{"id":13792,"date":"2017-02-16T20:07:10","date_gmt":"2017-02-17T01:07:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13792"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:41:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:41:16","slug":"one-step-closer-5-changes-in-fate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13792","title":{"rendered":"One Step Closer #6 – Changes in Fate (by MissJudy)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary<\/strong>: Ben, Hoss and Little Joe head to Boston to be with Adam after receiving the devastating news\u00a0that the entire Wadsworth family had perished at sea. \u00a0The Wadsworths had adopted Adam into their family when he’d been a student, and they’d renewed their support and friendship when he’d returned to marry Melinda and start a family twelve years later. Ben and the two brother find Adam coping, but staggering under the weight of his pain. Adding to his loss, Adam\u00a0may lose his command over Wadsworth Engineering–the firm he’d helped make into a thriving business–when Frank Wadsworth’s will names an heir. Will this accumulation of loss be the final straw for Adam? Can\u00a0the love and support of his family: his father and brothers from the West, and his grandfather, wife and children in the East,\u00a0sustain him as he faces\u00a0the absence of even more people he’d loved?<\/p>\n

Rating<\/strong>: PG \u00a0(52,135 words)<\/p>\n

One Step Closer Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

For Love’s Sake Only
\n<\/a>Til Death Do Us Part
\n<\/a>Two Hearts Broken
\n<\/a>In Search of Safety
\n<\/a>From Two to Three
\n<\/a>Changes in Fate<\/a><\/p>\n

One Step Closer #1 – Love’s Sake Only<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0 (Adam meets the woman he’d loved in college during the trip he took that kept him from his engagement party to Laura. He realizes he has always loved Melinda and although he goes home intending to marry Laura, he can’t do it, and eventually leaves for Boston)<\/p>\n

One Step Closer #2 – Til Death Do Us Part<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/a>(Adam and Melinda’s wedding plans are complicated by a conniving brother-in-law who puts Melinda’s life in danger. After testifying in a legal case in Washington, Ben journeys to Boston and stays for the wedding. He’s there to help his son find his kidnapped bride – but do they find her too late?)<\/p>\n

One Step Closer #3 – Two Hearts Broken<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0(Adam is forced to help the criminal who’d taken Melinda in the last story, to dig a tunnel to rob a bank. Melinda can’t understand what’s going on, and is made to believe Adam is leaving her.)<\/p>\n

One Step Closer #4 – In Search of Safety<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 (After \u00a0the trouble in Boston, Adam and Melinda visit the Ponderosa for a brief respite. Nothing ever comes easy, and they’re forced to endure an unexpected visitor.)<\/p>\n

One Step Closer #5 – From Two to Three a Family<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0 (Adam and Melinda go to England where he’ll work on some unique engineering projects. Their first child, a son, AJ, is born there. He’s taken by a crazy woman when they return home. Luckily Ben and Hoss have come to welcome them home and can lend a hand. There’s another unexpected arrival at the end – but a good one this time.)<\/p>\n

One Step Closer #6 – Changes in Fate<\/strong><\/p>\n

Part One<\/strong><\/p>\n

One \u2013 Saturday, October 5, 1872\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben was heading down the steps to join Hoss and Joe for breakfast when a sharp knock on the front door made him detour. He smiled as he looked outside and saw Ricky Epson, the son of the Western Union operator in Virginia City. He had a cloth bag slung across his chest with what appeared to be a rolled-up newspaper inside. \u201cWhat brings you out here so early?\u201d he inquired as he ushered the youngster into the house. It was only 7 AM, and the distance from town would have added a good 45-minute ride when made on the small horse that was tied to the hitching rail in the yard.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa got a telegram for yer family around five this mornin\u2019, Mr. Cartwright. He weren\u2019t sure if you was comin\u2019 to town today, so he said I should hurry out here, cuz it\u2019s really important.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for getting such an early start.\u201d Ben\u2019s serious tones matched the boy\u2019s, but he laughed as the Ricky\u2019s\u2019s eyes drifted past him toward the table where Hoss and Little Joe were eating. \u201cDid you have breakfast before you set out?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust a piece of bread with Ma\u2019s raspberry jelly.\u201d He sniffed the air. \u201cThat bacon sure smells good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss motioned him toward the table. \u201cC\u2019mon over, Ricky, there\u2019s plenty here. Pa can read what you brought and he might need to send something back anyway, so you might as well get a little sustenance for the trip home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ricky stepped around Ben and was headed for the table when Ben took his arm. \u201cAren\u2019t you forgetting something?\u201d He laughed when the boy returned a clueless stare. \u201cThe telegram, son. You still have it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben took the bag containing the newspaper to his desk and opened an envelope with the words,\u201d Read First,\u201d printed on it. It was a note from Ricky\u2019s father, noting that the telegram had come in from Boston at the crack of dawn. The instructions accompanying the wire had asked that he try to find a copy of the San Francisco Chronicle containing the story that would elaborate on the short message. He\u2019d gone to the general store that received the daily papers, and luckily the stage had come through an hour earlier with what he\u2019d needed.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s curiosity was on high alert as he tried to undo the string tied around the newspaper. The telegram was from Boston, so it was undoubtedly from Adam. Several possibilities came to mind as he worked at the knot. Had his son won another award or secured a huge contract? Or maybe he was coming back to San Francisco to perform with his choral and guitar group again. Any of these might warrant an article in the Chronicle. His efforts only manage to get the knot tighter, and he finally rolled it off instead.<\/p>\n

He could hear his sons joking and laughing with Ricky as he scanned the headline that made his head swim. Prominent San Francisco Engineer, Frank Wadsworth Jr, Perished At Sea Along With Entire Family.<\/em> His heart pounded as he scanned the article noting that the Wadsworth family had been sailing with friends in the English Channel off the coast of Guernsey on September 25, when the sloop, Assomption<\/em>*, <\/em>went down. The cause of the wreck wasn\u2019t known, but the bodies of Franklin Wadsworth Sr., his wife, Marion Wadsworth, and their grown children, Amelia Wadsworth-Brighton, her husband, Nathan, and Frank Wadsworth Jr, were recovered from the wreckage. The piece noted that there were no other surviving members of the family. Also noted was that Frank Jr. had operated an arm of the family engineering business in San Francisco for several years, while Adam Cartwright, of the Virginia City-Ponderosa Cartwrights, had been made managing director of the Boston empire of Wadsworth Engineering four years ago when Frank Sr. had moved to London.<\/p>\n

Bens\u2019 mind raced over what he knew about the Wadsworths. Frank Sr. had been so impressed by Adam when he\u2019d first come to Boston for school that he\u2019d used his influence to put his own son Frankie in the same dormitory room and classes at Harvard with the youngster from the West. Adam had helped Frankie settle into study habits and tutored him when he\u2019d fallen behind, and they\u2019d become close as brothers. In turn, Frankie had brought Adam out to the Wadsworth home where he\u2019d quickly found a place in Frank and Marian\u2019s hearts, and was soon considered \u201cone of the family\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ben had witnessed the affection between Adam and Frank Sr. when he\u2019d visited Boston around the time Adam had married. It had bothered him at first, but he\u2019d come to realize that Adam had simply added more members to his family, not made substitutions.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d never met the sister noted in the article, and he didn\u2019t think Adam knew her well either. Since there were no youngsters mentioned as surviving the couple, he assumed that she and her husband had remained childless.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s thoughts turned next to Frankie. The young man had chosen to go to San Francisco after he\u2019d graduated instead of working at the family firm in Boston. Ben had gotten to know him when they\u2019d gotten together during Cartwright trips to the Frisco area, and when Frankie had visited the ranch. The young man had seemed gregarious and full of fun. Yet, there were times when Ben would catch a glimpse of Frankie in a private moment where he seemed lost in a private sadness.<\/p>\n

This theory had been confirmed by Adam more than once. His son had spent several winters working for Frankie\u2019s company in an attempt to keep his own engineering skills sharp, and while he hadn\u2019t shared any confidences, he had mentioned to his father that Frankie had grown weary of the business. Even Frank had told Ben during his visits that he felt his own son had trouble walking in his father\u2019s footsteps. He thought perhaps the boy was too much like him to want to work with him, but he worried for him being so far away. Ben\u2019s heart twisted now as he wondered if the two Wadsworth men had resolved whatever issues had set them on opposite sides of the country.<\/p>\n

He finally slipped a finger beneath the flap of the telegram. He had a good idea what it would say, and was already thinking ahead to what he\u2019d need to do. The message was simple and seemingly emotionless. His oldest son was stoic to a fault at times, but the words told him all he needed to know of Adam\u2019s state of mind.<\/p>\n

WADSWORTH FAMILY DIED AT SEA(stop) SEE NEWSPAPER IF AVAILABLE(stop) MEMORIAL SERVICE OCTOBER 17(stop) YOUR ATTENDANCE APPRECIATED IF POSSIBLE(end) <\/em><\/p>\n

His heart broke for his eldest as he reread the words, and translated the last part to, \u201cI need you, Pa.\u201d\u00a0 He wrote a quick response, placed it in the tote bag, and carried that along with the newspaper and telegram to the table. \u201cIf you\u2019re finished, Ricky, I\u2019d appreciate you heading back. I want your father to send a response as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n

Ricky shoved the last of his bacon and biscuit in his mouth and washed it down with his remaining milk before placing the bag over his shoulder and grabbing his hat on the way to the door. He was used to hurrying in his family\u2019s business, and liked taking the yellow envelopes to the recipients. Sometimes they laughed as they read them; other times they cried, but they always gave him a \u201clittle something\u201d for his effort. This time had been even better. He\u2019d gotten a good breakfast, and as he\u2019d gotten up from the table, Mr. Cartwright had slipped folding cash into his hand along with a verbal thank you, and a pat on the back. He\u2019d wait until he was a little ways from the house before looking to see how much it was, but in this case, he knew he\u2019d be very happy.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Hoss asked, \u201cSo what\u2019s Adam got to say?\u201d as soon as the door closed behind Ricky.<\/p>\n

Ben stopped pushing dishes aside to look at his sons. Both were ginning at him and he laughed. \u201cSo I wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to my boys. Is that so awful?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot awful at all,\u201d Joe replied as he watched his father\u2019s grin fold to a frown. \u201cBut I can tell by your face that this isn\u2019t a friendly note to let you know that they\u2019re coming for a visit or having another baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben placed the paper on the table between Hoss and Joe. \u201cThis happened over a week ago, but I suppose it took that long for the details to make it to the states and then for Adam to make plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBoy, that\u2019s a lot of loss for our older brother. I wonder how he\u2019s doing.\u201d Joe said after scanning the print; his somber tone reflecting his concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he\u2019s been very busy with arrangements, and there\u2019s probably a lot of tension at the office. He won\u2019t be able to do much more than keep things afloat until he finds out the disposition of things in Frank\u2019s will.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled sadly at his father. \u201cSo when are you leaving?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the fifth of October and we\u2019ve got a week-and-a-half to make it there for the memorial. If we have one of the crew take us to Reno tomorrow, we can catch the train and get there in about eight days. That would get there a day or two before the service.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure we can all go?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe herds are separated and fattening for our last fall orders. Our crews are capable of moving them out next week. The timber contracts are all filled and we won\u2019t do winter pasturing until mid-November, so it\u2019s a perfect time for us all to go. I\u2019ll go over the plans with the foremen today, and I\u2019ll take the ledgers along to work on during the trip.\u201d He thought a moment. \u201cAnd it\u2019s not like they can\u2019t reach us with a telegram if there\u2019s trouble.\u201d He knew his sons were glad to be included in the trip, but the joy of going was reduced by the reason. \u201cYou two get packed, and then get as many of the weekly chores done as you can today. Write up lists for what needs to be done going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat telegram says there\u2019s a memorial service. What do people wear to somethin\u2019 like that in Boston?\u201d Hoss gulped. \u201cI ain\u2019t lookin\u2019 forward to getting\u2019 gussied up and minglin\u2019 with a lot of fancy folks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shot his middle son a harsh look. \u201cYou\u2019re doing this for your brother, and I\u2019ll hear no complaints about your hardships.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Pa. I didn\u2019t mean nothin\u2019 by it. I guess my nerves is showin\u2019 is all.\u201d<\/p>\n

The look softened. \u201cI\u2019m sorry too, son. This is a shock, and we\u2019ve all got a lot to do in a little time. But,\u201d the stern look returned as he addressed the sons on either side of him, \u201cyou two will need to keep your shenanigans, verbal sparring, and opinions to a minimum when we\u2019re there, or you\u2019ll make things even harder for Adam.\u201d He squinted as he thought back to the original question that had started this exchange. \u201cJust bring a couple of nice shirts and pants. We\u2019ll buy something for the service in Boston.\u201d He thought again and added. \u201cBring some work clothes too. He\u2019ll need eyes and ears at his job sites. Crews will often slow down when there\u2019s an unknown situation, and other businesses might try to take advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two \u2013 Sunday, October 6, 1872<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam looked up and smiled as Melinda entered the room off the living area that served as his at-home office, and then refocused on the list in front of him. He normally spent Sunday afternoons with his family: but not this Sunday. The confirmation of the Wadsworth family\u2019s demise had come on Tuesday, and he\u2019d spent almost every hour since then making plans, contacting people, and giving assurances. He\u2019d telegraphed a notice to San Francisco for submission in the Friday Chronicle<\/em>, and hoped that Marv at the Western Union office in Virginia City had been able to find the correct paper to send along with the message to his family.<\/p>\n

Melinda stood quietly next to his desk holding a small envelope with the Western Union symbol. He was concentrating so deeply on what was in front of him that she decided not to disturb him, and thought back over the last few tumultuous days as she waited for him to finish. The news of the catastrophe had hit them all like a sledge hammer. Adam had remained in complete control as he\u2019d handled detail after detail associated with the sudden loss. He wasn\u2019t involved in the estate as an executor, but the lawyer for the family had asked Adam to plan the memorial service.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d cried her sorrow out before they\u2019d explained the deaths to their children. AJ and Elizabeth\u2019s hearts had broken at the thought of not seeing Grandma Marian and Grandpa Frank again, but they were resilient and their sorrow was easing with each passing day. She\u2019d worried more that Adam would go crazy if he didn\u2019t release his pain.<\/p>\n

Her fear for his sanity had lessened some when she\u2019d found his side of the bed empty that morning and looked out the bedroom window after hearing noise in the back yard. It was barely light, but she had seen him in the garden chopping at the dead vegetable plants like a man taking on a legion of demons. He\u2019d stopped when he\u2019d been too exhausted to swing the hoe again; dropped to his knees and buried his face in his hands. She\u2019d teared up as well when she\u2019d seen his back convulse with silent sobs. It had tortured her to see him cry, but she\u2019d been relieved that he\u2019d allowed himself to grieve. She\u2019d always known that he kept his emotions close to his vest, but he\u2019d opened his heart to her when they\u2019d married. This was still so deep and raw that she understood that he\u2019d have to experience it alone before sharing it with her.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis just came,\u201d she said when he finished his notes. \u201cThe courier apologized for it being delayed. The system was down for a repair until a few hours ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I heard the bell.\u201d He smiled up at her as he laid his pencil down and took the telegram.<\/p>\n

She stood behind him, peering over his shoulder as he opened it. A stack of similar envelopes was off to the side of his desk, all bearing condolences from clients and friends. But this one bore the origination point as Virginia City, and she hoped it bore news that would lift her husband\u2019s spirits. She rested her arms on his shoulders as she brushed his cheek with a kiss, and then read the message along with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re all coming!\u201d His smile grew to a happy grin. \u201cI hope they\u2019re bringing work clothes because I\u2019m going to need their help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda kissed his cheek again and clicked her tongue. \u201cYour father and brothers haven\u2019t even gotten here and you\u2019re already putting them to work?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely.\u201d He leaned back in his chair and took her hand as he moved her around to sit on his lap. \u201cI could really use them to monitor the jobsites. We\u2019re having trouble\u2014not with other companies trying to weasel their way in\u2026yet\u2014but with a few of our own people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI visited each site as soon as the news about Frank broke; assuring them that everything would stay the same for now, and promising to keep them informed of anything that will affect them. Bill Murdoch, the lawyer for the Wadsworths, came with me. He verified that while the family did \u2018own\u2019 the engineering firm, it is independent from the personal estate. We run our own books and therefore can continue to operate without any changes until the new owner is named.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her brows neared as her face pinched into a question. \u201cAre there money worries at the firm?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rubbed his forehead. \u201cThe company is doing very<\/em> well. When I took over, I bought new equipment and that cut into profits for a year. But those changes allowed the men to work faster and safer, so we were able to do more jobs and finish on time. Frank always said that walking away from his own business was the best thing he ever did. He likened it to the parable of the five talents**, and said that if he\u2019d entrusted the company to another man, they might have continued to do things as they\u2019d always been done, but there\u2019d have been no growth. \u00a0I took chances with what he\u2019d given me and nearly doubled the gross income in a little over two years, and it\u2019s quadrupled now.\u201d He chuckled. \u201cI know he wasn\u2019t enamored with some of my early decisions, but he let me make them.\u201d A deep sigh escaped followed by a sniff.<\/p>\n

Melinda touched his cheek. \u201cThis is a great loss for all of us, but even more so for you.\u201d She thought a moment. \u201cDid Bill give you any idea who inherits the business? He must know.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook his head. \u201cFrank\u2019s remaining relatives either run their own companies or are in academia. It wouldn\u2019t make sense for them to change what\u2019s working so well.\u201d The sad smile returned. \u201cThat\u2019s not to say there isn\u2019t a nephew or cousin who might need a job, and I\u2019d be dismissed so they could have my position.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019d be fools.\u201d She grinned and kissed him squarely on the lips. \u201cBesides, there isn\u2019t a firm in this city that wouldn\u2019t welcome you greedily!\u201d Her brows dipped. \u201cWe got off track. What\u2019s going on with the crews at the sites?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrank was tough, but very popular with his men. He personally handed out bonuses when jobs were completed on-time; knew every man well enough that he could ask about their families, and always had a quarter keg of beer delivered to the sites on Friday afternoon when the crew met their goals for the week. I continued those traditions when I took over. We\u2019re shutting down work next Thursday for the service, and sending lunch to the individual sites on Friday. I\u2019ll go around to each luncheon and give them time to talk about the family and thank them for their good efforts. That seemed to satisfy them. Yet we heard about one naysayer almost immediately. Barney works at the inland harbor site. He had that crew at a standstill on Friday while he spewed his bile about how we\u2019ll keep them working but then have no money to pay them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat will you do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe same thing Pa and I did with the troublemakers in our bunkhouse. I\u2019ll go see him tomorrow and explain that no man is irreplaceable. Then I\u2019ll tell him that if he continues to spread rumors, he will personally experience the truth of that statement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill the other men rally behind him if he\u2019s fired?\u201d Melinda\u2019s tone had turned to concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve learned that a crew will agree with a negative person to their face, but they\u2019re usually tired of the complaining too. We have good men, and if I don\u2019t address the main offender, it will become an infection and spread from one site to the next.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda grinned and then pursed her lips. \u201cI know men don\u2019t like advice from women, but I had a similar situation at the publishing company. We had to rearrange staff and retrain a few people for other jobs when we got the new press last year. There was one man who simply refused to believe that we wouldn\u2019t fire them all as soon as the renovation was done. He had the entire press team in a frenzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember that, but I can\u2019t remember what you did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him pretty much what you will say to Barney, but then I set him up to help oversee the press installation. I couldn\u2019t have done that if he hadn\u2019t been qualified, but once he was part of the process, he couldn\u2019t complain about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave her a hug. \u201cBarney is very knowledgeable and it would be a shame to lose him. Maybe I\u2019ll make him the official liaison between me and the crews. He can tell me what\u2019s bothering the men, and then can get back to them with the correct answers.\u201d He squeezed her tighter. \u201cIt will be hard for him to complain when he\u2019s responsible for keeping morale up. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda stood and tugged on his arm. \u201cYou\u2019ve worked enough for the day. Why don\u2019t we get the children from Abel and Sadie and go out to the Wadsworth estate to ride. I know Elizabeth would love to be on her pony.\u201d<\/p>\n

He closed his eyes and bit his lip as he considered her request. \u201cI think it best if we stay away for now. The ownership is in limbo, and I wouldn\u2019t want the eventual heir to think we were out there taking the silverware.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey wouldn\u2019t!\u201d She noticed the slight curve to his lips and swatted him. \u201cI suppose you\u2019re right though\u2026.\u201d Her humor vanished as she added, \u201cIt\u2019s so inconceivable to think that Frank and Marian won\u2019t ever live there again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled out his handkerchief, turning away to wipe across his eyes. \u201cWe were fortunate to have them as family.\u201d A deep sigh escaped. \u201cI\u2019m not sure why Bill asked me to plan the service. I\u2019d have thought he\u2019d ask the heir. But I\u2019m honored to help and I suppose this is aimed more at the people the Wadsworths knew through business and their charitable work rather than family. I hope it goes as I\u2019ve envisioned it.\u201d He winked at Melinda. \u201cI should say as we\u2019ve<\/em> envisioned it. I\u2019m thankful for your help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve gone over each detail. It will be a fitting tribute done out of love and respect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right about that. And you\u2019re right about me needing to do something different. Let\u2019s get the Stoddards and our children, and walk to the park. We\u2019ll find a restaurant for dinner and forget all this,\u201d he pointed at the piles of paper on his desk, \u201cfor a few hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Three \u2013 Friday, October 11, 1872, 7 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hoss had to turn sideways to stretch in the aisle of the sleeper car after exiting his berth. He smacked his lips and groaned as he tried to get the kinks out of his back from sleeping on the short bed.<\/p>\n

Little Joe opened the curtain to his berth and hissed, \u201cWhy do you have to make so much noise when you stretch?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t help it.\u201d Hoss leaned on Joe\u2019s bunk. \u201cI\u2019m feelin\u2019 a like a big dog that\u2019s been curled in a small cage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was already up, dressed, and reading the newspaper in the seating area of the car. He shook his head as he eyed his sons. \u201cYou two complain about these conditions in a five-day trip across the country. It took Adam and me several years to get from Boston to Missouri as I worked along the way to keep us going. And then it took another four months in a crowded wagon, sleeping on the ground most nights to get to Wyoming where we wintered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe blushed at his father\u2019s reprimand, but it didn\u2019t stop him from interjecting, \u201cAnd it was uphill the entire way too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss laughed as he added, \u201cAnd somewhere along the way you gained an extra passenger who cried a lot, threw up on all yer clean shirts, and wet his diapers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben gave his sons a stern look, and then laughed along with them. \u201cI guess I have told that story a few times. Still, we are fortunate to be living in such of modern age where new innovations come along every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ticket prices that included access to the sleeping car were prohibitive\u2014probably accounting for why the Cartwrights had been the only occupants for most of the trip. But Ben had paid the extra rate so they wouldn\u2019t be over-tired when they reached their destination. Ben had first planned to leave Sunday, but he\u2019d found out there was an express train going through on Monday that would cut the trip to a mere five days\u2026if everything went well. The express only stopped at major stations, so it was a good choice for those making cross country trips.\u00a0 Both cargo and passengers paid a premium for the service, and the railways gave these trains preferential use of the track system. The trip had gone smoothly and they were scheduled to arrive in Boston later in the morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do thank you for spending the extra money for the sleepin\u2019 accomodations, Pa,\u201d Hoss offered apologetically. \u201cIt\u2019s just that nothin\u2019 seems to fit a guy of my size, so I get to feelin\u2019 a little cramped and cranky. But it sure does beat sleepin\u2019 sittin\u2019 up on a bench with yer neck snappin\u2019 every time the train jerks. I recall how it was when you and me went to Boston a few years back. And who knows, maybe one day we\u2019ll get us a fine rail car like Adam\u2019s company has.\u201d***<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not holding my breath on Pa purchasing a decked-out Pullman car for us,\u201d Joe giggled. \u201cThen again, we could build a spur out to the ranch and park it there when we weren\u2019t going anywhere, and use it as a guest house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEnough of your big plans.\u201d Ben shook his head as he eyed his sons, and then laughed. \u201cGet dressed and we\u2019ll have breakfast at the next stop. I arranged for the porter to wire ahead so it\u2019ll be ready when we get there.\u201d His face dropped to the concerned frown that had become the norm over the trip. \u201cWe\u2019ll have lunch in Boston.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat won\u2019t come soon enough for you,\u201d Joe teased. \u201cI wonder how Adam\u2019s holding up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe won\u2019t show nothin\u2019 being wrong, but you\u2019ll see his tells like always,\u201d Hoss supplied. \u201cPeople think he don\u2019t get sad or feel miserable because he has that poker face, but you see it in his eyes if you know what to look for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe sighs a lot when he\u2019s upset too.\u201d Joe thought a moment, and added, \u201cAnd his jaw clenches when he thinks about what\u2019s bothering him, but he\u2019ll never admit to any of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course he\u2019s extremely saddened by this. And he\u2019s got to keep the business going while the estate is in limbo. The will could be read pretty quickly under normal circumstance, but I\u2019m sure it\u2019s a huge estate with many elements. And that\u2019s not taking into consideration the possibility that no heir is named beyond Frank\u2019s children. Adam\u2019s troubles won\u2019t end there if the new owner lets him go or worse, if the estate goes into limbo for a long period. Wadsworth Engineering won\u2019t be able to withstand years of squabbling over ownership.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s got enough money to weather that, and he\u2019s so good at what he does, he won\u2019t have trouble finding work,\u201d Joe offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true.\u201d Ben motioned his sons to sit by him. \u201cMoney or a job isn\u2019t the issue. It\u2019s another loss added to the rest of it. Frank entrusted Adam with his family business and your brother\u2019s innovations made it a powerhouse again. I don\u2019t think he would do well losing it to a situation over which he has no control.\u201d He became thoughtful. \u201cThe two of you keep me from becoming complacent, just as Adam did with Frank. I\u2019m grateful for that and probably don\u2019t tell you enough. The Ponderosa stays strong and grows because of trying new things to complement what already works.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss stood, but had to sidestep and grab the seat back when the train car lurched. He righted himself and laughed at his acrobatics. \u201cI\u2019m glad this ain\u2019t a ship or I\u2019d go flying over the side when that happens.\u201d He took on a more serious tone. \u201cAnd thanks for sayin\u2019 what you did about Joe and me bein\u2019 a help, Pa. I can\u2019t imagine what it would be like if someone got hold\u2019a the Ponderosa, and Adam probably feels purdy much the same way about this engineerin\u2019 company. Turning it over to someone else would leave a hole in him fer sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Four \u2013 Friday Morning, October 5, 1872 \u2013 Boston,<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam smiled, put down his coffee cup and newspaper, and shoved his chair away from the table when he heard the giggling at the top of the stairs followed by the pounding of little feet down the steps. He knew what was coming and spread his arms to greet his children.<\/p>\n

Three-year-old Elizabeth ran across the living room, climbed up onto her father\u2019s lap, and threw her arms around his neck. A kiss to his cheek preceded her, \u201cG\u2019morning, Daddy.\u201d She placed a hand on either side of his face and made him look directly at her. \u201cYou don\u2019t look so sad like you did the yesterdays before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not so sad as the yesterdays, my love,\u201d he said as he gave her a bear hug, kissed her forehead, and then shuttled her to a perch on his left knee to free the other leg for his son.<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright Junior, or AJ, as he was called, was six, going on thirty, and while more reserved, still liked sitting on his father\u2019s lap. AJ walked across the room to allow his sister ample time to give her greeting, and then backed up to his father\u2019s vacant knee. He jumped while Adam\u2019s arm encircled him and lent upward thrust. The little boy traded a kiss with his father and said, \u201cLizzy\u2019s right, Daddy. You don\u2019t look so sad today. Mommy said that Grandma and Grandpa Wadsworth are in Heaven now, so we should be happy for them\u2026even though we miss them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled his son tighter to him and kissed the top of his head. \u201cMommy\u2019s right, and I haven\u2019t been so much sad, as busy. I have many things to do for Grandpa Frank, and Grandma Marian. Helping them makes me happy, even though remembering why I\u2019m doing these things can make me sad.\u201d He gave both children a squeeze. \u201cI\u2019ll need you two to remind me that I shouldn\u2019t be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth\u2019s face puckered as she sniffed. \u201cI miss them Daddy, and that makes me sad. But I can\u2019t help it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right to feel sad that they aren\u2019t here any longer, sweetheart. When we lose people we love, our feelings get all tangled up, just like that chain on the pretty necklace you wear. Those knots make you sad, but we work them out and it\u2019s good again.\u201d He sighed into a smile, fearing that his explanation was too complicated.<\/p>\n

The little girl nodded. \u201cThat chain would never get them knots if I kep\u2019 it in the box, but it\u2019s too bootiful to do that. Mommy says we can\u2019t be afraid of doin\u2019 somethin\u2019 just cuz it takes a little work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMommy\u2019s right again. We loved the Wadsworths so much, and they\u2019re too beautiful to keep them from our thoughts just so we don\u2019t feel sad.\u201d<\/p>\n

AJ had been quiet, but he tugged on his father\u2019s shirt. \u201cCan I tell you something, Daddy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam laughed internally. His son was so serious. The boy was always thinking and forming opinions, but instead of just saying them, he\u2019d preface each statement with the question he\u2019d just asked. \u201cYou have been very patient in waiting to give your thoughts, AJ, and I thank you for letting your sister finish first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I feel sad about the Wadsworths, I talk to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth giggled as she snuggled into her father\u2019s chest. \u201cAJ\u2019s silly. How can he talk to them when they\u2019re in Heaven?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBe respectful Elizabeth,\u201d Adam cautioned. \u201cYour brother\u2019s thoughts aren\u2019t silly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy was unaffected by his sister\u2019s remark, and continued. \u201cIn church we learn that God hears us, so now that Grandma and Grandpa Wadsworth are with Him, maybe they can hear us too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that\u2019s good reasoning, son. What do you tell them?\u201d<\/p>\n

AJ sat up straighter and looked down as he swung his legs. \u201cI say I miss them and will never forget them, and I hope they\u2019re very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sniffed as he blinked hard to clear his eyes. \u201cThat\u2019s just fine; I think they\u2019re very pleased to hear from you.\u201d He pulled both children in a little tighter and inhaled. He\u2019d always imagined he\u2019d have children, but the long wait to receive this gift made it even sweeter. There was a scent about them he loved, and he breathed deeply again to experience it. He couldn\u2019t say exactly what it was, but imagined it was the smell of soap enhanced by innocence. \u201cYou know who\u2019s coming today?\u201d he asked brightly to change the mood.<\/p>\n

AJ Jumped from his lap and ran around the room hollering, \u201cGrampa Ben, Uncle Horse, and Uncle Little Joe.\u201d He stopped his circle as he chewed his lip. \u201cI never met Uncle Joe, but I remember the other two\u2026a little.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen it\u2019s about time they came to visit, isn\u2019t it?\u201d He noted Elizabeth\u2019s worried look. Where AJ was outgoing, his daughter was shy, and he knew the pending arrival of strangers was making her uneasy. He tipped her face up and spoke softly. \u201cDon\u2019t you worry, sweetheart, you\u2019re going to like them. And they\u2019ll love you to pieces. Grandpa Ben can growl like a bear but he\u2019s as gentle as a kitten, and he\u2019ll be so happy to meet you.\u00a0 Your uncle Hoss is as big as a tree, but as gentle as a breeze, and Little Joe is just a big kid himself, so you\u2019ll have lots of fun.\u201d He saw her mouth turn downward in her usual pout. \u201cYou\u2019ll have to give them a chance, Lizzy. Don\u2019t be afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was still giving Lizzy a hug of encouragement when Jillian, the children\u2019s nanny, came downstairs. Having live-in help for the children was a requirement for the Cartwright family. Melinda had used profits from her teaching manuals to purchase an equal share of the publishing company where she worked. She brought manuscripts home to work on for part of the day, but she was needed at the office for a while each day to go over business matters.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d Jillian gave him a quick nod and smile as she gathered the two charges and got them seated at the table. \u201cI heard what you said about your family arriving today. I\u2019m anxious to meet them too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re easy to be around. And thank you for all your help over the last week. I know Melinda and I have been absent making arrangements for the service, and you\u2019ve helped immeasurably with the children. We couldn\u2019t have handled this without you.\u201d She smiled with the compliment and headed toward the kitchen to get the plates ready for AJ and Elizabeth. Adam stood and addressed his children. \u201cI have to leave for work, so you two be good and listen to Jillian. Your mother has to be gone a few hours too, but she\u2019ll see you before she goes.\u201d He listened and looked toward the front windows to confirm what he\u2019d heard. \u201cMy ride is here. I\u2019ll be back in the afternoon with the rest of the Cartwright family.\u201d He gave each child a quick kiss, and trotted up the steps to say goodbye to Melinda.<\/p>\n

