mind had forgotten should be in place.\u00a0 With her eyes swollen half closed, the blue of her irises still stood out prominently against the surrounding red. She was bent, as if she was having trouble standing, and her hands were drawn into fists at her sides.<\/p>\n

He hesitated before he closed the door and began to remove his hat, jacket, gloves and gun.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t move, her eyes fixed on his wherever he looked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d she asked in a hoarse voice.<\/p>\n

Micah slipped in the door and stood motionless behind Adam, waiting for whatever was about to happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d Adam asked back, feigning confusion.\u00a0 He had hoped he could ease into it.\u00a0 How could she know?<\/p>\n

He stepped toward her, and she took an equal number of steps backward.\u00a0 \u201cWho came up from the stables wrapped in canvas?\u201d she asked as tears began to make their way down her cheeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t do that to me.\u00a0 Just tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

His nostrils flared as he took a deep breath and looked up at her from under his brows, first looking at her eyes, then at her belly.\u00a0 Lurching forward, he grabbed her hands even as she tried to pull away to go behind the sofa as she often kept the sofa between them during difficult discussions.\u00a0 Holding her against him as she tried to push away, he lay his cheek on hers and spoke quietly in her ear.\u00a0 \u201cListen to me.\u00a0 There\u2019s nothing you can do to change what\u2019s happened.\u00a0 There\u2019s nothing any one of us can do.\u00a0 You getting so upset isn\u2019t good for you or the baby.\u201d\u00a0 He listened to her breathe.\u00a0 \u201cDeep breaths, Sweetheart.\u00a0 That\u2019s it,\u201d he said as she stopped pushing, eventually moving her hands to his sides.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

He closed his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cBilly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNoooo!\u201d \u00a0\u00a0He thought he had prepared himself, but his heart sank at her agonized cry. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cNo,\u201d she whimpered, burying her face against him and clenching his shirt in her fists.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Micah poured two glasses of whiskey as Ming Ling served Shiloh\u2019s tea.\u00a0 He had made a special brew, stronger than the tea he normally made for her hoping it would calm her and later help her sleep.\u00a0 Adam had managed to quiet her and coaxed her to the sofa.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d she asked quietly after taking a long drink of the tea.<\/p>\n

Sitting on the edge of the sofa next to her, Adam kept a hand on her shoulder. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to know what happened.\u00a0 It won\u2019t do you any good to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the wolves, wasn\u2019t it?\u00a0 He was by himself outside, and they attacked, didn\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you want to torture yourself, Shy?\u201d asked Micah.\u00a0 \u201cIt really doesn\u2019t matter how he died.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes bored into her brother\u2019s. \u201cYou know it does.\u201d<\/p>\n

He knelt in front of her.\u00a0 \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to tell Cheron what happened.\u00a0 It will be important to her since Billy\u2019s father was killed by wolves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know that?\u201d asked Micah, looking sideways at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the men brought Bill\u2019s body into the yard, I was looking out the upstairs window when Daddy uncovered it.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever forget that.\u00a0 I was too young to understand what had happened, but now\u2026\u201d \u00a0Both Adam and Micah held their breath as Shiloh bowed her head, salty tears dropping into her tea.\u00a0 \u201cBilly was so innocent and to think of him alone\u2026and terrified\u2026and screaming in pain while they\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop,\u201d said Adam, taking her face and turning it to him.\u00a0 \u201cJust stop.\u00a0 There\u2019s no point in thinking about it, Shiloh.\u00a0 You have to think about you and the baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am thinking about the baby,\u201d she cried.<\/p>\n

Moving in close, Adam said firmly, \u201cLook at me.\u201d\u00a0 When she tried to turn away, he held her face close to his.\u00a0 \u201cLook<\/em> at me.\u00a0 The baby is fine at the moment.\u00a0 But he might not be if you don\u2019t calm yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI still need to find Cheron,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s Cheron?\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah stood and moved to the wing chair adjacent to the sofa.\u00a0 \u201cBilly\u2019s mother.\u00a0 How do you know she\u2019s still alive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes when I went riding, I\u2019d go down to Clear Creek.\u00a0 That\u2019s where her village is.\u00a0 She\u2019d see me and would leave the village to talk to me.\u00a0 I promised her I\u2019d let her know how Billy was doing.\u00a0 But it\u2019s been awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam released her and took her hand.\u00a0 \u201cWhen\u2019s the last time you saw her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter you left on the last cattle drive\u2026to Salt Lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, once we take care of the rest of the wolves, Micah and I,\u201d he looked at Micah who nodded, \u201cwill ride down to Clear Creek and find her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe won\u2019t talk to you.\u00a0 Her people didn\u2019t want her back after Bill died, but she promised she would have nothing more to do with whites.\u00a0 That\u2019s why she leaves the village when she sees me\u2026so we can talk without her people knowing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t go,\u201d he said, shaking his head with his jaw set.<\/p>\n

Micah sat forward with his elbows on his knees.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, there\u2019s another way.\u00a0 The old Indian in town\u2026the one they call Chief\u2026he\u2019s from the Clear Creek band.\u00a0 He can get a message to Cheron.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd tell her what, Micah?\u201d Shiloh asked insolently, dabbing at her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cTell her that her son is dead\u2026sorry?\u00a0 You can\u2019t do that.\u00a0 I need to tell her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019ll send word that she needs to come here,\u201d said Adam.\u00a0 Stroking her hair, he looked lovingly into her eyes as she swallowed hard, unable to stop the tears.\u00a0 Even so, she nodded.\u00a0 \u201cMicah, the men are outside waiting for you.\u00a0 Ride down to the stables with Jake, and the rest of you go on to the Flying W.\u00a0 We\u2019ll meet here before first light tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah went back to Shiloh, and when Adam stood, he sat down next to her, pulling her into his arms as she broke down again.\u00a0 \u201cSsh, Little Sister.\u00a0 I know it hurts, but making yourself sick isn\u2019t going to do anyone any good.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned back and moved a hand to her cheek.\u00a0 \u201cEspecially my little niece or nephew.\u00a0 Listen to me.\u00a0 You took good care of Billy.\u00a0 You have to do one last thing. You have to give him back to his mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if her people won\u2019t let her take him back?\u201d she asked, sniffling.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019ll do whatever Cheron needs to do at the Flying W where he grew up.\u201d\u00a0 Kissing her forehead, he stood and walked to the door with Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep your eyes open,\u201d warned Adam. \u201cWe don\u2019t know how many of them are down here.\u00a0 Light some torches.\u201d\u00a0 Micah looked back worriedly at Shiloh.\u00a0 Moving a hand to Micah\u2019s shoulder, Adam said. \u201cDon\u2019t worry.\u00a0 I\u2019ll make sure she rests.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah nodded. \u201cI know you will.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ben gently knocked his pipe on the side of the pipe stand letting the burned tobacco fall into the ash receiver before he stood and headed for the stairs.\u00a0 Joe had already gone up a half hour earlier, and the house was dim and quiet.\u00a0 Still Ben had stayed up later than usual, contemplating the wolves, always coming back to the same question; what drove them down this far?\u00a0 His slow, thoughtful ascent of the stairs was interrupted by a knock on the door.<\/p>\n

Turning and glancing at the grandfather clock, he shook his head and muttered, \u201cWho\u2019d be knocking on the door at this time of night?\u201d<\/p>\n

When he opened it, he was taken by surprise. He had names running through his head of any number of people it would most likely be, but the man standing before him hadn\u2019t entered his mind.\u00a0 \u201cGray Wolf?\u201d he said, cautiously.\u00a0 \u201cPlease, come in,\u201d he finished, stepping aside to allow the Paiute into the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen Cartwright, you are surprised to see me.\u00a0 You have not been bothered by the low wolves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the contrary, Gray Wolf, we have been unpleasantly bothered by the wolves.\u00a0 They\u2019ve stalked my son, terrorized his wife, and they\u2019ve killed one of our men.<\/p>\n

Gray Wolf grunted.\u00a0 \u201cThe same has happened in our village.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut your village is further up in the mountains.\u00a0 Do you know why they\u2019ve come this far down?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have come down from the mountains near the lake of our fathers in search of food, food that was once plentiful, but is no more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know Gray Wolf, but why now?\u00a0 The white settlers destroyed the elk herds several years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhite ranchers to the north have come onto our tribal lands to hunt them.\u00a0 They have nowhere to roam in safety.\u00a0 The pack that is already there has chased them down further.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo this is a different pack; not the Sierra wolf pack.\u00a0 But why have you come down, Gray Wolf?\u00a0 If they\u2019re here, they aren\u2019t a danger to your people any longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have attacked our village when our men were hunting, killing our women and children.\u00a0 They must be killed or they will continue.\u00a0 But they must be brought back to the lake of our fathers.\u00a0 It was their land before us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded thoughtfully, knowing the spirit world of their people as well as the animals that roamed their ancestral lands were an important part of Paiute tradition.\u00a0 \u201cMy men will be gathering at my son, Adam\u2019s house early tomorrow morning.\u00a0 He\u2019s going to bait a trap.\u00a0 Several of the wolves have already been destroyed.\u00a0 Will you stay here tonight and go with me tomorrow morning?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will go with you.\u00a0 We will camp near.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked out the door at the braves standing with their horses. \u201cCome with me,\u201d he said, holding the door for the Paiute.\u00a0 Leading him to the smoke house, Ben took a canvas bag from the storage chest next to the door and entered, taking down a hind quarter of beef and placing it in the bag.\u00a0 Passing the beef to Gray Wolf, he said, \u201cYour journey has been long and difficult.\u00a0 Feed your men well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having been the recipient of the Cartwright\u2019s kindness each year since the elk herds had disappeared when Ben and Adam began taking several beeves to the Paiute for the winter, Gray Wolf nodded, neither embarrassed nor outwardly thankful.\u00a0 Such an act by this white man was simply accepted without shame.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Twenty-Three<\/p>\n

Hearing shouts out in the street, Hoss and Mrs. Levine turned away from decorations and went to the front window.\u00a0\u00a0 A wagon had stopped near the hospital, the driver yelling, \u201cWe need a doctor!\u201d at the top of his lungs.\u00a0 A crowd began to gather, and as each person peered over the side of the wagon, they drew back in disgust.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Levine, if you\u2019ll excuse me, I\u2019m gonna see what all the ruckus is about.\u201d\u00a0 Taking his hat and coat off the pegs on the wall next to the front door, Hoss opened the door and exited as he pulled the sleeves of the coat over his arms.\u00a0 When he got to the wagon, he pushed through the crowd and looked in, grimacing as the young man continued to yell for a doctor.\u00a0 \u201cBoy, there ain\u2019t no use in yellin\u2019.\u00a0 This man\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sergeant West appeared at Hoss\u2019 side.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re right about that.\u00a0 Ain\u2019t nobody in this man\u2019s army could survive that.\u00a0 Looks like wolves to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss drew back a piece of a blanket that partially covered the body.\u00a0 \u201cYep, looks like wolves.\u00a0 They always go for the middle first to get to the organ meat.\u201d\u00a0 Looking up at the boy on the wagon seat, he asked, \u201cSon, do you know where this happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2026yessir.\u201d\u00a0 It was about a half mile out of town on the other side of the bridge over the entrenchments.\u00a0 The others said there was more of \u2018em out there, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSergeant, seems to me like you got a problem.\u00a0 From the looks of this, more \u2018n one wolf did this.\u00a0 They\u2019ve got a taste for human meat now, and they know exactly what to look for, so any of your men that might wander out alone just might end up their next meal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me.\u00a0 Please, excuse me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss turned at the sound of a familiar voice, taking Annie by the arms and preventing her from looking into the wagon. \u00a0\u201cAin\u2019t no reason you need to see that.\u00a0 There ain\u2019t nothing you can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Annie\u2019s hands went to her hips. \u201cHoss, I\u2019m a doctor. \u00a0At least, I will be soon enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor or not, he\u2019s dead.\u00a0 Best anyone can do for him is give him a decent burial.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sergeant West told the boy to drive the wagon down to the company office and have the undertaker take possession of it.\u00a0 Before he left, he pulled Hoss aside as Annie watched.\u00a0 \u201cYou seem pretty smart when it comes to wolves.\u00a0 You ever do any tracking?\u201d<\/p>\n

Burying his hands in his pockets, Hoss answered, \u201cI reckon I\u2019ve done my share.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen would you oblige us and track these wolves?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss glanced up at Annie whose mouth had drawn tight below furrowed brows.\u00a0 She stood with her hands down at her sides curled into fists.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Sergeant, I don\u2019t rightly know I\u2019d do any good.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know the area, and I ain\u2019t got a horse or a huntin\u2019 rifle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s no problem.\u00a0 We can get you everything you need.\u00a0 You can take some of my men with you.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss hesitated.\u00a0 \u201cLook, all I have is these boys.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have anyone with tracking experience.\u00a0 Besides that, if we don\u2019t do something fast, those wolves are likely to come into town at night, and anyone out alone might not see the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked at Annie who had gotten into the habit of walking back and forth to Mrs. Levine\u2019s just after dark along with some of the other women from the hospital.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll do it on one condition.\u00a0 You find me some men who ain\u2019t afraid of their own shadow.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want none of these trigger happy boys with me when it comes to facin\u2019 down a pack of wolves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving a hand to Hoss\u2019 back, the Sergeant said, \u201cAll right folks.\u00a0 Go back to your homes and don\u2019t be out after dark until this wolf business is done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss turned to Annie, taking each hand in turn and unfolding her fingers.\u00a0 She let out an exasperated breath.\u00a0 \u201cHoss, this isn\u2019t your fight.\u00a0 You don\u2019t know these people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI reckon you\u2019re right,\u201d he said, keeping his eyes on her hands.\u00a0 \u201cBut Annie, it\u2019s just like if someone were to come in your hospital needin\u2019 help.\u00a0 I figure you\u2019d help \u2018em whether you knew \u2018em or not.\u00a0 Besides, I\u2019ll not let you keep walking back and forth to Mrs. Levine\u2019s when there\u2019s wolves on the loose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Interlocking her fingers with his, Annie looked up into Hoss\u2019 face. \u201cHoss, sometimes I think you\u2019re heart is too big for your own good.\u00a0 But then, you wouldn\u2019t be the man\u2026well, you wouldn\u2019t be Hoss Cartwright.\u201d\u00a0 She stepped into him.\u00a0 \u201cPlease be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving his hands to her shoulders, he said quietly, \u201cMy pa always taught us to help folks when they need it.\u00a0 I reckon that\u2019s because a lot of folks helped us when we first got to the Ponderosa.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you worry none.\u00a0 These little wolf pups out here prob\u2019ly don\u2019t compare with those big ol\u2019 timber wolves we see up in the mountains back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam took Shiloh upstairs directly after Micah left.\u00a0 She needed to rest, and he did, too.\u00a0 He\u2019d be up well before first light with Micah, Joe, his father and their men, baiting a trap and laying in wait for the wolves to take their last meal before daybreak, and hopefully their last meal on Earth.<\/p>\n

He had already disrobed and was watching Shiloh at her dressing table, holding her brush in her hands, staring in the mirror.\u00a0 Her tears had stopped, he imagined, only because they\u2019d dried up, but she still looked haunted.<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, come to bed.\u201d\u00a0 He waited a moment, and when she didn\u2019t answer, he tried again. \u201cSweetheart?\u201d\u00a0 Throwing the blanket off, he got out of the bed, walking to her and standing behind her, watching her reflection in the mirror.\u00a0 She wasn\u2019t staring blindly into the mirror as he had thought.\u00a0 She was looking at her belly.<\/p>\n

She had been more terrified than she ever remembered, and a slow realization had begun to sink in.\u00a0 Her fear wasn\u2019t so much for her own life as much as it was for the life inside her.\u00a0 She had fought for her life when Will Stewart had attacked, she had run for her life from Satan more than once, and she had finally killed the horse when he went after Adam. Looking up at his reflection in the mirror, she remembered feeling so small as he protected her from the wolf with his arms wrapped tightly around her.\u00a0 She had cowered into him, afraid, certainly for herself and her husband, but mostly for her baby.\u00a0 Now, she studied him, muscular shoulders and arms much larger than her own, a broad chest\u2026bigger, stronger, the way it was supposed to be\u2026so he could protect her\u2026them.\u00a0 She had finally come to realize that she had changed\u2026he had changed her by giving her this tiny life to nurture\u2026someone who needed her protection, her guidance, her\u2026love.<\/p>\n

He watched her hand move slowly over the mound of her stomach, and then knelt down next to her.\u00a0 \u201cWould you feel better if I can get Paul out here\u2026to make sure the baby is all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

For the first time since she sat down at her dressing table she turned her head\u2026toward him, and with the same sad, worried look he\u2019d seen in the mirror, she looked into his eyes and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to take care of the wolves first.\u00a0 As soon as that\u2019s done, I\u2019ll fetch Paul.\u00a0 Now, come to bed\u2026please.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pulling her hair back, she braided and tied it while Adam waited at her side.\u00a0 She took his hands as she rose from the chair, and the two climbed into bed together, Adam watching her until she fell into a fitful sleep.<\/p>\n

Chapter Twenty-Four<\/p>\n

Wolves were all around them, circling as they stood with their backs to each other with nothing but torches to hold the beasts at bay.\u00a0 They seemed to be growing in number, the rows of circling wolves expanding out beyond the edge of the darkness.\u00a0 Eventually, the three men moved her inside their own circle, moving round and round in time with the wolves until one of the beasts lunged forward, grabbing hold of Billy\u2019s pants leg and dragging him kicking and screaming into the fray.\u00a0 Though she couldn\u2019t see them, she heard their howls and growls and the sound of meat being ripped amid Billy\u2019s screams.\u00a0 One by one they took each man until there was no one left in the circle with her.\u00a0 She was alone, and the wolves were slowly moving closer as they circled.<\/p>\n

She jerked and realized she was in her bed, but she could still hear a low growl and feel hot breath on her face.\u00a0 She dared to open her eyes, and screamed at the bared teeth of a wolf in front of her.<\/p>\n

Bolting upright in the bed, she looked around the dark bedroom, but saw no movement.\u00a0 There were no sounds save the quiet, steady breathing of her husband sleeping peacefully beside her.\u00a0 Closing her eyes, she willed her own breath to slow, willed her heartbeat to calm, then gently rose from the bed, going to the wash basin to splash water on her face and wipe away the beads of sweat that had formed.<\/p>\n

Quietly, she moved to a chair by the window that looked out to the lake. There was a break in the angry clouds allowing a sliver of moon to shine its white light down on the cold waters, but only briefly as the clouds swallowed it back up as quickly as they had let it out.<\/p>\n

She drew her legs up into the chair and closed her eyes, waiting for the lurid details of the dream to fade away.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam was one of those people who could get by with only four or five hours of sleep, having an internal alarm clock that woke him when he\u2019d had a sufficient amount.\u00a0 This morning he woke at four in the morning, looking next to him for Shiloh.\u00a0 When he didn\u2019t see her in the bed, he looked around the room and found her silhouetted form curled in a chair next to the window.\u00a0 Creasing his brow, he thought to himself, trying to remember her getting up, but nothing came to mind.\u00a0 It was unusual for him not to have noticed her getting out of the bed, even during his heaviest sleep.<\/p>\n

He rose and dressed in the dark, leaving his shirt unbuttoned as he turned up the lamp next to the wash basin to shave.\u00a0 He mixed and slathered on his shaving cream and began shaving, but stopped and looked back at the chair when he felt her eyes on him.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re awake.\u00a0 How long have you been in that chair?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no idea.\u00a0 I had a\u2026dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNightmare?\u201d<\/p>\n

She snorted.<\/p>\n

Wiping the leftover lather from his face, he turned and knelt next to her.\u00a0 \u201cYou want to talk about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember all the details.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWolves?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWolves, you, Billy\u2026and…\u201d She looked away from him in thought.\u00a0 \u201cSomeone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking her hands, he coaxed her out of the chair and back over to the bed.\u00a0 \u201cI want you to get some sleep\u2026in the bed instead of the chair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting down on the side of the bed, he leaned over her.\u00a0 \u201cHm?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease come back to me,\u201d she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him as if her life depended on it.\u00a0 \u201cPromise me,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI promise.\u00a0 Now try to sleep,\u201d he said, bending and gently kissing her.\u00a0 He blew out the lamp before he left the room, closing the door without even a thump.\u00a0 When he got to the bottom of the stairs, he sniffed the air, and then creased his brows as he quietly went to the kitchen.\u00a0 Leaning in, he couldn\u2019t believe his eyes.\u00a0 Ming Lin was at the stove preparing eggs and bacon, and the coffee pot filled with the special blend Hop Sing had shared was already sitting on the kitchen table in front of a place setting.<\/p>\n

\u201cMing Lin?\u00a0 What are you doing up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is very cold outside, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 You must eat to keep your strength and warmth.\u00a0 Please,\u201d he said, motioning to the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour breakfast is ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sat down at the kitchen table and poured himself a cup of coffee.\u00a0 When Ming Lin set a plate of food in front of him, he bowed his head, reminded of how Hop Sing had always taken care of him.\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Ming Lin.\u00a0 And thank you for taking care of Mrs. Cartwright the way you do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are most welcome,\u201d said Ming Lin, bowing with a smile Adam had become accustomed to seeing on the man\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright may sleep for awhile yet.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t have a good night.\u00a0 Just let her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ming Lin bowed slightly and turned back to his work.<\/p>\n

Adam was washing down the last bite of his breakfast when he heard a voice calling from the front door. \u201cAnybody up?\u201d yelled Micah.<\/p>\n

Walking from the kitchen, Adam turned the corner of the entry way.\u00a0 \u201cIs Pa and Joe here yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey just rode up, but Adam, they have company.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s good or bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pulling on his jacket, Adam asked, \u201cWhat do you mean?\u00a0 Who\u2019s with them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndians.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stopped for a moment, shooting Micah an uneasy look, and then hurriedly grabbed his gun belt.\u00a0 Once on, he moved his hat to his head and slipped on his gloves as they walked out the front door. \u00a0Trotting down the front steps, Adam approached his father\u2019s horse looking at the men behind him.\u00a0 \u201cEverything all right, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 Shouldn\u2019t we be looking for these wolves in the daylight so’s we can see \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI done told you,\u201d said Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cA pack of wolves don\u2019t hunt during the day.\u00a0 They sleep, and we sure don\u2019t wanna wander into their den.\u00a0 We\u2019ll find \u2018em when they\u2019re out huntin\u2019 for food.\u00a0 Now get saddled up.\u00a0 It\u2019ll be dusk before long, and we need to be out at that bridge by then.\u201d\u00a0 He turned to Sgt. West who was handing out rifles to all the men who would be accompanying him.\u00a0 \u201cAre you sure this is the best you could find?\u00a0 They\u2019re already scared, and we ain\u2019t even left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Mr. Cartwright, we just don\u2019t see wolves in the cities and towns out here.\u00a0 And even out on the farms it\u2019s usually a single wolf causin\u2019 problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey can stand out on the battle lines and shoot each other, but they\u2019re afraid to go out and shoot wolves,\u201d Hoss grumbled under his breath.\u00a0 He turned back to the men who had begun to mount their horses.\u00a0 \u201cAll you men listen to me, and listen to me good.\u00a0 We stay together.\u00a0 Don\u2019t none of you wander off on your own.\u00a0 And you just remember.\u00a0 If we don\u2019t stop \u2018em now, it\u2019ll be your farms they come to next.\u00a0 You won\u2019t have any help then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss!\u00a0 Hoss, wait!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss had just started to mount his horse when he heard Annie calling and turned to see her running toward him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know how long you\u2019d be gone, so I packed you some sandwiches\u2026no cheese.\u00a0 And some cookies,\u201d she said, out of breath and forcing a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cAw shucks, Annie,\u201d he said, smiling bashfully.\u00a0 \u201cI won\u2019t be gone too long, but I\u2019m sure these sandwiches will come in mighty handy.\u201d\u00a0 He started to bend down, but stopped and twisted his mouth as he glanced over his shoulder.\u00a0 When Annie offered her hand, he grinned and kissed it.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019d best be stepping back.\u00a0 I sure don\u2019t want you to get run over by these horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once he was mounted, she said, \u201cPlease be careful,\u201d and blew him a kiss.<\/p>\n

He turned a little red and nodded, then raised his arm, motioning for the men to follow him.\u00a0 When they arrived at the bridge, it was just before dusk as Hoss had hoped.\u00a0 He motioned for the men to dismount.\u00a0 \u201cTwo of you, take these horses back across the bridge and tie \u2018em.\u201d\u00a0 Turning to the men already posted at the bridge, he asked, \u201cWhat direction did the wolves come in from?\u201d<\/p>\n

The men pointed toward a line of trees on both sides of the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cWas they spread out or bunched up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were spread out all across the road and on both sides, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably seven or eight of \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, men, get your rifles.\u00a0 Half of you come with me.\u201d\u00a0 When Hoss began to walk down the road toward the trees, no one moved.\u00a0 He stopped and hung his head, then turned and began pointing.\u00a0 \u201cYou, you, you and you, you all look gangly enough to climb trees.\u00a0 Now you\u2019re gonna go to the edge of those woods, and you\u2019re gonna climb the trees I tell you to climb.\u00a0 And then you\u2019re gonna be quiet and wait until I give you a signal to start shootin\u2019.\u00a0 Now come on. We\u2019re running out of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once he had the men in the trees and had given them instructions, he came back to the men standing at the bridge.\u00a0 \u201cNow listen.\u00a0 Those wolves are prob\u2019ly comin\u2019 in here just like they did last night, through them trees. We\u2019re gonna be hidin\u2019 behind the bushes here around the bridge waitin\u2019, and when I give the signal you start shootin\u2019.\u00a0 Now, you gotta aim low so you don\u2019t hit the men in the trees on the other side.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they don\u2019t see any men, are they gonna keep coming toward the bridge?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou men already posted on this bridge, I want you on the bridge behind us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean we\u2019re the bait?\u201d asked one of the men in a high pitched whine.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, yeah, sorta,\u201d said Hoss, nodding.\u00a0 \u201cBut they ain\u2019t no way any of those wolves are gonna make it to the bridge because I\u2019m givin\u2019 the signal to shoot when they\u2019re halfway between us and those trees.\u00a0 They\u2019ll never make it.\u00a0 Now you men get back there on the bridge.\u00a0 The rest of you get down behind these bushes and be quiet until I give the signal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Twenty-Five<\/p>\n

Before dismounting, Ben turned back and nodded at Gray Wolf who also dismounted and walked forward.<\/p>\n

A slow smile formed on both Micah and Adam\u2019s faces.\u00a0 Adam and Gray Wolf clasped each other\u2019s arms in greeting.\u00a0 \u201cGray Wolf, it\u2019s been many seasons.\u00a0 Are you well?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I am well.\u201d\u00a0 He turned to Micah and grasped his arms as well.\u00a0 \u201cYou rise from the dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chuckling, Micah answered, \u201cNo, Gray Wolf.\u00a0 I cannot rise from the dead if I was never dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing this far away from your village?\u00a0 It must have been a hard journey?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems Gray Wolf and his people had trouble with our wolves,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n

Adam quickly turned back to Gray Wolf.\u00a0 \u201cWhat kind of trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have come into our village while our men were away, taking our women and children for food.\u201d<\/p>\n

A slow breath escaped Adam.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Gray Wolf.\u00a0 These wolves\u2026they seem desperate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is desp\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToo eager.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gray Wolf gave a sharp nod.\u00a0 \u201cToo eager.\u00a0 We have come for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut why? \u00a0They aren\u2019t a danger to you here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey must be killed and taken back to the lake of our fathers\u2026to calm the spirits.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you can set the bait, and you can have the men standby in case Gray Wolf and his men need help, but I\u2019ve told Gray Wolf he and his men can take them in their own way,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, don\u2019t you think that\u2019s a little dangerous?\u00a0 These wolves have attacked a man here.\u00a0 They won\u2019t be hesitant to fight back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve told Gray Wolf everything that has happened.\u00a0 His men will take them with arrows; not guns, and they\u2019ll be taking the bodies back with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d said Adam, acquiescing to his father\u2019s wishes\u2026and to Gray Wolf\u2019s.\u00a0 \u201cBut we\u2019re going to be ready with our rifles if any one of Gray Wolf\u2019s men is attacked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Adam Cartwright.\u00a0 You will not come with your men.\u00a0 The wolves will know your scent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll smell you, too,\u201d responded Adam angrily.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will cover our scent with the blood of the dead wolf you have here.\u00a0 We wear the fur of the wolf,\u201d explained Gray Wolf, touching the furs he wore.\u00a0 \u201cThey will not believe we are men.\u00a0 You have live cow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah, Joe, go get the carcass we left at the stables.\u00a0 You two,” he said, pointing at two of the men.\u00a0 Ride out to the herd and bring back a steer.\u201d \u00a0Turning back to Gray Wolf, Adam asked, \u201cWhere do you plan to do this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Gray Wolf pointed beyond the barn.\u00a0 \u201cWe will hide in the boulders there beyond the clearing.\u00a0 When it is time, we will cut the cow and send it to the clearing.\u00a0 The wolves will smell the blood and come.\u00a0 But you and your men must not be here.\u00a0 The wolves know your scent and will stay in the forest for much time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam moved his hands to his hips, folded his lips and blew heavily out his nose.\u00a0 \u201cGray Wolf, if you\u2019re men don\u2019t kill all the wolves, we\u2019ll still have a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving his hand to Adam\u2019s shoulder, he answered, \u201cWe will not stop until all are dead.\u00a0 You must\u2026.tr..ust\u2026this, friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam paced while they waited for the men to return with the steer.\u00a0 When it arrived, he passed the rope tied around the steer’s neck to Gray Wolf, then turned to the men. \u00a0\u201cAll you men go back to your bunks.\u00a0 We won\u2019t be needing you,\u201d Adam said loudly.\u00a0 When the men looked at each other warily, Adam added, \u201cWe appreciate you coming to help, but Gray Wolf\u2019s men are going to handle it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stood quietly, smiling at his son who he knew would do what was in the best interest of everyone, but especially, the Paiute he and Micah had befriended long ago.<\/p>\n

When Joe and Micah arrived with the wolf carcass, two braves ran forward to take it, throwing it over the back of a horse. Gray Wolf had already mounted, holding the rope attached to the steer.\u00a0 \u201cWe will return when it is done.\u201d\u00a0 He turned his horse, and his men followed, slowly moving beyond the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d said Adam, frowning in frustration.\u00a0 \u201cGray Wolf doesn\u2019t want the wolves to smell us, so why don\u2019t we wait inside the house?\u201d\u00a0 He led the way.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh lay where Adam left her for a time.\u00a0 But sleep, at this point, was out of the question.\u00a0 Her worry for her husband and her fear of more nightmares kept her awake.\u00a0 Slowly, she pushed herself up out of the bed, the simple act of getting up becoming more difficult with each passing week.\u00a0 She dressed, and sitting in front of her dressing mirror, she decided to leave her hair down rather than moving it all up on her head.\u00a0 She wasn\u2019t going to be seeing anyone but Adam.\u00a0 Smiling at the thought that she knew Adam preferred her hair down, she brushed it out and pulled it back away from her face, holding it in place with a comb on each side.<\/p>\n

Light had just begun to show through the windows, and her thoughts went to Adam and Micah, hunched down in the cold waiting who knew how long for the wolves to come.\u00a0 And when they did, there would be gunfire, and she would wait nervously for it to fade.\u00a0 Even then, it would be awhile before Adam came back through the door when she would know he was safe.\u00a0 She pulled a defiant expression, deciding to wait on the front porch.\u00a0 He\u2019d be angry with her, but that wouldn\u2019t last long; even less if she snuggled into his chest and wrapped her arms around him.\u00a0 She still had a smile on her face from her last thought as she exited the bedroom, only to hear voices drifting up the stairs.<\/p>\n

With the smile gone, she rushed to the top of the stairs and hurried down.\u00a0 The quick motion caught Adam\u2019s eye, and he rushed over and up to her.\u00a0 \u201cSlow down,\u201d he ordered, taking a hand and putting his other arm around her waist, walking her down.\u00a0 \u201cHow many times have I asked you to move slowly on these stairs?\u00a0 You can\u2019t even see where you\u2019re putting your feet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it done?\u00a0 What\u2019s happened?\u201d she asked anxiously.<\/p>\n

Walking her over to a chair in the living area, he waited until she was seated, and then turned to look at everyone else sipping their coffee and waiting.\u00a0 \u201cWe, uh, had a change of plans,\u201d he said as he scratched his upper lip.\u00a0 \u201cGray Wolf and his braves came down to see Pa last night.\u00a0 They wanted to take care of the wolves themselves and take them back to Pyramid Lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are they here?\u00a0 Did something happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe wolves attacked their village,\u201d explained Ben.\u00a0 \u201cSome of the women and children were killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my.\u00a0 Oh, that\u2019s terrible.\u00a0 Are they already gone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t want us near,\u201d said Micah.\u00a0 \u201cThey were afraid our scent would scare the wolves off.\u201d<\/p>\n

She opened her mouth to ask about the Indian\u2019s scent, but then quickly closed it, remembering the times in her childhood when she visited the Paiute village.\u00a0 The men would smear the blood of an animal over them and wear fur to disguise their scent when they went hunting.<\/p>\n

Joe stood to refill his coffee, and at the same time he poured a cup for Shiloh, taking it to her.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re just waiting for them to come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long has it been?\u201d she asked quietly.<\/p>\n

Adam took his watch from his pocket.\u00a0 \u201cAlmost an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting on the coffee table in front of Shiloh, Ben took her hand in his and covered it with his other hand.\u00a0 \u201cAre you all right, my dear?\u201d<\/p>\n

She bowed her head, put on a tentative smile, and then looked back up at him.\u00a0 \u201cI have to admit, it was frightening, and I was worried for the baby.\u00a0 But I\u2019m fine now, though it might be awhile before I can get some decent sleep.\u00a0 My sense of security has been somewhat shattered.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t think anything like this will happen again.\u00a0 It\u2019s unusual to have two wolf packs in an area.\u00a0 They usually defend their territory.\u00a0 It\u2019s just a more severe winter than we\u2019ve had in long time,\u201d said Ben, trying to reassure her.<\/p>\n

She gave him a grateful smile, although it couldn\u2019t hide the moistness in her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cSometimes, I wonder, Pa,\u201d she said softly in a shaky voice, \u201cif it wouldn\u2019t be better to raise children in a city.\u00a0 Here, they could be outside playing, and then just\u2026be gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, there are wolves in the city,\u201d replied Ben.\u00a0 \u201cJust a different kind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked over and knelt beside her. \u201cShiloh, I\u2019ll have the kitchen and bathhouse doors fixed in the next few days.\u00a0 I\u2019ll build shutters for them, too.\u00a0 Once that\u2019s done, they won\u2019t be able to get into the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

She took a sudden sharp breath, stifling a need to cry and wondering if she should tell him just how close one had come to knocking her through the front door.\u00a0 A timid rap on the door relieved her of that decision for the moment.<\/p>\n

Adam sprang up quickly to answer it.\u00a0 Gray Wolf had returned with his braves waiting next to their horses at the bottom of the steps.\u00a0 \u201cIt is done, Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many?\u201d he asked as all the men made their way to the door, stepping out onto the porch.<\/p>\n

Gray Wolf held up his hand with all of his fingers extended.\u00a0 \u201cYou have more here?\u00a0 Those that entered your lodge?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stepped forward and made his way through to the steps.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll get them.\u201d\u00a0 Two braves went around the side of the house with him.<\/p>\n

While the men stepped back to let Joe pass, Shiloh took the opportunity to wrap a heavy shawl around her shoulders and step out on the porch away from the huddle of men without being noticed.<\/p>\n

But one of the braves, a tall, lean, well-built young man, saw her and came forward to the edge of the porch. \u00a0\u201cYou have returned from the place where the sun rises.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stepping to the edge of the porch to see the man’s face, she sucked in a quiet breath and bowed her head.\u00a0 \u201cYes, Running Elk.\u00a0 I have been back for two winters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave the two a sidelong glance as he slowly moved toward Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did you not come to the village as you said?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tilting her head, she looked sadly at him. \u201cWe were children when I left, Running Elk.\u00a0 It had been seven winters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben leaned over to Gray Wolf.\u00a0 \u201cShe spent time in your village?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Gray Wolf answered, \u201cIt is well that she left.\u00a0 We called her Little One With Big Mouth.\u201d\u00a0 Ben struggled to hold back a chuckle.\u00a0 \u201cShe is right.\u00a0 They were children.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Adam arrived at her side, Running Elk looked to him, then back to Shiloh and her belly.\u00a0 \u201cYou carry the child of this man?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is my husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men drew themselves up to their full height carefully sizing each other up.\u00a0 Without any expression to reveal his feelings, the Paiute said, \u201cRunning Elk waits no more.\u201d He turned quickly and moved back to his horse, looking straight ahead and waiting for Gray Wolf to lead them away.<\/p>\n

Adam looked down at Shiloh with furrowed brows and his lips slightly parted; a look that told her this wasn\u2019t finished with Running Elk\u2019s departure. \u00a0Biting the inside of her cheek, she looked off in the opposite direction, feeling the weight of his gaze.<\/p>\n

Chapter Twenty-Six<\/p>\n

Looking down the line of men on either side of him, Hoss winced at what he saw.\u00a0 It was easy to tell the closer ones were shaking; a shake that had nothing to do with the cold.\u00a0\u00a0 Even further down the line, he could see them rubbing nervously at their triggers.\u00a0 \u201cNow don\u2019t none of ya pull a trigger until you hear me signal,\u201d he told them for good measure.<\/p>\n

They crouched and waited, but no wolves came.\u00a0 \u201cDadburnit, they can smell us a mile away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly, an unearthly shriek cream came from the forest; a shriek that sent icy chills down every man\u2019s spine who was anywhere near the bridge.\u00a0 Next, they heard wood cracking followed by the men who had been in the trees running toward them for their lives.\u00a0 On their heels was a line of wolves, gaining on them every second that passed.\u00a0 Hoss stood, aiming his rifle and firing between two men, sending one wolf to the ground.\u00a0 The other men stood.\u00a0 Some fired and some didn\u2019t.\u00a0 Most turned and ran down the bridge, and were soon followed by the bridge guards they passed.\u00a0 Three men stood their ground with Hoss as they watched man after man fall when one of the wolves bit deep into a leg.\u00a0 Still Hoss aimed and shot bringing done another, and another, until he stepped from behind the bushes and began walking toward the charging wolves.\u00a0 The men with him followed and continued to shoot, aiming at the wolves that had a man down.<\/p>\n

Hoss pulled his trigger, but this time he heard nothing but a click.\u00a0 He was out of bullets, and if he was out, the other men would soon be out, too.\u00a0 \u201cTwo of you men, fall back and reload.\u00a0 And bring some ammunition back with you.\u201d\u00a0 The other man stood beside Hoss with his rifle aimed.\u00a0 \u201cYou got any bullets left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir. But maybe they\u2019ll think I do if I just stay aimed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The four wolves that were left stopped running toward them, unsure of what they should do.\u00a0 They paced back and forth between the bodies of the four men on the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou men on the ground.\u00a0 Don\u2019t move,\u201d yelled Hoss, hoping they could hear him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWha\u2019 do we do now, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wait until the other two get back with the ammunition, and then we take down the last four.\u201d<\/p>\n

Only one man returned.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s the other fella?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ran, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep your rifle up, and if any of those wolves start this way, shoot.\u00a0 You need to keep \u2018em scared until we can get these rifles loaded.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and the other man brought their rifles down and knelt to reload, prompting the wolves to start forward.\u00a0 The young man shot and missed.\u00a0 Again, he shot and missed, and by the time Hoss realized he wasn\u2019t hitting anything it was too late.\u00a0 The wolves were nearly upon them.<\/p>\n

Standing, he grabbed the man\u2019s rifle, aimed and shot, felling another wolf.\u00a0 Three left.\u00a0 Another shot, and only two were left, both falling back warily, then turning tail and running into the forest.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou there. Is that rifle loaded?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYessir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet these other two loaded.\u201d\u00a0 He turned to the other man.\u00a0 \u201cGo back and see if anyone\u2019s left.\u00a0 We need a wagon to carry these men back to town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t we come back to get \u2018em tomorrow.\u00a0 I mean, they gotta be dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, son, we can\u2019t come back tomorrow,\u201d said Hoss, wagging his head.\u00a0 \u201cThey may not be dead.\u00a0\u00a0 And even if they were, there\u2019d be nothing left to get by morning.\u00a0 Now git.\u00a0 And if you don\u2019t come back, I swear, I\u2019ll hunt for you in town until I find you, and when I do, you\u2019ll wish I hadn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss stood watching the forest for any signs of movement.\u00a0 \u201cTell me somethin\u2019,\u201d he said to the man loading the rifles.\u00a0 \u201cHave any of these men actually fought in the war?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cIt\u2019s just as well.\u00a0 They\u2019d a never come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

A wagon could soon be heard, lumbering across the bridge.\u00a0 As the young man drove, Hoss walked next to the wagon, keeping his eyes on the forest.\u00a0 He walked several feet beyond where the first man had fallen and stood guard as the two young men loaded the bodies into the back.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone alive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYessir.\u00a0 \u201cThree alive.\u00a0 Only one dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bending to pick up their rifles, Hoss said, \u201cYou boys head on back to the bridge.\u00a0 I\u2019m right behind you.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the wagon began to pull away, Hoss thought how good it was going to be when he got back to the boarding house.\u00a0 It was Friday night, and the next day, Saturday, Annie would be out of school for the weekend.<\/p>\n

He stopped short, dropping all the rifles but one when he heard a low growl behind him. By the time he turned, it was too late to bring it up.\u00a0 The last two wolves lunged forward.<\/p>\n

Chapter Twenty-Seven<\/p>\n

Hoss heard a gunshot as the wolves jumped.\u00a0 One dropped.\u00a0 The other slammed into Hoss\u2019 chest, knocking the big man to the ground.\u00a0 Vaguely, he heard men shouting, but at the moment, he was concentrating on the keeping the large fangs snapping at his face from sinking in.\u00a0 Moving his arm up to take the brunt of the attack, he shoved it into the wolf\u2019s mouth.\u00a0 The wolf clamped down, and though Hoss didn\u2019t hear himself, everyone else heard a bellow that could have shaken the ground.\u00a0 With his other hand, he wrapped his powerful fingers around the wolf\u2019s throat and squeezed for all he was worth, causing the animal to relent, but for only a moment.\u00a0 The wolf was back in an instant, gnashing his teeth at any flesh he could see, ripping material and the soft tissue beneath it.<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 only thought was that he was going to be bitten to death if he didn\u2019t do something now.\u00a0 He threw his weight forward, sending the wolf on its back, then grabbed a hind leg and pulled; the loud cracking sound and high-pitched yelp assuring him that he\u2019d broken it.<\/p>\n

The wolf slunk back, sizing his opponent up as he growled and snapped, and evidently deciding he had nothing else to lose, he went back in, latching on to Hoss\u2019 leg and bringing Hoss down to his knees.\u00a0 Amid yells around him of \u201cshoot it, shoot it\u201d that he didn\u2019t hear, Hoss put his hands around the wolf\u2019s neck from the back and pushed until the head was on the ground.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t quit pushing even when one of the men came forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, it\u2019s dead!\u00a0 You done killed it!\u201d he yelled. \u00a0\u201cYou can stop now!\u201d<\/p>\n

Snarling and growling himself, Hoss was in his own solitary nightmare.\u00a0 He kept all his weight on the neck of the wolf until the man standing next to him shot his rifle, bringing Hoss out of his trance.\u00a0 He shot the wolf even though it was already dead, hoping that would bring Hoss back to them.<\/p>\n

Looking out at the men who surrounded him, he swayed, trying to bring them into focus until he finally relented to his fatigue, his fear and his loss of blood and fell face forward over the wolf.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Gray Wolf and his men left quietly, taking the sacrificial steer with them with Adam\u2019s blessing.\u00a0 The Cartwrights and Micah stayed for lunch, and while they waited for Ming Lin to prepare and serve it, they sat in the living area warming up by the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, Joe tells me you were planning a party when all this wolf business started,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were planning one for this Friday, but I don\u2019t think we have the time now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure I\u2019m ready to go riding all over the country handing out invitations just yet anyway,\u201d said Joe.\u00a0 \u201cThe way those wolves cornered Adam\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Micah elbowed Joe who glanced over at Adam, wincing.<\/p>\n

Shiloh had been sitting quietly in a chair, her feet flat on the floor, her hands folded and laying in what lap she had, and her head bowed, dreading the conversation she knew was going to start the minute everyone left after lunch.\u00a0 Now, she quickly looked up at Adam, questioning him with her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, the wolves are gone,” said Adam.\u00a0 “Gray Wolf said they killed five today, and we had already killed five.\u00a0 That\u2019s more than you\u2019ll generally find in a pack.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI still don\u2019t think any of us should ride alone for awhile.\u00a0 Just to be sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you were cornered, how did you get away?\u201d asked Shiloh.\u00a0 The sudden silence in the room was deafening.\u00a0 \u201cI would appreciate it if you all would stop trying to protect me from something that didn\u2019t happen.\u00a0 Obviously Adam is all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes and took a deliberate breath. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter.\u00a0 It\u2019s over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnymore than it matters that I had a close call, too?\u00a0 Before you ever got here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam perked up.\u00a0 \u201cWhat close call?\u201d\u00a0 He could see a fire rising in her eyes just before she turned away.\u00a0 Keeping his eyes trained on her, he said, \u201cWe still have to find Cheron, Billy\u2019s mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe next time we\u2019re in town, we should talk to Chief\u2026ask if he can tell Cheron we need to speak with her,\u201d said Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be too late by then,\u201d said Shiloh.\u00a0 \u201cBilly\u2019s body is still in the barn.\u00a0 We have to do something with it.\u00a0 We have to find her now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe<\/em> aren\u2019t going to do anything,\u201d Adam replied more sharply than he had intended.\u00a0 \u201cMicah and I will ride down to Clear Creek tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe won\u2019t talk to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019ll have to ride into the village and take our chances,\u201d said Micah.<\/p>\n

Ben shifted in his chair and nodded. \u201cThe Washoe people are peaceful.\u00a0 You won\u2019t be in any danger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t be in any danger,\u201d agreed Shiloh. \u201cBut you might cause them to exile Cheron from the village.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She rose and climbed the stairs while the men silently watched her.<\/p>\n

Micah glanced back at Adam guardedly, but Adam shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cWait.\u00a0 She\u2019s not finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Shiloh came down, she was carrying a brightly colored woven blanket.\u00a0 \u201cThere are some boulders just north of the creek where the women go to clean fish.\u00a0 Stand on top of the highest boulder holding this.\u00a0 She\u2019ll come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d asked Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt belonged to Billy.\u00a0 Cheron made it for him and gave it to Daddy when she left.\u00a0 Billy asked me to keep it safe for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Twenty-Eight<\/p>\n

Shiloh didn\u2019t speak another word until after lunch when Ben, Joe and Micah had left.\u00a0 Adam closed the door behind them and promptly spun around, eyeing Shiloh severely.\u00a0 Normally, she had no problem holding his gaze when he was not happy with her, but this time, her eyes dropped even as she inwardly cursed herself for letting them.\u00a0 Somehow his look seemed harder.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to speak with you upstairs,\u201d said Adam, his voice low and deep with the same sternness he sometimes used with his youngest brother.<\/p>\n

She looked away defiantly.\u00a0 \u201cWe can speak right here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d prefer more privacy than we have here.\u201d\u00a0 He stepped up to her so close he was against her stomach.\u00a0 When she refused to back away or look at him, he simply said, \u201cUpstairs.\u00a0 Now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, she snapped sharply, \u201cAs you wish, your royal highness,\u201d before she turned, lifted her skirt and headed up the stairs.<\/p>\n

As he followed her up, he grumbled under his breath, \u201cLittle One with Big Mouth.\u201d\u00a0 He followed her into their bedroom and quietly closed the door.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not going to curtsey?\u201d he asked with a sarcastic smile while looking at her back.<\/p>\n

She glanced over her shoulder in his direction and scoffed.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it that we can\u2019t discuss downstairs in the warmth of the fire?\u201d\u00a0 Moving toward the window, she spun around, her eyes flashing and her mouth drawn into an angry pucker.<\/p>\n

Adam crossed his arms and shifted his weight to one foot. \u201cWhat did you mean by \u2018close call\u2019\u201d?<\/p>\n

\u201cHmf,\u201d was the only sound she made as she crossed her arms over her belly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not leaving this room until I hear the whole story.\u00a0 And even then, after we discuss Running Elk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter.\u00a0 It\u2019s over.\u00a0 Your own words as I recall.\u201d\u00a0 She narrowed her eyes, looking sidelong at him. \u201cI\u2019ll tell you what.\u00a0 You tell me all about getting cornered by wolves, and I\u2019ll tell you about my close call.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d he agreed, sitting down in the chair by the other window. He told the story quickly as if he was aggravated to be reciting details that were inconsequential. \u201cJoe and I had gone separate ways to deliver the invitations to our party.\u00a0 I felt like someone or something <\/em>was following me through the woods, but never saw anything until I was almost at the junction to the road to Virginia City.\u00a0 It was then that I saw wolves on either side of the road stalking me, getting closer and closer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh had let her arms drop as she listened, her face slowly turning from angry to anxious.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew I wasn\u2019t going to outrun them, and I knew there were too many to fight, so I fired twice in the air, hoping Joe would be close enough to hear it, and then found a place to stop to defend myself.\u00a0 I stopped in front of a tall pile of boulders and pulled Sport behind me, and as the wolves lined up in front of me, I hadn\u2019t realized that one had climbed to the top of the boulders behind me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh covered her mouth with her hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe shot the wolf just as it leapt, and it fell dead right behind me.\u00a0 I shot one that was in front, and the rest scattered.\u201d\u00a0 Clasping his hands, he brought them down hard on the knee of his crossed leg and glared back at her, his brows quirked, his nostrils flared and his mouth turned in an agitated scowl. \u00a0\u201cYour turn.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fight had left her, and when she spoke she told the story quietly.\u00a0 \u201cI was in the kitchen with Ming Lin and left to bring in more firewood from the porch.\u00a0 Just as I was closing the door behind me on my way into the house, something hit the door hard; so hard I dropped all the firewood, but the door had latched.\u00a0 I went to open the door to see what it was, but Ming Lin stopped me.\u00a0 He said it was a wolf; that he had seen it from the kitchen coming toward me.\u00a0 He threw the bolt, and then started closing shutters.\u00a0 Then we heard glass breaking in the kitchen, so we got rifles and ammunition and went up the stairs.\u00a0 That\u2019s when you knocked on the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam now studied her with his mouth agape.\u00a0 \u201cWhy would you hide that from me?\u201d<\/p>\n

She snorted.\u00a0 \u201cProbably for the same reason you hid your encounter with the wolves from me.\u00a0 As you said, it doesn\u2019t really matter.\u00a0 It\u2019s over,\u201d she finished, looking away again, her clasped hands resting on her stomach as she twiddled her thumbs.<\/p>\n

Adam half smiled.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not having nightmares about wolves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking down at her belly, she gently rubbed it. \u00a0\u201cDo I have to tell you what would have happened if the door hadn\u2019t latched?\u201d she asked, holding back tears.<\/p>\n

Springing out of the chair, he was holding her before she knew it.\u00a0 \u201cThe stuff nightmares are made of.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo more wolves, please,\u201d she said, accepting his embrace.<\/p>\n

\u201cRunning Elk?\u201d<\/p>\n

Exasperated again, she pushed away and turned her back on him again.\u00a0 \u201cHave I ever asked you about Ruth Halverson or Regina Darien?\u201d<\/p>\n

He had moved toward her, but stopped, caught off-guard by her question.\u00a0 \u201cHow do you know about them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople in town were more than willing to talk about you when they thought we were at odds.\u00a0 I\u2019ve known about them since before we were married.\u00a0\u00a0 Had you intended to share that part of your life with me?\u201d she asked, turning around.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d he replied rather innocently.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why do you expect me to share my life before I even liked you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you in love with him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you in love with them<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he said with certainty. \u201cI was.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t work out.\u201d\u00a0 He looked into her eyes, expecting to see something akin to hurt, but he saw\u2026surrender?\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWere you in love with him?\u201d he asked softly.<\/p>\n

She inhaled deeply.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u00a0 I was only fifteen.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t know what being in love was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems he was in love with you.\u00a0 He waited for you.\u00a0 In fact, if it hadn\u2019t been obvious you were with child, we might have had a serious problem on our hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walking back to the window, she leaned on the sash and looked out.\u00a0 \u201cHow could he know he loved me?\u00a0 He was sixteen.\u201d\u00a0 She frowned, glancing back at him. \u00a0\u201cDid you know him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really.\u00a0 Young Wolf and I were close friends once. \u00a0Gray Wolf was a little older. But Young Wolf didn\u2019t invite his nephew to run around with us, and Gray Wolf was fine with that.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t want Running Elk to be influenced by a white man at that age.\u00a0 The only reason Winnemucca allowed my friendship with Young Wolf was because I was Ben Cartwright\u2019s son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, none of them seemed to mind that Running Elk had befriended a white girl. We had a fondness for horses in common.\u00a0 He taught me some Paiute, and I taught him English.\u00a0 We just\u2026well, we took to each other.\u00a0 It was nice to finally have someone my own age to talk to.\u00a0 But I always thought of him as a friend.\u00a0 I never imagined he felt differently.\u00a0 After I left, I forgot all about him after awhile, and hadn\u2019t thought about him since\u2026until this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam reached for her and brought her into a long hug. Touching the side of her face, he said, \u201cI still have some things to do, and you still look tired.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t you lay down for awhile and rest while I\u2019m gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s left?\u201d she said, leaning into him.<\/p>\n

Moving his hands to her arms, he answered, \u201cWell, I need to go down to the stables and see how Tom and Johnny are doing\u2026and send Jake back to Pa\u2019s bunkhouse.\u00a0 Then I need to gather provisions for the trip to Clear Creek.\u00a0 It\u2019ll be slow going with the recent snows, and we might have to camp overnight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I hope not. It would be the first night I\u2019d have to spend without you in this house.\u00a0 I\u2019m not used to all the squeaking and popping.\u00a0 Besides that, wolves come out of the walls.\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled lovingly at her. \u201cYou\u2019ll be fine.\u00a0 Just stay busy.\u00a0 And before bed ask Ming Lin to make you some strong tea.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam had come back into the house upon his return from the stables.\u00a0 He heard Ming Lin and Shiloh\u2019s voices in the kitchen and decided not to disturb them, smiling at her efforts to stay busy as he quietly ascended the stairs to gather the gear he would need for the ride to Clear Creek.<\/p>\n

When he came back down with his bedroll under his arm and his saddle bags slung over his shoulder, one half of which was filled with all manner of personal items, he stopped on the bottom step, lifting his nose into the air to breathe in the delectable smell of freshly baked bread.\u00a0 He dropped the bedroll onto the entry table and took the saddle bags with him to the kitchen where he found his wife wearing an anticipatory smile as she watched butter melt into a recently sliced piece of steaming bread.<\/p>\n

A vague movement drew her attention away from the object of her desire, so she glanced up briefly, and then looked up, realizing that he was standing there laughing at her under his breath.\u00a0 \u201cDid I do something funny?\u201d she asked in an oddly provocative way.<\/p>\n

He cleared his throat, taking a quick look at Ming Lin before he continued into the kitchen and set his saddle bags on the table.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen anyone look at a piece of bread quite that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite what way?\u201d she said innocently with the slightest hint of a smile touching her lips.<\/p>\n

Snorting, he said, \u201cNever mind,\u201d as he made his way to the storeroom.\u00a0 He returned with a tin coffee pot, two plates, two cups and a sack, placing them on the table, and then disappeared again.\u00a0 This time, he returned with bacon, beans, two potatoes and a small sack of coffee beans.\u00a0 The food was unceremoniously dropped on the table, and the coffee beans were poured into the hopper of a coffee mill.<\/p>\n

With the butter melted to her satisfaction, she picked up the bread, and as she took a bite, she closed her eyes and slowly chewed.\u00a0 Truthfully, she didn\u2019t have to expend much effort chewing as the bread virtually melted in her mouth.\u00a0 Raising her hand, she fluttered it in the air.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, you must try this.\u201d\u00a0 All she could hear was the sound of the coffee grinder, so she turned in her chair.\u00a0 \u201cAdam?\u00a0\u00a0 Adam!\u201d<\/p>\n

He stopped grinding.\u00a0 \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rising from her chair, she took the bread to him.\u00a0 \u201cTaste,\u201d she said excitedly.<\/p>\n

He bit, chewed once and stopped, moving his eyes to hers.\u00a0 \u201cDid you do that?\u201d he said with a mouthful.<\/p>\n

She smiled so big, her eyes were almost pinched closed.\u00a0 \u201cDo you like it?\u201d<\/p>\n

He swallowed and took another bite.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve gotten very good at baking bread since Annie was here.\u00a0 You wouldn\u2019t happen to have another loaf I can take with me, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh nodded and busied herself wrapping a loaf while he finished grinding his coffee.<\/p>\n

Ming Lin, though busy at his own work, occasionally looked up at his employers, smiling his approval.<\/p>\n

Chapter Twenty-Nine<\/p>\n

Adam was pleased that Shiloh still had a smile on her face when he blew out the lamp for the night.\u00a0 She lay on her side facing away from his side of the bed.\u00a0 When Adam climbed underneath the blankets, he moved against her back and propped his head up on his hand.\u00a0 \u201cYou finished the day happier than you started it,\u201d he said, running his fingers up and down her arm.\u00a0 \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm,\u201d she giggled.\u00a0 \u201cThe baby was kicking up a storm this afternoon.\u00a0 It\u2019s funny.\u00a0 Until I was actually sure I felt him move, I was\u2026I don\u2019t know\u2026maybe a little ambivalent about having this baby.\u00a0 But feeling him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam moved his hand forward, resting it on her stomach.\u00a0 \u201cI understand,\u201d he whispered as he planted several light kisses on her cheek, and then laid his head next to hers.\u00a0 \u201cDo you still want me to send for Paul?\u00a0 I\u2019ll be leaving early, but I can send one of the hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s necessary.\u201d\u00a0 She moved his hand lower.\u00a0 \u201cDo you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving his hand over her stomach, he chuckled each time the baby kicked.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t suppose he\u2019s ready to ride a bronc, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems like he\u2019s already practicing.\u201d\u00a0 Yawning, she held his hand as he moved it over her stomach, eventually falling into a deep, restful sleep.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Standing on the front porch wrapped in her heavy shawl, Shiloh shivered and wondered if it was from the cold or from her anxiety at Adam leaving.\u00a0\u00a0 Or was it why<\/em> he was leaving.<\/p>\n

Adam had sent one of the hands to town to inform Sheriff Coffee of Billy\u2019s death and the planned disposition.\u00a0 It would be up to Roy if he needed to come out to examine the body.\u00a0 He had known Bill Reed and was aware of his Washoe wife and young son.\u00a0 Perhaps he would come out just to view the body out of the respect he held for Bill.<\/p>\n

Seeing that faraway look in Shiloh\u2019s eyes, Adam kept a close watch on her as he saddled Sport.\u00a0 He knew she\u2019d be thinking about Billy and Cheron until the burial ritual was done.\u00a0 It looked like she already was.\u00a0 Throwing his saddlebags behind the saddle, and then pulling the cinch, he walked back up the steps and cupped her chin in his hand.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019ll be over soon.\u00a0 Try not to think about it so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t ask for much, do you?\u201d she said with a weary smile.<\/p>\n

He took her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly.\u00a0 \u201cWe should be back sometime tomorrow evening.\u00a0 If Cheron does come, she can stay here until it\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe won\u2019t stay here.\u00a0 If Billy\u2019s burial is on the Flying W, she\u2019ll need a hut built.\u00a0 She\u2019ll stay there for several days praying over his body until it\u2019s time to bury him, and once he\u2019s in the ground, she\u2019ll go home.\u201d\u00a0 She lowered her face.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll probably never see her again.\u00a0 I can\u2019t help but feel that I failed her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving his arms around her, he drew her into him, holding her close.\u00a0 \u201cSweetheart, this wasn\u2019t your fault.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t anyone\u2019s fault.\u00a0 And there was no way Billy could have known there were wolves outside the stable.\u201d<\/p>\n

She moved her arms around him and laid her head on his chest.\u00a0 \u201cI know that.\u00a0 I still feel like I let them down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning her face back up to his, he said, \u201cYou\u2019ve taken good care of Billy, Shiloh.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure Cheron knows that.\u00a0 Come in the house with me.\u00a0 Micah will be here any minute, and I need to get the gunnysack out of the kitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once Adam had the gunnysack waiting on the front table, he carried armload after armload of firewood into the house, taking some upstairs to their bedroom and leaving the rest by the hearth downstairs.\u00a0 Just as he set the last load down, Micah knocked and entered, finding Shiloh and taking her in his arms for a warm hug.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been better.\u201d\u00a0 Smiling up at him, she added, \u201cBut I\u2019m all right.\u00a0 Micah, you have to convince her to come.\u00a0 She\u2019ll mourn the rest of her life if the burial isn\u2019t done properly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do my best, Little Sister. \u00a0Now where\u2019s Billy\u2019s blanket?\u201d<\/p>\n

She retrieved the blanket from the sofa and handed it to him.\u00a0 \u201cCheron made a good, sturdy blanket to keep him warm, but he was afraid he\u2019d ruin it.\u201d\u00a0 Unable to stop the tears, she turned away.\u00a0 Adam stepped behind her and touched her arms.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u00a0 It just seems unfair that the only time it\u2019s going to be used is to wrap him when he\u2019s buried.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning her around, Adam held her.\u00a0 \u201cShe may not use it, Sweetheart.\u00a0 Don\u2019t the Washoe make burial blankets with symbols to protect the spirit on its journey so it\u2019s not earthbound?\u201d\u00a0 He felt her nod.\u00a0 \u201cShe may take it back with her then.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sniffled and managed a smile.\u00a0 \u201cWhat she does with the blanket isn\u2019t really important.\u00a0\u00a0 But she has to come.\u00a0 I have to tell her,\u201d she said, looking up at him with pleading eyes.<\/p>\n

He nodded and gently kissed her.\u00a0 \u201cWe have to go.\u00a0 Can you sit tight for two days\u2026until I get back?\u00a0\u00a0 We\u2019ll make better time if I can keep my mind on the task at hand instead of worrying what you get yourself into.\u201d<\/p>\n

She glanced guiltily up at him expecting to see a teasing smile, but instead, she found serious concern in his eyes.\u00a0 She smiled anyway.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve brought in plenty of firewood, and Ming Lin has agreed to teach me to cook, so I have things to keep me busy in the house.\u00a0 I might even try playing my piano again.\u201d\u00a0 His look didn\u2019t change.\u00a0 Moving her hand to caress his cheek, she raised her eyes to his.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, I will not do anything that would cause you concern.\u00a0 I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

His look melted into a half smile. As he brushed her face tenderly with the back of his fingers, he kissed her one more time, and then went to the entry table for his hat and gloves. \u00a0Turning to the door, he quickly turned back when she called to him.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, don\u2019t forget the food.\u201d\u00a0 She picked up the gunnysack on her way to the open door, handing it to him with a smile and stood waving as they mounted and rode away.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

A tear fell from her cheek with every groan that escaped his lips as Annie tenderly cleaned each wound.\u00a0 As she worked her way down from his head, she stopped and sewed when she encountered one that was too deep or too wide to leave alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Annie,\u201d said the sergeant, stepping into the room with his second load of firewood.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll just build up the fire before I bring anymore in.\u00a0 How is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

Before she turned to answer, she wiped the wetness from her face.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019ll survive his wounds if infection doesn\u2019t set in.\u00a0 I\u2019ve cleaned out most of them, but I still need to sew a few up.\u00a0 Build a big fire, Sergeant West.\u00a0 I won\u2019t be able to cover him with more than a sheet, so it needs to stay warm in here.\u00a0 There\u2019s just too many cuts and gashes to bandage without wrapping him up like a mummy.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Sergeant West began loading the firebox, feeding the flames he had already started, Annie watched.\u00a0 Did he know he was sending Hoss to those wolves with men and boys who were evidently in Philadelphia because they were cowards?\u00a0 Folding her lips into a tight line, she restrained herself from the tirade that was begging to be let out and turned back to her work on Hoss.<\/p>\n

Mr. Tyrell, the man who had stayed next to Hoss as the wolves attacked, sat nervously in a chair downstairs in the parlor awaiting news of Hoss\u2019 condition.\u00a0 Mrs. Levine smiled at him as she brought him a cup of hot coffee.\u00a0 She felt some pity for him, having been the only man who didn\u2019t run and having seen what a wolf can do to man; even a man as big as Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 She shook her head sadly and went back to her work in the kitchen, warming water for Annie\u2019s ministrations.<\/p>\n

A knock at the door brought Mr. Tyrell to his feet.\u00a0 He opened the door wide and saluted, allowing Captain Fletcher and a doctor from the military hospital to enter.\u00a0 \u201cAny word?\u201d asked Captain Fletcher.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo sir.\u00a0 Miss Walters from the women\u2019s school is up with him now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go up and see how she\u2019s doing,\u201d said Dr. Stephenson.\u00a0 Captain Fletcher followed.<\/p>\n

When Dr. Stephenson peered in the door Annie was sitting next to the bed cleaning a nasty bite on Hoss\u2019 leg.\u00a0 Sergeant West snapped to attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt ease, Sergeant.\u00a0 You and I need to find a private place to talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Annie stopped cleaning the wound, moved the cloth she was using to the wash basin and stood with her hands clasped in front of her.\u00a0 \u201cCaptain, I would like to know what you intend to do about the young men who ran.\u201d<\/p>\n

Giving her a rather placating smile, he answered, \u201cI assure you Miss Walters, they will be severely dealt with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that is what Mr. Cartwright would want.\u00a0 Nor I.\u00a0 You see, they weren\u2019t really men.\u00a0 They were boys, and they\u2019re here in Philadelphia for this very reason.\u00a0 They couldn\u2019t be trusted on the lines to do their duty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Walters, we have fine young men of the same age on the lines today doing their duty.\u201d\u00a0 The captain turned to speak to Sergeant West, but Annie kept going.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand that, Captain.\u00a0 Even so, the Army can\u2019t possibly expect that every boy can be that stoic when it comes to killing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve heard you, Miss Walters,\u201d he said a bit more loudly.\u00a0 \u201cNow Sergeant, if you will accompany me, we\u2019ll get this matter dealt with.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The Sergeant sent a smile her way as he left the room behind the Captain.<\/p>\n

Dr. Stephenson touched her arm. \u201cI\u2019m not sure I would have stood up for those men.\u00a0 They left Mr. Cartwright to deal with those wolves virtually alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wasn\u2019t completely alone, doctor.\u00a0 Mr. Tyrell probably saved his life.\u00a0 And they\u2019re just boys.\u00a0 The oldest was only fourteen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, well.\u00a0 Let\u2019s take a look at what you\u2019ve done.\u201d\u00a0 Dr. Stephenson began to look over the wounds Annie had already cleaned and sewn.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve done very well, Annie.\u00a0 I see that you\u2019ve left several open.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, the area around those is considerably red, so I was going to pack them with sugar to stem an infection.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo that with these three here. \u00a0And what about this one?\u201d<\/p>\n

I planned to debride this one, and perhaps this one here,\u201d she said, showing the doctor a wound in Hoss\u2019 side.<\/p>\n

\u201cHm.\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 They probably started as bites.\u00a0 It looks like a chunk of flesh is missing from this one.\u00a0 Has he awakened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he groans every now and then as I clean the wounds, but he\u2019s not opened his eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the young man you\u2019ve told me so much about, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

She gave him a weak smile.\u00a0 \u201cHow did you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour eyes are red and swollen, my dear.\u00a0 You don\u2019t usually cry over your patients.\u00a0 And considering who he is, I\u2019m going to finish up here.\u00a0 We don\u2019t usually allow students to practice on their loved ones.\u00a0 You may watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Thirty<\/p>\n

Adam and Micah hadn\u2019t gone far before they had to stop to rest the horses.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe we should stay in the trees instead of trying to take the road.\u00a0 If it\u2019s this deep all the way south, it\u2019ll take days just to get there,\u201d said Micah, surveying the area around them.<\/p>\n

Adam leaned on one leg, looked down and shook his head. \u201cIf we stay in the trees, one of the horses just might break a leg in a snag under the snow.\u00a0 It\u2019s too dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah spun around, moving his hands out to the side. \u201cWell, what do you suggest?\u00a0 We can\u2019t keep this up.\u00a0 We\u2019re only five miles from the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking around them, Adam settled on west.\u00a0 He grimaced as he thought how difficult it would be to get down to the lake.\u00a0 \u201cWhat if we headed toward the lake?\u00a0 We could follow the shore down to Captain Pray\u2019s sawmill, and then cut back up towards Kings Canyon.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t be far from Clear Creek from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a drink from his canteen, Micah spit the water back out into the snow.\u00a0 \u201cIt has to be better than up here.\u00a0 The snow shouldn\u2019t be as deep.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were silent most of the way to the lake, both men concentrating on where their horses were putting their feet.\u00a0 When they got to the lake, the going wasn\u2019t as rough as it had been.\u00a0 The tension eased from their muscles as they began a slow but easy pace.<\/p>\n

Adam was in the lead, and turning his head so Micah could hear him, he asked, \u201cDid you know about Running Elk?\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah clenched his teeth and took a moment to answer.\u00a0 \u201cYes and no.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pulling back on his reins, Adam turned Sport sideways in the trail so that Micah could do nothing but stop.\u00a0 \u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

Letting out a deep breath, Micah crossed his arms over his saddle horn.\u00a0 \u201cI knew she was spending time in the village, and I knew she spent a good bit of it with Running Elk.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t get too close to watch.\u00a0 The Paiute always had scouts out looking for any signs of trouble.\u00a0 But I always felt Gray Wolf would put a stop to anything more than a friendship.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t even want Running Elk around us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you realize what might have happened if it hadn\u2019t been obvious Shiloh was going to have a baby?\u201d asked Adam with flared nostrils.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow just hold on, Adam.\u00a0 I had no idea he was still pining for her.\u00a0 Neither did she, so it must not have been that important to her.\u00a0 What did she say?\u201d<\/p>\n

Pinching his nose, Adam turned Sport forward and starting moving down the trail.\u00a0 He spoke over his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cShe said she never loved him; that she was too young to have those feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why are you letting it bother you?\u00a0 Nothing happened.\u201d\u00a0 When Micah didn\u2019t get an answer, he repeated a question he had asked months ago.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, don\u2019t you trust your wife?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not Shiloh\u2019s feelings I\u2019m worried about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRunning Elk said he was through waiting.\u00a0 And Gray Wolf and Winnemucca aren\u2019t going to let him start any trouble with a Cartwright.\u00a0 The Cartwrights and Whitneys are about the only friends the Paiute have.\u201d\u00a0 They rode in silence for a few minutes before Micah added.\u00a0 \u201cYou just wait.\u00a0 Gray Wolf will have his son married to the prettiest girl in the tribe by spring, and he\u2019ll have forgotten all about Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head, knowing there were never any guarantees with the Paiute. \u201cYou seem to forget what Young Wolf was planning to do.\u00a0 And that Winnemucca was going to let him.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Before Shiloh could close the door, she saw someone coming toward the house from the direction of the barn.\u00a0 She waited for him to dismount and climb the steps.\u00a0 \u201cShorty, I guess the snow\u2019s too deep to run the sawmill by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Removing his hat, revealing his white hair, the old man smiled an almost toothless smile.\u00a0 \u201cYes ma\u2019am.\u00a0 We removed the blades for storage before this last storm blew in.\u00a0 Mr. Adam told me to come here and help keep things up around the house and the barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling sweetly, for she was very fond of this kind, well-mannered old man, she welcomed him into the house.\u00a0 \u201cDo you know if the road to Virginia City is clear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s not clear enough for a buggy, but a good horse can get through now.\u00a0 It won\u2019t be so bad today since the sun\u2019s shining.\u00a0 If you need something, I\u2019ll ride into town for you today.\u00a0 My bones are telling me we\u2019re in for another bad round of weather.\u201d<\/p>\n

She took him into the kitchen and asked him to sit at the table, then poured him a cup of coffee.\u00a0 \u201cHave you had breakfast?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 I was hoping to get here from the main house before Mr. Adam left, but I reckon I missed him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot by much.\u00a0 Ming Lin will fix you something for breakfast, and while you eat, he can put together his list of things he needs from town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought he might have a list,\u201d he said, pulling another list out of his pocket.\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing had a list.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed and turned to see Ming Lin standing at the stove, smiling as well.\u00a0 \u201cThere are bunk rooms in the stables.\u00a0 You can stay there with Johnny and Tom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing, Shorty bowed his head and timidly moved his eyes up to hers.\u00a0 \u201cI heard about Billy, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 I know you were fond of the boy.\u00a0 I am truly sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was all she could do to keep from bursting out in tears.\u00a0 She managed to get out a hoarse \u201cThank you,\u201d then excused herself from the kitchen.\u00a0 Turning the corner of the small hallway between the kitchen and the dining room, she leaned back against the wall, covered her mouth with her hand and wept.<\/p>\n

In only a few minutes, Ming Lin appeared with a handkerchief, which he offered to her, and a tea set which he sat on the dining room table.\u00a0 After pouring a cup of the tea he made especially for her, he coaxed her to a chair.\u00a0 \u201cYour breakfast will be served in a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMing Lin, thank you, but I\u2019m not very hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStill, you must eat\u2026as much for the health of the baby as to honor your word to Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite her tears, she chuckled and nodded. \u00a0\u201cI\u2019ll eat in the kitchen with you and Shorty.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be there in a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ming Lin bowed and took the tea service back to the kitchen.<\/p>\n

After her breakfast, Shiloh spent the rest of the morning at the piano, exercising her hand.\u00a0 She found that if she soaked it in warm water her hand was more flexible, and after several iterations of playing and soaking, she was able to complete a simple run all the way from one end of the keyboard to the other.<\/p>\n

Someone knocked at the door, and though she stopped playing, she only turned on the piano bench to watch as Ming Lin answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs Mr. Cartwright or Mr. Whitney here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey left early this morning for Clear Creek,\u201d answered Ming Lin.<\/p>\n

Clint Miller was the foreman at the Whitney Mine, and though Shiloh knew who he was, she\u2019d met him only once and very briefly.\u00a0 She rose from the piano bench and went to the door. \u201cMr. Miller, won\u2019t you come in?\u00a0 Is there a problem at the mine?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 We\u2019ve had a minor cave-in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes widened as she looked up into his. \u201cWas anyone hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo men were in that part of the shaft when it collapsed, but we got \u2018em out.\u00a0 Just cuts and bruises.\u00a0 But I need Mr. Cartwright to take a look at the slide.\u00a0 It happened in the upper end toward the top of the ridge.\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure it can be stabilized.\u00a0 We may have to abandon it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh took a deep breath.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Cartwright and Mr. Whitney won\u2019t be back until late tomorrow.\u00a0 If another storm comes in tomorrow, it could be later than that.\u00a0 Don\u2019t do anything on that side of the mine until you can speak with him. \u00a0Did it affect the other side of the main shaft?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo ma\u2019am.\u00a0 I believe we were just too close to the top of the ridge.\u00a0 The weight of the boulders up there was too much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if you dig out the side of the ridge instead of trying to tunnel next to the upside of the vein?\u201d<\/p>\n

He gave her a sidelong look.\u00a0 Word was she was smart\u2026college educated like her husband.\u00a0 He knew she\u2019d run the Flying W before her marriage to Adam Cartwright.\u00a0 But up until now, she had stayed away from the mine.\u00a0 \u201cWe could do that, but it will take a lot longer to extract the silver and what gold there is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it doesn\u2019t appear you\u2019re going to be able to continue tunneling, so it may be our only recourse if the cost doesn\u2019t exceed the value of the ore.\u00a0 If the collapse of the upward side hasn\u2019t affected the shaft on the other side, keep your men working on that side of the main vein and leave the up side alone until Mr. Cartwright can look at it. \u00a0But Mr. Miller, at the first sign of trouble, I want you to pull the men out of the mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright, mines don\u2019t usually shut down until there\u2019s a collapse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Miller, there\u2019s already been a collapse, even though you say it was minor.\u00a0 We\u2019re not that kind of mine owner. \u00a0We don\u2019t put the value of the silver above our men\u2019s lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

The mine foreman looked at his hat as he turned it round and round in his hands. \u201cI\u2019m not sure Mr. Whitney or Mr. Cartwright would agree with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled. \u201cThen you don\u2019t know either of them very well.\u201d\u00a0 She walked to the door and opened it.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll let both Mr. Whitney and Mr. Cartwright know what\u2019s happened as soon as they\u2019re back.\u00a0 In the meantime, please do as I ask.\u00a0 And give the two men who were trapped adequate time off with pay to recover.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving his hat to his head, Mr. Miller tipped it and walked out the door, turning for just a moment to look back at her.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t sure he liked taking orders from a woman; the bosses\u2019 sister and wife, or not.<\/p>\n

Chapter Thirty-One<\/p>\n

Annie sat by the side of Hoss\u2019 bed after several days of repacking and rebandaging his wounds.\u00a0 She watched as Dr. Stephenson checked her work. \u201cDoctor, he\u2019s been unconscious for three days.\u00a0 Shouldn\u2019t he be awake by now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour young man lost a good bit of blood in that row with the wolf.\u00a0 Sleeping in his case is a good thing. \u00a0His body is replenishing what he lost.\u00a0 No, you\u2019re doing the best thing you could possibly do for him at the moment, and that\u2019s keeping these wounds clean and packed.\u00a0 There\u2019s no sign of infection so far, and I\u2019d like to keep it that way.\u00a0 Now, young lady, I\u2019ve asked Mrs. Levine if she wouldn\u2019t mind sitting with him for a few hours while you get some sleep.\u00a0 She\u2019ll be up momentarily, and I expect you to go without any dissent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before she was relieved by Mrs. Levine, Sergeant West removed his hat, lightly knocked on the door and stuck his head in.\u00a0 \u201cAny change, Miss Annie?\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at Hoss, she answered, \u201cNot yet, but the doctor says that\u2019s not necessarily bad news.\u201d\u00a0 She turned her attention to the sergeant. \u201cWhat did the captain do about the young men who ran?\u201d<\/p>\n

The sergeant lowered his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe sent \u2018em all home.\u00a0 Only all of \u2018em may not have had a home to go to.\u201d\u00a0 Annie shook her head and sighed.\u00a0 \u201cYou have to understand, ma\u2019am, that the army ain\u2019t no orphanage.\u00a0 Them boys just wasn\u2019t soldier material.\u00a0 They just wasn\u2019t old enough yet to take on this kind of responsibility.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t get branded or nothing like that.\u00a0 Their records were wiped clean.\u00a0 It\u2019ll be like they was never here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what if they didn\u2019t have a home to go to?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI reckon they\u2019ll stay in the city and try to find work.\u00a0 The good thing out of this is I\u2019ve got a contingency of men in the city now.\u00a0 The South\u2019s sending in saboteurs these days, so Captain Fletcher will be stationed in the city with his men for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Annie stood and walked away from the bed. \u201cSaboteurs\u2026in the city?\u201d she asked quietly, taking a step closer.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes ma\u2019am.\u00a0 You know the warehouse fire up on Delaware Avenue wasn\u2019t no accident.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it wasn\u2019t.\u00a0 And Captain Fletcher\u2019s been ordered to defend the city, even if it means every man here has to take up arms.\u201d\u00a0 Annie looked back anxiously at Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s just as well Mr. Cartwright is taking his time to recover.\u00a0 Captain Fletcher asked about him, and Mr. Tyrell told him Mr. Cartwright was setting up lines of defense and giving orders just like he was an experienced officer.\u00a0 In fact, the captain asked me to report back what I found here today.\u00a0 I aim to tell him Mr. Cartwright\u2019s still in real bad shape; that he ain\u2019t even come to yet.\u00a0 Maybe then he\u2019ll leave him be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Sergeant.\u00a0 I think it will be awhile before he\u2019s able to do much of anything.\u00a0 He has stitches pretty much all over.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

For Adam and Micah, the going was easy as long as there was a shoreline.\u00a0 That wasn\u2019t always the case on Lake Tahoe.\u00a0 Where huge slabs of vertical granite and boulders plunged down into the water, they had to veer back into the trees and find a way up and over the rocky terrain.\u00a0 Still, they were making better progress than if they had stayed on the previous trail.<\/p>\n

Riding shoulder to shoulder on a well-used trail, they let the horses pick their way through the knee-deep snow that was rutted by deep wagon tracks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d forgotten how bad the winters can be here,\u201d said Micah.\u00a0 \u201cNot that there were that many before I left.\u00a0 They just kinda catch you by surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cWeren\u2019t you watching your sister?\u00a0 We\u2019ve had a couple of bad winters lately, one that almost killed her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I remember that one.\u00a0 If you hadn\u2019t been there, that probably would have been the time I revealed myself in order to get her to a doctor.\u00a0 What I don\u2019t know\u2026and I never asked her\u2026was what happened in your house that turned her feelings for you around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frowning, Adam was hesitant to tell Micah what had happened.\u00a0 Not that it would be a surprise to him, but rather because it was Shiloh\u2019s story to tell.\u00a0 But she would never offer, and he would never ask.\u00a0 \u201cShe explained why she\u2026hated\u2026me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a strong word.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think she\u2019s capable of that particular emotion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam snorted. \u201cOh, she hated me.\u00a0 And with good reason to hear her tell it.\u00a0 You probably never realized how I kept her from\u2026the most important goodbyes.\u00a0 You and your father were in the room with your mother when she was dying, but Amos didn\u2019t want Shiloh to see her that way.\u00a0 He asked me to keep her in the parlor.\u201d\u00a0 Looking up at the sky, he took a deep breath.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was so young.\u00a0 How could she remember that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought about it until she told me that, but things changed after your mother died.\u00a0 Before your mother got sick, Shiloh used to run up to me for a hug whenever she saw me.\u00a0 Afterwards, she clung to your leg whenever I was around, and when I picked her up, she wiggled until I had to put her down.\u00a0 Then, there was your demise, and she blamed me for that because I didn\u2019t do anything even though you and Amos told her over and over again\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about Dad?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI sent her away to school, and she was gone for seven years.\u00a0 He was already gone by the time she got the last telegram from Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaking his head, Micah started, \u201cAdam, you can\u2019t blame yourself for\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah.\u00a0 There were no goodbyes for her\u2026because of me.\u00a0 She had every right to hate me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo why did it change when she came back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt didn\u2019t at first.\u00a0 But she left here a child and came back a woman\u2026a very bright, very talented, very\u2026capable\u2026woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI can see why it changed for you.\u00a0 But why her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 The level track ran out, and Adam reined Sport down the hill toward the shore, finishing over his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cShe grew up.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh leaned against the window casing looking over the valley toward the stables, watching a light snow begin to fall as the sun slipped behind the clouds.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t really see the subtle nuances of the flakes as they swirled, dipped and fluttered.\u00a0 Rather, she pictured Adam riding through the high snow, the drifts, and the new snow coming down.\u00a0 Was it snowing where he was now?\u00a0 She glanced down at her stomach, then looked back out the window.\u00a0 Under normal circumstances, she\u2019d be making this trip with him.<\/p>\n

She knew that when spring weather permitted, Adam would have to go to San Francisco for another inspection of the San Francisco court house.\u00a0 The possibility that spring would be long in coming didn\u2019t settle well with her.\u00a0 If it came too late, he might not let her travel with him.\u00a0 If it was very late, he might not be here when the baby came.\u00a0 Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly, and wandered into the kitchen where Ming Lin was collecting ingredients to make a fruitcake.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there something I could help you with, Ming Lin?\u00a0 I need to take my mind off\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Her sentence trailed off as she frowned and looked away.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled.\u00a0 \u201cIt probably sounds strange to you that I would want to take my mind off my husband, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you miss him.\u00a0 And you worry.\u00a0 It is not so strange,\u201d he said, glancing up from his work with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cYou may help measure and add ingredients for the fruitcakes we will be taking to the Christmas Eve party at the main house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are you making these ahead of time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey will soak in buttered brandy after they are baked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u00a0 Would you mind if I made bread instead?\u00a0 The smell makes me feel better. And maybe some cookies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd perhaps your dinner?\u201d he asked without looking up.\u00a0 \u201cYou can learn to clean a chicken, and make dumplings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Twisting her mouth, she repeated, \u201cClean a chicken?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0 It must be killed, plucked, gutted and cleaned.\u201d\u00a0 If he hadn\u2019t known better, he would have sworn she turned green. She wore a sickly frown, closed her eyes and swallowed hard.<\/p>\n

Shiloh watched as Ming Lin added one ingredient after another into the mixing bowl that would eventually hold a fruit and nut-loaded batter.\u00a0 After the fruitcakes went into the oven, she began preparing dough for bread, and once she had the bread rising in a bowl, Ming Lin took her out the back door of the kitchen to watch as he caught and slaughtered a chicken.<\/p>\n

That night for dinner, as Ming Lin served the chicken and dumplings, Shiloh swallowed hard and managed a smile, but fought an internal struggle not to do something very unlady-like in the dining room. \u201cMing Lin, I\u2019m not sure I can\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking surprised, Ming Lin said, \u201cChicken and dumplings is your favorite dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is\u2026it was.\u201d\u00a0 She covered her mouth with her hand.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe tomorrow.\u00a0 Is there any roast beef left from last night?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ming Lin removed the plate he had prepared for her and went back to the kitchen.\u00a0 She watched him go and winced, knowing he wasn\u2019t pleased with her.\u00a0 But how could she eat pieces of that chicken after watching it die, molt, boil and lose its insides by someone ripping them out through its\u2026?\u00a0 Shuddering, she heard a knock on the door, placed her napkin on the table, and thankfully, got up to answer it.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d she said, reaching up to hug him as he stepped into the house wearing a broad smile.<\/p>\n

He had started to hug her, but stopped and looked down, laughing.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll have to wait awhile for real hug.\u00a0 \u201cHow are you, darling?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a step back, she smiled and blushed.\u00a0 \u201cWhen it comes to horses\u2026or on stage, I can hold my own against some of the best.\u00a0 But at the moment, my condition is bringing out my weaknesses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben furrowed his brow. \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

She chuckled and absentmindedly rubbed her belly.\u00a0 \u201cThings that never bothered me before seem to really bother me at the moment.\u00a0 Have you had dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I have.\u00a0 Have you?\u201d\u00a0 Her cringe answered his question, and he moved his hands to his hips and looked disapprovingly at her. \u00a0Holding out his arm, he beckoned her to take it, and then walked her to the dining room.\u00a0 \u201cIt seems you had started.\u00a0 What happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ming Lin walked into the dining room carrying a plate of warm roast beef among other things.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Cartwright will not be happy with me if you do not eat, Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d\u00a0 He placed the plate on the table where she had been sitting.<\/p>\n

Tilting her head, she smiled warmly. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Ming Lin.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure chicken and dumplings aren\u2019t ruined for me forever.\u00a0 Perhaps I should wait to learn to clean a chicken until after the baby is born. \u00a0Pa, can I offer you some coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0 But only if you will eat your dinner while I drink it.\u201d He raised his brow giving her an insistent look, prompting a smile and a nod.\u00a0 After seating her at the head of the table normally occupied by Adam, Ben took the chair to her left.<\/p>\n

She reached for his hand and covered it with her own.\u00a0 \u201cWhat brings you out in the snow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I thought since Adam isn\u2019t here and may well be longer than he planned, that you and Ming Lin might like to come stay at the main house until he gets back. \u00a0\u00a0You\u2019re here alone.\u00a0 You can\u2019t get out because of the snow.\u00a0 And I\u2019m sure Hop Sing could use the help getting ready for the Christmas Eve party next week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Washing down the bite of roast beef she had just taken with a drink of water, she smiled and shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cPa, I need to be here when Adam gets back.\u00a0 Hopefully he\u2019ll have Cheron with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think he will.\u201d\u00a0 She stopped cutting the roast beef and swiftly looked up at him.\u00a0 Patting her hand, he said, \u201cOh, not that she won\u2019t come.\u00a0 Just that she won\u2019t come with Adam.\u00a0 The Washoe have rituals when one of their tribe dies.\u00a0 Cheron will want to collect the things she\u2019ll need to send Billy\u2019s spirit into the heavens.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019ll have someone come with her to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know so much about the Washoe?\u201d she asked as she continued to eat.<\/p>\n

Ben sat back in his chair, crossed his legs and brought his coffee cup to his lips, taking a sip.\u00a0 \u201cThe Washoe were here long before we were.\u00a0 They had a summer village down by the lake, and when I bought the land, I told them they could stay.\u00a0 They did for a time, but other whites came\u2026frightened them, so they moved south\u2026to Clear Creek.\u00a0 While they were here, we traded, and Adam and I were privileged to witness some of their rituals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf that\u2019s true,\u201d she glanced up at him with a teasing smile, \u201cand I know it is, then Adam already knows she won\u2019t come with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he does.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure he didn\u2019t tell you because he didn\u2019t want to worry you.\u00a0 I remember Cheron.\u00a0 I remember how protective she was of Billy before his father died.\u00a0 She\u2019ll come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStill, Pa, there\u2019s no reason for me to leave.\u00a0 Ming Lin and I have everything we need here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould it make a difference if I said I\u2019d feel better if you were at my house?\u00a0 Hop Sing has some experience where babies are concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n

She chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, it might be good to get out of this house for a little while.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been stuck inside since the snows started.\u00a0 Perhaps a change of scenery would do me good.\u00a0 But how do I get there?\u00a0 Dr. Martin has forbidden me to ride, and Adam said the snow\u2019s too deep for the buggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

A smile spread across Ben\u2019s face, making it to his dark eyes, causing them to twinkle.\u00a0 \u201cI came in the sleigh.\u00a0 We\u2019ll glide right over the top of the snow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll need to get some things together.\u00a0 Do you have time to wait?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laughing, he answered, \u201cIt\u2019s winter.\u00a0 Other than checking the herd, we don\u2019t have much else to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Thirty-Two<\/p>\n

Annie sat at the desk in Hoss\u2019 room, re-reading the letter she had just written to Mr. Cartwright.<\/p>\n

Mr. Cartwright,<\/em><\/p>\n

It is with angst that I write this letter to you, especially with such a joyous season upon us.\u00a0 There has been an incident here in which Hoss has been injured.\u00a0 Let me say now that he is resting, and we believe will make a full recovery.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Army here asked that Hoss help track down a pack of wolves that had been terrorizing the troops stationed on the outskirts of the city. Hoss, being the honorable man he is, did so. The soldiers stationed within the city were actually young boys who were not suited to the task.\u00a0 Nor were they suited to assist him as when the wolves attacked, they ran, leaving Hoss alone to face the last of the beasts.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

He did so bravely; a fight to the death of the wolf.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the wolf fought valiantly as well, leaving Hoss with numerous deep wounds and bites.\u00a0 Dr. Stephenson, the military doctor stationed here, and I have seen to his wounds and are watching Hoss closely for infection.\u00a0 As of yet, there is no fever and the wounds are healing well.<\/em><\/p>\n

I thought it prudent to let you know of his condition.\u00a0 If there becomes further cause for concern, I will contact you by telegram.\u00a0 Otherwise, I pray the next letter you receive will be written by Hoss as he continues to recuperate. You have my solemn promise that I will not leave his side.<\/em><\/p>\n

I leave it to you and Adam as to whether you inform Shiloh.\u00a0 I know that she will worry; something that is not recommended in her condition.<\/em><\/p>\n

Affectionately,<\/em><\/p>\n

Annie Walters<\/em><\/p>\n

Turning in the chair at a faint moan coming from the bed, she watched as Hoss moved his head from side to side while licking lips that were much too dry.\u00a0 She set the letter down and hurried over to his side, dipped a clean cloth into a glass of water and moistened them.<\/p>\n

Hoss clamped his mouth down on the cloth, releasing a relieved moan.\u00a0 When his eyes fluttered open, he looked at Annie and smiled.\u00a0 He tried to speak but could only manage a hoarse grunt.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t try to speak, Hoss,\u201d said Annie with a smile and a hand on his forehead.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve been out for awhile, and your mouth and throat are dry.\u00a0 \u201cWould you like to try a sip of water?\u201d<\/p>\n

He closed his eyes and nodded ever so slightly, prompting her to hold a glass to his lips as she moved a hand behind his head and lifted.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne more sip and you can try speaking again,\u201d she said softly.<\/p>\n

Swallowing hard, Hoss spoke in a raspy voice.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got beat up by a wolf.\u201d\u00a0 She leaned over him with moist eyes after she set the glass back on the night table.\u00a0 \u201cAs I understand it, the wolf looked worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss lay still with his eyes closed and a grimace fixed upon his face. \u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t see how he could.\u00a0 I feel like I had words with a grizzly bear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you remember what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s slowly comin\u2019 back.\u00a0 How long have I been out?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeveral days.\u00a0\u00a0 You lost a lot of blood, so it\u2019s no surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Hoss shook the cobwebs out of his mind, he first looked around the room, and then looked down at himself wearing nothing but a sheet.\u00a0 Pulling it up to his chin, he quickly glanced up at her, then lowered his eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 He tried to feel his body; his arms, legs, torso.\u00a0 \u201cWho done stitched me up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did most of it.\u00a0 Dr. Stephenson did some.\u201d<\/p>\n

He held his breath for a moment before he asked his next question, wincing.\u00a0 \u201cYou bandaged me up?\u201d\u00a0 She nodded.\u00a0 \u201cAll of me?\u201d\u00a0 She nodded again.\u00a0 He gave her a slight, embarrassed smile.\u00a0 \u201cYou mean\u2026you mean you saw me nekkid?\u201d\u00a0 The last word was no more than a squeak.<\/p>\n

It was all Annie could do to hold her laughter in.\u00a0 She knew for Hoss, seeing him \u2018nekkid\u2019 would be a serious matter.\u00a0 \u201cNow Hoss, I am a doctor\u2026or at least, I\u2019m almost a doctor.\u00a0 In the shape you were in, there wasn\u2019t time for propriety.\u00a0 Besides, would you rather Mrs. Levine had seen you naked?\u201d<\/p>\n

He grimaced again.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u00a0 I suppose not.\u00a0 But it don\u2019t seem right\u2026you and me being sweet on each other and all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clasping her hands in her lap, Annie bowed her head, uncertain how she should feel, having evidently embarrassed him. It seemed unfair to her that people couldn\u2019t separate the fact that she was a woman from her chosen profession.\u00a0 Male doctors saw women all the time, and nothing was ever said about it.\u00a0 Why couldn\u2019t it be the same for the opposite gender?<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, Annie, it ain\u2019t that I don\u2019t appreciate you takin\u2019 care of me.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s just\u2026well\u2026the only female who ever saw me\u2026you know\u2026that I can remember\u2026was my mama, and I was just a small fry then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing in frustration, Annie began to gather the used cloths.\u00a0 \u201cHoss, there was nothing else I could do.\u00a0 Dr. Stephenson wasn\u2019t available, and you were in bad shape.\u00a0 The only other person here was Mrs. Levine.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t about to let you lie there and bleed to death.\u201d\u00a0 She plopped the rags into the bowl of water, then picked it up, holding it against her.\u00a0 \u201cNow, I\u2019m going to bring up some broth for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Closing his eyes, he let his head drop back to the pillow.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t suppose I could have something with a little more to it, could I?\u201d<\/p>\n

Annie exhaled and smiled understandingly.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe later this evening.\u00a0 I just need to make sure you can keep something down before I give you anything substantial.\u00a0 Now rest.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be back up shortly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss opened his eyes and watched her leave the room wearing a smile. One corner of his mouth turned up.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t about to give his little gal any trouble.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s getting dark.\u00a0 We should find a place to camp,\u201d yelled Adam over the whistle of the wind-whipped snow.<\/p>\n

Micah had pulled the collar of his coat up around his face, held onto his hat with a gloved hand and yelled back.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s too early.\u00a0\u00a0 We can make it to the camp at the sawmill.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pulling Sport up to a stop, Adam turned and looked around him, especially across the lake.\u00a0 He could see very little, but one thing was sure.\u00a0 This storm was coming in from the west across the lake, and when it hit the mountains on the east side, it would stay put until it blew itself out.\u00a0 Shaking his head, he shouted. \u201cWe\u2019ll never make it.\u00a0 It\u2019s already too dark.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd just where do you plan on camping?\u00a0 We can’t stay out in the open.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be buried by morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam motioned for Micah to follow him, leading him further down the trail to a granite wall soaring thirty feet up the side of a mountain.\u00a0 All around this wall of rock were boulders strewn here and there, and one impressive piece of granite suspended like a table over several of its companions, sheltering the ground underneath it.\u00a0 The cavern it created was small.\u00a0 Neither man could stand up in the space, but it was large enough to sit under and most definitely lay underneath somewhat protected from the weather.<\/p>\n

Micah gave Adam a sidelong look.\u00a0 \u201cThis place has been used for shelter before.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t happen to be you that used it, would it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam dismounted Sport with a one side of his mouth upturned and an impish glimmer in his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cNot lately, but it has come in handy over the years.\u00a0 We\u2019ll build a fire at the back so the smoke can go up that crack,\u201d he said, pointing to the back edge of the table rock where years of campfires had blackened the granite.\u00a0 As the men stood back to back while removing their saddles and saddlebags from their horses, Adam remarked, \u201cYou haven\u2019t been to Pray\u2019s lately. You should be thanking me. That place is no more than a huge mud hole in winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re the one who mentioned Pray\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor information and maybe a beer.\u00a0 Not to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once the two men had their saddles down and their bedrolls spread out with their saddlebags near, Adam pulled out the bacon, beans, a potato and the sack of coffee.\u00a0 As he prepared their dinner, he asked Micah about his chosen work in his former life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Adam.\u00a0 There was no way I was going to be able to work at the ranches without someone figuring out who I was.\u00a0 Dad had sold horses to all the big spreads.\u00a0 I needed to do something where I could stay away from people, and believe me; people stay away from a range detective like he\u2019s got plague.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMost range detectives I\u2019ve ever met shoot first and ask questions later.\u00a0 And if the answers don\u2019t say guilty, things get changed to make them guilty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I already told you and your pa I didn\u2019t do anything illegal.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t change <\/em>anything. If I found a problem, it was the rustler or the thief\u2019s doing.\u00a0 Sometimes a ranch hand.\u00a0\u00a0 And sometimes the rancher.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMort Williams had quite a reputation,\u201d said Adam as he put the potato he had peeled into a shallow pan of water by the fire.\u00a0 \u201cCoffee\u2019s ready.\u00a0 You want some?\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah grabbed a cup and held it out.\u00a0 \u201cWhen did you get to be a decent campfire cook?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve done my share of trail riding.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMort Williams.\u00a0 Micah Whitney.\u00a0 One in the same in every way, Adam.\u00a0 Mort\u2019s reputation had a life of its own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGun fighting?\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah shrugged. \u201cPart of the job, especially with the reputation.\u00a0 Besides, I understand you\u2019ve done your share.\u00a0 Over the years, I\u2019ve gotten the impression that outdrawing a Cartwright\u2026two of you in particular\u2026could be as popular as outdrawing Mort.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pushing his bottom lip up, Adam tended the fire, unwilling to continue the path the conversation had taken.\u00a0 The conversation dropped as Micah stirred the beans.<\/p>\n

Chapter Thirty-Three<\/p>\n

Leaving the warmth of their rocky shelter, Adam and Micah slowly made their way behind some tall boulders where they had run a picket line for the horses.\u00a0 They removed the feed bags and offered the horses some water out of the cook pan.\u00a0 Even though wind and snow were whipping around the rock outcroppings, the space between the bands of rock offered some respite from the worst of the bad weather.\u00a0 With their tethers long enough for the horses to stand front to back against each other, they would stay warm enough through the night.<\/p>\n

Once back underneath the table rock, Adam stoked the flames, adding another log from among those that had been drying at the fire\u2019s edge.\u00a0 Both men lay down on their bedrolls, reclining against their saddles, and settled down for a cold and windy night in the wild.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

As Ben pulled the sleigh into the yard of the main house, he finally let his body relax, his grip upon the reins loosening just enough to stop the ache in his hands.\u00a0 Snow was coming down harder than it had all winter, making the going slow for the horses trying to high step through it. \u00a0It was coming down so hard and so fast, Ben actually worried about making it that single mile from one house to the other.<\/p>\n

He turned to Shiloh, whose face was barely visible with her hood pulled down over her head and her neck scarf high up on her face, leaving only her eyes exposed.\u00a0 She saw the furrows of worry across his face before he could remove them with a warm smile.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re here,\u201d he yelled to be heard over the wind.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s get you inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two men from the bunkhouse ran out to the sleigh, taking the reins from Ben.\u00a0 \u201cJake, get some of the men to bring the bags into the house while you put the sleigh away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYessir, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh had been expecting her father-in-law to help her out of the sleigh, but when she looked down at the ground, she saw that he was knee deep in snow.\u00a0 Looking into his eyes, she said, \u201cI hadn\u2019t prepared for this,\u201d then folded her lips into an apologetic line.<\/p>\n

Ben smiled and held his arms out.\u00a0 \u201cThen you shall ride all the way to the front door.\u201d\u00a0 He reached into the sleigh and swept her off her feet from where she was standing on the sleigh floor, drawing a gasp from her followed by a embarrassed chuckle, and then an all out laugh that sent her head back.<\/p>\n

Setting her feet on the porch in front of the door, he said, \u201cNow that\u2019s a sound that\u2019s been too long missing from this house.\u201d<\/p>\n

After settling into to her surroundings, Shiloh wandered into the kitchen where Ming Lin was already helping Hop Sing prepare cakes, pastries, cookies, pies, sweet and savory jams, and bread for the upcoming traditional holiday party.\u00a0 As the day continued with the snow still falling hard, Shiloh assisted them, all the while singing Christmas songs that put smiles on the faces of the two Chinese men.\u00a0 Joe even joined them, sitting at the table and tasting all the wares, joining in the song between bites.<\/p>\n

Ben sat in his leather chair next to the fireplace, smoking his pipe and staring into the fire, remembering a similar time when Marie would sing as she and Hop Sing prepared the Christmas feast.\u00a0 The sounds and smells from the kitchen brought about a pleasant journey into the past, leaving a wide smile on his face.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Sitting up with his blanket wrapped around his shoulders, Micah reached past the smoldering fire across the space that separated him from Adam, and just as he grabbed a piece of wood for the fire, he noticed Adam\u2019s eyes were open.\u00a0 He hesitated for only a second before he continued moving wood to the fire.\u00a0 \u201cHow long have you been awake?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least as long as you.\u201d\u00a0 Adam slowly sat up.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t remember feeling this stiff in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen\u2019s the last time you slept outside in the snow?\u201d asked Micah with a chuckle.<\/p>\n

Raising his eyebrows, Adam bounced his head back and forth and mumbled something.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t tell me you don\u2019t feel the same way.\u00a0 You and I are the same age.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue enough.\u00a0 But I haven\u2019t spent the last fifteen years living it up in a big, warm house with a nice soft bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cYour choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two men sat in companionable quiet, warming up next to the fire as their morning coffee and beans boiled and their bacon sizzled.<\/p>\n

Micah broke the silence.\u00a0 \u201cHave you given any thought to how we get Cheron\u2019s attention?\u00a0 You can bet she won\u2019t be cleaning fish in the creek today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have. \u00a0But I don\u2019t know enough about the area to know what options we have.\u00a0 We\u2019ll have to look around when we get close.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll have scouts out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam nodded.\u00a0 \u201cYou and I have done our share of avoiding Indian scouts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have.\u00a0 A long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you are <\/em>feeling your age,\u201d said Adam with a playful gleam in his eyes.<\/p>\n

Micah snorted.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not old.\u00a0 You can be old for both of us.\u00a0\u00a0 Seriously, we need to be careful.\u00a0 Your father was mostly right.\u00a0 They won\u2019t kill us, but that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019ll be hospitable.\u00a0 And we could end up causing more trouble for Cheron than she can handle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sarcastically smiling, Adam asked, \u201cYou got any better ideas?\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah winced.\u00a0 \u201cNo, not really.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh bounced down the stairs early and was immediately admonished by Hop Sing.\u00a0 \u201cYou come down too fast.\u00a0 You hold on.\u00a0 Walk slow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wearing a wide smile, she took Hop Sing\u2019s arm and twirled him around as she took her place at the breakfast table waiting for her father and brother-in-law to join her after hearing them moving around in their bedrooms as she passed.<\/p>\n

As Hop Sing muttered his way back into the kitchen, Ben and Joe appeared on the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s way too early in the morning to be upsetting him,\u201d Joe said, laughing.\u00a0 \u201cWhat did you do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI came down the stairs much too quickly for his tastes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben bent and kissed her head as he stepped around her chair and took his own at the head of the table.\u00a0 \u201cIf Hop Sing thinks you came down the stairs too fast, you did.\u201d\u00a0 He ended with raised eyebrows and a stern look.<\/p>\n

Moving her napkin to her lap, she picked up the cup of coffee that Ben had just poured for her and took a sip.\u00a0 \u201cNone of you are going to spoil my day today.\u00a0 So stop trying,\u201d she teased.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s so wonderful about today?\u201d asked Joe, rolling his eyes as the word \u2018wonderful\u2019 rolled off his tongue.\u00a0 \u201cThe only wonderful<\/em> thing about winter is the end of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, there\u2019s Christmas.\u00a0 If I remember correctly, you always enjoyed the Christmas Eve party and Christmas dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo good days out of four or five months does not make it my favorite season.\u201d\u00a0 Joe winked at her and prepared his plate. \u201cSo why are you in such a good mood this morning?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam will be back today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben moved his eyes to hers.\u00a0 \u201cNow Shiloh.\u00a0 It\u2019s quite possible he won\u2019t be back because of the snowstorm.\u201d<\/p>\n

She frowned.\u00a0 \u201cBut he could,\u201d she said in a child\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n

Covering her hand with his, Ben lowered his head and gazed up at her.\u00a0 \u201cDarling, I don\u2019t want you to spend all day counting on it.\u00a0 It\u2019s not likely he would have gotten to Clear Creek by now in this weather.\u00a0 This storm started from the west, so it would have been upon them long before we felt it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sighed and clasped her hands in front of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of that, young lady.\u00a0 You can help Hop Sing and Ming Lin in the kitchen again today, and you can help me decorate in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

She gave him a half-hearted smile and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, both of them know their way in a storm like this.\u00a0 They\u2019ll take it slow and safe.\u00a0 Now eat.\u00a0 I\u2019ll not have you bedridden because you haven\u2019t.\u00a0 We have much to do, and I need all the help I can get.\u201d\u00a0 His warm smile brought about a genuine grin from her.<\/p>\n

Chapter Thirty-Four<\/p>\n

Captain Fletcher had just stepped through the front door of Mrs. Levine\u2019s boarding house when Annie and Hoss began slowly descending the stairs.\u00a0 Hoss was holding onto the rail while his other arm was draped around Annie\u2019s shoulders, her hands firmly set upon his back and chest as if she would be able to stop him from falling if he stumbled.<\/p>\n

This would be the first time Annie had allowed Hoss to venture down the stairs for fear of him tearing his more severe wounds open, but he had insisted to the point that he was going to go whether she wanted him to go or not.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 I see you\u2019re doing better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss had begun to sweat with the effort of coming down the stairs. He moved his eyes to Captain Fletcher and bit his lip.<\/p>\n

Annie, on the other hand, had no problem speaking up.\u00a0 \u201cCaptain Fletcher, he\u2019s still not in any shape to join your army, and he won\u2019t be for awhile.\u00a0 We\u2019re still packing some of his wounds to stave off infection, and he still has sutures in the deeper ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clasping his hands behind his back, Captain Fletcher waited until Hoss was comfortable in a chair before he defined the reason for his visit.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Cartwright, as I believe you know, we have authorization to use every able-bodied man to protect this city.\u00a0 Now, since you have availed yourself of the amenities this city has to offer, I would expect you to return the favor and assist in her protection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss scowled. \u201cAnd just how do you figure I can do that, Capt\u2019n?\u00a0 I could barely walk down them stairs,\u201d he said, nodding toward the staircase. \u201cBesides, I didn\u2019t even get to see much of your fine city before your sergeant asked for my help, and I near got killed for it.\u00a0 I figure I\u2019ve done my share.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can assure you, Mr. Cartwright, that your skills are sorely needed.\u00a0 And as I understand it, your father is quite influential and admired in the Nevada Territory.\u00a0 The Union would prefer to keep all that gold and silver out of the South\u2019s hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss retained his scowl and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cSo that\u2019s what this is all about.\u00a0 You want to me to sign up with Union Army thinkin\u2019 my pa would support the North because of it. \u00a0Well, Mister, let me tell you somethin\u2019.\u00a0 There ain\u2019t nothin\u2019 you can do to convince my pa to take a side in this war.\u00a0 We ain\u2019t part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone in a state or territory is part of it.\u00a0 You and your family are not immune.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he struggled to push himself up to his feet, Hoss gently pushed Annie\u2019s helping hand away.\u00a0 \u201cCapt\u2019n Fletcher, my family has already come too close to splittin\u2019 apart because of this war.\u00a0 My older brother, Adam, was born a Yankee granite-head, and my younger brother, Joe, has sympathies with the Rebels as you folks call \u2018em.\u00a0 And let me tell you, they both live up to those names. We\u2019ve already seen firsthand what this war can do to a family, and we don\u2019t want no part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about you, Mr. Cartwright?\u00a0 Do you have ties to either side?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss slowly sat down.\u00a0 \u201cNope.\u00a0 I was born in a wagon somewhere in the middle.\u00a0 I don\u2019t cotton to people ownin\u2019 other people, but then I don\u2019t rightly take to one group of people tellin\u2019 another group of people how they\u2019re supposed to live.\u00a0 The way I see it, fightin\u2019 a war and killin\u2019 each other ain\u2019t the way to solve problems, and that\u2019s because someone has to lose.\u00a0 It\u2019d be a whole lot more civil<\/em> if both sides could win somethin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Snorting, Captain Fletcher answered, \u201cThat\u2019s why they call this a war.\u00a0 Someone has<\/em> to lose.\u00a0 And it\u2019s going to be the South.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuit yourself, Capt\u2019n.\u00a0 I ain\u2019t fightin\u2019 for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see.\u201d\u00a0 Capt\u2019n Fletcher replaced his hat on his head and pulled on his gloves.\u00a0 \u201cI will have Dr. Stephenson watch you closely, and as soon as he pronounces you fit for duty, you will receive orders.\u00a0\u00a0 If you don\u2019t follow those orders, you will be held in a military prison as a southern sympathizer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can just count on me not following them orders then.\u00a0 Because if you do what you say, you\u2019ll be nothin\u2019 but a liar, and if that\u2019s what the North is made of, I won\u2019t be doing you any more favors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Captain Fletcher spun on his heel and left the house.\u00a0 As soon as the door clicked shut, Mrs. Levine came in from the kitchen.\u00a0 \u201cHoss, that Captain Fletcher isn\u2019t someone you want to anger.\u00a0 He\u2019s the law around here at the moment, and folks here will do as he says.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Levine, you ain\u2019t got nothin\u2019 to worry about right now.\u00a0 The way I\u2019m feeling ain\u2019t no one gonna pronounce me fit for anything but bed.\u00a0 Annie, I\u2019m sorry I doubted you,\u201d he said, smiling bashfully up at her.\u00a0 \u201cYou were right.\u00a0 I shoulda stayed in bed.\u00a0 I\u2019d be mighty thankful if you\u2019d help me back up them stairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll help you up after you eat.\u00a0 It will be easier sitting up in a chair than me trying to prop you up on your pillows.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once Annie had brought out Hoss\u2019s lunch tray, she sat in the chair next to his.\u00a0 \u201cHoss, we have to do something.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be well before you planned on going home, and Captain Fletcher will do what he said if you don\u2019t join the army.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow look.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want you worrying about none of this.\u00a0 You need to concentrate on your schoolin\u2019.\u00a0 You let me worry about Capt\u2019n Fletcher.\u201d Hoss dipped a spoon into his bowl and took a bite.\u00a0 \u201cThis stew is real good.\u00a0 Almost as good as Hop Sing\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at Hoss with furrowed brows, Annie asked, \u201cAren\u2019t you worried?\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled, and with his blue eyes twinkling, she couldn\u2019t help but smile back.\u00a0 \u201cI figure there ain\u2019t no point in worrying about it now.\u00a0 I\u2019ll deal with it when the time comes.\u00a0 But I do wanna let Pa know what was said here.\u00a0 If Capt\u2019n Fletcher knows the Cartwright name, you can bet some higher ranking officers than him have their eye on Pa and the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Micah and Adam squatted in the snow behind Manzanita bushes and watched the villagers move from place to place moving snow, carrying firewood, and tending the fires.<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah, do you see Cheron in there?\u201d whispered Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does she look like?\u201d<\/p>\n

A slow smile spread over Micah\u2019s lips as he remembered.\u00a0 \u201cWell, she has tan skin, long, black, straight hair\u2026maybe with a little gray by now.\u00a0 She\u2019s taller than Shiloh, just as lean and very graceful.\u00a0 She doesn\u2019t walk, she glides.\u00a0 Kinda like Shiloh as Isabella.\u00a0 In fact, I\u2019d bet Cheron\u2019s who she learned that from.\u00a0 She\u2019s also very beautiful.\u00a0 At least she was the last time I saw her.\u00a0 Of course, that was fifteen years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t I remember her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe kept her and her son hidden from most whites.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t know you well enough to risk exposing her husband as an Indian lover.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, she knew Pa.\u00a0 I am his son.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah didn\u2019t answer.\u00a0 He simply moved a hand to Adam\u2019s arm as he moved the index finger of his other hand perpendicular to his lips.\u00a0 Meeting Adam\u2019s eyes, Micah imperceptibly shook his head, telling Adam not to move.\u00a0 As bad fortune would have it, Micah hadn\u2019t seen the man behind him who had already trained his gun on Micah\u2019s back.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two, come out of there with your hands high.\u201d\u00a0 Adam looked back at Micah, quirked his mouth with a slight tilt of his head and exhaled when he stood with his hands up above his shoulders.\u00a0 Another man came from behind Adam and took their guns.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are you and what are you doing here?\u201d asked a Cavalry officer sitting a horse only a few steps away.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy name is Cartwright.\u00a0 His is Whitney.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one answer.\u00a0 What about the second?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam slowly lowered his hands and clasped them in front of him.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you<\/em> doing here\u2026\u201d he looked at the man\u2019s upper arm.\u00a0 \u201cLieutenant?\u00a0 You know, you\u2019re very close to private property.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know where the borders of the Ponderosa are, Mr. Cartwright, and you are not on the Ponderosa.\u00a0 So I ask again, what are you doing here spying on these Indians?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re looking for someone,\u201d said Micah.<\/p>\n

The lieutenant looked up at the sky and shifted impatiently in his saddle.\u00a0 \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA woman called Cheron.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen, we could stand out here in the cold all day asking and answering one question at a time.\u00a0 Just tell me why you\u2019re here\u2026the whole story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling sarcastically, Adam started a diatribe all the while raising his chin and cocking his head.\u00a0 \u201cCheron is the mother of one of our hired hands who was killed by a wolf.\u00a0 Knowing the Washoe have very specific burial rituals, we\u2019ve come looking for her to go back to the Flying W to bury her son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAgain, Mr. Cartwright, I must ask why Indian burial rituals are so important that you would risk your lives in this storm to find Cheron?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCheron and my wife are close.\u00a0 When Cheron\u2019s husband was killed, she tried to return to her people, but they wouldn\u2019t accept her son.\u00a0 So she left him in the care of the Whitneys, and it was my wife who looked after him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot very well, I think, considering he\u2019s dead.\u00a0 In any case, these people are going to be moved off this land.\u00a0 The Clear Creek property has been purchased for logging and mining.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave the Lieutenant a sidelong look.\u00a0 \u201cBy who?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA government contractor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flaring his nostrils and narrowing his eyes, Adam snapped back, \u201cYou mean a Union contractor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd just where do you plan to take them?\u201d he asked, pointing behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not taking them anywhere.\u00a0 They have no agreement with the government, and therefore are considered squatters.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSquatters have rights. These people have occupied this land for hundreds of years. You can\u2019t just remove them.\u00a0 It\u2019s their land.\u00a0 It\u2019s always been their land.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah shook Adam\u2019s arm.\u00a0 \u201cYou make a good argument, Adam, but you might be wasting your breath.\u00a0 Look,\u201d said Micah, pointing to the village.<\/p>\n

Adam spun around, looking everywhere around the encampment. Seeing no one, he let his arms fall down at his sides and his chin fall to his chest, and then looked back around at the Lieutenant. \u201cIt seems they heard us.\u00a0 They\u2019re probably all around us by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lieutenant and his men tensed and looked off into the surrounding forest.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre these the only men you brought with you?” Adam asked.\u00a0 “Because if they are, you are greatly outnumbered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Thirty-Five<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright, you\u2019re in the same boat as the rest of us,\u201d said the lieutenant as he dismounted his horse and ordered his men into the Manzanita.<\/p>\n

Both Micah and Adam stepped out of the bushes.\u00a0 \u201cWe didn\u2019t come here to cause problems for these people.\u00a0 It\u2019s not our fight, and it\u2019s not one we can be convinced to join,\u201d said Adam, standing with his hands clasped around his reins in front of him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to stay alive, you\u2019ll get behind this cover with the rest of us,\u201d barked the officer.<\/p>\n

Turning toward their horses, they ignored the lieutenant until he yelled after them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere do you think you\u2019re going?\u201d<\/p>\n

After mounting, Micah stopped in front of the Manzanita that hid the lieutenant.\u00a0 \u201cThe only safe place around here.\u00a0 Down there,\u201d he said, pointing to the abandoned village as he followed Adam down the hill. They rode into the middle of the main clearing and dismounted, looking around before they faced each other.\u00a0 \u201cNow what?\u201d asked Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the Washoe to return with their prisoners.\u201d\u00a0 Looking beyond Micah up the hill, he added, \u201cWe have a completely different view from down here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah turned and looked where Adam was looking.\u00a0 The men of the tribe were closing in on the soldiers from all directions.\u00a0 It would only be a matter of time before one of the soldiers fired, and when that happened, the Washoe would be upon them before any of them could fire again.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

While Ben was outside gathering more pine boughs from the pile that Joe had collected, Shiloh decided to affix a large red bow to the end of the mantel.\u00a0 Stepping up on the kindling box, she slowly straightened and busied herself tying the bow on a limb as Ben stepped through the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh!\u201d<\/p>\n

She jumped and wavered a bit on the kindling box before she steadied herself.<\/p>\n

Ben dropped his armload of boughs on the floor and rushed over to her, taking her by the arm. \u00a0\u201cGet down from there!\u201d he ordered as he gently pulled her down off the box.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d she asked, looking bewildered.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph!\u00a0 Joseph, where are you!\u201d Ben bellowed, looking around the room.<\/p>\n

Little Joe sauntered in from the kitchen with a cookie in his hand.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I told you to stay in here with Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving her hands to her hips, her brow furrowed, and if steam could have come from her ears it would be billowing above her.\u00a0 \u201cI do not need a nursemaid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNursemaid!\u201d said Joe, flaring his nostrils.<\/p>\n

Ben bent over, glaring down at her, but slowly brought his anger under control and straightened up.\u00a0 \u201cShiloh, dear, most women in your condition\u2026well\u2026they\u2019re not as graceful as they normally would be.\u00a0 I wouldn\u2019t want you to fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot as graceful!\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t having a problem until you yanked me down off that box!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow see here, young lady.\u201d\u00a0 Pointing his finger at her, he continued, \u201cFrom now on, you will limit yourself to what you can reach with both feet on the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

She huffed and turned, lifting her skirt as she approached the stairs and proceeded to waddle up.\u00a0 Ben and Joe watched her go, and continued looking at the top of the stairs even after she had disappeared around the corner until they heard a door slam to which both of them flinched and closed their eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, you yelled at her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben scoffed and turned back toward the pine limbs he had dropped on the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, you have to remember she\u2019s having a baby.\u00a0 Didn\u2019t Adam say she was more sensitive about things?\u201d<\/p>\n

As Ben bent to pick up the pine from the floor, he said irritably, \u201cJoseph, there\u2019s a big difference between sensitive and sensible.\u00a0 And right now, her sensitivity is beside the point.\u00a0 If she had fallen, she could have been seriously injured.\u00a0 She could have lost the baby.\u201d\u00a0 He slowly stood up, letting his hands, still clenching the boughs, fall to his side.\u00a0 \u201cIf I had allowed that to happen to her while she was in my care\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe appeared at his side and moved a hand to his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cAdam wouldn\u2019t have blamed you if something had happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Snorting, Ben took the pine to the coffee table, sat down on the settee and began to tie some of the limbs together with twine.\u00a0 \u201cAdam is so happy about this child\u2026about his life now.\u00a0 He\u2019s finally gotten some things he\u2019s wanted for a long time, but he\u2019s also worried because of what happened to Elizabeth. He\u2019d blame himself if Shiloh were to lose this baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Joe sat next to his father and picked out another bunch of pine.\u00a0 \u201cPa, she\u2019s not going to lose it.\u00a0 She\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked up to the top of the stairs and stood.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe I should go up and speak with her.\u00a0 I shouldn\u2019t have lost my temper.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head wearing a tight-lipped smirk on his face and raised brows. \u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s a good idea.\u00a0 Maybe you should let her cool off for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben grunted. \u201cMaybe you\u2019re right.\u00a0 I\u2019ll go up a little later.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Sitting in the chair by the window of her bedroom, Shiloh wore a troubled look as she thought about her last encounter with her father-in-law.\u00a0 How could she have gotten so angry at such a caring man; a man who had always treated her like one of his own? \u00a0She could blame her almost unbearable concern for her husband, but then thought that Ben would be worried as much as she, only he was hiding it.\u00a0 Oh, Adam, I wish I\u2019d never sent you and Micah to find Cheron.\u00a0 We could have given Billy a Christian burial and been done with it.<\/em> \u00a0She let out a heavy sigh.\u00a0 But then, I would be breaking my word to Cheron.\u00a0 Somehow I don\u2019t think I\u2019d deal with that any better.<\/em> Gazing longingly out the window, she said a prayer.\u00a0 \u201cPlease Lord.\u00a0 Bring him back to me.\u00a0 Bring them both back to me unharmed.\u201d\u00a0 She let her head drop into her hand, and then jumped at a light knock on the door.\u00a0 \u201cCome in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stepped into the room and paused, smiling at the lovely young woman draped in a generous dress of royal blue that brought out the blue of her eyes.<\/p>\n

She smiled back and beckoned him further into the room. \u201cI\u2019m so worried, Pa.\u00a0 What if something\u2019s happened to them?\u201d she said as her eyes became watery.<\/p>\n

Taking her hand, he pulled her out of the chair into a warm embrace.\u00a0 \u201cDarling, there\u2019s no need for you to worry.\u00a0 They\u2019ve both traveled and worked in conditions worse than this.\u00a0 It\u2019s just taking longer because of the snow.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stepped away from him and turned to look out the window, wringing her hands.\u00a0 \u201cPa, what if they\u2019re not warm enough?\u00a0 There\u2019ll be animals scavenging for food.\u201d\u00a0 A quiet whimper escaped.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe even\u2026wolves.\u201d\u00a0 Raising her hand, she wiped a tear from her cheek.\u00a0 \u201cI should never have asked them to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning her back around, he took her hands and frowned.\u00a0 \u201cYour hands are so cold.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t we go back downstairs and get you something warm to drink?\u00a0 Then we\u2019ll find something to keep your mind occupied.\u201d<\/p>\n

Between all the men in the house, Shiloh was kept busy decorating, cooking, checking Joe\u2019s calculations in the ledgers, and singing. At the end of the day as Ben, Joe and Shiloh sat in front of the fireplace enjoying one last cup of hot coffee after dinner while admiring the decorations now in place, Ben asked Shiloh to sing one more time.<\/p>\n

\u201cPick a song, Pa.\u00a0 One of your favorites,\u201d said Shiloh with a sweet smile as she stood and walked to the fireplace.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right.\u00a0 How about Ave Maria?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou might be disappointed without the appropriate accompaniment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I doubt that,\u201d he answered with a pleasant, sidelong look.<\/p>\n

Shiloh corrected her posture, and then started the song while Ben and Joe relaxed into their chairs at ease with the melodious sound filling the house.\u00a0 Hop Sing and Ming Lin came into the dining room to listen, looking at each other, smiling and nodding their approval.<\/p>\n

Chapter Thirty-Six<\/p>\n

As expected, a shot had been fired after which the soldiers were quickly subdued with no more gunshots.\u00a0 Two arrows took down the man who fired.\u00a0 It was not the Washoe\u2019s intention to kill, only to weaken.\u00a0 The arrows when into the man\u2019s arm and thigh.\u00a0 After that an arrow was in the face of each of the remaining soldiers.<\/p>\n

When the Washoe arrived with their prisoners in the encampment, Micah had already pulled Billy\u2019s blanket from his saddlebag.\u00a0 If Cheron was anywhere close, she would see it.<\/p>\n

Their chief, Chu\u2019o, motioned for two of his braves to take hold of the horses while two others forced Adam and Micah to their knees. \u00a0\u201cWhy have you come here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked warily at Micah before he addressed the chief.\u00a0 \u201cA long time ago my father, Ben Cartwright, gave your people refuge on our land.\u00a0 Now I have come in friendship; that which we shared long ago.\u00a0 We seek Cheron.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Micah both noticed the turn of the chief\u2019s head, his eyes looking somewhere behind them.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what of these men?\u201d the chief said, indicating the soldiers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did not come with them,\u201d explained Adam. \u201cThey stopped us where you found them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCher\u2019on!\u201d the chief called out.<\/p>\n

In another moment, a tall, slender woman with a distinguished bearing glided into the center of the village and stood next to the chief, her posture straight, shoulders back, chin slightly raised.\u00a0 She now saw the blanket, and a faint frown and furrow appeared only briefly.\u00a0 She regained her composure and stood silently.<\/p>\n

Speaking quietly, the chief asked, \u201cDo you know these white men?\u201d<\/p>\n

Closing her eyes, she swallowed.\u00a0 \u201cI know the one with the blanket, Chu\u2019o; my son\u2019s blanket.\u00a0 He would only be here because something has happened to my son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have not spoken of your son since we left the village by the lake.\u00a0 Why do you fear for him now?\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned swiftly, looking into the chief\u2019s eyes, straining to maintain her composure.\u00a0 \u201cHe is my son. \u00a0I left him with people who would take care of him because I could not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah slowly stood, forcing himself up against the hands that were pushing him down.\u00a0 \u201cCheron, Shiloh sent us with this,\u201d he said, holding out the blanket, \u201cso you would know we speak the truth. She wishes to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why is she not here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is\u2026unable to travel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what of this man who says he is Ben Cartwright\u2019s son?\u201d asked Chu\u2019o.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is Shiloh\u2019s husband.\u00a0 She carries his child.\u00a0 That is why she couldn\u2019t come.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Adam tried to stand, an arrow was pushed against the skin of his neck.\u00a0 The chief nodded, and the brave holding the arrow stepped away, allowing Adam to rise.\u00a0 \u201cCheron, Shiloh believes she should be the one to tell you what you already know.\u00a0 We\u2019re prepared to leave your people in peace.\u00a0 Shiloh requests that you come to the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking now into Adam\u2019s eyes, Cheron couldn\u2019t hold back the tear that escaped.\u00a0 \u201cHis body is there?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

She held her head high and looked beyond them, addressing the chief.\u00a0 \u201cI will speak to these men.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chu\u2019o\u2019s nostrils flared and a deep, angry frown appeared on his face.\u00a0 He jerked his arm toward his men, and then pointed to Adam and Micah.\u00a0 \u201cTie them.\u201d\u00a0 Looking back at Cheron, he jerked his head toward a wiki-up.\u00a0 She followed him obediently and both disappeared through the opening of the lodge.<\/p>\n

Once their hands were tied behind their back, Adam and Micah were once again shoved to the ground.\u00a0 Adam tilted his head toward Micah.\u00a0 \u201cHave we gotten Cheron exiled?\u201d\u00a0 Micah shrugged. He didn\u2019t see the man standing next to him draw his arm back and punch Adam in the face.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will not speak!\u201d<\/p>\n

Feeling blood trickle down his cheek, Adam furrowed his brow and glared up at the man who glared back and walked away.<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes and sighed when he heard the yelled whisper.<\/p>\n

The Indian who had dealt Adam a blow, turned back and approached the Lieutenant, drawing his knife out of the sheath at his waist and kneeling behind the officer.\u00a0 \u201cYou are without sight, white man?\u201d\u00a0 Moving the blade of the knife against the Lieutenant\u2019s neck, he slowly pressed the edge into the skin until blood dripped down. \u00a0The officer closed his eyes and bit his lip.\u00a0 \u201cCartwright.\u00a0 You defend these murderers?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he wanted to kill you, you and all of your men would be dead.\u201d The Indian quickly stood up and went back to Adam, pulling him up to his feet.\u00a0 He stood so close, glaring into Adam\u2019s eyes that Adam could feel the brave’s breath in his face.\u00a0 \u201cYour chief won\u2019t be happy,\u201d said Adam, holding the man\u2019s gaze without flinching.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo\u2019a!\u201d<\/p>\n

The Indian slightly backed away at the sound of the chief\u2019s voice. \u201cBring them.\u201d<\/p>\n

After pushing Adam toward the wiki-up, he jerked Micah to his feet and pushed him as well, causing Micah to stumble to his knees.\u00a0 Adam spun around ready to defend him, even with his hands bound behind his back.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo\u2019a!\u201d said Cheron sharply.\u00a0 \u201cYou will not harm these men.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah pushed himself up and followed Adam into the wiki-up.\u00a0 The chief looked in one last time before he stormed away.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have food and drink for you,\u201d said Cheron as she untied them.\u00a0 \u201cPlease sit with me at the fire and share a meal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silence reigned while Cheron prepared three bowls of sliced meat, cut roots and tubers and the leaves of numerous plants that had been cooking over the fire.\u00a0 She passed bowls to Adam and Micah and took one for herself. \u00a0Micah and Cheron spoke while Adam sat quietly, listening. \u201cHow is your father?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe died almost two years ago.\u00a0 Shiloh was away at school\u2026back east.\u00a0\u00a0 She came home to take over the ranch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat of you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cheron stopped eating and raised her eyebrows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hadn\u2019t been at home since Shiloh was nine.\u00a0 I left, and she was told I was dead.\u00a0 I live at the ranch now.\u00a0 Shiloh lives on the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning to Adam, Cheron said, \u201cI remember you.\u00a0 You are the eldest of Ben Cartwright\u2019s sons.\u00a0 You left also.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had been enjoying the meal Cheron had prepared, but he noticed the light fading through the opening of the wiki-up, and a sudden urgency consumed him.\u00a0 \u201cCheron, can I tell Shiloh you\u2019ll come?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be difficult to leave.\u00a0 I am medicine woman to my people.\u00a0 And I am wife of Chu\u2019o.\u00a0 There are not many who remember why I left.\u00a0 Chu\u2019o does.\u201d \u00a0She placed her bowl next to the fire, looking toward the opening. \u201cI have a son and daughter.\u00a0 You have met Do\u2019a, my son.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising a finger to the cut just below his left eye, Adam snorted.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve met.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is Shiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s happy,\u201d said Micah.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019ll have her child in the spring.\u00a0 She sings, and she trains horses like Dad did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cheron smiled as she looked almost absently into the fire.\u00a0 \u201cShe was not happy after her mother died.\u00a0 It is good that she learned many things.\u00a0 It is good that she carries on her father\u2019s work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you come?\u201d asked Micah. \u201cIt\u2019s important to Shiloh to tell you about Billy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing, Cheron looked ahead of her, unwilling or unable to say she would go.\u00a0 \u201cIf I am not there in four days time, I will not come.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men stood with her, Adam stepping toward the opening and looking out, and Micah facing Cheron.\u00a0 \u201cWhat should we do about Billy?\u201d<\/p>\n

The face that had been almost expressionless slowly filled with pain, her mouth turned in a deep frown, her eyes growing dark under the deep lines of her brow.\u00a0 \u201cWill you allow him to rest on your land\u2026at the place of our cabin\u2026next to his father?\u00a0 Will you give him the same burial?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Adam had been watching as Do\u2019a paced back and forth in front of the soldiers.\u00a0 \u201cCheron, once we\u2019re gone, what will happen to them?\u201d<\/p>\n

She joined Adam looking across the clearing where the soldiers sat on the ground shivering.\u00a0 We will show them our way of life.\u00a0 We will show them why we stay at the river.\u00a0 They are not the first to come.\u00a0 They will not be the last.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what if they don\u2019t listen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSon of Ben Cartwright, my people wish to live in peace.\u00a0 If the soldiers leave peacefully, we will allow them to leave.\u00a0 If they fight, we will protect our home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCheron, you must know that more will come\u2026in greater numbers until there aren\u2019t enough of you left to fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grasping his arm and squeezing, she looked into his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cWould you do less to defend the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled, dropping his gaze and nodding.\u00a0 He looked back up.\u00a0 \u201cProbably not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo\u2019a,\u201d she called, leaning out of the wiki-up.\u00a0 \u201cBring their horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before Micah stepped out of the wiki-up, he stopped.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you want to know what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I come, I will know.\u00a0\u00a0 If I do not come, I do not want the visions that will come if I do not send his spirit to the sky.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah nodded and left the wiki-up.\u00a0 As both men mounted and turned to leave, the Lieutenant shouted, \u201cCartwright, you\u2019re just leaving us here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning in his saddle with his hand resting on Sport\u2019s rump, Adam answered, \u201cIf you and your men behave yourselves, you\u2019ll be fine.\u00a0 You have a unique opportunity here, Lieutenant.\u00a0 I\u2019d listen to what they have to say if I were you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Thirty-Seven<\/p>\n

The closer the night of the Christmas Eve party came, the quieter Shiloh became. \u00a0With each passing day, Ben watched her slowly withdraw from the preparation activities, spending more time in her bedroom, barely eating, and eventually saying nothing. He had tried to talk to her, and she looked like she was listening, but in the end, nothing changed.\u00a0 She\u2019d withdraw even deeper.<\/p>\n

Christmas Eve morning, the house was unusually still.\u00a0 With two sons away, Joe spent more time in the barn and yard preparing for the extra horses and sleighs that would fill the yard by evening.\u00a0 Ben and Shiloh sat in silence at the breakfast table.\u00a0 He watched her eat, a process that seem quite distasteful to her.\u00a0 If not for the baby, he thought she wouldn\u2019t be eating at all.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, there are so many people without a sleigh.\u00a0 How will they get here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Unprepared for the question, much less the sound of her voice, he gave her a surprised look at first, but warmed into a smile that reached his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cSome of the men will be going out in extra sleighs we\u2019ve gathered to pick them up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow will you know who needs a ride?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, word travels fast in these storms.\u00a0 We\u2019ve had to do this several years before.\u00a0 Generally, there are several families waiting at one house.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

As Joe was spreading hay from the loft on the barn floor, he heard voices outside in the yard and opened the barn door to look.\u00a0 A grin spread across his face as he opened the door wide for Micah and Adam to enter.\u00a0 \u201cWell, it\u2019s about time you two came home.\u201d\u00a0 Both men stepped down off their horses and led them into the barn.\u00a0 \u201cShiloh\u2019s worried sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stopped where he was in the doorway.\u00a0 \u201cShiloh?\u00a0 She\u2019s here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t that why you\u2019re here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. We thought we\u2019d stop by here to let you know we were back before we went to the house.\u00a0 Why is Shiloh here?\u00a0 Is she all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, she was when she got here, but that was four days ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Furrowing his brow, he handed Joe Sport\u2019s reins.\u00a0 \u201cDo you mind?\u00a0 I should probably let her know we\u2019re back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe took the reins from him and chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI think that\u2019s about the smartest thing you could do for the rest of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam quietly stepped through the door, staying to the left as he removed his gloves, hat, jacket and gun.\u00a0 Ben and Shiloh didn\u2019t seem to notice, both expecting to see Joe coming in from the barn.\u00a0 Even when Adam stepped into view, Shiloh wasn\u2019t aware that it was her husband who had walked in the door. \u00a0Her head was bowed over her plate as she pushed her food around with her fork.<\/p>\n

Winking at his father, Adam gingerly walked to the table and pulled out the chair to Ben\u2019s right, sat down and began to prepare a plate.\u00a0 \u201cMornin\u2019, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh\u2019s head snapped up to see an impish grin and dark eyes looking up at her from a lowered face.\u00a0 She sat motionless for a moment with her mouth agape, and when she exhaled through her lips and sucked it back in, tears began to flow.\u00a0 Pushing herself away from the table, she hurried around behind Ben, bumping into the chair and falling into Adam who had already stood up, his arms ready to receive her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhoa there. Slow down,\u201d he said as he steadied her.\u00a0 He pulled her body into his and looked down into her moist eyes.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s all this about?\u201d he asked softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve been gone almost five days, and the longer you were gone, the worse thoughts I\u2026\u00a0 I was so afraid you were cold or hurt or wouldn\u2019t be coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving his hand to caress the soft curls that spilled down her back, he guided her head to his chest and kissed her hair.\u00a0 \u201cShiloh, I\u2019m fine.\u00a0 It was just slow going in the storm.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked up at him and saw the cut under his eye with dark bruises around it, and reaching up, she gently touched the edge. \u201cSo you fell off your horse, then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, ah\u2026no.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah and Joe noisily burst through the front door and took off their outdoor gear before joining Adam at the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, we\u2019re all here.\u00a0 Now, can we eat our breakfast,\u201d said Ben, eyeing Shiloh severely at first, but allowing a slow smile to appear.\u00a0 Hop Sing heard the commotion and brought out extra plates and silver as Joe and Micah took their seats.<\/p>\n

Still standing, Adam and Shiloh looked into each other\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t mean for this to be so hard on you.\u201d\u00a0 Taking her face in his hands, he gave her a gentle, long kiss before he nodded to her chair.\u00a0 Sitting next to her, he held her hand as they bowed their heads for the blessing.<\/p>\n

After grace was said, Shiloh ignored her plate and turned to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cIs Cheron coming?\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah and Adam both took a deep breath as they gave each other a look that said neither wanted to try to answer a question they couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot has changed for Cheron, Shiloh,\u201d answered Micah as he passed the eggs over to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cDid she ever mention to you that she had another son and a daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting back in her chair, she clasped her hands in her lap.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, she does.\u00a0 And she\u2019s married to the chief who didn\u2019t seem to like the idea of her coming to take care of Billy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh lifted her hands and rubbed her arms, looking away at first, but then leaning slightly toward Adam. \u201cHow\u2019d you get that cut under your eye?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you eat while I tell you about it?\u201d he said, looking at her insistently.\u00a0 Volumes passed between them in that moment of silence while their eyes were locked, so when Adam passed her the plate of bacon followed by the basket of biscuits, she dropped her eyes and complied, taking some from both.\u00a0 He passed her a jar of preserves before he started, talking at a leisurely pace between bites of breakfast and sips of coffee.\u00a0 \u201cWe got to Clear Creek by the afternoon of our second day out.\u00a0 While we were looking over the village waiting until Micah spotted Cheron, a small Cavalry contingency stopped us, and in speaking with us got the attention of the Washoe.\u00a0 We ended up in the village, held prisoner at first, but Cheron recognized Micah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t explain your cut.\u201d<\/p>\n

He moved his eyes to hers with a slight smile to which she responded by lowering her eyes again and taking another bite.\u00a0 \u201cThe chief and Cheron had a private conversation in a teepee.\u00a0 When they came out, the chief had Do\u2019a, the man standing guard over us, escort us to the teepee.\u00a0\u00a0 That was after he got in a few threats.\u201d\u00a0 He raised his hand to indicate his face.\u00a0 \u201cMy eye and the lieutenant\u2019s neck.\u201d<\/p>\n

Picking up where Adam left off, Micah said, \u201cWe were able to speak to Cheron alone, and that\u2019s when we found out Do\u2019a was her son and that she had a daughter and was married to the chief.\u00a0 He knew Cheron had another son.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam took a deep breath. \u201cBut we both got the feeling he didn\u2019t approve of her leaving.\u00a0 She\u2019s their medicine woman now.\u00a0 She said if she came, she\u2019d be here in four days.\u00a0 If she wasn\u2019t here by then, we\u2019re to bury Billy next to his father.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d said Ben with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cI guess that\u2019s all we can do for now.\u00a0 Adam, Shiloh has become quite the cook and decorator.\u00a0 She\u2019s even been keeping us entertained with Christmas songs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Offering her father-in-law a stunted smile, she moved her attention back to her plate, only she wasn\u2019t moving much food into her mouth, and the smile she gave him quickly faded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe house looks great,\u201d said Adam, looking around the room.\u00a0 \u201cAnd we could smell the baking all the way to the barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think your young brother has eaten a few dozen cookies in the last few days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Pa.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t near as much as Hoss would\u2019ve eaten.\u201d<\/p>\n

They all looked at Shiloh who continued to look despondently at nothing in particular.<\/p>\n

Leaning forward against the table so he could see her face, Adam asked, \u201cWhy did you decide to come here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm?\u00a0 Oh, I didn\u2019t.\u00a0 Your father kidnapped me.\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s mouth dropped open, but when Shiloh gave him a shy smile, he chuckled and returned a grin.\u00a0 \u201cI think Ming Lin has enjoyed helping Hop Sing prepare for the party tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving an arm over the back of Shiloh\u2019s chair, Adam asked, \u201cIs there anything left to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben laid his napkin on the table next to his plate. \u201cThere\u2019s a few more pine boughs to be hung and a few more decorations for the tree\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, and don\u2019t forget,\u201d said Joe, winking at Adam, \u201cPa still has to make the punch.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam and Micah had ridden to their respective houses to clean up and dress for the Christmas Eve party, and when Adam returned, he noticed that Shiloh was missing from the frenzy that had taken over the downstairs of the house.\u00a0 Pulling off his yellow jacket as he stomped his feet, he straightened his black dress jacket as Hop Sing fussed at the snow that dropped off his boots and pants legs. \u00a0\u201cHop Sing, if you don\u2019t want a puddle right here in front of the door, you\u2019d better put a rug out on the porch.\u00a0 I promise you, boots and shoes will be covered.\u201d\u00a0 Hop Sing stopped fussing, looked from Adam\u2019s boots to the front door, and nodded as he shuffled off to the kitchen to locate a suitable rug.\u00a0 \u201cWhere\u2019s Shiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben turned from his work with the pine on the mantel.\u00a0 \u201cShe said she was getting dressed, but she\u2019s been up there a long time.\u00a0 Maybe you should check on her.\u00a0 She\u2019s been awfully quiet considering we\u2019re about to have a party.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking two steps at a time, Adam took the stairs as if they were flat ground.\u00a0 He stood at the bedroom door and listened, but heard nothing.\u00a0 Turning the knob, he pushed the door open only a crack and found Shiloh standing at the window, her robe open in the front exposing her drawers and camisole.\u00a0 Her corset lay in a chair.\u00a0 Watching for a moment as she stood quite still, he finally spoke.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you see that\u2019s so interesting?\u201d\u00a0 He stepped in, closing the door behind him, and then slipped off his black jacket.\u00a0 When she looked back at him, he smiled for he was quite pleased with the vision standing before him. She had turned so that her belly was quite prominent from the side.\u00a0 Ever since she started showing, she had seemed quite embarrassed by her bulge, having always been very slender with a flat stomach.\u00a0 Now, no one could possibly describe her as skinny or flat.\u00a0 To Adam, it didn\u2019t matter.\u00a0 He marveled at her belly as if he could actually see it grow.<\/p>\n

Looking down at the chair, he furrowed his brow. \u201cYou\u2019re not planning to wear that, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

She opened her mouth and raised her eyebrows.\u00a0 \u201cOf course I\u2019m going to wear it.\u00a0 I have\u2026good reasons to wear it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure that\u2019s a good idea, considering\u2026\u201d he pointed to her belly.<\/p>\n

She relaxed and smiled.\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Lewis replaced the cord with a longer one, so I can tighten it up here,\u201d she said, pointing to her breasts, \u201cand leave it loose across my stomach.\u00a0 Don\u2019t look so worried.\u00a0 You can tie it.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he had gotten into the habit of doing because he could get closer, he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her.\u00a0 \u201cYou were staring pretty intently out the window.\u00a0 What\u2019s bothering you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just thinking about Cheron.\u00a0 If it were her decision, she would come.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam busied himself at her neck, slowly turning her to face him and working his way to her lips. She tilted her head as he kissed his way across her jaw, and once at her lips, he teased before he finally kissed her after he had aroused such passion within her that her quick breaths made her dizzy.<\/p>\n

Growling at the touch of her hands moving down his back, he whispered in her ear.\u00a0 \u201cDo you remember our wedding night?\u00a0 Maybe I should teach you something else about yourself you don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

With her eyes closed, she breathed through her open mouth as he nibbled her lips.\u00a0 \u201cI thought you taught me everything I didn\u2019t know about myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA reminder then,\u201d he said as he covered her mouth with his.<\/p>\n

Chapter Thirty-Eight<\/p>\n

Ben looked up from mixing his legendary concoction when he heard Adam trotting down the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cI was about to come up and get you.\u00a0 It\u2019s time you and Joe took the sleighs out to see who needs a ride.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI came down to do just that, Pa.\u00a0 Where\u2019s Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s hitching the horses.\u00a0 Where\u2019s Shiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had headed toward the door, but stopped in mid-stride, scratching his upper lip. \u201cShe was\u2026ah\u2026a little tired, so she\u2019s taking a nap before everyone gets here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben grunted.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s no wonder she\u2019s tired.\u00a0 She\u2019s been a mess the last few days.\u201d<\/p>\n

Furrowing his brow, Adam detoured over to stand next to his father.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s been that bad?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled and squeezed Adam\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s put up a good front, but as more time passed it was difficult for her to hide her fear for you and Micah.\u00a0 But now that you\u2019re both home, I\u2019m sure she\u2019ll be all right with a little rest.\u00a0 Even so, we should make sure she doesn\u2019t do too much tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Hoss sat in a chair Mrs. Levine and Annie had moved next to the fireplace to keep him warm.\u00a0 He was dressed in slacks and a shirt for the first time since his fight with the wolves.\u00a0 Mrs. Levine always opened her home to neighbors and friends on Christmas Eve.\u00a0 There was no dancing like the parties at home, but he still felt just a bit more comfortable with the reminder of home; the people were happy and kind, and the well wishes genuine.\u00a0 Rather than staying for the evening, the visitors would come, enjoy a drink and a bit of some treat Mrs. Levine or Annie had made, make small talk, and then leave amid a cordial \u2018Merry Christmas.\u2019<\/p>\n

When the influx of people began to slow, Annie and Mrs. Levine sat with Hoss in the parlor after they had fussed around him, making sure he had everything he wanted or needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Levine, if you don\u2019t mind my askin\u2019, how come you don\u2019t have more boarders?\u00a0 This is pretty near one of the nicest places I ever stayed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Hoss, it\u2019s actually simple.\u00a0 Living in a boarding house makes one sound like a resident; someone who\u2019s planning on staying.\u00a0 I had several boarders before the army started the draft, but they all left hoping to avoid it.\u00a0 Annie and I didn\u2019t think you\u2019d have a problem since your family is so well known, but it seems Captain Fletcher doesn\u2019t want to accept that you\u2019re here for only a short time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Annie took his hand. \u00a0\u201cDr. Stephenson was here tonight.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll tell the captain that you\u2019re looking better.\u00a0 We need to think of something, Hoss.\u00a0 The last thing I want is for you to get involved in this war, especially since the only reason you\u2019re here is to spend Christmas with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Annie, I don\u2019t see how\u2019s they can draft me just yet.\u00a0 I cain\u2019t even walk down them stairs by myself.\u00a0 That telegram I asked you to send Pa\u2019ll let him know what\u2019s going on here.\u00a0 I got a bad feeling the government might try something on the Ponderosa\u2026or maybe try to sway Pa over to their way of thinkin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m more worried what will happen when you\u2019re better and able to travel home.\u00a0 I have a feeling they won\u2019t let you go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss brushed his thumb over her hand and smiled up at her.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s Christmas.\u00a0 Ain\u2019t nothing gonna happen tonight or tomorrow, so you just stop frettin\u2019.\u00a0 I brought you some presents from back home, and I want you to enjoy opening them tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a light tap on the door followed by singing, and while Mrs. Levine went to open the door, Annie helped Hoss out of the chair.\u00a0 The three of them stood out on the front porch and listened to the sweet sound of carolers harmonizing Silent Night<\/em>.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Joe and Adam had to make only one trip to pick up party goers. \u00a0Several other ranchers in the area who had sleighs brought in load after load of people.\u00a0 Rarely did anyone miss the Cartwright\u2019s Christmas Eve party.\u00a0 The food was delicious and plentiful as was the wine, Ben\u2019s famous punch, and this year\u2019s Egg Nog, Shiloh\u2019s favorite holiday drink.<\/p>\n

There was only one problem. By the time Adam returned with a full sleigh, she hadn\u2019t come down yet.<\/p>\n

Shiloh had lain in the bed for awhile after he left, basking in the lingering pleasure of his love, smiling at the memory of the gentle touch of his fingertips, the softness of his lips, and the warmth of his skin against hers.\u00a0 It was during these times between them that she could let go of the constant swirling thoughts in her mind.\u00a0 If only she could always feel that warm and safe and carefree.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t that she didn\u2019t feel that security all the time.\u00a0 Rather, she was always thinking about her horses, her singing, and what she still thought of as her ranch, at least partly.\u00a0 She was terrified that when the baby came, she\u2019d somehow be separated from all that.<\/p>\n

Throwing the covers off, she sat up with her legs hanging over the side of the bed.\u00a0 Dizziness consumed her for a moment, and that caused queasiness in her stomach.\u00a0 She mentally admonished herself for sitting up too fast, but all those thoughts had been crowding her mind again, and she didn\u2019t want to think about them.\u00a0 It was Christmas Eve; time for her to relax and enjoy the company of her family and friends.<\/p>\n

She stood to dress, but suddenly bent almost double, her hand going under her stomach as she searched for the bed post with her other hand.\u00a0 When she found it, she pulled herself into it and closed her eyes, waiting for the pain in the lower part of her stomach to pass, and when it didn\u2019t, she lowered herself slowly back down to the edge of the bed.<\/p>\n

Tapping on the door before he entered, Adam pushed it open, and seeing Shiloh hugging the bed post, he rushed to her side, his brows creased in concern.\u00a0 \u201cAre you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

The pain was subsiding, but still with her eyes closed, she attempted a reassuring smile.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m fine.\u00a0 I just sat up too fast.\u00a0 I\u2019m a little dizzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why are you holding your stomach in your arm?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking down, she snorted and closed her eyes again.\u00a0 I guess that\u2019s just where it landed.\u201d\u00a0 Moving the hand that had been on her stomach to his thigh, she patted.\u00a0 \u201cReally, Adam.\u00a0 There\u2019s no cause for concern.\u00a0 I just moved too fast.\u00a0 If you\u2019ll remember, I\u2019ve been getting dizzy since very early on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pulling her away from the bedpost, he wrapped his arms around her, raising his chin so that her head fit in the crook of his neck.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe you should stay up here for awhile.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll come back up and check on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be silly,\u201d she said, gently pushing away from him.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m fine.\u00a0 The dizziness is gone.\u00a0 And just to be sure, why don\u2019t you wait up here until I get dressed, and then you can help me down the stairs?\u201d<\/p>\n

He searched her eyes for the truth.\u00a0 Not that it would have made any difference.\u00a0 She had gotten very good at letting him see what she wanted him to see, and she had no intention of telling him about the pain…at least, not tonight\u2026or tomorrow.<\/p>\n

When they came down the stairs, Adam moved his arm around her waist and held her other hand, holding her firmly against him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d she whispered.\u00a0 \u201cRelax.\u00a0 I\u2019m not going to fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

He quirked his mouth and raised an eyebrow.\u00a0 To be sure, he was not about to let go, and didn\u2019t until she was seated comfortably in the blue chair out of the way of the dance area, but close enough to watch.\u00a0 Puckering her mouth, she stewed as she watched him walk straight over to Paul and engage him in conversation as they both periodically glanced her way.\u00a0 She sighed agitatedly and looked away when both men headed toward her.<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, you look lovely tonight,\u201d said Paul with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s been a little while since I\u2019ve been able to check in on you.\u00a0 Are you having any problems?\u201d<\/p>\n

She narrowed her eyes at Adam before she answered, looking up at Paul with big, bright eyes and a sweet smile.\u00a0 \u201cPaul, whatever Adam has told you\u2026well\u2026he\u2019s just an expectant father.\u00a0 I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about this dizziness?\u00a0 He said you were holding onto the bedpost for dear life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking down at her hands in her lap to prevent Paul from seeing her ire at Adam, she said quietly, \u201cI was lying in bed when I realized it was getting late, so I jumped up very fast, and that\u2019s why I was dizzy.\u00a0 I sat for a moment, and the dizziness passed.\u00a0 After that, I had no trouble dressing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI still think it would be a good idea if I examine you just to be sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

She folded her lips into a tight line, aggravated that her Christmas Eve, her time to forget about everything for just a little while and enjoy herself was slipping away from her.\u00a0 \u201cWhen would you like to do that, doctor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think now would be prudent.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam held out his hand to help her up, but she just looked at it, then glanced up at him with fire in her eyes.\u00a0 Ignoring his hand, she quickly stood straight up without even pushing off the arms of the chair, gave Adam one more peeved look, lifted her skirts and began to ascend the stairs with both men following close behind her.\u00a0 \u201cSo much for enjoying Christmas Eve.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that?\u201d asked Adam.\u00a0 He could see her head wagging as they climbed the stairs.\u00a0 Leaning over to Paul, he said, \u201cShe\u2019s angry with me.\u00a0 You might have your hands full.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul was amused at her antics and smiled, shaking his head at the same time.\u00a0 \u201cIt will be over soon enough, Adam.\u00a0 She\u2019ll still get to enjoy the party, I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Thirty-Nine<\/p>\n

Paul watched as Shiloh waddled down the hall into the bedroom she and Adam were sharing at the main house, making a mental note that he couldn\u2019t tell she was expecting from the back.\u00a0 That meant that her belly was high and completely forward.\u00a0 It also told him she probably hadn\u2019t gained much weight and that she was wearing a corset.<\/p>\n

Shiloh stood next to the bed while Adam held the door open for Paul, and then shut it, walking over to the bedroom window as he watched Paul study Shiloh.\u00a0 \u201cYoung lady, you are wearing a corset.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould it make a difference if I told you you could be harming your child?\u201d\u00a0 Paul removed his jacket and laid it over the back of a chair, then began to roll up his sleeves.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not really pulled tight at my waist, doctor.\u00a0 It\u2019s only tight at the top.\u201d\u00a0 She turned red and looked away.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2026my\u2026I\u2019m bigger\u2026and still getting bigger.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul sat down in the chair and motioned for her to step forward.\u00a0 \u201cWe already discussed what changes to expect, Shiloh. Now, I\u2019m just going to check your stomach,\u201d he said, moving his hands up under the skirt of her dress and all the layers underneath until he was at her drawers.<\/p>\n

When she sucked in a breath and moved a hand to her chest, Adam appeared behind her with his hands on her upper arms, holding her steady.\u00a0 \u201cThis is\u2026uncomfortable,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it is,\u201d answered Paul. \u201cIf we\u2019re lucky, this will be it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She felt his hands move up under her corset.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u00a0 It\u2019s not tight at all at your stomach.\u00a0 Adam, you need to make sure she doesn\u2019t tighten it at all while she\u2019s expecting.\u201d\u00a0 Adam nodded.\u00a0 Shiloh turned her head into his arm as Paul felt her belly.\u00a0 \u201cHave you had any pain across the middle here, or maybe here near the bottom?\u201d<\/p>\n

When she stiffened and folded her lips into a line, Adam bent sideways to see her face.\u00a0 \u201cShiloh, you\u2019ve been having pain?\u00a0 Is that what happened earlier tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n

She said nothing, but rather kept her eyes closed and bowed her head, prompting Adam to twist his mouth and look up at the ceiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, there\u2019s no cause for alarm.\u00a0 Some women experience pain as their stomach grows with the baby.\u00a0 Some have light contractions.\u00a0 It\u2019s all normal.\u00a0 But if it gets any worse than it is, we may have to consider confining you to bed.\u201d\u00a0 Jerking her head up, she looked at him with fear in her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cShiloh, we discussed this the first time you and Adam came to my office,\u201d Paul said as he moved his hands to her ankles and squeezed.\u00a0 \u201cYou have some swelling as well.\u201d\u00a0 As he sat back in the chair and waited for Shiloh to straighten the skirt of her dress, he continued.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re stomach also seems bigger than it should be at five months.\u00a0 I\u2019d like to listen before I leave tonight, but I see no reason you can\u2019t enjoy the party now.\u00a0 I\u2019d prefer you stay off your feet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I can\u2019t dance?\u201d she asked sadly.<\/p>\n

Paul had never seen her so disappointed as she looked now.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll try one.\u00a0 And then we\u2019ll see.\u201d\u00a0 Standing and reaching for his jacket, he said, \u201cI\u2019ll leave you to straighten up. I\u2019ll see you both downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the door closed behind Paul, Adam turned to Shiloh who had faced the mirror and lifted her skirt, adjusting her undergarments.\u00a0 She stopped when she saw Adam\u2019s reflection in the mirror. It wasn\u2019t the anger she expected, but rather what she thought might be disappointment. His brow was creased with concern, his mouth not quite a frown, but certainly turned down.\u00a0 It was his eyes\u2026distressed and sad\u2026that made her let out a small, quiet breath.<\/p>\n

He took her arm and guided her to the bed where she sat down.\u00a0 Walking to the chair Paul had recently vacated, he sat down himself, leaning back, crossing one leg over the other and raising a fist to his chin, letting it bounce there.\u00a0 \u201cYou lied to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She frowned and looked away.<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, why?\u00a0 You knew Paul would be here.\u00a0 It would have been easy to get him up here when this started.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt went away.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t want to cause a stir tonight.\u00a0 This has always been such a joyous occasion.\u00a0 Besides, it passed.\u00a0 I felt much better by the time I was dressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re missing the point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dropping her head into her hand, she flexed her fingers, and then looked back at him.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not missing it.\u00a0 I\u2019m avoiding it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I don\u2019t want to have this conversation with you; especially now.\u201d\u00a0 She stood and walked to the window looking out.\u00a0 Snow had begun to fall again.<\/p>\n

He cocked his head.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t see how you can possibly avoid it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I had said anything about the pain, you would have already had me in bed.\u00a0 As it is, Paul doesn\u2019t seem too worried about it.\u00a0 But you,\u201d she said, turning around and waving her hand, \u201cyou\u2019re ready to confine me at the drop of a hat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shifting in the chair, Adam slightly smiled.\u00a0 \u201cAre you going to stand there and try to convince me that the pain didn\u2019t worry you at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course it worried me.\u201d\u00a0 She crossed her arms and looked sullenly over at him.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve had more aches and pains and odd feelings in the last five months than I\u2019ve had my entire life. But with everything that\u2019s happened in the last few weeks\u2026you and wolves, me and wolves\u2026Billy…Cheron\u2026and now this\u2026I was hoping that I could have one night to forget about it all and just\u2026be\u2026happy.\u201d\u00a0 She walked over to him and held out her hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my hand.\u00a0 Since you always insist on walking me down the stairs, I thought you should come with me since I\u2019m going downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

He raised an eyebrow and nodded as he stood, taking her hand and walking with her down the stairs.\u00a0 After he deposited her in the blue chair, he slowly made his way through the crowd to retrieve a glass of egg nog for her.\u00a0 The remainder of their evening was spent with Shiloh mostly sitting, sometimes standing, sometimes walking to the refreshment table, and Adam dancing, discussing current events with their male guests, and escorting Shiloh back to the blue chair when he felt she\u2019d been standing long enough.<\/p>\n

Ben watched as the two did a dance of a different sort all evening, constantly eyeing each other.\u00a0 It seemed Shiloh took every opportunity available to attend the refreshment table assured that Adam would soon be at her side.\u00a0 Then again, when Adam danced with one of the women in attendance, Shiloh would sit and watch every move they made while Adam inwardly smiled, knowing he\u2019d found a way to keep her in her chair and still entertain their guests.<\/p>\n

Earlier in the evening after Paul had come downstairs from tending to Shiloh, he went about pulling Ben into a corner.\u00a0 \u201cI wanted to give this to you before it slipped my mind again, what with keeping an eye on Shiloh.\u00a0 Barney asked me to make sure you got this telegram.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u00a0 Thank you, Paul.\u201d\u00a0 Opening the envelope, Ben smiled.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s from Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing bad then,\u201d said Paul with a relieved smile.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll give you some privacy,\u201d he said, walking into the crowd of dancers and taking the hand of a woman on the fringes, twirling her into the dancing crowd.<\/p>\n

Ben furrowed his brow as he read the telegram.\u00a0 It was only three short sentences, but its message was clear.\u00a0 Hoss promised there would be letters following, so he\u2019d just have to wait for the whole story.\u00a0 Folding the telegram, he placed it in a pocket to read again at a later time.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Lewis spent some time with Shiloh, presenting her a box filled with material, needles and thread, and patterns for baby clothes with some seams started so that she could show Shiloh the stitching, after which she promised she\u2019d get by as soon as the snow allowed to show her how to quilt and leaving a pattern for a quilting rack that Adam could build.<\/p>\n

The evening was winding down when Adam finally asked Shiloh to dance after he had discussed it with Paul.\u00a0 As he slowly turned her about the room, he asked, \u201cDid you accomplish what you set out to do tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n

She glanced up at him, and seeing the teasing twinkle in his eyes, she moved her eyes to the side, trying to stop a smile however unsuccessfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take that as a yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you?\u00a0 Marilee seemed to catch your eye.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chuckling, he stuck his tongue in his cheek.\u00a0 \u201cIt was the other way around, and you know it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many was it?\u00a0 Let\u2019s see.\u00a0 You danced with Marilee five\u2026six times?\u00a0 And your poor lonely wife but\u2026was it\u2026once?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJealous?\u201d he asked, closing the space between them and looking impishly into her eyes, only her eyes changed suddenly from laughing to fearful as she slowly began to bend, her hands slipping from his and moving to her stomach.<\/p>\n

Before she could stop it, a cry of pain escaped her lips.<\/p>\n

Adam lifted her into her in his arms, heading for the stairs, and Paul, hearing her cries, hurried after him as did Ben and Mrs. Lewis.<\/p>\n

Ben stopped Joe at the bottom of the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cJoseph, get Paul\u2019s medical bag from the guest room.\u201d\u00a0 By this time, a hush had spread across the room as everyone had turned worried faces to the top of the stairs.<\/p>\n

Chapter Forty<\/p>\n

Adam sat on the side of the bed once he\u2019d laid Shiloh down, but Paul pulled him back up and ushered him out the door at the same time he pulled Mrs. Lewis inside, shutting the door with a resounding thump.\u00a0 A moment later, he opened the door, saw his medical bag in Joe\u2019s hands, grabbed it and disappeared again behind the door.<\/p>\n

While Joe and Ben paced the hall, occasionally bumping into one another, Adam took few steps away from the door, stopping and listening, then crossing his arms and turning back to the others.\u00a0 Their only distraction was Ming Lin appearing with hot water and towels, leaving them on a small table in the hallway just in case they were needed.\u00a0 Before he retreated back down the stairs, he looked at Adam who shook his head and shrugged.<\/p>\n

The first sound they heard from beyond the door was in no way comforting if only for the thought of how they could possibly accomplish what they now assumed Paul wanted.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t do that!\u00a0 How could I possibly survive looking at the same four walls for the next four months! I can\u2019t just lie in bed!\u00a0 I won\u2019t!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam spun around facing the door at the same time Mrs. Lewis quietly opened it, motioning for him to join them in the bedroom.\u00a0 He found Shiloh sitting up in bed against the headboard and Dr. Martin standing over her, both engaged in a glaring match.\u00a0 Adam stood calmly, looking from one to the other.\u00a0 \u201cPaul, are they both all right?\u201d\u00a0 Joe and Ben lingered outside in the hall listening for the answer.<\/p>\n

Tearing her eyes away from Paul\u2019s, Shiloh glanced at Adam, slightly groaning at his cool demeanor before she exhaled heavily, dropped her hands onto her lap, and looked away, taking in another deep breath and letting it out loudly.<\/p>\n

Paul kept his eyes on her for just a moment before he shook his head and turned to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re both all right for now.\u00a0 What she had was a contraction, and by what you described before when she was hugging the bedpost, that was likely another contraction.\u00a0 That, in and of itself, isn\u2019t unusual.\u00a0 Many expectant mothers start having some contractions as early as their fifth month.\u00a0 But what makes these out of the ordinary are their strength.\u00a0 That, with the swelling in her feet and ankles is worrisome.\u00a0 She\u2019ll need to stay off her feet and keep them elevated to reduce the swelling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019re confining her to bed?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, for the time being.\u00a0 If she goes for a time without pain, and if the swelling subsides, we\u2019ll talk about what else she can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were concerned earlier about her size.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be honest, Adam, the first thing that entered my mind was twins.\u00a0 But I hear only one heartbeat.\u00a0 Considering what was happening when you found she was expecting, I don\u2019t think we were far off on the date.\u00a0 This might just be a big baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh looked up at the ceiling and blew gently out of her mouth, trying to stall the tears she was fighting.<\/p>\n

Turning back to her, Paul sat on the side of the bed and took her hand.\u00a0 \u201cShiloh, many new mothers who experience this type of pain lose their babies.\u00a0 Now I don\u2019t mean to scare you, but you need to know the risks involved.\u00a0 Most of these women run a household and can\u2019t take the proper amount of time to rest.\u00a0 You can, and if it means that your baby is born healthy, isn\u2019t that worth a little time off your feet?\u201d<\/p>\n

She met his eyes, her prior fight taken over by a guilty frown and sad eyes.\u00a0 \u201cCan I at least have Christmas dinner at the dinner table?\u201d<\/p>\n

An understanding smile appeared on Paul\u2019s lips as he patted her hand.\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019ll promise before and afterwards you\u2019ll stay off your feet and keep them elevated.\u201d\u00a0 Looking over at Adam, he waited for his answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll make sure of it,\u201d said Adam, smiling first at Paul, and then raising an eyebrow when he looked back at Shiloh who huffed and smirked.<\/p>\n

Joe and Ben smiled and with Mrs. Lewis, they left the hallway, going back downstairs to tell their guests that both mother and baby were all right, but would be resting.\u00a0 Relieved sighs and smiles abounded in the room as everyone began to gather their belongings to head for home.\u00a0 Joe gathered several ranch hands to help drive the sleighs, and as Ben offered goodbyes and Merry Christmas to his departing guests, Hop Sing and Ming Lin began to clear the food and empty plates and cups from the room.<\/p>\n

Paul finished up with Shiloh and came downstairs after everyone had left.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I offer you a drink, Paul?\u201d asked Ben, who had just poured a glass for himself. \u201cSomething stronger than coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take you up on that this time, Ben.\u201d\u00a0 With drinks in hand, the two men settled into the leather chairs.<\/p>\n

Ben took a sip, then stared into his glass with a frown.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s troubling you?\u00a0 She\u2019s all right, isn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes.\u00a0 At the moment she\u2019s doing fine, and will continue to be all right if Adam can keep her off her feet.\u00a0 But Ben, I\u2019m worried about the size of the baby.\u00a0 If I hadn\u2019t already known her, I would have guessed she was closer to seven months by her size.\u00a0 The birth could be difficult for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning in the chair, Ben sat his glass down on the table.\u00a0 \u2018Difficult\u2019 was the word Elizabeth\u2019s doctor had used when he referred to Adam\u2019s birth.\u00a0 \u201cHow difficult?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul downed his drink before he answered.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s a small woman, Ben.\u00a0 Small women and big babies\u2026\u00a0\u00a0 There is a procedure sometimes used to take babies that can\u2019t go through the birth canal, but the rate of success isn\u2019t good, and that\u2019s in a hospital.\u00a0 Outside a hospital without the proper conditions\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cRate of success?\u00a0 What exactly does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe baby usually survives.\u00a0 The mother rarely does.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben swiftly rose to his feet and faced the fire.\u00a0 \u201cPaul, it will destroy Adam if Shiloh dies in childbirth. Isn\u2019t there anything else to be done?\u201d<\/p>\n

Pushing himself up out of the chair, Paul walked to the fireplace, standing beside Ben.\u00a0 He put a hand on Ben\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cI know what you\u2019re thinking and why.\u00a0 It\u2019s too early to tell if there will be a problem.\u00a0 We won\u2019t know until it\u2019s time for her to have this baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Paul headed for the door, Ben glanced back, and then turned to join him, taking his hand.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s always good to see you, Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou as well,\u201d said Dr. Martin with a smile and a firm grip on Ben\u2019s hand.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be back in two weeks, weather permitting and unless you send someone for me.\u00a0 Goodnight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben watched him high step through the snow and mount his horse, something unusual since Dr. Martin usually took a buggy.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Sitting on the side of the bed, Adam studied the face of the woman he loved; her eyes so blue they reminded him of the blue of the lake in spring, the perfect line of her nose ending in a cute button, and her lips, generous and pink, though they turned a darker shade of pink when her emotions ran high.\u00a0 Reaching out his hand, he brushed the back of his fingers down the smooth softness of her cheek, continuing underneath her chin with his index finger.\u00a0\u00a0 She hadn\u2019t looked at him, and now with her eyes closed, she exhaled, opening them and looking away only to glance back at him disappointedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u00a0 I shouldn\u2019t have taken advantage of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her head snapped back toward him, and she looked him square in the eyes.\u00a0 \u201cHow did you take advantage of me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wanted to wait,\u201d he said, taking her hand and slowly running his thumb up and down each one of her fingers.\u00a0 \u201cI was all too happy to throw caution to the wind when you offered, even though I knew you weren\u2019t ready.\u00a0 You weren\u2019t prepared for what might happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

She watched as he caressed her hands before she looked lovingly back into his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve never been around any expectant mothers.\u00a0 I\u2019ve never been around a baby.\u00a0\u00a0 I would have been unprepared whether we had waited or not.\u00a0 Anyway, there\u2019s nothing we can do about it now.\u00a0 We\u2019re having a baby,\u201d she said, patting her stomach.<\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t smile and looked back at her hands.\u00a0 He pushed his bottom lip up, a sign that he knew there was nothing he could do to correct the situation.\u00a0 It pulled at her heartstrings that he was being so hard on himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook at it this way.\u00a0 I\u2019ll know exactly what to expect the next time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Swiftly moving his eyes to hers, he found bright eyes and a slight smile that caused the corner of his mouth to turn up.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, would you please get my nightgown out of the wardrobe?\u00a0 I\u2019m sure I\u2019m done for the evening, and you probably need to help move the furniture back into place.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a smile, he complied, bringing her the gown and stepping out of her way as she rose from the bed to slip it over her head.\u00a0 When she was back in the bed, he fluffed her pillow behind her and pulled the blanket up to her lap.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore you start moving furniture, would you please bring up the box Mrs. Lewis left for me?\u00a0 It\u2019s on the gun cabinet right behind the blue chair.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning in to kiss her, he said, \u201cI\u2019ll be right back.\u201d\u00a0 When he returned, he had the box lid open and was curiously looking inside.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s all this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s everything I need to make clothes for the baby.\u00a0 Mrs. Lewis started one for me to practice with.\u00a0 Now shoo.\u00a0 I\u2019ll look at all this while I wait for you to come back up.\u201d\u00a0 Adam smiled and turned to leave.\u00a0 \u201cAdam?\u00a0 Micah said goodnight early.\u00a0 Was he all right?\u00a0 Did he say anything to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning with his hand on the doorknob, Adam scratched his upper lip. \u201cYou know your brother.\u00a0 He was never comfortable at parties.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do know my brother.\u00a0 And he never left a Cartwright Christmas Eve party early.\u00a0 Something\u2019s up with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam puckered his mouth and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be back up in a few minutes.\u201d\u00a0 At this particular moment, he wasn\u2019t going to tell her again that it was none of their business.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Forty-One<\/p>\n

After Ben and Adam moved the last piece of furniture back into place, both men sat down, winded from exertion.\u00a0 For a moment, they just looked at each other until Ben broke the silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Shiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe seems to be in a calmer state of mind.\u00a0 Paul said something to her that I think might have frightened her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shifted in his chair, moving his elbow to the chair arm and resting his cheek on his hand.\u00a0 \u201cOh?\u00a0 What was that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat some women who have that kind of pain this early lose their babies.\u201d\u00a0 Adam leaned forward, propping his elbows on this thighs and clasping his hands.\u00a0 By Ben\u2019s disposition and the lines of worry on his forehead, he knew his father was more concerned than he had reason to be unless Paul had told him something else. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cWhat did Paul tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm?\u00a0 Oh, nothing really definite.\u00a0 He said something about the size of the baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes bore into his father\u2019s, though Ben didn\u2019t notice.\u00a0 Standing, Adam walked slowly but purposefully over and sat down on the table in front of his father.\u00a0 \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Ben shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cHe just said the birth could be difficult.\u201d Adam sat up straight, slightly turning his head.\u00a0 It was a look that was all too familiar to Ben.\u00a0 It seemed his eldest had gotten very good at reading him.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s what he said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t elaborate?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I shouldn\u2019t have to remind you that I\u2019m all grown up.\u00a0 Exactly<\/em> what did Paul say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not so much what he said.\u00a0 It was the look on his face\u2026and the fact that he accepted a glass of whiskey.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Adam impatiently arched an eyebrow.\u00a0 That was about as close as he was going to come to telling his father to spit it out.\u00a0 \u201cHe was worried that because Shiloh is small, and the baby might be large, she\u2019d have a difficult time giving birth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow difficult?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe talked about a procedure to take the baby; one that isn\u2019t very successful at saving both mother and child.\u201d\u00a0 Ben watched the color drain from his son\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cNow Adam, he also said it was too soon to worry.\u201d\u00a0 Closing his eyes, he swore to himself before he sat forward.\u00a0 \u201cWhat you need to concentrate on at the moment is keeping her off her feet.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure Paul is going to be watching her very closely from now on.\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s eyes had already moved away before Ben had even spoken his last sentence, telling Ben that he\u2019d already lost his son.\u00a0 Even though he wouldn\u2019t say anything, and most probably he\u2019d act as he normally would, Adam\u2019s mind would be constantly tortured by the possibility of a major problem until the baby was born, and there was nothing else Ben could say to change it.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Before Adam opened the door to the bedroom he and Shiloh shared at the main house, he moved his hand off the doorknob he had just grasped and clenched his fist, exhaling heavily through his nose.\u00a0 He would never say anything about this to Shiloh, but she could sometimes see right through him. \u00a0What if she did now?\u00a0 Taking another deep breath, he quietly opened the door and peered in.\u00a0 Fabric lay crumpled in her lap.\u00a0\u00a0 Her head was as reclined on the pillow as it could be in a sitting position, her eyes were closed and her breaths were deep and even.\u00a0 Gently taking the material out of her hands, he gathered all the notions she had removed from the box, and after moving everything back into the box, he set it aside before he sat down on the bed next to her, causing her to stir.<\/p>\n

She opened her eyes wide, blinked and yawned.\u00a0 \u201cDid I fall asleep sitting up?\u201d<\/p>\n

Pulling the end of his tie, he chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cIt seems so.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0Reaching to the bed table, he lowered the flame of the lamp, leaving the room in a dim glow.<\/p>\n

She watched him through sleepy eyes as he moved away toward the wardrobe, first unfastening the buttons at his cuffs, and then starting on the buttons down the front of his white shirt.\u00a0 As he worked on the buttons, he looked into the mirror on the door of the wardrobe.\u00a0 It seemed he was barely aware of what his fingers were doing.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, where are you?\u201d she asked softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHm?\u201d Her question startled him back to the present.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not paying much attention to what you\u2019re doing.\u00a0 What are you thinking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking back at her for a moment, he smiled and slipped his shirt down off his arms, opening the door of the wardrobe and taking out a hanger.\u00a0 \u201cNot what\u2026who.\u00a0 You\u2026and the baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at her hands as she fidgeted, her voice trembled, \u201cPaul thought I might have twins because of my size.\u00a0 If it\u2019s not twins, then why am I big enough to make him think it could\u2019ve been twins?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked up at the ceiling, breathing in deeply as he pulled his belt out of the loops of his pants. He tossed the belt onto the chair, then turned back to the bed.\u00a0 \u201cSweetheart, you heard him.\u00a0 The baby may be bigger than he expected for your size. \u00a0But with you being so small\u2026well\u2026he might look bigger than he is.\u201d\u00a0 Sitting on the side of the bed, Adam slipped off his boots, and then stood and slipped off his pants, hanging them over the footboard of the bed.\u00a0 He slid under the covers and pulled her into him as much as he could.\u00a0 \u201cHe said you\u2019ll be fine with rest.\u00a0 Now go back to sleep.\u00a0 If you\u2019ll remember, Cartwright Christmases start early.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked into his eyes as the light from the lamp shown on his face.\u00a0 Though he hid it well, she could hear the concern in his voice.\u00a0 She ducked down against him when he reached over her to extinguish the lamp.\u00a0 As they settled into each other, nothing more was said.\u00a0 Adam ran his fingers into her hair as he kissed her tenderly, then guided her head to his shoulder.\u00a0 She watched him close his eyes and kept vigil until his breathing became deep and steady.\u00a0 Only then did she allow her tears to flow.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cMornin\u2019 Older Brother.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t expect you to be up this early.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe?\u00a0 You\u2019re the last person I\u2019d expect to see up this early.\u00a0 Even on Christmas morning.\u201d\u00a0 The two men looked at each other sharing slow smiles.\u00a0 \u201cMerry Christmas, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

