{"id":6667,"date":"2011-08-20T17:47:06","date_gmt":"2011-08-20T21:47:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6667"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:25:13","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:25:13","slug":"invictus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6667","title":{"rendered":"Captain Cartwright # 5 – Invictus (by Krystyna)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary<\/strong>: Romance as well as sadness beckons for Joe, while Adam is reunited with old friends and takes on a new personna in order to protect the President.<\/p>\n

Rated: K (281,065 words)<\/p>\n

Invictus, meaning Unconquerable in Latin, is a poem by William Ernest Henley.<\/p>\n

The final page contains reviews\/comments from the Old BonanzaBrand Library<\/p>\n

Captain Cartwright Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

To Soar on Albatross Wings<\/a>
\nTo Fly with Eagles<\/a>
\nCaptain, Oh My Captain<\/a>
\nThe Commodore<\/a>
\nInvictus<\/a>
\nCarpe Diem<\/a>
\nA New Command<\/a>
\nA Duty to Live<\/a>
\nAll Those Tomorrows<\/a>
\nWritten in Stone<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Invictus<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chapter 1<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHeck, Hoss, if you don\u2019t know, then what hope has he got?\u201d<\/p>\n

A deep sigh slipped from between Hoss\u2019 lips and he shook his head thoughtfully from side to side before he scratched behind his ear. Then he squatted onto his haunches and ran a gentle hand down Cochise\u2019s trembling foreleg. It was hot to the touch and the swelling was only too obvious to both men. Joe was leaning forwards, staring down over Hoss\u2019 shoulder at his horse\u2019s leg as his brother slowly felt around the source of the injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s a bad sprain. It\u2019s not broken\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank goodness!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, you can say that again,\u201d Hoss said with feeling and slipped his hand beneath Cochise\u2019s mane, scratching just where the horse loved it most. \u201cI think the best thing we can do is keep him in his stall and treat it right away.\u201d He scowled slightly. \u201cDang fool horse\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t his fault, Hoss; it was that mare you got for Hester, made him think he was a frisky young stallion instead of what he is.\u201d Joe laughed, a mixture of mischief and relief seeping through the words and he ran his hand down his horse\u2019s neck. \u201cPoor Cochise\u2026it\u2019s not much fun, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a gelding and being in love ain\u2019t compatible, that\u2019s for sure,\u201d Hoss guffawed, and followed Joe into the stall where Cochise was carefully led, and then hand-fed some oats, \u201cI\u2019ll get down to seeing to his leg, Joe. You tell Hester I may be a smidgin\u2019 late taking her into town.\u201d<\/p>\n

For moment Joe stood against the bars of the stall watching as his brother once again felt the swollen leg of the black and white horse, then with a sigh he turned and began to leave the stable. He paused and turned back \u201cYou know, Hoss, I could take Hester into town, if you like?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss glanced over his shoulder at his brother and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, that would be good. It\u2019ll give me more time with this here animal of yours and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t let her talk you into buying that fancy bonnet she saw last week; she\u2019s been talking \u2019bout nothing else since she saw it.\u201d He gave a brief smile and returned to his work, his words now directed solely for the horse\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The flame of the match slowly ate its way towards Ben\u2019s fingers; it wasn\u2019t until its heat was close to scorching the flesh that Ben extinguished the flame, tossed the match into the fire and set his pipe back down onto the leather pouch which contained his tobacco.<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t stir from his position at the sound of the door closing, but continued to lean against the mantle. Distractedly his fingers toyed with the box of matches. Eventually he sighed; the silence from the person who had entered the room forced him to turn and acknowledge Joe. He gave his youngest son a rather rueful smile, and sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything wrong, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no\u2014should there be?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I haven\u2019t been into town yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben frowned as though the statement was to be taken seriously, and then he recognised the flippancy within the words and smiled slowly,<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re going into town, you could do me a favour and send off this letter\u2014\u201d he leaned forward towards the table and picked the envelope up, looked briefly at the address and then held it out to Joe who had to come further into the room to accept it. He also looked at the address.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re writing to Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, there were a few loose ends\u2014things I hadn\u2019t said before we parted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s hazel eyes looked into his father\u2019s face and recognised the fact that his father was worried, anxious to the point of distraction. But then, he surmised, it had been obvious that something had been bothering his father ever since he had returned from San Francisco a week earlier.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was alright, wasn\u2019t he?\u201d Joe weighed the letter between his fingers. \u201cI mean he was alright when he left you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose so.\u201d Ben bit down on his bottom lip and raised his dark eyebrows. \u201cYou know Adam; he doesn\u2019t reveal everything he feels if he thinks it may cause us any worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded, lowered his eyes and once again scanned the envelope\u2019s address.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you think he has to go to Washington\u2014I mean\u2014had to go to Washington?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPresident Grant wanted to see him there, that\u2019s why.\u201d Ben shrugged as though they had gone through this so often already, why yet another time. He sighed. \u201cHe was supposed to just get his orders and his ship and\u2014\u201d he waved a hand as though in dismissal of the whole thing. \u201cInstead he gets a letter from the president\u2019s office telling him to get to Washington immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded; he knew this bit by heart now. Ben had laboured the point often since his return.<\/p>\n

Joe slipped the envelope into his pocket. \u201cI\u2019ll post it off right away, Pa.\u201d He placed a hand on his father\u2019s arm. \u201cHe\u2019s alright, Pa, there\u2019s no need in you fretting about\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho said anything about fretting?\u201d Ben snapped, his black eyes sparked, and his lips thinned. \u201cI\u2019m just\u2014curious. That\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Pa, of course,\u201d Joe smiled, his lips thinned across his teeth, and he backed away. \u201cWhere\u2019s Hester?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d came the taut reply, \u201cShe\u2019s not my wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe opened his mouth and then quickly closed it again; he turned upon his heels and quickly made good his escape into the kitchen. Ben watched him and then with a slight shake of the head picked up his pipe and slowly took his seat in the big leather chair.<\/p>\n

He sat a few moments turning the stem of the pipe between his fingers and thought back to the time he had spent with Adam in San Francisco. It had been a pleasant journey; they had kept conversation light throughout and enjoyed each other\u2019s company during the brief time they had together in the city.<\/p>\n

It was when Adam returned to the hotel after collecting his orders that Ben realised that once again his son was leaving them. When he had told his father that he had been summoned to Washington and didn\u2019t know where he was going to be sent, Ben also realised that there was a time when, possibly, his son would not return.<\/p>\n

And it had been harder this time to say goodbye because they were not at home, at the Ponderosa in the comforting confines of familiar rooms, with Hoss and Joe nearby. He had told Adam that he was proud of him, and had looked into the dark-eyed, tanned face and accepted the fact that this was no child anymore, no stubborn teenager or youth, but a mature man with lines creasing his skin with the fineness of a cobweb, and with the first slight touch of grey in his hair.<\/p>\n

Ben checked the bowl of his pipe, stuffed in more tobacco and then slouched back further into the chair. When one could recognise the signs of aging in one\u2019s own sons, then what did that say about oneself?<\/p>\n

He had travelled home with the memory of Adam\u2019s tall figure standing on the steps of the hotel, a quizzical frown on his brow and a forced smile on his lips. It was a sight that haunted Ben even now, as he saw his son raise his hand in farewell at the door.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Hester Cartwright smiled as her brother-in-law entered the kitchen, a smudge of flour across her brow and sprinkles of it dusting her apron and the sleeves of her dress.<\/p>\n

Joe became aware of the drifting smell of burnt plums in the room and Hop Sing opening the kitchen door in order for the smoke to drift away; he looked over at Joe and shook his head, the words he wanted to utter imprinted upon the expression on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs bad as that?\u201d Joe sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not really. Just a few burnt plums. Hop Sing and I got too engrossed in doing something else.\u201d She smiled and glanced over her shoulder at Hop Sing who nodded, the blank look of benign besottedness once again upon his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo plum pie tonight then?\u201d Joe grimaced and Hop Sing nodded, while Hester shook her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Joe, but don\u2019t worry; the pastry came out alright, didn\u2019t it, Hop Sing?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned. For some reason during the past few weeks Hester had become a rather erratic cook. Before her marriage the few meals she had rustled up had always been excellent, but just lately something had gone awry with her cooking methods. Hop Sing was making his way to the stove to remove the offending burned pot and carried it carefully outside.<\/p>\n

\u201cChickens eat if I get plum chiselled off pan.\u201d he declared and left the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a good soul.\u201d Hester smiled at her brother-in-law. \u201cWhere\u2019s Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the stable checking over Cochise. He\u2019s hurt his leg\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no\u2014is it bad?\u201d Hester put a hand to her mouth, eyes wide, and the colour drained from her face. \u201cI\u2019d better go and see\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not Hoss. He\u2019s checking Cochise, my horse; it\u2019s Cochise has hurt his leg.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, of course, I see.\u201d She shook her head. \u201cFor a moment I was thinking you meant Hoss and couldn\u2019t see why he had to stay in the stable.\u201d She caught at an errant curl that had somehow detached itself from its pins. \u201cBurning those plums has upset my equilibrium.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded. His own equilibrium had often been upset; he was quite sure of that, even if he wasn\u2019t too sure what his equilibrium was, but he had heard Adam use that expression quite often so felt that he kind of understood what it meant, by proxy if nothing else.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss needs to stay with Cochise just now, Hester; he said I could take you into town instead if you wouldn\u2019t mind?\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled, her blue eyes twinkled, and she nodded, tucking the offending curl of hair behind her ear as she did so. \u201cThat would be just fine, Joe\u2014sure you don\u2019t mind?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite sure.\u201d Joe smiled as the envelope in his jacket pocket crackled against his shirt, a reminder of the errand he had undertaken for Ben.<\/p>\n

Hester turned to Hop Sing, smiled that wide generous smile of hers and whisked off the apron with a swiftness that proved how willing she was to surrender the kitchen to him. As she hurried from the room the apron drifted across the back of a chair, and her voice promised not to be long drifted along.<\/p>\n

Joe heard her say something to Ben and smiled to himself. Life had certainly changed since Hoss had married Hester and set up home with them at the Ponderosa. Had it added richness to their lives? He couldn\u2019t say, but he knew that somehow or other he couldn\u2019t imagine life here without Hester now.<\/p>\n

Of course the first week or so Adam had been home with them, and they had all undergone the changes in those initial weeks of Hoss’ married life. As Joe waited for Hester to get ready for town, he wondered how Adam had really felt about this change to life and routine, whether he felt divorced from such changes or glad of them. He had made no comment either way, had ventured no opinion and only smiled at those offered to him.<\/p>\n

The sound of Hester\u2019s voice broke into his reverie, and he smiled as she re-entered the room. He tapped at his nose and raised his eyebrows, which, after a brief look answering of puzzlement eventually brought a laugh from Hester as she quickly dabbed away the offending smudges of flour from her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you so much, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my pleasure.\u201d He opened the door and waited for her to sail pass him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve so much to do; you just can\u2019t imagine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure.\u201d he turned as he was about to close the door and saw Hop Sing carefully measuring out more plums. The two men exchanged conspiratorial nods as he left the building and walked by her side to the waiting buggy.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Paul Martin studied the notes of the report he had carefully written down concerning Widow Macarthur\u2019s gall bladder; he was so intent on his reading and jotting down several pertinent additions to the text that he did not hear the door open and close in the room adjoining his office. It was only when a sharp staccato rap on the door burst in on the silence with the suddenness of a Gatling gun going off that he dropped the notes, adjusted his spectacles and stood up<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, what can I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

He was saying the words even as he turned to face the newcomer who stood patiently waiting his attentions with his hands clasping the suitcase against his leg and his grey-blue eyes anxiously probing into the good doctor\u2019s. He smiled slowly as Paul looked him up and down.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Uncle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle?\u201d Paul blinked, pulled off the spectacles and leaned towards the young man, \u201cHeavens, is that you\u2014John?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe one and same, Uncle Paul.\u201d he stepped further into the room, his hand extended to shake that of the older man. \u201cHow are you, Uncle?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, now then\u2014is that question based on familial politeness and affection or by way of a professional diagnosis?\u201d Paul laughed and slapped John Martin on the arm, \u201cWell now, it is good to see you.\u201d He laid too much stress on the \u2018is\u2019 for John not to appreciate just how much his appearance did mean to his relative.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you too, Uncle.\u201d He smiled and set down the suitcase, looked around the office and then turned again to view the elderly doctor, \u201cI always told you I\u2019d come here one day to help you out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, so you did.\u201d Paul nodded, the laughter still in his voice and his eyes twinkling. \u201cI remember you as a child making that promise, but now\u2014here you are, a young man\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA qualified doctor, sir.\u201d John drew himself straighter, his smile beneath the blond moustache warm and sincere<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d Paul stepped back, nodded. \u201cYes, a qualified doctor. I got the letter from your father last year but\u2014goodness me, a qualified doctor.\u201d he shook his head now and his smile broadened, \u201cIt hardly seems a matter of years but\u2014\u201d he turned quickly, slipped the gall bladder report into a drawer and turned back to his nephew. \u201cCome along, my boy. This calls for a celebration. How long are you staying here?\u201d<\/p>\n

He was pulling his jacket from the coat hanger, pushing his arms through the sleeves, and John watched, smiled, and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m here for the duration, Uncle.\u201d He followed Paul from the building, watched as the door was locked\u2014on account of drugs, Paul told him\u2014and stepped out onto the sidewalk. \u201cIt was always my ambition to come here and work alongside you, Uncle Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul said nothing to that, but pride filled his heart, and affection also, for he had denied himself a wife and family for the sake of his patients and profession. Now here was his nephew, a young man in the prime of his youth apparently prepared to do exactly the same. He swallowed the lump in his throat that had nothing to do with any of the signs of ill health, and ushered his nephew to Del Monico\u2019s restaurant.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou couldn\u2019t have come at a better time,\u201d he said, \u201cMy fellow doctors here have been hard pressed for years, as you know. I\u2019ll take you around to the hospital once we\u2019ve eaten. Here, John, come and sit down.\u201d he ushered Andrew into a chair, and sat opposite him, the table was set in the bow of the window offering a grand view of the town\u2019s main street. \u201cTell me about yourself, and your family?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The room was darkened by the number of books that lined most of the walls, but dominating all was the large map. It spanned the complete wall space opposite the large window that shed spangled light onto the rich mahogany flooring and rugs.<\/p>\n

A tall man, 5 ft 11\u201d in his stockinged feet, who had been leaning against the window frame now detached himself and walked slowly towards the other men who were grouped by the large desk at which President Grant was seated.<\/p>\n

No one stirred to pay him any attention, and he drew slowly upon the cigar he had been smoking, before he released the smoke into the air. Grant glanced up, one eyebrow raised as though the lack of deference in the younger man caused him some offence. There was, however, little point in getting annoyed, as George Custer merely continued smoking while paying scant attention to what was being said. Instead, his eyes roamed over the map across which was written in large print \u201cIndian Territory.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was used to hearing the endless rhetoric from these men, politicians now, he mused, and full of the hot air one associated with such self-inflated egos. He regarded them carefully\u2026Sheridan\u2014a man barely 8 years older than himself; Sherman from Ohio and his senior by nearly 20 years, while Grant topped that at 22 years seniority. Secretary of State Hamilton Fish was leaning against the desk, his brow furrowed, as though the closer he got to the president the easier it would be to comprehend what was being said. Custer had little time for Fish, but then there were few men for whom Custer did credit much time.<\/p>\n

He sighed and received a black look from Sherman; he glanced back at the window and fidgeted, pursed his lips and was about to speak when the big doors opened and an aide came bustling into the room, approached Grant and whispered to him a name.<\/p>\n

President Grant looked up from the desk upon which were scattered various maps and papers, glanced briefly at the aide and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk him to come in now; no point in leaving him kicking his heels outside. He\u2019s come some distance to be here,\u201d he mumbled and pushed himself away from the desk, picked up his own cigar and rammed it between his teeth.<\/p>\n

The other men stirred, moved away from the table and turned to face the door.<\/p>\n

Chapter 2<\/p>\n

George Custer\u2019s eyes blinked rapidly and he actually paused a second before replacing the cigar in his mouth. Every man there straightened up and turned to look at the man who had entered the room. Without a sign of self consciousness, without any indication that he was even aware of being present among the most important and influential men in America at that time, he walked across the room and towards the desk.<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright kept his eyes fixed on the president until he saw the map on the wall. His eyes then flicked towards that, lingered long enough to understand its significance, and then returned to look at Grant. The President was smiling, a cigar burning between his fingers, his waistline more ample than Adam could remember and his face more haggard despite its fleshiness.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you managed to make such good speed in getting here, Adam. May I introduce you\u2014\u201d he looked now at the men assembled there, and pursed his lips, narrowed his eyes, \u201cI think you may know General Sherman, General Sheridan, Lieutenant Colonel Custer and Secretary of State Harold Fish. Gentlemen, may I present to you Commodore Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were murmurs of acknowledgement from the men there before they turned towards Grant, who now took a seat behind the vast desk upon which countless papers and maps were sprawled. It was Custer who spoke first, his words thinly veiled behind a smile, most of which was hidden by the overlong and untidy moustaches he considered fashionable at the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore, it\u2019s a pleasure to meet you again, even if you are not inclined to afford us the courtesy of wearing your uniform at this meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave a brief inclination of the head in the direction of the speaker, slightly pursed his lips and raised his eyes to meet those of George Custer. \u201cI have just arrived here; getting here in time for this meeting seemed more important than finding somewhere to change clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Custer raised a shoulder as well as an eyebrow and glanced over at Sheridan, who turned to give a closer look to Adam\u2019s dust-covered clothing. It was Grant who stopped any further conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen, if we may continue with what we are here to discuss.\u201d He turned to Adam. \u201cCommodore, this map here\u2014\u201d he turned to the vast map that covered most of the wall behind him\u2014\u201ccovers the whole of the Indian Territories that it is our intention to subdue and settle. Major General Sheridan as head of the Department of the Missouri and Plains has come with some plans that will enable us to resettle the Plains Indians\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThose that remain,\u201d Sherman murmured sotto voce, at which Custer exhaled a plume of blue cigar smoke and raised a cynical eyebrow.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes remained on the map. He listened to the words being spoken and noticed everything that was going on in that room. There was the concentrated look on the face of the Secretary of State, the look of a man uncertain of what was actually happening in that room and even more unsure as to how it was going to be carried out. Sherman and Custer were taking cynical sides against Sheridan, Little Phil as he was nicknamed, a man ruthless in carrying out his plans.<\/p>\n

It was Sheridan whom Adam found most worrying as the man stared at the map with fanatical idealism in his eyes. This was the man who had ordered professional hunters to trespass onto tribal lands with the words \u201cLet them kill, skin and sell until the buffalo are exterminated\u201d with full knowledge that such orders would eventually lead to the starvation of nations of Indians. What, Adam pondered, would he now do to the innocent remnants of those people.<\/p>\n

He listened as Grant pointed from one part of the map to the other, saying the words that Sheridan had already put into his mouth, and as he heard the ruthless plans only one thought came to his mind\u2014the mass murder of a people.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course\u2026\u201d Grant was bringing his grand plan to a conclusion. \u201cThis can\u2019t be done without someone taking the lead in the field\u2014in this respect\u2014the plains.\u201d He glanced over at Custer, who promptly squared his shoulders, and then his eyes turned to Adam. \u201cYou have had dealings with the Cheyenne and Sioux, Commodore, and I believe are on reasonable terms with some of their chiefs?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s mind slipped back some years, he saw faces, remembered names\u2026and he cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the chiefs I knew are now dead.\u201d He frowned slightly, \u201cI doubt if I could be of any use to you in this respect, Mr. President.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not asking you if you think you will be of any use to me, Commodore,\u201d Grant replied coldly, \u201cThe fact is that you have lived among Indians; you know how they think, about their culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo more or less than some others present, Mr. President.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore, my generals are excellent tacticians, that\u2019s true, and they have learned a great deal about the Plains Indians through war and through negotiation, but they have not lived since childhood among them. Isn\u2019t it true that you were closely involved with Winnemucca and his people? That you befriended Winnemucca\u2019s sons?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue enough.\u201d Adam nodded, giving the briefest of shrugs and the slightest of smiles. \u201cWe lived on the borders of Paiute land, and my father was honoured to consider himself one of Winnemucca\u2019s white friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about Thocmetony\u2014\u201d Sheridan said, \u201cYou must have known her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSarah?\u201d Adams face indicated his surprise at this question; he glanced at Custer and Sherman, and then turned his eyes back to Sheridan, \u201cWhat has Sarah Thocmetony have to do with this conversation?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, isn\u2019t it true that you knew her, Commodore?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I knew Sarah, as well as her sisters Emma and Mary\u2014\u201d he pursed his lips and his eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Grant. \u201cWinnemucca had a large family\u2014er\u2014no one\u2019s really quite sure how many wives he has, but he has, since the battle of the Truckee and Pyramid rivers in the \u201960s, always sought to live at peace with the white settlers, despite constant harassment from them for the mining rights on his tribal lands. His daughters were all educated at San Jose in California.\u201d He paused. \u201cAgain, I don\u2019t know what Thocmetony has to do with your plans to subjugate the Plains Indians. The Paiute culture and traditions are vastly different from those of the Cheyenne and Sioux.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe, but they are still Native Indians and could be\u2014er\u2014coaxed into acting as interpreters for us\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, they can\u2019t,\u201d Adam replied curtly. \u201cThe Wa-Sui or Was-o Paiute speak a completely different dialect from any other Nevada Indian.\u201d he frowned and shook his head slightly, \u201cNo, Shell Flower\u2014Thocmetony\u2014won\u2019t be coaxed by you to help subjugate others as her people have been.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore,\u201d Custer chose to speak now, \u201cSeems to me you ain\u2019t changed much since last time we met. Seems you still are quite an Indian lover, ain\u2019t\u2019cha?\u201d<\/p>\n

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room until Harold Fish rustled some papers and broke the spell. He cleared his throat. \u201cIt seems to me rather incongruous that a seaman be asked to undertake any part in these matters. I mean, Mr. President, his past history with the Paiute hardly has any bearing with his present\u2014er\u2014occupations at sea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s irrelevant,\u201d Grant snapped. \u201cI wanted Commodore Cartwright to be involved because he has a unique ability and knowledge that could be used to help us bring about a more peaceable solution. Otherwise, you know what those people are like.\u201d Grant flung his arm in the direction of the map, thereby judging each native Indian soul there under one simple category\u2014an enemy of the state. \u201cWinnemucca \u2018s people have lived in peace with the white men for years; his daughter, Sarah, champions the white people. She wants her own people to live in greater harmony with us. She could be used\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOthers have been used like her,\u201d Sherman now spoke up, a deep-voiced man, a man who, after the Fetterman massacre in 1866, had spoken for the extermination of every Sioux living. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t work. The only thing those people know is force.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grant looked directly into Adam\u2019s face. Perhaps he had noticed the way Adam had flinched at the brutality in Sherman\u2019s\u2019 voice; perhaps he had realised that plans involving Sarah Thocmetony were futile. He stabbed out his cigar into a crystal glass ashtray and nodded. \u201cMaybe you\u2019re right; after all, what do I know?\u201d He looked appealingly at Adam. \u201cI had hoped the time of fighting these people was over, that perhaps, with your help, we could bridge the chasm between our peoples \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are others who could be of better use, Mr. President. There\u2019s old Wau-sik-ie of the Shoshone; he\u2019s kept his people peaceable for years, even fought the Sioux in defence of the whites, and there\u2019s Major Wynkoop\u2014\u201d Adam paused, frowned. \u201cHe was Indian agent at one time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt one time\u2014\u201d Custer shrugged, the action spoke volumes. \u201cHe ain\u2019t no more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore\u2014\u201d Sherman approached Adam now and stood face to face with him, \u201cYou have younger brothers, still in Nevada, I believe.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cPerhaps one of them would be prepared to help us, to act as an intermediary with Sarah Thocmetony.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s hand tapped lightly against his thigh while he looked directly into Sherman\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you have any particular brother in mind?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell.\u201d Custer drew upon his cigar, taking a lungful of smoke before he let it drift through his lips, \u201cI believe your youngest brother, Joseph, was on friendly terms with the Cheyenne at one time. Perhaps he wouldn\u2019t mind acting for them now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s brows twitched slightly; he wanted to speak but couldn\u2019t find the right words. He glanced at Grant. \u201cI can\u2019t speak for my brother,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Sherman merely smiled, shrugged and shook his head as though disappointed in the man whom so many referred to as \u201cGrant\u2019s Maverick.\u201d Well, he had certainly proven himself to be a maverick in this instance as he backed away from every attempt to be cooperative in Grant\u2019s attempts to claim Indian Territory.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact is, Commodore,\u201d Custer drawled. \u201cWith or without you, peaceably or not, we will get that territory. Do you know how much gold there is on that land? More than a dozen Comstocks. There are thousands of white settlers waiting to get their claims filed on land there; townships are already springing up around the borders, even since the last time you were there. You can\u2019t hold them back; they\u2019re like flood waters that will just break down any dams you want built against \u2018em. We have every right, as freeborn Americans, to take that land\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSir\u2026\u201d Adam\u2019s voice was quiet, calm, and deep. He slightly narrowed his eyes to look into the face of this younger man. \u201cWhen we last met I told you then that if you were to try and take that land\u2014by whatever means\u2014you\u2019d never leave it alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you threatening me, Commodore?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; I\u2019m just reminding you of a promise made to you years ago by the chiefs of the peoples you plan to drive from their lands. You step foot in the Black Hills with an army, you won\u2019t come out of them alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho said anything about the Black Hills\u2014\u201d Sheridan blustered, going slightly red around the collar.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can read maps, Major General, and everything I see on that map points to you driving the Sioux and Cheyenne out of the Black Hills.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy thunder, man, you are an Indian lover, aren\u2019t you?\u201d Sherman muttered as he turned his back on them all and strode over to the window so recently vacated by Custer.<\/p>\n

George Custer blew a perfect smoke ring into the air before he approached the desk, and stubbed out the butt of his cigar into the ashtray.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing is, Cartwright, Sarah Winnemucca acted as an intermediary for her people in \u201866. She and her brother, Natchez, went to Fort McDermitt to try and stop white raids on the tribe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cAs a result, they ended up on a reservation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was for their safety. Old Winnemucca never made trouble over it.\u201d Sherman murmured.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he wouldn\u2019t; he\u2019d lost any fire he\u2019d had and only wanted peace with the white settlers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich they have kept\u2014commendably\u201d Grant said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if she is persuaded to work for us now\u2014\u201d Sheridan clenched his fist, and for a moment Adam thought he was going to strike the desk. Instead he slipped his hand into the small of his back. \u201cShe\u2019s worked as an interpreter for the military at Fort McDermitt and Camp Harney since.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOn behalf of the Paiute\u201d Adam said softly, and he glanced over at Grant who appeared to have slipped into a reverie of his own.<\/p>\n

Sheridan stared woodenly at Adam and then turned to Grant who continued to stare down at the papers on his desk. Sheridan looked over at Fish, who cleared his throat. \u201cMr. President Sir, is there anything else you wish to add?\u201d<\/p>\n

Grant raised his eyes to look at the men assembled there; he frowned and shook his head, then leaned back in his chair. \u201cIf you gentlemen wouldn\u2019t mind giving me a moment with Commodore Cartwright\u2014alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

They said nothing but left the room with as much dignity as they could muster, speaking in low tones to one another as they left as though to indicate to Adam that their opinions mattered even if they had been dismissed like so many errant schoolboys. Adam bit down on his bottom lip and looked over at Grant, who waved a hand towards a chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cSit down, Cartwright.\u201d He watched in silence as Adam took a chair, stretched out long legs and waited attentively for whatever the president had to say next.
\n\u201cIt was my suggestion to use you and Winnemucca\u2019s daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally? I\u2019m surprised.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cBecause I\u2019m a seaman. The Plains Indians have no bearing on my life, or on Sarah\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou appear to be on name terms with her; is she a friend of yours?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs such a thing permissible?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t parry words with me, Cartwright.\u201d Grant replied, although he smiled slowly. He picked up some papers from the desk. \u201cShe was born in 1844, about the same time as your youngest brother I believe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s true, two or three years after to be more exact.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s married to a white man?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDivorced\u2014First Lieutenant Bartlett was a wastrel and abused her. She divorced him and has since remarried.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do know her well, Commodore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, apparently, do you, sir.\u201d Adam\u2019s eyes dropped to the papers in Grant\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s an important figure to the Paiute; you have to admit that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have not denied it. She\u2019s the granddaughter of Chief Truckee, therefore high ranking.\u201d Adam\u2019s brow furrowed slightly into a frown; he ran a forefinger over his top lip as though considering saying something further but waiting for Grant to speak first.<\/p>\n

The president allowed the silence to run on a little as he took a cigar and lit it; through the whirl of smoke that followed he looked thoughtfully at Adam. \u201cSo\u2014 what\u2019s she really like, this \u2018Princess of the Paiute.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cArrtactive, intelligent, articulate. Whoever provided you with the information about her must have met her and told you that himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he did.\u201d He tossed the dead match into the ashtray and sighed. \u201cDid you like her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but I like her father too. They\u2019ve made great efforts to understand the white man\u2019s ways; they were educated in California, worked in the homes of wealthy white families, speak Spanish and English.\u201d He paused, pouted his lips slightly and looked over at Grant, who was regarding him with a slight smile on his face. \u201cWhich you know, and which makes her suitable for what you have in mind, I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want bloodshed over our rights to the Black Hills, Adam.\u201d Grant said softly, and he frowned at the way Adam\u2019s face hardened at his words. \u201cYou don\u2019t think we have rights?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDarn you, Adam, one of these days your conscience is going to see you dead.\u201d He took a deep intake of breath before releasing it and shaking his head. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I didn\u2019t mean that\u2014just that your conscience is going to bring you to ruination if you\u2019re not careful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt it, Mr. President.\u201d Adam smiled slowly, \u201cI\u2019d just like to say again that as a seaman I am of no use to you in this matter. There are others who obviously are better suited. Sarah Thocmotony has already split her own people in half about what she has done\u2014some admire and respect her; others despise her as a traitor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t that always the way when someone tries to act as the bridge between two nations of people?\u201d Grant sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe told me how the Paiute always knew the white men would come one day to their land; they were prepared to greet them as brothers, because their legends talk about a family who were split from each other because of their colour. When her grandfather met the first white man he was happy; he thought the family would be reunited.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what went wrong? Truckee\u2019s son, Winnemucca, fought in the \u201860s, didn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Sarah was small some whites attacked their village. To save them her parents buried their children, covering their faces with brush in order to give them air. They were buried a whole day before they could be rescued. But the whites had destroyed the village. It made the Paiute realise that their white brothers didn\u2019t love them as they had hoped, that the family was not going to be easily united. After the \u201860s and with Natchez and Sarah acting as intermediaries, the fighting ended only when they were all put onto a reservation.\u201d Adam looked down at his feet. \u201cSome of our land on the Ponderosa was once their land.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grant frowned, knocked ash into the tray with his little finger and regarded Adam thoughtfully. \u201cWe will get the Black Hills, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know. But it won\u2019t be peaceably, and it won\u2019t be with Sarah Shell Flower\u2019s help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps not; it was a shot in the dark anyway.\u201d Grant rose to his feet, prompting Adam to do likewise. They faced one another across the desk. \u201cThey\u2019re a bunch of murdering primitive people, Adam. I\u2019m going to give Custer orders to make sure they leave the Black Hills for our people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMurderous?\u201d Adam frowned, looked down at his feet, at the pattern of the rug on the floor. \u201cWell, you know what happened to Fetterman in \u201866?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA massacre of good men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA man who disobeyed orders, Mr. President.\u201d Adam raised his eyes to look at the man opposite, to whom he knew he owed allegiance as his head of state. \u201cThe Cheyenne and Sioux call it the Battle of the Thousand slain, because that was how many of their people were killed that day. Of course, the handful of white men who were killed would always be remembered; a thousand murderous primitives are quite easy to discount and forget.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright, you are stretching my goodwill too far\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAm I dismissed, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Adam nodded briefly, saluted his superior officer and turned to leave the room, as he did so, Grant called for him to stop.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you staying?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the Hotel Grammond.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAwait your orders there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, looked at Grant thoughtfully once again and then left the room.<\/p>\n

Once outside and in an antechamber he released his breath, raised his eyes to the ceiling, and shook his head. No doubt about it, he had blown his commission out of the water, perhaps even signed his own warrant to be arrested for insubordination. Grinding his teeth together, he replaced his hat upon his head and hurriedly left the building.<\/p>\n

Chapter 3<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry about the plums.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe forced his mind back to the present moment. He had drifted into thoughts of his own that concerned Cochise, his family, his future. Now he had been jerked rather unceremoniously back to the present. He turned to look at Hester.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s alright, I\u2019m sure we\u2019ll survive.\u201d he smiled, and slowed the horses a little upon realising that the deeper he had immersed himself in his own private thoughts the more the horses had taken it upon themselves to gather speed.<\/p>\n

Dust was settling upon them as the team slowed, and Hester brushed it off her clothes slowly before adjusting her hat. She liked going fast in the buggy; even when riding her horse the idea of speed enthralled her. The wind in her hair, whipping against her face, making her eyes water. It symbolised her life, her freedoms now. She sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t mind you going faster than usual, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, don\u2019t think we hadn\u2019t noticed, Hester. You give my Pa a heart attack every time you say you\u2019re going out riding, you do know that, don\u2019t you?\u201d he grinned, although something lurking in the back of his eyes warned her to take care about how she answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can understand how you all feel, Joe. Accidents happen, don\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he nodded and averted his face from her blue eyed gaze. \u201cYes, they do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marie\u2019s death, Hester sighed; it still pained them, even now, after all these years. No one seemed to mourn the death either of Inger, or of Elizabeth in quite the same way as they did about Marie. Perhaps because the legacy of grief was more far-reaching, a debt weighing down upon a small child and the other sons who had to live with the misery of that little boy. She drew in her breath and slipped her arm through his, and leaned slightly against him, shoulder against shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll try to be more careful, but it\u2019s hard, Joe, I just love riding and feeling the wind in my hair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I know.\u201d He cleared his throat and gripped the reins tightly.<\/p>\n

There was a morning a long time ago when a lovely woman dressed in a velvet green riding habit had swirled into the house with a laugh; her skirts had flounced around her ankles and the riding whip in her hand had nearly knocked over one of Ben\u2019s favourite ornaments. He could remember his own laughter as he had run to her and thrown himself into her arms. This was his Mama, and she looked lovely in her new riding habit that Shaughnessy had made her.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, I\u2019m going out riding.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRiding\u2014dressed like that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe recalled looking at his father, wondering why he had spoken in that way, seen the twinkling eyes and the wide grin on his father\u2019s face which had elicited more laughter from his mother as she hugged her little boy tightly to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you like it?\u201d and her voice had deepened; there was a little bit of laughter still there as an undercurrent in her words.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014think\u2014you look too beautiful in it, Marie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Ben, I love riding so much, and feeling the wind in my hair\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had been there; his voice had carried into the conversation from behind them. \u201cMind it doesn\u2019t blow your hat away\u2014\u201d and that had brought more laughter, although Joe hadn\u2019t understood why.<\/p>\n

\u201cOdd, isn\u2019t it?\u201d he sighed now and looked at Hester, who was watching the road as it snaked along its way ahead of them, \u201cSometimes you remind me of my Ma.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo I? Is that a bad thing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not at all\u2026\u201d he paused, \u201cSometimes\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her voice had a catch in it; he looked down at her in time to see a tear trickle down her face before she had had time to brush it aside.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, there\u2019s no need to be, Hester. It\u2019s just that there hasn\u2019t been a woman in the house\u2014I mean\u2014a Mrs. Cartwright in the house since Mama. You laugh and sing, you play the piano terribly badly, and you make Hoss happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes\u2014and does that make your father unhappy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe laughed and shook his head, \u201cI think Pa still can\u2019t believe that one of us actually got married, especially to such a beauty as you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m not beautiful.\u201d she sighed and sat in a more erect posture, leaving a slight gap between them. \u201cI\u2019d hate to think I was causing your father, or yourself, any pain at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa just worries when you go out riding, sometimes he\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014he thinks of your mother that day of the accident?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes; she was an excellent rider, the horse was dependable, and\u2014\u201d he stopped, bit his lip. What was the point in conducting another inquest on it, after all these years? He shook his head. \u201cHe just worries. It\u2019s like with Adam, you see, he worries about Adam because having been a seaman himself he knows what kind of dangers there are for him out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand. I promise never to catch a boat or go sailing on the lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

He laughed again, but his brow furrowed slightly. He wished now that he hadn\u2019t mentioned Adam as it unleashed other unbidden thoughts and concerns into his mind. He bit his bottom lip and stared out at the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just don\u2019t seem to be able to do anything right,\u201d Hester suddenly said as they were about to take the curve on the track that led them over the bridge at Miller\u2019s Creek, \u201cI thought I could cook quite well until I came here, but Hop Sing\u2014well, he has everything so under control that I\u2019ve totally lost my confidence. There\u2019s so much to learn and adapt to, Joe, being married to Hoss and everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything?\u201d Joe raised an eyebrow<\/p>\n

\u201cAdjustments to life\u2014things like that.\u201d She turned away to look at the water flowing beneath the bridge; the wooden planks clattered together as the horses and buggy passed over them, reeds bent to the currents of the water. \u201cIt\u2019s not just being married to Hoss though\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d rather be living in your own place, like Ann and Candy?\u201d<\/p>\n

She blushed just a little then and bowed her head, her hands she folded neatly into her lap.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess so. Then any mistakes I make are just between Hoss and me.\u201d She frowned, \u201cI don\u2019t mean to be ungrateful, or even to sound ungrateful, but that\u2019s why I\u2019m so clumsy at the moment.\u201d She paused and chewed her lips for a second or two. \u201cTo be honest, I have always been clumsy to some degree, but at the moment I seem to be excelling myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Hester, if it really worries you perhaps you should discuss it with Hoss.\u201d He sighed, \u201cI guess it would have been easier on you if I had married Victoria.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really. Victoria could play the piano wonderfully\u2014remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

They slipped into a silence then that lasted a further ten minutes and two miles. She glanced over at him. \u201cHave you heard from Victoria at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust one letter a few days ago.\u201d He rubbed the side of his nose self-consciously. \u201cShe\u2019s settled into her job, enjoying life there, misses everyone\u2026that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all?\u201d she echoed slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep, that\u2019s all,\u201d he said and slapped the reins down on the horses\u2019 rumps so that they leapt forward into a faster gallop.<\/p>\n

From that Hester accepted the fact that the matter was closed.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

In the hotel room the sun sent shafts of light spangling across the carpeted floor that fell upon the man who sat at the desk reading through the letter he had been writing. Satisfied with its contents, he now blotted it and put it into its envelope. He held a stub of red wax to the flame of a candle and then watched as heavy globules of wax dropped upon the white paper. The wax dripped like drops of dark blood upon the virginal vellum. Satisfied that enough had sealed the paper, Adam removed his signet ring and pressed it upon the wax leaving a perfect Ponderosa Pine imprinted upon it.<\/p>\n

He leaned back in his chair and for a moment sat looking at the envelope he held between his fingers, tapping one corner slowly against the blotter as though perhaps he had not written enough, or maybe had written too much. He turned it over in his hand and glanced at the address he had previously written there, and then nodded to himself, pursed his lips and set the letter down. His father, he knew, would deal with the matter as he saw fit.<\/p>\n

He had removed his jacket, leaving it draped over a chair, and now he began to unpack his uniform, which he placed in the rather elegant wardrobe. He was in the act of removing his shirts when there came a knock on the door. Upon his calling \u201cEnter\u201d the door opened to admit a young man in naval uniform.<\/p>\n

He had removed his hat and saluted as Adam turned to survey him, and then with a gesture that should have been heralded by at least half a dozen trumpets he produced an envelope from his pocket and handed it over to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor your attention only, Commodore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. That much he had already assumed, seeing that only his title and name appeared on the envelope, in handwriting that he recognised. He looked at the young naval attach\u00e9, who saluted and stood smartly to attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs the writer waiting for a reply?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, none was indicated. I daresay\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well, thank you.\u201d He turned away, heard the door close and glanced over his shoulder to ensure that he was alone.<\/p>\n

He looked at the writing on the envelope and frowned slightly before he walked over to the window, and from there watched as the young naval attach\u00e9 descended the steps of the hotel and proceeded to get into a cab which rolled its way out of sight. Adam remained at the window for a while, loath now to touch the letter and to have its contents revealed. He continued with his unpacking with such a lack of resolution that he found himself wishing more than ever that he had remained at home with his family.<\/p>\n

Thinking so brought back memories of Hoss\u2019 wedding day to Hester, the warmth of the sun upon their backs, the words said, and the love shown. He sighed and bowed his head as he recalled the pleasure in his father\u2019s and brothers\u2019 faces upon seeing him there, and the way Hester had looked at him, half-smiled, unsure and uncertain, hoping for acceptance and waiting for him to show it.<\/p>\n

Now he sighed again and resumed his unpacking. His mind drifted over the possibility that he had been ordered to accept instant dismissal, to return home to his beloved Ponderosa, that there was no longer any need for a man like him who only served when it appeared to suit him.<\/p>\n

He grimaced, a downturn of the mouth; after all it hadn\u2019t suited him at times to be sent places where it was either too hot, or too cold, where he never knew who or where his enemies were, but he had accepted it all as his duty. Blind duty some would say, but now he had said no and as a result\u2014well\u2014perhaps he could go home.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Joe flexed his shoulders, looked up at the sky and then up and down the road. Hester was talking to Ann, her cousin, both standing close to the milliner\u2019s shop where bonnets seemed to flourish. Engrossed in their conversation, neither woman seemed particularly bothered by bonnets, feathers and fancies, and Joe wondered if it was possible for them to end their conversation, go their separate ways and not even give the hats a moment\u2019s notice.<\/p>\n

He was watching them closely when he recognised Paul Martin walking towards him with a smile on his face and a stranger by his side. Joe watched them approach with a grin, his hazel eyes warm as he waited to greet his old family friend and to welcome the newcomer.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, glad to have found you today, this is my nephew, Dr. John Martin. John, this is Joseph Cartwright, the youngest son of Ben Cartwright of the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

The younger men shook hands and took stock of one another, smiled and nodded, both feeling mutually pleased at liking what they saw of the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing to stay here long?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so, Mr. Cartwright, I hope so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCall me Joe, most everyone else does.\u201d<\/p>\n

John smiled again and nodded, he glanced at his uncle and then once again at Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard from my Uncle that you and your brothers practically got his practice up and running with all the calls he had to make on you when he first moved here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t be wrong,\u201d Joe laughed. \u201cWe owe your Uncle a lot, John, he\u2019s been a loyal doctor as well as a good friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJohn, I helped bring this young man into the world\u2014a mite early at the time as it happened. He\u2019s been impatient ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAgain\u2014quite true.\u201d Joe smiled and was about to speak when he was aware of Hester approaching them. He turned to her and took her elbow. \u201cDr. John Martin, may I introduce my sister\u2013in-law, Hester Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

John Martin removed his hat and shook her hand, bowing slightly over it.<\/p>\n

\u201cA pleasure, Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a pleasure to meet you too, Dr. Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJohn is Paul\u2019s nephew,\u201d Joe explained. \u201cHe\u2019s going to stay and give Paul a hand here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is good news,\u201d Hester\u2019s smile broadened, \u201cI am pleased, Dr. Martin; Paul has been hard-pressed for help for such a long time now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had noticed that the medical profession isn\u2019t well represented here in Virginia City,\u201d the younger Dr. Martin said, and he frowned; a slight furrow appeared over his eyebrows and the grey of his eyes darkened. \u201cThe hospital seems poorly staffed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA fine building though, you must admit that\u2014\u201d Paul said quickly, hoping that his nephew wasn\u2019t going to ruin his good first impression by appearing pompous.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, a fine building, three stories high and able to accommodate 60 male patients and 14 females. That\u2019s quite a good ratio, although I think perhaps a few more doctors and nurses on the wards would be better for the town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, when it was first built as the county hospital in 1865 it wasn\u2019t used for quite a while; there just weren\u2019t enough doctors hereabouts.\u201d Joe smiled good-naturedly. \u201cDr. Pinkerton * was the visiting surgeon, but it was Paul who was the doctor we all called upon and relied on; isn\u2019t that so, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul, caught in a reverie of past battles to get more doctors, nodded and smiled, then he sighed. \u201cMost of our patients died before they even reached the hospital, John. Life in a mining town isn\u2019t like back home, as you\u2019ll soon find out.\u201d<\/p>\n

John laughed, a good deep laugh, and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I can see that already, Uncle, and looking forward to being of service.\u201d He looked again at Hester, who was regarding him with a faintly bored look on her face. \u201cI hope to see you again, Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, I hope so also, Dr. Martin.\u201d She smiled, the deep blue of her eyes darkened and a wisp of golden copper hair trailed from beneath her bonnet; this she caught up and tucked behind her ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not from hereabouts, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m from New York.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought so.\u201d He smiled again. \u201cWell, I think my Uncle wants me to meet more of the populace, so\u2014goodbye again.\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded to them both and resumed his walk through the town. For a moment Joe and Hester watched them, Joe with a vague smile on his face, and Hester with a slight frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that will help Paul\u2019s workload,\u201d Joe eventually managed to say, and then he turned to Hester, \u201cTime to get back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you post your father\u2019s letter?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWhat about that jacket you were considering buying?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I changed my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, was it the wrong colour?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm, I like my green one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Joe, that is getting a bit threadbare now,\u201d she sighed and took his arm \u201cIf you get a new jacket then I can buy a\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you can\u2019t\u2014\u201d Joe turned her around and began to walk her towards where the buggy was waiting, \u201cWhat did you think of our new doctor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re changing the subject.\u201d she laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI merely asked a sensible question, Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm, well, I don\u2019t know him, do I? On first acquaintance he seems a bit\u2014well\u2014a bit of a prig.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe laughed. That wasn\u2019t exactly what he would have said, but it seemed to sum up the doctor pretty well.<\/p>\n

Chapter 4<\/p>\n

The letter had contained instructions to see \u2018Mr. Smith\u2019 later that evening. It was written in \u2018Mr. Smith\u2019s own handwriting, the language was curt and to the point. Having only ever received one letter from \u2018Mr. Smith\u2019 before, Adam concluded nothing untoward from the way it had been written but returned it to its envelope and put it into his jacket pocket.<\/p>\n

Prior to his appointment, he bathed, shaved and dressed in his uniform and ate in the hotel\u2019s restaurant. He was surprised, but should not have been, by the prompt attention he received from the hotel management. The presence of a commodore in the United States Navy could only, after all, enhance the prestige of the hotel\u2019s reputation.<\/p>\n

The lateness of the hour did not appear to make much difference to the number of staff attending to presidential business. As Adam was led through numerous corridors to the president\u2019s study he was passed continually by anxious looking men, some in uniform, who were retained in order to keep the president\u2019s finger on the pulse of America\u2019s problems. A soldier presented arms at his approach to the president\u2019s personal chambers, and the door was opened for his admittance.<\/p>\n

The room was empty. Light shone from the various gas lamps that were installed from the ceiling and on the walls. Shadows flickered in corners created by the large bookcases and heavy furniture. As he stepped further into the room, a maid entered behind him and pulled heavy drapes across the window so that the reflection of the room and himself were suddenly brought to an end.<\/p>\n

He walked to one of the bookcases and stood there with his hands clasped behind his back as he looked over the titles of the books there; all mighty tomes on law and history, none of which appealed to him. He turned and surveyed the room thoughtfully for a moment and was about to check the time by the ornate clock on the mantel when a door opened behind the desk, and Grant entered the room at last.<\/p>\n

The door was not obvious: a well camouflaged detail cut into the wooden panels and made to resemble part of the wall. It slid shut with a silence that indicated regular use and frequent oiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you came, Commodore. Please sit down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grant\u2019s voice was less brusque, less defensive now. He looked over at Adam as the tall, broad-shouldered officer took a seat opposite him. He smiled; his eyes appeared conciliatory, and his whole demeanour was that of a man more comfortable with himself and his visitor.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you alright? Have you eaten?\u201d he asked the questions even as he took out his cigar case and offered it to Adam, who declined with a motion of his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, thank you, I ate at my hotel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you are\u2026alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo far as I am aware\u2026yes, thank you, Mr. President.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you surprised at my letter?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam paused and cleared his throat. \u201cWell, yes and no.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grant smiled and went through the procedures necessary to get his cigar alight, then he looked at Adam through the haze of smoke and nodded. \u201cI know what you mean. You expected some kind of letter from the president but not one from Mr. Smith.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam inclined his head, narrowed his eyes and surveyed Grant thoughtfully. He wondered why Grant continued with this pretence of a Mr. Smith, and how many people knew of this alter ego and why it had to be manifested whenever he was in the vicinity. He suddenly wished that his old friend Jeffrey Jamieson was alive and well and able to provide him with the answers to such questions.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you have to understand that I am under a lot of pressure from my generals with regard to the matter of the Black Hills. Since Custer was there last and spilled out about how much gold there is there to the press it\u2019s been nigh on impossible to ignore him and the whole darn pack of them. There is no possible way I can prevent my armies\u2014America\u2019s armies\u2014from encroaching into Indian Territory.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, I realised that several years ago when I last met Custer. The Sioux, Arapaho, Cheyenne and Kiowa they know it too. They are no doubt already gathering together at the place they call the Pa\u2019ha Sa\u2019pa for what is to come sometime..\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt if it will be for a few years yet,\u201d Grant replied. \u201cBut you think it will be sooner?\u201d His eyes narrowed and he gave Adam a sharp look of appraisal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be surprised if it were. Custer is a determined and ambitious young man, and\u2014\u201d he paused, pursed his lips and shook his head, deciding to abandon what he was about to say. Instead he turned the subject to what had happened earlier and asked Grant why he had been brought in to discussions with the army about the matter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t think of a better more qualified man than yourself to undertake the job, with Sarah Winnemucca as your interpreter.\u201d Grant frowned, drew hard on the cigar so that his face was obscured by the smoke, then he exhaled slowly. \u201cBut it was a feeble attempt to gain time really. You mentioned about Fetterman earlier\u2014\u201d he looked thoughtfully at Adam then sighed, \u201cI got all the facts about that, and you\u2019re right, there were far more Sioux and Cheyenne killed there as a result of that man\u2019s stupidity\u2026or perhaps\u2026his overconfidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were still wanting revenge for what happened to their families at Sand Creek,\u201d Adam explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I am aware of that,\u201d Grant nodded. \u201cWar is a messy business, Adam; the Civil War we\u2019ve just passed through was particularly bloody, unjust, cruel. Whether it should have been fought or not is now a matter for historians, not us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam refrained from speaking. He had no wish to open up his heart to any man about his feeling regarding the Civil War. That time had passed, and life was far different now as a result.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow then, the real reason I want you here, Commodore, is because I need you to undertake a favour for me. It isn\u2019t particularly dangerous, and I\u2019m hoping that you won\u2019t find it too boring\u2014\u201d he paused and looked down at the floor as though he needed to find the right words before speaking them. \u201cHowever, it could lead to something important, important, for us all. It could even prevent a war.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith whom?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the trouble, we don\u2019t yet know.\u201d He put the cigar down and unlocked a drawer from which he pulled a folder. He opened it and scanned some of the papers contained inside before looking at Adam again. \u201cYou know a young man named Laurence Willoughby? An Englishman whom you met in the Kurils?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I do. Is he involved in this matter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly by way of being a courier. He\u2019ll meet you at your hotel tomorrow morning, and from there you will go with him and board your ship. You\u2019ll know her well enough; it\u2019s the Baltimore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s lips twitched slightly, and he inclined his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere am I to take him, Mr. President?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInitially to England. I want you to keep close to him. He will be your intermediary with the English connection in regards to this matter. The main problem is that we know so little about things, groping in the dark really, and basing all our supposition and fear on rumour. Unfortunately a lot of the rumour from that quarter has always been well founded and proven accurate in the past.\u201d Grant stood up and paced the floor for a moment before finally pausing at his desk and picking up the folder. He then crossed the floor and gave it to Adam, who, already on his feet as etiquette required, took it. \u201cThere isn\u2019t much information there. It\u2019ll be like groping about in a fog at first, but as matters get clearer you\u2019ll know what to do. You usually do.\u201d He looked at Adam with a smile; his eyes flashed warmth and respect for the younger man and he gripped his arm tightly. \u201cI\u2019m sorry about this afternoon, Adam, but I really need you to help clear this matter up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked down at the folder and shook his head \u201cI\u2019m only a seaman, sir; I\u2019m not a diplomat, or a politician. Are you sure you\u2019re sending the right man?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I am. For one thing, you know Willoughby already, there\u2019s some trust between you. Secondly, you have a nose for trouble, and if there\u2019s any truth in these rumours, then you\u2019ll find it out. You being a seaman, even if a high ranking one, will prevent anyone being suspicious of you, could even help\u2014\u201d he paused, looked over his shoulder as though he had heard a noise, then he dropped his hand from Adam\u2019s arm and returned to his desk. \u201cTake as long as is necessary. I have every confidence that you\u2019ll know exactly what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

He picked up his cigar, nodded and left the room in the same manner in which he had arrived. Adam was left standing in its centre with the folder in his hands and perplexity in his mind. But he eventually left the room. The door was closed behind him by the soldier on duty outside, and another soldier led him through the maze of corridors to a side door where a carriage awaited to take him back to the hotel.<\/p>\n

Two men watched him as he entered the cab and it drew away from the curbside. They were looking down from a window some floors up from the road and said nothing as the cab threaded its way through the traffic, somewhat sparse at such a late hour. Secretary Fish smiled. \u201cWell, there he goes, our President\u2019s tame maverick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t say that, Harold; there\u2019s nothing tame about Commodore Cartwright, believe me.\u201d George Custer sighed and tugged at his beard thoughtfully. \u201cI wonder where the president\u2019s sending him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Harold Fish replied slowly, \u201cNo doubt we shall find out sooner or later. One thing I can assure you; it isn\u2019t to the Black Hills.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 5<\/p>\n

In the cab the light of the street lamps flickered through the windows, casting light and shade over the countenance of the man within. Deep in thought, Adam stared out into the thoroughfare, noticing the movement of traffic and the slow pace of pedestrians. In a strange way he noticed without seeing or registering anything for his mind was too busy going over the interview he had just had with Grant.<\/p>\n

When the cab finally drew up at the Hotel Grammond and he had paid his fare, he had reached some conclusions. Firstly, that the president had not told him everything that he knew for there had been far too little information given about something so important as an impending or threatening war. If such a war was to be averted then why was it so necessary to go to England to be told whereabouts the threat came from and why had Grant prevaricated on so many issues?<\/p>\n

The second issue really was a foregone conclusion, and that was the war on the Plains Indians would go ahead at some time in the future but Grant did not want him involved. A favour, Grant had said, a small favour, and then spoken about avoiding a war. But that would be no small errand; it was something a diplomat should be sent to negotiate, not a seaman blundering in and hoping for some chance encounter that would put everything to rights.<\/p>\n

He mounted the steps to the hotel feeling that respect for the president had worn thin, and that if the man respected him, Adam Cartwright, as a man of honour and integrity then he could, at least, have been more honest with him.<\/p>\n

Adam was able to find an atlas in the hotel\u2019s book room; the shelves were too empty of books to earn the title of a library. For a while before turning in for the night he looked over the maps that bore a pale shade of pink, denoting that they were part of the British Empire. His finger traced the lines of longitude and latitude over pages of lands that he felt would be of some concern to the American Government.<\/p>\n

As he closed the atlas for the last time, the only thing he felt he had learned, or rather, had confirmed, was that the British Empire really did reach from one end of the world to the other. There had been an old saying that the sun never set upon it, and never had a saying been proven truer.<\/p>\n

It still left him wondering which little pink spot was the one with the problem that could spill into trouble for America.<\/p>\n

From the window of his room he could see the dark shadow of the Potomac River reflecting the lights from the moon, and the ships. He slowly turned away and began to remove his clothing. \u201cSufficient unto the day,\u201d so the Good Book said, but he knew this day had been a significant\u2014even a strange\u2014one, and it wouldn\u2019t end until he was finally able to drift into sleep.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Rain splattered against the windows of his room and roused him from sleep early in the morning. For a few minutes he remained still, his arms folded behind his head, staring up at the ceiling as he went over the conversation he had had with Grant the previous evening. After that he went over the time spent in Grant\u2019s office with the generals and Secretary Fish. He called to mind the way they had looked at him, except for Fish who had kept his eyes down on the papers Grant had left on his desk.<\/p>\n

It was no good, he told himself yet again, going over what had been done and said yesterday was already too late as things were already set in motion for today. With a sense of weariness he struggled out of bed and began his ablutions for the day.<\/p>\n

So, he was going to have the Baltimore for use on this adventure. He smiled slowly even as he lathered up the soap over his chin and jaw. Perhaps Grant knew more than he had told him and the Baltimore was some form of bribe to keep his interest. He shook his head and began to shave slowly. No, Grant wouldn\u2019t play games, and he knew better than to try to bribe a man who was and had already proven his loyalty time and again. The Baltimore was obviously the best choice, and perhaps the best available at this time.<\/p>\n

He ran his hand over his jaw line and chin, satisfied at its smoothness, and rinsed his face free from any remaining soap. Ablutions concluded, he dressed himself and went down to the restaurant for breakfast. He could well have had the meal in his own room, but he was an inquisitive and gregarious person. Months at sea left him with an interest in being surrounded with people when he had the opportunity.<\/p>\n

A tall man stepped towards him with a smile and his hand extended in greeting. \u201cGood morning, Commodore. I hope the sight of me won\u2019t put you off your breakfast?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence Willoughby had not changed much in the few months since they had parted. He was smartly dressed, much more so than previously, and his hair was tidy, despite the fact that it still flopped heavily over his brow. His smile was warm and friendly, and there was no denying the pleasure at seeing Adam again that gleamed now in his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Willoughby; it\u2019s good to see you again.\u201d Adam clasped the other man\u2019s hand tightly, \u201cHave you eaten yet? Care to join me?\u201d he gestured towards the restaurant where tantalising smells lingered and Laurence smiled, nodded and walked with the commodore into the room.<\/p>\n

Laurence was helped by a valet with the removal of his damp coat which still shone like rhinestones from the raindrops. Once freed from the cumbersome garment he sat down at the table and looked over at Adam,<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are you now, Commodore? I heard that you had been injured during your return trip home from the Kurils.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou heard right.\u201d Adam smiled drily, \u201cOur passenger\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCassandra Pelman?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2014well, she tried to escape and shot me in passing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence was quiet for a moment, then sighed, \u201cI heard she was dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuicide.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d He bit his bottom lip; his blue eyes widened. \u201cI didn\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave a slight shrug, and raised his eyes to look more closely at Willoughby. It seemed strange that the young man should be here in Washington when only a few months ago he had been in the Kuril Islands, and apparently, determined to stay there for some time. Well\u2026he shrugged again\u2026no doubt there would be a good explanation to come but a crowded restaurant wasn\u2019t going to be the place to receive it.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was beautiful, wasn\u2019t she?\u201d Willoughby sighed wistfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she was, beautiful and tragic. Her whole life was\u2014well\u2014a mess.\u201d Adam glanced around the room. \u201cShe chose her own way of escape from it.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was nothing left for Willoughby to add to that, so he merely sighed again and concentrated on his meal. Probably the only thing he would remember from it was that the coffee was excellent and that Adam had paid for it.<\/p>\n

It was agreed during the course of the meal that they would talk on the Baltimore in Adam\u2019s quarters. Both men had their bags ready and waiting in the foyer and within minutes were joining them in the hansom making its way to the Baltimore.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

It was George Custer who was the first to mention the whereabouts of the commodore at the meeting of generals in the president\u2019s office. In a slow drawl he casually enquired whether or not the \u201dgentleman\u201d would be joining them at any time during the morning\u2019s discussion.<\/p>\n

Grant released his breath slowly before looking around at each one of the men there, then lowered his head to continue reading the papers on his desk. He knew every man there would give his life for him, but he also knew that each one of them could be trusted with only so much information about what really went on in his life.<\/p>\n

Harold Fish entered the room and placed a letter on the desk which Grant glanced at before pushing to one side. He leaned back in his chair and looked directly at Custer, who was staring out of the window stroking his moustache with the back of one hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore Cartwright won\u2019t be joining us here today, nor any other day either come to that\u2014\u201d he noticed the way Custer\u2019s shoulders tightened and then relaxed, the way the handsome head turned into his direction with a gleam in his eyes that was more revealing than anything he could have said, as he nodded and looked in Sheridan\u2019s direction. \u201cI had to send him on an errand for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAn errand?\u201d Sheridan frowned, \u201cWhereabouts would this errand be exactly, Mr. President?\u201d<\/p>\n

Grant fidgeted, picked up a paper knife, and turned it over and over in between his fingers. He could sense Custer leaving the vicinity of the window and glanced up to see the man walking slowly towards the wall where the map was hanging in all its glory.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t imagine the commodore being anybody\u2019s errand boy\u2026\u201d his words were accompanied with a cynical twist to the corners of his mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe isn\u2019t,\u201d Grant snapped sharply, \u201cI assure you, gentlemen, he isn\u2019t\u2014\u201d he frowned, bit his lip and then reached out for a cigar. \u201cAs far as you are all concerned, Adam Cartwright will not be involved in what we are concerned about here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Each man there exhaled, relaxed, glanced at one another and gave hidden smiles to one another.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Sarah Winnemucca?\u201d Sherman said slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cA delegation has been sent to meet with her,\u201d Sheridan replied and looked over at Grant. \u201cThat is what you agreed, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it will achieve anything, but yes, it is what I agreed,\u201d Grant muttered and cut off the end of his cigar with the razor-sharp instrument designed for that purpose. Just for a fraction of a moment he imagined it being a far larger instrument parked on Capitol Hill where certain heads could be cut off neatly; he brushed the picture from his mind and with a sigh and a certain gruffness he said, \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think it will have much success at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that what Commodore Cartwright said or what you think?\u201d Sherman ventured to say and looked directly into Grant\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

That, Grant thought, was the problem: he and Sheridan and Sherman had gone through too much together, they knew each other too well, and as a result could venture to speak out about things that others would not dare to even think. He cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn answer to that question is irrelevant.\u201d He jammed the cigar between his teeth, struck a match and looked through the flame at Custer who had a slight frown on his brow.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo the commodore isn\u2019t going to be anywhere in the vicinity of the Black Hills, I take it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe won\u2019t be anywhere near America for some time to come,\u201d Fish said softly, and his eyes flicked from the president to Custer. \u201cNot from what I understand, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grant blew out the match and looked thoughtfully at Harold Fish. It came into his mind that perhaps Mr. Fish\u2019s head could be the first one to roll, followed closely by that of Glorious George.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn that case, sir\u2026\u201d Custer leaned forward with a smile barely noticeable beneath the hair that adorned his upper lip. \u201cMay I suggest that we consider the possibility of employing the services of the commodore\u2019s brother \u2026 Joseph Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 6<\/p>\n

\u201cOfficer boarding!\u201d The cry rang through the ship\u2019s company and immediately the men left whatever tasks they were dealing with to form up in position on the main deck. As Adam walked up the gangplank, the sound of the piping welcoming him on board was heard overhead. He wondered if he would ever get used to the sound and the realisation that it was meant for him. Behind him Willoughby raised his head and listened, paused, and then continued to step along behind the commodore.<\/p>\n

The men saluted as soon as he made his way through the gangway, a salute that he returned while his eyes roamed over the faces for some that would be familiar to him. He turned as his officers approached.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome on board, Commodore Cartwright.\u201d Lieutenant Aaron Hathaway saluted with a smile on his lean face.<\/p>\n

\u201cShip\u2019s company all present and correct, Commodore.\u201d Another familiar voice and he turned to see second Lieutenant Myers with a smile on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen, you may remember Lord Willoughby\u201d he indicated the Englishman who stepped forward, both officers nodded, and then returned their attention to their first officer. \u201cWe have business to discuss and orders to read. Meet me in my cabin in one hour\u2019s time for a briefing.\u201d He smiled. \u201cIt\u2019s good to be with you both again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what we thought as well, sir,\u201d Myers said promptly.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery good. Dismiss the men and tell them to prepare to cast off before mid day. I take it we have a full complement of men on board?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, everyone\u2019s on board and prepared to leave upon your saying so.\u201d Hathaway replied.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and made his way to the cabin, thinking as he did so that it had been his friend O\u2019Brien\u2019s domain only a few short months ago. He paused at the entrance and glanced up for a sight of the sails. He couldn\u2019t hold back a sigh at seeing none, and had to accept the fact that that this was no elegant clipper, but the most modern steam ship in the American navy.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

While his personal belongings were being brought into the cabin by two of the men, Adam checked out the room, peered through the porthole, glanced over the collection of books on the shelf and lamented the lack of decent prose and poetry, muttering under his breath that O\u2019Brien was a barbarian.<\/p>\n

As soon as the two men had gone there was a tapping on the door and a youth peered into the room, caught Adam\u2019s eye and stepped inside with a smart salute. \u201cI\u2019m your steward, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, perhaps you could get us some coffee,\u201d Adam said more abruptly than he had intended. He softened the request by giving the young man a smile and requesting his name.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Wesley Lloyd, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, waited for the door to close and then indicated that Willoughby take a chair while he himself brought another to sit opposite him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you were going to stay in the Kurils for a while to carry on painting,\u201d he smiled as he spoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had intended to do so,\u201d Willoughby nodded. \u201cJust a few days after you left, I was summoned to the governor there\u2014you remember him, a little old chap looked a bit like a wizened up old goat?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded slowly at the memory of the sad old man who was governor* of the Japanese territories of the Kurils.<\/p>\n

Willoughby continued, \u201cHe gave me a letter from my brother, the one in government I told you about\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCharles?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s the one.\u201d Willoughby chewed on his bottom lip for a second or two, during which time there was another knock on the door. The steward, Lloyd, opened the door and brought in coffee, set it upon the table and waited to be told whether to stay or to leave. Adam indicated the door, and upon the steward\u2019s departure he poured out the coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what did this letter say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was to leave the islands at once and go to the American consulate in Tokyo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou saw Mr. Bingham?*\u201d Adam passed the cup of steaming coffee to the Englishman who looked rather thoughtfully at the brew, glanced up sadly at Adam and sighed as he accepted it. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I guess you\u2019d have preferred
\nsome tea?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it doesn\u2019t matter,\u201d Willoughby murmured and smiled pleasantly up at his host. \u201cI saw Bingham, who gave me a letter to give to your president. I did ask him why he had to haul me away from the islands and not send an American; I mean, for heaven\u2019s sake, there were enough of them lounging around the place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps so, but obviously not one that he could trust or use.\u201d Adam leaned against the chair back and sipped the coffee. \u201cDo you know what was in the letter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but he said it involved both our countries. I had to wait for orders from the president as to what to do once I had delivered the letter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long ago was it that you arrived here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout five days ago. I\u2019ve basically been hanging around the place kicking my heels until yesterday when I was told to meet you at your hotel and prepare for departure to England.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded thoughtfully and walked to the porthole again. As he observed the activities of the men on the wharf side, he thought over all that Willoughby had said, and gave a half smile when considering how certain Grant was that he would accept this assignment.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you been to England before, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

He glanced over his shoulder at Willoughby and nodded. \u201cOnce or twice, but briefly and not for some time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore\u2014\u201d he paused and frowned, then with a nervous hand pushed back the thick blond hair from his brow. \u201cI should warn you that this journey may not be as easy as it first appears.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally? What makes you say that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, there\u2019s already been one attempt on my life since I got here.\u201d He cleared his throat. \u201cSomeone took a shot at me when I was out walking two days ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked at Willoughby now with keener eyes as though seeing him for the first time since they had entered the cabin. \u201cYou\u2019re sure it was at you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely; the bullet passed through the sleeve of my jacket.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust the one shot?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, several, but that was the shot that came closest to doing any harm.\u201d The young man scowled. \u201cRuined my jacket.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to the shooter, to the man who fired at you? Did he get away?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I wasn\u2019t armed. I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d need weapons here. I just yelled and shouted. People were scattering out of the way as you can imagine, and then some chap came by and grabbed my arm, shoved me against a tree and told me to wait there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled, \u201cHow long did you wait for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh I didn\u2019t,\u201d Willoughby drawled, \u201cI watched him run off in the direction of the gunshots, and then walked back to my hotel. If they wanted me for information they\u2019d know where to find me; that kind of person always does.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that kind of person always does,\u201d Adam repeated the words softly and pursed his lips. \u201cI hate working in the dark\u2014\u201d he paused \u201cby that I mean, I dislike not having all the facts.\u201d He stared thoughtfully at the wooden panels of the door for a moment or two, before looking again at the Englishman. \u201cI can\u2019t believe whoever shot at you would leave it at just the one attempt, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps just a warning?\u201d Laurence quirked an eyebrow. \u201cMaybe once he realised I wasn\u2019t so easily intimidated he decided to leave me alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps.\u201d Adam nodded, and poured them both more coffee, \u201cLaurence, are you sure you don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on? The last time I was sent off with secret papers, several good men got killed, and we nearly got into a war with Russia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh I say.\u201d Laurence\u2019s eyes widened, \u201cI can\u2019t see this being anywhere near as exciting as that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you really were just delivering a letter to President Grant from Mr. Bingham?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence stretched out his legs and, noting the anxious look on Adam\u2019s face, he smiled genially. \u201cLook, old chap, there\u2019s no need to fret so. Charles could have easily written to the president himself, but for some reason Bingham had to be involved somehow.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he shrugged, \u201cAnyway, I couldn\u2019t come direct from the Kurils to America. If I were going home I would still have had to go to Tokyo to get a ship to England. It\u2019s all one and the same thing.\u201d he paused a moment before continuing \u201cAnyway, if it\u2019s all the same to you, sir, I think I\u2019ll get the things organised in my cabin before we set sail, just in case I need something, then one of your men could go get it for me.\u201d He smiled lazily, pleasantly, and left the room.<\/p>\n

Adam frowned; he sat down in the vacated chair and stared at the coffee pot as though it held all the answers to all the questions ever asked in the world. Instinct told him that Willoughby\u2019s opinion regarding the dangers of the journey were correct. For a moment he wished that Jeffrey Jamieson was still alive. If anyone would have known what was going on, Jeffrey would, and he wouldn\u2019t have hesitated to have warned his friends of the dangers involved as a result.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

For a brief moment the president of the United States was alone. He stared thoughtfully at the map on the wall before he turned with a sigh and walked slowly towards the window in order to look out onto the formal gardens beyond.<\/p>\n

In the background he could hear the hum of voices, footsteps, all the usual sounds of a busy and efficient administration in which every individual worked on behalf of the American people. That was what he had thought once, he sighed, but his conscience plagued him with the knowledge that there was one individual whom he had disappointed, whose integrity and honesty he had not respected.<\/p>\n

He looked thoughtfully at the ash gathering at the end of the cigar and wondered if Adam Cartwright had realised his president\u2019s duplicity, and having asked himself that he had to be honest enough with himself to admit that yes, an honest man like Cartwright had an instinct when it came to another man\u2019s lack of trust or truth.<\/p>\n

He flicked ash from the cigar with the tip of his little finger and sighed. Honest men were hard to find, and he had, with regret, perhaps lost the respect of one of them. He turned from the window as the door opened with his mind pondering over Adam Cartwright\u2019s reaction when he learned what plans they had made in connection with his youngest brother. Even as he nodded acknowledgement to the newcomer he felt a slight shiver of approbation trickle down his back.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Adam was chewing on his thumb in contemplation when there was a light knock and Willoughby stepped inside the cabin and closed the door carefully behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d he said in his quiet cultured English drawl, \u201csomeone has been going through my belongings, and I don\u2019t mean just to hang my clothes up in the closet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, perfectly sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there anything missing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d Willoughby nodded, \u201cA letter.\u201d He smiled then, a flash of a smile, \u201cDon\u2019t worry, it was the right envelope, but the letter was just a list of paints I need to buy when I get to London.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the original letter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s still where it should be, thank goodness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned, looked thoughtfully at Willoughby and shook his head. In another hour they would be casting off to sea. He picked up his hat and pulled open the door,<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to see my officers and give the men their orders. Is our course set for London, Mr. Willoughby?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir,\u201d Willoughby said with a much firmer tone of voice, \u201cOur course is for the Isle of Wight. It\u2019s an island situated two miles from the south coast of England in the Solent.\u201d He smiled. \u201cThe person we have to see will be there, at Osborne House.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gripped hold of Willoughby\u2019s arm, and looked him coldly in the eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Willoughby, earlier I asked you for information about what you knew, and you said you knew nothing. Within minutes you tell me about a letter you are carrying to a person whose location only you knew about.\u201d he released him and stepped back. \u201cNow, is there anything else I need to know before I leave this cabin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe name of the person?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was told he would identify himself when we arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that is all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is the letter now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomewhere safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you guarantee that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really.\u201d Willoughby shrugged, \u201cI mean to say by that, as I don\u2019t know who is looking through my belongings, I don\u2019t know how good they are at finding things, do I?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed and shook his head<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see why you\u2019re the artist in the family, Willoughby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know; Charles says the same\u2014often.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps it would be safer here, with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t think so. I was told not to let anyone else take possession of it, except the person we meet in England.\u201d<\/p>\n

They glared at each other for a second before Adam gave a curt nod of the head and pulled open the door to be confronted by three officers awaiting their briefing.<\/p>\n

Chapter 7<\/p>\n

The third lieutenant was unknown to Adam and was a mellow thirty something year old from Ohio. His name was Nathan B. Ross. He was hale and hearty, with a ruddy complexion and blue eyes. He was balding prematurely and took care to make the most of the blond hair that remained.<\/p>\n

All three listened and paid attention to the briefing they received from Adam, after which the gunner was summoned. He was a man called Phelps, whom Adam remembered from his previous connections with the Baltimore, for the gunner was one of those posts held \u201cin perpetuity\u201d\u2014in other words he belonged to the Baltimore as much as the Baltimore\u2019s armoury belonged to him.<\/p>\n

The sergeant of marines was introduced, a bluff Texan called Mike Burgess. Adam told him that a guard was to be put at the door of Willoughby\u2019s cabin and no one was to enter without the express permission from the Englishman or himself. This led the Texan to assume the Englishman was under some form of cabin arrest, which meant time was taken out to explain enough of the situation necessary to quell that assumption. Burgess left his captain\u2019s cabin still not exactly sure of what was going on and treated Willoughby with suspicion throughout the voyage.<\/p>\n

Once such matters had been dealt with, Adam went to the bridge and gave the helmsman his directions. A light mist was falling due to the drizzling rain that had continued throughout the day combined with futile attempts at some sun shining through the clouds. He looked at the sights of the capital laid before him and felt an alien, a foreigner in his own country, for his stay there had been brief, and memories of the visit were therefore intangible apart from the audience with Grant.<\/p>\n

Time ticked by and he thought of the letter he had written in the hotel that was now hopefully on its way home. Looking at the metropolis before him he thought that home would always be the Ponderosa, with his family, even though the sea might claim him one day, might even be his grave, it would never replace home in his heart.<\/p>\n

Clenching and unclenching his fists clasped behind his back, Adam recalled to mind an evening he had spent with Hoss and Hester. They had sat hand in hand on the settee in the big room, so comfortable with each other that Adam felt like an intruder, brought into their conversation only because he happened to be there. As he looked back on that evening he realised that he couldn\u2019t recall where Ben and Joe had been; perhaps it was later than memory served and they had already ascended to their beds.<\/p>\n

He had eventually taken to his bed aware of great changes having taken place. It was not just due to the rearrangement of furniture in certain rooms but also to do with the change in Hoss, all his qualities, of which he had so many, seemed now enhanced, imbued by the love that he felt for Hester. She, in turn, showed herself to be so warm of nature and so genuine in her feelings for Adam\u2019s \u201cbig\u201d brother that he could not but feel a fondness for her.<\/p>\n

The bell rang the signal for departure; he swallowed a lump in his throat and looked once more at the buildings, the people and all the sights pertinent to a bustling metropolis. It was a scene now shrouded by the mist, and it seemed to him that the great ship was floating through clouds.<\/p>\n

The Baltimore was a screw gunboat of 185 feet in length, with a beam width of 35 feet and was capable of a speed of 11-12 knots. She had a complement of 190 ordinary seamen, marines, and officers. Her armament consisted of one 11 inch gun, four 9 inch guns, and a 2.6 pounder brass Whitworth carriage gun mounted in a broadside. She sported an iron hull and mahogany decks. The initial propulsion was a horizontal direct acting steam engine with a Fowler steering mechanism.<\/p>\n

He could feel the ship coming alive now; the thud of the engine made the decks tremble. He turned to face his crew, standing to attention as the ship bore away from the wharf side. The pilot navigated the Potomac River by means of buoys, but also by use of the permanent landmarks ashore that had been designed to make it possible for navigators to safely steer their ships to the safety of the river\u2019s mouth.<\/p>\n

He ran his hand along the smooth wood that complemented the bridge, and kept his eyes on the horizon, shrouded though it was by the mist and drizzle. The helmsman turned and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll\u2019s well, sir,\u201d he said and Adam smiled and nodded and affirmed in his deep voice that yes, all was well.<\/p>\n

Hathaway and Ross stood by his side. Neither man spoke, although Hathaway wanted to talk\u2014he was a man talkative by nature and being under Adam\u2019s command again had thrilled him considerably. His memories of the adventure on the Kurils was now tinged with the rosy glow of nostalgia and he longed to be able to share some of the experience with Ross, a man as yet unknown and untried.<\/p>\n

The dampness from the rain and mist was miserable. By the time evening fell and they were well out at sea, the drizzle had turned to heavy rain that fell upon the ship as though intent upon causing as much discomfort as possible.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The first meal of the voyage was a chance to test out the cook\u2019s abilities to serve a decent meal while at sea and to get better acquainted with each other. Lloyd, the steward, served them and the wine refilled the glasses with a constancy that made Adam wonder if the stock would last the full journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what happened to all your paintings?\u201d Hathaway asked as he lounged back in the chair, one hand gripping the stem of his glass. \u201cIf I remember rightly, you are an artist, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly,\u201d Willoughby nodded, but his mouth turned down in a rueful grimace. \u201cI didn\u2019t get much chance to do any painting when I got back to my dwelling place, which you may remember had been reduced practically to rubble thanks to the Russians attacking the village, and putting their boots through my canvases. No, I wasn\u2019t able to salvage anything from the work I had achieved there.\u201d He looked thoughtfully into the blood red of the wine sparkling in the bowl of his glass. \u201cBut it\u2019s all in my mind, the colours and sights of those islands. I\u2019ll get them onto canvas one of these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hathaway nodded thoughtfully and looked at Ross, who was refusing more wine with a wave of his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about you, Ross, have you ever been to Japan or Russia?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not at all,\u201d Ross sighed. \u201cAfrican coast mostly, Morocco and Egypt.\u201d He picked at some bread still remaining on his plate. \u201cFell in love with a girl in Morocco; beautiful she was, danced wonderfully well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to her?\u201d Myers asked with a slight smile, and he winked over at Hathaway.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, she died. She got some kind of disease, Beri-Beri or something like it.\u201d He lowered his head and rolled the crumbs of bread into little balls which he dropped onto his plate. \u201cShe was the loveliest woman I had ever seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry,\u201d Hathaway said sincerely. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to fall in love and lose someone like that. I am sorry,\u201d he repeated and placed a gentle hand upon Ross\u2019 shoulder\u2014which was shrugged off with a vehemence that caught them all by surprise.<\/p>\n

Stranger still was his next action, for he rose swiftly to his feet, looked at Adam with such a tragic face and begged permission to leave, which his superior officer promptly gave him. The door shut with a dull thud, leaving the four men looking at one another with a furtiveness borne of guilt, but about what, none of them could have said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I didn\u2019t mean anything\u2014\u201d Hathaway stammered.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt must have happened quite recently,\u201d Myers murmured. \u201cWe weren\u2019t to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pushed himself away from the table and rose to his feet,<\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen, I think we should call it a night anyway. Thank you for your company.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pleasure of the evening was gone. As flimsy as gossamer it had drifted away into nothingness, and as the door closed behind the last of them to leave, Adam walked to the porthole and looked out onto a black, restless sea.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Dear Pa, Hoss and Joe,<\/p>\n

Odd how I had such a feeling of urgency to get this letter written to you, but now I find I can\u2019t make sense of why I felt that way, and the words won\u2019t or don\u2019t come so easily to mind.<\/p>\n

I saw the president today along with Generals Custer, Sherman, Sheridan and Secretary of State Fist. The discussion was about Indian Territory; the determination on their part, was to claim it all, even the Black Hills. I reminded Custer of a promise made a few years back that if he went into the Black Hills he wouldn\u2019t be coming back out alive. He didn\u2019t seem bothered.<\/p>\n

I feel apprehensive about all of this, as it seemed their intention was to use Sarah Winnemucca and myself as guides and interpreters to the Plains Indians.
\nNow, how can that be logical? A seaman and a Paiute?<\/p>\n

I think what sent my nerves jangling was the fact that Joe\u2019s name was mentioned at one stage. Please don\u2019t worry unduly. I may be quite wrong about this, but I just felt instinctively that they would consider Joe useful to them due to his previous connection with the Cheyenne. I believe Custer has already forgotten his own involvement regarding that connection.<\/p>\n

I have to return later but I don\u2019t know what is involved in that, whether more of the same dialogue or something different.<\/p>\n

Now I am still unsure as to whether or not to send this letter to you. I shall let you know of any further developments that may involve Joe.<\/p>\n

Therefore I send it with my most sincere best wishes and regrets, my fond best wishes also to Hester.<\/p>\n

Your ever-loving son and brother
\nAdam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben slowly passed the letter over to his son to read, and while Joe devoured the words, he himself stared blankly at the map on the far wall. After some moments had passed Joe returned the letter.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what do you think, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what to think.\u201d Ben sighed and rubbed his face with one hand while he re-read the words his son had so hastily written to him. \u201cIt\u2019s a pity he didn\u2019t add a post script so that we could know what happened at his following meeting with Grant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps nothing happened, nothing that he considered important enough for us to be told about anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm\u2026\u201d Ben rubbed his chin and shook his head. The dark brows beetled above his eyes in a formidable scowl, \u201cI don\u2019t like this reference to Sarah. Nor to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps they mentioned me just to see if they could panic Adam into agreeing with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps\u2014\u201d Ben glanced up as the door opened and Hoss and Hester came in together and smiled at them; his smile in return to them was wide and generous, for it always gave his heart a leap of pleasure at seeing Hester with his son, and Joe watched as the dark eyes of his father softened at the sight of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a letter for you here,\u201d Joe called out to Hester and raised it above his head. \u201cAll the way from New York.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, it must be from my brother,\u201d she exclaimed and gave Joe a sweet smile as she took it from him. \u201cWhich isn\u2019t before time. He never wrote a word before we were married.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a pity he didn\u2019t come to the wedding,\u201d Hoss said as he put down some boxes; obviously his determination to prevent Hester buying a bonnet had failed dismally.<\/p>\n

She nodded in agreement and said something about it being such short notice and so far away and difficult to arrange even while she ripped the envelope open. Her eyes widened as she read the short note and she went a little red in the face before covering her mouth with one hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it? Anything wrong?\u201d Ben asked as he stood up from his chair to approach her.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing is wrong, it\u2019s just a request to come and pay us a visit.\u201d she smiled at them all, still a little pink in the face and her eyes rather bright. \u201cHe and his wife, Ingrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you gotta say he is welcome. Any friend or relative of yours is welcome. Ain\u2019t that right, Pa?\u201d Hoss looked over at Ben, who nodded in agreement.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh well\u2014\u201d she slipped the letter back and looked at Ben anxiously\u2014\u201cthat\u2019s good, as they will be arriving tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow?\u201d Ben\u2019s eyebrows rose into peaks; then he gave a short laugh and put an arm around her shoulders. \u201cWell, what does it matter, so long as they get here safely and the journey was a comfortable one, which, sadly, I doubt much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI shall have to get a room ready for them.\u201d She sighed. \u201cI wish they had given us more notice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he always this impetuous?\u201d Joe asked managing to change the \u2018inconsiderate\u2019 that had first come to mind in order not to hurt her feelings.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe can be,\u201d she replied somewhat slowly. \u201cI think it\u2019s a family trait.\u201d She looked at her husband now and laughed. Hoss leaned forward and kissed her cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll come and help you get the room ready, dear,\u201d Hoss mumbled and she cast him a warm, loving look as he picked up the boxes and followed her up the stairs.<\/p>\n

Joe turned from observing his brother and sister-in-law and walked slowly to Ben\u2019s side. after a quick thoughtful glance at Ben\u2019s face he said, in a quizzical tone of voice<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t mention about Adam\u2019s letter to Hoss, Pa; any particular reason?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh well, I didn\u2019t think it necessary just now, Joe. I doubt if Hoss will be worrying about Indian Territory for a good while yet.\u201d Ben smiled and slipped the letter into the envelope, then he then looked back at Joe. \u201cIt may be a good idea to go and visit Sarah Winnemucca as soon as we can. Just to put her on her guard in case the relevant \u2018powers that be\u2019 contact her.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment Joe was silent as he walked to the fire and looked down at the flames. He thought back to the time he had ridden with the Cheyenne, had loved Little Moon, had so admired Crazy Horse of the Sioux.* As he looked into the fire he found himself remembering the campfires around which he had sat and debated so much with George Bent* and others in the big tepees far away on the plains where the grasses whispered secret words in the winds.<\/p>\n

He turned to his father and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey always said the white men would come and take the Black Hills. I promised them that it wouldn\u2019t happen; the Black Hills are sacred, to both Sioux and Cheyenne, to Arapaho and Kiowa. There\u2019s going to be a war, Pa. It\u2019s going to be bloody and horribly savage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps,\u201d Ben said, \u201cbut perhaps not. With negotiation, a war can be prevented. Both sides should know by now the power of the other \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t make any difference. Not when sacred things are involved. The Plains Indians may know that as far as manpower is concerned they are outnumbered, but that won\u2019t be a consideration.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe.\u201d Ben placed a firm but gentle hand on his son\u2019s arm. \u201cJoe, don\u2019t do anything rash.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuch as?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPromise me you won\u2019t go there and get involved with this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben watched as his son struggled to keep emotions from showing too clearly on his face. Then he sighed and turned away.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t any of your concern, Joe, not now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if I can prevent it?\u201d Joe\u2019s voice was suddenly pleading and he hated the sound of his voice even in his own ears; it sounded like a whine and grated his nerves. \u201cIf I can prevent it, Pa, lives could be saved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt it.\u201d Ben said and then bit his lip, shook his head. \u201cJoe, Adam wasn\u2019t sure about what was being planned. Shall we just wait and see what happens?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was sure enough to write that letter\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but things could have changed after he had written it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Pa,\u201d Joe groaned, a long sigh of a groan and shook his head. \u201cCuster won\u2019t change; he had his eyes set on the Black Hills as soon as he saw them. He won\u2019t let go of any plans no matter how Grant may want him to; he\u2019ll just beaver away at him until he can go marching over there and snatch all of it from the Indians.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWait and see what happens,\u201d Ben repeated himself clearly and firmly, and the grip on his son\u2019s arm tightened. \u201cYou don\u2019t owe them anything, Joe, so just wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 8<\/p>\n

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

Hoss\u2019 gentle voice came from behind her and she heard the door close, the sound of the boxes being dropped onto the bed, and she waited for his arms to curl around her, half turning, ready to be engulfed in his embrace.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you unhappy about them coming?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Hoss,\u201d she sighed, \u201cI just can\u2019t understand why they had to leave it so late to let us know they were on their way. There is a proper procedure after all\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there?\u201d He smiled down at her upturned face and kissed her nose. \u201cI ain\u2019t familiar with any of that kinda thing seeing how I\u2019m just an ignorant cowboy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Hoss, no, you mustn\u2019t say that\u2014\u201d she placed a finger to his lips, which he kissed. She shook her head. \u201cDon\u2019t ever refer to yourself like that again, especially in front of Milton and Ingrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, sweet, you\u2019re taking it a mite serious, ain\u2019t\u2019cha?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want them to look at you with anything but respect and admiration, Hoss. I want them to see you as I see you, not as you see yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss frowned, pursed his lips and shook his head.\u201cHester, I was just joking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you were just joking, Hoss, but sometimes you just don\u2019t realise how many times you put yourself down in front of people. Darling,\u201d she caressed his face and looked into the blue eyes of her husband with an earnestness that quite unnerved him, \u201cIngrid comes from a wealthy and well-connected family in New York. She\u2019s\u2014I hate to say it\u2014but she\u2019s proud and vain, and to be honest, she\u2019s a snob.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA snob, is that right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe made my life unbearable while I was living in my parents\u2019 home with them. I told myself it was because they were newly married and she was anxious to do things right, but\u2014\u201d she paused and drew away from him and walked to the dressing table, \u201cto be brutally honest she just didn\u2019t approve of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy shouldn\u2019t she approve of you, darlin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

She clasped her hands together and shook her head, looked at their reflections in the mirror and smiled at Hoss. \u201cI\u2019m being a little bit silly, aren\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKinda skittish, I thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you?\u201d She turned to him and put her arms out to him. \u201cHug me close, Hoss. I want you to know how much I love you, my darling.\u201d<\/p>\n

He held her tight, kissed her gently and caressed her face which he cupped between both his hands as he looked earnestly into her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, Hester, this place is just a house made outta logs. It ain\u2019t no smart brownstone house packed full of expensive doo-dads, and if\u2019n that\u2019s what your sister-in-law is expecting she\u2019s going to be mighty disappointed. If she can\u2019t see the love that went into the building of this house, then she\u2019s missing out on a whole important piece of what makes this house our home. Yours and mine, Pa\u2019s, my brothers\u2019.\u201d He curled a strand of her hair around his finger. \u201cFact is, if she don\u2019t like what we got here then she don\u2019t need to stay\u2014does she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, she doesn\u2019t,\u201d she smiled and snuggled her head into the curve of his shoulder where it seemed to fit just perfectly.<\/p>\n

\u201cFeeling better now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMm, I guess so, but I\u2019ll have to go get the room ready, pick some flowers\u2014\u201d whatever else she was going to say was lost in the kiss he placed upon her open mouth and whatever else concerned her at that moment was lost and deemed quite irrelevant.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

\u201cAll\u2019s well, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

The words were spoken softly as the commodore entered the bridge. He nodded in response to the other man\u2019s presence and gazed out for the first sighting of England to come into view. He didn\u2019t turn as a footstep came from behind him; he recognised it well enough and waited for Laurence Willoughby to join him.<\/p>\n

Together they looked out across the dark waters to the tip of Land\u2019s End, a mere shimmer on the horizon. Willoughby sighed, and like Adam, stood with his hands clasped behind his back.<\/p>\n

\u201cLand\u2019s End.\u201d he murmured.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know it at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, never been to Cornwall.\u201d Laurence grinned, \u201cI think Americans assume because their country is so vast and ours so small in comparison that everything is a hop, skip and jump in accessibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCornwall, so I believe, has the best tin mines.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, practically the only tin mines.\u201d Laurence\u2019s grin widened.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that the Cornishmen who came to Virginia City when the Comstock Lode was discovered turned out to be the best miners.\u201d Adam smiled now and glanced at the younger man from the corner of his eye. \u201cAre you glad to be coming back now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Laurence nodded. \u201cAny Englishman worth his salt would say the same.\u201d He cleared his throat, \u201cI wish I could remember some of the poetry I was taught at school. I always feel like bursting into song or poetry when I know I am coming close my homeland again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam concentrated on looking towards the island as it slowly drew closer as the ship ate up the miles. Yes, he understood. Even now, he knew that feeling of exultation when he saw the Ponderosa and knew that soon he would be stepping over the threshold of his home again. He sighed, and it was Laurence\u2019s turn to glance sideways at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you thinking, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThinking? Who? Oh\u2014\u201d Adam shrugged \u201cI was thinking of what you had just said about wanting to quote poetry or burst into song. To be honest, when I think of England, which I must admit I don\u2019t do often, the words I remember are those taken from Richard the Second by William Shakespeare.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, quite.\u201d Willoughby nodded and frowned, \u201cHow does it go?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled softly. So like Joe. Wouldn\u2019t his young brother have said just the same and hoped that, just for once, his brother had forgotten the words anyway.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis England…\u201d he paused and then in quiet tones began to recite Shakespeare\u2019s famous words:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis royal throne of kings, this sceptre\u2019d isle,
\nThis earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
\nThis other Eden, demi-paradise.
\nThis fortress built by Nature for herself
\nAgainst infection and the hand of war,
\n, This happy breed of men, this little world,
\nThis precious stone set in the silver sea,
\nWhich serves it in the office of a wall,
\nOr as a moat defensive to a house,
\nAgainst the envy of less happier lands,
\nThis blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England,\u201d<\/p>\n

They fell silent. Even the helmsman, who had held his breath while listening, released it as quietly as he could.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should have been an actor, sir,\u201d Willoughby ventured to say at last.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, isn\u2019t that what we all are anyway?\u201d Adam replied with a slightly acid tone in his voice. \u201cAren\u2019t we all playing the part assigned us by others mightier than ourselves?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I suppose so, although I hadn\u2019t thought it quite like that before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think so,\u201d Adam sighed and in a louder voice called to the helmsman, \u201cStarboard, sir, starboard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStarboard it is, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Above them sea birds wheeled and dived, the sound of their cries shrill in the air. The two men stood together and remained silent. It seemed that there was nothing else to say.<\/p>\n

Chapter 9<\/p>\n

There was always much to do when a ship entered another country\u2019s territorial waters. Adam had to make sure the necessary flags were run up, personal papers, clearance documents, crew lists written up and correctly placed in order. Officialdom in every country loves forms and paperwork. Meticulous in his work, Adam had everything in readiness for when they reached the Solent and were to dock in the Island Harbour at Cowes.<\/p>\n

The weather had turned to a misty drizzle as they made their way into the English Channel. There was little wind, and Adam was once again reminded of the advantages of steam over sail, as there was nothing to prevent the Baltimore from making a slow but graceful progress pass Plymouth and on to Weymouth along the Dorset coast line.<\/p>\n

Ships already berthed in those harbours sounded their foghorns in salute as she continued to make her progress towards Portsmouth Harbour. They had been berthed for almost an hour, during which time they caught a glimpse of Nelson\u2019s flagship \u2018Victory\u2019 in the dockyard, before the officials boarded. The usual courtesy was extended to them as they checked names, lists, documents and other various papers before permitting them to make their way to the Island Harbour at Cowes.<\/p>\n

It was mid-afternoon and with the sun finally breaking through the clouds the Baltimore finally berthed in the harbour.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Mr. and Mrs. Milton Buchanan arrived at the Ponderosa with their vehicle laden down with a variety of suitcases. As it rocked to a standstill and the two horses pawed restlessly at the ground, the door of the house opened and Hester, with Hoss at her side, stepped out onto the porch to greet her brother and sister-in-law.<\/p>\n

Holding her husband\u2019s hand tightly, she waited for them to disembark from the vehicle. She had already told Hoss that he was NOT to remove the suitcases and take them into the house but was to let Pete, the driver of the buggy, to do that for them. Behind them both, as though forming a rearguard, were Ben and Joe.<\/p>\n

Pete, noticing the reticence on the part of any of the Cartwrights to take the luggage, mumbled and grumbled but carried out his duties well enough not to be considered too subservient by doing so. Once the bags had been deposited in the house, Hester approached her visitors.<\/p>\n

Neither Milton nor Ingrid had moved from where they had stepped down; they been so busy looking around and taking note of everything that if there were any lack of exuberance in the welcome Hester extended to them, they did not notice it. Now it was hugs, pecks on the cheeks, hearty handshakes all round, and Ben, with a generous smile, beckoned to them to enter his home.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy goodness, Mr. Cartwright, what a quaint place you have here.\u201d Ingrid cried, the first thing apart from greeting Hester that she had said, and with a twirl of her parasol she followed the rancher into the house.<\/p>\n

Hester turned to Milton and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWas it a difficult journey?\u201d she asked in a soothing voice as she slipped her arm through his and looked up into his face.<\/p>\n

Milton Buchanan was tall and slim, and was fated to have inherited ginger hair and the pale complexion of the typical redhead. Freckles were scattered over his face and his blue eyes were shaded by dark glasses. At her question he smiled down at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was interesting. Ingrid found it hard at times but then she is rather delicate, as you know.\u201d He turned as they stepped onto the porch and looked about him, smiled and removed his glasses. \u201cIt\u2019s delightful, Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you think so.\u201d She smiled at Hoss. \u201cHoss built it with his father and brother, didn\u2019t you, dear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, that was years ago.\u201d Hoss grinned and nodded, then glanced anxiously over at Joe, who was standing in the background, \u201cIt was before Joe was born.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Milton glanced from one brother to the other before settling upon Hoss, he nodded, \u201cI\u2019m sorry we didn\u2019t get to attend the wedding, Hoss. I would have loved to have come, as would Marlowe and his family, but unfortunately it was such short notice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, we understand that, Mr.\u2014I mean\u2014Milton.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a unusual name that you have, Hoss. Is it some kind of nickname?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss ran his tongue around his teeth, he was surprised at how dry his mouth had become, he glanced yet again in Joe\u2019s direction as though for help but it was Hester who answered for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it isn\u2019t, Milton; his mother was Scandinavian and it\u2019s a name they give gentle, friendly men. My dear husband,\u201d and here she gave Hoss a hug and looked up into his face with a smile, \u201cis well worthy of the name.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see that,\u201d Milton said slowly and his smile was gentle, sincere, he extended his hand to Hoss. \u201cIt is good to meet you, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou also\u2014er\u2014you did get to meet my little brother, Joseph, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stepped forward only too grateful that his brother hadn\u2019t introduced him as Little Joe. Milton and he shook hands, looked at one another warily and hoped that as time went by they would find something favourable to like about one another.<\/p>\n

The door closed upon them as they entered the big room which, to Joe\u2019s eyes, seemed to have shrunk to dolls house size. Ingrid was in the act of removing her hat, the veil of which had covered her face to protect her complexion from the sun and the dust. Now she gazed around her and with a sweet smile placed the hat onto the bureau.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so\u2014well\u2014so rustic\u201d she sighed as though overwhelmed by its \u2018rusticity,\u2019 and she looked at Hester. \u201cLife must be so different for you here, Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her sister-on-law swallowed words, and her eyes were wide with bewildered confusion. That anyone could be so rude about her home, about the home of her dear husband and his family, and that that \u2018anyone\u2019 could happen to be related to her (even if only through marriage) brought her to the brink of tears. It was Joe who stepped forward and picked up one of the suitcases.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Hoss, pick up some of this, will ya, and give this peasant a hand to haul milady\u2019s luggage to her room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss pulled his hand free from Hester\u2019s and picked up the rest of the luggage. As the two of them mounted the stairs Hop Sing entered the room, bowed as was his custom and declared he had some tea for them.<\/p>\n

\u201cCouldn\u2019t your servant have taken the luggage upstairs?\u201d Ingrid murmured casually as she sauntered to the settee and gracefully sat down while she watched Hop Sing bring in tea.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing happens to be our cook and our friend,\u201d Ben said with slight steel in his voice, \u201cAnd has been for many years now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ingrid and Milton both turned to survey this \u2018treasure\u2019 with both incredulity and awe while Hop Sing blithely poured out tea according to their tastes. By the time Joe and Hoss returned to the room the estimable cook\/friend had shuffled his way back to the kitchen to consider the possibility of taking a slow boat to China as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

Hester sat beside Hoss. Her hand clutched at his as one would clutch at a life belt thrown during a storm at sea. Joe cleared his throat and sipped his tea, grimaced and replaced the cup in its saucer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2014er\u2014line of work are you in, Mr. Buchanan?\u201d he asked politely.<\/p>\n

\u201cBanking,\u201d Milton replied. \u201cThe Buchanans are known for their banking expertise, and we oversee the running of several banks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss frowned; somehow he couldn\u2019t imagine Milton standing behind a counter with a little grille in front of him dispensing money. He drank his tea and listened as Hester explained, nervously, about the Buchanan family history, most of which he had never heard before because he hadn\u2019t been interested in knowing it.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife\u2019s family, the Fitzgeralds, are in the same line of business so when we married,\u201d Milton paused to take a sip of tea, \u201cit was like bringing the two families together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA business merger, in fact.\u201d Joe murmured softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome may call it that,\u201d Milton smiled tightly. \u201cWe prefer to view it differently, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ingrid rose to her feet, which meant everyone stood up out of courtesy. Never let it be said by Mrs. Buchanan that the Cartwrights didn\u2019t know their manners.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really feel I need to lie down for a little while. The journey was so tiring.\u201d she looked at Hester. \u201cPerhaps you could show me to my room.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course, Ingrid.\u201d Hester stepped aside to let her pass and then followed her; on the landing she took the lead to guide her sister-in-law to their room.<\/p>\n

Once the door was closed behind her Ingrid turned to Hester and gripped hold of both her hands while looking earnestly into her face,<\/p>\n

\u201cHester, my dear girl, we never realised that things were this bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean, Ingrid?\u201d she pulled her hands free and stepped back, shaking her head in some bewilderment, \u201cNothing is bad, as you put it. Nothing at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut this place, dear.\u201d Ingrid threw her hands in the air in a gesture of horror. \u201cIt\u2019s so primitive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt most certainly is not,\u201d Hester cried.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve no servants\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need servants.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour husband is\u2014well\u2014so unrefined.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy husband is the dearest man in the world, Ingrid. He\u2019s brave and honest, and he loves me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo doubt that he loves you, after all, you\u2019re a Buchanan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat exactly is that supposed to mean?\u201d Hester\u2019s breathing was coming in forced gasps; she knew that her face was reddening\u2014not a pretty sight\u2014and her hair was unravelling.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re rich, Hester, from a wealthy family and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid\u2014\u201d Hester stepped forward and put her hand up in a motion for silence. \u201cIngrid, the Cartwrights own a thousand square miles of land; they have cattle, timber, gold mines, and are sitting on top of a mountain of silver and gold. You can\u2019t compare what they have with what the Buchanans possess. Now, please, take your rest. I shall let you know when dinner is to be served.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tight-lipped and now quite pale she pulled open the door, and despite the doorknob coming away in her hand, managed to leave the room with true Buchanan dignity and regality.<\/p>\n

Chapter 10<\/p>\n

When Ingrid stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked around at her surroundings she was surprised at the sense of peace that settled within her. Could it have been the atmosphere in the room, with the fire burning in the hearth, huge logs straddling the gridirons and the flames determinedly eating through the wood? Perhaps the soft mellow glow of the fire into the room was further enhanced by the halos of light that came from the lamps that were carefully placed on the bureaus, the neat side tables which stood at the arm of every chair and the settee. Candles glowed from the light fitting above the table and in silver candlesticks upon it. The flames bounced off the gleaming cutlery and crystal ware.<\/p>\n

The clock ticked the time away and provided a further peaceful ambience over the room, and while she stood there no other sound could be heard but the ticking clock, the snapping of flames and the hiss of wood sap striking hot embers.<\/p>\n

The sound of footsteps roused her from her meditation and when she turned her head it was to see Joseph Cartwright coming in from the yard. She observed him carefully as he slowly closed the door and advanced further into the room. He was dressed smartly as would befit some special occasion or guests; his thick hair shone as the light from the lamps gleamed upon it. It was the look on his face, one of melancholy and sadness that struck her most of all. A handsome man such as this, she thought, was a man more used to laughter and gaiety, even perhaps, romance.<\/p>\n

He looked up at that moment and saw her, seeming startled as his eyebrows shot up in a questioning manner before he obviously realised who she was and nodded in greeting,<\/p>\n

\u201cGood evening, Mrs. Buchanan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood evening, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d She inclined her head and came further into the room. \u201cAm I the first to get here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe so.\u201d His voice had a note of caution in it, and he looked at her thoughtfully from the distance which separated them. \u201cI hope you had a pleasant rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did.\u201d She nodded and looked around her. \u201cThe room looks beautiful like this, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d He sounded surprised and looked at her again, noticing the darkness of her hair and how blue her eyes were; then he remembered her family name of Fitzgerald and wondered if she had Irish blood. \u201cIt looks good to me anytime of the day,\u201d he added in a defensive manner.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019m sure it must.\u201d She drew closer to the fire and looked down into the flames. \u201cI have to apologise to you, and to your family. My comments were insolent when I came here. I am sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

She still stood there, her hands clasped together in the lap of her skirts which shimmered in the firelight, her face downcast, the ringlets, as black as jet, falling across her shoulder. Joe bit his bottom lip, and he cleared his throat; her beauty had touched a nerve, for there was no doubt about it, Ingrid Buchanan was an extremely beautiful young woman.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess we shouldn\u2019t be so sensitive.\u201d He smiled and was about to say more when there were the sounds of footsteps coming down the stairs and when he turned he saw Hester descending towards them with Hoss close behind her.<\/p>\n

Ingrid turned towards them both and smiled, she extended an elegant hand towards Hester.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for the lovely flowers in my room, Hester. That was so thoughtful of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester\u2019s eyes narrowed but she had the grace to smile at her sister-in-law,<\/p>\n

\u201cOur pleasure, Ingrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a lovely room.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we think so too.\u201d Hester glanced at Hoss. who was regarding Ingrid anxiously, much like he would a frozen snake that was beginning to thaw in the sun\u2019s warmth.<\/p>\n

Ben appeared now with an easy and relaxed smile on his face, always handsome but looking debonair in his best suit and the grey silk vest he wore on special occasions. He looked over at Ingrid, hesitated marginally, and then joined Joseph at the bureau. Ingrid took a deep breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright and Mr.\u2014may I call you Hoss?\u201d When he nodded she smiled at him before continuing. \u201cI just wanted to apologise for my rudeness earlier. I spoke in a patronising way about your home and I had no right to do so. I\u2019d like you to forgive me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, Miz Buchanan, there ain\u2019t nothing to forgive. Folks like you from back East always need a mite of time to get used to being hereabouts; it\u2019s jest different, is all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d she replied slowly, \u201cIt is different.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then.\u201d Ben smiled and glanced at the stairs as Milton made his entrance. \u201cLet\u2019s forget about it all and enjoy our meal. I can assure you, Mrs. Buchanan, Hop Sing\u2019s cooking will leave the best chefs in New York far behind\u2014nothing beats his roast pork.\u201d<\/p>\n

As it happened they had chicken\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

All the usual procedures had been followed to the letter and now Adam and Laurence waited for the arrival of the person who was to be the next link in this rather nebulous chain. They were anchored offshore a small distance but close enough to see the wharf.
\nWhen a carriage drew up with the windows curtained off Laurence looked at Adam and raised an eyebrow,<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think this could be him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll soon find out.\u201d Adam\u2019s reply held a trace of mockery. At times Laurence appeared so na\u00efve that it was like having a child on board.<\/p>\n

He took out his telescope and trained it upon the carriage in an attempt to see the person or persons who were about to descend, but whoever it was preferred leaving the vehicle from the door that didn\u2019t face onto the sea. Finally, the telescope picked up the figure of a person in a long cloak who approached a skiff. He passed the telescope to Laurence<\/p>\n

\u201cAny idea who it may be?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone whatsoever.\u201d Laurence sighed. \u201cWhoever it is doesn\u2019t want anyone to recognise him, or so it seems to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm, that\u2019s what I thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

He took the telescope and watched as the skiff was rowed skilfully over to the ship. Once it was midway and he was quite sure that it was coming to the Baltimore, Adam gave orders for preparations to accept a visitor on board. The Jacobs ladder was lowered and the gangway opened for the person to come aboard where both Laurence and Adam awaited him.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2014-\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were told that you were to receive someone when reaching the Isle of Wight?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

The figure removed his hat and raised his head,<\/p>\n

\u201cI am that someone,\u201d he said with a smile in his voice. \u201cWelcome to England.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 11<\/p>\n

\u201cO\u2019Brien?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s voice contained the surprise he felt at seeing Daniel O\u2019Brien standing before him on the deck of the Baltimore. As Daniel swept off his hat and revealed his smiling, handsome countenance, it was Willoughby who stepped forward first to shake his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood to see you again, old chap. Never expected to see you here of all places, thought I\u2019d be seeing my brother Charles.\u201d the Englishman laughed and then glanced over at Adam, who smiled and took Daniel\u2019s hand, shaking it warmly,<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a welcome \u2018someone\u2018, Daniel. Welcome aboard.\u201d Adam glanced at Willoughby and then back to O\u2019Brien. \u201cAre we to come with you or is there time for you to have some refreshments with us?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Adam, but this is pressing business. You\u2019ll have to come with me now.\u201d He paused an instant, then smiled at his friend. \u201cI don\u2019t know everything that\u2019s involved here, Adam, but if you don\u2019t object to trusting me a while longer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny reason why I shouldn\u2019t?\u201d Adam asked darkly, and glanced uneasily over his shoulder only to see his officers standing at attention on the far side of the deck, giving them privacy to talk but available when needed.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien replaced his hat and descended the Jacob\u2019s ladder back into the skiff.<\/p>\n

\u201cHathaway, you have the ship,\u201d Adam said sternly<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three officers saluted and watched as their Captain disappeared from view and entered the skiff below. Instantly the vessel left the ship\u2019s side and made its way to the wharf.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you had any trouble on board at all?\u201d O\u2019Brien asked as soon as the opportunity arose. He looked at Willoughby \u201cAny attempts to get at your papers?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly the one when I was in Washington, but not since then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you ask?\u201d Adam narrowed his eyes and raised his eyebrows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wondered.\u201d O\u2019Brien frowned slightly, and it was then Willoughby mentioned someone had searched through his belongings when he had first boarded and taken the envelope that could have contained the letters had he not switched them.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut there\u2019s been nothing since,\u201d he added, \u201cand I have the papers safely on me now.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien looked at Adam thoughtfully. \u201cYou\u2019ve no idea what this is all about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo real facts, just a rather grand reference to some war about to start which I have been sent to prevent. Of course, where and how seem to have been neglected in the telling.\u201d Adam shrugged, and then a wry smile drifted over his lips. \u201cI have a vague notion that it\u2019s really to get me out of America at this moment; I think I have become an inconvenience for some to have around.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien said nothing to that but glanced anxiously over at the Baltimore before looking at Adam with a slight smile. \u201cHow did you find the Baltimore? Is she more to your liking now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a good vessel, \u201c Adam replied in the same manner as one would remark upon a visit to the dentist, \u201cBut nothing will replace a good clipper ship.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite the advantages of steam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProgress isn\u2019t always to a man\u2019s advantage.\u201d Adam smiled wryly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about you, Willoughby, did you prefer the Baltimore?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, leave me out of this,\u201d Willoughby groaned, \u201cThey both go up and down and make me sick so what does it matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was good to see that Hathaway and Myers were assigned to sail with you, but your other officer, I don\u2019t know him.\u201d O\u2019Brien looked questioningly at Adam, who shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know little about him, to be honest, but I think he is a sensitive man,\u201d Adam said, thinking over the first meal they had shared with him, and how he seemed always to prefer to remain in the background.<\/p>\n

Adam looked once again at O\u2019Brien. The man had not changed during the few months since they had been apart. He was, perhaps, a little thinner, even slightly more nervous for his eyes never seemed still, and his hands were constantly fidgeting. Other than that he remained the handsome young man who had fearlessly stood at Adam\u2019s side on so many previous occasions.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s your wife?\u201d Willoughby broke the silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s well, thank you.\u201d O\u2019Brien went slightly red and shifted position on the thwart, \u201cI believe I shall be a father when I return from this trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCongratulations, Daniel!\u201d Both men shook his hand, smiled and looked suitably pleased for their companion.<\/p>\n

After a rather embarrassed silence\u2014after all men don\u2019t dwell on such topics as would women\u2014Adam cleared his throat. \u201cIs Maria also in England?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, she\u2019s with her family.\u201d O\u2019Brien looked at Adam and then to where the Baltimore seemed to dance upon the water. \u201cI agree, Adam, a steam ship doesn\u2019t have quite the same romantic appeal or appearance as a clipper, but at least you know you\u2019ll never be becalmed.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a brief silence. Willoughby shrugged and nonchalantly drew their attention to the fact that there was only so much coal that could be taken on board, which made Adam laugh for some reason. Laurence wouldn\u2019t know it but it was so reminiscent of something Joe would have said that the commodore almost felt like he was at home.<\/p>\n

The remainder of the journey was made in silence. Even when in the carriage, no one spoke. With their minds so fully occupied everything else seemed to be irrelevant, and it was difficult to find the subjects upon which to indulge in small talk\u2026something Adam found irritating anyway.<\/p>\n

They passed along a rural road where an occasional cottage could be seen with colourful gardens. There were thatched roofed cottages and the occasional villa. Several times they passed grander buildings that hid like shy children behind high walls. Eventually the carriage turned into the wide driveway of Osborne House, the current home of the queen of England.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs the queen in residence?\u201d Laurence asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s always in residence, apparently,\u201d O\u2019Brien replied. \u201cSince Prince Albert died she won\u2019t leave the place. There\u2019s been lots of attempts to get her back to London, or even Windsor, but she refuses to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

They passed the Swiss Cottage where the royal children had played when small, imitating life as they thought it was lived by those beyond the walls of Osborne House. It was a pretty grown up doll\u2019s house equipped with kitchen, scullery and dainty dining room. Adam sighed and passed a hand over his brow. The journey seemed to be going on forever: O\u2019Brien\u2019s mysteriousness was getting on his nerves, and Willoughby\u2019s constant \u2018oh, look at that\u2019 or \u2018I can\u2019t recall seeing that before\u2019 was tearing his self control to shreds. It was a relief to them all when the carriage rocked to a standstill at the back of the grand opulent home of the Queen of Great Britain. At that precise moment she was actually taking tea with her prime minister.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The carriage delivered them to the back of the house where a black-suited man ushered them into a large room and asked them to wait. The three men shot barely concealed glances of annoyance and irritation at the man\u2019s retreating back themselves. Laurence paced the floor, hands behind his back and head bowed; every so often one hand would sneak towards his jacket pocket as though to reassure himself that the papers were still safely there.<\/p>\n

Adam leaned against the wall close to a window so that he could look out and view the grounds. It wasn\u2019t long before O\u2019Brien joined him; he sat on the ledge of the window and after he had looked out at the grounds, he looked thoughtfully at Adam. \u201cSo how are you really, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn what way do you mean?\u201d the dark brows scowled over dark eyes and the nostrils thinned.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you get your wound attended to when you reached Virginia City?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that \u2026\u201d The scowl drifted over his face and then he smiled, \u201cI arrived in time to see Hoss get married. I didn\u2019t contact them in order to give them a surprise. Instead I was the one got the surprise.\u201d he laughed softly as though enjoying a great joke that had been played on him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what did the doctor say about the wound?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, as you seem so concerned, O\u2019Brien, the doctor said I would be ill. Then to prove him right, I was ill for some few days. He checked the injury and realised that some cloth must have remained in the wound, taken there by the force of the bullet and missed by Soames. Once that had been removed I made fine progress to good health.\u201d he placed a hand on O\u2019Brien\u2019s arm. \u201cAs you can see, Daniel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaria was worried\u2014to be honest, so was I.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave a slight shrug as though their concern about his health embarrassed him somewhat. He glanced over at Laurence, who still paced the floor, although every so often he looked over at the door as though willing someone to come through it.<\/p>\n

\u201cDaniel, how did you get involved in all this? I thought you were miles away.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien nodded and leaned closer towards his friend in order not to be overheard by Laurence. \u201cD\u2019you remember when I last saw you?\u201d Adam nodded, recalling the time well, \u201cI had my orders which were to be part of a small convoy of ships escorting or protecting some merchant ships to Argentina. When we got there I had orders to make my way here immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned and his eyes flicked over to O\u2018Brien \u201cWhy?\u201d he asked in a sharp tone of voice.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien shrugged and shook his head; he lowered his voice and turned his head as though looking out at the gardens. \u201cI don\u2019t know why. I saw Willoughby\u2019s brother, Charles, who asked lots of questions about myself, and you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, they seemed interested in you.\u201d He smiled and looked at his friend, \u201cThey wanted to know a lot about Cassandra Pelman\u2019s dealings with the Russians, whom she had spoken to, and what had happened. Then they asked about Lebedev and wanted details of what happened there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou keep saying \u2018they\u2019\u2014who exactly are \u2018they\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it was really just Lord Charles but he kept saying \u2018we\u2019 as in \u2018we want to know\u2014\u2019 and \u2018we would like you to answer\u2014\u2019 so I just refer to him as \u2018they.\u2019\u201d he grinned and Adam laughed, although not with mirth.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you tell them everything?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI held back at first; after all this was our business, America\u2019s business in fact. He convinced me that he needed the information to add to his knowledge because what he or they would be expecting from us was our full co-operation as authorised by the president. He showed me papers to prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rubbed his chin, then tugged at his ear lobe. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t make much sense though, does it?\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien opened his mouth to answer when the door opposite opened and the black-suited man apologised for keeping them waiting and asked them to follow him.<\/p>\n

They went down a long corridor. Pictures were upon the wall, priceless objects d\u2019art adorned small extravagantly gilted and gilded pieces of furniture. Windows followed one after the other all the way along the wall facing the grounds. As they walked they could catch glimpses of trees, of the garden, and beyond that, the sea. Finally, they reached a door which he opened and gestured for them to enter.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you wouldn\u2019t mind waiting in here for just a little while longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door closed and they looked around the room and then at each other. Adam sighed and strolled over to a window to gaze over the lavishly laid out gardens and to consider exactly what he was doing in such a place\u2026a queen\u2019s royal establishment; hardly what a son of the Ponderosa would have expected. Laurence began to pace the floor, measured footsteps, Adam could catch the rise and fall of each one after a mere minute. O\u2019Brien came and perched himself on a chair, then stood up, feeling rather guilty, as though such gilt and brocaded pieces of furniture were not for the likes of him. Adam smiled wryly at his friend before returning to look out at the gardens.<\/p>\n

The door re-opened silently, evidence of frequent oiling, and a smartly dressed man stepped into the room. Laurence gave a wide smile and in two bounds was at the man\u2019s side, shaking his hand. That they were brothers was unmistakeable: the same thick uncontrolled blond hair, the wide eyes and broad smile confirmed their fraternal bond.<\/p>\n

\u201cCharles, good to see you again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m more than pleased to see you, Laurence.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien and Adam shuffled their feet and twiddled their thumbs and waited patiently for these greetings to be concluded. Laurence stepped back and turned towards them. \u201cCharles, may I introduce Commodore Adam Cartwright\u2014I understand that you already know Captain O\u2019Brien.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed yes,\u201d Charles nodded and a lock of blond hair flopped over his brow; this he impatiently brushed aside and then approached Adam, his hand extended. \u201cWelcome to England, Commodore. You must be wondering what on earth is going on here?\u201d<\/p>\n

His smile was broad and genuine, his eyes affable and pleasant, but Adam felt a worm of unease wriggle in the pit of his stomach. He inclined his head and murmured a few irrelevant words to which Charles nodded before he turned to Laurence. \u201cHave you some papers for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Laurence nodded and pulled the envelope from his jacket pocket. \u201cHere you are, Charles, all present and correct.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you had any problems in keeping them safe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence told him of the two incidents which caused his brother\u2019s brow to crease and his lips to compress. Finally he nodded, then asked them to wait where they were; he would return, he assured them, within a few minutes.<\/p>\n

Chapter 12<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore?\u201d Lord Charles Willoughby stepped into the room and glanced over at Adam, who was leaning against the window frame with his arms folded across his chest. Adam, turned his head over to acknowledge the Englishman who now smiled. \u201cCould you come with me, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both O\u2019Brien and Laurence stood up in preparation to leave the room, but upon receiving a slight shake of the head they resumed their seats, looked at one another and resigned themselves to wait.<\/p>\n

Adam followed Charles along a corridor that had windows facing the great landscaped gardens, a vast hallway which Charles described as a promenade, where the queen and her ladies would walk should the weather be too inclement for them to venture out. A door was eventually opened onto a room. Charles murmured, \u201cThis is the Council Room\u201d as though in apology for its grandeur.<\/p>\n

It was magnificent, and when Adam raised his eyes to the ceiling he saw the painting of the Order of the Garter emblazoned there for all to see. He glanced up and down the room and finally his eyes came to rest upon a man standing by a desk onto which streams of sunlight beamed down.<\/p>\n

He was a man who demanded a second look, from his pomaded hair which glistened in the light coming into the room to the large dark eyes that now looked at them and seemed to know instantly their most secret thoughts and fears, the large nose made the eyes appear sunken in their sockets while the wide mouth seemed stretched from ear to ear in an affable smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry to keep you.\u201d The man who had entered the room smiled once again, although the eyes remained dark and penetratingly sharp, one could even say, emotionless. \u201cCommodore Cartwright? A pleasure to meet you.\u201d he extended his hand which Adam shook firmly, \u201cBenjamin Disraeli, sir.\u201d and the prime minister nodded his head as though to make sure Adam knew exactly who Benjamin Disraeli happened to be.<\/p>\n

Disraeli, still smiling, still in good humour, placed a familiar-looking letter upon the desk, then pulled out a chair and sat down, indicating to Charles and Adam that they could also sit.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore Cartwright, I know you have been, no doubt, confused about what is happening, but in these kind of cases there is always a most regrettable need for silence and secrecy. The fact of the matter is that a situation has arisen that needs our attention\u2026America\u2019s as well as Britain\u2019s.\u201d He had taken the letter from its envelope and begun to read it, then sighed, nodded and folded his hands over it, and his dark eyes looked at the Adam thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have heard all about your dealings with Lebedev in Alaska, and with Nikisch and Zhukov in the Kurils. It\u2019s because of those matters that we, President Grant and I, felt we should assign you this task. It won\u2019t be easy because it is based on rumour\u2014and as you know, rumour is much like smoke, hard to take a grip on it.\u201d He tapped his fingers on the desk, the paper beneath his hands rustling as he did so. \u201cYou ask no questions, Commodore? \u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I knew more about what was happening, Mr. Prime Minister, then I would know what kind of questions to ask,\u201d Adam replied in a quiet, respectful voice.<\/p>\n

Disraeli nodded; he rang a bell and almost immediately the black-suited man stepped forward into the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk our other guest if he wouldn\u2019t mind stepping into the room.\u201d<\/p>\n

The drift of cigarette smoke came into the room, preceding as it were, the one who smoked it. Adam tensed; the smell brought back memories of someone he had thought never to see again, and he turned his head, wonderingly, towards the door.<\/p>\n

He half rose from his chair at the sight of the man. Dimitri Doestov entered the room with the silent tread of an assassin, and once again Adam felt his blood run cold at the sight of the man and the memories of their previous encounter.<\/p>\n

\u201cCapitan, so goot to see you again.\u201d the dapper, slim man approached the commodore and bowed his head. \u201cYou see, I, Dimitri Doestov, survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it would appear,\u201d Adam replied coldly and watched as the Russian approached the desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen.\u201d Disraeli rose to his feet now, pulling a lace trimmed square of cambric from his pocket and touching his nostrils with it slowly, as though he also found the smell of Doestov\u2019s cigarettes unpleasant. \u201cI shall leave you with Count Doestov and Sir Charles Willoughby. There are things that you all need to discuss, but I have some other pressing matters to pursue.\u201d He looked thoughtfully at Adam as though to imprint his face more firmly into his amazing brain.<\/p>\n

As soon as the prime minister had vacated the room, Lord Charles Willoughby took to the desk and opened a folder. He extracted some papers before looking at them both,
\n\u201cVery well then, gentlemen, let\u2019s get down to reason as to why you are here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes turned to Doestov and he found it disconcerting to note that the man was staring rather cold-bloodedly in his direction.<\/p>\n

Charles briefly read the letter that had been left on the desk and slipped it into the folder . Doestov smoked his cigarette and every so often tapped the ash into a small silver box that he held in his other hand. His face was bland, shut off, although his eyes roamed constantly around the room to settle upon each one, linger there and move on.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow then\u2014\u201d Charles frowned and looked at Doestov who was stubbing out his cigarette into the little silver box, before he continued, \u201cHave you heard of Charles Pomeroy Stone?* Raleigh Edward Colston,* Charles Chaill\u00e9-Long*? Well, whether you have or not, hardly matters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese men are part of a cadre of Civil War officers who serve Ismail,* the khedive of Egypt as soldiers, diplomats and cartographers. Forget any stories you have heard about Stone; some may be true, others perhaps not so true. The fact of the matter is that he serves in an honourable position as major general to the khedive\u2019s army.\u201d He paused, looked at their impassive faces and then glanced over at Doestov who was now smoking another cigarette which he held in fastidious fashion between his fingers. \u201cCount Doestov will tell you his involvement in all this\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease\u2014\u201d Doestov rose to his feet, dark, slender, and in a rather sinister way, even handsome. He waved a hand in a languid movement as though for attention,.\u201cI come here because of what I heard and as favour to British Government who are so amicable with Egypt. You may know, from the matter of the Baltimore travesty, that my Czar may soon be at war with Turkey? Da, so it is. We need to know our enemies and our allies, perhaps even our friends.\u201d He sighed then as though the possibility of finding friends for Russia among the present company was rather forlorn.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow,\u201d he continued, \u201cWhile I am in Egypt in service to my Czar I hear mention of war in Egypt. But\u2014there is no war? What then am I hearing? A group of dissidents who wish to split the power of the khedive in Africa. They want to be independent of Egypt and her authority. Britain has the Suez Canal and that opens Africa to more ravages from foreign devils\u2014excuse\u2014their words not mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lord Charles glanced around uncomfortably. Adam\u2019s impassive face, dark eyes and set mouth, seemed to tell him that the matter wasn\u2019t really affecting him in the way that he, Lord Charles, would have liked. He looked again at Doestov, who continued with his discourse.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour president is soon to go on a world tour, visiting different countries. He is going to visit the khedive in Egypt. He will go and\u2014perhaps\u2014not come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cBecause it is the intention of these dissidents to make sure he does not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd they told you all this, did they?\u201d Adam muttered with a slight sigh in his voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you think I am not telling the truth perhaps? Look, these peoples are big in number, they look for a leader and find one. They send their leader to me. What do they vant? Vot could I possibly give them? They see America, and British Empire, always they are in step with each other, always they give support to each other. They see Americans in charge of army in Egypt, they see British in charge of consulates in Egypt. So they look then at Russia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what do they want from Russia?\u201d Adam asked with a slight edge to his voice now.<\/p>\n

\u201cArms and men, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was silence for a second and then Adam nodded. \u201cWell, go on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVee are not long from Crimean war, and made losses. Vee sell Alaska, and we made losses. Vee have to tink long term. Vor with Turkey is looming, vee need money, yes, but vee need support from other lands, lands like America and Britain and her Empire. What good is it for us to sell needed arms to the khedive\u2019s enemies ven we need them ourself; vee need no wars in Egypt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you think there would be a war if these dissidents succeeded in preventing the president\u2019s trip.\u201d Adam\u2019s dark eyes narrowed, the heavy lids hooded each eye and the black brows arched ominously.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh you do not stop to think, Kommandre. They vant the president to visit Egypt, and they then plan to kill him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam tugged at his earlobe and looked disbelieving; he stood up to stretch his legs as though he were bored and then just stared at the Russian as though the man were mad.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere does Bingham come into this?\u201d Adam said eventually and looked directly at Charles for an answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly to confirm whether or not he had heard anything about trouble in Egypt and Africa involving this foreign tour of the president\u2019s. To be honest I also used it as an excuse to get Laurence home to England.\u201d Charles frowned, \u201cBingham had heard rumours\u2014but there are always rumours, as you would no doubt tell me. Africa is a country full of plots and counter plots, intrigue and everything else you can imagine. I know that as do you\u2014\u201d he paused. \u201cIf these dissidents achieve what they want it would be catastrophic, for us and for America.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam leaned against the window ledge and folded his arms across his chest. \u201cSo a group of dissidents are banding together to get rid of President Grant while he is taking a peek at the pyramids, or whatever\u2014I can hardly see that happening.\u201d the slight twist to his lips indicated the sarcasm that laced the words.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t take the risk of it happening,\u201d Charles replied. \u201cThese dissidents, as we have been calling them, are a well organised group of people. They come from all over the subjugated lands of Egypt and their plan is to make it seem as though the khedive himself has undertaken this plot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on,\u201d Adam urged.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would lose control of the Suez Canal; there would be an embargo on goods being imported and exported from Egypt; there would be internal chaos within the country. And do you think America would sit back quietly and do nothing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes the president know about this speculated assassination attempt?\u201d Adam\u2019s question was prompted by the memory of Grant in his office, acting as though this rumour, this smoke, were a mere bagatelle for Adam to \u201csniff out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe does. Well, to be honest he knows enough; the most recent details are being sent to him by courier.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn which case, surely the easiest thing would be to change his itinerary, or even skip the visit to Egypt.\u201d Adam rounded his eyes as though he couldn\u2019t believe the solution to be so simple and thereby so easily overlooked by those in such high office.<\/p>\n

The Englishman sighed; his shoulders slumped, and a strand of fair hair flopped over his brow, making him resemble his brother more than ever. \u201cIt has been suggested, tentatively and delicately. The khedive\u2014if he were to know\u2014would be so insulted that he would no doubt be the first in the queue to assassinate your president. It\u2019s all to do with their culture and pride.\u201d He raised his shoulders to his ears and shook his head. \u201cImpossible, I\u2019m afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, Lord Charles, to be honest with you, I can\u2019t see how we fit in here.\u201d Adam said with irritation loud in his voice, \u201cWe\u2019re not politicians, and surely this American cadre you mentioned, surely they should be dealing with the matter, along with the khedive and his police and army?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure they are,\u201d the Englishman said, \u201cbut Egypt is vast. Her territories in Africa are enormous.\u201d He stopped there, and looked at Doestov, who merely shrugged and expelled smoke down his nostrils, he looked like an escapee demon from hell.<\/p>\n

\u201cVell,\u201d he said in that cool voice that jarred the nerves of his American listener, \u201c I have told you as it is, you must now do as you tink best for yourselves.\u201d He rose to his feet and after a slight bow which was just slightly more than a nod of the head, he left the room.<\/p>\n

Once the door was closed Charles looked at Adam and indicated that he take the seat he had recently vacated, he, himself, settled back into the one behind the desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cRussia\u2019s worried about Bismarck; the Prussians are getting more and more powerful under his authority and the Mediterranean is getting crowded with their ships*. A major political situation in Egypt could create mayhem. It\u2019s just the worst possible time for Grant to go hopping around the world on this tour of his\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rubbed his brow and shook his head. \u201cLook, Lord Charles, I just wish you would tell us what we are supposed to do about all this. Isn\u2019t it something the politicians are supposed to handle? Can\u2019t you put a stop to it all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve tried as subtly as we could, but it\u2019s been suggested that a strong American naval presence in the Suez Canal would be all that is called for, a military presence is one thing, a naval presence could be the thing to tip the balance of power in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me from saying so, but couldn\u2019t the president have told us this himself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2014perhaps\u2014\u201d Lord Charles looked down at his papers, \u201cbut maybe he didn\u2019t want to. Doestov\u2019s provided us with far more than he would give to the Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing; he bowed his head and sank his chin into one hand. There just seemed to be something missing\u2014perhaps it was the explanation as to the real reason why they were being sent there. Charles smiled grimly, although the smile didn\u2019t reach his eyes; he pulled some papers from the folder and passed it to the American. \u201cI\u2019m afraid your president has been considering home policy a lot lately.\u201d He looked obliquely in Adam\u2019s direction as though to see whether or not the dart had struck home. \u201cAdam\u2014\u201d he paused and his eyes now narrowed. \u201cDoestov\u2014do you trust him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike a rattlesnake,\u201d Adam said coldly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, he refused to tell us all he had heard until he knew you were coming. He trusts you. We have his account of what happened to the Russians in Alaska and how you saved their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned more deeply, and merely crooked an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour president requested that you heard from us what we could tell you. I know it\u2019s a difficult time\u2014home policies and such\u2014\u201d he bit his lip and yet his eyes didn\u2019t move from watching Adam\u2019s face. \u201cHe wanted you to find out what\u2019s going on. American as well as British policies are involved here, Commodore. The Russians\u2014well, they want our backing and are prepared to give us information for that, but a lot can change in the course of a week in politics.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was silence. Adam steepled his fingers together and tapped his mouth thoughtfully. Charles cleared his throat. \u201cYou know that Britain bought the Ismail\u2019s shares in the Suez Canal?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I know little about Egyptian politics,\u201d Adam admitted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWar at this time in Egypt and the surrounding African lands under the khedive\u2019s control would be disastrous if it involves America and Britain. You do see that, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI perfectly understand that, Sir.\u201d Adam looked up, surprised that his intelligence could be thus doubted. \u201cI just don\u2019t understand why I have to be involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Englishman nodded and shrugged. \u201cYou would have to ask your president that, although from the letters and the information I have gleaned from him, and others, you would appear to be the most suitable person to be involved. Commodore, someone from the American cadre will contact you when you get to Cairo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCairo? I thought you said\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was for the Russians\u2019 ears\u2014Port Said. Once there someone will contact you and\u2014and then we have to trust to your intuitive abilities to find out exactly what is happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it\u2019s more than smoke, a rumour?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, sir, since you left America it has become far more than just a rumour.\u201d Charles stood up, \u201cYour president\u2019s life is threatened, the khedive could lose control of his many districts in Africa, we could lose control of Suez and there could be a war. That\u2019s it in a nutshell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam just ran the tip of his tongue over his teeth and surveyed the other man with dark eyes, then sighed and was about to speak when Charles stopped him and placed his hand on the officer\u2019s arm and placed the folder in his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cRead it when you get back on board. Walls have ears\u2014Russian ones,\u201d he said in a soft voice.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Hathaway greeted them with the news that all was quiet and nothing untoward had taken place. The men on shore leave were all due back on board before the middle watch (mid-night to 4 a.m) and the Marines were already preparing to haul late comers back on board.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny further orders, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone as yet, Hathaway. Ask Lloyd to prepare a light meal for Captain O\u2019Brien and me please.\u201d he paused and then half turned \u201cI\u2019ll send for you when I have something to tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir.\u201d Hathaway touched the brim of his hat and stepped back, making way for his superior officers to reach the commodore\u2019s quarters.<\/p>\n

Daniel observed his friend thoughtfully and then watched as Adam placed the folder upon his desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo I have to guess or are you going to tell me?\u201d he prompted..<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve been here all these weeks, Daniel, perhaps you could tell me what\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel shook his head, shrugged. \u201cI\u2019ve been here, mostly on board my ship which left Cowes two days ago. I\u2019ve been asked questions, but I\u2019ve been told nothing. Then, today, I was told to come here and bring you and Laurence to Osborne House. That\u2019s all I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHaven\u2019t you been given any orders?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was told that my commission on board the Quebec had ended two days ago when it sailed from here. I was to await orders from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two men looked at one another as though each were testing out the other. Then Adam smiled and walked to the table upon which some glasses and decanters had been placed, and he turned with a half smile to O\u2019Brien. \u201cWhiskey?\u201d and he arched one eyebrow over twinkling eyes.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The two officers spent some time reading through various papers and discussing the matter in which they were now involved. They discussed foreign policy to the extent of their limited knowledge, and then finally Adam rose to his feet, half a glass of whiskey still in his hand, and walked to the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d O\u2019Brien asked anxiously.<\/p>\n

Outside the cabin sea gulls cawed out to one another as they dipped and dived over the ships in the harbour, the water sloshed against the side of the ship\u2014and even that sounded different to how it would wash up against the side of a clipper to Adam\u2019s ears. As it was he remained engrossed in deep thought, then sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder who exactly we are supposed to be meeting in Cairo.\u201d He closed his eyes, but it wasn;t a land of pyramids and palm trees that he saw before him, he saw the mountains that ringed Virginia City and the snow reflecting the sun upon them, Ben\u2019s anxious face as they said goodbye, the way his father looked at him that last time as though afraid he would never see him again.<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright shivered.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou alright?\u201d O\u2019Brien asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, just someone walking over my grave.\u201d he said quietly but even saying that caused him to shiver again.<\/p>\n

Chapter 13<\/p>\n

There were several American ships berthed at Cowes, and it was not long before invitations to the evening meal were sent to Adam and O\u2019Brien from the captain of the Avenger. The officers from the Virginia and the Montana joined them for a few hours of pleasant food, good wine and relaxed chatter.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen do you sail?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked over the punch bowl on the table to smile at Captain Francis Dewey,<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the morning\u2014early,\u201d he replied, and seeing Dewey\u2019s eyes narrow with interest, he turned to the officer at his left side and began a conversation with him about the advantages of a clipper ship over the steamer. This discussion gradually absorbed everyone\u2019s attention, for the age of steamships was now under way, still young, still in its infancy, and opinions ranged to such a varying degree that any further comment about their time of departure and their destination could be easily sidestepped.<\/p>\n

When they reached the Baltimore it was Myers who greeted them with a smart salute and the statement that there had been a visitor on board who had insisted on waiting for their return.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s in your cabin, sir.\u201d Myers stepped back to allow Adam to pass. \u201cHe has not been left on his own, sir,\u201d he said quickly. \u201cIt was considered wiser for him to have company.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and looked at O\u2019Brien, who merely raised his eyebrows as though in answer to an unspoken question. As Adam put his hand to the door the familiar smell of the odious Turkish cigarettes so beloved by Doestov touched his nostrils,<\/p>\n

\u201cGood evening, Dimitri, I\u2019m sorry if we have kept you waiting,\u201d he said as he opened the door.<\/p>\n

His greeting however was premature. There was no sign of the Russian apart from the lingering smell of his cigarettes. Adam turned to Ross who was now standing stiffly to attention<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe left a few moments before you came on board, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he say what he wanted?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir. He just sat here smoking those horrible gaspers and then got up and said he couldn\u2019t wait any longer. He just wanted to thank you, he said, for the courtesy of having listened to him today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was more involved in his visit that that,\u201d O\u2019Brien observed dryly.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded but before Ross could leave, asked the officer to get Hathaway and Myers in the cabin for a briefing.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes this mean we\u2019re working on behalf of the British Government?\u201d Ross asked once Adam had given them what information he felt was necessary.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Adam shook his head, frowned a little then and looked at O\u2019Brien, \u201cNo, Britain has vested interests in Egypt, as does America. What affects us will also affect them. This is what we would call a coalition.\u201d He sat down at the desk now and stretched out his long legs, paused a moment and looked down at the maps, \u201cIt\u2019s the Russian involvement that worries me more.\u201d But he said it too softly for anyone other than O\u2019Brien to have heard, and he merely frowned and turned to look thoughtfully at the spines of the books on the shelves as though they could provide a more satisfactory answer than any he could have given the commodore.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what if, in the future, anything we do to our government\u2019s benefit affects British interests adversely?\u201d Ross then asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you a politician?\u201d Adam laughed and a ripple of laughter trickled around the table. \u201cWe\u2019re American citizens, gentlemen, and unlikely to forget it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we\u2019re going to Egypt?\u201d Hathaway said, looking down at the maps spread across the table. \u201cMakes a difference from our last destinations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we exchange seals and whales for camels and flies,\u201d O\u2019Brien replied with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you won\u2019t be far wrong there, sir, more camels and more flies there than you\u2019ll ever see in a lifetime,\u201d Ross commented without any humour at all.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Ingrid Buchanan reclined in her bath with her eyes closed. The hip bath was pleasant enough and the smells from her oils were relaxing. She needed time to think, and having a bath was one way for her to gain peace and quiet in order to do so It seemed to her that life had become more and more complicated since they had arrived at the Ponderosa because this mad rush to visit Milton\u2018s sister had only resulted in various conundrums being presented to her. What had, when Milton first suggested it, seemed an ideal situation that would give her some time to remove herself from a rather embarrassing problem now appeared to be presenting her with several different ones. She ran through several scenarios in her mind.<\/p>\n

The first one was that of her cousin-in-law, Ann Buchanan Canady. There had never been much love lost between them before Ann had met Candy, and Ingrid could remember only too well the disputes between them when Ann had decided to look for her ex-husband. Ann, as well as Ingrid, remembered too many details of those encounters for them to be comfortable with one another now.<\/p>\n

There was also the fact that the Cartwrights were wealthy, wealthy indeed. Yet there was that talk in town about the time they had lost the Ponderosa because they hadn\u2019t enough money to redeem debts and loans. Someone, and no one knew whom, had purchased the Ponderosa back on their behalf, paying off all the debts and setting them up as previously. Ingrid wasn\u2019t sure what all this had meant except that someone else in town was obviously far wealthier than the Cartwrights and that they themselves were not as solvent as one had first been led to believe. They had to work, and work hard, in order to retain what they had which, to Ingrid\u2019s way of thinking, indicated they were lacking in the essentials\u2026cash and gold in big safe deposits.<\/p>\n

Hester had explained what she could about the situation, and laughed off Ingrid\u2019s comment. \u201cSo, really they\u2019re quite poor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, they\u2019re not poor, it\u2019s just different, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut they\u2019re not rich, not like the Buchanans?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not like the Buchanans, nor like a lot of other New York society folk. Ingrid, this is a new world out here. People are still working at the grassroots to get what others have had for generations back east.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Ingrid knew of some in Virginia City who had struck it rich and lived just like high society New Yorkers. It puzzled her that the Cartwrights weren\u2019t like them when to all appearances they should be even moreso, considering Ben had been one of the first settlers in the area.<\/p>\n

She slipped out of the bath and pulled the towel close around her. No, there were a lot of questions going unanswered, a lot of things she wished she knew more about and a certain person whom she would like to get to know better, much better than she did already.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Joseph Cartwright had put off visiting the Paiute in deference to his father\u2019s request, but it had been at the back of his mind too long to ignore any further. He had left the Ponderosa early that morning, having cobbled together a quick breakfast washed down by coffee before saddling a horse and riding away from the Ponderosa just as the early morning sun was beginning to turn the skies pink and orange.<\/p>\n

The last person on his mind was Ingrid Buchanan.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Sarah Winnemucca was an attractive woman with dark eyes and long black hair. She enjoyed the wearing of the bone and shell beads on her calf-length dress (kwasi) that caught the light and made them glitter as she walked just as she loved to feel the warmth of the sun upon her hair and body. The fringes of her kwasi brushed against the well-shaped calves of her legs and the pendent shell earring that hung from her pierced ear touched her neck with a reassuringly light graze against her skin.<\/p>\n

She stood still as the rider approached her, and when she recognised Joseph Cartwright she smiled in welcome.<\/p>\n

\u201cMike-tu-cubin,\u201d she said although she remained quite still and waited for him to dismount.<\/p>\n

\u201cNoonie-tu-cubin, Sarah,\u201d Joe replied as he approached her.<\/p>\n

She nodded, the shells of her earring rattling softly against her ear. \u201cIooie, iooie\u201d she replied and indicated that he should sit on the blanket spread out before the entrance of her home.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Nu\u2019ma know you well now, Joseph Cartwright; you ride back and forth among us as freely as though you were one of us.\u201d She held out a gourd full of water for him to drink from, and her smile crinkled her eyes, an indication of the pleasure she felt in seeing him there.<\/p>\n

Joe drank the water greedily; it tasted sweet and cool. He removed his hat and brushed sweat from his brow onto the back of his sleeve. It was interesting, he thought, that she should address her people by the name they had been known by long ago, Nu\u2019ma\u2014the People, and he smiled at her and nodded as though in an attempt to show his approval, not, he knew, that it would matter to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel as though I don\u2019t come here often enough,\u201d he replied. \u201cA lot can happen between the times we meet, Sarah Winnemucca.\u201d<\/p>\n

She merely smiled, and cast down her eyelids to observe the dust that was settling onto the brightly coloured blanket. Slowly she brushed some grains away with her hand before looking up at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you come now, Joseph Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe glanced over his shoulder and noticed the attention this interview, if one could call it such, was receiving. He cleared his throat and looked into her face and was pleased to receive a direct smile in return.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had news, my father and I, that soon the American government\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour government\u2014\u201d she interposed and slightly, slightly raised her eyebrows.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, our Government is about to re-settle the Plains Indians. By that I mean, the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Sioux\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know these nations of Indians, and by re-settlement do you mean that they are to be rounded up and corralled as we are, as the Nu\u2019ma are?\u201d a hint of colour had rouged her skin, her eyes were dilated and the words were spoken in a voice that was flat, toneless.<\/p>\n

\u201cCorralled?\u201d Joe\u2019s face dropped into an expression of dismay and once again he looked around him at the gathering number of men and women, among the crowd an infant wailed. \u201cSarah\u2014\u201d he paused, bit down on his bottom lip, \u201cYou call the Paiute the Nu\u2019ma, the people, but away on the plains there are tribes of Indians who also refer to themselves as The People. They live in fear of the Hoop of Life being broken when they are driven from their own lands, from the Black Hills. Sarah\u2014there would be a lot of bloodshed that could be prevented.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. It is true.\u201d She nodded and various ones among the crowd grunted assent. \u201cBut why come to me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wondered if perhaps others had not already come to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOthers?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOfficials from the government?\u201d<\/p>\n

She sat back onto her haunches, her hands rested lightly upon her thighs and she looked at him more softly. \u201cThey came a long time ago and asked many questions about my future plans for the Nu\u2019ma. I told them that I would continue to speak out for their rights, for justice. They will not control my mouth so easily as they think\u2014\u201d her lips firmed in determination and she shook her head, the earring of shells tinkled and one caught in her hair. \u201cJoseph Cartwright, I have to speak for my people. I have to be their voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that, Sarah Thocmetony, but perhaps others would like to use your voice on behalf of those other nations of people out there on the plains.\u201d<\/p>\n

She frowned and then shook her head again<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one has asked and even if they did so I would not leave my people. How can I speak on behalf of the nations who stood back and did nothing for my people when we needed them? No, I shall not speak for them, or to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if the government were to order you to do so?\u201d he could feel little beads of sweat popping out beneath his hair line, irritatingly so. \u201cThey may ask you or order you to go to the Cheyenne or Sioux and negotiate with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should they do that?\u201d she laughed softly and shook her head again; the shell, released from its entanglement, returned to drift upon her shoulder. \u201cMy own people do not always listen to me when I negotiate, as you call it, on their behalf. No, should any come from your government I shall not go, unless in a cage.\u201d She shrugged then and looked at him. \u201cHave you anything else to say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou definitely won\u2019t go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNever.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked into her eyes and saw the dogged determination in them. He frowned slightly,<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if they put you in a cage?\u201d His lips smiled but the hazel eyes did not.<\/p>\n

She saw in them the anxiety for her and was grateful, but her reply did not indicate such. \u201cWhat difference does that make? Am I not already in one? The size of the cage barely matters, Joseph Cartwright, to those who are trapped inside one.\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded and rose to his feet, bade her farewell, and after putting on his hat, remounted the horse. He felt as though every man, woman and child watched him as he rode slowly from the camp.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Milton Buchanan held his sister\u2019s hand in his as they sat side by side on the porch that looked over the yard and beyond that to the stables and outbuildings of the ranch house.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for having us stay, Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned to him, her face registering surprise, for his words were spoken so softly that she could barely hear them. She squeezed his fingers between her own. \u201cIt\u2019s been a pleasure, Milton, you know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2014\u201d he smiled, a slightly tight smile. \u201cNo, I know that it hasn\u2019t all been a pleasure for you and your new family, who, by the way, I think are perfect for you.\u201d he sighed, \u201cNo, I can well understand that it has been far from pleasant at times. I don\u2019t understand how it is, but Inger seems to upset people a lot. It\u2019s just that she\u2019s kinda forthright and direct; most folk don\u2019t like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t think they do,\u201d she sighed and bowed her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cHester, I think I should tell you the real reason why we left and came here.\u201d He removed the dark glasses that he habitually wore and looked at her with his pale blue eyes. With love he looked over every feature of her face, and then gently stroked her cheek. \u201cYou see, I\u2019m going blind.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t say anything to that, unsure as to what to say really as she had already surmised such an actuality. She lowered her head. \u201cI am sorry, Milton. I really am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been to all the best doctors back east, but they said it was progressive. Something to do with the retina\u2026\u201d he shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd\u2014is that why you came here?\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled and again squeezed her hand while with the other he replaced his glasses. \u201cYou\u2019re perceptive.\u201d A slight frown furrowed his brow. \u201cNo, there was another reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

He paused, and like her turned his head towards the sound of a horse approaching. Behind them there came the creak of the door opening, perfume drifted on the air towards them. Inger stepped closer to them, put her hand on Milton\u2019s shoulder and looked with them in the direction of Joe\u2019s return to the ranch.<\/p>\n

Chapter 14<\/p>\n

Joseph Cartwright dismounted and slowly led his horse to the hitching rail. He had seen the three people watching him from the porch but had not acknowledged them. Now he turned and forced a smile, removed his hat and walked slowly towards them: Milton, seated in the old chair over which the Navajo blanket was always draped and Hester sitting by his side while behind them Ingrid hovered, one hand on her husband\u2019s shoulder in a quite proprietary manner. Hester rose to her feet and smiled at her young brother-in-law, while Milton turned his face towards him, the sun glinting from the dark glasses. Ingrid merely stepped back a pace or two and remained in the shadow as though preferring to look on rather than to participate in what was to follow.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want something to drink, Joe?\u201d This was from Hester, a smile still on her lips, although there was something lacking in her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s alright, Hester, thank you. I\u2019ll just go in and see Pa. He is inside, isn\u2019t he?\u201d He twirled his hat round and round, his restlessness conveyed to them by the action of his nervous hands. \u201c\u2019Morning, Milton, Ingrid\u2014\u201d he passed them without saying anything more.<\/p>\n

Ben was checking figures in his ledgers, the frown on his face and the amount of dark scratchings on the paper a fair indication that he was in a losing battle. He looked up and saw Joe, upon which his face creased into his generous smile which reached to the black eyes, making them sparkle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wondered if you were getting back before lunch. \u201cWhere\u2019ve you been?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to see Sarah Winnemucca.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAah.\u201d Ben\u2019s face lost its smile and his eyes narrowed; he looked sharply at Joe and frowned even more deeply. \u201cI thought we would be going together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but there never seemed to be the right time, besides which I was getting more and more conscious of the fact that that was one thing we were running out of\u2026\u201c Joe flipped his hat onto the bureau and sat down in the chair opposite the desk. Ben slowly returned to his chair and put the pen down,<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe ran his fingers through his shock of thick hair, and then scratched the back of his head while a confused look settled on his face. \u201cShe said she would only speak for her own people. She won\u2019t be coerced to speak for or to any other tribe. She\u2019s angry even at the thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did explain to her that the government could well force her to act as their intermediary?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, but that didn\u2019t seem to matter much to her. She only wants what is best for her own people, Pa. The Souix, Cheyenne \u2026 they\u2019re as much names to her as they are to most of the citizens in Virginia City. Why should she go speak on their behalf?\u201d once again he pushed his fingers through his hair and looked thoughtfully at his father. \u201cI don\u2019t think she will go, no matter what the government threatens her with, she\u2019ll just stay where she is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if the government threatens her people, though?\u201d Ben replied as he leaned back in his chair. He twirled the pen between his fingers in a slow rotation as he stopped to consider some of the options that could be forced upon the young Paiute woman, then he sighed, shook his head and looked down at the ledger. \u201cLook, Joe, just at the moment it isn\u2019t our concern. Let\u2019s just get on with things here and see how things work out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said that before, Pa.\u201d Joe rose to his feet and pouted slightly, and Ben, looking at him, was once more reminded that one other of his sons was no longer a child, but a man to be respected. \u201cI don\u2019t know if I can wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWell, while I\u2019m here hanging around waiting for something to happen, things could be happening and Little Moon\u2019s people could be getting killed and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014and it has nothing to do with you. You won\u2019t be able to stop it, Joe. Stop and think, boy, just what could you possibly do to change the circumstances there? Talk to Custer and ask him to turn around and go back home? He won\u2019t take any notice of you if the president has already given him permission to ride roughshod over those people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that, Pa.\u201d Joe turned away, paused a moment and then looked back at Ben, \u201cI just feel so useless.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment those words hovered in the air between them, then Ben stood up and came to his side, he placed a gentle hand upon his son\u2019s shoulder. \u201cJoe, I can\u2019t begin to tell you how often I have felt just that way too, but I\u2019ve found that, usually, something happens that makes it quite clear as to what I have to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded, looked at his father and saw the warmth, the love, in the old man\u2019s face and forced a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Pa,\u201d he replied softly and without another word walked quickly away.<\/p>\n

For a moment Ben stood still, his eyes fixed onto the back of his youngest son, willing him to lose that air of despondency that now seemed to follow him like a dark cloud. He sighed as Joe turned on the half landing and continued up the stairs<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything wrong, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 deep voice caused Ben to turn, and seeing his other son\u2019s anxious face he smiled,<\/p>\n

\u201cJust a problem that Joe has to sort out for himself, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure there ain\u2019t nothing\u2019 I can do to help?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed, shrugged and glanced back over his shoulder to the stairs,<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Hoss. I don\u2019t think so, it\u2019s\u2014\u201d he shook his head, shrugged again. \u201cIt\u2019s something Joe will talk to you about sometime himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Ingrid Buchanan slipped quickly into the chair that Hester had left vacant when she had gone into the house after her husband. For a moment husband and wife, Milton and Ingrid, sat in silence, both facing out to the yard as though the sight of outbuildings, corrals and a lone horse were the most fascinating sights one could see.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat were you talking about just now?\u201d Ingrid asked in a low voice as she carefully tied a ribbon in her long braid of hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was talking privately to my sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI was telling her about\u2014about my health, my eyes.\u201d Milton\u2019s voice quivered. It was a hard subject for him to discuss, after all, it had taken him this long to get round to telling Hester whom he loved more than anything, or anyone. He would never admit it to anyone else but he loved her even more than his wife.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I see.\u201d She didn\u2019t, and the fact that her response was somewhat tactless never occurred to her, she sighed, \u201cMilton?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cDo you like it here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot particularly. I prefer the city. There\u2019s too much dust and open spaces for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was talking to Hester the other day, about the Cartwrights.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the Cartwrights?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, people often assume that because I am a member of a banking dynasty that I understand everything there is about money and economics\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know how to spend money,\u201d he said somewhat coldly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know. Thankfully there\u2019s always plenty for us to spend.\u201d She closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair, her fingers toying idly with her ribbons. \u201cI didn\u2019t realise that people could be poor even if they have a lot of assets.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Cartwrights aren\u2019t poor, Ingrid.\u201d He said the words slowly, the way a teacher tries to convey a lesson to a tardy pupil, and she sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut they didn\u2019t even have enough money in the bank to pay off their mortgage some while back, someone else had to\u2014well\u2014help them out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt happens. Anyway, it has nothing to do with us. The Cartwright assets are as strong as any of your Fitzgerald holdings any day.\u201d he turned to her with a slight frown. \u201cWhy so much interest in what you have always considered to be vulgar talk about money?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing,\u201d she snapped sharply, and turned her head away from him. \u201cIt has nothing to do with anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen please don\u2019t mention it again, leastways, not in my presence.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said nothing to that but rose from the chair and with a disdainful toss of her head re-entered the house.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Hoss Cartwright had one foot on the bottom step of the stairs when a warm hand slipped into his, and he turned, smiled, and squeezed his wife\u2019s fingers gently between his own.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look sweet, honey.\u201d He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, I want to talk to you\u2026\u201d she glanced to the study area where Ben appeared to be engrossed in totting up figures in the ledger.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

She put a finger to her lips and glanced again over at Ben so that her husband nodded his understanding and allowed himself to be led by her from the main room, through the kitchen, and out into the gardens at the back of the house.<\/p>\n

Here she slipped her arm through his and leaned against his shoulder as they walked together, step by step, into the rose garden that Marie had created so long ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cMilton told me today why they had come.\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cTo see you and meet us, wasn\u2018t it?\u201d He put his arm around her shoulders so that her head was cradled into his collarbone, the perfect curve for her to rest her head within.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said he wanted to come because\u2014because he\u2019s going blind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss said nothing but looked out over the rose garden where the sun gleamed and created a blur of colour; close by was a perfect red rose: he could see each petal\u2019s shape so clearly, and beyond that he could see where the apples and plum trees grew. He narrowed his eyes and tried to pretend he was going blind and wondered what it would be like to suddenly be deprived of such a wonderful gift.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it bad?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said he had seen doctors back East, specialists no doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t they do anything for him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, nothing at all. He wanted to come here because he wanted to make sure I was alright. He and I were always close, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, I could see that for myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was something else, but he couldn\u2019t tell me because of Ingrid\u2014and then Joe came home.\u201d she rubbed her face against his shirt, listened to his heart beating, how strong, how steady it was and she looked up into his face and smiled, \u201cI love you, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad of it, Hester, otherwise\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOtherwise?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, otherwise you\u2019d be an awful unhappy woman, and I\u2019d hate to be living with an unhappy woman.\u201d He kissed her nose, then her lips, and then he kissed her lips again.<\/p>\n

Hester gave herself willingly, lovingly, but at the back of her mind she told herself that Ingrid wasn\u2019t happy, and nothing Milton did would ever make her so.<\/p>\n

Chapter 15<\/p>\n

The day had dawned brightly and the sun had streamed through the porthole in the cabin to locate the commodore already dressed and seated at his desk, scanning through sheets of paper that he had taken from the folder Lord Charles Willoughby had given him the previous day.<\/p>\n

He felt reasonably satisfied with life. A letter had gone into the mailbag and taken to the other American ship that was heading home that day. News would soon reach Ben and the family about his recent adventures, and he had even written a pretty little note to Hester containing a detailed sketch of the Council Room which he thought she would appreciate.<\/p>\n

He began to read the notes about Charles Pomeroy Stone.<\/p>\n

\u201cCharles Pomeroy Stone born in 1824, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n

1841\u2014Entered U.S. Military Academy, West Point, graduated 1845\u20147\/41 cadets.<\/p>\n

1845\u2014July. Apptd brevet second lieutenant.<\/p>\n

1846\u2014Asst Ordnance Officer\u2014Watervliet Arsenal, NY and Old Pooint Comfort, Virgnia.<\/p>\n

1847\u2014 Mexican-American War. Prom second lieutenant, serving under Maj.Gen Winfield Scott.<\/p>\n

1847 \u2014Sept apptd brevet first lieutenant for gallant and meritorious conduct at Molino del Rey<\/p>\n

1847\u2014Sept apptd brevet Captain<\/p>\n

Sept 15 fought in Battle for Mexico City, formed part of party to climb to the summit of Popocatepetl volcano and raise American flat thereon.<\/p>\n

1848\u2014 \u201c<\/p>\n

The knock on the door roused Adam from reading further. He raised his head and called out \u201cCome in.\u201d As O\u2019Brien entered the cabin he shuffled the papers back into the folder. He welcomed Daniel with a smile and rose to his feet. \u201cGood morning, Daniel, I\u2019ve been reading some of the files on the men who have been assisting the khedive of Egypt and\u2014what have you got there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cArrived just now for you.\u201d Daniel placed the letters in his friend\u2019s hand and smiled. \u201cThey both came by the same courier.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and turned them over and over between his fingers, then sniffed at one and smiled before he raised the letter aloft. \u201cI can guess who this is from, our friend Doestov.\u201d<\/p>\n

They shared a chuckle and Daniel walked to the table where the coffee pot still stood; as it still contained hot coffee he made himself a drink having ascertained that Adam had had enough already.<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm, this is interesting\u2026and will delay our departure.\u201d Adam said thoughtfully. \u201cOur friend Doestov wishes to meet us because he wants to discuss something important with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s coming here?\u201d Daniel half-turned, his cup still in one hand and his eyebrows raised in question.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he wants us to meet him on the island.\u201d Adam frowned. \u201cAfter 2 o\u2019clock.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a nuisance. Do you think you should go? We were going to leave this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged as he ripped open the other envelope. His eyebrows rose and his mouth turned down in a slight grimace.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Leaving the Baltimore in the capable hands of Hathaway, the commodore and O\u2019Brien were prompt in arriving at the hostel in East Cowes at the time required by Doestov. The smoky interior of the hostel, with its dark-beamed ceiling made it initially difficult to locate the Russian who had selected a seat in a shadowed corner of the largest room where there seemed to be fewer clientele gathered to bother them.<\/p>\n

As the broad-shouldered American made his way towards where Doestov sat, some young man stood up and pushed himself in front of him, barring his way.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell now, what have we here?\u201d he smiled and made a wide gesture with his hands, the beer in his tankard spilled over his fingers, which he wiped down the rather shabby shirt he was wearing, \u201cA navy man and not JUST a navy man but an AMERICAN navy man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re drunk,\u201d O\u2019Brien said, edging his way between Adam and the local man, \u201cIf you won\u2019t mind letting us through.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, well\u2014never let it be said I didn\u2019t do my bit for cordial relations with the colonists,\u201d came the answer, and with a low bow he stepped back to let them pass by, a motion that was unwise in his case as he lost his balance and staggered back, falling into the legs of other men who had been standing at the bar.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you just watch your mouth, Jackson,\u201d someone yelled, a comment followed by various curses from sundry drinkers.<\/p>\n

Adam looked at Doestov, who rose to his feet, gestured towards the table upon which were three glasses and a bottle of good white wine. With a smile and a shrug of his shoulders Adam sat down, followed by O\u2019Brien.<\/p>\n

\u201cA drink?\u201d Doestov said immediately and uncorked the bottle.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou seemed pretty confident that we would be coming then.\u201d Adam took his glass and after taking some, nodded approval.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, I knew you would come. I know you are like the cat\u2014always curious.\u201d Doestov smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2014here we are, and you want to talk to us about something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDa, is true. Your trip to Cairo, for example.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam paused in the act of taking the glass once more to his mouth. He frowned, \u201cCairo? Don\u2019t you mean the Suez Canal?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Doestov shrugged and stubbed out the cigarette he had been smoking into his little tin, the lid of which he snapped shut. He raised his glass, then looked defiantly at Adam,<\/p>\n

\u201cCairo.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien looked anxiously at Adam, and then at Doestov, who now shrugged his thin shoulders.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommander, you vondered perhaps vy I came to see you and didn\u2019t stay for that purpose\u2014da? You see, I knew you vould go to Cairo, and ven I am alone\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlone?\u201d O\u2019Brien snapped, \u201cWhen were you alone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the cabin\u2014for a few minutes only. I make a request for water and the officer goes to get me some. I see the papers on the desk and look. I am like the cat also\u2026alvays I am curious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps a little bit too much so.\u201d Adam muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter. Look\u2014\u201d he pulled an envelope from his pocket and passed it to Adam, \u201cI give you here some names. You will find these men and they vill help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy give them to us? Why not to the British?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNyet, no\u2014not good idea. British they are everywhere. I give them to you, Commodore Adam Cartwright, because I trust you. I owe you my life\u2014\u201d he paused and frowned slightly. \u201cAnd the life of my countrymen. You forget maybe that there were 13 men who survived because of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoestov, after the way you acted on board my ship, I can\u2019t help but feel that any thing you do has to have an ulterior motive. You killed a good man that day when you went looking for those papers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI regret.\u201d Doestov shrugged, \u201cVot can I do? I am Russian. I have to put my country first before my finer feelings as a man. I respect you. I did not vant to kill no one but it happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

They fell into silence and each man drank a little of the wine before Adam asked Doestov what exactly he had been given.<\/p>\n

\u201cA few names only. These are the men I was in contact with when in Egypt. They will know you, and contact you. They will help you. They are mostly good men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMostly?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVell, they are good men, but some not so good as others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not much help, Doestov.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is all there.\u201d Dimitri tapped the envelope with his nicotine-stained fingers, \u201cI have marked the ones you can trust implicitly, others you need to be a little careful about because they are\u2014\u201d he shrugged\u2014\u201cyou will find out.\u201d He stood up, having pulled out a silver watch which he stared at before slipping it back into his pocket. \u201cI go now. Thank you, Adam. For my life. For your help.\u201d<\/p>\n

He bowed, clicked his heels in the Russian fashion, and quickly left the hostel.<\/p>\n

\u201cShall I go after him?\u201d O\u2019Brien asked, but Adam grabbed at his arm and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t have anything more to tell us,\u201d he said, \u201cDrink your wine and then we\u2019ll make our way back to our ship.\u201d he frowned thoughtfully. \u201cHe\u2019s lying anyway. Those papers were locked in my desk, it was not possible for him to read anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnless someone else had already been looking through them and hadn\u2019t had time to put them away,\u201d OBrien suggested with a rather perplexed look on his handsome face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to think along those lines, Daniel,\u201d Adam murmured as he rose to his feet, \u201cI\u2019d rather think that it would seem obvious to Dimitri that we would go to Cairo; after all, I\u2019d imagine that is where most of his contacts could be found.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien said nothing to that, but inwardly, as he reached for his hat, he hoped that Adam was right.<\/p>\n

Chapter 16<\/p>\n

Hathaway was on the main deck and saluted the officers as they boarded the Baltimore. His murmured greeting and affirmation that all was well was greeted with a curt nod from Adam, who midway to his cabin paused and turned to his First Lieutenant with a raised eyebrow<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you ask Mr. Ross to come and see me immediately, Mr. Hathaway?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien checked his steps and placed his hand on Adam\u2019s arm as they entered the corridor that would take them to Adam\u2019s cabin.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoss? Are you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Daniel, you didn\u2019t seem to accept my version of events, so I thought I would give Mr. Ross the chance for him to tell us what his are\u2014\u201d he scowled slightly\u2014\u201cdo you want to join me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel frowned, then shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thank you, Adam. I think I prefer my own company just now. That was bad wine and Doestov always gives me a head ache.\u201d<\/p>\n

They exchanged a smile and parted each to his own cabin. Once in his, O\u2019Brien tossed his hat to one side and fell across his narrow bed. He wasn\u2019t exaggerating his tiredness, for within minutes he was asleep. Adam, on the other hand, entered his cabin and looked thoughtfully around it. He walked to his desk and stared at it thoughtfully, then tugged his earlobe, pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed his temple in a circular motion with his forefinger.<\/p>\n

