{"id":7912,"date":"2013-10-11T11:48:19","date_gmt":"2013-10-11T15:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7912"},"modified":"2025-02-18T19:13:43","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T00:13:43","slug":"to-everything-there-is-a-season-4-growing-pains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7912","title":{"rendered":"To Everything, There Is A Season #4 – Growing Pains (by MonicaSJ)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary<\/strong>:\u00a0 <\/span>This is fourth of the To Everything <\/em>series. \u00a0<\/em>Shiloh and Adam come home from their honeymoon and embark on a new life together discovering that fitting all their desires in can make for trouble as her past creeps in and as they balance the opportunities that come their way.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 T \u00a0WC 116,200<\/p>\n

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

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

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Growing Pains<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The last stage of the return home from their honeymoon was just as unpleasant for Shiloh as the ride that had begun their honeymoon. The only redeeming part of it was that it wasn\u2019t bone-chilling cold. Spring thunderstorms had turned Johnson\u2019s Cut-off into mud most of the way with large puddles in places, two that forced the passengers to leave the coach so the horses could pull the coach through. Adam carried Shiloh so her dress wouldn\u2019t be ruined, but the two other ladies in the coach weren\u2019t as fortunate.<\/p>\n

Sitting next to the window, Shiloh could see that spring was trying to burst through what little snow remained on the ground with the occasional snow plants pushing their bright red cone through matted pine needles and debris. The deciduous trees had just begun to open their fresh green leaves, and the grayness was giving way to light and blue sky.<\/p>\n

When they arrived in Virginia City, Adam heard the breath she let out and watched as her body relaxed from the stiffness she had kept all through the ride. He stepped out of the coach and reached back for her hand, helping her down onto the street.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, good to have you back, Son,\u201d said Ben cheerfully just as Adam turned toward the boardwalk.<\/p>\n

Shaking his father\u2019s hand, he said, \u201cThanks, Pa. It\u2019s good to be back,\u201d with a big smile.<\/p>\n

Leaning down to hug Shiloh, Ben asked, \u201cHow was the honeymoon?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her answer was a bit subdued. \u201cParts were very good. Other parts\u2026not so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Straightening, Ben looked at both of them. \u201cWe\u2019ve been reading about some of it in the newspaper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll tell you all about it at home, Pa. But right now, we have an errand to run. Do you mind waiting for us? I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll be long.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was about to speak, but was interrupted by Hoss and Joe coming down the boardwalk from the saloon. \u201cIt\u2019s about you time you two got home. How was San Francisco?\u201d asked Joe.<\/p>\n

Adam and Shiloh looked at each other. \u201cSanta Cruz was better,\u201d said Shiloh, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be back in a few minutes,\u201d said Adam, taking Shiloh\u2019s elbow and guiding her down the boardwalk.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that about?\u201d asked Joe, watching them go, then turning back to his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no idea, but I\u2019m sure we\u2019re going to find out later. I didn\u2019t get the chance to invite them to dinner tonight. Hop Sing wanted to introduce them to Ming Lin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh looked back over her shoulder to make sure she was out of earshot. \u201cAdam, do we have to do this now? Paul\u2019s probably already finished with his day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we have to do this now because if we don\u2019t, I\u2019ll have to hog-tie you to get you back here.\u201d<\/p>\n

They stopped in front of Dr. Martin\u2019s office and knocked on the door. Paul\u2019s nurse answered. \u201cHello, Helen,\u201d greeted Adam. \u201cIs Paul in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were just about to close the office. He\u2019s in the examining room straightening up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHelen, who is it?\u201d came a voice from behind her. \u201cAdam, Shiloh, when did you get back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust now,\u201d said Adam, smiling. His expression turned serious. \u201cPaul, do you have a few minutes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs this for you or Shiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh has some questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I can see one more patient today. Come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam waited in the front room while Shiloh sat in Dr. Martin\u2019s office. He clasped his hands in his lap and waited. \u201cYou\u2019re going to have to tell me what the problem is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore I ask anything else I want to know what your views are about women\u2026and their\u2026wombs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul raised his hand to hide a smile. \u201cI like to think I\u2019m more enlightened than most. I\u2019ve seen too much illness to believe that the womb is the cause of all female problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, because the last doctor I saw said my problems were caused by my intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I assume we\u2019re talking about having a baby?\u201d She nodded. \u201cShiloh, female reproductive problems have nothing to do with your education. But they could have to do with your mental state. Now, why don\u2019t you tell me what\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, she told Paul about her sometimes late or missing monthlies as she fidgeted, not once looking up at him. \u201cAnd now, it seems that I\u2019m missing another one, only\u2026now, there could be another reason it\u2019s missing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, considering you\u2019ve only been married a month, it would be too early to tell if you\u2019ve conceived. When did you start missing?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh thought back. \u201cNot until I was in Boston\u2026after I had started performing on stage. And about the time I started seeing Will Stewart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Martin sat calmly in his chair. \u201cBased on what I\u2019ve been reading in the newspaper, that must have been a difficult time for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time, I didn\u2019t think so, but now that you mention it, I guess that entire time I had some doubts\u2026and fears.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd when you came home, you had to deal with your father\u2019s death and some difficult decisions. Have there been any recent times when you were on time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Not long after Adam proposed. In fact, I finished one only a few days before the wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now, you\u2019ve missed the next one, and what\u2019s been happening in San Francisco? Don\u2019t answer that. From the articles, I have an idea. Shiloh, I think your level of anxiety is causing you to miss or be late. And in that case, I would say that cutting back the things that worry you the most might just solve the problem, unless of course, you have conceived, and if that\u2019s true, we won\u2019t know for a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you think the same way as the other doctor,\u201d she snapped, crossing her arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t think there\u2019s anything physically wrong with you, and certainly nothing that a little break won\u2019t cure. You\u2019re too young for me to think there\u2019s a physical problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Martin, there are some things I need to do before\u2026.\u201d How will I know considering I don\u2019t always have a monthly?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I would keep up with them as if you had them on schedule. Even if you don\u2019t have one, I think we can assume everything else is working normally. And when you do have one, if it\u2019s late, adjust accordingly. But you know that counting isn\u2019t a guarantee that you won\u2019t conceive. There\u2019s only one way to know that for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh turned red. \u201cSomehow, I don\u2019t think that will be alright with Adam.\u201d She stood and made her way to the door. \u201cThank you for your time, Doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad I could help,\u201d he said, stepping out into the front room with her. \u201cAdam, would you mind coming back. Shiloh, we\u2019ll only be a moment.\u201d She bit her lip and sat slowly in a chair, watching the two men disappear into the office.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I know you now about condoms. You\u2019ve asked me about them before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stumbling over words, Adam finally said, \u201cWell Paul, those were to prevent catching a disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey can also be helpful in preventing conception.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked down at his hat in his hands. \u201cI would never consider using one of those with a respectable woman\u2026certainly not my wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand you feeling that way, Adam, but they\u2019re more reliable than counting,\u201d said Paul as he walked to the door and pulled it open. \u201cGive your father my regards.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam said, \u201cI\u2019ll do that,\u201d then left the office with Shiloh, laying her hand over his arm and walking back down the street toward the waiting buckboard.<\/p>\n

Shiloh looked ahead, but nervously cut her eyes upward toward Adam. \u201cWhat did he say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2026um\u2026well\u2026he talked about\u2026the same thing you talked about. What did he say to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said he doesn\u2019t think there\u2019s anything wrong with me, and that we won\u2019t know if I\u2019m having a baby for awhile or until my next monthly. He said we could either\u2026\u201d she bit her lip, \u201c\u2026abstain\u2026\u201d Adam stopped walking and looked down at her with his mouth twisted. \u201c\u2026or I can count.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked over her head back down the sidewalk and took a deep breath. \u201cStart counting.\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing!\u201d yelled Ben.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing hurried out of the kitchen. \u201cYes, Missa Carlight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, Adam and Shiloh will be joining us for dinner. You had someone you wanted them to meet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing be right back,\u201d he said, nodding and hurrying back the kitchen. Adam took Shiloh\u2019s cape and hung it on the rack next to the door along with his hat. He laid his gun on the cabinet. Before they could sit down, Hop Sing hurried back into the entry way, pulling another Chinese man behind him. \u201cMissa Adam, Missy Shiloh, this Ming Lin, number three cousin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ming Lin bowed, saying very slowly, \u201cIt is very nice to make your acquaintance.\u201d Hop Sing stood expectantly smiling.<\/p>\n

Both Shiloh and Adam bowed. \u201cMing Lin,\u201d said Adam, \u201cIt\u2019s nice to meet you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh let Adam do the talking while she studied Ming Lin. He was younger than Hop Sing, and by the way he was speaking, he had recently gotten some instruction in the English language. He made a great effort to say all of his words and pronounce them correctly to the point that his struggle with certain words was obvious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any experience cooking and cleaning?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been learning to cook American at the Washoe Club. Hop Sing has graciously allowed me to help here for several weeks. I\u2019m familiar with his duties.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe good cook,\u201d said Hop Sing. \u201cHop Sing teach cousin to cook food you like, Missa Adam. Hop Sing teach him more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laughing, Adam turned to Shiloh. \u201cSweetheart?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can I say \u2018no\u2019 with Hop Sing\u2019s recommendation? When can you start, Ming Lin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMing Lin bring bags. He start now,\u201d said Hop Sing, grinning. \u201cWe get dinner ready.\u201d Pulling Ming Lin\u2019s sleeve, Hop Sing bowed and led Ming Lin back into the kitchen.<\/p>\n

Shiloh turned to Adam. \u201cYou were right. I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if Ming Lin and Hop Sing have already stocked the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat they did,\u201d said Ben, laughing. \u201cThey\u2019ve already turned over the ground for a garden behind the kitchen, and they were both eyeing that empty field back there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess he\u2019ll stay in the downstairs bedroom for now. There\u2019s no other place to put him except in the bunkhouse,\u201d said Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cI\u2019ll add a room off the back of the kitchen to the house plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

As they all walked into the sitting area, Ben got comfortable in the leather chair near the fireplace, and Adam and Shiloh sat on the settee while Hoss added more wood to the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two have a lot to tell,\u201d said Ben, giving them his full attention.<\/p>\n

The corner of Adam\u2019s mouth turned up as he looked down at Shiloh\u2019s hand, and taking it in his,\u201d he said, \u201cI don\u2019t know where to begin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cHow about at the beginning?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the first day in San Francisco, everything was great. We saw Annie off safely, then went to our hotel and rested. I showed Shiloh the house plans, and that afternoon we decided to take a walk before dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s when all that business about Will started,\u201d interjected Shiloh. \u201cI had gone down to the lobby to see the piano, and while I was waiting for Adam to come down from our room, Will appeared. It turns out he\u2019s the new city attorney for San Francisco, and he lives there now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven so, we went for that walk, but then the man who\u2019s been following Shiloh appeared\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Adam chased him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe got away, but he was with us until we left for Santa Cruz.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing came out of the kitchen and announced that dinner was ready, and when everyone was seated and grace had been said, Adam and Shiloh continued their story during the meal. Adam told them about dinner with the Slater\u2019s and why he had bargained for second position in the partnership. He skimmed over the theatre, opera, and Cliff House, and then picked up with Will\u2019s complaint and the newspaper article.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss wanted to leave for San Francisco immediately when he saw that article,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was good you didn\u2019t,\u201d said Adam, looking at Hoss. \u201cWe didn\u2019t stay in San Francisco. We stayed a few days at Jim Fischer\u2019s ranch. He invited some of his friends to dinner to discuss Shiloh\u2019s horses, and he and Shiloh worked out her performance contracts. After that, we took a clipper ship down the coast to Santa Cruz.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, that was the highlight of the honeymoon. Santa Cruz is such a beautiful little town,\u201d said Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went to see the Meder\u2019s, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMoses Meder? How\u2019s he doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s built an impressive dairy. In fact, I brought back some good information. I was thinking about building our own dairy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben suddenly coughed, quickly set his fork down and picked up his napkin. \u201cA dairy? Here? Son, I\u2019m not sure we want to be involved with a dairy. We don\u2019t know how to run one, and we sure don\u2019t know anything about making that much butter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd cheese,\u201d added Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cCheese?\u201d said Hoss. \u201cI don\u2019t like cheese.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam scratched his head and smiled. \u201cPa, we do know how to run a dairy. Shiloh and I spent several days at the Meders learning the whole process. But that\u2019s something we can discuss later. That\u2019s not even the best part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next, Adam and Shiloh told them about their time on the beach. \u201cThat was the best part of the whole trip,\u201d said Shiloh, looking over at Adam, and grinning from ear to ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen on the way home, we missed the stagecoach in Sacramento and had to stay an extra day. Charles Crocker found out and invited us to dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the second time that evening, Ben put his fork down. \u201cCharles Crocker\u2026of the Pacific Railroad?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa. It turns out the land that Shiloh purchased belonged to Charles Crocker. He used the sale to build up the initial capital he needed for the railroad. Now he wants to leverage the sales contract to lower his costs so he can get the loan guarantees he needs to start building.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben drew in a breath and blew out of his mouth. \u201cDoes this mean what I think it means?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s enthusiasm was evident when he threw his napkin on the table and turned to face his father. \u201cHe wants to use the five contracts to lower his costs by the fifty percent he\u2019s entitled to. And if we deliver those on time, he\u2019s prepared to use us exclusively for all the timber. That\u2019s means a five or six year deal, Pa, the biggest contract we\u2019ve ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe took his spoon and tapped it against his water glass, then picked up the glass. \u201cHere\u2019s to Older Brother, whose timber contracts just seem to get bigger and bigger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no, Joe. This wasn\u2019t my doing. This is all because of Shiloh\u2019s bid for the land.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not quite true. I did buy the land, but it was the Cartwright name that got his attention in Sacramento,\u201d said Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen here\u2019s to both of ya,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cThe best timber selling team this side of the Comstock.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben, Hoss and Joe raised their glasses, but Shiloh remained reserved, remembering Mr. Stanton\u2019s hesitation and the reason she won that land bid. Still, she maintained a convincing smile.<\/p>\n

After dinner, Adam and Shiloh sat with Ben, sipping coffee and discussing the situation with Will, and how Slater, Cartwright and Slater intended to handle him as the city attorney.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had no idea you were planning to submit plans and drawings for the courthouse,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n

Adam raised his hand off the arm of the settee and nodded. \u201cI didn\u2019t think there was any point in saying anything. I thought it was a long shot. It turns out the only thing the city required after they chose my plans was that I be part of a local firm. Slater and Slater had been looking for a partner when they bid on the courthouse, and when they found out I wasn\u2019t part of a firm they offered the partnership to me. I couldn\u2019t turn it down, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m not saying you should have. But we\u2019re going to have to make some adjustments here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were going to have to do that anyway now that I\u2019m helping at the Flying W.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true, Son, but this is much bigger. It\u2019s both now, but I know how long you\u2019ve wanted to pursue that direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s something else, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d said Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Shiloh, I thought we got that Mr. Cartwright business settled.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled. \u201cSorry. I forgot\u2026Pa. I have the opportunity to expand my horse business because of Jim Fischer, but I\u2019ll need help if it\u2019s going to grow. I need to teach someone how to train the horses. I thought about Johnny or Billy, but I don\u2019t think either of them is up to it.\u201d She looked across the room in the other direction. \u201cI\u2019d like to teach Hoss. He and I can become partners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked up from the game of checkers he and Joe were playing. \u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Hoss, you\u2019re already comfortable around horses, and you\u2019re good with them. You have the patience and the heart. All you need is the technique.\u201d She looked down at her hands. \u201cThis way, when Adam and I decide it\u2019s time to start a family, I\u2019ll have someone I can rely on to keep things going forward until I can get back into it full time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked over at his father with a hopeful smile that quickly changed into a look of concern. \u201cI don\u2019t know how that\u2019s gonna work with Adam splittin\u2019 his time between the Ponderosa and the Flying W.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam moved to the edge of his seat. \u201cIf we do all of this, Pa, we\u2019ll have to talk about how to handle things\u2026we might have to hire a foreman or we\u2019ll have to step into more of a supervisory role and hire more men to do the work that we\u2019ve always done. The way I figure it, we\u2019d have to do this anyway if we want to continue to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben raised his hand to his chin. \u201cThe question is, Son, at what point do we stop growing? And what\u2019s the danger in growing too quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pursed his lips, and breathed deeply. He had suspected his father would be hesitant to make any big changes. Now, he was fairly certain making the necessary changes would be an uphill battle.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it appears we have a lot to discuss,\u201d said Ben. \u201cWhy don\u2019t we wait a few days\u2026let you and Shiloh get settled back in, and then sit down and determine what we can and can\u2019t do. Shiloh, your horses are here at the Ponderosa.\u201d She shot straight up off the settee, and Adam wasn\u2019t far behind her. Ben raised both hands. \u201cThey\u2019re all fine. Your shed collapsed in a windstorm and all the hay got wet. Joe and Johnny brought them here for shelter. As a matter of fact, Johnny\u2019s been staying here to tend to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

She let out the breath she had been holding. \u201cThank you, Mr\u2026.Pa. I appreciate you taking care of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, he said, \u201cI do want to talk to you about Satan, but not tonight. I\u2019m sure both of you are tired after the ride from Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should be getting home,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, Shiloh,\u201d started Hoss, standing. \u201cBefore you go, I need to tell you somethin\u2019. Annie sent me a telegram when she got to New York.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a step forward, Shiloh asked anxiously, \u201cIs Annie alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnnie\u2019s fine. In fact, she sent you a letter. I left it on the desk in your study. But it seems that Mr. Booth fellow is runnin\u2019 a theatre up there, and when she got there, he met her. It\u2019s Mr. Booth\u2019s wife. Seems she\u2019d been real sick, and well, she passed away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh stopped breathing and froze. When Adam took hold of her, she was trembling. He watched her eyes, searching, waiting for Hoss\u2019s words to sink in. \u201cOh no,\u201d she whispered as tears filled her eyes. \u201cWhen?\u201d she asked barely loud enough for Hoss to hear.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe died back in February\u2026before the weddin.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe sent us both a telegram. Why didn\u2019t he tell us?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

Hoss stuffed his hands in his pockets. \u201cHe didn\u2019t want to spoil the weddin\u2019 for you. He figured there weren\u2019t nothin\u2019 you could do anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hanging her head, Shiloh let her tears flow. \u201cShe was a year younger than me. And Edwina\u2026she\u2019s just a baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled her to him, and she buried her face in his chest. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry, Sweetheart,\u201d he whispered. \u201cLet\u2019s get you home.\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Hoss had offered to drive the buckboard over to the Flying W and help with the trunks, but Adam insisted that wasn\u2019t necessary. Hoss relented. It was late, and he didn\u2019t relish the thought of driving back in the dark. Ming Lin sat on the back, and when they arrived at the ranch, he began to pull Adam and Shiloh\u2019s bags from the wagon.<\/p>\n

\u201cMing Lin, don\u2019t worry about those,\u201d said Adam as Hank walked up from the bunkhouse. \u201cI\u2019ll have the hands take care of the baggage. Hank, could you find someone to carry these trunks upstairs?\u201d Adam asked, holding out his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing, Mr. Cartwright. And welcome home,\u201d he answered, smiling and shaking the hand Adam offered.<\/p>\n

Shiloh had already gone into the house with Ming Lin to show him to his room, and when Adam went into the house, he found her in the study, opening the letter from Annie. He sat on the side of the desk, flipping through a stack of mail, waiting until Shiloh had finished reading Annie\u2019s letter. He found a letter for him from Edwin and opened it.<\/p>\n

Adam,<\/p>\n

It is with a heavy heart that I deliver sad news of my wife, Mary\u2019s passing, though I know you may have already heard the news from Annie. I know you did not know Mary well, but Mary always held Isabella in high regard as they were very near the same age and occupation. Mary referred to her as a kindred spirit.<\/p>\n

Please understand that I did not send news of Mary\u2019s death only because I was afraid Isabella would have postponed the wedding and attempted to come to Boston, a futile action as there was nothing she could have done.<\/p>\n

Edwina and I are moving to New York where I have taken employment as manager of the Winter Garden Theatre. Once I have permanent lodgings, I will notify you of the address.<\/p>\n

Your friend,<\/p>\n

Edwin Booth<\/p>\n

Adam folded the letter and put it back in the envelope, then looked up at Shiloh, convinced she had read over the letter from Annie more than once and was now staring at the words. \u201cWhat did Annie have to say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe said that Mollie had sent word to Edwin that she was quite ill, but he didn\u2019t take her seriously at first and only made it to her side just before she died.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMollie?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEdwin and I called her Mollie.\u201d To everyone outside the family, she was Mary.\u201d Shiloh took a deep breath and wiped a tear from her cheek. \u201cAnnie arrived safely. She stayed in Boston with Edwin for a few days, and then caught the train to Philadelphia. She was allowed to move into hospital housing early, and has spent her time learning the city. After an interview and a test of her abilities, they will start her in second year classes.\u201d A slight smile appeared on her lips. \u201cShe thanked me for the music box.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know you gave her a music box.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI slipped it into her bag when we left for San Francisco.\u201d Standing, Shiloh walked to the side of the desk where Adam was sitting and lifted his hand in hers. \u201dI\u2019m tired. I\u2019m going up to bed. Would you mind seeing that Ming Lin has everything he needs? He can start with breakfast tomorrow. You and I need to discuss a schedule of meals with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stood, and she stepped into his waiting arms, sniffling. \u201cI\u2019ll be up in a little while. I want to talk to Hank and see if there\u2019s anything specific I need to deal with tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, that\u2019s the last of the bags,\u201d said a ranch hand on his way out.\u201d Adam nodded. \u201cWould you ask Hank to come to the house?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh stepped back. \u201cI should stay and listen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still holding her in his arms, Adam said, \u201cIf there\u2019s anything out of the ordinary, I\u2019ll let you know. Go on up.\u201d He kissed her and walked her to the foot of the stairs, watching as she climbed until she stepped into the bedroom. Then he walked to the front door, answering a knock.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, you wanted to see me?\u201d asked Hank.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on in, Hank. Besides taking the horses to the Ponderosa has anything else happened out of the ordinary while we were gone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was one thing. We found a fella up near the rim rock. He\u2019d been shot. When we looked around, we found some shovels and picks, but we didn\u2019t find any diggins. I\u2019ve been sending two men up there a couple of times a week, but we haven\u2019t seen anyone else. Sheriff Coffee came out and looked around. He said if we found anyone else up there to let him know. Other than that, it\u2019s been quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCattle?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had planned to move \u2018em up to the high meadows this week if we don\u2019t get any more rain. We\u2019ve got a lotta calving going on right now. I\u2019ve doubled the men on the herd just in case some of those cows need some help. I think we\u2019ll be ready for the spring round-up by the end of the month. The rest of the men are repairing the fences and out buildings.\u201d Hank removed his hat and took a deep breath. The extra snow and wind did a good bit of damage, but all those repairs Mrs. Cartwright had done last year paid off. It\u2019s less than I thought it\u2019d be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like you\u2019ve got everything under control. We\u2019ll start meeting in the morning again to go over the day\u2019s work. And we have a cook now; one of Hop Sing\u2019s cousins. His name is Ming Lin. If he\u2019s anything like Hop Sing, you might want to travel lightly in the kitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he\u2019s anything like Hop Sing, Mr. Cartwright, I\u2019ll avoid the kitchen altogether,\u201d said Hank, heading for the door. He stopped midway through and turned. \u201cIs there anything else you need tonight, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Hank, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m gonna head on home then. Your pa said you\u2019d be home tonight, so I wanted to wait and fill you in about the ranch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate that. Good night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next, Adam knocked on Ming Lin\u2019s door. \u201cYes, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing said that you had been helping him at the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour job here will be the same. The schedule will be the same as well. Is there anything else you need to know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Mr. Cartwright. Hop Sing and I came to make sure the kitchen was stocked and in order, and I have moved everything for cleaning there. All the linens have been changed and washed. Breakfast will be ready at six-thirty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam said, \u201cGood night,\u201d and headed up the stairs. When he opened the door, he found Shiloh sitting at her dressing table in her robe, brushing her hair. The corner of his mouth turned up, and he walked to his side of the bed and began to undress, thinking this is his life now, going to bed with a woman to hold, waking up at the crack of dawn, having breakfast with her, and then saying goodbye for the day as they went their separate ways. That\u2019s a little different than I\u2019d always imagined. He\u2019d always thought that he\u2019d be leaving his wife at home after she prepared his breakfast, that she\u2019d be waiting for him with supper prepared when he returned, and her day would be spent doing all those things that Marie had done; sewing, planting a garden and arranging flowers in vases for the house\u2026taking care of the children. He\u2019d known from the beginning that Shiloh was meant for other things, but he had never thought that he\u2019d end up falling in love with her\u2026not until San Francisco where she was in control, and he was merely a bystander\u2026where she became the woman Edwin had described from Boston. He pulled the covers on the bed back and crawled in, sitting up and leaning back on a pillow propped up against the brass headboard, watching Shiloh as she finished brushing her hair. She stood and dropped her robe over the back of the chair, climbing in the bed next to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you alright?\u201d he asked, putting his arm around her.<\/p>\n

Nestling in close and laying her head on his shoulder, she said, \u201cI expected a letter from Edwin. I wonder how he\u2019s doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a letter for me from Edwin. He said he\u2019s taking Edwina to New York. He\u2019s taken a position as the manager of a theater there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m\u2026I just can\u2019t believe it. Mollie was so young. She died of pneumonia. She had been ill for a very long time. Even when she and Edwin were in San Francisco, I knew she wasn\u2019t feeling well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising his hand, he ran his fingers into her hair and kissed her forehead. \u201cI wish I could say something that would make you feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled weakly, and closed her eyes at the touch of his lips, pressing her body into his. \u201cI\u2019ll be fine. It\u2019s just hard to understand why.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning toward the night table, Adam blew out the lamp, and moved down under the covers with Shiloh following. He held her close, and even after sleep came over her and she turned away, he pulled her back, wanting to give her what comfort he could offer, even if it was just to remind her by his touch that she wasn\u2019t alone.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

When Adam awoke, Shiloh wasn\u2019t next to him. Propping himself up on his elbows, he looked around the room. She wasn\u2019t in the room. He got up, put on his robe and trotted down the stairs, finding her dressed for her day at the desk. When he stepped into the study, she didn\u2019t look up, so he cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

She smiled and finally looked up. His eyes were half closed, his head was covered in tousled curls, and his face was scruffy, a look that had greeted her every morning for the last month that she had come to love. \u201cGood morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, it\u2019s five a.m. What are you doing up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going through this mound of mail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt five in the morning?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m used to getting up at five. If you want more sleep, go back to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m used to getting up at six. When there\u2019s not a mound of mail to go through, what are you going to do at five in the morning? It\u2019s still dark outside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlan the day before Hank gets here. That includes what I\u2019m going to do with the horses, any errands I need to run, and then a little time in the evening for practicing or writing. But this morning, I think all I\u2019m going to have time for is this mail. I need to ride over to the Ponderosa and get the horses. I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll have any more bad weather, so they can stay in the corral here. I\u2019ll ask Hank to have some of the men rebuild the shed.\u201d She smiled and looked back down at the stack of papers.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked back up. \u201cNo?\u201d<\/p>\n

Walking around the desk, he took the piece of paper she was holding away from her and laid it on the top of the stack, then pulled her to her feet and towed her behind him out of the study and to the stairs. \u201cAdam, I\u2019ve always gotten up at five.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom now on, you\u2019re getting up at six. Unless there\u2019s a cattle drive\u2026then you can get up at four.\u201d When they got to the bedroom, Adam unbuttoned her shirt, then gently pushed her backward on the bed and pulled her boots off followed by her britches. After shrugging off his robe, letting it drop to the floor in the same pile as her clothes, he climbed over her to his side of the bed, then pulled her up to her pillow and covered both of them. Lying with an arm around her and her head on his shoulder, he closed his eyes. After a moment, he said, \u201cClose your eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know my eyes are open?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can feel your eyelash brushing my skin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I\u2019m wide awake. It\u2019s not like I can control this. I always wake up around five.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning over on his side, facing her, he nuzzled her cheek. \u201cYou didn\u2019t wake up at five while we were away.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled, \u201cWell, I was kept awake late into the night.\u201d<\/p>\n

A half smile formed on Adam\u2019s lips. \u201cIs that what it\u2019s going to take to change this habit?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess we still have a good bit to learn about each other, don\u2019t we?\u201d she asked as she turned to face him.<\/p>\n

He opened his eyes and found her watching him, looking amused. \u201cYou\u2019re not going back to sleep, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been discussing this for half an hour. There\u2019s not much time left.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, he said, \u201cAlright, let\u2019s get up,\u201d and sat up in the bed, running his fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp. \u201cTomorrow\u2026six.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh made it back downstairs first and began to separate the mail. The theatres she had been corresponding with replied with the weeks they wanted her to appear. She also had several letters from some of the men that Jim had introduced her to as well as other inquires about horses. There were large packages from Slater and what she thought might be a solicitation for another timber bid for Adam.<\/p>\n

When Adam joined her, she pushed several open envelopes over to him. \u201cWhat do you make of these?\u201d<\/p>\n

He read the first one, and then glanced at the others. \u201cEvidently, it\u2019s still not common knowledge that we\u2019re married, but I don\u2019t recognize any of these names. These could be from the original advertisement of the ranch for sale.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s one from Mr. Hearst in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see. That man just doesn\u2019t take no for an answer, does he?\u201d said Adam, smiling down at her as he picked up his mail from Slater.<\/p>\n

Standing, she walked around the desk and leaned into him as he sat on the edge. \u201cIf you\u2019ll look at my performance schedules with me this evening, I\u2019ll leave those and deal with the horse requests after I get back from the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, breakfast is ready,\u201d said Ming Lin, who appeared at the door of the study.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Ming Lin,\u201d said Adam, putting a hand on the back of Shiloh\u2019s shoulder and ushering her toward the kitchen. Hank came in and joined them for coffee while they ate breakfast and discussed what he had planned for the day, and tentatively what he would have the men doing for the next week, including the rebuilding of the hay shed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen do you think you\u2019ll be able to start on the barn again?\u201d asked Shiloh. \u201cI\u2019m anxious to get it finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hank started to answer, but Adam interrupted him. \u201cWhy don\u2019t we wait until I can figure out when we can start on the house? If we can get into the house by fall, maybe we should just build the barn over there. The barn you have here is more than enough for this place if we decide to rent it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had forgotten all about the house,\u201d answered Shiloh, scratching her head. \u201cWhen do we talk about a dairy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t for awhile. We\u2019re going to have our hands full with the timber contracts from Crocker this year. And we\u2019ll just have to remind Mr. Hearst that we\u2019re not going to be mining anytime soon. I\u2019ll ride over to the Ponderosa with you. I need to talk to Pa about all the timber contracts and how we\u2019re going to handle those along with the round-up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to talk to Hoss, too. If Hoss is going to be my partner, he needs to start learning now.\u201d<\/p>\n

After breakfast, everyone headed out, Hank heading for the bunkhouse, and Adam and Shiloh to the barn to saddle their horses. Hank sent Billy to help with the horses that were at the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

When they arrived, Shiloh went straight to the corral where all her horses but Satan were kept. Johnny had been feeding them, and came over to the fence. \u201cMiss Whitney\u2026I mean, Mrs. Cartwright,\u201d he said blushing. \u201cI thought you\u2019d want to get these horses back home as soon as you could, so I got up early to take care of \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good, Johnny, because they are going home today.\u201d She looked over the small herd. \u201cWhere\u2019s Sampson?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I left him down in the south pasture with the other yearlings. He\u2019s too young to get into any trouble down there. Billy\u2019s been checking on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, when we get them home, I want Sampson brought up with the others. We can\u2019t really keep calling him a yearling. He\u2019ll be two pretty soon, and he\u2019s going to be as big as Max was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had gone inside the house, and when he told Ben that Shiloh would be taking the horses back to the Flying W, the two men walked out to the corral. \u201cGood morning, young lady,\u201d said Ben, smiling and holding out his arms. She stepped into him, and they hugged like father and daughter. \u201cBy the look on your face, I can see you\u2019re happy to see them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t wait to start working with them again. I\u2019ve missed them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, Shiloh, I\u2019d like to talk to you before you leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, we need to talk about all these timber contracts, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t we go back inside and have some coffee then?\u201d said Ben as he put his arm around Shiloh and walked her to the house. When they were seated around the desk with their coffee, Ben said, \u201cI want to talk to you about Satan.\u201d Shiloh cocked her head, regarding him, and waited. \u201cWhat plans do you have for him?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, she answered, \u201cWell, that depends entirely on what my mares produce this year. I had planned on gelding him, but after Max died, I decided to postpone that until I see what we get. And I know why you\u2019re asking. My reasoning is the same as my father\u2019s. It would take a lot of money and time to import new stock. I\u2019d rather breed it if I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, surely you don\u2019t want to breed Satan\u2019s disposition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright\u2026\u201d Ben lowered his head and raised his eyebrows, and Shiloh took another deep breath. \u201cPa, do you remember the trouble Daddy had with Max. I realize Satan killed a man, but Max broke one\u2019s back, and look how he turned out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSatan\u2019s the one that killed Smalley?\u201d asked Adam, looking worriedly at Shiloh.<\/p>\n

She folded her lips into a tight line and looked down at her coffee. \u201cAdam, do you remember one of the men at Jim\u2019s asked me if I could train bad habits out of a horse? Daddy did it with Max, but I don\u2019t know if I can. If I can train Satan, then I can train bad habits out of any horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam tilted his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. \u201cWhen were you going to tell me you were going to try to train that animal?\u201d<\/p>\n

Drawing herself up straight, she said, \u201cI didn\u2019t think I needed to tell you what I was going to do with the horses. They were supposed to be mine to do with as I pleased.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben raised his hands. \u201cNow, just hold on. Shiloh, we already know he\u2019s dangerous. Just getting into a corral alone with him is taking a big risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow will I ever know if I don\u2019t try?\u201d she asked, first looking at Ben and then back at Adam. \u201cYou have no idea how this will go. Satan is one of the most perfect horses we\u2019ve bred, except for Max, and now Sampson, but Sampson\u2019s too young. It will be another year before I\u2019ll even consider starting him.\u201d Adam sat his coffee cup on the desk and clasped his hands, resting his chin on them. \u201cAdam, you promised. Decisions regarding the horses are mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never agreed to you putting your life at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to be able to breed Satan. If I can\u2019t, I may lose what makes these horses so unique\u2026so beautiful. Please, Adam. If he becomes too difficult\u2026I\u2019ll geld him, but please, let me try.\u201d<\/p>\n

Propping his chin on his thumb, Adam looked over at his father, who was shaking his head. \u201cYou are not to work alone with that horse. One of the men will be watching you with a rifle, and if that horse even looks like he\u2019s about to come at you, he\u2019ll have orders to shoot.\u201d She crossed her arms defiantly and looked away. \u201cTake it or leave it,\u201d said Adam, raising his eyebrows.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat choice do I have?\u201d she said sarcastically.<\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t agree with Adam, but he wasn\u2019t going to voice his opinion. It was none of his business at this point. All he could do was be ready to pick up the pieces when something happened, and he was sure something would.<\/p>\n

Hoss ambled down the stairs and made his way over to the desk. \u201cHoss, I\u2019m glad you\u2019re here,\u201d said Adam. \u201cWhat do you think about learning to train horses?\u201d<\/p>\n

A wide grin took over Hoss\u2019s face, and then he looked at his father and swallowed. \u201cWell, Adam, how much time are we talkin\u2019, \u2018cause I\u2019m gonna have a lot more to do now that you\u2019re over at the Flying W.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, I have no intention of abandoning the Ponderosa. Hank handles the cattle at the Flying W just fine without me. I can do the Slater work in the evenings. I\u2019ll just have to do more coordination to make sure nothing gets missed. And that includes all the timber contracts. Pa, we need to talk about what we already have. The first of the Crocker contracts will be for ties, and we can go ahead and mark the trees for those, but if we want the railroad business, we\u2019ll have to walk away from some of the other bids.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded as he began to pull papers out of the desk. \u201cThe amount of work isn\u2019t the only problem. We can only take what we will have teams for. Ottis Watts is the only one within a hundred miles who has those big draft horses, and we\u2019ll be competing for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, that\u2019s not true,\u201d said Adam, looking sideways at Shiloh. \u201cWhat about the horses you keep in your lower pasture next to the spring?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t realize you had noticed them. Mr\u2026.Pa, do you remember that Daddy had plans to plant some crops? He did plant some wheat and buffalo grass, and he planted corn, too, but he never planted on the same scale that he had when he and Momma lived in the South. He even made a plow with three blades. It took two men to work it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning back in his chair, Ben nodded. \u201cYes, I do remember that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I still have the horses Daddy was going to use to pull that plow. He also used them to remove stumps when he was clearing fields. All that wheat and buffalo grass that he planted is what they\u2019re eating. It\u2019s too rich for the other horses, but it keeps these big ones satisfied. He kept them, thinking he would eventually do some farming. I have twelve full-grown and some younger ones. They\u2019re heavier than Eli and Satan, just as tall, and stockier. They\u2019ve got good solid legs and hooves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pursed his lips. \u201cWhat else do we have that you thought I hadn\u2019t noticed?\u201d<\/p>\n

“A forge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a forge?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you think we keep up with all those hooves?\u201d She turned to Ben. \u201cPa, can I have some of Hoss\u2019s time? If he can come over three mornings a week for a few hours, that\u2019s all I need to get him started learning to train. Then when you and Adam figure out all the time you\u2019ll need to handle all these timber contracts, we can adjust if we need to. And Hank and our men can help with the round-up\u2026like Micah used to. We can do one ranch first, and then the other, and we can combine our cattle drives. That\u2019ll put extra men on both ranches when they\u2019re at their busiest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked at Adam. \u201cShe\u2019s right, Pa. When Micah and I worked together and shared men, we were able to do more work and do it faster. We did it again last year, if you\u2019ll remember. It still works.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember,\u201d he said, nodding. \u201cAlright then, we\u2019ll do it the way we used to. That should give you time to do the extra work you\u2019ve taken on,\u201d he said, looking at Adam. He turned to Hoss. \u201cAnd that should give you time to work with Shiloh\u2019s horses, if that\u2019s what you want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss grinned. \u201cThanks, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I need to get those horses back home, and then go through the requests I have.\u201d When Shiloh rose from her chair, Ben and Adam stood as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll walk you out,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Shiloh, when do you want me to start?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about in the morning\u2026say around seven?\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling and nodding, Hoss said, \u201cI\u2019ll be there at six-thirty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Shiloh had gotten to the porch when he grabbed her arm and turned her around. \u201cI don\u2019t want to find out that you and Satan were in a corral before I tell Hank to post a man.\u201d He watched her come to a boil, then fight to stay calm.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is no different than what you do when you break horses. Should I forbid you to do it any longer because you\u2019re putting your life at risk?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a difference. I can take a much bigger jolt than you, and there are handlers in the corral with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, really?\u201d she said, crossing her arms. Seeing the flare of her nostrils and that all-too-familiar fire in her eyes, he braced himself. \u201cI\u2019ve been thrown from horses before, and other than a few scratches and bruises, I was fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you were lucky,\u201d he said calmly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure it has something to do with the proportion of weight to bone and force with which you hit the ground. I\u2019d be willing to bet you that my number turns out to be better than yours.\u201d Stepping closer and looking up at him impudently, she said, \u201cYou\u2019re an engineer. Do the math.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam breathed out as he stonily met her glare, and then smirked. \u201cI\u2019m not going to argue with you. Leave Satan here. I\u2019ll bring him home when I come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs everything alright?\u201d asked Ben, stepping out onto the porch.<\/p>\n

Shiloh had just opened her mouth to light into Adam, but at the sight of Ben, she took a step back. Adam continued to stare her down, his mouth drawn, his nostrils flared and anger in his eyes. \u201cEverything is just\u2026wonderful,\u201d she growled, and stepped off the porch toward the corral.<\/p>\n

Looking at the floor of the porch, Adam scratched behind his ear. \u201cI\u2019ll be in a minute, Pa,\u201d he said without the slightest edge in his voice. While Ben retreated to the house, Adam walked to the corral next to the barn where Satan was kept and leaned back against the gate with his arms crossed and a look on his face that dared Shiloh to try to get to the horse. She didn\u2019t go near Satan\u2019s corral, but rather she gathered her horses and left.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

When Adam walked into the house, he went into the living area where Ben had the timber contracts they had won and those they were bidding on spread out on the coffee table. Taking a seat on the hearth, Adam stared for a moment at the table.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s just like her father, you know\u2026when it comes to those horses,\u201d said Ben. Adam propped his elbows on his thighs and clasped his hands, but said nothing. \u201cShe is right about Max. There was a time when he was just as mean as Satan, so it would seem training bad habits out of a horse is possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s already admitted that she doesn\u2019t know if she can.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid you think her determination was just going to disappear because you married her?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam answered, \u201cNo Pa, I didn\u2019t, but I did think it had gotten easier to reason with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe you should try reasoning with her instead of giving her an ultimatum.\u201d Adam twisted his mouth and raised his eyebrows, then quietly chuckled. \u201cNow, let\u2019s figure out these contracts.\u201d Pointing to the piles of paper in front of them, Ben said, \u201cThese are the bids we\u2019ve already won, and these are the bids we are still working on separated by local and distant delivery. I think we need to consider how easy it\u2019s going to be to deliver the timber, and if we have to do any milling when we decide which ones to bid and which ones to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we know we\u2019ll have at least five from Crocker, and the first few of those will be for ties, so those will be straight forward and easy to deliver. If I remember correctly, one of these that we\u2019ve won is for hardwood to expand the harbor docks in San Francisco, and the other one is for timbers that have to be milled for new square sets for the Overman Number Two mine.\u201d Adam spread the other five contracts out, and picked one of them up, tossing it in front of his father who was sitting on the settee across from him. \u201cThat one is the biggest one, but a good bit of that profit will go into the effort to get that timber to San Francisco, and then hire a ship to get it to Boston. We\u2019re the only West coast timber outfit they\u2019ve asked for a bid. We can\u2019t compete with the timber companies that own land in the mountains over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben picked up the contract and set it aside, then spread the remaining four across the table. Adam picked up another one. \u201cThis one is for timber for a new school in Arizona City. There\u2019s no easy way to get timber down there other than to haul it, and we\u2019d be hauling it through desert.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat leaves the Gould and Curry, the Yellow Jacket and the Chollar; all of them local,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf we can keep the cutting and milling going, I think we can supply these three mines, plus the Overman Number Two as they need it. The five Crocker contracts will be spaced out as the tracks are built with some extra as they get closer to the Sierra for trestles, and we don\u2019t have to mill it, so the mill will be running nothing but square sets. We can start that now. For the docks, all we have to do is get the raw lumber to Sacramento. They\u2019ll be taking it the rest of the way on a steamer.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, we\u2019ve never come close to ten contracts in a single year.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re definitely going to be busy,\u201d laughed Adam. \u201cBut I think we can do it. It\u2019s either that or tell one or two of these mines that we won\u2019t bid, and that might send them somewhere else the next time they need square sets.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019ll take these three and price them out, I\u2019ll go into town tomorrow and start hiring crews. Take a look at Shiloh\u2019s horses and make sure they\u2019ll work.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have to fix up some harnesses to pull logs, but if we have a forge, that won\u2019t be a problem. Can Joe start marking timber?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s working on the pond in the north pasture. The gate is stuck in the mud, and he\u2019s cleaning it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stood, heading for the front door. \u201cI\u2019ll ride out and see if I can give him a hand. If we can get it cleared, do you think he can start tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, we have normal spring repairs and round-up coming up. Someone has to be here,\u201d said Ben as he walked Adam out onto the porch.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Hoss and Hank can handle the round-ups, and I\u2019ll take care of sending men out for fence and outbuilding repairs. After that I\u2019ll go where I\u2019m needed. That way, we make sure none of it slips.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Holding Sport\u2019s reins as Adam mounted, Ben said, \u201cOnce I get the crews hired, I can help. Adam?\u201d Adam looked down at his father. \u201cListen to her. She just might surprise you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cI\u2019ll come back for Satan after I help Joe with the gate.\u201d He turned and left for the north pasture.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Shiloh rode into the Flying W yard, she dismounted and turned to Billy and Johnny. \u201cGet the horses settled. Put the mares in the front and the rest of them in the back. I have to go down to the south corral and see what horses I have to fill some requests. I\u2019ll bring Sampson back with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cUh, Mrs. Cartwright? Mr. Cartwright told me I had to go with you. He said you were still being followed.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Letting her head flop backwards, she breathed deeply to keep from yelling at Johnny. \u201cI want you to stay with the horses, Johnny. Get one of other hands to go with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am. I\u2019ll have to ride out to the herd.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She clenched her teeth and looked at the ground, kicking the dirt up into dust. \u201cThat\u2019s alright. I have to go through the requests anyway. I\u2019ll be in the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Johnny returned, he went to the house and told Shiloh the hand was waiting. She gathered her notes and the book holding the list of her horses and left for the south pasture with her escort riding close behind.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam rode into the yard covered from head to toe in dried mud, leading Satan behind him. He and Joe had been able to clear the gate, but it involved shoveling mud out and away. He had almost forgotten Satan, and was almost home when he remembered, but decided the conversation he knew he was going to have with Shiloh would go easier if the horse was home.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Johnny met him at the hitching rail. \u201cMr. Cartwright, I\u2019ll take him off your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhere do you keep him?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got his own paddock next to the barn away from the others.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIs Mrs. Cartwright in the house?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo sir. She\u2019s down at the south pasture matching horses to all those inquiries that came in the mail.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIs she alone?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo sir. She took one of the hands with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nodding, Adam said, \u201cThank you, Johnny,\u201d then remounted and turned Sport south. When he arrived, he found her escort and waved him back to the ranch house, then dismounted, and walked down the fence line toward the gate, not noticing that he passed Shiloh who was standing in the pasture.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She stopped writing in her book and watched his head moving back and forth as if he were having a conversation while he walked down the fence line. \u201cAre you talking to me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He stopped and turned. \u201cI didn\u2019t say anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you said a mouthful.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He clasped his hands in front of him. \u201cAnd what did I say?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSince you\u2019re used to telling me what to do, you were practicing how you were going to reason with me since you\u2019re not very good at doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Biting the inside of his cheek, he dropped his eyes, trying to think of how to respond, and questioning his decision to send her to college.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat you were going to say is that it isn\u2019t unreasonable to ask that I have a handler close by. You all do it when you\u2019re working with wild horses, and Satan, though he\u2019s used to being around me, can certainly be accused of acting like a wild horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He cut his eyes to the right, thinking that sounded pretty good\u2026reasonable, so he was going to go with it. \u201cAnd what else?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sighing heavily, she moved her eyes upward, then closed her book and cast her eyes downward. \u201cThat you\u2019re just trying to look out for me because you don\u2019t want me to get hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Climbing over the fence, he stood in front of her. \u201cAnd is that so bad?\u201d he asked, turning up the corner of his mouth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, that part isn\u2019t. But it is when you start by telling me what to do after you already told me the horses were mine.\u201d He reached for her, and she stepped back. \u201cSo\u2026I will have a handler standing by, but he will not be in the corral with me. The training depends on the horse being isolated. He has to come to trust me completely, and he can\u2019t do that if he\u2019s distracted by someone else.\u201d She hung her head. \u201cAnd if I can\u2019t handle him, I\u2019ll geld him myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When he reached for her again, she let him take her hands. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t mention it,\u201d she answered, but she was thinking that she had dodged the proverbial bullet of him completely forbidding her to train Satan. She walked in front of him toward the fence, and looked up to the sky, saying a silent prayer of thanks that he could accept that what she said was reasonable. \u201cWhat happened to you?\u201d she asked, climbing over the fence.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe gate in the north pasture pond was stuck. Joe and I had to dig the pond out.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking several halters off her saddle horn, she climbed back over the fence into the pasture. \u201cI think I can fill some of these requests with some of the horses I have, but a few of them are going to be hard to find. Would you mind if I ask the men to let me see the horses they bring in from the range? I might find what I\u2019m looking for there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He watched her while she haltered three horses and walked them to the gate. \u201cI\u2019ll make sure the men let you see them before they start breaking.\u201d He took the reins of the haltered horses while she mounted Spirit, then handed her two of them. Walking to Sport, he mounted and led the third horse back to the ranch house.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When they arrived, Johnny took the horses. \u201cWe\u2019re running out of corral space up here,\u201d said Shiloh. \u201cMove all the horses but the mares and Satan to the pasture back there,\u201d she said, pointing behind the barn, \u201cand put these three in the corral. Make sure someone is watching the horses back there around the clock.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Walking into the house, Adam turned toward the bath house, and Shiloh headed to the stairs. \u201cI\u2019m going to change for supper,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ll bring you some clean clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before she stepped away, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. He didn\u2019t say anything, but rather met her eyes, kissing her and looking back to her eyes, waiting for the smile he knew would appear. He kissed her one more time before he released her hand, then watched as she ascended the stairs and disappeared into their bedroom.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Shiloh left clothes for Adam in the bath house before she went to the study to go through the horse requests, marking those she could fill. She looked at the performance schedules and marked the weeks she preferred. Of course, those would also depend on whether Adam had to travel for Slater. She was sure Adam would insist on going with her. As long as Will was close and her shadow was unidentified, someone would constantly be with her on the ranch, and elsewhere, Adam would be by her side. She smiled, thinking that she should feel lucky that he loved her that way, but there was still a part of her that resented being coddled. That wasn\u2019t all. She was about to disappoint him yet again when she told him that she was not carrying his child. Her missing monthly had appeared.<\/p>\n

When he entered the study, she was holding her head in her hand, tapping a pencil on the desk. \u201cIt can\u2019t be that bad,\u201d he said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, dinner is ready,\u201d said Ming Lin from somewhere behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Ming Lin. We\u2019ll be there in a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing, she walked around the desk and took his hand. \u201cWe can talk after dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they were seated, Ming Lin excused himself, leaving them alone. \u201cWere you able to figure out what timber contracts you\u2019ll bid?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re taking the local contracts. There were two others, but moving the timber those distances would take too much time. We have seven contracts, and we\u2019ll be bidding on three more. In fact, I need to work on those bids tonight. Can we talk about your performance schedules tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fine. I wasn\u2019t going to try to take any before July, and Julia Dean is performing at the grand opening of Maguire\u2019s on July third. I\u2019d like to be there. I\u2019ll be in Sacramento in August, so that leaves September and October.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s happening in June?\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling pensively, she said, \u201cI\u2019ll have more foals than I know what to do with. I need to get some pasture space cleared and planted before then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to look at your draft horses and see the forge after dinner. I\u2019ll need to refit some harnesses to pull logs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe might already have what you need, though they\u2019ll probably need some repairs. Daddy used harnesses similar to Ottis\u2019 harnesses when he was clearing land for fields and pastures. There\u2019s tack and equipment storage in the same building as the forge. The harnesses are hanging on the wall right where Daddy left them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell good. That\u2019ll save us some time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Glancing up at her, Adam realized she had stopped eating. \u201cMing Lin learned well. This is almost as good as Hop Sings.\u201d When she didn\u2019t respond, he watched her. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

“Hm? Oh, nothing is wrong. It\u2019s just\u2026it\u2019s our first full day back. We didn\u2019t even have time to take a breath before\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t afford to let the railroad slip through our fingers. At the same time, we can\u2019t afford to let the mines figure out they can go somewhere else for their square sets.\u201d She nodded. \u201cSweetheart, it\u2019s spring. Every spring seems overwhelming, but once we get everything going, things will settle down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d she said, nodding. \u201cAdam, would you mind if we look at the horses and the forge tomorrow morning? I think I\u2019d just like to curl up with a good book tonight while you work on the timber bids.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis would be a good time for you to learn how to do them,\u201d he said, looking up at her from under his brow as he took his last bite of dinner.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know that I want to anymore.\u201d He propped his elbows on the table and folded one hand over the other, looking perplexed. \u201cThere\u2019s really no need for me to learn that now that we\u2019re married. I\u2019m not running the ranch alone anymore, and at the time I thought I did need to learn it, I had no idea I would be marrying you. In fact, at the time, I didn\u2019t think anyone would have me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiping his mouth with his napkin, Adam stood and walked around table, talking her hand. He looked at her plate disapprovingly, and then looked back at her, but she avoided his eyes. Leading her into the parlor, he sat down on a chair in front of the fireplace, pulling her down on his lap and surrounding her with his arms. \u201cThere\u2019s something going on that you\u2019re not telling me, and neither of us is getting up from this chair until you do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReal life has hit with a vengeance, that\u2019s all,\u201d she said, laying her head on his shoulder.<\/p>\n

He kissed her and asked, \u201cAre you sure that\u2019s all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat else would it be? We\u2019ve already argued about the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

He snorted. \u201cWe didn\u2019t argue about the horses. We argued about Satan. And your reasonableness seemed quite reasonable to me.\u201d She drew in one side of her mouth and narrowed her eyes. \u201cYou didn\u2019t think you\u2019d gotten away with that, did you?\u201d She looked away, and he laughed. \u201cYou did think you\u2019d gotten away with that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose Satan is part of it. I wonder what name I should give him once he\u2019s trained.\u201d Adam creased his brows. \u201cDaddy renamed Max after he was trained.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was his name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDiablo.\u201d Adam\u2019s mouth formed an \u2018o\u2019. \u201cI\u2019m going to take a bath and then go upstairs to read while you work on your bids. Promise me you won\u2019t be too late.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it will take too long. We\u2019ve supplied square sets to all of these mines before.\u201d<\/p>\n

She touched his cheek and leaned up to kiss him. \u201cI\u2019ll wait for you.\u201d Standing, he lifted her up with him and walked her out of the parlor, watching her climb the stairs, then retreated to the study to work on the timber contracts.<\/p>\n

Over an hour later, he opened the door to the bedroom and found her curled up on a chair near the lamp, reading, wearing a flannel gown with her hair braided. \u201cI thought you weren\u2019t angry with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Closing the book, she set it on the table next to the lamp. \u201cI put this off because I knew you\u2019d be disappointed.\u201d<\/p>\n

He knelt next to the chair, took her hand and breathed in deeply, nodding. \u201cIs this what\u2019s been bothering you all evening?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not all bad. We\u2019ll be better prepared. And you won\u2019t feel trapped.\u201d He rose and pulled her up from the chair. She slid under the covers while Adam blew out the lamp. Undressing, he slid under the covers next to her, and they fell asleep in each other\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Adam had gotten up at six sharp while Shiloh still lay in the bed. Bending down to her, he kissed her lips. \u201cAre you getting up, Miss five a.m.?\u201d<\/p>\n

She yawned. \u201cI didn\u2019t sleep well last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to get up. I can meet with Hank this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting up on the side of the bed, she answered, \u201cNo. I\u2019m up. Hoss is supposed to be here this morning. Why don\u2019t you go on down and get started. I\u2019ll be down in a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

After Adam left the room, she took care of her necessities, and dressed, then joined him for breakfast. Hoss had already arrived and was working on his second breakfast of the morning. Leaning against the door frame, she watched as the two brothers ate.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I just don\u2019t understand why that Stewart fella keeps coming after her. He knows she\u2019s married, don\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe does. He might have loved her once, but I don\u2019t think that\u2019s it anymore. She walked away from him, and then she married me. Even in college, people didn\u2019t tell Will Stewart \u2018no\u2019. He got this way. Except with me. And then he didn\u2019t get his way with her\u2026 He\u2019s obsessed, Hoss, and that makes him dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think he\u2019ll come after her again?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s only one reason he moved to San Francisco, and that was to get closer to her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you two do me a favor and stop talking about Will Stewart?\u201d Shiloh pushed herself away from the door frame and walked to the table, sitting between them.<\/p>\n

Looking up from his plate, Adam looked apologetically at her. \u201cI didn\u2019t know you were there.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Hoss poured her a cup of coffee, Adam passed the eggs and bacon, then put a biscuit on her plate as she served herself. \u201cDo you want some gravy for your biscuit?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, just butter and preserves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, you can go with us to look at the draft horses Shiloh has and tell me what you think.\u201d<\/p>\n

Talking with his mouth full, Hoss said, \u201cThat\u2019s fine with me if Shiloh\u2019s alright with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to go anyway, and while we\u2019re down there, I want to pick a horse for you to work with and bring it up. The horse you\u2019ll be working with has to be isolated for a few days before you start. I have a journal for you to read, too. What are your plans today?\u201d she asked, turning to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to take those three bids back over to the Ponderosa so Pa can go over them, and if he agrees with them, I\u2019ll ride into the town and deliver them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to do that,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cPa\u2019s going back to town today to hire men for the crews. Turns out Mr. Fuller\u2019s hiring, too, so he\u2019s got some competition. But I\u2019ll tell you what you do need to do. You need to go on over to the breaking corral with me to take a look at the horses comin\u2019 in. If we\u2019re combining round-up and cattle drives, we\u2019re gonna need the extra horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to spend some time today working on some drawings for Slater.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, let\u2019s get down there then and look at those draft horses,\u201d said Hoss, standing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait, what about Hank?\u201d asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Adam stood, and waited for her. \u201cHe\u2019s already come and gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou spoke to him without me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam held his hands out as he explained, \u201cHe\u2019s not doing anything different than he said yesterday. It wasn\u2019t really much of a talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh huffed and walked past him to the front door, gathering her hat and jacket and leaving the brothers behind as she headed for the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter with her?\u201d<\/p>\n

Opening his mouth, Adam put on his hat, and then raised his hand as if he was going to say something and thought better of it, shaking his head and stepping out the door.<\/p>\n

When they arrived at the south pasture, Adam and Hoss stood at the fence waiting for Shiloh who was digging through her saddle bag and emerged carrying a burlap bag of carrot pieces. \u201cWhen I\u2019m working with horses, these stay with me.\u201d She put her thumb and index finger in her mouth and blew a shrill whistle that made Adam and Hoss cringe. Looking out at the pasture, they soon saw the horses that had been off in the distance come thundering toward them.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou feel that, Adam?\u201d asked Hoss, first looking down at his feet, then at Adam with a surprised smile.<\/p>\n

Shiloh watched proudly as the horses approached them. Stepping up on the corral fence and climbing over, she waited for the giant horses to gather around her. In a split second Adam was up on the fence, pulling her backwards, but she shrugged out of his hands. \u201cCalm down, Adam. These horses are as gentle as babies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam watched as they surrounded her, all of them patiently waiting for her hand to touch their muzzle where they knew a carrot would be waiting. She reached up to each one, and as she went from horse to horse, the horses didn\u2019t move…she walked upright underneath their heads. Even Adam and Hoss had to look up at them as they stood beside them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are good lookin\u2019 horses, Shiloh. You sure you want to use \u2018em to pull logs?\u201d<\/p>\n

She stopped and slowly turned to Hoss with a blank expression. \u201cWhat else do you suggest I do with them? I can\u2019t ride them. I don\u2019t have any saddles this big, and even if I did, my legs wouldn\u2019t go even half-way around their bellies.\u201d She snorted. \u201cI\u2019d need a ladder to get up on one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey make Ottis\u2019 horses look scrawny,\u201d said Adam as he walked among them. \u201cWe should rent them out when we don\u2019t need them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss had walked over to the younger horses with carrots. \u201cHow old are these fellas?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are yearlings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere must be somethin\u2019 wrong with my ears. Did I just hear you say yearlings?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think you\u2019d recognize a foal if you compare them to other foals. The foals weigh almost two hundred pounds at birth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whistling, Hoss looked back over at Adam. \u201cThey gonna give us any problems? I\u2019d hate to have one of these horses cut loose in a loggin\u2019 camp.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t have any trouble. These are some of the gentlest horses I have,\u201d she answered, straining to reach the nose of the mare she was feeding. \u201cBut you will have to shoe them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss looked down. \u201cThat might take two people,\u201d said Adam, raising his brows while Hoss pushed his bottom lip up and nodded his agreement.<\/p>\n

They left the draft horses at the fence, and went to another pasture to retrieve a horse for Hoss to train, then went back to the ranch house. Shiloh walked them behind the house to a building that had been closed up tight every time Adam had been back there. Taking a key out of her pocket, Shiloh unlocked the padlock on the double doors and swung them open. She waited a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, and then disappeared toward the back wall.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere are the harnesses you\u2019ll be using for them.\u201d Adam and Hoss had followed her back. \u201cYou\u2019ll have to go over these and make some repairs, but I don\u2019t think it\u2019ll be anything major. There are six sets.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI reckon the first thing we need to do is get the horses shod, but I gotta ride out to the herd and have the men start rounding up the calves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t Joe do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa done sent \u2018im up to start markin\u2019 timber. He\u2019s a might nervous about all these contracts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the only reason we\u2019re going to be able to do this is because there\u2019s only two sets; ties in the beginning of the Crocker contracts and square sets for all the others, except the docks, and all we have to do is cut and haul those to Sacramento. We can cut those now. I figure we can hire some teamsters to haul them, so only one of us has to go to Sacramento. We\u2019re already set up for the square sets at the mill, so if we can supply the timber as they need it, we can do everyone at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the sound of it, we\u2019ll be cutting all through summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go get the men started rounding up the calves,\u201d said Adam. \u201cBilly and Johnny can start bringing up the\u2026Shiloh, what are those horses?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh was standing behind them, leaning prominently on one leg with her arms crossed. \u201cClydesdales.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny and Billy can start bringing up the Clydesdales, and you can start making shoes; that is if we have enough iron.\u201d Adam walked back to the door. \u201cI\u2019m going by the Ponderosa first to drop off those bids. I\u2019ll come back that way and bring back what iron I can find.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh turned sideways between them and spoke loudly. \u201cAre you forgetting something?\u201d Turning, Adam looked with his head craned forward, waiting.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss is here to work with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drawing his lips into a tight line, he spun on his heel, and walked back into the forge, nodding. \u201cHoss, work with Shiloh first, and when you\u2019re finished, make shoes. I\u2019ll be back as soon as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Every other morning with Hoss turned into every morning. He had a way with the animals that set them at ease so much that he was training his first horse much faster than Shiloh had anticipated. He spent most of his time the first week listening to her explain the setup of the pen and paddock and reading her journal, and he was particularly appreciative of her explanations about her mistakes.<\/p>\n

The Clydesdales had been shod and the harnesses had been repaired. The camp for the timber contract for the docks had already been set up. Only three horses were required to move the logs since each horse could pull a ton of weight on his own. By the end of April, the timber was ready to be shipped, and Ben had gone in search of teamsters to haul them to Sacramento.<\/p>\n

Shiloh had finally corralled Adam to go over her performance schedules with her, and they settled on two weeks in September and two weeks in October in addition to the two weeks in August already signed. Those contracts had been sent out, and they were waiting for the return of the signed copies.<\/p>\n

The Ponderosa round-up had been completed, and the men were well into the round-up at the Flying W. With the extra men from each ranch, the fence repairs and outbuilding repairs had begun.<\/p>\n

Shiloh and Adam had been going in different directions for most of the month, and this particular evening, they both came in late, both sweaty, dirty and frustrated. When they met at the barn where they had both just ridden up, they exchanged few words while they bedded down their horses and slowly walked to the house, dragging from the day\u2019s work. Shiloh ducked into the kitchen while Adam slowly ascended the stairs toward their bedroom. When she appeared at the bedroom door, she stood for a moment, studying Adam who had removed his chaps and was sitting with his head in his hands on the side of the bed.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cMm hm. Just sore. I\u2019ve been breaking horses today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Closing the door behind her, she began to undress. Adam looked up, watching her, and jumped up from the bed, grabbing her arm when he saw a large bruise on her forearm. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA horse bit me.\u201d<\/p>\n

His eyes flared right along with his nostrils. \u201cWhat horse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, it doesn\u2019t matter. I\u2019ve been bitten by horses before. It comes with the territory. Besides, that was a few days ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Relaxing his grip on her arms, he let out a breath. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t I notice that?\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled weakly. \u201cYou\u2019ve been working late.\u201d She finished undressing and slipped on a robe. \u201cI\u2019m going to take a hot bath. I asked Ming Lin if we could wait an hour for dinner. He\u2019s begun to wait until we\u2019re home to start dinner anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to clean up and work on some drawings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got some mail from Slater today. It\u2019s on the desk,\u201d she said, walking toward the door, but she stopped, and with her head bowed, she slowly turned around. \u201cI have a better idea.\u201d He had sat down again and was taking off his boots, but stopped and looked back up at her. Holding her hand out to him, she said, \u201cGet your robe and come with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking her hand, he followed her out, lifting his robe off the back of the door on his way. They walked down the stairs together and into the bath house. Adam smiled for the first time this evening when Shiloh closed the door and dropped her robe. The first night she was late getting in, she had asked Ming Lin to prepare a hot bath, and since then, he had started preparing the steaming bath each evening upon her arrival. Stepping into the tub, she slowly sank down, letting the heat of the water sooth her. \u201cWell don\u2019t just stand there. Get out of those dirty clothes and join me,\u201d she said with a grin that Adam hadn\u2019t seen in\u2026well, he couldn\u2019t remember seeing it lately.<\/p>\n

Standing next to the tub, he motioned for her to move forward, then stepped in behind her and moaned in delight when he lowered himself into the hot water, taking her shoulders and reclining her back into his chest. They exhaled in unison as heat coaxed the soreness and tension out of their bodies.<\/p>\n

Lying against him with her eyes closed, she asked, \u201cHave things slowed down for you at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t really expect them to until the round-up and repairs are done. But this is normal for spring.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember you being this exhausted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart, we\u2019ve always gotten in at dark. Before Slater, I was able to relax in the evenings, but right now, I have to work. We talked about this. We both knew it would be busy in the beginning until we got things organized.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not organizing, Adam. You\u2019re still doing as much work on the ranch as you did before we were married.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not quite true. Joe and Hoss are doing more with the cattle and the repairs. I\u2019m spending quite a bit of time setting up the lumber camps and getting those started. Now that we\u2019ve won the last three, we have to start cutting and milling square sets.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why were you breaking horses today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause we don\u2019t have any one who can stay on, so Joe and I have to do it until we can find someone. And what about you? I thought you would be working with your horses in the mornings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to swap. I felt like I was disturbing your father, so I go to the Ponderosa in the mornings and work with the horses in the late afternoon. I\u2019ve got more requests. Jim is still sending people my way, and even though Hoss is helping, he\u2019s still learning. I\u2019d like to train someone else. I think with three training, we\u2019ll be able to keep up. But we don\u2019t have the facilities I need to be training that many horses at once.\u201d She paused and listened, but only heard his deep, slow breathing. \u201cWhat are the chances we can get the piano moved?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll need to hire more help. I\u2019ll need some men who can handle carpentry to start the house anyway. I could get them to help with the piano before they start the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen were you planning to start the house?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