As they stood grasping each other\u2019s arms, each man, snorting at the same time, thought of Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cYou think he\u2019s up yet?\u201d asked Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I would imagine it would depend on when he went to bed, and considering it gets darker and lighter there long before it does here, I expect so.\u201d Adam raised his brows and turned back to Sport\u2019s grooming.\u00a0 \u201cIt does seem odd, though, that he\u2019s not here.\u00a0 This is the first Christmas on the Ponderosa he\u2019s missed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat d\u2019ya mean \u2018on the Ponderosa?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, there were Christmases before we got to the Ponderosa\u2026long before you came along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you even remember any of them?\u201d asked Joe as he threw some hay in Cochise\u2019s trough.<\/p>\n

Bowing his head, Adam pulled hair out of the curry brush. \u201cThe only one worth remembering was the Christmas Inger was with us\u2026before Hoss was born. \u00a0We didn\u2019t have much, but she managed to make it feel special.\u201d After a long silence, Adam threw the brush into a bucket.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve already taken care of Chubb.\u00a0 That leaves Buck for you,\u201d he said, heading for the door. \u201cI need to get back upstairs and wake Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just before Adam reached the barn door, Joe asked, \u201cHow is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam half-turned, moving his hands to the pockets of his coat.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s scared, Joe.\u00a0 And I don\u2019t know what to say to make her feel any better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watching his brother close the door behind him, Joe knew Adam was probably at least as scared as his wife.\u00a0 So was their father.\u00a0 Taking a deep breath, he admitted to himself that he was, too, as much for Adam as Shiloh.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh stood in front of the wardrobe mirror making final adjustments to her dress.\u00a0 She had tried on several dresses, tossing each one aside disgustedly as she checked her look without a corset in the mirror.\u00a0 There was definitely more of her to worry about besides her stomach, so she needed a dress that would hide her bounciness. She knew Adam would hit the roof if he discovered she was wearing a corset.\u00a0 The cloth she had wrapped over her breasts would have to do.<\/p>\n

Adam had quietly stepped into the room and watched her, first irritated that she was on her feet, and based on the clothes thrown over the chair, had been for too long.\u00a0 Then he watched her bounce up and down on her toes and realized what she was looking for in the mirror.\u00a0 He tried to stifle a smile, but the smile won, and soon he was laughing.\u00a0 \u201cYou won\u2019t be moving around enough for anyone to notice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou<\/em> noticed.\u201d<\/p>\n

He appeared behind her and moved his hands around her stomach, and then up.\u00a0 \u201cAs your husband, I notice all sorts of things in all manner of your dress\u2026or undress.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She might have been embarrassed, but didn\u2019t have the chance as he finished his explanation at her neck, causing goose bumps to rise on her skin.\u00a0 The tiny mounds rising against his lips elicited a deep chuckle from him.<\/p>\n

\u201cOw!\u00a0\u00a0 Be careful, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising his head, he wore a dismayed look.\u00a0 \u201cThat never bothered you before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sore.\u00a0 Paul said that was normal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tightening his lips into a line, he grunted.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t start something you\u2019re not going to finish,\u201d she said, turning to her side and dropping her head back.<\/p>\n

Adam accepted her invitation for a kiss, but when she moved her hand to the back of his head and rose into him, his kiss moved to her chin.\u00a0 \u201cWe can\u2019t do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d she barked as she patted her stomach.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not something we haven\u2019t done before.\u201d<\/p>\n

He smirked as he drew her up straight. \u201cWe could make things worse than they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh spsh!\u201d\u00a0 She threw his hands away from her and walked back to the bed, sitting and tying on her shoes.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve now lost everything.\u00a0 I can\u2019t get to my horses, I can\u2019t play my piano because I can\u2019t prop up my feet, I can\u2019t sing anything worth singing, and now\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Her chin quivered as her hands fell into her lap.\u00a0 \u201cThe one thing that\u2019s kept me going has been your attention.\u00a0 And now I\u2019ve lost that.\u201d<\/p>\n

After pinching the bridge of his nose, Adam swiftly walked to the bed and sat next to her, taking her hands in his.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not telling you anything you don\u2019t know.\u00a0 Why are you so upset?\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving her eyes to his first, she squeezed them closed and whispered, \u201cI\u2019m scared.\u201d\u00a0 She opened her eyes, looking intently into his and clutching his hands tightly.\u00a0 \u201cI need you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s mouth dropped open slightly. His eyes softened as he watched a tear trickle down her cheek. \u00a0Never had she said aloud that she needed him.\u00a0 Loved him, yes, but he never imagined she would ever say she needed anyone. Moving his hands to either side of her face, he touched her forehead with his.\u00a0 \u201cMy love, you have me.\u00a0 Nothing will ever change that.\u201d He moved his arms around her and held her, all the while looking uneasily at the far wall.<\/p>\n

He was going to have to leave her in a few days to go to San Francisco for another inspection of the courthouse and to meet with a group of business investors looking for an architectural firm to design and build a row of apartments.\u00a0 It seems San Francisco was growing quickly, and Slater and Cartwright had developed a sought after reputation.\u00a0 He had planned on both of them traveling to the coastal city together, but in her present condition travel was out of the question.\u00a0 He had no idea how he would tell her, but most definitely, he would not tell her today.\u00a0 Today, he would make sure she had a happy, peaceful Christmas.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow,\u201d he started, facing her with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m betting Pa and Joe are downstairs waiting to sit down for breakfast.\u00a0 \u201cAre you ready to join them, Mrs. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiping her cheek, she nodded and returned a timid smile, prompting him to lift her into his arms and carry her out the bedroom door and down the stairs.\u00a0 As he whispered things only a wife should hear into her ear on the way, she fought a giggle, but by the time they arrived at the dining room table, she was in full laughter.<\/p>\n

Chapter Forty-Two<\/p>\n

Annie was surprised when the door she had just knocked on opened.\u00a0\u00a0 Standing in front of her was Hoss, completely dressed and walking, however slowly, without a cane.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, I\u2019m not sure you should be moving around without help.\u00a0 You still have some stitches.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, Annie, you got them stitches trussed up s\u2019tight they ain\u2019t about to bust open.\u201d\u00a0 Stepping out the door with a pile of boxes, he winked at her.\u00a0 \u201cBut I\u2019d be mighty grateful if you could help me get these presents downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled sweetly at him and took all the boxes from him, then followed him as he slowly descended the stairs.<\/p>\n

Hearing footsteps on the stairs, Mrs. Levine came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron.\u00a0 \u201cI was just about to call you two breakfast,\u201d she said with a wide grin.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve made all sorts of goodies for the day, but I wanted us all to start off with a good breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded as Mrs. Levine stepped aside for him to enter the kitchen.\u00a0 Annie finished placing the presents underneath the Christmas tree and followed Mrs. Levine in.<\/p>\n

“Mrs. Levine, all this sure looks mighty good,” said Hoss, eyeing the bacon and ham, biscuits and gravy, and of course, the eggs.\u00a0 Then his eye caught a shiny swirly thing that looked like bread all wound up, only the bread had brown edges and was topped with nuts.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Levine watched him and giggled.\u00a0 “Oh Hoss.\u00a0 Haven’t you ever seen sticky buns?”<\/p>\n

Slowly sitting down, Hoss kept his eyes on those sticky buns.\u00a0 “Well, no ma’am.\u00a0 Hop Sing, that’s our cook back home, he makes the best donuts I ever tasted.\u00a0 But these look even better,” he said, reaching out to take one.\u00a0 He pulled with one hand, but the bread didn’t pull apart.\u00a0 Glancing over at Mrs. Levine and Annie, he pulled his had back.\u00a0 “I guess I don’t rightly know exactly how to get one of them buns.”<\/p>\n

Both women laughed as Annie stood and deftly pulled one off, placing it on Hoss’ plate.<\/p>\n

“Now, you can’t just eat that sweet stuff, Hoss,” said Mrs. Levine.\u00a0 “Help your plate with some of the other, but after we say grace.”<\/p>\n

Hoss had raised his hands to the closest dish, but once again, he drew his hand back and smiled, remembering home.\u00a0 “If I’d been at home and done that, my pa and brothers would have stared at me until I noticed.”<\/p>\n

“Your very close to your family, aren’t you, Hoss?”<\/p>\n

“Yes’m, I reckon I am.\u00a0 And I miss ’em.\u00a0 But Mrs. Levine, you make me feel about as close to home as I could get without actually bein’ there.” The three held hands as they said the prayer, and everyone enjoyed a hearty meal.<\/p>\n

After breakfast, they sat in the parlor where the tree sparkled with candlelight as they opened the few presents that had appeared slowly…one by one underneath the tree.<\/p>\n

Annie opened one first; a blue knitted shawl with black trim from Mrs. Levine who also gave Hoss a new wallet.\u00a0 Mrs. Levine received a green wool hooded cape lined in black satin and a matching pair of gloves from both Annie and Hoss.<\/p>\n

Next, as Mrs. Levine sat in her rocker admiring her new cape, Annie handed Hoss the gift Shiloh sent.\u00a0 “Open it.”<\/p>\n

“I tell you what.\u00a0 Why don’t we open ’em together,” he suggested as he smiled like a man who had lost his heart in a woman’s eyes.<\/p>\n

Annie blushed and nodded happily as she tugged the end of the bow.\u00a0 She gasped as she pulled out a delicately carved alabaster music box.\u00a0 Slowly opening it, she smiled at the tinkling sound of Greensleeves<\/em>.\u00a0 “Only Shiloh would have known about that tune.”<\/p>\n

Hoss pulled the top of his box off and looked in.\u00a0 “Well I’ll be.\u00a0 She’s prob’ly the only one who really listens.”<\/p>\n

“Listens to what?”<\/p>\n

“Well, I can’t never keep up with the time when I’m workin’ with her horses.\u00a0 I recollect telling Joe when he came to fetch me for dinner that it’d sure be easier if I had one of them pocket watches like Adam’s.”\u00a0 He slowly pulled out a chain, and at the end of the chain dangled a gold watch complete with scroll work and engraved with his name on the back.<\/p>\n

“It’s beautiful,” squealed Annie as she clapped her hands.<\/p>\n

“Dadburnit!\u00a0 I didn’t think to get everyone Christmas presents before I left.”<\/p>\n

“Oh Hoss, they won’t care.\u00a0 They’ll just be missing you terribly,” she said, handing him one more gift.\u00a0 “I hope it’s not…well, I hope you like it.”<\/p>\n

Opening a box about the same size as that containing the watch, he peered inside, squeezed his lips together and reached in taking something out, and just sitting there staring at the object cradled in his hands. \u00a0His face was consumed by a warm smile as he studied the small case containing a photograph of he and Annie that had been taken just after he arrived in Philadelphia. “This is about the best gift I coulda gotten.\u00a0 I’ll keep it with me all the time.”<\/p>\n

Gently placing the case back in the box, he reached into the tree.\u00a0 Both Annie and Mrs. Levine watch curiously as he pulled out a small box.\u00a0 “I couldn’t thinka no better gift or time to give you this.\u00a0 I guess I just wanted to make sure you were coming back to Virginia City when your schooling was done.”\u00a0 Struggling to one knee, Hoss opened the box and took out a ring.\u00a0 “Annie, there’s a reason I wanna make sure you come back to Virginia City.\u00a0 You see, I’d actually like you to come a little further and make the Ponderosa your home…with me.”\u00a0 He blushed and smiled.\u00a0 “I reckon I’m asking for your hand in marriage,” he said as he slipped the ring on her finger.<\/p>\n

Annie’s face lit up like a fireworks show, but when she went to throw her arms around his neck, he tottered just before he fell over onto the floor with Annie still holding on.\u00a0 Laughing so hard he couldn’t get up, Mrs. Levine and Annie were soon on either side pulling at his arms, and when he tried to heft himself up, he pulled both women down to the floor with him, scooping them both up in his arms and hugging them.\u00a0 “If this ain’t the dangdest Christmas I ever had,” he said, consumed by laughter.<\/p>\n

On their feet with their breath caught from the laughter, Hoss asked hopefully, “Does that mean ‘yes?'”<\/p>\n

Looking down at the ring on her finger first, she looked up, not with a smile, but with a look that told Hoss she knew what she wanted and that was to be his wife.\u00a0 “Yes, Hoss.\u00a0 Yes,” she said, stepping into his hug.<\/p>\n

“But you gotta do somethin’ for me.\u00a0 You gotta promise me you’ll finish school.\u00a0 Then when you come home, you’ll be the first female doctor Virginia City’s ever seen.\u00a0 We’ll get married then.”<\/p>\n

“Does your family know?”<\/p>\n

“Well, I didn’t come right out ‘n tell ’em, but I think Adam and Shiloh are probably thinkin’ on it.”<\/p>\n

“I wish I could see Shiloh’s face when you tell her.”<\/p>\n

“Well, you two, you’ve had quite a morning,” said Mrs. Levine who had stepped back to take in the happy sight of two people on the brink of a new life.\u00a0 “I’m going to go start dinner.\u00a0 We have a few guests coming.\u00a0 Why don’t you two go for a walk and let that proposal settle in.”<\/p>\n

“We can take a walk a little later.\u00a0 I should help,” said Annie, stepping away from Hoss toward the kitchen.<\/p>\n

Grabbing her hand, Mrs. Levine said, “Not on your life.\u00a0 Mary’s coming over to help me.\u00a0 When you get back from your walk, there might still be room for you then.\u00a0 Now go,” she said swinging her hands toward the door.\u00a0 “Enjoy this time.”<\/p>\n

After Mrs. Levine had made sure they were warmly attired, Hoss and Annie walked down the street hand in hand with Hoss leaning on his cane.\u00a0 Annie had just taken in a breath of the clean, crisp winter air as snow floated around them when a voice behind them broke the serenity of the morning.<\/p>\n

“Mr. Cartwright, I see you’re up and around.”<\/p>\n

As Hoss slowly turned, Annie spun around and stepped in front of him.\u00a0 “He’s not ready to join your army, Captain Fletcher.\u00a0 He’s just now been able to get down the stairs.\u00a0 Your own doctor hasn’t even released him.”<\/p>\n

Reaching out, Hoss squeezed Annie’s shoulder and eased her back to him. “Captain Fletcher, you can follow me around all you want, but the fact is, I don’t live in your city.\u00a0 Heck, I don’t even live in your state. I ain’t signin’ up for your army, and once the good doctor declares I’m fit for travelin’, I’m going home.”\u00a0 Captain Fletcher handed Hoss a piece of paper.\u00a0 “What’s this?”<\/p>\n

Standing rigidly with his heels together, Captain Fletcher wore a smug sneer on his face. “It is the letter of the law that explains my authority to draft you.\u00a0 The next two papers are your draft papers and orders to report.\u00a0 If you do not report, you will be arrested, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 I suggest you think about this as long as you have, because our prisons aren’t anything like your Ponderosa.”\u00a0 Tipping his hat, the Captain ended with, “Merry Christmas” before he turned and left Annie and Hoss dumbfounded.<\/p>\n

Looking down at the papers in his hand, Hoss began to read as he turned and slowly walked back toward the boarding house.\u00a0 Annie hadn’t followed, but rather ran after Captain Fletcher.\u00a0 “Captain Fletcher, surely you can’t draft a man who has a serious medical condition.”<\/p>\n

The captain pulled up quickly and spun on his heel.\u00a0 “Miss Walters, I will say this once, and afterwards I do not expect to hear you speak on the subject again.\u00a0 Frankly, it is none of your business.\u00a0 Dr. Stephenson has suggested that Mr. Cartwright continue his recuperation in the Army hospital, so that his availability for duty will be more expedient.\u00a0 He is to report to the hospital day after tomorrow.”\u00a0 With that said, Fletcher left Annie standing there fighting tears.\u00a0 Was Fletcher so consumed with fighting a war that he would ignore the desires and needs of the citizens he had sworn to protect?\u00a0 If that were the case, then who is supposed to protect the general population from the Army?<\/p>\n

“Annie,” said Hoss, putting his hands on her shoulders.\u00a0 “Don’t let him rile you.\u00a0 We just need to go back to the boardin’ house and read through these papers.\u00a0 There’s gotta be something in here that says he’s wrong.”<\/p>\n

“Hoss, we don’t have much time.\u00a0 He said you’re supposed to report to the Army hospital the day after tomorrow.\u00a0 I won’t be able to see you.\u00a0 Women aren’t allowed there.”<\/p>\n

Taking her hand and coaxing her back in the other direction, he said, “Come on.\u00a0 We’ll think of somethin’.\u00a0 If not, Pa’ll know what to do.”<\/p>\n

“Hoss, don’t you see?\u00a0 You don’t have time to send for help.”<\/p>\n

Chapter Forty-Three<\/p>\n

Adam made Shiloh comfortable on the settee, turning her so that her feet were extended along its length while Ben stole away up the stairs.\u00a0 Every now and then his sons and daughter-in-law heard a loud bump that grabbed their attention until Ben appeared at the top of the stairs carrying a round fabric-covered hassock.<\/p>\n

Adam looked up and smiled, then met his father at the bottom of the stairs.\u00a0 “I can’t believe you still have that thing.”<\/p>\n

“Well, I’ve always hoped for grandchildren.” Ben looked fondly at the hassock and smiled.\u00a0 “And that would mean there would be a woman who might need it again.”\u00a0 Taking the hassock into the living area, he placed it on the floor in front of the leather chair next to the fireplace.\u00a0 “Shiloh, you’ll be warmer over here by the fire.”<\/p>\n

She looked up to his eyes, and with a slight smile, she rose more gracefully than she had in what seemed like a very long time and took the hand he offered her.\u00a0 “This was Marie’s, wasn’t it?”<\/p>\n

Joe stepped forward, looking down at the hassock trying to remember.\u00a0 “I don’t remember Mama using this.”<\/p>\n

“With good reason.\u00a0 She used it while she was carrying you.\u00a0 After you were born it went into the attic above our bedroom.\u00a0 It’s been there ever since.\u00a0 Turning to Shiloh, he said quietly, “It’s yours now.”<\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 I mean, thank you, but I don’t accept ownership of it.\u00a0 I will borrow it.\u00a0 Then it can belong to all Cartwright women.”<\/p>\n

He kissed her forehead, and held her hands as she lowered herself into the chair and moved her feet to the hassock.\u00a0 Already having a light cover in hand, Adam draped it over her legs and tucked it snuggly around her.<\/p>\n

“Well,” said Ben, bringing his hands together and rubbing them.\u00a0 “We’re expecting guests for dinner, so we should open presents now.”<\/p>\n

As tradition would have it, they went around the room opening gifts one by one.\u00a0 There was an assortment of scents and leather goods in addition to a pearl handled razor and\u00a0 a new handgun given. After Joe opened his last gift, Adam stood and left the room.\u00a0 When he opened the front door, he motioned to Ben.<\/p>\n

Standing, Ben offered his arm to Shiloh, who glanced up and gave him a sidelong look.\u00a0 “Do I have permission to get out of this chair?”<\/p>\n

Trying his best to hide his amusement at her attempted sarcasm, Ben simply bowed.\u00a0 “Yes, you do.”<\/p>\n

It took her a moment to move to the edge of the chair.\u00a0 By the time she was ready to stand, Ben had figured out that he’d have to give her more help than his offered arm, so he took her hands and pulled her to her feet, then escorted her to the front door, grabbing her heavy shawl off the coat hook behind the door and draping it over her shoulders.<\/p>\n

She took only one step out the door and froze, not because of the frigid temperatures or the icy wind, but because the sight standing at the edge of the porch took her breath away almost blending in perfectly with the white of the snow.\u00a0 The only things that made it stand out were the halter, and the dark gray skin of her nose, around her eyes and ears.<\/p>\n

Shuffling to Adam’s side, she reached up and stroked the mare’s nose.\u00a0 “Adam, she’s beautiful.”<\/p>\n

“She’s yours,” he said softly.<\/p>\n

Quickly looking up at Adam, and then back to the horse, she said, “I don’t understand.”<\/p>\n

“You said you wanted to see if you could breed white horses like Eli.\u00a0 That all you needed was the right mare.”<\/p>\n

“She looks good, Adam, but how did you know what I meant by ‘right?'”<\/p>\n

He chuckled.\u00a0 “I have<\/em> been told I’m a good judge of horse flesh.\u00a0 And I think I’ve observed you enough to know what you look for.”\u00a0 He watched as she looked back up at the horse, seeing well controlled excitement in her eyes.\u00a0 “Merry Christmas.”<\/p>\n

“I don’t know what to say,” she said quietly.<\/p>\n

Passing the reins back to a ranch hand, he took her into his arms.\u00a0 “You probably never noticed, but your eyes speak volumes.”\u00a0 Bending, he kissed her tenderly before he turned her back toward the front door, anxious to get her inside to the warmth of the fire and off her feet.<\/p>\n

There in the blue chair that had been moved closer to the settee to make room for the tree, leaned a guitar, but not just any guitar.\u00a0 Adam’s lips parted slightly as he moved his eyes to the side to see Shiloh, who was biting her lip.\u00a0 “I hope you like it.\u00a0 I know it’s not something you’d take riding, but the sound was so rich, so perfect, I couldn’t resist.”<\/p>\n

Adam picked the guitar up and looked inside, then whistled.\u00a0 “How did you…?” he asked, glancing at her, then back to the guitar.\u00a0 “When…?\u00a0 This is a Lac\u00f4te;<\/strong> probably one of a kind.”\u00a0 Running his hand over the wood, he admired the white maple burl from which the body and neck had been cut.\u00a0 The fingerboard was a raised ebony veneer with brass frets, and the headstock, the fingerboard and the opening in the body were decorated with alternating ivory and obsidian inlay.<\/p>\n

“You treat your guitar like it’s the most fragile thing you own.\u00a0 You caress it.\u00a0 When I heard this one…well, I wanted to hear you play it.”<\/p>\n

Carefully setting the guitar back on the chair, he pulled Shiloh into his arms again and enveloped her as much as he could, whispering in her ear.\u00a0 “I can’t wait to hear how you got your hands on it.”\u00a0 He kissed her ear.\u00a0 “Thank you.”<\/p>\n

As he began to move way, she grabbed him and held him to her, softly giggling.\u00a0 “Good.\u00a0 We can talk about where you found that horse, too.”<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh spent the rest of the morning in the leather chair, studying the baby dress Mrs. Lewis had started for her.\u00a0 Her attention to the details didn’t last long.\u00a0 She fell asleep, so everyone tiptoed around the living room trying not to wake her.<\/p>\n

A knock on the door didn’t seem to even make her stir, but when Ben opened it, the shouts of \u00a0“Merry Christmas!” brought her hands into the air along with the box and notions, sending them all over her and the floor.\u00a0 The new family, the Brents, who had just moved into the old Dawson place off the road to Virginia City just past the Ponderosa property line sang a rousing rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful <\/em>before they entered the house, giving Adam just enough time to tend to Shiloh, picking up all the material, thimbles and ribbons and placing them back in the box on her lap before anyone noticed what had happened.<\/p>\n

The Brents were made up of Mr. and Mrs. Brent, Walter and Helen, and their three children, oldest son, David, middle son, Andrew, and two-year-old Allison.\u00a0 The adult Brents, who were closer to Adam’s age, and already met everyone except Shiloh, though having moved from San Francisco, they certainly knew who she was.<\/p>\n

“Can we see the big white horse?” asked Andrew before anyone had shed their coats and capes.<\/p>\n

Joe bent down with his hands on his knees.\u00a0 “If you’ll leave your coats on, I’ll take you out to the barn and introduce you.”<\/p>\n

“We already know Cotton, Mister,” said David.\u00a0 “She used to be one of Pa’s horses.”\u00a0 Joe looked back at Adam, raised his eyebrows, and then straightened, leading the boys back out the front door.<\/p>\n

“Cotton.\u00a0 That’s a fitting name,” said Shiloh still seated in the chair.<\/p>\n

“Forgive me, Mrs. Cartwright.\u00a0 I hope the boys didn’t spoil the surprise,” said Helen, allowing her husband to take her cape, and then making her way into the living area.\u00a0 “My name is Helen,” she said, offering her hand.\u00a0 “And this is Allison,” she said, moving her skirt aside just enough to reveal the little girl hiding there.<\/p>\n

“Oh no, not at all.\u00a0 Adam showed me the horse a little while ago.\u00a0 She’s quite beautiful.”<\/p>\n

Adam walked David into the sitting area and offered him a drink.\u00a0 “Dinner’s not quite ready.\u00a0 Would you like some coffee, ladies?” Mrs. Brent nodded, sending Ben into the kitchen as the Brents settled in on the settee.<\/p>\n

“Mrs. Cartwright…” began Mr. Brent.<\/p>\n

“Please call me Shiloh.”<\/p>\n

“Thank you.\u00a0 We’ve had Cotton since her birth, but I didn’t have the heart to break her.\u00a0 She was such a wonderful spirit I just let her be.\u00a0 I met Adam in town and during our conversation, he told me who you are…Amos Whitney’s daughter.\u00a0 I’d heard of your father, and I knew that his method of training didn’t involve breaking the horse, so I thought the match would be a good one.\u00a0 Then Adam told me you were looking for a white horse to breed with your blacks, so it worked out well for both of us.”<\/p>\n

“Well, Mr. Brent…”<\/p>\n

“If you’re Shiloh, I’m David.”<\/p>\n

She treated him to one of her brilliant smiles before she continued.\u00a0 “You’re welcome to come see her anytime.\u00a0 I’m not sure I’ll train her for riding just yet.\u00a0 I’d like to see how she fits in with herd before I do anything.”<\/p>\n

Hop Sing brought out the coffee, and the adults along with little Allison got to know one another until dinner was ready.\u00a0 Conversation around the table during the meal included listening to the children explain what they got for Christmas and what they planned to do with their gifts.<\/p>\n

Shiloh had stopped eating, asking questions and listening to every word while studying the little faces of each child as they spoke.\u00a0 Adam watched, seeing a happy contentment he hadn’t seen from Shiloh lately. It seemed she was very good with children, even though as an adult she’d never really been around them.\u00a0 He also noticed that she hadn’t eaten much, so he reached next to him, giving her thigh a gentle, but firm squeeze along with a look that went from her eyes to her plate and back.<\/p>\n

She sneered so lightly that no one but Adam would have noticed, but quietly picked up her fork, and by the time dessert was served, she had eaten everything on her plate.<\/p>\n

Another knock on the door in the middle of dessert changed the evening for everyone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Forty-Four<\/p>\n

Shiloh had just finished lamenting that Micah hadn’t made it to dinner when they all heard a knock at the door.\u00a0 Ordinarily, Micah would have opened the door and called out, so they knew it wasn’t him. Ben wiped his mouth on his napkin and excused himself from the table.\u00a0 Everyone at the table heard the latch of the door click when Ben opened it, but after that, there was silence before they heard the door latch again.<\/p>\n

Leaning back in his chair, Joe realized his father had stepped out.\u00a0 He gave Adam a wary look, prompting Adam to wipe his mouth, excuse himself from the table and follow his father outside.<\/p>\n

Micah was there, but with him were two Indian women and one older Indian man Adam recognized from the Clear Creek village.\u00a0 How they had travelled this far on foot this fast, Adam had no idea.\u00a0 But when he saw it was Cheron, he felt a mixture of anxiety and relief.\u00a0 Shiloh would want to see Cheron; to help her in any way she could.\u00a0 Unfortunately, in her condition there wasn’t much she could do, and even if she thought she could, there wasn’t much Adam was going to let her do.<\/p>\n

Ben had taken Cheron’s hands and smiled as he welcomed her to the Ponderosa.\u00a0 “Won’t you all come inside where it’s warm?\u00a0 Have you eaten?”<\/p>\n

Cheron was as he remembered her, tall and slender with a regal carriage, but older with small lines around her eyes and a few gray hairs mixed in with her straight, black braids.\u00a0 Her eyes, however were as bright and clear as ever.\u00a0 “Thank you, Mr. Cartwright, but yes, we have eaten.\u00a0 I hope we are not causing you trouble.\u00a0 Micah reminded me that this is a special day for whites, but I wanted to arrange to take Billy’s body home to the place his father and I shared life with him.\u00a0 I wanted also to thank Shiloh. Micah has told me she is the reason he and Adam sought me.”<\/p>\n

Adam stepped forward and took Cheron’s hand. “She’ll be pleased to see you, Cheron.\u00a0 She’s inside the house.\u00a0 Won’t you come in?”<\/p>\n

Glancing behind them at the buggy, Cheron asked, “Others are here?”<\/p>\n

“Yes,” said Ben, nodding. “Our neighbors have come to celebrate Christmas with us.\u00a0 But that doesn’t change anything.\u00a0 You are as welcome here as they.”<\/p>\n

Cheron smiled. “I remember your kindness during my time here.\u00a0 But I do not want to cause any concern for your guests.”<\/p>\n

Ben looked at Adam with raised brows, and Adam smiled.\u00a0 “I suppose it wouldn’t do her any harm to come outside.\u00a0 I’ll get her.”<\/p>\n

Looking back at Ben, Cheron asked, “Harm?”<\/p>\n

A warm smile appeared on Ben’s face.\u00a0 Evidently, Micah, who had listened quietly to all that was said, hadn’t told Cheron that Shiloh had been told to stay off her feet. “You’ll understand when you see her.”<\/p>\n

Only a few minutes passed when Shiloh appeared at the door, a long breath swelling her bosom at the same time a relieved smile slowly transformed her face.\u00a0 She started forward too quickly for Adam’s tastes.\u00a0 He grabbed her hand to slow her.<\/p>\n

When she reached Cheron, the two women embraced, and when they parted, Cheron touched Shiloh’s stomach.\u00a0 “Little One, I never thought I would see this day.\u00a0 It is good the father is a Cartwright.\u00a0 The Whitneys and the Cartwrights were always as close as family.”<\/p>\n

A sudden sadness took over Shiloh’s countenance as she bowed her head.\u00a0 “I’m so sorry, Cheron.\u00a0 You trusted me, and I’ve let you down.”<\/p>\n

“No child. You did well with Billy. It was the wolf who stole him away from us, as he did with Billy’s father.\u00a0 Now, we must set him free from the broken body that binds him to the land.”<\/p>\n

Stepping forward, Adam took Shiloh by the shoulders.\u00a0 “Cheron, she can’t go with you. The doctor has told her to stay off her feet.”<\/p>\n

Cheron’s brow furrowed. “You are unwell?”<\/p>\n

Bowing her head, Shiloh took a deep breath before she answered.\u00a0 “I feel fine,” she said, glancing at the hand on her shoulder. “But there’s been some pain.”<\/p>\n

“Is there a place where we may speak?”<\/p>\n

“Uh…well, yes.\u00a0 Upstairs, I suppose.”\u00a0 The question had caught Adam off guard as much as Shiloh, but he removed his hands from her shoulders and stepped aside.<\/p>\n

As Cheron and Shiloh turned to the house, Ben spoke to the two Washoe who had come with Cheron.\u00a0 “You are welcome to wait inside.”<\/p>\n

“We…stay,” said the man, and he and the other woman retreated to the far edge of the yard.<\/p>\n

Before she entered the house, Cheron turned.\u00a0 “Mr. Cartwright, they mean no disrespect.\u00a0 They do not speak your language very well and would feel uncomfortable among your guests.”<\/p>\n

“Yes, I see…our guests,” he said, looking at Adam with a nod toward the house indicating they’d been away from their guests too long.<\/p>\n

Adam put a hand on Micah’s shoulder.\u00a0 “You’re in time for dessert.”<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Hoss, Annie and Mrs. Levine sat around the small table in the kitchen poring over the papers Captain Fletcher had given Hoss.<\/p>\n

“Hoss, here’s what he meant by his authority,” began Mrs. Levine.\u00a0 “Residency is defined as a living situation meant to be long term such as a rental apartment, a boarding house, or a house.\u00a0 Excluded accommodations are camps and hotels.”\u00a0 Once a steady two month period has been established in residence, the party is subject to residency laws.”\u00a0 She looked up from the paper.\u00a0 “It was two months yesterday that you got here.”<\/p>\n

Annie sat quietly and listened to everything Hoss and Mrs. Levine had read.\u00a0 She repeatedly read the papers in her hand over and over again without offering anything new to the conversation.<\/p>\n

Hoss sat back in his chair with his legs crossed. “It looks like I ain’t gonna have a choice.\u00a0 I sure didn’t expect to be joinin’ an army when we made these plans, Annie.”<\/p>\n

“This is all my fault.\u00a0 I shouldn’t have encouraged you to come in the middle of a war.”<\/p>\n

“Now don’t you even think it.\u00a0 I’d a come anyway, war or not.\u00a0 I guess the army’s gettin’ sorta desperate because of all the men they’ve lost in last two or three years it’s been goin’ on.”<\/p>\n

Annie tucked her chin and stared at him with moist eyes.\u00a0 “Hoss, you’re not saying you’re going to follow these orders, are you?”<\/p>\n

He winced.\u00a0 “I don’t reckon I have any other choice.”<\/p>\n

Looking back down at the papers she was holding, she said, “We’ll see about that,” and determinedly rose from the table, heading for the door.<\/p>\n

“Wait just a doggone minute.\u00a0 Where are you goin’?”<\/p>\n

“I have an idea, but I have to see someone to make sure it will work.\u00a0 I’ll be back in awhile.”\u00a0 By this time, Annie had pulled on her cape and gloves.\u00a0 She picked up the papers she had laid on a table and rushed out the door.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

When the women arrived at the bedroom, Cheron ushered Shiloh to bed.\u00a0 “You must do as your doctor has told you.”<\/p>\n

Shiloh sighed.\u00a0 “If that’s all you’re going to tell me, why did we have to talk about this?”<\/p>\n

Cheron smiled, turned and pulled a chair to the bed.\u00a0 “Now, tell me what your doctor has told you.”<\/p>\n

“At first he thought I was carrying twins, but he said he only heard one heartbeat.\u00a0 He said something about the size of the baby, but he really didn’t say much more to me.”\u00a0 She loosely clasped her hands in her lap and frowned.\u00a0 “He must have said something to Adam.\u00a0 He’s worried.”<\/p>\n

Indicating Shiloh’s stomach, Cheron asked, “May I?”<\/p>\n

Shiloh moved her hands to her sides and nodded.<\/p>\n

First, Cheron lay the side of her head on Shiloh’s stomach, listening.\u00a0 Next, she moved her hands over the entire mound and then pushed and prodded.\u00a0 “You have one.\u00a0 And he is large.\u00a0 Your doctor and your husband are worried with good reason.\u00a0 It may be difficult for the child to pass through.”<\/p>\n

Fear brought tears to Shiloh’s eyes.\u00a0 “Wha…what happens if the baby can’t pass?”<\/p>\n

Taking Shiloh’s hands in her own, Cheron smiled with sincere certainty.\u00a0 “I will come when it is time.\u00a0 If your doctor will listen, I will help him bring forth your child. \u00a0You will not lie on your back.\u00a0 You will squat down.\u00a0\u00a0 Your weight will help make room for the child to pass.”<\/p>\n

“How do you know this, Cheron?”<\/p>\n

“Your husband did not tell you?\u00a0\u00a0 I am medicine woman to my people.\u00a0 And I gave birth this way to my son.”<\/p>\n

“You’re sure this will work?” asked Shiloh, wiping her face.<\/p>\n

Looking down at their hands, Cheron answered after she looked back into Shiloh’s eyes. “Little One, there is always a chance the birth may not be good with either the white way or our way.\u00a0 Many things can happen.\u00a0 If your size is all that worries your doctor, then I am sure.”<\/p>\n

When Shiloh and Cheron returned to the living room, Adam escorted Shiloh from the bottom of the stairs back to the leather chair, and then went back to offer Cheron his arm.\u00a0 “I take it that went well.”<\/p>\n

She smiled, nodded, and turned to Ben.\u00a0 “Mr. Cartwright, I apologize for interrupting your dinner.\u00a0 Thank you for allowing me in your home.”<\/p>\n

Ben had already stood, but was taken aback.\u00a0 “Cheron, you are always welcome in my home.”<\/p>\n

She bowed her head.\u00a0 “Micah has offered to help us take Billy back to the cabin.\u00a0 He has told us that the cabin has been kept up; that Shiloh thought Billy might return there to live one day.\u00a0 We will have everything we need there.”<\/p>\n

“We’d better get going,” said Micah, pushing the plate of fruitcake crumbs away, and standing. “I need to make sure there’s plenty of firewood and some supplies.”\u00a0 Passing by Shiloh’s chair, he bent and kissed her on top of her head.<\/p>\n

As Micah walked by, Adam lightly backhanded his arm.\u00a0 “You need help?”<\/p>\n

“Naw,” Micah answered, shaking his head.\u00a0 He leaned closer to Adam, pointing behind them where Shiloh couldn’t see.\u00a0 “You have your hands full here.”<\/p>\n

“I’ll walk you out,” said Adam, grinning.<\/p>\n

Turning to the Brents, Micah said, “Mr. and Mrs. Brent, it was nice to meet you.” He nodded to Ben and Joe and followed Adam and Cheron out the door.<\/p>\n

As Micah mounted his horse, Adam spoke quietly, “Uh, listen.\u00a0 I have to go to San Francisco in two days.\u00a0 Will you keep an eye on your sister?”<\/p>\n

Micah gave him a displeased look. “You’re leaving her at a time like this?”<\/p>\n

Shaking his head, Adam closed his eyes and grimaced.\u00a0 “You know I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t have to.\u00a0 I have to do another inspection on the courthouse.\u00a0 If I don’t, we’ll be responsible for a hefty penalty.”<\/p>\n

“Does she know yet?”<\/p>\n

“No, I wanted her to have a calm Christmas.\u00a0 I’ll tell her tomorrow.\u00a0 I thought maybe I could talk her into staying here.”<\/p>\n

Micah rolled his eyes and snorted.\u00a0 “Good luck with that,” he said as he turned his horse to follow Cheron and her people.<\/p>\n

Adam waved as they left the yard, then turned back into the house, settling on the hearth next to Shiloh.\u00a0 The conversation had turned to the visitors and their reason for being there.<\/p>\n

“You must forgive us.\u00a0 Living in Sacramento, we saw few Indians.\u00a0 Certainly, none who we would feel comfortable inviting into our home.\u00a0\u00a0 Are there many in these parts?”<\/p>\n

Glances passed around the room between all the Cartwrights.\u00a0\u00a0 “Well, yes, David,” started Ben, “there are.\u00a0 The Washoe,” he said, nodding toward the yard, “as well as the Paiute and some Shoshone.\u00a0 We’ve managed to achieve peace with the Washoe and Paiute.\u00a0 The few Shoshone who are left don’t cause many problems.”<\/p>\n

“Many problems?”<\/p>\n

“Oh, every now and then they rustle a steer or two.\u00a0 There’s been no real trouble with them for awhile.”<\/p>\n

“But there could be trouble.”<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. “I suppose there could. But David, that’s true everywhere except in the cities. Everyone of us living on the frontier accepts that risk.”<\/p>\n

“You’re not afraid, Shiloh?” asked Mrs. Brent.<\/p>\n

Shiloh smiled as she looked into the cup of tea Ming Ling had just delivered.\u00a0 “Helen, a good amount of my childhood was spent with them. Cheron, the woman who was here, lived on the Flying W for a time with her husband. Her son, Billy, has been a ranch hand for a long time.\u00a0 And I spent some time in the Paiute village, as did Adam.\u00a0 A young Paiute befriended him when the Cartwrights first arrived here.\u00a0 Pa is a good friend of Winnemucca, the Paiute chief.”<\/p>\n

Adam set his cup of coffee next to him on the hearth.\u00a0 “The Washoe were here when we arrived.\u00a0 They helped us through our first winter.\u00a0 If it hadn’t been for them, we might not have made it.\u00a0 Mrs. Brent, there’s really no reason to be frightened.”<\/p>\n

The two Brents looked uneasily at each other.\u00a0 When Mr. Brent patted his wife’s hand, both exhaled and smiled.\u00a0 “You must understand.\u00a0 I was a merchant in Sacramento, so living on the frontier is something entirely new to us.”<\/p>\n

“May I ask why you left?” asked Adam.<\/p>\n

“Sacramento is growing so fast, and because of the port, some rather unsavory people frequent it.\u00a0 We didn’t want the boys to grow up like the rascals that run up and down the streets.\u00a0 We thought they’d be safer out here.”<\/p>\n

“They probably are,” said Ben.\u00a0 “Adam and Hoss were just young boys when we arrived, and Joe was born here.\u00a0 There was some trouble years back, but not as much now, and never any trouble that hasn’t been provoked by whites.”<\/p>\n

The Brent boys bolted through the door shouting, “Ma, Pa, did you see the Indians?”\u00a0 Joe followed them in, carrying a crying Allison.<\/p>\n

Mr. and Mrs. Brent jumped to their feet.\u00a0 Taking Allison from Joe, David demanded, “What happened?”<\/p>\n

“Nothing happened.\u00a0 She started crying when she saw the Washoe,” explained Joe as he passed Allison to his father.<\/p>\n

“David, may I speak with Allison?” He put the little girl down and walked with her over to Shiloh, who sat forward, moving her feet to the floor and taking the little girl’s hands.\u00a0 “Would it make you feel better if I told you the tall woman you saw is a very old friend of mine?\u00a0 She’s a very nice woman.”<\/p>\n

Allison wiped her eyes, and in a soft high voice asked, “Is she an Indian?”<\/p>\n

Shiloh smiled.\u00a0 “Yes, she is.\u00a0 Her people are known as Washoe, and they are very friendly people.\u00a0 But they live far away from here, so you might not see them again.\u00a0 My friend’s son was a ranch hand on the Flying W, and he died.\u00a0 She’s here to take care of him.”<\/p>\n

“Is she sad?”<\/p>\n

“She’s very sad,” said Shiloh as she stroked the little girl’s long hair.\u00a0 “But the Washoe believe that a person’s spirit lives on, just as we’re taught in church.\u00a0 So there’s no reason to be frightened.\u00a0 She would never hurt you.”<\/p>\n

Nodding, the little girl ran back to her mother, throwing her arms around her mother’s skirt and looking up with a smile.\u00a0 “She was very pretty, Mama.”<\/p>\n

Mrs. Brent smiled lovingly down at her daughter.\u00a0 “Yes, I know.\u00a0 I saw her, too.”<\/p>\n

Chapter Forty-Five<\/p>\n

Shiloh lay in bed enjoying that time in the morning between sleep and waking when heavy eyelids and the total relaxation of the body feels even better than when tired bones hit the softness of bed after a long day’s work.\u00a0 Allowing awareness to slowly take hold, she lazily moved her hand over to the pillow next to hers, and when she found no thick curls in which to bury her fingers, she opened one eye.\u00a0 Of course, Adam would have been up for at least an hour, and most likely was in the barn taking care of Sport.<\/p>\n

The holiday was over. After breakfast this morning, she and Adam would go home where she would be held captive in her bedroom.\u00a0 Heaving a sigh, she pushed her bottom lip up.\u00a0 Perhaps he’d let her move around the house…as long as her feet were up.\u00a0 There would be little floor time for her.\u00a0 The worst part was not knowing how long her feet touching the floor would be restricted.<\/p>\n

Rising, she dressed and brushed and arranged her hair before she ventured out into the hall, first peering both ways before she lightly, but quickly made her way to the top of the stairs.\u00a0 Listening before she looked around the corner, she neither heard nor saw anyone in the living area, the study or the dining room.\u00a0 Tiptoeing down, she settled into the leather chair and moved her feet to the hassock, waiting patiently for breakfast as she studied the child’s dress Mrs. Lewis had started.<\/p>\n

The front door suddenly swung open, and Ben, Adam and Joe entered in deep conversation that continued as they removed their hats and jackets.\u00a0 “Pa, there’s no point in you going.\u00a0 Hoss’ letter was dated after Annie’s.\u00a0 He says he’s all right.”<\/p>\n

Ben’s brows were furrowed, his voice rough.\u00a0 As Shiloh watched, she realized they’d been talking about this subject long before they came into the house.<\/p>\n

“Adam, he also said the army is out to draft him.”<\/p>\n

With a defiance Shiloh had witnessed many times since before she left for college, Adam responded, “He also said it would be awhile before he could physically do anything, and that by that time it’d be time to come home.\u00a0 Besides, as long as it would take for you to get there whatever is going to happen will have already happened.”<\/p>\n

“Well, I can’t just stand by and let this Captain Fletcher get away with it!”<\/p>\n

Breathing heavily through his nose, Adam looked up at his father from under his brow, then turned and twisted his mouth.\u00a0 At the same time he turned toward the living area, he raised both eyebrows, looked back and pointed his finger at his father.\u00a0 “You need to be careful, Pa.\u00a0 If you walk into that, you just might be drafted yourself by the sound of it.”\u00a0 Walking to the fireplace, Adam held his hands out in front of the fire to warm them.\u00a0 He didn’t say a word to Shiloh, but she waited patiently, knowing he would when he had calmed his anger and frustration.<\/p>\n

Ben stood next to the settee with his hands on his hips, looking at nothing in particular as his fire began to smolder.<\/p>\n

Shiloh looked at Joe with questioning eyes.\u00a0 He tightened his lips and shook his head, telling her to wait for the other two to settle as he handed her both letters which she immediately began to read. \u00a0When she had finished, she lay her head against the back of the chair and closed her eyes.\u00a0 It was no wonder they were upset.\u00a0 “Pa, do you know anyone in Philadelphia who might be able to help?\u00a0 Maybe an attorney? Or might your attorney know anyone?”<\/p>\n

Ben had already started shaking his head, but at that last question, he actually looked at her with a hopeful upturn of his mouth.\u00a0 Walking back to the bureau next to the front door, he began to buckle his gun belt.<\/p>\n

Adam had turned around to watch his father prepare to leave.\u00a0 “You should send a telegram to Hiram in San Francisco, too.”<\/p>\n

“I’ll do that.”\u00a0 With hat in hand, Ben opened the door and was gone, leaving a strange silence in the room.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing came in fussing.\u00a0 “Why Mr. Cartlight leave?\u00a0 Breakfast almost ready.”<\/p>\n

Heading into the dining room, Joe moved a hand to Hop Sing’s shoulder.\u00a0 “Let’s eat then.\u00a0 In the mood Pa’s in, I doubt he’d eat anything anyway.”<\/p>\n

Accepting the hand Adam offered, Shiloh pulled herself out of the chair.\u00a0\u00a0 Once seated at the table, she asked, “Can the army do that?”<\/p>\n

As Hop Sing brought plates of food to the table and they were passed around, Adam answered, “The Union Army has started using the draft to increase their numbers.\u00a0 Both sides have lost thousands of men, probably more.\u00a0 Pa’s not questioning the legality of the draft. He’s questioning their definition of a resident.\u00a0 I don’t care how you look at it, Hoss is not a resident of Philadelphia.\u00a0 He planned to leave. He’s got his return tickets, and that proves he had no plans to stay.”<\/p>\n

“I guess this Captain Fletcher is desperate.”<\/p>\n

Joe accepted the plate of eggs from Adam.\u00a0 “Whatever he is, it seems he’s got Hoss whether Hoss wants to join or not.\u00a0 And I’m sure he doesn’t.”<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Never had Annie seen a time when Hoss picked at his food. \u00a0\u00a0She had given him much to think about yesterday, and now, it was hard to imagine what was going through his head.<\/p>\n

“Hoss, you asked.\u00a0\u00a0 Don’t you want to now?”<\/p>\n

“Aw, Annie.\u00a0 You know it ain’t that.\u00a0 You’re supposed to finish your schoolin’, and after that…well…”\u00a0\u00a0 He looked up at her with blue eyes she had come to love, but where they usually sparkled, they were dull.\u00a0 “I was sorta countin’ on bein’ at the Ponderosa when it all happened.”<\/p>\n

Reaching across the table, Annie touched his hand.\u00a0 “I’ll finish school, Hoss.\u00a0 I was already ahead when I arrived, and Miss Preston feels I can pass the exam now.\u00a0 She’s prepared to test me today, and once I pass, declare me a graduate.”<\/p>\n

“Annie, don’t you want a weddin’ like Shiloh and Adam had; a real nice one?”<\/p>\n

Annie smiled.\u00a0 “If we get married now, Captain Fletcher can’t draft you.\u00a0 And then, we’ll leave Philadelphia and have a big party when we get back home.\u00a0 So you see, we won’t have missed a thing.”<\/p>\n

Mrs. Levine had been eavesdropping from the kitchen.\u00a0 Quietly walking into the room, she offered her opinion.\u00a0 “Hoss, this seems to be the only way to keep you out of Captain Fletcher’s clutches. I can have the minister over here tonight, and I have a friend who can witness the marriage with me.\u00a0 I don’t see you’ll be missing anything if you go back home to celebrate.”<\/p>\n

Hoss gave her a weak smile.\u00a0 “Boy will Pa be surprised.”<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Everyone waited anxiously for Ben to return from town.\u00a0 Shiloh sat with her feet on the hassock and stared into the fire.\u00a0 Joe and Adam attempted to play checkers, but neither one was paying much attention to the game.\u00a0 By the time Ben walked in the door, they hadn’t finished their first game.<\/p>\n

Ben stopped when he felt everyone’s eyes on him, smirked, and then slowly removed his gun, hat and coat.<\/p>\n

“Well, Pa?” asked Adam.<\/p>\n

“Hiram did have a friend in Philadelphia who explained that there was nothing Hoss could do.\u00a0 He’s met the requirements for residency and has to report, even if he’s not healed.\u00a0 He said they’d keep him in the military hospital until he was fit for duty.”<\/p>\n

“And that’s that?”<\/p>\n

“Mm hm,” grunted Ben as he took a seat in the other leather chair while Adam grimaced and scratched his eyebrow.<\/p>\n

“Come on, Pa.\u00a0 There must be something we can do.”<\/p>\n

“Joseph, the law is the law.\u00a0 We are not going to go against it.”<\/p>\n

Everyone brooded for a few minutes until Shiloh stood and walked toward the stairs.\u00a0 Seated on the coffee table, Adam took her hand as she walked past, gently pulling her in front of him.\u00a0 “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, looking up into her eyes.<\/p>\n

“I’m going to pack.\u00a0 We’re supposed to go home today.”<\/p>\n

Wearing a strained look, Adam glanced up at her and puckered his lips.\u00a0 “What if you stayed here?”<\/p>\n

She narrowed her eyes.\u00a0 “What reason would I have to stay?\u00a0 We do have a home, and I’m sure Ming Lin is looking forward to getting back to his own kitchen.” By the way Adam wiped the lower part of his face with his hand all the while watching her, she knew he was working on how to say something he wasn’t looking forward to saying.<\/p>\n

“Well, there is reason,” he said, nodding.\u00a0 Taking one last short, clipped breath, he just said it.\u00a0 “I have to go to San Francisco to inspect the courthouse.”<\/p>\n

She snorted.\u00a0 “Is that all?\u00a0 I’ll need a few more things from the house, but…”\u00a0 Her brows furrowed.\u00a0 “I am going.”\u00a0 He winced apologetically. “I am going,” she said emphatically.<\/p>\n

Still holding her hands, he stood.\u00a0 “No, Sweetheart, you aren’t going.”<\/p>\n

“There’s no reason why I can’t.\u00a0 I’ll be sitting in a coach all the way there, and then I can stay in our hotel room.”<\/p>\n

“And what if something happens along the way?\u00a0\u00a0 What if we needed to get you to a doctor?”\u00a0 Her breathing had become faster, deeper, and her mouth was drawn in.\u00a0 “It’s too big a risk.”\u00a0 He drew a finger down her cheek. “Shiloh?”<\/p>\n

She didn’t know whether to cry or yell.\u00a0 On one hand, she felt he was being cruel and unfair.\u00a0 On the other hand, she knew there was a risk, especially in winter weather.\u00a0 And then a third thought crept in.\u00a0 She had always accepted that business had to be attended to, and this was Adam’s business.\u00a0 But why did he have to leave her at a time like this?<\/p>\n

Bound and determined not to become an emotional mess, she removed her hands from his and took a step backward.\u00a0 When he reached for her, she raised her hands palm side out up to her shoulders and defiantly cocked her head, wearing almost a sneer on her lips.\u00a0 Without another word, she backed away until she was out of his reach, turned and climbed the stairs as fast as she could.<\/p>\n

Chapter Forty-Six<\/p>\n

Adam’s mouth had dropped open at the confusion he saw on her face.\u00a0 He crooked his jaw as she backed up, and then watched until she disappeared around the corner at the top of the stairs.\u00a0 He waited, expecting to hear a door slam, but surprisingly, there was nothing. Letting out the breath he’d been holding, he bowed his head into his hand and rubbed his fingers over his forehead.\u00a0 He met a closed lip smile and a wink when he glanced over at Joe.<\/p>\n

“I’m just glad I’m not the one who has to go up and talk to her.”<\/p>\n

“Thanks,” said Adam, returning a sarcastic smile before he purposefully took the stairs two at a time.<\/p>\n

Once at the bedroom door, he listened first and heard nothing.\u00a0 Next, he tried the door knob, but she had locked him out.\u00a0 His nostrils flared as he knocked.\u00a0 “Shiloh, unlock the door.”<\/p>\n

Shiloh sat on the bed leaning sideways against the headboard lost in thought, her head bowed in her hand. She knew he was right.\u00a0 Still, she couldn’t shake the anger she was feeling at the changes this baby required of her while it seemed nothing at all required any sacrifice from Adam.\u00a0 She was the one whose body was being stretched out of proportion, she was the one getting sick, she was the one who had to give up her work, her horses, her music, and now, she was the one who had to give up her freedom.\u00a0 And when the baby came, it would be her in excruciating pain while he would feel nothing.\u00a0 She stifled a sob.\u00a0 Dear God, how selfish could she be?\u00a0 This wasn’t his fault.\u00a0 But he was leaving her at a time when she needed him most.\u00a0 How could he?<\/p>\n

“Let me be.”<\/p>\n

The weakness of her voice along with the distress he heard frightened him.\u00a0 “Sweetheart, please.\u00a0 You don’t have to deal with this alone.”<\/p>\n

He heard giggling at first, the giggles slowly changing to an all out laugh that morphed into sobs.<\/p>\n

Moving his hands to his hips, he knew he could kick in the door.\u00a0 But taking a deep breath to calm the urgency he felt, he trotted down the stairs and to the desk to retrieve a key.<\/p>\n

Ben rolled his desk chair away from the drawer Adam was opening. “Is everything all right?”<\/p>\n

Adam had already headed toward the stairs, but stopped and turned, continuing to move backwards.\u00a0 “I’m not sure.”\u00a0 He turned and ran back up the stairs.<\/p>\n

Putting his ear to the door, he listened to her moving around in the room.\u00a0 He put the key in the lock, but before he turned it, he tried the knob.\u00a0 The door opened.\u00a0 Shiloh was moving between the wardrobe and the bed, folding and packing clothes into a valise.<\/p>\n

“Shiloh.”<\/p>\n

Without even acknowledging he was in the room, she continued her packing until he stepped in front of her, taking the dress she was folding out of her hands and tossing it on the bed.\u00a0 She exhaled loudly and tried to step around him, but he held her arms.<\/p>\n

“Stop.”<\/p>\n

She stepped back.\u00a0 “I don’t know what it is that you want me to stop.\u00a0 I’m simply packing clothes.”<\/p>\n

“I would like you to stay here while I’m in San Francisco.”<\/p>\n

“I don’t want to stay here,” she said without looking at him. “If I have to stare at walls and ceilings until the baby comes, I would prefer they be my own.”<\/p>\n

“You’ll have help here.”<\/p>\n

Turning, she went to sit in the chair.\u00a0 “I have help at home.”<\/p>\n

“Shiloh, what’s the harm in staying?” he asked, moving his hands out to the side.<\/p>\n

“There is no harm, Adam.\u00a0 I simply want to sleep in my own bed and have my own things around me.\u00a0 If you won’t let me go with you, at least let me be comfortable while you’re gone.”<\/p>\n

Bowing his head, Adam let out an exasperated breath, then glanced up at her.\u00a0 “I’m just trying to keep you safe while I can’t be here.\u00a0 What I heard earlier…”<\/p>\n

“What you heard earlier…Adam, look at what this is doing to me.\u00a0 I have trouble eating. I…”<\/p>\n

“You didn’t eat properly before any of this started.”<\/p>\n

She stood as quickly as she could, giving him a desperate, last effort look.\u00a0 She already knew nothing she said would stop him from leaving.\u00a0 But maybe she could make him feel as uneasy about his leaving as she felt.\u00a0 “I can barely get up from a chair by myself, I can’t see…just see…my horses, I can’t sing.\u00a0 I’ve been forbidden to do anything.\u00a0 And now I have fears about the birth.\u00a0 And you’re leaving to do what you’ve always done,” she said waving her hands in the air.\u00a0 “You’ve not had to make one change.\u00a0 And your leaving…now?”<\/p>\n

He sighed and looked at the floor.\u00a0 Surely she knew how badly he felt with everything that had happened since she had conceived. He’d talked her into having a child even though he felt she wasn’t ready.\u00a0 “Shiloh, I don’t feel any better about this than you,” he said slowly, and then found her eyes.\u00a0 “But I can’t get out of this.\u00a0 Robert isn’t familiar enough with the project to do the inspection, and I’m not going to just sign off on a building until I know the structure is sound.\u00a0\u00a0 If I don’t do this inspection, the penalty alone could wipe out everything Slater and Cartwright has gained since I joined.”<\/p>\n

Catching a glimpse of her eyes clouded over with such despair before she closed them, he moved forward to take her limp hands and move them around his waist.\u00a0 Guiding her head to rest on his chest, he lay his cheek on top, moving his hands down to her lower back where he gently dug into the muscles he knew ached. “Shiloh, it’s all right to be upset.\u00a0 You have every right to be.\u00a0 But we’ve started this course, and we have no choice but to see it through.”<\/p>\n

“Adam, I understand you have to do this inspection.\u00a0 It’s just come at a…”<\/p>\n

“I know it has, Sweetheart, believe me.\u00a0 I wouldn’t leave you if I didn’t have to.\u00a0 This is why I want you here, so I know that if anything happens, you’ll be taken care of.”<\/p>\n

Looking up with pleading eyes, she spoke her case.\u00a0 “Adam, all Joe or Pa could do is send someone into town to get Paul.\u00a0 Ming Lin could send for Micah, and Micah could bring Cheron.\u00a0 She’ll be here for a little while, at least.”<\/p>\n

“And what about after she leaves?”<\/p>\n

“Dr. Martin isn’t any further away from\u00a0 our house than this house.\u00a0 And if I do what he says, I shouldn’t have a problem.\u00a0 He’ll be out to check on me, I’m sure Pa will come over, and so will Micah.\u00a0 Please, let me go home.”<\/p>\n

How could he resist her big, blue, sad, moist eyes?\u00a0 “All right.\u00a0 I’ll take you home,” he said, kissing the top of her head and holding her tightly.\u00a0 “I never meant to upset you so,” he whispered.<\/p>\n

Pressing against him, she felt warm and safe in his arms.\u00a0 “Under the circumstances, I don’t see how you could have avoided it,” she answered softly.\u00a0 “I don’t like it.\u00a0 I don’t like it one bit.”<\/p>\n

Bending, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed.\u00a0 “You’ve already been on your feet too long today.”<\/p>\n

“But I still need to pack,” she protested.<\/p>\n

Walking to the wardrobe, he pulled the few garments out that remained, including his, and laid them on the bed opposite the valise.\u00a0 “You can pack from right there.”\u00a0 He gathered his shaving and her personal items from the wash stand and the dressing table and took those to the bed as well as his bag, then sat next to her, moving a finger under her chin.\u00a0 “If I agree to take you home, you have promise you’ll stay off your feet,” he said with raised eyebrows.\u00a0 “If you don’t convince me you’ll do as I ask, I won’t take you.”<\/p>\n

“Do I have to stay in the bed the whole time?”<\/p>\n

“Well, no.\u00a0 You can still bathe and take care of necessities, but other than those, you have to keep your feet up.\u00a0 You can sit on the sofa if you like.\u00a0 I’ll take the hassock with us,\u00a0 but you have to call Ming Ling to help you down the stairs.\u00a0 Agreed?”<\/p>\n

When she nodded, he leaned in to kiss her, lingering at her lips for a moment before he stood.\u00a0 “It doesn’t look like you have that much more to pack.\u00a0 I’ll be back up for you as soon as I get the horses hitched to the sleigh.”<\/p>\n

“Adam, when do you have to leave?”<\/p>\n

Looking down at the floor, he breathed deeply before he answered her.\u00a0 “Tomorrow.”<\/p>\n

“So soon,” she said quietly, her chin quivering.<\/p>\n

“We’ll talk about it when we get home, all right?”<\/p>\n

Casting her eyes down, she pulled a dress to her and began to fold it.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam watched for a moment, and realizing he wasn’t going to get a verbal answer, he left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.<\/p>\n

Chapter Forty-Seven<\/p>\n

Settled in her own bed, Shiloh watched as Adam unpacked the valise, hanging her dresses and his shirts in the wardrobe before he began repacking for his trip.<\/p>\n

“How long will you be gone?”<\/p>\n

He looked up and smiled.\u00a0 “I don’t know.\u00a0 Robert asked me to go with him to meet some men who want to build an apartment row.\u00a0 I don’t know when that meeting is, but I promise you as soon as everything is done, I’ll leave for home.”<\/p>\n

Looking curiously at him, she asked, “How will you do that?\u00a0 You can’t leave until the steamer or stage is ready to leave.”<\/p>\n

“I’m not taking the stage.”\u00a0 She looked like the wind had been knocked out of her.\u00a0 Abandoning his packing, he sat down on the side of the bed, taking her hand in his.\u00a0 “What’s wrong?”<\/p>\n

“I wouldn’t be so concerned if you were taking the stage.\u00a0 You’d be with other people.\u00a0 But alone, you might get stranded…or worse…because of the storms in the mountains.”<\/p>\n

Reaching forward, he touched the tip of her nose.\u00a0 “I’ve made this trip before…more times than I can count.”<\/p>\n

“It only takes one,” she replied, frowning.<\/p>\n

“If something were to happen to you, I could be back in a day if I ride straight through.”<\/p>\n

“Nothing is going to happen to me.”<\/p>\n

Tightening his lips, he looked sternly at her under an arched eyebrow.\u00a0 “You’re here at home because you said you’d feel better.\u00a0\u00a0 Let me have mine, won’t you?”\u00a0 Standing, he went back to packing.\u00a0 She said no more, but slid down into the bed and turned away.\u00a0 With a knowing smile, he asked, “Would you like something to do while I’m away?”<\/p>\n

It took her a moment to answer.\u00a0 “Like what?”<\/p>\n

“I’ve been preparing for spring.\u00a0 I’ve gotten the ledgers updated with the budget for next year, but they’ve not been checked, and I have Crocker’s contracts figured and ready to go, but I haven’t checked them either.\u00a0 I’ve also designed the cold storage for a dairy, and I have a list of materials we’ll need to build it, but I haven’t priced them out yet.\u00a0 You need to do the budget for your horses, too, and you need to give performances for next year some thought. \u00a0You can also ask Micah if he’d like you to do the Flying W budget since you’ve been doing the ledger.\u00a0 Either Hank or Micah can help you with that.”<\/p>\n

“What about the mine ledger?”<\/p>\n

“Micah will start it, and I’ll check it when I get back.”<\/p>\n

“Adam, how do you expect me to do any paperwork in the bed.\u00a0 I need to be at the table.”<\/p>\n

He nodded. \u00a0“I just happened to have already thought about that, and you…”\u00a0 Bending over her, he kissed her.\u00a0 “…will be able to sit in one of the chairs by the fire downstairs with your feet on the hassock while you work.”<\/p>\n

Trying not to smile, she said, “You’re making it hard to be angry with you for leaving.”<\/p>\n

Adam moved the valise to a chair next to the wash stand where his shaving items lay.\u00a0 He would pack them after he shaved in the morning. “Sweetheart, I understand your need to be involved…to do things.\u00a0 I think you described it as ‘not being useless.’\u00a0 You are far from useless.\u00a0 At the moment, you’re doing one of the most important things you will ever do.”<\/p>\n

She couldn’t help but smile…and blush as she rubbed her belly.<\/p>\n

“Now,” he said, sitting back down on the bed.\u00a0 “What shall we do the rest of the evening?”<\/p>\n

“I’d like to take a bath, please,” she answered, reaching forward to touch his lips with a finger.\u00a0 “And I’d like to hear you play your new guitar.”<\/p>\n

He grabbed her hand, kissing her finger.\u00a0 “After dinner.\u00a0 I’ll ask Ming Lin to prepare a bath while we eat.”<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

In the living room of Mrs. Levine’s boarding house, the minister stood with his back to the window, flipping through his Bible while his wife directed everyone present to their appropriate positions.\u00a0 When Miss Preston had shown an interesting in attending after hearing Annie’s reason behind taking her exams early, Annie asked if she would be a witness to which Miss Preston delightedly replied ‘yes.’<\/p>\n

Looking up over his glasses and seeing everyone in their places, the minister cleared his throat and began, “Dearly beloved…”<\/p>\n

Annie stood to Hoss’s left holding his hand and listening closely to every word the minister recited.<\/p>\n

Hoss stood frozen stiff, though he was holding Annie’s hand.\u00a0 Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, surely as much from nerves as the temperature in the room, especially as he was properly dressed in his nicest jacket.\u00a0 His eyes bore into the window glass just above the minister’s head, and the thoughts racing through his head had more to do with what his pa was going to say when he found out Hoss, for all intents and purposes, had run off and gotten married, rather than the idea that Annie was lovelier than he’d ever seen her and seemingly happier, too.\u00a0 Just before he repeated his vows while staring at the same spot on the window, he swallowed hard.<\/p>\n

Before Annie began her vows, she jerked his arm, causing him to turn.\u00a0 The sudden movement brought him out of his stupor as Annie gazed up into his eyes, repeating her vows.<\/p>\n

A slow smile began to grow upon his face, and once it had made it to his eyes, Annie, who had been somewhat frightened that perhaps he really didn’t want to go through with this, and that maybe she had trapped him with the only alternative being his enlistment in the Union Army, finally knew in her heart of hearts that he wanted to marry her as much as she wanted to be his wife.<\/p>\n

Whatever doubts or fears Hoss had when the ceremony started, they were lost in her exquisite hazel eyes, and when it came to his turn to say those last two, but very important words, he said them loudly, “I do,” to make sure everyone could hear at the same time giving the minister and Annie a definitive nod.<\/p>\n

A very timid kiss had both of them blushing, but that didn’t last long as Miss Preston and Mrs. Levine as well as the few guests who had attended overran them with well wishes and hugs.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Levine had made a lovely dinner for the two newlyweds and their guests.\u00a0 While everyone was enjoying a pleasant meal with pleasant company, the front door burst open, and six soldiers forcibly pulled Hoss away from the table and took him away.\u00a0 Captain Fletcher entered after Hoss had been removed, stepping in front of Annie.<\/p>\n

“Miss<\/em> Walters, your marriage to Mr. Cartwright has been deemed a sham to avoid his conscription and is thus null and void.”<\/p>\n

Annie was stunned, trying her best to hold her tears at bay.\u00a0 Stepping between her and Captain Fletcher, Mrs. Levine had finally reached the end of her rope. “Captain Fletcher, if that young man isn’t brought back to this house immediately, I will personally see to the end of your military career.\u00a0 You have overstepped your bounds here, sir, and none of us who have witnessed this legal joining of two people in marriage will stand by and let you get away with it.”<\/p>\n

The captain leaned in much closer than comfortable to Mrs. Levine, and said with a conceited sneer, “I’ve already gotten away with it, Mrs. Levine, and no one in this city is going to do anything to stop me.\u00a0 I’m the law here, or haven’t you heard.\u00a0 The protection of this city is now the responsibility of the military made up of my <\/em>men who follow my<\/em> orders.”<\/p>\n

To Fletcher’s surprise, Mrs. Levine stepped nose to nose with him. “Mr<\/em>. Fletcher, and I call you Mr<\/em>. Fletcher because I assure you, once I contact my old friends in Washington you will be taking up residence somewhere else…without the benefit of your uniform, and your men will be under the orders of someone worthy of their respect.”<\/p>\n

Unsuspecting of Mrs. Levine’s spit and vinegar, Fletcher seemed visibly shaken for just a moment before he turned on his heels and stormed out of the house with Annie on his heels.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Levine caught her and pulled her back into the house, closing the door.\u00a0 “My dear, do not fret,” said Mrs. Levine sternly, but with kindness, still feeling the ire that had risen within her.\u00a0 “I’ve shaken him.\u00a0\u00a0 And before I’m through, he will be cowering in fear, and most assuredly will be facing court martial.”<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh stood facing the tub watching tendrils of steam rise into the air.\u00a0 Even though Adam had built a fire in the room that would be their bedroom when the furniture arrived, the attached washroom was still chilly causing her to shiver just a bit. \u00a0With a heavy sigh, she dropped her robe off her shoulders, hung it on a wall hook and proceeded slowly toward the tub, glancing nervously back to see if Adam was watching.<\/p>\n

Adam hadn\u2019t yet looked, busy removing his own clothes and hanging them neatly on another wall hook.\u00a0 He turned just in time to see the most ungraceful entry into a tub he thought he\u2019d ever seen\u2026not that he\u2019d seen many women enter a tub of water.\u00a0 In fact, he thought with a smile at the memory, he\u2019d seen just one, and she had been fully clothed and stinking drunk at the time.\u00a0 He would know.\u00a0 He’s the one who had helped<\/em> her into the tub.\u00a0 He watched as Shiloh bent over the tub, holding onto the side while she moved one leg in at a time.\u00a0 Once in, she bent at the knees and kneeled first before she slowly rolled to a sitting position.\u00a0 His chuckle escaped, and she froze and glared testily at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou try it with this belly in front of you.\u201d\u00a0 Then she shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s the best I can do.\u00a0 You should see me get out.\u201d<\/p>\n

His smile was wide, showing his dimples, and his chuckle turned into a slow, deep laugh as he stepped into the tub behind her.<\/p>\n

“Adam, did I ever thank you for building this washroom up here?\u00a0\u00a0 Having my own washroom next to the bedroom…it’s very nice.\u00a0 The…what did you call it?\u00a0 The thing that replaced the outhouse?”<\/p>\n

“It didn’t replace the outhouse.\u00a0 The outhouse is still necessary.\u00a0\u00a0 In Europe, it’s called a toilet.”<\/p>\n

“So when you pour water in it, where does it all go?”<\/p>\n

Adam let his head drop forward as he shook it.\u00a0 “It goes down the pipe on the side of the house out to the same hole the outhouse sits over.\u00a0 Can we talk about something else?”<\/p>\n

She leaned back against him and smiled.\u00a0 “After I tell you how much I appreciate it.\u00a0 Thank you.”<\/p>\n

“You’re welcome,” he said, closing his eyes and sliding down a little further into the tub so he could lay his head back on the side.<\/p>\n

“What about the children?”<\/p>\n

“What about them?”<\/p>\n

“Aren’t you going to build another one up here?\u00a0 For the children?”<\/p>\n

“I had thought about it, but I’m not sure I want that much going through pipes down the side of the house.\u00a0 They can use slop jars like everyone else or they can go to the outhouse.\u00a0 And they can use the bathhouse downstairs.”<\/p>\n

She said nothing to that, but instead, sat back up and began to bathe.<\/p>\n

An unexpected knock on the door from the hallway startled both of them.\u00a0 “Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Whitney is here to see you.\u00a0 He has said it is important.”<\/p>\n

“Thank you, Ming Lin.\u00a0 I’ll be right down.”<\/p>\n

“What could that be about?\u00a0 Micah would never send Ming Lin up here unless something was terribly wrong.”<\/p>\n

Pushing himself up out of the water, Adam stepped over the side of the tub and toweled off.\u00a0 “I won’t know until I talk to him.\u00a0 Why don’t you enjoy your bath while I find out.”\u00a0 He hurried out the door half dressed.<\/p>\n

Shiloh knew he was more than just a little concerned by the way he let the door swing closed on its own and by the quick cadence of his footfalls on the stairs.\u00a0 “I’ll be hanged if I’m waiting.\u00a0\u00a0 Something’s wrong.”\u00a0\u00a0 Struggling to her knees, she put a hand on either side of the tub, pushed herself up, and then climbed over the sides as clumsily as she had climbed in.<\/p>\n

She didn’t bother to dress, but rather pulled her robe on and hurried to the top of the stairs in her bare feet just in time to hear Micah say, “We’ve got a cave in at the mine.”<\/p>\n

Chapter Forty-Eight<\/p>\n

Hoss lay on a cot in a jail cell, unconscious, completely unaware of where he was, where Annie was, or what exactly had happened to him.\u00a0 No one came to check on him, and when the moon rose, sending its chilling light into the cell, no one saw.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh listened at the top of the stairs as Micah told Adam what had happened.<\/p>\n

“It wasn’t a collapse, Adam.\u00a0 It was a cave in.\u00a0 The rock on the side of the hill rolled down through the headstock and into the shaft.”<\/p>\n

“Adam.”<\/p>\n

Both men turned to look at the top of the stairs.\u00a0 “Shiloh, I have to go to the mine.\u00a0 Don’t wait up for me.”<\/p>\n

Her mouth dropped open.\u00a0 “Of course I’m waiting up for you.\u00a0 This is our last night before you leave for…God knows how long.”<\/p>\n

Adam quickly glanced at Micah before he turned to the stairs, moving his hands to either post and looking up at Shiloh.\u00a0 “Sweetheart, we have injured men in the mine.\u00a0 I can’t leave until they’re out.”<\/p>\n

Without any sign of resistance, she nodded.\u00a0 “Clint Miller came to the house while you and Micah were looking for Cheron.”<\/p>\n

Micah walked to the side of the stairs and looked up.\u00a0 “What did he want?”<\/p>\n

“He wanted you and Adam to go to the mine.\u00a0 The side opposite the main shaft collapsed, and two men were injured.\u00a0\u00a0 I told him neither of you were here.\u00a0 I told him to leave the up side of the shaft alone, and to give the men enough time off with pay to recover.\u00a0 And I told him if there was any sign of trouble at the main shaft to pull everyone out until you got back.”<\/p>\n

Adam turned to Micah.\u00a0 “Do you know when this started?”<\/p>\n

“No, but I’m going to find out.”\u00a0 Micah turned toward the door.<\/p>\n

“Wait for me.”\u00a0 Running up the stairs, Adam took Shiloh by the arms. “Please, stay off your feet.”<\/p>\n

Moving a hand to his cheek, she smiled.\u00a0 “I will.\u00a0 Be careful.”<\/p>\n

Taking her hand, he kissed her palm, then trotted down the stairs, following Micah out the door.<\/p>\n

When they arrived at the mine, both men jumped down from their horses, handing the reins to a man who had been waiting for them before they rushed to the ladder that led down into the shaft.\u00a0 Adam first looked at the square set supports and determined that the short shaft itself was still stable.\u00a0 Several feet of rocks and boulders had come from outside the mine off the slope on which the headstock stood.\u00a0 Their final resting place was in the small area where the men had just begun to dig horizontally from the vertical entry shaft.\u00a0 Some were able to step into the safety of the new tunnel, but others were caught underneath the raining rocks.<\/p>\n

“Mr. Whitney, we still got one man buried under the rocks.\u00a0 Everyone else who got hit is up top.”<\/p>\n

Adam looked down at the man’s hand.\u00a0 “Digger, your hand is smashed.\u00a0 Go up and get it cleaned up so Dr. Martin can take a look at it when he gets here.”<\/p>\n

“If you don’t mind, Mr. Cartwright, I’d rather stay here and help.\u00a0 I can still work with it.”<\/p>\n

Adam smiled a half smile, thankful that there was still some loyalty among the men.\u00a0 An accident this early in the digging could be considered a bad omen for many of them.\u00a0 He’d have to wait and see how many decided to move on.\u00a0 At the moment though, he wanted those men out of the shaft as quickly as possible until he had a chance to look at the ridge above the headstock.\u00a0 Moving his hand to Digger’s shoulder, he answered.\u00a0 “All right.\u00a0 But as soon as he’s out…” he looked around at the men moving the rocks and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear him, “as soon as he’s out, I want everyone out of this shaft.”<\/p>\n

“But Mr. Cartwright, we should start hauling these rocks out.\u00a0 We’ll lose too much time if we don’t go ahead and move ’em.”<\/p>\n

Micah stepped forward.\u00a0 “We don’t know that there won’t be another rock fall, and we’re not willing to risk your lives.\u00a0 Everyone leaves until it’s safe.”\u00a0\u00a0 Looking around at the disappointed faces, he added, “Don’t worry.\u00a0 You’ll be working outside on the ridge, so you won’t lose any pay.\u00a0 And those of you who are injured, will take some time off with pay. Whatever the doctor feels is necessary.”<\/p>\n

The men looked at each other, nodding and smiling.\u00a0 There would be no reason for the bosses to question their loyalty.<\/p>\n

“Adam, I’ll stay down here and make sure everyone gets up top. I’ll join you on the ridge when I’m done here,” said Micah.<\/p>\n

Nodding, Adam climbed back up the ladder.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh watched as the front door closed.\u00a0 She stood at the top of the stairs for a moment, unable to think of the possibilities…because the possibilities could turn out so bad.\u00a0 Retreating to the bedroom, she pulled on her gown, wrapped herself up in the robe, then went back to the top of the stairs and called for Ming Lin.\u00a0 She had promised Adam she would call Ming Lin to help her down the stairs.\u00a0\u00a0 If that was going to be her last promise to him, she was certainly going to keep it.<\/p>\n

Descending the stairs slowly on Ming Lin’s arm, she looked forward, fighting back tears.\u00a0 There was no point in crying.\u00a0 Whatever was going to happen, there was nothing she could do but wait.<\/p>\n

Still, Ming Lin could feel her stress.\u00a0 Her hands were stiff, her walk was deliberate, and her breathing was clipped.\u00a0 Once she was seated in a chair next to the fireplace with her feet on the hassock, he withdrew to the kitchen to make her special tea after he had stoked the fire and delivered the blanket she had recently begun to keep on the sofa.<\/p>\n

Shiloh propped her elbow on the arm of the chair and lowered her head into her hand.\u00a0 She had always involved herself in everything about the Flying W, but now she could do nothing but wait for Adam to return.\u00a0 Knowing both Adam and Micah, they’d be right in the middle of it…in harm’s way.<\/p>\n

When Ming Lin delivered her tea, she managed a ‘thank you’ and a slight smile, but the minute he was out of the room, the lines that creased her brow reappeared, and the tea slowly cooled in the cup untouched.<\/p>\n

She didn’t hear the latch of the door click, nor did she notice the click of his heels on the wooden floor.\u00a0 Adam approached her as quietly as he could once he saw her in the chair.\u00a0 Her tea cup had been removed, and the fire had been kept up, but Shiloh was sound asleep.<\/p>\n

Kneeling next to her chair, he raised her hand from her lap and kissed it, causing her to stir.<\/p>\n

Without lifting her head from the wing of the chair, she opened her eyes only a little and smiled.\u00a0 “What time is it?” she whispered.<\/p>\n

“A little after midnight.\u00a0 You should be in bed.”<\/p>\n

“So should you.”\u00a0 Reaching out, she drew her fingers over a rip in the shoulder of his shirt.\u00a0 “Was anyone seriously hurt?”<\/p>\n

He stood and bent, lifting her from the chair.\u00a0 “I’m tired.\u00a0 Let’s go upstairs.”<\/p>\n

With her head on his shoulder, she remained quiet as he carried her up to their bedroom and put her to bed.\u00a0 But once there, she asked again, “Adam, was anyone seriously hurt?”<\/p>\n

Letting a breath out through his mouth, he answered as he unbuttoned his shirt.\u00a0 “Most were minor, but we’ve got two men Paul’s watching.\u00a0 We took them to the Flying W.\u00a0 He didn’t want to risk taking them to town.”<\/p>\n

She appeared behind him and gently touched his shoulder.\u00a0 “And what happened here?”<\/p>\n

Glancing at his shoulder, he unfastened his belt and trousers, then turned around.\u00a0 “Bed.”<\/p>\n

“Can I at least clean that for you?”<\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 I’ll clean it in the bathtub.”<\/p>\n

“You’ll freeze.”<\/p>\n

“It can’t be any colder than the lake,” he said, turning her around and herding her back to the bed.<\/p>\n

Adam hid his emotions very well, but she knew he was disturbed. Quietly climbing into the bed, she settled in and waited for him to finish his bath.\u00a0 When he slipped underneath the blankets next to her, she turned to face him, and for a moment they looked at each other quietly.<\/p>\n

“Is Micah all right?”<\/p>\n

“He’s fine.\u00a0 A little scraped up, but fine.”<\/p>\n

As he raised his hand to caress her cheek, Shiloh noticed the knuckles of his right hand were cut and bruised.\u00a0 She sat up quickly, holding his hand.\u00a0 “Adam, what are you trying not to tell me?\u00a0 You’ve been in a fight.”<\/p>\n

Turning to his back, he let his hands drop to his sides as he stared at the ceiling.\u00a0 “The shaft is stable.\u00a0 But the hillside isn’t.\u00a0 We’re going to have to build a break above the headstock to stop the rock from falling into the shaft before we can send the men back down into the mine.”<\/p>\n

She looked over at him with raised eyebrows.\u00a0 “And?”<\/p>\n

“This didn’t start tonight.\u00a0 Rocks have been falling into the shaft for weeks, and Miller didn’t report it or do anything about it.\u00a0 When Micah questioned why he continued sending men into the mine after you told him to shut it down if there were problems, he laughed.”<\/p>\n

“You punched him because he laughed?”<\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 I punched him because of what he said after he laughed.”\u00a0 She opened her mouth to ask, but he stopped her with a warning look.\u00a0 “And I’m not going to repeat it.”<\/p>\n

She lay back down and turned to her side.\u00a0 “I take it you fired him.”<\/p>\n

“Micah paid him his wages and escorted him off the property.”<\/p>\n

“I see.\u00a0 You don’t usually lose your temper like that.\u00a0 It shouldn’t have mattered what he said.”<\/p>\n

Rolling to his side to face her, he moved his hands behind her and pulled her into him as close as possible.\u00a0 “The men heard what he said, and most of them know who you are.\u00a0 So does Miller.\u00a0 I assure you.\u00a0 He won’t be running his mouth.”<\/p>\n

“That doesn’t worry me so much anymore, Adam.\u00a0 But I understand that this is one of those things that men…husbands do.\u00a0 Let it go and get some rest, please.\u00a0 You’ve got a long ride ahead of you.”<\/p>\n

Running his thumb lightly across her lips, he moved into her for a kiss, moving from her lips to her nose, her jaw and to her neck as his hand moved down her back, stopping at the back of her leg.<\/p>\n

“Adam…we can’t.\u00a0 The baby.”<\/p>\n

“I’m not leaving you without…something. We’ll just have to go slow and easy,” he whispered mid-kiss.<\/p>\n

Shiloh tensed.\u00a0 “But you need your rest.”<\/p>\n

“I can’t think of anything that would help both of us rest better.”<\/p>\n

Chapter Forty-Nine<\/p>\n

“Mrs. Levine, this telegram’s going to cost you a small fortune.\u00a0 Can’t you leave some of this out?”<\/p>\n

“No, I can’t,” she answered angrily.\u00a0 “That Fletcher won’t let anyone see him.\u00a0\u00a0 I haven’t even been able to find the doctor to make sure Mr. Cartwright was seen to after those men hit him over the head before he could even stand up from the table.”<\/p>\n

“Now, Mrs. Levine, don’t get riled up at me.\u00a0 I’m just trying to save you a little money.”<\/p>\n

She flapped her hand at him.\u00a0 “Just get on with it.\u00a0 The sooner that telegram is received, the sooner all this will be over.”<\/p>\n

Annie rushed through the door of the telegraph office out of breath. “If found him.”<\/p>\n

“You found who?” asked Mrs. Levine, spinning around.<\/p>\n

“Dr. Stephenson.\u00a0 If found Dr. Stephenson.\u00a0 He said he hadn’t told Captain Fletcher that Hoss would be better off at the military hospital.\u00a0 In fact, he said he didn’t think Hoss was there.\u00a0 He’s going to talk to the captain.”<\/p>\n

“Did you tell him that Hoss was hurt…that he received a violent blow to the head?”<\/p>\n

“I told him.\u00a0 He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t seem too pleased.”<\/p>\n

“Well, good.\u00a0\u00a0 Doctor’s have the final say when it comes to who is able for duty.”<\/p>\n

“Mrs. Levine, do you still want me to send this?” asked the clerk.<\/p>\n

“You should have already sent it.\u00a0 Of course I do.”\u00a0 Turning to Annie, her faced melted into that of a kindly, motherly type as she took Annie’s arm in hers.\u00a0 “Now, you and I are going\u00a0 back to the house, drink some coffee, and get your things packed.\u00a0 We’re sending you off as soon as Hoss is able.”<\/p>\n

On the cot in the cell, Hoss grimaced and raised his hand to his head as he slowly sat up.\u00a0 He waited with his head hung low until the room quit spinning before he tried to stand.\u00a0 When he did, he reached quickly for the bars of the cell to steady himself, and shuffled forward until he was leaning on the bars.\u00a0 “Hey!” he tried to yell, but said no more as the sharp pain in his head worsened.\u00a0 Dizziness took over and as consciousness ebbed, his hands slid down the bars of the cell until his knees touched the floor.\u00a0 He fell backwards and lay as still as death itself.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam hadn’t remembered to tell Shiloh, but before he went into the house the night before, he rode down to the stables and brought one of her horses up to the barn by the house intending to ride him to San Francisco.\u00a0 It’s not that he didn’t trust Sport in the snow, but Buster was a steam engine of a horse and had proven time and time again that he could plow surefooted through the deepest snows.<\/p>\n

Before he kissed her one last time, leaving her sleeping soundly bathed in a contented glow, he sat down at the desk he’d brought over from the Ponderosa with his bedroom furniture and wrote a letter.\u00a0 He left it on his pillow, sure that she would reach for him as she always did and find the letter in his place.\u00a0 Then he removed a delicate rose-scented linen handkerchief from her dressing table drawer.\u00a0 Before he left the room, he lingered at the door for one last look at her where he smiled and quietly closed the door.\u00a0 Heading down the stairs, he followed the smell of fresh brewed coffee to the kitchen.<\/p>\n

Once again, Ming Lin was ready and waiting with eggs, bacon, biscuits and apricot jam as well as a freshly poured cup of coffee.<\/p>\n

“Good morning, Mr. Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

“Good morning.\u00a0 I didn’t tell you I was leaving early.\u00a0 How did you know?”<\/p>\n

As Ming Lin placed a plate on the table, he smiled.\u00a0 “Your voice is very deep.\u00a0 It is easily heard.”<\/p>\n

The corner of Adam’s mouth turned up as he sat down at the table.\u00a0 “I’ll have to keep that in mind.”<\/p>\n

After packing his saddlebags with supplies, Adam left Ming Lin with instructions to make sure Shiloh stayed off her feet, even if he had to resort to fetching Adam’s father, then moved all the ranch paperwork from the end of the dining room table where he worked to a side table next to the chair she’d fallen asleep in the night before. \u00a0He left a board leaning against the side of the chair that he’d sanded, stained and varnished as if it were a fine piece of furniture. The board would lay over the arms of the chair so that Shiloh would have a surface on which to work while her feet rested on the hassock.<\/p>\n

He buckled his gun belt around his hips, and then pulled on his coat, putting her neatly folded handkerchief in the inside pocket after he’d taken in a deep breath of her scent.\u00a0 With his gloves on, he reached for his hat and pushed it snuggly down on his head, then threw his saddle bags over his shoulder.\u00a0 Turning, he looked around the room one more time, glancing up the stairs with another smile, then picked up his valise and stepped outside to be greeted by a frigid wind that whipped the snow against the skin of his cheeks and felt like the sandpaper with which he’d sanded the board.<\/p>\n

He sighed before he trotted down the steps, lamenting that he’d start his journey most likely without the sun to warm him.\u00a0 It was too early to tell yet.\u00a0 Sunrise wouldn’t be for another half hour.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

As Adam had thought, the sun never peeked out from beyond the snow clouds that shrouded the Lake Tahoe basin.\u00a0 Still, enough light shown through the bedroom window to cause Shiloh to turn away and reach for Adam.\u00a0 Her hand searched up and down the mattress before she moved to his pillow where she felt the letter he’d left for her.\u00a0 She lay still, looking at the folded letter on the pillow. He didn’t say goodbye? <\/em>\u00a0Then a slow smile formed on her lips as she remembered how he’d said his goodbye the night before.\u00a0 Snatching the note off the pillow, she snuggled underneath the blankets as she unfolded it.<\/p>\n

My Love,<\/em><\/p>\n

Please do not be angry with me for not waking you.\u00a0 I have no regrets in leaving you with pleasant memories rather than that of watching as I left you this morning.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

I neglected to tell you last night, and you were sleeping so peacefully this morning…I’ve taken Buster instead of Sport for reasons you well know in the hope you will have some respite from your worries about my travels. <\/em><\/p>\n

I will stop for the night in Placerville, and will send you a telegram from there as well as Sacramento and again when I arrive in San Francisco.\u00a0 I promise you, my love, that the very minute my work is done, I will be on my way home to you.<\/em><\/p>\n

The paperwork we discussed is on the table next to the chair downstairs along with a lap board that fits over the arms of the chair, so you have no excuse not to stay off your feet.<\/em><\/p>\n

Please do as Paul asks.\u00a0 He will be stopping by before he returns to Virginia City. I have also asked Ming Lin to make sure you eat as I know without a reminder you tend to forget.<\/em><\/p>\n