He was seated at the desk when Ross knocked and entered the cabin. The lieutenant had his hat under his arm, and approached the desk in a respectful manner. After a pause he cleared his throat upon which Adam raised his eyes from the letter he was swiftly perusing and looked at him with his dark eyes suddenly dark indeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Ross?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir.\u201d Ross cleared his throat again, \u201cCommodore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLast evening when the Russian gentleman came on board, where exactly were you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was on deck with Mr. Hathaway, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you see Mr. Doestov arrive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed I did, sir; it was not dark at all then. He came in a launch from the mainland and was alone apart from the pilot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened when he came on board?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe asked for you. Mr. Myers was close by and explained that you were absent from the ship and that Mr. Hathaway would deal with anything he wished relayed to you\u2014\u201d he paused as though going through his memory to ensure he had spoken correctly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Hathaway then approached him and asked him if he would like to leave a message because there was no guarantee as to when you would be back. The Russian gentleman insisted that he had to speak to you and would wait in your room. There was a slight altercation then, Mr. Hathaway not wanting the gentleman here in your private room and the visitor insisting that as an old friend of yours you would not mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam merely raised an eyebrow, and then nodded for Ross to continue.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, as he passed me Mr. Hathaway told me to follow the Russian and not to leave him alone for an instant. I did as requested and followed Mr. Doestov here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he speak to you at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot much, sir. He asked me if I had been on the ship with you in Alaska and I said I had not, this was my first assignment with you. He wasn\u2019t interested in me after that, just sat down, started smoking those cigarettes of his and seemed to go into a sort of trance\u2026more as though he was deep in thought and had nothing he wanted to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you at any time leave him on his own here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he ask for anything to drink?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, he did not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe did not ask for a drink of water?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ross frowned, and then he nodded. \u201cYes, he did, sir. It was the only conversation we had due to the fact that I poured him a glass of water from your own jug over there.\u201d He indicated the glass container on a side table near the bookcase. \u201cHe asked if it was drinkable and I told him that we had the water hermetically sealed in our own ship tank on board the Baltimore. He asked me about it and we got into a discussion about water storage and I told him how the ship tank worked. He got a bit bored after a while and that blank look came to his face again\u2026\u201d Ross shrugged and frowned. \u201cAfter an hour he said he couldn\u2019t keep the pilot of the launch waiting any longer and left the cabin. I believe Mr. Myers escorted him from the ship.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what did you do when he left my cabin?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ross went slightly red around the collar; he cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014er\u2014I left as well, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pursed his lips and ran the tip of his tongue around his teeth while he narrowed his eyes and looked at the younger man with a look that Hoss and Joe would recognise as meaning \u201cDon\u2019t expect me to believe that for a second\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Ross, I\u2019ll ask you just the one more time\u2014what did you do when Doestov left my cabin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, sir.\u201d Ross gulped, and beads of sweat popped out on his brow. \u201cI replaced the glass after cleaning it first and then\u2014\u201d there was a pause; Adam kept his eyes fixed on the other man\u2019s; the pause stretched for a second or two longer. \u201cI noticed you had some brandy and poured myself just a small tot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing but leaned back in his chair; one hand picked up a pen while the other tapped on the desk. Ross was now feeling panic rising in his breast, his mouth was dry and his heart was beating double time.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Ross, while you were here in this room drinking my brandy, did you notice if there were any papers on my desk?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, sir; I didn\u2019t look.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you have noticed\u2014or would Mr. Doestov have noticed\u2014had you glanced in this direction?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, sir, it tends to be in shadow. I doubt if we would have noticed. I certainly didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Ross, when we first boarded\u2014Mr. Willoughby and I\u2014did you at any time enter Mr. Willoughby\u2019s cabin and look through his belongings?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed, nodded, and observed the man carefully. True, he was sweating but Adam could appreciate that Ross was anticipating some disciplinary action for taking the brandy. That he was nervous was obvious, but it was equally obvious that he was telling the truth. Adam stood up.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well, Mr. Ross; for helping yourself to my brandy you can relieve Mr. Myers of his dog watch and also do Mr. Hathaway\u2019s. Dismissed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ross went slightly pale, saluted and left the cabin. Adam listened to the footsteps fade down the corridor. With a downturn of the mouth he rubbed his brow and then began to read the paper that Doestov had given him.<\/p>\n

There was a list of names; some were familiar to Adam being on the same list given him by Charles Willoughby. These names were connected to the cadre that formed the khedive\u2019s American cartographers. There were some Arab names. There were the names of some civilians against which Doestov had neatly penned \u201cAmerican,\u201d \u201dFrench,\u201d or \u201dSwiss.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a sigh Adam slipped the paper into the folder which he locked into his desk. He next unrolled some maps and began to plot a course from the Isle of Wight to Newcastle, England.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cWould anyone mind if I took one of the horses and went for ride this afternoon?\u201d Ingrid Buchanan glanced around the room, and smiled her loveliest smile. \u201cIt\u2019s such a delightful day, and I don\u2019t think I have seen as much of the Ponderosa as I would like to have done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t go on your own, Ingrid.\u201d Hester cried anxiously, \u201cYou don\u2019t know your way around well enough. If you got lost or had an accident how would any of us know?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ingrid pouted and looked anxiously at those in the room. Her husband, Milton, was in conversation with Ben who had felt confident enough in the younger man\u2019s abilities as an accountant to trust him with sharing the task of checking the ledgers. Hester had been busy writing at her own little desk under the window at the far side of the room; she now looked at her sister-in-law with slight exasperation on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t you wait until tomorrow? I could ride with you then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe weather may not hold that long.\u201d Ingrid pouted and slightly shrugged her shoulders. \u201cThere\u2019s no point in asking Milton, he knows the way around even less than I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I suppose I could ask Joe,\u201d Hester said slowly, hesitantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh I don\u2019t like to bother your brother-in-law, Hester. He seems melancholy just at the moment. I wouldn\u2019t like to make a nuisance of myself.\u201d She sighed and paced the room a little, trailing her fingers over the furniture as though even that was an effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, he has been rather melancholy just lately,\u201d Hester replied and rose to her feet. \u201cI\u2019m sure he won\u2019t mind showing you around the Ponderosa. I\u2019ve never known it to fail to cheer him up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly if you\u2019re really sure?\u201d Ingrid said in a softly sweet voice.<\/p>\n

Hester found Joe in the stable as she had expected and watched as he swept the curry brush down Cochise\u2019s sleek neck. As though sensing her presence, he turned and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat brings you here, Princess?\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed; he had been calling her that for some days now, and she rather liked it, although it was only Hoss who make her feel like one. Joe had said he called her that because it suited her, and she had accepted it for what it was, a sweet and sincere compliment from the young man.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I came to ask a favour of you, but would you mind taking Ingrid around the Ponderosa? Some place she hasn\u2019t been before\u2026I think she is beginning to fall in love with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned, chewed on his bottom lip, and began to sweep the brush down across Cochise\u2019s back with a more determined briskness to his arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt needn\u2019t be for long, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, for you and one of your smiles.\u201d he said and slapped his horse fondly on the back, before turning to her, \u201cI\u2019ll saddle up a horse for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Joe, thank you so much.\u201d She blew him a kiss and turned away, running across the yard with a smile on her face and the breeze blowing her copper gold hair into tendrils around her shoulders.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

As Ingrid looked down at the lake and took in the view of the pine clad mountains that stretched as though on their tip toes to reach the sky above them, she couldn\u2019t help but feel a stirring in her emotions that had long lain dormant. Nature, she had decided long ago, did nothing for her; it held no interest and was thereby relegated to bottom in a long list of things not to do. The material things of the world were what appealed to Ingrid, the things she could feel and see, touch and caress, add value to and enjoy the lustre. Now here she was feeling her heart in her mouth because of a body of water reflecting mountains and clouds. She shook her head disbelievingly. \u201cIt\u2019s beautiful, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of our favourite places. I like to come here when I\u2019m feeling in the need of some beauty in my life.\u201d Joe leaned forward, his hands pressed against the pommel of his saddle and his eyes staring out over the waters.<\/p>\n

She looked at him and edged the horse closer to his so that her knee brushed against him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve been looking sad lately, Joe. I couldn\u2019t help but wonder what was wrong. Is there anything that I could do for you, to help at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHelp?\u201d he looked at her with his hazel eyes narrowed. \u201cIn what way do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, would it help if you talked about it? I am a good listener, you know? I may not be able to wave a magic wand over your problems and get them to disappear but I can listen and\u2026\u201d she shrugged slightly and looked at him with sweet appeal in her eyes.<\/p>\n

Joe looked at her again and this time noticed the blue of her eyes, the way her black hair was neat to her head, with just a few curls loose upon her shoulders. He remembered how she had looked that evening when she had come down the stairs and looked around the room as though in wonder at something she had not noticed before\u2026he had thought her beautiful then, the lamp and candle light so softening her face and form, making her seem as though she had stepped from the pages of a fairy tale book.<\/p>\n

Now here she was sitting there looking so sweetly earnest at him, her blue eyes wide with appeal and her lips so red and moist, parted as they were to expose just the whitest of teeth. He looked away and shook his head. \u201cNo, there\u2019s nothing you can do to help me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a woman, isn\u2019t it?\u201d her voice was soft, the words jarred his heart however and re-opened the wound, he cleared his throat and turned Cochise\u2019s head away from the view over the lake.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019ve ridden far enough, we should get back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

She followed him and for some minutes they rode side by side in silence. He was aware now of her perfume, and when he turned her head she was there, beside him, and never had a woman looked more beguilingly beautiful.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2014\u201d she said his name and reached out with her hand so that it rested upon his, gently, and he put his hand upon hers, covering it as their fingers interlocked.<\/p>\n

He lowered his head as she raised hers to meet him and his lips touched hers, gently, so gently. The shock of emotion made him jerk away. His eyes looked into hers and he saw in them the warm passion that he felt within himself. He was about to speak when he heard the sound of hoofbeats, and for an instant mistook it for the beat of his own heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Joe!\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned, jerked Cochise\u2019s head around and looked at Hoss as he galloped towards them. His throat was tight and yet his heart was slowing to its regular beat. Sense was dawning again, and he felt relief flood over him akin to shame. As Hoss grew closer Joe thought of Milton and a shiver trickled through his spine.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Joe\u2014thought I\u2019d find you here, Hester said you were taking Ms Buchanan\u2014I mean\u2014Ingrid\u2014for a look around the place.\u201d Hoss looked shrewdly at them both and Joe knew without a doubt that he had seen, noticed and would remember the scene that he had intruded upon.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful here, Hoss.\u201d Ingrid said with a slight brittleness to her tone of voice, \u201cReally beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it sure is,\u201d Hoss nodded, and turned his horse into line with them.<\/p>\n

The three of them rode back to the ranch with entirely different emotions struggling within them. Each one said not a word the entire journey. The only one who felt any sense of satisfaction was Ingrid Buchanan.<\/p>\n

Chapter 17<\/p>\n

Hester sat with her hands folded in her lap. She was wearing one of Hoss\u2019 favourite dresses. The dark blue matched her eyes so beautifully that when he had seen it in the Emporium he had bought it straightaway and then what laughter when on trying the dress on it was found to be several sizes too large.<\/p>\n

That was months ago now and several evenings of nifty needlework to whittle it down to her shape and size. Although she was not a small nor dainty woman Hester had laughed the loudest at seeing the voluminous garment unfold from the box. Now, however, was no time for laughter as she listened to what her husband was telling her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tell you, Hester, I saw it, I saw it with my own two eyeballs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh dear, Hoss, I\u2019m not sure what to say.\u201d She tweaked at a seam in the skirt of the dress and then looked up at his anguished features. \u201cYou think Joe kissed Ingrid?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey was kissing, Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but exactly who was kissing whom?\u201d She sighed and reached out towards him so as to take hold of his hand, \u201cThere was a time once when you thought Adam was kissing someone you cared for, do you remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, but this was different, a whole heap different.\u201d<\/p>\n

She just looked at him and so he gulped down a big breath into his lungs before he sat down beside her and took her other hand in his.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, it don\u2019t make no difference who was kissing who, whom or whatever\u2026the fact of the matter was they was kissing. Joe was kissing a married woman and a married woman was kissing him back. I couldn\u2019t face Milton over dinner, the thought of what he would feel if he were to know made me feel plumb awful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you going to talk to Joe about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. Should I? Do you think I should?\u201d He looked at her anxiously, his blue eyes round and perplexed so that she had no other choice than to lean forward and kiss him on the nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you should, darling. If you don\u2019t you could keep thinking wrong thoughts about him and that isn\u2019t good, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, no.\u201d His brow crinkled and he looked out of the window at the stars in the sky before he released a sigh, \u201cAre you going to talk to Ingrid about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think so,\u201d she replied slowly. \u201cWhen I get the opportunity to see her on her own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHester, she gives me a bad feeling deep down.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cShe\u2019s trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stroked his hand and followed his gaze out of the window at the stars.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Hoss,\u201d she replied, \u201cAnd I shall ask her what happened, I surely will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, get it off your chest, big brother, say what you have to say and be done with it.\u201d Joe muttered as Hoss closed the stable door behind them.<\/p>\n

He had actually hoped that he could have some moments on his own to collect his rather scrambled thoughts and feelings. With everyone in the big room appearing quite comfortable and happy together he had cautiously crept out of the house and to the stable where he could talk to his horse if he had felt the need to talk, or just busy himself with various chores that always needed to be done. The sound of the door opening and closing had filled him with dread that either it was Ingrid or that it could be Hoss. Of the two he decided that he was glad to find it was Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, I ain\u2019t gonna say nothing,\u201d Hoss replied slowly as he teased out some straw from the bale against which he was leaning. \u201cYou\u2019re the one gonna do the talking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy? What do you want me to say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe ruffled at the back of his head making the thick hair stand on end as he did so. Then he looked at the anxious face of his brother and nodded,<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure how it happened, it just did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid she kiss you or did you kiss her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d he scowled, and shrugged, \u201cOne moment we were talking and the next thing I knew I was kissing her. There\u2014satisfied\u2014I was kissing her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, Joe, she\u2019s a married woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that, Hoss. We were just talking and it happened. As soon as it happened I just felt so ashamed, I thought of Milton and how Hester would feel were she to know. Have you told her?\u201d and when Hoss nodded he groaned, \u201cShe must think I\u2019m a real lout.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, she just said I was to talk to you instead of thinking bad about you. She\u2019s more understanding that you give her credit for, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded, his hazel eyes looked briefly over his brother\u2019s honest face, and he nodded again before he turned to Cochise and began to stroke the horse\u2019s muzzle,<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll make sure I\u2019m not alone with her again, Hoss. Don\u2019t worry, it won\u2019t happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ain\u2019t got feelings for her, have ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Joe sighed, \u201cWell, not the right kind of feelings anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn that case you had better make sure you steer well clear of her, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

The brothers looked at one another briefly before Joe nodded again and Hoss, content with that, left him and returned to the house.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

It was not difficult to get Ingrid on her own. Milton tired easily by the end of the day and would retire to his bed leaving the two women and the Cartwrights alone. Hester was surprised, in fact, when Ingrid suggested that they went outside to sit on the porch. Perhaps a woman more suspiciously minded would have noticed that the request came after Hoss\u2019 return from the stable where Joe still languished.<\/p>\n

They sat in silence for a moment or two, although they both glanced from time to time to the stables where the light shone through the cracks in the door. Eventually Ingrid began to speak, her voice was soft so that it didn\u2019t carry far and Hester had to lean forward to hear her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHester, something quite awkward happened today. I\u2019m sure Hoss may have mentioned it to you already but in case he has not, I think\u2014I thought\u2014I should speak to you about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout what?\u201d Hester turned from her observation of the stable door and from willing Joe to remain inside, to observe her sister-in-law who was now looking at her with a slightly mollified look on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know that your brother-in-law, Joseph, is a unhappy man at the moment, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was talking to me about it and I just said that anytime he wished to speak, if he felt I could help, I would be more than willing to listen to him. I just reached out and touched his arm, you know how one does\u2014\u201d she sighed and leaned back in her chair, adjusted the drape of her skirt about her legs, \u201cI was only trying to convey my sympathies, you see, and then the next thing I know, he kissed me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you kissed him back.\u201d Hester said softly<\/p>\n

\u201cI was caught by surprise, by complete surprise. Hester, I\u2019m a married woman and I never expected him to act like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you kissed him back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you keep saying that, Hester? I did not kiss him back\u2014\u201d she paused, and then again shrugged slightly, \u201cOf course, I realise that Hoss may have thought I had, seeing it from his point of view, that\u2019s understandable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he didn\u2019t see you giving Joe a well deserved slap which is what he would have got had he tried to kiss me like that.\u201d Hester stood up, sighed and looked at Ingrid thoughtfully, \u201cIngrid, leave Joe alone. I know you and Milton don\u2019t have a happy marriage, but I\u2019d like to think you would respect him and us enough not to get involved with another man here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHester,\u201d Ingrid raised her pretty chin up in indignation, \u201cHester, I\u2019ve already explained that it was not my fault. He caught me by surprise\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so, Ingrid. You\u2019re not the sort of woman who gets surprised by things like that.\u201d And without another word, Hester turned. \u201cI think we should return to the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there was anything ulterior on my part, Hester, I would not have mentioned it to you. I thought you would have been more understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester said nothing but merely waited for Ingrid to walk towards the house and go inside. Only then did she follow her. In the stable Joe extinguished the lamp and walked slowly back to the house.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking,\u201d Ben looked at them and smiled, the dark eyes twinkled and Hester thought once again what a handsome man he was; she didn\u2019t even add the words \u2018for his age\u2019 because that never came to her mind. He was just, purely and simply, a handsome man. \u201cI was thinking it was about time we had a party here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA party?\u201d Hoss looked surprised; the thought of a party was the last thing on his mind after the interview with his brother earlier. He looked at Hester and then back at his father. \u201cYou have to have a good reason for a party, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense,\u201d Ben laughed, \u201cEveryone has been looking mighty gloomy lately, so I thought we would just invite some friends and neighbours round to enjoy some time together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ingrid glanced over at Hester and shook her head. Surely not! A party! She could only imagine the worse kind of scenarios and wondered if she could plead a headache.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen do you want to hold this party, Pa?\u201d Joe looked up from the red leather chair into which he had arranged himself with an apple in one hand and a book in the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis weekend. I\u2019ll give you a list of the guests to invite.\u201d He smiled over at Ingrid, \u201cIt won\u2019t be to the scale of your lavish balls back in New York, Ingrid, but it will be pleasant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll give you a chance to meet some of our friends,\u201d Hoss said to the air above Ingrid\u2019s head; somehow he couldn\u2019t look her in the face now just in case their eyes met and if they did, he knew that he would blush.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounds\u2014\u201d Ingrid drew in her breath, \u201ccharming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester smiled; true, the smile didn\u2019t reach her eyes but it looked more like a smile than a grimace.<\/p>\n

Chapter 18<\/p>\n

Sometimes one can feel such apprehension about an event that when things start to unravel it almost feels that it was foreordained to happen. That was how Hester Cartwright felt when Ann Canady refused to come to the party. No amount of cajoling and coaxing would make her change her mind, which she insisted was solely due to her dislike of Ingrid.<\/p>\n

\u201cHester, you don\u2019t know what it was like when Father was alive and I was forced to leave Candy. That woman sided with Father and agreed with everything he said. She made my life intolerable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester had said nothing to that; she felt as though there was no way she could break down a barrier that Ingrid had made no effort to break down during the weeks she had been at the Ponderosa. She picked up baby Rose and held her against her shoulder and tactfully changed the subject.<\/p>\n

At the door of the Canady home she had half turned and taken Ann\u2019s hand in hers and looked into the other woman\u2019s pretty face,<\/p>\n

\u201cWill Candy be coming?\u201d she had asked and Ann\u2019s eyes had opened wide in startled amazement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout me? With Ingrid there and Candy alone? Oh, Hester, haven\u2019t you realised yet that\u2014that woman is just plain trouble where men are concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n

The next person to refuse the invitation had been Barbara Scott Pearson who had smiled at Hester, plied her with cake and lemonade and then said politely, \u201dNo, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut why not, Barbara? You and Andrew haven\u2019t been to one of our parties since Hoss and I were married.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Hester, to be honest, life is just so busy. Apart from that little Peter isn\u2019t well; I think he\u2019s teething, but I\u2019m just too tired to think of parties.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere isn\u2019t any other reason, is there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, of course not.\u201d Barbara had smiled sweetly and looked away to watch her little son crawling towards his stepsister, Lilith, with grim determination on his chubby face.<\/p>\n

So now Hester stood in the big room watching as Hoss and Joe pushed back furniture, rolled up rugs and festooned the room with bunting and streamers. Wonderful smells were coming from the kitchen where Hop Sing and No. 1 cousin were working together to create marvellous things to eat. At one table Ben, apparently oblivious to the anxiety and despair Hester was feeling, was carefully measuring out various concoctions which were being poured into the famous punch bowl.<\/p>\n

The clock struck, which indicated that the guests would arrive within an hour. With a sigh Hester made her way to the room to change into her best dress, the gown that she had worn for her wedding. Most of the afternoon she had not seen either Milton or Ingrid, both of whom had remained ensconced in their own room.<\/p>\n

Milton had asked to be excused in order to rest before the occasion. He had assumed that the party was in their honour and therefore wanted to be at his best. Hester had watched him mount the stairs with fear trembling at her heart, knowing that her brother was a sick man, far moreso that he had led her to believe. Ingrid was under no illusions as to whom the party was being arranged for and had merely smiled coldly when Milton kept declaring his delight and pleasure at being the guests of honour. She had gone to her room in order to prepare herself for what; she had told Hester in an undertone, was going to be an ordeal of the worst kind.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen don\u2019t come,\u201d Hester had replied blandly. \u201cYou can always book a suite at the International.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be so ridiculous, Hester.\u201d Ingrid had scowled, \u201cI\u2019ll show these provincials how we do it in New York. That will keep them talking for some time to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026<\/p>\n

One by one the \u2018provincials\u2019 began to arrive. Lewis Rice Bradley, * who had served two terms as governor and was currently mayor of Virginia City, arrived with his daughter Virginia* and his son-in-law, Charles H. Belknap*. Dressed in the latest style, Mrs. Belknap arrived glittering not only with the latest fashion but with pleasure at being invited back to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just love it here,\u201d she whispered to Hester as they made their entrance and kissed her on the cheek. \u201cPapa used to bring me here to talk business with Ben and Adam and Mr. Barbour* while Joe, Hoss and I played hookey outside.\u201d<\/p>\n

The room began to fill with guests and the small band hired for the occasion managed to squeeze themselves into a corner and began to play soft music. Sheriff Coffee arrived with William Wright*, better known as Dan DeQuille, the editor of the Virginia City Enterprise, who promised Hester that he would write only the most wonderful summary of the evening\u2014which she took with a pinch of salt, knowing that his accounts were often flavoured with the same humour as that of his friend, Samuel Clemens*.<\/p>\n

She walked to Hoss\u2019 side and slipped her arm through his while at the same time looking up at his anxious face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s going to be alright,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never known one of our parties not to be\u2014\u201d Hoss laughed gently and tweaked her nose\u2014\u201cExcept for that time when that British actor came and caused a bit of ruckus…and then of course\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, hush up now, you\u2019re making me nervous again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe came along and pushed a glass of champagne into her hand; he smiled his warm, generous smile and winked. \u201cPa\u2019s warned me that the punch may be particularly lethal tonight, best stick to the champagne.\u201d And he laughed.<\/p>\n

As he laughed Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan made their entrance. As she looked up at the stairs where the couple stood on the half landing Hester thought they looked the loveliest of couples. Despite the haggardness of his features, Milton looked so handsome in his best evening suit, and hanging onto his arm was Ingrid. Hester heard Joe as he cleared his throat. She glanced over at William Wright almost imagining the headlines printed in the next issue of The Enterprise and how it would consist of the most lavish praise for the beauty currently resident at the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

She did look beautiful with her black hair pinned back by diamond studs into curls and ringlets that trailed over one shoulder. Her gown was black velvet, sculpted to her figure and adorned with diamante stars across the left hip that gradually trailed to a single star at her knee. The long sleeves were saved from severity by the diamond bracelets that dripped from her wrists. There was no doubt to anyone present that Ingrid Fitzgerald Buchanan oozed wealth.<\/p>\n

The silence was a mere hiatus in the babble of noise and if the music had stopped for a beat no one had seemed to notice. It was the Mayor who approached her, his long beard fluttering over his waistline.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Buchanan, how wonderful to see you here.\u201d he kissed her hand as elegantly as any courtier in London or Paris could have done. \u201cI met your father once, the late Mr. Fitzgerald. It was in…\u201d he babbled on, claiming her arm and shaking Milton\u2019s hand while he continued to talk.<\/p>\n

Joe sighed\u2014released his breath to be more exact. He had turned away from looking at her when the door opened to admit the last of their guests, Paul Martin and his nephew, John.<\/p>\n

Perhaps Hester was the only one to notice the way Ingrid Buchanan had looked when John Martin entered the room. Perhaps it was because she was at that time about to hand Mr. Bradley a glass of punch, while Ingrid had already taken a glass flute of champagne.
\nIt was the look on Ingrid\u2019s face: the widening of the eyes, the gasp and the way the wine had spilled over her hand that made Hester turn her head. Her eyes followed the direction that Ingrid had been looking in, and she saw the look of shock on the young doctor\u2019s face, the colour mantle his cheek and then fade. She saw him look away and talk to Joe, who had approached him with a smile on his face and a welcome slap on his back, and she had watched to see him turn, as though secretly, to look back at the woman who had now turned with her back to the door.<\/p>\n

Hester kept the smile fixed to her face, laughed as she mopped up the spilled wine and filled her own glass with the punch. Joe and John were talking like old friends; she saw John\u2019s shoulders move as though in laughter, but she also noticed how he turned his head yet again to locate the whereabouts of Ingrid Buchanan.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you alright, darlin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned to look up at Hoss, who had his hand cupped gently under her elbow,<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t I look alright?\u201d she asked him, and when he shook his head and took the glass of punch out of her hand she leaned against him, \u201cOh Hoss, I\u2019m so miserable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you\u2019re not, sweetheart, you\u2019re the most beautiful woman here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you say that, Hoss\u2014look at Ingrid!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should I when I got you to look at?\u201d he smiled, and hugged her close but it didn\u2019t remove the chip of ice that had entered her heart as she watched Ingrid slowly moving towards John and Joseph. She glanced around for Milton and saw him talking to William, laughing warmly at some anecdote or other and obviously, hopefully, unaware of the drama taking place only feet away.<\/p>\n

\u2018I may have imagined it,\u2019 Hester told herself, \u2019I may be seeing things that aren\u2019t really there. How could they possibly know one another?\u2019<\/p>\n

Then she remembered how John Martin had mentioned about her being from New York, and that he had studied medicine, if not practised it in her home state.<\/p>\n

The music stopped; it was time to eat. Hop Sing and Number One Cousin were standing by the laden tables, waiting to serve the food, and all Hester wanted to do was run upstairs and lock the door behind her and pretend that it was all over.<\/p>\n

Chapter 19<\/p>\n

Everyone continued in exactly the same mode as previously. Ladies were laughing and chattering together. Hairstyles, dresses and various other snippets of interest were gossiped over as the ladies piled food onto their plates. Milton met John Martin and shook his hand like old friends and suddenly, behind him, appeared Ingrid.<\/p>\n

Hester watched them as they shook hands. Did they linger for just a fraction longer than necessary? Did their eyes look more deeply or more intensely at one another? It was Joe who now approached them and Hester was forced to turn away when Mrs. Hackett asked her a direct question about something irrelevant.<\/p>\n

\u201cJohn, this is Ingrid Buchanan, my sister-in-law\u2019s sister-in-law.\u201d Joe grinned, and his hazel eyes twinkled. \u201cAll the way from New York City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed yes, we have met before.\u201d John replied and turned towards the table as though it was hardly newsworthy.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have?\u201d Joe frowned and looked puzzled as he watched John put food onto the plate as though it were the most important thing in the world to be doing just at that moment in time.<\/p>\n

\u201cJohn was part of the medical team at the hospital I attended,\u201d Milton said graciously, \u201calthough I have to admit, I didn\u2019t realise he had moved here.\u201d He turned to his wife and with an innocence that couldn\u2019t have been feigned asked her if she had had any idea that they would discover their favourite doctor here in Virginia City.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not at all,\u201d Ingrid said with a smile and a slight rise of the shoulders as though it was hardly worth discussion.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe world gets smaller every day,\u201d Milton observed dryly and walked away with John by his side, both balancing plates while they continued with their previous conversation.<\/p>\n

Ingrid watched them for some seconds before turning towards the table. Joe was still standing at her side, and she looked at him for a moment before picking up a plate.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow then, Joe, what would you recommend?\u201d she said with a smile that barely touched her lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did know, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKnow what? What do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat he was here. That John Martin had moved here.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him as though he had taken leave of his senses and shook her head. \u201cI think you are talking nonsense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her tone of voice was cold; she turned her face away from him and quickly took a small portion of food before walking away towards where the governor\u2019s party was grouped with Ben. Having made sure that Joe was not trailing along beside her, Ingrid relaxed a little and took part in the conversation, which after a little while became too boring for her restless mind. She made her excuses and made her way to the table where the drinks and the punch bowl had been positioned.<\/p>\n

Paul Martin had joined his nephew and Milton in a small huddle and towards them she slowly gravitated, slipping her arm through that of her husband. Watching them one would have thought them the most charming and loving of couples. Hester turned towards Joe as he walked to where she stood by the table, and watched as he filled a glass with punch.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe knew he was coming here. They were old friends,\u201d he murmured slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid she tell you that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe did.\u201d He sipped the punch and grimaced. \u201cI need some fresh air.\u201d<\/p>\n

She watched him leave the room and sighed.<\/p>\n

The tables were being cleared away, and people were laughing aloud at the story William Wright was telling them about a certain wayward prospector who had wandered into The Enterprise\u2019s office to write various articles under the name of \u201cJosh\u201d* later to become the more famous Mark Twain.<\/p>\n

As the laughter ebbed away the tables were cleared and the musicians began to play more robust music. Couples began to dance. The chatter was light-hearted and pleasant, interspersed with laughter. Hester was whirled into a dance with her husband and people sitting or standing nearby laughed and clapped as they passed them by.<\/p>\n

Joe left the shadows of the house and wandered into the rose garden where he found the old bench and sat down\u2026 He was being a fool, he told himself once again. His heart was not touched by her but his passions were, and now he was in foment over some old friendship that meant nothing to either person involved. He gazed up at the sky, counted some of the stars, wished Adam were home to share this unwelcome experience and give him a long lecture which would make everything right.<\/p>\n

He saw a flash of light as a door opened and the silhouette of a woman as she re-entered the house. He knew without anyone there to tell him that it was Ingrid. His breathing came fast and shallow as he waited, just for some few minutes, for someone else to re-enter the house after her. When the door opened and closed behind John Martin it felt as though Joe\u2019s world had imploded. He sat there without moving, with his hands clasped together and hanging limp between his knees while he stared fixedly at the roses just discernible nearby. There was nothing he could think about because words got muddled with feelings and pictures came into his head to remove thoughts from his mind.<\/p>\n

After a while he walked slowly to the stable, struck a match and lit the lamp. The glass shade was warm to the touch and he glanced about him to see if anyone else was there, but he already knew that there would be no one. Whoever had been there had already re-entered the house.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

As the clock in the big room struck 10 p.m. the Baltimore was nosing her way into the busy wharfs of Newcastle, England. It was 6 a.m. on a sombre Sunday morning and Adam Cartwright stood on the bridge of his ship beside the helmsman as he brought the great ship into her berth.<\/p>\n

Chapter 20<\/p>\n

\u201cEr\u2014alright for me to come on inside?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe turned to look at Hoss and shrugged. He pulled out several more pieces of straw and began to braid them together before looking up at his brother with a slight frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell? You got something to say or what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI jest came to see if you were alright, that\u2019s all. You bin gone a long time; folk are beginning to ask where you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, sorry about that,\u201d he tossed the straw into the shadows and rose to his feet. \u201cHoss, you sure hit it lucky when you found Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat weren\u2019t luck, little brother.\u201d Hoss said, softly. \u201cThat was angelic direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked at his brother in surprise before he lowered his head, stared at the straw-littered floor and shuffled some around with one foot. \u201cYou sure do love her, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I do. The miracle is that she loves me too, and when she says it, I know it, and I believe it.\u201d He frowned, \u201cAin\u2019t never felt that way before; always used to think gals were just saying it because they wanted something other than just me. You know what I mean, don\u2019t you, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure I do.\u201d Joe nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like that little Indian gal you went after. Remember how you felt about her? Adam and I never knew you could feel so much for a gal, and we seen you fall for gals a-plenty in our time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Moon was special\u2014\u201d Joe replied a trifle defensively.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she was, ain\u2019t no one been that special for you since.\u201d He paused and shot a sidelong glance at his brother. \u201cHas there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head. \u201cNo, there hasn\u2019t been.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2014ain\u2019t no point in staying out here then, is there? Could be some pretty gal wanting you to dance in there and you out here missing all the fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, sure.\u201d Joe smiled slowly. \u201cI was thinking about Adam, if he were here now and what he would say about, well, about things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss shrugged and raised an eyebrow in a knowingly sly expression. \u201cOh, I think you know what big brother would have said, Joe. Particularly about a certain person I reckon we\u2019re both thinking about jest now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe gulped and then cleared his throat. He gave Hoss a quick smile and headed for the stable door; it was left to Hoss to extinguish the lamp.<\/p>\n

Milton was dancing with Hester and Ben was talking earnestly to John and Paul Martin. All three stood in one corner of the room nursing glasses of punch, and there was much nodding of heads and smiling at each other. Joe cast a look around the room and saw no sign of Ingrid. Hoss had disappeared from his side and ambled away in the direction of a table where some light refreshments had been placed.<\/p>\n

He looked up at the stairs for a moment and then glanced away to look over at John Martin, and then at Milton. Both men looked relaxed and pleasantly happy. Why, he asked himself, was he the only one to feel so wretchedly miserable?<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Joe. A penny for your thoughts?\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned to smile at Lisa Chambers who, only weeks earlier, he would have been more than happy to have seen at the party this evening. He smiled thinly. \u201cHello, Lisa. You\u2019re looking pretty tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Joe.\u201d she smiled, stood there a moment as though trying to think of something else to say, and then slowly turned away with a look of disappointment on her pretty face.<\/p>\n

The music had started for another dance. A young man came and asked Lisa to dance with him and rather grandly she swept past Joe with her head held high. \u201cLook at me, Joe Cartwright,\u201d she was implying, \u201cLook what you missed out on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe knew without even turning his head that his father was standing by his side. For just a few moments they watched as the couples danced past them.<\/p>\n

\u201cPretty girl,\u201d Ben observed as Lisa was swirled around the dance floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, she is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was asking after you a moment ago, Joe. I thought for sure that you would be asking her to dance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2014I\u2014er\u2014missed the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d He nodded and turned away, glanced up at the stairs, and this time it was Ben who cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Buchanan has a headache and retired for the night,\u201d he said, and there was no mistaking the frost in his voice, or the sternness in his face.<\/p>\n

Joe merely nodded as though he had heard but that it meant nothing to him. He walked over to Hester and with a smile asked her to dance.<\/p>\n

One by one the guests began to leave. They faded away into the darkness by various modes of travel. Girls\u2019 young voices shrilled out their goodbyes and their thanks, the men hallooo\u2019d and laughed. The Cartwrights stood on the porch and listened to the voices as they gradually faded away into the night.<\/p>\n

Milton was standing by the hearth with a glass of wine still in his hand when they re-entered the room. He smiled at them as they wandered back to the harsh reality that the party was now over and only the debris was left to clear up.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d he said, \u201cIt was a pleasant evening. I\u2019m sorry that my wife lacked the courtesy to tell you so herself although I\u2019m sure she will do so in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you enjoyed it, Milton.\u201d Hester walked to his side and slipped one arm through his, while with her other hand she stroked the smooth velvet of his jacket lapel.<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe looked at one another; for some reason they both raised an eyebrow of mutual doubt and suspicion.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Apart from a brief time in his cabin to eat, Adam remained mainly on deck to watch the loading and unloading of the necessary essentials for their voyage. The longshoremen, or as they were called in Britain, the dockers, were well disciplined, physically strong and obeyed orders implicitly. The wrong knot, the misuse of dunnage and an over-casual attitude towards the loading of materials could so easily result in fatalties to sailors as well as the dockers, with expensive damage to the cargo and ship included, so utmost caution was essential.<\/p>\n

The coal was shunted from \u2018butty\u2019 boats to the wharf side in large sacks, and several men humped the bags onto their backs to carry them into the ship\u2019s hold. It took time, and as Adam watched, so the cloud of coal dust rose and hovered over the deck.<\/p>\n

He looked up to the sky where his beloved clipper ships would have had their proud sheets neatly reefed away until time came to leave their berth. He hated the coal. His frown grew ever more severe as the time passed by and thoughts of the steamer\u2019s boiler, and the stokers below decks began to create demons in his mind. He eventually left the bridge to Myers and stomped angrily to his cabin.<\/p>\n

He was quite calm by the time O\u2019Brien arrived with several local newspapers tucked under his arm. Daniel smiled at his friend, who had his back to him,<\/p>\n

\u201cI see you\u2019re not happy today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam merely shrugged and tried to relax his shoulders in order to appear happier than he felt. He turned to look at Daniel. \u201cI\u2019ve decided that I dislike steamers heartily, Daniel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean you always disliked them but today confirmed the fact.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly.\u201d He gave a wry smile and looked at the newspapers, \u201cWas there something in particular we needed to read?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t do any harm to get a little local news.\u201d Daniel tossed a newspaper onto the desk. \u201cWe\u2019ll be here most of the day so best make good use of our time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged and turned back to look out of the window at the ships in the harbour. There were several beautiful yachts, a rather splendid man-of-war, and two clipper ships berthed close by. One was French and the other was British.<\/p>\n

He sighed before he eventually walked over to the desk and picked up a newspaper. His eye ran down the headlines, he turned a page and then stopped.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a news item here from the Isle of Wight.\u201d his voice held a note of urgency in it.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing serious?\u201d Daniel raised his head and smiled blandly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know\u2026\u201d he read it through and then sat down, frowned. \u201cDaniel, this is rather strange. A body of a man has been found in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight. The body has been identified as a Russian known as Dimitri Doestov. It is not yet known whether it was suicide or foul play\u2026\u201d he frowned more then and glanced up at Daniel. \u201cI guess that means murder?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes it say how he died?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it is just a short paragraph.\u201d Adam turned a page to see if there was a continuation of the story elsewhere. \u201cA short paragraph.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think it has anything to do with this business in Cairo?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing to that; he only folded the newspaper up and cast it aside. For a moment he stood still, his eyes fixed on the far wall as though he could see Doestov standing there with his cigarette in one hand and the little silver box in the other. The he shook his head<\/p>\n

\u201cWe leave for Cairo as soon as possible, Daniel.\u201d And without another word he strode out of the cabin, threw open the door and told his steward to get the officers immediately for briefing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t look good, does it?\u201d O\u2019Brien muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot for Doestov,\u201d came the grim reply.<\/p>\n

Chapter 21<\/p>\n

It was hard to sleep. Joe tossed about for a while before finally deciding that sleep was going to be elusive for a while yet. He lit the lamp and carefully raised the flame so that his room was bathed in the soft glow by which he was able to see. Shadows leaped out upon shadows but they were familiar friends now and brought no fearful spectres with them.<\/p>\n

He remained in the bed with his arms folded behind his head and eyes fixed to the ceiling. He could hear the flame spluttering on the wick and subconsciously absorbed the fact that the wick needed trimming. An owl hooted outside and there was the swish of the curtain drapes brushing against the floor. He wondered how Hester could sleep through Hoss\u2019 snoring and was just wondering what the time was when the old clock downstairs chimed three.<\/p>\n

The house seemed to sigh as though deciding it was time for it to rest, to fold up the bones of joists and timbers, of A-frames and stair treads. He closed his eyes and tried to count sheep but all he could see were faces. Lisa\u2019s looking reproachfully at him, Ingrid looking wide eyed at John, Milton smiling by the hearth with Hester looking almost fearfully anxious for him as she stood by his side.<\/p>\n

He wondered what Hester knew and concluded that by now she probably knew even more than he did. His throat felt dry and he fumbled on the table for the jug of water and the glass into which he poured just enough to wet his throat but not enough to make him want to run outside to the \u201clittle house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just a few walls away Ingrid slept beside her husband. Joe wondered how she could do so with a clean conscience and whether Milton suspected anything at all about his wife. Joe closed his eyes and struggled to sleep.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Hester stood at the window of the room she shared with Hoss. Sometimes his snoring was even too loud for her to bear; sometimes it was so bad that she would have to go into the spare room or, if that was occupied, into Adam\u2019s room. But tonight she wanted to think and go over what she had seen and heard during the evening.<\/p>\n

One thing she now knew was that her brother\u2019s health was delicate and it wasn\u2019t just his eyes that were of concern to those who loved him. Another thing she now knew was that Ingrid did not love Milton, but sought love elsewhere. John Martin from New York, the \u201dfavourite doctor\u201d as Milton referred to him, was another moth fluttering around the flame. And where did that put Joe?<\/p>\n

She leaned forward so that her brow touched the glass of the window and cooled her skin. She heard the owl hoot, the sound of whatever it was that the hunter had caught. It made her shiver and for an instant of time she thought of Ingrid who, like the owl, looked so beautiful, and was just as much a predator.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Unable to even try to pretend to sleep Joe went to his cabinet and opened one door which revealed a small drawer. This he now unlocked and took from it a small box which he opened.<\/p>\n

The flowers that had been in Little Moon\u2019s hair were now so fragile that he knew if he touched them they would smoulder into dust. But the ear rings were still as lovely. He held them up to the light of the lamp and turned them round and round in his fingers. It was so grossly unfair, he decided as he watched them spin and catch the light and glitter, so grossly unfair that the girl he had loved so much should have died while someone as devious as Ingrid could live to deceive and entrap so many.<\/p>\n

With a sigh he replaced them in the box. In the morning, he decided, he would go and visit Sarah Winnemucca. Not for any particular reason, just so that he could go somewhere without being haunted by feelings that were now suffocating him.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The Baltimore slid from her berth and, accompanied by a motley crew of tugs to guide her out of the harbour, made her exit from Newcastle Upon Tyne, England.<\/p>\n

A hansom cab, driven at speed, drew up at the wharf side and a man clambered out, almost stumbled in his haste to get out of the vehicle. He ran down the length of the wharf, threading in and out between crates and lumber, ropes and bollards. Panting, he finally came to rest at the harbour masters building and rapped on the door<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat d\u2019you want?\u201d the burly thickset overseer yelled through a partially opened window.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Baltimore\u2014\u201d the other fellow wheezed, \u201cWhat berth ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe ain\u2019t \u2019ere, mate. She\u2019s already gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGone? What do you mean she\u2019s gone? She wasn\u2019t supposed to leave until the morning!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cS\u2019right, but all the same she\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid they say why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. All the papers were correct, all the necessaries were in order and that\u2019s as far as my concern goes for any Yankee ship.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long ago?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLess than an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there any way I can catch her?\u201d<\/p>\n

The harbour master laughed and the other man could hear him relaying what he had said to someone else inside his office, from which there was more laughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou going to swim then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs she going to berth anywhere else in England?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot to my knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo there\u2019s no way I can catch up with her at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, mate, she\u2019s big and she\u2019s got a powerful engine on her. There ain\u2019t no other boat in harbour could match her for speed. I\u2019m afraid you\u2019ve lost any chance of boarding her now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence Willoughby\u2019s shoulders drooped and he turned away with his head cast down. It wasn\u2019t just the fact that he had missed his chance to be involved in this latest escapade that distressed him, but also the fact that the letter he had been ordered to give to Adam would not reach him, and whatever its contents were, they would remain secret and sealed.<\/p>\n

He sighed and walked slowly back to the hansom cab where he gave the driver an address before he hauled himself on board. The cab slowly turned and the clip clop of the horse as it made its way over the cobbles of the harbour echoed over the myriad sounds that swallowed it up.<\/p>\n

In a doorway cast in shadow, a lean figure with dark eyes and black hair lit a cigarette. In one hand he held a small silver box, the lid of which he snapped shut as he watched the cab wend its way into the main thoroughfare of the city.<\/p>\n

Chapter 22<\/p>\n

The smell of a stable was one that was reassuring and comforting for Joseph Cartwright. To him it typified solidity and unity for here it was that some of his first and best memories of family were borne. Whether reinforced by the obvious repetition from other family members or tucked away as his own special preserve, Joe\u2019s memories of the stables were there to dip into and enjoy as much as Hoss\u2019 would be of the four men gathered around the breakfast table.<\/p>\n

On this particular morning Joe pushed open the stable door and stood for a moment to savour the smell. It was, as expected, somewhat ripe and steamy, but that was of no consequence. With horses and stables such aromas were to be expected and mucking out stalls had been one of his tasks since he was knee high to\u2014well\u2014Hoss.<\/p>\n

Cochise turned liquid brown eyes to his master and flared his nostrils in greeting before baring his teeth. Towards him Joe went first, stroking the muzzle and then the smooth neck. There was little doubt about it, but Cochise was getting old and Joe knew the time was fast approaching when his beloved friend would have to be weaned from every day work for a newer mount.<\/p>\n

\u201cNever be a friend like you have been though,\u201d he whispered into the horse\u2019s ear which twitched as Joe\u2019s breath brushed against the soft hairs.<\/p>\n

He was about to pick up a broom when there came the sound of horsemen. He paused, straightened his back and turned his head towards the sounds. Quite a large body of men, he surmised, and military at that, from the jingling sound of the harnesses.<\/p>\n

He stepped out into the yard just as Ben and Hoss arrived from the house, both standing on the porch with hands on hips to survey the convoy of men who appeared to be acting as an escort for a buggy in which sat two official looking men.<\/p>\n

The two civilians, once out of the buggy, approached Ben with a certain amount of caution. One had a leather briefcase tucked under his arm but both men removed their hats politely out of respect to the older man. It was then that Joe joined his father and brother to face their visitors.<\/p>\n

\u201cBenjamin Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2014who are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMajor Fleming and Captain Lancey,\u201d came the snapped off reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, good day to you both. May I ask you exactly why you are here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve come to ask for your assistance, sir.\u201d The man called Lancey smiled, or rather, he showed a lot of teeth. His eyes were gray, blank, and constantly moving from Joe to Hoss and back to Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, best say what you want then, either here or over a cup of coffee inside the house.\u201d Ben smiled in an attempt to thaw his visitors into some form of good humour.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat won\u2019t be necessary, sir.\u201d Lancey replied. \u201cEr\u2014the major and I need to locate and talk to Miss Sarah Winnemucca. We believe tell that your family and hers are on good friendly terms and would appreciate it if one of you could accompany us to her camp and act as a go-between for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben glanced at Joe and then Hoss; he rubbed his chin with one hand while his other hand rested on the buckle of his belt. He looked then at the major.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the interest with Sarah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just need to ask her about something quite important, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy whose authority?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe president\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows, before looking over at the soldiers<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not talk to her father, Chief Winnemucca. Surely that would make more sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps we will, eventually. At the present moment we need to see Sarah.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked nervously over at his father and brother, then at the soldiers. It seemed hardly any time at all since they had received Adam\u2019s letter, yet here was living proof of just how right he had been to be concerned. He drew in his breath. \u201cI\u2019ll take them, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd who are you?\u201d the major looked at the youngest Cartwright with a slight wariness in his tone of voice but when Joe introduced himself he relaxed and even smiled, \u201cWell then, that would be a good idea, Mr. Cartwright, and much appreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWait\u2014\u201d Ben stepped forward, \u201cWe\u2019ll all come. The three of us\u2014\u201d he firmed his mouth, thrust out his jaw, \u201cHoss, get our guns, Joe\u2014saddle up the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The ship rocked to the motion of the swell in the sea. The waves were brisk, slapping against the sides of the ship\u2019s hull, and Adam raised his eyes from the papers he was examining to look at the glasses and tantalus that were shunting back and forth on the table, saved from crashing to the floor by the decorative railing. He sighed and put down his pen, stretched out his legs and turned his head to observe the sea from the porthole.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, if he tried hard enough, the sea could look like the lake back home. The fact that it just stretched out and beyond the horizon with no mountains, no trees, to prevent its endlessness made it difficult and today, with the sea in a slight foment, was one of those days.<\/p>\n

He rose to his feet and paced the floor restlessly. He had always been cautious but now he was worried that he had acted too precipitously. Leaving Newcastle so quickly, before schedule was not something that he would normally have done and now he wondered why he hadn\u2019t stayed for those few extra hours. Had the news item about Doestov made him panic? He grimaced and then tugged at his ear lobe. He had not felt panic, just a sudden feeling that it was best to get out of England and on the way to Cairo.<\/p>\n

He had searched through all the newspapers O\u2019Brien had bought on board but found no other reference to the body being found. Such a brief miserable little paragraph about a somewhat enigmatic little man. He turned back to the porthole and looked outside to watch the waves foaming and the gulls and cormorants dipping and diving. They were still near land, near enough to berth if need be, if he should so require it.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

The man who entered smiled, looked around the room and then nodded his head. \u201cAlone, I see?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite alone, Doctor. Is everything alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is perfectly in order, Commodore.\u201d The smile faltered. \u201cYou did say to report to you at this time.\u201d He pulled out a handsome looking gold watch. \u201cYes, at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rubbed his brow and frowned; he glanced over at the clock on the wall and then nodded, smiling ruefully. \u201cI am sorry, Dr. Mcpherson.\u201d A rather embarrassed laugh followed and he walked over to his desk and began to tidy away the papers there. \u201cI had gotten so involved with my paperwork that time escaped me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Ewen McPherson smiled although his eyes looked a trifle wary. He stepped further into the cabin and glanced around, smiled again as Adam beckoned him to take a chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, now, Doctor\u2014if I may call you Ewen\u2014may I offer you something to drink before dinner is served and the rest of our company arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ewen McPherson accepted both the chair and the drink, one being comfortable and the other being most acceptable. He glanced once again around the cabin. \u201cI see you have a copy of Shakespeare\u2019s historical plays, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, my particular favourite is Henry IV, Part One,\u201d Adam replied as he walked to the book case and pulled out the relevant book, \u201cI would have liked to have brought more along with me but my departure from America didn\u2019t leave me much time to buy others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI prefer his romances,\u201d Ewen replied, \u201cand some of his poetry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled, nodded and was about to speak when there was a knock on the door and O\u2019Brien, Hathaway, Myers and Ross entered the room, each one talking and laughing and filling the small cabin with noise and good humour. Adam sighed, relaxed, and prepared himself for a pleasant evening.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

There was a knock on the door and immediately the young man paused in his pacing up and down in the room. He placed the envelope under a cushion and then opened the door.<\/p>\n

The two men stared at one another without speaking. Then Laurence blinked, frowned, and opened his mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlimey, I thought you were dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was,\u201d the other man sighed. \u201cBut you see, once again I am resurrected.\u201d<\/p>\n

They remained standing on their respective side of the door before Doestov\u2014for it was he\u2014asked if it would be alright for him to step into the room. With an apology Laurence stepped aside and closed the door immediately behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is Dimitry Doestov, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDa, it is.\u201d The other man was obviously not in good humour and hurriedly approached the window of the hotel room to peer outside. \u201cI am hoping that I am not followed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence swallowed; his Adam\u2019s apple jerked, and he blinked<\/p>\n

\u201cLook here, Mr. Doestov\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCount\u2014it is Count Doestov.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry.\u201d The young Englishman nodded apologetically and extended his hand. \u201cLord Laurence Willoughby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d Doestov replied with an air of dismissal, he coughed, a harsh racking cough, and Laurence hurried to pour some wine into a glass and hand it to him.<\/p>\n

After he had emptied the glass the Russian put a match to one of his cigarettes and nervously began to draw great gulps of smoke into his lungs before he turned to Laurence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw you trying to get on the American ship earlier and followed you here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, really? Well, to be honest with you, I was hoping to get on board, yes, quite.\u201d He nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo also vos I.\u201d Doestov shook his head dismally. \u201cIt is unfortunate that he goes and I am still here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook here, old chap, how come you\u2019re not dead?\u201d Laurence perched himself on the arm of a chair, and poured himself some wine which he sipped as he watched the Russian once again approach the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I escape the person who tried to kill me.\u201d came the cool response.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it said there was a body found on the Isle of Wight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDa, but it vosn\u2019t me. It might have been me, but I vos able to defend myself and so he died and I am here to tell you about it. I did not murder him.\u201d He glared at Laurence with dark eyes, as though daring the young man to make such an accusation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if it was self defence \u2014\u201d Laurence shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt vos such.\u201d came the quiet admission, \u201cBut I leave my papers on his body to make my enemies tink it vos me. Then I came to here hoping to find Commodore Adam but too late.\u201d He spat out a curse in Russian, which Laurence ignored.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know who it was\u2014I mean\u2014the chappie who tried to kill you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNyet \u2014a faceless tool only. Your brother, Lord Charles, does he know you are here?\u201d the eyes were bright, hard as black agate. Laurence cleared his throat after swallowing too fast,<\/p>\n

\u201cYes; he sent me here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, I see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence said nothing to that, not wishing the Russian to realise that he personally saw little that made any sense at all. He finished his drink and reached out for the bottle but Doestov stopped him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou vant to go to Cairo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I was hoping to go with the commodore.\u201d Laurence sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoot, we shall go to Cairo together. There are ways of getting there perhaps that will take longer but we vill be able to catch up vid him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood heavens, really?\u201d Laurence smiled, frowned, and looked rather anxiously at the clock before standing up \u201cWell, in that case, perhaps we should get something to eat and discuss the matter further before we make any more decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doestov nodded; he flicked ash into the silver case and then placed the cigarette back between his lips. For a moment he wondered if Laurence Willoughby was as much of a fool as he was trying to make himself appear.<\/p>\n

Chapter 23<\/p>\n

\u201cHave I missed anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

The voice behind her made Hester jump, and when she saw Milton standing there by the stairs looking so fondly at her, she smiled and walked quickly towards him.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my dear, I am sorry. I had wanted you to rest in this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m rested enough, dear sister,\u201d he replied and held out his hand to her which she took within her own. \u201cAm I too late for breakfast?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly not; Hop Sing has it all prepared for you and Ingrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

He gave a slight shrug then and raised his eyebrows. \u201cI doubt if Ingrid will rise so early. She was not feeling too well last night so I have not disturbed her at all this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester nodded and felt secretly pleased that there would be a little time for her to spend with Milton. He took his place at the table while she hurried into the kitchen, and while he waited for her to reappear he considered his morning so far.<\/p>\n

Ingrid had been sleeping, or so it would have appeared. He had been used to that for some time now so just carried on with his ablutions, lamenting the lack of a valet but managing well enough. He had looked out of the window at the sound of the horses and noticed the cavalry, the two men in the carriage who had spoken to Ben. When he was fully dressed he hurried down stairs to see Hester and Hoss standing together at the door.<\/p>\n

He had paused a while to watch them. Hoss had buckled on his gunbelt and slapped his hat upon his head, a hat that Milton found rather distressingly ugly but obviously functional. Milton had watched as Hester had leaned in towards her husband, touched his hand, and then Hoss\u2019 fingers gently caressing Hester\u2019s cheek as he had leaned forward to kiss her nose but which she had fended off by raising her head and kissing him warmly on the lips.<\/p>\n

Milton had touched his own lips with his fingers then, as though seeing such a tenderness between the couple had impressed upon him the length of time since he had experienced such affection himself. When Hoss had finally left the room and the sound of the military convoy could be heard announcing their commencement of their latest assignment he had spoken and been pleased at her warm response.<\/p>\n

Now they sat opposite one another at the breakfast table with the sun slanting across the red and white check table cloth, glinting upon the glassware and cutlery. He smiled at her and received an answering smile in response. \u201cHop Sing certainly knows how to keep a good table.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I have practically given up pretending to be a cook now,\u201d she laughed at that comment, recalling to mind how good she had once thought herself and the mishaps she had since experienced.<\/p>\n

\u201cHester, there was never any need for you even to consider being a cook.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sighed then, and poured out coffee into their cups,<\/p>\n

\u201cMy life changed when I married, Milton. You know how much father and mother opposed my marriage to Mark James. I had no choice but to run my own household and, to be honest, I quite enjoyed caring for him for the short while I had him with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish\u2014\u201d he paused then and laid down his napkin, took the coffee cup and sipped it. \u201cI wish that I had been more helpful. I feel that I let you down considerably.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, at least you provided a home for me later, when\u2014well\u2014afterwards.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were silent for a little while. \u2018Afterwards\u2019 hung upon the air heavy and awkward between them. \u2018Afterwards\u2019 had meant being a young widow among so many widows, being without parents as they had died so soon, and moving into the home of Milton and Ingrid, newly wedded and doing well in society. She had been the poor relation and Ingrid had made sure she had known her place.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is rather like when we were children in the nursery, isn\u2019t it?\u201d she said suddenly, and he responded gratefully with a laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarlowe, you and myself. Yes. We had a happy childhood, didn\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter than some,\u201d she replied softly and reached out her hand to take hold of his. \u201cWould you like to go for a picnic later? Hop Sing makes wonderful picnic hampers and I know the perfect place.\u201d<\/p>\n

He squeezed her fingers gently within his own.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be lovely, Hester, thank you.\u201d He bowed his head then as a frown creased his brow. \u201cI don\u2019t think Ingrid need come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt if Ingrid would want to come, dear,\u201d she replied softly.<\/p>\n

He raised his eyes and the frown deepened as he looked into her face,<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, don\u2019t you?\u201d his voice was deep, troubled, and she blinked rather rapidly for tears had risen beneath her eyelids.<\/p>\n

\u201cKnow what, dear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat my marriage is a sham. That Ingrid and I\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t say anymore, Milton.\u201d She rose to her feet and ran to his side, her hands upon his shoulders and kissed the top of his head. \u201cOh Milton, there\u2019s no need to say anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you notice\u2014\u201d he continued on as though she had not spoken, \u201cLast evening, when the doctors arrived, did you notice how she looked? I had not seen her look like that for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike a woman in love,\u201d he replied so softly that she could hardly hear the words.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Ingrid Buchanan eventually roused herself from her bed and pulled back the curtains from the window. She looked down at the sight of her husband and sister-in-law seated together in a buggy, and the size of the wickerwork hamper in the back of the vehicle was an obvious indication of them planning to be absent from the ranch for some time.<\/p>\n

So, that meant that she was alone in the house except for the servant. Well that hardly mattered to her, she had been raised with servants in the house and as far as she was concerned they didn\u2019t exist. Of course, she saw them scuttling about and bobbing curtsies when they saw her but they didn\u2019t matter in her life so she didn\u2019t see them as people with rights and lives of their own.<\/p>\n

She walked from the bedroom slowly, as though still half asleep. At the doorway she turned, ran her hands through her hair, did another turn and walked down the hallway. She paused at the door that seemed to her more intriguing than any other, and that was solely because it was never opened. She had asked Hester about it once and she had said that it was Adam\u2019s room and that no one went in there.<\/p>\n

She knew who Adam was because of the talk about him on the ranch, and in the town. She had met that Barbara Scott Pearson once and mentioned him, getting a reaction as she had expected, she knew that they had been practically married. She put her hand to the door knob and turned it slowly.<\/p>\n

It was, after all, just a room. She stood there and looked around it, noted the dark wood furniture, the big bed so neatly prepared as though its occupant was about to throw back the covers and go to sleep. She walked in and opened the wardrobe doors\u2026black shirts, black pants, black boots. She frowned and touched one of the shirts, running her hand down through the material which she noted was good quality. There were other clothes there, some suits for formal wear and some white shirts with the frills on them starched to Hop Sing\u2019s stringent specifications. She closed the door with a grimace; so much black clothing indicated, to Ingrid\u2019s mind, someone with a melancholy disposition.<\/p>\n

One by one she opened the drawers of the tallboy. They disclosed little, so she moved onto the desk where there were heaped piles of papers, scrawled drawings of houses and buildings, even of ships. She languidly turned the papers over before casting them to one side. Obviously a man with too much time on his hands. Scribbling like a child on paper just to be left so casually discarded.<\/p>\n

She pulled open one of the drawers and found the red velvet box. This she opened, and for the first time since she had entered the room, a smile drifted over her face. It was a beautiful ring. She removed it from its cushion and placed it on her own finger, turning it this way and that to catch the light. How it shone, how it gleamed. Whoever had been offered this ring had been a fool to return it. She pulled it off and carefully replaced it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat you do here? What you do? You no right be in this room.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned to observe Hop Sing, irate and red in the face as he stood on the threshold of the room with a broom in one hand and a clenched fist waving at her. She pushed the drawer shut with as loud a bang as she could muster and turned back, brushing past him as though he didn\u2019t exist.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing watched the door to her room close and shook his head, then after a swift glance around Adam\u2019s room, he closed the door.<\/p>\n

Later he would tell Missy Cartwright that he had decided, he\u2014Hop Sing\u2014that the lady who was their guest was \u201cbig trubble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The convoy, with Ben, Hoss and Joe riding at the head beside the two civilians in the buggy, reached the encampment some hours later in the day. The Paiute came from their tents to observe as the soldiers, with the Cartwrights, rode slowly through the centre of the camp, wending their way through the lodges.<\/p>\n

It was Ben who drew a halt as he drew alongside a particular lodge, and as he dismounted, a tall handsome figure of a man stepped out into the daylight and greeted him. Winnemucca spoke in English. He was proud of his education and he liked to use it, especially in front of strangers, whites who did not expect a Paiute to be educated.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, it is good to see you again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd to see you, Winnemucca. May I introduce some men who have travelled a long distance to see you today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh\u2014to see me?\u201d the chief smiled and his eyes twinkled with mischief, detectable only to his friend who also smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cMajor Fleming and Captain Lancey.\u201d Ben waved a hand to the two men, who were now making their way towards them, \u201cThey have come from the president of the United States to speak with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith me?\u201d Winnemucca nodded his head as though proud of being worthy of a visit from such grand men; he nodded at the other Paiute who were now crowding around to watch. \u201cI am really greatly honoured by such a visit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMajor Fleming, Captain Lancey\u2014this is Chief Winnemucca of the Paiute,\u201d Ben said with such dramatic effect that Joe felt the impulse to applaud the performance. Both he and Hoss eased their bones to settle more comfortably into the saddle in order to watch further.<\/p>\n

\u201cChief Winnemucca.\u201d The two men shook the chief\u2019s hand, and Winnemucca nodded and smiled at them both as though bestowing upon them a blessing.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs Mr. Cartwright has explained we have travelled a long distance\u2014from far away\u2014to see you.\u201d The major paused, and looking into the wily Paiute\u2019s face, he frowned. \u201cTo be honest, Chief Winnemucca, we primarily came to visit your daughter, Sarah Thocmetony Winnemucca.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, mmm.\u201d Winnemucca nodded and grimaced; he looked down at the ground as though his daughter might be found there but then raised twinkling eyes to look at the two men. \u201cSarah is not here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot here? But we were given to understand that she was here, that she would be here.\u201d the major declared, looking around at the faces that were all pressing forward to see what was going on.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sadly Sarah is not here. She has gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGone? Where? What do you mean, she\u2019s gone?\u201d Lancey demanded, getting the feeling that there was a big joke being acted out with the major and himself the butts of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d Winnemucca raised his shoulders almost to his ears. \u201cNowhere, somewhere. She does not tell her father where she goes. She is, after all, a woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a ripple of laughter, titters and giggles, and Ben raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t stay standing now,\u201d Winnemucca said suddenly, \u201cI have much business to do, but if you wish to look for my daughter, then you may look for her. If you do find her, please to ask her to let me know in future where she goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled at Winnemucca and nodded. Winnemucca, considering to himself that he had done a fine job as his daughter\u2019s emissary, nodded also and extended his hand to have it shaken by his visitors. He then returned to the interior of his home.<\/p>\n

The major looked around him for, as though by magic, every one of the Paiute had disappeared. He strode over to Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou, Joseph Cartwright. Do you know where she is?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe? No, sir. She was here a few days ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

The major stared at Joe disbelievingly. Then he gave orders, in a loud voice, for the camp to be searched and Sarah Winnemucca to be brought to him without delay. Ben approached him thoughtfully<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s a good idea, Major.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cBecause Winnemucca told you his daughter was not here. If you search the camp you are tantamount to calling him a liar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he may have said you could search the camp, but he would never expect you to do so after he had told you she was gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fleming looked into the dark eyes of the older man, and then glanced at Hoss and Joe who were watching carefully, and he nodded thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d he shouted orders to remount and assemble. Within a few moments the convoy had wheeled around and was leaving the camp.<\/p>\n

Joe glanced back over his shoulder with a slight frown on his brow. He would have thought, as friends, that she would have told him she was going away. The disappointment he felt did nothing to bolster his confidence and he rode the journey home feeling totally despondent.<\/p>\n

Chapter 24<\/p>\n

The convoy parted at the crossroads to Virginia City and the Ponderosa. They rode away from the Cartwrights with a considerable amount of noise with jingling harnesses and rattling sabres amid a cloud of dust. Ben watched them with a dark scowl settling upon his brow and his mouth compressed into a rigid line of irritation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey came a bit sooner than we had anticipated, didn\u2019t they, Pa?\u201d Joe observed as he pushed his hat lower to cover his eyes. He leaned upon the pommel of his saddle as though to ease his back, \u201cDo you think they\u2019ll go back to the encampment?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, fools that they are, they\u2019ll go back.\u201d Ben growled and then with a sigh and a twist of the wrist he turned Bucks\u2019 head in the direction of the Ponderosa, \u201cWell, I have more things to do than worry about wet-behind-the-ears army officials. Are you two coming with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s alright, Pa, I have to check out the fencing on the north side so I\u2019ll be back this evening. Tell Hester not to wait dinner for me.\u201d With a smile and a tip of his hat, Joe turned Cochise round and left his father and brother watching as he soon disappeared from sight in among the boulders on the higher ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about you, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Pa, I could do with something to eat. Breakfast was a bit rushed this morning.\u201d And Hoss grinned over at Ben who nodded in agreement.<\/p>\n

They had gone a little way in silence when Hoss ventured to ask his father whether or not this latest military excursion onto Paiute land could lead to trouble, the kind of trouble they had had to deal with back in the 1860\u2019s with the Battles of Pyramid Lake.*<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Hoss. Winnemucca isn\u2019t the angry chief he once was, and he\u2019s kept a tight rein on his men since then. Sarah and Natchez have done well in acting as spokesmen for the people, but no one can ever be sure just how far a man, or a peoples, can be pushed before they say \u2018That\u2018s far enough.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss ran a hand across his jaw and frowned. \u201cI know this may seem an odd thing to say, Pa, but it\u2019s at times like this I miss Adam more\u2019n anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d the reply was blunt, just one short word but it was said with an emphasis that even Hoss could analyse easily enough.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Joe Cartwright rode at a gentle canter. He felt no need to rush because checking over fencing was never a job he relished. Even now he wondered why he had mentioned it, especially as he had brought no food along with him. He paused once to take some water from his canteen and then urged his horse into a gallop.<\/p>\n

Sometimes it was possible to ride oneself out of a mood. He was by nature of a sunny disposition, and this current mood of lethargy and depression was beginning to have a treadmill effect on him. As much as the moods irritated him, it appeared the more irritation the more deeply the moods became entrenched. He began to muse over the morning\u2019s proceedings and the fact that Sarah had not given him any hint of disappearing. Logic told him that she had no reason to tell him anything, that she owed him no explanation of her plans for the future. He searched his mind to try and work out why exactly he was feeling so offended and irritated.<\/p>\n

He reached his destination and sat astride his horse staring at the long line of fence posts and wire. His shoulders drooped and listlessly he walked the horse forwards, his eyes glancing at each post as he passed it. He had gone only a few yards when he saw two people riding towards him. Sarah Winnemucca was one of them, and her smile was wide and generous at the sight of him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d Joe blustered once she had ridden down to his level for the area from where she had sprung from was rough wild boulder strewn land.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was waiting for you,\u201d she replied with a slight shrug of the shoulders, \u201cDon\u2019t you remember how this was where we would all meet and climb and hunt during our childhood days?\u201d She laughed then and drew closer to him so that her knee chafed against his. \u201cJoseph, why are you looking so surprised?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause we\u2019ve just been to your camp, and I didn\u2019t know where you were. I\u2014this meeting\u2014all this is just coincidence.\u201d He smiled then and his eyes twinkled, \u201cA happy coincidence though, I must add.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded and looked over at the land that was spread out before them, a tableau of fields, scrubland, rocks and boulders.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce, many times ago, all this was the land of my people. It is hard to imagine how easily it slipped from our fingers. It was like water held between the palms of our hands and slowly, slowly, it all trickled away.\u201d she sighed and looked at him, \u201cThis was long before you came to call this your Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy weren\u2019t you at the camp today?\u201d he asked as though refusing to be sidetracked by any of her historical meanderings.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I paid attention to the things you said to me, Joseph Cartwright. When my good friend, High Hawk, came and told me the soldiers were coming. I knew why because of the words you said to me the day you came and so I left my father\u2019s place and came here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think those militia men will leave here quietly, Sarah. They\u2019ll return.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. That is why I am going to stay away from my father\u2019s home for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere will you go?\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him with dark eyes and he saw the little half moon frown appear between her eyes. \u201cIt is better that I do not tell you. I know you and your father and brothers are good men, Joseph Cartwright, Numu-Taibo Wannnga\u2019a. It is not good for you to lie and to deceive the soldiers. Remember me as your pune\u2019e (little sister) and that I wish you to be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSarah Thocmetony, what if something happens to you? How can I help you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWannnga\u2019a, Joseph Cartwright, I have lived this long without you by my side every day of my life. The seasons have come and gone, and nothing is changed. My leaving here is best for all. Will you say \u2018goodbye\u2019 to your pune\u2019e?\u201d She laughed as she spoke bringing a smile to his face,<\/p>\n

\u201cI do wish you well, Thocmetony, little shell flower. Let me know\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

She placed a finger on his lips now, her face was serious with no light of laughter in her eyes, and she shook her head. \u201cHush.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then she looked over her shoulder at High Hawk who nodded; together they wheeled their horses around and away from the lone man who watched them go with a mingling of emotions in his heart.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Milton Buchanan bit into the cake and nodded thoughtfully at the question his sister had just asked of him. \u2018Where did it begin to go wrong?\u2019 she had asked, and the answer needed considerable thinking upon.<\/p>\n

He brushed some crumbs from his jacket and then tossed a few to a few birds that sat curious and pensive nearby,<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he said in sombre tones, \u201cI loved her, and I thought she loved me. The Buchanans and Fitzgeralds had been friends for years, and it seemed natural for one of us to marry into the family of the other.\u201d He sighed and reached out for Hester\u2019s hand. \u201cI think it was one of the days when Ann came to visit us. It was shortly after her father\u2019s death, and she was telling us that she was going to look for her ex-husband.\u201d Again he paused, narrowing his eyes as though to concentrate on the memory of that meeting. \u201cI asked her what she would do when she found him, and she replied that she would beg his forgiveness and ask him to re-marry her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy was that so significant?\u201d Hester poured cold cordial into a glass and adjusted her bonnet, for the sun was hot.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause whereas I was thrilled at the romance of it all, at her loyalty and love, Ingrid was appalled\u2014and without waiting for me to speak, she launched into a tirade of such arrogance that I could barely believe that it was MY wife who was talking such drivel. I could see Ann was shocked. She had come for sympathy and help and had received insults instead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t you say anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the first time I had seen that side of Ingrid. I didn\u2019t know how to react to be honest, Hester. I thought I would humiliate Ingrid if I spoke in defence of Ann, and so I kept quiet. As you know,\u201d he took a glass of cordial from her, \u201cI was the executor of Ann\u2019s father\u2019s will. He was a Buchanan and thought by many to be wealthy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know. It was his belief that Candy only married Ann for the Buchanan money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. We know that nothing was further from the truth, of course. However, when Ann came to me for financial help, I had to tell her that her father was not quite as wealthy as most of us had thought. Oddly enough, my wife also thought he was far wealthier than he was and from the time of Ann\u2019s visit, began making suggestions on how to\u2014\u201d he paused as though what he was about to say still pained him\u2014\u201cmove some of his funds into our own account.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester shrugged, shook her head and said nothing, although she began to draw patterns with her fingers on the blanket upon which they were seated.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made sure that what money was available for Ann was put into her hands, her own account, immediately. Ingrid was furious. We had a most colossal argument during which she told me she had never loved me; that her marriage to me was for the Buchanan funds and name. Well, I tried everything to persuade her to love me\u2026I bought her things: jewels, carriages. Clothes. I did everything\u2014everything\u2014\u201d he clenched his fists and shook his head. \u201cBy the time you had left us any love we had for one another had perished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Milton\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t that she is incapable of love,\u201d Milton said softly, his voice breaking as he spoke. \u201cJust that she doesn\u2019t love me. I have known her when she has fallen in love, and, all too obviously, I have known the men involved. The passions she feels for them are always too hard for her to conceal, you understand.\u201d And his voice was now brittle with his bitterness.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd this doctor\u2014John Martin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAn excellent man. A wonderful doctor. My illness was a great inconvenience to Ingrid. It annoyed her beyond measure, and then one day she met John.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were silent. Hester continued to absent-mindedly draw patterns on the blanket, while he stared far off into the distance. Eventually she asked him if that was the reason why they had come here, because Ingrid knew that John Martin was here.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t think so. I thought it was my own idea, to come and see you before\u2014well\u2014before anything happened to me. Hester,\u201d he reached out a hand and took hers within it, \u201cHester, I haven\u2019t much longer to live and to be honest with you, I have no great desire to live for much longer anyway. My life is empty and meaningless, and my one joy is knowing that you are so happy here in this beautiful country with Hoss and his family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t talk so, Milton. It makes me sad to think you feel that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDear sister, I realised last evening when I saw John walk through that door that I had been manipulated yet again. Oh yes, I wanted to come and see you, and I was so pleased that Ingrid was compliant to my request. Now, instead of knowing it was because she may have been feeling some consideration for me again, I know that it was because she knew John Martin was here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe would, perhaps, have mentioned it in honest conversation with her\u2014\u201d Hester replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is. But I have known enough honest men to fall under her spell. I have even seen her trying to inveigle Joe into her trap.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d she nodded, \u201cI had noticed. Poor Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, don\u2019t say so; say rather\u2014Lucky Joe.\u201d And he kissed her fingers gently and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The trees ahead afforded some shade, and rather than continue to roast in the sun, Joe galloped towards them so he could sprawl under the shade, drink some water and have a moment or two of deep thinking. He wanted to clear his mind on certain matters that now seemed not only to cloud his mind but to have taken control of his moods.<\/p>\n

He slowed his horse somewhat when he saw two horses nodding under the trees, and recognising one from the Ponderosa stables he smiled, assumed it was Hester, and dismounted. With his horse secured from wandering off, Joe walked slowly through the shrub and grasses to the trees and as he drew closer so he heard the murmur of voices.<\/p>\n

But it wasn\u2019t Hester he saw, although had it been he would no doubt have been just as shocked at seeing the woman in the arms of another man. A couple so deep in their embrace and so passionate with their kisses that they didn\u2019t notice the young man who stood, frozen to the spot, barely yards away from them.<\/p>\n

Joe, realising how exposed he was now took measures to hide himself, and ducked down into the long grasses. He had seen enough, heard enough, to never want to see Ingrid Buchanan again.<\/p>\n

Chapter 25<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe froze to the spot. The word had projected itself so loudly into his hearing that he was sure that if he raised his head he would see John Martin standing over him and denouncing him as some kind of eavesdropper.<\/p>\n

Tentatively raising his head he peered through the grasses to watch as John pushed Ingrid away, gently but firmly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid,\u201d he placed a hand on her arm and then stepped away from her, shaking his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter? What\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t run to him as many women would have, grabbing at their lover\u2019s arms and hanging on to them while all the time begging for explanations. Instead, from the heat of her passion she slipped immediately into chilling aloofness which obviously baffled John, for he looked at her with a strange expression on his face. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong? How can you ask that? You must know what\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps I do. Perhaps I just need you to give me your explanation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid\u2014\u201d he stepped forward and took her hand in his, despite her attempts to pull away from him. \u201cIngrid, why are you here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere?\u201d Now it was her turn to look confused. \u201cI\u2019m here because you left me a note asking me to meet you here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2014yes\u2014I mean\u2014\u201d he shook his head again and shrugged. \u201cWhy are you here in Nevada?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause Milton\u2019s sister is here and he wanted to visit.\u201d She raised her chin defiantly, and John looked at her before he shook his head again.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you wouldn\u2019t be here for that reason. Ingrid, you forget I know you; I know you well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo?\u201d she shrugged and pulled her jacket back into some neatness. \u201cWhat do you want me to say, John? That I followed you here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould that be nearer the truth?\u201d<\/p>\n

They stared at one another. From his covert in the grasses Joe could see John\u2019s face and the whiteness of it, whereas she looked totally in control of herself. \u201cJohn, why are you here? Can you tell me honestly it was for purely medical reasons?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid, I told you when I saw you in New York that I was coming here to fulfil a promise to my uncle. The time was right for me to come. I had to make a decision there and then, and I chose to come here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d He said that too quickly and she raised her eyebrows while the corners of her mouth turned up in a slight mockery of the word. He shook his head once again, \u201cNo, not because of you, but because of Milton.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMilton? What has he got to do with us?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor pity\u2019s sake, Ingrid, he\u2019s your husband.\u201d He leaned towards her, his hands outstretched as though pleading with her, \u201cHe\u2019s your husband, and he\u2019s ill.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ingrid frowned before she turned and walked a few paces. Joe sidled a few feet further down the slope and wished he were a hundred miles away.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you have any pity for him? Ingrid, I couldn\u2019t continue deceiving him as we were, he\u2019s so ill and I know\u2014I knew\u2014that he was aware of our affair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wasn\u2019t,\u201d she busied herself with adjusting her hat, \u201cAnyway, you needn\u2019t worry about Milton any longer, John, he\u2019s no concern of yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he is. Now that he\u2019s here, and I know his history, his medical history, then he becomes my patient. Mine and my Uncle Paul\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d she turned to face him now and her eyes were dark and brittle, like glass that had been crushed. \u201cSo why tell me now? You could have told me this last night instead of\u2014of what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry. Yes, you\u2019re right, I should have just ignored you last night, pretended that you didn\u2019t exist and didn\u2019t matter to me. How could I do that feeling for you the way that I do? Ingrid, believe me, I love you as much as ever, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut?\u201d<\/p>\n

They stood there and looked at one another until finally she turned away and walked towards her horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t come with conditions, John. You either love me or you don\u2019t. Start tacking conditions onto it, and so far as I am concerned, you don\u2019t. So that is it, then.\u201d she turned to him, and saw that he hadn\u2019t moved from his place, although his face bore traces of shock and distress. \u201cGoodbye, John.\u201d<\/p>\n

She had mounted her horse and turned its head before he had even realised that she was going to carry out her intentions. He hurried forwards but it was too late. Even as he stretched out a hand to stop her, the horse bore her away.<\/p>\n

Joe remained crouched in the grasses for what seemed a long time although really it was barely ten minutes before John had paced the ground over and over and then decided to mount up and return to town. As he rose to his feet Joe watched the two dust clouds, hurtling in different directions.<\/p>\n

He settled down with his back against the tree and his arms folded around his knees. He thought of the young doctor and wondered what he would do with his life now. Thinking about John led him to think about himself, and his own life course. He looked up at the sky and watched as the few clouds there scudded over the blueness of the expanse above them. He bowed his head and began to consider the options that lay before him.<\/p>\n

Chapter 26<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

As Joe was the only \u201cMr. Cartwright\u201d present at the time, he duly turned round to face Captain Lancey, who smiled pleasantly at him. Joe smiled equally pleasantly back. \u201cGood morning, Captain Lancey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dressed now in his dark blue cavalry uniform with all the buttons gleaming, the other man struck a handsome figure standing as he did at the counter of the Bucket of Blood saloon. Joe cleared his throat and looked over at the bar man.<\/p>\n

\u201cEr\u2014could I get you a drink of something, Captain?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; thank you anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, on duty?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a manner of speaking\u2014yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned and turned to Sam, who had poured him a glass of beer. He picked the glass up and raised it to his lips while his eyes stayed on the reflection of the cavalryman in the mirror. After several gulps of beer he set the glass down and turned once again to Lancey who had, at least, removed his hat.<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain Lancey, is there something you want from me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA few minutes of your time, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe sighed, glanced around and located a table in a far corner of the room. He took his beer with him and led Lancey towards it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked as he pulled his chair into the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes there have to be anything wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere doesn\u2019t have to be, but when you guys come around there usually is.\u201d He sipped some of the beer and licked his lips before looking at Lancey again with narrowed hazel eyes. \u201cYou still looking for Sarah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d the other man nodded and shrugged. \u201cCan\u2019t find her though. Her friends on the reservation don\u2019t seem too obliging and helpful in giving us any information either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean you\u2019ve been back? Even after what my Pa told you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe left it a few days.\u201d Lancey said and slowly.<\/p>\n

Joe shrugged. He drank more beer and then folded his arms on the table and leaned forward. \u201cWhy exactly do you want Sarah? She isn\u2019t under arrest for anything is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, she is not. Fact is, it\u2019s because she\u2019s an intelligent young woman with an amazing ability to talk well. I heard her once speaking on behalf of her people at Fort Sills. She was extremely articulate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo is that it then? Because she can talk?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s an Indian, isn\u2019t she? She speaks well for the Indian cause because she wants peace between our nations. Not only does she want peace but she wants her people to live well, to be educated and healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing wrong with that so far as I can see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s other tribes of Indians would do well to listen to her. They may realise that just perhaps she knows what she\u2019s talking about and do what she suggests.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich is?\u201d Joe looked down at the stains on the table, and then slowly picked up his glass to drink the last of his beer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat they go peaceably onto the land designated by the United States government and enjoy the privileges that go along with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat privileges?\u201d Joe slowly put the glass down and looked thoughtfully at Lancey who smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cBasic services, training, housing, food and supplies, guns and ammunition for hunting. All they could ever wish for\u2026and peace along with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain Lancey, I\u2019ve seen a lot of people promised those things in years gone by, and you know what? They never got them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s unfortunate for them, but it doesn\u2019t happen every time.\u201d Lancey now leaned forward, \u201cWe were wondering whether or not you would know where Sarah is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know where she is; any reason why you should think that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust that you\u2019re good friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood friends don\u2019t always tell one another everything,\u201d Joe muttered and frowned as he resumed his study of the beer stains on the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps, Mr. Cartwright, you might even think of helping us in another way. You see, we heard a story about you that\u2019s been going around for some time now. About how you got friendly with a whole pile of Indians some years ago. Stayed with them some time as well, and got mighty friendly with a Cheyenne girl. Now, we were wondering if just perhaps you might like to do that tribe of Indians a real big favour\u2026\u201d he paused and looked at Joe warily as he sensed the tension building up in the young man\u2019s body.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat kind of real big favour do you mean, Captain Lancey?\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome with us when we go back and find them Indians. Try and get it through to them that we want them to come to no harm. You can talk the way they think, you were with them for long enough to do that, weren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe rubbed his head and sighed. \u201cI can\u2019t help you, sir. I\u2019m sorry but all that happened a long time ago. They won\u2019t remember me and I don\u2019t talk the way they think anymore.\u201d He stood up and paused. \u201cTo be honest with you, Captain, if you want them to leave the Black Hills, no one will be able to persuade them to leave peaceably\u2014and I mean, no one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho said anything about the Black Hills?\u201d Lancey frowned as he stood up, tall enough to look down on Joe, who only shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was what they talked about most of all when I was with them. What they would do if any white army came up into their sacred hills. You see, if you push people far enough they end up only going where they feel safest, and that\u2019s where you\u2019ve been driving them all these years. I won\u2019t be any help to you, sir, nor would Sarah.\u201d<\/p>\n

He picked up his hat and after a brief nod of the head quickly left the saloon. Cooch was nodding over the water trough but was swift in obeying his master\u2019s command to gallop out of town.<\/p>\n

Lancey stood at the door of the saloon watching the younger man go with a thoughtful expression on his face. He turned slightly when Fleming approached.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell? How did you get on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe won\u2019t help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you explain?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, but it seems he already knew.\u201d Lancey frowned, \u201cHe already knew, and not only that, but so do the whole Sioux and Cheyenne nations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fleming turned to look down the length of the main street where Joe was just beginning to disappear. He shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, whatever his opinions, he\u2019ll have to come with us. Orders are orders, Captain. We tried the diplomatic approach, which leaves us with no other option but to try something else, perhaps, a little more aggressive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lancey said nothing to that but his frown deepened and he sighed at the thought of what plans would be put in action to get Joseph Cartwright back to the Black Hills with them.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Laurence Willoughby placed the queen of hearts down on the table and looked over at his opponent. Doestov frowned, observed his cards thoughtfully and shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t understand this game you play.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t difficult, Dimitri.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doestov shook his head again and put his card down, which brought a sigh to Laurence\u2019s lips as he tossed the hand of cards he held onto the table. \u201cI\u2019m surprised that a man of your social standing doesn\u2019t know how to play poker.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNyet,\u201d the Russian stood up and selected a fresh cigarette which he brought to his nose and sniffed before putting it between his lips. \u201cIt is stupid to lose money with cards.\u201d He frowned, struck a match and watched the flame burn a little before applying it to the cigarette. \u201cTell me again what happened after you got the letter in Washington. You were shot at…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but it didn\u2019t hurt me, just tore my sleeve. Some chap came and told me not to move, then ran off.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou never saw him again?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Laurence gathered in the cards and shuffled them together. \u201cNo, not at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI tink maybe he was the man who shoot at you. I tink he vos going to make you trust him and then give him your letter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it didn\u2019t work.\u201d Laurence smiled slowly. \u201cMind you, it was odd that my cabin was searched as soon as I got on board the Baltimore,\u201d he shrugged. \u201cNot that they found anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid the commodore not suspect anyone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he did, he never said so. I thought for a while that he suspected me…\u201d Laurence frowned as though he could barely believe the idea.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is not a man who trusts easily.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you can say that again.\u201d Laurence murmured, \u201cAnyway, as it happens the letter wasn\u2019t really important, as you know, because you were there when Charles opened it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDa, but vot vos important, Laurence, is that someone somehow knew you had some letter about something that was\u2014secret.\u201d He paused as though for dramatic effect, then drew in smoke from the cigarette which he held in his mouth for a while before slowly releasing it into the air. \u201cAlvays the intrigue, alvays the secrets.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut isn\u2019t that what this is all about, Dimitri? This plot isn\u2019t exactly common knowledge, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not at all the common knowledge as you say, but it seems to me too many people already know about it.\u201d He frowned, \u201cThe man who searches your cabin, he may still be on the Baltimore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe may have got off when we were in England.\u201d Laurence smiled. \u201cHaving failed\u2014again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue enough,\u201d came the reply in a soft voice although the frown between the dark eyebrows deepened.<\/p>\n

Chapter 27<\/p>\n

The sight of the buggy with its two patient horses standing in the yard did little to lighten Joe\u2019s mood. He dismounted from Cochise and ran a gentle hand down the neck of the horse before he reached the porch. The murmur of voices close by caused him to turn before he had even touched the door and when he saw Ingrid walking beside Ben, her arm resting rather loosely within the crook of the older man\u2019s. Joe felt something tight knot inside his gut. He opened his mouth and was about to speak when Ben saw him and spoke first.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe. I\u2019m glad that you\u2019re here right now, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joes\u2019 eyes swivelled immediately from his father\u2019s face to that of Ingrid. He swallowed the words he wanted to say, nodded and waited for Ben to continue to speak, which he did after looking thoughtfully at the woman by his side.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid that Ingrid will need your help. Milton has been taken ill at Ann\u2019s; Hoss has gone into town to get John or Paul but in the meantime Ingrid needs to be with her husband. Would you take her?\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a rather too long a silence as Joe looked at Ingrid and she, uncomfortable under his gaze, lowered her head and stared at the ground. It was Ben\u2019s gruff \u201cJoseph\u201d that brought the young man to attention; he nodded and muttered something beneath his breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am grateful, Joe,\u201d Ingrid murmured in a voice so contrite and sweet that Joe felt a shiver trickle down his spine.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was quite sudden, Joseph, so be gentle with her.\u201d Ben said softly to his son, while Ingrid picked up her hat and fastened it with a pretty ribbon.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust how bad is it, Pa? I mean\u2014he isn\u2019t dying, is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully not. I won\u2019t be far behind you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe just cast his father an oblique glance before he walked to Cochise and tied his reins to the back of the buggy. By this time Ingrid was standing beside him, waiting for his assistance in getting into the buggy.<\/p>\n

Sitting beside her as they left the ranch house Joe felt a tangle of emotions. After some moments he asked her how she was feeling after such news.<\/p>\n

\u201cShocked, of course,\u201d and she sighed and gazed forlornly away from him, her eyes on the distant mountains and looking demurely saddened.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy? I mean, why are you shocked? You knew he was ill, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, Joe, of course I knew he was ill; he is my husband, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe clenched his teeth together and stared ahead at the road. The buggy bounced over a pot hole in the track and threw them closer together. The skirts of her dress pressed tightly against his thigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look serious, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShouldn\u2019t I be, after all, this is a serious errand I\u2019m on? After all, Mrs. Buchanan, you could be a widow by the end of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, Joe, I\u2019m shocked!\u201d she exclaimed and clutched her hands together against her breasts.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m surprised now, Ma\u2019am, seeing how I never thought there was much would shock you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now one hand grabbed at his arm, and her eyes looked straight at him in a way that forced him to look at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you mean by that remark?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust what I said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean more by it than what was said, Joe, so tell me now, what did you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

He slowed the horses so that he could concentrate more on the conversation without any risk of their running amok. He turned and looked at her, the blue eyes looking so angry and bright, the mouth that ran a firm line above her stubborn chin, the flare of her nostrils.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, as expected, not a tear in sight, although I expect there will be plenty of them when we get to Ann\u2019s,\u201d he growled in a voice almost unfamiliar even to himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to ask you again\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you don\u2019t have to ask me again, Ingrid. Let me just say it simply\u2014I saw you the other day with John Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand what you mean?\u201d she looked puzzled, her eyes dilated and she shook her head. \u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe day after the party when you kept your appointment with him. Remember? He left you a note to meet him beneath the\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, you needn\u2019t say anymore. What were you doing there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t there with the intention of spying on you, if that\u2019s what you mean. I was there by accident and wish to God that I had not been. I knew at the party that you cared about him, you made that all too obvious, but I didn\u2019t think you would actually go ahead and deceive your husband here, as you did in New York.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou heard?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I heard. I heard too much\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you did.\u201d her voice was lowered, quiet, as though she were really speaking to herself. \u201cJoe, will you give me time to explain my side of the story? Don\u2019t cast me off as though I were a woman of such low morals as you obviously feel I am at the moment. Let me explain. Please.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing to explain, Ingrid. You have a husband who is dying. You have been having an affair with his doctor. What is there to explain?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot everything is as black and white as it seems, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

He flicked the reins a little to urge the horses into a quicker pace and turned away from her. Ingrid sat still for a moment before she began to talk,<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father arranged the marriage. The fact is that the Fitzgerald fortune was fast disappearing and he felt that the Buchanans would help the family out of the mess into which we were descending. It wasn\u2019t a love match, Joe. Milton and I never loved one another. He knows that\u2014that I\u2014\u201d she paused and tried to think of a way to describe her feelings but then put her hand on his arm. \u201cJoe, I\u2019m not ugly, am I? Some men have told me I\u2019m beautiful. You found me so not that long ago, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want this conversation to continue, Ingrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s true, isn\u2019t it? Milton understands that, and he knows that men like me. He knew about John and me when we were in New York. It was just an amusement, just something about which we would laugh together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so, Ingrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMilton and I understand one another.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statement was delivered in a flatly calm manner and then she turned aside as though she had said enough. Joe continued onwards with her words spinning around in his head and clashing against the memory of the words she and John had spoken to each other only days ago. He felt a wave of relief wash over him as he saw the house ahead and directed the horses towards it.<\/p>\n

Hester was there looking pale and anguished. She saw Joe and then turned towards Ingrid, who was walking quickly towards her. Ingrid turned to look at her sister-in-law<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is he?\u201d she asked with a slight tremble in her voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s unwell, Ingrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Ingrid curtly cut across what Hester was about to say and entered the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s here,\u201d Ann said and stepped aside to let Ingrid whirl past her, and she looked over at Hester and rolled her eyes. Little Rose clung to her mother\u2019s neck, anxious eyes staring up into Ann\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

Milton could just about distinguish Ingrid\u2019s shape approaching him as he reclined on the settee. A blanket was wrapped over him but appeared to doing little to make him feel any warmer for his face was ashen, and even his fingers looked as though the colour had drained from them.<\/p>\n

\u201cMilton?\u201d She allowed a sob to break the word so that it trembled in the air a little, \u201cOh Milton, my dear, what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

She was kneeling at his side now with one hand touching his, and the shock on her face at the coldness of the hand was genuine enough, for it caused her to look more closely into her husband\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cMilton, say something, if you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Milton still stared at her. All that he saw was a rather misty figure, drifting as though it were suspended in the air and floating in and out of clouds. He reached out to touch her face but she leaned away from him, unable to bear the thought of those cold waxen fingers touching her skin. Slowly his arm dropped to his side.<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid?\u201d It was barely a whisper, \u201cIt is you, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course it is.\u201d she looked hastily over at Hester who was now standing beside the settee.<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid, I loved you so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHush now, I know, I understand.\u201d she said, her voice soft.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Ingrid, you don\u2019t understand.\u201d He sighed before he closed his eyes. \u201cYou never did understand. Love\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Milton?\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a long pause and it was Hester who leaned over towards him and put her warm hand to his face, stroked his cheek, and a wan smile drifted over his lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cHester?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, my dear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou and Hoss\u2014you\u2019re good together\u2014good together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Milton, yes, we are.\u201d<\/p>\n

He reached up and she took his hand, the smile widened a little, just a little.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Hester, what fun we used to have as children. D\u2019you remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, my dear, of course I remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door opened and Ben stepped inside, removed his hat and looked from one to the other of them. Joe, standing beside Ann with baby Rose in her arms; Hester, Ingrid close to the settee where Milton lay. He stepped towards Joe. \u201cHow is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe opened his mouth to speak but it was Hester who answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s dead\u201d she said, \u201cHe\u2019s dead.\u201d and her voice was immediately shaken by tears.<\/p>\n

Ingrid stood still, her feet seemed like blocks of ice frozen to the floor and she stared at the dead man with a look on her face that was full of contrasting emotions\u2026confusion, fear, irritation and even anger.<\/p>\n

The silence was broken only by Hester\u2019s sobs and the ticking of an old clock tucked away in the corner of the room.<\/p>\n

Chapter 28<\/p>\n

The Baltimore slipped past the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea with calm waters causing no disturbance in her passing. Adam had given the helmsman the co-ordinates for their next port of call as Latitude 40\u00b0 50′, north. Longitude: 14\u00b0 14′, East…
\nNaples. This was in order to take on board fresh food and water, as well as coal and other necessities.<\/p>\n

There was also the chance that there would be the opportunity to pick up mail from any other American ship berthed there, and if that were not possible, then certainly it gave the men the chance to get letters written and handed over to any ship returning to their home country.<\/p>\n

As Adam stood on the bridge with the balmy breezes of the Mediterranean Sea cooling his face, he thought of the letter he had written to his family that was now nestling beside those of his crew. All of them sending that frail life line of news to those they loved in the hope that memories would be revisited and affections touched in their hearts for the one who was absent from home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Adam, not much longer now,\u201d Daniel murmured as he entered the bridge and took his place beside his friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you write to Maria?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, and hoping that there may be some news for me soon.\u201d he flashed a grin and his face softened at the thought of his wife and the child they were expecting, \u201cI\u2019m not a praying man to be honest, but I have said many prayers lately for the safe delivery of this child. Maria was far more distressed over the loss of our first child than I had realised.\u201d He paused and looked at Adam before following the direction of his friend\u2019s eyes to see the Italian coastline appearing. \u201cIt\u2019s not a natural life, is it?\u201d he said suddenly in a soft, solemn voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat isn\u2019t?\u201d Adam turned his head to observe his friend with a puzzled look on his face, and then he nodded as though now understanding what Daniel was implying. \u201cYou mean being away from home for so long, away from family and friends?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA man should be with his family, protecting his wife and child, not miles away from them and, worse still, not being able to tell them where they are because, well, because everything is shrouded in mystery and secret.\u201d Daniel scowled. \u201cI wish I knew why Doestov said that about Ross, about him leaving the cabin free.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish a lot of things in connection to that man,\u201d Adam sighed. \u201cBut he\u2019s dead now so there\u2019s little point in gnawing over it like a dog with a bone. Ross gave an explanation, and I don\u2019t doubt him. I tend to think that Doestov was just creating mischief, trying to instil distrust among us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was that incident with Willoughby.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cSurely you hadn\u2019t forgotten? The way his belongings had been searched when he first arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing to that but stood with his shoulders thrust back and his arms folded across his chest. Finally he gave a single nod of the head. \u201cI hadn\u2019t forgotten. I imagine it was the same man who had shot at him in Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd still on board?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe, maybe not.\u201d Adam replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t it bother you?\u201d Daniel frowned as though puzzled at his friend\u2019s lack of motivation in getting the matter sorted after all the days and weeks that had passed since the incident and nothing, nothing at all, had been done about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember what happened in Alaska? Those wretched so-called secret papers? There was so much distrust and suspicion on board ship that we barely functioned. Then that fiasco with Cassandra Pelman who did everything she could to breed disunity and chaos. Well, I don\u2019t want to go through that again. I want this crew to work together in a disciplined and orderly manner; I want officers and crew to work together with trust and confidence. Whoever wants the secrets that we do not actually possess now because everyone on board ship knows exactly where we are going\u2014well, they will act when they think it\u2019s worthwhile, and that will be that.\u201d He shrugged and pursed his lips in a familiarly arrogant attitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat will be that? How do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019ll expose himself for who he is, won\u2019t he? The matter will, in effect, resolve itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Adam\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo \u2018but\u2019s\u2019, Daniel, I just don\u2019t want to be forced into thinking that there is any man on board this ship whom I can\u2019t trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well.\u201d Daniel said and stepped back a pace so that he stood in line with Adam but just a little apart from him.<\/p>\n

Adam clamped his lips tightly together and stared out to the approaching coast line. He thought of all the evenings and early mornings that he had studied the information given him by Charles Willoughby and Grant. Names, histories, dates \u2026 all fixed firmly in his mind now. Then there was the overlapping information from Doestov that he had checked over and cross-referenced and nailed into place. He narrowed his eyes and the names trickled through his mind once again, names and information, origins, cultures, traditions and beliefs. Everything was there just waiting for the living entities to put flesh to the words.<\/p>\n

Daniel watched as the Baltimore began to slow down in speed. He glanced up at the sky and for a moment felt a momentary pang at seeing the smoke from the stack instead of the billowing sails. When he looked again at Adam, the commodore had a smile on his face and his eyes twinkled as deep dimples formed in his cheeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Daniel, what were you thinking of then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014er\u2014was thinking of a night under the stars in Alaska when the sheets glistened with ice and the snow was falling,\u201d he admitted with a slight rouging around his collar.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Adam nodded and then sighed. \u201cYes, I was remembering just the same thing. It was all rather beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely cold.\u201d And Adam laughed, a laugh that made O\u2019Brien smile, then chuckle along with him.<\/p>\n

Chapter 29<\/p>\n

There was no mail drop for them on board either of the American ships berthed in the harbour, which was a disappointment for them all. However, their own mail was accepted by the captain of the Californian, who also invited Adam and his officers on board for an evening meal and entertainment.<\/p>\n

The captain of the Californian was a good\u2013tempered, middle-aged man who obviously enjoyed company, as the officers from the American ship berthed alongside her and the Italian officers from another ship were also invited along. Adam and everyone invited were promised an evening of wining, dining and entertaining that would no doubt make it an evening to remember.<\/p>\n

They had arrived early in the morning, sufficiently so for time to be allocated to various members of the crew to go and see Naples. With several marines on board the boats to ensure that everyone returned on time and conducted themselves in a suitable manner, the selected men cheered as they made their way to the harbour side. Those left on board ship watched with mixed emotions as their companions saluted and waved once their feet were on terra firma.<\/p>\n

The purser was left in charge of oversight of the food and drink being taken on board. Adam heard the doctor urging the purser to make sure that the water was pure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve heard it said that the water hereabouts is suspect,\u201d Ewen declared anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo more so than it is in London, sir,\u201d the purser replied politely. \u201cBut I\u2019ll make sure it is clean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t mix it with the water already in the ship\u2019s tank until that water is barrelled out and stored away.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

It was, Adam thought ruefully, a shame that there was no mail. He had been particularly looking forward to receiving letters from home because the last letter he had sent to them must have been so confusing. Not only that but he wondered if anything had happened since then that could have made his letter more explanatory. Was Joe alright? That was the thought that haunted him nightly\u2026was Joe alright?<\/p>\n

Sometimes he had had dreams about Joe that went back years to when he had been a child and sometimes the dreams had harkened back to the time when Adam had met Custer the first time. He had even dreamt one night that it had been Joe sitting on the wall of that well and that Jacob Brown had fired and shot him down. He had called aloud \u201cJoe\u201d and woken up as Joe\u2019s body tumbled down and down the well shaft.<\/p>\n

When he returned on deck the stevedores, as the Italians called their dockers, were busy taking on board fresh fruit and vegetables. He watched for a moment before Hathaway approached him. \u201cAre you going to the mainland, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he nodded thoughtfully as his eyes roved around the buildings crowded on the hills of Napoli, \u201cYes, I thought I would go and see the old city. Would you care to join me, Mr. Hathaway?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly, sir, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Ross was left in charge of the Baltimore as Hathaway, Myers, O\u2019Brien and Adam departed from the ship in the launch. As many tourists know time passes quickly if interested in the sights available to see, and slowly if one is not really interested. In various moods they returned to the ship in time to prepare for their evening with the Captain of The Californian.<\/p>\n

It was an evening much as had been anticipated with sufficient dining, too much wining and rather raucous entertaining.<\/p>\n

Sleep came swiftly and along with it came dreams that left Adam tossing and turning most of the night. His trip to Naples muddled itself with Shakespeare\u2019s \u201cThe Tempest\u201d
\nfor that was the play Adam considered during his tour. Caliban thundered and roared, \u201cYou taught me language, and my profit on’t is I know how to curse\u201d which was bad enough\u2014but what made it worse that he looked like Hoss, and Joe was twittering away like an angst-ridden Ariel in the background.<\/p>\n

He woke up with the words \u201cWe are such stuff as dreams are made on; and our little life is rounded with a sleep\u201d ringing in his ears before he realised he was himself shouting them out aloud. Forced out of his bed, he drank some water and looked out porthole to a view enshrouded by night and darkness and not even the faintest moon to soften the shadows anywhere.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright was awake before \u201cday-blink\u201d\u2014that moment at dawn where from some point on the mast a lookout can see above low-lying mist. His steward had brought in some food and was setting it out on the small table. He gave Adam a smile and a greeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cLieutenant Hathaway sends you his greetings, sir, and would like to know when to give orders to cast off?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned, rubbed his face to make sure he was awake and this wasn\u2019t part of another dream before asking that Mr. Hathaway be sent for, along with Ross and Myers.<\/p>\n

He was dressed and ready to take the bridge by the time his officers arrived in the cabin. After looking at them and recognising the fact that each one of them looked as bleary eyed as himself, he asked if the ship\u2019s company were all on board.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to send the marines out to pick two of them up, sir,\u201d Ross said. \u201cThey were drunk and disorderly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are on board now though?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir. All present and correct.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we can leave within the hour, Mr. Hathaway. We head for Said, 31\u00b016’N, 32\u00b018’E.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir. Any further orders?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He leaned back in his chair as the door closed upon the three men. He frowned thoughtfully as it occurred to him that it wouldn\u2019t be long now when the secrets, if there were any, would be revealed.<\/p>\n

Chapter 30<\/p>\n

The reaction of Milton\u2019s death on John Martin was bewildering to those who knew him but knew nothing of his association with Ingrid. When he had arrived at the house with Paul to be told that Milton had died, he had gone as pale as death itself and staggered back as though he had been struck. His groan of distress was such that his uncle had looked at him in amazement and told him, rather brusquely, to pull himself together.<\/p>\n

Ingrid had risen from her chair upon their entrance, and with clasped hands holding a dainty scrap of lace-trimmed silk, she dabbed at her eyes. Nearby, Hester was weeping upon Hoss\u2019 shoulder as he stroked her back and made comforting noises because he had already run out of sympathetic things to say. Ann had busied herself making drinks for everyone and stopping every so often to wipe her eyes and blow her nose.<\/p>\n

As John strode past her, Ingrid sank back down upon the chair and followed him with her eyes as he and Paul went to check on Milton. It was Paul who did the swift examination, while John stepped back with his body half turned away from the mortal remains of the innocent man he had betrayed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m surprised,\u201d Paul said softly as he stepped away from the settee. \u201cI thought he would be able to return home next week quite well enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMilton was going to go home?\u201d Ann asked with a slight frown. \u201cBut he said nothing to us about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Paul sighed and folded the dead man\u2019s arms gently across his chest. He looked down at Milton with a sad look on his face, and then sighed again, \u201cNo, he told me in confidence. He knew he was dying but wanted to return home to put his affairs in order. There were some changes he wished to make, I presume, to his will. I asked him if he had been happy here and he had smiled, said how happy seeing Hester again had made him, and Ann with little Rose, but that was all. He just smiled…\u201d he paused as John made a little groan, and he shook his head as though surprised that his nephew was showing such a weakness at the sight of a dead body. Surely he had seen dead bodies by the score by now.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Hoss said in a gruffer than usual tone of voice, \u201cHe\u2019ll be missed by us, that\u2019s for sure. Didn\u2019t know him long but he was a fine person.\u201d<\/p>\n

He placed a firm hand on John\u2019s shoulder\u2014only to be surprised as John trembled beneath him. He hurried back to Hester and observed John, frowning.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll be buried on the Ponderosa, of course.\u201d Ben said, \u201cAfter all, he was Hester\u2019s brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester smiled through her tears at Ben, which was sufficient thanks, but he did look over at Ingrid and said that, of course, was if she didn\u2019t have any objection.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should I?\u201d she replied with a weariness in her voice that was the nearest indication of grief she had shown throughout the hours since Milton had died. \u201cI need to get back to the house, if you don\u2019t mind. There are letters to write, people to inform.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Ingrid, rest awhile, those matters can wait,\u201d Ann said kindly as she stepped towards the other woman with a look of concern on her pretty face.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, they can\u2019t wait,\u201d Ingrid snapped and looked around the room at the men standing there. \u201cWell, won\u2019t one of you have the courtesy to take me home?\u201d<\/p>\n

No one moved. Finally Hester rose to her feet and, holding Hoss by the hand, said that she would go home with Ingrid, if Hoss didn\u2019t mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid is right, after all,\u201d she said softly. \u201cThere are letters to write and things to arrange.\u201d<\/p>\n

It appeared to Ingrid that her life, her world, had suddenly spun out of her control. It seemed inconceivable that Milton should die now, so soon, so much sooner than she had anticipated. And John Martin? What on earth was wrong with John Martin? This was their chance now, perhaps their only chance, to start a new life together. Once the will was read and the Buchanan estate settled upon her then life would start afresh, and it would be wonderful, quite wonderful.<\/p>\n

She sat beside Hester and said not a word, remembering every so often to dab at her eyes, and if she trembled at all, then let them think what they wished, but it was certainly not out of grief. Life without Milton but with all that property and money made her shiver with excitement. The anticipation of the things she would be able to do, the places she would be able to go\u2014goodness, she had to clench her hands so tight that her nails dug into the flesh in order not to laugh out aloud.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was the matter with you, John?\u201d Paul Martin asked in a kindly manner as the buggy jogged along the way to Virginia City. \u201cIs that the reaction I\u2019m to expect from you every time we go to examine a dead body?\u201d<\/p>\n

John looked anxiously at his uncle before shaking his head. \u201cNo, of course not. But I have known Milton for a long time, and the sight of him\u2014\u201d he paused; bit his bottom lip. \u201cHe was a friend as well as a patient. I didn\u2019t think he would die as quickly as he did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he was a weak man,\u201d Paul said. \u201cWeak from his illness, I mean, although perhaps weak with regard to his choice of wife as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you say so?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s obvious, she\u2019s a much stronger personality,\u201d Paul said with that smile so familiar to his friends. \u201cI should imagine she didn\u2019t exactly treat him with the patient love that he deserved, and should have had.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I think you are right, Uncle,\u201d John sighed, and for reasons best known to him he promptly changed the subject.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u2018Pa, I saw Captain Lancey in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben paused in the act of putting his foot in the stirrup and looked at Joe with a scowl, then shook his head as he mounted into the saddle.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what did he want?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wanted to make sure I didn\u2019t know where Sarah had gone.\u201d Joe waited for his father to catch up so that both men could canter from the Canady house together.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t know where she is, do you, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Joe replied with a melancholy look upon his face, \u201cNo, I don\u2019t , Pa. I did see her, after we went to the camp that day. She told me she wouldn\u2019t tell me where she was so that I wouldn\u2019t have to lie. She\u2019s a good friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA lovely girl; a pity there aren\u2019t more like her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded and remained silent. \u2018Little Moon was like her,\u2019 he thought, \u2018she was brave and dignified, clever, intelligent, all those things that would have made her the most wonderful wife.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought for a moment you had gone deaf. That was the third time I called your name.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Pa.\u201d He gave his father a lop sided grin and shrugged, pleased to see the smile on his father\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Lancey say anything else?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAsked me to go with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? To the Black Hills?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I told him that I wouldn\u2019t. There was no point, there was or rather is nothing I can do to prevent the inevitable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Grant and Custer need talking to, not the Indians. But since they won\u2019t listen, what\u2019s the point in even trying?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. He took off his hat as the wagon with Milton\u2019s body on it trundled past them on its way to the Undertaker\u2019s in town. Not the most dignified exit but it was hardly fair to leave Milton in Ann and Candy\u2019s best sitting room. He sighed. \u201cJohn Martin took Milton\u2019s death hard, so it seems to me,\u201d he remarked as his eyes followed the wagon, and he urged his horse into a faster speed.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that\u2019s something else I wanted to mention to you, Pa.\u201d Joe frowned and wondered whether or not having said that, he should perhaps have kept silent. It was too late now, for Ben was waiting to hear what he had to say about John Martin.<\/p>\n

Chapter 31<\/p>\n

At times a cabin, even the commodore\u2019s cabin which is larger than most and totally private, can become claustrophobic, particularly to a man who is used to riding the wide open spaces of the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

There were times when, in order to keep his sanity, Adam spent most of his days on the upper deck, or pacing along the bridge, or even sitting there with books to read or letters to write. He would watch the men going about their tasks and enjoy the moments when they were relaxed and sharing time sociably together. On occasion he would go down to the boiler rooms and speak to the men he most pitied on board the ship, the stokers, trimmers and greasers.<\/p>\n

Trimmers were the crew members who would rake and clear the ash from the boilers; the ash would be cooled with water and then carted to an area where it was fired into the sea by a high pressure of water. The greasers were the men responsible for greasing the machines; this work was done while the boiler was working. If the machinery was warm they knew everything was working well, but the danger came when it all got too hot.<\/p>\n

Watching the men at work in the heat of the boiler room was often enough to give Adam a sleepless night as he wondered how they would fare during a storm at sea. O\u2019Brien would remind him of the number of seamen who had lost their fingers when they had frozen to the iced-over sails of the clipper ships, or the men lost from the crow\u2019s nest as the sea pitched them up and over. But Adam would just shake his head at his friend and lament that progress had created an even more dangerous world, and even their small world on board ship had its own hell hole.<\/p>\n

The weather was continually warm and pleasant with the Baltimore slicing through the water as smoothly as a warm knife slices through butter. Adam had taken the necessary notes as to their whereabouts and was pleased to inform Hathaway and Myers that soon they would be passing close to Tripoli. They were all three checking the maps and readings when Ewen McPherson approached them with an anxious look on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore, may I have a few moments of your time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly\u2014what\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ewen opened his mouth and then closed it again as he glanced at the two officers standing nearby. Sensing his need for more privacy, Adam drew him to one side and raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore, I have five men seriously ill in sick bay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFive?\u201d Adam frowned, \u201cDo you have any idea what\u2019s wrong with them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m almost too frightened to tell you what I suspect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, best spit it out, man, so that we can get on and deal with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt could be typhoid\u2026\u201d Ewen whispered so that when Adam lowered his head he had to repeat the dreaded word and then watch as the commodore\u2019s face went pale \u201cor typhus.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t you tell which?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t easy to identify which at this stage,\u201d Ewen replied rather cautiously.<\/p>\n

Adam looked at him thoughtfully at this statement and then released his breath slowly. \u201cHave you dealt with either illness before?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hate to admit it, but no, I have not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you don\u2019t know the difference or how to distinguish the difference?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore, only from the text books.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I suggest that you study your text books carefully, sir, and when you have done so, re-examine your patients and report back to me immediately after you have a proper diagnosis.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWhen did this start to happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe day after we left Naples.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked at him long and hard, he remembered overhearing the caution the doctor had advised about the water. He bit down on his bottom lip. \u201cThis is not the best of news, Doctor. You should have informed me much sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hesitated to do so due to my own ignorance but\u2014\u201d he paused and looked thoughtfully at Adam\u2014\u201cHave you or any of the officers felt unwell at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one has complained of being unwell,\u201d Adam replied slowly, then shook his head. \u201cThis is really the worse news you could bring at this time, Doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m aware of it, sir, and apologise, but the men appeared strong enough, hearty enough, that I didn\u2019t think it anything too serious at first. But I shall let you know\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo so!\u201d Adam said abruptly and walked away quickly towards his fellow officers, who were standing with anxious faces, having witnessed the altercation between the two men.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Ingrid Buchanan had watched in silence as her husband was laid to rest on Ponderosa soil. She had looked upon the faces of the mourners and wondered why each of them was there, apart from Hester and Ann who were both Buchanans themselves, bidding their last farewell to a beloved brother, a dear cousin. They had stood side by side, arms interlinked as though supporting one another even though their husbands stood on either side of them.<\/p>\n

She had seen Joe and Ben Cartwright stand with dignity by the side of the grave, hats off and heads bowed. Then there had been Paul and John Martin, silent, stolid, and so serious of face. Apart from murmured consolations and sympathies they had spent little time talking with her.<\/p>\n

Now she sat in the office of a grim-faced lawyer who had arrived at the Ponderosa only an hour after the funeral\u2014bearing with him, he claimed, the Last Will & Testament of Milton Buchanan, signed and witnessed in his office in Virginia City only a week previously.<\/p>\n

Chapter 32<\/p>\n

The room shone from the sun that filled it, bringing colour to the flowers that Hester had picked earlier that day. Now she sat with her hands neatly folded in her lap and her head bowed while beside her, Ingrid sat ramrod straight with her face a mask devoid of emotion. A stranger would wrongly interpret Hester as the grieving widow, were he to chance by and glance into that room.<\/p>\n

Ann was also present with Candy, who stood beside Hoss, both of them standing as though forming a rearguard to protect their beloved ones from any unwarranted attack. There was no necessity for Ben or Joe to be present, so they had strolled outside with those friends who had come to pay their respects to the deceased and his family: Paul and John, Roy, Barbara and various others who had their hands shaken and thanks spoken into their ears as they made their leave.<\/p>\n

The lawyer, Mr. Jacob Somersby, was a young man but well used to handling such matters as wills, for there were sufficient deaths in the locality to ensure his regular attendance at such functions. He looked anxiously at them all and took his seat.<\/p>\n

They watched as though mesmerised by the sight of the papers neatly tied together with the usual legal ribbons and such that he held in his hand and now placed upon Ben\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, if I may just make sure of who is present\u2014Mrs. Buchanan, the widow of the deceased\u2014\u201d he looked at Ingrid, who stared blankly at him; he cleared his throat and moved on. \u201cMrs. Hester Cartwright, sister?\u201d and he smiled at Hester who nodded and smiled back through her tears. \u201cMrs. Ann Canady, cousin?\u201d Ann nodded, gulped, took a deep breath and glanced over at Candy. \u201cThere is another brother \u2026 Mr. Marlow Buchanan?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ain\u2019t able to git here,\u201d Hoss said as though he were the only one present apart from Somersby still with a functioning tongue in his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well, we\u2019ll proceed. This Last Will & Testament was drawn up by the behest of Mr. Milton Buchanan on the 12th of this month. It was witnessed by me and my clerk, Mr. Thomas Henry, and a Mrs. Clementine Hawkins, who happened to be in the office at that time and was willing to be of service.\u201d<\/p>\n

No one commented on that although all except Ingrid thought a lot about the fact that Widow Hawkins had happened to be \u201cin the office,\u201d and her willingness to be of service not one of them doubted for a single moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe family house in Albany, New York, will remain in the possession of the Buchanan family. As there is no issue between Mr. and Mrs. Milton Buchanan the property will pass into the hands of Mr. Marlow Buchanan and his family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Apart from a rosier glow on Ingrid\u2019s cheeks nothing had changed. Somersby cleared his throat and relaxed a little. That was one hurdle over without any problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe property in Paris\u2014Number 12 Rue de Monmatre will remain the possession of Mrs. Milton Buchanan.\u201d He glanced at Ingrid, who merely lowered her eyes to look without expression at the rug on the floor. \u201cThe furniture and all pictures, carriages, horses, et cetera, will remain with the property for Mrs. Buchanan to divest of as she wishes.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was silence. Hester and Ann were both feeling a trifle giddy but remained quiet and dignified, as did Ingrid. Somersby glanced over at the two men who stood resolute behind their wives.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo continue\u2026\u201d and continue he did, recounting various bequests to certain servants who had proven loyal over the years; there was a large sum of money settled on Ann and her child, Rose, and any further issue, which caused Ann to weep and protest that she really didn\u2019t need it, but thank you all the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bulk of Mr. Buchanan\u2019s estate and assets will, of course, go to Mr. Marlowe Buchanan. There is a gift of $20,000 to Mrs. Hester Cartwright with thanks from her brother.\u201d He smiled at Hester who nodded and smiled back before glancing up at Hoss who now placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait a minute\u2014\u201d Ingrid stood up as Somersby began to fold the papers away\u2014\u201cthat can\u2019t be all, what about me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMadam, you have the property in Paris. Mr. Buchanan said that you were particularly fond of the house and he had purchased it for you on your insistence several years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe furniture and all its contents are yours. I believe you chose all the items yourself, most carefully?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I did. Milton said it would be our retreat when we went to Europe.\u201d Ingrid said slowly, and Mr. Somersby nodded and smiled,<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite right, Mrs. Buchanan, that is how your husband described it, although he did add the rider that he had, as yet, to visit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact is, Mr. Somersby or whatever you call yourself, a house can\u2019t be run without funds.\u201d She frowned, \u201cYou must have omitted some mention of any money coming to me. I\u2019m his widow, I\u2019m entitled\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Madam, you\u2019re entitled only to what Mr. Milton Buchanan wished to leave you. It\u2019s all here in the will\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGive it to me\u2014\u201d she snatched it out of the young man\u2019s hands and tore it open, while her eyes devoured the names and the words following each bequest. She looked up, her eyes were round with panic. \u201cMy name\u2014it\u2019s not here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Madam, here it is\u2014\u201d and he pointed to the clause in which her name was included with regard to the house, chattels, carriages and horses to which he had already referred.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere must be something more?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe it will be explained in this letter…\u201d Somersby pulled out a letter and passed it to her; the red wax seal was intact, and her name was written clearly in her husband\u2019s handwriting. He passed another similar-sized letter to Hester. \u201cIf there is nothing more for me to do here, then I had better get on my way.\u201d<\/p>\n

They stepped aside to let him go, murmured their thanks in his passing. Somehow the sun seemed much duller, and the flowers had lost their beauty.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ridiculous,\u201d Ingrid said in a voice so bereft, so sad that Hester actually felt sorry for her. \u201cHow can I run a house like that without money. How could he have been so stupid?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you read your letter, Ingrid?\u201d Ann said coldly. \u201cPerhaps Milton can explain it for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

To that there was no reply, Ingrid just stared at the square piece of paper in her hands and was quite unaware of Ann, Candy and little Rose leaving the house.<\/p>\n

Chapter 33<\/p>\n

As he paced the floor of his cabin the commodore\u2019s face bore all the signs of a man over laden with the burden of bad news. Nothing, nothing at all, could be worse than this threat from an enemy so lethal and so insidious as disease. Typhoid or typhus\u2026he could feel perspiration breaking out on his brow just thinking about it. The yellow \u2018Q\u2019 flag was already flying from portside, in clear view of any approaching vessel. The officers had been briefed and had discussed the matter fully between them. Adam couldn\u2019t recall without his stomach churning over their looks of horror, followed by staunch stoicism, when he had first related to them the gravity of their situation. A seaman anticipates drowning at sea, or being blown apart during times of warfare, but disease on board ship with its confined space, the lack of hospital conditions, the horror of such a slow death far from loved ones, all combined to make it the most nightmarish of horrors.<\/p>\n

He had ordered that rats be killed, flea bites shown to the doctor\u2019s assistants, anyone feeling in any way unwell to report to the sick bay immediately and bypass the binnacle list. If it was typhoid fever, however, then that could only mean their food or water supply was contaminated. If that were the case they would need the help of others beyond the ship, and currently there was nothing in sight.<\/p>\n

None of the officers admitted to feeling unwell, for which he was feeling some measure of relief. Typhus, known often as \u201cgaol fever,\u201d could spread like a prairie fire out of control on board ship, and who could know the survivor at the end of it. The memory of the typhus outbreak in the mining camps in Virginia City some years earlier had seen whole families wiped out of existence. Paul Martin had said the only thing worse would have been cholera.<\/p>\n

As he continued to pace the floor, all the while clenching and unclenching his fists, Adam tried to think of some solution to the matter, while at the same time telling himself that this was not an enemy to be outwitted or outthought by logic.<\/p>\n

When there came a rap on the door, he yelled out \u201cEnter!\u201d so loudly that the word seemed to bounce around the room, and Ewen stepped into the cabin looking terrified.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what\u2019s the news?\u201d He turned to face the doctor so abruptly that Ewen swallowed the words he was about to say and had to rethink them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s typhoid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely. Typhoid fever doesn\u2019t start as swiftly as typhus, which is why there has been this delay from the time we left Naples until they reported sick. Every feature of the illness as mentioned in the medical books is to be found with each man in sick bay at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you anticipate more?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore patients? Well, it is possible, although unlike typhus, typhoid rarely passes from person to person. It\u2019s caught by contaminated water or food.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I was worried about, the water we got from Naples in the ship\u2019s tanks could all be contaminated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, possibly.\u201d Ewen\u2019s brow furrowed. \u201cThe water we are currently using is what we had left from our previous collection point. The water from Naples is still stored separately in barrels. It hasn\u2019t been touched.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked at Ewen sharply, his eyes narrowed, and he frowned before looking away to stare at the bookcase. \u201cYet the water in the ship\u2019s tanks has been clean, there\u2019s been no problems with it at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould you give me a list of the names of the sick men, please, Ewen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have it here, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd can you deal with typhoid?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir. It\u2019s\u2014well\u2014it\u2019s not a pleasant illness and\u2014\u201d he shrugged as though preferring to pass over the details\u2014\u201cbut it does have in its favour that it won\u2019t spread through the ship\u2019s company in the way typhus would have done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and took the list from the doctor; he scanned it and frowned. \u201cYou said there were five men ill, but I see here eight are mentioned.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, two more were admitted an hour ago, and one other not long after I saw you about it on the bridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded thoughtfully, and when he saw that Ewen lingered, he asked the man if there was anything further he wanted to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wanted to apologise, sir, for my apparent ignorance earlier. I\u2019m afraid that I totally lost all confidence in myself because\u2014because I was frightened to put it into words . But now I know definitely what it is, and I won\u2019t let you down, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that, Ewen.\u201d Adam smiled slowly, \u201cI want you to know that I have seen and known excellent doctors who have been unable to identify an illness or have made the wrong diagnosis at times. You aren\u2019t alone in your profession to have done that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I just needed to say it, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam merely nodded and returned to looking down the list of the eight men in sick bay. He looked up again, however, when he realised that he was still not alone but that Nathan Ross had stepped into the cabin as Ewen had left it.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Ross?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore\u2014\u201d Ross stepped into the cabin and closed the door, he gave the briefest of smiles and removed his hat, \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCongratulations, what about?\u201d Adam leaned against the desk, stretching out his legs and folding his arms across his chest, and he smiled at Ross to encourage him to speak up.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe doctor showed me the list of names of the men who were taken sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have it here\u2014\u201d Adam raised a hand in which he held the paper containing the list of names.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it struck me that I could remember those names from another list I had seen quite recently.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam inclined his head, there was little point in telling Ross to hurry up, one had to just wait because eventually, one did arrive at the conclusion.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were all on shore leave the day we were in Napoli. Two of them\u2014Maguire and Jackson\u2014were brought in by the marines drunk and disorderly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam straightened himself and the briefest of smiles drifted over his lips,<\/p>\n

\u201cGet the names of every man who was on shore leave and then get them to sick bay right away. It\u2019s just possible\u2014\u201d he paused\u2014no, best not even dare to hope, but he nodded over to Ross, \u201cWell done, Nathan, good thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, sir. I\u2019ll keep you informed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, slightly absent-mindedly, but with a lighter heart for all that it mattered.<\/p>\n

Chapter 34<\/p>\n

When Ingrid looked around, she found herself totally alone. The murmur of voices came from outside the house, and from within, there was the sound of plates and cutlery being moved about, just a clattering from far away in the background.<\/p>\n

The envelope with the letter from her husband was burning her hand, and she hastily ripped it open before caution prompted her to wait. She looked from right to left, saw that she was quite alone, and then hurried upstairs to the room she had shared with Milton during their stay at the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

She pulled the letter from the envelope and unfolded the paper, smoothed out the lines across it and looked at the writing. There was no doubt about it: her husband\u2019s familiar loops and swirls greeted her, and she stared at the letter for some while before blinking her eyes to focus on actually reading its contents.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Ingrid,<\/p>\n

You may be surprised at the will I have had drawn up here in Virginia City. Obviously it has been read out; otherwise you would not be now reading this letter and wondering why I had bequeathed so much to some and so little to others.<\/p>\n

I know you well enough, Ingrid, to understand your frustration and anger at not having much more than has been left to you already. I know that, although I paid for the house in Paris and for all its contents, for the horses and carriage etc, you felt it was all your private property. I did not wish to disabuse you of this thought, as I am sure that you will wish to \u2018entertain\u2019 many more in the style that you have \u2018entertained\u2019 them in the past.<\/p>\n

I could not bear to think of the Buchanan family home being in your hands and in the hands of your family. I want Marlow and his family to enjoy it, he, being the eldest brother anyway and with children of his own, deserves it. I don\u2019t want my home to become fouled by the conduct you have indulged in over the past few years and the repute of which is quite common knowledge.<\/p>\n

Ingrid, do you think I am stupid because I love you? It\u2019s because I love you that I know you so well. It\u2019s because I have loved you that I give you only what I have given you. I know you love the house in Paris, the jewels you possess now, etc., so keep them, enjoy them, be happy.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know if Dr. John Martin will fit into Paris life well; perhaps some other of your paramours would be better suited. My advice to you is to leave him alone and allow him to progress as a fine and worthy doctor. You see, I am not quite as stupid as you think. At first I let love blind me to your \u2018other life\u2019\u2014it was easier to pretend then that you had loved me when we married. But time and various incidents took place to remove the scales of love from my eyes and I could see you for what you are\u2026and nothing I did could replace the scales and blind me to the facts anymore.<\/p>\n

I am dying, and you know it, but you could not even pretend to show sympathy or pity. You took so much from me, and gave so little in return. Even now, I love the memory of the girl I thought I married. Even now, I loathe the woman you have become.<\/p>\n

Milton Buchanan\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Hester sat by the side of her husband on the bench in Marie\u2019s rose garden. Hoss had his arm slipped around her waist and she leaned into him, feeling warm and secure just knowing he was there. They smiled at one another as they withdrew the letter from the envelope and when she recognised the loops and swirls of her brother\u2019s writing she smiled again and a soft sigh slipped from her lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cDearest sister, Hester.<\/p>\n

I wish I could have given you more. I have carried a heavy burden of guilt for not being more sympathetic and kindly towards you when Mark James died. These past weeks, however, have eased that burden so much because of the way you are, dear, your sweet nature and gentleness towards me have been like a healing balm upon a much troubled and sore heart.<\/p>\n

The greatest joy was seeing the happiness you have with Hoss. I would have left you the deeds for the house in Albany, but what would be the point? You and Hoss fit together like a hand in a glove, and your home is here, the Ponderosa, with him.<\/p>\n

Enjoy the gift \u2026 set it aside for your children \u2026 just be happy. You always were such a joy to know; even as children, my happiest memories are the ones with you in them.<\/p>\n

Your loving brother
\nMilton.<\/p>\n

p.s. Ingrid may not be happy just now, not because of my death, but because of what she will have received from me. She has to make her own way in life now, Hester. I am sure she will succeed without any help from you, dear sister. M x\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe anticipates us having children then?\u201d Hoss muttered softly into her ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe always loved children,\u201d she replied, wiping away a tear, \u201cDoes this mean that he doesn\u2019t want us to help Ingrid?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that\u2019s exactly what he means; he wasn\u2019t such as fool as she tried to make him appear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no,\u201d Hester turned to him with wide eyes. \u201cNo, Hoss, Milton was no one\u2019s fool, unless he chose to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said nothing to that but drew her closer to him so that her hair brushed against his face and he had to wiggle his nose a little to stop it from tickling and making him sneeze. He began to think that perhaps he should start drawing up a list of names, boys and girls. He smiled slowly, remembering how his romance with Hester had all started with him writing down a list of names. But that was then, when he was wife hunting.<\/p>\n

Upstairs in her room, Ingrid re-read the letter from her husband. She slowly lowered herself into a chair and sat there with it in her hands. The sun retreated from the room and the sky darkened but still she sat there as though quite unable to think, to feel. Life had just suddenly become unbearable.<\/p>\n

Chapter 35<\/p>\n

The light tapping on the door roused Ingrid Buchanan from the lethargy into which she had slumped. Never had she felt so abandoned or as alone as she did now. Throughout her pampered life there had always been someone who would lift her morale and strengthen her resolve; there had always been money to dip into and spend; she had never known such desolation of heart.<\/p>\n

Again the tapping on the door, and rallying herself, she called out, \u201dCome in, it isn\u2019t locked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid, are you coming down to eat with us this evening?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Hester who looked at her from the doorway with a gentle smile on her face and looking so content with her life that Ingrid had to clench her fists in order not to pick up the cut crystal glass on the dressing table and throw it at her. She shook her head. \u201cNo, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid, I\u2019m so sorry about today and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to hear\u2014\u201d she raised a hand and turned her face away from Hester\u2019s gaze\u2014\u201cI don\u2019t want you to say another word. Please leave me alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Ingrid.\u201d Hester stepped further into the room and held out her hand towards her sister-in-law. \u201cWe want to help you where we can. Please come down and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester looked at Ingrid long and hard, then turned and left the room without another word but closed the door carefully behind her.<\/p>\n

Ingrid waited for the footsteps to fade away and once there was silence again she slowly began to undress and prepare herself for bed. The day had exhausted her and she needed to sleep. In the morning the vague nebulous scheme that was permeating into her brain would be clearer, give her more direction as to how to proceed, now that there was some chance of freedom from a miserable marriage and the restraints put upon her by the Fitzgeralds.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The night passed and she slept. She was unaware of the time that Joe went to his bed, or that Ben finally emptied out his pipe and mounted the stairs to his room. She didn\u2019t hear Hester and Hoss as they stopped at her door and gently knocked on it, waited a little while and then continued on to their own room. She slept the sleep of the innocent and when she woke up she stretched like a cat before remaining awhile to stare up at the ceiling and consider what was to be done that day.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing was accustomed to serving the guest when everyone else had eaten and left for their respective chores. Even Hester had plans that took her from the house that day, and she left a message on the table for Ingrid to explain her absence.<\/p>\n

It hadn\u2019t taken long for Ingrid to dress and pack away her clothing. Her jewels she locked into their casket and once everything was in its proper place, she went down to eat.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, are you going into town today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Hop Sing take in laundry.\u201d He hovered by the table with an empty plate in one hand and the coffee pot in the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to go into town as well. I shall go in with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith me?\u201d<\/p>\n

She stared at him, and then nodded before she continued with her meal. She had read Hester\u2019s little note and screwed it into a ball which she tossed into the coal box. Then she went up the stairs and carefully opened the door to Adam\u2019s room.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing was surprised to see her in her outer coat and smart city hat; as she pulled on her gloves she ordered him to collect her cases and put them in the wagon. With alacrity that did him credit Hop Sing sprang up the stairs and did as he had been told. It took hardly any time at all to have the cases on the back of the wagon and her seated by his side. The journey began and ended in silence.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Mr. Weems listened to the plea from the beautiful Mrs. Buchanan and felt pity touch his heart. He was a bank manager but he had a heart and he felt much for this poor, recently bereaved widow. However, heart or no heart the fact remained that the Buchanan account had been frozen. His sympathies were manifold and genuine, but there was nothing he could do to release Milton\u2019s assets and transfer them into funds for her.<\/p>\n

She left the bank with nothing but the bank manager\u2019s best wishes given sincerely as he had shaken her hand in farewell.<\/p>\n

Mr. Coutts was a jeweller who had been buying and selling jewellery since he was a young boy and had even acted on behalf of the French royal family. Now he took the ring box Ingrid offered him and slowly raised its lid. He looked at the ring and then at Ingrid. \u201cThis must have cost a pretty penny.\u201d He screwed the eyeglass into place and carefully held the ring to the light so that he could scrutinise every facet for flaws. \u201cIt\u2019s never been worn. There\u2019s not a mark on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy husband bought it for me shortly before we came here. It was his last gift to me but with recent events\u2026\u201d she lowered her head, dabbed at her eyes, and sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am so sorry, Mrs. Buchanan, I quite understand. Please accept my most sincere condolences.\u201d He hoped that he sounded sincere although really he didn\u2019t care a jot about her husband nor about her. But the ring, ah yes, that was quite a different thing altogether, and he studied it even more closely. \u201cA beautiful piece of work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had it made specially, an individual piece; there isn\u2019t another one like it anywhere,\u201d she said softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen do you need the money?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much can you give me?\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at her and frowned, he named a price and she stared at him as though he were mad and extended her hand in order to take back the ring.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know it\u2019s worth twice that amount,\u201d she said coldly and he baulked, nodded and named another price which she accepted with a nod of the head.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

John Martin was about to open the door to the surgery when he heard his name called, and turning, he saw her standing there before him looking more beautiful than he could have imagined. He shook his head in an attempt to dispel the feelings that now filled it \u201cIngrid? Are you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

He made no move towards her, no hand was stretched out to give her any indication of the feelings he felt for her. Even now he found her the most desirable and beautiful woman he had ever known. Her presence there was intoxicating and he wished more than anything that this was another place, another time.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. How are you, John?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m\u2014I\u2019m as you see\u2014busy,\u201d he stammered, went slightly red around the neck and his collar felt tight. He cleared his throat. \u201cMilton\u2019s death\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve not come to discuss that with you, John. I\u2019ve come to tell you that I\u2019m going away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAway? Where? Back to New York?\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled slowly and shook her head, one delicately plucked eyebrow twitched derisively. \u201cNo, not back there.\u201d she looked at him thoughtfully, sighed, lowered her head as though she needed a little time to think before she raised it to look at him again. \u201cI\u2019m leaving here on the noon stage, John. If you want me, then come with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome with you? But where?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re not on the stage by noon, then\u2014\u201d she shrugged, a delicate rise and fall of her shoulders. \u201cThen this will be goodbye.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said nothing, but watched as she turned away and walked with a deliberate stride down the sidewalk towards Del Monico\u2019s. He watched as she opened the door and stepped inside the restaurant and snapped the door shut behind her.<\/p>\n

\u201cJohn?\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned and looked at his uncle who smiled at him, his head slightly to one side while the kindly eyes regarded him thoughtfully. John Martin nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry to have kept you waiting, Uncle,\u201d he said and hurried into the cool confines of the surgery, exhaled slowly, and closed his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

John opened his eyes and glanced over at the clock on the wall. It was 11 a.m. He had just an hour. Just an hour. His eyes turned towards his uncle who had his back turned to him and was discussing the notes concerning one of their patients. Once again his eyes turned to the clock and he asked himself\u2014\u201cIs this what I really want from life? Is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The stage coach rocked a little on its suspension and then rolled forwards. Amid a swelter of dust and grit it left Virginia City, on its usual route to San Francisco. There were several passengers: an elderly couple on their way to visit their daughter, a young man about to start college, and a beautiful widow who kept her face concealed from them by covering it with a black veil. She didn\u2019t look out of the windows but stared ahead of her as though she never wanted to see anymore of the township than was necessary.<\/p>\n

Mr. Coutts placed the ring in its ring box on display in a glass cabinet. Very neatly and precisely he printed out the price and smiled to himself, knowing that if he managed to sell it at that price then he would have made a tidy profit. He knew from the glint in the woman\u2019s eyes that she was well pleased with the money she had received from him, in fact even thought that she had beaten him down. But it took a rogue to recognise one, and Mr. Coutts knew a rogue, pretty though she was, when he saw one.<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright\u2019s ring twinkled under the glass of the display cabinet. It was beautiful and flawless.<\/p>\n

Chapter 36<\/p>\n

Ewen McPherson\u2019s sickbay was as spotlessly clean as he could possibly maintain it. His orderlies were quiet and unobtrusive, getting on with their business of tending to the sick with a gentle but firm confidence that in turn made the patients feel more convinced that they would \u201cturn the corner\u201d and beat the illness.<\/p>\n

As Adam stepped into the sickbay, removing his hat, he was struck by the difference there was in the young doctor\u2019s approach to his patients in comparison with Soames, his previous medical officer. He glanced from left to right and noted the men being attended to and that some were already delirious and in a high fever. Ewen approached him. \u201cThank you for coming, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m impressed, Ewen. This is just about the tidiest sickbay I\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ewen smiled shyly and went slightly pink but glanced away as though self-conscious with the praise.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy uncle in England served in the Crimean War, sir. He learned a lot there about the importance of cleanliness in the sick room.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, of course, the crusading nurse\u2026I read about her.\u201d Adam frowned; he might have read about her but her name escaped him.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Nightingale, sir. Yes, my uncle worked along with her, said she was quite a tyrant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they\u2019re usually the ones that get their voices heard in the right places,\u201d Adam replied while his eyes wandered from one patient to another.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe certainly did. My uncle had the highest respect for her although he personally did not like her much.\u201d He slipped a pen back onto the desk and rubbed his hands together as though cold, \u201cI\u2019ve examined most of the men who went to Naples on shore leave, almost all of them are perfectly well and fit for duty. Several have the secondary symptoms of typhoid but were too frightened to come forward.\u201d He frowned and pulled a folder from a drawer, opened it and ran a finger down the list of names written upon the papers it contained. \u201cThese men all went on shore leave but these men went together to one area in particular. They are all those exhibiting symptoms of typhoid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat narrows things down quite a bit,\u201d Adam looked at the names marked with red ink, he pointed to several with a little cross in green marked beside them, \u201cWhat does this indicate?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo chance of recovery.\u201d Ewen said softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought typhoid was always fatal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was at one time, but caught early enough, like most diseases it can be beaten.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam cleared his throat and frowned, he looked at the names again, and then nodded,<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe it was the gunner\u2019s mate, Brian Chapman, who asked to see me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s right. He was insistent, became distressed when we tried to persuade him to stop asking as it was hardly likely\u2014begging your pardon, sir\u2014that you would be able to spare the time. Then he said it had something to do with the Russian gentleman.\u201d Ewen nodded thoughtfully. \u201cI wasn\u2019t sure what he meant by that but knew you had had dealings with Russia, so thought it best to inform you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded again; he pursed his lips thoughtfully and frowned a little as he followed Ewen to where the gunner\u2019s mate was tossing and turning feverishly.<\/p>\n

\u201cChapman, Commodore Cartwright is here to speak with you\u201d Ewen said in a loud voice and stepped back for Adam to come closer to the sick man.<\/p>\n

Chapman was extremely feverish, the rash was obvious on his body and face, and his eyes were rolling in their sockets. An orderly came and wiped perspiration from around his neck and throat, and raised him gently, which caused a fit of coughing, harsh and deep, leaving the wretched man gasping for breath when the spasm was over.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Chapman, you wished to speak to me about something important. It\u2019s Adam Cartwright here. Can you understand me?\u201d<\/p>\n

The sick man blinked, screwed up his eyes tight before opening them to look in the direction of the commodore. He opened his mouth and after panting for breath for a few moments asked Adam to come closer.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my\u2014possessions\u2014papers\u2014\u201d he stopped, closed his eyes although his mouth still worked nervously as though needing to speak but unable to find the words to say.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cYes, s\u2019right, papers.\u201d Chpman tried to nod, but the coughing started again. \u201cYou\u2019ll know what it\u2019s about, Commodore. Wait for contact.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cSuez\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cDon\u2019t go\u2014danger for you\u2014wait for contact.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapman raised a hand and his fingers clutched tightly to the lapel of Adams jacket; his mouth still worked as though there was more to say, and saliva slobbered from its corners, but no sound came now. It was the orderly who pulled the man\u2019s hand away and dropped it gently to his side.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s ill, sir.\u201d the orderly said, stating the obvious in such a reassuring way that Adam felt something of an idiot for not saying it first.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre his personal possessions here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir. They\u2019ll be in his trunk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, looked back at the gunner\u2019s mate and shook his head sadly; there was no doubt in his mind that Mr. Chapman would soon have a little green cross inked in beside his name.<\/p>\n

Nathan Ross was standing by the door of the sick bay and it was to him that Adam gave instructions for Chapman\u2019s personal trunk and possessions be brought to his own cabin. Then Adam looked around and beckoned to the marine standing nearby,<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were one of the men who brought the two men back from Naples?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cYou didn\u2019t drink anything while on shore?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA glass of wine only, sir, when we were not on duty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing else?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, definitely nothing else, nor any of us, sir. We never touched anything but a glass of wine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you find the men?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNasty place, sir, dirty it was. Brothel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2026\u201d Adam nodded, pulled a face and asked if the men had mentioned eating and drinking there.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey had certainly drunk a lot, sir, drunk they was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned as Ross appeared with two marines bearing the trunk. It had a bright new padlock which was one of the first things Adam noticed; the other thing was that Mr. Ross obviously had a flair for delegation.<\/p>\n

Chapter 37<\/p>\n

Charles Willoughby ripped open the package that had arrived from Naples in the diplomatic bag. His brother\u2019s untidy scrawl was barely recognisable but brought to Charles the first hope that something tangible was coming out of the mess caused by Laurence\u2019s literally missing the boat.<\/p>\n

He sat down at his desk to read the letter more closely and to consider its contents in a more dispassionate manner.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Charles<\/p>\n

This is written in haste as we are still playing chase with the Baltimore. We are less than a day behind her now. The captain of this tub has promised to put every effort into catching her up, which means leaving sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n

I have not yet learned much from Doestov. I have to admit that because of his history and background what he does tell me I take with a large bag of salt. However, he insists that he is co-operating with us and that was why there was the attempt on his life which left the assassin dead. This is his story\u2014he believes that the man had seen him give papers and information to Adam Cartwright and then followed him from the inn. He was subsequently ambushed and forced to go with this man to another part of the island where he was forced to hand over his papers.<\/p>\n

While the fellow was checking through them another man came and joined them. There was a discussion between them in another language which Doestov claims he didn\u2019t understand because they were too far away from him, but I don\u2019t believe that for a moment. I think he knows who it was and it worries him because he gets rather excited, nervous, when he mentions it.<\/p>\n

Well, they then decided they would chop up Doestov. One of the men then spoke in bad English and Doestov heard mention of the Baltimore. This man then left the other to deal with Doestov, who actually ended up dealing with him. He decided that he would leave identification on the body to mislead whoever was behind this murder attempt.<\/p>\n

He hurried to reach the Baltimore to locate the other man, but was unsuccessful. Hence he is now my cabin companion. Not much else to tell you. He considers me a typical English nincompoop and keeps asking me why I wanted to join up with Adam Cartwright. I keep telling him that it is because we are friends and friends stick together. He isn\u2019t satisfied with the answer but isn\u2019t going to get any other\u2026<\/p>\n

Apart from that he is like a clam; I have little hope of getting any further information from him than he has already given. However, time will tell\u2026<\/p>\n

Regards L. W.\u201d<\/p>\n

It so happened that although Laurence\u2019s letter was despatched in good time, the \u201ctub\u201d did not. It developed some mysterious engine problem which left Laurence and Doestov in Naples for another 24 hours.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Pa, Joe, Hoss and Hester<\/p>\n

We have now reached Naples. Beautiful architecture and a busy place. The journey is proceeding well and although I much prefer the clipper ships to these steamers we do at least manage to keep going despite weather conditions. However, my heart sinks at the prospect of further progress. Now, Pa, that will make you laugh, I think, considering the arguments we have had in the past. Remember the fuss over the windmills?<\/p>\n

Now then, constantly at the back of my mind is this worry about Joe. Days tick by and each day makes me wonder if Custer has made any move towards getting Sarah and Joe to the Indian Territories. It\u2019s amazing how ignorant of American affairs the press here in Europe are. I have trawled through their newspapers for any mention of news from back home but there is nothing. I shouldn\u2019t expect it, of course, but I hope.<\/p>\n

There is little more I can tell you except to say that you are all often in my thoughts. Not sure when exactly you will get this letter but when it does arrive I hope that it finds you all in good health and most importantly, safe.<\/p>\n

Your son and brother
\nAdam\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed and smiled, frowned and sighed again. The letter was too brief, said far too little and gave him no reassurance to his son\u2019s safety at all.<\/p>\n

Joe picked it up and scanned it, then smiled slowly. \u201cWell, guess Big Brother\u2019s worries about Custer ain\u2019t necessary. There\u2019s been no sign of the military around here for days now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester said nothing but looked over at Hoss, who was now reading through the letter, his brow furrowed as though every word bore some significance only he could see.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems to me that our brother ain\u2019t happy on that thar boat of his,\u201d he murmured as he carefully folded it and slipped it back into the envelope.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing can replace a clipper ship,\u201d Ben sighed dreamily. \u201cI\u2019m glad that I never had to make the change from one to the other.\u201d He grinned and rose to his feet. \u201cWell, boys, we have work to get on with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I know,\u201d Joe sighed and stretched his arms high to the ceiling, \u201cI\u2019m going into town so I\u2019ll meet you later, Pa. Hester, do you want to come into town with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Joe, thank you. I have plenty to do here today.\u201d She smiled and lifted her face to accept Hoss\u2019 kiss. \u201cTake care, all of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss smiled, pinched her chin gently and kissed her again. He still couldn\u2019t believe that he had been so blessed with this woman as a wife. He sighed as he picked up his hat and gunbelt and was still smiling as he left the house.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The trunk belonging to Brian Chapman, Gunner\u2019s Mate, wasn\u2019t too difficult to get open, despite the brand new lock (which Adam declared with a grimace was rather extraordinary really).<\/p>\n

\u201cOur Mr. Chapman seems a man of limited intelligence,\u201d he said as they lifted the lid to survey the rummage of clothes presented before them. \u201cIf there was anything to hide, then putting a shiny new lock is tantamount to inviting curiosity, especially onboard ship.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pulled aside clothes and stockings, some books which indicated that Mr. Chapman enjoyed rather lurid and risqu\u00e9 tales\u2014these were tossed rather contemptuously onto the floor. After some moments Adam rose to his feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing.\u201d he shook his head with a scowl, and O\u2019Brien was about to suggest a further search when there was a knock on the door to which Adam called for whoever was there to enter. A young man stepped inside, glanced at Adam, O\u2019Brien and the open trunk with its scattered contents, and then saluted.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, Commodore, for intruding but when I saw you take Chapman\u2019s gear, I thought I should come and see you about something.\u201d He cleared his throat, identified himself as Hiram J. Grimshaw and put his hand in his jacket pocket to produce a letter. This he handed to the commodore<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you get this?\u201d Adam asked slowly as he looked the letter over carefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cEr\u2014it\u2019s like this, sir. That Chapman is an odd character, secretive like\u2026\u201d he frowned. \u201cWell, this particular day when we were leaving home\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWashington?\u201d O\u2019Brien asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir. You came on board, sir, with an English gentleman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on.\u201d Adam leaned against the desk and watched the young man\u2019s face go from blushes to dingy grey and back to the blushes again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThompson noticed it first, how Chapman was hanging around the gent\u2019s cabin and then as soon as it was empty Chapmen went inside.\u201d He paused. \u201cI went up after a few minutes and yelled to him \u2018What you doing in there, Chappie?\u2019 and he scuttled out all nervous and pretended like he was helping with sorting things out for the Limey. Anyway then we saw the marines being put on guard and knew there was something up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Chapman have anything in his possession when he left the cabin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Commodore, nothing at all. Just that he was nervous and then when the Russian gent came on board Thompson and I noticed how he was really fidgety and made sure he worked amidships for that trick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean, he was avoiding the Russian? Did this man seem to be making an attempt to see him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t know, sir. Thompson and I decided to keep an eye on Chapman for a bit; he was acting odd. Good at his job, sir, but odd for all that, and secretive. That new lock for instance, had that put on in Naples.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you with him on shore leave?\u201d Adam asked and then frowned, \u201cNo, I don\u2019t suppose you were\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, thankfully.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo how did you get possession of this letter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2014\u201d Grimshaw licked his lips and cleared his throat\u2014\u201cThompson and I were really curious about what was in that trunk. That new lock just about screamed out to be picked \u2026er\u2026 unlocked. He\u2014Chapman started getting ill and then went to sick bay, so we thought we would look around and see what was going on and report back to you.\u201d His eyes flickered over to Adam nervously. \u201cThat is, if the matter was important enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam bit his bottom lip and frowned while O\u2019Brien folded his arms across his chest and lowered his head. Finally Adam cleared his throat and asked Grimshaw to carry on with his story.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, at first we thought it was just the dirty books that Chapman wanted to hide from us, not that we ever saw him reading anything\u2026\u201d he looked nervously from one man to the other. \u201cBut then I found that letter. I knew it was important because of the picture on it\u2014I mean\u2014that black eagle and then, of course, it being written in foreign writing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2014you stole it from him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir. Not exactly. I would have replaced it right away but with him ill, and that looking so important and Thompson said that it all looked strange to him, so with you taking the trunk before we could put the letter back I thought I had better bring it to you.\u201d He gulped and then pulled from his pocket a leather pouch. \u201cFound this as well, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam took the pouch, similar in size and shape to one of his father\u2019s tobacco pouches, and opened the neck to look inside. His eyes flicked up to survey Grimshaw.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you looked inside?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cTake anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir. Honestly, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, tossed the pouch onto the desk, then looked at Grimshaw.<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm, well, Grimshaw, I\u2019m really not sure what to do with you\u2026I don\u2019t tolerate theft on board this ship, and I rather suspect that theft, and not patriotism, was behind your taking these things from Chapman\u2019s trunk. Are you sure you\u2019ve brought everything to me?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cAnd your associate, Mr. Thompson\u2014what did he take?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t take nothing, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam tapped his fingers against his thigh while he surveyed the young seaman thoughtfully, his dark eyes staring into the reddening face as though to worm out his deepest secrets, then he nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cDismissed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

The relief was evident, Grimshaw saluted efficiently and proudly and hurried from the cabin. Once the door was closed Adam emptied the pouch onto the table, twenty golden coins tumbled thereon, and it was O\u2019Brien who picked one up to look at it. Adam in the meantime was scanning over the letter the language he could recognise although not read, the most pertinent thing about it was the black insignia at the top of the letter of the black eagle with the two heads, one pointing to the east and the other to the west.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we need to talk to Mr. Chapman,\u201d he said slowly. \u201cPerhaps he can explain what this is all about and what his connection with Prussia could be.\u201d he passed a hand slowly over his face and frowned, \u201cI think, Daniel, that this matter is far bigger than we realised.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 38<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think this is all about?\u201d Daniel asked as he sat perched on the corner of Adam\u2019s desk, casually tossing one of the gold coins from one hand to the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s a power game, isn\u2019t it?\u201d Adam pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes for a fraction of a second before opening them to look at the letter again. \u201cThis is the Prussian Eagle\u2014\u201d he tapped the coat of arms that was embossed on the paper with his forefinger\u2014\u201cand it was mentioned when we were in England that Russia was worried about the buildup of Prussian ships in the Mediterranean. I\u2019ve seen German written before and this is definitely German. It\u2019s just that I can\u2019t read it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll have to find someone who can.\u201d Daniel smiled and then slipped the gold coin into the pouch with the others, \u201cAre we concluding that Chapman took a bribe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sat down behind his desk and scowled at the paper before him. His eyes roved over the clothing scattered around the trunk, and then rested upon the pouch of gold coins.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems like it. Grimshaw and his friend Thompson obviously were hoping to be cut in on the deal, hence their keeping quiet after seeing Grimshaw in Laurence\u2019s cabin. Wretched men.\u201d he tugged at his ear lobe now and then leaned back into his chair, \u201cOtto von Bismarck, German Chancellor, negotiated an agreement with Russia, Germany and Austria\/Hungary. That was only a few years ago if I recall rightly.\u201d He chewed on the inside of his cheek as he considered the political fallout from such an alliance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen surely Doestov\u2019s plea for assistance from Britain and America falls short of the truth if in fact Russia has such strong allies to back her up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam laughed rather derisively and shook his head. \u201cYou don\u2019t really believe anything Doestov tells us, do you?\u201d He sighed and rose to his feet. \u201cNo, this is getting too complicated. I think we\u2019ll have to get Chapman to talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he can\u2026\u201d Daniel said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019s a good Catholic, Daniel. He\u2019ll be wanting to clear his conscience before he stands before a much higher authority than me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, how\u2019d you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing but held up the rosary he had taken from Chapman\u2019s possessions. Then with a backward grin at his friend he led the way out of the cabin.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is Joseph Cartwright, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

The woman\u2019s voice stopped Joe in mid-stride and he turned, removed his hat and then looked at the young woman who was smiling up at him. He smiled back, eyes twinkling. \u201cYes, ma\u2019am, Joseph Cartwright at your service.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed then and her blue eyes twinkled with mischief. Joe frowned, sure that he knew her, but couldn\u2019t put a name to the face. He shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, guess you to the advantage over me, Miss\u2014Mrs.\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss.\u201d she said with that smile still on her mouth. \u201cIt\u2019s alright, Mr. Cartwright, I quite understand. It\u2019s been a few years and I don\u2019t think you ever saw me laughing much at the time we spent together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe spent time together?\u201d Joe blinked; surely he would remember spending time with this pretty young woman. \u201cWe weren\u2019t at school together, were we?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Mr. Cartwright, I don\u2019t go as far back as that\u2026\u201d she bowed her head coyly and then looked back up at him \u201cMy name is Mary Ann Hornby.\u201d She lowered her eyes, large grey eyes, and for just a second or two stood there as though she had said something profound.<\/p>\n

\u201cMary Ann Hornby,\u201d Joe said in a gentler tone of voice, \u201cOf course, I remember you. I remember\u2014\u201d he bit his bottom lip and frowned. \u201cYes, I remember all about when we last met. I am sorry, Mary, I should have\u2014I mean\u2014I should not have forgotten; it\u2019s just that you look so different.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOlder, and wiser, I think.\u201d She looked at him and again she smiled. \u201cThe last time we were together I was always frightened, always crying.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou had good reason for that,\u201d he replied and glanced over his shoulder to judge how close he was to the restaurant before inviting her to join him for something to drink. \u201cWould you like to join me for something\u2014\u201d he indicated Del Monico\u2019s with a flourish, but she smiled and shook her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thank you, Mr. Cartwright, it\u2019s rather too grand for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut there must be someplace where we could talk\u2014\u201d he paused and grabbed at her elbow. \u201cCome on, Mary Ann Hornby, you look just fine to me.\u201d And he laughed and put his hat back on his head in a jaunty fashion. \u201cLast time I saw you, you were in a buggy riding down the main street of a town called Calico with a handsome young doctor by your side. Hoss and I thought for sure you were going to marry him.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stepped aside for her to enter the restaurant and followed her in. He then protectively took her elbow and led her to a table where he pulled out a chair for her. She looked up at him and smiled, the grey eyes, large and luminous, shone up at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no, that never happened, Mr. Cartwright. He was pleasant enough, but not the man I wanted to marry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mary Ann Hornby. Joe sat there and looked at her as though he had never seen her before in his life. He remembered the pretty young girl who had approached him and Hoss that day and shyly asked if they would help her and her brother, Frank, get to Calico. He remembered her fears, her tears, the terrible night when Frank was killed, and then the horror of that Indian attack when they were trapped in the cave. He had never seen a pretty young girl change so much in so short a time as he had during those few days with the Hornbys.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you stay there\u2014at Calico?\u201d he asked once coffee and some delicacies had been brought to the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a few years.\u201d she replied shyly, \u201cThe town grew and everything did well.\u201d She ladled sugar into her coffee and stirred it slowly. \u201cFrank\u2019s buried there, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought, perhaps, he would be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a strange time, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded and looked at her thoughtfully, then he shook off the memories and asked her how it was that she was now in Virginia City.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m the new schoolteacher,\u201d she said with a twinkle of the eye. \u201cI applied for the transfer here.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Joe\u2019s turn to laugh now. He told her tales about a schoolteacher called Miss Abigail Jones who had been in love with his brother, Adam, and how life had been a constant war with her, and he told her of how the school was first built even before Virginia City had got its name. She sat there drinking her coffee, nibbling at the delicacies and laughing along with him, as he related some of his many misadventures during his school days.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are your brothers? I often remember them and how brave they were.\u201d she poured more coffee into her cup, slowly added cream and sugar and stirred it all together before looking up at him, \u201cThey are both well, aren\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss is married,\u201d Joe said in answer to her question, wondering even as he did so why it was that he had never given Mary Ann Hornby a second thought once they had left her in Calico.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cAdam returned to sea,\u201d Joe sighed and looked uncomfortable; he fidgeted in his chair a little and glanced out of the window. \u201cI miss him. I sure wish he were here, back home, with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said nothing at that but looked at him thoughtfully, as the sadness in his voice touched that same emotion in her own heart at the memory of a lost brother, and for a moment only silence existed between them.<\/p>\n

Chapter 39<\/p>\n

The gunner\u2019s mate was less feverish than previously and watched the commodore approaching without any indication of fear or anxiety, but rather of relief and peace of mind. He was breathing more easily and the orderly assured Adam that the man would be able to speak, if only for a short while. Adam had already noted the little green cross by Chapman\u2019s name on Ewen\u2019s list as well as several others recently added. It seemed that the disease was not in fair mood that day and was prepared to be unrelenting in its claim to more victims.<\/p>\n

Adam pulled up a stool and sat by the man\u2019s bedside while at the same time he placed the rosary in Chapman\u2019s hands. The light of joy in the man\u2019s eyes encouraged Adam to think that, perhaps, now, he would get some sensible answers to his questions.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Chapman, when I saw you earlier you were talking about some dangers to be faced when we\u2014if we\u2014get to the Suez Canal.\u201d He paused as the man seemed to be struggling to concentrate. \u201cDo you understand what I am talking about, Mr. Chapman?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir.\u201d Chapman clasped his rosary tightly in his hands and his eyes flickered towards Adam, noting the resolute features and dark eyes. \u201cMy trunk?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s safe in my cabin along with its contents.\u201d Adam took the letter from his pocket and smoothed it out so that Chapman would be able to see it, \u201cThis is German, isn\u2019t it? The Prussian coat of arms? What does it mean, Chapman?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing.\u201d Chapman frowned, sighed. \u201cCommodore, I\u2019m just a small cog in the machinery. Just like you are really. We get orders and we do as we\u2019re told, isn\u2019t that right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam, who didn\u2019t like to be considered a small cog in anyone else\u2019s machinery, could not but fail to admit the man was right. He lowered his eyes and pursed his lips briefly. \u201cWhat does this letter say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy order of the undersigned I am ordered to follow Laurence Willoughby, collect information, give what information I have to a contact. Those are my orders, Commodore, nothing more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were well paid for it\u2014\u201d Adam remarked dryly.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cYou sold yourself to Germany and betrayed your own country. You know that makes you a traitor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, no.\u201d Brian Chapman stared intently at the rosary which dangled from his fingers, \u201cNo, sir, I\u2019m not a traitor to my country. I\u2019m German by birth. I came to America only ten years ago. My mother taught me English from infancy, she being English herself.\u201d he paused, a spasm of coughing racked him and perspiration dewed his face. It was Adam who gently wiped it away with the wet flannel that was in a bowl beside the bed. \u201cI love my country, just as you love your own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cChapman\u2014\u201d he paused\u2014\u201cI presume that isn\u2019t your real name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, that\u2019s my real name\u2014\u201d he pointed to some words in the letter.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen did you start on this errand of yours?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want me to betray\u2014\u201d he coughed again, sputum flecked from his mouth which Adam carefully wiped away. \u201cNo, it\u2019s right, after all, what does it matter for me? Soon I\u2019ll be dead and\u2014\u201d he reached out and took the letter from Adam\u2019s grasp to stare at the coat of arms and the contents again, \u201cPlease, give the money to my wife?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI was to follow Willoughby, in Washington. Get papers from him. Someone shot at him, it happened too quickly for me to prevent it and I didn\u2019t know where it came from but after seeing that Willoughby was safe, I tried to find the gunman. It was the Russian\u2014Doestov.\u201d He paused now, wearied by talking and his breathing became laboured.<\/p>\n

Doestov\u2014Adam frowned, forced himself to keep his face impassive and patiently waited beside the man until Chapman had gathered his wits together.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoestov\u2014he\u2019s one of the Russians you despise, never know which side he\u2019s really on, slippery, like an eel.\u201d The gunner\u2019s mate frowned, and then he smiled briefly, a smile that was strangely cruel. \u201cHe won\u2019t bother anyone anymore, not now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause he\u2019s dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, he\u2019s dead alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you be so sure, Brian?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI followed him from the inn when he gave you that information. Then I took him to where I meet up with my contact. Beat him till he gave some information, not much, not enough. I had to go to get back on board ship but my contact, he was going to deal with him.\u201d He frowned again, \u201cI went into Willoughby\u2019s cabin when he boarded ship, hoped to find some papers, some information, but there wasn\u2019t anything. Was disturbed anyway, that stupid Grimshaw. Then Doestov came on board; I knew why. He wanted to get rid of me, so I hid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would Doestov want to kill you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe knows me. That\u2019s enough for him, no other reason \u2018cept that\u2026\u201d he closed his eyes now, and sighed. \u201cI\u2019m just a small cog, Commodore. I did what I was told, that\u2019s all. When you get to Suez I was to get information\u2026\u201d he frowned, \u201cI don\u2019t know anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRussia and Prussia are part of an alliance, aren\u2019t they? Why is Russia trying to get so much support from America and Britain when they\u2019re in such a strong position with their other allies?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore\u2014I told you\u2014I don\u2019t know about things like that. I\u2019m a German and proud of my country. Russia will one day be a strong country; Prussia needs her as an ally. That is\u2014\u201d he struggled to speak, again his breathing became laboured. \u201cThat is just a poor German\u2019s point of view, only.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment Adam said nothing, he looked thoughtfully at the man who had his eyes closed now and from the way his fingers rolled over the beads of the rosary and his lips moved it was clear that prayer was more important to him that disclosing any further information to his commanding officer. Adam put his hand on the other man\u2019s shoulder, a reassuring gesture which elicited no response from Chapman at all.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien listened to what Adam told him and shook his head. \u201cSo, really, he\u2019s right, Adam. We are just little cogs in the machinery really.\u201d he crooked an eyebrow and smiled over at his friend who was seated at his desk with the German\u2019s letter in his hand, \u201cWhatever Prussia and Russia are involved in doesn\u2019t really concern us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you\u2019re right,\u201d Adam said with a half-hearted smile as he slipped the letter in with the other papers in the folder. \u201cIt\u2019s just frustrating knowing that whatever we do won\u2019t tie all the pieces together, will it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur concern is to make sure that our president will be safe when he visits Egypt next year. What Prussia and Russia do mustn\u2019t interfere with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut why then are they so interested in us? Why the German on board our ship dogging Laurence, and why Doestov pleading for our help?\u201d He slipped the folder into a drawer and locked it. \u201cI wish we could just turn this ship round and get back home. There\u2019s so much happening there, so much about to happen\u2014\u201d he paused then and walked to the porthole to gaze out upon the waters. \u201cSometimes I think I was sent out here just to be got out of the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOut of the way from what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, what some call Home Affairs.\u201d he shrugged, broad shoulders stretching the jacket across his back, \u201cI should be back on the Ponderosa, home with my brothers and father.\u201d he sighed, \u201cYou must be thinking much the same, Daniel, wondering how Maria is and everything with your family?\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel said nothing to that but turned his head away. His silence said more than words and Adam sighed, stared out over the water and began to tap his fingers impatiently against the wall.<\/p>\n