When she sat up and began to bathe, he leaned forward, taking the sponge from her and began scrubbing her back. She hung her head forward. \u201cThat feels so good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kissing from her shoulder all the way up her neck, he whispered, \u201cMy turn next.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a few minutes, they both turned around so Shiloh could scrub his back. When she finished, she stood, laying her hands on his shoulders and pushing herself up. \u201cI\u2019m going to get dressed for dinner,\u201d she said, tying her robe around her. He took her hand and pulled her down toward him, and she kissed his waiting lips. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you soak a little longer? I\u2019ll bring your clothes down.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ming Lin had put dinner on the table while Shiloh waited in the parlor, looking out the window toward the barn. Satan\u2026she wanted to start working with Satan, but she was going to have to ask for a ranch hand to watch her. For days, she had been trying to work out a way to ask Hank to send her someone without Adam finding out, but whenever she saw Hank, Adam was with her. She knew Adam would insist on picking someone out himself, and giving that person very specific instructions, and she was afraid those instructions would include shooting the horse. If this had been before they were married, she\u2019d have no trouble going forward with it on her own. But she was his wife now, and she knew that Adam would be angry if she started without telling him. Still, not telling him would make her immediate life much simpler.<\/p>\n

Adam stood just inside the parlor, watching her. He could see where she was looking and knew she was thinking about Satan. When he touched her arms, she jumped, and then relaxed when he stepped into her back, holding her against him. \u201cCome to the table. We can talk about Satan over dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh sat staring at her empty plate, while Adam prepared his. \u201cAren\u2019t you going to eat?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not very hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned toward her. \u201cYou can\u2019t keep going if you don\u2019t start eating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow am I supposed to eat when I\u2019m not hungry?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking her plate and preparing it for her, he said, \u201cIt\u2019s actually pretty easy. You put a bite in your mouth, chew it, and swallow it.\u201d She simmered. \u201cDo you want to be confined to the bed because you\u2019re too weak to walk?\u201d<\/p>\n

She rolled her eyes. \u201cAdam, I eat breakfast and lunch. I\u2019ve just never really eaten an evening meal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t eat lunch today,\u201d he said, replacing her plate in front of her with pork roast, potatoes, carrots and bread. He sat the gravy boat next to her plate.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know that? Are you spying on me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what if I were?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t trust me?\u201d she asked with a hurt look.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t even try that look on me. When it comes to eating, no, I don\u2019t trust you.\u201d She grudgingly picked up her fork and knife and began eating. Glancing back at her, he smiled slightly. \u201cNow, you wanted to talk about Satan.\u201d<\/p>\n

She put a bite of roast in her mouth and stared ahead of her, chewing slowly. When she swallowed, she put her fork down and drank some water, then sat for a moment. With her head bowed, she said, \u201cI want to start training him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about day after tomorrow?\u201d With that question, he had gotten her attention. \u201cWe need supplies, and I thought we could take a break and go into town together. Maybe have lunch in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t know what to say, and just looked back down at her plate, finally settling on something simple. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause it\u2019s your birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he covered her hand, she smiled at her plate. \u201cHow are we going to do that? You\u2019re supposed to be up at the timber camp, I\u2019m expecting Hoss over here, and there\u2019s your Slater work and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss is going up to the camp for me tomorrow, and I\u2019ll be finishing up the drawings for Slater tonight. We haven\u2019t had any appreciable amount of time alone since we came back from San Francisco, and when we have had a little time, we were both tired.\u201d Waiting for her to look up at him, he added. \u201cYou can even sleep in tomorrow\u2026until seven.\u201d He succeeded getting a short laugh out of her. \u201cNow, eat\u2026please.\u201d<\/p>\n

After dinner while Shiloh sat in the parlor going through her sheet music, Adam rose from the desk in the study to answer a knock at the front door. \u201cAdam, how are you this evening?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy?\u201d said Adam, looking past Roy at the gentlemen dressed in a suit standing behind him. \u201cIs this an official visit?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid so. Is the Missus home?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stepping aside, Adam motioned them in, and after closing the door, he led them to the parlor. \u201cShiloh, the sheriff is here to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked up. \u201cMe?\u201d she said, straightening the sheet music in her lap. \u201cWell, would you gentlemen like some coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat might be a good idea,\u201d said Roy. \u201cThis is Officer Riley from the San Francisco police department. It seems the young lady you scuffled in the mud with last winter\u2026well, she\u2019s been found dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

Shiloh quickly stood, dumping the sheet music out of her lap into the floor. \u201cOh, I\u2019m so sorry. Please, have a seat. It will only take a moment for me to gather this up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rushed over and began picking up the papers. \u201cShiloh, I\u2019ll get this. Why don\u2019t you ask Ming Lin to brew some coffee?\u201d He caught her eyes, and without saying a word, he calmed her.<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, she rose. \u201cPlease excuse me for just a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

When she had left the room, Adam stood with handfuls of sheet music, and after placing it on a side table, he sat in another chair and leaned forward. \u201cNatalie Peterson is dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you know her, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019ve know her for years. I met her in Boston when I was away at college.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Mrs. Cartwright? How did she know Miss Peterson?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey met in Virginia City last year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCoffee will be ready in a moment,\u201d said Shiloh as she came back into the parlor. The men stood and waited for her to be seated, then resumed their conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright, I understand you fought with Miss Peterson.\u201d<\/p>\n

She took a deep breath. \u201cYes, I did. I was trying on my wedding gown, and when I came out of the dress shop, she pushed me off the boardwalk and into the mud. By that time, I\u2019d had enough of her and pulled her down into the mud with me, and\u2026we fought.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou fought?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what Mrs. Cartwright said,\u201d said Roy. \u201cThey rolled around in the mud, pullin\u2019 hair, clawin\u2019 and slappin.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t mean\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, she said they fought. Now isn\u2019t that the way ladies fight?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright, you said you\u2019d had about enough. Did something else happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow just wait. Is my wife a suspect?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt this point, Mr. Cartwright, everyone is a suspect until we can definitely say they aren\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen was she killed?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t say she was killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, when did she die?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA week ago yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife and I haven\u2019t left the ranch since we came back from San Francisco. That was April sixth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd there\u2019s someone who can vouch for that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy came off his seat. \u201cNow wait just a minute. I agreed to bring you out here to speak to the Cartwrights. If all you wanted to do was accuse them you and I coulda handled this in my office.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, it\u2019s alright. Officer Riley is just doing his job,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n

Ming Lin brought in the coffee service, setting it on the table and preparing coffee for everyone before he left the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur foreman, our ranch hands and the Ponderosa ranch hands, and my father and brothers can all vouch for us. We haven\u2019t been doing much of anything but working since we got back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, that\u2019s right. You\u2019re wife is a singer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, well, I haven\u2019t been singing for the last month,\u201d said Shiloh. \u201cI\u2019ve been training horses and updating ledgers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright, did you want Miss Peterson dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you are direct, aren\u2019t you?\u201d she said, waving Adam, who stood up fuming, back down in his chair. \u201cMiss Peterson came here for one purpose, and that was to try and come between my husband and me. We weren\u2019t engaged at the time, and she almost did it. In fact, I was trying to sell my ranch and leave because of her when Adam proposed. But the thought of killing her never crossed my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know anyone who might want to harm her?\u201d Shiloh bowed her head into her hand and rubbed her forehead.<\/p>\n

\u201cNatalie was sent here by Will Stewart,\u201d explained Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill Stewart\u2026the new city attorney?\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Officer Riley leaned back as well. \u201cThere\u2019s obviously a story here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam relayed his past with Will, and then added Shiloh\u2019s past, Will\u2019s visit to Virginia City, and his attempts to see her in San Francisco when she was performing. He told Riley what Natalie had done while she was in Virginia City and that Roy had put her on the stagecoach and sent her out of town, but that she stopped in San Francisco. \u201cWe didn\u2019t know that Will had resigned his seat in the Senate and had come to San Francisco until the day of our wedding. We found out he was the city attorney at the mayor\u2019s banquet to celebrate the selection of plans for the new courthouse. You know the rest from the newspaper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen was the last time you saw Will Stewart?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe night before we left for home he sent a bottle of champagne to our table at dinner. We didn\u2019t see him. The ma\u00eetre d\u2019 told us, and I told him we didn\u2019t want it. We haven\u2019t seen or heard anything about him since.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what do you know about Mr. Stewart and Natalie Peterson?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s known her as long as I have. She was always near him, even back when we were in Boston, and she accompanied him to the mayor\u2019s banquet. Beyond that, I only have my suspicions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOfficer Riley, Will Stewart was using her to get to me,\u201d said Shiloh angrily. \u201cIf you want somewhere to look, you\u2019d do well to start there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright, we do know that she was residing at his home. We also know that he\u2019s rather distraught at her death.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should also know that he\u2019s a good actor,\u201d she snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think he\u2019s capable of murder?\u201d<\/p>\n

She sighed heavily, looking over at Adam before she looked away. \u201cHe\u2019s capable of a lot of things. I\u2019m not sure murder is one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know why she might have wanted you dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh started to speak, but hesitated, furrowing her brow. \u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe found a partially burned letter in the fire place at the Stewart residence. What was left of it said \u201cShiloh Cartwright\/Isabella Whitney, $1,000 now\u2026$1,000 after.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Shiloh stared toward the coffee table with her jaw slack, Adam watched the color drain from her face. When she looked away, Adam answered, \u201cNatalie appeared to be jealous of Shiloh. Will is obsessed with Shiloh, and ever since Boston, Natalie has tried to hold his attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know that for a fact, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no proof, if that\u2019s what you mean. Their behavior toward Shiloh pretty much spelled it out.\u201d As the policeman took notes, Adam got up and stood behind Shiloh\u2019s chair. \u201cOfficer, what were the circumstances of Natalie\u2019s death?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer body was found floating underneath the docks in the harbor. At first we thought it was an accidental drowning, but the doctor we consulted said she was strangled. She had bruise marks around her neck the shape and size of a man\u2019s hand. We also have a witness that saw her having dinner that evening with Mr. Stewart, but he said he had to go back to his office, and she went home alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would she have gone to the docks?\u201d asked Shiloh. \u201cShe was gullible where Will was concerned, but she wasn\u2019t stupid. I don\u2019t think she would have gone to the docks by herself at any time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t think so either, Mrs. Cartwright. That\u2019s why we\u2019re investigating it as a murder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Officer Riley stood. \u201cMr. and Mrs. Cartwright, thank you for your time.\u201d The men stood and walked toward the front door.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Adam, I almost forgot,\u201d said Roy, pulling something out of his pocket. \u201cCecil brought these telegrams by when he found out I was comin\u2019 this way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Roy.\u201d Adam looked at the envelopes. \u201cWait for just a minute,\u201d he said, opening an envelope from Jim Fischer. It contained only one sentence. Will Stewart left San Francisco two nights ago for parts unknown.<\/p>\n

Adam drew his mouth into a tight line and handed the telegram to Officer Riley. \u201cI\u2019ll bet you a week\u2019s pay he\u2019s on his way here.\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Daniel Slater sat at his own dining room table, enjoying his dinner. He had moved out of the house where he and his brother, Robert, had been raised, leaving it to Robert and his wife, Evelyn who had just found out she was expecting a child. Ever since Adam Cartwright came into the partnership, Robert had become intolerable, expecting him to take on more work to build the company, but Daniel preferred the current state of his life. He had enough income to make himself comfortable.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He smiled at the thought of the demise of the Cartwrights who had become San Francisco\u2019s darlings despite the fact that they didn\u2019t live there. Will Stewart had played his hand, walking the lovely Miss Peterson to the docks one evening, then disappearing under the guise that he needed some time away to mourn after hearing of her death. Stewart had booked passage for two to Europe before he left, listing his traveling companion as Miss Peterson.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now, Daniel was going to make it easy for him. He had paid a handsome price to a man who would do his job and fade into the background, and with Adam Cartwright frequently riding alone on his huge expanse of land, no one would be the wiser. After all, the Cartwrights had all sorts of enemies. He knew Robert thought of him as one of those enemies, but Daniel was making sure he was seen all over San Francisco.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Waiting for Adam in the parlor while he saw their guests to the door, Shiloh sorted through the sheet music she had so unceremoniously dumped onto the floor. Once that was done, she paced in front of the fireplace and was so engrossed in her thoughts she didn\u2019t hear him enter the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She stopped pacing and turned, a wide array of emotions showing on her face. \u201cCould he?\u201d She followed him with her eyes as he walked to the liquor cabinet and poured a glass of brandy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHere,\u201d he said, handing her the glass. \u201cDrink this.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want a drink. I want\u2026I need answers. Do you think she had\u2026completed her transaction?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t. I think Will found the letter, threw it in the fire, and then walked her to the docks.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, he\u2019d have to be out of his mind. He\u2019s the city attorney. He has so much to lose.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cObsession like that is a sickness, Sweetheart. With Will, the more you fight him, the stronger his need to have you. I think he killed her because she was trying to kill you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sinking down into the chair, she looked quite lost. The thought that anyone would want to kill her\u2026 \u201cWhat am I supposed to do?\u201d she said, her voice fading to a whisper.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not supposed to do anything,\u201d he answered, kneeling in front of her. \u201cYou and I are going into town tomorrow. We\u2019re having lunch as we planned.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He stood and brought her up out of the chair, holding her face in his hands. \u201cShe can\u2019t hurt you. She\u2019s dead. And I have no intention of letting Will Stewart anywhere near you again.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was looking him in the eye, but he knew her mind was somewhere else, that intricate web of pathways carrying a hundred thoughts of every possible bad outcome, only this time, he was afraid she might overload. He shook her gently. \u201cShiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. \u201cMay I have that brandy now,\u201d she asked as tears began to well in her eyes. Reaching behind her, he took the glass from the side table and handed it to her, watching her tilt her head back to drink it all at once. \u201cAnother, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He almost told her \u2018no,\u2019 but remembered many a time when he had belted several glasses of whiskey down to quiet the voices in his own head. This time he poured her a whiskey, and when she threw it back and handed him the glass, he studied her face, worried that the whiskey would rob her of her lucidity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf I had just stayed at home to become some man\u2019s wife, obliviously happy to whelp out children and spend my days cooking and cleaning with a baby forever on my hip until I was old and used up\u2026\u201d She took the glass from his hands, stepped around him and went to pour another whiskey which she once again threw back. This time she swayed, and when she moved to catch herself on the cabinet, the glass dropped from her hand, shattering on the floor.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hearing the noise, Ming Lin appeared. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Ming Ling. Mrs. Cartwright isn\u2019t feeling well.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPlease do not apologize, Mr. Cartwright. I will clean the spill up at once,\u201d he said, retreating to get a broom and cloth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh hadn\u2019t noticed Ming Lin reenter the room. \u201cNo one would ever have known anything about me and everyone would have been better off.\u201d She looked pitifully back at Adam. \u201cAnd he wouldn\u2019t be hell-bent on destroying you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam sucked in a breath when he saw the deeply tormented look on her face. She began to sag as the whiskey took hold of her, and he caught her, lifting her into his arms. \u201cMing Lin, would you mind locking up? We won\u2019t be back down tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam watched her as she slept fitfully, knowing that if not for the whiskey, she\u2019d be wide awake. Her head tossed from side to side occasionally as her hands clenched the sheets. Sometimes she mumbled. Whatever she was doing, the tormented look on her face never left. He finally surrounded her with his arms, holding her against him as he held her hands, and when she fought him, his whispers in her ear seemed to calm her for a time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hours later, Adam drifted off with her when she finally succumbed to a deeper sleep. His plans to let her sleep in were extended until she woke up at eight.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Still holding her tightly against him, Adam awoke when she stirred. He relaxed his grip on her hands. \u201cHow are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI must not have slept very well,\u201d she answered quietly. \u201cI feel as tired as if I stayed up and worked.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou did work\u2026in a way. Apparently you were working through the news about Natalie and Will.\u201d When she moved to her back, he opened his arms, and when she had settled back against him, he held her again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou tossed and turned\u2026and talked most of the night.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She closed her eyes. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I kept you up, didn\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nodding, he answered, \u201cFor a little while. But you settled down. We\u2019ve slept a little later than I planned, but it\u2019s alright. You needed the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, what do you think Will\u2019s going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He sighed. \u201cNothing would surprise me at this point. I\u2019m putting two men on you until we know what he does.\u201d He brushed her hair back away from her face, and softly touched her lips with his. \u201cI love you, Shiloh. I won\u2019t let anything happen to you.\u201d When she looked up at him, he saw complete trust in her eyes, and he kissed her like he had when he married her with all the emotion in his heart.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She pressed her cheek against his and whispered in his ear, \u201cI love you, too; more than anything.\u201d She moved back and looked him in the eye. \u201cI even love your prickly whiskers,\u201d she said as she rubbed her cheek.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unwrapping his arms, he turned and sat up, reaching in a drawer of the night table on his side of the bed and pulling out a clean under garment. \u201cI will take care of my prickly whiskers then.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She did the same, and when she pulled on fresh drawers and camisole, she went to the closet to pick out her clothes for the day. \u201cWe\u2019re getting supplies today, aren\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe might as well while we\u2019re in town. Hoss said we have some packages waiting that we\u2019d need the buckboard for, so we\u2019ll pick those up, too.\u201d He pulled his pants up, leaving them unfastened so he could tuck his shirt in after he shaved, and turned. \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She looked at him guardedly. \u201cI\u2019m dressing?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh no. I\u2019m not taking you into a nice restaurant in your britches.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut don\u2019t we have to load a wagon?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we do not. There will be no more loading wagons for you.\u201d She crossed her arms insolently, and he gave her an amused look. \u201cI\u2019m making no slight regarding your ability to load a wagon, Shiloh, but there are some things you\u2019re just going to have to let me do.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what am I going to be doing while you load the wagon?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShopping, reading the mail, sitting on the seat, looking beautiful\u2026\u201d he winked. \u201cAll those things that ladies of the house do.\u201d She opened her mouth to object, but he cut her off, raising his eyebrows and a finger. \u201cUh uh uh. You have a husband, and even though I know the thought of letting a man do anything for you goes against some of things you were taught in New York, you knew what you were getting into when you married me. It\u2019s called compromise, young lady, and it\u2019s time you learned. Besides, there\u2019s no denying, Sweetheart, that you are a woman,\u201d he said, letting his eyes rove over her, flaring his nostrils and wearing a lascivious smile. She suddenly felt quite exposed, and held her blouse up in front of her; an action that made Adam laugh. He pulled a clean, black shirt out of their closet, and standing behind her, bent and kissed her neck. \u201cI have seen you naked.\u201d She spun around with her eyes wide, and took a step back, but he stepped forward with her and cupped her chin in his hand, stealing a kiss. \u201cI promise I won\u2019t tell anyone,\u201d he whispered secretively, moving his eyes from side to side with a pleased look on his face that made her giggle. \u201cNow, get dressed. I\u2019ll be downstairs removing my prickly whiskers.\u201d She cocked her head and smiled coquettishly as she watched him leave the room with a smile on his face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When she arrived in the kitchen, he was just walking in from the bath house cleanly shaven. Pulling her chair out for her, he motioned for her to be seated, then took the seat next to her. He could see she was in a better mood than she had been last night, and hoped she had forgotten about Will and Natalie for the moment and could enjoy her day. Little did he know that Officer Riley had already been asking questions in town\u2026questions that would have everyone in Virginia City talking.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When the buckboard rolled in to town, Adam and Shiloh didn\u2019t notice people stopping to watch at first. But as they got closer to Mr. Cass\u2019s store, Adam saw Shiloh\u2019s hand search for his, and when he looked at her, she was looking around them, having noticed they were being observed closely.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shifting the reins to one hand, he grasped Shiloh\u2019s hand and squeezed. \u201cSweetheart?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, everyone is watching us.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam looked to the sidewalk on either side of town. A group of men had walked out of the saloon carrying their mugs of beer, while pockets of women gathered here and there, whispering back and forth to each other.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When they passed Cass\u2019s store, Shiloh turned back to Adam. \u201cWhere are you going?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cRoy\u2019s office.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After he stopped the buckboard, Adam reached up for Shiloh and set her down on the street next to him, then took her hand and led her up the steps in front of the sheriff\u2019s office. He knocked on the door and opened it, finding Roy sitting at his desk.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, Mrs. Cartwright, what brings you here?\u201d asked Roy, standing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, is that police officer from San Francisco still here?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe is. He\u2019s leavin\u2019 on the noon stage today.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid he talk to anyone while he was here besides us?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAs a matter of fact, he did. He spoke to the ladies that were at the dress shop the day Miss Peterson and Mrs. Cartwright fought.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shaking her head, Shiloh looked downward in disgust. \u201cThe head of the Virginia City Gossip Society.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSomethin\u2019 wrong Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leading Shiloh back to the door, Adam looked back at Roy. \u201cNothing you can do anything about, Roy.\u201d He tipped his hat on the way out the door. Once Shiloh was back up on the seat of the buckboard, Adam climbed up and turned the buckboard back toward Cass\u2019s store. \u201cShiloh, if you don\u2019t want to stay, we can get the supplies and go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled and patted his leg. \u201cIt\u2019s alright, Adam. People are going to talk about me every time my name appears in the newspaper because of my performances. I may as well get used to it. Maybe we could talk to Sam Clemens. If he\u2019d write the story, Virginia City could hear it from us instead of Mrs. Gable, who I\u2019m sure only got bits and pieces from Officer Riley.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam winked and pulled back on the reins, stopping the buckboard in front of the store. \u201cWe\u2019ll give Mr. Cass our order, then walk down to the Enterprise.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Will Cass saw the buckboard pull in front of the store, but waited behind his counter until the Cartwrights came in. \u201cMr. Cartwright, Mrs. Cartwright, what can I do for you today?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWill, why the formality?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cass dropped his eyes to the counter, nervously shuffling his order book. \u201cThat business about Miss Peterson. The whole town has heard that Mrs. Cartwright was accused of killing her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNow Will, you know better than to listen to gossip, and that\u2019s all it is. My wife was at the ranch when Miss Peterson was killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not all, Adam. There\u2019s this business about the senator.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Glaring, Adam asked, \u201cWhat about the senator?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cass pulled a San Francisco newspaper from under the counter, handing it to Adam. While Adam read, Shiloh stood back wearing a troubled frown. When he raised his head and looked out in front of him, Shiloh slipped the paper out of his hand, walking to the far side of the store to read. Scandal\u2026love triangle\u2026power struggle\u2026reputation of an actress\u2026.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam watched her shoulders slowly slump as she read the article. \u201cWill, surely you know none of that is true,\u201d he said in a low voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, she was involved with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe ended that courtship before she left Boston. She was with me then entire time we were in San Francisco, and if there is a power struggle, Stewart is fighting himself.\u201d Adam turned to collect Shiloh and leave, but turned back around. \u201cAnd she\u2019s not an actress. She sings.\u201d He took the newspaper from Shiloh, laying it on a counter, then took her elbow and guided her to the door. \u201cWe\u2019ll be back in a few hours to load the wagon.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once outside, Adam laid her hand on his arm and walked her toward the Territorial Enterprise office. Walking close to his side, she remained a half step behind him until he pulled her forward. \u201cYou\u2019ve got nothing to be ashamed of, Shiloh. Hold your head up. If you shy away from them, they\u2019ll think you have something to hide.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever felt so humiliated.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stopped and faced her, sticking his thumbs in his gun belt. \u201cShiloh, where\u2019s the determination you\u2019ve always had to prove people wrong? This is no different.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Avoiding his eyes, she said, \u201cAdam, as much as I try, it\u2019s not getting any better. People are just too willing to believe the worst.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He raised his hands to the sides of her face and kissed her forehead. \u201cThere will always be people like that. And they\u2019ll be quicker to believe anything that\u2019s written now that your name is Cartwright. There are people who don\u2019t like us. The only person you have to answer to is you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know the truth about you. That\u2019s why I fell in love with you,\u201d he said, giving her a loving smile. \u201cNow, let\u2019s go talk to Sam, and then we\u2019ll have a lunch at the club.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and walked with her head high to the Enterprise offices where Sam was waiting for them at the door. \u201cI heard you were in town and thought you might pay a visit to, uh, set things straight.\u201d Holding out his hand, he said, \u201cAdam, how are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m well, Sam,\u201d he responded, taking Sam\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you, Mrs. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSam, that sounds so stodgy coming out of your mouth. I\u2019d like to think we\u2019re friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fine by me, if it\u2019s alright with your husband,\u201d he said, looking back at Adam, who snorted and smiled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd do I understand that you\u2019re Mark now?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTo you, dear lady, it\u2019s still Sam as it is with all my close friends. The rest of the world can call me Mark. Why don\u2019t you two step into my office and tell me everything? We\u2019ll put a halt to the gossip.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mort Williams stood back in the shadows of the alley that had become his favorite place to watch Virginia City go about its day. Barrels and crates sat the entrance, hiding his presence, and it was easy to get comfortable while avoiding curious eyes. Setting himself up across from the International House, he watched as Will Stewart arrived, wearing pinstriped black trousers, white shirt, black vest and gray hat; a departure from the suit that screamed senator or city attorney. He rode in on horseback, wearing a gun, and not a soul recognized him. The ruse was completed by his registration at the hotel as David Reynolds.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Will Stewart wasn\u2019t the only stranger in town that had escaped everyone\u2019s scrutiny. This stranger was sitting on a chair outside the Sazerac, watching every move the Cartwrights made.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Seated in an alcove of the club, Adam watched Shiloh as he ordered their lunch. \u201cYou seem to feel a little better,\u201d he said after the waiter had left the table.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking around at the people there, she said, \u201cYou find out who your friends are when you\u2019re a public figure, don\u2019t you? Only, I didn\u2019t start with as many friends as you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not going to go all the way back to your school days, are you? That\u2019s ancient history. Look around. These people are under scrutiny all the time. There are people in town who resent them, and though some of them might deserve it, they don\u2019t let it ruin their day.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAre you saying I shouldn\u2019t care what people think of me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not saying that at all. What I am saying is that you can\u2019t win everyone over. There will always be someone who doesn\u2019t like you, either for your fame, your money, your talent\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOr that I stole Adam Cartwright right from under their noses,\u201d she said, grinning.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Grinning back, he said, \u201cI had to belong to someone before you could steal me, and I assure you, I did not.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh placed her napkin on her lap and twirled the glass of wine that had just been poured for her. \u201cAdam, what would you say if I said I wanted to stop performing?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He had just taken a sip of wine, then set the glass back on the table and leaned back, considering her. \u201cThat\u2019s the second time you\u2019ve brought that up since we\u2019ve been home. Sweetheart, don\u2019t you want to give it a chance?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt would seem that the worst part of my reputation comes from that. Doesn\u2019t that bother you; that your wife is seen that way? Doesn\u2019t that embarrass you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaning forward, he took her hand. \u201cNot in the least. I know what was written in the newspaper isn\u2019t true. And a Cartwright doesn\u2019t bend to everyone else\u2019s whim. If you quit, it has to be because you don\u2019t enjoy it any longer\u2026not because some faceless people don\u2019t like you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After the waiter delivered their food, Shiloh studied her plate and said, \u201cAdam?\u201d He looked up with eyebrows raised. \u201cI was telling you that I wanted to teach another person to train horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMm hm.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to teach Tommy,\u201d she said, glancing up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stopped in mid-chew, put his fork on his plate, and wiped his mouth. \u201cTom Baker?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny said he did very well while we were away, and he took it upon himself to take care of the horses in the south pasture while Johnny was at the Ponderosa. He said Tommy had a way with the horses\u2026that he was very gentle with them. He\u2019s done everything that\u2019s been asked of him and more.\u201d She looked hopefully at him, but he was still frowning. \u201cAdam, he took a bullet for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you afraid that anyone outside the family you teach might venture out on their own?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe could have him sign a contract that he won\u2019t do that\u2026or share it with anyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you think that would stop him?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that he would, but even if he did, we\u2019d have legal recourse. Besides, I don\u2019t have any illusions that someone else won\u2019t figure this out eventually. I\u2019m counting on our reputation to sustain us.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll think about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She twisted her mouth. \u201cI\u2019m not asking permission. The horses are mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He sighed and said, \u201cEat your lunch,\u201d then leaned forward to finish his.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

After lunch, Shiloh and Adam walked to the post office where several large boxes were waiting with the rest of the mail. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to bring the buckboard back to pick up these boxes,\u201d said Adam as he mailed off work that was ready for Robert Slater to check while Shiloh sorted through the mail they had received.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She turned back toward Cass\u2019s store with the mail while Adam stood watching her go. He crooked his jaw, knowing she was still miffed at him, then hurried to catch up, taking her hand as he reached her side. \u201cYou know I\u2019m just watching out for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The way she let her head drop back slightly and continued to look ahead made him think she was going to refuse to talk, but when they got to the buckboard, she took his hands in hers when he reached for her waist to help her onto the seat. He knew the look on her face meant she was thinking carefully about her next words, so he waited quietly. \u201cI would like to discuss this at home, but you\u2019re making me feel\u2026helpless. I know the risks I\u2019m taking, Adam. I understand your need to take care of me, but I think you\u2019re being\u2026\u201d She winced. \u201cToo protective.\u201d She watched his nostrils flare and waited for his shoulders and chest to rise from the deep breath he always took when he felt he was being challenged. Glancing up at him, she bit her lip.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He looked over her head. \u201cDo you want to wait on the buckboard or on the chair in front of the store?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning toward the wagon, she answered, \u201cBuckboard. We have to go back to the post office for those boxes before you load, don\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe do,\u201d he said, lifting her by her waist as she pulled herself up into the seat.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The short trip to the post office was chilly even though the sun was shining on what was turning out to be a pleasantly warm day. When Adam stopped the buckboard, Shiloh grabbed his hand as he turned to leave, gently rubbing her thumb over the back and down his fingers. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to upset you. I was just trying to tell you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dropping his head, he pursed his lips, and then looked back at her. He took her hand and brought it to his lips. \u201cWe\u2019ll talk at home. I\u2019ll be right back.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The boxes had been left just inside the door of the post office, so Adam felt Shiloh was safe on the seat of the buckboard. He didn\u2019t notice three horsemen slowly riding toward them, and he jumped down from the buckboard and pushed open the post office door. The three men stopped next to the wagon, and the man closest to Shiloh tipped his hat. \u201cMrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking at each of the three faces, she asked just as Adam came out of the post office carrying a box, \u201cDo I know you?\u201d Adam put the box on the back of the buckboard, and while his gun was hidden from the riders, he removed the leather strap from the hammer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo ma\u2019am. We haven\u2019t met. Have a nice day.\u201d The men rode on, stopping in front of the Bucket of Blood.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam watched them until they disappeared through the batwing doors, and then reached up to Shiloh, taking her arm. \u201cWait inside the post office. I\u2019ll be right back.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you going to do?\u201d she asked, looking from the saloon back to Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaning down and kissing her, he ushered her through the door. \u201cI\u2019m just going to have a friendly conversation.\u201d He closed the door behind her, and walked down to the Bucket of Blood, pausing at the batwing doors to look over the interior of the saloon. Two of the men were seated at a table while the third man stood at the bar, talking to one of the girls. He pushed through the swinging doors, and walked over to the table. \u201cGentlemen. I\u2019m Adam\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe know who you are, Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd just how do you know my wife?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Snorting, the man said, \u201cEveryone knows your wife, Cartwright. She\u2019s famous in these parts.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t seen you around town. Are you staying or passing through?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The second of the two men moved his hand to his gun and started to stand, but the man who was doing the talking put a hand on his arm and shook his head after watching Sam, the bartender pull a shotgun from under the bar.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know yet. We\u2019re trying our hand at a little mining not too far out of town. We\u2019re just here to wet our throats,\u201d he said, slowly standing with his thumbs stuck into his gun belt. \u201cYou can\u2019t blame a man for noticing a pretty girl, can you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGood luck with the mining,\u201d said Adam coldly. \u201cAnd while you\u2019re here, stay away from my wife.\u201d Tipping his hat to Sam, he turned and walked out of the saloon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The man who had been at the bar sat down at the table. \u201cYou just gonna let him go?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cFor now. Ain\u2019t no reason to upset the whole town. We don\u2019t want anyone to start askin\u2019 questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh had been pacing just inside the door of the post office when Adam pushed it open. \u201cIs everything alright?\u201d she asked anxiously.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He smiled and answered as if nothing had happened. \u201cEverything\u2019s fine. You stay right here while I finish loading these boxes.\u201d When he finished, he helped her back up onto the seat of the buckboard, then drove back to Cass\u2019s store. Looking at her with a sweetly conniving smile, he asked, \u201cWhy don\u2019t you sit on the chair down here out of the sun?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cActually, Adam, I prefer to sit here. There\u2019s a breeze, and I\u2019m afraid I\u2019ll be chilly in the shade.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Sweetheart, you don\u2019t have your bonnet,\u201d he said, wearing the same smile, but adding raised eyebrows.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She laughed. \u201cYou can see me just fine through the window, and I promise if anyone tries to kidnap me, I\u2019ll scream at the top of my lungs before I poke him in the eye.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He scowled and waved his head back and forth, then spun and went into the store. Will Cass had everything stacked neatly in front of the window. He had already moved the bags of grain, corn, potatoes and onions out in front of the store. While Adam loaded, Shiloh read her mail. She had a letter from Annie and one from Edwin, and she read those first. The third letter only had her name and the ranch on the outside of the envelope, but she recognized the handwriting. She left it sealed and put it at the bottom of the pile. Turning on the seat, she watched as Adam hefted a box and placed it on the back of the wagon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure I can\u2019t help you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He had turned back toward the store, and stopped, slowly pivoting on his heel. \u201cI\u2019m sure,\u201d he said, smiling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, who were those men that you followed to the saloon?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re new in town. They said they were miners,\u201d he answered as he hefted a bag onto his shoulder.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMiners? Do the miners around here usually wear guns?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With his back to her, he tightened his lips into a line and furrowed his brow, wishing she had forgotten about those men. He bent to lift another bag. \u201cSome of them do.\u201d He knew they weren\u2019t miners. They were more likely hired guns, but he wasn\u2019t going to tell her that. In fact, he was going to do his best to change the subject. \u201cWas that a letter from Edwin I saw?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I got a letter from Annie, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Annie?\u201d he said, adjusting the load for another box.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe said she\u2019s enjoying her classes. She\u2019s doing some things she wasn\u2019t allowed to do with the doctor she worked for, but she was able to watch, and that\u2019s making it all much easier. There are only eight women in her class, so they all get opportunities to do the work.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cEdwin?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t say so, but he misses Mollie terribly. He\u2019s trying to occupy his and Edwina\u2019s time, and he talked about things they used to do with Mollie. He has an apartment near the theatre, and he\u2019s hired a woman to help take care of Edwina.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Laying the last bag on the wagon, he said, \u201cI\u2019ll pay for this, and then we can head home.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Will Stewart noticed Shiloh sitting on the seat of the buckboard at the post office. He watched Adam load the packages, and then drive to one of the town\u2019s stores. He walked to the livery, looking like every other working man on the streets of Virginia City. Saddling his horse, he rode out of town unnoticed and waited a little ways down the road for the Cartwrights to ride by.<\/p>\n

While he was waiting, hidden behind some brush growing up out of boulders, another man rode by and pulled his horse up, then guided it up a steep embankment another forty feet down the road. Standing on a high boulder, he held a rifle and watched in the direction he had come. When Will heard the wagon, he saw the other man duck down into the rocks. The rifle barrel was still visible and was following the buckboard.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Mort Williams had followed Will Stewart out of town and had seen the man with the rifle as well. He gambled that Stewart would do nothing with the Cartwrights together, knowing that he was no match for Adam\u2019s gun. Riding out behind the man with the rifle, he went a distance he knew would be enough to distract the hidden man, but close enough for Adam to become wary. He fired two shots into the air, then rode ahead to be sure the Cartwrights continued safely on their way.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam and Shiloh heard gun shots and looked, but rather than stopping, Adam flicked the reins to send the horses into a trot. \u201cHold on.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, that was some distance away,\u201d said Shiloh loudly to be heard over the noise of the horses and wagon. \u201cIt was probably someone hunting.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With his jaw set, he answered, \u201cI\u2019m not taking any chances. We\u2019re an easy target below these boulders.\u201d He drove the horses until they came into a wide clearing on a hill with an unobstructed view all around them. Pulling the reins, he stopped the horses and stood, pulling his gun from his holster and slowly turning all the way around. His squint from the sunlight seemed to soften his tensed features, but Shiloh knew he was on high alert.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She sighed, and bowed her head, crossing her hands in her lap. Turning to step down off the buckboard, he stopped and looked at her. \u201cShiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She answered without looking back at him. \u201cWill I ever be able to go anywhere without you believing someone is out to harm me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He continued down off the wagon and to the back, and began readjusting the load. When he climbed back up on the seat, he turned to her. \u201cAs long as Will Stewart is close, and until we find out who\u2019s following you, I\u2019m not taking any chances with your life.\u201d Taking her face in his hands, he moved close, almost nose to nose. \u201cI would never forgive myself if I allowed Will Stewart to get to you\u2026to hurt you.\u201d Pressing his lips to hers, he pulled her into him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When she opened her eyes, her eyes met his and saw the love she understood, but there was something else in his eyes she didn\u2019t comprehend. She moved her hand to his face. \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He kissed her again, lingering before he said, \u201cI need to get you home.\u201d Taking her hand, he wrapped her arm around his, and then drove down the road toward the Flying W.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When they arrived, Ming Lin came out of the kitchen and began unloading the kitchen supplies. Johnny and Billy took the bags of grain into the barn, and Adam took the packages into the parlor.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hurrying from the kitchen, she stepped into the parlor. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to yell.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow are you going to hear me in the kitchen if I don\u2019t yell?\u201d he asked, setting three of the packages on the floor in front of the sofa.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you could come and get me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCome over here,\u201d he said, sitting on the sofa and patting the cushion next to him. When she was seated next to him, he put his arm around her. \u201cThe rest of this day is going to be better, I promise. Now, open your birthday presents.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou bought me birthday presents?\u201d she asked, looking at the boxes. \u201cWhen did you have time?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI bought them while we were in San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I haven\u2019t celebrated my birthday since\u2026.\u201d Her mouth moved, but she didn\u2019t say the rest. She looked away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Drawing her closer, he whispered in her ear, \u201cI know, Sweetheart. Now, why don\u2019t you open these?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sitting on the edge of the sofa, she slowly removed the lid of the first box, and brushing the straw away that had been used as packing, she picked up a dinner plate with the pattern she had admired during their first walk in San Francisco. Looking back at him with a wide grin, she moved the lid off the second box, finding the crystal she had seen in the same shop, and moving finally to the last smaller box, she lifted an interior box into her lap. \u201cSilver.\u201d The silver service was engraved with a \u2018C\u2019 surrounded by roses. Leaning into him, she smiled demurely, turning her face up to his and sharing a tender kiss. \u201cThey\u2019re wonderful, Adam. You watched me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHm\u2026one of my favorite pastimes. A new bride needs new china, crystal and silver to go with her new house. I know some of your mother\u2019s china is missing or chipped, and I don\u2019t think you have a full set of silver. And speaking of houses, I\u2019ve hired a crew, so as soon as I can measure out the foundation, work on the house will begin. While I\u2019m doing that, those men are going to remove that window,\u201d he said, pointing to the biggest window in the parlor, \u201cand move your piano in.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She threw her arms around his neck. \u201cOh, Adam, I\u2019ve missed my piano. I won\u2019t have to disturb your father anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure he\u2019s going to be happy. He mentioned he was getting used to the music in the house, at least when you were playing and not writing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She giggled and shrugged. \u201cYes, well, when I\u2019m writing, it\u2019s hit and miss\u2026literally. Adam, can we ride over to your land? I\u2019d like to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His head cocked, and his face took on a mildly unsettled look. \u201cIt\u2019s our land,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cIt\u2019s our house. Shiloh, all this,\u201d he said, waving his hand around him, \u201cand everything we acquire in the future is ours, not mine. I know the legal question has been on your mind, especially since we signed that first contract in Sacramento, but that\u2019s not how I feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know all this is ours. But, Adam\u2026the Ponderosa belongs to your father. What he gave to you is a piece of something he worked so hard for. It will always belong to the Cartwrights.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He looked away for a moment, and then looked back in disbelief. \u201cWhat is your last name?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026it\u2019s\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I don\u2019t have the blood and sweat that built the Ponderosa running through my veins.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standing, Adam walked to the fireplace and spun around. \u201cPa\u2019s dream was to find a place to raise his sons; a place to leave us and our families. You, Shiloh, are my family.\u201d He stood with his hands on his hips, looking down at the floor. \u201cHow can you think that way about the Ponderosa when you\u2019re so willing to call this\u2026\u201d he raised his hand and glanced up, \u201c\u2026ours.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She looked at her hands on her lap, smiled and took a deep breath before she rose from the sofa and walked to him, placing her hands at his sides. \u201cMy father moved here for Micah and me; to get us away from what he knew was coming in the South. As he predicted, there is a war raging there. And though he did it for us, what he thought about this ranch\u2026all this was supposed to be Micah\u2019s; not mine. I was supposed to be taken care of by someone else because I was the daughter. When Micah died, Daddy didn\u2019t really do much with the ranch, other than to keep it going to sustain us. His love was his horses. I think he expected me to sell it. The Ponderosa is much bigger than this, Adam, and I don\u2019t mean in size. It\u2019s the name. It\u2019s the legacy.\u201d She stepped into him and gazed into his eyes. \u201cIt\u2019s your legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat good is a legacy, if I can\u2019t share it with the woman I love?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her eyes smiled as she looked into his. \u201cI\u2019ve told you before\u2026I\u2019ll follow you to the ends of the earth. But Adam, the Ponderosa is in your blood, and it will be in the blood of our children. And I\u2019m not saying that it won\u2019t be a wonderful place to raise them with you, but it will never be a living, breathing part of me like it is for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen what is the Flying W?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI told you\u2026it\u2019s Micah\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh\u2026Micah is dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling sweetly up at him, she said, \u201cI have looked into my brother\u2019s eyes, Adam. He will be back, and when he comes, the Flying W will be his as my father meant it to be. Now, can we go look at the land where you\u2019re building the house?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She tiptoed and kissed his chin, then walked past him out of the parlor. He didn\u2019t move other than to turn his head to watch her go. His jaw was crooked, and he looked back toward the cold fireplace as if to find an answer to the question running repeatedly through his mind; a question he didn\u2019t want to put into words; a question of his wife\u2019s sanity.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

Adam pulled the buggy underneath trees at the top of a hill. On one side was a view of the lake, its shores trailing out in both directions from them and covered by a tall, stately alpine forest. Straight across the blue expanse that seemed to go on forever, one could just make out the tops of the mountains far off on the other side. If not for those mountains reaching up from the blue, a person seeing the vastness of the water for the first time might think they had reached the ocean.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On the other side of the hill was a field of high grass, its green flowing down from their position like a river, spreading over miles and miles of fertile land dotted with black and live oak.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll build the house here,\u201d said Adam. \u201cThe back will face the lake. The front will look out over the pastures, and the road will come up from the left the way we came up. We\u2019ll build the horse barn and riding corrals down there,\u201d he said, pointing. \u201cThese cattle are ours. I started building my own herd after we got back from your performance in San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stepping on something hard, Shiloh looked down. Below her feet were the remnants of a stump. \u201cAdam, this land has been cleared. Was this part of the forest?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve spent the better part of the last year clearing these fields and planting pasture grass.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The corner of her mouth curled up. \u201cAfter we got back from San Francisco?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI knew how I felt even then,\u201d he said, drawing her into him. Bending down to her, he whispered, \u201cI was just waiting for you.\u201d They kissed, and then looked back at each other\u2019s eyes. His hands moved down the sides of her back and over and around her hips where he pulled her against him. Anywhere else, his next kiss might have been seen as indecent, but here alone, she was his to kiss as he pleased, and by the way she pressed into him, he knew she was not going to object. Taking her hand, he led her to a shaded area underneath the boughs of two huge oaks where the sun filtered through and the hay was waist high. Their wide grins soon changed to salacious hunger as they slowly disappeared into the grass.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lying on his side propped up on an elbow, he broke a straw from above their heads, and stuck one end in his mouth. She was lying on her back with her arms at her sides, eyes closed, lips parted, her hair spread out above her shoulders; the picture of peaceful bliss.<\/p>\n

Pulling another straw, he drew the seeded end from her forehead, down her nose, across her lips, and when her eyes opened, watching him, he continued down her neck and between her breasts to her navel where he stopped and circled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t check your calendar.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat would have been exceedingly difficult to do since it\u2019s at home on the night table.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you worried?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She reached up and took the straw from his mouth, transferring it to hers. Then she took the straw he was using to tickle her stomach and turned it on him, making circlets in his chest hair.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Grabbing the straw, he threw it over her and pulled her to her side and up against him. \u201cYou didn\u2019t answer me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid you notice a difference?\u201d she asked, running her finger down his nose and into the cleft of his chin, after which she kissed it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMm hm. You weren\u2019t worried, and because you weren\u2019t worried, I wasn\u2019t. It was like our first night in Santa Cruz. But what does that mean?\u201d he asked with creased eyebrows.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt means I\u2019m not going to worry about it anymore. I miss you. I miss the way we were in Santa Cruz and on the beach.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck while he stroked her cheek with his thumb. \u201cAre you sure you\u2019re ready?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI have Hoss trained to the point that he can carry the horse business forward with some guidance. In another two months, I can have Tommy trained, and I\u2019ll still have time to get all my performance contracts completed.\u201d She moved her hand behind his head and grabbed a handful of his hair, pulling herself so close she was touching her nose to his. Her lips brushed his. \u201cI may not be.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He smiled and touched her lips. \u201cYou may be.\u201d He looked into her eyes, and seeing the twinkle there, he wrapped his arms around her, covering her lips with his. When they rolled back onto the ground, they were laughing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mort Williams was comfortable among the graves at the top of the hill. It had been a long time since Shiloh had been up to see them. Before her engagement, she came up and spoke to them regularly, but since, she hadn\u2019t been up there once. The rhododendron had grown into a nice hedge that blocked the view of the base of the tree from the house. It was here that he sat and leaned with his ankles crossed, waiting for them to return.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stewart had turned back toward town after the gun shots had stirred Adam into moving the buckboard quickly down the road. The other man had followed them to the ranch and watched them enter the house. He stayed only a few minutes before he left, but he didn\u2019t head in the direction of town. He headed further up into the mountains.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For now, Williams was happy right where he was. The Cartwrights headed onto Ponderosa land in the opposite direction from the man with the rifle, and he was sure they were going to the land that Adam\u2019s father had set aside for him. He\u2019d wait for them to return and stay until he was sure they were in for the night. Then he\u2019d make his way to the hayloft in the barn to get a little sleep before he went back to his post at the top of the hill before the ranch hands began to stir; about the time the lamp was turned up in the window of their bedroom.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh and Adam sat in the buggy underneath a blanket, waiting for the sun to dip below the mountain range across the lake to the west. The yellows and oranges slowly changed to pink as the sun slowly disappeared, and the haze in front of the mountains to the edges of the lake turned slate blue, both colors reflecting off the still water. The trees and boulders in the foreground stood as sentinels, shadowed in black against the pale pink and blue of the sky and the lake.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had driven the buggy down the hill to a spot on the shore of the lake where he planned to build a small summerhouse for picnics and fishing with their children.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Snuggling into his side under his arm, Shiloh glanced happily up to his face. \u201cIt\u2019s almost mystical, isn\u2019t it? I half expect to see a sea monster glide by.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He chuckled. \u201cOn this very spot, I\u2019m going to build you a summerhouse so you can sit out of the sun and enjoy the view.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIs this part of the land your father gave you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is. Right down below these rocks is a small beach with boulders that go a hundred feet into the water.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d love to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He leaned down to kiss her. \u201cNot today. We don\u2019t have enough light left. In fact, we need to head for home.\u201d Pulling his arm from around her, they both sat up straight on the seat. Adam picked up the reins, and they were on their way back to the Flying W.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After a quiet ride, they pulled into the yard, and Billy came out of the bunkhouse to take care of the buggy. \u201cThank you, Billy,\u201d said Adam as he gently lowered Shiloh\u2019s feet to the ground.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ming Lin met them at the door to tell them that dinner was ready, and when they went into the dining room, the lamps had been dimmed and two candles had been placed on the table and lit. Her new china, crystal and silver graced the lace tablecloth, and a chocolate cake sat in the center. Roses from the Ponderosa garden had been arranged around the candlesticks. Shiloh smiled, cutting her eyes back toward Adam, who guided her to her seat at the table. When he was seated, Ming Lin served them chicken pot pie from the sideboard, and when he excused himself, Adam took her hand.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHappy Birthday, Sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cChicken pot pie?\u201d she asked, grinning.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s your favorite, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow would you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the only thing Hop Sing ever made that you had seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After dinner when they retired to their room, Shiloh sat on the side of the bed, flipping through the calendar book she had made when they returned from their honeymoon. Adam slipped underneath the covers behind her and leaned over, looking around her. She smiled at him and handed him the book which he immediately tossed to the floor next to his boots. Taking her hand, he pulled her into the bed.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

\u201cMornin\u2019 Mrs. Cartwright,\u201d said Hank as he removed his hat and sat it on the chair next to her. He reached for the coffee pot and poured himself a cup.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Hank. Have you had breakfast?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am.\u201d Pulling a piece of paper from his shirt pocket, he slid it across the table. \u201cHere\u2019s the cattle count from the round-up. We\u2019re all finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh looked at the piece of paper and smiled. \u201cThat many more? Any losses?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA few, but not as many as I thought with the rough winter we had.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHank,\u201d said Adam as he walked into the kitchen with his hand extended. Shiloh poured a cup of coffee and sat it next to Adam\u2019s plate. When he sat down, she handed him the piece of paper. \u201cYou\u2019re kidding.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir. We only lost about fifty head. The boys watched \u2018em like hawks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll want to run some of the heifers up to our property on the Ponderosa. I\u2019ve brought in some Longhorns and Herefords from Texas to fill out the herd. So don\u2019t let anyone go. We\u2019ll be able to use some men over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe men will sure be happy to hear that, Mr. Cartwright, but I was hoping to use the extra men to finish up the repairs. Here\u2019s a list,\u201d said Hank, pushing another piece of paper over to Adam who picked it up and laid it on the table between him and Shiloh. \u201cThe sheds we repaired last year held up real good, but we\u2019ve got a whole line of fence down on the east side, and the dam over Soldier Creek is about to give.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh pointed to an item on the list. \u201cThe bridge over the wash?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes ma\u2019am, one of the main timbers is split. It gave a bit when we ran the chuck wagon over it. I don\u2019t think it\u2019ll hold up much longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Adam said, \u201cI\u2019ll ride out and take a look. We can cut a new timber up at the logging camp, but if we have to replace any of the cross boards, will have to buy them at the mill in town. We can\u2019t use our mill while we\u2019re milling the square sets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before Adam finished his sentence, they all heard a loud explosion that brought them all to their feet and to the front porch. \u201cThat came from up near the rim,\u201d said Hank. \u201cClose to the place we found that body while you were in San Francisco. There\u2019s nothing up there to blast.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh turned to Adam. \u201cYou don\u2019t suppose that\u2019s where the ore that Sam King had assayed came from, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pursed his lips, then stepped back inside the door and came back out with his hat and gun belt. He turned to kiss Shiloh, and was stopped cold by the look on her face. \u201cYou\u2019re not going.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned into the house, and he narrowed his eyes, thinking that was too easy, but turned and went to the barn anyway, hoping she wasn\u2019t going to come back out. When she hurried into the barn, wearing her hat and carrying a rifle and a box of ammunition, he stepped in front of her, grabbing the barrel of the rifle. He pulled, and she pulled back. \u201cShiloh, there\u2019s no need for you to go. We might not find anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you shouldn\u2019t have a problem with me going.\u201d He wasn\u2019t expecting the jerk that pulled the rifle out of his hand at the same time she side-stepped around him toward her horse. She leaned the rifle against a stall wall, and began to saddle Spirit. Standing at her elbow, he glared at her over her shoulder, but she ignored him. \u201cAdam, I\u2019m almost ready to leave. You should finish saddling Sport.\u201d She heard him take a slow, deep breath, and braced herself for whatever physical assertion he was about to use.<\/p>\n

He grabbed her forearm and spun her around, squeezing tightly. She refused to wince or look away, and for a moment they shared angry stares. Adam eased his grip on her arm, but still held it, and let out a slow, quiet breath. \u201cI don\u2019t want you to go, Shiloh,\u201d he said calmly. \u201cIf there\u2019s shooting\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

She wasn\u2019t calmed by his attempt to win her over. \u201cI have been running out to deal with trouble since I came home from Boston,\u201d she spat. \u201cAnd if there\u2019s shooting, you might get hurt. That works both ways. Now unless you\u2019re going to tie me to a post or a chair, I suggest you get your horse saddled, because I\u2019m ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flaring his nostrils, he walked away and finished saddling Sport, then walked Sport out of the barn. She was on her way out with Spirit when he came back in the barn, grabbed her hand, and pulled her out without her horse, calling for the two men who had been tasked to watch out for her. \u201cJake, go in the barn and unsaddle her horse. Mike, stand here at the door and don\u2019t let her in. Then both of you stay out here in the yard and don\u2019t let her leave under any circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n

While he was giving orders to the men, she stood back and gasped loudly, glaring up at him with her jaw set and an inferno in her eyes like he\u2019d never seen. He leaned over her. \u201cI\u2019ll deal with you when I get back.\u201d He turned away from her, and stepped up into the stirrup and before he was settled in his saddle, Sport was galloping away with Hank close behind.<\/p>\n

Mort Williams was on his knees behind the shrubs on the top of the hill, snickering. Shiloh had always had an explosive temper. He thought she had been taught to control it at college; he hadn\u2019t seen it since she\u2019d been home\u2026until now. He watched her storm to the front door of the house, and he cringed, closing his eyes, remembering the last time years ago when she had stomped through that door and slammed it. He didn\u2019t have to open his eyes to know that she had shattered the glass for the second time in her life. He could hear it. Moving back to his place against the tree, he chuckled to himself at the thought of Adam dealing with the full onslaught of Shiloh\u2019s temper. He knew Adam had seen her fury at its worst, but he\u2019d never had to deal with it\u2026until now.<\/p>\n

Shiloh stood between the study and the parlor, head down and fists clenched. She heard Ming Lin moving behind her, sweeping glass out of the floor, but she paid him no mind. At the moment, she was too furious to think straight, and she knew it, so she took several deep breaths and stormed into the kitchen to retrieve the papers Hank had given them earlier. Ming Lin had a fresh pot of coffee prepared, so she poured a cup and went to the study. She pulled the ledger out of the desk drawer and laid it on the desk in front of her, but still, she wasn\u2019t ready to open it. Taking her cup of coffee from the desk, she sat back in the chair, and replayed the scene in the barn over and over in her mind.<\/p>\n

How many times had she run out of the house with her rifle and ridden out onto the ranch expecting trouble? How many times had she driven the wagon to town and loaded it? How many days had she gone without wearing a dress or a skirt because she ran a ranch?<\/p>\n

He\u2019d said before that she knew what she was getting into when she married him, and that she had to learn to compromise. This wasn\u2019t compromise. This was giving up everything having to do with the ranch. He knew what he was getting when he married her, but it seemed he expected her to change.<\/p>\n

Change.<\/p>\n

She had just brought her coffee cup up to her lips, but stopped and held it there.<\/p>\n

Change.<\/p>\n

He was trying to change her. Was she trying to change him? And what was that look she saw in his eyes every time he felt she might be in some kind of danger; that look she could never figure out? She knew she couldn\u2019t answer these questions on her own. She would have to wait until he got back. Sitting the coffee cup back down on the desk, she sat forward and opened the ledger.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Hank and Adam came to a stop when the trail reached the rim. \u201cMr. Cartwright, there\u2019s an awful lot of ground to cover up here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s start where you found that body.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s up a ways,\u201d said Hank, moving on up the trail.<\/p>\n

When they arrived at the spot where the men had found the body, Adam dismounted and walked around.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came back up and looked around the area, but there was no sign of any diggins,\u201d said Hank.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, and continued to look, walking across the rim. He had walked maybe half a mile before he stopped and looked down off the ridge. \u201cHank, what do you make of that?\u201d he asked, pointing.<\/p>\n

\u201cRock piles? It ain\u2019t natural, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

They tied the horses, and slowly made their way down the steep slope. When they got closer, they drew their guns and ducked behind boulders, watching for movement, and seeing none, they inched closer until they could see into what looked like the beginnings of a shaft; a shallow hole high enough for a man to stand in cut into the side of the ridge.<\/p>\n

Squatting down, Adam studied the shaft, reaching up to dislodge a piece of rock and handing it back to Hank. \u201cHank, have you ever seen silver ore?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo sir. I never tried my hand at minin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, now you have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stepping further into the hole, Adam took the knife from his pocket and opened it, using it to scrape dirt from around a vein of quartz jutting out of the back of the shaft. Digging the blade into the dirt, he managed to coax another rock out, and handed it to Hank.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cIs that gold?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is,\u201d answered Adam as he gathered several more rocks from around his feet. \u201cBring the horses down. I\u2019m going to take some samples to the assay office in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Hank returned, Adam emptied the contents of a saddlebag into the other, and placed the rocks he had gathered into the emptied one. Just as he was about to mount up, they heard another blast at what seemed like a short distance away.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s the border of the Flying W up here?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just on the other side of the ridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

They walked the horses back up the ridge, and when they made the top, they tied the horses behind an outcropping of rock and crouching low, made their way to a ledge that looked down on the other side. There they saw several men loading rocks into satchels.<\/p>\n

Adam looked back in the direction they had come up, and then turned to Hank. \u201cAbout where do you think the property line is?\u201d he said in a low voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re just about on it,\u201d said Hank. \u201cThat area they\u2019re blasting seems to line up with the shaft on the other side.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt does, doesn\u2019t it? They\u2019ve only got one problem. From the looks of the strata in the rocks over here, they run parallel to the ridge which probably puts those veins deeper onto Flying W property. The owner of the property on this side of the ridge could run a shaft right under us and we might never have known it. I\u2019ll bet whoever owns that land is connected to the person who tried to sell the Flying W out from under Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo they file a claim on the land on the other side of the ridge and tunnel underneath.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep. It looks like those men are leaving. We\u2019ll wait and get some samples from their side. I\u2019ll take both samples into town, and while I\u2019m there, I\u2019ll find out who our neighbor is.\u201d When the men left, Adam and Hank scrambled down the ridge to the blast hole, collected some rocks, the climbed back up to their horses.<\/p>\n

As the two men rode back toward the ranch house, Adam thought about the men he\u2019d seen at the blast site. He knew he\u2019d seen them before. Then he remembered. They were the three men from the saloon he had warned to stay away from Shiloh. \u201cHank, I\u2019ll take the saddle bags. You go on back to the ranch. I\u2019ll be back in a few hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hank hesitated, then raised his eyebrows and nodded.<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam faced him. \u201cIf you\u2019ve got something to say, just say it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, I love that little girl like she was my own.\u201d He lowered his head. \u201cWe both know she\u2019s got a temper, and more times than not, it flares because someone\u2019s tellin\u2019 her she can\u2019t do somethin.\u2019\u201d Looking back up, he finished. \u201cShe\u2019s always made sense. She\u2019s done a good job with the ranch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hank turned his horse back toward the ranch while Adam thoughtfully watched him go, then headed to town.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

Shiloh had heard the second blast and ran out to the front porch, looking in the direction of the rim. Then she looked at the barn where Jake was sitting in front of the door. In the other direction Mike was looking out over the herd of horses. Adam had told them not to let her leave. She couldn\u2019t go to the Ponderosa to play her piano, and she could go out to the corral to work with the horses. Closing her eyes, she fought the rage she felt rising, and turned back into the house.<\/p>\n

She headed for the kitchen for another cup of coffee, but stopped. She had drunk a full pot of coffee this morning. She spun on her heels toward the parlor where she poured a glass of brandy, taking it to the study and digging back into the ledgers.<\/p>\n

Hank rode into the yard, looked over at Jake and Mike while he tied his horse, then walked to the house and knocked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHank, you\u2019re back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes ma\u2019am. Mr. Cartwright rode on to town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh. Come in. Would you like some coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo thank you, Mrs. Cartwright. I just wanted to let you know I was back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHank, please stop calling me Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, ma\u2019am, you\u2019re a married woman now, and\u2026well\u2026it\u2019s what\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHank, I\u2019m still Shiloh. I\u2019m the same person I was before I was married,\u201d though one person in particular seems to have a problem with that. She shook the thought away. \u201cYou have more right to address me the way you always have than anyone else. I\u2019ve known you all my life and you were here long before Adam was. Now, I insist.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a wide smile, Hank said, \u201cYes ma\u2019am, Miss Shiloh. Now will you take some advice from an old man who\u2019s known you all your life?\u201d She twisted her mouth, but nodded. \u201cHis heart\u2019s in the right place. Don\u2019t yell at \u2018im. Talk to \u2018im.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2019m.\u201d Leaning in, he removed his hat and kissed her cheek. \u201cNow, I\u2019ve got work to do. Oh, and I\u2019ll have one of the boys come by and board up the door until we can get some more glass.\u201d He hadn\u2019t even asked about the door. He knew.<\/p>\n

Smiling, she stood in the doorway and watched him leave. She missed Annie. When she was young, Hank had been the one that listened, but since college\u2026since she had become a woman, it had been Annie who listened. Now Annie was clear across the country and Hank\u2026Hank\u2019s loyalties were now split. She could never\u2026would never ask him to take sides.<\/p>\n

She finished updating the ledger, and then turned to the shelves of books behind the desk, running her finger over the spines until she stopped at Paradise Lost. Adam kept a copy of the book upstairs on the night table. This copy belonged to her mother, and when she pulled it off the shelf, she blew a cloud of dust off the top of the pages. She\u2019d read it in college. She had read most of the books in her mother\u2019s library. Still, she took it into the parlor, curled her legs up underneath her in the big chair, and turned to the first page.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam was tying Sport to the hitching rail when Roy Coffee walked by. He stopped, smiling. \u201cAdam, didn\u2019t expect to see you again so soon. What brings you back to town?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, just a little business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at the sweat on Sport\u2019s chest, and then the hole in the saddle bag slung over Adam\u2019s shoulder, he asked, \u201cEverything alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone took a shot at me on the way into town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you see who it was?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I was out in the open, so I didn\u2019t stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, now I know there\u2019s been some talk about that senator fella\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, I doubt it was Will Stewart. Even if he had anything to do with it, he would have paid someone else to take the shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess there\u2019s no point in writin\u2019 a report. But you be careful goin\u2019 home, you hear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam tipped his hat. \u201cRoy,\u201d he said, turning and walking across the street to the assay office carrying both sets of saddlebags.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright,\u201d greeted the assay clerk. \u201cOre from the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope. This is sample number 1,\u201d said Adam, dumping the rocks he had gathered from the Flying W side of the ridge into a bucket. \u201cThis is sample number 2.\u201d He dumped the other saddlebag from the other side of the ridge into another bucket. \u201cAnd do me a favor. Don\u2019t let anyone know your testing ore samples for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, and can you get it done today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Mr. Cartwright, I got several samples in front of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you here when Sam King brought his ore in?\u201d<\/p>\n

The clerk nodded. \u201cI did the assay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you know how rich that ore was.\u201d The clerk nodded. \u201cTake a look at this ore. Does it look like the ore King brought in?\u201d The clerk picked up several pieces, and as he turned them over his eyes widened. \u201cIf you\u2019ll do my assay first, all these rocks are yours. All I want is the report.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll get right on it, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be over at the Silver Dollar,\u201d said Adam, heading out the door.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh looked up from her book and smiled. \u201cYes, Ming Lin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShould I begin dinner preparations?\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking up at the mantle clock, then out the window, she answered. \u201cGive it one more hour, then start.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mrs. Cartwright,\u201d he said, bowing, and leaving the parlor. In another few minutes, Ming Lin was back with a cup of coffee, setting it on the table next to Shiloh\u2019s chair, and slipping out as quietly as he had entered.<\/p>\n

She took a sip, and returned to her reading.<\/p>\n

Adam had gotten his assay report and headed home at dusk, hoping to avoid being easily seen. He took the road to the Ponderosa, and then turned toward the Flying W. Johnny came out of the bunkhouse when he entered the yard and took his horse. Stopping on the front porch, Adam examined the boards nailed to the door. They hadn\u2019t been there when he left, but he was sure he knew what had happened. He removed his hat and gun belt, leaving them on the entry table, then quietly walked further into the house, first looking in the study, then the parlor.<\/p>\n

Shiloh\u2019s head lay on the wing of the chair she occupied, the book she had been reading open on her lap. He gently picked it up and turned it around, then snorted, closed it and set it on the table. Squatting in front of her, he touched her hand, and when she opened her eyes and raised her head, her nostrils flared. She closed her eyes again, taking a deep breath, mentally catching up to the present. Adam watched her shoulders relax and the tight line of her lips soften before she reopened her eyes. Still, she said nothing.<\/p>\n

Ming Lin entered the parlor so quietly neither of them heard him. \u201cMr. and Mrs. Cartwright, dinner is ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Ming Lin,\u201d said Shiloh. Adam held his hand out to her. She looked at it, but stood up on her own and walked to the dining room. Raising his eyebrows and sighing, Adam followed. They ate dinner in silence.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