Robert and Evelyn have invited me to stay in their home which I intend to do.\u00a0 If you need to find me, start there.<\/em><\/p>\n

I watch you with happy affection as I write this letter, remembering the sweetness of your mouth, the softness of your skin, your gentle caresses and contented smile, and the closeness we shared this past night.\u00a0 I shall cherish these memories until we are together again.<\/em><\/p>\n

All my heart,<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam<\/em><\/p>\n

Shiloh held the letter to her breast, closed her eyes and remembered, and that memory left her calm and sated.\u00a0 She started at a knock on the door.\u00a0 “Yes?”<\/p>\n

“Mrs. Cartwright, your breakfast is almost ready.\u00a0 Would you like me to bring it up?”<\/p>\n

“No, Ming Lin.\u00a0 I’d like to go downstairs.\u00a0 I’ll need a few minutes to dress.\u00a0 I’ll call you when I’m ready to come down.\u00a0 Would you prepare a tray for the chair next to the fireplace in the living room?”<\/p>\n

“Yes, Mrs. Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

After helping Shiloh down the stairs and getting her settled in the chair, Ming Lin served her breakfast on the lap board Adam had made.\u00a0 Smiling as Ming Lin moved the dishes from a tray to the board, she said, “This is perfect.\u00a0 There’s plenty of room for all the reference material and the ledger, and he’s even made grooves to hold pencils, pen and ink well.”<\/p>\n

“Mr. Cartwright is a thoughtful man,” agreed Ming Lin.<\/p>\n

A quick knock on the front door turned both their heads.\u00a0 Micah stuck his head in and smiled before he opened the door to come in.\u00a0 “I hope I’m not interrupting.”<\/p>\n

Shiloh matched his grin.\u00a0 “Have you had breakfast?”<\/p>\n

“Long ago, Little Sister.”\u00a0 Bending down next to the chair, he kissed the top of her head.\u00a0 “But I would appreciate a hot cup of coffee.”<\/p>\n

Ming Lin smiled, nodded and went back to the kitchen only to return moments later with the coffee service which he placed on the low table in front of the sofa.\u00a0 Pouring a cup of coffee, he passed it to Micah.<\/p>\n

“Thank you, Ming Lin.\u00a0 Shiloh, I just stopped by to make sure you have everything you need.\u00a0 Adam said he left you a pile of paperwork.”\u00a0 She nodded and pointed to the stack on the side table.\u00a0 “If you need to send any mail out, have Ming Lin send Shorty.\u00a0 We’ve got some men this winter without much to do in these storms, so Adam suggested they use the road scraper to keep the road to Virginia City clear.”<\/p>\n

Looking down at her plate smiling, she said, “He thought of everything, didn’t he?”<\/p>\n

“Mm hm.\u00a0 But I need a favor.”<\/p>\n

“For you, anything.”<\/p>\n

“Can I borrow some of your Clydesdales?\u00a0\u00a0 They’d make short work of that road.”<\/p>\n

“Yes, but you’ll have to shoe them.\u00a0 I don’t keep them shod over the winter.\u00a0\u00a0 There should already be some shoes that will fit them in the forge.”\u00a0 She studied a scrape across his cheek.\u00a0 “What happened there?” she asked, lifting her chin toward his cheek.<\/p>\n

“I had to dodge a falling rock last night.\u00a0 I didn’t quite make it out of the way.”<\/p>\n

“Micah.” She lowered her eyes and bit her bottom lip.\u00a0 “What did Miller say that made Adam lose his temper?”<\/p>\n

Inhaling deeply, Micah let his head tilt to the side before he looked at her.\u00a0 “Let’s just say he has no respect for women anywhere other hearth and home.”<\/p>\n

“That’s a bit vague,” she replied with narrowed eyes.<\/p>\n

He downed his coffee and sat the cup on the tray.\u00a0 “Lemme guess.\u00a0 You asked your husband and didn’t get anything out of him, so you’re trying me.\u00a0 Sorry.\u00a0 Be satisfied that Miller got what he deserved.”\u00a0 Standing, he leaned over her, kissing her forehead.\u00a0 “I have to go.\u00a0 Adam asked Shorty to stay close.\u00a0 If you need anything, send him.”<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Yank’s Station was situated in the Tahoe basin just prior to the climb back up into the high Sierra on the west side of Lake Tahoe.\u00a0 Adam rode Buster into the station barn and tied him in a stall, anxious to wrap his hands around a hot cup of coffee and warm his insides.\u00a0 The cold wouldn’t have been so bad had the wind not been gusting, but as it was, it felt like it cut straight through his coat, gloves and trousers even with his long underwear.\u00a0 This was exactly the kind of weather Shiloh feared, and she was right to do so.\u00a0 It was just such storms that stranded men and left them to freeze to death.<\/p>\n

When he swept through the doors of the station, the wind blew snow in and whipped papers off a counter that doubled as a bar.\u00a0 “What kind of warmth you looking for?” asked the station master as he bent to pick up his papers.<\/p>\n

Adam grimaced.\u00a0 “Considering it’s too early to be drinking, I’ll just have a cup of hot coffee and a chair next to the fire, if you don’t mind.”<\/p>\n

“Make yourself to home.\u00a0 Lydia’ll be right out with the coffee.”<\/p>\n

Adam did just that, not bothering to remove his gloves and jacket.\u00a0 The only thing that came off was his hat which he placed on a table next to the chair he slowly eased into. The gloves came off and were slapped down next to the hat when the coffee appeared.<\/p>\n

“Adam, all the locals got the sense God gave ’em to stay inside in a storm like this.\u00a0 What in Heaven’s name are you doing out in it?” asked Lydia.\u00a0 “Nevermind.\u00a0 You’re on your way to San Francisco again, aren’t you?”<\/p>\n

Ephraim “Yank” Clement and his wife, Lydia, purchased the property the way station occupied in 1859 and had seen the Cartwrights come and go over the years, especially Adam and Ben.\u00a0 They’d even met Shiloh.<\/p>\n

“I am, Mrs. Clement.\u00a0 It was unavoidable.”<\/p>\n

“And how did your wife feel about that?\u00a0 I know she grew up in the Sierra, same as you, so she knows how bad these storms can be.”<\/p>\n

Adam smiled.\u00a0 “She does.”<\/p>\n

“Lydia, leave Adam alone.\u00a0 He probably heard enough of that before he left the Ponderosa.”<\/p>\n

“I did,” Adam said, laughing.<\/p>\n

“Oh,” huffed Lydia as she exited back to the kitchen while Yank followed her with his eyes before he sat in the chair at the opposite side of the fire and joined Adam in a cup of coffee.<\/p>\n

“I can rightly see why you’d be riding.\u00a0 After all, the stage ain’t going nowhere.\u00a0 Can’t get it up the summit.”<\/p>\n

“I hadn’t heard that, but I guess it’s as good a reason as any,” said Adam, sipping his coffee and closing his eyes as the warmth flowed down to his stomach.<\/p>\n

“Yeah, horses are slippin’, wagon wheels are slippin’.\u00a0 Nothing’s going up that road until this storm blows out and the snow’s cleared.\u00a0 You probably ain’t going up that road either.\u00a0 It’s frozen solid.”<\/p>\n

Adam sat up. “What about Hope Valley?”<\/p>\n

“Well, it’s the long way around,” answered Yank, sitting back in his chair.\u00a0 “But you avoid the higher elevations.\u00a0 Should be passable.\u00a0 What you ridin?”<\/p>\n

“One of Shiloh’s horses.\u00a0 Not Sport.\u00a0 Buster’s solid in snow.”<\/p>\n

Yank chuckled. “That’s one woman who knows her horses.”\u00a0 Snapping his head up, he added, “Not that you don’t, Adam, but…ah…it is her horse.\u00a0 I’d stop and rest at Grizzly Flat, and from there, you can go through Diamond Springs and settle there for the night if it’s dark.\u00a0 It ain’t that far from Placerville.\u00a0 It’ll be quicker from Diamond Springs if you go on over to Shingle Spring, and then take the road to Sacramento.\u00a0 But Adam, that’s an awful long ride in a storm like this. The last stagecoach came through here from Sacramento said the snow is low as Sportsman’s Hall, so you won’t get much relief until you hit Diamond Springs or Placerville.”<\/p>\n

Puckering his lips, Adam thought seriously about where he might stay if he couldn’t make it to Diamond Springs or Placerville.\u00a0 “Yank, I’ll need to get to a telegraph office before it closes.\u00a0 Is there one at Grizzly Flat?”<\/p>\n

With a big nod, Yank answered, “Yep, if the wires are up.\u00a0 If not, you might be able to send it ahead of you, and then ask them to try their lines if Grizzly’s out.\u00a0 Two different lines.”<\/p>\n

“It’s Hope Valley then,” said Adam, setting his coffee cup on the table and standing.\u00a0 Placing a coin in Yank’s hand, he said, “Thanks for the coffee…and the conversation.\u00a0 If it’s as bad as you say, I should be on my way.”<\/p>\n

“You be careful, Adam.\u00a0 I don’t wanna be the one to tell that pretty wife of yours I was the last one to see you alive instead of her.”<\/p>\n

Adam winked and nodded, and then stepped out into the cold fury.<\/p>\n

Chapter Fifty<\/p>\n

The man approaching the military offices wore a heavy fur-lined coat with the collar turned up against the cold.\u00a0 His gloved hands were buried deep within the pockets, and his hat sat low on his head.\u00a0 Nothing could be seen that might identify the man, but standing in the window, Captain Horace Fletcher knew by the man’s gait who he was.\u00a0 Scowling, he sent his aid out just as Dr. Stephenson entered.<\/p>\n

“Fletcher.\u00a0 I received word that you have a man in your custody who should be in the hospital.\u00a0 I want him released into my care immediately.”<\/p>\n

Fletcher calmly sat down at his desk.\u00a0 “And who might that be, good doctor?”<\/p>\n

Standing at the front of the desk, Dr. Stephenson removed his hat and glowered. “Don’t play games with me.\u00a0 Mr. Cartwright is not in any shape to be given any military duties.”<\/p>\n

“I disagree,” replied Fletcher, leaning back and clasping his hands in his lap.\u00a0 “Mr. Cartwright was out for a walk recently with Miss Walters.\u00a0 I saw nothing that indicated he was still ill.\u00a0 In addition, he and Miss Walters were married yesterday; an obvious attempt to disqualify him for duty.\u00a0 This army has laws against such practices.”<\/p>\n

“You’re an idiot, Fletcher.” The doctor stepped away from the desk and turned to the side in an attempt to calm himself.\u00a0 “One has nothing to do with the other.\u00a0 He is not healed from his battle with the wolves.\u00a0 You’re lucky none of the wolves displayed any signs of rabies.\u00a0 And he’s supposed to be walking at my request.”<\/p>\n

“He’s getting plenty of rest,” the captain said, waving the doctor off.\u00a0 “As soon as he’s fit, he’ll assume his duties.”<\/p>\n

“Where is he?\u00a0 I demand to see him.”<\/p>\n

“Evidently, you haven’t been to your office this morning.\u00a0 I’ve entered into a contract with another doctor.\u00a0 Your services are not required here.”<\/p>\n

“And just who is this other doctor?”<\/p>\n

“Jeffrey Freeman.”<\/p>\n

“Jeffrey Freeman is a negro doctor.\u00a0 None of your troops will allow him to tend to them.”<\/p>\n

“That may be true.\u00a0 But Mr. Cartwright will.\u00a0 Now if you’ll excuse me, I have business to attend to.”\u00a0 Without another look, Fletcher took a roster book out of his desk and began to write in it.<\/p>\n

“You may ignore me now, Fletcher, but I assure you, you have not seen the last of me nor have you heard the end of this.\u00a0 And if Mr. Cartwright’s condition worsens during his time in your keep, I will see you held responsible.”<\/p>\n

“Good day, doctor,” replied the captain in a completely uninterested tone.<\/p>\n

Dr. Stephenson stormed out of the military offices and headed toward the hospital.\u00a0 Not more than a few feet from where he started up the sidewalk, he stopped, hesitated and changed direction, heading toward the area of town inhabited by the small black population.<\/p>\n

When he arrived at Dr. Freeman’s home, he hesitated to climb the steps to the door.\u00a0 Looking up at the front of the house, he wondered how it was still standing. Then he looked up and down the street and realized, for the first time, that this was the shape of most of the houses in this neighborhood; once elegant homes most likely inhabited by whites, but left behind for richer districts in the city, leaving behind the only choice the black population had for living situations.\u00a0 Shaking his head, he climbed the steps and gently rapped on a door that looked like it was about to fall off its hinges.<\/p>\n

A woman opened the door.\u00a0 She was young and soft-spoken, but offered a bright smile.\u00a0 “Can I help you?”<\/p>\n

Removing his hat, Dr. Stephenson slightly bowed.\u00a0 “I’m looking for Dr. Freeman.\u00a0 I’m Dr. Stephenson.”<\/p>\n

“Dr. Stephenson?\u00a0 My, this is a surprise.\u00a0 You just missed him.\u00a0 Capt’n Fletcher sent for him to tend to a man in jail.\u00a0 Seems he got hit on the head and ain’t come to yet.”<\/p>\n

“I see.”<\/p>\n

The woman’s smile faded as she noticed the troubled look on the doctor’s face.\u00a0 “I’m sure Jeffrey wouldn’t mind the company, ‘specially if this man’s hurt bad.”<\/p>\n

“Yes.\u00a0 Perhaps I will go to the jail and offer my help.”\u00a0 A smile appeared on his face as he moved his hat to his head and bowed.\u00a0 “Thank you for your time.”<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

After tying his bandana around his neck and pulling it up over his mouth and nose, Adam flipped the collar of his coat up, then nudged Buster down the road to Hope Valley.\u00a0 He’d been through Hope Valley in better weather and knew well the homesteads that farmed this fertile high valley.\u00a0 Today, the snow was so heavy, he couldn’t make out much more than the trees that lined the road, and even they were vague images.<\/p>\n

Going was slow, but Buster trudged on through the high drifts until they got to an area through a narrow pass where there was no snow on the ground despite the blizzard that roared on.\u00a0 The wind blew so strongly through the pass that it scoured the snow away. Adam had to dismount and walk to avoid being blown off Buster’s back.<\/p>\n

Only a few miles from Grizzly Flat, the wind eased, but snow was still coming down in thick sheets of large, powdery flakes.\u00a0 Still, without the wind, he was able drop his bandana off his face, allowing him to breathe easier.<\/p>\n

When he arrived at Grizzly Flat no one was on the street, but lights were flickering in the windows where everyone that had sense to stay in from the cold basked by their fires.\u00a0 Tying Buster at the rail in front of the wood frame hotel, Adam stomped the snow off his boots as best he could before he entered.\u00a0 He stepped into a crowd of ten to fifteen people looking for accommodations for the night and could hear the desk clerk yelling he had no more rooms.<\/p>\n

Without any hesitation, Adam left quickly, gathered Buster and walked to the livery where he asked for a stall for Buster for the night, and then asked the stable master, “Do you mind if I bed down in here tonight?\u00a0 There’s no rooms available at the hotel.”<\/p>\n

Grizzly Flat was a small town…no more than a young mining community, and the stable master was always looking for a way to make a little extra money.\u00a0 “It’s two dollars for your horse with hay, and two dollars for you to occupy the stall with ‘im.\u00a0 You can throw your bedroll on the tack box across the back of the stall.\u00a0 At least that’ll keep you off the floor.”<\/p>\n

Turning back toward Buster and raising his brows with a slight smile, he quickly turned back, pulling four coins out of his trouser pocket.\u00a0 “Where can I find the telegraph office?”<\/p>\n

The stable master bit one of the coins, nodded and dropped them into his pocket.\u00a0 “Across the street, two doors down on the right.\u00a0 But you need to hurry.\u00a0 Elery was talkin’ about closin’ early ’cause the lines are out to the west.”<\/p>\n

Adam tensed.\u00a0 “What about east?”<\/p>\n

“As far as I know, mister, they’s still up.\u00a0 But might not be for long.\u00a0 A man came in not too long before you.\u00a0 Said the wind was whippin’ up on the ridge, which is where the lines run.”<\/p>\n

Tipping his hat, Adam moved Buster into his stall, but didn’t unsaddle or unbridle him.\u00a0 He’d do that after he sent a telegram.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh first went over Adam’s numbers in the ledger, and as expected, found them perfect.\u00a0 Then she picked up the budget and noticed immediately he had not added anything to the income from her performances.\u00a0 At first, steam rose, but then she remembered he hadn’t added the money she earned from singing to the general fund of the ranch.\u00a0 She barely convinced him to use that money to purchase the mining equipment.<\/p>\n

She started to add that same amount she made last year, but stopped and put the end of the pencil in her mouth.\u00a0 She sang in three cities last year, not including Virginia City.\u00a0 For Sacramento, she was away from the ranch for three weeks, and for Salt Lake City and Denver city she was gone for eight weeks.\u00a0 How could she possibly handle that schedule with a baby she’d have to feed?\u00a0\u00a0 If she didn’t sing, would she be forgotten?\u00a0 Even worse, would she lose her ability to breathe correctly without the kind of practice only possible with an orchestra?<\/p>\n

Closing the ledger, she took out a blank sheet of paper and wrote a letter to Tom Maguire.\u00a0 If she could sing in Virginia City and San Francisco…just two performances…that would be enough.<\/p>\n

Ming Lin had come and gone several times to stoke the fire and bring her tea or coffee.\u00a0 This time he brought in a glass of milk and cookies.\u00a0 “Lunch will be ready soon, Mrs. Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

“Thank you, Ming Lin.\u00a0 Would you mind helping me up?\u00a0 Adam has made this so comfortable, I’ve been sitting for too long.\u00a0 I’ve gotten a little stiff.”<\/p>\n

“But you are not supposed to be on your feet.”<\/p>\n

“That’s true, however Mr. Cartwright said it would be all right to do necessary things, and that is what I intend to do.”<\/p>\n

Nothing seemed to faze the man.\u00a0 He nodded and dutifully lifted the board, laying it on the sofa, then helped Shiloh to her feet.\u00a0 When he bent to retrieve the tray bearing the milk and cookies, she stopped him with a sweet smile.\u00a0 “I’ll have the milk and cookies when I return.”<\/p>\n

Little did she know that Ming Lin’s smile was one of relief that he wouldn’t have to remind her of the importance of eating as Mr. Cartwright had requested.<\/p>\n

After lunch, she continued to work on the stack of paperwork.\u00a0 She got to the supplies needed for the cold room of the dairy and slowed down, reading every detail Adam had written down.\u00a0 The plans for the building were with the paperwork, and though the drawings didn’t do her much good, the notes Adam had written in the margins explained the building fairly well.\u00a0 He was going to build it into the side of the mountain to the north of the house which would put it right at the boundary of the property Adam’s father had given him.\u00a0 Most of the building would be underground, and at the far back of the building a large, deep hole would be dug out, lined with concrete and filled with packed snow each winter. She got so engrossed in Adam’s notes, that she forgot the time, and by the time she looked up, she had missed the shadows moving across the room as the light from the windows slowly faded.\u00a0 Now, there was only a slight gray light and the soft yellow glow of a lamp Ming Lin had lit without her noticing.<\/p>\n

Once again, she needed to stand and stretch, and take care of those necessary things.\u00a0 On the way back she looked out a window toward the stables, and though there was still a little light outside, she couldn’t see the building.\u00a0 The snow had begun to blow fiercely across the pastures that separated the house from the stables.\u00a0 She could barely see the outhouse.\u00a0 Realizing Adam would have already gone through this and might still be in it, she lost all interest in paperwork as worry set in.<\/p>\n

“Ming Lin?” she called toward the kitchen.\u00a0 She walked swiftly across the room and turned the corner calling him again about the same time he met her in the small hallway.\u00a0 “Oh.\u00a0 Is Shorty back from town?”<\/p>\n

“He has not come by, but I will go and check the barn.”<\/p>\n

“That’s not necessary.\u00a0 I’m sure he’ll come to the house when he gets back.\u00a0 I wouldn’t want you lost between here and there.”\u00a0 She looked through the glass of the kitchen door toward the barn and could see nothing.\u00a0 When she turned back to Ming Lin, he had already shrugged his heavy coat on.”<\/p>\n

“I have already been out several times for firewood.\u00a0 I have tied a rope between the house and the barn.\u00a0 I will not get lost.”\u00a0 Pulling a chair out from the kitchen table, he poured a cup of coffee and beckoned her to sit while he went out.<\/p>\n

The furrows of her forehead eased as she slightly smiled.\u00a0 She could never be angry with Ming Lin for doing what Adam had asked him to do.\u00a0 Settling into the chair, she nodded, sending Ming Lin out the door into the wind and snow.<\/p>\n

Chapter Fifty-One<\/p>\n

Standing on the boardwalk, Adam waited for a black coach to pass before he stepped down into the street.\u00a0 He had already observed that the sleepy little, out-of-the-way town had suddenly become very busy.\u00a0 Those who thought they couldn’t afford to wait out the storm to get to Sacramento or San Francisco had resorted to the only other route available; the old stagecoach route before Kingsbury Grade had opened.\u00a0 Only Grizzly Flat was still a little off the beaten path. The stagecoaches had never stopped here.\u00a0 He chuckled to himself when he remembered that he was one of those who couldn’t wait out the storm.<\/p>\n

Once again, he stomped his feet before he stepped into the telegraph office, thankful the door was still unlocked.<\/p>\n

“What can I do for you?” asked the clerk.<\/p>\n

“I need to get a telegram to Virginia City.”<\/p>\n

“Lines are down.\u00a0 Nothing going from here to Virginia City until this storm blows itself out and the lines can be repaired.”<\/p>\n

“I was told your lines west are still working.”<\/p>\n

“That’s true, but relaying a message back is mighty costly.” The clerk gave Adam a sidelong look.\u00a0 “Most folks can’t afford it.”<\/p>\n

Lifting his chin, Adam replied.\u00a0 “I’d like to use the relay, if you don’t mind.”<\/p>\n

Furrowing his brows, the clerk passed Adam a piece of paper and a pencil which Adam accepted without comment.<\/p>\n

Shiloh Cartwright<\/em><\/p>\n

Ponderosa Ranch<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Johnson’s Pass impassable. Took Hope Valley.\u00a0 Stopping at Grizzly Flat.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam stopped writing and chuckled, and with a smile, he continued writing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Buster sends love.\u00a0 As do I.\u00a0 Adam.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Shoving the piece of paper over the counter to the clerk, Adam said, “I don’t expect an answer.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The clerk added the words up on his fingers, then moved his eyes up to the ceiling to figure the extra.\u00a0 “That’ll be two dollars even.”\u00a0 Adam arched an eyebrow.\u00a0 “I told you it would be costly.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The clerk had no clue that Adam’s eyebrow raised at what seemed to be a trend so far in Grizzly Flat.\u00a0 Everything cost two dollars.\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe dinner would prove different.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Where can I get a hot meal?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the clerk moved behind his desk and sat, preparing to send the telegram, he answered, “There’s only one restaurant in town.\u00a0 We ain’t got a delivery in a week, so Mamie might be running short just about now with all you folks coming through.\u00a0\u00a0 You’re a little early for dinner.\u00a0 If you go now, you might be one of the lucky ones.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded with a tight-lipped smile.\u00a0 “And just where would I go?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Take a left out the door.\u00a0 Three doors down.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tipping his hat, Adam pulled the door open, and seeing a wave of people heading his way from the hotel, he hurried down to Mamie’s.\u00a0 Once inside, he breathed a sigh of relief.\u00a0 There were only three other couples seated.\u00a0 Removing his hat, he walked to a table and was almost immediately offered a hot cup of coffee.\u00a0 He chose hot beef stew with bread over a steak, and then gave the woman a warning.\u00a0 “You’re going to have a crowd in here any minute.\u00a0 They were on their way when I left the telegraph office.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mamie was a buxom older woman who Adam thought had probably been beautiful in her younger years.\u00a0 Her eyes were bright as was her smile, and her voice sounded much younger than she looked.\u00a0 “Well, I won’t be able to make anymore stew.\u00a0 Don’t have any more carrots or onions in the root cellar, but I can serve beef and potatoes until the cows come home.\u00a0 We’ve had some frozen cattle in this storm, so I’ve made a deal with the ranchers.\u00a0 They’ll butcher ’em and sell me what they can at half price.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Are you serving breakfast tomorrow morning?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Honey, there’s nothing wrong with my chickens.\u00a0 And I’ll save some bacon and coffee just for you,” she said, winking.\u00a0 “Where you from?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Near Virginia City.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mamie sat down and propped her elbows on the table resting her chin in her hands.\u00a0 “You got a wife?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam’s nostrils flared as he suppressed a chuckle.\u00a0 “Mm hm.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I figured,” she said, straightening up.\u00a0 “All the handsome ones do.”\u00a0 The door flew open and a crowd of people came in.\u00a0 “I’ll have your food to you in a few minutes, Mr….”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“All right, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 You just sit tight.”\u00a0\u00a0 As she walked away from his table, she gave the entering crowd a wary look.\u00a0 She was expecting to close early tonight, but it seemed she was going to have to call in reinforcements.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mamie turned out to be a loud woman, yelling orders across the room to the two young girls she recruited to help her, though she really wasn’t that much louder than the crowd.\u00a0 There were people waiting to sit down, so Adam invited a man and woman to join him at his table.\u00a0 Mamie herself saw to them to make sure their food was served at the same time as Adam’s.\u00a0 She was aware of the Cartwright name and of the Ponderosa and hoped that Adam would be generous when paying his bill tonight.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The man and his wife were from San Francisco.\u00a0 He worked in the mayor’s office and was also familiar with the Cartwright name.\u00a0 “You wouldn’t happen to be the same Cartwright who’s the architect for the new courthouse, would you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam smiled as he finished chewing a piece of bread.\u00a0 “I am.\u00a0 I’m on my way to San Francisco for an inspection.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Really.\u00a0 I thought you lived in the city.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 I live near Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 My family has a ranch there.\u00a0 My wife’s family has a ranch there as well.\u00a0\u00a0 What brings you to the Sierra?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m looking for a woman who sells a particular breed of horse.\u00a0 They are as black as obsidian, very large and, as I understand it, very beautiful.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam puckered his mouth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I understand she’s a fine singer as well.\u00a0 You might know her.\u00a0\u00a0 Isabella Whitney from the Flying W Ranch.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bowing his head, Adam scratched the back of his neck.\u00a0 It seemed the couple was going to Virginia City, not away from it.\u00a0 He wasn’t necessarily happy about someone going to the ranch to talk to Shiloh about her horses while he wasn’t there; not that it had anything to do with Shiloh’s ability to handle her horse business.\u00a0 He would have preferred she not be disturbed when she was supposed to be resting.\u00a0 “What do you do for the mayor’s office?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m the head stable master for the city.\u00a0 Mayor Coon had seen these horses in San Francisco before he was mayor.\u00a0\u00a0 He believes the official city carriages should be drawn by equally magnificent animals.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I hope Mayor Coon isn’t too disappointed.\u00a0 She doesn’t sell her breeding foundation horses, but she does sell foundation geldings and other impressive stock.\u00a0 I’m not sure you’ll be able to see anything.\u00a0 This storm has probably made its way to the other side of Lake Tahoe, so the ranch will be under several feet of snow.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You evidently know this woman.\u00a0 Perhaps you could let her know we’re coming.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I do know her, and I’d prefer that you didn’t ask to see her horses until spring.”\u00a0 The man and his wife looked at each other perplexed.\u00a0 “She only uses Isabella Whitney when she sings.\u00a0 Everyone else knows her as Shiloh Cartwright, my wife.\u00a0 And at the moment, she isn’t supposed to be doing anything but resting.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Surely there must be some way to see these horses.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m not even sure you can get to the ranch, and even if you could, she won’t allow them out of the stables in this storm.\u00a0 So unless you have other business, there’s really no reason for you to continue on to Virginia City.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The man sat back, obviously disappointed.\u00a0 His wife, however made one more attempt.\u00a0 “Mr. Cartwright, we have come this far.\u00a0 Surely it wouldn’t hurt for your wife to let us see them in the stables.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m afraid my wife can’t go down to the stables at the present.\u00a0 She’s expecting our first child, and the doctor has ordered her off her feet.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sitting back and leaning on her husband’s arm, the woman said in a faint voice, “Oh, I see.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam studied the two defeated-looking people across the table.\u00a0 Based on their demeanor, he wasn’t sure if Mayor Coon would understand their turning back without, at least, talking to someone about the horses.\u00a0\u00a0 “Look…ah…if it would help, I’d be happy to talk to Mayor Coon.\u00a0 Perhaps we can arrange a time in the spring when you can come and spend a few days at the ranch.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The man’s face brightened as he turned to his wife, both nodding.\u00a0 “Yes, Mr. Cartwright, that would be most helpful.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing, Adam took out his wallet and laid paper money on the table, then took his hat in hand.\u00a0 “It’s settled then.\u00a0 I’m sure the mayor will be at the courthouse when I start the inspection.\u00a0 I’ll talk to him then.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From the other side of the room, Mamie saw Adam stand and place money on the table.\u00a0 “Leaving so soon, Mr. Cartwright?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’ll be getting an early start tomorrow.\u00a0 The stew was very good.\u00a0 Thank you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Escorting him to the door, she asked, “Aren’t you coming in for breakfast?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Probably not.\u00a0 Are you open at first light?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Honey, there’s nothing open in this town at first light, especially when there’s a lack of it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When they reached the door, he shrugged on his coat and moved his hat to his head wearing a bright, dimpled smile that almost sent her melting to the floor.\u00a0 “Then perhaps I’ll ride through again some time,” he said in a deep, husky voice.\u00a0\u00a0 Tipping his hat, he opened the door, letting a cold gust blow in that had the patrons near the door shuddering.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mamie leaned back against the closed door and lifted her face dreamily toward the ceiling with her eyes closed. “If only I was twenty years younger.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kneeling next to the large man on the cell floor, Dr. Freeman strained to roll him onto his back.\u00a0 The man’s injury was immediately apparent; two black eyes and crusted blood that ran down his face from a nasty cut on his head.\u00a0 “This man didn’t agree to see nobody,” said the doctor under his breath.\u00a0 He opened a makeshift medical bag and began to clean the blood away so he could see just how bad this man had been injured.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When the cell door clanged behind him, Dr. Freeman jumped to his feet, stepping over the man on the floor, bowing his head and clasping his hands in front of him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Dr. Freeman?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Y-yes.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m Dr. Stephenson.\u00a0 I know this man.\u00a0 May I assist you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Freeman was speechless at the invitation.\u00a0 Surely a white doctor had no use for him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Please, tell me what you know of his injuries.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The man been beaten.\u00a0 His eyes is swelled shut, and he got a bad cut on his head.\u00a0 Look like someone opened him up with the butt of a rifle.\u00a0 He need stitches for that, and he shore don’t need to be here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Stephenson knelt next to Hoss and looked at his face.\u00a0 “I see you’ve cleaned him up.\u00a0 And I agree, we need to get him out of here, but we can’t take him to the hospital at Chestnut Hill.\u00a0 We need to find a place Fletcher won’t think to look.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Dr. Stephenson, I don’t want no trouble.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Doctor<\/em> Freeman, if that’s what you claim to be, you have a duty to help this man.\u00a0 He’s done nothing to warrant this treatment other than to challenge Captain Fletcher.\u00a0 He’s not a soldier.\u00a0 He’s a visitor from the West.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, sir, the first place I can think of is Camp William Penn.\u00a0 Ain’t nobody gonna look for a white man there.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Fifty-Two<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Union Army in Philadelphia was broken into sixteen training camps and one large military hospital, Camp Chestnut Hill.\u00a0 Philadelphia was considered to be one of the safest places in the north for training new troops and treating those who had been injured.\u00a0 Each camp had its own commanding officer, all of whom were equal rank, except for Camp Chestnut Hill who was headed by a higher ranking physician, Dr. Augustus Stephenson.\u00a0 His authority had only to do with the sick or injured who were quartered in his hospital.\u00a0 He could not interfere with any activities at the training camps else he would surely disapprove of many of the tactics their commanding officers allowed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss Cartwright was no soldier.\u00a0 As far as Dr. Stephenson was concerned, he had been in the wrong place at a time when the north was trying desperately to maintain a sufficient number of soldiers to win the war.\u00a0\u00a0 His first priority was to ensure the man’s health.\u00a0 His second was to ensure his health was sustained long enough to get him on a ship toward his home with his wife, a recent event he had no doubt was wrought in love rather than convenience.\u00a0 Annie had spoken frequently about her beau.\u00a0 Dr. Stephenson was also on the committee at the Female Medical College that allowed Annie to take her exam early, and knew that Cartwright had proposed on Christmas Day with a ring he had brought with him from Virginia City.\u00a0 There was no doubt the intent existed much longer than Captain Fletcher would admit.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now, with the help of the doctor who saw to the needs of the colored unit at Camp William Penn, he was in the process of either assisting in an escape or rescue, depending on the point of view, of an apparent prisoner of Fletcher’s.\u00a0 His only hope of saving Mr. Cartwright would be to get someone who outranked Captain Fletcher to come to Philadelphia to overturn Fletcher’s flagrantly imprudent decision. But that would have to wait.\u00a0 He and Dr. Freeman would have to remove Mr. Cartwright from Camp Philadelphia right under the nose of Captain Fletcher.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh waited at the table, fearing more for Ming Lin as each minute ticked by.\u00a0 Glancing back at the clock on the kitchen mantel, she waited fifteen minutes before she began to think of what she might do.\u00a0 Shorty and Ming Lin were the only two people besides herself at the house.\u00a0 She could probably navigate her way to the barn by holding the rope Ming Lin had tied, but what if she slipped and fell\u2026and then couldn\u2019t get back inside the house?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Staring at the cup in front of her, she finally nodded and stood, going to the front room for her heavy shawl and taking a gun out of the drawer of the gun cabinet.\u00a0 She made sure it was loaded, then went back to the kitchen and stepped out into a cold that took her breath away for a moment.\u00a0 With snow stinging her eyes, she tried to see any movement in the whiteout conditions, but saw nothing.\u00a0 She yelled for Ming Lin at the top of her lungs, but the sound was carried away on the wind.\u00a0 Struggling down the steps to the rail where the rope was tied, she tugged on the rope which pulled freely, and when she reached the end, she knew Ming Ling was in trouble.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pointing the gun up, she fired\u2026and waited.\u00a0 \u201cMing Lin!\u201d she yelled.\u00a0 Still nothing.\u00a0 She fired again and watched the whiteness in front of her.\u00a0 There\u2026in the distance\u2026did she see movement?\u00a0 She fired a third time and waited.\u00a0 Yes, she saw something, but not from the direction of the barn.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In another minute, Shorty rode up on his horse, and jumping down from his saddle, he ran to her side.\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Cartwright, what in tarnation are you doin\u2019 out here?\u00a0\u00a0 Mr. Adam\u2019d be fit to be tied if he knew you were out here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She had grabbed a wad of Shorty\u2019s coat sleeve with one hand as she nodded urgently, waiting for him to quiet.\u00a0 \u201cMing Lin went to the barn, but the rope he tied came undone,\u201d she yelled to be heard over the wind. \u201cI\u2019m afraid he\u2019s lost out there.\u201d\u00a0 She moved her hand back to her shawl which was trying to escape with the wind.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shorty\u2019s eyes widened with urgency, and taking her arm, he helped her back up the steps to the porch where he moved her back underneath the overhang.\u00a0 \u201cIn a couple of minutes, you shoot that gun again, you hear me?\u201d\u00a0 After receiving a nod, Shorty trotted down the steps, grabbed the rope and disappeared into the white.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben looked up from the ledger he was working on at his desk, turning his ear toward the window behind him.\u00a0 Had he heard a gunshot?\u00a0 Shaking his head, he dismissed the sound as something created by the howling wind and continued working in the ledger.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But there it was again; a pop that could only be a gunshot.\u00a0 He rose from his desk and went to the front door, opening it and letting snow blow in.\u00a0 He closed it again only to take his coat and hat off the hook behind the door, before he stepped out.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing joined him from the kitchen.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hop Sing, did you hear that?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nodding, Hop Sing answered, “Sound like gun, but wind too loud.\u00a0 Maybe not gun.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They heard it again.\u00a0 “That was a shot, and it came from the direction of Adam’s place.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both men ducked their heads against the wind-whipped snow and headed to the barn, making quick work of saddling their horses.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hop Sing, stay close.\u00a0 It’ll be hard to see the road, so I’ll be going by dead reckoning.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had thought he’d turn in early. There was really nothing else to do in Grizzly Flat in the middle of one of the worst snow storms he could remember.\u00a0 Trotting back over to the barn, he noticed quite a few coaches that had not been in the yard when he’d left.\u00a0 When he opened the door, the wind tore it out of his hand, sending it banging against the front wall.\u00a0 He struggled to pull it to, then turned to see a barn full of men and women; those who had been turned away from the hotel. \u00a0Raising his hand to cover his mouth, he closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.\u00a0 It seemed the night was going to be a long one.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Walking through the crowd to Buster’s stall, he stopped and looked around.\u00a0 Buster was gone, having been replaced by three men spreading out their bedrolls in the hay on the floor of the stall.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam cleared his throat. “Excuse me, but these accommodations are already taken.\u00a0 What have you done with my horse?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mister, it’s people first, and then animals.\u00a0 Your horse is outside with the rest of ’em.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“These just happen to be my accommodations as well, and I’d prefer to spend the night with my horse,\u201d he said with a tight lipped smile and quick nod. \u00a0\u201cSo if you fellas will gather your things and leave, I’ll go get my horse and spend the night in the stall I’ve already paid double for.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The three men stood and crossed their arms.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Where’s the stable master?” Adam turned and yelled across the barn.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We’re all looking for him,” was the answer that returned from the crowd.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Puckering his mouth and nodding, Adam slowly turned back to the three men.\u00a0 “Look fellas, I don’t want to fight, especially…” he turned and motioned toward the men and women who had begun to gather, “in front of all these people, so why don’t you pick up your blankets and wait to pay for your own space like everyone else.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You thinkin’ you’re gonna take on all three of us?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I won’t need to. I’m going to go get my horse, and when I get back, he’s going in this stall whether you’re here or not.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam backed away toward the door, and when he turned to open it, one of three men caught him across his shoulders with the handle of a pitchfork, sending him sprawling to the floor.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The crowd consisting mostly of those who arrived in buggies and coaches wearing fashionable attire began to step back toward the back of the barn as Adam shook off the blow and pushed himself up off the barn floor.\u00a0 Turning slowly, he met a smile missing a tooth with flared nostrils and an angry glare.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAs I said,\u201d he began, shrugging his shoulders against the pain, \u201cI\u2019m going to get my horse, and he is <\/em>going in that stall.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The man lifted the handle of the pitchfork again, but Adam was ready this time.\u00a0 With his left hand, he caught the handle and pulled it out of the man\u2019s hand at the same time his right fist flew into the man\u2019s jaw, sending him reeling back and falling unceremoniously over a barrel to the floor.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The two other men rushed forward, and though Adam received at least one blow, he dealt out enough of his own that eventually all three men were back on the floor.\u00a0 Mostly out of embarrassment, they got up again, but this time Adam had had enough and drew his gun.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, that\u2019s enough. Get your gear and get out.\u00a0 You\u2019ve caused enough trouble for one night.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When they began to protest, one of the spectators, a man about Adam\u2019s build, but wearing a suit jacket and waistcoat came forward.\u00a0 \u201cIt seems this man has the upper hand, and after seeing how quickly he drew his gun, I wouldn\u2019t argue if I were you.\u00a0 You\u2019ve worn out your welcome with all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Adam and the well-dressed man looked on, the three trouble makers quickly gathered their bedrolls and saddles, glancing back grudgingly at the gun in Adam\u2019s hand.\u00a0 They eased by him, sidestepping to the door and left.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Placing his gun in its holster, Adam stuck his thumbs in his belt and exhaled, turning to the man who had backed him up. \u00a0\u201cThank you,\u201d he said, holding out his hand. \u201cAdam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Accepting his hand, the other man said, \u201cMy pleasure.\u00a0 William Ralston.\u00a0 My friends call me Billy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam hesitated shaking Ralston\u2019s hand only for a second that was hardly noticeable.\u00a0 He recognized the name as being the founder of the Bank of California, and he knew that Ralston was a bull when it came to business.\u00a0 Ralston had foreclosed on a few of the mines in Virginia City when the owners couldn\u2019t pay the notes held by the bank. Having no desire to talk business, Adam let the conversation drop and excused himself to retrieve Buster.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Buster had worked his way into the middle of the horses in the corral next to the livery.\u00a0 The horses stood right next to each other, head to tail, and because he was the biggest horse there, it had been easy to push his way into the warmest spot.\u00a0 The horses on the outside of the tightly packed wad were shivering to the point that Adam questioned whether they would survive until morning.\u00a0 But there was nothing he could do.\u00a0 As one of the trouble makers had said, \u2018people come first,\u2019 and there was no room for all these horses in the barn with all those people.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam collected Buster and took him back to his stall where he brushed the horse down and gave him some carrots he had taken from Hop Sing\u2019s root cellar and stashed in his saddle bag.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, Mr. Cartwright, but could you tell me where we might find some blankets. It seems we are spending the night in this barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam turned his head, but kept brushing Buster.\u00a0 \u201cWell, this is a stable. The only blankets you\u2019ll find here are horse blankets.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned around Mr. Ralston to see the woman who had been standing with him.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I don\u2019t think the young lady will appreciate the smell.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou seem to be familiar with barns,\u201d said Ralston, apologetically smiling for the way that sounded.\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps you have some suggestions.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019d find a space on the floor, pile up some hay so it\u2019s soft, and get some sleep.\u00a0 Use your overcoats and capes for cover.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It seemed everyone was listening for Adam\u2019s advice as all the women began to look around at the floor.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam pulled Ralston closer.\u00a0 \u201cDo you suppose your wife can climb that ladder?\u201d he said, pointing to ladder that led to the hayloft.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ralston looked up. \u201cWhatever for?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s probably the softest and warmest place in the barn. The hay up there is clean, and any heat from all these bodies in here will rise, so that,\u201d he said, moving his eyes from Ralston to the loft, \u201cwill be the warmest place in the building.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, Ralston clapped Adam on the back and made his way over to his wife.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOne more thing,\u201d Adam said loud so everyone could here.\u00a0 \u201cIf you find those horse blankets, I\u2019d put them on your horses.\u00a0 Some of them might not make it tonight without them.\u201d\u00a0 Without waiting for a response, Adam turned back into his and Buster\u2019s stall and prepared to get comfortable.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Fifty-Three<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam sat on the tack box listening to Buster chew his hay and watching everyone else in the barn nest.\u00a0 He cringed as Mrs. Ralston climbed the ladder to the loft, but once there, she busied herself fluffing up the hay for her and her husband’s bed.\u00a0 She and Ralston spoke in low voices as she worked, occasionally looking down at the stall where Adam was sitting in the shadows out of sight.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Conversation among the men and women dwindled as each couple slowly settled into their place.\u00a0 Mrs. Ralston, however decided to venture back down the ladder and wander aimlessly through the barn as if looking for something…or someone.\u00a0 She stopped at Adam’s stall.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Forgive me…Mr. Cartwright, isn’t it?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m afraid sleep isn’t going to come easily, so I thought I might find someone still awake to talk to.\u00a0 Mr. Ralston is already fast asleep.”\u00a0 She inched by Buster, who lifted his head and watched her as she warily made her way to the back of the stall.\u00a0 “May I?” she asked, motioning to the tack box.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had leaned back into the far corner, the solid wood of the stall side supporting his sore shoulders.\u00a0 “Please do.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Billy mentioned that he thought you were one of the Cartwrights from the Ponderosa.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I am.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He also said he thought you were married to Isabella Whitney, whom I greatly admire.\u00a0 She has such a beautiful voice.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He smiled and nodded again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I hope I’m not being too forward, but tell me Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 With a ranch as big as the Ponderosa and your wife there as well, what reason could you possibly have for being out in this storm?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam knew the woman was fishing for her husband.\u00a0 He smiled and scratched his neck. \u00a0“I have business in San Francisco that couldn’t wait.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes, of course,” she said, smiling.\u00a0 “Of course, Billy had business at the bank in Virginia City.\u00a0 I don’t think he was counting on this storm.\u00a0 I don’t usually travel to Virginia City with him, but I thought…well, it was a childish thought.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What thought?” asked Adam, chewing on a piece of hay.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, I thought that perhaps Miss Whitney…oh, my apologies…Mrs. Cartwright might be entertaining the residents of Virginia City this winter.\u00a0 I had so hoped to see her.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We don’t often leave the ranch in winter.\u00a0 And this has been a particularly hard winter in the Sierra.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lightly laughing, she nodded.\u00a0 “Oh yes, I’m afraid we’ve found that out the hard way.”\u00a0 She looked around for a moment in the awkward silence, wondering how she would possibly get to the information her husband really wanted.\u00a0 “And aren’t you partners in a mine with your wife’s brother?\u00a0 You are a busy man, Mr. Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There it was.\u00a0 Adam folded his lips and bowed his head, trying to figure out how to end the conversation without being overly rude.\u00a0 “I am.\u00a0 I’m so busy that I need to leave tomorrow at first light whether this storm,” he moved his eyes upward and waved his hand at the invisible air,\u00a0 “decides to break or not.\u00a0 I think it’s time we all got some rest.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She gave him a sharp nod and stood up quickly.\u00a0 “Yes, of course, you’re right.\u00a0 Good night, Mr. Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mrs. Ralston.”\u00a0 He watched as she quickly walked across the barn to the ladder, and before she began to climb up, she looked back nervously one more time.\u00a0 Adam felt sorry for her.\u00a0 She was younger than Ralston and very attractive.\u00a0 He got the distinct impression that Ralston used her youth and beauty to obtain whatever bits of information he could leverage to increase his holdings.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The barn was quiet except for the occasional snort of a person or a horse.\u00a0 Adam prepared to spend his night on the tack box in the back of Buster\u2019s stall.\u00a0 Buster was relatively quiet.\u00a0 Even so, the box was only two and one-half feet across; not enough room to move from one side to another without raising up, and then rolling.\u00a0 Besides that, the back stall wall was the outside wall of the barn and the cold easily penetrated it.\u00a0 He was glad for the second blanket he had included in his bed roll.\u00a0 Doubling that kept the wind coming through the tiny spaces between the boards at bay.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When he sat up after a fitful sleep, it was still black as coal outside.\u00a0 He yawned, ran his fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp, and then noticed the steam of his breath rising in front of his eyes.\u00a0 He quietly chuckled to himself as he nodded, then rose to begin his day.\u00a0 If he started now, he could be reasonably cleaned up and still have time to give Buster a good brushing and a good meal of hay before the light he expected to be quite dim finally broke.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After moving fresh hay into the feeding trough, he quietly lifted Buster’s water bucket to the tack box, then removed his shirt and splashed water on his face.\u00a0 He pulled out a small mirror and checked his beard, running his fingers over the stubble and deciding he’d forgo shaving this morning in favor of hot water at the next place he stopped.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once Buster was saddled, Adam looked around the barn.\u00a0 Everyone was still sleeping. He grimaced, knowing that the squeak of the big barn door would awaken them, so he acted on a hunch.\u00a0\u00a0 He opened the smaller door and looked up and across the street.\u00a0 Sure enough, there was a light in the window of the restaurant.\u00a0 Looking up at the sky, he found it to be pitch black still, so he looked at his watch…still too early for any significant light.\u00a0 Stepping out, he made his way over to Mamie’s for hot coffee and breakfast.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh did as Shorty asked and fired another shot into the air.\u00a0 Ben and Hop Sing were close enough now to know for sure what they’d heard, and knowing Shiloh and guns, Ben knew something had to be terribly wrong.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shorty!” she yelled.\u00a0\u00a0 She heard nothing, so she set the gun down on the porch floor, eased back down the steps and grabbed the rope, following it into the snow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben stepped down off Buck first, ran up the steps and opened the front door, calling out for Shiloh.\u00a0 When he got no answer, he turned and found the gun, then noticed the rope tied to the rail of the steps.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He and Hop Sing tied their horses to a post, and Ben pointed toward the barn, starting to follow the rope, but Hop Sing pulled his sleeve to stop, and ran back up the steps.\u00a0 He moved an armload of firewood to the edge of the porch, then came down the steps with another armload.\u00a0 Leaning into Ben, he yelled, “Drop log.\u00a0 Find way back.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The two men struggled through the snow that blew up off the lake and over the ridge where the house sat, settling and drifting in the wind between the house and barn.\u00a0 Ben had been able to see the trees along the side of the road, but the wind on this hill made visibility almost nothing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh!” Ben yelled, thankfully close enough for Shiloh to hear.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa, we’re over here!” and with that, Shorty shot his gun into the air.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing took the logs Ben was carrying and continued to drop them as they made their way toward the gunshot.\u00a0 When they saw the three gray images struggling through the snow, it was evident something was, indeed, wrong.\u00a0 Shiloh was easy to distinguish from the other two.\u00a0 Her shawl had blown away, leaving her with her dress flapping in the wind.\u00a0 She and Shorty had hold of Ming Lin’s arms, and he was limping badly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Without delay, Hop Sing took the arm Shiloh was supporting, and Ben lifted Shiloh into his arms, leading the way with the logs making a clear trail.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking them in through the front door, both Ming Lin and Shiloh were deposited on the hearth while Ben ran to get blankets and Hop Sing ran to the kitchen to heat water.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing pulled Ming Lin’s coat off and wrapped a blanket around him at the same time Ben wrapped a blanket around Shiloh and rubbed her hands.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What were you thinking?” he said with just a slight edge in his voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her teeth were chattering and her hands and feet were completely numb, her hands having had no cover and her feet covered only in her slippers.\u00a0 “I-I w-w-was thinking M-Ming Lin w-w-was in t-trouble…and then Sh-Shorty.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hop Sing, how is he?” asked Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He too cold.\u00a0 But good for ankle.\u00a0\u00a0 Ankle broken.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shorty brought the bucket of hot water into the living area along with some cloth.\u00a0 Moving his hands to his hips, he scolded Shiloh.\u00a0\u00a0 “I told you to stay up on that porch.\u00a0 The house breaks the wind coming up off that ridge.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m s-sorry, Shorty.\u00a0 I th-thought you m-might n-n-need help.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shorty’s right.\u00a0 You had no business going out there, especially without a coat or your boots.”\u00a0 Ben dipped a cloth in the water and wrapped Shiloh’s feet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I had my sh-shawl.\u00a0 It b-blew away.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Women!\u00a0 They all think they can save the world,” Shorty complained.\u00a0 “Mr. Cartwright I’ll go take care of the horses and tie another rope to the barn.\u00a0 We’ll have to build a windbreak between the barn and the house when this storm’s over.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben looked back over his shoulder.\u00a0 “Thank you, Shorty.\u00a0 Come back in the house when you’re done.\u00a0 No one is leaving this house until this storm breaks.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shorty, w-wait.\u00a0 Was there anything at the t-telegraph office?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh, yes’m,” he answered, digging into his pocket.\u00a0 “It’s from Mr. Adam.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking the telegram from him, Shiloh held it in her trembling hands and closed her eyes, trying to warn off her tears.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Realizing how worried she’d been, Ben touched her shoulder, then asked for the telegram.\u00a0 He wrapped her hands in a warm wet cloth. “Would you like me to read it?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She looked up with round, moist eyes and nodded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh Cartwright. Ponderosa Ranch. Johnson’s Pass impassable. Took Hope Valley. Stopping at Grizzly Flat.\u00a0 Buster sends love.\u00a0 As do I.\u00a0 Adam.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bowing her head, she let her tears flow.\u00a0 Oh, how she wished he was home.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Freeman stood in front of Captain Fletcher’s desk with his head bowed and his hands clasped in front of him.\u00a0\u00a0 “I done what I could, but he need someone to watch over ‘im.\u00a0 He gonna need help eatin’ and drinkin’.\u00a0 He got a nasty cut on his head that need the bandage changed regular.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Is he awake?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No sir.\u00a0 I don’t ‘spect ‘im to be for awhile.\u00a0 He beat up real bad.”<\/p>\n

Fletcher’s head jerked up.\u00a0 “Are you accusing me of allowing him to be beaten?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No sir.\u00a0 I jest sayin’ what he look like.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Freeman, you are not to discuss Mr. Cartwright’s condition with anyone, is that clear?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yessir.\u00a0 I be back in the mornin’ to change ‘is bandage.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Never mind about that.\u00a0 I’ll send for you if you’re needed again.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yessir.\u00a0 My fee come to two dollar.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking up from his paperwork, he gave Dr. Freeman a disgusted scowl, then reached into a side drawer and drew out a coin, tossing it over the desk to the floor.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Freeman took his time bending and picking it up, first returning a sad look.\u00a0\u00a0 Little did Fletcher know the look was more of pity.\u00a0 Besides that, Dr. Freeman had another reason for prolonging his visit with the captain.\u00a0 He had to stay as long as possible because he knew Fletcher would be standing at the front window the minute he left the office, watching until Freeman disappeared down the street in the direction of the black quarter.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And while Dr. Freeman was occupying the captain, Dr. Stephenson was rolling Hoss off the camp grounds in a laundry cart.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Fifty-Four<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though it was difficult to get the huge man down the ladder, Hoss now lay in a hidden cellar on a comfortable bed snoring away, his wounds properly cleaned and bandaged.\u00a0 Dr. Freeman had gone home after leaving Camp Philadelphia, but left out the back of his house and made his way through the alleys of the city to Camp William Penn where he met Dr. Stephenson and made arrangements for Hoss’ keep.\u00a0 Only a few men knew Hoss was there; men Dr. Freeman trusted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Stephenson had no choice but to trust them as well.\u00a0 He knew based on the cleanliness and supplies in the cellar that many a man and woman, perhaps children, came through this cellar on their way to freedom.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Dr. Freeman, I must speak to Mr. Cartwright’s wife.\u00a0 She’ll be stricken with fear at the disappearance of her husband.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Maybe the missus would like to stay here with ‘im.\u00a0 No harm will come to her.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.\u00a0 I’m sure Fletcher is watching her, hoping she’ll lead him to Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 He’ll probably be watching me as well, so I must leave him in your hands.\u00a0 If you need anything…anything at all to pull him through, send a messenger to the hospital.\u00a0 And follow your normal rounds.\u00a0 I’m sure he’ll be watching for anything suspicious from all of us.”\u00a0 Dr. Stephenson started up the ladder.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Dr. Stephenson, when do it end?” asked Dr. Freeman as he sat next to Hoss’ bed and placed a damp cloth on his forehead.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stephenson stopped and looked down upon the unconscious man. “I don’t know.\u00a0 But we can’t let Fletcher have him.\u00a0 He has no intentions of sending this man to fight.\u00a0 More likely, Mr. Cartwright would simply disappear.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Stephenson made a quick exit from Camp William Penn, hoping it was too soon for Fletcher to realize Hoss was missing.\u00a0 He went to the hospital and made quick rounds, making sure the hospital staff saw him before he left for Mrs. Levine’s.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When he knocked on the boarding house door, Mrs. Levine answered.\u00a0 “Dr. Stephenson, I’m glad you came by.\u00a0 I’m so worried about Annie.\u00a0 She’s not eating, and she’s worried sick.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking down the street both ways, Dr. Stephenson looked Mrs. Levine in the eye and nodded toward the inside of the house with a look that could only mean he had information.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She invited him in and looked down the street herself.\u00a0 “Please, Mrs. Levine, sit down here with Annie.\u00a0 I have something to tell you both.\u00a0 Hoss is at Camp William Penn being seen to by Dr. Freeman.\u00a0 He’s safe.\u00a0 But he’s been beaten, and he’s unconscious.”\u00a0 Annie sucked in a quick breath.\u00a0 Taking her hand, Dr. Stephenson continued.\u00a0 “My dear, he’s going to be all right.\u00a0 But more importantly, we have to get him out of the city, and to do that, I need to find someone who will listen to what has happened; someone who outranks Fletcher.\u00a0 The man should be in his own jail for what he’s done.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mrs. Levine closed her eyes and let out a long breath.\u00a0 “Dr. Stephenson, we may have just what you need on the way.\u00a0 You see, my given name is Mary Hanks.\u00a0 My father was Norman Hanks, Nancy Hanks’ brother.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Creasing his brow, Dr. Stephenson shook his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Nancy Hanks was Mr. Lincoln’s mother.\u00a0 The President and I are cousins. I have sent a telegram explaining what has happened, and I have received an answer.\u00a0 Help will soon arrive.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both Shiloh and Ming Lin had been ordered to their beds.\u00a0 Hop Sing would be staying to see to Ming Lin\u2019s needs and run the house until Ming Lin was back on his feet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Despite the weather, Ben had sent Shorty back to town to bring Kam Lee to see to Ming Lin\u2019s broken ankle. Ben knew that Shorty was seasoned enough to know how to travel in such weather.\u00a0 Micah had the men keeping the road to Virginia City cleared as best they could, so only the short trip from Adam and Shiloh\u2019s house to the main road would be deeply covered under heavy snow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing at the window of Shiloh\u2019s bedroom, Ben looked out at the falling snow.\u00a0 It was wet snow, not uncommon for the Sierra; the kind of snow that could collapse buildings if they weren\u2019t adequately supported.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh had changed into her nightgown and was comfy and warm underneath extra blankets on the bed as she sipped hot tea brought to her by Hop Sing.\u00a0 \u201cPa?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben continued to stare out the window.\u00a0 \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a sudden deep breath, Ben grunted, \u201cHm?\u201d without moving his eyes from the outside scene.\u00a0 He finally turned his head toward her and smiled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cA penny for your thoughts,\u201d she said, smiling back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With his hands in his pockets, he bowed his head and snorted before he moved the chair next to the bed and sat down, crossing one leg over the other.\u00a0 \u201cAre you sure you want to hear them?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Folding her lips into a tight line, she took a deep breath, bracing herself for what was to come.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I could face Adam if something were to happen to you while he\u2019s gone.\u201d\u00a0 He had been looking down at his hands, but moved his eyes up to hers.\u00a0 \u201cWhat were you thinking going out into the snow without the proper cover\u2026without any regard for the child?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her eyes involuntarily crinkled at the sting of his words.\u00a0 \u201cPa, I hope you understand this.\u00a0 I have never thought of using my condition as an excuse to leave someone to their death.\u00a0 If Ming Lin hadn\u2019t been badly hurt, he would have been back.\u00a0 And then Shorty was gone too long.\u00a0 The rope was taut, so I was sure I could follow it.\u00a0\u00a0 And I was so worried about them, I didn\u2019t think about my boots or a coat.\u00a0 I just knew they needed help, and I was the only one left who could help them.\u00a0 If I had stayed on that porch and they had died, I wouldn\u2019t be able to live with myself; baby or no baby.\u00a0 Both of them have been so good to us\u2026to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben fought a smile, preferring her to see the gravity of the situation on his face.\u00a0 Still, he couldn\u2019t help being proud that she would risk her life to save her men.\u00a0 It was the risk of the baby that still disturbed him.\u00a0 \u201cThis is the kind of thing Adam wanted to avoid by you staying at the main house.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She closed her eyes and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI see that now.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both turned when Hop Sing gently rapped on the door, and then pushed it open, entering with a tray laden with a bowl of hot stew and bread.\u00a0 Shorty followed with a coffee pot and cups.\u00a0 \u201cMing Lin say you eat.\u00a0 Missa Adam not be happy you not eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Hop Sing set the tray on the dressing table, Shiloh asked, \u201cHow is Ming Lin?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cKam Lee see him now.\u00a0 He come up see you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled as he fussed around her, fluffing her pillow so that she could sit up, and then straightening her blankets.\u00a0 Next, he started to move the tray over her, but only looked dismayed as he had no idea where he could put it for her to reach.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She giggled.\u00a0 \u201cI suppose I could eat downstairs in the chair.\u00a0 I sit so low in it, the board Adam made goes over my stomach.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, why don\u2019t you and Shorty take all of this back downstairs,\u201d said Ben standing and looking at the tray in Hop Sing\u2019s hands, and then turning to look at the coffee pot Shorty was holding.\u00a0 \u201cAs soon as Kam Lee has had a chance to look at her, I\u2019ll bring her down.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, Hop Sing nodded and left with Shorty following close on his heels.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben waited in the hall outside Shiloh\u2019s bedroom when Kam Lee appeared.\u00a0 He could hear Kam Lee\u2019s calm voice asking permission to touch her stomach.\u00a0 He opened the door fairly soon after, suggesting to Ben that they escort Shiloh down the stairs so she could have her meal. When she was settled in the chair with her feet on the hassock, Kam Lee placed the back of his hand on her forehead, nodded, and then gave Hop Sing instructions.\u00a0 \u201cPrepare Yin Chiao tea with her meal, and for morning, noon and before bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What’s the tea for?” asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving his arms into the sleeves of his robe, Kam Lee smiled.\u00a0 “You will have a fever by morning.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh’s eyes grew large.\u00a0 “But I feel fine.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kam Lee bowed before he explained.\u00a0 “I hear a disturbance in your lungs which balance your qi.\u00a0 With qi out of balance brought on by sadness, illness comes.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh, well.\u00a0 Of course,” she said with a stiff smile while looking across the room at Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stifling a chuckle, Ben approached Kam Lee with a smile. \u00a0“Thank you for coming out, Kam Lee, and for taking care of them both.\u00a0 I’ll have Shorty see you to the road.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Thank you, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 I will come again in a few days.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once Kam Lee and Shorty had left, Hop Sing brought Shiloh’s stew.\u00a0 “I bring tea very soon,” he said, smiling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well,” started Shiloh. “We had a crowd for a time, didn’t we?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mm hm,” said Ben as he sat on the sofa and studied her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a bite of stew, she glanced over at him, then set her spoon in the bowl as she quickly chewed and swallowed.\u00a0 “I know what you’re thinking. I don’t want you to send for Adam.\u00a0 There’s no reason to.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lifting his head to look directly at her, his only response was “Oh?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa, I’ve learned my lesson.\u00a0 If you tell him, he’ll never feel comfortable leaving me behind, especially if I’m not…at my best.\u00a0 This business he’s in with Robert Slater is important to him.\u00a0 It’s something he’s wanted to do for a long time, and as it turns out, he can do most of it from here, so he doesn’t have to leave the Ponderosa permanently for the job.\u00a0 I don’t want to ruin that for him, but if you tell him what’s happened, he won’t go when he needs to go.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With his belly full of hot breakfast and coffee, Adam slowly rode out of Grizzly Flat.\u00a0 He noticed on his way out that several of the coaches were already gone.\u00a0 Evidently, there had been others who had planned to leave at first light, though they didn’t leave with full stomachs.\u00a0 None of those he saw in the barn had made it over to Mamie’s for breakfast.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The snow had let up some, though it was still coming down, and the wind was breezy, but certainly not the gale he had experienced the day before.\u00a0 Taking a deep breath, he smiled up at the sky, knowing he’d be out of the snow in only a few hours.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The road to Diamond Springs was a long, clear swatch of white between rows of trees; easy for Buster to follow.\u00a0 It never ceased to amaze Adam how quiet the world seemed in winter.\u00a0 Anything that fell from the trees made no sound landing in the soft snow.\u00a0 The small streams here and there were frozen over, the trickle of the water underneath the ice muffled out of existence.\u00a0 Even the footfall of animals foraging for something edible was silent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What he did not expect in all this glorious peace was the bickering voices of a man and a woman.\u00a0 Looking up, he saw a buggy up ahead tilting severely off the side of the road.\u00a0 Where there had been a wagon wheel, there was none.\u00a0 It seem the man and woman were looking off into the woods, Adam surmised, searching for the wheel that taken its own course.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He pulled Buster up next to the buggy and cleared his throat, getting the attention of the couple.\u00a0 “I see we meet again.\u00a0 I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name,” said Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The man carefully stepped out of the snow.\u00a0 “It’s Pickerd.”\u00a0 His wife stumbled to his side.\u00a0 “I’m Amos, and this is my wife, Emily.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tipping his hat, Adam stepped down from his saddle. “It looks like you could use some help.”\u00a0 He looked back at the other side of the road, creasing his brows at the sheer mountainside that rose just behind the trees; a mountainside covered with a thick layer of snow that had already sagged a bit from the top.\u00a0 “We’ll have to be quiet while we look,” he said, pointing up at the mountain.\u00a0 “Don’t want that to come crashing down on top of us.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s just snow.\u00a0 How bad could that be?” asked Mrs. Pickerd.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Ma’am, I don’t mean to alarm you, but that much snow will bury you, and the likelihood of you climbing out from underneath it by yourself is slim.\u00a0 It’s called an avalanche.”\u00a0 Both of them looked at him with horror at the thought of being buried alive.\u00a0 Adam gave them a quick nod and smiled.\u00a0 “Why don’t we find that wheel and get it back on your buggy?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was easy to see where the wheel had rolled.\u00a0 There was a track leading into the trees.\u00a0 Following that track, Adam was able to find the wheel where it had fallen in snow so deep, the wheel sank and the snow around it collapsed on top of it, leaving an indentation in the snow that looked like a wagon wheel.\u00a0 Pulling it out of the snow, he began to roll it back to the road, and had almost made it to the buggy when he heard a scream.\u00a0 He stopped and looked out, finding a wolf standing in the road beyond the buggy.\u00a0 But worse than that, he felt a sudden lurch in his stomach when he heard a loud bang, followed by an unmistakable rumbling that preceded the mountain of snow thundering toward them.\u00a0 Buster was already galloping away back down the road, Mr. and Mrs. Pickerd were frozen where they were staring at the white tide that was almost upon them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam could do nothing but drop the wheel and run.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Fifty-Five<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam ran without looking behind him.\u00a0 He had thought earlier how quiet everything seemed in the snow…until it came barreling down the mountain toward him.\u00a0 Now, his only thought was to run until the thunder died.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Then he realized it wouldn’t be the snow that first caught him, but rather the debris field it was creating in its wake.\u00a0 Boulders rolled past him.\u00a0 He could hear the tall pines of the forest snapping behind him like match sticks.\u00a0 It would only be a matter of time before one of those immovable objects either rolled right over him, or smacked him down hard.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Or so he thought.\u00a0 Suddenly he felt as if he was running on air as the snow began to engulf him, and by the time he realized his was in the wave, it was too late.\u00a0 He pitched forward, rolling in the enormous surge along with the rocks and splintered wood until he slammed against something hard.\u00a0 His right arm had been taken around the side of whatever he was lodged against, though no one heard his scream of pain as the arm and shoulder dislocated.\u00a0 He turned toward it and was swept forward again, knocked to this side and that, rolling helplessly until he finally came to a stop.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He could hear the roar weaken above his head, taking note that he was right-side up.\u00a0 The ache of his shoulder was the only thing keeping him conscious.\u00a0 Somehow his head was in a pocket of snow created by twigs and branches tangled above him.\u00a0 He had, at least, a little air for a few minutes before he would suffocate.\u00a0 Closing his eyes, he steeled himself mentally, took several deep breaths, and then began to concentrate on his body, sensing everything from his feet, up his legs, his torso, and down his arms to his fingers.\u00a0 There was pain all over, but nothing that could match the fire burning in his shoulder.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Struggling to gather his feet underneath him, he managed to find a position where he could push upward with his back.\u00a0 Again, he took several deep breaths and pushed, and even when nothing seemed to move and getting out seemed hopeless, he pushed, until finally something gave enough for him to see light above him.\u00a0 Raising his good arm toward the light, he let his body relax just long enough to catch his breath.\u00a0 He knew if he stayed covered in snow, he’d eventually freeze, something he was well aware would be a slow and painful death.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Then he heard a sound that seemed not far away.\u00a0 He listened again, and when he realized what it was, he let go an almost manic laugh as one who was on the brink of death at the realization that he might actually live.\u00a0 Pulling at the tangle of limbs around him, he tried to clear enough room to push his head and shoulders up.\u00a0 With each pull, snow fell in, slowly filling the space he was in, but with each push up, he gained more room until his arm and one shoulder was out.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing close by was Buster, who upon seeing Adam flailing had moved almost next to him on top of the mass of snow and debris.\u00a0 The stirrup from the saddle was hanging just out of Adam’s reach, so he pushed against the side of the pile and grabbed at the stirrup, wrapping his fingers around it.\u00a0 When Buster began to move away, Adam whistled and said in a weary voice, “Ho, boy.”\u00a0\u00a0 Buster quieted long enough for Adam to work his way closer to the stirrup so that he could wrap his arm up to his elbow around it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Then Buster went to work, slowly pulling as if he knew exactly what Adam needed him to do.\u00a0 He pulled steadily, stopping and starting as Adam pulled himself from the snow and rubble.\u00a0 Once out, Adam’s arm dropped from the stirrup.\u00a0 He lay on the ground panting as Buster turned to nuzzle him, licking the side of his head.\u00a0 Willing himself to take the stirrup again, Adam pulled his legs underneath him and struggled to his knees, knowing full well if he didn’t get up and out of the snow now, he never would.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Finally pulling himself up to his feet, he ignored his pain and fatigue and moved a foot into the stirrup, pushing himself up against Buster as he reached for the saddle horn with his left hand.\u00a0 Lying over on the saddle, he clenched Buster’s mane and worked his leg over the horse’s back until he was astride the saddle.\u00a0 Only then did he lean over the horn, draw the rein hanging down from the bridle up to him, and then nudge Buster in whatever direction he wanted to go.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss opened his eyes to darkness.\u00a0 No, it wasn’t dark, but very dim.\u00a0 Slowly raising his arm, he touched his head and felt a bandage, and then felt another hand moving his back down to his side.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mr. Cartwright, can you hear me?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss’ throat was dry, and all he could manage was a grunt.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Take some water.\u00a0 Make your mouth and throat feel better.”\u00a0 Dr. Freeman turned up the lamp and held a glass of water to Hoss’ lips.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How come it so dark in here?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Open your eyes, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 Ain’t dark now.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss did as he was told, but still… “I cain’t see nothin’ but dim light and shadows.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Holding his hand in front of Hoss’ face, Dr. Freeman asked, “How many fingers you see?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I done told you.\u00a0 I don’t see nothin’ but shadows.\u00a0 What happened to me?\u00a0 And who are you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Name’s Dr. Freeman.\u00a0 And you in a safe place, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 Captain Fletcher’s men beat the dickens outta you and threw you in his jail.\u00a0 Me and Dr. Stephenson got you out and hid you ’til help comes.\u00a0 And it be comin’, too.\u00a0 That Mrs. Levine…she be cousins with the President,” he said in a slightly higher voice with a laugh afterward.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How d’you know Fletcher ain’t gonna find me here?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mr. Cartwright, ain’t nobody gonna think you be hiding with a black man.\u00a0 Now, you ain’t eat for days.\u00a0 I get you some food.\u00a0 You just lie still ’til I get back, and we talk some more.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss did just that.\u00a0 His head throbbed as did his face, and when he moved, he felt like he was going to vomit.\u00a0 He had no idea how Dr. Freeman expected him to eat.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Dr. Freeman returned, he sat a tray on a table, and then went back to Hoss’ bedside, taking Hoss by the arm.\u00a0 “Mr. Cartwright, let’s git you sittin’ up.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Dr. Freeman, first, my name’s Hoss.\u00a0 And second, I don’t think I can sit up without the room buckin’ like a wild range pony.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Come on an’ try.\u00a0 I ain’t gonna be able to git you up by m’self.\u00a0 And you might find that the room won’t buck so much lookin’ at it straight-ways ‘stead of sideways.” Hoss did as he was told, and sure enough, the dizziness passed.\u00a0 “Now, we gonna go over to the table to eat.\u00a0 Come on.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Freeman held Hoss’ arm as Hoss tentatively rose from the bed, moving his hand out in front of him.\u00a0 “I still cain’t see nothin’.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hm.\u00a0 I’ll help you over to the table, and then we’ll see how you do.\u00a0 I sent for Dr. Stephenson.\u00a0 He take a look at your eyes.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once Hoss was seated, Dr. Freeman poured the soup into a mug and placed the mug in Hoss’ hands.\u00a0 “Drink it slow ’til your belly get used to food agin.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After a few small sips, Hoss asked, “Dr. Freeman, you really a doctor?\u00a0 I mean, I ain’t seen too many black doctors.\u00a0 Matter a’ fact, I ain’t met any.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Freeman chuckled.\u00a0 “I suppose I ain’t got a fancy piece of paper hangin’ on a wall, but I put more boys back together than I can count.\u00a0 O’ course, it was the army taught me.\u00a0 No white doctor wanted to patch up the black boys, so they trained a black man to take care of ’em.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Freeman.\u00a0 Is that your real name?”\u00a0 Hoss heard nothing. \u00a0“I don’t mean any disrespect, but it just seems…my older brother’d call it poetic or some such nonsense…that a black man would have that name.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Freeman leaned back in his chair and considered Hoss.\u00a0 The man’s face, though badly bruised, was a kind, innocent face.\u00a0 Besides that, he was right.\u00a0 Freeman was an odd name for a black man and rightly so.\u00a0 Most of the black folk in those parts knew how he got the name.\u00a0 None of the white folk cared.\u00a0 “When a black man be the property of a white man, his name be the master’s name.\u00a0 When he get his freedom, he get to choose.\u00a0 When my master died, he give me my freedom in his will. I wanted everybody, black and white, to know I was a free man, so that’s the name I give myself.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss smiled and nodded, then took another sip of soup.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Stephenson had left laudanum for Annie to help her sleep.\u00a0 She had refused to use it, and while Mrs. Levine sat trying to convince her she needed to rest, someone knocked harshly on her front door.\u00a0 When she opened the door, she froze, not in fear, but rather in disbelief that the man standing before her would have the audacity to come back to her house.\u00a0 “Mr. Fletcher, I have nothing to say to you.\u00a0 I’ll do my speaking to a superior officer, and only a superior officer.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“My dear Mrs. Levine, I am the superior officer in Philadelphia, and you will speak to me one way or another.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I have nothing to say to you, Mr. Fletcher.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s Captain Fletcher.\u00a0 And I believe you know something about the whereabouts of one Hoss Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her eyes widened.\u00a0 “You mean you’ve lost him?\u00a0 How could you lose a man that big?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fletcher paused at her apparent astonishment.\u00a0 “He’s escaped, and he most assuredly had accomplices.\u00a0 Now, I want to know what you know about it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I assure you, sir, I know nothing whatsoever of this escape you claim.\u00a0 Could it be that you’re covering up your own misdoings?\u00a0 What have you done to Mr. Cartwright while he’s been in your care?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mrs. Levine had managed to fluster him for a second time.\u00a0 Surely she would have no knowledge of Cartwright’s condition.\u00a0 He looked past her at Annie, sitting in a chair next to the fireplace.\u00a0 “I’ll speak with Miss Walters then,” he said as he tried to step into the house and pass Mrs. Levine.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She quickly moved her arm across the threshold.\u00a0 “Stop right there.\u00a0 Mrs. Cartwright is under a doctor’s care, and is in no condition to speak with anyone.\u00a0 Again your doing, Mr. Fletcher.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stepping back, he gave Mrs. Levine a sour smile.\u00a0 “There is no Mrs. Cartwright. I have declared that farce of a wedding null and void.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You have no authority to do that, Mr. Fletcher, and I’m sure the major will find it interesting that you think you do when he arrives.\u00a0 He’ll be given all the information from the minister and the witnesses.\u00a0 So Mr. Fletcher, you had better find Mr. Cartwright soon, and he’d better not have any injuries, or you will be explaining to the major how he got them.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What major are you talking about?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The major who is on his way to attend to your abuse of office, sir.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You’re bluffing.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled and narrowed her eyes.\u00a0 “You just keep thinking that, Mr. Fletcher, for it may well be the most pleasant thought you have for a very long time.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Scowling, Fletcher turned and moved out to the sidewalk while Mrs. Levine watched.\u00a0 He gave her a furious look, then turned to his men.\u00a0 “I want Freeman and Stephenson in my office at Camp Philadelphia within the hour.\u00a0 And once you have them, go to the hospital and look for Cartwright. I don’t care if you have to turn the whole hospital upside down.\u00a0 Find out from the staff if Stephenson was there this morning.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shortly after, there was a knock on the trap door that led to the cellar below the kitchen at Camp William Penn; two quick raps, then three spaced out, followed by four short raps.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Freeman released the hook that held the trap door shut. “Dr. Freeman, Fletcher’s lookin’ for you.\u00a0 He ought to find you at home ‘stead\u00a0 of here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss heard the knock as well as the voice, but he wasn’t close enough to hear what was said.\u00a0 He jumped when Dr. Freeman touched his arm.\u00a0 “It’s time for you to get back in the bed and rest.\u00a0 I got to go for awhile, but someone be down soon to make sure you got what you need.”\u00a0 Climbing the ladder, Freeman turned one last time before he pushed the door open.\u00a0 “Now you be quiet down here.\u00a0 It ain’t time for no one to find you just yet. Not ’til that help gets here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss lay back on the bed with only one thought on his mind.\u00a0 He knew Annie must be worried sick, and there was no way for him to tell her he was all right.\u00a0 Even though he couldn’t see, he closed his eyes anyway and said a little prayer asking God to take care of her until he could hold her in his arms and tell her how much he loved her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Fifty-Six
\n“Atchoo!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You drink broth.\u00a0 You feel better.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’mb sorry, Hob Sing, but I really don’t feel like any…aaatchoo!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben heard the whole conversation as he walked up the hall.\u00a0 Strolling to the window, he opened the curtains, letting bright sunshine into the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cringing at the glaring light, Shiloh sank below the blankets and turned away.\u00a0 “It hurts mby eyes.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Nonsense,” said Ben cheerfully.\u00a0 “Sunshine is good for you.\u00a0 It’s good for all of us, especially since it’s the first sunshine we’ve seen in…” he chuckled.\u00a0 “Well, it seems like years.”\u00a0\u00a0 Walking to the bed and uncovering her head, he took her arms and lifted her into a sitting position against the headboard.\u00a0 “Hop Sing, where’s that broth?”\u00a0 Smiling, Hop Sing retrieved the bowl.\u00a0 Before Ben took it, he pulled the chair right next to the bed and sat down, then took the bowl from Hop Sing and dipped the spoon in.\u00a0 “Now, open up.\u00a0 All this broth is going down, one way or another.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa, I need to see Mbicah.\u00a0 I need to know if Cheron and her people are safe.\u00a0 She would be berforming the ritual for Billy even in this weather.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’ve already sent Shorty over to the Flying W to tell Micah what’s happened.\u00a0 I’m sure he’ll be here.\u00a0 And if he chooses to tell Cheron, I’m sure she’ll come as well.\u00a0 Now take this broth,” he said, moving another spoonful to her mouth. “And while you’re eating, I want you to think about going back to the main house.\u00a0 There’s plenty of beds there, and Hop Sing will be better able to take care of everyone.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh finished her broth and was left to rest before Micah came by with Cheron.\u00a0 “Ben, how is she?” asked Micah.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She’s got a bad cold, but she’s resting.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What happened?\u00a0 Shorty didn’t make much sense.\u00a0 I thought he said she went out to help Ming Lin without a coat and in her house shoes?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben relayed the whole story while Micah shifted his weight to one foot, moved a hand to his hip and twisted his mouth in anger.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Clapping him on the back, Ben said, “Now Micah, you can’t blame her for wanting to help.\u00a0 You know as well as I that we all do similar things before we think about our own safety.\u00a0 Besides, I’ve already spoken with her about her responsibility to the baby she’s carrying.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mr. Cartwright, may I see her?” asked Cheron.\u00a0 “I may be able to give her some relief.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Of course.\u00a0 Her bedroom is at the top of the stairs to the left.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Cheron entered the room, Shiloh was propped up on pillows, napping even though her breathing sounded quite congested.\u00a0 Cheron felt Shiloh’s forehead and cheeks, and listened for a moment before she went back downstairs to the kitchen in search of Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“O si yo, Hop Sing,” she said, bowing and remembering how kind Hop Sing had been to her when she lived with Billy’s father, and how they had shared their knowledge of plants and herbs.\u00a0 She untied a pouch from a leather cord at her waist and held it out to him.\u00a0 “This will help Shiloh breathe better.”\u00a0 Emptying the contents of the pouch onto the work table, she separated the different herbs and explained to Hop Sing what they were and what they would do.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, Hop Sing bowed.\u00a0 “Many thanks.\u00a0 Before you go home, you come back.\u00a0 Show Hop Sing plants.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes, Hop Sing. I will come back before we leave for our village.\u00a0 We will be able to find some of them, but not all because of the snow.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joining Micah and Ben in the living area, Cheron waited patiently while the two men talked.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She has a point,” said Ben.\u00a0 “If Adam knew what’s happened, he would never leave her behind. She’s afraid he won’t go take care of business if she can’t go.\u00a0 She’s afraid it could ruin this business he’s in with Robert Slater.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah was sitting on the sofa, and leaned forward, propping his elbow on his thigh and rubbing his temple.\u00a0 “Ben, I don’t like keeping secrets from Adam. But she’s right.\u00a0 He might not leave her after this.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Look at it this way.\u00a0 It’s her responsibility to tell him.\u00a0 And it’s her decision whether she does.”\u00a0 Ben stood and took Cheron’s hands.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She is still sleeping, but not a good sleep.\u00a0 I have given Hop Sing herbs that will help her breathe better.\u00a0\u00a0 I will come back tomorrow to speak with her.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How long do you plan to stay?” asked Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We will be a few more days before the ceremony is done.\u00a0 With the storm broken, it will be better to return to our village before another bad wind blows.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We can help you get back to the village.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It is best not.\u00a0 The Paiute watch.\u00a0 I do not want to make trouble.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben understood the reference to the Paiute.\u00a0 The Washoe and Paiute had been at war years ago.\u00a0 The Paiute had won, and as punishment, forbade the Washoe from owning or borrowing horses.\u00a0 If he insisted, Cheron would be obliged to accept, but likely at a high cost to the Washoe people.\u00a0 “I hope you’ll have time to share a meal with us, Cheron.\u00a0 Adam and Micah have told us about your village, but I’d like to hear how you and your people are getting along.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I will come to the big house before we leave, Mr. Cartwright,” she replied, bowing again before she turned toward the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Following her, Micah looked back.\u00a0 “I’ll come back tomorrow with Cheron.\u00a0 I’d like to see Shiloh when she’s awake.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben nodded and held the door open as Micah helped Cheron down the snow covered front steps.\u00a0 “If we’re not here, we’ll be at the main house.\u00a0 I’m trying to convince her we’ll all be more comfortable over there.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had no idea where he was.\u00a0 He’d let Buster go, hoping he’d find a town or settlement.\u00a0 When hands reached up and pulled him down off the horse, he heard someone say two words that instantly made him feel safe enough to let consciousness slip away; doctor and sheriff.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once awake, he discovered he was on a cot with his arm in a sling, a bandage on his head, and two fingers in a splint.\u00a0 Slowly sitting up, he groaned when he felt pain across his torso.\u00a0 Running his hand down his chest, he felt the wrapping around his ribs and noticed the large bandage around his left calf.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, nice of you to join us, Mr. Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How…”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’ve got your valise and saddlebags out here in the office.\u00a0 And your horse is at the livery.\u00a0 I hope you don’t mind, but I paid for his keep and for the doc’s services from the money in your wallet.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How long have I been out?” Adam asked, his head still bowed in his left hand.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Five, six hours.”\u00a0 Moving a chair into the jail cell, the sheriff straddled it backwards.\u00a0 “Can you tell me what happened?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Avalanche.\u00a0 Back on the road between Grizzly Flat and Diamond Springs.\u00a0 There was a buggy on the side of the road…two people…husband and wife.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Frowning, the sheriff said, “I was afraid of that.\u00a0 A rider came in just before you got here.\u00a0 Said the road was covered in about thirty feet of snow, rock and trees.\u00a0 It’s gonna be awhile before we can dig ’em out.\u00a0 You have any idea who they were?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam exhaled loudly.\u00a0 “Amos and Emily Pickerd.\u00a0 Mr. Pickerd was the head stable master for Mayor Coon in San Francisco.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh dear.\u00a0 Why would they be all the way out here?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Leaning back against the wall, Adam looked up at the ceiling.\u00a0 “They were on their way to Virginia City to see some horses.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“So you spoke to them?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nodding, Adam replied, “In Grizzly Flat.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sheriff furrowed his brow.\u00a0 “If they were going to Virginia City, and you spoke to them in Grizzly Flat, why were they on the road to Diamond Springs?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Because I told them there’d be no point in continuing to Virginia City.\u00a0 The horses they were going to see belong to my wife, but my wife isn’t going to be showing any horses for awhile.”\u00a0 When the sheriff tilted his head, Adam added, “Grizzly Flat was full of people trying to get to San Francisco through the storm because Johnson’s Pass was iced over.\u00a0 I left at first light.\u00a0 I never expected anyone else to leave that early, but they were ahead of me.\u00a0 When I caught up to them, they’d lost a wheel, and I stopped to help them get it back on.\u00a0 The wheel had rolled into the woods.\u00a0 I found it, but I heard a scream and a gunshot, and by the time I turned, the snow shelf had broken loose. It was almost on them, and they…just…stood there.”\u00a0 Adam had seen avalanches during his tenure in the Sierra, but\u00a0 never had he seen anyone swallowed up by one.\u00a0 “There was nothing I could do but run,” he said quietly, then snorted. “Not fast enough.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Do you know what the scream and the gunshot were about?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah.\u00a0 There was a wolf in the middle of the road.\u00a0 I only saw it for a moment before it was covered.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“All right.\u00a0 I’ll send a telegram to the mayor. Anyone I need to notify for you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stood on wobbly legs.\u00a0 “I can’t stay.\u00a0 I have to get to San Francisco.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Whoa there, Cartwright.\u00a0 The doctor said you need a couple of days before you start moving around.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Giving the sheriff a weary smile, Adam said, “I’ll be fine.\u00a0 I was going to ride, but I think I’ll take the stage to Folsom, catch the train to Sacramento, and then take a steamer the rest of the way.”\u00a0 Like Shiloh wanted. I should have listened. <\/em>“If I can just collect my things, I’ll go make arrangements for my horse and wait for the stage.”\u00a0 Taking only one step toward the cell door, Adam swayed, but caught himself on the bars.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sheriff steadied him and lowered him back down to the cot.\u00a0 “I’ll tell you what, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 I’ll go tell the livery you’ll be leaving your horse.\u00a0 He said he knows your family, so I’m sure there’ll be no problem.\u00a0 The stage won’t be here for another hour.\u00a0 I’ll take your wallet, buy your ticket, and tell the clerk there to make sure he waits for you.\u00a0 You just lie down there and rest.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam didn’t argue.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Stephenson and Dr. Freeman both stood in front of Captain Fletcher’s desk, their hands clasped in front of them.\u00a0 Captain Fletcher studied their faces for what seemed like a very long time, looking for anything; a twitch, avoidance of his eyes…anything that might confirm either man was complicit in Cartwright’s escape.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A soldier hurried in through the door behind them. “Captain Fletcher, the staff at the hospital all say they saw Dr. Stephenson there this morning.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I see.\u00a0 That leaves you, Freeman.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Cap’n Fletcher, Mr. Cartwright wadn’t in no condition to leave this mornin’.\u00a0 He wadn’t even conscious.\u00a0 As big as he is, how you expect one man to move ‘im?\u00a0 No sir,\u00a0 either he woke up and walked out, or a whole army section took him out.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“That meddling Mrs. Levine is behind this,” Fletcher said under his breath.\u00a0 “Soldier!\u00a0 Take three men and post them around Mrs. Levine’s boarding house.\u00a0 I want to know about anyone who goes in or leaves immediately. And you two.\u00a0 If I find out either one of you is involved in this, I’ll bring you both up on charges.\u00a0 Then you can both spend some time in my jail.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“May I remind you, Fletcher, that I outrank you,” said Dr. Stephenson. “In order for you to charge me with a war crime you must request a military court hearing overseen by a superior officer.\u00a0 Since my rank is major, that would be at least a Lt. Colonel.”\u00a0 With a smug smile, he said, “Please do.\u00a0 As a matter of fact, Fletcher, if I were you, I’d seriously start thinking about desertion.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Both of you.\u00a0 Leave.”\u00a0\u00a0 Though he made no remark one way or the other, Captain Fletcher had added Dr. Stephenson’s suggestion to his list of ways to get out of this mess.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both doctors felt it safe to go on to Camp William Penn, since Fletcher had sent his men to watch Mrs. Levine.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss awoke to the squeak of the door and made it to a sitting position at the same time Dr. Stephenson stepped off the ladder.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s good to see you sitting up, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 But Dr. Freeman tells me you can’t see.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Doc, my name is Hoss.\u00a0 And about all I can see are just…dark…shadows.”\u00a0 Hoss had had time to think about his missing sight and what a burden it would be for Annie if he never regained it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Why don’t we get you over to the table so I can have a look,” said Dr. Stephenson, taking Hoss’ arm and helping him to a chair.\u00a0 “Now, turn your head toward the light.”\u00a0\u00a0 Dr. Stephenson moved his hand to the side of Hoss’ head and pushed gently.\u00a0 “Good.\u00a0 You have a great deal of blood in the sclera.\u00a0 Not surprising considering the beating you must have taken.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Sclera?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The whites of your eyes.”\u00a0 Examining the bruising around Hoss’ eyes, the doctor said, “You may not be permanently blind.\u00a0 If your blindness is caused by the blood blocking your vision, it will clear up as tissue reabsorbs the blood.\u00a0 However, if your retna has become detached, I’m afraid there’s not much we can do.\u00a0 But it is highly unlikely that you would have a detached retna in both eyes.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“So the answer is you don’t know whether I’ll see again or not.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m afraid not.\u00a0 Only time will tell.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaning back in the chair, Hoss sighed.\u00a0 “I cain’t do this to Annie.\u00a0 She married a man who could take care of her.\u00a0 Not a man she’d have to take care of the rest of her life.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Now, Hoss.\u00a0 Don’t underestimate Annie’s ability to help you help yourself.\u00a0 And certainly don’t underestimate her love for you.\u00a0 Anyway, it’s much too early for you to give up on your sight.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving his hands to the top of his thighs and rubbing them, Hoss said quietly, “If you gentlemen don’t mind, I’d think I’ll go on back to bed.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Fifty-Seven<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Like it or not, Adam’s rest ended too soon as the stagecoach was early.\u00a0 The reason it was early was because this stage came from Sacramento, and instead of continuing up into the high Sierra, it would be turning around in Placerville.\u00a0 Since everyone’s destination was further east than Placerville, the stage emptied quickly and took on the few people who waited in Old Hangtown; Adam and one other.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Before Adam boarded, Buck Henry from the livery offered to buy Buster.\u00a0 “After all, the cost of boarding him might just approach what he’s worth.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Buck, I hope you’ll never have to know what that horse is worth.”\u00a0 Buck gave Adam a sidelong look.\u00a0 “Never mind.\u00a0 The horse isn’t mine to sell.\u00a0 He belongs to my wife, my wife wants him back, and I want her to have him back.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Laughing, Buck said, “I can understand that.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam snorted and narrowed his eyes.\u00a0 “No, Buck.\u00a0 I don’t think you can.\u00a0 If I have to stay in San Francisco more than a week, I’ll send someone down to get him.\u00a0 Here’s a week’s worth,” Adam said, passing Buck some coins.\u00a0 “You’ll get the balance either when I pick him up, or someone from the ranch gets him.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’ll take good care of him, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 Don’t you worry about a thing.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning to board the stage, Adam staggered and grabbed the door.\u00a0 The sheriff was standing by close enough to catch him again and help him up.\u00a0 “You sure you don’t want to take a few extra days to rest?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Can’t afford to,” Adam gasped.\u00a0 “I’m expected in San Francisco to inspect the courthouse.\u00a0 Construction can’t continue without it, and the mayor is anxious to move in.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“At least tell me someone’s going to meet you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well,” said Adam, slowly sliding into the seat.\u00a0 “I hadn’t planned on needing anyone to meet me.\u00a0 I’ll send a telegram from Folsom or Sacramento to my partner.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Closing the door, the sheriff stepped back and tipped his hat.\u00a0 “Have a good trip, Mr. Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded back, and as soon as the stagecoach was rolling, he winced and struggled to find a comfortable position where he could lean back and nap.\u00a0 Though he seemed to shift continuously, he evidently found an acceptable position because the next time he opened his eyes the stagecoach rattled to a stop in Folsom.\u00a0 Pulling his saddle bags out of the coach behind him, he looked up just in time to see his valise falling toward him and closed his eyes.\u00a0 When nothing happened, he cracked one eye open to see a young man smiling back at him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You must be Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 The clerk at the office in Placerville wired ahead.\u00a0 Said you might be needin’ some help.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chuckling to himself, Adam lowered his head.\u00a0 For things to have gone so badly earlier on this trip, they were certainly going well at the moment.\u00a0 “Thank you.\u00a0 I need to catch the train if it hasn’t already left.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I think you might just have time if we hurry.\u00a0 I’ll tote your bag for you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Giving the young man an even bigger smile, he said, “Lead the way.”\u00a0 Before the boy left him, Adam had his ticket and was sitting in his seat while the stage office clerk left his valise and saddlebags on the seat next to him.\u00a0 Again, Adam reached into his pocket and pulled out a few coins, handing them to the boy.\u00a0 “Thank you for your help.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking at the money in his hand, the clerk smiled broadly and tipped his hat.\u00a0 “You’re welcome, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 Anytime.”\u00a0 Feeling the train jerk, he moved a hand to the hat on his head and scurried down the aisle to the exit, but before he jumped down off the slowly moving train, he looked back, removed his hat and waved.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The train ride was much smoother than the stagecoach, but still the car rocked back and forth on the sometimes uneven rails.\u00a0 There were several stops along the way, but Adam napped, and boarding passengers passed by and left him alone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In Sacramento, he had just enough time to send a telegram to Robert, but none left to send a seriously overdue telegram to Shiloh, so he asked Robert to let her know he was on the steamer to the city.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The steamer was even more comfortable than the train.\u00a0 He was able to get some much needed rest in his berth, and didn’t leave until it was time to disembark.\u00a0 As he walked down the gangplank, he stopped and looked back with a half smile and a shake of his head; I really should have listened to Shiloh.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