She was exiting their bedroom when he got to the top of the steps. \u201cAre you leaving already?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made early appointments so I can take Pa and my brothers out for lunch when they arrive.\u201d He pressed a long kiss to her lips. \u201cIt\u2019s been a long week and I\u2019m looking forward to seeing them. I have the last of the client meetings today and then I\u2019ll be able to finalize the service preparations. I hope these\u2026\u2019conversations\u2019 will be enough to assuage the doubt our customers felt when they heard the news. Unfortunately, I can only guarantee what will happen until the new owner is named.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda gave him a quick peck on his lips and smiled. \u201cMost of your clients went through some trepidation when you took over the company, and since that went so well, they\u2019ll trust you in this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right.\u201d He\u00a0 chuckled. \u201cI\u2019ve been saying that you\u2019re right a lot lately. You were right about the crew and getting Barney to help instead of hinder. And your son and daughter just told me what you said about losing the Wadsworths, and that was right, and now you\u2019re probably right about this. I thought the husband was supposed to be the one with the brains in the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

She grinned devilishly. \u201cI didn\u2019t marry you for your brain, my love. I do adore your brain, but I\u2019ve come to appreciate some other parts too.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pulled her even closer, sighing as his body flooded with heat as it always did when she was near. \u201cOh yeah? And just what parts might those be?\u201d<\/p>\n

She whispered her answer in his ear, making her husband blush. \u201cBut I\u2019ve also come to cherish your heart. You have the compassion and love of a hundred men inside you. It\u2019s why people trust you; why our children idolize you, and why I can\u2019t breathe when I think of ever being without you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five \u2013 Noon-Friday, October 11th<\/strong><\/p>\n

The three Cartwrights were approached by a man in uniform as they exited the train station in Boston.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright sends his apologies, sirs, but he was still in a meeting when it came time to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben extended his hand to the man he recognized as the carriage driver for Wadsworth Engineering. \u201cYou\u2019re Jimmy, if I remember correctly. Thank you for coming for us. Will you be taking us to the house?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir. The boss said I should bring you to the office first. He\u2019ll be done by the time we get there, and he\u2019ll take you out for lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss renewed his acquaintance with the young driver, and then introduced Joe before the three men climbed inside the large vehicle.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s got a driver? Has he become such a city guy that he forgot how to steer his own buggy?\u201d Joe\u2019s tone was teasing, trimmed with a fringe of envy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis rig belongs to the company, Joe,\u201d his father explained. \u201cAdam has it on hand during the day so he and his men can get to where they need to be, and for transporting clients.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe ran his hand across the soft leather of the seats and looked out the window. \u201cI was kidding, Pa. I guess I knew that his life is different now, but I\u2019m just beginning to see how different.\u201d He continued looking outside. \u201cI can\u2019t get over the look of these buildings. They\u2019re brick and stone and old. There\u2019s nothing like this back home.\u201d He thought back to what he\u2019d known all his life. \u201cWell maybe there are a few older buildings in San Francisco and a little more in St. Louis and New Orleans, but nothing like this. I saw the cornerstone on a church we passed with the date, 1795, and a big tombstone in the cemetery next to it had 1689 chiseled on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI forget that you\u2019ve never been this far east, Joseph. If you pay attention, you\u2019ll see buildings and places you learned about in your history lessons at school, and there are even older structures tucked in where you don\u2019t readily see them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI got a question, Pa,\u201d Hoss ventured as he shifted in his seat. \u201cWhat do I say to Adam when we get there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can offer your condolences; say you\u2019re sorry for his loss,\u201d Ben suggested. \u201cOur presence says more than our words ever can. And of course we\u2019ll offer to help in any way he needs us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long will we stay?\u201d Joe laughed at his own question. \u201cI know you\u2019re going to say that we just got here, but I notice you didn\u2019t get round-trip tickets.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll stay as long as he needs me.\u201d The worried father turned towards the window. \u201cI won\u2019t know that until we\u2019re here a while. If need be, you two can head home before me.\u201d What he didn\u2019t share was that he hoped to stay through the reading of the will so that he\u2019d know what Adam would face as his future. \u201cFor now, we\u2019ll plan on staying a couple of weeks. We\u2019ll see what your brother needs from us and get a little exploring in before we head back.\u201d He nodded to his youngest. \u201cIt would be a shame to leave without you seeing the heritage here.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam was escorting his clients to the door when his family walked in. He offered hasty goodbyes to the people he was with and made his way across the room. \u201cYou all are a sight for sore eyes!\u201d He shook hands and accepted condolences with a nod and a pat on Hoss and Joe\u2019s back as he offered a quiet, \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked around the office and asked, \u201cHave you let people go, son? It seems like there are fewer men than last time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve actually hired four new engineers and three crews in the last year, but we\u2019re doing things differently. Instead of having everyone at this office, I had portable offices built on low wagon beds that we move to the construction sites. It\u2019s the way they did it in England. The main engineer can work on-site so he\u2019s there to address day-to-day problems. They all seem to like it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. \u201cI suppose it keeps construction foremen from having to run back here every time they have a question.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam beamed at his youngest brother. \u201cThat was my reasoning too.\u201d He slapped Joe\u2019s back. \u201cYou\u2019re really becoming a businessman, little brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that\u2019s the same reason at least one of us Cartwrights goes along on the bigger cattle drives,\u201d Hoss added. \u201cWe can make decisions and the men don\u2019t need to worry when there\u2019s a problem or change of plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

They\u2019d moved into Adam\u2019s office as he complimented Hoss\u2019s reasoning. He turned to wink at his father before saying, \u201cIf you two want to leave the ranch and work in the city, I\u2019ll hire you both to oversee our worksites.\u201d His brothers were protesting a change to city life when a rumble from Hoss\u2019s stomach turned the conversation to finding a place for lunch. \u201cThere\u2019s a nice caf\u00e9 down the block,\u201d Adam offered as he straightened his desk. \u201cLet me talk to a few people and we\u2019ll be on our way.\u201d<\/p>\n

The youngest Cartwright gave the office a thorough looking over once his brother left. \u201cThis is some place, and I saw the sign on the door proclaiming him the Director and General Manager.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cDon\u2019t forget he\u2019s earned this. Knowing the Wadsworth family helped get his foot in the door, but Frank made him prove himself before he put him in charge. I\u2019d imagine you two would be just as productive if you ever decided to follow a different career than ranching.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s because of you, Pa,\u201d Hoss said as he smiled. \u201cYou always made us work hard and finish what we started.\u201d He blushed to a rosy pink as he considered that his compliment sounded more like a complaint. \u201cI don\u2019t mean you worked us too hard, just that we learned from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stuck his head inside the door. \u201cI\u2019m all set; let\u2019s head out before Hoss faints from lack of nourishment.\u201d<\/p>\n

A quick glance toward Frank\u2019s old office on the way out, made Ben stop to ask, \u201cWhen did you redo this?\u201d<\/p>\n

A look washed across Adam\u2019s face, revealing the exhaustion and pain he\u2019d kept hidden so far. He took his family inside to show them the space that had housed his former boss. \u201cIt was Frank\u2019s idea to make a change, and we came up with a conference room. He said that the others wouldn\u2019t look to me as the boss if his office remained his \u2018empty tomb\u2019.\u201d He ran his hand along the smooth, shiny surface of the table and smiled. \u201cThis was Frank\u2019s desk. It was so big that he put it in place and then built his office enclosure around it. I had cabinetmakers remove the top, finish the raw edges, and then add table legs. They used some of the remaining wood on the matching chairs, and the drawers were used for that cabinet on the far side of the room.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Frank like what you did?\u201d Ben asked with a wary look?<\/p>\n

\u201cHe appreciated that I didn\u2019t get rid of his things, and said he still felt at home when he used this space during his visits. I think he wished he\u2019d made a conference room years back after seeing how well it worked for meetings and proposal presentations. Frank dreaded innovation and change as much as other long-time businessmen, but he didn\u2019t let that stop him. He\u2019d grumble and grouse and tell me a hundred times a day that he didn\u2019t think something would work. Yet that never stopped him from taking credit for it when all went well.\u201d He sniffed and swallowed hard. \u201cIt\u2019s inconceivable that he won\u2019t come storming into the work area with some new job he\u2019d heard about, demanding that we come up with an idea no one else would have. He was loud, stubborn and opinionated. But he was also fair, reasonable and always current with trends and opportunities. Everyone trusted him and loved working here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe coughed as he suppressed a laugh. \u201cI know you\u2019re suffering a big loss, Adam, but I also think I know why you got along so well with Frank Wadsworth.\u201d Adam\u2019s brows were pinched in question when he looked across the table at his brother. \u201cDoesn\u2019t that description sound a lot like someone else we all know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree with Joe,\u201d Hoss offered. \u201cYa might have left the ranch, but you settled in here with another man who was just like Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Lunch got off to a quiet start with each Cartwright feeling his way back into a table of four again. Before long the jabs were flying, and for an hour Adam was able to forget the burden he was carrying. It was as they lingered over coffee that the conversation returned to the present necessities.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wrote that the memorial service is next Thursday,\u201d Ben began. \u201cSo what do you need us to do in the meantime?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s smile was sly. \u201cI was hoping you\u2019d ask. We\u2019ll relax a little over the weekend while you get to know my little ones and recover from the trip. Come Monday, I\u2019d like you to work for me at the jobsites.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben eyebrows narrowed as he asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s your main concern with the crews?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not the crews I\u2019m worried about.\u201d He looked around the table. \u201cI\u2019ve already talked to them. Then there\u2019s the fact that their wages are a lot higher than at other places, so I think they\u2019ll take their chances with us. But\u2026that doesn\u2019t mean other companies won\u2019t start whispering in their ears, trying to lure them away or make them distrust us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhadaya think they\u2019ll do?\u201d Hoss asked<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll start by sending people to our sites to spread rumors about the company falling apart. You\u2019ll be my eyes and ears out there.\u201d He looked toward his brothers. \u201cYou two can work with the men if you\u2019re inclined to do that, and Pa, I\u2019ll put you on the newest sites where there\u2019s still a lot of ground work going on.\u201d He gave his family a minute to consider their assignments. \u201cAre you all game?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it means I don\u2019t have to keep dressin\u2019 in fancy duds, I\u2019ll be happy as pie to do it,\u201d Hoss offered eagerly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree with Hoss.\u201d Joe grinned. \u201cAre any of these sites somewhere that pretty girls walk by?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is Boston, Joe. Pretty girls are always walking by.\u201d Adam nodded toward the window to make his point as a lovely blonde strolled past with a parasol on her shoulder to protect her fair skin from the sun.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s grin widened. \u201cI might just like this city better than I thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam brought the group back to business. \u201cThe crews will be off next Thursday, and I\u2019ll visit each group on Friday during lunch to thank them for sticking with us.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you be joined by anyone from the Wadsworth family?\u201d The question was posed by Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cI invited them, but no one has expressed interest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t get the feeling that either Frank or Marian had a large family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, Pa. They were both only children. There were aunts and uncles on both sides, but they\u2019re all gone now, leaving only cousins.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do ya think the heirs will do with what they get?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

Adam looked down and pushed his plate away as he propped his elbows on the table. \u201cI\u2019ve considered this, and I\u2019m to the point where I\u2019d bet that the heir will sell it all off. None of the cousins I know would have the background to operate a firm like Wadsworth Engineering.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silence hovered over the table like a Boston fog as the three visitors calculated the personal and emotional toll this would take on Adam. Ben looked over and saw the anguish on his son\u2019s face and realized he had to change the subject.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t bring clothes for the service, figuring you\u2019d recommend a tailor who could help us.\u201d He stopped for a moment as Adam started to focus again. \u201cI imagine we should get going on that since Hoss\u2019s size will be a concern.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d say you\u2019re right.\u201d Adam pulled a note pad from his pocket along with a pencil. \u201cI\u2019ll write down the store name and a description of what you\u2019ll need. Jimmy can take you there now, and let the staff get started on your suits while I finish up a few details for next week. We\u2019ll all head home once you\u2019re done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow fancy are we gonna have to get?\u201d Hoss asked as he looked like he\u2019d bitten into something sour.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is going to be more dressy than you\u2019re used to for a funeral, but the proper attire for this won\u2019t be that different than what you\u2019ve had to wear to formal functions in San Francisco.\u201d He began making a list on the pad in front of him. \u201cYou\u2019ll need a regular dark suit, but it doesn\u2019t need to be black; a white shirt, black tie, and dark gloves. My suit will have a longer vest, and cutaway coat4*<\/sup>, but you can be less formal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds almost like a tuxedo.\u201d Joe giggled but was glared into silence by his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe cutaway doesn\u2019t have tails, or it would be. Oh, and you\u2019ll need dark hats with black hatbands too.\u201d He wrote more on the paper before handing it off to his father. \u201cThis should cover it, but I\u2019m sure Emelio at the haberdashery will remember what I\u2019ve forgotten. They\u2019re used to handling clothing for big funerals, so he should have something for all of you.\u201d He chewed his lip before finishing his coffee. \u201cI know we could get away with wearing a white shirt and a string tie for funerals back home, but Frank is a legend in this city, and I want to honor him as he\u2019d expect and deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss was the first to respond. \u201cHeck, Adam, I\u2019d dress in a tutu if that\u2019s what you needed me to do. And besides, I think I\u2019ll look kinda like a gentleman decked out like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ben sent his two younger sons on ahead during the walk back to the office so he could address a point with his eldest. \u201cI know it\u2019s premature for this, but I think talking about it now might relieve some pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s up, Pa? You sound so serious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw how much this business means to you, and how painful it will be having someone who knows nothing about it, sell it or make a mess of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s voice held a resigned sadness. \u201cThere\u2019s not much I can do if it happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps there is. Why don\u2019t you<\/em> buy it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s loud laugh made Hoss and Joe turn around, but they continued walking when viewing their father\u2019s \u201cbutt-out\u201d look.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m well-set, Pa. I had some good investments back in Virginia City that paid off nicely, and both Melinda and I are doing well. I\u2019m sure you remember that Frank gave us an endowment for our wedding that keeps us from fearing the uncertainties of life, but the business is worth so much right now I can\u2019t make a bid on it without putting us in serious debt. It would be like someone trying to buy the Ponderosa operation outright. Someone could bid on the land or the timber or cattle businesses, but the total is pretty hefty for any one person to take on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if the Ponderosa made you a loan on your share?\u201d Ben let the offer float as he watched his son\u2019s face for a reaction. \u201cJust because you aren\u2019t working there, doesn\u2019t mean you aren\u2019t still a shareholder. You helped me make it as profitable as it is today, and I would gladly free up some cash to help you out.\u201d He grinned as he looked over at Adam. \u201cWe could become a conglomerate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam took his father\u2019s arm and stopped him. \u201cThank you, Pa. It\u2019s a generous offer, and typical of you. You\u2019d risk everything to make one of us happy and have a better life. But I\u2019ve thought this through, and if I\u2019m replaced or the business is sold; I\u2019ll move on. The unknown can bring some wonderful surprises.\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled at his son. \u201cMoving back to Boston and marrying Melinda worked out pretty well, so you might be right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt did.\u201d He returned the smile. \u201cI can\u2019t imagine any circumstance where you\u2019d lose the Ponderosa, yet if that happened, you would build again, even it meant starting from the ground up. It\u2019s what Cartwrights do; it what we\u2019ve always done. And I will be fine.\u201d He stepped forward and wrapped his father in an embrace. \u201cI\u2019ve missed, you, Pa; more than I can say, and I\u2019m so grateful\u2026and happy that you\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Six \u2013 Later in the Day<\/strong><\/p>\n

Melinda was in the yard playing with her children when the coach dropped off the four Cartwrights. She hurried over, and after a kiss and hug for each of the \u201cguests,\u201d she pulled her father-in-law aside to speak privately. \u201cI am so happy you all came. Adam has been as controlled as you probably imagined he\u2019d be, but having you here will take his mind off his bigger troubles. He\u2019s probably told you of his plans for you already.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded as he squeezed Melinda\u2019s hand. \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019re here. Well, that and it will give me a chance to get to know my grandchildren.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe had remained in the yard while Adam had gone to get his children for introductions. AJ had disappeared into the house as soon as he\u2019d seen his uncles arrive, and Elizabeth had run to her father, and was hiding behind him, holding tightly to his leg. He was about to call for his son, when the boy bounded out the back door carrying the wooden barn and box of hand-carved animals that Hoss had given him when he\u2019d come to welcome Adam and his family back from England.5*<\/sup> The boy flew past his father and stopped in front of his uncle.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee,\u201d he said as he raised the barn up for Hoss\u2019s inspection. \u201cI still have everything you made for me. I know the names of all the horses, and Daddy\u2019s told me what everything was used for because I was just a baby when you gave them to me and didn\u2019t remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhoa there, little feller,\u201d Hoss said as he scooped the youngster into his arms. \u201cLet me get a big hug first, and introduce you to your other uncle, and then we\u2019ll go over each thing you got in that box.\u201d<\/p>\n

AJ gave Ben a tight hug and said he \u201cremembered him a little\u201d from the last visit, and shook Joe\u2019s hand before reaching up to hug him too.<\/p>\n

\u201cDaddy tells me stories all the time about you and Hoss and him from when you was kids, Uncle Joe. He calls you Little Joe when he does that. How come you\u2019re just Joe now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up, I guess,\u201d Joe explained as he laughed. \u201cYour grandpa did warn me that you\u2019d<\/em> be very grown up for a boy who\u2019s just six, and he was right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you play with the Ponderosa barn with Uncle Hoss and me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a little while, I promise. First I need to meet your great grandpa.\u201d Joe pointed to the back of the house next door where an older man and woman were making their way down the porch steps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam made the introductions between Abel, Sadie and Little Joe, and then stepped back to pry his daughter from his leg. \u201cIt\u2019s time for you to meet my family, Lizzy. I know you\u2019re shy but you have to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth grabbed onto her father\u2019s leg more tightly with one arm as she used her other one to make an exaggerated point toward Ben. She motioned for her father to bend down, and whispered, \u201cHe\u2019s the man in the picture.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat picture?\u201d Adam had asked for a picture of his Ponderosa family, but they hadn\u2019t gotten it done yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe one with Grandma Elizabeth\u2026that\u2019s over there.\u201d She pointed toward the window of the room that had been Elizabeth and Ben\u2019s when they\u2019d lived with Abel. \u201cShe told me to look at that picture last week, and not to be afraid of the man when I saw him.\u201d<\/p>\n

His daughter\u2019s revelation about talking to her dead grandmother didn\u2019t even raise Adam\u2019s eyebrow. He was used to the communication that went on between his mother and his children.5*<\/sup> It had been happening ever since AJ had nearly drowned some years earlier at the hands of a crazy woman, and it had continued ever since. Both Elizabeth and AJ told him things from time-to-time that they had no way of knowing, and he\u2019d come to accept that there were forces at work that he wasn\u2019t privy to.<\/p>\n

Abel, Sadie and Melinda talked with the family for a short time, and then begged their leave: the women to finish supper preparations, and Abel to \u201crest.\u201d Adam knew they\u2019d gone to give the four men and the two newest Cartwrights a chance to get to know each other.<\/p>\n

AJ had convinced his uncles to go with him to the benches in the yard, leaving Adam to introduce his daughter to her grandfather. He lifted her onto his hip, gave her a kiss on the cheek and stepped toward his father. \u201cMay I introduce Princess Elizabeth Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at her grandfather and smiled before burying her head in her father\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

Ben took her hand and said, \u201cI am honored to be in the presence of Cartwright royalty. I think you\u2019re the prettiest princess I\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked up again, and finally let go to reach toward the man she\u2019d come to know in the picture next door. \u201cThank you, Grandpa Ben,\u201d she said softly when she was fully settled on his arm and holding onto his shoulders. She cupped her hands around his ear and whispered, \u201cGrandma Elizabeth said I\u2019d like you, and I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t sure what to think about her comment, but decided he could ask his son later, and embraced the little girl tightly.<\/p>\n

Adam stood by, waiting to see if his daughter would remain comfortable with the new man in her life. Once he saw her whisper in his father\u2019s ear, he knew she\u2019d be fine. It wasn\u2019t that she wasn\u2019t boisterous or didn\u2019t make her feelings known at full volume most times, but the sweet, intimate moments where she\u2019d cup her hands and speak directly to him always swelled his heart.<\/p>\n

She giggled at the hug and said, \u201cDaddy said you were a bear, and that was a good bear hug.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben eyed his son over the child\u2019s head, and received a pink-cheeked shrug of \u201cI\u2019ll explain later,\u201d in response.<\/p>\n

She wasn\u2019t finished. \u201cHe said you liked kittens too. I like kittens. Mommy says I\u2019m too little for a kitten, but I\u2019m this many years.\u201d She held up three fingers. \u201cSo I am old!\u201d<\/p>\n

The proud father waited a few more minutes to assure that his daughter was comfortable, and then walked toward the trio going over the Ponderosa animals. He didn\u2019t intrude on the conversation, and kept an eye on the other two as they walked hand-in-hand around the yard examining each colored leaf and late-blooming flower. He could hear Elizabeth chattering about whatever came to mind, while his father added his, \u201cUnhuh,\u201d or \u201cThat\u2019s interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they finished their tour, Ben brought Elizabeth over to the others, and she walked over to the box of animals to pull out the Cochise horse.<\/p>\n

Hoss had been sitting but stood when his father came over, and Adam could see Elizabeth\u2019s eyes widen while her mouth dropped open as she looked up at the giant of a man in front of her. He was about to intervene before she started to cry or ran away, but he stopped his advance when Hoss knelt next to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatcha got in yer hand, sweetheart?\u201d He asked gently. She opened it to reveal the painted carving. \u201cIs that yer favorite one?\u201d She nodded. \u201cCan you tell me why you like him more\u2019n all the rest?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s got spots.\u201d The fear was gone. \u201cI told Daddy I want a pony with spots but he says there aren\u2019t no ponies like this in Masta-choots.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMassachusetts,\u201d Adam provided at Hoss\u2019s questioning look.<\/p>\n

\u201cYer daddy\u2019s probably right,\u201d Hoss continued. \u201cThat one\u2019s name is Cochise; he\u2019s a painted Indian pony. I don\u2019t suppose there\u2019s a lot of that breed this far East.\u201d He grabbed Joe\u2019s sleeve and made him join him at eye level with the little girl. \u201cYer uncle Joe rides that pony.\u201d He reached into the box and pulled out the black horse. \u201cI ride this one. You probably know his name is Chubby.\u201d He watched as Elizabeth\u2019s eyes shifted back and forth from him to Joe. \u201cBy the way, my name\u2019s Hoss, and this is Joe. We\u2019re yer daddy\u2019s brother, just like AJ is yours. That makes us yer uncles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe reached for her hand and she let him take it. \u201cIt\u2019s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Elizabeth. I\u2019ve waited a long time for this, and I\u2019m so happy.\u201d He brought her tiny hand to his lips and kissed it softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I like yous uncles,\u201d she said sincerely while nodding. The motion made her long, brown curls bounce. \u201cI always wanted to meet you for a long, long, time too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam watched in wonder as his daughter left her hand in Joe\u2019s and then made him stand up as she said he should come see her tea party. They walked off together while Hoss returned his attention to AJ. It seemed clear that his children had chosen the uncle they felt most comfortable being with. He turned when he felt an arm encircle his shoulders from behind and he smiled at his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are beautiful children, son. AJ looks just like you when you were little, and while Elizabeth has your eyes\u2026and the same pout you had at her age, she resembles Melinda more overall. I\u2019m so glad to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe feeling is mutual. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.\u201d6*<\/sup> He chuckled. \u201cThis is a wonderful day amid many horrific ones. Thank you, again.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Dinner was a happy occasion with Hoss proclaiming it the best meal he\u2019d ever eaten, making Sadie blush and smile from ear-to-ear. Jillian took the children for baths and bedtime preparations after they finished eating, and the adults remained at the table reminiscing about the Wadsworths. Adam shared his memories of getting to know Marian, Frank Sr. and Frank Jr, when he\u2019d first come to Boston, and Melinda reminded them how much Frank and Marian had helped when she\u2019d been kidnapped shortly before their wedding, and with the other crises that had befallen them over the years.7*<\/sup> Ben spoke last, telling the others about getting to know the other man who\u2019d called Adam, \u201cson\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could tell that he saw you as one of his own,\u201d he said, focusing on his eldest. \u201cYou asked me once if it bothered me that you two were as close as you were. It did\u2026at first, until I got to know Frank.\u201d<\/p>\n

The conversation turned to questions about Melinda\u2019s family. \u201cMy parents moved to North Carolina, thanks to Frank. He found Papa a good job at an exporting company in Charlotte, and he\u2019s doing well there. He hadn\u2019t planned to work this late in life, but with my former brother-in-law squandering their savings on fake investments, he had no other choice but to keep at it for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill they come for the funeral?\u201d Hoss asked. \u201cI\u2019d like to see your folks again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mother has sciatica, Hoss,\u201d Melinda explained. \u201cShe is regretful in not attending, but the trip would be too painful. They are both heartbroken over the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSam and Miranda will be over tomorrow night, though.\u201d Adam saw his youngest brother\u2019s questioning look at the mention of these names. \u201cMiranda is Melinda\u2019s younger sister, Joe. She was married to the scoundrel involved in the money scam, but she\u2019s married to Sam Greene now. Sam started as our physician, but he became a good friend too, and got to know Miranda through us. Pa and Hoss got to know them on their previous visit.\u201d He addressed the group again. \u201cThey\u2019ve been here almost every day since this started, but thought this should be a Cartwright night.\u201d<\/p>\n

The conversation was interrupted as AJ and Elizabeth came running in from the kitchen. Jillian had allowed them to make the trip between the two houses in their slippers and robes to say goodnight.<\/p>\n

Adam corralled them. \u201cGo around and give everyone a hug and kiss and then I\u2019ll take you home and tuck you in.\u201d<\/p>\n

AJ shifted from foot-to-foot until he finally blurted out, \u201cWe\u2019d kind\u2019a like Uncle Hoss and Uncle Joe to read us stories and tuck us tonight, Daddy.\u201d He focused his dark, hazel eyes on his father\u2019s face. \u201cIf that\u2019s all right with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

A silent nod and smile sent the youngsters to grab their favorite uncle\u2019s hand and pull them along.<\/p>\n

Joe glanced over his shoulder with a look of panic. \u201cWhat do I do to tuck them in, big brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll tell you what they need.\u201d He observed his youngest brother\u2019s look of uncertainty. \u201cIt\u2019ll be fun, Joe. And it\u2019ll get you ready for when you have your own little ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

When the room quieted again, Melinda stretched and looked toward Sadie. \u201cI suppose we should go do the dishes before it gets any later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s offer to help was refused as the women gathered the remaining things from the table and retreated to the kitchen, closing the door behind them. Sadie winked at her co-conspirator. \u201cI imagine those three will have things to talk about, and this will give them time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abel and his son-in-law lit their pipes while Adam stretched out on the divan, sticking a pillow behind his back and angling himself into the corner.<\/p>\n

Ben opened the discussion. \u201cAre you in charge of the other Wadsworth business too now, son?<\/p>\n

\u201cThere isn\u2019t any other Wadsworth business, Pa. You knew that Frank sold the one in England, and I wrote a letter telling you about Frankie\u2019s firm, but it\u2019s still in my desk.\u201d He grinned at his father. \u201cI\u2019m sorry I couldn\u2019t tell you as things were happening, but Frank insisted on complete confidentiality when it came to money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand that. We don\u2019t tell anyone what we\u2019re thinking about doing with the ranch either.\u201d His face screwed up as he continued. \u201cI remember you saying that Frank had tried to save the London office, but had decided against it when he realized Wadsworth had lost its chance to stay a leader in the market there.\u201d He leaned back and took a puff on his pipe. \u201cI was telling your brothers on the trip about how quickly inventions are making our lives better, and most of that comes from advances in engineering.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree, Pa. We can\u2019t stay on top of every new engineering process at Wadsworth, so we\u2019ve concentrated on harbor construction. We got out ahead of the other U.S, companies in that area, and are doing very well for it.\u201d He grinned before adding, \u201cI should probably tell you that Frank wasn\u2019t too upset over the loss in England. He\u2019d found a new love there, and had already bought into a horse-racing syndicate that owned a number of derby winners and contenders. Frank just recently sold the house in London too, and planned to find a country home with stables when they returned after their trip to France.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what made them sell the Frisco business?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

Adam blew out a deep breath and chewed his lip as he thought about how he could explain what had happened. \u201cYou remember that Frankie had a difficult time in the engineering program, but he got through with a little help. His heart was never in it though, yet he thought he\u2019d like it more if he went to San Francisco after college and could prove himself there\u2014a little further away from Frank\u2019s influence\u2026and interference. I tried to talk him into staying in Boston for a year to get some actual engineering under his belt, and learn more about managing his own business, but he wouldn\u2019t hear of it. Frankie had been around his father\u2019s office his whole life, but I don\u2019t think he ever paid attention to all the things that went into making it a success.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI always thought he was doing all right with his own firm. Was I wrong?\u201d Ben asked thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cThe first few years did go well, but that was because Frank had purchased an existing company with great contracts on the books and good engineers working on some wonderful projects like the Sacramento harbor refit.\u201d He shook his head again. \u201cThe strange thing is that in helping Frankie\u2019s group with the embarcadero, I got my feet wet in waterway engineering and liked it. Frankie, on the other hand, tired of the long process and vowed never to bid anything related to water again. It was more than that though. I could see that that Frankie was in over his head from early on. The first year I went there for the winter, we were busy with existing work, but I could see trouble as soon as Frankie had to start getting his own contracts.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrank told me that he wanted Frankie to be an engineer so he\u2019d have a better idea how the whole process worked,\u201d Ben commented. \u201cI\u2019m getting the feeling that this didn\u2019t help as much as he\u2019d hoped it would.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes lit up as he leaned forward. \u201cYou know how much I love drawing plans, doing the math, and then watching something come together from those numbers and lines on a sheet of paper. But even though Frankie could do that reasonably well, he did it grudgingly and just copied what every other engineer was doing in San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat would he have rather been doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the problem. He didn\u2019t know that either. Frank wasn\u2019t an engineer, but he was a superb businessman. His son didn\u2019t like chasing a deal any more than he did drawing up plans. I saw that Frankie\u2019s firm wasn\u2019t doing well when the year-end reports came through, but Frank always had an excuse for it. I only learned the truth of how bad it had gotten after it was sold, and I asked Frank why he\u2019d let it go for little more than the cost of the office building.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abel leaned forward, setting his pipe on the stand, and asked, \u201cDid he give you an honest answer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said it had gotten bad, but he\u2019d never wanted me to worry that I\u2019d make Frankie feel ashamed for failing while the Boston office was growing in an unprecedented fashion. But Frank also said he should have known that I would never hold back just to save a friend some embarrassment\u2014even if the friend was Frank\u2019s son. He finally let me see the ledgers.\u00a0 They showed that the only years Frankie had made a profit were those when I\u2019d gone over during the winter to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom what you\u2019ve said, that probably didn\u2019t surprise you as much as Frank thought it might.\u201d The comment from Ben was punctuated by a chuckle.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cYou\u2019re right, Pa. \u00a0The first time I went along with him to present a proposal, I presented the plan I\u2019d drawn, and the client was excited about the project. But instead of getting the contract signed, Frankie let the conversation drift into chit-chat. When it came time to leave, the owner backed away, saying he\u2019d think about it.\u201d He nodded at his father and then looked back at his grandfather. \u201cPa taught me that you always finish the deal first. I tried to teach Frankie by doing both the presentation and the negotiations for rest of the sales calls that year, but he had no spirit for it. I went on sales calls alone the other winters I was there, and sold a year\u2019s worth of work in a couple months for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

A lopsided smile turned Ben\u2019s lips. \u201cBut then you went East\u2026.\u201d He paused before saying, \u201cI\u2019m surprised Frank let that go on. You\u2019ve been here for eight years already. That\u2019s a lot of time to keep propping up a failing business,\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged. \u201cFrank made Frankie hire a salesman a few years ago. The books indicated that this addition helped them meet costs, but they still weren\u2019t turning a profit. Frank was beginning to complain openly about the situation, even going so far as to say that he\u2019d given Frankie many chances to get things going right. He was considering what to do next when something happened to change everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both older men leaned forward in expectation as Abel asked, \u201cDid this happen early last spring? I remember the young man coming home for the first time in years, and you seemed distracted during his visit.\u201d<\/p>\n