When Shiloh finished her dinner, she excused herself from the table and went back to the parlor. Wiping his mouth with his napkin, Adam followed her into the room, and closed the doors behind him, watching her walk to the window and turn. He walked towards her, meeting her eyes, and as he neared her, she moved to the back side of the sofa, keeping it between them.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou act like you don\u2019t trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the moment, I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could you think that I\u2019d hurt you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I know you won\u2019t physically hurt me, but you will try to seduce forgiveness out of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled. \u201cI didn\u2019t know I needed to be forgiven.\u201d Turning, he went to the chair next to the fireplace and sat down, crossing his legs, and clasping his hands in his lap. \u201cYou obviously have something to say. I\u2019m listening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what you expected from me when we were married, but what you appear to be expecting of me now is not\u2026.\u201d Her hands slowly clenched as she spoke. She opened them and spread her fingers wide, then flexed them. \u201cI don\u2019t appreciate being imprisoned in my own home on nothing more that your word.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cImprisoned?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou told Jake and Mike that I was not to leave the yard under any circumstances. I couldn\u2019t go to the Ponderosa to play my piano. I couldn\u2019t even go to the corral to work with the horses. I could do nothing today, but work on the ledger.\u201d<\/p>\n

He twisted his mouth into a pucker. \u201cYou\u2019re right. I apologize. But that\u2019s not what\u2019s really bothering you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEver since I came home from college, I\u2019ve been dealing with all the problems on this ranch. I can\u2019t tell you how many times I\u2019ve ridden out with Hank, carrying my rifle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no need for you to do that now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn your opinion?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t share your opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam set both feet on the floor and leaned forward. \u201cWhat man is going to invite his wife into the middle of a gunfight?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you have a gunfight today, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but considering the assay that Sam King had done, and the fact that someone had been trying to sell the ranch, it was likely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising her hands to her face, she closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, and while her eyes were closed, Adam stood and walked toward her. Hearing his boots on the floor, her eyes flew open. \u201cDon\u2019t,\u201d she said, jabbing her finger toward him. \u201cYou\u2019re being too protective.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, do you see any other husbands allowing their wives to go chasing after explosions with a rifle?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t. But I\u2019m not like those women, and you know that. I dealt with all these kinds of problems before we were married. I don\u2019t expect to have to stop now that we are.\u201d She leaned forward over the sofa. \u201cYou didn\u2019t have a problem with it before. Why do you have a problem now?\u201d<\/p>\n

He moved a hand to his hip and pinched the bridge of his nose with the other. \u201cI thought you\u2019d be happy with your horses and your music.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am. But I don\u2019t want to be excluded from the ranch business. I really don\u2019t mind you doing what you do, Adam, but I resent being ordered to stay out of it. You didn\u2019t ask me. You dictated.\u201d She breathed and leaned back. \u201cYou treat me like I have nothing to offer; like I couldn\u2019t possibly contribute or have an idea that might help.\u201d She leaned against the back of the sofa and crossed her arms. \u201cYou made me feel that way in town when you wouldn\u2019t let me help load the wagon. And you know, I can understand that having your wife load the wagon might embarrass you. But you did this today in front of Hank and the men. You made me feel like some frail, helpless\u2026\u201d She turned away from him, and he quietly made his way around the sofa. When she felt his hands on her shoulders, she spun around. \u201cDon\u2019t touch me!\u201d Her hand went up to her mouth as soon as the words slipped out, and her eyes saddened. Stepping forward, she laid her hand on his chest. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean that.\u201d She could see the hurt in his eyes.<\/p>\n

He let out a deep breath and dropped his hands to his sides. \u201cYes, you did.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stepped closer, moving her other hand to his chest. \u201cAdam, you weren\u2019t this overbearing before. What changed?\u201d Looking into his eyes, she saw again something there besides the love, something she couldn\u2019t read\u2026almost like fear, but this was Adam Cartwright, a man known to be unafraid. She touched his face. \u201cAdam, what is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking her hand away from his face, he answered quietly, \u201cThere was no reason for you to go today. It was not my intention to keep you from your work. I\u2019ll be clearer next time.\u201d<\/p>\n

She took several steps back. \u201cWill you at least tell me what you found?\u201d she asked, flatly.<\/p>\n

He chewed the inside of his cheek and cocked his head. \u201cNot tonight.\u201d Turning, he left the room and climbed the stairs.<\/p>\n

Shiloh watched him until he entered the bedroom, then walked around the sofa and fell back on it, closing her eyes. What is it that he\u2019s not telling me?<\/p>\n

Several hours had passed when Adam came back down the stairs and into the parlor, expecting to find Shiloh where he\u2019d left her. She wasn\u2019t there. She wasn\u2019t in the study or the kitchen. Walking to the front door, he noticed her jacket was gone from the coat tree next to the door. He stepped out onto the front porch and looked toward the barn. It was dark, but he went inside anyway. Her horse was there. Walking back out into the yard, he looked around, and then glanced up the hill.<\/p>\n

When he got to the top, he didn\u2019t see her at first. She was sitting in the moon shadow of her father\u2019s headstone. \u201cIs he dispensing any wisdom tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Mama isn\u2019t either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s late. Would you come back to the house?\u201d<\/p>\n

She took several moments to move. When she stood, he stepped back out of her path and followed her down the hill and into the house. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs when she started up. \u201cAre you coming up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d he said, smiling. \u201cI\u2019m going to work for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

She started back down. \u201cAdam\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we both need to sleep on it. We\u2019ll talk tomorrow.\u201d He turned and walked into the study, leaving her standing on the stairs, watching him go.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam sat at the desk, reading specifications for a building in Salt Lake that Robert Slater had sent. He had already read through them twice and was about to start for the third time when he finally laid the document down and leaned back in the chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He was tired\u2026no, he was weary. He had so much work to do he was just staying ahead, and now this business with Shiloh had to be dealt with. He\u2019d known all along about her temper. He also knew there were times that she strained to keep it under control, but in all cases before, she had managed. Even now, she was trying, but it seemed that this had been building since they had gotten home from San Francisco.<\/p>\n

He had no doubt she could handle normal ranch business. She had already proven that over and over again. But blasting usually meant mining, and when it came to a strike, men became greedy animals willing to kill anyone who came between them and riches.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d lost those she loved. Why couldn\u2019t she understand his loss?<\/p>\n

He took the stack of mail and wandered into the kitchen to put a pot of coffee on the stove. Sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for the coffee, he began to flip through the mail. On top were the letters from Annie and Edwin. Under those two was a letter to Isabella Whitney that hadn\u2019t been opened. The handwriting was familiar, but he didn\u2019t immediately place it. He continued on through the mail until he came upon another envelope from Slater. Opening it, he found the first payment for the plans for the courthouse, with the legal documents that always accompanied a staggered payment signed by the city attorney, Will Stewart. He sat staring at the signature before he pulled the envelope addressed to Isabella out of the pile. Why was Will Stewart sending Shiloh a letter, and why didn\u2019t she open it?<\/p>\n

Shiloh heard a creak and turned in the bed to watch the bedroom door. She expected it to open, but after a few minutes, she realized it was only the sounds of the old house she had heard. Looking at the clock on the night table, she got up and pulled her robe on. She had been laying there for almost two hours, waiting for Adam to come up.<\/p>\n

She padded in bare feet down the stairs, stopping at the study, and then continuing into the kitchen. She entered so quietly, he didn\u2019t hear her until she moved to the cupboard and took two cups down. She brought the coffee pot to the table and poured them both a cup. \u201cI see you found the rest of the mail.\u201d<\/p>\n

He sat looking at the envelope. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you open it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just didn\u2019t want to deal with it at the time. I thought I\u2019d open it later, but then I forgot about it. I really have no interest in anything he has to say, but if you do, please, help yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam tore the end of the envelope and pulled out the letter. When he finished reading it, he passed it to Shiloh. \u201cYou need to read this.\u201d<\/p>\n

My Dearest Isabella,<\/p>\n

I am sure you have already heard of the tragic news of Natalie\u2019s death. Poor girl. She was smitten with me, and I just did not have the heart to turn her out. She knew that my heart would always be yours, and apparently she could not live with that knowledge any longer. I will be taking a short break to decide what I shall do, whether to stay in the city or travel for awhile. I have made some good investments and can afford to take the time away.<\/p>\n

It would mean a great deal to me to discuss my plans with you. You have always had the ability to help me think clearly. I need you now to help with this decision. Please considering coming to San Francisco. I will endeavor to make your stay comfortable.<\/p>\n

Adoringly yours,<\/p>\n

William Stewart, Esq.<\/p>\n

Shiloh held her head in her hand. \u201cHe\u2019s quite mad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe left San Francisco almost a week ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked up. \u201cHow do you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked Jim Fischer to let me know if either he or Natalie left the city. Roy brought a wire with him when he brought Officer Riley out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you going to tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled and took a sip of coffee. \u201cYou weren\u2019t in any shape to hear it at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, this has to end. All of it. This is no way to live.\u201d She raised her cup to her mouth and sipped. \u201cIs there anything else you haven\u2019t told me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Puckering his mouth, Adam thought that maybe she should hear it all. Maybe then she would understand why he wanted her at the ranch house where he could keep her safe.<\/p>\n

“Hank and I discovered where Sam King found the ore he had assayed. It\u2019s from the ridge on the north property line. There was a short shaft on the Flying W side, but the blasts came from the other side of the ridge. The three men I followed to the saloon when we were in town were there loading rock to be assayed. I took some samples from our side, and we waited for the other men to leave and took some rocks from the other side. That\u2019s what took so long in town; I waited for the assay. There\u2019s gold and silver on our side as rich as the report from King\u2019s assay. There\u2019s nothing on the other side of the ridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho owns the property on the other side?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHearst, Haggin and Tevis. Sometime after we got back from San Francisco, someone took samples from our side and had them assayed, claiming they were from the other side. So rather than continuing to try to sell the ranch out from under you, I think they were planning to tunnel underneath the ridge to the back side of the vein. They thought they could get away with it because I said we had no plans to mine it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGeorge Hearst always struck me as an honest man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe probably hasn\u2019t even been there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe he would have bought into a mine without checking it out for himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart, there is no mine\u2026yet. He made the decision based on the assay. That\u2019s not all. On the way into town, someone took a shot at me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh sat her coffee cup down with a thud hard enough to slosh coffee onto the table. She swallowed hard before she spoke. \u201cDid they see you on the ridge?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it was them. If there had been three of them, I wouldn\u2019t have gotten away so easily.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould it have been Will? If he killed Natalie, he\u2019s certainly capable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning forward and taking her hand, he said, \u201cShiloh, that\u2019s exactly why I want you to stay near the ranch. I don\u2019t know where Will is. I don\u2019t know where this other man is who\u2019s been following you. I don\u2019t know who the three men from the saloon are working for, and I have no idea who took a shot at me. On top of all that, this is the busiest work year we\u2019ve ever had. I can\u2019t be with you all the time. The safest place for you to be is here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drawing her hand away, she sat back in her chair and bowed her head. \u201cI\u2019m not very good at being confined.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not being confined. You can still work with your horses, and you can still go to the Ponderosa, though the men will be here tomorrow to take out the window, and I\u2019d like you to be available to them if they have any questions. I\u2019ll be up at the timber camp in the morning, and then I need to go by the mill to check on the square sets. After that, I want to go measure the bridge and see what we need for that repair. I\u2019ll go by the dam tomorrow. And sometime in the next month or so, I need to go check the foundation at the courthouse in San Francisco.\u201d Bending his head down, he tried to catch her eyes. \u201cI want you to go with me.\u201d She looked up at him, then away. \u201cShiloh, what is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about town? I could at least help by getting the supplies. I can drive the buckboard. Maybe I should have learned how to do those timber bids.\u201d Adam smiled. \u201cIsn\u2019t there anything I can do at the camp? There\u2019s payroll, and there\u2019s the schedules and the counting. I could do the paperwork.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tilting his head, his mouth opened in sudden realization that all she really wanted was to help. But he\u2019d left her alone with her horses and her music. She was feeling isolated. \u201cShiloh, when would you have time? Your music takes up your mornings, and your horses take up your afternoons. What plans do you already have?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have horses ready for some of Jim\u2019s friends within the next month, and I still need to arrange some music for my performances in Sacramento in August. There are still some things I need to work on with Hoss\u2026ground manners and gait. And I need to start teaching Tommy. And I need to start working with Satan.\u201d Adam\u2019s nostrils flared, but she wasn\u2019t looking. \u201cAdam, I don\u2019t want you to think of these as my hobbies. If they don\u2019t contribute in some way to the Flying W the same as the cattle and timber, then I should be doing something else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen what you bring in for your horses, Shiloh. And I know what you get paid for singing. The horses alone carried the Flying W the first year you were back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou haven\u2019t even mentioned the Ponderosa. You still have responsibilities there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2019s coming over tomorrow evening. He wanted to talk about some Ponderosa business. Why don\u2019t we ask Hoss and Joe, too? We\u2019ll have dinner here, you can talk to Hoss about the horses, and we can make sure all the work is covered for both ranches.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded. \u201cWhat are we going to do about the ridge? We need to have a presence up there to prevent someone from stealing that ore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll send a wire to Jim and ask him to set up a subsidiary of the Flying W for the mine. We\u2019ll have to come up with a name. I\u2019ll also send a wire to Hearst and let him know what we\u2019ve found. He\u2019ll probably want to come out and take a look at the land he\u2019s purchased. It would be interesting to find out just how he purchased it\u2026directly or through a merchant banker.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would that make a difference?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it was through a merchant banker, the individual who initiated the sale could be hiding behind several layers of investment companies. It would be harder to find out who that person was. I\u2019d bet that person is the same one who tried to sell the ranch. But Shiloh, we\u2019ll need money to start a mine, and we\u2019re stretched with the extra payroll for the timber camp until we get paid for some of these contracts. I\u2019ll have to arrange for a loan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much money will we need?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we\u2019ll have to buy mining equipment, ore cars, explosives, build a headstock and hire some men. Once we get some ore out, it\u2019ll start paying for itself. We\u2019ll need\u2026oh\u2026around twenty thousand to carry us until the ore starts paying.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have money in the other account.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sat up straight. He hadn\u2019t thought about the account he had set up for her performance money. \u201cI thought we agreed that money was yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you said that. I never agreed it was mine. I\u2019d prefer we invest it back into the ranch. That\u2019s what I intended to use it for before I married you.\u201d Adam leaned forward, listening. \u201cRight now it has five thousand in it. I have another bank draft to deposit from the first half of my performance contract in Sacramento. That\u2019s another twenty-five hundred. And I\u2019ll be getting the same for the first half of the other two performance contracts, so that will be another five thousand. I\u2019m expecting those any day. Once those performances are done, we\u2019ll have another seventy-five hundred. That doesn\u2019t count what I\u2019ll get for the horses. There\u2019s the money you\u2019ll need to start the mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rose from the table and walked to her, holding out his hand. She took it this time and let him pull her up into his arms. \u201cI don\u2019t ever want you to think that you don\u2019t contribute to his ranch, Sweetheart. Do you realize what we\u2019ll save if we don\u2019t have to take out any loans?\u201d<\/p>\n

She cut her eyes up to his, and smiled impishly. \u201cYes, I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

He grinned back. \u201cYou learned that at college, did you?\u201d She snorted. He put his arm around her shoulders and walked her out of the kitchen. \u201cWe can still get a few hours of sleep,\u201d he said, walking her up the stairs.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

Hoss rode into the yard just as Adam was saying goodbye to Shiloh. She yawned.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou could get some more sleep,\u201d said Adam, chuckling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI would have been fine if you hadn\u2019t been so\u2026insistent.\u201d She smiled and blushed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou could\u2019ve said no.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI did\u2026sort of,\u201d she snickered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bending to kiss her, he replied, \u201cIt doesn\u2019t count when you\u2019re laughing.\u201d He cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her again, then stepped off the porch.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMornin\u2019, Older Brother. Where you headed off to?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLumber camp, mill, bridge,\u201d said Adam, continuing on to the barn.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWait a minute. What bridge?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam yelled over his shoulder. \u201cThe bridge over the wash.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, I\u2019ll be right back,\u201d said Hoss. He turned and followed Adam into the barn. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with the bridge? I rode over that bridge yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHank said one of the main timbers is split.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCome to think of it, it was might squeaky.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI may need to go to town this afternoon for some new cross boards. Are you going to be around?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI will if you need me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam walked Sport out of the barn and mounted. \u201cWhat else do you have to do today?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a couple of wagons I need to fix. Pa\u2019s back from hiring some fellas to take the logs for the dock to Sacramento. I reckon he wanted to talk to you about that. But I was supposed to take over at the timber camp for you today.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll leave Shorty in charge. Pa\u2019s coming over tonight. You and Joe should come, too. We\u2019ll have dinner here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I get finished here, I\u2019ll get back to the Ponderosa and take care of them wagons and let Pa and Joe know about dinner. I\u2019ll get back here as soon as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam smiled. \u201cDon\u2019t forget to tell Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I reckon I oughta do that,\u201d said Hoss, chuckling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam rode out, waving back at Shiloh as several men rode in. \u201cMrs. Cartwright,\u201d said one of the men who stepped down off his horse and approached the porch. \u201cI\u2019m Jim Tyler,\u201d he said, tipping his hat. \u201cMr. Cartwright hired us to help move your piano. If you\u2019ll show me which window needs to come out, we\u2019ll get to work.\u201d When Hoss came up beside them, Jim turned and held out his hand. \u201cHoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJim, ain\u2019t seen you in a while. What you been up to?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s lots of carpentry work in Virginia City. The town\u2019s growing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is at that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJim, if you\u2019ll come this way, I\u2019ll show you the window,\u201d said Shiloh, smiling, and feeling more comfortable, knowing that Hoss knew the men.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After furniture was moved out of the way, Shiloh left Jim and his men to do their work while she and Hoss went to the corral. \u201cHoss, what do you think about Tommy learning to train?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss leaned against the corral fence. \u201cThat boy is as comfortable around the horses as you and me. I ain\u2019t got nothin\u2019 against it, but have you talked to Adam? He don\u2019t cotton to the boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI told Adam what I was planning to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, as long as he don\u2019t have a problem\u2026I think Tom\u2019ll do real good.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to have him do more to help, but I\u2019ll have to wait until I can get a contract for him to sign to really start, so don\u2019t say anything to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss nodded. \u201cWha\u2019 d\u2019you want me to do today?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to work on ground manners, and then we\u2019re going to saddle the horse. After that, I\u2019m going to teach you how to train the gait. And once that\u2019s done, Hoss, you will have trained your first horse. Then it\u2019s exercises so he remembers.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh asked Tommy to watch while they worked on Hoss\u2019s horse. \u201cHoss, don\u2019t let him crowd you. Make him keep his distance.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow do I do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cStiff arm him. After a few walks around he corral, he\u2019ll get the idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After several productive hours, Hoss left to fix the wagons at the Ponderosa. Shiloh asked Tommy to groom the horse, and then move Satan to the training pen. When he hesitated, Shiloh studied him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTommy, if you\u2019ve got something to say, say it. You don\u2019t have to be afraid to talk to me as long as you\u2019re honest.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Mrs. Cartwright, it\u2019s that horse\u2026Satan. I\u2019d just hate to see you get hurt. I mean, I\u2019ve seen you work with some ornery animals, but he\u2019s\u2026well, I understand why your pa named him Satan.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTommy, I know Satan is mean. You don\u2019t need to be afraid to say it. He is. But if I can train that out of him, I can train any horse. And if I can\u2019t\u2026well, I\u2019ll know that I can\u2019t train any horse. But I have to try to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tommy looked away. \u201cI just don\u2019t think it\u2019s worth maybe gettin\u2019 hurt bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She creased her brow and bit her lip. \u201cI\u2019ll have a handler close by. If he acts up, I\u2019ll get out of the pen, and if he\u2019s too quick, the handler will\u2026\u201d Her expression suddenly changed to dismay. \u201cHandle him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jim Tyler was standing next to the house. She turned to Tommy, and said, \u201cGo ahead and do as I asked,\u201d then walked over to Jim.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright, we\u2019ve taken out the window and left it leaning against the house,\u201d he said, pointing. \u201cWe covered the hole with some canvas. Adam wanted to be with us when we move the piano, so we\u2019ll have to wait for him. He knows where to find me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Jim. I\u2019ll let Adam know.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam ducked underneath the bridge at the wash, running his hand along the timber from one side of the bridge to the other. When he got to the middle, he felt the split; a wide, dangerous gap. Crawling out and walking across the bridge, the found that a number of the cross boards near the split were splintered as well. He\u2019d need a load of four by eights to replace them, so he and Hoss would be taking that trip into town. He rolled several large rocks across the center of the bridge to warn off anyone who needed to cross. Since the bridge was on Flying W property, the only people using it would be ranch hands. There was only a foot of water running through the wash, so riding through shouldn\u2019t be a problem. His next stop was home to hitch the buckboard and wait for Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben rode to the south corral and watched as Shiloh walked among her horses, offering them carrots. He tied Buck to the corral fence and walked over. \u201cShiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa, how are you?\u201d she asked, wiping her hand on her britches and meeting him with a warm hug.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI came over to ask you the same question?\u201d he said, smiling.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re fine,\u201d she said with some reservation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben creased his brows and looked down at her. \u201cSomething I can help you with?\u201d She smiled and shook her head. \u201cI can\u2019t help if you won\u2019t tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stopping, she pursed her lips. \u201cI don\u2019t even know how to tell you what\u2019s bothering me. I think Adam is being too protective of me, and he\u2026well, he is very protective of me. But I used to run out when there was trouble on the ranch, and now he\u2026he leaves me behind. I just don\u2019t understand what\u2019s changed. I went before we were married, but I can\u2019t go now.\u201d She hesitated for a moment. \u201cThat\u2019s not really the problem. It\u2019s the way he looks at me when he thinks I\u2019m in danger\u2026I know he loves me, but there\u2019s something else there, and I don\u2019t know what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben took a handful of carrots from her and turned to the gathering horses. \u201cYou say he\u2019s too protective of you.\u201d She nodded. \u201cJust since you\u2019ve been married.\u201d Biting her lip, she nodded again. \u201cYou know, before you two were married, he worried about you quite a bit. But you weren\u2019t really his to protect. Now you are. Shiloh, you know his mother died giving birth to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you know that Hoss\u2019s mother was killed by Indians on the way out West.\u201d She nodded again. \u201cDo you know how close he was to Inger?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not really. He hasn\u2019t said much about her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time, Inger was the only mother he had ever known. She was very easy to love, especially for a little boy. And then, there was Joe\u2019s mother, and though that took longer because he was older, he came to love her. Do you know about Ruth?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve heard Joe mention Ruth.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam asked Ruth to marry him.\u201d Holding her breath, she looked up at him wide-eyed. \u201cThis was, oh, almost two years before you came home from college. The Shoshone threatened to kill him if she didn\u2019t go with them. She left to save him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t he look for her?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cNo. If he had tried to take her, the Shoshone might have killed her.\u201d Ben held her forearms. \u201cShiloh, the women that meant the most to him\u2026those that he came to love deeply\u2026he\u2019s lost them all. Except for you,\u201d he finished, touching her nose.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

When Adam arrived at the house, no one was there or in the yard, so he rode down to the south corral where he found his father and Shiloh talking in the corral, walking among the horses. \u201cIs this a private conversation?\u201d he called as he walked over to them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, how are you? I haven\u2019t seen much of you lately.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smiling and taking his father\u2019s hand and arm, Adam answered, \u201cJust busy. Hoss said you found some teamsters to haul the logs for the docks.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re finishing up a run of mine cars from San Francisco. They\u2019re looking for a load to carry back.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam looked around at the horses and raised a hand to his chest. \u201cWell, we have two. We\u2019ve got the first load of lumber for the railroad ties ready to go.\u201d Shiloh slid under his arm and looked lovingly up at him. Seeing the warmth in her eyes, he smiled. \u201cWell, hello. Hoss and I are going to town. I have to buy some lumber for the bridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat bad, huh?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMm hm. I need to send some wires anyway.\u201d He bent and kissed her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you two go on up to the house? I have some horses to halter. I\u2019ll be up in a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben and Adam rode side by side toward the house. \u201cAdam, I don\u2019t want to pry, but is everything alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re fine, Pa. We\u2019re\u2026adjusting.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When they arrived, Hoss was watching Satan in the training pen digging at the fence line, turning and rearing, obviously anxious about being confined.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen did Satan go in the pen?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, hey Adam. Pa. He wasn\u2019t there this mornin\u2019, so it musta been right after I left. He don\u2019t look too happy to be in there either.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s jaw muscled flexed. \u201cHe\u2019s not the only one.\u201d He turned his back on the horse and tapped Hoss on the chest with the back of his hand. \u201cWe need to go into town. That bridge could go at any time. Did you tell Joe we were having dinner here?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYep. In fact, he should be here any minute. I mentioned we might have to go into town, and he wanted to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that makes all of us,\u201d said Ben. \u201cI\u2019m expecting a letter from Salt Lake. Looks like we\u2019ll be driving some cattle up there this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They watched Shiloh ride into the yard, leading four horses to the back corral. She handed them off to Johnny and Tommy, then rode back to the front of the house and tied her horse to the rail just as Joe rode in. \u201cWell,\u201d she said, walking over to the training corral. \u201cAre we having a party?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her smile left when she saw the frown on Adam\u2019s face. \u201cSweetheart, I don\u2019t like how agitated he is in the corral.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, he\u2019ll be agitated for awhile. He can\u2019t see any of the other horses from here.\u201d Stepping in the middle of the men and facing Adam, she patted his stomach. \u201cDon\u2019t worry. I won\u2019t be going in the corral for several days\u2026at least not until he calms down. And I\u2019m going to town with you. If you\u2019ll wait for a few minutes, I\u2019ll change my clothes.\u201d She headed toward the house, and yelled back over her shoulder. \u201cThere\u2019s coffee in the house, gentlemen. And cookies.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe don\u2019t have to tell me twice,\u201d said Hoss. The others shook their heads and followed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben and Adam waited by the fireplace while Hoss sat on the sofa eating cookies. \u201cAdam,\u201d said Ben in a low voice. \u201cI wish you\u2019d reconsider allowing her to train that horse. Nothing good can come of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I understand your concern. I share it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh stood by the door of the parlor, wearing a skirt and blouse. \u201cBut I won the argument with a few concessions. Pa, I know why you don\u2019t want me to train Satan. But I watched what my father did. I\u2019ve written it all down. There will be a handler watching me, and if Satan is too aggressive, I\u2019ll\u2026\u201d she lowered her head. \u201cI\u2019ll geld him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben looked back at Adam who shook his head. \u201cIt\u2019s the best I could do without starting a war.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHorses are hitched,\u201d said Joe as he walked into the parlor. He bent down and took a cookie as everyone walked out.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam helped Shiloh up onto the seat of the buckboard. \u201cHoss, you drive. I\u2019ll be riding.\u201d He wasn\u2019t going to tell his father and brothers that someone had taken a shot at him. Still, he wanted to be able to go after the shooter if he did decide to take another shot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When they got to town, Hoss drove the buckboard to the mill. Shiloh waited on the wagon while Hoss and Adam ordered and paid for the lumber they needed, and while Hoss waited, Ben, Adam and Shiloh walked to the telegraph office. Ben walked on to the post office while Adam and Shiloh sent their telegrams. Shiloh looked at the message Adam was writing. \u201cIs that going to Jim?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMm hm.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCan you add something for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWould you ask Jim to write up an agreement not to use my method of training outside employment by the Flying W or disclose it to anyone who isn\u2019t employed by the Flying W to work with the horses?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stopped writing and turned to her. \u201cYou\u2019re going ahead with Tom\u2019s training?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen do me a favor.\u201d She looked up at him. \u201cStop calling him Tommy. He\u2019s not a boy anymore. He\u2019s a man.\u201d She broke out in wide smile. \u201cDon\u2019t be smiling just yet. If he slips up once, I\u2019m going to fire him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her smile was instantly gone. \u201cHe\u2019s not yours to fire.\u201d She started to say more, but he raised an eyebrow. \u201cThat\u2019s not going to work this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He maintained his raised eyebrow and cocked his head. \u201cWe\u2019ll discuss it at home.\u201d Handing the first telegram to the clerk, he turned back to Shiloh and leaned on the counter. \u201cI need to let Robert know when to expect us in San Francisco. When can we go?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI need to take some horses to San Francisco. Can we combine trips?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rubbing his chin, Adam thought about everything they needed to deliver in that direction. \u201cIf we can arrange to haul the dock logs and Crocker\u2019s timber at the same time, we can follow the teamsters to Sacramento. That way, Hoss can stay and supervise the cutting while I\u2019m gone. But you said you were going to have foals by then?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe, if we have to wait to go. If Joe or your father can help at the lumber camp, Hoss and my men can handle the foaling.\u201d Adam nodded and wrote out the telegram to Robert Slater. \u201cOh, before I forget, Jim Tyler finished removing the window. He\u2019s waiting on you to move the piano, and I need to go see Mrs. Riley. She ordered some staff paper, and I told her I\u2019d buy half of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam finished a third telegram to George Hearst and paid for them, then walked Shiloh out the door. \u201cI\u2019ll walk you over to the Riley\u2019s. I want you to wait for me there while I go talk to Jim.\u201d When they arrived, he stopped at the door. \u201cDo not come looking for me. If Will Stewart is close by, I don\u2019t want him to find you alone.\u201d She twisted her mouth, and he placed his hands on her shoulders, looking at her affectionately. \u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sighing, she nodded and smiled. \u201cI\u2019ll wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bending to kiss her, he said, \u201cThank you,\u201d and opened the door, closing it after she walked through. She grinned at him through the window, and he winked back before he walked across the street.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Coffee stood leaning on the side of the buckboard while Hoss loaded. \u201cHoss, I haven\u2019t seen you in town for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been real busy, Roy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Adam seems to get into town perty regular.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, he\u2019s got a lot of irons in the fire, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe must be handlin\u2019 it all alright then. I haven\u2019t heard of any trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss put another board on the wagon and stopped, smiling. \u201cYeah, I reckon he\u2019s been running all over the place keepin\u2019 everything goin.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat Adam\u2019s turned out to be quite the manager.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss grimaced. \u201cI don\u2019t know about that. He\u2019s doing as much work as he is managin.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s because I\u2019ve got two ranches to keep up with,\u201d said Adam, walking up behind Roy and patting his shoulder.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Roy extended his hand, and Adam took it. \u201cI hear you\u2019re a real busy man, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d yelled little Jeremy Polk.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Roy turned around just in time to catch the boy. \u201cNow slow down, Jeremy. What\u2019s all the yellin\u2019 about?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Mr. Riley. Someone hit \u2018im on the head. I\u2019m supposed to get you, and then go get the doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou run on and get the doctor, Jeremy. I\u2019ll go over to the Riley\u2019s right now.\u201d When Roy turned around, Adam was already half way down the street.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

Adam flew through the front door of the Riley\u2019s shop. He stopped to look around, and then ran behind the counter where Mrs. Riley was bent over her husband.<\/p>\n

Kneeling on the other side, Adam checked Mr. Riley\u2019s head and looked up at Mrs. Riley.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Martin is on the way. Where\u2019s Shiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, he took her. Walter tried to stop him, but he hit him. And then Shiloh tried to fight him, and he hit her, too. Knocked her right out, and then carried her out the back.\u201d Roy and Hoss came through the door. \u201cHoss!\u201d called Adam, motioning for Hoss to follow him out the back. They found tracks leading west away from the back of the shop down the alley. \u201cGo find Pa and Joe and tell them what\u2019s happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded and ran around the building to the street with Adam. He watched Adam run for his horse at the mill, then took off in the direction of the post office. Joe had run out of the saloon when the yelling started. \u201cHoss, what\u2019s goin\u2019 on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone took Shiloh out of the Riley\u2019s store. They rode west. Adam\u2019s already gone after \u2018em. I\u2019m headin\u2019 over to the post office to find Pa.\u201d Joe didn\u2019t wait any longer. He was up on Cochise before Hoss had even started toward the post office, riding out of town at a breakneck gallop.<\/p>\n

Adam knew if he rode hard, he\u2019d be able to catch the buggy he was following. It wasn\u2019t long before he could see it up in the distance.<\/p>\n

Shiloh was just coming to, and when she realized where she was, she starting swinging frantically at the man driving. She stood up when Will Stewart reached out to grab her, but he lost control of the buggy, hitting a rock on the side of the road. Shiloh turned and jumped.<\/p>\n

Adam had seen her fighting and saw her jump. He pulled Sport up just as he was approaching, but before he could dismount, he heard a gunshot. Adam fell forward off his horse, landing face down on the ground.<\/p>\n

Standing to run to him, Shiloh fell back down to her knees, grabbing her ankle. As she crawled toward Adam, Stewart caught up to her, carrying her kicking and flailing back to the buggy. He hit her again, stunning her, and drove away. He pulled the wagon to the edge of a clearing where he had a horse waiting to take them toward San Francisco. He knew he would never be able to escape in the buggy, but he would be able to stay hidden in the forest where the soft pine-matted ground would hide the tracks of a horse.<\/p>\n

She fought him again, but this time when he hit her, she dodged and fell to the ground. When he bent to pull her up, she kicked at his knees, and when he went down, she continued to hit him until he flattened her on her back and straddled her, holding both of her hands above her head. \u201cI\u2019m taking you to Europe, Isabella. You\u2019ve always wanted to see Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere with you,\u201d she spat.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsabella, Adam\u2019s dead. There\u2019s no reason for you to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t know that,\u201d she shouted as she struggled<\/p>\n

He slapped her again, and when he bent down to kiss her, she bit his lip, opening a deep cut that poured blood. \u201cYou\u2019re going whether you like it or not,\u201d he growled and pulled out a knife, holding it to her neck.<\/p>\n

She stopped fighting. \u201cWill, don\u2019t do this. I don\u2019t want to go with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam is dead, and no one is coming. We have all the time in the world.\u201d He lowered the knife to her blouse and began flipping the buttons off. Once the blouse was open, he stuck the knife between the bones of her corset, cutting the fabric. When she began to fight again, he let the tip of the knife score her skin. \u201cYou can go without a mark, or you can go a bloody mess. It\u2019s up to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He cut all the way to the top of her corset, then settled down on her, letting go of her hands and holding her head to kiss her again. Pushing against him as hard as she could, she clamped her mouth shut until he stopped, then continued to slam her fists into him. He beat back, knocking he wind out of her. He held her right hand above her and continued his attack, ripping and groping until she drew her fingernails down the side of his face. He yelled out, more in anger than pain, and taking her left hand, he moved it above her and jammed the knife into her palm, pushing it through and into the ground all the way to the handle. She screamed in pain, and he slapped her until she stopped.<\/p>\n

Barely conscious, she felt his hands move under her skirt. She reached for anything close to her right hand, and wrapping her fingers around a large rock, she brought it up, smashing it into the side of his head at the same time a blood-curdling scream escaped her throat.<\/p>\n

Joe had brought Cochise to a sliding stop next to Adam, and jumping out of the saddle, he knelt at his brother\u2019s side, rolling him over on his back. \u201cAdam, can you hear me?\u201d he asked frantically, patting his brother\u2019s face. They both heard a terrified scream from somewhere up the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo, Joe,\u201d whispered Adam.<\/p>\n

Ben had just arrived and knelt next to Joe. \u201cI\u2019ll find her, Adam,\u201d said Joe, snarling and running toward the scream.<\/p>\n

Will leaned to the side, holding his head, and when he regained his balance, he took the rock from her, holding it up over his head. \u201cHe\u2019ll not have you either then,\u201d he said, but when he moved to bring the rock down on her, another gun shot rang out. Will fell forward, covering her. It seemed like only a few seconds when she felt his weight lifted from her. Struggling to open her eyes, she could see a blurred face.<\/p>\n

\u201cShy, someone is coming for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fighting to focus, she squinted and whispered faintly. \u201cMicah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cListen to me. Don\u2019t tell anyone. Especially Adam. I\u2019ll find you. I\u2019ll explain it all. Just don\u2019t tell them.\u201d He moved to the far side of the clearing from where he had come, then slowly made his way down into a ravine as Joe entered the clearing with his gun drawn.<\/p>\n

Looking around him as he made his way to Shiloh, Joe checked for a pulse at Stewart\u2019s neck, then holstered his gun and moved next to Shiloh, wincing at the knife buried in her hand. He checked for her pulse, and then yelled at the top of his lungs, \u201cI found her.\u201d<\/p>\n

He heard his father\u2019s voice call back. \u201cIs she alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d he yelled, and with tears in his eyes, he said to himself, \u201cNo, Adam, she\u2019s not alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

\u201cSon, can you hear me?\u201d said Ben quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2019s with her. Now let me take a look.\u201d Ben turned Adam on his side, tearing the shirt away from the bullet hole in the back of Adam\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to get you back to town,\u201d said Ben calmly as he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket, folded it and pressed it against the wound to stem the bleeding. Turning Adam on his back, Ben said, \u201cNow, you lie still. I\u2019ll go check on Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes were closed, but he nodded, and Ben stood and ran in the direction of Joe\u2019s voice. \u201cJoe!\u201d he called.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver here, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Ben entered the clearing, he sucked in a breath, falling to his knees next to Shiloh. \u201cDear God,\u201d he choked. Looking over at the body lying behind Joe, he asked \u201cWho is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Stewart. He\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll need something to stop the bleeding when I pull the knife out. Tear her petticoat into strips.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d she said faintly.<\/p>\n

Leaning close to her, Ben spoke softly. \u201cShiloh, it\u2019s Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll be alright. Lie still now. We have to take care of your hand and get you to the doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe handed his father several strips of cloth, and Ben folded two into thick squares. \u201cJoseph, hold her shoulders.\u201d He moved next to her hand, took the handle of the knife and pulled hard, removing it in one smooth motion. Shiloh jerked, and then fell back into unconsciousness.<\/p>\n

Once Ben had her hand bandaged, he lifted her, carrying her to where Adam lay. Adam turned and saw her bandaged hand, her battered face and all the blood. Reaching out to touch her, he called to her in a strangled cry.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, get the buggy,\u201d said Ben as he looked at the blood-soaked handkerchief covering Adam\u2019s wound. By the time he had the handkerchief replaced with extra strips of Shiloh\u2019s petticoat, Joe had arrived with his horse and the buggy.<\/p>\n

\u201cHelp me get Adam into the buggy. Then I\u2019ll hand Shiloh up to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they arrived in town, Hoss was just coming out of Paul Martin\u2019s office after carrying Mr. Riley in. He scooped Adam out of the buggy and disappeared inside the office. Ben took Shiloh from Joe, and the two men followed Hoss in as a crowd began to gather outside.<\/p>\n

Paul asked Hoss and Ben to lay them on beds in the same room so he could decide who to work on first, then ordered them out and closed the door as Joe was about to step in.<\/p>\n

The three men stood staring at the door, each man afraid of the worst. When Roy rushed into the office, he stopped and gasped at the look on their faces. \u201cBen?\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at Roy gravely, Ben slowly sat down on one of the chairs lined against the back wall. He removed his hat and held his head in his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d asked Roy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re both in bad shape, Roy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSenator Stewart beat Shiloh pretty bad. And someone back shot Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas it Stewart who shot \u2018im?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so. The shot had to have come from behind Adam, and Stewart was ahead of him. Roy, Stewart\u2019s dead. We left him in a clearing a couple of miles west of town.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, who shot Stewart?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. He was dead when I got there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have the undertaker go fetch the body. But just as soon as you hear something from Doc Martin, I want you all to come to my office to sort this out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Murdock stepped inside the office with Mrs. Riley. \u201cYou sit down here, Sadie. I\u2019ll see if I can find out something about Walter. Knocking lightly on the door of the back room, Mrs. Murdock entered, closing the door behind her.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Murdock, I\u2019m glad you\u2019re here. With my nurse in Denver visiting her folks, I could use some help,\u201d said Paul.<\/p>\n

As he finished listing the things he would need and sent Mrs. Murdock off to get them, he heard Adam whisper, \u201cShiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s right here, Adam. She\u2019s resting. The first thing I need to do is get that bullet out of your shoulder and stop the bleeding.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Shiloh first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Murdock is going to take care of Shiloh while I work on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning his head, Adam looked over at Shiloh\u2019s still body. He struggled to sit up, and Paul tried to push him back down, but Adam fought to stay up. Tears welled in his eyes. \u201cShe\u2019s not breathing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes she is, Adam. She\u2019s unconscious, but she\u2019s as alive as you and me. Now lay back down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy left the doctor\u2019s office when the undertaker returned with Stewart\u2019s body. He leaned over the back of the wagon and raised the blanket that covered it. \u201cI never met the man. I\u2019ll have to find someone who can identify him.\u201d Looking around at the two dozen or so men and women standing quietly, waiting for some word from inside the office, he asked loudly, \u201cIs there anyone here who can identify Senator William Stewart?\u201d He got no response. He looked at the undertaker. \u201cIt\u2019s gonna have to be one of the Cartwrights.\u201d Roy went back into the office. \u201cWhich one of you can identify Stewart\u2019s body?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stood up and put his hand on Roy\u2019s shoulder. \u201cI can, Roy,\u201d he said as he and Roy left the office. Once he had confirmed Stewart\u2019s identity, he turned back toward the office, but the crowd engulfed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, how are they?\u201d asked Sally Cass.<\/p>\n

Joe looked at her with hollow eyes. \u201cI don\u2019t know yet, Sally. They could use some prayers, though.\u201d The crowd split and let him pass.<\/p>\n

Several hours passed before Paul came out of the back room. The three Cartwrights and Mrs. Riley all stood. Paul gave Mrs. Riley a kindly smile. \u201cSadie, Walter will be just fine. He\u2019s going to have a headache for a few days. Make sure he takes it easy until I come by to see him. I don\u2019t want him working in the store until then.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded. \u201cThank you, Doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Murdock will bring him out in a few minutes, and you can take him home.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned to the Cartwrights. \u201cBen, boys, I\u2019ll be praying for your two to come through this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Sadie,\u201d said Ben, taking her hands.<\/p>\n

Paul took Ben\u2019s arm, pulling him to the other side of the room and motioning for Hoss and Joe to follow. \u201cAdam will be alright, Ben, with some rest. The bullet went pretty deep, and he lost a lot of blood, but it\u2019s out and he\u2019s sewn up. I want to keep him here at least overnight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe hasn\u2019t come to. I\u2019m sure she has a concussion. You just don\u2019t take that kind of beating to the head and not end up with one. She has a good many cuts and bruises all over her, and we\u2019ve cleaned those up. I still need to work on her hand, and there\u2019s one bruise on her abdomen I need to watch. I don\u2019t know how long, but she\u2019ll have to stay as well. Now, I want you and the boys to go get a room at the hotel, and then get a bite to eat. It won\u2019t do either of them any good if I have to bring you to the back and treat you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul, I want to stay here tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you might, Ben. There\u2019s a cot in my office you can use. I\u2019m sending Mrs. Murdock home in a few minutes. She\u2019ll come back tonight to spell me. Now, they\u2019re both resting. Go on and get something to eat. I\u2019ll send someone for you if anything changes.\u201d<\/p>\n

By that evening, Adam was awake and alert. At the moment, neither Paul nor Mrs. Murdock was in the room. He pushed himself up to a sitting position with his good arm, and sat for a few minutes, letting the fog clear from his mind. Looking around for his shirt, he realized they must have cut if off of him. His left shoulder was bandaged, and his arm was in a sling. He looked across the room at Shiloh. She was so still and pale. A blanket had been pulled all the way up to her chin, but her shoulders were bare and uncovered, and he could see the dark shadows of bruises even from across the room. Sliding slowly off the high bed until his feet touched the floor, he tentatively stood, not yet trusting his balance. He gradually made his way to her side, and gently touched the bruises on her face and the swelling around her eyes and mouth as a tear dropped onto her shoulder. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry. I promised you I wouldn\u2019t let him anywhere near you. Now look what he\u2019s done to you.\u201d He lifted the cover and caught his breath at the bruises all over her body, and then he saw the heavily bandaged hand. Wiping his face with the back of his hand, he pulled a chair to her bedside and sat next to her, watching her chest rise and fall with each shallow breath. \u201cWhy did I ever believe I could have a life with you when everyone else I\u2019ve ever really loved has left me? My mothers\u2026Ruth.\u201d Taking her right hand in his, he whispered, \u201cStay with me, Shiloh,\u201d then kissed her hand and lay his head on the side of the bed.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

A strong hand settled on Adam\u2019s shoulder, waking him. \u201cSon, you need to lie back down.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHm?\u201d he asked groggily.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to lie back down. Come on.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam felt an arm underneath his good arm, pulling him up from the chair. He didn\u2019t want to leave her side, but he had no strength left to fight and allowed his father to guide him back into his own bed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHere, drink this.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking the glass of water from his father, Adam drank it all, and passed the glass back. \u201cShe hasn\u2019t moved. And Paul hasn\u2019t been back to see her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the middle of the night,\u201d Ben said quietly. \u201cPaul said the less she was disturbed, the better off she\u2019d be.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBetter than what?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s worried about her hand and a bruise on her stomach, but she\u2019s not in any danger right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to her hand?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLie down, and I\u2019ll tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam let himself drop down onto the bed, and tucked his right arm under his head, closing his eyes. He was in pain, but it was tolerable.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben pulled the chair from Shiloh\u2019s bedside over to Adam\u2019s. \u201cStewart used a knife to pin her hand to the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam lifted his head too quickly and had to fight back a wave of nausea. His first thought was how she would feel if she could no longer play her piano or violin. He gritted his teeth and snarled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Adam, there\u2019s no point in letting it upset you like this. There was nothing anyone could have done to prevent it, and it\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI should never have left her alone. I knew he would come after her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t leave her alone. And no one would ever have thought that he\u2019d enter one of the shops here and take her. Paul did a little surgery on her hand, and said he thought with some exercise she may be able to regain her flexibility. He\u2019s sure she has a concussion, and that\u2019s why she hasn\u2019t woken up.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Closing his eyes and swallowing hard, Adam said resolutely, \u201cI\u2019m going to kill him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The room was completely silent for a moment. \u201cAdam, Will Stewart is dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An eyebrow arched. \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone shot him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know. By the time Joe got to her, he was already dead, and there was no one else around. His gun was still holstered, so it wasn\u2019t Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe man who\u2019s been following her; he must\u2019ve have seen Will take her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nodding, Ben said, \u201cPossibly, but unless Shiloh can tell us something, we may never know.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe quietly pushed the door open for Hoss, who was carrying a pot of soup and a bowl. He looked over at Shiloh, then back at Adam and said quietly, \u201cI knew it. I never saw a bullet that\u2019d keep you down for long, Older Brother. We brought you some soup.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Hoss, but I\u2019m not hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSon, you\u2019ll need your strength when she wakes up. After what Stewart did to her, she\u2019ll need you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam cut his eyes away and took a deep breath. \u201cWhat exactly did he do to her?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou know he nearly beat her to death. Aside from her hand\u2026well, her clothes were ripped to shreds. But that doesn\u2019t mean what you\u2019re thinking. He was fully dressed when Joe found him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss brought a bowl of soup over on a tray while Joe helped Adam prop up with a pillow behind him. \u201cNow, you eat every bit of that,\u201d said Hoss. Mrs. Riley felt so bad that Stewart took her from their store, she stayed up late fixin\u2019 that soup just for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mrs. Murdock silently entered the room, and stood with her hands on her hips and a disapproving look on her face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Mrs. Murdock, you can\u2019t be upset that he\u2019s eatin\u2019 some soup,\u201d said Hoss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHoss Cartwright, it\u2019s not the soup that bothers me. It\u2019s all the noise you three must be making. These two need to rest. Now as soon as he\u2019s finished his soup, you three can go up to your hotel rooms and get some sleep yourselves.\u201d When she turned and laid her hand on Shiloh\u2019s forehead, Shiloh moved her head back and forth, and a tear trickled down the side of her face. \u201cJoseph, would you run upstairs and knock on Dr. Martin\u2019s door? Tell him she\u2019s waking up.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe jumped up. \u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d he answered, disappearing out the door. Adam handed the bowl back to Hoss who put it down on the table at the foot of the bed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou two,\u201d she said, pointing to Hoss and Ben. \u201cOut, now.\u201d She pointed at Adam. \u201cYou get right back up in that bed. You\u2019ll just be in the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In another moment, Paul was in the room in his robe, leaning over Shiloh\u2019s bed. \u201cShiloh, it\u2019s Paul Martin. Can you hear me?\u201d She groaned and nodded slightly. \u201cYou\u2019re in my office, and you\u2019re safe. Now, I want you to lie still and answer some questions for me.\u201d By now, Adam had moved to the foot of her bed. \u201cDo you recognize me?\u201d She nodded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She licked her lips and grimaced without opening her eyes. \u201cAdam?\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s right here. Open your eyes. He\u2019s at the foot of the bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam. Shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Paul looked at Adam and nodded, Adam move to the side of the bed next to Paul and touched her hair. \u201cShiloh, I\u2019m right here. Open your eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her eyelids fluttered open and closed, then stayed open in two thin slits that instantly filled with tears. Her arms went up and found him as he bent down to her, holding her gently. \u201cPlease keep him away from me,\u201d she cried.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe can\u2019t hurt you anymore, Sweetheart. He\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, stand at the head of the bed so she can see you. I still need to examine her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving her arms from around him, Adam laid her left hand down at her side and held her right while standing behind her and leaning over so she could see him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, I\u2019m going to take a look at a bruise. Just lie still.\u201d Paul lifted the blanket and looked at the bruise on her abdomen. He ran his hand over it and pressed it gently, making Shiloh flinch. \u201cI know it\u2019s tender. Try to be still.\u201d Pulling the cover back over her, Paul turned to Mrs. Murdock. \u201cWould you prepare a hot cloth, and lay it over that bruise. As long as the area doesn\u2019t get hard and the bruising doesn\u2019t spread, I think it will be alright.\u201d He wrote something on a piece of paper and leaned over Shiloh\u2019s face, holding the paper up so she could see it. \u201cShiloh, can you read what\u2019s written on this paper?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Squinting, she said, \u201cShiloh Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGood. Now, tell me how many fingers I\u2019m holding up.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThree.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cExcellent.\u201d He raised her left hand up so she could see the bandage. \u201cShiloh, do you remember what happened to your hand.\u201d She squeezed her eyes shut and began to cry again, but she nodded. \u201cYou were lucky. The knife did some muscle damage, but it missed the tendons. You\u2019ll be stiff, and you\u2019ll have to do some exercises, but you should regain normal movement in your hand. Playing your piano or your violin would be wonderful exercise. Now, last question. How\u2019s the pain?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tears still dripped down the side of her face. \u201cI hurt,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cUnderstandable. I\u2019m going to give you something for the pain. It will also help you sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d she said in faint voice, looking up at him. \u201cDon\u2019t leave me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere, Sweetheart. I\u2019ll be right here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh stayed in Paul Martin\u2019s office for two more days before he agreed to let her move to a room in the hotel. Hoss carried her over, and once she and Adam were settled, Ben sent Joe and Hoss home to keep the ranches and lumber camps running while Adam recovered. When they got her into the bed, she mumbled because of the bruises and swelling of her face, \u201cPaul, why can\u2019t I just go home?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I don\u2019t want you to take that ride just yet, and I want you close so I can check on you. You could still have some ill effects from this.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss had come back to town the first day with a change of clothes for Adam and Shiloh\u2019s gown and robe. Mrs. Lewis brought some skirts and blouses for Shiloh and left them in the closet of the bedroom of the suite that she and Adam were sharing with Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She had her first nightmare the first night in the hotel room. Adam had undressed and slipped underneath the covers beside her. He slept close, but didn\u2019t hold her, afraid that he\u2019d hurt her. She had fallen into a fitful sleep, and just as he was dozing off, she pushed hard on his chest and started crying, \u201cLet me go!\u201d When she began to hit him, he held up his right arm to block her blows. \u201cLet me go!\u201d<\/p>\n

Slipping his arm out of the sling, he grabbed her wrists and shook her gently. \u201cShiloh! Wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease don\u2019t do this to me,\u201d she cried as she continued to fight him, trying to pull her hands away.<\/p>\n

He sat up and pulled her up with him, shaking her. \u201cShiloh, wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her fingers dug into his arms, and when she opened her eyes, he saw absolute terror there. Taking her face in his hands, he tried to calm her. \u201cIt\u2019s alright, Sweetheart. It\u2019s me. Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

She slumped, shaking, trying to stifle her need to cry. \u201cAdam, I\u2026I couldn\u2019t\u2026stop him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Holding her to him in a tight embrace, he lay back down with her. \u201cI know, Sweetheart. But it\u2019s over now. It was just a bad dream.\u201d She held on to him, trembling and eventually fell back to sleep. Adam dozed off and on, waking every time she moved. He wondered how long the nightmares would last.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

Adam came out of the bedroom, quietly pulling the door to, and walked to the table in the center of the sitting room where breakfast was waiting for him. He sat down and yawned.<\/p>\n

\u201cBad night?\u201d asked Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could say that. She had a nightmare. If last night was any indication, she must have fought him pretty hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul said Stewart had some bruises and cuts on his face. He said his lip was split pretty badly. He also said she managed to land to pretty hard blow to his temple. The bullet hit right in the center of his head. Whoever pulled that trigger was an excellent shot.\u201d He studied Adam who was deep in thought. \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm?\u201d He snorted. \u201cSorry, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any idea who this other man might be?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was going to ask Shiloh when she came to, but Paul wanted me to wait. I\u2019ll ask her today when she wakes up. But Pa, she might not have seen him. Joe said by the time he got there, she was out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, your lip.\u201d Adam glanced up with a questioning look. \u201cYou\u2019ve got some blood in the corner of your mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Touching his mouth, he said, \u201cShe hit me. As a matter of fact, I need to have Paul take a look at my shoulder. I had to use my arm last night to stop her from beating the stew out of me. He needs to look at her hand, too. She was using both.\u201d Rising from the chair, he said, \u201cI\u2019ll be right back. I\u2019m going to wash my face.\u201d When he opened the bedroom door, Shiloh was standing at the window, looking out. \u201cShiloh, you should be in the bed.\u201d She jumped when he spoke and spun quickly around. \u201cWhat are you looking at?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing. I just heard a commotion and got up to look.\u201d She turned back toward the bed, and he glanced out the window in the direction she had been looking. When he leaned closer to the window, he saw a man step back into the shadows of the alley across the street. He dipped the corner of a towel into the wash basin and wiped his mouth, then left the room. Grabbing his gun, he shoved the barrel into the front of his trousers and headed for the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, where are you going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be back in a minute, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh got back out of bed and stood at the window. She watched Adam walk across the street and into the alley. When he came back out, he looked up at their hotel room window. She backed away, but too late. He had seen her. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and went back to bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, what was that about?\u201d asked Ben when Adam entered the room.<\/p>\n

With a determined looked on his face, he kept walking toward the bedroom when he answered, \u201cI don\u2019t know Pa, but I\u2019m about to find out.\u201d He shoved his gun back in its holster, and went into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He stood at the foot of the bed, looking intently at her for a moment before he walked over and sat down beside her. \u201cShiloh, do you know who shot Will Stewart?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThink about it for a minute. You must have seen someone in that clearing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did, but\u2026everything was blurry. I couldn\u2019t see him clearly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have an idea what he looked like? The color of his hair; how tall he was?\u201d<\/p>\n

She spoke slowly. Her face still hurt. \u201cI think he had dark hair and a beard and mustache. He must\u2019ve still been there when I passed out. I don\u2019t remember him leaving.\u201d<\/p>\n

He narrowed his eyes. \u201cShiloh, did you just see him in the alley?\u201d<\/p>\n

She sighed. \u201cAdam, I saw a movement. That\u2019s all. I can\u2019t tell you who shot Will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t or won\u2019t?\u201d he barked as he stood. She gave him a very tired look and turned away. He knew she wasn\u2019t telling him something. Maybe she was afraid; maybe she was just too tired. He\u2019d ask again later. \u201cI\u2019ll bring you some breakfast. Paul said to make sure you eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

He had left her alone this morning, and now she was alone again. She had time to think everything through. The thoughts that pushed through to the surface were flashes of Will\u2019s attack, the knife cutting through her corset and into her skin, his hands\u2026everywhere, and the knife going into her hand. She brought her hand up and held it at her breast as tears escaped her eyes. You don\u2019t have time to think about Will. He\u2019s dead. But Micah. Adam said that Paul pronounced him dead and that Daddy was with him. That means Paul Martin has known all along that Micah is alive. She could feel rage welling up within her.<\/p>\n

Adam entered the room followed by Paul. \u201cShiloh, I understand you had a rough night,\u201d said Paul. Shiloh lay still without turning to look. \u201cAdam thinks I should look at your hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

He reached down for it, and she pulled it to her. \u201cMy hand is fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Setting the breakfast tray down on the table next to the window, Adam stood by the bed with his hand on his hip. \u201cLet Paul see your hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

She slowly held it out, and Paul began to unwrap it. \u201cAdam tells me you\u2019re not sleeping well. I want you to take a dose of laudanum at night before you lie down. It will help you sleep without the nightmares.\u201d He turned her hand over. \u201cThe stitches are still in good shape. I\u2019ll add some extra padding this time.\u201d When he finished rebandaging her hand, he asked to see her stomach. Adam looked at her sideways as she grudgingly rolled to her back. \u201cThis is looking better. The edges are starting to change color which means there\u2019s no more bleeding. It should fade away nicely. Now, you, young man. Let me see that shoulder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Slipping his arm out of the sling, Adam unbuttoned his shirt, letting the left side fall below his shoulder. \u201cIt seems you\u2019re no worse for wear either.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh had turned away. \u201cWhen can I go home?\u201d she asked without looking back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I\u2019m satisfied that you\u2019re getting adequate rest and food, I\u2019ll let Adam take you home. But you\u2019re going to have to do a lot better with your meals before that happens. Adam, one spoonful ought to do the trick,\u201d said Paul as he handed Adam a bottle of laudanum out of his medical bag.<\/p>\n

Adam pulled his shirt back over his shoulder and walked Paul out, then turned back into the suite. \u201cPa, why don\u2019t you go on back to the ranch? We\u2019re both getting around alright now. Paul just wants us to rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see. I still have to finish up this cattle business. Did you have a chance to look at the letter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks alright to me. It should be an easy drive, and it\u2019s about the time Shiloh and I need to be in Salt Lake anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright. I\u2019ll go ahead and answer the letter, and then I\u2019ll decide whether to go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Ben left the room, Adam went back into the bedroom. \u201cYou heard what Paul said. Sit up so you can eat your breakfast,\u201d he said as he helped her up and fluffed the pillows behind her. He placed the tray on her lap.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you won\u2019t get to go home until you manage to eat more than you\u2019ve been eating.\u201d She scowled and picked up the fork. \u201cNow, you want to tell what that business was with Paul?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what you mean,\u201d she said impassively without looking up at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul Martin has been our friend for a long time. Why were you so short with him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry you felt that way, Adam.\u201d She set the fork down on the plate. \u201cI just want to go home. Do you realize the people here walk down the street and look up at this window as they pass? And can you just imagine what will be in the newspaper when this gets out. I can see it now. Love triangle ends in death. Will Stewart loses.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pulled a chair next to the bed and sat on the edge of the seat. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you lay down for a nap after you finish eating? You didn\u2019t get much sleep last night. You\u2019ll feel better after you get some rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to sleep. I need to\u2026think.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you don\u2019t. You need to stop thinking and rest,\u201d he said as he rose from the chair. \u201cI\u2019ll get you a glass of milk to wash that down.\u201d He left the room and poured a glass of milk from the pitcher on the table in the sitting room. Leaning back to look in the bedroom to make sure she wasn\u2019t watching, he opened the bottle of laudanum and put two spoonfuls in the milk, stirring it. He\u2019d had enough experience with laudanum on his own to know that one spoonful would make her drowsy; two would make her sleep. \u201cHere you go, Sweetheart. If you can\u2019t finish your food, at least drink the milk.\u201d She left the half eaten food, and sat back to drink.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, what will this do to our schedule? We were supposed to be in San Francisco in two weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe timber we were delivering was early, so that won\u2019t matter. I\u2019ll have to send Robert a wire to tell him we need to postpone the inspection of the courthouse foundation for a week. I don\u2019t think that will matter. They\u2019re not scheduled to finish it for another month.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill we lose the teamsters?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTeamsters are constantly moving lumber from the south side of the lake. I\u2019m sure we can find someone else.\u201d He leaned forward and took the tray as she turned the glass up for the last few drops of milk. \u201cSweetheart, don\u2019t worry about the work. You need to concentrate on getting better.\u201d She smiled and looked toward the window, finding it difficult to keep her eyes open. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you lie down?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, she slowly moved down in the bed while he moved the pillows. Just before she fell asleep, she whispered, \u201cYou put laudanum in my milk, didn\u2019t you?\u201d Before he could answer, she had drifted off to sleep.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

After another four days of bed rest, Dr. Martin allowed Adam to take Shiloh home with strict orders for more bed rest. The swelling around her eyes had subsided, but the bruises were still dark blue and purple with red dots around them. She was sore everywhere and still limped from the ankle she sprained while jumping from the moving buggy.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s arm was not healed enough to participate in any strenuous work, but he did manage it. He had received a wire from Crocker telling him to stop cutting after the second contract for railroad ties was completed until further notice. With the help of Sam Clemens, Adam found there was a power struggle within the railroad company ranks between Theodore Judah and the men who had become known as the Big Four. Their debate dealt with funding; whether to wait for the issue of government bonds or continue laying track on the personal credit of the investors. Still, the loggers Ben had hired were kept busy cutting and milling the square sets for the four mines with whom the Cartwrights were under contract.<\/p>\n

To Adam\u2019s vexation, Shiloh had begun to hobble out to the corrals near the house. She wasn\u2019t yet able to work with her horses, but she did direct Hoss who was also helping to train Tom. The men had moved her piano into the house under Adam\u2019s intense scrutiny, and the same afternoon, they reinstalled the window in the parlor.<\/p>\n

When Shiloh wasn\u2019t busy, she was withdrawn. She had tried to play her piano, but her hand wasn\u2019t yet healed enough to completely straighten or bend her fingers. Her nightmares continued, though the thrashing that Adam had been taking had ended. Instead she woke up in cold sweats with an occasional spine-chilling scream.<\/p>\n

Most nights she sat in the parlor, staring off into space for awhile before she quietly went up to bed without even saying goodnight. Tonight was different. When Adam went to check on her in the parlor, she wasn\u2019t there. He usually saw her on her way to the stairs, but knew he could have missed her while he was poring over drawings for his Salt Lake project for Slater. Climbing the stairs, he slowly opened the bedroom door. She wasn\u2019t there. He trotted back down the stairs and went into the kitchen. She wasn\u2019t there. \u201cShiloh!\u201d Standing in the middle of the house, he spun around when he heard the front door open. \u201cShiloh, where have you been?\u201d<\/p>\n

She limped into the door, closing it behind her, and answered quietly. \u201cI went out for some fresh air.\u201d Tottering by him, she walked into the parlor and sat on the sofa with her knees drawn up against her chest and her head lying on top of them. Micah had been outside. Now she had a chill that she couldn\u2019t shake. The one question she had asked was all he had time to explain. Why? He told her about the gunfight with the youngest Horton; a gunfight he had won; a gunfight over a girl. The oldest Horton had come for him next the night he and Adam had gone to town, only this time, he didn\u2019t win. There were nine Horton brothers who would keep coming and coming until they did kill him. If he had run, they would have come after his father and little sister. The Hortons had a well-known reputation in the early days of the mining camp that became Virginia City. Paul Martin was new to the territory, but he, like everyone else in the settlement knew just how bad the Hortons could be, so he went along with Micah\u2019s plan to disappear. When her father came into the camp, he saw the wisdom of it. After that Amos stopped living for anything but his horses, and he took that secret to his grave.<\/p>\n

Adam stood in the doorway of the parlor for a few minutes before he moved to sit on the hearth, watching her. She hadn\u2019t moved, except for an occasional deep breath. She had no idea what to do. She knew that Adam believed she recognized Will Stewart\u2019s killer.<\/p>\n

Both he and Micah wanted to protect her. If she told Adam about Micah, she would be putting Micah\u2019s life in jeopardy. If she didn\u2019t tell Adam, Micah would be safe, but the secret could irreparably damage her marriage.<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t hear Adam walk over to the sofa. When he sat beside her she tensed, feeling his eyes on her. \u201cShiloh, you need to tell me what you\u2019re hiding before it eats you alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Without raising her head, she replied, \u201cI can\u2019t tell you. You wouldn\u2019t believe me anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Every muscle in his body tightened. \u201cAre you saying you don\u2019t trust me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI trust you with my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen let me help.\u201d<\/p>\n

She raised her head. \u201cI\u2019m sure you could help, Adam. I\u2019m just afraid of how your principles will allow you to help. And I\u2019m afraid that\u2026you\u2019ll feel betrayed.\u201d She turned to him. His mouth opened slightly, and he crooked his jaw. Shaking her head, she whispered. \u201cNot by me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, if this man is in trouble, running or hiding isn\u2019t going to fix it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not running. He\u2019s trying to protect me\u2026.us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam bit the inside of his cheek and furrowed his brow. He stood and pulled her up off the sofa. \u201cShiloh, it\u2019s my job to protect us.\u201d She tried to turn away, but he held her so that he could see her eyes. \u201cYou know who he is. Tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t betray him,\u201d she cried.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you can betray me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow am I betraying you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re my wife. We\u2019re not supposed to have secrets.\u201d She struggled to free herself from his grip, but he held on until she stopped fighting. Her eyes turned hopeless as they filled with tears. \u201cShiloh, trust me,\u201d he said, tenderly pulling her into him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was Micah,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

He glared at her for a moment before he released her, and then walked to the hearth, staring at the empty fire box. Spinning back around on his heel, he asked angrily, \u201cHow do you expect me to believe that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her heart sank. \u201cAdam, I told you you wouldn\u2019t believe me. I spoke to him tonight. He\u2019s here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah had been listening outside the window. Now, he opened the front door. Adam stopped and looked toward the French doors of the parlor, listening while Shiloh held her breath. They heard slow steps on the wood floor coming closer until Micah stood at the door. Adam was looking into the face of his best friend, his wife\u2019s brother, a man he knew to be long dead.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

\u201cI like what you\u2019ve done with the parlor. I\u2019m glad you were here when the tree fell,\u201d said Micah.<\/p>\n