Chapter 40<\/p>\n

Looking at the clock on the wall brought Joe\u2019s mind back to the reason he was in town so he smiled at Mary.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuess I had better be getting along now, Mary. If I don\u2019t meet up with Pa there\u2019ll be trouble.\u201d He slid from his chair and gently assisted her to her feet. \u201cI\u2019m really pleased that you decided to take up the vacancy for schoolteacher here. I guess I even envy the kids going to school now.\u201d<\/p>\n

He paid for the coffee and then opened the door for her to step back into the main street.
\nStrange how quickly they had started referring to one another by their first names. So simple, so easy. The sun was hot, prompting him to lower his hat and Mary to raise a hand to shield her eyes before she turned towards him,<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned a lot on that trip to Calico, Joe,\u201d she lowered her eyes and bowed her head, \u201cAll thanks to you and your brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a tough lesson you had to learn though, Mary, and I\u2019m sorry that you had to suffer so much through it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you were suffering quite a bit yourself at the time.\u201d Her voice was soft and she glanced up at him with the kind of look in her eye that a woman gets when searching for more than the obligatory answer coming her way.<\/p>\n

She noticed how his jaw line tightened; his eyes had a yearning look in them before fading into that misery that only comes to those who have lost someone dear to them.<\/p>\n

He sighed. \u201cYes, I guess I had,\u201d he admitted honestly, and then smiled at her, banishing the misery and pain away by taking her by the elbow and steering her towards where his horse was nodding over the hitching rail. \u201cWhen do you start work as schoolteacher, Mary?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a few days. I\u2019ve seen the school, met the children.\u201d She glanced over towards the Emporium. \u201cI have a few purchases to make and things to do before I start.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m due some time off tomorrow afternoon. This weather looks like it\u2019s going to hold for a while; perhaps we could go riding? I could show you the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be good. I\u2019ll look forward to it.\u201d She nodded briskly and smiled at him; her grey eyes seemed to be smiling at him too and Joe had to clear his throat before nodding and saying, \u201cRight, tomorrow then.\u201d<\/p>\n

He watched as she walked away without a backward glance. Perhaps he did watch her a little longer than usual, but his mind was drifting back to when they last met, and all he could think now was that she had changed, definitely, and for the better too. His mouth slipped into a dreamy smile as he turned and mounted his horse, turning its head with a swift flick of his wrist.<\/p>\n

Captain Lancey and Major Fleming watched as he rode from town. Fleming then turned to watch the girl walking now into the Emporium.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could use the girl.\u201d Lancey said softly beside him, his own eyes still on the back of the young man on the piebald horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cUse her?\u201d Fleming frowned, then shook his head, \u201cNo, we don\u2019t want more civilians involved than necessary. I know what bait to use for this particular fish, don\u2019t you fret none.\u201d He stepped into the road with Lancey following close beside him, \u201cShe\u2019s a pretty girl, you\u2019re right about that, but Cartwright needs something tougher to bite on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lancey said nothing to that, he merely turned his head to watch the girl enter the store and get swallowed up into the dark interior beyond.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Dimitri Doestov enjoyed a game of chess. As he and Laurence Willoughby engaged in yet another battle over the chessboard he thought how much like a game of chess life became. One move here and all would be well, move elsewhere, then disaster.<\/p>\n

He thought back to his time on the Isle of Wight when that German clunk head who had got himself on board the Baltimore had forced him to a confrontation with the other Prussian. Fools that they were talking about the Suez Canal and with every word showing how little they knew. He could have told them the plans had changed, the British Intelligence\u2014pah, he could spit every time he thought of them\u2014deciding that Port Said was safer. But no, he had kept calm and relaxed, taken the blows they dealt him and waited his chance.<\/p>\n

Now here he was playing a game of chess with the Englishman whom he had made at least one attempt to kill so far. A likeable idiot who bumbled on about the Kuril Islands and meeting Adam Cartwright there, and how he loved his art. Ah, to be a great artist then he should move to Russia and see the beautiful art there.<\/p>\n

He paused to move a rook forwards to counter Laurence\u2019s clumsy attempt to block him. Then he sat back to see what Laurence would do next; he already knew where he would go, but then he always liked to be just that one step ahead of his opponents. He smiled and tapped ash from his cigarette into the silver box that was on the table next to the chess board.<\/p>\n

The British had fallen over themselves to accept his story because it had contained enough of the truth to be believable. Russia did need allies because relations with Prussia were not stable and with war looming with Turkey, mother Russia needed to know there would be a contingency put into place in the event of Prussia failing her. Doestov was convinced that Bismarck had no intention of giving his support.<\/p>\n

He shook his head as Laurence made a fatal error with his next move. The game was drawing to a close. Dimitri smiled to himself and moved once again; he raised his eyes and saw the calm look on Laurence\u2019s face, the blue eyes twinkling unsuspectingly.<\/p>\n

It was strange that they were allies at present. Laurence had nothing to offer him, no information, no clue to anything. He wanted adventure, he was young, he wished to be with two men he admired and who had befriended him; that was all. But yet\u2026he sighed and sat back, inhaled the cigarette smoke deeply, held the smoke for a moment in his mouth and slowly released it in a cloud that hovered for a while over the chess board.<\/p>\n

Laurence Willoughby smiled to himself; how easy it would be now to make his move and declare checkmate. It was obvious Doestov hadn\u2019t even noticed the danger he had placed himself in. He glanced quickly at his adversary and noticed the smug, complacent look on his face. It was tempting, so tempting to flick the chess piece over and say \u2018Check mate\u2019 but Laurence was not a fool, not the idiot Doestov thought him to be.<\/p>\n

During the days of this voyage Laurence had got to understand Doestov well. He knew that were he to declare the game his now, even though it were just a chess game, he would reveal something to the Russian that was best kept hidden. To allow Dimitri a glimpse into the fact that Laurence was not quite the fool would create problems that he didn\u2019t yet want to countenance.<\/p>\n

He frowned, scowled, muttered under his breath and moved his next piece. Doestov nodded, smiled once again and flicked over the piece.<\/p>\n

\u201cCheckmate\u2014game over, my friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Only it wasn\u2019t really. The game, the real game, had only just begun.<\/p>\n

Chapter 41<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re joshing me, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss narrowed his eyes and looked once again at the smiling countenance of his younger brother. There was no mistaking the twinkle in Joe\u2019s hazel green eyes and the light cheery smile on his lips, and the way he tossed his hat onto the bureau made Hoss wonder that perhaps this was no tom-foolery on Joe\u2019s part after all.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I ain\u2019t joshing you, Hoss. True as I\u2019m living, Mary Ann is now the new schoolteacher.\u201d he picked up an apple as he passed the table and scrubbed it down on his jacket, \u201cAnd I\u2019m taking her out for a ride round the Ponderosa tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d Joe bit into the apple and then sat down with a bounce, he sprawled out a little and put his feet up on the table while he chomped on the apple with the same determination his horse would have done.<\/p>\n

\u201cFact is\u2014\u201d Hoss settled his rear on the arm of the settee, \u201cfrom what I recall of Miss Mary Ann Hornby she was always in tears about something or other. She ain\u2019t your regular kind of gal, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is now.\u201d Joe paused as he was about to bite into the apple again and frowned. \u201cHer being a schoolteacher isn\u2019t so bad after all.\u201d He glanced over at Hoss, \u201cAnyway, when you look back on what took place then she had reason for all that squalling and wailing, what with the renegades attacking us and killing her brother, and then the Indian attack.\u201d He nodded, as though to himself. \u201cRemember how she looked after that Indian that was wounded? She was doing pretty well by then considering -.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded and reached out to grab at an apple as well. He bit into it. \u201cShe was a pretty little gal, if I recall right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe IS a pretty little gal, Hoss.\u201d Joe sighed and leaned back, closed his eyes, \u201cFunny I didn\u2019t notice it so much back then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, it weren\u2019t long after you lost Little Moon, if\u2019n you call rightly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The smile on Joe\u2019s lips wavered; he opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling as though it mattered a lot to know what was up there. He nodded then, sighed and sat up. \u201cThat\u2019s right, so it was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyhows, I s\u2019pose that means you\u2019ll be taking her on a picnic?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head, bit into the apple and once again closed his eyes. For a moment he wanted to think of someone else, remember her face and the sound of her voice. He smiled slightly and was about to speak when the door opened.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you two boys were going to come down to the north pasture to help with the fencing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe removed his feet from the table and tossed his apple into the fuel box. Hoss rose to his feet and turned to face his father, who was pulling off his gloves to toss into his hat. Ben turned, looked at them both, and frowned. \u201cSomething going on here that I ought to know about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Pa,\u201d Hoss replied and shoved the apple back into his mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Pa, not really.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does \u2018not really\u2019 mean?\u201d Ben paused in the act of unbuckling his gun belt. \u201cYou boys cooking up something ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Pa, I just met an old friend in town, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA female friend, Pa.\u201d Hoss added and winked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new schoolteacher, Pa.\u201d Joe smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cSchoolteacher? Not\u2014no\u2014not Miss Abigail Jones?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean, Mrs. Abigail Myers, don\u2019t\u2019cha, Pa?\u201d Hoss chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t her, Pa,\u201d Joe said, and walked towards the window to look out at the view beyond.<\/p>\n

Behind his back Hoss and his father glanced at one another, raised their eyebrows, smiled a little and chose the path of discretion by saying nothing at all.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Barbara Scott Pearson enjoyed the brief time she spent with the other ladies who joined her at her home to do needlework and quilting. The quilt they were working on at present was going to be a gift to the next young couple to be wed in Virginia City.<\/p>\n

She glanced over at Hester, who was busy with her needle, her head bent low as she carefully stitched on her square of pale pink cotton with a lovely rose and forget-me-not pattern in its centre. Barbara was worried about Hester, who had been extremely quiet and melancholy since Milton had died and Ingrid left. It was obvious from the conversation they had shared not long afterwards that everyone was more than pleased at Ingrid\u2019s departure, just not pleased at the way it took place.<\/p>\n

The ingratitude of the woman, Barbara thought as she smiled over at Joanna Pettit and took the reel of silk from her. She pulled out a strand, snapped it off with her teeth and began to thread her needle. How could people be so unkind and inconsiderate, she mused, and promptly pricked herself with the needle.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you alright?\u201d Bethany Pettit, Joanna\u2019s daughter, leaned forward to show her concern for the woman who not so long ago had been her schoolteacher.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I wasn\u2019t concentrating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara smiled at Bethany for whom, she suspected, this quilt was being made. Such a sweet girl and everyone was waiting for the announcement of her engagement to Mitch Allen. It would be perfect, Mitch was so wealthy from his mining connections, and Bethany was so sweet and unworldly.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me see?\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara extended her hand, the small drop of blood hung delicately from the puncture wound and Bethany, with rather a flourish one has to admit, took the hand in both of hers to look at it and sympathise.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my goodness,\u201d exclaimed Clemmie Hawkins, \u201cWhere did you get that ring? D\u2019you mean to tell me that that rascal has proposed to you at last?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bethany simpered. Now that attention was drawn to her hand she just had to show the ring off. It was so perfect, everyone exclaimed over it\u2014the size, the shape, the colour, the way it gleamed when she turned her hand this way or that way.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful.\u201d breathed Hester, who loved her own ring that Hoss had bought her but still, could admire this one with true sincerity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not new,\u201d Bethany said as she looked down at it admiringly, twisting her hand this way and that way, \u201cMr. Coutts bought it from someone who had never worn it, ever. Just imagine that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t imagine any woman not wanting to wear a ring like that, duckie.\u201d Widow Hawkins said as she snipped the thread from the piece she had just finished sewing onto the quilt.<\/p>\n

Barbara said nothing as she sat there and stared at the ring. Surely it couldn\u2019t be, just couldn\u2019t be, the ring that she had returned to Adam? True enough she had never worn it, but oh how often she had taken it from the box to admire. He had said there was only one of its kind, having commissioned it to be made especially for her. She smiled, nodded, agreed it was lovely and began to frantically sew the little patch of blue material onto the quilt. What difference would it make anyway, after all, she had never worn it, had returned it to Adam, it wasn\u2019t hers to regret, to wish\u2014well, that didn\u2019t matter either, not now.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did Mr. Coutts get it from?\u201d Widow Hawkins asked, \u201cI can\u2019t imagine any woman in Virginia City wanting to sell a rock like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Bethany said shyly, \u201cHe never said, except that he only got it recently. As soon as I saw it I knew\u2014just knew\u2014that I had to have it, and Mitch didn\u2019t mind, even though it was SO expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yes, thought Barbara, it would be expensive. I know it would be expensive \u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore? Sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned as the seaman addressed him and then saluted him before waiting for him to speak, then he gave his name, Jonas Appleby, and his ranking, orderly in the sickbay.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Mr. Appleby?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. McPherson said to tell you that Mr. Chapman died just moments ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, sighed, but when Appleby remained standing he raised an enquiring eyebrow, to which the orderly promptly replied, \u201cDr. McPherson said that you wanted to know if anyone on board ship spoke or read German? Well, sir, I do \u2026Ich spreche Deutsch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you read it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, fluently.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBe in my cabin in ten minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Adam watched the black clad orderly hurry back to the sickbay where he would no doubt have to inform McPherson that he would be absent for a while. He glanced from left to right and watched the men at work, and then without a word hurried to his cabin.<\/p>\n

He had the letter ready for Appleby\u2019s attention by the time the orderly arrived. He looked at the other man and asked if he were German or had German connections.<\/p>\n

\u201cNone, sir. I\u2019m a citizen of the United States through and through. I learned to speak German during the war when I was billeted with a seaman who spoke it fluently. He taught me to speak it, as well as read it. It helped pass the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat you may read here is confidential material not to be mentioned to anyone else outside this cabin; do you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do, sir, thank you for having the confidence in me to be of service.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and then slipped the letter across the desk to the orderly who glanced at it, frowned and looked up. \u201cDo you want to write down what I read, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, picked up pen and dipped it into the ink; it hovered over the clean paper as he waited for Appleby to translate.<\/p>\n

Chapter 42<\/p>\n

Inevitably the mystery of the letter was a disappointment to Adam, although he realised that it would be important to those whose life work was to keep account of the activities of various factions. He said not a word as Jonas carefully translated and he wrote down the information, dipping his pen into the inkwell every so often and his frown deepening along with it.<\/p>\n

The letter confirmed that Brian Chapman was a German national whose real name was Brian Lehmann. His instructions were the main content of the letter\u2014to gain information, to follow Laurence Willoughby, to continue in his work as gunner\u2019s mate on the Baltimore, a position he had held since she had been built and which had made Adam pause for a moment, realising that this same man might well have been one of those incarcerated with O\u2019Brien in the caves on the Kuril Islands.<\/p>\n

There was the name of a contact in England, the one, Adam mentally noted, responsible for dispatching Doestov. There were also the names of contacts in various other locations, one of which was Naples and another at the Suez Canal.<\/p>\n

The Prussians had obviously done their homework but were not up to date, as there was no mention of any contacts in Cairo, or awareness of that being the Baltimore\u2019s destination. Adam sighed as he wrote down the last word, remembering how Charles Willoughby had whispered \u201cWalls have ears, Russian ones.\u201d Perhaps he could have been grateful knowing they were not also Prussian.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all, sir.\u201d Jonas replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Appleby.\u201d Adam looked at him for a moment as he put away the pen and flicked over the lid of the ink pot. \u201cHow long have you served on the Baltimore?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSince she was built, sir. I worked under Dr. Soames last trip out, with Mrs. Pelman.\u201d He frowned. \u201cI heard tell the lady died.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery beautiful but sadly not right in the head, if you know my meaning, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and then dismissed him with his thanks. When Appleby had closed the door of the cabin he looked down at the letter in his hands and sighed, well, he asked himself, what had he really expected?<\/p>\n

He folded his translation together with the original into an envelope and wrote down the address. When he reached Tripoli he would hand this over to the relevant people and it would be sent, by diplomatic bag, to Washington. Doestov\u2019s assassin would be among those whose employment would suddenly come to an end.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat exactly do you do, Dimitri?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence was struggling to tidy the knot in his tie, scowling at his reflection in the mirror and yet watching the Russian through the reflection within it. He saw Dimitri\u2019s eyebrows rise, the thin lips curl, and the shoulders\u2019 slight shrug.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do not understand? You ask vot exactly?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, are you a farmer\u2019s boy or a schoolteacher? You could be a shop keeper or a landowner for all I know. You must have another life apart from this one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDis vone?\u201d Dimitri frowned; again he shrugged. \u201cDis is my life. I go where my masters send me.\u201d His face was blank, his eyes inscrutable. \u201cYou are an artist, da? I enjoy art; ven I go to the cities of Russia alvays I go see the art. But I am not an artist. You come on this journey to be with friend? I unnerstan\u2019 that, it is goot to be with friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they\u2019ll get a surprise when they see me.\u201d Laurence grinned, \u201cI\u2019m like the bad penny that turns up when least expected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dimitri nodded, his face bland, he had no idea what Laurence meant by referring to bad pennies. He pouted slightly. \u201cYou tink perhaps I am the bad penny?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no\u2014\u201d Laurence laughed, although at the back of his mind he was thinking \u2018oh yes, indeed\u2018. If Adam and O\u2019Brien had read about Dimitri\u2019s death then they were in for a shock when they saw him again, as large as life and twice as ugly\u2014an expression his nanny would use whenever he returned home for school holidays.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am from a goot family in Russia. My grandfather was cousin to Queen Katerina.\u201d He shrugged. \u201cIt is long time ago now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence nodded, frowned and straightened back his hair, an unruly lock of which had fallen across his forehead. Little by little he was discovering more about this elusive and rather difficult man, and one thing he had learned was that he was dangerously ruthless in the pursuit of his own ambitions.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright\u2019s heart sank when he saw Clemmie Hawkins bustling up towards him. He turned to Hester for help, but she had quickly disappeared into one of the stores, leaving him wide open to attack\u2026he straightened his shoulders and prepared for the onslaught.<\/p>\n

\u201cBenjamin, I am so pleased to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEr\u2014thank you, Clemmie, and how are you today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMystified.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh\u2014not a word I would associate with you, Clementine.\u201d He forced a smile; Widow Hawkins was constantly mystified over one thing or another, she had a memory like a steel trap and anything that appeared at variance with anything she remembered would \u2018mystify\u2019 her until she had it solved, sorted, rummaged through and duly relegated into its proper place.<\/p>\n

She smiled, fluttered her false eyelashes in what was, she thought, a feminine artifice but which looked more like two spiders having a fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know young Bethany Pettit is now engaged?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHester mentioned it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid she tell you about the ring she was wearing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d Ben\u2019s head was already aching; why on earth would he be interested in a ring Bethany or Hester would be wearing?<\/p>\n

\u201cBethany Pettit\u2019s ring. Well\u2014\u201d Clemmie slipped her arm through his and wheeled Ben around so that they were suddenly both strolling down the sidewalk while she talked, and he, captive audience, had no choice but to listen. \u201cI recall one time overhearing a conversation between Adam, your son Adam that is, and his brother Hoss. They was talking about a ring and from the way your boy was describing it I got to thinking it was going to be a thing of beauty. Any\u2019ow he noticed I was standing close by and grinned, like he does that naughty boy, and \u2019e winked at me. So\u2019s I said, \u201cwhat\u2019s this \u2019ere about a ring?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed, she was obviously talking about the ring Adam had had made for Barbara before he made that ill-fated trip to Alaska. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth but Clementine Hawkins continued on regardless, leaving Ben floundering like a holed boat.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo any\u2019ow your boy pulls out a little box, proud as a peacock \u2019e was I could tell, and he showed me this ring. \u2019Course I didn\u2019t know then he was thinking of getting married or anything like that and he didn\u2019t any\u2019ow so I never gave it another thought until I saw it again on Bethany\u2019s finger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt couldn\u2019t be the same ring, Clementine. Adam always kept it safe back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it ain\u2019t back home, Benjamin, it\u2019s on that gal\u2019s finger as large as life. You know I\u2019ve got a good eye for jewels, duckie, and ain\u2019t likely to be fooled, I know it was that ring your boy got for his gal. I ain\u2019t sayin as \u2019ow I know which gal it was, now, am I? Just that it IS that ring.\u201d She frowned then, although her eyes twinkled with mischief, \u201cAnd let me add, there was one in the party who looked proper flummoxed at seeing it I can tell you!\u201d She lowered her voice and whispered, \u201cP\u2019raps she\u2019d seen it before an\u2019 all, dearie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head, released his arm and made his excuses, with some difficulty, before returning to his previous destination. He shook his head: Clementine Hawkins and her silly little insinuations and her big mouth, of all the stupid women in the world. He paused in mid-stride, and shook his head\u2014the fact was, of course, Clementine Hawkins was not stupid; she had proven that time and again.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

George Custer twisted the last button of his vest and frowned thoughtfully as he watched the face of President Grant and the face of the man to whom Grant was speaking. When his wife, Elizabeth, drifted to his side he posed the question uppermost in his mind,<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is that man?\u201d He nodded over to the tall blond young man speaking earnestly to Grant. \u201cBy the cut of his suit I\u2019d say he\u2019s an Englishman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, dear, I\u2019m hardly likely to know more than you, am I?\u201d she replied and laughed, but turned with twinkling eyes to the man who suddenly appeared at their side, \u201cHarold, who is that man over there? My husband and I have a little bet on whether he is an Englishman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he is,\u201d Harold Fish replied dryly and his eyes flicked from her to George. \u201cInteresting developments really.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn what way?\u201d Elizabeth asked as she turned to look once again at the Englishman who was now in earnest conversation with someone else while Grant had disappeared.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, just interesting.\u201d Fish cleared his throat and crooked an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

Custer gave his wife a little shove of the elbow and she took the hint well enough and strolled over to another lady to chatter over things of far more important to themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo? Who is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInteresting fellow,\u201d Fish said softly. \u201cFrom England, name of Charles Willoughby. His youngest brother is a friend of a friend of ours.\u201d<\/p>\n

George looked blank and tugged at his moustache, which he had lovingly groomed earlier with his sandalwood comb to ensure it retained its blondness.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do have some friends, don\u2019t you, George?\u201d Fish laughed at his own joke but stopped when Custer scowled at him. \u201cAdam Cartwright,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShush.\u201d<\/p>\n

They both glanced guiltily around and then sidled off towards the corner of the large ballroom. There was much mingling and chattering going on; music was playing in the background, but at this point of time there was dancing. Custer snatched at a glass of wine from a tray borne along by a bland-faced lackey, and over the rim of the glass asked Fish what was going on.<\/p>\n

\u201cIntrigue\u2014and your Adam Cartwright is up to his neck in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFirstly he is not my Adam Cartwright. I loathe the man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fish looked at Custer thoughtfully and smiled, although his eyes looked as cold as any fish could be. \u201cApparently the commodore is on course to\u2014well\u2014somewhere hotter than his last expedition. You should have more respect for him, George; he\u2019s a brave man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know a lot of brave men\u2014\u201d Custer replied dully.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, of all the brave men you know he\u2019s the only one the president has entrusted on this particular task. I don\u2019t envy him either\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know what it is about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not enough, not yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo why is he here\u2014this Willoughby ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLord Charles Willoughby, British Intelligence, and concerned about matters of state. Now, that\u2019s all I\u2019m prepared to tell you, George. It\u2019s too\u2014\u201d he tried to think of the word but ended up just shaking his head. He walked away, leaving George alone to drink his wine and think over what had been said, and to fill in the blanks for himself.<\/p>\n

Chapter 43<\/p>\n

The music became louder and now couples were drifting into the dancing. As Elizabeth \u201cLibbie\u201d Custer turned towards her husband she saw him approached by Sheridan, their heads together for an instant before both began to walk towards the door that Grant had used earlier.<\/p>\n

She sighed and turned back to the chatter of the woman beside her. A pretty woman, intelligent, the daughter of a wealthy and influential judge, she had been used to tragedy in her life time as her mother and three siblings had all died before she had reached the age of 13*. Doted upon by her father she was similarly adored by her husband, a man who was the whole centre of her life, George Custer.<\/p>\n

Now she let the flow of murmuring voices filter around her. She watched her husband enter the other room and the door close, shutting her out and leaving her to alone with her thoughts. A solitary figure even while surrounded by these chattering people.<\/p>\n

Grant was standing with his back to the desk as Custer, Sheridan and Sherman entered the room. Harold Fish was nowhere to be seen although Custer had a vague impression that the Secretary of State was talking to the Englishman, obviously in an attempt to inveigle more information from him.<\/p>\n

Grant now turned towards them and Custer was struck by the fact that the president had aged, the toll of his position was obviously having an effect on him, for he looked haggard and weary.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, gentlemen, while we have the chance to be together before we go our separate ways, what\u2019s the latest information about the Black Hills expedition?\u201d<\/p>\n

No one spoke; the minutes hung on the air, heavy and embarrassing. Grant raised his eyebrows. \u201cWell, let me tell you what I know\u2014Sarah Thocmetony has disappeared. Somehow she must have got wind of what was going on. From what we have been told she has gone away because she doesn\u2019t want to be involved in the ravages about to be inflicted upon the sacred ground of the Cheyenne.\u201d He glowered at each one of them. \u201cAny of you know how this could have got to her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps Adam Cartwright\u2014\u201d Custer ventured.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s enough of that, George,\u201d Sheridan respond brusquely. \u201cYour personal vendetta against Cartwright has nothing to do with this.\u201d He turned to Grant with a frown. \u201cWe have men on the situation there, Mr. President, and it\u2019s gone slowly because of the trouble we\u2019ve been having with the Comanche. You heard about the situation at Adobe Wells*?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did\u2014I thought we had a treaty with these people?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, the Medicine Lodge Treaty in 1867 was meant to effect peace with the Kiowa, Comanche and Southern Cheyenne. Like most of our treaties with these people it\u2019s always fragile and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd?\u201d Grant growled<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I guess the Peace Policy you offered has failed with them. Isa-Tai of the Quahadi Comanche wants war and he\u2019s inciting others to join with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you offering this as an excuse for not getting the job done with the Indian Territories in Dakota?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; it isn\u2019t an excuse, sir, it\u2019s a fact. The other fact is that there\u2019s a lot of to-ing and fro-ing going on between them and the Cheyenne at present. The matter of attaining Joseph Cartwright\u2019s help is well underway due to this current situation.\u201d Sheridan permitted himself a small smile of triumph. \u201cIt\u2019s just taken longer than we had first thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep me informed,\u201d Grant said with a coldness not typical of him, and each man there felt uneasy as a result. He looked at Sherman, \u201cThis situation with the Comanche\u2014do you feel it\u2019s under control?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have good men dealing with it, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. I don\u2019t want the momentum lost due to any trouble with some irritated Comanche and Kiowa\u2014understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

They understood, nodded and fidgeted. Now dismissed, they trailed their way out of the office. Custer paused at the door and turned towards Grant.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you heard anything from Commodore Cartwright, sir? It seems quite some time since we saw him here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grant looked at Custer thoughtfully, the silky tones of the officer didn\u2019t fool him, but he noted that the others had turned, curious as to what the answer could, or would, be to the question.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore Cartwright is well, thank you, gentlemen. He\u2019s doing something of great importance to this country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Custer\u2019s lip curled contemptuously, \u201cSuch as\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaking sure the life of the president is kept safe,\u201d Grant growled, and his eyes flashed dismissal as he strode from the room.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was a pretty little thing,\u201d Mr. Coutts said slowly as he carefully polished the glass counters behind which jewels glittered beguilingly. He paused and looked thoughtfully at the rancher who was almost appearing to fill the room with his presence. \u201cA widow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA widow?\u201d Ben\u2019s voice boomed.<\/p>\n

Mr. Coutts swallowed, grateful for the fact that there were no other customers in the vicinity. He nodded. \u201cShe said the ring had been bought by her husband shortly before his death. She had never worn it and\u2014\u201d he cleared his throat as he saw the colour of Ben\u2019s face turn red, then pale, and then went a strange mottled colour, \u201cas a result she desperately needed money. Cash.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich you gave her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course. She suggested a price and as it suited us both I gave it to her. It was such an unusual ring, the gold entwined perfectly around the ruby and I quite honestly couldn\u2019t resist it. I knew it would sell quickly because\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Coutts, did the lady give you a name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe didn\u2019t have to, Mr. Cartwright. I already knew her; it was Mrs. Buchanan, the lady who stayed with you on the Ponderosa with her husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben, to Mr. Coutts\u2019 eyes, seemed to swell like one of those toads one often reads about, but then the rancher released a great deal of hot air from his lips and slowly nodded. \u201cAs I suspected\u2026\u201d he said, thumped the glass counter with his fist and strode out of the shop, setting the bell ringing crazily and Mr. Coutts busy with his duster to remove the imprint the blow had administered to his pristine glass.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd do you still miss her?\u201d<\/p>\n

The question was asked with sincere honesty and gentleness; there was nothing that Joe could take offence at unless he was going to be a totally insensitive idiot. He shook his head and cleared his throat. \u201cWell, yes, I do. But she doesn\u2019t haunt me anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHaunt you?\u201d Her eyes widened, a small pucker appeared above her eyebrows, and then she smiled, \u201cYou mean, she doesn\u2019t seem to be everywhere you look any more?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d He smiled as though relieved that she understood. \u201cI guess that\u2019s why I was so touchy when we first met. I was still trying to convince myself that she wasn\u2019t dead, that it was a mistake, that perhaps I would find her if I went back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you didn\u2019t go back, did you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; every day of that journey was taking me further from any chance of turning back. Another reason why I was so unpleasant at the time: I was finding it hard because I felt guilty over not protecting her from what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

They slipped into silence for a moment while they thought over what had been said. She looked over at the lake and then raised her eyes to the sky. It seemed as though the few clouds there hovered delicately upon the tips of the mountains. When she lowered her eyes she met with lush grass and daisies; paintbrush in red and yellow decked the fields along with phlox and Hooker\u2019s balsamroot. Joe plucked one and swirled it between his fingers before passing it to her to sniff.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it called?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Hooker\u2019s balsamroot, you can tell it ain\u2019t arrow leaf balsamroot because the leaves are serrated\u2014see, here?\u201d and he held it in the palm of his hand so that she leaned forward to look more closely.<\/p>\n

He could see the curls growing at the hairline on her neck, chestnut coloured and as glossy as could be. Her jaw line was smooth and firm, her nose neither too long nor too short, and he watched her smile, the dawning of dimples in her cheeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know so much about flowers, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe kids learn about them hereabouts, Ma\u2019am,\u201d he said in mock teasing tones. \u201cMost of \u2019em are used for healing and such.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid I\u2019m ignorant about such things.\u201d She frowned. \u201cI\u2019ll have to get the children to teach me when it comes to botany classes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll always be pleased to teach you, Ma\u2019am, anytime you wish to choose, let me know.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed then, and looked into his eyes, such expressive hazel green eyes, so expressive in fact that she had to turn her head away.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat flower is that?\u201d she pointed to some a little distance away and he sprung to his feet immediately to collect it for her, but she caught at his hand, \u201cNo, don\u2019t pick it. It\u2019ll die if you do. It\u2019s too pretty \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

And then his mouth was upon hers, and her eyes closed because it seemed as though the sun, sky and clouds had all merged into one vast swirl of colour to lift her up and leave her gasping for air.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry\u2014\u201d he said, sitting a little away from her, \u201cIt was just that\u2014\u201d he gave his head a slight shake, as though he couldn\u2019t believe what he had done himself. \u201cShucks, Mary, I just couldn\u2019t stop myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him with a blank expression on her face as she wondered what to say to him. To say or hint that she had liked it, and yes, please, some more would be nice would make her appear cheap and wanton, like those painted up women in the saloons. To act coy and silly would be a lie about herself, she was not a coy or silly woman. To appear angry and affronted would also be a lie because she felt neither of those feelings.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you forgive me?\u201d he looked at her, deep into her eyes, smiled so that the corners of his eyes crinkled and the green in them shone.<\/p>\n

She turned away from him to look over the lake and at the mountains again, she brushed aside the sweet flowers with the tips of her fingers and then glanced back at him, saw the puzzled expression in his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Joe.\u201d She rose to her feet, swirling the little balsamroot flower between her fingers. \u201cI think we should ride home now, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded, picked up his hat and followed behind her with a frown still lurking upon his brow. He licked his lips as though the taste of her was still there, and then she turned, and smiled. \u201cWill you take me riding again, Joe? Soon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnytime you wish, Mary.\u201d<\/p>\n

She extended her hand to him and he took hold of it, her fingers intertwined with his and tightened, just a little, and then, somehow, she was in his arms and she was kissing him.<\/p>\n

It was a strange thing, Joe thought to himself as he rode home beside her, their horses matching their strides each to the other, but when she had kissed him it was as though the feeling it evoked within him wiped out or away the feelings he had once felt for Victoria, and was like sweet balsam ointment to the pain in his heart from losing Little Moon. He was healing at last, in a way, and with someone quite unexpected.<\/p>\n

Chapter 44<\/p>\n

Hoss paused in his polishing the saddle and looked thoughtfully at his brother. Joe, recognising the look, shrugged and tried to appear nonchalant.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, Hoss, don\u2019t you be looking at me like that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike what, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike what I did I shouldn\u2019t have done, that kinda look.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, seems to me you shouldn\u2019t have gone and kissed her like that, not when it was the first time you were out together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou forget, Mary Ann and I went through a lot together a few years back awhile, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, and you seem to forget that it weren\u2019t so long ago that you were planting a kiss on Ingrid!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe sighed and shook his head. \u201cYou would have to bring that up, wouldn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, fact is, you did, didn\u2019t\u2019cha?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2014I mean\u2014kinda.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom where I was watching you were, and that\u2019s my final say on the matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood\u2014you just about said too much anyhow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t even started yet and\u2014\u201d Hoss clamped his mouth shut and rolled his eyes.<\/p>\n

For a moment there was silence as Joe watched Hoss polish the saddle. He pulled some straw from a bale close at hand and twisted it around in between his fingers, and then he sighed. \u201cFact is, she was kissing me back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI tol\u2019 ya, I ain\u2019t saying nothing more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe wanted me to kiss her, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems like so did Ingrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, yeah\u2014\u201d Joe tossed the straw to one side and strolled to the door of the stable to look over at the house.<\/p>\n

Hester was sitting on the porch with the sun twinkling down at her. He watched as she sat with her head bowed over one of Hoss\u2019 socks that she was busily darning.<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t you want to kiss Hester as soon as you saw her?\u201d he asked slowly, dreamily.<\/p>\n

\u201cNope\u2014\u201d Hoss picked up the saddle and hoisted it on the top rail of the stall. \u201cI didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you said to me once that as soon as you saw her you knew she was the one for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, that\u2019s whar you and I are different. See, I saw Hester and felt like I knew she would be right for me, but I didn\u2019t know her, so I had to go and get friendly with her first, and then the kissing stuff came later.\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled slowly and his blue eyes softened as he stepped to the stable door and glanced over to his wife. \u201cI guess the thought did cross my mind that she sure was kissable \u2026\u201d he said, clearing his throat. \u201cBut not the first time I took her out. That weren\u2019t respectable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, guess you\u2019re just a respectable kind of guy, Hoss, not like me.\u201d Joe said with a twinkle in his eyes.<\/p>\n

They were both silenced by the arrival of Ben, who dismounted, nodded over at them both and hurried towards the house. They watched in some curiosity as Ben acknowledged Hester with a hasty greeting before he slammed into the house. Hester turned to look at the door as the knocker still trembled from the force with which the door had been closed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s biting him?\u201d Joe murmured and stepped forwards closely followed by his brother.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s first action upon entering the house was to go to the safe and open it. He pulled out documents and letters, the cash box, the velvet box within which nestled Adam\u2019s medal, and after that, to make sure there was nothing left inside, he groped about into all the corners just in case he had missed something.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Pa?\u201d Joe asked as he peered over his father\u2019s shoulder to get a glimpse of the action.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing,\u201d Ben grunted.<\/p>\n

Hoss scratched his head and raised his eye brows. \u201cDon\u2019t seem like nothing to me, Pa. What have you lost?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho said I\u2019d lost anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben put everything back into the safe and then looked at his sons before switching his black gaze upon Hop Sing, who had had the misfortune to step into the room with a hot pot of coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing\u2014that day you saw Ingrid in Adam\u2019s room, did she take anything from there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, hands empty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was she doing? Just remind me of what you said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe just looking in wardrobe and drawers \u2026 she not say nothing, not take nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid she go in there again?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing not see her go in again. But\u2014\u201d he shrugged his shoulders\u2014\u201cHop Sing not always here when lady was here on own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben said nothing to that, but watched his old friend put the coffeepot down and scuttle off to the haven of his kitchen. Ben now turned to look at his sons. \u201cAdam\u2019s ring\u2014the engagement ring he had made for Barbara\u2014do you know what happened to it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, Pa, Miss Barbara handed it back to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cS\u2019right, Pa, she gave it back and he put it away in his drawer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn his drawer? That was a darn stupid thing to do; why didn\u2019t he put it in the safe, for Pete\u2019s sake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you know Adam\u2014the value of the ring was the pleasure it would have given to Barbara. Once that was gone he just shoved it away and wanted to forget it, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked thoughtfully at Joe, nodded and rubbed his jaw. \u201cWell, the fact is some other woman has the pleasure of it now. It was stolen from Adam\u2019s drawer and sold to Coutts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure, Pa?\u201d Hoss looked at his father anxiously; it had been some since he had seen Ben this riled, he put out a hand as though to reassure him. \u201cLook, ain\u2019t it best to go up and check for yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, but you can bet your bottom dollar that it won\u2019t be there. Clementine Hawkins recognised it on Bethany\u2019s hand\u2014and Coutts admitted buying it from Ingrid.\u201d he frowned, \u201cI\u2019m surprised that Adam would have shown it to Clementine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, well, weren\u2019t nothing else he could do seeing as she\u2019d seen him showing it to me. If she\u2019s going to shoot her mouth off best she tells the truth than what she assumes \u2026 anyhow, he was that proud of it.\u201d Hoss\u2019 voice trailed off, and he cleared his throat. \u201cLet\u2019s go and make sure it is missing, Pa, just in case she made some mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCoutts didn\u2019t\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYah, but Ingrid had a lot of jewels, Pa, could be she did sell one of her own.\u201d Joe said softly although he looked as though he didn\u2019t even believe what he was saying.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Lancey watched as the convoy approached him and his detachment of men. The cumbersome cage being pulled along by several horses drew the attention of him and his men as it emerged through the dust cloud.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat in tarnation have they got in there?\u201d he asked Fleming, who decided that he wouldn\u2019t show his own ignorance by bothering to answer.<\/p>\n

The officer in charge of the approaching convoy of men now raised a hand to halt them before proceeding towards the two officers who were waiting for his arrival. He saluted before handing Fleming an envelope. \u201cYour orders, Major.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fleming nodded and tore the envelope open. From the jerk of his Adam\u2019s apple, Lancey had an idea that what he had read he didn\u2019t particularly like, but he nodded and saluted the newcomer.<\/p>\n

The letter was handed to Lancey who read it, coughed as though to clear his throat, and handed it back.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey sure mean business, don\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems so.\u201d<\/p>\n

They wheeled the horses round in order to return to where they were billeted, their own detachment of men fell in behind them, followed by the newcomers along with the cage in which were shackled several men.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

They were approaching Tripoli at last. As Adam surveyed the natural harbor, flanked as it was on the western shore by the small, easily defendable peninsula, he could clearly see how the Americans had lost so much during the first Barbary War in 1805. He had read about that war, as well as the second Barbary War in 1815, and had spoken to some seamen, old \u2018seadogs\u2019 who could recall tales being told to them of their forebears\u2019 battles against the pirates that controlled the seas and how the 1815 war ended\u2014or was supposed to have ended.<\/p>\n

Algiers, Tripoli and Tunis, known collectively as the Barbary States, had united under the Ottoman Empire\u2019s control to fight against American and European dominance over the seas. When it came to an end in 1815 it also put a stop to the American practice of paying tribute to the pirate states and helped mark the beginning of the end of piracy in that region.<\/p>\n

He stood on the bridge and observed the ships, magnificent clippers, sailing ships, yachts, steamers, all collected together under a benevolent sun. He was on the way to Cairo now, and arriving here was putting him on the threshold of what was to come.<\/p>\n

Protocol and procedure had to be followed, and this took time. Information regarding their yellow flag indicating sickness on board had to be communicated to the authorities and dealt with, which took more time. Eventually he and Hathaway were able to take the launch and proceed to harbour where documents were signed, passed over and discussed.<\/p>\n

Now he could deliver his mail and was more than delighted to be handed a well-filled mail sack for the Baltimore. So much to do under the dictates of Port Authority, but in time they were able to return to the ship and distribute the mail, after which they sailed into the harbour to take up their berth.<\/p>\n

It was always a good feeling to hand out the mail. Adam watched as the men received mail from home; he saw the faces of those with letters from home, he saw their joy sometimes turn to sorrow, he saw their pleasure turn at times to ecstasy. There were those who received nothing and for them he felt sympathy. The greatest treasure after many weeks at sea was the letters from home.<\/p>\n

The ship berthed, arrangements made for fresh food and water to be taken on board, but just for the time being, there were letters to be read, enjoyed, and memories to dwell upon.<\/p>\n

Chapter 45<\/p>\n

When work was done those with letters settled to read them. From the bridge, Adam watched the men as they did so, and the quietness of the ship fell upon them like a comforting blanket to provide warmth because all were swept into the womb of nostalgia.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s face softened as he watched his men, his ship\u2019s company, huddling together in groups or finding a private place in order to hide away the emotions. They had been a long time without news. Ewen had taken the letters for those men who were ill in the sick bay, although some would never be read. Brian Chapman\u2019s letter was retained by Adam and slipped into his pocket along with those waiting to be read in the privacy of his cabin.<\/p>\n

After a while, when his patience could no longer be stretched any thinner, he hurried to his cabin, shrugged off his jacket and loosened his collar. Then he pulled out his letters and carefully placed them on the table \u2026 Pa\u2019s letter\u2026Hoss\u2019\u2026then Joe\u2019s\u2014and, oh, an official one. He cleared his throat and pushed that to the far corner of the table to be read at some other time. Chapman\u2019s letter he placed alongside the official one.<\/p>\n

He looked at them with the same hungry longing look on his face that he had seen on the faces of his men and the feeling in his heart. He wondered, for a moment, if any one of them could have felt that same way or if it was selfish of him to suppose that only he could feel that pressure in his chest\u2014the dread to find bad news, the excitement at reading good.<\/p>\n

He poured himself a glass of whiskey and took it to the table, pulled up a chair, stretched out his legs and put his feet up, and picked up Ben\u2019s letter.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dear son,<\/p>\n

It seems as though already you have been gone far too long. Perhaps it\u2019s because time passes so fast and yet I know it is beyond my control, and my time is getting too short.<\/p>\n

Well, Adam, I left you with a heavy heart in \u2018Frisco, and when I read your letter today my heart grew even heavier. Joe and I discussed this matter long and hard; it all seems vague and confusing. How could Joe help anyone in this situation? It just seemed to me at the end of it all there is a hidden agenda.<\/p>\n

I am becoming more suspicious with age and experience. Your experiences over the past few years has taught me a cynicism that I had wished not to have, but now, your letter warning Joe and Sarah about Custer and Grant\u2019s plans makes me boil up inside.<\/p>\n

Joe, I know, will eventually go to see Sarah; he\u2019ll discuss things with her and hopefully they will resolve something. She\u2019s is a more rational creature than he\u2026after all, he is your brother, and although you found him so much more mature on your last leave, beneath the surface he is still tempestuous Joe.<\/p>\n

Enough of these concerns. Hester had a letter today from her brother, Milton, who informed us of his intention to visit us with his wife, Ingrid. The letter was late in arrival and they, if punctual, will arrive tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

He read on, smiling at little anecdotes about old Thurber\u2019s bull getting loose and creating havoc again, the success of the last cattle run to the fort at Yuma. He ended reading the letter with an ache in his heart and the feeling that somehow he should be home, with his father, who for the first time in any letter had referred to his age.<\/p>\n

He sat for some time holding the letter and just staring at the bold dark handwriting and feeling a dread growing in the back of his mind in the way a thundercloud gathers on the top of the mountains.<\/p>\n

\u201cPut it aside, don\u2019t dwell on it,\u201d he told himself and picked up Hoss\u2019 letter, the date of which was several days after Ben\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis here Ingrid is sure some lady, \u2019cepting she acts like no lady I ever seen before.\u201d So wrote his brother about their visitor and went into a lengthy description of various situations concerning Ingrid that made Adam laugh, banishing away the black cloud of despair he had felt at reading Ben\u2019s letter. Hester had written a little post script sending her brother-in-law her fond love, and Adam smiled, mentally congratulating Hoss for his choice of wife.<\/p>\n

He had almost finished his glass of whiskey when he opened Joe\u2019s letter; the brash handwriting of his youngest sibling took up several pages and only once did he refer to Adam\u2019s letter and the \u201cIndian problem.\u201d It was referred to in such an offhand manner and so glibly that Adam felt reassured that his brother was safe, that no one had come to him, nor would come to him. For that he was grateful and when he concluded the letter, he gulped down his whiskey and leaned back with his feet up on the table and his head full of memories.<\/p>\n

Riding home on Sport through the tall grasses along the lake, with the sun on his back and the sky blue overhead. He closed his eyes and smelt the pine and the sweetness of spring flowers. There was the wind in his face, soft and warm, caressing and gentle. There was Ben standing at the door of the house, a smile on his face, dark eyes welcoming. There was fun and there was laughter, the teasing and the jesting. There were the crazy horse rides, that mad time when he and Hoss had bought a hay burner of a horse and lost the race, but Joe hadn\u2019t. He smiled, opened his eyes and saw O\u2019Brien looking down at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2014I\u2019m a father.\u201d<\/p>\n

He blinked, shook his head, wondered if he had fallen asleep, then smiled and got to his feet. This was a time of celebration, slapping of backs and drinking whiskey. He summoned his steward to tell the cook to prepare a special meal\u2014which would never be as good as Hop Sing\u2019s, not in a million years\u2014to invite the officers and Dr. McPherson to the table.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien was father of a son \u2026 Patrick Adam O\u2019Brien.<\/p>\n

Chapter 46<\/p>\n

Ingrid Buchanan looked out window and gazed upon the city sprawled like a giant canvas before her. She smiled slowly, contentedly. Like a hunting tigress that had found her prey and been sated, she was now purring. She turned away and walked to the door, paused and glanced over her shoulder as though to make sure the room was there, just as she had seen it a moment ago, just as it had been when she had first been introduced to it.<\/p>\n

She heaved a sigh of satisfaction and walked along the landing to the stairs which led down to the large reception rooms of the house. A tall thin man walked across the marble floor, glanced up and smiled as he saw her. \u201cMrs. Buchanan\u2014Ingrid\u2014you look beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d She laughed a musical sound that tinkled through the hallway as she descended the stairs and walked into his arms. \u201cDearest Philip, I\u2019m so glad to have found you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He kissed her then, stroked her cheek and smiled. To think he had almost missed the stagecoach that was bringing his nephew to San Francisco. The lad had been despatched off to continue his next stage of the journey to college, but he had taken Mrs. Buchanan, recently widowed and defrauded of her rightful possessions, so she said, to lunch at the finest restaurant in town.<\/p>\n

That had been some days ago now, and she had cancelled her booking to France while she got to know Mr. Philip Manson a little more \u201cintimately.\u201d In a few more days\u2019 time they were going to move to France together, to occupy the house in the Rue de Montmartre, Paris.<\/p>\n

They always say no matter how far the fall, a cat always lands on all four legs.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Adam weighed the letter in his hands, tapped it against his chin, turned it round and round and finally put it down on the table. With a sigh he rose to his feet and walked to the window out of which he watched Tripoli fading from view. Above his head he could hear the sounds of activity. The ship was moving through the calm seas with ease; he could smell her, hear her. With another sigh he bowed his head, pouted a little and frowned.<\/p>\n

Well, no need to say anything just yet, he thought; there was nothing immediate, nothing urgent that had to be conveyed until they reached Port Said. In the meantime he would act as normally as possible; after all, it would be to everyone\u2019s advantage to do so.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, are you going to eat breakfast without too much fuss?\u201d Joe looked at his father anxiously, memories of the previous evening and his father\u2019s ill temper too recent to forget.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not making a fuss,\u201d Ben insisted as he flapped out his napkin and placed it over his knee, \u201cBut I can\u2019t let Coutts get away with theft, nor that young lady go around thinking that ring is hers when it isn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is in some ways,\u201d Joe replied, languidly forking bacon onto his plate. \u201cAfter all, Mitch paid a hefty price for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCoutts should be ashamed of himself.\u201d Ben snorted and poured out coffee, then looked over at Hoss and Hester, \u201cYou\u2019re both quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, I was just thinking of that little gal, is all.\u201d Hoss muttered and glanced at his wife, who was watching Ben thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking of Bethany too,\u201d Hester said, \u201cand to my mind I don\u2019t think she\u2019d like to have someone else\u2019s ring on her finger.\u201d She shrugged slightly, \u201cI mean, she would be totally humiliated if someday someone were to recognise that ring and mention it had belonged to Adam, or Barbara.\u201d She buttered some bread slowly. \u201cI think it might be a good idea if I rode out there today to see her and just have a little chat with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd explain what happened to her?\u201d Ben asked, relief mounting in his eyes, before they went dark again, \u201cThen I\u2019ll go and see that Coutts and have him arrested for accepting stolen goods.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t know it was stolen, Pa.\u201d Joe reminded him and grinned over at Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s no excuse,\u201d Ben snapped, \u201cand as for Ingrid. I\u2019m sorry, Hester, she may be related to you but that woman is a\u2014\u201d he paused to think of a word.<\/p>\n

Hester quickly interrupted, \u201cI know what she is, Ben, and thankfully, now that Milton is dead, she is no relative of mine.\u201d She frowned slightly. \u201cDo you think she would have gone to France, to the house in Paris?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere else could she scuttle?\u201d Hoss asked dourly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ll leave that to you,\u201d Hester smiled at Ben and rose to her feet. \u201cNow, if you will excuse me, I shall get ready to go and visit Bethany before anyone else does.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three men glanced at each other and nodded agreement, the spectre of Clemmie Hawkins doing a \u201cgood deed for the day\u201d trip to Bethany Pettit\u2019s rising formidably before their collective eyes.<\/p>\n

Hester was a prudent woman, and without any preamble she told Barbara Scott Pearson what had happened and asked her to accompany her on the trip to see Bethany. In her gentle voice she reminded Barbara that she had been Bethany\u2019s teacher and friend for some years, while she, Hester, was a comparative stranger to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much better it will be for her to know about the ring from you, Barbara, especially as you have a connection to it. Better than having Clemmie Hawkins or me telling her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Hester, it places me in such an awkward situation, after all, Adam and I\u2014\u201d she paused and sighed; after all, there was no \u201cAdam and I\u201d now, and she lowered her eyes and nodded in agreement. \u201cJust give me time to get ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

So it was that Barbara and her little boy, with Hester accompanying them, knocked on the Pettit\u2019s rather imposing door, and reluctantly, hesitantly, told Bethany the truth about the ring.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Mitch paid so much money for it.\u201d Bethany protested as she removed it from her finger and placed it back into its box which she handed to Barbara. \u201cIt\u2019s such a lovely ring; I don\u2019t know how you could have parted from it, Mrs. Pearson.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara smiled and held the little box tightly in both hands. Hester explained to Bethany that Mitch would be fully reimbursed and another ring, she was sure, would soon be gracing Bethany\u2019s pretty little finger.<\/p>\n

Back in the buggy and on the journey home Barbara opened the box and looked at the ring as it caught a shaft of light upon one of the facets.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought I would see it again,\u201d she sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is beautiful, Barbara; he must have\u2014\u201d she paused, turned away and concentrated on the road ahead.<\/p>\n

Barbara sat still, holding her son close, and stared blankly ahead of her, yes, she thought, he must have loved her after all. She sighed, shook herself from her daydreams, and pressed the box into Hester\u2019s hand,<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep it safe; perhaps, one day, he\u2019ll find he\u2019ll need it for another.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester\u2019s fingers closed around the box and she slipped it into her purse. Perhaps, she thought, perhaps he will, one day.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The matter was tidily settled, though not satisfactorily in some quarters. Mr. Coutts was most annoyed to find himself the victim of a theft. He forgot that in the back of his mind he had suspected the beautiful young lady of some roguery, only protesting now his innocence and ignorance. Ignorance, Roy Coffee, had snorted, was no excuse in the eyes of the law; Coutts was, legally, the purchaser of stolen goods, and he had benefited by such theft. Quaking in his highly polished patent leather boots Mr. Coutts paid Mitch the money and watched in dismay as the young man put it in his wallet and promptly left the store without another glance at the beautiful rings on display there.<\/p>\n

In the evening Hester sat down to write a letter to her sister-in-law, addressed to the house at Rue de Montmartre, Paris, France.<\/p>\n

Chapter 47<\/p>\n

Ezra Deacon pulled his horse up to a halt so abruptly that it had no choice but to rear back. Pulling his hat down to shade his eyes he looked down at the column of soldiers threading their way through Ponderosa land, hauling along with them a large cage containing what seemed to be human beings.<\/p>\n

His eyesight, which was never good after a few drinks at the Sazarac, failed him somewhat now but was adequately sharp enough for him to know army men when he saw them, and he knew for sure that they were on Ponderosa land because he was on it too, only he had a right to be there as he was one of Ben\u2019s hired hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis ain\u2019t right,\u201d he muttered as he watched one of the soldiers raise an arm to halt the column. \u201cNah then, what\u2019s going on here?\u201d<\/p>\n

He dismounted clumsily, cursed his legs for being slightly wobbly, and began to make his way through the rocks until he could hide behind a large boulder and watch. It didn\u2019t take him long to register the fact that the convoy was making camp there in an efficient and militia style manner. When he saw the officer in charge signalling for men to act as guards he silently withdrew back to his horse and galloped in the direction of the ranch.<\/p>\n

Ben was standing in the yard with a cup of coffee in one hand while he balanced the saucer in the other. As Ezra galloped into the yard Ben turned, coupled cup to saucer and waited for Ezra to dismount. Ezra complied in a hurry, nearly tripping over himself as a result.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou been drinking again, Ezra?\u201d It was Joe who spoke, coming from the stables. Ezra jumped in surprise\u2014he hadn\u2019t known Joe was there\u2014and turned towards Joe with a scowl on his face and a denial on his lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the hurry, Ezra?\u201d Ben\u2019s voice didn\u2019t have that mocking tone that Joe\u2019s carried, and the other man turned towards his employer gratefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cI jest saw a whole convoy of soldiers on Ponderosa land, Ben. They weren\u2019t just crossing over either, they stopped and made camp, set up guards as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSoldiers?\u201d Joe frowned, \u201cOn Ponderosa land?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezra looked at Joe and nodded; sometimes he wondered if Joe was a little simple in the head the way he had to keep repeating things. He turned back to Ben. \u201cLook like they reckon on staying, Ben. And\u2014\u201d he cleared his throat, \u201cthey got some kind of infernal cage with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat sort of cage?\u201d Ben asked and Ezra felt some reassurance that he had done the right thing by the serious tone of Ben\u2019s voice and the way the rancher was looking at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s big, got some men in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, guess they could have come across some deserters. It isn\u2019t unusual for these transportation cells to be used when taking prisoners across country,\u201d Ben mused and looked over at Joe. \u201cYou stay here, Joseph; I\u2019ll go with Ezra to see what this is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s alright, Pa, I have things to do anyhow.\u201d He waited for Ben to return to the house in order to get his gun belt and hat before he turned to Ezra. \u201cWhereabouts is this army column, Ezra?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBeecher\u2019s Flats, close to the box canyon there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know the place,\u201d Joe nodded thoughtfully, then walked back into the stable with a slight niggle at the back of his mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s voice summoning him and he turned to stand at the entrance of the stables with a duster and tin of polish in his hand. \u201cYes, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere do you intend to go today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to see Mary Ann.\u201d<\/p>\n

A straight answer to a straight question; Ben looked into Joe\u2019s eyes and then nodded,<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well, make sure you don\u2019t go anywhere near that army convoy, do you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Pa, but I don\u2019t know why you\u2019re so worried; it won\u2019t have anything to do with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re on Pondorosa land.\u201d Ben growled as he buckled the belt, \u201cI can almost smell that Major Fleming and Captain Lancey. Just stay away\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Pa.\u201d Joe smiled innocently and turned back into the stable. He finished the polishing of his leatherwork and thought over the conversation he had had with Ben. Well, he had other more interesting things on his mind than a convoy of soldiers, and he smiled to himself as he carefully buckled up the cinch strap on his horse.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Captain Lancey watched the two men riding towards him with a thoughtful expression on his face. He was not by nature a war faring man, more of a diplomat and tactician than anything else, and this assignment was not really one for which he had much stomach. He was, however, the product of a family line of army men, going back to when one of his ancestors was wielding a buckler and claymore against the English at Culloden.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot our man there, Major,\u201d Lancey said to Major Fleming, who was seated on a chair in front of a large tent. To his comment he received a shrug of the shoulders.<\/p>\n

Ben rode directly towards the tent, and noticing the way Fleming remained seated at the entrance of the tent, he decided that he would not dismount. \u201cMajor, what\u2019s the meaning of this? You\u2019re on Ponderosa land.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe army has the right to cross this land, Mr. Cartwright, without hindrance from yourself or anyone else,\u201d Fleming drawled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith my permission\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr without it.\u201d Fleming did now rise from his chair and look at Lancey, who pulled some papers from his jacket to show Ben. Ben gave it a swift glance over before scowling darkly at them both.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright , my men will be staying here for a while yet. I\u2019m afraid you will just have to get used to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor what reason?\u201d<\/p>\n

Fleming looked at Lancey to supply the reason, looking directly at him with such a cold expression on his face that the Captain had to turn away from him to look at the rancher. He nodded. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mr. Cartwright, but while there are hostiles in the vicinity of the Ponderosa we have to remain in order to round them up and return them to their reservations.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cKiowa, some Cheyenne, Comanche.\u201d Lancey listed them off while keeping his eyes fixed on Ben\u2019s face. \u201cThey\u2019ve been causing trouble along the Panhandle in Texas and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014and came down here to start stirring things up with your friend Winnemucca.\u201d Fleming added, shoving the Captain back with his shoulder as he moved towards Ben. \u201cThat day we went looking for Sarah Winnemucca, we found ourselves a real treasure trove of hostiles. The government\u2019s policy is to round them up and return them to their reservation. If they resist\u2014\u201d he shrugged, \u201cthey get shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s dark eyes flicked from Fleming\u2019s face to Lancey\u2019s. From there he looked over the camp to where the cage was situated. \u201cIs that the reason for that cage?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPrecisely. It is quite legal, Mr. Cartwright; it\u2019s used for transporting prisoners and deserters from one place to another.\u201d Fleming looked up at Ben and saw the distaste in the rancher\u2019s face. \u201cWe have our duty to perform, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben said nothing, although words churned around in his head that he couldn\u2019t put into any sensible structure, and which he knew would fall on barren soil\u2014for Fleming was an ambitious man, and this small assignment could be another rung up the ladder, should he succeed in it. Ben shook his head. \u201cI want you and that contraption off my land as soon as possible.\u201d he barked and wheeled his horse around to return to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

He could feel their eyes boring into his back and felt an utter failure.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember that time in the cave?\u201d Joe asked Mary as they sat at the table in Del Monico\u2019s, \u201cWhen we were down to our last bullet?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paused with her fork suspended in mid-air towards her mouth, she lowered it slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever forget it,\u201d she said, \u201cYou asked your brother, Adam, what to do with me, when you were down to your last bullet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I didn\u2019t think you would have heard that,\u201d Joe lowered his own fork, the meat slipped back into the gravy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard.\u201d She looked up at him, large grey eyes wide, a trifle moist as though tears threatened to fall. \u201cHe said that as you had assumed responsibility for me, you had to make up your own mind about it; after all, I was a human being.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were silent a moment, and he reached out his hand and took hold of hers, their fingers entwined. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t have let them take you, Mary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, and I thought that there was no way out for me at all, either you would shoot me or the Indians would take me. I just prayed and prayed, Joe.\u201d She smiled then, the dimples in her cheeks appearing. \u201cThat young man got shot and then everything seemed alright, didn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled slowly, and then released her hand. \u201cI watched you care for him and thought how brave you were.\u201d He looked down at his meal and sliced through some meat. \u201cYou were brave, Mary Ann.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas I? Well, I had you and your brothers as good examples, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled again, lowered her eyes and continued with her meal. Yes, she thought to herself, she had had wonderful examples of courage, kindness and familial love those few days on that journey. She had also realised when the three brothers had ridden away that there would never be anyone to match them for those qualities, not if she were to live to be a hundred. As time had passed she had become more and more resolved to find them, particularly one, the one she had given her heart to so many years ago.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Hester Cartwright opened the door of the doctor\u2019s office and looked around her thoughtfully. She heard the sounds of someone in the inner room and coughed loudly enough for whoever it was to emerge.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe with you one moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

She recognised John Martin\u2019s voice and frowned, waited a moment and then turned and left the building, closing the door behind her. For a moment she stood there on the sidewalk, before she stepped forward with her mind made up; she would go to the Emporium and buy some material instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, duckie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two words to instil fear in any citizen\u2019s heart, especially when in a hurry, and particularly when standing outside the doctor\u2019s as she was. She turned and smiled. \u201cHello, Mrs. Hawkins.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are alright, aren\u2019t you, dear?\u201d Clemmie batted her eyelashes, and Hester widened her smile just in case the elderly woman hadn\u2019t noticed through the spiders\u2019 webs.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerfectly alright, thank you, Mrs. Hawkins. I was just on my way to the Emporium to buy some material.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I see. I just thought, seeing you going into the doctors and then coming out so quickly that something was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing\u2019s wrong, Mrs. Hawkins.\u201d she put a hand out to reassure the woman and was about to make her escape when the door opened and John stepped onto the sidewalk.<\/p>\n

\u201cEr\u2014did either of you ladies come into the office just now? I thought someone was there but\u2014\u201d he looked from one to the other of them, and they looked at one another and then looked back at him. No one spoke. Clemmie smiled at him; John shrugged,<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I guess I had better get back to dealing with Max\u2019s abscess.\u201d He sighed. \u201cI hate doing them, messy and rather bloody\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

That was when Hester fainted and was saved from hitting the ground by John moving quickly forward to catch her.<\/p>\n

Chapter 48<\/p>\n

Adam had weighed up the rights and wrongs of whether or not to open Brian Chapman\u2019s letter. On the one hand he felt he would be invading the personal rights of the dead man, especially as the writing was in a feminine hand; yet on the other hand there was the possibility that the letter contained important information that would help him later.<\/p>\n

It was O\u2019Brien who had nudged him into opening the envelope and extracting the letter: as Daniel had so succinctly put it, what harm would it do Chapman now, he was dead after all?<\/p>\n

It was, however, all in German, written in elegant script, and the few words that Adam did understand in the language were terms of affection: \u201cMein geliebter Ehemann, Brian\u201d introduced the letter and the phrase \u201cIch liebe dich\u201d was repeated several times.<\/p>\n

He slipped it back into the envelope and after a moment\u2019s hesitation he put it into Chapman\u2019s personal effects. There had been other deaths since leaving Tripoli and burial at sea had taken place leaving a sombre mood among the crew. As he picked up his jacket he saw the other letter peeking from the inner pocket and frowned slightly. Then he pulled the jacket on and buttoned it as he made his way to the bridge.<\/p>\n

They were going at a steady speed and Ewen had reported no further cases of typhoid. It had been well contained among those few who had frequented the brothels of Napoli and tasted the fouled waters in that area. It was sad to think that a man to whom a woman wrote in such endearing terms as had been in the letter would have gone to such a place. Adam wondered if, had he lived to return home, Brian Lehmann\/Chapman would have taken home some rather undesirable gift to his wife, a result of his Neapolitan liaison.<\/p>\n

The waters of the Mediterranean Sea were beautifully clear and blue. It was possible to look down and see the fish as they swam close to the surface; there was not a cloud to be seen in the sky, as blue as the sea itself.<\/p>\n

Near at hand a seaman began to whistle a jaunty song, and it wasn\u2019t long before another joined him. Adam leaned forward, hands clasped together, and watched the men at work, the mood caused by the funerals now lifted as someone began to sing the words to the tune, and he smiled a little before turning to the helmsman. \u201cAre we on course?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir. All\u2019s well.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned to Hathaway who was now standing at his side. \u201cInform engine room to increase speed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood at the bridge with the sound of the breeze drifting by, felt the slight shift of the ship as she changed speed vibrated through the decks, and sighed. It wouldn\u2019t be long before they were in Port Said; one more day and they would be there. He stared down at the men on the deck below and quite envied them their simple life even though hard at times. Everyone had to obey some master or other, and with that thought in mind he walked to the port side of the ship to stare out at sea.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething\u2019s bothering the commodore,\u201d the helmsman said to the officer on the bridge and Hathaway nodded, his eyes on the back of his commanding officer.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien came and joined Adam as he stood staring out to the far horizon. \u201cYou look thoughtful. Are you worried about what\u2019s going to happen when we get to Port Said?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cConcerned,\u201d Adam answered truthfully, and his brow furrowed just a little, although he didn\u2019t shift his gaze from the sea. \u201cAbout this time at home they\u2019ll be having supper, I should think. Hop Sing will have cooked his pork roast, perhaps; you never had that when you stayed with us, did you, O\u2019Brien?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t think I did.\u201d Daniel smiled. \u201cMaria is a hopeless cook; to be honest, I shall no doubt have to hunt one down, a good cook, I mean, once I get back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if you don\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t? Don\u2019t what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what if you don\u2019t get home?\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel frowned now, and raised his chin defiantly, it wasn\u2019t something a man thought of when out at sea, or, if thinking about it at all, certainly didn\u2019t dwell upon it. He cleared his throat and fidgeted a little. \u201cI don\u2019t like to think about that,\u201d he admitted.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; best not to, isn\u2019t it?\u201d Adam replied, and turned to Daniel with a smile, one that didn\u2019t really meet his eyes. \u201cI think we\u2019ll have a good banquet tomorrow. We should eat just as we sight Port Said, what do you think?\u201d and before he got an answer, \u201cTell the others.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien watched as Adam walked away, his back straight and hands clasped behind his back. He saw as Adam stopped to talk to one of the crew, obviously some commendation from the way the man\u2019s face lit up. Well, he mused, something is obviously worrying the commodore and we won\u2019t find out what it is until tomorrow. Hence the feast. Daniel stood there on the deck feeling anxiety trickling through him, and the sudden fear that all was not well became nearly overwhelming.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hathaway was standing beside him, and Daniel shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know. Whatever it is, we won\u2019t find out until tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat long?\u201d<\/p>\n

They looked at one another and each of them recognised the anxiety in the eyes of the other.<\/p>\n

In his cabin Adam removed his jacket, slung it across the back of a chair and waited for his steward to bring in some coffee. He wanted to sit, read, drink coffee and think, perhaps just wallow a little in nostalgia. He opened the door to the steward, thanked him, poured out coffee and walked over to the window with the cup in his hand.<\/p>\n

They would be sitting down at the big table now, he mused, perhaps with a bunch of flowers in the centre because Hester was that kind of woman; she liked flowers. They would be talking and laughing together; Hoss would eat as though he had not eaten for a week, and Joe would be joking about something totally irrelevant while Ben would listen, nod, join in here and there, and Hester\u2026well, she would be sitting there serving the food, and listening and smiling and looking adoringly at Hoss.<\/p>\n

It must be wonderful, he mused, to have the love of a woman who would gaze at one adoringly over the meal table. He smiled. Perhaps Joe had found someone to love now, and when he returned home\u2014he paused\u2014well, if he returned home\u2014perhaps there would be another sister to get to know. He sipped his coffee and gazed out to sea; perhaps there would be, time would tell.<\/p>\n

Chapter 49<\/p>\n

Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh-ah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new schoolteacher, Mary Ann\u2014er\u2014Miss Hornby\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about her?\u201d Ben kept his eyes fixed on his newspaper, and his lips compressed tightly so that he wouldn\u2019t slip into a smile. He could almost feel the tension in Joe, the bubbling excitement within him, and at the same time knew that Hoss and Hester were listening and waiting and suppressing their own laughter.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s inability to keep his feelings to himself was a secret to no one but himself. His attempts at being non-committal about his friendship with Mary Ann Hornby had fallen on barren ground. Even though the renewal of their acquaintance was so brief there was no denying the feelings evidently on display whenever her name came up in conversation. The fact that the only person to bring up her name so often was Joe only confirmed his attraction to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, are you paying attention?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am. Say what you have to say and get on with it before I fall asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I was thinking that just perhaps we should have a party for her, you know. Welcome her to the community and all that kind of thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I see. And where shall we hold this party?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere, of course. At the Ponderosa. Folks in town mostly know her now, but it\u2019s the folk hereabouts that don\u2019t. We could ask\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHold on, slow down.\u201d Ben put his paper down and looked at Joe seriously, although it was with some difficulty as he was anything but serious inside. \u201cWhen exactly do you intend holding this party?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis weekend.\u201d Joe glanced at the three of them and his face fell into dismay at the expressions on each one of them. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, weren\u2019t we supposed to be going to Ann and Candy\u2019s place?\u201d Ben said gently and shook his paper straight in order to continue reading.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could always cancel and have them come over here instead.\u201d Joe suggested, giving a slight shrug of the shoulders as though to say it was of no real consequence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat wouldn\u2019t be fair,\u201d Hester explained carefully, \u201cAnn has already been baking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe could\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Joe, we can\u2019t jest change arrangements like that, Miss Ann\u2019s gone to a lot of trouble and such.\u201d Hoss shook his head and frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh, Hoss Cartwright, I never thought I\u2019d live to see the day you put off having a party hereabouts. Shows what married life does to a man.\u201d Joe huffed, and looked at the three of them. \u201cWhat about the following weekend.?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss stood up and rubbed the back of his neck, stretched high as though his back was stiffening, and decided to go and check on the horses. Hester fondly watched him go and then picked up some sewing. Joe watched her bend her head over the material and ply her needle. He sighed and looked at Ben, who was now busy stuffing the bowl of his pipe with tobacco.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2014what do you say, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cAw, forget it.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a scowl Joe left the house, slammed the door and strode out to the yard. Seeing the light in the stables he trundled over there and stepped into the warm interior. Hoss looked up and grinned.<\/p>\n

\u201cGive up, did ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one seems interested.\u201d Joe sighed, and sat down looking dejected. \u201cI thought it would be a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, sure, it was,\u201d Hoss continued to rub some liniment into Chubb\u2019s back leg, \u201cFact is, Joe, it weren\u2019t so long ago you were engaged to Miss Victoria. You were all over in love with her, if\u2019n I recollect right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I was in love with her,\u201d Joe said, \u201cYeah, I did think so, but she had the good sense to realise I wasn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what\u2019s the difference?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d you know that Mary Ann is the real one for you, when you thought it was Miss Vicky last year? You can\u2019t turn love on and off like a tap.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that.\u201d Joe rose to his feet and walked over to observe Chubb. \u201cHow\u2019s the leg? Any better?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so. Guess Chubb\u2019s getting so\u2019s carrying me about ain\u2019t as easy as it used to be.\u201d Hoss sighed and wiped his hands on a cloth, before stroking his faithful friend\u2019s neck and smiling thoughtfully, \u201cI reckon that liniment should just about do the trick.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at Joe thoughtfully and grinned as he walked over and draped his arm across Joe\u2019s shoulders. \u201cP\u2019raps it would just be better if you invited her round here for a meal, so\u2019s she could meet the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh, yeah, sure.\u201d Joe raised his eyebrows. \u201cYou sure your social diary ain\u2019t too full?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss laughed at that and gave Joe a slight shaking before picking up the lantern. \u201cI\u2019ll have to ask my wife,\u201d he said rather grandly and strolled out into the yard.<\/p>\n

Joe smiled and watched as his brother crossed to the house. Who would have thought the day would come when Hoss would say such a thing, that he would have a wife and she would be such a lovely woman. He closed the door carefully behind him and followed his brother back to the house.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Hester brushed her hair carefully, teasing out the knots and tangles, and leaving it to fall loosely around her shoulders and down her back, a mass of coppery golden curls. She looked over at her husband, who was pulling off his shirt with a slight frown on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong? Are you worried about something more than just Chubb\u2019s leg?\u201d<\/p>\n

He glanced over at her and smiled; leaving his shirt open and loose he came and stood behind her, stroked her hair and curled a strand of it around his finger. \u201cHester, I sure do love you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Hoss; I love you too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI sometimes find myself wondering how it was that I managed to live so long without you. You\u2019re so important to me, Hester, that I get kinda scared jest thinking how I\u2019d manage without you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, are you thinking of sending me anyplace soon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no\u2014\u201d he shook his head and leaned down a little so that he could look into her eyes through the mirror, \u201cI just get scared that I could lose you like\u2014for any reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose that\u2019s only natural, Hoss. If you love someone so much\u2014\u201d she paused and turned around, took his hands in her own. \u201cI get the same fears sometimes, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do? Shucks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just have to put them out of my head as soon as they pop in; otherwise I get really scared.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, honey, I don\u2019t reckon on going anywhere without you.\u201d<\/p>\n

They looked at one another, smiled and kissed tenderly; then he wrapped his arms around here and held her close. \u201cHester, I don\u2019t want you to ever leave me.\u201d he whispered and his breath tickled her ear, and some coppery gold hairs wafted around her neck.<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t, Hoss, I won\u2019t.\u201d she whispered back and held him close, \u201cBut I have to tell you something, sweetheart, something important.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stepped back from her and looked at her anxiously, frowned. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing\u2019s wrong, Hoss. It\u2019s just that we\u2019re going to have a baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment the words made little sense to Hoss. He looked at her, a little puzzled, and then saw her face, and as he saw the tears start in her eyes the import of the words hammered like nails into his head. A baby. They were going to have a baby.<\/p>\n

\u201cA baby?\u201d he said softly.<\/p>\n

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

She couldn\u2019t say anymore than that because the look on his face made her want to cry. Joy, and disbelief, and love, all shone from him and when he took her into his arms again it was with a different kind of tenderness and the kiss he gave her was so gentle that it was like feather down.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to tell Pa\u2026and Joe\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

She put a hand to his mouth and shook her head. \u201cNot yet, Hoss; let\u2019s just keep it as our own secret for a little longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at her, smiled, held her close. A secret. A baby. A miracle.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, big brother, how\u2019re you doing over there in that tin tub of yours?<\/p>\n

I guess this must be the umpteenth letter I sent to you since you left here and jest the one little one from you. Can\u2019t you organize the Navy so that they get better postal service that that?<\/p>\n

Fact of the matter is, that I gotta tell someone the news, and I promised not to say a word to Pa or Joe about it, so I won\u2019t, but I gotta tell you, because I always tell you everything first off. Didn\u2019t I tell you about Hester before I told anyone?<\/p>\n

Well, this is the news, shucks, Adam, I can barely believe it myself. I\u2019m going to have a baby. Sure, Hester told me just now. Can you believe that? I can\u2019t believe it myself. Did I just say that already? Do you realise that I\u2019m going to be a daddy and that means you\u2019re going to be an Uncle.<\/p>\n

That means, brother, you jest gotta git home quick. I want you to be here when this baby is born, you hear?<\/p>\n

Your brother\u2014Hoss\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Work on a ranch never stopped and no matter how light hearted Hoss felt or how \u2018in love\u2019 Joe happened to be, there were still fences to be repaired, water holes to be cleared and cattle to be checked over and rounded up.<\/p>\n

Joe trotted over the familiar land towards Beechers when he noticed the spiral of smoke a few miles to the horizon. He checked his horse and paused for a moment, looking around him as he did so. There was no one in the area, he was totally alone. He pulled his hat lower to shade his eyes and looked once again at the smoke, before noticing that there were in fact two spirals. Squatters? Then he remembered\u2014the army. Of course, Ben had been to see them and to tell them to ride out but from the look of it, they hadn\u2019t taken any notice.<\/p>\n

Joe clamped his teeth together and scowled, he pulled at the reins and turned his horse in the direction of the camp fires. Perhaps he should go and check this out for himself and make sure they leave the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

Chapter 50<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t a particularly hot day, in fact, it was pleasantly warm but even so Joe felt sweat prickling under his arm pits as he approached the camp. As always, once he had set his mind on doing something he never found a good reason to turn back or change his mind. This was just such an occasion where good sense was nagging him to high tail it back home but stubbornness urged him onwards.<\/p>\n

As Cochise galloped towards the box canyon Joe glanced anxiously over his shoulder as though he fully expected to find the way back blocked by some unknown force. His eyes scanned the rock face that reared up from the ground on either side of him, as though he could sense that behind those rocks would be armed men waiting to stop him from turning back. He clenched his lips firmly in an obstinate line and rode onwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cRider coming, sir.\u201d Lancey addressed Fleming who hurried from his tent and looked in the direction of the horseman, the appearance of whom brought a smile to the soldier\u2019s lips,<\/p>\n

\u201cYoung Cartwright, come to pay his dues no doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCuriosity I guess\u2026\u201d Lancey murmured and frowned slightly as he pulled his hat lower and watched Joe come nearer.<\/p>\n

Joe could see the cage now as he rode further into the camp; he could also see that there were several men there, but his curiosity as to who they were and why they were there was yet to roused sufficiently to distract him from his errand. He drew up in front of Lancey and Fleming and glared at them both. \u201cI was told that you\u2019d been ordered off this land.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fleming frowned and removed his hat, he looked up at the younger man and shook his head. \u201cNow, young man, is that any way to speak to an officer who is, may I add, only doing his duty. Why not get down off that horse and come into my tent, we can discuss the matter sensibly over a glass of something that will cut the dust from your throat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes flicked into the direction of Lancey who was remaining quiet, obviously preferring silence to saying anything that could incur Fleming\u2019s wrath.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father asked you to leave here, Major Fleming, so why haven\u2019t you gone?\u201d<\/p>\n

He sat well in the saddle, one hand rested on his thigh and the other gripped the reins. His hazel eyes ranged around the camp until it settled upon the cage and he frowned. \u201cWhat\u2019s that and why is it here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe -er\u2014unfortunately found some hostile Indians at the Paiute camp that day we went to see your friend Sarah Winnemucca. As I explained to your father, the Government has issued orders that hostiles be arrested and taken back to their reservations. Those men have been involved in the fighting in the Red River war down in Texas, and they came here to stir up more trouble with the Paiute. We\u2019re doing you a favour rounding them up and taking them back to where they belong.\u201d Fleming coughed as though he had spoken for too long; he smiled and brushed the back of his hand along his moustache. \u201cNow, come on, Mr. Cartwright, come and have this drink with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe wasn\u2019t sure if he was imagining it but it seemed as though the soldiers had drawn closer, hemming him in more or less. He hoped it was out of curiosity rather than anything else, and once again cast a glance over his shoulder. He sighed, and then dismounted slowly, his eyes flicking from one direction of the camp to the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good, come on in.\u201d Fleming smiled and led the way into the tent which held some of the heat, making it feel warmer inside than out.<\/p>\n

Joe followed him inside, removed his hat, and noticed that Lancey was close behind him. He sat down in the chair that Fleming pointed to and crossed one leg over the other in as nonchalant a manner as he could while he watched Fleming pour a glass of wine for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere you are, sir, a good Madeira.\u201d Fleming handed the glass to Joe and then poured a little more out for himself and one for Lancey. \u201cI\u2019m glad you came, Joe\u2014you don\u2019t mind me calling you Joe, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all.\u201d Joe tasted the wine; it was good, unspoiled by the journey and the heat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing is that we\u2019re in a difficult situation here what with finding these hostiles in Winnemucca\u2019s camp. Could make it unpleasant for him\u2026\u201d Fleming lowered his eyes as though he was thinking about the matter and anxiously wishing for a solution to come to mind that would cause fewer problems for all concerned. \u201cDo I stay with those I already have and try and locate more, or do I leave with the ones I\u2019ve got? You do see my problem, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe just raised his shoulders and tasted more of the wine; he looked at Lancey who was standing by a makeshift desk holding his glass as though it was so fragile it would shatter in his fingers if he were even to twitch.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think there are any more hostiles\u2014as you call them\u2014in Winnemucca\u2019s camp?\u201d Joe finally asked when the silence began to get too heavy.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t be sure. And, Mr. Cartwright, they are hostiles, believe me. A few of them were involved in the fighting at Adobe Wells last year. You do know about that, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI read about it.\u201d Joe replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, mostly Comanche but some Kiowa and Cheyenne come down to help their red brothers. They sure don\u2019t know when to give up\u2026\u201d he darted a look at Joe and smiled. \u201cYou could help us here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you could do what we asked of you and Sarah, you could talk to them \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know any Comanche.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do know the Cheyenne though, don\u2019t you? Rode with them for a while too, didn\u2019t you? Got so they trusted you and you liked them. People like you could be useful to us now, and to them, could save bloodshed later.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLater?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we take the Black Hills from them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe put the glass down on the desk and stood up, he shook his head,<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, I can\u2019t help you. I should imagine government policy has already decided on what is to be done there; you\u2019ll find your negotiators among yourselves. You won\u2019t need me, and I don\u2019t intend to be used to try and persuade them to give up what is sacred to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes you think government policy has been already decided upon, Joe? We ain\u2019t said anything about that, have we?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned, bit down on his bottom lip, and then shook his head. He reached out for his hat and slipped it back onto his head. \u201cWell, thank you for the wine, Major. I think it might be a good idea if you left this area as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned and walked away, leaving the major staring after him. As he stepped out of the tent he looked in the direction of the cage and rubbed the back of his neck anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think you\u2019d know any of them?\u201d It was Lancey, standing now by his side and looking at the cage with a frown on his face.<\/p>\n

Joe shrugged. \u201cI doubt it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want to see in case you do?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe hesitated, too many feelings churned around inside him. He accepted that prisoners were taken across country in these makeshift cells on wheels, and he also accepted the fact that if these men had been involved in war and had taken lives then it was better for them to be returned to their reservations. But past loyalties and fond memories tugged at his emotions too, and walking past those men was like an act of betrayal to those he had befriended.<\/p>\n

He just naturally turned and walked by the side of the officer to the cage and peered inside. There were six men, all of them shackled, and all of them looking dejected but defiant. They were thin, exhausted relics of a fighting band of men with only the light of battle still in their eyes to indicate what they had been not so long ago. Joe swallowed hard, the taste of the Madeira on his tongue. He sighed, and turned away,<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat will happen to these men?\u201d he asked somewhat tentatively,<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll go back to their reservations.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Lancey didn\u2019t say anything to that, he merely turned his head and looked away. Joe shook his head and looked again at the six men in the cage only this time one of them looked back at him, rose to his feet. \u201cJoseph Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stepped back, then leaned forward. \u201cStalking Horse? What in tarnation are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

That was when the daylight got switched off and he saw myriads of stars before everything went black.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Reports, Adam surmised, were quite accurate about the Prussian presence at sea in the Mediterranean. The Baltimore swept past countless numbers of ships, but the buildup of Prussians caught him by surprise. He stood on the bridge with his eyes constantly moving from one ship to another,<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve built up quite a flotilla, haven\u2019t they?\u201d O\u2019Brien murmured.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see why the Russians are worried.\u201d Adam replied and shook his head thoughtfully. \u201cI think there\u2019s a whole lot going on under the surface that we\u2019ll never know about for years, Daniel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue enough.\u201d O\u2019Brien nodded and glanced towards the horizon. \u201cLooks like Port Said ahead of us, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen let\u2019s halt the ship and have some time for a celebration, Daniel.\u201d Adam smiled and left the bridge, walking with a straight back to his cabin while behind him O\u2019Brien gave the necessary instructions for the ship to drop anchor.<\/p>\n

It was a good meal; the ship\u2019s cook had indeed surpassed himself, and the best wine was served alongside it. Captain O\u2019Brien, Lieutenants Hathaway, Ross and Myers, Dr. McPherson, and Commodore Adam Cartwright comprised the company at that meal. There was laughter, jokes and anecdotes, serious discussion about various topics that hardly anyone recalled later, and some singing.<\/p>\n

The night sky had arrived with stars glistening overhead and a benevolent moon shed a silver light upon the ship, making the Baltimore look lovelier than she did during the day.<\/p>\n

Eventually Adam rose to his feet and called for attention; it took a while coming but eventually silence descended upon the company and they looked at him with affection and respect. Perhaps, in some way, the manner in which he looked caused them to become more sober, for they all felt a sudden apprehension trickle through them as they looked at him, standing at the head of the table.<\/p>\n

He waited for a moment and then took a letter from his pocket,<\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen, I have an announcement to make to you\u2026\u201d he swallowed, cleared his throat, looked at each man there, and smoothed out the paper, \u201cThese are orders from the president himself, and are to be obeyed to the letter.\u201d He looked at them all again and nodded as though assuring himself that he had their attention. \u201cAs from this moment in time Captain Daniel O\u2019Brien will take command of the Baltimore. Once Commodore Adam Cartwright has left the ship Captain O\u2019Brien is to turn the Baltimore and return to Washington immediately. Order is signed\u2026\u201d he reeled off some names, which included the president\u2019s, and then handed the letter to Daniel, saluted and smiled. \u201cThe ship is yours, Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 51<\/p>\n

The announcement had been greeted by stunned silence followed by a babble of questions amid exclamations of dismay and disbelief. He waited for a while until order was resumed before speaking again. Standing at the head of the table he looked at each one there before he commenced to speak. \u201cI can\u2019t answer questions when I don\u2019t know the answers myself. The fact is that our orders come from the highest authority and we, as seamen, have to comply with those orders. I know that each one of you will serve your captain just as well as you have served me. I have been privileged to have known and served along with each one of you.\u201d He again looked at each one there and smiled. \u201cWell, I think it\u2019s time to end the evening now. Good night, gentlemen.\u201d<\/p>\n

They each one shook his hand as they left. Ross said something about wishing he had known him longer; Ewen said the same and thanked him for having confidence in him during the time there had been the panic about the typhoid. Myers just shook his hand vigorously and looked embarrassed, but the expression on his face spoke the words for him and Hathaway shook his hand and expressed the hope that he could serve with him again, one day.<\/p>\n

Daniel didn\u2019t leave but walked to the table and poured out two glasses of port which he brought over to the chairs. He sat down after handing Adam a glass while he cradled the other and waited for his friend to occupy the opposite chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you know this was going to happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; only after Tripoli.\u201d Adam sipped some of the port and then swirled it around in the bowl. \u201cI was told not to mention it until now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn case I refused?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be ridiculous, as if you would refuse a direct order? No; just because, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand why, though. Why turn the Baltimore back? You may well need our help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose when you think about it they must have known you would be the best man to captain the Baltimore; after all, you were appointed her commanding officer on her maiden voyage, weren\u2019t you?\u201d he smiled and Daniel grimaced. \u201cI did wonder why you were not ordered off the ship and back to your own command when we were in England. Well, this is the reason, and I know you\u2019ll do a good job of it and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up, Adam. I don\u2019t need to listen to that kind of talk from you.\u201d He swigged back more of the port, shook his head and looked grimly at Adam. \u201cThey\u2019re turning her back to Washington\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can understand why, Daniel. The Baltimore is the most modern ship in our fleet. With all the tension there is at the moment, to have her berthed in Port Said, or Port Suez, wouldn\u2019t help ease tensions, would it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, do you have to be so darn logical about it all the time? What\u2019s going to happen to you? Who\u2019s going with you? Do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t say anything for a moment or two but looked down into the blushing liquid and swirled it round and round, then he looked up and saw Daniel\u2019s anxious face and frowned. \u201cWell, it is rather strange, isn\u2019t it? And I have to be honest and say that\u2014\u201d he paused, and shook his head, \u201cI\u2019m not sure how I feel about it really. No, no one has been assigned to go with me. I don\u2019t know what I\u2019m supposed to do once I reach the mainland.\u201d he paused again and raised his eyebrows in his usual quizzical manner as he looked at his friend, \u201cDaniel, you\u2019ve covered my back on many occasion in the past, and I have appreciated it much. I\u2019ll miss not having you there this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo \u2018ifs,\u2019 Daniel, you have your orders.\u201d Adam smiled gently in order to soften the effect of the words. \u201cThink of it this way, you have a son you haven\u2019t seen yet; now you\u2019ll be able to see him sooner than you thought you would. That\u2019s worth something, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel said nothing to that but lowered his head, then slowly drank more of the port. \u201cHeck, Adam, what do you know about Cairo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing. Well, not much. Camels and pyramids, scorpions and flies.\u201d He smiled and shrugged. \u201cLook, I need you to do something for me \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust say? What? Anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not much, just that you post my personal things to the Ponderosa. Address it to me so that my Pa doesn\u2019t get the wrong impression and panic.\u201d He gulped down more port then, as though words failed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do that; of course I will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll leave it here \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Like so many friends who have so much to say at a time when their roads were diverging, they suddenly found themselves with little or nothing to say but wanting to hang onto the company of each other for as long as possible. Finally Adam stood up. \u201cWell, I have to enter the log \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course. I\u2019ll see you in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled, shook Daniel\u2019s hand and when the younger man hesitated as though he were going to embrace him in a Hoss-like hug he stepped back.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake care of yourself, Daniel.\u201d And then he turned to the desk as though he were thinking of what to write in the log and dismissing his friend from his mind.<\/p>\n

The door closed.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Several hours passed and the night was totally dark. Adam was on deck when there came a soft whistle from below; he looked down and returned the whistle, upon which the light of a shutter lantern was revealed. Stealthily he lowered the Jacob\u2019s ladder and descended into a small boat, the shutter was closed and darkness fell upon all the occupants seated there.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore Adam Cartwright?\u201d a voice whispered in the dark.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cVery good. Silence now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The only sound was that of oars dipping in and out of the sea until they reached the side of a felucca, one of many that had been seen by the crew of the Baltimore that day. He followed the lead of the other men and mounted the rope ladder to the vessel\u2019s deck where once again the shutter was opened to reveal some light.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome with us, Commodore. We have a cabin for you ready. You need some rest\u2014yes?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded; yes, he needed some rest, but he also needed some answers. He had to admit to overwhelming curiosity that quite dispelled any fear on his part as he followed the guide to a cabin that was towards the stern of the boat.<\/p>\n

\u201cSleep well, Commodore. We shall sail early in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

The heavily accented voice was deep and warm, inviting trust. Adam nodded, looking around at the cabin which was shrouded in semi-darkness, and once he had located the bed he settled down upon it and was soon asleep.<\/p>\n

Chapter 52<\/p>\n

Daniel O\u2019Brien passed a nervous hand across dry lips and when the door opened, just for a second, he hoped to see a familiar figure stroll into the cabin. A familiar figure did so, but not the one he had hoped for, and so he rose to his feet and looked at Hathaway, who only shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cI lost him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny idea where he could possibly have gone? Did he see you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was too engrossed in what was happening. I don\u2019t think he even cared if we had seen him because\u2014\u201d Hathaway shrugged, exhaled and shook his head all in one movement, \u201cbecause he knew he had to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you see, Aaron?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t actually see much, heard more than saw\u2026 the splash of oars, Adam adjusting the ladder down the side and then his footfalls as he went down. There was just the glimmer of a light, so faint\u2014\u201d he looked at Daniel. \u201cHe was a good friend to you, wasn\u2019t he, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d Daniel nodded, \u201cFrom the moment I first met him I thought of him as though he were my brother.\u201d He cleared his throat, \u201cSo? He got into this boat? What then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey rowed in among some dhows and feluccas. I don\u2019t know which one he went to, or even if he went to one. They could have taken him straight to the mainland.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPour me a whiskey, will you?\u201d He paused, frowned. \u201cAnd yourself one as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aaron did as he was asked, paused a moment to look at a package with Adam\u2019s name on and sealed with red wax bearing the insignia of a Ponderosa Pine. He glanced over at Daniel, and then resumed his task of pouring out the whiskey.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be glad to be getting back though, won\u2019t you, sir? You have a son and wife now, something\u2014someone to return to. It\u2019s almost like fate, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel frowned, looked thoughtfully at Aaron and then shook his head. \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think so. Probably carefully arranged\u2026\u201d He smiled slowly. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t put that past him, making sure I got home safe to see my son. I can just imagine him pulling strings and\u2026\u201d He frowned, glanced at Hathaway and shook his head. \u201cTake no notice of me, Aaron, I\u2019m just rambling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s alright, sir.\u201d Aaron sat down in a chair not that long ago occupied by the commodore, \u201cDo you think he would have done that, Dan? Tweaked a few strings to make sure you got home?\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel didn\u2019t reply; how was he to know for sure? He licked his lips and sipped some of the whiskey. \u201cI always thought that where he went I\u2019d be right there with him, thought that was my assignment on this mission too. He said, though, that\u2014that he wondered why I hadn\u2019t been reassigned a ship when we were in England.\u201d He stared down at the glass. \u201cI don\u2019t know, Aaron. I just know that had he said to go with him, I would have gone.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cThe thing is, this is now, this is the reality. Marie and the baby\u2026it\u2019s like they belong to a completely different world, somewhere else, somewhere out there\u2026\u201d he waved his hand to one side and then slumped back into the chair. \u201cAnd yet, I so want to see them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe never married, did he? The commodore, I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; almost, but not quite. Perhaps, the way things happen, that\u2019s a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aaron frowned, he drank more whiskey and looked at the captain. He smiled slowly,<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, looks like you\u2019re in charge of the Baltimore again, Dan. At least she\u2019s a familiar ship to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel O\u2019Brien nodded, but his mind was on other things, memories of a snow swept plateau, of Alaskan skies and a ship that sailed through a frozen sea looking like she had been dusted with sugar icing. He remembered the man standing by his side, the smile on his face, dark eyes bright and laughter. Strange, all the things they had done, said, gone through, he remembered the laughter most of all.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright woke up after a mere few hours of sleep. He could see the outline of the few things in the cabin and was able to make his way around them. He slipped up onto the deck of the felucca and made his way to where he could see the Baltimore, her outline dark among so many other dark shades. Her lights, necessary for navigational purposes at sea, shone to indicate her presence. His eyes moved from bow to stern, located the area of his own cabin.<\/p>\n

Shortly it would be dawn, a new day. In the shadows he would watch her slip away on her journey home. He turned at the sound of movement nearby and narrowed his eyes at the sight of a man approaching him. It was still too dark to discern who he was and of what nationality, but he walked as one who knew his way around the deck of this boat.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore? I greet you. To a new day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d Adam replied, \u201cAnd you are…?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIbrahim Abdullah Aziz.\u201d He bowed in the customary manner and noticing Adam\u2019s glance back to the American ship, he nodded. \u201cYou wait to say your farewells to your ship?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I guess so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ibrahim narrowed his eyes and nodded, as though he understood such emotions although it was not so much to bid a fond farewell to the \u2018tin tub\u2019 that bound Adam to the shadows of the boat upon which he was a guest, more to ensure that his friend would obey the orders given to him and not be swayed by false loyalties that could lead him into danger.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are an unusual man, Commodore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh? Really?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are not curious? You ask no questions? You came obediently to what could have been\u2014your death. You do not fear\u2014death?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned, smiled slightly and shook his head. The Baltimore\u2019s lights were showing more now, life was taking place there, the ship\u2019s company would be busy and soon they would find they had a new skipper.<\/p>\n

Ibrahim stood by his side when the sun rose and burst open a new day, he stayed there with him until the Baltimore moved slowly round and began a stately move in the direction from which she had come. He sensed the relaxing of tension in the American and looked at him with renewed interest. \u201cYou are, indeed, an unusual man, Adam Cartwright.\u201d he said once again, and then he clapped his hands, \u201cCome, we must eat, and then we set sail for Port Said.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, glanced back to watch the Baltimore and smiled. He wondered if whoever had watched him as he left had reported his departure to Daniel\u2026well, it didn\u2019t matter now. He followed Ibrahim along the deck to where there came the smell of fish and garlic and other food cooking and he wondered, just for a moment, what life had in store for him now.<\/p>\n

Chapter 53<\/p>\n

The felucca, a wooden sailing boat with a rig of two lateen sails, slid through the waters with a gentle grace that seemed to calm Adam\u2019s restless mind. Facts and questions were teeming within his brain, but the instinct to stay quiet, to watch and to listen, suppressed the need to speak. He stood in his cabin by a small window and watched as the waters slewed past them. Other vessels mingled within their wake or sailed swiftly past them leaving them to bounce in their wash.<\/p>\n

Overhead on the deck he heard the thud of bare feet as the two men handling the vessel did what they knew best, there was the sound of their chatter, laughter, sometimes a burst of song. He stood and listened and waited.<\/p>\n

Eventually the door opened and Ibrahim entered, carrying in his arms a pile of clothing. This he placed upon what passed as a bed. \u201cYou must change your clothing.\u201d He pointed to the garments. \u201cIt may be a good idea that you grow your beard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked at him, his dark eyes moved from head to foot of the other man as though gauging him worthy of his trust. Finally he nodded,<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you taking me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Port Said.\u201d Ibrahim\u2019s near-black eyes were like olives sunken into his sallow skin, his beard was grey but neatly trimmed, his hair was dark except at the side where it was more white than grey. Adam judged him as younger than his own father by perhaps ten years. \u201cThat is where you will meet your next contact, who will explain far more to you than I can. In the meantime, you must regard me as your shadow. For your own protection, of course.\u201d He bowed, one hand on his breast, \u201cI shall return with some refreshments for you. Now you must change\u2026your clothing is there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, waiting for the door to close. He picked up the clothes and smelt them, they were clean, smelling of pomegranates and oranges. After a moment\u2019s hesitation he removed his own clothing and began to dress, first the long tunic called a gallibaya, over which was a kaftan, a full length garment like a coat with long wide sleeves open in front; around this he tied a fabric belt. A djubbeh, a long wide-sleeved gown which reached to his feet was the last garment. Everything was made of fine linen, soft and flowing. When he had finished Adam felt rather overdressed and decidedly self- conscious.<\/p>\n

Aziz pushed open the door just as Adam had completed buttoning the djubbeh. He was carrying a tray with glasses and a carafe of sweet local wine which he placed carefully on the table. Now he turned to look at Adam, and he nodded approval. \u201cYes, it is good. You look like a man of the desert and not like an American seaman. Now, the kufiva.\u201d he picked up a large square of black cloth, which he draped over Adam\u2019s head, then a circlet of camel hair called the \u2019iqal. He nodded, \u201cWhen we go from the cabin you must cover your lower face like this\u2026\u201d and he showed how Adam was to do this, then he nodded. \u201cYes, that is how you must go now.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood back again and once more regarded Adam: the look of approval was somewhat gratifying to the American who despite the layers of clothes felt rather \u201cexposed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome, sit, and let us drink some wine. I have to teach you some words and customs so that you can pass easily through these people.\u201d he frowned, \u201cYou are not knowing anything of Eygpt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly its history\u2014pyramids, pharaohs and camels.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh…\u201d Aziz shook his head, muttered something in Egyptian that Adam rightly assumed was a plea for help from some higher source and then smiled at Adam. \u201cVery well. This is your first lesson.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne moment, Ibrahim. Do you know why I am here? What is the reason for my being here like this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ibrahim paused, shook his head. \u201cI know only that I must keep you safe and lead you to Cairo. I am your shadow, but for a while I must be your leader also.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know who my next contact is? Who the men are who I have to see?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ibrahim shook his head, and smiled. \u201cI think you must learn your first lesson, Adam Cartwright, and that is \u2018patience.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed, tasted the wine, and then waited for Ibrahim to speak. Patience, he thought, heavens above, man, I could teach you a lesson or two in patience.<\/p>\n

Chapter 54<\/p>\n

Laurence Willoughby brushed aside several flies that the perspiration on his skin was attracting and walked slowly along the wharf side to where Dimitri Doestov was sitting. He shrugged. \u201cWell, old boy, looks like we\u2019re up the creek without a paddle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dimitri observed him sourly. Why, he asked himself, did this idiot Englishman have to speak in riddles all the time and look so stupid. He turned his head away to observe the horizon for some moments before he could find the words to speak. \u201cI do not want to go up the creek, I want a sheep to take me to Cairo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s the problem. There isn\u2019t a sheep\u2014I mean\u2014ship, available. Not even a fishing boat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dimitri shuddered and ran a finger around his collar. A fishing boat? Nothing could smell worse than a fishing boat! Idiot! Fool! Laurence turned his back on the Russian and gazed up at the sky, which was odd considering that he was to all intents and purposes searching for a boat, any vessel that would take them to Port Said. The Russian was becoming increasingly nervous as each day passed and since they had been deposited in this quiet corner of the world his agitation was palpably obvious.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought a dhow or felucca would be available at some time today, but apparently the fishing has been good, and there just are none available until this evening.\u201d Laurence said. \u201cI have hired a felucca which will take us all the way to Port Said from here at dusk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh\u2014why you didn\u2019t say so before?\u201d Dimitri sprung up, the relief on his face so obvious that Laurence stepped back in case the man attempted to kiss him. He had done that once before during their journey when Laurence had done something he approved of\u2014not in the way of any amorous intentions, but part of his culture and tradition as an expression of praise or gratitude. He had not been impressed by Laurence\u2019s look of disdain.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome, we go find a place to eat.\u201d He declared and looked around him, \u201cI need more cigarettes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence said nothing to that but squared his shoulders and thought of how far they had come, how arduous the journey had been and how unfruitful. Twice they had missed the Baltimore by mere hours, and then lost more time because of being unable to hire another vessel. He had managed to send one message to his brother by rather dubious means and had received only one reply from him when they were in Tripoli. The message had contained a single word: \u201cContinue.\u201d<\/p>\n

He glanced up at the sky once more and watched as pigeons wheeled about and flew overhead. Pigeons, he thought to himself, were good for sending and receiving messages. He wondered if any had been sent relating to himself and the Russian, although he couldn\u2019t really think of any reason why there should have been.<\/p>\n

During the intervening days he had found out little more about Dimitri and this strange obsession to be near the commodore. He, the Russian, had talked about Russian and Prussian politics at such length that Laurence\u2019s head had spun, although it all seemed to boil down to centuries old rivalries and jealousies that still existed despite their \u201cEntente.\u201d Seeing so many Prussian ships in the Mediterranean had caused Dimitri to be particularly vitriolic.<\/p>\n

But one important thing Laurence had discovered was the fact that the Russian and Prussian tug of war had little to do with what was happening now. It seemed more than apparent that the matter was on a far more personal level, and the outcome important, or so Dimitri thought, to the future of Russian and American\/British relations.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The cage had rumbled away from the Ponderosa amid the convoy of soldiers following the command of Major Fleming and Captain Lancey. Joseph had been unconscious for some hours by the time they had reached the borders of Ponderosa land and ridden on over it. When he had opened his eyes he had found himself staring into the dark eyes of an old friend, Stalking Horse of the Cheyenne, a shaman and warrior.<\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t able to speak, his mouth being too dry and his tongue swollen in his mouth. The few drops of water that Stalking Horse poured into his mouth were welcome but still didn\u2019t enable him to speak. He merely stared up at his friend, and waited.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy you come?\u201d Stalking Horse whispered. \u201cThis was not the safe place for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned, the words made little sense, he put a hand to his head, then felt the back of his skull, and when he felt the slickness of blood on his fingers he wasn\u2019t surprised to find them stained red.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho hit me?\u201d he finally asked through a mouth that seemed full of dry rags.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the soldiers. Then they bring you here and put you with us.\u201d Stalking Horse passed him a canteen of water, from which Joe drank a little. \u201cWhy did you come?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were on Ponderosa land\u2014my father told them to go but\u2014\u201d he paused, frowned, and then looked at Stalking Horse again, \u201cWhy are you here, Stalking Horse? You\u2019re a long way from home, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cheyenne nodded and squatted down onto his haunches. He looked at Joe thoughtfully, then glanced at the other Indians who were watching the two men carefully although trying hard not to appear too obvious in doing so.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know that Roman Nose is dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I read about it.\u201d Joe nodded, and bit his bottom lip. Roman Nose had been one of his heroes in the time he had ridden with the Cheyenne. He swallowed, \u201cCrazy Horse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTashunka Witko* rides with the Sioux and Cheyenne in the Pa\u2019ha Sa\u2019Pa. Tatanka Yotanka* (Sitting Bull) talks of war to come soon with the white government. But many of the young dog soldiers are impatient, they want to fight the white soldiers first, not wait for them to come to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy come here, to the Paiute?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh.\u201d Stalking Horse frowned and shook his head.<\/p>\n

Joe closed his eyes and settled back into the straw. He knew from experience that it would take a while for Stalking Horse to speak and hoped that when he did his own head would be capable to understanding it all.<\/p>\n

\u201cTalk came to our camps of Isa\u2014Tai (White Eagle)* and his fight against the white soldiers. Many of the young men from our villages wanted to come and fight with them. Perhaps we could kill enough of them to stop them coming to the Pa\u2019ha Sa\u2019Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you were a shaman, Stalking Horse? You\u2019re supposed to talk sense into their heads not encourage them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAm I not also Cheyenne? Am I not also a warrior? I do not want the white soldiers coming into the Pa\u2019ha Sa\u2019pa. I rode with my people and we fought with Isa-Tai.\u201d he paused and frowned, obviously wondering how to talk about the defeats to this white friend and make them sound like near victories. He shook his head. \u201cThe white soldiers were under the command of Bear Coat Miles.* The soldiers came from their forts, and they came in five directions.\u201d<\/p>\n

With his forefinger he drew a sketch in the dust of five arrows, indicating* the columns of white soldiers, crossing the land to converge and conquer the Indians. He looked up and shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo? Why come here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome returned to our villages in the sacred hills, and others scattered with the Comanche to continue the fighting. We came here\u2014\u201d the shaman rubbed his chin as though once again lost for words, \u201cbecause we had nowhere else to go. The soldiers from Fort Concho* chased us down here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe sighed, closed his eyes again and allowed his body to relax. He knew he should have been up on his feet, rattling the bars, demanding a hearing\u2014but he also knew that he would have been ignored, or, worse, given another thump on the head. He decided to bide his time and be patient, a course that his eldest brother would have warmly recommended.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, if Joe don\u2019t turn up soon \u2026\u201d Hoss thumped one clenched fist into the palm of his other hand and turned to pace the floor, \u201cI done spent a whole afternoon trying to find him. That scrawny brother of mine would do anything to get out of helping me with the fencing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI take it you didn\u2019t find him then?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss turned to the door where he saw his father wearily taking off his hat and beginning to remove his gun belt. The older man looked tired and anxious and the dark eyes looked around the room thoughtfully as though, just possibly, Joe may have sneaked into the room and be hiding in some corner, something he often did as a child.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo sign of him anywhere, Pa.\u201d Hoss bit down on his bottom lip, then rubbed his chin with his hand \u201cI done searched for him everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe hasn\u2019t been to town.\u201d Ben said, \u201cI asked around but there was no sign of him. I even introduced myself to Miss Mary Ann just in case he had decided to play hookey and visit her, but she had not seen him either. She was concerned about him.\u201d he smiled then, not one of his generous smiles that would light up his whole face, but one that softened the anxious lines of it now.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid she give any indication of where he might have gone?\u201d Hester asked as she stood by the window of the dining area, and Ben turned to look at her, and then shook his head,<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he hadn\u2019t said anything that would give us a clue. He said he was going to look forward to seeing her again once he had done some fencing. She had been expecting to see him again last evening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTarnation, where the dad burned blazes could he have gone?\u201d Hoss began to chew his thumb, his face screwed up with anxiety.<\/p>\n

There came a couple of thuds on the door which then opened and Candy stepped into the room, looked at them all and grimaced as he removed his hat.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, I haven\u2019t got any good news for you either.\u201d He looked at each one of them, saw the anxiety in their faces. \u201cHe didn\u2019t ride over to see us, and he hasn\u2019t been in our locality. No one I\u2019ve spoken to has seen him at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sat down in his red chair and shook his head, the frown deepening the lines on his forehead. \u201cWell, he can\u2019t have disappeared from the face of the earth. In the morning we widen out our search.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss merely nodded and sighed. It seemed to Hester that with the disappearance of her young brother-in-law, a large cloud of despondency had fallen over the house, and as she looked at the men she loved she wondered if the young man had come to any harm. She moved from the window wringing her hands as she imagined him fallen from his horse, unconscious somewhere in that vast territory of the Ponderosa. What if he had fallen from one of the cliffs, his body broken by the rocks and torn by the buzzards? What if he had slipped into the river and the current taken him downstream, hurling him over the rapids, pulling him down into their depths?<\/p>\n

The sound of her sobbing roused Hoss from the hearth and he hurried to her side, swept her into his arms,<\/p>\n

\u201cHey now, don\u2019t fret none, we\u2019ll find him.\u201d he whispered, \u201cWe\u2019ll find him.\u201d and he stroked her back gently, and didn\u2019t mind one bit that her tears were soaking into his shirt.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought tomorrow I might go to the Paiute camp.\u201d Candy said. \u201cHe was talking to me the other day about them, and how\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sat up, once again the frown deepened and the dark eyes lit up. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t be at all surprised if that\u2019s it. He\u2019s gone to see Sarah\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I thought she\u2019d left her father\u2019s camp, Pa? Weren\u2019t she worried about that thar Major Fleming nosing around?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed, nodded and lowered his head again. \u201cYes, she was. We\u2019ll try there tomorrow anyway. After that \u2026\u201d he paused, \u201cWell, we\u2019ll see what happens tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The hotel room was still in darkness but only because the curtains were still drawn across the windows and not allowing the bright sunlight to intrude upon the room. She stretched, one leg overhanging the bed as a result. Her hair, black and wildly tousled, was scattered over the pillows and across her face. She stretched again and then rolled onto her back, smiled and opened her eyes.<\/p>\n

It had been such a wonderful few weeks here in San Francisco. The journey to Paris had been postponed several times but today they would be loading their luggage onto the boat and they would be sailing away. It was such a good feeling. Philip\u2014well, he wasn\u2019t the most handsome man in the world, but he was amusing and in many ways that appealed to her, interesting. She sat up and ran her hands through her hair, twisting it into a knot upon her head, and then she got up from the bed and pulled on a negligee.<\/p>\n

It was quiet, apart from the hum of traffic outside on the street and the sounds of voices drifting upwards from the pedestrians. She went into another room to consider her toilette. The world was a beautiful place for Ingrid Buchanan.<\/p>\n

Not far from the hotel the man to whom she had attached herself was happily stuffing his wallet with money. His valise and travelling case was by his side. A hansom cab drove up and he entered it while the driver picked up his belongings and put them into the trunk. He gave directions and leaned back against the leather padded seat of the cab and considered the decision he had made that morning.<\/p>\n

To be honest he had decided what to do some time earlier, days ago in fact when Ingrid was beginning to really irritate him. But he had put on more of the charm and the attention, lavished her with gifts and enjoyed what she gave freely in return. But today he had decided enough was enough. He had quietly collected all her jewellery, the title deeds to the property in Paris, and while she still slept (amazing what too much champagne could do) packed them carefully away in his valise.<\/p>\n

Now most of the jewellery was in the hands of the best jewellers in San Francisco, and each one of them had been most happy to pay him a substantial sum of money for each item. The decision he had now made was whether or not to go to France and take on the responsibility of the house in Paris, or whether to travel to New York. He had decided that France would be just the best place and was now travelling to take up his berth on the ship sailing at noon. He smiled to himself; it had been a little deception, he knew, but he had to take steps to ensure that she wouldn\u2019t arrive at the same ship as he. So had booked onto a different ship.<\/p>\n

He chuckled now, wondering what her reaction would be when she found that she really had little money left now. He had, out of courtesy, paid the hotel bill for up to that day. And he had cancelled the other booking on the boat so that she would not incur any debts there. But apart from that\u2026he gazed out of the window as the hansom cab rolled along its way to the harbour. Life for Philip was looking rosy indeed.<\/p>\n

Chapter 55<\/p>\n

The sun was as hot as it had been at this time of day for many years, and the walls of the buildings reflected the heat so that the streets trapped it and it seemed as though there could be no escape from it. The sky was clear and blue with no sign of a cloud anywhere. In the streets the people mingled, brushing past one another without seemingly to notice. Women walked with jars of water carefully balanced on their heads, men strode purposefully on aimless journeys, and children played semi-naked near to their homes.<\/p>\n

On the flat roof of a particularly grand house a man stooped down to collect the bird that had sought out its coop. He carefully untied the little canister tied to its leg and then dropped it close to where a bowl of seed had been placed. A worker, even a little bird, was worthy of its hire.<\/p>\n

The man now hurried to a large room in which the windows had been opened wide and the air within was being circulated with the aid of a fan affair in the ceiling worked tirelessly by a little man who sat in the corner of the room and pulled the ropes that kept everything in motion. Several men were in the room; some wore traditional Egyptian clothing, two were in European suits although their countenances indicated that they were also Egyptian, and one wore the garments of a man from Darfur. His skin was darkest of all.<\/p>\n

One of the men was talking, stabbing at a map with his forefinger and scowling at them. It was difficult to know whether he was scolding them or recommending them for the lines of his face were so deeply entrenched they appeared etched there permanently. He turned as the man entered the room and took the canister, opened it and removed the message it contained. His eyes opened wide, and then he shook his head. \u201cThe Baltimore has turned and is heading back towards Tripoli.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d asked the man from Darfur, his deep voice boomed into the silent room, and he instinctively placed his hand upon the shaft of the dagger that was thrust in his belt.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d the other shrugged, \u201cIt says nothing here about why.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s strange they should leave Tripoli to continue the journey to Suez, and then suddenly turn back.\u201d another volunteered with a softly accented voice, \u201cHave you heard nothing from Lehmann?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do not think we will hear any more from Lehmann,\u201d the first man said softly, \u201cI am informed that there was typhoid on the Baltimore and he was one of the victims. His last message to us came from Naples, where he contracted the disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was never reliable.\u201d another said with a shrug of the shoulders, \u201cWhat about his associate? Von Richman?\u201d<\/p>\n

The first speaker raised his eyes and stared at the other but it was the man with the accent who answered,<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have not heard from him since he went to England. The last we heard from him was that Commodore Cartwright was taking the Baltimore to the Suez. He also told us that the informant, Doestov, was there and had spoken to the commodore privately. You must remember that, surely?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t ask for a resume of what he had done, merely whether or not we had heard further from him,\u201d came the reply in silky tones, the venom in which was not concealed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThankfully Doestov won\u2019t be able to give any more information. Von Richman saw to that for us. Lehmann sent the newspaper reports before he left England.\u201d This was said with a soft chuckle.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoestov was a clever man, Abdullah; I give him credit for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man called Abdullah merely shrugged.<\/p>\n

Yaccoub Djounga, the man from Darfur, walked to the window and stared out into the street. The white garments in which he appeared to be swathed contrasted strongly with the darkness of his skin, and the sun caused him to appear like a blade of shimmering light to any who happened to have glanced up at that moment and seen him standing there. He turned and walked back towards the table,<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere was the American ship when she turned?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adjo Ahmose, he of the scowl, pointed to an area on the map and here each man stared, muttered together, and it was Djounga who spoke again, giving them his opinion that the ship had turned because it had accomplished its purpose.<\/p>\n

\u201cIts purpose was to get to the Suez Canal and meet with the American cadre there,\u201d Adjo said haughtily.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think not,\u201d Djounga said, \u201cI think the commodore disembarked from his ship and will arrive at Suez by another route. They must have been warned not to proceed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other men shrugged, but one of the men who wore the European suits asked whether or not they knew what the khedive was currently involved in?<\/p>\n

\u201cBusy.\u201d Baruti Biti replied, \u201cHe is excited about the coming visit of the American president. That seems to be more on his mind that anything else, even the Darfur situation* he isn\u2019t really interested in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s because he is leaving so much of that to the Americans to deal with.\u201d And Ebo Funsani spat eloquently on the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince Chaille-Long *discovered Lake Kyoga* and navigated the unknown section of the White Nile,* the khedive gives these men more and more honours, more and more privileges,\u201d Yaccoub said, his fingers trailing across the map. \u201cThe fact that he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Mutesa* of the Buganda, speaks for itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA privilege you should have had, my friend,\u201d Ebo Funsani murmured, placing a sinewy hand on the other man\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have too much influence,\u201d Abaker Terab said and then resumed his study of the map, \u201cThis area is known for good fishing. There would be many boats plying their trade there. Not difficult for a seaman to hire one and journey down to the Suez from there. He is a big man, this Commodore Cartwright, and I hear he is arrogant too, like all Americans. We will soon be able to locate him. He will stand out clearly among the locals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sooner he is removed the better,\u201d murmured Yaccoub Djounga said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt suits our purposes to keep the khedive busy planning for this visit from President Grant,\u201d the spokesman of the group said, dismissing Djounga\u2019s threat irritably. \u201cIt distracts him.\u201d<\/p>\n

The soft patter of feet running towards them caused them to fall silent. They waited for the canister to be opened and for their spokesman to tell them its contents. With a grave face he looked at each one of them,<\/p>\n

\u201cDoestov has been seen\u2014alive\u2014and only a few miles from Tripoli!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can that be possible? The Prussians killed him in England.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Prussians,\u201d Djounga smiled coldly, \u201cobviously failed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Adam repeated the phrases diligently, each time Ibrahim nodded approval, waved a hand, then would correct some syllable that hadn\u2019t sounded quite \u201cright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are a good student, Adam Abdelkarim,\u201d Ibrahim smiled, the pseudonym they had given Adam slipped from his tongue smoothly, he was pleased, and he was pleased also at the way in which Adam conducted himself.<\/p>\n

The American ate whatever was placed before him without questioning what it was, or dismissing it and demanding something different. He drank water or the sweetened wine without requesting anything other than that. He never went on deck without covering his face. Ibrahim found that with every passing day the first thing he had said to Adam when they had met was proving more and more true. Adam Cartwright was indeed a unique man.<\/p>\n

The best part of the day was when he could go on deck and watch the waters tumble by, or when the felucca came to rest and the Egyptians took time to fish and he would sit, Arab style, carefully going over and over in his mind all that he was learning. The phrases he could speak, the customs he must adhere to, the information he already had gleaned from the folders given him by Grant and Doestov from all those weeks ago.<\/p>\n

By nightfall he would sleep on the cushioned bedding and sleep soundly, until early morning when dreams came and he would see the faces of those he loved so clearly. One dream had been particularly disturbing when he had seen himself walking beside Regina, her quiet calm face smiling at him as he pointed to something on the horizon, and he had kissed her in his dream and her eyes had smiled so sweetly at him that he had awoken and felt, for an instant, that bereft grief of having lost someone loved.<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t object to anything they brought him to eat, although some of it looked dubious. But he could have told Ibrahim of the childhood he had endured, when food was so scare he had eaten grass to stay alive, and Ben had roasted snake, lizards, anything he could catch, over the camp fire to fill his little son\u2019s empty belly. There had been meals eaten at Indian feasts, Cheyenne, Sioux and Paiute, meals consisting of ingredients not found in the normal American housewife\u2019s larder.<\/p>\n

He watched as the land slipped away as they passed it. Soon he would be in Port Said, Adam Abdelkarim, and as such he would have to turn his eyes away from the things that an American tourist would find disturbing, he would have to remind himself that as Adam Abdelkarim his eyes would have seen these things many times over. He sighed, and wondered just how good an actor he would turn out to be.<\/p>\n

Chapter 56<\/p>\n

With the lower half of his face covered and keeping to the shadows Adam waited for Ibrahim to signal that the time was right to leave the felucca. He had watched the tourists leaving the boats and being led to where the barouches waited to take them to their hotels. He had watched them disperse in a chattering gaggle of sameness, heading for the barouches or the donkeys, and been half reminded of Mark Twain\u2019s book \u2018Innocents Abroad\u2019 of which he had the vaguest of memories having read it shortly after the author had visited Virginia City some years ago.<\/p>\n

Port Said was busy with people, overcrowded with ships and boats of every kind. It took him barely minutes to walk down the gangplank of the felucca and mingle with the crowd of locals, keeping well away from the tourists and striding down the road that was crammed with traffic and people as though he knew exactly where he was going and what he was doing. His eyes, however, never strayed from the figure of Ibrahim Aziz who walked ahead by several metres.<\/p>\n

A black man of the same build as Hoss strode down the street, his hand on the shaft of his knife and his dark eyes glaring into the faces of the people who passed him. His white garments were a vast contrast to the colour of his skin, but he was a man from Darfur and it was commonplace to see men such as Yaccoub Djounga around the ports where the ships were berthed.<\/p>\n

His shoulder brushed against Adam\u2019s but neither man broke their stride. Adam, with his eyes on Ibrahim, would not have known that the man who had walked so rudely past him was a man who would have willingly killed him on the spot had he realised it was the man he knew as Commodore Cartwright.<\/p>\n

Adam slipped into the courtyard of a house and heard the door close softly behind him, shutting out the sounds and sights of the streets and bringing, for a brief few hours, a time of peace and quiet. He saw Ibrahim waiting for him by some stairs and crossed the courtyard to follow him up the steps and into a cool large room.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recognised a man here,\u201d Ibrahim said, stepping over to the window and glancing down at the street before bringing down the shutters. \u201cYaccoub Djounga. He is from Darfur and one of the men involved in this scheme to bring about a revolution. He, thankfully, did not recognise me, otherwise I\u2019m afraid he would have killed me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He came into the room, clapped his hands and then gestured to Adam to sit down. It seemed that almost as soon as Adam had done so several young men and women entered the room to provide food and drink. There was a whispered conversation between one of the men with Ibrahim, before the two men were left alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would seem that Djounga is on his way to Suez Canal,\u201d Ibrahim said as he settled himself on some cushions, \u201cThat is good; it means that he and his associates still think that is where you are going. It also means that perhaps some of his people are here in Port Said, so we shall have to be on our guard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I recall rightly you were saying that Darfur had been annexed quite recently* by the khedive . Would this be another reason for so much unrest hereabouts?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it is.\u201d Ibrahim answered slowly as he dipped bread into the communal bowl. \u201cThis food is good; you must eat, build up your strength. Tomorrow we shall be leaving for Cairo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and followed Ibrahim\u2019s example of eating, dipping the bread into the bowl and taking it to his mouth. Ibrahim was right; the food was delicious, not something Adam had ever enjoyed previously.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The tracks of the horses led away from Beecher\u2019s Gap, and Ben felt mixed feelings upon seeing them. Hoss had run a hand over the ashes of the camp fires and confirmed that they were days old. Perhaps Fleming and Lancey had gone after he had been to see them, which would have been highly commendable, but on the other hand, perhaps they had waited a while and taken someone else with them.<\/p>\n

The anxiety at the back of his mind made him reluctant to leave the scene although Hoss seemed quite satisfied at going not having made any connection with the Army and Joe. As they rode from the box canyon together Ben tried to go over any conversation he had had with Joe about the militia being there. Had he given his son any idea of where they had been? Had he mentioned Beecher\u2019s Gap at all?<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re quiet, Pa. What\u2019s on your mind?\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned slightly towards Hoss, slowing his horse as he did and casting a glance over his shoulder to where they had just been, then he rubbed his chin with a gloved hand while shaking his head,<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just a little bit concerned that Joe may have been here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if he has, he obviously left some time ago,\u201d Hoss replied. \u201cAin\u2019t no sign of him hereabouts that I can tell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know your brother, Hoss.\u201d Ben scowled and shook his head. \u201cTell him not to do something and guarantee that he\u2019ll do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou told him not to come here? Any reason why not?\u201d Hoss pushed his hat to the back of his head and looked at his father thoughtfully, he narrowed his blue eyes and crinkled his nose, \u201cYou holding back on telling me something, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t believe so,\u201d Ben replied as he walked Buck away from the campsite.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure? Fact is, I don\u2019t recall you saying much to me about this here militia and what they wanted? I don\u2019t even know for sure why Joe had to be in such a durn hurry to go see Sarah and why she\u2019s hightailed it outta here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm, I can\u2019t recall not telling you about it, Hoss. Fact is the government wanted Sarah and Joe to go to the Black Hills and talk some sense to the Plains Indians there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou joshing me, Pa? They wanted JOE to go talk sense to them thar Indians? Our Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne and the same.\u201d Ben narrowed his eyes, \u201cAre you sure I didn\u2019t mention this to you before?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst I heard tell about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they seemed pretty insistent for some reason or another. Obviously the Joseph Cartwright they know down there is a different one from the one we have living under our roof.\u201d Ben grinned, tried to make light of it, but his eyes were anxious and Hoss knew his father too well to respond by grinning back.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was there with them some while, Pa. They had a lot of respect for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

They rode on a while and then Hoss slowed Chubb and frowned. \u201cThat\u2019s a funny thing.\u201d He pointed to the prints in the soil, \u201cDon\u2019t that look like Cochise\u2019s hoof print?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed, looked at his son as though his son should have known better than to have asked him, and then dismounted. Together they both walked over to where Hoss had noticed the distinctive hoof print.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour eyes are better than mine, Hoss, which hoof print are we looking at?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis one here,\u201d Hoss said and described the print with his forefinger, \u201cI\u2019ve shoed that horse for so many years now I can tell his print from among hundreds of \u2018em.\u201d He frowned again and carefully walked along with his head down \u201cHere\u2019s another of \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow sure are you that that is Cochise\u2019s print, Hoss? There\u2019s a whole mass of horses passed along here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, there are\u2026\u201d Hoss thumbed his hat forwards now to shade his eyes and enable him to see the print more clearly, \u201cSee here, Pa, this here horse is going to lose a shoe anytime now\u2026and here\u2019s another got a split in it\u2026soon as you start seeing individual differences in a horse\u2019s shoe you git to recognise them among a crowd as easy as I could tell your face in a crowd of folk at the Silver Dollar.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben licked his lips. They were dry, as was his throat; he looked up at the sky, which showed signs of a day about to draw to a close. \u201cWell, let\u2019s get back home now. Tomorrow we\u2019ll come back here early and have a further look these tracks. I think we need to have a talk with those militia men.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked at his father and frowned. he still had the notion that his father was holding something back from him, but he couldn\u2019t quite put his finger on what it could possibly be. They turned their horses in the direction of the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would they want Joe now, without Sarah?\u201d he asked his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Hoss, all I know is that for some reason General Custer wants Joe to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCuster? How come he\u2019s involved? How\u2019d you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething the major said\u2014\u201d Ben replied slowly, he shook his head and almost nervously urged his horse into a faster pace.<\/p>\n

Ezra took the horses into the stable with the anxiety gnawing inside him along with the guilt that perhaps he had done wrong in telling Joe about the soldiers camping in Beechers Gap. He could tell from their faces that both Ben and Hoss were worried, and from what he had overheard Ben say to Hester as they went into the house it concerned the soldiers.<\/p>\n

He saw to the animals\u2019 needs and then walked to the ranch house with the same feeling in his insides as a man would have had were he to be mounting the steps to a gibbet for a hanging\u2014his own. When Ben opened the door and smiled, Ezra nearly dropped his hat.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, I got something I need to tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well, Ezra, spit it out, man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember the day I told you about seeing those army men with that cage?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do.\u201d Ben put his hands on his hips and narrowed his eyes as he scanned the anxious almost tortuous twisting of Ezra\u2019s features.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Joe asked me whereabouts they was and I told him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I told you not to mention it to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2014I\u2014yes\u2014but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

The two men glared at one another and said nothing; it was Hoss coming up from the rear that broke the silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, Ezra told Joe about Fleming being at Beechers. I can guarantee that he went there, and they\u2019ve taken him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTaken him?\u201d Hester cried and sat down quickly in a chair as her legs went weak from under her. \u201cTaken him where?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I aim to find out,\u201d Ben replied. He looked up at the sky and shook his head. \u201cI\u2019ll ride out tomorrow. I may be gone some days.\u201d He scowled at Ezra who mumbled an abject apology, \u201cYou\u2019d best see that a pack horse is ready for me first thing tomorrow, and get a horse saddled up for yourself; you\u2019re coming with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, hold on thar, Pa.\u201d Hoss placed a large hand on his father\u2019s chest, as though holding him back from making some impetuous move. \u201cAin\u2019t you forgetting someone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike who?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s face gentled; he looked at Hoss and smiled, then he walked towards Hester.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, the two of you, I may be gone some time, or I may be away no time at all; after all Joe could be anywhere, and we may be making a big error assuming he\u2019s with the militia. Whatever the case, Hoss, you have to be here now; you have a wife to care for and\u2014\u201d he pinched Hester\u2019s cheek tenderly\u2014\u201cshe needs looking after.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes you say that?\u201d Hester said with a blush to her cheeks and her eyes filling with tears.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dear girl, I have had three sons\u2026and I know they didn\u2019t come by way of a stork.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Hester exchanged a look, and then Hoss wrapped her in his arms and hugged her close. \u201cWe were going to tell you, Pa,\u201d he said in his usual honest hearted manner.<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm, I\u2019m sure you would have got round to it eventually,\u201d Ben laughed, and kissed Hester. \u201cNow then, the two of you, I\u2019ll have to leave the Ponderosa in your hands so be gentle with her. For the time being\u2014\u201d he glanced over at the clock\u2014\u201cit must be nearly supper time. Let\u2019s enjoy this evening together\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 57<\/p>\n

Adam had many reasons to be grateful to the intense instructions he had been given by Ibrahim Aziz. From the moment he came face to face with the camel that had been delegated to him to the time he entered the building in Cairo\u2019s medieval citadel, he had to rely on the information and strategies put forward by the redoubtable Egyptian.<\/p>\n

When first confronting a camel, Ibrahim had informed Adam, show no fear. Always remember that it is merely a means of transportation. If it looks as if it is going to spit at you, then spit first. If upon mounting it shows signs of wanting to cast you from the saddle, bite its ear. Confronting \u201cShe Who Must Be Obeyed\u201d was probably the only time Adam experienced real panic.<\/p>\n

They left Port Said before the day had dawned, a small caravan of travellers that had been happy to take along the obviously wealthy Egyptian and the, who could doubt it, fearless Bedouin whose dark eyes seemed to pierce their souls and whose hand was never far from his dagger. The merchants looked to the Bedouin to protect them with his strength and courage, and the Egyptian to pay a king\u2019s ransom to anyone who was prepared to stop and rob them.<\/p>\n

Often during the journey as he swayed from side to side in the saddle of his mount, Adam thought of the history of the land through which he was travelling. Perhaps, he mused, he could return one day as one of those tourists idly passing the day looking at the ancient monuments without a care in the world. He pondered on the people who over countless thousands of years had made this journey, some as slaves, and some as conquerors with great armies. His romantic soul dredged up the histories he had read of Cleopatra and Caesar, or biblical accounts of Pharaohs who defied the Almighty God. His logical mind tried to work out the logistics of how the pyramids were built and whereabouts did they get the materials from and what system of building structures would they have used.<\/p>\n

It was not until they were on the outskirts of the city that he turned his mind back to the reason for this journey and set his mind revolving over all the information that had been stored away over the weeks. \u201cShe Who Must Be Obeyed\u201d walked with swaying dignity into the throng of the city taking her passenger into its centre where he disembarked, paid his dues and followed Ibrahim into the narrow streets.<\/p>\n

There were many sights that he had to tell himself not to react to\u2026the cries of young women and children as they were hauled to the slave market in chains, children crying for their mothers and young girls weeping for their lost maidenhood. Young men, strong men, attractive women were all hauled in a long line in their fetters to the market. It was obvious from their faces that some were still in shock over what had happened, walking as though in their sleep and their eyes blank; others reacted, yelling and shouting curses, shaking their chains in despair.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom Darfur,\u201d Ibrahim said. \u201cIt is one way to subdue a nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s heart quavered and he stopped beside his guide, waiting for the human mass to go by them. A woman, young in years, caught his attention, her black eyes strained upon his face, and she grabbed at his djubbeh and fell upon her knees,<\/p>\n

\u201cHelp me, help me, master \u2026\u201d she cried and for her pains received a crack over the skull from the handle of the overseer\u2019s whip.<\/p>\n

Adam clenched his teeth and turned his head. Shame burned through him, to ignore the plight of the woman, of them all, distressed him even as he pulled his djubbeh free from flailing fingers and hurried away. He was not the American, he told himself, he was not the commodore of a ship \u2026 he was Adam Abdulkarim, and such scenes he would have seen countless times before.<\/p>\n

The number of beggars defied description, their obvious ailments made him feel wretched, the fact that Ibrahim had told him that many injured themselves deliberately in order to get a \u2018good living\u2019 from their begging did little to settle his stomach or his conscience as he strode past them, his long robes flying and brushing over them.<\/p>\n

The poor hanging around the streets with large eyes and ragged clothing; the stalls set out to sell their wares with food and fish, great slabs of meat, many varieties of sea foods, all attracting flies that no one seemed bothered to brush away as lazy stall holders sat in the gutters smoking their pipes or seemingly dozing the day away. Ibrahim had told him, \u201cDon\u2019t buy anything for the poor, don\u2019t give any one of them anything \u2026 you give to one, you must give to all, and you will find, all of them will be instantly swarming around you like bees to honey. Attract attention and our cause is lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued on his way close by Ibrahim to the building that was the headquarters of the khedive\u2019s American Cadre, and to the men who would, he hoped, finally explain what he had to do and why.<\/p>\n

The building was large but not ostentatious. Sited in the medieval Citadel Major General Stone directed his cadre of Civil War officers to rebuild Egypt\u2019s military power*. From here he directed expeditions in the khedive\u2019s expanding world, making discoveries that would achieve more for Ismail that any army possibly could have done.<\/p>\n

Adam mounted the steps and passed through the cool open terraces to the door that led to Stone\u2019s own apartments. Here the door swung open and he, with Ibrahim, was admitted into the presence of the man himself, Charles Pomeroy Stone.<\/p>\n

Charles P. Stone turned as the doors swung open and looked at the two men who had entered the room. The elderly man in the smart European suit, with his sallow skin, dark eyes and smartly trimmed beard and moustache smiled and advanced towards him,<\/p>\n

\u201cGeneral, it is good to see you again.\u201d Ibrahim gave him the traditional greeting and extended it to the other men in the room. \u201cMay I present my nephew, Adam Addulkarim.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stone looked with a slightly confused expression at the man now walking towards him, as he took in the dark eyes regarding him from the gap between the kufiva and face covering. The black flowing robes that girded the over six-feet tall stranger made Stone grope carefully for the drawer that held a pistol just in case this was going to be an assassination attempt.<\/p>\n

The dark eyes glanced from Stone to the other two men in the room, then Adam Abdulkarim bowed, and made the traditional Bedouin greeting. Stone glanced from him to Ibrahim. \u201cI thought you were bringing Commodore Cartwright here.\u201d he said coldly, \u201cI wasn\u2019t expecting any relative of yours to come instead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry, Major General, I know the disappointment must be considerable. Things happen at sea as you know.\u201d Ibrahim sighed and bowed his head while his \u2018nephew\u2019 narrowed his eyes as he glanced from one man to the other.<\/p>\n

Stone turned to the other two men both of whom were scowling rather heavily at Ibrahim and the stranger, but one of them shrugged and muttered something under his breath while the other walked to the window and leaned against it with his arms folded, and his eyes on Adam as though to convey the message to him that he was under close scrutiny.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy isn\u2019t the commodore here? Grant sent me news confirming that Cartwright was on his way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Baltimore was sent subsequent orders to turn back shortly after leaving Tripoli. There was no explanation given.\u201d Ibrahim said in soothing tones, \u201cBut it would seem that some of those men who are planning this coup were in Port Said. Yaccoub Djounga actually passed us on his way to get the boat to the Suez.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charles P. Stone was a heavily built man with a flowing beard to match his overlong hair. He wore a uniform well, and he still wore his U.S Military Academy ring on the little finger of his right hand. As Adam looked at the man, the military commander of the khedive\u2019s American cadre, he was reminded of the facts he had gleaned about him\u2014perhaps the one that would haunt the man was his having been under a cloud for suspected disloyalty and treason and being arrested and imprisoned at Fort Lafayette*. Although released six months later he was never officially pardoned, but it was Grant himself who devised the man to be sent to serve the khedive in Egypt along with other Civil War Officers, most of whom had fought for the Confederacy.<\/p>\n

Stone sat down and pulled some papers towards him as though mentally placing a barrier between himself and the two newcomers. He seemed reluctant to speak now, and glanced over to the man at the window, who now stepped forward. \u201cIbrahim, it\u2019s good to see you again.\u201d he gave a courtesy bow to the Egyptian and then to Adam who greeted him in similar fashion. \u201cYou may not remember me, Samuel Lockett*.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned to regard this man in order to put a face to the information he had about him, and saw a finely built man who looked like one who would prefer to sit at an easel and sketch all day than fight, for he had been a colonel in the ConfederateaArmy and had designed the defences of Vicksburg. He was a good-looking man, but bore the traces of a recent illness that had yet to be shaken off. He turned to the third man. \u201cI don\u2019t think you have met Mason, he\u2019s here en route to taking up an assignment in Equatoria.*\u201d<\/p>\n

Alexander Mason, a descendent of George Mason, Father of the Bill of Rights, greeted the newcomers. A onetime naval officer in the Confederacy, he looked uncomfortable in their presence and after greeting them stepped back into the shadows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI prefer to see who I\u2019m speaking to,\u201d Lockett now said with a polite bow of the head in Adam\u2019s direction, \u201cNo offence meant, but if we are to confide in you, I do think it best that we can recognise you the next time we meet\u2014should such an occasion arise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo offence taken,\u201d Adam replied, and putting one hand to the kufiva, he let down the face covering. \u201cI hope you\u2019ll forgive the masquerade, but Ibrahim and I thought it best. My name\u2019s Cartwright, Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 58<\/p>\n

The three men merely nodded for they were well used to subterfuge in their world of Khedive Ismail\u2019s ambitions.<\/p>\n

\u201cPleased to have you aboard, Commodore, and congratulations on your\u2014er\u2014choice of dress.\u201d Stone said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was necessary. Everywhere there is the whisper of the American commodore who comes here; there was nothing to be done but this ruse in order to get him here alive,\u201d Ibrahim murmured as though dissatisfied at the reception they had received.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was one of our major concerns, Ibrahim. We knew that if we could rely on anyone getting him here safely it would be you,\u201d Lockett said immediately and smiled as though he quite understood the Egyptian\u2019s ire.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much do you know about this situation, Commodore?\u201d Stone asked, deciding that there was little time to waste on trivial chatter. His eyes that were ringed with the dark tinged sacs beneath them indicated his weariness, but nevertheless he looked keenly at the other man, and waited patiently for Adam\u2019s reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo get right to the point of the matter as to why I\u2019m here\u2014\u201d Adam narrowed his eyes as though to challenge Stone\u2019s incisive glare\u2014\u201cthere\u2019s a plot to kill President Grant when he comes here on his tour.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat explains, not why you\u2019re here, but what is planned to occur,\u201d Stone replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI took it for granted that by some means or another I\u2019m supposed to prevent it happening.\u201d Adam shrugged. \u201cHowever, along the way there appears to be a lot of politics involved. Men have already been killed over this \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cA German by the name of Brian Lehmann. A Russian by the name of Dimitri Doestov.\u201d Adam replied, \u201cAn attempt on the life of an English friend of mine, Laurence Willoughby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDimitri Doestov is still alive,\u201d Lockett said calmly, \u201cHe has been sighted alive and well in Tripoli, apart from which we have received a communication from him. The man who died, and was assumed to be Doestov, was a German who, to all intents and purposes, was hired to kill Doestov.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing to that, although the thought that Doestov was still alive came as a surprise. He hoped that his face didn\u2019t betray what he thought but he nodded curtly as though he understood everything. \u201cPolitics\u2014especially middle eastern politics\u2014aren\u2019t high on my list of priorities, sir; as I told the president some weeks back, I\u2019m merely a seaman, nothing more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a whole lot more than that, Commodore.\u201d Mason said, \u201cThe president thinks you\u2019re some kind of magician. As for the politics\u2026well, they\u2019re always there to get in the way of things. The Prussians resent American and British control here in Egypt. As a result they are providing the revolutionaries here with their support. Russia, with whom they are allied, needs our support to go into war with Turkey, and has been giving us information as a means of proving their sincerity. As a result, their politics have spilled over to the situation we have at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are they going to the lengths of wanting to kill President Grant? After all\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter all he represents the United States here,\u201d Lockett interrupted Adam impatiently, \u201cWhat bigger blow to our national pride? It would signal to all the dissidents here in Egypt and the countries under the khedive\u2019s control that they can be a power to be reckoned with; it would light the fuse to their own ambitions, and everything the khedive has attempted to do will blow up in his face.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam regarded Lockett thoughtfully for a moment and then nodded, \u201cOf course, if that happens your stay here would come to an end.\u201d he observed.<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite all the discoveries we have made and the advances we have helped the khedive make to his country, we don\u2019t count as much to the people, we just represent something they want to be rid of.\u201d Mason said. \u201cThere are constant little insurrections going on in this country, but what these insurgents are after is a bringing together of all those factions and overturning the power of the khedive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUsing President Grant\u2019s assassination as the fuse to set it all off?\u201d Adam raised a dark eyebrow and then looked at Stone, \u201cWith them knowing that I am here and wanting to kill me off as soon as they can, what good am I? I don\u2019t speak the language and the customs are really unknown to me.\u201d He paused and frowned. \u201cIt seems you know some of these men; why not pick them up and get what you need from them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could, and have done so in the past. The person who is in control of everything is the man we want\u2026strike at the head and the body will scatter,\u201d Mason said in a soft voice, and he smiled. \u201cIt makes sense, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you know what you\u2019re looking for,\u201d Adam replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo far what we have found out isn\u2019t pleasant, it\u2014well\u2014it tends to lead us in the direction of our own people or an Englishman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pouted slightly and tapped his lips with his fingers,<\/p>\n

\u201cI see; that\u2019s why Charles Willoughby was involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you imagine the chaos if it was known that an Englishman had gotten the president of the United States killed?\u201d Stone intoned heavily. \u201cThe repercussions would ripple through the world for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would certainly bring about a few changes\u2014\u201d Adam agreed drily, and he once again looked at the three men. \u201cHow do I make contact with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough Ibrahim. They may want him dead but he\u2019s influential in this area, and a wealthy man in his own right. At the moment they are hoping he\u2019ll fall in line with them and be useful to them, while they think that, he\u2019s safe,\u201d Stone replied.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and rose to his feet. He replaced the face covering and made a gracious bow, Bedouin fashion, before turning and leaving the room with Ibrahim by his side.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere do you start?\u201c Ibrahim asked as they walked through the narrow alleys together.<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t the faintest idea,\u201d Adam answered, his lips tightened and his brow furrowed. \u201cBut if they know I\u2019m here it won\u2019t take them long to find me.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he walked to the Egyptian\u2019s home Adam thought he could hear the hollow laughter of George Armstrong Custer following close behind him. It made him realise, yet again, that he was many miles away from the Black Hills, from Custer, and from any means of helping his brother.<\/p>\n

Chapter 59<\/p>\n

The horses maintained a good steady gallop as Ben and Ezra followed the trail left behind by the cavalry. It was tempting for Ben to spur his horse on faster but he had only his instinct to provide him with the thought that the army had left, with Joe, on the day of his disappearance. That meant several days had been wasted giving them a good lead which seemed never to diminish.<\/p>\n

Everything was so vague, so nebulous. The vague warning in Adam\u2019s letter, the requests of Fleming and Lancey for Sarah and Joe to go to the Black Hills with them , everything just seemed far too unreal for Ben\u2019s logical mind to accept. If only there had been another letter from Adam spelling out exactly what was required. If only Joe had been more honest in telling his father what had transpired between him and Sarah. The \u201cif onlys\u201d mounted up each day on that journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre we getting any closer to them, Ben?\u201d Ezra asked as they stopped by a stream .<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re gaining on them, Ezra. That last part of the journey seemed to force them to renegotiate and double back on themselves. We could stand a chance of coming upon them by tomorrow morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezra sighed and slumped; a lot could happen during those precious hours; and he glanced up at the sky before wiping his brow on his sleeve. \u201cSure is hot,\u201d he murmured.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to get hotter before the day\u2019s over,\u201d Ben agreed and stooped to fill the canteen with the clean water from the stream.<\/p>\n

The water was cold as it trickled over his fingers and he couldn\u2019t help but wonder what had happened to Joe. Had he been taken by force? Well, surely that was the only possible explanation as to why there had been no word from him to explain his absence. Or had he been shot, killed perhaps? What would he do if that had happened? How could he prove that he had been if the soldiers denied it?<\/p>\n

As the water filled the canteen his mind wandered next onto his other son, Adam. Out there, at sea, who knew where? There had been nothing from him for weeks, nothing at all. What if he were dead too? How was he to know?<\/p>\n

\u201cYou alright, Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, sure I\u2019m alright.\u201d He fumbled with the canteen and plucked it from the water, slapping the stopper in tight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI jest wondered, you seemed to look mighty anxious for a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am mighty anxious,\u201d Ben growled, and gave the poor man a scowl that had Ezra gulping back spittle. \u201cI\u2019m worried for my boys.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure you are, Ben, sure you are\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood there watched as the big rancher mounted his horse, then hurried to his own animal who looked as tired of the journey as his rider.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou reckon it\u2019ll be tomorrow then, Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, tomorrow\u2026\u201d Ben said, and he said no more as he turned the horse in the direction of the trail.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Bacon Custer looked up from her sewing to regard her husband thoughtfully. She had married him within just over a year of meeting him, and despite her family wishing her to have married someone more on her social standing. She had lived as any other army wife, moving from fort to fort as her husband\u2019s assignments had required it.<\/p>\n

As she watched him, his furrowed brow and hooded eyes, she wondered what he was thinking. She adored George Armstrong Custer and had followed him devotedly. She had borne the disappointment of not having had children, and had suffered the indignity of rumours about George\u2019s \u2018marriage\u2019 in 1868 to Monaseetah*, the daughter of a Cheyenne Chief called Little Rock. Further indignity and distress had been heaped upon her when it became common knowledge that her husband had fathered two children by the woman. *<\/p>\n

She had spoken to him just once, listened to his denials, to his explanation that the children had been those of his brother, Thomas.* Whether or not she believed him in the depths of her own heart, no one was to know. Now here they were at Fort Abraham Lincoln in the middle of Indian Territory and she could already sense his restlessness, his
\nLonging to be doing something other than just sitting there waiting for orders to come from his superiors.<\/p>\n

\u201cGeorge, are you worried about being here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShould I be?\u201d He looked up at her, his eyes registering amazement at such a question, and the large moustache that hid the small mean mouth (of which he was not proud) seemed to bristle.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou seem restless and anxious, my dear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI assure you that I am not,\u201d He smiled at her now and reached out to take her hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we were in Washington last\u2014\u201d she paused and glanced down at her sewing, smoothed out some silk and smiled at the result of her labour, \u201cI overheard some mention of Adam Cartwright.\u201d She looked up at him with innocent large eyes, \u201cI asked them if it could possibly be the gentleman we had known a few years ago, a sea man, with two brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally? And what did they tell you?\u201d Custer\u2019s eyes lost their lustre and he released her hand, returning his gaze to the book he had been reading.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh they said he was a brave man, that the president held him in high respect. I did ask if they knew where he was, and if he would be there, I would have liked to have met him once again.\u201d She frowned. \u201cThey said he was gone away on a long voyage, and that you probably knew more about it than they did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally? Well, my dear, I can\u2019t think why they should have said that\u2014\u201d Custer looked at her and smiled. \u201cI can\u2019t even recall ever having seen him since that time.\u201d he frowned, and shook his head, \u201cNo, not at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow strange. So unlike Mr. Fish to be mistaken\u2014\u201d she murmured, and bent her head once again over her sewing.<\/p>\n

Custer scowled. Even here, in his own home, Adam Cartwright had to cast his shadow.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Joseph Cartwright sat in the straw along with the other captives. His wrists were manacled, as were his feet. He sat with a bowl of watery stew between his hands which he struggled to eat. Now and again he would raise his eyes to meet those of Stalking Horse. A chance for escape had to come soon, he groaned within himself, and his head lolled forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou must eat. Get strength.\u201d Stalking Horse said fiercely.<\/p>\n

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

He wished he had some strength. After that last attempt to escape had gone wrong the beating they had meted out to him had left him as weak as the proverbial kitten. He ate some of the stew and waited for it to settle in his stomach. Overhead the sun was burning down upon them with the promise of getting steadily hotter. It added to their misery and lethargy. He ate more of the stew and watched the soldiers; some of them were younger than he, and just as weary. He could tell from the stoop of their shoulders and heaviness in their legs that the men were exhausted from the travelling and heat.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Hoss opened the door to the sound of horses galloping into the yard and was brought to a standstill at the sight of Candy bringing Cochise along on a leading rein.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019d you find him?\u201d Hoss exclaimed as he hurried across the yard to look at the horse, run his hand over his body, his withers, down his forelegs. \u201cHe don\u2019t look much the worse for wear, does he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was grazing some miles from Beecher\u2019s Gap,\u201d Candy replied, removing his hat and wiping the sweat from his brow and the sweat band within it. \u201cSeemed quite content. Not a scratch on him either.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss now checked over the saddle, just in case there was some telltale sign of injury to his brother, but there was, again, nothing. He looked at Candy and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cKinda odd, ain\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe must\u2019ve broken loose from whoever had him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr been released so\u2019s no-one would know he\u2019d been taken, along with my brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

They looked at one another, and then back at the horse as though willing him to answer the unspoken questions but Cochise merely nudged his head into Hoss\u2019 shoulder as though to assure him of his pleasure at seeing him again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019d best come on in, Candy. Let\u2019s have something to drink and consider what to do next.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 60<\/p>\n

Hoss gave Cochise a thorough examination once the horse was back in his stall and greedily snuffling through his feedbag. Candy stood to one side with his arms folded and head lowered as he leaned against the bars of the stall and watched Hoss for some moments. \u201cNo clue, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, nothing. He looks fine, as though he\u2019s just been sauntering his way home from wherever he\u2019s been.\u201d Hoss sighed, \u201cI was sure he was among those horses riding outta Beechers. Lots of horse sign there \u2026\u201d Hoss frowned, and raised each of Cochise\u2019s hoofs in order to check his shoes, he nodded affirmation each time he recognised a familiar shoe, \u201cHe was there\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what do you think that means, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means that Joe and Cochise were at Beecher\u2019s Gap as I said, and that Joe must still be there.\u201d Hoss scratched the back of his head, and looked at Candy as though expecting him to provide some solution. But, Candy wasn\u2019t Adam, or even Pa, and looked as bewildered as his friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is where Ben was headed though, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, in that case, he\u2019ll no doubt find him. Ezra\u2019s a good tracker, almost as good as you, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded, although he wasn\u2019t convinced. Ezra was good to have around, but he wasn\u2019t the sharpest tool in the box. He sighed, ran a hand down the length of Cochise\u2019s neck and left the stall.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you heard from Adam lately?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss glanced at Candy, unprepared for the question but then seeing how the man had looked over to Sport he could understand what had prompted him to ask. He shook his head, and thrust his hands into his back pockets. \u201cNah, nothing for some time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGuess you must wish he were still here, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I sure do. We all do. When Adam leaves home it always feels as though something has been plucked right out of it, and it don\u2019t feel right until he gits on back here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Candy said nothing to that, although he could understand to some extent what Hoss meant, for he had never known as family where the bonds were so tight, so close.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a pity he ever left here in the first place,\u201d he said softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, he shouldn\u2019t have gone. We shouldn\u2019t have let him go.\u201d Hoss agreed and closed the door of the stable firmly behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019d best get back. Thanks for the coffee and everything, if I can think of anything I\u2019ll ride on over and let you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Candy. You\u2019re a good friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss stood aside to let Candy mount his horse and then raised a hand to wave him off. With slumped shoulders he returned to the house, closed the door behind him and looked around the big room. He listened to the clock ticking so ponderously loudly in the silence when he heard footsteps and looked up to see Hester approaching him with an anxious look on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were gone a long time, Hoss. Was everything alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just checking Cochise over, making sure he was sound. Candy\u2019s gone home now.\u201d He smiled, and put his hand on her arm, \u201cHester, I\u2019m sure worried about Joe. There\u2019s just such a wrong, bad, feeling about all this, it just don\u2019t make no sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him thoughtfully, the troubled blue eyes, the way his scant hair seemed to be standing on end exposing the scalp beneath, the firm tautness of his lips. She knew that there was nothing she could say or suggest that would remove those furrows from his brow, and the anxiety that was tearing into him, so she placed her hand upon his. \u201cWould you have preferred to have gone with your pa, Hoss? I wouldn\u2019t have held you back, my dear. I know how much you love your brother and want to make sure he is home safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTime\u2019s are different now, Hester,\u201d he said softly. \u201cPa and Ezra will do all they can to find him and bring him home, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t stay here on my account, Hoss. If you feel you need to be with your father, then go and join him. I\u2019ll be alright here.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook his head, and his face softened into a look of gentle love that she always evoked within him. He touched her face, ran a finger gently down to her chin and then kissed her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t leave you here on your own, Hester. Shucks, Joe\u2019s a full grown man now, and Pa\u2019s old enough to take care of them both together. No, my place is here, with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled, just a little anxiously, wondering whether he really believed the words he had just uttered. Rather than have the doubt confirmed she slipped her arm through his and led him into the study area. \u201cWell, in that case, you had better help me with these ledgers. I promised Ben we\u2019d have them all done by the time he got home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The small dust cloud that the soldier\u2019s horse kicked up as he approached the column was soon noticed and it was Lancey who raised an arm to halt them. In the cage, Joe watched the soldier with the same amount of curiosity as the officers displayed, for such urgency could give rise to any number of situations occurring\u2014an Indian attack being one of the first things to take into consideration.<\/p>\n

The soldier drew his horse to a halt and saluted the major and Captain Lancey. \u201cJust saw two riders approaching, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust two? Any idea who they could be?\u201d Lancey asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhite men. Hard to tell if they are strangers or not from this distance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fleming turned to Lancey with his eyes bloodshot from the grit that had blown into them and his mouth dry, and he nodded. \u201cTake a glass and check them out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lancey nodded, turned his horse about and galloped to a point that he could scrabble up and take a good look at the riders through the telescope. The dust cloud coming rapidly closer was easy enough to see, he trained the glass upon it and cursed beneath his breath.
\nRemounting his horse he returned to Fleming\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like Ben Cartwright and one of his men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs sure as I can be\u2014\u201d he leaned forward\u2014\u201che\u2019s obviously realised we\u2019ve got his son with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fleming looked at Lancey and scowled, narrowed his eyes and glanced over his shoulder towards the cage. He could see Joe clearly standing up now, hands clasping two of the bars and craning his head forward as though he could hear every word they were saying.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake him out of the cage and hide him. There are enough boulders hereabouts to conceal him. Don\u2019t let him out of your sight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lancey saluted, and moved his horse towards the cage. His thoughts were in turmoil. He knew as a soldier he had to obey orders, but at the same time he was an honourable man and the way he saw it, things weren\u2019t being done in a way that was honourable. He watched as the cage was unlocked and Joe was pulled out of it by two of the troopers. It was Lancey who unlocked the shackles and tossed them back into the cage before the door was closed and locked again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are we going?\u201d Joe asked as he was forced to step forwards by the gun prodding his spine.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver there\u2014\u201d Lancey replied and jerked his head towards the rock face, \u201cDon\u2019t make a fuss about this, Mr. Cartwright. Just do as I ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk? You call this asking?\u201d Joe\u2019s hazel eyes widened and his lips compressed into an almost bloodless line. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you just tell me what this is all about, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust come along with me, Mr. Cartwright. Don\u2019t make any trouble\u2014 please.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned\u2014something about the officer puzzled him\u2014he shrugged the other soldier\u2019s hand away from him, and walked slowly behind Lancey\u2019s horse. The officer finally dismounted, and looked over the rocks, seemed satisfied at what he had seen and beckoned to Joe to join him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust sit here, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d he took the canteen of water from his saddle and passed it to Joe, \u201cHere, have something to drink while you wait.\u201d He frowned, shrugged. \u201cWhile we all wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe glanced wildly around him, but there was nothing to be seen except the soldiers dismounting and preparing to make camp. He couldn\u2019t even see the cage from the direction in which he was concealed. He meekly accepted the canteen of water and gratefully unstoppered it, and drank the cool liquid.<\/p>\n

By the time Ben Cartwright and Ezra reached Fleming the column had come to a halt. Fleming looked up as they rode closer and rose to his feet as though surprised to see them, he removed his hat and actually smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright? A pleasure to see you again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben glanced over at the mounted men; not a quick cursory once over, but a long lingering look that took some minutes. Then his near black eyes returned to Fleming\u2019s face, at the easy smile and red rimmed eyes of the officer. \u201cI wondered if you had seen my son, Joseph?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHereabouts? No, Mr. Cartwright, I haven\u2019t. This isn\u2019t Ponderosa land now, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you passed the boundary line some miles back.\u201d Ben agreed, and leaned forward his hands folded over the pommel of his saddle, easing his back while doing so, \u201cMy son rode down to see you at Beecher\u2019s Gap. He\u2019s not been seen since.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe may have ridden down to Beecher\u2019s Gap, as you call it, but we never saw him there, nor anywhere else, come to that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben frowned, pursed his lips and rubbed his face with his hand, then he shook his head,<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you did. His horse was among those that rode out of that box canyon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Mr. Cartwright, feel free to take a look around and see for yourself. If the young man\u2019s horse is among ours then\u2014\u201d he shrugged and grimaced, \u201cthen I can\u2019t give you any explanation as to why or how it came to be there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded and urged Buck forward, slowly the big horse walked forward and around the camp. As Ben rode around and looked at the horses, at the cage where the Indians stood, shackled, watching him, he felt as though the tension in the air fairly crackled. He noticed the soldier\u2019s eyes following him as he rode slowly around the camp.<\/p>\n

Hidden among the boulders Joe saw the broad shouldered figure of his father ride pass, just a few feet from where he was hidden. He half rose, his mouth open to shout out but Lancey put the gun to his head and a finger to his lips.<\/p>\n

Joe watched as his father slowly circumnavigated the camp, saw him until he receded from view. He turned to Lancey<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHush.\u201d Lancey said.<\/p>\n

The one word had the effect of silencing Joe, it was so totally unexpected. Lancey frowned, swallowed and cleared his throat. \u201cLook, I don\u2019t understand what this is all about. Something\u2019s not right about this\u2026before you do anything, take the gun, shoot me. No, I don\u2019t mean, kill me, either\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, I know what you mean.\u201d Joe said grimly and took the gun, brought his fist across Lancey\u2019s mouth which sent the other man staggering back against the boulders but still upright upon his feet. Joe then fired several shots in the air, then clubbed Lancy across the head so that the officer fell, dazed, to the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I\u2019m here\u2014\u201d he yelled and without thinking ran from the cover of the rocks towards where Ben had turned towards him.<\/p>\n

Several shots rang out, from which direction no one could be sure. Joe felt something thud into his shoulder, and then into his leg. He staggered forwards, fired a shot into the air as his finger jerked against the trigger of the gun which fell into the dust just as he followed.<\/p>\n

Lancey, holding his head from which blood was streaming, managed to run to Joe\u2019s side, turn him over and looked down at the young man\u2019s face. He looked up and over at Fleming who was walking towards them, his gun drawn.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s dead.\u201d Lancey said coldly. \u201cDead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben wasn\u2019t sure where the cry of anguish came from, somehow it seemed to come as though ripped out of the heart of some poor soul, and then as he knelt by his son\u2019s side he realised it came from within himself. He put out a hand to touch Joe, and had his wrist seized by Lancey who stared into his eyes<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s dead.\u201d Lancey said with such a look in his eyes that Ben was startled, held back from touching Joe, and was forced into silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Fleming said looking from Lancey to Joe, and from Joe to Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe saw his father\u2014\u201d Lancey said and put his hand to his head, then looked at the blood on his fingers as though to signify to his superior officer that what had happened was quite obvious.<\/p>\n

Fleming frowned and then looked at Ben, who was kneeling at the side of his son\u2019s body.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy most sincere apologies, Mr. Cartwright, this was most certainly not meant to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what was meant to happen, Major?\u201d Ben asked in a voice that trembled so much that he could barely get the words through his mouth, \u201cWhy deny he was here, when he obviously was? What was the reason for all this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Fleming bit down on his bottom lip and bowed his head as though in deep thought, then he squared his shoulders and shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know enough to give you all the answers, sir. Only that I had my orders to bring Mr. Joseph Cartwright, by any means available to me, into custody.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCustody?\u201d Ben stammered, and looked down at the body of his son, at the blood that was soaking into the dry dust of the ground upon which it lay.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir. By General Custer\u2019s orders.\u201d he paused, \u201cIf you have any further questions, you will have to apply to the general himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben put a hand to his brow. He wanted to get out of there, he was suffocating from the emotion he felt, he wanted to get his son home, and the words were bouncing about in his head and making no sense. He took a deep breath. \u201cWhen I saw you first you said that Joe was required\u2014with Sarah Winnemucca\u2014to go with you, to negotiate terms with the Plains Indians? Isn\u2019t that what you said?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir. That was what my orders contained. If they did not come voluntarily then I was to\u2014detain them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGeneral Custer\u2019s orders?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir.\u201d Fleming looked at Lancey who was now trying to stem the blood from his own wound with a handkerchief, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mr. Cartwright. This really wasn\u2019t how it was meant to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben said nothing but knelt down again by his son\u2019s side. He put a hand to his son\u2019s chest and closed his eyes and bowed his head.<\/p>\n

He stayed there for some time. Waiting for them to leave. The rattle and jingle of military harness seemed to fill his ears and go on and on, tearing at his nerves and gnawing into his vitals. Finally he could bear it no longer and with a heart rending cry raised Joe from the ground and into his arms.<\/p>\n

Chapter 61<\/p>\n

The dust from the ground kicked up by the horses was beginning to fall when Joe opened his eyes and gave his father a rather tenuous smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m alright, Pa,\u201d he said in a voice just barely a whisper. \u201cI\u2019m alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben just stared at him for a full minute as though to really appreciate the moment, the fact that his son was alive, and that somehow what Lancey had tried to convey in those last moments had been interpreted correctly. So many questions teemed through his mind and boiled away edging his temper to full blown rage. Carefully he checked Joe\u2019s wounds, a flesh wound through the arm that was quickly washed clean with water and then padded and bound up. The leg wound was a little more worrying, but had seemed to miss any vital arteries and was merely messy. This also was washed and then bound up.<\/p>\n

By the time Joe had been carefully tended to by his father, the young man was sitting propped up against some boulders with a canteen of water, and the knowledge that his father was expecting a lot of answers to questions of which he knew and understood little himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019re you feeling now, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled weakly, nodded and took a gulp of water from the canteen before plugging in the stopper. He turned to the direction of the receding dust cloud and frowned. \u201cHe didn\u2019t exactly hang around to explain things, did he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. He didn\u2019t.\u201d Ben\u2019s voice was crisp, curt and revealed a little of the rage he was feeling inside. \u201cWhat\u2019s been going on, Joe? What\u2019s he talking about, this Fleming?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Pa, what did he say to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYoung man, if you\u2019re hiding things from me, and\u2014why we\u2019re about it\u2014didn\u2019t I tell you to stay away from the army? I told you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Pa, I\u2019m sorry.\u201d Joe sighed, and looked contrite. \u201cFleming is bound by rules and orders and discipline. If his superior says \u2018jump\u2019 Fleming is the sort that asks \u2018How high?\u2019 He had orders to get me to go with them to Custer, wherever he may be, and then on to the Dakota plains to negotiate with the Cheyenne. When it looked like I was dead, then I guess he felt it best to just high-tail it outta here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what went on with the other officer, this Lancey?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Pa. Suddenly he turned out to want to help me escape, as though he couldn\u2019t go through with it. He\u2019s not cut from the same cloth as Fleming, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d Joe bit his bottom lip; the wounds may not have been serious but they were painful. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain to subside a little. \u201cHe didn\u2019t intend for me to get shot though.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezra stepped forward now, eager to say his bit.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw what happened, Ben. It was one of them soldiers, just fired off at ya, and then that officer, Fleming, took the gun off\u2019n him. Reckon he\u2019ll be in mighty big trouble later, seeing how he killed ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Ben chuckled at that comment, \u201cLancey certainly turned that to our advantage, thank goodness. He made sure that I got to understand just how dead you were for Fleming\u2019s benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, well, that worked out well,\u201d Joe sighed, \u201cI feel sorry for Lancey, and that soldier. Fleming will make sure that they take the rap for this alright; he won\u2019t want to take full blame for failure when he has to face Custer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben frowned and rose to his feet; he removed his hat and turned it round and round between his fingers as he thought of the man so far away who could give orders that would have such a far reaching effect on them. It seemed even the Ponderosa was not beyond Custer\u2019s reach. \u201cWell now,\u201d he said with a slight shrug, \u201cthe best thing to do now is get you back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey released Cochise once they realised that he would be a dead giveaway to my being with them. Not that it stopped you coming along, did it? You turning up here must have been the last thing on Fleming\u2019s mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood; I hope it disturbs his sleep for some nights to come yet.\u201d Ben smiled slowly although his eyes remained dark with suppressed anger. \u201cCome on, son, let\u2019s get home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026..<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

Deep from within Hoss Cartwright came a long and loud rumble<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

The urgency of his name being whispered and his shoulder being shaken finally roused Hoss from sleep. He blinked rapidly for a second or so and then turned bleary eyed to his wife, who was looking anxiously at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWassamarrer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, you were shouting out in your sleep, and you took all the covers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did? Shucks, I\u2019m sorry. What was I saying?\u201d He asked this as he sat up and carefully adjusted the bed coverings so that Hester was suitably wrapped up.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were shouting for Adam to come back and you were telling Joe to leave the horse alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, sounds like I had a good dream then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounded more like a nightmare.\u201d She sighed and plumped up her pillows, snuggled down and sighed again.<\/p>\n