His grandson drew a deep breath as he closed his eyes. \u201cI was in the unenviable position of being between the two Franks. Although he didn\u2019t give me the details of what was happening, Frank\u2019s less than favorable comments about his son\u2019s management were increasing. On the other hand, Frankie\u2019s unhappiness and frustration often poured out in the pages of his letters to me. His greatest fear was in disappointing his father, even while resenting that he felt pressured to follow in Frank\u2019s footsteps. He regularly asked me for business advice, but he never followed through.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben grinned. \u201cSo you\u2019re saying they both talked to you, but not to each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it, Pa. And I wasn\u2019t going to broker this between father and son. It was something they had to figure out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI get it, son. Frankie wasn\u2019t a child, and neither of them should have needed an envoy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grinned at his father, \u201cI know how hard it was to tell you I was leaving to come back here, but I knew you\u2019d understand. The situation between the two Franks came to a head last March when Frank saw an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about a raid on a bar known for its ties to the worst criminal elements in the Bay area. Frankie\u2019s name was listed as one of those taken into custody. I\u2019ve never seen Frank so angry, and he demanded his son come home for a \u2018summit\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure that was not a pleasant visit for either of them,\u201d Ben offered sadly.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarian said they mostly shouted at each other at first. I think Frank biggest concern was that his son\u2019s actions could have started gossip that might have made it to Boston. It sounds harsh, but this site was bringing in the income for the Wadsworth household and I\u2019m sure we propped Frankie\u2019s bottom line when he didn\u2019t break even too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was upset that Frankie\u2019s behavior exposed the family business to scandal.\u201d Ben commented as he shook his head again. \u201cI can understand Frank\u2019s fear\u2026and anger. It can take minutes to topple what years of sweat and hardship built. I\u2019m sure you recall the lectures I gave you and your brothers about how what any one of you did in a moment of disregard could come back at all of us and the Ponderosa. Yet that never meant I wouldn\u2019t have stood behind you if had gotten into trouble. I imagine Frank felt the same way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sad thing is that after the shouting, the two Franks finally were honest with each other. Frankie admitted that he just couldn\u2019t make himself like what he was doing. \u00a0Then he told Frank about an opportunity he\u2019d looked into.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat kind of opportunity?\u201d Ben asked as he walked behind his son and placed his hand on Adam\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrankie wanted to move to Paris and invest in a restaurant called, Le Grand V\u00e9Four. He\u2019d researched its financials, and the owners were looking for a partner to enlarge the operation rather than to merely keep the place afloat. Frank didn\u2019t know a thing about restaurant operation, but he was<\/em> intrigued by the possible diversification. He agreed to take a look at the place with Frankie during their vacation, and sent him back to Frisco to close things out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo Frank was all right with his son\u2019s new ambitions?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled softly. \u201cFrank wasn\u2019t sure about it, but he wanted his son to have chance to try something that he didn\u2019t feel was expected of him. So Frank did what Frank did best; he helped clear up the legal problems in Frisco, sold the business, and moved forward. As it got closer to their time to meet in Paris, Frank began to brag about his son becoming a partner in a restaurant with patrons like Victor Hugo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silence lingered for a moment until Ben posed another question. \u201cIt does seem that they\u2019d worked out their differences. I\u2019m glad for that.\u201d He stopped to think. \u201cI have another question. When I was here last time, waiting for your ship from England to arrive, Frank told me that he never sailed with all his family on the same ship. He had a fear of everyone perishing if the ship went down. Now it seems prophetic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrank and Marian sailed alone to England, Pa. Frankie took the train to New York and sailed from there, and stayed with his sister in Cherbourg until they all met on the coast for the pleasure sail. I suppose Frank didn\u2019t see any threat in a short cruise around the Channel Islands. They had planned to hug the coastlines.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam felt in his pockets and laughed. \u201cI thought I\u2019d tucked a letter in this jacket, but it must have been a different one. The days are running together. Anyway, I received the initial report from an investigator who examined the wreckage. He feels the anchor rode may have been set too steep, and the anchor pulled loose when the winds picked up overnight.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot leaving enough slack in the anchor line is a common mistake with pleasure boat crews,\u201d Abel offered. \u201cThey tend to think the shallow water is all one depth, and I\u2019ve seen where a boat comes loose and rides the swells to deeper water.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe inspector said that\u2019s exactly what happened, Grandfather, but then the anchor snagged on a reef and the jagged rocks split a board in the hull. The letter said there was little damage; just enough to flood the starboard bow below the staterooms where the Wadsworths were sleeping. The winds increased throughout the night and a heavy gust turned the vessel onto the flooded side. The five crew members survived because they\u2019d slept on deck. They tried to save the Wadsworths, but the sloop flipped into deeper water, eliminating their escape from above or below.\u201d He sighed again as the imagery of the family\u2019s panic in their fruitless situation overwhelmed him. When he looked at his father he saw the same look of misery.<\/p>\n

Ben had retaken his seat during the story and leaned forward, bracing his arms on his knees. \u201cI\u2019m sure that Frank and Marian faced their fate with the same strength they used in life.\u201d He yawned unexpectedly and loudly, before laughing at himself. \u201cI guess the long day is catching up to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam laughed too after he and Abel yawned in reaction to his Ben. He stood and announced. \u201cI better go rescue my brothers. Those children of mine will keep them telling stories until midnight if I don\u2019t put a stop to it.\u201d He winked over his shoulder at his father. \u201cAnd since you two look like you need to turn in, I\u2019ll send them over here to tuck you in next.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook Abel\u2019s hand in parting and gave a silent head nod for his father to accompany him outside. They stood on the sidewalk as he pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and blew his nose. \u201cI know that Frank thought he and Frankie were like you and me. But they weren\u2019t in a most important way. Frankie was so worried about failing to become his father\u2019s son that he forgot to make a life for himself. At least they finally talked things through, and Frank could assure Frankie that the thing he wanted most was for his son to be happy. I said earlier that it was hard to tell you I was leaving, but only because I knew I\u2019d miss you as much as you would miss me. I always knew that you\u2019d support me no matter what I decided to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

***
\nBen had gone back and asked Melinda to meet Adam in the yard so they could head to their house together.<\/p>\n

She saw Adam sitting on the bench between the two houses when she exited, and she hurried to sit next to him; slipping her hand into his. \u201cWhat did you three talk about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him about Frankie\u2019s troubles with the business, and the plans he and Frank were making when this happened. Pa and Frank were a lot alike, but I\u2019m glad my father knew that the strongest parents let their children find their own way, even when it diverges from theirs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pair looked toward their house when they heard a barrage of laughter and giggles coming from the open, second-story window. Adam shook off his thoughts and laughed too. \u201cSounds like all hands are still on deck up there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda stood and grabbed his hand to pull him up. \u201cI don\u2019t suppose Jillian can control your brothers and our children when they\u2019re working together to delay bedtime.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam and Melinda snuck into the house, and shrugged at one other as they observed the mess of utensils scattered on the kitchen table. They were silent as they ascended the steps. He remained outside the open door to the nursery while she tiptoed to their room to grab her hand-mirror.<\/p>\n

Adam held the device in the doorway at an angle where they could get a view inside and he almost dropped it as he stifled his laughter at what they saw in the reflection. Their children were jumping on Elizabeth\u2019s bed as they cheered their favorite uncles on in a fencing match\u2014using wooden spoons as epees. \u201cWell at least this explains the mess in the kitchen,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

Joe was telling the story of the time that Hoss had been challenged to a duel by a man who\u2019d been so good with a blade that he\u2019d been able to slice the buttons off his brother\u2019s shirt without damaging the fabric beneath. Hoss countered that he was better now \u201cCuz he\u2019d practiced some\u201d since then.<\/p>\n

Adam nearly laughed out loud when Hoss yelled at Joe, \u201cHold still, dangit. How\u2019m I supposed to get at ya if you keep movin\u2019 so fast.\u201d The duel ended with a loud thud, probably indicating that Hoss had tripped during a lunge.<\/p>\n

Melinda and Adam knew they were eavesdropping, but continued to listen without shame, imagining the actions that corresponded to the words.<\/p>\n

\u201cYer parents will be comin\u2019 home shortly and they won\u2019t be happy if you two sprouts are still up.\u201d Hoss addressed the children in a serious tone between grunts as he got himself upright.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we need one more story,\u201d AJ whined while his sister\u2019s bouncing made the springs on her bed squeal at the same high pitch she was using to agree with her brother\u2019s indignation.<\/p>\n

Adam nudged Melinda a little further down the hall as he heard his brothers approach the door.<\/p>\n

Joe lowered his voice. \u201cHow are we gonna end this, Hoss? We\u2019ve told them at least 20 stories, and they\u2019re still wide awake. It\u2019s after nine already.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just gotta be firm,\u201d Hoss replied. They moved away from the door and Hoss directed his next comment to the two bed-jumpers. \u201cWe done told as many stories as we\u2019re gonna. We gotta save some for the rest of the nights we\u2019ll be here. So I\u2019m gonna ask you to get into your own beds and we\u2019ll tuck you in.\u201d When there was no action, he added, \u201cNow!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s demand was met with further protest, and Adam could envision the pout on Lizzy\u2019s face and the petulant set of AJ\u2019s lips.\u00a0 He knew they were over-tired and keyed up by their uncles\u2019 performances\u2026and that it was time to get things under control. He winked at Melinda and then stepped into the doorway. As he suspected, Hoss and Joe\u2019s backs were toward him, but his youngsters could see his stance, the look on his face, and his finger pointing at their beds. Their eyes grew large and round as the jumping came to an instant halt and they dove under the covers of their respective cots.<\/p>\n

Hoss nudged Joe\u2019s shoulder. \u201cSee, I told ya all we had to do was be firm.\u201d But both uncles turned toward the door after Lizzy peeked out from under her blanket and pointed toward the reason for her sudden cooperation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see that look still strikes the fear of God into all who receive it,\u201d Joe laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better believe it. And,\u201d he paused as Melinda joined him in walking toward their children, \u201cI think these\u2026sprouts\u2026need to apologize to their uncles for not listening.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda continued. \u201cI know you are having a special, wonderful night, but you two forgot that your uncles were in charge. Now, I\u2019d like to hear those apologies and then say goodnight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth slipped out of bed and ran to Joe, jumping up to have him hold her. She took his face in her hands and said, \u201cI don\u2019t think<\/em> I like you anymore, Uncle Joe. I do<\/em> like you, very, very much. I\u2019m sorry I didn\u2019t listen.\u201d She waited while AJ gave his apologies to Hoss, and then they switched uncles.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you two head downstairs, and put these away.\u201d Adam handed over the spoons he\u2019d grabbed from the dresser. \u201cThen find some glasses. Pa and Abel are already turning in, but we\u2019ll have quick drink to settle your nerves before we call it a night.\u201d Once his brothers were out of the room, he sat on the edge of his daughter\u2019s bed while Melinda did the same on AJ\u2019s. \u201cIt seems you two had a good day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI like how Uncle Hoss knows so much about animals.\u201d AJ sat up to hug his mother. \u201cHe\u2019s the smartest man I ever knew.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes widened just a bit with the compliment to his middle brother. He brought Elizabeth to his lap. \u201cAnd what about you? Do you think your uncle Hoss is the smartest man ever?\u201d<\/p>\n

The little girl shook her head. \u201cHe\u2019s nice, but you\u2019re the smartest man, Daddy. Uncle Joe is nice and tells funny stories\u2026about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He squeezed Lizzy tightly as he grimaced with the thought of the some of the stories his brother might have told. \u201cGoodnight my angel.\u201d He tucked her under the covers again and kissed her head before exchanging places with Melinda and saying goodnight to his son. \u201cI\u2019m glad you like your Uncle Hoss. He\u2019s a man who\u2019s worthy of your admiration.\u201d After listening to their children\u2019s prayers, they did another round of hugs and kisses, and bid Jillian goodnight before heading downstairs.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two look played out,\u201d Melinda teased as she completed the last step into the parlor. \u201cCertainly two small children couldn\u2019t take more out of you than a herd of cattle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d think that\u2019d be true,\u201d Joe answered. \u201cBut it\u2019s easier to lasso steers than it is to convince a little one of something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYup,\u201d Adam laughed. \u201cI\u2019ve tried lassoing them, and it just makes them laugh harder.\u201d<\/p>\n

The \u201cuncles\u201d talked for a while about the train trip and the clothes they\u2019d ordered earlier while everyone sipped on scotch or brandy until their eyelids became too heavy to keep open.<\/p>\n

The Boston Cartwrights had remodeled their home a few years ago, even adding a few feet of space at the back, but the house itself was only a little larger than Abel\u2019s. It was big enough for them, but with Jillian living there too, there were no spare rooms for company. Adam and Melinda had decided it would be simplest to have AJ sleep in the nursery with his sister, and let their uncles share AJ\u2019s room. A day bed in the little boy\u2019s room allowed the two men to sleep comfortably in their own space. Ben was staying with Abel since they\u2019d have more to talk about.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Melinda awoke around midnight and ran her hand across the empty space next to her, instinctively knowing that Adam wasn\u2019t there. Slipping into her robe, she walked to the window and checked to make sure he wasn\u2019t in the garden again. Not seeing him there, she made an adjustment to her clothing and headed down to where she knew she\u2019d find him.<\/p>\n

Adam looked up as his wife entered his office. \u201cI\u2019m sorry if I disturbed you. I couldn\u2019t sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Adam. You haven\u2019t slept much since this all started. I\u2019m worried for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He sat back and sighed deeply. \u201cIt\u2019s not that I think about what happened to them, although there have been a few nightmares about that. It\u2019s more that I want this all to run smoothly: both the memorial service and the transition. Since I was asked to plan the service, I have the uneasy feeling that Frank didn\u2019t make bequests beyond Frankie and Amelia\u2026and there is no designated heir. It\u2019ll be a free-for-all if that\u2019s true, and I don\u2019t want their memory tainted by a lengthy, ugly legal brawl.\u201d<\/p>\n

She walked behind his chair and wrapped her arms around him, laying her head atop his. \u201cYou\u2019ve got the service planned perfectly, and there\u2019s not much you can do about the rest. They\u2019ll have to fight it out. Your job is to keep the business running. The men from your crews and their families are depending on that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right.\u201d He looked back at her. \u201cDidn\u2019t we start our day with this same conversation about how right you are?\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned his chair around to face her. \u201cI think I might be right about something else. You need to relax and forget the world for a little while.\u201d She pulled his robe apart and ran her finger down his bare chest, stopping at the drawstring bow that held up the pajama pants he wore to bed. He\u2019d always hated nightshirts and had slept with nothing on before they\u2019d had children. That had all changed when unexpected bedroom intrusions became the norm, and this new fashion from England left his torso free of encumbering clothing while covering the necessities.<\/p>\n

He took her hand, bringing it to his lips. \u201cI should work a little longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t been intimate since this started, Adam. I haven\u2019t pushed you because I knew you needed time to work through the loss. But I need you, and I think you need me even more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut my brothers are upstairs, and Hoss might come down for a snack. He only ate a whole chicken tonight. He\u2019ll be hungry soon.\u201d He winked to take the sting from his reluctance.<\/p>\n

Melinda walked to the door and locked it before returning to kneel in front of him. \u201cWe\u2019ve learned to be quiet because of having a nanny and children across the hall. You and I have made love nearly every day of our marriage and you\u2019re wound so tightly right now that you need a release before you spring apart.\u201d<\/p>\n

He moved his head side-to-side, even as he let her untie the string at his waist and set his body blazing with her gentle touch. \u201cBut\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut nothing,\u201d she said quietly. \u201cI saw you outside grieving on your own. You aren\u2019t making love to me because it\u2019s hard for you to let another person see what you\u2019re going through. Yet you\u2019ve allowed me to see the darkness of your sorrow before, so don\u2019t hold back this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

He groaned softly as she stroked his thighs and then moved slowly back to increase his arousal. He stood and lifted her to him, carrying her to the couch where he laid her down tenderly, and quickly disrobed. A pull on her sash revealed that she\u2019d come downstairs with this in mind, and he began breathing heavily as he moved atop her and kissed her with the passion he\u2019d been holding back along with his pain. He placed kisses in all the secret places that excited her, and blew a soft, warm breath across the moisture his lips left behind. He continued caressing and kissing her until she pulled him toward her with urgency. He moved gently at first and then let his need surge.<\/p>\n

Melinda\u2019s hair had fallen over her face and he brushed it aside as he smiled down at her. \u201cThank you,\u201d he whispered. \u201cIt seems you were right again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her satisfied look turned to one of disappointment as he stood and redressed quickly before tugging her robe back into place around her, and tying it shut. So that\u2019s it<\/em> she thought with a grain of disappointment grinding in her emotions like a grain of sand in a shoe. He\u2019s going to walk me to the door and send me away so he can continue to work<\/em>. She was so deep in thought that she yipped in surprise when he lifted her from the sofa and carried her to the door. She was still wondering if he would deposit her outside after he got the key turned and opened the door, but she began to smile, and kissed his cheek when the trip continued up the steps and into their room.<\/p>\n

He made love to her again, this time letting the passion build slowly. He remained quiet when they finished, and Melinda turned onto her side to stroke his cheek as she\u2019d always done to show her love. She drew her hand back and brought her fingertip to her tongue to confirm the saltiness of his tears. His armor had yielded, and she gathered him to her, stroking his hair and whispering of her love for him and the family they had both lost. He let his grief flow silently until he drifted to sleep in her arms.<\/p>\n

End, Part 1.<\/strong> Please continue to Part 2 see the Cartwrights working together as they always do, even if it\u2019s not on the Ponderosa!<\/p>\n

*The Assomption sloop was built in Cherbourg (Cotentin, Normandy region, France) belonging to an owner of this city, and was wrecked on the coast of Guernsey (Channel Islands, UK) on September25, 1872.<\/p>\n

**Matthew 25:14-22<\/p>\n

***In other stories in the One Step Close series, I\u2019ve had Adam travel in a private Pullman car that the Wadsworths had purchased. I picture it as similar to the car Agents West and Gordon used in the Wild Wild West <\/em>series.<\/p>\n

4*<\/sup>The following excerpt is taken from an article about Victorian funeral Etiquette. After describing the dark, drab satin and crape dresses that women had to wear for varying periods of time following a death, it says: Men had it easy \u2013 they simply wore their usual dark suits along with black gloves, hatbands and cravats.<\/em> This was all set out in books such as The Queen and Cassell Manual. <\/em>The memorial service for the Wadsworth was to be far more formal because of Frank\u2019s position in society.<\/p>\n

5*<\/sup> This set of toys was a gift to AJ when Hoss and Ben ventured to Boston in the story of this series called, One Step Closer \u2013 From Two to Three,<\/em> A Family<\/em>. In that story, Hoss saves AJ from drowning when they both end up in the river after the child is kidnapped by a crazy woman. AJ later reveals to his father and mother that his \u201cgrandma in the water\u201d pushed him toward Hoss to save him. They\u2019re able to figure out that he was speaking of Adam\u2019s mother, Elizabeth. In this story, there will be references to Adam\u2019s children speaking to Grandma Elizabeth, and that follows the same vein.<\/p>\n

6*<\/sup> Psalm 30:11<\/p>\n

7*<\/sup> The Boston Cartwrights faced several threats from a family name Casteletti in three of the stories in this series. Frank and Marian along with Ben, and later, Ben and Hoss worked together to help Adam and Melinda. You can read the entire saga in the following stories: Once Step Closer \u2013 Til Death Do Us Part; One Step Closer \u2013 Two Hearts Broken; One Step Closer \u2013 From Two to Three, A Family.<\/p>\n

___________________<\/p>\n

Part Two<\/p>\n

Seven \u2013 Monday, October 14, 1872<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam felt like a new man as he got ready for work on Monday morning. He\u2019d spent most of weekend with his family, often talking about their days on the ranch together\u2014much to the enjoyment of his wife and children. Sam and Miranda Greene had joined them the previous day for church and then they\u2019d rented a large carriage and gone out to the country for a picnic where they\u2019d continued to reminisce about the Ponderosa and the Wadsworths.<\/p>\n

Melinda had told him before that pain didn\u2019t lessen when it was shared, but that it became more bearable. He\u2019d experienced what she\u2019d meant by that as he\u2019d shared his memories, instead of gritting his teeth while trying to maintain his veneer of impenetrability.<\/p>\n

He pulled from his thoughts to concentrate on the task at hand: shaving his considerable endowment of facial hair. \u201cI should just grow a beard and look like a hermit,\u201d he murmured as he stretched his left cheek into a flat surface to meet the blade.\u00a0 Yet such a decision wasn\u2019t his to make alone. His daughter loved to pat his clean-shaven cheeks. If the child had her way he would shave before he put her to bed as well so his bristly growth didn\u2019t give her a \u201cwhisker rub.\u201d<\/p>\n

With his beard in check for another day, he donned a clean white shirt, and drew a tie under the collar while leaving the ends of fabric hanging loose. He smiled again as he thought back over the last two days. He\u2019d laughed so hard at times, his sides had hurt. But during one story that Sam had told about his experience with Frank, he\u2019d been reminded of his own experience with the remarkable man, and a tear had rolled down his cheek.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth had been sitting on his lap during the story, and her small finger had felt like velvet when she\u2019d touched the moisture and brought it to her chest, where she\u2019d cupped her other hand around it and whispered that she\u2019d keep his tear in her<\/em> heart, so that it wouldn\u2019t hurt his heart anymore.<\/p>\n

He thought she\u2019d been too young to remember him saying that to her. It had come after she\u2019d lost a favorite toy. Their search had been fruitless and when he\u2019d told her not to cry, she\u2019d responded that her heart hurt so bad she couldn\u2019t stop them. He\u2019d wiped away her tears and said he\u2019d keep them in his heart, so hers would feel better.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth\u2019s remembrance had lifted a veil to allow him to see the blessings he\u2019d always been given along with the losses he\u2019d endured. It focused him again and he was ready now to face this week of goodbyes.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

He trotted down the steps, greeting Hoss, Little Joe and his father who were already at the table. They planned to leave together for their work assignments as soon as they finished breakfast. He saw the mail sitting by his plate so he flipped through that before speaking. \u201cI\u2019ve been waiting for responses from the Wadsworth family as to which of them can accompany me to the crew lunches on Friday.\u00a0 But since no one seems inclined to do so, the Cartwrights will have the honor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a Cartwright, Daddy. Can I come too?\u201d his daughter asked, as she wiped her milk mustache from her upper lip.<\/p>\n

He had thought about taking Lizzy with them, but he also knew her shyness would make for a very unnerving day. \u201cIt\u2019s dangerous at the docks, sweetheart, and you don\u2019t like the smell of fish, so I think you\u2019ll be best staying with Jillian and Grandma Sadie.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded as her pout turned to a smile. \u201cFish are stinky. We\u2019ll play dolls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda came in from the kitchen during his announcement. \u201cMight someone from Frank\u2019s family still accept at the service?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so.\u201d He grinned knowingly. \u201cIt might be a clue as to who\u2019s inheriting.\u201d He took her hand. \u201cI\u2019m hoping you can be with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be proud to accompany you but I have to leave around one. I have a mid-afternoon meeting with a new author. I\u2019d try to rearrange things, but she\u2019ll only be in Boston on Friday.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam and the Nevada Cartwrights left the house when the Wadsworth coach arrived. He\u2019d already taken each of them to their sites on Saturday, describing the project; how they would best fit in, and what to watch for.<\/p>\n

Ben was the first to speak once they were settled in the coach. \u201cThat was a wonderful weekend, and I\u2019m looking forward to today. Tackling something different than what you\u2019re comfortable doing keeps your brain working.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just hoping the men don\u2019t resent my being there and toss me into the river,\u201d Joe said as he fired a sour look towards his older brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll appreciate an extra set of hands.\u201d Adam smiled devilishly. \u201cYet, I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if they end up tossing you in the water at some point. Even I tried to drown you at least once.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s back-handed reassurance did little to appease Joe\u2019s uncertainty, and he sent him an apprehensive scowl. Hoss gave his younger brother\u2019s shoulder a shove. \u201cI worked with these men the last time I was here, and they\u2019s good people, Joe. It\u2019s like Adam says; crews always like an extra hand, so just keep asking what you can do.\u201d He couldn\u2019t keep from smiling as he added, \u201cBut maybe Jimmy can go back to the house after droppin\u2019 us off and pick up a dry set of clothes\u2026just in case.\u201d<\/p>\n

The coach passed a cemetery, prompting Ben to ask. \u201cWe\u2019ve talked about the memorial service for the Wadsworth, but I just realized you\u2019ve said nothing about a funeral. Will that come later when the bodies arrive in Boston?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cThere\u2019s a Wadsworth family plot in London as well as one in Boston, and with them being in England so much, Frank had left orders to be buried where he was when he died. There was already a funeral in London for Marian, Frank and Frankie. Of course there weren\u2019t many people in attendance except for their former house staff and some business associates.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Frankie\u2019s sister?\u201d Hoss inquired.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmelia and her husband were buried at Cherbourg with his family. I didn\u2019t know Amelia well. She was five years older than Frankie and me, and considered herself too sophisticated to spend any time with \u2018college boys\u2019.\u201d He laughed at the memory. \u201cShe met a young Frenchman in New York, and after a long-distance courtship, they married the summer I went back to Nevada.\u201d He looked out the window as the coach slowed. \u201cAll right, Pa, we\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n

He introduced his father to the crew and engineers who were working on the site; secure that his father\u2019s business savvy would pick up on any hesitation, excessive questioning or back-tracking that might indicate the owners were being courted by other firms or hearing whispers of Wadsworth\u2019s inability to complete the project. His father would be a solid presence to dispel such speculation.<\/p>\n

Little Joe was dropped at a site on a Mystic River plot. The small lot was being cleared for a dock and building that would serve as a repair shop for the river boats and small vessels that helped the larger ships maneuver in the harbor. The size of the property did not reflect the price tag on the project, and losing it would cut profits dramatically.<\/p>\n

Adam had wondered about Hoss\u2019s choice of assignment since it was the same place his brother and AJ had almost drowned four years ago. But the big man had declared his desire to face his demons. The construction included new docks on the river\u2019s edge; a massive warehouse to hold the products they off-loaded, and street-side loading docks to get the products on their way to their final destinations. The project was so large that Adam had to combine four crews to get it done. It was one of the few times in the last several years that Wadsworth had only three sites in progress at one time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis one\u2019s got the most potential to be targeted, Hoss,\u201d he warned as they approached the site office. \u201cIt would be a real coup if another company could convince the owners to abandon us, especially now when we\u2019re nearly done with the site preparation. But I don\u2019t think they\u2019d go after the owners. They\u2019ll try to shrink the crew to stall the work instead. When we can\u2019t make our deadlines, they\u2019d make overtures to the people in charge. I\u2019ve heard a few comments from the men so far, but I need someone here to actually experience what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

After introductions, the two brothers and the site engineers talked about the safety features that had been added to prevent accidents while men did the dangerous work along the river docks. Adam had already said his goodbyes and was on his way, when he returned and patted his brother\u2019s back. \u201cJust be careful out on those docks. Joe\u2019s crew might toss him in the river, but I don\u2019t want you falling in again.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

With his family in place, Adam directed Jimmy to Melinda\u2019s publishing company. The two of them were heading to the Harvard Campus to check on preparations for the memorial service. Their first destination was First Parish Unitarian Church9<\/sup>. The large meeting hall had hosted Harvard graduation ceremonies for nearly 40 years\u2014including Frank\u2019s and then Adam and Frankie\u2019s. It had seemed the perfect place to remember the man who\u2019d stayed so connected to the Harvard community.<\/p>\n

The event staff was waiting when they arrived and they all walked down the long aisle going over the seating arrangements and placement of flowers. With that settled, he and Melinda walked the short distance across the yard to the new Memorial Hall10<\/sup>, a building funded by alumni, including a goodly sum from Frank Wadsworth. Parts of the building were still under construction, but the large main hall was complete, and it was large enough to hold the expected crowd for the luncheon following the service. Chef Sanzian11<\/sup>, the head chef at the Parker House hotel, and creator of the signature desert, the Boston Cream Pie, was waiting there for them with the buffet menu and linen samples. It would prove a herculean effort to pull this off for so many at one time in a place where no food could be prepared on site, but Chef Sanzian had promised to keep the fare simple while still maintaining taste and quality.<\/p>\n

The chef assured Adam in his French-Armenian-English mix of accents, \u201cAll is in place M\u2019seur and Madame Cartwright. The Wadsworth family was a patron of several fine dining establishments and they are each showing their gratitude by supplying equipment and servers for the event. My kitchen staff and I will begin preparations before dawn. Everything will be here ready when the guests arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Chef. We couldn\u2019t do this without your help,\u201d Adam said as he shook the man\u2019s hand. \u201cThere\u2019s one last thing we need to check on.\u201d He chuckled before continuing. \u201cFrank was always the first to buy a round of his favorite \u2018poison\u2019, so what will you have available?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will be beverages to quaff the thirstiest of the teetotalers, and enough liquor to float a ship,\u201d Sanzian said as he laughed and pointed toward the end of the room. \u201cThose are crates of glasses and bottles around that bar. There\u2019s an assortment of wines, and plenty of Irish whiskey, brandy and Frank\u2019s favorite scotch.\u201d He looked around the room and indicated a group of men carrying tables and chairs into the hall. \u201cEverything will be set up by Wednesday, so all we need do on Thursday is bring the food.\u201d He grinned at the couple. \u201cThere will be plenty of tenders to keep the liquor flowing, the serving trays loaded, and the lines moving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled a bank draft from his pocket. \u201cI can write this for your estimated costs. We\u2019ll make adjustments once you have the final invoice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no need,\u201d the chef replied with a wave of his hand. \u201cThe hotel knows that your reputation is as sterling as the man we will honor.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam and Melinda\u2019s final stop took them to see, Charles Eliot11<\/sup>, the current president of Harvard. Eliot was in his early forties, and the youngest man ever elected to that office. He had close ties to the Wadsworths, since Frank had been in charge of the board of alumni that had selected him. Charles had been the first president chosen after a revamp of the hiring process, and Frank had fought to get Eliot elected because of the young man\u2019s crusade to upgrade the Harvard science curriculum and better prepare graduates for careers.<\/p>\n

Adam had gotten to know the new chancellor when he\u2019d been asked to lead a panel focused on updating the engineering program to reflect the rapid changes in the field. The head man had also asked Adam to teach a portion of a class each semester to explain the unique mathematics involved in harbor and water projects. The growth in industrialization had necessitated changes in the vessels that carried goods, and that had led to the need for new docks and harbors to service them and handle the products they carried. But the need had soon collided with a massive roadblock when business owners couldn\u2019t find engineers familiar with the design and construction of the sites along the bay and rivers. Because of his work on the interior harbor in England, and the Sacramento Embarcadero, Adam Cartwright was considered the expert in this field, and this expertise was the reason he had made Wadsworth an economic powerhouse in less than four years. Nearly all new harbor construction along the Mystic and St. Charles was being done by Wadsworth crews, or had been designed and engineered by Adam. He was a sole commodity in a sea of need. His fee was high, but no one complained. Prospective clients only had to tour the sites where Wadsworth was building to see they were far ahead of the competition and worth every penny.<\/p>\n

Charles rose as Adam and Melinda were escorted into the room and greeted both Cartwrights before directing their attention to another man seated in an overstuffed chair near the desk. \u201cReverend Peabody12* <\/sup>is here, so we can go over our plans without delay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReverend Peabody.\u201d Adam acknowledged the clergyman with a respectful nod and hand shake. \u201cI am grateful that you will be handling the service. I know that you and Frank had many deep conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd arguments,\u201d the reverend interjected with a chuckle.<\/p>\n

Melinda moved forward to shake hands with both men, and was advised to call Reverend Peabody, Andrew. \u201cI second my husband\u2019s thanks, Andrew.\u201d She turned to Charles. \u201cWe\u2019re also grateful that you will be doing the introduction of those offering their testimonials.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam continued his wife\u2019s thought. \u201cMelinda and I were honored to put together the plans for this event, but I didn\u2019t want to be the face of it, so again, thank you both for your leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charles nodded. \u201cI did think it odd that the relatives weren\u2019t initiating the memorial, yet knowing your character, Adam, I can see that you would give the family your best. I can\u2019t say that I knew Frank or Marian\u2019s extended family, and when I heard the details of the tragedy, I had worried they wouldn\u2019t be honored as they should be.\u201d He became thoughtful. \u201cHas an heir been named?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt remains a mystery, and my only concern is to ensure a wonderful sendoff.\u201d He pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket. \u201cThese are the speakers.\u201d He smiled at both men. \u201cAnd like the instructions given to those speaking at a Harvard graduation, I\u2019ve asked that they limit themselves to two minutes of reminiscing. To help with that, I suggested they relate one story of Frank or the family that left its mark on their lives. Many sent back their idea along with their acceptance. I assure you there will be tears shed at some of the stories, but even more will bring smiles and laughter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrank would be pleased by that,\u201d Andrew said with spirit. \u201cI can hear him laughing in my mind. He and Marian both knew the meaning of joy.\u201d The pastor looked pointedly at Adam. \u201cYou should know that he talked often of you and your family. I saw Frank and Marian just before they left on this last trip, and they seemed content. He said the business here was in such good hands that he and his son were free to try new enterprises that would challenge them.\u201d He looked down at his hands and sighed. \u201cI believe in God\u2019s will, but I can\u2019t always see how it fits into tragedies like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eight \u2013 Monday, October 14, 1872, 5 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hoss stuck his head into the coach as he climbed aboard. He bumped his shoulder on the entrance as he pushed his large frame inside, and grumbled. \u201cI sure don\u2019t like these coaches. They ain\u2019t never got enough headroom or door space for a guy my size.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe laughed. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing big enough for a guy your size, Hoss. You\u2019d be best sticking to horseback and buckboards.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t that the pure truth,\u201d he grumbled further as he rubbed his shoulder. \u201cOh, hi, Pa. I didn\u2019t even notice you was in the corner.\u201d He gave the interior a good looking over once he was seated. \u201cWe gonna go pick up Adam now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJimmy said Adam will have to meet us at the house later.\u201d Ben looked from Hoss to Joe. \u201cYou two don\u2019t look any the worse for wear. How\u2019d your day go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt always galls me to admit this, but Adam was right,\u201d Joe offered immediately. \u201cThings got off to a good start. The crew liked having me, especially once they figured out I was strong, even though I didn\u2019t look it.\u201d He laughed. \u201cI think they gave me everything heavy they could find to do, just to see if I\u2019d collapse. Those men have no idea how hard a rancher works.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo your brother was right about you being accepted\u2026or is there more to it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were making good progress moving rocks, measuring out and marking for where they\u2019ll start digging the foundation, when this guy walks over and starts talking with the men who were a little further away from me. I made sure I pushed my wheelbarrow that way, and picked up enough to hear that he was asking the men if they were getting paid on time, and saying that he\u2019d heard Wadsworth didn\u2019t have the money to keep running.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019d ya do?\u201d Hoss asked with interest.<\/p>\n