Adam walked slowly forward, stopping right in front of Micah. He began to turn away, but quickly turned back, swinging, landing a blow that sent Micah to the floor. Shiloh backed up with her hand covering her mouth.<\/p>\n

Micah propped up on an elbow and rubbed his chin. \u201cWhat was that for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was for what you did to your sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess I deserved that,\u201d said Micah, getting to his feet.<\/p>\n

Adam turned toward Shiloh. \u201cHow long have you been watching her?\u201d Before Micah could answer, Adam swung again. This time Micah lay still, looking back up. \u201cThat was for what you did to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

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

Again, Micah got to his feet. \u201cI\u2019ve been watching her since she left for New York. While she was with Dad, I didn\u2019t worry. He knew who to look out for. But when she met Will Stewart I knew she was in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s arm was out of the sling and on his hip. \u201cYou did this because of the Hortons?\u201d he shouted.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know as well as I do that they would\u2019ve kept coming after me for killing their little brother, and there was a good chance they\u2019d go after Dad or Shiloh. I had to protect them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh backed up against the wall, listening to the two men yell at each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause you would have exposed me. Just like you want to do now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking down, Adam took a deep, calming breath. \u201cMicah, it was a fair fight. You had no reason to run.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you,\u201d said Micah just as calmly. \u201cI had to protect Dad and Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked toward Shiloh as he spoke. \u201cWhy are you hiding now? We can take care of the Hortons.\u201d When he reached her he held her face in his hands, and then cradled her in his arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not the Hortons I\u2019m worried about now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what?\u201d Adam asked angrily.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I had to earn a living. I do that with my gun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned back around and took a step forward. \u201cYou\u2019re a gun fighter?\u201d he asked unconvinced. \u201cI would have heard something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou probably have. You just didn\u2019t know it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cMort Williams.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam seethed. \u201cYou\u2019re Mort Williams\u2026the range detective.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t very well be Micah Whitney. The Hortons would have come after me or they would have come after Shiloh if they knew I was alive. And Mort Williams would have brought some pretty bad men right to Shiloh\u2019s door if anyone knew.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh stepped between them. \u201cWhat about now?\u201d she asked. \u201cShave the beard and the mustache. Let Mort Williams disappear and be Micah Whitney again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaking his head, Micah said, \u201cShy, that would raise too many questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stepped behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders. \u201cOnly from the Hortons. No one has to know about Mort Williams.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning into Micah, Shiloh looked up into his eyes. \u201cMicah, it\u2019s time for you to come home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome home to what?\u201d he asked, touching her face. \u201cThis place is yours and Adam\u2019s now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDaddy always meant for it to be yours. You must know Adam is building a house for us on the Ponderosa. You can live here, Micah. You can settle down and raise a family here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah, there\u2019s something else you need to consider.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat you\u2019ve done to your sister. How do you think she felt losing you after she lost her mother; and then losing her father? She\u2019s always felt she had no family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe got over it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t, Micah,\u201d Shiloh said quietly. \u201cAdam is right. There\u2019s always been a huge hole in my heart that even he can\u2019t fill.\u201d Her eyes filled with tears as her chin quivered. \u201cI need you to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked behind Micah while Shiloh was speaking and slipped his gun of his holster. \u201cI\u2019m not going to let you leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you going to do when the Hortons show up?\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men turned when they heard Ben Cartwright\u2019s voice in the entry way. \u201cThey\u2019ll have to come through all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking his hands in hers, and with tears streaming down her face, she pleaded, \u201cPlease, Micah. Don\u2019t leave me again.\u201d<\/p>\n

He enveloped her in his arms, nodded at Adam, and whispered in her ear, \u201cNo more hiding.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Shiloh heard those words, she gave in to emotional fatigue from the last few weeks and physical exhaustion from her injuries. Micah held her up until Adam took her, carrying her up to the bedroom.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, I want to you rest for awhile,\u201d said Adam as he laid her on the bed. She didn\u2019t let go, keeping her arms wrapped tightly around him and sobbing onto his neck. Adam sat down, holding her and letting her cry. After a few moments, he pulled her arms from around his neck and lowered her to her pillow. \u201cGet some rest. We\u2019ll talk tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease don\u2019t let him leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll stay for you.\u201d Bending down to her and kissing her softly, he wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her again before he blew out the lamp and quietly left the room, pulling the door closed behind him.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ben watched Adam carry Shiloh up the stairs before he approached Micah wearing a mildly shocked look, but extending his hand. Micah shook his hand warmly, and the two men hugged. Ben remembered him as a young man. He had grown into a man\u2019s body, and his face had become a man\u2019s face, but he had the same dark hair, blue eyes and bright smile that he inherited from his mother and shared with his sister.<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah, I don\u2019t know what to say. We all thought\u2026we all knew you were dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much did you hear, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard all of it. Amos knew the whole time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYessir,\u201d said Micah, casting his eyes to the floor. \u201cI know I hurt everyone,\u201d he started, looking back toward the stairs. \u201cEspecially Shy, but at the time, it seemed the only thing to do to keep her safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked slowly down the stairs, heading toward the kitchen. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you two have a seat in the parlor while I put a pot of coffee on? I have a feeling it\u2019s going to be a long night.\u201d When he entered the kitchen, Ming Lin was already preparing the tray. Adam smiled and shook his head, then went back to the parlor.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is she?\u201d asked Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. She\u2019s been through a lot in the last two weeks. Besides that, our marriage has been a big change for her.\u201d Adam bent his head and rubbed the back of his neck while Ming Lin brought in the coffee and served everyone, then retreated to the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, how do you plan to protect her from the Hortons when they find out I\u2019m alive?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam snorted. \u201cYou\u2019ve been so busy watching Shiloh that you haven\u2019t been paying attention. There are only three Hortons left; Raymond, James and Earl. And the only one of those who causes any problems these days is Raymond.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least he left Dad and Shiloh alone after he shot me.\u201d Ben and Adam glanced at each other, and Micah caught the look. \u201cDid something happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shifted in his chair. \u201cOne of the reasons Adam spoke to your father about sending Shiloh to school back East was because Ray had made some threats.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat kind of threats?\u201d asked Micah, sitting on the edge of his chair.<\/p>\n

Creasing his eyebrows, Adam explained, \u201cHe said he was going to take her when she was old enough; that it would serve you right for killing his brother if he ended up with her. Then he\u2019d take it out on her.\u201d When Micah tensed, Adam shook his head. \u201cMicah, that was eight or nine years ago. He hasn\u2019t caused any trouble since she\u2019s been back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know that\u2019s liable to change.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if it does, we\u2019ll take care of it,\u201d said Ben. \u201cNow, I\u2019d like to know why you followed her to New York.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was still a kid when you sent her back there, Adam. I didn\u2019t think she had any business going to New York on her own. But she did alright\u2026until she met Stewart. I knew from the beginning he was trouble. He already had a reputation for being rough with the ladies. Then after Shiloh came home, I worked for awhile until I found out he was going to San Francisco. So I came back and watched her.\u201d He cut his eyes over at Adam with an amused smile. \u201cI watched her with you, too. I should probably apologize for that, but considering how it turned out, I don\u2019t think I will.\u201d Adam smirked.<\/p>\n

Ben took a deep breath. \u201cMicah, you know we have to talk to Roy. He\u2019s still looking for Stewart\u2019s killer.\u201d Micah started to speak, and Ben raised his hand. \u201cLet me finish. There\u2019s no doubt in anyone\u2019s mind that\u2026this stranger\u2026saved Shiloh\u2019s life. That won\u2019t be a problem. But there\u2019s the question of Mort Williams. You\u2019re going to have to answer to the law, if you broke it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, I\u2019m not wanted anywhere if that\u2019s what you mean. Everything I did was legal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNormally, I wouldn\u2019t believe one word out of the mouth of a range detective, but I\u2019m going to take you at your word, Micah.\u201d He looked over at Adam, then back to Micah. \u201cIt\u2019s agreed then. There will be no more mention of Mort Williams.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve come forward at a good time,\u201d said Adam, smiling. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot of work to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore we talk about that, we need to talk about the man who shot you.\u201d Both Adam and Ben straightened. \u201cHe\u2019s fairly new, and I have no idea where he came from. He rode into town a couple of days after Stewart, and for awhile just sat in front of the Sazerac and watched you every time you came into town. He asked questions, so I don\u2019t think he knew what you looked like before he got here, but after he got some answers, he started following you. The day you and Shiloh heard gunshots on the way back to the ranch\u2026Stewart was there. This other fella was there, and he was ready to shoot then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou fired those shots as a warning,\u201d said Adam, cocking his head.<\/p>\n

Micah nodded. \u201cThe day you were shot, after I took care of Stewart, I tried to track him, but by that time he was long gone. He\u2019s still around. You need to watch your back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben grunted and stood. \u201cIt\u2019s late. I should be getting back to the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did you come by?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I wanted to find out when you thought you\u2019d be ready to haul the dock timber and the railroad ties to Sacramento. I\u2019m going to be in town tomorrow, and there\u2019s another group of teamsters coming through who\u2019ll be looking for something to haul.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stood, and taking a deep breath, he scratched his head. \u201cI was hoping to take care of Shiloh\u2019s horses and my trip to San Francisco at the same time we hauled the timber to Sacramento. But we can\u2019t wait any later than next week. The timber will be due, and I need to inspect the courthouse foundation. I don\u2019t know if Shiloh will be ready to make that kind of a trip. If she\u2019s not, we\u2019ll have to go without her. We can make another trip for the horses when she\u2019s able.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright then. I\u2019ll see if they\u2019ll wait for the load.\u201d Micah and Adam walked him to the front door. \u201cNow Micah, you remember. Anything you need, all you have to do is ask. You\u2019re as much a member of the family as Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah took Ben\u2019s hand. \u201cI\u2019ll remember, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cNight, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the two men walked back into the parlor, the mantel clock struck eleven thirty. \u201cWhere\u2019s your horse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s in the barn,\u201d snorted Micah. Adam gave him an incredulous look. \u201cMy horse has been in your barn almost every night since Stewart got into town. I\u2019ve been watching you from the top of the hill, and after everyone turned in, I came down and slept in the hayloft.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s nostrils flared. \u201cYou find that amusing?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laughing, Micah answered as they walked to the barn together, \u201cFor a man who\u2019s so intent on protecting his wife, you aren\u2019t real observant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, when Shiloh was with me in our bedroom, I had no reason to worry about her,\u201d said Adam, wearing a half-smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, that\u2019s my little sister you\u2019re talking about. I don\u2019t find that amusing at all. You and I are gonna talk about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cYou and my little sister\u2026my young little sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chuckling, Adam put a hand on Micah\u2019s shoulder. \u201cTomorrow. It\u2019s late, and we have a long day ahead of us. Now get your things. You\u2019re room is right where you left it,\u201d said Adam, turning back toward the house.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

Quietly opening the bedroom door, Adam hesitated for a moment when he saw Shiloh sitting in front of her dressing table mirror naked. He stepped in and softly closed the door. She gave no indication that she heard him. Rather she continued to stare at herself in the mirror.<\/p>\n

Adam moved to the bed and sat down, removing his boots. \u201cYour bruises are starting to fade.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ones you can see, I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n

He could see the wetness on her face shining in the light of the lamp next to her. \u201cShiloh, he can never hurt you again\u2026thanks to Micah. And if Micah hadn\u2019t killed him, I would have for doing what he did to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, did you know he was going to kill me?\u201d<\/p>\n

His head shot up. \u201cSweetheart, I realize he brutally beat you, but you were his obsession. Why would he want to kill you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI made him angry. I hit him on the side of the head with a rock. He was going to hit me with it when Micah shot him. I think he realized I wasn’t going to be easily controlled and decided I would be too much trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing behind her, Adam looked at her reflection in the mirror; really looked at her for the first time since he\u2019d seen her in Dr. Martin\u2019s office. Aside from the bruises all over her, he found what looked like a bite mark on the top of her shoulder. With his eyes, he traced a cut from the center of her breasts down to just above her navel. And there was a bruise that looked vaguely like a hand print on her right breast. He pulled her chair around and knelt in front of her. Aside from the large bruise on her abdomen, there were bruises on her thighs. Closing his eyes, he realized Stewart had done more than beat her.<\/p>\n

New tears rolled down her cheek. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry. I tried to stop him.\u201d<\/p>\n

His mouth opened and his brow furrowed. \u201cShiloh, you\u2019ve done nothing to apologize for. This wasn\u2019t you\u2019re fault.\u201d Pulling her forward into his arms, he stood up with her, holding her tightly. \u201cIf anyone is to blame here besides Will, it\u2019s me. I never should have left you alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wouldn\u2019t have mattered. He would have killed you. He tried.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill had nothing to do with that shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking up at him, she asked, \u201cThen who shot you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tightening his lips, he shook his head almost imperceptibly. \u201cIt\u2019s not important right now, Sweetheart. I need to find a way to help you through this. Tell me how I can help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She gently pushed away from him and walked around the bed. \u201cI don\u2019t know that there\u2019s anything you can do. I just need time. I need things\u2026\u201d Her nose wrinkled as the tears started again. \u201cI just need things to be\u2026easier\u2026between us.\u201d Pulling back the bed covers, she slipped underneath and curled into a ball, facing away from him. He finished undressing, blew the lamp out and slid in beside her, drawing her into him and holding her until she fell asleep.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Waking with a jerk when she saw the rock Will was holding above her come rushing down into her face, she rolled to her back, glistening with sweat in the moonlight shining through the bedroom windows. Chilled to the bone, she pulled the cover up over her. She stared up at the ceiling, toying with the idea of getting up since she was wide awake. Why bother? She wouldn\u2019t be able to concentrate on any of her desk work. She looked back at Adam. A touch is all it would take for him to reach for her and pull her into the warmth of his body, and at the moment, she was shivering. Turning to her side, she lightly placed a hand on his chest. He took a slow, deep breath, moving his hand to hers, and then rolling toward her, he reached until he found her and drew her into him, surrounding her in his arms as he nuzzled her cheek, kissed her jaw, and settled back into a comfortable sleep. She lay still and quiet, listening to him breathe deep and long and letting his warmth flow into her.<\/p>\n

She knew she was lucky to have someone like Adam, someone who never faltered with responsibilities or obligations; someone who defended those he loved; someone who loved fiercely, devotedly, completely. Was she selfish in wanting to continue as she had before their marriage, or should she quit trying to hold on to her independence? Would that be giving in or giving up? She could learn to cook. She could clean. But then, she wouldn\u2019t be the same person he chose to marry. The truth was she didn\u2019t exactly know what he wanted. She no longer knew what she wanted either. Then she wondered when she had gotten so good at circular thinking.<\/p>\n

He and Micah would be going into town tomorrow to speak with Sheriff Coffee. She was sure he would want her to see Dr. Martin, but she had no desire to see him. He had been lying all these years when he knew she had been hurting all that time for losing Micah. And her father\u2026would she ever be able to think of her father the same way? Then there was Micah. She was so happy that he was finally home. But he could have told her instead of letting her think he was dead. He could have explained it all. She loved him without a doubt, but she was angry with him, too. She pressed into Adam\u2019s body as tears started again, and she felt his arms tighten around her.<\/p>\n

Feeling the tickle of a teardrop slowly making its way through his chest hair, he opened his eyes and watched her. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you take the laudanum, Sweetheart? It will help you sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill lives in my sleep,\u201d she whispered. \u201cEven with the laudanum.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Adam rolled over on her, he didn\u2019t expect to be pushed away. Jumping out of bed, she grabbed her robe and headed out the bedroom door. She stopped on the front porch, and trembling, she wrapped her arms around a post, squeezing her eyes shut. She flinched when Adam touched her arms. \u201cHow can you look at me?\u201d she cried. \u201cHow could you want me after he touched me that way?\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving his hands up to her shoulders, he leaned in and whispered in her ear. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what he did. I love you. I want you. That will never change.\u201d When she turned, he pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head as she sobbed. He had expected this much sooner. Breathing a sigh of relief, he was glad she was getting it out. Maybe now, she could move beyond it and start living again.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

As Ming Lin placed the breakfast dishes on the table, he kept glancing over at Micah with a wary look. \u201cMing Lin, this is Micah Whitney, Mrs. Cartwright\u2019s brother. He\u2019ll be living here now,\u201d said Adam. Ming Lin nodded and turned back toward the kitchen, but before he left the room, he looked back one more time, this time with a look more of surprise. When Adam caught his eye, he hurried on. \u201cWe need to tell Joe and Hoss\u2026and Hop Sing\u2026before they find out in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh sipped her coffee. \u201cToday is Hop Sing and Ming Lin\u2019s day in town. You need to ride over to the Ponderosa and tell everyone before you leave for town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going with us,\u201d said Adam, chewing his eggs.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not. I have\u2026things\u2026to do,\u201d she said without looking up at him.<\/p>\n

Adam stopped eating and watched her, hoping this wasn\u2019t going to turn into a fight. \u201cDr. Martin will want to look at your hand, and I want to ask him if a trip to San Francisco will be alright. You need to go with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

She pushed her eggs around, finally scooping them up on her fork, and before she put them in her mouth, she said, \u201cI\u2019m not going to see Dr. Martin again. I\u2019ll see Dr. Kay.\u201d Dropping her fork, she wiped her mouth on her napkin, picked up her coffee cup and limped out of the dining room.<\/p>\n

Adam stood to follow her, but Micah stopped him. \u201cI know what\u2019s going on. I\u2019ll talk to her.\u201d He found her in the study, pulling her horse records out of the drawer. Stopping at the door, he leaned against the door frame. \u201cYou can\u2019t blame him. He was sworn to secrecy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe knew how much I was hurting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he did. But he also knew that by telling you, he would be putting your life at risk.\u201d She continued to write in her books. \u201cShiloh, if you\u2019re going to be angry with Paul, you have to be equally as angry at Dad.\u201d<\/p>\n

She slammed her pencil down on the desk, clasped her hands in front of her and propped her chin on them. \u201cMicah, did you ever think for one minute that telling me wasn\u2019t the same thing as telling the world. I could have kept that secret. At least I would have known you weren\u2019t dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, Shy. There would have been so many things that could have gone wrong if we had told you.\u201d By this time, Adam was standing just outside the door, leaning on the other side.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike what?\u201d she asked, glaring up at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, you were only nine when it happened\u2026too young to understand. And what would you have done when you found out Dad was dying?\u201d She opened her mouth to speak, but he continued. \u201cYou would have made an attempt to contact me. Dad and I had already agreed there would be no contact.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam entered the study and sat on the side of the desk. \u201cSweetheart, what is the point of being angry now? What\u2019s done is done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat might be easy for you, Adam, but I can\u2019t just turn off my emotions,\u201d she snapped.<\/p>\n

Grimacing, he scratched behind his ear. \u201cI don\u2019t expect you not to feel what you feel, but I do expect you to use that educated brain of yours and reason that it will do you no good.\u201d Folding her hands on the desk, she turned away wearing a sad look. Adam reached over and took her good hand. \u201cLet\u2019s go back to the table and finish breakfast, then we\u2019ll all ride over to the Ponderosa and talk to them. Pa may have already told them.\u201d As he was speaking, he rose from the desk and stood beside her chair, pushing it away from the desk and pulling her up. \u201cThen we\u2019ll all go into town and talk to Roy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy can\u2019t I stay at home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I don\u2019t want you alone here when the whole town finds out that Micah is alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her brow furrowed. \u201cWhy? Will is dead. My shadow has revealed himself. There\u2019s no reason I can\u2019t be alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

He winced and closed his eyes, then opened one, looking at Micah who stepped forward. \u201cShy, when the town founds out I\u2019m alive, the Hortons will also find out.\u201d<\/p>\n

She withered and closed her eyes. \u201cYou have no idea if the Hortons will do anything. There aren\u2019t that many of them left. They\u2019d be fools to go up against you here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat may be true for a normal person, but Ray Horton is not normal.\u201d Micah turned to leave the study. \u201cHe\u2019s just plain mean.\u201d Adam raised his eyebrows and smirked as he motioned for Shiloh to follow Micah.<\/p>\n

When they were all seated at the table again, Shiloh made no motion to eat. Micah and Adam glared at her. She sighed deeply. \u201cWith the two of you here, I feel like I\u2019m eight years old again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat reminds me,\u201d said Micah, waving his fork at Adam. \u201cYou told me what you were going to do when she turned sixteen to get me to fight, but you always said afterward you were just kidding.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged and continued to eat. \u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re upset about. I waited until she was twenty-three.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh\u2019s jaw dropped. She hid her face with her hand on her forehead as she ate while the two men chuckled.<\/p>\n

When the three arrived at the Ponderosa, Hoss and Joe were walking out of the house. Both stopped and gaped at the third person to ride up. Shiloh and Adam looked at each other. \u201cHe didn\u2019t tell them,\u201d said Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Raising his eyebrows, Adam said, \u201cI guess not. Wait. I\u2019ll help you down.\u201d Shiloh\u2019s left hand was still bandaged and fairly useless, especially for holding the horn of her saddle. Besides that, she was still limping from the badly sprained ankle and had no intention of stepping down out of the saddle without help to soften the landing. Bringing her leg over and sliding down into Adam\u2019s waiting hands, he held her for just a moment right above the ground and kissed her before he gently set her down. Then he turned to his brothers. \u201cHoss, Joe, I\u2019d like you to meet Shiloh\u2019s big brother, Micah.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s surprised look became a slow smile as he stepped forward with his hand extended. \u201cThis story is gonna be a good one. I can tell already.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss,\u201d said Micah, taking Hoss\u2019s hand and wrapping the other arm around his shoulder. \u201cI don\u2019t suppose you refer to Adam as your big brother anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNaw, he\u2019s old brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stood back with his arms crossed, looking from Micah to Shiloh and back to Micah. \u201cI don\u2019t suppose you know what you did to your sister. I was too young to really remember you, but I remember what Shiloh went through for years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking Shiloh\u2019s arm and moving toward the house, Adam stopped next to Joe. \u201cYou\u2019re a little late, Joe. We\u2019ve already done that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh moved away from Adam and wrapped her arm around Joe\u2019s. Bowing her head, she said, \u201cIf it makes you feel any better, Adam knocked him to the floor\u2026twice.\u201d She cut her eyes up toward his with a slight smile. \u201cWe still have to tell Hop Sing,\u201d she said as Joe walked her into the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Pa?\u201d asked Adam, looking toward the desk before he walked into the sitting area. He turned when he heard his father\u2019s voice on the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m right here. Is everyone ready to go?\u201d I\u2019d like to get this over with so we can get on with work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I\u2019m surprised you didn\u2019t tell Hoss and Joe. Did you tell Hop Sing?\u201d Ben looked back at Adam, raised his eyebrows and shook his head. The corner of Adam\u2019s mouth turned up. \u201cYou\u2019re not afraid of Hop Sing, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know how he dotes on her. He spent a lot of time trying to cheer her up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked toward the kitchen, shaking his head. \u201cHop Sing, would you come out here for a minute?\u201d<\/p>\n

Both Hop Sing and Ming Lin appeared. \u201cHop Sing already know.\u201d Standing in front of Micah, he pointed his finger. \u201cYou bad brother. Hop Sing all time try to cheer little sister up. You make her sad.\u201d He turned back to the kitchen, muttering in Cantonese. Ming Lin scowled and followed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I haven\u2019t made very many friends today, have I?\u201d said Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cGive it time,\u201d said Adam with his arm across Micah\u2019s shoulders. \u201cPeople will be surprised, but they\u2019ll get used to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cartwrights and the Whitneys rode to town, spending more than an hour in Sheriff Coffee\u2019s office. By the time they left, everyone but Hoss had made statements concerning Will Stewart\u2019s death. \u201cNow, I don\u2019t see a reason to hold a hearing, but because Mr. Stewart was an important man in San Francisco and back East, the territorial judge may not agree with me. I\u2019ll let you know if there\u2019ll be one as soon as I find out.\u201d<\/p>\n

The folks that had lived in Virginia City for years all recognized Micah and turned to stare. The newer residents paid him no mind. But one resident, who had been in the crowd the night Micah was shot, not only recognized him, he bolted out of town toward the Horton\u2019s place. Ray Horton knew Micah Whitney was alive and well before the Cartwrights and the Whitneys left Roy\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

When they left Roy\u2019s office, Shiloh and Adam walked to Dr. Martin\u2019s office while the rest waited in the saloon. \u201cAdam, I told you, I don\u2019t want to see Dr. Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul is the one who stitched up your hand, and Paul is the one who is going to tell us how it is and whether you can ride to San Francisco with your horses.\u201d He looked down at her as they walked down the boardwalk. \u201cI\u2019m not going to argue with you about it.\u201d Her expression turned stone cold, but she didn\u2019t fight him, thinking there would be no point. I couldn\u2019t stop Will. Why did I ever believe I could stop anyone?<\/p>\n

Adam opened the door of the office. \u201cPaul?\u201d Dr. Martin stepped into the waiting room from his office. \u201cPaul, do you have some time this morning to check Shiloh\u2019s hand?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course. It shouldn\u2019t take but a few minutes. Come on back.\u201d When they were all in the back room with the door closed, Paul said. \u201cI should probably take a look at that bruise as well.\u201d When he started unwrapping her hand, he asked, \u201cShiloh, is something bothering you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou haven\u2019t heard? Micah came home,\u201d she replied coldly.<\/p>\n

He stopped and glanced up at her. \u201cAnd now you\u2019re angry with me because I didn\u2019t tell you he was alive.\u201d She looked away. He continued speaking while he unwrapped and examined her hand. \u201cDo you have any idea how many people, both men and women, I\u2019ve had to treat or pronounce dead because of Raymond Horton?\u201d He shook his head. \u201cI will never regret not putting you in his sights\u2026or your father.\u201d Looking closely at both sides of her hand, he said, \u201cI think we can get away with removing those stitches, but it needs to stay bandaged for at least another week, and I don\u2019t want you to try to use it yet. Before we do that, let\u2019s have a look at that bruise. Why don\u2019t you lie down on the bed?\u201d<\/p>\n

She made no motion to comply, so Adam, who had been standing behind her the whole time, picked her up and sat her down a little harder than normal on the high bed, glaring at her with an arched eyebrow. He had reached forward to unfasten her britches when she quickly began to unbutton them herself, and then lowered the top of her drawers to expose the bruise on her stomach.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s faded to a lovely shade of green as have most of them.\u201d He looked at the bruises on her face. \u201cThey\u2019re beginning to fade as well. Any loose teeth?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d she spat.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, get dressed, and I\u2019ll remove the stitches.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul, we were planning a trip to San Francisco to take some horses if you think she\u2019s well enough to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSince you\u2019re taking horses, I assume you\u2019ll be riding?\u201d Adam nodded. Paul lowered his head in thought for a moment, and then looked at Shiloh. Her angry expression had changed to eagerness. \u201cShe can\u2019t use the hand to get in or out of the saddle, but since you rode in today, I assume you\u2019ve already got that figured out.\u201d Again, Adam nodded; this time smiling. \u201cI expect she\u2019ll get tired easily, so you need to allow for plenty of time for rest. And since you\u2019re traveling, I want the hand to stay bandaged until you get back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe won\u2019t be going very fast,\u201d said Adam. We\u2019ll be following some teamsters to Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n

While they were there, Paul examined Adam\u2019s shoulder as well, removing the stitches. \u201cNow, Adam, I don\u2019t want you doing anything that will put strain on that shoulder just yet. When the pain is completely gone, you can go back to your normal routine. And I see you\u2019ve already gotten rid of the sling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Paul. Uh\u2026about Shiloh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no need to apologize. I\u2019m sure she\u2019s just as angry at Micah\u2026and her father. She just needs time.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Raymond Horton stood on the front porch of the house he shared with his brothers, James and Earl. The house was a large house, having held nine brothers, but with most of them gone, it had fallen into disrepair. The remaining Hortons had no interest in keeping up with the house or the property. If they weren\u2019t robbing people at gunpoint along the roads or in the small mining towns scattered about for hundreds of miles, they were at home, working on a slow drunk.<\/p>\n

Speaking over his shoulder to his brothers, who were also standing on the front porch, watching the messenger ride away, Ray said, \u201cAin\u2019t a man alive that\u2019s put a Horton in his grave, least-wise, that\u2019s what I thought.\u201d He turned back to the house and the whiskey bottle. \u201cSeems we got some rectifying to do, boys.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust how you think we\u2019re gonna do that with him in thick with those Cartwrights?\u201d asked Earl.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wait. Let \u2018em think the Hortons ain\u2019t what they used to be. Then we take one. Don\u2019t matter which one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat good\u2019ll that do?\u201d asked James.<\/p>\n

\u201cA Cartwright for a Whitney, Jimmy boy. I don\u2019t rightly see them Cartwrights stickin\u2019 their necks out that far for someone who ain\u2019t their own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the oldest boy, Adam; he\u2019s married to the Whitney girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but he ain\u2019t married to the Whitney boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earl stood in front of his brother. \u201cRay, maybe it\u2019s time to let it go. After all, it was a fair fight. Billy was just slow\u2026and stupid for trying to take that girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ray turned to put his whiskey glass down on the table, and when he turned back, he backhanded Earl. \u201cLike I said, ain\u2019t a man alive that\u2019s put a Horton in his grave.\u201d<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

Adam met Jim Tyler at the Ponderosa property with the plans for the house and the barn. The two men walked around the property with Adam explaining how he wanted the house positioned, then walked down the hill to the site for the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, remember Jim. Not a word to anyone. She\u2019s probably forgotten that I hired you for the house, and she has no idea that you\u2019ve started. I want this to be surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat shouldn\u2019t be a problem, Adam. This place is deep enough on the Ponderosa that no one is going to stumble on it. And my men won\u2019t say anything. They value their jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

When Adam walked into the ranch house, Shiloh was in the study with letters for horses spread all over the desk. He walked around to kiss her. \u201cWhat\u2019s all this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all the requests that came from San Francisco. We\u2019ll be taking\u2026\u201d she counted the requests she had possible matches for. \u201c\u2026twelve horses with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got buyers for twelve horses?\u201d asked Adam, surprised.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I have buyers for nine horses, but I\u2019m taking three extra just in case someone isn\u2019t happy with the horse I chose for them.\u201d She dropped one of the requests on the desk in front of him. \u201cThat one may be hard to fill.\u201d<\/p>\n

He picked up the letter and read it. \u201cImposing and striking animals to pull his carriage?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it seems he\u2019s English. Maybe he\u2019s trying to keep up with the Queen,\u201d she snorted. \u201cWould you mind if we ride Eli and Apollo? Then if I take one of the Clydesdales, I can give him an idea of something we can breed for, though he may like the Clydesdale.\u201d She put a hand on her hip and raised the other to her chin. \u201cI\u2019ve never even thought about training a Clydesdale, but then the training would have to be different for a carriage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo that\u2019s thirteen horses we\u2019re taking? We\u2019ll need help with that many horses. You can\u2019t handle any with your hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking Micah could go with us. And I\u2019ll take one of my men.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising his chin and looking down at her, he asked, \u201cWhich one?\u201d<\/p>\n

She bowed her head and bit her lip, then looked him square in the eye. \u201cTom.\u201d Taking a deep breath, he puckered his mouth, then turned and left the study. She followed him. \u201cAdam, I honestly don\u2019t see what problem you have with Tom. I know he was a bully before, but he\u2019s proven himself\u2026at least to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart, a leopard can\u2019t change his spots,\u201d he said, turning to face her with his hands out at his sides.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not a leopard. He\u2019s a man. And men can change.\u201d She crossed her arms. \u201cYou haven\u2019t given him a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walking into the parlor, he stopped when he saw the mantel. Words were forming on his lips, but he didn\u2019t get them out.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you like it?\u201d asked Shiloh, stepping to his side.<\/p>\n

He looked down at her, then back at the mantel, stepping closer to examine it. \u201cWhere did you get it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember the day we went for a walk in San Francisco; the day you caught me admiring the china?\u201d He cocked his head and smiled. \u201cYou weren\u2019t the only one paying attention that day. And I hope you don\u2019t mind, but I promised we could display your spyglass as well, and it fits perfectly with your clipper ship.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing on the hearth, he studied the workmanship of the model; the masts, sails, lines, halyards\u2026everything from stem to stern. Then he noticed the shell sitting on the side opposite his spyglass. \u201cYou didn\u2019t find that on the beach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, she said, \u201cNo, I bought that in Santa Cruz. Isn\u2019t it magnificent? I had never seen a real Triton\u2019s Trumpet.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stepped down from the hearth, taking her hands and moving them over his shoulders, and then held her at her waist. \u201cAnd what is this for?\u201d<\/p>\n

Playing with the hair that curled behind his ears, she answered, \u201cWell, I know you don\u2019t celebrate your birthday. I don\u2019t celebrate mine either. What we do is buy each other presents anyway and ask Ming Ling to prepare our favorite meals.\u201d She cut her eyes up to his and smiled.<\/p>\n

Adam grinned. \u201cHow did you get it up there with one hand?\u201d<\/p>\n

Arching an eyebrow, she smiled smugly. \u201cMicah helped me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drawing her closer, he bent and kissed her, then looked back into her eyes. He hadn\u2019t seen them smile the way they were smiling now in weeks. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her long and thoroughly until they heard someone clearing their throat. They both looked. Shiloh pulled her arms from around Adam\u2019s neck and blushed while Adam winked at Micah, then took Shiloh\u2019s face in his hands and kissed her one more time. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dinner that evening was tender, thick steak cooked medium rare with potatoes and corn, and for dessert, chocolate cake.<\/p>\n

Later that evening, Shiloh excused herself to the bedroom while Micah and Adam were discussing their day and what they planned for the next day. When Adam came into the room, Shiloh was at her dressing table, brushing her hair. Sitting on the side of the bed, he began to undress while he watched her. She had been distant since Will\u2019s attack three weeks ago. She would jump whenever he came up behind her and put his arms around her. He understood her reaction, but even when she saw him coming, she became so tense he knew she must be in physical pain from the tightness of her muscles. So he made no advances. Tonight, she had allowed him to hold her, and he felt her relax in his arms. He stood and laid his shirt and trousers over the other chair in the room, and when she stood and laid her robe over her chair, he stepped behind her. She could see his reflection in the mirror, so when he touched her arms, she didn\u2019t flinch, but she did stiffen.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake the gown off,\u201d he said softly. \u201cYou\u2019ve always slept without it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI still have bruises. I\u2019m not very nice to look at right now,\u201d she said, turning to him.<\/p>\n

Taking her face in his hands, he turned her head up to his. \u201cYou\u2019ll always be beautiful to me.\u201d She hesitated, but lifted the gown over her head and laid it with her robe on the chair. When he moved to pull her into him, she raised her hands to his chest and stopped him. \u201cI miss you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Backing away, she whispered. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. When I close my eyes, I see him\u2026and that rock.\u201d<\/p>\n

He caught her arms and pulled her back into him, bending and laying his forehead on hers, moving his hands over her shoulders to her neck. \u201cThen don\u2019t close your eyes.\u201d When he kissed her, her eyes were open even though his were closed. He lifted her and laid her on the bed, leaving the lamp turned up. Looking into her eyes, he whispered, \u201cThere\u2019s no one here but me.\u201d He kissed her tenderly and buried his face in her neck when he felt her hands on his back.<\/p>\n

Holding him tightly, she realized that she missed him, too.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

Ben stood back and watched as Adam wielded a cant hook, rolling logs toward the teamster\u2019s wagons at the same time he shouted orders at the men stripping bark from the poles to be loaded.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Ben yelled.<\/p>\n

Looking up, Adam nodded to his father, then passed the cant hook to another man and gave him instructions to keep the logs moving. He walked over and shook his father\u2019s hand. \u201cPa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve still got two of these wagons to load. Do I need to remind you you\u2019re leaving in the morning?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll make it, Pa. This batch didn\u2019t get debarked. That\u2019s why it\u2019s taking so long. Hoss is at the other camp, making sure the lumber for the railroad ties is loaded, and Shorty\u2019s running the mill.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI\u2019ll have these men get everything cleared for replanting, and then send them to you to help cut for the square sets. The teamsters will camp here for the night. We\u2019ll be heading out the south end of the Ponderosa and skirting the lake, so there\u2019s no point sending them back to Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cHow\u2019s Shiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking down, Adam scratched his nose, and then looked back out at the wagons. \u201cA little better, I think. But she\u2019s still not herself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGive her time,\u201d said Ben, smiling and wrapping an arm around Adam\u2019s shoulder.\u201d It\u2019s only been four weeks since she was attacked. Women need time to get over that sort of thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam snorted. \u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

That evening, Shiloh laid her and Adam\u2019s clothes out to pack. Adam looked over her shoulder, checking the clothes she was packing for him. \u201cI\u2019ll need a suit, and you\u2019ll need a dress for dinner at the Slater\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

She frowned. \u201cI thought I\u2019d stay at Jim\u2019s while you\u2019re in the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d he asked, stepping against her back and looking over her shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I still have bruises, and my hand is still bandaged. I don\u2019t want to have to answer questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled. \u201cThe Slater\u2019s would never be that inconsiderate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not the Slater\u2019s I\u2019m worried about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho then?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sighing heavily, she walked to the closet. \u201cEveryone else. We can\u2019t step one foot in San Francisco without the entire city knowing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking her hand, he turned her around to face him. \u201cMaybe this trip is exactly what you need.\u201d When she looked away and sighed, he turned her face up to his, and even then, she didn\u2019t look him in the eye.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I should just stop singing and training horses. It seems I\u2019m asking for trouble by doing them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s jaw dropped. He took her hand and led her to the bed, sitting down with her. \u201cShiloh, you can\u2019t draw a line from Will Stewart to your singing. Your singing had nothing to do with what he did. And there\u2019s only been one problem with the horses, and that has to do with a particular animal. It has nothing to do with the business. Why would you want to give those up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I\u2019m kidding myself into thinking I\u2019m really capable. I could learn to cook. I could stay here and take care of the house\u2026like normal women do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile that might last a short while\u2026until you get past this, it won\u2019t be satisfying to you the way your singing and your horses are. Sweetheart, you\u2019re the most capable person I know.\u201d He brushed her cheek with the back of a finger. \u201cWhen all the reminders are gone, you\u2019ll feel differently.\u201d Taking her hands, he brought them up to his lips and kissed them. \u201cI don\u2019t want you to make any decisions one way or another until you\u2019ve given yourself time to heal, and I\u2019m not just talking about the bruises or your hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, you two. Dinner\u2019s ready,\u201d said Micah, knocking on the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be right down,\u201d answered Adam.<\/p>\n

Standing, he brought her to her feet and kissed her softly. \u201cYou can start by smiling,\u201d he said, kissing her nose.<\/p>\n

She glanced up at him, and gave him a weak smile that faded as her eyes moved away. \u201cHow long will we have to stay in the city?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA few days,\u201d he said, moving his arm around her and walking her out the door and down the stairs. \u201cIt will take a whole day, maybe two, to inspect the courthouse foundation. The mayor may want to introduce us to the city\u2019s new counsel.\u201d In the dining room, Adam pulled Shiloh\u2019s chair out and seated her, nodding to Micah. \u201cAnd if any of the mining suppliers have equipment in a local warehouse, we might be buying some mining equipment and arranging shipment. That will depend on whether Jim has been able to set up the subsidiary. Micah, you and I need to discuss the mine and ranch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s there to discuss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOwnership. Shiloh said this place was meant to be yours. We need to get your name on the deeds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Choking on his coffee, Micah held up his hand as he coughed. \u201cJust wait a minute. I\u2019m not going to walk back in and just take over what you two have built back up. I know Dad let it go when he got sick, and I know, Shiloh, how much work you put into it to get it going again. Adam, you\u2019ve done about as much since you\u2019ve been here. No, this place is still yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright then, equal partners,\u201d said Adam with a raised eyebrow. \u201cShiloh and I have land on the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah studied him while Shiloh sat quietly, hesitating with each bite she put in her mouth. Adam\u2019s mouth was drawn, and his eyes were fixed on Micah\u2019s in the way Micah remembered when Adam was dead serious and wasn\u2019t going to argue.<\/p>\n

Adam looked over at Shiloh while he spoke to Micah. \u201cWe can sign all the legal paperwork there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men watched Shiloh, and then looked back at each other. \u201cShiloh, is that alright with you?\u201d asked Micah.<\/p>\n

She stopped her fork midway between her plate and her mouth, and looked up at the men. \u201cWhatever you think is best. Have I eaten enough, Adam? I\u2019d like to finish packing, if that\u2019s alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

His shoulders slumped as he exhaled. \u201cYeah,\u201d he said, nodding disappointedly. Shiloh excused herself and left the dining room.<\/p>\n

Watching her go, Micah asked, \u201cWhat are we going to do about her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know that there\u2019s anything we can do until she\u2019s ready to put this behind her.\u201d<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

Normally, Adam didn\u2019t need an alarm clock to wake up in the morning, but getting up at four was a little different. When the alarm sounded, he rolled over on his stomach and reached for the clock on the night table, fumbling for the switch that stopped the bell. Then he reached for Shiloh.<\/p>\n

He moved his hand up and down on her side of the bed, and then moved it up to her pillow. Raising his head, he looked for her, and not finding her in the bed, he rolled back to his back and looked across the room. \u201cShiloh?\u201d he mumbled groggily. He snorted, threw the covers off and got out of bed, yawning and scratching his chest as he walked toward the closet. Stopping in front of the dressing table mirror, he looked at himself, rubbing his chin and glancing up at his wild hair. He looked for his brush and razor, and when he couldn\u2019t find them, he assumed that Shiloh had packed them. Turning in a circle, he looked for their bags, and when he didn\u2019t see them, he shrugged and dressed, then slowly descended the stairs with his boots in his hand, walking past the dining room.<\/p>\n

He stopped and backed up when it registered that Micah was sitting at the table. \u201cHow did you get down here so fast?\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking up from his coffee, Micah laughed. \u201cWell, aren\u2019t we a lovely sight this morning?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glared at Micah for a moment before he made his way through the kitchen to the washroom. The corner of his mouth turned up when he found his brush and shaving things next to the wash basin with a note. Don\u2019t forget to pack them. Your bag is by the front door. I love you. S<\/p>\n

When Adam came back into the dining room, he looked at Micah with raised eyebrows and waited for a response before he sat down. \u201cIt\u2019s an improvement,\u201d said Micah, nodding.<\/p>\n

Adam smirked. \u201cWhere\u2019s Shiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s making sure the right horses are brought up, and she\u2019s pulling out the tack she needs to take. She said she\u2019d be back in a minute. That was about twenty minutes ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid she eat anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope. Went straight out the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pushed back from the table. \u201cExcuse me.\u201d<\/p>\n

About the time he was pulling on the front door, she was pushing. \u201cWhere are you going?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

Looking at her from under his brow, he said, \u201cTo find you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She put her hat on the coat tree as she replied, \u201cI\u2019m not lost,\u201d then left him with the door knob in his hand and went to the dining room. By the time Adam closed the door and followed her in, she was seated and was filling her plate.<\/p>\n

After he sat down, he moved his hand to his cheek to prop his head on and watched her. \u201cHungry?\u201d<\/p>\n

Without looking up, she said, \u201cYes,\u201d and pulled a hot biscuit apart and buttered it. She pointed her knife at him. \u201cYou should eat before it gets cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

He chuckled and shook his head. \u201cYes, ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh took a bite of bacon. \u201cMicah, are you all packed?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2019m. All I need are the reins of my assigned horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you pack something suitable for dinner in San Francisco?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, he said, \u201cI\u2019m just gonna stay with the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t get to stay with the horses. Why should you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone has to take care of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why Tom is going.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, what are you doing?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

Micah and Shiloh both looked up from their plates. \u201cI\u2019m eating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are you trying to get Micah into San Francisco?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting up straight, she looked Adam square in the eye. \u201cBecause you won\u2019t let me stay at Jim\u2019s, and you won\u2019t let me go anywhere by myself, and I don\u2019t want to be cooped up in our room while you look at a courthouse foundation for two days.\u201d She smiled cheekily and continued eating.<\/p>\n

Adam narrowed his eyes and crooked his jaw. \u201cI thought you didn\u2019t want to be seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Placing her fork very slowly and quietly on her plate, she reached into her lap and grasped her napkin, looking away. \u201cYou wanted me to be normal. I\u2019m trying.\u201d She glanced up at him as she brought her napkin to her mouth. \u201cExcuse me. I\u2019ll be outside waiting to go.\u201d She took the small bag that held his grooming things and left the dining room. Propping his elbow on the table, Adam pinched the bridge of his nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to go to San Francisco with you anyway, but not to watch Shy,\u201d said Micah. \u201cI need to watch you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam raised his head. \u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you forgotten that someone tried to kill you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I haven\u2019t forgotten,\u201d said Adam, standing up. \u201cGo ahead and finish. I want to talk to Shiloh before we leave.\u201d Dropping his napkin on the table, he went to the front, took his hat and gun belt off the entry table and walked outside. He stood on the front porch, watching Shiloh attempt to fasten a leather strap to both of their bags. She jumped when he came up behind her. \u201cYou\u2019re not supposed to be using that hand.\u201d Letting out a loud breath, she dropped the strap and walked to a bench against the barn, sitting down. Adam bent down, picking up the strap and the two bags and sat on the bench beside her. \u201cTell me what you were doing, and I\u2019ll do it for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBuckle the ends of the strap around the handles of the bags, and then put them behind my saddle with my saddlebags. I figure it will be easier for me to carry them since I won\u2019t be leading any horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMakes sense.\u201d When Adam had their bags and her saddlebags on Eli, he sat back down next to her. Leaning back against the barn and crossing his legs at the ankles, he pushed his hat back on his head. \u201cShiloh, I don\u2019t want you to be better until you\u2019re ready to be better.\u201d<\/p>\n

She wrapped her arms around herself and looked away. \u201cI feel useless.\u201d<\/p>\n

He snorted and smiled, pulling her into his side with his arm around her. \u201cNow that sounds normal. When one of us was hurt, Pa would never let us out of the house until he thought we were completely healed. By that time, we were all ready to shoot ourselves from being confined for so long.\u201d She laid her head on his shoulder. \u201cYou won\u2019t be cooped up in the room all day. I spoke to Tom Maguire. He said he would be more than happy for you to practice with his orchestra while I\u2019m at the courthouse site.\u201d<\/p>\n

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. \u201cYou did?\u201d she asked, cutting her eyes up to his.<\/p>\n

\u201cMm hm. Now, why are four of those horses saddled?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I needed to take the saddles so the men buying these horses have a chance to ride them. Jim still has one of my saddles, and I think with these four I have a saddle that will fit all the horses, except the Clydesdale. I\u2019ll ship what we can\u2019t bring back with us. Or I suppose I could sell them and buy some new ones when we get back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah strolled out into the yard with a bag. \u201cI\u2019m ready,\u201d he said as tied his bag to his saddle.<\/p>\n

When Adam and Shiloh stood, she wrapped her arms around him, gazing up at him with a timid smile. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome,\u201d he said, hugging her tightly. He cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her, whispering, \u201cMy love.\u201d<\/p>\n

He closed one eye and winced when she turned away and yelled loudly for Tom. \u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d he said, running out of the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you have breakfast?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am. Ming Lin brought some out earlier for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

By this time Hank and Johnny were there as well, and when everyone was saddled, Johnny divided the reins among the three men while Adam spoke to Hank. \u201cPa will pick up payroll when he goes into town for the Ponderosa payroll. Hoss will be here to help with the foaling. There\u2019s a list on the desk of the places we plan to stop and where we\u2019ll be in San Francisco if you need to find us, and if you need help quicker, go to the Ponderosa.\u201d Adam turned his horse so that Hank was on the side away from Shiloh. \u201cPut some men up on the ridge. I don\u2019t want them to do anything but stand at the top. Maybe that will stop any work up there until I can talk to George Hearst. If trouble starts, tell them to get out of there and ride into town to tell Sheriff Coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh walked Eli around Adam. \u201cDouble the men up there. Use the men who\u2019re clearing the new pasture for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising his head and looking down at her, Adam asked, \u201cDon\u2019t you need that pasture space?\u201d<\/p>\n

She raised her chin defiantly. \u201cYes, I do, but I can do without it for another month. I don\u2019t want to put my men\u2026\u201d she hesitated \u201c\u2026our men\u2026in that kind of danger. The men who spoke to me in town were hired guns. Our men are ranch hands. They\u2019ll be no match. If George Hearst is the man we think he is, he\u2019ll make sure we get back anything that was stolen, and even if he doesn\u2019t, a little silver is not worth their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled inwardly. She was being over-cautious, but that never hurt. Maybe her over- cautiousness was a good balance for them.<\/p>\n

She leaned toward him and spoke quietly, \u201cAdam, Daddy always told me that the most important thing we have as ranch owners are the men who work for us. They are the ones that make it all possible. We should do everything in our ability to protect them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d he said, grinning. He nodded to Hank, who also grinned and tipped his hat. Turning in his saddle, he looked behind him at Tom and Micah who were waiting with their horses. \u201cLet\u2019s head out,\u201d he said, leading the way with Shiloh riding next to him.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

Adam led the others into the timber camp just as the teamsters were hitching their horses to their wagons. Before they were on their way, Hoss rode into the camp to make sure the teamster wagons carrying the railroad ties had joined them. He also had a delivery for Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll never get tired of seeing these horses of yours. I sure wish I could train one of \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking down at Hoss from Eli\u2019s back, she said, \u201cYour wish will come true as soon as Sampson is three. He\u2019s yours to train.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss grinned from ear to ear. \u201cOh, before I forget\u2026I wanted to get this to you before you left,\u201d he said, handing an envelope up to her.<\/p>\n

She looked at it. \u201cHelp me down, please.\u201d Swinging her leg over her saddle horn, she sat sideways in the saddle and slid down into Hoss\u2019 waiting arms. She tied Eli, then took Hoss\u2019s hand and walked over to the stump end of a log and sat down, beckoning him to sit with her. \u201cTell me, Hoss, how is Annie?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a might upset about what happened to you. But she says she\u2019s doin\u2019 good in school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought she needed to hear that from me; not the newspaper. What about you and Annie?\u201d Hoss blushed. \u201cIt\u2019s alright if you don\u2019t want to tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss hung his head. \u201cThe truth is, she\u2019s talkin\u2019 about takin\u2019 a break at the end of the year and comin\u2019 back for the winter, then goin\u2019 back to school in the spring.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWon\u2019t that extend her time there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it will. I told her I\u2019d come out, but I\u2019m afraid Pa\u2019ll say \u2018no.\u2019 There\u2019s a lot to do to get ready for winter. If I go, I\u2019d have to leave before the winter storms start, and I won\u2019t be comin\u2019 back \u2018til early spring.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur men can help with winter preparations. With Micah here, we won\u2019t be shorthanded if you go.\u201d Hoss raised his head and smiled. \u201cDo you want me to talk to Pa?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I can talk to Pa, but it sure wouldn\u2019t hurt if you were there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked over just as she kissed Hoss\u2019s cheek. \u201cDon\u2019t say anything until we get back,\u201d she whispered. \u201cThen we\u2019ll talk to Pa together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd just exactly what are you talking about with my best girl?\u201d asked Adam, standing in front of them with his arms crossed.<\/p>\n

Standing, Hoss held out his hand to Shiloh. \u201cYou ain\u2019t got nothin\u2019 to worry about. I got my own best girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chuckling, Adam asked, \u201cHow is Annie?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s just fine. She wants to come back, but me and Shiloh think we can talk Pa into lettin\u2019 me go to Philadelphia for the winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grunted. \u201cGood luck with that. It\u2019s time for us to get going.\u201d He shook Hoss\u2019s hand. \u201cIf you need to, stay at the Flying W for the foaling. With the number of mares Shiloh has in foal, it could get busy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI may do just that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny and Billy are yours while we\u2019re gone,\u201d said Shiloh. They know where everything is if you run into trouble with any of the mares.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once Adam was mounted, he took Shiloh\u2019s arm and pulled her up while Hoss lifted her high enough to get her foot in the stirrup. She took the saddle horn with her right hand, then swung her leg back and over.<\/p>\n

The trip south through the Ponderosa was slow and uneventful. The teamsters had to stop every hour or so to rest their horses. They stopped once they got down to the lake, then stopped again at Friday\u2019s station on the lake side of Kingsbury grade, and again at Yank\u2019s station just before the climb to the top of Johnson\u2019s Pass.<\/p>\n

When they were nearing the summit, Micah rode ahead to have the oxen ready to pull the wagons up the grade. Once the ropes were tied to the first wagon and harness, they were wrapped around the base of trees at the top of the grade with the oxen tied to the other end, pulling down as the wagon was pulled up. With the heavy loads of lumber on the huge wagons, the oxen and teams were making slow progress. At this rate, with twelve wagons to pull up, it would be well past dark before the last wagon reached the summit.<\/p>\n

Adam stood discussing the problem with the pull master and several of the team drivers. \u201cAre there more oxen?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t matter,\u201d said the pull master. \u201cI don\u2019t have enough of them to last through your last wagon. We can change \u2018em out, but after four or five of these wagons, they\u2019ll be useless until tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning to one of the team drivers, Adam asked, \u201cHow do you get \u2018em up Kingsbury grade?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe keep extra teams at the bottom for the heavier loads.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t we use one of the other wagon teams and double up to get them up the grade?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could do that, but we still won\u2019t have \u2018em all up until after dark if we have to keep changing \u2018em out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh had been waiting in the saddle while the men discussed the problem. \u201cAdam.\u201d He continued talking to the teamsters. She called a little louder. \u201cAdam.\u201d He glanced back at her with an annoyed look, scratched the back of his neck, then excused himself, walking back to her horse and glaring up at her. Speaking in a low voice so only he could hear, she said, \u201cThe Clydesdale can pull a ton on his own, and Eli and Apollo can handle half a ton each. If you add them to the oxen, they should make quick work of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam twisted his mouth. \u201cI can understand your willingness to use the Clydesdale, but Eli and Apollo?\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, she answered, \u201cThough they are beautiful animals, they are draft horses. They\u2019re used for husbandry in the Netherlands. It\u2019s in their blood. I\u2019ve always said they\u2019ll do anything you ask of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Shiloh rode the two black horses up the grade. He unsaddled them and took them and the Clydesdale back to the road, tied them on shorter ropes than the oxen so the horses would pull more of the load, and within three hours all the teamster\u2019s wagons were at the top of the grade.<\/p>\n

The lead teamster, a man named Edvard who spoke in a thick Nordic accent, shook Adam\u2019s hand. \u201cMr. Cartwright, thank you for the use of your great horses. I wonder if you could tell me where you got them. We don\u2019t often come up Johnson\u2019s Pass, but our teams do struggle up Kingsbury.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife breeds them. If you\u2019re interested in purchasing some, you\u2019ll want to speak with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man laughed, but stopped cold when Adam raised his chin and narrowed his eyes. \u201cYour wife?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked down, smiling. \u201cYes, my wife. The horses are hers.\u201d He walked away, leaving Edvard standing with a puzzled expression.<\/p>\n

Going down the slope on the other side of the summit was slow. The teamsters had to make frequent use of their brakes to prevent the wagons from going too fast. A runaway logging wagon could easily run over a team of horses when out of control. The convoy of wagons and horses stopped to rest at Slippery Ford, Silver Fork and Pacific House, pushing through until they were near the Sportsman\u2019s Hall stage station just east of Placerville, where they made camp for the night.<\/p>\n

Adam stood by Eli while Shiloh slid down out of her saddle into his hands. When she came down on her foot, she favored it. \u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling tiredly, she said, \u201cYes, I\u2019m fine. I\u2019m just tired.\u201d She took a step and limped badly. \u201cAnd stiff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome over here and sit down, and I\u2019ll bring your saddle and bedroll,\u201d he said as he led her to a log where they would make camp. While the teamsters positioned their wagons into a circle that was big enough to corral the horses, Tom and Micah took care of Shiloh\u2019s horses. Adam prepared Shiloh\u2019s bedroll, and by the time he had his saddle down with his bedroll spread out, she was sound asleep.<\/p>\n

The men built a fire and fixed their dinner of coffee and beans. Nodding toward Shiloh, Micah asked, \u201cIs she alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoc said she\u2019d be tired. Maybe I should have sent her on the stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd let me miss all the fun?\u201d she said, turning over to face them and pulling her blanket up to her chin.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince you\u2019re awake, you should eat,\u201d said Adam, smiling and spooning some beans onto his plate for her. \u201cAnd don\u2019t try to tell me you\u2019re not hungry. It won\u2019t make a difference.\u201d She sat up and quietly ate her beans.<\/p>\n

When Adam stood to collect the plates and spoons, Tom stood with him. \u201cI\u2019ll take care of those, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Tom.\u201d He watched Tom take a bucket toward the river, and then sat back down next to Shiloh. \u201cWhen he\u2019s done, we\u2019ll turn in.\u201d Lifting Shiloh\u2019s blanket, he leaned into her and kissed her. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go ahead and lie down, Sweetheart?\u201d She did, and before Tom finished cleaning the dishes, she was asleep again.<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you didn\u2019t wear your britches today,\u201d said Adam as the convoy pulled into Sacramento.<\/p>\n

Looking away, she said, \u201cI didn\u2019t bring any britches\u2026just my riding skirts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd why didn\u2019t you bring your britches?\u201d he asked, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey seem to upset you, so I\u2019ve decided that the only time I\u2019ll be wearing them is when work on the ranch requires it. That way, I won\u2019t embarrass you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, you don\u2019t embarrass me. I just didn\u2019t want some flippant remark by someone else to embarrass you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning back to him, she asked, \u201cWhy are you glad I\u2019m not wearing britches today?\u201d<\/p>\n

Because I\u2019m sending you and Micah with the railroad ties over to the Pacific Railroad office to deal with Mr. Crocker while I go to the docks to handle the turnover of the dock lumber. He knows you, so you shouldn\u2019t have a problem. You can introduce him to Micah since he could be dealing with Crocker in the future.<\/p>\n

The party split as they arrived in Sacramento. Adam led the four wagons of poles to the Sacramento River docks, Shiloh led the remaining eight wagons toward the Pacific Railroad office, and Micah and Tom followed her, taking with them the horses that Adam had been leading.<\/p>\n

Stepping into the office, Shiloh advised the clerk her name, and he immediately went into a back office. In only a moment a grinning Charles Crocker emerged. \u201cMrs. Cartwright, I trust you had an easy journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, she took his hand. \u201cEasy no, but uneventful. It was a bit of a challenge to get the wagons over Echo Summit. We have the first two contracts of timber outside, and I\u2019m sure the teamsters we used would be more than happy to haul them where you need them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are you, my dear?\u201d he asked with a concerned look.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine, Mr. Crocker. I assure you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd your hand?\u201d he asked, examining her bandaged hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe doctor said there was no major damage. I\u2019ll still be able to play after it\u2019s healed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. And who is this young man with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI apologize. This is my brother, Micah Whitney. Micah, Charles Crocker.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crocker looked confused. \u201cOh, I thought your brother had died, my dear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clearing her throat, she answered, \u201cYes, we all did, but that\u2019s a long story. Remind me to tell you the next time we have dinner.\u201d Micah looked disbelievingly at her as Mr. Crocker shook his hand, then Micah offered a twin smile to Shiloh\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019ll both come into my office, I\u2019ll give you the bank drafts for the first two contracts.\u201d Shiloh and Micah followed Crocker into his office where he seated them in front of his desk. He handed Shiloh the bank drafts. \u201cIf you\u2019ll just sign here that you received them.\u201d She signed the receipt. \u201cNow, if you\u2019ll take a look at these modifications, we can get this all signed as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Crocker, I would never think of putting at you risk on any of these contracts. We both know with my signature they aren\u2019t legally binding, though I appreciate your trust in me. I\u2019ll take this with us and give it to Adam. He\u2019s here delivering timber to the docks, but we\u2019ll be off to San Francisco as soon as we\u2019re finished here, and I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll want some time to review them. Perhaps he can drop this off on our way back to the Flying W\u2026in about a week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t Mr. Whitney sign them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be a little premature,\u201d said Micah. \u201cI\u2019m not legally on the deeds or other papers for the Flying W yet. That will also be rectified this week in San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, next week it is. To tell you the truth, the timber you\u2019ve delivered today will keep us busy for a few months. Would you let Adam know that we expect the other two contracts to go through as well? We are in negotiations with Mr. Judah to buy out his interests in the railroad. Once that\u2019s done, we\u2019ll be quickly moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be sure to tell him.\u201d Shiloh stood and offered her hand to Mr. Crocker, who took it and bowed, then held his hand out to Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Whitney, it\u2019s been a pleasure meeting you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou as well, Mr. Crocker.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they walked outside, Shiloh introduced Mr. Crocker to one of the teamsters. \u201cAdam has already paid Edvard, the lead teamster, who is over at the docks. There are four extra wagons there if you need additional hauling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just then, Adam rode around the corner down the street. Dismounting, he joined them in front of the wagons. \u201cMr. Crocker,\u201d said Adam, offering his hand. \u201cThese gentlemen will be looking for work and since the wagons are already loaded\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright was just telling me you\u2019ve released an additional four wagons. We can use the extra wagons to haul some equipment with the lumber for the ties. Of course, the ties will be milled here before we send them up the track.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you can use them. They did a good job for us. Well, we should be going. We\u2019ve still got a long way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Crocker had been scrutinizing Apollo and Eli. \u201cJust quickly, where did you find your horses?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh grinned. \u201cI breed them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, I remember Mr. Stanton telling me you continued your father\u2019s horse business.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stepped away from the first wagon and pointed down the street. \u201cThose are some of my horses bound for San Francisco. If you\u2019re interested, let me know. Perhaps you can come to the ranch and take a look at what I have.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if they\u2019re all as magnificent as these, I\u2019ll definitely make plans to do that.\u201d Crocker took her hand again. \u201cPlease have a safe journey. Oh, and don\u2019t forget to show that contract to Adam.\u201d Adam raised his eyebrows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t forget,\u201d she said, smiling. \u201cGoodbye, Mr. Crocker. Please, give our regards to Mrs. Crocker.\u201d<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

The four riders left Sacramento as people on the streets stopped to watch the line of exceptional horses travel through town. Adam led with Shiloh riding at his side followed by Tom, then Micah.<\/p>\n

When they were well away from any other people, Micah yelled from the back, \u201cShiloh!\u201d She turned in her saddle to look at him. \u201cRemind me to tell you the next time we have dinner? You had dinner with Charles Crocker?\u201d<\/p>\n

She snorted at the same time she heard Adam chuckle and yelled back, \u201cWeren\u2019t you watching?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I was watching someone else in San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell you when we stop to rest the horses.\u201d She turned forward and spoke to Adam in a lower voice. \u201cBefore I forget, I have two bank drafts for the first two contracts, and I have a revised contract you need to review. I told Mr. Crocker you would drop it off on the way back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust one contract?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Mr. Crocker said that he and others were in negotiations with Mr. Judah to buy out his interest in the railroad. He said once that was done things should move quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are the bank drafts?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe drafts are in my boot. The contract\u2019s in my saddle bag.\u201d<\/p>\n

They stopped for the night between Vacaville and Vallejo, getting to the livestock ferry in Oakland before noon the next day. The ferry caused little problems for the horses. Most didn\u2019t seem to mind the watery crossing. Only three had to be held and calmed.<\/p>\n

The people of San Francisco had the same reaction to the horses as those of Sacramento, stopping to watch the elegant animals pass by. Adam stopped only long enough to deposit the two bank drafts Shiloh was carrying and the one he was carrying from the dock timber. They stopped again south of San Francisco to rest the horses and eat, and then continued on another six hours to Fischer\u2019s ranch where they arrived just as the last light faded.<\/p>\n

Jim came out of the house as Adam was helping Shiloh out of her saddle. \u201cAdam, I was beginning to worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJim, how are you? We made good time from Sacramento, but it took longer than normal getting to Sacramento with the lumber wagons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jim nodded and turned his attention to Shiloh who was still standing under Adam\u2019s arm, leaning into his side. \u201cYou look tired.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded slightly. \u201cThe doctor warned me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t we get you into the house? My men can help get the horses settled.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore we go in, Jim, I\u2019d like you to meet Shiloh\u2019s brother, Micah Whitney,\u201d said Adam. \u201cAnd this is Tom Baker, one of Shiloh\u2019s men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJim, Tom will be staying with the horses,\u201d said Shiloh. \u201cDo you have room for him in your bunkhouse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do better than that. There\u2019s a room in the barn that\u2019s unoccupied right now. He can stay there. Micah, when you and Tom have the horses settled come on inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once in the house, Jim showed Shiloh to a chair in the sitting area directly between the open windows in the back and front of the house where a constant breeze passed through. \u201cAdam, have seat,\u201d Jim said, motioning to the chair next to Shiloh. He turned to the liquor cabinet and poured three brandies, delivering two to his guests, and then sitting with them. \u201cShiloh, your hand is still bandaged. How bad is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath and glancing over at Adam, she put on a smile. \u201cThe doctor said that with exercise, it should be fine. The knife didn\u2019t cut any tendons; just muscle. He actually said that playing my piano would be perfect exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, in lieu of charging Stewart with attempted murder you could get a monetary judgment against his estate. Not that I think you would, but as your lawyer, I would be remiss if I didn\u2019t, at least, inform you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled wearily. \u201cThen consider me informed. Truthfully, Jim, the only thing I want is for this incident to go away. I don\u2019t even want to know what will happen to his estate since he had no wife and no children. I don\u2019t think he had any siblings, either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the court adjudicates his estate, they may award you if there are no relatives. It\u2019s not uncommon for an injured party in a case like this to receive the estate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Resting her forehead in her hand, she sighed. \u201cThen I would like you to act on my behalf and do some good with any money that might come my way. Give it to\u2026an orphanage. I don\u2019t want anything from that man.\u201d She glanced at Adam again, and then looked quickly away. She had looked at him long enough for him to see that her eyes were becoming watery. He looked at Jim and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry for upsetting you. I\u2019ll draw up the legal papers I\u2019ll need to handle it if it happens, and you can sign them before you leave. Other than that, I won\u2019t bring it up again. Now, how would you like to handle the horse sales?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI brought bills of sale with me if you wouldn\u2019t mind handling those. I will need to spend about an hour, maybe two with each buyer. We brought a few extra horses, so if they want more than one or would like another choice, they have one.\u201d She had slumped down into the chair, and pushed herself back up. \u201cThere\u2019s another gentlemen, Terrance Prescott, who wanted to know if I have horses suitable to pull a carriage. Do you know him?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jim winced. \u201cI\u2019ve met him on more than one occasion. He\u2019s a pompous ass.\u201d When Shiloh giggled, Jim gave her a quick look. \u201cPardon me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that explains it,\u201d said Adam. Jim looked back questioningly. \u201cLet\u2019s see, how did he put that? He wanted \u2018imposing and striking animals to pull his carriage.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Laughing, Shiloh said, \u201cI\u2019ll have to meet him in San Francisco. He has a home and stables there. I\u2019ll be showing him Eli and Apollo, and we\u2019ve brought an even bigger horse with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw,\u201d Jim said appreciatively. \u201cIt was hard to miss him. But I don\u2019t remember seeing anything like him when I was at the Flying W.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was never my intention to show those horses. Daddy used them for work, so with the number of timber contracts we have this year, we put them to work pulling logs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam reached for her hand. \u201cAnd now, the teamsters who brought our lumber to Sacramento are interested in them. Besides that, we thought we could rent them and give the only man who has draft horses in our area some competition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting forward in his chair, Jim asked, \u201cWhen would you like to start with the horses?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it would be better if we took care of our business in San Francisco first, and then you can take as long as you need with the horses,\u201d said Adam, turning to Shiloh. He looked back at Jim. \u201cWere you able to get the subsidiary set up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe paperwork is ready for you to sign.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a change I\u2019ll need. Micah Whitney and I will be partners with the ranch and the mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh yes, Micah. I thought\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked over at Shiloh who was frowning. \u201cThat\u2019s a long story. I\u2019ll fill you in later.\u201d<\/p>\n