Hoss bounced about a bit as he got comfortable, thumped the pillow, and eased himself back into the hollow of the mattress. He closed his eyes and was about to slip into sleep when Hester shook his shoulder again. \u201cHoss, you know what I told you about Ann telling me how pregnant women have cravings for strange things to eat…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh-huh.\u201d he was nearly there, nearly asleep, his breathing was getting deeper.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I think I\u2019ve got one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh\u2014one what\u2014huh.\u201d he opened one eye and closed it again. Outside through the window he could see stars were still twinkling.<\/p>\n

\u201cA craving. I really do, Hoss, I really do have a craving.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2014\u201d he rubbed his eyes, rubbed his face, and turned towards her. \u201cWhat kinda craving?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat cherry pie Hop Sing made \u2026 do you think there\u2019s any of it left?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss frowned, thought about it, nodded slowly. Cherry pie. Lovely. Perhaps he could develop these cravings too. Cherry pie would do nicely right now, considering he was wide awake.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want some cherry pie, honey?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, Hoss, that was just what I would like most of all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, come to think of it, so would I.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, really. I think I\u2019m getting cravings too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd pickled walnuts?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cPickled walnuts,\u201d she sighed. \u201cCherry pie and pickled walnuts…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, jest you wait here, Hester, and I\u2019ll git you some right now.\u201d he patted her cheek, looked at her thoughtfully and frowned, \u201cThis craving thing, does it last long?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm,\u201d he hauled himself out of bed and shrugged himself into a dressing gown, pushed his feet into his slippers and shuffled his way out of bed.<\/p>\n

All this craving thing, everything was so new, no one had ever told him anything about cherry pie going with pickled walnuts at 2 a.m. in the morning. He grumbled and mumbled his way down the stairs and into the kitchen.<\/p>\n

The cherry pie was barely touched; he cut a slab and ate it while he was looking around for the jar of pickled walnuts. He couldn\u2019t find them, so settled for pickled gherkins instead. He cut another slab of cherry pie and carefully put it on a plate, then another piece of pie on another plate, the jar of pickled gherkins in between them. He almost dropped the whole lot when a ghostly spectre appeared at the door, only to be revealed as Hester herself in her white nightgown standing just where the moonlight shone upon her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just thought, Hoss\u2014perhaps a glass of milk as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, Hester, I ain\u2019t gonna be able to carry all that upstairs, I got my hands full as it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sighed, and looked around the kitchen thoughtfully, found the milk and hugged it to her,<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can eat it in the other room.\u201d she declared and led Hoss to the dining table where the jug of milk was set down, followed by the tray which Hoss carefully placed on the table, mindful of Hop Sing\u2019s liking for everything to be in the right place.<\/p>\n

They sat side by side in the dark with just the moonlight showering down upon them, nibbling cherry pie and pickled gherkins, which Hoss discovered to be quite a good combination.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned to her, saw the smear of cherry pie on her lips, kissed her, took her hand in his. \u201cYes, hon?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Hoss thought he was the happiest pregnant person in the world.<\/p>\n

The sound of a horse and buggy pulling up outside the house brought Hester to her feet. She had been busy polishing one of Ben\u2019s treasured statues, old newspapers spread out on the floor and the duster and polish plus statue taking pride of place in the centre.<\/p>\n

Wiping her hands upon her apron she quickly opened the door to see the smiling countenance of Dr. John Martin and the rather anxious face of a young woman whom she had never seen before.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I should call in and see my favourite patient,\u201d John said cheerfully, \u201cand while I was about it brought Miss Mary Ann Hornby along as she was most anxious to see if Joe had returned just yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester looked from John to Mary Ann who was now looking more wistful than concerned, and John had removed his hat, so she stepped back and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo come in. It\u2019s good to meet you, Miss Hornby, Joe and Hoss have talked a lot about you. It\u2019s good to see you again, Dr. Martin, although I really didn\u2019t need a visit from you just yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably not, but I was coming along this way and thought I would stop by,\u201d he smiled then and looked a trifle embarrassed, \u201cEr\u2014I see you\u2019re busy?\u201d he indicated the statue and polish, and then sighed, fumbled with his hat and cleared his throat, \u201cIs Hoss anywhere about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight here\u2014\u201d Hoss declared with a smile in his voice as he came into the house, having more or less followed them in, \u201cWal, Miss Mary Ann, didn\u2019t ever expect to see you agin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Hoss\u2014\u201d she smiled, her pretty face dimpled into a smile that was altogether charming with its warmth and sincerity, \u201cI took advantage of Dr. Martin coming this way to bring me along too. I wanted to see you again, meet Mrs. Cartwright and see if\u2014if Joe was alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s real nice.\u201d Hoss smiled at Hester. \u201cand if I may say so, you\u2019re looking real purty, Miss Mary Ann. Considering how you looked last time I saw you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss,\u201d Hester cried, \u201cThat\u2019s not polite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s true, though,\u201d Mary Ann laughed, \u201cI looked a regular fright, Mrs. Cartwright. Your husband was so kind and so patient with me. You know, he carried me for several miles when I got so I couldn\u2019t walk anymore.\u201d She looked at Hoss again. \u201cI never did thank you properly, not any of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, it weren\u2019t nothing.\u201d Hoss said with a blush mantling his cheeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go and get some refreshment organised,\u201d Hester said with a glance over at Mary Ann and then at John. \u201cHop Sing\u2019s gone into town, and Ben\u2014\u201d she paused and looked at the other young woman thoughtfully, \u201cHe\u2019s gone to find Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, so he isn\u2019t back yet? You\u2019ve not found him?\u201d Mary Ann cried, and her grey eyes went rather moist, she blinked rapidly and bowed her head as she fumbled in her purse for a handkerchief.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa will find him, don\u2019t you fret yourself none.\u201d Hoss declared and looked anxiously at Hester who was hurrying into the kitchen to prepare a pot of tea, some cookies and a pot of coffee for their impromptu guests.<\/p>\n

\u201cHester\u2014I mean\u2014Mrs. Cartwright\u2014\u201d John stepped into the kitchen behind her, \u201cI\u2019m sorry if I made you jump. Here, let me help\u2014\u201d he took the kettle and placed it carefully on the stove. \u201cI\u2019ve had a\u2014a communication from Ingrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester, busy counting spoonfuls of tea into the pot, fumbled, lost count and then stared at him,<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom Ingrid?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she\u2019s got herself into some kind of trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester frowned, stared at the tea pot, and then at the spoon in her hand, she counted one\u2014two\u2014three\u2014one for the pot\u2014in her head and then looked back at him,<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Dr. Martin, but whatever trouble Ingrid is in, has to be her own concern, not mine, nor\u2014\u201d she paused, well, she had no right to tell him that it was none of his either. She shook her head and several curls of golden red hair tumbled down her neck.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. Apparently someone has stolen all her jewellery and money. She has only her clothes and a few small trinkets left to live on.\u201d he approached her side and put a hand on her arm. \u201cShe\u2019s asked me to beg you to help her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe hasn\u2019t asked you then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, she hasn\u2019t.\u201d John rather surprisingly smiled, \u201cFor which I am truly grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should be, Dr. Martin; I\u2019m afraid that Ingrid is\u2014\u201d she tried to think of a suitable name but none came to mind so she shook her head as though to toss away the thoughts about her sister-in-law that were now crowding into her mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what Ingrid is, Mrs. Cartwright. She\u2019s the exact opposite of all that you are, more\u2019s the pity for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

The kettle was steaming and he poured the hot water into the pot.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did she say she was staying?\u201d Hester asked as she put the lid on the tea pot with the realisation that she had left out some important part of the ritual \u201cOh, I forgot to warm the pot first.\u201d she said sadly.<\/p>\n

He laughed, a warm chuckle that did more to assure her that his infatuation for Ingrid was over than anything else that could have been said, he took the tray from her and carried it into the other room, saying over his shoulder, \u201cShe\u2019s in some boarding house in Genoa.\u201d And then he carefully settled the tray upon the table.<\/p>\n

Mary Ann had been in the middle of telling Hoss her recent plans, how she was looking forward to becoming the schoolteacher in town, and she accepted a slice of cake with a pretty smile at Hester; John took a slice also, a rather large one, Hoss noticed with some dismay.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Hornby was telling me about her adventures when she first met you and your brothers, Hoss. It sounds quite a terrifying ordeal for a young lady to have endured so soon after leaving the safe confines of home back east.\u201d John mumbled through crumbs.<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded; he took his slice of cake with an apologetic smile at Hester, and then looked over at Mary Ann. \u201cYou were brave through it all, Miss Mary Ann. We were all mighty impressed and sure glad that we got you safely to Calico.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Pearson\u2014Barbara\u2014she was the schoolteacher here not so long ago,\u201d Hester said. \u201cHave you seen her to speak to? I\u2019m sure she can give you some sound advice on how to handle the students there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, reckon big brother Adam could too,\u201d Hoss chuckled and launched into the tale of how Adam was schoolteacher for a short while when Barbara had hurt her arm, and how Adam\u2019s love for history and the people who had once lived on that land had caused more harm than good.<\/p>\n

John and Mary Ann listened intently, for Hoss could tell a good story as well as write one. Hester listened too, smiling at her husband contentedly; she sipped her tea and listened to his voice drawl out the story to its conclusion.<\/p>\n

\u201cPoor Charley,\u201d Mary Ann said softly. \u201cAfter so many years of keeping everything hidden away, then thinking he was going to get justice for his people\u2014\u201d her pretty mouth drooped at the thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Adam felt real bad about it all. Made him feel he should never have bothered in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes when a principle is involved, one has to push forward regardless of the cost,\u201d John observed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what Pa said too\u2014\u201d Hoss replied slowly, his mind going back to that time and he shook his head, \u201cDidn\u2019t do much to help Adam though, he kept right on punishing himself until he got it outta his system.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to meet this brother of yours,\u201d John observed, \u201cIt\u2019s a pity he isn\u2019t here now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss smiled rather thinly and glanced over at his wife who was sitting quietly on the other side of the hearth. She looked up, caught his eyes and smiled, understanding exactly how he felt at that moment in time.<\/p>\n

When the doctor and Miss Hornby finally left Hester slipped her arm through that of her husband and looked up at him. \u201cThat was pleasant, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, much so.\u201d Hoss grinned and patted her hand as though she had been a good little girl really.<\/p>\n

\u201cI liked Mary Ann.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a great gal.\u201d Hoss nodded in agreement.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss\u2014Ingrid is in Genoa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss stopped, looked down at her and frowned. \u201cIngrid? Genoa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Dr. Martin had a message from her. She wants to throw herself upon our mercy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe can go throw herself where she likes, but it ain\u2019t going to be here or on our mercy.\u201d Hoss declared with a vehemence that was so unlike him that Hester slipped her arm from his and stared at him open mouthed. \u201cAnd that\u2019s final.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 62<\/p>\n

The smell of the pines drifted into the room where the young man slept, at last relaxed and comfortable after an agonising ride home. A journey of two days had drifted into three as Joe\u2019s wounds had worsened due to the heat, lack of medication and unsanitary conditions, to say nothing of the mode of transport. A high fever had developed by the end of the second day which had caused Ben a considerable amount of heart ache as he had constantly redressed and rewashed the wounds.<\/p>\n

Now he was home, in his own bed with a good dose of laudanum inside him and his wounds properly examined, cleaned and redressed by John Martin. The fever was lessening and he slept with his face turned towards the window where the sun shone into the room and the familiar smell of pine trees would greet his waking moments.<\/p>\n

Hester had sat with him for the first hour, holding his hand in both hers and wiping his face gently with a damp cloth. When John had arrived to attend to Joe she had left the room with tears in her eyes which she dabbed away at seeing Ben and Hoss looking so grave in the big room.<\/p>\n

So they had sat in silence, Hoss and Hester on the settee holding hands, Ben pacing the floor and scowling at the clock because the hands didn\u2019t make the minutes move faster than they did, and scowling at the stairs because John didn\u2019t appear to tell them anything quickly enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cShould\u2019ve sent for Paul,\u201d he growled more than once.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, jest calm down a mite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll this waiting\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

At last the door upstairs closed with a soft click and John\u2019s footsteps were heard coming along the landing and down the stairs. They all turned to face him and waited for news.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I didn\u2019t expect to be here again quite so soon.\u201d He smiled cheerily. \u201cJoe will be alright. He\u2019ll sleep the rest of the fever out of his system, and there\u2019s some laudanum for him to ease him through any excessive pain, although I prefer the doses to be light and given only if necessary.\u201d He looked at them kindly and then at Ben, \u201cMr. Cartwright, would you mind if I recommend that you receive a prescription from me also? You\u2019ve had a tough few days and I think you need some medical attention yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT?\u201d Ben exploded; he raised his hands to heaven as though to offer supplication for help from a higher source and then slapped his brow. \u201cWhat do you think I am? Some feeble minded clerk who spends his days over a desk scribbling for a living? I\u2019ve spent more time out there in the wilderness fighting wolves, and mountain cats, and mountain men, too, come to that, than you have\u2014than you have had hot dinners, young man!\u201d<\/p>\n

John sighed and shook his head, he looked at Hester and Hoss, then passed them a piece of paper.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour father\u2019s prescription. If you need me just let me know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour uncle can come next time\u2014\u201d Ben bawled at the young man\u2019s retreating back. \u201cHumph, young know it all. Thinks he knows everything because he\u2019s just out of college.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2014calm down.\u201d Hoss sighed. \u201cShucks, there ain\u2019t no need to carry on so. Joe is going to be alright, you heard what the doctor said, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed, sagged a little at the shoulders, then rubbed the back of his neck regretfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, of course I did. I\u2019m sorry, Hoss, I\u2019m a bit of a bear at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester came back into the room after having seen the doctor off the premises, with a chuckle it had to be admitted, and she came into the room with a smile still on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cYoung lady, I can see that young whipper snapper has charmed you, but in future I want Paul here, I feel safer with him being here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause he wouldn\u2019t dare give you a prescription, would he?\u201d Hoss chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh, like to see him try.\u201d Ben grunted and slumped into the red leather chair and groped for his tobacco pouch and pipe, \u201cAh, well\u2014\u201d he began to absent mindedly fill the bowl with the tobacco while his eyes looked at the stairs, \u201cI guess I\u2019m just\u2014\u201d he paused and frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust what?\u201d Hoss prompted gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust seething mad. That Major Fleming rode off with never a thought towards the fact that my son had been shot, announced dead. The soldier who shot him won\u2019t be punished. If he is, how would I know? The whole thing\u2019s a disgrace. No, it\u2019s worse than a disgrace, it\u2019s disgusting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded, narrowed his blue eyes and surveyed his father thoughtfully,<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, you\u2019ve had a few days dwelling on it all, with Joe gittin\u2019 worse by the minute, it ain\u2019t no wonder you\u2019re madder than a hornet about it all, but there ain\u2019t nothing you can do about it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t there?\u201d Ben growled, and rammed the pipe stem between his teeth, \u201cWe\u2019ll see about that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think,\u201d Hester said gently as she placed a gentle hand on her father-in-law\u2019s shoulder, \u201cthat you should take the doctor\u2019s prescription first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHester, if you force me\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll he says here is: Take a long hot bath, eat a good meal, have a glass of whiskey, relax with your kith and kin\u2014\u201d she smiled at Hoss\u2014\u201cthat\u2019s us, sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah\u2014\u201d Hoss basked in the glory of her smile.<\/p>\n

Upstairs Joe slept on. At one time he opened his eyes in time to see a shadowy figure walk across the room to close the window a little and draw across the curtains. The moonlight fell across her form as she stood there for a moment, looking out towards the mountains and then she turned to look at the figure in the bed. Joe\u2019s heart almost stopped beating; he raised a hand. \u201cMama\u2014is that you?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was just a whisper, a few words only, but Hester felt the tears well up in her eyes as she walked to the bedside and sat beside her brother-in-law. \u201cNo, Joe, it\u2019s Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled, looked at her and for a moment just stared at her face. \u201cYou know, Hester, Hoss sure is lucky getting a girl like you?\u201d He reached out his hand and she took hold of it, held it gently until he finally slipped back into sleep, \u201cReally lucky.\u201d he sighed.<\/p>\n

From the doorway Hoss looked on. When Joe was finally asleep and Hester rose from the chair, he came into the room and took her into his arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoggone it, luck had nothing to do with it,\u201d he whispered. \u201cNothing at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s your pa?\u201d she said softly, her head cradled in the niche of his shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cEnjoying his whiskey and trying to work out how to ruin Major Fleming.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPoor Major Fleming\u2026\u201d she whispered as her lips met his and there was no more time for talking.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Morning dawned on a new day and Hoss opened his eyes to find find the sun streaming into the room, his wife\u2019s head resting upon his shoulder, her hair, as bright as the sun, scattered over the pillow. The soft mound of her belly was soft beneath the white linen of her gown and he placed a gentle hand upon it. His hand warm and calloused from the work called upon in the day to day tasks of the ranch was so tender, so soft, and yet she felt it and placed her own hand upon his and lay there, silently content.<\/p>\n

At his desk Ben Cartwright dashed down words in cruel black ink, words that spilled onto the paper with the fury that had welled up within him minute by minute as he searched for his son, found him, brought him home. His lips were a grim line of contempt for the man who had ridden away without a thought for them, because he was obeying the orders of a man whom Ben already detested. He stabbed at the ink well to fill the nib and wrung out further words upon the pristine white envelope which he sealed.<\/p>\n

Joe Cartwright opened his eyes later that day and turned his head in the direction of the window. Perhaps he had dreamt it after all; perhaps it had not been real at all, just a brief hazy memory of a woman standing there in the moonlight.<\/p>\n

He stirred carefully mindful that too sudden a move would bring about pain and he sighed, looked towards the door and smiled as the woman walked into the room. \u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw Dr. Martin in town, he told me you were home.\u201d She smiled at him, \u201cMrs. Cartwright said I could come and see you. How are you, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t speak, but looked at her thoughtfully with her grey eyes and her bright chestnut hair neatly pinned up with a pretty little bonnet perched upon it. He remembered how she had torn her petticoats into strips to bind up the wounds of a wild young Cheyenne buck when they were down to their last bullets, and he reached out a hand towards her<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Mary Ann. I wondered when I would see you again,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

Chapter 63<\/p>\n

Fort Abraham Lincoln echoed with the sound of horses, the clump of marching feet, the rattle of sabres and military harness. At the window of her sitting room overlooking the parade ground, Libbie Custer watched her husband accept a slip of paper from the sutler. She knew every shade that fell across his face. She adored him. She knew from the way he tugged at his beard and shook his head as though in an attempt to set aside some hard thoughts that he had not received good news.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet the general a glass of his favourite brandy ready for when he comes in, will you?\u201d she asked the servant, and walked to her chair where she sat and picked up some sewing so that when he entered the room she would be there, calmly doing her embroidery and his favourite beverage waiting for him.<\/p>\n

She waited some minutes before he showed her the cablegram, brief and to the point. She returned it with a slight frown on her brow. \u201cJoseph Cartwright was the youngest brother of Captain Cartwright if I recall rightly.\u201d She didn\u2019t look up at him but continued to sew, stabbing the needle into the material and waiting for his response.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWhy did you want him brought here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought he\u2019d be useful. He\u2019s lived with these Indians for some years \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo have a lot of other \u2018squaw-men\u2019 and hunters, my dear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright was different\u201d<\/p>\n

She said nothing to that, only sighed. She thought back to the time she had known the three brothers and then set the embroidery down in her lap with a wistful look on her face. \u201cI remember he was young, angry all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh, everyone was angry at the time. There was a lot going on. There still is and now that fool Fleming has bungled the whole thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFleming? Oh yes, I remember him, disciplined and proper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProper indeed!\u201d George Armstrong Custer frowned and screwed up the cable before tossing it into the fire, \u201cAll he had to do was get Cartwright here and that Paiute woman.
\nThe woman\u2019s gone and disappeared and the Cartwright boy killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shook her head and looked at him with the saddest of expressions on her face, realised that her husband did not feel the same so picked up her embroidery, sighed again. \u201cHe was young.\u201d she observed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSoldiers younger than him die every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. But it is sad; his brothers will miss him so much. They were close, weren\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at her, and was about to ask her to repeat what she had said, but knew he didn\u2019t have to do that, he knew exactly what she had said and yes, Joseph Cartwrights brothers had been close, close indeed.<\/p>\n

Half an hour later a cable was being sent to Mr. Harold Fish, Secretary of State in Washington.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Hester opened the letter cautiously, as though having recognised the handwriting, she anticipated something evil sliding out of the envelope. She was alone in the big room, with Hop Sing in the kitchen and Joe upstairs, resting and hopefully recuperating after his recent ordeal. As she read the letter her face went pale and then blossomed into a blush red with anger and her breathing became heavy. She crumpled the piece of paper between her fingers and was about to throw it away when she remembered there would be no fire and Hoss could possibly find it.<\/p>\n

She sat down at the table and re-read it, trying not to let her feelings for the writer cloud her reaction to what she was being told.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs everything alright, Hester?\u201d<\/p>\n

She hadn\u2019t heard the door open or seen Ben\u2019s approach as he came near; he had looked at her face and the letter in her hand and realised that some internal war was being waged within the young woman\u2019s mind and heart. She looked up at him gratefully, and passed him the letter. \u201cWhat do you think I should do, Ben? She was Milton\u2019s wife, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn name only, from what I heard,\u201d Ben replied, his eyes scanning the words on the paper.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould she be welcome here, Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one is ever turned away from the Ponderosa, Hester,\u201d he said slowly as he occupied himself by unbuckling his gunbelt. \u201cBut I always remember one of Aesop\u2019s fables that Adam was particularly fond of quoting, for some reason, as a child\u2014he had taken the lesson to heart. It concerned a poor man who had found a snake, frozen in the ice of winter. He took pity on it and put it in the folds of his clothing, near his heart so that the ice would thaw and perhaps the snake would live again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd did it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, it did and in gratitude it bit the man and then sidled away, leaving the man to die.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA sad reward for a kind action.\u201d she said softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the moral of the story was that a snake is a snake, and will act as a snake does. Pity, compassion, call it what you will, wouldn\u2019t change the nature of a snake.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at her meaningfully before turning to the stairs and saying as he did so that he would just go and check on Joe. She watched him as he disappeared from view and then turned her attention back to the letter.<\/p>\n

After a short moment she went to her little writing bureau and put pen to paper.<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid<\/p>\n

It pains me to have to put my feelings into words in this letter to you. I do not recognise you as a Buchanan. Your treatment of my brother, Milton, was appalling. It caused him intense heartache and may well have accelerated his premature death.<\/p>\n

It is not that I can\u2019t forgive you. I do. But I know that you will never change; you can never change. We know that you lied to us, cheated on us, and stole from us. How could you dare to steal the ring that belonged to someone who was not here to reclaim it for himself?<\/p>\n

What has happened to you is merely a reversal of fortunes or, one could say, what you have done to others has come to rest at your own door. No, I cannot help you. You must work things out for yourself now. Perhaps it may even make a halfway honest woman of you.<\/p>\n

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

She looked at it thoughtfully for a moment before folding it and carefully slipping it into an envelope. When Mary Ann came for her afternoon visit she would ask her to post it upon her return to town.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Major Fleming paced the floor of the ante-room to the commanding officer\u2019s room. He had given his report of all that had happened and now anxiously awaited the outcome. This was just a halfway stage to his journey to Dakota and there was still quite a distance to travel before he reached Fort Abraham Lincoln, but he had wanted to put forward his complaints against the behaviour of his fellow officer, Captain Lancey, and the rookie soldier, Philip Ranshaw.<\/p>\n

He had deliberated about the matter for some time during the trek from the Ponderosa to Fort Concho. He knew that in times of war one of the best forms of defence was offence, so when the necessary stopover for stores, provisions and fresh horses came he went immediately to the C.O. and reported what had happened, entirely from his own perspective and relying totally on the fact that he who spoke first was the one most believed.<\/p>\n

The clock ticked ominously loudly in the small room. He paced the floor, chewed the fingers of his gloves, bit his fingernails. He became more nervous when Lancey was called into the C.O\u2019s office and then Ranshaw. He sat down to go over and over in his mind the way he had set out the matter to Colonel Jackson.<\/p>\n

Darkness fell before he was summoned back into the office. Jackson looked at him and then read a letter aloud to him, a letter that had fierce black writing scrawled across the white page and was signed \u201cBen Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe man\u2019s lying, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see\u2014\u201d Jackson frowned and leaned back in his chair.<\/p>\n

Fleming was aware of the slightest sound, the creak of the floorboards as outside the room a soldier walked from the door to the window, the flutter of the casement as the breeze blew against the shutter. He cleared his throat and blustered on, \u201cHe was upset; obviously he would write a letter, when emotional, it\u2019s to be expected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jackson nodded and picked up a cablegram which he also read out to Fleming. He saw the man\u2019s face go pale, and when the name George A Custer was read out Fleming went into a quite deathlike pallor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Fleming, I have no choice but to demote you to the rank of Captain. Consider yourself fortunate that there isn\u2019t a court martial to look more closely into this matter\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo I have the right to appeal?\u201d Fleming stuttered.<\/p>\n

Jackson looked at another letter, the one that had accompanied Ben Cartwright\u2019s and had the signature of a member of the government; he looked at Fleming and decided the man would be quite unable to handle another blow from so high a position. He shook his head. \u201cMy advice to you is to keep your head down and don\u2019t get noticed by Custer in a long while.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fleming bowed his head and bit down on his lip; he struggled to breathe for an instant and then nodded, saluted his superior officer and left the room. Jackson heard the man\u2019s footsteps on the boards outside. He could tell by the way the footsteps faltered that the man\u2019s spirit was broken, and he shook his head: how Fleming would fare now would be entirely upon his own strength of character.<\/p>\n

Chapter 64<\/p>\n

The wounds were healing well now, and John Martin agreed with Joe that the time had come when he could at last leave the confines of his room and enjoy sitting on the porch in the sun. It niggled on Joe\u2019s nerves that John hadn\u2019t given him the go-ahead to get on with life. Mostly, he supposed, it reminded him of the time, not so long ago, when he was confined to a wheelchair and having to learn to eat a lot of humble pie along with a good dollop of humility.<\/p>\n

He smiled now at the sound of the buggy arriving in the yard and waited for Mary Ann to step down and walk towards him. As he had expected, a big smile spread over her face when she saw him sitting there, his injured leg propped up on a stool, a table with a big jug of Hop Sing\u2019s lemonade with some glasses at his elbow.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Joe\u2014\u201d she exclaimed and stood there for a moment as though to capture the sight of him sitting there in her mind forever. \u201cHow lovely to see you out of that room at last.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t imagine how great it is for me,\u201d Joe laughed and put out a hand, which she took in her own, \u201cIt\u2019s good to see you again, Mary Ann. I thought you were starting school this week?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow morning.\u201d She smiled and pulled up a chair to sit beside him, while her grey eyes lingered a little more upon him. \u201cYou look pale. I guess you find it hard to sit there and not be riding right now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it is.\u201d He looked at her again and realised that her eyes had a subtle shade of green in them, a reflection of her green suit which became her so well. \u201cYou look pretty today, Mary Ann.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Joe.\u201d She poured out lemonade which she handed to him and then poured out a glass for herself. \u201cWhere is everyone?\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t answer right away as he thought back to the time when little Peggy Dayton had been the one sitting beside him that last time he had been injured. He smiled to himself, little Peggy, she had been a good companion and now Mary Ann was here instead. He turned and looked at her again and smiled,<\/p>\n

\u201cAround and about,\u201d he murmured and held out his hand to her which she took with a smile at him, \u201cI\u2019m glad you came, Mary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Old Jake Merrigrew was a miserable old man who had grown grumpier each year of his life. Had he bathed or washed regularly it would have been seen that he was not really so old as people thought him to be, and had he shaved at all he would have proven quite a handsome man. He pushed the door open to the surgery and looked around. \u201cHey, Doc, you thar?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was John who came in from the inner room and smiled at Old Jake, who had been in for several minor reasons since John had first arrived in town. \u201cGood morning, Jake, what\u2019s wrong with you this time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d I know? Ain\u2019t that the reason why you\u2019re the doctor so\u2019s you can tell me?\u201d he flung himself onto a chair and scowled, \u201cI got a pain, right here\u2014\u201d he pointed to his groin\u2014\u201cAnd it pains real bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

John nodded, looked thoughtful and approached Merrigrew with trepidation. \u201cWhen was the last time you had a bath, Jake?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow why ask a question like that? What\u2019s that got to do with the pain I got?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the saying that cleanliness is next to godliness isn\u2019t exactly meaningless, Jake. We\u2019re finding out more and more about the importance being clean has to our physical well being all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you going to treat me for this pain or not? I can go someplace else. Or demand that your uncle treat me!\u201d<\/p>\n

John sighed and began to examine the irascible fellow. Jake withstood the probing fingers and the looking down his throat well enough, but once John had concluded his examination and had returned to the desk to write out some notes and a prescription Jake declared in a bold voice, \u201cOh, you bin to the Sazarac recently, doc?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, one of those places my uncle and I prefer not to frequent, Jake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should, you know. There\u2019s an old friend of your\u2019n working there now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt that much, Jake.\u201d John scribbled his signature and handed over the slip of paper. \u201cMake sure you take this morning and evening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe said to tell you she would sure like to make your acquaintance again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe?\u201d John\u2019s brow furrowed. \u201cWho exactly do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, she calls herself Lisa at the moment, but said you knew her by a different name.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid she tell you what that name was?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, doc, just that she\u2019s a mighty pretty lady, long black hair and Irish blue eyes.\u201d He looked at the prescription carefully. \u201cCan\u2019t make this out\u2014what\u2019s it fer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust hand it over at the pharmacy, they\u2019ll understand what it is, it\u2019ll shift your problem quickly enough, believe me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I do have a problem then, doc?\u201d Jake looked pleased, it would be good to go back and tell those laughing coyotes back in the Sazarac that he was really ill, not just making a fuss over nothing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Jake; it\u2019s called constipation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jake nodded, looked pleased as he processed the word in his brain, and went out of the surgery smiling.<\/p>\n

For a moment John stood by the window watching the prospector as he crossed the road and lumbered into the pharmacy. His day had suddenly taken a deep dip as he contemplated just who this Lisa could be; then, picking up his medical bag, he called out to his uncle that he wouldn\u2019t be gone long, and left the building.<\/p>\n

He hesitated some minutes outside the Sazarac before finally entering. The saloon was open for business but there were few customers there, although it seemed to John as though the place was packed full as their eyes followed him making his way from the door to the counter. Sam the barman approached with a frown. \u201cMorning, doc, what can I get you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not here for that, Sam, just came to check on your wife and her gall bladder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife?\u201d Sam looked surprised, \u201cShe\u2019s doing just fine thank you, doc. Dr. Martin, your uncle that is, gave her some really good medicine and it\u2019s been working well. Thank him for us, won\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will; that\u2019s good to know.\u201d John nodded, smiled in a tight lipped kind of way and looked around the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou looking for anyone specially, doc?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no , I just came to see about your wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did pay our bill, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, that\u2019s good, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was stammering, his collar felt too tight, and he just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. He gave Sam a cheery smile and managed to get out of the building without too much indecorum. His hands were sweating though and he had to take off his hat and wave it in front of his face to get some air. The relief that she hadn\u2019t seen him and the disbelief that she could actually have had the effrontery to return to Virginia City vied with each other. Lisa\u2014huh\u2014he would recognise Ingrid Buchanan no matter how many layers of paint she put on her face or how short her frou frou skirts were \u2026no man forgot Ingrid that quickly.<\/p>\n

Chapter 65<\/p>\n

Cairo totally fascinated the commodore with its haphazard old buildings and narrow streets in the Eastern quarter, its proximity to Giza and the pyramids, the smells and the sounds of the ancient city were as enticing as the history that permeated every brick.<\/p>\n

He had made it his habit to go to the market areas in the old part of the city, and then to venture out on some of the days with the tourists. The smells of spices and more earthy aromas swirled around his nostrils with allurement now, and the shrill cries of the stall vendors as they hawked their wares on the open streets, the insults they threw each other, the way fruit and spices, herbs and vegetables jostled alongside large slabs of meat which were often covered in flies, became a familiar and enjoyable part of his day.<\/p>\n

He would hire out \u201cShe Who Must Be Obeyed\u201d to ride to the pyramids with the tourists who were enthralled at the thought of having this black robed mysterious Bedouin riding with them. The sound of a familiar language helped him handle the fact that he was looking for something, someone, in an area about which he knew nothing and listening to a language which he didn\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n

It was more than frustrating to be part of this intoxicating cocktail of a city and yet to be no real part. In his black robes he would walk through the streets with a confidence that dwindled daily as time ticked by without any result.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is that man\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

The tall figure looking from a window of a large house close to the market addressed someone lurking in the shadows, but who now came to stand beside him to look down at the broad shouldered man dressed all in black, and he shook his head. \u201cAh, him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, him. He comes here every day as though with great purpose, and yet he is restless. His eyes look with a keenness that makes me wonder what that purpose actually could be.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other man nodded slowly,<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is Adam Abdulkarim. He is the nephew of Ibrahim Aziz, the silk merchant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIbrahim Aziz Abdullah?\u201d he raised his eyebrows as the other man nodded, \u201cVery interesting. Does he still have dealings with the Americans?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI should think so, the Americans and their wives love the silks and the kelims Ibrahim sells.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you know that he had a nephew \u2026 an Arab nephew?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no one knew that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, look, now he leaves as always through the old archway, and disappears from sight.\u201d he frowned and the heavy brows lowered over black eyes, \u201cAbaker, get someone to follow him. I want to know more about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam Abdulkarim paused a moment to look at the people thronging the streets. Any one of them could be the man for whom he was searching. When found, he pondered, what then? He walked on and as usual found himself at the horse auction.<\/p>\n

He would stand there a silent and dark figure with one hand on the hilt of his dagger and the other tapping impatiently against his thigh with long fingers. Here the rich Sheiks came, and the wealthy Egyptians in their smart European suits, and the Arab. He would listen to them bartering for the horses as they were paraded before them and wonder where these people got so much money. The horses were beautiful; one of the main attractions of coming to the market each day was to watch them prance by with their heads so high and regal. He smiled at the recollection of the mustangs back home, and would look with renewed respect at the beautiful Arab horses as a result.<\/p>\n

In the evening as they ate their last meal of the day he told Ibrahim that he felt things were not proving successful.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all well and good looking the part, Ibrahim, but I don\u2019t understand what\u2019s being said, and I could be missing things we need to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo not worry, my friend, all is well,\u201d the Eygptian replied as he folded the bread and dipped it into the communal bowl. \u201cYour ears and eyes have told me that there is another who now watches you closely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned, he knew well enough the men who followed him from Ibrahim\u2019s establishment each day, \u2018his\u2019 ears and eyes. He cleared his throat. \u201cWhen did he appear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShortly before you went to the horse market.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, going back in his mind over where he had been prior to that time. He pulled off some bread, folded it into the form of a scoop and dipped it into the stew. \u201cI was thinking today that we really need to get hold of Dimitri Doestov.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh no, my friend, you do not wish for that to come true. He is a horrible little man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled at his friend\u2019s description of Doestov and nodded. \u201cWell, he may be, but he was approached by these people; he could tell us more about them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think not.\u201d Ibrahim shook his head, \u201cThe Prussians have helped the rebellious ones, but Doestov only made empty promises. They will be happy to dispose of him as soon as the Prussians give them the order to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps the Prussians don\u2019t know he is alive yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey will know. Men like Djounga are everywhere, and will do anything for their masters.\u201d Ibrahim frowned, \u201cWould you want us to take this man who is following you so that you can question him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Adam shook his head. \u201cNo, it might just be a good idea to have someone tail him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTail him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFollow him. We could be on the way to finding the man we are looking for \u2026\u201d he took more food and ate it slowly while he considered what was now happening. He smiled, a slow smile, one of relief.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Laurence Willoughby pulled off his boots and slumped back upon the bed. He was in a dingy hotel room tucked away in the eastern part of the old city and despite the netting over the bed several mosquitoes had already managed to make their way inside and buzz about his head.<\/p>\n

Looking across the room he noticed Dimitri taking considerable care to fold over his clothes and belongings, a ritual he went through every evening, and one he followed in reverse order the following morning. By this method he ensured that he still remained reasonably dapper and neat throughout the journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, Dimitri, what do we do now?\u201d Laurence asked casually, taking care to have as lazy a tone of voice as possible, for he had learned quite swiftly that Dimitri closed up like a clam if he felt he was being interrogated.<\/p>\n

\u201cVe look for the commodore, of course. Wasn\u2019t that the whole reason ve come here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you say so, old boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dimitri frowned, and then carefully eased himself into the bed. This was not a good hotel; there were many smells he disliked eddying about the place, and the way the old woman had looked at him as they came to this room made him feel uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe start the looking tomorrow. But we separate I tink \u2026 it is not vise to go together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh really? Well, if you say so \u2026\u201d Laurence yawned and stretched.<\/p>\n

It had taken too long to get here, all due to Dimitri\u2019s fussiness and upsetting some of the men who had been willing enough to use their dhows to bring them to Cairo. He thought over the journey and shook his head, a total waste of time, but he stuck to his orders, which were to stick with Dimitri Doestov and keep going.<\/p>\n

He closed his eyes and tried to pretend that he wasn\u2019t sharing his bed with several mosquitoes and who knew how many fleas.<\/p>\n

Chapter 66<\/p>\n

The tall man stood looking down from the window of the large room and watched the comings and goings of the people. He waited for another ten minutes, staring down at the crowd until the person he was waiting for arrived with the self confident walk of man who appeared to own the world. He glanced at the sun and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is here, as always,\u201d he addressed the people in the room. \u201cNow what will he do today, I wonder? See, he never comes until after the slave auctions are over. He haggles over something but he doesn\u2019t purchase anything.\u201d he twisted the ring that was on his forefinger and walked to the large desk at which he sat down, \u201cWell, what have you found out about this enigma? Anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

There was momentary silence before one of the men stepped forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is the son of Ibrahim\u2019s half-sister, long forgotten due to a family argument.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, useful these family arguments,\u201d the master of the house murmured.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a bitter feud, but the nephew has now returned to make peace. He is a solitary man, apparently, and enjoys his own company. He speaks little; they say he has taken a vow of silence owing to some recent bereavement.\u201d The speaker paused, and frowned. \u201cBut he has been heard to speak at length with Ibrahim when they are alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you trust the informant you tells you all this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed yes, Excellency. She is my wife\u2019s sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

More minutes of silence followed and the man addressed as \u201cHis Excellency\u201d returned to the window to watch as Adam Abdulkarim strolled through the market.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The large building that comprised Ibrahim\u2019s business empire was a mere twenty minutes\u2019 walk from the marketplace, and Adam reached it in good time to share some refreshments with his friend. It seemed to Adam that Ibrahim quite relished having custody of him, of being caught up in the intrigue of setting a spy upon a spy and to discuss it at length in the evening. When Adam walked into the building and made his way through the different departments of the factory and then up the stairs to the offices he found Ibrahim pouring over his ledgers with the same concentrated look on his face as he would often find upon his father\u2019s. The memory of Ben brought a vague smile to Adam\u2019s lips and he looked more affectionately at the older man as a result. Ibrahim looked up, smiled and nodded. \u201cYou join me for some refreshment, my friend. Come, sit. You do not go to journey with the peoples from the hotels?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Adam shook his head as he removed the face covering and sat down, \u201cNo, I won\u2019t go again. I\u2019m afraid I was too much the tourist, the man tailing me would notice the difference between me and others: I don\u2019t ask for bucksheesh, for a start\u2014\u201d he smiled at the memory of the constant demand, in shrill voices, for money from the tourists by their guides and from Arabs already waiting for the unwary. \u201cAnd I hang around listening to the things they are talking about instead of insisting I help drag them up to the top of the pyramid in order to see Egypt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, yes, poor show. My people must earn money, too many poor people with too many loud voices.\u201d Ibrahim sighed and wrung his hands as most prosperous Egyptians did. \u201cNow, Adam, your \u2018eyes and ears\u2019 has seen the other who follows you, and he has set out to watch this obstinate fellow in order to find out who is the one sends him. That is where the trail begins\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, perhaps.\u201d Adam nodded slowly and passed his hand over his neatly trimmed beard.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso we have other news\u2014\u201d Ibrahim leaned forward\u2014\u201cThat horrible little fellow, the Russian, he has been seen in Cairo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoestov?\u201d Adam\u2019s eyes widened and he looked at Ibrahim in amazement, \u201cHere in Cairo? What is he doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing, just yet. He sits at the mataan for a little, eats a little ghada, drinks shay, and then retires to his room. Always he smokes his cigarettes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou really don\u2019t like him do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he is a horrible little fellow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled again, Doestov was taller than Ibrahim by a good few inches, and Ibrahim was over five feet and a half. He was about to speak when there came a clattering of feet up the steps to Ibrahim\u2019s office and one of the clerks, after a brief knock, rushed in,<\/p>\n

\u201cCome most quickly, Master, we have a important customer. His Excellency Sheik Said el Hassim wishes to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ibrahim rose to his feet, looked thoughtfully at Adam and shook his head,<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is wise that you stay here,\u201d he said in a low voice and then to the clerk ,\u201dYou must take the Sheik to the other room where I want refreshments brought\u2026hurry, hurry.\u201d He clapped his hands and turned again to Adam. \u201cThis is unusual for him to come here; usually if he wants anything he summons me. There may be something important to learn here. I shall come back quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam watched Ibrahim leave the room and then, minutes later, he left the room also. Standing in the shadows, he watched as Ibrahim did a low obeisance to a tall, thin man who had arrived with an entourage of several men and two women. This sheik was dressed in an expensive European cut suit, and the women were certainly not Egyptian: their colouring and style of dress proved that for a fact. He watched them enter a room, and then, before he could step from the shadows a tall, thickset man, armed with a dagger at his belt, stood on the landing by the door preventing anyone from entering or leaving.<\/p>\n

Adam had no choice but to return to the other room and wait for Ibrahim\u2019s return.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The door of the room opened slowly; Ibrahim entered looking thoughtful with his eyes downcast until he saw Adam, upon which he closed the door behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it seems his Excellency would like to meet with you. He has heard of the nephew of Ibrahim Aziz Abdullah the rich silk merchant. He has heard that you like the horses and go often to the sales. It seems he has heard a great deal about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think he could be\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no, do not even think it. His Excellency is a cousin to the khedive, a excellent fellow indeed. Very loyal. But he does not interest himself in politics. He is wealthy and indulges his lifestyle; that is his only interest.\u201d He smiled with retrospective thought and nodded. \u201cHe withdrew from the court of the khedive when his wife died\u2026his favourite\u2026she left him a son though, and he felt he wanted to spend life here with him, and his other wives of course.\u201d He nodded as though to himself, and sat down thoughtfully to look at the ledgers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s going to be a bit awkward, isn\u2019t it? My not speaking the language, I mean. I won\u2019t understand him, and certainly won\u2019t be able to hold a conversation.\u201d He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. \u201cIbrahim, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not a good idea, you are right. However, when His Excellency makes this invitation I am not one to refuse it. No one would refuse it. It would be an insult and\u2014\u201d he shrugged and waved his hands as though expressing bad things could happen. \u201cSo we must go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe two women, who are they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, one is his second or maybe his third wife, and the other lady is her sister.\u201d Ibrahim smiled, \u201cThey are not Eygptian.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd she doesn\u2019t mind being a wife?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ibrahim looked at Adam, shrugged, and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt appears not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing to that, but not because he wasn\u2019t thinking about it. He was, and he had to admit to himself that he found it all confusing. \u201cIs she American?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d Ibrahim nodded and smiled. \u201cYou will meet them tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam made no comment to that, but the fact that an American woman would submit to being the second or third wife to an Eygptian caused him a considerable amount of concern.<\/p>\n

Chapter 67<\/p>\n

After a restless night Adam rose early and left the building far sooner than he usually would have. The thought that Doestov was in Cairo intrigued him, and during the night when he had been churning myriads of thoughts over and over in his mind, he had come to the conclusion that Doestov was the key to the whole matter.<\/p>\n

He took no notice as to whether or not his \u201ceyes and ears\u201d was following him, but hurried through the narrow streets that were already alive and busy with people preparing for a new day. He walked quickly; the robes of his black djubbeh billowed about him and his hand clutched nervously onto the hilt of his dagger. When he reached the hotel he paused, and stepped into the shadows to observe for a while and to gather his thoughts.<\/p>\n

If Doestov was in Cairo and spending the days merely sitting in a restaurant the first question on Adam\u2019s mind had been\u2026why? The second question arose from the first because it meant the answer to the first was that Doestov was waiting for someone to contact him, and then one had to ask\u2026who?<\/p>\n

If this was the case, Adam decided, then once he knew who Doestov was in contact with perhaps there would be some solid conclusion to be drawn from it all, and surely that was the person they sought? He steadied his breathing as Doestov came into view, took a seat and ordered a drink and some food. He watched as the Russian lit a cigarette and then set a small silver box on the table by his side. Mentally he nodded to himself; yes, Ibrahim was right, there was something rather unpleasant about Doestov, something that made his hair stand on end.<\/p>\n

After a while he walked to the restaurant and sat down at a table some way behind Doestov and in the shadows. A boy came to him and bowed, and Adam requested water, mayya, bread aish, and olives zeitun. Then he settled down to wait.<\/p>\n

In the shadows and further back Laurence Willoughby also observed Doestov. He ate a typical breakfast washed down with plenty of shay (tea), but his eyes were constantly on Doestov, who had earlier seen Laurence strolling away from the hotel and was, Laurence hoped, totally unaware that he had returned and was seated only yards from him.<\/p>\n

He noticed the arrival of the tall, broad-shouldered Bedouin but dismissed him as just another of the hotel\u2019s clientele. There were others now coming to take the early morning meal: European, American, Arab and Eygptian. He remained totally vigilant in his observation of the Russian.<\/p>\n

The coming of the other diners did not disturb Adam unduly. Their chatter and babble, along with the shrill cries of the waiters and hotel staff, and the yells and sounds of the people walking about in the streets did not matter; he had grown used to it and now able to shut it out as he concentrated on watching Doestov.<\/p>\n

A thin man in the robes of an Arab approached Doestov\u2019s table. He wore a white djubbeh and his turban was white with one part pulled across his face so that only the eyes could be seen. Both Adam and Laurence in their separate places felt the same disappointment.<\/p>\n

The man bowed and made the traditional greeting to Doestov, who nodded and indicated a chair. There now arose a heated discussion between the two, much waving of arms from the Arab and cold disdain and contempt from Doestov. Eventually they calmed down and shay was brought to their table along with food stuffs and sugar. The Arab did not touch anything; the face covering remained in place. Although Doestov made a show of insisting they shared the food, he ate alone.<\/p>\n

The discussion that followed was conducted in Russian, of the two men who watched only Laurence understood some of what was being said, having learned a rudimentary Russian while on the Kurils. Eventually they parted; Doestov rose from his seat and shook the Arab\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n

A flicker of movement caught Laurence\u2019s eye and he watched as the tall black clad Bedouin rose from his chair and left the hotel. He frowned, and just for a second wondered what it was that struck him as familiar, but then he turned his attention back to Doestov, who was smiling to himself, stabbing out the cigarette into the silver box with one hand and stroking his beard with the other.<\/p>\n

After some minutes had passed, the Russian rose from his seat and sauntered out into the street, closely followed by Laurence who slipped into a side street. When he emerged again he approached Dimitri with a startled smile on his face. \u201cI say, old chap, I didn\u2019t think you would be coming this way! Care if I join you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Doestov shrugged. \u201cIt would be better if we remained unseen together. I do not tink it a goot idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if that\u2019s the way you want it. Although I can\u2019t see why, it doesn\u2019t seem as though the commodore is here now, he must have gone on, perhaps to the coast?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNyet, he is here, I feel it in my bones.\u201d Dimitri smiled, and he nodded slowly to himself\u2014a man with a secret, but then, Dimitri Doestov lived in a world of secrets.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Adam followed the Arab at a discreet distance, stepping into side streets, slipping into the shadows, but always with the white-clad man just ahead of him. He wondered if he were aware of being followed but there seemed to be no sign of such as he walked confidently ahead of Adam. They were approaching the market place when some Arabs came hurrying forwards, running alongside a wagon which was being pulled along by a large ox. The wagon, ox and men came between Adam and the man he was following, and by the time they had passed, the Arab in the white djubbeh had disappeared.<\/p>\n

Adam walked along the street with his eyes constantly searching for the man in the white head gear and djubbeh. At each archway that turned away from the main street he peered cautiously, hopefully, but there was no doubt about it: he had lost his prey.<\/p>\n

He returned to Ibrahim\u2019s with a lot of things to think about, only to be reminded by his friend that they were to be at His Excellency\u2019s later that day. It was an invitation that Adam wished with all his heart had not been accepted, and the fact that Ibrahim was so excited and happy about it really irritated him. But for Ibrahim, to be invited to a meal by His Excellency was such a big social event that he was beside himself with joy, and for the time any thought of the project upon which they were embarked had simply been put to the back of his mind.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

There was still time to go to the horse sales. Only here could Adam get the feel of being at home. The smell of the animals and the pleasure at seeing them brought back memories of the \u201cbronco busting\u201d in which they had partaken, he and his family, over the years. He watched the magnificent animals and thought how Ben would have loved them. Their awesome beauty and grace could be seen to such advantage here where the breeders displayed them for sale. The Arab\u2019s strong lungs, encased in its broad, deep chest, make it ideal for long distance riding. Hardworking, loyal animals; oh, the fascination of the beasts. Adam smiled behind his face covering and relaxed a little to watch the few horses available that day as they were brought forward.
\nHe overheard one of the sheiks explaining to some American tourists about the horses he was selling. In his thickly accented tones he told how it was believed that Arabians had a sixth sense: they valued human company, being touched and embraced by them. They were creatures that would be completely devoted to the person who handled them. Adam listened and observed the horse now being brought into the ring.<\/p>\n

A horse would be brought out on a leading rein held by its handler, and paraded around a wide ring. Adam noticed that there were few buyers this particular day, although those present appeared to be influential and wealthy. A few bids were called out, some haggling, the horse paraded around once again. Then taken off to its new owner.<\/p>\n

The next horse. Jet black with a bold eye and a hard mouth. It snorted and tossed its head and the handler had difficulty holding it. Adam leaned forward, his eyes narrowed as he watched the beast being circled around the ring. Some bids were being called, cautious ones; like himself the bidders were wary of this particular animal. The handler kept a grip on the rope and reached out to grab at the bit, in order to control the horse\u2019s head but it was held too far out of his reach\u2014and then in one bold movement the horse reared up, plunged down and tossed the handler to one side as though a mere straw.<\/p>\n

Mayhem broke out, only adding to the animal\u2019s fury and confusion. There seemed to be a myriad ofhandlers swarming into the ring towards the horse, which was rearing and kicking now, bringing the onlookers down from their seats closer to the ropes that separated them as they eagerly watched this unexpected display of fireworks.<\/p>\n

The handlers in their long white tunics and red hats shouted and screamed, making a cacophony of noise that created more panic in the horse. He plunged forwards, leapt the ropes easily and scattered those standing close by, sending them falling like so many ninepins beneath its feet.<\/p>\n

Adam waited but a moment as the horse neared him, then, hoping that he could manage the feat successfully in the now cumbersome robes, he leapt at the animal\u2019s neck, grabbed the rope and somehow succeeded in vaulting onto its back. When he thought back on the incident he was never exactly sure how he managed it but so many cries of \u201cAllah be praised\u201d were being screamed from all sides that he thought perhaps it was more due to someone with greater power than himself than to his own agility and prowess.<\/p>\n

It took a few minutes for the horse to accept the fact that the man on his back knew what he was doing. He gradually calmed, and allowed Adam to ride him back towards the ring.<\/p>\n

Chapter 68<\/p>\n

A group of tourists blocked his way so that the quick exit he hoped to make was slightly curtailed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, bud,\u201d a man in a loud check suit said in a thick Bronx accent, with one hand firmly fixed against Adam\u2019s chest, \u201cI heard tell you Bedouins were good horsemen, but that just about took the cake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam bowed as a \u201dgood Bedouin\u201d would, hand to his brow and a murmured \u201cShukran,\u201d (thank you) and turned to move away, but another now stepped forward to delay him and compliment him on his swift actions. \u201cYou saved folks from getting hurt there, buddy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAhlan beka\u201d Adam murmured, joining both hands together in the traditional bow once again while thinking to himself that if they wanted to see good horsemanship they should see Joe and his agility with a horse.<\/p>\n

A group of Arabs and Egyptians were now heading towards him and as usual accompanied with the shrill yells and jabbering that seemed to accompany any event in that strange, almost mystical world. He continued hurriedly upon his way and disappeared into a throng of on lookers who were pushing and shoving at the entrance in an attempt to see what was going on.<\/p>\n

He walked faster as he heard footsteps behind him and then slipped into a side alley, waited and then reached out to grab at the man who had been following him. His \u201cears and eyes\u201d grinned hugely and bowed before babbling a torrent of words that went too fast for Adam to understand sufficiently\u2014he raised a hand, and the Egyptian stopped with a wide grin which exposed several missing teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cInt betetkalem inglizi?\u201d Adam asked and received a nod of the head in reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, good spik!\u201d he assured Adam with much bobbing of the head. \u201cI come say you\u2014Sheiks say you good rider, you ride horse for them in race, win, make much bucksheesh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMesh mum ken,\u201d Adam replied and shook his head before adjusting his face covering and walking quickly onwards.<\/p>\n

His \u201cears and eyes,\u201d however, was reluctant to part with him and followed him closely, giving him a running commentary on some of the races he had seen and the amounts of money that the Sheiks exchanged in the form of bets.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany American, English, they go to races and make much bucksheesh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head again and turned quickly into the Ibrahim\u2019s building where the coolness of the interior greeted him and he paused, turned to the other man and bade him goodbye, \u201csalaam,\u201d to which the Egyptian replied with a rather sad tone of voice \u2018salaam,\u2019 leaving Adam to assume the man had already made plans to place his bets and now saw the chance to make a lot of money disappear like smoke.<\/p>\n

Time was running out and the visit to The Excellency would soon arrive. He hurried to his room and closed the door behind him, bowed his head and tried to think of a way to avoid the meeting and as he did so his eyes fell on a small pile of envelopes that had been placed carefully upon a table.<\/p>\n

Nothing mattered now; thoughts of the dreaded meeting fled from his mind as he picked the letters up and recognised the handwriting. He opened the envelopes and read each one, devouring their contents avidly and then reading them once again.<\/p>\n

So he learned that he was to become an uncle, and Hoss\u2019 bashful delight came through in the words he had chosen to write to his brother. It made Adam smile at the thought of an infant in the house, the first since Joseph had graced them all with his arrival. Then there was the news from Joe, full of Mary Ann Hornby and various things that had taken place there with just a small note that made Adam\u2019s stomach tighten just a little.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw Sarah Winnemucca recently when she said good bye. She is going to leave the area in order to avoid doing something that she feels is against the interests of her people and herself. Not that I can blame her, I would disappear myself if I were her.\u201d<\/p>\n

He read through the letter in the hope of finding some other reference to Winnemucca or the reason why Sarah had left the Paiute but there was nothing, no hint at all that Joe had been contacted by any government official or army personnel. He slipped the letter back in its envelope with a feeling of irritation gnawing at the back of his mind, accompanied by frustration at being caught up in a situation that was as confusing now as ever.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s letter was more helpful. In this letter Adam was told about the first encounter with Major Fleming and Captain Lancey, and how they had successfully \u2018managed to send them packing\u2019 as Ben gracefully phrased it. Joe, Ben told Adam, was totally confident that without Sarah Winnemucca available they would now leave him in peace. So far, they had heard nothing from them. The only words that seemed at all important to Adam were \u201cso far.\u201d<\/p>\n

He read about the pleasure Ben felt at Hoss and Hester\u2019s news, on how he felt at the thought of becoming a grandfather \u201cnever thought I would live to see it happen as you boys always managed to avoid getting married to any girl that had taken your liking.\u201d He also read Ben\u2019s views on Hester\u2019s family. \u201cMilton, her brother, was a really pleasant young man and I felt sad for Hester, and Ann for the loss of such a fine person, but sadly his wife lacked all the qualities that he possessed. Thankfully she decided to pack herself away. Hopefully we will not see her around these parts again as I believe she is en route to Paris.\u201d<\/p>\n

He carefully placed each letter back in their envelopes and put them in a drawer of the bureau, which he then locked.<\/p>\n

In the gardens of his palatial home, Sheik Said el Hassim listened expressionlessly to the report by one of his servants. The servant tried to read the sheik\u2019s face as he spoke, but was forced to wait until His Excellency spoke to him.
\nIn his white clothing Ebo Funsani stood out among the greenery that grew so profusely in the well watered gardens; he stood by one of the palm trees and waited for el Hassim to turn his attention back to him. The servant, once gone from sight, left the two men alone, and Ebo waited for the conversation to resume,<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an annoyance,\u201d El Hassim muttered as he turned and walked to one of the seats that were strategically placed throughout the garden. He sat down and arranged his robes carefully. \u201cI had thought, perhaps hoped, that the man I kept seeing in the market was the Commodore Cartwright, but it seems I am mistaken, he is just a Bedouin after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust a Bedouin?\u201d Ebo\u2019s voice was soft, silky, with the subtle undertones of a snake.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you ever known a seaman with the ability to ride a horse, let alone to vault onto the back of one that has gone crazy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry, Excellency, you will have to explain?\u201d the thin face seemed to go slightly more yellow.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe man went to the horse sale as usual today, and one of the horses sought to escape, plunging into the onlookers and sending them scattering. The Bedouin leapt upon its bare back and brought it under control. As you know only too well, the Bedouin are the best riders in the world.\u201d He paused and frowned. \u201cA man who has risen to the rank of Commodore in the American navy may well never have seen a horse in his life, and to ride one\u2014pah, never.\u201d He snapped his fingers and immediately a servant came running, listened to his orders and retreated.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Excellency, they have horses also in America.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know that\u2014\u201d El Hassim replied haughtily. \u201cBut not on board their ships.\u201d<\/p>\n

The servant reappeared with refreshments that were placed upon a table; Ebo, at the motion of the Sheik\u2019s hand, now sat on a seat opposite his master and waited.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means that we must keep on looking\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the report said the commodore would be going to Suez. Djounga and some of the others have already gone there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should he go there? I never believed it. Not when Stone and Lockett are here, and remain here too. You know that Doestov is here in Cairo? Ah, I thought not\u2014you see, it is all coming together now, Doestov and the commodore. They are both here. We must keep searching. Doestov, of course, will find us. We must find the commodore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

In a expensive hotel room in Hartford, Connecticut, President Grant read the letter sent to him by a Colonel Jackson from Fort Concho. He folded it over carefully and then slipped it beneath a folder on the desk.<\/p>\n

He was due to address the House of Representatives in the Connecticut State Capitol, which housed the Connecticut General Assembly, the State Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as the office of the lieutenant governor. His speech was fixed firmly in his mind, plus several ad libs that he would add here and there.<\/p>\n

His secretary came into his room and stood waiting for the president\u2019s order, a slight smile on his face. He was an ardent admirer of Grant and his new appointment as the president\u2019s secretary meant more to him that the wages he was paid; he now waited for Grant to address him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I get back remind me to write a letter to Ben Cartwright of the Ponderosa, and also to send a letter of condolence to Commodore Adam Cartwright on the loss of his younger brother, Joseph.\u201d He clenched his fist, tightened his lips and shook his head which was full of expletives at the incompetence of some of his officers and the ruination of some of his plans.<\/p>\n

It meant that things had to be changed with regard to the Plains Indians and the Black Hills in Indian Territory.<\/p>\n

Chapter 69<\/p>\n

Ibrahim had sent one of his servants to lay out clean garments for Adam to wear at the meeting with the Sheik. After he had washed, checked that his beard and hair were sufficiently clean, Adam quickly donned them. A change from the intensity of black for the gallibaya was a soft cream-coloured cotton with silk embroidery; the kaftan was blue as was the djubbeh. His head covering remained the usual black, and this he wrapped around his head with some dexterity, fixing it firmly and bringing the face covering over his nose and mouth.<\/p>\n

He looked at himself in a mirror and frowned, although with slight amusement as he wondered what his father would say at the sight of him now. He thought of Joe and Hoss ribbing him endlessly for wearing a \u201cdress.\u201d<\/p>\n

The barouche dropped them off at the sheik\u2019s premises and they were admitted immediately, giving Adam the impression that the man at the door had been ordered to ensure the guests were not left waiting for a second. They walked into a wide corridor that led into the terraced garden in the centre of which was a fountain. It was a small oasis of colour and greenery, refreshing to the senses as soon as the eyes saw it. At the entrance of the house they removed their shoes as was the custom.<\/p>\n

They were led to an upper chamber where the sheik welcomed them with wide open arms and great exclamations of delight at seeing them both. \u201cMarhaba, ez zayyak, Ibrahim?\u201d he exclaimed and shook Ibrahim\u2019s hand, then he turned to Adam Saadot belkak\u0633\u0639\u062f\u062a \u0628\u0644\u0642\u0627\u0626\u0643 ?\u201d and shook his hand, again as was customary, with direct eye contact and a big smile.<\/p>\n

Adam bowed also, so far he understood the greetings, \u2018nice to meet you\u2019 and as close to the translation that was offered to him; he made the response that Ibrahim had taught him. The gift he had been carrying he now offered to El Hassim, who nodded, smiled. \u201cMa Esmok?\u0645\u0627 \u0627\u0633\u0645\u0643\u061f\u201d the sheik asked and Adam replied that his name was Adam Abdulkarim.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Abdulkarim\u2014\u201d the sheik repeated the name slowly and then smiled, nodded, and beckoned to them to follow him. \u201cHal anta motazeweg? \u0647\u0644 \u0627\u0646\u062a \u0645\u062a\u0632\u0648\u062c\u061f\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled beneath his face covering: had he a wife. And the answer was plain and simple no, nor children, and the sheik laughed and muttered something to Ibrahim which prompted a smile, a nod of the head, and a chuckle from the older man.<\/p>\n

They entered into another room, within which was a large spread table with servants placing dishes upon a pristine white cloth. Above the table, kelims swished to and fro to keep the area cool and free from flies; these were controlled by ropes manually used by two servants seated on opposite sides of the room.<\/p>\n

It was a beautiful room, and Adam paused a moment to enjoy it, these houses had brought him, from the first, in touch with fables and myths and legends of the Near East that stirred the romance and poetry in his heart. He was straining his ears to listen to the conversation between the other two men in the hope of understanding something when he became aware of others in the room.<\/p>\n

Two women had entered from an arched door behind him, and now approached with welcoming smiles. One was dressed in the garments of a wealthy Egyptian woman, decked out with gold bangles and necklaces, heavy gold and silver earrings and ornaments in her dark hair. She gave both visitors the traditional bow and then addressed her husband who nodded, smiled and spoke in a hushed tone to her. She now turned to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cInt betetkalem inglizi?\u201d she smiled, rouged lips parting to show white teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do.\u201d Adam replied, hoping that his imitation of Ibrahim\u2019s soft lilting English accent would last the evening, but with a sense of relief so great that he could have kissed her.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy sister does not speak Arabic except the basic sentences,\u201d she replied, \u201cMy name is Anna, and my sister is Rachel.\u201d She turned and smiled at her sister who now approached Adam with a look of anxiety on her face which lessened when Anna told her that their visitor could speak English. \u201cYou will have to speak a little slower than usual, Rachel, so that he can really understand what you are saying,\u201d she explained and then turned to smile again at Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe heard about what happened at the horse auction today,\u201d Rachel said immediately. \u201cIt was a brave thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShukran,\u201d Adam replied with a slight bow of the head and both women laughed a little before following the sheik to take their seats.<\/p>\n

Rachel was dressed modestly but in European dress and she wore little jewellery, only a ring of gold on her right hand that had the motif of some antiquity on it. Adam took his place and removed his face covering.<\/p>\n

Time ticked by with a relentless slowness, the women were quiet while the sheik talked with breath taking swiftness, although thankfully in English as his wife had requested. Adam remembered all he had been taught about etiquette, he didn\u2019t add salt to the food (which would have been an insult), he took second helpings, he expressed his appreciation for the food and used his right hand only. Rachel proved to be a fussy eater, but no doubt the sheep\u2019s head, and eyeballs in aspic were not to her liking.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbdulkarim,\u201d El Hassim said with a sudden new warmth to his voice, \u201cWe have been talking of you. Your great expert act today with the horse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh\u2014huh\u201d Adam nodded, shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow there is a big race. I could enter you. People are already making big promises to bet on you to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam raised a hand and shook his head; he looked at Anna and Rachel who were watching him. Both smiled and then continued eating.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe shall talk more about this\u2014\u201d El Hassim laughed and was about to say something to Anna when footsteps were heard, and turning his head, Adam recognised the man in the white djubbeh.<\/p>\n

After a courteous bow to El Hassim\u2019s guests, the man begged the sheik\u2019s indulgence, saying there was a need to speak to him in private. \u201cI have, as you see, visitors,\u201d El Hassim replied haughtily, but he sighed and rose to his feet, bowed and begged they accept his excuses. \u201cIt will be for a moment only\u2026\u201d he assured them.<\/p>\n

Apart from a brief sidelong glance at him, the man in white appeared to have little interest in Adam, hurrying alongside the sheik while murmuring in a voice that was a soft cadence until it faded out of earshot.<\/p>\n

The meal was over and Anna ordered the servant to provide drinks outside in the garden where she now led her guests. She walked by Adam\u2019s side and smiled up at him, for she was slight of build and not tall. \u201cAdam Abdulkarim, I do apologise for my husband having to leave so suddenly. It is quite unusual but\u2014sometimes\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo not worry, I quite understand,\u201d Adam assured her, and he smiled, his cheeks dimpling and eyes twinkling. \u201cYou are American?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. From Illinois.\u201d She smiled. \u201cAlthough I don\u2019t suppose that means much to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAmerica is a big country.\u201d Adam smiled again, feeling it safe, at least, to admit that much.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father was an archaeologist; he loved Egypt and would come here on excavations\u2014oh, for as far back as I can remember. He was good about our not being boys, wasn\u2019t he, Rachel? He always said we were born with trowels in our hands so was happy enough about that. We are both keen archaeologists, and that was how I met Said.\u201d
\nShe sat on the edge of the wall of the fountain and dipped her fingers in the water, \u201cHe\u2019s a kind man, and when his wife died he was quite bereft. Then we met \u2026\u201d she looked up at the quiet hazel eyes that were steadily regarding her and laughed rather shyly. \u201cGoodness me, Adam Abdulkarim, this would hardly be of interest to you. I do apologise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is a good man, your husband?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he is,\u201d she sighed and looked back to the building and up at the window of a room from which lights shone, \u201cI just wish that awful Ebo Funsani wouldn\u2019t keep coming here; he is constantly around lately.\u201c<\/p>\n

Adam turned his head and looked up at the window at which she was staring. The shadows of three men flickered across the aperture, and then he saw one man standing looking down at the garden. This man wore a white suit, and smoked a cigarette with one hand and in the other held a small silver box.<\/p>\n

For a second Adam felt a shiver trickle down his spine; he turned his head away as though to look at the roses blooming nearby, and then looked back at the window where he saw Funsani and the Russian together, but with their backs to the window.<\/p>\n

Had Doestov seen him? Adam felt the palms of his hands going clammy, and he took one of the filled glasses and drank it slowly while he wondered what could be the repercussions of the Russian recognising him.<\/p>\n

He put the glass back down, and as he raised his eyes he saw Rachel watching him, her blue eyes looking intently into his face. Then she smiled, probably one of the sweetest smiles he had seen on a woman for a long time.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Outside Sheik El Hassim\u2019s palatial building a young man stood in the shadows with his eyes trained upon the door. The day was drawing to a close now; soon night would drop, and the temperature with it. He hugged against the wall where the warmth of the day\u2019s sun lingered.<\/p>\n

Doestov had done everything possible to escape from Laurence Willoughby, and he had left the hotel later than he had intended, knowing full well that Funsani would not be pleased at the enforced delay. He had made his way through the narrow streets without realising that Laurence was following close enough to keep him in sight. Hardly daring to breathe, the young Englishman remained in his selected position and waited for Doestov to leave and return to the hotel.<\/p>\n

Close by two opportunists lingered. Brothers by flesh and partners in crime they added to their daily earnings as camel owners taking tourists to the pyramids by petty thievery. One of those chance encounters was about to take place now as they saw the dark shadow of an Englishman lingering near the rich sheik\u2019s home. What better? Everyone knew that the English and the American tourists were always loaded with money, and what right did this traveller have to be hanging around the sheik\u2019s home so suspiciously?<\/p>\n

As the shadows lengthened and night crashed down over Cairo the two men crept closer to their victim.<\/p>\n

Chapter 70<\/p>\n

The two men were silent as they watched the sheik return to his guests. Doestov drew heavily on his cigarette before stubbing it out in the little silver box and snapping the lid shut. It was Funsani who spoke first. \u201cWell, how reliable do you think our friend is?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReliable enough, so long as you keep him tinking that he vill be the next Khedive.\u201d Doestov replied and turned to the window to observe the garden.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet us go down there, I don\u2019t like being here in this room, El Hassim has too many servants with flapping ears.\u201d Funsani murmured.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

El Hassim returned to his guests with effusive apologies, bowing and smiling, shaking their hands. He returned to the subject of the horse race, to which Adam made no promises although he did admit to having taken part in quite a few in the past.<\/p>\n

\u201cIbrahim, I hear you went to the Americans not long ago. You saw the General Stone, perhaps?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did, Excellency.\u201d Ibrahim bowed; there was little point in denying the fact and being called a liar, and even worse, to know that was exactly what one was, \u201cI saw him, and there were two others with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe owe a great deal to these American officers. My cousin, the khedive, has done well in taking the President Grant\u2019s men, they have discovered much about our country. But\u2014\u201d he frowned, the attractive face looked pensive\u2014\u201cI fear that my cousin, the khedive, will soon be bankrupt. Do you not also fear this?\u201d He looked at both his guests earnestly, and the two women made their excuses and left the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see the possibility of it happening, Excellency,\u201d Ibrahim admitted, \u201cThe many good things that the khedive has done for Egypt have brought expensive loads upon his shoulders.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe English are powerful in my country,\u201d El Hassim said as he picked up his glass, filled it with wine and drank from it. He looked now at Adam. \u201cDo you not agree, Abdulkarim?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Suez Canal has been a good thing for Egypt,\u201d Adam observed carefully and striving to maintain the slightly sing song lilt of a typical Egyptian speaking the foreign language.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but my cousin paid dearly to the English for that.\u201d El Hassim refilled his glass, and rose to his feet. \u201cThe Americans have done our country much good. The lands we have in Sudan and Ethiopia, they have been mapping with great expertise.\u201d He walked to the window and glanced down into the garden, scowled slightly at the sight of the two men lingering near the fountain and obviously deep in conversation, then turned to the guests, and for some time lauded the Americans a while longer while casting the role of the khedive as the saviour of his country into some doubt.<\/p>\n

When Ibrahim and Adam left the building niether man had any doubt about El Hassim\u2019s obvious dislike of his cousin and the English, or his admiration of all things American. For Adam it added yet another strand of mystery to the equation.<\/p>\n

As they slipped on their shoes and left the building Ibrahim murmured softly into Adam\u2019s ear how little seemed to escape the sheik and how in future they would have to be more careful in their visits to the American cadre.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

It was the arrival of the Egyptian merchant\u2019s barouche that sent the two men scurrying away back into the dark side alleys from where they had come, and saving Willoughby from a further beating. He had held his own for as long as he could but had just buckled at the knees and fallen onto the cobbled streets when the sound of the horses approaching had brought the attack to an end.<\/p>\n

When the door to the sheik\u2019s walled premises opened and Adam and Ibrahim emerged, the driver was bending over Willoughby with a flaming torch in one hand which immediately drew the attention of both men to the injured man\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

Ibrahim murmured. \u201cA fool to be loitering hereabouts without protection.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe, but I happen to know this particular fool,\u201d Adam replied softly. \u201cMay I ask permission for him to be brought to your home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is a friend?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he is a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen come, bring him to my home. He will be cared for as he is your friend.\u201d And Ibrahim placed a gentle hand on Adams arm as though in reassurance of the truth of his words.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Anna and her sister, Rachel, had not made their way to their private apartments as may have been assumed but had decided to take a walk through the gardens instead. They had lingered by the rose garden and had been about to discuss the evening and their guests when they heard the murmur of voices coming their way. Both women withdrew into the shadows, becoming like shadows themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cEbo…\u201d whispered Anna. \u201cWhy is he here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is the man with him?\u201d Rachel whispered back.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I have seen him before, he is Russian.\u201d<\/p>\n

They said nothing more but huddled close in the darkness afforded them by the night and the thickly overgrown pergola by which the two men had paused to talk.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it safe to speak now?\u201d Ebo asked and glanced around him, \u201cI never feel safe in this house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll Eygptians are overly suspicious of the least thing.\u201d came the soft voiced response, and Dimitri shrugged, \u201cI think the sheik\u2019s pro-American feelings are good for us. So long as he keeps funding our cause and we keep him in ignorance of what are our intentions then all shall be well. The khedive is well on the way to bankruptcy and will be more dependent* than ever upon the English to come to his assistance. When our plan succeeds there will be such horror…\u201d He paused and smiled, as though in his mind\u2019s eye the mental vision was already a reality, an enjoyable one.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me, Dimitri, why are you showing so much more interest now? I thought Russian opinion was to step back and leave us to ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBah, nonsense.\u201d Dimitri shrugged again; he fumbled in his pocket to withdraw the cigarette case from which he took another cigarette. \u201cWe have to counter Prussia\u2019s influence here. It is all politics.\u201d He said this dismissively, as though his voice spoke for all Russia, and Prussia was a mere nuisance.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour request for help in Turkey then, fell on deaf ears in America?\u201d A smile, sly and cruel, could be felt in the words and Dimitri turned to regard the Egyptian with cold disdain as a result.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrant has too much to consider now. America is still a young country struggling to come to terms with her own power, and her influence in Europe is still raw.\u201d He plucked a rose from a bush, which made the two women hidden so nearby cling closer together, \u201cNo, the English were far more helpful, although they are anxious that our plan should not succeed. They do not know of my connection, of Russian interest\u2014even though I have one of their faithful dogs\u2014a puppy rather\u2014dogging my every move.\u201d He tossed the rose aside and busied himself with his cigarette; a flame flared from the match, revealing his dark saturnine features to the women as it did so.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has not followed you here?\u201d Ebo asked nervously<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, last time I saw my friend he was busy talking to a pretty young woman in the hotel. Another of the tourists.\u201d The material of his jacket rustled as he shrugged thin shoulders. \u201cHe will not notice my having left the hotel, even.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEl Hassim hopes to become the next khedive, you realise that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and his marriage to the American woman is good. He will be seen as pro-American and after the debacle of what has happened, people will never suspect him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Ebo laughed coldly, \u201cWhy should they? He has no idea that his money is funding our enterprise. He thinks only of it as being a means to an end, the end of Ismail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, let him continue to think it; it has been useful.\u201d<\/p>\n

A moment\u2019s silence before Ebo broached the next subject that concerned him, whether or not the commodore was in Cairo.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is here,\u201d Dimitri replied, \u201cThe English puppy looks as earnestly for him as I do, he is a friend and admirer of this man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd yourself? You know him, this commodore?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, I know him. I also admire him much\u2026but he is no friend of mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

The voices trailed away as the two men made their silent way back to the building and at last Anna and Rachel could release their breath, and each other\u2019s hands, to which they had been clinging throughout the conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you understand that?\u201d Rachel whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I understood it.\u201d Anna replied and wiped tears from her cheeks, for the knowledge that her husband was being duped for Ebo\u2019s purpose really did upset her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat should we do?\u201d<\/p>\n

Anna didn\u2019t reply at first, then she looked at her sister and gripped her hand tightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must find the commodore first, before they do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

When Laurence Willoughby opened his eyes he found himself looking up into the face that was at once familiar while at the same time not, which caused him to doubt whether or not he was actually seeing his friend, Adam Cartwright. He closed his eyes instead and waited for something to be said or done to indicate his first instinct to be correct.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaurence, what in heavens name are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

He opened his eyes and managed a smile, groaning a little as it caused pain to his eye and mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you spring from, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t answer a question with a question, Willoughby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence struggled into a sitting position and then looked again at Adam, then nodded slowly to himself. \u201cI thought so. You came to the hotel once, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re doing it again.\u201d Adam replied tersely.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m here to find you, and to keep track of Doestov. The little rat\u2014\u201d he frowned\u2014\u201cHe was in with that Egyptian, Ebo Funsani.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know the man?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSaw him talking to Doestov one time, and managed to get his name.\u201d He put a tentative hand to his brow and groaned. \u201cI tried to get on board the Baltimore but you sailed early.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMm, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I had a letter from the government for you\u2026then Doestov appeared; he was hoping to get on board the ship as well. So we joined forces\u2026I think he was keeping an eye on me as much as I was on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny idea what the letter contained?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA warning that Doestov was alive\u2014and to watch your back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t read it all\u2014\u201d said plaintively.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the hotel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we had better get you back there\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould be a good idea, I don\u2019t want Doestov to suspect I saw him going into that sheik\u2019s place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHas he said anything of interest to you at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing, as shut as a clam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sat back and sighed, then he shrugged and stood up to collect Laurence\u2019s clothes and hand them over to him,<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have a cracked rib and a few bumps and bruises. It shouldn\u2019t be too painful; my brother Joe gets them on a regular basis and survives.\u201d He grinned and tossed the jacket over to the Englishman. \u201cYou should have stayed at home, Laurence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDuty calls and all that\u2014\u201d Laurence grinned and got to his feet. \u201cDon\u2019t happen to have some bucksheesh on you, do you? Those thieves have cleaned me out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 71<\/p>\n

It took little time to get Laurence back into the barouche and to the hotel. The manager, a discreet man, assumed that the Englishman had overindulged and was being assisted to his room by a passing Arab. He saw them and then dismissed them from his mind as Adam, his arm around Laurence\u2019s waist, and supporting him as best he could, took him to his hotel room.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think Doestov will be here already?\u201d he whispered to Laurence as his friend groped for the key, at the same time groaning as pain from his injuries trickled through his body.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know, shouldn\u2019t think so.\u201d Laurence dropped the key, which Adam quickly retrieved and inserted into the keyhole, \u201cDoesn\u2019t matter if he is, it will seem more likely than ever that I got into bad company\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did.\u201d Adam smiled and pushed the door open.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, I suppose so.\u201d Laurence moaned as his friend half carried him across the room and to the bed.<\/p>\n

Adam carefully deposited Laurence on the edge of the bed, and looked around the room,<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s the letter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the drawer. It\u2019s hidden in the Bible, book of Ecclesiastes,\u201d Laurence whispered as he attempted to pull off his jacket.<\/p>\n

Adam rummaged through, frowned and then picked the Bible up and shook it. \u201cIt\u2019s not here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat means that rat must have found it. I\u2019m sorry, Adam, perhaps I should have read what it said and then eaten it. Thought they only did that in stories \u2026\u201d he groaned and struggled to get to his feet, only to have Adam push him back, help him with his jacket and then lift his legs up on the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt hardly matters; we don\u2019t need a letter to confirm what we know anyway. Have you been in contact with the British Consulate?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Charles said not to, unless in great danger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want me to get you a doctor?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence\u2019s eyes were closing, his head spinning; pain was eating into his body like red hot pokers.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, don\u2019t want to draw more attention to me\u2026us\u2026Doestov would be curious\u2026\u201d He sighed, mumbled something unintelligible. \u201cSorry, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be; I\u2019m just glad to know I\u2019ve got a friend here to cover my back. It was getting\u2014well\u2014lonesome.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better go\u2014before\u2014\u201d his voice drifted into a groan and he raised a hand which he flapped feebly towards the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see you later, Laurence; you know where I am, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

His friend was just able to muster up a smile as Adam left the room.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Sheik El Hassim had removed his outer garment when the door opened and Anna entered, pausing for a second as though unsure as to whether she should continue or not.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t summon you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anna paused for a moment longer and then stepped into the room with a determined look upon her face. Said El Hassim shook his head, a look of pride and obstinacy settled upon his handsome features, a look that she knew indicated his intention to dismiss her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI must speak with you about something important, my dear husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

Inwardly the Sheik groaned. If a lovely woman, who is one\u2019s wife, enters unbidden into ones bedchamber it is thought to be for one simple reason only, and perhaps, for that reason, one would unbend on procedure. To talk? He shook his head and waved her away.<\/p>\n

\u201cSaid El Hassim, I must talk to you about something of great importance. You are in great danger\u2014please let me speak.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was halfway across the room now and her eyes, beautiful eyes that he loved dearly, were full of tears.<\/p>\n

\u201cDanger? You are speaking nonsense, wife, you have had a bad dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s no dream.\u201d she said looking at him anxiously for she had noticed the flicker of interest in his dark eyes, \u201cSaid\u2014is it your intention to become the next Khedive? To take Ismail\u2019s place by force?\u201d<\/p>\n

His face dropped in confusion, and she saw before her eyes a little boy caught as it were as though his hand were in the cookie jar and he had to think of some way to excuse himself. She put a hand on his arm. \u201cMy dear, please\u2014is it true?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was so hard for her, an independent American woman, to have to act like some medieval submissive wife who was only there to do her husband\u2019s bidding. As much as Said El Hassim loved her, and respected her American ways and appeared to admire her country, he was still a man steeped in Egyptian culture and tradition. He was a pampered rich man related to the royal house of Egypt and at times the lessons she had to learn as a result of that were difficult. None more so than now and she looked at him earnestly, as though to beg for his time and attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy cousin Ismail is ruining our country. If something isn\u2019t done soon then it will be ruined totally, bankrupt, and then the English will control* all of Egypt. I have to do something, Anna, to save my country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are giving people money to fund a revolution.\u201d<\/p>\n

He put a finger to her lips and glanced around the room as though suddenly afraid that others would be there, listening.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat have you heard, woman?\u201d<\/p>\n

That imperious tone of voice that she hated, that riled her American inner self, could have sealed his fate had she not loved him so much. She told him everything that she and Rachel had overheard, and then looked at him and waited. For a moment neither of them spoke; it seemed they did not even breathe, and then he sighed and placed a gentle hand on her face, and looked tenderly at her. \u201cYou heard all this?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cAnd what do you think they plan to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what they plan to do, my dear. I know by instinct that they will point the finger at you if their plan fails. It is YOU they say gave them the money, and the men, to fight or achieve what they intend to do. They will drag you down with them if it fails.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what if it does not fail? Whatever their plan\u2014if it does not fail, they will make me khedive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no\u2014they don\u2019t intend that at all, my dear. You are being fooled into believing that, so that they can get the money from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said nothing to that, but he couldn\u2019t disguise the confusion, the misery on his face. She stood for a while waiting for him to speak, but it seemed as though he couldn\u2019t find any words, so they stood together in silence for a while until she spoke. \u201cWho is this commodore they mentioned?\u201d<\/p>\n

He roused himself, shook his head, shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t know. An American. They say he will ruin their plans\u2014our plans\u2014\u201d he bowed his head now, as though ashamed. \u201cI thought he was our enemy, but now I am not so sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you don\u2019t know who he is?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, only that he is in Cairo,\u201d he sighed and walked over to the window to stare over the darkness that covered the market square. \u201cI thought he was Ibrahim\u2019s nephew, the man who came to dinner this evening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbdulkarim?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. It was a feeling I had, but I was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy? What makes you think you were wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook his head and sighed again, before walking towards the door of his sleeping chamber, he looked back at her. \u201cAnna, you are so American. I do love you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him, her face troubled, but he didn\u2019t beckon to her to join him and so she remained where she was, standing alone in the big room as the door to his bed chamber closed behind him.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The two Americans welcomed Adam with a warm shake of the hand and offers of hot coffee and some American style food.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve just finished breakfast,\u201d Stone said heartily and then looked at the younger man with a frown. \u201cYou\u2019d be more than welcome.\u201d His voice trailed off and he glanced over at Lockett, who was observing Adam thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve had some developments?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor what they\u2019re worth,\u201d Adam replied carefully. \u201cDoestov is hand in glove with a man called Ebo Funsani. Do you know him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeen him about,\u201d Lockett admitted with a nod of the head.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a close associate of Sheik Said El Hassim.\u201d Stone added.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they were both at El Hassim\u2019s last night. They went off into another room to discuss business.\u201d He watched them both for a moment. \u201cLook, I want to ask you something, and I\u2019d like an honest answer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy am I here exactly? Whatever I have done\u2014could have been done by anyone of you here. I\u2019ve felt\u2014uneasy\u2014from the moment I took on this assignment. The vagueness of it all, and this charade of\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it isn\u2019t a charade,\u201d Stone replied firmly, raising a hand as he spoke in order to stop the flow of words. \u201cYou were necessary because Grant trusts you. He doesn\u2019t trust many, and for good reason. He probably doesn\u2019t trust many of us here, but we are doing all we can to establish good Egyptian-American relations. We\u2019ve achieved a whole lot here, Commodore, that we can\u2019t risk losing right now. The khedive is an ambitious man; he\u2019s long sighted, wants a lot done for his country\u2014but he doesn\u2019t have a limitless purse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lockett walked to the desk and, perching himself on the corner, he looked at Adam and frowned. \u201cYou\u2019ve already achieved more than we could have hoped. We\u2019ve only got vague rumours, and here in Egypt there are rumours and plots going on all the time. It\u2019s difficult to know which lead to follow up and which to ignore, as well as getting on with our own work. You were an essential part of getting this resolved.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe now know that Russia is involved as well as Prussia; they seem to have allied themselves together to achieve their plan. We didn\u2019t suspect El Hassim though, he\u2019s always been so excited about our being here, Pro-American, he even married an American girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I met her last night, and her sister.\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe that he would be involved in any plot to kill Grant and destroy American relations here, as well as plunging the whole world into chaos. Prussia and Russia, of course, are like two buzzards waiting to feast on the remains.\u201d Stone leaned back in his chair and tugged at his beard, \u201cNo, I\u2019m surprised about El Hassim.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny chance at all of your getting back into the house and having a chat with him \u2026 see if he knows what\u2019s going on?\u201d Lockett suggested in a slow drawl as he looked pleasantly at Adam, an almost innocent look of appeal on his face.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, he is there\u2014\u201d El Hassim whispered to his wife, and they both looked down on the tall figure in the flowing black robes as he strode through the market place. They watched as he continued on, and the sheik frowned. \u201cUsually he doesn\u2019t walk through the market place, but stops awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anna said nothing but turned to look at the other person in the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cFollow him, and if possible, bring him here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 72<\/p>\n

Walking as swiftly as he could without arousing undue suspicion Adam thought over the situation, knowing as he did so that there were various aspects to the case about which he knew nothing. This annoyed him more than anything else, and the fact that the letter addressed to him had been removed from Laurence\u2019s possessions annoyed him even more.<\/p>\n

He entered the hotel without the manager noticing him, and made his way to the room where Laurence had been taken the previous evening. He knocked, waited, and on receiving no reply tried the door handle. The door swung open easily and for a moment he just stood in the doorway,<\/p>\n

\u201cLaurence?\u201d<\/p>\n

He stepped inside and closed the door behind him and then carefully made his way through the shambles that remained of the room. He called Laurence\u2019s name once again but there was no reply and after checking that his friend wasn\u2019t hidden beneath the beds, or locked in one of the upended cupboards he quickly left the room to find himself face to face with the manager.<\/p>\n

The torrent of words accompanied by much waving of hands that resulted from this meeting were a complete quagmire as far as Adam was concerned, he frowned, nodded, muttered the odd phrase or word that he hoped would be suitable and then raised a hand and said loudly that he had heard enough and walked away with, he hoped, the haughty disdain a Bedouin would show.<\/p>\n

He stood outside the hotel for a moment to go through the ramifications of what had just taken place and tried to pick out words that were familiar to him now. But whatever the manager said would not explain to Adam exactly what had happened in that room since he left Laurence there, that was left to his imagination based on the knowledge of what he already knew.<\/p>\n

He walked away with his mind in turmoil, his head down and a scowl furrowing his brow. The one thing that he had to accept was his own stupidity in letting Laurence return when he was injured; that had been not only stupid, but in Adam\u2019s eyes, unkind and disloyal. His friend had been injured and he should have insisted on Ibrahim sending for a doctor and countless other things that he thought up to torment his conscience even further.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me\u2014Mr. Abdulkarim?\u201d<\/p>\n

He paused in mid-step as the woman appeared at his side, then bowed his head and gave her the traditional greeting; she smiled and nodded, and when he was about to walk on she stopped him again by calling his name. \u201cMr. Abdulkarim, my name is Rachel Forster. I met you at my brother-in-law\u2019s home last evening.\u201d<\/p>\n

He narrowed his eyes and nodded; behind his face covering he had smiled having recognised her from the start, he nodded again and instinctively put out a hand to her arm to draw her closer to the wall of a house as several men strutted down the street. She smiled up at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not Bedouin, are you, Mr. Abdulkarim? You\u2019re not even Egyptian \u2026 no man would have done that to a woman, after all, what would they care if a woman was knocked into by anything hereabouts.\u201d Her face moved into a slight grimace. \u201cI would have understood it more had I been a camel or a horse, naturally, but your kindness to a woman\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Forster, I am in a hurry,\u201d Adam murmured softly. \u201cWhy are you here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI came to ask you if you would come with me. My sister and her husband really need to see you; it\u2019s urgent, urgent indeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed, glanced back at the hotel as though, just perhaps, Laurence would appear, and then he returned his gaze to her. She wasn\u2019t exactly jumping up and down with impatience but it was obvious that she was finding his reticence to move rather irksome.<\/p>\n

He said nothing but indicated that they move on, leaving the vicinity of the hotel and any prying eyes there to reach the sheik\u2019s home and enter it through a different entrance to the one he and Ibrahim had used previously.<\/p>\n

Rachel led him through the gardens and into the building where they slipped off their shoes and silently mounted the stairs to the large room where the sheik and his wife were waiting for them.<\/p>\n

\u201cSabah el-kheir \u0635\u0628\u0627\u062d \u0627\u0644\u201d Adam replied in a low voice as he looked from one to the other. \u201cYou wished to speak to me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Anna looked at her husband as though fearful that he was going to change his mind about speaking to this stranger, but the sheik had no intention of turning back now. He stood up and shook Adam\u2019s hand, and indicated a chair for him to sit upon.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are the one called the commodore?\u201d he asked in his excellent English.<\/p>\n

\u201cAm I?\u201d Adam frowned. \u201cI\u2019m a commodore in the American navy, Sheik El Hassim. My name is Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore, there has been\u2014\u201d El Hassim paused, looked down at the floor as though to admire the brilliant shine on his shoes. \u201cI have recently discovered that I have been fooled into providing money to fund a\u2014a situation\u2014\u201d he faltered, shame and pride fought together\u2014\u201cto overthrow the khedive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe khedive?\u201d Adam sat back against the chair, and then slowly removed his face covering; his dark eyes looked thoughtfully at the Sheik who was twisting the rings on his fingers nervously. \u201cMy cousin, Ismail.\u201d El Hassim\u2019s lips trembled as he said the name and he glanced over at his wife who sat with head lowered and her hands clasped together in her lap. \u201cI ask you for your help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor my help?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, for many weeks now the men who\u2014with whom I have been involved have sought out this man they called the commodore. If they are looking for you, then it must be because of some important reason, so perhaps you could help…\u201d His voice trailed away as though he realised that what he was saying was futile. \u201cI am ashamed, Commodore Cartwright, for being so foolishly used. I have provided much money to these men to assist them\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid they give you a reason for needing this money? I mean, you must have been aware of what the money was going to be used for?\u201d<\/p>\n

El Hassim opened his mouth, closed it again and fought an internal battle. He had schemed various reasons for providing the money from funding hospitals to supporting the Russo-Turkish war that was brewing and soon to break forth. His mouth ran dry, and he shook his head. \u201cMy cousin is a clever man, Commodore Cartwright, but he is ruining Egypt. I\u2014for the sake of my country\u2014was talked into thinking\u2014\u201d he bowed his head, struggled again to find words, \u201cI was led to believe that I would be a better leader for my people, and unite the lands that my cousin has usurped.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam was unsure now as to what to say as the sheik and his wife looked at him as though he would provide them with the answers. He shrugged and shook his head. \u201cI can\u2019t help you, sir. I\u2019m sorry, but I came here on another matter entirely. Your internal problems are really for you to deal with yourself.\u201d He paused. \u201cWere Ebo Funsani and a Russian called Doestov involved in this scheme?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Ebo Funsani and I were in England as students at Eton and have long been friends. Doestov promised Russian support if I pledged Egypt\u2019s support for the coming war with Turkey.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they\u2019ve certainly been busy\u2014\u201d Adam muttered as he passed a hand over his face and scratched through his beard, \u201cWhen was this coup to take place?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do not yet know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid they ever mention anything about the visit President Grant is making to this country next year?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt times. As the new khedive\u2014\u201d he paused, shook his head as though in disbelief at his error, \u201cPardon me, Commodore Cartwright, I allowed myself to become prideful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo they did mention the president\u2019s visit?\u201d Adam pressed further.<\/p>\n

El Hassim nodded. \u201cHe was to come here, to Cairo, and we would hold a great feast in his honour.\u201d El Hassim stood up now and walked over to the window, \u201cThere would be fireworks, and much for him to enjoy.\u201d He looked fondly at his wife, \u201cI am proud of our friendship with America. It is something that has been good for our country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd who suggested that this should take place here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, Ebo Funsani\u2014\u201d the Sheik replied as though in surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere does he live, this Ebo Funsani?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sheik looked doubtful now, he shook his head. \u201cHe is my friend, Commodore. It is not right to betray a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree, but when a friend abuses his friendship, betrays it, for his own purposes, Sheik El Hassim, should he still be thought of as a friend?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI really need to know,\u201d Adam replied in a slow measured tone of voice, \u201cA lot depends on this, and it could be that if we act quickly enough, lives will be spared.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLives?\u201d Anna\u2019s face went pale, \u201cWhat lives?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour husband\u2019s for a start \u2026 after all, sir, your cousin may not feel you\u2019ve been acting particularly loyal towards him recently. What did you intend to do with him if this coup to have taken place, which it wasn\u2019t going to do; would you have allowed him to live?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe khedive\u2014\u201d El Hassim stammered; his face was paler than usual and his eyes bulged slightly in their sockets.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me tell you something, El Hassim,\u201d Adam stood and for a moment paused to collect his thoughts, \u201cThe coup against your cousin was never going to take place. Your money was funding something far bigger than removing him and setting you up in his place.\u201d He frowned, thought a little more and then looked at Anna. \u201cThe sheik\u2019s marrying you must have made it easier for Ebo Funsani to arrange for the president to come here, and yes, there would have been fireworks alright, but not the kind about which you are talking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe president would never have come to harm here, never\u2014\u201d El Hassim cried and the colour mounted in his face. \u201cNo, you are wrong, what you are indicating is quite wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish it were,\u201d Adam replied calmly, and the deep voice as he said the words made the sheik stop protesting and go deathly still.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know where Funsani lives,\u201d Rachel Forster said now. \u201cI\u2019ll take you there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned to her, smiled, and put a hand on her arm, a gesture that made her smile again and she looked up at him with bright blue eyes and rather a mocking light in them.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, just tell me where to go,\u201d he replied<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore\u2014what should I do?\u201d El Hassim asked as Adam replaced his face covering and prepared to leave<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, perhaps you should see your cousin, tell him about what was being planned and get his support to round up the others involved in this intended coup.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2014\u201d El Hassim stopped, his face frozen in a grimace of fear and panic. He turned to his wife. \u201cIsmail will kill me or put me into prison.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing to that. Not even looking back at them, he quickly left by the way he had come.<\/p>\n

Chapter 73<\/p>\n

Adam had just stepped into the courtyard when he heard footsteps behind him and as he turned he saw a man in the sheik\u2019s livery hurrying towards him. He paused, put his hand to his dagger and for a fraction of a moment wondered whether the sheik had sent the man to assassinate him. The poor fellow stepped back and raised a hand. \u201cmen f\u00e0Dl\u00e0k \u0645\u0646 \u0641\u0636\u0644\u0643 \u201c he said, and then spoke in such haste that it could have been said in hieroglyphics for all it meant to Adam, who gleaned more from the gestures and waving about of the hands than from what was said.<\/p>\n

He acted on his intuition that he had to follow the man and retaining his grip on the hilt of his dagger, he did so. The smell of stables greeted him eventually, heralding the sight of several horses being swiftly saddled. The servant turned, pointed to the horse and then to Adam while nodding his head energetically. As the reins of one of the horses was held out towards him he heard the sheik\u2019s voice addressing him in English. \u201cEbo\u2019s residence is a long walk from here; it will be quicker by horseback and\u2014\u201d he sighed as he paused and took the reins of the other animal\u2014\u201cthere will be no questions asked of us when we get to the gate.\u201d<\/p>\n

He had cast off the elegantly embroidered djubbeh that he had worn during the interview with Adam and now wore something more suitable. He mounted into the saddle with the confidence of a man well used to doing so, and then looked at Adam with a nod of the head. \u201cJust follow me.\u201d<\/p>\n

As they galloped out of the wide archway that led into the main cobbled thoroughfare the man who had been Adam\u2019s \u201cEars and eyes\u201d for so long stared for some moments at the retreating men and then turned to run all the way to report the latest developments to Ibrahim.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Laurence Willoughby had never thought he would experience quite so much pain as he was feeling at that moment. The injuries he had gained from the beating with the two thieves paled into insignificance compared to how he felt now, and if he could have raised his head without everything inside his skull clanging from one side to the other, then he would have done so.<\/p>\n

Dimitri Doestov looked at him thoughtfully and shook his head. He had taken the young Englishman to be a fool, the foppish younger son of the aristocracy who had come along to while away the time and \u201chave an adventure.\u201d He sighed, and felt in his pocket for his cigarette case. Since finding that letter it had changed things altogether, and he had seen his fellow traveller in a quite different light. When he had thought back over their journey, there had been some clues\u2014but to give Laurence his due, they had not been many and not that obvious.<\/p>\n

He found a cigarette and held it between his fingers as he put the case back in his pocket and stared at the young man. He wasn\u2019t sure whether this was the right method to use on the Englishman, but Ebo loved violence; he loved to hurt people, whether watching others inflict pain or doing so himself\u2026Dimitri shook his head. It was not something he himself enjoyed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are getting nowhere, my friend,\u201d he said in Russian, \u201cI know this man well by now, if he had anything to say, he would by now have said it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe must know more than he has said; he is a fool to not tell us what it is,\u201d Ebo hissed, and looked at the poor broken body sprawled on the flagstones.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I think if you try to beat anything else out of him, you will kill him and be none the wiser.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ebo shook his head and raised his hand in which he held a short handled whip. \u201cYou\u2014English infidel\u2014tell me just how much your government know? Tell me\u2014\u201d he drew back his arm and would have brought the whip down across Laurence\u2019s back had not Dimitri grabbed at Ebo\u2019s wrist and tightened his hold just as there came the sound of voices from the room above followed by the scampering of feet upon the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheik El Hassim\u2014\u201d the servant announced and bowed,. \u201cHe waits.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dimitri placed the cigarette between his lips and nodded as Ebo turned to him,<\/p>\n

\u201cYou go,\u201d he said, \u201cI shall stay here with this fool.\u201d<\/p>\n

Without hesitation Funsani did as suggested, tossing the whip towards Dimitri, who stared at it with disdain and allowed it to fall upon the floor, where it clattered down and slid into a corner. As soon as he was alone with Laurence he went to his side, knelt down and raised the youth\u2019s head, then signed over to the man who had been administering most of the torment to bring water, which, rather amusedly he did.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry, Laurence.\u201d Dimitri whispered as he wiped blood from the cuts and weals. \u201cYou should tell him what you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know anything.\u201d Laurence replied in a series of gasps, \u201cAnd what I do know\u2014I don\u2019t understand\u2014things changed\u2014 you changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt Tripoli, my young friend, you got orders from your brother, and I\u2014from my superiors. Politics\u2014\u201d he spat on the floor in contempt and shook his head, \u201cIt has killed more and better people than you or I for centuries\u2014Russia and Prussia are now allied in this scheme now. But\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo kill the president?\u201d Laurence tried to focus on the three faces that were swimming before his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, now that England has shown herself unwilling to support our cause.\u201d He frowned, \u201cI am Russian, my friend, but I am human being too. Be brave now\u2014\u201d he wiped more blood from Laurence\u2019s face and poured a little water into the bruised mouth before rising to his feet. \u201cBe brave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Ebo Funsani entered the room in which Adam and El Hassim had been waiting and bowed in respect of the sheik\u2019s superior position before walking towards him with a smile and outstretched hand. He then turned to Adam and asked El Hassim who it was that he had brought with him.<\/p>\n

The Sheik turned towards Adam and smiled, and then turned back to observe Ebo.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy friend…for you are my friend, are you not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course. Why, Said, why do we speak in English?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I want my friend here\u2014\u201d he indicated Adam with a sweep of his jewelled hand \u201cto understand what is being said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh\u2014and who is this person, this new friend of yours, Said?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is the man you were looking for, the commodore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh\u2014\u201d Ebo\u2019s eyes lit up in delight, and the over generous mouth split into a wide grin. \u201cSo? You have him?\u201d<\/p>\n

He stepped forward as though to grab at Adam but then fell back a pace when he saw Adam\u2019s hand resting upon the hilt of his dagger,<\/p>\n

\u201cArmed?\u201d the smile drifted from his face, \u201cWhat is this, my friend?\u201d he looked uneasily at the sheik. \u201cyou do not bring him as your prisoner?\u201d he asked now in Arabic and seeing El Hassim\u2019s set features he laughed, not from mirth, a cruel laugh. \u201cLet me think now! You have had a change of heart perhaps?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEbo, loyalty to a friend is like loyalty to one\u2019s brother\u2014for many years you have been like my brother, you do know that, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd as my brother what are you planning to do now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have learned that you have not been a loyal friend to me, Ebo, nor to our country. You have lied and betrayed my trust; you have taken my money and betrayed my position. In the eyes of my cousin and my people you have made me a traitor. But YOU are the one who is the traitor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a fool if you believe that! Listen my friend, you have allowed your American wife to addle your brains. She has lied to you, deceived you. Come\u2014you can be the next khedive. Think about it, my friend, when Ismail is gone, you will take his place and restore order to Egypt. While the English and American infidels tear at each others\u2019 throats we can become a mighty power once again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Ebo, say no more before these men because you only condemn yourself further.\u201d Sheik El Hassim said softly and Ebo glanced around the room, puzzled, as he looked upon the men who had served him faithfully for some years. \u201cYou look confused, my friend. Let you remind me who supplied you with these men? Remember too that their oath of allegiance was\u2014not to you\u2014but to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps some while ago, but not now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ebo\u2019s voice had thickened as fear had mounted, and he struggled to control that fear by bluster and bravado. He clicked his fingers. \u201cKill them.\u201d And approaching Adam he pulled aside the face covering and looked into Adam\u2019s face, \u201cI like to look into the face of my enemies,\u201d he hissed.<\/p>\n

\u201cLikewise\u2014\u201d Adam replied coldly and withdrew his dagger.<\/p>\n

Ebo stepped back, looked at El Hassim, then at the men who had remained stationary in their positions in obedience to a signal from the sheik.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou always were a fool\u2014\u201d he hissed as he passed Said El Hassim and with a movement so swift that the action was blurred he brought out a dagger and plunged it into the body of his erstwhile friend.<\/p>\n

Adam was already leaping onto the man in order to bring him down, but Ebo, although the slighter in build, was sinewy and tough, and with one blow struck Adam across the throat and then another across his face so that Adam staggered back, his hold weakened and Ebo pulled himself free.<\/p>\n

He rose to his full height, looked around, saw that his way through the two doors was now blocked and made haste to descend the stairs that led to the room in which Laurence and Dimitri had been, but his foot had just touched the top step when Adam was upon him again and together with their robes unfurling around them the two men rolled together down the flight of steps.<\/p>\n

Adam was first on his feet and grabbed with one hand at Ebo\u2019s throat while with the other he held the dagger against the Egyptian\u2019s chest. Using all his body weight he pushed the man backwards until Ebo could go no further, and could only feel the cold wall behind him with his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2014behind you.\u201d Laurence yelled\u2014or thought he did for it sounded loud in his ears although was more of a mumbled groan in reality.<\/p>\n

The two men rushing towards Adam converged together, brought their knives aloft and thrust them forwards just as Adam swung around with Ebo still in his grip.<\/p>\n

Ebo\u2019s eyes widened, he stared at Adam in disbelief and opened his mouth to speak. He grabbed at Adam\u2019s clothing, pulling at it as he slowly crumpled down to the floor, and with his dying eyes he watched the two men who had struck him down\u2014even though unintended\u2014were taken hold of by the men who had shown themselves loyal to the sheik and had followed Adam down into the lower room.<\/p>\n

Now Adam saw the body of his friend sprawled out on the floor, manacles on his wrists, clothes and flesh torn and bloodied. His eyes moved around the room, saw the outline of an archway with a door and then returned to Laurence who was struggling to smile over at him but with great difficulty.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaurence\u2014\u201d he knelt at the other man\u2019s side, and took hold of his hand, felt for the pulse at his wrist, and forced a smile, \u201cI\u2019m so sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing to be sorry about\u2014\u201d Laurence wheezed, \u201cMy fault. Came for the adventure, didn\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI left you on your own\u2014I should have kept you at Ibrahim\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI insisted\u2014\u201d Laurence whispered. \u201cDon\u2019t forget that\u2026 I insisted.\u201d He smiled and his fingers tightened around Adam\u2019s hand. \u201cDoestov\u2014\u201d he turned his eyes towards the door in the wall. \u201cThrough there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter about Doestov just yet, Laurence.\u201d Adam looked around the room, and asked in a loud voice if anyone there spoke English.<\/p>\n

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

El Hassim stood at the bottom of the stairway, pale, but resolute, and in some way different. Adam recognised what it was, he had seen it often enough in other men who had lost their way and grabbed at the chance to find it again and in the process, found themselves. Blood stained the sheik\u2019s clothes from the thrust of Ebo\u2019s dagger but he appeared steady enough on his feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy man has sent for a doctor.\u201d he said, and then, weakened, he sank gratefully down to sit on one of the stairs, \u201cWe shall wait for him\u2014together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing to that, but his mind drifted to times when his father would say in his beloved deep voice, \u201cSend for the doctor\u201d\u2026\u201cGet Paul Martin\u201d\u2026\u201cDon\u2019t die, son, you\u2019ll be alright, we\u2019ve sent for the doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

He cleared his throat as emotion seemed ready to choke him. What he wouldn\u2019t do to be hearing his Pa right there and then, to be in that big room with the fire roaring away and Joe lounging in the big chair with his feet up on the table, and Hoss prodding the fire and telling them the events of his day. He\u2019d rather face a crowd of angry Paiute than have to sit here and wait, like this, and he looked down at Laurence who appeared to have drifted into sleep.<\/p>\n

Chapter 74<\/p>\n

There was a silence that settled upon the household as Sheik Said El Hassim returned, bloodied but proud, not in the way of vanity because he had been humbled. He had looked at himself and found himself lacking, but now he could look again and see for himself the man with whom Anna Forster had fallen in love.<\/p>\n

He saw her standing by the window with the sun falling in spangled patterns through the lattice shutters that she had pulled across the aperture. Her head was bowed, and her eyes closed, while her hands were clasped as though in prayer. He stood to watch her even though the desire to run to her was strong. He instinctively knew that this moment she needed to share with her God.<\/p>\n

It was Rachel who saw him and her gasp aroused Anna so that she paused, turned to look towards the door and saw him.<\/p>\n

\u201cSaid…\u201d and her voice was just a whisper, like dry leaves that rustle across the marble floor and yet it seemed to thunder loud in his ears so that he stretched out his hands towards her \u201cOh Said \u2026Ana ohebak \u0623\u0646\u0627 \u0623\u062d\u0628\u0643 \u201c and she took several steps towards him, saw the blood on his clothes, and cried again his name.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnna,\u201d he murmured as she folded herself into his embrace, \u201cAnna, sweet flower, there you see, I am here now, all is well.\u201d He stroked her hair, and then looked over at Rachel who was hovering close by with her hands clasped together. \u201cRachel, we have an injured man here, will you tend to him?<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you\u2019re hurt, Said?\u201d she murmured as she passed him and placed her hand upon her sister\u2019s arm. She looked into the near-black eyes of her brother-in-law, who only smiled and shook his head as though by saying nothing he could protect his dear one from being further upset.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe doctor has attended to my injury; it is nothing, nothing.\u201d he said. \u201cThe Englishman has need of care now. He was badly hurt and the journey to bring him here from Ebo\u2019s home was difficult for him. Make sure he is comfortable, sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Ibrahim Aziz Abdullah entered the room as silently as possible, giving Adam a brief nod of the head in acknowledgement of his enquiry. No words were spoken; a mere lift of an eyebrow and an inclination of the head, and that had been sufficient.<\/p>\n

Adam left the room with Ibrahim. He had stood by as others had placed Laurence on the bed and tended to his needs. He had watched as the young man, greased with pungent ointments and bandaged so well that the art of mummification could be said to be well and truly every modern doctor\u2019s favourite past time. Rachel had drifted in, checked the arrangements, and then gone again. Now Adam closed the door gently and looked across the room to where Rachel was standing.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is he?\u201d she asked, while with one hand she indicated the food and drinks that had been brought to the room for them, \u201cIs he going to be alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes; he\u2019s strong, young,\u201d Adam answered. \u201cHe will be a trying patient though, do you think you could handle him here long enough for him to fully recover?\u201d He smiled as he spoke and the dimples appeared through the beard, relief that his friend would be well, eventually, made him appear relaxed, more so than she had previously seen him.<\/p>\n

She poured coffee for him, and tea for Ibrahim who bowed his head upon receiving it and then waited for her to leave, but she didn\u2019t. Instead she remained standing between them as though waiting for something to happen.<\/p>\n

He stood with all the wisdom of centuries of wise men contained within him, a man who was wealthy as a merchant in silks, but not outstanding in anything, not by great deeds or long speeches. When Adam looked at Ibrahim he saw a man who lacked the ostentation so beloved by many wealthy Egyptians; he saw a man who cared about others, a humble man who was willing to grasp a principle, a moral, in life and to hold onto it with tenacity. He saw Ibrahim\u2019s love for Egypt and for all that she stood for, the old world as well as the newly emerging one. For that reason he had been prepared to work alongside the Americans and English to discover the evil that was working like a worm within the centre of Egypt\u2019s progress.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sheik will recover also,\u201d Ibrahim said finally when the silence had become overly prolonged. \u201cThe wound he received was not serious, messy with much blood, enough to make him feel a hero.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t judge him too harshly,\u201d Rachel said softly, \u201cSaid El Hassim is a good man; he trusted others, and if anything bad should be said against him, let it be that\u2026he trusted his friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cChild, I am not the one who judges him or any man.\u201d Ibrahim smiled as he spoke and looked at Adam who was putting the cup back on the table, \u201cNow that we know Laurence Willoughby is going to be safe we should leave. The other one is still out there; we must find him before he causes more trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Forster\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned towards him as he addressed her and he paused, frowned as though for a moment he had to think about what it was that he had meant to say, then he smiled again, \u201cMiss Forster, there are a few things that I need to know from El Hassim before we leave. Is it possible that we could see him for a few moments?\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded, said nothing but quickly left the room, her bare feet padding against the floor until they ebbed into silence.<\/p>\n

Ibrahim stepped closer towards Adam. \u201cWe cannot leave this for too long\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but there is more we need to know, Ibrahim.\u201d He nodded as though assuring his friend that he knew what he was doing. Ibrahim stepped back and said no more, but walked a little distance to the opening in the wall that exposed the courtyard beyond. It was quiet, with only the soft splashing of water from the fountain to ripple through the silence.<\/p>\n

El Hassim listened to Adam\u2019s questions without a change of expression on his face; he then turned to Ibrahim and looked into the patient face of the older man with the gentle eyes before he once again turned to observe Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have the names of all the men who were involved in this. Commodore, what do you suggest I do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheik El Hassim, if the situation were reversed, what would you advise me to do?\u201d Adam asked, his deep voice making the words more meaningful to the man whose conscience troubled him so much.<\/p>\n

For a moment Said could not reply, he placed a hand to where he had been wounded, for the pain of his injury was equally as tormenting and he looked into Adam\u2019s eyes and shook his head as though unable to find an answer. They waited a moment more.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what I must do. I shall go to my cousin\u2014\u201d he cleared his throat, \u201cDoes he know of what\u2014of this\u2014\u201d he stuttered to a halt, and lowered his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Sheik El Hassim.\u201d Adam looked at Ibrahim who stepped forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe khedive knows nothing,\u201d Ibrahim put in. \u201cThere are many situations in which he is involved, you understand. This world that is emerging now it is not without its troubles, and the khedive has been busy. When you tell him of what has occurred here, he will be surprised, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it is true? This plot to kill the president was not a wild story from a madman?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s true.\u201d Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew nothing of that\u2014\u201d again he turned to Ibrahim, the older, the wiser one, and Ibrahim bowed his head in acknowledgement of the statement.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Rachel Forster watched the two men leave the home of her brother-in-law and wondered if she would ever see the American again. As the door closed behind him and he was swallowed up into the world beyond the walls of El Hassims residence she wondered if it really was true, that people could fall in love at first sight. She smiled to herself, and then she shook her head \u2026 oh silly, silly, of course not, things didn\u2019t happen like that, not to her anyway, just\u2014well\u2014just in stories and novels.<\/p>\n

Even after she had thought that, she returned to look down at the courtyard just in case he had forgotten something and returned. He had not, and the disappointment she felt turned her stomach over and gently squeezed her heart so that it beat just that much faster.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

A man ran towards them and jabbered at Ibrahim while his arms seemed to spin like windmills about his head, Adam stood in silence trying to pick out some of the words but they were being spoken at such speed that he eventually gave up and patiently waited for Ibrahim to translate.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoestov was seen leaving the old city and going into the desert.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doestov\u2014everything seemed to lead back to that wretched man. Adam looked at Ibrahim, mustered up a smile which was more like a grimace and turned to follow him back to the merchant\u2019s house. There were preparations to be made before this journey was to be undertaken and this time Doestov wasn\u2019t going to slip through his fingers.<\/p>\n

Chapter 75<\/p>\n

General Stone received the letter addressed to him with some trepidation. He always found his stomach sinking when a letter was delivered from the diplomatic bag and written in the strong handwriting of the president of the United States. Somewhere in the back of his mind lingered the constant awareness that he had not been pardoned for the \u2018crime\u2019 for which he had been put into the Lafayette prison, and that sooner or later the powers that be would remember, and haul him back.<\/p>\n

He turned it over and over in his hands before opening the envelope and withdrawing its contents. He was looking at these when Lockett and Mason entered the office, looked at him and then at one another before taking their seats and waiting for him to address them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2014\u201d he cleared his throat, and his eyes lingered on their faces a moment as though aware of their curiosity. Even now, none of them knew whether or not they would still be there the next day, \u201cA letter for Commodore Cartwright from the president.\u201d He held the envelope between his fingers ,<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s still at Ibrahim Aziz Abdullah\u2019s; do you want me to get a boy to take it to him?\u201d Lockett suggested and reached out to take it from Stone, who then shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, according to President Grant this is not to be handed to him until after the matter\u2014\u201d he looked at the letter addressed to himself and modulated his voice to imitate the president\u2019s. \u201cUntil after the matter in which he is currently involved has been satisfactorily resolved.\u2019\u201d He then shrugged and grimaced before he placed the letter to Adam Cartwright into a drawer of his desk and turned the key.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing I hate is getting letters from Grant,\u201d Lockett murmured, \u201cI get this foreboding in the pit of my stomach and wish to heaven that I was somewhere in Darfur or Ethiopia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stone looked at him and nodded his head thoughtfully; he twisted the ring on his finger round and round nervously before he took his seat with the realisation that they were all alike under the skin, all wishing that Grant did not cast such a long shadow.<\/p>\n

Before he could speak one of Ibrahim\u2019s runners appeared at the doorway, politely waiting for admission. Stone beckoned to him to enter and at once Hajji Mohammed launched into the message Ibrahim had instructed be given to the Americans. They listened attentively to the fact that the Englishman had been injured (\u201cWhat Englishman? Heck, did any of you know about an Englishman being involved in all this?\u201d Mason had demanded); Sheik El Hassim had admitted to being involved in buying support for a coup against the khedive,and Ebo Funsani, the prime instigator of the whole thing, had been killed.<\/p>\n

There was a babble of questions while the poor man paused to take a breath, and seemingly dismissing the questions he continued with his narrative.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore Cartwright and Ibrahim Aziz are in pursuit of a Russian called Dimitri Doestov, Sheik El Hassim is preparing to attend on the khedive. He was wounded in the foray so shall begin his journey in the morning.\u201d Hajji bowed, \u201cThat is all I have to tell you, masters.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill they need assistance?\u201d Mason rose to his feet, \u201cMore men?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t go, I have to leave for Khartoum later today,\u201d Lockett groaned. \u201cDoes this mean Cartwright has got this situation under control? Darn, we did nothing but sit here and it was El Hassim all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m more to thinking that Funsani had a greater hand in this matter. I wish I had known, that snake\u2014\u201d Mason growled.<\/p>\n

The Egyptian looked at them, bowed, and with the slightest of shrugs of his thin shoulders he left the room.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

A runner reached the two men just as they were leading the camels in preparation for departure. In quick hurried tones he informed Adam and Ibrahim that the Russian had been seen on horseback and heading for Alexandria and was alone.<\/p>\n

Alone? Adam pondered the word as he got \u201cShe Who Must Be Obeyed\u201d to kneel. No man travelled alone unless he was en route to meeting others. The probability that this was so made him grateful for the gun snug in its holster hidden beneath the voluminous black robes he wore.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe Who Must Be Obeyed\u201d had become quite fond of Adam during his sojourn in Cairo. Her red dyed cotton bobbled fringe that ornamented her broad brow to prevent the flies from clouding around her eyes had little golden pomegranates sewn here and there by her master, and even though she was constantly masticating something between her large teeth she had given Adam a whiskery hairy kiss, nuzzling his face as he had held her harness.<\/p>\n

Now her long knobbly knees began to concertina down so that her legs were tucked beneath her and Adam was able to mount into the saddle. He leaned back and prepared for her to launch herself forwards and up again, walking down the street with a sashay to rival the best saloon girl in the west.<\/p>\n

Alone\u2014and Adam glanced up at the sky and realised they had only a few hours of daylight before night fell, and the temperature would plummet and it would become cold, cold. He thought of Doestov again, tried to get into his mind and think the way the Russian would in order to understand his reasoning for riding out into the desert on his own.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

In his private apartments El Hassim sat writing a lengthy missive. He had dismissed his secretary, preferring privacy and the chance to think about what he was going to write to his cousin. He was profuse in his apologies, honest in admitting his error and vanity, humble in accepting whatever punishment his cousin would mete out to him.<\/p>\n

He paused and looked around the room thoughtfully. Already the shadows were creeping in towards him as though hungry fingers were seeking to clutch and devour him. Foolish thoughts, he dismissed them from his mind and dipped the pen into the ink.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly, I beg you, Excellency, not to bring any harm to my dear wife, Anna. She and her sister are free of any blame for this foolish plan. I ask that you care for her and keep her safe all her days for she is precious to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He wrote a few more brief lines, and then attached his seal and signature before reading it once again and rolling it up, to seal it once again. He would carry it on his person when they left Cairo in the morning and would deliver it to his cousin. He rose from the desk now and paused a moment to look down at the letter which seemed to be accusing him by its presence of the enormity of his crime. He wondered, with dread, exactly what punishment the khedive would give him\u2026confiscation of his properties, of his assets and perhaps even death awaited him.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Hester Cartwright stood by the door of the ranch house and watched her husband and father-in-law as they stood together in the yard. Hoss was listening, his face attentive and patient, as his father talked. She enjoyed the moment looking at them like this, the two men so alike and yet so different. The sun shone behind them and formed a crown around Hoss\u2019 head, a trick of the light, but one that she enjoyed watching as the sun motes danced around them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are they talking about now?\u201d Joe asked as he walked towards her, and then stood behind her and looked at them with a slight frown on his face, \u201cIt\u2019s a strange thing, isn\u2019t it, the tricks time plays on us. We get to an age where we think we\u2019ll be forever young and take all manner of stupid risks, and then suddenly you realise you\u2019re mortal \u2026\u201d his voice drifted into a sigh and Hester turned to look at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat brought that to mind, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, just looking at them, Pa and Hoss. The light shining on Pa like this makes him look so young, smoothes out all the creases, if you know what I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned to look at Ben more closely, and wondered what it was her brother-in-law was seeing that she could not. She shook her head and wiped her hands slowly on her apron before turning back into the room. Life was full of changes, and people changed all the time. She glanced back at Joe who still stood staring over at his father and brother and she shook her head again, wondering why it seemed to matter so much.<\/p>\n

Today Hop Sing had left her in charge of the kitchen. Once a week he did this, and she appreciated the kindness he showed her in allowing her this independence. She opened a cupboard and took out the ingredients for the meal she was going to prepare, and looked at them on the table with a smile. Today her family were going to really enjoy their meal. After all, she was a good cook, not in Hop Sing\u2019s league to be sure, but she was good enough to bring a smile to her husband\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

She brought out a dish that would constitute the main ingredient and lifted the lid. She looked down at the red meat swimming in its own juices and time stood still as it seemed her feet were suddenly hammered into the floor and her legs were heavy so that she could not lift them and her stomach moved in all different directions while her head filled with everything but common sense. She swayed back and forth; the lid clattered to the floor and within seconds she was joining its slow descent to land with a thud upon the smooth floorboards.<\/p>\n

It seemed a long time before she opened her eyes again and when she did she found herself stretched out on the bed with a blanket covering her. The curtains had been drawn across the windows shutting out the light so that the room was cool and dim.<\/p>\n

She felt a hand take hold of hers and then she looked up and saw Hoss looking down at her, and she smiled because he looked so worried and she knew she had to smile in order to reassure him that all was well.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou fell. Collapsed.\u201d He pulled up a chair and sat down, then took both hands in his and she could feel the hard skin of the callouses beneath her fingers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the sight of the meat…it made my head go swimmy.\u201d<\/p>\n

He kissed her fingers, gentle soft lips that touched her skin with an almost reverential touch, then he held them against his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe heard you fall and called for me. He looked after you but couldn\u2019t lift you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course not,\u201d she closed her eyes and imagined the scene, she saw herself as big as a beached whale and Joe, dear Joe, so slim and slight of build struggling to get her off the floor, she smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt weren\u2019t funny,\u201d Hoss cried. \u201cPa\u2019s sent for John.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere isn\u2019t any need,\u201d she whispered and looked at him. \u201cI\u2019m alright. It\u2019s just the baby, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at her then with a tenderness that always made her feel unworthy of so much love. He released her hands then and lowered one of his so that he could gently touch the mound, still slight, beneath her skirts. \u201cShucks, I sure wish he would hurry up and get on outta there.\u201d He grinned over at her and then frowned, \u201cWell, I think he heard me\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe did?\u201d she laughed, a soft laugh, but one so weary that she couldn\u2019t raise her head from the pillow but closed her eyes and covered her face with her arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep, I could feel something move in there\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t say a word, she was just so tired; his voice came from a long, long way as though from the far end of the room, and then it drifted and was gone. He kissed her brow, adjusted the blanket, and sat down in the chair beside the bed to resume his vigil.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

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

He hadn\u2019t meant his voice to sound so brutal and cold, but the sight of her standing in the doorway made his stomach turn over and his body go hot and cold. He tried to dismiss her as he turned to pick up his medical bag but when he stepped forwards she blocked his way and stepped further into the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou haven\u2019t been to see me yet,\u201d she said in a low voice, husky and soft. \u201cI was expecting you weeks ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen don\u2019t.\u201d he replied, \u201cI don\u2019t want you to expect me, Ingrid, because I won\u2019t be coming to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI realised that,\u201d she raised her hand and placed it gently on his back, let it slide slowly down his jacket where it covered his spine, \u201cI thought\u2014well\u2014best go and see him as he won\u2019t come to see me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned quickly, took a step to one side to avoid her and reached for his hat. She watched him with her blue eyes and smiled that secretive little smile that always made him wonder what it was that she knew and would reveal about him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to go\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, someone important?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d He pulled open the door, and because Hester was so much the opposite of Ingrid in possibly every way, he said confidently, \u201cHester Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHester? Oh, how is dear Hester? I must ride out and see her one day. I heard she was\u2014er\u2014expecting a visit from the stork soon?\u201d<\/p>\n

He gave her a scathing look and hurried from the surgery towards the battered old buggy that Paul had been using for years. He glanced over at her as he passed the building, saw the look on her face, the way her eyes gleamed and the black hair shone. He saw her cheap flouncy skirts that stopped short above her knees and he felt disgust so strong that it was like bile in his throat. He realised as he urged the horses to move faster that he hated her, really hated her.<\/p>\n

Chapter 76<\/p>\n

Hester Cartwright stepped from her bath and reached for the towel. It had been a little private time in which to relax and unwind, to wallow in the warm oil scented water with the window open just a little to allow balmy breezes to drift into the room\u2014just such a perfect time to think about the past and to dwell for a while on the future.<\/p>\n

Now as she hugged the towel around her she looked at her reflection in the steam covered mirror. How different she was now from the woman Hoss had married. She had always been tall; her hair had always been that burnished copper gold colour and her eyes always that blue, but her light skin had freckled and burned to a soft pleasing tan; her nose no longer peeled, her cheeks had filled out and her body was no longer \u2018all skin and bone\u2019 as she had once lamented to her cousin, Ann.<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t feel her hips anymore; she had filled out as a result of the pregnancy and she had now the pleasure of feeling those fluttery movements that indicated the baby was now on the move. Her experience of the previous day had been what John Martin referred to as \u2018the quickening\u2019; when at 4 months the baby makes its first turn and begins to move. A lot of women felt ill when it happened and it was not uncommon for them to faint.<\/p>\n

She dressed herself, picking up one garment after another slowly as though not wanting to dispel the charm of the moments she had to herself. Although she left a lot of cooking and house chores to Hop Sing, there was still a lot that she undertook herself during the day, so these were indeed precious moments. Dressed and now comfortable she brushed her hair; it crackled with electricity as she passed and re-passed the brush through the damp tangled curls and then caught them up in a ribbon at the nape of her neck.<\/p>\n

The day was hot, and as she stepped into the other room the heat wrapped her up like a warm blanket, smothering and uncomfortable. She unbuttoned the top of her blouse and walked to the door, which she opened. The house was quiet, and as she looked out into the yard, she felt as though she were the only person alive on the planet.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Riding a camel was vastly different from riding a horse. Adam didn\u2019t find it necessarily more comfortable but there were good reasons for preferring a camel for desert riding, and he pulled his face covering tighter across his nose and mouth as they rode onwards and the sand blew into his face.<\/p>\n

Ibrahim rode by his side and seemed to have merged with the beast, comfortably perched in his saddle and well covered by his garments and turban, with only his eyes peering from above the cloth. He was hunched into the saddle, one leg hooked over the pommel, his body moving in tune to the animal\u2019s swaying from side to side.<\/p>\n

Night would fall soon, Adam thought. It would plummet down and end their journey; the only good thing was that it would also put a halt to Dimitri\u2019s. He licked his lips, felt their dryness; his skin felt as though it were being stretched. He glanced over at Ibrahim. \u201cHow far before we get to someplace with water?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne hour, perhaps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. That meant nothing at all to him, one hour was good, but tagging \u2018perhaps\u2019 on the end meant anything up to another two. He found himself thinking about home, and wondering what they would be doing now. There was, he estimated, ten hours\u2019* time difference between them, here he was approaching the night but back home they would be starting the day.<\/p>\n

He thought of Ben in his study, totting up the ledgers, scowling and muttering under his breath. Hoss would be mending fences, his shirt undone, flapping in the breeze while he hammered in the posts, wiping his brow on the back of his arm. Joe would be there, drinking water and watching Hoss, giving orders, picking up a plank and handing it to Hoss\u2026he sighed, and shifted uncomfortably in the saddle as he switched his thoughts from fantasy to what could be facts and it all went back to Ben\u2019s letter and reference to the military. What exactly had happened since that letter had been written?<\/p>\n

His thoughts were interrupted by Ibrahim swinging his camel around and signing that they would make camp. He looked around; there was no water hole in sight, no huddle of tents, and no township. Just the desert, great swathes of sand. His camel grunted and began to concertina herself down so that he could dismount.<\/p>\n

By the time a fire was made it was dark and the stars shone so brilliantly that he could almost have reached out and plucked one from the sky.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Doestov the Russian huddled under blankets in the tent of some Bedouins who had camped near the water hole. They had been slightly bemused at the sight of the well dressed, dapper gentleman on the horse approaching them in rather a regal manner. But it had amused them enough to offer hospitality and a bed for the night. Doestov didn\u2019t grumble. He smoked his last cigarette for the day, and then burrowed into the bedding.<\/p>\n

Would they have followed him? Was Ebo alive or dead? Well, what did it matter anyway, if he had survived the khedive would soon despatch him, and all the other rebels because El Hassim was sure to\u2014how did the Americans put it\u2014spill the beans. Doestov did not care one way or the other. He had had no particular fondness for anyone involved in this affair. He had been given his orders and had done what he could; now all that he could strive to do was get out and retain as much dignity as he could for when he returned to his homeland.<\/p>\n

The Russian\/Prussian alliance would stand firm even though the Egyptian venture had not worked, but as he had warned his superiors at the time, were it to work it could well have been more trouble to the alliance than it was worth. No, the familiar status quo was quite adequate and reliable\u2026and he was quite prepared to forget the fact that Prussia had sent out two of their men to kill him. There was little point in holding a grudge, after all, both men were dead now.<\/p>\n

He wondered if Laurence were alive or dead. The thought that the young man could be dead disturbed his sleep; the memory of Ebo\u2019s face as he tortured the Englishman seemed worse now than it had been when he had been forced to witness it. Over the weeks of travelling he had got to like and respect Laurence, even if he were English.<\/p>\n

His mind returned to the thought of his being followed and he wondered who would be following him. He fell asleep wondering\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The knock on the door was light, even timid, and rather hesitantly another knock followed. Hester opened the door, blinked against the sunlight and then stepped back in surprise at the sight of Ingrid Buchanan standing before her. For a moment they stood facing one another without speaking, and then Ingrid smiled and held out a bunch of flowers. \u201cFor you, Hester. I was so pleased when I heard that you were\u2014\u201d she smiled and raised her eyebrows as though it were difficult to say the word. \u201cWell, you know what I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester took the flowers as though in a dream and then looked at Ingrid who was still waiting with a sweet smile on her face, an air of expectancy hanging about her as she waited to be invited into the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too hot to stay standing out here, Hester\u2014\u201d she murmured sweetly.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in then\u2014\u201d and Hester stepped to one side and let the other woman into the house.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing had already brought in a jug of lemonade, and she poured some into a glass and handed it to Ingrid as the other woman sat down.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, that\u2019s so kind of you. I remember how lovely and fresh Hop Sing\u2019s lemonade always was\u2026\u201d Ingrid smiled over the rim of the glass and took several swallows before setting the glass onto the table.<\/p>\n

Hester took a seat and looked at her sister-in-law: demurely dressed, her hair modestly styled. Hester cleared her throat, and rather coldly asked Ingrid the reason for her visit.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy? But to see you, of course.\u201d she smiled, the blue eyes under delicately plucked eyebrows looked anxiously and fondly at Hester. \u201cI only heard about your condition when I saw John yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou saw John?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, only briefly.\u201d She sighed and ran a finger along the arm of the chair as though her mind was already on other things, \u201cAre you keeping well?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, well, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou always were as strong as a horse.\u201d Ingrid laughed, \u201cYou had more strength in your whole being than Milton and Marlow had together.\u201d She paused and frowned. \u201cHave you heard from Marlow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, they have moved into the house back east. Ingrid, I thought you were going to Paris…?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was but\u2014\u201d she bowed her head; a tear trickled down her cheek which she dabbed away with a lace-trimmed handkerchief, \u201cI had everything stolen from me\u2014my money, jewels, and even the deeds to my property. I am so wretchedly poor now, Hester.\u201d She turned to her sister-in-law with another tear falling perfectly upon her smooth porcelain cheek. \u201cOh Hester, I am so desperate, you can\u2019t imagine how difficult it is for me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that why you\u2019re here? To ask for our help?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ingrid clasped her hands together fervently, blinked her eyes so that two more tears slipped from them to fall upon her cheeks. \u201cI know I don\u2019t have the right to ask, I know that\u2014\u201d she put the handkerchief to her nose, was silent as though struggling to quell her emotions, \u201cOh Hester, I\u2019m so sorry for how I acted before, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou stole from us.\u201d Hester said in a voice that shook a little with suppressed anger.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t.\u201d Ingrid snapped back, her head suddenly erect and her back rigid. \u201cWho said I stole anything from you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that you did, Ingrid. You stole a ring that you found in Adam\u2019s room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ingrid stared at her; she had two options now, two directions to choose from. She chose the one she felt would best succeed with her soft hearted sister-in-law. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, you\u2019re right, I did take the ring. Oh I am SO sorry. I was just so desperate, so shocked by the will, and I was frightened, Hester. I just didn\u2019t know how much money I would be able to survive on. I haven\u2019t got what you have, Hester; Milton didn\u2019t love me, not as Hoss loves you. Now look\u2014you are going to have a baby, and I? What do I have\u2014nothing, nothing at all.\u201d She blew her nose, wiped her eyes, and bowed her head. \u201cWill you forgive me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid, I\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease let me stay here with you, Hester. I\u2019ll look after you, and when you have the baby I\u2019ll look after it for you. I\u2019ll do whatever you wish, just please, let me come and stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester sighed, put her hand to the top button of her blouse nervously and was about to speak when someone cleared their throat, loudly, and they turned in unison to see Hoss standing and watching them. How long he had been there neither of them knew.<\/p>\n

Chapter 77<\/p>\n

Lemonade slopped over Ingrid\u2019s fingers as Hoss stared at her with a coldness in his eyes that she would never have expected from a man whose gentleness and kindness she had labelled hid some kind of fool, a buffoon to laugh at and gently mock behind his back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing here, Mrs. Buchanan?\u201d Hoss now asked as he walked purposefully into the room and stood behind Hester\u2019s chair, his hand resting on her shoulder. She looked up at him and smiled as though recognising in him her knight riding forth to save her from the dragon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I c came\u2014\u201d Ingrid paused, frowned, and then looked at Hoss with the most pitiful expression she could muster upon her face, tears once again moistening her eyes. \u201cI came to ask you if you could show me some kindness now, Hoss. I\u2019ve no money, no home, and few friends from whom I can expect any kindness.\u201d She rose to her feet. A nun could not have looked more demure or saintly as she bowed her sleek head and a dark curl fell across her smooth white brow. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry that I took that ring; I really thought that no one\u2014oh\u2014but that doesn\u2019t excuse it, does it?\u201d She looked at them both with anguished eyes and wrung her hands, \u201cPlease, please, forgive me and let me come and live here with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

The clapping of hands from the doorway broke the following silence and they all turned to see Ben and Joe now standing in the room, and it was Ben who was applauding, his face cold and stern, and his dark eyes black.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn excellent performance, Mrs. Buchanan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI meant what I said\u2026\u201d she stammered, looking appealingly at Joe; surely he would have some feelings for her\u2014he had, after all, shown her some tenderness. \u201cI really did, I AM sorry\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid.\u201d Hester rose to her feet now, and sighed as she looked at her sister-in-law. \u201cYour family ties ended when Milton died. You have no connection, no rights to expect any family loyalties to be extended to you by Mr. Cartwright, Hoss or Joe. You are NOT family, Ingrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ingrid blinked rapidly; she put a hand to her mouth and then shook her head as though she couldn\u2019t believe what she was hearing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat am I expected to live upon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom your earnings in the Sazarac?\u201d Joe replied rather bitterly, \u201cI hear you\u2019re popular.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester looked at Ingrid then with a shocked expression on her face, then shook her head, \u201cFor heaven\u2019s sake, Ingrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat else was I supposed to do? I\u2019ve no training for anything\u2014\u201d she paused, bit her bottom lip and shook her head again. \u201cIt\u2019s not work I enjoy doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen don\u2019t do it; do something decent for a change,\u201d Hoss replied<\/p>\n

\u201cHester\u2014please\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Ingrid.\u201d Hester raised a hand as an indication that as far as she was concerned the conversation was over. \u201cPlease go away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ingrid remained standing for a little while longer, long enough for each one of them to wonder if she was going to have to be forcibly removed and who was the one going to do the removing. Eventually she nodded, a strange final nod of the head, and turned to leave the room.<\/p>\n

She paused at the doorway as though about to say something and then hurried out.<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s voice, deep, firm, and not altogether hostile, stopped her just as she had reached the hired buggy. She turned and tried to look calm and dignified, two things she lacked entirely in her personality.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know that I could have you arrested for theft, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

She stared at him, raised her chin in defiance. \u201cYou need witnesses for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have witnesses.\u201d<\/p>\n

She blinked, lowered her eyelids and put a hand to her mouth. Then she looked up at him again. \u201cYes, well, are you going to arrest me then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. But I am going to do what I can to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are?\u201d Hope leapt into her eyes, and a blush appeared upon each cheek, rouging them prettily and making her eyes shine.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like the thought of you working in the Sazarac; the kind of work\u2014\u201d he paused, looked at her sternly \u201cthat kind of work doesn\u2019t sit well with me. I\u2019m prepared to put in a word with a friend who will give you some employment in Genoa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGENOA!?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s honest work, Ingrid. I\u2019ll give you the money to get there, and to pay for your keep for a week, while you settle in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, I don\u2019t want to go to Genoa. For heaven\u2019s sake, it\u2019s\u2014it\u2019s like the end of the world there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well, how about New York? I\u2019ve connections there, it\u2019ll cost me more to fund you, but if it gets you away from here, away from my family and Hester\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that why you\u2019re prepared to help me, Ben? To keep me away from your family? Not because you really want to help me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben raised his eyebrows, gave a slight shrug of the shoulders. \u201cI thought I was showing concern for you as well as for my family, Ingrid.\u201d He grabbed her arm as she tossed her head and moved closer to the buggy. \u201cLook, my dear, I\u2019ve seen other women who have worked at the Sazarac every bit as pretty as yourself, and within months they\u2019ve been abused, beaten by men who don\u2019t care about a pretty face because their interest is only in one thing\u2026and yes, I want you away from my family, because I know you have the ability to hurt them.\u201d<\/p>\n

She pulled her arm free, glared at him, blue eyes that were clouded over with anger, and then she clambered into the rig, and left without another word.<\/p>\n

\u2018Hurt them,\u2019 Ingrid thought over the words, mulled them over in her mind, \u2018Hurt them?\u2019 she hugged her hatred to herself, let the words that had been spoken that day drip into her heart like poison to embitter her even more than she had already been before she had even stepped through the doorway. Oh, yes, she thought as she urged the horses into a gallop, yes, I\u2019ll hurt them alright, every bit as much as they have hurt me, I\u2019ll do twice as much to them.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Several things occurred to Adam as he attempted to get some sleep: one, which was of little importance in the scheme of things, was that camels did smell, horribly so; and two, which was more important, was that getting Doestov was really not so imperative after all. What could he say or do to change or improve matters, or even add to the information they already possessed? What could they do with him once they had hold of him? Arrest him?<\/p>\n

The thought of the Russian caused him loss of sleep mainly due to the aimlessness of it all. The khedive\u2014well, Adam knew that Ismail would not be interested in this Doestov. He had other matters to deal with now, and getting Doestov involved would mean a confrontation, however polite or impolite, with one, perhaps, two of the major powers orbiting Egypt at that time. No, Ismail would do nothing with Doestov, and the Russian would merely slip away back home.<\/p>\n

Adam sat up, wrapped his arms around his knees and stared into the campfire. The silence was disturbed only by Ibrahim\u2019s light snoring and the sound of the camels\u2026not polite or pleasant sounds. He thought of the times he had camped with his brothers, when there had been chatter and laughter, joking and teasing around the fire, the sound of wind in the trees, horses cropping at the grass, the cries of the coyotes far off.<\/p>\n

He sighed, lowered his head to rest his chin upon one knee and stared into the feeble flames. Doestov would, perhaps, give them some explanation, even some more names but that was all that he could do…and even that depended on the kind of mood he was in.<\/p>\n

He stayed for some time in that position as he struggled to work out some solution to the puzzle of Doestov, but there was really only one, and having reached that conclusion, Adam wrapped his djubbeh around him more closely and fell into a light sleep.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it morning yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI\u2019m Rachel\u2014Rachel Forster.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I see.\u201d he frowned, raised a hand and touched his brow and felt the rough texture of cotton against his fingertips, \u201cMy head?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t broken, Mr. Willoughby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, well\u2026that\u2019s good.\u201d He sighed deeply. \u201cHave I got my eyes open?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cIs it meant to be dark?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d There was a smile in her voice and he heard the rustle of clothes as she moved, then suddenly there was a light, small and being carried towards him, then immediately a brighter light as a lamp flared into flame. She turned towards him and smiled. \u201cIs that better?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMuch better, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

They lapsed into silence, momentary and light. He had closed his eyes again; his breathing became shallow as he drifted into sleep. Then he jerked as pain trickled through his body and his eyes flew open and he gave a groan; his fingers clenched and unclenched, and for a moment he was left breathless in his attempt to stifle the pain…such pain. Her hand was cool upon his arm, and from somewhere a strong arm lifted him and poured something down his throat. He heard, as though from a long way away, some man say, \u201cHe\u2019ll sleep now, he\u2019ll be better…\u201d He shivered; his body trembled in a spasm of agony, and then the pain ebbed away to be replaced by a physical euphoria in which he drifted, floated, almost as though on clouds, so he fell into a deep sleep with the memory of an angel smiling at him.<\/p>\n

Chapter 78<\/p>\n

Adam awoke the following morning with a much clearer thought pattern in his head. He had fallen asleep with so many muddled ideas it was hardly surprising that he dreamt of Widow Hawkins sitting by the fire with \u2019Arry\u2019s pink pantaloons on the wall while she knitted, and while she was knitting, complaining because all the balls of wool were different colours tangled and knotted together. The dream seemed to fill Adam\u2019s mind and he could hear himself saying throughout \u201cThis is just a dream; I\u2019ll wake up in a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

He woke up just as his father was saying in his deep brown voice \u201cA job ain\u2019t done until it\u2019s finished, son.\u201d As he yawned, stretched and stared up into the blue sky, he knew what he had to do before he could say he had finished the job.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Ingrid stared at her reflection in the mirror and closed her eyes tightly before opening them to stare yet again so that she could absorb the shock of seeing herself as she was now. The chemicals she had used to dye her hair had left it coarse and dry, the colour of it a rather unbecoming and cheap yellow blonde that made her skin look sallow and old.<\/p>\n

\u2018Never mind\u2019 she told herself, as she bit down on her lips, \u2018I\u2019ll show that Ben Cartwright a thing or two.\u2019 She pinched her cheeks and the colour made her look more like a doll than ever.<\/p>\n

She took a key from the chain around her neck and opened her case, inside which was a blue swathe of velvet. She carefully unrolled it and looked at the jewellery there; the only pieces she had left to her after the theft because she had been wearing them at the time. She fingered each piece before returning them to their hiding place.<\/p>\n

Downstairs in the saloon she could hear the sounds of men, loud shouts, braying laughter, the tinkling of a piano, the clatter of glasses and the thud of boots upon the wooden floor. She stood at the doorway while her mind revolved around the incident that had taken place at the Ponderosa earlier that day. Mentally she ticked off her grievances, and one by one listed the people who would be her targets for revenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou coming down?\u201d Rosie said as she passed her by with her skirts bustling and tugging at her bodice to make sure that all the flesh she possessed was neatly tucked in.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a minute\u2014\u201d she replied as she crossed the landing to lean against the banister rail that ran along its length.<\/p>\n

A man looked up, caught her eye and winked at her. He wasn\u2019t too bad looking, and seemed reasonably clean, so she winked back. She couldn\u2019t smile, her mind was too full of things that needed to be done, and the people to whom those things would be done. Eventually she took to the stairs and walked down them slowly, one by one, and her short skirts rustled and bounced at each step, and when she reached the bottom she wasn\u2019t surprised to find the young man waiting there for her.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Ibrahim said his prayers with the diligence of a man according to his faith. Adam said his own, private and heartfelt. Ben had always said that the best friend a man ever had was his Creator, that there was a vast difference between one who is created and the one who did the creating. Now in the vast emptiness of the desert and hearing the murmur of Ibrahim\u2019s prayers, Adam\u2019s mind turned to a time when he was a child, before Inger and Hoss came into their lives and he and his father travelled mostly alone, often in fearsome conditions, always together.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are you praying, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I need help, son, and a man needs to talk to his best friend at times like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it God? Is he your best friend?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam, my friend, and my father.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam remembered how small he was then; he could, if he thought hard enough, even smell the smoke from the camp fire, feel the rough cotton of Ben\u2019s shirt against his face. He remembered looking up at his father and seeing the stubble bristling Ben\u2019s face, and the sweat that was beading in the furrows of his father\u2019s frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t see God. How do I know he\u2019s there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben had looked down at him, his son\u2019s lack of faith at that moment just another straw loaded onto a whole bundle of them. He ruffled his son\u2019s hair, black hair that curled as a result, and he nodded with a smile. \u201cHe\u2019s always there, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t the answer Adam had wanted then, nor understood, and he had glanced into the shadows over his father\u2019s shoulder and seen nothing but the horse cropping the grass and the shadows lengthening from the shrubs and trees about them. \u201cCan he see me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he can see us all and better still, he can see right deep into our hearts and minds. He knows exactly what we need even when we think we know better\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled now as he remembered how a shiver had trickled down his back at the thought of someone unseen being able to do that, and he had hoped as a little boy that his thoughts had not been so bad that day, and that his heart was just ticking along well enough.<\/p>\n

He stood up when Ibrahim had finished and put away his prayer mat. The meal was frugal and spare and he put forward his thoughts to the older man who listened with grave attention, and then placed his hand upon his heart and bowed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you wish,\u201d was all he had said.<\/p>\n

So they had mounted the camels, and turned the animal\u2019s heads in the direction Doestov had taken, the lightest imprints of his horses hoofs still visible in the sand.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Dimitri Doestov was eating with the Bedouins when the cry came from a boy stationed outside that there were more riders coming. He continued to eat while his mind turned over the possibilities that this would be those men looking for him. He placed some torn-off bread into his mouth and chewed on it slowly, masticating it round and round in his mouth and waiting to hear the sound of a familiar voice that would confirm what he had suspected.<\/p>\n

\u201cDimitri?\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded, his back still to the entrance of the tent and to the men who had entered. He wondered how many there were who had given chase after him, when really, all it had needed was the one man. He rose to his feet now and turned slowly, saw the black-clad Arab and the other standing close behind him. That they had been travelling for at least several hours was obvious from the amount of sand on their clothing, and even as he surmised that fact Adam removed his face covering, and then the \u2019iqual, and the kufiva. He stood before Dimitri Doestov bareheaded and with his brown eyes displaying nothing more than curiosity.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore?\u201d Dimitri paused, swallowed the last of the food in his mouth and glanced at Ibrahim, whom he acknowledged with a bow of the head, \u201cSo? I did vonder if any one vood follow me, but then I ask myself, vy vood they bother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps for answers to some questions, some information, names.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doestovs brow furrowed and he shrugged. \u201cAlvays you are the same, Commodore, alvays you vant ze answers and to make the things tidy\u2014da?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam allowed the slightest smile on his lips and turned to the entrance indicating that perhaps it would be better to talk outside, not to take advantage of the home of the family who stood around wondering what was going on.<\/p>\n

The heat beat down upon them but Adam did not put on the kafiva which he held loosely in his hand. Together he and the Russian walked some distance from the tents where Ibrahim had remained, accepting the invitation of sweet shay with the Arabs from their ancient samovar.<\/p>\n

Dimitri observed the younger man thoughtfully; the style of dress suited him along with the beard and the longer hair that glistened from the rays of the sun upon it. He wanted to talk about normal things, subjects that would show him having the desire to be a friend to this one, but he knew that wasn\u2019t what Adam wanted so he waited. Finally they found some where they could sit, each facing the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust explain to me what this is all about from your point of view.\u201d Adam said. \u201cSo that I can understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPolitics.\u201d Dimitri shrugged, and put a hand in his pocket to withdraw the silver case before remembering he had smoked the last cigarette the previous evening. He sighed. \u201cIt\u2019s all about politics, my friend. You will never understand it, anymore than I do. I am told to do something; I do it as best I can. I get told to do something else, and I do that also, because\u2014\u201d he dipped his fingers into the sand and watched as it trickled through them, drifting over their clothes as it did so\u2014\u201c because I love my country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou came to us wanting help for Russia\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDa, is right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou gave us information about the plan to kill Grant when he comes here next year?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs true.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInformation that Sheik El Hassim gave you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNyet, El Hassim knew nothing about it. He was\u2014innocent\u2014but Ebo Funsani wanted money and the vay to get it voz to pretend to El Hassim that he would become khedive.\u201d He shrugged. \u201cIt is possible that vood have been true, if Grant was killed then perhaps Ismail would have been too. But El Hassim foolishly trusted his old friend and gave him money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo why did you change, why give Funsani Russian support?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Tripoli I got new instructions\u2026It was not good to cause division between Prussia and Russia. I must work now for both.\u201d His fingers ran along the smooth softness of the case in his pockets and he longed for a cigarette; his shoulders slumped. \u201cSometimes I do what I am told, but it does not mean I am happy to do it. Inside my heart I am far from happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFunsani nearly killed Laurence Willoughby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDa, dat was bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou stood by and let it happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDa,\u201d Dimitri nodded, bit his lip and sighed. \u201cI wanted to help him, but I could not do so. My orders were to support the coup, to be helping Funsani and if the coup was successful to help the new khedive so that Russia and Prussia would replace England and America in Egypt.\u201d He shrugged, \u201cIt failed, so now I return\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you any names I can take back to the khedive?\u201d<\/p>\n

Dimitri put his hand to his pocket and withdrew a list of names which he handed to Adam; he smiled slowly as Adam reached out to take it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI write this last night. It is\u2014\u201d he drew in his breath, shrugged yet again. \u201cIt is all the names I can tell you. It is because I am sorry for what happened that time in your \u2018sheep,\u2019 when the man died and it was my fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam felt humbled; he had not expected Doestov to act with such magnanimity nor to remember that ill-fated fight during which Abbot had been killed. He put the paper in his pocket and extended his hand. \u201cThank you, Dimitri.\u201d<\/p>\n

They shook hands, and Doestov smiled \u201cSo, vot you do now? Arrest me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat for? The khedive isn\u2019t interested in you, or Russian politics, he has problems on his own doorstep to work on. Who would want you anyway? Your people have already arranged for your departure from Alexandra\u2014\u201d it was his turn to shrug now and he smiled, his brown eyes turning the colour of warm melting caramel toffee, \u201cGoodbye, Doestov.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDos vedanya, Commodore.\u201d<\/p>\n

They shook hands again, and then Adam walked away, replacing the kafiva and \u2019iqual as he went back to the tent. From a distance Dimitri Doestov watched him, a broad shouldered tall man with the black robes blowing in the breeze around his long legs.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The tension in the home of the sheik was such that Rachel Forster found herself in tears more than once as she saw Anna hugging her husband close. She had whispered several times during the course of the morning that everything would be alright, but Anna\u2019s face had shown that she was not convinced.<\/p>\n

Laurence Willoughby had regained his senses now; a good sleep with the help of the powerful drugs he was given had helped, and a further dose that morning had deadened the pain enough for him to be able to lie in his bed almost floating on air. He looked at the young woman anxiously, at the moist eyes and the constant use of a handkerchief to dab at her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t suppose those tears are for me,\u201d he said suddenly and Rachel jumped, startled, and looked at him. \u201cAfter all we\u2019ve barely met.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, how awful of me\u2026\u201d she said, and her voice was quiet, soft. \u201cHow do you feel now, Mr. Willoughby?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be honest, I don\u2019t feel a thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose not, they gave you some powerful drugs.\u201d She walked away from the window where she had been overlooking the garden, watching El Hassim and Anna as they sat and talked together close to the roses. \u201cWould you like something to drink?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s some water? Is the commodore here?\u201d<\/p>\n

She paused in the act of pouring the water into a glass and half turned her head to look at him. \u201cNo, he isn\u2019t here. I think he will be here soon, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good.\u201d He allowed her to lift his head and then took some water from the glass. When he had finished, she returned to the window and looked down, but El Hassim and Anna had gone, returned to the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know him well, the commodore?\u201d She sat down on a chair which she had pulled closer to the bed and looked at the poor battered face. She wondered whether or not the man behind the bruises, bumps and bloodied stitched up cuts was good-looking. She was sorry to think that if he liked the shape of his nose, he would now have to get used to a different one.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell enough. Not that well actually, just that he makes you feel as though\u2014as though one has.\u201d Laurence felt himself drifting away. He sighed. \u201cYou\u2019ve met him then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery briefly.\u201d<\/p>\n

He closed his eyes so the room would stop spinning. She watched him, wondering if he had drifted off to sleep, and was about to get up from the chair when he opened his eyes again, looked at her and smiled. \u201cTell me about yourself, Rachel\u2014it is Rachel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019m Rachel; my sister is Anna, and she\u2019s married to Sheik El Hassim.\u201d He continued to stare at her and she shrugged, a slight lifting of one shoulder, \u201cThere\u2019s not much to tell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll help me\u2026if you told me\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t bother to ask how it would help him, but started to talk in that soft voice, slightly husky. She told him that her father was a famous archaeologist, particularly in the Egyptian field. When her mother had died she had gone to live in London where she studied in her own field, whereas Anna had preferred to follow in their father\u2019s footsteps.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t like the pyramids,\u201d she admitted. \u201cFather was sure that somewhere around here there\u2019s a wonderful burial chamber, something that would be worth all the discoveries they have ever made anywhere in the world. Anna thinks so too\u2026but\u2026I prefer to do my scratching around back home.\u201d She smiled at the memory of verbal battles fought in their front parlour between her father, sister and herself. \u201cI never even bothered to learn Egyptian, although I can speak Russian and French fluently.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about your husband?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I don\u2019t have a husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? Never?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, never.\u201d She laughed softly, who would have thought she could be laughing today? \u201cWhat about your wife?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have a wife.\u201d He sighed and closed his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes the commodore?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, only in a manner of speaking.\u201d<\/p>\n

She blushed a little, \u201cWhat does that mean, if it\u2019s not too indelicate to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s\u2014it\u2019s a ranch, 1000 square miles of mountains and trees, called the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

She leaned back in her chair and sighed, then looked at him. He was smiling, his eyes shut, the even rise and fall of his chest indicative of his sleeping. Softly she laid a hand on his chest and felt the gentle thud of his heart beat against her hand and then turned to the servant standing against the wall. \u201cLet me know when he wakes,\u201d she whispered and quickly left the room.<\/p>\n

Chapter 79<\/p>\n

There were times when the view over Lake Tahoe even took Joe\u2019s breath away and he had seen it countless times during his life. Today it looked as though it was wearing its best colours, the waters were smooth like a mirror, reflecting the hills and clouds, and even the birds that skimmed its surface had their reflections. Flowers bloomed more profusely than ever, a result, so Hoss said, of the cold winter they had had that year. Whatever had caused it, the smells, the sights, the colours, everything was perfect.<\/p>\n

Hester stood for a moment to look over the lake, and then smiled up at her husband who put his arm around her shoulders and gazed fondly down at her before kissing the tip of her nose. Close by, as she straightened the corner of a blanket that was to serve as sitting area and tablecloth, Ann looked at them and smiled before glancing over at Candy, who blew her a kiss.<\/p>\n

Mary Ann was walking towards them with her basket over her arm, full of the cake and dainties that she had made herself earlier that morning. She paused at the sight of Hoss and Hester, and saw Candy blow a kiss to his wife. For a moment she wondered if she would ever be loved, secure in that kind of love, as they appeared to be. Little Rose saw her and clapped chubby hands together, showing off her new tooth and gurgling, and now Ann turned and smiled over at her. \u201cGlad you got here, Mary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry I\u2019m late.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not late at all, we\u2019ve not even got ourselves organised yet.\u201d Ann laughed and began to take her basket from the rig and carry it over to the blanket.<\/p>\n

Hester had set her blanket next to Ann\u2019s, and was placing food from her basket upon it. She glanced up and smiled at Mary, then looked over to where Joe was hurrying up from the banks of the lake with a welcoming smile of his own for the young schoolteacher.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a lovely day\u2014\u201d she said as she passed the basket into his hands and he nodded,<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, made lovelier by your presence.\u201d he replied<\/p>\n

Everyone nearby laughed and said \u2018Ooooh\u2019 in a teasing manner, which made Joe laugh, and MaryAnn blush.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t mind them,\u201d Joe said while his hazel green eyes twinkled at her, \u201cThey have simple minds; anything that takes them from the usual routine of their day causes this strange reaction from them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, don\u2019t mind us, Mary Ann,\u201d Hester smiled and slipped her arm through that of the other woman\u2019s, \u201cWe\u2019re going to have such a great picnic.\u201d She sat down onto her blanket and surveyed the food, \u201cHop Sing has done us proud.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt all looks wonderful.\u201d MaryAnn sighed, and sat down beside Hester, feeling less intimidated by her than anyone else there. Although she liked Ann a lot, they lacked that bond, having seen each other far less. \u201cThank you for inviting me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no, don\u2019t thank us, Joe wanted you to come. Thought it was time you were exposed to spending time with the family,\u201d Hester replied and dug deep into the basket to produce some slices of ham. \u201cHop Sing\u2019s best cured ham, you\u2019ll love this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith pickles,\u201d Hoss cried, rubbing his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, here are the pickles.\u201d Hester pulled out a jar with the aplomb of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.<\/p>\n

Rose was reaching out for something to eat too, but she toppled over, banging her nose against the blanket and beginning to wail. She was instantly picked up by her doting father who tossed her in the air until her tears turned to laughter as she waved her arms over his head in delight.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t be long now before you have your baby, will it?\u201d Mary Ann looked to Hester who smiled shyly and nodded. \u201cYou must be excited!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, a little scared too, to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be fine,\u201d Ann assured her, licking her fingers clean after handling some sticky jar of relish, \u201cYou have two Doctor Martins to look after you, don\u2019t forget.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, so long as it doesn\u2019t decide to arrive in the same way yours did\u2026\u201d and Hester laughed and leaned forward to pinch Rose\u2019s plump cheeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t Mr. Cartwright coming to join us?\u201d Ann asked now, looking around her as though only now realising that someone was missing.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he has work to do tying up that deal with Jacob Wells.\u201d Hoss replied, taking Hester\u2019s hand in his own. He surveyed the \u201ctable\u201d and said hopefully, \u201cDo we eat now?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mary Ann looked at Joe shyly when he came and sat down close by her side, her shoulder actually rubbed against his arm as he leaned forward. She could smell him, his clothes, the pomade he put on his hair, even the masculine body smell of him and she thought back to the time when she had first met him, grieving as he was over Little Moon, and herself, so na\u00efve and silly, being so self righteous. She wondered, as he passed a plate to her and smiled into her eyes, whether he ever thought of the little Indian girl now.<\/p>\n

\u201cTry this, Mary Ann, it\u2019s Hop Sing\u2019s best ham,\u201d Hoss cried and slapped a slice onto her plate.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made the bread,\u201d Hester volunteered. \u201cI\u2019m sorry it\u2019s a bit dinted in the middle; I took it out of the oven too soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt tastes great with the butter\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Mary Ann watched them without realising how they were also busily observing her and each one wondering about the other. After they had eaten Joe reached for her hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you like to go for a walk now, I know the perfect place\u2014\u201d he started to say and Hoss laughed and told her not to go as she would no doubt end up in the lake. \u201cTake no notice of him, I\u2019ll keep you safe.\u201d Joe laughed as though he hadn\u2019t a care in the world, and he didn\u2019t release her hand either.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s nice,\u201d Ann said forgetting to put the crumb of cake into Rose\u2019s mouth so that it hovered above her daughter\u2019s open mouth and didn\u2019t realise until the child began to cry.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, she\u2019s better than nice.\u201d Hester said softly, \u201cShe\u2019s really a genuinely pleasant girl. I think she cares about Joe much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe must if she came here all the way from Calico to take the post as schoolteacher to be near him.\u201d Candy looked over his shoulder and watched the couple as they strolled hand in hand towards the shore, and smiled. \u201cMaybe this is the one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that would be nice,\u201d Ann said and looked baffled when they all looked at her and laughed, \u201cWell, it would be\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than nice,\u201d Hester said, \u201cIt would be quite delightful, perfect, in fact.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Joe leaned against a rock and looked at her as she stood in front of him, obscuring his view of the lake, but then he didn\u2019t really want any other view than the sight of her. He liked the way she blushed a little when they were alone like this, and how she lowered her eyes and waited for him to make the first move, and he liked the way she spoke in her light voice which sometimes trailed away into a laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you came today, Mary. Hey, you didn\u2019t mind them ribbing you, did you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were ribbing us both, really; no, I didn\u2019t mind.\u201d She smiled, looked into his eyes and then turned away. \u201cI\u2019m glad I came. I enjoyed it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMary, you\u2019ve come to mean a lot to me. Even before I was hurt and you came visiting so much, I was thinking about you probably more than usual. I wish I could turn the clock back and take back some of the things I said to you back then, when Frank died, and when we were stuck in that cave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Joe, I was thinking the same thing earlier about how I had acted. I was such a stuck-up prig.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you weren\u2019t.\u201d He smiled and trailed a finger along the shape of her face, across her mouth, \u201cNo, you weren\u2019t. You were brave.\u201d And then he pulled her gently towards him and kissed her.<\/p>\n

It was a tender, gentle kiss, one that promised others to come, and one that showed both of them the true nature of their feelings. No shy holding back on her part, gentle awareness of her situation on his\u2026 and when they parted they looked at one another and knew that they had found the other part of themselves.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Ingrid lit the cigarette and inhaled deeply, coughed, and coughed again. The woman sitting opposite her shook her head. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t get into the habit of smoking them; stunt your growth they will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be so stupid, I\u2019m already fully grown.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a disgusting habit.\u201d one of the other women muttered as she pulled a ribbon through some lace edging for her bloomers, \u201cYou\u2019ll smell like them. Perfume won\u2019t disguise the stink.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust because you don\u2019t smoke, doesn\u2019t mean we can\u2019t,\u201d Ingrid pouted and rose to her feet, walked across to the window and looked down into the street.<\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright was walking down the street his back straight, shoulders so broad, no one would think to look at him that he was in the \u2018elderly\u2019 category. A handsome man, even now. She followed him with narrowed eyes in the same way a hungry mountain cat watches its prey before it pounces. She watched and a small secretive smile played about her mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t be walking down the street looking so high and mighty soon, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d she thought to herself, \u201cNot much longer now and I\u2019ll have you begging on your knees.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are you looking at?\u201d One of the women asked, and Ingrid sensed her coming closer to see for herself.<\/p>\n

She turned, shrugged, said it was nobody and left the room. The two women looked at one another. \u201cDid you notice her face?\u201d the first said. \u201cShe looked as though she hated whoever it was down there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you see who it was?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould have been anyone of a dozen people.\u201d She frowned, shook her head. \u201cShe\u2019s a strange one, she is, makes me feel cold all over to look at her at times.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other girl decided it was wiser to say nothing.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The picnic ended with everyone saying how lovely it had been, and yes, they just had to do it again sometime. Crumbs fell from the blankets as they were shaken and packed away, leftover food was carefully wrapped in napkins and placed back into the baskets and Rosie, who had fallen asleep, snored so softly that it made them laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take you home, Mary,\u201d Joe said as he walked with her to the rig, her basket in his hand. He placed it on the back seat, and then he swung her up onto the front seat as he squeezed her hand \u201cI\u2019ll just get Cochise.\u201d<\/p>\n

She waited while he tied Cochise to the back axle and then clambered aboard. They smiled at one another as though they had discovered a wonderful secret between themselves, and then there were waves of the hand and farewells being shouted out as the three buggies went their separate ways.<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t hurry the horses to get to town. Mary Ann leaned against him and allowed her head to rest upon his shoulder, and they talked just every so often, kissed just a little bit more often, and spent the rest of the time in some kind of a dream, where reality was nonexistent, and anything was possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, can I ask you something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course.\u201d he looked down at her, smiled, and exhaled softly, content in his world and happy to be with her.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you ever think of Little Moon now?\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t reply at once and she wondered whether she should have waited for another time, but then who was to say was the right time to ask? She was about to apologise for asking when he began to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sometimes. It used to hurt when I did think of her, hurt a lot. I loved her, and, to be honest, I still do.\u201d he paused, \u201cI think how I felt for her stopped me from loving Victoria.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVictoria?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, the daughter of our lawyer\u201d he stared ahead, the smile gone from his lips and a faraway look in his eyes, \u201cI wanted to stop being haunted by the memory of Little Moon, Mary, and this girl came along and so I thought, perhaps I could love her instead.\u201d<\/p>\n

He wondered if he had imagined it, but had she shrunk back a little, was she holding herself aloof just a fraction. He turned to her and smiled, took one of her hands and raised it to his lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact was, simply, that I didn\u2019t love her. Victoria, I mean. She left here and I realised that it didn\u2019t hurt to think about Little Moon anymore, she didn\u2019t haunt me as she had, I no longer thought of her as real. It was like being healed. You know, Mary, love can do that, it can heal a person as well as crush them\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t know; to be honest, I\u2019ve never been in love\u2014before,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was talking to my Pa about it, you know he had three wives?\u201d he glanced at her, and she nodded. Looking into his face and seeing the earnestness there, she hugged his arm close against her, instinctively aware that he needed that reassurance of her understanding, \u201cHe told me what it was like to love a woman, lose her\u2026then to fall in love with someone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad he was there to help you, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMary Ann, I love you,\u201d he said softly. \u201cI know you\u2019re a schoolteacher but I won\u2019t hold that against you.\u201d and she could feel his lips smiling beneath hers so that she smiled too, and then they were laughing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat have you got against schoolteachers?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, best ask my brother Adam about that, he\u2019ll tell you all about me and schoolteachers.\u201d<\/p>\n