\u201cI walked him off a piece, and showed him the \u201cNo Trespassing\u201d signs on the edges of the property. I explained that these were meant for his safety, and then\u2026,\u201d He grinned wickedly, \u201cI said that I carried a pistol in my lunch box and would escort him to the police station at the end of it if he showed up again. I could tell by his face that he wasn\u2019t sure that I wouldn\u2019t use the pistol before<\/em> taking him in, and he left in a hurry. I don\u2019t think he\u2019ll be back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was smiling as he asked, \u201cDid the men see him leave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey did. And they applauded. They\u2019re pretty sure Wadsworth Engineering will stay strong.\u201d Joe pursed his lips and then gave his family a lopsided smile. \u201cAdam does things different than me. I like to be one of the guys, and work harder than anyone to earn their respect for those times when I have to give orders. I can\u2019t say my oldest brother doesn\u2019t work hard just like me, but he doesn\u2019t try to be one of them. Yet they respect him even more. I\u2019m thinking if you\u2019d look up \u2018honest\u2019 in the dictionary, you\u2019d find Adam\u2019s name there. Those men are worried about the future, but they trust that if anyone can get them through this, it\u2019s Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe does inspire confidence,\u201d Ben agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always teased him about being granite-hard, and wondered why he couldn\u2019t show his feelings the way I did, but I see now that his steadiness makes others steady too.\u201d Joe laughed. \u201cBut don\u2019t tell him that, \u2018cause I\u2019ll deny I said it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded. \u201cI got the same feeling from my crew. They\u2019s powerful sad over Frank and Marian\u2019s death. Yet, they\u2019ve had Adam leadin\u2019 them long enough to trust what he says.\u201d He grabbed his handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his sweaty forehead before continuing. \u201cMy site is a lot bigger\u2019n Joe\u2019s, and they got a fence around it to keep people from comin\u2019 in. I can testify to how dangerous it is with the fast current and tide flow in that part of the river, and we\u2019re pullin\u2019 all that rotting timber out from the old docks walls, so there can\u2019t be no distractions. Adam has the men working on those wobbly beams wearing a sort of harness attached to a rope that\u2019s tied to a post on shore. If they lose their footing and fall in the water, a spotter pulls them back to safety.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat makes a lot of sense,\u201d Joe commented with an approving nod. \u201cWhy is it still so dangerous?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThose sidewalls are so unsteady that pullin\u2019 out one a them could bring the rest of them down too. Nothing could help if someone got pinned under that mess.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid anyone come onto the site? The question was from Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cNope, but there were men standin\u2019 outside the fence at lunch and the end of the day. Danny from the crew told me the same guys have been there a couple other times. They latch onto the crew when they leave for the night, talkin\u2019 about how another firm is hirin\u2019 good men like them, and how they should leave Wadsworth before it goes under.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s face scrunched. \u201cThey aren\u2019t really trespassing, so how\u2019d you deal with it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI went out first and shooed them away. I used my size to loom over them puny Easterners, explaining that we don\u2019t cotton to people who spread lies about our company. I\u2019ll ask Adam if he\u2019d wanna get the police over there to clear them away before the men go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben closed one eye as he raised his cheek in thought. \u201cFrank used to have a security team, but Adam hasn\u2019t mentioned them. I wonder if it was disbanded once Frank and Marian were away so much. We\u2019ll ask about it tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded. \u201cDid anything happen by you, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one came by, but when the owners stopped to check on the project today they gave me a handful of business cards they\u2019ve received from competing firms. Some of them were hand-delivered along with a recital of the possible dangers of staying with Wadsworth, and others were enclosed in letters implying the same message of doom.\u201d Ben sighed deeply. \u201cI\u2019ll give the cards to Adam and he can decide whether to address them. The owners respect Adam enough to stay with him, but I can understand some concern. They won\u2019t trust a fill-in if the heir replaces Adam, and they will claim a breach of contract if it happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe we shouldn\u2019t tell him nothin\u2019 about what happened today,\u201d Hoss proposed. \u201cWe can keep chasing people away and they might give up long enough for things to get sorted out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s head moved side-to-side. \u201cI doubt any of our stories will be a surprise. Most of what\u2019s going on is pretty standard. They\u2019re getting more aggressive now because Wadsworth has been without an owner for a couple of weeks now. It could get even nastier if the situation goes on for a while.\u201d He grinned slyly at his sons. \u201cI\u2019d bet Frank employed the same sorts of tactics when other companies had uncertain times. Even we make inquiries and offers when we hear about troubles at other ranches, and we speak to good men about coming to the Ponderosa. It\u2019s business. We don\u2019t force or threaten anyone. We don\u2019t lie or exaggerate the problems either. It\u2019s a matter of keeping our ears and eyes open to opportunities without becoming scoundrels.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam saw his brothers in the yard giving horseback rides to his two laughing children when he arrived home. He snuck inside without being seen and greeted his wife with a kiss; asking about the rest of her day, and then telling her about a few more responses he\u2019d received from the memorial service speakers. \u201cI hope we\u2019ll be remembered as fondly one day as Frank and Marian. I already know much of what I\u2019m hearing from others, but I am still astounded at the depths of their kindness. The house staff at the estate sent one of the most memorable of the lot. I\u2019ll have that one read since they are uneasy about speaking publicly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could recognize them at the service, and have someone else read their note,\u201d She suggested as she stood holding his hands.<\/p>\n

He kissed her softly and pulled her tightly to him. \u201cHow did I ever end up with such a smart woman who still loves me even after realizing I\u2019m not her equal?\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda wrapped her arms tightly around him, returning his kiss. \u201cI thank God constantly for that day in Sacramento when our lives began the long road back to each other.\u00a0 Yet, I suppose those roads were running parallel all along. They just needed a connecting point.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam and Melinda had limited their children\u2019s bedtime stories to one apiece from each uncle Hoss after the first night\u2019s fiasco, so they were back in twenty minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2026what happened today?\u201d Adam asked as they settled in the parlor with cigars and brandy. Abel and Sadie had returned home after dinner when the older couple had proclaimed they shared the same bedtime as their great-grandchildren. The three Cartwrights shared their experiences as Adam asked a few clarifying questions and concluded, \u201cThe crews had mentioned that strangers were lurking around the sites. I\u2019m thankful you were there to address it before it got nasty. You did a good job chasing them away today, but I\u2019d suspect others will try the same tactics until this thing is settled. The good news is that I heard from the Bill Murdoch; he\u2019ll read the will two weeks from today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good.\u201d Ben offered enthusiastically.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you stay until then, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll stay as long as you need us.\u201d Ben\u2019s vow was uttered in a strong tone conveying far more emotion than his words.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re all up to it, you can do the same thing tomorrow.\u201d Adam became thoughtful. \u201cI almost forgot. Your suits are ready for a fitting, so you can see Emilio first. I\u2019d expect the attacks to focus more on the office now. If they can\u2019t get the crews to defect, they\u2019ll come after the men in charge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss asked, \u201cShould I get the police to shoo them men away?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI forgot you\u2019d asked about that,\u201d Adam admitted, blushing. \u201cWadsworth still has the security team. They\u2019re watching the estate now, but I\u2019ll send word for a few of them to come around each site tomorrow, and you can give them a report of what to look for.\u201d He gave an appreciative nod to each of his family. \u201cYou all did a great job today. It speaks well of the firm that others are so rabid for our crumbs, but\u2026.\u201d His thoughts went silent as his smile was replaced by a look of melancholy. He could \u201csay\u201d that he was fine with whatever happened in two weeks, but deep inside he knew the loss of the firm to incompetent leadership would eat away at his soul. His thoughts swirled as he imagined what he would do if this became the case. He knew for sure that he couldn\u2019t stay in Boston and watch the decimation of what Frank had started, and he had grown.<\/p>\n

When he looked back up at those in the room, his face had returned to granite-like calmness and he suggested they might play a few rounds of Speculation13<\/sup> to end the evening.<\/p>\n

***<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n

The male Cartwrights declared defeat an hour later when Melinda held most of the chips. \u201cI sure don\u2019t ever wanna play poker with you, sister-in-law,\u201d Hoss declared, stretching as he got to his feet. \u201cI thought my older brother was the best card player I knew, but you got him beat!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think this game is a matter of luck. And I won this time because you didn\u2019t expect a woman to be sneaky.\u201d Melinda kissed Ben goodnight before he headed over to Abel\u2019s, and shooed Hoss and Joe upstairs, promising she\u2019d straighten the mess on the table before turning in. After the house quieted and things were orderly, she winked at her husband and led him to his office, locking the door behind them. \u201cHow about we play a little strip poker? I bet I\u2019ll have you outta them duds in no time, and then I\u2019ll have my way with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grinned like a schoolboy and raised his hands in surrender. \u201cI concede defeat. You may do as you please.\u201d He was chuckling quietly as she began undoing his buttons and belt buckle, before sliding his shirt from his shoulders and his trousers to the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you sit down, my love, I\u2019ll help you get those boots off so you don\u2019t fall over trying to disentangle them from your pants as you\u2019ve been known to do when you\u2019re in a hurry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBrilliant idea,\u201d he whispered into her hair as he pulled her near and let his body feel the warmth grow with her near. \u201cI think I do recall a few bruises from untimely tumbles.\u201d<\/p>\n

They pleasured one another as their passion and desire grew. Adam had found since having children that controlling the volume of his surging excitement, using whispers of love and devotion instead, made the ending even more explosive and sweet. Melinda had expressed the same thought to him, suggesting that using their minds to acknowledge one another instead of letting their physical hunger have sole rein of the act, made the experience deeper\u2014felt in mind and body. Whatever the reason, their current lovemaking was far more powerful that what they\u2019d initially experienced\u2026and that had been enough to raise the roof a few feet. This<\/em> time it left them breathless and unwilling to break the connection.<\/p>\n

He finally moved next to her side on the wide couch, and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her tightly against him. \u201cThis was a nice evening with a wonderful conclusion.\u201d When Melinda began to shiver, he suggested, \u201cWe should head upstairs. I just wish we didn\u2019t have to get dressed again.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sat up on the edge of the couch and reached underneath, extracting a pile of folded fabric. \u201cWe don\u2019t have to dress, exactly. I brought our night things down as soon as I got home and stashed them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eight \u2013 Thursday, October 17, 1872<\/strong><\/p>\n

There had been other unspeakably sad days in Adam\u2019s life. As a child, he\u2019d watched both Inger and Marie die in his father\u2019s arms. Those deaths had left their mark on his heart, and helped to solidify the granite exterior he\u2019d adopted when facing future tragedies and disappointments. He tried now to banish those shadows from his mind as he fastened the black cravat under his pristinely white shirt collar and then shrugged into his waistcoat. The sequence of the day\u2019s events scrolled through his consciousness as he folded his coat over his arm and headed from the room.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d planned his day carefully, and had already gone to see his children and spent some time with them to avoid any mishaps with jelly transferring from their sticky cheeks to his funeral attire. But he couldn\u2019t miss the fact that his hand was trembling when he grasped the stair rail, making him acknowledge that a person\u2019s body could betray one\u2019s surety. He took a deep breath to settle his nervousness, and reminded himself that this part of the journey would be complete by evening.<\/p>\n

He stopped half-way down the steps and took in the sight below. Melinda, wearing a high-necked, black crepe dress with a dark shawl, hat and a black veil, was standing next to his father and brothers, who looked like wealthy businessmen in their dark gray suits. \u201cDon\u2019t you all look remarkable,\u201d he said, flashing a smile of admiration. \u201cMaybe you three should give up ranching and get jobs in the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss ran his finger along the inside of his shirt collar and groaned. \u201cI\u2019ll wear this fer you, brother, but I couldn\u2019t do it on a regular basis.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe either,\u201d Joe agreed. \u201cAlthough I\u2019m sure we\u2019d create quite the stir if we went into Virginia City dressed like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best kind of stir, I\u2019d think.\u201d Melinda slipped on her black gloves and took Adam\u2019s arm. \u201cAll you\u2019ll have to do is use a more colorful vest and a less somber tie, and you\u2019ll have the ladies lined up for a mile waiting to dance with you at the next shindig.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Abel was waiting by the coach when the Cartwrights exited, and complimented the family\u2019s appearance as well. He pulled Adam aside as the others boarded. \u201cI wish I could go with you today, but I fear I\u2019d be a hindrance. Please know that Sadie and I send our thoughts and condolences with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his grandfather\u2019s hand. \u201cThe offer still stands for Jimmy to come back and get you for the luncheon. I know it would be too long a day if you came to the service, but I\u2019d love to have you and Sadie there later.\u201d<\/p>\n

The older man gave a dismissive wave as he chuckled. \u201cI\u2019ll be much happier here helping with your children.\u201d His lips pinched as he sniffed loudly. \u201cThose little ones have brought so much joy. I am thankful that I was given the time to know them.\u201d He gave his grandson\u2019s shoulder a shove. \u201cYou best be going.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The coach passed the harbor as Jimmy headed toward Cambridge, and Hoss pointed to a ship tied to an old dock away from the others. \u201cThat there\u2019s the one Abel took us to see yesterday, Adam. He said it was just like the clipper ship him and Pa used to sail when they was workin\u2019 together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad Abel could get you on board for a look around.\u201d Adam offered.<\/p>\n

Melinda started to laugh. \u201cWhen we went in to say goodnight to the children last night, AJ said it was a good thing that Uncle Hoss never wanted to be a sailor because he would have spent the whole time with splinters in his head.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had that right,\u201d Joe added. \u201cPoor Hoss kept cracking his head on the timbers below deck, and I think he\u2019d have overturned the ship if he\u2019d gone up-top on the masts like Abel described.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know the feeling, Hoss,\u201d His father said with a wink. \u201cI was taller than most of the men sailing with me and did hit my head until I figured out how to hunch.\u201d He grinned broadly. \u201cIt\u2019s also why I learned to navigate and control the ship. Officers got better quarters than deck hands.\u201d His face dropped to a concerned frown. \u201cWe haven\u2019t had much time alone since getting here, but I was wondering how you think Abel is doing, son. He seems to have slowed down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has\u2026.\u201d Adam looked towards his wife. \u201cI\u2019ll let Melinda tell you what\u2019s going on, and we\u2019ll talk more about it before you leave, Pa.\u201d He gave each brother a quick nod. \u201cI don\u2019t mean to seem rude, but I want to go over a few details before we arrive. Once this is over I promise I\u2019ll talk so much you\u2019ll wish I would stop.\u201d That said, he pulled a notebook from his inside coat pocket, and began scanning his lists of what needed to be done.<\/p>\n

Melinda picked up where Adam had left off. \u201cAbel won\u2019t talk about his health.\u201d She grinned. \u201cBut Sadie tells me everything. He\u2019s doing well enough for a man in his 80\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose the years count up,\u201d Ben mused. \u201cI notice he has to rest frequently.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s seeing Sam now, and my brother-in-law told Sadie that Abel is in no distress. He advocates exercise and resting when he\u2019s tired, and said that having us next door gives him so much to live for that he\u2019ll be fine for a while. Of course he\u2019s had two strokes already, so there are no guarantees. She glanced towards her husband and then back to Ben as she pursed her lips and shook her head just enough to get her message across to her father-in-law.<\/p>\n

Adam was so absorbed that he didn\u2019t look up as Ben leaned toward Melinda, grasped his daughter-in-law\u2019s hand tightly, and whispered, \u201cI know what you\u2019re thinking. Abel realizes Adam can\u2019t handle another loss right now. It\u2019s probably why he\u2019s being so cautious.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laid her free hand atop Ben\u2019s and nodded. Another glance verified that her husband was still engrossed in his plans. She smiled at the others; her tone forcedly light as she said, \u201cSo tell me what Captain Stoddard said about Ben Cartwright, First Mate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nine \u2013 Thursday, October 17, 1872 \u2013 10:40 AM\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

The large church was humming with conversations as those assembled greeted old friends and talked business while waiting for the service to commence. Ben, Melinda, Hoss, and Joe had been seated toward the middle of the church behind the dignitaries and those who were scheduled to speak. Amanda and Sam Greene were behind them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s William Gaston, the mayor of Boston,\u201d Melinda said quietly to the group as she nodded discreetly towards two men walking up the aisle. \u201cThe man with him is William Washburn, our governor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you and Adam know all these people?\u201d Hoss asked he looked around the crowded sanctuary.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam knows most of them through his work at Harvard or with the engineering firm. I\u2019ve met many of them at social functions.\u201d She stopped talking abruptly and stood, motioning to a lone man making his way up the aisle, and began introductions when he came over. \u201cHenry, I\u2019d like to introduce you to Adam\u2019s family.\u201d The man shook hands with each of the Cartwrights as she continued. \u201cThis is Ben, Adam\u2019s father, and his brothers, Joe and Hoss.\u201d She turned to address her family. \u201cGentlemen, this is Henry Wadsworth-Longfellow. Henry is Frank\u2019s maternal cousin. He\u2019ll be speaking today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook the poet\u2019s hand again. \u201cIt is a distinct honor to meet you. Adam has spoken fondly of your friendship.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have a fine son, Mr. Cartwright, and knowing him has been my pleasure as well. My cousin never ceased speaking of Adam from the time he first showed up at the house as a skinny Harvard freshman. And more recently, Frank was grateful to leave things in Adam\u2019s hands while he and Marian pursued other interests.\u201d An usher came by to alert the group that the ceremony was about to begin. Henry gave a final handshake to each Cartwright; kissed Melinda\u2019s cheek, and gave a wave of acknowledgment to Sam and Miranda. \u201cIt seems I must sit down. We will speak more at the luncheon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy does that name sound so familiar?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

Ben rolled his eyes. \u201cPerhaps if you\u2019d read more than dime novels you recognize the man who\u2019s penned such classics as Paul Revere\u2019s Ride<\/em> and the Song of Hiawatha<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven I knew that,\u201d Hoss scoffed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, that\u2019s why it sounded familiar.\u201d Jpe gave his brother an offended glance. \u201cI figured he was another politician.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda shushed her brothers-in law as Reverend Peabody entered the chancel and raised his arms in a call for silence. He motioned the group to rise and began, \u201cI will begin this service of remembrance with a prayer of gathering.\u201d<\/p>\n

With no true \u201cfuneral rites\u201d to perform, the traditional \u201cService for the Dead\u201d was limited to a few Bible readings and prayers. Reverend Peabody began his eulogy by noting that Frank and Marian not only believed, but demonstrated God\u2019s principles. \u201cWe will soon hear stories showing their generosity, kindness, and absolute loyalty to each other, their family, and this community.\u201d The minister knew of the many speakers to come, and kept his remarks to a minimum, concluding with his assessment of Frank Wadsworth, the scholar. \u201cFrank had a questioning mind. It often seemed that he argued for argument\u2019s sake when it came to scriptures, but that wasn\u2019t it at all. This man had wealth and power, but he also wanted to understand the principles of faith and make them personal. Frank and Marian were remarkable people: people we should all seek to emulate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben glanced at Melinda and smiled as the remarks came to a close. She took his hand and nodded as she dabbed a tear from her cheek.<\/p>\n

Charles Eliot was the next to speak, recalling Frank\u2019s fierce loyalty to Harvard, and his desire that the school remain a beacon of education. He recalled Marian\u2019s tireless efforts on campus to help students and raise money for various projects. \u201cOne only had to mention a need and the Wadsworths saw to it in the best way possible. They leave a great emptiness in the Harvard family.\u201d Adam had asked Charles to acknowledge the Wadsworth house staff, and read their note. This he did before calling the next speaker forward.<\/p>\n

Friends continued to present their memories while honoring their time limit. The recollections brought many laughs, while others stunned the crowd with unheard stories highlighting Frank and Marian\u2019s graciousness. It was clear that there was no part of Boston life the couple hadn\u2019t touched in some way. Even those who spoke of being \u201cfoes\u201d in business could find nothing unbecoming to say about Frank. The snippets painted a picture of a fiercely competitive man, who was ultimately fair, generous, and admired by everyone he\u2019d worked with. Marian was remembered for her kind and gentle spirit. She was described as a woman who pulled everyone she knew under the protection of her wing, and loved unquestionably.<\/p>\n

Adam was the second-to-last to speak. He recalled finding another brother in Frankie when they\u2019d been roommates, and then becoming part of the Wadsworth family. He spoke of his own father and how much he and Frank were alike in demanding the highest and best from others because they demanded the same of themselves. \u201cThe thing Frank had learned was that he could demand perfection while still understanding that life was a process, and the best lessons came when things seemed the hardest. He allowed for mistakes, but expected that they not happen again.\u201d He chuckled. \u201cI don\u2019t think Frank slept much, although he napped at the office every day. You could come to him at any hour and be welcomed and heard.\u201d He bit his lip to control his emotions, but his voice cracked as he headed into his closing remarks. \u201cFrank and Marian perfectly complemented each other. I will always remember Marian as a woman of exceptional character. Her quiet overseeing of all things Wadsworth was done with such ease that no one ever understood how much she actually did. The most interesting thing was that she gave me advice before I realized I needed it. I think it was that way with everyone who knew her. She had instincts that were impeccable, and her timing was perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was the last one to remember the family he\u2019d been a part of, and then concluded by reciting his Psalm of Life<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me not, in mournful numbers,<\/p>\n

\u201cLife is but an empty dream!\u201d<\/p>\n

For the soul is dead that slumbers,<\/p>\n

And things are not what they seem.<\/p>\n

Life is real! Life is earnest!<\/p>\n

And the grave is not its goal;<\/p>\n

\u201cDust thou art, to dust returnest,<\/p>\n

Was not spoken of the soul.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He stopped reciting to give his thought as to how Frank and Marian had always lived to the fullest. He continued on until he reached the final verses when he broke again. \u201cI\u2019d ask you all to think of this family as I conclude. I didn\u2019t have them in mind when I wrote these words, but I can think of no others who would be better models for those of us still suffering our earthly bonds.\u201d He cleared his throat before beginning again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLives of great men all remind us<\/p>\n

We can make our lives sublime,<\/p>\n

And, departing, leave behind us<\/p>\n

Footprints on the sands of time;<\/p>\n

Footprints, that perhaps another,<\/p>\n

Sailing o\u2019er life\u2019s solemn main,<\/p>\n

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,<\/p>\n

Seeing, shall take heart again.<\/p>\n

Let us, then, be up and doing,<\/p>\n

With a heart for any fate;<\/p>\n

Still achieving, still pursuing<\/p>\n

Learn to labor and to wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The attendees remained hushed when Longfellow finished his recitation. Reverend Peabody let the quiet linger a few moments and then rose for the benediction. With the service completed, he asked Adam to come forward again. \u201cMr. Cartwright has a few announcements before you are dismissed.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded toward the two men sitting at the front of the church, extending his thanks to them and then to all who had spoken. \u201cI think Frank would have only one complaint: that he wasn\u2019t here in person. I believe he and Marian would ask that we not grieve their passing, but instead remember them as we have today.\u201d Adam bowed his head in a silent moment of reflection, and then motioned for the ushers at the back of the church to move forward. \u201cPlease make your way across the Yard by foot or in the waiting carriages, and join us for lunch and more time to reminisce.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ten \u2013 Thursday, October 17, 1872 \u2013 6 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s yawn was contagious, spreading to the rest of the Cartwrights who had collapsed in Adam and Melinda\u2019s parlor after arriving home. It had been dark by the time they\u2019d exited the hall. Adam could have arranged for the event to end, but neither the staff nor the guests seemed inclined to call a halt, and they\u2019d remained, enjoying the fine liquor and conversation.<\/p>\n

Thanks to Jillian and the Stoddards, lamps had been glowing and a fire stoked in the hearth when they\u2019d arrived, removing the evening darkness and chill from the room. The table was set for the evening meal, and the aroma of roast chicken mingled with the scent from the fire. The group decided to relax for a few minutes before tackling anything more, but Adam had barely gotten comfortable when he glanced upwards, and then turned towards Melinda with a smile. The footsteps above them indicated that the house was not empty as they\u2019d thought, and they both sat up in readiness for the onslaught of children who\u2019d probably been impatiently waiting for their return.<\/p>\n

\u201cDaddy!\u201d Elizabeth cried out as she ran to her father. \u201cI was wishing you home for the longest time. What took you so long?\u201d She didn\u2019t wait for his answer. \u201cOuch,\u201d she pouted after rubbing her cheek against his. She looked over her shoulder at her grandfather and uncles. \u201cDaddy has sandpaper cheeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe laughed as he nudged Hoss and addressed the little girl. \u201cI think your daddy was shaving twice a day by the time he was AJ\u2019s age. He ought to give up and grow a beard like his granddaddy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sent his brother a snarly look over his daughter\u2019s shoulder. \u201cI think your uncle Joe is jealous of my fine whiskers, Princess Elizabeth.\u201d He turned the child around on his lap as he continued. \u201cAre you shaving more than once a week now, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen,\u201d Melinda broke in as she rolled her eyes and exchanged children with her husband.
\n\u201cThere are some topics worth arguing about. Facial hair is not one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou might be right about that,\u201d Adam said as he hugged AJ soundly. \u201cDid you and your sister eat dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy nodded. \u201cBut Grandma Sadie said that you\u2019d bring a surprise for dessert.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGrandma Sadie is a very wise woman.\u201d He stood AJ up and pointed toward the table by the door. \u201cThere are two small boxes and one big one over there. Do you think you can carry them over here?\u201d<\/p>\n

AJ nodded and hurried off to retrieve the parcels. Sadie appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, and laughed. \u201cI knew you wouldn\u2019t forget your little ones even in the rush of day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t have to remember,\u201d Melinda explained. \u201cChef Sanzian handed us those boxes as we left. He\u2019d made a small Boston cream pie for each of the children, and then packed a box of leftover pastries for the rest of us to enjoy tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a remarkable man,\u201d Sadie commented as the two children opened their boxes and stared open-mouthed at the small cakes, decorated with their names.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do have wonderful friends here, Adam,\u201d Ben added after oohing over the cake she showed him bearing a frosting, \u201cElizabeth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abel had made his way over after seeing the coach drop off the funeral-goers, and clapped his hands together as he walked into the room. \u201cAre you all as hungry as I am? I don\u2019t suppose you got to eat much at the affair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right about both things, Abel,\u201d Hoss agreed. \u201cI barely got a plate filled and started eating when I ended up talking to so many people that I never got to finish it. And no matter how good that fancy chef is, Sadie does the kind of cookin\u2019 I appreciate even more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was afraid you\u2019d bring left-overs from the luncheon, but I went ahead with a hot meal anyway, and now I\u2019m glad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda responded. \u201cWe had the remaining food taken to a mission. And Hoss is right; your dinner is making my stomach growl.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cartwrights and Stoddards sat around the large table for Sadie\u2019s feast, while AJ and Elizabeth joined them for a small piece of their cakes before heading up to bed.<\/p>\n

Adam gathered his children to him as he said goodnight and apprised them of the one-time change to their routine. \u201cYour grandfather, your uncles, mommy and I need to finish our dinner and then talk about tomorrow, so Jillian will read a story and tuck you in tonight. We\u2019ll stop in later to check on you.\u201d The two made their way around the table giving hug and kisses before heading toward the steps. Adam\u2019s resolve to absent himself from their bedtime fled as his cheeks turned pink, and he excused himself to, \u201cGet them settled.\u201d Melinda met him at the stairs, and the couple chased their youngsters up the steps while the rest of the family laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam sure does take to bein\u2019 a daddy,\u201d Hoss mused as Sadie began cleaning plates.<\/p>\n

The empty serving dishes attested to the family\u2019s claims of hunger, and the older woman laughed as she took Hoss\u2019s plate. The weight of the chicken bones atop it nearly tipped it from her hand. \u201cI do love cooking for you, young man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pleasure is mine, ma\u2019am. My brother is one lucky man to have you next door.\u201d To punctuate his thanks, Hoss helped carry the dishes to the kitchen and brought back a tray with coffee and cups. Sadie followed with plates containing an assortment of the confections Chef Sanzian had sent.<\/p>\n

Adam and Melinda returned a few minutes later. \u201cI\u2019m sorry for the delay,\u201d Adam said as he resumed his seat. I\u2019d promised AJ to tell him about the service when I saw him this morning. He has a big heart and wanted to know if we\u2019d said goodbye.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLizzy on the other hand,\u201d Melinda continued, \u201cJust wanted to make sure we put the rest of her cake somewhere safe so no one would eat it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled at his eldest son after taking a sip of coffee. \u201cI do wish we lived closer to you. I will miss those two with all my heart. But I suppose I\u2019ll never convince you to come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s thoughts ran quickly over his possible plans should the outcome of the will mean his ousting from Wadsworth. His voice was thoughtful. \u201cAs Lizzy might say; never is a long, long, time, Pa.\u201d He saw Melinda\u2019s brows rise and settle with his words, and he knew she\u2019d have plenty to say about moving from Boston if it came to that. A move would involve many lives beyond theirs and too many details to consider yet. But he knew that if needed, they would figure it out together.<\/p>\n

Eleven \u2013 Friday, October 18, 1872 \u2013 Morning<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI still can\u2019t believe that none of Frank\u2019s family was willing to come along to thank the crew.\u201d Ben shook his head as he fastened his top shirt button, and then turned to Abel who was standing in the bedroom doorway. \u201cOnly one even officially declined, and that was Henry Longfellow. He said he had other commitments and couldn\u2019t attend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rest must think there\u2019s nothing in it for them,\u201d the older man suggested. \u201cFrank must have been very tight-lipped about his affiliations in that family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt that anyone could foresee such a tragic event, and it\u2019s made me realize that I have to do some work on my will. I\u2019ve left things in equal shares to the boys or their heirs, but I\u2019ve never considered what I\u2019d want done should there be a family catastrophe. I don\u2019t want the Ponderosa left up for grabs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abel walked behind Ben, his smile reflecting in the dresser mirror. \u201cI\u2019m sure you\u2019ve already got your plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben flashed his father-in-law a knowing smile as he passed him and sat on the edge of the bed to pull on his boots. \u201cIt would be so much easier if Joe and Hoss would get married and have children. Then their estates would hold precedence.\u201d He shrugged. \u201cBut we now see that we have to plan for all possibilities. I\u2019ll talk to Adam later, but I think he\u2019ll agree with our thoughts. We\u2019d have to sell some acres to pay outstanding debts, but we\u2019d deed it to the government to have it declared protected land\u2014like what they\u2019re doing in Wyoming this year with dedicating Yellowstone as the first national park. The Ponderosa doesn\u2019t have as much in geologic features as that area, but it still has stands of virgin pine on the hillsides around Lake Tahoe, and it\u2019s some of the most beautiful land around there.\u201d He shivered noticeably. \u201cI can\u2019t imagine some unscrupulous person buying the Ponderosa and desecrating the land.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe it could be a wildlife refuge. President Grant set aside parts of Alaska for that purpose. The Ponderosa would be easier since they wouldn\u2019t have to purchase it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a good idea I hadn\u2019t considered.\u201d Ben winked at the older man. \u201cI\u2019d be happiest if the land would remain Cartwright. We can practice our own conservation that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abel pursed his lips as he considered asking the next question, and sat next to Ben on the bed. \u201cHow did Adam do yesterday? I heard all your stories last night at dinner, and there was an article in the morning paper about the moving tribute he put on for the family. But how is he<\/em> doing; I mean in his head and heart?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben blew out a long breath. \u201cHe seems fine, and after making the rounds of the crews today, he\u2019ll be able to relax over the weekend before facing the next challenge.\u201d He laid his hand on Abel\u2019s arm. \u201cI imagine you know Adam nearly as well as I do by this time, and can see the cracks in that solid exterior. There are hitches in his voice now and then, and his silence at times indicates to me that he can\u2019t speak for fear of exposing deeper emotions. He always does best in situations when he can do something, and he\u2019s had plenty to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said at dinner that you\u2019ll stay a while. That\u2019s good; he\u2019ll need your thoughts after the will is read.\u201d He rested his hand atop Ben\u2019s. \u201cI wondered what kind of father you\u2019d be when you left with my grandchild. When I met Adam as a young man, I realized my faith in you had been well-founded. The old sailing captain in me will take some credit for my grandson being able to chart a true course, but you are the reason he has the will and drive to do it. I only wish Elizabeth…\u201d The old man\u2019s voice trailed off as he focused on a small framed portrait of his daughter and Ben on the dresser.<\/p>\n

