{"id":6044,"date":"2006-12-03T17:55:07","date_gmt":"2006-12-03T22:55:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6044"},"modified":"2026-07-29T13:42:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T17:42:42","slug":"the-battle-of-wills-begins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6044","title":{"rendered":"The Battle of Wills Begins (by Patina)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0<\/span>1st story in The Battle of Wills series.\u00a0 Ben brings his new wife, Marie, home to the Ponderosa. Hoss is overjoyed to have a new mother but Adam is not happy.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I don’t own the Cartwrights or Bonanza. No copyright infringement is intended. Original plot and characters are property of the author. This story is for entertainment and no money was made from it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rating: K\u00a0 \u00a0Word Count=4433<\/p>\n

Reviews from the Old Library are on the last page.<\/p>\n

The Battle of Wills Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Begins<\/a>
\nEducation is More than 3R’s<\/a>
\nThe Shadow of Jean deMarigny<\/a>
\nA Gift Horse<\/a>
\nNew Expectations<\/a>
\nRemembering Childhoods<\/a>
\nA Room Full of Memories<\/a>
\nA New Pattern<\/a>
\nNaming the Newest Cartwright<\/a>
\nPresents from the Heart<\/a>
\nLove’s Labor<\/a>
\nBig Brother Lessons<\/a>
\nNo Regrets<\/a>
\nBaby’s Breath<\/a>
\nEnnui<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Battle of Wills Begins<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPapa says we hafto get ready fer supper. How come you ain\u2019t dressed yet?\u201d Hoss asked his brother.<\/span>

\u201cI\u2019ll get ready when I feel like it,\u201d replied a surly Adam.<\/span>

\u201cWhy ain\u2019tcha happy to have a mama?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI already had one.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI ain\u2019t never had one.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cYes you have! Just \u2018cause you didn\u2019t know her doesn\u2019t mean you never had one.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cBut I want a mama.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cWe don\u2019t need her!\u201d said Adam angrily. He rolled over on the bed so his back was to his brother.<\/span>

A very confused Hoss went across the hall to his room. He had forgotten to ask Adam to help him with his tie, which hung limply around his shirt collar. No matter what Adam said, he wanted a mama.<\/span>

**<\/span>
The new Mrs. Ben Cartwright and her husband arrived at the Ponderosa shortly after lunch. Marie and Ben had spent the previous evening in Virginia City because they would have arrived at the ranch so late. Ben thought it more appropriate for his new wife to meet her sons in the light of day instead of at bedtime.<\/span>

As the buggy pulled up to the house, Marie gasped\u2014the house was more than she imagined. She had assumed Ben and his sons lived in a cabin. A woman\u2019s touch was definitely needed, though. She imagined hanging baskets of flowers, a climbing rose, and a small flower garden.<\/span>

\u201cWell, here we are, Darling.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful, Mon Cher. Where are your sons?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cOur sons are probably in the barn doing chores. I\u2019m surprised they didn\u2019t come out to meet us.\u201d<\/span>

The front door opened and a small Chinese man came out of the house. His face beamed with a large smile as he approached the buggy. \u201cWelcome home, Mistah Ben! This is Missy Cartlight?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cIt\u2019s good to be home, Hop Sing. This is Marie. Darling, Hop Sing is our cook. He\u2019s also been a great help with the boys.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cHello,\u201d she said with a smile.<\/span>

Ben alit from the buggy and helped her out. \u201cWhere are the boys?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI give them eggs. They take to Missy Larson. They be back soon.\u201d Hop Sing then went to the back of the buggy and began unfastening the rope that held the luggage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben picked up his bride and carried her to the door. <\/span><\/p>\n

Marie laughed and blushed\u2014her husband had such a romantic streak. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome home, Darling.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

She took in the rugged interior of the house\u2014the high ceiling, roaring fire, and neatly ordered room were comforting. However, a woman\u2019s touch was definitely needed.<\/span>

After a kiss, Ben said, \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go upstairs and I\u2019ll help Hop Sing with the luggage.\u201d<\/span>