They laughed and chattered all the way to where she was staying, and he escorted her into the boarding house, kissed her as they parted company, and then watched as she mounted the stairs to her room, the wicker basket in her hand.<\/p>\n

It had been a perfect day.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Night fell and the full moon shone down upon the young man as he rode home. Silver light gilded the outline of the man and horse turning him into a living centaur. It shone upon the white patches of the piebald, making Cochise look young and spirited as he stepped out so boldly towards home.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot far now, Cooch,\u201d Joe said softly and ran his hand over the horse\u2019s neck, beneath its mane. \u201cYou can have oats tonight, fella.\u201d<\/p>\n

A soft whicker and then a crack, and instinctively Joe ducked, but as he put his heels into the horses flanks to urge him into a faster gallop, the horse fell, toppled like a young tree in its prime and Joe just had time to get his feet from the stirrups and roll himself free as the body of his horse, his beloved Cochise, crashed into the dust.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it done?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI shot his horse from under him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean, he\u2019s still alive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry. I couldn\u2019t shoot Joe; he\u2019s a Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re a fool.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door slammed and the young cowboy stood there, confused, then turned and slowly returned to his horse, and rode out of town. He rode in the opposite direction from Joe, so didn\u2019t pass the distraught young man sprawled on the road home, with his arms around the neck of his horse, the best friend on four legs he had ever known.<\/p>\n

Chapter 80<\/p>\n

Laurence Willoughby slept soundly under the influence of the medication he had been given. The warmth of the room and of the fever that still fought for control over his body had settled him into a deep sleep, beyond that of dreams or nightmares.<\/p>\n

Anna El Hassim looked into the room and seeing her sister sitting by the patient, hurriedly entered and in silence walked to Rachel\u2019s side. Her sister closed the book she had been reading and stood up, reached out a hand to take that of her sister and pulled her into a close embrace.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t Said with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, the khedive wants more information, and Said doesn\u2019t have it.\u201d She sank down upon the chair her sister had vacated and rubbed her hands together as though she were cold; her eyes looked up at Rachel with such anguish that Rachel had to bite down hard on her lips to prevent a sob involuntarily leaving her mouth.<\/p>\n

Her sister had always had this effect on her even as a child. If Anna had fallen then Rachel would be crying by her side as the wound was cleaned and bandaged, if Anna was broken-hearted because of some failed romance then it was Rachel who raged and swore vengeance on the heartless lad, and now that Anna was involved in this strange, crazily turbulent world with its lopsided politics, then it was Rachel who wanted to weep for her and demand justice.<\/p>\n

But then to demand justice would mean seeing her brother-in-law punished for treason, and she could never have borne that and the ensuing agony it would bring her sister.<\/p>\n

\u201cRachel, what shall we do? The khedive has kept Said with him, and is demanding that he tells him who else is involved, what was going to happen next.\u201d she broke off and put her hands to her face, shuddered, tears leaked through the gaps between her fingers, and Rachel could only stand and watch, wringing her own hands miserably, \u201cIsmail said he would use the bastinado if the information isn\u2019t given to him within 24 hours. My poor Said, he hates violence of any kind, and although I love him dearly I don\u2019t think he has the courage to withstand torture.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel walked to the window and looked down at the garden. She could smell the flowers, their perfume hung heavily on the warm air, but now their beauty just seemed a mockery. The bastinado\u2014where the victim was caned continuously on the soles of their feet\u2014could often leave the person crippled. The pain was beyond torture. Two men taking turns with the thin bamboo canes\u2014Rachel shivered, turned away from the beauty below to look at Anna who now sat wringing her hands, and she thought of Said, so gently reared, so kindly, unable to withstand stubbing his toe without creating mayhem. She looked at Laurence, who had stirred restlessly on the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWas anything said about Ebo Funsani?\u201d she asked<\/p>\n

\u201cIsmail couldn\u2019t believe it. That Funsani had devised the plan to overthrow him and install Said as khedive, no, he said it wasn\u2019t possible, and that Said was accusing him because he was dead and couldn\u2019t defend himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo he knew Ebo was dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly when Said told him.\u201d<\/p>\n

They both looked at the bed now as Laurence mumbled in his sleep, and Rachel put out a hand and touched her sister on the shoulder, indicating that the sick room of the Englishman was probably not the best place to talk.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Adam and Ibrahim rode directly to the palace of Khedive Ismail Pasha. It seemed the most logical place to go. The khedive had been educated in France* and had enjoyed bringing the influence of the French court to his own country. His various reforms had been on a grand scale, not only on the commercial side but also in the building where he had greatly expanded Cairo building on its western edge a city modelled on Paris. He spent lavishly on the arts, opera, and theatre and as a result taxation on his people was severe.<\/p>\n

His anger at the disclosure his cousin had brought to him of a plot to remove him from power had sent him into a rage, and Adam with Ibrahim, was denied an audience, along with various others who were kicking their heels in the ante chambers of the palace. It was only when General Stone appeared and came to their side to speak to them, that any chance of seeing the khedive seemed possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe summoned me to come here,\u201d Stone said gravely, \u201cI think it is to discuss this matter concerning El Hassim. I\u2019m afraid he is furious about it.\u201d He gave Adam an encouraging smile as his name was called. \u201cI\u2019ll try and get you inside to see him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Twenty minutes later the great doors swung open and the servant called their names; the two men had to push their way through the clamouring crowd that had been waiting even longer than themselves for an audience. The doors closed behind them with a rather ominous clunk.<\/p>\n

Ismail was a heavyset man, neatly bearded, wearing a suit cut in the French style, and he wore the red \u2018fez\u2019 upon his head. The shape of his face, heavy and oval, led to his appearance resembling that of a large upside down boiled egg in a red egg cup. His jacket was festooned with medals awarded him, and his plump hands bore the weight of numerous rings. Within seconds Adam had recognised a man who saw himself one with unlimited power and authority, proud and vain, and ruthless in the pursuit of what he wanted.<\/p>\n

After acknowledging their presence the khedive sat down. \u201cSo, is it true what General Stone tells me, that there has been a plan to overthrow me? That my cousin, Said El Hassim had plotted to see me dead, along with the President Grant?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ibrahim stepped forward, bowed yet again, and in a soft, gentle tone of voice stressed the fact that El Hassim knew nothing about the plot regarding President Grant. He had been misled by Ebo Funsani and various others into believing he would be a fine \u2018successor\u2019 to the khedive, and on this basis had been coaxed into providing the rebels with money.<\/p>\n

All this was said in Arabic and only a few words were understandable to Adam, who stood impassively by the Egyptian\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

The discussion went to and fro between the two men for what seemed an inordinately long time. At times Ismail was nearly shrieking with anger, his face mottling with his rage, but still the smooth soft voice of Ibrahim Aziz Abdullah pacified him with the answers he was given.<\/p>\n

Ibrahim finally turned to Adam and informed him that the khedive would be grateful to see the list and information that Doestov had given him. With a bow to Ismail, Adam pulled the papers from his pocket and handed them to Ibrahim.<\/p>\n

Ismail looked down the names, starting several times as though in surprise; anger brought the red hue back to his face and once it looked as though he would shred the paper in half, but eventually he finished reading and put the paper onto a table. He looked now at Adam, Ibrahim and Stone; the dark eyes were like black stones within his face, now pale and resolute.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, you all three agree that my cousin is not guilty of planning this coup?\u201d<\/p>\n

They all three agreed that was the case and Ismail scowled, sat back to consider before he reminded them that El Hassim had, however, provided a lot of money towards it.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnwittingly, sire,\u201d Ibrahim cried. \u201cA foolish gesture made to a man more cunning than he had realised.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ismail said nothing to that, he rose from his seat and left the room, waving them away in the manner of the potentate that he was.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

It was Rachel who was the first to meet Adam at the home of El Hassim. She had resumed her patient care of Laurence, and as he was Adam\u2019s primary concern, it was to his room that the commodore had come. She rose to her feet immediately while she watched the American stride into the room, his head bare so that for the first time she could see exactly what he looked like and from the soft blush to her cheek, she certainly liked what she saw.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSleeping. He\u2019s slept most of the day. The drugs are strong to help his body to heal.\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled at her, nodded an acknowledgement of what she had told him, and then looked down at the young man.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe already looks better than he did when we left him here,\u201d he remarked casually and ran a hand wearily over his face before turning to look at her. \u201cThank you, Miss Forster.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said nothing\u2014there was little point after all\u2014and she walked over to the window to look down at the garden from where she had heard the mumble of voices. She could see Anna sitting among the roses and Ibrahim standing before her, talking as her sister patiently listened.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did it go with the khedive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t tell you, to be honest. He\u2019s a difficult man to get the measure of\u2014\u201d Adam frowned. He would have liked to have said that when a man is treated like a god, he thinks he is a god, and then what he was really like as a man becomes rather obscured. \u201cWe gave him the facts as we knew them, along with some information Doestov gave us, and now we have to hope that he is merciful. Some gods are\u2026\u201d he concluded with a mirthless twist of the lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsmail isn\u2019t a god.\u201d she smiled at him, eyes twinkling.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but he thinks he is.\u201d and he allowed his own eyes to twinkle back.<\/p>\n

He looked down at the rose garden now and noticed the way Anna wrung her hands at what Ibrahim was telling her, he turned now to Rachel,<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did she marry him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause she loved him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he has other wives beside her, doesn\u2019t he? Doesn\u2019t a woman want to be loved for herself alone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnna\u2014\u201d she paused and looked down fondly at her sister, smiling sadly. \u201cMy father loved Egypt, Commodore. We had books, statues, even several mummies, oh, everything in the house was purely all about Egypt. My sister soaked it up; she loved it all. She went on expeditions with him, and came back more in love with it than ever. When Father died she took on his mantle and when El Hassim declared that he loved her, well, it just seemed perfect to Anna. Her own Egyptian prince.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe didn\u2019t mind the other wives?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe only ever had the one. He was a widower when he met Anna and he\u2019s a Coptic Christian, not Muslim.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I see.\u201d He frowned, absorbed the information, then shook his head, \u201cBut you don\u2019t like Egypt so much?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes you say that?\u201d she trailed a finger along the dust that had formed along the cill and then glanced at him, blushing a little at the way he was looking at her,<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t bother to learn how to speak Egyptian.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true,\u201d she smiled. \u201cAnd you\u2019re right, I don\u2019t like Egypt much. I think from the time I was a small child I always felt that it was me against them, me versus Egypt. I never seemed able to get beyond their love for all things Egyptian. I think I was jealous.\u201d She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. \u201cSo I rebelled and I went elsewhere on my digs.\u201d She turned to him now and with her head slightly to the side surveyed him, smiling. \u201cWhat about you, Commodore? Do you love all things Eygptian?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; I\u2019ve grown rather fond of a camel, but apart from that I look forward to getting home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother ship?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd where is home?\u201d<\/p>\n

His face softened; she saw it unguarded, the eyes dreamy and the smile soft, then the defences went up again and he shrugged. \u201cOh, someplace you\u2019ve never heard of in Nevada.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve heard of Nevada.\u201d She smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve even heard of the Ponderosa.\u201d And she looked at him with innocent blue eyes, because she wasn\u2019t going to admit only having heard about it for the first time from Laurence.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh well\u2014\u201d he shrugged and smiled, glanced down at the garden, and saw that Ibrahim had left Anna alone. \u201cI think your sister needs your attention, Miss Forster.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, so I see.\u201d She pulled a strand of hair back into her snood and smiled at him. \u201cI hope we get to talk again before you\u2014before you go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so too.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was glad to leave the room, the masculinity of him was leaving her breathless and as she hurried down the stairs she went over and over in her mind the way that he looked, the colour of his eyes, the shape of his mouth, the way his hair curled over his neck. By the time she was back in the garden she was just beginning to get her breath back. She glanced up to the balcony but he had already retreated back into the room.<\/p>\n

Chapter 81<\/p>\n

It was not until the following day that she saw Adam and it caught her by surprise to see him not only clean shaven but in the casual clothing one usually saw on American tourists. He was talking to Laurence when Rachel came into the room with a bowl of flowers which she thought would be pleasing to the eye as well as smelling sweet.<\/p>\n

She had almost blurted out \u2018Who are you?\u201d when first seeing him seated beside the bed, but stopped at the sight of the brown eyes and the smile, the dimples in his cheeks. He had risen to his feet as soon as she had entered the room, his hat held loosely between his fingers.<\/p>\n

Laurence was sitting almost upright, supported by several plump pillows. He smiled at Rachel and looked at Adam with a wink of the eye. \u201cBest looking nurse this side of Alexandria\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to argue with you about that,\u201d Adam\u2019s voice had a warm chuckle in it, and the way he looked at her, his head slightly to one side, his eyes twinkling, made her look down at the flowers and blush.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t realise that you were here, Commodore.\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came as soon as I heard the news…\u201d he paused, raised one eyebrow. \u201cOr haven\u2019t you heard?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019ve not heard anything yet. Anna went to the khedive this morning to plead for Said and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he\u2019s coming home.\u201d he said, pulling the chair away from the bed so that she could sit down, which she did quite suddenly as her legs had gone weak. \u201cIsmail was quite pleased with seeing several names on the list that he had been longing to get rid of for some time. It kind of balanced things out with regard to Said.\u201d He took the flowers before they fell to the floor, \u201cWould you like something to drink? Water perhaps?\u201d<\/p>\n

They laughed over that because there was only water to offer, but he poured her some into a glass and handed it to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry; it\u2019s just that I feel so relieved. Does that mean Said is free? Ismail has forgiven him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsmail\u2014\u201d Adam shrugged. \u201cWell, who can say with him. He pulls strings and expects everyone to jump through hoops. I think he will never forgive your brother-in-law, but intends to keep him close, under observation. At present Said is free, but he\u2019s going to have to be a subservient subject from now on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat won\u2019t be difficult for Said,\u201d she said. \u201cHe\u2019s naturally compliant and gentle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Laurence broke into the conversation, his voice weak, and his eye lids heavy as though he had not slept for weeks. \u201cWhen do we go back home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be going back as soon as you\u2019re well enough. I\u2019m sure that your family would prefer to see you looking better than a wrung-out rag.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be alright,\u201d he sighed and closed his eyes, \u201cJust can\u2019t seem to keep my eyes open for five minutes without wanting to get some sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel smiled at him, rearranged the bedding and then placed the roses into a bowl, and all the time aware of the dark eyes that were watching her. She was rather relieved when he walked to the balcony and looked down at the garden. She joined him there after a few minutes by which time Laurence had once again fallen asleep,<\/p>\n

\u201cI hardly recognised you without your beard.\u201d she still held a rose between her fingers. \u201cYou look quite different now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot worse I hope, if I do then I shall re-grow it immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

She just laughed, shook her head and looked down at the rose before raising her eyes to look more intently into his face. \u201cYou\u2019re a long way from your Ponderosa, Commodore. Do you prefer the sea to your ranch?\u201d<\/p>\n

The question caught him unawares. He pursed his lips, and she noticed the scar on his upper lip more clearly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a difficult question to answer, Miss Forster.\u201d He had picked up his hat, twisting it between his fingers pensively. \u201cI don\u2019t think I can give you a straightforward reply, either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you must be a complicated person to know, Commodore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think so, Miss Forster?\u201d<\/p>\n

His brown eyes looked deep into hers, dark blue they were, fringed by long lashes which, considering her fairness, were surprisingly dark.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo do you know when you\u2019ll be leaving?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet. I\u2019m going to visit General Stone later today to find out if I have any orders from my superiors.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were walking along the corridor now, side by side, down the steps into the garden. Roses brushed against their legs and petals scattered beneath their feet. Once or twice her arm knocked into his, and once he put his hand upon her shoulder to brush away the petal of some errant flower that had fallen there.<\/p>\n

Their conversation was disturbed by the entry of El Hassim and Anna, a rather subdued man in his crumpled clothing and anxious eyes, while Anna was clinging to his arm, eyes shining and lips smiling. Perhaps only El Hassim really knew and understood the punishment his cousin had meted out to him; at the present moment he could only reach out his hand to shake that of his guest and utter his most heartfelt thanks.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

A whole day had trickled by and everyone was aware of the tension within the house. The anger that had boiled over at the shooting of Cochise had subsided, settling into a niche in the corner of their hearts, waiting like a coiled cobra for something else to happen, some revelation, so that it would spring forth anew and strike down the coward who had robbed them of such a precious, loyal, friend.<\/p>\n

It seemed to Joe as though the day would never end. Some part of himself, his childhood, was wrapped up around Cochise and now that part had been torn away, cast off, no longer of any use. He moped about like some lovelorn, wet-behind-the-ears youth, found thoughts of Cochise that would touch the wellsprings from where tears sprung, and was grateful that no one had said \u201cWell, after all, it was just a horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

It had been Ben who, riding home from his business lunch in town, had come across his son and Cochise. Perhaps the best person in the entire world to have been travelling along that road to find them.<\/p>\n

So now the day had ended at last, and night had fallen, sending each one to their bed. As he struggled to get to sleep, Joe found his thoughts returning time and again to the shooting, to that moment of impact, the way he had pulled free, the falling of the horse. Why, he thought, why would anyone deliberately kill his horse? Unless the bullet had been meant for him all along.<\/p>\n

An hour later and he was standing in the stable by Cochise\u2019s stall, a lantern in his hand and the loss of the horse stirring the anger within him. His eyes glanced over at the other horses stabled there, at Buck, Chubb and Sport in particular, and then they were pulled back to look at the empty stall.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want to talk about it, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t turn round, although his head drooped a little upon his chest. \u201cNo, Pa, it\u2019s alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really.\u201d He coughed slightly to clear his throat. \u201cIt just\u2014\u201d he stopped himself for a moment so that he could think out the right words rather than blurt out anger and bitterness in a senseless babble. \u201cSomeone meant to kill me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded; his eyes flicked over to the empty stall, and he walked across it to where Sport was watching them, his handsome head held high and the liquid eyes observing them as though he too were taking part in this conversation. Ben rubbed the horse\u2019s neck fondly before he turned to look at Joe. \u201cAny idea who you could have upset lately?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I haven\u2019t really been in town much.\u201d He pushed some dust and straw about with his foot, \u201cWhen I haven\u2019t been working around the Ponderosa I\u2019ve been\u2014I guess\u2014I\u2019ve been courting Mary Ann.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you don\u2019t know of any relatives or thrown over boyfriends of hers that would want to see you dead?\u201d Ben smiled, not with humour, but anything to divert his son\u2019s thoughts from Cochise.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Joe smiled in return and now approached Sport; he stroked the soft neck beneath the mane, and leaned his face against the horse\u2019s cheek.\u201dHey, boy, missed your master haven\u2019t you? How about putting up with me for a while, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

The animal flared his nostrils, tossed his head free as though he needed to get back to the business of getting some sleep, then nudged Joe with his great head.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was just the one shot, Pa.\u201d Joe resumed his chain of thought which Ben had thought he had successfully diverted. \u201cJust the one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStrange that he didn\u2019t come over to finish you off, or even to make sure that Cochise was dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnless he was quite sure that he had got me with that first shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Ben draped an arm across Joe\u2019s shoulders as they began to leave the stable, \u201cLet\u2019s leave it to the law for now. At least we\u2019ve been forewarned and know to keep our eyes open for anything in the future. I think you should try and get some sleep, young man. Fretting isn\u2019t going to do any of us any favours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe would have bitten his father\u2019s head off for that, but Joe was a young man now; he had learned to keep his mouth shut and to say far less than he would once have. He closed the door and slipped the latch. Somewhere an owl hooted and there was a swoosh of wings; other than that, there was complete silence on the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

Chapter 82<\/p>\n

Whenever Adam thought of Rachel Forster, which he found himself doing more often than even he thought logical, he found himself comparing her to those other women whom he had loved and sadly, one way or another, had lost.<\/p>\n

Her colouring he likened to Regina\u2019s, and the thought of that quiet, dignified woman brought a feeling of regret over him as he pondered on the what-might-have\u2013beens, had he bent her will to his…and then he shook his head and told himself how she would never have respected him had he done such a thing. She would always be lovely\u2026beautiful\u2026in his memory.<\/p>\n

There were others, each one he had loved, or thought he had loved, for something that appealed to him, something that had touched his heart, his sensitivities, and pulled him towards them, perhaps to protect them. He accepted the fact that to protect the women he loved was always a predominant quality in his feelings for them, and upon looking back he realised the one woman who hadn\u2019t needed his protection had been Regina.<\/p>\n

Why was that? Had it been because of her upbringing and faith? Something rigid inside herself that made her more capable and stronger than Laura Dayton could ever have been? Even Ruth, for all her courage, had been vulnerable.<\/p>\n

Musing in this fashion passed the time quickly and in no time at all he found himself at the building where he was to leave his report and get his orders. He had a light smile on his face as he took the steps to the office where Stone and Lockett would be waiting for him.<\/p>\n

He had written out the report as thoroughly as possible, although keeping it brief and to the point. Maintaining a ship\u2019s log was good practise for this kind of thing, and he had signed the bottom of it with some satisfaction. He had the feeling that the matter was now solved, finished. He could turn his mind to home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell done, Commodore.\u201d Stone shook his hand and nodded appreciatively. \u201cWe heard from the khedive satisfactory things about the whole matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good. I\u2019m relieved to hear it\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSit down, Cartwright.\u201d Stone offered him a cigar which Adam refused, although he accepted a glass of whiskey into which Stone had splashed some water. \u201cHe\u2019s sent out his police to arrest the instigators. That list you gave him was comprehensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA gift from Doestov.\u201d Adam murmured and smiled at the look on their faces. \u201cA gift for old time\u2019s sake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou knew him in the past, didn\u2019t you?\u201d Lockett perched himself on the edge of Stone\u2019s desk and looked at Adam thoughtfully. \u201cSome years back wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Seeing that he wasn\u2019t going to get any further information from Adam, Lockett removed himself from the desk and walked over to one of the windows in the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsmail has more or less pardoned El Hassim, although he\u2019ll give the poor wretch a hard time for a while. They practically grew up together, like brothers, and fortunately for Said El Hassim the khedive has fond memories of their childhood. Good thing really, El Hassim is well respected and without him balancing things out in Cairo the khedive would have a lot more domestic problems to handle.\u201d Stone stood up, straightened his jacket and pulled out some papers from a leather wallet, these he handed to Adam. \u201cDo you know your orders once this assignment was completed, Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo return to Washington and await orders.\u201d Adam finished his drink, looked thoughtfully at the empty glass and placed it carefully on the desk. \u201cAs of this moment, I am on leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cChaille-Long wouldn\u2019t mind another officer to go along with him. He\u2019s navigating the Coja river at present\u2014\u201d Lockett smiled dreamily, \u201cI\u2019d give anything to go, to be perfectly honest with you, but I\u2019ve got work to do on a project of my own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich is?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lockett looked slightly abashed, but he was an outstanding cartographer and had already surveyed the region of Eritrea between Mesewa and the escarpment of the Ethiopian Plateau. He now told Adam with great modesty that he was now working on the Great Map of Africa*, which would include all the discoveries the American officers had made on behalf of the khedive during their time in Egypt.<\/p>\n

Adam listened with interest, and thought it fascinating that not so long ago these men fought on opposite sides with their own countrymen, and now were accomplishing so much in the services of a foreign potentate.<\/p>\n

He finally rose to his feet and shook their hands, folded the papers and slipped them into his jacket pocket and was about to leave the room when Stone called out, \u201cI forgot, Commodore, my apologies\u2026a letter came for you marked Private and Confidential from the president. I am sorry, I completely forgot about it.\u201d He took a small key from his pocket and inserted it into a drawer of the desk, and pulled out the letter that had arrived so long ago. This he now handed to Adam. \u201cI do apologise\u2026what with everything that has been going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled, accepted the apology for what it was, and took the letter. He recognised the handwriting immediately, but said nothing, forcing his face to retain the smile as he bade them his farewells and left the room.<\/p>\n

He walked down the stairs more slowly now, turning the envelope over and over in his hands and wondering what it would contain. Another assignment as vague and miserable as this one? Another commission, perhaps? He eventually slipped it into his pocket along with the other papers and decided to open them all when he reached the room provided him by Ibrahim.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The pounding on the door roused both John and Paul Martin from their sleep. Encouraging his uncle to get back to bed John pulled on his dressing gown and hurried down the stairs, a candle flickering in the sconce he carried.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, alright,\u201d he yelled and pulled open the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been a fight over at the Bucket of Blood, doc. One man dead and the other pretty badly hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGive me just a moment.\u201d He turned, set the candlestick down in order to exchange his dressing gown for his jacket and to pull on some trousers, grab at his medical bag and hurry from the house.<\/p>\n

It was dark, not many stars in the sky. He stumbled over something in the road, but finally reached the saloon where the lights were blazing and some men were leaving, others waiting for the doctor to go about his business in attending to the living and the dead. He stifled a yawn, having been busy since midnight the previous day what with babies being delivered and broken legs on rash young lads to be straightened and so much travelling to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is he?\u201d he demanded. They led him to the living person first, hoping it would give him some chance to survive his injuries\u2014no point on wasting precious moments on those already dead.<\/p>\n

The man clutching at his wounds with the warm blood trickling between his fingers was young; he looked at John with mild surprise and then fear, his mouth opened and closed, like a fish gasping when taken out of the water, and John put a gentle hand on his shoulder, looked into his eyes and asked his name<\/p>\n

\u201cJim\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Jim, now I\u2019m just going to take a look at what\u2019s hurting you here. Just loosen your hold now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jim\u2019s eyes widened; his grip on the bloodied shirt front tightened.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t help you if you don\u2019t let me look at the wound, Jim. Just loosen your fingers a little. Trust me, Jim.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI could give him a thump on the jaw, Doc, if it\u2019s any help?\u201d Sam Brockett offered, clenching his fist helpfully but Jim groaned aloud enough to confirm that he was still \u201ccompos mentis,\u201d and John shook his head and asked everyone to move back.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did it happen?\u201d he asked even while he was tearing the shirt back to examine the wound which Jim had finally decided he could, \u201cKnife wound \u2026 Mmm\u201d he shook his head which caused Jim more alarm and a frightened groan, \u201cIt\u2019s alright, Jim, we can deal with this.\u201d<\/p>\n

So the knife had been thrust in from a close body to body fight, rammed in to the hilt by the look of the wound. He placed padding on it and strapped it then gave orders for Jim to be carried off to the surgery. He then went over to the other body, and turned him over so that he could see the man\u2019s face and check over the wound. Another young man; John groaned and for a moment just knelt there beside him, while he thought about the waste.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe undertaker\u2019s here, doc.\u201d someone said, and he nodded, rose to his feet and turned to the other man.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s all yours, Mr. Colston.\u201d he said quietly, and turned away to walk quickly to the surgery.<\/p>\n

Later he would write out a death certificate for Peter Allen, aged 21 years, stabbed in the heart by a knife, with some considerable force behind it. Later still, after he had done all he possibly could to stem the blood and close the wound, he wrote out another death certificate for one Jim Humphries, aged 19, stabbed forcibly by a long thin knife that had pierced the liver.<\/p>\n

He adjusted Jim\u2019s jacket so that he would be ready for collection by Mr. Colston, and checked through the pockets for personal details so that next of kin could be notified. He found some letters, but he also found a delicate piece of jewellery, too fine a piece for a youth to own. He walked over to the window where the lamp shone and looked at it more carefully. It was beautiful: opals and diamonds, a swirl of gems on a leaf of gold.<\/p>\n

He sat down, put it on his desk and rubbed his face with both hands. Then he put the clasp into a drawer and locked it. He had seen that piece before somewhere, but for the life of him he couldn\u2019t remember where it had been or who had worn it. He turned, picked up the lamp and stumbled his way up the stairs to bed.<\/p>\n

Chapter 83<\/p>\n

Adam hadn\u2019t gone far into the old city when there came a commotion from behind him. He immediately turned, saw the body of men pounding down the street\u2014all armed and in the uniform of the khedive\u2014and flattened himself against the wall of the nearest building. Women were screaming and plucking their children out of the way of the tramping feet as though they knew from past experience that they were unlikely to halt should a child get in their way. Stall holders saw their goods knocked over and ruined; they added their howls of distress into the babble of noise that was all around them.<\/p>\n

Across the street and keeping herself well away from the people around her, Rachel Forster clung with one hand to her hat and to the other to her purse. Only when the dust had begun to settle did she peer around her and venture to step back onto the street.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood afternoon, Miss Forster.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stepped towards her, smiled and then glanced up and down the street as though expecting another horde of men to come hurtling towards them. She waited to hear what else he was going to say, and when it seemed as though he were not going to comment further she asked him if he was going to a certain caf\u00e9. He said he had not intended to, but if she would be going then he would be delighted to join her.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re rounding up the men on that list, and everyone who is known to be associated with them,\u201d she whispered. \u201cThere\u2019s going to be a lot of unhappiness in a lot of homes in Cairo tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you play with fire you have to expect to be burned,\u201d Adam replied softly and took her elbow in the cup of his hand to guide her to a vacant table.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking of the wives and children of the men involved.\u201d She gave a slight shrug of the shoulders and looked at him. \u201cYou look smart in your uniform.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you. I had to put in my official report so thought I should look the part.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI really don\u2019t know which of the three persona I prefer\u2026the mysterious Arab, the casual American tourist or the illustrious commodore.\u201d She ordered coffee when the waiter appeared at her shoulder, and smiled over at Adam as he ordered the same.<\/p>\n

He just smiled at her, shrugged, and leaned back in his chair. \u201cTell me a little about yourself, Miss Forster, and why you are wondering about the streets of Cairo unescorted? Isn\u2019t that rather a dangerous thing to do\u2026for a woman I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably so,\u201d she replied slowly while a small frown appeared on her smooth brow. \u201cIt\u2019s usually safe; I have an escort somewhere, one of Said\u2019s men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you going to do with yourself, Miss Forster? Are you going to stay here or return back to America?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t know if that is any of your business, Commodore.\u201d she replied sweetly, and looked up at him to see the dimples appearing in his cheeks as he smiled at her response. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, that was rather rude of me, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the contrary, it was rather rude of me to ask such an impertinent question.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow you\u2019re teasing me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all; after all, we\u2019re not even on first name terms yet.\u201d He took a sip of his coffee, and ladled in some sugar before taking another. When he glanced up at her she was laughing at him, behind her gloved hand. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I was just thinking.\u201d She picked up her cup and sniffed the aroma. \u201cMy name is Rachel, by the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam.\u201d he put his cup down and held out his hand which she took, and they solemnly shook hands before returning to their cups of coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2014what will you be doing now? Have you a ship waiting for you somewhere?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, I have to check my orders.\u201d he tapped the pocket where the papers were kept and raised his eyebrows at her over the rim of his cup.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you see, Rachel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat you can\u2019t really commit yourself to any other arrangements until you have read your orders.\u201d she sighed and pushed the cup away, \u201cDo you like Egypt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou asked me that before, and the answer remains the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, you\u2019re fond of a camel but that\u2019s about all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, maybe not, some things could change my opinion about the place.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned now slightly in his chair to watch the column of men marching back to the palace, several men in chains being dragged along and behind them some women wailing and waving their hands in the air as they beseeched help from their God to intervene and show mercy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like it here,\u201d Rachel said with sudden vehemence. \u201cI hate the way people treat each other, the way they treat women. I don\u2019t like the way everything smells so hot, dirty, and old.\u201d She sighed, and rubbed her brow with her fingers. \u201cOnce everything settles down again, and Anna is happy, then I\u2019ll return to America.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnna has a husband to make her happy\u2014\u201d Adam pointed out gently and she looked at him with a startled expression on her face; she blinked and shook her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but I\u2019ve always been wherever Anna needs me to be, and right now she needs me here.\u201d Her face had a pleading expression now, as though she really needed him to understand, then she smiled and the blue eyes resumed their usual sparkle. \u201cDo you have any sisters, or brothers?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo younger brothers.\u201d And mentioning them reminded him that one of those brothers was going to become a father sometime soon, so that he smiled at the thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou care about them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery much.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t reply, whatever she was going to say she chose to remain unsaid, thinking it a little insolent, presumptuous. She rose to her feet and extended her hand to him, which, after he had stood up, he took,<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope I see you again before you leave, Commodore. Laurence would want to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you. I\u2019ll no doubt be in to see him tomorrow sometime.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2018ll know what your orders are by then, won\u2018t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s right, I will.\u201d<\/p>\n

She gave him a rather penetrating look, nodded, and then left the caf\u00e9, aware as she did so that he was watching her walk away.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Mr. Coutts the jeweller examined the piece carefully, before placing it onto the counter and shaking his head. John wondered what caused that, but was afraid to ask.<\/p>\n

Eventually Coutts exclaimed one word. \u201cExquisite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it valuable?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dear doctor, what a thing to ask. Of course it\u2019s valuable. Very much so. Are you thinking of selling it? I know just the person who would love to buy such a piece as this, and at a good price.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I want to find out who owned it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Coutts looked blank; he shook his head. \u201cWell, I\u2019m afraid I can\u2019t help you there, Doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought perhaps you could.\u201d John frowned, \u201cI wondered if you would put it on display in the window. Someone would be sure to see it and ask after it, wouldn\u2019t they? Well, then, you could tell me who it was and then it could be returned to its rightful owner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean these are stolen goods?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t even know that yet. It may have been a gift to the person who last had it, but anyway, it would be a great help, Mr. Coutts.\u201d He pursed his lips and frowned, \u201cI have seen the sheriff about this; it was his idea. No doubt he\u2019ll be checking up about it as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Coutts said nothing to this, he only nodded dutifully while he tried to calculate how much he would charge for this beautiful piece to whoever came enquiring about it.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

It seemed to Joe that Roy Coffee had been old ever since he first knew him. He\u2019d always worn those spectacles and had those faded blue grey eyes, his moustache was always grey and spikey, and he always had that slow \u2018I\u2019ll get there in a minute, jest you wait now\u2019 voice. He\u2019d retired himself twice now in so far as Joe could recall, but here he was, still one of the sheriffs of Virginia City.<\/p>\n

He smiled over at Mary Ann who was seated in the blue chair, the one Adam had always favoured, as Roy told them the story of the two young men who had fought to the death the previous night in the Bucket of Blood saloon.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was the fight over, Roy, do you know?\u201d Ben asked from his position by the table where he was pouring out coffee for them all, except for Hester who seemed to prefer hot water.<\/p>\n

\u201cA woman, as always.\u201d Roy grunted, and fished a tattered note book from his back pocket, ignoring the smiles Joe and Mary Ann flashed at one another. \u201cHere now\u2014one witness said the two men were good friends, came in together for a drink and took themselves off to a quiet corner. Next thing there was raised voices; they fought, stabbed each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing in thar mentions a female.\u201d Hoss said challengingly and he quirked one eyebrow.<\/p>\n

This elicited a \u201cHumph\u201d from Roy, who licked his thumb in order to turn over some pages. \u201cSam Brockett was sitting at the table next to them, said they were laughing and joking one minute and then he heard Jim say, \u2018She did, I tell you.\u2019 And the other lad jumped up and said \u2018No, she wouldn\u2019t have asked you to do that, Jim.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo what?\u201d Hester blinked and frowned. \u201cDid I miss something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Miss Hester, you ain\u2019t missed nothing, because that\u2019s what I gotta find out. Who is this \u2018she\u2019 person and what did she ask Jim to do that was so almighty annoying to young Pete. They\u2019d been friends for years, school friends in fact, more like brothers.\u201d He thumbed back another few pages, \u201cNow\u2014\u201d he pouted so that the moustache bristled out and then he sucked at his teeth, frowned. \u201cNah, not that page, now, where\u2019s it gone \u2026 Ah, here it is\u2014another witness, Jake Purcell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t believe everything Jake Purcell tells you, Roy\u201d Joe said with a grin, \u201cHalf the time he\u2019s drunk and says anything that comes into his head, and the other half he\u2019s sober and denying every word.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was sober when I spoke to him and you mind your manners, young man, or I\u2019ll be telling your Pa to give you a bit of discipline in the back shed.\u201d Roy said, pointing the stub of his pencil over at Joe, which made everyone laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Roy, so what did Jake Purcell tell you?\u201d Ben asked in a more sober manner.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe heard them talking about a gal, new in town that they both liked. Jim and Pete started by saying she was the prettiest thing he\u2019d ever seen, Pete agreed and said that she was a\u2014\u201d he stopped, looked over the rim of his glasses at Hester and then Mary Ann. \u201cWell, she was good at what he said she did. Anyhow, Jim said that this gal had promised him something special if he did her a favour. Pete got kind of annoyed at that and wanted to know what the favour was and what she promised Jim. The lad wouldn\u2019t say, said it was a secret and he hadn\u2019t meant to say. That led to the shouting and the killing.\u201d<\/p>\n

They said nothing to that, just stared at the older man and slipped into thoughts of their own. It was Joe who asked if Roy had any idea who the girl was, but Roy shook his head, and admitted he hadn\u2019t a clue who it was but had the deputies out looking.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder what the favour was\u2014\u201d Mary Ann wondered..<\/p>\n

\u201cCould have been anything,\u201d Joe replied and stood up, looking at her. She got to her feet, excused herself from their company and followed Joe out of the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t that sweet.\u201d Hoss grinned, his eyes all of a twinkle, \u201cI reckon them two are in love.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester said nothing, sighed, looked hopeful and then asked Roy to tell them one of his stories of when he had been sheriff and the Cartwright boys had been\u2014well\u2014just boys.
\nThat made Roy stop and think for a bit, because after all, he had so many of them tucked away in the back of his memory.<\/p>\n

Chapter 84<\/p>\n

Ibrahim greeted Adam immediately with a friendly bow and assurances that some refreshments would be brought up for him. He watched the tall American mount the stairs to the room above with respect and affection, having seen over the course of the weeks together how well Adam had conducted himself during this strange affair. Probably the most respect he held for Adam came from the way the American had embraced their life, the Arab life, and integrated so well with the customs of Ibrahim\u2019s people.<\/p>\n

He snapped his fingers and called out orders to his servant for some refreshments to be sent up to Commodore Adam, and went into the cool interior of his own offices to deal with business of his own. Life was again \u2018normal,\u2019 no more intrigues and no fear of Djounga suddenly appearing to cut his throat as he had feared so often, nor of that \u2018horrible little Russian\u2019 creeping about and making life difficult.<\/p>\n

Up in his room, Adam removed his jacket and then paused, remembered the papers and letter he had put into the pocket and withdrew them, before draping the jacket casually over the arm of a chair.<\/p>\n

There was a calm over the city, the usual racket and bedlam had mellowed into a hum of background noise, there was the smell of some plants growing up against the wall that tantalised the senses and with the papers in his hands he walked to the balcony to look over the city. Perhaps before he left he would visit the pyramids again, take his camel and be a tourist. He smiled as that reminded him of Rachel, what a strange young woman, young\/old, and he wondered for a fleeting moment just how old she would actually be. Perhaps, despite her dislike of all things Egyptian, she would enjoy some time visiting the pyramids with him. He decided to ask her in the morning.<\/p>\n

He looked at the envelope and frowned. He had recognised the handwriting when in Stone\u2019s office, and wondered what \u2018Mr. Smith\u2019 could be writing to him now. He had thought that the letter would contain further orders, but now, as his eye glanced down at the papers in his hand he could see what his orders were, and he had anticipated some leave? He sighed, put the letter down on a side table and leaned against the rails of the balcony to scan through his orders.<\/p>\n

Simple enough\u2014take command of the Virginian and sail her home to Washington. Then report personally to Grant before being sent to some area in the China Seas. His heart dropped, he had hoped for some respite, some time to enjoy with his family. He sighed, put the papers to one side and picked up the envelope.<\/p>\n

The knock on the door interrupted his chain of thought and he watched as the old man put down the tray containing sweet Egyptian tea (shay) and some things to eat. Olives, figs, cucumber and some sweet pastry.<\/p>\n

He poured out the tea and returned to the balcony, leaning against the railings again and thinking over his orders, sipping tea slowly and wondering if he could defer boarding the Virginian in any way. Once he had emptied his cup he replaced it on the tray and picked up the letter, Grant\u2019s letter.<\/p>\n

He weighed it in his hand and frowned. It was odd the way Stone had given him it, locked away in the drawer and separated from his orders. He looked at the letter again and realised the envelope was marked private and confidential. Well, that would explain that, obviously Stone trusted the staff there as much as\u2014well\u2014as far as he could throw them as the colloquialism went. He raised his eyebrows and without a further thought or doubt or worry slit open the envelope and extracted the letter.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Adam<\/p>\n

This is a hard letter to write to you, my friend, and it is as a friend that I do write, Adam, not as your president or superior.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hmm, Adam frowned, that sounded ominous, even coming from Grant. He bit down on his bottom lip and read on.<\/p>\n

\u201cI received news today from one of my couriers that there was an incident between a convoy of militia under the orders of Major Fleming and some Indians, during which altercation your brother, Joseph Cartwright, was injured and died of his wounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s heart beat faster; he lowered the paper, paused for a moment to catch his breath, and raised a hand to his head. He blinked rapidly.<\/p>\n

\u201cduring which altercation your brother, Joseph Cartwright was injured and died of his wounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

No.<\/p>\n

No, it wasn\u2019t true. It couldn\u2019t be, couldn\u2019t possibly be. His breathing became laboured, his hands shook, he gulped back a sob and pressed his hand against his mouth. The paper was shaking before his eyes and he forced himself to re-read and continue reading:<\/p>\n

\u201cduring which altercation your brother, Joseph Cartwright was injured and died of his wounds.<\/p>\n

Adam, my heartfelt condolences. I know without having to see you face to face that this news comes to you suddenly and cruelly. I know that you are far away and that is because of your duty to me, to your country. I feel so much regret that it had to happen like this, during your absence when you are so far from home.<\/p>\n

As a means of consolation, your father was also present at the time, and with your brother. I know that is little if any comfort, but it is always good to know our loved ones die in the arms of those they loved.\u201d
\nIt was too much. Too much.<\/p>\n

He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, gasped and swallowed down gulps of air to stop the grief from totally submerging him.<\/p>\n

Joe. Joseph Cartwright. Little Joe. Buddy. Short shanks. Oh how must Hoss be feeling now? And Pa? I can\u2019t believe it, I can\u2019t believe it.<\/p>\n

Read it through again, just in case there\u2019s been a mistake. No, it wasn\u2019t a mistake, but read it anyway to see if it feels more real. It can\u2019t be real. Please, God, don\u2019t let it be real.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t let it be real.<\/p>\n

A sob convulsed him.<\/p>\n

Chapter 85<\/p>\n

The light was fading from the room by the time Adam could pick up the letter and re-read it. He had sat on the edge of his bed for an hour, just sitting with his hands clasped under his chin while he stared out and tried to capture moments in his life with Joe. Sometimes his mind blanked out and he couldn\u2019t remember anything, and he\u2019d realise he was crying. At other times he could remember and the memories came so bright in his mind that he could smile at them until his lips trembled and he had to switch his mind to some other memory, some other time.<\/p>\n

So often they thought that wild land would claim one of them as it had claimed so many others. They got so that they took it for granted that when they rode out from the house they would return, despite all the hundred and one things that could go wrong\u2026a fall from a horse, a bullet from some crazy hot-headed fool, Indian attack, disease\u2026and even when things did happen, they recovered, and Pa would be there praying and waiting by the bedside.<\/p>\n

It was the reminder that Joe had died in Ben\u2019s arms that roused Adam from his stupor to pick up the letter and continue reading it. He shook his head first as though to banish away the emotions so that he could deal with whatever else was going to be disclosed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn view of the fact that you are engaged on a sensitive assignment I have asked that this letter and information be withheld from you until it is completed. It seemed grossly unfair of me to ask you to perform your duty when under so much emotional distress. I hope that you will understand why I have made this request.<\/p>\n

As soon as you return to Washington it is my hope that you will attend on me, and whatever details I possess about the matter we can discuss together.<\/p>\n

Your friend.<\/p>\n

U.S. Grant
\nPresident.\u201d<\/p>\n

He let the paper drop to the ground. Then he fell back upon his bed, and turned his face into the pillows.<\/p>\n

It was dark now. The cold night air crept into the room but the man on the bed seemed oblivious to both. All he felt was the pain of his grief and his loss. Life, he felt, could never be the same again.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

John Martin looked over the street to where Roy was standing and wondered for a moment why it was that this relic from the past was still allowed to practise law in such an up and coming town. He smiled to himself as he crossed the road to join the old sheriff, who was leaning against a post watching the comings and goings of the townspeople.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Sheriff, have you found out any more about these two lads and this mystery woman over whom they were fighting?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Roy sighed, glanced at John and then up at the sky before he frowned and shook his head, \u201cNope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems young Jim was sparking a young gal called Bessie, the daughter of a Mr. Simpson Jones.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTriangle J ranch.\u201d John grinned, \u201cI delivered a baby there two weeks ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy looked worried. and John laughed and assured him it was not Bessie\u2019s, but her mother\u2019s. Roy nodded. \u201cWal, seems this young Bessie was more keen on Jim than Jim was on her. But even though that was the case she didn\u2019t have much to do with Peter, thought he was a mite stuck up and thought too much of hisself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cApart from which she isn\u2019t new to town, is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cS\u2019right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFound out anything else, sheriff?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u201d Roy looked at his nails and began to dig some dirt out from one of them with a studiousness that intimated to John that he wasn\u2019t going to get any further information from him. He bade the sheriff goodbye and walked over to his buggy, then paused and made his way to the jeweller\u2019s,.
\n\u201cAny news, Mr. Coutts?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWidow Hawkins was interested in the jewels, wanted to add them to her collection.\u201d Coutts replied in a bored voice. \u201cI\u2019ve told the sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d John frowned. By no stretch of the imagination could he see Peter and Jim fighting over Clemmie Hawkins, no matter how much sarsparilla tea she pumped into them. \u201cNo one else?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeveral ladies showed interest\u2014window shopping, nothing more.\u201d<\/p>\n

He left the jeweller\u2019s and disconsolately made his way towards the buggy. He stopped when his way was blocked by Ingrid who stood in front of him so determinedly that he had no choice but to stop or step into the road and be knocked down by a passing horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, John.\u201d she smiled, her eyes, always so blue, seemed more so since she had dyed her hair, and they reflected the dress she was wearing, over which she was wore a black Spencer jacket with jet beading. \u201cHow are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well, Ingrid, how are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFancy you asking, I thought you were no longer interested.\u201d She batted her eyelashes, and smiled at the curl of distaste that twisted his lips, \u201cDear me, you have gone so sour, John. You\u2019re almost as much of a prune as your old uncle.\u201d She leaned forward and touched the lapel of his jacket, stroking it sensuously. \u201cAnd you always showed so much promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stepped back, and without a word hurried to his waiting vehicle, aware that her eyes followed him every step of the way.<\/p>\n

She smiled and swirled her parasol lazily behind her before resuming her walk down the street. It was her afternoon free from work, and she enjoyed mingling with the crowds. She looked into various shop windows until eventually she came upon the jeweller, Coutts\u2019. She frowned: the little weasel who had caused the problem with that ring. She stopped to stare in at him but he was no longer in the front of the shop.<\/p>\n

Her gaze dropped down to look at what was on display and it was then she noticed the opals and diamonds clasp. She looked at it with amazement. Surely there could not be more than one of them? She remembered handing it to that stupid cowboy as a reward for a job she had asked him to do for her, the way his sweaty hand had grabbed it and he has asked her if it was worth much.<\/p>\n

Now as she looked at it she felt that if she were to see him again she would strangle him with her bare hands. Was it worth much? The idiot\u2014only a king\u2019s ransom. And now here it was for everyone to see and he was probably enjoying the money he had got for it.<\/p>\n

She put her hand on the door handle and then stopped: what was the point in enquiring about it from that wretch of a man? She could never afford to buy it back now, and if she asked too many questions Coutts would be curious as to why. She stepped away from the store and retraced her footsteps. The pleasure in the day was gone; now she had to think about what to do next.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you like it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMm, it\u2019s lovely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you would.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I have more relish, though?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, honey, here\u2014\u201d Hoss ladled more of the tomato and chutney relish onto the open sandwich that he had made for his wife, then he sat down and smiled over at her. \u201cSure is nice you having these cravings so early in the morning, Hester. Suits me just fine too.\u201d He took an enormous bite out of a beef sandwich, the thickness of which would have dismayed Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love to share things with you, Hoss.\u201d She reached out to take hold of his hand and smiled at him, and he reached forward to wipe relish from the corner of her mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think it\u2019s the real thing this time, this romance between Joe and Mary Ann?\u201d She whispered after some moments had passed and their sandwiches were practically all consumed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so. I\u2019d like to see the little guy settled down and as happy as we are\u2026\u201d he paused and looked at her. \u201cD\u2019you want anything to drink?\u201d<\/p>\n

She frowned, then nodded. \u201cSome milk, with some honey in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pushed himself away from the table and looked at her with a smile on his face. No doubt about it, he loved her more now that he had when they had married. He leaned on the table to reach over to her and kiss her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWouldn\u2019t it be lovely if they got married?\u201d Hester murmured later as she sipped her milk. \u201cShe\u2019s a really nice girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter than nice.\u201d And they shared a chuckle together, \u201cD\u2019you know, she\u2019s changed a lot since I first knew her, toughened up in some ways, but more understanding in others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLife is a good teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2019s she\u2014so I heard anyhow.\u201d Hoss grinned and Hester laughed at how quickly he had picked up the connection between Mary Ann and the word teacher.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think they\u2019ll live here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDunno, probably. For a while anyhow.\u201d<\/p>\n

He swallowed down his milk and was about to speak when there came a light knock on the door, light but persistent. Hoss grumbled as he got up and tightened the belt around his dressing gown,<\/p>\n

\u201cWho the heck can that be this time of night,\u201d he muttered, and just as a precaution, he slipped his gun from the gun belt lying on the bureau by the door before slowly opening it. \u201cAlright, whoever you are, what do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sarah Thocmetony Winnemucca looked startled at the sight of the gun barrel that was pointed at her, but when she realised that Hoss was now embarrassed as well she only smiled and waited to be asked into the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything the matter, Sarah? You alright?\u201d he whispered as he slipped the gun back into its holster.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. I need to see Joseph, I have a message for him from a friend.\u201d was her reply and she stood there, hands clasped before her as she stood in the centre of the Cartwright\u2019s big room.<\/p>\n

Chapter 86<\/p>\n

It went without saying that when Hoss went to rouse Joe, he felt compelled to awaken his father also, with the result that Sarah was soon greeted with the sight of two Cartwright men lumbering down the stairs yawning, or scratching their heads, or tying up the belts to their dressing gowns. Once he was downstairs Hoss went straight over to sit with Hester while Ben and Joe stood at the bottom of the stairs blinking like dazed owls at Sarah.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry. I come at bad time for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t mind us,\u201d Ben dredged up his courtesy and smiled, \u201cHoss, as you\u2019re more awake than any of us, rustle up some coffee, will you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve already got that started, Ben.\u201d Hester smiled over at her father-in-law and made her way to the kitchen to continue with \u201c\u2018rustling up coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Sarah? Where\u2019ve you been?\u201d Joe\u2019s eyes looked anxiously at the woman who stood before him.<\/p>\n

She had lost some weight and looked more careworn than previously; her clothing looked the worse for wear and she wore her hair in two long braids rather than her usual carefully prepared coiffure. She looked at him with large eyes, eyes that seemed too big for her thinner face. \u201cJoseph, I have a message for you from your friend Stalking Horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStalking Horse? You\u2019ve seen him?\u201d Joe sat down suddenly, and then shook his head while a frown furrowed his brow. \u201cI feel as though I let him down. I should have done something to get him out of that cage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember Stalking Horse,\u201d Hoss said, \u201cHe was the shaman…saved Adam\u2019s life, didn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s right. I let him down\u2014\u201d Joe sighed and bit his bottom lip, \u201cTell me though, Sarah, where did you see him? Is he in the Dakotahs?\u201d<\/p>\n

She was seated now and gratefully drinking some coffee, but in answer to Joe\u2019s question she stood up, in order to give her words greater authority.<\/p>\n

\u201cI left you and went to the Dakotahs. I thought the white Government people will not look for me there, right where they wanted to take me in the first place. They will think I am far away from there and I would be safe. One day the camp where I stayed was attacked by white men. They killed a few people, but mostly they killed all the horses\u2014184 of them\u2014they took all the food and what food they didn\u2019t take they trampled on. There was nothing left for the people there. We travelled to the camp of Two Moons of the Cheyenne.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember Two Moons,\u201d Joe nodded thoughtfully, and waited for her to continue speaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cLater we were searching for some children that had been lost in the panic of the attack. We were looking and saw coming some soldiers with men in cages. We saw our friends, Kiowa and Sioux in the cages. The soldiers were attacked and our people were freed. It was then that I learned that you had been killed, Joseph. I was much grieved. Stalking Horse told us how you had been taken by these men, and how you were\u2014killed. Later we learn that you were not killed at all, but wounded, so unable to help your friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe officer in charge of this convoy, what happened to him?\u201d Ben asked by way of interest and she shrugged slightly,<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was killed. He turned his horse and tried to get away, he left his men and his charges, so he was killed. Most of his men were unharmed. It was the other officer who told us about Joseph not being killed after all. It was an idea he had to save Joe\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Stalking Horse? What message did he give you?\u201d Hoss now asked, his voice gruff\u2014a sure sign he needed to get some sleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said to Joseph Cartwright that his people are being killed by the white settlers, the white soldiers. They try to escape them but cannot, sometimes they even meet other Indians running from the white men in the opposite direction from them\u2014they are all running from the white men.\u201d She paused a moment, her brow furrowed. \u201cThey know that soon they will die, their camps are being destroyed and the buffalo are being killed. The children are taken from them and put into schools to be taught the white man\u2019s ways. They do not want this, but when they speak to the white soldiers in the forts no one hears. The words are blown about on the wind and scattered. Even Pa\u2019huska, the Gold Hair, the one you call Custer, does not listen, not even to the plea of his Indian wife, Monaseeetah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can I help, Sarah? After all, this was the thing that caused you to leave here and me getting myself caught by those soldiers in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen it was planned by white government that we speak to the Indian for peace. But Stalking Horse and Tashunka Witko(Crazy Horse), they want you to go to speak to the men at Washington and to tell them to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if they don\u2019t stop?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there will be many killed in battles to come. The Sioux shaman, Tatanka Yotanka (Sitting Bull), is their war leader now. The Golden Hair, Pa\u2019huska, has set his flags all over the Black Hills even though it was written in the Treaty of 1868* that no person, or persons, will be permitted to settle upon or occupy any portion of the territory.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her dark eyes looked straight into Joe\u2019s face; she saw the small frown furrowing his brow, the green that shone in the hazel eyes, but he said nothing. She knew him enough to know that he would think about what had been said. It was enough; she had said what she had been asked to say now she would return to her people.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The man in the uniform of an officer in the American navy was admitted into the house of the Sheik El Hassim without question, and while he made his way to the room where Laurence Willoughby lay, a servant ran to inform Rachel that there was a visitor.<\/p>\n

Laurence\u2019s injuries had been severe, and instant recovery, although much desired, seldom happened. The medication he was on subdued the pain but also kept him in a state of deep sleep most of the time. Adam leaned over the bed and gently touched his shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaurence? It\u2019s Adam\u2014Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

The young man\u2019s eyelids fluttered, there was a struggle within, deep within, to open his eyes, eventually he did so and looked up into the commodore\u2019s face. \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to see you, Laurence, I came to say good bye.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence narrowed his eyes as though it took all his concentration to absorb those few words. He closed his eyes for an instant before opening them again. \u201cYou are leaving?\u201d the words were laboured.<\/p>\n

It seemed to Adam that his condition had deteriorated since he had since him only the day before, so he stepped away from the bed and just gently kept his hand resting on Laurence\u2019s shoulder until the soft breathing indicated he had fallen back to sleep.<\/p>\n

He turned at the sound of footsteps and left Laurence in order to meet her halfway.<\/p>\n

He smiled, although his eyes failed to do so. \u201cHe\u2019s worse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, one of the wounds became infected. The doctor has seen to it, and he should rally again by tomorrow. He was badly injured.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t sure if he would be well enough to talk or not, so I have written him a letter to explain what\u2019s going on. Would you be so kind as to give it to him, please, Rachel?\u201d He took an envelope, a small white square of vellum, from his pocket and passed it over to her.<\/p>\n

She looked at it, her eyes noted the strong masculine handwriting on the whiteness of the paper, then she looked up at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you leaving?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I have orders\u2014\u201d he paused. \u201cI only found out last evening. It\u2019s all rather rushed.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him again, and got the impression that she was seeing yet another facet of this man, another persona. She wondered which slot she could place him in this time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere will you be going? Are you able to tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Washington, I have to see the president first and\u2014and then\u2014get further orders.\u201d he balked at mentioning the China Seas, but then there were other more pressing matters he wanted to discuss with Grant before any further assignments were mentioned.<\/p>\n

He looked at her and realised that her eyes were blue and that she was looking at him in rather a strange manner. He frowned. \u201cIs there anything wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel blinked, cleared her throat, shook her head. For him to have asked such a question then obviously there could be nothing wrong, nothing wrong in his leaving so suddenly, and any hope pinned on their brief conversation the day before\u2014forgotten?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems that I\u2019ll never get to know you properly, Commodore Adam Cartwright.\u201d she smiled at looked at him again, forcing herself neither to blush nor to weep, \u201cI shall miss you, and I know that Laurence will, once he realises you have gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry, Rachel.\u201d he took hold of one of her hands and held it within his own; he smiled, but again the smile didn\u2019t reach his eyes. \u201cI was enjoying your company and had hoped to take up a little more of your time today, but\u2014\u201d he sighed and shrugged, releasing her hand. \u201cI\u2019m afraid, duty calls.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said nothing but followed him from the room and down the stairs, during which time neither of them spoke a word. They had reached the courtyard now, and he glanced, almost wistfully at the garden, and sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there something wrong?\u201d she said instantly. \u201cHas something happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had some bad news yesterday,\u201d he blurted out, as though grateful to be able to tell someone. \u201cMy youngest brother was killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry,\u201d she said involuntarily, and then stopped herself, realising how trite her words were, she reached out a hand and placed it gently upon his chest, \u201cWas it recently?\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at her vaguely then and frowned slightly, then sighed, shook his head, shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t know much about it, to be honest. All I know is that I wasn\u2019t there to\u2014\u201d he stopped, his shoulders slumped, and he pursed his lips, inhaled deeply. \u201cI wasn\u2019t there to protect him. I promised his mother, when he was born, that I would take care of him and here I am all these miles away and he\u2014he gets killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

She waited for him to finish, garnering from the things he said that his youngest brother\u2019s mother was not his own, that as the eldest he had felt overly protective and now felt that he had failed. It seemed that to Adam Cartwright, his word was indeed his bond.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you can\u2019t\u2014\u201d she was going to say, \u201cyou can\u2019t blame yourself,\u201d but refrained, because it would not have made any difference to how he was feeling now.<\/p>\n

She turned towards the garden and sighed, \u201cI had a brother once; he was the eldest. I\u2019m the one in the middle, and Anna is the youngest.\u201d She frowned, then plucked some flowers from the border and twirled them around between her fingers. \u201cHe went on tour with Father, to Egypt, around about here to be exact. He wrote to me from here, asked me to look after Mother and little sister…and that was the last I heard from him because he died on the boat back to America. Mother died not long after, and that left me to look after Anna.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked at her thoughtfully, then turned his eyes away to observe the flowers in the garden. Once again silence fell between them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that, along with the mummies that seemed to be stuffed into almost every corner of our house, was part of the reason why I hate Egypt. Roland was a lovely young man; he had his whole life ahead of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam cleared his throat. Well, wasn\u2019t that true of Joe? Wasn\u2019t Joe also a lovely young man who had his whole life ahead of him, and now\u2026no life at all?<\/p>\n

She turned, forced a smile and looked into his face. \u201cThat\u2019s why I stay here, to look after Anna. You see, if Ismail had taken El Hassim away, executed him even\u2026what would have happened to her then?\u201d<\/p>\n

Several thoughts skimmed through his head, words that he would have said but couldn\u2019t. He turned away and together they walked through the courtyard towards the rear exit of the house. \u201cLaurence will need a lot of attention and care, would you prefer that he was moved to Ibrahims?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no, El Hassim would never permit it. You and Laurence are honoured visitors here, he wouldn\u2019t dream of having it any differently.\u201d<\/p>\n

He sighed heavily, bowed his head. Realised that he should be bidding the sheik goodbye as well, he looked at her. \u201cAre they at home, your sister and El Hassim?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, they\u2019re at the palace with Ismail. I presume that will be the usual routine for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see. You\u2019ll be on your own a lot then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI shall look after Laurence. Once he\u2019s stronger I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll be much livelier company.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019m sure he will be. He\u2019s an artist by profession and enjoys poetry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good; so do I.\u201d She smiled at him, and was relieved when he smiled back.<\/p>\n

Inwardly Adam felt irritated, then annoyed at being irritated. He had to accept that Laurence and Rachel were of a similar age, and anyway, this was neither the time nor the place. He cleared his throat, and she looked at him with a query in her eyes but didn\u2019t speak; her hand was on the latch to the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich ship is it ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Virginian.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen it; it\u2019s a lovely ship.\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled, nodded. \u201cThank you for all you\u2019ve done for Laurence and\u2014\u201d he looked at her, lowered his head as she raised her own, and their lips met in the gentlest kiss.<\/p>\n

Perhaps this was not the right time, nor the right place, but who was to know? He stepped back and looked at her, smoky brown eyes met denim blue, both looked as though suddenly aware of something but not sure what, so they bowed their heads towards each other once again, and their lips met, touched, held.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know where I am\u2014\u201d he said softly.<\/p>\n

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

He looked at her again, freckles over her nose, blue eyes, blonde hair and an oval face. He smiled, his eyes twinkled, and he leaned down and kissed her nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake care, Rachel.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t watch him walk away into the street, but closed the door and latched it securely. She felt her lips, looked up at the sky and held onto the moment.<\/p>\n

Chapter 87<\/p>\n

Talk in the Sazarac that evening centred about the two young men who had been killed, friends who had stabbed each other to death. No one said exactly the cause but intimated that the argument was over a woman.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe used to come in here quite a lot, didn\u2019t he?\u201d Julia Hayes muttered as she pulled on her stockings.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d one of the other girls asked and pouted so that she could paint a cupid bow on her lips with the garish red paint.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat lad, the one called Jim. He was the one died last of all. Poor boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe other lad was only a kid too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t come here though, did he?\u201d<\/p>\n

Julia Hayes lowered her voice, whispered something with her eyes moving from right to left to ensure that she wasn\u2019t being watched. The other girl said \u201cOh!\u201d just like that, \u201cOh!\u201d and looked startled, glancing over her shoulder as though afraid of the shadows behind her.<\/p>\n

They left the room in a state of disarray as always\u2014a scattering of odd stockings, spangles and sequins, ribbons all over the floor, on the tables was spilled powder and crushed rouges, perfumes that left a trail of vapour about them. Ingrid stayed concealed in the corner of the room, and carefully wiped away the paint from her face. She stared at her reflection and then slumped back into her chair.<\/p>\n

So the boy was dead. In this case, how did the jewellery get into Coutts\u2019 shop? He must have sold it to the wretched man for money, perhaps that was the real reason they had fought, those two lads, because one had too much money and the other hadn\u2019t enough. She could see their faces now, eager for the favours she gave them, and always wanting to do something to encourage her to be just that bit more generous. So she had given Jim the jewellery and asked him one big favour\u2026<\/p>\n

She hurried out of the dressing room and leaned over the balcony to where the other girls were circulating among the customers. She called over to Bonnie, one of the girls about to go down the stairs, and asked her to tell Tom that she wouldn\u2019t be able to work this evening; she was unwell and had to get to her bed.<\/p>\n

She was cold and shivering; she wished she could stop the nightmare and turn back the clock so that she was that pretty Mrs. Buchanan who could twist any man around her little finger. Mrs. Buchanan, who was married to that boring young man who had loved her. Now look, she was nothing more than a cheap saloon girl who had planned to murder a Cartwright. She sat bolt upright when there came a knock on the door and Mrs. Tilley peeked around the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey said you was ill?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am,\u201d she whispered, \u201cI can\u2019t stop shivering but I\u2019m so hot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want the doctor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2014please.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou pay for doctors\u2019 visits out of your own money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She fell back against the pillows and closed her eyes. \u201cPlease,\u201d she prayed, \u201cplease let it be John who comes, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor who did attend on Ingrid was the one Lowry and Mrs. Tilley would always send out for; one who was used to \u201clooking after\u201d the girls and their \u201cconditions.\u201d After a short time with Ingrid he came down the stairs looking decidedly disgruntled.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s alright, just one of those you need to keep an eye on, Lowry.\u201d he grunted as he swung out of the saloon, his medical bag bumping against his leg.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s probably upset about that cowboy getting killed,\u201d Julia muttered, and Lowry, overhearing her, leaned forward and demanded to know what she was talking about. \u201cIt was that cowboy, Jim whatisname. He used to come here to see her \u2018upstairs.\u2019 I suppose hearing that he got killed like he did has upset her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought she was seeing Peter, Jim\u2019s friend,\u201d Mrs. Tilley said as she passed by the counter on her way to collect the empty glasses.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, she did, sort of.\u201d Julia shrugged her shoulders and turned her attention back to the miner who was appearing obliging in parting with his money for her time and a few drinks of good whiskey.<\/p>\n

Deputy Thomas Dundy had been in the Sazarac for his evening check over, his hand on the butt of his revolver and his eyes looking over the customers to make sure no one was being overly rowdy. He got the nod from Lowry that all was well, and left the saloon, taking with him a small nugget of information that he couldn\u2019t wait to pass on to Roy.<\/p>\n

The sheriff was pouring stewed coffee into some mugs when Dundy arrived back from his night rounds; he was young and eager to get attention and that eagerness showed in the way he swaggered into the office and unbuckled his gun belt. Roy had seen it so often before, young deputies wet behind the ears, keen to become marshals within a few weeks. He pushed his spectacles further up his brow-line, or where his brow-line used to be, and waited.<\/p>\n

\u201cGot something interesting to tell you, Roy.\u201d Dundy was almost panting with excitement, and the other deputy, older and more experienced, glanced over at Roy and gave a slightly wry smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, ain\u2019t no good you keeping it to yourself, best get it over with and tell it straight.\u201d Roy pushed a mug of the coffee towards Dundy and then sat down; he pulled out his notebook, licked the nib of his pencil, and looked up, \u201cWal?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems there\u2019s a saloon girl in the Sazarac, took ill on account of her hearing about Jim and Peter gitting killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy looked at him thoughtfully, nodded and glanced over at Deputy Hinman, who nodded as well.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cEr\u2014I don\u2019t know. But they said Jim was always around there seeing her, and so was that Pete.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s she look like?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t see her.\u201d Dundy sighed, hot air drifting from him as quickly as from a burst balloon.<\/p>\n

Roy sucked on his teeth and pursed his lips, the spectacles dropped back onto the bridge of his nose of their own accord, and he picked up his cup, sipped some coffee. \u201cWe\u2019ll go check her out tomorrow,\u201d he muttered but didn\u2019t give Dundy any commendation; that would come later, depending on whether his \u201cnugget\u201d proved to be gold or plain old iron pyrite.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The Virginian was a steamer, clean-lined, fairly new. For once Adam didn\u2019t stop to mourn the loss of the clipper ships he so loved. He saw the vessel as the means to get back to America, and being a steamer, then it would mean a quicker voyage. He was piped on board, the officers saluted and he shook their hands and saluted them in return.<\/p>\n

When he got to his cabin he threw his meagre belongings into a corner and then went to the desk and glanced over the log book left there by the previous captain. He realised that he couldn\u2019t remember the names of his officers nor their faces and wondered how that could have happened. He pulled off his jacket and was about to sit down when there was a knock on the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour orders, Commodore?\u201d A pleasantly fresh-faced young man stood before him, chest out, back straight, cap under his arm and chin at the regulation angle.<\/p>\n

Adam cleared his throat, and fingered the corner of the log book. \u201cIs everything in order?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cFresh water?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, also fresh fruit and all stores sufficiently replenished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny of the ship\u2019s company on shore leave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll returned pending your arrival, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were expecting me today?\u201d He glanced up, one eyebrow raised and the dark eyes sparking with interest.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been here two days, sir. Orders to Captain Waitrose were to wait your arrival no matter how long it took.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is Captain Waitrose now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe took command of the Navaho, sir. Sailed yesterday for the Suez Canal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd left you in charge?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs first officer, yes sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, stared at the desk for a moment the raised his eyes to look at the blank face of the other man.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemind me of your name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMunnings, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

What, Adam wondered, was going on in the mind of this man called Munnings, who stood before him now looking so formidable and rigidly correct. Did he have a wife, family? Had he ever suffered loss or pain? Behind that blank exterior was there anything of emotion going on there?<\/p>\n

He cleared his throat again, nodded. \u201cVery well then, there\u2019s no point in hanging about, Mr. Munnings. Tell the helmsmen to set his co-ordinates for Latitude: 32\u00b054’8r43;N. Longitude: 13\u00b011’9r43;E. We\u2019ll refuel there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen shall we leave, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWithin the hour.\u201d He rose to his feet. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Munnings saluted and promptly left the cabin, leaving Adam with the feeling that he was rather disappointed in his new commanding officer. He walked to the porthole and looked out at the bustling port and bowed his head. Thoughts of Joe crowded in immediately and just as promptly his anguished brain cried, \u2018No, I don\u2019t believe it, I don\u2019t believe it, it isn\u2019t true.\u201d<\/p>\n

and then there was nothing, just a blankness, dark and empty.<\/p>\n

Another knock on the door and he called out \u201cCome in\u201d in a perfunctory manner, and his steward appeared and stood there for a moment until Adam turned to look at him. Then he saluted. \u201cI\u2019m your steward, sir, Jeremy Coxon.\u201d
\n\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

It was good to be back on the waves, out at sea. The air was fresh and blew cobwebs from his mind. He busied himself with work, overseeing the men from the bridge, familiarising himself with the officers and crew. As was customary the first evening was spent in the captain\u2019s quarters: a good meal, good wine, and an opportunity to get to know one another. The second mate was also new to the ship\u2019s company, the previous officer having been taken ill.<\/p>\n

When they had gone and Adam had taken his last walk on the bridge, checked with the helmsman that they were on course and the men were in position for the dog watch for the night, he returned to his cabin.<\/p>\n

He re-read Grant\u2019s letter, then he found the letters from his father, Hoss and Joe. Hadn\u2019t there been some reference in one of them about the military coming to the Ponderosa or had he imagined it? He scanned through Hoss\u2019 not expecting any information and, as expected, finding none, then his father\u2019s and nothing except that fleeting reference that his own warnings had been quite unnecessary, and then Joe\u2014the sight of his brother\u2019s handwriting made his heart beat faster, he could imagine Joe writing it, hurrying to get it over and done with, he never liked writing at the best of times. He licked his lips and prepared himself to read only to find it disappointing in that the reference again was nothing substantial.<\/p>\n

However, there had been a reference, and Adam sat there, his brother\u2019s letter in his hand, his head resting in the palm of his other hand while he stared unseeing at the letter\u2026and all he could think about was Joe, dear, crazy, hot-headed Little Joe.<\/p>\n

Chapter 88<\/p>\n

The breakfast was always the best start to any day, but the day after Sarah\u2019s visit definitely started with a dark cloud hovering over it, and when Ben asked Joe if he had given any thought to what Sarah had spoken about, he was rather dismayed when his son informed him that he had.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think you can give any credence to what she was saying though, Joseph? You need to be sure if you are intending to act on what she said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSarah doesn\u2019t lie, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t intimating that she was, Joseph\u2014only that some things may appear far worse than they really are. There\u2019s always two sides to every question and that\u2019s why I\u2019d rather you made sure of the facts before you decided on getting involved in any way whatsoever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou saw those men in the cages, Pa! What does that tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt tells you that the government still think of the Sioux and the other Plains Indians are just one level above being animals. They want to kill them, exterminate them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s pretty strong language, Joe,\u201d Hoss murmured. \u201cNo government\u2019s going to try to exterminate them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you forgotten what Wynkoop told us that time we were staying at his place when Custer first came on the scene?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, no but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I thought so; you were more interested in feeding your face than listening to what he said, and why he was resigning his post there as Indian agent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did he say, Joe?\u201d Ben asked in a more conciliatory manner and smiling over his son\u2019s head at Hester who was pouring him some coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said that the government\u2019s policy was one of genocide.\u201d Joe thumped his fist on the table, making the cutlery jump and rattle. \u201cAnd it\u2019s happened before, whole nations of Indians moved from their lands, and forced to march hundreds of miles to lands alien to them. Some tribes have already died out altogether and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe,\u201d Ben raised a hand, black brows beetled above his eyes, \u201cCalm down. That visit from Sarah\u2019s got you all fired up and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it hasn\u2019t. I\u2019ve been all fired up since I saw Stalking Horse in that cage. It was only because I was injured that I didn\u2019t do anything about it then, and\u2014\u201d his voice softened, and he sighed, \u201cAnd seeing so much of Mary Ann.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust how serious are you about that little gal, Joe?\u201d Hoss looked over at Hester and winked, and smiled when she gave back her reassuring smile .<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to marry her,\u201d Joe frowned. \u201cTrouble is I can\u2019t do both, it has to be one thing at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s usually the best method, Joe.\u201d Hester smiled over at him, and handed him a plate with ham and eggs. \u201cNow, why not eat your breakfast and think about what you intend to do first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shot her a grateful look and resumed his own meal, while Joe concentrated on his and thought over the decisions that confronted him now. He sighed, rose to his feet and shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuess I\u2019ll go over and see Mary Ann first thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good, Joe. I may see you later in town; I\u2019m going in with Ann. We thought we would do some shopping\u2014\u201d she smiled over at her husband. \u201cThat is alright with you, isn\u2019t it, Hoss? You hadn\u2019t anything else planned, had you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was going to check over the bridge near Miller\u2019s Creek, noticed there was some loose planking there.\u201d Hoss replied, stabbing at another slice of ham and sliding it onto his plate.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee you all later then,\u201d Joe yelled and the next thing they heard was the slam of the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cReckon he\u2019s going to propose?\u201d Hoss lowered his voice, although he one person he wouldn\u2019t want to hear being discussed had already left the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so\u2014\u201d Hester sighed. She placed one hand on her skirts where an obvious mound was beginning to show. \u201cShe may succeed in getting him to drop this idea of going to see Stalking Horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s hope so,\u201d Ben grunted. \u201cLast time he went to sort out anything to do with the Indians he got caught up in a war.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPractically started it all on his own,\u201d Hoss guffawed, which wasn\u2019t comforting for his poor father to hear.<\/p>\n

As Joseph Cartwright waited for Mary Ann to come to the door of her house he nervously cleared his throat, shuffled several pebbles from the pathway and twisted his hat round and round in his fingers. He had been thinking over the conversation he had had with his father and Hoss at breakfast during his ride into town.<\/p>\n

For the life of him he couldn\u2019t see how anything he said or did would make any difference in Washington. If they had formulated a policy then they were going to go all out to enforce it, and a jumped-up nobody from Nevada going in telling them how wrong they were wouldn\u2019t change anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Joe, you\u2019re early.\u201d<\/p>\n

He nearly dropped his hat and then laughed at himself for doing so only he had been so immersed in his thoughts that he hadn\u2019t noticed the door open, now he leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek and take her hand in his. \u201cMary Ann\u2014can we go for a walk, somewhere nice and quiet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll just go and get my bonnet.\u201d<\/p>\n

She emerged several minutes later tying a ribbon beneath her chin and then slipped her arm through his before smiling up at him. \u201cYou looked really deep in thought when I came to the door, Joe. Is anything wrong? Hester\u2019s alright, isn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she\u2019s fine.\u201d He slipped his hat over his thick hair and pushed open the gate, stepping back to let her through and then taking her hand in his as they stepped onto the sidewalk.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

He frowned, shrugged, then looked down at her. \u201cNothing; nothing\u2019s wrong, Mary Ann. I just want to spend some time with you and\u2014\u201d he paused and took a deep breath. \u201cLet\u2019s go over to the park.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said nothing, but smiled and followed his lead. She was, however, quite certain that there was something bothering the young man for she had addressed him twice before he had realised she was standing at the door. In silence they made their way to the newly formed park, built courtesy of the Town Council only a few years earlier. He led her to a bench and once she had sat down, plunked down beside her. It was a pretty area; he glanced around to observe the trees and the flowers, then looked at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cMary Ann, I\u2014\u201d he paused, looked into her face, saw the trust and the love there, so he took her hand. \u201cMary Ann, I love you, you know that now, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think so.\u201d she smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to ask you something.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

She blushed just a little in anticipation of his question, and looked at him thoughtfully as he seemed to struggle to find the words. She squeezed his hand, and he raised it to his lips and kissed her finger tips. \u201cI\u2019m going to ask you a question and\u2014\u201d he paused again, took a deep breath, \u201cMary Ann, I love you, will you marry me?\u201d<\/p>\n

He was blushing. He could feel the heat curling above his collar and up his neck, and she laughed, leaned forward and kissed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course I will.\u201d<\/p>\n

He kissed her again, held her close just to make sure that she was real, everything about Mary Ann was\u2014well, so right, so good. He wanted to hold her and kiss her and\u2026and just be with her. Safe. That\u2019s how she made him feel, safe, just like his Momma had made him feel all those years ago, except that this was not Momma but the woman he wanted to share his whole life with\u2014forever.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to explain something to you,\u201d he said, holding her hands in both of his and looking into her eyes. \u201cI have to go away for a while. I shouldn\u2019t be long, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe,\u201d she put a hand to his face, \u201cDon\u2019t struggle to tell me whatever it may be, just say it. It\u2019ll be alright. I\u2019ll still be here; I won\u2019t go anywhere without you. I\u2019ll wait until you come back, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stroked her face, her lips he traced with his fingers; he kissed her again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to go and help some friends. I doubt if I\u2019ll be successful, but I have to know that I\u2019ve tried, they have to know that I tried. Do you understand what I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cIt\u2019s a long way from here, a long way\u2014\u201d he paused and wondered if he had been fair to expect so much from her and bowed his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I love you. If you were going to go to the moon, I\u2019d wait until you came back and then\u2014then whatever you wish of me, I\u2019ll do.\u201d She didn\u2019t say that she had already waited some years for this moment to happen, so what would a few more matter.<\/p>\n

He smiled, suddenly the light shone from behind the clouds, and he rose to his feet, took her hand and drew her up beside him. \u201cCome on then, I\u2019m going to buy you the best ring in town.\u201d And he grabbed her around the waist and twirled her around until he put her back onto her feet and kissed her.<\/p>\n

Two people strolling saw them, smiled and looked at one another, remembering the time when they had once been young and in love. Two children trailing behind them hooted and whistled and received a laugh from the young couple as they ran, hand in hand, to the main street to buy their special ring.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Roy was studying some wanted posters that had arrived in the early morning mail. With his brow furrowed and eyes squinting through his spectacles he slowly read through each words, nodding every so often when he reached the end of the sentence.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, I got that information for you,\u201d Dundy announced breathlessly, and closed the door behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThought you might.\u201d Roy muttered without moving his eyes from the poster in his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer name\u2019s Lisa Faulkner. She came into town several weeks back. Came from Genoa.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cSaw her too,\u201d he pulled out a chair and turned it round, straddled it and folded his arms across its back, \u201cShe\u2019s a real good looker, got class too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has, has she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe may have dyed her hair, you know how some women are about their hair\u2026not that you\u2019d notice that unless you were real close up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, how close up did you get to her then?\u201d Roy frowned and looked at Dundy sternly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I didn\u2019t\u2014\u201d the younger man blushed\u2014\u201cOne of the other girls told me. But all the same she sure is a good-looking woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd got some class you say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, you can tell that by looking at her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEnough class to possess some real expensive jewellery?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know about that; could be though. The girl I spoke to said the girl, Lisa, didn\u2019t seem to have much in the way of money, always borrowing from them, promising to pay it back but never actually doing so. She\u2019s got expensive clothing though. They reckon she was well off at one time, then lost it all. Either that or she stole the stuff from someone she used to work for at some time or another.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy didn\u2019t answer; he grunted and pursed his lips, but his eyes were fixed back on the poster so Dundy sighed, rose to his feet and decided to talk to one of the men locked in the cells, anticipating a better conversation from him than the one he had elicited from the sheriff.<\/p>\n

A few moments later Roy put the poster down and strolled outside. He walked about a little and then leaned against a post, watching people coming and going.<\/p>\n

He saw Joe and Mary Ann disappear into the jeweller\u2019s and smiled. He\u2019d always been fond of Joseph Cartwright, a lad who had got into more trouble, and caused more trouble, than anyone he had ever known. As for the young lady, well, she was turning out to be a really nice schoolteacher and pretty to look at as well.<\/p>\n

He raised his hat to the two ladies who drove past him a few minutes later. Ann Canady and Hester Cartwright sat side by side on the wagon seat and smiled down at him as they went their way. He heaved in a deep breath and then exhaled; seeing young Hoss Cartwright\u2019s wife like that brought back all kinds of memories, and the hard fact of the matter was that he was getting old.<\/p>\n

He glanced across to the Sazarac when a movement caught his eye. He lowered his hat a little to shade it from the sun, but there was no mistaking the elegant figure of\u2014Lisa Faulkner. She was standing on the sidewalk looking up and down the street, and then across at the wagon which had pulled up nearby. Watching her Roy got the distinct impression that Lisa Faulkner was none too happy at seeing Ann and Hester together. He now turned to look at the two women clambering down from the wagon, smiling and chatting together.<\/p>\n

The direction they chose to take meant that they would have to pass the jeweller\u2019s, and like many women, they paused to peek inside through the window. Roy noticed Hester pointing to something and speaking to Ann who was nodding her head and looking anxious. Within minutes they had gone inside the shop.<\/p>\n

Roy straightened his shoulders and his back; from the corner of his eye he could see Ingrid (Lisa Faulkner) crossing the road. She walked close to the jeweller\u2019s shop and glanced inside but didn\u2019t stop. He followed her with his eyes and watched as she stepped off the sidewalk for a moment as several men walked by, taking up all the room and not prepared to step back for a lady to pass along.<\/p>\n

Dr. John Martin was almost right behind them, and Roy watched as she stepped in front of him, smiled and said something which brought a shake of the head from John before he strode onwards, his face controlled but Roy could tell simmering anger when he saw it.<\/p>\n

He waited a while longer until she had gone from his vision, then deciding he had seen enough, he returned to his office and put the coffee pot on to boil.<\/p>\n

Chapter 89<\/p>\n

Mr. Coutts turned to see who was entering the store and seeing Hester and Ann gave Joe an apologetic smile,<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I may just go and see to these ladies, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah, sure, we\u2019ve got plenty of time\u2026\u201d Joe drawled and looked at the tray of rings and then at Mary Ann, took hold of her hand and smiled at the pretty pink in her cheeks and the way her eyes beamed up at him. He turned his head at the sound of a familiar voice, and seeing Hester, called over to her, \u201cHey, Hester \u2026 I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d see you in here! You buying Hoss a little something special?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not really,\u201d Hester replied with a rather anxious expression on her face, and then she saw Mary Ann and her eyes went from her face to Joe\u2019s and then back to Mary Ann. \u201cOh, Joe, are you buying Mary Ann a little something special?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you, Joe? Is it congratulations?\u201d Ann piped up, and laughed.<\/p>\n

Seemingly whatever had caused their anxiety and prompted them to enter the store was now forgotten, or put to one side, as they waited for Joe and Mary Ann to speak. Mary Ann glanced at Joe and smiled, he squeezed her fingers between his own and then grinned at Hester and Ann. \u201cWe\u2019re looking at rings.\u201d he muttered, \u201cMary Ann and I are going to get engaged.\u201d Then he nearly fell backwards as Hester flung her arms around him and hugged him as best she could, and then she hugged Mary Ann. \u201cI take it you\u2019re pleased?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Joe, yes, more than you can imagine. Mary Ann, how lovely\u2026\u201d Hester heaved a sigh, and kissed the other girl on the cheek. \u201cI\u2019m so happy for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo am I.\u201d Ann said, hugging them both. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be lovely. Are you going to have a party?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2014I should think so,\u201d Hester cried, \u201cOh, you must have a party.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I want to find the perfect ring first, and then tell Pa, and\u2014\u201d he turned to Mary Ann, \u201cand I have to write and tell Adam my news. He\u2019ll just be so pleased, I know how much he respected and liked Mary Ann\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s lovely news,\u201d Ann clasped her hands together and rose up on her tip toes with delight, \u201cHave you found a ring yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I can\u2019t seem to see anything I like yet.\u201d Mary Ann said at which Mr. Coutts immediately appeared at their elbow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve some more rings over here, if you\u2019d care to come this way.\u201d he looked at Hester. \u201cEr\u2014about the matter you came in to see me about, Mrs. Cartwright, I can\u2019t really help you, I\u2019m afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester sighed, she and Ann exchanged a glance between them and thanked Mr. Coutts for his trouble before they left the store.<\/p>\n

Once outside they both stood at the window and looked at the little piece of jewellery again.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnn, I\u2019m sure it\u2019s the same piece, there can\u2019t be a duplicate because Mother had it made especially for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWeren\u2019t there earrings to match?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s right, the complete set was this clasp, a necklace, and the ear rings.\u201d She peered closer, so much so that she bumped her head against the glass. \u201cI wish I could have looked at it more closely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe gave the set to Ingrid as a wedding present, didn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAn engagement gift. I remember Ingrid\u2019s mother turning her nose up at them; she said opals were bad luck.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense.\u201d Ann frowned and together they turned and made their way to the Emporium, both deep in thought. \u201cIt must have been stolen from Ingrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe did say that everything had been taken from her. Oh, poor Ingrid, I shouldn\u2019t have been so harsh on her, Ann.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou weren\u2019t, you were completely right in everything you said and did. Hoss wouldn\u2019t have wanted you to have acted towards her any other way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShould I go and see Roy about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ann was already distracted by a little dress that would look just so cute on Rose; she paused and shook her head. \u201cNo, let\u2019s wait and see if the other pieces turn up. Perhaps Mr. Coutts has the other pieces as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Ann, do you think he realises he\u2019s handling stolen goods\u2026again?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ann looked at her cousin in dismay; the last thing she wanted was her shopping expedition ruined now, especially an afternoon spent without a hot and sticky baby being carried around. She slipped her arm through Hester\u2019s and led her towards the dress.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you think that would look lovely on Rosy?\u201d she sighed in rapture.<\/p>\n

Hester looked at it thoughtfully, smiled and nodded, then her smile widened at the thought that the little girl could wear it at Joe and Mary Ann\u2019s engagement party. After mentioning that to Ann it was just a matter of handing over the money and seeing the dress wrapped up in pretty paper for them to take away.<\/p>\n

Joe was passing money over as well; his future bride was busy looking at her hand with the ring on her finger. She smiled at Joe, and then took it off and handed it to him,<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful, Joe. Thank you so much.\u201d She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you going to wear it?\u201d He looked hurt, and gazed down at the ring as though suddenly wondering if she really liked it that much after all.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot here. Let\u2019s go back to the park\u2026\u201d she whispered and slipped her arm through his, and smiled up into his face. \u201cYou can put it on my finger there and then we can talk about any future plans you have\u2014will that be alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester and Ann left the Emporium with several bundles in their arms. Laughing and chattering together they made their way to the wagon and put the items into the back. Then they strolled off to the little restaurant where they had something to eat, a few sandwiches and cake washed down with tea, and in Hester\u2019s case, hot water.<\/p>\n

In the park Joe whispered his proposal to Mary Ann and sealed it with a kiss, then slipped the ring onto her finger. It was a beautiful day, the scent of roses was a memory he would keep in his mind of that moment, just as she would keep the memory of his kiss upon her lips and his hand gently pressing against her back.<\/p>\n

Roy was strolling towards the jeweller\u2019s again as Hester and Ann passed him with more parcels in their arms. If Hester hesitated a moment, Roy gave no indication of noticing, his attention being drawn to the sight of the woman he knew as Lisa Faulkner walking slowly on the opposite side of the street and looking over at the two women every so often as though she were making up her mind as to whether or not she should cross the street and speak to them.<\/p>\n

Ann took the reins and flicked them and the horses lurched forwards pulling the wagon along behind. Roy watched them go, turned and saw Ingrid stop and watch them leave in the direction of the road that would take them to the Ponderosa. When Ingrid turned to return to the Sazarac, Roy was about to step into the street to follow her but Mr. Coutts called for him to come into the shop, he had something to tell him.<\/p>\n

Chapter 90<\/p>\n

Roy followed the jeweller into the shop and waited patiently while the fussy little man turned the sign on his door to \u2018Closed\u2019. Then he waited a little more as Coutts locked the door to make sure those who couldn\u2019t read wouldn\u2019t intrude on the conversation that was to follow. He took a deep breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were right, Sheriff, it is a woman behind all this, but\u2014\u201d he shook his head, \u201cI can\u2019t believe that it\u2019s Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright?\u201d Roy blinked; it still took him some seconds to register that Mrs. Cartwright referred to Hoss\u2019 wife and not Ben\u2019s. He sighed. \u201cMrs. Cartwright?\u201d he repeated in a more neutral tone of voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cS\u2019right, came in here and wanted to know where I got the clasp from, but I didn\u2019t need to say anything because I had other customers here at the time. She said she would come in and see me some other time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy gave Coutts a long stare from his pale blue eyes and then nodded slowly, sighed again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mr. Coutts, that\u2019s interesting information, and I appreciate it. Keep your ears and eyes open now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI shall do, sir.\u201d Coutts nodded and bustled over to the door which he slowly unlocked and opened. \u201cSurprising, isn\u2019t it? Who\u2019d have thought it would have been Mrs. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho indeed?\u201d Roy paused at the door and leaned in close, so close that Coutts could smell the coffee on Roy\u2019s breath. \u201cDon\u2019t tell anyone about this, it could hinder progress if you do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t say a single word, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy nodded, doubting much if Coutts meant a word of his assurance of silence and anticipating that he would be disclosing the information as soon as he had a listening ear. He glanced over at the Sazarac and sighed, glanced up and down the road to see what was going on, and was about to step into the road when his eye caught sight of something lying in the dirt.<\/p>\n

He picked it up and stared at it for a moment, then stood up and glanced down the street. He scowled, looked at what was in his hand and then at the wheel ruts where the wagon had been positioned and then he was hurrying back to his office.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the hurry, Roy?\u201d Joe asked as he saw the sheriff rushing anxiously along the sidewalk.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor Pete\u2019s sake, Joe, git on that horse and ride on after your sister-in-law, git her to stop the wagon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop the wagon?\u201d Joe frowned, and stepped into the road in order to mount up on Sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t waste time, git moving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe pulled Sport round and urged the big horse into a gallop, scattering housewives and children as he went. Roy hurried on; saw Paul Martin about to clamber into his buggy.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul\u2014Paul!\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul frowned, paused, turned to look after his old friend and raised a hand, smiled and waved, and was about to resume getting into the buggy when Roy shouted, \u201cGet into that buggy of your\u2019n and follow Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFollow Joe?\u201d Paul stood slack mouthed and stared at Roy in confusion.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust follow him, and hurry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Ingrid was shaking as she closed the door to her room. The impulsive action that she had just performed was rash and dangerous, an action that could lead to a prison sentence if nothing else. She began to wipe her hands on a cloth; axle grease left its smell and she longed to have some sweet soap to wash her hands with but in her cramped quarters such luxuries weren\u2019t so freely available.<\/p>\n

It had been so easy to loosen, just to twist the screw head a few turns and loosen the nut and bolt that attached the wagon\u2019s singletree to the apparatus on the horses\u2019 harness. Someone had recently greased it well and she had been surprised at how quickly it had turned just by a few movements of her fingers. The best part of all was that no one had noticed, it had been that quick, that deft.<\/p>\n

But fear was upon her now. It was one thing to attempt to bribe an infatuated cowboy into committing murder, but to perform an action that could actually lead to someone else\u2019s death was quite another thing altogether.<\/p>\n

She paced the floor for a few moments and then made her decision. Pulling clothes from drawers and cupboards she began to fill her case once again, carefully putting the last of her jewels at the bottom. There was a stagecoach leaving in less than an hour; she didn\u2019t know where it was actually going, but she was certainly going to be on it.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Hester was laughing as she sat beside Ann on the journey home. Their talk had been about Joe\u2019s engagement to Mary Ann, and about the ring which was \u201cbeautiful\u201d \u201cdarling\u201d and \u201cperfect.\u201d They discussed the party they would hold for the couple and what they themselves would wear, and Hester was lamenting the fact that her clothes made her look so fat now. The horses were trotting along and she had every confidence in Ann\u2019s control of the reins.<\/p>\n

The wind was light, loosening her hair so that strands of it flew across her face and she closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the freedom of moments like this. \u201cBarbara won\u2019t have minded having Rose for so long, will she?\u201d she murmured.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, she\u2019s fine about it. There\u2019s no school today so Lilith will be playing with Rosie, she just loves tha\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester still had her eyes shut when she heard Ann\u2019s sharp cry of alarm; her cousin clutched at her arm, yelled something about the brake and the next thing she knew, the wagon was lurching out of control and the horses were running with their harness and lines trailing behind them.<\/p>\n

They were on a section of the road that was reasonably flat, for which they were both grateful as the wagon had less chance of rolling backwards or hurtling forwards had they been on either an incline or drop in the road. As it was it was moving erratically under its own momentum along the track.<\/p>\n

\u201cPull up the brake\u2014\u201d Ann cried<\/p>\n

Hester did so, aware that if she jerked it up too sharply the wagon could back up on itself. She was applying herself to the task when the nearside front wheel struck a rock which pushed the wagon back into the road where it teetered for a moment before coming to a shuddering halt.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Hester whispered, and seeing Ann\u2019s face so white and shocked, she felt a wave of nausea sweep over her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could have been killed,\u201d Ann whispered and promptly burst into tears.<\/p>\n

Hester stared ahead at the road, and then she turned and hugged her cousin close, and was about to speak when there came the sound of hoofbeats. Turning she saw Joe on Sport, and sagged with relief; her whole body felt light at the realisation that they were not alone and help had come. She was further reassured when Roy cantered up, his fatherly face openly anxious and then just as openly showing his relief and pleasure at seeing them unhurt.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could have been killed,\u201d Joe was saying as he dismounted and hurried over to the wagon.<\/p>\n

He assisted them both down, and when Ann looked as though she were about to pass out he helped her to sit down on the grass, while he got water from the canteen.<\/p>\n

Roy dismounted and hurried over to them, was reassured that they were both alright and then walked over to the wagon. Joe joined him, and together they stood and stared at the wagon as though in its silent and stationary state it would be able to tell them something they didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The door closed behind the elderly doctor and he placed his bag carefully upon the table, before turning to look out of the window with a contemplative air. John, who had been busy writing out some prescriptions, glanced over at him. \u201cAnything wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just thinking…\u201d Paul observed. \u201cWatching those people going about their business, we just don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on in their minds do we? Who would think that perhaps that dear old lady over there\u2014Mrs. Cunningham in fact\u2014was actually planning to put arsenic into her husband\u2019s meal tonight, or that Mr. Jackson was considering ways to dispose of his mother and run off with one of the saloon girls from the Bucket of Blood.\u201d<\/p>\n

John gave a short snort of laughter and turned the chair so that he was facing his uncle.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat on earth has brought this on? Are you becoming delusional, Uncle Paul?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sadly not. I\u2019m just speaking my thoughts aloud about the way humans can appear to be so \u2018normal\u2019 when actually considering the most evil deeds imaginable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, I accept that fact,\u201d John nodded. \u201cBut what has brought you into considering that now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone tried to kill Mrs. Canady and Mrs. Cartwright,\u201d Paul said and now removed his hat which joined his bag on the table. \u201cRoy hasn\u2019t said much but I think he has a good idea on who it was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened? Has someone tried to shoot them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no\u2014\u201d he shook his head, \u201cThat would require planning, I think. This was, in my opinion, a spur of the moment thing, an impulse.\u201d He told his nephew how the two women had narrowly avoided death in the wagon incident. \u201cHad they been going uphill or downhill, the matter could have been disastrous. I would have arrived too late to have saved either of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes Roy think it was attempted murder?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe found an important piece of evidence lying at his feet in the road\u2014just outside Coutts the Jeweller\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

John stared at him for a moment, cleared his throat and asked where the two ladies were now, and was told that Joseph Cartwright had been nearby and had managed to catch the horses, get the wagon re-hitched, and the ladies returned to the Ponderosa…apparently unscathed but certainly shaken.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you know,\u201d Paul further went on to say, \u201cthat an attempt had been made on Joe Cartwright\u2019s life some time back? His horse, Cochise, was shot dead as a result.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCochise? But Joe loved that horse!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLove doesn\u2019t prevent a bullet from killing those we love, John,\u201d Paul sighed. \u201cI can remember when Joe got that horse, it was an incredibly beautiful animal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes Roy know who\u2014who tried to kill him\u2014Joe, I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has his suspicions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Ingrid had her fingers on the door handle when it moved and the door was pushed open from the other side. Stepping back in surprise she almost fell over her own case. \u201cJohn? What are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI could ask you the same question. In fact, I think I did ask you when I first saw you back here in Virginia City. Why did you come back, Ingrid?\u201d<\/p>\n

He had closed the door behind him and leaned against it, then having noticed her bags packed and ready for her departure, he shook his head. \u201cRunning away, are we?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what you mean. Leave me alone; John, let me go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Leave me alone, John,\u2019\u201d he snarled. \u201cWell, that\u2019s rather a different tune than the one you\u2019re usually playing, isn\u2019t it? Why do you want me to leave you alone, Ingrid, particularly now?\u201d<\/p>\n

He stepped forward and grabbed at her, and when she ducked away, seemingly terrified by his touch, he stopped and stared at her as though confused. Then he nodded and stepped back again. \u201cDid you try to kill them, Ingrid?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cHester and Ann.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what you mean, John.\u201d She swallowed noisily; her face, always beautiful, now wore a look of tragedy upon it\u2014had she been portraying Lady Macbeth she would have been magnificent.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, then let\u2019s get back to my first question\u2026where are you going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAway from here. I\u2019m taking Mr. Cartwright up on his offer and moving away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBen Cartwright made you an offer? To do what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve just told you\u2014to leave here, move away.\u201d<\/p>\n

John shook his head and smiled, he folded his arms and leaned against the door,<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no, my dear, you aren\u2019t getting away with things that easily.\u201d And if the look on his face appeared a little self-satisfied and smug, perhaps one couldn\u2019t really blame him.<\/p>\n

Chapter 91<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw you by the wagon, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

This statement by John made Ingrid go white; she could feel the colour drain from her as she wondered who else would have seen her so close to the wagon. She recalled how she had actually spoken to John, tried to draw his attention away from the jeweller\u2019s and noticing that clasp, the one she had worn several times when with him.<\/p>\n

She clasped her hands together and began to pace the room nervously while all the time casting quick glances over at him as he remained standing by the door; eventually he shifted his position and stepped further into the room, picked up her bag as though to open it and look inside. She stopped her pacing and just froze to watch him, but he did nothing more than stand by the bed with his hands resting on the bag\u2019s lock.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, tell me, Ingrid, how did you do it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you manage to remove the pin from the wagon so that it would pull free during their journey home? Did you think, while you were doing it, that you would kill them both, and the baby? Did you give a thought to the harm you could have done? What if they had survived, with broken bones or perhaps, been permanently paralysed \u2026 did you think of that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ingrid stared at him and drew herself up haughtily. Oh yes, she had thought all of those things afterwards. Everything he had mentioned she had thought about, but while it had frightened her, at the same time she had felt triumphant. Revenge, as they say, can be sweet.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re talking rubbish.\u201d she said softly, \u201cI don\u2019t know anything about a wagon\u2026you haven\u2019t even explained what it is you\u2019re talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have to explain, Ingrid. What about the night Joe was shot at\u2026someone meant to kill him; was that you? Who did you pay to kill him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re being ridiculous. I never thought the day would come when I would think of you as being so stupid, John.\u201d She paused, turned away and walked to the window where she moved the curtain slightly to one side. \u201cWhy should I want to kill Joseph Cartwright? Or harm Hester and Ann?\u201d She turned to face him, \u201cJohn, you loved me once, or said that you did, couldn\u2019t you look back to those days and remember what we talked about, and how much you said you cared and would do anything for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook his head and turned away from her, as though the sight of her and the memory of those days shamed him. She leaned forwards towards him. \u201cJohn, I loved you then; couldn\u2019t you find it in your heart to help me now? If people think I did these\u2014terrible\u2014things, they won\u2019t give me a second chance, especially if the Cartwrights are against me too. Help me, John, help me now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only thing I\u2019m going to do now is take you down to the sheriff.\u201d John scowled. \u201cYou can talk your heart out to him.\u201d He turned towards her. \u201cIngrid, you forget how well I know you. I know you so well that I can see right down into that black heart of yours, and if you think that denying what happened today will make me trust and believe you, then think again.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said nothing to that, but turned away from him and stared at the dressing table and into the mirror. She was beautiful, why couldn\u2019t he believe her? Time was running out and she had to get that coach. She turned again, he was still standing, his back to her now as he seemed interested in the other bag on the floor. She had picked up some scissors from the dressing table, left there by some accidental chance, and she walked towards him.<\/p>\n

He heard the rustle of her skirts and turned towards her. His face, handsome and distinguished with that gentleness so obviously inherited from his Uncle Paul, looked into hers; she smiled, her lips trembled and tears spiked her eyelashes. \u201cVery well, John. If you wish\u2014but\u2014just one last embrace? For old time\u2019s sake?\u201d<\/p>\n

He hesitated, then stepped towards her and she, all exultant, plunged the scissors into his body.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Candy tugged at the button on his vest anxiously; his blue eyes turned from Hester to Ann, and he shook his head and sighed as the two women told their family what had happened. \u201cIt was my fault,\u201d he said, \u201cI meant to tighten that fitting before you left.\u201d He put a hand to his brow, as though to shield his eyes from their surprised gaze. \u201cI greased it well, and realised then that it needed to be tightened. Anyone could loosen it, even a child.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one\u2019s saying it was deliberately loosened, Candy,\u201d Hoss muttered. \u201c\u2019Cause if it were then that would mean someone in town was deliberately wanting to hurt or kill Ann and Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just so sorry,\u201d he whispered, and fell onto one knee and grabbed at Ann\u2019s hand, kissed it, and held her close. \u201cI don\u2019t know what I would have done without you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Hester glanced at one another: the look said the words and he walked to her and placed one hand on her shoulder while the other took her hand in his.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou both showed great presence of mind,\u201d Ben walked towards the hearth and stared down at the logs as though they could unravel the mysteries of what was going on around them, \u201cIf someone was deliberately attempting to hurt you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would anyone want to do that, Pa? There ain\u2019t nobody would want to hurt Hester or Ann,\u201d Hoss protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t think there was anyone in town wanted me dead, but obviously there was someone.\u201d Joe muttered from his seat in the corner, the blue chair, one leg crossed over the other, and as they looked at him he shrugged. \u201cAny higher and that bullet would have been in me. You could say that Cochise\u2019s last act on earth was to save my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Candy was feeling too miserable to accept this explanation. He pushed his fingers through his thick hair and shook his head. \u201cNo, I\u2019m solely responsible for what happened today. The fittings were loose, the vibration of the movements of the wagon loosened it still more and the lynch pin fell free when it was stationary in town. That was down to me; it was my fault.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy did find the lynch pin,\u201d Joe said, \u201cBut I still think someone deliberately loosened the fitting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Candy looked at Ben, then shook his head. \u201cWell, whatever you think, I contributed towards the accident.\u201d He looked now at Hester, \u201cI\u2019m so sorry, Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s enough talk about it now,\u201d Hester said taking hold of his hand and leaning forward to kiss his cheek, \u201cBy God\u2019s good grace we were kept safe, Joe and Roy came along to help us, and even Paul arrived to patch us up and care for us. Now, let\u2019s not talk about it anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

She and Hoss walked out with the Canadys and stood side-by-side to wave them farewell, then Hoss took Hester into his arms and held her close; she could feel his hot breath against her neck,<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I could have lived without you, Hester, if anything had happened to you or the baby\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow then.\u201d She stepped back and looked at his face, the tears in the blue eyes a testimony to his love for her. She kissed him, \u201cNow then,\u201d she repeated. \u201cNo more talk about it. We\u2019re safe\u2026we\u2019re together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben closed the door after seeing the Canadys depart, and Hoss and Hester embracing, he turned and looked over at Joe, who was staring at the logs in much the same manner that he had done earlier.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything wrong, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, nothing,\u201d Joe mumbled<\/p>\n

They said nothing for a few moments and then Joe cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is something, actually, Pa. I got engaged to Mary Ann earlier this afternoon.
\nI\u2019d sure like to arrange a party for her this weekend if it\u2019s all the same to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s smile was warm and generous, his eyes gleamed from the pleasure he felt at knowing that his son had found someone to love, someone who would respect and love him in return. He was shaking Joe\u2019s hand when Hoss and Hester returned to the room, and with the merry talk about weddings, engagements and parties the horror of the day\u2019s events were neatly tucked to one side.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

It was some hours later, as night was descending, that there came a knock on the door. Hoss was the one to open it and step to one side as Roy entered the room, sweeping his hat off as he did so.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Evening Ben, boys, Miss Hester.\u201d His eyes roved around the room, and seeing no one else there he hesitated and waited for Ben to order him to sit down.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat brings this late night visit, Roy?. Anything serious?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, yes, Ben, I reckon on it being serious.\u201d He sat down and thanked them for the seat, and then frowned, the bushy eyebrows almost obscuring his eyes. \u201cFact of the matter is that Doctor John Martin was injured today. He was stabbed by Mrs. Ingrid Buchanan\u2026that\u2019s your sister-in-law, Miss Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester nodded and grabbed at Hoss\u2019 hand, she cleared her throat. \u201cWhy did she stab John?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause he was trying to prevent her from getting out of town. She was all packed up and ready to go, but he tried to stop her, so she stabbed him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he\u2014is he going to be alright?\u201d she asked<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was touch and go; good thing Paul was still in town and not gone to the Pritchards\u2019 to deliver that baby of theirs.\u201d Roy sighed and accepted the drink that Ben passed over to him; he sniffed, said something about being careful not to fall off his horse on the way back to town, and took a decent-sized gulp.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat exactly has been happening, Roy, can you tell us?\u201d Ben asked in a cautious manner.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s like this\u2026\u201d He paused, reached for his back pocket, then thought different, and took some more whiskey. \u201cMrs. Buchanan changed her name to Lisa Faulkner and worked at the Sazarac. She claimed she worked there because she had no money and her work brought her into contact with certain people, some were young, impressionable men whom she used, so it seems, to do something for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuch as?\u201d Joe stood up, his back to the hearth and hands clasped behind his back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we found some letters in Jim\u2019s pockets, you remember Jim, he and his friend Peter got killed in a fight some nights ago. Dr. John Martin found some letters in Jim\u2019s pockets, along with a piece of expensive jewellery. He told us that he had seen that jewellery before but couldn\u2019t think where, so we put it in Coutts\u2019 window on display to see who would enquire about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI noticed Mrs. Buchanan show some interest in it, but she didn\u2019t go inside, probably worried that Coutts would recognise her because of that ring fiasco some time back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on, Roy.\u201d Hoss urged.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen Miss Hester, you recognised it today, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I did. It was a piece from a bespoke set made for my family. My mother gave it to Ingrid as an engagement present. I went in to enquire from Mr. Coutts as to where he had got it\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cS\u2019right, so you did, and he told me. I thought then\u2014there could only be one person that could connect the jewellery to you and that was Mrs. Buchanan. However, it didn\u2019t explain how it got into Jim\u2019s pocket. After all he could have stolen it.\u201d<\/p>\n

They waited as he paused to take another gulp of the whiskey, then he stared ahead at the table leg for a moment to collect his thoughts. \u201cA few hours ago I had a visit from a young lady who had been sparking with young Jim. She thought it was going to lead to them being married and he said quite recently that he would soon have the means to pay for a wedding, if she would just be patient. But then he started cooling off in his attentions to her and she found out from Peter, his best friend, that Jim had been seen spending a lot of time with a saloon girl called Lisa.\u201d He sucked at his teeth then before he continued. \u201cOne of the letters in his pocket was addressed to her, and she brung it to the office for me to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, go on, Roy, what did it say?\u201d Joe prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a confession from the lad, said he was too ashamed to come courting her now as he had done something real bad. A \u2018friend\u2019 had given him something that he could turn into a lot of money in return for which he had to kill Joe. Seems that Jim was the one killed your horse, young feller.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid?\u201d Hester whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems like it, though of course this is all not solid evidence\u2026guess you\u2019d call it all circumstantial. Like what happened today\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about today?\u201d Hoss asked, one brow raised and his head craned forward as though determined not to miss a word.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat what happened to the wagon was no accident \u2026 she was the one took the chance to loosen the fittings. I saw her step back against the wagon at one stage, when some idiots passed by and pushed her off the sidewalk. She hadn\u2019t probably thought about it before, so it wasn\u2019t premeditated, nothing like that, but she took the opportunity to loosen it\u2026perhaps she felt it was already loose, or loose enough for her to work free. I found the lynch pin on the ground, knew for sure what it was doing there, and who had done it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe wanted to kill us?\u201d Hester groaned softly and buried her face in her hands, \u201cI should have helped her\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019d have bitten your hand off, had you tried, my dear,\u201d Ben said gently and sighed as he looked at Roy. \u201cSo where is she now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOn her way to Placerville. I\u2019ve cabled ahead to the sheriff there to apprehend her.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cHe remembered seeing her by the wagon this afternoon when Paul told him about the accident, and then he remembered where he had seen that jewellery before, so he went to her room to stop her from going anywhere. He was bringing her to see me when she stabbed him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he is going to be alright?\u201d Joe asked now, wondering whether this was a good time to suggest that they all had something stronger than coffee to drink now.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, hopefully so.\u201d Roy rose to his feet, \u201cAnymore news I git, I\u2019ll bring along to you folks.\u201d<\/p>\n

He refused another glass of whiskey, smiled at them, although sadly, and left the house. In the silence of the room they could hear the sound of his horse leaving the yard. For a while no one could think of what to say as their minds were too full .<\/p>\n

Chapter 92<\/p>\n

As the stagecoach had left Virginia City Ingrid Buchanan had sat in the corner of the vehicle in an attempt to make herself as small as she possibly could, and thereby go unnoticed. It was bad enough that the clerk at the ticket counter had recognised her from the Sazarac, for when she had gone for the ticket he had cheerily addressed her as Miss Lisa \u201cHow you a-doing, Miss Lisa?\u201d and had given her the gawkiest grin imaginable, which had totally repelled her.<\/p>\n

Three other people had boarded the stagecoach and none of them had known her. As the coach left the town and the buildings had fallen away into the background until they had disappeared altogether, Ingrid had remained silent, eyes downcast, her bonnet lowered over her face and her jacket buttoned up to the neck.<\/p>\n

Her fellow passengers had been a young man, handsome in a quiet, rather stern way, and a young married couple who had spent most of the time whispering and giggling together. They were not going far, having made a prior arrangement with the driver that they would be dropped off midway between town and way station so that some relative would pick them up in his wagon and take them to their new home some miles further to the east.<\/p>\n

They had reached the way station at the time Roy was leaving the Ponderosa. They had not spoken, although they had glanced at one another throughout the journey, tentatively smiled, nodded and resumed their contemplations.<\/p>\n

It had seemed to Ingrid that if she removed her gloves the whole world would scream at her \u201cMurderess;\u201d the blood would still be there, John\u2019s blood, staining her hands and in her fingernails. She wondered what the young man would have said if he had known he were sharing the vehicle with a woman who had killed a good, decent, lovely young man and ridden away without getting any help for him. She huddled further into the corner and wondered if John were still there, curled over in a foetal position on the floor of her room with the blood seeping through his clothes. She closed her eyes and tried to shut out the scene from her memory.<\/p>\n

The way station had proven warm and comfortable. Mr. and Mrs. Mueller had prepared a good hearty meal and strong coffee and tea. Seeing the whiteness of the female passenger\u2019s face and the smudged darkness under her eyes, Mrs. Mueller had assumed Ingrid was ill and encouraged her to sit closer to the fire. \u201cCome, dear, take off your jacket and bonnet and gloves, relax now and let me fix you something to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not hungry. Just something to drink.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her hands were clean. She stared at them and turned them over and over. No grease, no blood but as white as they could be, and she leaned back and closed her eyes and felt weak with relief. She drank a little and even ate some bread, still warm and crusty with butter and cheese.<\/p>\n

She sat there getting some comfort from the fire when she was aware of the young man standing next to her. As she looked up, he smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I join you here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you wish,\u201d she knew her reply was far from gracious, but it was said before she could think and she watched him as he took a seat opposite her.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy name is David, David McArthur.\u201d He extended a hand, strong and masculine, and he gripped her firmly<\/p>\n

\u201cIngrid Buchanan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cForgive me for being intrusive but I couldn\u2019t help but notice that you seem to be sad about something. Is there anything I can do to help?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you, some kind of pastor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not really, although I have a lot of respect for the Bible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, either you are or you aren\u2019t,\u201d she said and gave a slightly derisive shrug of the shoulders, turned her back to him, and gazed into the fire. That was all she needed, someone to spout religion at her. She closed her eyes and saw John\u2019s face looking at her\u2026cautious, anxious, pitying. Why did he look at her with pity?<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose you believe in heaven and hell? A God who forgives and then condemns\u2026\u201d she said, and was surprised that she had even bothered to prolong the conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he is a forgiving God,\u201d the young man replied rather slowly, as though cautious as to how to reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow bad do you have to be before he stops forgiving?\u201d<\/p>\n

He just stared at her for a moment. In all honesty he had never seen anyone so beautiful; she looked like an angel, the kind one saw in coloured glass on the church windows, all golden hair and so lovely to look upon that one didn\u2019t dare touch them but just stared at them in awe. Her dyed yellow hair had loosened and some curls trailed over her shoulder, and when his silence had become too long she glanced at him from over her shoulder and smiled.<\/p>\n

He gasped, oh yes, she was beautiful, beautiful! She had that agonised look about her seen in pictures of the saints. He cleared his throat and looked down at the book that was resting on his knee. If he read some of the verses there perhaps he wouldn\u2019t be thinking some of the things that were crossing his mind right now which were certainly not about anything spiritual.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t know the answer, do you? That book doesn\u2019t have the answer, does it?\u201d Her voice was soft and even though the words were not what he wanted to hear, being derisive of something he cared about, the way they were spoken was like music to his ears.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course it does.\u201d He licked his lips and frowned in concentration. \u201cThere\u2019s the example of Manasseh, a King of Judah. He opposed God; he even sacrificed his own sons to foreign pagan gods…he did wicked things. But he humbled himself and asked for mercy and was forgiven. I think he was one of the most wicked men in the Bible \u2026\u201d he frowned, obviously not quite so sure.<\/p>\n

She sighed and leaned her head back against the chair, the fire was dying down and the flare of the flames that remained cast soft shadows across their faces, the lovely young woman and the handsome young man.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you believe in God?\u201d he whispered timidly and stretched out to touch her, just her hand, that was all.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be so ridiculous,\u201d she said in a voice of cold contempt and he pulled his hand back as though his fingers had been burned, not by flame, but by ice. She rose to her feet. \u201cIs there a room for me to sleep in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course,\u201d Mrs. Mueller hurried towards them, a candlestick with a guttering candle in her hand. \u201cThis way, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the room she put down the candle and slumped down on the bed. Her head hurt her and her throat ached. She hadn\u2019t wanted to harm John, why had he come, why couldn\u2019t he have left her alone? She rolled onto her back and stared up at the shadows of the ceiling above her head. Was there a God who could see through the roof of this dirty building? Could he see into her heart?<\/p>\n

In the morning David McArthur took his seat at the breakfast table and smiled, thanking Mrs. Mueller for the breakfast she had provided.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs the lady joining us?\u201d He looked over at the door to her room, eager to see this angel in the daylight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did knock on the door earlier,\u201d Mrs. Mueller said. \u201cHeard her moving about in the night; she was restless.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I heard someone go outside,\u201d Mr. Mueller said and put more wood into the fire.<\/p>\n

Pete the driver looked over at Jake, the man who rode shotgun, and raised his eyes to heaven. That would mean a delay; no doubt the female was spending time to pretty herself up to make herself more attractive to this young man who already looked besotted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s strange; she\u2019s not there,\u201d Mrs. Mueller announced after having peered into the room. \u201cNor is the candlestick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe must have taken it with her to see her way outside.\u201d Mr. Mueller said, \u201cWhat\u2019s her name again? I\u2019ll give her a call\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Mrs. Buchanan\u201d McArthur volunteered the information anxiously and rose to his feet, \u201cDo you think she may have got lost?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t get lost here,\u201d Mrs. Mueller said with a short laugh, and then shivered, perhaps people who didn\u2019t know their way around could get lost, it hadn\u2019t happened but\u2026just possibly it could.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s wild cats about, had problems with them lately,\u201d Mueller muttered and took his gun from the rack before going outside.<\/p>\n

They heard him calling out for her.<\/p>\n

Pete and Jake went out eventually and called for her as well, they began to search the place in case she had fallen or got lost. All the horses were accounted for, nothing had been taken. Her luggage was still in the trunk of the stagecoach where it had been left. It was Jake who found a foot print and later, found another.<\/p>\n

Then they found Ingrid Buchanan, only she didn\u2019t look like Ingrid Buchanan anymore: just like a broken doll, shattered and smashed.<\/p>\n

During the night she must have needed the outside amenities, so they surmised, but taken a wrong turning, she had fallen forwards, perhaps tripped over her long skirts. She had fallen into a slight incline filled with boulders and rocks. It hadn\u2019t been steep, she had not travelled far in her fall, but the rocks had put an end to the life of Ingrid Fitzgerald Buchanan, and had snuffed it out as easily as the night breeze had snuffed out the candle flame she had been holding in her hand.<\/p>\n

Chapter 93<\/p>\n

The Virginian seemed to glide into her berth at Tripoli harbour. It was one of the smoothest manoeuvres Adam had seen performed and he congratulated the helmsman warmly. Now it was a case of all hands on deck to throw out the ropes, tie and secure them to the bollards lining the wharf side and setting the gangway in place so that all their papers could be checked over and stamped by the necessary authorities.<\/p>\n

He stood on the bridge and watched as his crew worked together like a well oiled machine, each knowing his place and doing his job excellently. It made him realise that during the days he had been on board he had taken little time to get to know his men. Seeing them in action gave him reason to give credit to the commanding officers who had preceded him and trained them into being such an efficient and highly organised ship\u2019s crew.<\/p>\n

He had been so immersed in his misery over the loss of Joe that he had found it difficult to climb out of the pit of despair he had fallen into since receiving Grant\u2019s letter. He had sought his own company apart from when he had to perform his duties and have time with the officers and crew. Now, seeing them in action, he felt that he had neglected his duties; he also felt incredibly alone, and for Adam Cartwright, that was quite an unusual feeling.<\/p>\n

The ship\u2019s company formed up and Lieutenant Munnings saluted him as he, with Lieutenants Dalziel and Kent left the ship. At the harbour where he was greeted by a secretary from the American consulate. Dalziel and Kent took all the paperwork to the necessary authorities to be dealt with by them.<\/p>\n

It was customary for a high-ranking officer in the navy to be provided with a fine lunch at the consulate, and Adam fell in line with what was traditional although he was aching inside to retreat back to his cabin. He was asked various questions, which he felt he was not at liberty to answer until he had spoken to the president, and because of his reticent mood he was considered to be aloof and taciturn. The ladies found him handsome and attractive but distinctly inattentive, and after several attempts to draw him into their chatter they drifted away to form little groups where he was freely discussed between them all.<\/p>\n

Eventually the ordeal was over, hands were shaken, pleasantries exchanged and he was able to return to quayside where Kent and Dalziel were waiting, patiently kicking their heels.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything in order, Mr. Kent?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Kent assured the commodore that all was in order, and Mr. Dalziel proudly held aloft a mail bag that had been handed to him by an officer from a ship that had been awaiting the Virginian\u2019s return to Tripoli.<\/p>\n

\u201cLetters from home, sir,\u201d he announced with a broad beaming face and Adam smiled and nodded, and wished that somewhere among them there would be a letter for him.<\/p>\n

He glanced up at the vivid blue sky. To his left was a clipper ship, its sails furled and its masts pointing like so many fingers into the blueness. They were boarding the Virginian now and were piped on board; he saluted First Officer Munnings, who made some comment about the lunch which he responded to with a detached politeness before he made his way to his cabin.<\/p>\n

He walked to the porthole and looked out at the clipper ship leaving her berth. The sails were unfolding and he watched as the breeze caught them so that they billowed out and carried her away. He sighed and bowed his head. Perhaps he loved clipper ships because they reminded him of the nights with his father, alone in the wilderness somewhere, sometimes afraid to light a fire in case enemy eyes saw it, or perhaps crossing the empty spaces of desert, and all the while his father would tell him about the ships he sailed on, Grandfather Stoddard\u2019s ship the Wanderer bringing his father back to Elizabeth.<\/p>\n

He turned at the knock on the door \u201cCome in,\u201d he said disconsolately and nodded as Coxon came in, saluted and held out some envelopes towards him. \u201cThese came for you, sir. Mr. Humphries from the consulate meant to give them to you earlier; they arrived in the diplomatic bag and have been waiting for your arrival here in Tripoli. He tried to catch your attention at the luncheon today but you left before he had time to get to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mr. Coxon.\u201d He turned the letters over and stared at the writing…his father\u2019s writing. He had to clear his throat several times before he could repeat his thanks and if Coxon noticed that the commodore\u2019s voice trembled, he never mentioned it.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Roy seemed to have an uncanny knack of arriving just after the meal had been eaten and everyone had settled down to enjoy some conversation, some coffee or perhaps something stronger. He took off his hat as he entered the big room and nodded over at Ben, who rose to his feet and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhiskey, Roy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCoffee would be better, thanks, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe paused in the act of trouncing Hoss in a game of checkers; he frowned. \u201cBad news?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid so.\u201d He looked at Hester who stopped darning and sat there, needle poised in mid-air. \u201cI had a cable from the sheriff in Jacksonville. Your sister-in-law died while en route there, during the night, sometime, at the way station.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMueller\u2019s Way Station?\u201d Hoss murmured, already standing at Hester\u2019s side and taking hold of her hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d Roy cleared his throat. \u201cThe only other passenger raised no objections to her body being taken in the stagecoach. Sheriff Garvey said there was no suspicion of foul play, probably an accident.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened, did he know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all he said.\u201d Roy tugged at his moustache as though he wished he could have told them more, he looked at their faces and then shook his head, shrugged, \u201cAnything you\u2019d want me to do now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d you mean, Roy?\u201d Ben glanced at his sons, at Hester, and thought that in one way this death was quite a blessing, like a curse being lifted or a thundercloud blown away so that the sun could shine through for the remainder of the day.<\/p>\n

\u201cBody has to be formally identified, permission for burial, and so forth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI should go,\u201d Hester sighed, \u201cShe was Milton\u2019s wife after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t go, Hester.\u201d Hoss looked at Joe who nodded. \u201cJoe and me, we\u2019ll go. There ain\u2019t no use in pretending that we\u2019re sad about it. Ingrid was not the easiest person to care about and she was\u2014well, she was what she was , I guess\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid the sheriff not say how she died?\u201d Hester broke into her husband\u2019s ramblings. \u201cWas it suicide? You said it was an accident?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all he said, Miss Hester. He might tell Hoss and Joe more when he sees \u2019em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s John?\u201d Joe asked now. \u201cAny news about his progress?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be slow, but he seems to be getting much better. Paul reckons in a few weeks he\u2019ll be getting on his rounds again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester looked at Hoss now and he was surprised to see tears in her eyes, but when he asked her why it was she was crying she could only shake her head and repeat over and over \u201cIt\u2019s just such a waste, it\u2019s so sad\u201d until she had to excuse herself and retreat to the refuge of her room upstairs.<\/p>\n

He found her there a few moments later and took her gently into his arms, stroked her hair and waited for the weeping to subside. \u201cI know she did a lot of bad things, Hoss, but if I had helped her more perhaps none of this would have happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart, you did all you could to help her; she was the kind of gal would only keep on taking and expecting more and more from you. She\u2019d have never been grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Hoss, I feel so guilty. I have so much and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014and she could have had just as much if she had been content to be loved by Milton, and settled down as a good wife to him. Hester, don\u2019t blame yourself for her death.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think she committed suicide?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss thought about that for a moment; his brow furrowed, then he shook his head. \u201cNo, she wasn\u2019t the type to commit suicide.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester just wrapped her arms around her husband and snuggled into his embrace, allowing the warmth of his body to be her security while in the back of her mind she wondered who really was \u201cthe type\u201d who would kill themselves?<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Adam sat at his desk with the two envelopes facing him. He knew the handwriting on them both and dreaded opening either. The thought of his father\u2019s anguished words to describe his son\u2019s death cut Adam to the heart. He picked the envelope up and held it between the finger and thumb of both hands by its corners. It wasn\u2019t thick, not one of his father\u2019s longer letters where Ben had spent several hours rambling on some evenings in an attempt to draw his son closer to him even from a distance.<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose before sweeping his hand over his face. There was no point in holding off the moment, whatever his father had to say had to be read, and perhaps there would be some comfort in the words penned there by a man who had held his son in his arms as he had lain dying. Perhaps and anyway, could he possibly feel any more miserable than he did now?<\/p>\n

Chapter 94<\/p>\n

Two letters, two little white squares of paper concealing\u2026what? Adam put them down on the surface of the desk and then buried his face in his hands. After some moments had passed he walked over to where the alcohol was kept and poured himself a glass of whiskey. He took a gulp and returned to his desk, sat down, and picked up the first letter.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s scrawl greeted him more harshly than last time; he glanced immediately at the date upon which it had been written and then quickly read through it, his eyes scanning for any information that would indicate that Joe had been in some trouble with the army, or had not. All he read were the raptures of a young man who had realised he had found someone to love, Mary Ann, and that because of what had happened with Victoria, Joe was hesitant in furthering the romance.<\/p>\n

Then there were a few complaints about several of the hands Ben had recently taken on who were obviously all out for as much pay for as little work as possible. The branding had been slow that year; they had lost more calves because of some unseasonal flooding, and boy oh boy, had anyone told him yet about Ingrid Buchanan?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s strange, brother, but this woman was like a glass of bad whiskey. She is just so beautiful that it hurts the eyes to look at her and yet you want to so much. I found it hard to resist her at first but suddenly, just like bad whiskey, I found I couldn\u2019t bear her. She gave me the shivers. You know her husband, Hester\u2019s brother, died and what happened then?<\/p>\n

\u201cShe stole your ring, Adam, remember the ring you got for Barbara? Well, shows what kind of low down that Ingrid was because she stole it and then sold it to the jeweller in town. We\u2019re all mighty glad she\u2019s gone, we think to France.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam read the letter through twice and then slipped it into its envelope. This was probably the last letter Joe had ever written to him and he wished it had contained some clue as to what had happened. Then he groaned to himself: how anyone could have done that? No one knew when or how they were going to die, Joe obviously hadn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

His mind returned to this mysterious Ingrid Buchanan and the ring that Joe had mentioned. It hardly mattered, why should it now? Joe must have been bristling with anger, or some such feeling, to have bothered to mention it in his letter, and Adam closed his eyes again, trying to gather together all the pieces of life that Joe had referred to within it.<\/p>\n

He drank more of the whiskey. As he felt it burn down his gullet to his stomach, he was reminded of cold winter nights sitting by the fire with his family. Keeping this thought in mind, he walked to the window and watched his crew busy themselves getting the stores replenished. He stood for some moments thinking of the fresh water slopping into the tanks, and coal being loaded into its bays.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop feeling sorry for yourself,\u201d he groaned inwardly and then emptied the glass, \u201cRead the letter and get it over with.\u201d<\/p>\n

He picked up Ben\u2019s letter now and sat on the more comfortable arm chair, slit open the envelope and pulled out the paper within. His eyes turned to the date and his breathing suddenly became deeper and faster. If he took in the time it would have taken for news of Joe\u2019s death to reach Washington then this had to be the letter with the news of Joe\u2019s death, it had to be\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dear son, Adam<\/p>\n

A lot has happened since my last letter to you and not much of it good, I\u2019m afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sank back into the chair and closed his eyes, bowed his head and put a hand to his face as though to shield it from the news to come. His heart was beating faster now, and he steeled himself to continue\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember mentioning the plans Washington was taking upon itself to get Joe and Sarah Winnemucca involved in their schemes to remove the Plains Indians from the Black Hills? At first I dismissed it; it all seemed rather farfetched to my way of thinking, and even when the militia arrived here demanding Joe\u2019s leaving here with them, I still thought it ridiculous.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, then Sarah disappeared and for a while it seemed that everything was well. Joe saw a Captain Lancey in town who made tentative enquiries about his leaving with them to help them out, but Joe declined\u2014without getting into a scrap, which was admirable\u2014and we didn\u2019t see them again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rose to his feet, paced the floor, and poured himself another drink. How could his father write it all out as though it were a mere entry into a journal or log book? Perhaps that was the only way he could deal with it, putting it down word for word as it happened. He sat down again. \u201cCome on, stop making a meal of this, get it read and over with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s letter rambled on; he told about the cages with the Indians in them, how Joe had been taken captive, the meeting up with them and how Major Fleming had stood by as Joe had been shot, and then ordered the column of soldiers to leave.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had Joe in my arms, apparently bleeding to death and trying to work out why Lancey was saying \u2018He\u2019s dead\u2019 to the major when I could still feel Joe\u2019s heart beat beneath my hand. Fear and anger, trepidation and relief all flooded over me. It was mostly fear however, my son could be dead within minutes and there was this \u2019game\u2019 being played over my head while I remained an outsider to it, with Joe going grey and even if he wasn\u2019t dead, by all appearances he could have been.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam heaved in a deep breath and re-read that paragraph; now his own heart was beating so fast against his ribs that he could barely breathe\u2014his hands were shaking\u2014he cleared his throat and blinked rapidly, before continuing on.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought at the time, when Joe opened his eyes and clung to me, that it was just like that terrible time when we found you in the desert. You may not remember, son, how you had hauled that Peter Kane on a litter for so long and then collapsed in my arms. It is an indelible memory, burned into my brain, and so would this moment be, the moment when Joe opened his eyes and looked up at me and asked me what was going on.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took a while to get him home, but he well, Adam, although he had lost a lot of blood and was weak and, as always, a poor patient. I\u2019m afraid poor Hester was run off her feet looking after him. But, thank God, the boy was safe, and the army has trundled away from here thinking him dead. I have Captain Lancey to thank for that, of course. His quick thinking saved us a lot of worry and who knows what else, because I would never have let that major take Joe away without a fight. You could well have lost a father and brother that day, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

He let the pages fall from his hands, flutter to the floor, and buried his face in his hands and sobbed.<\/p>\n

Chapter 95<\/p>\n

Orville Babcock*, President Grant\u2019s personal secretary, closed the door behind Captain Lancey and looked thoughtfully at the First Minister. He had served in the capacity as private secretary to Grant since 1869 and knew more about the scandals and bribes that were going on in the administration than anyone else in the White House. His finger, as history would later prove, was in some quite important pies.<\/p>\n

At this point of time, however, he was interested in observing Grant as he paced the floor with a scowl darkening his heavy features. Eventually Grant stood still and regarded Babcock with a more thoughtful look settling over his face. \u201cWhereabouts do you think Commodore Cartwright would be just about now?\u201d<\/p>\n

Babcock frowned and, thinking on his feet, he cleared his throat. \u201cI should imagine the Virginian would be approaching the Bay of Naples, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery good, I need to send him an urgent communication.\u201d He rubbed his chin with one hand and bowed his head so that his chin rested upon his chest, \u201cI need it to reach him before he gets here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Washington, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo America. I feel guilty enough as it is\u2014\u201d he scowled over at Babcock and shook his head. \u201cI wish you had made more of a search into that matter with the Cartwrights and Major Fleming.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMajor Fleming IS dead, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that\u2014but he wasn\u2019t at the time we were informed of Joseph Cartwright\u2019s death, and now I\u2019ve been properly informed that the young man wasn\u2019t dead at all! If Cartwright got that letter I sent\u2014\u201d he shook his head, unable to continue with his show of sackcloth and ashes. \u201cLook, get a telegram or something sent to Naples to be given to Commodore Cartwright immediately after he berths.\u201d<\/p>\n

Babcock nodded and waited for the president to commence dictation.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Adam\u2014greatly pleased…\u2019\u201d he frowned, shook his head. \u201cNo, start again. \u2018Adam\u2014my apologies at passing on misinformation. Now understand that your brother is well and healthy.\u2019\u201d he tapped his fingers on the desk \u201cChange \u2018apologies\u2019 to \u2018regret having passed on misinformation\u2014\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you think that may appear as though we don\u2019t really know what\u2019s going on, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

Grant awarded Babcock a cold glare, leaving the secretary with the impression that keeping his mouth shut would be a good idea for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact is, Babcock, that we don\u2019t always know what\u2019s going on and this is a classic case to prove it. Continue\u2014\u201d he cleared his throat \u201c\u2018Have heard from khedive that you did a superlative job and all is well. May I suggest that upon reaching Washington you go on leave for several months? You deserve it. Present yourself here for discussion in six months\u2026\u2019 and all the rest you know what to put.\u201d He waved his hand and nodded, confident that Babcock would conclude the communication satisfactorily.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that all, Mr. President?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, get that sent off right away. I don\u2019t want Adam Cartwright thundering through the White House threatening blue murder at me; anyhow, he deserves better than that.\u201d He smiled and sat down, pulling his chair closer to the desk. He stroked his chin and looked at Babcock, who was looking at him thoughtfully, \u201cGo on, get that letter done.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door closed and Grant sighed, rose to his feet and walked to the window. The burden of office was a heavy one and he smiled at the memory of the day he had \u201ctrespassed\u201d on Ponderosa land and Hoss Cartwright invited him home to dinner.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The sound of booted feet resounded loudly in the corridors of power and Captain Lancey found himself thinking over the conversation he had just engaged in with the president. It had confirmed something in his own mind and as he strode towards the exit of the building he felt as though a weight had fallen from his shoulders at the decision he had just made.<\/p>\n

He was smiling to himself as he walked through the doorway and was about to take the first step down when he heard his name hailed and upon turning found himself looking at the immaculately groomed George A. Custer. His resolve failed him for a moment, before he rallied and he nodded, removed his hat and shook the extended hand offered him,<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re looking well, George.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, and, if I may say so, you were looking mighty pleased with yourself just now. What have you been up to lately?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, not much.\u201d Lancey shrugged and smiled again, \u201cWhat about yourself? How\u2019s Libby?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLibby is happy being here again, for a while. She hates frontier life, but you know that anyway I should imagine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lancey gave a brief nod. His connection with the Custers went back a long way; he was related to Libby through his mother\u2019s kinship with her father, and he had been a student with Custer at West Point. Over the years his respect for Custer had diminished just as that man\u2019s star had appeared to rise higher in the eyes of the people.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd yourself?\u201d Lancey asked again and Custer smiled, shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust itching to get on with things.\u201d He gave Lancey a friendly tap on the shoulder with his gloves. \u201cAre you going to come along and join with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not at all, in fact, after this last venture I\u2019ve been on, I\u2019ve decided to resign my commission and retire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Custer\u2019s mouth went slack, his eyes widened and he shook his head in disbelief. \u201cBut you can\u2019t, you\u2019re a good soldier, a fine officer\u2014 what on earth made you even think of doing such a thing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn two words\u2014Major Fleming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Custer stepped back, shook his head again and then glanced around him as though he didn\u2019t want people seeing him talking to someone whom he considered less worthy of his time. Lancey made a move as though to walk onwards, to be prevented by Custer resting his hand upon his arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cReconsider, Lancey. Come and join up with the Seventh, I\u2019m in command of them, and we\u2019re going on campaigns against the Plains Indians that will set the fire burning in you again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lancey gave Custer a rather twisted smile and shook his head. \u201cNo, thank you. I\u2019ve seen enough of these so-called campaigns to be thoroughly sickened by the whole thing. George, be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cDon\u2019t let Sheridan or Sherman push you into something you don\u2019t want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Custer stared at him then laughed, a shout of laughter that drew the attention of several men passing by, he slapped Lancey on the arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor heaven\u2019s sake, man, you don\u2019t know how hard it has been for me to get this organised. I\u2019ve been constantly looked over by those two and only recently have they even considered giving me this command. I\u2019ve had to fight every inch of the way to be involved\u2014they preferred Reno over me, can you believe that?\u201d He looked amazed even as he said it, as though the whole thing was so outrageously ridiculous.<\/p>\n

Lancey said nothing; he merely shrugged his shoulders and looked over Custer\u2019s shoulder rather than admit that he had heard how Custer\u2019s popularity with the media had soured his superiors opinion of him. He put out a hand. \u201cWell, I wish you all success, George, but to be honest, I wish you were not going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Custer merely shrugged; his handshake was less warm and he left the other man feeling disappointed and somewhat irritated. Lancey, however, continued with his journey, feeling relieved more than ever now. Memories of discussions he had held with Stalking Horse and other captives sifted into his head. He remembered how adamant they were not to surrender the Black Hills; he thought over the time he had helped Joseph Cartwright to escape and now was bemused at the amount of interest that President Grant had shown in that particular account.<\/p>\n

He sighed long and hard as he reached the sidewalk, and stood for a moment as though undecided as to which direction to take. It was like life, he mused: one reaches a point where there was a fork in the path that required major decisions. As far as he was concerned he had reached such a point, and the decision had been made.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The undertaker at Placerville stood to one side as the two men stepped into the Chapel of Rest. They had removed their hats and stood respectfully by the door and waited for the man to indicate that they could advance to the bier. The young woman lying there could not have looked more beautiful and both of them looked down at her with a mixture of emotions churning over and over inside them.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe looks like an angel.\u201d Hoss breathed as he looked down at her and, indeed, the undertaker had obviously gone to great pains to make her look just like that, with the marks from her fall skilfully masked by cosmetic paints.<\/p>\n

\u201cMakes me think of that poem Adam used to recite\u2026the lady of Shalott,\u201d Joe whispered, and he shivered. \u201cCome on, Hoss, let\u2019s get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

They left the small chapel, both casting a last look at the remains of Ingrid Buchanan as they did so, and murmuring their thanks to the undertaker for his care.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not often I get a chance to work with such a beautiful cor\u2014er\u2014er\u2014um,\u201d he stammered to a close, and sighed. \u201cIf you would sign the papers that you have identified her and about her burial\u2026?\u201d he ended on a question and looked at them both.<\/p>\n

Joe cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows. \u201cBury her wherever you like, but nowhere near Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Ingrams looked startled to the extent that he dropped the pen and caused a blot on the paper; he looked at Hoss for confirmation and received a curt nod of the head.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve a location in the local graveyard where she can be placed\u2014\u201d he said slowly, looking from one to the other. \u201cIf you\u2019d sign and pay me right now, then.\u201d<\/p>\n

They did so, slapping the money down as though it was unclean and they wanted it disposed of as quickly as possible. Anything to do with Ingrid felt tainted. Ingrams took the money and signed a receipt and then said that the burial would be the following morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe only came to identify the body, not bury it.\u201d Joe said, \u201cWe\u2019ll be heading for Virginia City on the afternoon stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was obvious that Mr. Ingrams was at a loss for words, such a beautiful angelic looking creature receiving such callous treatment by the Cartwright brothers left him dumb struck. Joe closed his wallet and mustered up a vague smile. \u201cI know it seems odd to you, Mr. Ingrams, but\u2014well\u2014just remember that the Bible mentioned about a beautiful angel, the most beautiful of them all and you know who that turned out to be, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood gracious, Mr. Cartwright, that lovely lady in there hardly compares to the devil\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t want to go by looks, Mr. Ingrams,\u201d Hoss muttered and followed Joe out of the building, leaving Mr. Ingrams casting a rather fearful glance over his shoulder.<\/p>\n

The sheriff was waiting for them and asked them to sign for Ingrid\u2019s possessions.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems she must have stumbled over something during the night,\u201d he said as he watched Joe sign his name on the bottom of the paper. \u201cFell heavily on them rocks and that was it, Doc said some people have thin skulls, all it takes is a slight knock and they\u2019re goners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded and took the bag and case.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems she wasn\u2019t as good as she was good looking?\u201d Davidson observed as he walked with them to the restaurant where they were going to eat before catching the next stage out of town, \u201cRoy\u2019s cable sounded pretty urgent, I was expecting to arrest someone\u2014well\u2014someone not as lovely to look at. I\u2019m glad I didn\u2019t have to arrest her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss gave him a swift look, and frowned, he thought of the outcome of the arrest, the trial, imprisonment, perhaps worse. He nodded \u201cSo\u2019m I, sheriff, odd as it may seem this may have been the best way out for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later when they had cause to look through Ingrid\u2019s possessions they found only a few letters, and several photographs, but nothing of any significance. The jewels she had carefully tucked away, and of which Joe and Hoss knew nothing, had gone. David McArthur had struck gold, in a manner of speaking, but he had already gone, en route to Sacramento, with Ingrid\u2019s jewellery safe in his briefcase jostling against his Bible.<\/p>\n

Chapter 96<\/p>\n

The lights shone like many multi-coloured twinkling little stars adorning the building\u2019s exterior, welcoming all the visitors who came to celebrate the engagement of Joseph Cartwright to Mary Ann Hornby, the schoolteacher. Everyone, especially the younger females, resolved NOT to mention the engagement party they had attended the previous year when Joseph Cartwright had got himself involved with Victoria Shannon who later departed, suddenly, back east. If Mary Ann noticed some rather sidelong glances and whispers between girlfriends behind hands, she was sensible enough not to mention them.<\/p>\n

As it was, Joe and Hoss only just arrived in time to attend and look clean and tidy. No one would have guessed they had only returned from Placerville an hour or two before it all began. As soon as they had stepped foot into the house, Hester and Hop Sing were hustling them into the back room and into tubs of steaming water where soap and towels were thrown at them, the door slammed to, and preparations for the party recommenced.<\/p>\n

It really turned out to be the best thing possible, as there was no time to have a conversation about their trip or the purpose behind it. When Mary Ann stepped into the room, escorted by Paul Martin, any thoughts about Ingrid Buchanan flew out of the window so far as Joe was concerned.<\/p>\n

He looked good and hard at her as she stepped into the room, glanced eagerly around and then saw him. For a moment he wanted to see her as though he had never seen her before, and then confirm that something in his heart that told him this was the one, the beloved, who would be his complement, his wife, for the rest of his life.<\/p>\n

She wasn\u2019t as pretty as Victoria Shannon; her nose was too big for a start. But her eyes had a magic quality about them, like the waters of the lake on a misty day washing over the pebbles beneath. He had never seen eyes like them before, and they reflected colours so wonderfully well. She wasn\u2019t tall and she wasn\u2019t well built in the same way that Hester was, but what would a man of Joe\u2019s build want with a woman like that anyway? Her chestnut coloured hair had sun streaked lighter strands running through it, and it curled naturally about her face. No, she wasn\u2019t pretty and doll-like, not like Victoria, but she was, in Joe\u2019s eyes, just perfect.<\/p>\n

They danced together, danced with others. He danced with Hester and they both laughed because she kept tripping over her own feet and saying that her centre of gravity was off due to the bulge. Hoss watched with a besotted look on his face, protective and loving, and Joe hoped that in a little while he would be looking the same and who would know, but for the same reason.<\/p>\n

Andrew and Barbara Pearson were there, for Mary Ann had formed a good friendship with the older woman who had once been the town\u2019s schoolteacher. Joe still felt a pang of irritation whenever he saw Barbara, but realised that the time had come for such pettiness to be put to one side. He filled a glass with punch and carried it over to her. \u201cIf I remember rightly, Barbara, you used to like Pa\u2019s punch quite a bit?\u201d he smiled, his eyes were warm and friendly, and she accepted it with a smile<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019ve been trying to coax the recipe from him but he won\u2019t tell me what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, a family secret.\u201d Joe winked and stood by her side, watching the dancers.<\/p>\n

Mary Ann passed by in the arms of Paul Martin and smiled, her eyes luminous, and her cheeks flushed. He smiled just at the sight of her enjoying herself so much and then he realised that Barbara was watching him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, nothing. Just that this is the first time you have actually spoken to me of your own accord since\u2014well, since I started courting Andrew.\u201d She sipped some of the punch and glanced over to where Andrew was chatting to Candy and Ann. \u201cDo I take it that I\u2019ve been forgiven?\u201d<\/p>\n

He frowned, something of the old feeling surged up inside him, but he suppressed it well and cleared his throat. \u201cI didn\u2019t have the right to be so unkind. I hope you forgive me, Barbara.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh I did that a long time ago,\u201d she smiled charmingly, but he could sense the brittleness of her words and looked at her with a slight frown on his face. \u201cI couldn\u2019t understand it, to be honest. After all, it was between Adam and me and really had nothing to do with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true, I know,\u201d Joe said, \u201cBut I wanted Adam to be happy and married. I guess I always felt you were the best woman he could possibly have chosen as a wife, and when you stopped loving him enough\u2014\u201d he paused \u201cI guess I felt you had betrayed him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou thought I was being selfish?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you were being selfish, to be honest with you. You wanted him married so that he would stay here instead of going away so often.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPossibly.\u201d and he took a deep breath in order to keep his temper from rising.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you heard from him lately?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not in a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour father must be worried. I remember how anxious he used to be whenever Adam went away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he is, but I think he\u2019s realised that there\u2019s nothing he can do about it.\u201d he smiled slightly. \u201cA man can die tripping over his own feet and falling down the stairs of his house.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded and looked around at the people assembled there, then emptied her glass and nursed it for a while between her hands. \u201cShe\u2019s a lovely girl, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she is.\u201d He felt pride stir within him at the words and watched as Mary Ann started to dance with Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does she really think about you going away from here soon? Before the wedding I believe?\u201d<\/p>\n

He shifted the weight of one foot to the other slightly and compressed his lips, but she was looking intently at him as though expecting an answer, so he nodded. \u201cShe doesn\u2019t mind. She understands why I\u2019m going.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you expect her to be here when you return.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

She merely shrugged a little then, and looked down at her empty glass. Joe felt the old antagonism returning and turned to face her. \u201cWhat are you getting at, Barbara? Do you think Mary Ann won\u2019t be here when I come back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, it\u2019s between the two of you to sort that one out, surely?\u201d She put the glass down on a table behind them. \u201cYou see, Adam never committed me to him when he left. He said it wouldn\u2019t be fair to do that; he trusted me to know exactly how I felt by the time he came home\u2026and I did, I knew I didn\u2019t love him enough to put up with his being away from home so often.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you saying I\u2019m not being fair to Mary Ann?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not saying that at all, Joe, I\u2019m just trying to get you to see how it was\u2014for me, and for Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him then, her eyes fastened to his, and then she excused herself and walked over to join her husband.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that all about?\u201d Hoss muttered as he handed Joe a glass of wine. \u201cShe looked all fired up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was, but it doesn\u2019t matter.\u201d Joe sighed and then smiled. \u201cNot much longer now, Hoss, and you\u2019ll be bouncing a baby on your knee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, I know,\u201d Hoss blushed and ran a finger around his collar. \u201cI feel more nervous about that than when I got married.\u201d His generous mouth split into a wide grin. \u201cSay, don\u2019t take too long in fixing the day for your wedding, will ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t,\u201d Joe laughed as he walked towards Mary Ann, took her hand in his and led her across the room. \u201cLet\u2019s steal a moment together,\u201d he breathed into her ear, and with an answering smile from her they slipped outside.<\/p>\n

The night air was refreshing. It kissed their cheeks and cooled their skins and brought with it the sweet smell of the roses and honeysuckle. He took her hand and tucked it through his arm as together they strolled towards the garden at the back of the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s lovely here, Joe.\u201d She leaned against the fence and looked at the shadows where the flowers grew, just touched softly by the moon\u2019s rays.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can remember coming here with my Ma; she loved her garden. I used to sit beside her playing with the worms. Fascinating things\u2026\u201d his voice trailed off, and he turned her to face him. \u201cMary Ann, tell me honestly, do you mind\u2014\u201d he stopped, frowned. \u201cWell, what I mean is, getting engaged now and having to wait until I get back from Montana. You don\u2019t mind that, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would have told you before now, if I did, Joe.\u201d She leaned towards him. \u201cLook, I\u2019m not a child, I\u2019ve had to grow up and fend for myself all these years since Frank died. I\u2019ve seen what happens to those people you care about\u2014remember? And I know how you felt when\u2014when I first met you.\u201d Her hand rested lightly upon his chest; she could feel his heart beating beneath her fingers, \u201cJoe, I want you to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do?\u201d he frowned, \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause if you don\u2019t go you\u2019ll have it locked up inside here\u2014\u201d she pressed against his chest, where his heart beat. \u201cIt\u2019ll eat you up, like some acid, or poison. You\u2019ll think about how you were disloyal, broke your promise to them, to Little Moon, and\u2014and you won\u2019t feel free to live your life with me. I want you to go, Joe, so that when you come home, and we get married, you will have gotten it all out of your system.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked down at the ground then, and drew slightly apart from her. \u201cYou don\u2019t think I\u2019m being selfish?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people may,\u201d she replied honestly, \u201cBut I don\u2019t. That\u2019s because I know you so well, and I know your family and how they feel about loyalty and promises. If anyone is being selfish, Joe, then it\u2019s me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou? But how?\u201d he took her hands in his and looked into her face; those strange eyes looked up at him, warm and glowing in her face, the moon\u2019s light made her appear luminescent.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I don\u2019t want to share you with anyone, not even with Little Moon, or her people.\u201d she kissed him then, \u201cYou see how selfish I am? I am still jealous of her\u2026\u201d a tear fell upon her cheek and gently Joe brushed it away with his finger,<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need to be, Mary Ann\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust come back\u2014\u201d she whispered as her lips touched his, and never was there a more lovingly given kiss given between them.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll still be here\u2014\u201d he sighed as he nestled into her neck.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll never leave you, Joe, I\u2019ll always be here.\u201d She kissed the back of his neck, \u201cI love you, Joe, where else would you expect me to be?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 97<\/p>\n

The men huddled close together, hands fixed to the mugs containing hot coffee laced with rum, although they were shivering so much that most of the liquid was spilling over their fingers and in a way easing the cold that numbed them.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid we lose anyone?\u201d someone mumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Not a soul.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDalziel nearly went over the bulwark, saw him myself, tried to grab him\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDalziel? When was that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight at the heart of the storm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNearly ain\u2019t the same as having gone over though,\u201d The first speaker shivered, his teeth chattering against the rim of the mug. \u201cI seen him five minutes ago, large as life and twice as ugly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The attempt at humour fell on stony ground. \u201cHe\u2019s a good man, is Dalziel\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah\u2014wouldn\u2019t want to lose him anytime.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silence and each man there strained his ears to catch the sounds about them. The engines were labouring, but they were working, and they could hear the sound of the pumps relentlessly churning at the water that had collected in the bilges during the storm. The ballast had shifted as the water had poured in; once the pumps had done their work the men would reposition the ballast back into place and the Virginian would regain a more dignified posture on the waves again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did well to get through that little lot\u2014\u201d one of the men finally muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cCall this a little lot?\u201d a youngster chipped in, his first voyage and his first storm at sea.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were wanting to experience a storm at sea, Lofty, so don\u2019t complain now.\u201d<\/p>\n

They laughed. The rum had warmed their innards and loosened their tongues; fear was being replaced by dark humour, and they shuffled in closer together so that they could get warmer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis ain\u2019t nothing, you need to be in the North Atlantic to really know what a storm\u2019s like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr go round the Cape.\u201d<\/p>\n

They mumbled together, and more coffee was poured into the mugs until the pot was empty.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey say he\u2019s a Hornier,\u201d the first man muttered. \u201cThe Commodore\u2014heard \u2019em saying that time back along before he came on board.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it doesn\u2019t surprise me,\u201d one of the older men said. \u201cIf it hadn\u2019t been for him we would have lost some men, probably more damage to the ship as well. The Virginian\u2019s a good old girl, but the fact is, she is showing her age.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said you didn\u2019t like the commodore when he first come on board,\u201d Lofty muttered unwisely.<\/p>\n

\u201cShut your mouth, I never said no such thing,\u201d the other man growled and stood up, arching his back to get the kinks out. \u201cI said he was a bit dour, didn\u2019t seem to say much. Didn\u2019t seem to live up to his reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, all credit to him, he\u2019s proved his worth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAy, he has that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

A chorus of ayes and some thudding of mugs on the table followed before they returned to their drinking. Before anything else could be said, Munnings appeared sloshing through the water that was ankle deep in the companionway, he looked around at them and frowned. \u201cWhat are you lot doing skulking here? Work to be done up aloft\u2026shift it, men.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sick bay reeked with the stench of sea water, blood and bodies, sweat and the heat generated from the exterior temperatures and the number of people closeted within. The doctor, stooped over and grey looking, glanced up as Adam entered. He lowered his eyes and continued with the task of stitching an ugly open wound in Seaman Teddy Finch. Around him other men worked in patient silence as they tended to the wounds of the men.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is everything here, Doctor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you can see\u2014\u201d came the terse reply.<\/p>\n

Adam pursed his lips and slightly raised his eyebrows but chose to ignore the offhand manner of the other man in consideration of the intolerable conditions under which he was working and the number of men to whom he had to attend.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many walking wounded?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMost are\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as you\u2019ve finished with them send them to their cabins. This place needs\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what it needs.\u201d Gilbertson replied, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Commodore, if it doesn\u2019t meet with your exacting requirements and it doesn\u2019t compare with the Baltimore, but the fact is that this is what we\u2019ve got and this is what we have to get on with.\u201d He looked up at Finch. \u201cYou heard the commodore, you can go to your cabin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, thanks, Doc.\u201d Finch passed Adam, saluting as best he could. \u201cThank you, Sir.\u201d And he meant it, he knew that some cabins had suffered less water damaged than most and his was among them. He went off feeling grateful to be out of sick bay, a \u201chell-hole\u201d as he described later it to some of the other seamen on deck.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, everyone.\u201d Gilbertson turned to face the men and found himself confronted by shadows and darkness. The storm light swaying above them did little to stop a man from thinking he was stepping into a nightmare when he entered the sick bay. \u201cAny of you whom we have already attended, if you are able to walk out of here, do so now, and return to your cabins.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within a few minutes the majority of men had gone, taking with them the stench of wet clothing, the few that remained were being attended to by the orderlies.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho have we got here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLieutenant Dalziel. Broken leg and concussion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam paused by the cot upon which Dalziel was stretched out with his leg neatly bound in splints. Adam nodded and was about to walk on when the man opened his eyes, saw him and grabbed his wrist. \u201cCommodore?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, it\u2019s you, Dalziel; feeling better now?\u201d<\/p>\n

The young man nodded, smiled and looked up into the face of the man who had earlier saved his life. He was still unsure how Adam had achieved it, all he knew was that one moment he was being swept down into the open mouth of the cavernous wave when he saw Adam, felt him grab at his arm, heard him shouting to hold on and he had, with as much strength as he could have mustered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing, he gave a wry smile and then walked on, listening to the list of names of the injured, and of their injuries. Only one man appeared to be so seriously ill as to be considered near death. Gilbertson and Adam stood at his bedside and looked down at the young man, a midshipman called Murdoch.<\/p>\n

As he looked at the greying features of the youth Adam felt a surge of pity well up inside himself. He thought of those who had loved this lad, those who would soon be receiving a letter from him, and who would be grieving. He remembered his own grief when he had thought Joe lost to him. He wished with all his heart that he could restore strength and power into the boy, just touch him and say something that would empower him.<\/p>\n

They moved away. Adam glanced around and then looked at the doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome men will come in and clear this all up for you, Dr. Gilbertson.\u201d He paused as the other man studiously started to put away his instruments, \u201cI\u2019ll get the steward to bring you all something hot to eat. It\u2019s best that you get up on deck and out of here for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam mounted the steps that led to the upper deck and looked around at the devastation that had resulted from the storm. It had lasted almost two days with no letup at any time. The first he had known of it was when he had been flung out of his bed and across the floor in his cabin, and glanced over at the barometer which was falling all the time even as he looked at it.<\/p>\n

He had pulled on rubber boots, oilskins over his thick woolen sweater, and then battled out the door only to find Coxon staggering his way towards him. \u201cYou\u2019re wanted up top, sir. We\u2019re heading into a storm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Munning had saluted, stepping back to allow the commodore to take command. Another glance at the barometer; it was still falling.<\/p>\n

They were just a day out of Tripoli, and from a perfectly calm and warm day this storm had been born and unleashed its unmitigated fury at them. The decks constantly tilted at their feet as the Virginian rolled, ducked and dived with the waves. Huge waters had flung themselves over the bulwarks; men were sucked down as though to their deaths only to slide back onto the deck; water streamed through the hatches, down companionways and not one person remained bone dry within ten minutes.<\/p>\n

Occasionally they caught sight of other vessels struggling to survive the tumult. Some had been rushing to the shelter of the harbour at Tripoli, others were not so fortunate as they, like the Virginian, were going in the opposite direction when the storm struck with no hope of turning back.<\/p>\n

The heat of a new day was beginning to seep into their bodies now, and Adam, who had forgotten what it was like to be warm, raised his face gratefully to the sun for a few moments before returning his attention to matters to be dealt with on the ship.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat condition are the bilges in now?\u201d he asked as Seaman Phelps approached him, wiping his hands on a bloodied cloth, but saluting and quick to report that all the water was out now.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a good twelve inches in there, sir, but the pumps did well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet shovels and level out the sand, and move the ballast as quickly as possible. We don\u2019t want her to keep listing at this angle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAy, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell done, Phelps; tell the men down there there\u2019s an extra ration of rum for them when the job\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMany thanks, sir.\u201d Phelps grinned, a flash of white teeth in a face bleached by the amount of salt water that had soaked it constantly over the past two days and Adam wondered whether he was looking exactly the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore. There\u2019s a vessel approaching\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

A French corvette, limping through the waves, was signalling to them, and Adam, after reading the signals, told Peterson to signal back by means of the shutter lamp that they required no help and thanked them for their courtesy.<\/p>\n

They worked as an efficient team, water was cleared and swabbed up on deck and below; carpenters repaired windows and hatches as well as the decking and parts of the bulwark that had been torn away. In the engine room the men greased and oiled and sweated in their toil. They worked with a will knowing that yet again they had beaten old Davy Jones and life was good.<\/p>\n

In his cabin Adam sat down at his desk and wrote down the entry for the log book. He had calculated that they were now quite a few miles off course; it would take another half day to regain it and make way, once again, for Naples.<\/p>\n

He pulled off his boots and upended them, letting the water in them add to the pools still on the floor. Everything was wet. He slowly, painfully, pulled off his oilskins and then closed his eyes and just fell back, his head gratefully hitting the damp softness of his pillows.<\/p>\n

Chapter 98<\/p>\n

When they reached Naples the crew of the Virginian had mainly recovered from their injuries, Adam had written his letter to Murdoch\u2019s family enclosing his personal effects along with it and placed the package into the mail bag. It would be weeks before the family received the news as it would travel with the Virginian back to Washington before being posted.<\/p>\n

The Virginian had cleaned up well after the deluge she had endured during the storm, and more than once Adam had wondered how the Shenandoah or Ainola would have handled it. His respect for the steam ships was growing but his love for the clippers remained strong.<\/p>\n

They reached Naples just after four bells in the morning watch, slowing from 12 knots and once again Adam had to commend his helmsman for the smooth entry he achieved into harbour. Munnings had wondered why they had gone off course for Naples and hadn\u2019t bothered to ask; since the storm his respect and admiration for the commodore had grown to such an extent that he wouldn\u2019t have questioned him even if Adam had ordered him to jump into the mouth of hell itself.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s first task, once all paperwork had been correctly dealt with by the authorities, was to assign shore leave for the crew. Once that had been done he took his leave and got a cab to the American Consulate in the old city area. It was one of America\u2019s oldest Foreign Service posts. It was here he had been told to attend on his homeward journey in order to collect any communication from the president and\/or the prime minister of Great Britain. The U.S. Consul at the time, James Armsby, * greeted him warmly<\/p>\n

\u201cCongratulations, Commodore. It\u2019s good to see you again. I understand that everything went well in Egypt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt did, thank you, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you are now on your way to Washington from here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s my intention,\u201d Adam replied a little more slowly and he cleared his throat and waited, quite sure that there was more to come.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore, there is a letter for you here from the president himself. It arrived yesterday. I do hope that you will honour us by staying for lunch?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, smiled and took the letter which was handed him. This he slipped into his jacket pocket.<\/p>\n

It seemed the hours just dragged by. Eventually he said his farewells, thanked his hosts, and flagged down a cab to take him back to the ship. The letter from Grant was burning a hole in his pocket and he tore it open as soon as the opportunity arose in the cab.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore<\/p>\n

My deepest regret in sending you my previous letter which contained grave misinformation. I now know that your brother Joseph Cartwright is, thankfully, alive and well.<\/p>\n

Sincere congratulations and thanks for all you have done on behalf of your country. At present I am sure you would wish to be with your family upon your return to America in which case I hope you take for yourself six well deserved months of leave.<\/p>\n

U.S. Grant
\nPresident\u201d<\/p>\n

He returned it to his pocket and slumped back against the padded seat of the cab; his eyes surveyed the buildings as they passed but his brain didn\u2019t register them. A slow smile drifted over his lips. Six months\u2019 leave? Wonderful. He would enjoy nothing more than saddling Sport and riding over the Ponderosa again, taking in old haunts, favourite places, up into Papoose Peak and over towards Sun Mountain.<\/p>\n

He was piped on board and received a warm salute of welcome from the officers still on board, two of them having been granted shore leave.<\/p>\n

He had time only to remove his jacket when Coxon knocked on the door. \u201cCommodore, the captain of the Baltimore is here to see you, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned, saw O\u2019Brien grinning at him from the doorway, and laughingly ordered him inside. They shook hands warmly, slapped one another on the back and then stood back to look at one another.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you don\u2019t look a day older; I would say camel riding suits you well,\u201d O\u2019Brien chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cSit down, you old liar, and here, let me pour you a drink.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow was it, Adam? Anything like what you expected?\u201d O\u2019Brien took the glass from Adam and looked over at his friend with a smile. \u201cOr was it worse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, more of a mixed bag,\u201d Adam replied slowly as he lowered himself into a chair, \u201cI wasn\u2019t sure what I was supposed to do except be some kind of sitting duck for any crazy rebel to take a pot shot at, and once they had done that the powers that be would then realise who the enemy was and take them apart!\u201d He stretched out his legs and loosened his cravat, then looked over at O\u2019Brien \u201cWell, how\u2019s fatherhood? How\u2019s Maria?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaria is as beautiful as ever, and my son is the most handsome boy in the world.\u201d O\u2019Brien leaned forward \u201cWell now, tell me about Egypt\u2014the bits you are permitted to tell, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stared up at the ceiling and in his deep voice told O\u2019Brien about Doestov and Laurence (which gave him a sudden pang when he realised that he hadn\u2019t given the poor young man a second thought since leaving); he had O\u2019Brien laughing over the camel rides and second guessing at the mention of Rachel Forster. Finally he ended his seeming monologue and looked at O\u2019Brien. \u201cSo why are you here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m to sail to Suez and continue where you left off, in that I am taking some diplomat there to discuss certain matters with the khedive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery interesting, don\u2019t tell me more about it, I\u2019m not interested.\u201d He waved the subject of Egypt away and emptied his glass. \u201cHow about another?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll not say no.\u201d O\u2019Brien smiled, relaxing a little more into the chair. \u201cI\u2019ve some letters for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, mail drop\u2026they knew our paths would cross here so gave me the mail bag. I left it with Munnings\u2014is that his name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Munning, a good seaman and a first-rate officer. I\u2019m recommending him for promotion when I get back.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien nodded, took his second glass of whiskey and thought back to the time he had first met Adam Cartwright, it all seemed so long ago now. He had emptied his glass and risen to his feet when seven bells tolled to confirm his suspicions that time was passing fast and he needed to return to his own ship. They shook hands again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not come aboard the Baltimore tonight, Adam. Bring your first officer with you. I don\u2019t want this to be just a passing visit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam accepted with pleasure, shook his friends hand and promised to be there before the first dog watch had ended.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

There is no feeling better than the anticipation one felt upon receiving letters. He found one from Hoss, two from his father and three from Joe. At one time the most prolific writer had been Hoss, and he smiled now as he read through his brother\u2019s news, and how much information he gleaned about Hester from it. There were times his brother\u2019s unique style of writing brought tears to his eyes\u2014from laughter\u2014and as he slipped the letter back into its envelope he was once again reminded of how often in the past he thought Hoss should have been an author.<\/p>\n

His father\u2019s news contained information about the ranch, new contracts. The first letter mentioned, briefly, what a bad patient Joe had become and how poor Hester had to run about after him. There were a noticeable number of references to Mary Ann Hornby, and Adam surmised from that fact that his father had prepared his mind to accepting another female into the family.<\/p>\n