You\u2019re sure you want to do this? You\u2019re giving away half of everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not,\u201d said Adam, smiling. \u201cI\u2019m giving it back. At least what he\u2019ll take.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJim, it was my father\u2019s intention to leave the ranch to Micah. He only left it to me because we all thought Micah was dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father gave me land on the Ponderosa a while back. Shiloh and I will be living there eventually.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, I won\u2019t argue. I know what you sound like when your mind is made up. As soon as Micah comes in, we\u2019ll have some dinner,\u201d Jim said, rising from his seat to take Shiloh\u2019s glass. \u201cAnd then, you can get some rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Jim. I am tired. I think I\u2019ll sleep well tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good, Sweetheart,\u201d said Adam, \u201cbecause we need to go back to San Francisco tomorrow morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

After dinner, Adam carried their bags to their bedroom while Jim and Micah spoke about the legal papers in the main room.<\/p>\n

Sitting on the side of the bed, Shiloh untied her scarf, and then pulled her boots off. Sucking in air as she pulled the right one off, she rubbed her ankle before she removed her sock. Adam heard the sound she made and was in front of her on his knees in an instant.<\/p>\n

Taking her foot in his hands, he said, \u201cLet me see,\u201d then pulled her sock off. \u201cYour ankle is hot. The only reason it\u2019s not swollen is because your boot constricted it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t hurt that badly, but I wonder if I\u2019ll be able to get my foot in my shoe tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll have to wait and see. I might have to leave you here while I go deal with the courthouse. I think Evelyn will be disappointed, though. She likes you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath and smiling, Shiloh stood on her left foot and began to unbutton her skirt. \u201cI\u2019ll make it\u2026somehow. Where are we staying?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be at the Lick House again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s an awfully fancy hotel, Adam. Why there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause they don\u2019t let just anyone up on their third floor, remember? I don\u2019t want you overrun by curious people.\u201d Adam steadied her while she took off her skirt, then took it and her blouse and hung them in the wardrobe. He untied her corset and waited for the rest of her under things which he draped over a chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you bring my brush?\u201d she said, pointing to a small bag on the dressing table. \u201cIf I\u2019m at Maguire\u2019s it shouldn\u2019t be a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to get you to Maguire\u2019s, so people will know you\u2019re there. I thought you could go with Micah and me if we find some mining equipment for sale.\u201d Surrounding her with his arms, he pulled her against him. \u201cAll that depends on what your ankle looks like in the morning,\u201d he said, gazing lovingly at her while she brushed her hair.<\/p>\n

Smiling up at him, she said, \u201cIt really doesn\u2019t hurt that badly.\u201d<\/p>\n

He bent and kissed her nose, then her mouth as she moved her hands up his chest and over his shoulders. He moved away slightly and said, \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d then kissed her again as he lifted her against him and moved her backward toward the bed. She was smiling up at him as he took her brush and tucked her in. \u201cGo to sleep. I want you well rested in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

He bent to kiss her one more time and as he was rising, she grabbed his ear and met his eyes with hers. \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI love you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting on the side of the bed, he tenderly kissed her again. \u201cI love you, too. Good night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Closing the door quietly behind him, he went back to the sitting room and joined Micah and Jim. Jim had already poured Adam a glass of whiskey and handed it to him as he sat down. \u201cMicah was just telling me about his and Shiloh\u2019s meeting with Crocker yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Adam. Where\u2019d she learn to talk business like that? She didn\u2019t learn that from Dad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure she learned some of it from Amos, but she did go to college.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t teach that in college. She was comfortable. She had Crocker eating out of her hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled. \u201cWell, she had already impressed Crocker before that. She gets her confidence from performing, and I\u2019m sure a good bit of it just comes naturally. Did you know she took law courses while she was in New York just so she could understand contracts?\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah looked at his whiskey and shook his head. \u201cI\u2019ve been watching her for years yet I don\u2019t know her anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not really true,\u201d snorted Adam. \u201cShe\u2019s the same girl. She\u2019s always been intelligent from when she was very young. She\u2019s always been stubborn, and she\u2019s always had a temper. She inherited her musical talent from your mother. She just needed the right direction. And there\u2019s one more thing you probably don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat else?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe remembers everything she reads.\u201d Micah was expressionless. \u201cI\u2019m serious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s true, Micah,\u201d said Jim. \u201cWhen she was here in March, we were going over her performance contracts. I had several examples, and she read all of them and quoted me verbatim what parts of each she wanted to use in her contracts. She\u2019d just close her eyes and spout.\u201d<\/p>\n

Setting his glass on a table, Micah clasped his hands, covering his mouth and mumbling. \u201cMy kid sister. Who\u2019d a thought?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam watched Micah for a moment before he changed the subject. \u201cJim, how long will it take you to change the paperwork for the ranch and the subsidiary for the mine. I\u2019d like to sign those before we leave so we can file them here and then again in Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt should only take a few days. I can have them finished before you get back from San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. I\u2019ll probably spend two days at the courthouse site. I don\u2019t know yet if the mayor will request a meeting, and Micah and I are going to purchase some mining equipment if there\u2019s any to be had in the city. I also need to talk to George Hearst.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHearst? What about, if you don\u2019t mind me asking?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cApparently, his company owns the property just north of the ridge where we found a rich vein of silver and some gold. Do you remember someone trying to sell the Flying W out from under Shiloh and that business with Sam King?\u201d Jim nodded. \u201cWe found where Sam got the ore he had assayed. There\u2019s a shallow shaft at the base of the ridge. On the other side, there\u2019s another shallow shaft. I had rocks from both sides assayed. There\u2019s nothing on the other side. It\u2019s all on the Flying W side, and that means that someone took ore from the Flying W side, had it assayed and claimed it was from the other side of the ridge. Hearst bought that property based on that assay. I think whoever turned in the assay was planning to tunnel through to our side of the ridge. Hearst needs to know what he bought into.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think he\u2019ll do?\u201d asked Jim.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hoping he\u2019ll tell me the name of the broker that sold him that property. Then maybe we can trace it back to whoever was responsible for trying to sell the Flying W.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you can get the name, I can help with some research. Sometimes these investment firms hide assets behind layers of companies. It takes some persistence to weed through them all, but it can be done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I find out anything from Hearst, I\u2019ll let you know. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, we have a long ride tomorrow and a busy afternoon after that.\u201d Micah stood with him. \u201cShiloh\u2019s ankle was bothering her tonight. I may have her stay behind while Micah and I go into San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Jim stood and said, \u201cShe\u2019s always welcome to stay here. If she does, I\u2019ll make sure she\u2019s well cared for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you will,\u201d said Adam, nodding.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore I turn in, I\u2019m going to check on the horses,\u201d said Micah. \u201cDon\u2019t wait up. I\u2019ll find my way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned toward the bedroom. \u201cGood night, gentlemen.\u201d<\/p>\n

********<\/p>\n

Sometime in the middle of the night, Adam was awakened by Shiloh\u2019s movements around and over him. Still groggy and with his eyes still closed, he could feel the warmth of her skin pressing against his and the softness of her lips moving over his face to his eyes, his cheeks and his mouth, and when he finally opened his eyes, she was there just above him, her lips parted and full, her eyes hungry.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The dim light of morning had just begun to creep across the room when Adam woke up. He didn\u2019t move at first. Shiloh had laid her head on his chest just under his chin and both had fallen asleep that way. Her hair covered his right arm and her right hand was still clasped with his left. He smiled and laughed to himself. Shades of the woman she had become during their last trip to San Francisco were beginning to emerge since the attack. The rumble of laughter in his chest made her stir. Holding her tightly to him, he rolled her to her back and buried his face in her hair as he yawned.<\/p>\n

She smiled, running her fingers into the curls on the back of his head and whispering, \u201cI\u2019m sorry I disturbed your sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf that\u2019s what you call disturbing, you can disturb me anytime,\u201d he answered as he kissed her neck and jaw. He raised his head to look at her, and she turned her face away. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked softly.<\/p>\n

Her smile was gone. \u201cI look better in the dark.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning her face back to him, he looked lovingly at her. \u201cThey\u2019re almost gone.\u201d Then he kissed the faint bruises around her eyes, her mouth and her jaw.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to take a bath this morning before we go,\u201d she said as she enjoyed his attentions.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood thing I asked Jim last night if he could arrange to have a bath prepared for you this morning.\u201d He took his time with his next kiss, making her toes curl. \u201cFirst, let\u2019s have a look at that ankle.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he started to rise, she pulled him back down for another kiss. \u201cYou haven\u2019t had a bath either. Would you care to share?\u201d<\/p>\n

He cocked his head with a pleased look. \u201cYes. Now, let me see your ankle.\u201d Sitting on the side of the bed, she moved her legs to his lap.<\/p>\n

A shudder ran through her as he ran his hand down her thigh and over her knee. \u201cThat\u2019s not my ankle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t anyone ever tell you that patience is a virtue? I\u2019m getting there.\u201d She felt his fingers wrap around her ankle. \u201cIt\u2019s not hot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if you noticed, but I\u2019m not a horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would still be warm. It doesn\u2019t look swollen, but it looks like you have half an egg on the side of it, and it\u2019s still a little green.\u201d He gently squeezed. \u201cHow does it feel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a little sore, but it\u2019s not bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright then. Let\u2019s go get clean and fed, and then leave. Jim\u2019s loaning us a buggy, so we can tie Eli and Apollo to the back, and Micah can lead Clyde.\u201d<\/p>\n

She cackled, \u201cClyde?\u201d<\/p>\n

He shrugged and opened the door between the room and the washroom, bowing. \u201cAfter you, my love.\u201d<\/p>\n

She took a tentative step, testing her ankle, and then gingerly stepped past him.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

When they arrived in San Francisco, Adam drove straight to the Lick House. \u201cWe\u2019ll get settled in our room, and then figure out our schedules.\u201d He dug his watch out of his pocket. \u201cIt\u2019s already three. There\u2019s no point in going to the courthouse site today. I wouldn\u2019t be able to do much, but the Slaters will want to know we\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The doorman walked out to the buggy. \u201cYour name, Sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright. I\u2019d like to store the buggy and these horses in your stables. This is Mr. Whitney. He\u2019ll be accompanying your stable hand with our horses.\u201d Turning to Micah, Adam said, \u201cTell them to bill the room for everything and make sure these three get oat hay. They should store the saddles, too.\u201d Micah nodded and followed the stable hand.<\/p>\n

The doorman followed the Cartwrights into the hotel, placing their bags and Micah\u2019s next to the front desk, and introducing them to the desk clerk.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, Mr. Cartwright, it\u2019s nice to have you back. I have a two bedroom suite for you on the third floor as you requested.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s another gentleman with us; Micah Whitney. He\u2019ll need a key to the room as well. And I\u2019d like to have a note delivered and a telegram sent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I need to have a note delivered, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

The desk clerk produced pencils and paper, and the two began to write. \u201cTo whom are you sending a note,\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cTerrance Prescott\u2026to let him know I\u2019m here and schedule an appointment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want you to see him by yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stopped writing and turned to face him, batting her eyelashes. \u201cWhy?\u201d she asked impertinently.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause he\u2019s liable to be disrespectful and may try to take advantage of your current condition.\u201d<\/p>\n

She cast her eyes down, and after a moment turned forward and finished her note, sliding it over to him. \u201cExcuse me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stopped writing, and though he didn\u2019t look at her, he felt her move away. If she had been herself, she would have objected in a voice that was entirely too sweet. Instead, she dropped the subject like a hot coal and separated herself from him. He looked back for her. She had taken a seat in the lobby and waited on the edge of it with her hands clasped in front of her, looking down at the floor. She was definitely not doing as well as he had begun to believe. He called to her when it was time to go to their suite, and she obediently fell in line with him.<\/p>\n

The ride in the lift was quiet, and other than the normal affair of dealing with the bellman, it remained quiet between them until the door was closed, and they were alone. They stood only about ten feet apart, but for Adam, it seemed as if they were miles apart.<\/p>\n

Opening her mouth to speak, she froze and seemed to think about what to say, then just pointed to the bedroom to which she went immediately and closed the door behind her.<\/p>\n

Adam stood looking at the place she had been standing with his mouth slightly open. He bent his head and scratched behind his ear, then followed her and quietly opened the door, finding her seated at the dressing table with her hands together as if in prayer, her thumbs under her chin and the sides of her index fingers pressed against her lips. Even though she was facing the mirror, she wasn\u2019t really looking in the mirror. Her eyes were sad; a sadness that ran deep and tore at his heartstrings.<\/p>\n

When she realized he was in the room, she sat up straight and took a deep breath, then stood and began unpacking their bags.<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh?\u201d<\/p>\n

She swallowed hard and fought to keep her voice steady as she spoke. \u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTalk to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She pulled a dress out of her bag, put a smile on her face and turned. \u201cWhat would you like to talk about?\u201d she asked, glancing at him as she walked past him toward the wardrobe.<\/p>\n

By the time he got to her, the dress was on a hanger. He took it from her and hung it in the wardrobe, then took her hands, moving to the bed and sitting. \u201cWhatever is bothering you, you don\u2019t have to hide it from me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking down at their hands, she spoke so quietly he could barely hear her. \u201cI\u2019m trying.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you\u2019re trying, but you shouldn\u2019t be trying for me. You should be doing that for yourself. Now, I know you would normally have objected to my remark about someone going with you to see Prescott, but Sweetheart, I don\u2019t think you\u2019re ready to deal with a man like that. You know that what happened to you at the hands of Stewart has been a subject for the newspapers for awhile, and a man like Prescott would not have second thoughts about taking advantage of you because of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you\u2019re right. That\u2019s why I didn\u2019t argue. Mostly, I\u2019m angry at myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

He raised her face with a finger under her chin. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI should be able to handle a man like Prescott one way or another; either charm him or tell him what he can do with his carriage. But part of me is\u2026\u201d she teared up, \u201c\u2026afraid.\u201d When her nose wrinkled, he knew tears would follow. He pulled her into him, laying her head on his chest and stroking her hair. \u201cI don\u2019t want to feel like this,\u201d she sniffed, \u201cbut I can\u2019t seem to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re trying to do too much too soon. You don\u2019t have to do anything, Sweetheart. We can tell Prescott you\u2019re not up to it, and if we need to, we can cancel your performances for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her head shot up off his chest, and she looked frantically at him. \u201cNo, we need the money to buy the mining equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we do not,\u201d he said emphatically, moving his hands to the sides of her head and holding her eyes with his.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said it would be better if we didn\u2019t have to take out any loans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always better if we don\u2019t take out any loans, so we don\u2019t have to pay interest, but I\u2019m not worried about paying the loans. The mine will do that easily.\u201d<\/p>\n

She wilted. \u201cAdam, I can\u2019t cancel. We\u2019ve already signed contracts and taken half the payment. And if I cancel now, they may not want me back. Besides, the first performance is almost two months away.\u201d Taking his hands again, she looked back at his eyes. \u201cI want you to let me handle Prescott\u2026alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Breathing deeply, he furrowed his brow. The corners of her mouth turned up somewhat when he pushed his lips out slightly; not a pout, but enough to define the elegant curve of his upper lip against his full lower lip. \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

The word pulled her back. \u201cNo? But\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a knock at the door. Adam stood to get it while he spoke. \u201cYou\u2019re not ready. And I\u2019m not ready to leave you to someone like Prescott.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following, she objected, \u201cIf I don\u2019t try sometime, I\u2019ll never be able to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, he said, taking a note from the attendant and closing the door. \u201cYou will. But you need to give yourself some time.\u201d He opened the envelope, then walked to her and kissed her forehead. \u201cThis will take your mind off of it. We\u2019re having dinner at the Slater\u2019s tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

Shiloh didn\u2019t let the subject of Prescott drop. She continued to make her varied points while they dressed for dinner. Adam listened, silently pleased that she was almost passionately stating her case; another sign that she was improving, but he was also concerned that in her present state, with her lack of confidence, someone could and eventually would take advantage of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I don\u2019t need a nursemaid. If I had cowered at every difficult situation that came my way, I wouldn\u2019t be singing or training horses. I probably wouldn\u2019t even be married to you, if you think about it.\u201d Adam remained silent all through her rant. \u201cYou\u2019ve been shoring me up long enough. It\u2019s time I started standing on my own two feet again, especially with the horses, if they\u2019re still mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had dressed in black slacks and was just putting on a white shirt. \u201cThe horses will always be yours. They aren\u2019t at issue here. But just an hour ago, you were in tears because you were afraid of what Prescott will say to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you do things even though you\u2019re afraid?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is different. A man like Prescott will use your feelings against you, and right now, Sweetheart, your feelings are raw.\u201d He looked over at her while he pulled on his waistcoat. She had finished all the layers of under garments and had slipped her corset on. Moving behind her, he pulled the cord and tied it. \u201cShiloh, I have no doubt that under normal circumstances, you would chew a man like Prescott up and spit him out in little pieces and probably have him smiling while you do it.\u201d He turned her around and held her arms. \u201cBut you are not ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t sulk or pout. She just looked defeated. \u201cI\u2019ll never be able to stand on my own two feet again if you never let me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what if I fail? What if I let him get to me? I\u2019ve always been able to pick myself back up. It\u2019s just taking a little longer this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

At that moment, he was quite proud of her, and even happier her passion was back in her eyes. He sighed. \u201cI\u2019m going with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if you\u2019re at the courthouse site when he wants to meet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen Micah can go with you. I don\u2019t want you to go alone.\u201d She twisted her mouth angrily, and he quickly drew her into him. With a libidinous smile, he said, \u201cHave I ever told you how beautiful you are when you\u2019re angry?\u201d He didn\u2019t wait for an answer. He held her tightly against him and kissed her, and though she struggled in anger, she soon gave in, moving her hands under his arms and up to his shoulders. \u201cThat was nice,\u201d he said, giving her another quick kiss. \u201cNow, can we forget about this for the evening and enjoy dinner?\u201d He turned her toward the closet. \u201cFinish getting dressed. We\u2019re late.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel bad about leaving Micah behind,\u201d said Shiloh, moving the curtain in the coach window aside to look out.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a big boy. He can find something to do. You know as well as I that bringing him would not only have been impolite, but awkward for him and the Slaters. He has nothing to do with Slater, Cartwright and Slater.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do know that, Adam. I still feel bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you don\u2019t expect him to be around all the time. He is a grown man, and he\u2019ll want to make a life for himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam snorted and smiled. \u201cDo I really need to explain that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Drawing the corner of her mouth in, she replied, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

The coach came to a stop, and in another minute, the coach door opened. Adam stepped out and turned for Shiloh\u2019s hand. She reached up for his shoulder with her left hand which prompted him to hold her and lower her down gently on her injured ankle. He also noticed that her hand wasn\u2019t bandaged. He held it and glared down at her. \u201cI didn\u2019t think it would hurt tonight. I\u2019m not really doing anything but eating. I just didn\u2019t want to draw attention to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He raised his eyebrows, shook his head, and put her hand over his arm. \u201cShall we?\u201d Escorting her up the steps to the front door, he raised his hand to knock, and before he rapped his knuckles, the door opened.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, Shiloh, please come in,\u201d said Robert. He led them to the parlor where Evelyn greeted them in a dress with an empire waistline.<\/p>\n

Shiloh smiled warmly at Evelyn and took her hands. \u201cI think all you needed to do was talk about it,\u201d she whispered, making Evelyn giggle. \u201cYou\u2019re obviously quite happy.\u201d After exchanging greetings, the women drifted to two chairs away from the men, but before they could talk, Robert delivered two glasses of champagne, and then excused himself.<\/p>\n

Handing a glass to Adam, Robert looked back over at the women. \u201cHow\u2019s Shiloh doing, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStill recovering, but she\u2019s getting better every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if you\u2019ve been reading the San Francisco newspapers, but I\u2019m afraid that lately, they\u2019ve not had kind things to say. The powerful in this city liked Stewart. He got things done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that causing repercussions for the firm?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. They seem to separate you from the incident in Virginia City. I understand, though, that you were shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but it had nothing to do with Stewart. It seems there\u2019s someone else who would like to see me dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny idea who?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing definite, but I have a feeling it might have to do with gold and silver we found on the ranch property. Apparently someone had it assayed and was planning to mine it out from under us. While we\u2019re here, I\u2019ll be meeting with George Hearst. His company owns the land right next to our north boundary where the vein is located. What have you heard about the courthouse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur courthouse is a source of pride for the city, and you\u2019re name still gets mentioned at the drop of a hat. There\u2019s been absolutely no trouble with the foundation, and the city is holding its collective breath to hear the results of your inspection.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh\u2019s supposed to go to Maguire\u2019s tomorrow to practice while I\u2019m at the construction site. Is there something I need to be aware of before I leave her there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe city is split. Those that respected Stewart are mostly the prominent businessmen while those claiming he got what he deserved are their wives. You each made an impression while you were here in March. It would appear that Shiloh\u2019s attack has caused a rift in more than one marriage here. There will be those who have some unkind things to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid any of those articles get it right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy right, I assume you mean that Shiloh was kidnapped and attacked, and while Stewart was in the process of beating her to death, someone shot him. That article was written by your friend, Mark Twain. He\u2019s the only one. The rest are milking it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know anything about Terrance Prescott?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cHe inquired about horses. Shiloh brought some to show him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe will be brutal to her. He and Stewart were friends. I might even suggest that he\u2019s more interested in humiliating her than buying her horses.\u201d Adam puckered his mouth and steamed. \u201cWhat about Tom Maguire?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not worried about Tom. He\u2019s fond of her. I don\u2019t think he\u2019ll allow any of his people to show any disrespect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, maybe spending the next two days at Maguire\u2019s isn\u2019t a bad idea then. But if I were you, I wouldn\u2019t leave her alone anywhere in the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood evening everyone,\u201d said Daniel cheerfully as he walked into the parlor. I hope I\u2019m not too terribly late.\u201d The women looked up, and he bowed to them before walking over to Adam and Robert. \u201cAdam, I see you\u2019re alive and well. I understand you were shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but as you said, I\u2019m alive and well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, Sir, but dinner is served,\u201d said the Slater\u2019s butler.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, shall we?\u201d said Robert as he and Adam approached the women and escorted them to the dining room.<\/p>\n

Once everyone was served, the conversation turned to Shiloh. \u201cShiloh, I understand you\u2019ll be practicing for some upcoming performances while you\u2019re here,\u201d said Robert.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I will. My first performance is in Sacramento in August, but I\u2019ve not had a chance to exercise my voice since our wedding. Though I do practice at home, I don\u2019t really exercise my full range unless I sing with an orchestra. It forces me to project my voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evelyn replaced her glass of wine and dabbed her mouth with her napkin. \u201cI apologize for being forward, but I would dearly love to watch you practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh smiled. \u201cI\u2019ll leave word with Tom Maguire that you\u2019ll be there. You won\u2019t have any trouble getting in.\u201d Adam had been watching Shiloh with Evelyn all evening. She seemed to enjoy Evelyn\u2019s company and appeared to be more at ease now than he had seen her in weeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cRobert, did you make any corrections to the last set of drawings I sent for the commercial building in Jackson Square?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, as a matter of fact, I\u2019ve already sent them in and gotten an answer. They\u2019ll be clearing the whole block and want some accompanying drawings for two additional buildings. Once they get those, they\u2019ll send them back East to their owner, and if he approves them we\u2019ll get the block. But with the Salt Lake project, can you handle two more sets of plans?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll manage,\u201d said Adam, grinning. \u201cIf you have the specifications, I\u2019ll take them with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are a busy man, I must say,\u201d said Daniel. \u201cA toast to our newest partner, who because of his courthouse has brought an increasing amount of work our way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone raised their glass. Shiloh caught Adam\u2019s eyes and smiled adoringly. When he narrowed his eyes, looking back at her with a slight upturn of his lips, Evelyn winked at Robert and nodded inconspicuously toward Adam, and then at Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Before the evening was over, Adam had his new specifications, Robert and Adam agreed to ride to the courthouse site together, Evelyn and Shiloh had caught up on Evelyn\u2019s plans for the Slater\u2019s newest family member who would be arriving in about four months, and most importantly, Daniel behaved himself, offering only praise for Adam\u2019s involvement with the firm and compliments to Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Daniel left soon after the Cartwrights said their goodbyes, and Robert and Evelyn stood considering each other. \u201cDo you have any idea what Daniel is up to?\u201d asked Evelyn.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, my dear, but we both know it can\u2019t be anything good. I\u2019ll have to keep an eye on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

Adam sat in the main room of the suite reading the revised railroad contract while Shiloh finished dressing before they went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. Micah sat with him, reading the newspaper.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, have you read this newspaper?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, why?\u201d asked Adam without looking up from the contract.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the city knows you both are here. There\u2019s a separate article about each of you. It\u2019s as if you\u2019re not even related.\u201d Adam raised his head and stared in front of him, harrumphed, and went back to his contract. \u201cDoesn\u2019t this concern you?\u201d<\/p>\n

This time he looked at Micah. \u201cWe\u2019re not here to win a popularity contest. We\u2019re going to do what we need to do and leave.\u201d Looking back down at the legal papers in his lap, he continued, \u201cShiloh won\u2019t be going anywhere without one of us, so there\u2019s little chance of anyone confronting her, and by the time we have to come back all this will be forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of us won\u2019t be with her today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but Tom Maguire is a good friend. He\u2019ll see she\u2019s treated respectfully. And Evelyn Slater will be with her. What are you doing today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you, I\u2019m watching you.\u201d Adam cocked his head with a disgruntled look. \u201cThe quicker we can find who\u2019s trying to kill you, the better off we\u2019ll be. When we get back home, you and I are going to be busier than we\u2019ve ever been, and we\u2019ll likely be going in two different directions when the day begins.\u201d<\/p>\n

Studying him, Adam\u2019s annoyance changed to suspicion. \u201cIs there something you\u2019re not telling me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah heaved a sigh. \u201cThe fella that was watching you in Virginia City is here. He followed your coach last night to the Slater\u2019s, then followed you back to the hotel when you left. Adam, a construction site would be a good place for him to take another shot at you. With all the work going on, a single man hidden in an out-of-the-way place won\u2019t be noticed until it\u2019s too late. And then, disappearing in a city like San Francisco is easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh quietly opened the door of the bedroom and walked into their midst. \u201cWhat are you two discussing?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked at Micah and warned him off before Micah told her. \u201cTimber contracts, mines and how busy we\u2019re going be when we get back home. Shall we go have some breakfast?\u201d Adam asked, folding the contract and pocketing it as he stood.<\/p>\n

Arriving in the lobby, they stepped off the lift and headed for the restaurant. \u201cMr. Cartwright,\u201d called the manager. \u201cI have a telegram and several messages for you and Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stepped over to the counter while the manager retrieved the messages, leaving Shiloh standing with Micah. \u201cMicah, was that really all you were talking about before I came in the room?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe talked about several things, Little Sister, but nothing you need to worry about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked Adam not to hide things from me. I don\u2019t expect you to, either.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rejoined them, taking Shiloh\u2019s elbow and guiding her into the restaurant. \u201cIs one of your more private tables available?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir. Right this way,\u201d said the host, seating them in an alcove in the back corner where they could see the entire restaurant.<\/p>\n

Adam looked at a telegram from his father first, reading it to himself, then sitting back in his chair and blowing out of his mouth. \u201cI have one more thing to do while we\u2019re here. Pa wants me to quote the Grocer\u2019s Association a price for beef. I\u2019ll have to go by their office to find out how much they want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not in a hurry are we? That shouldn\u2019t be a problem,\u201d said Shiloh, smiling.<\/p>\n

He smiled back. \u201cIt\u2019s not a problem. I just wanted to get you back to Jim\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a note for me?\u201d asked Shiloh. Picking it up, he held it in front of him, looking at the name, hesitating, but slowly passing it to her. He looked at her with his lips pursed. Shiloh looked at the name on the envelope, and then met his eyes with one eyebrow arched. \u201cHe says he looks forward to meeting me and seeing the horses I\u2019ve brought. He\u2019d like me to take them to his home tomorrow afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, Robert knows Prescott. He said he\u2019s likely more interested in berating you, than seeing your horses. It seems Stewart was a good friend of his. I don\u2019t think you should go at all.\u201d Her eyes moved away from his, and her expression changed to something he couldn\u2019t read. She was showing neither anger, nor disappointment, but instead seemed rather detached. Folding the note, she passed it back to him and remained silent. \u201cI\u2019ll send him your apologies.\u201d She didn\u2019t respond in any way.<\/p>\n

He opened the next envelope. \u201cHearst would like to meet us for dinner tonight here to discuss the issue with the north property. I\u2019ll tell him seven, if that\u2019s alright with you.\u201d Shiloh shrugged. \u201cMicah, you need to be here since the mine is half yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

When their breakfast was delivered, Shiloh made no move to eat. She sat, looking at Adam, her eyes moving from his face, across his shoulders and down to the edge of the table. \u201cSweetheart?\u201d<\/p>\n

She thought it odd that he dressed in his black trousers, red shirt and black vest this morning, but seeing him in that attire, she thought nothing when he put his gun belt on as they left their suite. Now, something niggled at the back of her mind. \u201cI can understand the casual clothes since you\u2019ll be on a construction site, but why are you wearing your gun?\u201d She glanced at Micah and looked back to Adam. \u201cWhy are both of you wearing your guns?\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah answered quickly before Adam. \u201cIt\u2019s habit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe it is for you, Micah, but not Adam.\u201d She looked Adam directly in the eye. \u201cAdam doesn\u2019t wear a gun while he\u2019s doing business in San Francisco unless he\u2019s expecting trouble.\u201d Adam bit the inside of his cheek, knowing he\u2019d been caught. \u201cYou said you wouldn\u2019t hide things from me. I remember quite well that you were shot when you came after me after Will took me. I also remember that you never found out who shot you or why.\u201d<\/p>\n

He raised his eyebrows and breathed. \u201cThen you know why we\u2019re wearing our guns. There\u2019s nothing else to tell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t it seem just a little off to you that you\u2019re hiding me\u2026protecting me from people who might have unpleasant things to say, but you\u2019re going out in public places while someone is shooting at you?\u201d Her nostrils flared. Now, he saw her temper, and despite her accurate assessment, he couldn\u2019t help but smile. That smile caused her to give him an open mouth scowl as if to yell \u201cfoul.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam leaned toward her and spoke quietly. \u201cThe evening we arrived in the city, you told me you were afraid that you couldn\u2019t handle difficult situations. I know that ordinarily you don\u2019t need to be coddled, but until you are unafraid\u2026until you are yourself again, I\u2019m not going to allow anyone the chance to treat you badly for something that was in no way caused by you.\u201d He turned her face to his. \u201cYou aren\u2019t yet ready. When you are, I\u2019ll stop cosseting you and start saving you from your temper again,\u201d he finished, smiling impishly. She pulled her chin from his grip and looked sadly forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, Mr. Cartwright, but Mr. Slater has arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing, Adam stood with a hand on the back of Shiloh\u2019s chair ready to pull it away from the table when she stood. She took a deep breath before she stood, then walked out of the restaurant ahead of Micah and Adam. Robert and Evelyn were waiting in the lobby. Micah excused himself just as they left the restaurant to retrieve his horse from the hotel stables.<\/p>\n

In the coach, Robert and Adam discussed the inspection of the courthouse foundation while Shiloh sat quietly looking out the window. Evelyn reached across and took her hand, bringing Shiloh\u2019s attention inside the coach. \u201cIf you\u2019ve changed your mind, we can go back to the house and talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh opened her mouth slightly to breathe so that her nose wouldn\u2019t become congested from the tears she was holding back. She managed a smile. \u201cThank you, Evelyn,\u201d she said quietly so as not to interrupt the men\u2019s conversation. \u201cI need to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evelyn squeezed her hand. \u201cYes, my dear, you do.\u201d<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

Adam and Robert walked the ladies into the lobby of Maguire\u2019s Opera House where Tom Maguire was waiting. After introductions were made and Tom gave assurances that the main doors would be locked while Shiloh was there, the men went on to the construction site.<\/p>\n

Upon their arrival, Adam stood on the other side of the street mentally picturing the placement of the courthouse before he walked onto the site. The construction foremen walked over to them. \u201cYou fellas got business here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Robert Slater. This is Adam Cartwright.\u201d Adam extended his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, the architect fella.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe engineer today. Is there somewhere we can spread our drawings out?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Right over here,\u201d said the foreman, leading the men to a table in the center of what would be the front of the building.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to see the cement and embedded steel of the floor, the footings, the water drainage and tunnel to the sewer, the granite and joints, and then the granite you\u2019ll be mounting the cast iron pillars on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister, I\u2019m gonna have to stop work while you look at all that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI realize that, but if you\u2019ve finished the foundation, you shouldn\u2019t be going any further without this inspection.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell you what. You go on and take a look at any part of the foundation you want. In the meantime, I\u2019ll go have a conversation with the mayor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled. \u201cYou do that. While you\u2019re gone, who can I talk to about your process for laying the cement?\u201d<\/p>\n

The man turned around, whistling and motioned for another man to join them. \u201cHim,\u201d said the foreman as he walked off the site.<\/p>\n

Adam turned to Robert. \u201cWhat\u2019s the problem?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet used to it. These men don\u2019t get paid when work is stopped. A good many of the buildings in San Francisco were inspected by men sitting behind a desk and signing a form their clerks laid in front of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRobert, I\u2019m not going to put my name on a building that isn\u2019t adequately inspected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robert smiled and patted him on the back. \u201cI don\u2019t expect you to.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the foreman came back with the mayor and the new city attorney, they were followed by several men from the city council. They stopped and watched Adam as he was squatted down on the floor of the foundation, discussing the laying of the cement and the reinforcement. The group of men walked right up to them. Looking up, Adam nodded, then turned his attention back to the man he was speaking with, finishing his conversation before he stood up. \u201cMayor Teschemacher.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright, the construction foreman says your inspection has stopped work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMayor, my plans call for an inspection of the foundation before the first level begins. I don\u2019t intend to sign off until I do this inspection. There will be another inspection midway through the four floors and then a roof inspection before I\u2019ll sign that it\u2019s complete. In all three cases, I expect work to stop until I\u2019m finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long will it take?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat depends on how helpful your foreman is. On my own it\u2019s going to take two full days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRobert, Adam, I understand you wanting to do this by the book, but we have a schedule to meet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMayor, the schedule was defined as part of our plans and included the inspections,\u201d said Robert.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rolled a drawing up in his hands and stood with his arms crossed, holding the roll in front of him. \u201cMayor, this building was designed to withstand major ground movement as well as fire. In order to make sure that\u2019s what you get, I need to ensure that this foundation is built according to the specifications. If the foundation isn\u2019t built to exact specifications or inferior materials or methods are used, it will compromise the stability of the rest of the building.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mayor Teschemacher looked Adam in the eye, and when Adam didn\u2019t flinch, he smiled. \u201cAdam, I\u2019d like you to meet our new city attorney, Levi Blake. Levi, Adam Cartwright and Robert Slater of Slater, Cartwright and Slater. And this is Mayor-elect Henry Coon. You\u2019ll be working with his office starting next month.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, we\u2019ve all heard of the incident between your wife and our former city attorney,\u201d said Mr. Coon. How is Mrs. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s still recovering.\u201d<\/p>\n

Henry Coon had reluctantly agreed to run for mayor having spent his political career with the San Francisco Vigilance Committee that became the People\u2019s Party. Adam knew Coon had little tolerance for the criminal element, no matter who they were. Coon nodded. \u201cThere are many businessmen in this city who were friends of Mr. Stewart. I, for one, am appalled at his behavior. I want to assure you there will be no repercussions from city government.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mr. Coon. Now, if you gentlemen will allow me to get back to the inspection, I\u2019ll be out of your foreman\u2019s way as soon as I\u2019m finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just as Adam turned away, a gunshot rang out and dust flew from a block of granite in the foundation wall, prompting everyone to duck. Adam drew his gun, running to the front wall, looking over. More gunshots sounded from across the street. When Adam saw a man running down the street away from the site, he hauled himself up to the top of the wall and jumped down, hiding behind a stack of granite blocks. He saw Micah running after the first man and ran after him. The construction crew and the men from city hall all stood and peered over the wall.<\/p>\n

Coon grinned. \u201cI like this Cartwright fellow. Where did you find him?\u201d he asked Mayor Teschemacher. \u201cHe\u2019s a Harvard educated cowboy from the Nevada Territory.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh left Evelyn seated near the back of the main hall and walked to the stage, setting her portfolio down on a chair. The orchestra was already seated in the pit. She swallowed hard, then said, \u201cIt\u2019s good to see you all again. Would the section leaders please stand?\u201d When they were all standing, she said, \u201cI see we\u2019ve all met.\u201d She found it strange that everyone was so still as if they were all holding their breath. After all, she had worked with most of these people. They should be comfortable, but she knew why they were all so quiet. Stepping down into the pit, she looked them over, and then said, \u201cAlright, let\u2019s get this out so we can concentrate on work. I\u2019m alright. As you can see, I still have some bruises.\u201d She held up her hand and turned it so they had a chance to see both sides. \u201cMy stitches are out, so now I have to exercise before I can play piano again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hans, the leader of the string section stood and hugged her, and in his thick Austrian accent, he said, \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re alright.\u201d Suddenly, the entire orchestra was on their feet surrounding her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evelyn stood. As Tom hurried down the aisle, she caught his arm and stopped him. \u201cShe\u2019s fine,\u201d she whispered as they both watched.<\/p>\n

Slowly the members of the orchestra made their way back to their seats, and as the last few went, Evelyn watched Shiloh wipe her face, then blow a kiss to them. She turned to go back up on the stage and retrieved her portfolio, taking out a stack of music and handing it down to the pianist. \u201cThis is music you haven\u2019t seen before. Two of these are new. The others are from some of my performances in Boston that I haven\u2019t used here. This is mainly for practice, so it doesn\u2019t have to be perfect. If you have trouble with any of it, just do the best you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the sound of shuffling paper subsided, Shiloh said, \u201cI haven\u2019t warmed up my voice, so why don\u2019t we do some scales together before we try any of these pieces?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tom smiled at Evelyn and went back out of the hall while Evelyn took her seat, listening and enjoying what turned out to be a wonderfully entertaining and sometimes funny experience.<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

Adam knocked on the front door of the opera house. Tom hurried over to let him and Robert in, and seeing several people looking in the windows, he turned back to lock it. \u201cHow\u2019s she doing?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was awfully quiet at first, but she stepped right down into the pit and spoke to them,\u201d said Tom. \u201cAfter that, it was as if nothing had happened to her. She\u2019s as engaging as she ever was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam breathed a sigh of relief. \u201cThat\u2019s good to hear.\u201d The men stepped into the main hall where Shiloh was just finishing the song she always sang to open her performances.<\/p>\n

Evelyn stood to applaud just as Robert stepped next to her. \u201cI could never tire of hearing her sing,\u201d said Evelyn, beaming. \u201cAdam, thank you so much for suggesting I come with her. It\u2019s been wonderful seeing her work. She\u2019s a force to be reckoned with, and she knows what she wants, but at the same time, she\u2019s very affable, and she can be quite funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

After Shiloh thanked the musicians, she gathered her portfolio, stepped down off the stage and walked down the aisle to Adam and the Slaters. Smiling, Adam asked, \u201cHow was it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA little frightening at first, but we quickly fell back into a familiar rapport. How was your day inspecting the courthouse?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shot a quick glance toward Robert before he answered. \u201cThere\u2019s absolutely nothing exciting about a building inspection, but I will have to go back for a few hours tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the four got to the Lick House, the Slaters accompanied the Cartwrights inside the hotel. Micah was sitting in a chair in the lobby, and when he saw them come in, he went to meet them. \u201cRobert and Evelyn Slater, this is Shiloh\u2019s brother, Micah Whitney.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah shook Robert\u2019s hand. \u201cMr. Slater. Mrs. Slater,\u201d he said, removing his hat.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were just going to the restaurant to have dinner, Micah. Why don\u2019t you join us?\u201d invited Shiloh with a smile and a sparkle in her eyes.<\/p>\n

Micah smiled back and put his arm around her shoulder. \u201cIt looks like you had a good day.\u201d She nodded.<\/p>\n

When they were seated in the restaurant and had ordered their dinner, Robert asked Shiloh how it felt to be back on stage. \u201cI have to admit, I was a little intimidated at first. The musicians have always seemed very relaxed, but they were so tense, and of course, I knew why. So I spoke to them briefly about it, and that seemed to be enough to break the tension.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was actually quite touching,\u201d added Evelyn. \u201cAnd after that, you wouldn\u2019t have known that anything bad at all had taken place. I found it all quite interesting to see what goes into the making of a performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like you both had an interesting day,\u201d said Micah. Adam glared at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d asked Shiloh. Micah shot a quick chagrined glance at Adam. Shiloh looked from one to the other. \u201cTell me what happened,\u201d said Shiloh emphatically.<\/p>\n

Adam covered her hand. \u201cSweetheart, it was nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her nostrils flared, but she managed to force a smile. Though she tried to calm herself, her next words were sharper than she had intended. \u201cI don\u2019t believe you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh\u2026\u201d started Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah!\u201d said Adam, calling him off with a heated look.<\/p>\n

Evelyn glared at Robert. \u201cWhere were you when what ever happened happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

Robert rolled his eyes and looked at Adam. \u201cIn your suite?\u201d Adam raised his eyebrows, taking a deep breath and nodding.<\/p>\n

During dinner, Adam and Robert talked about the inspection and Adam\u2019s upcoming trip to Salt Lake. Shiloh and Evelyn whispered about what they thought might have happened at the construction site, and Micah sat, watching Shiloh as he ate. She turned to him and smiled. \u201cI asked Micah to come and help with the horses. I brought thirteen with me. Apparently, he\u2019s here for an entirely different reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Whitney, Shiloh hadn\u2019t mentioned she had a brother before. Have you been away?\u201d asked Evelyn.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could say that. I\u2019ve done a little traveling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah and I grew up together learning ranching from our fathers,\u201d said Adam. \u201cHe\u2019s finally decided to come home and help run the ranch. Shall we go on up to our rooms and have a drink?\u201d<\/p>\n

Before they left, Daniel came into the restaurant. \u201cWell, I\u2019m glad I caught up to you. I just heard there was gunfire at the construction site. Is everyone alright?\u201d Micah stood slowly, giving Daniel an icy stare. Daniel began to apologize for the interruption, but his eyes moved down to Micah\u2019s hand hovering near his gun, then back to Micah\u2019s eyes. When their eyes met, Daniel was sure Micah recognized him.<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

Daniel looked at his brother as he took a step back and assessed his situation. In only a second, he\u2019d reasoned that Robert had suspected that he was up to something, that this man\u2019s story would be a convincing one, and that Robert wouldn\u2019t rush in to defend his brother, but rather would give this man and his business partner the benefit of the doubt. Still if he ran, he\u2019d be admitting his involvement in the gunfire earlier that day. He stood his ground. \u201cI don\u2019t believe we\u2019ve met. I\u2019m Daniel Slater. Robert\u2019s brother,\u201d he said, offering his hand.<\/p>\n

Micah\u2019s voice was different somehow; lower, deeper, menacing. \u201cAdam, I saw this man speaking with a man across from the construction site just before that man took a shot at you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel laughed nervously. \u201cYou\u2019re quite mistaken. Why would I have someone shoot a business partner?\u201d He looked from Robert to Adam, and seeing in their eyes they were inclined to believe Micah, he said, \u201cI\u2019m not going to stay and listen to these accusations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stood and quickly drew his gun. \u201cI think you should stay, so we can get this straightened out. Shiloh, why don\u2019t you and Evelyn go on up to the suite while we go to the city jail? The man who took a shot at me is there, and I\u2019m sure he would trade a long jail sentence for information.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that, Daniel turned and ran. Micah, Adam and Robert went after him, dodging or jumping the chairs, tables and trays that Daniel was throwing in their path. Evelyn and Shiloh made their way to the lobby, stepping over serving dishes and plates as they wound their way through the upturned furniture. Shiloh gently pushed Evelyn behind the front desk where they could watch out of danger. Just before Daniel got to the front door of the lobby, Adam launched himself, grabbing Daniel\u2019s feet and bringing him to the floor. Daniel reached inside his pocket and brought out a derringer as Adam turned him over on his back, but before Daniel could shoot, Micah was standing over him, pulling back the hammer of his gun.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, don\u2019t shoot,\u201d stammered Daniel, raising his hands. After Adam took the pistol, he and Robert each took an arm and heaved Daniel to his feet. \u201cRobert, I\u2019m your brother,\u201d said Daniel, pleading. To everyone\u2019s surprise, Robert drew his arm back and punched, sending Daniel reeling into the closed door. Evelyn\u2019s hands went up to cover her mouth. Robert jerked Daniel around and pushed him through the door with Micah following closely behind. Looking back at Shiloh, Adam saw her nod, telling him to go. The excitement ended as quickly as it had begun. Everyone from the restaurant and in the lobby stood motionless, gaping at the closed door.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me, Mrs. Cartwright,\u201d said Mr. Shelby, the hotel manager, who rose from his ducked position behind the front desk. \u201cIs something like this going to occur each time you stay with us?\u201d Shiloh smiled apologetically as she took Evelyn\u2019s hand and hurried to the lift.<\/p>\n

Evelyn had been quiet on the ride up to the suite, staring at the wall in front of her. Smiling to herself, Shiloh realized Evelyn had never been exposed to anything like this. When they got to the room, Shiloh took her to the sofa where Evelyn slowly sat, still somewhat shaken. Shiloh pressed the call button and stood at the suite door watching Evelyn while she waited for the attendant to knock. She ordered a fresh pot of coffee, and then went to sit on the chair opposite the sofa.<\/p>\n

Evelyn focused on Shiloh. \u201cDoesn\u2019t this kind of thing affect you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh sighed. \u201cYes, especially when I don\u2019t know the outcome. But Evelyn, it was over before they left. I\u2019m sure Daniel isn\u2019t going to try anything with two guns on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did think it odd that Adam was wearing a gun. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen him wear one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam knew someone was trying to kill him. He was shot when Will Stewart took me, and the shot had nothing to do with Will. But Evelyn, everyday he goes out to work on the ranch or at the timber camps\u2026even to Virginia City, he wears a gun. Micah does, too. That\u2019s the way people live outside a big city.\u201d Shiloh rose to answer a knock at the door and brought the coffee service to the table in front of the sofa. While Evelyn continued, Shiloh prepared a cup for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Robert\u2026I\u2019ve never seen Robert do anything violent. I\u2019ve never seen him lose his temper like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he looked quite competent throwing that punch. Perhaps he\u2019s just never done anything like that in front of you. Our men tend to want to protect us from unpleasantness. Personally, I prefer to see it coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evelyn stared into her cup of coffee. \u201cIt must be an awful feeling to shoot someone. You\u2019ll probably think this is an odd question, but has Adam ever shot someone\u2026killed someone?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a sip of her own coffee, Shiloh answered very quietly. \u201cYes, he has. So have I.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evelyn\u2019s head jerked up, sloshing her coffee. Jumping to her feet, Shiloh grabbed a napkin and began to blot Evelyn\u2019s dress. \u201cEvelyn, we live twenty miles from the nearest town. Our closest neighbor is miles away, and there\u2019s gold and silver to be stolen, cattle to be rustled, and any number of bad men roaming the territory. We have one sheriff within sixty miles of us, and there\u2019s still a good many places that have no lawmen at all. A man came into my house. I don\u2019t think he initially intended to kill me, but in the end, I was convinced otherwise. Adam interrupted him, and when the man turned his gun toward Adam, I shot him. He raised his gun as he was falling, and I shot him again.\u201d Leaning back on the sofa next to Evelyn, Shiloh looked out into the room. \u201cIt\u2019s funny. I\u2019ve never thought twice about grabbing my rifle and running off to wherever trouble was on the ranch, but I can\u2019t bring myself to carry a pistol. I guess I associate the rifle with a warning or a signal that I\u2019m not just going to lay down and let someone steal from me. But a pistol…Adam once told me that just by wearing a gun, a man is a threat, and that he had better be ready to use it. If he isn\u2019t, he shouldn\u2019t wear it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright, a killer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot a killer. He would never shoot someone for any other purpose than defending himself or someone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess I never thought about how difficult it could be living on a ranch away from\u2026\u201d Evelyn glanced over contritely.<\/p>\n

Shiloh finished for her. \u201cCivilization?\u201d Shiloh patted her hand. \u201cIt\u2019s alright to say it. It\u2019s true.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The two women sat silently and watched as the men entered the suite, immediately gathering by the liquor cabinet. When they all had their whiskey, they joined the ladies, taking the chairs, instead of the space on the sofa on either side of Evelyn and Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Shiloh crossed an arm around her, propping her elbow on the arm and laying her chin in her hand. She looked at Micah, then moved her eyes to Robert, and finally to Adam where she glared for a moment. \u201cI was just telling Evelyn that I prefer to see it coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three men took turns telling the ladies what had happened at the courthouse. Robert continued the story with the jail. \u201cThe police didn\u2019t have to talk to the other man. By the time we got Daniel into the station, he was ready to tell them everything.\u201d Robert downed his whiskey, and Adam got up to fetch the bottle, coming back and pouring Robert another glass. He held the bottle up to Micah, who waved him off, then poured himself another, leaving the bottle on a side table and sitting back down.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill there be a hearing?\u201d asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Nodding his head, Adam took another sip. \u201cYes, but Daniel signed a confession and implicated the other man. The hearing will be a formality as will the trial. They\u2019ll go before a judge for sentencing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh\u2019s glare at Adam had softened as she spoke. \u201cRobert, I\u2019m sorry about all this. It was apparent that Daniel was uncomfortable with Adam as a partner, but neither of us thought it would come to this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no need to apologize. Daniel did this to himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh\u2019s eyes widened. \u201cOh, Adam. Mr. Hearst.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising his hand, he calmed her. \u201cI sent a note. We\u2019re having dinner with him tomorrow night instead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRobert, I\u2019m really quite tired. I\u2019d like to go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, my dear,\u201d he replied, standing and helping her up from the sofa.<\/p>\n

Evelyn hugged Shiloh. \u201cI had a lovely day with you. The men are an entirely different story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the baby is old enough, you and Robert must come out to the ranch. You should see what it\u2019s like to live beyond the confines of a city.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah, it was nice to meet you,\u201d said Robert. \u201cAdam, I\u2019ll see you tomorrow at the site.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Adam closed the door behind the Slaters, Shiloh excused herself. \u201cIt\u2019s late. I\u2019m tired. Are you coming?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be in shortly.\u201d Adam waited until Shiloh closed the bedroom door, and then turned to Micah with his hands on his hips. Micah sat back down on his chair, crossed his legs and poured himself another glass of whiskey. \u201cYou should be thanking me, not staring a hole through me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you figure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou weren\u2019t going to tell her about the shooting even after you told her you wouldn\u2019t keep things from her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf she were completely recovered, I would have told her. But she\u2019s doesn\u2019t need anything else to worry about right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not going to work with her. She could easily have decided to stay hidden in the ranch house, and from what you\u2019ve told me, she almost did. She\u2019s making an effort. She may be taking small steps, but she\u2019s taking them. You\u2019re lack of confidence in her is only going to make her wonder why she should worry about her own confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam flared his nostrils and breathed deeply. \u201cMicah, she\u2019s my wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing and facing Adam, Micah glared resolutely back. \u201cShe\u2019s still my sister. I know her better than you. You need to stop treating her like she\u2019s fragile and about to break. She\u2019s not. She never was, and she never will be. That is, if you don\u2019t turn her into that.\u201d Micah turned away and went into his room, leaving Adam alone. He looked down at his whiskey, drank the rest, leaving the glass on a table, and went to bed.<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shiloh opened her eyes and looked at the clock on the night table. Two thirty. She was wide awake, and knew if she stayed in the bed, she\u2019d be restless, tossing and turning, and eventually waking Adam. She looked over at him. He was in his normal position on his back with his mouth open, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.<\/p>\n

Sitting up slowly, she gradually stood up, and when she was clear of the bed, she grabbed her robe. Just before she opened the door, she put her arms in the sleeves and tied it around her, then quietly left the room, padding barefooted across the main room to the balcony. The temperature was mild, and a light wind blew through her hair. She breathed it in deeply, relishing the smell of the sea, remembering her time with Adam on the beach near Santa Cruz.<\/p>\n

Hearing a door latch, she turned and saw Micah come out of his room and look around. He looked at the open door of the balcony, so she stepped inside from behind the wafting curtain. \u201cI thought I heard something. What are you doing up?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cCouldn\u2019t sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome sit with me for awhile then. We haven\u2019t had much time to talk since I\u2019ve been home.\u201d When they were seated on the sofa, Micah put an arm around her, and she laid her head on his shoulder. \u201cDid you happen to hear Adam and me talking after you went to bed?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard your voices, but I couldn\u2019t make out what you were saying. It didn\u2019t sound friendly, though. Did you get it settled?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had gotten used to a presence in the bed. Each time she left in the middle of the night, he awoke with the feeling that something was missing, and sure enough, she\u2019d be gone. Now, he stood with the door of the bedroom cracked, listening.<\/p>\n

Micah chuckled. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing to settle. We\u2019ve always had disagreements. We each say our piece, and we\u2019re done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat were you talking about this time if you don\u2019t mind me asking?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting up, Shiloh turned to face him. \u201cWhat about me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe thinks you\u2019re fragile from all that\u2019s happened to you, and that you need to be protected.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you don\u2019t agree.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him he\u2019d gone beyond protecting you. I sort of told him he was crippling you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She raised her eyebrows and made an \u2018O\u2019 shape with her mouth. \u201cHow\u2019d that go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah, he\u2019s not crippling me. What you don\u2019t understand is that Adam was as injured by my attack as I was. I\u2019m not talking about his shoulder or my bruises. I\u2019m talking about his heart and that expectation men have of themselves to protect the people they love. He was wounded deeply when he couldn\u2019t protect me from Will.\u201d She took his hand. \u201cDon\u2019t be angry with him. We both need to heal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah leaned up and hugged her tightly. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry, Shy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile I was trying to protect you, you grew up, and I missed it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting back, she saw the redness of his eyes. She took his face in her hands. \u201cMicah, you need to heal with the rest of us. Now, we should try to get some rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah nodded and pulled her up off the sofa with him. He kissed her forehead and returned to his room. When Shiloh turned, she noticed the crack of her bedroom door. Adam slowly opened it, looking back at her sheepishly. She snorted and shook her head, then walked past him into the bedroom, and when he had closed the door, he took her in his arms and held her close.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

He kissed her and rested the side of his nose against hers. \u201cLet\u2019s go back to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have more than three hours of work left at the construction site, but I need to go by the Grocer\u2019s Association office and quote them a price for beef,\u201d said Adam as he cut into a slice of breakfast ham.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you like us to do that for you?\u201d asked Shiloh. \u201cMicah is a little out of practice, but I have no problem quoting cattle prices.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled. \u201cI\u2019m sure you\u2019d charm their socks off, but why don\u2019t you wait for me? We\u2019ll go together. We don\u2019t have anything else to do until this evening, so we might as well go look at mining equipment afterward.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder if Prescott will show up this morning,\u201d she said nonchalantly.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s head popped up. \u201cWhy would he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople who set up appointments under false pretenses just because they want to give you a piece of their mind usually find a way.\u201d Adam grunted. \u201cAdam, if he does, I would like to handle it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh\u2026\u201d He looked into her eyes and stopped when she tilted her head, giving him an earnest look. Snorting, he shook his head, remembering the conversation between her and Micah last night. \u201cI will be standing beside you.\u201d She lowered her head, but held his gaze. \u201cAnd I won\u2019t say or do anything unless he gets out of line.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her modest smile said \u2018thank you.\u2019<\/p>\n

With their breakfast finished, Shiloh and Micah walked Adam to the lobby. He was just about to walk out to the stable for his horse when Terrance Prescott stormed through the door. \u201cThere you are,\u201d he said loudly, marching directly to Shiloh. \u201cHow dare you agree to show me horses and back out at the last minute. Do you realize how valuable my time is?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam took a step forward, but Shiloh gently touched his arm. \u201cMr. Prescott, I presume?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho else would I be?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Prescott, I apologize, but we had some trouble that had to be taken care of. If you have time this morning, I\u2019d be happy to show you the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cConsidering what you\u2019ve done to this city, I\u2019d be a fool to purchase horses from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh leaned back to Micah and asked in a low voice. \u201cMicah, would bring Eli and Apollo to the front of the hotel? Quickly.\u201d When he hesitated, Shiloh added. \u201cIt\u2019s alright. Adam is here.\u201d<\/p>\n

She calmly turned her attention to Mr. Prescott. \u201cThen I must ask; why are you here, Mr. Prescott, if not to look at my horses?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of these people have the nerve to speak up for Mr. Stewart,\u201d he said, waving a hand at the crowd in the lobby. \u201cHe was a fine attorney and would have taken this city far had he not been led astray by a\u2026a temptress.\u201d When Prescott saw the fury on Adam\u2019s face, he stepped back. Shiloh stepped in front of Adam, preventing him from following.<\/p>\n

\u201cI assure you, Mr. Prescott, I in no way encouraged him. I refused to see him. After that, he came to Virginia City unannounced, took me by knocking a store owner and myself unconscious, carried me to his buggy and left town.\u201d Her voice rose slowly. \u201cWhen I came to and refused to go with him, he brutally beat me, and when I still refused to go, he was going to bash my head in with a rock. The only reason he didn\u2019t was because someone else shot him before he brought the rock down.\u201d Adam had calmed down, but was still glaring.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t believe you. Will Stewart would never have done those things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her voice was loud enough for everyone in the lobby to hear, and though Adam would have preferred to haul the man outside, he let her defend herself. \u201cTake a look at my face, Mr. Prescott.\u201d She unbuttoned her blouse far enough to expose her right shoulder. \u201cTake a good look at my neck and shoulder. These bruises are five weeks old, Mr. Prescott. Imagine what these and the bruises he caused all over my body looked like the day after he beat me. She shoved her hand in his face. \u201cTake a good long look at my hand. He pinned my hand to the ground by impaling it with a knife. No woman deserves this kind of treatment at any man\u2019s hands for any reason. A man who would do something like this is not much of man and is certainly not the kind of man who should be responsible for the well-being of an entire city.\u201d She took a step forward, sending him a step back. Adam\u2019s nostrils were still flared, but he was now wearing a slight, crooked smile. \u201cFurthermore, you sir, are the type of man who probably thinks of his animals as nothing more than beasts for you to whip to your will. You take a long look at the horses standing outside that window,\u201d she shouted, pointing. Everyone in the lobby looked to the window and saw two tall, elegant black horses, standing patiently, their long silky tails and manes blowing in the strong breeze, their coats, glistening. \u201cTake your leave of me knowing that you will NEVER own such a magnificent animal.\u201d When he huffed, she took another step toward him. He spun around and beat a path out the door, looking furiously over his shoulder at her.<\/p>\n

She growled quietly enough that only those immediately around her heard, then buttoned her blouse. Adam\u2019s eyebrows were raised, and his lips were pursed. Next, Shiloh held her head up and walked confidently to the front desk while Adam\u2019s expression melted into a satisfied smile. \u201cMr. Shelby, I want to personally apologize for the spectacle last night and this morning. If you would like us to leave, we will do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shelby leaned toward her over the counter. \u201cMrs. Cartwright, in my mostly mundane job at this hotel, I rather enjoy the excitement you and Mr. Cartwright bring when you stay with us.\u201d He winked, making her giggle. \u201cIn addition to that, the advertising never hurts.\u201d He pointed to a corner where a man sat furiously scribbling on a pad of paper.<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

Ben and Joe relaxed in the sitting room before supper. Joe was cleaning his gun. Ben looked up from the book he was reading when he heard a horse ride into the yard. \u201cJoe, are you expecting anyone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Pa,\u201d he answered, setting the gun on the table. Both men walked out onto the porch.<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny, what brings you over here this late?\u201d asked Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, is Hoss here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cNo, isn\u2019t he at the Flying W?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019s been there, but when he didn\u2019t come down to the corral yesterday, we checked for him at the house, and he wasn\u2019t there. I figured he had to come back here for somethin\u2019. But when he didn\u2019t show up at all today, I thought I ought to check.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked at Joe with creased eyebrows. \u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t seen him all week, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNeither have I,\u201d said Ben worriedly. \u201cHe wouldn\u2019t have gone into town without telling someone. Even so, we\u2019d better check. Joe, run tell Hop Sing to hold supper.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben took his gun belt off the entry cabinet and put it on. \u201cJohnny, did Hoss say anything about having something else to take care of?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Mr. Cartwright. In fact, he said he\u2019d see us bright and early.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe came back from the kitchen and began fastening his gun belt. \u201cJoe and I will ride into town to see if he\u2019s there. Go back to the Flying W and go through the house. See if he left anything unusual\u2026anything that he\u2019d normally take with him if he left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYessir,\u201d said Johnny, turning toward his horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Johnny,\u201d called Ben. \u201cDon\u2019t go anywhere else. Wait for us. We\u2019ll ride back to the Flying W.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Standing in front of Adam as he hooked the buttons down the back of her dress, Shiloh looked at his reflection in the mirror. He was smiling. He had been smiling when he was quoting the Grocer\u2019s Association a price for cattle, he had smiled when he purchased equipment for the mine and arranged shipment, and he was still smiling when they walked back into the lobby of the hotel. He and Micah celebrated their acquisition with a drink when they got up to the suite, and they sat talking excitedly about the mine until they departed to their bedrooms to dress for the evening.<\/p>\n

She watched. The way they spoke, the way they kidded around reminded her of when they were young and carefree\u2026right up until the day they were no more. They had been inseparable until that day. After the shock of that day, Adam was always polite. He always had a smile for her, but it was as if part of him was missing, like a man might miss an arm or a leg. He didn\u2019t do things quite the same way or with as much fervor. He went from carefree to staid and deliberate. Why hadn\u2019t she remembered the way he had changed before now?<\/p>\n

He watched her face in the mirror as he buttoned her dress. Her smile had slowly faded to a troubled frown. \u201cSweetheart, what are you thinking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just remembering the way you and Micah were together before he was shot, and then how you changed afterward. I don\u2019t think I ever really thought about it until now after seeing the two of you together again. She turned to face him and buttoned his dress shirt.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe you shouldn\u2019t think about the past if it makes you sad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure that\u2019s what it is. I wasn\u2019t thinking about my own loss. I was thinking about how you changed after he was shot.\u201d She stepped into him and wrapped her arms around his torso. \u201cSomething your father told me is just starting to sink in.\u201d She reached up and touched his cheek with her fingertips, looking deeply into his eyes. \u201cYou\u2019re not going to lose me.\u201d After a long, quiet gaze, she gave him a mischievous smile. \u201cI plan to be a small thorn in your side for a very long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

He took her hand and kissed her palm, then bent and kissed her lips. \u201cAs long as you\u2019re the thorn of a rose, I\u2019ll manage.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam, Shiloh and Micah met George Hearst in the hotel restaurant for dinner to discuss the property north of the Flying W. \u201cAdam, are you sure there was nothing worth mining on the north side of the ridge?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGeorge, I didn\u2019t look any further than the shaft we found. There may well be something further into the property, but I\u2019m certain the ore that was assayed came from the Flying W side of that ridge. The assayer who processed my samples processed the original ore that came into his office. He said based on the percentages of mineral content, both samples came from the same place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearst rested his chin on his hands as he thought. \u201cI don\u2019t remember the name of the company that contacted our broker, but I\u2019ll have it in my files. I\u2019ll ask Haggin to contact your Mr. Fischer. Maybe between the two of them they\u2019ll be able to dig out who originally received that report. In the meantime, I would like to pay the property a visit and do an adequate appraisal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d be honored to have you and your wife as our guests at the Flying W. I can get the plat maps in advance, and we can ride to the ridge from the house,\u201d offered Adam.<\/p>\n