Arriving upstairs, she looked in the first room and saw clothes neatly folded on the bed. The room wasn\u2019t neat yet it wasn\u2019t messy either. A carved cow, sheep, and pig sat on the nightstand alongside a picture of a woman. Marie noted that the woman in the photo had light hair and eyes and there was a smile playing on her lips. \u201cThis must be Inger,\u201d Marie thought. That meant this was Hoss\u2019 room. Ben told her that Inger, a Swedish immigrant, loved life and had a kind word for everyone. Looking into the picture, Marie said, \u201cI promise to be a good mother to your son and to see him become a man you will be proud of.\u201d Putting the picture back on the nightstand, she returned to the hall.<\/span>

Entering another room, she noted that it was neatly ordered and included a shelf with books and a ship\u2019s model. This was obviously Adam\u2019s room. Adam clearly liked everything in its place. Going to the shelf, she looked at the books\u2014Poor Richard\u2019s Almanack, Robinson Crusoe, Shakespeare\u2019s Tragedies, and a few other titles. There weren\u2019t many books and all had been read many times by their appearance. She hoped she could add to his library.<\/span>

Looking around the room again, a frame caught her eye. She went to the writing desk and saw a photo of a young woman. \u201cWhat a beauty!\u201d Marie thought. Poor Ben must have been devastated by her loss.<\/em> He told her that Adam\u2019s mother was well-educated, outspoken, opinionated, and had a love for learning. He also told her that Adam was very much like his mother. Looking into the picture, Marie said, \u201cI promise I will be a good mother to your son and see to his education.\u201d Putting the picture back on the desk, she took a look at the music box. She didn\u2019t open it, but ran her fingers over the cherubs. After one more look around the room, she went back into the hall.<\/span>

A room full of jumbled furniture next caught her eye. There were some chests that contained who knew what, old chairs, and a battered desk. These things would need to be sorted through to see what could be used and what should be thrown out. This house truly needed a woman\u2019s touch.<\/span>

Marie entered the final room with a wildly beating heart. This was her new room, the room she and Ben would share for years to come. She went over to the large bed and touched the quilts; an electric tingle went through her. This was the bed she would soon share with her husband. She inhaled deeply and caught the scent of bay rum cologne\u2014 how she loved that scent on her dear Ben! She would need a dressing table of her own and a rocking chair. Hopefully, there would be several children for her to rock in the coming years.<\/span>

Footsteps in the hall caught her attention. She turned around to see Hop Sing and Ben with the luggage. \u201cOh, you startled me!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

The two men set the valises down along the wall and then Hop Sing left the room.<\/span>

Ben went to his wife, drew her close, and kissed her. When they parted, she blushed like a newly married bride. As she blushed, she thought that she would always feel this way, no matter that they had already been married for three months.<\/span>

\u201cI\u2019m so happy, Darling.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>

\u201cSo am I, Mon Cher.\u201d<\/span>

They heard voices coming from the first floor. \u201cThe boys must be home!\u201d Ben said with great excitement. \u201cCome down when you\u2019re ready.\u201d<\/span>

He quickly left the room to greet his boys. Marie followed at a slower pace. She wanted him to have a few minutes alone with his sons.<\/span>

Watching from the shadows at the top of the stairs, she saw Ben reach the first floor and grab his sons to him. Hoss was much larger than she had expected. Ben had told her the five year old was big, but he was up past his father\u2019s waist. Adam looked to be a gangly boy; his black hair contrasted sharply with Hoss\u2019 blond locks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe missed you, Papa!\u201d said Hoss, squeezing his father.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve missed you boys, too,\u201d Ben answered with a shaky voice.<\/span>

\u201cWe\u2019re glad you\u2019re back, Pa,\u201d said Adam, trying to sound like a grown-up instead of a boy happy to have his father home.<\/span>

\u201cI\u2019m glad to be home. Let me look at you two.\u201d He stood back and took in his sons\u2019 appearances. Hoss\u2019 ruddy cheeks were stained with tears. Adam stood straight and casually wiped at his eyes with the back of a hand. Both boys were in need of haircuts but Ben wasn\u2019t going to worry about that now.<\/span>