Ben rose as he heard the rumble of a carriage outside. \u201cThank you, Abel. I appreciate all that you\u2019ve done for him as well. And\u2026I\u2019m pretty sure his mother knows everything about her\u2026baby boy.\u201d He was chuckling as he reached to help his father-in-law to his feet. \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re up to coming along today. We should head down now; our transportation has arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n

*** Friday, October 18, 1872 \u2013 2 PM***<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam had his arm around Melinda\u2019s shoulders as he walked with her to the waiting coach. When they reached the door, he pulled her close. \u201cThank you for being the rose among the brambles today. I think the lunches were well received, and there isn\u2019t a man in our crew that doesn\u2019t think you\u2019re the best part of Wadsworth Engineering.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled up at him and then wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him. \u201cThere, that ought to give them something to talk about this afternoon,\u201d she said as a round of whistles and calls erupted from the crew watching them from a distance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell if that\u2019s the intent, then let\u2019s make it worthwhile.\u201d He kissed her again. It wasn\u2019t a kiss of passion, but rather one that conveyed his absolute love of the woman he was holding. \u201cWe\u2019ll all see you at home later. I hope the talk with your new author goes well.\u201d<\/p>\n

They stood holding hands at a proper distance to make the men go back to eating. She grinned sheepishly. \u201cI hope you don\u2019t think my kiss was just meant for show. I\u2019ve adored kissing you since the first exuberant one you gave me when I brought you the letter from Hoss that had been mistakenly delivered to my aunt.\u00a0 You were young and handsome, but gangly like a big puppy back then. Yet, that first kiss made my head spin, and I didn\u2019t want it to end.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel the same way about you, Melinda, and I don\u2019t care why you want to kiss me; just that you still want to.\u201d His comment was punctuated by a wink.<\/p>\n

She looked again at the men milling around as they laughed and talked. \u201cThis was good way to remember the Wadsworth with the crews. I heard many wonderful comments about Frank\u2026and you. The only criticism was that there was no beer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA quarter-keg will arrive at each site about an hour before quitting. I couldn\u2019t have them drinking with lunch. You need your senses about you for this kind of work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda nodded as she spotted her son among the group. A look of worry haunted her face as she thought back to almost losing her son at this place. Her brow was still wrinkled when she looked back at her husband. \u201cWhy don\u2019t I take AJ with me? I\u2019ve enough time to drop him off at the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw that look,\u201d he acknowledged with an understanding smile. \u201cI shudder each time I think of how much you nearly lost in the waters of that river. But today there\u2019s not a crazy person in sight, and AJ\u2019s got the crew and my family watching out for him. Besides, he wouldn\u2019t take kindly to being removed from the fun he\u2019s having.\u201d He grinned widely. \u201cI often think that AJ is more comfortable in the company of adults than he is with kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmmm,\u201d Melinda replied as her lips took on a smirkish tilt. \u201cJust like someone else I\u2019ve been hearing about lately. The stories your father tells about your journey west depict a boy who held his own with adults too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose that\u2019s true\u2026at least until my brothers came along. But\u2026I seem to remember that you spent most of your youth living with your aunt.\u201d<\/p>\n

She blushed. \u201cThat\u2019s true as well. Lizzy\u2019s the same way though. She adores being with Jillian and Sadie. They\u2019re three peas in a pod.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stole another quick kiss before escorting Melinda to the steps of the coach and waved goodbye as it left. When he turned, he saw the entire crew watching\u2026and smiling. He supposed it made them secure in knowing that their boss had a good family life. Nothing tore a company apart faster than an unhappy man at the helm. The men were used to displays of affection between Frank and Marian, who had always held hands as they\u2019d walked a site together, and had always parted with a kiss, no matter who was watching. Truth be told, the older couple\u2019s devotion had always eased Adam\u2019s mind too.<\/p>\n

He made his way back to the group while encouraging them to finish the leftovers. He also let them know that there was a box of Palmer House confections for each of them to take home. When he finished, he pulled his family aside. \u201cThe day I spoke to our head of security about sending men to the jobsites, he told me that there was no reason we couldn\u2019t go out to the estate to ride. He recommended not using the house, but the horses and equipment we\u2019d use are mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose you\u2019ll have to find a different facility for your animals once this is settled.\u201d The comment came from his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a stable not too far out of town where we can board them. It doesn\u2019t have the acreage of Wadsworth Estate, but it\u2019ll do. Melinda and I have talked about coming to the Ponderosa for a visit next summer, and the children can spend a few weeks riding every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be proud to sit them little ones on a horse and take \u2018em around the property, big brother,\u201d Hoss vowed. \u201cGive me some warnin\u2019 and I\u2019ll make sure we gentle a couple smaller animals for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe asked, \u201cWhen do you think we can go out to see the place?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes twinkled. \u201cThe men are going back to work now, so I think we\u2019ll grab AJ and head there. I don\u2019t have to go to the office since I gave the engineers and staff the day off for helping with the service and lunch yesterday. We won\u2019t have time to ride today, but Sam and Miranda are coming over early tomorrow and we can all go out and do it then.\u201d A puzzled look shaded his features as he raised his hand to provide relief from the glare of the bright afternoon sun. His heart began pounding as he tried to keep his building panic from showing in is voice. \u201cWhere\u2019s AJ? I saw him run through not more than a minute ago, but I don\u2019t see him now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss smiled as he touched his brother\u2019s shoulder. \u201cI\u2019ve been keeping watch, Adam. I felt just like you every time I couldn\u2019t spot him.\u201d He pointed toward the tool shack. \u201cHe followed a cat in there. He said somethin\u2019 about her havin\u2019 babies he wanted to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

The worry-lines look softened, only to be replaced by an ashen color. He was already moving when he called back, \u201cMelinda will have my hide if he comes home with a cat scratch!\u201d<\/p>\n

The three remaining Cartwright cringed, as Ben spoke. \u201cI suppose the poor woman is afraid that her children might react as badly to being scratched as she did.\u201d14* <\/sup><\/p>\n

\u201cBut didn\u2019t they say that only some cats have that fever in \u2018em?\u201d Hoss asked worriedly as he thought about that frightening time when he\u2019d found his sister-in-law wandering on the Ponderosa in the throes of delirium after a mishap with one of the stray cats living in their barn.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cThat\u2019s the trouble; you don\u2019t know which ones have it until someone gets sick. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s a problem. I saw the crew feeding that cat earlier. They said she helps keep the mice and rats away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe snickered, \u201cThe site I worked at had a different visitor, so let\u2019s hope AJ\u2019s just playing with a mama cat and not a polecat like we had.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

There was enough light filtering through the spaces between the boards of the shack that Adam could see his son in the far corner with a pile of kittens on his lap. His fear eased when he noticed the female feline moving back and forth, rubbing her neck against AJ\u2019s coat sleeve while purring loudly. He spoke in a gentle tone so as not to startle the boy or the cat. \u201cCome along now. We\u2019re going to go visit our horses at the farm.\u201d AJ loved the stables and immediately began ridding his lap of the tiny fur balls. But the final one\u2019s needle-like claws were stuck in the nubby fabric of his trousers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need help, Daddy,\u201d he giggled as he lifted the small gold and white calico that was attached to him like a burr on a dog\u2019s ear.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes hadn\u2019t fully adjusted to the shadowed interior, so he hadn\u2019t seen the mother cat reposition herself directly in front of him. His step forward to help his son landed squarely on her tail, making her shriek loud enough to sound like a banshee was in hot pursuit. He jumped backwards, flinging his arms out for balance. His right arm connected with the bracket of a ceiling cradle holding lengths of heavy lead pipe. The disturbance was enough to make the contents shift and cause the bracket to fail, bringing the pipes crashing down around him\u2014the final one slamming into the back of his head. The blow knocked him to his knees, making his head spin and his stomach lurch as the pain spread throughout his skull and then downward along his spine.<\/p>\n

A number of deep breaths, and deeper oaths, managed to quell the waves of pain and nausea, although the stars before his eyes persisted. It seemed to take hours for his equilibrium to return to normal, yet he supposed it had been only a few seconds. He leaned back, resting his body against his legs, figuring he would fall if he tried to stand just yet. Only then did he notice the panicked look in his son\u2019s eyes, and he attempted a laugh to stem the boy\u2019s fear. It came out sounding like a strangled moan.<\/p>\n

The child pulled the kitten free, and came to his father\u2019s side. \u201cShould I get Grandpa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled at AJ\u2019s sleeve when he tried to leave, and once again attempted a smile. Another deep breath was enough to stem the ill-effects enough to speak. \u201cI\u2019m all right, son.\u201d The smile was lopsided, and if the boy could have seen better, he would have noticed the high color in his father\u2019s cheeks. \u201cHow about we keep this little\u2026um\u2026mishap to ourselves. If your grandpa or uncles heard anything, we\u2019ll say that the pipes fell, but we won\u2019t add in the part about the ones that landed on me.\u201d To AJ\u2019s response that he didn\u2019t want to lie, Adam explained, \u201cI\u2019m not asking you to lie. We just won\u2019t tell them the whole story. Hoss and Joe will never stop teasing me about it if they hear why it happened.\u201d He saw the serious expression remain on the face next to him.<\/p>\n

The boy nodded and tried to pull his father to his feet. \u201cSo it\u2019s a secret, not a lie?\u201d<\/p>\n

He was up and moving now, and although his head hurt, the dizziness had passed. He nodded carefully, not wishing to test the soundness of his body just yet. \u201cThat\u2019s the perfect way to think about this, son! It\u2019ll be our secret.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two exited the shack and brushed the dust from their clothing. Adam couldn\u2019t miss the controlled grins on the four men who were waiting for them.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what was that crash, older brother?\u201d Joe asked when they got back. \u201cDid one of your competitors lay a trap for you in there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was nothing that sinister, little brother. Some pipes fell when I bumped the rack they were in,\u201d Adam replied, forcing a smile. \u201cThe cat seems pretty friendly for a stray,\u201d he added, changing the subject. \u201cShe didn\u2019t mind that AJ was holding her little ones, but she did get a little upset with the noise.\u201d Adam examined his son\u2019s cheeks and pushed the boy\u2019s sleeves up to check his arms. \u201cNary a scratch; thank goodness.\u201d He began walking toward the crew with AJ in hand and turned back when the rest didn\u2019t follow. \u201cC\u2019mon. Let\u2019s say our goodbyes and get going. I thought you wanted to see that fine New England horseflesh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Twelve \u2013 Friday, October 18, 1872 \u2013 Evening<\/strong><\/p>\n

Melinda was waiting in front of the house when the coach pulled up with the men. She took one whiff of her husband as she gave him a welcome home kiss, and laughed. \u201cI take it you were able to visit the horses?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe grinned. \u201cAre you implying that we smell like the barn, my dear lady?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not implying anything, sir; I\u2019m saying it outright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe spent an hour or so checking the stock,\u201d Ben explained. \u201cThe stable men are taking excellent care of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve become pasture animals since Frank and Marian moved to England,\u201d Melinda said sadly. \u201cI remember the wonderful parties where the men would perform daring feats of jumping with their steeds, and the women would mount more sedate animals to ride out to a fabulous picnic in the woods. But the glory days of that estate are over now unless the heir would reinstitute some of those traditions.\u201d She frowned. \u201cSo much is lost in this situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I could get at them four-legged critters. I\u2019d have them out workin\u2019 on that sweep of grass every day,\u201d Hoss suggested eagerly.<\/p>\n

Adam smiled at his wife. \u201cAJ was very impressed with his uncle\u2019s knowledge about the horses out there.\u201d His smile turned to a smirk. \u201cI think he was surprised when I told him that I was the one who taught Hoss about horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou might\u2019a done that, Daddy, but Uncle Hoss knows a lot more than you do now.\u201d AJ said with conviction.<\/p>\n

AJ\u2019s comment elicited a begrudging, \u201cYou might be right about that,\u201d and a nod from Adam, causing an unexpected swirl of imbalance. The headache he\u2019d noticed on the way home was suddenly pounding in his head, and his stomach felt too closely located to his throat.\u00a0 The symptoms had hit him so hard and quickly that he had trouble concentrating on what Melinda was saying.<\/p>\n

\u201cSadie played too hard with Lizzy all day, and said if we want supper, we need to go get it. So we\u2019re walking down the street for fish and chips.\u201d She laughed as she sniffed the air. \u201cBut you all might want to change your clothes before we go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are fish and chips?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a new food trend out of London involving fried fish and potatoes. I think you\u2019ll like it, but if you don\u2019t, they have other things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care what it is, as long as there\u2019s plenty of it.\u201d Hoss smacked his lips. \u201cI\u2019m as hungry as an ol\u2019 bear.\u201d<\/p>\n

The difficulty in concentration was increasing along with the pounding in his head. Adam turned cautiously to his wife. \u201cI hate to be a stick in the briar, but all the planning and eating of the last few days have caught up to me. I think it best if I stay home to work on thank you notes, and turn in early.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda\u2019s concern was immediate and she walked with him toward their front door. \u201cAre you feeling ill?\u201d<\/p>\n

He couldn\u2019t move his head without increasing the sensation that he was falling, but he finally managed a clipped, \u201cBad headache.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Melinda stuck her head in the doorway to Adam\u2019s office once she\u2019d gotten AJ changed and they were ready to leave. There was stationery on the desk along with a fountain pen and blotter, but nothing had been written. Adam was sleeping so soundly on the couch that she whispered, \u201cYou poor thing,\u201d as she covered him with a quilt she pulled from the armoire, and kissed his cheek. She left the lamp burning on a short wick so the room wouldn\u2019t be completely dark if he awoke while they were gone, and shut the door to a crack.<\/p>\n

The restaurant was doing a robust business and the large group had to wait to be seated. Hoss was on his third helping of the greasy fish and chips when he declared, \u201cThis ain\u2019t somethin\u2019 I\u2019d go for all the time, but it sure is good for this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the eating slowed and the plates emptied, Abel asked, \u201cShould we take something home for Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda thought back to the pale man who\u2019d swallowed hard before being able to speak. \u201cThere\u2019s plenty at the house, but I think he needs sleep more than food.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRest is the best thing for him,\u201d Ben interjected. \u201cIf I know my son, he\u2019s had trouble sleeping since this all began.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled knowingly at her father-in-law. These people all knew Adam well, and could imagine what he\u2019d gone through. There was no need to confirm it.<\/p>\n

Thirteen \u2013 Friday, October 18, 1872 \u2013 9 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Having their bellies full had sedated her children, but Melinda had known they were in for trouble when the cool night air on the walk home had re-energized them. She left them in the care of Hoss and Ben while she and Joe made their way to the house to check on Adam. Their squeals of delight at being chased by their Uncle Hoss nearly shook the windows, and their mother smiled as she removed her cape and hat, and then helped Joe bring the lamps up inside the house. She hoped Adam was feeling well enough to join them for a few minutes and say goodnight to his children. AJ and Lizzy always settled more easily when he was there. She supposed it was a combination of love, respect, and a healthy dose of wondering what he might do if they didn\u2019t quiet down and go to sleep.<\/p>\n

Adam was not a disciplinarian, but the children knew he expected them to behave. The only time she could even remember a spanking, or a \u201cnecessary talk\u201d as Adam had deemed it in honor of his own father, was when AJ had lit a fire. He\u2019d wanted to see how quickly a dry leaf could combust. The answer, as he\u2019d found out, was pretty doggone fast, and since the one leaf had been surrounded by companions, AJ had managed to start a small bonfire in the back yard. Adam had explained why the infraction was so serious, and then promised AJ that he could ask his parents about anything he was interested in exploring\u2026before initiating the punishment that had given the boy a physical reminder of their conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cMelinda?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe was smiling when she looked towards him, and she realized she\u2019d been so deep in thought that she hadn\u2019t been listening. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Joe. My thoughts drifted away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d say you drifted at least a continent away.\u201d He chuckled. \u201cI said that the door to Adam\u2019s office looks to be where you left it earlier, so I don\u2019t think he\u2019s been up. Should we wake him?\u201d<\/p>\n

As they walked toward the office, Melinda grinned at her brother-in-law. \u201cDid you notice how our waitress kept smiling at you, and handed the bowls of food to you so you had to look up at her? I think she had eyes for you, Joe. But then why wouldn\u2019t she? You\u2019re mildly handsome, quick with a joke, and flirtatious, making you the kind of husband any not-too-choosey woman might want.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe returned the teasing. \u201cSo what did you see in my older brother that made you choose him?\u201d He put his finger to his forehead in mock thought. \u201cYou must have been looking for a grouchy, hairy man with a rock-hard head and little emotion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm.\u201d She stopped walking and shot him a look of feigned amazement. \u201cNow that you mention it, I have no idea why I didn\u2019t pick you instead. How about I leave Adam and we\u2019ll run away together?\u201d<\/p>\n

They\u2019d reached the door, and Joe asked a last question. \u201cSo how soon so you think go ahead with your plan to leave that husband of yours? I\u2019ll need to pack.\u201d<\/p>\n

She leaned nearer to speak more quietly as she took Joe\u2019s hand. \u201cThe problem with this plan is that I love the hairy, hard-headed, man who\u2019s snoring in this room. What I saw from the first day I met him was his heart, his faithfulness, and determination. Without him, I am half of who I am with him, and I don\u2019t think I could live that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled and pulled her into an embrace as he whispered back, \u201cMy brother is a lucky man.\u201d<\/p>\n

They moved ahead as Melinda pushed the door open. The sound they heard as they entered, stopped them cold. The low light on the desk revealed that Adam was not only awake, but had taken a defensive position, crouching behind the desk. He was holding his pistol, and at the moment it was cocked and aimed at them.<\/p>\n

Joe eased Melinda behind him. \u201cIt\u2019s just us, Adam. Joe and Melinda. I\u2019m sorry we startled you. Put the gun down and we\u2019ll get it a little brighter in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stood, but the gun remained in his hand, pointed at his brother\u2019s heart. He reached over and raised the wick in the lamp. His voice sounded pained and strangled as he said, \u201cCouldn\u2019t you two wait until I\u2019m officially declared a failure before making plans to be together?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d Joe tried to sound nonchalant, but his nerves and reflexes were on alert.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I\u2019m losing everything. It\u2019ll make you happy to watch me limp away like a lame dog while you lay claim to what I had. Won\u2019t that be a fine day\u2026Little<\/em> Joe<\/em>. You and the woman I love can sail off to another continent while I face disgrace alone. I\u2019ll end up living under a bridge like the other lost souls while you two live the good-life in France.\u201d Adam\u2019s voice had dripped with venom as he\u2019d pronounce Joe’s name, but his diatribe had exhausted him. He used his free hand to pinch the bridge of his nose and then massage his temples.<\/p>\n

Melinda understood that something was terribly wrong, yet she had no idea what it might be. She was visibly trembling as she stepped out of Joe\u2019s shadow and walked slowly toward the desk. \u201cI don\u2019t think you\u2019re fully awake, sweetheart. Joe and I were at dinner with your family, but you stayed back because you weren\u2019t feeling well. I think maybe you heard bits and pieces of the teasing Joe and I were engaged in outside the door and you\u2019re getting that mixed into the dream you were having.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had no idea what Melinda was talking about. It was worse than that though; nothing seemed familiar. Part of what she\u2019d said made sense. He had heard laughter and grabbed his Colt from the drawer. But now everything was jumbled together as he tried to remember what he\u2019d heard. Hadn\u2019t they concluded that Melinda had chosen the wrong man, and hadn\u2019t Joe said they were going away together? His brother planned on going to France to open a restaurant, and he was taking Melinda along. That didn\u2019t seem right, but Joe had always competed with him and now, when he was helpless to fight back, the kid was going to move in. That didn\u2019t seem right either, but it seemed to have been borne out in what he\u2019d overheard.<\/p>\n

When he didn\u2019t answer, Melinda spoke more firmly. \u201cPut the gun down, Adam. You don\u2019t want to hurt anyone. Try to wake up a little more, and then I\u2019ll make some tea and get you settled for the night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not a child,\u201d he spat at her. \u201cYou just want me out of the way so you two can get on with your plans!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop it!\u201d She didn\u2019t know what else to say to change this situation.<\/p>\n

When Joe tried to step forward, Adam pointed the pistol menacingly. \u201cStop right there.\u201d His attention was drawn to the noise outside the window. \u201cWhose urchins are playing out there at this hour of the night? What kind of parents would allow their children to run wild like that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda drew back as though slapped. \u201cThose are our children<\/em>, Adam. They\u2019re playing with Hoss to get a little sleepier before bed time. It\u2019s only eight PM.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy children?\u201d The question tore his mind apart. He couldn\u2019t remember having children. \u201cHow\u2026m\u2026many\u2026?\u201d He laid the gun on the desk and dropped to the chair, cradling his head in his hands and moaning softly.<\/p>\n

She was at his side in an instant. \u201cWe have two children; AJ and Elizabeth.\u201d Her hands were shaking as she stroked his cheek and made him look up at her. \u201cI think you are more ill than we thought. You need a good night\u2019s rest and I\u2019m sure things will be clearer in the morning.\u201d She was able to move the gun out of reach before helping him to stand again. \u201cCome up to bed now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Something in his memory made him think he could trust Melinda, but it made no difference. He still couldn\u2019t remember having children, and right now, only these few square feet around him felt safe. When she tried to pull him forward, he grabbed at her wrist. The jumble of fear; the loss of memory, and overwhelming pain in his head fired his anger. \u201cStop mothering me!\u201d he shouted at her. He had no idea why he\u2019d said it or what he planned to do. The one thing he wanted most was to be alone to sort things through.<\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon, sweetheart.\u201d She adopted a light tone while taking his free hand and pulling him toward her.<\/p>\n

His grip on her wrist tightened and his face set in an angry scowl. \u201cThe only thing I want is for both of you to get out of here. And feel free to pack; I won\u2019t stand in your way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda\u2019s eyes widened as she experienced her husband\u2019s brute strength for the first time. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears and feel it in her throat. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she tried to wrest her arm free, and she finally cried out, \u201cAdam! You\u2019re hurting me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He withdrew his hand immediately and looked at it. It felt disconnected\u2014foreign and evil. One look at Melinda confirmed his worst fear. She was crying and rubbing at her wrist and he could see the red marks where his fingers had gripped. And still nothing made sense. He sat again as he regrouped enough to say, \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d He looked up at her, and remembered\u2026nothing. He knew Melinda\u2014felt something burning deep in his heart when he looked at her\u2014and had even accused Joe of taking the \u201cwoman he loved.\u201d But he couldn\u2019t remember anything about being with her intimately. How could they have produced children? It was all wrong, but instead of admitting this, he adopted the ways of a wounded wild animal and sought to hole-up. \u201cYou\u2019re right; I was having a strange dream and then I thought there was an intruder. I\u2019m sorry for what I said to both of you,\u201d he bit his lip and closed his eyes before looking at Melinda. \u201cAnd did to you. I wasn\u2019t myself.\u201d He flashed a brief smile. \u201cBut I\u2019m thinking clearly now, although I\u2019m still not feeling well, so it\u2019s best if I go back to sleep. I\u2019ll stay in here for tonight\u2026just in case I am getting sick. You better get back to your children.\u201d When Joe and Melinda didn\u2019t move quickly enough, he pointed toward the door and said firmly, \u201cPlease leave. And close the door if you would.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe knew it was time to retreat, and while Adam\u2019s head was down, he moved forward to take the gun, and then guided Melinda to the exit. His trembling matched hers as they stared at each other once they were outside the closed door. He walked her into the living area and said softly, \u201cDo you really think he was all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

She shook her head. \u201cIt seems like a small thing, but he said I should go to my<\/em> children and didn\u2019t tell me to say goodnight to them. He\u2019d never forget that if he was all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always used to say that our older brother didn\u2019t give in to sickness until it knocked him out, and I think that\u2019s what happened in there. You know he doesn\u2019t like to admit he\u2019s human like the rest of us.\u201d Joe grinned as he tried to lighten her concern. \u201cHe\u2019ll be right as rain in the morning.\u201d He took her wrist and examined it. \u201cDid he hurt you?\u201d<\/p>\n

The welts were still defined, showing exactly where his fingers had been. \u201cI think it surprised me more than it hurt. I\u2019ve always known he was strong\u2026\u201d her voice trailed off as she recalled the look in her husband\u2019s eyes. \u201cRest is the sure cure,\u201d she affirmed. \u201cHe\u2019ll drift back to sleep quickly and probably won\u2019t even remember this.\u201d She sought Joe\u2019s eyes in trust. \u201cCan we keep this to ourselves? Sam can examine him if he\u2019s not feeling better when they get here tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. \u201cI understand how you feel, but I\u2019m going to tell Pa about it now. I\u2019ll sleep in the parlor tonight, just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Her nod was tentative, yet she understood his concern. \u201cThat\u2019s probably a good idea. You\u2019ll hear him if…\u201d Their remarks were cut short as they heard the back door open and the voices of happy children. She ran to shush them. \u201cDaddy isn\u2019t feeling well, and he\u2019s trying to sleep in his office.\u201d To forestall their worry, she appealed to their sibling competitiveness. \u201cLet\u2019s see who can tiptoe most quietly, get ready for bed without saying a word, and fall asleep the fastest. The winner gets to ride the pony first tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

She awoke from a fitful sleep, surprised that she\u2019d dozed off at all. Yet the long day and emotional upheaval at the end had taken their toll, leaving her exhausted. She\u2019d left a lamp burning so she could see the clock. It was one a.m., and it took every bit of her resolve to stop from rushing down to wake Adam and see if he was doing better. She felt helpless except for continuing the activity she\u2019d been engaging in when she\u2019d fallen asleep: praying.<\/p>\n

When she finished pouring out her heart\u2019s concerns and hopes, she donned a robe and made her way downstairs to check on her brother-in-law. It wasn\u2019t a surprise to find Joe awake and reading in a chair, while Hoss slept on the couch. \u201cSo you can\u2019t sleep either?\u201d she whispered as she completed the steps and made her way to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI dozed off, but then I thought I heard something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda\u2019s eye popped open. \u201cWas it Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s head moved side-to-side. \u201cIt was something out front; a horse and buggy, I think.\u201d He nodded toward the door of the room that held their interest. \u201cI thought I\u2019d stick my head in and make sure he was sleeping, but he\u2019s got it locked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just as well, I suppose. At least that way you\u2019ll hear him if he ventures out.\u201d She grimaced before saying, \u201cI\u2019m sorry I didn\u2019t come down after getting the children settled, but I couldn\u2019t talk any more just then, and then I dozed off. What did Ben say when you told him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPretty much as I figured: Adam\u2019s been burning the candle too low; rest has always been what he needs most when he gets this worn out, and he always had tortured dreams when he was ill.\u201d He chuckled. \u201cI can tell you that the last thing Pa wanted to do was go to bed, but I convinced him to stay put by telling him that Hoss could sleep down here too in case I needed a little muscle power, and we\u2019d come get him if anything happened.\u201d When Melinda yawned, he nodded toward the snoring mound on the couch. \u201cHoss can sleep through anything, but do you think you can get a little more shuteye?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe; how about you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll try.\u201d<\/p>\n

She leaned to kiss Joe\u2019s cheek and sighed. \u201cI still have to wonder why he thought you and I were plotting against him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe had been thinking about the same question as he\u2019d tried to fall sleep. He remembered Adam being accused of something similar years ago, and the circumstances surrounding that was setting his nerves on edge. He kept those fears to himself as he offered, \u201cAdam and I were always competitive. We enjoyed besting one another whenever we could. I imagine that his worry about the company and all the things he\u2019s been dealing with got mixed together with what he\u2019d heard us talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Melinda rubbed her wrist in the darkness as she tried to sleep again. The welts were gone, but the phantom pain lingering in her skin was fueled by the worry that Adam had fallen into some dark pit in the hours he\u2019d spent alone. Was it his years of loss and struggle that had ultimately consumed his light\u2026or was it simply the rambling of a fevered mind as Ben and Joe had suggested? She wanted to believe that he was physically ill, yet she\u2019d felt no abnormal heat in his skin when she\u2019d touched his face.<\/p>\n

Despite her anxiety, she found the early sun peeking through the clouds, painting her bedroom with golden streaks of hope when she next opened her eyes. It was still early, but enough hours had passed that she assumed Adam\u2019s condition would have improved. She dressed hurriedly.<\/p>\n

Fourteen \u2013 Saturday, October 19, 1872 \u2013 6 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

She smiled when she realized she wasn\u2019t the only early riser. Ben, Hoss, and Joe were dressed and waiting for her in the parlor. \u201cSo is it time to open the door and see what\u2019s inside?\u201d she teased. \u201cI\u2019m sure all will be well, so you can lose those dour looks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe already done tried the door, and it\u2019s still locked.\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cBut we thought we\u2019d wait fer you before doing anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

She bypassed the men, walked to the office and knocked loudly. \u201cAdam, it\u2019s time to get up.\u201d Her voice was cheery, yet tense. She tried again, and listened for sounds to indicate that he was up and moving. Her fear rose as she wondered if he\u2019d been more ill than they\u2019d thought. The image of him suffering while she\u2019d slept shook her. She nodded toward the largest Cartwright. \u201cGet it open.\u201d<\/p>\n

The locked door was no match for a worried Hoss, and the four of them rushed in as soon as it was swinging on its hinges. Melinda cried out in surprise, while Ben checked behind the desk, the only place not visible from where they were standing, and declared the obvious. \u201cHe\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe slapped the side of his head when he saw the curtains fluttering at the open window. \u201cThat\u2019s what I must have heard last night.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cBut it sounded more like a carriage on the street, not a window opening or someone walking by the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure Adam didn\u2019t make any noise, son,\u201d Ben offered. \u201cHe might live in the city, but he\u2019s still got his wilderness skills. We\u2019ll search outside\u2026\u201d His voice trailed off as he noticed papers on the floor around the desk, blown there by the same breeze that was keeping the drapery in motion. Most of what he gathered were blank notes, but he found a larger sheet of paper that had lodged under the desk with only a corner showing. The writing was imprecise and fuzzy in spots, perhaps indicating an unsteady hand. He motioned for Melinda to join him as he laid it on the blotter. \u201cThis is for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sat at the chair, while the three others read over her shoulder.<\/p>\n

My Love,<\/em><\/p>\n

I pen this in a moment of some lucidity. <\/em><\/p>\n

My mind is a jumble. I recall little of what I said to you and Joe, but I think I came close to hurting you, and that has shaken me beyond reason. I pretended to understand what was happening so you\u2019d leave. Yet, even with some time lapsed in contemplation; I can\u2019t remember being married or having children. In this tangle of thoughts and suspicions, I feel certain that you and Joe are planning to go to France together, yet I now think Frankie was planning that, not you. Thinking of him brings greater frustration because I sense something is wrong with my old friend and his family\u2014a tragedy\u2014that leaves me feeling devastated, yet without a framework. My memories are missing or chaotic. It frightens me, but even worse; it makes me furious.<\/em><\/p>\n

I know I\u2019m in Boston, but my surroundings provide no comfort, and I feel like a wounded animal trying to defend myself from the perceived threats around me. I have no idea why Joe is here. A funeral comes to mind, but I can\u2019t remember for whom. Perhaps I\u2019m ill, but it\u2019s more likely that I\u2019m losing my mind. I need time to think without fear of harming anyone more than I have. <\/em><\/p>\n

My thoughts remain unreliable except for one: I do remember loving you with my entire heart. Another disturbing thought is that the name Ross Marquette keeps slipping through my recollection, evoking dread. I don\u2019t recall the circumstances associated with him either, only the surety that they prove a mind can become so deranged as to give license to destroy what it loves. This compels me to go. <\/em><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a picture on the desk of you and me with two children\u2014our family, I presume. Please help them remember me as the man I seem to be in this photograph; not as the monster I\u2019ve become.<\/em><\/p>\n

I will make sure you that you are notified once my deteriorating mental capacity is confirmed, and then you can go on with your life. <\/em><\/p>\n

The writing turned unreadable at that point with a scrawl that may have been meant as a signature. Those around the desk stood in silence.<\/p>\n

Ben sighed before prompting the group back to action. \u201cHoss; Joe, go outside and make sure he didn\u2019t collapse in the yard.\u201d He thought a moment and turned to Melinda. \u201cDoes Adam keep cash at the house?\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded as she pulled open a drawer and undid a latch to expose a hidden space. \u201cHe always has a few hundred on hand, but it\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good. He was thinking straight enough to take that, so he must have had a plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can he think I\u2019d simply go on without him?\u201d The pools of tears in her eyes cascaded over her lower lashes as she looked up at her father-in-law. \u201cAnd what do we do now?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben knelt next to the chair and took her hands. We go on with the day\u2019s routine until we figure things out a little more.\u201d He looked up as he heard the thump of feet running above him. \u201cYour little ones are up, so you\u2019re going to have to control your fear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do I tell them about this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSay that Adam had to go somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda chuckled dryly. \u201cThat\u2019ll work for Lizzy, but AJ will pick up on our uneasiness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben thought a moment. \u201cIf he questions you, \u00a0tell him that you aren\u2019t sure where Adam had to go, but it isn\u2019t anything for AJ to worry about. For now, I\u2019ll go over and tell Abel and Sadie what\u2019s going on and bring them here. You and Sadie can make breakfast, while the men keep the children busy.<\/p>\n