“Adam!”\u00a0 Robert rushed up the gangplank to take his valise.\u00a0 “What the devil happened to you?\u00a0 You look like you lost the battle to a grizzly.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Robert, I’m tired, I hurt, and I haven’t eaten since breakfast.\u00a0 I’m going to find a comfortable place to sit where they serve good food, and then I’ll tell you all about it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No need to look any further.\u00a0 I’ll take you straight to the house.\u00a0 Evelyn has planned a feast for you.\u00a0 And I’ll make sure you get a soft chair.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As they rode toward the Slater’s home in a carriage, Adam asked, “How is Evelyn and the baby.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“They’re doing fine.\u00a0 Robert Jr. is almost six months old, and Evelyn has blossomed.\u00a0 How is Shiloh doing?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The doctor has ordered her off her feet, and it’s taking the entire family to keep her off them.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Here we are,” said Robert.\u00a0 “Let’s get you fed and send you up to bed.\u00a0 We have an early day tomorrow. The building looks good, so I’m sure the inspection will go well.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Captain Fletcher called out at the knock on his office door.\u00a0 “Come!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A soldier stepped in, saluted and stood at exaggerated attention waiting for permission to speak.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“An officer…rank of major, sir…is at the house.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fletcher froze, only moving his eyes up to the enlisted man.\u00a0 “How long’s he been there?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“About half an hour, sir.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pull the men away.\u00a0 All of you go back to the barracks.\u00a0 And don’t let the major see you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once the door had closed behind the soldier, Fletcher sat straight in his chair, breathing deeply.\u00a0 The old woman had really contacted someone who had sent a higher ranking officer to investigate.\u00a0 He’d underestimated her, thinking she was no more than an old bag of wind.\u00a0 Standing, he paced back and forth in front of his desk, deciding what to do.\u00a0 Cartwright’s disappearance had certainly left a gaping hole in his plans.\u00a0 He couldn’t make a man disappear who had already disappeared. And he was sure that Cartwright would mysteriously reappear now that the major was here.\u00a0 He had to do something quickly, and remembering Dr. Stephenson’s words, there was only one thing left to do.”
\n***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mr. Hoss, I heard about you and them wolves.\u00a0 Mrs. Levine was mighty nice to take you in.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, she really didn’t take me in.\u00a0 I was already boarding there.\u00a0 Annie…Miss Walters…I mean, Mrs. Cartwright arranged for a room before I even got here.”\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss was afraid to lay the sandwich he’d been trying to eat down on his plate, concerned first that he’d miss the plate, and second that he’d be able find the side he’d been eating.\u00a0 He let one side drop as he slowly searched for his glass of water, taking a sip and then lifting his sandwich to his mouth.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“So how come you come all the way out here in the middle of a war?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“To keep Miss Annie from leaving school and coming all the way out to Nevada Territory for Christmas.”\u00a0 Hoss smiled.\u00a0 “I guess I was just a little anxious for her to finish school and come out permanent-like.\u00a0 And since I was comin’ out, I decided I’d give her a reason to go back to Virginia City.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What was that?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, Dr. Freeman, ain’t that what all the ruckus is about?\u00a0 Me marrying Annie.\u00a0 Only that Fletcher fella thinks I did it to get out of fighting the war.\u00a0 The way I see it, it ain’t my war.\u00a0 Us folks out on the frontier ain’t got the problems folks in the north and south got, and I just don’t see it’s my responsibility to\u00a0 argue their points.\u00a0 Anyway, I’d already asked her to marry me.\u00a0 It was Annie who thought goin’ ahead with it would get me out of joinin’ up.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Still ain’t no reason to beat the sight out of a man.\u00a0 I hope they take Fletcher off.\u00a0 Theys too many young men in his city to have a man like Fletcher in charge.\u00a0 He’ll mess them boys up good.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss bowed his head. \u00a0“Don’t get me wrong.\u00a0 I don’t blame Annie at all.\u00a0 In fact, Mrs. Levine, all her friends and the minister thought it was a good idea. Fletcher didn’t see it that way.\u00a0 Anyway, Annie went to see Miss Preston at the Women’s College and went ahead and took her graduation test, so when we get home, she’s gonna be the first woman doctor in Virginia City,” he finished proudly.\u00a0 Then he slumped.\u00a0 “Only now, things have changed. She don’t need to start new life with a blind man.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Why you think that?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She’ll spend all her time takin’ care of me and not pursuin’ her dream.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Don’t you think that be the lady’s decision?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss didn’t answer, but suddenly, he’d lost his appetite. “Dr. Freeman, how come you here?\u00a0 I didn’t think there was any slaves in the north.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh, theys slaves.\u00a0 Northern folk just quiet about it.\u00a0 I coulda left, but I figure black folks freedom was worth fightin’ over.\u00a0 I was on the lines, and when the army saw I could bandage up the wounded, that’s what they had me do ’til Camp William Penn opened up. Now, I do it here.\u00a0 Cap’n Fletcher had me see to you ’cause he figured I wouldn’t say nothin’. But I figure everyone be treated fair; black or white.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Got any plans after the war’s over?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Naw.\u00a0 Black folk take care of themselves.\u00a0 Without the war wounded, I wouldn’t have many patients.\u00a0 But I ain’t got no land to farm, and I figure the house we stay in’ll be torn down to make way for new fine homes for the white folk.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I tell you what.\u00a0 You done patched me up, fed me and hid me.\u00a0 The least I can do is help you and your family get your lives back.\u00a0 When this war’s over, you write me or send me a telegram.\u00a0 You’re welcome to start over out in Nevada Territory.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mr. Cartwright, I got no money to pay for no land or even get me and my wife and little girl out there.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Don’t make no difference.\u00a0 You let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll send for you.\u00a0 My family can always use good men on the ranch.\u00a0 You stay with us a year, and you’ll get some land and ten head of cattle to start your own ranch.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss couldn’t see, but a tear had welled in Dr. Freeman’s eye.\u00a0 “You would do that for a black man?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Black, white or yella, it don’t make no difference.\u00a0 A good man is a good man.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With Shiloh ensconced in a bedroom at the main house, things had slowly settled back down to normal on the Ponderosa.\u00a0\u00a0 Even with two sons away, what little ranch business took place during the winter was being handled.\u00a0 In fact, Ben was actually more relaxed with two boys who had nothing to do for days on end out from under him.\u00a0 They were grown men, but when it came to being confined indoors, they tended to act like little boys.\u00a0 The only difference was the size of the trouble they got into.<\/p>\n

Take Little Joe.\u00a0 With both brothers gone, he had plenty to keep him busy.\u00a0 He, like Ben, was grateful that his brothers were gone.\u00a0 It left him with enough to keep him mostly occupied and still allowed him some leisure time.\u00a0 Except for today.\u00a0 With both brothers around constantly telling him to be careful, he generally came out of winter unscathed.\u00a0 However, his luck would run out when he decided \u00a0to slap a bull on the hind end to move him toward the herd; a bull already in a bad mood for having to move.\u00a0 The bull charged Joe, sending him running toward a bank that dropped ten feet into the river at a point where there were more boulders than river, and what river there was mostly iced over.<\/p>\n

Joe and Micah had been watching the herds together. Micah had been a short ways down the road going over the day’s chores with Shorty and Hank when all three men heard Joe’s long yell as he dropped down hard onto the snow-covered rocks that bordered and crossed the river.<\/p>\n

When the men arrived, Shorty and Micah looked down off the bank while Hank lassoed the bull and pulled him off toward the herd.\u00a0 By the time he was back, Shorty was steadying a horse with a rope tied to the horn and pulled tight with Micah’s weight as he worked his way down the embankment.<\/p>\n

Joe had huddled against the bank underneath a rock overhand, waiting for him.<\/p>\n

Once at the river, Micah made his way over to Joe, noticing that Joe was holding on to his right hand.\u00a0 “Joe, you all right?”<\/p>\n

“Mostly.\u00a0 I think my hand is broken,” he said, tentatively holding it out for Micah to see.<\/p>\n

“Can you wiggle your fingers?”<\/p>\n

“Not without inventing a few new words.”<\/p>\n

“All right.\u00a0 Let’s leave it be until we get you home.\u00a0 I’ll send Shorty after the doctor once we get you back up the bank.”<\/p>\n

“What about the herd?\u00a0 We got to get ’em to the lower pasture.\u00a0 They’ll freeze up here with that storm moving in,” Joe said, nodding toward the west.<\/p>\n

Standing as best he could, Micah helped Joe into a standing position and tied the rope around him.\u00a0 “I’ll worry about that.”<\/p>\n

“There not your cattle to worry about.”<\/p>\n

“Not true.\u00a0 Adam left me in charge of you, so that means I’m your stand-in older brother.\u00a0 He said you couldn’t survive intact without one.\u00a0 So you just start walking up that bank.\u00a0 Shorty,” he yelled.\u00a0 “Pull him up slow.\u00a0 He’s prob’ly got a broken hand.\u00a0 Hank?”<\/p>\n

“Yeah, Micah.”<\/p>\n

“Take some men off the road and get these cattle to the lower pasture.\u00a0 They need to be there before nightfall.”<\/p>\n

“Sure thing,” yelled Hank as he turned his horse toward the road the Flying W men had been keeping clear.<\/p>\n

By the time both Joe and Micah were back on top of the bank, the front edge of the storm had reached them, dropping a light snow.\u00a0 As Micah helped Joe into his saddle, he told Shorty to fetch the doctor.\u00a0 “Tell ‘im he’s got two patients…the two youngest Cartwrights.\u00a0 You come back with him.\u00a0 You and I need take the men down at the stable some supplies.\u00a0 And I want you to bunk down there with them.\u00a0\u00a0 I don’t want anyone alone when this next storm is on us.”<\/p>\n

Nodding, Shorty turned and headed toward town.<\/p>\n

As Micah and Joe rode to the main house, Joe’s hand steadily became worse, and by the time he was in the house, he wouldn’t say much for fear of yelling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben looked down at his son in the leather chair still wearing his jacket, his nostrils flared and his mouth drawn into a line.\u00a0 “You hurt it pretty badly?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yessir, I think so.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What happened?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I smacked a bull on the rump, and he didn’t like it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You were off your horse?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yessir.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Joe…”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa, I know.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You’d not gotten away with that if Adam had been here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe sprang up out of the chair.\u00a0 “Well why don’t you bring him back if you think I can’t handle the work around here?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben’s eyebrows furrowed. “Joseph!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa, he doesn’t even live here anymore.\u00a0 He has a job that has nothing to do with the Ponderosa.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben gave him a tired look.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I just…I just wish you’d trust me to take care of the work without throwing Adam at me every time something happens.\u00a0 He’s had his share of trouble.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nodding, Ben said, “That’s true.\u00a0 But he was never injured this badly because of foolish behavior.\u00a0\u00a0 You knew better than to slap a bull, especially that bull, on the rump.\u00a0 Now settle down.\u00a0 You’ll wake Shiloh.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Too late,” came a soft feminine voice from the top of the stairs.\u00a0 Though she had a dismayed look on her face, she managed a smile.\u00a0 “I’m awake.”\u00a0\u00a0 Then she sneezed, prompting Ben to climb the stairs to her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Now, Shiloh, you should be in bed.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa, if I lay in that bed any longer, every bone in my body will hurt.\u00a0 Right now, it’s just my shoulders and back.\u00a0 Can’t I…atchoo…sit by the fire for a little while?”\u00a0 She was breathing through her mouth and her nose was red; a look that made Ben feel sorry for her.\u00a0 He helped her down the stairs and got her situated in the leather chair next to the fireplace with her hassock under her feet, a blanket over her, and a handful of Adam’s handkerchiefs on her lap.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Joseph, sit back down and wait for the doctor.\u00a0 Shiloh, I’ll ask Hop Sing to bring your tea,” said Ben, leaving the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah came in from the barn, having taken care of Joe’s horse.\u00a0 He went straight over to Shiloh, sat on the table in front of her and took her hand, but leaned back when she sneezed.\u00a0 “You don’t sound much better.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Truthfully, I don’t remember when I’ve felt worse, but I can’t lay in the bed any longer.\u00a0 I’m sore.\u00a0\u00a0 Micah, was there a telegram today?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shorty didn’t have a chance to go into town, but he’s on his way now, so I’m sure he’ll check.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He bowed his head slightly and looked up into her eyes.\u00a0 “He’s a big boy. He’s been taking care of himself all these years all by himself.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She glanced over at Joe.\u00a0 “His father thinks he doesn’t do anything foolish, but riding out in that storm was pretty dumb if you ask me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Little Sister, we could say the same thing about you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She puckered her mouth and looked away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe smiled and chuckled.\u00a0 “Micah’s right.\u00a0 He can handle himself.\u00a0 He’s fine.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Fifty-Eight<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul Martin slowly walked down the stairs and set his medical bag on the coffee table.\u00a0 “Ben, we need to talk.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How’s Joseph?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He’ll live.\u00a0 But he’ll be in considerable pain soon.\u00a0 I’ve set his hand and wrapped it up tight.\u00a0 He needs to keep it still, so I’ve told him to use a sling. Now I fully expect that he won’t, so you need to make sure he keeps that arm in a sling to keep his hand still.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben passed Paul a cup of coffee.\u00a0 “I’ve seen that looked before, Paul. Shiloh?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking down into his cup, Paul took his time answering.\u00a0 “I’m concerned about the congestion I hear in her lungs, Ben.\u00a0 She could be on her way to pneumonia.\u00a0 I don’t think she’s there yet; she has only a slight fever, but if we don’t take care now, I’m sure it will get worse.\u00a0 You need to keep her up and out of that bed during the day.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben’s look was one of surprise.\u00a0 “Well, Paul, didn’t you just tell us she had to stay off her feet?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I did.\u00a0 What I want you to do is have her sit up, but keep her feet up.\u00a0 It’s the position of her lungs that’s important.\u00a0 If she’s on her back, fluid will build up.\u00a0 If she’s sitting up, that’s less likely.”\u00a0 Based on that step Ben took toward him and the fear in his eyes, Paul went on.\u00a0 “The baby is all right at the moment.\u00a0 And Shiloh is healthy and strong.\u00a0 But the risk to the baby goes up with the fever.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Isn’t there anything you can do?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Other than what I’ve already told you, no.\u00a0 Those who survive pneumonia are the strong.\u00a0 The weak generally don’t.\u00a0 So you make sure she eats to keep up her strength.\u00a0 She’s sleeping right now, but first thing in the morning, get her down here in a chair.\u00a0\u00a0 And make her eat.”\u00a0\u00a0 When Ben stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned, Paul set his coffee aside.\u00a0 “Ben, is there something else?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m surprised she’s sleeping.\u00a0 She didn’t get a telegram from Adam today after he promised he’d send one from Sacramento and San Francisco.\u00a0 He should already be in San Francisco.\u00a0 She’s worried.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Retrieving his medical bag, Paul headed for the door.\u00a0 “It’s late, Ben.\u00a0 And I have long ride ahead of me.”\u00a0\u00a0 Looking back at the worry on his friend’s face, he added, “Ben, Adam’s a grown man.\u00a0 He’s been to San Francisco and back more times than I can count, even in bad weather.\u00a0 He’s fine.\u00a0 I’m sure you’ll get a telegram from him tomorrow…that is, if the lines are up.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben quickly raised his head.\u00a0 “Of course.\u00a0 The wires could be down.”\u00a0 Forcing a smile, he shook Paul’s hand.\u00a0 “I appreciate you coming out so late.\u00a0 Shorty can ride back to town with you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’ll be late for him to be coming back.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’ll send him with some money for a hotel room.\u00a0 He can come back tomorrow.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When the trap door suddenly flew open, Hoss stiffened, but didn’t move.\u00a0 There was really nowhere for him to hide…that he could see.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He heard more than one person climb down, and he felt them standing in front of him, but it was a moment before anyone spoke.\u00a0 “I see what you mean, Dr. Freeman.\u00a0 Mr. Cartwright, I assume?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss sat up on the side of the bed.\u00a0 “Yessir.”\u00a0 Holding out his hand, he waited for the man to shake it, and when the major did, Hoss finally relaxed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You seem relieved, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 Did you think it might be someone else?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yessir.\u00a0 I thought you might be Cap’n Fletcher.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And just why would you be so concerned about Captain Fletcher?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss lowered his head.\u00a0 “I think you know the answer to that question, otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Dr. Freeman, get this man out of this…room, and get him back to Mrs. Levine’s.\u00a0 After you do that, I want everything cleared out of here, and I want this room filled with dirt.\u00a0 Do you understand me?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss could hear the defeat in Dr. Freeman’s voice.\u00a0 “Yessir.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A gentler, kinder voice came from the other man in the room.\u00a0 “Dr. Freeman, we abide by President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.\u00a0 There is no longer any reason for your people to hide.\u00a0 They are free here in the north.”\u00a0 Stepping closer, he added, “And we don’t want to reveal that part of the Underground Railroad was underneath a Union camp in Philadelphia.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I undastand, sir.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Sir, what about Cap’n Fletcher?” asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We’re looking for him now, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 He’ll answer for what he’s done here, and what he’s done to you.\u00a0 You’re free to go home.\u00a0 Mrs. Levine and Miss…Mrs. Cartwright are anxiously awaiting your arrival.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss’ smile was short lived.\u00a0 He was grateful for leaving the cellar, but scared to death to face Annie.\u00a0 He snorted as he thought about seeing Annie again. Imagine that.\u00a0 A man as big as he afraid to face the woman he loved.\u00a0 He didn’t feel much like that man at the moment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You ready, Mr. Cartwright?” asked Dr. Freeman.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tightening his lips, Hoss gave the doctor a quick nod.\u00a0 “I guess as ready as I’ll ever be.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Freeman had much less trouble getting Hoss back up the ladder.\u00a0 He knew it was a good sign that Hoss squinted from the brightness of daylight, but he still had to hold Hoss’ arm, guiding him out of the camp and down the sidewalks of Philadelphia toward Mrs. Levine’s house.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When they arrived at Mrs. Levine’s, Dr. Freeman knocked on the door.\u00a0 It was opened by Dr. Stephenson, who thanked Dr. Freeman and took Hoss’ arm, leading him into the house and to a chair.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Dr. Freeman…I don’t even know your first name,” said Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Jeffrey, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 Jeffrey Freeman.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I want you to leave how to contact you with Mrs. Levine.\u00a0 I meant that offer out in Nevada Territory.\u00a0 You just let me know when you and your family are ready.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mrs. Levine smiled and motioned Jeffrey Freeman into the kitchen where she wrote down his street address.\u00a0 “Dr. Freeman, you and your family are welcome in my home anytime.\u00a0 If you need help, you make sure you let me know.\u00a0 And when you’re ready to take Hoss up on his offer, I’ll be more than happy to help you get there.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Freeman looked down at the straw hat he worried in his hand.\u00a0 “Does Mr. Cartwright really have all that land that he can give it away?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mrs. Levine said proudly as if she knew it well, “It’s called the Ponderosa, and I hear it’s the largest ranch in the west; bigger that some states out here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“All this time, I ain’t never knowed there was white folk like you and Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 My wife’ll be right happy to find we got friends.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Dr. Freeman moved toward the back door, Mrs. Levine caught his arm.\u00a0 “Dr. Freeman, when you come to my home and leave from my home, you will use the front door.\u00a0 There’s no reason to hide.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, he turned and went to the front door, looked back one more time, smiled and said under his breath, “Friends.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss missed Freeman’s leaving.\u00a0 Dr. Stephenson was examining his eyes again and telling Annie how to treat them while they were on the way home.\u00a0 “Now you must keep them covered.\u00a0 I don’t want him straining to see.\u00a0 He needs to just let them heal.\u00a0 Put the gauze pads lightly over each eye and then wrap the cloth all the way around.\u00a0 You may remove them when he sleeps, but they must go back on each morning.\u00a0 Once you are home, you may test him, however, if his vision is still too blurry to see your fingers in front of him, put the gauze back on.\u00a0 Test him regularly each week.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie nodded and smiled, but when she caressed Hoss’ face with her hand, he flinched, causing her to draw back, a hurt frown appearing across her lips.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Dr. Stephenson, do you still think there’s a chance…well…I might not see again,” asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I won’t lie to you, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 There’s always that chance.\u00a0 But Dr. Freeman said you squinted in the daylight when you came up from the cellar, and that’s a very good sign that your eyes are healing.”\u00a0 Leaning toward him, even though he knew Hoss couldn’t see him, he said kindly, “You need to be patient.\u00a0 The eye is a very fragile organ.\u00a0 It could take some time to heal.\u00a0 But once you’re home, you should see some improvement each time Annie tests them.”\u00a0 Hoss nodded, but didn’t smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Dr. Stephenson exited, Major Sanders entered.\u00a0 “I have acquired tickets for the two of you on the train to New York, and from there you’ll catch your ship for your return trip to San Francisco.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Major Sanders, I appreciate that, but I…”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The President insisted the military pay for you and your wife’s passage, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 It’s small penance for what one of our own has done to you.\u00a0 You see, Captain Fletcher enlisted you which means you were injured during service to the Army of the United States of America.\u00a0 Therefore, you are entitled to reparations, Mr. Cartwright, for the rest of your life if you remain blind, as are your wife, and your children for the rest of their lives.\u00a0 If your sight returns, and you are declared an able-bodied man, the payments will cease.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Major, if it’s all the same to you, I don’t want no repairations, or whatever you call ’em.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Even so, Mr. Cartwright you will receive a monthly scrip.\u00a0 You may do what you wish with the money.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Again Hoss nodded without another word.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Major Sanders left, Mrs. Levine retreated to the kitchen, and finally, Hoss and Annie were left alone.\u00a0 The awkward silence seemed to last an eternity to Annie until she decided on the right words to say.\u00a0 “Hoss, I was terrified at what Captain Fletcher might do to you.”\u00a0 She moved to stand next to him and lifted his hand to her breast, clasping it tightly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Annie…when you and me got married, I could look in your eyes, and I knew you loved me.\u00a0 Now, I know you still love me, but…well, you didn’t marry a blind man.\u00a0 You married a man who could take care of you the way you deserve, and well, I’m not sure I’m that man anymore.\u00a0 I think we ought to wait and see if my sight comes back…before we…well before you find you have to spend your life with a invalid.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If Hoss could have seen Annie’s face, he’d have shrunk back.\u00a0 “Hoss Cartwright, you made me your wife for better or worse and in sickness and health as long as both of us are alive.\u00a0 If you think for one minute you’re getting out of it just because you have temporarily<\/em> lost your sight, well…you just think again.\u00a0 I took your name, and I intend to keep it!” She let his hand fall back down to his lap and turned to stomp out of the room, but turned back.\u00a0 “I’ll be in the kitchen helping Mrs. Levine with dinner.\u00a0 If you need anything, you make sure you call me, because if you don’t…well…you won’t like it if you don’t!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Adam awoke, he didn’t move at first, taking inventory of all the pains in his body.\u00a0 His shoulder was definitely still there, as well as the broken finger of his left hand.\u00a0 At least the arm injuries were on the same side.\u00a0 His leg was throbbing where a splintered piece of wood had gouged out a fairly deep canyon from the top of his thigh, and when he began to sit up and swing his legs over the side of the bed, he instantly fell back, hugging his ribs with his good arm.\u00a0 He knew it would take more than a week, possibly two before he could hide the damage.\u00a0 How could he possibly keep this from Shiloh?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath…no, that was a mistake.\u00a0 No deep breaths for awhile.\u00a0 Taking a tentative breath up to the point that it began to hurt, he slowly rolled to his side and pushed himself into an upright position, waiting for a moment until the pain in his chest was tolerable.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And so it went for the entire duration of his ablutions, dress and journey down the stairs. \u00a0It was a later hour than usual for Adam. The Slater’s had let him rest assuming that he needed it, but held breakfast for him as it was still only eight in the morning.\u00a0 The men were expected at the courthouse at ten.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam’s appetite suffered because of his pain, and though he could have gotten something to relieve his aches, he didn’t want the mentally muddled feeling that came with it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After giving his wife a furtive look, Robert said, “Adam, perhaps it would be better if I represented the firm for this inspection. I’ve toured the building as it’s been going up, and it looks good.\u00a0 Of course, I’ve not paid that much attention to the structural specifications.\u00a0 But if you’re comfortable with it, I will sign.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a sip of coffee, Adam gave Robert a smile of thanks that faded into one of cautiousness.\u00a0 “This is no slight to you, Robert, but I won’t have the firm’s name on a building I can’t guarantee is sound.\u00a0 It’s not good for business.\u00a0 I understand you haven’t studied the structural specifications, and it would be unfair to you to put you that position.\u00a0 No, I intend to do a thorough inspection, though,” he chuckled, “I could use your help.\u00a0 That means no suit today.\u00a0 I’ll put you to work if you’re up for it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Robert grinned, glad that Adam felt that strongly about the reputation of the firm.\u00a0 “This might actually be enjoyable.\u00a0 I haven’t gotten my hands dirty in a building in a long time.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Evelyn had been listening to the men’s conversations.\u00a0 She had the feeling that each was dancing around the problems Adam had encountered on his way to San Francisco.\u00a0 “Adam?” she said quietly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He looked up from his breakfast plate, and seeing the same expression on her face that he had seen on Shiloh’s face so many times when he was about to do something she considered dangerous, he smiled. \u00a0“Yes, Evelyn?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’ve read about avalanches.\u00a0 People don’t usually survive them.\u00a0 How did you manage?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With his brows furrowed, Adam’s nostrils flared, and his lips twisted into a thoughtful curve.\u00a0 “I wasn’t at the center of it.\u00a0 I was actually at the forward edge, and though it overcame me, I wasn’t left far enough underneath the surface to suffocate.\u00a0 But there were others there, the Pickerds, who were right at the bottom of the slope.\u00a0 It covered them in less than a second, and was probably so heavy, they had no time to…”\u00a0 Adam stroked his forehead.\u00a0 “They died instantly.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh, how awful.\u00a0 Have you told Shiloh what’s happened?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 And I’m not going to.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Robert had been studying his coffee trying to comprehend what it would have been like to be tumbled by a wave of snow.\u00a0 He looked up.\u00a0 “Doesn’t she deserve to know?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Starting a deep breath, Adam caught himself before he fully expanded his lungs, moving a hand to his chest.\u00a0 “Robert, Evelyn, we live in the Sierra.\u00a0 Avalanches occur somewhere up there every winter, and I don’t want her to start expecting the worst every time I have to go out in it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s winter, Adam,” said Evelyn reproachfully.\u00a0 “How much work can there possibly be in the winter?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The question put a smile back on his face.\u00a0 He knew Evelyn had spent her entire life in a city.\u00a0 “We have to go out every day to tend to cattle, fences, buildings, sheds, horses, and now a mine.\u00a0 Winter does give us a bit more time to relax, but when we work outside, it’s harder because of the snow.\u00a0 And all this reminds me; I have to speak with Mayor Coon today.\u00a0 The people who didn’t survive were Amos and Emily Pickerd.\u00a0 Amos was the city’s stable master. \u00a0Coon’s probably received a telegram from the sheriff in Placerville by now, but I’m sure he’ll want to know the details.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What in Heaven’s name were they doing in the Sierra?” asked Robert as he wiped his mouth and laid his napkin on the table.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Robert went to move Evelyn’s chair away for her, Adam also stood. “He was on his way to see Shiloh’s horses.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both Slaters stopped, their jaws slack and their eyes piteous.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I told them she wasn’t showing horses and advised them to turn back.”\u00a0 Adam didn’t wait for a response. He simply turned and left the dining room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Fifty-Nine<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben, Joe and Hop Sing had already made brief appearances this morning in the big room, each going their separate ways for their morning chores.\u00a0 No one had heard a peep out of Ming Lin. Hop Sing was keeping him still in the room off the back of the kitchen and \u00a0kept everyone up-to-date on his condition.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Joe came in from the barn, Ben had just started across the room from the desk.\u00a0 “And just where have you been?\u00a0 You were supposed to give the horses hay and come straight back.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe’s frown reached his eyes.\u00a0 “Pa, I just need something to keep me busy.\u00a0 It takes my mind off my aching hand.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With the crease of his brow easing and a slight smile, Ben walked over to Joe and moved his arm around Joe’s shoulders, gently guiding him toward the stairs. “The doctor said you are to keep that hand still in order for it to heal properly. I know it’s difficult, but you do want the use of that hand again, don’t you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sighing, Joe looked at his shoes, and said rather glumly, “Yessir.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Good.\u00a0 Now, I want you to go upstairs and try to wake Shiloh.\u00a0 Tell her to she has to come downstairs for breakfast.\u00a0 If she argues…just tell her…I need to talk to her down here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wagging his head, Joe silently climbed the stairs, and when he reached Shiloh’s bedroom door, he quietly knocked.\u00a0 Hearing nothing, he knocked harder, and then cracked the door open and peered in.\u00a0 Seeing nothing more than a mound on the bed, he stepped in and tiptoed to the bed, grimacing.\u00a0 Her head was propped at an odd angle.\u00a0 If she’d slept that way all night, she was going to have a headache worse than a hangover. \u00a0He touched her shoulder.\u00a0 “Shiloh?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When she didn’t move, his brows furrowed, and he moved his right hand to her other arm, pulling back quickly and swearing under his breath.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I heard that,” she said in a hoarse voice.\u00a0 “Go away.\u00a0 I don’t want to see anybody today.\u00a0 A…a…atchoo!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa says you have to come downstairs for breakfast.\u00a0 He wants to talk to you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Ca…a…choo!”\u00a0 She felt for a handkerchief on the blanket, covered her nose and blew.\u00a0 “Can’t he come up here and talk to bme?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Nope.\u00a0 He said to bring you down.\u00a0 Now swing your feet around.\u00a0 I’ve got your house shoes right here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh hadn’t bothered to braid her hair the night before.\u00a0 She looked like someone had dug their fingers in and given her hair a good tousle.\u00a0 Seeing her swing her legs around was more like watching a huge ball with arms and legs rotating in the bed.\u00a0 She looked as sick as she was, and as bad she must have felt, it didn’t seem to matter to her what anyone saw.\u00a0 Joe winced, blowing a slow breath out of his open puckered mouth. There were just some forms of dress that only a husband should have to see, especially when his wife was that front heavy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Would you excuse me for a bminute?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Huh?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I have to…”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh, I’ll…ah…just wait outside.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In only a few minutes, she called him, but nothing but air came out.\u00a0 Hanging her head, she tried one more time, and this time it was just loud enough for Joe to hear.\u00a0 “Robe, please,” she coughed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Holding her robe so she could slip her arms in, he draped it over her shoulders, and once tied, he offered her his arm and led her down the stairs where Ben and Hop Sing were waiting with a blanket and hot tea next to the leather chair by the fireplace.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Good morning,” said Ben in his normal booming voice that sent her shrinking at the resulting pounding in her head. “Oh no.\u00a0 I’m sorry, Shiloh.\u00a0 I didn’t think that you’d have a headache.”\u00a0 Ben took her arm and helped her into the chair.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa, we really have to do something about the way she sleeps.\u00a0 Her head was all…”\u00a0 Jerking his head awkwardly to the side into his shoulder was enough to communicate that it wasn’t good.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We’ll just have to find more pillows to prop you up on.\u00a0 Now sit right down here,” Ben said as he covered her with the blanket and lifted her feet onto the hassock.\u00a0 “Hop Sing will bring you some breakfast.\u00a0 You can eat right here where you’re comfortable.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Raising the handkerchief to her mouth, she went into a coughing fit.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Paul said it’s good that you’re coughing.\u00a0 It means the congestion in your lungs is loosening.\u00a0 He also said that you need to sit up as much as you can so this doesn’t turn into pneumonia.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pneubmonia?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Not yet.\u00a0 And if we can help it, not ever.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She let her head fall back against the chair and closed her eyes, feeling too bad to argue.\u00a0 “Did I get a telegram?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t know yet. Shorty rode into town with Paul, and he stayed the night.\u00a0 He’ll be back sometime this morning.”\u00a0 He watched her shoulders sag as her head dropped forward.\u00a0 “Shiloh, it’s possible the lines are down.\u00a0 If they are, we won’t hear from him for several days.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Giving him one the clearest looks she had managed for the last two days, she asked, “Aren’t you worried?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He snorted as one side of his mouth turned up. Taking a seat on the coffee table in front of her, he answered, “You’ll discover this soon enough yourself, but a parent always worries about a child when he goes off on his own.\u00a0 Of course I’m worried.\u00a0 But my years of experience, especially with Adam, tells me that whatever he faces, he’ll manage.\u00a0 He’s done that since he was just a small boy.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled as she thought of her husband.\u00a0 “Somehow, I just can’t picture him as a small boy.\u00a0 The way I see him, he’s always been a bman, even when he was young.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“In a lot of ways, that’s true, but you know most of those stories.”\u00a0 Taking her hand, he added, “That’s one very good reason why I don’t think he’ll ever put any of your children in a position to go through that kind of hardship.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa…a…a…choo.”\u00a0 She blew her nose. “I never bmeant to ibmply he didn’t have a good childhood. I know life was hard, but he learned so bmany things from you that he bmight not have otherwise.\u00a0 And you taught him so well, he went to a prestigious college without any preparatory work at all.”\u00a0 Asking for his hand, she squeezed it.\u00a0 “I really don’t think he regrets a bmoment of that journey, except bmaybe that you were alone for so long, and then the loss of Inger.\u00a0 Adam loved her very bmuch.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben smiled at the memory of Inger holding the little boy she had accepted as her own.\u00a0 Rising from the table, he kissed the top of Shiloh’s head. “Drink your tea before it gets cold.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The foreman at the construction site took one look at Adam and grinned.\u00a0 \u201cYou look like you tangled with a bear.\u00a0 I guess this is going to be short inspection, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though his body looked beaten, his voice was as strong as ever.\u00a0 \u201cThat depends on whether you\u2019ve followed the plans and specifications.\u00a0 If you haven\u2019t, I may be here for a long time to be sure you correct any errors.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With an angry frown, the foreman huffed and walked away, stopping and speaking with another man and pointing to Adam and Robert.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The man approached them with his hand held out.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m Willis Timmons.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be showing you around the building.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Timmons, I don\u2019t need to be shown around, but I do want to look at some specific things, mainly structural.\u00a0 So get your mallet and chisel.\u00a0 The instructions said to leave the areas to be checked accessible, but if I know your foreman, they’re already closed up.\u00a0 We\u2019ll have to open them.\u201d\u00a0 Turning to Robert, he said, \u201cRobert, these men need to stop what they\u2019re doing until this inspection is done.\u00a0 I want them all off the site except the foreman, and Mr. Timmons here.\u201d\u00a0 Willis had started to object, but Adam held up his good hand.\u00a0 \u201cI know they don\u2019t get paid if they\u2019re not working.\u00a0 The quicker we can get this done, the quicker they can get back to work.\u201d\u00a0 Pulling a drawing from under his arm, Adam rolled it out and showed Willis the first anchor he wanted to see.\u00a0 As he and Willis went into the building, Robert went to find the foreman.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The day ended in Mayor Coon\u2019s office.\u00a0 The Mayor had listened to each side when they started, but was straining to make out what was being said as Robert and the foreman began to yell at each other.\u00a0 He noticed that Adam was still sitting in his chair at the conference table, calmly running his fingers over his forehead, so he decided he’d leave the relative comfort of his desk and take the seat next to him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, I understand you have news of my stable master and his wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir, I do.\u00a0 Both were killed instantly in an avalanche between Grizzly Flat and Diamond Springs.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDo you care to elaborate?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam told him the entire story, including that the horses Pickerd wanted to see were his wife\u2019s, that she was in no condition to show them, so he suggested they return to San Francisco.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0He continued to tell him about the wolf, the scream and finally the gunshot that brought the snow shelf down upon them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, you sound like you feel responsible.\u00a0 Let me assure you, no one will pursue that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry Mayor, but that doesn\u2019t really settle it for me.\u00a0 You can\u2019t deny if I hadn\u2019t sent them back, they\u2019d still be alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but how often can each of us say that an innocent action on our part put someone in harm\u2019s way?\u00a0 How can we take responsibility for circumstances of which we have no knowledge?\u00a0 We\u2019re not seers.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling and nodding, Adam said, \u201cTrue.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNow, tell me what all the shouting is about,\u201d Coon said, indicating the other two men in the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam exhaled heavily and started to clasp his hands in front of him, but stopped abruptly at the pain in his left hand.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not prepared to sign off on the inspection until some corrections are made\u2026some fairly substantial corrections.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere were errors in the specifications?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, the specifications are fine.\u00a0 The problem is that the specifications for most of the load bearing supports weren\u2019t followed.\u00a0 Your foreman authorized the use of bolts made locally because he could get them quicker, thereby getting the work done faster and getting his bonus.\u00a0 The specifications called for a specific bolt made in New York that was en route.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what is the difference in the bolts?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe bolts he used can handle only half the load of those coming from New York.\u00a0 Vertical pressure on the lower flours will eventually lead to metal fatigue, and after that, any sheering force will cause the metal to crumble.\u00a0 If two of the four bolts on each support beam go, the other two won\u2019t hold the weight and that part of the building will collapse.\u00a0 The biggest concern is the tremors you experience here.\u00a0 The side motion will make things worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what will it take to correct them?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, part of the problem is that they\u2019ve all been covered with finished walls.\u00a0 I have no way of knowing whether some or all of the bolts will have to be replaced, so a good amount of time will spent be cutting through the walls, and then replacing the walls after the bolts are swapped. \u00a0\u00a0He did the same with the rivets for the cross beams.\u00a0 We\u2019ll have to take down the ceiling and set up temporary supports to hold up the ceiling and upper floors in order to replace the rivets.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The yelling got louder, so Mayor Coon leaned in.\u00a0 \u201cAnd how do I know this isn\u2019t a specification issue?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam pulled over the plans that had been spread out over the conference table along with the list of specifications that accompanied each drawing.\u00a0 Next, he fished two bolts out of his pocket.\u00a0 \u201cThis is the bolt I specified.\u201d\u00a0 Turning the bolt to its side, it was easy for Mayor Coon to see the size and weight of the bolt in Adam\u2019s hand matched what was in the specifications.\u00a0 \u201cThis bolt,\u201d he said, holding up the other one, \u201cis the bolt your foreman used.\u00a0 You can see here right on the bolt that the load rate is half of these, and you can see here on the other side where this bolt was manufactured.\u201d\u00a0 He sat the two bolts on end on the table in front of the Mayor.\u00a0 \u201cYou can look at these bolts and see the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t suppose I should investigate this San Francisco manufacturer, do you?\u00a0 See if there was any money passed between them and my foreman?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMayor, that\u2019s entirely up to you.\u00a0 The damage is done here, but the correct bolts and rivets have arrived.\u00a0 We have to fix this, and we have what we need to fix it.\u00a0 My only concern is how long the delay will be, but perhaps, your foreman and the company who made these bolts should pay for the delay.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWould you stay long enough to interview for a new foreman?\u201d\u00a0 The mayor watched as Adam winced, and before he could decline, the mayor added, \u201cI would like you to go over the specifications with the new foreman and act in that capacity until we hire a replacement.\u00a0 You can get the work started, and he can continue it.\u00a0 And I\u2019ll throw in a good bonus for your time and trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam looked over at the two men still arguing, his face showing unhappy acceptance.\u00a0 Robert could do what needed to be done in time after he became familiar with the plans and specifications, but that would only delay the project even longer.\u00a0 If he didn\u2019t stay, he\u2019d probably have to come back fairly soon to finish the inspection, but if he got the work started and brought Robert into it, Robert could finish the inspection.\u00a0 Coming back ordinarily wouldn\u2019t be a problem, but with Shiloh only a few months away from giving birth to their first child, he didn\u2019t want to risk it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Holding out his good hand, Adam said, \u201cAll right.\u00a0 I\u2019ll stay.\u00a0 But there should be no delay in finding another foreman.\u00a0 My wife is expecting our first child in a few months, and I have to get back.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Rising slowly from the table as he girded his ribs with his good hand, he called, \u201cRobert, let\u2019s go,\u201d then placed his hat on his head and left the room with his drawings and bolts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Robert and the foremen abruptly stopped arguing, and looking quite confused, Robert reached for his hat and rushed out the door after Adam.\u00a0 It was easy to catch up as Adam wasn\u2019t moving very fast, and just as Robert opened his mouth to ask what was going on, both men heard an angry string of unrepeatable phrases coming out of the mayor\u2019s office.\u00a0 \u201cWe need to get some of the crew back, Robert.\u00a0 I\u2019ll talk to Timmons tomorrow morning. You and I have a building waiting for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Sixty<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam staggered as he climbed the steps to the front door of the Slater’s home.\u00a0 He was lucky Robert was there to catch him, because his landing would have been on hard concrete rather than the soft dirt or duff back home.\u00a0 “Once we get you inside,” said Robert, “I’m sending for the doctor.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam was too dizzy to argue, and when Robert guided him to the sofa, Adam almost fell onto it, groaning at the pain in his shoulder and ribs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Evelyn, bring a blanket.\u00a0 We need to keep him warm until the doctor arrives.”\u00a0 While Evelyn removed Adam’s boots and tucked a blanket around him, Robert left the room, sending the butler after the doctor.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When the doctor arrived, both he and Robert got Adam to his bedroom; one arm over each man as they bore him up the stairs.\u00a0 By the time the doctor was finished with him, Adam was in a night shirt in the bed with his wounds newly bandaged.\u00a0 “Mr. Cartwright, I want you to rest for the next few days.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I can’t do that.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I understand you want to get back to your wife, but unless you rest, time won’t matter.\u00a0 You could be going back in a pine box.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tired of everyone telling him he had to rest, Adam shot back, “What’s going to kill me?\u00a0 I have a knot on my head, a broken finger, a sore shoulder, some busted ribs and a scratch on my leg; nothing I haven’t had before.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The doctor smiled, understanding Adam’s frustration.\u00a0 “All at the same time?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With his nostrils flared and his lips pursed, Adam cut his eyes up at the doctor.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam…may I call you Adam?” Adam looked away at the same time he slightly nodded.\u00a0 “You have more than a knot on your head, though Robert assures me you have one of the hardest heads he’s ever known.\u201d The smile that accompanied that remark wasn\u2019t missed.\u00a0 \u201cThat knot<\/em> is the reason for your dizziness.\u00a0 Truthfully, though, Adam, I’m concerned about your ribs.\u00a0 If you move the wrong way, you could puncture a major organ.\u00a0 And the scratch<\/em> on your leg was deep enough to warrant stitches and had to be restitched because of your activity today.\u00a0 Thank goodness you had the sense to keep your arm in the sling, because if you hadn’t you might have done some permanent damage to your shoulder.\u00a0 Now, I have instructed Mr. Slater that you may direct and watch the work at the courthouse, but you may not participate in any other way.\u00a0 Do I make myself clear?”\u00a0 The only sound was a heavy breath.\u00a0 “I understand your wife is expecting your first.\u00a0 Is that right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning his head forward, Adam looked up at the ceiling and relaxed.\u00a0 “Yes.\u00a0 The baby’s due in April.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Wouldn’t it be unfair to her if she had to raise the child without you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A half-smile snuck onto Adam’s lips.\u00a0 “Shiloh will never be alone.\u00a0 Her brother and my father and brothers would see to that.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m sure your family could never replace you in her eyes…or her heart.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Letting his eyes fall to the blanket over him, Adam was silent, thinking…wondering…what life would be like for Shiloh…alone.\u00a0 She’d borne enough loss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The doctor smiled and rose from the chair next to the bed, reaching into his bag and pulling out a bottle.\u00a0 “I understand you don’t like laudanum, and I can understand why.\u00a0 Tonight, however you are going to take a dose to help you sleep. If you don’t, I’ll tell Robert to lock you in this room until you do.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chuckling at the absurdity of Robert locking him in his room, he gave in.\u00a0 He knew he needed sleep more than anything, and knew he wasn’t going to sleep without some relief from the pain.\u00a0 Perhaps tomorrow he’d feel better with some rest.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss sat on a bench at the train station with his eyes covered by gauze while Annie and Mrs. Levine arranged to have the luggage loaded.\u00a0 Jeffery Freeman was with them and happily went along to carry the heaviest of the bags.\u00a0 Before they returned for Hoss, Major Samuel Stafford entered the station, immediately spotting Hoss by himself on the bench.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mr. Cartwright, I came by to see you off.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Major, that was mighty nice of you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Where, may I ask, are the ladies?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“They’re fussin\u2019 over the luggage.\u00a0 Doc Freeman went with ’em to heft the heavy bags.\u00a0 Uh, Major, I know you don’t know me or nothin’, and I really don’t know you, but I need to ask a favor of you.\u00a0 I’ve asked Dr. Freeman to bring his family out West to sorta start over.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss couldn’t see the sudden crease of the major’s brow.\u00a0 “May I ask why you’d do that, Mr. Cartwright?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, Hoss explained, “Well, ya see, I figured with the way he put himself in danger to help me, it’s the least I could do.\u00a0 My family’d be glad to have another hard workin\u2019 family\u00a0 as neighbors.\u00a0 We got a lot of land out there, and if Jeffrey works for us for a year, he gets some land of his own and some cattle to start his own place.”<\/p>\n

“And what would be his wages while he worked for you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Eight dollars a week, plus bunk and beans is what we generally pay.\u00a0 Only Jeffery and his family would get one of the cabins on our property instead of a bunk, plus whatever they need out of the smokehouse and garden.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The major’s eyebrows went up and a smile slowly appeared.\u00a0 “You realize there may be a problem with acceptance, don’t you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss’ smile disappeared and a furrow appeared on his brow. “Ain’t none of that on the Ponderosa, Major.\u00a0 The man who starts it gets his pay on the spot and leaves.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nodding thoughtfully, the major was satisfied that the Cartwrights would treat the Freeman family fairly.\u00a0 “What is the favor?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss had asked Annie to take three hundred dollars out of his wallet so he could put it in his pocket.\u00a0 While digging it out, he said, “I want you to hold some money for Jeffrey; enough to pay him and his family’s passage to Virginia City once he’s released from duty.\u00a0 When you give ‘im his last pay, I want you to hand him the tickets and make sure he gets on the train.”\u00a0 Nodding toward the money in his outstretched hand, he added, “This oughta be enough to get \u2018em a cabin.\u00a0 Ain’t no need for \u2018em to be in steerage.\u00a0 There’ll be enough left for the stage from San Francisco to Virginia City.\u00a0 All he needs to do is let us know when he’s s’posed to get there, and we’ll come get ‘im.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The major smiled and took the money.\u00a0 I will do as you wish, Mr. Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Tell me somethin’, Major.\u00a0 You never found Fletcher.\u00a0 Got any idea where he mighta gone?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shifting his weight to one side, Major Stafford replied, “If I knew that, I would have found him by now.\u00a0 Frankly, Mr. Cartwright, I think the man was quite mad.\u00a0 You and Mrs. Levine are probably the only ones who ever stood up to him, and he simply couldn’t handle it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shorty had come in through the kitchen trying not to disturb the household.\u00a0 He knew they were all trying to get Mrs. Cartwright to rest. \u00a0Quietly easing around the corner of the dining room, he looked over toward the fire.\u00a0 Ben motioned him over.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shorty, any problems?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No sir, Mister Ben.\u00a0 Just a little slow goin’.”\u00a0 Reaching out, Shorty continued, “I picked this up from the telegraph office this morning.\u00a0 Arnie said the first one for Mrs. Cartwright came in day before yesterday kinda late.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Thank you, Shorty.\u00a0 Have you had breakfast?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No sir.\u00a0 I wanted to get back with them telegrams quick as I could.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben smiled.\u00a0 If there was one man on Adam’s payroll he knew would try his best, it was Shorty.\u00a0 “Go on back in the kitchen and tell Hop Sing I said to feed you breakfast.\u00a0 Then I want you to go to the stables and check on Shiloh’s horses.\u00a0 I’m sure she’ll want to hear they’re safe and warm.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Thank you, Mister Ben.”\u00a0 He looked over at Shiloh who was peacefully sleeping.\u00a0 “How’s she doin’?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking over at her fondly, the hand holding the telegram softly fell to Ben’s lap.\u00a0 “She’s had a rough morning, but she drank some of Cheron’s tea.\u00a0 This is as quiet as I’ve heard her in the last few days.”\u00a0 As Shorty strode back toward the kitchen, Ben raised the telegram.\u00a0 There were actually three notes in the one envelope; two for Shiloh and the other addressed to him.\u00a0 He placed Shiloh’s telegrams back in the envelope and began to read his.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Problems with building.\u00a0 Staying longer than planned.\u00a0 Please try to convince Shiloh to stay with you.\u00a0 I would be much relieved.\u00a0\u00a0 Much love to you, Hoss and Joe.\u00a0 Adam.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Exhaling, Ben pondered his next action.\u00a0 He needed to let Adam know that Shiloh was at the main house without telling him of her condition.\u00a0 He would suggest to Shiloh that she do that.\u00a0 He also wanted a newspaper if any had arrived from San Francisco.\u00a0 If experience served him where his son and daughter-in-law were concerned, whatever delay had taken place at the courthouse would be first page news.\u00a0 Rising from the chair, he glanced down at Shiloh with a smile as he passed her still asleep and went to the kitchen.\u00a0 “Shorty, when you’ve finished at the stables, I want you to come back here.\u00a0 I’ll have some telegrams for you to send, and I want you to look for a recent San Francisco newspaper.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Which one, Mister Ben?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben had turned back toward the dining room, but stopped and thought.\u00a0 “The Alta<\/em>.\u00a0 It would be the first paper of the day.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the time Shorty was back from the stables, Shiloh was awake and reading her telegram.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mrs. Adam Cartwright<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam has asked that I contact you as he was still en route to San Francisco.\u00a0 He is well, but has been delayed because of the storms in the Sierra.\u00a0 He will contact you as soon as he arrives in the city.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Robert Slater<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Without folding the first, Shiloh quickly pulled out the second.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Arrived in city later than expected.\u00a0 Am well, my love, but am concerned for you.\u00a0 Inspection found problems, so may be delayed.\u00a0 Will write and explain.\u00a0 All my heart.\u00a0 Adam. <\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh stared at the paper as she slowly lowered it to her lap.\u00a0 Delayed.\u00a0 At the moment, that’s the only word on which she could focus.\u00a0 Delayed.\u00a0 How long?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Studying her face as she read the telegram, Ben watched her anxious eyes devour the words, and then slowly dull as she stared at the paper.\u00a0 He crossed his legs and puffed on his pipe.\u00a0 “Shiloh?\u00a0 Is everything all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He says he’s well, but may be delayed.\u00a0 I have no idea how long,” she said, slowly folding the telegram.\u00a0 “He said he’d write.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben gave her a reassuring smile.\u00a0 “He’s a man of his word.\u00a0 Be patient.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Sixty-One<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rest was, indeed, what Adam Cartwright needed most if <\/em>his mind wasn\u2019t ordering his body to lie to him.\u00a0 Though he was still sore, he felt invigorated when he awoke and looked forward to the day at the construction site.\u00a0 Although he still moved slowly, still wore the sling, still limped and still turned his torso with great care, he wore a smile, and the twinkle that shown in his eyes when he was able to apply all his education to the work at hand was back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He had risen earlier than usual so that he could write Shiloh before he headed downstairs for breakfast.\u00a0 He stopped and started several times when writing about the trip, making sure he kept his injuries off the paper.\u00a0 Then he dove into the problems at the construction site and what it was going to take to correct them before an inspection could be completed, promising that he would get the work started and leave the rest for Robert so that he could return home as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reading through the letter one last time, he smiled and stuffed two full pages in an envelope he had already addressed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Evelyn turned from setting fresh flowers in the center of the dining room table when she heard footsteps on the stairs, expecting to see her husband.\u00a0 She turned and smiled.\u00a0 \u201cWell, you look quite improved.\u00a0 How do you feel?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam returned the smile.\u00a0 \u201cStill sore, but better.\u00a0 I guess the doctor knew what he was talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve beaten Robert down, but please sit down and have some coffee.\u00a0 Breakfast will be ready any minute.\u00a0 I\u2019ll go hurry Robert along.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo need, my dear,\u201d said Robert from the top of the stairs.\u00a0 As he stepped down off the last riser, he said good morning to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cI was wondering if you\u2019d even try to go to the site today.\u00a0 You were limping pretty badly last night besides leaning against the walls.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI feel much better this morning, and I\u2019m anxious to get started.\u00a0 I thought I\u2019d finish the inspection for the other areas of the building while the men are opening up the walls.\u00a0 I particularly want to look at the sewer and the chases for the heating and stove pipes.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI have been ordered to limit your work on the site.\u00a0 There will be no climbing through the chases.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cRobert, I have to check the pipe supports and couplings.\u00a0 How else am I going to do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sitting down at the head of the table and flipping his napkin before he placed it on his lap, Robert scowled.\u00a0 \u201cI am perfectly capable of checking pipe supports and couplings.\u00a0 I would prefer you concentrated on directing the men who will be opening up the walls and adding the shoring to hold up the ceilings while the bolts are being replaced.\u00a0 You can also find a foreman.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure there\u2019s a few good men already on the crew who could do that job.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nodding, Adam said, \u201cI had thought about Timmons.\u00a0 I remember him from my first inspection.\u00a0 He was familiar with everything I had asked about, and he\u2019s the one who opened up the walls where we found the inferior bolts.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As food was placed on the table and coffee was refreshed, Robert leaned forward.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll leave that in your capable hands while I\u2019m crawling through the building.\u00a0 I\u2019m rather looking forward to it.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t gotten to do much of that lately.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam narrowed his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cHaven\u2019t you always inspected the buildings you\u2019ve designed?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, yes, but the courthouse is the first design of its kind for us.\u00a0 You have large open spaces without floor supports, you\u2019ve put boilers in the basement, and you\u2019ve managed to modernize necessities.\u00a0 Frankly, I didn\u2019t think the universities here in the states were teaching those things.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThey weren\u2019t twelve years ago.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been reading the architectural journals from Boston and New York as wells as British journals and some Greek and Roman history.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAh yes.\u00a0 Greeks and Romans,\u201d remarked Robert, chuckling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t discount the Greeks and Romans. They had internal heat and baths long before the rest of us were around.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Robert and Adam prepared to leave after breakfast, gathering all the drawings and specifications they would need.\u00a0 Robert spent the major part of his day climbing through the chases while Adam interviewed Timmons, and then had him choose the men who would make up the small crew that would be correcting the building support defects.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was difficult to physically keep his hands off the work.\u00a0 Each time he rushed in to help, his ribs and shoulder stopped him.\u00a0 Even Timmons threatened to call Robert on more than one occasion.\u00a0 The last temporary support of the day was in, and the ceiling had been opened to reveal the rivets in one of the main cross sections.\u00a0 Adam didn\u2019t wait to be told about the rivets.\u00a0 Rather he climbed the ladder before anyone realized what he was doing and stuck his head and shoulders into the hole in the ceiling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, Mr. Slater said you are not to climb those ladders,\u201d Timmons admonished.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t respond.\u00a0 He was too busy maneuvering his body to a position where he could get a good look at the rivets.\u00a0 Not only that, he was checking the support beams as well.\u00a0 He had discussed the bolts and rivets with the mayor because that was what they had immediately seen.\u00a0 But this was a chance to observe the beams themselves to ensure they were up to snuff.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTimmons, where\u2019s Mr. Cartwright?\u201d said Robert, walking onto the dust covered marble lobby floor.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmons frowned and pointed to the top of the ladder.\u00a0 \u201cOh really,\u201d replied Robert, stepping up on the lowest rung.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, just what do you think you\u2019re doing?\u00a0 Come down from there this instant.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Satisfied with the beam, Adam slowly lowered himself down the ladder to the floor.\u00a0 \u201cThe beam looks good.\u00a0 The rivets have to be replaced.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Robert gave him a disgruntled look that made Adam chuckle.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCome \u2018ere.\u00a0 I want to show you something,\u201d Adam said as he lightly backhanded Robert\u2019s chest and walked to the makeshift table where the drawings and specifications were laid out.\u00a0 \u201cYou, too, Timmons.\u00a0 You both have to learn this.\u201d\u00a0 Pointing to various places on the drawings, he said, \u201cAll these beams need to be checked to make sure they meet the specifications.\u00a0 If the foreman cut corners on the bolts and rivets, there\u2019s reason to suspect the supports.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand,\u201d said Timmons.\u00a0 \u201cWhat could he have done to iron supports?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know anything about different grades of iron?\u201d asked Adam.\u00a0 Timmons shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s pig iron\u2026that\u2019s the raw metal before it\u2019s refined.\u00a0 But then there are different grades of refining.\u00a0 If the supports were properly worked, they are wrought iron which is what we want.\u00a0 But if any shortcuts were made, we may have gotten some cast iron supports which will be brittle and over time will break.\u00a0 You can tell the difference with a hammer.\u00a0 If you can knock a piece of the support off with a hammer, it\u2019s cast iron.\u201d\u00a0 He looked at Robert.\u00a0 \u201cIf he used any cast iron in this building, we have a serious problem.\u00a0 You have to check all the joints for the rivets, so while you\u2019re doing that, I want you to test all the beams.\u201d\u00a0 The three men turned back to the drawings where Adam showed them everything he had marked to be checked.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Timmons shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cThis could take weeks.\u00a0 It\u2019ll put us behind schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe mayor already knows that,\u201d said Adam.\u00a0 \u201cChecking the beams as you replace the rivets won\u2019t add any significant time unless you find a cast iron beam.\u00a0 Then everything has to stop until we evaluate how to replace the beam.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, I\u2019ve never been on a job where this kind of inspection was done.\u00a0 What made you start looking at the joints anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMy name is on these plans.\u00a0 I want it done right.\u00a0 And I don\u2019t want to be responsible for the injuries and deaths that would result if this building collapses in one or two years.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLook at this lobby, Mr. Timmons.\u00a0 \u201cHave you ever seen a lobby this large without support posts?\u201d asked Robert.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning in a circle, Timmons really looked at the interior of the building for the first time.\u00a0 From the marble floor, to the carved wood banister of the stairs and molding, and the decorative iron pillars embedded in the walls, he recognized the beauty of the design and materials.\u00a0 \u201cI reckon this will be about the most beautiful lobby I\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMake sure you keep it that way.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want anyone to see the seams when you patch up the holes,\u201d said Adam as he turned to Robert.\u00a0 \u201cHow are the chases so far?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve started from the top and worked my way down two of them.\u00a0 Everything is in order.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d said Adam with a smile as he walked toward the main entrance. \u201cI think it\u2019ll take about a week to have you both comfortable with the correction work.\u00a0 After that, I\u2019ll work on the cost and give the mayor an updated bill, and once I\u2019ve inspected the windows, doors and the water system, including the water tower, I\u2019ll leave it to you two.\u201d\u00a0 Stopping on the front steps, he looked out.\u00a0 The sun was just beginning to disappear behind the buildings across the street.\u00a0 \u201cGentlemen, we should call it a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That evening after dinner, Adam sat alone in his bedroom at a small desk.\u00a0 He had made his apologies after a short conversation with Robert in the parlor and retreated upstairs. He was exhausted and sore, but as he stared out the window, his thoughts were of Shiloh. \u00a0It had become quite clear since his conversation with Annie in San Francisco, when he finally thought of Shiloh as a woman rather than a girl for the first time, that the two of them together could do remarkable things.\u00a0 But they weren\u2019t together, and their chosen careers were worlds apart; hers taking her to the stages of the largest cities in the country and his taking him to participate in building the largest cities in the country.\u00a0 Looking down at his hands on his lap, he chuckled.\u00a0 Perhaps they weren\u2019t so far apart after all.\u00a0 She designed music using the intricate drawings of musical notes on a staff with a treble and bass clef.\u00a0 He designed buildings much the same way.\u00a0 They had ranching in common, they had education in common.\u00a0 Perhaps, he should learn her methods of training horses to bring them even closer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He inhaled deeply and looked back out the window. Closer\u2026two hundred miles separated them now.\u00a0 But it wasn\u2019t the work that separated them. \u00a0He knew his father and everyone else in Virginia City wondered if he would ever find someone to settle down with and raise a family. \u00a0And now that it was about to happen with his child arriving in only a few months time, he felt guilty for clipping Shiloh\u2019s wings. Thinking of her sitting with her feet up off the floor and not much more to do than read a book or check his figures in the ledger\u2026to go to bed each night alone with the enormous responsibility of nurturing a life\u2026without him\u2026bothered him.\u00a0 She was doing it all alone.\u00a0 She\u2019d given up her work, those things that made her happy because he<\/em> wanted a child. Perhaps having the career of his dreams was too much when it seemed he was getting everything he wanted, and she was doing all the work; none of it, it seemed, for herself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning in the chair, he removed the stopper from the ink bottle and put pen to paper.\u00a0 He needed to tell her how much he loved her for the sacrifices he knew she was making for him.\u00a0 He wanted to make her feel closer.\u00a0 He did this each night before he closed his eyes until the day he left the city.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Sixty-Two<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Hoss and Annie sat quietly on the train to New York, Annie slipped her hand underneath Hoss\u2019 on his lap.\u00a0 They were a full hour into the eight hour trip, and neither had uttered a word.\u00a0 The train was crowded, but they were seated in the back, up against the back wall of their car and had a bit of privacy if they spoke quietly\u2026if they chose to speak at all.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie laid her cheek on Hoss\u2019 upper arm and turned her face up to his, whispering so that only he could hear.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t marry you because I knew you could take care of me, although, I know that you can in the truest sense of those words.\u00a0 I married you because I love you with the understanding that you and I can survive in any circumstance together.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss took a deep breath, and when he opened his mouth, she stopped him.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not finished.\u00a0 Just listen.\u00a0 I\u2019m not concerned for myself by your blindness.\u00a0 I\u2019m actually more concerned for you.\u00a0 You never seemed the type of man to just give up.\u00a0 And I don\u2019t care what Dr. Stephenson told you about the chances of remaining blind.\u00a0 I\u2019m not accepting that.\u00a0 I refuse to believe that you won\u2019t get your sight back.\u00a0 And even if you didn\u2019t, I\u2019d still love you.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you realize that there are people all over the country living their lives without sight, taking care of themselves and sometimes their children?\u00a0 If it\u2019s necessary, Hoss, you can learn to care for yourself and me without your sight.\u00a0 We can learn together.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI just don\u2019t feel like you got a fair deal.\u00a0 You married a man who could see; a man who could build a house and run cattle.\u201d\u00a0 Holding up his hands in front of him, he continued. \u201cA man who could use his hands to give you what you deserve.\u00a0 Without my eyes, my hands ain\u2019t gonna be much good.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She took his hands and lowered them back into his lap.\u00a0 \u201cAll I\u2019m asking Hoss is that you give us a chance.\u00a0 I\u2019m not giving up.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want you to give up either.\u00a0 As long as there\u2019s a chance you can see, and there is a good chance, we shouldn\u2019t give up.\u00a0 Or don\u2019t you still love me?\u201d she asked with watery eyes he couldn\u2019t see.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He heard it in her voice.\u00a0 Turning, he raised his hand, looking for her face, and when he found her cheek, he smiled.\u00a0 \u201cI do love you.\u00a0 More \u2018n anything. Ain\u2019t nothin\u2019 ever gonna change that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen fight for us,\u201d she begged in a shaky voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Searching for her lips with his fingers, he slowly bent and kissed her, then moved his arm around her and held her against him where they stayed for most of the trip to New York.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When they arrived, the ship they would take to Aspinwall was in the harbor and ready to take on passengers for an early departure.\u00a0 The newest pair of Cartwrights, unbeknownst to the rest of the Cartwrights, entered their stateroom and went to bed, and though they lay in each other\u2019s arms, they merely spoke about their arrival at the Ponderosa and what the future held for them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2019s gonna be real surprised.\u00a0 Matter of fact, you might say he\u2019ll be\u2026well\u2026real surprised.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully it won\u2019t be an unpleasant one for him,\u201d said Annie.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to have a wedding at the Ponderosa, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe already had a weddin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but I want to share that happiness with the rest of the family.\u00a0 You remember Adam and Shiloh\u2019s wedding.\u00a0 Everyone was so happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, Hoss remembered.\u00a0 \u201cYeah.\u00a0 Yeah, they were.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Besides, ours was only happy until dinner.\u00a0 Then it became a nightmare.\u00a0 But that’s what I want.\u00a0 For all of us to be happy.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You know, Annie, life on the Ponderosa ain’t all good times and roses.\u00a0 We work long and hard, we have problems just like everybody else, and we argue.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“But you always come back together, Hoss.\u00a0 I don’t expect it to always be easy.\u00a0 But I do expect that the family will remain close…like you always have.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And just how would you know that?” he asked with a slight wiggle of his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Because that’s what you all are now.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah,” said Hoss with a tired, but satisfied smile.\u00a0 “I reckon we are.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben knocked on Shiloh’s door, and when he heard no response he cracked it open.\u00a0 She wasn’t there.\u00a0 Creasing his brow, he looked around the room before he headed down the hall to the stairs, and when he arrived at the top he stopped at the sound of familiar voices.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Before he took that first step downward, he had a wide grin on his face, and looking over the living area confirmed that the voices he heard were Shiloh and Cheron.\u00a0 He swiftly walked the short distance to the settee where Cheron sat and reached out for her as she stood and took his hands.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mr. Cartwright, it is good to see you again.\u00a0 I hope I did not intrude, but I wanted to see how Shiloh is feeling.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Cheron, you’re welcome anytime.\u00a0 There’s no need to apologize.”\u00a0 Turning to Shiloh, he said, “I see you’ve gotten yourself out of bed this morning.\u00a0 And I didn’t hear you coughing last night.\u00a0 Does that mean you’re feeling better?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Still sounding just a little stuffy, she smiled.\u00a0 “I do feel better, if only because Shorty rode into town at first light.\u00a0 There was a letter from Adam waiting,” she said cheerfully, holding the envelope up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And what did Adam have to say?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, it seems he had a hard time getting there, but once he got to San Francisco, he was…” Her face saddened just a little before she put on a smile. “He’s in his element.\u00a0 Though they’ve had problems with the building, and he’ll have to stay longer than he expected, he sounds…excited…to be there.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben didn’t smile, hearing the forced cheer in her voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Here,” she said, passing him the letter.\u00a0 “You can read all about the avalanche and the substandard building materials the foreman used.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking at the letter, Ben said, “Well, perhaps I’ll read it later.\u00a0 Cheron, would you join us for breakfast?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Thank you, Mr. Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The next subject at the breakfast table didn’t make Ben feel any better.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa, Cheron will be staying on until after the baby is born.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh?” he said, turning to Cheron.\u00a0 “And what about those who came with you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“They have already left to return to our village.\u00a0 I have taught my daughter all I know.\u00a0 She is prepared to take my place as medicine woman until I return.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben smiled as he sipped his coffee.\u00a0 “I would have thought you’d look forward to going back to your people.\u00a0 After all, I’m sure this wasn’t the most pleasant experience considering why you came.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron looked at Shiloh, and then lowered her eyes to her plate.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa, I’ve asked Cheron to stay for the delivery.\u00a0 If I have trouble…well…Cheron has handled difficult births due to the size of the baby.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Don’t you think you should discuss your concerns with Dr. Martin?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I have.\u00a0 I asked him what would happen if the baby is too big to deliver.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Placing his fork on his plate, Ben gave her his full attention.\u00a0 “What did he say?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He didn’t.\u00a0 He changed the subject, and when I asked again, he avoided the question.\u00a0 He didn’t want to say that one of us wouldn’t survive.\u00a0 And I have no intention of placing the responsibility of making a choice on Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 If it comes to that, I want Cheron to deliver my baby.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben’s brows furrowed as he sat up straight. “You do intend to discuss this with Adam.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Of course.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a disbelieving harrumph, Ben replied, “Shiloh, I…I…”\u00a0 Taking his napkin from his lap, he wiped his mouth.\u00a0 “I’m not sure you’ll get agreement from Adam.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mr. Cartwright, there is something you and the baby’s father must know,” said Cheron.\u00a0 “This child will come early.\u00a0 Shiloh is too small to carry it through. \u00a0It will be better for mother and child if the birth is quick.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, Cheron, the birth of a child occurs when it happens.\u00a0 I’ve seen long and quick births alike.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning her body toward him in the chair, Cheron searched for the correct words.\u00a0 “If the birth is not made to be quick, the child will die while still inside.\u00a0 And mother is still in danger.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t understand, Cheron,” Ben said, slightly shaking his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh rubbed her fingers across her forehead.\u00a0 “She’s saying that at the first sign that it’s time, she can give me tea that will hasten the labor so that we don\u2019t tire so badly that we become too weak. \u00a0And Indian women don’t give birth lying on their backs.\u00a0 Their way will make it easier for both of us.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben had listened and was obviously disturbed. “You intend not to send for Paul at all.\u00a0 Is that right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking away, Shiloh quietly said, “I’ll discuss it with Adam.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both Ben and Shiloh said goodbye to Cheron after an uncomfortably quiet breakfast.\u00a0 Cheron would be staying in the cabin she had shared with her husband and her son, Billy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once the door closed, there was a precarious silence as Shiloh and Ben sized each other up.\u00a0 Finally realizing she would find no support in Ben, she excused herself, picked up the paperwork that had been awaiting her attention from the low table in the sitting area, and retreated up the stairs to her bedroom where she stayed, sitting in bed, working through Adam\u2019s figures, her horse inquiries left from last fall, and reading.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing delivered another letter to her that first evening and each evening after; letters she would never share with anyone, that told of Adam\u2019s love for her, that shared his dreams of life with their children, that made her blush, and smile, and close her eyes imagining those things he described that he missed most, and then in the end, weeping at her own loneliness.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Sixty-Three<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It took three days for Ben to venture a knock on Shiloh’s door.\u00a0 Shiloh had remained in her bedroom, content to work on the contracts and ledgers and read…and reread…Adam’s letters.\u00a0 She had already given one letter to Hop Sing to send to Adam, staying up late the day she received his second later to write it, and saying precious little about her cold or her conversations with Paul and Cheron.\u00a0 She did tell him that Ming Lin had broken his foot, and therefore both of them were staying at the main house.\u00a0 She was writing another letter when she heard the knock.\u00a0 “Come in.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben opened the door, and seeing her in a white, frilly nightgown with all her curls piled atop her head amid the white sheets of the bed, his first thought was that she looked radiant and much healthier than she had been only a few days ago.\u00a0 The color was back in her cheeks, and her eyes once again sparkled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She lowered her pen to the board Adam had made for her and waited for Ben to speak, unsure whether it would be pleasant or a continuation of the subject she’d left downstairs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He smiled reservedly.\u00a0 “May I come in?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Returning a wide grin, she answered, “Of course.\u00a0 Come sit with me,” she said, pointing to the chair still near the bed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He did so, but slowly eased into the chair. “Well,” he said, searching for words as he clasped his hands, “you’ve been getting letters from Adam.\u00a0 Has he said when we should expect him home?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He said they were lucky that the original foreman hadn’t replaced the iron beams with something cheaper.\u00a0 They’re finding the beams themselves in good shape, but they still have a good many bolts and rivets to replace.\u00a0 He’s hired a new foreman, a man who’s been there from the beginning, and he’s supervising this new foreman and Robert Slater as they do the majority of the work.\u00a0 As soon as he’s confident that Robert can oversee the repairs and perform the inspection after they’re done, he’ll be on his way home.”\u00a0 She bowed her head.\u00a0 “Still, he said it could be the end of the month.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben raised an eyebrow and nodded.\u00a0 “That long.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She glanced up at him.\u00a0 “Pa?\u00a0 Have I overstayed my welcome?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With his eyes softening, Ben chuckled as he leaned forward to pat her hand.\u00a0 “Never, my darling.\u00a0 But I am concerned…with your ideas about the birth of this child.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, she lifted her head and looked him straight in the eye.\u00a0 “Go on.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“This is really none of my business. It’s between you and Adam, but as long as Adam isn’t here…have you told him anything about you in any of your letters?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled weakly and looked away.\u00a0 “No.\u00a0 I don’t want him to worry, and at the moment,” she continued, looking back at Ben, “there’s nothing for him to worry about.\u00a0 I’m doing what Paul’s told me to do, and my cold is much better.\u00a0 I’ve not had any pain at all.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And when he gets home?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath as she pushed a lock of hair back up on her head that had fallen in her face, she answered, “Pa, do you really think I could arrange for Cheron to deliver this baby without Paul here?\u00a0 Even if Adam is all right with the idea, he’d want Paul here just in case something happens that Cheron can’t handle, though I don’t think there’s much of a chance of that.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“But you are going to try to convince Adam to let Cheron deliver the baby.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She cocked her head as she tried to explain.\u00a0 “It’s not really what you’d call delivery.\u00a0 It’s more like assistance.\u00a0 But yes, I’m going to discuss it with Adam.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And if he prefers Paul?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She rubbed her forehead.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaning forward in the chair, Ben took her hand in his.\u00a0 “Shiloh, Paul was the first doctor in Virginia City back when it started as tents and shacks.\u00a0 He’s been taking care of this family since he came here.\u00a0 I imagine Adam would want him to deliver his first child…the first Cartwright child since Joseph was born.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving her other hand over the top of his, she looked into his eyes.\u00a0 “This isn’t a challenge to anyone’s abilities. \u00a0And I can understand tradition and sentiment as much as anyone.\u00a0 But Pa, Paul wouldn’t answer my question.\u00a0 He already believes one of us won’t survive.\u00a0 I made Adam a promise when this started.\u00a0 He was frightened that something would happen to me…just like his mother.\u00a0 I promised him that neither of us was going to die, and I intend to keep that promise.\u00a0 Cheron believes<\/em> both of us can survive. \u00a0Paul doesn’t.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was Ben’s turn to take a deep breath.\u00a0 He squeezed her hand, unable to dispute her logic.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mr. Cartwright, how…”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 Call me Adam.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How come you didn’t just sign off on the inspection?\u00a0 You coulda saved a lot of time and trouble.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Timmons…”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Willis,” Timmons shot back just as quickly as Adam had.\u00a0 Both men smiled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Willis, it has to do with self-respect and responsibility.\u00a0 You know the ground shakes here.\u00a0 If this building collapses because of it, I have to live with it.\u00a0\u00a0 Especially if people die in it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“That doesn’t seem to bother the other architects.\u00a0 They rarely look at their buildings much less build them.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam opened a box of bolts and smiled.\u00a0 “Think about it, Willis.\u00a0 Mayor Coon already knows what happened here.\u00a0 He fired his foreman.\u00a0 He authorized the corrections, and the city is paying for them.\u00a0 Who do you think has the better chance of getting the next contract to design a building for the city?\u00a0 Who do you think is going to more easily be able to get permits approved for other buildings in this city?\u00a0 People remember integrity.”\u00a0 Looking back over his shoulder before he continued on to the next beam joint, he smiled.\u00a0 “Remember that, and you’ll be able to work anywhere.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“For you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam’s smile grew into a wide grin.\u00a0 “Are you looking for a job?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“If there’s one available.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’ll have to speak with Robert, but it would be good to offer our own foreman along with our plans.\u00a0 I’ll let you know before I leave.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At the end of the day, Adam sat quietly in the carriage that took he and Robert to the Slater home.\u00a0 He hurt.\u00a0 He could barely move his arm, his chest throbbed and his leg was on fire, and every time he bumped his left hand he had to consciously stop himself from cursing out loud.\u00a0 But it was his building; his responsibility, and more than just his name.\u00a0 It was his father’s name, his brothers’ name, his wife’s name and would be his children’s name.\u00a0 It was a name already synonymous with integrity, and he would do everything in his power to keep it that way.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It had been a long, boring train ride to New York, but neither Hoss nor Annie cared.\u00a0 Both were content being close without reminders of the war that had almost drawn them inextricably in.\u00a0 And now, they were on their way home to a new life and new responsibilities.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Waiting until the other passengers were almost off the car, Annie stood, taking Hoss by the hand and leading him down the aisle to the door.\u00a0 A Union officer was waiting for them, having already arranged for their baggage to be taken to their ship.\u00a0 He guided them to a carriage that would take them almost to the gangplank of the ship they would take to Aspinwall.\u00a0 Before the officer departed at the gangplank, he handed Annie papers she was to show any Union official who questioned their reasons for travel.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Excuse me, sir, but have there been any problems in the Gulf of Mexico with the Confederates?” asked Annie.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Nothing troubling. There are still blockade runners, however they are generally in small boats without the ability to do much more than annoy the larger ships.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once in their private cabin, Annie sat Hoss down at a small table to change his bandages. He hadn’t said a word since they’d left the train, and now he sat patiently, enjoying the tender touch of her fingers on his face and the smell of her perfume as she leaned in close.\u00a0 As she unwound the gauze wrapped around his head, he lifted his hand to her face, caressing her cheek, and when she had removed the last of the bandages from his eyes, he pulled her onto his lap, cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her as he had never kissed her before; as a man kisses his wife.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is said that actions speak louder than words.\u00a0 By the morning, neither had any doubt they were loved more than life itself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Sixty-Four<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe wandered listlessly around the house, his hand still wrapped up so tightly he couldn\u2019t use it and his arm still in the sling so that he wouldn\u2019t jar it as ordered by Dr. Martin.\u00a0 His father was out taking care of the ranch business he would normally have seen to, and Hop Sing had declared he would have to brave the snow in a wagon for they were getting seriously low on supplies.\u00a0 Flopping down in the leather chair, he sat with a scowl on his face looking around the room for something he could do besides read.\u00a0 He\u2019d been reading.\u00a0 He knew Adam would have been in Heaven in his predicament with nothing to do but read, but him…he hated reading books.\u00a0 The newspaper was fine.\u00a0 He could pick out what he wanted to read and discard the rest, but a book was an investment in time to which he normally wasn\u2019t willing to commit.\u00a0\u00a0 He had nothing but time now\u2026and he\u2019d read\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u00a0 Joe, can you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Perking up at the angelic voice drifting down the stairs, Joe quickly stood, taking the steps two at a time despite his hand.\u00a0 He tapped on the open bedroom door.\u00a0 \u201cShiloh, did you call?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCome in, please, Joe,\u201d she invited and greeted him with a sunny smile when he entered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIs everything all right?\u201d he asked with wide eyes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, of course it is.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m just tired of this room.\u00a0 I wonder if you\u2019d help me downstairs.\u00a0 I think I\u2019d like to sit by the fire for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI could stoke the fire here,\u201d he offered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut then I\u2019d still be in the same room, wouldn\u2019t I?\u201d she teased.\u00a0 \u201cThank you, but I would like a change of scenery. \u00a0Would you bring my robe?\u00a0 It\u2019s on the back of the chair,\u201d she said, pointing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He did as he was asked, waiting for her to maneuver herself out of the bed to hold the robe up for her arms and escorted her down the stairs, keeping her on his right.\u00a0 Once she was settled in the chair next to the fireplace, Joe sat in the other leather chair and continued to stare blankly at the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After studying him for a few minutes and inwardly laughing, Shiloh asked, \u201cYou\u2019re bored, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNow how did you know that?\u201d he replied sarcastically.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I could help you find something to do, but I\u2019m afraid I\u2019m in the same position you are.\u201d\u00a0 She picked up the sewing she\u2019d left by the chair the evening before and held up the tiny dress she\u2019d been working on.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m afraid I\u2019ll never be much of a seamstress.\u00a0 I\u2019ve taken the seams out of his little thing so many times the edges of the fabric are frayed. \u00a0But I have been able to mend a hole in the seam of one of Adam\u2019s shirts.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He pushed his lower lip up and nodded, having nothing to say on the subject.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, isn\u2019t there something you can do with your right hand?\u00a0 Maybe now would be a good time to work on your dexterity with it.\u00a0 You can practice your letters and numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He rolled his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re beginning to sound like Miss Abigail.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She laughed.\u00a0 \u201cOh, I remember Miss Abigail, but I never had the pleasure of attending her classes.\u00a0 Adam had sent me home before she got there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A smile crept upon Joe\u2019s lips, remembering the predicament he\u2019d put Adam in many times, having to go to the schoolhouse because Joe had misbehaved.\u00a0 \u201cHas he told you about him and Miss Abigail?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u00a0\u00a0 And Miss Abigail? The way I heard it, she was quite attracted to him, but the feelings weren\u2019t mutual.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Giggling, Joe nodded.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s probably true, but he still had to see her\u2026and be nice to her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow about telling me some stories over a game of checkers?\u00a0 I haven\u2019t played checkers in so long, and I just don\u2019t feel like taking the seams out of this dress again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Quietly opening the front door, Ben peered in, finding Joe and Shiloh laughing over a game of checkers.\u00a0 \u201cWell, it\u2019s good to hear some laughter for a change.\u00a0 Who\u2019s winning?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Concentrating on his next move while chewing on his thumbnail, Joe answered without taking his eyes off the board.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re tied two games to two.\u00a0 This one is the tie-breaker.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh hadn\u2019t looked up either, so Ben motioned behind him and stepped aside for Adam to enter the house.\u00a0 Both men watched the players, completely absorbed by the board until Adam loudly cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In almost the same instant Shiloh\u2019s head snapped up, and she pushed herself up out of the chair, turning the checkerboard on end and sending checkers skittering across the table and floor.\u00a0 She took a step toward Adam, and then realizing what she\u2019d done, hesitated and looked apologetically at Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Giggling, Joe waved her on as he bent to stop a checker from rolling away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rushing forward, Adam met her before she could run headlong into the furniture, bending and accepting her embrace around his neck while his arms gently moved around her. \u00a0After a moment, he moved his hands to her sides, but had to wait for her to release him; something she didn\u2019t seem to want to do.\u00a0 He moved her arms from around his neck and pulled her against him, looking down at her stomach with a smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t tell me in your last letter you were coming home.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you were surprised.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Even though she was smiling, her eyes were moist.\u00a0 She tiptoed into another tight hug that ended in a tender, but restrained kiss.\u00a0 Again they stood close for a moment, looking into each other\u2019s eyes silently saying everything that needed said as Ben and Joe looked on until Ben interrupted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, is Hop Sing back?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe had finished gathering the checkers and had walked around to the back of the settee.\u00a0 Reaching out for Adam\u2019s hand, he answered with a smile, \u201cHe\u2019s in the kitchen making dinner.\u00a0 I\u2019ll go tell him to set another place.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though he had shaken Joe’s hand, he hadn’t removed his arm from around Shiloh, and when she moved closer to him, he flinched.\u00a0 She was standing under his left shoulder.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What…are you all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Slowly moving his arm back around her, he said, “I’m fine.\u00a0 I got a few bumps and bruises climbing around the courthouse.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now taking notice of something besides his eyes, she asked, “Your finger is broken?” as she took his hand and cradled it in both of hers.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I broke it at the same time I hurt my shoulder.”\u00a0 Seeing her frown and furrowed brows, he turned to face her, taking her gently by her arms.\u00a0 “Shiloh,” he said with raised brows.\u00a0 “I’m all right.\u00a0 Really.\u00a0 And I’m home.\u00a0 Where’s my smile?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben had watched the exchange, and when Adam had Shiloh sitting back in the leather chair, he caught his son’s eyes and gave him a stern look.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam narrowed his eyes and slightly tilted his head, prompting Ben to nod toward the desk.\u00a0 When Adam joined him, Ben pulled a newspaper out of the desk drawer.\u00a0 On the front page was a detailed story about the avalanche that occurred on the road to Diamond Springs.\u00a0 Adam had been identified as the only survivor, despite being caught in the tumbling mountain of snow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh hasn’t seen this?” he whispered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 But if your injuries are as bad as what’s here, it’s only a matter of time before she figures out something much worse than getting a few bumps and bruises while climbing around a building occurred.”\u00a0 Putting the newspaper back in the drawer, Ben shook his head.\u00a0 “I think you’ll both find it’s better to tell the truth…the whole truth<\/em>…from the beginning.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Both of us?” said Adam, first glancing back at Shiloh, but then meeting his father’s eyes, his nostrils flared and his eyebrows curved in anger.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving a hand to Adam’s good shoulder, Ben gave it a firm pat, and walked away. \u00a0Hop Sing appeared and announced that dinner was ready, so Ben continued on to the dining room while Adam stood next to the desk with his injured arm wrapped around his chest and his other elbow resting on it as his hand stroked his chin. He studied Shiloh, who, at the moment, was staring into the fire.\u00a0 Her expression was much darker than it should have<\/p>\n

been considering he had just arrived home.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Walking to her, he offered his hand. “Shall we?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling up at him, she accepted and let him pull her up out of the chair.\u00a0 She turned toward the table, and his hand instantly went to the small of her back.\u00a0 In fact, he didn’t take his hand off of her even after she was seated at the table where he held her hand until after the prayer was said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, Shiloh has shared some of the problems with the building from your letters.\u00a0 Was it just the bolts?” asked Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Almost choking on the last bite he had taken, Adam reached for his napkin, and then his water before he answered.\u00a0 “Pa,” he said with a nervous chuckle.\u00a0\u00a0 “That was quite enough.\u00a0 The support beams are iron instead of wood, so that when another earthquake happens, there won’t be anything structural that could splinter or crack.\u00a0 Bolts and rivets\u00a0 hold the vertical and cross beams together at the joints.\u00a0 The bolts and rivets the former foreman used weren’t those called for in the specifications.\u00a0 Even if they’d been the right size, they were so badly made, they probably would have sheered.\u00a0 The structural stability of the iron beams would have been worthless with faulty bolts and rivets.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And what would have happened if there was an earthquake?” asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Most likely, the building would collapse.\u00a0 If people were in the building, there would probably be some deaths.\u00a0 And besides the fact that I don’t think I could build another public building if that happened, I don’t think anyone would offer Slater and Cartwright another chance.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh took her hand from his and reached for her water.\u00a0 “I guess it’s a good that you left to do the inspection then.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam’s lips parted as he turned to look at her.\u00a0 But rather than responding, he took a deep breath.\u00a0 He knew that later in the evening when they were alone in their room there would be a discussion, and he wasn’t looking forward to it, especially as he had just arrived home.\u00a0 His last thought was that four weeks away during the winter while she was confined because of her condition wore on her more than he imagined.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There was no time for any other thoughts or conversation because they all heard a wagon pull up to the front of the house.\u00a0 Adam wiped his mouth as he pushed himself up from the table.\u00a0 “I’ll see who that is.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well,” said Ben, breaking the awkward silence that hung over the dining room table.\u00a0 “I wonder who that could be.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The next sound was Adam yelling back in the door excitedly, “Pa!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Sixty-Five<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the time Ben stepped out of the front door, Adam was already beside the wagon helping the female passenger down.\u00a0 Ben stood with a look akin to shock on his face while Adam walked to the other side of the wagon.\u00a0 “Hoss?” Adam, softly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hi, Older Brother.”\u00a0 Reaching out his hand, Hoss asked, “Do me a favor and help me down outta this rig.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam took Hoss’ hand and held it steady while Hoss leaned on the side of the seat and tentatively lowered his foot, looking for the wooden step. With a mixture of confusion and apprehension on his face, his lips slightly parted, and a crease on his forehead, Adam first looked across at Annie, and then up at Hoss, watching as Hoss felt his way down out of the wagon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hoss,” said Ben, rushing forward to greet his son, forcing a smile in his voice and on his face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hi, Pa.\u00a0 I reckon you wadn’t expectin’ me home so soon.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, son.\u00a0 This is quite a surprise,” Ben answered, looking into Hoss’ face.\u00a0 “Well, it’s cold out here.\u00a0 Let’s get into the house where it’s warm.”\u00a0 Looking back over at Annie, he added, “You’re just in time for supper.\u00a0 We’ve just started.\u00a0 Adam, go tell some of the boys to take care of the wagon, and then tell Hop Sing we have two more for supper.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie took Hoss’ arm and led him to the front door behind Ben, and when they stepped into the door, Shiloh pushed herself up from the dining room table.\u00a0 “Annie!” she exclaimed, moving as quickly as she could toward Annie, both girls stepping into a tight embrace.\u00a0 “Annie, what in the world are you doing here?\u00a0 What about school?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie moved her hands to Shiloh’s stomach.\u00a0 “You’re so big!” she said excitedly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Shiloh looked back up, she noticed Hoss’ bandages for the first time. Her smile was instantly gone, replaced with a fearful frown.\u00a0 “What’s happened?” she asked quietly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had turned the corner from the kitchen just as the question everyone had been thinking was said out loud.\u00a0 Joe stood, but remained at his place at the table, wearing a surprised, but worried look.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Breaking the uncomfortable silence, Ben motioned toward the table as Hop Sing set two more places.\u00a0 “Why don’t we sit down for supper?”\u00a0 He pulled Hoss’ coat off his shoulders and hung it on a hook behind the door, then took Hoss’ arm and guided him to the chair at the end of the table.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam gently took Annie’s cape, laid it on the bureau and led her to the chair between Joe and Hoss, then took Shiloh’s hand who had been watching, and led her to the chair next to his before seating himself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While no one knew quite what to say, Hoss lifted his hand, searching for Annie’s, finding it on the table and squeezing it.\u00a0 “Well, I guess this is surprise for everyone.\u00a0 We woulda sent a telegram, but we were in a sorta hurry to leave Philadelphia.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hoss, the last we heard you were about to be drafted into the Union Army,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yessir, I was.\u00a0 But when we were readin\u2019 the paperwork, Annie found something we thought would take care of that little problem.\u00a0 I think you know the reason I went to Philadelaphia was…”\u00a0 he lifted Annie’s hand to his lips and turned his face toward her. “Was to ask Annie to marry me.”\u00a0 Slight smiles settled over everyone’s face when they noticed, for the first time, a ring on Annie’s left hand.\u00a0 “I asked her Christmas morning.”\u00a0 His smile disappeared as he lowered his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie squeezed his hand.\u00a0 “Fletcher gave Hoss the draft papers that morning, and we spent the rest of the afternoon looking through them.\u00a0 He had met the residency requirements in the papers.\u00a0 But it also said that if he was married, he wouldn’t be eligible.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Now before you all jump up, you need to let us get this all out,” said Hoss, proudly moving his face toward his wife.\u00a0 “Annie went to Miss Preston over at the women’s college and arranged to take her final test…and she passed it.\u00a0 You’re lookin’ at the first doctor in the family.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Good,” said Ben, chuckling.\u00a0 “Because with all the aches and pains going on here,” he said looking over those at the table, “you’ll never have to look very far for patients.”\u00a0 Looking back at Annie, he finished,\u00a0 “It seems all three of my sons have need of a doctor…as well as my daughter-in-law.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hey, whatsa matter with everybody?” asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Nothing that can’t wait until later,” said Joe.\u00a0 “Keep going.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, Annie and me were married that night, and during dinner, Fletcher’s men busted in and dragged me out of the house.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A look passed around the table as everyone settled in to hear the story.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I didn’t see Hoss until the day before we left the city,” said Annie, bowing her head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss told the rest of the story, and Annie filled in the details he didn’t know.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0“Fletcher disappeared.\u00a0 The Army paid our way home because Fletcher had done gone and enlisted me.”\u00a0 Sitting up, he pushed his lower lip up and nodded.\u00a0 “And they’re payin’ repairations every month as long as I cain’t see.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe sat with his chin on his hand and his fingers on his cheek.\u00a0 Adam sat much the same way, but with his fist on his chin. \u00a0\u00a0“Reparations.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah, that’s what I said,” said Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