Marie got a good look at her new sons from her hiding place. Hoss was a chubby boy with sandy blond hair, red cheeks, and sparkling eyes; he looked ecstatic to see his father. Adam had black hair that was curling up at the back of his neck, long legs and arms, and coloring similar to his father\u2019s. She thought he was going to become a handsome man once he reached his full height and filled out. Adam was obviously very happy to have his father home again but was trying too hard to not appear as a little boy.<\/span>

\u201cI brought home a surprise,\u201d said Ben.<\/span>

\u201cA surprise?!\u201d Hoss said with excitement. \u201cWhat you brung fer us, Papa?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cWhere is it?\u201d asked Adam, looking around the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a what. It\u2019s a who.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cWhatcha mean, Papa?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cYou brought home a person?\u201d asked Adam in a confused tone.<\/span>

\u201cYes. I think you\u2019ll like her very much.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cBut Hop Sing does all of the housekeeping.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI didn\u2019t bring home a housekeeper.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cWho\u2019d ya brung then?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/span>

\u201cI brought you boys a mother.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cA mother?!?\u201d Hoss asked with excitement.<\/span>

\u201cYes, a mother. I met her in New Orleans and she\u2019s here now.\u201d<\/span>

Marie realized that she should go downstairs before the boys asked too many more questions. Descending the stairs, she stopped at the landing so the boys could get a look at her. Hoss reminded her of an excited puppy; he was practically dancing in place and was wearing a huge smile. Adam narrowed his eyes, scowled, and crossed his arms over his chest. Hoss might need a mother but he thought he certainly didn\u2019t.<\/span>

She started down the stairs again and came to Ben\u2019s side when she reached the first floor. \u201cBoys, this is your new mother. Say hello.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cHi, Mama,\u201d said Hoss as he rushed to her. He grabbed her around the waist and hugged hard. Ben quickly realized that Marie\u2019s breath was being squeezed out of her. \u201cGentle, Son,\u201d he said. Hoss relaxed his grip a little but still had her in a hug.<\/span>

After several minutes, Ben told Hoss to ease up. The boy unclasped his fingers and stepped back. His eyes were shiny with tears. \u201cI ain\u2019t never had a mama,\u201d he said. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll try to be a good mother, Mon Fils,\u201d Marie replied with a smile and tears in her eyes.<\/span>

\u201cWhat was that last bit?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/span>

\u201cI called you \u2018my son\u2019 in French.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 mouth formed on O in surprise. His mama could speak French. What else could she do?<\/span>

\u201cYou must be Adam,\u201d said Marie as she turned her attention to the older boy.<\/span>

\u201cI must be,\u201d be said coolly.<\/span>

\u201cThat\u2019s no way to speak to your mother,\u201d Ben reprimanded sharply.<\/span>

\u201cShe\u2019s not my mother, Pa. How could you do this? You could\u2019ve checked with us first!\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI don\u2019t need your permission to marry, young man,\u201d rebuked Ben. \u201cGreet your mother.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello.\u201d Then he spun on his heel and went to the door. He opened it, shot a glare at Marie, went outside, and slammed the door behind him.<\/span>

Ben, Marie, and Hoss were startled by Adam\u2019s behavior. \u201cAdam\u2019s jest cranky, Mama. He ain\u2019t been sleepin\u2019 too good since Papa\u2019s been gone. He says it\u2019s hard bein\u2019 the man of the house.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cHe says what?\u201d Ben asked in surprise.<\/span>

\u201cAdam said he was boss with you gone, Papa. He made sure I did my chores, ate my supper, took baths, and went to bed on time. He\u2019s even teached me to write my name.\u201d Hoss paused and then said, \u201cHe was awful scared you wasn\u2019t coming home, Papa.\u201d The boy then hugged his father again. \u201cI\u2019m glad yer home, Papa.\u201d He then hugged Marie. \u201cI\u2019m glad yer home, Mama.\u201d<\/span>