He was more than delighted to read through Joe\u2019s letters, that dashing bold writing now brought, not foreboding, but sheer joy to his heart. Coxon had brought in coffee and Adam enjoyed drinking that as he read his brother\u2019s letters.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t imagine how boring it is for me to be stuck in bed all this time with hardly any company\u201d was one lamentation. \u201cMary Ann came today. Adam, this young woman\u2014whom you probably can\u2019t even remember\u2014is the woman I am going to marry, if she will accept me of course. I still can\u2019t work out how one woman can suddenly become so important, above all other women. How does that work?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head and smiled\u2014it was one mystery he had failed to understand himself, and thinking about it made no difference whatsoever. For some reason he had a picture of Rachel Forster flash into his mind and he paused a moment to try and recapture it, but it slipped away, out of his mental reach.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I have promised Stalking Horse that I will do everything I possibly can to help. I don\u2019t know how, and I don\u2019t know what it will be, but I have to help. I owe it to him, to his people, to Little Moon. Once I am well enough I am going to Montana. I need to find the People, talk to them and find out what they need me to do so that I can help them somehow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have not discussed this with Pa yet, although I have mentioned it to Mary Ann, after all, it\u2019s only fair as it will affect our short-term future. I need to do this, Adam, I owe them so much and I need to prove to them that there are some white men they can trust. Do you understand? I sure hope so.<\/p>\n

After what Major Fleming did to me I realise that there\u2019s no justice or impartiality when it comes to the Plains Indians. He told me himself that there\u2019s a genocide policy against them now, and he\u2019s a friend of George Custer\u2019s. Well, I\u2019m not going to let them get away with it, Adam, I\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam re-read the letter, cleared his throat and pinched the bridge of his nose while he closed his eyes tight. What was wrong with his brother? Did he have some kind of mental imbalance that drove him to suicidal situations? He opened the last letter which was dated some weeks later.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m up and about now. Things have been odd around here. Cochise was shot from under me the other day. Of course, no one saw anything, no one knows anything, Roy\u2019s trying hard to find out what\u2019s been going on but I know, Adam, that that bullet was meant for me. The sooner I leave here the better. I\u2019ve borrowed Sport for now, I hope you don\u2019t mind. When I leave here though I\u2019ll take another mount, couldn\u2019t take Sport into the unknown.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m going to marry Mary Ann. I\u2019ve made up my mind, but it will have to wait until I get back. You might be home by the time of the wedding, in which case I would be pleased if you would be my best man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam dropped the paper on the floor and covered his face with both hands. He could go back in his memory to previous years when Joe was a little boy and would cause him to do exactly the same\u2026oh, Joe Cartwright\u2026what\u2019s to be done with you?<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Mary Ann Hornby stood on the porch beside Ben, Hoss and Hester as Joseph Cartwright came out of the house. He looked at them and smiled, a shy smile as though he were a little boy again and needed their approval before he set out to do something. He buckled his gunbelt and turned to say his farewells.<\/p>\n

Candy, Ann and little Rose arrived in their buggy while he was hugging Hoss, he kissed Hester, patted the bulge affectionately, and then bade his father farewell. He took Mary Ann\u2019s hand and held it tightly, looked into her grey eyes and saw clouds floating in them, and leaned forward to kiss her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be back in two shakes of a dogs tail,\u201d he whispered and stroked her face gently, then kissed her again.<\/p>\n

Candy came up from behind him, and he turned to shake his friend\u2019s hand, and then turned to shake Ann\u2019s before kissing her cheek, picking Rosie up and tossing her in the air and laughing at her shrieks of delight.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Gain, \u2019gain!\u201d she cried, clapping her hands but he set her down carefully and then turned to them as they stood grouped together on the porch as though only by huddling close could they handle this departure.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, take care now, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWrite or cable as often as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Pa. Sure, I will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you need funds at all, wire me immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know; I will\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stood there, he watched Joe walk away and Mary Ann by his side. Somehow Ben felt diminished, smaller, lost. He had wanted to go with his son on this journey but Hoss had reminded him of what had happened before, and Joe had told him it was better for him to stay especially when there was so much to look forward to with the baby arriving soon. It seemed to Ben that suddenly he was being treated as the child, being told what to do, where to go and the awful thing was that he knew they were right, there was no point in fighting against it. But he didn\u2019t like it\u2026<\/p>\n

Hester clung close to Hoss, and felt the comfort of his arm around her. She didn\u2019t solely understand why Joe was leaving, not when he had the chance to marry Mary Ann now. But Hoss had explained as best he could, even though it had been with quite a few pauses as he stopped to mull over the possibilities of the dangers facing Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cJest hope he ain\u2019t gonna try and tackle that Custer,\u201d Hoss had muttered more than once.<\/p>\n

As Joe mounted his horse, and leaned down to kiss Mary Ann, George Custer was the last thing on Hester\u2019s mind. She knew that the Ponderosa was going to settle into a sadness when Joe rode out, something special was leaving them and she prayed with all her heart that he would soon be riding back home.<\/p>\n

They stood calling out their goodbyes, smiling fixed smiles on their faces, eyes wet and moist with tears they refused to let fall.<\/p>\n

When he was finally out of sight and there was no chance of seeing him again, they turned to go back into the house. Mary Ann stood for a few moments more, just in case, just in case he turned back, or she would see him, even a little glimpse of him as he passed by into the pasture. But there was nothing, and she let the tears fall down her cheeks and when Ben came and stood beside her and put his arm around her shoulders she turned into him and held him close, and wept.<\/p>\n

Chapter 99<\/p>\n

Rose petals were falling in the garden, and their musky smell rose like a perfume to the room above. A wide veranda with an ornate balcony overlooked the garden, and seated on a comfortable day bed a young man reclined and enjoyed the scent on the air, the warmth and the company of the young woman seated by his side.<\/p>\n

Lord Laurence Willoughby had his eyes closed, not in sleep, but in concentration. The girl was reading to him from Dickens\u2019 novel The Tale of Two Cities and he listened intently as her voice rose and fell to the cadences contained within the words she read:<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you hear my voice\u201d she read, \u201c\u2014I don\u2019t know that it is so, but I hope it is\u2014if you hear in my voice any resemblance to a voice that once was sweet music in your ears, weep for it, weep for it! If you touch, in touching my hair, anything that recalls a beloved head that lay on your breast when you were young and free, weep for it, weep for it! If, when I hint to you of a Home that is before us, where I will be true to you with all my duty and with all my faithful service, I bring back the remembrance of a home long desolate, while your poor heart pined away, weep for it, weep for it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPoor wretch,\u201d he sighed as she paused as though in her own mind she could see the cell in which the poor man languished, the shoemaker lamenting for what was lost.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome prisons are better presented,\u201d Rachel Forster said. \u201cDo you want me to finish here for the day, Laurence?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, thank you, Rachel.\u201d<\/p>\n

He heard the book close and the rustle of her skirts as she stood up.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you leaving me now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly to get you a drink and myself for I have to admit my throat is quite dry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a selfish brute, aren\u2019t I? Forgive me\u2014\u201d and he held out his hand towards her which she took in her own.<\/p>\n

\u201cRachel, you look so lovely standing there like that with the sun shining behind you. When I am strong enough I would much like to paint your portrait. Would you let me do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed and pulled her hand away from him, then leaned over the balcony rail and looked down upon her sister, Anna, and waved.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaurence, the doctor said you are getting stronger every day. In a few weeks\u2019 time you will be able to leave here and return home.\u201d She went to a table and poured out some lemonade, a glass for each of them, which she carried to the table that stood between his day bed and her chair. \u201cWouldn\u2019t you prefer to do that than stay here and paint pictures?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really. Not at the moment.\u201d He raised himself up a little so that he was sitting more erectly, \u201cI quite like it here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s because you are still a semi-invalid, once you are up and able to get about you will soon be longing to get away from here and into your own environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

He laughed then, rather a low mocking laugh, and picked up the lemonade which he drank thirstily before placing the empty glass down. \u201cRachel, I\u2019m an artist. I\u2019m free to be wherever the muse sends me. When I am strong enough to paint, then I would like to paint you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She lowered her head and smiled, a faint blush on her cheeks. \u201cI\u2019m not a Botticelli model, Laurence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you\u2019ll be my model. Much better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat would I do with a painting of myself?\u201d and she shrugged and twisted a loose strand of hair around her finger, she looked questioningly at him and then turned her head to watch the flutterings of a butterfly as it skimmed among the flowers set here and there upon the balcony.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could send it to\u2014\u201d he paused and frowned, then shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo?\u201d she turned to him again, and frowned, \u201cGo on? You were saying?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo whomever you wish to send it.\u201d He laughed, although his eyes were watchful, and when he received no answer he continued. \u201cOr I could keep it to remind me of my stay here, with you. A beautiful young woman\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t tease, Laurence, you know I don\u2019t like it.\u201d She turned away again and her eyes looked for the butterfly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not. You are lovely, Rachel. I wish you could see that for yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shrugged then and sighed, raised her eyes to the sky and remembered once when she stood here on the balcony and talked to the strangest of men, a man who was all manner of men, and she remembered the last time he had come and had kissed her. She placed her fingers to her lips and sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re thinking of him, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho? What on earth are you talking about, Laurence?\u201d She had been startled when he spoke; his words broke into her memory and the words he said had shaken her into realising that her secret was, perhaps, not so secret after all.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe man you care about, of course.\u201d Laurence leaned back and closed his eyes, \u201cI\u2019ve noticed it ever since I first became really conscious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNoticed what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat there are times when you go into a private world, and I can see on your face\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cLonging; yes, a longing for someone. I\u2019ve only ever seen that look on the faces of women in love.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot men?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d he laughed then and opened his eyes to look at her, \u201cI\u2019m right though, aren\u2019t I? There is someone you love and wish was here, with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

She stood up and walked to the balcony railings again, leaned down a little to pluck a flower from among those growing up the wall.<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you going to tell me who it is?\u201d Laurence asked anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re imagining it, Laurence.\u201d Her voice was brisk now; she turned towards him and threw the flower at him, which he caught deftly in his good hand, \u201cIt could be you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I know it isn\u2019t me,\u201d he said with a note of wistfulness in his voice, \u201cI\u2019ve been here all these weeks and never once have you been anything but friendly, kind, like a sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, if you are so clever, perhaps you can guess who it is.\u201d she leaned against the railing, her face looking at him, a smile on her face slightly teasing, slightly wistful and sadly longing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it is one of three people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThree?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly three\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

She shrugged and returned to her chair, picked up the book and opened the page, then looked at him again, arched one eyebrow and said coyly, \u201cWell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt could be a certain Bedouin called Abdulkarim.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Laurence, you are a fool.\u201d And she laughed; her head rose so that the line of her face and throat were clearly defined against the backdrop of white walls shining in the sun.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well\u2026 what about the commodore?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSilly\u2026as if?\u201d she mocked him and turned her head away to look at the far wall although she couldn\u2019t stop the faint blush on her cheeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, what about an American called Adam Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, you\u2019re being silly and I won\u2019t read any more to you today.\u201d<\/p>\n

She rose, without looking at him, and turned away from him, her back straight. He listened to her footsteps fading from the room, then settled back into the cushions. He wished that he had been wrong, all three times.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you would come this way, please, Commodore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Babcock led Adam along the corridor towards a different room to the one he had been used to being taken. He had paid off his crew, said his farewells to them all, and to the Virginian, had his belongings stowed into a hotel room, and cabled his father. As he walked down the corridor and their footsteps echoed along the way he thought over the words he had used:<\/p>\n

\u201cGreetings Pa\u2014stop\u2014in Washington\u2014stop\u2014All well here\u2014stop\u2014where is Joe is now\u2014\u2014stop\u2014letter on the way\u2014stop\u2014ADAM\u201d<\/p>\n

The letter hadn\u2019t been written yet. He was hopeful of a reply waiting for him when he left here, hopeful that Pa had been in Virginia City when his cable had arrived there, hopeful that Joe had not yet left\u2026oh, hopeful of so much.<\/p>\n

The door opened and he banished such thoughts from his mind and entered the room. It was a homely room, a pleasant room in which to sit and be at ease, but which had the reverse effect on him, making him feel edgy and trapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo take a seat, Commodore. Something to drink? Tea? Coffee? Whiskey?\u201d Babcock paused. \u201cRum?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCoffee\u2014thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Babcock pressed a button in the wall and a rather severe looking young man appeared; there was a brief consultation and he left the room. Adam spent the time hiding a yawn, looking around the room, staring at some pictures and placing them in their various locations. He had just decided that one picture was that of a courting couple strolling along the Embankment in London, England on a foggy evening when another door opened and Grant appeared.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome back, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hale and hearty, bluff and welcoming, Grant extended his hand and shook Adam\u2019s vigorously. He had a cigar in the other hand which twirled grey blue smoke over their heads.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve heard good reports about you, Adam. Glad to be back no doubt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery much so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking forward to seeing your family?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I am.\u201d Adam looked at Grant then with a curious expression on his face that made him feel quite uncomfortable. He glanced away, paying attention instead to the man who had entered with the coffee things.<\/p>\n

He looked over at Adam once the coffee had been poured and placed on the table where the cups could be reached. \u201cI\u2019m sorry about the misinformation I sent you, I was told about what had supposedly happened and rather sentimentally wanted to convey my condolences, instead I should have had the facts examined before I wrote.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, sir. I appreciated the spirit in which the letter was written\u2026\u201d Adam replied and drank some coffee in order to keep his mouth shut and to prevent more being said on the subject.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me all about Egypt\u2026\u201d Grant asked and from there the conversation was easy, more relaxed.<\/p>\n

Adam told Grant all that he thought the president would want to know, answering the relevant questions honestly, and the more he talked the more Grant relaxed. They talked for half an hour, refreshed their coffee cups, talked a little more. Then Babcock opened the door and approached Grant, murmured something and withdrew. Grant sighed and rose to his feet. \u201cI have another appointment. I hope to see you soon, Adam. What do you intend to do now, return home?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had his hat now in his hand, and squared his shoulders. In his dress uniform he looked extremely smart, a tall broad shouldered man with his dark hair and dark eyes offset by the white of his cravat. It was a moment when Grant hoped more than ever to retain the friendship of this quite outstanding person despite any problems existing at present.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt depends on what my father answers in his cable\u2026\u201d Adam replied thoughtfully. \u201cIf it\u2019s the answer I would like, then yes, I shall be going straight to the Ponderosa. But if it\u2019s the answer I\u2019d prefer not to have, then I\u2019ll be making my way to Montana.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMontana?\u201d Grant said slowly, his cigar halfway to his mouth, and his eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Montana\u2026there are some people I want to see there.\u201d He paused. \u201cI do have six months\u2019 leave, if I remember rightly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you do\u2026\u201d Grant drawled out the words, although his brain was working overtime trying to think of what ship needed an officer in charge right at that moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u201d He turned, saluted. \u201cThank you for your time, Mr. President.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWait\u2014one moment\u2014what do you intend to do in Montana?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFind some answers, perhaps prevent a war,\u201d he shrugged, \u201cPerhaps not, it may already be too late, but it won\u2019t be without trying.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grant jutted out his jaw, his beard bristled and the dark eyes went like stones, then he nodded. \u201cI wish you every success, Commodore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled briefly and left the room, the door closed behind him and he strode with quick steps down the corridor. President Grant listened as the footsteps faded away, and then rammed the cigar down into the ashtray with a deep frown furrowed his brow; he uttered one word, an expletive, and left the room by another door.<\/p>\n

Chapter 100<\/p>\n

The town simmered in the heat of a late summer\u2019s day as the Cartwright family rode into town. Hoss sat with Hester on the wagon seat and helped her down just outside the doctor\u2019s surgery, and then went to the hardware store with a list which he pulled from his back pocket as he crossed the road. Ben had ridden on ahead and dismounted outside the sheriff\u2019s office, but by the time he had stepped onto the sidewalk Roy was already coming out to meet him,<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything alright, Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben fingered around his collar a little, glanced at the sky and then nodded, so that Roy wondered exactly what his friend was implying; he squinted his eyes a little more to get Ben in focus, and wished that he had remembered to put on his spectacles,<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, you don\u2019t look like you\u2019re alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, to be honest, Roy, since Joe left the Ponderosa some weeks back I\u2019ve only had one cable from him. It makes me nervous to think too much about what could be happening to him out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can imagine,\u201d Roy intoned and sighed, having had experience of Joe since he had been a small child he often thought that the boy\u2019s shenanigans caused Ben most of the white hairs on his head, \u201cFact is, there ain\u2019t much you can do about it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, wasn\u2019t much I could do about it then. Even with Mary Ann in his life, he still was determined to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy was about to say something else when Tom, the clerk from the telegraph depot, came running across the road waving a slip of paper in his hand and calling out to Ben. It was almost like a scene from a play, and he had been waiting his cue to appear, making as much drama from it as possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, this jest came over for you, thought you\u2019d want it right away.\u201d He slapped the piece of paper into the rancher\u2019s hand and waited expectantly. \u201cHe\u2019s wanting a reply as soon as possible, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, he is,\u201d Ben smiled and thanked Tom before looking down at the cable, and then his face mantled with colour, his hand shook just a little, and he had to take in a sharp gulp of breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cBad news?\u201d Roy groaned.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite the reverse,\u201d Ben smiled widely, \u201cAdam\u2019s back; he\u2019s in Washington and waiting for me to let him know where Joe is right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood news then,\u201d Roy nodded and looked at Tom who nodded as well, the pair of them waited expectantly for Ben to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t wait to tell Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Mr. Cartwright, He\u2019s waiting on a reply.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but I want to tell Hoss first.\u201d Ben cried and hurried to the hardware store to find his son.<\/p>\n

Hoss was thumbing through some dollar notes and slamming them down on the counter when Ben entered the store with such force that the bell above the door jangled, drawing everyone\u2019s attention towards him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith you in a minute,\u201d Jacobson yelled and then looked at Hoss, \u201cFifty cents more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFifty cents?\u201d Hoss groaned and began to count out his loose change, dropping it all on the counter where the coins rolled in all directions as Ben slapped him on the shoulder, \u201cPa, dang it, why\u2019d you do thet fer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNews from Adam\u2014he\u2019s back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is? Shucks, how\u2019d you find that out?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe sent a cable\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom home?\u201d Hoss wrinkled his nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom Washington.\u201d Ben looked at Hoss and wondered why his son was looking so confused, then continued, \u201cHe\u2019s wanting to know where Joe is\u2014you know what that means, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, sure I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight, and he\u2019s waiting for a reply\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d Hoss raised his eyebrows, then turned to sweep up the spare coins still on the counter, \u201c\u201dWhy didn\u2019t he jest come on right home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. He said he\u2019s sending a letter; no doubt that will explain it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss frowned, and walked with Ben out of the store and along the sidewalk with a perplexed frown on his face. To his way of thinking it would have been so much better if Adam had just returned straight to the Ponderosa and\u2014well\u2014just been there. He glanced at Ben, who was looking thoughtful. \u201cSo, what do we do now?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked at Hoss thoughtfully, \u201cWe cable Adam and tell him where Joe is right now, or where he said he would be in the cable he sent on to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure wish he had jest come straight on home so\u2019s we could have talked this all out.\u201d Hoss grumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat would have been the point of that, Hoss? You know it would have made you feel worse\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I guess so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss stuck his hands into his pockets and trudged alongside his father. When Joe had ridden away from the Ponderosa it had taken all the love he had for Hester not to have been with him. It was only the second time in Joe\u2019s life that Hoss had let him ride off anywhere without him or Adam by his side, and Hoss felt guilty for that fact. He knew that it wouldn\u2019t have helped had Adam returned home and then gone on after Joe, he would have been relieved on one hand, glad to be with Hester but\u2026and it was the \u2018but\u2019 that irritated him more than anything else.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s emotions were jumbled. The joy and pleasure at knowing Adam was safely home were muted by the fact that he was as far away as Washington and that he wasn\u2019t en route to the Ponderosa. The underlying relief however, knowing that the enquiry concerning Joe must mean that Adam was intending to go in search of him, made him feel less worried about Joe; for some reason his total confidence in his capable and protective eldest son was like soothing balm to his nerves.<\/p>\n

Tom was waiting for them when they arrived. Licking the stub of his pencil, he waited with it poised above the pad; he looked alternately from Ben to Hoss, and the air of expectancy was almost tangible.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight then\u2014\u201d Ben bit down on his bottom lip and frowned, \u201cIt will take Adam longer to get to Indian Territory from Washington than it will Joe\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll go by train quite a bit of the journey, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue enough\u2026\u201d Ben sighed, \u201cAlright, Tom, send this: Adam glad to know you are safe back. All are well here.\u201d He grimaced a little as he tried to put all he wanted to say in cable language, \u201cJoe last cabled from Logan, Utah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell him Joe\u2019s heading into Indian Territory by horse\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll know that already\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, I jest thought\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me think, will you, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

There was silence and Tom licked the stub of his pencil again.<\/p>\n

\u201cNext destination was going to be a town called Jedbrough Springs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell him we hope to see him soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShush!\u201d Ben sighed, looked at the ceiling for a second. \u201cWe look forward to seeing you both soon. Pa, Hoss. Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tom nodded, totalled it up and took the money and began to tap out the message. Ben sighed, looked at Hoss and smiled. \u201cLet\u2019s go and get a drink\u201d he said, \u201cHester will be meeting with Mary Ann, so I doubt if we\u2019ll see her anytime soon.\u201d He turned to Tom. \u201cLet me know the minute there\u2019s a reply.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

John Martin pushed his chair to one side and rose to his feet. He smiled at Hester, a smile that if he but knew it was becoming more like his Uncle Paul\u2019s every day.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is fine, Hester. From the way things are progressing it looks like you\u2019ll have a healthy little baby there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so,\u201d Hester said as she adjusted her clothing after the examination. She looked at John then and noted the shadows under his eyes. He had lost weight, too. \u201cHow are things with you, John? Are you completely recovered from what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019m alright, perfectly healthy.\u201d He glanced over at her and then returned his attention to the prescription pad, \u201cI want you to take one a day, Hester. It\u2019ll keep your blood strong, a lot of women don\u2019t realise how much having a baby depletes the blood. Make sure that Hop Sing cooks up lots of beef stews, oxtail soups.\u201d<\/p>\n

She buttoned up the last one on her blouse and took the slip of paper from him, glanced at it and frowned. \u201cThis is all new, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, indeed. Medicine\u2019s progressing all the time; we\u2019re learning more and more about so much now, Hester, and I want this surgery to be completely up to date with everything. I\u2019m afraid Uncle Paul is a little out of touch with things.\u201d He grinned wryly, knowing that she would realise he wasn\u2019t meaning to be overly critical, but merely stating facts.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry how things were, with Ingrid\u2014\u201d she hesitated, and gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, \u201cShe was always a strange girl; I remember my mother telling me she was concerned for Milton but my father was convinced it was a marriage made in heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, your mother was right, she had every reason for being concerned. I felt so guilty about Milton, he was a good man and\u2014and I feel quite ashamed of the part I played in making his ill health so much worse when I should have been the one caring for his welfare.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester picked up her purse and shawl, looked at him thoughtfully, and was about to say something when the nurse knocked on the door and whispered something to John, upon which he rose to his feet and told her he had an emergency call.<\/p>\n

She left feeling that something more should have been said, but she wasn\u2019t sure which of the two of them should have been the one to say it.<\/p>\n

Chapter 101<\/p>\n

The knock on the door interrupted Adam\u2019s writing and rather slowly he put down the pen and walked to the door. A tall man stood there in civilian clothes but with a rather military bearing, he was a good-looking man, not old, and the look on his face was one of concern, anxiety and caution. Adam raised his eyebrows. \u201cYes, what can I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI\u2019m Captain Lancey, or rather I should say, ex-Captain Lancey. You are Joseph Cartwright\u2019s brother from the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am,\u201d Adam nodded, \u201cYou had better come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry for disturbing you like this but\u2014\u201d Lancey glanced around the room and saw the clothes neatly packed away in a suitcase awaiting the last item to be added before the lid came down. \u201cYou\u2019re leaving?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I saw your name on the register and wanted to come and pay my respects. I also wanted you to have the chance to know what really happened with regards to your brother\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam narrowed his eyes and looked more closely to Lancey, then nodded, \u201cJoseph? Well, what did happen?\u201d He removed his gun belt and holster from a chair and beckoned Lancey to sit down, \u201cI haven\u2019t heard the full story as yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt if you\u2019ll ever get the full version from official quarters, Commodore.\u201d Lancey smiled slowly and sat down. \u201cYou know that the commanding officer in charge of the convoy which apprehended your brother has since been killed in action?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMajor Fleming? Yes, I heard from my father about that\u2014\u201d Adam rolled the tip of his tongue over his teeth as though ruminating a little further upon that matter, and then he shrugged. \u201cWell, Captain Lancey, go ahead and tell me your version of the event.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lancey frowned, \u201cI suppose to you it may seem just another version, but it\u2019s the truth, and I suppose I felt I needed you to know it for purely selfish reasons, I wanted to be exonerated from the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we all do things for purely selfish reasons, Captain, from time to time,\u201d Adam replied and took the chair opposite the other man. \u201cNow, please, go ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lancey spent some time going into the details about the point of their mission, about Fleming\u2019s character flaws in general and how only his contact with Custer had given him the position he had held. He explained at length about the capture of the Cheyenne and Kiowa, and then of Joseph, until finally he brought the matter to a conclusion by telling Adam about the shooting that had injured Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was some green rookie who fired the shots, he didn\u2019t really know what was going on except that Fleming had said to shoot down any one who attempted to escape. Perhaps he was hoping to gain some credit with Fleming by acting faster than anyone else. As it was Fleming was demoted as a result of what happened, and eventually he was killed in the skirmish on the borders of the Black Hills.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you resigned?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes; I was at West Point with Custer and he wanted me to go along with him, to join up into the 7th Cavalry, but I couldn\u2019t do it. It\u2019s going to be a blood bath, Commodore, and I don\u2019t want to be a part of that kind of life anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhereabouts is Custer stationed now, do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he\u2019s not currying favour here with the president or the press, he\u2019s with his wife at Fort Abraham Lincoln.\u201d He got up from the chair and extended his hand, \u201cThank you for seeing me, I\u2019m sorry if I held you up from urgent business.\u201d He paused then. \u201cHow exactly is Joe now? Is he well? Have you heard?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had several letters from him while he was on his sick bed\u2026he was impatient to get up and about then, and\u2014well, he\u2019s active now, and in good health.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad about that\u2014thanks again.\u201d<\/p>\n

They shook hands and Adam walked with him to the door, opened it and stepped back for the ex-officer to leave,<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI\u2019m going to be a journalist,\u201d Lancey replied. \u201cI start work on Monday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, every success, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Commodore.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Lancey made his exit he passed one of the bellhops, who was bringing up a cablegram for the commodore. Adam paid the necessary charges and tip, and then closed the door to step back into the privacy of his room.<\/p>\n

His father\u2019s words made him smile. He mused a while over the communication and then took out a map which he spread out over a console table. After a short while he knew exactly where he was going to go and how. With a satisfied nod of the head he resumed his letter to his father, including within it the information he had received from Lancey and details of his future movements.<\/p>\n

In less than an hour he had replied by cable to his father as well as posted off his letter. The majority of his belongings were stored in the hotel\u2019s basement. Then he was on his way to the train station for the first step of his journey.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The announcement that there was a visitor to see Lord Laurence Willoughby was greeted with some surprise by his hosts and with a flutter of excitement in the heart of one person in particular. Rachel was on her feet with her heart beating frantically when the visitor stepped into the room, and even though he looked immaculate and handsome in his naval uniform, it wasn\u2019t Adam Cartwright. Her feelings of disappointment were so obviously written on her face that Laurence, had he possessed a mean bone in his body, which he didn\u2019t, would have laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cO\u2019Brien\u2014\u201d he shook Daniel\u2019s hand vigorously and then introduced the officer to Said El Hassim and Anna, and then to Rachel who had now recovered herself and acknowledged him sweetly. \u201cCaptain O\u2019Brien is a close friend of Commodore Cartwright,\u201d Laurence explained. \u201cAnd a good friend of mine also.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, please, Captain, favour my home and be welcome.\u201d Said replied. \u201cI was not aware of your coming to Cairo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, my ship was berthed in the Suez Canal for some time while the ambassador held talks with the khedive. I believe you were present during some of them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was indeed.\u201d Said replied and then looked at his wife. \u201cWe have to leave you, perhaps you would prefer to speak to your friend alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three left the room, although Rachel cast a glance over her shoulder to see a little more of the American as he stood, looking rather uncomfortable, in the centre of the room.<\/p>\n

Once they were alone the two men shook hands again, and Daniel relaxed enough to take a seat. \u201cHow are you, Laurence?\u201d He leaned forward to look more closely at his friend. \u201cThat scar across your cheekbone looks quite amazing. Who would expect an artist to carry a scar like that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly an artist who hadn\u2019t carried out his commission properly perhaps,\u201d Laurence laughed. \u201cHow did you get to hear about me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam told me all about it.\u201d Daniel smiled. \u201cAnd I heard a few more details from the khedive himself. He thinks it is all wonderful, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI daresay.\u201d Laurence sighed and stretched out his leg, which was aching despite its being so well healed now. \u201cSo you thought you would just call in for a visit, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t really expect me to just sail on by, did you?\u201d Daniel laughed, \u201cI\u2019m still captain of the Baltimore. I just wondered if you wanted a lift home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sheer delight sprung up into Laurence\u2019s face, \u201cDo you mean that?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI\u2019d like nothing better, old chap. Fact is, this place is getting to be quite boring. I\u2019ve things to do in life better than lying around on cushions all day baking in the sun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd\u2014er\u2014what about the lady?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cMiss Rachel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh well, yes.\u201d Laurence bit down on his bottom lip and then shook his head, \u201cNot sure, old chap. Have to test the water first…just to make sure, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence got to his feet and beckoned Daniel to follow him into another room. It was cooler there, and had obviously been used by the young man as some kind of studio. He took a cloth away from a canvas that was resting against the wall. \u201cWhat do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it her?\u201d Daniel leaned forward and stared at the portrait of Rachel Forster with admiration, not only at the subject matter but also at the skill of the man who had accomplished the paintwork. \u201cShe\u2019s lovely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy best piece,\u201d Laurence admitted, and after a few more minutes he lowered the cloth. \u201cBut you saw her just now, Daniel\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I thought her quite striking even though she didn\u2019t appear too happy at seeing me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence laughed, \u201cThat, my friend, was because the announcement was that an American naval officer wished to see me\u2026her hopes were raised.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014and dashed?\u201d Daniel quirked an eyebrow. \u201cI see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen do you leave here, Daniel?\u201d<\/p>\n

The American paused, shrugged, and admitted he was only in Cairo for another day, then he would be en route to America. Laurence nodded thoughtfully and limped over to the balcony upon which he leaned. Rachel was there, alone and deep in thought, so he called out to her, and when she looked up at him and smiled just for a second or so he couldn\u2019t\u2014didn\u2019t want to\u2014speak, but he did, and asked her to come up and join them.<\/p>\n

Chapter 102<\/p>\n

The home of the sheik was of some interest to Daniel, who spent the time waiting for Rachel to join them with looking around and admiring the art work, the design and the airiness of the rooms. He told Laurence that it was a far better place for him to have been convalescing in that the place he had on the Kuril Islands, which made Laurence laugh at the memory of such a hovel.<\/p>\n

Rachel entered the room followed by a servant carrying food and drink for them. She smiled at Laurence and then looked at Daniel, then extended her hand to him,<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Captain O\u2019Brien, I\u2019m sorry, my earlier introduction to you was rather hurried.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA pleasure to meet you, Miss Forster, I\u2019ve heard quite a bit about you from a mutual friend of ours.\u201d he smiled as he shook her hand and looked into the blue eyes, he felt just a little guilty at having referred to her in this manner, as the reference to her from Adam had been slight, and her reaction indicated that she may have thought it was far more than that. He cleared his throat. \u201cI met up with Commodore Cartwright in Tripoli\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

She blushed prettily and turned her attention to pouring out drinks for them all, while the servant placed bowls of sweet candies and dainties on tables for them. She then raised her face to look at O\u2019Brien, and gave him a smile that made him realise that she had indeed assumed the conversation about her had been more than a fleeting reference.<\/p>\n

\u201cWas the commodore well, when you saw him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well and glad to be getting back home.\u201d Daniel replied, he sipped the spiced drink and nodded, then ate some candy which was delicious, \u201cBy that I mean home to the Ponderosa. He misses his family a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you been to his home\u2014this Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I have, in fact.\u201d He smiled and glanced over at Laurence who was watching her carefully; it seemed to Daniel, a romantic at heart, that perhaps there was a lot of affection for her in that quarter, and he began to feel rather awkward with the conversation being so centred on Adam Cartwright.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it like? It\u2019s part of America that I have never been to.\u201d She turned now to Laurence, \u201cHave you been there, Laurie?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m English, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed then, as though used to being teased by him, and then looked at Daniel,<\/p>\n

\u201cTell us about it, Captain, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel gave her a mock bow with a cup in one hand and a tasty morsel of candy in the other. \u201cAs Madam wishes\u2014\u201d and with a smile he finished the candy, washed it down with the drink and then proceeded to tell them about the Ponderosa, and how things had been on his first visit there with his cousin Jotham.<\/p>\n

His description of the attack by the gunmen as they rode through the Ponderosa, how Jotham had been shot and then out of the blue had come help from some unknown saviour who had actually been Adam had Rachel clasping her hands in excitement and poor Laurence groaning inwardly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was wonderful, what an adventure,\u201d She exclaimed, and then looked at Laurence with a twinkle in her eye. \u201cI\u2019m afraid it rather makes a fox hunt sound rather dull, Laurie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I was afraid you would say that,\u201d Laurence replied and shrugged his shoulders, while he gave Daniel a roll of the eyes as the only way to express his annoyance at him.<\/p>\n

Daniel took his cue well and stood up, explained that he was due back to his ship in an hour and needed to leave. He looked at Laurence meaningfully, a little nudge towards making it known to Rachel that he would be leaving with Daniel the next day, but Laurence was preoccupied with other thoughts clouding his mind and didn\u2019t notice.<\/p>\n

\u201cShall we see you again, before you leave Cairo?\u201d Rachel asked the captain as she walked with him to the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so, Miss Forster.\u201d he glanced over at Laurence. \u201cMy ship leaves at midday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence gave a start, as though just realising that Daniel was telling him something significant, he limped over to join them both.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see you tomorrow then, Daniel.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t look at Rachel to see if there was any reaction to his statement from her, just looked at Daniel, who nodded, shook his hand before turning to Rachel. \u201cIt\u2019s been a pleasure to meet you, Miss Forster.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurence waited for some moments for Daniel to actually leave the premises before he turned to her, saw the set look in her face, the wariness in her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe mentioned that I could go back with them, if I was ready by tomorrow.\u201d he murmured as he limped back to where he could sit comfortably.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you say something while he was here?\u201d she said with a touch of anger in her voice.<\/p>\n

He retorted sharply, \u201cBecause you spent all the time he had available talking about that blasted Ponderosa!\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him then, tossed her head in the air and walked away from him to the balcony. He was instantly by her side, and placed a hand on her arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, I didn\u2019t mean to speak so sharply, it\u2019s just that the opportunity has come for me to return some way back to England with a friend, instead of having to wait to make other arrangements. It\u2014well\u2014there just wasn\u2019t time to talk to you about you, surely you can see that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course.\u201d She bowed her head and ran a finger along the length of the railing in front of her, \u201cBut what about me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about you?\u201d He smiled and turned her to face him, \u201cYou\u2019re not going to pretend now that you\u2019ll miss me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI shall miss you, Laurence. I\u2019m not pretending either.\u201d she sighed, \u201cYou\u2019ve become a good friend, more like a\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, more like a brother. You don\u2019t mind my saying so, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course I mind.\u201d He lowered his head and dropped his hands to his side, then turned to look down from the balcony at the garden beneath them, \u201cOf course I mind,\u201d he repeated. \u201cYou must know that I care about you, Rachel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought perhaps you were getting fond of me, Laurie, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFond of you?\u201d he shook his head and sighed, \u201cI wish I were merely fond of you, it would make leaving you much easier.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said nothing. She could have said \u201cThen stay,\u201d but what good would that have done either of them? He would have felt daily fonder of her, and then the parting would have been harder for them both. She thought of Adam and bowed her head under the weight of her own feelings. It was a travesty really, she thought, she in love with someone who didn\u2019t really know her at all, and unable to love Laurence who stood by her side, longing for her to return his affections.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Laurie.\u201d She sighed, and looked at him, her face crumpled a little with the sadness she felt. \u201cI wish I could love you, instead of\u2014feeling the way I do for someone I may never see again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems rather a waste of life, don\u2019t you think, Rachel?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cLiving here with your sister, in a land you dislike so much, while loving a man who\u2014\u201d
\nhe paused, and looked at her, then turned away. \u201cWell, I think it best that I leave tomorrow, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t want to hear her say that, and the words hurt him, cut him to the quick. A shiver went down his back, and he walked into the room, leaving her standing on the balcony.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaurence\u2014don\u2019t walk away from me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He heard the sound of her skirts brushing against her legs as she hurried to follow him. He summoned all his willpower to banish the feelings he had for her from his mind so these last hours would be spent in the kind, loving friendship they had always had. Thus, when she put her hand on his arm he was able to turn and smile down at her. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Rachel, I didn\u2019t mean to be impolite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry too, I didn\u2019t mean to be so blunt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s better to be that way really.\u201d He smiled, and placed his hand on top of hers. \u201cAre you really going to stay here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI could come with you\u2014tomorrow?\u201d she looked into his face. \u201cCouldn\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n

He said nothing for a second or so, just so that he could look at the piquant little face gazing up at him, then he shook his head. \u201cNo, you would need too many papers to be rubber stamped for approval. It would take time which Daniel doesn\u2019t have; besides, sailors are superstitious fellows. They don\u2019t like women on board.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her disappointment was apparent, but she gulped back anything she felt like saying so he led her along to where they could sit down.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe last woman who was on board the Baltimore was a prisoner, taken on board by Adam for treason. She twice tried to kill him, nearly succeeded the last time.\u201d He poured out the shay (tea) and handed it to her. \u201cHer name was Cassandra, and she was beautiful to look at, really beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou knew her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I knew her,\u201d he sighed. \u201cShe was not so beautiful inside though\u2026rotten through and through in fact.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what you\u2019re saying is that sailors don\u2019t like women on board their ships, and this experience with this Cassandra woman rather proved the point?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite right, my dear.\u201d He smiled down at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo how am I going to get back to America?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou really want to leave here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I do\u201d she looked at him and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cBest book passage on one of the cruise ships. Said will help you, he knows all there is to know about the business.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded and relaxed a little while her mind buzzed with plans and ideas, she glanced over at Laurence who now seemed immersed in thoughts of his own.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaurie, will you see Adam again?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. I never thought I would see him again after the Kuril affair, but politics threw us together. I won\u2019t be going to America, Rachel; I\u2019m only going part way with the Baltimore, then getting a ship to take me the rest of the way home, to England.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I see.\u201d She frowned, and then stood up. \u201cCaptain O\u2019Brien might see him again though, might he not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I write a letter would you give it to Captain O\u2019Brien to send on to the commodore?\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at her intently for an instant, as though weighing up the pros and cons to such an idea, then he nodded and smiled. \u201cI\u2019ll give you something you can send with your letter, Rachel, something for him to remember you by\u2026\u201d He smiled and she leaned over to kiss his cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, darling Laurie.\u201d<\/p>\n

How he would have loved to have taken her into his arms and held her close, kissed her lips and told her over and over that he loved her. But he smiled, nodded, released her hand and watched her as she hurried from the room to write her letter.<\/p>\n

For some reason the last words of Sydney Carton echoed eerily in his mind:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 103<\/p>\n

When Rachel reached her room she paced the floor for some time in an attempt to control her emotions. She was unsure what was causing her to feel so anxious, so disturbed. Was it possible that she was fooling herself into thinking that Adam Cartwright could possibly have any feelings for her whatsoever? A few brief meetings, during which she had not done anything spectacularly significant, snatched conversations that were neither witty nor sophisticated, a brief kiss at a time when she was feeling emotional anyway, and he could, perhaps, just have been feeling sorry for her.<\/p>\n

She wrung her hands and then stopped, annoyed at being so feeble as to do such a thing. Had she imagined something that was not there because she had desperately wanted it to be? All the weeks that had passed there had been no communication from him, and even the allusion that Daniel O\u2019Brien had made led nowhere as whatever was said the Captain did not repeat to her.<\/p>\n

She sat at her desk and pulled paper and pen towards her, and for a while just stared at the blank sheet. Its whiteness gave her a sense of panic; it seemed to be saying \u201cWell, what are you waiting for? Write a sonnet? Write a declaration of love. Write something!\u201d<\/p>\n

She picked up the pen and dipped it in ink and wrote down the date. This oh-so-important letter had to be perfect and already she had blobbed ink onto the paper. Her hand was shaking. Stupid, stupid woman. She put the pen down and pressed fingers into her temples.<\/p>\n

Was she in love with a man or a memory? \u201cCome on, Rachel, this is the time to be honest with yourself,\u201d and she reached out for the pen once again. \u201cAre you in love with Adam Cartwright or just in love with the thought of being in love?\u201d She put the pen down. \u201cThere\u2019s a man in the other room who loves you, really loves you\u2026look at the painting he made of you. Only a man in love could have done such a beautiful painting from such insipid material.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stood up and walked from the room and into the other room where Laurence was carefully emptying a small cupboard of his possessions, frugal though they were as they had been bought piecemeal during his recuperating at the El Hassim\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaurence\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

He paused and turned to look at her; he had some paint brushes in his hands, and it reminded her of the days she had spent posing for the portrait. They had been pleasant days during which they had joked, teased and laughed the hours away. He lowered his head and put the brushes into an oblong box which he then placed into his case. \u201cYes, Rachel, what can I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

He was detaching himself from her, from them. She could sense it already and felt regret about losing something that had been so special. She stepped further into the room. \u201cLaurence, I am sorry\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThe thing is I don\u2019t know if I am being incredibly stupid or not. Do I love him? Or do I just want to love him and be loved by him? How do I know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s difficult, isn\u2019t it, when the person isn\u2019t here to tell you, or show you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I\u2019m hanging onto a memory of something and I\u2019m afraid that over the weeks I\u2019ve given myself a false impression.\u201d<\/p>\n

He heaved a sigh, his shoulders sagging, and he looked wistfully at her before looking away. \u201cI am sorry, Rachel. Unfortunately there isn\u2019t much I can do to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m frightened of making a mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuch as what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLeaving here and travelling all that way to find that he\u2019s already married\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe isn\u2019t married.\u201d His voice was dull, flat. He placed the box more snugly into a corner of the case.<\/p>\n

\u201cOr that he\u2019ll look at me and wonder who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll know who you are\u2014\u201d he looked at her. \u201cHe\u2019ll have these to remember you by.\u201d and he held up the sketches that he had made in preparation for the portrait, preliminary sketches taken of her from every possible angle.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he may think it was stupid of me to have gone there, he\u2019ll laugh at me and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wouldn\u2019t do that; he\u2019s one of the kindest men I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if he loves me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t know if you stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was rolling the sketches up carefully now and then he slipped them into a cylinder. He glanced at her. \u201cI\u2019ll put your letter in here when you have finished it, and then seal it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded then and walked slowly back to her room, picked up the pen and began to write.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Commodore Abdulkarim\u2014Adam,<\/p>\n

It is a while since we parted in Egypt, yet I find myself constantly thinking about you, and wondering, still, who you are and which of the three men you could possibly be. Perhaps you have already forgotten your time here, and those of us still here at present. I would like to think that you have not, that you have some fond memories of us all, and of one, in particular.<\/p>\n

I am hoping that soon I shall be in America again. Laurence is leaving for England tomorrow; he is going to sail on the Baltimore with Captain O\u2019Brien who came here today and told me much about your Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

When I was young and my brother died, I wandered into the rural areas around our home. I sat beneath a tree and thought of the people who had once lived there. The tree was old and I imagined, perhaps, times when children played beneath its branches. Or lovers sat whispering their promises to one another. I got to wondering about these people and began to do some digging around and among the artefacts I found this ring\u2014you may have noticed the ring I wear? I found it with some other possessions that must have belonged to a young woman, wealthy, and I have worn it ever since.<\/p>\n

Please keep it as a memento of someone you thinks often of you, dear Commodore Abdulkarim.<\/p>\n

Rachel Forster
\nCairo Egypt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

In her room Mary Ann Hornby lit the lamp; its soft glow was warm and comforting as she placed it upon the dressing table. She sat down and looked at herself in the mirror, and then untied her hair and let it fall over her shoulders.<\/p>\n

Again she looked at herself in the mirror, and saw the anxious eyes peering back at her. He had been gone just a few weeks and yet it seemed as though he had been gone for\u2014oh so long. She picked up the picture of them both that Joe had insisted on getting taken a short while before he left. She had placed it lovingly in a silver frame. She now looked deep into the eyes of the young man in the picture, as though by doing so she could see the love that had been there for her every time she had looked at him. She kissed the glass, and then for a moment sat there with the picture in her hands, wishing with all her heart that he was there now.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Joe, I\u2019m not brave, not without you here. I\u2019m not good enough for you, darling; I\u2019m silly and weak, and I feel lost when you\u2019re not here. Keep safe, please come home soon. I miss you.\u201d She kissed the glass once again, \u201cI love you,\u201d she whispered and set the picture back down so that the light shone down upon it and showed to the world two happy people, a lovely couple, a man and a woman in love.<\/p>\n

Chapter 104<\/p>\n

Jedbrough Springs was a town in the middle of nowhere that gave the impression that it had sprung up overnight during a desert storm. Joe\u2019s horse went at a steady walk down the main street, and Joe felt as though he had ridden through a hundred similar towns and that the people walking along the wooden sidewalks had just been lifted up from one town to continue exactly the same lives as they had lived in the previous one.<\/p>\n

He was tired, his back ached and his legs felt heavy, so he was more than relieved to see the hotel sign straight ahead. He steered the horse forwards, taking it slowly as he looked around at the buildings, and the people. Several children ran down the sidewalk, old enough to be at school but obviously not so he assumed it to be Saturday. He knew it couldn\u2019t be a Sunday because the shops were open and the children wore their everyday clothes and there were no bells tolling. He\u2019d lost track of the days sometime ago.<\/p>\n

He dismounted, paused and straightened his back while wondering when it was that he had become so old. Surely he would never have felt like this some few years ago. He thumbed back his hat and tied the reins to the hitching rail, unbuckled the saddlebags and slung them over his shoulder, before stepping onto the sidewalk, removing his hat as two young ladies strolled towards him, they simpered and giggled and passed on with a backward glance at the young man who was not entering the hotel.<\/p>\n

The clerk was thin and stringy with a mop of yellow hair and looked at Joe as though he had committed some mortal sin merely by walking into the building. Joe frowned and removed his hat again.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything wrong?\u201d he asked by way of curiosity.<\/p>\n

\u201cShould there be?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I guess not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like a room.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSingle or double?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSingle\u2014thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n

The register was pushed towards him and as he signed the key to the room was tossed onto the counter, he picked it up and looked at the clerk with a frown. \u201cAre you happy in your job?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s it to you?\u201d came the surly response as the clerk turned the register around to look at the name written on it. \u201cJoseph Cartwright\u2026that\u2019s you, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou saw me just sign it\u2026\u201d Joe\u2019s voice trailed away in disbelief. He took the keys and slipped them into his pocket. \u201cIs there a bath room in the hotel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNext door to your room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe said nothing more but made his way up the stairs, pushed open the door to a small but clean room, and walked over to the window. He glanced up and down the main road. Traffic was sparse; most of the people on the streets were women and children. He flipped his hat onto the chair, dropped the saddle bags onto the floor and then dropped himself onto the bed.<\/p>\n

He fell asleep within minutes. The sounds from outside his window were muted until they faded completely away. When he eventually opened his eyes it was dusky outside and the sounds of the town were different. It was winding down from its daily life and gearing up for night time noise and brawls.<\/p>\n

Mindful that he hadn\u2019t tended to his horse he made his way downstairs again and led him to the livery stable. The livery owner was a fat, round greasy-looking man with a bald head, he didn\u2019t speak but answered in nods and winks of the eye as he took the horse and led it into its stall. When Joe asked how much it would cost to keep the horse stabled there his answer came with a jerk to the thumb which meant he had to look at a board to see the prices.<\/p>\n

He shrugged, paid a sufficient amount to cover the cost for the next two days, and then left the horse eating its head off with some good oats. Once again he was impressed by the cleanliness of the property. He stood for a moment wondering what to do next and then strolled over to the telegraph office, which had a light flickering through the window.<\/p>\n

The door was locked. He shook it just in the hope of the proprietor taking pity on him and opening it but no one came so he walked away and headed for a small eaterie on the corner of the street. The bell above the door jangled pleasantly when he stepped inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it too early for something to eat, ma\u2019am?\u201d He smiled and removed his hat, only one other occupant sat at a table waiting to be served.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake a seat, Mister; what would you like?\u201d The woman smiled as she handed him the menu and took in at a glance that the young man was handsome, had perfect teeth\u2014which was not common\u2014and looked as though he had ridden a long way. When he ordered beef stew and dumplings she wasn\u2019t particularly surprised; he looked the kind of guy who would prefer good substantial home cooking.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome far?\u201d she asked after she had bellowed the order through to the kitchen and was pouring him the obligatory coffee<\/p>\n

\u201cFar enough,\u201d he stretched out his legs, \u201cNevada.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is some distance. Where you headed?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, just keeping going, I guess.\u201d he slipped his hat onto the chair and looked around him, \u201cIt\u2019s pretty quiet in here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, the rush hasn\u2019t started yet.\u201d she smiled again, \u201cWhat part of Nevada d\u2019you come from, Handsome?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVirginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded, thought for a moment and left him to his coffee, a few minutes later she returned with the beef stew and dumplings which she placed carefully in front of him.<\/p>\n

\u201cStaying here long?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really, just passing through. Thanks, this looks really good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHope you enjoy it. Apple pie afterwards, if that\u2019s alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBe more than alright, ma\u2019am, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled and returned to the desk by the door, the bell jangled and several more people entered and were taken to their tables. It was a small town, just like so many others, but as far as Joe was concerned, it was the best beef stew and dumplings he had eaten in a long while.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The train seemed to go so slowly at times that Adam felt the strongest of desires to get out and give it a push. He got out to stretch his legs every time the train stopped at some depot or other, but also to get rid of the nervous tension that was building up in him from being forced to a state of inactivity for days at a time. He found himself twitching with impatience, tapping his hands on his knees, or his fingers on the arm rest or window frame.<\/p>\n

The journey seemed never ending. Whenever possible he sent a cable to his father to let him know that he was inching closer to Jedbrough Springs and on one occasion he also sent Joe a cable asking him to stay there until he arrived. This was a shot in the dark in the hope that Joe would not have arrived before the cable, and galloped off into Indian Territory.<\/p>\n

Sometimes he was engaged in conversation with fellow travellers who found the journey every bit as tedious, but passengers were not exactly bountiful and most seemed to be in different compartments from his own. Once or twice he had to change trains which meant frustratingly long delays to the journey while he waited for another connection.<\/p>\n

His brain whirled with memories, recent events, past events, faces that now meant nothing and belonged to people whose names he had long forgotten, remembrances of those he had loved who were now dead, or long gone away. This great repository of many sundry strands to one\u2019s life he found himself dipping into frequently during the journey.<\/p>\n

He wondered how Laurence was getting on, which led him to think about Rachel. He could see her face clearly, those amazingly blue eyes and the way she tilted her chin. He wondered what ever would become of her. He regretted he hadn\u2019t taken up the Sheik\u2019s offer of a horse race; he would have enjoyed having that memory to linger over.<\/p>\n

At last the train drew to a screeching halt. He clambered down the steps onto yet another depot and dropped his bag on the ground, looked around him, and nodded. He was now on the outskirts of the lands he understood so well, the mesas, the sprawl of dry earth, and the drifting sands. He looked around him and entered the depot, glanced at the dust-covered clock and asked the clerk where he could get a horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t cha waiting for another connection?\u201d the clerk peered at him from under his glossy black peaked cap.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m heading out to Jedbrough Springs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, ain\u2019t no train heading that away, Mister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why I need to get a horse,\u201d Adam explained calmly as he slowly buckled the gunbelt around his waist. He had not felt the need to wear it while on the train, but now he felt exposed and vulnerable in this raw new town that had sprung up because of the trains.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake the main street, turn left\u2014you\u2019ll see the sign for the livery. Ol\u2019 Manson will see you alright for a good horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny hotel here yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Mister, just across the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and picked up his bag, then he stepped out through the other door of the depot into the heavy heat of the main street of Drysdale. The hotel, its paint already blistering from the previous summers, was, as the clerk had said, just across the way. He crossed the street, and entered the building through the pretentious glass doors.<\/p>\n

The receptionist was a woman and smiled at him, noted that he looked tired and was obviously not inclined to chatter. She passed him the register and watched him sign it, then handed him the key.<\/p>\n

\u201cUp the stairs, first landing, turn left, second door along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d He turned to mount the stairs but was prevented from doing so immediately when she called out that there was a restaurant in the hotel and if he wanted a hot meal there would be one served in just an hour\u2019s time.<\/p>\n

With that information tucked under his belt Adam mounted the stairs and found his room, closed the door behind him and dropped his bag on the floor, flipped his hat onto the chair and dropped onto the bed.<\/p>\n

In his estimation, if the horse was strong and healthy, he would reach Jedbrough Springs within two more days.<\/p>\n

Chapter 105<\/p>\n

In the morning Joe ate a hearty breakfast washed down with several cups of strong coffee. The clientele were as numerous as the previous evening, and he watched them casually as he chomped through his bacon, eggs and rye bread. The day was beginning, and for them it would be the same as the previous day and the day before that, he wondered what had brought them to this dry and dismal settlement and where they had begun their journeys.<\/p>\n

Still, he mused as he paid the woman, every journey started someplace; his own Pa was testament to that fact. He smiled at her as she gave him some change.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long has this town been here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout 18 months.\u201d She returned his smile with one of her own which was charming in itself. \u201cIt kinda sprung up because there was talk of the railway line coming through this way. Should be here in about a year I reckon. That\u2019s what will happen all along through Indian Territory, young man; you can\u2019t stop progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at her thoughtfully and then left the building. Progress. He slipped his hat onto his thick hair and pulled it down to shade his eyes. Was that what they called it? He could remember the last time he had ridden this way. There had been no trains then. He glanced around him, and gulped at the realisation that he was all part of this progress. He had taken part of the journey here by train, but last time it had been pack mule and horseback. There had been a magnificent sweep of wild desert land, high plateaus, the mesas, and there had been wildlife along where the river flowed.<\/p>\n

He kept his eyes down as he walked to the Telegraph Office and pushed open the door. He was early, the first there but he was greeted with nod of the head and a smile,<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything I can do for you, Mister?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything for me? Joseph Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJo\u2014seph Cart\u2014wright.\u201d He pulled down the spectacles that had been perched on his forehead and peered at the rack, then nodded. \u201cA whole bumper crop came for you, Mister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, and one just arrived only a few minutes ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled; his eyes twinkled and he pushed his hat back and took the envelopes from the other man with an eagerness that made the clerk grin back at him. \u201cBeen travelling long?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLong enough.\u201d Joe replied as he walked to the window so that the light fell across the papers he was reading.<\/p>\n

There was one from Mary Ann, urging him to be careful and reminding him of how much she loved him. He sighed a little over that and went into a little daydream, imagining her wondering whether or not she should mention her feelings for him in front of Tom, the clerk there in Virginia City who would be sure to broadcast it to the whole world. The next cable came from his father, and he nearly he dropped it as though it were a red hot coal because the news was so unexpected. Adam was in America\u2014and not only that, he was en route to join up with him. His exclamation of surprise and delight didn\u2019t fail to impress the clerk, who asked him if he was alright.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, yes, I\u2019m fine, thank you. Just some good news.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWant to send a reply?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2014thank you, I will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI done finished writing out the message that jest come over for you\u2026do you want to reply to that one as well?\u201d He held the slip of paper over. Joe took it with a smile on his face, which broadened as he read.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2014stop\u2014here in Drysdale two days from you\u2014stop\u2014will leave mid-day meet you at Jedbrough Springs\u2014stop\u2014don\u2019t proceed without me\u2014stop Adam\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore good news?\u201d the clerk asked<\/p>\n

\u201cYep, more good news.\u201d Joe grinned and stuffed the papers in his pocket<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you want to send replies to them thar other messages?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2014yes, of course.\u201d he leaned against the counter and creased his brow as he thought of what to say to Mary Ann and to Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, I\u2019ve only got all day to stand about and wait, y\u2019know?\u201d the clerk smiled as he spoke but it made Joe laugh and he hurriedly wrote down the messages, the assurances of his love for her, and his safe arrival and the message received from Adam for Ben.<\/p>\n

He listened as the clerk tapped out the messages that would buzz along the lines all the way to their destination. This was progress too; communication like this would normally take weeks or months and now the wonders of the modern age. He frowned again; it came with a cost though.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you come from, to live here?\u201d he asked the clerk as he scribbled down a reply to Adam<\/p>\n

\u201cPittsburgh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you miss it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome things.\u201d The clerk took the paper from Joe and scanned it through and then began to tap out the message, \u201cSome things I\u2019m glad to be rid of, and it\u2019s good to know I\u2019m at the start of a new beginning here. A new life in a new town. Not many get that chance, you know? How about yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust passing through.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, won\u2019t be long before there will be townships being built all over this territory. Seems odd to think it was just where Indians and buffalo roamed before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any trouble with Indians?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, they retreated back to the hills, heard tell they were all trekking to be together there. They leave us alone because there ain\u2019t no point in them staying here anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d Joe frowned, \u201cThis isn\u2019t such a large town, it could be wiped out easily enough, you\u2019ve no cavalry to defend you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but there ain\u2019t no buffalo, are there?\u201d he shrugged. \u201cNo buffalo, no Indians. As simple as that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s heart sank. So this explained Stalking Horse\u2019s words about the food being taken from their mouths, the mouths of his people. No buffalo.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019ve they all gone then\u2014the buffalo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you read nothing where you come from?\u201d The clerk turned round and rested his elbows on the counter and his chin in his cupped hands, \u201cThe government paid the buffalo hunters to kill \u2019em all. Shipped hundreds back east, then when folk didn\u2019t want the meat they just stripped the skin and heads off\u2019n \u2019em. I\u2019ve seen them so high on the train wagons you wouldn\u2019t believe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what about the meat ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust left to rot where they fell. Hundreds of them. I saw \u2019em as we travelled here, boy, vast numbers of them, rotting and black, just there where they fell.\u201d The memory was obviously not a happy one; he sighed and shrugged. \u201cIt worked better than a fight. Starved \u2019em away.\u201d He turned away to check his paperwork as though embarrassed by the admission he had made. \u201cYou going to wait for a reply?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head. He left the building and stood on the sidewalk, a solitary figure with his head buzzing with information. He felt more than ever that his journey to the Black Hills was justified.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Adam leaned on the corral rails and watched the horses as they trotted about the enclosure. He wanted a good strong horse, and one nimble on its feet. He didn\u2019t want any broken winded old hack either, which was what Mr. Manson seemed intent on wanting to sell him. Eventually he started to walk away, which prompted Mr. Manson to ask if he wanted a horse or not?<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I want a horse, just not one of those.\u201d Adam shrugged, and raised one eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got a few more in the stalls. Care for a look at them?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and turned back, following Manson into the stables. Several horses, good-looking ones, continued eating, pulling at the hay bags as they both passed. Adam raised his eyebrows.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are good looking animals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best I\u2019ve got.\u201d Manson replied with some pride.<\/p>\n

Adam took his time to check them over, looked into their mouths, checked their teeth, then ran his hands over their withers, noted their chests and the then asked on to lead one of them out. He watched it as it pranced free of its stall and followed the livery owner out into the sunlight. He asked for another and then another, checking them and noting them. He nodded eventually and decided to take the first horse. Manson clenched his teeth and said nothing, feeling sure that had he said a single word of complaint the wallet would be returned to Adam\u2019s back pocket and he would walk away.<\/p>\n

By midday Adam had his horse, it was complete with saddle and bridle, and had a new shoe on its left back hoof just in case. He didn\u2019t involve himself in any discussions, he checked with the telegraph office whether or not he had received any reply to his cables, there were none. Deciding that it was unnecessary to wait around for them he mounted the horse and turned its head towards Jedbrough Springs.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

By nightfall Adam had made a comfortable camp. It was good to sleep under the stars again, a fire burning nearby, the horse hobbled safely and his gun close to hand. He had ridden all day with the sun on his back, and a slightly cooler breeze blowing in his face. It seemed as though Jedbrough Springs would never come into sight and he placed the coffee pot carefully into the fire while the rabbit he had caught earlier sizzled over the flames.<\/p>\n

How often had he thought of nights like this when wrestling with sleep on that narrow bed on board ship. The cabins never felt big enough, high enough or light enough. Now he had all of God\u2019s wide spaces all around him and only the soft sigh of the breeze sifting through the shrubs to disturb him.<\/p>\n

He reached out for some of the meat which burnt his fingers causing him to drop it into the fire. He didn\u2019t know whether to blow on his fingers to cool them or to forage for the lost meat and was about to do one or the other when there came the sound of a soft footfall nearby. He tensed slightly, and reached out for his gun with one hand, rising carefully as he did so.<\/p>\n

\u201cHeck, Adam, I could have shot you a dozen times over by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The slight tremor in the words told their own story, and Adam was standing and turning to look in the direction of the voice even as Joe came hurrying towards him. They smiled, wide grins on their faces, eyes wide and excited.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you spring from?\u201d Adam exclaimed.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes it matter?\u201d Joe laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe it\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t hang around in that town knowing you were so close\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2014\u201d hand to mouth, gulp back the emotion, arms spread out \u201cJoe\u2014it\u2019s great to see you. Come here, brother\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

They hugged as brothers should, slapped one another on the back, exclaimed at the fact that they could have missed each other on the road. Adam called Joe an idiot for not staying where he was but then, whenever did Joe do what he was told? Joe laughed and said his brother was getting deaf, he\u2019d been standing there five minutes before he made his move.<\/p>\n

Then they couldn\u2019t say anything more, but looked intently at one another as though to mark the changes and to note the same familiar things and to just enjoy the moment. There was more to come, yes, much more to come.<\/p>\n

Chapter 106<\/p>\n

It took little time for the brothers to slip into the pattern they would have gone through whenever work or leisure caused them to camp out. Joe saw to his horse and hobbled it close to Adam\u2019s, unbuckling the saddle bags and saddle and bringing them close to the fire. Adam, in the meantime, checked the rabbit, the coffee and built up the fire a little more; his face creased into a wide smile when Joe carefully unwrapped a perfect loaf of bread from his bags and explained it was courtesy of the restaurant owner in town.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, how are things\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhereabouts did you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

They chuckled, Adam poured coffee into their mugs while Joe ripped the bread in half, handing one half to Adam as Adam passed him his mug,<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you go this time, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEgypt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Joe widened his eyes. \u201cLike in the Bible Egypt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPyramids?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe buried his nose in the coffee, and then sipped some, he frowned slightly. \u201cWhy there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe President\u2019s due to go on a visit there…heard talk about an assassination attempt being made on him\u2026\u201d Adam pulled meat from the charred carcase that was dripping fat into the flames, he folded it between some bread and stuffed it into his mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo why did you have to go? You\u2019re a sailor, not someone who has to work out who\u2019s going to shoot who.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, it was a bit more involved than that.\u201d Adam washed his mouthful of food down with the coffee and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. \u201cTo be honest, I felt as though I was just being set up as a decoy. Anyway, it worked out in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned, shrugged slightly and stared into the fire before reaching out to pull meat from the rabbit which promptly fell into the flames amid a showering of sparks. Adam laughed and left Joe to retrieve what he could.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you see the pyramids?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did. From an architectural and engineering point of view they are a marvellous achievement.\u201d He ate some more and stared into the flames, which were settling down again after the flare from all the rabbit grease. \u201cIt was interesting. I got to ride a camel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, you did?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHhm.\u201d He nodded and licked his fingers. \u201cHow about you, Joe? How are things with you, and how\u2019s Pa and Hoss, and Hester?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s getting difficult to know which of the two are expecting this baby, to be honest. Hoss is eating for four I swear\u2014\u201d he grinned slightly and then nibbled at the meat on the bone. \u201cThis is a skinny rabbit, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBest I could do; wasn\u2019t expecting guests.\u201d Adam replied, and stood up to check over the horses. \u201cHow\u2019s Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2019s fine, just fine.\u201d Joe frowned, and concentrated on eating for a moment, no point in mentioning that Pa was getting older, because that was a fact of life, they all were, \u201cAny girls in Egypt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course\u2014\u201d Adam grinned, returned to the fire, and sat down. \u201cHundreds of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPretty ones?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny in particular?\u201d He glanced over sharply to see Adam\u2019s initial response knowing from experience that those first seconds were always the best before the shutters went up. He wasn\u2019t disappointed, \u201cWhat was she like?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, pretty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that all you\u2019re going to tell me about her?\u201d Joe grinned and wiped grease from his face. \u201cI mean, you did like her, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, much so.\u201d Adam frowned a little uncomfortably and stared into the fire. He shrugged. \u201cBut she\u2019s a long way from here, and unfortunately, a lot younger than I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe laughed then, and tossed a bone into the fire. \u201cWouldn\u2019t have worried you at one time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it does now.\u201d Adam cradled the cup between his hands and then drank some more coffee. \u201cTell me about Mary Ann.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMary Ann?\u201d Joe\u2019s eyebrows shot up as high as his grin was wide \u201cWell, once I get home I\u2019m going to marry her. We got engaged before I left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe didn\u2019t mind you leaving her behind, then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not at all. She understood that I needed to come here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked over at his brother and saw the emotions flitting across his face; he pursed his lips and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, perhaps you\u2019ll explain why we\u2019re here then. I mean, I know why I\u2019m here, but why are you here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s face settled into a more serious look now, he picked some bread from the half-loaf and rolled it in between his fingers for a second. \u201cYou heard about what happened with that Major Fleming?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou told me, so did Pa, and so did Captain Lancey. Ex Captain Lancey, rather\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you\u2019ve met him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, in Washington, he\u2019s also an ex-friend of General Custer\u2019s. Fleming\u2019s dead and Lancey chose to quit. So\u2014carry on\u2014\u201d he poured more coffee into his mug, as though by doing so it would put Joe more at ease to collect his thoughts. He was right. In a few minutes Joe was telling him how he felt about the promise he had made to Stalking Horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know there\u2019s no point in going to Washington to see Grant; my voice won\u2019t mean anything to him, and I know that whatever I do won\u2019t end what\u2019s going on. It\u2019s obvious the war between the white man and Indian won\u2019t last much longer anyway. You know that they\u2019re killing the buffalo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. I saw enough of their bones as we drove through\u2026\u201d Adam sighed, remembering the mounds upon mounds of bones. \u201cSome well-informed idiot on the train told me that a man called William Cody earned the nickname of Buffalo Bill by killing 4,280 buffalo in eight months a few years back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cApparently some big shot back East\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Sherman who initiated it. Kill the buffalo and you destroy the Indian, put an end to the Indian wars and open up the land for the white men and their cattle.\u201d He stared into the flames and picked up a twig to stir the embers and send the sparks skywards. \u201cFrom a white man\u2019s point of view it makes sound sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd from the Indian\u2019s point of view?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh well, brother, they ain\u2019t allowed to have one.\u201d Adam smiled derisively, \u201cYou have to see, Joe, that a man who can lay siege to Atlanta and then burn it won\u2019t worry about destroying the culture and traditions of the Plains Indians. They\u2019re an obstacle. He\u2019s found the best way to get round them. Just as Atlanta was an obstacle to winning the war, once that was destroyed the hopes of the Confederacy fell, optimism in the North rose and Lincoln was easily re-elected.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you go along with all that?\u201d Joe\u2019s voice had a slight edge to it; he had stopped eating and stared at his brother with his face stiff lines of antagonism.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not at all. It\u2019s bloody, and it\u2019s cruel, and positively inhumane,\u201d Adam replied slowly. \u201cIt sickens me to the stomach, the waste of it all\u2026the lack of concern for the people who will suffer as a result.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe relaxed, he bowed his head and watched the sparks for a moment as they caught onto a piece of wood and marched along it like so many red fire ants.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know leaving the Ponderosa was no doubt not the wisest move, but I promised Stalking Horse that I would do something. The trouble is I don\u2019t know what to do, Adam, except go there and let him know that I\u2019m supporting him and his cause.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWhen you\u2019ve seen them and told them that you support their cause, what do you intend to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTry and stop the fighting,\u201d Joe replied lamely and he shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know, Adam, all I know is that I want him to know that I didn\u2019t let him down. I want him to know that some white men can be trusted. I just want to prove to them that I\u2019m a friend to them and I condemn what government policy has determined.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam released his breath in a low sigh, and folded his hands together between his legs, shaking his head. \u201cIt won\u2019t accomplish much, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould even get yourself killed\u2026and me too, come to that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cDoes Mary Ann know that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe swallowed a sudden lump in his throat, then shrugged. \u201cMaybe. I didn\u2019t mention it, but she\u2019ll have taken it into account.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe must love you a great deal, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d He sighed, and now it was his turn to stand up. He paced up and down for a moment before coming to a halt. \u201cI have to see them, though; I have to see this through.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, he removed the coffee pot and then slowly built up the fire, he looked over at Joe. \u201cD\u2019you think you\u2019ll sleep alright now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, we\u2019ve got a long way to go tomorrow.\u201d Joe smiled and then stretched out his hand which Adam took with both his own. \u201cThanks, Adam. Thanks for understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n

His brother merely smiled, shook his hand and then slapped him on the shoulder. Without another word they set out their blankets and rolled their bodies into them, placed their heads on the saddles and waited for sleep to provide an escape for them both from the rigours of the day.<\/p>\n

Chapter 107<\/p>\n

School had closed and the children ran from the building with whoops and yells, scattering at the bottom of the yard and spilling into the main street on their way to their various homes. Barbara Pearson waved to Mary Ann as she picked up Lilith and drove away in the buggy, and not for the first time since meeting her, the schoolteacher wondered exactly what had happened between Adam and the rather tight-laced Mrs. Pearson.<\/p>\n

She collected her books and locked the door of the school house behind her, then hurried down towards the boarding house where she had her room. She was hugging the books close to her when she saw John Martin about to get into his buggy. He turned and smiled at her, removing his hat as he did so.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll your charges released now, Miss Hornby?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, thank goodness. How are you now, Dr. Martin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well thank you.\u201d he paused and then with a quick glance up and down the street leaned towards her, \u201cI\u2019m on my way to the Ponderosa right now. Would you care to come along with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, has something happened? Has Hester\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery likely so. Uncle Paul went there earlier this morning and hasn\u2019t returned. Of course, he could have gone to see the Pritchards but I\u2019ve a feeling that it\u2019s something more than that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t be in the way, will I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure Hop Sing will find you something to do if you are.\u201d John laughed and swung her up into the buggy before clambering up himself.<\/p>\n

They rode along in silence for a while, and it was only when they had got out of the town and onto the open road that John asked her if she had heard from Joe recently. She nodded and looked down at the books she was still clasping tightly against her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, about a week ago. He said he and Adam were heading into open territory now, and I may not hear from him for a while.\u201d She shivered, not just because of the cooler air. \u201cI get scared thinking about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA good thing he isn\u2019t alone, then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019m grateful that Adam met up with him.\u201d She looked thoughtfully at the doctor before turning to look at the road ahead. \u201cWhy did you come all this way, John? You had a wonderful career in New York, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I did.\u201d He nodded and frowned, and when she apologised for being so curious he shook his head. \u201cNo, no, don\u2019t think I\u2019m offended for a moment. It\u2019s just hard to remember sometimes that I had another life beyond this one. I know I\u2019ve not been here long but it seems as though I\u2019ve achieved more in this short time than at any other time in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you always close to your uncle?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI always admired and respected him. I remember telling him when I was a small boy that I would come and work with him among the Indians and cowboys. He used to laugh at me but I think it was the spur that kept me going with my medical studies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you met Milton and Ingrid?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Milton was a patient of mine.\u201d His voice went a little thick, as though memories here were sensitive, and just when Mary Ann was about to change the subject he began to talk more about it, \u201cHe was a good patient, a good friend too. Ingrid, on the other hand, was like no one else I had ever met before in my life. She was almost too beautiful to be real.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I think I can understand what you mean,\u201d she replied, thinking back to how envious she had been of the lovely Mrs. Buchanan when she had first seen her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was flattered beyond measure when she singled me out for attention. I never even stopped to think of the consequences to Milton and\u2014\u201d he paused and shook his head, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I shouldn\u2019t be speaking like this in front of a young lady like yourself. I let my tongue run ahead of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was my fault, I brought the subject up.\u201d<\/p>\n

They continued on in silence for a while, and when he asked about the first time she had met Joe she was only too happy to tell him all of the adventures that had befallen them, of her brother\u2019s death, the fear and hate she had felt for the Indians, the compassion for Towasi, the injured young chief.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned a lot during that journey,\u201d she said. \u201cAbout myself as well\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLife is full of journeys like that.\u201d He smiled at her, and then sighed. \u201cI thought I could escape from Ingrid but couldn\u2019t, even here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think you\u2019ve escaped her now? I mean, I know she\u2019s dead but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what you mean,\u201d he replied without looking at her. \u201cYes, the feelings I had for Ingrid died a long time ago. I was able to see what she was really like when I compared her with someone of true quality.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you mean, Hester?\u201d That popped out of her mouth before she had even thought about it, or the implication that could have been behind it.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Hester Cartwright. Oh, don\u2019t worry, I\u2019m not making a practise of falling in love with other men\u2019s wives.\u201d He chuckled. \u201cJust that she stands out in comparison to Ingrid, and helped me over a stupid infatuation.\u201d<\/p>\n

She relaxed a little, and looked about her for something else to discuss before she waded into more deep waters. She shivered again. \u201cIt\u2019s getting colder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we had a really long summer this year right on into the fall; no doubt we\u2019ll pay for it with a hard winter.\u201d He frowned, knowing that a hard winter would mean a double load of work for the doctors in town.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Martin, John, I mean, do you know anything at all about Indian Territory?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m afraid not.\u201d He glanced down at her, \u201cWorried about Joe, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded, but that was where the conversation between them had started and now it had gone full circle. She sat still, and thought of other things, like Hester and Hoss and the great event that was taking place now in their lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope it\u2019s a boy.\u201d she said breathlessly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope it\u2019s a girl.\u201d he smiled, \u201cGirls, for some reason, are tougher and survive more. If there is a hard winter ahead, I would rather they had a little girl than a boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded, not that she knew anything about it but he was the doctor, after all, so who was she to argue?<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Paul Martin came downstairs with his face looking resolute but tired. He glanced at Hoss, who had sprung up out of his chair with the speed of a fire cracker, and then at Ben, who stopped his pacing back and forth. From the kitchen Hop Sing appeared with an alacrity that indicated he had been hovering close by waiting for the doctor\u2019s reappearance.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is she?\u201d Hoss whispered, barely able to speak through lips that had gone numb from fear. \u201cIs she alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHester\u2019s a strong young woman, and healthy too, you\u2019ve no need to be worried about her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the baby…?\u201d Ben asked, seeing in Paul\u2019s eyes an anxiety that didn\u2019t appear to fit with the words he had spoken.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the problem; the baby is in the breech position. Usually a baby is delivered head first, but your baby has chosen to be born presenting its posterior.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss looked at one another, and for a moment Ben had a mental image of another time, another place, and the loss of his dear Elizabeth. He rubbed his chin with his hand and bit down on his lip.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can we do to help?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, keep calm and don\u2019t worry. Hop Sing, some raspberry tea would do Hester some good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI make now\u2014\u201d Hop Sing cried and promptly vanished into the other room.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I go and see her?\u201d Hoss asked after some moments had been spent while he chewed his knuckles.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a few minutes.\u201d Paul frowned, \u201cJust talk to her, keep calm, don\u2019t let her see you\u2019re worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, how\u2019d I do that?\u201d Hoss groaned as he mounted the stairs.<\/p>\n

As the door to the bedroom opened, so did the door to the house and John Martin, followed by Mary Ann, came in. Ben noticed the look that passed from uncle to nephew, the raised eyebrows, and nod of the head.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go and see how she is,\u201d John muttered and hurried upstairs while Mary Ann stood in the middle of the room looking rather lost and uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you didn\u2019t mind my coming,\u201d she said to Ben. \u201cI promise I won\u2019t get in the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled and put his arm around her shoulders, assured her that it was good to have her there and then returned to the pendulum that was swinging in his mind, from the past to the present, the same fear, the same anxiety.<\/p>\n

Hester tried hard to hide the pain when Hoss stepped into the room, but the perspiration that soaked her nightgown and hair was clear indication of her distress. He leaned down and kissed her brow, keeping his eyes fixed upon her face and trying to tell himself that his Hester was safe, was alright, and just to make sure he kissed her again.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Hoss, really, it\u2019s alright,\u201d she whispered and gripped his hand tightly, so much so that even he winced.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, I think you should leave now,\u201d John said from the direction of the wash stand where he had been washing his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cHester, I don\u2019t want to leave you like this\u2014\u201d Hoss groaned<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Hoss, just make sure that you\u2019re alright.\u201d And then she gave a cry, a low long cry, her back arched and she scrunched up her eyes and clamped her teeth tight to hold back the scream that seemed to be going round and round in her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, get my uncle here, will you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul arrived just as Hester went into another contraction, he checked her pulse and counted and John waited and then began to concentrate on delivering the baby.<\/p>\n

He carefully probed until he had a finger crooked around one leg, and then the other, at that moment Hester pushed and the legs appeared amidst the blood and other bodily fluids, he now gently placed his hands under the legs and pulled until the shoulders came into view.<\/p>\n

The difficulty now came with the shoulders; he had to turn the tiny body a little for one shoulder to appear followed by an arm, and then twist again and the other arm came followed by the shoulder, and then, carefully, gently the head came through.<\/p>\n

Swift action to clear the mouth and nasal passages, get it to breathe\u2026<\/p>\n

In the big room downstairs the sound of the baby crying galvanized Hoss and Ben into action, Hop Sing dropped the chinaware onto the floor while Mary Ann stood motionless by the fireplace.<\/p>\n

\u201cHester\u2014\u201d Hoss cried as he leapt up the stairs two at a two swiftly followed by his father.<\/p>\n

Paul opened the door to them with a smile. Excitement calmed, the two men tip-toed into the room, although the noise the infant was making made their caution totally unnecessary. Hester could barely lift her head from the pillows; she turned to Hoss and smiled. \u201cHoss, we have a baby \u2026\u201d she whispered and reached out to take his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, what is it? Boy or girl?\u201d he whispered back, dropping a kiss on her forehead and glancing over at John who was wrapping a squalling bundle of arms and legs in a towel.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Hoss, it\u2019s a baby\u2026\u201d his weary wife replied in exasperation<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a girl.\u201d John announced \u201cHoss, Hester, you have a daughter. Ben, congratulations, you\u2019re a Grandpa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 108<\/p>\n

The two brothers had been riding through the country together for a week since leaving the last township behind them. They had purchased winter coats, extra blankets and provisions to not only provide for themselves but to barter with should the need arise on the journey. Both of them had taken advantage of the telegraph depot that existed in a rather ram shackle shed affair, and sent messages home. Neither man commented on what was said in the replies they received back although Adam surmised from the mournful look on Joe\u2019s face that the one he had received from Mary Ann had created that longing to have her nearby.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook here,\u201d Joe murmured one morning, pointing around. \u201cThere was a camp here sometime back\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot a large one, though.\u201d Adam steered his horse slowly around where the yellow circular patches of grass indicated tepees had once stood, and the blackened earth where the fires had burned to cook food. Evidence of people having left in a hurry was seen by the items left behind them \u2026an overturned cooking pot, broken shards of pottery, a broken necklace with the beads still brightly painted.<\/p>\n

They didn\u2019t hurry through; both felt it would have been sacrilegious to have done so, and a lack of respect to the people who had been there. Adam stooped at one stage to pluck a skilfully decorated piece of leatherwork that might have been from the fringes of a dress; it swayed in the breeze from a branch. He looked at it, smelt it and grimaced. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t so long ago, Joe. This is from a garment, isn\u2019t it?\u201d he passed it to Joe, who fingered it gently for the beadwork was so fine and delicate upon it. He imitated Adam by raising it to his nose and smelling it.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot as long as I had thought.\u201d Joe grimaced. \u201cLook\u2014\u201d he turned it over as he handed it back\u2014\u201cLooks like blood.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked at it and nodded. He stopped his horse and looked around him, then dismounted. Joe did likewise, both of them pulled their rifles from their scabbards and then cautiously began to walk around the camp\u2019s environs. After a while they met up again by the horses.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout twenty tents.\u201d Joe said, \u201cA hunting party. They wouldn\u2019t have found much around here except what\u2019s already dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded in agreement as from the beginning of the journey they had encountered what could have been a mountain of dead flesh if all the carcasses were piled upon one another. He squatted onto his haunches and brushed aside some dry dust and then stood up to show Joe what he had found, a woman\u2019s earring.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they sure did leave in a hurry.\u201d Joe said as he turned it over and over in between his fingers.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t think the hunters came here, do you? Maybe thought\u2014\u201d he turned to look around and then shook his head. \u201cI guess they\u2019d have burned the tents down, wouldn\u2019t they? Shot the people here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess so, Adam. Perhaps they threatened them, made them feel that if they didn\u2019t move on they\u2019d end up dead too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm,\u201d Adam compressed his lips, nodded and narrowed his eyes, \u201cIt stinks, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

His brother nodded, looked at the earring and slipped it into his pocket,<\/p>\n

\u201cReckon it\u2019s Arapaho by the look of what we\u2019ve found here.\u201d<\/p>\n

They walked their horses on leading reins behind them; their steps slow and careful as they trod among the remnants of the camp, their steps took them down past the river which was fast moving now, the waters running with a burbling sound over the stones and rocks. It was here they stopped short, looked at one another,<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, I think we can see now why they left so fast.\u201d Adam ran the tip of his tongue over dry lips, and shook his head, \u201cThis was probably just a warning to the others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr maybe they came back, thinking it was safe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t reply but was walking towards the bodies of several men, left sprawled half in and half out of the water. He turned one over onto his back and shuddered, swiftly turned his face away and let the body fall back into its original place.<\/p>\n

\u201cArapaho.\u201d Joe said as though the bodies confirmed what he had previously thought, \u201cWe\u2019ll have to leave them here, no point in burying them, their people will come back eventually for their remains.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing but walked with head down deep in thought. He glanced over at Joe who was stepping out determinedly by his side. \u201cWe\u2019ll probably see more of this,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I guess so.\u201d Joe shivered, \u201cLet\u2019s get out of here, Adam, leave this behind and find a place to camp\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

They didn\u2019t look back as they rode on their way, they had seen enough and there was nothing worth looking back at now.<\/p>\n

Conversation was not forthcoming as both men were deep in thought about what they had seen, and both were wrestling with the fact that they had left the bodies of the three men unburied. Eventually Joe rode his horse closer to his brother so that their knees brushed against each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere wasn\u2019t any point in burying them\u2014the Christian way I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, I know.\u201d Adam frowned and his mouth puckered into the familiar pout Joe knew so well, \u201cIt just seems so negligent on our part to just leave them there like that\u2026even at sea we do something for the dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but they have a different form of burial from us, Adam. If we put them under the ground that would have been terrible for them, they believe in returning to nature\u2026we left them as they would have preferred, believe me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, flashed a smile at Joe who grinned, without humour, back at him. He knew that eventually some brave souls would return for the remains which would be given the traditional ceremonial treatment.<\/p>\n

A light rain began to fall, and they turned towards some trees and shrubs where they dismounted. They had ridden several hours from the village and both were tired and hungry.<\/p>\n

Seated around the fire and protected from the rain by the canopy of branches over head, they made coffee and ate jerky and the last of some now stale bread. Adam leaned back against a tree trunk and watched as Joe fed the fire with more sticks, memories of that fateful day when he had been misled into believing his little brother dead returned and the emotion he felt stuck in his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re alright, Joe,\u201d he said gruffly, feeling the need to say something, anything that would lay that particular ghost to rest.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019m fine.\u201d Joe grinned back at him; good natured and easy tempered as ever, he poured out more coffee and stood up, glanced up at the sky and shrugged, \u201cShould ease off soon. It\u2019s never heavy in these parts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, the last thing we need is a flash flood.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe laughed at that and came to sit close by his brother, and for some moments they just stared into the flames.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder what they\u2019re doing at home. Do you ever think of us at all, when you\u2019re on that boat of yours, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018If only you knew,\u2019 Adam sighed inwardly. He nodded. \u201cYeah, sometimes.\u201d He smiled and bit into the jerky, chewed it for a while. \u201cA lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re always talking about you; of course, it doesn\u2019t help when we never know where you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue enough, sometimes it\u2019s difficult to keep in touch.\u201d Adam nodded. \u201cWhen\u2019s Hester\u2019s baby due?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe counted on his fingers; Adam could hear his mumbling dates under his breath, so he waited.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuess it should be pretty soon.\u201d He frowned. \u201cWonder if we\u2019ll be back by then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoubt it,\u201d Adam shrugged. \u201cCould be your turn next\u2026once you\u2019re married to your Mary Ann, Pa could be bouncing another baby on his knee by next year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe laughed; a little pleasure touched the laughter and Adam smiled again. Life sure was changing fast, he thought: wasn\u2019t so long ago that Marie was birthing Joe, and life on the Ponderosa was never the same after.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should have got married by now, Adam.\u201d Joe announced after a little while, \u201cHow about that Rachel you mentioned, didn\u2019t you feel like marrying her?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled at his earlobe and looked up at the dappling sky, wondering how to reply to such a question, he shrugged. \u201cI told you before, she was too young. Very sweet, and probably had I been in her company longer, I could have\u2014\u201d he paused, could have what? The fact remained that he was much older than her, and sometimes things were just not meant to be. \u201cWell, I could have grown fond of her. She was pretty, \u2014well\u2014 nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe laughed again, and shook his head, \u201cYou should have married Barbara Scott after all, Adam, that would have sorted you out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is she?\u201d He was grateful to have the subject changed, to switch from Rachel to Barbara. Perhaps the conversation could peter out after that. After all why were two single men talking about marriage anyway?<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, she\u2019s alright, I guess.\u201d Joe tossed the dregs of his coffee aside and looked up at the sky. \u201cIt\u2019s stopped raining. You want to ride on a little way before making camp?\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, Adam thought, at least an inquisition about his relationship with Barbara didn\u2019t happen, and he gratefully got to his feet. The horses were fresher now after their own respite; they killed the fire and tidied the area, remounted and continued their journey deeper into Indian Territory, although Adam was already getting the impression that it was no longer that at all.<\/p>\n

He remembered hearing the words of a Cheyenne called Dead Eyes* who had declared mournfully, \u201cYou have put all our heads together and covered them with a blanket, that hill there is our wealth and you have been asking it from us\u2026You white people, you have all come in our reservation and helped yourselves to our property and you are not satisfied, you went beyond to take the whole of our safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

The words echoed in Adam\u2019s mind now, even though he could not recollect how or where he had heard them. But it seemed as though Old Dead Eyes\u2019 words had been merely a prediction, and that now, riding through this land, they were seeing their fulfilment.<\/p>\n

Chapter 109<\/p>\n

It was as though he were coming from out of a dream and for an instant, just a moment, he lay there with his eyes closed, wondering if the popping sounds were still drifting in his head from the dream. His hand quite instinctively crept to his gun, his fingers curled around the handle but still he lay there, his breathing shallow.<\/p>\n

Only the rustling of leaves overhead, the occasional snap and crack of a burning piece of wood falling in upon itself. Still in a state of near sleep it took no time at all to fall back into the comfort of slumber.<\/p>\n

It was early when he woke up; the dawn was just rising streaking the sky red and orange and pink resting against shades of lavender and purple. He rubbed his jaw, felt bristles rough against his fingers, and yawned.<\/p>\n

By his side Joe slept on, snoring every so often, little snorts barely loud enough to be heard. Adam smiled, put the kindling on the red hot embers and blew them softly until they caught, then he gradually built the fire up until he could put the pot on to boil.<\/p>\n

By the time Joe was awake Adam had washed, shaved and had coffee ready for drinking. He passed a mug over to Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cSleep well?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, kinda\u2014\u201d Joe rubbed his face and blinked, yawned and sagged like an old stuffed sack, yawned again. \u201cI had a dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam squatted on his haunches and jiggled the pan over the flames; bacon sizzled and he wished there was bread to go with it. The smell was tantalising and he grinned over at his brother. \u201cAbout Mary Ann?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWish it was\u2026\u201d Joe yawned again and straightened his back, \u201cThought I heard gunfire \u2026but then I thought it was my dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYOU thought you heard gunfire? During the night?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but it was a dream, I think I was chasing cattle rustlers.\u201d He rolled out of his blanket and stood up, drank some of the coffee, \u201cThere was music too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMusic? What kind of music?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t know. It was\u2014\u201d he rubbed his forehead as though trying to force memory back into his mind, \u201cIt was just kind of hovering about, soft, it drifted into the dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stared at the bacon: it was crisping up, spitting fat. He flipped a few pieces over and licked his fingers, enjoying the salt taste.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo the music was in your dream while you were chasing cattle thieves?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2014\u201d Joe shook his head, swallowed more coffee. \u201cI suppose so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI woke up during the night thinking I heard gun fire, then fell back to sleep thinking I had dreamt it,\u201d Adam said slowly. \u201cDidn\u2019t hear any music though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe swilled his mouth with the coffee and spat it out, then walked over to his canteen. His eyes ranged the view through the trees and then he paused, frozen.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam? Come here.\u201d<\/p>\n

His brother walked over, chewing bacon and looked at where Joe was staring. Smoke rose to the sky, obscuring the colours, hanging like a black pall. He stopped chewing and just stared, his eyes roving back and forth, one \u2014three\u2014 five separate fires all located in the same place.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got a bad feeling about this,\u201d he muttered rather sombrely.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does your bad feeling tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I don\u2019t want to say but I think we had better hurry up and take a look-see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The colours in the sky were fading, and Adam glanced upwards every so often to watch and wonder that so much beauty could still be shown during times of tragedy and sorrow. He steered his horse towards the smoke and kept level with Joe all the way until the sounds came\u2026he had heard those sounds before, many times, in different places, but it was always the same, and it always made his blood run cold. He looked at Joe and saw his brother\u2019s face lose its colour, and his arm come up across his eyes as though to brush away tears. The sounds heralded the sights to come.<\/p>\n

The keening wail of anguish that rises from the breasts of those who have lost loved ones, seen slaughter before their eyes that the mind can\u2019t interpret or understand, who feels the hatred and bigotry that passes comprehension.<\/p>\n

He had seen it first on a wagon train when he was an infant and his father had held him so close in his arms that he thought he was going to suffocate. Even now he felt as though he were suffocating. Then, the ones crying and weeping had been white men and women, children, who had seen their loved ones cut down during an attack by Indians who didn\u2019t want the white man on their land. The next time he had heard that sound was when it came from his father\u2019s own mouth, mourning over Inger, and Hoss had been a baby in his arms, and he hadn\u2019t wanted to cry and add to that sound himself, because it frightened him, instead he just let the suffocating feeling well over him like a blanket.<\/p>\n

They slipped from the saddles and crawled on their bellies through the grass to look at the scene of devastation before them\u2026women cradling their young, some men walking dazedly from burning tent to burning tent, women holding onto other women, blood and misery splattered wherever the eye turned.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to help them\u2026\u201d Joe whispered and when Adam just shook his head he grabbed his brother\u2019s arm, \u201cWhat do you mean? We\u2019ve got to do something!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing we can do here, Joe. We can\u2019t help them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe large hazel anguished eyes stared up into Adam\u2019s face, but he resolutely refused to look down at Joe because he felt ashamed. He wanted to help them too, but there was nothing, nothing that they could do here. Joe grabbed his arm and shook him, forcing him to look down.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, we have to help them!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow? Tell me how?\u201d He shrugged his arm free, then turned to look into Joe\u2019s face. \u201cWhat do you suggest? Two white men? Do you think for a moment that they\u2019re going to thank you for dropping by? Are you going to bandage their wounds, bring their dead back to life, say sorry for what\u2019s happened? Do you honestly think they\u2019ll listen to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can try.\u201d Joe inched away from his brother and was about to get to his feet when Adam\u2019s hand grabbed him by the ankle and brought him face down into the dirt. \u201cLet go of me, Adam, let go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThink, Joe, think for a moment. Those people are scared witless, they\u2019ve suffered, and the cause of their hatred is US! Can\u2019t you see? Hate breeds hate, fear feeds on that and if you stick your head out there they\u2019ll liable to shoot it off your shoulders.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re Cheyenne, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe\u2014\u201d Adam bit down on his bottom lip, \u201cMaybe, but the fact remains that you\u2019re white. You\u2019re the enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m their friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey won\u2019t see you as that, Joe, they can\u2019t see beyond their own grief and shock right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me at least try?\u201d he whispered now, his voice broken, the tears welled up in his eyes, and when he saw that there were tears in his brother\u2019s eyes as well he lowered his head upon his arm and buried his face there.<\/p>\n

Adam was watching as a woman carried her infant in her arms, she was staggering under his weight, not because he was heavy but because she was wounded herself, blood stained her tunic and weakening her. She was crying out in a shrill high pitched wail and her dark eyes seemed to fill her face with the agony of her loss.<\/p>\n

He was about to speak to Joe when he realised that Joe had gone, and when he turned he saw Joe walking into the camp, unarmed, his hands held away from his waist and calling out to them some words in Cheyenne<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes an instant as though it was too much to bear looking at the sight of his brother walking into the horror, a dark figure against a backdrop of vermilion flames, black pluming smoke, and moving figures that seemed to sway, ebb and flow, with the heat.<\/p>\n

Joe walked on and for a while nothing happened; he was talking in their language to the best of his memory, words that he had learned from Little Moon\u2019s people, and no one took any notice, too shocked, too grief stricken.<\/p>\n

He leaned forward to help a woman who was kneeling on the ground, swaying back and forth, he put his hands on her shoulders and said \u2018Let me help?\u2019 in the language of her people, but she looked up, terrified, saw the hazel eyes looking down from a white face, and screamed.<\/p>\n

A stone struck him on the brow, and he staggered back, another stone and another, an old man and some children shouting words of hate at him, a young man ran towards him with a coup stick raised and his face distorted with fear, horror and hate.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

When he opened his eyes Adam was wiping his face clean from dried blood. There was blood staining Adam\u2019s collar from some wound and Joe wondered if Adam had been hurt.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey nearly tore you apart.\u201d Adam replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d Joe looked up at his brother, confused, \u201cI only wanted to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Joe.\u201d Adam shook his head, and brought his hand across his face as though to wipe away the sight of his brother falling beneath the onslaught of terrified Cheyenne.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t they let me help them?\u201d Joe whispered and slipped into unconsciousness.<\/p>\n

Adam rose to his feet and scrunched up his eyes, and then walked a few paces away from where Joe lay. Several men looked at him before one, Young Man Afraid of his Horses,* the son of Old Man Afraid of his Horses*, approached him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe will be alright now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I think so. Thank you for coming to our rescue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe saw the troopers, saw them and heard them\u2014\u201d the young man\u2019s lips twisted in contempt, he glanced over his shoulder to where the smoke still rose into the skies although they were now some distance away, \u201cthen we came as soon as we could to help our people. We didn\u2019t expect to find two veheo\u2019s (white men) here\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, his throat sore and jagged from screaming Joe\u2019s name so loud over the mayhem that had ensued when his brother had been attacked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d he said again, and the Sioux looked at him and then tossed his head towards Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember him, he was our friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe still is\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTimes have changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe still is your friend.\u201d Adam stressed and the Sioux nodded, shrugged and walked away.<\/p>\n

They were reservation Sioux, a form of police that the Indian Agents used to enforce peace. The band of Sioux mounted their horses and Adam stood still, legs slightly apart, and watched as they galloped away. He pursed his lips, lowered his head and stared down at the ground, and considered the fact that had they not arrived when they had, both he and Joe would have been two more bodies sprawled out amid those in that camp.<\/p>\n

Joe muttered something and called out, drivng away Adam\u2019s reverie; he turned and walked back to where his brother was regaining his senses, and struggling to sit up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat hit me?\u201d he whispered, taking the cup of water from Adam and looking into his brother\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommon sense, I hope,\u201d his brother retorted shortly, and without another word walked away to try and gather his own wits together again.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

They stayed where they were for the rest of the day to recover from their injuries. Adam told Joe what had happened, how he had gone after him into the camp, received much the same treatment but with less vigour because the Sioux could be seen approaching and to them the Cheyenne had turned for help, detracting them from their sense of outrage against the two white men who had blundered in obviously for some evil reasons of their own.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe music you heard during the night\u2014was it this?\u201d and he softly whistled a tune. Joe listened and nodded, admitting it sounded familiar. \u201cIt\u2019s an Irish tune, Eoghan\u2019s Garrai. The story goes \u2014and it is just a story\u2014that Custer heard one of his Irish troopers whistling the tune one night around a camp fire. He liked it. Understandable really, it carries the beat like the rhythm of galloping horses. He adapted it as the regimental tune. I remember hearing him brag how he had his men play it as they attacked Black Kettle\u2019s camp at Washita.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded; he raised a hand as though by doing so he could prevent the pain searing down his neck, and he closed his eyes. \u201cI thought they would remember me,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should they remember you, Joe? You\u2019re just another white man to them now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe said nothing to that, but his eyes strayed to the low fire, and for an instant he thought he saw Little Moon\u2019s face in the flames.<\/p>\n

Chapter 110<\/p>\n

Since the encounter at the Cheyenne village the brothers made sure that a watch was kept during the nights when they made camp. Joe had slipped into an uneasy frame of mind; the change from his usual buoyant self was so obvious that Adam was at a loss as to how to help him. For a man of Adam\u2019s intensity and depths he found it difficult to find a way to remove the depression into which Joe had slipped. The saying \u201cDoctor, heal thyself\u201d was never less true than when asking a man always searching for answers within himself to find the answers for another who had plunged into the whirlpool of disillusion and despair.<\/p>\n

For Joe the whole situation went round and round in his head. He remembered conversations with his father in which Ben told him so often that there was nothing that he, Joe, would be able to do to help the Plains Indians. The matter had gone beyond help. He recalled Hoss telling him the same thing in different words, and always at the back of his mind he had told himself, \u201cno, it won\u2019t be that bad. I can do this, I can help them, somehow\u2026\u201d Except now he was at a total loss of how he could ever possibly have thought he could be of any help, and the reality of that was like cold water dashed into his face.<\/p>\n

How could it have happened? How could it all have happened so quickly? Why hadn\u2019t he known\u2014but if he had known would he have been able to change things? It was while thinking along those lines that he had a good look at himself and decided he was either extremely na\u00efve or profoundly arrogant. Surely there had been greater men than he who had protested, loudly, about this matter? Yet their voices had been silenced.<\/p>\n

They rode together with their winter coats pulled close around them as the chill wind drifted in to sift down their necks and find places to remind them that winter was near. One morning when they had toiled their horses up a steep incline they found themselves overlooking what had been a beautiful area, in some places it still was, but now there were wagons, buildings, sluices and other mining paraphernalia being set out, and a number of men and women could be seen working together, the voices of children at play drifted up towards them.<\/p>\n

Adam glanced over at Joe and then leaned forward, resting his hands upon his saddle horn. \u201cReminds me of Eagle Station when we first got there\u2014\u201d he murmured, his eyes flicking from one place to another, and not receiving any reply from his brother he turned to look at him, his brow creased with worry. \u201cIt\u2019s a fact of life now, Joe; it isn\u2019t going to go away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that, Adam,\u201d Joe sighed heavily, \u201cI wish with all my heart that it could.\u201d he swallowed hard, Adam could see the jerk in his throat. \u201cThis was where I first got to know Little Moon, the camp was down there\u2014\u201d he pointed to where some wagons were set side by side with horses grazing close by, \u201cI was injured and she nursed me, George Bent and his wife, Magpie, had their tepee thereabouts, and when I was strong enough we walked down to the river\u2014\u201d his eyes drifted to the river now, where children splashed and some men were panning for gold.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Joe.\u201d Adam wished he could say more but found there was nothing more he could say. He turned away from the sight of his brother\u2019s sad features to look down at the community below, \u201cDon\u2019t blame them, Joe, they probably feel they\u2019re perfectly entitled to what they have down there, may even think that they\u2019re creating a whole new beginning to life hereabouts. They\u2019ve probably paid money down for the land too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s get away from hereabouts, Adam, I can\u2019t stand the sight of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

They turned their horses round and walked them back down the incline, Adam a little behind now, leaving Joe to take the lead as he knew the territory so well from his previous time there. After some while they paused to drink some water and chew on some dried meat, some berries they had plucked en route, and Adam glanced around him and then up at the sky. \u201cIsn\u2019t there a fort nearby here?\u201d he swilled his mouth with water and spat it out, then drank some more which he swallowed. He hadn\u2019t realised just how dry his mouth had become during the days trek.<\/p>\n

\u201cShould be\u2014\u201d Joe nodded and looked up at the sky, some buzzards were wheeling about, cawing, ducking and diving. \u201cWonder what that\u2019s all about?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing, another shot out burned down Indian village was not a sight he wanted to see again in a hurry, but when Joe turned into the direction where the buzzard activity indicated life and death was being carried out, he followed.<\/p>\n

It seemed the buzzards had been optimistic in their presumption that a meal was imminent. As the brothers rode up a rifle bullet whistled over their heads and a voice yelled out to them to approach no further unless they threw down their weapons.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see you\u2026best do what I say.\u201d<\/p>\n

They glanced at one another and then slowly tossed their guns onto the ground, and when ordered to throw down their rifles as well they reluctantly did as they were told.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we see who we\u2019re talking to now,\u201d Adam asked loudly and was left to wait some minutes before two men scrambled from the rocks and confronted them, their own rifles resting in the crook of their arms,<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are you two?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright, my brother, Joseph. We\u2019re from the Ponderosa, Nevada.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a long way from home, aren\u2019t\u2019 you?\u201d one of them muttered<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom your accent I would say so were you,\u201d Adam responded with a slight edge to his voice and he looked from one to the other of them with some annoyance. \u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s it to you?\u201d the younger man raised his chin challengingly and stepped forward a pace, but the older man restrained him by grabbing at his shoulder and pulling him back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could be in a position to help you, that\u2019s all,\u201d Adam replied.<\/p>\n

The two men looked at one another, and then the older one nodded,<\/p>\n

\u201cYou might at that.\u201d he frowned, glanced around at the other who merely shrugged. \u201cWe\u2019re looking for Judd Parker\u2019s place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNever heard of Judd Parker,\u201d Joe said. \u201cWhat do you want him for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t none of your business, Mister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m making it my business,\u201d Joe\u2019s answer was snapped out, short and sharp, and he rode his horse forward a few paces only to be stopped when the older man brandished his rifle at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re riding on to join up with him. Several wagons of us taking the Thieves Road to Parker\u2019s mining town. We were told that it was around these parts but ain\u2019t seen nothing of it yet.\u201d the old man came towards them and put out his hand, \u201cLuke Philby.\u201d he jerked a thumb over at the other man, \u201cMy boy, Jamie.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two Cartwrights nodded over at the younger man, and Joe wondered if the younger Philby was as irritated at being referred to as Jamie as he used to be when referred to as Little Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cBest collect your hardware and follow us, we were about to settle down for our main meal, you\u2019re more\u2019n welcome to join us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jamie cast a dark look at the two Cartwrights and led the way to where three wagons were concealed among the boulders. Two other men stepped aside to admit them, and here the four of them dismounted.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave to be careful, we\u2019ve already lost one family to them red hellions,\u201d Luke muttered. \u201cAnd we were warned to look out for them, they\u2019re out for blood alrighty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you call it the Thieves Road?\u201d Adam enquired as he carefully tied his horse\u2019s reins to a ring on a wagon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what everyone calls it now,\u201d Luke said unabashed by the admission, \u201cSince Custer *led the way in and said we could come claim all the gold there was here, folks ain\u2019t waited for the Indians to say we could have it, so we just come.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned and grimaced, he looked over at the women who were cooking the meal, at two children sitting patiently waiting to be fed, he shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t it bother you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d Luke scratched his head,<\/p>\n

\u201cThat it\u2019s known as the Thieves Road?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should it? It\u2019s just a name. We paid down our deposit for the land we\u2019re going to settle on, it\u2019s all honest and above board.\u201d<\/p>\n

An elbow in Joe\u2019s ribs stopped him from lunging forward to make some smart retort to that comment, he bowed his head, clenched his teeth and listened to Adam and Luke talk some more.<\/p>\n

\u201cLegally it still belongs to the Plains Indians\u2026\u201d Adam replied carefully, \u201cYou can\u2019t buy what isn\u2019t for sale.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook,\u201d Luke frowned, \u201cI got papers to prove that I own land hereabouts. It\u2019s only a matter of time before them red heathens realise they got to hand over the land.\u201d He turned his back on them before they could say anything else and called over to a woman to prepare for two extra mouths for the meal.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho do you buy the land from?\u201d Adam asked, popping up at Luke\u2019s side just when the man thought to have got rid of him.<\/p>\n

Luke sighed, removed his hat and pushed his fingers through thin greasy hair. \u201cThe government, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Both brothers were silent as they continued their ride towards the fort. The meal had been tasty enough, and the company pleasant except for the bitter knowledge that they both felt they were in some way condoning grant theft. In the conversation over the meal the settlers made it clear that they had been told the forts had been built for their protection, and to keep the Indians restricted to their reservation.<\/p>\n

When Joe mentioned that they had ridden upon two Indian camps that had been attacked with fatalities, the people had looked uncomfortable but declared it had nothing to do with them, and had they, the Indians, remained on their reservations they would not have gotten into such trouble.<\/p>\n

Once or twice Joe pulled up his horse to gaze, almost longingly, at the land around them. Adam knew from the look at his face that his brother was recalling the last time he was there, probably with Little Moon and her people.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked up at Adam as his brother approached him with some wood in his arms. They had stopped by a small creek to make camp for the night, and darkness was already settling comfortably around them. Night noises were taking place now, and in some ways it helped Joe to have the darkness blanket itself around him, to shut out the sights he had thought about for so long and peopled with the ghosts of his past.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you feel now that we\u2019ve met up with those settlers?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d Joe shrugged. \u201cHow should I feel?\u201d He frowned and watched as Adam slowly fed twigs to the fire. \u201cHeck, Adam, I feel so churned up inside I don\u2019t know how to feel. How can they buy land from the government when it still belongs to the Indians? I just don\u2019t understand it and it\u2014it kind of makes me angry, bitter, and to be honest…helpless.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed and sat down beside Joe, his arm resting on a raised knee while with the other hand he twirled a twig round and round between his fingers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wondered if you would feel that way. I remember when I felt like that too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did? You mean you don\u2019t now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm, to a lesser degree than you.\u201d Adam sighed and leaned back, the fire was smoking but it was pleasant to watch the little flames eating into the wood, he bit down on his bottom lip for a moment \u201cRemember Young Wolf? Well, we were good friends once upon a time, when we first came to the Ponderosa. I guess he never expected so many white folk to flood over the land that had been his people\u2019s for so long\u2026one day we talked about it and I saw how it was for his people, because in a small way I saw it happening around us\u2026the way Eagle Station just kept growing and growing. We thought we were alright because we were friends of Winnemucca and his father, but suddenly we realised that the flood of white men had practically eaten up all the land and pushed them into a corner.\u201d He frowned and shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what\u2019s the point of this not-so-charming story?\u201d Joe asked, tossing some wood onto the now blazing fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got angry about it, saw it as unfair, I saw all the things then that we\u2019re seeing here now. I went a bit wild to be honest; Pa had a tough time on his hands trying to keep me from doing something stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember you being like that\u2026\u201d Joe gasped, looking at his brother with somewhat dubious admiration.<\/p>\n

\u201cMm, well, as I say, it didn\u2019t last long. Pa talked to me one day, tried to get me to see sense but I couldn\u2019t, it didn\u2019t make sense to me. Young Wolf severed his friendship with me because he said that, after all, I was white, I had taken their land from them too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d that make you feel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWretched. Angry. I loved that land, and we had worked hard to make it what it was to become\u2026\u201d his voice halted. \u201cBut I felt guilty; I felt guilty for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing can change it now, can it?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cIt\u2019ll be the same here, won\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it will.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 111<\/p>\n

The fort had not changed much since the last time they had been there. The timbers had weathered more, the buildings had a slightly careworn appearance about them and the soldiers paraded about with just as much efficiency and noise as ever. As Joe tethered his horse to the rail and glanced around the parade ground he half expected a dozen soldiers stream out of the guard house and thrash him for being an Indian lover.<\/p>\n

He stood for some moments looking around and then realised that his brother was doing the same, they caught each other\u2019s eyes and grinned sheepishly.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot good memories here, are there?\u201d Joe muttered as he stepped up onto the sidewalk. \u201cJacob Brown, Custer and all those goings on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking the same, Joe. Not happy memories.\u201d Adam removed his hat, and held it loosely between his fingers before glancing skywards, then he lowered his eyes again and looked at Joe. \u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess so,\u201d Joe replied and nodded over towards the telegraph depot. \u201cShall we cable Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and then we\u2019ll go and get something to eat.\u201d Adam twitched his shoulders, \u201cIt\u2019s getting colder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled and nodded, his mind was already on what he wanted to say to Mary Ann, and suddenly something warm glowed in the pit of his stomach which gave a little lurch. Mary Ann. He had a future. He had a woman in his life whom he loved, and who loved him. Adam had his head bowed as he walked towards the telegraph depot so when he raised his head and saw his brother striding forward with his usual bounce in his step he was intrigued, spent a few paces thinking about it and by the time his hand was pushing the door open was able to smile at his brother and award him a wink.<\/p>\n

It was exuding warmth and stale mustiness in the telegraph depot, and the clerk looked bored and disinterested, he passed them the message pad and the stub of a pencil.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want a reply to your messages?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, we\u2019ll hang around until one comes,\u201d Joe said with pencil poised and brow furrowed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may have a long wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

The brothers exchanged glances, then looked at him. \u201cThat\u2019s alright, just go ahead. We\u2019ll come by later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe slipped his paper over the counter and then concentrated on his next message. He went into a little bit of a daydream while writing it, and his face wore a smile when he passed it over to the clerk. The little key clicked and tapped the message over the wires as he imagined it winging its way to Mary Ann, and he felt strangely less lonely.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour wife?\u201d the clerk said as he tapped out the words.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet; soon though.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other man shook his head as though he couldn\u2019t believe the folly of youth.<\/p>\n

Adam wrote out his message to his father, Hoss, and Hester; he smiled at Joe and passed it over, and then slipped another message over to be tapped out. The clerk looked, stared, and then looked up at Adam<\/p>\n

\u201cYou serious?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, why? Is there a problem?\u201d and he placed both hands on the counter and leaned forward, his face inches from the clerk. \u201cJust send it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe glanced at Adam and frowned, then looked at the clerk, who was shaking his head and rather doubtfully reading the message over.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the problem?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere isn\u2019t one.\u201d Adam replied tersely, and the clerk shook his head, Adam raised his eyebrows, and then with a weak smile the fellow began to tap the message out, sending it winging on its way to Washington. \u201cI\u2019m not expecting a reply,\u201d he said as he slipped his hat on his head and left the office.<\/p>\n

The clerk wiped his brow and then stared at the slip of paper with the message addressed to the president of the United States. The addressee was just one problem; the content of the message was the other and for a moment or two he didn\u2019t know whether to report it to the C.O or to leave it be. He decided, as there was no reply expected, to tear the original into pieces and cast it into the bin.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember how Hoss loved Tilly Brown\u2019s cooking?\u201d Joe said as they walked towards the mess hall.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoubt if she\u2019s here now; she was going to go back to New York.\u201d Adam replied, \u201cCan\u2019t blame her, either, after what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m all for some good food right now.\u201d Joe pushed the door open and stepped inside, sweeping off his hat as he did so.<\/p>\n

The air inside the building was warm, damp with condensation caused by food cooking and damp clothing steaming. They found an empty table and sat down, glancing around carefully, just in case there was someone there who would recognise them and ask a few too many questions as to why they were there again. They shrugged off their coats and hats, and Joe leaned forward to speak when a woman came by with two mugs of coffee which were placed at their elbows.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeef steak or beef stew\u2026which?\u201d<\/p>\n

They ordered the beef stew and watched her saunter away as several soldiers drifted in and called after her \u201cHi Maggie,\u201d \u201cLooking pretty today, Maggie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe drew in a deep breath and once again leaned forward, his eyes narrowed, his face determined, he was so close to Adam when he started to speak that his breath warmed Adam\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell? Do you think your cable to the president will get through?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho said it was to the president?\u201d Adam replied calmly, leaning against the back of his chair and cradling the coffee in his hands. He looked at his brother and then smiled. \u201cOf course, I forgot, you learned how to do the telegraph, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, and I reckon that message you sent Mr. Grant ain\u2019t going to make him none too happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not meant to, but it might make him think.\u201d Adam sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy bother to send it, if he\u2019s given people carte blanche to walk in here and just help themselves to the land?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s difficult to explain, but\u2014\u201d he paused when there came a shriek from nearby and everyone turned to see what had happened.<\/p>\n

A fat woman with alarmingly red hair was bearing down towards them with arms outstretched. Her ample bosom was encased in a crisp-starched white apron and she wore army pants tucked into boots.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho the heck\u2026?\u201d gasped Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain. Captain Cartwright, bless my soul, and Joey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam half rose then sat down, and then found himself clasped firmly in a strong embrace and practically smothered against the woman\u2019s burgeoning \u201cassets.\u201d Joe leaned back in the hope of avoiding such a fate but such was not to be\u2026Tilly Brown was alive and well, and twice the size she was when last they had seen her. She sidled into a seat next to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cNever thought I\u2019d live to see the day when I\u2019d clap eyes on you two again,\u201d she exclaimed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014we\u2014thought you were going back to New York, with your sister?\u201d Adam stammered.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, didn\u2019t work out. After Jacob\u2014well\u2014after his death the boys here insisted I stay, they said how they were my family now and would look after me. So\u2014\u201d she shrugged, plump shoulders rose and fell. \u201cAnd it was the makings of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Joe nodded. \u201cI can see that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Hoss? How\u2019s my Cuddly Bear doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2014he\u2019s alright, thank you, Tilly. He\u2019s married now.\u201d Joe said remembering now how fond Tilly had become of Hoss. \u201cHappily married.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am glad, he deserves the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019s got it, Hester is one of the nicest ladies I know.\u201d Joe stammered, \u201cPresent company included.\u201d He frowned, not sure whether he had phrased that right and seeing Adam\u2019s raised eye brow now convinced he hadn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, why are you here? Thought you\u2019d not want to step foot in this fort again, either of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNeeds must\u2014\u201d Adam murmured and shrugged; the girl, Maggie, placed two bowls of beef stew and a pile of bread in front of them before disappearing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou must see quite a few changes,\u201d Tilly said, looking at them both thoughtfully. \u201cFar more forts all along what was Indian land\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStill is, I believe\u2014\u201d Adam snapped and Tilly nodded, scratched her head with a long fingernail.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it still is sort of\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt either is or isn\u2019t.\u201d Joe dipped his bread into the stew before looking around, and lowering his voice as he noticed the soldiers nearer to him suddenly getting quiet and appearing to be showing some interest in their conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, boundaries change all the time.\u201d Tilly said in a low voice, \u201cBe careful what you say around here, boys. These men adore their Commanding Officer and you speak a word against him and you\u2019re liable to be found in need of a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he here?\u201d Adam looked into her faded blue eyes and when she shook her head, he shrugged and continued to eat before asking her if she knew where he was now.<\/p>\n

\u201cFort Abraham Lincoln. He\u2019s out on manoeuvres a lot though, best person to ask is the Agent, Mr. Saville.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere do we find him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the Red Cloud* reservation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRed Cloud? Here?\u201d Joe looked amazed and Tilly nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, he moved onto the reservation a while back. Once he got his own way about Fort Phil Kearney and got the Bozeman Trail* closed down, he kind of lost his spirit and he and his people moved to the reservations here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing, but his mind was racing as he thought back to the time when Red Cloud\u2019s war was the talk on everyone\u2019s lips. There was the horror of the so-called Fetterman massacre,* and atrocities committed on both sides in order to get the white men and Custer out of the Sioux lands. He had won his fight, and his people had seen the fort burned down to the ground; yet, at the end of the day, he had turned and retreated back to a reservation, for the handouts from government officials, honest and dishonest. Joe ate his stew in silence. He had heard firsthand many accounts of the fight back then, when Crazy Horse had first started to make a name for himself.<\/p>\n

Tilly talked a little more before being called back to the kitchen. Adam and Joe finished their stew and drank more coffee before paying at the counter and leaving, with the eyes of a number of soldiers following them as they went their way.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get the feeling we should get out of here as soon as possible,\u201d Joe observed to his brother as they retraced their steps to the telegraph depot.<\/p>\n

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

The clerk glanced up and with a smile passed them two cablegrams\u2014the news of the arrival of their niece, Hannah, was greeted with a cheer and laughter, they shook each other\u2019s hands in delight.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019ll have Pa eating out of her hand in no time,\u201d Joe laughed and then read the other cable. \u201cIt\u2019s from Mary Ann.\u201d His cheeks rouged slightly and he smiled and nodded, and then looked rather bashful at realising he was under scrutiny from his big brother. \u201cAw, well, she loves me.\u201d he mumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo she should, obviously a discerning girl.\u201d Adam grinned and slapped him on the back.<\/p>\n

They stepped back to the cold air and scudding black clouds overhead. Joe looked at Adam thoughtfully. \u201cNo reply to your cable to Washington then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t expect one.\u201d Adam said as they fell into step together and hurried towards where they had left the horses. \u201cI think we should check the horses with the blacksmith and get them a good feed before we travel on, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

The blacksmith was a big man with a generous smile. He checked the horses over and put a new shoe on Joe\u2019s horse, and fed them both oats and hay from the hay bag. The pack horse was equally well looked after and by the time Adam and Joe had returned with fresh supplies the three horses were looking quite smug and pleased with themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look thoughtful,\u201d Joe observed to his brother and Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot to think about but\u2014\u201d he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. \u201cI understand now what Dimitri Doestov meant when I asked him to explain about something, he just replied \u2018Politics\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich means nothing to me. Everything I see hereabouts is because of greed and exploitation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but I was thinking more about President Grant, and how he would view things. He gives the Indians the impression that it is his determination to prevent all invasion of this territory so long as law and treaty means it is secured by the Indians. But then\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe changes the laws?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has Custer who tells everyone about the gold here, and there\u2019s a stampede. Grant gets under pressure from him, Sherman and Sheridan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s the boss-man, he should refuse to do what they say.\u201d Joe replied bluntly and shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he can\u2019t, he needs them, and the whole thing boils down to the fact that to keep in power, to keep his presidency, he needs votes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou thought that all out by yourself did you?\u201d Joe smirked, his eyes twinkling, \u201cWell, so it\u2019s alright for him to have the forts built and people killed just so that he can get votes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVotes keep him in power,\u201d Adam replied slowly and with that thought in mind he turned to look behind him, and gave a wry grimace at the sight of the fort slowly disappearing from view.<\/p>\n

Chapter 112<\/p>\n

The cabin was shrouded by trees which cast long shadows making it less than welcoming. This was the home of the Indian Agent, Mr. J.J. Saville*, and the last time Joe and Adam had entered the building it had been the home of Major Wynkoop, a man of humanity and vision. Both Joe and Adam had a feeling that Saville would have neither of those qualities.<\/p>\n

Saville viewed the two men with a singular lack of curiosity but welcomed them into the building, saying that it was always good to have company from outside the reservation,<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t come with any complaints, have you?\u201d He walked into the interior of the building as he asked the question and didn\u2019t even look at them as he pushed the coffee pot further onto the stove.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, why? Are you expecting some?\u201d Adam\u2019s voice was clipped as he glanced around the room and remembered the warmth of it from Wynkoop\u2019s time. \u201cHad some trouble here have you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s always trouble here.\u201d Saville gestured to some chairs which his guests accepted, placing their hats on the floor by their feet, \u201cThey\u2019re a disorganised rabble. I tried to get a census of how many reservation Indians there were here so that things could be distributed to them on a fair level, but they kicked up and complained. Then the non- reservation Indians come trickling back, thinking no one would notice, and expect the same handouts and complain because there isn\u2019t enough to go round. What do they expect, for heaven\u2019s sake?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014er\u2014guess it could pose a problem,\u201d Adam replied dryly and accepted the coffee with a sidelong glance at Joe who was looking around the place with a distracted air. \u201cMy brother and I were here some years ago when Major Wynkoop was the agent here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, Wynkoop.\u201d Savill\u2019s downturned mouth was sufficient evidence of his opinion of his predecessor. \u201cCreated chaos and disorder, all his attempts to appease these Indians just impeded progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProgress? With regard to what exactly?\u201d Joe asked, swilling the bitter coffee round in his mouth and wondering if it were safe to swallow.<\/p>\n

\u201cProper respect, for a start.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to earn respect,\u201d Adam replied sharply, and he placed the cup back on the stove and rose to his feet. \u201cWell, it\u2019s good to have met up with you, sir. Thank you for the coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, thanks\u2014\u201d Joe placed his cup beside that of his brother\u2019s and picked up his hat. \u201cWe\u2019ll be here for a while, if that\u2019s alright with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo as you please, just don\u2019t start any trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced at Joe and raised his eyebrows before leaving the cabin, followed closely by his brother. They walked back to their horses and looked around. Several Indians in the area watched them with a little curiosity before melting away into the trees. Joe shook his head. \u201cSomething\u2019s not right; it didn\u2019t used to be quite this bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, seems Saville has his way of doing things; he obviously likes method and order. He likes to run a tight ship.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that what it\u2019s called?\u201d Joe grinned and together they began to stroll along a well worn track that led to the building where the Indians could trade for goods or, if they had the necessary papers, get food and other essentials. Several Oglala Sioux were already there looking over some items they had been handed. They were obviously not impressed by the quality. One Indian held a blanket up by its corner and branded it under the trader\u2019s nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot good. Not good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou take it or you leave it. There ain\u2019t nothing else I can give ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI give fur\u2014you give good blanket.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got a good blanket. Now, go on, get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The men mumbled among themselves and then looked over at the brothers before deciding to leave. As they left the building one purposely jostled against Joe\u2019s shoulder, forcing him to step back several paces.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot happy customers,\u201d he observed to the trader who was refolding the blanket and putting it back into its place on the counter.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey always want something for nothing,\u201d the other man grumbled, and swore under his breath as he walked towards them. \u201cNow, what can I get you two gents?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCoffee. Beans. Bacon. A blanket.\u201d Adam said and turned to stare up at the ceiling. \u201cI think that should do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, blankets are government issue for them out there\u2014\u201d he tossed his head towards the door. \u201cYou have to have a requisition form to get one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe was walking up and down the counters. He said nothing but watched as the trader packed away what Adam had requested. Adam paid what amounted to top dollar for each item.<\/p>\n

\u201cSaville was saying you had trouble with some kind of census being drawn up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, he wanted to know exactly how many reservation Indians there were, helps us keep an eye on who exactly deserves the provisions. Right about now we\u2019ll get a whole lot of men who went out hunting in the spring coming back and expecting handouts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas there much trouble?\u201d Joe asked, fingering one of the blankets thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cEnough, but\u2014\u201d the trader removed the stub of pencil from behind his ear and wrote something down on a piece of paper\u2014\u201cthere are quite a few here now who don\u2019t want trouble. They\u2019ve got used to being reservation Indians. Red Cloud does his best to keep his people in order, but to be honest, he\u2019s lost touch with his young men. They\u2019re spoiling for a fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think there will be one?\u201d Joe leaned on the counter and the trader placed his elbows on the counter and leaned on it as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween you and me\u2014there\u2019s going to be a real big explosion one of these days. These Indians\u2014let\u2019s see\u2014you got Cheyenne, Northern tribes and Southern, you got a whole host of Sioux…Hunkpapa, Minneconjou, Oglala…Not a good combination, if you ask me. Then you got Comanche. Arapahoe. Kiowa. Nah, it\u2019s all boiling up to a big fight alright. The tensions boiling up under the surface hotter than hells fire. Since Custer brought all those men along and built all those forts\u2026no good telling them here that it\u2019s for their protection when they see the army escorting wagonloads of white folk across their land.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs Crazy Horse here?\u201d Joe asked casually.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he\u2019s at Fort Robinson. The young warriors look to him as a hero, one of the few left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe rode upon a hunting camp earlier, been attacked, some killed. There was a Sioux came and helped us,\u2014Young Man afraid of his Horses. Is he here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure he\u2019s here. One of the best, so far as you can trust any of them. He\u2019s one of their main chiefs, but he likes a quiet life. He\u2019s kinda like chief of police, if you could call it that\u2026but to be honest, if there\u2019s trouble he\u2019s the one will get things calmed down. No good going to Red Cloud or Sitting Bull.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sun was still lazily shining through the trees as they left and Adam slipped his provisions over the saddle horn. He shook his head thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cPoor quality supplies, no wonder the people here get angry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh, the blankets are too thin, wouldn\u2019t keep a child warm in winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe removed his hat and then looked up at the sky. It seemed to him a useless exercise, coming here just to have some facts confirmed\u2014facts he didn\u2019t really want to have to accept, but which proved the culpability of the government in their lack of care for the Indians on the reservations.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned at the mention of his name, his hand instinctively lowering towards his gun, but then his face creased into his usual smile when he recognised the handsome appearance of his old friend, Stalking Horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you came?\u201d The Cheyenne strode forward, followed by several others. \u201cYou and your brother?\u201d He turned to Adam who greeted him warmly. After all, this was the man who had saved Adam\u2019s life those years ago, and whose herbal remedies had kept him sane on those occasions when the pain could well have killed him.<\/p>\n

It seemed the most natural thing to follow them as they strolled further into the interior of the camp, two white men with five Cheyenne, and if either of the white men had any fears as to their safety they did not show it.<\/p>\n

Eventually they reached an area that revealed a good view of the reservation, of the hundreds of tepees lined up wherever the eye could see. It occurred to Adam that should they decide to rise up en masse, then the white people in that area would have a great deal to fear. The fact that they had not yet taken the law into their own hands indicated to him that their spirit was totally broken, that they had now become so dependent on the handouts due to the lack of buffalo and game that the spark of fighting spirit was at low ebb.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou saw the White Father?\u201d Stalking Horse asked Joe and the young man shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Stalking Horse, I did not. The White Father listens to eagles; he would not hear the chirping of a sparrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould not a sparrow fly onto the shoulder of the White Father and whisper in his ear?\u201d the shaman replied with a sage smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot this one, I\u2019m afraid.\u201d Joe smiled and shrugged, \u201cMy brother and I have travelled many miles to come here, Stalking Horse. We came to see what you needed and how we could help.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cheyenne glanced at each other, and straightened their backs. It seemed to Adam and Joe that they were making some kind of collective decision as to whether or not trust them further. Adam glanced over to Joe, who just looked trustingly into Stalking Horse\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cStar Chief Custer\u2014the one they call Pa\u2019huska\u2014rides through our land with many wagons, and many soldiers. He builds his forts and flies his flags over our land.\u201d Stalking Horse said bitterly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis land is sacred to the Cheyenne and to the Sioux,\u201d another young man said, and looked at the two brothers thoughtfully, \u201cWhat would you do if the great Sioux and Cheyenne Chiefs rode over your land and took it from you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Neither Adam nor Joe spoke in reply, although Adam\u2019s brow furrowed and he pursed his lips, realising that somewhere or other this conversation was going to lead to something that would, perhaps, compromise them if they were not careful. Joe shook his head. \u201cWell, we have seen for ourselves what is being done here, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to help your Cheyenne brothers?\u201d Stalking Horse asked, raising his chin now and narrowing his eyes, black eyes that darted from one brother to the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, tell us what we can do to help,\u201d Joe replied eagerly, perhaps too eagerly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have money\u2014you buy guns\u2014many guns.\u201d Stalking Horse lowered his voice, but the words were spoken with an urgency that carried above a whisper.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Adam replied immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuns, rifles\u2014you get many of them for us and then we can fight the Pa\u2019huska and his armies, then the White Father will see that here there are still eagles flying that must be heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Stalking Horse. No, we can\u2019t do that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the Cheyenne spat on the ground and shook his head as though in disgust. Another shouted \u201cHah\u201d and stalked off, head held high and shoulders taut, his hand on the hilt of his knife. Stalking Horse leaned in closer to Joe, who stepped back and felt the reassuring body of his brother behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou must help us, Joseph Cartwright. Little Moon\u2019s people are dying here. Would you want her to see this happening?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Moon wouldn\u2019t want you to fight anymore, Stalking Horse.\u201d Joe gripped the Indian\u2019s arm, but his hand was shaken off as the other man stepped away from him. \u201cIt\u2019s not the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou talk like Young Man Afraid of his Horses, and Red Cloud,\u201d one of the other Cheyenne said. \u201cBut we are standing here and seeing the veheos coming into our land like flood waters. There is no stopping them. We have to fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to fight,\u201d Adam pointed out. \u201cThere are other ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2014white man\u2014you talk of other ways.\u201d The Cheyenne tossed his head and his bold eyes seemed to burn in his face. \u201cTalk, is that one of your ways? Perhaps we come to your land and take it\u2026will you talk then? How many years of talk have we listened to as your white chiefs whispered poison into our ears. Promises. Empty promises.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stalking Horse nodded. \u201cPromises on pieces of paper that they are the first to tear up.\u201d He scowled darkly. \u201cThe chief of all thieves has made the road through our land. Then we will use this road to be rid of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStalking Horse\u2014\u201d Joe stretched out a hand as though to placate his old friend but the other Cheyenne had reached forward and pulled Joe\u2019s gun from its holster and before Joe was able to say another word he had pulled the trigger.<\/p>\n

Adam felt the scorching heat clip across his temple; stars spun in the air in front of his eyes, and Joe\u2019s face faded into a blur of white that exploded and died into blackness. He didn\u2019t feel a thing when his body hit the ground, bounced slightly, and then rolled onto his back.<\/p>\n

Chapter 113<\/p>\n

There was nothing Joe could do, nothing, he just froze and during that second he saw Adam fall, blood gush over his face, the body land and bounce and sprawl out as though already dead. He saw faces turn into a blur of colours, and sounds from all around him of voices, a child crying, another gun fired and all he could do was stand and it seemed as though it had taken an hour before he could get his mouth to open, and his body to move.<\/p>\n

But it had only been moments\u2026from the moment the gun went off and Adam began to fall Stalking Horse and his companions were overwhelmed by other Indians as they suddenly appeared from the shadows and totally engulfed them and bore them away. By the time Joe was able to coordinate thought with action at least sixteen Sioux warriors were disappearing down the track leaving him to turn his attention to his brother.<\/p>\n

As he knelt beside Adam, the sound of a child wailing still rang in his ears. Glancing upwards he saw a young woman with a small boy standing close by with a look of utmost horror on their faces. The boy was howling, the terrible drawn out sob of a child who had seen something too awful for him to comprehend and Joe could only imagine that it was not so much the shooting of the white man that had affected him but the memories of far worse now having to be confronted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright\u2014\u201d he cried, raising a hand towards them but the girl cried out something in Lakota and grabbed the child and ran. \u201cIt\u2019s alright\u2014\u201d he whispered and then bowed over the body of his brother .<\/p>\n

Hands now came and grabbed at him, and words were whispered into his ear, words he had understood at one time but which now seemed a gabble of sounds only. He was pulled to his feet and several Sioux surrounded him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

As he called his brother\u2019s name, one of the Sioux placed a finger on his lips and shook his head. A hasty look over the man\u2019s shoulder and he saw his brother being borne away by six warriors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you taking him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Red Cloud.\u201d the man replied, and then a frown settled upon his face, \u201cAh, you\u2014again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat d\u2019you\u2014\u201d he paused, opened his eyes wide and nodded, \u201cYes, I\u2018m sorry, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome, words can be spoken later. Let\u2019s go from here before the agent gets to hear of this and makes his enquiries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded; he stooped to pick up Adam\u2019s hat and quickly followed the tall Indian down the track towards where they were carrying Adam. The Indian he had recognised as the leader of the band that had descended upon the Cheyenne camp, the Lakota Sioux they called Young Man afraid of his Horses *(his name should be more correctly translated as, \u201chis enemies are even afraid of his horse\u201d).<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happens now?\u201d he asked, realising that the haste with which they were moving indicated an anxiety to get as far from the agency as possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat depends on you, and your brother.\u201d Young Man replied, although he didn\u2019t look at him at all but kept his eyes fixed upon the body being carried along further up the track.<\/p>\n

Joe said nothing to that, but glanced over his shoulder and then fell into step with the Sioux whom he vaguely recalled from his previous association with the Cheyenne and Sioux. He struggled to recall anything that could serve as a reference point with his companion as they continued on past tepees, through trees and shrubs and on to a wide space where Red Cloud had his lodging, and he watched as Adam was swiftly carried inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ride with Crazy Horse, don\u2019t you?\u201d Joe said suddenly, as memory flooded his brain and he recalled the two young men, almost inseparable, constantly galloping through the camp and devising new tricks to play upon the white men.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did but no more\u2014we ride separate paths now.\u201d Young Man turned to Joe and frowned, \u201cAre you the one who was George Bent\u2019s friend? You who were in love with the maiden, Little Moon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, yes, that\u2019s right, that was me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, well, times have changed since then, my friend, and, as you see, not for the better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see that…\u201d<\/p>\n

Young Man Afraid of his Horses looked at Joe intently, as though by doing so he would be able to see right into his heart. He said nothing but indicated that Joe should go and see to his brother.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The soft ebb and flow of movement led Adam to believe that he was on board a ship. His confused brain tried to remind itself that possibly it was the Ainola, but then surely it couldn\u2019t be so it had to be the Shenandoah. His lips moved silently, his breathing so shallow that it was impossible to see his chest moving at all. If he was on board the Shenandoah then it wouldn\u2019t be long before O\u2019Brien would step through the door and give him the ship\u2019s bearings. He forced his eyes open, looked up, saw nothing he recognised, and closed his eyes again.<\/p>\n

\u2018Don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s just a dream.\u2019<\/p>\n

He opened his eyes again, raised his hand to touch where it hurt most and was surprised when someone grabbed at his wrist and pulled his hand down. Someone was gently bathing his brow.<\/p>\n

\u2018Just bear with it; if it\u2019s not a dream then it has to be real and there\u2019s nothing you can do about it.\u2019<\/p>\n

He heard voices, a language he didn\u2019t understand, and just for a moment he wondered if he were back in Egypt and struggled to remember the Arabic for hello or thank you. He opened his eyes and looked up and saw anxious hazel eyes looking down at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

He raised a hand to his temple and felt the tackiness of blood, he looked around him, and saw over Joe\u2019s shoulder a tall, distinguished old man, a young woman, and a man a little younger than himself. They all regarded him with some curiosity and a lot of anxiety.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d he asked and struggled to sit up, swayed and took a deep breath. \u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is Chief Red Cloud*, Adam, and one of his daughters\u2026and you may remember Young Man Afraid of his Horses, we met him a few days ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t nod, he\u2019d suffered enough similar injuries to be able to recall that it was not the wisest of things to do, but he thanked the old chief and the young girl for taking care of him before he turned to Young Man Afraid of his Horses.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps you could tell us what this is all about?\u201d<\/p>\n

A brief look passed between the two Indians, the girl disappeared from the tent, its door flap was pulled over, and in the gloom they approached the area where Adam lay.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember you as the man who saw Custer and stopped him from attacking our camp\u2014you wore a uniform but were not one of them,\u201d Young Man said cautiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was some time ago. Who, exactly, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTha\u0161\u00fa\u014bke Khok\u00edpkapi,\u201d the Indian replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, explain what\u2019s going on here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA fool fired a gun, the bullet grazed your head, and we have cared for you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Red Cloud approached now, a chief who had confronted many great white chieftains and beaten them down. He looked at Adam with a black gaze and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is better\u2014perhaps\u2014that Agent Saville does not know what happened. Too much can be made from a small thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe opened his mouth and then closed it again quickly. A small thing? His brother could have been killed! He took a deep breath and cleared his throat, looked over at Adam and realised immediately the implications that were now only too obvious.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course.\u201d Adam was touching his head, looking at the blood but agreeing that it was nothing, nothing that the agent needed to know about anyway.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is difficult\u2014you understand,\u201d Young Man said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat will happen to Stalking Horse and his friends?\u201d Joe asked, \u201cI came all this way to help him as best I could, but find that instead\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it often happens like that\u2014\u201d Red Cloud said in his thick voice, and the dark eyes softened as though with amusement. \u201cWhite men want to help, but it does not seem to be helpful when they do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe shall deal with Stalking Horse; it is a matter for the Agency Police.\u201d Young Man said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I think that would be a good idea.\u201d Adam said and struggled to his feet, swayed slightly and reached out for his hat which Joe handed to him. \u201cIt would no doubt be a good idea if we rode out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red Cloud shook his head \u201cNo, that is a bad idea. You must stay here and recover, and we would wish to offer you hospitality.\u201d He placed a firm strong hand upon Adam\u2019s shoulder and pushed him back onto the bed, \u201cNow, Adam Cartwright, you must rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright decided that to surrender was not only the sensible thing to do, but also the honourable thing. He did as he was told and lay back on the bed, while Joe had his own resting place pointed out to him. When the two men had left them and closed the door flap upon them, Joe sidled over to where Adam lay.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes this mean we\u2019re prisoners?\u201d he whispered to his now half conscious brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know\u2014they\u2019re your friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, heck, Adam, how\u2019d we get into this mess?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam just rolled his eyes and decided to keep quiet, leaving Joe chewing his nails and wondering what to do next, although even that didn\u2019t take too long as the door flap was opened and a young woman stepped inside with something cool to drink for them both, a warm and friendly smile, and much nodding of head. For some reason he felt more optimistic about the outcome of the \u201chospitality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 114<\/p>\n

The sound of a voice louder than the mumble of others caught Joe\u2019s attention and he quickly went to Adam and shook his shoulder in order to awaken him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam? Wake up!\u201d he hissed into his brother\u2019s ear. This prompted his brother to open his eyes and glare at him before sitting up, swaying slightly and demanding what on earth was going on. Joe shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m not sure, but it sounds like that agent, Saville.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam wrinkled his nose as though the name itself brought with it a bad smell. He sighed, and rose to his feet, lowered his head and allowed the dizziness to pass. \u201cPerhaps he wants to invite us to dinner,\u201d he said and led the way out of the tepee.<\/p>\n

A large number of Indians, mostly Sioux, and a handful of Cheyenne were assembled in a semi-circle with Red Cloud in its centre confronting an irate reservation agent who was talking loudly at them as though if he spoke in a softer voice they would not be able to hear him nor understand what he was saying. Adam and Joe stood by the entrance of the tepee, listening intently.<\/p>\n

The agent was not alone; several soldiers bearing rifles flanked him on either side, their bodies tense, prepared for action. The Indians, on the other hand, mostly seasoned warriors and old women, stood impassively by listening with some respect but mostly with some amusement.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026and if I don\u2019t receive an honest response to this enquiry I swear I\u2019ll half your rations. Do you think I care particularly about that? No, I don\u2019t. By the authority vested in me by the government of the United States I can get that store locked up and you\u2019ll not step inside it again until Kingdom comes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam cleared his throat, twice, before Saville realised he was there and spun around to face him and Joe. The agent, puffed up with his own self importance, now seemed to swell a little more at seeing the victim of what he had been told was a malicious and criminal shooting.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, I came as soon as I heard, let me promise, no, assure you, that this matter will be looked into, and the culprits caught and punished.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe and Adam said nothing, they looked at the faces of the Sioux and Cheyenne, perhaps some now looked resigned, as though they knew the game was up; others had tensed, waiting for the obvious. After all, what white man denied another white man what he wanted, especially when the word of the Indian was in doubt?<\/p>\n

Red Cloud, tall and dignified, stepped forward. \u201cAgent Saville accuses us of shooting you and keeping you a prisoner here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you tell him about that?\u201d Adam asked immediately, his dark eyes looking thoughtfully at the other man who nodded slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him that you were not shot in the way he has spoken about and that you are our guest, not our prisoner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saville opened his mouth to protest and was silenced when Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, there you are, Mr. Saville, that\u2019s the way of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saville looked a little taken aback and frowned; he looked at Joe who only raised his eyebrows and shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard two shots,\u201d he muttered, stressing the words with an emphasis that denoted his anxiety for some support from them. \u201cI heard two shots fired and was told that you had been injured.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were two shots fired,\u201d Adam agreed, nodding his head as he spoke, and he shrugged, put a hand to Joe\u2019s holster and pulled the gun free. Saville stepped back in alarm; the soldiers closed ranks, and then relaxed when Adam spun the gun so that the handle was held out to Saville for his inspection.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth shots came from my brother\u2019s gun.\u201d He raised his eyebrows as though surprised that Saville had not yet taken the gun from him for examination \u201cTwo bullets\u2014two empty chambers\u2014you can smell it for yourself, it\u2019ll confirm that it\u2019s been recently fired.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sioux were looking now decidedly stony faced, dark eyes were growing harder and lips were thinning as Saville examined the gun, and then rather hesitantly handed it back to Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it just proves me right\u2026two gun shots\u2026by whom?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe,\u201d Joe stepped forward as he slipped the gun back into his holster \u201cI was telling my brother that there were some things I couldn\u2019t tolerate, and cheats and fraudsters rated top of my list.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saville\u2019s eyes narrowed, he looked at Adam, then again at Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you shot your brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was being stupid, Mr. Saville. I was\u2014er\u2014showing off a left-handed technique to my friends here and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I was stupid enough to step in his path, and the gun went off and creased me, that was all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were two shots \u2026\u201d Saville hissed<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, well, your Indian Police are really sensitive about any trouble around here, Mr. Saville. One of them came by and grabbed my arm and tried to yank the gun out of my hand, but I still had my finger on the trigger and it went off.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter which they brought me here to clean me up and offer us hospitality,\u201d Adam concluded. \u201cNothing really to worry about\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing to worry about?\u201d Saville cried. \u201cDo you really think I\u2019m going to believe that ridiculous story, because story it certainly was\u2014and you talk of fraudsters and cheats, sir, just who were you accusing of cheating and defrauding here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m sorry you don\u2019t believe what we\u2019ve told you, Mr. Saville. You can see we are in honest company here as no one has stolen our hardware from us,\u201d Adam replied, and then glanced over at the rifles still in their sheaths, \u201cnor even stolen our rifles, which I am sure would be greatly appreciated by some of them; they could go hunting and catch a rat or two.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saville\u2019s feet fidgeted uncomfortably, he looked from the brothers to the rifles, and then back again. \u201cI shall be contacting my commanding officer and reporting that there was a fracas here and you were both involved. You will both remain here until he comes, and you will stay and answer his questions. Any Indian who touched a weapon\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, wait a moment there\u2014\u201d Joe cried<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I said, any Indian who\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne moment.\u201d It was Adam this time, and he stepped forward with his hand raised for attention, as well as for silence. \u201cMr. Saville, who is your commanding officer?\u201d<\/p>\n

Saville fidgeted again, the person he took orders from was not necessarily his commanding officer. To acknowledge that he took orders from Custer rather than from the secretary for the Bureau of Indian Affairs placed him on difficult grounds. Adam and Joe waited.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Saville,\u201d Joe said, \u201cWe\u2019ve explained what happened, there\u2019s no need for you to bring in anyone else. My brother and I intend to leave here in the morning, and we don\u2019t intend to be hanging around any longer than that\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll stay here until I tell you when you can go,\u201d Saville snarled, becoming angrier than ever and as a result losing his self control. The fact that such a lengthy discussion was taking place in front of the Sioux Chief, Red Cloud, and such prominent men in the tribe as Old Man Afraid of his Horses and his son, Young Man, was beginning to make him feel demeaned and embarrassed. \u201cI could order you to be placed under arrest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to see you try,\u201d Joe promptly snapped back.<\/p>\n

\u201cSergeant Jackson, arrest these men!\u201d Saville ordered immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne moment,\u201d Adam said once again, and slowly put a hand to the inner pocket of his jacket and withdrew an envelope. \u201cYou recognise this insignia?\u201d<\/p>\n

Saville glanced at it, swallowed, nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, what of it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned the envelope around. \u201cNote to whom it is addressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore Adam Cartwright,\u201d Saville went slightly paler and his eyes flicked over to Adam, \u201cThat\u2019s you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s me, and I believe I out rank or at least am of equal ranking to your commanding officer.\u201d He withdrew the letter, and folding it carefully so that only the concluding part would be readable, he held it in front of Saville. \u201cRecognise the signature?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d Saville heaved in a deep breath. \u201cThe president, Mr. Grant.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, slowly slipping the letter back into its envelope, knowing that Saville couldn\u2019t have missed reading the salutation at the end of the letter. \u201cYour friend \u2026 U.S. Grant.\u201d Saville looked as though he were about to have an attack of apoplexy.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Mr. Saville, I shall be seeing President Grant in a few months\u2019 time. I am sure he will be interested to hear what I will have to tell him about the way this agency is run under your\u2014stringent\u2014controls.\u201d The cold way the words were delivered left Saville in no doubt that the report would not be favourable; he darted a look at both brothers and then rallied, drew his shoulders back,<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well, have it your way. Good day, gentlemen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pursed his lips and watched Saville and his men march away, then looked at Joe, shaking his head. \u201cCheats and fraudsters, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I didn\u2019t lie about that \u2026 I don\u2019t like \u2019em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho does?\u201d Adam smiled, his eyes hooded with heavy lids, and he turned to Red Cloud, \u201cThank you for your hospitality, Chief Red Cloud, and for the care you have given me. I think I am well enough now to travel on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red Cloud shook his head, held up both hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have been invited as our guests, you must have hospitality, come\u2014you stay a while.\u201d And he smiled; the dark eyes were warm and kindly.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

They provided a feast of food, things they had kept for that special occasion, food that was precious because of its unavailability, meat hunted down and therefore illegal for several reasons, but no one was going to ask what the reasons were now as Adam and Joe sat and ate along with them. Red Cloud\u2019s hospitality was renowned, and because he and his people had shoddy food and goods supplied didn\u2019t mean their guests went without good food.<\/p>\n

There was music, and there was dancing. Young women came and danced as the fires\u2019 flames roared into the skies, they danced the old way, chanting and ululating to the moon, their hips swaying provocatively, and their dark eyes lit up by the flames and the excitement of the freedom of the dance. Then the young men came leaping into the centre of the ring, and the flames shone on their greased bodies and made them look like wild animals joyful at the chance to take part in this random feast of merrymaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember when you came before,\u201d Stalking Horse said, offering Adam some meat from the carcase of some creature sacrificed for the feast, \u201cWe thought Star Chief Custer would kill us with his big guns, but you rode down with the big man, your brother, even though we thought you would drop dead in front of him and he would ride over your body anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm, well, Hoss and I thought much the same thing.\u201d Adam replied, washing the meat down with some water. \u201cThat was some time back, Stalking Horse. You saved my life then.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other man nodded and looked away, still feeling some shame at the earlier incident and his part in it.<\/p>\n

Young Man Afraid of his Horses watched, listened and then leaned forward to speak. \u201cHow can I persuade my young men not to go and fight? Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse will not be persuaded to come to the reservations; they want to fight, and many of our young men go and join them. How can we win against the white men?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, how can we win?\u201d Stalking Horse now demanded. \u201cUnless we fight, there is no hope for our people. We shall be trodden into the dust until we become just the same, grains of dust blown away by the wind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you fight and die, that\u2019s what you\u2019ll become anyway, only sooner.\u201d Joe said matter-of-factly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s right, you know,\u201d Adam sighed and drank more water.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen tell us what to do!\u201d Stalking Horse hissed, grabbing at Adam\u2019s arm in his eagerness for an answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Adam paused and looked around at the faces there, and narrowed his eyes against the rolling clouds of smoke from the fire that drifted towards them, \u201cWell, if you carry on fighting, you won\u2019t win. You know that, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can we sit back and let the white men take our land? Haven\u2019t they taken already so much?<\/p>\n

A Sioux by the name of Shunkaha Napin* leaned forward. \u201cI never want to leave this country, all my relatives are lying in the ground, and when I fall to pieces I am going to fall to pieces here too.\u201d*<\/p>\n

As Joe and Adam continued to eat, neither of them sure of what to say, another Indian came and squatted down before them. \u201cYou\u2014white man\u2014what would you say to your friends ?\u201d his dark eyes bore into Joe\u2019s face, and then into Adam\u2019s. \u201cDon\u2019t you know that you white people have torn out our hearts? They push us away from our lands. In great trails of tears we have walked, and this is where our feet now rest. We must fight the white man and get back the lands he has stolen from us.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were enough grunts of approval at this comment to make Joe and Adam feel uncomfortable, Joe even had a momentary feeling that this could be a feast similar to the last meal of the condemned man.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still would tell you not to fight. Listen to Red Cloud; he has proven himself a wise leader,\u201d Joe urged and glanced over at Adam who leaned forward to listen. \u201cHe won against the Government over Fort Bridger, didn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook.\u201d Adam leaned towards them. \u201cThe only way you can beat Custer, and all the other eagle chiefs who come against you with their cannon and armies, is to survive.\u201d He frowned, \u201cSurvival for you will need strength, great power, great power.\u201d He stressed the words and caught Red Cloud\u2019s eyes, and the older man nodded as though he understood.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo eat their worm-filled bread and beg for their crumbs?\u201d Stalking Horse spat angrily. \u201cI thought you would say words wiser than that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have just come back from a land far away on the sea, a land that takes many moons to reach from where the sea begins on this land.\u201d Adam watched their faces, for like children they loved stories, especially ones that touched on their own lives. \u201cThere is a great chief there\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother white chief?\u201d Crow Feather (Kangi Wiyaka) smirked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are white chiefs everywhere,\u201d White Ghost (Wanigi Ska) laughed, and there was a chorus of chuckles from that comment.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, this is no white chief, he is the chief of this vast land, bigger even than here\u2014\u201d Adam frowned, remembering the pompous fat man, the khedive Ismail. \u201cBut he wanted more land, more than he had a right to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh\u201d \u201cWell, isn\u2019t it always so\u2014\u201d \u201cWhite men will be here somewhere\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He let the mumbles trickle away.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery day in his big towns he sells the people of this land, he sells them so that they become the property of other men like himself. For them there is nothing left, no families, no tribes, no country. But they will survive \u2026 just as you must survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow?\u201d Young Man Afraid of his Horses asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo to their schools, let your children go to their colleges, teach them the white man\u2019s laws\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not want to lose what is ours, who we are, what we are\u2026\u201d lamented White Ghost.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t have to; you will merely learn the tools the white men use when they want something but cannot fight for it. You have to learn their language, their laws\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Some shook their heads, already determined to spill their blood and that of the white men, others shook their heads because they were afraid to change, but there were those who looked intently at the two brothers, nodded thoughtfully and walked away to think about what had been said.<\/p>\n

As the fires died down and the dancing ended, Joe and Adam were led to a tepee for guests. It was comfortable and spacious, and gratefully they closed the entrance flap and slid down onto the beds.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think they\u2019ll do?\u201d Joe whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do YOU think they\u2019ll do?\u201d his brother whispered back.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, most of them will fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, that\u2019s what I thought too,\u201d Adam sighed and rolled onto his side, closed his eyes and fell asleep.<\/p>\n

Joe on the other hand remained awake for some time as he mulled over in his mind what had been achieved on this journey. By the time he fell asleep he had to admit to himself that it had all been without purpose, because there was really no answer to the matter, none that he could see clearly enough for the people he loved so much, and yet who had caused him so much grief.<\/p>\n

Chapter 115<\/p>\n

The garden was still beautiful despite the heat blazing down upon it. Petals drifted softly down to earth and carpeted the paths, yet there always seemed to be a new rose or a new blossom to marvel over and enjoy.<\/p>\n

Hand-in-hand, the sisters walked through the garden, their skirts brushing against the sleeping shrubs that instantly woke and poured forth their sweet perfumes. Rachel wore the summer dress of an American woman, and her hair was twisted into a knot at the nape of her neck caught into a snood; soft curls touched her brow and cheeks. Her sister, Anna, wore the dress of an Egyptian woman, indicating not only her love for the culture and people, but the fact that if married to an Egyptian she should wear the clothing he would prefer.<\/p>\n

They walked in silence as though both had much on their minds. Once or twice Rachel sighed, and when she did so Anna pressed her fingers as though to express some understanding, although Rachel had never disclosed to her sister the cause of her lack of spirit. Her lethargy had become noticeable even to Said El Hassim who had asked his wife to speak to her sister to find out what they could do to help her. Anna was therefore on a mission and Rachel, well, she was just miserable.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s sit here; it\u2019s hot and I need to rest.\u201d Anna sighed and settled down on the seat beneath the rose arbour; she turned to her sister and smiled. \u201cYou look so pretty today, Rachel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo I?\u201d her sister looked surprised and looked down at her dress and then shrugged. \u201cWell, if you say so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should pay more attention to how you dress, dear, you used to\u2026\u201d her voice trailed away and she glanced anxiously at Rachel who was staring at a butterfly with almost painful intensity.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh well, I see little point to it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you should; Said has so many young men coming and had hoped that by now you would have found someone to care about. They all admire you much, and it would take little to encourage one or two of them to become more than just admirers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnna, that\u2019s the last thing I want.\u201d Rachel groaned and rose to her feet. \u201cI don\u2019t want to talk about such a stupid subject.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not stupid, it\u2019s important\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo you maybe\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, to us all. Said wants you happily married as we are, he wants you to enjoy life as you should after all\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on, \u2018after all?\u2019\u201d she quirked one eyebrow and her blue eyes fastened upon her sister\u2019s face, then she shook her head, \u201cAfter all, I\u2019m not getting any younger? After all, I will soon lose my looks? After all\u2026? What?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter all, you can\u2019t keep dwelling on the past, even the recent past.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s funny, coming from an archaeologist to another\u2014\u201d she grinned without humour and shrugged. \u201cWhat recent past do you mean anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I was thinking that you have been unhappy like this ever since he left here\u2026it was obvious that there was something between you, the way he looked at you, the way you acted when he was around. It isn\u2019t a coincidence that you have been feeling so unhappy since he left, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel was silent for a moment and then turned to survey her sister with a strange expression on her face, before she said she hadn\u2019t realised her feelings were so transparent.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo those who love you, darling, of course they were.\u201d Anna took hold of her sister\u2019s hand and stroked the long fingers. \u201cYou gave him your ring, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

She pulled her hand away and clasped both of them in her lap, frowned a little, and then looked at her sister again, with warily. \u201cWho exactly are we talking about here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I mean\u2026who exactly do you think I\u2014\u201d she hesitated and drew in her breath. Even now she found it hard to admit to herself that she had felt so much for a man who had drifted in and out of her life and of whom she had heard nothing since. It was, she told herself more than countless times a day, just an illusion, a wish borne from her need to be loved and to love in return. \u201cWhom do you refer to?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy\u2014Laurence Willoughby, of course. You and he got on so well together, and, Rachel, there\u2019s no doubt about how he felt for you. Every time I look at the picture of you that he painted I get the feeling that each brushstroke was put there with love.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel bowed her head, and the sun caressed her neck and back and made her tingle all over with its warmth. She stayed silent for some time, enough time for Anna to exclaim angrily that it was just a waste of time talking to her\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have always been like this, Rachel, stubborn and secretive. Papa never could understand you, he\u2019d ask you a direct question and you would just sit there, head down and not answer. He would get so annoyed by that, some answer, even the wrong one, would have been helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I just wanted to find the right answer,\u201d Rachel replied hesitantly, \u201cNot the right answer for me, but for him. I never seemed able to do right for Papa after our brother died.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe expected much more from you, Rachel. Oh, my dear, you\u2019re so sweet and clever, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018But,\u2019 always \u2018but.\u2019\u201d She rose to her feet, \u201cI\u2019m only two years older than you, Anna, but sometimes you treat me as though I were ten years younger or fifty years older. I am not old, for heaven\u2019s sake, I am just 25 years of age\u2014\u201d she paused, looked at her sister and shook her head. \u201cI thought of Laurence as my brother…he was\u2014he was sweet and funny and clever. I didn\u2019t and I do not love him. He did say, however, that he loved me but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Rachel, you didn\u2019t refuse him, oh, of course you did. Otherwise you wouldn\u2019t be here now. How silly of you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSilly? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s nobility, Rachel. He\u2019s rich and handsome, young and English. Think of what life would be life for you in England, my dear? There would be balls, and hunts, and there would be\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything I hate. Don\u2019t talk about anymore, Anna, you\u2019ll make me angry and upset.\u201d she frowned, \u201cHe did say he would wait for me, if that gives you any peace of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most ardent lover can become impatient with waiting, Rachel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLaurence won\u2019t.\u201d She smiled, a fleeting memory of the young man\u2019s face drifted into her mind and she knew that Laurence Willoughby would wait and wait. She turned to her sister. \u201cAnna, I\u2019ve made up my mind. I\u2019m leaving Egypt. You don\u2019t need me here now, probably you never did, I just told myself that you did because I wanted to be with someone who cared about me. I am so stupid at times\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm.\u201d Anna raised her chin and looked at her sister with uplifted brows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to leave as soon as possible.\u201d she rose to her feet, \u201cI may already have left it too long and he will have forgotten all about me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe? Who do you mean, for heaven\u2019s sake, girl?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, someone you don\u2019t know\u2014\u201d she smiled, looked at Anna and leaned down to kiss her cheek. \u201cYou are such a sweet sister, Anna, thank you so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat on earth for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor talking to me about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout what?\u201d Anna shook her head and stood up with her hands pressed to her face, \u201cI mean\u2014is it Laurence?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no, it\u2019s dear Adam Abdulkarim. It\u2019s always been him, I thought if I waited long enough the feeling would fade, surely if it were just a fleeting fascination it would have gone by now?\u201d She looked into Anna\u2019s puzzled eyes, and then smiled, \u201cBut it hasn\u2019t gone, it\u2019s just got stronger. I need to leave for America as soon as I possibly can, Anna.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s Abdulkarim?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel smiled and looked sadly at her sister, shook her head and sighed. \u201cHave you forgotten him already, Anna? I didn\u2019t think it was possible for anyone to forget Adam.\u201d She shrugged slim shoulders. \u201cHe saved your husband\u2019s life and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean, Commodore Adam Cartwright?\u201d Anna gasped. \u201cBut\u2014but, Rachel, he\u2019s been gone for a while now, surely you can\u2019t think he could\u2014\u201d she blushed a little when she realised what she was about to say and closed her mouth, then saw the secretive little smile on Rachel\u2019s lips. \u201cYou really mean you\u2019re leaving us?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he said I would know where to find him\u2026so I\u2019m going. I need to find him; I need to know if\u2014if it were possible for him to love me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Hannah Cartwright observed the world through solemn blue eyes. Everything was still rather hazy and sometimes when certain noises happened they made her jump and cry out which brought her a lot of attention as she would be immediately picked up and held, crooned to, pinched and poked, and generally bounced around. She didn\u2019t mind one bit; any attention was better than no attention, although of course her cousin Rosie would tell her later that wasn\u2019t always the case!<\/p>\n

Hester Cartwright watched the rain lashing the windows as she paced up and down the big room. Every so often a gust of smoke would billow into the room from the chimney, and she would turn her back to it to make sure the baby didn\u2019t breathe any of it. She looked at her daughter with wonder in her eyes\u2026how ever had she managed to produce such a beautiful child? Hannah was obviously a miracle, and even though babies were popping out all over the world every minute of the day no one would ever convince Hester that her daughter was the most beautiful of them all. She was, after all, her mother so one can make excuses for her.<\/p>\n

She had heard a horse galloping into the yard and waited for whoever it was to appear. She knew Hoss had been into town for various reasons, and Ben had ridden over to see Candy about some timber contract. Since Joe had left the Ponderosa a lot of the timber responsibilities had fallen upon Candy\u2019s shoulders. Hannah yawned, a delicate yawn that succeeded in making her eyes disappear into the back of her head. Hester promptly began to sing:<\/p>\n

Hush, little baby, don’t say a word.
\nPapa’s gonna buy you a mockingbird
\nAnd if that mockingbird won’t sing,
\nPapa’s gonna buy you a diamond ring<\/p>\n

And if that diamond ring turns brass,
\nPapa’s gonna buy you a looking glass<\/p>\n

And if that looking glass gets broke,
\nPapa’s gonna buy you a billy goat<\/p>\n

And if that billy goat won’t pull,
\nPapa’s gonna buy you a cart and bull<\/p>\n

And if that cart and bull fall down,
\nYou’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town<\/p>\n

Hannah\u2019s bottom lip trembled, quivered, and she promptly burst into tears. This seemed to happen a lot when Hester began crooning to her child, for some reason, Hester had still not worked out a good reason why!<\/p>\n

The door opened and Hoss stepped into the room, and as the rain had not started raining until he was almost home he was not too wet or dripping raindrops everywhere. He smiled over at Hester and pulled off his hat, jacket and began to unbuckle his gunbelt.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa back yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not just yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, is there anything to eat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing\u2019s about to get it ready now.\u201d<\/p>\n

He came and kissed her cheek, and she kissed him although she was more curious about what he was holding than being kissed, and he laughed at her, then peered at Hannah who stopped crying. She often did this when Hoss appeared to look down at her, a blurred moon with two blue stars in it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat have you there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, some mail.\u201d Hoss replied casually, and began to pull more letters from his pocket. \u201cA letter for you from your brother Marlow\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you read it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs if I\u2019d dare?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything else for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen\u2014who is this for? What is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

They both observed the cardboard tube, sealed well at both ends, and with a London postmark.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t you open it to find out?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cBecause it ain\u2019t ours, it\u2019s addressed to Adam. It rattles too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRattles?\u201d her brow furrowed. \u201cI wonder what it is?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll find out soon enough.\u201d Hoss replied and sat down on the settee, grabbing her free hand and pulling her down by his side. \u201cHe\u2019s got another package as well\u2026a smaller one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, who from?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like something from the president, I saw a similar one some years back \u2026\u201d he fished the package from his pocket and held it towards her, she took it and looked at it with curiosity, turning it every way up she could, then she shook it, \u201cYep, it rattles as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really annoying that he\u2019s not here to open these.\u201d She laughed and put the package on the table. \u201cStill, it\u2019s reassuring too, it makes it feel as though he\u2019ll be back home soon, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep, and Joe as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMary Ann will be pleased about that\u2026the sooner they get home the better.\u201d And she leaned over to plant a big kiss on his cheek. \u201cI love you, Hoss Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Barbara Scott Pearson sat still as Paul and John Martin finished their examination of her little boy, Peter Andrew. She looked at their faces and saw the concern there, the furrowed brows and she tried to hear what they were saying but they had stepped over to the far side of the room so that they couldn\u2019t be heard.<\/p>\n

She waited with the fear growing tighter within her, and her hands held onto the little boy so tightly that he squirmed and wiggled and then began to cry, rubbing his face and looking at her as though not understanding why she would hold him so tightly like this.<\/p>\n

It was Paul who came to sit beside her, and John stood behind his chair and watched her, the concern on his face frightened her more than ever.<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbara,\u201d Paul started and then placed a hand on her arm, \u201cYou are right to be concerned, I\u2019m afraid Peter is deaf, to what degree we won\u2019t know until he is older, but at the moment, we both feel that it could be profound.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sat there and just looked at their concerned kindly faces. Then she looked at her son, her own darling little boy with his blond curls and big eyes, and now the mouth parting in a smile for her although tears still spiked his lashes.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, he really is deaf? Why didn\u2019t we know before? How is it that we never noticed?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul shook his head, sighed, and it was John who spoke, explaining how a baby doesn\u2019t know it\u2019s different from anyone else, and from birth other God-given senses would be brought into play, used to a degree a hearing person would never need because it would be compensating for the lack of hearing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you would walk into a room he would have felt the floor vibrate, perhaps through the crib or chair, he would know you or someone had entered the room so would turn, look at you, smile\u2026you would see that and just accept it as any parent would, that the child had heard you and turned to greet you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he would do that, it was just that he\u2014he seemed so unable to speak and\u2014and sometimes didn\u2019t turn when I called his name.\u201d she bowed her head and placed a hand over her face but the tears came nevertheless. She struggled to prevent them falling, but they did, and John pushed a handkerchief into her hands and waited for her to wipe her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll do everything we can to help you, Barbara,\u201d Paul said as she got to her feet, hugging her son tightly as though he had doubled his weight in gold.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course, I know you will,\u201d she mumbled the words; they sounded incoherent even to her own ears. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Somehow she stumbled out of the building and stood there looking around her. Life went on just as normal, for everyone else, but not for her, nor for Peter. Peter wasn\u2019t normal. She shook her head and looked at her little boy who was now smiling at her, that strange all-knowing but unknowing look he would give her, and she kissed him, held him close.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Peter, Peter\u2026\u201d she whispered and then hurried over to the buggy reminding herself that no matter how often she called his name, he couldn\u2019t hear her.<\/p>\n

Chapter 116<\/p>\n

Joe finally fell asleep with the sound of song echoing in his ears…<\/p>\n

\u201cHa ti wa-ka I at-ra-ha ha —- re ra<\/p>\n

Ku\u2014ra ra wa\u2014ku\u2014e -ru at \u2014 ra \u2014ha– re ra at –<\/p>\n

Ra\u2014ha — re ra at-ra \u2014ha — re ra at-ra\u2014ha a re ra<\/p>\n

Ra u\u2014ra we ri — ku sa at\u2014ra\u2019\u2014ha ha\u2014re ra at<\/p>\n

Ra\u2014ha — re ra at-ra\u2014ha — re ra at-ra\u2014ha a re\u2014ra\u201d<\/p>\n

(Listen, he said, yonder the buffalo are coming,
\nThese are his sayings, yonder the buffalo are coming.<\/p>\n