Hearst stood and extended his hand to Adam. \u201cI\u2019ll make arrangements and wire you when to expect us. Mr. Whitney,\u201d he said, offering his hand to Micah. Taking Shiloh\u2019s hand, he bowed. \u201cIt\u2019s been my pleasure to see you again, Mrs. Cartwright. I do hope to see one of your performances this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mr. Hearst. I have no plans to sing in San Francisco this year, but I will be in Sacramento in August.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPhoebe and I will make plans to attend. If you will excuse me, I\u2019ll say good night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah and Adam sat back down after Hearst left the restaurant. \u201cThat went well,\u201d said Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter than I expected,\u201d said Adam. \u201cHearst is a busy man. He\u2019s fast becoming known for recognizing potential in mining property. He\u2019ll be able to tell fairly quickly whether his property bordering the Flying W is worth what he paid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t know about you two, but I\u2019m ready to get some rest. We\u2019re leaving early in the morning, aren\u2019t we?\u201d asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am, we are.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ben and Joe walked into the Flying W ranch house. \u201cJohnny!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, did you find anything in town?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Nothing. Have you found anything here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYessir.\u201d Johnny picked up Hoss\u2019s gun belt off the entry table. \u201cEverything else is gone, but then he didn\u2019t bring much with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis horse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYessir. Chubb\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I want you to ride into town first thing tomorrow morning and send Adam a wire. Let him know that Hoss is missing, and to get back here as soon as they can. The rest of us will start searching at first light.\u201d<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

A runner from the telegraph office waited impatiently at the hotel\u2019s front desk for the attention of the desk clerk. \u201cI have an urgent telegram for Mr. Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mr. Cartwright left more than an hour ago. I don\u2019t believe he was planning to return.\u201d<\/p>\n

Returning to the telegraph office, the young man told the telegrapher that the Cartwrights had already left town. \u201cThe alternate contact is Jim Fischer. Run this over to the office address at the bottom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Twenty minutes later, the boy returned with the telegram and plopped tiredly into a chair. The telegrapher looked up from his desk. \u201cNot there?\u201d The boy shook his head. \u201cWell then, this is one urgent telegram we can\u2019t deliver, at least, not until Mr. Fischer gets back in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh took a bite of fried chicken and smiled. \u201cAdam, did you notice that Mr. Shelby didn\u2019t charge us for the picnic lunch today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t. I just paid our bill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe likes us,\u201d she said, giggling.<\/p>\n

Smiling at the lightness of her mood, he asked, \u201cWhat makes you think that? I\u2019d have thought he\u2019d be more than ready for us to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI missed it. Is one of you going to tell me what happened?\u201d asked Micah.<\/p>\n

Shiloh took a sip of the wine Mr. Shelby had sent with their lunch, and then leaned against Adam\u2019s back. \u201cI told Mr. Prescott what I thought of him and Will Stewart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery loudly,\u201d added Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat were the horses for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo show him what he was missing for being such contemptible man,\u201d she said, grinning playfully.<\/p>\n

Adam turned around to face her, prompting her to sit up. \u201cDid you know there was a reporter in the lobby taking notes? What are you going to say when you see the results in the newspaper?\u201d<\/p>\n

She gave him a glib answer. \u201cI\u2019ve decided I\u2019m not going to let the newspaper upset me anymore. The people who like what I do tell me, and the people who don\u2019t tell everyone else. You were right. I can\u2019t please everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Studying her as she put away their lunch, Adam noticed her relaxed smile. The worry lines under her eyes and across her forehead were gone, and she was getting in her share of light-hearted ribbing at Micah as he teased her. Maybe he had been right in the beginning. Maybe this trip was exactly what she needed.<\/p>\n

The next day at Jim Fischer\u2019s ranch while Adam, Micah and Jim signed legal papers, Shiloh and Tom showed horses, riding around the ranch with several horses in tow so the prospective buyers could try more than one. By the end of the first day, five of Jim\u2019s friends had selected and paid for their horses. Early the second day, the other four men had done the same, with two of them purchasing an extra horse each.<\/p>\n

Shiloh came into the house with her saddle bags over her shoulder, the heel of her boots clicking quickly across the floor. She entered the dining room where the men were seated at the table looking over a sea of papers. Standing behind Adam, she rested her hands on his shoulders. \u201cI sold six more horses today. That makes eleven in all. We only have two to take back and one is Clyde.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, if you\u2019ll leave that last one, I\u2019m sure someone will buy him when word gets out about the horses you sold today,\u201d said Jim.<\/p>\n

Adam brought her hands down to his chest and turned his head so he could see her face. The light that had been missing from her eyes was back along with her brilliant smile. \u201cDoes this call for a celebration?\u201d<\/p>\n

She picked up the stack of sales contracts from the end of the table and placed them in front of him, then moved a chair next to him and sat down. \u201cYou tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at each contract in the stack, he whistled. \u201cWhat did you do with the money?\u201d<\/p>\n

She sat her saddle bags on the table in front of him, and he looked inside. \u201cWe\u2019re not carrying this much cash home. We\u2019ll deposit it on the way out of San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like we\u2019re having that celebration you were talking about,\u201d said Jim. \u201cIf you\u2019ll excuse me, I\u2019ll tell the cook to prepare a special feast tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at Micah and then back to Adam, she said, \u201cWhile you two finish signing your papers, I\u2019m going to take Tom out for a ride. He got to see what I do to match the horse to the rider. While it\u2019s fresh on his mind, I\u2019d like to give him a lesson.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stood and pulled her up from her chair. \u201cMicah, would you excuse us? I\u2019d need to speak with Shiloh for a minute.\u201d He didn\u2019t wait for an answer. He took her hand and led her down the hall into the bedroom, and after he closed the door, there were no words spoken. He enveloped her, moving her against a wall, lifting her off her feet, and kissing her all over her face and neck until she was squealing with laughter. He topped it all with a long, deep kiss that took her breath away, then stood there holding her, gazing happily into her eyes.<\/p>\n

She moved her arms around his neck. \u201cWhat was that for?\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t know. Maybe because your eyes are brighter than they\u2019ve been in a while or because if you smile any bigger, you\u2019ll break your face.\u201d She laughed loudly, and when she had quieted, he added, \u201cI\u2019ve missed that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving her hands back in front of her, she touched the cleft of his chin with her index finger. \u201cIt\u2019s time for me to stop allowing Will Stewart to insinuate himself into our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI\u2019m not saying I won\u2019t be damning him in the near future until my ankle and hand are back to normal, but I would sincerely like to forget about him\u2026for good.\u201d She tilted her head and moaned softly when Adam moved his attention back to her neck. \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s something to be said for a little spontaneity in a marriage,\u201d he said, his voice muffled.<\/p>\n

She snorted even as she enjoyed his ministrations. \u201cThat might be true when we\u2019re alone. But there are two gentlemen in the next room, waiting for us to come out.\u201d<\/p>\n

He dropped his head on her shoulder and took a deep breath, taking in her scent before he slowly lowered her to her feet. Pushing himself away from the wall, he grabbed the knob of the door next to them and pulled it open, all the while smiling mischievously down at her. \u201cAfter you, my love.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the men finished their legalities, Shiloh took Tom out for a ride, showing him what she looked for between a rider and a horse, working with him the same way she worked with a purchaser. Tom listened intently, eagerly absorbing every word.<\/p>\n

\u201cTom, when we get back to the house, I need you to sign some paperwork. It says that you won\u2019t disclose any of our training methods to anyone outside of the ranch, and you won\u2019t leave and start training horses on your own using our methods.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright, can I say something without offending you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Pulling her horse up to a stop, Shiloh looked over at Tom, who stopped next to her. \u201cThat depends on what you say\u2026but I\u2019ll trust you not to cross the appropriate line.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, first, it feels awkward callin\u2019 you Mrs. Cartwright. We\u2019ve known each other since we were kids. And I\u2019m uncomfortable with Mr. Cartwright, seein\u2019 as how he was our school teacher for a time when we were kids.\u201d She lowered her head and smiled. \u201cNow before you say anything, I understand my place. I\u2019m just a ranch hand. And Hank has already told me I have to call you Mrs. Cartwright even though it\u2019s\u2026well\u2026awkward. Anyway, what I wanted to say was\u2026I appreciate you trustin\u2019 me when no one else did, and that you been teachin\u2019 me a trade\u2026something I can make a livin\u2019 with. I like workin\u2019 on the Flyin\u2019 W. I like Hank and Johnny, and even Billy, though sometimes he just don\u2019t get things, but that\u2019s not really his fault. I like workin\u2019 with the horses, and considerin\u2019 you found me in Sheriff Coffee\u2019s jail for burnin\u2019 down your barn, I want you to know you can trust me with \u2018em.\u201d Shiloh studied his face as he looked away. She could\u2019ve sworn he had blushed. \u201cI want you to be proud of me for learning all this. I\u2019d never do anything to hurt you\u2026Mrs. Cartwright. I\u2019ll sign whatever papers you want me to sign.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking down at her arms propped on her saddle horn, she half-smiled, half-puckered, and then looked up at Tom without raising her head. \u201cTom, everyone was taking bets that you couldn\u2019t change. I think you\u2019ve proven them wrong quite nicely, and that includes Mr. Cartwright. I\u2019m glad you like working at the ranch. You have a job with us for as long as you want it.\u201d Tom gave her a broad smile, and she gave him one back along with a wink. \u201cI want you to know this paperwork you\u2019ll be signing isn\u2019t because I don\u2019t trust you. I do. Everyone who learns our training methods will be required to sign them, including Hoss. Now, lessons are over for the day. Let\u2019s get back to the house and get all the paperwork finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, with all the men out looking, we\u2019ve covered anywhere on the Ponderosa Hoss might have gone on his own,\u201d said Joe, laying his hat on the entry cabinet. Besides that, it\u2019s been three days. Hoss wouldn\u2019t have gone anywhere for three days without telling someone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stood in the doorway and grunted. \u201cLet\u2019s ride into town. It\u2019s time we told Roy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raymond Horton sat on a chair, leaning back against the wall of the Bucket of Blood saloon. He watched as the two Cartwrights rode into town and stopped in front of the jail, tying their horses and going inside. Another half hour passed before they came out with the Sheriff, and just as the Sheriff turned to go back in, Ben noticed Ray and glared, prompting Joe to stop talking and look where his father was looking. Without moving his eyes away from Ray, Ben walked down the steps and purposefully walked over to Ray. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t happen to know where my son, Hoss is, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ray turned his head up, closing one eye against the bright sun shining down in his face. \u201cNot sayin\u2019 that I do, but I would guess ol\u2019 Hoss\u2019ll show up when Micah Whitney comes to town lookin\u2019 for him.\u201d Ben reached down, grabbing both sides of Ray\u2019s collar and pulled him up out of the chair. \u201cCartwright, unhand me,\u201d growled Ray. When Earl pushed open the saloon doors, Joe drew his gun, stopping him in his tracks.<\/p>\n

Ben answered back in a deep, threatening rumble. \u201cYou and I are going over to the Sheriff\u2019s, so you can explain why you guess Micah has anything to do with Hoss\u2019s disappearance.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

When Adam, Shiloh and Micah got back to San Francisco, they stopped only long enough to deposit the money from the horse sales. After leaving the only horse Shiloh didn\u2019t sell with Jim, Tom and Micah took turns leading Clyde, and by the end of the first day traveling home, they camped just west of Vallejo.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, have you finished looking at the timber contract Crocker changed?\u201d asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but I have to make some revisions in the price.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought so. Even though he reduced the number of ties, I didn\u2019t think that would offset the wood he\u2019d need for a trestle, coal shed and water tank, plus the extra cost of the transportation. Did you notice he didn\u2019t want all of it brought to Sacramento? He wanted part delivered to Junction which means we\u2019d have to go north through the Truckee.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled. It was one thing for her to remember what she had read in the contract, but quite another for her to understand the impact of the differences. \u201cHow do you think we should handle it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Giving him a slightly surprised look, she stuttered, \u201cWell\u2026I would\u2026\u201d She raised her chin and finished. \u201cIt would be to his and our advantage if you wrote a separate contract and let the contract for the ties stand as it is. Based on the small number of ties he left in this contract, he\u2019s not really interested in the ties. He wants the lumber for the trestle, coal shed and water tank, and he wants them delivered already milled. You should offer him a new contract to be completed before the third tie contract.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled the whole time she had spoken until at the end of her explanation, she cast her eyes down. His smile faded and his brow creased. \u201cBut?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand why he didn\u2019t just write a separate contract himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s smile returned. \u201cBecause we had an agreement to apply his percentage for the purchase of the land to the five tie contracts. He\u2019s still trying to leverage that agreement.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t make a difference to us which contracts we apply his percentage to, does it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really. The milled lumber for the trestle will be a more costly contract, but if we get the continuing work, it\u2019s a small price to pay. I\u2019ll offer him a separate contract when we get to Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah had been sitting quietly next to the fire, listening to the conversation and drinking his coffee while Tom had been tending the horses. \u201cExcuse me,\u201d said Shiloh. \u201cI\u2019m going to help Tom with the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah watched her go. \u201cHas she always been able to do that?\u201d asked Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? Think?\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah snorted. \u201cThere isn\u2019t a better way to put it. She understands it without you telling her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah, she was never very good at listening, even when she was little. The only way to challenge her was to hand her a problem and let her figure it out. When she came home from college, she was no different. I don\u2019t think anyone back East had ever even told her \u2018no.\u2019 That\u2019s the other reason why she and I started off again butting heads. She still doesn\u2019t listen well, so the easiest way to teach her the timber business is to let her figure it out. I gently correct her when she doesn\u2019t get it quite right. She\u2019s only recently started asking questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd she\u2019s this way because she remembers everything she reads?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Her memory certainly helps, but Micah, she just has a head for business. Even without me, she could be doing this on her own. If she doesn\u2019t know something, she finds a way to learn it. You should be proud of her. I know Amos would be.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ben stood in front of Roy\u2019s desk watching Ray Horton walk out the door, and then turned to face Roy, his face full of rage. \u201cHow can you just let him walk away? He knows where Hoss is,\u201d yelled Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow Ben, don\u2019t you start tryin\u2019 to tell me how to do my job. He didn\u2019t admit to anything I can hold him for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you what he said,\u201d Ben thundered.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it\u2019s your word against his.\u201d Ben scowled and turned his back on Roy. \u201cI don\u2019t doubt he said what you said he did, but there\u2019s nothin\u2019 I can do until he confesses outright that he took Hoss. It might even be better that he didn\u2019t. If he\u2019s in here, we might never find Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben turned quickly around. \u201cJoe, go keep an eye on Ray. Don\u2019t let him out of your sight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded and left.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd just what are you gonna be doin\u2019?\u201d asked Roy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to send a telegram to Crocker in Sacramento and hope Adam gets it.\u201d<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

The two tall black horses were easily noticed as the riders entered Sacramento City. The Clydesdale that Tom was leading was just as noticeable. Though large draft horses frequented the city streets pulling freight wagons, none were as big as Clyde.<\/p>\n

Stopping in front of the railroad office, Adam dismounted and walked around to help Shiloh down. They went into the office with Micah and asked to see Mr. Crocker, who having heard from his open office door, immediately came out into the front room. \u201cAdam, Shiloh, it\u2019s good to see you. Mr. Whitney, we meet again. I trust everything went well in San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir. The papers are all signed and filed there. We\u2019ll be filing them in Virginia City as well,\u201d answered Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Crocker, I\u2019d like to discuss the modifications to the third tie contract with you, if you have the time,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, if you\u2019ll all come into my office.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once everyone was seated, Adam placed the contract that Crocker had modified on the desk. \u201cCharles, you don\u2019t have to do it this way. It would be better to write a contract specifically for the timber and milling for the trestle, coal shed and water tank. You can still apply your percentage from the land purchase to the new contract. We\u2019ll just drop if off the last tie contract.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crocker sighed. \u201cWell, I have to admit, I didn\u2019t think you\u2019d be open to that. I would have thought you\u2019d want to be out from under that requirement as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam looked over at Shiloh and took her hand. \u201cWe don\u2019t think there\u2019s any danger in waiting, Mr. Crocker. The railroad will go through one way or another, and the closer you get to the Sierra, the safer our position is of providing the timber.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m pleased that you feel that way. It only serves to solidify a long term agreement. I\u2019ll have the new contract written and sent to you for your review, and we\u2019ll leave the third tie contract alone.\u201d Crocker stood. \u201cI appreciate you taking the time to stop to discuss it. You must be eager to get home. However, I\u2019d like to invite you to dinner tonight if you have the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked at Micah who nodded, then at Shiloh smiling up at him. \u201cWe\u2019d be delighted. We\u2019ll find a room and get settled. Where would you like to meet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about the Riverside on Front Street? Oh, before I forget, this telegram was delivered to me. Your father asked that I give it to you if you stopped on your way home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at the envelope, Adam thought it odd that his father would have asked Crocker to hold the telegram. He opened it immediately. \u201cExcuse me. This must be important.\u201d Shiloh watched Adam\u2019s face as he read, and by the way his brow furrowed and his nostrils flared, she knew it wasn\u2019t good news. \u201cMr. Crocker, I hope you\u2019ll forgive us, but we do have an urgent matter waiting for us in Virginia City. We\u2019ll be leaving right away. Perhaps we can have dinner the next time we\u2019re in Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Adam. I understand. I hope the news isn\u2019t too terribly bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems one of my brothers has gone missing.\u201d Adam shook Crocker\u2019s hand and said his goodbyes quickly, then ushered Shiloh out the door. \u201cMicah, Pa thinks Ray Horton has taken Hoss. Apparently Horton is waiting for you to show up in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, let\u2019s go,\u201d said Micah, heading toward his horse.<\/p>\n

Adam grabbed his arm. \u201cIt won\u2019t do anyone any good if you go rushing into town to find Horton.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat else do you expect me to do? You think Horton is just looking for a conversation?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but he could be waiting to gun you down at first sight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHorton\u2019s not stupid, Adam. He\u2019s just mean. No, he won\u2019t risk being caught and hung for murder. He\u2019ll want this tied up in a pretty legal package, and that means he\u2019s calling me out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh knew she was breathing too quickly when dizziness set in, but she couldn\u2019t stop. In her mind, she saw a repeat of the gunfight between Micah and Ray fifteen years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah,\u201d said Adam, glancing over at Shiloh. \u201cDon\u2019t answer him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to, Adam. He\u2019s got Hoss. If your father could have proven Horton had Hoss, you wouldn\u2019t have gotten that telegram. If I don\u2019t answer, he\u2019ll kill Hoss, and there\u2019ll never be any proof that he did it.\u201d Micah mounted. \u201cI\u2019ll be riding fast, Adam. You take care of your wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh had turned to Tom and shoved some money in his hand. \u201cTom, can you get back to the Flying W with Clyde on your own?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned and let Adam lift her so she could reach the stirrup, then swung her leg over Eli\u2019s back, taking the reins and kicking him into a gallop before Adam was mounted.<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh!\u201d shouted Adam as he swung into the saddle and took off after her, leaving Tom standing in the street with his horse and Clyde. Tom mounted and hurried out of town as quickly as he could go with a horse in tow.<\/p>\n

Sacramento City was accustomed to seeing a single horse tear through the city, delivering the mochila of mail, but today, they had seen four horses leaving a dust trail in the opposite direction. The first horse passed, stopping people in stride, and just as they began to go about their business, a second horse passed, one of the big black horses that had recently come into town. Again, people stopped to look, and before they moved, a third horse flew by, another of the big black horses. The citizens of Sacramento witnessing what appeared to be a horse race held their ground and leaned out to see if there would be any more horses to mow them down in the street. Just as they felt it was safe, another horse galloped slowly down the street with one of the biggest horses they had ever seen following behind. The street was still and quiet for several moments before everyone was convinced it was again safe to cross.<\/p>\n

Shiloh had lost sight of Micah and turned her attention back to Adam who was slowly catching up to her. She knew her horse couldn\u2019t go on at this pace for much longer, so she turned through a field of corn, hoping to gain some headway before she\u2019d have to stop. Adam saw her run headlong into the corn, but turned, riding at an angle along the edge of the field, and then turning eastward again when he reached the other side. He knew Shiloh would have to slow down in the corn stalks, and just as she emerged, he rode up next to her, grabbing her reins. Shiloh threw her hands in the air and made a roaring sound. Adam cocked his head and smirked, and she answered by scowling and blowing air out of her nose like an angry bull. \u201cFeel better?\u201d asked Adam sarcastically. Forgetting her bad ankle, she swung her leg over her saddle horn and slid down the side of her horse, yelping in pain as she crumpled to the ground. Adam quickly stepped down off of Apollo and stood over her. \u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rubbing her ankle through her boot, she gritted her teeth. \u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

He held his hand down to her, and when she started to turn away, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up against him. \u201cWe won\u2019t catch him, but if we can keep moving at a steady pace, he won\u2019t get far ahead of us. Can you get back up on your horse?\u201d<\/p>\n

She glanced up at him, and then looked at Eli. \u201cWill you help me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? I didn\u2019t hear you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her shoulders slumped, and her head fell back. With her eyes closed, she said loud enough that he could hear, \u201cI need your help.\u201d<\/p>\n

When she opened her eyes, he was looking down into hers and smiling. \u201cThat\u2019s good to know.\u201d Then he disappeared below her, and in an instant she felt herself rising. \u201cStay straight and grab the horn. I\u2019ll push you up by your good foot. With his back to the horse, he lifted Shiloh over his shoulder, and when she had the saddle horn, he continued to push her upwards by her foot until she could pull herself over the horse\u2019s back and right herself. \u201cNow, we are going to walk these horses until they\u2019ve had enough rest, then we\u2019ll pick up the pace.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once they were on their way, Shiloh said quietly, \u201cI lost him. I don\u2019t know where he went.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe went north toward Dutch Flat. He\u2019ll make better time avoiding the crowd going up Johnson\u2019s Pass. We\u2019ll head toward Junction, and then follow the trail to Dutch Flat from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to catch up to him before he reaches Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked over at her, then forward. \u201cWhether we catch up or not, there\u2019s nothing you or I can do to stop him from facing Ray Horton.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t intend to stand still and watch him get shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam flared his nostrils, but didn\u2019t immediately respond. He knew what was going through her head. She was beginning to feel some of the old resentment against him for not stopping the first fight. \u201cShiloh, if you do anything to interfere, you\u2019re liable to cause Micah to get shot because of the distraction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you stop him,\u201d she said, glaring. Taking a deep breath, Adam looked away and breathed deeply. She turned away when her chin started quivering. \u201cYou\u2019re not going to do anything\u2026again\u2026are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to make sure James and Earl don\u2019t try to even the odds.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat odds?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, Micah is Mort Williams. He was known for his skill with a gun. Ray Horton on his own hasn\u2019t got a chance against Micah.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a full moon, Adam and Shiloh pushed on after dark, knowing that Micah would do the same. Adam pulled Apollo up and dismounted, leading the horse off the road into the trees. In a moment, he returned to the road and took Shiloh\u2019s reins, leading Eli through the darkness to a small clearing. \u201cWe\u2019ll rest here a few hours,\u201d he said as he waited for Shiloh to slip down into his waiting hands. She limped badly and wore her fatigue on her face, her eyes dull with dark circles under them. He was sure she was physically tired, and even surer she was feeling emotional strain again\u2026just when she was becoming herself. She waited while he unsaddled the horses, and when he had laid the saddles over on the pommels, she spread out their bed rolls. \u201cAre you hungry?\u201d She shook her head. Dropping the saddle bags and canteen by his saddle, he sat down next to her. \u201cYou have to eat something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll eat when this is over.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pulled two apples out of a saddlebag, handing her one. \u201cEat.\u201d The soft tone of his voice and the slight crease of his brow told her it was a request rather than an order. When her eyes met his, he nodded, and she took the apple. He passed her the canteen, and she drank, and when they were finished, they lay down, neither having uttered another word. Adam pulled her blanket across the grass next to his and drew her into his arms as he lay back on his saddle. The only sounds were the occasional snort of a horse, the night birds and crickets, and every now and then, a sniffle.<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

After three hours of sleep, Adam and Shiloh were on the trail again, passing Dutch Flat and making it over the crest of the Sierra through Emigrant Gap. Their next stop was Truckee where they stopped to let the horses rest and eat lunch. Shiloh sat back in her chair in the restaurant uninterested. \u201cSweetheart, it won\u2019t do you any good to stop eating, and it\u2019s not going to save us any time if you don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to eat when you\u2019re not hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThink about it as one of those chores you do just because it has to be done,\u201d he said with the corner of his mouth turned up. He got a snort out of her, at least. She picked up her spoon and took a bite of the stew sitting in front of her.<\/p>\n

From Truckee, the two turned southeastward toward the north side of Lake Tahoe, then skirted the boundaries of the Ponderosa and rode into the yard of the Flying W. Hank came out of the barn to greet them. \u201cHank, would you have Johnny take care of Eli and Apollo?\u201d Shiloh asked as Adam helped her down.<\/p>\n

Adam and Shiloh went to the barn, and when Hank saw how badly she was limping, he followed. \u201cYou\u2019re not staying?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we\u2019re going into town,\u201d answered Adam as he saddled Sport.<\/p>\n

Shiloh struggled to carry Spirit\u2019s saddle, and Hank took it from her. \u201cWould you tell me what\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRay Horton took Hoss to get Micah to come after him. Micah\u2019s ahead of us. He may already be in Virginia City,\u201d explained Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Hank had gotten the saddle on Shiloh\u2019s horse, but turned around agitated. \u201cAnd just what do you think you\u2019re gonna do about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

She stepped in front of him and finished cinching the saddle. \u201cI\u2019m going to try to talk him out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Hank. I\u2019m not going to let her get hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe don\u2019t need to see it at all. You should leave her here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stood still for moment, looking at his saddle. \u201cMaybe seeing for herself is exactly what she needs.\u201d He moved to help her up on Spirit, and then mounted Sport. \u201cTom is on his way back with Clyde. Look out for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s Clyde?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Clydesdale has a name now,\u201d said Shiloh as she turned Spirit. She didn\u2019t wait for a response from Hank. She and Adam galloped out of the yard.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The people of Virginia City were oblivious to what was about to happen. Ben and Roy had kept quiet about Hoss, and Joe stood back quietly, greeting townsfolk as they walked by, but never taking an eye off Ray. Ray had left the prior evening, and Joe followed him to the Horton homestead. Ben rode out and watched for awhile while Joe slept. The next morning Ray and his brothers all rode into town, giving Ben and Joe a chance to look for Hoss in the house. He was nowhere to be found. When they arrived in town, James and Earl were inside the Bucket, and Ray was leaning back in the same chair as the day before, watching the road into town.<\/p>\n

He was pacing in front of the saloon doors by early evening when Shiloh and Adam rode in. Poking his head inside, he called James and Earl out. Ben waved Adam down, and he and Shiloh stopped in front of the mercantile. Joe watched as Ray spoke to his brothers, sending one down the same side of the street and the other down the opposite side. Each man disappeared into the shadows of an alley. Now that he knew where James and Earl were, Joe joined his father and brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you seen Micah ride in?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but I didn\u2019t expect him to show himself until he knew what he was up against,\u201d answered Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cJimmy and Earl are in the next alley down on opposite sides of the street,\u201d said Joe. \u201cIt looks like they intend to back up Ray.\u201d<\/p>\n

A sudden hush fell over the town, and everyone turned around to see Ray standing in the middle of the street watching Micah ride in. Micah rode right down the center, and when he was within thirty feet of Ray, he dismounted and slapped his horse on the rear, sending him toward the Cartwrights.<\/p>\n

Shiloh stepped away from Adam, but he caught her and pulled her back. She wriggled away and limped into the street toward Micah. When she got to him, his eyes were fixed on Ray. \u201cPlease don\u2019t do this,\u201d she said, stepping in front of him. \u201cI\u2019m begging you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Without moving his eyes away from Ray, Micah answered, \u201cShy, if I don\u2019t do this now, he\u2019ll keep coming, and he\u2019s liable to take you next. It\u2019s now or later, so it really doesn\u2019t matter when, does it? Adam!\u201d Adam had already been on his way out. \u201cKeep her out of the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam took Shiloh\u2019s arm. \u201cLet\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not letting this happen,\u201d she spat, pulling away from him just as Roy joined them.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow Micah, I want you to come out of the street. We\u2019ll settle this in my office.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee, the man called me out. It\u2019s a legal fight,\u201d said Micah, his eyes still fixed on Ray. Roy snorted angrily and began to back up.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff, you can\u2019t just let this happen,\u201d said Shiloh furiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright, Micah\u2019s right. This here\u2019s a legal fight. If those two are gonna shoot at each other there isn\u2019t a thing I can do about it, but clean up the mess when it\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grabbed both of her arms, and pulled her back toward the boardwalk. She fought him with little affect, her bad ankle making it impossible for her to stand her ground. \u201cYou might be willing to just stand by and watch this again, but I\u2019m not. Let me go,\u201d she growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, don\u2019t let her go,\u201d said Adam, shoving Shiloh into Ben. \u201cJoe, go down this side to the alley. I\u2019ll take the other side. If they\u2019re gonna fight, it\u2019s gonna be a fair fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben wrapped his arms around Shiloh, who was still struggling as Adam and Joe disappeared down the street. By now, Shiloh was crying. \u201cPlease let me go,\u201d she cried as she tried to pull away. \u201cI have to stop this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, you can\u2019t stop it. You\u2019ll only get hurt or more likely get Micah killed. Ray Horton doesn\u2019t stand a chance against Micah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t that what everyone thought the first time?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked down at her. He hadn\u2019t been there, but still, the shooting fifteen years ago came as a shock because he did think Micah would be hard to beat, even then.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Hoss?\u201d yelled Micah.<\/p>\n

Ray nodded over his shoulder. In a moment, Hoss walked out of the alley with his hands tied behind his back just far enough for Micah to see him.<\/p>\n

\u201cRay, I\u2019m not a snot-nosed kid anymore. You can\u2019t outdraw me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t think I could outdraw you the last time, but I did. I don\u2019t see it\u2019s any different now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was fifteen years ago. I\u2019ve had some time to practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo have I. You killed Billy. You have to pay for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a fair fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t matter. No one kills a Horton and lives to tell about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

James stood ready with his rifle pointed at Micah until he heard a click behind him. \u201cPut the rifle down,\u201d said Joe as he slowly reached forward around James to take the gun away from him.<\/p>\n

Adam had Earl\u2019s gun and waved across the street to Joe. \u201cHoss, get back here,\u201d called Adam. Hoss ducked back into the alley next to Adam. \u201cYou alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. The only thing that\u2019s botherin\u2019 me is my stomach. They ain\u2019t fed me hardly anything.\u201d Rolling his eyes, Adam moved his attention back to the street.<\/p>\n

Silence took over the town along with an eerie stillness that twisted Shiloh\u2019s stomach. She jerked one last time and managed to escape Ben\u2019s hands just as Ray went for his gun.<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

One shot rang out.<\/p>\n

Everyone froze.<\/p>\n

Shiloh still held her breath even though it was crystal clear what had happened. James and Earl stepped out of the alley and walked slowly to their brother who was crumpled in a heap in the dirt. Meeting in the middle of the street, Adam and Joe stood, looking back at Micah.<\/p>\n

Micah approached Shiloh, who was still holding her breath though not because of the gun fight, but rather because Micah had something to say; something she didn\u2019t want to hear. She spoke before he did. \u201cHe didn\u2019t even have his gun all the way out. You didn\u2019t have to kill him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re taking up for Ray Horton?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all. But Micah Whitney isn\u2019t the man I thought I knew and certainly not the man my father raised.\u201d<\/p>\n

After spinning the cartridge of his gun, Micah put the gun back in its holster. \u201cI told you. Ray would keep coming if I didn\u2019t take care of him now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Joe had walked back up the street with Hoss toward their father, but Adam veered toward Shiloh.<\/p>\n

When Micah touched Shiloh\u2019s face, she knocked his hand away. \u201cI don\u2019t know who you are. You\u2019re not the brother that left me fifteen years ago.\u201d Turning, she bumped into Adam, who held her arms. She shrugged his hands away. \u201cI\u2019ve got nothing to say to you.\u201d Stepping around him, she untied Spirit and limped to the Sheriff\u2019s office where she could mount from the steps, then rode out of town.<\/p>\n

Micah moved to go after her, but Adam stopped him. \u201cGive her some time. She has to work it out on her own.\u201d<\/p>\n

All the men gathered around the horses and stood, speechless. There were never any pats on the back after a gunfight. They all knew it was a necessary evil where you either risked your life or your reputation. Ben finally spoke. \u201cIt\u2019s getting late. Let\u2019s get home.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

When Adam and Micah arrived at the Flying W, Hank was waiting. \u201cWhere\u2019s Mrs. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe hasn\u2019t come back?\u201d asked Adam. Hank shook his head, and Micah turned his horse. \u201cWhere are you going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo find her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf anyone\u2019s going to find her it\u2019ll be me.\u201d Adam looked up at the sky. \u201cIf she\u2019s not home by dark, I\u2019ll go.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the two men had their horses bedded down, they sat on the front porch. Ming Lin came out and asked if he should prepare dinner. \u201cNo, Ming Lin, thank you. We\u2019ll find something when Mrs. Cartwright gets home.\u201d For Ming Lin, that meant that he would prepare fried chicken and leave it in the ice box.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I don\u2019t get it. I told her I had to take care of Ray sooner or later. Why\u2019s she so upset?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam scratched the back of his neck. \u201cShe never really had to deal with Ray. Before she left for college, we kept him away. He didn\u2019t try anything when she came back.\u201d He leaned forward. \u201cShe\u2019s had a problem with gunfights since your first fight with Ray. When she came back, Tom Baker called me out, only I didn\u2019t shoot. It still upset her. Maybe she hasn\u2019t quite gotten over that first one, or maybe it\u2019s the lies that went with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThose are two separate things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not to her. For her, a gunfight has consequences. With James and Earl still here, I can see why she would think that way now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Darkness fell, and Adam stood, but he didn\u2019t walk out to the barn. He went inside the house. Micah followed. \u201cAren\u2019t you going after her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d he said as he sat in the wing chair next to the hearth.<\/p>\n

When she rode into the yard an hour later, Hank was there to greet her. \u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sliding down out of the saddle, landing on her good foot, she stood looking at the ground for a moment. \u201cDid they tell you what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but some of the men were in town. I heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

She frowned. \u201cI asked Micah not to. When I was little, he\u2019d do anything for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Shiloh, you\u2019re not little anymore, and you do a lot of things that you didn\u2019t do back then. People change when they grow up. That innocence we all have as children goes away. Micah isn\u2019t the same as he was when he left. He grew up. He has to answer to his own principles; not yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked him in the eye. \u201cWhat if I don\u2019t agree with those principles?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere ain\u2019t any what if. You and he are never going to agree on everything. You need to let him be who he is, just the same as he needs to let you be who you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHank, a man died today needlessly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Shiloh, you didn\u2019t know Ray Horton. The sooner he left this world, the better. There ain\u2019t a soul in this territory that ain\u2019t glad Ray Horton is dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her jaw dropped, and she glared at Hank and shook her head. \u201cDid Tom get back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2019m. He rode in about two hours ago. The Clydesdale is back in with the others, and Tom\u2019s already in his bunk.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded and turned toward the house. Pausing at the door, she considered where the conversation inside might go. She didn\u2019t want it go anywhere. She was tired, but she knew Adam would be waiting up for her; probably Micah, too.<\/p>\n

When she turned the knob, both men looked toward the French doors leading into the parlor. They listened to her light footsteps approaching, and when she stood in the doorway, she twisted her mouth and clasped her hands in front of her.<\/p>\n

Micah stood and excused himself. When he kissed the top of her head as he passed, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.<\/p>\n

Adams eyes met hers. There was no fight in them; only a disenchanted look. She opened her mouth, and then closed it, pointing toward the kitchen. Turning, she stepped into the darkness beyond the parlor, leaving Adam alone. He followed her and found her warming water and a pot of coffee. \u201cHave you eaten?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I was worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

Opening the ice box, she pulled out the plate of fried chicken and a bowl of potato salad. \u201cI\u2019m sorry I worried you,\u201d she said quietly.<\/p>\n

When Adam saw her pulling food out of the ice box, he took plates and cups from the hutch and silver from the drawer and set the kitchen table. She sat down next to him, and they each prepared their plate. \u201cYou want to talk about it?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Gently placing her fork on her plate, she propped her chin in her hand. \u201cHe\u2019s more Mort Williams than he is Micah Whitney.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart, it\u2019s been fifteen years. No one is the same person they were after fifteen years. Micah was never one to start a fight, and he preferred to walk away. He still won\u2019t be the one to start a fight, but he\u2019s not going to walk away anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not? What harm would it do to walk away?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are as many consequences when you choose to fight as when you don\u2019t. He\u2019ll pick his fights just like the rest of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUntil Micah was shot, I don\u2019t remember any trouble like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were too young to remember, and your mother kept you out of the way.\u201d Shiloh got up for the coffee and poured Adam a cup. She poured her own when she sat down, then leaned back in her chair, sipping. \u201cAre you angry with me?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

She heard the water boiling on the stove and went to pour it in a bucket, carrying the bucket toward the washroom. Before she stepped through the door she stopped and turned. \u201cI promised you for better or worse. Considering everything else that\u2019s happened since we\u2019ve been married, if this is the worst, I should be thanking my lucky stars.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam finished the food on his plate, and then followed her into the washroom. She had removed her clothes and was standing in front of the wash basin rinsing her face. \u201cIt\u2019s late.\u201d<\/p>\n

Holding her towel in front of her, she said, \u201cIt\u2019s been three days since I\u2019ve had a bath. I stink.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising his arm, he turned his head, sniffed and whistled. \u201cMaybe that\u2019s not such a bad idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaving Adam to bathe when she finished her sponge bath, she donned her robe, put the food away and went upstairs. When Adam came into the bedroom, Shiloh was sitting on the side of the bed brushing her hair. He took off his robe, hanging it on the back of the door and got in bed, pulling the covers up to his waist. \u201cShiloh, you didn\u2019t answer my question.\u201d<\/p>\n

Setting her brush on the night table, she stood and removed her robe, draping it over the footboard of the bed, blew out the lamp and crawled under the sheets. She sighed as she moved to her back. \u201cHank said something to me tonight. We were talking about Micah, but it pretty much applies to everyone, including you.\u201d She rolled to her side to face him. \u201cHe said I needed to let Micah be who he is.\u201d Feeling Adam\u2019s hand on her neck and his fingers gently grasping her chin, she watched his eyes as he came closer and softly touched her lips with his. She brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead. \u201cWe\u2019ll always be alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

Adam rode into the yard of the Flying W after spending a day all over both ranches, deciding what herds would fill which contracts. The Grocer\u2019s Association would be filled with Ponderosa beef, and an order from Austin, Nevada came directly to the Flying W and would be filled with Flying W beef. Adam and his father agreed that the Salt Lake contract would be split between both ranches since Adam would be the drive boss and would collect the payment in Salt Lake City. He was dusty and sore after being in the saddle for most of the day.<\/p>\n

He pulled Sport up short of the hitching rail when he saw Satan in the front paddock. Taking a deep breath, he considered trying to talk Shiloh out of attempting to train him again. He decided he\u2019d wait to see what her mood was. He nudged Sport to the rail and stepped down, looking around him for Shiloh. He spotted her in another paddock, or rather he spotted her backside. She was bent over a horse\u2019s hoof, and whatever she was doing had her behind sashaying back and forth. He approached quietly, his head cocked, his mouth open in a mischievous grin.<\/p>\n

Leaning on the paddock fence, he cleared his throat. \u201cI see your wearing your britches today. And chaps?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m checking feet today,\u201d she replied without looking up from her rasp. \u201cYou don\u2019t expect me to do this in a skirt, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t your men do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey do. But they\u2019re not as particular as me, and Johnny isn\u2019t as observant as I\u2019d like him to be. Take, for instance, this hoof. If you looked at it casually, you probably wouldn\u2019t see this split. But this split is actually a bad one. It could get worse fairly quickly. I need to get a shoe on him,\u201d she said as she straightened up. \u201cToday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Johnny?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s down at the corral. But I want Tom to do it. He pays better attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laid the rasp with her other tools, climbed over the fence and dropped down in front of Adam. Taking her hand, he pulled her against him, sliding his hands down her back and over her backside. \u201cHow was your day?\u201d she asked, moving her arms around him.<\/p>\n

\u201cLong. But we\u2019ve got the cattle chosen for all three drives. We just have to corral them. Uh, I noticed Satan in the front paddock.\u201d<\/p>\n

She pulled her arms back in front of her, and looked down. \u201cI need to keep him separated for awhile before I start him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you done here?\u201d he asked, arching an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just need to take this fellow up front and find Tom. He\u2019s been checking the foals. He was working with Hoss earlier today.\u201d She started to turn, and when he didn\u2019t let go, she smiled and let her head fall back. He took advantage and kissed her fervently, then glanced around to see if anyone had seen. \u201cIt\u2019s a little late to be worried about someone watching, isn\u2019t it?\u201d she asked softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d he said, tightening his hold and kissing her again, this time soliciting a quiet moan.<\/p>\n

She took a deep breath and pushed against him. \u201cYou need to stop this and go inside and bathe. We\u2019re having dinner at the Ponderosa tonight.\u201d Opening the gate of the paddock, she picked up her tool box and led the horse out, and the two walked to the front yard.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the occasion?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss wants me to help him convince your father to let him go to Philadelphia this winter. He says he has a better chance because I can be Annie\u2019s voice\u2026as if that\u2019ll make a difference. It\u2019s been over a week since we\u2019ve been back, and I promised him I would.\u201d When they got to the front of the house, Shiloh called for Tom, who came running. \u201cTom, I need you to shoe his horse this evening. He has a bad split in his left front hoof. When you\u2019re done, put him in the corral with the others, and then feed Satan before you turn in. Johnny,\u201d she called as Johnny road into the yard. \u201cWould you please take care of Sport and hitch the buggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing, Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Putting her arm in Adam\u2019s, they turned toward the house. \u201cNow, about that bath,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ll bet Ming Lin already has it ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they walked into the kitchen, Ming Lin bowed. \u201cYour bath is ready, Mrs. Cartwright. Is there anything else I can do before you leave for the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thank you, Ming Lin,\u201d she said as she took Adam\u2019s hand and led him into the washroom.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Once prayer was said, the clatter of silver on dishes, the burble of water being poured and the light conversation and giggles of \u2018pass this\u2019 and \u2018thank you,\u2019 along with the good-natured ribbing made Ben sit back and smile, remembering when all three of his sons lived with him. Joe and Hoss continued on, but still, there was a piece missing. Now, looking around the table, it was as if he\u2019d gained two more children. Micah and Shiloh fit in so well, his boys didn\u2019t even pretend to polish their behavior. Besides that, Micah and Shiloh had been a part of the family long ago when Marie was alive, and she and Belle would take turns swatting hands or behinds without regard to whom they belonged.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, me and Micah was down in the low meadow today\u2026you know, the one with the property line runnin\u2019 through the middle of it,\u201d said Hoss, looking across the table at Micah, then back to his plate. \u201cIt\u2019s still pretty green on the Flying W side, but it\u2019s starting to brown on our side. We think if we take the fence down between us, we can put in one of Adam\u2019s windmills and keep the whole meadow green all summer from the creek runnin\u2019 through the Flying W side.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cI want to be careful about combining too much of our herds. We have some legal protection with the two herds belonging to separate ranches.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow would taking down a fence affect us legally,\u201d muttered Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, don\u2019t speak with your mouth full,\u201d said Ben sternly.<\/p>\n

Glancing up at those across the table, Joe cowered slightly and said, \u201cYessir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome things never change do they?\u201d teased Shiloh, eliciting a smile and a wink from Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see how that would affect us legally,\u201d said Adam. \u201cWe still keep separate books, and we have separate brands. What difference does it make where they graze?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa. Our cattle get mixed up with the other ranches around here all the time,\u201d added Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt only takes one range detective to make something of it,\u201d said Micah. Everyone stopped eating and looked at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would anyone around here hire a range detective except to catch rustlers?\u201d asked Joe.<\/p>\n

Adam glanced up at his father and nodded as he chewed. They both looked at Micah. \u201cMicah, do you have an example you can share with us?\u201d asked Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a dispute over a cattle contract between a fellow from back East and a rancher up in Wyoming which at the time was in the Dakota Territory. Ranches in the Dakota Territory are so spread out, it was common practice to let the herds graze where they wanted. They just split \u2018em back out at roundup. Well, this businessman from back East won the legal battle, but he got a much bigger payout than he would have had two of the ranches made an effort to keep their herds separated. I don\u2019t know all the legal fighting, but the territorial judge ruled that both ranches were responsible because they willingly mixed their herd even though the contract was with only one of the ranches. It seems the owners of the two ranches were kin.\u201d He turned to Ben. \u201cI realize that\u2019s the same situation we have here, but Mr. Cartwright, that\u2019s a long shot at best. The law was dealt out rather loosely in that territory.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben grunted. \u201cEven so, we\u2019re not going to take any chances. We have to protect one ranch if someone goes after the other, and the most likely one to be caught in that situation is the Ponderosa. We\u2019re sued frequently enough. I don\u2019t want to be responsible for the loss of the Flying W.\u201d<\/p>\n

A hush fell over the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have to take down the fence to irrigate the other side, do we? What would be the harm if we put in a windmill on the Flying W side and let the water flow through the fence?\u201d asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Adam winked at Shiloh. \u201cPa, if there needs to be some separation, why don\u2019t we just draw up a water rights agreement?\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising his eyebrows, Ben answered, \u201cSon, that\u2019s not a bad idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell ya, Pa, if we can keep that meadow green all summer it\u2019ll mean we don\u2019t have to rotate that herd more than twice,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cRight now, we leave \u2018em down there until the end of May, and then we can\u2019t use it the rest of the summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh turned to Adam. \u201cWell, good. We can add the windmill to the list of things you already have to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave her a sour look. \u201cI don\u2019t have to do it. Hoss and Joe have built those windmills. They can show Micah how it works. One more doesn\u2019t matter anyway. I\u2019m planning to add more irrigation around the Flying W.\u201d Shiloh sighed and frowned, then moved her attention back to her plate.<\/p>\n

As Hop Sing served dessert, individual conversations started. Adam covered Shiloh\u2019s hand, speaking quietly. \u201cI have every intention of sharing my plans with you. I just haven\u2019t gotten around to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She bit the inside of her cheek and nodded slightly and hearing someone say something about going to town, she turned away. \u201cI have to go into town tomorrow. Can I do something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, as a matter of fact, you can,\u201d smiled Ben. \u201cI\u2019m expecting a package at the mercantile. I ordered a new set of pots and pans for Hop Sing. It will be too heavy for you to lift, but I\u2019m sure Howard can get it in your buggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be happy to pick it up,\u201d she smiled. \u201cOh, Tom Maguire\u2019s opening is this Friday. Julia Dean will be performing. I believe the play is called \u201cMoney.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, there won\u2019t be fireworks the next evening for Independence Day,\u201d said Adam. \u201cVirginia City is so evenly split between Confederate and Union sympathizers, the City Council decided to cancel it this year. We were afraid a war might erupt here.\u201d He turned to Shiloh. \u201cYou didn\u2019t tell me you were going to town tomorrow,\u201d he said with deliberate coolness.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to send the sheet music for the songs I\u2019ll be singing in Sacramento. I won\u2019t have much time to rehearse with the orchestra, so they\u2019ll be learning the music beforehand. If it goes well there, I\u2019ll be able to do the same with Salt Lake City and Denver City.\u201d<\/p>\n

After dinner, everyone moved to the living area and continued their conversations into the night. Hoss looked over at Shiloh and nodded toward his father. When she nodded back, he began another conversation. \u201cHey, Pa, I\u2019d like to talk to you about somethin\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo ahead, Son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Annie and me, we been writin\u2019 back and forth, and well, I\u2019d like to go see her this winter, if it\u2019s alright with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben moved his hand to his chin. \u201cOh. Winter you say. You know if you go you\u2019ll have to leave before the snow starts, and you won\u2019t be able to return until spring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss sat forward in his chair and propped his arms on his thighs. Looking down at his hands, he said, \u201cYessir, I do know that. But if I don\u2019t go, Annie said she\u2019s gonna come out here, and that\u2019ll mean she\u2019ll miss some school\u2026which means she\u2019ll have to stay in Philadelphia longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, I don\u2019t know. Winter won\u2019t be a problem, but if you get delayed in the spring, we\u2019ll be short-handed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grabbing Micah\u2019s sleeve, Shiloh spoke up. \u201cPa, we did gain one this year. Micah will be here to help, so you won\u2019t really be short-handed.\u201d Shiloh looked pleadingly at Micah.<\/p>\n

Micah snorted and shook his head. \u201cThat\u2019s true, Mr. Cartwright. I don\u2019t mind stepping in. Hank usually has things under control at the Flying W, and we have Adam over there, too. I think I can handle both.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Ben looked over at Adam before he turned to Hoss. \u201cI don\u2019t know, Hoss. Adam and I were discussing some extra work for the spring, and as soon as we can cut, we expect to be running timber camps all spring and summer to handle the additional load of the railroad contracts.\u201d Ben did a double-take at Shiloh when he noticed she was looking at him with big, blue doe-eyes. \u201cAnd what are you going to do, young lady, when you don\u2019t have Hoss to help with your horses?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTom is trained. And if I have to, I can train someone else before Hoss would have to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, what do you think?\u201d asked Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re asking me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019re the one involved in the work of two ranches.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just don\u2019t want to say \u2018no.\u2019\u201d Ben scowled. Hem hawing with his answer, Adam stuttered, \u201cWell\u2026I\u2026think\u2026that the\u2026expansion\u2026of the Cartwright family is more important than the expansion of our ranches.\u201d Hoss sat up from his hunched position and grinned broadly, as did everyone in the room except Ben and Adam, who looked in the other direction and cut his eyes back to see his father\u2019s face. \u201cLook at it this way, Pa. She\u2019s practically family already. This way, we already know the addition is someone we like.\u201d He turned away again, trying to stifle a laugh, but his chest gave him away. Shiloh pinched his arm, and he took her hand and held it as he propped his elbow on the arm of the settee, dropping his head in his hand and chuckling audibly.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s scowl slowly turned into a smile followed closely by a chuckle. \u201cAre you going to ask her, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss blushed and looked back down at his hands. \u201cI had thought about it, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe hooted and jumped up from his seat. \u201cThis calls for a celebration.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow just you wait a dang minute, Little Joe,\u201d said Hoss, standing. \u201cThere ain\u2019t gonna be no celebratin\u2019 until she says \u2018yes.\u2019\u201d He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. \u201cShe could say \u2018no.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Shiloh looked at each other and dropped their lower jaws. Standing, Adam pulled Shiloh to her feet and both went to Hoss, Adam\u2019s hand extended and a dimpled smile on this face, and Shiloh tiptoeing to hug him.<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, you two!\u201d yelled Micah from the bottom of the stairs. \u201cEveryone is here. It\u2019s time to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stepped out of the bedroom and leaned on the banister of the upstairs landing. \u201cWhat am I supposed to do? She\u2019s changed her dress three times.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone heard Shiloh\u2019s faint voice. \u201cAdam, come back. I need you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Straightening, he put on a closed-mouth smile that was just a bit too charming and turned back toward the room, leaving everyone at the foot of the stairs snickering. He stopped just inside the door and watched her slip on the fourth dress. \u201cSweetheart, I\u2019ve never seen you worry about what to wear before. Why the fuss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, it\u2019s Julia Dean. I don\u2019t want to look drab, but I don\u2019t want to out-dress her either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t decide now, we won\u2019t be going. Our seats will be given away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be silly. Tom would never do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing behind her, he started on the buttons even as he admired her in the mirror. \u201cWhere are the emerald necklace and bracelet I gave you in San Francisco?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re in the safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright then,\u201d he said, looping the last button. \u201cYou finish up here and come downstairs. I\u2019ll get your jewelry out of the safe and help you with it in parlor.\u201d Before he left he kissed her bare shoulder, smelling her rose scent and smiling salaciously. She had chosen a forest green dress with an off the shoulder bodice and lace ruffles tapered from the middle of the front waistline and dropping gracefully as they angled downward to the back of the dress. \u201cYou\u2019re emeralds are the same color as your dress.\u201d<\/p>\n

She put the finishing touches on her hair swept up in elegant curls, using a comb decorated with the eye and sword feathers of a peacock to hold it in place. Taking her black lace shawl and matching gloves and fan, she looked in the mirror one more time, breathing in deeply before she turned and left the room.<\/p>\n

Adam stood in the parlor door, holding the emerald necklace and bracelet and watching Micah as he followed Shiloh down the stairs with his eyes, his mouth open slightly. When she stopped in front of him and smiled, he closed his mouth and cast his eyes downward. \u201cMicah, what it is?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw you in Boston and again in San Francisco wearing nice dresses with your hair all done up, but you were at distance. It\u2019s just that\u2026well\u2026you\u2019re all grown up. I mean, I see you running around here in your britches with your hair in a pony tail, and you look just like you did right before you left for college. Seeing you in a dress like this\u2026up close\u2026are you gonna cover your shoulders?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah, I\u2019m a grown woman. You need to get used to that.\u201d Adam handed her the bracelet, then stepped behind her to fasten the necklace around her neck.<\/p>\n

Micah shook his head. \u201cI\u2019ll be waiting outside.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following him, Ben stood at the open front door and watched as Micah leaned on the buggy with his hand over his mouth. \u201cMicah, it\u2019s both gratifying and hard to watch your children grow up. I imagine, with you being gone, it\u2019s just as hard to see the little girl you left behind all grown up into a beautiful woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, Mr. Cartwright, I almost revealed myself to Adam when he started paying attention to her\u2026as a woman. I felt like he was betraying me, going after my little sister. But then, I saw the way she stood her ground with him, and I realized she was all grown up. But it\u2019s another thing to see her all dressed up,\u201d he pointed to the house, \u201clike that. Dad never saw her like that. She looks like Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she does.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh walked out the front door wearing her shawl and gloves with Adam and his brother\u2019s behind her, all of them wearing suits and ties. All of the men but Adam rode horses. Adam drove the buggy that carried Shiloh into Virginia City to see Julie Dean officially open Maguire\u2019s Opera House.<\/p>\n

The six of them watched the evening performance from the same box seats Adam had reserved for Isabella\u2019s performance. Miss Dean played to a standing room only crowd who rewarded her performance with cheers and applause throughout the evening. Maguire had invited the more prominent citizens of Virginia City to an opening party after the performance, so for the Cartwrights, the evening was extended late into the night. While Adam was comfortable discussing mining, timber, cattle and his latest endeavor as an architect with the men, Shiloh found she had very little to discuss with the women, who spoke of where their children would be sent to school, and how they couldn\u2019t find good help in Virginia City, so they preferred to remain in San Francisco while their husbands travelled the filthy road to Virginia City to oversee their mines. Then there was the ladies\u2019 philanthropic work, which Shiloh admired, but regrettably had very little to say on the subject.<\/p>\n

Then Julia Dean joined the circle that Shiloh and Adam were in and introduced herself. \u201cMr. Maguire told me you would be here tonight, Miss Whitney. I must admit I was a bit surprised. Others from our profession tend not to frequent their competition\u2019s performances.\u201d The gentlemen all turned their attention to the ladies.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, but Miss Dean, I\u2019m not your competition. I\u2019m afraid I\u2019m not really an actress, at least, not to the extent of plays. I sing, but I don\u2019t sing opera, so there is no grand or amusing story to be told in my performance; only the story of each song.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid I have to disagree. I read your reviews for Genevieve with Mr. Booth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh laughed and relaxed. \u201cOh, that. I\u2019m afraid that was my very first and last attempt at acting. By the way, I\u2019m really Shiloh Cartwright. Isabella Whitney is an imposter.\u201d<\/p>\n

The small group laughed, and Shiloh introduced Miss Dean to the gentlemen and their wives, and then Adam.<\/p>\n

When the men\u2019s conversation picked up again, Shiloh and Julia stepped behind Adam where Julia took Shiloh\u2019s hand, laughing. \u201cYou don\u2019t know how relieved I am that you\u2019re not one of the landed gentry around here,\u201d she said, breathing a sigh of relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I am one of the landed gentry. I just don\u2019t hold my nose up in the air. My husband and I own a ranch just out of town. And his family owns the largest spread in the territory.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo how did you avoid becoming one of them,\u201d she said, pointing at a group of ladies across the room. \u201cThey have no use for an actress, socially anyway. Are they any better with a singer?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh looked where Julia was pointing. \u201cI\u2019ve had occasion to speak with them, but I\u2019m definitely not invited to afternoon tea. You see, I help run the ranch. I work, I get dirty, and I ride horses\u2026astride. So I really don\u2019t fit in with them. And that\u2019s quite alright. We wouldn\u2019t have much to say to each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me, Adam,\u201d said one of the men. \u201cI understand you\u2019ve gotten several timber contracts from the railroad. Is that going to affect your ability to provide the square sets for the mines?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, Mr. Fair. We\u2019re running lumber camps at both ranches, so we can handle twice the number of contracts. The square sets will continue to come from the Ponderosa and the railroad contracts will be filled with Flying W timber.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two women soon found a table where they sat and enjoyed each other\u2019s company until one of the mine superintendent\u2019s wives stopped by. \u201cPlease pardon my interruption ladies, but I want to tell you, Miss Dean, how much I enjoyed the play. We\u2019re so very proud of our new opera house, as I\u2019m sure Miss Whitney has told you. She was the first to perform here, you know.\u201d Julia looked over at Shiloh in surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Dean, this is Mrs. Fair. I helped Mr. Maguire introduce the opera house in a special performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me, Mrs. Cartwright. Is there going to be news of your stay in the city every time you go to San Francisco?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh grimaced. \u201cIf I continue to draw the attention of unscrupulous men, I\u2019d say there\u2019s a definite probability.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe article said you were fighting over horses. Haven\u2019t you read it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, and I don\u2019t intend to. But just to set the record straight, the man in question, who most certainly was not a gentleman, was a friend of Mr. Stewarts and accused me of lying about what Mr. Stewart did to me. He wasn\u2019t interested in my horses at all, but rather only interested in giving me a piece of his mind. So I gave him piece of mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, good for you, Mrs. Cartwright. I admire a woman who\u2019s not afraid to speak her mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh cut her eyes toward Julia, hoping she was hiding the dumbfounded look she thought might have shown on her face. \u201cOh, well, thank you, Mrs. Fair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Dean, I do hope you enjoy your stay in Virginia City. The evening has been quite entertaining.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mrs. Fair.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Mrs. Fair left them, Julia stood. \u201cI should mingle with Mr. Maguire\u2019s guests. I\u2019m still being paid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing, Shiloh said, \u201cOf course. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, Julia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019m so happy you came. I enjoyed our conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two women went in separate directions, Shiloh ending up back at Adam\u2019s elbow. He quickly looked down and took her hand, wrapping her arm around his as he listened to the conversation. It had turned to cattle and water. \u201cOur pastures are already brown, and it\u2019s the beginning of July. We won\u2019t have anything left to graze in a few weeks if the streams dry up, and it looks like they might.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, what are you going to do on the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked at Adam and smiled. \u201cAdam and the boys have been installing windmills that pump ground water into irrigation ditches. We don\u2019t have all our pastures covered, but we\u2019re getting there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got all that water in the lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot exactly,\u201d said Adam. \u201cWe have no way to get the water from the lake to the pastures.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you haul it in a water wagon?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben laughed. \u201cWe\u2019d have to have wagons running twenty four hours a day to bring up enough water for our herd.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, our herds aren\u2019t as big as yours. If we run out of water, it\u2019s an answer for some of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Creasing his eyebrows, Adam glanced back at his father. \u201cThere\u2019s only one decent road to the lake, and it\u2019s on Ponderosa land. You\u2019ll still have to run wagons across the Ponderosa at least through the daylight hours. If only a few you do that, that road will be impassable all day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of other roads that go to the lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true,\u201d said Ben, \u201cbut they\u2019re not graded for that amount of wagon traffic. The number of wagons you\u2019d be running through there will destroy some prime areas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you saying you\u2019re not going to let us get to water?\u201d said another man heatedly.<\/p>\n

Ben raised his hands. \u201cNow, just wait. We don\u2019t even know if there\u2019s going to be a problem yet. If you know where you have artesian wells, you can blast them open on the surface. Adam can also show you how to build windmills to bring the ground water up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking away and rolling his eyes, Adam looked down at Shiloh, who whispered, \u201cWhen are you going to have time to do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

He took a deep breath. \u201cWe\u2019ll deal with it if it happens,\u201d he said in a low voice while scratching the back of his neck. \u201cGentlemen, it\u2019s late. We should be going. We have a long ride home.\u201d<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

After spending the day training horses, Shiloh sat at the piano, playing scales with her left hand. When she first started, her movements were stiff, and crossing her fingers over her thumb was painful. Now she was playing with only minor discomfort, so she decided it was time to play a piece of music. She chose a challenging piece, but one she had mastered long ago. She thought she may as well see the worst before she determined exactly how to proceed with her hand exercises. Upon playing the first sixteen measures, amounting to the first page, she sat with her hands in her lap, rubbing her hand. It wasn\u2019t good. In fact, it was horrible. But this piece forced her to stretch her hand to reach a tenth, two keys beyond an octave, so she decided this would be the piece she would use for exercise. She had played those first sixteen measures several times before Adam came through the front door, sweaty, dusty, and wearing chaps that smelled strongly of horse and cow. Hearing first the soft tinkle of the piano keys followed by a loud clash of notes, he tossed his hat on the entry table and walked swiftly toward the parlor. Leaning forward and peering through the parlor door, he found Shiloh seated at her piano with her head in her hands.<\/p>\n

He stepped in. \u201cSweetheart?\u201d Moving closer, he craned his neck to see her face as he approached her back. She moved her hands to cover her mouth and nose and stayed that way even after he touched her shoulders. \u201cIt might help to say it out loud.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn Will Stewart!\u201d After waiting another minute, she turned her head so that she could see him out of the corner of her eye and snorted. \u201cIt actually did feel good to get that out.\u201d Standing, she moved around the bench and stepped into him, sniffing. \u201cYou\u2019ve been rounding up beef, haven\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam put his arms around her and pulled her against him. \u201cHank and Micah are leaving in a few days for Austin. They\u2019ll be taking most of the men with them. Pa and Joe are taking Ponderosa beef to San Francisco for the Grocer\u2019s Association. They\u2019re leaving about the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve already had my bath. Ming Lin can warm the water for you. But I warn you. You\u2019ll come out smelling like roses,\u201d she giggled. \u201cBy the time you\u2019re clean, dinner will be ready. Is Micah on his way in?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bending his head, he answered, \u201cMm hm,\u201d then pressed his lips to hers. \u201cHe wasn\u2019t far behind me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. Go get cleaned up for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d he said, kissing her one more time before he left her in the parlor.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ming Lin placed a platter of beef ribs on the table, then left and came back with a platter of corn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you two are hungry,\u201d said Shiloh. \u201cIt seems he\u2019s trying to feed the bunkhouse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe got that from Hop Sing who\u2019s used to Hoss\u2019s appetite,\u201d laughed Adam, as he prepared his plate. Shiloh poured water for Adam and herself and passed the pitcher to Micah. \u201cMicah, is there anything left to do before you head out for Austin?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I need to find a cook. I\u2019ll stock the chuck wagon day after tomorrow, but it won\u2019t do me any good if I don\u2019t find someone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you asked Ming Lin?\u201d asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Micah stopped eating and looked at her, tilting his head. \u201cIf I take Ming Lin who\u2019s gonna feed you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Adam and I can manage. Hop Sing taught me how to make stew, and Annie taught me how to bake bread. I can even bake cookies.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked over at Adam skeptically. Nodding slowly, Adam pointed at his mouth while he finished chewing. \u201cIt\u2019s true. I haven\u2019t had her stew, but Hank said it was pretty good. Her bread and cookies were good, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Adam taught me how to fry bacon and scramble eggs,\u201d she said proudly.<\/p>\n

Chuckling, Micah shook his head. \u201cYou won\u2019t last eating stew, bacon and eggs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s right, Micah. We\u2019ll manage. If we have to, we\u2019ll go eat at the Ponderosa.\u201d He stopped suddenly and his lips formed an \u2018o\u2019. \u201cGeorge Hearst will be here this week to look at his property. He could stay in town, but the best place to stay is being renovated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. I\u2019ll find someone in town,\u201d said Micah. \u201cBy the way, you\u2019re right about staying in town. The Tahoe House is alright, but with all the construction going on across the street, it\u2019s hard to get around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you see what they did with the old building?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you ever read the newspaper?\u201d Micah shook his head. \u201cThey\u2019re hauling most of the old building to Austin and opening an International Hotel there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Micah laughed. \u201cYou\u2019re kidding. Too bad it won\u2019t be put together by the time I get there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, Frank Wells asked me to go by and take a look at some horses his men brought in. He knew I was looking for more stock, and he thought I might find something I liked,\u201d said Shiloh.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cI told him you were particular about your horses and had only found a few out of the horses we\u2019ve brought in, so he won\u2019t be upset if you don\u2019t find anything. But you should expect that if you find one to your liking, he\u2019ll want top dollar. And he may not be willing to let the best horses go. He has to have reliable ranch horses just like the rest of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he has what I\u2019m looking for, I\u2019m willing to pay more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat exactly are you looking for?\u201d asked Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know how Dad always wanted to see if he could breed white horses with the same elegance as the black ones? Well, I\u2019m going to try, if I can find a good horse to start with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought you\u2019d be the one to carry on the Dad\u2019s obsession with his horses. I honestly thought it would die with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I didn\u2019t have much to do after I left school here. I had four years with Daddy before I left for college. Oh, Adam, I want to start training Satan in a few days.\u201d He stopped in mid-chew, looked over at Micah, who had also halted, then tightened his lips into a thin line, looking back at Shiloh. She wrinkled her nose. \u201cOh, don\u2019t you look at me like that. You knew I was going to start training him as soon as you saw him back in the paddock.<\/p>\n

He set his fork and knife down, and laid his fists on the table on either side of him. Looking forward, he breathed out heavily. Inwardly, he was counting, using the time to calm himself enough that the word \u2018no\u2019 wasn\u2019t the first word out of his mouth. \u201cI think we should discuss it.\u201d<\/p>\n

With her jaw set, she responded, \u201cWe\u2019ve already discussed it. I agreed to have a handler with me while I train, and I also agreed that if he didn\u2019t respond adequately, I would geld him myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we talk about it after dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course.\u201d He cut his eyes in her direction and studied her. Her agreement came out remarkably calm, lacking even a hint of an edge.<\/p>\n

After dinner, the three took their coffee into the parlor and enjoyed the evening breeze that blew through the house. Shiloh had opened the parlor windows and the windows upstairs and on the opposite side of the house. There was usually a breeze in the evening, and she used it to cool the house after what felt like a blisteringly hot day.<\/p>\n