Ben was surprised by Hoss saying that Adam thought they had been abandoned. Surely his son knew better. This wasn\u2019t the first time he had left the boys to take furs to New Orleans. Of course, he\u2019d been away longer this time. How could Adam think such a thing?<\/span>

\u201cGo to him, Mon Cher,\u201d Marie said with a touch to his arm.<\/span><\/p>\n

He gave her a look of gratitude and went to the door. Looking back, he saw Marie hugging Hoss to her. At least one son was happy to have a mother.<\/span>

Going outside, Ben scanned the yard for Adam. Realizing he must have gone to the barn where he could hide, Ben went to the building. His eyes adjusted to the dim light and he saw Adam hugging his horse\u2019s neck.<\/span>

\u201cWe need to talk, Son.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cAbout what?\u201d Adam responded sarcastically.<\/span>

\u201cYou have a new mother, Son. You\u2019ll just have to accept that.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cWhy, Pa? We\u2019ve been doing just fine. Why now?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI\u2019m in love, Son. Someday you\u2019ll understand what that\u2019s like. Come on back to the house and get to know her.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI don\u2019t want to know her. I want everything to be like it was!\u201d<\/span>

Ben felt himself becoming exasperated. \u201cShe\u2019s my wife and your mother. Things will be a little different now. I still love you and Hoss. That won\u2019t ever change.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUntil she has a baby.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI didn\u2019t love you any less when Hoss was born, Adam.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cThat was different! Mama would\u2019ve been angry with you if you had loved me less. She always treated me like I was hers.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cMarie will do the same.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cYou don\u2019t know that!\u201d<\/span>

\u201cOf course she will. I wouldn\u2019t have married her if I thought she wouldn\u2019t love you and Hoss.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you send a letter? You could\u2019ve told us what was taking you so long.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cThe mail travels so slowly that I knew we\u2019d be home before it arrived. Were you worried that I wasn\u2019t coming back?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cWhy would I think that?\u201d Adam asked a little too quickly.<\/span>

\u201cI was gone longer this time. Did you think that something bad had happened?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cOf course not!\u201d<\/span>

\u201cWhat did you think?\u201d Ben prodded.<\/span>

\u201cThat maybe you had stopped by Mama\u2019s grave to put up a headstone.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cSon, you knew I sailed from California and planned to sail back.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cSo you don\u2019t care about her anymore?!?\u201d the boy said hotly. \u201cYou\u2019ve forgotten all about her, haven\u2019t you? Well I haven\u2019t and never will! She loved me like I was hers. Remember when we met her? I was sick. She made me better like a mother would. She\u2019s my mother, not that\u2026that\u2026woman you\u2019ve brought home!\u201d<\/span>

\u201cThat woman, as you put it, is your mother now!\u201d Ben thundered. \u201cShe\u2019s your mother and there\u2019s no changing that.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI don\u2019t need a mother!\u201d snarled Adam as he raced past his father for the house.<\/span>

Ben was stunned by Adam\u2019s behavior. Inger had been a wonderful mother to his son, but she\u2019d been gone for five years now. Was Adam so selfish that he couldn\u2019t share his father?<\/span>

Going back into the house, Ben was not surprised that Adam was nowhere to be seen. Marie and Hoss were sitting on the hearth looking sad. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cAdam is angry, Mon Cher. I didn\u2019t want him to be angry.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI ain\u2019t angry, Mama,\u201d said Hoss as he patted her shoulder.<\/span>

She put her arm around Hoss and hugged him to her. \u201cI know, Mon Fils. Thank you.\u201d<\/span>

Hop Sing came into the big room and said, \u201cI get suppah leady. I cook steaks in honah of Missy Cartlight.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cYou\u2019ll like Hop Sing\u2019s cookin\u2019,\u201d said Hoss, eyes sparkling with anticipation.<\/span>

\u201cGo upstairs and change into a suit, Hoss. Tell Adam to change clothes, too. We\u2019re going to dress up in honor of your mother.\u201d<\/span>

Hoss beamed, planted a kiss on Marie\u2019s cheek, and then went upstairs to tell his brother.<\/span>