They walk, they stand, they are coming
\nYonder the buffalo are coming.)<\/p>\n

And even in his sleep the drum beat seemed to reverberate round and round in his head, so that when finally the morning arrived he was still groggy from lack of sleep.<\/p>\n

Adam looked over at his brother and frowned. \u201cDidn\u2019t sleep so good, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, had too much to think about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not good, Joe. \u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not, you always told me before to think a bit more before I act, so, I\u2019m thinking and…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t something we can spend time thinking about, Joe, because it\u2019s a riddle, and it\u2019s one that won\u2019t get solved in our time. Now…\u201d He tapped his brother on the knee. \u201cLet\u2019s get ourselves organised and leave as soon as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re leaving just like that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven sooner if possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cBecause\u2014\u201d Adam frowned, pursed his lips and shrugged, \u201cBecause I don\u2019t trust Saville.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he can\u2019t arrest us\u2014can he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know; he may try.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNah, he won\u2019t\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to test him out on this one, though.\u201d Adam stretched, yawned and twitched his shoulders. \u201cCome on, let\u2019s eat and say our goodbyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The people were already busy with their early morning rituals, the men sitting around or walking from one to another to talk, and the women preparing the food, getting water from the river, grinding meal on the grinding stone, nursing their young. As the two white men emerged from the tepee they were greeted with friendly nods of the head in acknowledgement, and were provided with food and drink from Red Cloud\u2019s daughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are leaving now?\u201d Stalking Horse asked as he squatted on his haunches to join them in their meal.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as we can…\u201d Adam muttered.<\/p>\n

Young Man Afraid of his Horses joined them and leaned on his lance. He looked at their food,\u201dYou are wise to do so\u201c he said. \u201cYou should have eaten with us; this is poor fare.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s sufficient, and we\u2019re grateful for it.\u201d Joe replied, knowing that Red Cloud\u2019s weekly rations had no doubt provided the meal they had all enjoyed the previous evening.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Agent Saville has been speaking on the singing wire\u2026when you travel, look behind you often.\u201d Another warrior cautioned, leaning forward and picking up some meat which he sniffed before eating. \u201cI would think you wise to leave soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe intend to do just that,\u201d Joe replied and stood up. There was no point in long drawn-out farewells. They stepped back to let them pass by, and it was Stalking Horse who stopped them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my gift for you\u2014\u201d and he gave them each a rather wicked scalping knife\u2014\u201cYou may need it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Joe took them, nodded their thanks, and knew that this was his way of apologising for the fracas he has caused the previous day. Red Cloud came and stood by them, watching as they mounted their horses.<\/p>\n

Adam leaned down towards him. \u201cI will see the president soon, and when I do I\u2019ll speak to him about what has happened here. But, like yourself, Red Cloud, he has many men who whisper in his ear of other things. It may take time for him to do anything at all about this matter, but I promise you, he will do something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red Cloud nodded, but Adam knew from the expression in the old man\u2019s eyes that he had long given up on white man\u2019s promises. They turned their horses from the camp and in silence rode away.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

That same day Agent Saville ordered a lone pine tree to be cut down, and when asked for what reason, he told Red Cloud it was in order to fly the American flag over the reservation. Red Cloud and others protested that they had already seen too many American flags flying over their land, and as they spoke, young warriors appeared with axes and started to chop the tree to pieces.*<\/p>\n

As Adam and Joe made their way from the camp, a lone rider from the reservation was riding, on Seville\u2019s orders, to Fort Robinson requesting help from the militia. Realising what was about to happen, the warriors painted up, armed themselves and mounted their horses for a confrontation.<\/p>\n

Twenty-six soldiers led by Lieutenant Emmett Crawford* rode into them. Without showing any fear they continued on towards the reservation even though the warriors tried to unseat them by riding their horses into them. When it looked as though the situation would actually end in bloodshed, Young Man Afraid of his Horses appeared with a band of agency Sioux, formed a protective wall around the military and escorted them through to the Agency. Old Man Afraid of his Horses stayed with others to try and calm the young men down.<\/p>\n

An attempt was made to burn the stockade down, and Seville appealed to Red Cloud to stop the men from doing so, but he refused. Finally in disgust the Sioux dismantled their tepees and returned north to join Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse*; they were never to be seen at the reservations again. They had turned their back on Red Clouds leadership, preferring to ride with those who had never taken the white man\u2019s handouts.<\/p>\n

The sound of many horses made Adam and Joe turn in their saddles with some alarm, their hands reaching towards their rifles ready to withdraw them and hope that somehow they would be able to stay alive.<\/p>\n

\u201cSioux\u2014\u201d Joe shouted and pointed to the columns of Indians riding towards them, so many that they looked like ants spreading out over the land and covering it.<\/p>\n

\u201cToo many of them\u2014\u201d Adam cried and pulled his horse over into a gully, followed promptly by Joe. They dismounted and pulled the horses down, then lay on their bellies, rifles at the ready.<\/p>\n

Onwards the columns of Sioux, with some Cheyenne and Arapaho, kept coming. The two brothers felt their hearts beating against their ribs and their breathing was becoming laboured as a result.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re slow about attacking us,\u201d Joe whispered as if his voice would be heard above the clamour of the mass of horsemen approaching them.<\/p>\n

Adam peered over the gully\u2019s edge and then tapped Joe on the shoulder so that both were a witness to the exodus of the Indians from the Red Cloud Reservation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re moving out.\u201d Joe observed with a frown. \u201cThey\u2019re travelling at the pace of the oldest and frailest, that\u2019s how they travel. Where do you think they\u2019re going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot to another reservation, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I think you\u2019re right. To Crazy Horse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI should think so\u2014\u201d Adam grimaced, and shook his head. \u201cThis isn\u2019t good, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no, it isn\u2019t.\u201d Joe shivered, and looked at the vast numbers of Indians riding through and so close to them.<\/p>\n

They were standing now, watching the men, women and children as they rode or walked the long way to where they thought freedom awaited. The Indians took no notice of them, no more notice than if they had been flies buzzing around the carcase of a dead buffalo. Even Stalking Horse passed by them without a flicker of an eye, a lance in one hand, a buffalo hide shield strapped to his back.<\/p>\n

The brothers stood and waited until the column had passed, but for a while they remained standing. Adam finally turned to Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember the last time we saw this happen? Roman Nose was their leader then…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I was thinking the same thing. He\u2019s dead now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shivered, he felt as though the last bonds to these people had been severed; his promises to Little Moon, and to Stalking Horse were now void. He looked at Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cBest be getting home,\u201d he murmured and walked, straight-backed, to his horse.<\/p>\n

Chapter 117<\/p>\n

The buckboard was stationary and standing off the track so that the horses could graze the sweet grass and wild flowers that grew so lushly on the land bordering the lake.<\/p>\n

Ben had noticed it as he rounded the bend coming from Candy\u2019s house, and was momentarily puzzled as to why it was there, then realised that it didn\u2019t even belong to the Ponderosa. The horses he recognised as those belonging to the Pearsons, in which case, he told himself, they were a long way from their own territory.<\/p>\n

He slowed his horse to a walk and proceeded slowly towards the vehicle, the horses pricking their ears up at his approach. There was no movement. He found it empty. Puzzled now, he stood in his stirrups in order to see further and looked around for some glimpse of the Pearsons\u2026perhaps one of them had been taken ill while on the way for a visit to see Hester and Hoss and the baby.<\/p>\n

He pushed his hat to the back of his head before pulling the brim back down to shade his eyes, and it was only when he turned the horse\u2019s head to return to the trail that he noticed a flash of pink close to the shore. Keeping his eyes fixed upon this, he walked Buck slowly down until he could see that the person sitting among the flowers was Barbara. She was watching little Peter, who was happily content pulling up grass in his chubby hands and raising them to the sky before letting the grass tumble down again.<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbara?\u201d Surely she had heard him approach. \u201cBarbara?\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned to look at him, then lowered her head \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Ben, I hope you didn\u2019t mind my coming here. I used to come here with Adam, and I needed to come somewhere, to think, to get things clear in my head.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I don\u2019t mind you coming here, my dear.\u201d he dismounted immediately and walked over to her, realised that she wasn\u2019t going to stand up to talk, seemed in fact quite unable to move herself but just sat there, twiddling a stalk of some grass between her fingers and staring into space, not even watching over her little boy who was now attempting to stand up, rather wobbly, and promptly falling back down again.<\/p>\n

He removed his hat and placed it over the saddle horn and then lowered himself down to sit by her side. Amazing how far down the ground seemed to be now that he had grown older. He moaned to himself, but he was soon settled and watched the child for some minutes before looking at her. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Barbara? Has something happened? Is Andrew alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he\u2019s alright, for now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed, that sounded ominous, he bit his bottom lip, and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you mean? Is he ill?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Ben, he isn\u2019t ill.\u201d<\/p>\n

She always had this rather steady way of talking, rather flat really, he looked at her again and noticed that she had been crying, her eyelids were swollen and puffy, even now a tear leaking out and trickling down her cheek. She didn\u2019t move to wipe it away. It seemed to Ben that she had cried so many tears that she now had no interest or strength to bother with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbara, why not tell me about it? Perhaps I could help\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t, Ben, no one can help,\u201d she sighed. \u201cIt\u2019s Peter. He\u2019s deaf.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben turned his gaze from her to her son, now contentedly pulling petals from a flower and letting them drift from his fingers, seemingly unaware of his mother\u2019s tears, even of her presence. Ben turned to Barbara again and placed a gentle hand upon hers. \u201cI am sorry, Barbara\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what people will say to me now, isn\u2019t it? Poor Barbara, her little boy\u2019s deaf. I am sorry. Then they\u2019ll look at me with that sorrowful look on their faces and then walk away knowing there is nothing that they can do or say to change things.\u201d She shook her head now and fiercely dashed away the tears as though talking had renewed some spark within her.<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbara, it\u2019s not what other people think that matters, it\u2019s you and Andrew and Peter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d She sighed and bowed her head. \u201cI haven\u2019t dared tell Andrew yet. He\u2019ll\u2014he\u2019ll not understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure that he will, my dear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe thought Peter was perfect, absolutely perfect.\u201d She lowered her voice now and ran her fingers through her hair. \u201cI came here to think, to get away so that I wouldn\u2019t see Andrew and have to tell him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you have to tell him sometime, Barbara.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d never guess, would you? Just looking at him, I mean, looking at Peter\u2026you\u2019d never know that there was anything wrong with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are other doctors you could go to, specialists\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t afford them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed, and looked again at Peter who was sitting still, sucking his thumb and with drowsy eyes, looking as though he was wanting to go to sleep. He was looking at Ben, so when Ben smiled and called his name, he saw the familiar shape of the mouth. Peter crawled through the grass and onto Ben\u2019s lap. He snuggled into the rancher\u2019s jacket, put his thumb back in his mouth and was soon asleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you never suspect at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d She smoothed the child\u2019s hair down and then ran a finger softly down his cheek, \u201cHe looks so peaceful, doesn\u2019t he?\u201d She sighed and then turned her face towards the lake. \u201cHe was ill during the winter; so was Lilith. It was when there was all that snow. We couldn\u2019t get to town because we were blocked off. They were both fine afterwards but I wonder now if that was when it happened. I\u2019m so sure that he was able to hear us when he was first born, until\u2014until recently.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure John or Paul will be able to give you the help you need, Barbara, the name of some people in San Francisco or back East who could help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you already, Ben, we can\u2019t afford it. It would be different if he were Adam\u2019s son, but he isn\u2019t. That\u2019s all that can be said about that\u2014\u201d her lips firmed into a rigid line, and she looked away from him as though his face was too much to bear. \u201cI can see the pity in your face, Ben, it\u2019s not what I want to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy is life so difficult for some and for others it\u2019s so easy? People will look at me and think\u2014poor Barbara, there was all that trouble with her uncle, Major Scott and then, of course, she didn\u2019t marry Adam Cartwright but chose Andrew Pearson instead and now she has a deaf son. Poor Barbara.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think, my dear, you\u2019re thinking more about yourself than you are your son.\u201d His voice was soft, gentle, and his hand on her shoulder was comforting. She reached out and placed her hand upon it, and smiled, nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you\u2019re right, I\u2019m feeling sorry for myself. Wretchedly sorry. Looking back and thinking of all the things I did wrong when I thought I was doing everything right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbara, let me help you. I\u2019ll do what I can to pay any bills you get, just so long as you have someone to look at Peter.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shook her head,<\/p>\n

\u201cNo; Andrew would never allow it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut why not? If you can\u2019t afford it, then let those who can come and help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shook her head again and stood up, leaned forward and took Peter from his arms. She cradled him close and kissed the top of the child\u2019s head. \u201cNo, Ben. It\u2019s kind of you to offer, but Andrew would never accept it from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut why ever not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause\u2014because you\u2019re Adam\u2019s father.\u201d She looked him in the eyes, and then walked away back to her buckboard.<\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t follow her. He waved a hand as she drove away but she didn\u2019t wave back.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Andrew Pearson was listening to Lilith reading from her primer, a little story that she almost knew by heart so didn\u2019t have to work too hard at remembering the words. He stopped her when he heard the buckboard entering the yard, and by the time Barbara was clambering down and reaching inside for Peter, Andrew had the door open and was standing on the doorstep waiting for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019ve you been?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot far. I was just close by with Peter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI looked for you everywhere. I was worried that something had happened to you both.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou needn\u2019t have been; I\u2019m perfectly capable of driving the buckboard, Andrew.\u201d She continued into the house and then gently lowered Peter onto the settee, draping her shawl over him and looking fondly down at him.<\/p>\n

Lilith clambered down from her chair and ran over to show her the primer,<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, mommy, I can read this whole page now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClever girl, I\u2019m pleased with you. Why not go and draw me a picture now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about, mommy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, about anything, your favourite toy perhaps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew watched as his wife walked rather absent-mindedly towards the sink, and she paused, as though distracted and forgetful of what she was doing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you go?\u201d he asked, walking up behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders. He leaned down and kissed her neck, smelling her hair as he did so.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot far.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can smell tobacco\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d she turned to him with a frown, a look of amazement on her face, \u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOn your clothing, tobacco and something else\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be so silly, Andrew.\u201d She lowered her voice, and glanced over at Lilith who was watching them anxiously. \u201cIf you must know I saw Ben Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSaw him? Just saw him? You must have been standing pretty close to him to have picked up the smell of his tobacco.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was with Peter and he saw us, and came to speak to us. We were sitting on the grass, Peter was playing, and he just sat and we chatted.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cOh, nothing in particular.\u201d She glanced over at Lilith again, head bent over her drawing but body tense, \u201cJust nothing of any importance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, he wasn\u2019t telling you the latest news about his hero son? What is he now, Admiral of the Fleet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what or who you\u2019re talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course you know who I\u2019m talking about, Barbara, who else but?\u201d he pushed her away from him so that she fell against the table, the lamp tottered in the centre but didn\u2019t fall; Lilith looked with wide eyes, and then bent her head to scribble furiously on her paper.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were NOT talking about Adam Cartwright, Andrew, we weren\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that makes a change, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Andrew, I don\u2019t want to discuss this anymore, please don\u2019t talk about it\u2014let me just get on with preparing dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo ahead\u2014\u201d he snapped angrily and picked up his jacket. \u201cDo what you like; I\u2019m going into town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut why? What are you going into town for, Andrew? Please don\u2019t\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

She had grabbed at his arm, made an attempt to pull him back but he shrugged her off, pushed her away, and once again she stumbled against the table. He didn\u2019t look back, but pulled on the jacket and slammed the door behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs daddy angry, mommy?\u201d Lilith whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s upset.\u201d Barbara said, and stroked the little girl\u2019s hair gently. \u201cHe\u2019ll come home happier, you\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The Bucket of Blood saloon wasn\u2019t too full when Andrew arrived in town. He went to the hardware store and paid off one of the bills that was outstanding, and agreed to pay the other one within the next few weeks. Head down and wondering where he was going to get the money for that bill, he headed towards the saloon, made his way to the counter and asked for a beer.<\/p>\n

A few men were playing a game of poker in the corner, but gambling had never appealed to Andrew; he watched for a moment and shook his head when one loser got up, threw his cards down on the table and slumped out of the saloon.<\/p>\n

\u201cA fool and his money\u2014\u201d John Martin said with a smile as he joined Andrew at the counter. \u201cHow are you, Andrew?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, now then, John, this isn\u2019t a private consultation, is it?\u201d Andrew laughed, \u201cCan I get you a drink?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA beer would be welcome. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

They stood side by side in companionable silence for a while, Andrew paid for the beer and John tasted it, nodded approval and then asked him how Barbara was.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s alright,\u201d Andrew replied rather guiltily. He sighed and gulped down more beer, \u201cShe seemed alright when I left home, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Peter and Lilith?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe told me that they had been ill during the winter, when there were some heavy snows. I think she thought that may have been the cause of Peter being deaf now; of course, I couldn\u2019t say that she was right because she didn\u2019t know what illness it was. Some children\u2019s ailment I presume.\u201d He paused and looked at Andrew who was staring at him in confusion. \u201cAnything the matter?\u201d He blinked and put the glass down. \u201cFor heaven\u2019s sake, she hasn\u2019t told you, has she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2014she\u2014she hasn\u2019t said anything about seeing you\u2014when\u2014I mean\u2014\u201d Andrew wiped his mouth with his hand. \u201cNo, tell me again, what did you say, about Peter, I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Andrew, I\u2019m really sorry, I thought she had told you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust tell me, when did you tell her? About Peter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLast week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLast week you told her that Peter was\u2014was\u2014what did you tell her about Peter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat he was deaf, Andrew. There was no way of knowing for sure but we did some tests on him and\u2014and they proved positive. Andrew, she\u2019s in a state of shock herself, she\u2019s trying to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to know,\u201d Andrew pushed John aside as the doctor had grabbed at his arm, \u201cDon\u2019t touch me, I don\u2019t want you to\u2014to come anywhere near us, do you hear? Don\u2019t come anywhere near me or my family\u2014ever\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

John Martin stepped back while his mind raced over what had been said, trying to find some way of taking back some of it. He could see the batwings swinging to and fro from the fury of the other man\u2019s exit. With slumped shoulders he hunched over the counter and dragged the beer towards him and wished, not for the first time, that he could turn the clock back.<\/p>\n

Chapter 118<\/p>\n

The moon had looked down on far worse atrocities and far greater heartache than that which took place in the Pearson household when Andrew returned from town. It had turned its face into the clouds during whole scale massacres of innocents; seen thousands killed in war, and continue cruising on despite the cries and pleas from the dying.<\/p>\n

A man boiling with anger, shame, pride and jealousy was liable to erupt, and for Andrew, who had been holding in so many emotions for so long, the fact that others had known about Peter before he had been told, or rather, had found out, added more fuel to the fire. By the time he reached his home he was beside himself with rage.<\/p>\n

Lilith was in bed asleep, and Peter in his crib. A fire burned in the hearth and Barbara sat beside it with a shawl over her shoulders while she carefully sewed the hem of a new dress for the little girl. When she heard the sound of the horse in the yard she paused, held the dress close and waited in anticipation for her husband to throw the door open and re-commence his tirade against her. Her heart beat so fast that she could barely breathe.<\/p>\n

How long did it take for a man to unsaddle his horse and take it to its stall? She watched the clock. It would take so long to do this, then he would have to do that, adding more time, and perhaps he would do such and such which would take the time to just another five minutes! She stood up and packed the sewing away, hid the scissors behind a cushion and then put the coffee pot on the stove.<\/p>\n

He came into the house stealthily, closing the door firmly behind him and standing there to look around the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are the children?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn bed. It\u2019s late, they were both tired.\u201d she watched him like a mouse must watch a cat, fascinated by what it is doing even though ultimately it would have to pounce. There was no way out now. He was walking towards her, his face stern, the blue eyes she loved were like cold marble.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me about Peter?\u201d<\/p>\n

She swallowed bile. It had surged up to the back of her throat without her even noticing but the acid stung as she gulped it back; she turned away from him, struggling to find an answer that would not send him into a rage. \u201cI wanted to make sure my fears were correct before I mentioned it to you, Andrew. I knew how upset you would be\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou knew, did you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to be sure, Andrew. What was the point in you being distressed for no reason if I were wrong?\u201d She clasped her hands together, and looked at him. \u201cHow did you find out?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour precious doctor told me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul told you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, the other one, John. He thought you would have told me by now, seeing how you knew all about it last week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Andrew.\u201d She was sorry, sincerely sorry, and she prayed that he would see that and accept it. After all, he appeared calm and rational enough to do so. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry but I was\u2014I was trying to hold on to the\u2014the thought that perhaps it was a mistake, he\u2019s so young, I didn\u2019t want to believe what John and Paul had told me.\u201d She stepped towards him, \u201cI thought if I told you, or anyone come to that, then it would become real. That would mean having to deal with it; I just wanted to pretend it would all go away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll? Does that include me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, of course not. I meant all the trouble that comes now with knowing about Peter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich makes me wonder how long you really did know about him\u2014before you decided to take him to the doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him carefully as he stood there, appearing quite calm, rational, although pale and his eyes extraordinarily bright. \u201cI just kept noticing things since the winter, when they had been ill\u2026I had my fears and hoped I was wrong.\u201d she was wringing her hands now. Something was not right: he was too calm, too rational, standing there as he was it made her nervous.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you talk to me about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could I when you had so many other worries on your mind at the time? It seemed unfair to burden you with something that may have been quite wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stared at her and she realised her mouth was dry, she stepped back again feeling the heat of the stove behind her. His hands were clenching and unclenching now, and she couldn\u2019t take her eyes from his face, she felt the tension rising inside her so much that she wanted to scream so when his hand eventually did reach out and grab at her the scream was smothered in her throat to fade into a sobbing cry, a plea of \u201cDon\u2019t, please, don\u2019t,\u201d which he totally ignored.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The light in the window indicated that they had not yet gone to bed, so John dismounted and after tying the reins to the rail walked to the door, rapped upon it, and waited. He glanced up at the moon which had slid behind a cloud, coward that it was, hiding there unwilling to show its face and shine down upon the scene that John was about to stumble upon.<\/p>\n

He knocked again and called out; heard a muffled sound, so he knocked again and called her name. The sound came again, a cry, then the sound of something moving across the floor. Instinct made him push the door open; he had to push hard as it jammed for a moment from the table that stood partly in its way.<\/p>\n

The light shone dimly, not reaching into the furthest corners of the room, but what it did expose was enough to make his nerves jangle. He thrust the table to one side, picked up a chair and moved it away, other things he just trod on or over, until he was at her side and went down on his knees, felt her pulse at wrist and throat, called her name several times, and when there was no answer he got up and went to the sink where he dipped his handkerchief into water and returned to her side.<\/p>\n

Now he bathed her face, carefully, and from the way the blood washed easily away he knew that the attack had ended not long ago. She was regaining her sense, her eyelids fluttered, her lips trembled.<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbara\u2014Mrs. Pearson?\u201d<\/p>\n

Heavy breathing as though each breath was a struggle, the eyes opened and fixed upon his face, then widened with fear, a scream gurgled in her throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Mrs. Pearson; it\u2019s me, John Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

The scream subsided into a sob, and then she began to weep turning her face into his jacket and one hand clutching at the lapel.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, now then, it\u2019s alright,\u201d he said, still wiping away the blood and now the tears from her face. \u201cWhere\u2019s Andrew?\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked up and her eyes widened in terror, then moved frantically from right to left and then right again as though searching for him, terrified that he was still there. John held her close and then gently lowered her back onto the floor. As he moved around the room he put the table and chairs to right, picked up things from the floor, took cushions from the settee and brought them to her to place beneath her head, and then the shawl he placed over her.<\/p>\n

Dare he move her? He felt he couldn\u2019t; he could only make it a little easier for her, and then remembering his medical bag he hurried outside to bring it in. Something white gleamed upon the path and when he leaned down to pick it up he saw that it was a child\u2019s sock, small and white.<\/p>\n

It was some time later, hours in fact, and the morning sun just rising over the hills, when she opened her eyes and felt the pain trickling through her. Her first thought was for the children and she struggled to rise to her feet, moaning with the pain as she rolled into a sitting position and grabbed at a table leg to haul herself up, then hands came and held her and upon their touch she screamed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. No. Please not again\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Barbara, it\u2019s me\u2026John Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I thought it was Andrew,\u201d she sobbed and buried her face into her hands, before looking up in alarm. \u201cThe children, where are the children?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve looked upstairs for them, Barbara, but they aren\u2019t here, and he\u2019s taken the buckboard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe can\u2019t have taken them.\u201d She rose to her feet, swayed a little, and then tried to step forward, but had to lean upon his arm. \u201cI\u2014I think something\u2019s broken.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeveral ribs. You may even have a concussion. You got quite a beating.\u201d His voice was kind, and he led her to a chair and carefully lowered her down upon it. \u201cI\u2019m going to make you something to drink and eat; then I\u2019m going to give you some medication and put you to bed. Will you promise me that you\u2019ll sleep?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSleep? How can I sleep when my children aren\u2019t here? He\u2019s taken them\u2026\u201d She grabbed at his hands as though to prevent him from doing anything other than to be near her. \u201cHe\u2019s taken them from me, he said I wasn\u2019t fit to be a mother\u2014\u201d tears streamed down her face and when he pulled his hands away she covered her face with them and began to cry loudly, a keening, wailing sound that tugged at John\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll find the children, Barbara, I promise you we will find them. Now just drink this, and I\u2019ll help you upstairs to your bed.\u201d He frowned, \u201cI\u2019ll ask someone to come and sit with you as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no, no, I don\u2019t want anyone to see me like this,\u201d she moaned, but he shook his head and forced her to hold the cup in her hands and to drink from it.<\/p>\n

Chapter 119<\/p>\n

The persistent knocking on the door eventually roused Candy from his bed, and after fumbling about for his slippers and dressing gown hurried, yawning, down the stairs hoping that he would reach the door before Rosie woke up and started to cry.<\/p>\n

The scuffling noises outside on the porch concerned him for a while as he pulled back the bolts he wondered if his late night caller had a large dog which led him to think about which of his friends possessed one anyway.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is it, Candy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust going to see now.\u201d He turned to look at Ann, who was holding a lamp aloft and rubbing her eyes, and then the door opened to reveal Andrew Pearson with Peter in his arms and Lilith peeping from behind his legs. \u201cAndrew? What in Pete\u2019s name\u2014come on in, don\u2019t just stand there\u2014Ann, get something to drink for Andrew. Lilith, hello, darling, here, come here, sweetheart.\u201d He bent down to pick the little girl up and was surprised to find her still in her nightdress with a coat loose about her, she was wet and had obviously soiled herself which he discovered once he had her in his arms.<\/p>\n

Gently he stroked her back and walked into the main room with Andrew following behind him like some lost soul caught up in a nightmare. Peter was asleep and Ann took him from his father and held him close; he merely murmured, snuggled in against the warmth of her body, sucked his thumb more vigorously for a moment before settling into deep sleep again.<\/p>\n

But it wasn\u2019t so easy for Lilith, she clung with her arms around Candy\u2019s neck and moaning softly as she nestled her head into his shoulder, he looked over at Ann and raised his eyebrows, to which his perceptive wife nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take Peter upstairs so he can sleep in our bed, it\u2019s still warm,\u201d she said softly to Andrew, who was standing with a glass of brandy in his hand staring into the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know where else to go,\u201d he intoned \u201cI couldn\u2019t stay, couldn\u2019t leave the children there with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith her? Barbara?\u201d Ann looked confused, then shook her head. \u201cI\u2019ll see to Peter and then get Lilith settled.\u201d She paused at the bottom of the stairs and turned towards the little girl, who was still moaning, her eyes shut tightly, clinging to Candy as though determined never to let go of him. \u201cLilith, do you want to come with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

The little girl opened her eyes, they were wet with unshed tears, and her peaked little face showed so much misery that Ann\u2019s heart went out to her, and she reached out her hand towards her. After looking at Candy as though for his consent, Lilith ran to Ann, grabbed at her hand and followed her up the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cSit down, Andrew, before you fall down.\u201d Candy scratched his head and then decided to pour himself something to drink, all the while watching Andrew to see what he was going to do.<\/p>\n

The other man stood for some more minutes in the centre of the room clinging to his glass of brandy, and then suddenly he swigged it back in one long gulp, coughed and wheezed, blinked and then sat down.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened, Andrew? Is Barbara\u2014alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew released his breath as though he had been holding it in for a long time, which he had obviously not, he looked up at Candy. \u201cI didn\u2019t know where else to go, Candy. I had to get the children somewhere safe, you were the only ones I thought I could rely on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me what happened,\u201d Candy said. \u201cThere\u2019s no rush, just take your time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew watched as Candy sat in the chair opposite, and then he bowed his head, ran his fingers through his hair, and stared down at the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright built this house, didn\u2019t he?\u201d he suddenly said without looking up.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he did, quite some years ago now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew rubbed his face with both hands, then stood up. \u201cI have to get going, I can\u2019t stay here. Candy, look after the children for me, will you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWait there a moment, Andrew, you\u2019ve some explaining to do\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but I can\u2019t go into it just yet, I\u2019m sorry, but\u2014will you do that for me, look after the children?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAndrew, are you in some kind of trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew nodded slowly and Candy stood up, paced the floor and shook his head. \u201cThen why on earth didn\u2019t you let me know? I would have helped where I could\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you don\u2019t understand.\u201d Andrew shrugged. \u201cIt\u2019s not like that\u2014I mean\u2014yes, I\u2019ve got some problems financially, but this is because I\u2019ve done something stupid, really stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuch as?\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew rubbed his face, licked his lips and then shook his head as though trying to deny what had happened but trapped by his own words, his shoulders slumped. \u201cPeter\u2019s deaf.\u201d He shrugged at Candy\u2019s intake of breath and again shook his head as though not wanting to hear what his friend had to say, \u201cShe knew a week ago, but didn\u2019t tell me. She keeps secrets from me all the time, but this\u2014this was important, Candy, really important, she should have told me, shouldn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe must have had a good reason for not telling you, Andrew. She\u2019s too sensible, too caring not to have held back for some reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew frowned, looked at Candy with surprise. \u201cYou\u2019re taking her side in this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t realise there were any sides to this, Andrew,\u201d Candy replied slowly. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you just tell me what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI found out when I was in town, the doc told me. Just slipped it into our conversation as though it were the most natural thing in the world. It was like my insides were ripped out, Candy, to hear him talk about Peter like that, and then to find that she knew for all that time, and no doubt had told Cartwright about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, she saw him earlier today. I asked her what had they talked about and she said nothing, but she told him, she admitted it when I confronted her about it just now \u2026\u201d he looked down at his knuckles and so did Candy who saw the grazes and blood for the first time, and felt the dread of awareness and foreboding trickle through his nervous system.<\/p>\n

\u201cAndrew, what have you done, for heaven\u2019s sake, man?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a hard woman, Candy, too intelligent for her own good, but she didn\u2019t tell me and she should have. It was her own fault; she should have told me. What would you have done if you had found out that Rose was deaf, huh? What would you have done if Ann hadn\u2019t told you, talked to you about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCalm down, Andrew, I\u2019m here to help you, not judge you\u2026just tell me what\u2019s happened to Barbara?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe made me do it, Candy. I had to do it, I had no other option. I hit her, had to, she came at me with the scissors, for heaven\u2019s sake\u2014\u201d he looked at his hands, the bleeding knuckles and shook his head. \u201cI had to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, Andrew\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust keep an eye on the children for me, will you? I have to go, get things straightened out with Barbara.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want me to come with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019ll have to see her on my own, she\u2019ll understand what happened \u2026 she knows it was her own fault. She\u2019s always\u2014always\u2014no, it doesn\u2019t matter\u2026 it doesn\u2019t matter\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m coming with you, Andrew, you can\u2019t go on your own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Candy turned but Andrew grabbed at his arm. \u201cI\u2019m going alone. You stay here and look after my kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are they?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ann looked up from where she was kneeling beside the bed, stroking back Lilith\u2019s hair from her forehead while the little girl lay still, big eyes staring into her face while by her side Peter slept soundly, making little snorting sounds and quite content.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said Peter was deaf, Barbara hadn\u2019t told him and he lost his temper and in an argument he hit her, she pulled some scissors on him\u2026\u201d he put a hand on her shoulder. \u201cPoor little girl, she looks terrified.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand, Candy, they were so happy together. How could that have happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe didn\u2019t trust him enough, she didn\u2019t tell him about Peter or talk about it at all, and he felt betrayed. Angry. Then tonight he found out by accident and lost his temper.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stood up, slipped into his arms and held him close to her. \u201cCandy, Barbara loves Andrew, really loves him. If she didn\u2019t tell him about Peter before then there was a good reason for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Candy just stroked her hair, rested his cheek upon the top of her head, but remained silent. In the distance they could hear the sound of Andrew\u2019s horse galloping away from the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to change your clothes, you smell,\u201d she whispered suddenly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Lilith had messed herself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, I had to clean her up.\u201d<\/p>\n

They kissed tenderly, held onto one another and looked at the little girl who was fighting now to stay awake but finally lost the battle, closed her eyes and slipped into sleep.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

When Barbara opened her eyes the next morning it was Hester who was sitting beside the bed, nursing little Hannah. Downstairs the aroma of food cooking drifted upwards, and for a moment or two Barbara wandered if she were really awake, until she realised Hester was looking at her anxiously. \u201cWhat are you doing here, Hester?\u201d she murmured slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Martin came and asked us to help. It\u2019s alright, dear, it\u2019s no trouble. Hop Sing is cooking you something to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will be\u2026you need to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara turned her face away and stared out of the window. Tears fell from her eyes, trickling down the sides of her face and into her hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s taken the children\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re quite safe, Barbara, they\u2019re at Candy and Ann\u2019s. Andrew took them there last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Andrew now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know; Hoss and Candy have gone looking for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Hester, he was so angry. I\u2019ve never seen him like that before \u2026 he hit me, I grabbed at the scissors but he got to them first, he said he was going to\u2014to kill me but I screamed and then Lilith came down and tried to stop him. He dropped the scissors and she got them, ran off with them\u2026oh Hester, Hester\u2026what am I going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to have something to eat, something to drink, then take the medicine John left for you and get some more sleep. Don\u2019t worry, Barbara\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry? Of course I\u2019ll worry. Hester, my baby is deaf! Lilith is\u2014is terrified of what has happened, and\u2026and I love Andrew but I\u2019m so frightened of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Barbara, you were so happy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

She said nothing that but stared up at the ceiling for some minutes, reliving those wonderful halcyon days of early marriage, the joy of having Peter and everything so wonderful between them. She couldn\u2019t remember the first time that he had hit her, the shock of it, the terror that had seized her, and then his abject apologies, the flowers, the kindnesses. And then a little later some small thing\u2026of course, the ring\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the ring, Adam\u2019s ring.\u201d she said softly, \u201cI told him about it, and how it had been stolen, I told him how it had been mine but I had returned it because of our being engaged. Then he found out how much the jeweller had paid for it, all that money\u2026he was furious. I hadn\u2019t realised we were so much in debt, he hadn\u2019t told me, but when he found out that the ring had been mine and we could have sold it for all that money he\u2014he just went berserk. Oh Hester, it was awful. I was so sorry that I hadn\u2019t kept the ring, I told him I was sorry, but he just kept hitting me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know he was financially in trouble, we would have helped somehow had we known.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wouldn\u2019t have taken help from you; he hates the Cartwrights. That\u2019s my fault \u2026 because of Adam. I love Andrew, Hester, that\u2019s why I married him. He was good, kind and loving. But he was always jealous of Adam, and after a while he began to ask questions about him which, of course, I answered. But I didn\u2019t realise it was just making him angrier and angrier.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry, Barbara.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do I do now, Hester? I love him, I want him to come back and be how he was before\u2026what shall I do?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester looked down at her own sleeping baby and stroked its little fingers, shaking her head at her friend\u2019s question. \u201cI don\u2019t know, Barbara, perhaps we shall just have to wait and see what happens. Time has a way of showing what the answer will be\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 120<\/p>\n

The kiss on her cheek was as light as a feather so she opened her eyes and when she saw Lilith leaning against the bed and hovering close to her, she smiled as best she could and reached out to touch the child\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Mommy, I was so frightened for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara\u2019s hand hovered a moment over her step-daughter\u2019s head, and then wearily she let it fall by her side, grateful when the child\u2019s fingers slowly folded over hers. She turned her head away and looked out of the window, then memory flooded back, and she gave a cry. \u201cWhere\u2019s Peter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Mommy, he\u2019s playing with Rosie downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara relaxed. They were safe, oh thank God, they were safe. She couldn\u2019t cry; there just didn\u2019t seem to be any tears left now. She wondered what she looked like now, she knew her lip was split but thankfully her teeth were still intact although they ached. Everything ached. She looked at her other hand and saw that it was bandaged \u2026 of course, she had tried to stop the scissors coming down across her face and her hand had been slashed instead. So much happened in such a short time that it was still jumbled and muddled in her head.<\/p>\n

She could hear children laughing and the thought that one of them was her little boy made her heart swell with love and she squeezed Lilith\u2019s fingers in hers, and turned to look at her. \u201cThank you, Lilith.\u201d she whispered the words, knowing that if it hadn\u2019t been for the child perhaps far worse would have happened: the vague memory of the little girl standing in the room, screaming, and then the blur of things that took place, her falling down and banging her head. \u201cThank you, sweetheart. Go and play with the little ones now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I want to stay here with you, I want to keep you safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m alright now, darling, I\u2019m alright now I know you are both home.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Lilith shook her head and sat on the chair by the bed, folded her hands in her lap and just waited, her face determined and her lips pursed.<\/p>\n

Barbara must have dozed off for a little while for when she woke up she found Mary Ann coming into the room with some food on a tray. There were flowers in a vase by the bed, and everything looked clean and fresh. A light breeze ruffled the curtain at the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing insisted you have some of his soup.\u201d Mary Ann smiled at her, and set the tray down on a table while she turned her attention to the patient, helping her to sit up and plumping up the pillows behind her, and then setting the tray down in her lap, while a napkin was placed under her chin. \u201cThe children are eating downstairs, none the worse for their ordeal. Dr. Martin is coming to see you later, Barbara, to make sure that you are going to be alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave they found Andrew yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat day is it? Shouldn\u2019t you be at school?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Saturday, no school today. Come, eat this soup.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s with the children?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnn and Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the family then?\u201d Barbara smiled vaguely, and blinked, surprised when a tear rolled down her face, just when she thought there were no more left to shed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so sorry you had to suffer this,\u201d Mary Ann said in a lower tone of voice, \u201cIt\u2019s so unfair that women have to put up with this kind of treatment. I\u2019ve known several mothers who get beaten by their husbands, Barbara \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you telling me this to make me feel better? The \u2018You are Not Alone\u2019 advice?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m just saying that there should be a law to protect women against brutes like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAndrew isn\u2019t a brute, Mary Ann.\u201d She dipped the spoon into the bowl of soup and tasted it. She smiled, \u201cThis soup is good.\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mary Ann nodded, smiled, and walked to the window to look out over the hills. \u201cAndrew blames you for what happened, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I suppose he\u2019s right. I should have told him right away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause\u2014because I was frightened that he would be angry. He loves Peter so much, and we all want perfection in our children, don\u2019t we?\u201d She winced as her hand hurt, and she transferred the spoon to the other instead, \u201cYou don\u2019t understand, Mary Ann, you\u2019ve not been married yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that most marriages don\u2019t consist of men beating their wives when they feel they have a right to do so, Barbara. The few that do\u2014 well, as I said, there should be a law against it. One day, when women have a voice in politics, there will be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara laughed then, the bowl on the tray wobbled and slopped soup, but the laughter became a little hysterical so that Mary Ann had to remove the tray and then hold her in her arms until it finally faded away,<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my dear,\u201d Barbara finally stopped, wiped away her tears and then accepted the tray back, she shook her head. \u201cOh Mary Ann, we don\u2019t even have the vote yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we will one day. I\u2019ve read Lucretia Mott* and Margaret Fuller\u2019s* book \u201cThe Great Lawsuit : Man vs. Woman.\u201d More men should read it and\u2014\u201d she paused, and then laughed herself, a low soft chuckle, \u201cOh, Barbara, I am sorry, lecturing at you when you\u2019re\u2014so unwell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, you did me a power of good, I just love your naivet\u00e9 and youth.\u201d Barbara smiled and her eyes actually twinkled. \u201cI used to think the same, in fact I can remember discussing that same book with Adam.\u201d She swallowed the soup then and coughed; that was the kind of thing that would happen in conversation with Andrew, and she would see his face go red, and sometimes he would make a flippant comment which warned her not to continue the conversation. She lowered her head, the mirth of the moment passed and she was back to shaky ground once again.<\/p>\n

There was movement from the doorway and they both turned to see Ann standing there, with large eyes and pale of face. \u201cBarbara, I found these in Lilith\u2019s coat pocket\u2014\u201d and she placed the scissors on the table \u201cShe said that she took them from Andrew because she thought he was going to kill you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara stared at the scissors, and looked at her bandaged hand. \u201cYes, I thought he was going to kill me too,\u201d she said. \u201cI remember Lilith being there, I didn\u2019t realise she had taken them from him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ann nodded and looked over at Mary Ann before turning to leave the room, saying, as she went, that they would be leaving in a moment or so. Barbara looked down at the empty bowl and smiled at Mary Ann. \u201cThere you are, Matron, all gone!\u201d<\/p>\n

Mary Ann was looking at the scissors as though hypnotised by them, then she looked at the woman in the bed, forced a smile and took the tray, promising to bring coffee up in a moment.<\/p>\n

In the bed Barbara leaned back and looked out of the window again. She recalled the look on Mary Ann\u2019s face when the scissors were placed on the table, the horror and the realisation and she knew what they had been thinking, but it wasn\u2019t true, Andrew would never have killed her, he loved her. He told her so all the time, it was just that\u2014sometimes\u2014he couldn\u2019t control his temper, and that was usually because of something she had done. When he came home it would all be alright again, she\u2019d make sure that she never mentioned Adam Cartwright\u2019s name again, never.<\/p>\n

Downstairs Mary Ann looked over at the children playing together, although Lilith was sitting alone, a book in her lap, and appearing to read. Hester smiled. \u201cShe\u2019s a lovely child, isn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToo quiet, and too good.\u201d Mary Ann replied, \u201cHester, Andrew could have killed her last night\u2026he could have killed Barbara and Lilith.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. I thought that as well.\u201d Hester placed the dirty dish into the bowl and washed it carefully, then handed it to Mary Ann to dry. \u201cBut he didn\u2019t, thank goodness.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Andrew Pearson watched as the two men rode towards the bluff. He had seen their dust for some time and taken the turn off the road, carefully brushing away the prints with a broken branch from a shrub. He could see them puzzling over where he could have gone, even stopping at the turnoff he had taken, and talking between themselves. He saw them turn the horses round and ride back on themselves, defeated and beaten.<\/p>\n

He sighed, it was a shame that they had got involved in this matter, it wasn\u2019t as though he had killed anyone, and he had the right, as a husband, to exercise his headship over his wife when she misbehaved.<\/p>\n

He waited until it was obvious that they would not turn back on themselves and then remounted his horse. He would go home soon, he loved Barbara and his children. He\u2019d go back once he felt that he had forgiven her for what she had done. After all, it was her fault that Peter was deaf, and it was her fault that she hadn\u2019t told him. What kind of wife was she to have done all that to him? Life, he concluded, was just so unfair, but then, one never really knew a person until one was married to them.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I think we\u2019ll have to make a detour to the next fort; seems to me your horse is about to lose its shoe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam was looking down at the ground as he spoke, and Joe followed the direction of his gaze, and then nodded. \u201cYou\u2019re right, it seems to have a problem with that leg too.\u201d He dismounted and felt the animal\u2019s leg, running his fingers down the cannon bone from the stifle, the joint corresponding to the human knee, down to the fetlock, \u201cHuh, that feels hot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe nearest fort is about\u2014\u201d Adam scrunched up his eyes as he calculated the distance\u2014\u201cabout three miles distant from here. Think he\u2019ll be alright if we go slow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, should be,\u201d Joe stroked the horse\u2019s neck and looked over at Adam, \u201cSure wish Hoss were here, he just seems to be able to touch a horse and make it feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh, take more than Hoss\u2019 magic touch to cure that leg, I\u2019m thinking.\u201d He smiled, memories of Hoss and stables now conjured up in his mind, good times, happy moments. He sighed, pulled his hat lower to shade his eyes and pulled up the collar of his coat; the sun was bright but the wind cold. \u201cLet\u2019s not waste time here.\u201d<\/p>\n

They turned from the track they were taking and road towards where a well worn track could be seen leading to the fort ahead. Further to the south a column of horsemen were making their way to the same fort, a detachment of the 7th Cavalry out on manoeuvres and led by their commanding officer, George A. Custer. Also riding with them was George\u2019s brother, Thomas*, one of the rare men to have been awarded the Medal of Honour twice*. Wounded at the Battle of Washita, he was now a captain in the 7th Cavalry and rode close to his brother\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

Chapter 121<\/p>\n

The farrier ran his hands down the horse\u2019s leg and nodded as though in agreement with something someone had said, although no one had actually said a word. He sighed deeply and then straightened himself up, looked at Joe and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot good. I\u2019m sorry but this horse ain\u2019t in any condition to take you anywhere for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was afraid of that.\u201d Joe frowned. \u201cHow long do you reckon it will take to recover?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ain\u2019t going to recover any too soon.\u201d He rubbed his chin with the back of gnarled work worn hand \u201cIf you\u2019re in a hurry to travel on you\u2019d be better to get a new horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I buy one from here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep, I\u2019ve a corral full out back, jest come along and take your pick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, I\u2019m mighty grateful. Can I have a look-see now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, follow me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe grinned over at Adam, who was leaning against the bars of one of the stalls and chose to remain there while his brother walked behind the farrier to the corral. He looked over the horses and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cPretty good looking horses you\u2019ve got here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep, guess they have to be. Captain Custer doesn\u2019t like buying any old broken down nag. Your horse will be alright in a week or two, and then it can join in with these.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two men were silent for a while as Joe looked at the horses with a careful eye, then he picked out one which he liked the look of, by which time Adam had joined them,<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks pretty sound to me,\u201d Adam agreed and watched as the farrier went into the herd and cut the horse out. Looping a rope around its neck, he led it towards the two brothers where a closer inspection ensued and both agreed the animal was fine for what was needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll draw you up a bill of sale\u2026\u201d he tied the rope to a post and slapped the horse on the neck, then returned to the interior of the shop where the heat from the brazier warmed them as they waited for the paperwork to be completed. Joe paid over the money and the exchange was finalised.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long for Joe to remove the tack from his horse and to carry it through to where the other animal was waiting. The farrier followed, wiping his hands on his apron. \u201cIts name\u2019s is Wichita,\u201d he said watching as Joe buckled up the girth strap. \u201cWhere you two from anyhow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNevada.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNevada\u2014\u201d he stroked his chin, his hands so rough that they could hear his bristles scraping against the callouses\u2014\u201cAny place near Virginia City?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould be\u2014\u201d Joe replied cautiously, glancing as he spoke at Adam who crooked an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know someone who went there some years back; I worked with him down Arizona way. Candy Canady? Know him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, pretty well.\u201d Joe smiled, \u201cHe\u2019s a married man now, settled down on a ranch called the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that so? Never thought he would git married, he spoke so much about the gal he was hitched to at one time. Fancy that\u2014\u201d he spat tobacco juice into the ground and frowned. \u201cHey, if you see him give him the regards of Sam Collins. He owes me a beer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll do that\u2014\u201d Joe led the horse from the paddock and it followed obediently enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny place we can eat around here?\u201d Adam asked and Sam pointed over to a building where soldiers were coming and going, \u201cThanks.\u201d he paused and turned towards Sam, \u201cYou referred to Custer as Captain .. But I thought he ranked higher than that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you\u2019re thinking of George Custer, commanding officer of this here 7th Cavalry. I was referring to Tom, his brother. Yep, Tom Custer, captain of C Company, 7th Cavalry. A brave young man too, the only man living with two Medals of Honour awarded during the Southern Insurrection. He nodded thoughtfully. \u201cQuite a family affair nowadays, General Custer got two brothers, a brother-in-law and a nephew in the 7th Cavalry\u201d he frowned and clicked his fingers \u201cYeah, but, Boston Custer, he ain\u2019t in the military, he\u2019s a civilian contractor, and works as the forage master for the 7th.\u201d<\/p>\n

Content with having imparted such news, Sam left them to find their way to the eating place, returning to his forge, and the sound of the bellows reheating the coals followed them as they led their horses away from the building.<\/p>\n

The gates were still open and as they were tying the reins of the horses to the rail a large number of men galloped through. Custer in buckskins rode beside another man in cavalry uniform. Adam and Joe turned to watch them assemble, dismount and then after shouted orders to stand down, lead their horses away.<\/p>\n

Adam looked at Joe \u201cBest leave here as soon as possible; the last thing I want is to meet up with Custer\u2014\u201d he frowned, \u201cAny of them\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you glad you haven\u2019t got all your family on board ship with you, Adam?\u201d Joe chuckled and slapped Adam on the back as they stepped up onto the sidewalk and made their way into the building.<\/p>\n

Custer entered the C.O.\u2019s office ahead of his brother Tom; he tossed down his hat and gloves and sat down, scowled and stared ahead of him as the other man began to rifle through some papers on the desk. It was Tom who passed George a cablegram which brought about a groan from his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the last thing I wanted\u2014\u201d and he tossed the paper onto the desk, pushed back the chair and walked to a cupboard where he kept the whiskey and some glasses. He poured out two fingers for each of them, handed one glass to Tom and then walked over to the window to overlook the parade ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter? It was from Saville, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, a lengthy dialogue about some trouble there\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s nothing new,\u201d Tom shrugged, and pulled off his hat. He was a handsome, fine-featured young man showing in his colouring and bone structure the German heritage inherited from Paulus and Gertrude Kuster*, among the first immigrant German families to North America.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe also says that Adam Cartwright and his brother, Joseph, are in the area, and caused most of the trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom what you\u2019ve told me about Adam Cartwright and his brothers trouble seems to follow wherever they go.\u201d Tom smiled and pulled out a chair, he sat down and swirled the whiskey around in the glass. \u201cThey can\u2019t cause any harm here, Auty*; they\u2019re probably miles away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Cartwright\u2019s an Indian lover\u2026rumour has it he married a Cheyenne girl some time back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Tom drawled, staring into his glass, \u201cPeople in glass houses etcetera \u2026\u201d and he took a deep gulp of the alcohol. \u201cYou forget you have two children of your own that are half Cheyenne*.\u201d<\/p>\n

George Custer\u2019s face reddened, had it come from anyone else but Tom there would have been a verbal explosion followed by some tough discipline, but Tom was as much George\u2019s hero as he was to his brother, so he drew in his breath and continued, in silence, to stare out of the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cFleming was supposed to be bringing Cartwright and the Paiute girl, Sarah Winnemucca, here to try and see the practicality of selling the Black Hills to the government\u2014\u201d George sighed. \u201cThey refused to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought Fleming was dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is\u2014\u201d George Custer narrowed his eyes and watched as two men stepped out of the cook house, \u201cThanks, in part, to Joseph Cartwright.\u201d His eyes followed the two men until they had taken a turn towards the soldiers\u2019 quarters. He turned around and picked up the cable again. \u201cSaville\u2019s trouble, he goes out for trouble\u2014\u201d he re-read the message and shook his head. \u201cIdiot man.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a few more minutes the two brothers discussed their most recent reconnoitre, placing a pin on the map and considering where the next foray would take place. Once again, as though his nerves were attached to some kind of string, Custer went to the window to look out over the parade ground. When Adam and Joe stepped out of the Mess Hall and into the full light of a bright autumnal sun he nearly dismissed them as a figment of an overwrought imagination. He watched them for a moment or two before accepting the fact that they were real, the Cartwright brothers, right there before his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell the adjutant to get those two men in here\u2014\u201d he demanded of his brother who promptly took his feet off the desk, and hurried to the door to give the adjutant his orders.<\/p>\n

He remained at the window watching as a trooper marched over and spoke to Adam and Joe. Obviously what was said was dismissed as either inconvenient or irrelevant because Adam shrugged and turned his back on the man, and Joe just began to walk to his horse.
\nThe trooper was persistent, he beckoned to two other troopers who promptly aimed their carbines at the two men, who had little choice but to follow them to the C.O\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

Adam was first to step into the office; he removed his hat as he did so, scanned the two men with his dark eyes and pursed his lips slightly before nodding acknowledgement of George Custer who had risen from behind his desk rather than have the commodore look down at him. Joe came almost immediately afterwards, taking off his hat as he did so, and flicking a bold glance around the room at both men, he then fell into step with his brother, so that both men stood side by side.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a long way from sea, Commodore.\u201d Custer said bitingly, \u201cCommodore Adam Cartwright, my brother Captain Thomas Custer. Joseph Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

The introductions made, Adam raised his eyebrows<\/p>\n

\u201cMy brother and I were just passing through, General.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you? From what I\u2019ve heard you\u2019ve already caused enough trouble, Commodore. In fact, I could have you both arrested for causing an uprising of Sioux and Cheyenne at the Red Cloud reservation, and the withdrawal of about a thousand braves from there\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe saw them; they\u2019re on their way to open territory to join with Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. They\u2019ve decided meagre rations and threadbare blankets doled out by an uncaring government insufficient inducement to remain.\u201d Adam\u2019s lips twisted bitterly as he spoke, and he raised an uncompromising eyebrow in defiance of Custer\u2019s threats.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could still have you arrested\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense. If anyone should be arrested it\u2019s Saville, probably a number of others as well in the Indian Agency back east.\u201d<\/p>\n

Custer now turned his attention to Joe who was staring at the maps and noting the pins carefully inserted in it. \u201cSo\u2014you got here after all, Mr. Cartwright. Pity you didn\u2019t come when requested, it would have saved a lot of trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe said nothing; he looked at Custer, gave a slight shrug of the shoulders and continued to look at the map.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe came across some of your recent\u2014hmm\u2014the remains of your most recent forays, General. Women and children? It seems to me you\u2019re quite eager for an out and out war, aren\u2019t you?\u201d Adam glanced at them both, and noted how Tom glanced over at George, a look of deference and respect, even though as holder of two Medals of Honour he was obviously the better and braver man.<\/p>\n

\u201cNegotiations don\u2019t get anywhere with these savages.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d hardly call the poor wretches we saw savages\u2014\u201d Joe instantly retorted, \u201cIs that your plan, to break their spirit first, and then shepherd them to another territory where they can really starve to death?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI only work under the auspices of my governmental orders.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly\u2014\u201d Joe snorted with rising anger.<\/p>\n

Custer shook his head, and Adam continued to stand looking at him with scant regard. \u201cGeneral, a few years ago when I saw you here before, I warned you about what would happen were you to enter the Paha Sapa. That warning is still valid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense.\u201d Tom spoke now; he looked at his brother as though surprised that George would stand there and take it, \u201cThe Black Hills are ours for the taking\u2026 our forts and our flags fly over it already, it\u2019s just a matter of time before those Indians give up and go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, they\u2019ll go alright,\u201d Joe snapped back, \u201cbut not without a fight. Let me tell you right here and now that when they fight for this land it won\u2019t be just a handful of starving Indians, it\u2019ll be thousands.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou talk as though we were novices at this job,\u201d George yelled, and thumped his fist on the desk. \u201cBut let me tell you that we\u2019re not, and if they want to come up against us in their thousands, let them. They can come up in their tens of thousands for all I care but we\u2019ll face up to them, and beat them back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomehow I doubt that,\u201d Joe growled, stepping forward in his anger and only prevented from going nose to nose with Custer by Adam\u2019s hand on his shoulder pulling him back. \u201cI doubt much that even you can defeat the Indians that you think you\u2019ve got backed into a corner right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tom stepped forward, his face curious, the blue eyes lazily indulgent. \u201cSo what would you suggest, Mister Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClose your forts, remove yourselves back across the border, leave the Indians alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what would happen?\u201d Tom shrugged, \u201cDo you have any idea of what would happen if we did that? Who would feed all these thousands of Indians now that there are no buffalo? Who would stop the prospectors and the miners and the gamblers from rushing right into this territory to build their towns and mining camps?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t seem to be doing much of a good job stopping them now, so it seems to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe send them back,\u201d Tom replied slowly, perching himself on the corner of George\u2019s desk, \u201cBut they keep returning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course they will, when they see how the army defends them by killing women and children and old men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore,\u201d George rose to his feet, and straightened his shoulders. \u201cI suggest that you take your little brother out of here before he talks himself into big trouble. Best take yourself and him as far from here as you can\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI intend to do just that,\u201d Adam said calmly, \u201cBut let me just say this, General Custer, don\u2019t rely on the generals to back you up when the time comes, and don\u2019t think for a moment that Joe\u2019s wrong in what he\u2019s saying, because he isn\u2019t . If you value your life, you\u2019d be wise to leave here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I suggest that you get out of here and go play with your boats.\u201d George snarled.<\/p>\n

Adam cast one last quizzical look in George Custer\u2019s direction before turning and leaving the room, closely followed by his brother. The door closed sharply behind them.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo that\u2019s the great Commodore Cartwright, huh,\u201d Tom sneered, and he strolled over to the window to watch as the two brothers mounted their horses and rode slowly out of the compound. \u201cHe didn\u2019t really have much to say for himself, did he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t have to say anything to make my skin crawl. Fact is, he\u2019s right, Tom. I have to fight tooth and nail to get what I need; Sheridan and Sherman refuse to agree to all I want. I know for a fact that when it comes to the big initiative they\u2019ll prefer Reno or someone else over me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He walked around to the window, hands clasped behind his back and watched as Adam and Joe rode through the gates and out into the open countryside. He stood for some minutes watching the empty space they had left behind before turning and asking Tom to bring the adjutant in for further orders.<\/p>\n

Chapter 122<\/p>\n

Thomas Custer stood with his arms folded across his chest and a frown on his face as he listened to his brother\u2019s orders to the adjutant. He said nothing, knowing that as the general\u2019s brother, any criticism in front of a subordinate was greeted with greater sensitivity than if it came from anyone else.<\/p>\n

Even though he was well aware of his brother\u2019s unease, George continued with his instructions, stabbing a finger at the map and at a point on it marked by a pin and a red circle. He then drew a line from the pin to somewhere in the territory between the fort and the nearest township. Just once he turned to give Thomas a glare as though to say \u201cI know what you\u2019re thinking but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Jackson Melville was a good officer, but as a human being he was a bully and a thug who had risen up the ranks due to broken bones along the way as well as some merit as a soldier. He nodded when given his orders, and after saluting both officers, he turned and left the room.<\/p>\n

Once the sound of his footsteps faded and the door was heard to snap shut, George turned to his brother and raised his eyebrows. \u201cWell? You were practically breathing fire down my neck, so say what you have to say\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the point, George, you seem to know it already.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes things have to be done, we don\u2019t necessarily like it \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this case I think you do like it because you dislike Cartwright so much. Can\u2019t see it myself, they both appeared to me reasonable and likeable.\u201d He took the chair opposite his brothers and placed his feet up on the desk. \u201cSo what\u2019s the problem with Cartwright? Considering how often he\u2019s away at sea it\u2019s not as if he\u2019s under your nose all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe galls me, that\u2019s all.\u201d George threw down his pen onto the desk and shrugged. \u201cCan\u2019t stand him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere has to be a reason \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know how long it took me to get this command?\u201d George asked in an icily cold voice. \u201cIt took months of my badgering the generals, and then Grant. I went to the offices daily for an appointment and got the brush-off constantly. Yet he\u2014\u201d he waved his hand at the door as though the embodiment of his nemesis bodily stood there \u201che just has to step into the building and he\u2019s whisked off to see Grant right away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see\u2014\u201d Thomas intoned, and sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t even as if he\u2019s ever in agreement with any of us anyway. He\u2019s always\u2014well? Say it! What is it this time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it just seems to me that you\u2019re jealous. The problem ain\u2019t with him, it\u2019s with you, brother.\u201d He rose to his feet and saluted. \u201cDuty calls, Sir. See you later\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

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

\u201cMmm?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re mighty quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking the same thing about you.\u201d Adam grinned, his brown eyes flicking over to observe his brother before turning back to the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you notice that map, with all those pins on?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam paused a moment before he nodded, \u201cI did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you notice about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPins.\u201d Adam grinned again.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I know that\u2014\u201d Joe sighed in exasperation, \u201cBut some pins had red circles round \u2018em and some had green circles and some didn\u2019t have any circles at all\u2026 what did you make of that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore to the point, what did you make of it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned, lowered his hat a little to shade his eyes\u201cI was thinking that pins with green circles coincided with Indian camps that Custer would say have been dealt with, seeing as two were the places we\u2019ve already come across.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh-huh, and the red circles?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnes that they\u2019ve noticed on their reconnoitring journeys and intend to deal with in time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm, that\u2019s my way of thinking too. The other areas are deep in Indian Territory and as yet only known about but not confirmed, too bad for them when they are \u2026\u201d Adam frowned, \u201cI guess you would say Custer was doing a thorough sweep and clean up of this territory.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t no mining camps or settlements marked on the map\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not Custer\u2019s problem though is it? His job isn\u2019t to move them on, although we\u2019re supposed to swallow that story, but, fact is, it is just a story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t like you, does he?\u201d Joe frowned, although his eyes twinkled when he recalled the tension between the two men in that office.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but the feeling\u2019s mutual. He\u2019s\u2014\u201d Adam paused, shrugged, \u201cI don\u2019t like his way of going about things. I liked his brother though \u2026 two Medals of Honour, huh? Speaks for itself really. I bet deep down George really resents that \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

They rode on a little further before Adam reined in his horse and glanced over his shoulder. He looked at Joe and then indicated that they ride up onto higher ground. Once there and able to overlook a beautifully laid out view of the surrounding area he dismounted and took his telescope from the saddlebag. \u201cJoe, look down there\u2014\u201d he passed the telescope to his brother who after a moment returned the telescope to his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like a camp, mostly women and children, and only a few men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems to me it\u2019s the next camp along on that map, what do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I agree.\u201d Joe breathed the words softly and then looked at Adam, \u201cWhat do we do? Go down and tell \u2019em to clear out?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t speak for a moment but turned the telescope in the direction of the way they had come while Joe waited on pins to find out what his brother was looking for. It took a while but eventually Adam nodded, as though something he had expected to see had suddenly come into view. He trained the telescope onto the area for some seconds longer before handing it to Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t see a thing,\u201d Joe grumbled<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween the trees, can you see them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d Adam groaned and waited until Joe put down the telescope with a puzzled expression on his face. \u201cWell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSoldiers. Don\u2019t know how many because of the trees but they had a howitzer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo prizes for guessing where they\u2019re headed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam scanned the area again and then looked sombre as he put the telescope away. He shrugged. \u201cLooks like we\u2019re caught in the middle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. How\u2019d you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCuster\u2019s got you labelled as an Indian lover, and he\u2019ll expect you to go down and help those people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ain\u2019t far wrong in both instances.\u201d Joe retorted hotly, his nostrils pinched and the green in his hazel eyes almost glowing.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalm down just a fraction, Joe.\u201d Adam chewed on his bottom lip and his eyelids hooded his dark eyes as he considered the situation. \u201cHe\u2019s expecting me to join with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you are, ain\u2019t\u2019cha?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWHAT!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I can\u2019t. that\u2019s what he wants us to do, then we either get killed with them and he gains another triumph in more ways than one, or he can arrest me for aiding and abetting the enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, so?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam laughed, a deep low laugh that made Joe smile and ask again \u2018So?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t go down there, Joe, I\u2019m not a private civilian like yourself. How far do you reckon that village is from here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout an hour\u2019s ride.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if you don\u2019t take your time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike I said, an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTry and make it shorter than that\u2026warn them to get out. Joe, if they argue and stay put don\u2019t stay with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s lips thinned and his eyes sparked a little but he saw the determination in his brother\u2019s face, and glanced away.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019ve done that take the route from the camp back to the fort, you\u2019ll have to do a sharp ride, Joe, but you shouldn\u2019t be seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy back to the Fort?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I want you to invite Sam for a drink of beer and in the morning we can have breakfast together in the mess room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked blankly at his brother and shook his head doubtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing much, just ride back slowly to the fort and complain about the horse we bought.\u201d he held out the reins of his horse to Joe, \u201cTake my horse, I know her worth, she\u2019s got a real good turn of speed on her. By my reckoning the soldiers are at least three hours distant, plus another hour. That gives them three hours to get clear and you plenty of time to be headed back to the Fort.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe mounted into the saddle of Adam\u2019s horse and looked rather doubtful as Adam mounted Wichita. \u201cWhat are you waiting for, Joe? If you want to save lives, you best move now!\u201d<\/p>\n

The younger man needed no second bidding, one brief look at Adam and a twist of the wrist on the reins and he was hurtling down the trail in the direction of the Indian camp. Adam watched him for a moment or two and then looked at Witchita, stroked its sleek neck and raised its hind leg to examine its shoe; he checked all four shoes and then carefully loosened one while the horse, patient and forebearing, stood calmly still.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Jackson Melville raised a hand to stop the convoy as the horseman rode towards him. He frowned and his deep set eyes more or less disappeared as he narrowed them to make sure he was only seeing one horseman and that another wasn\u2019t actually in view. His horse shifted nervously beneath him, and he yanked at the reins to hold it still.<\/p>\n

\u201cLieutenant,\u201d Adam nodded and touched his hat as he passed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, you\u2026where you headed?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSame place you came from. That farrier of yours sold me a horse with a loose shoe. I want to get it fixed before I injure the beast. I\u2019ve got a long way to travel yet,\u201d and he gave Melville a hard glare, which the officer returned.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s the other one?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOther one\u2014what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho! I mean- where\u2019s your brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy brother? Oh, he\u2019s ridden on ahead, promised Sam a beer if we were ever to meet up with him again, and\u2014as you can see\u2014it looks like we will be so Joe just went ahead, I didn\u2019t want to injure the horse so just\u2014you know\u2014took my time.\u201d He shrugged, looked innocently at Melville and was about to proceed when Melville reached out a hand to stop him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t pass us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you weren\u2019t exactly on the track, were you, Lieutenant. Hidden away among the trees and all that\u2026he probably passed you without you noticing.\u201d He shrugged again, \u201cJoe\u2019s a good rider, fast if you know what I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melville shook his head, looked behind him<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone of you see a horseman pas along the track?\u201d<\/p>\n

A rumble of \u2018No, sirs\u2019 came from behind but Adam was still smiling and looking blankly at the officer, when Melville was about to challenge him once again Adam rose in the saddle as though curious about something himself. he grimaced.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing hunting, Lieutenant? That\u2019s a howitzer, ain\u2019t it? Now, where exactly are you going with that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat ain\u2019t none of your business, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo?\u201d Adam raised his eyebrows, then touched the brim of his hat again. \u201cWell, good day to you, Lieutenant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWait a minute\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam drew rein and Melville turned to the officer by his side. \u201cCheck that horse over.\u201d<\/p>\n

The officer dismounted, nodded at Adam as though in apology for the intrusion and then checked the horse\u2019s hooves, he then reported to Melville that the left back foot was about to lose its shoe.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got a bill of sale for that horse?\u201d Melville said, clutching at straws and knowing it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you deliberately going out of your way to insult me, young man?\u201d Adam straightened his back, and set his face into the stern lines that could even make Joe think twice about annoying him, \u201cIf you want to check my credentials I suggest you do so when you get back to the fort. I\u2019ll be there \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He rode slowly along the line of soldiers, his eyes sweeping over them and noting the weapons, the howitzer, but most of all he noticed how many of the men had obviously not long been back from manoeuvres before having been called out on this misadventure. A hurried affair cobbled together on the spur of the moment. He didn\u2019t look back but when the column moved on he released his breath into a sigh of dismay intermingled with relief.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Evening was falling when the convoy returned\u2014a long line of weary dust covered men only too grateful to disperse to their barracks. Melville wearily reported to the commanding officer who listened to the report with growing indignation.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo hostiles?\u201d he snapped<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, none at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut they were there earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooked like they had left in a hurry, Sir. We didn\u2019t have orders to pursue them so returned back to Fort.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Cartwrights\u2014they must have warned them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCouldn\u2019t have done, sir. They were back here\u2014\u201d Melville frowned in an attempt to juggle the events in his mind, \u201cThey weren\u2019t aware of any Indian camp anywhere, sir, they came back here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The farrier was a kindly man. He enjoyed his beer, was most apologetic about the loose shoe, and didn\u2019t charge them for seeing to it. He offered the stable to bed down for the night, an offer that the brothers willingly accepted.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did they react when you told them to move on, Joe?\u201d Adam whispered as they settled down for the night.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of their scouts had seen some movement, what I said only verified it. They had started putting down the tepees by the time I got there.\u201d Joe sighed contentedly, and folded his hands behind his head staring up into the shadowy gloom above him. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to get home now, Adam. I want to see Mary Ann, and get hitched as soon as possible.\u201d He sighed again, \u201cThen there\u2019s Hoss and Hester and the baby\u2026and Pa. Sure miss Hop Sing\u2019s cooking. Could just eat one of his steaks and mashed potatoes. Oh, and apple pie. Sure could eat one of those right now. I wonder if Hester has learned to cook better now.\u201d<\/p>\n

He received no answer, only the dark shape of his brother huddled into his blanket in the straw reassured him that Adam was still there. He smiled, closed his eyes and drifted into dreams.<\/p>\n

Chapter 123<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you leaving us so soon, Commodore?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned from tightening the girth strap and straightened up to find himself looking into the smiling face of Mrs. Custer. She was accompanied by another woman, who stood shielding herself from the sun by a bleached parasol and more conscious of the threat of freckles than speaking to these two men who had just left the mess hall after a substantial breakfast.<\/p>\n

Both men removed their hats and Libby Custer turned to Joe, and smiled warmly<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember seeing you before,\u201d she extended a hand which Joe shook with a smile on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Adam said in his deep voice. \u201cI was under the impression that you and your husband had made Fort Abraham Lincoln your home. I didn\u2019t expect to see you here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh and why should you indeed,\u201d she laughed. \u201cI\u2019m visiting my good friend, Mrs. Collingswood. Emily, may I introduce Commodore Adam Cartwright and his brother, Joseph.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Collingswood smiled at them both and wished more than ever that she had dabbed vinegar on her face before coming into the sun. It was cold, the breeze was fresh, but the sun still shone vigorously.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd, to be honest, I never expected you here either, Commodore. You\u2019re a long way from the sea and your ship. Whereabouts did you go this time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEgypt, M\u2019am\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded and looked at her friend, then at the two men who were obviously anxious to be gone, the way they were fidgeting with the reins of their horses and shuffling their feet about was a sure sign that they wanted to be anywhere other than there, she looked at her friend who was obviously wishing to be sitting by the fire toasting her toes.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommodore, Mr. Cartwright, why not come and join with me for some coffee. I\u2019m sure Mrs. Collingswood would love to hear of your adventures. We\u2019ve never been to Egypt, nor even to the Ponderosa, where you come from, isn\u2019t that right, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both brothers immediately had the same thought flash into their minds, she either had a fantastic memory for detail, or had taken on board her husband\u2019s most recent tirades against them. Both smiled. \u201cWe really have to leave, Ma\u2019am\u201d Joe said brightly, \u201cWe\u2019ve left it later than should be anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to return to the fort, my horse had a loose shoe,\u201d Adam added rather lamely, and he flicked the reins into his free hand as he glanced anxiously around the buildings, and she frowned slightly and stepped a little closer to them, a slight frown furrowing her brow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that you think my husband a brute in hunting down these Indians, but that is his duty and his assignment in order to make this land safe for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Everyone\u2019 meaning the white people?\u201d Joe murmured gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich is what you are yourself, sir, although I know your opinion must be prejudiced by the amount of time you lived among them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou seem to know a great deal about us, Mrs. Custer.\u201d Joe scowled and glanced at Adam who raised his eyebrows in a sign to him to be cautious.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it is people like yourself who propagate the romantic idea of les Sauvages Noblesses, but the fact remains, sir, that they are, indeed, savages and not at all noble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you say, Mrs. Custer, although\u2014\u201d Joe began but she fixed him with a glare and a bold tilt of the chin.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me tell you of a morning when I was with my husband, I saw something then that made me realise how cruel these so called noble savages are. A white man staked out on the ground, disembowelled,* sir,\u201d she shook her head, her face a little paler than it had been, \u201cBut as though that were not bad enough, there were hot embers from the fire heaped upon his body.* After that my husband forbade us to walk out, but it is a sight that I shall never forget, never.\u201d She now placed a hand upon Adam\u2019s arm and looked earnestly into his face \u201cPlease, Commodore, don\u2019t make an enemy of my husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

She gave neither of them the chance to say another word but turned and walked quickly away leaving them both standing by their horses looking back at her and the faithful Mrs. Collingswood who marched resolutely beside her.<\/p>\n

\u201cCouldn\u2019t have been pleasant for her,\u201d Adam remarked as he swung himself into the saddle.<\/p>\n

Joe said nothing but turned his horse towards the gate of the fort where the troopers on duty saluted them both as they passed through, once outside both of them urged their horses into a gallop as though the need to put as much distance as possible between them was of imperative importance.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The knocking on the door of the Pearson\u2019s home was certainly determined. If one could judge the temperament of the caller by the knock on the door, then Barbara could tell that her visitor was certainly persistent. She opened it to see Mary Ann standing there well wrapped up in muffler and mittens and a warm hood covering her hair,<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Mary Ann, I wasn\u2019t expecting you, come on in\u2014\u201d she stepped aside for her visitor to enter and quickly closed the door behind her, \u201cCome closer to the fire, you need to warm through. Have you heard from Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I have, thank you.\u201d Mary Ann smiled, her cheeks reddening and not only from the effect of the fire, but from the message that Joe had sent her prior to boarding a train home. \u201cHe should be home soon now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure you must all be relieved to know that, and\u2014and\u2014\u201d she paused and glanced anxiously over her shoulder, but they were alone except for Peter ,who was busy playing with a toy. \u201cI mean, is he coming alone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no, Adam will be coming home too.\u201d Mary Ann beamed and thrust her hands towards the flames. \u201cIt will be lovely to see him as well, Ben is as pleased as a dog with two tails.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd will there be a wedding soon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Joe actually told me to get my wedding dress ready.\u201d Mary Ann laughed now, and hunched up her shoulders as though hugging the news to herself, then she looked at Barbara and her face softened. \u201cHow are you now, Barbara? Is everything alright with you and Andrew?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, thank you.\u201d Barbara moved the coffee pot away from the stove and poured out the hot drinks into two mugs which she carried over to the table. \u201cDo sit down, Mary Ann, and tell me what the real reason is behind this visit.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at Mary Ann with a serenity that rather caught Mary Ann by surprise. Apart from a slight scar on her cheek there was now no mark on her to remind anyone of that brutal assault only a few weeks earlier, and she sat with such composure that it was difficult for Mary Ann to know where to start the conversation. She looked into the muddy coloured brew swirling around in the cup and then glanced up at Barbara with a serious look on her young face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m concerned about Lilith.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLilith?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she hasn\u2019t been to school since\u2014well, since the time you were hurt and I wondered if she were alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLilith is well,\u201d Barbara replied steadily with her eyes wide and clear. \u201cShe doesn\u2019t want to come to school anymore, and now that winter is close upon us I thought I would spare her the journey in such bad weather. Anyway, as a teacher myself I thought I would teach her at home. She\u2019s doing well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mary Ann frowned and said nothing, then looked over at Peter, who was chewing his sleeve with a determination on his face that made her smile. Barbara promptly got up and went to her son, lifted him into her arms and turned to look at Mary Ann, the pride she felt for the boy shone from her face causing the younger woman to smile even more warmly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a handsome little boy, Barbara, are you teaching him at home too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019m teaching him to lip read and to understand signs\u2014you know, pointing and gesturing to make himself understood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd did you think any more about Ben\u2019s offer to help you find a specialist who could help him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, after all, there would be no point in doing so, Mary Ann, no point in even mentioning it.\u201d She lowered her eyes as she set Peter down on the ground and stroked the top of his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cJohn Martin asked me to tell you that he would like to see you when you get into town next time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara said nothing to that, only her brow creased a little as though perplexed. She was about to speak when the door opened and Lilith came into the house, looked at Mary Ann and smiled before she hurried over to Barbara and clung to her skirts.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not coming to school anymore, Miss Hornby. Mommy\u2019s teaching me at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo she told me. I shall miss you, Lilith.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but don\u2019t worry, Miss Hornby, I have to stay and look after Mommy.\u201d She smiled up at Barbara, a wide beaming smile, then she looked again at Mary Ann. \u201cI do all my lessons properly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure you do, Lilith. You always were one of the most diligent pupils in class.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith nodded and smiled and then ran to a shelf to pull down a book, a dictionary, and as Mary Ann made her goodbyes she could hear the little girl spelling out the word \u2018diligent\u2019 and reading out the definition. With a sigh she walked to her buggy and heard the door close behind her.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Ben listened attentively to what Mary Ann was saying, nodding every so often and looking over at Hoss and Hester as though to make sure that they were paying attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems to me she should have left that place altogether,\u201d Hoss grumbled, \u201cIt was the wrong move to take Andrew back, much as I liked him before I ain\u2019t got no respect for him now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas he there when you called, Mary Ann?\u201d Hester asked calmly as she plied the needle in and out of a little garment she was making for Hannah.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so, I never saw him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Lilith, she was alright?\u201d Ben asked with his dark brows scowling above the black eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but no\u2014she was so clingy to Barbara, as though she couldn\u2019t bear to be away from her side.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a mistake,\u201d Hoss moaned, \u201cShe should never have had him back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Ben shrugged, \u201cYou have to remember that Barbara didn\u2019t have an easy life with her parents; she was loyal in caring for them. Remember too, that incident with her uncle, Major Scott, she didn\u2019t walk out on him either. She was loyal to him until he died, and I know for a fact that he was far from kind towards her at times.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe seems to attract bullies\u2014is that what you mean?\u201d Hester asked, looking over at Ben thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps\u2014I know her loyalty to her uncle was one of the qualities that endeared her to Adam so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, be that as it may,\u201d Hester said with a flourish of the little garment, \u201cshe wasn\u2019t loyal to Adam, and now look where it\u2019s got her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben said nothing to that although he sighed heavily, and turned to pick up a book that he had been reading earlier. Mary Ann bowed her head, and in deep contemplation considered the visit once again. It was Hester\u2019s voice that eventually broke into her reverie and she looked over at the other woman as though just coming out from a dream.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think Barbara is safe there, Mary Ann?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mary Ann had to think about that for a moment, then she shook her head. \u201cI don\u2019t know. She was remarkably calm and composed. It\u2019s Lilith I\u2019m more concerned about, but I can\u2019t really explain why.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 124<\/p>\n

Lilith Pearson coloured the painting in carefully and made sure that not only did she not paint over the edges but that not a speck of paint found its way onto the table. Barbara had covered it with old newspapers so that Lilith didn\u2019t have to worry about it but she had to make sure herself.<\/p>\n

The sky was blue in her painting and the sun was shining. A tree grew in the garden and here and there flowers were daubed in all different bright colours. She had painted Barbara wearing an apron, and she was standing by the tree with Peter (well, a blob of colours being that it was so small a shape and the colours had run) in her arms. She had painted Andrew on the other side of the house and in the sky was another lady with a smile on her face.<\/p>\n

Barbara passed the table and looked down, kissed Lilith on the top of the head, and then peered closer,<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a lovely painting, darling. How pretty the garden looks. Everything looks so lovely when the sun shines.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Lilith sat back primly. Her hair was in braids with green ribbons; she looked up at Barbara and smiled, and said, \u201cI haven\u2019t painted me in the picture yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you had\u2014\u201d Barbara frowned and pointed to the figure that appeared poised in the sky \u201cIsn\u2019t that you, all grown up and looking so smart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Lilith shook her head and sighed, \u201cNo, that\u2019s my other mommy. I remember her when I dream about her so I put her in the picture.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara nodded, although she felt her spirits droop as this wasn\u2019t the first time Lilith had mentioned her mother recently. She looked at the picture again. \u201cWhere are you going to paint yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust there.\u201d Lilith pointed to a position close to her, by the tree.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat will be nice, dear. When you finish we\u2019ll have a drink of something warm and then we\u2019ll do our math lesson.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith nodded and leaned forward, concentrating hard to draw in the shape of a little girl standing close to her mommy while her real mommy was there to protect them. She put a smile on the little girl\u2019s face, and then frowned, and sat back to look at it more closely.<\/p>\n

Perhaps a smile was wrong because inside herself she didn\u2019t feel like smiling, only now when they were alone, but soon that time would be over and it would be back to the stomach churning, aching feeling she got whenever Daddy came home.<\/p>\n

Even thinking about it made her feel tense, and she glanced over at the door. The wind outside was buffeting against it making it rattle now and again. She looked at Barbara, who was making the drinks and who looked up now, saw her and smiled. Peter was eating some bread and looking thoughtfully at one chubby finger which had some bread and butter stuck to it; he obviously wasn\u2019t sure whether to lick that off first or finish the piece still in his other hand.<\/p>\n

Lilith looked at the picture again. She tried to paint out the smile on the little girls face but it just blobbed, and then the paint trickled down and merged with the dress and became a mess. She shook her head, picked it up and screwed it into a ball.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing, Lilith?\u201d Barbara asked anxiously and Lilith shook her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt went wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it was a lovely picture, Lilith. Why not leave it for now and later we can smooth it out and put it right again, and then you can show Daddy.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u201d Lilith clasped the screwed up ball tighter in her hands, \u201cNo. Don\u2019t show Daddy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara frowned a little and then set the cup of milk down on the table by the fire. \u201cVery well, come here and have your drink and then we\u2019ll do some math.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith relaxed. She went to the chair by the fire and threw the screwed up painting into it; she watched as the flames consumed it bit by bit, the outline of her mother in the sky the last to burn up, and somehow, to her, that seemed fitting indeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a lovely painting, Lilith. Perhaps you can do another tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith nodded and sipped her milk. Barbara watched her from over the rim of her cup; it seemed like such a long time ago when she had ridden out to join Andrew and Lilith for that picnic and played ball among the flowers and grasses, so much had happened; so much had changed in their lives.<\/p>\n

Lilith finished her milk and put the cup down, she walked over to Barbara and put her arms around her neck, and just for a moment they stayed together like that, with Barbara\u2019s arm around Lilith\u2019s waist and the child resting her head against her shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cMommy, I won\u2019t\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWon\u2019t what?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith sighed \u201cI couldn\u2019t help my real mommy before, that\u2019s why she\u2019s in the sky.\u201d then she kissed Barbara on the cheek, and hurried away to collect her books for the next lesson.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Hester pulled the hood closer around her neck in a vain effort to blot out the draughts and wind that blew down her coat and shivered their way down her body. She had put in her order for the groceries and the boy was carrying out the heavier sacks and bags, but the package she was carrying was making it difficult to keep her hood over her head. She really needed an extra arm. Thank goodness that Hop Sing had been able to look after Hannah at home. She moved the package to the other arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere, Miss Hester, let me help you there\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked up and gave a slight start perhaps of alarm, surprise or some other such, she just wasn\u2019t sure as she looked up at Andrew Pearson smiling down at her with his blue eyes so kindly and concerned. \u201cYou look like you\u2019re struggling a little with that package. Where\u2019s your wagon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust over there.\u201d she pointed to where it stood and blinked, had she just said that or was it still reeling about inside her head. \u201cThank you, that was kind of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Was she to say Andrew as previously or call him Mr. Pearson to be neighbourly, or just not address him at all? She forced a smile at him as he placed the package along with her groceries, the boy from the store gave her a sharp look and then darted a glance over at Andrew, as though to make sure that everything was in order.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Jacko.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s alright, Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d he tipped his hat and hurried back to the store, glad to return to the warmth although he decided to look through the window and make sure no harm came to the lady.<\/p>\n

Hester frowned and realised by Jacko\u2019s actions the town must know all about the Pearsons\u2019 recent problems, and when she looked up at Andrew she could see by the tension in his jaw muscles that he realised it too. She wanted to speak naturally, as she would once have done but something made her throat go tight when she tried to do so, and it was he spoke first.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Hester\u2014you don\u2019t mind me calling you that still, do you, Ma\u2019am?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, of course not.\u201d She wanted to smile but her lips were stiff and not just from the cold.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Miss Hester, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for looking after Barbara as you did after what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s alright, I didn\u2019t do much compared to Ann and Mary Ann.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m mighty obliged to them both.\u201d He had taken his hat off now and held it loosely between his hands, then looked at her again, \u201cI\u2019m a placid person most of the time but I just felt\u2014well\u2014I just felt really pained that Barbara didn\u2019t tell me about Peter, our son, but she told others before me. It hurt my pride. A man\u2019s pride can be a mite tender when things go against it and what with all the troubles I\u2019ve had lately in keeping the\u2014\u201d he stopped himself from running on, and bit down on the rest of what he had wanted to say; instead he replaced his hat. \u201cThank you for letting me explain, Miss Hester. I promise you, it won\u2019t happen again. I really love Barbara\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester glanced over his shoulder and saw Widow Hawkins, Mrs. Shuttleworth and Miss Gaines all watching from across the road. She felt embarrassed now, and bowed her head, forced a smile and thanked him much before he had even finished speaking.<\/p>\n

When she went to mount up the step to the wagon he cupped her elbow with his hand and gently helped her to her seat, once again she smiled at him, nodded, and thanked him.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease believe me, Miss Hester, it won\u2019t happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n

She gathered her courage, looked at him straight in the eyes and told him in as cool a manner as possible that it had better not happen again, that a man who raised his hand to a woman wasn\u2019t worth knowing. He nodded as though he had received a lesson from the preacher, and tipped his hat. \u201cThat\u2019s quite so, Miss Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

The wagon rolled away and Hester shivered inwardly, she no longer felt cold but hot, hot from embarrassment and from nerves, and perhaps, for some reason, a little bit afraid.<\/p>\n

Andrew watched the wagon trundle down the road. He said nothing and his expression revealed nothing about how he felt regarding their conversation. He merely stood there a moment or two before turning back to the store to collect his own groceries.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The house looked exactly the same as it had when they had left it some years earlier. A little like a museum that had been closed to the public for a long time. Furniture and fittings were covered with sheets and in the dim light that shone from the windows everything look rather ghostly.<\/p>\n

Rachel put down her luggage and walked through the hallway to the small sitting room at the back of the house where the covers had been removed by Mrs. Prendergast, who had also lit a small fire in the grate. She stood in the middle of the room and looked around her at the shelves lining the walls full of her father\u2019s and his father\u2019s books. Statues with their blank eyes stared down and at her, gleaming eerily in the half-shadows. She jumped when someone spoke close by and turned to see who it was.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve prepared something for you to eat, Miss Forster, and prepared your bed room for the night. How long will you be staying here, so I know what food to get in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Mrs. Prendergast, that\u2019s kind of you, thank you. I think I\u2019ll be here for at least two days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust two days, Miss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least, at the most may be a week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d Mrs. Prendergast nodded, and then glanced around the room. \u201cIs it alright, Miss; is it to your liking?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had forgotten how many books we had here, and the size of the house, although it is exactly the same as when I last saw it. How strange that I had forgotten so much but yet it all looks so familiar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was your family home, Miss, ever since your grandfather had it built.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel Forster nodded and smiled, then slowly, dreamily, removed her hat and coat and draped them over the back of a chair. There had always been family bustling about before, laughter, noise, the murmur of academic voices discussing this or that, the rustle of books and maps. Now she was alone, and aware that Mrs. Prendergast was waiting to lead her into the kitchen, she turned and followed her to where her meal awaited.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Prendergast had been retained by her family since as far back as she could remember and was still the caretaker to the old house in their absence. Usually once a week she would come into the house and air it out, dust it a little, and check that everything was till in working order. Now she prepared herself to be available for Miss Forster until the young woman chose to leave.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow was your sister, Miss Forster?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well when I saw her last, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStill happily married to that foreign gentleman?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d Rachel frowned, that was rather a liberty she thought, it really was no business of Mrs. Prendergast whether or not Anna was married to the sheik.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd did you enjoy your time in Egypt, Miss Forster?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes.\u201d she smiled and her eyes twinkled, after all, Mrs. Prendergast knew only too well how much she hated the mummies and the artefacts that littered this house from her father\u2019s and grandfather\u2019s explorations to that far-off country.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you be going back?\u201d Mrs. Prendergast was ladling out the soup now, creamy chicken soup, and on the plate was a fresh crisp bread roll which Rachel broke into pieces with her fingers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope not.\u201d She smiled at Mrs. Prendergast, \u201cI\u2019m going on an excursion of my own, Mrs. P, and really quite looking forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn that case, Miss, perhaps you could let me know what clothes you would need packed away for this\u2014excursion\u2014as you call it. Would you require your winter or summer clothes for the journey?”<\/p>\n

\u201cI think\u2026\u201d Rachel smiled a wide happy smile, \u201cit should be my winter clothes, please, Mrs. Prendergast.\u201d And she dipped her spoon into the soup.<\/p>\n

Chapter 125<\/p>\n

The shadows were drawing in around the house as the day closed in upon itself, so Barbara lit the lamps and set them out on the tables around the room, then sat by the fire with Peter in her arms until he fell asleep. It was quiet in the room apart from the clock ticking away the minutes and the fire crackling. When Peter was finally asleep she carried him up to his little cot in the room he shared with Lilith, then she set him down, kissed his brow and wrapped the covers over him.<\/p>\n

She could see Lilith sitting opposite the stairs and for a moment stopped to observe her, a little girl who held herself so rigid, the tension ran down her back and showed in the clasp of her hands that she held in her lap. Every so often Lilith\u2019s eyes would turn to the clock and then dart back to the door.<\/p>\n

Barbara sighed, and came down the last steps.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should get to bed now, dear; it\u2019s been a long day,\u201d she said gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no, it\u2019s been a lovely day, hasn\u2019t it?\u201d Lilith looked up at her and she smiled; her eyes shone, \u201cIt was a lovely day, Momma, really it was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it was,\u201d Barbara agreed and felt sad having to admit it but the fact was that time without Andrew in the house did bring peace with it, a lack of the tension that was already beginning to seep into their bones now, just being here waiting for his return.<\/p>\n

\u201cDaddy\u2019s late home today, that means he\u2019ll have been drinking.\u201d Lilith whispered, and her eyes darted towards Barbara and for a moment their eyes held, then broke away at the sound of the wagon entering the yard and the plodding sound of the horse wearily drawing it along.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo to bed, darling, take the lamp with you and try to get to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Momma, what if\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Barbara placed a finger on the little girl\u2019s lips, and then shook her head, \u201cNo, don\u2019t say anything about \u2018what if\u2019s.\u2019 You mustn\u2019t worry, Lilith, really you mustn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

They stopped, stiffened, fear trickled from one to the other, before Barbara shook her head and picked up the night lamp which she lit and then handed to Lilith,<\/p>\n

\u201cGo to bed; I\u2019ll bring some warm milk later.\u201d<\/p>\n

She watched as Lilith mounted the stairs, the light glowing each step of the way like a bright little glow worm. Then as soon as she had disappeared and Barbara could hear the child\u2019s footsteps above her head as she made her way to the bed, Barbara began to prepare Andrew\u2019s supper. The table had to be set out just right, and the coffee pot had to be boiling for when he came into the house, so that when he stepped inside the first thing he would smell was the coffee and the food.<\/p>\n

She glanced at the clock, more minutes ticking away; she added a log to the fire and stirred the stew and set out the bread on the table.<\/p>\n

She heard his heavy tread on the doorstep and then the door was pushed open, groceries in his arms were dumped onto the top of the dresser and the door slammed shut as he kicked it with the back of his boot, pulled off his hat and looked at her.<\/p>\n

She smiled and approached him, stood on tip toe to kiss his cheek, and then removed his coat from him. He pulled the chair out and sat down, while she brought over the coffee pot, poured out the coffee and set the pot on the table for him to refill it, then she went to the stove and began to ladle out the stew.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw that High and Mighty Cartwright woman in town today.\u201d<\/p>\n

The words hovered between them and she could tell by the slight slur to his voice that he had been drinking. She tightened her grip on the ladle and continued to fill his plate before carrying it over to the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe threatened me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThreatened you?\u201d she looked at him in amazement, \u201cBut why? How could she threaten you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe did, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at his hands, the way his fingers were clenching and unclenching nervously. He had big hands and once she thought they were so beautifully shaped, but now all she could see were heavy, thick fingers that clenched together would become a weapon used against her. She sighed, licked her lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cForget her for the moment, Andrew; why not eat your supper?\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t look at her but took the fork and spoon and began to eat the food, mechanically, as though it was tasteless fodder. Barbara\u2019s breathing quickened and she pulled out a chair and sat opposite him and waited for him to speak again.<\/p>\n

She had sold her uncle\u2019s house in Virginia City, and the money had paid off the debts and there had even been enough to put aside in a bank account for the future. It was something she had not wanted to do and had, in fact, resisted doing for some while but after the last incident she had relented and been glad of a quick sale. It had calmed his temper for some weeks now, the knowledge that the burden of debt had been removed from his shoulders and that he could now move forward.<\/p>\n

He paused just as he had been about to place some food in his mouth, and looked at her. \u201cHow come so many in town know our business?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat business? No one knows about our business, Andrew.\u201d<\/p>\n

She wondered exactly what he could mean, surely no one would have mentioned about the beatings? John Martin and Paul, they were doctors, sworn to keep matters secret, and Hester, Ann and Mary Ann were her friends; they would surely be discreet. Her brain darted from one thought to another before she came up with the idea that it must be the money, their new found wealth and she placed a hand on his arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe people in town would know about the house being sold, Andrew. They would know that was how the debts were paid up, it would be perfectly natural after all? Surely you can see\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI could see them all gawping at me while Mrs. High and Mighty lectured at me and told me not to touch you again. All of them\u2026including Jacko\u2026\u201d he looked at her, his eyes narrowed and the mouth thinning, he leaned forwards so that their noses nearly touched, she could smell the beef stew on his breath mingled with something more acrid, she could see where the gravy from the stew had missed his mouth and beaded his upper lip. \u201cIf I thought for a moment that you had gone about telling folk our private business\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMommy\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

They both turned and there was Lilith blinking like an owl as she looked over at them. She stood in her nightie, bare feet on the floor and her hair loose about her shoulders. She ran towards them,<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Daddy\u2014\u201d she smiled, her brightest smile, and reached up to kiss his cheek, and Barbara tensed, every bone in her body ached with the tension as she watched the child standing on tip toe to kiss her father\u2019s cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, sweetheart,\u201d Andrew said, putting down the fork and spoon, and sweeping her up onto his lap. \u201cHave you had a good day with Mommy and Peter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Daddy, I did,\u201d and she leaned her head onto his shoulder, while her face was turned towards her step mother and her eyes latched onto Barbara\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Andrew smiled, kissed the top of her head, the hard core of anger within him seemed to melt away. He ate the rest of the stew with Lilith on his lap, and smiled over at Barbara and told her she had cooked him the best meal he had tasted since the last meal she had cooked, and laughed. Of course, they both laughed along with him.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

The horses had been led into the guards\u2019 compartment to join with other horses whose owners were to be passengers on the train journey. Adam and Joe had taken their seats and had surrendered themselves to the boredom of a journey that would seem to be never ending. The landscape flashed by them; the weather got colder, and four days into the journey they were attacked by a gang of outlaws who had hopes of robbing them all.<\/p>\n

It had meant an hour of gun fire where windows were smashed, women and children screamed, and the able-bodied men returned gunshot for gunshot. As soon as they thought they had outrun them the gunmen appeared again and so it had gone on until the gunmen had finally stopped, defeated and with the loss of three men.<\/p>\n

The train halted at various small settlements; some of them were merely a huddle of shacks and shanties where the hospitality was sparse and uncomfortable, and at other places there were already buildings and hotels in place where they could enjoy a decent meal and comfortable bed.<\/p>\n

A week after the outlaws had attacked the train they were attacked by a bunch of Indians. Joe blithely informed Adam that they were Kiowa, Adam said he didn\u2019t really care what they were, what he cared about was his scalp and no Indian was going to get it without a fight.<\/p>\n

Arrows and lances bounced off the fierce \u2018Iron Horse,\u2019 women and children screamed and once again the able-bodied men\u2014thankfully more in number than previously\u2014returned shot for shot. By the time the Kiowa decided to give up several of their number had been shot off their horses and several passengers on the train had been injured, one man expiring a few hours later which meant they had to stop and bury him.<\/p>\n

They had to leave the train some days after this and ride towards the next town where they could get a bed and a meal before boarding another train. It seemed to Adam as though the world he had known was changing fast, too fast. As the train hurtled through the darkness of night with the screeching of brakes, and the constant clacketty-clack of the wheels on the tracks he recalled the time past when it was horse and wagon, or a pack mule. It made him feel fearful of the future, just as he resented the steam ships overtaking the beautiful clipper ships he loved, so he could feel the same longing for things to return to the way they had been before the railway existed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, this is progress. Think how long it would take us to get home if it were not for these trains.\u201d Joe laughed<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, and you\u2019re right. In fact, considering my college training as an engineer I should be delighted.\u201d And having admitted that fact he slumped back in his seat and scowled for another hour.<\/p>\n

Days flashed by, days that Adam would treasure for the moments he shared with Joe. He told Joe about the letter from Grant about his \u2018death\u2019 and how it had affected him and Joe had placed a hand on his, said nothing because he couldn\u2019t find the words to express how he felt, the fact that his big brother was so openly telling him his feelings made his heart ache.<\/p>\n

One day it started to snow. Throughout the night it carried on snowing, and by noon the next day the passengers were having to get out and help dig the snow away from the tracks until it could get moving again. It took several hours and everyone was hot and perspiring when they returned to their seats. Adam shook his head in mock exasperation. \u201cYou know something, Joe, when I came out to meet up with you and your \u2018friends,\u2019 I never had a moment\u2019s bother, so how come on this journey back we\u2019ve encountered all manner of problems?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe decided that the course of wisdom was silence.<\/p>\n

Chapter 126<\/p>\n

The children in the classroom began to fidget when the first snowflakes began to fall, and Mary Ann was mindful of the fact that if some didn\u2019t leave for home right away there would be a great many problems as a result. She glanced from window to the rows of upturned faces looking earnestly at her and then turned to the window again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think those of you who have a way to go had better leave now,\u201d she sighed, and watched as they began to pack away their books and scrape back chairs. \u201cQuietly now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Miss Hornby.\u201d \u201cSorry, Miss.\u201d \u201cThank you, Miss Hornby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Childish voices echoed over the room and then suddenly most of her students were gone; the opening and closing of the door had sent a wave of cold air streaming into the room and she shivered before looking once again at the window. It was not a heavy snowfall; the flakes were lazily tumbling down and there was no breeze at all. She looked at the other children, all of whom lived in the town or close by and would be able to walk home safely or be collected by one of their parents.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Hornby?\u201d Eliza Jackson raised her hand and smiled; she was thirteen years old with no enthusiasm for school work at all. She could read and write and do simple arithmetic but beyond that her brain closed down and went walking.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cIs that right that you\u2019re going to get married soon?\u201d<\/p>\n

The other children froze, looked up and stared intently at the teacher who seemed now unsure of how to answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it, Miss?\u201d another of the students asked in a gruff voice; that was Michael Simpson, his voice had recently \u2018broken\u2019 leaving him sounding rather like a bull frog.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so,\u201d she replied. \u201cI\u2019ll let you know near the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt that right that you\u2019re marrying Joseph Cartwright?\u201d Eliza smiled. She might be slow at her lessons but she was certainly quick about picking up points about which to gossip. Mary Ann had no doubt that Eliza spent far too much time listening in on her mother\u2019s conversations with other ladies in town.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s right.\u201d She glanced over at the window, more snow and slightly heavier. \u201cI think those of you who can get home should leave now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another scrabbling of boots on the floor and desk tops opening and closing, Eliza stopped as she passed by Mary Ann and smiled, hugging her books to her chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Hornby, please, may I be a bridesmaid? I\u2019ve never been a bridesmaid ever in my life before?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI shall have to think about it, Eliza,\u201d Mary Ann replied with her most prim voice and stern look, and turned towards the last three students who were usually collected by their mothers.<\/p>\n

The door opened and closed again sending that rush of cold air into the room again. She smiled at the three children aged 8, 10 and 11.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it would be nice if we sat closer to the stove until your mothers come for you. Shall we read a story?\u201d<\/p>\n

Always glad to cut lessons short the three children nodded and brought their chairs closer to the fire. Alfred was allowed to pick out the book and she began to read from it.<\/p>\n

The door opened again and the cold air gushed inside rustling the pages of the book so that all four of them turned to observe who it was that had entered the school room now and prepared themselves with thoughts of going home.<\/p>\n

It was nobody\u2019s mother, however, and it was Mary Ann who was the one to rush from her seat, so quickly in fact that it toppled over with a crash, as she ran down the aisle to fling herself into the arms of her beloved Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I didn\u2019t expect you to be home so soon!\u201d she exclaimed as her arms tightened around his neck and tears appeared in her eyes quiet unexpectedly. \u201cI thought I would be waiting for days and days\u2026Oh Joe, I\u2019m so happy you\u2019re home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo am I, sweetheart, never happier.\u201d and he took her into his arms and kissed her even though the three children were watching with open mouths and wide eyes.<\/p>\n

Adam cleared his throat after some seconds had elapsed and was about to tap Joe on the shoulder just to remind him that someone else was in the room apart from him and Mary Ann when Joe stepped back and looked at Mary Ann with so much pleasure on his face that the young lady was blushing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou remember my brother\u2014Adam?\u201d he gestured towards the other man who stepped forward now as though on parade and shook her hand warmly.<\/p>\n

\u201cA pleasure to meet you again, Miss Hornby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh thank you.\u201d She blushed again, and looked at Joe. \u201cI can\u2019t believe you\u2019re home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you do what I said? Did you get your dress sorted out?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I did but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want us to be married as soon as possible, Mary, before the snows get too bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s already snowing,\u201d Adam muttered as he peered out of the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pass gets snowed in, I couldn\u2019t bear to think of you being on one side while I was on the other\u2014I\u2019ve been away from you for too long already.\u201d Joe whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s some ladies outside waiting to get in.\u201d Adam\u2019s deep voice announced.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Joe, I thought you were never going to get home, I was so frightened that something would happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u201dGoodbye Miss Hornby,\u201d said a little girl squeezing past and managing to reach the door and disappear into her waiting mother\u2019s arms where she whispered the news of the Cartwright brothers\u2019 return home.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodness, Mary, you can\u2019t imagine how often I\u2019ve longed to be here\u2014\u201d he drew her closer. \u201cYou haven\u2019t changed a bit\u2014\u201d he ran a gentle hand down her cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Bye Ma\u2019am.\u201d whispered a young lad, looking rather embarrassed and disgusted at the same time.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust one more to go\u2014\u201d Adam declared and smiled at the bespectacled Teddy Barnes who stood staring at them blinking like an owl.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, promise me you\u2019ll never go away like that again?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would never have gone this time if I hadn\u2019t had your permission.\u201d he whispered, \u201cBut, sweetheart, I promise\u2014never again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNever?\u201d she whispered and leaned closer<\/p>\n

\u201cNever.\u201d he replied determinedly and pulled her into his arms again.<\/p>\n

\u201cNever\u2019s a long time.\u201d Adam sighed and looked at Teddy. \u201cWhat\u2019s your name then, young man?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEdward Barnes, but my friends call me Teddy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Adam Cartwright\u2014how do you do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well thank you, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

They shook hands solemnly just as the door was pushed open and Mrs. Barnes appeared in all her glory, took one look at Mary Ann and Joseph locked in an embrace and shrieked. Mary Ann blinked, stepped back and looked at Mrs. Barnes, blushed and lowered her eyes. \u201cWe\u2019re getting married\u2014\u201d she said shyly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as possible,\u201d Joe added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank God,\u201d said Mrs. Barnes.<\/p>\n

Adam smiled. \u201cAmen to that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cPA. PA!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 voice broke through Ben\u2019s reverie and he hurriedly picked up his pen and tried to appear as though he hadn\u2019t stopped writing. When Hoss almost skidded to a halt by the desk he looked up innocently.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Hoss, what\u2019s the matter? House on fire?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, no\u2014\u201d Hoss was almost dancing on the spot. \u201cAdam and Joe\u2014they\u2019ve just ridden into the yard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT!!\u201d<\/p>\n

The pen was cast down, who cared about the black blob that sprawled over the ledger now? He, Hoss and Hester made a dash for the door, got jammed in together, had to step back, and then Ben stepped out first onto the porch trying to appear calm, with Hoss and Hester coming up behind him.<\/p>\n

Such pride, such emotion, such joy welled up into Ben\u2019s heart that he wondered if the vessel within his breast could contain it all. The two men dismounted, slung the reins over the rail and were practically running towards them. Oh yes, men that they were, but his sons after all, and dearly sorely missed sons at that\u2014he opened his arms wide to embrace them both while he struggled to say anything coherently for the words were stuck in his throat, sharing room with the frog.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on in, out of the cold,\u201d Hester admonished and once they were in she closed the door. \u201cHop Sing, Hop Sing\u2014\u201d she cried but even as she turned her head to call out his name again, Hop Sing was already there having seen them from the kitchen and allowed the family just enough time to get the initial greetings over and done with before he made his appearance.<\/p>\n

Adam turned towards his father and smiled; his dark eyes travelled over his father\u2019s face and the smile softened\u2014what changes could he see? That his father was older, thinner of face and frame? The hair was the same, silver white and luxuriant and the black eyes were as piercingly keen and shrewd as ever, the handshake had been as firm, the embrace as strong and warm.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good to see you again, Pa.\u201d He put out his hand again and Ben seized it in both his, held it tight, while he nodded and the dark eyes went a little moist.<\/p>\n

Ben thought he saw changes in his son as he looked at him now, there were more obvious white hairs at the wings of his black hair, deeper lines beneath the eyes, and the face was thinner, while he looked as though he had lost weight for the clothes he wore hung upon him too loosely. But the smile was the same, the eyes the same honey amber colour and the dimples in his cheeks invited laughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so glad to see you home, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, there was no need to say anything more and he stepped back towards Hoss and Hester in order for Joe to greet his father.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Hannah observed the two new men in her life seriously. Her blue eyes followed their every move as they leaned down towards her in her crib, she looked from one to the other, yawned with the delicacy of a cat and sighed deeply. She was obviously not overly impressed. Her eyes closed and she decided that it was time better spent sleeping.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s cute.\u201d Joe declared, giving the crib another slight touch to send it rocking back and forth. He recognised it as the one Adam had made him years ago when he had hoped to marry Laura.<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing; he wasn\u2019t sure what to say, but he regarded the baby thoughtfully before turning and smiling at Hoss. Another change in their lives. How was it that the future kept unrolling so swiftly onwards with so many changes. He shook his head slowly as the thought occurred to him that the present was always with us, we just took it so much for granted until it became the past.<\/p>\n

The snow had stopped falling and it had not settled at all, just melted away as it graced the land upon which it fell. Joe cleared his throat. \u201cPa\u2014I was wondering if we could have a party here Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was going to suggest just the same thing\u2014\u201d Ben laughed, a shout of a laugh, he was a happy and proud man and glad to let the whole world know it.<\/p>\n

\u201cFact is, Pa, I was thinking of getting married on Saturday as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat ain\u2019t so surprise,\u201d Hoss guffawed and slapped his brother on the back. \u201cHave you asked Mary Ann?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have\u2014\u201d he smiled over at Hester who was looking dewy eyed and pretty, \u201cHow about it, Hester?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019ll be wonderful, Joe, just wonderful.\u201d she replied, dabbing at her eyes, \u201cMary Ann has become a dear friend to us all here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t mind if we live here for a while, do you, Pa?\u201d Joe grinned and perched himself on the arm of the settee so that he could lean towards his Pa in his big leather chair, and Ben shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to ask, Joe. Where you thinking of going\u2026later?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s designed a house for us, close to here but\u2014well, it\u2019ll be built on my own land.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery good.\u201d Ben nodded and glanced over at Hester and Hoss, \u201cI didn\u2018t think these two would be staying quite so long but it seems they have decided to stay put.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we\u2019re pretty happy to stay put, aren\u2019t we, Hester?\u201d and Hoss looked down at his wife and smiled, and she looked into his blue eyes and heard herself say that yes, of course they were.<\/p>\n

And it was quite true too. Even as she went to help Hop Sing set out the table she found herself thinking back to the days when she was first married and living on the Ponderosa had seemed just so hard\u2026but now, well, now it was home, hers and Hoss\u2019 and Hannah\u2019s. She just couldn\u2019t imagine being happier anywhere else.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about you, Adam?\u201d Ben smiled as he looked at his eldest son, \u201cWhat are your plans for the future?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pursed his lips and shrugged, wishing Ben had not asked such a direct question when he himself did not have the answer. He smiled. \u201cI haven\u2019t got a wife,\u201d he observed, and turned his attention to the fire, which needed more logs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s mail arrived for you both\u201d Hoss said \u201cDo you want it now or later?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter we\u2019ve eaten,\u201d Joe declared.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, pushed a log more firmly into place and then joined his family at the table. He glanced over at Joe and smiled, receiving a grateful and warm smile back in return.<\/p>\n

Chapter 127<\/p>\n

The laughter at the table and the clatter of the cutlery soon woke little Hannah, and Hester excused herself and took the child upstairs in order to feed her. Hoss looked a trifle bashful as his wife took the wailing infant up the stairs to their room, which made Adam smile a little and lean across the table to congratulate his brother on the little beauty that now graced the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

Then he turned to Ben. \u201cHow does it feel having a baby in the house again, Pa?\u201d His eyes twinkled over the rim of the glass from which he was about to drink.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, better than the last time\u201d Ben replied emphatically to which Joe exclaimed \u201cPA!\u201d with great mock indignation and they laughed, \u201cOnly because when Hannah wakes in the night and cries I don\u2019t have to be the one to get up and pace the floor with her, like I did with Joseph.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you always said I was the model baby,\u201d Joe grimaced and poured out more wine.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were; I\u2019m just not saying for what\u2026\u201d Ben laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cCould be you this time next year, Joe, pacing the floor at night and balancing a baby on your knee.\u201d Adam said<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, maybe, I\u2019d like to think so\u2026it would be great to have a cousin for Hannah running around, huh?\u201d Joe laughed and as a result spilt the wine .<\/p>\n

\u201cSee, getting nervous already.\u201d Hoss pointed out as Joe grabbed a napkin to dry his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cHas Mary Ann written out her guest list yet?\u201d Adam asked thoughtfully as he looked through his glass into the deep ruby red of his claret.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, so she said.\u201d Joe smiled, \u201cI left her to deal with all that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe and Hester have had their heads together on it, don\u2019t you fret none, Brother.\u201d Hoss flipped another slice of pie onto his plate. \u201cThe only problem is\u2014\u201d he paused and looked at Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t included?\u201d Adam said, pretending to look pained and placing a hand to his heart as though to indicate that he was mortally wounded at the thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cNah, it ain\u2019t you, brother, it\u2019s Barbara and Andrew Pearson.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about them?\u201d Adam asked immediately and his eyes flicked over to his father as he noted Ben\u2019s smile disappear to be rapidly replaced with a more sombre expression.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it ain\u2019t really easy to explain,\u201d Hoss said, squirming a little in his chair. \u201cFact is that not so long ago Andrew lost his temper about something and gave Barbara a beating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom what we can make out, it wasn\u2019t the first time.\u201d Ben sighed. \u201cSeems he got into financial difficulties and the strain told on him. Paul thinks he\u2019ll be alright now that Barbara has sold the town house and ploughed the proceeds into the homestead, but I somehow have my doubts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked at them both and then glanced down at his plate which he now pushed away; he swallowed a little more wine though and lapsed into silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess it really is a problem,\u201d Joe said. \u201cWhat does Hester think about it, the invitation I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe thinks it would be kinder to invite them but not expect to see them at the wedding.\u201d Hoss glanced at Adam. \u201cEspecially if you\u2019re there, seems Andrew has took right against you for some reason or another.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I can understand that,\u201d Adam said in a quiet even tone of voice, he pursed his lips and looked a little uneasy but was prevented from saying anything more when Hester appeared, placed Hannah back into her crib and joined them at the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was telling \u2019em about Barbara and Andrew, Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, did you tell them about the other day when he stopped me in town?\u201d And when her husband shook his head Hester told them about the incident with Andrew.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps he meant what he said, and was trying to reassure you that everything would be alright now. People react differently to certain things and\u2014\u201d Joe began then caught sight of Hoss\u2019 face, \u201cWhy? What\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe broke her ribs, Joe. Put her to bed for some days and might well have killed her with the scissors if it hadn\u2019t been for the little girl. You should ask Mary Ann about that\u2014\u201d he scowled, the memory of Barbara that day rekindling the anger he had felt about what had happened to her.<\/p>\n

They now left the table and made their way to the chairs near the fire. Hester left them for a while to return minutes later with a tray of coffee pot and cups which she set down on the table. She smiled up at them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all intrigued about what you have got in the mail\u2026\u201d she glanced at Hoss who hurried to the bureau to bring out the various different sized and shaped envelopes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, especially this one.\u201d and Hoss handed Adam the carefully wrapped cylinder so neatly addressed to him and post marked Naples.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery interesting \u2026\u201d Joe raised his eyebrows and grinned, \u201cCome on, brother, open it up now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester poured out the coffee as Adam carefully and quite deliberately pulled away the paper, exposing the cylinder from which dropped a ring. He stared at it as it fell into the palm of his hand<\/p>\n

\u201cA ring?\u201d Hester gasped<\/p>\n

Ben reached out and picked it up to examine it more closely.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s old, made from bone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know who it could be from?\u201d Hester asked Adam who was looking at it with a thoughtful expression on his face<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I do,\u201d he said and looked into the cylinder to withdraw from its confines the carefully rolled pictures of Rachel Forster that Laurence had sketched so many weeks previously. The letter that she had written was unrolled and he read it, pursed his lips and frowned, before smoothing out the pictures which everyone peered at with intense interest.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhoever drew these pictures is a skilled artist,\u201d Ben observed now, \u201cAnd obviously cared a lot for his subject.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLaurence\u2014\u201d Adam smiled. \u201cLaurence drew them.\u201d<\/p>\n

They had heard of Laurence before during the telling of the adventures on the Kuril Islands, and also in the references to him in Adams more recent letters to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo he is a bona fide artist after all\u2026\u201d Joe smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, certainly he is.\u201d Adam nodded and looked again at the pictures, \u201cThis is Rachel. The ring belonged to her and it seems she found it during some digging around\u2026she\u2019s an archaeologist.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo this is Egyptian?\u201d Hester looked at it carefully, holding it to the light of a lamp.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t think so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s pretty.\u201d Ben said and glanced at Adam with an eyebrow crooked, \u201cAnything you would like to tell us, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

He flashed a smiled at them and tucked the letter away into the inside pocket of his jacket. \u201cNo, not really. She just wants to know who Adam Abdulkarim really was\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u201d Hester clapped her hands and laughed, \u201cNow so do I. I think there is a story here, do tell us, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, some other time,\u201d Hoss cried, \u201cThere\u2019s still this parcel to open yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam opened the smaller package carefully and looked at the box with a slight frown, they waited patiently until he opened the lid and one and all exclaimed \u2018Ooh\u2019 quite involuntarily. The medal shone against the blue velvet cushion upon which it rested. He set it down on the table and smoothed out the letter that came with it.<\/p>\n

In official terms he was informed that the medal was awarded to him for services rendered to the president of the United States, that \u2018notwithstanding regard for his personal safety\u2019 he had protected the life of the president and the safety of the khedive\u2019s kingdom. There was a lot more said that amounted to words only and Adam quickly folded it up and slipped it back into the envelope before looking down at the medal again. He turned it over and saw his name and rank engraved, along with the date, upon the back.<\/p>\n

\u201cCongratulations, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah\u2014congratulations, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Somehow it seemed as though a cloud had drifted into the homely atmosphere of the family and Adam snapped the lid of the box shut and placed it carefully upon the table.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

He was looking at the pictures of Rachel when there came a tap on the door, and Ben peered inside, looked from the pictures to his son and raised his eyebrows.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in, Pa. There\u2019s a lot to think about just now, isn\u2019t there?\u201d He smiled but his eyes were dark and quite serious.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. Is there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis matter regarding Barbara\u2026how serious is it really, in your opinion?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Paul\u2019s medical opinion is that things should settle down now, but in my non-professional opinion I\u2019m not so sure.\u201d He perched himself on to the bed and looked at Adam thoughtfully. \u201cI don\u2019t think it would be wise for you to get involved, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you mean, Pa? Barbara\u2019s a friend. She was, once, more than a friend and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just the point, son, Andrew can remember that fact every bit as much as you can. It may be better to stay away from the Pearsons for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam clenched his fists, scowled slightly and shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know if I like the idea of that\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not? It\u2019s only common sense after all. Or are you saying you still care about Barbara?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked at his father and then shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t care about Barbara in the way you mean, but I do have a lot of respect and fondness for her. If she needs help, then I should give it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe does need help but you are the last person on earth to be seen giving it, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam bit down on his bottom lip, bowed his head and then slowly nodded. \u201cI understand what you\u2019re saying, Pa, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, it\u2019s hard. I had the same problem once, remember?\u201d He placed a hand on Adam\u2019s arm. \u201cI\u2019d have given anything to have helped Joyce get away from her husband and that madman who was bleeding them dry\u2026but in the end I lost her anyway. And you have only to recall to mind what happened to Delphine Marquette\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know\u2014\u201d Adam\u2019s voice rose a little, the memory of Ross Marquette was buried only under a thin layer in his mind, it took little for him to feel the pain and relive the moment when he had killed his friend. \u201cYes, I know. You\u2019re right\u2026\u201d He smiled without warmth, a tight-lipped smile, and then he sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2014who is this lovely young lady? Should I be anticipating another daughter in law?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam raised his eyebrows at that and said nothing, he watched as his father picked up the pictures and studied them carefully. \u201cShe\u2019s pretty.\u201d He cleared his throat, \u201cIs she as young as she appears in these pictures?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s young,\u201d Adam agreed with a nod.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd\u2014if you don\u2019t mind my saying so, Adam\u2014whoever drew these pictures must have cared about her much\u2026\u201d he picked one of the pictures up and held it closer to the light. \u201cVery much indeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa.\u201d Adam nodded. \u201cI think you\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chpter 130<\/p>\n

The hardest thing was staying awake. Lilith fought against sleep night after night and was always surprised when she woke up in the morning having fallen asleep anyway, despite her best intentions. Now she lay rigidly in her bed willing her eyes to stay open and her ears to hear and note when things were going wrong. She could hear the low hum of voices from downstairs, a soft accompaniment to the wind sighing around the house.<\/p>\n

Sometimes as she lay in bed there would be a small memory of something that had happened once before struggling to creep into her mind. She imagined a door being pushed open so far and someone or something trying so hard to get it open so that it would appear and be clearly seen. But whenever she tried to get the door opened a little bit more something would happen to close it again\u2026usually it would be a happy memory, the way it felt when Daddy held her hand and she felt safe and loved, or when he would pick her up and swirl her around in the air, although that didn\u2019t happen often now as he said she was \u2018growing up to be a lady\u2019.<\/p>\n

Happy memories came so easily because Daddy had wanted her to be happy. She could remember sitting on his knee shortly after Mother died and she had been crying, and Daddy had wiped her tears away and promised her that he would always make sure she was happy.<\/p>\n

There had been picnics, and buggy rides and laughter. Lots of laughter. Then he had said that they were going to move away from \u2018that place\u2019 so that they could start a new life and be really happy. That was how they met Barbara and she had become Mommy.<\/p>\n

So many happy memories and so much joy in life and yet that door kept trying to open. She knew that lately Mother had seemed closer and even if she were \u2018in the sky\u2019 she was wanting to be nearer than that, and it seemed to Lilith that the silken thread by which she had been attached to Mother was getting stronger, instead of it seeming to be so fragile that it would break entirely. It seemed much more firmly attached now.<\/p>\n

She jumped, startled at realising she had nearly fallen asleep. There was a sound, a chair\u2026just being pushed back and footsteps on the stairs. She relaxed. It was going to be alright tonight; everything was just fine. Mommy was coming up the stairs so she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.<\/p>\n

Barbara gently stroked Lilith\u2019s cheek with her fingers and then leaned forward to kiss her. \u201cSleep well, little Lilith,\u201d she whispered and Lilith held her breath because the words had tickled in her ears.<\/p>\n

She heard Barbara\u2019s skirts rustle across the floor as she went to Peter\u2019s bed and whispered the same words to her son, even though he couldn\u2019t hear them. There was a pause as though Barbara were standing still, looking at them, and then she was gone.<\/p>\n

Lilith\u2019s eyelids didn\u2019t want to open. It was going to be alright tonight, nothing would happen. She relaxed and drifted slowly into sleep.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

It was always a pleasure to get into his own bed in his own room. Even the shadows on the ceiling and walls were familiar, and best of all, nothing moved. There was no sound of waves crashing into the sides of the boat, no birds cawing overhead, nor the sound of so many feet thudding on the boards over his head. \u2018To sleep perchance to dream \u2026\u2019<\/p>\n

He was almost asleep when the thought of Rachel came to his mind and he was instantly awake again. He could see her face clearly in his memory, aided no doubt by the pictures so lovingly executed by Laurence. A pretty girl, strong features, clear eyes\u2026he rubbed his temple with his fingers and sat up, turned the flame in the lamp higher so that the room was warmed by the light from it.<\/p>\n

A mix of emotions tumbled around inside him\u2026confusion, most definitely. Regret, to some extent. He wished that things had been different when he had been in Egypt, that they had had time to get to know one another, to have spent that time growing in affection perhaps, or even coming to the realisation that they would never be anything other than friends.<\/p>\n

Then there was Barbara and the situation there with her husband. He fell back against the pillows and closed his eyes as unbidden memories of Ross and Delphine crept into his head\u2026for some seconds nothing changed and yet, everything had changed. Everything. The memories gripped him as though he were living through that moment, and once again he became aware of the dull thud of pain in his shoulder and the sensation of warm blood trickling down his arm. At the furthest recesses of his mind he was conscious of sound\u2026a bird cawing high in the bluest of skies, the far off snort of his horse as it waited for the return of its rider.<\/p>\n

He could feel the weight of the limp body in his arms and remembered how he had closed the man\u2019s eyes out of respect for the dead but also because it was a terrible acknowledgement of what had happened. The taking of a life. The light, that something that made flesh and blood and bone a living, sentient being, was gone. Snuffed out. A dead man\u2019s eyes reminding a living man of his own mortality.<\/p>\n

Now Adam placed a hand over his own eyes as though by doing so he could stop the memories but still they came as though on a relentless trek through his brain, and he saw himself as he had stood by the side of a tall, lanky young man and watched him place a ring on the finger of his bride. There had been love and pride in those eyes then, but not how they were when Ross had lain dead in his friend\u2019s arms, a thin lean body that had been vital, powerful, lithe, but now like any other dead carrion, limp, heavy, lifeless.<\/p>\n

He remembered holding another body in his arms only hours earlier. A young woman, with tousled golden curls and blue eyes. He had closed those eyes too and held her close in his arms. Her body had been limp in his embrace as her last breath had brushed warm against his cheek.<\/p>\n

He bowed his head and became aware once again of the misery in his heart and the tears on his face. Once again he raised his eyes heavenwards as though to beseech the Creator of life not to judge him too harshly for taking this particular life. But he would judge himself.<\/p>\n

Oh yes, forever and for an eternity. Adam Cartwright would never forget the day he killed Ross Marquette.<\/p>\n

He jerked awake, the nightmare was gone, fled away in the instant his eyes had opened and the light shone into them. A new day. Morning. He felt his mouth dry and looked at the lamp to see that the funnel was blackened from the smoke from the wick and his head felt heavy, aching\u2026he rubbed his face and heard the familiar thud on the door, Hoss was awake and reminding him that it was time to eat, just like in the old days, in the familiar old days.<\/p>\n

The pictures of Rachel had been placed on the desk in the corner of his room and he looked at them again thoughtfully while wondering once more about the meaning behind her letter.<\/p>\n

Beside the pictures was the box contained the medal that Grant had sent him. He picked it up and looked at it as it gleamed in the morning light. For a moment his mind returned to Egypt and he remembered the heat of the desert, the camels, and the long journey there. The memory was so strong that the smell of Doestov\u2019s cigarettes filled his nostrils.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou coming down?\u201d Joe peered into the room and grinned over at him, a bright happy young man with his future before him and the happiest day of his life only days away.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe there in a minute.\u201d He snapped the box shut and put it into the drawer where another medal had been placed and Barbara\u2019s ring. He would always think of it as her ring, and shook his head as though that was another memory to discard.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The report about the return of \u201cCommodore Adam Cartwright\u201d appeared in the Enterprise that morning. Somewhere many miles away a secretary had busily written up a report about the commodore\u2019s long journey to Egypt and his receiving his second medal from a grateful president. The eulogy was written in such fulsome language that it was difficult to think of the Adam Cartwright the people of Virginia City knew with the man represented there in print. Widow Hawkins even commented that it was doubtful if Adam would even recognise himself.<\/p>\n

Andrew Pearson overheard the comment and out of curiosity went to purchase the newspaper. He read the report through and then re-read it before carefully folding the paper neatly away in his saddlebags. The announcement of the forthcoming marriage of Mary Ann Hornby to Joseph Cartwright of the Ponderosa completely slipped his notice.<\/p>\n

For the next few hours he had time enough to brood over the report as he went about his errands, he avoided the Bucket of Blood saloon and rode past the Sazarac his mind too full of thoughts and memories to bother indulging in any attempt to blot them out with drink.<\/p>\n

He paused a moment outside the school house and watched as the schoolteacher came out during recess. It was cold, the ground was frozen with ice, and she wore a shawl over her coat that covered her hair. For a moment he watched as the children ran around, sliding on the ice and sometimes falling over onto the hard-packed ground. His hand went to the handle of his gun and he slowly withdrew it from its holster.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi ya Mr. Pearson,\u201d<\/p>\n

A bright chirpy voice and he looked down to see Tommy Barnes looking up at him, he slipped the gun back, grateful for the long coat he wore having covered it from Tommy\u2019s view. He nodded and the boy grinned, all big ears and freckles, and practically smothered in a closely knitted muffler.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen\u2019s Lilith coming back to school, Mr. Pearson?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith? He blinked and shook his head, Lilith at school? No, of course not, she wanted to stay home and Barbara said she could teach her better than anyone else, after all, she had been school mistress here for a while. He shivered. \u201cI don\u2019t know. Soon probably.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good. See ya, Mr. Pearson.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mary Ann turned at the sound of Tommy\u2019s voice and saw the horseman watching her. Her eyes met his and even though it was so cold, what she saw in his eyes made her feel as though she were burning all over.<\/p>\n

Chapter 128<\/p>\n

Hannah Cartwright gazed solemnly up at her uncle; true it was rather a cross-eyed regard, but her uncle didn\u2019t seem to mind as he laughed down at her and tickled her chin.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know how you managed it, Hoss,\u201d Adam declared as he carefully held the infant in the crook of his arm, \u201cIt\u2019s quite obvious that your daughter has inherited all her mother\u2019s beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has my toes,\u201d Hoss replied quickly and leaned over Adam\u2019s shoulder to peer down at his daughter. \u201cShe\u2019s so dad blamed cute, ain\u2019t she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe sure is,\u201d Adam said softly and gently held one little hand in his, marvelling at how her tiny fingers instantly curled around his, \u201cYou\u2019ve been well blessed,\u201d he said in such a quiet voice that Hester got a lump in her throat and turned to look more intently at her sewing.<\/p>\n

Joe regarded them with a smile as he rose from the table, pushed the chair away and stretched.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m going into town, I have to go and make some arrangements with Mary Ann.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll ride in with you,\u201d Adam said immediately. \u201cI want to see some people there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Ben looked over at him instantly and crooked a dark eyebrow, making his son smile back at him. \u201cDon\u2019t forget what I said about the Pearsons.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t forgotten, Pa.\u201d He felt like laughing out loud that he, a man who commanded a full ship\u2019s complement of men, would take orders from Ben Cartwright as though he were still a small child. He shook his head. \u201cIf I do happen to forget, Pa, what will you do? Take me to the barn for a tanning?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not too big to get one, lad.\u201d Ben laughed and walked over to take his granddaughter from her Uncle, \u201cCome on, sweetheart, come and talk to your Grand-dad, you probably will talk more sense than your uncle anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

They grinned at one another, happy, contented, and confident that within those walls nothing could ever come to harm them. Hop Sing shuffled into the room to clear away the table and smiled over at the tableau set out before him\u2026strange how life spins everything around so that the present can resemble the past so closely.<\/p>\n

Having buckled on their gun belts, pulled on winter coats and grabbed at their hats the two brothers hurried out of the house. Both of them glanced instinctively up at the sky and sighed. It was cold, cold enough for snow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope it holds off for a while yet.\u201d Joe muttered and shivered.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will,\u201d Adam replied as he pulled open the stable door and entered the building to walk past the horses stabled there. He paused at Sport\u2019s stall, and then glanced over at the stall where Cochise would have been enjoying his hay bag and oats. \u201cYou must miss Cochise,\u201d he said as he began to saddle up Sport who had welcomed him with as much warmth as any loyal beast could, he ran his hand down the sweep of Sport\u2019s neck before turning. \u201cAre you alright, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019m fine, thanks; it just hit me fresh that he wasn\u2019t there.\u201d Joe sighed and began to saddle another horse. \u201cI\u2019ve been riding Sport since it happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good, I\u2019m glad you did.\u201d Adam paused, \u201cDo you\u2014\u201d he pointed to Sport, inviting his brother to use the horse should he so wish but Joe replied immediately that no, he would use Mistral, a horse of which he had grown fond since Cochise\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s strange being back,\u201d Joe suddenly announced just as he slipped the bridle and bit onto his horse, \u201cSo much happened before I left, what with Ingrid and all that business. And now coming back to this situation with the Pearsons. I would never have thought that Andrew Pearson would harm a fly, let alone the woman he loved.\u201d<\/p>\n

His brother said nothing, preferring to keep his thoughts to himself.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

It was strange riding into Virginia City on that particular morning. People called out greetings to them, wanted to shake their hands and congratulate them both, Adam on his \u2018honour\u2019 in being awarded another medal and Joe for his upcoming wedding. They parted at the school house where Joe dismounted and made his way to see Mary Ann, it was recess time and the children were trooping out of the schoolroom to get some fresh air and play.<\/p>\n

Mary Ann was wiping chalk from the board when he entered and for a moment he paused to watch her. Her slim body, neat and compact, moved elegantly as she cleared off the writing, her chestnut hair was fastened neatly behind her and trailing down her back from an ivory clasp while wispy curls framed her face. When she turned and saw him she jumped as though surprised, and then relaxed, hurrying into his arms and holding him tightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Joe, for a moment I thought you were him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHim? Do you mean you have another man in your life already?\u201d he said as he held her close and searched for her lips, which upon finding, he kissed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAndrew Pearson was here this morning, he looked at me so strangely, Joe, he really frightened me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s face dropped into more serious lines as he looked into her eyes and could see how anxious she really was, he wasn\u2019t even sure what to say, so drew her back into his arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mary Ann, it won\u2019t happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t promise that, Joe, you\u2019re not here and\u2014\u201d she looked over his shoulder at the door, and then into his face, \u201cI think he wanted to kill me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, why should he want to do that? Perhaps you\u2019re just a little nervous because of Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n

He kissed her brow, her nose and then her lips, stroked her cheek and then led her to a chair whereupon he pulled another close to it and sat beside her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been acting odd from what we\u2019ve been told.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, horribly so. He really hurt Barbara and Lilith\u2014well, she won\u2019t come to school now. I am sure she\u2019s staying home because\u2014oh I don\u2019t know, perhaps you\u2019re right, perhaps I\u2019m imagining things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, go on, tell me what you were going to say about Lilith?\u201d he held her hand in his and looked at her gently.<\/p>\n

She looked into his eyes and saw the patient concern on his face. \u201cI think Lilith is worried that something bad could happen to Barbara. It\u2019s almost as though she\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, no one knows how Andrew became a widower, do they?\u201d she whispered as though ashamed to have even made the suggestion and she felt his fingers tighten around hers and wondered if he thought she were being judgemental.<\/p>\n

\u201cHas Lilith said anything to you to make you think that perhaps something happened\u2014I mean\u2014that Andrew may have harmed her mother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s just the way she is now, so protective. So\u2014so intense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe could say nothing to that, he could only kiss her fingertips and then, as time was ticking away far too quickly, bring the conversation around to the arrangements for the wedding.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Paul Martin, M.D., shook Adam\u2019s hand vigorously.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour father must be proud of you, Adam,\u201d he said several times, \u201cI know most of us here in town are, those of us who have known you since as far back as they can recall.\u201d He turned as the door opened and John stepped into the surgery. \u201cJohn, let me introduce you to Adam Cartwright, Ben\u2019s eldest son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, the commodore?\u201d John smiled, his eyes twinkled and he shook hands warmly. \u201cGood to meet you at last, I\u2019ve heard a lot about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been hearing quite a bit about you too, all good things I assure you.\u201d Adam grinned, the dimples in his cheeks were deepened by the sincerity of what he said. \u201cI actually came here to discuss something with you, Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, not ill are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNever better\u2014\u201d Adam smiled again, the dimples flashed and the eyes sparkled; he glanced over at John. \u201cActually you could probably help me here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFire away,\u201d John replied and pulled out a chair so that he could sit down and relax. It had been a hectic morning and he was glad of the chance to just sit and talk.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul, do you remember when Ross Marquette\u2014\u201d he inhaled deeply as though needing some air in his lungs\u2014\u201cwhen Ross became ill. You talked to me about a dark gate, and how the medical profession didn\u2019t know much about the mind, and how it functions, how it can at times change a man from being kind and generous to being mean and cruel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember; may I ask where this conversation is leading?\u201d Paul asked in a serious tone of voice as he also took a seat and observed the other man with anxious eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to know if there had been any advances medically with regards to that kind of thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if so?\u201d Paul raised an eyebrow, \u201cIs this a hypothetical case, Adam, or are you enquiring on behalf of someone you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced hurriedly over at John who had his head bowed and appeared to be listening intently.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I admit I don\u2019t know the person well, but it seems to me that he\u2019s suffering much the same way Ross did. Do you remember how it all started with him? He lost a lot of money and was in debt, and then something happened\u2014here\u2014\u201d Adam touched his head, \u201cYou couldn\u2019t explain what it was except that perhaps one day medical progress would be able to help people caught up in situations like that and \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt hasn\u2019t progressed that far yet,\u201d John said sincerely, \u201cThere are drugs that can be administered to calm people if they have become completely deranged, but there\u2019s still a lot to learn about the human brain, and when people like Andrew\u2014I mean\u2014\u201d he paused, shrugged, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, but there\u2019s little point in beating around the bush here. You do mean Andrew Pearson, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d Adam passed a hand over his face, then allowed it to drop to his side as he stared at the far wall. \u201cPa told me about what has been happening there, between Andrew and Barbara. It was so like what happened to the Marquettes and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd?\u201d John prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Ross was a close friend of mine, as was his wife.\u201d Again Adam paused a moment and stared at the far wall as though he could see there the faces of the two people being discussed. \u201cHe killed her, and I\u2014I killed him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no reason to think that that could happen again, Adam.\u201d Paul said gently, \u201cAs far as we know Andrew is just a bad tempered man who lost his temper with his wife; unfortunately there are too many men like that and as far as the law goes\u2014well, there\u2019s no redress in law for the woman.\u201d He frowned, shrugged. \u201cI\u2019d just like to mention here that there are some women who beat their husbands, rare, but it happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2014\u201d Adam raised a hand towards them as though in appeal. \u201cNeither of you feel that Andrew Pearson is\u2014well\u2014anything like Ross Marquette? He isn\u2019t going through that dark gate?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so, Adam.\u201d Paul said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt could be,\u201d John added significantly, \u201cthat they were a mismatched couple who are now realising that they should never have married and as a result the frustration of their life makes them angry, with the inevitable result that one or the other of them strikes out and hurts the other.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked at John intently for a second or two, frowned, and shook his head, then he sighed and picked up his hat, slowly placing it on his head again. \u201cWell, I don\u2019t know, but that\u2019s a pretty miserable life you\u2019ve just described there, John.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt happens\u2026\u201d came the quiet reply.<\/p>\n

Adam barely nodded an acknowledgement to that but bade them both good day and left the building. As he closed the door behind him he shook his head, somehow he felt unsatisfied with the answers he had been given, and once again he was reminded of the fact that he felt exactly that same way years before in the case of his friend, Ross Marquette.<\/p>\n

Chapter 129<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he always that intense?\u201d<\/p>\n

John Martin perched himself on a corner of the old desk that housed so many files and folders and secrets about the inhabitants of Virginia City, and watched through the window as Adam Cartwright finally walked away from their premises towards his horse. Paul glanced up and turned to look, in time to see Adam mount the horse and turn its head towards the south part of town. He sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not always; only about the things that matter to him.\u201d He smiled over at John, \u201cIs he what you expected?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, mmm, no,\u201d John smiled. \u201cCaught me by surprise really. He wasn\u2019t what I expected; probably a bit larger than life. No, I mean, he was more than I expected.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019s like all the Cartwright men, stubborn, loyal, brave. He\u2019s a good friend to have around though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven when he ends up shooting you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, well, that situation with Ross Marquette wasn\u2019t exactly straightforward. I know Adam shot him in self defence but I think he knew that if Ross was arrested and jailed for the murder of his wife, no matter what state his mind was in, then Ross would have been lost mentally forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA compassionate act then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to say that\u2014it\u2019s only my opinion after all.\u201d Paul shrugged. \u201cAs far as Adam\u2019s concerned Ross shot him, he fired his gun instinctively in defence and Ross was killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you say you trust his instincts?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d Paul nodded although he was already leafing through some of his case files, and his mind was wandering onto other things.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I think I had better go and pay Mrs. Pearson a visit.\u201d John said as he reached for his medical bag, \u201cI think Adam Cartwright\u2019s instincts are reliable enough for me to do that at least.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, be careful, don\u2019t make any rash judgements.\u201d Paul peered over the rim of his spectacles at his nephew who nodded as he grabbed for his hat on the way out.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Adam had already arranged with Joe that they would return home separately, after all Joe had more things to do concerning the wedding and needed that time to be with Mary Ann, and whereas at one time he would have been prepared to go to the saloon for a drink and wait the time out, his natural instinct for privacy urged him to avoid doing so following the amount of attention just riding through town had brought to him.<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee jumped from his chair when he saw Adam, a huge grin on his face and his hand outstretched to shake the younger man\u2019s hand, \u201cFolks around here think you\u2019re a hero, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s not strictly true,\u201d Adam replied, pulling out a chair and carefully folding himself nto it, \u201cI\u2019m just a man doing his job, Roy, just as you\u2019re doing yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, well,\u201d Roy scratched the back of his neck, \u201cI ain\u2019t likely to get a medal from the president for doing my work that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should; you deserve one,\u201d Adam replied and then looked around the old familiar office before smiling at Roy, \u201cAnyone in the cells today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly old Webster, drunk as a skunk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh,\u201d Adam nodded and teetered back on the chair so that it was balanced on just the two back legs, \u201cRoy, you been to see the Pearson\u2019s lately?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPearsons? You mean Andrew and Barbara?\u201d Roy shook his head, \u201cNo. Why? Should I?\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead of answering the sheriff Adam returned to the previous subject. With a smile, he said casually, \u201cWhat did old Webster do today then, apart from being drunk?\u201d He folded his hands in his lap and rocked back and forth, just as he used to, and the familiarity of the action made Roy smile. He pushed a mug of coffee over the desk towards his visitor and nodded,<\/p>\n

\u201cHe broke Jock McCarthy\u2019s nose during a brawl as well as his cheek bone, and bit a lump out of Fergus Jackson\u2019s shoulder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that then? Assault?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh-huh.\u201d Roy nodded and gulped down some coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the punishment for that nowadays?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, Webster was drunk so were the other two, no one\u2019s coherent enough to make a statement. He\u2019ll cool down in here and if the other two bring charges then there\u2019ll be a fine, after all the three share a claim together and don\u2019t go anywhere without the other two with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, if a man beats up another, it is still assault?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you know dang well it is.\u201d Roy frowned, \u201cAre you trying to play those word games with me agin to git me involved with this Pearson business?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, why haven\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause Mrs. Pearson wouldn\u2019t make a statement or press charges when I questioned her about it.\u201d Roy\u2019s voice had risen several decibels and his moustache stuck out like a toothbrush, all bristles, \u201cLook, I did what I could at the time. There ain\u2019t nothing I can do, Adam, no matter how I personally feel about the matter. Fact is, it makes my blood boil to know a man\u2019s hitting his wife but the women don\u2019t make it any easier on themselves by trying to pretend it never happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, drank some coffee, and watched the old sheriff drink some more of his. \u201cWhen are you retiring from this business, Roy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t\u2014not today anyhow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wondered\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThink I\u2019m too old, do you? Jest because I didn\u2019t haul Pearson in here for a spell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, fact is, I\u2019m worried about what\u2019ll happen when you do retire, Roy. You\u2019re about the best lawman I know\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, wal then, in that case it\u2019s different,\u201d Roy nodded; the blue eyes twinkled and he looked pleased. \u201cJest how many lawmen round these parts do you know, anyhow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEnough,\u201d Adam chuckled and finished his coffee before unwinding himself from the chair. He smiled at Roy, \u201cThanks for the coffee, Roy. You coming to the wedding?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWild horses wouldn\u2019t stop me,\u201d Roy replied with a nod of the head. \u201cFancy Little Joe getting married? I can still see him running around town creating havoc as a little boy. He sure was a lad for finding trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStill is\u2014\u201d Adam slipped his hat on and nodded a farewell to his old friend before making his way outside again.<\/p>\n

The wind was keener so he pulled up the collar of his faded yellow coat and thrust his hands into his pockets, then with his head down he made his way to his horse. Having mounted Sport he turned the horse round and as usual Sport had to do his little sidestep routine before complying with his master\u2019s request, but the steel wrist was enough to remind the animal that Adam wasn\u2019t a man who allowed an animal to control him. Within a short time they were galloping out of town.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Barbara watched as Lilith and Peter settled into their afternoon nap. Peter was still small and needed it after an energetic morning\u2019s activity, but Lilith had recently taken to falling asleep over the table while doing her school work so Barbara had decided she also should have a nap. Both of them knew that Andrew was seldom home at that hour as work on the range kept him away from the house. Most willingly the little girl succumbed to sleep knowing it made staying awake during the night that much easier.<\/p>\n

While the children slept Barbara prepared the meal, carefully peeling vegetables and dicing up the meat. She was about to sprinkle in the herbs when there came a light but persistent knock on the door. Her heart did a double somersault as she stood at the table and waited a moment to see if there would be another knock.<\/p>\n

The second knock came, and taking a deep breath she hurried to the door. Visitors were rare and usually welcome, but Barbara had reached the stage where she viewed most visitors as dangerous intruders into her life, the potential for danger to herself and to her children as those visitors could so well see or hear something relative to the relationship she and her husband shared.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Martin!\u201d Her exclamation of surprise was genuine; the last person she had expected to see was the doctor, who smiled at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to come by and see how you were, Barbara, after all, it has been a while since your\u2014er\u2014accident.\u201d He looked at her then, looked deep into her eyes, saw a well of misery that was instantly covered over by a blank stare. They both knew it was no accident, they both knew the other knew they were pretending, but somehow it just seemed safer that way.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m well, thank you, Dr. Martin.\u201d she put a hand on the door as though to pull it shut, but he remained standing there, not quite with his foot in the door but obviously determined not to be dismissed that lightly. \u201cI don\u2019t understand why you came after so long, Doctor. There\u2019s really nothing wrong with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I\u2019d come and check on Peter as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeter\u2019s asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a pity, and there would be no point in my trying to do anything with him when he woke up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, none at all, he\u2019s only a baby and wouldn\u2019t understand why you were here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you thought anymore about going to San Francisco about getting a consultant to see to him? I could arrange it, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou would need to speak to my husband about that,\u201d she said and glanced anxiously over his shoulder as though Andrew were about to appear at any moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see. I had hoped that I would be able to talk to you more\u2014well\u2014more honestly, Mrs. Pearson, after what Adam said I\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d her eyes opened, the blank look was gone and interest kindled, \u201cAdam who?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright. He came into town to speak to me about some friends of his\u2026and about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She blushed slightly and placed a hand to her brow, pushed back a curl of hair and then cleared her throat with a soft cough. \u201cI\u2014I didn\u2019t know he was back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was in the newspaper\u2014along with the announcement of Joe\u2019s marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe? Getting married? That\u2019s wonderful.\u201d She closed the door behind her, pulling her shawl tighter around her, \u201cHow was Adam? Is he well?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe so, M\u2019am, I hadn\u2019t met him before today so have no way of comparison, but my uncle seemed happy enough to let him leave the surgery without any examination or prescriptions.\u201d He smiled then, his face falling into handsome lines of good humour and she smiled back, her eyes shining with what he thought could have been tears.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for coming by, Doctor, I have to go in now to see to the children.\u201d she said in a soft voice and before he could say another word she had slipped back indoors and closed the door firmly behind her.<\/p>\n

He stood there a matter of minutes before accepting the fact that the interview was over, and without a word returned to his buggy.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The horseman paused a moment at the fork in the road, if he turned to the left he would eventually ride onto the Pearsons\u2019 property, if he continued onwards he would find himself on Ponderosa land.<\/p>\n

He hesitated a moment only before continuing onwards, putting Sport into a faster gallop so that he could enjoy the freedom of this ride which, despite the cold wind burning his face, was something he had dreamt of for a long time.<\/p>\n

Only minutes after he had disappeared from view Dr. Martins buggy made its appearance and took the turning towards town. He flicked the reins to make the horses go faster as he was cold and hungry; he was also disappointed in the way his conversation with Barbara had gone, leaving him undecided and concerned.<\/p>\n

He was halfway back into town when he met Joe riding fast on Mistral, the two men acknowledged one another with a tip of the hat and a grin, John yelled out, \u201cWelcome home!\u201d and Joe yelled back, \u201cI\u2019m getting married Saturday, don\u2019t forget to come!\u201d so that John had leaned out of the buggy and yelled \u201cWhat?\u201d to Joe\u2019s retreating back. He shook his head and with a smile and a lighter mood, urged the horses homewards.<\/p>\n

At the fork in the road Joe turned left and galloped along the track towards the Pearsons\u2019 property. He could see the smoke trailing up from the chimney, and with his eyes scanning the land for sight of Andrew he rode on towards the house.<\/p>\n

For the second time that day Barbara opened the door to someone knocking and this time welcomed her visitor with a smile,<\/p>\n

\u201cI would invite you in, Joe, but the children are sleeping and Andrew will be home soon.\u201d she tried to put a light note into the words but her hand remained on the door handle and she looked ready to bolt inside at any second.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s alright, Barbara, I just came to see you and tell you that I\u2019m getting married on Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded, blinked and her eyes flicked from left to right nervously, as though she didn\u2019t have the courage to meet his eyes, then she looked down at her shoes<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy for you, Joe. Mary Ann is a lovely girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbara, I know that I\u2019ve been rather cold towards you for a while, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Joe, I have to go.\u201d and she retreated into the house, slamming the door shut.<\/p>\n

He was about to knock again when he heard the sound of wagon wheels and turning he saw Andrew Pearson pulling his team up in the yard. The other man glared at Joe as he clambered down,<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you want here, Joe?\u201d his voice was not hostile, but there was not the familiar warmth of neighbours, friends, as there had been previously.<\/p>\n

Joe walked towards the other man and regarded him thoughtfully. He preferred to be some distance from the house, so he glanced over his shoulder before turning to Andrew. Looking at him without a smile on his face, he quite bluntly said: \u201cIf you ever frighten Mary Ann again, I\u2019m going to come and see that you don\u2019t frighten anyone anymore. Do you understand what I\u2019m saying, Andrew?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t frighten her,\u201d Andrew shrugged. \u201cShe\u2019s a woman; she\u2019s making it up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe happens to be my woman, and she doesn\u2019t make things up. Just take this as a warning, Andrew: do it again, or so much as touch her, and you won\u2019t be capable of raising your hand to any woman ever again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew stared at him so hard that if Joe hadn\u2019t been so angry he might well have backed down; as it was his nerves started to twitch and he was more than relieved when Pearson nodded, then shrugged again, \u201cI stopped by the school this morning out of habit, I guess. I used to do that when Barbara taught there\u2026I think your lady friend was mistaking my reason for being there but I understand your concerns, Joe; after all, it\u2019s your right to want to defend her even if she is wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe merely narrowed his eyes and thinned his lips, before turning and stalking over to his horse, mounting up and galloping away. He was more than aware of Andrew Pearson\u2019s eyes boring into his back.<\/p>\n

Chapter 130<\/p>\n

Barbara was surprised to find that her hands were shaking when she returned to her tasks. Lilith was waking up and was stretching and yawning like a little kitten from her bed. She blinked and smiled at Barbara who just mouthed \u201cDaddy\u2019s home,\u201d few enough words, but enough to make the child transform once again into the rigid tense little body she had become over the months.<\/p>\n

Peter was waking up and held out his arms to his mother, who picked him up and carried him on her hip as she set out the table for the meal. The door opened and Andrew entered the house, wiped his feet and removed his hat. A bundle under his arm caught their attention as did the smile on his face, and although it should have put them at ease it only made them more nervous.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that was good of Joe to call in,\u201d he said in a relaxed easy tone of voice, that of the Andrew she had fallen in love with. He came and kissed her cheek, tweaked Lilith\u2019s chin and put down the bundle he had been carrying in order to take Peter from her.<\/p>\n

Peter put out his arms and was instantly engulfed by his father\u2019s. Andrew smiled over the top of Peter\u2019s head at Barbara \u201cWhat did Joe have to say to you, Barbara? Was he here long?\u201d There was no hint of anything wrong in his voice, she was used to sensing out the nuances that betrayed the mood he was in, but this time he sounded jovial, happy and relaxed.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust to say that he was getting married.\u201d She paused. \u201cOn Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, have we been invited?\u201d he swung Peter in the air, nearly knocking into Lilith, for the room wasn\u2019t spacious; with the big table in the way it was, in fact, rather cramped.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t say, he went on to apologise for being so unfriendly recently. I daresay if we are invited we will get to know in good time.\u201d She smiled, relaxed now, and prepared to forgive him anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went into town earlier this morning before starting off for work. Rode in on Jack, thought a good gallop would do him good, he\u2019s getting fat doing nothing all day.\u201d He smiled and sat down, Peter on his knee and the bundle once again in his hand. He looked at Lilith. \u201cGet the scissors, sweetheart, and cut the string. That girl in the mercantile tied the knot too tight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith glanced over at Barbara, who was busy now carving the bread and had her back to her; she went to the sewing box and found the scissors and snipped through the string, then quickly slipped the scissors into her apron pocket.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook what I\u2019ve got here\u2014\u201d Andrew laughed and they turned to look at him, and then at the bundle on the table. \u201cThis is for Peter\u2026\u201d he held up a soft rag dog with button eyes and a neatly sewn red nose; it even had some whiskers, and the child\u2019s delight at being given the toy just melted Barbara\u2019s heart, she caught Andrew\u2019s eyes and smiled at him, glad to get a warm loving look in return. \u201cAnd this is for the best little girl in the world,\u201d he now declared producing from the packet a doll, which he placed gently in Lilith\u2019s arms, a doll with golden hair, blue eyes and the prettiest dress, neat little shoes on her feet.<\/p>\n

Barbara\u2019s heart did a quick lurch, where did he get the money from except from the savings they had in the bank, savings that had been put aside for the seed and grain, and tools for the coming spring, money essential for bills and debts, because she knew that sooner or later, Andrew would be in debt again. She turned away to collect food from the cupboard and to try and keep the smile on her face, and when she turned again Lilith was kissing her father on the cheek with a look of sheer joy on her face.<\/p>\n

\u2018She\u2019s been won over,\u2019 Barbara thought, \u201cHe\u2019s charmed her onto his side with the doll.\u2019 and for an instant she felt resentment, and rejection.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd for the sweetest prettiest wife\u2014\u201d Andrew looked at her with pride and love, the same Andrew who had looked at her that way when they were married and Adam Cartwright was many, many miles away, \u201cI love you, sweetheart.\u201d and he gave her a silk ribbon, the blue of a summers sky, and a book, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. \u201cI know how you wanted the book, had to wait a while for it to come all the way from back east.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s lovely, thank you,\u201d she whispered and caressed the front page with her fingers, and then looked at him with tears in her eyes. \u201cThank you, Andrew.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood up then, pushing the chair back and coming close to her, Peter in the crook of one arm while he put the other arm around her, drew her close and kissed her tenderly, gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do love you, Barbara,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love you too, darling.\u201d She smiled up at him, but in her mind added \u2018when you\u2019re like this, when you\u2019re Andrew, not that other\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you cold? You just shivered?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m\u2014I\u2019m just so happy\u2014\u201d she looked at Lilith and then had to turn away as she saw the little girl holding her doll as tenderly as a nursing mother.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re both quiet,\u201d Ben Cartwright poured some more wine into the glasses and looked anxiously at his eldest and youngest sons, \u201cSomething happen in town that I should know about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Pa, nothing.\u201d Joe said quickly<\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t answer but looked thoughtfully at Joe before he caught Ben\u2019s eyes, he smiled, nodded as though to affirm that he, also, had not come across anything in town and the brown eyes of his father lost their cautious look to be replaced with, perhaps, relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cI met the new doctor, Paul\u2019s nephew.\u201d Adam said as he carved into his steak, \u201cHe appears to be a modern young man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s good, been a lot of help to his uncle,\u201d Ben agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s turned out to be a good friend,\u201d Hoss mumbled and then filled his mouth again, and began to chomp on the meat, glanced over at Hester and winked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we thought at first he was here for other reasons than helping his uncle,\u201d Hester laughed and told Adam the story of Ingrid, Milton and John which, for some reason, had Joe blushing and getting fidgety.<\/p>\n

\u201cI forgot, little brother here got a mite friendlier with Ingrid than he had intended, didn\u2019t you, Joe?\u201d Hoss grinned, unconsciously adding to Joe\u2019s discomfort.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was before Mary Ann came to town,\u201d Joe growled and his brow furrowed into a deep scowl. \u201cAnyway, it didn\u2019t take me long to realise her little game.\u201d He racked his brains to think of a diversion and then announced how he had called in to see Barbara earlier.<\/p>\n

The silence that descended was profound to say the least, and Ben darted a sharp look first at Adam and then at Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy\u2019d you do that?\u201d Hoss demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I wanted to invite her to the wedding, and apologise\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cApologise, what for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I was never really friendly to her after she married Andrew. I thought\u2014\u201d he looked keenly at Adam, who was making some effort at eating his food without being party to the conversation. \u201cI thought she had been disloyal to Adam by going off with Andrew and\u2014\u201d he shrugged, \u201cI wanted to let her know that I was in the wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow was she?\u201d Hester asked after a moment of silence had lapsed.<\/p>\n

\u201cScared stiff, and when Andrew arrived she darted indoors as fast as she could, didn\u2019t want him to see me talking to her I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced up and over at Ben before his eyes darted over to look at Joe. He wondered if this version of the visit was really true because the way Joe looked, that pulse at the temple, the tautness of his jaw, indicated there was more to the story that he had related. He remained silent however, waiting for Ben to speak first but Ben chose to continue with his meal after saying that he thought Joe was taking a risk going there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think we Cartwrights are high in Andrew\u2019s favour just now,\u201d he said by way of conclusion.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

The light tapping on the door interrupted Joe\u2019s thoughts but he opened it anyway and shrugged when he saw Adam leaning against the door frame. \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d he asked rather ungraciously as he returned to his disrobing for the night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wanted to know why you really went to the Pearsons\u2019 today, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you already, or weren\u2019t you listening.\u201d Joe snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, what\u2019s got into you, Joe?\u201d Adam grabbed his arm and pulled him round to face him, \u201cSomething happened in town, didn\u2019t it? Or was it something that was said at Barbara\u2019s?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s nostrils whitened as he snorted back his indignation and pulled his arm free, then he shrugged. \u201cWell, to be honest, something did happen. Mary Ann told me that Pearson had gone by the school and threatened her. So\u2014\u201d he raised his chin and stared hard at Adam\u2014\u201cso I went to tell Pearson to leave her alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he deny it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he said he went by there out of force of habit, said she had imagined things. Her being a mere woman!\u201d Joe growled out the words and pulled on his nightshirt. \u201cNow, leave me alone, Adam, I\u2019ve a lot on my mind and I need to get some sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

His brother gave him a long scrutinising look before awarding him a curt nod, and leaving him to get on with his ablutions. He closed the door and stood for a moment in silent contemplation, before making his way to his own room.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Andrew Pearson held his wife in his arms and stroked her hair gently. They sat side by side on the settee watching the last of the flames die out in the fire. Such moments as this were so infrequent now that Barbara relished the opportunities that came her way to be loved and to love in return. He had even allowed her to read some passages from the book, and smiled at her, and nodded at certain phrases when she had raised her head to look over at him,<\/p>\n

\u201cSo did you have any other visitors today, my love?\u201d he whispered softly, his head resting upon hers and his fingers toying with her hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly Dr. Martin.\u201d she replied sleepily.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, which one?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJohn.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a lull in the conversation, but his hand continued playing her hair just as gently, there was no change in his breathing or the tone of his voice when he asked her, eventually, why he had come.<\/p>\n

She chose her words carefully by saying he had come to see how Peter was, and to find out whether or not they wanted him to arrange with a consultant to see the child in San Francisco.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo? So what did you say to that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI said he would have to discuss it with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood girl.\u201d he kissed the top of her head, \u201cDidn\u2019t say anything else at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Silence again. She was feeling decidedly sleepy and moved to get up, saying she thought she would like to get to bed, she was so tired. He said nothing but when she moved away his fingers tightened on her hair and pulled her back.<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t they tell you that your friend was back in town?\u201d he said softly. \u201cYou know, the one you nearly married but didn\u2019t because you chose me instead.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cYes, that\u2019s the one\u2026Commodore Adam Cartwright, who has recently been awarded yet another medal for bravery beyond the call of duty\u2026or so it said in the paper.\u201d<\/p>\n

She winced as the grip on her tightened and before she could say a word his hand was around her throat. \u201cPerhaps you wish you had married your seaman after all, perhaps you wish you had never set eyes on me. Isn\u2019t that right?\u201d<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t scream, his fingers were tightening around her throat and she struggled to pull them free, her nails raked along the flesh of his arms and his fingers only tightened.<\/p>\n

Upstairs Lilith slept soundly, the doll cradled in her arms, her sleep undisturbed by the sounds in the room below her, undisturbed by dreams. It was only when Peter started to cry and wail that she slowly opened her eyes to the darkness and the silence.<\/p>\n

Chapter 131<\/p>\n

The early morning beckoned bright and slightly milder than it had been for some days. Even before the sun was up the Cartwrights would be at the table eating and preparing for the chores of the day, and Adam found nothing had changed in this routine. He ate his meal with them and assured Hester that Hannah\u2019s howling during the night did not disturb him as it was nothing compared to the roar of the sea and howling gales he often endured for days and nights on end.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you intend to do today, Adam?\u201d Ben enquired of his eldest son.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to ride, just ride…\u201d a touch of wistfulness in the words and they understood, looked at one another and said nothing. \u201cWhat about you, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going into town, hope you don\u2019t mind, Pa? I realise I haven\u2019t been much help since I got back but there\u2019s so much to do and I want to order various items for the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know where you\u2019re going to put it, Joe?\u201d Hoss looked at Joe with admiration in his big blue eyes, almost as though he could see Joe building the house all by himself within twenty-four hours, and he smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep, know exactly the right spot.\u201d Joe grinned and his hazel eyes sparked green. He looked over at Adam, \u201cWhy not ride on by later on and tell me what you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and smiled then stood up, dropping his napkin on the table beside the now empty plate. \u201cIf you\u2019ll excuse me then\u2014\u201d he glanced over at Ben, who was watching him warily. \u201cI\u2019ll see you later.\u201d<\/p>\n

As soon as the door was closed behind him Ben released the pent-up breath he had held back, trying to remind himself that some idiot philosopher had once said that children were a 16 year project. He had disagreed with that when he had first read it, and he still did. As far as he was concerned, a Cartwright was a lifetime project, a continuing work in progress. He glanced over at Hoss and Hester and sighed again. Well, he thought, they\u2019ll find out for themselves, that\u2019s for sure.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Adam loved the smell of the stables just as much as his brothers did. There were memories hidden and lurking in the smells and the warmth and the work involved in caring for the horses. Here they had curried and groomed, mucked out stalls and polished tack side by side since as far back as he could remember. He took the brush now and began to bring it down over Sport\u2019s sleek coat, talking to his old friend about nothing in particular and finally breaking out in song:<\/p>\n

\u201cEarly one morning just as the day was dawning\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He paused when someone whistling the tune entered the stable. He turned, saw Joe and smiled. \u201cEverything alright with you, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, everything\u2019s fine.\u201d Joe grinned back at Adam and approached Mistral\u2019s stall; he paused as he passed Adam and watched his brother brushing Sport for a moment so that when Adam glanced up and saw him there he grinned, \u201cI wanted to say sorry for yesterday, Adam. I was irritated and took it out on you\u2014I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cApology accepted.\u201d Adam put the brush down and now raised Sport\u2019s leg in order to check his hoof. He checked each one, cleaning them and making sure that the shoes were in order and the \u2018frog\u2019 was clean, \u201cAnything bothering you that I could help you with?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust myself. I was angry at myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh well, that doesn\u2019t happen often then, does it?\u201d Adam\u2019s grin brought familiar dimples to his cheeks and his eyes twinkled. He moved now to put the blanket over Sport\u2019s back. \u201cWhat had you done to upset yourself this time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was how I felt with Andrew Pearson. I wanted to\u2014well\u2014I really wanted to give him a beating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d Adam shrugged and hauled the saddle over, settling it into place on Sport\u2019s broad back. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I wasn\u2019t sure whether I would have been able to have stopped short of murder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause you think he threatened Mary Ann?\u201d Adam looked over the top of the saddle at his brother, standing quite still and his face thoughtful, concerned.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot just because of Mary Ann. No.\u201d Joe handed the bridle and bit to his brother and nodded at Adam\u2019s thanks, \u201cIt was the way he referred to her as a woman, as though being a woman meant that she was\u2014somehow nothing. It made me think of what Hoss said about him beating Barbara and I just had this fear that he would keep on hurting Barbara, and any other woman he knew. I felt angry but at the same time I knew I had to get away from him before I let fly with my fists.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded \u201cYou did the right thing in leaving when you did, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyway, I shouldn\u2019t have taken my temper out on you\u2014\u201d he grinned and began to brush Mistral, the first rule of the Ponderosa being that a man takes care of his horse and he knew that he had to work on Mistral regularly if he wanted the same relationship with her as he had possessed with Cochise.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee you later\u2026\u201d Adam tipped his hat to his brother as he trotted out of the stable, and Joe smiled, watched him until he rode out of sight.<\/p>\n

It was strange how time played tricks with one\u2019s mind. For a moment as he watched the man in the yellow coat ride out of the yard it was as though he were 17 again, and his big brother was riding out on some manly adventure in which he could only wish to have been a part.<\/p>\n

Adam rode at a steady jog. He was whistling Early One Morning softly even though his mind was turning over the conversation he had just had with his younger brother. He half remembered his promise to his father not to be involved and rode away from the Pearson boundaries. He had no claim to Barbara, anymore than she had to him. He stopped whistling and looked up at the sky; it was blue, a shimmering beautiful blue. A bird swooped across the sun, swift, there one moment and gone the next. Just like life, he thought, and turned his horse around.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Lilith had managed to bring water in from the well without spilling too much onto the floor. She had to leave the bucket as it was too heavy to lift up onto the table. She dipped a rag into it and then carefully washed around Peter\u2019s face where breakfast was still encrusted, and then she washed his fingers.<\/p>\n

After that she picked him up and put him where he could play with his toys, and of course he grabbed for the rag dog that Andrew had bought only the previous evening. She stood and watched him for a short while and then poured some water into a glass and carried it to the bedroom and put it on the table beside the bed. Barbara turned her head towards her, smiled and closed her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cMommy, mommy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShssh, it\u2019s alright, I\u2019m alright.\u201d Barbara whispered, \u201cDon\u2019t worry, darling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith said nothing, she simply pulled up a chair by the bed and sat down, held Barbara\u2019s hand in her own and stared at the poor bruised face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t hear you,\u201d she whispered<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t speak, Lilith, hush now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you should have called me, I would have come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQuiet now, quiet\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Mommy\u2026\u201d she looked at Barbara\u2019s hand, bruised and bloodied from where she had fought to protect herself, \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to fall asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLilith, don\u2019t speak now, my head hurts so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith gave a slight hiccough as she saw the tear trickle from the corner of Barbara\u2019s eye, she dabbed it away with the corner of her pinafore, but then another came and another and Barbara was biting her lips hard together so that she wouldn\u2019t break out into the sobs that she wanted to cry out as a release to the pain and the hurt and the shock.<\/p>\n

Downstairs in his silent world Peter became bored, he began to cry and whimper and the sounds trickled upstairs, Barbara took Lilith\u2019s hand and squeezed it gently<\/p>\n

\u201cGo and see to Peter. Give him a cookie\u2026\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what about you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere, dear, but if he starts screaming I don\u2019t think I could bear it today.\u201d Barbara replied with her eyes still closed tightly shut.<\/p>\n