Ben was on his way to the door when Hoss and Joe came rushing in. Joe was still breathing hard as he said, \u201cWe checked both yards thoroughly. The bushes under the window are damaged where he went out, but other than that, there\u2019s no sign of where he went.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder if Joe heard a cab picking up Adam during the night.\u201d Ben looked to Melinda. \u201cIs it likely he\u2019d have found transportation during the night?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pubs close around one, so he might have hailed a cab that dropped off a fare.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019re cabs out there now,\u201d Ben noted after looking out the front window. \u201cGo talk to the drivers, Joe. Ask them if they were on duty during the night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it?\u201d Melinda\u2019s face sagged. \u201cCan\u2019t we do more?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss took her hand and walked her to the couch. \u201cI wasn\u2019t around for what happened last night, but it don\u2019t sound a lick like the brother I know. Somethin\u2019s wrong and we gotta figure out what that is before we can make plans. Dr. Sam and yer sister will get here soon. Maybe he\u2019ll have an idea about it.\u201d He patted her hands. \u201cIt don\u2019t pay to run off before we know where we\u2019re runnin\u2019 to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Section Footnotes<\/strong><\/p>\n

9<\/strong> First Parish in Cambridge\u00a0is a\u00a0Unitarian Universalist<\/a>\u00a0church, located in\u00a0Harvard Square<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Cambridge, Massachusetts<\/a>. In 1833, the congregation built the fifth and final Meeting House, which stands adjacent to present-day Harvard Yard. Harvard College held its annual commencement ceremonies there for the next forty years. Five Harvard College Presidents—Everett, Sparks, Walker, Felton, Hill, and Eliot<\/u>—began their inaugural terms there as well.<\/p>\n

10<\/sup> Memorial Hall was built with alumni funds to honor those who\u2019d fought in the Civil War, but was in construction at this time, not finished. I will move this point of history forward a few years for fictional purposes.<\/p>\n

10B<\/sup> Chef M Sanzian, was the first celebrity chef to be employed in the United States. I introduced him in this series when the Cartwrights visited the Parker House Hotel. His Boston Cream Pies have popped up as a treat created by Hop Sing, and later enjoyed by Hoss when he visited Boston.<\/p>\n

11<\/sup><\/strong> At one time the President of Harvard was selected by a board of governors that included many elected officials. But a crisis in the educational system prompted a change. The system needed a manager as well as an academic who would strengthen the potential of Harvard graduates. An opinion had long been gaining ground that it would be better for the community and the interests of learning, as well as for the university, if the power to elect the overseers were transferred from the legislature to the graduates of the college. This change was made in 1865, and at the same time the governor and other state officers ceased to form part of the board. The effect of this change was to greatly strengthen the interest of the alumni in the management of the university, and thus to prepare the way for extensive and thorough reforms. Charles William Eliot succeeded to that office in 1869. This works well into my story with Frank Wadsworth being a well-known alumnus of Harvard, and I\u2019ve already established Adam as someone working with the university to strengthen the curriculum of the engineering school.<\/p>\n

12<\/sup><\/strong> Andrew Preston Peabody was preacher to Harvard University; the Plummer professor of Christian morals from 1860 to 1881, and was professor emeritus from 1881 until his death in Boston, Massachusetts<\/a>, shortly before his 82nd birthday.<\/p>\n

13<\/sup><\/strong> \u201cSpeculation\u201d was a mild domestic gambling game that appeared towards the end of the 18th century and disappeared about a hundred years later. Jane Austen and Charles Dickens mention it in novels. It is described as being a fun and noisy game where chips were entered into a pot and won by the player with the highest trump. It honestly sounds like fun, and was probably a forerunner of many of the rummy games we play now.<\/p>\n

14<\/sup><\/strong> In the third episode of the One Step Forward series, In Search of Safety, Melinda is scratched badly by a barn cat that carried the bactieria for Cat Scratch Fever.<\/p>\n

__________________<\/p>\n

Part Three<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fifteen \u2013 Saturday, October 19, 1872 \u2013 8 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

The family was finishing breakfast when Sam and Melinda Green walked through the front door. The doctor didn\u2019t need to take a second look at the anxious faces at the table to know that something was wrong. He did a quick headcount and asked, \u201cWhere\u2019s Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda sent the children outside with Jillian before letting the couple read the note and telling them about the incident that had provoked it. She looked intently at Sam when she\u2019d finished. \u201cWhat do you think is happening to him?\u201d<\/p>\n

He paced the living area as he considered what he\u2019d heard, and finally faced the group. \u201cIt could be a number of things, so let\u2019s eliminate some of them.\u201d He raised his finger to indicate the first option. \u201cA stroke could change his thinking and personality very quickly. Did you notice any slurring of speech or changes in his face or body\u2026like one side wasn\u2019t working as well as the other?\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda looked at Joe and then shook her head. \u201cWhat Adam said was off, but his words were clear. He moved without problem and used both hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

A second finger joined the first. \u201cThere\u2019s the possibility of a brain tumor. It might have been growing for some time, and has gotten large enough to cause a personality change. But I suspect you would have seen other indications of something amiss. Has he complained of headaches lately?\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda blew a loud breath as she shook her head. \u201cHe mentioned having a bad headache when he got home yesterday, but I can\u2019t remember the last time he\u2019d had one before that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam reached for Adam\u2019s note and read it over again. \u201cWho is this Ross, he mentioned? He seems to play a pivotal part in his fear. Might that hold a clue?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss cleared his throat. \u201cI know this story as well as anyone. It weren\u2019t that Pa and Joe weren\u2019t there for Adam after it happened, but me and my older brother\u2026well we could talk to each other about the hard stuff we\u2019d gone through.\u201d The others leaned forward expectantly as he continued. \u201cAdam and Ross had been friends for some 15 years. \u00a0He\u2019d started as a hand with us just before Adam left for school and by the time Adam got home Ross had saved enough to buy some land and start on his own ranch. My brother even stood up for Ross when he married Delphine, and he did anything he could to help them get the ranch goin\u2019 and makin\u2019 money. But things went bad in a flash one spring when Adam got home from helping Frankie over the winter in Frisco. He went to their house to ask Ross if he\u2019d help us find a passel of steers we was missin\u2019, but when he got there, Ross accused him of sneakin\u2019 around with Delphine behind his back, and shot at Adam when he denied it. Turned out he\u2019d accusin\u2019 his wife of awful things for months, and then beating her when she\u2019d denied them. Adam tried to protect Delphine by bringin\u2019 her to our place,\u201d Hoss stopped and swallowed hard as he remembered the pain his brother had gone through. \u201cBut Ross snuck over when we was all out and beat her near to death. She died in Adam\u2019s arms and he realized what a sick, crazy animal his friend had become.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda gasped. \u201cHe never told me about it, so it must have remained a raw scar. But how could he think he\u2019d be capable of doing that to me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the hardest part for Adam; he never thought his friend was capable of killing either, especially not the woman he loved,\u201d Hoss said as he shook his head. \u201cPaul Martin told Adam the same thing Sam just mentioned: that it might\u2019a been a brain tumor. But he thought it was likely Ross was so sick in his mind that he couldn\u2019t reason anymore. Ross had always seemed an honest, hard workin\u2019 sod-of-the-earth kind\u2019a fella, but he\u2019d been the one stealin\u2019 our beef and changin\u2019 the brand too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could Ross suspect Adam of this\u2026affair when he wasn\u2019t even home?\u201d Melinda asked as she continued to think about the incident and its impact on her husband.<\/p>\n

\u201cA delusional mind will fabricate a story to best suit what they\u2019re experiencing,\u201d Sam explained. \u201cDistrust, and accusations against family and friends is very common. In fact, it\u2019s probably what you and Joe experienced last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you think he is going insane like Ross?\u201d Ben asked in an incredulous tone.<\/p>\n

Sam began pacing again as he considered the known facts. \u201cI don\u2019t think the situations are alike, although the symptoms seem similar. Hoss said that the friend\u2019s deterioration had been going on for months, but we all know that Adam was fine until yesterday evening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo then what did happen?\u201d Hoss wondered aloud.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is the possibility that the death of the Wadsworths and the pending loss of the company might have become too much for him to deal with.\u201d Sam looked around the group. \u201cThe accumulation of severe stress can produce instantaneous catastrophic depression, hopelessness, and the inability to process information correctly. I\u2019ve heard this called, a \u2018mental breakdown.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s words startled the listeners, as evidenced by the round-eyed stares and rigid posture they assumed. He continued. \u201cHe might have held himself in check because he had so many details to oversee. But once that rush of activity ended, he lost focus.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s true,\u201d Melinda said with conviction. \u201cHe\u2019s always faced things square on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he did say something last night about how we would see him as a failure.\u201d Joe\u2019s fists clenched as he said words he hated even as he uttered them. \u201cMaybe that\u2019s what was different this time.\u201d His jaw clenched to match his fists.<\/p>\n

Melinda wanted to slap Joe and call him out for his betrayal, but something in what he\u2019d said rang true. \u201cCould this sort of\u2026break down\u2026happen in a matter of hours?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt could have been building since he got the news. Still,\u201d he paused as he thought again. \u201cI agree that Adam isn\u2019t the sort to fall apart. There\u2019s one more thing these sudden symptoms could indicate, and I\u2019m actually leaning to this possibility: a head injury.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stood abruptly. \u201cThis would have happened recently?\u201d He received a nod from Sam, and his tone changed from hopeful to doubtful. \u201cWe\u2019ve all been together the last two days, and there was no incident.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam crouched in front of Melinda, taking her hands. \u201cI want you to think about being with Adam last night, and tell me what you saw\u2014not just what you heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

She closed her eyes, reliving the confusing episode. \u201cHe looked tired.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow so?\u201d Sam prodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had trouble keeping his eyes open, and he let his head drop forward like it was heavy\u2026right Joe?\u201d Her brother-in-law nodded. \u201cI kept thinking that he wasn\u2019t fully awake.\u201d She looked at Joe again for confirmation.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re doing fine. Now tell me how he looked when he was holding your arm.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shut her eyes again, and realized she had been looking directly at him when he\u2019d been gripping her wrist. What she recalled made her gasp. \u201cThere was something wrong with his eyes! The color is so dark sometimes that it\u2019s hard to distinguish the pupil, but one was darker\u2026maybe larger than the other. Could that mean something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but go on. How did he act when he realized he was hurting you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seemed as though he didn\u2019t know he\u2019d been doing it, and then moaned like he was in pain, using his fists to push against his temples.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam rose again and looked at the Cartwrights. \u201cAre you sure he couldn\u2019t have been injured yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben closed his eyes just as Melinda had done and let images of the previous day flow through his memory. He looked up suddenly, and said, \u201cWe need to talk to AJ. The only time we didn\u2019t see Adam was when he went to retrieve the boy from a shed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd we did hear some kind\u2019a commotion in there,\u201d Hoss added.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Hoss brought his nephew into the room and held his shoulders gently as he stationed the child in front of Melinda. \u201cYour mama has a question.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid your daddy hurt himself yesterday when he was in that shed with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

AJ shook his head. \u201cI didn\u2019t do anything to Daddy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss gave the boy\u2019s shoulders a gentle squeeze. \u201cWe\u2019re not sayin\u2019 that, AJ. We just need to know if he bumped his head.\u201d<\/p>\n

The child was frozen. His eyes darted between family members as he kept silent.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, darling. Tell me about it.\u201d Melinda encouraged as she turned his face to see only her.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a secret between Daddy and me,\u201d he finally confessed in a whisper to his mother.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t keep that secret, honey. Daddy might be sick because of what happened. That ends all pacts you made with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t want me to play with cats; I\u2019m sorry, Mama. If I hadn\u2019t been doing that Daddy wouldn\u2019t have gotten hurt.\u201d Tears began to run down his cheeks. He dropped his head as the confession tumbled from his lips. \u201cDaddy stepped on the mama cat in that shed and bumped something that made a pipe fall on his head.\u201d The truth exhausted the child and he turned to Hoss, hugging his uncle\u2019s legs as he continued to cry.<\/p>\n

A collective sigh rose from those assembled. Sam smiled. \u201cIt seems we may have an answer.\u201d He pulled AJ from Hoss, and knelt next to him. \u201cCan you show me where that pipe hit your daddy?\u201d AJ indicated the area of his head just behind the crown. \u201cWhat did he do when it happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe fell on his knees and grabbed his head.\u201d He sniffed loudly as he hiccupped away his remaining tears, and then looked at his mother. \u201cDaddy said a bunch of bad words, but I tried not to listen.\u201d He returned his attention to his physician uncle. \u201cHe sounded like he was gonna throw up\u2014you know, sort of urpy, and he fell back down a couple times when he tried to stand up. The he said he was fine but we shouldn\u2019t tell anyone, \u2018cuz he\u2019d never hear the end of the teasing for tripping on a cat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam was nodding. \u201cYou\u2019ve been very helpful, AJ. I think we can fix your dad up just fine.\u201d What he didn\u2019t say was, if they could find him.<\/p>\n

Once Jillian took AJ outside again, the doctor gave his diagnosis. \u201cI think Adam took a serious head blow. The initial pain subsided and he went on with his day. What he didn\u2019t know was that vessels on his brain were bleeding or perhaps the tissue inside his skull swelled after the impact. Whatever the cause, it began pushing on parts of his brain that affect his memory, reactions, and judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWon\u2019t that continue to get worse?\u201d Abel asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt might, or it may have stopped already and he could be on the mend. But we have to find him to know which is true.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wrote that he needed a place to think.\u201d Joe\u2019s comment was seconded by Melinda.<\/p>\n

Miranda spoke for the first time. \u201cDidn\u2019t his note say he was concerned about becoming a monster? Might he have gone to the police and asked them to lock him up?\u201d She gulped as her lips turned in a disgusted twist. \u201cOr maybe he went to that mental asylum on the far side of town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda shuddered. \u201cWe\u2019ll check both places, but I believe that he wanted help, not just confinement.\u201d<\/p>\n

No one expected to hear a small voice issue from under the dining room table. \u201cMaybe he went to the monstery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda walked over and looked where her daughter was hiding. \u201cWhat are you doing, my little one?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSitting under the table,\u201d the child replied without guile.<\/p>\n

\u201cLizzy likes to lurk under here,\u201d Melinda explained to the others, before turning back to the little girl. \u201cEven though she knows she\u2019s not supposed to eavesdrop. You must have forgotten that, as well as that you were to stay outside with Jillian and your brother.\u201d She pulled her daughter from her hiding place and moved the child onto her hip and waited for a reply. Lizzy shrugged but offered no defense.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere do you think your daddy went, child?\u201d Sadie asked. The older woman looked at the others. \u201cLizzy is very observant, and usually has sound ideas. Maybe we should hear her out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mother sat, letting the girl straddle her lap. \u201cWhat did you mean, honey?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard Aunt Miranda say that Daddy\u2019s a monster, so maybe he went to the monster place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda tried not to grin. \u201cWhat is a monster place?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, Mommy. Its\u2019 on the way to Grandpa Frank\u2019s house. I asked why the men wore dresses to work in the garden, and Daddy said those weren\u2019t dresses. They were just still in their robes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2026the monastery.\u201d She hugged the girl to her as she smiled at the others. \u201cThe order of Saint John the Evangelist has a retreat center\u2026\u201d Her words stilled as her mouth dropped open. \u201cFrom the mouths of babes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam began to smile too. \u201cSt. John\u2019s offers sanctuary for those in turmoil. They participate in a monastic life of prayer and reflection while trying to find peace. The monks would protect his identity, keep him safe, and offer counseling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was up and heading for the door with his sons at his heels. \u201cWe\u2019ll get a cab.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda passed her daughter to her sister as she went for her coat. Sam was at the door by the time she made it there. \u201cWe\u2019ll let you know when we find him,\u201d she called back to those remaining at the house.<\/p>\n

Sixteen \u2013 Saturday, October 19, 1872 \u2013 9 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Abbot of St. John\u2019s was waiting outside the monastery for his buggy to be brought around when a cab pulled in. \u201cMrs. Cartwright,\u201d he greeted Melinda as he opened the door and looked inside. \u201cHow fortuitous that you\u2019ve arrived. I was about to travel to your house to report on your husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen Adam is here?\u201d Melinda asked hopefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me get this vehicle going in the right direction and I\u2019ll join you.\u201d He spoke to the driver and then looked more closely into the crowded coach, and chuckled. \u201cLooks like I\u2019ll need to sit on someone\u2019s lap, but we\u2019ll all get there together.\u201d Ben and Joe squeezed closer together to open up a space for the Abbott, who pushed back until he was planted on the edge of the seat. \u201cTo answer your question; Mr. Cartwright was<\/em> here, but he\u2019s at the hospital now, and that\u2019s where we\u2019re heading.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam Greene knew Father Matthew from his work at the hospital, and took the lead. \u201cWe suspect that Adam is suffering from a head injury that left him confused and angry. He left last night but left a note that made us think he might have come to you for help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Father Matthew tucked his hands into the sleeves of his robe and nodded. \u201cMr. Cartwright arrived around 1:30. It isn\u2019t unusual for the monastery to receive guests during the night. The long hours of darkness often increases despair to unbearable limits. Mr. Cartwright gave his name as Ross Marquette. Of course I knew who he really was, just as I recognized you, Mrs. Cartwright. We are not a cloistered order, so we are active in the community. I have seen you and your husband at charitable and civic events; I\u2019ve also seen him perform with the Boston Choir several times, and his picture is often in the newspaper. Yet with the state he was in, I thought it best to acknowledge the alias.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas he coherent?\u201d Sam asked.<\/p>\n

The Abbot\u2019s immediate answer came in a slight side-to-side head movement. \u201cHe was extremely anxious and agitated, but what he seemed to fear most was harming someone. I was unable to elicit a cause, so I focused on the easing the terror that sprang from it. He asked us to lock him in a room so he could rest without worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda spoke in a near whisper. \u201cWere you able to calm him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe looked to be exhausted, and I knew he had to sleep before we could begin to sort things out. I took him to a private room with a locking door where he finally relaxed and lay on the bed. I read to him from the Book of Psalms; hoping the cadence of the verses would sooth his soul and calm him mind. When he dozed off, I stationed one of our larger brothers at his door and let him sleep. I knew he needed medical help more than spiritual assistance this morning when I couldn\u2019t wake him. Two of our brothers took him to Massachusetts General.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stared at Sam with fatherly intensity. \u201cI don\u2019t suppose this is the news you\u2019d hoped for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s in the best place now, Ben.\u201d He leaned forward to peer out the window. \u201cWe\u2019ll be there in ten minutes. Perhaps Father Matthew can lead us in prayer until we arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you three stop pacing,\u201d Joe growled at his father, Hoss and Melinda. \u201cYou\u2019re all going to collide, and if Hoss ends up on top, two of you will be flatter than pancakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam had taken the four Cartwrights to his office to wait while he found out what was happening. They hadn\u2019t been happy about not being allowed a visit, but Sam had convinced them that being in Adam\u2019s room would hinder the examination.<\/p>\n

Melinda gave Joe a withering look for his comment and walked to the window, leaning her forehead against the cool glass. \u201cI should have known he needed help,\u201d she whispered. \u201cHow could I sleep while he was suffering on the wrong side of a locked door?\u201d Silent tears wet her cheeks as she watched leaves swirling from the oaks and maples in the brisk wind.<\/p>\n

\u201cFall was Adam\u2019s favorite time of year,\u201d she said as she glanced back at his family. \u201cHe said the elevation of the Ponderosa supported mostly evergreens, and he\u2019d missed the brilliant colors of New England.\u201d Melinda returned her focus outside as she heard Hoss say his brother had always talked about how purdy it got in Boston come October. She watched as a curled leaf lost its hold on a branch and drifted to the ground below, and wondered if the dying foliage was an omen. She pulled her handkerchief from her sleeve, dabbed at her cheeks, and lifted her mind to sweeter memories of the season.<\/p>\n

Adam and AJ had raked leaves together in the fall since the family had returned from England. Elizabeth had joined in the tradition this year, and they\u2019d added to the fun by burying themselves in the pile and then jumping out when she\u2019d come outside looking for them. After they\u2019d played enough to reduce the leaf pile to a reasonable size of crumbled pieces, they\u2019d burned it, and came in the house afterwards wearing the smoky aroma of fall.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve had so many happy days together and as a family<\/em>, she thought. But happiness never offers a guarantee of continuance. <\/em>She\u2019d been concentrating so deeply that she\u2019d missed Sam\u2019s entrance, and jumped when he put his hands on her shoulders from behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can give you a report,\u201d he announced as he guided her to his chair, and then perched on the corner of his desk. \u201cThis is Dr. Sidney Merchant.\u201d He indicated the man who\u2019d accompanied him, and then completed the introduction by pointing to each of the Cartwrights as he named them and their relationship to the patient. \u201cSidney is a Mass General neurologist at who has extensive experience with brain trauma, so I\u2019ll let him explain what he thinks is happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMay we see him first?\u201d Melinda interrupted.<\/p>\n

\u201cSoon, Mrs. Cartwright,\u201d Dr. Merchant promised. \u201cThere are decisions that will need to be made, and we should discuss those first.\u201d\u00a0 He chuckled as he saw the faces around him pale, and the patient\u2019s father take a quick seat. \u201cPerhaps I made that sound more ominous than I should have. Let\u2019s begin with what we know.\u201d He cleared his throat and asked Sam for some blank paper and a pencil. As he spoke, he drew the profile of a head. \u201cWe found a lump on the back of Mr. Cartwright\u2019s crown, just about here.\u201d He indicated the position on the paper. \u201cIt is large; so the blow was substantial. Dr. Greene confirmed that the initial trauma involved vertigo and nausea, followed hours later by personality changes. These symptoms indicate a severe concussion. The monks who brought him in indicated he fell into an unconscious state towards dawn, and he remains that way. This is worrisome, yet his reflexes are good; he does react to pain stimulus, and although Sam mentioned a possible inequality in his pupils earlier, they are equal and responsive now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis all sounds like good news.\u201d Ben commented in a tone laced with hope.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is. Another positive is that I can\u2019t feel any fracturing of the skull. On the other hand, the fact that his symptoms escalated over time may indicate that the damage done inside his skull formed a pocket of blood that is pressing against his brain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda said, \u201cI remember Sam mentioning that earlier. How serious is this?\u201d<\/p>\n

The moment of silence created by her question provided a pretty good idea of the answer, prompting Ben to begin stand abruptly and begin pacing again.<\/p>\n

Dr. Merchant resumed his drawing. \u201cLet me show you what\u2019s going on, so you\u2019ll understand what I might have to do.\u201d He drew a swirl of lines on the back and front of the head. \u201cA person\u2019s cranium is not a solid mass.\u201d He smiled at the two younger men, and offered an aside. \u201cAlthough Dr. Greene tells me that you two think your brother\u2019s head is made of New England granite.\u201d Joe and Hoss blushed as Dr. Merchant continued. \u201cThe brain moves inside the skull, and when it is struck from behind, it propels forward with equal force, striking the opposite interior wall of the skull.\u201d He sighed. \u201cThat forward force can rupture blood vessels or cause the brain to swell as the injured cells break down\u2014akin to when an ankle swells after a sprain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich is worse?\u201d The question came from Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t fix a brain that\u2019s swelling. But I might be able to help if it\u2019s an accumulation of blood.\u201d A collective breath by his listeners raised both hope and cheek-color.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can you do?\u201d Melinda looked first to Sam and then to the neurologist. \u201cAnd how soon will he recover?\u201d<\/p>\n

A pause preceded Dr. Merchant\u2019s answer. \u201cYou\u2019re getting ahead of yourself, Mrs. Cartwright. Your husband could simply wake up from this. I noticed a few scars in his scalp that would indicate he\u2019s sustained other head injuries without lasting effects. Dr. Greene said this accident happened around 2 PM yesterday, so we\u2019re not even at 24 hours yet. We\u2019ll wait that long before moving forward. But\u2026if he should begin to convulse or remain asleep…I can perform a trephination15* <\/sup>to clear the accumulating blood and cauterize leaking vessels.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben gulped. \u201cWhat is that word you used?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrephination means that I would bore a hole through his skull to access the outer surface of the brain and make repairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sound coming from Hoss sounded like a bull calf being castrated. \u201cAh naw. You can\u2019t be serious about drillin\u2019 a hole in his head! That\u2019s\u2026I don\u2019t know\u2026.\u201d He rubbed his sleeve across his eyes. \u201cBarbaric is what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe was holding his head in his hands, and Melinda\u2019s jaw hung open in utter shock. Only Ben was able to deal with the idea of the suggested surgery. \u201cYou\u2019ve done this before?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMany times, especially during the war when men experienced head injuries from shrapnel and the concussion of cannon fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda regained her voice. \u201cAnd it works?\u201d<\/p>\n

A nod. \u201cThere is the need for increased vigilance after such an opening is made, but with care a person can lead a normal life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2026how do you\u2026?\u201d Hoss asked, leaning back against the wall looking pale enough to become the next person to lose consciousness.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would fold back a flap of scalp and then use an instrument to bore the hole.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow would you know when to stop? Couldn\u2019t you accidentally drill into his brain?\u201d Joe asked the question, while taking several deep breaths.<\/p>\n

Dr. Merchant\u2019s voice was thick with understanding. \u201cI know this sounds unreasonable\u2026even barbaric as you\u2019ve said, but this can relieve the symptoms that would otherwise condemn a person to a slow and painful death or to spend the rest of their life as an invalid when the affected area of the brain dies from lack of blood flow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben had regained his equilibrium enough to ask, \u201cHow big is the hole?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully about this size.\u201d The doctor indicated the dimension by bringing his index finger to the base of his thumb. \u201cBut if the damaged area is bigger, the hole can be enlarged to the size of a silver dollar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you use that\u2026core\u2026you remove\u2026to\u2026,\u201d Melinda groaned, \u201c\u2026.as a plug\u2026afterwards?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bone disintegrates with the drilling process so there\u2019s nothing to set back in like a puzzle piece. We can only reclose the scalp. In time there will be calcification within the hole, but Mr. Cartwright would need to be careful of that spot. I suppose you could compare it to the soft spot that babies have.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen will you decide whether to do this?\u201d she questioned further.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have told you what I \u2018can<\/em>\u2019 do, Mrs. Cartwright. Your husband is unable to give his consent, and therefore it falls to you as to \u2018whether\u2019<\/em> I do it. You have a few more hours. I\u2019d say we\u2019ll look towards mid-afternoon. If he hasn\u2019t awakened by then, you\u2019ll have to decide.\u201d<\/p>\n

She could hear herself thanking the doctor, but for the life of her, she couldn\u2019t figure out why. This man had left her holding her husband\u2019s future. Melinda knew she wasn\u2019t a weak person. She\u2019d faced each obstacle in her life with confidence, but this was different. She glanced at the clock as she heard the others asking a few last questions and then offering their farewells. It was barely 10:30. So much had happened in the hours since they\u2019d found Adam\u2019s empty office that she thought it had to be evening. Yet she knew this was only a delay, not a reprieve, and the clock would continue to tick away the minutes until \u201cmid-afternoon\u201d would bring the need for sentencing. She rose unsteadily and grabbed Sam\u2019s arm. \u201cTake me to him; now!\u201d<\/p>\n

Sixteen \u2013 Saturday, October 19, 1872 \u2013 2:30 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

He looked to be sleeping\u2014just sleeping, not stuck in world away from them. His head and neck were resting on towels holding crushed ice intended to offer some palliative comfort for the pain both of his doctors agreed was present. But since the brunt of the force had been delivered to the back of his head, there was any visible bruising.<\/p>\n

His whole family had been with him for a while. Ben and Melinda had agreed that the others should come for a short visit\u2026just in case. Abel, Sadie and the children had arrived around noon and spent an hour at the bedside before Melinda asked that they return home. Massachusetts General did not allow children to visit on the wards, but Sam had snuck Elizabeth and AJ in after making them promise to keep their voices low. The two youngsters had sat on the bed with their father, each holding a hand; Lizzy telling how she\u2019d known where to look for him and concluding that he didn\u2019t look like a monster at all, while AJ sought absolution for revealing their secret.<\/p>\n

Melinda had been hopeful that the voices of his family would push Adam toward wakefulness, but his expression hadn\u2019t changed other than for the occasional tightening around his eyes, making it look like he was experiencing pain or an unsettling thought in his sleep. It had been quiet since the others had left, and the four remaining Cartwrights had spent the hours praying and pacing. Ben checked his pocket watch and gave his daughter-in-law a nod towards the opposite side of the room. Hoss and Joe followed her lead.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s nearly time,\u201d he said once they\u2019d assembled. \u201cWe\u2019ve held out hope that this decision would be unnecessary, but, you should be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. \u201cI don\u2019t know what to do. I would try anything to save him, but will he<\/em> want to live with a hole in his head?\u201d She laughed without humor. \u201cThat sounds like some sick joke.\u201d Her breathing was coming so fast that she felt she couldn\u2019t get enough oxygen and leaned against the wall for support. \u201cIf there was a guarantee that he\u2019d be fine again, I\u2019d say yes without a second thought. But Sam said he could have a stroke during or after the surgery, or if it\u2019s due to swelling, the hole will do no good and could make things worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben held her hand. \u201cThere are no guarantees, only chances.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019re saying I should allow it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben pulled Melinda to him. \u201cI\u2019m only saying that you can\u2019t worry about what \u2018might\u2019 happen later. First you have to save him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda walked unsteadily to the chair at Adam\u2019s bedside. \u201cI feel that either decision will be wrong\u2026condemning him to an unimaginably miserable life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss went to her side. \u201cThere\u2019s one thing you ain\u2019t tried yet.\u201d He wiped her tears away with his thumb as she looked up at him. \u201cYou gotta talk to Adam. He\u2019s always done best when he knows what he\u2019s up against. He might not realize that his time is runnin\u2019 out for this, and who\u2019s to say he can\u2019t hear us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI get what Hoss is saying,\u201d Ben cut in. \u201cTell him what\u2019s being suggested; which way you\u2019re leaning, and why. Don\u2019t hold back the details because he needs to know those too.\u201d He took her hand as he said, \u201cWe\u2019ll leave so you can have some time alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

A glance at the clock reminded her there was no time to waste. Once the room was cleared, she brought his hand to her lips, and then rested it against her cheek. \u201cYou know I love you more than anything in this life, Adam. And I find myself in the position of determining how you might spend the rest of yours. It would be a simple decision if there was something visibly wrong with you\u2014something horrible and obvious. But you look like you\u2019re sleeping.\u201d She chuckled. \u201cYou probably don\u2019t realize that I watch you sleeping some nights, wondering how I am so blessed to have you next to me. But that doesn\u2019t change what I\u2019m being asked to decide for you. Time is short, and you need to know a few things.\u201d<\/p>\n

A deep breath or two and she began again. \u201cYou might need an operation that involves boring through your skull to be able to stop the bleeding in your brain\u2026and leaving that hole there when they finish. And here\u2019s the rub, my love; the cure may be worse than the condition, and you could spend the rest of your life paralyzed or with diminished intellect. Those are the unknown outcomes I have to consider. Even if all goes well initially, there\u2019s still the danger of a brain infection or stroke afterwards, and your life might be restricted because of the opening in your skull. Still, doing nothing could ensure death or living on in an eternal coma.<\/p>\n

Another quick glance at the clock. \u201cDr. Merchant will be back soon, so you\u2019re running out of time to simply wake up. I know you\u2019ve provided well enough for us that we\u2019ll never want for anything if you don\u2019t make it through this. I appreciate that except that none of us will be all right without you.\u201d Her tone softened as she finished. \u201cI will make a decision when it\u2019s time, and I pray that you can forgive me if it\u2019s the wrong one.\u201d<\/p>\n

She moved to the edge of the bed and nestled her head on his chest as she listened to his heartbeat and breathing. Please help him wake up<\/em>, she beseeched in mental prayer as she held him tightly.<\/p>\n

Sam walked in quietly a few minutes later. \u201cIt\u2019s time,\u201d was all he said as Dr. Merchant came forward holding a sheet of paper and pen that he extended to her once she was sitting up. \u201cWe shouldn\u2019t wait any longer or the damage will be permanent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSam?\u201d she said, turning to her physician and friend.<\/p>\n

He nodded. \u201cIt\u2019s a chance, Melinda. He got through other injuries without intervention\u2026when he was younger. He\u2019s not old, but he\u2019s not as resilient as he used to be, and this time he might need help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her hand was trembling so violently as she signed the consent that she nearly broke the nib off the pen. She kissed Adam, and then ran from the room to where the others were waiting. \u201cWhat have I done?\u201d she whispered as she fell into Ben\u2019s arms and sobbed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat Cartwrights always do, Melinda,\u201d he said soothingly, stroking her hair. \u201cYou gave him a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seventeen \u2013 Saturday, October 19, 1872 \u2013 3:30 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

The clock had become her enemy. While previously it had moved too quickly, now each glance showed only a minimal advance and she wished the procedure to be over so she could find out whether her decision had saved or condemned the man she loved. Her heart was beating so hard that it seemed to fill her throat, making it hard to swallow or breathe. A quick look at the others reminded her that they were in similar agony.<\/p>\n