\u201cAdam and I are going to have a terrible battle of wills, Mon Cher,\u201d said Marie with great sadness. \u201cHe already has decided that he hates me.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cThat\u2019s not true, Darling,\u201d assured Ben. \u201cInger was the only mother he\u2019s known. He\u2019s had me to himself for five years. It\u2019s just hard for him to accept right now. He\u2019ll come around.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cIs he as stubborn as you?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cHe\u2019s got a healthy dose of the Cartwright stubbornness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie put her face in her hands. After taking a deep breath, she asked, \u201cDo you think our relationship will be one long war?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI won\u2019t let him treat you with disrespect.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cYou won\u2019t always be around to keep the peace.\u201d<\/span>

Ben went to her and pulled her upright. \u201cI love you. Hoss loves you. Adam won\u2019t have any choice but to love you.\u201d He kissed her and then said, \u201cLet\u2019s go upstairs and change for supper.\u201d<\/span>

Hoss had gotten into to his dress clothes and was now confronted by the string tie. Papa or Adam always did it up for him. Crossing the hall into Adam\u2019s room he said, \u201cPapa said we hafto get ready fer supper. How come you ain\u2019t dressed yet?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI\u2019ll get ready when I feel like it,\u201d replied a surly Adam.<\/span>

\u201cWhy ain\u2019tcha happy to have a mama?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI already had one.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI ain\u2019t never had one.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cYes you have! Just \u2018cause you didn\u2019t know her doesn\u2019t mean you never had one!\u201d<\/span>

\u201cBut I want a mama.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cWe don\u2019t need her!\u201d said Adam angrily. He rolled over on the bed so his back was to Hoss.<\/span>

A very confused Hoss went across the hall to his room. He had forgotten to ask Adam for help with his tie, which hung limply around his shirt collar. No matter what Adam said, he wanted a mama.<\/span>

Deciding to ask Papa for help, Hoss entered his parents\u2019 room. \u201cI need help with my tie.\u201d<\/span>

Marie went to him immediately, knelt down, and began to knot the tie. \u201cIs your brother dressed?\u201d Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Sir,\u201d replied Hoss.<\/span>

Ben went to his son\u2019s room and saw the boy lying on the bed. \u201cGet up and get dressed, Adam. I won\u2019t tolerate this behavior.\u201d<\/span>

There was no response. \u201cYou\u2019re not too old to get a tanning. I want you to get up, get dressed, and be downstairs in ten minutes. Do you understand?\u201d<\/span>

Adam rolled over and shot his father a glare. \u201cYes, Sir.\u201d<\/span>

After his father left the room, Adam got up and put on his suit. While knotting his tie, he decided that he would eat if he had to but he wasn\u2019t going to enjoy it. He made it downstairs in the allotted time frame and joined his father and brother at the table. Now they were waiting on Marie.<\/span>

She came downstairs a few minutes after Adam and sat across from Ben. Looking at the faces around the table, she gave them all a smile. Only Ben and Hoss smiled back. Adam just returned a blank expression. Her stomach growled as the aroma of Ponderosa beef wafted in from the kitchen.<\/span>

Hop Sing, realizing that there was no conversation at the table, brought in a platter of biscuits for his family to begin eating. If they had food to share, they might start to talk. He set the biscuits and a dish of butter on the table by Marie. She looked at him a bit surprised but took a biscuit and passed them on.<\/span>

Hoss took two biscuits and passed the platter to Adam. He took one biscuit and set it on his plate. Just because Marie was eating one didn’t mean that he had to. The boy passed the platter to his father, who took a biscuit and began eating.<\/span>

The uncomfortable silence continued but was at least punctuated by the sounds of chewing. Except for Adam. The biscuit was on his plate but he wasn’t going to touch it.<\/span>

“Eat your biscuit, Son,” said Ben.<\/span>

“I’m waiting for supper.”<\/span>

“That’s part of your supper. Eat it.”<\/span>

“They’s real good,” said Hoss.<\/span>

Adam just shrugged.<\/span>

“Adam doesn’t have to eat the biscuit if doesn’t wish to do so,” said Marie.<\/span>