She sat on the sofa fanning herself while Adam sat in the wing chair next to the hearth. Micah sat at what he felt was a safe distance away\u2026in a chair next to a window. He was often amused at how these two approached each other when they disagreed. Before he reappeared, he would watch them stand face to face, almost yelling, but not quite, and most definitely glaring. When they spoke, it was easy to see spit mist flying, but neither seemed to mind. Then after he kissed her the first time, their arguments gradually became more and more civil until they reached this point\u2026a long, silent armistice until they felt they could discuss their terms. Adam sat considering Shiloh, and Shiloh looked at everything in the room but Adam.<\/p>\n

She sighed heavily and oh so slowly turned her gaze to Adam, wearing just a hint of a smile. She spoke quietly and calmly. \u201cAdam, I\u2019m not going to argue with you about Satan. We made an agreement. I expect you to stick to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Setting his coffee on a side table, Adam crossed his legs and offered her the same furtive smile. \u201cSweetheart, I\u2019m not satisfied with that agreement. What if I offered an alternative\u2026a compromise of sorts?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her lips almost pursed as she looked off to her left. Micah raised his hand to his face and feigned a yawn, hiding his amused grin. She looked back at Adam. \u201cGo ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll you want is Satan at stud. You\u2019re just training him so he won\u2019t injure the mares. Is that right?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThen why don\u2019t we break him instead? I know how you feel about breaking a horse, and I understand the difference in our cutting horses and your horses, but you\u2019re not going to sell him anyway, and as wild as he is, you\u2019re not going to show him. This way, I don\u2019t have to worry about him hurting you, and you still get your stud.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe other reason I wanted to try to train him was to see if I could train bad habits out of a horse. If you\u2019ll remember, one of Jim\u2019s friends asked if I could.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have enough business without dealing with problem animals.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stood. \u201cAs I said before, we already have an agreement that I\u2019m completely satisfied with. But since you\u2019re in the mood to change it, here\u2019s what I\u2019ll do. I\u2019m going to try to train him, and if I can\u2019t, you can break him.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned to leave the room, and he jumped to his feet. \u201cShiloh.\u201d Without hesitation, she continued out of the parlor with him following her. \u201cShiloh!\u201d Stopping at the French doors, he watched her go into the study. He spun around when he heard Micah laughing behind him. \u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were right, Adam,\u201d he said, still chuckling. \u201cShe does learn from being challenged. She\u2019s learned you quite well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grimaced angrily. \u201cI\u2019ll be back in a little while. I\u2019m going for a ride,\u201d he said, leaving the parlor. A moment later, Micah heard the front door open and close.<\/p>\n

He stuck his head in the door of the study. \u201cYou alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh stopped writing and smiled when she looked up at him. \u201cI\u2019m fine, Micah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know he left, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

She bounced her pencil on her lips. \u201cMaybe this is good for him. I suspect he\u2019s feeling what I used to feel when he wouldn\u2019t budge for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs this a game to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all. He sometimes goes for a ride in the evening when he has something on his mind.\u201d Micah cocked his head and gave her a stern look. Laying her pencil down, she gave him her full attention. \u201cI understand his need to protect me. But I\u2019m turning into to someone else\u2026not the woman he chose to marry. He told me the horses were mine, and I\u2019ve already told him I will do what he asked. I\u2019ll have a handler with me, and I\u2019ll quit if Satan is too aggressive. But Micah, I want to know for myself if I can do this, and I\u2019m not going to give that up because he doesn\u2019t want me to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, he\u2019s just looking out for you. That horse has killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMax was just as bad, and Daddy did it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not Dad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting back and breathing deeply, she said, \u201cI know I\u2019m not Dad. But if I don\u2019t try, I\u2019ll never know if I can. I\u2019ve never backed away from a challenge just because someone else said I shouldn\u2019t do it. A few weeks ago I would have, thanks to Will Stewart, and thanks, in part, to Adam\u2019s coddling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if he\u2019s right? What if you do get hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I will know that I couldn\u2019t do it because I couldn\u2019t do it, and not because someone told me I couldn\u2019t. And he\u2019ll get to break Satan.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh woke when she felt the bed move. The sheet lifted behind her, and the bed sank in the middle, causing her to adjust to keep from rolling back into the depression. She knew the effort was wasted when she felt his hands on her, pulling her down into the hollow against him. She felt him smooth her hair on the back of her head, then move into her, laying his head right behind hers. When he whispered \u201cI love you\u201d in her ear, she found his hand and pulled it under her arm and over in front of her where she held it. Moving his hand on top of hers, he entwined his fingers with hers, and both settled into a comfortable sleep.<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat time did you come in last night?\u201d asked Shiloh, sitting at her dressing table, brushing and pulling back her hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t stay out long. I worked on the Jackson Square drawings for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt must have been two or three when you came up to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cAdam,\u201d she said, turning to face him. \u201cYou can\u2019t keep up that pace. You\u2019ll tire yourself out. And you know what happens to people who work when they\u2019re tired.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking in the mirror while he brushed his hair, he glanced at her reflection. \u201cI\u2019ve always been able to get by with four or five hours of sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTry three hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

He bent and kissed the top of her head. \u201cI\u2019m fine. And I\u2019m hungry.\u201d She turned and stood, then smiled and stepped into his side, putting her arm around his back.<\/p>\n

When the two arrived at the dining table, Micah was already pouring himself a cup of coffee. \u201cI expected the two of you to be going at it again this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh smirked. \u201cWe weren\u2019t going at it last night. Anyway, it\u2019s settled. I\u2019m going to try to train Satan, and if I can\u2019t Adam or someone else will break him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s your handler?\u201d asked Adam as he spooned eggs onto his plate.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have two; one in each of the front corners.\u201d<\/p>\n

He reached for the bacon. \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of them would have been Hoss if I had done this earlier. He\u2019s busy with some extra work Pa wanted done before he has to leave for Philadelphia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stopped and met her eyes. \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou see, I knew it wasn\u2019t settled,\u201d said Micah.<\/p>\n

Adam and Shiloh both glared at him and said in unison, \u201cButt out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m using Tom and Johnny. They\u2019re both familiar with the normal problems with training and will be better prepared to understand when things aren\u2019t right.\u201d Adam flared his nostrils and glared at her. She responded calmly again. \u201cI\u2019m not using your men, Adam. You\u2019ll tell them to shoot, and they will if Satan so much as snorts at me, which he will most assuredly do. You\u2019ve seen me at my worst after starting horse. You\u2019ve seen the bruises and the occasional bite marks. I don\u2019t expect it to be any different.\u201d His expression didn\u2019t change, but hers soften. \u201cAdam, Sweetheart, I can\u2019t afford to be badly injured with three performances coming up. I promise you, if he\u2019s too rough, I\u2019ll stop.\u201d Moving her hand to his, she asked, \u201cPlease trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam let his head drop, letting out a loud breath, but soon nodded. \u201cAlright. But Shiloh, if you don\u2019t keep your word, I\u2019m taking the horse no matter how loudly you yell about it.\u201d He knew she wasn\u2019t completely agreeable when she didn\u2019t look at him as she smiled and nodded. \u201cI\u2019m not inclined to trust you not to let it go too far. Prove me wrong, and I\u2019ll apologize.\u201d<\/p>\n

After breakfast, Micah and Adam donned their chaps and went out to finish rounding up the cattle that would be driven to Austin. Before lunch time, both men were sitting on their horses outside the corral fence, watching the men bring in the last few strays. \u201cMicah, you\u2019ll need to drive these cattle to the south of Gold Hill and into Six Mile Canyon. From there, you can follow the Carson River until you\u2019re just south of Fort Churchill. You\u2019ll stay south of Fort Churchill and north of Eastgate. From there I\u2019ll draw you a map to water and forage, and you\u2019ll have to follow the map closely. There\u2019s not much water or forage beyond Eastgate.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThe Ponderosa is on good terms with the Paiute. Tell them it\u2019s a Cartwright herd, and you shouldn\u2019t have any trouble. If you have to, give them a few head. You might run into soldiers from Fort Churchill, but since I\u2019m sending you south, you\u2019re not likely to have any trouble with them. They\u2019re there to guard the wagons from back East heading to California. Hank has been as far as Eastgate, but never to Austin, so just make sure you stick to the map.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cTom, Johnny, I don\u2019t know exactly what to tell you yet. Mostly, if he charges me, I\u2019ll be heading for the fence, so be prepared for one of you to get me over while the other distracts Satan. The best way to do that will be with another rope. Toss it at his head. You\u2019ll both have ropes, so the closest one to me will help me over the fence, and the other will throw the rope. If that doesn\u2019t work, we\u2019ll have to come up with something else. Any questions?\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men shook their heads and took their positions at the corners of the corral. Shiloh let herself in and walked up to Satan with a carrot. Satan had always been gentle around Shiloh, but then she had never tried to assert her dominance over the horse. She led him to the other side of the training pen, and when she began working with the rope, Satan stood his ground, looking straight at her. When she hit the back of his legs with the rope, he turned and faced her, and when she dropped her eyes and moved toward him, he stepped toward her. She stopped. She could tell by his stance that he was on alert. Dropping the rope, she took another step, and he seemed to relax.<\/p>\n

Next, she tried using a long lead attached to a halter and a buggy whip, trailing the whip behind him in an effort to get him to move forward. Again, he refused to move and stood facing her. She touched the string of the whip to his hind quarters, and the horse whinnied loudly and reared, then moved toward her, snorting. She didn\u2019t back away, but rather met his eyes and didn\u2019t back down herself until he reared in front of her. Pulling down on the lead rope just aggravated him more, and when he came down in front of her, she looked him in the eye again before she tied him to a post set in the ground in the corral and turned her back to him. He rushed forward and slammed his nose into her back, sending her flying into the corral fence and knocking the breath out of her. Tommy was there to get her over the fence.<\/p>\n

Three times that morning, she found herself running and half-climbing, half jumping over the corral fence, landing hard on the ground each time. The day George Hearst arrived Satan bit the side of her back, drawing blood.<\/p>\n

Adam had left for town earlier to meet the stage, and the two gentlemen arrived just past noon after Shiloh had already tended her wound and cleaned up. Still, when the buggy pulled into the yard, she was moving slowly, and having aggravated her injured ankle again, she limped on her way out to greet them. \u201cMr. Hearst, welcome to our home. I had thought Mrs. Hearst would be with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

George stepped down out of the buggy and took her hands. \u201cMrs. Cartwright, as always, it\u2019s a pleasure to see you. I must say, I was quite taken with the ride across the ranch. Adam tells me you brought this ranch back to a profitable business after your father passed way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mr. Hearst,\u201d she said, smiling. \u201cThere was some work to be done when I returned from college. I do hope Mrs. Hearst is well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she\u2019s well, however, William, has turned out to be a fussy lad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGeorge, why don\u2019t you come inside and get settled?\u201d said Adam. \u201cI\u2019ll show you your room, and you can rest from your trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLunch will be ready at your convenience, Mr. Hearst,\u201d added Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be honest, I\u2019d like to get out to the property as soon as possible and assess the situation on your ridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, we\u2019ll have lunch, and then Adam can take you out,\u201d she said, leading the way into the house.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Hearst and Adam took the road to the top of the ridge and tied their horses at a rock outcropping before they walked to the place where the Flying W shaft was on one side and the shaft on Hearst\u2019s property was directly on the other side. Today, there were a dozen men working that shaft, pulling satchel after satchel of rock and dirt out.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not my men,\u201d Hearst whispered. \u201cMy mines have material on the ready. There would be stacks of timber for shoring, and the Ponderosa would have the contract. They\u2019d also be hauling ore out in a mine car. Not satchels. I think it\u2019s time we paid these gentlemen a visit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam put a hand on Hearst\u2019s arm. \u201cGeorge, there are three hired guns down there. Wait here while I get some men from our side of the ridge, and we\u2019ll go down together.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he returned with the men, instead of going down from the top of the ridge, Adam led them down the ridge past where they tied their horses, through a pass. They came upon the men on Hearst\u2019s property from behind with their guns drawn. \u201cYou men,\u201d Hearst called out. \u201cWho\u2019s in charge here?\u201d Adam recognized the man who stepped forward as one of the gunmen from town. \u201cWho do you work for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s asking?\u201d asked the gunman as he slowly lowered his hand toward his gun.<\/p>\n

Adam pulled back the hammer of his gun. \u201cDon\u2019t try it. You won\u2019t make it. Throw your gun out here in front. All the rest of you men do the same.\u201d When they hesitated, the Flying W men split, five moving on either side of the mining group who were now in the middle of a semi-circle.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy name is George Hearst. I own this property, and that\u2019s my mine you\u2019re working,\u201d he said, pointing. \u201cThe problem is, gentlemen, that I never authorized a shaft to be started. What\u2019s your name?\u201d he asked of the man who identified himself as in charge.<\/p>\n

\u201cSmith,\u201d he smirked. \u201c\u2026John\u2026Smith.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Mr. Smith, if you would be so kind as to move aside, I will inspect this shaft of yours.\u201d Adam dismounted with him and kept his gun trained on the men as he moved through them with Hearst. Hearst took a lantern off the pole just inside the shaft and disappeared inside. Adam could see the light stop, and knew the shaft was only about twenty feet long, close to the Flying W property line.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d called Hearst. \u201cHow far in would you put your property line?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween thirty and forty feet,\u201d he yelled back.<\/p>\n

Adam heard picking and rocks falling, but he could still see a steady light. Hearst spent at least a half hour in the tunnel before he emerged. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing back there but worthless rock. I wouldn\u2019t even call it ore.\u201d He walked back out to Smith. \u201cWho hired you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSam King.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rolled his eyes. \u201cSam King is dead. Who are you working for now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have to answer to you, Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll answer him or you\u2019ll answer to the law,\u201d threatened Hearst. When Smith still refused to answer, George turned to Adam. \u201cWould you and your men help me get these men to the sheriff in Virginia City? I will be pressing charges.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor what?\u201d yelled Smith.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrespassing and property damages,\u201d said Hearst. He turned and strode to his horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t stick,\u201d muttered Smith.<\/p>\n

Adam snorted, and leaned toward him. \u201cHis partners are two of the most well-known attorneys on the West coast.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh sat behind the desk, looking over the ranch books, furiously scribbling notes on the piece of paper. Adam and Mr. Hearst had come back to the ranch, but only to get Mr. Hearst\u2019s bag and the buggy. Mr. Hearst made his apologies. He wouldn\u2019t be staying, but rather would be sending Mr. Fair, the Ophir Mine Superintendent to the property to evaluate it.<\/p>\n

While she waited for Adam\u2019s return, she dug into what had become an endless pile of paperwork. She was beginning to understand why Ben sent his sons out every day without him. She realized that every time she went over to the Ponderosa in the middle of the day, and he was sitting at his desk, he was doing ranch paperwork.<\/p>\n

She heard the front door open. \u201cShiloh!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in the study.\u201d When he entered the study, he walked around the desk, bending down to kiss her. \u201cHow\u2019d it go in town?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy held the three gunmen and let the others go. They didn\u2019t know anything\u2026just miners looking to make some extra money. The three men he held wouldn\u2019t tell Roy who hired them, so he\u2019s holding them until the territorial judge comes through.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Mr. Hearst?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you know there\u2019s another stage coming through Virginia City? That makes three.\u201d She looked at him with raised eyebrows. \u201cHe caught the stage coming from Salt Lake City, heading for San Francisco. He\u2019s already gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe the ranch wasn\u2019t to his liking,\u201d said Shiloh, looking distressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart, the ranch is fine. He\u2019s just a very busy man. How was the rest of your day?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been working on the books. You hired ten more men and you\u2019re paying them more than we pay our ranch hands. Who are they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re the men guarding the silver vein in the north ridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

She straightened. \u201cI thought you were using our men to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we started with our men, but when the number of men increased on the other side of the ridge, I thought it would be better to bring in men more suited to the task.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou hired gunmen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hired guards. There\u2019s a difference. These are honest men. We\u2019ll use these same men to escort the ore wagons to the mill, and the silver to the bank vault in Virginia City. When we have to start sending the silver to San Francisco, we\u2019ll use our own coaches so our men can guard it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bending her head, she rubbed her forehead. \u201cI never considered that we\u2019d have to haul silver to San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s going to be a little gold that comes out of the mine, too. We\u2019ll keep some here, and maybe some in the bank in San Francisco, but most will be turned in at the mint and exchanged for cash.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stood and took his arm, walking with him toward the dining room. \u201cWhy are we keeping some?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs an investment. United States currency is backed by gold. China trades with silver. So I expect the value of both will go up over time.\u201d Adam seated her at the dining table, and then took his seat at the head of the table, and Ming Lin brought out roast beef, sweet potatoes and green beans. \u201cYou\u2019re limping again. Did you reinjure your ankle?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just came down on it wrong. I think it will be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s the training going?\u201d<\/p>\n

She glanced at him and turned her attention to her food. \u201cIt\u2019s going slow,\u201d she said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you made any progress at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

She thought for a moment. She didn\u2019t want to tell him \u2018no\u2019. He\u2019d want to know why she was still wasting her time. The truth was, she had made no progress at all, but she wasn\u2019t quite ready to give up. \u201cHe\u2019s easier to work with in the morning, but after an hour or so, he\u2019s difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a few minutes of silence, she said, \u201cIt\u2019s awfully quiet with Micah away on the cattle drive. How long will he be gone?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam thought out loud. \u201cWell, it will take three and half to four weeks to get there, then the better part of a week to get back. Four and half to five weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the time he gets back, we\u2019ll be leaving for Sacramento. He said he wanted to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he doesn\u2019t get back before we leave, he can follow us down. You\u2019re first week will be rehearsals,\u201d he said, smiling and patting her hand. \u201cI\u2019m sure he\u2019ll make the second week for your performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh was first in the bedroom and had already removed her clothes. She was just slipping on her robe when Adam came into the room. She quickly turned to face him as she was pulling her robe over her shoulders, but she wasn\u2019t quite quick enough. He had seen something on her back.<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, are you hiding something from me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning, she grabbed her brush and began to brush her hair. When he stepped behind her, she stiffened and held her breath. Taking her brush out of her hand, he set it on her dressing table and moved her hair to the front of her shoulder. He reached around to the front and untied her robe, then pulled it down off her shoulders, gasping. There were bruises on her buttocks, the backs of her legs, and the upper part of her back and shoulders. Besides all that, there was a badly scraped area to the left of the small of her back. He spun her around and found more bruises on her arms and legs, and one large bruise right in the middle of her chest that was already starting to fade.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it,\u201d Adam said angrily. \u201cNo more.\u201d<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

Shiloh didn\u2019t respond verbally to Adam\u2019s edict. Her face was a mixture of emotions; guilt, disappointment, defeat. He expected tears, but there were none. Turning away, she shuffled slowly to her side of the bed and sat down with her back toward him, looking down at her hands. He waited where he was for her objection, but she was silent.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid the horse do that to you?\u201d he asked crossly, standing with his hands on his hips.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot exactly; at least not most of them. The scrape is a bite. He did that today. He pushed me into the fence the first day; that\u2019s the bruise on my chest. The rest came from the fence and the ground when I was\u2026jumping over to get away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s how you aggravated your ankle?\u201d She nodded. \u201cWhere were Johnny and Tom when this was happening?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne was distracting Satan while the other made sure I got over the fence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, if they had been my men\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising her head, she glanced over her shoulder. \u201cIf they had been your men, I\u2026would never have\u2026known\u2026for myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those last words immediately deflated his anger. Walking to her side of the bed, he sat down beside her, put his arm around her shoulder and drew her to him, kissing the side of her head. \u201cI\u2019ll take him to the breaking corrals tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

She breathed in deeply. Would it be wrong not to tell him that she thought the horse might be too aggressive to break? Satan was one of the strongest horses she had ever seen. In a breaking corral with a saddle on his back and other horses, he could wreak havoc, not only on the horses, but on the men riding them, and especially on the man on his back. But if they didn\u2019t try, again, she would never know. \u201cI want to be there when you break him.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The sun was just making an appearance when Shiloh walked out to the paddock next to the barn. Adam had already haltered Satan who was tied to the fence and pulling back on the rope. She offered him a carrot, and he calmed down and took the few steps to the fence, gently taking the carrot from her hand. \u201cI don\u2019t get you. What is so terrible about doing what you\u2019re asked?\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnny, Tom and Billy appeared at her side. \u201cWe heard Hank and Mr. Cartwright talking in the barn,\u201d said Tom. \u201cYou\u2019re givin\u2019 up?\u201d<\/p>\n

She winced. \u201cNo, not exactly. Just taking a different approach. Once he\u2019s broken, we\u2019ll try again, and if he still won\u2019t accept the training, at least he\u2019ll be tame enough for stud.\u201d She turned to see frustration on Tom\u2019s face and smiled. \u201cBelieve me, Tom, I know how you feel. I just don\u2019t know how long I could keep jumping over that fence before he caught up to me and did some real damage. Now, today after you feed, I want you all to go down to the new pasture and work on the corral fence. We won\u2019t plant pasture grass until Adam has the windmill and irrigation in, but we need that corral ready in the fall. Tom, before you go down to the pasture, would you check Dusty\u2019s hoof? Let me know if the split has gotten any worse. Oh, Flower\u2019s foal, how is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid he\u2019s not gonna make it. He\u2019s not nursing, so we\u2019re bottle feedin\u2019 him, but he\u2019s not gaining any weight, and he\u2019s still weak.\u201d Tom dropped his head and finished quietly. \u201cIf he doesn\u2019t make it, he\u2019ll be the fifth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh took his hand. \u201cTom, we can\u2019t save them all. With the number of foals we have this year, we were bound to lose some, and to tell you the truth, five isn\u2019t all that bad. Now, go check on Dusty and then get down to the corral. I\u2019ll go by the big barn and check the foal in a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes ma\u2019am,\u201d he said, turning toward the back corral.<\/p>\n

Adam had come out of the barn, and stood watching Shiloh talk to her men. When she took Tom\u2019s hand, his head tilted and his brows creased slightly. As Tom left, Adam approached her. \u201cWhat was that about?\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled as she watched Tom turn the corner around the house toward the back corral. \u201cHe\u2019s upset. The foal we\u2019ve been watching probably isn\u2019t going to make it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt happens. Why is he upset?\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking back at him with a frown, she thought his remark was uncharacteristically callous. \u201cAdam, he\u2019s never been around a ranch the size of this with the number of horses we have. You might think of him as an uncaring son of a\u2026.\u201d she huffed before she finished. \u201cHe has a heart as big as Hoss when it comes to these animals. Even the cows. He was lamenting the other day about a calf that didn\u2019t make it.\u201d Adam grunted, and she looked at him firmly. \u201cHe\u2019s perfect for working with my horses. With the way he cares for them, I have all the confidence in the world in him.\u201d<\/p>\n

He gave her a disbelieving look. \u201cAre you ready?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs ready as I\u2019ll ever be,\u201d she answered, wilting. When they arrived at the corrals, she chose to sit on her horse rather than hang on the corral fence so she could see over. She stayed back where she wouldn\u2019t be in the way of the activities around the corral.<\/p>\n

Several horses went into the chute while the men attempted to saddle Satan. Jack Fletcher, one of the hands, and Adam took turns riding. The last horse in the chute came out twisting as he bucked, and quickly sent Jack into the dirt. He got up and walked over to Adam and Hoss, and though she couldn\u2019t hear what they were saying, she could tell they were teasing each other relentlessly when Adam walked toward the chute with wide, dimpled grin. In only another moment, the horse came twisting out with Adam now hanging on for the ride. He lasted only a little longer than Jack and was soon on his stomach, pushing himself up off the ground. Shiloh grimaced when she saw him go down. It was if he were falling in slow motion, bouncing when he hit the ground. Why is it alright for him to come home bruised and sore from getting thrown from a horse, and when I get bruised and beat up from working with a horse, it\u2019s completely unacceptable to him? She dismissed the thought. She knew what his answer would be.<\/p>\n

After several tries, the men working with Satan decided they would saddle him in the chute to prevent him from cow-kicking or turning to bite. Adam was sitting on the side, waiting until the men were ready for him to lower himself into the saddle. Shiloh tensed. She hadn\u2019t really thought far enough ahead this morning for it to register that Adam would never allow any of his men to ride Satan.<\/p>\n

Adam stepped over Satan\u2019s back to the gate and hovered over the saddle while he wrapped the rope around his hand. When he eased down onto the saddle, Satan was already trying to buck, slamming Adam\u2019s legs into the walls of the chute. As Shiloh watched, he rose up off the saddle again and spoke to the men around him. There were four pick-up men in the corral instead of two, but that gave her no reassurance.<\/p>\n

He finally nodded, and began to lower himself to the saddle and just as he seated himself, the gate swung open.<\/p>\n

All hell broke loose.<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

Satan didn\u2019t buck. He reared, and then sideswiped the fence. Still, Adam hung on. After another rear, Satan bucked, twisted and charged the other horses, sending them scattering. The horse moved every way a horse could to dislodge the rider on his back, including charging the fences. Finally, Satan threw himself to the ground. Holding her breath, Shiloh watched as Adam feverishly worked his hand out from under the rope, and just before Satan hit the ground, Adam pushed away, landing on his stomach. In an instant, the horse was up, and two pick-up men were at his side, but again, he reared, kicking out at the horses and scattering them. Adam had crawled on his hands and knees away from the flailing hooves, and just as he gained his footing, he tripped and twisted to see Satan charging him with three of the pick-up men pushing against him and the fourth trying to get around the melee to Adam. Two of the pick-up horses went down, blocking the fourth\u2019s path to Adam. The men around the corral were all scrambling to their horses for their guns.<\/p>\n

Just as Satan reached him, Adam put his arm up, knowing full well it would give him no protection; knowing that he was about to be the second man this horse had killed.<\/p>\n

The deep discharge of a rifle sounded.<\/p>\n

Satan suddenly stopped and fell at Adam\u2019s feet.<\/p>\n

Every living thing was still. The men looked around at each other to see who fired the shot. Several in the crowd of men and clouds of dust pointed, and everyone slowly turned to see Adam\u2019s wife, sitting on her horse still aiming her rifle into the corral. She had waited for a clear shot. She didn\u2019t want to hit any of the men, and she had almost waited too long. As they watched her, she dismounted, trotted to the fence and climbed over, then slowly approached Adam. She watched him dust his shirt, and for a moment they stood, looking at each other.<\/p>\n

Slowly backing away, Shiloh stepped around to Satan\u2019s back and knelt, laying her rifle on the ground beside her. She pulled back the mane that had fallen forward over the blood gushing out just above his eye. She laid a hand on his side and put her other hand over his snout. There was no breath. The bullet had done its work instantly. Sitting back on her heels, she dropped her hands in front of her.<\/p>\n

Adam knelt at Satan\u2019s belly, looking across the dead animal at Shiloh. She wore a deep frown, and her eyes were red and tormented. A tear rolled down her cheek. Without looking at Adam, she wiped the tear away with the cuff of her sleeve, then picked up her rifle and rose. The men stood in silence, watching her walk away, climbing over the fence, and then mounting her horse. She shoved the rifle into the scabbard, looked one more time at Adam, then turned her horse and rode away.<\/p>\n

Hoss stood at Adam\u2019s side. \u201cAdam, you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued to look across the field in the direction she had ridden and nodded. \u201cShe\u2019s not. Can you run this by yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d said Hoss, patting his shoulder. \u201cGo see to her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam rode away in the direction Shiloh had gone, glad that she seemed to be riding toward home. It wasn\u2019t long before he discovered she didn\u2019t make it very far. He found her horse grazing, and when he looked around he spotted her in the shade of a tree on her hands and knees. He could hear her retch from where he stopped. Dismounting, he grabbed his canteen, and while he walked toward her, he dug his bandana out of his pocket. He sat down on a rock beside her, pouring water on the bandana, wringing it out and handing it to her. She continued to vomit, and by the time she eased back, sitting on her legs, he knew she had lost everything she had eaten for breakfast. After wiping her face with the bandana, she took a drink from the canteen Adam offered her, and spat. She saw the concern on his face, and the anticipation in his eyes for her to talk to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to talk about it,\u201d she answered hoarsely.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright. We\u2019ll talk this evening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to talk about it this evening or any other time. It\u2019s done. There\u2019s nothing I can do about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam raised his hand to his mouth and considered her. \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked away. \u201cI don\u2019t know what you mean.\u201d Standing, she turned toward her horse. \u201cI\u2019ll put your bandana in with the laundry.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood quickly and went after her, taking her arm and turning her back around. \u201cWhy are you hiding you\u2019re feelings from me? It\u2019s as if we\u2019re right back where we started when you came home from college.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I\u2019ve come to realize that I haven\u2019t been acting like the woman you married. You don\u2019t need someone who\u2019s crying all the time about\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout the things or the people that mean the most to you?\u201d He moved his hands to her cheeks and turned her face up. \u201cI don\u2019t want you to hide your feelings from me. Besides your anger, it took a while to get you to show them to me.\u201d She jerked her face out of his hands, and began to turn away, but he held her arms. \u201cWhere is this coming from?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom Will Stewart\u2026and you.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWill Stewart shattered my confidence in my ability to take care of myself. And you\u2026you\u2026 I don\u2019t want to be a person who cries every time something doesn\u2019t go my way. You have enough to take care of with both ranches, the timber, your work with Slater, and now the mine. You don\u2019t need to be holding me up.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a finger under her chin, he turned her face back to his. \u201cIsn\u2019t that what a husband and wife are supposed to do for each other? Sweetheart, I\u2019m supposed to be the one person you can share everything with, and that includes your feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned her back to him. \u201cI don\u2019t want you to think of me as weak.\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiled. \u201cShiloh, I don\u2019t think there\u2019s a soul who knows you who would ever consider that you\u2019re weak. I certainly don\u2019t. You\u2019re one of the strongest people I know. When you find something you want or even when you see an injustice, you\u2019re tenacious in the way you go after it. I feel a little sorry for the people who cross you.\u201d He pulled her into him and rested his chin on the top of her head. \u201cI want you to share everything with me, including the pain.\u201d He looked down at her and brushed his hand over her hair. \u201cI know this has you torn up inside. Let me help.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t cry at first, but Adam knew she was fighting it. Her nostrils were moving in and out at the same time she pressed her lips together. Casting her eyes down, she opened her mouth, but it took several tries for words to form. \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have let you try to break him. I knew he was dangerous, but he was no good to me gelded, so I let you, hoping that you could do it.\u201d She began to wring her hands. \u201cI took my rifle because I knew how bad it might be. I knew none of you would be near your guns. Besides that, if he had to be put down, it was my responsibility.\u201d Tears began to fall. \u201cI held my breath until I knew you were alright, then when I saw him lying there, a creature that had been so alive one minute, and then lifeless the next. He was beautiful. He was perfect.\u201d Now she was weeping so hard, she couldn\u2019t keep her eyes open. Adam barely understood her last words as she sunk down to the ground. \u201cHe almost killed you.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she buried her face in her hands, he knelt in front of her, surrounding her with his arms. \u201cShiloh, listen to me. Even if you had told me you thought he was too dangerous, I would have tried. I already knew how bad he was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand. You wanted me to geld him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did\u2026at first. But I also knew how much he meant to you\u2026to your horse business.\u201d<\/p>\n

She pushed away, wiping her nose on her sleeve. \u201cHe never meant as much to me as you. I don\u2019t want you to risk your life like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lifting her to her feet as he stood, he put his arm around her shoulders and walked her to the horses. \u201cHoss is taking care of everything at the corral. Let\u2019s go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d she said, sounding like she had a cold. She took the bandana out of her pocket and blew her nose. \u201cI need to check on Flower\u2019s foal. She\u2019s down at the big barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, we\u2019ll go check on her together.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they arrived at the big barn where Shiloh kept the mares that needed help foaling or those with weak foals, Adam shoved the big door to the side, and they both stepped in. Flower was in the foaling stall standing over her colt that was lying in the hay. The colt usually raised its head when the door slid open, but this time he was still. Shiloh stopped in the middle aisle and let Adam pass her. When he leaned against the corral wall and dropped his head, she knew the colt was dead. He looked back at her, and she took a step back, and then moved deeper into the barn. Returning with a piece of cloth, she entered the corral and covered the foal, rubbing the cloth over his body, rump and tail. She haltered Flower and took her and the cloth into the aisle. Adam stepped back out of the way and watched her as she led Flower into another large stall containing an orphaned foal ready to be fed. Placing the cloth on the foal, she pulled Flower closer and let her sniff. Shiloh slowly backed out of the stall and waited.<\/p>\n

Walking up next to her, Adam leaned against the corral door and put his arm around her, watching with her. \u201cIt\u2019s a little late for this,\u201d he whispered. \u201cYou think it will work?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe foals are the same age, but you\u2019re right. It\u2019s already been a few days,\u201d answered Shiloh without taking her eyes off the colt and mare. \u201cShe has milk, and this little fella needs milk, so it\u2019s worth the try. I don\u2019t think she\u2019ll hurt him, even if she doesn\u2019t accept him. She\u2019s always been a good mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

The foal warily approached the mare, and when he went up under her, Flower sniffed him again, but she didn\u2019t move away when the colt began to suckle. Shiloh sighed loudly and smiled tentatively, glancing from the horses to Adam and back to the horses. \u201cWell, I have to tell you,\u201d she said with a shaky voice. \u201cI needed this to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

As they walked back to the front of the barn, Adam said, \u201cI\u2019ll get Tom and Johnny to come up and take care of the foal.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stopped, laying her forehead in her hand. \u201cTom has been sleeping down here, taking care of Flower\u2019s foal\u2026and the rest of them. It\u2019s not going to be easy for him. He\u2019s gotten attached to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to have to get used to it. I know you think that\u2019s heartless of me, but if he doesn\u2019t learn to deal with it, he won\u2019t last in this business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. But I want to tell him. I think he\u2019ll want to take care of him alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam thought for a moment, remembering her holding Tom\u2019s hand that morning. It wasn\u2019t that he didn\u2019t trust her, but he thought she might be sending Tom the wrong signals. \u201cAlright,\u201d he said, nodding. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go get him? I\u2019ll wait here and watch Flower\u2026just in case there are any problems with her new foal. Then if he needs help moving the body, I\u2019ll be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be back in a few minutes.\u201d She tiptoed to kiss him, and he moved his head back and arched an eyebrow. \u201cOh,\u201d she said and covered her mouth. \u201cI forgot.\u201d<\/p>\n

By the time Shiloh was back with Tom, she had already told him about the foal, and what she had done with Flower and one of the orphaned foals. They walked up behind Adam and peered around him. \u201cHow are they doing,\u201d asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s already hard to tell he\u2019s not hers. Tom, if you need help\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s alright, Mr. Cartwright. I\u2019ll take care of Flower\u2019s foal. He never really gained much weight, so he\u2019s not that heavy.\u201d Tom never made eye contact with Adam. He wiped his hands on his jeans and pointed toward the front door. \u201cI\u2026I\u2019ll go find a shovel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh stepped toward him. \u201cTom\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Mrs. Cartwright,\u201d he said, backing away. \u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d Turning, he walked quickly out of the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, do you ever have days that you wish never\u2026occurred?\u201d she asked as she watched Tom leave.<\/p>\n

He snorted. \u201cOh, yeah. Today is one of them. Let\u2019s go home,\u201d he said, taking her hand and walking her out of the barn.<\/p>\n

*********<\/p>\n

Even though it was the middle of the day, Adam asked Ming Lin to prepare a bath for Shiloh and hold lunch. He knew she wouldn\u2019t eat, even with his best argument, and hoped she\u2019d feel like it after she relaxed in a hot tub. Little did he know that as he worked on the Jackson Square drawings, she was curled into a ball in the tub, sobbing.<\/p>\n

The rest of the day, she wandered the house, sitting with a book for a few minutes, reading the same paragraph over and over again, sitting at the piano mindlessly picking out a tune with her right hand, and finally sitting in the big chair by the window with her knees up to her chest, staring out at the empty paddock by the barn. She\u2019d occasionally wipe an escaped tear.<\/p>\n

They went to bed early, and when she thought Adam was asleep, she rolled away, breathing through her mouth so he wouldn\u2019t hear her breathe through her clogged nose. She might have gotten away with it if the bed hadn\u2019t shuddered with her sobs. He turned her to face him, guiding her head to his chest where he cradled her even after she had cried herself to sleep.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Over the next few days, Shiloh had more or less gotten past what had happened in the breaking corral. She still paused when she passed the paddock by the barn, but her pauses had become fewer and shorter.<\/p>\n

The new contract had come in from Crocker, and upon opening it, Adam found that it had been expanded to include several trestles, bridges, coal sheds, water tanks and sidings all the way through to Junction. All the lumber, except the long timbers that would be used as piers, was to be delivered milled to the specifications in the contract. Adam knew that the rails hadn\u2019t arrived yet, but figured Crocker was planning to have all the ties, trestles and bridges in place so he could immediately lay rails to Junction when they arrived. He still had to determine if they could deliver that amount of lumber. In addition, he was beginning to think that perhaps the railroad contract would require too much timber from the Flying W, causing them to cut more than they could easily replant. The Ponderosa was already handling its limit of contracts. More land would solve the problem of thinning the forest out too much, so he would start looking for timberland to the north of Lake Tahoe. He also considered subcontracting some of the cutting out to other timber outfits. He knew those on the south end of the lake were supplying lumber to the mines and to the growing mining towns in the Sierra and had as much work as they could handle. There was Barney Fuller, but he was likely to go to Crocker himself to make a deal. In fact, Adam was sure he had already tried. He would never put it past Barney to tell Crocker that the Cartwrights were foundering under the weight of the railroad contracts, and that it would be to the railroad\u2019s advantage to spread the work around. Maybe Crocker\u2019s intent was to see just what they could handle with this large contract. The lumber was to be delivered in three parts and upon delivery of each part payment would be made for that part.<\/p>\n

With his father and Joe on a cattle drive for the next few weeks, he and Hoss were the only ones that could mark the timber, and they couldn\u2019t be gone at the same time. Shiloh knew how, but he wasn\u2019t prepared to send her into the Sierra forests by herself. Hoss was busy with work their father had left to be done before he could leave for Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

That left him. He left the paperwork on the desk in the study and went in search of Shiloh. Trying the barn first, he looked in the door. Her horse wasn\u2019t there which meant she was either at the big barn or at the south corral. Continuing in, he began to saddle Sport.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh and Tom had taken two horses out to work on their gait, riding into a meadow dotted with sprawling live oak trees. She had seen something in the gait of the horse that Tom was riding that she didn\u2019t like, so she dismounted and had Tom ride in circles around her.<\/p>\n

\u201cTom, you\u2019re the boss. Don\u2019t let him fall into that choppy step. Make him reach.\u201d Tom sat further back in his saddle and tapped the horse\u2019s front leg with his crop. \u201cThere you go. That\u2019s much better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cIs what the other ranch hands are saying true? Are you the one that shot Satan?\u201d<\/p>\n

Giving him a blank look for a moment, she breathed in deeply. \u201cYes, I\u2019m the one that shot Satan. He almost killed Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t mean that you shouldn\u2019t have. I just didn\u2019t know you could shoot like that, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

She snorted. \u201cMy father taught me how to shoot a rifle. Adam tried to teach me to use a pistol, but I don\u2019t feel comfortable with one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat must have been a bad day for you\u2026loosing Satan and Flower\u2019s foal.\u201d Tom stopped and dismounted, walking the horse over to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cTom, I know how you tried to save the foal. It must have been a hard day for you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

She took the reins of her horse, and the two walked through the meadow toward the ranch. Adam saw them from a distance and rode toward them, but slowed Sport to walk so he could watch them. Tom was walking just behind her right shoulder; closer than Adam thought was appropriate. The way he listened and laughed when Shiloh spoke was completely different than when he was around the men. When he was near Adam, he couldn\u2019t get away fast enough. Adam had to consider that Tom was a grown man now; a year older than Shiloh. He was tall and lean with neat blonde hair. Women would probably consider him good looking. He was no longer out to pick on her as he did when they were children. No, Adam knew that Tom was all too aware that they were both grown now.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, what brings you out here?\u201d asked Shiloh, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to discuss something with you. The Crocker contract is here, and it\u2019s a lot bigger than it started. I\u2019m going to need your help with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re asking me for help with a timber contract?\u201d she asked disbelievingly.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on. I\u2019ll explain it at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you give me a ride? These two need to go back down to the big barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam swung his leg over Sport\u2019s back and stepped down, and when he turned, he was wearing a wide grin. \u201cYou\u2019re steed awaits.\u201d<\/p>\n

She returned his smile, and then turned to Tom. \u201cWould you take these two down and keep working with them? These are the next two that will be ready for sale.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes ma\u2019am,\u201d said Tom, tipping his hat. \u201cMr. Cartwright.\u201d Turning, he mounted his horse, took the reins of the other horse from Shiloh and trotted away.<\/p>\n

Shiloh turned and stepped into Adam, whose arms naturally dropped in place around her. \u201cWhat\u2019s it like to ride in front of you?\u201d she said, smiling happily up at him.<\/p>\n

He smiled back down at her. \u201cOh, probably as nice as it is to ride behind you.\u201d When they kissed, Adam moved an arm to her shoulders, tightening his hold on her while her hands moved to his back. \u201cWe could stay right here and talk,\u201d he said, whispering so close that she could feel the breath of his words. Her eyes moved from his lips, to his eyes and back to his lips, prompting him to take her mouth with his.<\/p>\n

When he finished his kiss, she moved a hand to his face, tracing his jaw with a finger. Taking deep, slow breaths, she whispered back. \u201cHow important is it that we talk about the timber contract?\u201d<\/p>\n

He chuckled. \u201cIt\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trying to push away, she brought her hands flat down on the front of his shoulders. \u201cYou\u2019re teasing me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He quickly brought her against him. \u201cNo, I\u2019m just giving you something to look forward to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes and mouth flew open. \u201cAdam Cartwright, you\u2019re\u2026\u201d Covering her mouth again, he kissed her until she gave in to him, moving her hands up and around his neck. \u201cHm\u2026hm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMm hm,\u201d she giggled.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d he said, sweeping her up into his arms and up the side of Sport so that her foot slipped into the stirrup as she pulled herself up. She moved her foot so Adam could use the stirrup to step up, and then settled back against him, enjoying his arms around her for the ride home.<\/p>\n

Once in the yard, Adam slid down, then held Shiloh\u2019s arm as she dismounted, and the two went to the study. Sitting in the chair, he unfolded the timber contract while Shiloh slid up on the top of the desk. \u201cRead this. You\u2019ll get more out of it than if I told you.\u201d<\/p>\n

They sat quietly for a moment until Shiloh looked up at the ceiling. \u201cCan you and Hoss at least start cutting until Pa and Joe get back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou forget. We have to mark the trees first, and no, Hoss and I can\u2019t do it. Hoss is busy getting ready to leave for Philadelphia. That leaves it to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you can\u2019t mark this many trees by yourself. You can\u2019t even mark this many trees in one place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam leaned back in the chair. \u201cThe Flying W probably has enough timberland for this contract, but if we get a few more of these, we\u2019ll need more unless we start clear cutting. We\u2019re not going to do that. We\u2019ll probably have to use some Ponderosa lumber for the others, but before I start cutting trees there, I have to discuss it with Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we have to get the trees marked, start cutting and milling, and look for more land. What isn\u2019t going to get done?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe mine will have to wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss can keep up with the Ponderosa while Pa\u2019s gone, even with the extra work,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s not much going on there with the men on the cattle drive. I can take care of things here, so you don\u2019t really have to do anything on the ranches right now. That leaves you the timber and your drawing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve still got men cutting timber for square sets.\u201d<\/p>\n

She raised her eyebrows. \u201cAnd Shorty is doing a fine job handling it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, I need you to go with me to mark the timber. With the two of us, we can probably get it done, but that leaves no one in charge of the Flying W.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sliding off the desk, she paced in front of it. \u201cWhat about Hoss? The few men that didn\u2019t go on the cattle drive to Austin are watching the rest of the herd. It\u2019s the same at the Ponderosa. Hoss doesn\u2019t have to ride out there. They can come to him if they have any trouble, but it should be quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Propping his elbows on the desk, Adam clasped his hands and rested his chin on them. \u201cWhat about your performance in Sacramento? Don\u2019t you need to practice?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know all the music well enough that I think the week of rehearsal in Sacramento will be enough. Johnny and Tom can take care of the horses, and I can give Tom a list of horses that need work that he can handle without help. I only have a few mares left that haven\u2019t foaled, and Tom can take care of those with Johnny\u2019s help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we need to talk to Hoss then.\u201d He stood, folded the contract and put it in his back pocket. Stepping around the desk, he moved his hand to the back of Shiloh\u2019s shoulder and guided her out to the barn to saddle her horse. In a few more minutes, they were on their way to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Hoss had climbed the ladder to the roof after filling a box full of shingles and tying a rope around it. He had just begun to haul them up when Shiloh and Adam rode into the Ponderosa yard.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Adam, I\u2019m mighty glad to see you,\u201d he yelled down.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about me?\u201d asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle gal, I\u2019m always glad to see you. That\u2019s not necessarily the case with Older Brother here. Every time you two come for dinner, he\u2019s eatin\u2019 my seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo does Shiloh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but she don\u2019t eat enough to keep a bird alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smirked. \u201cAnd you wanted my help with something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, would you throw that box of nails on top of those shingles? I plumb forgot to put \u2018em in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t it a little early to be working on the roof?\u201d Adam asked as he fetched the box of nails and added them to the box. \u201cIt\u2019s the middle of summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss started pulling the rope. \u201cWell, with you out of the house now, me and Joe get to do all the repairs around here by ourselves. Pa was afraid with me leavin\u2019 for Philadelphia, some of it wouldn\u2019t get done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Holding his hands out to his sides, Adam said, \u201cHoss, you don\u2019t have to break your neck to get everything done before you leave. Shiloh\u2019s last performance is the second week of October. We\u2019ll be back in plenty of time to help get ready for winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss banged a nail in. \u201cYou just be sure you tell that to Pa. He\u2019s the one who\u2019s frettin\u2019 about it. But tell \u2018im soon. He\u2019s got me repairin\u2019 the chinkin\u2019 next.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, all you have to do is get married and move out,\u201d said Adam, grinning impishly. \u201cThat\u2019ll mean Little Joe\u2019ll have to do it all himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss stopped what he was doing and chuckled. \u201cYeah, you\u2019re sure right about that. It\u2019d serve him right, too.\u201d The smile faded from Hoss\u2019s face as he lined up another shingle. \u201cHey, Adam, you ever thought about what Pa\u2019ll do when we\u2019ve all moved out?\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking up at the big house, memories of their youth flooded Adam. \u201cMaybe Joe won\u2019t move out,\u201d he said wistfully. \u201cThen again, we can just send the grandkids over, and Pa can start all over again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stepping into Adam\u2019s side, Shiloh lifted his arm around her shoulder. \u201cYou know, he\u2019d probably enjoy that. Hoss, I don\u2019t think you have to worry about Pa. We\u2019ll all be over here visiting. And Adam\u2019s right. I think our children will love staying at Grandpa\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning around and sitting, Hoss wiped his forehead with his sleeve. \u201cYou two don\u2019t already have something to tell \u2018im, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked down at Shiloh, who looked away. \u201cNope. Anyway, we came to talk to you about a little problem we have.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWe got the Crocker contract to replace the third tie contract. He\u2019s added to it. With everyone but you and me gone on cattle drives, that leaves the three of us to take care of both ranches and mark timber.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh can run the Flying W. Cain\u2019t you go mark the trees?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the problem. It\u2019s a lot of timber; three trestles, two bridges, two sidings and some coal sheds and water tanks. And it all has to be milled.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes he need it all at once?\u201d asked Hoss, grimacing.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but the first part of it is a big trestle across Sutter\u2019s Lake and an even bigger one over the American River.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing, Hoss made for the ladder and twisted to step on the top rung. \u201cPa\u2019ll have my hide if I up and leave all this work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not asking you to go, Hoss. I\u2019m asking you to keep an eye on the Flying W while Shiloh and I go mark the trees.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right. You did teach her to do that, didn\u2019t you?\u201d said Hoss, taking Shiloh\u2019s shoulder and shaking her, teasingly.<\/p>\n

Adam laughed at the cross-eyed face Shiloh made. \u201cIf something happens that keeps you away from the repairs, we\u2019ll tell Pa that I\u2019ll make sure they get done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss shoved his hands in his pockets. \u201cWell, Adam, don\u2019t you think he\u2019ll understand? I mean, he hardly ever turns down a timber contract, and he sure won\u2019t want you to turn down the railroad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m counting on. We\u2019ll be leaving first thing in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything I need to know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe men who aren\u2019t on their way to Austin are with the herd, and my men can handle the horses,\u201d explained Shiloh. \u201cJust check on them and make sure there aren\u2019t any problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, how long do you think you\u2019ll be gone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least two weeks. We should be getting back just before everyone else gets back from the cattle drives. Then we\u2019ll have to leave for Sacramento for two weeks, so I\u2019ll need you to help Micah with the cutting and milling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing, Adam. Don\u2019t you worry about nothin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Hoss,\u201d said Adam while Hoss bent down so Shiloh could kiss his cheek.<\/p>\n

That evening, while Ming Lin packed staples, a pot, pan, dishes, cups and utensils, and Shiloh prepared their bedrolls, extra cloths and personal items, Adam gathered his measuring tools and two small ledgers he used to keep up with locations and counts of trees. Johnny and Tom gathered what would be needed for the horses and any other tools and prepared the bundles for the pack horse.<\/p>\n

After dinner, Shiloh headed for the washroom. \u201cDon\u2019t come looking if I\u2019m in here awhile. I promise I won\u2019t drown.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d Adam shouted after she disappeared into the kitchen.<\/p>\n

Her faint voice floated into the dining room. \u201cI\u2019m staying in this bath as long as it\u2019s warm. It might be the last bath I have for awhile. I\u2019m not sure I want to take a dip in the creeks up there. They\u2019re cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

He followed her into the washroom. \u201cYou\u2019d be surprised how good those cold creeks look after a few days,\u201d he laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you joining me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Wrapping his arm around her as he closed the door, he said with a twinkle in his eye, \u201cI did promise you\u2019d have something to look forward to, didn\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, let\u2019s go!\u201d yelled Adam, standing at the front door, leaning in. When he didn\u2019t hear a response, he stepped in and walked to the stairs. \u201cShiloh!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearing the click of her boots behind him, he turned around and leaned on the post of the stairs. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to yell. I was in the kitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t everything we need from the kitchen packed?\u201d he asked, turning his head slightly and raising his brows.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2026well, no\u2026well, yes, everything we need for the trip, but\u2026\u201d she smiled. \u201cMing Lin made sandwiches for our lunch today,\u201d she finished, holding out a package wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine. \u201cI do believe he likes us,\u201d she said, winking.<\/p>\n

Chuckling, Adam pushed away from the post, ushering Shiloh out the door. She packed the sandwiches away in her saddlebag, and both mounted, Adam leading the pack horse behind him as they left the Flying W yard just as the sky changed from black to dark blue.<\/p>\n

After an hour of riding, the sun had made its appearance, bringing with it uncomfortable warmth. The night air had been unusually warm for the Sierra, and that meant the day\u2019s heat had a head start. Shiloh unbuttoned the top buttons of her blouse and rolled her sleeves up. The heat was making her yawn.<\/p>\n

Adam watched her fidget in her saddle while she yawned for at least the fifth time. \u201cDo you need to take a break?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m fine,\u201d she said cheerfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t you sleep last night?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike a rock. It\u2019s this heat. It makes me sleepy.\u201d<\/p>\n

After five or six hours, several necessary stops, and a few pieces of dried beef each at mid-morning, the two stopped near a stream to give the horses a longer rest and have lunch. \u201cAdam, how far out are we going to mark trees?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot much farther. There\u2019s about two hundred acres up this way that\u2019s fairly dense. I thought we\u2019d mark some of the large trees to cut out, and give the smaller one\u2019s room to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh unwrapped the sandwiches and looked between the bread. \u201cWe\u2019re having ham for lunch,\u201d she said, passing a sandwich to Adam who found a place to sit where they both could lean against a boulder. \u201cAdam, I don\u2019t understand.\u201d She took out half a sandwich for herself, took her canteen off her saddle horn and followed him to the boulder. \u201cWe have fifty thousand acres of timberland that I bought from Crocker. How could we not have enough timber for the railroad?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not that we don\u2019t have enough timber. We do. But if the ranches are going to continue on for generations supplying timber, we have to make sure we don\u2019t cut too much so there aren\u2019t periods when we have no timber big enough to cut. We replace everything we cut with new saplings, but it takes time for those to grow to a good size, and that differs depending on the type of wood. We spread the cutting out so that in addition to what we plant, the existing trees will naturally propagate. With the extra room from the thinning we do, the young trees have room to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy doesn\u2019t everyone else do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause they don\u2019t live on the land. They own it as an investment, and when it\u2019s spent, they move on. As far as the people who do live on their land and clear-cut their trees, maybe they\u2019re not thinking about their children and grandchildren\u2026and great-grandchildren.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always admired your father\u2026the way he takes care of his land. My Dad took from the land as a farmer in the South, and he contributed to the communities around him, but the only thing I can think of that he did for the land was more for his crops. He rotated them every year so he didn\u2019t grow the same thing in the same place two years in a row. He said the dirt would be better if he did that. He cleared all the trees and plowed fields.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere has to be people who grow food, Shiloh. We clear fields to grow vegetables and graze cattle. Your father probably didn\u2019t have the amount of land that we have here. Pa always said there\u2019s a responsibility to the land that goes with owning this much.\u201d<\/p>\n

After refilling their canteens, they set out again and soon made it to the area Adam had described. Shiloh looked into the darkness underneath the canopy of close-growing trees. \u201cIt must be at least ten degrees cooler in there. But how are you going to cut anything? They\u2019re awfully close together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome will come down when we cut the bigger trees. We\u2019ll take a walk to see if there\u2019s enough trees big enough to cut, and if there are, we\u2019ll make camp.\u201d<\/p>\n

There wasn\u2019t enough room to ride the horses into the thick growth, so they walked in. After only a few minutes of looking up, they had separated and were no longer in sight of each other. \u201cShiloh!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m over here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to stay within sight of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I won\u2019t get very far. It\u2019s too thick in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen talk to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a moment of silence that made him pause. \u201cShiloh!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you want to talk about? Oh, goodness!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a tree\u2026a huge tree. Oh, my\u2026oh, my! Adam!\u201d He was already on his way, and when he got to her, she was looking up and rotating in a circle. He followed her gaze and ran into her, grabbing her even as they both continued to look up\u2026and out. The forest had opened up somewhat, and standing before them were some of the biggest Sugar pines he had ever seen, going out as far as he could see. They walked hand in hand beneath the old growth trees, looking up and occasionally stumbling on roots. Shiloh frowned at the wide grin Adam was wearing. \u201cYou\u2019re not going to take all these trees, are you? It probably took hundreds of years for them to get this big.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we\u2019ll leave some, but we\u2019ll definitely be thinning them out. There\u2019s some good sized trees back in the thicker part that we\u2019ll take, but with these, I don\u2019t think we need to look any further. Let\u2019s go make camp, get the horses settled, and then get started.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

After the fourth day, Adam prepared a rabbit to cook for dinner while Shiloh reluctantly decided to bath in a nearby creek. She came back in a fresh white blouse and a split riding skirt. \u201cFeel better?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I do that again, it will be in the afternoon heat. It was cold.\u201d Adam laughed and licked his fingers. \u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are. For being such a tomboy, your girlishness sometimes takes me by surprise.\u201d He knew he shouldn\u2019t have called her a tomboy by the look on her face, her eyes turning sadly big and watery with a frown to match. He stepped toward her, and as she back away, he followed. \u201cShiloh, sweetheart, there\u2019s nothing wrong with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI came out here because you asked me to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, and for the most part you\u2019re quite womanly. It\u2019s just that you\u2019re so comfortable outside, it\u2019s hard to imagine that you\u2019ve never bathed in a creek.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, not as an adult. I did when I was younger\u2026before college.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you work just as hard as your men with the horses. That\u2019s a dirty business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is dirty. Do you expect me to wear a dress when I\u2019m cleaning hooves or hauling hay? If I don\u2019t wear chaps while I work on their feet, I\u2019ll cut my legs to shreds with the rasp.\u201d<\/p>\n

She had stopped moving back, allowing Adam to reach her, and when he did, he took her face in his hands and kissed her. \u201cI think I just might bathe after we eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

She moved her eyes up. \u201cWell, you\u2019ll have plenty of light. There\u2019s a full moon tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once they were finished with dinner, Shiloh rinsed the dishes in the creek while Adam stripped and went in, making a shivering sound. The creek was less than two feet deep, and he sat on the rocks on the bottom. \u201cI brought soap. It\u2019s there on a rock on the bank to your right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou shouldn\u2019t have left the soap here.\u201d He was interrupted by a low groan and a splash. Rolling in the water to rinse the soap off, Adam quickly retreated to the bank, grabbed his clothes and Shiloh\u2019s hand, and hurried back to their campsite without a stitch on. She gave him an incredulous look. \u201cBecause your lavender soap will attract bears.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n

She helped him clean the dirt and pine needles off his feet, and once he was dressed, they settled back against a log and looked over their ledgers. She pointed to a page in her ledger. \u201cYou need to look over these and make sure they\u2019re reasonable. I\u2019ve never estimated a tree that big.\u201d<\/p>\n

He showed her his figures. \u201cWe\u2019re averaging about the same board feet for the big trees. You\u2019re doing fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are these?\u201d she asked, pointing to a list in his ledger.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose will be used for the piers. They have to be a specific diameter and height, and they won\u2019t be milled. They\u2019re using wood for the piers of the two big trestles, but they\u2019ll be using granite for the piers of the bridges. They\u2019ll use milled wood for the trusses.\u201d He shoved the ledgers back into his saddle bag. \u201cThat\u2019s enough of this for the night.\u201d Reaching behind her, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into him. \u201cYou\u2019re doing very well. I\u2019m proud of you.\u201d She smiled timidly. \u201cAre you ready to lie down?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the bear?\u201d she asked as she got to her feet and shook out their blankets.<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt he\u2019ll come near the fire, but I\u2019ll have my gun next to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She lay down without covering herself with her blanket. The nights didn\u2019t have the chill until the early morning hours, and until then the blanket tended to be too warm. Lying beside her, Adam leaned over her, kissing her, moving closer and touching her cheek. It wasn\u2019t long until he had her blouse unbuttoned, and she had started on his shirt, and soon, they were under the blanket, all of their clothes except their socks draped over the log.<\/p>\n

After a while as they lay in each other\u2019s arms, Adam asked, \u201cAre you happy?\u201d<\/p>\n

She raised her head off his shoulder to look in his eyes. \u201cWhy would you question that? Yes, I\u2019m happy.\u201d Laying her head back down on his shoulder, she continued, \u201cI have my horses, and I\u2019m still singing.\u201d She laughed lightly. \u201cAnd I\u2019m involved in timber now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you miss the rest of it?\u201d<\/p>\n

She gently combed his chest hair with her fingers where it coalesced into a line down the middle of his chest and stomach. \u201cI have to admit. I don\u2019t like being left out. You and Hank make decisions without me. In the beginning you made sure I was included, but that\u2019s changed slowly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising his hand, he brushed her hair back from her face. \u201cWhy haven\u2019t you said anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I\u2019m busy. If I wasn\u2019t so busy, I might have. The other reason is that I don\u2019t want to get so involved that when\u2026\u201d She pulled her hand back and finished quietly. \u201cWell, when we find out there\u2019s a child on the way, that I\u2019m doing something no one else has time to do. You need to able to plan without relying on me to be able to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned over to face her, and even though it was a tight fit with both of them lying on one saddle, it was cozily comfortable up against each other as they lay nose to nose. He gently kissed her lips, then the tip of her nose. \u201cAre you ready?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lowering her eyes, she hesitated before she looked pensively back up at him. \u201cThe thought is a little frightening. I don\u2019t know how to take care of tiny people. They\u2019re so helpless.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey do grow up, you know.\u201d She grimaced, and he tightened his hold. \u201cIt won\u2019t be any different from anything else you\u2019ve learned. You\u2019ll do fine,\u201d he whispered and dropped off to sleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d she whispered back with her eyes closed. \u201cWith you, I\u2019ll always be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I don\u2019t remember it ever being this hot,\u201d Shiloh said, dismounting in the yard of the Flying W. Wiping her forehead with her sleeve, she began to untie her bedroll.<\/p>\n

Adam stepped down off of Sport and stood beside her still holding the reins of the pack horse. \u201cIt\u2019s gotten this hot a few times. You don\u2019t feel it when you\u2019re a kid, and I imagine it didn\u2019t get quite this hot in New York.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot true. But I wasn\u2019t riding a hot horse over parched ground.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you imagine how Pa, Joe and Micah feel driving cattle in this?\u201d<\/p>\n

She grunted and led Spirit toward the barn, looking around. \u201cWhere is everybody?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey probably all went down to the creek to cool off,\u201d said Adam, chuckling.<\/p>\n

After unsaddling their horses and removing the supplies from the pack horse, they took their belongings into the house. \u201cMing Lin!\u201d shouted Adam.<\/p>\n

Before they got to the bottom of the stairs, Ming Lin appeared. \u201cYes, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is everyone?\u201d asked Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Hoss took three men from the herd, and your men, Mrs. Cartwright with him. The men from the other ranches have tried to make a water run over the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen?\u201d asked Adam, heading for the gun cabinet.<\/p>\n

\u201cYesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not going,\u201d he interrupted without looking up.<\/p>\n

Crossing her arms, she tapped a foot on the floor. \u201cSo, you\u2019re dictating again.\u201d<\/p>\n

He glanced over his shoulder at her as he opened the drawer for a box of bullets. \u201cThis has nothing to do with the Flying W. It\u2019s the Ponderosa they\u2019re crossing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t you give me one minute of your time?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shifting his weight to one leg, he rested the rifle butt on his hip. \u201cOne minute.\u201d he said, impatiently.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe creek that goes through the horse pasture is fed by snowmelt coming out of the mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n

He headed for the door. \u201cShiloh, I don\u2019t have time to discuss the creek.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me finish,\u201d she barked, following him. \u201cIt\u2019s also fed by a spring down where the Clydesdales are, and there\u2019s a good road through some bottom land that goes near there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what if it\u2019s dry?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not dry. The horses still have plenty of water, but I\u2019ll ride down and check it. If the spring is still flowing normally, then there\u2019s still plenty of ground water. They can have as much as they can haul. I\u2019ll bring the adult Clydesdales up here, and the others can go in the pastures with the rest of the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bowing his head, Adam lowered his hands to his side as he slowed his walk and turned around. He walked back to her, cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her. \u201cDo you know the road to the lake?\u201d She nodded. \u201cDon\u2019t take the road. Go north and come back over the mountain. You should be behind us when you get to the road.\u201d Both of them hurried to the barn to saddle their horses and were soon off in opposite directions.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam had no idea where on the road to the lake Hoss had stopped the wagons. He also didn\u2019t know if they were talking or had reached the point of shooting. He backtracked on the road when he was a few miles east of the lake, and eventually came up behind the men lined up baring their rifles. Hoss turned when he heard the horse approaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, when\u2019d you get back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout an hour ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny luck?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d Walking to the front of the men, he stood between Hoss and the men from the other ranches. \u201cSomeone want to tell me what\u2019s going on? Abner?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need water, Adam, and the lake is only place around we can get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbner, I remember my father telling you that you can\u2019t hold up work on the Ponderosa using this road. Did you try blasting your springs open?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere ain\u2019t no spring on my land. You know we\u2019re creek fed. We have a holding pond, but it\u2019s gonna be dry in a week if this heat don\u2019t let up. I need to start puttin\u2019 water in it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the smaller lakes closer to Virginia City?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat water\u2019s going to Virginia City and the mines. They got guards on those roads, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking up, Adam turned to face the rest of the ranchers. \u201cWhat about all you other men? Don\u2019t you have springs?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, we just want enough water to get by until we can either get the springs open or you can show us how to build those windmills to pump the water up.\u201d<\/p>\n

They all looked up the road toward the lake when they heard another horse approaching. Shiloh stepped down off of Spirit and handed the reins to one of the men. \u201cAdam, the spring is flowing fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat spring?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a spring down where I keep the Clydesdales. It feeds the creek that goes through the horse pastures,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

Turning to face the men, Adam held his hands up to quiet the murmuring. \u201cListen to me. We have spring water on the Flying W that\u2019s easier to get to than the lake. You can take your wagons there and haul as much as you need until you can access your springs. Abner, take as much as you need to fill your pond.\u201d<\/p>\n

The men talked among themselves, and when the Ponderosa and Flying W hands saw their nodding heads, they lowered their rifles.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do we get there, Adam?\u201d asked Abner.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have some men lead you down there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh turned toward her men. \u201cJohnny, you, Tom and Billy, go down with them. One of you bring the adult Clydesdales up to the house, and put the others in the pasture with the rest of the horses. You\u2019ll have to cut the fence and remove a post so the wagons can get through. Make sure they stay on the road side of the spring. I don\u2019t want them tearing up the pasture.\u201d The three men left the line, mounted their horses and rode to the back side of the wagons.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rest of you men help get the wagons turned around,\u201d said Hoss.<\/p>\n

Taking Shiloh\u2019s arm, Adam led her back out of the way of the wagons turning around. Hoss walked back and stood with them. \u201cAdam, I\u2019m sure glad you got here when you did. They all sent back to their ranches for more men. It was about to get a might ugly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they\u2019re desperate men, Hoss. Desperate men sometimes do things they wouldn\u2019t ordinarily do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what d\u2019you find?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stood with his arms crossed, watching the wagons, and turned to Hoss. \u201cWe found a stand of some of the biggest Sugar pines I think I\u2019ve ever seen. There\u2019s about two hundred acres of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, Adam, you probably need to map the forests on the Flying W same as you did on the Ponderosa. If you\u2019d a done that, you\u2019d a known about those trees.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd just when would you like me to do that?\u201d answered Adam, raising his chin and eyebrows. \u201cAnd now Pa has me building windmills for everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNaw, Joe can do that when he gets back. All he has to do is build one and show the other\u2019s while he\u2019s doin\u2019 it. Then they can build their own windmills.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam breathed deeply. \u201cDo you have any cutting crews available on the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you have one you hired for the railroad?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but I need two.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have one problem,\u201d said Shiloh. \u201cThree of the horses are being used for the square sets, so you only have three harnesses left. And with the size of those trees, you\u2019ll need two horses to pull them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we can send you one back, but you\u2019ll need a couple more teams if you double \u2018em,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cAnd the only one around here who has those harnesses already made is Otis, and I doubt he\u2019ll rent the harnesses without the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSend me the horse and the crew. We\u2019ll get started. I\u2019ll ask Noah at the forge in town to make three more sets of harnesses.\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Driving the wagon carrying two sets of new harnesses with four horses tied behind, Shiloh drove into the first of the two timber camps Adam had started at the Sugar pine site. She found him busy at the makeshift desk under the canopy where the extra tools, maps and timber ledgers were kept.<\/p>\n