Sam had accompanied them to a waiting room near the surgical area and gone over the schedule so they wouldn\u2019t worry about the time elapsed before hearing any news. He\u2019d said the trephination wouldn\u2019t begin until after a swath of hair had been shaved, and he\u2019d been sedated. In answer to Joe\u2019s question as to why sedation was necessary when Adam was already \u201cout,\u201d he said that there was still reaction to pain and they couldn\u2019t allow any movement.<\/p>\n

This state of breathlessness was wearing on all of them and she set her mind to relieving it by relying on her maternal instincts. \u201cYou must be starving, Hoss. Lunch is long past and you didn\u2019t have much for breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

The big man smiled. \u201cIt\u2019s grumblin\u2019 in there all right, but I don\u2019t think I could get a bite down my gullet just now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe laughed. \u201cAre the rest of you feeling like I am? I swear I can barely take a full breath and think I\u2019d pass out if I tried to walk around right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

A loud breath brought their attention to Ben. \u201cMaybe we could talk about something else for a while. It doesn\u2019t have to make sense; it just needs to get our minds off what happening in there.\u201d He indicated the operating room with a nod.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you let the crew know we\u2019ll be here a little longer, Pa?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d sent a telegram earlier saying we\u2019d stay until the will was read, so I don\u2019t have to do anything now. I\u2019ve got our books along so I can pay our bills and wire the banks to arrange money transfers for the beef we\u2019re selling. The rest of the work is routine, and these hands have been with us long enough to know what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fer sure. I gotta say I\u2019m itching to be out of the city, but I\u2019m still not missin\u2019 the work part of the ranch,\u201d Hoss admitted as he blushed. \u201cSleepin\u2019 in a soft bed and bein\u2019 here with all\u2019a us around is good.\u201d<\/p>\n

The group was still nodding in agreement over Hoss\u2019s thoughts when Sam and Dr. Merchant walked in.<\/p>\n

Melinda examined their faces for a clue. \u201cYou\u2019re done too soon,\u201d she groaned. \u201cSam said it would take at least two hours. Was it too late?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a way,\u201d Sam answered as he smiled. \u201cI\u2019ll let my partner explain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cApparently your husband had great reserve about his hair being cut. About the time the nurse had the scissors positioned to snip the first locks, he grabbed her wrist, and said, \u2018Where\u2019s Melinda.\u2019 The poor woman nearly fainted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s awake?\u201d Her joy was restrained but palpable.<\/p>\n

\u201cAwake and demanding to see all of you.\u201d The Dr. raised his hand as the Cartwrights eyed the door. \u201cGive them a few minutes to get him back to his room, and then you can have your reunion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda hurried to shake the surgeon\u2019s hand on his way to the door. \u201cHe\u2019ll have lots of questions about what you\u2019d planned to do, once he\u2019s feeling up to a good conversation. I\u2019d decided to let you do the procedure because Adam will always accept a premise when he\u2019s convinced that it\u2019s well-thought out by a skilled person who has considered all the facts.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Afternooon had turned to evening with Adam being awake at intervals. The men of the Cartwright family had finally gone home to share the news and let the couple have a few private moments.<\/p>\n

The patient was still dizzy and weak, but he was able to understand what had happened, and why. Melinda sat on the edge of the bed holding his hand as she had hours earlier. This time he was looking back at her, and her heart was bathed in thankfulness. That didn\u2019t stop her from making her feelings known. \u201cYou gave us all a scare, you know. And to hold your son to a secret about something so serious,\u201d she scolded.<\/p>\n

He used his free hand to motion her closer and said softly, \u201cDon\u2019t holler at me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m speaking firmly; not hollering.\u201d Her mock anger was evidenced by her grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a headache that\u2019s worse than all the hangovers I\u2019ve ever experienced combined into one.\u201d He winked then, and pulled her closer for a kiss.<\/p>\n

She remained nose-to-nose with him as she whispered, \u201cIf you ever disappear again, I\u2019ll divorce you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pulled her back for another kiss. \u201cDidn\u2019t you say you liked me just a few days ago?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did say that and it\u2019s still true, but I am mad at you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo you\u2019re not.\u201d His tone turned serious. \u201cYou were afraid of me, not mad at me. I don\u2019t remember everything, but I\u2019ll always remember seeing your fear.\u201d<\/p>\n

She placed her cheek against his. \u201cI was afraid for<\/em> you, not of you, Adam. You were battling something deep and dark that blinded you to your actions.\u201d She sat up and breathed deeply before continuing. \u201cWhen Sam was trying to figure out what was wrong with you, he asked me to recall what I observed last night. The startled look on your face after I cried out, made me realize that you didn\u2019t know you were holding my arm so tightly. You never meant to hurt me.\u201d She swatted his shoulder lightly as she frowned. \u201cYou know we could have figured out what was going on if we\u2019d known what had happened. You should have gone to see Sam right away. Imagine a grown man suffering through all this because he was afraid to look stupid in front of his brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n

His cheeks colored briefly with her admonishment, and then he grinned. \u201cI suppose you\u2019re right about that, but I figured the lump would hurt less than the barrage of cat jokes I\u2019d have endured if they\u2019d have found out.\u201d<\/p>\n

He closed his eyes, nearly dozing off, but roused again, pushing her up enough so she was looking at him. \u201cI heard you telling me to wake up earlier, and I fought the devil himself to pull out of that stupor. I could hear the fear in your voice as you explained how your decision might cause me serious harm. \u201d His voice quieted as he added, \u201cThat\u2019s the same terror I was experiencing when I left. In the end we both chose the course we hoped would give us the best chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

She took his hands, holding them to her cheek. \u201cHoss told us about your friend, Ross, and I can see how that affected your decision. Your friend had a different sickness that quieted any sort of reason. But even in your darkest confusion, you were able to apply solid judgment.\u201d After giving him a moment to think, she asked, \u201cYou seem to be doing fine, but are<\/em> you feeling like yourself? No more suspicion or anger? I don\u2019t want you to hold back to save my feelings or make it seem like you\u2019re better than you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe anxiety is gone because I understand why my thoughts were so muddled.\u201d He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw as he breathed deeply. \u201cI did think I was losing my mind. My relief at reclaiming my memories makes me want to jump on the bed and holler for joy.\u201d He winked at her. \u201cBut we know I\u2019d end up curled on the floor, retching into my slippers if I tried that.\u201d He paused, deciding how much to share about his recovery. \u201cTo be honest, the dizziness is unnerving me more than I let on. I feel like I\u2019m falling from a great height whenever I move my head, even though I know<\/em> I\u2019m flat on my back in a bed. During these episodes the room swirls around in a circle whether my eyes are open or shut, increasing the unsettledness.\u201d He sighed quietly and slid a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. \u201cI can\u2019t remember what I said to you or accused Joe of last night, but I think I pointed my gun at him. Is that true?\u201d His groan at her nod was prompted by mental pain rather than anything physical. \u201cHe seemed to be all right when he was here, but is he? I mean\u2026was he just being nice while seething under the surface? Please don\u2019t lie about this, Melinda. I need to know how angry he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

She chuckled softly. \u201cJoe knew you weren\u2019t yourself. He was concerned for you, and became very protective, not angry. He loves you fiercely, Adam, but he can only tell you by teasing you.\u201d<\/p>\n

A nod brought an impatient snort as he resettled his head to combat the vertigo. The exhaustion from trying to lie still, won out over wanting to stay awake and talk. \u201cI know it\u2019s not allowed in this fine institution, my love, but might you join me on the bed\u2014respectably on top of the sheets of course, and stay while I fall asleep?\u201d He traced the smile on her lips. \u201cI feel less like I\u2019m floating when you\u2019re touching me. Go home to our children once I\u2019m sleeping.\u201d His voice thickened with emotion. \u201cTell them I heard what they said when they were here too. It felt like I was dreaming, and yet by that time I was able to make some sense of the fragments that had been assaulting me. Hearing their voices brought it all together and I knew I would make it home.\u201d<\/p>\n

There wasn\u2019t much room at the side of the narrow bed, but she managed to angle in next to him. He pulled her close for a last kiss, and then nestled her to his chest with her head tucked below his chin. She rested her hand against his cheek and he was soon breathing rhythmically in sleep.<\/p>\n

Eighteen \u2013 Wednesday, October 23, 1872- 9 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Melinda smiled as Adam walked into his hospital room. He\u2019d recovered more equilibrium each day since being admitted, and although still a little wobbly at times, Dr. Merchant had promised to release him if he could make several circuits of the long corridor without getting lightheaded. He was using a cane to forestall a tumble when things got, as Abel called it, shaky in the stern, and she figured to replace the curved wooden stick with a jauntier version if he had to use it for any length of time.<\/p>\n

Ben had accompanied her to the hospital while Hoss and Joe had stayed at the house to give Abel, Sadie and Jillian a break from watching AJ and Elizabeth. He grinned at his daughter-in-law when Adam entered, knowing that his son was recovered enough to get \u201csprung,\u201d as they referred to his discharge. \u201cIs everything ready for you to leave?\u201d he asked as the patient sat heavily on the edge of the bed. The older man could see the beads of sweat across his son\u2019s upper lip and the way he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, probably indicating that he had pushed himself harder than he should have. Yet he also knew that Adam would do better at home with his family near, and eating Sadie\u2019s cooking.<\/p>\n

When the exhaustion eased, Adam looked up at the smiling faces above him and chuckled. \u201cYou two seem pretty excited about me coming home. Did you miss me?\u201d He laughed when they denied it, but added, \u201cI\u2019m just as excited as you are, but I need to wait for Sam and Dr. Merchant. The nurse told me that the good doctors are in surgery\u2026so\u2026you might as well get comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n

All three Cartwrights jumped when the door to the room flew open and Harold, the business manager from Wadsworth Engineering rushed in.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank goodness you\u2019re all right, Adam!\u201d He moved to the bed and flung his arms around his boss, and then blushed. \u201cSorry for that,\u201d he said as he looked down and took a step back, \u201cbut I\u2019m so doggoned glad that you\u2019re in one piece.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam drew back in surprise. \u201cWhat made you think I wasn\u2019t, Harry?\u201d<\/p>\n

The middle-aged man walked around the room, using his arms for emphasis as he tried to explain. \u201cWhen your father came by the office on Monday to let me know you were in the hospital, he said you were doing fine.\u201d He looked toward Ben. \u201cI trusted that, and honored your instructions to tell others that Adam had decided to spend a few days with his family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what\u2019s got you so shaken?\u201d Adam asked, his face shadowing with concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, boss, you gotta come to the office if you can\u2026and right now. Wendell Otis Wadsworth, as he introduced himself, walked in this morning, acting like he owns the place\u2014and then he said he does! I replied that the will hasn\u2019t been read yet. But he hitched his thumbs in his lapels and proclaimed that he is Frank\u2019s nearest relative on the Wadsworth side, and that puts him in line for it. He was pretty clear in his thoughts that Frank had made no bequests beyond his children so he\u2019ll have first claim.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam squinted as he thought back over Frank\u2019s cousins, and where they fit into the family. \u201cI saw Wendell at the service, but he didn\u2019t say two words to me. Frank called him Worthless Wendell, and had no use for him, but…I think he\u2019s right about having the strongest Wadsworth lineage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that what would determine the heir if no one was named?\u201d Melinda asked as she sat next to Adam on the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf this was England, it would, but we don\u2019t follow succession here. He can make a legal claim to the estate in court, but it\u2019s way too soon for him to be claiming ownership of anything. It could take months or years to be settled.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s even worse than that, Adam. He came with Clarence Foley, from Foley and Lombard Engineering. From what I could get out of their fast talk and demands, it was Foley who approached Wendell two days ago, saying that you were unfit to continue on as director of the firm, and someone had to take control.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam blew out a deep breath. \u201cHow did Foley get into this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFoley was here<\/em>,\u201d Harry indicated the hospital with a sweep at his hand, \u201cvisiting his mother-in-law on Saturday, and saw your family arrive.\u00a0 He recognized them from the memorial service and \u2018asked\u2019 a few questions of the staff. They said you\u2019d gone crazy and there was something wrong with your brain and you needed to have holes drilled in your skull. Foley implied that you were physically and mentally incapable of running anything now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nearly growled his comment. \u201cMore likely he paid someone for the details and interpreted them to his benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas it that bad, I mean when you first got here?\u201d Harry asked with an open-mouthed, miserable look.<\/p>\n

Melinda responded. \u201cAdam was in serious condition, but this\u2026Foley didn\u2019t get full story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t suppose that mattered,\u201d Adam said with a sour laugh. \u201cI saw those two talking after the service, and I imagine Worthless Wendell told him all about his place in the Wadsworth family tree. When Foley got some salacious information to make a play for the company, he went after the weakest, most stupid and pliable Wadsworth family member he could think of. I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll push Wendell to make a claim to the estate\u2014maybe even finance it. It\u2019s actually a pretty good plan considering what he thought was happening with me. He could manipulate Wendell and use my incapacitation to offer his engineering expertise to keep Wadsworth from collapsing. He\u2019d have had plenty of time then to divert our customers to Foley\/Lombard and leave Wendell with a company as worthless as he is.\u00a0 He stood and got his balance. \u201cWe better go. What were they doing when you left, Harry?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to stop them, but they bulled their way into your office.\u201d He turned his head, unable to look Adam in the eye. \u201cI cleared my desk and locked all the ledgers in the cabinet; and then locked my door and left after they asked to see the books. But they can get at all of it pretty easily if they have a mind to. I\u2019m sorry I couldn\u2019t get it in the safe, but I figured it was better to stash it and come see how you were doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam instantly left his role as patient and returned to being the director of a successful company. \u201cMelinda, would you please finish up with the doctors? Come to the office when you\u2019re done.\u201d He gave his wife a quick kiss before turning to his father. \u201cJimmie will take you to Bill Murdoch\u2019s office after he drops me and Harry off. You\u2019ll recognize him from the memorial service. Bring him to us even if you have to pull him out of a meeting and carry him over your shoulder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd so it begins,\u201d Melinda whispered as the three men left. She knew Adam\u2019s adrenaline would keep him going for a while, but she also knew he needed more rest before he took on the rigors of managing things again. She gathered his personal items from the dresser and tucked them in the valise she\u2019d brought, before settling into the only comfortable chair to wait. A smile twitched at the corner of her mouth as she considered that perhaps a hearty bump on the head had been the one way to get Adam to rest. He\u2019d slept at least ten hours each night at the hospital, and napped during the day. He looked good despite a few lingering effects. His color was better, he was smiling more, and until this latest news, he\u2019d had to leave the worries of the business behind. Her eyes drifted upwards as she thought; did you have something to do with this, Frank? It would be like you to knock Adam on his head to make him slow down.<\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam left his cane with the receptionist and walked unassisted through the workroom, not stopping until he was standing in front of his desk. The two men had their backs to him as they were paging through the schematics of various projects on his drawing board. His voice was hard and commanding. \u201cStop what you\u2019re doing and get out of here before I have someone get the police.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wendell nearly tripped as he whirled around. \u201cBut\u2026I thought you were\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA drooling corpse?\u201d Adam said with a snarl and turned toward his competitor. \u201cI\u2019m afraid your ill-gotten facts were incomplete, Foley. Perhaps you\u2019d like to verify that I have no extra holes in my skull.\u201d He turned carefully, pointing at the back of his head, and then stared at the two red-faced men again. \u201cAt least you have the decency to be embarrassed. Would you like to come closer to check more thoroughly?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat won\u2019t be necessary,\u201d Foley returned as he raised his head imperiously; his embarrassment waning. \u201cI was concerned when I\u2019d heard about your hospitalization, and thought someone from the family <\/em>should be made aware of the situation before the company fell prey to an unscrupulous party.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that\u2019s exactly what happened, Foley, since I\u2019m guessing your motives had little to do with saving<\/em> this company.\u201d Adam moved around the desk and pulled a clean sheet of paper across the tangle of prints the men had been perusing. He leaned back on the drawing board and addressed Wendell. \u201cWhat did he offer you to get in here?\u201d The still-present blush on the other man\u2019s face deepened as he remained mute. \u201cYou may as well tell me; I\u2019m going to find out one way or another. Foley isn\u2019t the only one who can pay people for information.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wendell pulled a paper from his pocket and handed it to Adam. It contained an agreement to install Foley as head of Wadsworth until legal matters were settled, and a purchase price to be paid by Foley-Lardner once Wendell held title. \u201cThis is it?\u201d Adam scoffed. \u201cYou were willing to accept this without knowing how much the company is really worth, or suspecting Foley\u2019s real intent?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI need the money.\u201d Wendell dropped his head. \u201cThings haven\u2019t ever gone well for my store. Frank was aware of it, and often gave me money when I got too deep in the hole. I assumed that since I\u2019m his closest family, I\u2019d be in line for the engineering firm. I don\u2019t know how to run something like this, so when Foley suggested a solution; I accepted\u2026or at least I\u2019m letting him have a look around to see if it\u2019s worth what he\u2019s offered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes darkened to black pools. \u201cFrank always said you had no business sense, and he bailed you out because he didn\u2019t want the Wadsworth name spilled across the business section with a foreclosure or scandal. He figured others would associate your name with us.\u201d He looked again at the offer and shuddered. \u201cIf you\u2019d take a deal on this firm for a pittance because you need some cash, you\u2019re a bigger fool than Frank suspected.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what you think, Cartwright.\u201d Foley grabbed Adam\u2019s shoulder, and pointed out the windowed partition of the office to the opposite wall of the workroom. \u201cThat sign hanging out there says this is \u2018Wadsworth Engineering.\u2019 You managed to wheedle your way into Frank\u2019s good graces, but you can\u2019t ever make yourself a Wadsworth. I heard Frank\u2019s story about his cowboy-scholar who was some kind of business genius. But face the facts, Cartwright; you were just another one of Frank\u2019s creations. You know what I\u2019m talking about: one of his legendary \u2018projects\u2019 that gave him bragging rights about how astute he was in choosing his help<\/em>. You were nothing more than a lapdog that performed tricks so Frank could pat you on your head, and say, \u2018Good boy.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Foley saw Adam\u2019s eye twitch slightly as some of his jabs had found vulnerable flesh, and he went in for the kill. \u201cWhy, I bet he even said you were part of his little family, and called you, son<\/em>.\u201d His ugly laugh filled the room. \u201cYou were at his memorial service; hell, you planned the whole thing, so you heard the testimonials. How many of them said they felt like family? How many of them testified to Frank\u2019s encompassing nature and ability to make them feel like they were special?\u201d His grin matched the laugh in vileness. \u201cYet they\u2019d all been left behind when Frank found a new project. You lasted longer than most of them, and happen to be the last, but I hope you never thought that he would leave this business in your hands forever. He\u2019d have taken it back in a heartbeat when he found someone who interested him more than you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shoved his fists into his pockets to keep from slugging the guy. Yet Foley had left a stinger behind, pulsing with venom that created a metallic aftertaste of truth. Frank had been gregarious, and he had<\/em> helped a lot of people. Was it possible that Frank had only seen him<\/em> as one of his \u201cdiamonds in the rough\u201d? He mentally removed the poisonous barb to stop the spread of toxic doubts, and stood taller to increase his height advantage over the short, rotund Wendell, and the average-heighted Foley. \u201cIt may be just as you say; I knew Frank for a long time, and worked for him for eight of those years. Yet I can\u2019t speak to what Frank \u2018thought\u2019 and neither can you. I will not let you disparage his memory or plant suspicions about the motives behind his kindnesses. What I do know is that I am still in charge here, and I will continue to do the best I can for the employees and customers at Frank\u2019s company until I\u2019m asked to step down.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was about to say more when he saw Bill Murdoch and his father rushing toward his office. It was his turn to point. \u201cI\u2019ll hold further comments until Mr. Murdoch gets in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lawyer tried to catch his breath as he demanded, \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d Adam handed over the paper Wendell had given him. After reading it, he turned toward the possible Wadsworth heir; his hands shaking with anger as he pointed to the paper, and shouted, \u201cYou had no right to enter into any sort of agreements on behalf of this company. I\u2019m sure Mr. Cartwright has already told you to remove yourself from these premises, but I\u2019ll say it again. The will is going to be read on Monday as I\u2019ve already set forth. You will stay away from here until then or I\u2019ll have you arrested.\u201d He turned towards Foley with a distasteful look on his face and spoke with sneer. \u201cI have to admire your quick action<\/em>. I\u2019ve heard rumors about Foley\/Lombard being the buzzards that hover, hoping to pick at the bones of a business in unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances. I\u2019ve heard further that you\u2019ll do whatever you can to make sure that such companies fail, and then swoop in with lowball offers to \u2018save\u2019 them. Wendell Wadsworth is uniformed, but you<\/em> know the true worth of this company. Furthermore, if you had legitimate concerns about Mr. Cartwright\u2019s health or abilities, you should have approached me. This was dirty even by your standards.\u201d<\/p>\n

Murdoch drew a deep breath to continue. \u201cI\u2019ve worked recently with a young reporter who does investigations into illegal or dishonest business practices. I\u2019m thinking he\u2019d like to sink his teeth into the meat of this story. By the time he finishes his expos\u00e9, perhaps Foley\/Lombard will be the ones looking for a buyer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Foley stared derisively at Murdoch. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t dare.\u201d<\/p>\n

The feisty lawyer met the stare and laughed. \u201cI already did. When Ben Cartwright showed up at my office and gave me a quick report, I had my secretary send a messenger to this young man. He\u2019ll be meeting me for lunch if he\u2019s available.\u201d He laughed again. \u201cI figured someone would try to take advantage of the situation as soon as the details of the Wadsworth family\u2019s death became known. I even suspected it would be you. Honest businessmen work hard to keep things legitimate and above-board. Frank, and the others I work with had become sickened by what was going on in Boston, and we\u2019d already talked about what we\u2019d do if we ever got the opportunity. I think Frank would be pleased that this will provide the circumstances for your demise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Foley tried to answer, but nothing discernable exited his mouth as he stormed from the office. Wendell offered a feeble apology, noting he would be pleased to work with Mr. Cartwright if the will did declare him the owner, before scurrying away like a rat released from a trap.<\/p>\n

Melinda arrived in time to see the two would-be usurpers yelling at each other as they took her empty cab, and she hurried past them to get inside. She heard Adam laughing and speaking in a louder-than-normal voice fueled by the excitement of whatever had happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for getting here so soon, Bill. I think Wendell was ready to hide under the desk when he saw me, but Foley had enough bravado for both of them.\u201d Adam pointed to the note still being held by the lawyer. \u201cWhat I can\u2019t understand is that Wendell would accept such a low bid. I\u2019ve said I\u2019ll leave if that\u2019s what the new owner wants, but I\u2019m beginning to realize that I can\u2019t let it go to someone who will give it away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bill nodded sagely. \u201cI\u2019ve seen it all over the years. Some families will fight over who gets the last penny, while others can\u2019t see the value in what they\u2019re going after and do just what Wendell tried.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned to his father. \u201cDo you recall your offer to help me bid on the firm, Pa? I\u2019d like to take you up on that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bill Murdoch interrupted before Ben could answer. \u201cThat\u2019s not possible, Adam. I shouldn\u2019t say anything, but I don\u2019t want you and Ben getting ahead of yourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s brows narrowed. \u201cI\u2019m not sure what you\u2019re implying.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lawyer looked pointedly at Adam. \u201cYou cannot purchase Wadsworth Engineering.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Frank say that in his will?\u201d Adam asked incredulously.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s just say I know it to be true.\u201d<\/p>\n

All the ugly things Foley had said began burning through Adam\u2019s veins. Had <\/em>he been nothing to Frank except a moneymaker? Had he been wrong about Frank\u2019s deeper feelings, and had he been considered unworthy of purchasing the company he<\/em> had brought back to life. Only one word came to his lips. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t mean to sound mysterious or upset you. You\u2019ll understand on Monday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head and immediately regretted the movement as the room swam around him. A deep breath settled things. \u201cCan you at least tell me it\u2019s not going to Wendell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClient privilege doesn\u2019t allow me to confirm or deny anything at this point. Patience, Adam.\u201d \u00a0Murdoch pulled a watch from his vest pocket and checked the time. \u201cI have a client coming soon, and then I intend to meet with that reporter.\u201d He shook hands with both Cartwright men and gave Melinda a peck on the cheek before addressing Adam again. \u201cBy the way, thank you for having your brother stop on Monday with your note explaining what happened. I was surprised to see<\/em> your father today, yet the news he brought didn\u2019t surprise me. Shady takeover attempts are common in instances like this. I\u2019ve dealt with Foley before and it\u2019s time to shut him down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once Murdoch was on his way, Melinda forced her husband to sit. \u201cI know you have a lot on your mind, but you need to hear your discharge instructions. They were sympathetic as to why you\u2019d left so hurriedly, but Dr. Merchant gave orders that you take the remainder of the week off. Your episodes of dizziness indicate that your brain is still healing.\u201d She could tell by the absent look on his face that he wasn\u2019t listening. She pulled his chin up gently so he had to look at her. \u201cWhat\u2019s bothering you? You have the same look you did on the day you got the telegram from France.\u201d<\/p>\n

He grinned sheepishly, and then sighed heavily as he looked at the two people who knew him best. \u201cFoley said I was nothing more to Frank than a pet he\u2019d taught to do his bidding, and that he would have eventually ousted me from running the firm.\u201d He leaned his head back in his chair and closed his eyes. \u201cI don\u2019t want to believe that\u2026but it would explain why Frank wouldn\u2019t allow me to own his business. On the other hand, he always had the right to do as he pleased with what belonged to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMurdoch didn\u2019t say you couldn\u2019t own the business,\u201d Ben offered as he leaned on the desk and focused on his son. \u201cHe said you couldn\u2019t \u2018purchase\u2019 Wadsworth Engineering. I believe he was telling you something he couldn\u2019t say outright. Might Frank have wanted his company disbanded in an instance like this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged and then smiled admiringly at his father. \u201cThere might be a clause dissolving the firm in this sort of situation. He wouldn\u2019t have wanted it falling into the hands of someone like Wendell who would destroy Frank\u2019s good name along with the business.\u201d His eyebrows drew together much like his father\u2019s did when in thought. \u201cThe part that doesn\u2019t add up is Bill telling me to go ahead with new bids since<\/em> Frank\u2019s death. Why would he do that if there\u2019d be no Wadsworth to complete the contracts we\u2019ve secured?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see the purpose,\u201d Ben countered. \u201cYou said yourself that the business could be sold off in pieces by the new owners, so why not by Frank? Another company might not need the office building, but they\u2019d fight for the contracts and client list. Maybe you can bid on the financial assets and even some fixed assets like equipment at the sites, but not Wadsworth Engineering itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

The son\u2019s smile grew as he considered his father\u2019s words. \u201cYou\u2019re still planning to come with Melinda and me to the disposition? If there\u2019s an opportunity, you can help me formulate a reasonable offer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda tugged at his arm. \u201cThat\u2019s enough. It\u2019s time to go home: Doctors\u2019 orders.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to talk to Harry about our accounts. I won\u2019t be long.\u201d He laughed as he thought back to their arrival earlier. \u201cWhen Harry and I got here, he darted into his office and held watch like a badger protecting its hole. No one was getting at our books without going through him first.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Melinda sat in Adam\u2019s chair when he left and looked around his office as she imagined the memories this space held for her husband.<\/p>\n

Ben had left to talk with one of the engineers he\u2019d met on his last trip to Boston, and she grinned at him as he returned. She\u2019d given up the chair to pace, and now came to a stop, leaning against the broad window sill. \u201cYou know that I neither paced nor leaned on things before I married your son. His habits are contagious.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben pursed his lips and nodded. \u201cI\u2019ve always paced, so I can take some of that blame. And I noticed that Abel leaned on things when I first sailed with him. I assumed it was part of his sea legs. But when I started keeping Elizabeth\u2019s company, I saw that he did it on land too. He\u2019s not as obvious as Adam, but you\u2019ll see him lean on the chair if he\u2019s standing by the table or the stair rail if he\u2019s over there. In fact, he was leaning in the doorway talking with me this morning while I was getting ready to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed heartily. \u201cI think you\u2019re right! And AJ\u2019s doing the same thing already. Jillian is continuously critiquing his posture, yet it\u2019s likely the tendency is inherited.\u201d She quieted as she looked down at the street and watched the people and vehicles moving past. \u201cThank you,\u201d she said quietly when she looked up again.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor clarifying Bill\u2019s words.\u201d She watched her father-in-law\u2019s face for tells as to whether he believed what he\u2019d proffered. When there was no indication either way she asked pointedly, \u201cDo you think Frank would disband the firm?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben walked over and perched next to her. \u201cHearing about this situation with Frank\u2019s family made me consider what I\u2019d want done if there were no heirs to take over. I concluded that I can\u2019t leave that to chance, and I\u2019m pretty sure Frank was far ahead of me in this respect. What I said to Adam may or may not be accurate, but we both know he still needs to rest, and I wanted to suggest a positive alternative. You could see his doubt beginning to bubble just below the surface\u2014not about Frank\u2014but about himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded slowly. \u201cHe\u2019s his own harshest critic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam returned and smiled as he observed Melinda and his father sitting side-by-side in conversation. \u201cWhat are two plotting?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo plots, my love,\u201d she replied as she sent a quick wink towards Ben. \u201cWe\u2019re talking about what we can do in the last few days your family is here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you decide?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked at his daughter-in-law with a toothy grin. \u201cYes, what did<\/em> we decide?\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda joined Adam, taking his arm as she steered him to the door. \u201cWe\u2019ll go riding on Saturday, although you\u2019ll have to keep your horse at a walk.\u201d When he sent her a challengin look, she elaborated. \u201cYou can hurt yourself again is you gallop with Samson or jump him over fences and downed trees to impress your brothers. Between then and now, you need to rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not staying in bed,\u201d he growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t say you had to. But there\u2019ll be no sneaking down to your office during the night to work, and no strenuous activity. Walking is good, so we can do a little sight-seeing with Joe and take him to some of the restaurants and places he\u2019s heard us talk about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is something I have<\/em> to do.\u201d His tone was firm but not unkind as he stopped their progress and turned to her. \u201cI have to be here a couple hours tomorrow and Friday. I asked Harry to get everyone together in a few minutes so I can tell them what went on today, and why I haven\u2019t been here. I\u2019ll let them know that I\u2019ll be gone the next two afternoons, but they\u2019ll do better if I\u2019m visibly in charge again. Major upheavals are coming soon, and I don\u2019t want any question as to who\u2019s at the helm when they begin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nineteen \u2013 Monday, October 28, 1872 – 11 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

He glanced at the clock again. He was on edge, and had to concentrate to stop his feet from tapping out his anxiety. The last several days had gone well, and he\u2019d managed to put the will out of his mind as he\u2019d showed off his new home town. Joe had been impressed by the historic sites they\u2019d seen, and had tried to imagine his older brother as a young man on the Harvard campus when they\u2019d toured there. He\u2019d found out about Adam\u2019s less studious side when they visited a couple of historic pubs frequented by students.<\/p>\n

One of the tavern owners had been a bartender during Adam\u2019s college years and regaled Hoss and Joe with stories of Adam\u2019s early bouts of overindulgence. Gus had told them in his heavy Boston brogue, \u201cI rememba that your brotha loved to sing. The more he drank, the louda he got. But that didn\u2019t stop him, and he\u2019d keep goin\u2019 until he\u2019d get too hoarse to continue. His friends made bets on how long it would take for his voice to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

The story had brought laughter from his brothers and a parental glower from his father, along with his playful comment of, \u201cSo that\u2019s why you were always short on cash.\u201d But the teasing and laughter had died away when Gus had taken them to a part of the room bearing the names of students who\u2019d topped their class rankings at graduation. They saw the etched names of John Hancock, John Adams\u2026and much further over\u2026Adam Cartwright. Hoss had stared at the wall and said, \u201cWell, ain\u2019t that just somethin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saturday had been a magnificent day warmed by the October sun and brightly colored with the last leaves of fall drifting from the trees. No one had mentioned that it was probably the last time they\u2019d ever explore the woods and grasslands of the Estate on horseback, and Adam hadn\u2019t let the brief moment of realization about it impede his enjoyment.<\/p>\n

But while he\u2019d kept his thoughts about the future at bay over the weekend, they were crowding in now, and making his heart pound. The effects of the pipe-to-his-head incident had waned by Friday, and he\u2019d had no further bouts of vertigo since then, making him assume that the brief swirl of the room at times was more an effect of his rapid heartbeat and breathing than anything more sinister. A print of a new riverside warehouse and dock drew his attention back to his desk, and he began to calculate again. Figures had always settled his mind, and they proved a calming balm as he dug into the mathematics of the harbor wall. It was nearly noon when he looked at the clock again and noticed Melinda and his father walking toward his office.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you ready for lunch?\u201d she asked from the doorway. \u201cWe\u2019d better go now or it\u2019ll get too late.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t feel like eating; wasn\u2019t sure he\u2019d be able to push any food down past the lump that had lodged in his chest as he once again realized the life-altering change that would occur in a few hours. He smiled as he put his pencil down and donned his jacket. \u201cI doubt I\u2019ll eat much, but I need to move around, and coffee sounds good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harry came out of his office as he saw the Cartwrights walk by, and motioned them over. \u201cYou\u2019ll come tell us what happens, won\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure Harry.\u201d Adam looked around to see the eyes of everyone in the work area focused on him. He could see the concern and knew it was as much for him as for themselves.<\/p>\n