The boy looked at her, picked up the biscuit, and began to eat.<\/span>

Hop Sing entered the dining area with a platter full of steaks. He put one on each plate and then retreated to the kitchen. Adam carefully watched Marie out of the corner of his eye. If she ate her steak with gusto, he wasn’t going to touch his.<\/span>

She cut a piece off of her steak, lifted the fork, and looked at it carefully. As she looked at the meat on her fork, she stole a glance at her oldest step-son. “I don’t know about this, Mon Cher. It doesn’t look cooked.”<\/span>

Adam quickly cut into his steak, exposing the medium-rare pinkness. Hoss was happily chewing and couldn’t speak with his mouth full. Ben shot Marie a questioning look. She gave him the hint of a smile.<\/span>

“You must be used to city food, Ma\u2019am,” said Adam, “this steak looks perfect.”<\/span>

“I don’t know,” she replied, “maybe Hop Sing should cook them all some more.”<\/span>

Hoss nearly lost his grip on his knife and fork\u2014no one was going to take his supper away. Adam began to cut up his steak into bite-sized pieces; Hop Sing would never be able to put the whole steak together again. Marie just watched this in amusement. Ben continued to eat, shooting glances at Marie.<\/span>

Adam savored every bite of his steak and made a point of making yummy noises with each bite. Marie ate her steak very slowly and inspected each small piece before putting it in her mouth.<\/span>

When the boys had finished their supper, Adam asked, “May we be excused, Pa?”<\/span>

“Sure,” was Ben’s only reply. After their departure from the room, Hop Sing came in to clear their dishes. Seeing most of Marie’s steak still on her plate, Hop Sing asked, “Missy not like?”<\/span>

“It’s delicious, Hop Sing!” she announced.<\/span>

“Then why you still eat?”<\/span>

“Because Adam was only going to eat if I didn’t like this steak. It’s absolutely perfect, Hop Sing. You must let me watch you cook some time.”<\/span>

Hop Sing beamed as he cleared the boys\u2019 place settings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben asked, with some confusion, “So what was this all about?”<\/span>

“Our first battle of wills,” said Marie as she cut off another piece of her steak. “Looks like I won this time.”<\/span>

“Adam will come around, Darling.”<\/span>

“I just hope this is a short war,” she said as she took another bite of the most delicious steak she’d ever had. ‘I don\u2019t think I can cope with a siege,<\/em>‘ she thought to herself.<\/span>

Upstairs, Adam was in Hoss\u2019s room, sitting on the floor and holding the picture of Inger. As he rocked himself, he looked into the eyes of the only mother he\u2019d ever known. ‘Why did you have to die? We were so happy. Pa loved you so much. I loved you.’<\/em> \u201cIt isn\u2019t fair!\u201d he said aloud.<\/span>

\u201cWhat ain\u2019t fair?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cThat Pa got a new wife. Why did he have to do that? Doesn\u2019t he care what we think?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cI like havin\u2019 a mama. Is she like mine was?\u201d<\/span>

Glaring at his brother, Adam said, \u201cShe\u2019s nothing like her. Mama was tall and nice and\u2026and she smelled clean.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMama smells real nice.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cThat\u2019s just perfume, Hoss. Without it she probably stinks.\u201d<\/span>

Hoss giggled at that. \u201cI don\u2019t care, though. I been hopin\u2019 fer a mama and Papa finally brung us one.\u201d<\/span>

With a snort, Adam said, \u201cYou\u2019re just a kid. What do you know?\u201d<\/span>

Hop Sing entered the room with a tray bearing two cups of cocoa and some cookies. \u201cBedtime snack. Bring cups down in the morning.\u201d<\/span>

As the cook turned to leave, Adam asked, \u201cWhat are they doing down there?\u201d<\/span>

\u201cThat not boy\u2019s business. You eat cookies then go to bed.\u201d<\/span>