During the story, no one touched their dinner.\u00a0 Ben sat back with a leg crossed over the other and his hands clasped in his lap.\u00a0 Leaning forward with his elbows on the table and his clasped hands under his chin, he asked, “And what did the doctor say about your eyes?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Dr. Stephenson told him there were no guarantees,” Annie explained.\u00a0 “But Hoss can see light when I change his bandages which means his eyes could be healing.\u00a0 It means the optic nerve isn’t detached.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe lowered his hand to the table. “You said could<\/em> be healing.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The only way we’ll know is if more of his sight comes back.\u00a0 It could happen all at once, or it could happen gradually.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam added, “Or it might not happen at all.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie met his eyes with a fierce determination.\u00a0 “It will happen, Adam.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Raising an eyebrow, Adam merely nodded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pushing herself up from the table, Shiloh walked around to the side where Annie and Hoss sat.\u00a0 She beckoned Annie up out of her chair and wrapped her arms around Annie’s neck, whispering into her ear.\u00a0 “I don’t know how to say this.\u00a0 I’m so happy that you’re part of this family, but I know it’s hard when faced with what you’ve been through.”\u00a0 She leaned back and looked into Annie’s eyes.\u00a0 “Hoss is wonderful man.\u00a0 I know he’s going to be a wonderful husband, sighted or not.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By this time Hoss had stood as well as the other Cartwright men, waiting their turn at hugs and encouragement.\u00a0 When it was Ben’s turn, he put his hand on Hoss\u2019 cheek and looked at his face.\u00a0 “Son, whatever it takes, we’ll do.\u00a0 It’s good to have you home,” he said, pulling his son into a hug.\u00a0 Moving to Annie, he took her hands.\u00a0 “And I can’t think of a better addition to the family.\u00a0 Welcome home.”\u00a0\u00a0 After he hugged her, he looked around him and smiled.\u00a0 “It’s good to have everyone home. Now let’s eat before Hop Sing decides to quit.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After dinner as the men talked about Joe’s hand, Adam’s finger and shoulder, and what had been happening on the ranch, Annie and Shiloh retired upstairs.\u00a0 “Annie, we’ll have a party…a reception as soon as the snow allows it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“On the way home, Hoss never stopped talking about a party. You’d think the Cartwrights have a party for just about anything.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh laughed.\u00a0 “It’s true.\u00a0 Get used to it.\u00a0 But this isn’t just any old reason.\u00a0 It’s not every day a Cartwright gets married.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And what about having children?” said Annie, pointing at Shiloh’s stomach.\u00a0 “That doesn’t happen every day either.\u00a0 As a matter of fact, it’s been decades.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rubbing her stomach, Shiloh’s smile faded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Is something wrong?” asked Annie.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You’re a doctor, Annie.\u00a0 I need to ask your opinion.”\u00a0 Annie sat on the side of the bed next to Shiloh and took her hand.\u00a0 “Dr. Martin has said that the baby is big, maybe too big.\u00a0 He’s not confident that both of us will survive the birth, and frankly, I’m not sure he thinks either of us will survive.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Has he said that?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He won’t say anything.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I had no idea it had come to this.\u00a0 I suppose you want me to be honest.”\u00a0 Shiloh smiled and nodded.\u00a0 “If the baby is too big to pass, unless he takes the baby, it won’t survive.\u00a0 If he takes the baby, you likely won’t survive the surgery.\u00a0 And if he does nothing, neither of you will survive.\u00a0 He can do something to force you into labor now, but if I’m counting right, it’s too early.\u00a0 The baby isn’t developed enough and may live for a short while, but will eventually die.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What if I told you I knew someone who says she knows how this baby can be delivered successfully?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh, everything we know about birth says it’s not likely.\u00a0 Who is this woman?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Her name is Cheron, and she’s a Washoe medicine woman.\u00a0 She’s been delivering children this way since her own son was born twenty years ago.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’d say if there’s a reasonable chance, then we have to consider it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Would you talk to Cheron…let her explain it to you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Of course.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam tapped lightly on the door.\u00a0 “I don’t mean to interrupt, but it’s getting late.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaning into Annie, Shiloh whispered.\u00a0 “He’s just gotten home from San Francisco, and I haven’t discussed this with him yet.”\u00a0 When she nodded toward Adam, Annie slightly nodded back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing, Annie said, “You’re right, of course, Adam.\u00a0 I need to change Hoss’ bandages. I’m sure he’s as tired as me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kissing Annie’s cheek as she left the room, Adam smiled and closed the door behind her, then went to the wash basin, running his hand over the shadow of his beard as he looked in the mirror.\u00a0 “Catching up?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh walked up behind him and moved her arms under his and around his chest, laying her head on his back.\u00a0 “Something like that.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning, he moved his hands to either side of her face and raised it to his, first kissing her lightly and looking back at the smile on her face.\u00a0 “I missed you,” he said, kissing her nose.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I missed you, too,” she answered just before he moved his arms around her and took her lips with his in what started gently, but finished hungrily by both.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam raised his chin while looking down into her eyes.\u00a0 “You and I need to talk.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t want to talk now,” she said softly, slightly smiling when he pursed his lips and cocked his head; an expression she had learned signified bargaining. “Tomorrow,” she whispered, moving her hand to his cheek and guiding his face down to hers, then tiptoeing. Even though she was still not tall enough to kiss him, her insistence was enough for him to meet her for another fevered kiss, and while they kissed, Shiloh’s fingers deftly worked the buttons of his shirt while Adam moved her robe off her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving his hand down her neck and over her shoulder, he delighted in the softness and warmth of her skin.\u00a0 But when he bent to kiss her neck, she flinched, albeit almost imperceptibly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He raised his head back up and looked at her lips, then into her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cI need to clean up before we turn in.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t argue, happy he would do that for her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Sixty-Six<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though sleep came late, both Adam and Shiloh slept well for the first time in a month.\u00a0 When she stirred and turned over, he slowly became aware of the absence of her softness and body heat against his back.\u00a0 He lifted his head off the pillow just enough to look behind him.\u00a0 She lay huddled under the blanket with her back to him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rolling over, he slid his hand over her side and onto her belly, cuddling up against her back, and noticed the flutter of her eyes lashes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re awake,\u201d he whispered as he kissed her ear.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid I wake you?\u201d she answered softly, smiling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes and no.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t your movement, but more your sudden absence.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She giggled.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I thought the baby kicking would wake you, so I turned away.\u00a0 He\u2019s gotten quite active, especially in the early morning as if he\u2019s saying, \u2018today mommy?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving his hand further over her stomach, he asked, \u201cIs he still kicking?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cEvery now and again,\u201d she said, moving his hand to a particular spot.\u00a0 \u201cThere.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A satisfied moan escaped him.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s strong, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She turned over into him, her stomach against his and his arms cradling her.\u00a0 \u201cYes, he is,\u201d she said, first looking into his eyes, and then casting her eyes down.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s bothering you that you can\u2019t look me in the eye?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She gave him a slight smile, but still didn\u2019t look back up.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe\u2026now\u2026while it\u2019s quiet and warm\u2026and too early for anyone to be up, we could talk about everything we need to talk about without either one of us getting angry or upset.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Drawing in a deep breath, he exhaled heavily.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rather than interpreting his breath as a foreboding of the coming conversation, she enjoyed his warm breath blowing gently on her face. \u00a0\u201cAdam, I wasn\u2019t planning to tell you everything because it\u2019s all turned out fine, but then I get the feeling you aren\u2019t telling me everything either, and I don\u2019t want to start keeping secrets from each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you think I\u2019m not telling you everything?\u201d he asked, moving his head back so he could see the changes on her face.\u00a0 There were none.\u00a0 Just\u2026calm as if she\u2019d resigned herself to this conversation long before it began.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYour shoulder must have been very bad if you\u2019re still hurting as much as you are.\u00a0 And there\u2019s your finger still in a splint.\u00a0 But there are also old bruises on your back and chest, and you tense when I hold you tightly, and there\u2019s an awful cut on your thigh that\u2019s been stitched that you think I didn\u2019t notice last night.\u201d\u00a0 Now, she did look into his eyes where she met a serene smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAre you going to take inventory of me every time I come home from a business trip?\u201d<\/p>\n

She gently played with the hair at the top of his chest below his neck.\u00a0 \u201cAnd every cattle drive, and every fence ride, and every time you have to stock a line shack.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about you?\u00a0 How did you catch a cold that bad when you were supposed to be inside and off your feet?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She looked away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want to\u2026\u201d they said together.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving his hand to her cheek, he finished, \u201c\u2026to worry you. There was nothing\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She rested her finger on his lips, before she said, \u201c\u2026you could\u2019ve done.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both laughed quietly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do I have the feeling this has something to do with Ming Lin\u2019s broken ankle?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIs it enough to know that after talking with your father, I realized you were right?\u00a0 I should have come over here in the first place.\u00a0 Ming Lin wouldn\u2019t have been in the position to break his ankle if I had.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With the corner of his mouth upturned, he snuggled closer, if that was possible.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u00a0 I want the whole story.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo do I,\u201d she said, pushing back and narrowing her eyes, causing him to tighten his hold on her and chuckle.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, but you first.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She breathed out first before she began, remembering how it had started.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d sent Shorty to town.\u00a0 I don\u2019t remember for what.\u00a0 When I asked Ming Lin if he\u2019d gotten back, he said he hadn\u2019t seen him and offered to go to the barn to look.\u00a0 I told him \u2018no\u2019, but he insisted, so I waited\u2026and waited\u2026,and then got worried, so I went outside to call for him.\u00a0 We were in the midst of a really bad storm\u2026blizzard, and I was sure he couldn\u2019t have heard me yell, and he\u2019d been out there much too long.\u00a0 Then I noticed the rope he\u2019d tied to the porch rail had come undone, so I pulled it until I got to the end of the rope. So I got the gun and shot it in the air, hoping he\u2019d hear it, and that\u2019s when Shorty rode up.\u00a0 I told him what had happened, and he told me to stay right where I was and keep shooting the gun.” She bowed her head.\u00a0 “But then Shorty didn’t come back either, and the gun didn’t seem to do much good.\u00a0 So I…I went after them.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam raised his chin, his mouth and eyes turned down in a frown.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Your father and Hop Sing heard the shots and rode up while Shorty and I were trying to get Ming Lin to the house.\u00a0 By the time we were in, Ming Lin and I were too cold, and of course, Ming Lin’s ankle was broken.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I can understand why Ming Lin might have felt that cold, but weren’t you wearing your coat?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She cringed.\u00a0 “No,” she croaked.\u00a0 “I had shawl, but it blew away.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Your boots?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She winced and slightly shook her head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Removing his arm from over her body, he brought his hand up to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose.\u00a0 “Just how bad was this cold?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Paul watched me very closely.\u00a0 He was afraid it would turn into…” she glanced up at stormy eyes.\u00a0 “I’m not saying another word if you’re going to be mad at me.\u00a0 I already told you, your father and I spoke, and you were both right. I should have come over here when you left.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pneumonia?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rolling her eyes up as far as they’d go, she twisted her lips. \u00a0“Don’t you dare be mad at me.\u00a0 From the looks of you, you could have been far worse than I.\u00a0 How could you possibly be hurt that badly doing a building inspection?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He harrumphed. “We were crawling into walls, and ceilings…and chases.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a defiant scowl, she asked, “What’s a chase?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Never mind.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You’re not being honest with me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How do you mean?” he asked innocently.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You didn’t get hurt in your building.\u00a0 You were hurt before you arrived in San Francisco.\u00a0 Otherwise, you would have contacted me on time.\u00a0 Instead, you missed two days, and when I did hear something it was from Robert, not you.\u00a0 Robert said you took the stage from Placerville, so what happened occurred between here and Placerville.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Is it that important?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She drew back with a hurt look, rolled and sat up on the side of the bed facing away from him.\u00a0 “You made an agreement with me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh, sometimes it’s better not to know the details.\u00a0 This particular time, there was no way to avoid it.\u00a0 The stagecoach wasn’t going over the summit.\u00a0 The road was frozen.\u00a0 I had no choice but to ride to Placerville.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She stood, going to the wardrobe to dress.\u00a0 “Are we going home today?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I think that depends on Ming Lin.\u00a0 I have work to do, and you are still supposed to stay off your feet.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rising off the bed, he walked up behind her, running his hands down her arms.\u00a0 As he bent to kiss her neck, she spun around, gave him a fiery glare, and sidestepped him, moving away and dropping her clothes for the day on the bed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He stood naked with his hands hanging down at his sides.\u00a0 “I don’t want you to worry every time I go out to work around the ranch.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh had already removed her gown, and standing by the bed, began to wrap herself\u00a0 in the normal under garments.\u00a0\u00a0 “Adam, I understand the need of a man to protect a woman, but I have grown up here the same as you.\u00a0 I know the dangers, and trying to shelter me from them,” she turned and met his eyes, “especially those in winter, is futile.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She turned back to continue dressing as he turned to begin, staying silent for a few minutes until he finished thinking his answer through.\u00a0 Perhaps she was right. She knew the dangers out here in all seasons.\u00a0 In that respect, she was as experienced as he.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When he said the word, “Avalanche,” she froze, letting the chemise she had just pulled over her head drop over her shoulders and settle around her, her eyes fixed upon a point on the wall in front of her, and the sudden chill that began when he’d said it slowly working its way down and out.\u00a0 She fumbled with the panels at the sides of her maternity corset without looking at them.\u00a0 That word had instantly frightened her.\u00a0 Even so, she would do her best to prevent him from seeing just how badly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He occasionally glanced back at her trying to judge her reaction, but it was impossible with her facing away from him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She remained quiet as she pulled on her skirt and blouse, then went to the dressing table and swiftly moved her hair up on top of her head as she thought. He survived an avalanche. I should be thankful. <\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As he wrapped a bandage around his leg, he stopped for a moment when he felt her hands move up his back and around to his chest, gently touching the bruises there.\u00a0 “You’re supposed to keep your ribs wrapped as well, aren’t you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, he continued to bandage his leg.\u00a0 “Mm hm.”\u00a0\u00a0 Straightening, he reached for his trousers and slipped them on, then paused.\u00a0 She was standing in front of him ready to wrap his ribs, her lips turned in a slight smile, and her eyes calm and bright with the intensity of her love for him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When he raised his arms, she stepped close, gently but snuggly wrapping the long bandage several times around his back and chest, then helping him into his shirt.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dull light had just begun to show through the windows, and with it brought the sounds of awakening, not only from those within the house, but also from the house itself as it began to warm.\u00a0 Hop Sing had risen early as well, stoking the fire in the big fireplace downstairs and making the first pot of coffee of the morning, its aroma drifting up the stairs and through the halls as the Cartwrights readied themselves for a new day.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Sixty-Seven<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Even though they were probably the first of the Cartwrights up, they were the last to arrive at the breakfast table.\u00a0 Everyone watched with smiles as Adam, with a hand at Shiloh’s waist, and the other holding her hand, escorted her carefully down the stairs and to the table.\u00a0 When he seated her, he gave her a quick kiss and wink.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once grace was finished with ‘amen’ all around, the family dug in as they always had, except that Annie prepared Hoss’ plate. As he sniffed the air, he told her each item he wanted and even pointed in its direction.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe and Adam looked at each other and laughed.\u00a0 “Annie, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but our brother, Hoss, is the best huntin’ dog anywhere around.\u00a0 He can smell food miles away,” said Joe, with a contagious giggle.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Annie, did you notice any change this morning?” asked Ben, nodding toward Hoss and causing a sudden quiet at the table.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled.\u00a0 “No, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 I don’t expect I’ll notice until there’s been a significant change.\u00a0 I expect Hoss’ sight to come back slowly rather than all at once.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The awkward silence lasted until Shiloh said with some defiance, “Well, this is just not fair.\u00a0 Pa, if I can’t call you Mr. Cartwright, then neither can Annie.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The smiles around the table returned.\u00a0 “You’re absolutely right, Shiloh.\u00a0 Annie, you are forbidden to call me Mr. Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie stared at Shiloh at a loss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Everyone at this table calls him Pa,” said Shiloh with an impish grin.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking from Adam then over to Joe, and finally looking back at Hoss, who was grinning from ear to ear, she exhaled, nodded curtly, and said, “Pa it is.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben looked over at Hoss.\u00a0 “Son, I’ll have some of the boys bring the rest of your things to your room.\u00a0 You and Annie can get settled in. \u00a0Adam, what are your plans?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We thought we’d go home, but then we need to find out how Ming Lin’s doing.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing scurried in from the kitchen with a fresh pot of coffee.\u00a0 “Ming Lin ready to go home,” he said with a smile.\u00a0 “Dr. Paul put cast on foot, so he can move in kitchen.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Did Dr. Martin give him any instructions?” asked Shiloh.\u00a0 “I can’t believe he’d just let him resume his work without a good amount of rest.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He sit in kitchen.\u00a0 No stairs.\u00a0 He say three more weeks in cast, then cast come off.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You could stay here for three weeks until Ming Lin’s cast comes off,” said Ben, eyeing his eldest.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Glancing over at Shiloh, Adam smiled.\u00a0 “Thanks, Pa.\u00a0 But I’ve got work to do at the house, and I’m sure Shiloh is anxious to see her horses.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How is that possible?” asked Ben, stopping his fork at his mouth just before he took a bite.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t mean go down to the stables,” Adam said, shaking his head with a mouthful, swallowing before he continued.\u00a0 “She can see them in the corrals from the bedroom window.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I didn’t think you were in that bedroom yet.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We’re not.\u00a0 We don’t have the furniture, but I’ve moved a rocking chair in there for her to watch Johnny and Tom exercise them.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Paul Martin said he would be coming back out to check on Shiloh. I think it would be a good idea for him to take a look at you.\u00a0 In fact, I think it would be good idea for him to look at all of you, except of course, you Annie.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh watched Annie lower her eyes. “Pa, have you forgotten we have a doctor in the family now.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, I haven’t.\u00a0 But I’m sure Annie will agree with me that experience is important.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie’s smile didn’t make it to her voice.\u00a0 “Of course, Mr. Cartwright.”\u00a0 When everyone looked at her, she bit her lip and nodded.\u00a0 “Pa.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, Pa, I don’t need to see Doc Martin,” said Hoss, searching for Annie’s hand and bringing it to his lips when he found it.\u00a0 “I have a doctor who’s been doin’ just fine.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After taking a drink of coffee, Adam looked over at Annie.\u00a0 “How are you at removing stitches?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Stitches?\u00a0 You have stitches?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’ll answer that, Adam,” said Hoss, puffing up.\u00a0 “She not only can take ’em out, but she can put ’em in.\u00a0 She had more stitches in me from the wolf bites than I could count.\u00a0 Still got a few.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking over at Ben, and then at Adam, Annie smiled. “I have no issues with stitches, but I’ll understand if you would prefer a male doctor to do that for you, Adam.\u00a0 And I think that would be a good opportunity for you to speak with Dr. Martin about Shiloh and the baby.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh’s head snapped up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam caught the wide-eyed look she gave Annie, and set his fork down, wiping his mouth.\u00a0 “Is there any particular reason I need to talk to Paul about Shiloh and the baby?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He got no response from Annie, so he turned to Shiloh. “Sweetheart?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh hadn’t taken her eyes off Annie as she wondered how Annie could have betrayed her.\u00a0 “Paul won’t talk to me.\u00a0 Perhaps he’ll talk to you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Giving her his full attention, Adam put his napkin down on the table and turned his body toward her.\u00a0 “What’s going on?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh, it would be better if you and Adam talked about this sooner than later,” said Annie.\u00a0 “If you wait too long, he might be faced with making a decision you won’t like.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh threw her napkin on the table and stood.\u00a0 “If you’ll all excuse me, I’m going to finish packing.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

All the men stood.\u00a0 As Adam started to step away from the table, Annie said, “Adam, she’s angry with me.\u00a0 I’ll go.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing at the table, Adam watched Shiloh turn the corner at the top of the stairs followed by Annie, then turned back to his father and brothers.\u00a0 “What was that all about?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe sat back down, but Ben remained standing, considering Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Son, it would be better if you hear it from your wife.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Even though Adam had kept his tone even, Ben knew he was simmering by the flare of his nostrils.\u00a0 “It would appear my wife is occupied at the moment.\u00a0 Would you mind telling me what’s going on?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben sat down and moved his napkin back to his lap.\u00a0 “It’s not my place.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Clenching his teeth, Adam threw his napkin on the table and headed for the stairs. He took them two at a time, and hurried to the bedroom door, but stopped, hearing quite an argument on the other side of the door.\u00a0 He thought about listening, but then decided he’d prefer to hear it first hand, so he grabbed the knob and turned it, bursting in the bedroom.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh looked at him, threw her hands in the air and growled.\u00a0 “Annie, I had every intention of speaking with him when we got home.”\u00a0 Shiloh turned to face her.\u00a0 “In private.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And you’d let the first thing that came up delay you.\u00a0 This isn’t something that can wait.\u00a0 You only have a little over two months.\u00a0 Probably not that long.\u00a0 And you can’t just spring this on him at the last minute.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh sneered.\u00a0 “Thanks for having faith in me.\u00a0\u00a0 Of course I’m going to discuss it with him.\u00a0 He’s my husband!”\u00a0 She turned her hands in, pointing to her stomach.\u00a0 “And this is his baby!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had stepped further into the room, and before Annie could say anything else, he moved his hands to her shoulders and gently squeezed.\u00a0 When she looked up at him over her shoulder, he slightly nodded, and then nodded toward the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking back at Shiloh, Annie said, “I only brought it up because I love you,” then retreated to the door, closing it quietly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh glanced up at him, but cast her eyes down when he came closer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m listening,” he said softly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Do you remember…before you left…that Paul said something about the size of the baby?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded.\u00a0 The calm expression that had been on his face gave way to a slight crease of his brow, eyes that turned dark, and slightly parted lips.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She took a breath before she turned back to her packing. “Cheron is still here. She sent the others back to her village, but she stayed.\u00a0 She came by to see me and told me that the baby would come early because he’s too big.\u00a0 She wants to help me through the birth.”\u00a0 She stopped packing and looked straight ahead of her.\u00a0 “When I tried to talk to Paul about it the last time I saw him, he wouldn’t say anything.\u00a0 When I asked him what would happen if the baby was too big, he refused to answer.\u00a0 He told me to continue to stay off my feet and to make sure I ate well…that I would need my strength.”\u00a0\u00a0 Spinning around, she looked pleadingly up into his eyes.\u00a0 “Adam, he thinks one of us isn’t going to make it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam reached out to her arms and drew her into him, guiding her head to his chest, and then holding her against him.\u00a0 “Did he say that?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 He wouldn’t say anything.\u00a0 Cheron believes both of us can survive.\u00a0 She said I shouldn’t be laying on my back during the birth, that I should have this child like the women of her tribe give birth.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Have you told Paul what Cheron said?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 I haven’t seen Paul again, and I’m not sure I want to.\u00a0 I have Annie.\u00a0 And I have Cheron.\u00a0 And Annie promised she’d speak with Cheron.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Sweetheart, I know Annie’s a doctor now, but she doesn’t have much experience.\u00a0 Has she ever delivered a baby?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh turned her face into his chest so that her voice was muffled.\u00a0 “I don’t know.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hop Sing mentioned the road was passable yesterday when he got back from town.\u00a0 Why don’t we ride into town today and talk to Paul?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gently trying to push away, she made little progress with Adam holding her to him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh, we need to listen to what all of them have to say before we make a decision about what you’re going to do.”\u00a0 Lifting her face to his, he said, “I don’t want you to worry about leaving me with a decision.\u00a0 As far as I’m concerned, my mind is already made up if the odds are even.\u00a0 My first responsibility will always be to you, Sweetheart.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When she closed her eyes, he kissed them, then kissed her mouth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I know one thing is true no matter how this goes.\u00a0 You didn’t eat any breakfast to speak of, and you’re going to need your strength.\u00a0 Now, let’s go back downstairs and finish breakfast.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t think I can eat.\u00a0 My stomach is in a knot,” she said quietly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, at least try, please.\u00a0 We’ll get Ming Lin settled at home, and then you and I will go into town.”\u00a0 He bent at his knees and raised his eyebrows, lowering himself far enough to see her downcast face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She tried to resist his charm, but eventually nodded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam led her down the stairs and held her chair for her as she sat back down.\u00a0 “I apologize for disrupting dinner.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben smiled.\u00a0 “Shiloh, we all understand this is difficult for both of you.\u00a0 Have you made any decisions?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam motioned for Shiloh to finish preparing her plate.\u00a0 “Not yet.\u00a0 We’re going into town today to speak with Paul, and depending on what he says, we’ll pay a visit to Cheron.\u00a0 Annie, Shiloh said you agreed to speak with Cheron.\u00a0 I think it would be a good idea if you went with us.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hoss and I are going into town today.\u00a0 I have to get more bandages. I’ll be there if you want me to talk to Dr. Martin.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded.\u00a0 “All right.\u00a0 We’ll let Ming Lin stay one more night under Hop Sing’s watchful eye so he won’t be alone, and we’ll go into town together.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Sixty-Eight<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pulling the buggy to a stop in front of Mr. and Mrs. Murdock’s store, Adam jumped down and turned to help Annie down.\u00a0 “Annie, would you mind keeping Shiloh occupied while I go speak with Paul?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh turned on the front seat.\u00a0 “I thought we were all speaking with Paul.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam folded his arms with his hands in his armpits.\u00a0 “Well, I thought maybe I should go in first.\u00a0 You said Paul wouldn’t speak to you.\u00a0 Maybe he’ll feel more comfortable with me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh steamed.\u00a0 “We are going to talk to him about what Cheron said, aren’t we?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Giving her a half-nod, he answered, “Yes, but after I find out what it was that he couldn’t say to you.\u00a0 I’ll come get you and Annie.”\u00a0 He leaned into the buggy in front of her and spoke quietly.\u00a0 “Shiloh, please wait here for me.\u00a0 I’m afraid Paul won’t say something we need to know if you’re in there with me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He’s acting like whatever he’s not saying doesn’t affect me.\u00a0 I’m the one having this baby.\u00a0 I’m the one he should be talking to.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Raising his eyebrows, Adam took her hand. “But he’s not talking to you at the moment.\u00a0 Let me find out why, all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She said neither yes or no, but rather looked away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Determined to get an answer, Adam moved his hand to her jaw and turned her back, arching one eyebrow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Slowly raising her eyes to his, she exhaled heavily and pouted, causing him to smile and kiss that pout.\u00a0 “I shouldn’t be too long,” he said, turning and walking toward Paul’s office.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Shiloh watched him go, Annie walked around the buggy.\u00a0 “Why don’t you come inside with me while you wait?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a quick, deep breath, Shiloh looked down at Annie with her mouth twisted.\u00a0 “I think I’ll just stay here and keep Hoss company.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie smiled and patted Shiloh’s hand.\u00a0 “I know you know that Adam will take care of this.\u00a0 You need to learn to trust him.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I trust him with everything…mostly.\u00a0 Sometimes, I don’t trust him to tell me the whole truth when it’s something bad.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I won’t be long,” Annie said, squeezing Shiloh’s hand, and turning toward the mercantile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hoss, can I get you anything while we wait?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, I could use a beer, but I think I’ll wait for Adam for that.\u00a0 You know, Shiloh, Adam believes he’s protecting you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hoss, I’m about to live through whatever he thinks he’s protecting me from.\u00a0 I’d rather know what that is than have to deal with it in the throes of childbirth.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Annie’s right, you know.\u00a0 You need to trust him.\u00a0 He ain’t gonna let nothin’ bad happen to you or the baby.”\u00a0 Hoss felt her hand slide up on his shoulder and squeeze.\u00a0 Then he felt the buggy bounce.\u00a0 “Shiloh?” There was no answer.\u00a0 “Shiloh!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Morning, Paul,” said Adam as he stepped in the door of Dr. Martin’s office.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, what brings you into my office this morning?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Removing his hat, Adam fidgeted with the rivets on the band.\u00a0 “I thought maybe you’d tell me what you didn’t want to discuss with Shiloh.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Martin looked around nervously.\u00a0 “And what would that be?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She asked what would happen if the baby is too big.\u00a0 She said you wouldn’t answer her.”\u00a0 Studying the doctor, Adam slightly turned his head.\u00a0\u00a0 “Paul, what is it?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Martin inhaled deeply, then invited Adam into his office.\u00a0 After closing the door behind them, he walked to his desk and sat down on the front edge.\u00a0 “Adam, I didn’t want to frighten her with the alternatives.\u00a0 There are no good ones.\u00a0 If the baby is too big, there are three options.\u00a0 If I do nothing, both of them will die.\u00a0 In order to save the baby, I would have to perform what’s called a cesarean birth.\u00a0 That means I would make an incision across her stomach, open the uterus and take the baby out.\u00a0 The child would most likely survive, but the chances of Shiloh’s survival aren’t very good.\u00a0 There’s blood loss, and infection.\u00a0 I don’t know of any woman out this way who has survived.\u00a0 There have been a few back East, but the conditions there are far superior to what we have out here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And what’s the third alternative?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The preferred method would save the mother.\u00a0 The child will not survive.\u00a0 It’s called a craniotomy.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With narrowed eyes, Adam asked hesitantly, knowing the word had something to do with the head.\u00a0 “What’s that?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam, in order to remove the child, it has to be made smaller.\u00a0 Do you understand what I’m saying?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam’s nostrils had already flared.\u00a0 “I have an idea.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We have to go in through the birth canal, puncture the baby’s skull, and remove the brain in order to collapse the head.\u00a0 After that, we remove the baby little by little.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The color drained from Adam’s face as his hand moved to cover his mouth. However, he didn’t have much time to think about what Paul had just described because of a loud clatter in the waiting room of the office.\u00a0 The two men looked at each other and rushed to the door just in time to see a skirt swishing out the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh ran as fast as she could around the corner of the building and into the alley. She stopped and wrapped her arms around herself until she heard Adam calling for her.\u00a0 The desperation she heard in his voice almost made her go back, but then she thought about what the doctor and her husband had been discussing and burst into tears.\u00a0 On the brink of hysteria, she moved through the alley quickly, not daring to look back.\u00a0 She screamed when someone grabbed her arms, and before she knew what was happening, she had been pulled back deeper into the alley and was moved with her back against a wall. \u00a0Adam stood in front of her, though she couldn’t understand what he was saying.\u00a0 She couldn’t hear him over her own cries telling him to let her go.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie had just come out of the Murdock’s store when she saw Shiloh bolt from Dr. Martin’s office.\u00a0 On her way across the street, she watched Adam come out and call her, then turn into the alley.\u00a0 Now, she waited at the entrance of the alley where she could see that Adam had caught up to her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He tried to put his arms around her, but she pushed against his chest with a strength that shocked him; strength created by a survival instinct.\u00a0 “Shiloh, listen to me.\u00a0 You have to calm down.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He wants to kill my baby.”\u00a0\u00a0 Her frenzied eyes turned up to his when she grabbed his hands and moved them to her belly.\u00a0 “Feel this, Adam.\u00a0 This is our baby.\u00a0 It’s alive and healthy…and he wants to kill it.\u00a0 Please, don’t let him kill our baby!” she cried.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Grabbing her flailing hands, he was finally able to hold her, though nothing he said stopped her sobs.\u00a0 “Now you know why Paul wouldn’t speak to you about the alternatives,” he said, stroking her hair.\u00a0 “And with good reason,” he added softly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Promise me you won’t let him do that.”\u00a0\u00a0 She felt him stiffen and looked pleadingly into his eyes.\u00a0 “Adam, promise me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His chin quivered as he tightened his lips, his dark eyes turned down at the sides underneath a furrow on his brow.\u00a0\u00a0 “We need to talk to Cheron.\u00a0 We need to know if she can really deliver this child without harming either one of you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Keeping his arms tightly around her, he guided a still sobbing, still shaking Shiloh to the entrance of the alley.\u00a0 “Annie, would you bring the buggy over here?” asked Adam, looking around them.\u00a0 “I don’t want to take her across the street like this.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie nodded, quickly turned and ran across the street.\u00a0 Dr. Martin stood in the doorway of his office watching, and once Adam had Shiloh in the buggy, he detoured on his way around the back to the other side.\u00a0 Placing a hand Paul’s shoulder, Adam said quietly, “I need to get her home and calmed down.\u00a0 I’ll be back to talk.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul simply nodded, knowing that just the sight of him might upset Shiloh even more.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie paced while she waited for Adam to come down the stairs. She wasn’t alone. Hoss sat in one of the leather chairs, tapping his fingers on the arm.\u00a0 Joe had ridden out with Micah, who promised to come back to hear what Dr. Martin had said.\u00a0 Ben was glad they weren’t back yet, knowing he’d have to deal with both Adam and Micah once Shiloh had been settled.\u00a0 Ben sat at his desk with a pencil in his hand, tapping it on the desk as he stared off into a void.\u00a0\u00a0 The sight of her had shaken him; such a capable woman reduced to a sobbing, muttering, frail-looking shadow of the woman his son had married.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam sat on the side of the bed, still holding Shiloh.\u00a0 He gently lowered her to the pillow when he heard Hop Sing lightly rap on the door before he entered carrying a tray with a tea pot and cup.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Setting the tray on the night table, he then poured the tea out into a cup and passed it to Adam.\u00a0 “Missy Shiloh drink tea.\u00a0 Help rest,” he said softly, nodding, concern obvious in his frown.\u00a0 Quietly, he left the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Placing the tea on the edge of the night table, Adam lifted her off the pillow and waited for her to take the tea cup from him.\u00a0 But her hands were still shaking so, he put the cup to her lips to allow her to sip.\u00a0 She hadn’t said a word since they had left town, and now it didn’t appear she was going to try.\u00a0 She would look at him, but just silently wept.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When she had finished the tea, he lowered her back down to the pillow and hovered over her, cupping her cheek in his hand.\u00a0 “I’m going to go downstairs and explain what’s happened.\u00a0 I’m sure everyone down there is worried.\u00a0 I’ll send Annie back up to sit with you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Can we go home?” she whispered between sobs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He wasn’t going to tell her no at the moment, but the truth of it was that he didn’t want to take her home.\u00a0 He didn’t want her in the house alone, fearing what she might do in her present state of mind.\u00a0 Hopefully, Annie could offer some comfort that would make her forget about going home just now.\u00a0 “We’ll see.\u00a0 It depends on how you feel after you’ve had some rest.”\u00a0 Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed it.\u00a0 “I’ll send Annie up.\u00a0 I won’t be gone long.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where she normally would have watched him leave, she turned away to her side and continued to sniffle.\u00a0 She couldn’t get the thought out of her head that he wouldn’t promise her; that he might actually consider allowing Paul to do that unspeakable, horrible thing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At the bottom of the stairs, all eyes turned to Adam.\u00a0 “Annie, I need to speak with Cheron and get her to go into town with me to see Paul.\u00a0 Would you stay with Shiloh?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I need to go with you, Adam.\u00a0 Cheron is an Indian.\u00a0 Dr. Martin might not listen to her, and if he doesn’t…I need to understand.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben rose from his desk and quickly went to Adam and Annie, moving a hand to the back of each of them.\u00a0 “Before anyone goes anywhere, I want to know what’s happened.”\u00a0 He pointed up the stairs.\u00a0 “I never thought there would be anything that would affect her the way this has, whatever this is, after what she’s already been through.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, what did Paul say?” asked Annie.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She overheard him explaining a craniotomy.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie spun around with her hand over her mouth, tears welling in her eyes.\u00a0 “I suppose if the baby is too big, and you made the decision to save Shiloh, that would be the only way he’d know,” she said quietly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shaking his head, Ben started to ask, but faltered at the just the sound of the word.\u00a0 “What…What is a craniotomy?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam’s chin began to quiver as he looked helplessly at Annie.\u00a0 As he walked away toward the fireplace, he squeezed her shoulder.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Annie began to explain, “It’s a procedure where the baby is taken through the birth canal.\u00a0 Because it’s too large to pass, it’s…it’s…”\u00a0 She wiped her eyes as she tried to steady her voice.\u00a0 “The head is collapsed so that it will fit, and then the rest is taken out…a little at a time.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben’s mouth opened as he took a slow, deep breath, all the while watching Adam’s back become rigid.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“There is another way…cesarean section, but because of shock due to the size and depth of the incision and infection later, the mother likely would not survive. Then there’s forceps that are used to pull the baby out, but they can cause quite a bit of damage to both the mother and baby.\u00a0 And if nothing is done, both will die.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And Cheron’s method?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh told me only a little, but what she said made some sense.\u00a0 She said Cheron’s people…and the Paiute…have been doing it for thousands of years.\u00a0 But I would need to speak with Cheron to understand.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben thought for a moment, then gave a quick nod.\u00a0 “Both of you go.\u00a0 I’ll sit with Shiloh.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam turned and headed for the bureau where he retrieved his jacket and hat. “Hop Sing took up some tea that’s supposed to help her rest.\u00a0 Hopefully, she’ll sleep.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“If that’s so, then I can sit with her, too,” said Hoss.\u00a0 “We won’t leave her alone, Adam.\u00a0 You and Annie go on and figure this out before that little gal cries her eyes out.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Sixty-Nine<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Joe, I appreciate you coming out with me,” said Micah, “despite your hand.\u00a0 I thought Dr. Martin wanted you to keep it still.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe laughed.\u00a0 “I’ve been keepin’ it still.\u00a0 I’ve been keepin’ everything still.\u00a0 I should be thanking you for getting me out of the house.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah didn’t smile, but rather bowed his head and took a deep breath.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She’ll be all right.\u00a0 Adam won’t let anything happen to her.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Did you not notice how worried he looked?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe’s eyebrows rose.\u00a0 He couldn’t argue.\u00a0 “We’ll know something when we get back to the house in a few minutes.”\u00a0 He watched Micah, who didn’t seem reassured at all.\u00a0 “Look, there was nothing else you could’ve done.\u00a0 Those cattle had to be brought back down before they disappeared.\u00a0 Pa and Adam aren’t gonna be happy when they hear we’ve got rustlers.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the time Micah and Joe arrived at the main house, Adam and Annie had already left to find Cheron.\u00a0 Hoss was alone in the living area.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hey Hoss,” said Joe as he came through the front door with Micah behind him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Joe, wha’d’ya find?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Rustlers.\u00a0 Well, not the rustlers.\u00a0 We did find the cattle and brought ’em back down.”\u00a0 Stepping in front of the fire, Joe slowly pulled his left arm out of the sling that held it and lowered both hands toward the fire.\u00a0 “It’s still cold, but the snow in the lower pastures is starting to melt.\u00a0 Unless we get more, I figure it’ll be gone down there in two or three weeks.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss turned his head.\u00a0 “Micah, is that you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How’d you know I was here?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I can hear you breathin’.\u00a0 Sit down a minute.\u00a0 I need to talk to you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Raising his chin, Micah closed his eyes and let out a breath before he walked around to the low table in front of the fire, sitting down right in front of Hoss.\u00a0 “Where is everyone?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa’s upstairs sittin’ with Shiloh.\u00a0 Annie and Adam are on their way to find\u00a0 Cheron, and then they’re all goin’ to see Doc Martin.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What’s got everyone so upset?\u00a0 Is Shiloh all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaning forward, Hoss looked toward Micah, a look that unnerved Micah as Hoss’ face was right in front of him, but Hoss’ eyes seemed to skim the top of his head.\u00a0 “I guess you’ve heard the talk about the baby bein’ big; too big for Shiloh to have ‘im.”\u00a0 He leaned back in the chair. \u00a0“Well, it seems the last time Shiloh saw Paul, she asked him what would happen if the baby was too big.\u00a0 He wouldn’t answer her, so Adam went into town this mornin’ to find out why.\u00a0 Shiloh and me and Annie went, too, thinkin’ they’d all talk about it, but Adam went in first by himself.\u00a0 Shiloh went in while they was talkin’ and overheard.\u00a0 That little gal’s been a mess ever since.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’d have to be pretty bad to make that big a mess of her.\u00a0 And Adam, too.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Annie and Adam were sayin’ some big word I ain’t even gonna try to repeat.\u00a0 But what it meant was clear.\u00a0 They were talking about killing the baby and taking it out in pieces to save Shiloh.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah’s lower jaw dropped as he let his head fall backward.\u00a0 He sprang up from the table and took the stairs two at a time, but stopped dead at the bedroom door.\u00a0 It was open, and Shiloh was there on the bed, sleeping.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben sat in a chair next to the bed, and when he saw Micah, he moved a finger over his lips.\u00a0 He slowly stood and walked softly to the door, moving Micah into the hallway by his arm and quietly pulling the door closed behind him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah didn’t need to say a word for Ben to know what was going through his head.\u00a0 It was written all over his face.\u00a0 “Micah, she’s all right at the moment.\u00a0 She had a good scare, but she’s resting.\u00a0 Did Hoss tell you anything?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unable to speak, Micah merely nodded without looking Ben in the eye as his own were becoming blue pools.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Now, there’s no need to think the worst.\u00a0 Annie, Adam and Cheron will be speaking with Paul.\u00a0 Cheron may have a way for Shiloh to have the baby.”\u00a0 Moving his arm over Micah’s shoulders, Ben smiled.\u00a0 “We need to wait for them to get back before we jump to any conclusions.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Do you mind if I sit with her for awhile?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Of course not,” Ben answered, turning the knob, opening the door and stepping aside for Micah to enter.\u00a0 “I’ll bring some coffee up.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah nodded as he slowly sat down in the chair, turning to watch his sister.\u00a0 Her face seemed so peaceful now, it was hard to believe she’d been in such turmoil not too long ago.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing at the top of the stairs and watching his youngest slip his arm back in his sling, Ben took a deep breath before he descended.\u00a0 “Joseph, what did you and Micah find?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe turned away from the fire and faced his father.\u00a0 “We found about fifty head just beyond our border.\u00a0 Someone had strung barbed wire around a thick stand of trees to corral ’em, so they were hidden pretty well.\u00a0 They were both Ponderosa and Flying W beef; some of our best.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Did you see anyone?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No sir.\u00a0 Just the cattle.\u00a0 We brought ’em back here.\u00a0 I figure we can separate ’em later.\u00a0 Micah asked Hank to send Jake back over here to coordinate what men we have to watch the herd.\u00a0 Hank’s doing the same over at the Flying W.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben nodded and grunted.\u00a0 “Either of you want coffee?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“That’s sounds good, Pa,” said Hoss.\u00a0 “I reckon there’s nothing else we can do ‘cept wait for Adam and Annie to get back.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Before Adam had brought the buggy to a halt, Cheron was out the door of her cabin standing on the front porch, calling out, “Is it Shiloh?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam looked over at Annie and folded his lips into a line.\u00a0 “Cheron, I want you to meet someone,” he said as he stepped down and offered his hand to Annie, then walked her to the porch.\u00a0 “Cheron, this is Annie Wal…”\u00a0 Twisting his mouth, he glanced back at Annie, then offered an embarrassed smile.\u00a0 “Annie Cartwright, Hoss\u2019 wife.\u00a0 She’s a doctor.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“A woman doctor?\u00a0 I did not know the white man allowed such things.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, white men don’t particularly like it, and they make it difficult for women to get an education in medicine, but there are schools specifically for women.\u00a0 Annie has just returned from back East where she graduated from one of those schools.\u00a0 And she’s like a sister to Shiloh.\u00a0 That’s why I’ve brought her with me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Please come in,” said Cheron, leading the way into the cabin.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What had been Cheron\u2019s home as the wife of a former Flying W foreman was nothing more than walls, a ceiling and a floor.\u00a0 The furniture that had been left when her husband was killed was gone. Only Cheron\u2019s blankets, skins, trinkets and various wooden implements occupied the space, all folded or stacked neatly out of the way.\u00a0 The middle of main room floor was covered by some of the skins and blankets where Cheron sat and meditated.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI cannot offer you a chair to sit, but please join me here,\u201d she said indicating the blanket-covered skins on the floor.\u00a0 \u201cYou came to speak about the birth of your child.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam and Annie both knelt and sat on the floor with Cheron. \u201cYes, we did,\u201d said Adam. \u201cDr. Martin\u2026from Virginia City\u2026believes the baby is too big for Shiloh to have\u2026normally.\u00a0 He hasn\u2019t given me an alternative to one of them\u2026not surviving.\u00a0 Shiloh said the way of your people might save them both.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe women of my tribe have given birth the same way since our beginnings. There have been deaths of both mother and child, but those do not happen often.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWould you go with us to Virginia City to speak with the doctor\u2026to explain your way?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron straightened her back, drawing herself up from her relaxed position.\u00a0 After a moment, she answered, \u201cNo.\u00a0 My presence would gain you nothing, and might cause problems for you and your doctor if I was seen entering your doctor\u2019s healing hut.\u00a0 But I will tell your friend of our ways.\u00a0 Perhaps your doctor will listen to her,\u201d she said, smiling at Annie, but her frown returned quickly.\u00a0 \u201cIs the little one well?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s mouth suddenly went dry, and when he looked at Cheron, he opened his mouth to speak, but instead sighed.\u00a0 Cheron watched him and waited.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe overheard the doctor explaining a procedure to me.\u00a0 It\u2026upset\u2026her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was this procedure?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam looked at Annie with askance in his eyes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCheron, in white medicine, when a woman can\u2019t give birth, a decision is made whether to save the child or the mother.\u00a0 If the child is to be saved, the child is removed from the mother\u2019s womb by an incision in her stomach.\u00a0 It puts the mother at great risk, and many do not survive.\u00a0 If the mother is to be saved, then the child is removed through the birth canal by\u2026by being made smaller.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Annie watched Cheron\u2019s eyes as she tried to grasp the meaning of what Annie had said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once she had, her piercing eyes shot back up to Annie\u2019s.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you call my people savages!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe wouldn\u2019t be here if we thought that,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking at Adam, she said, \u201cYou must wait outside.\u00a0 I will teach this woman the ways of my people.\u00a0 And while you go to your doctor, I will go to Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Seventy<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah was standing by the bedroom window, looking out when he heard the lightest utterance of the word \u2018no\u2019 from the bed, and turning, found Shiloh sitting bolt upright.\u00a0 He could still see the dream fading from her eyes by the time he sat in the chair next to her.\u00a0 He saw her squeeze her eyes shut, thereby squeezing the liquid out until it ran down her cheeks.\u00a0 She hadn’t even acknowledged seeing him there, though she couldn’t have missed him.\u00a0 He was leaning close.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Say something,” he whispered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What was there to say?” she thought.\u00a0 Her eyes ached, so she closed them again and slowly lay back against her pillows.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh, please.\u00a0 Tell me what I can do.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You can tell Adam I won’t see Paul Martin again.\u00a0 He\u2019s a butcher.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving to the side of the bed, Micah took her hand which remained limp in his hands.\u00a0 “Shiloh, Paul isn’t a butcher.\u00a0 He was just telling Adam the alternatives.\u00a0 You’d want him to be honest about it wouldn’t you?\u00a0 Besides, you weren’t supposed to hear that.\u00a0 If there was ever a time you should’ve done what Adam asked, it was then.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As she pushed herself up to a sitting position, Micah fluffed her pillows for her so that she could lean her back against the headboard of the bed.\u00a0 \u201cMicah, I was upset by what Paul said, but what has me\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Struggling for the right words to describe her feelings, she shook her head.\u00a0 Devastated.\u00a0 That was how she felt, but she wouldn\u2019t admit it to Micah. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cHe wouldn\u2019t promise me,\u201d she whispered as she wiped another escaped tear from her face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u00a0 He wouldn\u2019t promise you what?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe that Adam would consider letting Dr. Martin do that.\u201d\u00a0 She quickly looked up into Micah\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 \u201cHe couldn\u2019t promise he wouldn\u2019t.\u00a0 It\u2019s as if I have no say in the matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pulling her into a hug, Micah moved a hand to the back of her head and stroked her hair.\u00a0 \u201cAh, Little Sister.\u00a0 You have to know he\u2019s as upset about this as you are.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think he knows what to do, but you can bet he\u2019ll find out.\u00a0 In fact, he and Annie have gone to talk to Cheron, and then they\u2019re going to see Paul again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sniffling, for she had begun to cry again, she said, \u201cBut if Paul won\u2019t try Cheron\u2019s way\u2026if Adam won\u2019t let Cheron deliver the baby\u2026.\u00a0 He said his first responsibility is to me.\u00a0\u00a0 If he lets Paul do that\u2026\u201d\u00a0 She grabbed a handful of Micah\u2019s shirt with each hand as she buried her face against him.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t live with it.\u00a0 What they do to the baby will haunt me for the rest of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah took her by her arms and gave her an angry shake.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you think he knows that?\u00a0 Don\u2019t you think he feels the same way?\u201d\u00a0 Standing, he walked away from her, speaking with his back to her.\u00a0 \u201cSometimes I wonder if he thinks you\u2019re more trouble than your worth.\u201d\u00a0 Spinning around, he continued.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you realize everyone in this family is upset about this?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh drew back against the headboard, breathing through her mouth and trying to forestall the next flood of tears.\u00a0 She refused to look at him.\u00a0 \u201cYou should go,\u201d she said hoarsely.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His eyes bore into her before he left the room.\u00a0 When he got downstairs, he went straight to the bureau at the front door and silently gathered his things.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben watched as he strode purposefully from the stairs to the door, then stood and approached him quietly.\u00a0 \u201cMicah?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got some work to do.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be back later to hear what Adam and Annie found out.\u201d\u00a0 Without even looking at Ben, he reached back for the handle and pulled the door open between them, then stepped out and quickly closed the door behind him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With his brows furrowed, Ben watched the door close, then glanced up at the stairs, deciding that he should check on Shiloh.\u00a0 When he knocked on the door, he heard a much stronger \u201ccome in\u201d than he expected.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh had two valises on the bed and had started removing clothes from the wardrobe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you and Adam were staying.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He gasped when Shiloh looked at him.\u00a0 It seemed her entire face was swollen, her eyes were quite puffy and her nose was red.\u00a0 \u201cDarling, you\u2019ve had quite a fright.\u00a0 Shouldn\u2019t you be resting?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She opened her mouth, but only managed a shake of her head before she closed it and quietly and inconsolably wept as she moved back and forth between the bed and wardrobe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Cheron stepped into the bedroom, she watched for a moment while Ben looked on helplessly.\u00a0 Taking his arm, she pulled him slowly toward the door, even though he didn\u2019t take his eyes off Shiloh until Cheron had moved him into the hall.\u00a0 There, she nodded for him to leave it to her, and then closed the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking Shiloh by the shoulders, Cheron looked deeply into her tormented eyes, and seeing how lost Shiloh was, she drew her into her arms and held her.\u00a0 Shiloh\u2019s resolve disappeared as she slowly sank to the floor with Cheron following, and burst into heavy, mournful sobs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though most of the ride into town was spent in nervous silence, every so often Adam would ask Annie a question about what Cheron had shared.\u00a0 He had already asked if she thought an experienced doctor like Paul Martin would even consider it, and the answer she gave him was encouraging.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think it will make it easier for Shiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTo tell you the truth, Adam, I don\u2019t know why this changed.\u00a0 At some point in the past, I believe all women gave birth this way.\u00a0 It\u2019s so natural.\u00a0 Yes, I think it would be easier whether the baby was this big or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She sat in silence for a moment, then offered more.\u00a0 \u201cCheron uses herbs to start labor early in this situation.\u00a0 She says there is a time when the child is only growing bigger, so having it early won\u2019t hurt.\u00a0 She thinks Shiloh is further along than we thought, and that her time is near.\u00a0 She wants to start preparing Shiloh\u2026showing her what she has to be able to do.\u00a0 That means that, depending on what Dr. Martin will agree to, you need to make a decision soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDecision?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf it comes to it, you\u2019ll have to decide very soon whether Dr. Martin delivers this baby his way or Cheron does.\u00a0 And you need to give some thought to what you want if she can\u2019t have this baby either way.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve already made that decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Shiloh?\u00a0 Did you ask what she wanted?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam continued to face forward without answering and without paying much attention to the horse.\u00a0 The horse knew its way to town.\u00a0 But Adam had no intention of doing anything other than what he\u2019d already decided, even if Shiloh wanted to save the baby.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t going to leave his child to wonder what his mother was like as he had.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t going to force his child to feel guilty for his entire life because his mother died giving birth to him. \u00a0His hope was that Paul would, at least, consider letting Cheron deliver the baby.\u00a0 And even if he did, Adam had already decided he wanted Paul there, just in case something went wrong.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When they arrived in town, they hurried into Paul Martin\u2019s office, waiting impatiently until Dr. Martin was available.\u00a0 Annie explained Cheron\u2019s teachings, and once she had finished both she and Adam held their breaths awaiting Paul\u2019s answer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2026Annie, I\u2019ll be the first man to admit that the Indians have passed down some marvelous knowledge in their dealings with plants for thousands of years.\u00a0 But there is no medical basis in this.\u00a0 There are no proven facts; only the assurances of an Indian medicine woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both Annie and Adam slumped.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sitting on the edge of his desk, Paul continued, \u201cStill, if there\u2019s the possibility that it will save both their lives, I have to consider it.\u00a0 We\u2019ll try it Cheron\u2019s way.\u00a0\u00a0 And if that doesn\u2019t work, Adam, you have to be prepared to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam held his hand up to stop Paul.\u00a0 \u201cI am.\u00a0 Shiloh won\u2019t be.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh won\u2019t be in any condition to offer dissent.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not as worried about her during the birth as I am after it\u2019s done.\u00a0 If you have to take the baby, I don\u2019t know that Shiloh will be able to get past it now that she knows how you do it.\u00a0 I can understand why you wouldn\u2019t tell her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sitting forward in her chair, Annie said, \u201cDr. Martin, Cheron thinks that Shiloh is near her time.\u00a0 She was on her way to see Shiloh when we came here.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s taking everything she needs and is prepared to start Shiloh\u2019s labor.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul nodded. \u201cWe could\u2019ve been off a bit.\u00a0 Shiloh didn\u2019t have regular monthlies so we really had nothing to go by except her size and condition.\u00a0 But I want to speak with Cheron before she does anything.\u00a0 Why didn\u2019t she come with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam snorted.\u00a0 \u201cShe was concerned about your reputation.\u00a0 There are those in this town who might have started trouble if they\u2019d seen an Indian come in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI remember when she used to come into town with her husband and Billy.\u00a0 She tried very hard not to be seen.\u201d\u00a0 Shaking his head, he began to gather items he might need at the Ponderosa.\u00a0 \u201cI would never have turned her away.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI think she knows that, Paul,\u201d offered Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I have to get a few more things together.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t you two go on back to the Ponderosa.\u00a0 I won\u2019t be far behind you.\u00a0\u00a0 And please, make sure Cheron doesn\u2019t do anything until I get there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded and escorted Annie back to the buggy.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you think?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAbout Dr. Martin?\u201d\u00a0 Adam nodded.\u00a0 \u201cIt seems he\u2019s a fair and open-minded man.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam turned to her and winked, then whistled the horses into a slow trot out of town.\u00a0 \u201cHe was pleased with what he saw you do before you left for school.\u00a0 He respects you.\u00a0 And you\u2019re right.\u00a0 He\u2019s a fair man.\u00a0\u00a0 He refuses his services to no one.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was a testament to where their minds were that no one heard the buggy pull into the yard.\u00a0 But they all turned when the front door suddenly opened and Annie walked through followed by Adam, who took Annie\u2019s cape and hung it on the hat rack followed by his jacket and hat.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIs Cheron here?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing, Ben met Adam half way to the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s with Shiloh.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t Paul with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s on his way,\u201d answered Adam as he started up the steps.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben grabbed his arm. \u201cBefore you go up\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking over at Micah who had collected himself from his talk with Shiloh and had returned, Ben said, \u201cShe doesn\u2019t want to see Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyebrows creased.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t care if she wants to see him or not.\u00a0 He\u2019s the only doctor around here.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He immediately winced and looked over at Annie who was sitting quietly on the settee.\u00a0 \u201cAnnie, I\u2019m sorry.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t mean that.\u201d\u00a0 Offering her an apologetic smile, he finished.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s gonna take a little getting used to having a doctor in the family.\u00a0 Even so, I want Paul involved in case something goes wrong that Cheron can\u2019t handle.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen I suggest you go upstairs and discuss what each of you expects to happen, because at the moment your thinking isn\u2019t the same,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Drawing his lips into a pucker, Adam took one step backward before he turned and went up the stairs.\u00a0 When he opened the door, he found Shiloh busily packing their belongings.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d He looked over at Cheron in the chair next to the window, and then back to Shiloh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Without looking at him, she raised her chin stubbornly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going home, Adam.\u00a0 I want to have our firstborn in our own home.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Martin is on his way.\u00a0 He wants to speak with Cheron.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dropping the dress she had been folding, Shiloh looked back at Cheron, who nodded.\u00a0 Turning back to the dress, she said, \u201cThat\u2019s fine.\u00a0 But I won\u2019t be seeing him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam took a step toward her, and she immediately pulled the dress to her and faced him, steeling herself for a fight.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He smiled.\u00a0 \u201cCheron, would you excuse us?\u201d\u00a0 He waited patiently while Cheron left the room and pulled the door closed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnnie explained to Paul what Cheron wants to do.\u00a0 He\u2019s willing to try it her way, but I want him here in case something goes wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTo do what?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking down first, Adam glanced back up.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t need to explain it to you.\u00a0 You already know.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if I don\u2019t agree?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Walking to her, he took the dress from her hands and let it fall to the bed, then sat down and pulled her down next to him.\u00a0 He turned to face her and took her hands.\u00a0 \u201cBesides the fact that you did this for me earlier than you would have otherwise, I have other reasons that have to do with what I live with everyday because I survived and my mother didn\u2019t.\u00a0 This way, he won\u2019t even know if it comes to that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I\u2019ll know.\u00a0 And don\u2019t be so quick to tell me I\u2019ll get over it.\u00a0 Not this.\u00a0 This is brutal and horrid and\u2026unthinkable, but it\u2019s something I\u2019ll think about every day of my life\u2026probably in great detail.\u00a0 I can\u2019t live with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen it comes down to one thing.\u00a0 It will be me making the decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo what I want doesn\u2019t matter?\u201d she asked, pulling her hands away from him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t say that.\u00a0 But you won\u2019t be in any condition to voice your opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ll voice my opinion right now.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want you to take the baby that way.\u00a0 If Paul were to take the baby by cesarean, the baby will survive, and I’ll have a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His nostrils flared and his eyebrows lowered.\u00a0 “Not much of one.\u00a0 Paul’s never performed that surgery, and he’s not confident his office is adequate to do it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Then I’d rather you let us both go, Adam.\u00a0 I don’t want to have to live knowing how the baby died.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam flew up off the bed and stood with his back to her and his hands on his hips.\u00a0 \u201cAnd what makes you think I\u2019m strong enough to lose you both?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They were interrupted by a knock on the door, and when Adam opened it, Dr. Martin, Cheron and Annie entered the room.\u00a0\u00a0 Shiloh glared at Dr. Martin before she looked away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie and Cheron stepped forward to the bed.\u00a0 \u201cShiloh, Dr. Martin has agreed that we\u2019ll try it Cheron\u2019s way,\u201d said Annie with a smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMy mind was already made up on that point regardless of what Dr. Martin said, and I\u2019m not going to even discuss the alternatives with him. As far as I\u2019m concerned, there are none.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie took a step back at Shiloh\u2019s coldness.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Martin had moved to the side of the bed next to Cheron and Annie, and all three faced Adam who stood at the other side.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, Cheron will prepare what she needs here, and Annie will assist her,\u201d said Paul.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt will take time to prepare her…many days,” said Cheron.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded and looked at Cheron.\u00a0 \u201cWhen it\u2019s time, we\u2019ll make sure you have whatever you need.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul continued, \u201cI\u2019ll have what I need ready, and at the first sign of trouble I\u2019ll take over.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cStop talking about me like I\u2019m not sitting right here!\u201d\u00a0 yelled Shiloh, standing and facing them all with clenched fists.\u00a0 \u201cFirst, I\u2019m going home to have my baby.\u201d\u00a0 She turned to Adam with tears in her eyes and took his hand, holding it to her breast.\u00a0 \u201cPlease let me go home,\u201d she pleaded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stepping into her, Adam moved his hands to either side of her face.\u00a0 \u201cSweetheart, I think it would be better if we were here.\u00a0 We have to be prepared if it doesn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She gave him a wet but sure look. \u201cNo, we don\u2019t. Cheron would tell me if she wasn\u2019t sure it would work.\u00a0 It\u2019s not going to fail, Adam.\u00a0 I won\u2019t let it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut what if it does?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She closed her eyes, leaning her forehead against his chin.\u00a0 \u201cIt won\u2019t. It can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Letting out a heavy breath, Adam wrapped his arms around her. A few minutes passed before he said anything.\u00a0 \u201cWe’re going home.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Seventy-One<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie and Cheron accompanied Shiloh and Adam home, but before they left the main house, Dr. Martin pulled Annie aside.\u00a0 “I have other patients to tend to today.\u00a0 I’m depending on you to watch \u00a0everything Cheron does.\u00a0 Ask her about every herb she gives Shiloh.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You don’t trust her?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I trust what I know.\u00a0 I question everything I don’t,” he said with a smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie nodded and smiled back knowing it never hurt to be careful or well-informed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The trip home was uneventful and even brought a smile out of Shiloh as she watched their surroundings go by.\u00a0 She’d been cooped up for the better part of the last month, and even though the chill was still quite crisp, being outside lifted her spirits.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once back at the house, Cheron and Annie took charge of Shiloh, much to Adam’s chagrin.\u00a0 They left him to carry their bags up to the bedroom, and then tend the horse and buggy.\u00a0 By the time he got back to the bedroom, Shiloh was sitting comfortably in bed wearing her favorite gown.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron had gone to the kitchen to prepare the first of the herbal teas she would give Shiloh to quicken her delivery and help her through it. While she was there, Ben and Hop Sing brought Ming Lin home and moved his belongings into his room.\u00a0 Ming Lin and Hop Sing were quick to stop and sit in the kitchen, hoping to gain some knowledge from Cheron who was happy to share with them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Ben arrived upstairs, he smiled at Shiloh before he looked over at Annie and raised his brows.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Excuse me,” said Annie, smiling.\u00a0 “I should be learning from Cheron.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Before Ben took a seat in the chair at the side of the bed, he chuckled as he looked around the room at Adam\u2019s furniture positioned much like it had been at the Ponderosa.\u00a0 “I can’t tell you how many days and nights I’ve sat next to this bed waiting for Adam to wake up from…whatever hurt he had at the time.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh gave him a sheepish smile.\u00a0 “Was he hurt…or sick…very often?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“More hurt than sick, but thankfully, no, not too often.\u00a0 I think they’ve all come home beaten up a fair amount, but none of them are very good at walking away from a fight.\u00a0 They all just handle them differently.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How so?” she asked with a twinkle in her eye.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben noticed that sparkle and was only too happy to oblige with something that kept her mind off the trouble at hand.\u00a0 Well, Hoss…it takes quite a bit to get Hoss to use his fists.\u00a0 Someone might have some terrible insults for him, and that’s all right, but the minute they throw insults at a child…or a woman…or even a man who isn’t able to defend himself, he jumps right in.\u00a0 He and Adam are a lot alike in that respect.\u00a0 Joe, now…Joe’s not particular about the reasons.\u00a0 In fact, he’s been in fights simply as a bet of the outcome.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh laughed, but quieted quickly, looking down at her hands.\u00a0 “Pa, can I ask you a question about Adam?\u00a0 About when he was growing up.\u00a0 Before the Ponderosa.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben nodded.\u00a0 “But I won’t promise I can answer.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled again.\u00a0 “Did he ever talk to you about his mother?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What do you mean?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Did he say he missed not knowing her?\u00a0 Or did he blame himself for her death?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Ben crossed his legs and got comfortable.\u00a0 “He asked about her…what she looked like, what her favorite things were.\u00a0 He was much too young on our journey here to think too deeply about her death, and then Inger came into our lives.\u00a0 She filled a void for him.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What about guilt?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“That came when he was much older.\u00a0 After Inger and Hoss…and then again, after Marie and Joe.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Recently?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben frowned.\u00a0 “No.\u00a0 The last time he spoke of his mother was the day before your wedding.\u00a0 He wished that you could have known her, and she you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both were quiet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh, why these questions?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It was something he said earlier today…about how he felt because his mother died.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And he’s concerned for this child growing up without his mother.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh nodded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What are you two discussing?” Adam asked as he came into the bedroom and sat on the side of the bed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I was remembering the times it was you in that bed with some ailment,” said Ben, standing.\u00a0 “And you two have some things to discuss.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reaching for him, Shiloh said, “Please don’t go, Pa.\u00a0 I really don’t want to talk about that right now.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben looked over at Adam, who shrugged.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Before I forget,” started Ben.\u00a0 “Joe and Micah found some rustled cattle just over our property line.\u00a0 They brought them back.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Did they see anyone?” asked Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, but it was about fifty head, both Ponderosa and Flying W.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing, Adam walked to the window and looked out. “Now would be a good time to do it.\u00a0 The Ponderosa doesn’t have a full bunkhouse in the winter.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes, but the Flying W does.\u00a0 We have men, albeit fewer, watching the herd,” said Shiloh. “I’ll bet they were strays.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’ll take care of it if you want me to, Pa,” offered Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 Hank and Jake are handling it.\u00a0 If they need help, I’m sure they’ll ask.\u00a0 Besides, you have some healing to do, said Ben, pointing to Adam’s chest.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Without much thought, Adam moved his hand to his chest.\u00a0 “I have some work to do here.”\u00a0 He winked at Shiloh.\u00a0 “We have furniture ready to be delivered as soon as the roads are clear, and I have some bedrooms to finish.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled sweetly at him. “But you’re going to take some time to heal, first, right? Besides, we have some contracts to discuss,” she said, pointing to a stack of papers on her dressing table.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking at his father, Adam laughed under his breath.\u00a0 “It appears we’re in for awhile, and that includes Ming Lin.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben stood and harrumphed.\u00a0 “And you’ll all be stark raving mad before it’s over.”\u00a0 Following with a laugh, he bent to kiss Shiloh’s forehead.\u00a0 “I should be getting back.\u00a0 I have work to do, too.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam raised his chin as his father walked by with hat in hand.\u00a0 “Bye, Pa.”\u00a0 He looked back at Shiloh, crossed an arm over his chest, resting the other elbow on it and raising his hand to his chin. “At some point, we have to talk about it.\u00a0 We can’t just ignore it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t want to talk about it, Adam.\u00a0 That would be admitting that it won’t work, and I don’t want to do that because the alternatives are just too terrible.\u00a0 You and I are going to have a healthy child, and we will raise him together in this house…together<\/em>. \u00a0You just have to be strong enough to handle both of us.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And what if something happens?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Casting her eyes down, she clasped her hands in her lap.\u00a0 “Please, Adam.\u00a0 Haven’t we discussed it enough?\u00a0 Why can’t you just believe that it will turn out all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving to the side of the bed and sitting next to her, he looked into her eyes.\u00a0 She’d worried enough. She’d cried herself sick enough.\u00a0 And she was right. Talking about it wasn’t going to change anything.\u00a0 “All right.\u00a0 No more discussions about it,” he said as he leaned into her for a kiss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Cheron and Annie came in with tea, Shiloh moved her hand to Adam’s face and smiled as she admired the clear, hazel eyes smiling back at her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Handing Shiloh a cup of tea once Adam had moved away from the bed, Cheron explained, “You will drink this tea at the first, noon and last meal each day.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sniffing it, Shiloh asked, “What is it?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It is black cohosh.\u00a0 It will bring the baby soon,” Cheron said.\u00a0 “I have left enough with Ming Lin for three days.\u00a0 I will return then.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Why don’t you stay?” asked Shiloh hopefully.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron leaned down to feel Shiloh’s forehead.\u00a0 “I must prepare other herbs for you.\u00a0 I will be at the cabin.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Annie?” said Shiloh with a bit of dread in her voice.\u00a0 Without Annie, she’d be alone much of the day if Adam was going to spend his time finishing the bedrooms.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I have to get back home.\u00a0 I’ll take Cheron to her cabin first, and then take the buggy back to the main house.”\u00a0 She turned to Adam.\u00a0 “Unless you’re going to need it before tomorrow?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 That’s fine.\u00a0 I’ll walk you two out,” he said, waiting for the two women to exit the room and following behind.\u00a0 “I’ll be right back,” he said over his shoulder, leaving Shiloh to sip her tea alone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Annie walked through the door of the main house, Hoss raised his head.\u00a0 No one else was in the room, and without his sight, there wasn’t anything for him to do…except sit and wait for someone to talk to him.\u00a0 He smiled.\u00a0 “How’d it go at Adam’s place?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How did you know it was me?” she asked, removing her cape.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I can smell your perfume.\u00a0 It smells mighty pretty.\u00a0 Besides that, you don’t make near as much noise as Pa or Joe.”\u00a0 He felt her hands loosening the bandage around his head, and then felt her gently remove the gauze from his eyes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sitting on the low table in front of him, she asked, “Tell me what you see?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Nothin’ really.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Can you see light?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well yeah, but I been seein’ light.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Is the light all one shade or color?\u00a0 Can you see any dark areas?\u00a0 Shadows?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He creased his brow and bit down on his tongue in concentration. “It’s sorta light in the middle and darker on the sides.” Reaching his hand out, he touched the dark and quickly drew his hand back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie smiled.\u00a0 “Don’t be afraid, Hoss.\u00a0 Tell me what you see?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reaching his hand out again, he touched the line of darkness and realized he had touched Annie’s hair at the side of her face.\u00a0 A slow smile began to form even as Hoss’ eyes began to shine with wetness.\u00a0 Knowing now the light was her face, he reached out to her waist and pulled her into his lap, holding her tightly.\u00a0 “I can’t see your nose or your mouth, but I can see enough,” he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben walked in from the kitchen and stopped abruptly.\u00a0 He saw the kiss and heard the sniffles followed by quiet laughter and one of the tightest hugs he’d seen lately.\u00a0 “What’s this about?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa,” said Hoss excitedly as Annie moved back to the table wiping her eyes.\u00a0 “I can see Annie’s face.\u00a0 Well, not her mouth or nose, but I can tell it’s her face…” he reached out to touch her again.\u00a0 “And her hair.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben rushed forward and clapped his hand down on Hoss’ shoulder.\u00a0 “That’s wonderful news, Son!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Now, we don’t want to rush it,” said Annie.\u00a0 I need to put clean gauze on your eyes and put the bandage back on.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Aw, Annie, cain’t you leave that off now.\u00a0 Maybe if I had somethin’ to see, it’d come back quicker.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, you won’t be resting your eyes if you’re straining to see.\u00a0 They need rest to heal,” she said, standing.\u00a0 “I’ll be just a minute.\u00a0 I need to run upstairs for the gauze.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Your brothers are going to be relieved to hear this,” said Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss nodded, but his smile had left his face. “Pa, I need to talk to you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Of course, Hoss.\u00a0 What is it?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, me and Annie didn’t really have a big weddin’ like Adam and Shiloh, and well, I think Annie…and me, too…we’d like to have a weddin’ here and invite all our friends.\u00a0 Kinda make it official and all.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, Hoss, as far as the law goes, I’m sure it is official.”\u00a0 Ben’s eyebrows went up.\u00a0 “It is official, isn’t it?\u00a0 You were married by a minister?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah, Pa, it’s legal and all.\u00a0 But the people out here don’t know that.\u00a0 They’d be expecting a weddin’ to go to.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lightly slapping Hoss’ knee, Ben said, “You’re quite right, Hoss.\u00a0 Why don’t we see how quickly your eyesight is coming back, now that you can see more, and go from there?\u00a0 If it turns out it’s coming back quickly, we’ll wait for it.\u00a0 If not, we’ll go ahead and plan it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, Hoss nodded.\u00a0 “Thanks, Pa. It’ll sure make Annie feel more at ease.\u00a0 I mean, I don’t think she quite feels like part of the family yet.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Nonsense.\u00a0 Of course she’s part of the family.\u00a0 There’s just been too much going on at the same time with Adam hurt, Joe hurt, Shiloh confined to bed, and you, Hoss, I think you gave us the biggest scare of everyone.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss looked doubtfully at his father even though he couldn’t see him.\u00a0 Ben caught the look.\u00a0 “Oh, well.\u00a0 Perhaps Shiloh’s news was worse.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It didn’t sound like they was talkin’ to each other much when they left.\u00a0 You think they’ll be all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a half-smile, Ben nodded, then remembered Hoss couldn’t see the expression on his face.\u00a0 Patting Hoss’ arm, he said, “I’m sure they’ll work things out.\u00a0 They’ve had some practice at it now for awhile.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Seventy-Two<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah entered through the kitchen when he arrived at Adam and Shiloh’s house knowing no one would be able to get to the front door with any speed.\u00a0 “Ming Lin, how are you feeling?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nodding, Ming Lin said, “I am well, Mister Micah.\u00a0 I have only two more weeks before the doctor will remove the cast,” he answered, holding out his foot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Is Mr. Cartwright home?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes.\u00a0 And Mrs. Cartwright.\u00a0 They are both upstairs.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both men turned at the sudden banging echoing through the house. “Mister Adam is working on the unfinished bedrooms.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah smiled.\u00a0 “Yes, I hear.\u00a0 I’ll just go on up,” he said, exiting the kitchen.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Before he headed for the sound of the banging, Micah turned in the opposite direction at the top of the stairs and knocked on the bedroom he knew Shiloh and Adam occupied until their new furniture arrived.\u00a0 Sticking his head in, he watched Shiloh busily working on a ledger while sitting up in bed.\u00a0 “I’d hold up a white flag if I had one.\u00a0 Is it safe to enter?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When she raised her head from her work, she did so with a wide smile.\u00a0 “No white flag needed,” she said, closing her ledger and setting it aside.\u00a0 “Come in.\u00a0 I want to talk to you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, you look…better…happier.\u00a0 I take it Dr. Martin approved of Cheron bringing this baby into the world.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How could he not?\u00a0 Her outcome was better than his.\u00a0 Anyway, I wanted to apologize.\u00a0 You were right.\u00a0 I wasn’t thinking about anyone but myself and the baby.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sitting on the side of the bed and taking her hand, he said, “Ah, well, there’s where I was wrong.\u00a0 You’re scared to death, and you’re only thinking about the baby.\u00a0 And although everyone in this family is worried sick, I shouldn’t have lost my temper, though I’ll stand by what I said about trusting your husband and doing what he asks.\u00a0 He only has your best interests at heart.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I know he does, Micah, but this is hard for me.\u00a0 Even before I left for school, I was pretty much taking care of myself, and I did that until I came home.\u00a0 After, too.\u00a0 I didn’t marry Adam because I needed him to take care of me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I know that, Little Sister, and he does, too, but most men have been brought up with the idea that we take care of our wives and children, and our wives take care of the home front.\u00a0 Adam knew that wouldn’t necessarily be the case when he married you, but still, you’ve got to let him take care of you once in awhile.”\u00a0 Turning back toward the door and the banging, he added, “It looks like maybe you’ve both already come to that conclusion.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Micah, for a man who’s never been married, you sure know a lot about it.\u00a0 How come?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Your mother and father weren’t always so easy with each other.\u00a0 You get your spit from Mom.\u00a0 Dad was a patient man, and he loved her dearly, but she sometimes tried that patience.\u00a0 I had a few years to watch them…and sometimes stay clear of them.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She laughed and put her hands to her ears.\u00a0 “Oh, don’t say another word.\u00a0 My parents were perfect.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah laughed.\u00a0 “Tell me what’s next?\u00a0\u00a0 Do you just stay here in the bed and wait?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m drinking one of Cheron’s teas three times a day.\u00a0 It’s supposed to quicken things up a bit.\u00a0\u00a0 I’ve been drinking it for three days now, though, and I don’t feel any different.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, give it time.\u00a0 Cheron always knew what she was doing with her herbs.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stuck his head in the door.\u00a0 “I thought I heard another man’s voice in my bedroom.”\u00a0 Stepping in with his hand extended, he continued.\u00a0 “I figured I ought to find out who had captured her attention…besides me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah stood and shook his hand.\u00a0 “We had something to set straight.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“So is it straight?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“As an arrow.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Good.\u00a0 I could use a hand in here for a minute,” said Adam, pointing down the hall.\u00a0 “Thanks to the avalanche, I still can’t lift much with my left arm. \u00a0Can I borrow your brother?” he asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Waving her hands toward them, she said, “Shoo.\u00a0 I have a ledger to balance.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As they walked down the hallway, Micah asked, “So…what’s changed?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d asked Adam as he motioned for Micah to enter the last bedroom.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, considering she was a mess just a few days ago, it’s as if nothing ever happened.\u00a0 What did you do?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Nothing’s changed,” said Adam, shrugging.\u00a0 “We just stopped talking about it.\u00a0 She’s trying to convince herself that everything will be fine with Cheron, and she won’t talk about the other.\u00a0 Now, help me hang this door.”\u00a0\u00a0 Micah moved the door into the jamb.\u00a0 “Push at the top while I drop in the hinge pin,” said Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reaching up, Micah steadied the door.\u00a0 “Is that…all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah, that’s perfect.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Not the door.\u00a0 Is it all right that she doesn’t talk about it?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Adam hammered the pin into the hinge, he answered, “It’s gotta be better for her than dwelling on it.\u00a0 You saw how upset she was.\u00a0 If she wants to believe everything will be all right, why stop her?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Do you believe everything will be all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Push in on the bottom.\u00a0 Good.”\u00a0 Squatting down, Adam went on while he worked on the bottom hinge. “To tell you the truth, I don’t want to think about the alternatives either.\u00a0 There’s no point until something happens, and if it does, I already know what to tell Paul.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Without discussing it with her?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Letting his hands drop down between his knees, Adam looked down at the floor before he stood.\u00a0 “Micah, that’s what\u2019s caused all the problems in the first place; trying to discuss it with her.\u00a0 I’ll make the best decision I can with what information I have at the time…if necessary.\u00a0 It won’t do either one of us any good to keep turning it over and over.\u00a0 She’s calm.\u00a0 She’s eating and sleeping, and I’m not going to do anything to change that right now.\u00a0 Now, did you come over here just to see your sister or is there something else on your mind?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh yeah.\u00a0 There is.\u00a0 We may have some trouble at the mine.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had been plastering the walls and adjusted the bucket on a table.\u00a0 “What trouble?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“One of our guards saw Clint Miller ride by with two other men.\u00a0 They were up on the high ridge behind us…on Hearst’s property.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s not Hearst’s property anymore.\u00a0 He sold it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He said they sat up there for awhile and just watched.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Grabbing a trowel from the floor, Adam said, “Well, there’s no law against watching. There’s not much we can do until he does something.\u00a0 Tell the guards to keep their eyes open.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“That’s it?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.”\u00a0 Lifting a pile of plaster out of the bucket with the trowel, Adam slapped it on the wall.\u00a0 “You and I are going into town tomorrow to have a little conversation with Mr. Miller.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s early enough.\u00a0 Why don’t we go today?” asked Micah, itching to get to town.\u00a0 He hadn’t been to town in over a month, and he was looking forward to a beer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stepping back, Adam admired his handy work.\u00a0 “Tomorrow.\u00a0 Today, I’m going to finish these walls and build the mantel.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By evening, Adam had the walls finished and the mantel put together, though he still had to mount it.\u00a0 He stopped and went downstairs to check on dinner.\u00a0 Ming Lin was just lifting a pork roast out of the oven, and Adam rushed over to help him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnytime, Ming Lin. How\u2019s the foot?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a bit sore, but all right.\u00a0 Dr. Martin said it would be sore by the end of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you rest for awhile and prop it up.\u00a0 I\u2019ll take care of dinner from here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mr. Cartwright, but that is not necessary,\u201d Ming Lin answered as he hobbled to the hutch and retrieve plates.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI insist.\u00a0 Prepare a plate for yourself and get off that foot.\u00a0 I\u2019ll take care of Mrs. Cartwright and myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though Ming Lin didn\u2019t like the idea of allowing Adam to prepare their dinner, he politely smiled and did as he was told.\u00a0 He would come back after Mr. Cartwright brought their dishes back, put the food away and clean the kitchen before he turned down his light for the night.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam waited to prepare their plates until Ming Lin had limped into his room with his dinner in hand.\u00a0 He retrieved a tray from the pantry, managed to get everything on it, and headed up the stairs to the bedroom.\u00a0 Stopping in the open door, he asked, \u201cWhat are you reading?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She looked up from her book and followed him with her eyes as he walked to her dressing table.\u00a0 \u201cJane Eyre<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam raised his head up from the plate he was preparing and looked forward, biting the inside of his cheek.\u00a0 A wadded piece of paper that hit him on the back of his head interrupted his thoughts, and he smiled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s taken to throwing things at me now,\u201d he said as he delivered her dinner on a bed tray.\u00a0 \u201cWasn’t that required reading at Vassar?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it was not.\u00a0 As a matter of fact, I found it in your box of books.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t seem like the type of book you would enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had a prepared his plate and sat in the chair next to the bed.\u00a0 \u201cResearch,\u201d he said, winking. Her wrinkled nose and puckered lips made him laugh.\u00a0 \u201cEat your dinner while it\u2019s hot.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow is Ming Lin?\u201d she asked as she cut her roast into small pieces.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam took a bite of roasted potatoes. \u201cHe said his foot was sore, but that Paul said that would happen.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll be happy to get his cast off and get back to normal.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the bedroom?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cComing along.\u00a0 The plaster is finished.\u00a0 I\u2019ve made the mantel pieces.\u00a0 I just need to mount them around the fireplace.\u00a0 How is the ledger?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI found a mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He looked up from his plate and asked with a mouthful, \u201cBad one?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost eight hundred dollars.\u201d\u00a0 He whistled.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re all right,” she said. “There was plenty in the account to cover it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Small talk ruled their dinner conversation, both avoiding the one thing on their minds neither could really forget about.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Seventy-Three<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Before Adam rolled out of the bed, he propped his pillow up under his head and watched Shiloh as she slept.\u00a0 She had spent most of the night in the same position she was in now; on her side facing him.\u00a0 Early on, as soon as the baby had begun to move, she slept with her belly up against him, so he could feel it, too. \u00a0But the last few nights had been still, and that worried him.\u00a0 He let her sleep and rose to prepare for his day.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It would be a long one, first going out to the mine with Micah to speak with the guards.\u00a0 After that, he and Micah would be going to town to find Miller.\u00a0 Micah didn’t know it yet, but Adam was planning to stop by Roy Coffee’s office just as soon as they arrived in town.\u00a0 If there was anything odd going on in town, Roy’s nose would be in the air sniffing it out.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He’d just pulled on a boot when he heard a soft, sleepy voice. “Adam? Come back to bed.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He didn’t say anything, hoping she’d fall back to sleep, but when he looked over after pulling on the other boot, she was curled up with the blanket pulled up to her chin, wearing a smile that would surely pull any man back to her bed.\u00a0 If she hadn’t been so ripe with child, he’d consider it.\u00a0 Tempting as it was, he did go back to her bed, but only sat on the side and leaned over her. “You should go back to sleep.\u00a0 It’s too early to be up,” he said, hovering over her lips.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You’re up,” she whispered, moving her hands behind his head and pulling him down the rest of the way.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She loved his kiss. Almost always starting with a light touch of his lips to hers, followed by a light tickle with the tip of his tongue, he opened his mouth for a longer, deeper kiss that was guaranteed to take the starch out of her knees.\u00a0 If he only knew she would do anything for him in the rapture of one of those kisses.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When he rose up to look at her, her eyes were still closed, and her lips here curled in a blissful smile.\u00a0 “I have to go,” he said, trying to sit up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her arms remained wrapped around him. “But you’re not well.\u00a0 You’re still healing.\u00a0 You shouldn’t be out working.\u00a0 Come back to bed with me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving his hands up her bare arms, enjoying their creamy softness, he gently took her wrists, and feeling some resistance, applied the smallest amount of muscle to untangle her fingers and pull them down in front of him.\u00a0 “Micah and I have some mine business to take care of today.\u00a0 I have to go out to the mine, and then we’re going into town.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Frowning, she pulled her hands away from his and scratched her belly.\u00a0 “That means I’ll be alone in this room all day.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stood and began to load his pockets with his effects from his night table.\u00a0 “You could have been at the Ponderosa, but you chose to come back home.\u00a0 You\u2019d have gotten lots of attention there.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Wouldn’t you rather say your children were born in their own home?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He snorted and smiled.\u00a0 “Has he moved this morning?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her playfulness instantly left her as she looked over at him.\u00a0 “Why do you ask?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, he’s usually pretty active at night.\u00a0\u00a0 He’s been still.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled.\u00a0 “She’s<\/em> moving right now.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam looked at her with raised brows and hurried over to her side of the bed, placing both hands on her belly.\u00a0 “Where?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking his hand, she moved it to the bottom.\u00a0 “Right there.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He lingered for a moment wearing a wistful smile before he looked around the room to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything.\u00a0 “Maybe you should mention how still he\u2019s become to Cheron and Annie.\u00a0 Cheron’s coming today, isn’t she?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“So you won’t be alone in this room all day.\u00a0 Nice try.”\u00a0 He bent to kiss her, grabbing her hand before it made it to the back of his head, then kissing it.\u00a0 “They won’t be here for awhile yet.\u00a0 Go back to sleep.” \u00a0Before he closed the door behind him, he gave her one more smile.\u00a0 “I’ll try not to be late.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam approached the top of the stairs with his nose in the air, wondering how Ming Lin could have possibly known he was getting up even earlier this morning. He hadn’t told him. Striding into the kitchen, he stopped just before the corner and leaned his head around.\u00a0 Ming Lin was standing<\/em> in front of the stove, cooking bacon and eggs.\u00a0 Clearing his throat, Adam entered the kitchen and stood right next to Ming Lin, glaring down at him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ming Lin responded with a smile.\u00a0 “Good morning, Mr. Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You’re supposed to be minimizing your time on your ankle.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It does not take long to prepare bacon and eggs and coffee.\u00a0 If you will leave your dishes in the wash basin, I will wash them when I prepare Mrs. Cartwright’s breakfast.\u00a0 Until then, I will rest.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere. \u00a0Ming Lin had won over both he and Shiloh, and he knew it.\u00a0 “I won’t be back for lunch.\u00a0 Make sure Mrs. Cartwright eats.”\u00a0 He sat down at the table and poured a cup of coffee.\u00a0 “Oh, and Cheron and Annie will be here today.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes.\u00a0 I will be preparing lunch for them all.”\u00a0 Bowing, Ming Lin left the kitchen, leaving Adam alone to eat his breakfast.\u00a0 He did eat, but very fast.\u00a0 Within twenty minutes, he was riding out of the yard toward the Flying W.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had been riding along without really thinking about where he was going.\u00a0 His mind was on Shiloh and the birth of their child.\u00a0 It seemed Shiloh had found a way to stop dwelling on the unfavorable possibilities, but they were always on his mind.\u00a0 Staying busy was the only thing he could do for any respite.\u00a0 Perhaps that\u2019s why Shiloh lamented being alone.\u00a0 Even though she had chosen to think positively about the birth, he guessed she was still fighting thoughts of the alternatives creeping in.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The call brought him from his thoughts and he looked in the direction of the voice.\u00a0 Upon seeing Micah\u2019s horse trotting toward him, he stopped.\u00a0 \u201cI was just on my way to the Flying W.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou could\u2019ve fooled me.\u00a0 The cut-off is back there,\u201d answered Micah, pointing behind them. \u201cWhat\u2019s on your mind this morning besides the mine?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Without answering, Adam turned Sport around and backtracked to the Flying W road.\u00a0 The track to the mine was just a few hundred yards away from the house.\u00a0 The ride was quiet, and when they got there, the reception was just as quiet.\u00a0 The normal sounds of mining, hammers clinking on rock, explosions, yelling and such were absent, replaced with the sound of feet against metal\u2026and a little grunting.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam and Micah looked at each other in confusion, then looked at all the men standing outside the mine looking up at the headstock.\u00a0 Following their line of sight up, they found a man climbing up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dismounting, they walked up behind their men.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLift ain\u2019t working, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 Mutt\u2019s checking the cable.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A yell came down from above them.\u00a0 \u201cSomeone\u2019s put a bar in the wheel.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning his head slightly, Adam thought for a quick moment before he yelled, \u201cDon\u2019t pull it out!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He was too late.\u00a0 As he yelled, Mutt pulled the bar out and the cable and wheel whizzed with the weight of the lift falling to the bottom of the shaft, knocking Mutt off balance and sending him careening to the ground. The lift struck the bottom of the shaft with such force heavy dust spewed out of the hole.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though everyone went into a coughing fit from the dust particles hanging in the air around them, they all rushed over to where Mutt landed.\u00a0 Micah and Adam had to push through the circle of men to get to him, and when they did, they immediately knelt at his side.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t move him,\u201d said Adam.\u00a0 \u201cMutt, can you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There was no reply.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam felt the man\u2019s neck, then bent down to his face listening for a breath.\u00a0 Looking up at Micah with his lips drawn, he shook his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTate!\u201d called Micah angrily without looking up.\u00a0 The crowd shifted as Tate broke through.\u00a0 \u201cSend a man to get the wagon hitched.\u00a0 Two of you take Mutt into town. \u00a0Then get that lift up out of the shaft.\u00a0 If it\u2019s damaged, fix it and then test the cable with a loaded ore car a couple of times before you let anyone use it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had risen and started to walk through the crowd.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhere you going, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTo find the guards,\u201d he answered without looking back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From his conversation with the guards, Adam found that one was posted in front of the shaft, one was posted on the ore carts, and one guard roamed the area.\u00a0 During the day, the roamer frequently checked the ridge, but at night, it was too dark to see anything, so he checked the headstock, and then kept moving.\u00a0 There would have been plenty of time for someone to chock the wheel and disappear.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Only one name came to Adam’s mind and by the look on Micah’s face, Adam knew he was thinking like thoughts. Silently, both men mounted their horses and rode into town.\u00a0 Though Micah was of a mind to continue on without notifying the Sheriff, he kept his mouth shut, knowing Adam would have none of it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Without Micah\u2019s company, Adam went into the Sheriff\u2019s office, giving Roy the details he knew.\u00a0 He\u2019d kept his suspicions to himself; a tact that would pleasantly surprise Micah.\u00a0 Even so, Roy followed Adam out of the office demanding to know what he wasn\u2019t saying.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Adam, I\u2019ve seen that look a hundred times.\u00a0 You\u2019ve got somethin\u2019\u2026or someone on your mind.\u00a0 You best just tell me, and then get on back to the Ponderosa.\u201d\u00a0 When Adam mounted Sport without a word, Roy gave him a warning.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want any trouble in my town.\u00a0 If there\u2019s someone to be brought in for questioning, it\u2019ll be me who does it.\u00a0 And if you\u2019re thinkin\u2019 a might differently, you ought think twice.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got plenty of extra room in my jail for the both of ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAfternoon, Roy,\u201d said Adam as he turned Sport up the street.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah tipped his hat.\u00a0 \u201cSheriff, we\u2019re gonna go have a beer.\u00a0 Have a nice evening, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trotting his horse to catch up to Adam, he slowed down to meet Adam\u2019s pace.\u00a0 \u201cWould you mind telling me what you plan to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cFind Clint.\u00a0 Have a little talk,\u201d Adam answered, facing forward, but moving his eyes from one side of the street to the other.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou know as well as I do that Clint isn\u2019t going to want to talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam pushed his bottom lip up and shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNeed I remind you that you have a broken finger, a sore shoulder and busted ribs?\u00a0 One good poke in the right place and you\u2019ll be talking to the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t intend to fight him.\u00a0 Just give him a warning.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll take that as an invitation.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stopped his horse in front of the Bucket of Blood and dismounted, wrapping the split rein around the hitching post.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re wrong this time, Adam,\u201d said Micah, dismounting and standing beside Adam in front of the bat wing doors.\u00a0 He\u2019s been wanting a shot at you since you busted him up the day he was fired.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Giving Micah a quick raised-eyebrow glance, Adam looked back into the saloon and moved his hand to the top of the swinging door.\u00a0 \u201cThat was bad judgment on his part.\u00a0 He should\u2019ve left your sister out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Before he could step in, Micah clamped down on his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cIf this is about my sister, you\u2019re here for the wrong reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stopped, only slightly turning his head back to Micah.\u00a0 He wanted to keep his eyes on Miller.\u00a0 \u201cShiloh is only a small part of this.\u00a0 He\u2019s responsible for Mutt\u2019s death.\u00a0 There\u2019s not enough evidence against him for Roy to arrest him, so we have to get it.\u00a0 And the only way to do that is make him mad enough to go back to the mine.\u00a0 When he does, the guards will be waiting for him,\u201d he said, giving Micah a resolute look. After an acquiescent nod, Micah followed him in.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The two men walked to the bar.\u00a0 \u201cTwo beers.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing, Adam.\u00a0 You two look like someone died.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone did,\u201d said Micah. \u00a0\u201cJed Riley.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