Lilith turned away and at the door turned to look at Barbara before hurrying to the stairs; it was then that they heard the sound of an approaching horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no\u2014\u201d Barbara whispered \u201cOh no, please don\u2019t let it be him back already.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith gave a half sob, clutched at the scissors in her pocket and stood on the landing, waiting. Downstairs Peter continued to cry, silence from outside told that the horseman had reached his destination, was no doubt dismounting and approaching the house, and when there came a knock on the door Lilith jumped, startled by the sound, and on the bed Barbara\u2019s heart pounded against her ribs and she held her breath as though the sound of her breathing would be heard even above the child\u2019s crying.<\/p>\n

Adam knocked again. He glanced around from left to right and noticed no one in the outbuildings. He heard the sound of a baby crying and remembered that Barbara had a little boy; he remembered also that Hoss had told him the infant was deaf. He frowned, pursed his lips and took off his hat which he turned round and round between his fingers. Just once more, he told himself, and if no one answered then he would ride away and forget about the anxiety he felt right now.<\/p>\n

The door opened slowly; it creaked a little. Lilith Pearson looked up at him and blinked as the sun caught in her eyes. \u201cWho are you? What do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked down at her, wondered for a moment who she could be and then realised that this was Andrew\u2019s daughter, he smiled and bent his knees to bring himself to her level. \u201cI\u2019m a friend of your mother. Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stared at him. Her eyes went round. This was the man her father spoke about with a bad sounding voice and sometimes with bad words as well. She lowered her gaze to look at his boots.<\/p>\n

\u201cMommy isn\u2019t able to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, why not?\u201d<\/p>\n

His voice was gentle, kindly and deep. She raised her eyes and looked at him, saw the dark brown eyes and the smile on his lips. She shook her head and repeated what she had already said, and he pouted a little, frowned and looked disappointed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs your Ma alright? Not hurt, is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at her intently, noticed the way the eyes widened as though in shock, the lips had parted and she had gasped, he could almost read her mind the thought was so obviously written over her face: \u201cHow did you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUpstairs \u2026\u201d she whispered and when he swept into the house she slammed the door shut and pressed her back against it as though she alone could prevent anyone else from entering.<\/p>\n

Barbara was drifting into unconsciousness when he stepped into the room, she heard his gasp and thought it was Andrew, she raised a hand and cried \u2018No, No, No\u2026\u2019 with sobs and when Adam took her hand in his, so gently, and whispered her name, she had to force her eyes open to see who it was and then, recognising him, she blurted out his name and then drowned out the sound of it with heart-rending sobs.<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbara…What happened? What happened to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Softly spoken words but they calmed her enough for her to realise the danger he was in now. She pushed him away and then, with his arm around her shoulders, fell back into the pillows, she grasped his hand. \u201cGo, Adam, go away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t leave you like this! For heaven\u2019s sake, you can\u2019t expect me to leave you like this, Barbara!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou must, Adam, please, you must.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he\u2014Andrew\u2014did he do this?\u201d<\/p>\n

She closed her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to sleep, Adam. Please leave us alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust answer me, Barbara, did your husband do this to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

She paused as though she were thinking of what to say next; the girl, Lilith was standing by the bedside staring at him, big eyes in a white face. Barbara ran the tip of her tongue over her lips. Blood had dried in the corners of her mouth, and Adam dipped a handkerchief into the water and gently wiped her lips clean.<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t leave you until you answer my question,\u201d he whispered as he looked at her poor bloodied and bruised face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI fell down the stairs,\u201d she whispered. \u201cThe heel of my shoe caught in my dress\u2026I just fell\u2026that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t lie to me, Barbara.\u201d his voice was more urgent now, louder and she opened her eyes and stared up at him, saw the dark eyes, the fierce scowl of his brow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not lying.\u201d She looked over at Lilith who was standing rigidly by the side of the bed. \u201cLilith, show Mr. Cartwright out.\u201d She turned back and looked at him again, \u201cDon\u2019t come back, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said nothing, but his fingers touched her throat, gently touched the red marks of angry fingers that had clutched around her neck the previous evening. His eyes met hers before she closed her eye lids and turned her face towards the window.<\/p>\n

Lilith led the way downstairs and opened the door. Adam stepped outside and turned as though to speak to her but she was already shutting the door upon him, shutting him out of their lives.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Ann Canady opened the door to his frantic knocking and smiled a greeting which vanished almost as soon as it had begun,<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat on earth\u2019s happened?\u201d she cried as he stepped inside, pulling his hat from his head and looking around the room for Candy, \u201cWhat\u2019s happened? Hester..?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHester\u2019s alright.\u201d he assured her, \u201cIs Candy here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he\u2019s away on the south pasture, fencing before the snows come.\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded, trying to take in the facts and then looked at her. \u201cI\u2019ve just been to the Pearsons\u2019; Barbara\u2019s hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHurt? How badly?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. I\u2019m going to ride into town for the doctor, but\u2014\u201d he bit down on his lip, frowned, \u201cIt\u2019s a big favour, Ann, but could you go there and make sure she\u2019s alright until the doctor gets there? I\u2019m worried because Pearson may come back and if he sees you there\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not afraid of him,\u201d she replied. \u201cJust go now, Adam, it will take me less time to get there than it will for you to get into town. I\u2019ll do what I can for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe said she fell down the stairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ann\u2019s face registered her disgust, she had no doubts whatsoever as to how Barbara had come by her injuries. She placed a hand on Adam\u2019s arm,<\/p>\n

\u201cJust go and get the doctor.\u201d She pushed him gently away and then hurried into the room to get Rosie and herself ready for the journey.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Rosie and Peter crowed at each other, gurgled and dribbled and shared the toys and the cookies while Lilith watched over them. Her mind was distracted and e so often her eyes turned towards the stairs, and she jumped every time a sound came from outside. If her father returned and found Ann here what would he do? Would he beat Ann as well?<\/p>\n

Lilith felt hot and cold all over. She was shivering, and she went to the fire and placed more logs on it. Now she was too hot and wished that she could take the logs off again. The children were playing happily together and she returned to her stool, her hands in her lap and her eyes staring at the far wall.<\/p>\n

Once before she had sat like this with the edge of the stool cutting into the back of her legs, and her fingers fidgeting together as though they couldn\u2019t keep still. She could remember the pain in her head then, it had thudded and thudded just as the pain in her head was thudding now. If only she could be sick, perhaps if she were sick in a bowl she would feel better, after all, she had been sick that last time.<\/p>\n

She remembered she was wearing black shoes and she saw them when she looked down peeking from under the hem of her dress. Her dress was torn and there had been blood on it and there had been someone screaming her name. She remembered her skirt had been pink with rosebuds sewn on it and Mother had sewn them on. Mother had screamed her name. She had screamed and said \u201cLilith\u2014run\u2014\u201d but now she couldn\u2019t remember if she did run or if she had stayed and watched.<\/p>\n

If she had been awake then this would never have happened.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Ann had cried, tears had trickling down her face at the sight of the woman on the bed. She had warmed up water and washed Barbara\u2019s face and then her body. Very gently because the touch of anything against her flesh had made Barbara gasp with pain. She had cried for her friend as she had put a clean fresh nightdress on her and then carefully folded a sheet over her. Then she had sat beside the bed and held Barbara\u2019s hand until the sound of the buggy arriving, announcing the arrival of the doctor, forced her to let go and hurry down to let Paul Martin into the house.<\/p>\n

The doctors had decided that considering the nature of Barbara\u2019s injuries and the possible cause it would be safer if Paul attended on her. They had both decided that it would be better for Adam to return home and leave the matter in their hands. Adam had not refused their request but had mounted Sport and galloped out of town.<\/p>\n

Paul now stood on the threshold of the bedroom and looked over at the woman on the bed, he turned to Ann and sighed, and together they went to the bedside. Barbara, now drifting in and out of consciousness, opened her eyes and saw Paul. She smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Doctor, I fell\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course.\u201d he nodded and glanced over at Ann who said nothing at all.<\/p>\n

Downstairs Lilith stared at her brother and little Rosie. She wished she were still little like them, just a baby with no memories to trouble her days nor hinder her sleep at night.<\/p>\n

Chapter 132<\/p>\n

Ben listened patiently as Adam told him of what had happened, he had opened his mouth to remonstrate with his son when Adam told him about going to the Pearsons\u2019 but Adam talked over him and continued on with such determination that Ben was sensible enough to know that his son really needed to speak out about what had happened. He bowed his head and nodded at various intervals, seeing in his mind\u2019s eye the scene as Adam painted it for him, conjuring up the injuries and the misery and feeling increasingly frustrated and distressed as the story continued.\u201cAnd she claimed this was because she fell downstairs?\u201d he asked eventually<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what she said,\u201d Adam replied before beginning to pace the floor. \u201cHow does she expect us to believe her? If she fell down the stairs then how did she manage to get back up them to get to her bed? Why were there those marks on her throat? I know what injuries a fist makes on a person\u2019s face, does she think we\u2019re all complete fools?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stood up and walked over to the fireplace then turned to step to Adam\u2019s side and place a hand on his shoulder, anything to stop that constant pacing back and forth. \u201cI think she wanted to protect her husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT? You mean a sensible, intelligent woman will allow herself to be beaten near to death and then say nothing in order to protect him? He doesn\u2019t need protecting; he needs to be\u2014shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand how you\u2019re feeling, Adam; after all you once had deep feelings for Barbara\u201d he paused and glanced at Adam thoughtfully, \u201cYou don\u2019t still love her, by any chance?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Adam sat down and stared at the fire; he rubbed his chin with his fingers and then began to tap his mouth with them before glancing over at Ben. \u201cI don\u2019t understand how women can do that. How can they defend a man who treats them that way?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe may love him, Adam, love him so much that she\u2019s prepared to accept that treatment rather than lose him. She may even be logical enough to realise that as a woman she can\u2019t lay claim to her financial assets, in fact, has little legal representation. If that is the case then she no doubt feels that for the sake of the children she should stay where she is, so long as Andrew is prepared to care for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing to that; he continued to stare at the fire with his face set in so inscrutable a manner that Ben felt it better to leave him to his thoughts until he felt ready to say anymore. With a sigh he returned to his desk.<\/p>\n

He had no sooner sat down than the door opened and Hoss entered with a genial grin on his face closely followed by Hester who was carrying little Hannah.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuess it\u2019s getting colder by the minute. Could have snow by the weekend,\u201d Hoss declared and produced some envelopes from his pocket. \u201cMail\u2026for anyone who wants it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam merely glanced at the letters as they plopped onto the table, then he resumed his blank stare into the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs anything wrong?\u201d Hester asked and promptly placed the baby into Adam\u2019s arms, forcing him out of his reverie.<\/p>\n

Hannah and Adam regarded one another thoughtfully, neither one of them having wanted to be involved with the other at that point. Hannah had been blissfully happy in her mother\u2019s arms, swaddled up by a blanket and constantly comforted by the familiar smell of her mother\u2019s body while Adam had been so deep in thoughts of how to help Barbara that having Hannah dropped into his lap took him by surprise. A gummy yawn from Hannah was enough to confirm that she had accepted this severe looking man as one whom she could trust, and elicited a smile from him, so that in a matter of minutes he was gently bouncing her upon his knee.<\/p>\n

He could hear Ben explaining to them about Barbara and decided that he didn\u2019t really want to discuss it any further; he had no claims on her, nor she on him, and if she preferred to pretend that her husband was her lord and protector then so be it. But even as he thought that, he felt despondency well up within him.<\/p>\n

\u201cShould I go and see if she is alright?\u201d Hester asked hesitantly and looked over at Adam who chose that moment to lean forwards to whisper some endearment into Hannah\u2019s shell-like ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so, dear; Paul will be there by now, and Ann,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well then, I\u2019ll get some lunch ready. Hop Sing was in town when we got there, he\u2019s staying with his cousins today. There\u2019s some special anniversary day that the ancestors want him to attend.\u201d And she blithely strolled off to the kitchen trailing her coat, scarf and hat behind her.<\/p>\n

Hoss came and sat on the arm of the settee and looked thoughtfully at his brother,<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t still love her, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho? Barbara? No, not at all. I stopped loving her a long time ago, Hoss, which is why I stepped back and let her carry on with Andrew.\u201d He didn\u2019t look at his brother, his eyes being on his niece whose smallness seemed to intrigue him.<\/p>\n

Hoss said nothing to that; he merely looked down at the letters on the table by his side and picked them up again. He flicked through them and produced two which he held out to Adam saying \u201cThese are for you.\u201d And then he strolled back to the study area where he handed the other letters to his father.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Paul Martin washed his hands thoroughly right to the elbow. He washed them slowly, deliberately, as he thought over the condition of the young woman now lying in a laudanum-induced sleep in the bed close by. He heard the sound of a horse and wagon but it made no impact upon him as he was too deep in thought, it was only when Ann tugged at his sleeve and nodded towards the door that he turned to see Andrew Pearson staring at him, then Ann and finally at his wife.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat in heaven\u2019s name has happened here?\u201d he cried, his voice loud, but not angry, not indignant as they had expected, merely a voice filled with shock, with the agony of a husband who had entered not a haven but a nightmare. \u201cBarbara\u2014what\u2019s happened to Barbara\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean to say you don\u2019t know?\u201d Paul asked calmly as he turned towards the other man, wiping his hands and arms dry now on the towel.<\/p>\n

The two men stared at one another, Andrew the taller and stronger stepped back as though shocked by Paul\u2019s words, then turned again to look at the woman in the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened? Please\u2014let me see her\u2014\u201d and he stepped forward to approach the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you dare\u2014\u201d Ann cried and promptly blocked his way. \u201cI won’t have you coming any closer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? But\u2014I don\u2019t understand\u2014\u201d Andrew put a hand out to thrust Ann to one side but she stepped back, and Paul called his name which forced him to turn to confront the older man,<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you tell me what happened, Dr. Martin?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul looked at Andrew, looked deep into his eyes and saw nothing but tears and misery; he looked at Ann who was standing like some stalwart protector by the bedside,<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you know?\u201d Paul said gently, and when Andrew slowly shook his head from side to side Paul sighed. He put the towel down and glanced over at Ann. \u201cIt\u2019s alright, Ann; let him see his wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew hurried to the bedside and fell on his knees upon the floor, taking hold of Barbara\u2019s hand and clasping it tightly within his own, he looked at her, tears dripped from his eyes; he kissed her and murmured her name.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened, sweetheart; oh my darling Barbara, what happened?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cAndrew,\u201d Paul\u2019s voice was that of a tired man; he pulled on his jacket as he spoke. \u201cAndrew, are you sure you don\u2019t know what happened to your wife?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was alright when I left her. I had to ride out early; there\u2019s been some flooding up at the north end of my fields that needed attention. I don\u2019t have men to work for me, Dr. Martin, and it was work that couldn\u2019t be left unattended.\u201d He bowed his head and stared at Barbara\u2019s face as though engraving it onto his memory. \u201cIt was dark when I left. The children were still asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul glanced quickly at Andrew\u2019s clothes and knew that as far as going to somewhere wet and muddy his clothes certainly provided enough evidence to the truth of that statement at least.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill she be alright?\u201d Andrew whispered, \u201cShe won\u2019t die, will she?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ann now looked over at Paul, and seeing the defeated look on his face she turned away, and excused herself. They heard the sound of her steps on the stairs as she descended to the lower rooms.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Dr. Martin, tell me the worst.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul sighed, wondering where to begin.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no easy way of saying this, Andrew, but she lost the baby she was carrying. You did know she was pregnant, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew bowed his head, tears dripped from his eyes onto the sleeve of Barbara\u2019s nightdress; of course he knew she was pregnant. It was the one thing that had saved her life the previous night when she had blurted out about the baby she was carrying.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe told me last night, she was so happy \u2026 of course, she said she wasn\u2019t really sure, she hadn\u2019t had it confirmed but she thought for sure she was\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was in the early stages,\u201d Paul admitted, \u201cAnd\u2014\u201d he cleared his throat, \u201cYou didn\u2019t know about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLast night\u2014I told you\u2014she told me last night.\u201d It was true, the truest word he had spoken since he had arrived, he bowed his head and began to sob and Paul winced as he wished that he could call the man a liar to his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has multiple fractures to the body, a concussion, a broken arm. It will take time for these to heal, Mr. Pearson. I\u2019m proposing that a nurse comes out here to care for her. After all, you have your work to do.\u201d If his voice was colder than usual Andrew didn\u2019t appear to notice as he continued to weep; he pulled out a handkerchief to blow his nose and finally wiped his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d appreciate that,\u201d he replied after leaning over to kiss Barbara\u2019s brow, \u201cbut what about the children?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve already discussed that with Mrs. Canady, she\u2019ll take them back with her until you and Barbara can cope with them here again.\u201d<\/p>\n

The slight tension in Andrew\u2019s shoulders went unnoticed, he nodded and whispered a \u201cthank you\u201d rather hoarsely, and rose to his feet. It seemed to Paul as though the man filled the room, but he busied himself with putting away his medical equipment and heard the man leave.<\/p>\n

Barbara slept on, oblivious to the false tears, and to the kindness of the doctor and her friend who had both worked to save her life. Paul stood by the bed and looked down at her; he looked particularly at the marks at her throat and wondered how Andrew would explain them away if challenged. But then who was to say it was Andrew? Perhaps they were wrong to so judge him after all he looked so sincere in his shock and distress just now, and what proof did they have that he abused his wife? Confused, worried and quite distressed, Paul left the bedroom and joined the others downstairs.<\/p>\n

Ann, with Lilith\u2019s help, was busy packing some bags containing the children\u2019s clothes. She didn\u2019t speak; nor did Lilith. When everything was done Ann collected some coats from the hooks on the door and began to dress Peter in his while Lilith pulled hers on.<\/p>\n

\u201cBring some toys with you,\u201d Ann said to Lilith who quickly scampered away to collect up some bits for Peter to play with.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about your new doll?\u201d Andrew said having watched all this in silence and he looked at Ann with a gentle smile on his face. \u201cI bought them new toys yesterday, it was a special occasion. I got Lilith a new doll, didn\u2019t I, love?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith nodded but said nothing; she didn\u2019t look at her father but carefully wound a scarf around her little brother\u2019s neck to keep him warm. She was big enough to be able to pick him up and carry him out while Ann dealt with Rosie and the bags.<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you going to give your Daddy a kiss goodbye?\u201d Andrew asked with a note of disappointment in his voice but she just looked over at him with a blank expression on her face and left the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s no doubt shocked by what happened to Barbara,\u201d Paul resplied as he put a bottle on a table, \u201cGive this to Barbara when she wakes up, just a few drops in water.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen will the nurse arrive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019ll be here soon, no doubt already on her way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see\u2014\u201d Andrew twisted his lips into a smile. \u201cSeems you got it all arranged then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCouldn\u2019t afford to lose time, Mr. Pearson.\u201d Paul snapped the bag shut, and then picked up his hat, \u201cThere will be two nurses on duty, one will relieve the other. I would have preferred Barbara to be in the hospital in town but I dare not move her just now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand.\u201d Andrew nodded and Paul wondered if he really did understand and walked to the door, \u201cTell me, Dr. Martin, how did you get to know about Barbara? Who was the good Samaritan?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright,\u201d Paul said as he stepped out from the house, \u201cHe happened to ride by and found her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whatever feelings stirred within Andrew\u2019s stomach and breast, he exercised enough self control to smile<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you thank him for me.\u201d he said through clenched teeth and then stepped back into the house and closed the door.<\/p>\n

Paul scowled, walked quickly to the buggy and was about to clamber in when another buggy arrived and Mrs. O\u2019Leary hailed him as she got down.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Pearson is it?\u201d she asked and looked over at the house. \u201cVery well, Dr. Martin. No need to concern yourself, we\u2019ll take good care of her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul nodded. He didn\u2019t ask who the \u201cwe\u201d were, assuming that in the way of all nursing professionals the plural noun was perfectly fitting for their calling.<\/p>\n

He turned the buggy away from the house and made his way back to town, wondering and pondering all the way as to whether or not Andrew Pearson really had attacked his wife. By the time he got to the surgery he was still undecided; the only conclusion he had arrived at was the age old adage that time would tell, hopefully, in this instance, the sooner the better.<\/p>\n

Chapter 133<\/p>\n

The sheriff\u2019s office always, or so it seemed to Paul Martin, smelled of coffee and damp clothes and male sweat. He wondered, as he closed the door behind him, whether all male dominated offices smelled like this and then remembered he and John shared an office and that he hadn\u2019t come here to think or discuss the abilities of the sensory gland at various locations.<\/p>\n

Roy was engrossed in thumbing through a book; it wasn\u2019t particularly interesting so he was more than pleased to acknowledge Paul and offer him some coffee which the doctor accepted even if it meant he had to stay in the office and endure its smells longer than he would have liked.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo? What\u2019s bothering you?\u201d Roy asked as he resumed his seat and pushed his spectacles further up his forehead to where he once had a hair line.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Pearsons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy scowled, sighed and the spectacles slipped back onto the bridge of his nose. \u201cAndrew and Barbara Pearson?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe same.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo tell me for why?\u201d<\/p>\n

So Paul told him about the injuries, about the marks on Barbara\u2019s throat, on how he was puzzled by the little girl\u2019s obvious dislike of her father whom she had always apparently adored. He openly admitted that he was confused because when he saw Barbara and examined her it was obvious that the injuries were not caused by a fall down the stairs, they were blows to the body from a fist, perhaps even from being kicked.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you suspect Andrew Pearson of doing this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you didn\u2019t ask him about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I did, Roy. I asked him and he acted as if he knew nothing about it, started weeping and crying all over her and, to be honest, he put on a good show.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it was just a show?\u201d Roy raised his eyebrows \u201cIn your opinion?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy leaned back against his chair and shook his head. \u201cAin\u2019t nothing I can do, Paul. My hands are tied by the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe law, Roy, is for the protection of the people, vulnerable people. Barbara Pearson is a vulnerable person who needs help, even if she doesn\u2019t ask for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men clenched their fists, tightened their lips and took deep breaths. \u201cDon\u2019t you think I don\u2019t know that already? I went there last time, remember? She denied that Andrew had anything to do with harming her. She took him back without any fuss or nothing. I can\u2019t just go in there and arrest him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul stood up, picked up his hat and slapped it back onto his head. \u201cYou are an ignorant old fool.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you ain\u2019t thinking straight.\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor drew in a deep breath and seemed to grow an extra two inches in height as indignation swelled within him,<\/p>\n

\u201cIf anything happens to that young woman, Roy\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t go around there doing house calls; that\u2019s your job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve already got a 24 hour watch on her, I do use the brains God gave me, you know. I\u2019m relying on my nurses to notice things and report back and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou put women there? Are you crazy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho else could I put there to care for Barbara? Your deputy?\u201d<\/p>\n

They glared at one another, it was a standoff and both knew it. Roy shook his head. \u201cWho did you send in to nurse her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. O\u2019Leary.\u201d Paul snapped back.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Roy\u2019s eyes widened, he nodded and grinned. \u201cI almost feel sorry for Andrew.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul shrugged as he calmed down a little, he watched as Roy began to write little notes down on paper, then said with a smile in his voice, \u201cI\u2019ll keep you informed, Roy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do that, Paul. We\u2019ll nail this brute one way or another,\u201d came the hearty response from the sheriff who then licked the stub of his pencil and attended to more writing.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Unaware of the events that had taken place at the Pearsons\u2019 home, Mary Ann and Joe sat together having lunch at the International House\u2019s restaurant. They were discussing with great enthusiasm not the wedding which was only a few days away, but the building of their home. The drawing of the building, sketched out by Adam during the long train journey home, had been enhanced with an extra window, a wider porch, another door and as soon as they had rhapsodised about the changes something else came to mind, so the porch became smaller, the window disappeared and another room was added.<\/p>\n

By the time dessert had arrived the house had changed to such a degree that it was barely recognisable, and they sat holding hands and planning their days together.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t be long now, Mary Ann; Saturday is only a few days away now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t wait for it to come, Joe. I only hope it doesn\u2019t snow before then and I can\u2019t get out of town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn that case I\u2019ll tunnel my way into town. One way or another, sweetheart, I\u2019m going to marry you on Saturday.\u201d He kissed her fingers and looked into her eyes and hoped she could see his passion and love for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I love you more than anything in the world,\u201d She whispered and leaned forward to kiss him.<\/p>\n

Widow Hawkins who happened to be passing by at the time saw the young couple through the window and shook her head. What was the world coming to? In her young days couples didn\u2019t act like that, no, certainly not indeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to get back to school,\u201d Mary Ann said softly. \u201cAnd I have a dress fitting after school closes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t forget, Hoss will bring the wagon round for all your personal things to take back to the Ponderosa tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed \u201cYou won\u2019t need a whole wagon for my things, Joe, I haven\u2019t got much.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood up to let her pass him and together they walked hand in hand out of the hotel, then she slipped her arm through his and together they walked to the school where the children were waiting, recess was ended, lessons were to recommence.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Nurse O\u2019Leary kept the medicine in her pocket and measured out the dose herself, carefully administering it to her patient at the necessary time. Once or twice Barbara had opened her eyes to find the face of the older woman gazing down at her with a smile and a kindly eye, then Barbara\u2019s eyes had searched for someone else and not finding whoever it was she closed her eyes again and fell asleep.<\/p>\n

Andrew sat in a chair by his wife\u2019s side and held her hand, or read her pieces from the new book he had bought for her. He looked wistful and sad, he sighed and lamented that he hadn\u2019t been home when the accident happened, groaned aloud at the terrible injustice that saw his beloved so badly hurt.<\/p>\n

Nurse O\u2019Leary kept the little fire in the bedroom burning so that the room felt pleasantly warm and she went down to prepare something for Andrew and herself to eat, all the while listening intently to anything that could happen upstairs.<\/p>\n

She was a wiry, thin woman, well into her fifties with greying wispy hair and not many teeth, most of which she admitted had been knocked out by her husband. She had acted as midwife to those in labour, and those who had died she prepared for burial. She had known the highs as well as the lows of life, and she had a sharp eye for anyone who was putting on a performance. Andrew Pearson, she decided within five minutes of being with him, was putting on a first-class performance.<\/p>\n

When she returned to the bedroom with some soup and bread which she handed to Andrew she wasn\u2019t surprised when he said he couldn\u2019t possibly eat it. He was far too distressed. Nor was she surprised when Barbara opened her eyes, saw Andrew and smiled, reached out a hand to touch his face as though grateful to see him so caringly sitting by her side.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Adam opened one of the letters. It had an embossed coat of arms on the back and looked important as Hoss said. He smiled over at his father, who was standing in front of the fire and therefore blocking off the heat from everyone else. Hannah was being fed upstairs in a warm bedroom and Hoss was reading a catalogue about cattle feed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s it from?\u201d Hoss asked, proving that he must have had one eye on the catalogue and the other fixed on Adam to see what letter he read first.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe prime minister of Great Britain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss gaped wide, his eyes popped.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ain\u2019t kidding?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Adam passed the letter to his brother and then smiled at Ben, who had realised that the odd smell was in fact his pants beginning to smoulder from the heat of the fire. \u201cIt\u2019s to thank me for my work in Egypt. Seems I did them a great service.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMust seem like quite some time away now, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, in a way it does.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about opening the other letter now?\u201d<\/p>\n

He ripped it open and extracted the letter. After glancing through it he passed it to his father who grimaced, and sighed before returning it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh well, all good things come to an end.\u201d Ben sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy? What\u2019s it say?\u201d Hoss asked and took the letter from his brother, read it and sighed before handing it back. \u201cJust another month with us then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt could have been worse. Had Grant wanted me back in Washington I would have had to leave\u2014well\u2014I\u2019d not have been here now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSix months sure went quick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, five months to be exact.\u201d Adam smiled and stood up, and looked at Hester as she came downstairs with a bawling Hannah in her arms,<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t get this child to sleep,\u201d she cried in despair, \u201cI don\u2019t know if she doesn\u2019t like my singing or if she\u2019s trying to sing a duet!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere, let me have her.\u201d Adam smiled, \u201cI need to make the most of being with my little niece as I have only a few weeks leave left.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hannah obliged her mother by burping loudly as she was placed in her uncle\u2019s arms; Hester swiftly removed traces of stale milk before any landed on Adam\u2019s shirt and then smiled gratefully before sinking into an armchair.<\/p>\n

Adam walked to the piano with Hannah in his arms and after lifting the lid, played a few keys. Hannah howled. \u201cPlink, plink, plink,\u201d went the keys and she squalled, her fists tightened and her face went red as tears slipped from her eyes.<\/p>\n

Adam hummed, held her close and walked from the piano to the window where the fading sunlight made the mountains appear golden; he began to sing, softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeautiful dreamer,
\nWake unto me
\nStarlight and dewdrops
\nAre waiting for thee…\u201d<\/p>\n

Hannah stopped her wailing. She blinked, stared at her uncle and blinked again.<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds of the rude world
\nHeard in the day
\nLed by the moonlight
\nHave all passed away<\/p>\n

Beautiful dreamer,
\nQueen of my song
\nList\u2019 while I woo thee
\nWith soft melody…\u201d<\/p>\n

Hannah yawned, her fingers unclenched and her eyes grew heavy.<\/p>\n

\u201cGone are the cares of
\nLife\u2019s busy throng
\nBeautiful dreamer
\nAwake unto me
\nBeautiful dreamer,
\nAwake unto me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hannah succumbed, little snorts slipped through her lips along with some bubbles, in her armchair Hester was also asleep.<\/p>\n

Hoss took the sleeping child from his brother with a smile and wink, and then Adam turned towards the door and took down his yellow coat.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you going?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I\u2019d go and see how Barbara was getting on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ll come with you,\u201d Ben said softly and with a stern look at his son to stop any argument, he took down his own coat and shrugged himself into it.<\/p>\n

Halfway across the yard Adam explained to his father that he wasn\u2019t intending to go to the Pearsons\u2019 home, only to Ann and Candy\u2019s,<\/p>\n

\u201cIf anyone will know what is happening, Ann will\u2026and if\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if?\u201d Ben raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we\u2019ll see.\u201d Adam smiled and mounted his waiting horse.<\/p>\n

As he waited for Ben to saddle his horse and mount up, Adam thought over the letters he had received. The prime minister had merely acknowledged and thanked him for what he had done, which was fair enough; some would say it was a feather in his cap, but to Adam, it was a matter of courtesy accorded from one gentleman to another. He also wondered if Laurence Willoughby had been to report back all that had happened, and whether or not the result of their adventure had advanced Britain\u2019s fortunes in that mysterious land of the East.<\/p>\n

Grant\u2019s letter \u201crequesting\u201d his prompt attendance in San Francisco in a month\u2019s time when he, Grant, would be in the city, irritated Adam more than he had expected. He saw black clouds looming overhead for his future and thoughtfully glanced back at the house. So much had changed, and so much was still to change\u2026he couldn\u2019t turn back the clock no matter how much he would wish to do so.<\/p>\n

Chapter 134<\/p>\n

Ann looked at the two men gratefully, her face losing its rigid self control so that it crumpled and she fell into Ben\u2019s arms, grateful for his arm around her.<\/p>\n

Adam stood nearby feeling anxious and wondering if this was the prelude to some bad news concerning Barbara. He glanced around the room and found himself being observed by a pale-faced little girl with large eyes. He smiled tentatively. \u201cLilith?\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded and with that same blank look still on her face, came to his side and took his hand in hers. Then she stood there beside him as though it were her right to do so. They waited until Ann had control of herself again and stepped back from Ben while she dabbed at her face. \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d she sniffed \u201cCome in. Ben, take your coat off, please, and Adam, do take your coat off and put it over there. I\u2019ll make us some coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you alright now?\u201d Ben asked. \u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019m quite sure, Ben. I\u2019m sorry it\u2019s just that\u2014that I was so worried and frightened.\u201d She looked at Lilith, who was watching her without expression as she waited for Adam to remove his coat, as soon as he had done so she stepped back to his side and reached up for his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is Barbara?\u201d Adam immediately asked and felt the little girl\u2019s fingers squeeze his just a little, more like a tremble than an actual pressure upon his own hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s alive, or was when I left the house. Andrew came back\u2014\u201d she looked at Lilith whose chest had heaved up and subsided, \u201cHe and Paul were talking for a while upstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust talking?\u201d Adam demanded<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. He wanted to be with Barbara but I stopped him, but then I had to let him\u2014he was begging to be with her, to hold her and reassure himself that she was alright. For a moment I really believed that he cared\u2014\u201d she stopped herself, glanced at Lilith and then at the two men before turning away to deal with the coffee.<\/p>\n

Ben followed her while Adam looked down at Lilith and smiled, tried to coax an answering smile from her but just received that shut-off blank look from the peaky little face with the big dark shadowed eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, I\u2019m so worried about Lilith,\u201d Ann whispered as she prepared the coffee and set out the mugs. \u201cShe hasn\u2019t spoken a word since we left the house, just stands there as though waiting for something to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s a good way of expressing it, that\u2019s the impression I got when I saw her, although she seems to have taken to Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ann glanced over at the man and the little girl who were not speaking at all, just staring out of the window, hand in hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I know this may seem strange, but to be honest, it is strange\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on, what is?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her hands trembled a little as she poured out the coffee, and again she glanced over to the man and child.<\/p>\n

\u201cI found some scissors in Lilith\u2019s pocket.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Ben frowned, wondering what was the significance of a pair of scissors, and then Ann pushed them over to him, and he realised they were quite hefty. He shook his head. \u201cWhy would she have them in her pocket?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked her and she didn\u2019t answer me. She wasn\u2019t happy about my taking them from her.\u201d She cleared her throat. \u201cBarbara was pregnant, she lost the baby\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s generous mouth closed into a grim line, his eyes widened, then closed down as he looked away from her to stare into the cup of coffee, then he darted a look over at Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t tell Adam,\u201d he said in a low voice as she picked up the cup to take over to the other man, and she nodded while her eyes misted over with tears.<\/p>\n

Lilith released Adam\u2019s hand and walked away as he took the coffee and entered in a discussion of events with Ann, their voices carried low and murmuring as she walked to the other end of the room and stood in front of Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cRosie and Peter are asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statement caught Ben by surprise, he was sipping the coffee and thinking over what Ann had mentioned when the clear child\u2019s voice spoke and he turned to find himself looking down at her. He smiled. \u201cThat\u2019s good, children grow as they sleep, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know that.\u201d She nodded seriously.<\/p>\n

\u201cLilith\u2026\u201d He paused, wanting to ask her about the scissors, about how she survived living in a home so ruptured by discord\u2026had she been hurt at all\u2026and so many other things, but the words all stuck in the back of his throat with the knowledge that she hardly knew him, and it would take someone with more skills at talking to a child than he possessed.<\/p>\n

Perhaps he underestimated himself, after all he had been a father with children who confided their secrets to him, but this strange waif-like little creature\u2026he sighed and shook his head, looked down at her and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re alright here for now, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI should go home. Mommy will want me there; she\u2019ll be worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think she just needs to rest and get better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but I should be there too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ann came back and joined them, she leaned down to pick Lilith up but the child pushed her away and ran over to where Adam still stood, staring out of the window. They smiled at one another, already friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I go and see your horse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll need to put on a coat and make sure you\u2019re warm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will.\u201d she nodded and hurried away to get her outer clothing<\/p>\n

\u201cLilith,\u201d Ann called, \u201cWhere are you going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to see Adam\u2019s horse,\u201d she replied with a lighter tone of voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think someone should go with you\u2014\u201d Ann cried immediately, concern for the child uppermost in her mind, fear of what could happen blanking out the innocent pleasure the child might have been seeking.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, I\u2019ll go with her.\u201d Adam pulled his coat on, nodded over at Ben and Ann and walked out of the house, buttoning up his coat and pulling up the collar. They watched as he slipped on his hat and stood beside the little girl.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow strange that she likes Adam so much, she\u2019s hardly ever met him before,\u201d she observed to Ben, who nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cChildren can be discerning at times, Ann, perhaps she knows that Barbara meant a lot to Adam and there was a close friendship there once.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ann shivered; she wrapped her fingers around the warm mug and looked at Ben anxiously. \u201cAndrew Pearson frightens me, Ben. I thought a little while back that he didn\u2019t, but after what happened, the way he looked at me, the way he acted\u2026he frightens me much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want me to arrange with Candy to have some time off work to be here with you until things settle down a little?\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t reply to that, only sighed and looked out of the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks like they\u2019re going for a ride.\u201d She nodded over to the view of Adam lifting Lilith into the saddle and then mounting up behind her, and then Sport sprinting forward to trot away from the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt if they\u2019ll be long.\u201d Ben strolled over to the chairs by the window and sat down. \u201cNow tell me what Paul said about Barbara\u2019s injuries, and about Andrew?\u201d<\/p>\n

So she told him, concluding with the fact that when they were leaving the house Lilith refused to kiss her father goodbye, and that she didn\u2019t take the doll he had just brought home for her. \u201cIt was unlike Lilith, she always has been open in her displays of affection for him, but not then, and she\u2019s been\u2014well\u2014as you\u2019ve seen her\u2014ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n

They both glanced immediately out of the window to where the horse and its riders were disappearing from view.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

She had said how much she liked the horse and stroked its nose, and he had lifted her up and she had stroked its ears.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I could sit in the saddle and ride him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you will,\u201d Adam smiled, his eyes twinkling and he lifted her up into the saddle and helped put her little feet between the straps that fed into the stirrups, \u201cHow about a ride?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, yes, that would be perfect.\u201d she smiled, the first smile he had seen on her face for some time, and then she gasped \u201cCan we go and see Mommy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced over his shoulder at the house, then grinned, so what if he played hookey, it did no harm, and would give him a chance to see for himself what was going on. At least he and the child could reassure themselves that Barbara was alive, and would possibly remain so.<\/p>\n

She leaned her head against his chest and curled her fingers into Sport\u2019s mane. A slip of thing, so light that Adam barely was conscious of her presence as they galloped away from the Canadys\u2019 towards her home. Her hair slipped from its ribbon which fell unheeded to the ground and curls were drifting against his yellow coat as they rode onwards. Once she turned her head up to smile at him and he looked down and smiled at her as though both of them understood the other, that this conspiracy to escape Ann\u2019s house was part of a great plan. She snuggled in closer so that the warmth of his body kept her from feeling too cold.<\/p>\n

The Pearsons\u2019 homestead came into view and they saw Andrew\u2019s horse and wagon still standing where he had left it. Two buggies with the horses having nosebags affixed and he recognised one as the doctors but wasn\u2019t sure of the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll get down first,\u201d he said and slipped from the saddle, then he turned and lifted her down onto the ground.<\/p>\n

They tapped lightly on the door and pushed it open to find John Martin coming down the stairs, his face bearing the hallmarks of concern, but he smiled warmly when he saw them both.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Lilith, have you come to see how your mother is?\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded and went to run upstairs but John stopped her, and when she struggled to free her arm he lifted her up into his arms. \u201cMommy isn\u2019t too well just now, poppet, she\u2019s sleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I want to see her\u2014I want to see her myself,\u201d she squealed and pushed against his chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cDaddy\u2019s there too,\u201d John said and darted a look over at Adam as though warning him to steer clear and not let the man know he was in the house, a message Adam understood only too well.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care, I have to see Mommy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet her go, John. Let her\u2014\u201d Adam said and with a sigh John released her and watched as she scampered up the stairs.<\/p>\n

They heard Andrew\u2019s exclamation of delight at seeing the child, heard Nurse O\u2019Leary admonish the child not to lean all over the patient, and they heard Lilith\u2019s cry of \u201cMommy, Mommy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a strange child,\u201d Adam said slowly. He pursed his lips and frowned. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t be surprised if she knows more about what has been going on than anyone else realises.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI fear so.\u201d John agreed and walked to the fire where he placed some logs on the dying embers, \u201cI\u2019m staying here overnight so that Nurse O\u2019Leary can return home to rest. Hopefully Barbara will be over the worst by the morning, and we can hope for signs of a recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t she recovering now?\u201d Adam\u2019s brow furrowed, the brown eyes flicked golden amber sparks as though anger and anxiety fought against the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to say, I can\u2019t really comment until the morning. She would have died for sure had you not come for us, Adam. There would have been no hope for her at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

John shook his head, bit his lip and frowned,<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Paul was convinced that he had\u2014\u201d he paused and looked up the stairs in case his voice carried his words to the room above, he plucked at Adam\u2019s sleeve and they retreated further to the extreme part of the kitchen. \u201cMy uncle was convinced and is convinced that these injuries were the result of a severe beating .. An attempt to strangle her even. He was sure it was Pearson but when Pearson arrived here and began to break down and fall apart with distress and all that emotional claptrap, he wasn\u2019t so sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho does he think did this then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPearson\u2019s acting the distressed husband well, Adam. O\u2019Leary\u2019s a good nurse and also a keen observer of couples in this kind of situation, having suffered enough herself. I\u2019ll know more in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t wait until morning; what if\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he won\u2019t be able to do a thing, I\u2019ll be here all night. Apart from which he\u2019ll be sleeping pretty soundly himself.\u201d John winked and nodded, which left Adam quiet for a moment as he contemplated the insinuation he was left with by the good doctor.<\/p>\n

He was about to return to the doorway and wait for Lilith when there came heavy footsteps on the stairs and before he could slip out of the door Andrew Pearson came down with Lilith on his arm. He looked at the two men and lowered Lilith to the floor,<\/p>\n

As he approached Adam he extended his hand. \u201cThank you for coming by, Adam, you saved my wife\u2019s life. I can\u2019t thank you enough. I\u2019ll always be in your debt.\u201d And he shook Adam\u2019s hand warmly, \u201cLilith\u2019s quite happy to go back now that she\u2019s seen Barbara.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked a trifle startled, but recollected himself; he smiled down at Lilith who smiled back at him and opened her arms wide to be picked up,<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems you\u2019ve made another conquest, Commodore.\u201d Andrew smiled and just for an instant, a fraction of an instant, Adam saw something in his eyes that wiped away the pretension behind the previous words and the handshake, so he nodded, smiled and tipped his hat to the man and carried Lilith from the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cWas Mommy alright when you saw her, Lilith?\u201d he asked as they walked down the drive to where Sport waited patiently.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she was sleeping but there was no blood there anymore.\u201d Lilith sighed, \u201cShe\u2019s safe now, she\u2019s safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, the doctor\u2019s staying tonight to make sure she will be,\u201d Adam swung her into the saddle and looked up, saw the sad look on Lilith\u2019s face and frowned, \u201cShe will be alright, Lilith.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told her where I had put them, but I don\u2019t know if she heard me. Do you think she\u2019ll know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKnow what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat I put the scissors under her pillow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their eyes met\u2026he was puzzled and confused; she was uncertain and not understanding that he didn\u2019t see the importance of what she was saying.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has to have the scissors\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLilith\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe does though, then he can\u2019t hurt her again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d he asked, \u201cWho hurt her?\u201d<\/p>\n

The blank look descended over her face and she sat there waiting for him to mount behind her. He looked at her closely, her face was calm, almost serene, and involuntarily he looked back at the house and wondered what on earth were the secrets this little girl knew but would not tell them.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Ann was pacing the floor by the time they arrived back, Adam led Lilith into the house and closed the door behind them and Lilith scampered away with a smile and her eyes twinkling.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is Barbara? I presume that\u2019s where you went?\u201d Ben growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cImproving. John Martin\u2019s there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both Ann and Ben seemed to relax at the thought of John being there, but Ann still looked worried. \u201cAdam, did Lilith have any scissors with her when you left here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe talked about scissors, said she had left some under Barbara\u2019s pillow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ann released a deep breath, then looked over at Ben and nodded. \u201cThat\u2019s where they\u2019ve gone then, she took them back from the table and left them with Barbara.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she\u2019s left them for Barbara in case \u2018he\u2019 attacks her again,\u201d Adam said. He ran his fingers through his hair and glanced over at the little girl now sitting at the table drawing pictures on a piece of paper. \u201cShe knows too much, that little girl \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Snow was banked up steeply on either side of the train and although the men busied themselves with digging it out more snow was falling and filling in what had already been shifted. Rachel Forster sat in her carriage and shivered. It seemed she had been shivering nonstop for days now, and even her furs did little to prevent the cold from seeping into her bones.<\/p>\n

The little stove at the end of the compartment belched out heat which seemed to freeze within six inches of it. She leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes. In Egypt the heat sapped the strength from a person, but here it was the snow, the cold, the wind.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoffee, Miss Forster?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it hot?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs hot as it could be, Miss.\u201d<\/p>\n

She took a cup and drank it and wished that it had been hotter, and sweeter. She thanked him and returned the cup, and then wished that she hadn\u2019t drank the coffee after all. Nature called and that meant a long walk down the corridor, then outside onto the railed section that linked onto the next carriage where the lavatory was positioned. She closed her eyes, oh how interminably long this journey was, and how miserably cold.<\/p>\n

The guard came bustling down just as she was about to stand up and walk down the aisle, he stopped her with an upraised hand,<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Forster, we\u2019re going to have to return to the town. I\u2019m afraid it\u2019s impossible to proceed in this weather.\u201d he was an officious little man but pleasant enough as he smiled, \u201cAt least there\u2019s a warm, modern hotel there; it won\u2019t take long for you to thaw out.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded and waited for him to go through the door to the next compartment to deliver the self same message to the person in there. She continued her walk to the lavatory, the cold and the snow were bitter and the next carriage was as cold as her own. She noticed only six people in it, all huddled in thick coats and beaver hats, and ladies with muffs to keep their hands warm. She knew that they all knew why she was there and on the way back blushed a little at the way they avoided looking at her as though a visit to the lavatory was something unnatural.<\/p>\n

She reached her seat and sat down; outside the snow was falling faster than ever and she knew that if they didn\u2019t back up and reverse soon the way back would be as difficult to make as to travel forwards. She imagined herself freezing to death, their bodies found the following spring, and news reaching the commodore sometime in the future when he returned from some far off country so that he would say \u201cRachel? Rachel who did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n

She breathed against the glass and it misted immediately. She drew her name in small letters in the mist and then watched it fade away. What did it matter after all? Already her memory of him was going, the way he looked, and the way he spoke. All she could remember was the black of his Bedouin robes, the cloth across his face and the brown eyes that had looked at her. It wasn\u2019t enough, logic told her, it wasn\u2019t enough to go on with, and if she did love him, even that wasn\u2019t strong enough, not now.<\/p>\n

The train was shunting backwards at last; the noise of its engine filled her ears and she closed her eyes and put her hands over her ears to muffle the sound. Soon it was chugging away, chugging, chugging, chugging\u2026clacketty-clack clacketty-clack\u2026Abdul-karim Abdul-karim Abdul-karim clacketty-clack and then she was asleep, fast asleep and someone walked by and wrapped a warm blanket around her so that the cold wouldn\u2019t wake her up before they reached the town.<\/p>\n

Chapter 135<\/p>\n

The wind blew cold against their faces as they rode home together but Adam knew that his father would be burning like a furnace inside and wondered when he would give in to the impulse to get it all out of his system. With a set expression on his face Adam forced himself to remain silent and just wait for the opportunity Ben would seize to give his son a scolding. Ben, churned over by the events of the past day or so, angered by the frustration he felt at the whole thing and the anger he felt at Adam for riding off with the child, churned the whole thing over and over in his mind until he couldn\u2019t suppress the need to talk any longer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat on earth possessed you to take that child to the Pearsons\u2019? Don\u2019t you realise you put yourself into a dangerous situation? What if Pearson had attacked you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam flexed his shoulders and swallowed back the desire to spit out words that would provoke his father to more rage. Time and time again the \u201cfatherly admonitions\u201d Ben had handed out to his adult sons had grated on Adam\u2019s nerves and sense of self worth and now, considering his age and status in life, he didn\u2019t know whether to laugh or to blow up in anger himself. But, he had expected it, so he couldn\u2019t claim to be disappointed. He looked at his father as he slowed the horse a little, the reins loose between his hands,<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, there wasn\u2019t any risk involved. Pearson loves his daughter; he wouldn\u2019t have harmed her. Lilith needed to see her mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe may love his daughter but he certainly has no love for you. You should never have gone off like that and put yourself into such danger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, perhaps that\u2019s what I wanted, perhaps I wanted him to lose his temper and go crazy at me. It would have ended a lot of problems\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow what are you saying?\u201d Ben cried, his dark eyes widening and he shook his head. \u201cYou mean you would have liked a fight with him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d have liked nothing better than for him to have given me a chance to\u2014\u201d he clamped his mouth tight, no point in saying it, it hadn\u2019t happened, but he had thought it, had decided on the way there that if Andrew had gone for his gun he would have been ready and more than willing to have used his own. \u201cAnyway, it didn\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what is this business about the scissors? Where does all that fit into this?\u201d Ben was cooling down now, he had said what he had wanted to say and was now casting around for other things to discuss. He glanced at Adam. \u201cDid you know that Lilith had some scissors in her pocket?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t know what that has to do with anything. She\u2019s a child, and she knows too much, she\u2019s seen too much, and somehow or other those scissors play a part significant to her. What it is I don\u2019t know, perhaps even she doesn\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Ann looked at the drawing Lilith had made her and smiled, she stroked the little girls head and told her it was a lovely drawing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Daddy?\u201d she asked after a while for the picture was of a field full of flowers, two children, obviously Peter and Lilith and a woman, who must have been Barbara, played in the field, Barbara had flowers in her hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Lilith said as she put aside her pencils and she shrugged, \u201cHe\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGone where?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith frowned and shrugged again, she took her picture and pointed to the various characters,<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s Mommy, and that\u2019s Peter and that girl is me. We\u2019re playing together in the field\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you want Daddy in the picture?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really,\u201d Lilith replied with chilling honesty. \u201cI suppose I could put him in the sky with Mother.\u201d She frowned and shook her head. \u201cNo, Mother wouldn\u2019t like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

She ran off, the picture in her hand which she showed to Peter, but Peter wasn\u2019t interested, he wanted to play with his rag dog and Rosie had hold of it. In the ensueing tug of war Rosie fell over and bumped her head and Ann was distracted in having to pay attention to her daughter.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The hours were ticking by and along with them the days; Saturday was hurrying towards them. It seemed to Joe that nothing was happening, no preparations were being made; he was beginning to feel the first twinges of panic.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing\u2014there\u2019s so much to do, and I haven\u2019t seen a single chicken leg being roasted yet. You sure you know what\u2019s happening on Saturday?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, I know. You talk too much, flap flap all time flap. You do your business and leave Hop Sing to his\u2026\u201d The frown on his friend\u2019s face was warning enough. Joe hurried out of the kitchen and into the big room where Hester was nursing Hannah; she looked over at him and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you alright, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly getting married on Saturday, aren\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you sure?\u201d she laughed<\/p>\n

\u201cSure I\u2019m sure, but I ain\u2019t so sure that anyone else is as sure.\u201d Joe scowled.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh don\u2019t worry, Joe, a lot of times things can only be done at the last minute. It\u2019ll be a lovely day.\u201d She stroked back a curl from Hannah\u2019s brow and looked at her daughter adoringly. \u201cIt\u2019ll be alright. Hoss is going to collect all Mary Ann\u2019s things tomorrow, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he remembers.\u201d Joe huffed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs if he\u2019s likely to forget.\u201d Hester got out of her chair and put Hannah over her shoulder\u2014she already knew from experience that the baby didn\u2019t settle well with Joe, so there was little point in handing her to him\u2014and she smiled, \u201cIt\u2019ll be good to have Mary Ann here while you have the house built.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Joe brushed back his hair that had flopped down over his brow, \u201cSomehow it just doesn\u2019t seem true, or do I mean, real? I mean, I can\u2019t imagine actually being married. I\u2019ve almost been married before, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know, Hoss has recounted the number of events several times over.\u201d She kept on stroking and patting Hannah\u2019s back until an explosion of noise indicated that any trapped wind was now floating free. \u201cThere now, good girl, let\u2019s put you down for a sleep, shall we?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo all babies do that?\u201d Joe frowned<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid so, Joseph. Even you did once.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe grimaced and decided to leave the room for his own; there were things to do and he wasn\u2019t at all sure where to start doing them.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Mary Ann gazed at her reflection in the mirror as the hem of the dress was carefully pinned around. Could this really be her own wedding dress? Was it really going to happen? She sighed. \u201cSomehow it doesn\u2019t seem real.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, if I could have a dollar for every bride I\u2019ve heard say that\u2026\u201d the seamstress laughed with her lips firmly shut on the pins still in her mouth. Over the years she had perfected the art of speaking while hardly moving her mouth; it was a wonder to behold and held many small children in thrall.<\/p>\n

The light caught the beads and bangles sewn onto the bodice; she swirled a little and the hem swayed around her ankles. Imagine it, she and Joe dancing\u2026his arm around her waist, a little closer than usual, their eyes meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think he\u2019ll like it?\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll love it,\u201d the seamstress replied. \u201cBelieve me, it\u2019s the woman in the dress, not the dress on the woman that he\u2019ll be more interested in.\u201d She stood up and seemed to shed pins everywhere, she took several out of her mouth and smiled, a real smile that showed her teeth, \u201cYou\u2019re going to look beautiful, my dear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mary Ann looked into the mirror again, a shiver ran down her back, and she blinked back the mist of tears as she thought of her parents, and of Frank her brother\u2026how proud they would have been to have seen her being wed to Joseph Cartwright. How proud and how happy.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Rachel Forster stood outside the telegraph depot and wondered about sending a cablegram to the Ponderosa. She clasped her hands together, rubbed them because her fingers were really cold now, snow fell upon the hood of her coat. What could she say? \u201cDear Adam, I am on my way, please wait.\u201d No, too familiar and anyway, how could she ask him to wait when she didn\u2019t even know when the train was going to leave this place let alone arrive in San Francisco. \u201cMr. Cartwright\u2014\u201d there were three, no, four Mr. Cartwrights there, so that could be confusing.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I am on my way, would you please wait.\u201d that sounded quite good. She stepped towards the office but then stopped, her hand on the door knob, \u201cPlease wait for what? It seemed as though a package was being delivered. Perhaps she should say \u201cAdam, I love you\u2026\u201d she stopped herself. Love…love you. Adam, I love you and am on my way.<\/p>\n

Stupid. Silly. Feckless. Oh no, why was she here in this terrible wilderness of a place? She had never seen so many wild and strange people in her life. There had been plenty of different types in Egypt but then it was a country full of foreigners, but here, in her own country, so much poverty, and such strange attitudes and manners.<\/p>\n

She put her hand on the door knob again, and then paused, well, what was she going to say? \u201cAdam Cartwright. Commodore. I have travelled from Egypt and wish to meet with you. As soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stepped back again and more snow fell covering her hood and settling upon her shoulders. She realised that the little toes on both feet were going numb. She could hardly feel her fingers. The man in the telegraph depot had turned the card to \u201cClosed.\u201d<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t matter; she would try again the next day. Perhaps the words would come more easily then. Did she really want to send one anyway? Did she really love him? Did she really even know what love was?<\/p>\n

The hotel was large and newly built. Based on the premise that there would be big business with the trains passing through the owners had made it a grand affair. It was in fact quite luxurious, if you could afford it. She went to her room and stepped inside. The fire was burning in the grate and it was snug and warm; she removed her coat and shook off the snow.<\/p>\n

Looking out of the window she could see people hurrying about, trying to escape the wind and the snow. She looked at the clock and realised that soon she would have to locate the restaurant for something to eat. She was about to remove her boots when there was a knock on the door,<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoom service, Miss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, but I didn\u2019t order anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe management thought you would like your meal in your room, Miss.\u201d<\/p>\n

She opened the door and the waiter pushed a laden trolley into the room, smiled and stepped back into the hall.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there anything else, Miss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, except\u2014do you know when the next train leaves?\u201d<\/p>\n

He nearly laughed, a good natured man as he was, but then he shook his head,<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s another storm coming over, could be days yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDays?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Miss.\u201d he smiled again, and then paused, \u201cOh, I forgot,\u201d and he fumbled in a pocket and withdrew a little note, neatly folded, \u201cFor you, Miss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel took the billet doux and opened it. \u201cMay I join you for dinner this evening?\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at the waiter and frowned,<\/p>\n

\u201cWho gave you this?\u201d<\/p>\n

He shrugged and fumbled in another pocket and produced another note, which she opened.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy room doesn\u2019t possess a fire. I shall bring my own bottle of champagne.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow strange.\u201d She frowned and glanced up and down the corridor. \u201cWho is it who gave you these notes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014er\u2014I have one more, Miss.\u201d And he smiled, obviously enjoying every moment of her embarrassment. \u201cHere it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be lovely to talk to you face to face instead of looking at the back of your head all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand\u2026\u201d she whispered and again looked up and down the corridor.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there any reply, Miss?\u201d the waiter asked politely.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. Did the person leave a name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t, Miss\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I can hardly expect to invite a complete stranger into my room, can I?\u201d she said anxiously and then jumped when a gentle, familiar voice said, \u201cNot quite a complete stranger, Miss Forster\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 136<\/p>\n

The door of the hotel suite opposite had opened during Rachel\u2019s exchange with the waiter and the young man standing there waited until her eyes had turned to him. He saw how her eyes widened, and the colour faded from her face only to rush back again.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaurence!\u201d she exclaimed and covered her face with her hands before throwing her arms wide and running over to him. \u201cOh Laurence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her embrace caught him unawares and he stepped back a little to take the full force of her weight, then gently placed his arms around her, she looked up at him and laughed, a nervous laugh to be sure but one that was warm and intoxicatingly good to hear for a young man who was in some doubt as to his reception.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe you\u2019re here. Why are you here? How did you get here? \u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cThe meal is getting cold, shall we go into your room and eat some of it?\u201d he smiled and she laughed, grabbed at his hand and led him into her room.<\/p>\n

Once inside the excitement of seeing one another slid away, they stood apart, looked at one another. Then she smiled shyly,<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t think I\u2019d ever see you again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sorry that you have?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no, no, not at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t wait any longer without letting you know I was here, Rachel. It\u2019s been a long journey and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long?\u201d she whispered<\/p>\n

\u201cSince Naples.\u201d he said, \u201cI waited there until your boat arrived and boarded it. I\u2019ve been\u2014well\u2014in a manner of speaking, I\u2019ve been with you every inch of the journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t tell her that he had made sure she had got the best cabin, that her meals were of excellent quality, that the day she lost her bracelet he had the ship\u2019s crew turn the place over to find it again. He made no mention of the fact that when she reached her home he booked into a hotel close by and waited every day for a sight of her, and as soon as she had booked the train he had made his own booking. The little things like a blanket placed over her when she slept to make sure she was not cold, the fires being constantly fed with wood, coffee and tea available whenever she needed it\u2026countless inconsequential things that he had done without her even realising he was anywhere on the same continent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, Laurence ? Why did you do it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I love you. I realised when I left\u2014a\u201d he bowed his head and frowned. \u201cI realised when I left Egypt that I loved you more than anything in the world and that I had made no effort to win you. I thought, hoped, that you would realise and then I\u2014\u201d he stopped and looked at her, \u201cPosting your pictures and letters to Adam was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but it was that which made me think that I would go with you, even if you didn\u2019t know I existed I could make sure that you got there safely. And, if it didn\u2019t turn out as you had hoped, then I would step forward and take you back home, or back to wherever you wished to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stepped forward one pace and clasped her hands together, frowned slightly, and bowed her head,<\/p>\n

\u201cYou make me feel ashamed, Laurence. I didn\u2019t think that anyone could or would care about me enough to do that kind of thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat kind of thing?\u201d he echoed her words and raised his eyebrows, \u201cYou were prepared to do it for someone you hardly know, a man who is the best person in the world so far as I am concerned, but of whom you know so little. Yet I had spent weeks with you, I was your companion all those weeks, Rachel, sketching you, painting your portrait, and sharing your time. If you could make this journey for a man that is more a romantic whim on your part then why could not I, when I love you with all my being.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was silence for a whil , a hiatus that hung over them, he sighed and shook his head disconsolately. \u201cRachel, I couldn\u2019t just step back and let you travel all that way to lay your heart before Captain Cartwright without first placing mine within your hands. Take it. It\u2019s yours to do with as you wish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Laurence\u2014\u201d she sighed and looked into the earnest blue eyes of the young Englishman, she saw the scar across his brow where Funsani had cut the flesh and she knew of other scars that his body bore as a result of what had taken place all those weeks ago in Egypt. She had nursed him and cared for him, and been so entrenched in thoughts of romance that the real solid gold of love had nearly slipped through her fingers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know how long we will be here before you can continue your journey,\u201d Laurence said, taking her silence to mean her rejection of his love, \u201cbut I hope that I can come and spend time with you, make you see how I love you, let you know that I won\u2019t surrender, not even to Adam, if there is any chance of winning your hand in marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes that mean if I say no to your offer that you will leave me to make the last stage of this journey on my own?\u201d<\/p>\n

He inhaled sharply, then shrugged, \u201cIf so be it.\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Joseph hardly slept that night thinking of all the details needed to ensure the wedding went without a hitch. He ticked off various lists in his mind\u2026the names of the guests, yes, all ticked off. What they were eating\u2026who knew? Well, he didn\u2019t, but Hop Sing and Hester seemed confident that all was well there so that was ticked off. Drink? Leave that to Pa, no problem. Flowers? Where could he get flowers? He pondered over it and then remembered that Hester and Ann were dealing with that along with the decorations.<\/p>\n

He went over the lists several more times and found his eyes slowly closing\u2026guests? Yep. Drink? Yep. Yawn. He folded his arms behind his head and stared into the shadows above him and thought that soon, soon indeed, he would be sharing this bed with the one person in all the world that mattered to him. His heart raced at the thought of her. He thought over another list now of all the women he had loved and lost in the past, lovely women and some silly women, but all of them he had had affection for in some way or another. Compared to them only his little Cheyenne love and Mary Ann mattered. He could even release Little Moon now without feeling any pang of guilt because he knew she would understand; after all she had loved another before he had ridden into her life.<\/p>\n

Thoughts of Little Moon reminded him of the little box in his bureau and he rose out of bed and carried the lamp across to pull the drawer open, get the box out and open it yet again. The ear rings were still perfect, gleaming in the soft light of the lamp, he touched the flowers, those that he had been given by her when they had last met together, and as he touched them they fell into dry particles that resembled dust. He stared at them for a moment, then nodded as though in some way there was a blessing in the event, and he could get on with his life and be happy.<\/p>\n

He heard the soft wail of a baby crying and smiled as he put the little box away again. He listened for the sound of either Hoss or Hester getting out of bed (amazingly creaky, that bed) and picking the infant up, the sound of humming and floor boards creaking as they passed back and forth. Well, Joe thought with a smile, that could be us next year.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Mary Ann had fallen asleep thinking of Joe. She had wept a little as thoughts of Frank kept slipping into her mind, and she wondered where they would have been had they never asked Joe and Hoss for help in guiding them to Calico. She thought of what life would be like in the future as Mrs. Joseph Cartwright. For a while she would carry on teaching at school until a suitable replacement was found and while their house was being built. Joe had agreed that would be quite a sensible arrangement, although he had voiced his opinion that he had hoped it would not be for long.<\/p>\n

It was a shame that there were no relatives on her side to attend the wedding, but Mrs. Hawkins had offered to come as well as a few others she had befriended. As she fell asleep she reminded herself that in the morning Hoss would be coming to collect her things, her few things, and would be taking her to Ann\u2019s house, while her belongings were to be deposited and stored at the Ponderosa. She had smiled a little at the thought of what Hoss would say when he trundled up with the wagon and saw what little was going to be put into it.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Roy Coffee sat back in his chair, polishing his spectacles and wondering if an answer to his cablegram would arrive by the morning. It wasn\u2019t anything too important, just an enquiry into the death of the first Mrs. Andrew Pearson. Somehow he had to build a case up against the young man that would convince even Barbara that she had to leave him and charge him with assault.<\/p>\n

He tugged at his moustache, and sighed deeply at the memory of the conversations he had held with Paul, John and Adam. They had made him sound as though he were the most uncaring person in the world because he hadn\u2019t gone marching in to arrest Pearson as soon as it had been suspected that he could be\u2014and here Roy sighed again at those two words\u2014that he could be beating his wife.<\/p>\n

Hadn\u2019t he argued with them till words ran out that there was nothing he could do? If Barbara didn\u2019t bring charges and stick with them\u2026he shrugged, even then that didn\u2019t alter things, a woman\u2019s word meant nothing and too many judges were of the opinion that woman was just one step above an article of furniture. Perhaps if some of their flinty hearts had beat to the sound of passion and love there would be some changes in the law. But not yet and that was the sticking point.<\/p>\n

However, and he nodded to himself with a satisfied smile, however, if the reply came back as he hoped then it wouldn\u2019t matter what Barbara did or did not do because he would be able to march into that house and arrest Andrew for murder.<\/p>\n

He rose to his feet and walked to the window. It was night and the lights of the town shone like rows of little glow worms. Music came from the saloons and honky tonks, dogs barked at the moon, there was the sound of horses trotting down the main street, and he lowered his head in contemplation of the past and then he realised he had a dread for the future, for the time ahead when he was no longer sheriff.<\/p>\n

So many changes loomed ahead; perhaps soon another sheriff would be looking out of these selfsame windows and seeing those mechanical vehicles they were talking about in all the newspapers, they would be chugging down the street and making an infernal racket. He\u2019d seen one in San Francisco, or the model of one, never wanted to set eyes on another, no, sir.<\/p>\n

He glanced over at the clock and nodded to himself, time for his night rounds. He loosened his gun in its holster and reached for the rifle. Thursday was not too bad a night; it was the Fridays and Saturdays that caused most trouble. He smiled to himself as he pulled open the door. This coming Saturday he was taking off, a holiday because he would be going to Joseph Cartwright\u2019s wedding. Well, who would have thought it?<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

In the bed that Ann had made up for her Lilith tried to sleep. Once or twice she had actually fallen asleep but then woken again crying softly into her pillow and realising that she was actually crying she tried to stop because she knew Ann would come bustling in and cuddling her and asking her what was the matter..<\/p>\n

Bad things had happened, bad things. She was bad and evil and a horrible little girl because she hadn\u2019t understood, but then\u2014she put her thumb in her mouth\u2014but then she was only a little girl when it had all started all that time ago.<\/p>\n

But what was it that had all started? What was the bad thing that haunted her, like some dark shadow looming over the corners of her mind waiting to jump out like some big jack-in-the-box.<\/p>\n

She began to rock herself back and forth in the bed, sucking her thumb and keeping her eyes closed\u2026Once upon a time there was a little girl called Lilith, and she had a mother and a father who were beautiful. Her mother always wore lovely clothes and she always smelled like flowers. She had long golden hair that was in curls, and she had blue eyes. She would hold Lilith, whom she loved, and she must have because she told her so every day, and she would sing to her, tell her stories, draw her pictures, and sew little dollies with cute pretty dresses.<\/p>\n

This little girl had a daddy who was handsome and he worked a lot outside.<\/p>\n

Lilith frowned, the dark shadow was coming again and she didn\u2019t want it to leap out, not now. She sucked her thumb harder. There had to be another story, there had to be story where everyone was happy and Lilith was loved and safe, always.
\nChapter 137<\/p>\n

The house was quiet when Barbara opened her eyes. She listened for the sound of Peter\u2019s crying or Lilith moving about, but when no sound came she closed her eyes wearily and tried to slip back into sleep. Before she could do so, however, someone approached the bed and an arm slipped behind her shoulders to raise her up gently. Alarmed now, she opened her eyes again and found herself looking into John Martin’s face. He smiled at her and the pale eyes gentled with concern so that she realised that she must have been hurt although she felt no pain. She tried to smile but her mouth wasn\u2019t working and that concerned her. John nodded<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Barbara, you\u2019ve been given a strong sedative to help your body without you feeling too much pain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t feel\u2014anything\u2014cotton wool\u2014\u201d she mumbled, disjoined odd words that made no sense and she felt angry with herself, a teacher, not being able to construct a simple sentence.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s alright, it\u2019s perfectly natural. You will feel like that for a while yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes stared into his, looking for clues as to what had happened, answers to questions her brain hadn\u2019t really formed yet but needed, and one of her hands grasped his and squeezed it tightly. He nodded again. \u201cLilith and Peter are at Ann\u2019s. She and Candy are looking after them for a while. Nurse O\u2019Leary is making you something to eat; if you can manage to eat some that will be good. You need some nourishment now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes begged a question, and he frowned slightly. \u201cNo, I\u2019m afraid you\u2019ve lost the baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

She thought about that for a moment, closing her eyes, holding fast his hand in her own.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow?\u201d she whispered<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t you remember what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

She opened her eyes to look at him, frowned and struggled to remember anything. Her brain was just telling her to go to sleep, it didn\u2019t want to worry about anything else, it was tired, tired.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWell, that\u2019s perfectly natural as well.\u201d he murmured soothingly, \u201cJust don\u2019t worry about it for now. You\u2019ll likely remember if you have to.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned at the sound by the door and nodded over to Mrs. O\u2019Leary, who came into the room with a bowl of something on a tray. He pulled his hand free of her grasp and made room for the nurse<\/p>\n

\u201cNurse O\u2019Leary will be here for the next few hours. I or my uncle will call by soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t go\u2026\u201d she reached out towards him and then closed her eyes and let her arm drop to the bed, of course he had to go, he was the doctor, others needed him.<\/p>\n

He left the room having said goodbye and made his way downstairs, looked over at the man who was now waking up from a deep sleep and waited to see how Andrew Pearson was feeling this morning. Andrew rubbed his face and his scalp, he felt itchy all over and cold. He looked at the fire and then realised John was nearby, watching him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s going to be alright. Mrs. O\u2019Leary is seeing to her now. She\u2019s going to need a lot of rest, Andrew. She\u2019s unwell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just said she was alright\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI said she was going to be alright. Until early this morning I wasn\u2019t so sure about that, but she pulled through and is conscious now. Unfortunately she doesn\u2019t remember anything about the attack upon her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAttack? What attack? I thought she said she had fallen down the stairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, is that what it was?\u201d John replied coldly, he stared at Andrew and then with a sigh pulled on his coat and hat, and picked up his bag. \u201cI\u2019ll be coming back later today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew nodded and said nothing, he heard the door close and started to make his way up the stairs to the bedroom. O\u2019Leary turned and scowled at him,<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you wanting now?\u201d she snapped mid way to spoon feeding her patient some porridge<\/p>\n

\u201cI want my breakfast.\u201d he demanded, \u201cAnd something for my head. I have a headache.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara turned her face towards her husband and Andrew blanched a little as he saw the result of his handiwork, but she didn\u2019t speak, she only contented herself with having seen him and then looked back to O\u2019Leary for some more to eat.<\/p>\n

He went lumbering downstairs, scratching his chest and armpits and scalp. It felt like so many ants crawling over his body. If he had had the sense he was born with, he might have realised it was the result of having a strong dose of laudanum slipped into his supper the previous evening, as it was he assumed no one could ever be as devious as himself. He ladled out some porridge and ate it standing up, while he thought over all that had happened, and planned what to do next.<\/p>\n

When Mrs. O\u2019Leary came down the stairs he turned to her and demanded to know where the children were<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know perfectly well where they are; they\u2019re at Ann Canady\u2019s place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy wasn\u2019t I told? They should be here, with their father and mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir mother isn\u2019t well enough to have the worry of children in the house, or had you not noticed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m here, aren\u2019t I? I\u2019m their father, they should be here. Why did you let them take them away?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t let them take them anywhere\u2026they can\u2019t come here for a while yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

He grabbed at his coat and slammed his hat upon his head. \u201cWe\u2019ll see about that\u2014\u201d he shouted and slammed his way out of the house.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Mary Ann had closed school the previous day so there had been no need to worry about school hours to be kept. Instead she enjoyed a leisurely morning bundling up her possessions for Hoss to collect. She was happy. Her heart was bursting with so many happy emotions that there were times when she simply wanted to sit down and cry. Such happiness couldn\u2019t be contained in just one small body.<\/p>\n

She sang as she packed away her books, precious treasures, some that she had been given as gifts when a child. She flicked through them all finding within their pages not just the wonderful words from such gifted authors such as Dickens, Austen, Dumas, Shakespeare, but also the little reminders that she had slipped between their pages\u2026pressed flowers, a little sketch of something special to her that particular moment of the day, a hand written note from one of her family members mentioning something like \u201cI love you\u201d or even \u201cDon\u2019t forget to put the cat out tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Memories, such wonderful memories. She had to fight her inclination to spend too much time with her books, but these were eventually bundled up into a box. Clothes, well, there were few of those but they were bundled into her trunk, and she remembered that Joe had given her some money to go and buy the things she would need as a young bride. She had asked Hester about what to get…so na\u00efve and innocent she was\u2026and her future sister had provided her with a whole list of things. Goodness, it would take the whole afternoon to buy it all.<\/p>\n

She put away the last item, an old umbrella that had belonged to her father and had served her quite well over the years. She remembered how Frank had exclaimed in despair \u201cNot that old thing, sis\u201d all that time ago when she had lovingly placed it among the things to bring out West.<\/p>\n

Well, that was that done, all finished. Once Hoss had been and collected it all she would meet Hester and they would shop before returning to the Ponderosa. She looked around the room. It had served her well, but she would be glad to close the door and would not regret leaving it.<\/p>\n

Tomorrow\u2026yes, tomorrow\u2026would be her wedding day. And all the happiest of words written in oh so many books and diaries and novels about wedding days would all come true tomorrow.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Adam had stood on the porch and waved his brother and sister-in-law farewell. He was smiling as they trundled out of the yard, Hoss in the wagon expecting a whole pile of things to be loaded into the back of it, and Hester in the buggy with an excited look on her face peculiar to women who knew they were going to enjoy a long session shopping with someone else\u2019s money. Just about the nearest to heaven a woman could get, except that she wasn\u2019t buying things for herself; well, perhaps she would get a few things, who knew?<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Pa, happy?\u201d he smiled as he heard his father\u2019s heavy tread on the boards and glanced at the older man with an affection, for of all men living Ben Cartwright had been Adam\u2019s hero since the day of his first memory.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery,\u201d Ben replied and placed his hand upon his son\u2019s shoulder, this son whose restlessness had brought him pain and pride, sorrow and joy. \u201cTwo sons married.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost married, Pa. Don\u2019t count your daughters before they\u2019re totally committed.\u201d He grinned, eyes twinkling.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, took \u2019em long enough.\u201d Ben gruffly mumbled, \u201cHester\u2019s a daughter any man would be proud of, I can\u2019t believe how well and how happy she and Hoss are together, and Joe with Mary Ann\u2026\u201d he looked slyly over at Adam who was biting down on his bottom lip and he smiled, yes, he thought, you\u2019re anticipating my next comment, well, darn it, I won\u2019t bother. And he chuckled to himself.<\/p>\n

From within came the sound of Hannah crying and both men looked at one another with raised eyebrows,<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Pa, as you\u2019re the man with the experience of child rearing, I\u2019ll leave you to your charge.\u201d Adam laughed and slapped his father good-naturedly on the arm<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what do you intend to do with yourself today, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m going to go for a ride, make the most of it while I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben said nothing although his mouth twisted a little with words that he would have liked to have uttered. Time was slipping away again, this leave Adam had been given had been taken up with chasing after Joe and now, soon, his son would be leaving home again. He sighed and followed Adam into the house where the younger man grabbed at his coat and hat, buckled on his gun belt and then after a brief smile at grandfather and grandchild quickly stepped outside and closed the door on Hannah\u2019s howls.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long to saddle Sport and within a short time he was riding out of the yard and into the pasture. Galloping at full stretch into open land, carefully avoiding the junction leading to the Pearsons\u2019, he just enjoyed the freedom around him and the control he had of the horse, the power and strength which was always a delight on days such as this.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Lilith was showing Peter and Rosie how to play pat-a-cake; they were upstairs in the big room that Ann had turned into a bedroom for all three children. Peter, with his lack of hearing, was staring hard at his sister\u2019s face nodding to the words that he knew she was forming from the way her lips parted and moved. Rosie, still too young to be really interested in learning, clapped her hands all the time and giggled.<\/p>\n

Ann was baking; there was a lot to do for the wedding preparations were now underway and she had been given instructions by Hop Sing on what refreshments she was expected to provide. When the banging on the door came she was carefully measuring out sugar and flour into a large bowl.<\/p>\n

She knew by instinct that the person on the other side of the door was Andrew Pearson, why, she would never be able to explain but that was what she had felt and as she walked to the door she was determined to show him that she wasn\u2019t afraid of him. She pulled the door wide open as he was about to bring down his fist upon it once again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell? What do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want my children.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t have them back home, Andrew, until the Doctor says Barbara is well enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is well enough. Let me pass, woman.\u201d And he pushed her to one side and walked into the room. \u201cLilith, Lilith\u2026it\u2019s me, Dad. Get Peter and get yourself down here, right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upstairs Lilith froze, Peter watching her, froze as well. They sat there, cross-legged opposite one another, barely breathing while Rosie continued to clap hands and giggle. Then even she stopped to sit there and stare at her two companions.<\/p>\n

\u201cLILITH!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAndrew, please go.\u201d Ann wasn\u2019t afraid; she stood there in her white apron covering her dark dress, with smudges of flour on her face and her hands on her hips, and when he didn\u2019t turn to leave but strode towards the stairs she grabbed his arm and pulled. \u201cHOW DARE YOU!\u201d<\/p>\n

He spun round on her, grabbed her arm and spun her away from himself with such force that she staggered back against the table, sending several eggs to roll and smash onto the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you dare to touch me, you\u2014you hoyden. Who do you think you are, Miss High and Mighty? Think you\u2019re better than us, do you? Think you know everything about us, do you? Well, let me tell you, you know nothing, do you understand, NOTHING!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know enough about you to be sickened at the sight of you, you\u2014you\u2014you bully.\u201d she rubbed her wrist, \u201cNow, I\u2019m telling you, Andrew, just leave this house right now and I\u2019ll forget this incident. Trust me, the children are safe, and happy; they\u2019ll come home when Barbara can handle having them. Believe me, Andrew, if you don\u2019t leave now, you\u2019ll be sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neither of them saw Lilith creep down the stairs and stand close to the door as they shouted at one another, faces barely inches apart. Ann could smell the stale sickly stench of milk and porridge oats on his breath, and he could smell the woman\u2019s smell of her, the sweet smell of her perfume mingling with the sweetness of raisins and sultanas and sugar. He grabbed at her hair, his fingers twisted into her curls; Lilith screamed, and Ann brought her hand hard across his face.<\/p>\n

Her defiance caught him by surprise for he had assumed her to be like many women, frail and fragile, likely to be crushed by the force of a well built man such as himself. He reached out to grab her with one hand while the other hand rubbed at his face, stinging from the force of her blow. She was too fast for him and as his hand grabbed at her sleeve, ripping it from her, she threw the contents of her mixing bowl into his face.<\/p>\n

Lilith had the door open and was running, screaming, running, sobbing away from the house.<\/p>\n

Andrew shook away the flour and sugar, although enough clung to him still to make him look like some ghastly figure from a nightmare and Ann didn\u2019t know whether to laugh or cry at the sight. She dashed across the room, grabbed the rifle from the stand and raised it to her shoulder.<\/p>\n

Andrew stopped in mid-stride; he shook his head and laughed. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t dare.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cGive the gun to me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be ridiculous. Just turn around and leave the house, Andrew. I mean it, leave the house or I\u2019ll shoot you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you mad?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you?\u201d She moved the rifle a little more into her shoulder, looking through the sights. \u201cI\u2019m not Barbara, Andrew. I\u2019m not prepared to let you bully and beat me to a pulp. Just turn around now and leave this house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t bully Barbara. I wouldn\u2019t hurt her\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally? I don\u2019t believe you\u2014one more time, Andrew, one more step and I shoot. Turn around and leave us alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood there for a moment and then turned, picked up his hat and strode over to the door, then he paused and looked over at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll regret this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m counting\u2026one.”<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

The door closed and she stood there long enough for him to have mounted the horse; she listened, heard it gallop away and then put the rifle back. After a moment of just standing still because for some reason her legs wouldn\u2019t move, Ann fell into the nearest chair, and began to cry.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

A flash of green and white dashed across his line of vision and Adam drew the horse to a halt. No animal living was that colour, that he knew for sure.<\/p>\n

He walked the horse in the direction of the sight, his eyes carefully scanning the ground, the rocks and the shrubs as he passed them. There it was again and now it had a shape, one he recognised. A little girl with a green dress and white pinny huddled against a rock with her hands clasped and her eyes firmly shut.<\/p>\n

He dismounted slowly and walked as softly as he could towards her. She was shivering but he knew somehow it wasn\u2019t just from the cold. He leaned down, whispered her name gently, and she looked up at him her eyes widened in tear-filled terror.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Lilith. You remember me, don\u2019t you?\u201d He took off his coat. \u201cHere, wrap this around you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t move, like a small fawn too terrified to move she still huddled against the rock so that he had to stoop, put the coat around her and lift her into his arms. She looked at him then, looked deep into his brown eyes; perhaps she saw herself reflected back, a little weeping face full of misery, or perhaps she saw the tender compassion, the sadness, in his eyes but whatever it was, she gave a little moan and settled her head into his shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, my dear, you\u2019re safe now. You\u2019re safe with me\u2026\u201d he whispered as he carried her towards his horse but she clung to him so tightly that it wasn\u2019t possible to separate himself from her to get her onto the saddle, so he looked about him, saw a huddle of rocks and walked towards them. Very carefully and with her still in his arms, he sat down on the ground and just held her, close.<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t move. She was too afraid to move now. She clutched at his shirt with her fingers heedless of the cold that the poor man was enduring as he sat on the cold ground with the freezing rocks at his back. She wanted to keep this feeling of safety until the fear ebbed away, like that black shadow in her dreams, except that now she knew what that black shadow was, knew exactly WHO it was\u2026and she shivered again, and huddled in even closer so that Adam\u2019s heart beat echoed into her ear and seemed to pulsate throughout her body.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me about it, sweet heart,\u201d he whispered, \u201cTell me all about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

And for a moment she thought that perhaps she shouldn\u2019t, and then she knew that she just had to, she just had to talk about it.<\/p>\n

Chapter 138<\/p>\n

It was slowly growing colder although the sun was now moving towards noon. Adam sat still as the child clung so tightly to him and sobbed against his shirt, the yellow coat keeping her covered from the chill air while her body helped warm him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe man\u2014\u201d she paused and held her breath as though waiting, listening, and she turned her face into his chest and lowered her voice almost to a whisper so that Adam had to lean over her to catch the words \u201cThe man was hurting Ann.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnn?\u201d the name blurted out spontaneously, and she gave a sob as though his action had frightened her, or perhaps the anger in his voice at the thought of someone hurting her had been the cause of her reaction, so he forced himself to stay still, gulped back question after question that he desperately wished he had the answers to, and waited.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was shouting at her and she was shouting at him. I ran away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, and frowned wondering if that was all that the child was going to tell him, when he had felt, in fact, been certain, that there was more than a recent event worrying her. He sighed, straightening one leg which was now numb and anticipating pins and needles later.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was little\u2014even littler than I am now\u2014\u201d she whispered, \u201cand Mommy was sewing. The man came in. He shouted like he shouted at Ann just now. He shouted and she cried. My mommy cried.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbara\u2014do you mean Barbara?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no, my own Mommy,\u201d she said and looked up to see his face gazing down at her, the brown eyes concerned, anxious. \u201cMy Mommy before Mommy Barbara.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he hit her again?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWere you frightened?\u201d Stupid question Adam Cartwright, he admonished himself, the poor child was still frightened now, listen and learn, man, listen and learn.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe hit her and made blood come out. I was too small and I cried. Then he would pick me up and hold me tight and say Mommy had been bad, she had not been a good girl like me. But I didn\u2019t know how Mommy had been bad. My Mommy was\u2014\u201d she heaved in a big breath as though the word she wanted was so important it had to be the biggest, best word in all the world to describe her. \u201cShe was beautiful. Daddy loved my Mommy and they would sing together and be funny, and sometimes they would make me laugh.\u201d<\/p>\n

A bird started singing, breaking into the silence of that moment when she had paused, as though it wanted to share the occasion and have its say, and for some reason they both stopped to listen it was such a pure sweet melody on that cold bleak day.<\/p>\n

He stretched out his other leg now and bent the knee of the first, as anticipated, pins and needles niggled up and down his leg. He wondered if she had run out of words now, the shivering had stopped but when he leaned forward as though about to rise up, she cringed tightly against him. She had started and the memories were running through her mind so fast she had to tell him it all before they slipped away<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I went to bed I would hear The Man hitting her and she would be crying, she would say \u2018No, No, please, please stop\u2026\u2019\u201d she mimicked the sound of a woman, high pitched, the sob in her voice, Adam was the one who shivered now. \u201cIt made me cry. My Mommy sometimes had bruises on her face and arms. Sometimes she couldn\u2019t get out of bed to make our meals and my Daddy said she was naughty. \u2018Naughty Mommy.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

She started crying again, a low keening sound that he had only heard when a child reached the point of total distress. He had heard it in the Indian villages where a child sat huddled over the body of its dead mother; he remembered the child at Kuril in the devastated village there keening for its loved ones, and others, so many others, but not this bonny child, not here, not now\u2026and he stroked her back and whispered, \u2018It\u2019s alright, sweet heart, cry it out, there now, cry it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne day The Man came in and he was angry. My Mommy was sewing and he was going to hit her. She picked up the scissors and said \u2018If you touch me I\u2019ll kill you.\u2019\u201d Her face went blank and Adam could see from her eyes that she was reliving that moment in her mind, the eyes darted back and forth and the breathing became fast, shallow, \u201cMy Mommy screamed and screamed and I ran and hid away. I hid behind the table. She screamed and screamed. Then there was a thud and the table moved and my Mommy was on the floor. The Man was angry; the scissors were in his arm, and there was blood on him. There was blood all over my Mommy.\u201d She drew in a deep shudder of a breath and began that wail of a cry again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened next? Can you remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy Daddy came and took me upstairs and said Mommy was asleep. Naughty Mommy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silence and not even a bird sang now. Clouds were gathering and Adam wondered if it would rain, when should he move, was this the end of the story or did Lilith have more to say. He opened his mouth to say something when she began to speak,<\/p>\n

\u201cDaddy met Barbara and everything was happy again. Then Peter came and that was a happy time. I was glad Daddy had found Barbara. She was like my own mommy again. But then The Man came back. I kept the scissors like Mommy had and I put them under the pillow for Mommy Barbara because if the Man comes again she can stop him.\u201d She looked into Adam\u2019s face. \u201cShe can, can\u2019t she? She can use the scissors and stop The Man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess she could\u2026\u201d After a moment he cleared his throat. \u201cLilith, did you see what happened to your mother; I mean, did she wake up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, she went in a hole in the ground. Daddy was crying and put the dirt over her and we put flowers there. Daddy said it was a grave and Mommy would go into the sky and look after us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam raised a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose, bit down on his lips, and closed his eyes. She moved and put her arms around his neck, held him tight but she was breathing normally now, there was some colour in her cheeks and the tears had stopped flowing. He cleared his throat, one more question and then they would go and see if Ann was alright. He licked his lips,<\/p>\n

\u201cLilith, this Man you speak about\u2026does he have a name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d she said with a nod of her head. \u201cHis name is Andrew.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Ann came to the door with a cry of delight at seeing Lilith safe and sound, while Adam and the child were more than happy to see her, even with red rimmed eyes and a rather blotchy face. Adam passed Lilith into her arms, and then looked at her intently,<\/p>\n

\u201cAnn, are you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam, I was a bit shocked afterwards but then Candy came home and I told him about what had happened. He\u2019s gone to find Andrew now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Adam looked at her and then glanced at the door, \u201cWhen did he leave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout ten minutes ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, the calm manner in which Ann had spoken belied her actual feelings which were still in turmoil. She hugged Lilith to her and thanked Adam for bringing her home safely at which Lilith turned to him and put her hand out to touch Adam\u2019s face,<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you going to get The Man?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Lilith, I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd will you\u2014will you stop him ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019ll stop him.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded, and as he walked to the door she ran after him and pulled on his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will stop him, promise?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

She looked at him intently and nodded again before allowing him to continue out of the house. She was standing at the door watching as he mounted Sport and rode away.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

It seemed to Andrew Pearson that no matter where he went that day things persisted in going wrong. He galloped towards home but then saw the top of the doctor\u2019s buggy appearing on the rim of the hill so turned the horse round. Whether it was Paul or John he was in no mood to face them with their accusing eyes and self-righteous way of speaking.<\/p>\n

He backtracked a little and cut across onto Ponderosa land in order to reach an area about which he knew where he could camp out for the day and keep out of everyone\u2019s way. Even the old nurse they had employed was nothing short of an old witch bent on causing him trouble.<\/p>\n

Candy was following Pearson\u2019s tracks carefully but was spared some of the work when he saw a glimpse of the rider cutting across towards Miller\u2019s Creek. He turned his horse and urged it on to a faster gallop with the intention of catching Pearson before the man could lose himself in the boulders and rocks.<\/p>\n

Instinct warned Andrew that he was being followed, and he turned in the saddle to see who was coming after him, but the rider was barely visible. The fact that he was in sight of him made Andrew panic slightly at the realisation that the rider was actually that close. He knew he had to put speed on to outdistance him and get to the rocks where he could hide himself, perhaps even take a pot shot at him.<\/p>\n

Candy was gaining on him; there was no doubting that the better quality horse had the most stamina. Andrew\u2019s horse, flagging visibly, did its utmost to obey the commands of its rider but its breathing was becoming increasingly laboured, sweat was foaming around its withers and chest and spittle was drooling from its mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cDang your hide, faster,\u201d Andrew yelled but the horse was faltering, beginning to stagger and its rider had no choice but to draw it to halt and dismount.<\/p>\n

The rocks ahead would shelter him, and pulling the rifle free he ran towards them. Just another inch or so and he could hide among them. But he didn\u2019t have the chance as Candy, urging his horse to stretch out just that much more, was upon him and with one leap from the saddle caught Pearson, pulling them both down onto the ground with the force of his weight. Both were winded but got to their feet; Candy grabbed Pearson\u2019s shirt and shook him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou dared to hurt my wife\u2026\u201d he hissed.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor heaven\u2019s sake, man, she took a rifle to me; all I wanted was my children.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou entered my house and you hurt my wife,\u201d Candy yelled and shook him again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you, Candy,\u201d Andrew pulled himself free, threw his hands wide in appeal. \u201cI asked her to let me have my kids, and she refused. She barred my way and I pushed her aside, that\u2019s all I did, I swear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHer clothes were torn, there was a mess everywhere \u2026\u201d he scowled and his face registered his disgust so clearly that Andrew wondered if there was actually going to be any way to escape a fight; he glanced from one side of Candy to the other to see where he could run free.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, what more can I say? I\u2019m sorry, Candy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re that sorry, why did you run?\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew\u2019s mouth worked but he couldn\u2019t find the right words; he was still trying to find them when Candy hit him, square in the mouth. The taste of blood amazed Andrew, he put a hand to his lip and stared at the blood on his fingers, then looked at Candy in bewilderment. \u201cWhy\u2019d you do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause you\u2019re a coward, Pearson. You\u2019ve ruined Barbara\u2019s life the way you treat her, and you come into MY house, and start frightening MY wife. Well, it\u2019s time for you to get a taste of your own medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n

His fist struck Andrew again, but this time his opponent retaliated and hit back, so that within minutes both men were rolling on the ground striking at whatever part of the body they could find.<\/p>\n

Adam rode upon them when the fight was well under way, and after yelling to them to stop, he dismounted and ran towards them. Grabbing Candy by the shoulders, he hauled him away from Andrew and pushed him towards his horse. When Candy moved forward as though to launch himself into another chance of a fight, Adam stepped between them, one hand raised to stop him coming any further.<\/p>\n

Andrew wasn\u2019t slow to take advantage of the situation; he drew his pistol, took aim and fired. As Candy fell to the ground and Adam ran towards him, Pearson made a dash for a horse and leapt upon Candy\u2019s animal, yanked at the reins and sent the horse racing away with him leaning low in an effort to put as much distance between them as possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m alright, don\u2019t let him get away\u2026\u201d Candy gasped, bent double and his right hand grasping his other arm where blood leaked between his fingers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll come back for you\u2026\u201d Adam yelled as he sprinted to his horse and remounted Sport so fast that he didn\u2019t even have his feet in the stirrups when they went into a run after the retreating horseman.<\/p>\n

Andrew fired his gun several times at the pursuing rider, and was rounding a sharp curve too fast when the horse\u2019s feet slipped. It struggled and fell; Andrew had time only to free his legs from the stirrups before he also came down and lay breathless and winded while the horse struggled to right itself.<\/p>\n

Andrew saw the horseman coming ever closer; he pulled the rifle from its sheath and stepped back. He was breathing heavily, his head was feeling as though it would float away any second and his legs felt weak at the knees. He recognised Adam Cartwright and a sense of satisfaction gave him the power to stand upright and raise the rifle to his shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it now, just you and me, Adam Cartwright.\u201d He smiled as he pulled the trigger and the recoil of the shot hit against his shoulder. \u201cJust you and me,\u201d he said with exultation in his voice.<\/p>\n

Adam felt the burning pain of the bullet sear across his upper leg, but he had his own gun raised now and aimed, fired, and then he fired again, and again. It wasn\u2019t the pain of his injury that created the desire to obliterate his opponent but the memory of the child crying in his arms earlier, the sobs, the promise and even as he fell from his horse to crash onto the ground, he saw Andrew clutching at his chest, splashes of red splattering against his clothes, a look of shock upon his face and his mouth open as though he were saying \u201dOH!\u201d in surprise at the turn of events.<\/p>\n

For a moment Andrew teetered on the edge of the trail; he saw Adam rise to his feet and haul himself up by holding onto the stirrup of his saddle, then the saddle itself. His glazing eyes watched as Adam managed to scramble back onto his horse, lean forward for the reins and just as he was wondering what Adam Cartwright was going to do next, everything went black. Very black.<\/p>\n

The curve in the road was dangerous for two reasons. The first was that it was a sharp bend, and many a good horseman taking it too fast was unseated. The second reason was that the road fell away to a sheer drop. It was because of those reasons that the road was seldom used. Andrew was already dead when his body fell several hundred feet downwards into the river below.<\/p>\n

Chapter 139<\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright carefully brushed his hair with the silver-backed brushes that he had brought all the way from New Orleans when he married Marie. He liked the feel of them in his hands, and he was proud of the fact that he still had a thick head of hair upon which to use them.<\/p>\n

Now he leaned towards the mirror to look at the reflection, nodded to himself and frowned. Well, old man, he said to himself, what does it feel like having another son married off? He smiled, and began to knot his tie, pulled in his stomach a little in order to button up the silver brocade vest with the fancy silver-worked buttons. He slowly released his breath and the vest moved out to accommodate his girth.<\/p>\n

Proud of yourself, huh? He cleared his throat and nodded, yes, proud of his sons, all three of them. He frowned now and shook his head; seemed no matter how old they got, they still found trouble. What a ridiculous state of affairs it was yesterday, everyone running around like headless chickens when Adam came home wounded and telling them that Andrew was dead and Candy had been shot as well.<\/p>\n

Pshaw, the day before a Cartwright wedding and all hell broke loose! Still, what could one say except that the world was a better place without a man like Andrew Pearson polluting it. Who would have thought a man like Andrew would turn out like he had?<\/p>\n

He pulled down his jacket and dusted off the shoulders. Roy had been consulted of course, and had said that as soon as the body washed up they would be notified. Ben shook his head, it would be typical of Dusty to come in during the wedding vows to tell them all that the body had been located. Typical! Still, there would be no charges against Adam or Candy. Hopefully it might be kept out of the news tabloids for now. It wouldn\u2019t be good for Barbara to find out yet.<\/p>\n

He shrugged himself into his jacket and shook his head as he pondered over the ability of clothes to shrink during the time between uses. He\u2019d last worn this jacket at Hoss\u2019 marriage to Hester. He smoothed the lapels with one hand and left the jacket unbuttoned.<\/p>\n

How odd to think that Barbara could have been a Mrs. Cartwright as well, his first daughter-in-law. Now she was the Widow Pearson. Such a shame how it all turned out.<\/p>\n

He sighed and walked to the window to look down at the guests arriving; Dan Dequille, Editor of the Territorial Enterprise was arriving with the Belknaps, Virginia and Charles. Ben shook his head; DeQuille would be sure to start asking questions; he probably could smell the cordite and blood and would have the story in the paper by the evening.<\/p>\n

He put his hand on the door handle and stopped a moment as he thought of his boy, his youngest son, who was getting married this day. He felt his heart turn over and beat so fast that he was practically breathless as memories and longings exploded in his head…if only Marie…. No, no point in dwelling on that, long gone now, and he squared his shoulders and prepared to go down and greet his son\u2019s guests.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cStand still, Hoss, just a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDang it, Hester, why\u2019d we have to wear these here things anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause it\u2019s considered smart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy\u2019d we have to be smart?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause today is your little brother\u2019s wedding day\u2026stand still, or I\u2019ll slap you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will, huh? Say, Hester, anyone tell you that you\u2019re a real fiesty little gal when you git angry.\u201d he chuckled and made a grab for her, pulling her closer to him, and she laughed and wriggled free.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeave me alone or you\u2019ll muss my dress.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look lovely. Promise me you\u2019ll let me muss up your dress later, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss Cartwright! And you a married man as well\u2026why, sir, I\u2019m disgusted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you should be\u2026\u201d they kissed, arms wrapped around one another and then parted and smiled fondly, sighed, and then returned to the business of fixing Hoss\u2019 tie.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuests are arriving already.\u201d Hester said anxiously, checking that her husband\u2019s tie was just perfect. \u201cPromise you won\u2019t tug at it until after the wedding?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels a mite snug.\u201d Hoss tried to run a finger around his collar and grimaced. \u201cIt feels like I\u2019m gonna choke.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense.\u201d She hurried to the mirror to check her dress, twitched the sleeves and wondered if perhaps her corsage was really showing at its best upon her shoulder. She stepped back and frowned, \u201cI so hope today goes alright now, and nothing happens after all that drama yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing can go wrong,\u201d Hoss said firmly. \u201cWe Cartwrights take a long time getting round to getting hitched, but once the date is fixed, nothing goes wrong.\u201d He grinned and was about to plant his hands upon her shoulders when she stepped back and told him not to come a step nearer because she was beginning to feel nervous.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere ain\u2019t no reason for you to get nervous, sweetheart.\u201d He smiled at her and looked her up and down with admiration. \u201cYou look so lovely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo I, Hoss? I feel a bit of an old lady, to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, you ain\u2019t that by any means.\u201d He laughed and \u201cI still can\u2019t believe I\u2019m married to such a lovely woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think Joe\u2019s alright? Aren\u2019t you going to go in and check on him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, I\u2019ll do that right now. Do I look alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPut your jacket on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAw shucks, I forgot\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

She watched him leave the room with a smile and once again looked at herself in the mirror. She wore her copper hair piled in curls above her head with several loose ringlets trailing over one shoulder. Ann had spent so long working to get it just right; beneath her cream coloured sprigged print dress she wore her corset, pulled as tight as she could bear it, then the flannel petticoat, a plain petticoat, and then the fancy lace-trimmed slip that she had bought only the previous day with Mary Ann. She smiled at the thought of the lovely undergarments Mary Ann had purchased, and sighed before bringing her thoughts back to the present.<\/p>\n

A light tap on the door and Ann peeped into the room. Seeing Hester alone, she quickly entered. She looked so pretty in her soft pink dress with its wide skirt, her black hair elegantly curled and crimped, leaving her pale stem of a neck gracefully bare. No one would have thought she had endured so many traumas the previous day. She slipped her hand into her cousin\u2019s,<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a lovely wedding,\u201d she said softly<\/p>\n

\u201cOh I hope so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is Candy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s alright. Dr. Martin has rebound his arm and said the wound was clean; he\u2019ll be alright, Hester, don\u2019t worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a thing to happen though.\u201d Hester groaned and leaned forward to pinch her cheeks to make them look like a natural blush<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter that than worry all day as to whether or not he\u2019d burst in and create a scene. It\u2019s Barbara I feel for now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut she doesn\u2019t know, does she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Ann shook her head, \u201cNo, John and Paul both think in her state she should be left in ignorance for as long as possible. The children\u2014\u201d her brow furrowed slightly, \u201cLilith seems so calm, and\u2014and somehow different. It\u2019s as though a burden has been lifted off her shoulders and she\u2019s given herself permission to be a child again. She didn\u2019t look at all fazed when Adam and Candy arrived back yesterday so bloodied and such. She just went up to Adam and said something, I\u2019m not sure what, something about a man…Adam just said how it was all over now, and she kissed him, and then went to play with Peter and Rosie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnn, I dread to think about what that child has witnessed in her life. I was even thinking\u2014\u201d she stopped herself and shook her head. \u201cNo, let\u2019s not talk about it anymore. This is a wedding day. Let\u2019s just think happy thoughts for a lovely couple.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Joe turned as Hoss came into the room; he smiled sheepishly and shrugged just as he would have done when he was a child caught doing something wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome to make sure I haven\u2019t run away?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething like that.\u201d Hoss grinned, the blue eyes twinkled, perhaps more than usual, perhaps because there was some moisture welling up within them. He pulled himself up straight. \u201cHow\u2019d you feel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSame as you felt when you were getting married.\u201d Joe turned to the mirror and looked at his reflection; his smile slipped a little. Life was going to change…this would be the last time he would look into the mirror as a single man. He took a deep breath. \u201cWe could have been arranging a funeral today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor Pete\u2019s sake, why say that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause it\u2019s true.\u201d He bit his lip and shook his head; a dark curl crossed his brow and he brushed it aside impatiently with one hand while he tugged at his tie with the other. \u201cDoes this suit look alright on me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, you look just about as handsome as a man could be. I\u2019d marry you myself if I weren\u2019t your brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

They laughed together, and then became serious as they stood side by side.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve shared a lot together, haven\u2019t we?\u201d Joe murmured, \u201cI am grateful, Hoss, for all the things you did for me when I was a kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDang, Joe, you\u2019ll always be a kid to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

They hugged each other and then parted to turn to face the door as Adam stepped into the room. He was wearing a dark suit, white shirt with a frilled flounced front, a pearl tie pin in the centre of his grey silk cravat with a silk embroidered vest. He was leaning upon a walking stick, the only evidence of his injury from the previous day. He nodded, smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA bit nervous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfraid the bride won\u2019t arrive, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

They laughed softly together, Joe hugged Adam, whispered his thanks to him for being the best ever older brother before Adam pushed him away and told him they were running out of time. The sound of voices from below stairs was getting louder, the clock struck the hour and Joe nodded and glanced at them both with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike a lamb to the slaughter\u201d Hoss quipped.<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing, he felt an enormous pride in his brothers, both of them, but sharing this day with them made everything seem so right, he cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we had better go down,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The three of them left the room and walked together to the stairs, then Joe took the lead and smiled at the applause from the assembled throng of friends and neighbours. It was a small gathering, not because of a lack of friends but because of the suddenness of the occasion, and Joe smiled, knowing that had Mary Ann had her way it would have been even smaller than it was now.<\/p>\n

Ben caught Adam\u2019s eye and smiled, nodded and returned to his conversation with the mayor. Sheriff Coffee sidled over to Adam, who was limping heavily even though leaning upon the cane,<\/p>\n

\u201cNo news about\u2014you know,\u201d he whispered<\/p>\n

\u201cGood; long may it last,\u201d Adam whispered back and continued on to take his side by his brothers.<\/p>\n

John Martin hurried to Adam\u2019s side and leaned towards him. \u201cRemember, no dancing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs if I could\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if you need anything, I\u2019ve something in my bag.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rolled his eyes heavenwards and shook his head. \u201cHaven\u2019t you got a baby to deliver?\u201d he hissed.<\/p>\n

John merely laughed and took his place among the audience. Time ticked on and everyone took their places in the chairs set out for them. Widow Hawkins had been escorted to the occasion by Dr. John Martin and dimpled a smile at him as she took her seat. It was now his turn to roll his eyes heavenwards!<\/p>\n

The main door opened and the bride stepped into the house, paused a moment to look around the room at everyone assembled there and then smiled at Paul Martin, who had brought her from Ann\u2019s home in the mayor\u2019s brougham. She placed her arm through his and began to walk towards her future husband.<\/p>\n

The three Cartwright brothers turned, each one, to observe her as she approached. In the background music played softly: piano, flute and violin. Joe watched as she drew nearer and felt his mouth go dry, his tongue seemed too large for his mouth and he could barely breathe. This woman whom he loved so much, so much, was soon to be his wife. From nowhere the words of the first man on earth when he saw his wife flashed into his mind: \u201cBone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.\u201d<\/p>\n

If Mary Ann had been nervous beforehand she was perfectly calm now. Seeing Joe there, so handsome, his face beaming with the joy of seeing her, nothing could have been more perfect.<\/p>\n

She stood there by his side and he lifted the veil from her face and looked into those grey eyes; she smiled and Joe\u2019s world was complete. He was still staring at her when the pastor began to speak. Adam nudged him and he turned in time to make the first of his wedding vows.<\/p>\n

Clementine Hawkins sobbed all the way through, dabbing her eyes and losing one of her false eyelashes in the handkerchief that she passed over to John so that she spent the rest of the occasion looking rather lopsided, although she never realised that until she got home. John thought he\u2019d collected something rather monstrous in his handkerchief and threw it away without ever finding out what it actually was\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Adam felt a little hand creep into his a little later and looked down to see Lilith beaming up at him. Ann had bought a new dress for the child and proudly she showed it off to Adam, and then pointed her toes to show off her new shoes. He told her she looked beautiful and she hugged him before running off to play.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Pa, two out of three isn\u2019t so bad, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head and continued to pour champagne into his son\u2019s glass,<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose I\u2019ll have to make do at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeQuille suddenly appeared at their side<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we\u2019d see you in full uniform, Commodore, with your medals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou thought wrong, Will,\u201d Adam replied with a taut smile. \u201cThis is Joe and Mary Ann\u2019s day, I don\u2019t want you to be jotting down rubbish about me that would detract from them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t call anything you did \u2018rubbish\u2019, Commodore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pursed his lips and then smiled slowly,<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the Ponderosa, Will, I\u2019m known as Adam Cartwright, just that, Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeQuille nodded, took a glass of wine and smiling raised his glass before strolling off to mingle with the other guests.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you happy?\u201d Joe whispered in his bride\u2019s ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so happy that it scares me\u2026but I want the feeling to last forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, so do I.\u201d<\/p>\n

He leaned in closer, drew her nearer, told her how beautiful she looked, and dropped a kiss upon her neck. It didn\u2019t matter if anyone saw him, not now, after all, he was a married man and she was Mrs. Joseph Cartwright.<\/p>\n

Chapter 140<\/p>\n

It began to snow the following morning. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Cartwright had the honeymoon suite in the International Hotel in town and it was the silence, so different from when on the Ponderosa, that awoke Joe. For a moment he remained still as he thought over the past few hours.<\/p>\n

The room was in shadow, wrapped up in varying shades of grey, and the chill of a winter\u2019s day was creeping from every corner. He anticipated a light knock on the door soon and one of the hotel staff tip toeing in so that the fire could be made up to warm the room.<\/p>\n

He turned his head and looked down at Mary Ann, still asleep, her elegant hair arrangement from the previous day totally ruined and in so many ways better. He remembered taking out the myriads of pins and watching as her hair tumbled in curls and ringlets upon her bare shoulders and how her eyes had shone like two stars in her little face. He sighed and drew closer to her, taking a strand of hair and curling it around his finger.<\/p>\n

From the moment she had walked towards him on Paul\u2019s arm he had existed in some kind of dream. How hard it was to accept that this was now reality. This woman, his wife, would be by his side until \u201cdeath would them part.\u201d He leaned forwards, closer, and then just a little closer, and he kissed her lips. He kissed her gently.<\/p>\n

She sighed, a long sigh of contentment, drowsy still, half awake. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him, closed them again and smiled, stretched her arms and body like a little cat before bringing her arms back down around him. \u201cGood morning, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Mary.\u201d<\/p>\n

They gazed into each other\u2019s eyes as though enjoying the fact that there was neither embarrassment nor shyness between them. Their wedding night had opened yet another door and been found\u2026wonderful.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s cold.\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cHush\u201d he sighed and kissed her again.<\/p>\n

Snow drifted against the windows and a miserly sun struggled to shine through the clouds. They didn\u2019t notice\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Adam watched as snowflakes drifted past the window. He grimaced and shook his head. \u201cHow bad do you think this could get, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, only a light shower, son.\u201d Ben poured out more coffee, yawned and looked at Hoss. \u201cAre you alright, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Pa.\u201d his son nodded and speared more ham onto his fork, \u201cHester\u2019s sleeping in; Hannah was awake a lot last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded, then looked over at Adam who was staring out at the window,<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s on your mind, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking I should go and see Barbara.\u201d Adam looked at the food on his plate and then cut into some ham, paused and looked at his father. \u201cI should be the one to tell her, about what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you think you should leave it to Paul\u2014or John?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey weren\u2019t there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam said the words matter-of-factly, but the implication was made and Ben had to accept he was right.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish you didn\u2019t feel you had to go. I think Barbara won\u2019t appreciate it or welcome it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t just Barbara I\u2019m thinking about\u2026\u201d Adam replied curtly, and Hoss nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou thinking of that little gal and her brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cS\u2019right, and some kind of justice for Lilith\u2019s real mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLilith could have been mistaken. Children don\u2019t always get their facts right, Adam. The whole thing could be confused in her mind, muddled from other situations\u2026\u201d Ben said cautiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook.\u201d Adam put down his napkin. \u201cI can remember now exactly what happened the day when Inger died. A long time has passed since then but I can remember it as clearly as when it happened. A year after it happened, ten years after it happened, and the facts stayed in my mind just as it was, and just as it is now. Lilith isn\u2019t a child who creates fancies; she knows what she saw, and it\u2019s haunted her ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben dredged in a long breath and glanced over at Hoss, raised his eyebrows and shrugged. \u201cThere won\u2019t be any evidence to prove it. Even if there were, what justice can you give her now, poor woman, she\u2019s been dead some years after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that too,\u201d Adam said, and rose to his feet, pushing himself away from the table and taking the cane for support as his leg was paining him more than ever; its weakness annoyed him and made him tetchy. \u201cThe only justice she can be given is to be remembered, and for her death to be acknowledged. Barbara needs to know about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, I\u2019d be careful if I were you\u2026\u201d Hoss muttered, \u201cSomehow I don\u2019t think Barbara will thank you for the news that you jest killed her husband to spare her a few beatings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Hoss, for that invaluable advice,\u201d Adam snapped and made his way to the door where he took down his gunbelt, and slowly buckled it on.<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss exchanged glances; neither spoke. Hoss shrugged and continued with his meal, and decided that a chat about the wedding would no doubt lighten the atmosphere. The door closing, the absence of the yellow coat and black hat indicated that Adam had gone, and Ben decided to say nothing it was left to Hoss to comment on the fact that old Granite Head was back, and as grumpy as ever.<\/p>\n

\u201cKinda makes ya feel he never left, don\u2019t it?\u201d he grinned with a chuckle in his voice.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

The snow was falling in brief showers, light and soft, melting within minutes of touching the still warmer earth. It settled against Adam\u2019s coat and in his hat before just as quickly disappearing to leave damp patches where it had landed. By the time he reached the Pearsons\u2019 homestead he was as wet as though having ridden through a shower of rain.<\/p>\n

The doctor\u2019s buggy was stationed outside and he sat in the saddle for a moment or two just looking and thinking about the things that had happened to both Barbara and him since they had parted several years ago. Eventually he dismounted, leaned against Sport for a moment while he retrieved the cane and then walked to the house.<\/p>\n

Mrs. O\u2019Leary opened the door to him, gave him a smile and nod of recognition before closing the door behind him and ushering him by the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor\u2019s with her now, she\u2019s a lot better than she was, mind you.\u201d she spoke in a gush of words, and Adam nodded as he removed his hat. \u201cTake off your coat; best sit down, take the weight off your feet.\u201d He did all those things and gratefully settled in front of the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is she? I mean, is she well enough for visitors, to talk?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my goodness, I should think so, been talking to her all night mostly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes she know about her husband?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHaven\u2019t said a word except to tell her about mine, and about other women too stupid to realise that they ain\u2019t a man\u2019s doormat to have his feet wiped on them, or kicked into them either come to that\u2026told her no man should strike a woman. That ain\u2019t love.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid she agree with you?\u201d Adam found himself holding a cup of tea even without having realised she was pouring one for him; she sat down opposite him, pushing her sleeves up above her elbows as though to indicate she meant business,<\/p>\n

\u201cNot sure; she thinks he loves her, thinks she\u2019s worthless, swallowed the whole load of lies he fed her over the years. I remember her as a good, clever, intelligent teacher and now she thinks she\u2019s stupid, ignorant and not worthy of being loved. You could prove her wrong of course\u2026engaged to her once, weren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her dark piercing eyes cut into his, and Adam nodded, smiled and decided to drink his tea rather than make an answer. He was grateful to hear footsteps on the stairs and to see Paul enter the room. He put the cup down and stood up, leaning on the stick to support him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFar stronger than I thought she would be,\u201d Paul replied, smiling. \u201cThank you, Mrs. O\u2019Leary. I hear you have been giving Barbara a lecture on how husbands should behave towards their wives.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told her what\u2019s in the good book\u2026Ephesians 5, Paul the Apostle tells husbands \u2018so ought men to love their wives as their own bodies, He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it.\u2019\u201d Her face shone with evangelical zeal, and for a brief moment there was a glimpse of the pretty young woman she once must have been, then the light faded and she nodded grimly. \u201cShe seemed to take that on board\u2026if you follow my meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it alright for me to see her? Can I tell her about what happened with Andrew?\u201d Adam asked when it was obvious Mrs. O\u2019Leary had no further declaration to utter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve not said anything about Andrew to her, Adam. It seemed inappropriate for me to do so, but she will be able to take the news now. Better now than later and find out by accident or malice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam mounted the stairs slowly, aware that his leg was weaker on the narrow steep stairs than he had anticipated. He knocked and when she answered he stepped into the room,<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Adam, I\u2019m afraid I don\u2019t look a pretty sight.\u201d she sighed, and stretched out her hand towards him.<\/p>\n

He said nothing, it hurt to see the bruises and cuts on her face, her arm in a sling, the dark bruise that could be glimpsed above the neckline of her bed jacket. He sat down in a chair by the bed and held her hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to your leg?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014er\u2014I\u2014\u201d he bit down on his bottom lip, and realised he couldn\u2019t find the words he needed to tell her, or rather, he didn\u2019t know how to start. He cleared his throat. \u201cBarbara, how are you feeling in yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Adam, what a strange thing for you to ask\u2026I mean, why don\u2019t you just say what you came here to tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cYou\u2019ve hurt your leg, you\u2019re sitting there looking embarrassed and as awkward as a schoolboy who forgot to learn his lesson and is trying to find an excuse that will pull the wool over teacher\u2019s eyes, and\u2014\u201d her lips trembled\u2014\u201cAndrew isn\u2019t here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you expecting him to come back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I don\u2018t think he\u2019s coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n

They looked at one another, his eyes searched her face, saw the tears in her eyes, felt the pressure of her hand upon his, and he nodded slowly in affirmation. She licked her lips, swollen, bruised though they were.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me what happened? Don\u2019t leave out any details, Adam, tell me everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

So he told her everything, holding her hand and pausing now and again for her to have a weep, or sob, to protest and cry in defence of him, but eventually she sat with bowed head and listened, and said nothing, the tears dried up and her breathing became relatively normal.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Lilith knew that her mother had died\u2014so horribly?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she knew but buried it under the hope that her father loved you enough for it never to happen again. Like all children she lived with the fear that if she told a \u2018grown-up\u2019 they would never believe her anyway. Would you have believed her, Barbara?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d she replied honestly. \u201cEven though I have taught so many children, and some who have lived in such circumstances, I would not have accepted it from her. I would have thought she was lying, perhaps jealous for some reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were silent for a while, holding hands, not looking at one another, she spoke first.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to hate you for doing what you have done, Adam. I wanted to hit you and hate you and\u2014wish you were dead instead. But how can I wish that on you when all you did was to protect Lilith and us, and\u2014and yourself.\u201d she sighed and pulled her hand free from him, \u201cI wanted to accuse you of anything, even about Ross Marquette\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis wasn\u2019t like Ross\u2019 death, Barbara,\u201d he said, although he had felt the shock of her words. \u201cYou have to remember, Ross actually did kill his wife. Delphine died in my arms\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember what you told me then, Adam. I do understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were silent a while longer, he got up from the chair with the aid of the cane and looked down at her, he bade her goodbye and when she did not reply he said nothing, but as quietly as he could, he left the room.<\/p>\n

She listened to him descend the stairs, her eyes closed and so weary of body and spirit that all she wanted to do was sleep. Tears slipped from her eyes, she cried for Andrew, for lost love, she cried from the heartbreak of knowing he would never return and tell her he loved her, all the fear of him was gone, only her love for him remained and so she wept until she fell into sleep.<\/p>\n

Chapter 141<\/p>\n

The sound of running footsteps towards the door stopped Joe from planting a kiss on his wife\u2019s lips, and she smiled and hugged the package of groceries that was in her arms. Light snow fell and powdered their heads before the door opened and Lilith was standing there with a wide smile on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw it was you\u2026\u201d she exclaimed as she stepped back to let them enter the house. \u201cMommy\u2019s not in bed anymore\u2014look\u2014\u201d and she pointed to the side of the room where the fire burned and Barbara sat.<\/p>\n

Such a contrast in appearances that wasn\u2019t missed by either Joe or Mary Ann. They carried the packages into the kitchen area and placed them on the table before approaching Barbara, with Lilith skipping about them like a spring lamb. They pulled off mittens and unwrapped their scarves and smiled at the bright welcoming smile they received from Barbara, and laughed as Lilith gathered up the damp things and carried them over near the stove to warm up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe brought some groceries from town.\u201d Mary Ann said shyly, \u201cYou don\u2019t mind, do you? Only we didn\u2019t think you would be getting into town for a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not for a while yet.\u201d Barbara stretched out her hand and grabbed at theirs, smiled and then settled back into the cushions, \u201cMrs. O\u2019Leary has been really good and so helpful, and I\u2019m so grateful for everyone\u2019s help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Goodness, she\u2019s going to cry,\u2019 Joe thought and felt embarrassed, he looked at Lilith and smiled. \u201cHow\u2019s things with you, Lilith? Did you like the wedding?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, it was lovely. I told Mommy all about it, didn\u2019t I?\u201d she glanced over at Barbara with a wide smile, quite luminous eyes, and then gazed up at Joe. \u201cI thought the bride looked SO beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought she did too; in fact, I think she still does,\u201d Joe laughed.<\/p>\n

Lilith nodded and looked shyly at Mary Ann, then skipped away happily to play with her little brother. Joe followed her with his eyes and then smiled over at Barbara. \u201cShe\u2019s\u2014well\u2014she\u2019s different.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she\u2019s like the Lilith I first knew, it\u2019s as though she has had a heavy burden lifted from her shoulders, and\u2014oh dear me, I feel so ashamed that I never noticed that she was suffering so much. I should have noticed\u2014\u201d and tears did come to her eyes, which she swept quickly away with her fingers, \u201cJoe, Mary Ann, thank you for coming today. I\u2019m so happy for you both, I really am. May God bless you both, I so hope you have a happy marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe intend to.\u201d Joe replied smiling at Mary Ann, who dimpled back at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee and a Sheriff Lowry from\u2014\u201d she paused and shook her head, rubbed at her temple, \u201cI can\u2019t remember where from, but it was where Andrew came from before he moved here\u2026oh yes, a small place close to Placerville. He and his wife, Jessica, had a homestead there.\u201d She stopped and they noticed that her lips were trembling. Joe glanced away, expecting more tears, and he wasn\u2019t wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cShall I make us a cup of tea or coffee?\u201d Mary Ann asked politely and hurried away to get everything prepared.<\/p>\n

Lilith hurried to her feet in order to help, bringing over the cups and placing them on the table, and smiling prettily at Mary Ann who praised her for her help. \u201cNow that she doesn\u2019t have to watch over Barbara every hour of the day she’s a different child,\u201d Mary Ann thought to herself as she prepared the tea.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did Roy and Lester have to say, Barbara? Was it about Andrew?\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara heaved in a deep breath and nodded. The bruises on her face were going greenish yellow now, and some of the cuts were deep; Joe knew from experience that she was going to have some scars for the rest of her life, and one of her eyelids would have a permanent droop, but apart from that she was still a attractive woman. She looked at Joe and shrugged carefully, it obviously still hurt her too much to move naturally yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose you must think it serves me right for what I did, Joe. I had the chance to be married to a Cartwright and ended up marrying Andrew and\u2014well\u2014looking like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLife is full of difference paths, Barbara.\u201d Joe said, surprised at himself for even saying it. He frowned, \u201cI mean, sometimes we have a mind to be walking down one path and face a crossroads, we don\u2019t know what lies ahead on either one of them, do we?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, and I like the analogy, but the fact is that I was a fool.\u201d She frowned. \u201cBut I loved him, Joe\u2014I still love him, the Andrew I married.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mary Ann returned with the tray laden with tea things which she set down close to Barbara and Lilith carried along a plate laden with cake and cookies, things that Mary Ann had purchased in town that morning. There was a glass of milk for Lilith and she thanked them prettily and carried it to the other end of the room, knowing that adults liked to talk about things that were, to her, no longer of interest.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Lowry decided to come in person rather than send a cable. It was about Jessica and Andrew. Roy cabled him some while ago and asked for information about them, so he started investigating.\u201d She paused and concentrated on the word, and then shook her head, \u201cA strange word, isn\u2019t it? Investigating. Looking for facts and details that would put together a man\u2019s life. Well, he found out enough to worry him, and went to the old homestead, or rather, to where they had lived. They located Jessica\u2019s grave and it was found to be shallow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2026er\u2026 ?\u201d Joe stammered and looked at Mary Ann who had to put the cake she was about to eat back on the plate.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, they did. He said they buried her in a good coffin afterwards and I\u2019m paying for a decent headstone so that there would be a proper place for Lilith to visit, should she ever wish to.\u201d Barbara\u2019s hand started to shake and the tea slopped a little; she took a deep breath. \u201cIt was obvious that her skull had been fractured, old breaks on her limbs. It all tied in with the gossip and was enough evidence to prove that Andrew had succeeded in killing off one wife, at least.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean, there were others?\u201d Mary Ann exclaimed nearly choking on the bit of cake that she had finally managed to bite into.<\/p>\n

\u201cA girl he courted before marrying Jessica told Sheriff Lowry how he beat her and her father took a gun to him, warned him not to go near the place again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry, Barbara,\u201d Mary Ann put a gentle hand on the other woman\u2019s arm but Barbara shook her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m alright. Now that I can see such a difference in Lilith, and I\u2019m getting my strength back\u2026\u201d. she paused before going on. \u201cAndrew\u2019s body hasn\u2019t been found yet. What Sheriff Lowry told me, well, it\u2019s helped me a lot. Andrew was a bully, nothing less than that, but he would have killed me eventually.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have plans for the future?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I do. I\u2019m selling this place and buying somewhere in town. When I\u2019m well enough I\u2019ll get work, if anyone will have me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will be a vacancy for schoolteacher soon,\u201d Mary Ann said quickly, \u201cI\u2019m staying on there until our own house is built and when we move into that, well, I guess I\u2019ll just be too busy to keep going into town all that way every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara smiled and admitted how it had been tiring when she had done it for a while, she looked then at Joe. \u201cAndrew could have killed Adam, and Candy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had a good try at it.\u201d Joe admitted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so sorry\u2014\u201d she whispered and this time didn\u2019t cry, just smiled rather sadly at them both.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

On the way to the Ponderosa Joe drove to the site where their future home would be built. The foundation had already been laid, and several men were working despite the showery snows. One man walked over to greet them both, and he shook their hands. \u201cAdam suggested we do as much as we could before the snows got too bad. Hopefully we\u2019ll have the roof on before the weather gets worse, and then it won\u2019t be long before the inside is finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stepped down from the buggy and then helped his wife down. Together, hand in hand, they walked over to the site and Jethro led them over the base of the building, saying things like \u201cThis is where the kitchen is\u201d and \u201cWe\u2019ll put the stairs hereabouts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we have a window here?\u201d Mary Ann asked as she stood at one end of the big room with the view ahead of the lake and the trees sweeping away to the horizon, \u201cIt will be like the big room on the Ponderosa then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is still the Ponderosa,\u201d Joe laughed, putting his arm around her waist and she tilted her head so that it rested upon his shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know; I want our home to be as like the one you were raised in as possible, Joe. I love it so much, and I know you do too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe said nothing, but he knew exactly what she meant and was happy looking down at the view, which was a much better one than the Ponderosa ranch house actually had, as they were nearer to the lake. He sighed, looked down at her and kissed the top of her head.<\/p>\n

The future looked bright. It was there, waiting for them\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

Laurence Willoughby reached out a hand across the table to take hold of Rachel\u2019s; they smiled at one another.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019ve decided then? Perfectly sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Perfectly sure.\u201d She smiled and squeezed his fingers.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo turning back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo turning back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may feel differently when you see him, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t feel differently, Laurie. How could I feel differently? I love you. I mean that, I really do love you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled and nodded, kissed her finger tips and released her hand. The waiter placed the dishes they had ordered on the table and returned later with more wine, a handsome couple he thought, and so in love.<\/p>\n

It seemed to Laurence that he had loved Rachel for most of his life, and yet he still wondered, still doubted, her love for him which seemed so new, so recent. She had told him the day after they had met again how she hadn\u2019t realised she had loved him because her infatuation for the commodore had been such a romantic feeling, such an \u201coh so wonderful\u201d rhapsody of feeling that the deeper emotion of love that came from being with someone so comfortable and lovely as himself, seemed to have passed her by.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut,\u201d he had said to her, \u201cThat means that you don\u2019t love me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it means exactly the opposite, Laurie, I do love you. I know I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you know you love me, when you were prepared to sail half way around the world for Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

She had sighed then, impatiently, and shaken her head at his stubborn refusal to believe her love for him. \u201cI can\u2019t explain the rationale,\u201d she had said. \u201cInfatuation makes a person do strange things, but it only proved to me that it wasn\u2019t love, and when you came to me that day at the hotel, it was like Lancelot riding through the mists to Guinevere.\u201d<\/p>\n

So now they sat together, their plans made, and their passage booked on the stagecoach for San Francisco. Who knew, Laurence thought, what would be proven, then for though he loved her, were she still to discover that she loved Adam Cartwright, he would have to leave her and return to England without a wife.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Hester had made up Joe\u2019s bedroom to accommodate his bride and prepared it so attractively that Mary Ann was moved at seeing it with her things in a neat and orderly place, while Joe felt a little bit shy at introducing her to his bedroom in his father\u2019s home. He felt his neck around the collar going a trifle warm as the two of them stood on the threshold of the room, with all the feminine dainty things laid out there.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome home,\u201d Adam said with a grin and a wink, and Hoss slapped Joe on the back so heartily that it had rocked him on his heels.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2014\u201d Mary Ann breathed, \u201cSo here we are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, here we are indeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

He laughed, a whoop of a laugh then, and he caught her up in his arms and swirled her around and around until they both fell, dizzy, on the bed. They bounced a little and laughed again.<\/p>\n

There was a rap on the door. \u201cHey, Joe, you in there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019m in here.\u201d Joe mumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen hurry up, there\u2019s work to do. Pa wants those water holes dug out before the snows get too bad.\u201d And with a guffaw Hoss trundled happily along the landing, his laughter strangely echoed by his daughter\u2019s wailing.<\/p>\n

Chapter 142<\/p>\n

The mood around the table was a mixture of sobriety and hilarity. Joe brought his good humour to the table, and along with it came laughter. It was only when he and Mary Ann were telling them about their visit to Barbara that the mood changed and became rather more serious.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe sure has gone through a lot,\u201d Hoss muttered, and looked over at Hester as though reassuring himself that she would never have to suffer so much.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid that she won\u2019t be able to teach again, not in this town anyway,\u201d Ben said as he chased a piece of steak around his plate with a fork. \u201cShe\u2019s a married woman with two children now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot only that, but Peter needs special treatment.\u201d Hester sighed. \u201cPoor little boy, he\u2019s so clever as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is,\u201d Mary Ann agreed. \u201cHe\u2019s bright and intelligent, I\u2019d hate to see him being treated like some\u2014\u201d she paused and blushed a little as they all turned their attention to her, to listen to her opinion, \u201cWell, sometimes people give deaf children a really hard time, they\u2019re often treated as though they lack intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIgnorance and stupidity,\u201d Ben snorted, \u201cComes a time in a man\u2019s life when we all get a bit hard of hearing but we\u2019d certainly give anyone short shrift if they tried treating us as if we were stupid!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you admitting something to us here, Pa?\u201d Adam grinned and winked over at Hoss, who smirked a little and raised his eyebrows.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not,\u201d Ben bristled. \u201cMy hearing\u2019s as good now as it was when I was a young man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can always buy you one of those horn things folk stick in their ears to help \u2019em hear proper,\u201d Hoss guffawed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s enough from you, young man.\u201d Ben scowled good naturedly at his son, and smiled, then turned to Mary Ann. \u201cBarbara will need some help in finding work. It\u2019s a shame but that\u2019s the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe needs to sell that homestead of hers first.\u201d Adam observed thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t see her doing that so easily, folk don\u2019t want to buy this time of year.\u201d Hoss frowned and cleared his throat as though he had thought of something then changed his mind, he concentrated on his meal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking\u2026\u201d Adam began.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you would be.\u201d Ben sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeriously, Pa.\u201d Adam gave his father a stern glare. \u201cIf I recall rightly wasn\u2019t there some concern when Andrew bought the land that he could negate on the water rights we have on the stream running through that land?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, true enough, thankfully he was alright about it, although considering the way things were going with him I wouldn\u2019t have been surprised if he\u2019d have caused us some trouble about it sooner than later.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly what I was thinking,\u201d Adam nodded, \u201cThe land sits right on our boundaries, so why not buy it ourselves?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm, you mean, to help Barbara and ourselves, huh?\u201d Hoss grinned.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo harm in that, is there?\u201d And Adam gave his brother a blank look that made Hoss resume eating without making any further comment. \u201cShe could sell to someone else who ends up open cast mining in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would they do that?\u201d Joe asked<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not? There\u2019s silver on our land. The lode doesn\u2019t stop just because we draw a line above ground and apportion it to various people. You know there are still those in town who wouldn\u2019t mind getting their hands on land close to the Ponderosa and open cast mining on it. Apart from which whoever gets the land takes over the water rights, they could shut that water off as soon as they move on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would cause us a lot of problems if they did.\u201d Ben agreed \u201cI don\u2019t mind admitting the fact that when Pearson bought the land I was a mite worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam scratched the back of his neck and shrugged slightly. He glanced at Joe, who was making eyes at Mary Ann; Hoss was eating his meal with his eye on the last remaining steak; Hester was regarding the bunch of flowers in the centre of the table as though they had committed some mortal sin just by being there. He sighed, and pushed his plate away, then excused himself from the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, there\u2019s some pie to come yet, brother.\u201d Hoss cried<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can have mine,\u201d Adam replied and with a slight smile left the room.<\/p>\n

He collected his coat on the way out, for the night air was cold; a heavy frost was expected and when he looked up at the sky it was studded with so many stars that he had to just stay put where he was to look at them. Then, hands in his pockets, he trudged his way to the stables.<\/p>\n

The warmth, the familiar smells, the way the horses turned towards him, all combined to ease his mind a little. He struck a match and lit several of the lamps that were suspended on the beams of the stalls, and then went to Sport where he picked up one of the brushes. He hadn\u2019t been there more than a few moments when the door opened, the draught caused the flames to flicker momentarily, and he paused to see who was coming in.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you alright, son?\u201d Ben had on his winter coat, pulled taut over his shoulders, and he leaned against the top bar of Sport\u2019s stall to watch as Adam continued to bring the brush down over the horse\u2019s chestnut coat.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Pa.\u201d He grinned up at his father. \u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy\u2019d you leave the table so soon if you\u2019re fine?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause\u2014\u201d Adam pouted a little, raised his eyebrows, shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s no kind of answer. You know that, too. So what\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam brought the brush down several more times and then set it aside. He raised one of Sports legs and checked that the \u2018frog\u2019 was clean, repeating the process with each hoof before looking back at his father, who was still waiting for an answer. \u201cI guess I suddenly remembered that I won\u2019t be here much longer. I was making suggestions about things that\u2014\u201d he stopped, he ran the tip of his tongue over his teeth and shrugged again, \u201cWell, about things that don\u2019t really concern me at present.\u201d he paused, \u201cWell, they DO concern me, but\u2014well\u2014you know what I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t often you\u2019re at a loss for words, son.\u201d Ben smiled, and placed a hand on Adam\u2019s shoulder, \u201cI know what you mean, but the fact is that you have a valid point in what you were saying, Adam. It was a sensible practical suggestion.\u201d He looked down at the ground and shifted a small pile of dust with his foot. \u201cYou worried about going back to see Grant?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t think he\u2019ll demote you or get rid of you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Adam raised his eyebrows, \u201cI don\u2019t care if he does. It\u2019ll save me the trouble of resigning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that what you want to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause as soon as I start thinking that I will something happens and I don\u2019t.\u201d He frowned, \u201cI guess that doesn\u2019t make any sense, does it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand what you mean; you don\u2019t have to explain it further.\u201d Ben rubbed his brow, and sighed, \u201cI don\u2019t want to pretend that we don\u2019t miss you here, Adam, because we do, but you have to do what you feel is right for you.\u201d he cleared his throat, \u201cEvery man has that right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, I know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd don\u2019t ever feel that you don\u2019t have a valid say in what happens here, Adam. After all, the Ponderosa is yours by rights.\u201d He smiled grimly, and stared into Adam\u2019s face but his son laughed and shook his head,<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it isn\u2019t, Pa. If I recall rightly you bought it back for all the cash you had in your pocket at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

They laughed together, the first acknowledgment either had made of the transaction made some years back. Ben nodded. \u201cWell, personally, I don\u2019t want to miss out on any of Hop Sing\u2019s fruit pie\u2026are you going to come in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben said nothing to that, he nodded in his customary manner and left his son to continue grooming his horse.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

It was some days later when Candy Canady asked to speak to Ben. Adam was the only one still in the house at the time and rose to leave but Candy insisted that it wasn\u2019t that important or personal. Perched on the arm of the big settee Adam folded his arms across his chest and listened to what Candy had to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, Adam\u2026I\u2019m glad actually that you\u2019re both here as it concerns both of you.\u201d He cleared his throat. \u201cActually, it\u2019s dang difficult to spit it out now I\u2019m here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked over at Adam who merely raised his eyebrows and shrugged. They waited until Candy had found enough spit to say what he wanted.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth of you were more than generous when Ann and I were married. Ben, you gifted us some land and Adam, you provided us with a home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on\u2014\u201d Ben prompted as Candy ran dry again.<\/p>\n

\u201cFact is, Ann and I\u2014well\u2014we thought we would go and buy the land Barbara has for sale. She\u2014\u201d he tugged at his earlobe and his feet fidgeted\u2014\u201cShe needs the money as there\u2019s a house in town she wants to buy, and Peter needs hospital treatment. We\u2019ve enough money saved, thanks to your generosity, to buy the Pearson property, the stock as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s mighty interesting, Candy, but you know that house and land were given to you as gifts in perpetuity, you do know what that means, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ben, it means that we live there for as long as it suits you.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was an awkward silence, Candy went red and nearly dropped his hat, Adam\u2019s lips twitched in amused interest and his dark eyes looked at Ben as though to say \u201cAnswer that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr you.\u201d Ben added<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. Well, we decided that we would like to own our own land, have our own place. It was generous of you, Ben, generous. But no man should take so much for so long; it isn\u2019t fair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Candy.\u201d Ben rose to his feet and pushed back the chair, he stretched out his hand to shake that of his young friend. \u201cHave you made an offer to Barbara yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we\u2019ve talked about it, but not made a definite offer, I wanted to talk to you first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFair enough. You know, don\u2019t you, that there\u2019s a small matter of water rights we shall need to discuss with you?\u201d Ben smiled, and Candy nodded,<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Ben, I\u2019ll get it sorted out with my lawyer.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three of them shook hands on the arrangement, and then with a grin stretching his lips Candy left the house, closing the door firmly behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell now, an empty house on the Ponderosa.\u201d Ben said with an air of finality.<\/p>\n

Adam said nothing. He had a fleeting image of Laura Dayton\u2019s face floating before his eyes and had to cough to clear his throat.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

It was two days later when Ben and Adam dismounted outside Barbara\u2019s home. The door was immediately opened by Lilith, who greeted them both with wide smiles<\/p>\n

Barbara was sitting at the table with papers strewn out, or rolled up covering every inch of it. She smiled up at them both. The bruises were fading fast and she looked much like the Barbara of old, surrounded as she was with papers. She wore a becoming black dress relieved with a white lace collar around the neck.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so glad you both came today,\u201d she declared with a smile. \u201cI\u2019ve had an offer from Candy and Ann for the property and land. I wanted to make sure that it was alright with you to accept it, Ben\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course it\u2019s alright to accept it, dear. You don\u2019t have to ask me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d she looked at him, her dark eyes searching his face thoughtfully and he smiled and shook his head,<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing to do with me, Barbara. If it\u2019s a fair offer then accept it. You need to be in town before the weather gets worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s my intention.\u201d she nodded and was about to speak when there came a quick knock on the door which was immediately pushed open even before Lilith could reach it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, Barbara, I \u2026\u201d John Martin paused, glanced at Adam and Ben and smiled. \u201cI wondered if it was you. How are you both? Don\u2019t you think that Barbara is looking well?\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men agreed that Barbara was looking well, and as that seemed to be the more important question of the two they merely contented themselves with that answer and a smile. John flipped his hat onto a chair,<\/p>\n

\u201cI came to tell Barbara that there is an appointment made for a consultant to see Peter. It\u2019ll be a bit of a wait, but at least it\u2019s been made.\u201d He ruffled Peter\u2019s hair and smiled at Lilith, who beamed up at him.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, glancing from Barbara to John and then to his father. He quirked an eyebrow. \u201cWell, we only came in to see how Barbara was so shall leave her in good hands.\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cGoodbye, Barbara.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled at him, large eyes dewy and bright, her cheeks rouged by the blush upon them. \u201cGoodbye, Adam. Ben. Thank you both for calling in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith ran out with them, the breeze blew her skirts about her legs but she stood on a rock and raised her arms up to be lifted by Adam as he left the house, he picked her up and swung her into the crook of his arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cHappy, Lilith?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and The Man isn\u2019t here anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, smiling, and she put her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly before he set her back down again. \u201cGoodbye Lilith.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cG\u2019bye,\u201d<\/p>\n

She stood in the cold breeze waving her hand to them as they galloped away from the Pearsons\u2019, a little figure in a pink dress and white pinny.<\/p>\n

Adam wondered if he would ever see her again.<\/p>\n

Chapter 143<\/p>\n

So much happened so quickly during those last weeks of Adam\u2019s leave. Winter decided to take itself on holiday and a gentle fall weather took its place. Barbara and the children left the homestead with a wagon piled high with their belongings and necessities and were promptly ensconced into their new home. To Lilith\u2019s delight she was once again able to go to school and what was even better, she was able to run home with the other children when classes ended.<\/p>\n

Mary Ann returned to teaching with one of the ranch hands taking her into town in the buggy or Hop Sing taking her in the wagon. At times Joe would take the buggy or wagon and deposit his little wife at the school and for some reason they always arrived just a little later than usual on those particular occasions. Hoss, Joe and Adam set to work in helping the Canadys move into their new home. Some white wash here and there, a piece added onto this bit or that bit, and by the time Candy carried his wife over the threshold the Pearsons\u2019 little house had been transformed into a home that made Ann breathe a sigh of contentment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m surprised, Ann,\u201d Hester said on the morning of the move and as she was helping her cousin fix up the bed, \u201cWhy on earth did you want to come here? It\u2019s a much smaller house, and it doesn\u2019t have such a commanding view as the other one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, and you\u2019re quite right, Hester.\u201d Ann passed a hand over the white bedding to smooth out any crinkles. \u201cBut I never felt that it was OUR house. It always felt as though it was on loan to us. I loved the view but this is pleasant enough, and Barbara started a sweet little garden here which I didn\u2019t get to do at the other house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose the thing I am really puzzled by is why come here? I mean \u2026 it was HIS house after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never think of him as having been here,\u201d Ann replied, \u201cBarbara and the children, but not him. Oddly enough it was after he came into the other house, that day\u2014\u201d she paused and shook her head, \u201cWell, then Candy and Adam came back, wounded and bloody, and it seemed as though Andrew Pearson had wrecked the joy in the house. We were happy there, Hester, it\u2019s a lovely house.\u201d She smiled and walked to the little window and pushed it open a little wider. \u201cIt smells so lovely here, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

The fresh breeze fluttered the curtains, and Hester walked to her cousin\u2019s side and slipped her arm around her waist. They looked out of the window over the hills and the pastureland that was now the Canadys\u2019, the stream coiled its way through the slopes shining here and there as the sunlight caught and was reflected upon the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust perfect to raise a family.\u201d Ann sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2014Ann?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her cousin blushed a little and nodded. \u201cWe\u2019re hoping for a boy this time.\u201d Ann smiled. \u201cI want a little boy with Candy\u2019s blue eyes and black hair. It\u2019ll be a perfect home for our children, Hester.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hester smiled and said nothing. She knew that if she were living there every creak on the stair would have her jumping and expecting Andrew Pearson to be leaping towards her with a meat cleaver.<\/p>\n

Hester had a dramatic imagination.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Adam stood in the centre of the big room in the house Ann and Candy had vacated. He still had his cane, and he leaned upon it now as he thought over the time spent in building this edifice to family life. Pursing his lips a little he turned to look at the view from the window and then approached it, leaned upon the cill and pondered on the changes that had taken place during these brief weeks he had spent back home.<\/p>\n

He heard a sound behind him and turned, smiled at the newcomer and nodded over to the view through the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought Laura would love to look out at that view. When I built this place I didn\u2019t imagine standing here years later like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does \u2018like this\u2019 really mean, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss approached and looked out of the window and then glanced at his brother\u2019s pensive features. Sometimes it was hard to \u201cread\u201d Adam; he could shut himself off from them just as though going into a separate room and closing the door. Adam looked down briefly at the floor and then raised his head to observe his brother, a slight frown on his brow, his lips pursed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, an empty house, you and Joe married, another house being built on Ponderosa land.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s what families do, Adam. They marry, fly the nest, make nests of their own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm.\u201d Adam nodded although his eyes still had a faraway look. \u201cI guess you\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, of course I\u2019m right.\u201d Hoss\u2019 generous mouth slipped into an easy smile and his blue eyes crinkled. \u201cYou built a good house here, enough like the Ponderosa ranch house, but with some few changes here and there.\u201d<\/p>\n

He began to walk about, pacing the floor and looking up at the ceiling and at the walls and nodding to himself. Adam watched him with some curiosity.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou thinking of buying the place, Hoss?\u201d he laughed eventually.<\/p>\n

\u201cNope, but I like empty rooms.\u201d Hoss replied, and he sighed, \u201cAnyhow, Hester and me, we\u2019ll be staying where we are, Pa needs the company. I don\u2019t think he\u2019d feel so good growing old all by hisself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother unavoidable fact of life.\u201d Adam grumbled and tapped his foot with the cane somewhat irritably.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one wants to grow old. Thankfully it does kinda just creep up on a person, it would be pretty miserable if it happened in great leaps, y\u2019know.\u201d Hoss furrowed his brow and grimaced, \u201cImagine going to bed aged 25 and waking up aged 50!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa keeps well though, doesn\u2019t he?\u201d Adam asked now with some anxiety.<\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, don\u2019t you see any changes in him when you come back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome, but then unfortunately he can see some in me too.\u201d His mouth twisted into a rueful grin, and Hoss smiled and draped an arm over his brother\u2019s shoulders.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, well, fact is, Pa isn\u2019t as spry as he once was. He lost a tooth some months back, and shucks, you would\u2019ve thought the Ponderosa had burned down the way he carried on about that\u2026ain\u2019t as if anyone would notice either. And\u2014have you noticed how he tries to pretend he can read just fine when he\u2019s really holding the book at arm\u2019s length?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d noticed.\u201d Adam sighed again, then tugged at his ear lobe. \u201cYou\u2019re not making me feel any better about leaving.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGuess it\u2019s because I don\u2018t want you to leave, brother.\u201d And Hoss hugged Adam in one of his spontaneous bear hugs that always made his brother cringe and wonder if he was going to survive without any bones breaking.<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t\u2019 reply, and Hoss released him and shrugged, \u201cCat got your tongue, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope, it\u2019s just that I ain\u2019t got nothing to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWal, you know what I think, don\u2019t\u2019cha? I think your place is here, back home where you belong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled slowly, he rubbed his brow with one hand and then shook his head. \u201cIt isn\u2019t as easy as that, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I know.\u201d his brother sighed, shrugged again, \u201cI know, you don\u2019t have to spell it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded as though glad they had reached some agreement. He took another look around the house and then abruptly, turned and walked out of the room. Without pausing, Hoss followed him into the weak sunshine where, side by side, they walked to the horses.<\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t speak any more; he had no words to express how he felt to this brother who understood him better than anyone alive, even more so than Pa. He tipped his hat low over his eyes as though to shade them from the sun, and riding beside him, Hoss did exactly the same, and for exactly the same reason.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

Rachel leaned back into the slipper bath and sighed with contentment. At last, warmth to seep into her bones. Sweet smells of perfumed oils to remove the sickly stench of body odours and dirty clothing. How impossible that stagecoach journey had been, just so impossible!<\/p>\n

The cold had crept into their bones despite the straw laid down on the floor of the coach to keep their feet warm, and the hot bricks only kept hot long enough to thaw the bones so that it wasn\u2019t long before one was as cold as before, perhaps even colder.<\/p>\n

But here they were at last in the best hotel in San Francisco. Laurence had booked rooms for them both, and ordered baths. They had parted on the landing with a kiss. She had told him he smelt like an old camel and he told her that she \u201cponged like a wet poodle.\u201d They had smiled at one another fondly, kissed again and hurried into their rooms for a bath.<\/p>\n

She loved him. She lifted one leg and watched as the soap bubbles slid down the wet skin, and she thought of Laurence. She wondered if he thought she was shallow, leaving Egypt, chasing after Adam Cartwright so shamelessly, and then at the first sight of Laurence saying that she loved him. She ducked under the water to come back up spitting and spluttering, then reached out for the shaved soap in lavender water and poured the sweet smelling stuff onto her hair.<\/p>\n

She vaguely recalled the conversation she had with her sister in the rose garden back in Cairo, and how she had dismissed the suggestion that she loved Laurence. Had she really said \u201cOnly as a brother?\u201d \u201cMy goodness.\u201d She smiled slowly. \u201cIf Anna saw the way we kissed she would be quite horrified.\u201d<\/p>\n

And that was how she had known she didn\u2019t love Adam Cartwright, although the memory of that kiss they had shared would never be forgotten. She knew that she could never kiss Adam in the same way as she kissed Laurence. Adam was\u2014most definitely\u2014a man she would never dare to kiss but would stand at a distance and observe, with awe. She shook her head. Ridiculous. No man wants to be admired as though they were the statue of David that Michelangelo had sculpted all those years back.<\/p>\n

She ducked under the water and shook her head, massaged it thoroughly, and then just relaxed. When they reached England she and Laurence would be married. Laurence had already cabled his family to prepare them for the event. She wondered what their reaction would be upon having a girl from Illinois marrying into the family. But it didn\u2019t matter, not now. She just wanted to relax, feel warm, and then see Laurence again.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

Ben and Joe noticed the men gathered below the rim rock, one of whom happened to be their sheriff, Roy Coffee. As they drew nearer to the group they realised that they were in fact observing, at some distance, something that lay recumbent upon the ground at their feet.<\/p>\n

Mr. and Mrs. Hanratty were standing further away, both looked as though they were in shock, and from the state of Mrs. Hanratty\u2019s bonnet it was obvious that she had, at some point, keeled over and caused it to become \u201csquished.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy turned at the sound of the approaching horses and swept off his hat. The sun gleamed upon his balding scalp and glinted upon the glass in his spectacles. He raised a hand as though to halt them which had been their intention anyway. Ben looked over to the Hanrattys, both of whom were now making their unsteady progress towards their buggy.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cMr. and Mrs. Hanratty made an unpleasant discovery earlier.\u201d Roy jerked his thumb over at the remains seeping water and worms into the dry ground of the river bank. \u201cOn their way to town they came across Andrew Pearson\u2019s body.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAndrew Pearson? Are you sure?\u201d Ben exclaimed and glanced over Roy\u2019s shoulder to see for himself, he grimaced, \u201cNot a pleasant sight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo indeed. Thankfully for them Dave Osgood from the Double F ranch was riding along and came into town to notify me. The Hanrattys stayed here although to be honest they would have been better off in town, Mrs. Hanratty wasn\u2019t in a good state when we got here.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned now as though automatically expecting them to follow him. The sound of the Hanrattys\u2019 buggy wheels scrunching against the ground and departing drifted over to them and finally receded as they disappeared down the road to town. Dusty had succeeded in covering the body with a tarpaulin.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell?\u201d he looked at Joe and Ben as he raised the corner of a tarpaulin to expose Andrew\u2019s body, \u201cThat\u2019s Andrew Pearson alright, I\u2019d say.\u201d He nodded to Dusty to flip the covering back. \u201cShot three times. Two in the chest and one in the neck.\u201d he straightened his back and squared his shoulders, \u201cGood thing I got a statement from Adam and Candy else I\u2019d be riding over to see them two.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was self-defence.\u201d Joe said promptly.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, son, I know that, as I said I\u2019m glad they both gave me a statement already. Seems to me\u2014\u201d Roy gazed up at the sky and for some reason both Ben and Joe did likewise\u2014\u201che got a few broken bones when he tumbled over that cliff. Doubt if he would\u2019ve survived the fall even if he hadn\u2019t been shot. Well, guess someone should go tell Barbara Pearson that we found her husband.\u201d He sighed, his moustache bristled and he looked sharply at Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want me to do that ?\u201d Ben asked and when Roy nodded, he sighed and looked at Joe, \u201cVery well. Do you want me to send a wagon to pick up the body?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUndertaker\u2019s already on the way. Tell Mrs. Pearson we don\u2019t expect her to come and identify the body. We\u2019ll leave it to the undertaker to pretty it up a little if she wants to see him later.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

News of the discovery was already known in town thanks to the garrulous Mrs. Hanratty who had to get the attention onto herself as soon as Widow Hawkins had observed the damage to her bonnet. When Ben and Joe dismounted outside Barbara\u2019s house it was Clemmie Hawkins who approached Ben at the gate and asked if he felt it would be better for a woman to be present when they told her \u201cabout you know\u2026\u201d wink wink.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs nothing sacred,\u201d Ben murmured and Clemmie leaned forward with a frown on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWot wuz that, luv?\u201d<\/p>\n

A few onlookers were already gathering at the gate and Joe raised his eyebrows and looked at Ben who after shaking his head approached the door and knocked on it.<\/p>\n

Barbara opened with a swiftness that indicated her awareness of some attention on her home; she glanced at the small gathering crowd, frowned at Clemmie and then stepped aside for them to enter. Clemmie squeezed in by crowding up against Ben as they went inside.<\/p>\n

Barbara sat down, her arm was still in a sling, she still wore black with the white lace collar fastened by a cameo at her throat. Her face was ashen, making the bruises, although faint, more obvious. Clemmie\u2019s tender heart welled up; tears came to her eyes. \u201cOh my poor dear, you have gone through it, haven\u2019t you?\u201d and her pudgy hands grabbed Barbara\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Ben rolled his eyes and stepped forwards. \u201cBarbara, I think you know why we\u2019re here, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ben. It\u2019s about Andrew, they\u2019ve found him, haven\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben told her briefly what she would have wanted to know, leaving out the things that she did not, better for her to find out later perhaps or not at all. Joe stood respectfully at his father\u2019s side, hat in hand. Barbara offered up a weak smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for coming to let me know.\u201d She smiled at Clemmie. \u201cWould you be so kind as to make some tea, Mrs. Hawkins, and perhaps, Ben and Joe, you\u2019d like to have a drink with us?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was an offer both men would have preferred to refuse, the look of delight on Clemmie\u2019s face alone made Ben want to turn and run, but Barbara\u2019s earnest eyes on their faces forced them to stay. They placed their hats on the floor beside the chairs upon which they now sat.<\/p>\n

Ten minutes later, balancing saucers on their knees and plates with cookies on them, Joe and Ben longed even more to escape. Barbara was being stoical, brave in the face of the news, but tears were there hovering, and when there came the knock on the door both men jumped, cups rattled on the saucers which were quickly deposited onto a table.<\/p>\n

They both stood up as John and Paul Martin entered the house; Ben nudged Joe, who nodded, and both carefully picked up their hats, excused themselves, shook hands with everyone and left the house, knowing that the widow was in good hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cPhew, Pa, that wasn\u2019t my idea of how to spend the morning,\u201d Joe muttered as he swung himself into Mistral\u2019s saddle.<\/p>\n

\u201cNor mine.\u201d Ben replied with a shudder at the memory of Clemmie\u2019s fluttering eyelashes. \u201cWhenever I see Clementine Hawkins I get a real sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rather than receive any pity at this statement, Ben\u2019s youngest son seemed to find it most amusing and promptly burst out laughing, receiving as a result scandalised glances from those gathered to know more about \u201cthe news\u201d regarding Widow Pearson\u2019s sad loss.<\/p>\n

Chapter 144<\/p>\n

The time to leave his family came around far too soon and the inevitable farewells were there to be said, the embraces, the handshakes. The older one became the more aware one was of one\u2019s own mortality and questions come unbidden into the mind pertaining to whether or not they would see one another again. When still young, farewells were just a prelude to saying \u201c\u2019hello\u201d again, hopefully, soon.<\/p>\n

It was cold the day he rode from the Ponderosa, and he chose to ride alone. It would have been good, for sure, to have had Pa ride with him, to close off the last hours with the man he admired so much, but for once both men shied away from such intimacy. The weather determined the decision for Hoss and Hester who had Hannah to fuss over, and she already sneezing and discovering that noses were truly embarrassing things at times. Joe and Mary Ann had already gone to town for her to resume class, and Joe was going to be there to say his own farewells.<\/p>\n

As he rode away from his home, pausing to look back for that final wave of the hand at the family gathered on the porch, Adam couldn\u2019t help but wonder what changes he would find the next time he returned. He pondered on the way life had already changed and how, despite the changes, things that mattered had remained the same. The bond between himself and his father were stronger than ever, and those between his brothers and himself had and could never change.<\/p>\n

Now he had two sisters and a niece. They did constitute a large change in all their lives and he smiled at the thought that one day Joe himself would be balancing an infant on his knee. He turned his horse round and decided to take one last look at the house he had designed for his little brother; after all, he had plenty of time.<\/p>\n

Harry Edwards saw him coming and clambered down from the ladder, he wiped his hands as he approached the rider on the chestnut horse and smiled, offered his hand which was warmly shaken.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s it coming along, Harry? Have you enough men on the job?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and some good men they are too, wasted on mining, but superb builders. This house will be weather tight before the snows come, believe me.\u201d He stepped back to give Adam a clear view .\u201cWhat do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

A mother showing off her first infant could not have had more pride in his voice, and Adam smiled, nodded<\/p>\n

\u201cShe looks good, Harry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou coming on in to take a look around? The little lady wanted a bigger window to face the views but apart from that they seem mighty pleased with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, a bigger window may appear attractive but I was more concerned with the stress levels on the glass, after all the wind comes sheer off the mountains across this valley. I\u2019d hate for it to buckle and shatter during some storm or other.\u201d Adam frowned, leaned upon the saddle horn and as he looked the property over, he smiled again. \u201cI can\u2019t stop, Harry, have to go. Give my best wishes to your family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep in touch, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harry tipped the edge of his cap and then returned to his work. As he mounted his ladder he looked over his shoulder at the rider on the chestnut horse and wondered about the sights the man would be seeing during his next voyage. He reached the roof trusses and gave a cheer, taken up immediately by the other men, and the sound of it trickled down to the rider who did not turn back but raised his hand high in salute.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cTake care of Sport for me, Joe.\u201d Adam handed the reins over to his brother, and then passed his luggage, a valise and carpet bag, to the stagecoach driver who placed them in the trunk.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure I will,\u201d Joe nodded and threaded the reins around his fingers nervously. Goodbyes were never great even though he knew that Adam would be embarking on more adventures in lands that he never even knew existed and that he would have more stories to beguile away the evenings upon his return home.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook after that wife of yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs if I wouldn\u2019t,\u201d he grinned. \u201cShe\u2019s not good at goodbyes, Adam, but she sends her best and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam! Adam!\u201d<\/p>\n

They both turned to see a red faced young woman racing down the sidewalk in the most inelegant manner with a little girl closely following behind her. Mary Ann held onto her hat and said a hasty apology to Mrs. Smythe as she narrowly avoided knocking her into the road. By the time they reached the stagecoach both she and Lilith were puffing like a pair of worn out bellows.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my, I thought for sure we would be too late. Lilith wanted to say goodbye\u2014and so did I.\u201d She smiled shyly, her cheeks red and her eyes bright\u2014Joe thought she looked beautiful\u2014 and then she laughed and looked down at Lilith. \u201cHere we are then, Lilith, just in time to say goodbye.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilith looked at Adam with bright eyes, she blinked and a tear dripped onto her cheek, then she bowed her head and ran to him, clinging to his legs tightly,<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t go, Adam, can\u2019t you stay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid not, Lilith.\u201d he leaned down and picked her up and gave her a hug, then wiped away the tear with a finger, looked into her little face. What suffering this child had undergone throughout her life, and now the way was open to her to enjoy everything the future promised. \u201cBut I will be back. When I get back I want to know all about what you\u2019ve been doing, and what you want to do. Do you understand? Work hard and enjoy your life, Lilith.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you\u2019re going away\u2026\u201d she moaned, and he had to tug her arms free as they tightened around his neck. \u201cPlease stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

He passed her onto Joe, and then kissed Mary Ann on the cheek, shook Joe\u2019s hand and then hugged him close. They didn\u2019t need to speak; their hearts spoke the words for them.<\/p>\n

The driver was yelling at them to board so he stepped into the vehicle and hugged himself into a corner. There were two other passengers but he didn\u2019t take any notice of them as he looked through the window and raised a hand to the couple and the little girl standing on the sidewalk.<\/p>\n

It was cold, their breath plumed into the bitter air and Hank the driver tossed in a blanket to cover over their legs. Hands rose in farewell and he smiled, it could just as well have been in greeting.<\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

Next Story in the Captain Cartwright Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Carpe Diem<\/a>
\nA New Command<\/a>
\nA Duty to Live<\/a>
\nAll Those Tomorrows<\/a>
\nWritten in Stone<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Reviewer: Chavel47 Anonymous
\nDate: 03 Feb 2013 09:52 pm Title: Chapter 1<\/p>\n

While other people are riveted to the Superbowl Game, I’ve been riveted to the adventures of the Cartwright family. \u00a0As I stated in an earlier review in book 4, I need all my will power to put down the iPad and do my work or go to sleep. \u00a0Last night I woke up in the middle of the night and read another chapter before falling back to sleep. \u00a0And, since this is Sunday, it provided another good excuse to sit and read.<\/p>\n

Your stories have so many twists and turns. \u00a0There were many moments between Adam and Joe that brought tears to my eyes. \u00a0Highlights include when they first met on the trail, Adam coming up with a plan for Joe to warn the Indian camp, and the three boys in Joe’s room before the wedding. \u00a0I also laughed when Adam joked with his pa about getting a tanning. \u00a0Here he is a man who commands a ship, but in some ways, he as well as his brothers, will always remain in one little corner of his father’s heart the little baby born so many years ago.<\/p>\n

Author’s Response: O it is so exciting to read a review like this, Chavel47, you can only imagine how it brings alive all the words that were written in that story and parades before me the characters that took part. I am glad you enjoyed the time with Joe and Adam, and how things developed there. Yes I think you are right about Ben keeping a corner of his heart for his little boys, and I really believe they love to think that also, it keeps them feeling ‘safe’. Many thanks for reviving my enthusiasm and motiviation, Chavel47. Krystyna<\/em><\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Reviewer: jcg Anonymous
\nDate: 08 Jan 2013 03:30 pm Title: Chapter 1<\/p>\n

Such wonderful writing. Held me spellbound –lost 6 hours of sleep last night.<\/p>\n

Been thinking about story all day.\u00a0 Thank you very much.\u00a0\u00a0 Hardly ever review (which I realize is wrong) but read every written word by all the authors.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Author’s Response: jcg:Oh dear, hope you managed to get through the day alright with that amount of loss of sleep. jcg, thank you so much for this review, it means so much to me to have read it and to know how much you enjoyed it. There are others in the series which I hope you will also enjoy but do make sure you sleep well … I was quite excited at the thought that you had been thinking about the story all day, that is one of the best compliments a reader can give a writer, a very big thank you for that …Krystyna<\/em><\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Reviewer: BluewindFarm<\/a> Signed
\nDate: 07 Jan 2013 05:44 pm Title: Chapter 1<\/p>\n

Another phenomenal installment in the Captain Cartwright series.<\/p>\n

The intrigue that followed Adam and how all the pieces finally came together was wonderfully crafted.\u00a0 The twists and the turns back home were truly riveting as the story unfolded and came to a satisfying conclusion.<\/p>\n

Eagerly awaiting Grant’s next orders for Adam.<\/p>\n

Author’s Response: Realy so very pleased that you have enjoyed reading this installment , Bluewind Farm. The story grows so long due to readers participation when it is posted as a w.i.p so all thanks to them as well for some of the twists and turns. The research re the American cadre in Egypt was interesting too, threw up some interesting characters. Most of all though, thank you for reading it and leaving me a review here. I am so glad you found the stories and like them so much. Krystyna<\/em><\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Reviewer: AMG Anonymous
\nDate: 07 Jan 2013 01:05 pm Title: Chapter 1<\/p>\n

Aaaaaah… Now that was a sigh of pure pleasure. Even though I’ve read it more than once, even tough I’ve saved it on my hard drive like al of your stories, I still couldn’t pull myself away from the story – again. You are a wondrous story-teller, Krystyna, and your care for details amazes me again and anew.<\/p>\n

Thank you for the wonderful read yet again.<\/p>\n

Author’s Response: Hi AMG: Believe me the pleasure is all mine, I got such a thrill when I read a review on any of the Captain Cartwright stories . Thank you so very much for venturing here to read this again, and I so very much appreciate all the kind words you have put down here, I truly do, thank you, AGM. Krystyna<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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Summary: Romance as well as sadness beckons for Joe, while Adam is reunited with old friends and takes on a new personna in order to protect the President.<\/p>\n

Rated: K (281,065 words)<\/p>\n

Captain Cartwright Series, links to all the stories within the series included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":145,"featured_media":14530,"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_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2,7,23],"tags":[14],"class_list":["post-6667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-actionadventure","category-a-u","category-drama","tag-adam-cartwright","wpcat-2-id","wpcat-7-id","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":3255,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Captain-Cartwright.jpg?fit=384%2C512&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2979,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2979","url_meta":{"origin":6667,"position":0},"title":"Captain Joe (by frasrgrl)","author":"frasrgrl","date":"November 24, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 \u00a0This story is in response to November's Chaps and Spurs Challenge. Joe on the high seas.\u00a0 Word Count: 546\u00a0\u00a0Rated: K","rel":"","context":"In "Chaps and Spurs"","block_context":{"text":"Chaps and Spurs","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=39"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ponderosa-lj.jpg?fit=640%2C475&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ponderosa-lj.jpg?fit=640%2C475&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ponderosa-lj.jpg?fit=640%2C475&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12147,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12147","url_meta":{"origin":6667,"position":1},"title":"He Said Not To Tell (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"May 1, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"The author requests those who wish to read this series contact her via eMail: DLB1234@aol.com","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\/11\/1-joe.jpg?fit=238%2C226&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12132,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12132","url_meta":{"origin":6667,"position":2},"title":"Chinese Molasses (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"January 1, 2002","format":false,"excerpt":"DebbieB passed away Christmas 2021. Any reader wishing to read this series should e:mail the Brandsters:\u00a0 Brandsters2020@gmail.com","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\/08\/Joe-copy-7.jpg?fit=594%2C592&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Joe-copy-7.jpg?fit=594%2C592&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Joe-copy-7.jpg?fit=594%2C592&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12737,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12737","url_meta":{"origin":6667,"position":3},"title":"Ghost Wagons (by GinnyF)","author":"Ginny F","date":"October 23, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Tall tales?\u00a0Ghost Stories?\u00a0 Or did it really happen? Rating:\u00a0 K+\u00a0 (850 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Brothers"","block_context":{"text":"Brothers","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1009"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":13630,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13630","url_meta":{"origin":6667,"position":4},"title":"A Cry for Freedom (by JennieA)","author":"JennieA","date":"January 7, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 It started with Ben giving Little Joe more responsibility for the Ponderosa.\u00a0 Little did the family realize the course Ben was setting in motion. Rating:\u00a0 R\u00a0 (65,725 words) Due to subject matter contained in this series, the stories are only available via e:mail from the author -- ryjennie@comcast.net","rel":"","context":"In "Action\/Adventure"","block_context":{"text":"Action\/Adventure","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/4Cs.jpg?fit=400%2C401&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4039,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=4039","url_meta":{"origin":6667,"position":5},"title":"A Jump Through Time (by ViveAdam)","author":"ViveAdam","date":"April 12, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Adam is accidentally transferred in Captain Kirk's starship Enterprise, during the 23rd century Rated:\u00a0K+ \u00a0WC \u00a09200","rel":"","context":"In "Action\/Adventure"","block_context":{"text":"Action\/Adventure","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/adamreading.jpg?fit=211%2C223&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6667","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\/145"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6667"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6667\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}