Nibbling on a cookie, Adam waited until he heard Hop Sing\u2019s feet on the squeaky board near the bottom of the stairs. Putting a finger to his lips, he indicated that Hoss should be quiet; then he tip-toed out to the staircase and looked down into the big room. Pa was kissing that woman and it looked like she was kissing him back. He saw his father scoop her up in his arms and head for the staircase. Going back to Hoss\u2019 room, he said, \u201cPut out the lamp and get in your bed. Pretend you\u2019re asleep.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cBut I ain\u2019t finished my cocoa yet.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cJust get in the bed.\u201d<\/span>

Adam quickly went to his own room and shut the door. He changed into a night shirt and got into his bed with a book to read. Since he wasn\u2019t tired there wasn\u2019t any point in pretending to be asleep. He heard footsteps going into Hoss\u2019s room and two adult voices saying good night. The footsteps then came to his door and stopped. There was whispering and then the door opened.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood night, Adam,\u201d said Marie with a smile.<\/span>

Adam looked at her and replied, \u201cGood night, Ma\u2019am. Don\u2019t let the wolves keep you up.\u201d She looked startled for a second and then left the doorway.<\/span>

Ben came in and sat on the edge of his son\u2019s bed. \u201cThat wasn\u2019t a nice thing to say to your mother.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cShe\u2019s not my mother, Pa.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cYou\u2019re going to have to accept her, Son.\u201d Ben then patted Adam\u2019s shoulder and said, \u201cGood night, Son. Maybe your heart will be more accepting in the morning.\u201d<\/span>

\u201cGood night, Pa.\u201d<\/span>

Ben blew out the lamp on his way out of the room. As Adam lay in the bed, he began thinking of how to make Marie so miserable that she would leave them and go back to New Orleans. He finally drifted off to sleep dreaming about the wagon train, Inger, and happier times.<\/span>

The End<\/span><\/p>\n

Next Story in The Battle of Wills Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Education is More than 3R’s<\/a>
\nThe Shadow of Jean deMarigny<\/a>
\nA Gift Horse<\/a>
\nNew Expectations<\/a>
\nRemembering Childhoods<\/a>
\nA Room Full of Memories<\/a>
\nA New Pattern<\/a>
\nNaming the Newest Cartwright<\/a>
\nPresents from the Heart<\/a>
\nLove’s Labor<\/a>
\nBig Brother Lessons<\/a>
\nNo Regrets<\/a>
\nBaby’s Breath<\/a>
\nEnnui<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
Reviewer:\u00a0<\/span>Ms. Bonnie\u00a0Anonymous<\/span>
\nDate:\u00a0<\/span>08 Jan 2014 01:26 pm\u00a0Title:\u00a0<\/span>The Battle of Wills BeginsPatina, I love reading about Adam when he was young, this is a very well written story, I look forward to reading the others Battle of the WillsMs. Bonnie*<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
Reviewer:\u00a0<\/span>CHB<\/a>\u00a0Signed<\/span>
\nDate:\u00a0<\/span>11 Feb 2010 10:00 pm\u00a0Title:\u00a0<\/span>The Battle of Wills BeginsI liked t his series very much and did find all of it.\u00a0 I thought I had saved them properly to my desktop as there are several stories but they do not open properly..\u00a0 Where are the rest after this chapter so that I read t hem again!\u00a0 The way everyone was portrayed was very good and the interaction between all the characters excellent.Author’s Response:<\/i><\/i>Thank you, CHB.\u00a0 I’m so pleased to know you enjoyed this series enough to download the stories!\u00a0\u00a0 All of them can be found here and the number for each is included in the summary.*<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
Reviewer:\u00a0<\/span>jojay\u00a0Anonymous<\/span>
\nDate:\u00a0<\/span>10 Dec 2009 09:39 pm\u00a0Title:\u00a0<\/span>The Battle of Wills Begins\u00a0Nicely done.Author’s Response:<\/i><\/i>Thank you, jojay.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a01st story in The Battle of Wills series.\u00a0 Ben brings his new wife, Marie, home to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

Rating: K\u00a0 \u00a0Word Count=4433<\/p>\n

The Battle of Wills series, links to all the stories within the series included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":375,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1005,23,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adam-cartwright","category-drama","category-prequels","wpcat-1005-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-30-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/coming-soon-5.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6044","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\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6044"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6044\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}