All heads looked up from whatever they were doing and turned toward the bar.\u00a0 \u201cMutt\u2019s dead?\u201d said the bartender in disbelief.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jed \u2018Mutt\u2019 Riley had been a fixture in Virginia City for as long as anyone could remember.\u00a0 He was the kind of man that had a smile for everyone he passed, no matter how bad his day was going or how drunk he was.\u00a0 He\u2019d spent most of his life in the mines; first in California as a young boy.\u00a0 He was in what would become Virginia City when the big lode was found and had worked at every mine on the Comstock at one time or another. He went to the Whitney Mine because it was new and shallow; not yet deep enough to be oppressively hot as were the other mines in the area.\u00a0 The pay was fair, too.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Another man called from one of the tables, \u201cHey, Adam.\u00a0 What happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning around and leaning back on the bar with his beer in hand, Adam took a long drink. \u201cSomeone chocked the lift wheel.\u00a0 When Mutt removed the bar, he fell off the headstock.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Another miner approached them.\u00a0 \u201cAny idea who done it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking straight at Miller, Adam said, \u201cYep.\u00a0 Can\u2019t prove it\u2026yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

All eyes turned toward Miller, who glanced around him and shifted uncomfortably in his chair.\u00a0 His two friends did likewise.\u00a0 Adam knew the miners had their own unwritten laws.\u00a0 They paid close attention to the details of every mine accident, tending to stick together at perceived wrongdoing toward one of their own.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Miller relaxed and sat back in his chair, lifting his own beer mug to his mouth.\u00a0 \u201cCartwright, just because you and I had a disagreement, it don\u2019t make me guilty of anything.\u00a0 Did that little wife of yours send you all the way to town today just to pick on me?\u00a0 She never did like me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah moved behind Miller and stood with his thumbs in his belt. \u00a0\u201cMy sister doesn\u2019t even know about it, Miller.\u00a0 I suggest you leave her out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOur guards saw you and your two friends here,\u201d began Adam, nodding toward the men at the table, \u201cup on the ridge behind the headstock.\u00a0 Seems you watched the mine for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

All was quiet in the saloon, everyone listening to the exchange between Adam and Miller. Adam turned and set his empty glass on the bar, then turned back.\u00a0 \u201cSo, I don\u2019t want to see you around the mine again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure I don\u2019t have to tell a smart man like you, Cartwright, that you don\u2019t have any say so on where I go as long as I\u2019m not on Ponderosa or Flying W property.\u00a0 And I wasn\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0 He stood and walked right up to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll ride wherever I please.\u201d\u00a0 Crossing his arms, Miller assumed a comfortable position not a foot away from Adam.\u00a0 \u201cTell me, Adam.\u00a0 There\u2019s something I always wanted to know since I worked at the Whitney. That little wife of yours\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s nostrils flared imperceptibly as his expression turned cold.\u00a0 \u201cWord has it you had some trouble finding a woman who was good enough for you.\u00a0 You couldn\u2019t find one so you made one in your own image.\u00a0 Well, not exactly your own image.\u00a0 She is a woman, and a right pretty one at that.\u00a0 But she\u2019s smart, and she\u2019s got a mouth on her. \u00a0She does things a woman\u2019s got no business doing.\u00a0\u00a0 Yeah, you took her out of school and fed her all that nonsense about education, and then sent her off to get one. When she got back, she was all done, just like a piece of freshly ripened fruit hanging on a tree ready to be picked.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking over Miller\u2019s shoulder, Adam caught Micah biting the inside of his cheek, shaking his head.\u00a0 Filling his lungs and bringing himself to his full height, he allowed a smile to play at the corners of his mouth.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re right about my wife in at least two respects, Miller.\u00a0 She is intelligent, and she is beautiful.\u00a0 And that\u2019s where you should leave it.\u201d\u00a0 Glancing over at Micah and nodding toward the door, Adam turned to leave with a parting jab.\u00a0 \u201cFace it, Clint.\u00a0 You\u2019ll never be man enough to handle a woman like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Adam walked away, Miller grabbed his left arm and pulled him back, but before he could bring his fist around, Adam was already swinging with his right, connecting with Miller\u2019s jaw, sending him staggering backward.\u00a0 Just as Miller recovered and took a step forward, a gunshot startled everyone into stillness, the only sound a small storm of plaster raining down from the ceiling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Miller opened his mouth to speak, but Sheriff Coffee stopped him cold.\u00a0 \u201cI heard the whole thing, Miller.\u00a0 The way I figure it, that\u2019s what you get for insultin\u2019 another man\u2019s wife.\u00a0 Adam, Micah, you best be gettin\u2019 on back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Each man tipping his hat, Adam and Micah left the saloon.\u00a0 While they were untying the reins of their horses, Micah said, \u201cWell, you got him riled up.\u00a0 Now what?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe wait for him to make a mistake,\u201d said Adam after swinging his leg over Sport\u2019s back and settling into his saddle.\u00a0 \u201cYou heard the Sheriff.\u00a0 It\u2019s time to go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Seventy-Four<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though Adam and Micah had left, the saloon had remained unnervingly quiet while each and every miner present stared ominously at Miller and his friends. \u00a0\u00a0Miller downed his beer.\u00a0 “Let’s get outta here,” he said standing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His friends followed him out the door.\u00a0 “Miller, Ralston isn’t going to be happy about this,” said one of them as they watched the buckboard carrying Mutt’s body to the Sheriff’s office.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t really care if he’s happy or not,” said Miller, following the buckboard with his eyes.\u00a0 “This ain’t got nothing to do with him.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The other man stepped forward.\u00a0 “If you’re planning anything against Cartwright, you’ll be doin’ it alone.\u00a0 Ralston wants to deal with Cartwright, not kill him.\u00a0 All he wants is some pressure applied so’s they’ll bring in another partner or maybe have to take out a loan…spread out the liability.\u00a0 And as far as the other fella goes, his name might be Micah Whitney here, but up north a ways, folks know him as Mort Williams.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Is he wanted?” asked Miller.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m about to find out,” said his companion, strolling away toward the Sheriff’s office.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How long do you think it’ll take Miller to show up at the mine?” asked Micah as he rode at a slow trot next to Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam kept his eyes straight ahead.\u00a0 “He was pretty hot.\u00a0 Could be soon.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You know this is lousy timing.\u00a0 Shiloh could go into labor anytime now.\u00a0 You should be with her when she does.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam looked down at his hands.\u00a0 His smile quickly left when he remembered the trouble that might lie ahead at the birth of his child.\u00a0 He didn’t like to think on it, but one thought was slapping him in the face at the moment.\u00a0 He could lose Shiloh.\u00a0 “That’s why I went to Roy, Micah.\u00a0 If there’s more trouble at the mine, or even if you just see Miller, send someone to get Roy.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t need Roy.\u00a0 I can handle Miller myself.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam pulled back hard on the reins, stopping Sport in the middle of the road.\u00a0 His eyes bored into Micah’s.\u00a0 “We don’t need that kind of attention.\u00a0 You<\/em> don’t need that kind of attention.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You’re warning’s a little late.\u00a0 One of the men with Miller…I recognized him from up north in Utah Territory.\u00a0 I’m pretty sure he recognized me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Will he come after you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 He’ll send someone else.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“So we have time.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah kicked his horse forward, and as he passed Adam, he said, “There is no we in this, Adam.\u00a0 You know the rules.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I do,” said Adam, nudging Sport along to catch up with Micah.\u00a0 “I just don’t know if Shiloh’s understanding will survive the rules a second time.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron and Annie made their way up the stairs after Ming Lin let them in the front door.\u00a0 Cheron carried a soft-sided basket covered in a blanket on her hip while Annie carried her medical bag.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Easing Shiloh’s bedroom door open, they found her sleeping peacefully and tiptoed in. Cheron deposited her basket at the foot of the bed, then went forward and placed her hand gently on Shiloh’s forehead.\u00a0 “She is warm.”\u00a0 Slowly pulling the blanket that was covering Shiloh down to the foot of the bed, Cheron felt Shiloh’s stomach and motioned for Annie to feel as well.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh’s eyes flew open.\u00a0 “Good morning to you, too.\u00a0 Do you normally sneak into someone’s bedroom and feel their stomach?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie snickered.\u00a0 “If you were in a hospital, yes, I would.\u00a0 Cheron, it seems the baby has dropped.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes.\u00a0 Ming Lin is preparing your tea,” Cheron said, turning back to Shiloh.\u00a0 “Before he comes, we will help you walk around the room.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Uh…what will that do?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“If you’re time is near, you will lose your water.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh,” said Shiloh nervously as she accepted Cheron’s help in getting up.\u00a0 “Is that good or bad?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie laughed.\u00a0 “For a smart girl, you sure do ask a lot of questions.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, I didn’t get any medical training in college,” she shot back, wagging her head with a smirk.\u00a0 “And I’ve never had a baby before.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Glancing up at the ceiling and shaking her head, Annie answered, \u201cShiloh, you\u2019re a mammal.\u00a0 It will be the same as one of your horses giving birth.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh stopped walking, let her chin drop to her chest, folded her lips into a tight line, then continued her pacing.\u00a0 \u201cOh.\u00a0 Adam wanted me to make sure you knew the baby has gotten still.\u00a0 Not completely still.\u00a0 He just doesn’t move as much as he did.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Another sign,” said Cheron.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Walking quickly to the other side of the room, Shiloh went to the window and turned.\u00a0 “Legs are fine, ladies.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Just keep walking,” said Annie.\u00a0 “We didn’t see Adam downstairs.\u00a0 Is he home?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 He said he and Micah had some mine business to take care of, and then they were riding into town.\u00a0 But that was several hours ago.\u00a0 He was gone before light.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pulling the chair away from the dressing table, Annie sat and watched as Shiloh walked back and forth across the room while Cheron began emptying her basket.\u00a0 She had several pouches of herbs, several blankets and skins, and a small pot which she filled with water from the pitcher at the wash basin and set next to the fireplace to warm.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“This isn’t really going to work, is it?\u00a0 I feel fine.\u00a0 I’m not in any pain.”\u00a0 Shiloh looked from one woman to the other, and when neither was forthcoming with an answer, she added, “And I’m hungry.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had stopped in the hall just outside the bedroom door bearing a tray of breakfast and the tea Ming Lin had been requested to make.\u00a0\u00a0 He stepped in.\u00a0\u00a0 “Well good thing.\u00a0 Because I have your breakfast.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh spun around at the sound of his voice.\u00a0 The room began to spin, and she staggered backward against the wall.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Quickly setting the tray on the end of the bed, Adam as well as Annie and Cheron rushed over to her.\u00a0 Adam beat them, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her against his side.\u00a0 “Let’s get you back to bed.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t want to lie down.\u00a0 I just want to sit…here,” she said, reaching down to the bed with one hand while the other rested on the side of her stomach, “on the side.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Are you feeling any pain?” asked Annie.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh thought a moment.\u00a0 “No.\u00a0 Not pain. Just…uncomfortable.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m sending Shorty to town,” said Adam, heading for the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Why?”\u00a0 Her voice was anxious; almost, but not quite a shout.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stutter-stepped to a halt and hesitated before he turned around, his eyes first shifting to Annie, and then to Cheron before he answered.\u00a0 “To get Paul.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No,” Shiloh said definitively.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Giving her a hard look with his lips pinched and his nostrils flared, he said, “I’ll be right back.”\u00a0 He started out the door again, but stopped when she responded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Even if you can get Paul here in time for this, he will not be allowed in my bedroom.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam took a deep breath and eventually smiled.\u00a0 “You won’t be in any shape to kick him out.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She stood and wobbled, but pushed Annie’s steadying hand away, walked to Adam and stood against him, looking up to his face with furrowed brows.\u00a0 “I will not have this baby if Paul is in this room.\u00a0 Do you hear me?” she said with her hands on her hips, though it was hard to distinguish hips from belly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam let go a high pitched laugh.\u00a0 “Sweetheart, when it’s time for the baby to come, the baby will come whether you like it or not.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“If that man lays one hand on me I’ll…I’ll kick the stuffing out of him.”\u00a0 She grimaced and moved her hand to the bottom of her belly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Is that pain?” asked Adam anxiously.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Spsh!\u201d\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t heard that particular noise out of her in some time.\u00a0 It was a noise she made when she had gone beyond talking.\u00a0 Knowing that, he left her standing alone as he went to send Shorty to town.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a frustrated pout on her face, she whimpered and turned to go back to the bed.\u00a0 Before she got there, she winced again, stopping and leaning against the post of the footboard.\u00a0 \u201cI think I will<\/em> lie down.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you won\u2019t,\u201d said Annie.\u00a0 \u201cYou will walk.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt has begun,\u201d said Cheron who excused herself as she left the room, heading to the kitchen to ask Ming Lin to prepare a different tea; one that would make Shiloh\u2019s early pain more tolerable.\u00a0 When she returned, she put more logs on the fire and added herbs to the pot of water now steaming by the fire.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The room became dim as Cheron pulled the curtains closed. Next, she spread skins over the floor and covered them with blankets, moving any furniture that was in the way to the opposite side of the room.\u00a0 In essence, she recreated the environment of a sweat lodge.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The moment Adam opened the door Cheron rushed him back out of the room.\u00a0 \u201cWhat have you done to the bedroom?\u00a0 It feels like a sweat hut in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAs it should. You may not enter here.\u00a0 No man may enter until it is done.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The hairs on the back of Adam\u2019s neck stood on end.\u00a0 \u201cCheron, I didn\u2019t agree to this.\u00a0 I expect Paul to take over if there\u2019s trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Folding her hands in front of her, Cheron cast her eyes down, looking for the correct words.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, this is the way my people have brought our young into the world from the beginning of time.\u00a0 Each part has a purpose.\u00a0 Shiloh must remain calm.\u00a0 If she becomes upset, her body will tighten.\u00a0 The baby will not pass easy.\u201d\u00a0 She looked for understanding on his face.\u00a0 \u201cShe is not calm when you are in the room.\u00a0 She will not be calm if your doctor is in the room.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing with his hands on his hips, he glared at her for a moment before he let his hands drop and turned away.\u00a0 Bringing his fingers up to this mouth and pinching his bottom lip between them, he also searched carefully for the right words before turning back. \u201cPaul has to be in there if the baby really is too big; if what you do doesn\u2019t allow her to give birth to this child.\u00a0 Cheron, you need to understand.\u00a0 I will give up the baby before I give up Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Placing her hands on his, she answered his concern, \u201cYou must trust me, Adam. I will tell you if that is what is needed.\u00a0 Until then, you and your doctor must wait out of the room.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to speak with her once more.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ming Lin appeared with the new tea made from the bark of the wild black cherry tree, so Cheron nodded and allowed Adam in the room along with Ming Lin.\u00a0 Before Adam entered, she pulled him back.\u00a0 \u201cShe must remain calm.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded and quietly stepped into the room.\u00a0\u00a0 The fire was roaring, causing the air in the room to be heavy with scented moisture, the smell almost intoxicating.\u00a0 He quickly shook his head and blinked his eyes.\u00a0 He watched as Annie steadied Shiloh while they slowly walked back and forth across the room before he appeared behind Annie to take over in steadying his wife.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh stopped and tensed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not here to talk about Paul,\u201d he said softly, then nodded to get her moving again.\u00a0 After she relaxed and leaned into him, he continued.\u00a0 \u201cCheron says men aren\u2019t allowed in here during the birth.\u00a0 But if you need me\u2026if you want me here, send Annie downstairs for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Shiloh walked, she was slightly bent, bracing herself for the next contraction.\u00a0 Still, she glanced up at him with a smile.\u00a0 In a very faint voice, she said, \u201cI don\u2019t know if I would want you to witness this birth.\u00a0 It might make you reconsider having more children.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He chuckled quietly.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s liable to have the same affect on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Ming Lin brought the tea over, the two stopped walking. \u00a0Before she drank it, she turned to Cheron.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like Adam to stay until it starts in earnest, if that\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Seventy-Five<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Several hours had passed before Dr. Martin stopped his buggy in the yard of Adam and Shiloh’s house.\u00a0 In the meantime, Shorty had ridden back to the Ponderosa and the Flying W and informed Ben, Joe, Hoss and Micah of the impending birth.\u00a0 By the time Paul arrived, all the men were ensconced in the living room.\u00a0 Hop Sing had come with them, and he and Ming Lin prepared coffee and sandwiches for the long wait.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben answered the door with an anxious smile.\u00a0 “Paul, we thought you’d never get here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How’s she doing?” Paul asked as he pulled his coat off and hung it on the hooks beside the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Annie came down awhile ago.\u00a0 Said she was doing fine.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He’s been up there with her all this time.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, I’ll go on up and see for myself.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Paul stepped toward the stairway, Ben took his arm.\u00a0 “Uh, Paul.\u00a0 Cheron has requested that no men enter the bedroom.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An open-mouthed smile formed on Paul’s face.\u00a0 “I can’t help them if I’m not in the room, Ben.\u00a0 Isn’t Adam in the room?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben shoved his hands into his pockets and raised his shoulders, bracing for Paul’s reaction. “Yes, at Shiloh’s request.\u00a0 But only until Cheron sends him out.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And Cheron has sent him out.”\u00a0 Everyone turned to watch Adam slowly coming down the stairs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh’s been walking around the room all this time, but her water just broke.\u00a0 Paul,” he said, acknowledging Dr. Martin’s presence in the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Then I should be up there.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Holding up his hand, Adam shook his head.\u00a0 “Not until there’s a problem.”\u00a0 He winced.\u00a0 “I promised.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And what do we do if something does go wrong?” asked Paul, looking a bit perturbed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Now Paul, Cheron gave her word she’d send Annie down for help if it came to…that.”\u00a0 Adam couldn’t look Paul in the eye, nor could he think, much less talk about saving one or the other, not both.\u00a0 He didn’t want to admit, at least out loud, that he was counting on Cheron being able to deliver the baby.\u00a0 Though Shiloh was putting up a brave front, it was obvious she was in a good deal of pain, and based on Adam’s own experience with waiting on other babies with some of his friends, he knew she would be in much more pain before it was finished.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben passed Adam a glass of whiskey.\u00a0 “Son, you’ve waited down here with me before when you were much younger.\u00a0 You know how this goes.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a drink of whiskey and tightening his lips at the burn on the back of his throat, he nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 “I do, Pa, but that was different.\u00a0 I didn’t see Marie in pain, nor was she having my child.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben smiled.\u00a0 “No, but you heard her.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Maybe that’s why this is unnerving.”\u00a0 He looked up at his father.\u00a0 “Have you heard Shiloh?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Raising his brows, Ben shook his head.\u00a0 “The pain must not be that bad yet.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s bad, Pa.\u00a0 She’s been bent double more times than I can count.”\u00a0 Holding out his hand, he added, “She squeezed my hand harder than I ever imagined she could.\u00a0 But all she does is…sort of…grunt.”\u00a0 Sitting down on the hearth with his arms on his thighs, Adam rubbed his hands together and clasped them.\u00a0 “How long has it been?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“About six hours,” said Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hey, Adam.\u00a0 You ain’t had nothing to eat since breakfast,” said Hoss.\u00a0 “Hop Sing and Ming Lin made sandwiches.\u00a0 You ought to get you one.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam gave Hoss a smile, albeit a short one.\u00a0 “Not hungry, Hoss.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Upstairs in the bedroom, Cheron had removed Shiloh’s gown while Annie cleaned the floor.\u00a0 They both doubled the skins on the floor and covered them with one of the blankets.\u00a0 Shiloh had been bent over again with her hands on her knees.\u00a0 She was sweating, partly from the pain, but also because of the moisture in the air from the pot of herbs on the fire.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Come, Shiloh.\u00a0 Do you remember how I showed you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh nodded, and got down on her knees on the blanket.\u00a0 “How much longer?” she whispered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“As long as it takes,” answered Cheron.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For the next few hours, Shiloh moved all over the blanket, sometimes squatting, leaning on one hand first, then the other, moving around to find a comfortable position that didn’t exist, but never on her back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Every so often a much louder cry escaped her, and when it did, each man in the living room looked to the stairs, except Adam, who went to the bottom of the stairs, moving one foot up a step and holding onto the post.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie held a teacup for Shiloh to take a sip of Cheron’s tea, something she had been doing the entire time.\u00a0 It was Cheron’s tea that was easing some of the worst pain; that along with the herbs Shiloh was breathing in the air.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Soon, it came time for Shiloh to push, and push she did, taking short, quick breaths with each push until she couldn’t contain her cries of pain.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The men had all begun to pace, except for Hoss, who leaned forward in his chair with his hands resting on each side of his head.\u00a0 Adam made a small circle on the landing of the stairs, letting out loud breaths, moving his hand to his face and rubbing his chin, then stopping and moving a hand to his hip.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the middle of all this, there was a knock on the door, answered by Joe.\u00a0 He stepped outside, and sticking his head back in, he summoned Micah.\u00a0 Adam hardly noticed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mr. Whitney, there’s been shootin’ at the mine. The guards sent everyone down the shaft while they stayed up,” said Tate.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How’d you get out?” asked Micah as he fastened his gun belt.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I was over by the wagon when it started.\u00a0 I was able to get to the corral without bein’ seen.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Did you see who it was?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No sir.\u00a0 They had their faces covered.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Joe, if Adam asks, tell him Hank called me back to the ranch.\u00a0 Do not tell him somethin’s up at the mine.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You want me to go with you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah laughed.\u00a0 “No.\u00a0 Why would you be going to the Flying W?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah,” said Joe, smirking. “Good point.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s not.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both men jumped at the sound of Adam\u2019s voice coming from the open door of the house.\u00a0 \u201cTate, who was it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t tell you, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 They was hiding behind some boulders.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shifting his weight to one leg, Micah pulled a match out of his shirt pocket and stuck it in his mouth, chewing on the end.\u00a0 \u201cYou can\u2019t leave.\u00a0 I\u2019ll take care of this, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou have no idea what you\u2019re walking into,\u201d said Adam, his brows furrowed and his jaw set.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t either.\u00a0 And you\u2019ve got a wife up there,\u201d he said, glancing at the upstairs window, \u201cwho needs you here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam flared his nostrils.\u00a0 Micah was right.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t leave.\u00a0 \u201cTake some men with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah snorted.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, if it\u2019s Miller, the guards can take care of him.\u00a0 If it\u2019s not, all the men on both the ranches won\u2019t stop them from doing what they came to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what do you think this<\/em> will do to my wife\u2026your sister?\u00a0 She brings a child into the world at the same time she loses her brother?\u201d\u00a0 The two men glared at each other.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t have to go.\u00a0 Some of the men can go back with Tate and take care of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d started Micah with a look rarely seen on his face\u2026anger amid his determination.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not going to be the reason any of our men get killed.\u00a0 I\u2019ve never run away from a fight, and I don\u2019t intend to now.\u00a0 Now, you just go back in the house and wait for your kid to come into the world while his uncle tries to make it a better place for him.\u201d\u00a0 He turned and headed for the barn.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what do I tell your sister?\u201d Adam asked with a sting to his voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah continued on to the barn, talking as he went.\u00a0 \u201cIf I\u2019m back before the baby\u2019s born, you won\u2019t have to tell her a thing.\u00a0 If not, just tell her I\u2019m taking care of some mine business.\u00a0 She\u2019ll be too tired or too busy with the baby to give it a second thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stood helpless to stop him.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t even sure he could.\u00a0 Most times Micah did what he suggested without question when it came to the ranch and the mine.\u00a0 But when it came to Mort Williams, he wasn\u2019t the easygoing man Adam always thought of as a brother.\u00a0 He was blunt, single-minded, and set on doing what Mort Williams did best.\u00a0 \u201cWho was he protecting?\u201d Adam wondered to himself.\u00a0 \u201cShiloh or Mort Williams\u2019 reputation?\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s eyes darkened as he glowered toward the barn when Micah rode out without a word.\u00a0 Shiloh was well protected here.\u00a0 That only left the reputation.\u00a0 Disgusted, Adam turned back toward the house.\u00a0 He strode straight to the liquor cabinet and poured himself another whiskey, then stared into the glass.\u00a0 \u201cAny word?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Everyone looked up, but Ben answered, \u201cNo.\u00a0 Nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the eleventh hour, Hoss and Joe were dozing in their chairs, and Ben was sitting with one leg crossed over the other with his chin propped in his hand.\u00a0 The only two men left standing were Paul and Adam, both looking up the stairs with each loud cry.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the moans came closer together, Adam looked at his father.\u00a0 Ben gave him a slight, reassuring smile.\u00a0 “Adam, it sometimes takes this long.\u00a0 I’m sure if something was wrong, Annie would come.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In another hour, after a cry that seemed even louder, Annie appeared at the top of the stairs, her hair and clothes soaked from the moisture in the room.\u00a0 “Adam, would you come up, please?”\u00a0 Paul advanced, but Annie stopped him.\u00a0 “We’re not there, Dr. Martin.\u00a0 But she’s exhausted.\u00a0 Just Adam.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Running up the stairs, Adam almost pushed Annie down the hall to the room, and when he stepped in, he stopped so suddenly at the sight in front of him, he almost fell over.\u00a0 Shiloh was in a squatting position on the blanket on the floor, naked, soaked in sweat, and struggling to stay upright.\u00a0 Her belly seemed elongated.\u00a0 It was obvious the child was passing through the birth canal.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking Adam’s arm, Annie took him around behind Shiloh.\u00a0 She pulled a chair up behind her and motioned for Adam to sit.\u00a0 “Adam, we need you to help her stay upright.\u00a0 She’s so tired, she’s falling backward.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What about the baby?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A small tear ran down Annie’s cheek.\u00a0 \u201cShe’s through the worst of it.\u00a0 The baby is on his way out.\u00a0 But she’s having trouble pushing.\u00a0 That’s why you need to hold her up.\u00a0 It will be easier for her to push if she doesn’t have to worry about falling back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron knelt in front of Shiloh, observing as the bulge of the child slowly moved downward each time Shiloh pushed.\u00a0 “Move close and let her lean on your legs,\u201d she instructed. \u201cKeep her up when she falls back.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh hadn’t even looked at Adam.\u00a0 Her eyes were closed.\u00a0 With every contraction, her face twisted in pain, and a cry came forth, but her eyes never opened, and in between, her body slumped.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh, you must keep pushing.\u00a0 If you do not, the baby will not come out.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I can’t anymore,” she softly cried.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“If you do not, the doctor will have to take this child his way,” said Cheron with a sternness that surprised Adam.\u00a0 “You must push,” said Cheron, looking up at Adam and nodding.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Sweetheart, I’ve got you.\u00a0 Push.”\u00a0 When she struggled to move back into a squat, Adam pressed against her back and moved her forward, holding her upright in the squatting position.\u00a0 “Push, Sweetheart.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh’s face turned to a hard grimace again as she squeezed her eyes closed, letting out a loud yell.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“That is good, Shiloh.\u00a0 I see the head,” said Cheron.\u00a0 “Now push again.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Shiloh curled forward, sobbing loudly as she pushed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, move the chair and lean her back…quickly.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pushing the chair behind him with his legs, Adam sat on the floor and pulled Shiloh back into him.\u00a0 He watched as Cheron, with one hand on the baby’s head and the other on a shoulder slowly, carefully, pulled the child out.\u00a0 Shiloh’s body instantly relaxed, her head falling over on Adam’s arm.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaning down so that his lips were at the side of her face, he whispered, “Sweetheart, it’s over.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Is he…all right?” she asked faintly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam looked up at Cheron, who nodded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The baby is fine.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“So…tired,” she managed to say before she let exhaustion take her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh?\u00a0 Shiloh! \u00a0Annie, get Paul!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Seventy-Six<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When the baby arrived, Cheron passed the child to Annie and went to Shiloh\u2019s side, touching her face and moving her hand over her nose.\u00a0\u00a0 She smiled, then rose to open the windows.\u00a0 As she went to the fireplace to prepare a third tea made from steeped buckwheat, she spoke.\u00a0 \u201cShe is in no danger, Adam.\u00a0 Just very tired.\u00a0 The birth was…difficult.\u00a0 The child is big as we first thought.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Still, I’d like Paul to check on both of them,” he said, raising his brows, first looking at Annie, then at Cheron.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron moved to the baby, and nodded at Annie, who shot a heated glare back at Adam before she hurriedly left the room.\u00a0 Standing at the top of the stairs, she called down quietly.\u00a0 “Dr. Martin, Adam would like you to come up.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Having heard the baby cry, those downstairs had smiled in relief.\u00a0 Now, Ben rushed to the bottom of the stairs, looking up at Annie with fear in his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cEverything is fine, Mr\u2026.Pa.\u00a0 Adam would like Dr. Martin to examine them both.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Glancing back at Ben with furrowed brows, Paul picked up his medical bag and ascended the stairs, disappearing around the corner with Annie.\u00a0\u00a0 “Tell me about the birth.\u00a0 Was there anything unexpected?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, other than how hard she had to bear down.\u00a0 The baby’s head is slightly misshapen, but I understand that is not uncommon in that it conforms to the birth canal.\u00a0 He’s moving and crying.\u00a0 Shiloh exhausted herself and passed out soon after Cheron took the baby.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When they entered the room, Shiloh was still on the floor with her upper body on Adam’s lap.\u00a0 Cheron had attended to the baby, and left it wrapped in blankets on the bed, then started the task of cleaning Shiloh so she could be moved to the bed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kneeling down next to Cheron, Paul looked on as Cheron gathered the afterbirth, moving it away.\u00a0 “Looks like a she’s lost more blood than usual.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She has torn inside more than most.\u00a0 When she is awake, I will give her a tea to hasten the bleeding to stop.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A slight smile tugged at the corner of Paul’s mouth.\u00a0 “Do you have a tea for everything?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron didn’t smile back, but answered simply, “Yes,” then rose to carry the soiled cloth and blankets out.\u00a0 On her way to the door, she said, “You may move her to the bed now.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once Shiloh was settled in the bed, Paul checked her breathing and pulse, and felt her forehead.\u00a0 Nodding his approval, he turned to the child, opening the blanket covering it.\u00a0 The child’s eyebrows furrowed at the loss of warmth before he stiffened and let out an all out bellow. Paul checked where the umbilical cord had been cut before he turned the child every direction which seemed to only aggravate him more.\u00a0 “Well,” he started, standing upright, “he certainly has an adequate set of lungs.\u00a0 Adam, he’s fine.\u00a0 He’s big…maybe bigger than I’ve seen, but he’s all right.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had knelt at the side of the bed and moved Shiloh’s hair back away from her face as he bathed her face, neck and shoulders in cool water.\u00a0 Without looking away from her, he asked, “Shiloh?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I think what she needs most is rest, Adam. \u00a0She\u2019s lost more blood than I would ordinarily like to see. \u00a0I would never have thought she could have this baby.\u00a0 The position Cheron had her in must have created more room for the child to pass.\u00a0 All we need to do now is watch her, make sure she’s kept clean, and send someone for me if the bleeding becomes worse.\u00a0 Somehow, though, I don’t think that will happen. Cheron’s teas seem to do a marvelous job.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Forcing his eyes away from Shiloh, Adam asked, “Are you leaving?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes.\u00a0 It seems with Cheron and Annie, you really didn’t need me at all.\u00a0 Annie is going to make a fine doctor for the women in the area.\u00a0 There’s plenty of patients to go around.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stood and considered him.\u00a0 “You mean you don’t mind not being involved?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How could I be angry, Adam?\u00a0 If I had handled this birth as I normally would, you wouldn’t have a son.”\u00a0 Paul extended his hand.\u00a0 “Congratulations.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam lightly harrumphed and took Paul’s hand.\u00a0 “A son,” he repeated as a slow smile appeared.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul watched as Adam’s thoughts took him elsewhere.\u00a0 He smiled and left the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam noticed him leaving, but let him go without a word.\u00a0 He looked down at the baby lying on the bed next to his sleeping wife.\u00a0 He had settled down somewhat, only occasionally puckering up for a cry, but then easing back into a peaceful stillness, though his lips were pursed with his little tongue curled. Smiling, Adam wondered how long it would take him to realize something was missing.\u00a0 Missing…\u00a0 “Annie?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes, Adam?” she said, appearing next to him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam didn’t really know how to broach the subject.\u00a0 “What…how?\u00a0 He’s going to be hungry any time now.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chuckling, Annie moved her fingers to cover her lips.\u00a0 “It’s all right, Adam.\u00a0 Shiloh will have \u00a0milk.\u00a0 I’ll just have to help.”\u00a0 She looked up at him with a twinkle in her eye.\u00a0 “Unless you’d like to?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam’s eyebrows went up.\u00a0 “To what?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Allow the baby to nurse while Shiloh sleeps.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh…well…maybe you should.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Walking around to the other side of the bed, Annie lifted the baby into her arms.\u00a0 She walked back around and carefully passed him to Adam. “You’ll have to hold him while I move her.\u00a0 Make sure you keep his head supported.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His eyes narrowed. \u00a0“I’ve had plenty of experience holding babies.”\u00a0 He took his son to the chair next to the window, and sat, laying his child on his crossed leg and moving the edges of the blanket away from his face.\u00a0 His head was covered with dark hair that was trying to curl, but was too fine.\u00a0 It was hard to tell who he looked most like; his face was round, his cheeks full, but his eyes were closed, and his lips formed a circle around his tongue.\u00a0 Moving his little finger to the baby’s mouth, a wide smile appeared on Adam’s face as the baby sucked on it, his tiny fingers finding it and wrapping around it. It wasn’t long before the baby realized he was getting nothing, so he pushed Adam’s finger out of his mouth with his tongue, turned red in the face, stiffened and bellowed.\u00a0 At least that’s what it looked like he did.\u00a0 In reality, the child had a very quiet cry compared to Adam’s memories of his youngest brother\u2019s piercing screams.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once Annie took the baby back to the bed, Adam wondered back downstairs in time to hear Paul tell everyone the news. \u201cThe baby is a big, healthy boy.\u00a0 Shiloh is going to need a good bit of rest to recover.\u00a0 She went unconscious soon after the baby arrived and hasn\u2019t woken up yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben creased his brow.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s fine, Ben,\u201d said Paul with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cShe just needs to rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had stayed at the foot of the stairs while Paul was speaking. Ben first escorted Paul to the door, thanking him for coming out, even though he didn\u2019t really do anything; a comment that made Adam grimace and scratch his ear.\u00a0 Then Ben walked slowly over, watching his son\u2019s reaction with some amusement.\u00a0 \u201cAnd how are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving his hand over his mouth and squeezing his lips as he thought, he eventually nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m all right.\u00a0\u00a0 I suppose I saw something most fathers don\u2019t have to see.\u201d\u00a0 He snorted, raised his brows and sidestepped his father away from the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cBut I\u2019m worried about Shiloh.\u00a0 She\u2019s still not awake.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure she\u2019ll be fine, Son.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam looked his father in the eye.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re probably right\u2026Grandpa.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben looked startled, then chuckled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By this time, Joe had guided Hoss over.\u00a0 Holding out his hand, he waited for Adam to take it, then pulled him into a hug.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019s beginning to wonder if maybe you\u2019d decided to leave the grandchildren to me and Joe.\u00a0 Congratulations, Older Brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe lightly slapped Adam\u2019s arm.\u00a0 \u201cMe, too.\u00a0 So when do we get to meet the newest Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAfter his first meal,\u201d answered Adam, looking beyond everyone.\u00a0 \u201cDid Micah get back?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d answered Ben.\u00a0 \u201cWhy?\u00a0 Is there something going on at the ranch\u2026or the mine?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam gave his father a concerned look and bit the inside of his cheek.\u00a0 \u201cThere was some trouble at the mine.\u00a0 Tate came by and said there were gunmen; that the guards had moved everyone into the shaft and were shooting back.\u00a0 That was hours ago.\u00a0 Something must have happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou want me to go find out?\u201d asked Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving his hand to Joe\u2019s shoulder, Adam said, \u201cIf there\u2019s any sign of trouble, I want you to come straight back and get some men.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe nodded.\u00a0 \u201cYou bet.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPapa,\u201d said Annie, standing at the top of the stairs with the baby.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s sated for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Meeting her halfway up the stairs, Adam took the baby from her.\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019s Shiloh?\u201d he asked quietly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s still sleeping.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t wake up while he nursed.\u201d\u00a0 He folded his lips into a tight line as he met her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019ll be fine,\u201d she said reassuringly.\u00a0 \u201cShe just needs some time to regain her strength.\u00a0 Cheron will give her another hour, and if she\u2019s not awake by then, we\u2019ll wake her up to give her the tea.\u201d\u00a0 Annie turned to go back up the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cWe have little more cleaning to do.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be down soon,\u201d she said loud enough for Hoss to hear.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He smiled and nodded as he was quite proud of his wife.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam brought the child down the stairs so Joe and Ben could see.\u00a0 Joe giggled, \u201cWould you look at that?\u00a0 I thought you said he was big.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, he\u2019s big,\u201d said Ben, looking down on his grandson.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s certainly bigger than either of you were.\u201d\u00a0 Turning so Hoss could hear, \u201cHe\u2019s even bigger than Hoss was when he was born.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe smiled as he watched the child\u2019s fingers wrap around his own.\u00a0 \u201cI need to go,\u201d he said, carefully drawing his finger down the baby\u2019s cheek before he turned to leave.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll get back as quick as I can, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s smile disappeared.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t like sending his younger brother out to handle something that was his responsibility; a responsibility that wasn\u2019t even connected to the Ponderosa. \u00a0But his first duty was to Shiloh.\u00a0 He had to be sure she was really all right before he would leave her, but he also needed to know if Micah had gotten himself in more trouble than he could handle and if the men who worked for them were still in any danger. \u00a0He needed to know that as much for Shiloh as himself. \u00a0Resigned to the fact that he could do no better, he took the baby over to Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHold your arms open, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Adam carefully laid the baby in Hoss\u2019 arms, Hoss smiled.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you go nowhere.\u00a0 I can\u2019t see enough to know how I\u2019m doin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam took Hoss\u2019 open hand and moved it against the baby\u2019s head.\u00a0 \u201cYour hand\u2019s on his head.\u00a0 Move down from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou oughta get yourself somethin\u2019 to eat.\u00a0 You ain\u2019t ate nothin\u2019 since all this started.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking over at the table, Adam moved his hand to his stomach and winced.\u00a0 He still had a knot there and thought it would remain until he was certain the Whitney branch of the family was collectively all right.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe some coffee.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think I can eat at the moment,\u201d he said as he poured himself a cup of coffee at the table, then came back and settled himself on the settee next to the chair Hoss occupied.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, Micah can take care of hisself.\u00a0 You know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Not that Hoss could see, but Adam looked away as he pursed his lips in thought.\u00a0 His real concern with Micah was that he\u2019d do something or rather be seen doing something that might make it impossible for him to stay.\u00a0 Micah had kept a very low profile since he had returned home with the fear that men from his past would find him.\u00a0 Evidently, there were a few of those who would like to have a shot at Mort Williams.\u00a0 If they started showing up, Micah would leave to protect them all, but especially his sister, and that might destroy her.\u00a0 But he couldn\u2019t protect Micah, even if he went to the mine, and he wouldn\u2019t leave Shiloh until he could see for himself she was all right.\u00a0 At the moment, all Adam could do was sit and wait.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Seventy-Seven<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam hadn\u2019t sat still for very long.\u00a0 He gathered the baby, taking him back upstairs to Shiloh\u2019s room where he sat in the chair next to the bed, watching.\u00a0 She seemed peaceful enough.\u00a0 Annie had managed to dry and brush her hair, and she had a rosy glow on her cheeks.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Cheron went to the other side of the bed and sat a tea cup on the night table, he barely noticed.\u00a0 But when she began to wake Shiloh, he sat forward, anxious to see his wife awake after the difficult birth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh\u2019s eyes fluttered as her hands went to her stomach, and finding herself flat, her eyes flew open, her voice frightened and demanding all at once.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sitting down on the side of the bed, Cheron quietly shushed her. \u201cYou have a boy,\u201d she said, smiling.\u00a0 \u201cBefore you meet him, you must drink this tea.\u00a0 It will help stop the bleeding.\u201d\u00a0 As Cheron handed her the tea cup, her pleasant look turned to one of consternation. \u201cAdam, would you ask Annie to come?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u00a0 What\u2019s wrong?\u201d\u00a0 Reaching out, he took Shiloh\u2019s chin firmly in hand and turned her face toward him, gasping.\u00a0 He shot up out of the chair with the baby in one arm and headed for the bedroom door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCheron?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you feel?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Casting her eyes down, she thought about how she felt.\u00a0 She was sore from the strenuous birth, certainly.\u00a0 \u201cI have a headache,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I\u2019m sore.\u00a0 My stomach and hips ache.\u201d\u00a0 Looking back at Cheron, she saw fear in her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cCheron, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Before Cheron could answer, Annie came into the room with Adam right behind her, both rushing to Shiloh\u2019s side.\u00a0 Annie stared intently at Shiloh\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 \u201cHow do you feel?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cWell, that\u2019s the question of the day.\u00a0 Considering I just gave birth, I feel remarkably well.\u00a0 Just sore.\u00a0 And I have a headache.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMm hm,\u201d said Annie.\u00a0 \u201cHow are your eyes?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh glowered.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with my eyes?\u00a0\u00a0 Get me a mirror!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam was already on his way to her dressing table before she made the request.\u00a0 Almost as quickly as the words were voiced, he handed her a mirror, and her hand went immediately to her mouth.\u00a0 \u201cOh my goodness!\u00a0 Annie, what\u2019s wrong with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any pain around or behind your eyes?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, just a headache.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t think this is serious.\u00a0 You pushed quite hard during the birth.\u00a0 It\u2019s likely you ruptured some blood vessels in your eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Peering intently into the mirror, Shiloh said, \u201cBut they\u2019re so red\u2026blood red.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s because it is blood,\u201d said Annie calmly, taking the mirror from Shiloh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll keep a close watch on them, though I believe the blood will be reabsorbed in a few days.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never seen anything like this,\u201d said Adam.\u00a0 \u201cAnnie, are you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Annie answered, \u201cI have been studying the eye very closely since Hoss was returned to me blind.\u00a0 I\u2019m confident this is only a minor vessel rupture that will heal itself in a few days.\u201d\u00a0 She stood and faced Adam, taking a deep breath before she continued.\u00a0 \u201cHowever, if you want Paul\u2019s opinion, that\u2019s your prerogative.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to see Paul,\u201d said Shiloh vehemently.\u00a0 \u201cAs far as I\u2019m concerned, Annie\u2019s my doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Adam turned back to Shiloh, he missed Annie\u2019s smile.\u00a0 \u201cSweetheart, what harm could there be in getting Paul\u2019s opinion?\u201d he asked, wearing a placating smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled back too sweetly.\u00a0 \u201cIt will be a waste of his valuable time.\u00a0 I will not be seeing Paul again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam acquiesced for the moment.\u00a0 After all, she’d had the baby without him, and he was thankful for that considering what Paul probably would have done. Even so, he made a mental note to send for Paul if Shiloh\u2019s eyes weren\u2019t back to normal in a few days.\u00a0 Pursing his lips first, he said, \u201cFine.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie touched the blanket over Shiloh\u2019s foot.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be back in a little while.\u00a0 I need to finish rebandaging Hoss\u2019s eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh relaxed and slowly pushed herself up as against her pillow.\u00a0 Looking over to Adam, she gave him a genuine smile.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s him?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMm hm.\u00a0\u00a0 How do you really feel?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking down at her hands, her face suddenly looked very tired and \u00a0her eyes moist.\u00a0 \u00a0She opened her mouth to tell him what she remembered, but then closed it and gave him a feeble smile.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t want to tell him she\u2019d felt like someone was ripping her insides out.\u00a0 He\u2019d take the burden of that pain upon himself, and that was the last thing she wanted him to feel.\u00a0 \u201cIt feels like things have been moved around a bit.\u00a0 I\u2019m sore.\u00a0 But it\u2019s tolerable.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron passed her the cup of tea.\u00a0 \u201cYou must drink.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Just as Shiloh finished the tea, the baby stretched, and his mouth and tongue began to work against the air.\u00a0 Adam laughed.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s about to realize he\u2019s hungry again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAgain?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he nursed while you slept.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh,\u201d she said, slowly turning her head and twisting her mouth.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2026arranged for that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Annie took care of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Letting out the breath she held, she looked into Adam\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 \u201cCan I see him?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d he said, chuckling.\u00a0 He held the baby out to her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shrinking back, she said, \u201cI\u2019ve never held a baby.\u00a0 I don’t want to hurt him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving to the side of the bed, Adam laid the child on her lap. \u201cYou won’t hurt him.\u00a0 You just have to remember to support his head.\u00a0 He\u2019s not strong enough yet to keep it from flopping around.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled lovingly at her child, and gingerly drew a finger across his head and down the side of his face.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s beautiful, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHead\u2019s a little lopsided, but I\u2019ve been told it will straighten back up.\u201d\u00a0 After he winked at Cheron, drawing a smile, he glanced up at Shiloh.\u00a0 Her lax jaw made him laugh. \u201cYes, Sweetheart, he\u2019s beautiful.\u00a0 I just can\u2019t tell you who he looks more like; you or me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She carefully unwrapped the blanket that surrounded him, leaving him virtually naked save the flannel Annie had folded into a diaper.\u00a0 She observed everything about him, first studying his face and hair, his ears, then moving down to his chest, arms, legs, and ending with a count of all his fingers and toes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When she moved her finger back up to his cheek, he turned his head, searching with his mouth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s hungry,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh looked round-eyed at Cheron.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou must teach him to do it right,\u201d Cheron said as she showed Shiloh how to hold the baby and then adjust.\u00a0 If milk comes from the sides of his mouth, it is not right, and you must try again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once the baby seemed comfortable, Shiloh looked timidly at Adam and blushed. \u201cIt feels just like\u2026never mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam gazed at her, hoping she\u2019d look at him, but she kept her eyes on the baby.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing, Cheron poured another cup of tea.\u00a0 \u201cWhen you are finished feeding him, you must drink the tea.\u00a0 I will ask Ming Lin to prepare another cup for you before you rest,\u201d she said as she headed out of the room. \u00a0Before she stepped out of the door, she turned.\u00a0 “Move him to the other side.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Why?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron looked down and shook her head, smiling.\u00a0 “So you will be even,” she said, holding her hands out and bouncing them in the air.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh…well.\u00a0 \u00a0Makes sense.”\u00a0 Shiloh glanced at Adam several times, unsettled by the way he was looking at her.\u00a0 That particular look where his lips were slightly curved upward, his nostrils flared, and his eyes bright and lusty as he gazed up at her from under his brow always made her feel as if her very soul was…exposed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Thank you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled as she continued to watch the baby.\u00a0 “For what?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“For standing your ground.\u00a0 For saving him.”\u00a0 Leaning forward, he tenderly kissed her as his hand joined hers near the baby’s bottom.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We have a son,” she whispered, looking into his eyes.\u00a0 After a long gaze, a twinkle appeared in hers as she quite matter-of-factly said, “Now, what are we going to call him?\u00a0 We can’t keep referring to him as the The Baby<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What would you like to call him?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Uh uh.\u00a0 We agreed you would name this one.” They both looked at the child when he suddenly stopped nursing, turned red in the face and made a tiny little grunting sound. \u00a0“What’s wrong?” asked Shiloh, looking terrified.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam laughed as he pushed himself up from the side of the bed.\u00a0 “I’ll go get another diaper.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Seventy-Eight<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the time Adam returned with a diaper, Shiloh had lain the baby back down on her lap, her nose crinkled at the odor emanating from her beautiful child.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She blew out.\u00a0 “How can a smell that bad come from something this small?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam just shook his head and rolled his eyes, laying the diaper down next to her.\u00a0 He retrieved a cloth and the wash basin and sat down in the chair next to the bed.\u00a0 “Well, go ahead.\u00a0 You have to learn to do this.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With her hands hovering over the child, she looked intently at the diaper, deciding where to begin.\u00a0 “All right, I’ll remove the pins.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Put your fingers inside behind the pins so you don’t stick him.\u00a0 I promise you, he won’t like it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking ahead of her, she feigned a laugh as she narrowed her eyes and wagged her head, then followed his advice.\u00a0 With the pins removed, she slowly lowered the front of the diaper and peered underneath.\u00a0 “Oh, how cute,” she giggled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When she continued to giggle, Adam’s smile slowly disappeared.\u00a0 “What’s so funny?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s hard to believe you were ever this small,” she said, laughing, but her amusement ended when she lifted the baby’s legs and peered at the back.\u00a0 Instead, she moved her hand to her mouth and almost wretched.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam set the wash basin on the floor and moved closer to the side of the bed, turning the baby.\u00a0 “Watch and learn.\u00a0 You’re doing this the next time.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a practiced hand, Adam moved the clean diaper underneath as he held the baby’s ankles between two fingers and lifted, removing the soiled diaper and wiping the baby clean with a wet cloth.\u00a0 When he lowered the baby back down, he immediately moved the front of the diaper over him.\u00a0 “This is important, Shiloh. If you don’t keep him covered, he’ll pee on you when cool air hits him.\u00a0 Now, fasten the diaper so,” he said, pinning one side, pulling the other side tight and pinning it.\u00a0 He passed the child back to his mother, and cleared away the wash basin and its contents.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When he returned, he sat back down on the side of the bed, and watched as mother looked on at her child with moist eyes.\u00a0 “What’s wrong?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I feel so…inadequate.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking her hand and bringing it to his lips, he said, “I’ve had a little practice.\u00a0 You’ll learn.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie tapped on the door before she pushed it open and went in, bearing a tray.\u00a0 “I’ve brought your tea, and you need to eat something before you rest.\u00a0 Adam, why don’t you take the baby back downstairs?\u00a0 Your father is still here, and I’m sure he’d like to see his grandson.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam took the baby from Shiloh and kissed her before he left Shiloh in Annie’s care.\u00a0 When he got to the bottom of the stairs, he looked around the room.\u00a0 “Joe and Micah aren’t back?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From the wing chair in the living area, Ben looked up from a newspaper.\u00a0 “No,” he answered, letting the newspaper drop to his lap.\u00a0 “I’ve sent several of the men out to the mine.\u00a0 We should be hearing something soon.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Just as Adam had passed the baby to his father, both men looked toward the door, hearing a rather hard, quick knock.\u00a0\u00a0 Glancing back at his father, Adam headed to the door and snatched it open.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tate removed his hat.\u00a0 “Mr. Cartwright, Joe sent me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Tate, come in.\u00a0 What’s happened?” asked Adam, stepping back to admit Tate into the house.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben stood and came forward holding the baby.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He’s a new one, ain’t he?” said Tate, peering over Ben’s arms. \u00a0“I reckon congratulations are in order, Mr. Adam.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a slight smile, Adam thanked him, then furrowed his brows.\u00a0 “Micah and Joe?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah,” said Tate, wringing his hat in his hands.\u00a0 “I ain’t got good news.\u00a0 Them men that came out to the mine.\u00a0 Well, they caught Joe on his way in and held a gun to his head until Mr. Micah surrendered.\u00a0 Then they knocked Joe on the head, tied Micah’s hands and took him.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam grabbed his gun belt off the bureau and began to fasten it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Now just hold on, Adam,” said Ben, giving his son a hard look.\u00a0 “Tate, you said Joe sent you.\u00a0 He’s all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yessir.\u00a0 He sent another man to town to get the sheriff, and then took one of the guards and some of the men after them that took Mr. Micah.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben passed the baby back to Adam.\u00a0 “How many of them were there?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Five of ’em.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe had about ten men with him.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Passing the baby back to his father, Adam tied the holster string around his leg. “Did any of them say where they were taking Micah?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Scratching his chin, Tate shook his head.\u00a0 “Didn’t say where.\u00a0\u00a0 But I did hear them say a name…a Mr. Holman.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Holman!” said Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You know him, Pa?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He owns a big spread up in Utah Territory.\u00a0\u00a0 I’ve never met him, but his reputation says he’s a hard one.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Micah said before he’d run into someone like that.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Adam took his jacket off the coat hook, followed by his hat, his father asked, “Where do you think you’re going?\u00a0 You have responsibilities right here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had turned to the door, but drew himself up as he took a deep breath and folded his lips into a line, turning back to his father.\u00a0\u00a0 “Pa, Annie’s upstairs with Shiloh getting her to eat something and then rest.\u00a0 How do you think Shiloh’s going to feel when she finds out Micah has been taken by someone from his past?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben looked at the child in his arms and moved his eyes under furrowed brows back to his son.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“If I can find something…anything to tell her before I have to tell her something, it’ll be easier for her.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And what do we tell her in the meantime?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rubbing his fingers across his lips, Adam lowered his gaze.\u00a0 He hung his hat on the coat hook and gently took the baby from his father.\u00a0 “I’ll tell her…something,” he said, heading for the stairs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He stood against the bedroom door frame watching Shiloh eat.\u00a0 It seemed each spoon of soup was a struggle for her.\u00a0 He could tell she was tired, yet she smiled when Annie quietly urged her to take another bite.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The baby’s sudden mewling drew Shiloh’s attention to the door.\u00a0 She smiled at first as she watched Adam coo at the child and slightly bounce him, but when she noticed Adam was wearing his jacket, she frowned.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Noticing the change in her demeanor, Adam stepped to the foot of the bed.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s a situation at the mine.\u00a0 I need to see that it\u2019s being handled.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMicah\u2019s already there.\u00a0 Can\u2019t he take care of it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Exhaling, Adam studied her, then walked around to sit on the bed beside her, passing her the baby.\u00a0 He\u2019d not told her the whole truth in prior situations in an effort to keep her from worrying, and it had backfired on him each time.\u00a0 But now was certainly a time when she needed to remain calm.\u00a0 Still, she\u2019d asked him not to keep her in the dark.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, I don\u2019t know any other way to say this.\u201d\u00a0 He lowered his head and twisted his mouth considering his words.\u00a0 \u201cThere were gunmen at the mine; men from Micah\u2019s past.\u00a0 They\u2019ve taken Micah.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her entire body became stiff.\u00a0 \u201cTaken him where?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSome time ago, Micah mentioned a rancher he\u2019d had trouble with up in Utah Territory.\u00a0 And Tate heard mention of a Mr. Holman.\u00a0 Pa says the man\u2019s reputation is\u2026questionable.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the rancher who had the local law on his payroll, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a short nod, Adam answered, \u201cIt\u2019s likely, though there could be more ranchers out there who have an axe to grind with Micah.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh\u2019s eyes searched the air in front of her for answers.\u00a0 \u201cHow could they have traced him here?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam took her hand.\u00a0 \u201cSweetheart, I don\u2019t have any answers.\u00a0 The most important thing at the moment is getting Micah back.\u201d\u00a0 Looking across the bed, Adam asked, \u201cAnnie, can you stay with Shiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I suppose.\u00a0 Hoss can go back with Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Snorting, Adam said, \u201cHe\u2019d probably feel better sleeping on the sofa.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnnie,\u201d said Shiloh.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t have to stay.\u00a0 Cheron will be here with me, and if she needs help, she can send Shorty.\u201d\u00a0 Taking Annie\u2019s hand, she added, \u201cGo home with your husband.\u00a0 He\u2019s been sitting down there without much to do.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll appreciate your attention.\u201d\u00a0 She turned back to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cHow long will you be gone?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat depends on how long it takes to catch up to them.\u00a0 And they have a head start, though Joe\u2019s already taken some men to track them.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have to ride hard to catch up.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned forward to kiss his wife goodbye and began to stand, but didn\u2019t get far when she grabbed his collar with one hand while balancing the baby in the other arm, pulling him back down into a longer, more intimate kiss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning her head slightly with her nose next to his, she kissed the side of his mouth and whispered.\u00a0 \u201cPlease don\u2019t get yourself killed.\u00a0 I need you.\u00a0 We need you.\u00a0 I want him to know his father.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving his hand to her face, he caressed her cheek.\u00a0 \u201cI have no intention of getting killed…or letting Micah die.\u00a0 The baby will know his father and his uncle.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She sniffled and smiled, enjoying his closeness for whatever time she had with him.\u00a0 \u201cYou have to name him before you go.\u00a0 I won\u2019t keep calling him The Baby<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaning back, he grinned as he looked at his son, then back to Shiloh.\u00a0 \u201cHis name is Abel.\u00a0\u00a0 Abel Benjamin Cartwright,\u201d he said as he kissed the child\u2019s head before he rose.\u00a0 Looking back on his way to the door, he smiled at what would be waiting for him when he returned.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Seventy-Nine<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben already had Adam’s horse saddled and waiting with what supplies were available from the kitchen in his saddlebags.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam…”\u00a0 Ben always had something to say when one of his boys were leaving under dire circumstances.\u00a0 This time, he had no words of support or encouragement.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam knew what he was leaving behind. He also knew what he was heading into.\u00a0 He was at that point between the proverbial rock and hard place.\u00a0 He couldn’t save one without the other; nor himself.\u00a0\u00a0 “We’ll make sure Shiloh and the baby have everything they need.\u00a0 Best you not worry so you can keep your mind on whatever trouble Micah’s in.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam merely nodded, being a man of fewer words than his father.\u00a0 He stepped up into a stirrup and swung his leg over Sport’s back, giving his father one last nod before he loped away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once past the barn, he heeled Sport into a gallop, riding to the mine.\u00a0 There, he spoke to the two remaining guards who described the older man giving the orders among those who took Micah and pointed Adam in the direction they had gone.\u00a0 From that point, Adam kept Sport in a gallop, resting him occasionally.\u00a0 He knew he had at least half a day to make up before he could hope to overcome Joe, but he had no idea how far Joe was behind Holman’s men.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He hadn’t made good progress because of his late start and finally stopped when he felt the going was just too dangerous in the shroud of darkness that overcame him after the moon had set.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh had been awakened often during the night answering her son’s cries of hunger.\u00a0 Cheron rose to sit with her, but Shiloh smiled and sent her back to her pallet next to the fire.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When light shone through the bedroom window, Cheron awoke, moving the skins and blankets of her bed to a corner of the room.\u00a0 She went to the bed and touched Shiloh’s forehead.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Opening her eyes, Shiloh took a deep breath.\u00a0 “I didn’t hear him.\u00a0 Is it time again?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron smiled.\u00a0 “No.\u00a0 He is still asleep, but you must try to get up today.\u00a0 Before you do, I will bring up breakfast.\u00a0 Then you will get out of the bed.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh nodded and pushed herself up against the headboard, yawning and stretching.\u00a0 “I don’t feel like I slept at all.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It is always hardest in the first days.\u00a0 The time will come soon when he sleeps longer between meals.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Cheron returned, Ben came with her.\u00a0 “Well, good morning.\u00a0 How are you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a smile, she replied, “Tired.\u00a0 But I had no problems last night.”\u00a0 Her smile quickly faded as she looked away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben moved a chair next to the bed.\u00a0 “I know what you’re thinking,” he said, taking her hand and patting it.\u00a0 “The hardest part is waiting, but it’s best not to dwell on it too much.\u00a0 We’ll hear from them soon.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben drank a cup of coffee while Shiloh ate her breakfast slowly, moving it around on the plate until Cheron admonished her to eat.\u00a0 “You must eat for strength.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nodding, Shiloh took another bite.\u00a0 She looked up at a light tap on the door, and smiled when Annie stepped in appearing almost giddy.\u00a0 “I have good news.”\u00a0\u00a0 She stepped aside allowing Hoss to enter.\u00a0 His eyes were no longer covered with bandages, and though he took tentative steps, he walked to the end of the bed and stopped before he bumped the footboard.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You can see?” asked Shiloh excitedly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben was up on his feet and at his son’s side.\u00a0 “Hoss, can you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah, Pa, but not completely.\u00a0 It’s still a little blurry around the edges, but I can make things out enough to know what they are.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He can see some detail, too,” said Annie, stepping into Hoss’s side.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Does this mean he’ll get it all back?” asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie nodded.\u00a0 “I think he will with a little more time.\u00a0 The good thing is that he’ll be able to do more.\u00a0 He’s about to go crazy with nothing to do but sit.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving to the side of the bed where the baby lay, Hoss bent over and looked at him.\u00a0 “Dang it if he don’t have a head full of hair.\u00a0 Can I hold him?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes, Uncle Hoss, you may.\u00a0 Just settle in the chair there.”\u00a0 Ben was more than happy to deliver the little bundle.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking down at the baby with a smile, Hoss said, “You know, for all that talk about him being too big, he’s a little thing, ain’t he?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hoss, all babies seem little,” said Ben.\u00a0 “As babies go though, he’s not.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I wonder how big he’ll grow to be.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Just because he’s a big baby doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be a giant,” said Annie. “Now, why don’t you two gentlemen take Abel downstairs while Cheron and I get Shiloh out of his bed?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Come on, Hoss. I do believe we’re being kicked out.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss carefully stood, holding the baby close.\u00a0 “You hear that little fella?\u00a0 The men have to leave.\u00a0 That means you, too.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh laughed as she watched the men leave the room, closing the door behind them.\u00a0 “Hoss is going to make a wonderful father,” she said, looking back at Annie.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie pulled the blanket covering Shiloh down and out of the way.\u00a0 “I’m sure we’ll find out at some point.\u00a0 Now, let’s get you up.\u00a0 I want you to slowly move your legs to the side of the bed.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You will be a sore, but moving will help,” said Cheron.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh began to move and grimaced.\u00a0 “Is it supposed to hurt this bad?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s probably not really that bad.\u00a0 You just haven’t moved.\u00a0 Come on,” said Annie.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the time Shiloh had her feet over the side of the bed, she was breathless and almost in tears.\u00a0\u00a0 “This really hurts.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Where?” asked Cheron.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Here,” she said, moving her hands to her groin.\u00a0 “The pain isn’t near the surface.\u00a0 It’s deep.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With Annie on one side and Cheron on the other, Shiloh tried to stand, but collapsed on the floor at their feet.\u00a0\u00a0 On her hands and knees, she breathed in gasps, trying not to cry out.\u00a0 “Something’s wrong.\u00a0 It feels like my hips are on fire.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rising early, Adam skipped breakfast and rode hard.\u00a0 Stopping to rest and fill his canteen at the headwaters of a creek fed by a spring high above a relatively open valley, Adam searched across the expanse as he drank the cool water while Sport helped himself.\u00a0 He could see a faint cloud of dust moving slowly across the valley, at least it looked slow from where he was standing.\u00a0 He knew they’d have to be going at a decent clip to be making a dust cloud he could see.\u00a0 He thought about firing his gun to signal them, but decided against it, not wanting to slow them down.\u00a0 But he would certainly speed up now that they were in his sights.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Continuing on, he swore under his breath at his slow, steep descent, allowing Sport to pick his way through the boulders and trees.\u00a0 But once on the valley floor, \u00a0he pulled his hat down tight on his head, hunched over and rode as fast as Sport would carry him without slowing down to look at the trail signs, but rather going on dead reckoning.\u00a0 As his luck held, Joe and the other men’s luck had almost run out.\u00a0 Adam ran up on them, close to running several of them down before he brought Sport to a sliding stop.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam!\u00a0 I didn’t expect to see you,” said Joe.\u00a0 “Shiloh must be all right.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stepped down as one of the men held Sport’s bridle.\u00a0 “Yep,” he said, looking around him.\u00a0 “What’s this?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“They’ve split up.\u00a0 Two went west; three went north.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Impatience was getting the better of Adam.\u00a0 “And why aren’t you still after them?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe’s nostrils flared.\u00a0 “We were trying to figure out what they were up to.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We head north,” said Adam loud enough for the men to hear as he walked back to Sport.\u00a0 “Send four men after the two who went west to make sure they aren’t doubling back to catch us from the rear.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe looked at the men, pointed to four of them, and then to the west, agitated that Adam had ridden in like a devil wind and summarily made the decision without even discussing it.\u00a0 He paused before he mounted Cochise.\u00a0 Adam only acted this way when something, somewhere was wrong, and it had to be more than just Micah being taken.\u00a0 “Adam, are Shiloh and the baby all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam looked at his hands before he answered.\u00a0 Having recognized how it must have looked with him riding in and taking over, a smile touched the corner of his mouth.\u00a0 “They’re both fine.”\u00a0 Squinting, he looked up into the bright sky.\u00a0 “After what she’s been through, I can’t go home and tell her that her brother isn’t coming back.”\u00a0 Stroking his forehead beneath the rim of his hat, he continued.\u00a0 “She knows Micah’s past could come at him at anytime, but to have this happen now…when Abel arrives…it’s a lot for her to bear.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Abel?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam snorted and smiled, turning Sport north. “Let’s get this over with.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe gave him a wink and a quick nod more determined than ever to find Micah and deliver him back home.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They couldn’t keep driving their horses as hard as they’d been, so they slowed down and paid attention to the trail.\u00a0 Based on the tracks, the three horses in front of them rode mostly single file.\u00a0 Thankfully, they’d reached the point where the granite-slab ground gave way to the fine dirt of the desert.\u00a0 Because that dirt had blown and tumbled down the hard rock of the Sierra, it was really no more than dust at rest.\u00a0 Looking ahead of him, Adam knew a trail would be easy to spot if Micah’s captors were in a hurry.\u00a0 But there was nothing on the horizon in front of him, but clear blue sky which meant Holman was taking his time.\u00a0 And that meant he wasn’t planning to take Micah all the way back up into Utah Territory.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once again, lady luck turned her back on them when a slight breeze turned into a strong enough wind to kick up all that fine dust.\u00a0 The men pulled their bandanas up over their mouths and noses and continued in the direction they were already headed. But the wind was slowly erasing any trace of the trail.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Eighty<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron and Annie were barely able to get Shiloh back up in the bed without her screaming out.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t understand,” cried Shiloh.\u00a0 “I wasn’t hurting like this in bed.\u00a0 What’s wrong with me?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Ssh,” said Annie softly.\u00a0 “Let’s get you settled in, and I’ll take a look.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It took some time, but once Shiloh was on her back, Cheron sat on one side of the bed while Annie bent down over the other.\u00a0 Moving her hand over the lower part of Shiloh’s stomach, Annie asked as she went, “Does that hurt?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Each time, Shiloh shook her head until Annie moved near the inside of Shiloh’s leg.\u00a0 When Shiloh flinched, Annie pulled back, but then slowly proceeded, noting each place that made Shiloh react.\u00a0 She and Cheron shared a worried look.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What is it, Annie?” asked Shiloh after taking a slow deep breath.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Cheron, have you ever seen anything like this?” asked Annie.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, but the women of my tribe are accustomed to the birth position.\u00a0 We sit that way regularly. We cook, we wash, we eat that way.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Could something be broken?” asked Shiloh, her eyes following Annie’s to Cheron\u2019s, and when Cheron shrugged, Annie’s cheeks blew into round orbs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh, I want you to see Paul.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning her head away, Shiloh said, “No.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Listen to me,” said Annie, sitting down on the side of the bed.\u00a0 “Much of what a doctor learns, he learns from experience.\u00a0 There’s just so much that can be taught during the course of a few years.\u00a0 I’ve never seen anything like this.\u00a0 Paul has the experience I don’t.\u00a0 You need to see him.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Annie, he wanted to kill Abel.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, he didn’t.\u00a0 He was told to save you, and that was the only way he knew how.\u00a0 If you had gone to any other doctor in Virginia City or Carson City, they would have considered the same thing.”\u00a0 When Shiloh looked doubtfully at her, Annie leaned over her.\u00a0 “He was relieved<\/em>, Shiloh, that he didn’t have to.”\u00a0 She stood and turned toward the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Where are you going?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“To send for Paul…whether you like it or not.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the time Paul arrived, Abel had awakened, been fed and changed, and was sleeping peacefully on his stomach on top of his mother as she lay on her back asleep.\u00a0 When she felt someone lifting Abel off her, she stirred, and watched Annie pass Abel to Cheron.\u00a0 When Annie stepped aside, Shiloh saw Dr. Martin, her eyes turning dark and glaring.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh, Annie tells me you have some pain.\u00a0 May I examine you?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Opening her mouth to object, she caught Annie’s expression out of the corner of her eye, and closed it.\u00a0 “I don’t think I have a choice.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul snorted and turned to Annie.\u00a0 “Would you show me, please?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After his examination, the doctor sat in the chair next to the bed, clasped his hands over his knees and looked at them in thought.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t understand.\u00a0 I didn’t have any pain like this right after the birth.\u00a0 I had no pain the next day.\u00a0 Is it really that bad?” asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking up, he smiled.\u00a0 “I don’t think it’s anything that won’t heal in time. As far as the pain, Cheron had given you several different teas, one specifically for pain.\u00a0 Even the herbs she was steeping could have prevented some of it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh tensed and gave him her full attention.\u00a0 “What do you mean ‘in time?'”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shiloh, we all have tissue that connects muscle to bone and muscle to muscle.\u00a0 Sometimes during heavy strain in a position the body isn’t accustomed to, those tissues can be strained or even tear.\u00a0 \u00a0I think you have that kind of damage in your pelvic area, maybe even a slight fracture.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Fracture!” she said, attempting to push herself up before remembering how much it hurt.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul raised a hand.\u00a0 “Wait just a minute.\u00a0 Let me finish.\u00a0 I said a slight fracture, more like a tiny crack in a tea cup.\u00a0 That kind of fracture will heal on its own. So will the connective tissues.\u00a0 But you have to give them time.\u00a0 For now, I’d like you to stay off your feet.\u00a0 Then as the pain starts to lessen, we’ll see about getting you up.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You mean I have to stay in this bed?”\u00a0 Shiloh looked around her, letting her thoughts of being in the bed so long already almost drive her to tears.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, no.\u00a0 There is an alternative.\u00a0 You can use a wheelchair while you’re recuperating.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking away, she let her hands fall into her lap.\u00a0 “So I’m a cripple.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, you are not a cripple. But if you don’t allow the muscles and connective tissue to heal properly, it could affect your ability to carry another child to full term.\u00a0 It may also make it difficult to ride a horse.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her mouth dropped open for a moment before she snorted.\u00a0 “Another child?\u00a0 I’m not sure I want to go through this again.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul took her hand.\u00a0 “Just because Abel is a big baby doesn’t mean all your children will be that difficult.\u00a0 In fact, they probably won’t.\u00a0 I’d be willing to bet that your second child will be much easier.\u00a0 After the first one, subsequent births usually are.”\u00a0 Standing, Paul added, “I’ll arrange for a chair to be delivered.”\u00a0 He turned to Annie. “One of the men should lift her from the bed into the chair.\u00a0 I don’t want her trying to move into it herself until the pain has lessened.”\u00a0\u00a0 Turning back to Shiloh, he continued, “I’m leaving laudanum.\u00a0 I want you to use a spoonful at night and another in the morning before you’re moved to the chair.\u00a0 You can’t feed Abel while taking the laudanum, so I’ll send a wet nurse out.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No,” she said fiercely.\u00a0 Glancing up at Paul, she calmed her voice.\u00a0 “I don’t want someone else feeding him.\u00a0 I don’t want him to look up and see another woman’s face when he’s nursing.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Any kind of movement is going to be painful for awhile.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She stuck her chin out obstinately.\u00a0 “Then I’ll be in pain.\u00a0 Another woman is not going to feed my child when I’m perfectly capable.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Wet nurses are used all the time, Shiloh.\u00a0 I think you should discuss this with Adam.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He and Joe are…away.\u00a0 I don’t know when they’ll be back.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Send someone to let me know when they get back, and I’ll send out the chair.\u00a0 You can’t use it without help getting into it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mr. Cartwright can help me with it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul grunted and collected his medical bag.\u00a0 “Then I’ll discuss it with Ben before I leave.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Holman had stopped when the dust storm prevented them from seeing where they were going.\u00a0 He’d had a place picked out much further away, but considering what Williams would be left with, he didn’t think it would really make much difference.\u00a0 He had no intention of outright killing him.\u00a0 But he’d make sure Williams died trying to live as Holman knew he would.\u00a0 He wasn’t very worried about anyone finding them.\u00a0 The wind would have already obliterated their tracks and once it died down, anyone following would find an almost impossible amount of nooks and crannies, blind canyons and precipitous cliffs to search.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Holman had managed to build a fire and keep it going, sheltering it in a fissure in the rocks that created a small cave.\u00a0 He had brought with him resin saturated wood from the heart of a pine tree to make the fire burn long and hot. Williams was ordered to remove his boots and socks, belt, jacket and hat, all of which were thrown into the fire.\u00a0 The leather of his boots and belt stank like burning flesh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah didn’t say a word. He’d already seen the branding iron tied to Holman’s saddle.\u00a0 And he remembered Holman’s threat from long ago, “I’ll own you, Williams, if it’s the last thing I do,”\u00a0 a threat uttered just as a lawman had delivered a territorial judge’s decision that would wipe out fully half of Holman’s holdings; a decision made based on the word of a range detective named Mort Williams.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Knowing there was no point in trying to talk his way out of this, and assuming the chances of anyone finding them in this dust storm were pretty slim at best, he decided to wait for whatever punishment Holman would exact upon him, knowing full well it would be memorable.\u00a0 But he also knew Holman wouldn’t kill him, though he was fairly certain Holman would leave him with little to survive on after he was done with him.\u00a0 He’d have a chance however slight it might be.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After Holman’s man laid the iron in the fire, he tied Micah’s hands to either end of his rifle with the rifle laid across his shoulders behind his head.\u00a0 Micah would not be able to use his hands.\u00a0 Next he put a bar between his legs at his ankles, attaching it with shackles at each end.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah kept his eyes on Holman’s as he was bound, maintaining a completely blank expression.\u00a0 In order to survive whatever Holman had in store for him, he knew he could do nothing to further provoke the rancher.\u00a0 Holman had a temper and would think nothing of putting a bullet through his head, so Micah remained silent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shoving him toward the rocks, the other man forced Micah to his knees, facing the rock, then proceeded to wrap a rope around him and the rock, tying it so tight, Micah couldn’t move.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Holman stood on the top of the boulder looking down at Micah as his man went to the fire and began turning the iron over and over.\u00a0 “Williams…Whitney, whatever you call yourself, no man has ever cost me what you did and walked away.\u00a0 It’s taken me five years to track you down.\u00a0 I promise you, you won’t be walking away from me or anyone else for a good long time.”\u00a0 Holman nodded to the man at the fire who smiled and lifted the red hot shape of ‘RH’ up so Holman could see it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam and Joe turned toward a small box canyon where the rock walls climbed up thirty feet.\u00a0 The wind whistled by the entrance to the canyon while the inside was relatively calm.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Even so, Adam had to yell to be heard.\u00a0 “We’ll wait it out in here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe didn’t try to answer.\u00a0 He just nodded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They’d managed to build a small fire, and by standing around it, they were able to prevent the occasional gust that made it down the rock walls from blowing it out.\u00a0 As they sipped coffee and ate hardtack, Joe and Adam’s eyes locked when a gust brought what sounded like a scream floating into the canyon and then up the walls.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Did you hear that?” asked Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam listened for a moment before he answered.\u00a0 “Could have been a cougar…or a wolf.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pouring his coffee over the fire, Joe looked toward the entrance of the canyon.\u00a0 “Didn’t sound like any animal I’ve ever heard.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam let it out.\u00a0 “There’s nothing we can do at the moment.”\u00a0 He hoped all Joe could see was the calm exterior he was trying to maintain, but his guts were churning.\u00a0 Joe was right.\u00a0 It didn’t sound like any animal he’d ever heard either.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Eighty-One<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Holman\u2019s man untied the rope that held Micah to the boulder without giving any thought to how hard or how unnaturally he\u2019d hit the ground. Unnatural certainly described well the way his arms and hands were crumpled and folded underneath his chest as well as his head falling face first into the inch deep soil that had blown into the canyon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Holman, what if his friends find him before he dies?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Holman chuckled as he sat his saddle waiting for his hired hand to mount.\u00a0 \u201cLet \u2018em.\u00a0 Even if he lives, he\u2019d be a fool to come looking for me.\u201d\u00a0 Looking back one more time, he added, \u201cIf he lives, and if he ever walks again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah lay in the dust unconscious, slowly being covered by the wind-whipped dirt, the blood from his feet seeping into it and turning it into glossy, black soup.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hours passed as Adam, Joe and their men split up and rode in and out of the canyons and gullies, up and down the small mesas and flats.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Micah came to, his thoughts turned to his father’s steadfast faith.\u00a0 His father’s God had chosen not to have mercy and allowed him to regain consciousness, a wakening that brought unthinkable, unimaginable pain.\u00a0 Still, Micah knew his best chance of being found was to move out into the open, out of the deep ravine in which Holman had left him to die.\u00a0 Digging his elbows into the ground, the dragged himself across the loose soil, sweat dripping down his face as anguished moans escaped him with every few inches.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Finally, he allowed himself to drop to the ground, breathless, close to insanity at the searing pain of what raw flesh was left on the bottoms of his feet.\u00a0 He’d heard the signal that meant someone was close; three shots.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The next thing he felt other than the fire in his lower limbs was hands turning him. Adam’s face appeared above him, the brow deeply furrowed, the nostrils flared.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Easy there,” came the low, soothing voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah watched as Adam looked toward his feet at Joe, then tightened his lips.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe shook his head and opened his mouth to speak.\u00a0 With his jaw quivering, he turned his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Joe, get the whiskey out of my saddlebag and the blanket and shirt from my bedroll and bring them here.\u00a0 “Davey,” he said to one of the men, “see if you can find some water.\u00a0 Empty all the canteens and fill them with fresh water.\u00a0 Leave one here,” he added as a second thought.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah had kept his eyes on Adam’s.\u00a0 He knew the look.\u00a0 It wasn’t good.\u00a0 But if anyone could keep him alive, Adam would be the one who would refuse to let him go.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe appeared with two bottles of whiskey which he set down beside Adam who had brought Micah up onto his lap.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking one of the bottles, Adam bit into the cork, pulled it and then spit it away.\u00a0 “Micah, you know what I have to do.\u00a0 You have to drink as much of this as you can.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Faintly nodding, Micah opened his mouth when he felt the bottle at his lips, and though the golden liquid burned, he swallowed.\u00a0 At the moment, he could think of nothing that could come close to the pain radiating through his body from the burns on his feet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam intended to drain the entire bottle, but Micah hadn’t made it half way through when his head finally fell to the side.\u00a0 Carefully laying him back down on the ground, Adam directed Joe to Micah’s right side and another man opposite him.\u00a0 Lifting Micah, they rested him on top of a fairly flat boulder, leaving his feet jutting out over the edge.\u00a0 Joe moved to Micah’s shoulders.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam first poured the water from the canteens over Micah’s feet to wash away as much dirt as possible. Even though he was unconscious, Micah flinched.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hold him, Joe.”\u00a0 When Adam doused his feet with whiskey, Micah screamed out.\u00a0 Bowing his head and closing his eyes, Adam reminded himself it was a scream Micah wouldn’t remember.\u00a0 He folded his lips into a determined line and continued until the bottles were empty. \u00a0Micah’s feet were still bleeding, but Adam merely covered them as best he could with pieces of his clean shirt.\u00a0 The branding iron would have cauterized the skin to some extent when it was applied, but pulling it away took the charred skin with it. \u00a0The area was too large and too damaged to do anything else.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once Micah was wrapped in the blanket, Joe and the hands passed him up to Adam who had already mounted, and who would carry Micah home in his arms.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh sat quietly in her bed alone save the little one sleeping at her side.\u00a0 Ben had lifted her into a sitting position while Annie positioned pillows to support her.\u00a0 At the moment, the pain was tolerable, but it was prevalent enough that reading was futile.\u00a0 Without something to occupy her mind, she had been dwelling on Micah’s fate.\u00a0 Would this rancher from Utah Territory kill him?\u00a0 Would he leave him helpless somewhere?\u00a0 She might never see him again never knowing what happened to him.\u00a0 And what of Adam?\u00a0 Was this man who hated her brother evil enough to kill her husband for trying to rescue Micah?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron had silently slipped into the room while Shiloh’s head rested in her hands.\u00a0 Just as quietly, she set a tea service on the dressing table and began to prepare the tea that would eventually stop the blood still flowing from Abel’s birth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Little One?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh’s head popped up.\u00a0 “I didn’t hear you come in,” she said softly as she wiped a tear from her face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking down at the tea cup she held in her hands, Cheron said, “We must always believe the best.\u00a0 To believe the worst is giving up.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I know that, but…,” she looked up at Cheron with helpless and pleading eyes, “how do I stop thinking about it?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron smiled.\u00a0 “You have the blood of your brother and your husband next to you.\u00a0 Let your mind live there.”\u00a0 When Cheron carefully sat on the side of the bed, Abel stirred, but didn’t awaken, soon settling back down.\u00a0 “I will speak while you drink,” she said, holding out the tea cup.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though she didn’t feel like smiling, a small one touched her lips in thanks as she took the cup, sipping while Cheron spoke.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I must leave soon.\u00a0 My people have been without a healer for too long.\u00a0 I have given Ming Lin the tea leaves.\u00a0 He will make your tea until you tell him there is no more blood.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh knew the day Cheron would leave was fast approaching.\u00a0 Still, she sniffled.\u00a0 “When will you leave?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I will wait a few more days for Micah and Adam to return.\u00a0 I must also tell you that Annie has asked if she may come to my village and learn the medicine of my people.\u00a0 Hoss needs more time for his eyes to heal.\u00a0 They will both come for a time.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When the tea cup started rattling on its saucer in Shiloh’s hand, Cheron took it and placed it on the night table while Shiloh bent her head in her hands.\u00a0 “It seems as if they just got back.\u00a0 But if that’s what she wants to do…”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reaching forward to stroke Shiloh’s hair, Cheron smiled and said softly, “It is only for a short time.\u00a0 She will be back to help the women here.\u00a0 That is what she wants to do.\u00a0 And Hoss will heal while he is with us.\u00a0 Our medicine will take away that which clouds his vision.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh snorted.\u00a0 “It’s not that I don’t want Annie to learn or Hoss to be healed.\u00a0 It’s just that…well, never mind.\u00a0 I’m being selfish.\u00a0 I just always imagined we’d be together after she came back from school,” she said as she wept.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron took Shiloh’s hand in hers.\u00a0 “You will be.\u00a0 The baby will take up your time, and it will go very fast.\u00a0 Annie is worried about telling you.\u00a0 I thought that if you already knew, it would be easier for her.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I haven’t seen her since this morning.\u00a0 Where is she?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She has gone with Mr. Cartwright to bring back a woman who will take care of you until you can take care of yourself.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh’s eyes flew wide open.\u00a0 “Who?\u00a0 What do you mean take care of me?\u00a0 I already told Dr. Martin, I don’t need a wet nurse.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She is a friend of Mr. Cartwright’s.\u00a0 He says you know her.\u00a0 And she is not a wet nurse.\u00a0 She will help with your daily needs so that Adam may do his work.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh looked wistfully toward the window. “Adam’s been gone for four days.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both women looked toward the bedroom door at the sound of light tapping.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Come in,” answered Cheron.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Joe stepped into the room, Shiloh knew something was terribly wrong.\u00a0 Joe had never been one who could hide his feelings.\u00a0 His mood was somber, his eyes dull and his voice very quiet.\u00a0 “Adam wanted me to let you know we’re back.\u00a0 He’ll be here in a little while.\u00a0 He’s helping Micah get settled in.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh had been holding her breath and let it out.\u00a0 “He’s alive?\u00a0 He’s all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though the corner of Joe’s mouth turned upward, the smile didn’t make it to his eyes.\u00a0 “He’s alive.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Eighty-Two<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Based on what Shiloh had told her of Micah’s past, his troubles in Utah Territory with a rancher there, and the knowledge that it was that rancher who took him, Annie prepared for Micah to be brought to the main house.\u00a0 If he was seriously injured, he couldn’t stay at the Flying W with no one to take care of him, and Adam and Shiloh’s new furniture hadn’t arrived, so there was no extra bed at their house.\u00a0 She had thought she’d prepared herself for the worst, but when Adam and Joe brought Micah through the front door, she stepped back, horrified.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss stepped forward, taking Micah from his brothers and heading toward the staircase.\u00a0 “Joe, go up in front of me so I can judge the stairs.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hop Sing!\u00a0 Hop Sing!” yelled Ben as he headed toward the kitchen in search of his cook, confident that his old friend would be able to help.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Hoss and Joe climbed the stairs, Adam took Annie by her arms.\u00a0 “Annie, I brought him here because you’re here.\u00a0 \u00a0One of the men is going after Dr. Martin, but there’s a chance he won’t get here in time.”\u00a0 He waited for some acknowledgment, but she was still staring at the vision that had just come through the door imprinted in her mind.\u00a0 “Annie!” said Adam through gritted teeth, gently shaking her.\u00a0 He took a deep, calming breath so that his next words were more gentle.\u00a0 “You’ve seen worse.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, Adam, I haven’t,” Annie said softly. “The students didn’t see the really bad ones in Philadelphia.\u00a0 I’ve never seen anything like that.\u00a0 I’ve never treated burns like that.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Will you try?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie closed her eyes.\u00a0 “If I do and he dies, Shiloh will never forgive me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam’s expression was pleading as he raised her face to his with a finger under her chin.\u00a0 “No.\u00a0 She’s more likely not going to understand if you don’t try.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For the first time Annie looked Adam in the eye, and seeing his determination, she nodded and turned toward the stairs with Adam right behind her.\u00a0 “What have you done so far?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I poured water over them to rinse the dirt away.\u00a0 After that, I used whiskey.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie abruptly stopped.\u00a0 “Was he conscious?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No,” Adam said slowly, cocking his head at the memory of the Micah’s unconscious scream. “But he felt it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When she walked into the bedroom, Hoss and Joe had removed Micah’s trousers and shirt, and had covered his torso, leaving his feet hanging off the end of the bed.\u00a0 Taking a deep breath, Annie eased forward, bending down for a better look.\u00a0 “What’s this cloth?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I wrapped his feet in pieces of a clean shirt to keep the dirt away during the ride.\u00a0 Most of it fell off on the way into the house.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, that’s probably a blessing, because the rest of this is going to have to come off now.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By this time, Hop Sing and Ben had joined them in the bedroom and looked over Annie’s shoulder.\u00a0 Hop Sing shook his head.\u00a0 “Burns deep.\u00a0 Bad trouble.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hop Sing, I’ll need water, as hot as you can get it…and linen cut into strips the width of his feet, but long.\u00a0 Hoss, would you get my medical bag. It’s on the chair next to the window in our bedroom.”\u00a0 While she waited, she pulled up a chair and studied Micah’s burns.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam pulled Joe aside.\u00a0 “Joe, would you ride to the house and tell Shiloh we’re back.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She’s gonna ask about Micah.\u00a0 What do I tell her?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam puckered his mouth.\u00a0 “As little as possible.\u00a0 I need to tell her.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam,” said Annie who continued to look over Micah’s burns.\u00a0 “Shiloh isn’t up yet.\u00a0 She strained some ligaments and tendons and may have a pelvic fracture.\u00a0 Dr. Martin has confined her to bed, but truthfully, she’s in too much pain to move around.\u00a0 He offered laudanum, but she refused.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Why?” he asked, creasing his brow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“If she takes laudanum, she can’t nurse Abel.\u00a0 She’s refused a wet nurse.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam bent his head down and stroked his temples.\u00a0 He looked back up at Joe.\u00a0 “Don’t say anything about Micah’s feet.\u00a0 Tell her I’ll be there in awhile, that I just want to make sure he’s settled in.\u00a0 And if Cheron is there, stay with Shiloh and send Cheron over here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Joe left the room, Ben took Adam’s arm.\u00a0 “Mary Anderson will be over there tomorrow. She’s prepared to stay until Shiloh can get around on her own.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam looked deeply into his father’s eyes.\u00a0 “How bad is it, Pa, that she needs someone else to take care of her?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Now, Adam, you have work to do.”\u00a0 Turning to look back at Micah, he added, “And you’ll be taking on even more.\u00a0 Mary can help with…you know…things that women need.”\u00a0 Ben cast his eyes down under Adam’s intense gaze.\u00a0 “Paul’s sending over a wheel chair.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With wide eyes, Adam said more loudly than he’d intended, “A wheel chair!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving a hand to Adam’s shoulder, Ben nodded toward the hall, and when Adam didn’t move, Ben took his arm and nodded again, this time with insistence in his eyes. “Adam, Paul wants her to be still until she has more time to heal…”\u00a0 When Adam opened his mouth, Ben raised a finger and closed his eyes.\u00a0 “She will heal.\u00a0 She needs time to heal properly.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Brushing his hand over his hair, Adam moved his other hand to his hip.\u00a0 “I don’t understand.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The position she chose to give birth along with how hard she had to push did some damage.\u00a0 She tried to get out of the bed after you left, but she was in too much pain.\u00a0 Paul said the tea Cheron had been giving her and whatever she was steeping in the room probably prevented her from feeling it until she tried to get up. By that time, Cheron’s tea had worn off.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss and Hop Sing passed them in the hall going back into the bedroom with those things Annie requested.\u00a0 When Ben and Adam re-entered the room, she had already begun to remove the rest of the wrapping from Micah’s feet with tweezers, dropping each piece into a bowl at her feet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“This is going to take awhile,” said Annie, her brow furrowed in concentration.\u00a0 “I need to get every string of the material off without disturbing what skin is left.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing quietly left the room and hurried downstairs and into the kitchen.\u00a0 He put a pot of water on the stove to boil, then moved around the kitchen in a flurry, removing pots and jars and mortar and pestle from the cabinets.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Cheron, do you mind if I speak with Shiloh?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Cheron passed Joe at the door, he turned toward the hall and whispered.\u00a0 “Adam asked me to send you to the Ponderosa.”\u00a0 When he spoke, his eyes told her Micah was in serious danger.\u00a0 She knew that if Adam asked for her, he was looking for all the help he could get. “Take my horse.\u00a0 You’ll get there faster.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She nodded and left.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Joe?\u00a0 What’s going on?\u00a0 Is Micah all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe managed a smile as he walked over to the chair. “He’s…he was resting when I left.\u00a0 Adam just wanted to make sure Micah had everything he\u00a0 needed.\u00a0 He was right behind me when I left the house,” he said, taking Shiloh’s hand. “Now, as I understand it, I’m an uncle, and since I’ve never been an uncle before, I think I need to see my first nephew.”\u00a0 This time, he wore a genuine smile which brought one out in Shiloh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She moved a light cover away from what Joe thought was a wadded blanket at Shiloh’s side, revealing a head covered with fine, dark hair.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe’s smile widened as he gently ran his finger over the tiny hand and giggled.\u00a0 “Can I hold him?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Have you ever held a newborn?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No,” he said, crooking his jaw.\u00a0 “But it can’t be that hard, can it?\u00a0 “People do it all the time.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh chuckled and lifted Abel off the bed.\u00a0 “Here. Cradle him in your arms and support his head.\u00a0 He can’t hold it up by himself yet.”\u00a0 When Shiloh twisted to pass the baby to Joe, she grimaced.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Are you all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a half smile, she nodded.\u00a0 “I’m just sore.\u00a0 Dr. Martin says it will pass.”\u00a0 As Joe cooed at the child, Shiloh let her smile fade, knowing it wasn’t going to be that easy to explain why she was still in bed when Adam came home.\u00a0 Then she regained her smile.\u00a0 She missed her husband and was looking forward to seeing him.\u00a0 He hadn’t had much time with his son.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t know why everyone thought he was too big.\u00a0 He’s just a little thing,” said Joe, carefully holding the little bundle.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Dr. Martin thought he may weigh as much as eleven pounds. That’s big for a baby.\u00a0 Joe, what happened to the man who took Micah?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Glancing up at Shiloh, Joe smiled nervously and quickly looked back at the baby.\u00a0 “He got away.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Why didn’t someone go after him?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Trying his best not to look at her, Joe stuttered through his explanation.\u00a0 “We…got caught…in a windstorm.\u00a0 By the time we found Micah, Holman was gone.\u00a0 The…the wind had covered his tracks.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh looked doubtfully at Joe, noticing a lack of his usual confidence.\u00a0 “Oh,” she said quietly.\u00a0 “I’m sure Adam will go to the Sheriff.”\u00a0 She waited for a response, but Joe was silent.\u00a0 “Joe….”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Look, Shiloh…Adam’ll be here any minute.”\u00a0 Joe finally looked her in the eye and said,\u00a0 “He wants to talk to you himself,” then watched the color drain from her face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sinking into the pillow behind her, she looked forward and didn’t say another word.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Eighty-Three<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe had moved downstairs when the baby began to cry so that Shiloh could feed him.\u00a0 When Adam walked through the front door, he stalled when he noticed Joe sitting in the wing chair in front of the fireplace, then removed his jacket, hat and gun belt.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d it go?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rising from the chair, Joe walked to the front door and gathered his things.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t say anything specific, but she knows.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe knows what?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s nostrils flared.\u00a0 \u201cThat it\u2019s bad.\u00a0 What did you expect\u2026that she wouldn\u2019t guess?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam glared back.\u00a0 \u201cWhat did you say to her?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t say anything,\u201d Joe answered with his voice raised.\u00a0 He glanced at the stairs, and quieted.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s how she knows.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t have anything to say.\u00a0 When things are all right, you tend to say that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Closing his eyes, Adam nodded.\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019d she look?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe looks fine, but it\u2019s not hard to tell she\u2019s in some pain.\u00a0 Every time she moves, she sort of grunts.\u201d\u00a0 Joe managed a smile.\u00a0 \u201cLook, I need to get back to see what didn\u2019t get done while we were gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nodding again, Adam said, \u201cThanks for coming out, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGood luck.\u00a0 Let us know if you need anything.\u201d\u00a0 With that, Joe was out the door on his way to Cochise, whom Adam had brought back with him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Heading for the kitchen, Adam stepped in and found Ming Lin hard at work preparing dinner.\u00a0 \u201cMing Lin, has Mrs. Cartwright been eating well while I’ve been away?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe tries, but she does not eat everything on her plate.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGo ahead and bring dinner up when it\u2019s ready, please.\u201d\u00a0 With a slight smile, he added, \u201cI\u2019ll see if I can get her to eat better.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh sat against the pillows on her bed, one arm holding Abel so that he could nurse, the other laid gently over him with her hand cradling his head and her thumb brushing the soft, dark hair on his head. \u00a0She didn\u2019t notice that Adam had arrived at the door and leaned quietly against the casement, watching as she lovingly smiled down at their son.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He couldn\u2019t help but grin.\u00a0 The vision of his son wrapped up so tenderly in Shiloh\u2019s arms and her gaze of such complete devotion warmed his heart so much he didn\u2019t want to disturb the serene scene.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But when she went to move Abel to the other side, his smile was instantly gone as she flinched and seemed to hold her breath, remaining completely still for a moment.\u00a0 After taking several short breaths and blowing out through her mouth, she winced and slowly settled Abel down to finish his meal.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam cleared his throat and walked into the room, met with a smile and slightly furrowed brow from Shiloh.\u00a0 \u201cYes, I saw that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pushing her bottom lip up, she simply nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI guess Pa or Annie told you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMm hm,\u201d he said, bending and giving her several small kisses before he looked into her eyes.\u00a0 No words were necessary for either of them to understand they had each missed the other sorely. \u00a0\u201cThey also said you refused laudanum.\u00a0 Based on what I just saw, I\u2019d like you to reconsider,\u201d he said, pulling the chair right next to the bed and sitting down.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled when she said \u2018no.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want him looking up and seeing another woman\u2019s face smiling down at him.\u00a0 Besides, I enjoy my time with him too much to give it up.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam lowered his head and looked back up from under his brow.\u00a0\u00a0 Remembering the warm adoration on her face when he first arrived and seeing it again now, he allowed a smile to touch his lips. \u201cI understand.\u00a0 But I want you to promise you\u2019ll tell me if becomes too much.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking down at the baby, she moved her finger to his tiny hand and watched as he curled his fingers around hers.\u00a0 \u201cIt will never be too much.\u201d\u00a0 Looking back up, she gave Adam a serious look.\u00a0 \u201cAre you going to tell me about Micah?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pursing his lips, he let his eyes drift away, keeping his lips pursed until he decided exactly what to say. \u201cWell, you know he\u2019s alive.\u00a0 He\u2019s been unconscious just about from the moment we found him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWas he shot? Was he beaten?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen why is he unconscious?\u00a0\u00a0 Adam, you\u2019re not making this easier.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He winced.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPutting it off isn’t going to make it any better,\u201d she said, facing straight ahead and bracing herself for the worst.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be back in a minute,\u201d said Adam as he rose from the chair and left the room.\u00a0\u00a0 When he returned, he was carrying a cradle with a little pillow on the bottom and blankets draped across it and over the sides.\u00a0 His timing had been fortuitous as Abel\u2019s mouth had already gone slack when sleep overcame him. \u00a0Setting the cradle on the floor next to the chair, Adam took Abel from his mother and gently laid him down.\u00a0 When he was sure the child was still asleep, Adam sat back down and took Shiloh\u2019s hands. \u00a0He let out a breath and looked up, but only saw the side of her face. \u201cLook at me, Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She slowly turned her head, and even more slowly raised her eyes to his.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be a long time before Micah will walk again, if he ever does.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He watched her eyes dart around at the same time she sucked in a shuddering breath.\u00a0 \u201cHolman used a branding iron on the bottoms of Micah\u2019s feet.\u00a0 He\u2019s burned pretty badly.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was as if someone had knocked the breath out of her.\u00a0 Her body seemed to deflate as her shoulders hunched, and her hands became lifeless in his.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know how bad it really is yet.\u00a0 Annie\u2019s cleaning the burns, but Paul hadn\u2019t arrived by the time I left.\u201d\u00a0 With everything she had endured in her life, Adam thought he had never seen the depth of utter despair showing on her face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though she wasn\u2019t making a sound or even sobbing, tears were trickling down her face. \u201cWill it ever end?\u201d she said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cWill there ever be a time when something bad doesn\u2019t constantly come along?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nudged a little closer. “Sweetheart, we have had times when nothing bad happened.\u00a0 We were both working hard, but if you think about it…”\u00a0 She choked back a sob, and resumed her sorrowful gaze.\u00a0 “Do you remember the night you invited me to your bath?” Watching her and deciding her mood wasn’t going to change, he said, “Don’t make this bad if it doesn’t have to be.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a handkerchief from the side of the bed, she wiped her nose.\u00a0 “Burns with a branding iron,” she said softly, shaking her head, “are bad.\u00a0 Even if Paul or Annie…”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Don’t forget about Cheron and Hop Sing.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Even if they can get the burns cleaned, there’s still infection.\u00a0 Burns are the worst.\u00a0 You know that.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Are you already settled on the worst?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, but I understand the odds.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And how many times have we all beat the odds?” he asked softly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Closing her eyes, she leaned back and let her head fall backward on the pillow behind her.\u00a0 “I want to see him.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam leaned back as well.\u00a0 “And just how do you propose to do that?\u00a0\u00a0 According to Annie, you can’t get out of the bed.\u00a0 Pa told me Paul was arranging for a wheelchair.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I need<\/em> to see him.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, Sweetheart, you do not.\u00a0 He’s not awake, and I don’t expect Paul to allow him to stay awake for very long when he comes to.\u00a0 Pa’s made arrangements with Mary Anderson to stay and help you while you recuperate.” He paused to look at her, but her expression didn’t change.\u00a0 “I’ve asked Joe to come back for me when Paul arrives.\u00a0 I’ll speak with him tonight to find just how much you can do without causing permanent damage.\u00a0 Then we’ll discuss it.”\u00a0 He turned his head toward a tap on the door, and when Ming Lin pushed the door open with a tray of food, Adam turned back to Shiloh.\u00a0 “What you need<\/em> is food, and I don’t want to hear one complaint out of you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Shiloh turned away, Adam moved to sit on the side of the bed, but stood up quickly at the loud gasp that escaped her.\u00a0 Along with that ragged breath, she pressed her hands down into the mattress on either side of her trying to steady the bed and only eased up when Adam was standing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bending over her, his brows curved in concern, he waited for her to open her eyes and let out the breath she was holding. Perspiration began to glow on her skin before she took another breath and slowly released it.\u00a0 He didn’t need to talk to Paul to see the obvious.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ming Lin had set the tray on the dressing table and hurried over to the bed, waiting to help if he was called upon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Thank you, Ming Lin.\u00a0 I’ll just have to remember not to sit on the bed.” Straightening, Adam gave Ming Lin a short nod and smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 “I’ll bring the tray down when we’re finished.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bowing, Ming Lin left the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After taking one last deep breath, Shiloh said, “I’m alright now.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As he placed his plate and cup on the dressing table and brought the tray to the bed, Adam said, “It looks like I need to bring up a bed from the bunkhouse.\u00a0 I think it would be too painful for you if I slept in the bed with you.”\u00a0 Answering her forlorn look with a smile, he set the tray across her legs, then brought his meal over from the dressing table and sat back down in the chair.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As many times as he asked, Shiloh made no effort to eat.\u00a0 “Sweetheart, you’re feeding Abel. You can’t continue to do that if you don’t feed yourself.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wiping her face with her hands, she said almost in a whisper.\u00a0 “I’ll try in the morning.\u00a0 Right now, I’d just like to lie down.\u00a0 Would you bring Abel back to the bed before you go?\u00a0 He’ll be hungry in a little while.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After he helped her slide down under the covers, he moved Abel to her side, then gathered the dishes and quietly left the room.\u00a0 Downstairs in the kitchen, Ming Lin looked at the untouched plate on the tray.\u00a0 “Mrs. Cartwright was very worried about Mr. Micah, and now you bring bad news.\u00a0 She can do nothing.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam slightly nodded.\u00a0 “She can.\u00a0 Taking care of Abel is just as important as taking care of Micah, something that she couldn’t do even if she could walk.\u00a0 We just need to keep reminding her of that.\u00a0 I’m going back to the Ponderosa to speak with Dr. Martin while she’s resting.\u00a0 I left the door open so you can hear if she calls.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I will make something special.\u00a0 Perhaps she will eat after she rests.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam moved a hand to Ming Lin’s shoulder.\u00a0 “Thank you, Ming Lin.”\u00a0 He turned and left the kitchen, gathering his coat, hat and gun, and opening the front door.\u00a0 Looking up to the top of the stairs, his eyes slowly drifted back down before he stepped through, closing the door behind him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Eighty-Four<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron and Hop Sing were busy at work in the kitchen, discussing their different herbs and plants and combining the better of them all to make a creamy salve to cover Micah’s burns.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the meantime, Adam leaned against the wall by the window, looking out, occasionally looking back at Annie who was still cleaning every string, every piece of dirt, and every piece of burnt, loose skin from the bottoms of Micah’s feet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss was leaning against the opposite wall, not really looking at anything.\u00a0 His wife sitting in the middle of the room was mostly a blur that far away.\u00a0\u00a0 But he was determined to be right there if she needed him.\u00a0 He was also prepared to help Adam restrain Micah if he regained consciousness before Dr. Martin arrived.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie had been bent over in the chair working on Micah’s feet for almost two hours when she finally couldn’t hold her arms up any longer and allowed them to fall over her knees.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam rushed over behind her, and laying his hands on her upper arms, he brought her up out of the chair.\u00a0 “Paul shouldn’t be too much longer.\u00a0 Why don’t you take a break?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stepping away when she turned around, she brought her hands up.\u00a0 “Would you mind pouring some warm water from the kettle into the wash bowl?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam bit the inside of his cheek seeing her blood-covered hands, then smiled.\u00a0 “Of course.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Walking toward the blur of his wife with his hands in his pockets, he asked, “Annie, can I help?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh Hoss,” she said, smiling and bringing up her hand to touch his face, but stopping when she remembered she was a bloody mess.\u00a0 “Your being here with me is helping tremendously.\u00a0 But other than cleaning the burns, there’s not much I know to do until Paul gets here,” she said, turning to look at Micah who had begun to move his head back and forth,\u00a0 “unless he comes to.\u00a0 Then you and Adam will have to get more whiskey into him.\u00a0 We have no laudanum in the house as far as I know.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How ’bout I go down to the kitchen?\u00a0 Hop Sing might have some tea or somethin’ that’ll either knock ‘im out or help the pain…or both.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam pushed the curtain aside.\u00a0\u00a0 “No need.\u00a0 Paul’s here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss followed Adam out of the bedroom, but slowed at the staircase.\u00a0 Adam’s pace was too fast for him to comfortably move down the stairs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had the door open before Paul got there.\u00a0 “He’s upstairs.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Without missing a step, Dr. Martin headed straight for the stairs.\u00a0 As he approached them, he looked over at Ben standing at the fireplace.\u00a0 “Ben, would you mind coming upstairs?\u00a0 There may be some decisions that need to be made quickly, and I need a voice of reason to be part of them.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking at Adam who was on Paul’s heels, Ben nodded and followed them up the stairs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Shiloh awoke at her son’s mewling, she expected the room to be dark, save the low light of the small fire in the fireplace.\u00a0 Instead, a warm glow bathed the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam?” she asked sleepily.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, Mrs. Cartwright.\u00a0 It is Ming Lin.\u00a0 I have brought tea.\u00a0 Miss Cheron said you should drink tonight.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I need to sit up first.\u00a0 Would you help me?”\u00a0 Shiloh had found that despite Ming Lin’s small stature he was strong and was able to steady her as she slowly maneuvered her body inch by inch up in the bed so she could lean back on her pillow against the headboard.\u00a0 Even with the help, it took her several minutes to recover.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though Abel was not prone to loudness, when he became impatient she was sure anyone anywhere in the big house would hear him.\u00a0 With the upstairs virtually devoid of furniture, she imagined the sound bouncing off the walls, reverberating into every corner like a well-balanced opera hall. Though her hips and groin still ached, she smiled at the thought that because Abel had a good set of lungs and apparent control of his volume, he might enjoy singing, and since his father sang, he wouldn’t think it was too…feminine.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Ming Lin, would you leave it here on the table?\u00a0 I’ll drink it after I take care of Abel.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes, Mrs. Cartwright,” said Ming Lin, slightly bowing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Before you go, would you tell me what the time is?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It is 8:30.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She frowned.\u00a0 “I see.\u00a0 Thank you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing and Cheron busily moved around the kitchen, taking dried herbs and blooms and twigs out of bags and jars, adding boiling water, and then adding more until they brought everything to the work table in the center of the room.\u00a0 \u00a0Speaking in low voices, they referred to the bowls, pointed, nodded, sprinkled, spooned, stirred, and dropped things from all the smaller bowls on the table into one large bowl, both sniffing the growing contents as they went.\u00a0 When they were finally satisfied, they both climbed the stairs to the room where Micah was just coming to.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul had looked at Micah’s feet and nodded his approval at the work Annie had already done.\u00a0 Turning his back away from the bed, he gathered Adam, Ben and Annie in front of him and said in a low voice, “I’m not sure his feet can be saved.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s hard to tell, but it looks like some of those burns go right down to the bone.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam stuck his tongue in his cheek before he looked Paul in the eye.\u00a0 “Not yet, Paul.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s Micah’s decision.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, you don’t want him waking up.\u00a0 He’ll be in excruciating pain.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Micah isn’t the kind of man who will tolerate life in a wheelchair anymore than Shiloh would.\u00a0 He was awake when we found him.\u00a0 When he wakes up again, I’ll ask, and if he says no, it’s no.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Then I can’t do anything for him except make him comfortable and try to keep his feet clean,” said Paul, shaking his head.\u00a0 He’d decided before he even got to the house he wasn’t going to argue.\u00a0 He’d done that and lost before, and he was glad he did.\u00a0 The Whitney’s were just as bull-headed as the Cartwrights.\u00a0 It was just possible Micah would pull through, though Paul had serious doubts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing and Cheron quietly entered the room.\u00a0 “Adam,” said Cheron quietly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At that moment, Micah groaned.\u00a0 Adam looked at Cheron and Hop Sing, then turned and went to Micah’s side.\u00a0 Micah’s eyes were shut tight in a grimace that said loud and clear he was in unthinkable pain.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Adam took Micah’s hand, Micah squeezed so hard, Adam winced, but held on.\u00a0 “Micah, listen to me.\u00a0 Dr. Martin says it’s bad.\u00a0 He doesn’t think you’ll make it unless…”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.”\u00a0 Speaking in short bursts through the pain, Micah continued, “My feet… have been with me…everywhere I’ve gone.\u00a0 I’m not abandoning them now.”\u00a0 A sound akin to a laugh passed his lips.\u00a0 “Even if they take me to that hole on top of the hill with my name on it.\u00a0 If you let him, I’ll…”\u00a0 Micah opened his eyes and looked straight into Adam’s.\u00a0 “If you let him take my feet, I’ll never forgive you.”\u00a0\u00a0 Micah didn’t take his eyes off Adam’s until Adam nodded and cast his eyes down.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The pain will be bad for awhile.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I know.\u00a0 But I’m sure Paul has something to keep me knocked out.\u00a0 Even if I feel it, I probably won’t care.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Martin stepped forward and set a bottle of laudanum on the side table.\u00a0 “Micah, I’m giving you laudanum.\u00a0 You’ll sleep.\u00a0 Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee you’ll be awake to say goodbye to anyone.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Everyone knows how I feel.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“All right. You need to get two spoonfuls down.\u00a0 After that, I’ll do what I can for your feet.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Thanks, Doc,” Micah whispered as trickles of sweat dripped down the side of his face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing pulled Adam back into a corner of the room where he and Cheron explained the creamy substance they carried in a bowl.\u00a0 At his concerned look, Cheron said, “We have put what works for my people with that which Hop Sing knows works from his home far away.\u00a0 It will stop the fire in his feet.\u00a0 It will allow what is left to heal.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam sniffed the contents of the bowl.\u00a0 “I smell…honey?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both Cheron and Hop Sing nodded.\u00a0 “Mista Adam, it work.\u00a0 You see.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Paul, wait,” Adam said, turning quickly.\u00a0 Moving back to Micah’s side, Adam explained what Hop Sing and Cheron wanted to do.\u00a0 “The stuff smells like honey, so it can’t be all bad.\u00a0\u00a0 Cheron says it will help the pain and will heal what’s there.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though Micah really didn’t feel like laughing, he did make Adam laugh.\u00a0 “Bee spit, huh.\u00a0 Who’d a thought?”\u00a0\u00a0 Swallowing hard, he continued. \u00a0“Cheron was right about Shiloh.\u00a0 Maybe she and Hop Sing are right again.”\u00a0 When he closed his eyes and nodded, Paul stepped in with the laudanum.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once Micah was out, the doctor turned to Cheron and Hop Sing.\u00a0 “I hope you’re right.\u00a0 Because if you’re not, you,” he said, looking Adam in the eye, “are going to have to explain this to Shiloh.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Paul, do you have a better treatment?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Not really.\u00a0 Not for burns this bad.”\u00a0 Picking his medical bag off the side table, Dr. Martin walked to the end of the bed and sat on the chair Annie had previously occupied.\u00a0 “I need to finish cleaning this out.\u00a0 I’ll have to do a little surgery to removed some of this charred skin.\u00a0 When I’m done, Hop Sing, you can apply your cream and bandages.”\u00a0 Hop Sing took Paul’s jacket and Paul bent over his work with a pair of tweezers.\u00a0 As he worked, he gave out instructions.\u00a0 “Hop Sing, each time Micah wakes, I want you to get a full glass of water in him.\u00a0 Adam, you’re needed at home.\u00a0 There’s nothing you can do here but wait.\u00a0 I’m sure Shiloh will want to hear what’s happening.\u00a0 She shouldn’t have been left alone.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Adam hesitated, Ben took his arm and pulled him toward the door.\u00a0 “Adam, Paul’s right.\u00a0 You have responsibilities elsewhere.\u00a0 Micah has all the help he needs.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, I will be going back with you,” said Cheron, walking up behind the two men.\u00a0 “Hop Sing will take care of the bandages.\u00a0 He knows how to make…natesu’uN.\u00a0 But I must speak with Annie before we leave.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam glanced up at his father and hesitated, but finally nodded.\u00a0 He wasn’t happy about leaving Micah, but they were right.\u00a0 There was nothing more he could do.\u00a0\u00a0 And Shiloh would be worried.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh did as she promised. After she settled Abel back down on the bed, she reached for the teacup sitting on the night table.\u00a0 As she sipped her tea, Ming Lin came into the room carrying another tray laden with a steaming bowl and a glass of milk.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling, she stopped him before he made it to the dressing table.\u00a0 “I’m not very hungry, Ming Lin.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes, Mrs. Cartwright, but you must eat.\u00a0 I have made your favorite,” he said, setting the tray on the dressing table and taking the bowl over to her.\u00a0 He lowered it so she could see inside.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She fought the smile that tickled the corners of her mouth until she couldn’t contain it any longer, and when it bloomed, Ming Lin smiled and nodded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Eighty-Five<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The moon had risen and with it came a calm quiet after the day’s events.\u00a0 Cheron and Annie stood on the front porch of the main house wrapped in their shawls and looking out between the house and barn at the silhouetted horses with their heads bent into the gently waving grass, their breath visible in the lingering winter air.\u00a0 If one listened closely in the stillness, one could almost hear the pulling and crunching of crisp, green grass.\u00a0 They glanced at each other and smiled, neither wanting to be the one to break the silence.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I will be leaving for my village tomorrow after Mary Anderson arrives,” said Cheron.\u00a0 “It would be best if you and Hoss go with me.\u00a0 Chu’o will not have any chance to disagree.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a step forward, Annie’s voice held concern.\u00a0 “We don’t want to make trouble for you.\u00a0 If you believe your husband wouldn’t want us there, perhaps we shouldn’t go.”\u00a0 She turned and looked up into the night sky.\u00a0 “I certainly have enough to keep me busy here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Chu’o is of no real concern.”\u00a0 Cheron smiled and slightly shrugged.\u00a0 “It is more pleasant when he is not angry.\u00a0 I believe it would be better for you to come now.\u00a0 Hoss’ eyes need rest for the healing to be complete, and he will not get rest here.\u00a0 And you must let Adam and Shiloh have their time with their child.\u00a0 You must allow Shiloh to heal herself.\u00a0 Do you understand?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie looked down at her hands as she rubbed her fingers nervously. “It won’t be easy to tell Shiloh.\u00a0 She’s always…well…we’ve always thought we would be together…always.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You were both still children in a way.\u00a0 You are women now, and it is time to let childish wishes go.”\u00a0 Cheron took Annie’s hands and squeezed.\u00a0 “You will be back, and when that time comes, you will have the knowledge you need to become what you want; to help the women of this territory.\u00a0 We will go tonight and speak with Shiloh. And with the new day, we will leave.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben had just stepped out of the door.\u00a0 “Leave?\u00a0 You’re leaving?” he asked with a nervous smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes, it is time,” answered Cheron with her head bowed.\u00a0 “Hop Sing has what he needs to help Micah, and Shiloh will have Mary Anderson and Ming Lin.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Putting his hands in his pockets, Ben raised his shoulders.\u00a0 “And Annie?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie looked down at her hands again.\u00a0 “Hoss and I are going with Cheron, Mr. Cartwright…uh…Pa.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh.\u00a0 Well, I thought with both Shiloh and Micah confined to bed, you’d be staying to help.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stepping toward Ben, Annie glanced up at him.\u00a0 “Pa, I can’t do anything else for Shiloh. She has to get up out of that bed on her own.\u00a0 With Mary’s help, of course, but she needs to push herself.\u00a0 I’ll just be a crutch.\u00a0 And Hoss…Hoss really can’t do any work without his eyes, and though he’s better….\u201d She cocked her head.\u00a0 \u201cCheron says she can do more for his eyes.\u00a0 I’m afraid there’s nothing else I can do.\u00a0 And I want him to see again.\u00a0 He feels…well…he feels like he’s less of a man.”\u00a0\u00a0 Ben opened his mouth to object, but Annie held up a hand and shook her head.\u00a0 “I don’t think that, and I’ve told him I don’t feel that way, but it’s easy to understand why he does.\u00a0 He watches Adam and Joe…and you…run up and down those stairs…he watches you all head out the door, and it’s killing him that he can’t keep up.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben raised his hand to cover his mouth and rubbed his face.\u00a0 Though he would prefer Hoss stayed, the woman standing in front of him was his wife.\u00a0 In addition to that she was a doctor, and Paul had whispered to him earlier that she had worked miracles with Hoss’ eyes; that other doctors would have given up.\u00a0 And then, there was Shiloh.\u00a0 “Does Shiloh know?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No sir,” said Annie.\u00a0 “I’m going to see her with Cheron tonight.\u00a0 We’ll be leaving in the morning.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A quick smile gave way to concern and disappointment, but Ben knew there was nothing else he could say to change her mind.\u00a0 He wasn’t even sure he wanted to.\u00a0 “While you\u2019re there, I’ll help Hoss get supplies together, so you’ll be ready early.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a relieved smile, Annie tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek.\u00a0 “Thank you, Pa.\u00a0 We are coming back, I promise.\u00a0 But I don’t know how long this will take.\u00a0 Maybe through the summer.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, if you need anything,” he looked over at Cheron, “either of you, you have help here.\u00a0\u00a0 Please remember that.”\u00a0 Stepping between the two women, he moved a hand to each woman’s shoulder. “You’ll need more than those shawls tonight.\u00a0 I’ll send Joe out to hitch the buggy.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once again, Adam quietly leaned against the bedroom door jamb, his arms crossed, one leg crossed over the other at the ankle, watching Shiloh…eat.\u00a0 He stifled a chuckle at the look of enjoyment on her face as she savored each bite she took.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She stopped, catching the movement of his balled-up hand moving to his mouth trying to silence his laugh.\u00a0 Smiling, she fluttered her free hand, inviting him in as she finished chewing the bite in her mouth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Let me guess,” he said, grinning.\u00a0 “Chicken pot pie.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She nodded as she happily took another bite, but when he sat in the chair, her smile disappeared and a serious look bathed her face.\u00a0 She very purposefully laid the fork in the bowl and set it aside, then looked up at him, waiting for a moment.\u00a0 “Do I have to ask?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had lifted the light blanket that covered his son, peering under.\u00a0 Taking a deep breath, he nodded toward the bowl, silently asking her to eat.\u00a0 Lifting Abel from the bed, he settled the baby upright on his chest and pulled the blanket up over him.\u00a0 “It’s nothing you didn’t expect.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I want to hear what Paul had to say,” she said, lifting the bowl and staring into it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Watching his son breathe, Adam spoke quietly so as not to disturb Abel’s sleep. “A man with these kind of burns would normally lose his feet.\u00a0 Micah was awake for a few minutes and refused to allow it, so Paul finished cleaning them.\u00a0 He said he had to do a little surgery to remove some of the skin.\u00a0 And Hop Sing and Cheron concocted a salve.\u00a0 Cheron said it would ease the pain and heal the skin that’s left.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“But what did Paul say?” she asked, moving the food around in the bowl.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After another deep breath, Adam answered, “He accused us all of being bullheaded, said he couldn’t guarantee Micah would have the chance to say goodbye…to anyone, and then gave Micah a dose of laudanum that knocked him out before he started cleaning his feet again.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What did Micah say…besides ‘no?'” she whispered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This time Adam smiled and snorted.\u00a0 “He said his feet had been everywhere with him, and he was keeping them even if they took him to that ‘hole on the hill with my name on it.'”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She actually snorted before she frowned.\u00a0 “And what do you<\/em> think?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m not a doctor.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I know.\u00a0 But you’re an intelligent man.\u00a0 You’ve seen some pretty bad things in your life.\u00a0 Do you think he has a chance?” she asked as a tear escaped her eye.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Sweetheart, I’ve seen Cheron work a miracle,” he said, looking down at his son.\u00a0 “I’ve seen Hop Sing come up with a few himself.\u00a0 Paul as well. \u00a0Micah has the best chance he’s going to get where he is.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning away, Shiloh set the bowl back down on the bed.\u00a0 It wasn’t the answer she had hoped for, but she knew it was the only answer he could offer.\u00a0 There was nothing either of them could do but wait out each day until Micah got better…or didn’t.\u00a0 And so they sat in silence until it was broken by voices in the hall coming from Cheron and Annie just before they entered the bedroom.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie went directly to Shiloh’s side, bent and kissed her cheek, then looked down at the bowl.\u00a0 “I see you’ve eaten something.\u00a0 That’s good.”\u00a0 She saw the deep frown and the moisture on Shiloh’s face, then glanced at Adam.\u00a0 “And you’ve already talked about Micah.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam slightly cocked his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Still looking at Adam, Annie asked, “Would you mind taking Abel downstairs while Cheron and I speak with Shiloh?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He looked questioningly at Annie who met his eyes without indicating anything. His eyes moved as he thought, and though he wasn’t comfortable being excluded from their conversation, he rose from the chair, looked over at Shiloh who closed her eyes and nodded, then left the room with Abel.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron closed the door behind him, then turned back toward the bed.\u00a0 “We must clean you up for the night.\u00a0 Mary Anderson will help you in the morning.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the two women pulled down the blanket and sheet, Annie tried to look Shiloh in the eye, but failed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s all right, Annie,” she said peacefully.\u00a0 “I know.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing upright, Annie finally looked at something she didn’t expect; a wet, but smiling face that soon broke up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t want you to go,” Shiloh said tearfully, “but I can’t ask you to stay.”\u00a0 Trying to smile, Shiloh continued.\u00a0 “You have to go, Annie.\u00a0 You have to take Hoss and go with Cheron.\u00a0 I have all the help I need.\u00a0 So does Micah.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie kept her attention on the work at hand, raising her hand every now and again to wipe the moisture from her face.\u00a0\u00a0 She and Cheron managed to remove Shiloh’s nightgown, and checking the thick pad of flannel underneath her, they decided to remove only a few of the top layers.\u00a0 It appeared the bleeding had slowed.\u00a0 Their next task was helping Shiloh with necessities, a chore that had Shiloh perspiring from the effort and Cheron and Annie wincing with every pained groan that escaped her. Finally, after a sponge bath and a clean gown they settled her back down in the bed and sat down to talk, though it was clear Shiloh was drained.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen will you leave?\u201d Shiloh asked wearily with her eyes closed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe will be leaving early in the morning,\u201d answered Cheron.\u00a0 “Soon after Mary Anderson arrives.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s still some snow, but we\u2019ll be taking a wagon,\u201d said Annie.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll probably be there through summer.\u201d\u00a0 Sitting forward in her chair, Annie reach for Shiloh\u2019s hand and squeezed it.\u00a0 \u201cSo we\u2019ll be back in the fall.\u00a0 It really won\u2019t seem that long for you with Abel to keep you occupied.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning her head toward Annie, Shiloh opened her eyes, smiled and nodded, then settled into her pillow.\u00a0 Annie thought the conversation was over, but after a few moments, Shiloh spoke after winning a battle to keep her emotions in check.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s good that you have this opportunity, Annie.\u00a0 And if Hoss\u2019 eyes are meant to get better, Cheron is the one to help him.\u00a0 Don\u2019t worry about me.\u00a0 With Mary here, I\u2019ll have all the help I\u2019ll need.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had been sitting in a chair near the fireplace in the living room going over every square inch of his son.\u00a0 The little guy was quite compliant with all the rolling, turning and lifting going on.\u00a0 But when his little tongue starting pushing through his lips, Adam knew it was almost time to take him back upstairs.\u00a0 The new Pa had waited through the initial whimpers, followed by grunts and wiggles, and finally when Abel\u2019s eyes opened as his brows furrowed and his face turned red, Adam quickly rose, rushing up the stairway.\u00a0 By the time he was at the bedroom door, everyone in the house knew Abel had been kept waiting too long.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The ladies looked toward the unquestionable demand from Abel, and laughed at the apologetic look on Adam\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cIt seems I\u2019ve made him angry.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cheron and Annie were up in an instant helping Shiloh sit up in the bed while Adam looked on, gently bouncing the baby in his arms, though his bouncing seemed to anger the child more.\u00a0 When Shiloh reached out, Adam was more than eager to deliver Abel to his mother, afterward standing back and wagging his head proudly.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s definitely kin to Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie laughed despite her red eyes.\u00a0 She leaned over Shiloh, kissing her cheek.\u00a0 \u201cI have to go.\u00a0 I still need to pack some things. And remember, I\u2019m not that far away.\u00a0 When you feel better, you can come and see us.\u201d\u00a0 Stepping away from the bed, she turned. \u201cCheron, we\u2019ll come by in the morning on the way out.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI will be ready,\u201d answered Cheron as she and Annie walked out of the bedroom.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam and Shiloh found themselves alone\u2026and silent\u2026again.\u00a0 While Shiloh attended to the baby, Adam walked over to the window and got comfortable against the wall in a position where he could look out as well as observe his little family in the bed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the time Cheron returned, Abel was sated and lying next to his mother who was trying hard not to drift off.\u00a0\u00a0 Cheron and Adam spoke quietly as Cheron spread out the skins that had been her bed during her entire stay.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam lightly kissed Shiloh\u2019s forehead, causing only a stir as she had lost her battle with sleep, then retreated to his bed for the night; the sofa.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Eighty-Six<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With the last of the cold weather hanging on, Annie, Cheron and Hoss left for the Washoe village at Clear Creek, but not alone.\u00a0 Ben sent two men along with them to make sure they got through any difficult spots on the trail.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There had been an unexpected late snow that stopped any possibility of an early round-up and any early timber cutting, and those men who had come to town specifically to work for the Cartwright timber operation began to leave for work elsewhere until spring decided to remain in the Sierra.\u00a0 That meant that Adam had a reprieve, albeit short, from the hectic pace of spring work made even more frenetic with both Micah and Hoss incapacitated.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He wasn’t complaining.\u00a0 The respite gave him time to spend with Shiloh, Abel and Micah while Slater and Cartwright exercised his mind and the few winter chores exercised his body.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The desk Adam had placed in the furnished bedroom was the same one his father had shipped from New England long ago; the same desk his mother had sat at meticulously keeping the ledger for their Chandler’s Shop.\u00a0 Now it was used to prepare conceptual drawings for the additional buildings in Jackson Square and for a hotel building Slater and Cartwright were bidding on for Anson Hotaling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was late.\u00a0 Adam had been working by the light of a single lamp on top of the sloped desk.\u00a0 He didn’t see that Shiloh had opened her eyes and lay very still watching him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What time is it?” she asked softly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Without raising his head, he smiled and glanced over at her.\u00a0 He finished the line he was drawing, then dug into his pocket for his watch.\u00a0 “It’s much too early for you to be awake.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Then it’s much too late for you to be awake.\u00a0 I’m worried about you.\u00a0 Your working hours are interrupting your sleep hours.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing from the desk, he walked to the bed and seated himself in the chair, leaning forward.\u00a0 “Well, your sleep hours are so erratic, I stay up just to have the chance to speak with you.”\u00a0\u00a0 Taking her hand, he asked, “How do you feel?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The tea helps some.\u00a0 I wonder if you’d do something for me.”\u00a0 His mouth opened in mild surprise that she’d have to wonder, causing her to smile.\u00a0 “Adam, I don’t want you to think I’m being…selfish or too ambitious.\u00a0 Even if I can’t…get around easily ever again…”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Stop right there.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, let me finish. Please.”\u00a0 He breathed in deeply and nodded.\u00a0 “I’ll never regret this…this incredible gift…of our son whether I walk…or ride…again or not.\u00a0 But while you have the time and while Abel is sleeping would you help me get out of this bed?\u00a0 Mary isn’t really strong enough to help me up, so she just tends me where I lay.\u00a0 Cheron said I need to keep trying.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And what did Paul say?” he asked, sitting back in the chair and crossing his legs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She lowered her eyes.\u00a0 “He said I’d have to exercise, but that I need to go slowly just in case there is a fracture.\u00a0 He said if the pain is too great to wait.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And how is the pain?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She snorted.\u00a0 “I don’t really know.\u00a0 It still hurts to move, but it’s not nearly as bad as that first time Cheron and Annie tried to get me out of the bed.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His direct look told her he wasn’t thrilled with the idea.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, if I could just get to where I could sit on the side of the bed…then I would know I could sit in the wheelchair.\u00a0 I don’t really like the thought of me in a wheelchair, but if that’s the only way I’m going to get out of his bed and out of this room, then so be it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His gaze softened.\u00a0 He never thought she’d be willing to use the wheelchair.\u00a0 “What’s selfish?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“As soon as the weather turns, you’re going to be so busy, I don’t know that you’ll have much time for me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His lips tightened while his eyes glared.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh, stop looking at me like that.\u00a0 You know it’s true.\u00a0 Without Hoss and Micah, you’ll be doing twice the work at both ranches.\u00a0 You’ll have to go by the mine every day and handle whatever problems turn up there, you’ll have to do payroll for the ranch and the mine as well as keep up with the supplies for both.\u00a0 There’s the timber contracts for the railroad and spring round-up, repairs, and then the cattle drives.\u00a0 You’ll come home dead tired and still have to work on drawings for Slater and Cartwright.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking away, he creased his brows.\u00a0 He hadn’t thought that far ahead, but she was right.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“While you’re stuck here, I could use your strong arms…”\u00a0 She giggled at his sudden smile.\u00a0 “To help me up.\u00a0 If I can’t walk, I need to be able to get into the chair by myself.\u00a0 If I can do that, I can help with payroll, the ledgers and the contracts.\u00a0 Maybe I can even start playing my piano again.\u00a0 And as soon as I can get in a buggy, I’d like to see Micah.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Propping an arm on the chair, he dropped his chin down on his fist.\u00a0 He’d wasted time worrying about Micah and Shiloh while he could do nothing about either of them when he should have been planning how to handle the work.\u00a0 Evidently she’d been giving it a lot of thought.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I can do the order for supplies for the Flying W, too, and ask Ming Lin to pick them up.\u00a0 I can send Johnny or Tom to help him.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He smiled at her without moving his chin off his fist.\u00a0 “I think we need to take one step at a time, at least until the weather breaks.\u00a0 Why don’t we wait until morning to see if you can get to the side of the bed, and we’ll go from there?”\u00a0 She twisted her mouth. “You need to get back to sleep.\u00a0 It won’t be long before Abel’s hungry again.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You?” she asked with narrowed eyes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I still have a little more work to do.\u00a0 I’ve got to figure out how to stabilize a building on unstable fill.”\u00a0 She gave him a questioning look.\u00a0 “The Hotaling Hotel is being built on sand, dirt, and whatever else was handy where the shoreline of San Francisco Bay used to be.\u00a0 In fact, the long pier at the end of Commercial Street will soon be over land instead of water.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, that pier has to be several miles long.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s two miles long, and it’s one of the busiest streets<\/em> in the city.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reaching for his hand, she gave him a pleading look.\u00a0 “Can’t you do that tomorrow?\u00a0 You need to get some sleep as well.\u00a0 You’ll be no good to me if you’re too weak to hold me up.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He laughed and scratched his forehead.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Please?” she asked with a sweet smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was then that Abel decided to remind them of his presence underneath his light blanket by stretching as babies do, after which he announced in no uncertain terms he was hungry.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam watched as Shiloh lifted Abel into her arms and settled him down for his meal.\u00a0 It appeared that after that first awkward time she fed him, nursing him had become quite natural for her.\u00a0 It was obvious she enjoyed the closeness with their son.\u00a0 Smiling, he rose from the chair.\u00a0 “I’ll finish up over here.\u00a0 When he’s done, we’ll get some sleep.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam really didn’t get much more done.\u00a0 He spent the time watching Shiloh as she fussed over Abel.\u00a0 When she lay the baby back down on the bed beside her, Adam prepared his own bed, pulling the blankets down and fluffing his pillow.\u00a0 The bed he’d moved out of the bunkhouse wasn’t the most comfortable, and truth be told, he was looking forward to sleeping in their bed again, but it would have to do, and he was happy to have it so he could, at least, sleep in the same room with Shiloh and their son.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He kissed them both goodnight before he turned down the lamp, removed his clothes and climbed under the blankets for a few hours of sleep.\u00a0 Though he was tired enough to sleep through another feeding, Adam awoke early and was standing at the window drinking his first cup of coffee for the day when Shiloh stirred. He turned away from what had held his attention when she grunted while trying to sit up.\u00a0 Setting his cup on the dressing table, he hurried over to help, but she held up her hand.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Thank you, but I need to get used to doing this on my own.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