One of the engineers that had been with the firm for many years rose at his desk, and cleared his throat to get everyone\u2019s attention. \u201cWe all want you to know that no matter what happens today, boss, we appreciate everything you\u2019ve done to keep this place going; not just since Frank\u2019s death, but in turning this into a thriving business again.\u201d His sincere look was replaced by a large grin as he reached into the large lower drawer of his desk. \u201cWe also want to give you something to use when you go visit the worksites again.\u201d He withdrew the object from the drawer and presented Adam with what appeared to be a bowler hat covered with tar pitch.16*<\/sup> \u201cWe made you this so you won\u2019t get clunked again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam placed it on his head and gave a sound knock to demonstrate its effectiveness. This caused another engineer to applaud, and soon the room was awash in whistles, laughs and shouts of encouragement.<\/p>\n

Melinda slipped her hand from Adam\u2019s arm as he moved to the center of the room. He smiled while removing the headgear. \u201cThank you for this. You may have meant it as a joke, but I think you might have come up with an idea for a very important piece of safety equipment.\u201d He tucked the hat under his arm. \u201cThank you for your kind words as well. I may have had a plan to make this place better, but a plan doesn\u2019t become a success without great people as its foundation. You deserve more credit than I do for your impeccable engineering, leadership, and never-failing support of our customers. Thank you all.\u201d<\/p>\n

***2 PM \u2013 Bill Murdoch\u2019s Office***<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Cartwrights had been escorted into the lawyer\u2019s office by his secretary who\u2019d told them that Mr. Murdoch had gone to the court house and was expected back at any minute. Adam checked his watch to verify the time, and sent his wife a questioning look. \u201cI thought Bill said we\u2019d all meet at two. It\u2019s nearly that now and we\u2019re the only ones here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt must be the right time or Jeffrey would have said something,\u201d Melinda offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure there\u2019s a good reason the others haven\u2019t arrived yet,\u201d Ben cautioned, trying to reduce the tension he was sure his son was feeling.<\/p>\n

Bill came through the door as they were still talking, and rushed to set a thick portfolio on his desk. \u201cSorry I was delayed,\u201d he said as he removed his coat and hung it on the rack behind him. \u201cI suppose you\u2019d like to get this over with?\u201d His warm smile and the comment served to break the tension he\u2019d seen on the faces of his guests.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are the others?\u201d Adam\u2019s brows rose as he posed the question.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were here this morning, but I wanted to meet privately with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s brows froze in their raised position. It\u2019s worse than I imagined<\/em>, he thought as his heart began to pound again. \u201cYour comment makes me wonder how soon the new owner wants my office cleared out.\u201d He hadn\u2019t meant to sound prickly, but he had, and he figured it best to stop talking.<\/p>\n

Bill began to laugh; softly at first, and then gaining volume until he had to stop to take a breath. \u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re expecting, Adam, but let\u2019s go through this.\u201d He opened a folder and withdrew a handful of documents before looking up. He tried to look serious but he couldn\u2019t stop grinning. \u201cThere has been a lot of speculation about whether Frank had the foresight to fashion his will for a catastrophic event, but there should have been no doubt. The possibility of his family perishing together always haunted him, so he wasn\u2019t about to leave his estate open to his \u2018thieving relatives,\u2019 as he called them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lawyer looked down as he sighed. \u201cHe and Marian were excited about that trip, yet Frank was uneasy about it too.\u201d Bill saw Adam shifting in his chair and laughed. \u201cEnough stalling: let\u2019s get started. The relatives of Frank who were here this morning are sharing the proceeds from the sale of the firm and the house in England. You were probably aware that he\u2019d accepted an offer on the London estate before they\u2019d come back to Boston the last time. He and Marian had remained stateside so long to get that settled before heading to France. Their intent was to find a country home with a good stable in England after that. Our firm in London sent us the paperwork on the sale and Frank came by before they left to sign it. While he was here, he made sure the rest of his wishes were set in stone as well. It was fortunate that things worked out as they did prior to Frank\u2019s death or the London property would have gone into the succession nightmare.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and looked over at Melinda. \u201cI\u2019m not surprised it sold so quickly; it was a lovely house in a perfect neighborhood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe amount of each familial bequest will be increased once we sell off the investments originally made by Frank\u2019s grandfather here.\u00a0 Frank thought that these proceeds should go to Wadsworth offspring. Family holdings owned by Marian at the time of her marriage to Frank will be disbursed to her cousins for the same reason. These were generous payouts and the people who were here earlier seemed satisfied.\u201d He grinned widely. \u201cWendell was exceptionally pleased to have ready cash coming his way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs the house here included in the sell-off?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

Bill answered the question with one of his own. \u201cAre you aware of the whole story about the estate that Frank inherited?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told me there\u2019d been heavy debts attached to both the house and firm when he took over, but he never elaborated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSimply put; Frank\u2019s father was so broke that even the sale of family holdings at that time couldn\u2019t have paid off the debts. The old man had continued to run things long after he should have passed the reins. The rumors about his deteriorating mental ability were borne out in the bad financial decisions he\u2019d made as others took advantage of his failing judgment. Frank had to have his father declared mentally unfit to salvage the family name and take over the business while there was still a chance of recovery. He\u2019d married into a wealthy family, and had inherited money through Marian. They used that to pay debts and keep things afloat while Frank got the engineering firm back on firm financial footing. His impeccable business sense improved conditions fast. Frank always said that he and Marian had \u2018bought\u2019 the house and business from the failed estate, and therefore it no longer \u2018belonged\u2019 to the greater Wadsworth family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam laughed. \u201cFrank used to tell me he could sell a fur coat to a grizzly bear.\u201d He breathed deeply. \u201cI know Frank loved giving money away as much as he loved making it, so I imagine the sale of the rest of his investments will go to the causes he and Marian supported.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a several grants being distributed from the will from the sale of various stocks, but there is still a huge amount being bequeathed to one individual.\u201d The laugh returned when he noted the blank look on Adam\u2019s face. \u201cYou really have no idea do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThe reason I had you come separately is that the heir to all remaining Wadsworth holdings and investments in the United States\u2026is you! I said you couldn\u2019t \u2018buy\u2019 the business, because it was already yours!\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda grabbed Adam\u2019s hand and sent Ben a shocked look behind her husband\u2019s back. She had seen Adam blush, and then pale at the news, and she wasn\u2019t sure what emotional or physical phenomena would happen next. When he said nothing, she prompted, \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

His head moved up and down. \u201cThis is\u2026. I\u2026I\u2026don\u2019t deserve this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bill came around to sit on the front of his desk. He was holding a sheet of paper that he set next to him. \u201cFrank had made a number of decisions long before he left on that trip. One was to sell the London house and Frisco business to free up capital for his new endeavors, but the other was to transfer the business here to you. The legal paperwork on this was already filed when he died, and I just got confirmation from the court today that the transfer will stand rather than being part of the the will. Wadsworth Engineering would have been yours either way, but since it\u2019s legally yours now, you can get on with running your business. \u00a0Frank intended to return after the trip and give you the documents.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m surprised Harry didn\u2019t figure out something was going on. I had to ask him for a lot of paperwork when I started the transfer. Yet, he was used to giving me the same things to finalize customer deals, so it probably didn\u2019t register that it was more than the norm.\u201d He retrieved the page from the desk where he\u2019d placed it. \u201cYou\u2019re beginning to see that Frank was prepared for any eventuality, and in that spirit, he left this note to explain his gift in case he couldn\u2019t get back as soon as he\u2019d hoped.\u201d He reached for his glasses, slipped them on, and began to read.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Adam,<\/em><\/p>\n

I am a very happy man. Your work has released me from a life that had always been more of a means to an end than my avocation. I love business; the art of the deal, the negotiations and besting everyone else to win the contract. But much like my son, I can\u2019t say I appreciated the type of business I inherited. Still, I gave it my all. <\/em><\/p>\n

When you came back to Boston and joined Wadsworth, I began to see what enthusiasm and fervor for this field could accomplish. Your precise nature and attention to each client as you engineered exactly what they\u2019d had in mind, inspired me. You took a good company and brought it to the front of the class in expertise and profits. I think I saw this potential in you from the moment I met you as a scrawny kid come to town to get an education. I watched with interest, and cheered you on as you progressed to a man to be reckoned with. You have never disappointed.<\/em><\/p>\n

When I found out how unhappy my son was with his lot, and with the encouragement of my beloved Marian, I decided it was time both father and son start fresh. That left me unsure of what to do with the business. It was something that had become an anchor to my future instead of filling my sails with enthusiasm. Yet I couldn\u2019t sell it because it was still part of me. I finally understood that it already belonged to someone who honored its tradition and its family ties, while also ensuring its growth and excellence. Wadsworth Engineering belongs to you, son. I have made you a Wadsworth through choice, not birth, and Marian and our children are in complete agreement on this move. Take the reins and make us proud.<\/em><\/p>\n

In all love and hope for your success and prosperity,<\/em><\/p>\n

Frank and Marian.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

Bill set the letter back on his desk. \u201cThere were some stipulations on a separate document requiring you to provide a percentage of the business profits for the upkeep of the house and donations to charitable organizations over a period of years, but those are superseded by the will.\u00a0 You should also know that all four Wadsworths signed off on the business transfer so there can be no backlash from the other relatives who might think they have a claim on it. In fact Frank left a formal document laying out his specific wishes in regards to his remaining estate that leaves no opportunity for a lawsuit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben had sat quietly as he\u2019d taken in the incredible news for his son. But he was intrigued by this statement. \u201cHow did he do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe made specific bequests to each of his remaining kin. Since everyone was named, and they each received cash along with family mementos from the estate, they can\u2019t say he forgot them or that he would have wanted them to have more.\u201d Murdoch smiled sadly. \u201cOf course he didn\u2019t know that his fine planning would come under scrutiny so soon, but the disposition is ironclad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I remain in charge of the business?\u201d Adam had stopped listening as he tried to understand the thoughts that were bouncing in his mind, giving him a mental concussion much like the physical one he\u2019d recently experienced.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou own<\/em> the business. But you own the house and properties, and the remaining financial estate too. We\u2019ve already removed all the items Frank and Marian had set aside as family bequests. But the business transfer is complete, and I\u2019ve already sent a notice to the paper, naming you as the new owner. I\u2019ve also written a letter for you to send to your clients confirming your status. Jeffrey had several printed and they\u2019ll be delivered to your office for distribution.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda\u2019s head was spinning now, and she wondered if this is what Adam had been experiencing since his accident. She leaned forward. \u201cDo I understand correctly; Frank left the house in Boston to Adam too?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bill nodded. \u201cFrank actually designated Adam as a 20 % recipient of his estate some years ago. Of course Marian was named first at 100%. In the event that she died at the same time as he did, then each of his children would receive 40%, and Adam would get the remaining 20. But since Frank wanted each possibility covered, Adam, Frank Jr., and Amelia all had survivorship. Adam is the sole survivor, so it is all his. And again, all members of the family signed off on his inclusion so no one can make claim that Adam used force or collusion for his consideration.\u201d Bill waited a moment. \u201cI revealed all this to those who were here this morning, and I emphasized that a court battle would be futile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben found his voice. \u201cHow\u2019d they react to that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bill laughed. \u201cFrank left a precisely worded note to explain his wishes, so they were mute.\u201d<\/p>\n

The elder Cartwright grinned. \u201cWhat did it say; if I may ask?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said that he felt about most of his relatives the same way as he did about the need to wear full length underwear under his trousers. While a few of them were a good fit in his family\u2019s life and brought great joy, most of them rubbed him sore like the abrasive wool fabric of his suits, and necessitated the need for a buffer between them and his skin.\u201d Adam came out of his stupor to laugh out loud. \u201cThere\u2019s more, though. He wrote that he imagined they were all sitting there waiting for a payout that they thought they \u2018deserved\u2019 for sharing a family name. But his wife and children were the only ones who \u2018deserved\u2019 this consideration because they\u2019d put up with him. And he wrote finally that there was one person included in his estate who didn\u2019t expect anything, nor would this man feel he deserved to receive any of it. But this person was the only one who had earned<\/em> consideration.\u201d Bill waited until Adam looked directly at him. \u201cHe meant you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam breathed deeply, releasing it slowly through pursed lips. \u201cI\u2019m having trouble believing this is real. Yet, I had experienced Frank\u2019s generosity all along, so it is only surprising because of the scope.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bill shook his head. \u201cFrank and Marian\u2019s great investments had made them an extremely wealthy couple. They knew many people and had relatives, but they chose you and Melinda as the custodians of the Wadsworth family\u2019s legacy. I know you will honor this just as you honored them.\u201d A grin spread from ear-to-ear. \u201cAnd I hope that you are duly impressed with how I handled Frank and Marian\u2019s estate, and will leave your ample sums of cash in my care.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked up blankly as he considered the statement and finally smiled as he realized Bill was trying to bring a bit of humor to the proceedings. \u201cI am impressed, Bill, and imagine we\u2019ll be spending a lot of time together as we go through all the details. If Frank trusted you, how can I not?\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda\u2019s eyes were wide as she fanned herself. \u201cI can\u2019t believe we\u2019re inheriting that beautiful house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see you\u2019re still taking all this in, my dear.\u201d Bill chuckled. \u201cYes, the house, contents, and the other investments and real property are yours. Of course these things will take a few months to pass through probate, but we\u2019ve already filed the appropriate inquiries. You can\u2019t take actual possession yet, but there\u2019s no reason you can\u2019t begin using the grounds. To that end\u2026,\u201d He returned to the back of his desk and pulled out another folder, and pushed a stack of papers across the desk. \u201cThis is the inventory of everything at Wadsworth Manor. Of course you know Walter, the butler at the house. That title doesn\u2019t begin to describe all he does out there. He\u2019s been managing the property for years and he\u2019s the one who did the inventory. You can trust him to run things until you take over. He\u2019ll be able to answer any questions you have about handling such a large household.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bill waited for Adam to slide the file onto his lap. \u201cI had to meet with Walter to arrange for the house staff to segregate the items going to relatives and organizations. He was the only one who knew the truth about who inherited. I met with him again last Friday and he told me they have removed the family\u2019s personal belongings from their rooms. And\u2026being the wise old owl he is, he suggests you spend weekends there while you wait for the courts. Making the transition a little at a time will be a good way to adjust and figure out what you\u2019d like to change. He\u2019s invited your entire family to spend Saturday there taking full advantage of the amenities, and the staff would like to welcome you officially at dinner that evening.\u201d He saw the blank stares coming back at him and pushed for an answer. \u201cMay I confirm that you\u2019ll be there for dinner, if not for the day?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned toward his wife, his lips and cheek tilted in question. Melinda was the first to regain her thoughts. \u201cThe Wadsworth staff has always been most kind to us. Please thank them for continuing to take such good care of the estate, and let them know that we will look forward to spending the full day with them.\u201d She glanced at Adam again. \u201cWalter is right about it taking time to adjust. We\u2019ll have him walk us through the house on Saturday, and make plans for future weekends\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam found his voice as he invited Bill to join them on Saturday, and then turned to his father. \u201cI know I keep asking you to postpone your return to Nevada, but might you all stay until Sunday? \u00a0I\u2019d like to make our first dinner there into a small gathering to honor Marian and Frank. They both loved a good party.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben patted his son\u2019s arm. \u201cI suspected you might need a few strong shoulders around yet this week, and already sent word back home. I know you\u2019re not thinking all of this through yet, but I\u2019m pretty sure you\u2019ll be able to use us at the sites again to make sure the crews don\u2019t relax their efforts once they don\u2019t have to worry about losing their jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lawyer nodded towards Ben. \u201cIt seems like Walter isn\u2019t the only wise owl.\u201d\u00a0 He closed all the folders and stood behind his desk. \u201cI think we\u2019ve covered enough for today. I\u2019ll come by the office a little later in the week to bring the deeds and documents of incorporation, and make an official transfer of the building keys. Let\u2019s say Thursday, at one? If you can get your staff and family there, we\u2019ll make it into a little celebration.\u201d<\/p>\n

*** Monday, October 28, 1872 \u2013 11 PM***<\/strong><\/p>\n

The evening had been subdued, even though everyone had been thrilled and excited for the Boston Cartwrights and the opportunities they now faced. But the fact that their good fortune came at a great personal loss couldn\u2019t be ignored. Adam had finally declared an end to the sadness by announcing that they were going to celebrate on Saturday and pay true tribute to the Wadsworths in the best way they could\u2014by having a wonderful time. He\u2019d then asked Hoss and Joe to take Jillian down the block to a local pub that was presenting an evening of skits and song. The young woman and his brothers had held down the fort during the hospitalization and the rush of activity afterwards, and he thought they\u2019d enjoy an evening out. Once the AJ and Elizabeth were tucked in, he\u2019d set up the card table and the remainder of them, except Abel, who\u2019d fallen asleep on the couch after dinner, played a rousing game of whist.<\/p>\n

Adam had stopped at the office to give them a report. He was sure most of them were happy they wouldn\u2019t lose their jobs, yet he imagined a few might be resentful of his good fortune. He\u2019d taken steps to ease those feelings by promising a substantial bonus, as a way to share Frank\u2019s faith in everyone who\u2019d gotten the company to its current status.<\/p>\n

The house had finally quieted as the three tired revelers had returned from their outing, and the three from the Stoddard house had headed home. Adam and Melinda had straightened the house and headed up for the night. Their eyes remained open though as they held hands in the dark as was their custom before adopting their favorite sleeping positions.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think you\u2019ll be able to sleep?\u201d she asked, breaking the silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably not.\u201d Adam rolled his head back and forth on his pillow. \u201cI still can\u2019t believe what happened today. I\u2019m exhausted, but I can\u2019t shut my mind down enough to relax.\u201d A chuckle rose from his side of the bed. \u201cI think I went to bed because everyone else did, not because I was sleepy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd because I made you,\u201d she teased. Melinda rolled towards him and draped her arm across his chest. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter if we sleep. We can talk for a while until we get drowsy, but we do need to rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

She paused a moment, and in her silence, he recognized her un-posed question. What\u2019s bothering you?\u201d He slipped his arm under her shoulders to scoot her tight against him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou looked stunned when Bill revealed the will. I thought for a minute you\u2019d pass out. Didn\u2019t you have any inkling about being included?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could have knocked me over with a feather when he said I\u2019d gotten the business, and then I felt like I\u2019d been hit by a 600 pound feather pillow when he said we had the house and the rest. I didn\u2019t even ask about the Pullman car, but I suppose we have that too. Walter\u2019s inventory is probably 100 pages! There\u2019s so much to learn, yet I trust Walter, and we\u2019ll work with him to figure it all out.\u201d<\/p>\n

This time he lapsed to silence and Melinda prompted, \u201cWhat are you thinking? I know that sigh. Something just came to mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Frank put me in charge, and then spent more time in England, I suspected he was giving me time to save enough to buy into a partnership. But just now I remembered that he\u2019d said something about putting us in his will at our wedding. Do you remember? It was when they were getting ready to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do recall, but I thought he was referencing the endowment they gave us then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was my thought too. I assumed he\u2019d taken money from the family estate to give us that gift.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that the whole family signed off on the will and the business, proves that they were absolutely serious about including you. He called you his child by choice; that was beautiful.\u201d She drifted her finger through the swirls of hair on his bare chest. \u201cFrank and Marian loved you deeply. I understand that completely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey loved us all. \u00a0You could see their delight at having the children around too. Following Frank\u2019s logic, they were their grandchildren by choice.\u201d He laughed quietly. \u201cIt was interesting to see AJ and Elizabeth\u2019s reaction to moving out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAJ immediately worried about Abel and Sadie being not being next door, and Elizabeth could only think about seeing her pony every day. Yet they\u2019re equally concerned about their great grandparents, and equally excited about being in that house.\u201d<\/p>\n

He reached for her hand as his body began to respond to her touch. \u201cI like where this is going, but let\u2019s hold off a minute.\u201d He could feel her nod as she entwined her fingers in his. \u201cHow do you feel about moving? Can you<\/em> feel comfortable there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure I will. I\u2019ve always loved that house. It has a warm character, even though I\u2019m sure we\u2019ll decide to make some changes. The grounds are what I love most. We are so landlocked here. It hasn\u2019t been a problem so far, but the kids will appreciate the ability to roam at will.\u201d She sighed deeply. \u201cBut we can\u2019t leave Abel and Sadie behind\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grinned in the dark. \u201cYou were very quiet tonight during dinner. And you lost at cards, so I knew you were distracted. You\u2019ve already got a plan to solve this, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think we could convince Abel to move with us?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe same thought entered my mind. We might convince him to come along, but I think he\u2019d grow melancholic for the sea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t there a large sun room on the first floor?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grunted, \u201cUnhuh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could make that into a suite for Sadie and Abel. He wouldn\u2019t have to navigate the stairways, and they would have privacy and a place of their own. They could be with us whenever they wanted to, just like here.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounds good, but doesn\u2019t address the loss of his friends and the waterfront.\u201d<\/p>\n

She reached up to stroke his cheek. \u201cWell maybe the next part of this would make it easier. The house next door is going up for sale. I\u2019d like make an offer on it. I talked to the agent the other day and he said it\u2019s in bad shape and needs to be torn down. I think we can get the lot for a good price and petition for a change in zoning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would we want another lot or a change in zoning if we\u2019re moving?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her words came faster with her excitement. \u201cWe\u2019d talked about using Frank and Marian\u2019s wedding endowment to do something useful, and I think it\u2019s time. You know I\u2019ve always wanted to start a school for gifted, underprivileged children, using my teaching methods. There are great minds and talents in some of the poorest areas, Adam, but even when they do get a chance at attending school, it\u2019s always a traditional school and they can\u2019t adapt. They\u2019ve grown up doing for themselves and being wary of people in charge. They have a hard time with a disciplinarian-style teacher forcing them to sit still and do endless memorization and recitation. These children don\u2019t know how to learn like that, and they usually end up labeled as having behavior problems that are really just the fruits of frustration and boredom. They need be taught in ways that are active, interesting, and challenging. If this happens, they\u2019ll become wonderful students who can one day go back to their neighborhoods and make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

He hugged her. \u201cI haven\u2019t heard you this fired up about an idea in a long time. You\u2019d have to give up your publishing work to get it done. Are you willing to do that?<\/p>\n

\u201cI could become a \u2018silent\u2019 partner,\u201d she chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are never silent,\u201d he teased.<\/p>\n

She swatted his chest. \u201cIt\u2019s more likely I\u2019d sell to devote my time to this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will already be a busy time for all of us, but maybe that\u2019s the best time to start new endeavors. We\u2019ll get it all going at once\u2026and adapt.\u201d He chuckled as his lip curled. \u201cWhat does this plan have to do with rezoning and Abel missing the sea? I think that\u2019s where we left him.\u201d<\/p>\n

She pushed up on her elbow to look down at him. \u201cThe empty lot can be a playground. Then we\u2019ll connect Abel\u2019s house to ours to create a library and lunchroom. We\u2019d use Abel\u2019s house for offices. It wouldn\u2019t need much work except to enlarge the kitchen. I think Sadie would enjoy planning and cooking the noon meal for the children, and Abel could come in with Sadie and me each day. He\u2019s a good negotiator and could make sure things get done right with the construction. He can even help around the school, if he wants to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled her down to kiss her forehead. \u201cHow long have you been planning this?\u201d<\/p>\n

She blushed. \u201cJust during dinner\u2026mostly. And the best thing is that we could leave Abel and Sadie\u2019s room untouched. He can rest there or stay the night if he wants.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbel did a wonderful job overseeing our house while we were in England, and he\u2019d probably like to feel useful. I\u2019ll do some preliminary sketches for connecting the 2 houses, and we\u2019ll see if it\u2019s possible. The bigger problem, I\u2019d think, will be finding your students.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll set up a foundation that will work with charitable organizations in the city. They can identify children who would be good candidates and I\u2019ll test them.\u201d Melinda gave a sudden snort. \u201cBoy I wish I could talk Hoss into staying here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow where did that come from?\u201d He asked as he laughed again.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a natural with kids. They respond to him without fear and really open up. He was so good with Peggy when she and Laura visited the Ponderosa while we were there. He helped me test her to see how far behind she\u2019d gotten in school because of Laura\u2019s problems with Will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Hoss would help if he could, but he\u2019ll never leave the Ponderosa.\u201d A large yawn escaped. \u201cGetting some ideas laid out for the future is relaxing me, my love. Your plans sound perfect for you. I\u2019ll help as I can, but I have to admit that I was thinking about some of the changes I\u2019ll make on my business too.\u201d He sighed. \u201cIt really is my business. We\u2019ve got open space in the office from getting our engineers out to the worksites, and I was thinking I\u2019d talk to Charles Eliot about starting an intern program. We could take on a few students each year who want to get into the business of engineering. One of the reasons Frank spoke for Eliot\u2019s hiring was because he felt Charles would prepare employable young men, not just academics.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat sounds like a wonderful idea! You could have them learn how to bid, present a deal, run a company and see what it\u2019s like to have their concepts become reality. And it wouldn\u2019t hurt them to spend a few weeks working at a site to learn how that happens.\u201d \u00a0The room became quiet as they each considered their plans. Melinda finally broke the silence. \u201cCan you sleep now? If not there might be something to divert our attention and make us drowsy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you want to play a game of checkers?\u201d he teased. \u201cI\u2019ll set up the board.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had something else in mind.\u201d She slid her hand down his chest and under the waistband of his pajamas. \u201cOh!\u201d she chuckled as she found him already aroused. \u201cI see you\u2019ve begun without me.\u201d<\/p>\n

*** Tuesday, October 29, 1872 \u2013 5 AM***<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam and Melinda were up before dawn. They\u2019d slept soundly after making love, but they\u2019d awakened around three and talked more about the merit and feasibility of their ideas. They agreed it would mean working long hours and turning worlds upside down, yet it would make lives better and therefore be worth the upheaval. They finally got up and dressed for the day.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s reveal our news at breakfast and solicit suggestions and criticisms,\u201d Melinda suggested while pinning her hair. \u201cMaybe your father or brothers can see major pitfalls that we\u2019re blind to because of our enthusiasm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be interesting to see Abel and Sadie\u2019s reaction. It should be obvious immediately whether they\u2019d be interested in assuming their role in our plans.\u201d He walked up behind his bride of eight years, slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her back to him, leaving a trail of kisses along her neckline, ending in her most vulnerable spot behind her ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you start this we\u2019ll never get going,\u201d she teased as she turned to kiss him. While lip to lip, she whispered, \u201cI have something to confess. Last night I made love to one of the wealthiest men in Boston?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nuzzled her ear. \u201cI\u2019d be careful, my dear. I hear he has a very jealous wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

They remained in each other\u2019s arms, swaying to some unheard tune, until he took a step back. \u201cSo we\u2019re going to do the things we\u2019ve talked about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. We\u2019re the first one\u2019s up. I stepped into the hall a minute ago, and it\u2019s quiet except for Hoss snoring, so we can sneak down to my office and get some of our thoughts on paper.\u201d He took her hand as they moved to the door. \u201cIt\u2019s funny how we tend to fear turns in fate\u2014even avoid them when we can. Yet I\u2019m learning that we should embrace them as signs of a better life to come. There was a time before I left home that I feared my life was going nowhere. But each setback and seeming failure or disappointment, was telling me that I was in the wrong place, and I\u2019d better get back where I belonged. And now a tragedy has become an impetus to move ahead again and help others. I can\u2019t think of a better outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

Footnotes for Section 3 <\/strong><\/p>\n

15* <\/sup>By the late 1870s, the hospital (Massachusetts General) had assumed a distinctly surgical character, with surgical admissions outnumbering medical admissions since the outbreak of the Civil War. Early trephinations\u2014gaining access to the brain by cutting a hole in the skull\u2014were performed by Dr. John Collins Warren, a hospital founder, first for treatment of acute trauma and later for epilepsy. (Dr. Warren was no longer a physician at the of this story, but his work had begun a revolution in the treatment of brain trauma. However, one has to imagine that without the ability to close that hole \u2013 and they were often huge \u2013 the patient\u2019s life would be dramatically different. There was also the possibility of introducing bacteria directly into the brain, causing infection and death. Dr. Joseph Lister was already beginning to preach antiseptic procedures for surgery, but his thoughts were not highly practiced until later in the century. One would think that a hospital associated with Harvard would have adopted some of these thoughts far earlier than general medicine, so I\u2019m thinking that there would have been sterilization of instruments, even if the field of operation wasn\u2019t kept as sterile as it later became. Dr. Sidney Merchant is fictional character modeled on those who served before him.)<\/p>\n

16*<\/sup> The hard hat as we know it today actually started as a hat covered with several layers of tar pitch to give it a solid exterior. I can\u2019t imagine they were comfortable, but in time they were fitted with a sling inside to provide a cushion of air between the hat and the head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:\u00a0 Adam Cartwright,\u00a0Family<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: Ben, Hoss and Little Joe head to Boston to be with Adam after receiving the devastating news\u00a0that the entire Wadsworth family had perished at sea. \u00a0The Wadsworths had adopted Adam into their family when he’d been a student, and they’d renewed their support and friendship when he’d returned to marry Melinda and start a family twelve years later. Ben and the two brother find Adam coping, but staggering under the weight of his pain. Adding to his loss, Adam\u00a0may lose his command over Wadsworth Engineering–the firm he’d helped make into a thriving business–when Frank Wadsworth’s will names an heir. Will this accumulation of loss be the final straw for Adam? Can\u00a0the love and support of his family: his father and brothers from the West, and his grandfather, wife and children in the East,\u00a0sustain him as he faces\u00a0the absence of even more people he’d loved?<\/p>\n

Rating: PG \u00a0(52,135 words)<\/p>\n

One Step Closer Series, links to stories within the series are included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":3216,"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":[7,23,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-u","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","wpcat-7-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":2089,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/WoF-37Edengirl.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6484,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6484","url_meta":{"origin":13792,"position":0},"title":"A Circle of Family #4: The Book of Adam (by MissJudy)","author":"missjudy","date":"May 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0This is the last story in the Circle of Family saga, but enjoying this one is not dependent on having read the others. Adam has been in Boston for a year and all\u00a0his careful planning has done him well...until an accident while staying with Abel puts him flat on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Adam Cartwright"","block_context":{"text":"Adam Cartwright","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1005"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/coming-soon-5.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/coming-soon-5.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/coming-soon-5.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/coming-soon-5.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14264,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14264","url_meta":{"origin":13792,"position":1},"title":"Hunting for Memories (by MissJudy)","author":"missjudy","date":"May 5, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Ben is enjoying\u00a0a hunting trip with Adam when it takes an unexpected turn and\u00a0forces a detour to the cabin in the woods where the Cartwrights first lived and trapped on the Ponderosa. Adam has not been there since he was a child, and Ben is filled with trepidation\u00a0over how\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\/2015\/03\/Adam-and-Ben-2.jpg?fit=400%2C320&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6503,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6503","url_meta":{"origin":13792,"position":2},"title":"One Step Closer #2 – Til Death Do We Part (by MissJudy)","author":"missjudy","date":"May 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Adam's getting married! He's moved\u00a0to Boston to help his grandfather, and has\u00a0begun to build\u00a0a good life there, including\u00a0an engagement to the girl he fell in love with during college.\u00a0Their wedding is set to coincide with a unexpected visit from Ben Cartwright. All is well until Adam's fiancee disappears and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Adam Cartwright"","block_context":{"text":"Adam Cartwright","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1005"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Adams-English-Scenic2.jpg?fit=450%2C436&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6525,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6525","url_meta":{"origin":13792,"position":3},"title":"One Step Closer #5 – From Two to Three a Family (by MissJudy)","author":"missjudy","date":"May 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Adam and his wife, Melinda, are living in England, and getting\u00a0ready to welcome their first child. After\u00a0a fall\u00a0on the stairs, Adam must face the fear of losing his wife and child,\u00a0and he\u00a0comes to terms with his own\u00a0lingering grief over his mother's death.\u00a0We also see\u00a0the family back on the Ponderosa\u00a0waiting impatiently\u00a0for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Adam Cartwright"","block_context":{"text":"Adam Cartwright","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1005"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Adams-English-Scenic2.jpg?fit=450%2C436&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3672,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3672","url_meta":{"origin":13792,"position":4},"title":"Faith (by Barbara)","author":"Barbara","date":"January 8, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Adam finally meets his wife to be, but before the wedding a tragedy occurs that almost tears the Cartwrights apart for good. Rated:\u00a0 T (5,885 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12803,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12803","url_meta":{"origin":13792,"position":5},"title":"A Still Small Voice (by MissJudy)","author":"missjudy","date":"April 7, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0\u00a0 Adam has been away at school for two years when he starts having vivid dreams about his youngest brother. He wonders why his memories center around Little Joe even while he misses his entire family. What he is about to find out will shake his certainty about many things\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\/Moon-Blind.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Moon-Blind.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Moon-Blind.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13792","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/82"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13792"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13792\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}