All he could do was watch…and wince.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once up, she lifted the blanket over Abel and looked underneath, and satisfied he was snug, warm and still sound asleep, she turned to Adam.\u00a0 “Good morning.\u00a0 How long have you been up?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Whether I’ve been up late or not, I wake up at the same time every morning.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Then why are you still in the bed when I wake up late?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A wide smile spread over his face as he bent down for a kiss.\u00a0 “Because I enjoy watching you sleep.”\u00a0 Just before their lips met, he added, “You’re so quiet.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She bit his bottom lip…not hard, but enough for him to take immediate notice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both were frozen in place, almost eyeball to eyeball, and when it was apparent she wasn’t going to let go, he offered, “I wa tea…ing.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hmf,” she uttered, letting go.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He kissed her again amidst a laugh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adjusting her blanket, she asked, “What’s so interesting outside that window?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s raining,” he said with just a hint of an edge in his voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Wonderful,” she chimed in with the same dread.\u00a0 “Now all that snow will turn to slush and mud.\u00a0 The wagons will still have trouble getting through.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mm hm.\u00a0 Maybe one day man will be able to predict the weather beyond what Hoss feels in his big toe.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, before Mary comes up, would you help me?\u00a0 I want to try to sit on the edge of the bed.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Frowning, he stood.\u00a0 “You’ll have to tell me what you want me to do.\u00a0 I don’t want to hurt you.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chuckling, she carefully moved the blanket covering her to the side, but below the place where Abel lay.\u00a0 “I’m not exactly sure.\u00a0 We can try one thing, and if that doesn’t work we’ll try another until we’ve exhausted the possibilities.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben looked up from the newspaper when Adam opened the front door of the main house.\u00a0 “Adam, I didn’t expect you today.\u00a0 Everything all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam’s lips were pinched into a tight line when he tossed his hat onto the bureau a little harder than he’d intended.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben watched his son assume that all-too-familiar stance; his hands on his hips, brooding eyes and his mouth puckered as he breathed deeply to calm himself.\u00a0 Folding the paper and placing it on his lap, Ben propped each elbow on an arm of the chair, clasped his hands and waited until Adam walked to the table in the center of the living area and sat down, propping one foot on the hearth as he stared into the fire.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Surely it can’t be Shiloh.\u00a0 She’s confined to her bed.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Not anymore,” came the clipped reply.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now Ben’s brows were furrowed as he sat forward on his chair.\u00a0 “She could barely move yesterday.\u00a0\u00a0 Are you telling me she’s gotten out of the bed?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam grimaced.\u00a0 “Yes…well, no.”\u00a0 Shaking his head, he repeated, “Yes, at least to the side with her feet on the floor.\u00a0 She asked for help this morning because she wanted to be able to get into the wheelchair by herself when I started getting busy.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Raising his brows and slowly nodding, Ben eased back in his chair.\u00a0 “And?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dropping his forehead into his hand, Adam rubbed his temples.\u00a0 “We must have tried three different ways before she pushed me away and moved, all on her own,” he said, glancing at his father, “despite the fact she was crying and sweating.\u00a0 When she finally made it, I thought she was going to pass out.”\u00a0 His voice became quiet as he lowered his head and looked at his hands.\u00a0 “She sat there crying for a minute before she pushed herself up.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“But she stood.\u00a0 On her own.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben smiled.\u00a0 “Adam, do you remember the times you were confined to the bed.\u00a0 Even when you were very young, eleven or twelve, you got out of your bed when you shouldn’t have, even when Paul told you to stay put.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s not that she’s trying, Pa, though I think I would have preferred to just hear about it rather than see it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Watching his son stare into the fire with his fist gently bouncing on his purse lips, Ben waited, knowing that whatever was bothering Adam would come out in good time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I guess I’m feeling a little guilty.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Why?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Because I pushed when she wasn’t ready.”\u00a0 When he heard his father chuckle, he glanced in his direction, but not at him, then turned away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, do you really believe that waiting for her to be ready to have a baby had anything to do with the size of the child?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thinking for a moment, Adam finally snorted.\u00a0 “No, I guess not.\u00a0 I just don’t like to see her in that kind of pain.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben grunted.\u00a0 “I think it’s good…for both of you…that she’s ready to get out of that bed.\u00a0 I have a feeling, if it were completely up to you, you’d confine her until she was too weak to try.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Paul said she should take her time.\u00a0 He was afraid she’d make it worse.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She’s been in bed for two weeks now.\u00a0 I think she’s right in wanting to take those first few steps.\u00a0 Tomorrow, she’ll try again, and the day after that.\u00a0 She may even use the wheelchair for awhile, but eventually, Adam, she’s going to try to walk without it until one day she won’t need you to help any longer.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sitting up straight, Adam flared his nostrils as he turned and looked into his father’s eyes.\u00a0 Was that really what was bothering him?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Eighty-Seven<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Was that really what was bothering him?<\/em>, he thought again. It was a startling realization.\u00a0 He’d never thought of himself as someone who needed much, much less needed to be needed.\u00a0 He broke the look he shared with his father and cast his eyes down, smiling.\u00a0 “It’s hard to think of Shiloh needing anyone.\u00a0 I suppose in some basic way, it’s nice when she does need me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing, Ben moved a hand to Adam’s shoulder.\u00a0 “She wouldn’t have married you if she hadn’t needed you in one way or another.\u00a0 Now, it’s time for Micah to have more laudanum.\u00a0 He still has a fever, and he’s not been very lucid, but he’ll know you’re there.\u00a0\u00a0 And I’m sure\u00a0 he’ll want to hear about Shiloh and the baby.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both men climbed the stairs, and when Ben opened Micah’s bedroom door, Adam stayed at the door, lifting his hand and covering his mouth.\u00a0 Micah’s feet were off the end of the bed with what looked like fresh bandages covering them.\u00a0 Looking away, Adam found himself watching Hop Sing gather the old bandages he had just removed along with the bowl of cream he had applied to Micah’s feet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing stopped next to Adam as he was walking through the door.\u00a0 He glanced back at Micah as he said in a low voice, “He not eat enough.\u00a0 He starve before feet take him.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Following Hop Sing out into the hall, Adam asked, “Hop Sing, what do you mean before his feet take him?\u00a0 Aren’t they any better?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing shook his head.\u00a0 “Hard to tell. Feet still raw.\u00a0 More skin come off.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben bent low so that Micah could hear him.\u00a0 “Micah, you can have more laudanum, but before you take it, Adam is here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam slowly approached the bed, and when he saw Micah’s face, he sucked in a quiet breath, noticing for the first time Micah’s hollow cheeks and sunken eyes.\u00a0 Hop Sing had said he wasn’t eating enough, and though Adam could understand Micah’s lack of an appetite, he knew he had to convince him to eat more.\u00a0 Pulling a chair forward, Adam sat on the edge and leaned in toward Micah, almost whispering, “Micah, it’s Adam.”\u00a0 When Micah moved his hand slowly toward him, Adam took it and gently squeezed.\u00a0 “I don’t want you to try to talk.\u00a0 Just listen.\u00a0 You’re losing weight and that will only weaken you.\u00a0 I know it’s hard, but you have to eat whatever Hop Sing offers you.\u00a0 Do you understand?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking up at Adam from underneath heavy eyelids, Micah managed a grunt through his laudanum induced stupor.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, that’s more than you’ve said all week,” said Adam with a lightness in his voice that he knew Micah heard because he attempted a smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Shi…baby?” asked Micah faintly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Both are fine.\u00a0 Shiloh stood this morning.\u00a0 She’s still in some pain, but she’s made some progress.\u00a0 And Abel does three things very well.\u00a0 He eats, sleeps and…”\u00a0 He glanced up at his father, looked back at Micah and grinned.\u00a0 “…uses diapers.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah barely whispered, “Work?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“There’s not much work right now, Micah.\u00a0 We’ve had some late heavy snow.\u00a0 Today it started raining, so we have slush and heavy, wet snow.\u00a0 We’ll have to wait it out.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had been watching Micah slowly clench the sheet with his other hand.\u00a0 Nodding at his father, he squeezed the hand he was holding.\u00a0 “Time for me to get back to the house.\u00a0 And you need to take another dose before it gets too bad.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben was ready with the spoon of laudanum, and Micah was eager to take it.\u00a0 After the second spoonful, Adam and Ben quietly left the bedroom.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Pa, what does Paul say?” Adam asked as the two men walked down the stairs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He says Micah’s holding his own, if we can just keep the infection at bay.\u00a0 Hop Sing and Cheron’s salve seems to be doing some good.”\u00a0 At the bottom of the stairs, they continued to the door where Adam pulled on his coat.\u00a0 “Any word from Roy?” asked Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam shook his head as he put his hat on. “I really didn’t expect to hear anything this soon.\u00a0 The best he can do at the moment is send some wires out to Utah Territory.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hm.\u00a0 Oh, before you go…”\u00a0 Ben hurried over to the desk and picked up an envelope.\u00a0 “One of the men brought this from town with the mail yesterday.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking the envelope, Adam pulled out the piece of paper, and after a moment, he sighed. “It seems our furniture is in Placerville, but the drivers refuse to go any further and say they can’t stay to wait out the weather.”\u00a0 Stuffing the wire back into the envelope, Adam continued.\u00a0 “I’ll have to arrange storage in Placerville until the weather turns.\u00a0 So, I’ll be going to town today,” he said irritably.\u00a0 “You need me to do anything while I’m there?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“As a matter of fact, I do.\u00a0 Would you go by Isaiah Smith’s feed store?\u00a0\u00a0 Tell him I need our feed order by the end of the week, or I’ll have to cancel the order and get it in Carson City.\u00a0\u00a0 We need to start fattening up our beef and with the bad weather, we’ll need every bit of that feed to get started.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded.\u00a0 “I’ll be on my way as soon as I check in on Shiloh.” \u00a0He turned to leave, but stopped and bowed his head in thought.\u00a0 “Pa, with Hoss gone for awhile, and all the late spring work ahead of us…”\u00a0 He knew his next question would be met with resistance. “Have you given any thought to hiring a foreman?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben raised his brows.\u00a0 “No.\u00a0 I’m not sure we need a foreman.\u00a0 Joe and I can oversee everything that needs to be done.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking at his father almost apologetically, Adam said, “I’m just not sure I’ll be able to help much with Micah down.\u00a0 Hank can handle most of the day-to-day work on the Flying W, but there’s still the repairs and books…and the mine.\u00a0 I was thinking about talking to Philip Deidesheimer over at the Ophir to find out if he knows of anyone I can trust in a supervisory position.\u00a0 If I can hire someone there, I’ll have more time to help here.\u00a0 I just don’t want to leave you shorthanded.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving his arm over Adam’s shoulder as Ben steered him toward the door, he answered, “Now Adam, we’ve managed before with a mountain of work and one of us down.\u00a0 Let’s wait and see if Philip can come up with anyone.\u00a0\u00a0 And we’ll wait for the repair list before we decide what to do.”\u00a0 He stopped and looked Adam in the eye.\u00a0 “Whatever the work, I don’t want you to feel it’s all on your shoulders.\u00a0 We’ll manage.\u00a0 We always have.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Giving his father a tight-lipped smile, Adam nodded.\u00a0 “I’ll let you know what Philip says.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Riding back to his own home, Adam looked in on Shiloh.\u00a0 Mary told him Shiloh was exhausted from her attempts to get out of bed and was mostly sleeping between Abel’s meals.\u00a0 He found her on her side with her knees pulled up just a bit; something she either hadn’t been able to do or hadn’t attempted.\u00a0 She was sound asleep, so he assumed there was little to no pain in that position.\u00a0 He smiled at the perceived improvement.\u00a0 Sneaking a peek at his son, he found Abel’s eyes open, so he lifted the child into his arms and spent a few minutes with him before the baby drifted off the sleep.\u00a0 Kissing the child’s head, Adam gently laid him down next to Shiloh, reached out to her, touching her hair, and then left for town.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though the trip was slow with Sport slogging through the rain-heavy snow, it was uneventful, albeit uncomfortable.\u00a0 Before he went to the telegraph office, he stopped at the Silver Dollar for a whiskey to shake off the cold he felt inside his soaked-through coat.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, it must be something real important for you to be out in this mess,” said Cosmo, the bartender.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The corner of Adam’s mouth turned up.\u00a0 “I suppose it’s not by itself.\u00a0 Just something that has to be taken care of on a long list.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cosmo poured a glass of whiskey and passed it to Adam as he leaned closer over the bar.\u00a0 “You need to watch your back.\u00a0 That Clint Miller is back in town.\u00a0 Rumor has it he’s asking about Micah.”\u00a0 It was no surprise to Adam that Cosmo would have thought that was important.\u00a0 By now, everyone in town knew what had happened to Micah, and they knew who had done it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam froze in place with the whiskey glass at his lips and arched an eyebrow, and Cosmo answered by nodding toward the back of the saloon.\u00a0 Focusing on the images in the mirror behind the bar, it didn’t take long for Adam to spot his former mine superintendent; the same man who brought Randall Holman to the Flying W.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam held the glass at his lips as he spoke quietly.\u00a0 “Cosmo, you’d better send for the sheriff.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Now, Adam, I don’t want no trouble in here.\u00a0 I’ll send for Sheriff Coffee, but you stay put!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking back into the mirror, Adam shrugged before he downed his whiskey.\u00a0 “Doesn’t look like I need to go anywhere.”\u00a0 Turning, he waited for Miller to get to the bar while Cosmo called the boy who kept his floors swept over to the bar and sent him to get Roy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Clint walked tall with his hands hanging by their thumbs from his front pockets as he approached Adam. \u00a0“I hear tell Micah Whitney met with some bad luck.\u00a0 How’s he doing?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You should know, Miller.\u00a0 You arranged for him to be taken.\u00a0 I’m sure Holman’s done some bragging.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I really have no idea what you mean,” said Miller with a smug smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You’ve been identified as one of the men at the mine.\u00a0 Sheriff’s looking for you,” said Adam, smiling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Miller cut his eyes toward Cosmo as the bartender slowly reached under the counter.\u00a0 He looked back at Adam, then took a step back…and another, and when he turned to leave, Adam drew his gun.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I think you ought to wait for him.\u00a0 It’s only a matter of time before you’re back in jail, but this time, it’ll be for attempted murder.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“That’s right, Miller,” said Sheriff Coffee as he stepped through the batwing doors with his shotgun aimed at Miller.\u00a0 “Now why don’t you unbuckle that gun belt real slow.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Clint tensed and slowly moved his hands to his gun belt.\u00a0 “No one tried to kill Whitney, Sheriff.\u00a0 In fact, Cartwright will tell you he’s alive at the Ponderosa.”\u00a0 He had just unfastened his gun belt, and as he swiftly pulled his gun from its holster as the belt fell away, Adam fired a shot, hitting him in the arm.\u00a0 Silence fell over the saloon.\u00a0 The customers and working girls stopped what they were doing and turned to watch Miller’s gun clatter to the floor as he grabbed for his arm.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Roy bristled. “One of you fellows fetch the doctor over to the jail.\u00a0 Miller, I’ve seen firsthand what Holman did to Micah.\u00a0 There ain’t an honest man around who don’t know the kind of burns Micah has is enough to eventually kill him.\u00a0 If that ain’t attempted murder, I don’t know what is.\u00a0 You were in on it.\u00a0 That makes you just as guilty as Holman.\u00a0 Now, you’re coming with me to jail, and you’ll wait there until the territorial judge comes through next month.\u00a0 And if I were you, I’d say some prayers because the next place you’re likely to be is the territorial prison…unless Micah dies, and then you’ll hang.\u00a0 Adam, would you mind picking up his gun and walking with me to the jail?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bending to pick up Miller’s gun from the floor, Adam said, “Sure, Roy,” then fell behind Miller as Roy led the way.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once Miller was locked up waiting for the doctor, Roy returned to the front of the office.\u00a0 “Adam, what brings you to town on day like this?\u00a0 Shiloh and the baby all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“They’re both fine, Roy.\u00a0 I came to send a telegram to Placerville, and Pa asked me to check on a feed order over at Isaiah’s.”\u00a0 Adam removed his hat and picked at the rivets on the band.\u00a0 “Have you heard anything about Holman?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Not a word,” answered Roy, sitting down at the desk.\u00a0 “But then, I don’t expect anyone out there to do anything until the weather turns.\u00a0 And if I don’t hear something before the territorial judge gets here, I’ll ask for a warrant for Holman, and then I’ll ask a federal marshal to serve it since Holman’s over in Utah Territory.\u00a0 That’s about as much as I can do.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And what if the judge won’t issue a warrant?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Roy sat forward in his chair. “I don’t know why he wouldn’t.\u00a0 But if he won’t, there’s nothing else I can do.”\u00a0 When Adam nodded and pursed his lips, Roy continued,\u00a0 “And don’t you go getting any ideas about going after Holman on your own.\u00a0 Even if you were to bring him back here, there’d still be nothing I could do without a warrant.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam arched a brow as he gave Roy a quick nod, moved his hat to his head and headed for the telegraph office.\u00a0 After he sent the telegram to Placerville, he went to Isaiah’s feed store leaving a worried proprietor behind him, having delivered his father’s threat of taking the Ponderosa business to Carson City in no uncertain terms.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam didn’t mince words.\u00a0 He was still uncomfortably wet and cold.\u00a0 That and the possibility presented by Roy that there could be a chance Holman would get off scot-free put him in a foul mood, and he still had to ride to the Ophir Mine, and then all the way home in the frigid rain and slushy snow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Eighty-Eight<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the time Adam had arrived at the Ophir Mine, he’d been riding through sleet for half an hour.\u00a0\u00a0 What normally would have been a fifteen minute ride had turned into a slow, slippery trip.\u00a0 Generally, the miners walked to the mine from their homes when they started their shifts.\u00a0 There was no barn or shed where Sport could wait for his master out of the weather, and Adam wasn’t willing to let him stand in the slushy mix raining down, waiting for however long it took to speak with Philip. He did the only thing he thought fair to Sport, and rode him back to the livery where he could wait under cover for Adam’s return.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam, on the other hand, went back out into it, slipping and sliding down the steep slope of Mill Street, past the come hither calls from the doves on D Street, past E and F Street and finally turning on Carson Street where the Ophir Mine office was located.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He quickly knocked, and upon hearing a familiar grunt, he stepped in and found Deidesheimer as he had anticipated, poring over the tunnel maps of the mine, planning the next installation of square sets.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam,”\u00a0 said Philip, pushing away from his desk and extending his hand.\u00a0 “I am surprised to see you out in dis storm wid a new baby at home.\u00a0 What brings you to town?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Philip,” replied Adam with a smile and a warm handshake, “I need some advice.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh.\u00a0 De only advice I am qualified to give is wid de mine.\u00a0 Is dere a problem at de Whitney?\u00a0 Give me your coat.\u00a0 I will hang it by de fire.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam gladly obliged.\u00a0 “Not with the mine, but I need a recommendation for a superintendent.\u00a0 Someone who knows mining and can direct the men.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You had a superintendent.\u00a0 He did not work out?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had been facing the fire as he warmed his hands, but turned as his hands slowed their rubbing together and finally clasped.\u00a0 “Philip, my superintendent is responsible for an accident at the mine.\u00a0 He’s also responsible for almost getting Micah killed.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Philip bowed his head.\u00a0 “I did not know.\u00a0 And how is Micah?\u00a0 Please, sit down,” he said, pulling two chairs toward the fire.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once both men were seated with a hot cup of coffee, Adam began, “Micah’s holding his own, but he’s still got a long way to go.”\u00a0 After sipping his coffee, he continued, “It was Clint Miller who notified Randall Holman that Micah was here.\u00a0 Micah ran into Holman up in Utah Territory, and…let’s just say Holman had a grudge.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And where is Miller now?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Jail.\u00a0 Roy arrested him on conspiracy to commit murder.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I see,” said Philip after a grunt. “I do hope Micah overcomes dis.\u00a0 He is a good man.\u00a0 Now about de mine; I have several men here at de Ophir who could act in dat capacity, but it will be up to dem to leave.\u00a0 Working conditions in de mine have improved greatly with de square sets.\u00a0 Everyone wants to work at de Ophir now.\u00a0 De other mines have not been quick to make improvements.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tilting his cup back for the last of his coffee, Adam said, “Well, we do use square sets at the Whitney.\u00a0 We pay normal wages while a man recovers from injuries caused by an accident.<\/p>\n

And I’m betting that any man will trade a miner’s wage for a superintendent’s.”\u00a0 Adam stood and reached for this jacket.\u00a0 “I trust your judgment, Philip. If you find some who’s qualified and interested, send them out to the Ponderosa.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As he walked Adam to the door, Philip replied, “I will do dat.\u00a0 It should only be a few days.\u00a0 And maybe if you have de time, Adam, you can look at my calculations for de square sets as we dig deeper.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had just pulled on his gloves and opened the door, but closed it again. “Philip, you’re figures have always been good.\u00a0 You shouldn’t doubt yourself.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, you are de only engineer in Virginia City dat I trust to use as a sounding-board.\u00a0 You do not just nod your head while de information travels in and out of your ears.\u00a0 No, if I have made a miscalculation, you will see it.”
\nSmiling, Adam tipped his hat.\u00a0 “You know where to find me when you’re ready.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaving Philip with a smile, Adam slogged through the icy slush back up the slope of Mill Street, staying close to the sides of the buildings on the steeper part that intersected C Street to catch himself if his feet began to slip underneath him. \u00a0Finally on the flat boardwalk, he made quick progress to the livery where Sport waited.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once back on the road toward home, he pushed his hat down snug on his head, flipped the collar of his jacket up, hunched his shoulders and bent his head forward to keep the stinging sleet away from his face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Despite the snowy weather outside, Hoss was warm…uncomfortably warm in the small hut Cheron insisted he rest inside several hours in the morning and late afternoon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She had built the fire around a basin into which she sprinkled an abundance of different dried plants, explaining that the steam created contained healing properties.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He was not to wear bandages over his eyes while in the small hut, but rather allow the steam to touch his eyes and skin.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the meantime, Cheron had Annie follow her everywhere she went, gathering plants, preparing them for drying, visiting ill tribe members, and showing her how to minister to them based on their ailment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Hoss emerged for the midday meal, Annie took him to a large wiki-up where several families had gathered.\u00a0\u00a0 He hadn’t uttered a word, but rather studied his wife, watching how she moved, how she approached the Washoe, how she spoke…and what she was wearing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her wardrobe surprised him more than anything.\u00a0 The people of the tribe had taken a liking to her and each one she spoke with helped her struggle with the meanings of their words.\u00a0 Those who didn’t speak the language of the white man were happy to ‘trade’ words with her.\u00a0 More than that, however, she looked like them except that her hair was light brown instead of the black or black-brown of the Washoe.\u00a0 Her hair fell over her shoulders and contained the same decorations of the young women of the tribe.\u00a0 She wore skins rather than her own skirts and blouses, having given some of those to other women of the tribe.\u00a0 Skins covered her feet as well as her legs underneath the simple leather dress she wore.\u00a0 When out in the cold, she wore plush skins over her as she went from one wiki-up to another or out into the surrounding land with Cheron.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss and Annie had been fed since they had arrived, sharing a place with Cheron, her son and daughter and husband, the chief, who usually preferred to sit away from his family so that he could speak with the other men about tribal affairs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As they sat cross-legged before a meal of a thick porridge with chunks of some kind of meat, Annie whispered to Hoss, “How is your vision?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss had already decided that the reason the porridge was so thick was because the Washoe used their fingers the way he was taught to use a spoon.\u00a0 He didn’t enjoy eating with his hands, but he had quickly gotten over the embarrassment it caused him because everyone around him, including Annie, was doing the same thing.\u00a0 Licking porridge off the back of his hand, he answered, “It’s still blurry.\u00a0 I can’t tell if it’s any better in these dark tents, and it’s too dim outside to tell.\u00a0 I just wish this storm would break.\u00a0 I reckon there ain’t much work gettin’ done back at the Ponderosa. \u00a0What’s Cheron got you doin’?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Two of the women are ready to give birth.\u00a0 We’ve been preparing huts similar to yours for them.\u00a0 Besides that, she’s been showing me how to identify the plants she uses, and what specifically they’re for.\u00a0 And how to administer them.”\u00a0 After a bite of food, she continued, “I brought my medical bag and have been showing her how I use my tools.\u00a0 I’m going to leave it with her.\u00a0 She’s very good at stitching.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You don’t s’pose there’s somethin’ I can do around here, do you?”\u00a0 If I have to sit another hour in that tent without anything to do, I’ll…well, I’ll prob’ly be mistaken for a rabid animal.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annie thought for a moment.\u00a0 “I have an idea.\u00a0\u00a0 If I bring you some dried skins and a knife, can you cut them into strips and make a leather headstall for Chu’o.\u00a0 Maybe some braided reins to go with it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss creased his brow.\u00a0 “Why d’you want to make Chu’o a bridle? He’s not been real hospitable if you ask me.\u00a0 Besides, the Paiute took away all their horses.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Actually, Hoss, he has been hospitable.\u00a0 He’s letting me go anywhere I want…” she gave a slight shrug, “…with Cheron.\u00a0 And he’s allowed Cheron to try to heal your eyes.\u00a0 He doesn’t like us being here.\u00a0 He puts up with us because of Cheron. And he and Do’a have two horses hidden from sight. \u00a0I thought if we could give him something that would separate him from the tribe, something he could use and show off, he might not grunt and scowl at me every time our eyes meet.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I reckon it’ll give me somethin’ to do,” Hoss answered after having shoved a large chunk of meat into his mouth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I think it’s bear,” whispered Annie.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s mighty greasy.\u00a0 Greasier than Hop Sing’s fried chicken.\u00a0 Speakin’ of grease, I’ll need somethin’ to soften the leather with.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’ll ask Cheron what they use and bring some to our hut.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Later that night, after Annie and Hoss had retreated to their hut, they prepared their bed of skins and blankets at the back side of the hut behind the fire.\u00a0 Annie gathered her bandages to cover Hoss eyes, but Hoss took the bandages from her, moving them back to the medical bag.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hoss…”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He moved a finger to her lips.\u00a0 “Hush now.”\u00a0 Pulling her to him, he said, “I don’t wanna think about no bandages.” \u00a0After kissing her, he whispered, “I don’t wanna think about bear meat, and I don’t wanna think about no present for Chu’o.\u00a0 In fact, I don’t wanna talk at all.”\u00a0 Moving his hand to the back of her head, he ran his fingers into her hair as his other arm moved around her.\u00a0 Laying back, he brought her down on top of him, then rolled over with her in his arms.\u00a0 He had no problem seeing her bright smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Eighty-Nine<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mary had been watching out the kitchen window for Adam to arrive. What had been sleet in Virginia City had turned to snow on the mountains surrounding the lake, and Adam’s place was no exception.\u00a0 It seemed he’d brought a good amount of fog home with him as well.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ming Lin shook his head as he began preparations for the evening meal.\u00a0 Mary had been carrying on about how Shiloh had sent her out of the room with the baby, and when she had returned, the young mother had somehow managed to get to the side of the bed and pull the wheelchair around in front of her.\u00a0 Mary had settled Abel on the bed and offered to help, but the missus would have no part of it.\u00a0\u00a0 Ming Lin knew that once Mrs. Cartwright set her mind to something, the best thing to do was get out of her way.\u00a0\u00a0 If she needed help, she’d asked.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mary just knew Adam would be upset with her for leaving Shiloh alone.\u00a0 She paced in front of the door waiting for it to open.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stepped in and quickly closed the door against the wind behind him.\u00a0 At the same time he began unbuttoning his coat, he looked up, and stopped cold.\u00a0 “Mary, is everything all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes, Adam, I believe so.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After hanging his hat and coat on the hooks at the side of the door, he went to Mary, taking her hands.\u00a0 “You’re shaking, Mary.\u00a0 What’s happened?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s Shiloh, Adam.\u00a0 She…she sent me out of the room, and when I came back, she was at the side of the bed.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving his hands to her arms, he squeezed them gently.\u00a0 “But she’s all right?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes, she’s seems to be.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

One side of Adam’s lips crooked upward.\u00a0 Mary had little experience in taking care of the infirm.\u00a0 She had just started working for Paul in helping him care for the elderly in town, and she knew both Adam and Shiloh, having grown up in Virginia City.\u00a0 Paul thought Shiloh would be easy enough for her to assist given that Adam and Ming Lin were there as well.\u00a0 “Mary, you’ve known Shiloh all your life.\u00a0 You know how…stubborn…she can be.” \u00a0He began to unfasten his gun belt.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes, but after this morning’s attempt exhausted her so, I didn’t think she should try again this soon.\u00a0 But she wouldn’t listen to reason.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam tightened his lips and nodded as he laid his gun belt on the entry table, knowing how frightening Shiloh’s act of moving to the side of the bed must have looked to Mary.\u00a0 It had been enough to make him think twice about it this morning as well.\u00a0 “I’ll go check on her, Mary.\u00a0 Why don’t you see if Ming Lin needs any help in the kitchen?”\u00a0 He knew Ming Lin needed no help, but sending Mary to the kitchen would occupy her mind while he looked in on Shiloh.\u00a0 He watched as she hesitated, but eventually left him for the kitchen.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When she had disappeared around the corner, he sprinted up the stairs, stopping and taking a deep breath before he entered the bedroom.\u00a0 Slowly turning the door knob, he gently pushed the door open and peered in.\u00a0 Abel was asleep in the cradle on the floor next to Shiloh, who was sitting in the wheelchair in front of the desk.\u00a0 She had managed to move the desk chair out of her way and rolled right up to the desk.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What are you doing?” he asked quietly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She jumped, dropping her pencil on the desk and moving her hand to her chest.\u00a0 Without looking back, she answered as she continued to pore over paperwork,\u00a0 “I didn’t hear you come in.\u00a0 You startled me.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Sweetheart, you should be resting, especially after all your…activity…this morning. \u00a0What are you doing?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m working on a task list and a supply list.\u00a0 After that, I’m going to put together a schedule of everything that needs to be done at the Flying W and who’s going to do it.\u00a0 You can fill in the holes, but I should be able to relieve you of much of the physical work at the Flying W, so you can deal with the timber and the mine…and Slater…and whatever is left on the Ponderosa.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam rolled her around and squatted in front of her.\u00a0 Looking at her face, he noticed fine lines across her forehead and at the sides of her mouth.\u00a0 “You’re in pain.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bowing her head, she softly replied, “No more than in the bed.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Drawing his mouth into pucker, he slightly lowered his head and looked up at her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam, I have nothing to do in the bed but read, and that doesn’t take my mind off the pain.\u00a0 This…helps. And it’s not something that’s going to cause any harm.\u00a0 For goodness sakes, I’m sitting in a wheelchair.”\u00a0 She made a sound something like a laugh that caught in her throat.\u00a0 “It’s not like I’m up walking around or doing anything else I’m not supposed to do.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His head bounced as he tempered his voice.\u00a0 “It’s just a matter of time before you try.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dropping her forehead into the palms of her hands, she answered, “Adam, I am not an invalid.\u00a0 Please don’t make me one.\u00a0\u00a0 If Paul didn’t think I should try, he wouldn’t have sent the wheelchair.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing, Adam walked away.\u00a0 He turned halfway around with his thumb under his chin and his index finger under his nose.\u00a0 He was silent for a moment as he studied her, then said, “You’re right.\u00a0 We wouldn’t have a wheelchair if Paul didn’t want you to use it.\u00a0 But is there any harm in allowing Mary…or me…to help you out of the bed and into the chair?\u00a0 It seems to me you wouldn’t exhaust yourself with some help.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’ll let Mary help if you’ll heed your own words.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes.\u00a0 “What’s that supposed to mean?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t want you to exhaust yourself handling everything that Hoss and Micah would be doing along with all the other things you do.\u00a0 Let me help you, at least with the paperwork.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stepping behind her, he leaned down with his face next to hers, looking at the papers spread over the desk.\u00a0 “Isn’t that what you’re doing?” he asked with a smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She kissed his cheek.\u00a0 “Thank you.\u00a0 Now, how is Micah doing?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam straightened and pulled the chair next to the desk, sitting down and crossing his legs. “Hop Sing said his skin was still peeling and raw, but Paul had said more would slough off as it healed.\u00a0 He also said that Cheron and Hop Sing’s salve seemed to be doing some good.\u00a0 Micah’ll make it if he doesn’t get an infection.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Did you speak with him?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Mm hm. He wanted to know about you and Abel.\u00a0 And he wanted to know about work.\u00a0 He was still in a lot of pain, so we didn’t talk very long before Pa gave him more laudanum.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh heaved a sigh and propped her chin in her hand.\u00a0 “I guess this weather is a temporary reprieve, but Adam when it clears…how are you going to handle all this work.\u00a0 Even without the Flying W, with Crocker’s contracts, and the other timber contracts, the mine…Slater…the Ponderosa…roundup…you can’t be everywhere.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaning forward, he took her hand and met her eyes.\u00a0 “Shiloh, we’ll manage,” he answered calmly.\u00a0 “I spoke with Philip Deidesheimer at the Ophir today.\u00a0 He’s going to send someone qualified to supervise the mine.\u00a0 Oh, and Clint Miller is in jail for attempted murder.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well, there’s some good news.\u00a0 Any word about Holman?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam shook his head.\u00a0 “Nothing yet, but then Roy didn’t expect anything this soon.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“This soon?” Shiloh asked incredulously.\u00a0 “It’s been over two weeks.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And everyone in these parts is still dealing with late winter storms.” Raising her hand to his lips, he added, “Sweetheart, Roy will hear something in due time.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She opened her hand and caressed his cheek. “So what do we do?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Closing his eyes, he enjoyed the warmth of her hand on his face.\u00a0 He missed her touch.\u00a0 He missed being close to her.\u00a0 He missed holding her. \u00a0Remembering how comforting…how normal…her presence felt next to him, he longed for the day he could share their bed again. \u00a0“We wait, and while we’re waiting, we plan,” he answered, smiling.\u00a0 He covered her hand on his cheek with his hand, drew it to his lips, and kissed her palm contentedly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Next story in the To Everything, There is a Season Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Life\u2019s Demands<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 Adam and Shiloh are in their seventh month of marriage and have been busy learning the boundaries of married life and how to live with each of their busy schedules.\u00a0 They think the ghosts of the past are gone. \u00a0The worst is behind them, \u00a0In life, things can change in an instant. \u00a0They think they\u2019ve learned to compromise.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Rating: PG-13\u00a0 Reader Alert: Some violence, mild adult situations\u00a0
\n(159,575 words)<\/p>\n

To Everything, There is a Season Series, links to all the stories within the series included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":217,"featured_media":5758,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","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":[2,23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-actionadventure","category-drama","wpcat-2-id","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1793,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Adams-English-Scenic2.jpg?fit=450%2C436&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7912,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7912","url_meta":{"origin":13554,"position":0},"title":"To Everything, There Is A Season #4 – Growing Pains (by MonicaSJ)","author":"MonicaSJ","date":"October 11, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 This is fourth of the To Everything series. \u00a0Shiloh and Adam come home from their honeymoon and embark on a new life together discovering that fitting all their desires in can make for trouble as her past creeps in and as they balance the opportunities that come their way.\u2026","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\/2014\/05\/Adams-English-Scenic2.jpg?fit=450%2C436&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7899,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7899","url_meta":{"origin":13554,"position":1},"title":"To Everything, There Is A Season #3 – Togetherness (by MonicaSJ)","author":"MonicaSJ","date":"July 20, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 This is third of the To Everything series, the first, Re-acquaintance and the second Falling.\u00a0 Shiloh and Adam are married and are embarking on a new life together discovering that fitting all their desires in can make for trouble as her past keeps creeping in, and as they balance\u2026","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\/2014\/05\/Adams-English-Scenic2.jpg?fit=450%2C436&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7842,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7842","url_meta":{"origin":13554,"position":2},"title":"To Everything, There is a Season #2 – Falling (by MonicaSJ)","author":"MonicaSJ","date":"December 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 This is a sequel to Reacquaintance.\u00a0 The Cartwrights welcomed the daughter of a good friend back from college after her father died.\u00a0 She had a long, adversarial history with Adam, but since she\u2019s been back, old wounds have healed.\u00a0 The pressures of her dual life of running a ranch\u2026","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\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7809,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7809","url_meta":{"origin":13554,"position":3},"title":"To Everything, There is a Season #1 \u2013 Reacquaintance (by MonicaSJ)","author":"MonicaSJ","date":"December 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 The Cartwrights welcome the daughter of a good friend back from college after her father dies. 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