When he heard the wagon rattle into the camp, he stood and watched as she came to a stop, pushing the brake with her foot. Walking over, he peered over the side before he reached up to help her down.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have four of the harnesses and the horses to wear them,\u201d she said, looking back at the wagon. \u201cAnd I have lunch for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He kissed her. \u201cI\u2019ll be right back.\u201d Walking away, he yelled, \u201cWard!\u201d<\/p>\n

A man trotted up to him. \u201cYessir, Boss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet these horses harnessed and take one pair up to the other camp after you put one to work here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe already got logs ready for em\u2019 to pull,\u201d said Ward, smiling. \u201cBut we could use more wagons to take \u2018em over to the mill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll work on it,\u201d said Adam, turning back to Shiloh. \u201cYou mentioned lunch? I could eat a side of beef.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s good, because I brought roast beef.\u201d Taking the picnic basket from the seat of the wagon, Adam put his arm around her and walked her back to the desk. \u201cHow are we doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot bad. I\u2019ve got teamsters lined up to take loads to Sacramento as the lumber is milled, so Crocker has a steady supply of lumber to build his trestles. He said they\u2019re working on both at the same time.\u201d She handed him a plate of food. \u201cThe contract calls for three parts, be we\u2019ll be cutting and delivering straight through. The rails are scheduled to arrive in port in October, so we don\u2019t have time to stop and start again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about your work for Slater?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI brought it with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you won\u2019t be coming home at all for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stopped eating and wiped his mouth. \u201cProbably not. Sweetheart, I need to talk to you about Sacramento.\u201d Sitting down on a barrel, she took a deep breath before she looked up at him. \u201cI won\u2019t be able to go with you for your week of rehearsal. I\u2019ll see you off in Virginia City, then join you the second week for your performances.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose it was inevitable with everything that\u2019s come up this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year is a little busier than most. We don\u2019t usually have two cattle drives at the same time in opposite directions, and we don\u2019t usually have the number of timber contracts we have this year. When Micah gets back, he\u2019ll be running the other camp, and when this contract is done, the mine will be his responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

She frowned. \u201cAnd you wanted to irrigate the Flying W and build a dairy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI still want to do that. It just won\u2019t be this year. And I thought the dairy could be your responsibility. I\u2019ll handle all the timber contracts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the Ponderosa? You\u2019re father still counts on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have to take Joe and Hoss along with me to learn what I do. They\u2019ll have to take over some of my responsibilities there.\u201d She sighed and looked away. \u201cShiloh, building a ranch takes years, and keeping it competitive takes almost as much time in the beginning. Things will settle down once we have people in place to manage it all.\u201d Picking up his sandwich, he took another bite. \u201cHow are things at the ranch?\u201d he said with a mouthful.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had to move some of the cattle to the upper meadow. There\u2019s not enough grass left in the main pasture to feed all of them, and what\u2019s been eaten isn\u2019t coming back up. There\u2019s no water source there. I sold two more horses to a man named Ben Haggin. He was on his way to San Francisco, and Mr. Hearst told him he should stop and take a look. He breeds race horses.\u201d She dug through the picnic basket. \u201cHe asked me to give you this,\u201d she said, passing an envelope to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s your hand?\u201d<\/p>\n

She held it up, turning it and looking at the scars. \u201cI\u2019m still having trouble with that first piece of music. I don\u2019t know if I\u2019ll ever be able to play like I used to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt hasn\u2019t been that long, Sweetheart. Give it time,\u201d he said, looking up from the papers Haggin had sent. \u201cThis doesn\u2019t surprise me, but at least, it\u2019s finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt turns out that the broker, who was trying to sell the ranch and made arrangements for Hearst to get the assay, was working for a firm out of Boston that was owned by a partnership in New York, who also established a partnership with a silent partner in San Francisco. He never found the name of the silent partner, but all the legal paperwork was drawn up and filed by William Stewart, Esq.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand. I realize Will was trying to get me to leave the ranch, but what about the silver? If he sold it to Hearst, he\u2019d never see any of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore we were married, the silver wouldn\u2019t have made a difference to him. He would have kept doing what he was doing in Boston, and he planned for you to be there with him. When we were married, he knew he wouldn\u2019t be getting you to sell the ranch. He probably hired Sam King to tunnel into the back of our silver vein and take as much as he could. He\u2019d kidnap you, take you to Europe as Natalie Peterson and live off the proceeds from the silver. But then you shot King, and his men had no idea who he was dealing with. So they decided to keep the silver for themselves. With Stewart dead, no one checked on it. Maybe the men thought they could get some ore out of the mine before Hearst found out what he bought.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked back at her hand, rubbing it and said sadly, \u201cI have a constant reminder of that man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing, Adam walked around the table, took her hand and pulled her up, hugging her. \u201cIf Haggin hadn\u2019t sent that information, you wouldn\u2019t have thought about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot true. I think about him every time I sit down at the piano. I haven\u2019t even tried my violin. I\u2019m afraid I\u2019ll smash it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked around him then pulled her further back under the canvas that covered his work area. Taking her face in his hands, he looked lovingly into her eyes. \u201cHe\u2019s gone, Sweetheart. And your hand will be fine in time.\u201d He gave her a long, deep kiss that made her clench his shirt in her hands. Grunting, he grabbed them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry. I wasn\u2019t thinking about your chest hair.\u201d<\/p>\n

He cleared his throat and rubbed his chest, smiling tentatively. \u201cIt\u2019s alright. I\u2019ll live.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning back into him, she looked up into his eyes. \u201cI have to go if I\u2019m going to get home before dark.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you stay tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t. I have to pack my trunk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not packing it tonight, and if you leave at daybreak you\u2019ll still have plenty of time tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah will be back tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd so will you if you leave early enough in the morning.\u201d He was wearing a puckish smile that showed his dimples and gave his eyes an impish sparkle as leaned into her. She was backing away, but he moved his hands behind her and let her go only so far before his lean caught up with her just as her back met the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd just where do we sleep?\u201d she asked, moving her arms around his neck.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a piece of canvas rolled up above the open side of this tent,\u201d he said, nuzzling her neck. \u201cWe\u2019ll sleep in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the other men just outside? Not on your life, Mister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright. We\u2019ll sleep outside in the back of the wagon.\u201d He raised his head to look at her. \u201cStay. Please.\u201d<\/p>\n

She kissed him, and he straightened up from his lean. \u201cIs there something I can do while I\u2019m here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Walking back around the table, he picked up the ledgers for both cutting sites. \u201cYou can check my figures.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled and took the ledgers from him, picking up a pencil from the table. Sitting on the barrel, she opened them, glanced up at him with a wink, and began going over his numbers.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Micah stayed at the timber camps while Adam left to drive Shiloh into town to catch the stage to Sacramento. The stagecoach wasn\u2019t there when they arrived in town. That gave Adam time to find some help to unload Shiloh\u2019s trunk.<\/p>\n

Standing on the boardwalk, waiting, Adam took his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out five hundred dollars, folding it in his hand and handing it to Shiloh secretively. \u201cPut this in your bag. I don\u2019t want anyone to know you\u2019re traveling with this much money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that the money from the cattle drive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I\u2019m taking it to the bank.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d Micah do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe got thirty a head. It seems some ranches are unwilling to drive cattle into the desert in this heat. They worry about the forage and water, but I drew Micah a map to all the watering holes past Eastgate, so he didn\u2019t have a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both of them looked down the street when they heard the rumble of the stagecoach barreling around the corner. \u201cIt feels like we\u2019ve already been apart for so long with you staying at the timber camp,\u201d said Shiloh.<\/p>\n

He took her hands in his and smiled. \u201cYou\u2019ll be so busy rehearsing, you won\u2019t notice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll notice every night when there\u2019s no one else in the bed,\u201d she replied, blushing.<\/p>\n

Leaning into her, he whispered in her ear. \u201cWe\u2019ll just have to make the first night I\u2019m there special.\u201d He turned her face up with a finger under her chin, and kissed her tenderly, but appropriately for the middle of town. By this time, the stagecoach had emptied and new passengers had begun to load. \u201cDid you make a reservation at the Golden Eagle?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, the theatre booked rooms for me at the St. George. They provided a suite as part of my contract.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy the St. George?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked for the St. George. Everyone will be looking for me at the Golden Eagle. They\u2019ll eventually find me, but I\u2019ll have some peace for a little while, at least. And the St. George will arrange a carriage for me and my belongings from the railroad depot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDepot?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019ll be taking the train in from Folsom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ushering her to the coach, he said, \u201cWe need to get you on board so you\u2019ll have the window.\u201d He kissed her one more time, and held her elbow as she stepped up.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Adam, you mind givin\u2019 me a hand with the missus\u2019 trunk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Slim,\u201d he said, and disappeared behind the stage. Carrying the rest of her bags to the front, Adam threw them up once Slim was seated in the driver\u2019s box. \u201cSlim, she doesn\u2019t do well in the coach. Take it easy on her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll miss as many holes as I can, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stepped back to the window. She gave him her hand, and he kissed it. \u201cI\u2019ll see you in a week.\u201d The two held hands until the departure of the stagecoach separated them. Watching until it turned the corner, Adam looked down at his hand savoring the lingering feel of her hand in his. He lifted it to his nose and smelled her scent on him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, everything alright?\u201d Roy Coffee stepped next to him. \u201cI see Mrs. Cartwright\u2019s going out of town.\u201d Both men looked down at their feet, and Roy glanced back up. \u201cYou and Shiloh haven\u2019t been apart since you been married, have you?\u201d<\/p>\n

With a crooked smile, Adam answered. \u201cShe hates riding in stagecoaches. I was supposed to go with her, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you\u2019ve got work to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTake some advice from an old man. I\u2019ve been a sheriff for a long time; doin\u2019 my rounds, workin\u2019 late on paperwork, takin\u2019 care of folks. I never regretted it until the day Mary died. That\u2019s when I realized I spent too much time workin\u2019 and not enough time with the love of my life. Once you start, Adam, it\u2019s hard to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, with her singing and the ranch, we\u2019re going to be separated from time to time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy looked Adam in the eye. \u201cMm hm. You sure there\u2019s no one who can take over for you while you\u2019re gone? Just think about it, Son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do that, Roy.\u201d<\/p>\n

He did think about it all the way back to the Ponderosa. He wanted to see if his father and brother were back from San Francisco. Both were in the house relaxing in the sitting room
\nwith Hoss when Adam walked in.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, what brings you over?\u201d asked Ben. \u201cI thought you were still up at the timber camp.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was, but I came down to see Shiloh off. She\u2019s on her way to Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWeren\u2019t you going with her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I was, but you and Micah just got back from cattle drives, and I thought you might need a few days rest. Ward\u2019s watching things up at the camp. I\u2019m on my way back up now.\u201d Adam chewed his lip. \u201cWell, I thought I\u2019d stop and say hello, so now that I have, I\u2019ll just be\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d said Ben. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go home, pack a bag, and take the late stage out to Sacramento. One of us will go handle the timber camp.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Older Brother. In fact, if you\u2019ll help with the winter preparations around here, I\u2019ll go up there and spell Ward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s half-smile slowly turned into a wide grin. \u201cBoth ledgers are on the table in the tent.\u201d Turning, Adam opened the door, then stopped and turned back. \u201cThanks, Hoss. Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow just wait a dadburn minute. You\u2019re gonna have to tell me where this camp is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yeah.\u201d Adam rushed to the desk, drew a map and gave it to Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know where this is. That timber\u2019s so thick, how\u2019d you find anything in there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, in the middle of all those trees are some of the biggest Sugar pines you\u2019ve ever seen. We\u2019re staying at the St. George. I\u2019ll check the loads when they get to Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

It had been warm when she first got on the stagecoach, but she really didn\u2019t notice. It was one thing to be saying goodbye when no one was actually leaving the ranch, but quite another to say goodbye when the stagecoach whisked you away to another state altogether. She didn\u2019t have much time to let it settle that Adam wasn\u2019t going with her. She didn\u2019t want to let go of his hand, but the exit of the stagecoach took care of that.<\/p>\n

One would think that sitting by a window would have given her some relief from the heat, but regardless, the coach felt like an oven. This stagecoach was carrying mail and would be traveling through the Carson Valley to Kingsbury Grade, then back over the southern face of the Sierra and into the Lake Tahoe basin.<\/p>\n

When they arrived in Carson City, the horses were changed, so she had time to remove her dress jacket, giving her a modicum of relief. She used it as a cushion on the hard bench. In the short time it took them to get to Genoa, she had rolled up her sleeves which gave the other woman in the coach and her daughter the courage to do the same. The coach stopped at Van Sickle\u2019s station only long enough to pay the toll at the base of Kingsbury Grade. When they stopped at Peter\u2019s station halfway up the grade to rest the horses, she went inside the bar, asking for an empty bottle. Her appearance there stirred up the teamsters that had stopped to rest, and in the process of dodging them and trying to speak to the bartender, she finally bought a bottle of whiskey as it seemed to be the quicker solution.<\/p>\n

Turning to the men at the tables, she said, \u201cNow, if you gentlemen will behave, I\u2019ll refill all of your glasses.\u201d She made her way around the tables until the bottle was empty, and then made a quick exit. Rinsing the empty whiskey bottle out at the pump, she filled it with fresh water and carried it back on the stage with her. The air in the basin was noticeably more comfortable, but that only lasted until they were just west of Slippery Ford. It wasn\u2019t long before the young girl looked as if she would faint. Shiloh passed the bottle.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright. It\u2019s just water, and she looks like she could use it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mrs. Cartwright. I\u2019m Henrietta Wright, and this is my daughter, Rachel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Wright, it\u2019s nice to meet you. And Rachel, how are you?\u201d The little girl buried her face in her mother\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow old is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s four.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave we met?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no. We haven\u2019t been in Virginia City very long, but I\u2019ve seen you and your husband in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you stopping in Sacramento or going on to San Francisco?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be stopping in Sacramento long enough to go through some of our belongings coming in from San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, so you\u2019re from San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we\u2019re from back East.\u201d She looked away, but Shiloh didn\u2019t miss the tear rolling down her cheek before she was able to brush it away.<\/p>\n

Addressing the gentleman sitting in front of her, Shiloh asked, \u201cWould you mind changing seats with me?\u201d The man stood and stepped toward the center of the coach so Shiloh could move directly over. When she was seated again, she spoke in a low voice, \u201cCan I help you in any way?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, ma\u2019am. I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow old are you? Twenty-two? Twenty-three?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m twenty-two.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m twenty-four, so we\u2019re close to the same age. Sometimes it helps to talk when we feel sad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to go through the things that my husband\u2019s family sent because they want nothing to do with us. You see, my husband was killed in a flash flood while we were traveling west with a wagon train. He left Rachel and me in the wagon while he tried to pull the horses, and he…\u201d Before she finished, she was in tears, barely getting the last few words out. \u201cHe never came back to the wagon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh took her hand. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry. It must be quite frightening for you to carry on with a young daughter without him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI decided to come west anyway. The only family we had was his, and they made it absolutely clear that they didn\u2019t want us to come back after their son died. We had a little money saved up, so we\u2019ll be living on that until I can find employment. They said they would get our belongings to Sacramento. We have to go through them and see what we can keep. I don\u2019t have the money to send it all back to Virginia City, and even if I did, I don\u2019t have a place to put it all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh saw a sign go by for Folsom. \u201cWhere are you staying in Sacramento?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know yet. We\u2019ll have to find a place when we get there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you do, please send word to me at the St. George. I\u2019d like to make sure you\u2019re able to take care of all this business. I\u2019d be most happy to help if I can. Are you going all the way on the stagecoach?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m getting off in Folsom and riding the train.\u201d The coach pulled to a stop, and Shiloh took her hand again. \u201cPlease let me know where you are. If you don\u2019t find me as Mrs. Cartwright, ask for Miss Whitney. And when we get back to Virginia City, I may be able to help you find employment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be wonderful, Mrs. Cartwright. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam had rushed packing his bag. Hank drove him into town, and when he boarded the late stagecoach, he mentally went over what he had brought with him, finally deciding that it didn\u2019t matter. If he forgot something, he\u2019d be able to find it Sacramento. Lowering his hat over his eyes, he leaned into his corner and dozed, waking with a start each time the stagecoach hit a hole.<\/p>\n

Expecting to arrive in Sacramento after midnight, Adam thought about finding Shiloh sound asleep. A smile stole over his lips as he thought about how he would wake her, then how he would send her back to sleep. The man seated across from him saw the lingering smile and said, \u201cYou must be meeting someone special at your destination.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife,\u201d said Adam, still smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeparated very long?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels like an eternity.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright, welcome to the St. George,\u201d said a man who stepped from behind the front desk and approached her. \u201cI\u2019m Mr. Ketching, the manager. If you\u2019ll come with me, I\u2019ll show you to your suite. I\u2019ll have your bags brought up in a few minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Shiloh\u2019s bags arrived, the first thing she did was wash off before she changed into her gown and robe, having perspired\u2026no sweated on the stagecoach. Her back was soaked, her armpits were soaked; there wasn\u2019t really a dry place on her.<\/p>\n

Mr. Ketching accompanied an attendant to her room, delivering coffee as well as champagne, and while the attendant transferred the service from the cart to a table, Mr. Ketching asked, \u201cWould you like to order something from the restaurant for dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not very hungry. Something light?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have Chef make you something special, Mrs. Cartwright. I understood Mr. Cartwright would be with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was delayed, but he will be joining me next week.\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded. Your dinner will be delivered shortly,\u201d he answered as he backed out of the room behind the attendant.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mr. Ketching.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh sat next to the window, watching the bustling streets of Sacramento. She didn\u2019t notice the lanterns being turned up or the commotion outside the bar across the street. Her thoughts and her heart were a hundred and fifty miles away.<\/p>\n

She jumped when the attendant knocked on the door. He had returned with an omelet, made wonderfully light and fluffy. After dinner, Shiloh took a book to bed, but instead of reading, she wondered what Adam was doing. It would have been too dark to cut timber for awhile, so he was either working on the ledgers or sitting near the fire with the men finishing his last cup of coffee before he turned in. Did he miss her the way she missed him? She sighed and blew out the lamp.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Adam walked from the Wells Fargo office three streets over to the St. George Hotel. Ordinarily, he\u2019d be tired coming in at one in the morning, but he was feeling light on his feet and a bit giddy at the prospect of surprising Shiloh.<\/p>\n

When he stopped at the front desk, the night clerk turned the guest register around for Adam to sign. \u201cI\u2019m Adam Cartwright. My wife already has a suite here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, Mr. Cartwright. We weren\u2019t expecting you until next week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled and looked at the book. \u201cShe\u2019s not expecting me, I know. I thought I\u2019d surprise her.\u201d The clerk turned and took a key down from the key board. \u201cWait just a minute. How do you know I\u2019m not just saying I\u2019m her husband?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe left an excellent description of you.\u201d He picked up a piece of paper, and clearing his throat, he began to read, \u201cTall, handsome, very dark, neat, curly hair, a cleft chin, a button nose, deep hazel eyes, deep voice, very well spoken, black gun belt, black hat with studs, long fingers, dimples\u2026shall I go on?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chuckling, he took the key. \u201cNo, that won\u2019t be necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour suite is on the third floor at the end of the hall to the right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, and turned, chuckling again as he began the climb. Checking the door before he inserted the key to see if she had remembered to lock it, he said aloud, \u201cGood girl,\u201d then pushed the door open. After he relocked the door, he looked around the moonlit room and found the center table where he set his bag. He undressed and quietly padded to the bedroom door which Shiloh had left slightly open. Stepping in, he tiptoed to the bed, finding the covers and easing underneath.<\/p>\n

She felt the bed move, and though it took her a moment to awake fully, her hand moved to the night table feeling for her brush. She wrapped her fingers around the handle, and just as he moved toward her, she rolled toward him, bringing the brush down.<\/p>\n

\u201cOw,\u201d he said, instinctively raising his arms to block the blows raining down on him. \u201cShiloh, wha\u2026\u201d he start to say, but was stopped by the back of the brush slamming down on his lip.<\/p>\n

Grabbing her hands, he rolled her over, but she pushed away with her foot, and the momentum carried them off the bed. Adam landed on his back with Shiloh coming down on top of him. She was on her feet lightning fast, grabbing a perfume bottle off the night table and drawing her arm back to throw it.<\/p>\n

Raising his hands in front of him, he shouted, \u201cShiloh, it\u2019s me!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d She slowly relaxed, and lowered her arm. He let his head drop back down on the floor, his arms and legs outstretched, catching his breath. \u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d she asked as she knelt next to him, taking his face in her hands. \u201cOh, Sweetheart, I\u2019m so sorry. I thought you broke in and\u2026well\u2026I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to surprise you,\u201d he said, grimacing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you did. Oh, you\u2019re bleeding. I\u2019ll get you a wet cloth.\u201d He wiped his lip on the back of his hand before she got to him with the cloth. After lighting a lamp, she sat back down in front of him. \u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

She reached out to touch where she had hit him, and he shrunk back. \u201cDon\u2019t! Touch it. It hurts.\u201d Drawing her hand back slowly, she brought her knees up in front of her, laid her head on her arms, and timidly looked at him. \u201cCan I do anything\u2026anything at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid I see champagne in the other room?\u201d She nodded. \u201cWould you bring it in here and pour me a drink?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d she said, rising and hurrying out of the room. When she returned, he was sitting up, and she handed him a glass, pouring the champagne. He tipped it up, holding out the glass for a refill. \u201cAdam, I don\u2019t think champagne will have quite the same effect as whiskey.\u201d<\/p>\n

He cocked his head brusquely. \u201cDo you have any whiskey?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d she answered quietly, retreating to her position with her knees folded up in front of her. \u201cCan we get up off the floor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s safer down here,\u201d he answered, glowering and handing her the bloodied cloth.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, now you\u2019re trying to make me feel bad,\u201d she said with narrowed eyes, throwing the cloth back at him as she stood. \u201cI\u2019m going back to bed. You\u2019re welcome to join me if you feel it\u2019s safe.\u201d Blowing out the lamp, she went to the other side of the bed and lay down. It wasn\u2019t long before she felt the bed move as he crawled in on the opposite side and slowly slid toward her, poking her arm cautiously. \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust checking to see if it\u2019s safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, spsh!\u201d she said, pulling the sheet over her. He pulled her next to him, poking her in the side. \u201cStop it.\u201d When he dug in with his fingers, tickling her, she wriggled until she was facing him and holding his hands, laughing. Sliding his hands underneath and over her, he drew her into him, and she wrapped her arms around him. \u201cHow did you manage to get away?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI stopped by the Ponderosa on the way back to camp. Pa offered help, and Hoss said he\u2019d go run the camp if I\u2019d help with the winter preparations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Pa didn\u2019t object?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot a word. He was smiling when I left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t really hurt you, other than your lip, did I?\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning his head back, he gave her a disbelieving look, though she couldn\u2019t really see it. \u201cAt first, I thought I had entered the room of a shrew. And yes, it hurt enough that I\u2019ve changed my plans tonight. I think I\u2019ll just cut my losses and go to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it is two in the morning. And I do have to go to the theatre tomorrow\u2026but I don\u2019t have to be there until ten, so we can sleep in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSee, I knew things could only get better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrying to make me feel bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have to try to make you feel something you already feel.\u201d She pushed against him, but he held her to him. \u201cSsh. Go to sleep,\u201d he said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love you,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love you, too. Go to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

The Riverfront Restaurant had been Adam\u2019s favorite place for breakfast in his past visits to Sacramento. He and Shiloh walked the four blocks to Front Street and took a table near a window to watch the activities on the Sacramento River. \u201cI\u2019ll walk you to the theatre this morning after breakfast. Then I need to see Crocker. Another load of timber is due, and I want to check to make sure it\u2019s to Crocker\u2019s liking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHas he complained?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I just want to make sure he won\u2019t. I don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019m hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t you eat anything for dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Dinner at the station in Placerville wasn\u2019t all that appetizing, and we didn\u2019t stay long enough to find something else.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should have said something last night. I\u2019m sure we could have found you something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean this morning. I actually had something else in mind before my beating. After that, nothing was appealing.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shrank in the chair. \u201cAdam, I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the waiter came by, Adam ordered their breakfast, and then turned his attention back to her. \u201cYou don\u2019t beat the hell out of me when I come to bed late at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, who else will be coming to bed at home? I\u2019m in a strange place, and you weren\u2019t supposed to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

He took her hand. \u201cSweetheart, it\u2019s alright. Next time, I\u2019ll stand back and get something long to poke you with,\u201d he said chuckling. She gave him a sarcastic smile.<\/p>\n

After breakfast, Adam left Shiloh just inside the door of the theater. \u201cThis is smaller than you\u2019re used to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seats eighty. That\u2019s one reason I\u2019ll be here a full week. They wanted me to do two performances each evening, but I decided against it. I\u2019ve never sung that much at once, and I was afraid I\u2019d lose my voice. Anyway, with the limited seating each night, they\u2019re sure to be sold out, and hopefully people will be scrambling to buy tickets.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have a break at lunch?\u201d She nodded. \u201cI\u2019ll come back after I see Crocker.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be lovely,\u201d she said, smiling up at him. He kissed her and left her to her rehearsal. Turning, she took in the shape and size of the room, the distance from the back seats to the stage, and the d\u00e9cor. It was quite simple. She\u2019d expected something more on the lines of Maguire\u2019s houses in a city the size and importance of Sacramento.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Whitney,\u201d called the manager from her right. \u201cYou\u2019re early. The musicians and their conductor won\u2019t be here for another twenty minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fine. I wanted to hear the hall without the music. This hall is smaller than I\u2019m accustomed to. How many musicians do you have?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have the minimum number to make up an orchestra.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see. I sent extra music so we would have some choices. I may have to forego a few pieces. Would you mind if I sang a few scales before everyone arrives?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all. I\u2019ll be in the office,\u201d he said, pointing. Let me know if you need anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Walking from Front Street to I Street, Adam followed the railroad ties set in the ground starting along the riverfront, just across the street from the American Theatre and leading to the location of the trestle across Sutter\u2019s Lake. When he arrived at the site, there were stacks of timber on both sides of the outlet of the lake where the water moved in and out with the swells of the river. The piers were installed; large timbers sticking up out of the water, and just above the water were the trusses attached both diagonally and straight. Men had already begun working for the day, moving the timbers out toward the middle of the slough on boats. Based on the stacks of timber, it appeared that Crocker had what he needed when he needed it. He watched for a few more minutes before he turned down I Street toward Crocker\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

Opening the glass-paned door, he stepped in. \u201cMr. Cartwright, it\u2019s nice to see you again,\u201d greeted the clerk. \u201cIf you\u2019ll take a seat, I\u2019ll tell Mr. Crocker you\u2019re here. It may be a few minutes. He\u2019s in a meeting with Governor Stanford, Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Huntington.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few minutes had passed when the clerk came out of the office. \u201cMr. Cartwright, if you\u2019ll follow me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The clerk led him into a lavishly decorated room with tall windows and a large table surrounded by four leather chairs, each occupied by one of the principles of the railroad. The clerk assisted Mr. Crocker in pulling another chair up to the table. \u201cPlease join us, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d said Mr. Crocker as the other three gentlemen stood and introductions were made.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, I must say,\u201d began Governor Stanford. \u201cI admire the way you handle your timber business. Building is going well, and there have been no delays waiting for lumber.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good to hear, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe arguments given by Mr. Fuller to split the contracts with him seem unfounded,\u201d said Mr. Hopkins.<\/p>\n

Adam smiled. \u201cGentlemen, I suspected Barney Fuller had paid you a visit. We\u2019ve been competitors for several years. I trust we\u2019re passing our test.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith flying colors, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d said Governor Stanford. \u201cMay I call you Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Governor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hopkins leaned forward and clasped his hands on the table. \u201cAre you the same Cartwright who designed the new San Francisco courthouse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got quite a few irons in the fire then,\u201d said Mr. Huntingdon.<\/p>\n

Crocker set a glass of whiskey in front of Adam. \u201cI believe you\u2019re here for your wife\u2019s performance. Is that right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it is. She\u2019s rehearsing this week and will be performing next week. I hope you gentlemen already have your tickets. I understand all her performances are almost sold out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do. In fact, we\u2019ve bought quite a few of those tickets and invited some of our business and political associates,\u201d said Huntington. \u201cI\u2019ve never had the pleasure of hearing Miss Whitney\u2026oh, excuse me\u2026Mrs. Cartwright sing. I\u2019m looking forward to it. Tell me, Adam, she\u2019s billed as Isabella Whitney, and that is how I\u2019ve always heard her addressed. Is that just a stage name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes and no. She was born Shiloh Isabella Whitney. She\u2019s known at home in Nevada as Shiloh, but back East where she went to college, she was known as Isabella. She began singing in New York and Boston.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crocker passed the whiskey to Hopkins. \u201cYou all must meet Mrs. Cartwright. She purchased some land from me last year before she married Adam, and we were able to leverage the stipulations in that agreement with these railroad contracts.\u201d Smiling wryly, he added, \u201cIn fact, I believe she outbid you, didn\u2019t she, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled. \u201cYes, that\u2019s true. Neither of us thought she\u2019d win because of her inexperience. Little did we know you had something specific in mind for the residual contract payments her bid called for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you part of the Ponderosa?\u201d asked Hopkins.<\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen, it\u2019s the Flying W, not the Ponderosa, who is supplying the lumber,\u201d said Crocker, spinning his glass.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s mostly true, Charles. We\u2019re using the Ponderosa\u2019s sawmill for the millwork. We\u2019ll probably be using some Ponderosa timber for some of the later contracts. And it\u2019s my brother, Hoss, who\u2019s running the camps in my absence with Shiloh\u2019s brother, Micah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRegardless, with your marriage, the Whitney Ranch and the Ponderosa have become formidable partners. Will we be seeing Shiloh\u2019s brother this trip?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah and my father are both coming out for a few days next week to see Shiloh perform.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Stanford and I are entertaining some guests at our home after Mrs. Cartwright\u2019s closing performance Saturday night. We\u2019d be delighted if you all can come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d be honored, Governor. While I\u2019m here, I hope to inspect some of the lumber loads as they come in, and I\u2019d also like to see what you have on hand at the American River trestle site. I believe you\u2019re due for a load of lumber there tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are, indeed. Why don\u2019t you come to the office tomorrow morning, say around eight, and I\u2019ll take you over myself?\u201d offered Crocker.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do that.\u201d Adam emptied his whiskey glass, setting it on the table and stood. \u201cGentlemen, I apologize for the interruption. It\u2019s been a pleasure meeting you.\u201d<\/p>\n

All of the men stood and shook Adam\u2019s hand. \u201cIt\u2019s been our pleasure as well. I look forward to speaking with you again Saturday evening,\u201d said Governor Stanford.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Sir. I look forward to it as well.\u201d When Adam stepped out onto the boardwalk, he squinted in the bright sunlight. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead before he had gotten past the corner of the building. He pulled his bandana out of his pocket and wiped his neck as he walked back to the theatre.<\/p>\n

Quietly stepping inside, he sat in one of the back seats and watched Shiloh. She was as engaging as ever and looked comfortable talking with the conductor and musicians. It wasn\u2019t long before she had them laughing, and by the time she was ready to break for lunch, the whole atmosphere in the theatre had become light and relaxed.<\/p>\n

After lunch, they went back to the theatre, and Shiloh sang with the orchestra, stopping, discussing points with the conductor and starting again. Toward the end of the day, the conductor walked to the back of the hall and listened, clapping his hands to stop the music.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Whitney, can you reduce your volume on the high notes? You\u2019re much too loud for this size orchestra and hall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was afraid of that,\u201d she said from the stage. \u201cI\u2019ll have to practice singing them softer, and you\u2019ll have to tell me what volume is appropriate. I won\u2019t be able to tell from here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well. We\u2019ll work on it in the morning. If we make the same progress tomorrow as today, we will be ready in the next few days\u2026ahead of schedule. Everyone, please be back here tomorrow at nine.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, what business do you have tomorrow morning that\u2019s taking you away from my rehearsal?\u201d asked Shiloh later that evening at dinner.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went by the railroad office to speak with Crocker to make sure he was satisfied with the lumber we\u2019re providing. It turns out Barney did try to get a piece of the railroad work, but Crocker and his partners are happy with us.\u201d He washed down a bite with a sip of wine. \u201cBefore I went to the office, I walked over to the trestle site at Sutter\u2019s Lake. It\u2019s not far from the theatre. It looks like they have plenty of lumber to keep up with the work. I mentioned I wanted to go over to the American River trestle site because there was a load of lumber due tomorrow, and Crocker invited me to ride over with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good that you have something to do. I was worried you\u2019d get bored while I practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laying his fork on his plate, he wiped his mouth with his napkin, and placed it back on his lap. \u201cShiloh, watching you work isn\u2019t boring. I do wonder, though, why you haven\u2019t chosen to sing more. You look so happy when you\u2019re on stage whether you\u2019re practicing or performing.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sat back in her chair. \u201cDon\u2019t I look happy at home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are times when you don\u2019t. But when we\u2019re not running gunmen off or when you\u2019re not dealing with problem horses, or when there\u2019s no one trying to kill one of us, you do look happy\u2026but not as happy and relaxed as you appear to be on a stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Picking up her fork, she pushed her food around on her plate before she looked up at him, smiling. \u201cDon\u2019t you think that if I decided to sing all the time, we\u2019d never see each other? I don\u2019t think you\u2019d give up your work on the ranch to follow me around the country. In fact, I don\u2019t think you\u2019d drop everything here to follow me to Europe. That\u2019s the real reason I didn\u2019t go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam crooked his jaw and sat back. He thought she had chosen not to go to Europe because she wanted her ranch life, but was she saying now that she stayed for him?<\/p>\n

Noticing the look, she quickly continued. \u201cAdam, you make me happier than any of it. I choose not to sing so much because I want our life together. I know I\u2019ve been hesitant about having children, but that\u2019s not because I don\u2019t want them, and it\u2019s really not because I\u2019ll have to give up some things for awhile. I wanted things to be settled at the ranch before a child came along. I wanted to be able to help get the ranch to a state that you wouldn\u2019t have to break your neck to keep up with it alone. Then Micah came home, and I worried less about that, and by that time, we had fallen into a routine of sorts, and I had men to help with the horses.\u201d Looking away, she finished, \u201cThe main reason I\u2019ve stalled is because\u2026I\u2019m scared\u2026really scared about being responsible for a little life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Letting out the breath he just realized he was holding, he smiled and reached for her hand. \u201cYou\u2019re not alone in this, you know. We\u2019re both responsible for the little lives we create.\u201d<\/p>\n

She bowed her head, wearing a slight smile and cut her eyes up to his. \u201cLives?\u201d He grinned and winked.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

After Shiloh\u2019s first performances, she stopped on the way back to the St. George when a man standing at the side of the street yelled, \u201cSuch a fine lady can\u2019t sing to ordinary folk!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDriver, stop please.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, you\u2019re not going to answer that,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n

She gave him a determined look. \u201cYou should know by now that you shouldn\u2019t dictate what I\u2019m not going to do. I most assuredly am going to answer that. Now, if you would be so kind as to help me out of the carriage, I would appreciate it. And if you don\u2019t, I\u2019ll exit the carriage on my own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drawing his lips into a tight line, he breathed heavily through his nose and looked around them. He quickly looked back behind them after seeing a familiar face. \u201cDid you know Sam Clemens is behind us?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally? That\u2019s perfect,\u201d she said, standing and gathering the skirt of her dress to step down.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait. I\u2019ll come around and help you,\u201d he grumbled.<\/p>\n

When he set her firmly on the ground, she looked around. \u201cYou there. I want to talk to you.\u201d The man began to back away, and just as he turned, she said, \u201cPlease, don\u2019t run from me. I want to know why you said that.\u201d By this time, Sam Clemens was standing in the growing crowd, watching the scene Shiloh had unwittingly created. When Adam glanced over at him, he nodded as if to say, \u201cIf there\u2019s trouble, I\u2019ll help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about him?\u201d said the man, nodding toward Adam who was standing behind her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHim?\u201d she asked, pointing at Adam. She backhanded Adam\u2019s stomach, causing him to flinch and cover his stomach with his hand. \u201cOh, he\u2019s as docile as a cat with a saucer of milk,\u201d she said, eliciting a laugh out of the crowd. Adam, however, was not amused. \u201cWhy did you say I can\u2019t sing to ordinary folk?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMa\u2019am, I didn\u2019t mean nothin\u2019 by it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease. I want to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026tickets for the theatre are usually five dollars, and that\u2019s a might high for some of us. This week, tickets are twenty dollars.\u201d He looked around him at the crowd. \u201cNone of us can afford to hear you sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI\u2019m Odie Jones.\u201d<\/p>\n

She walked up to him and extended her hand. He slowly took it and shook. \u201cAnd how do you make your living, Mr. Jones?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a haberdasher, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Jones, are you available next Sunday after church?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose so. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

She stepped closer. \u201cI\u2019d like you to bring seventy-nine of your friends to the theatre. I\u2019ll be there to sing for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much do I tell \u2018em they have to pay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell them it\u2019s free.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Jones\u2019 face slowly lit up. \u201cYou ain\u2019t joshing an old man, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t do that, Mr. Jones.\u201d The crowd around them erupted in cheers as Shiloh made her way back to the carriage. Moving his arm around her shoulders, Adam pulled her close while he and Sam moved people out of the way as they reached in to shake her hand. Reaching out to those hands, she didn\u2019t make things easy for Adam or Sam.<\/p>\n

Sam leaned in once Shiloh was in the carriage. \u201cWould you mind if I accompanied you to your hotel? I\u2026ah\u2026have a few questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, Sam. That is, if it\u2019s alright with Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged and motioned for Sam to board. \u201cIt appears your opening night was a success,\u201d said Sam as he stepped into their suite and admired the flower arrangements on all of the tables.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, sit down,\u201d said Shiloh, motioning to a chair across from the sofa.<\/p>\n

\u201cSam, would you like a drink?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cMost definitely,\u201d Adam answered, giving Shiloh a severe look.<\/p>\n

She stopped poring over her flowers and raised her chin. \u201cAdam, Mr. Jones was right. I typically sing for the well-to-do people of a city. What harm is there in singing for everyone else?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no harm\u2026if you can actually do it. Do you realize what those ordinary people will be saying if you don\u2019t manage to do this? Or what those well-to-do people will say when they find out you\u2019re singing for free?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t going to be free,\u201d she said, moving her attention back to the flowers. \u201cI\u2019ll pay the theatre\u2019s fee which includes pay for the conductor and orchestra.\u201d He twisted his mouth and creased his brows. She sighed when she looked up and saw his face. \u201cAdam, do you remember before the Ponderosa, when your father wasn\u2019t one of the well-to-do people, if there was a time you wished your father had the money to see a play or hear a famous singer, but couldn\u2019t because he didn\u2019t have the money?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, there were several.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember how you felt?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pursed his lips and thought for a moment. \u201cI thought it was unfair that only the wealthy could experience that.\u201d<\/p>\n

She gave him a sly smile. \u201cIt is unfair. Art and theatre should be accessible to everyone.\u201d Turning her attention to Sam, she said, \u201cI assume you\u2019re here for the Enterprise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re assumption would be correct.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the story? I sang in Virginia City. This is really no different.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe people of Virginia City enjoy hearing about the success of one of their own. And you\u2019re right. It wasn\u2019t any different\u2026until you stepped out of your carriage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said you had questions?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dear, you have already answered them.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The Sacramento Union and the Sacramento Bee newspaper headlines the next day read \u201cIsabella Whitney to Sing to the Ordinary Folk of Sacramento City.\u201d<\/p>\n

When she and Adam went downstairs for breakfast, the reporters were waiting at the bottom of the stairs. \u201cMiss Whitney, are you really going to sing to the people of Sacramento who can\u2019t afford your normal ticket prices?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stepped in front of her before she could answer. \u201cIf you\u2019ll excuse us, we\u2019re on our way to breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking her arm, he moved her toward the restaurant, but she gracefully twisted away. \u201cGentlemen, first of all, I don\u2019t set the ticket prices. The owners of the establishments where I sing set the prices. But it\u2019s true that I will be singing to seventy-nine of Mr. Obie Jones\u2019 friends at the American Theatre. I will be doing this by donating the money to pay for the use of the theatre and for the conductor and orchestra\u2019s time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would you do that?\u201d asked another reporter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe fine art and theatre are for everyone, from Governor Stanford to Obie Jones. Now, if you\u2019ll excuse us, we\u2019re hungry,\u201d she said winking, bringing out smiles from the small group of reporters.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they were seated, Adam propped an elbow on the table, moving his thumb under his chin and his index finger under his nose, studying her. \u201cThat\u2019s twice you\u2019ve done that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The waiter delivered coffee to their table, and Shiloh ordered. \u201cDone what?\u201d she said, looking back at Adam.<\/p>\n

He ordered as well and sat back, crossing his legs. \u201cGotten away from me when I was trying to move you away from the crowd. They don\u2019t seem to bother you lately.\u201d<\/p>\n

She took a sip of coffee and leaned back, loosely crossing her arms. \u201cAdam, the stagecoach still bothers me, the closeness of a crowd still bothers me, but I\u2019ve decided I need to move past that. If I\u2019m going to continue singing, I don\u2019t want to be thought of as pretentious. I\u2019m not that way any other time. At least, I don\u2019t think I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know this could affect what you\u2019ll be paid for your appearances.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes that upset you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all,\u201d he said, smiling. \u201cDoes it worry you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t sing so much for the money. At first I did because I needed the money to build the ranch back up, but we don\u2019t need it now. With the mine, we won\u2019t even need the money from the horses. The mine will make them more a hobby rather than something that contributes to the success of the ranch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam crooked his jaw. \u201cShiloh, that\u2019s not true. The money you\u2019ve brought in from your singing has financed the mine so far. You bring in as much money for your horses as we do cattle, and the only reason you don\u2019t with your singing is because you don\u2019t perform very often.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, it\u2019s alright. I can do as much as I want on the ranch. I know how to sell cattle, though I\u2019ve never been on a cattle drive. And I was able to help with the timber contracts. As long as I feel needed around the ranch, I\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving forward, Adam reached across the table for her hand. \u201cSweetheart, I do need you. More than you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

She blushed. \u201cAnyway, the timing just might be right. After all, we\u2019re not paying attention to schedules these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

The waiter interrupted their conversation, though his presence didn\u2019t remove the wide grin from Adam\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Ben and Micah arrived the afternoon of Shiloh\u2019s closing performance. Even though the desk clerk said there were no rooms available at the St. George, Mr. Ketching managed to get them into the suite across the hall from Adam and Shiloh.<\/p>\n

The audience on Saturday night was quite different from those of the past week. It was evident based on the gowns, jewels, suits and cigars that this was the elite of Sacramento. Shiloh\u2019s performance was the same with the exception of one song requested by Governor Stanford for his wife. At the end of the last song of the last encore, the crowd was on their feet, yelling \u201cBrava!\u201d amidst the resounding applause.<\/p>\n

After Shiloh\u2019s last bow, she was called back out to the stage where Governor Stanford waited with a large bouquet of flowers and a speech thanking her for bringing \u2018the finer things\u2019 to Sacramento.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmidst what has been left after the flood, the conditions of our streets and sidewalks\u2026or lack of sidewalks\u2026and the second floors of buildings being refitted for first floors or being raised up to the new street level, we are the humblest of beneficiaries of song from one of the most celebrated singers on the West coast, when nearly all others have refused to perform here during our reconstruction. Many of you don\u2019t know this, but Miss Whitney was married in March of this year. She is now Mrs. Adam Cartwright. Adam, if you would come up here and stand by your lovely wife.\u201d Adam shook his head and waved the Governor off, but Stanford insisted, and so Adam obliged him. \u201cSome of you know the Cartwright name. The Ponderosa Ranch has been supplying beef to the city for several years. The Cartwrights are also involved in building the new railroad by supplying the timber for the ties, trestles and other buildings.\u201d A round of applause began, and Governor Stanford held up his hands. \u201cTomorrow they become benefactors to our citizens. Mrs. Cartwright is donating her time and footing the bill for a special performance for those who would not ordinarily be able to hear her. She was quoted this week as saying \u2018I believe fine art and theatre are for everyone, from Governor Stanford to Obie Jones.\u2019 Turning to Shiloh, Stanford took her free hand. \u201cMrs. Cartwright, this administration agrees wholeheartedly with you. Mrs. Stanford and I would like to change the venue of tomorrow\u2019s performance to the grounds of our home to provide room for everyone who would like to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGovernor, that is most generous of you,\u201d said Shiloh, beaming. \u201cI would like to add that Mr. Ross, the conductor, as well as all members of the orchestra have also agreed to donate their time.\u201d She motioned for them to stand, and they did so to the sound of a booming applause and shouts of approval.<\/p>\n

Governor Stanford said \u201cGood evening\u201d to the audience and turned back to Shiloh. \u201cMrs. Cartwright, your performance tonight was magnificent. I do hope you plan to attend the party tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked up at Adam, smiling, prompting him to answer. \u201cGovernor Stanford, we wouldn\u2019t miss it,\u201d he said, shaking the Governor\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n

While Shiloh changed and packed her trunk, Adam, Micah and Ben waited in the front room of her dressing suite. The woman who helped her came out of the back room with a wide smile and left. Adam peaked through the door. \u201cWhy was she so happy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I gave her some extra above what the theatre pays her. I don\u2019t suppose that happens too often, but she was so good at having my dresses ready for me to step into.\u201d She closed the lid of her trunk and latched it. \u201cNow, can you gentlemen find a carriage that can take us and this trunk to Governor Stanford\u2019s home?\u201d Adam held the door and stepped out of her way, so she could walk through.<\/p>\n

She walked right into Ben\u2019s open arms for a hug. \u201cYou just get better and better,\u201d he said, kissing her forehead.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be right back,\u201d said Adam, heading out the door.<\/p>\n

Next, she stood face to face with Micah, who looked sad. \u201cI keep finding things I missed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve heard me sing before, haven\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but from way back in the back. Never on the front row.\u201d He enveloped her, holding her tightly. \u201cLittle Sister, that was\u2026well, I wish Mom and Dad could be here to hear you sing like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo do I,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

Adam stepped back in. \u201cMicah, would you help me get her trunk to the carriage?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben held out his arm. \u201cMay I escort you?\u201d Shiloh smiled and wrapped her arm around his.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The Stanford\u2019s doorman announced them. \u201cMr. and Mrs. Adam Cartwright, Mr. Benjamin Cartwright and Mr. Micah Whitney.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charles Crocker was the first to reach them, immediately extending his hand to Ben first, Adam next, and then Micah. They talked of timber mostly, until Mr. Crocker stole Micah away.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you suppose he\u2019s talking to Micah about?\u201d said Shiloh, leaning in to Adam and watching as Micah and Crocker walked away.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, but you don\u2019t have to worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m not worried about Micah,\u201d she giggled.<\/p>\n

Grabbing her hand, Adam unobtrusively turned her forward. \u201cGovernor Stanford, may I present my father.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, I\u2019ve always wanted to meet the man who built the largest ranch in the Nevada Territory. I hear talk of statehood and your name associated with Governor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t know about that, Governor. At least, I\u2019ve not been approached.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if you were?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019d have to give it some thought, I suppose. It would be a great honor if the people of the territory wanted me in that capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I introduce my wife? Dear, this is the young man you\u2019ve heard me mention with the railroad, Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Stanford, it\u2019s a pleasure to meet you,\u201d said Adam, taking her hand and bowing. \u201cAnd this is my wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo very please to meet you, Mrs. Stanford.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd my father.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Stanford,\u201d said Ben, bowing.<\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen, welcome to our home. Mrs. Cartwright, I must tell you how thrilled we are to have you in our city. I had heard nothing but good reports of your performances this week, and I have to agree. You were superb.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh smiled timidly. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you come with me? I\u2019m sure these men want to talk about railroads and timber and such.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking up at Adam, Shiloh clenched her teeth enough that he could see her jaw tighten. Speaking with \u2018the ladies\u2019 was not something she was comfortable doing, nor did she enjoy it. She would have preferred to stay and speak with the men about railroads and timber and such, but she acquiesced to the more accepted role of a wife at an exclusive social gathering. She dutifully followed Mrs. Stanford across the room where \u2018the ladies\u2019 had congregated.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Adam, you\u2019ve had a week to see our work on the railroad. What do you think?\u201d asked Governor Stanford as Crocker and Micah rejoined them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m surprised at the speed those trestles are going up, and frankly, looking closely at the truss structure, I have to wonder how long they\u2019ll last carrying heavy locomotives over them several times a day, day in and day out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crocker laughed. \u201cLeland, you must remember that when you ask Adam how we\u2019re doing, and at the time we\u2019re building trestles, you\u2019ll get the engineering answer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, I meant no slight. But I do wonder how long you plan for those trestles to be in service.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s quite alright, Adam. Charles is right, and I would not have expected you to be less than honest.\u201d Stanford tapped his cane on the floor. \u201cI must remember that you are an architect and an engineer besides being part of a family of ranchers and timber barons.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe wooden trestles are meant to be temporary,\u201d explained Crocker. \u201cWe can put the trestles up much faster than we can bring in fill or order granite cut for piers. The bridges will start out with granite piers simply because they are smaller. Eventually, all the trestles we\u2019re building will be the anchors for fill or will be replaced with granite and steel structures. Unfortunately, we have a schedule to keep and government funding depends on keeping that schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Crocker, the railroad is something that California and the territories need to continue to grow,\u201d said Ben. \u201cI\u2019m hoping we can negotiate a spur onto the Ponderosa once West meets East. That will enable us to transport our cattle and timber all over the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe we\u2019d be agreeable to that, Mr. Cartwright, at least, after we\u2019ve met our initial goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking over toward \u2018the ladies\u2019, Adam narrowed his eyes as he watched Shiloh engaged in what appeared to be a lively conversation, and from the intense looks of those listening, he surmised the topic was a subject that was dear to her. Smiling, he turned his attention back to the men.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew Miss Anthony while I was back East at college, but I had no idea she wanted to visit the West coast,\u201d said Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cLadies, why don\u2019t we move to the dining room and have some coffee and cake,\u201d suggested Mrs. Stanford.<\/p>\n

After they were seated, and as the Stanford\u2019s kitchen maid served them, the conversation turned back to the latest oration given by Miss Anthony. \u201cShiloh, since you know her, what would you say she is hoping to accomplish?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure I understand your question. It\u2019s quite clear what she is working toward. With the war, her full attention is on the abolition of slavery, but at the same time, though not as strongly as she had before, she is campaigning for the rights of women. Do you realize that none of you have any rights at all as married women? Legally, you are the property of your husbands. I trust you are all in happy situations at home, but there are many women who are not. They cannot seek the safety of a different residence because they have nothing with which to acquire a separate residence. Anything we do as wives is legally considered for the benefit of our husbands. That includes bearing our children. Legally they do not belong to us. They belong to their father, and as such, we have no legal right to take them if we desire to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright, the letter of the law is not followed that closely here. There are many women who leave with their children.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd in most of those situations it is because her husband does not want the responsibility of rearing the children. Even so, does she leave with the worth of her contributions to the household, of keeping the household clean and tidy, of preparing the meals, and of caring for the children? No, she\u2019s left penniless and is forced to find ways to support herself and her children. Unfortunately, there aren\u2019t many jobs available for women beyond household work, sewing and, well, those occupations we will not mention. There are those women who do well in the larger cities in their own shops, but those women are few and have been lucky enough to find the financial wherewithal to establish such a business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Stanford sat back in her chair and smiled. \u201cShiloh, none of us have to worry about any of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree, Mrs. Stanford. I can only speak for myself, but I consider myself uniquely lucky in that my husband allows me to participate in the running of our ranch. Still, it pains me that any contract I enter into for my performances must be executed by him in order to be legally binding. I owned and trained horses prior to our marriage. The Flying W Ranch was solely mine, left to me by my father. Yet when I married, none of it belonged to me any longer. Everything I worked so hard to rebuild instantly became his. Why should that be, Mrs. Stanford? At the very least, ownership of what we gain within our union should belong to us both, and anything that was mine or his prior to our union should belong to each of us again, should we part ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sound as if you\u2019re anticipating that you will part ways,\u201d commented one of the women at the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the contrary. I\u2019m not speaking at all for my own situation, but rather for those women who have nothing and no one to speak for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t believe women are treated as badly as you think,\u201d said another of the women.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course you don\u2019t. Women who are beaten every evening by their husbands cower in their homes and take their beatings because they have nowhere else to go. In Virginia City, our sheriff would certainly remove these women from their husband\u2019s homes and most likely would jail the husband for a time. But the territorial judge would not hear any of those cases because there is no legal argument. And the woman would still be dependent on the kindness of others for shelter. Knowing this, they say nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Stanford had been silent for some time, listening and smiling. \u201cFor one so young, Shiloh, you are quite passionate about the wellbeing of women. That is certainly something to be commended. But listen to a woman who has been in a political household most of her life. For men to take aspiring women seriously, a significant change in the sensibilities of men must take place. I\u2019m afraid it is a losing battle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Stanford, I find that upon reading history, most, if not all enlightenment is slow to occur. However, as Miss Anthony says, it is inevitable.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Governor, Crocker, Adam, Micah and several other men were standing at the entry to the dining room, listening to the last part of Shiloh\u2019s discourse. While the Governor entered and invited the women back into the front rooms for dancing, Crocker turned to Micah and Adam. \u201cShe has some unpopular views, Adam. Even so, she makes a good case. It would serve you well to find a cause at which she can be successful, even if that cause is your ranch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCharles, she\u2019s saying what some of us already believe,\u201d said Adam. \u201cAs we speak, her best friend is attending medical school to become a doctor. Allow women access to education, and the world opens up to them. Their only limits are those that tradition places on them and traditions change.\u201d He watched as his father led Shiloh out of the dining room and into the front rooms where he spun her around to dance.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Stanford, thank you so much for allowing me to sing here. There would have been room for only eighty people at the theatre, so this will allow many more to come,\u201d said Shiloh.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re quite welcome. Leland and I thought you had a grand idea, allowing the city to partake of the things we typically take for granted. It reminds us of how fortunate we are. The arrangement of the area was requested by Mr. Ross. If there are any changes you require, you\u2019ll let me know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI try not to second guess conductors, though I\u2019ll have to admit, sometimes we do have words.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh walked out onto the grounds to see how Mr. Ross had arranged the area. He and the orchestra would be behind her and the guests would be in a semi-circle in front of her, putting her in the middle of a circle. Chairs were lined up in the front of the semi-circle with standing room behind them. A small platform had been built in the middle where she would stand so that those standing in the very back of the audience could see her.<\/p>\n

On the edges of the property, tables were set up for refreshments, something that Shiloh hadn\u2019t expected, but was quite pleased that those who would be attending would be treated with adequate respect.<\/p>\n

Adam crossed the lawn, walking up behind her. \u201cSweetheart?\u201d Turning, she rewarded him with a pleased smile. \u201cGuests are beginning to arrive. Shouldn\u2019t you be dressing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I should,\u201d she said, taking his hand and walking toward the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you need help?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Mrs. Stanford\u2019s personal maid will be helping me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stopped short of the door, bending to kiss her. \u201cI\u2019ll leave you to dress then. Pa has Stanford and Crocker\u2019s ear at the moment, and I want to hear how they react to his opinions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d He had turned to walk away, but turned back to her. \u201cWhat did Crocker want with Micah last night?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wanted to know if things were going as well as I said.\u201d Shiloh\u2019s mouth dropped open in disbelief. Touching her nose, he said, \u201cDon\u2019t be so surprised. He has a lot at stake, and other men might have lied to him about how well the timber was going.\u201d He touched her face with his open hand. \u201cNow, go get ready before someone sees you.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Shiloh came back out to the lawn, she was met with an ovation that continued until she stood on the platform and nodded to the conductor. She sang her first two songs from the platform, and on the third, she stepped down and walked into the crowd, first bending to smile or hold the hand of the infirm seated in the front rows, then walking through the crowd, touching arms or hands or singing to individuals.<\/p>\n

Adam and Micah were leaning back against the wall of the house, watching from a distance. \u201cDoes she realize how she affects people?\u201d asked Micah.<\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d answered Adam. \u201cShe\u2019ll tell you she\u2019s just performing, but she\u2019s that way with most people whether she\u2019s performing or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

The remainder of her performance was spent interacting with the crowd, and for each song, she was rewarded with cheers. At the end of her last song, the crowd roared, and amidst the cheers were tears at the idea that she would be so affable with them.<\/p>\n

Shiloh spent the rest of the afternoon and into the evening enjoying food and drink with the people of Sacramento and listening to their stories of where they came from, how they got there and what they did. Adam, Micah and Ben did the same as well as Governor and Mrs. Stanford. The Crockers, Huntingtons and Hopkins\u2019 stayed only briefly after Shiloh\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh and Adam said goodnight to Ben and Micah in the hall, then went into their own room. Laying her wrap over a chair, she turned back to Adam and caught her breath at the way he was looking at her. His head was pitched slightly downward as his eyes looked up from beneath his brows, and he wore a slight smile that made small dimples on either side of his mouth. She flushed and lowered her eyes, holding her breath as he approached her. He stopped so close that his breath gently blew the strand of hair that had fallen over her forehead, and when his hands touched her arms, she shivered even as he moved them slowly down to her hands. Moving her hands behind her back, he held them there. This forced her shoulders back, completely exposing the skin above her breasts and her neck. He took advantage, bowing his head to her shoulder, gently touching, caressing her skin with his lips and tongue, and finding the lobe of her ear, he nibbled and tugged until a soft moan escaped her lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d she whispered as he continued down her neck. \u201cWe have to be up early to catch the stage for home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrust me,\u201d he answered in a softly muffled voice. \u201cYou may not get as much sleep, but you will sleep soundly tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh felt Adam get out of the bed, and though she was awake, her eyes were still closed. She hadn\u2019t moved, she was so comfortable, and she wanted it to last as long as possible. She never slept very well, except after he made love to her, and even now she savored the complete relaxation his attentions brought to her. This morning was no different.<\/p>\n

Adam came back to the bed, wearing his trousers. Sitting next to her, he leaned over and kissed her. \u201cGood morning,\u201d he said, smiling down at her. \u201cYou need to think about getting up. We do have an appointment with that stagecoach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019ll change professions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh. To what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019ll become one of those women who do nothing but attend to their husband\u2019s\u2026\u201d her eyes sprang open with a mischievous sparkle, \u201c\u2026needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

He nuzzled her cheek. \u201cOh, you don\u2019t want to be one of those women. Those husbands often forget about their wives\u2019\u2026\u201d his hand moved somewhere under the sheets and in another moment, she gasped, \u201c\u2026needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

He kissed her one more time; a long, deep, tantalizing kiss that made her breathing become heavy again. He laughed. \u201cOh no you don\u2019t. Up you go,\u201d he said, pulling her up off the bed.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Everyone was waiting on Shiloh again. \u201cSweetheart, what are you doing?\u201d Adam yelled from the front room of their suite.<\/p>\n

She stuck her head out of the bedroom door. \u201cI can\u2019t get everything in my bag.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at his father and Micah, he rolled his eyes and said, \u201cExcuse me,\u201d heading for the bedroom. \u201cAlright, what\u2019s the problem?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn all your zeal to get everything done this morning, you let them take my trunk without the dress I was wearing last night,\u201d she said agitatedly.<\/p>\n

Looking at her bag, he saw that most of the dress was in. \u201cPull the dress out. I\u2019ll be right back.\u201d He returned with his bag, setting it on the bed and unpacking it. \u201cWe\u2019ll pack your dress in my bag, and then put back what will fit. That should give you enough room in your bag for the rest of my things.\u201d<\/p>\n

She giggled. \u201cI just knew I married the smart one.\u201d He playfully smacked her backside. \u201cYou can spank me all you want while I\u2019m in this dress. With the skirt and everything underneath, I can\u2019t feel a thing,\u201d she teased and clasped her bag. \u201cThere. I\u2019m ready now.\u201d She straightened up, looking pleased with herself.<\/p>\n

Chuckling, he shook his head, and motioned toward the door. \u201cAfter you.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they arrived at the Wells Fargo office, the stage had already been boarded. \u201cYou gents will have to sit up on top. The lady will have to squeeze into the coach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe bought tickets for this coach a week ago,\u201d complained Shiloh. \u201cWhy do you sell more tickets than you can seat?\u201d<\/p>\n

The clerk looked angrily back at her. He had already had to listen to the complaints from everyone else in the coach. \u201cLady, we stop selling tickets when the coach can\u2019t hold any more people. As it is, there\u2019s still breathin\u2019 room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh huffed and turned toward the open door of the coach, and when she stepped up and looked in, she suddenly couldn\u2019t breathe. She took a step back into air, and fell backwards against Adam, who caught her. \u201cI\u2026I\u2026I can\u2019t\u2026go in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning into the coach, Adam looked back at Micah. \u201cShe\u2019d have to sit on someone\u2019s lap.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell Adam, they won\u2019t let her ride up top with the men.\u201d Micah snapped his fingers. \u201cWait here. I\u2019ll be back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMicah,\u201d Adam called. \u201cWhat about the stagecoach?\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning around, Micah continued on, walking backwards. \u201cLook at your wife, Adam. Do you honestly think you\u2019re gonna get her in that coach?\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked down at Shiloh, who seemed terrified as she trembled. Pulling her to him, he held her tightly against him. \u201cCalm down, Sweetheart. You don\u2019t have to ride in the coach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou folks get in the coach. It\u2019s time to leave,\u201d shouted the clerk.<\/p>\n

Ben stepped forward. \u201cThere is no room inside that coach for the lady except to sit on some stranger\u2019s lap. Surely you consider the dignity of your passengers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister, I don\u2019t care if you choose to ride or not. But your tickets aren\u2019t refundable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben fumed, taking the clerk by the collar. \u201cWe\u2019ll just see about, shall we? Adam, I\u2019ll be back in a few minutes.\u201d He turned, pushing the clerk into the stage office.<\/p>\n

Shiloh looked pitifully up at Adam. \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked lovingly at her. \u201cIt\u2019s alright. The stage company shouldn\u2019t be putting anyone else on that stagecoach. It\u2019s unsafe as it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

A half hour had passed. Shiloh and Adam were sitting on a bench with everyone\u2019s bags around them, waiting. Ben came out of the Wells Fargo office first, carrying cash. \u201cAdam, here\u2019s the money for your tickets.\u201d Standing, Adam pulled his wallet out of his pocket and inserted the cash. \u201cMicah\u2019s not back?\u201d asked Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cNope. I was just thinking about going to find him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have any idea what he\u2019s doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head just about the time a long, sleek, black coach pulled around a corner and stopped in front of them. Adam\u2019s jaw dropped. Wrinkling his nose in bewilderment, he looked up at Micah who was sitting in the driver\u2019s box. \u201cWhat have you done?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stood back and leaned against the wall of the stagecoach office. He had recently discovered that these three working something out between them could be amusing. \u201cThis ought to be interesting,\u201d he said under his breath.<\/p>\n

Micah jumped down and opened the door, looking over at Shiloh and bowing. \u201cMadam, your coach awaits.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now her nose was wrinkled as well, and her mouth wide open. \u201cWhat have you done?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are now the owner of your own private coach. All you need to do is hire a driver, but for now, it\u2019s me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walking around the coach, Adam looked over the backs of the horses. \u201cExplain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I figure with California and the territories growing the way they are, the crowding on the stagecoaches is only gonna get worse until the railroad is in, and that won\u2019t be for several more years. And even after that\u2019s done, it still won\u2019t be going everywhere the stagecoaches do. So until it does, Shiloh will avoid the crowded coaches with a coach all her very own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh slumped. \u201cMicah, I appreciate you thinking about me, but\u2026how much did this thing cost\u2026with the horses?\u201d She closely examined the horses. \u201cThese are nice horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHasn\u2019t Adam told you that you don\u2019t need to worry about money?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell yes, he has, but still I don\u2019t want to start buying things that we don\u2019t\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t say it,\u201d said Micah, pointing his finger at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t say what?\u201d she asked, puffing up and stepping into him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were about to say we don\u2019t need it. But you didn\u2019t see yourself panicking over there at the thought of getting in that coach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked over to Shiloh and put his arm around her. \u201cShiloh, Micah might be on to something here. Just tell me,\u201d he said, looking back at Micah. \u201cHow did you arrange it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI walked over to the livery and asked him if he had any nice coaches for sale. I knew he did because I had seen one pull outta there the day we arrived. He gave me a price, and I went over to the bank and told the banker I needed to arrange a transfer of money from Virginia City. He asked me how much, but when I told him he acted like he was wasting his time\u2026until I told him who I was. He asked if I was a Whitney of the Cartwrights and Whitneys. I told him I was Mrs. Cartwright\u2019s brother, and he arranged everything.\u201d He ended his story with a big smile.<\/p>\n

Adam and Shiloh looked at each other and shrugged. He helped her into the coach, and then went back for their bags. Ben stood, laughing and shaking his head. He grabbed his bag, slapped Micah on the shoulder and climbed into the coach behind Shiloh.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

From the moment they walked in the door of the Flying W ranch house, Adam and Micah were preparing for a cattle drive. Hank had already gathered the steers they would be moving to Salt Lake into corrals, and men had been chosen to go from both ranches. Hank had also hired a cook and a wrangler to take care of the extra horses.<\/p>\n

The morning the drive began, Shiloh drove a wagon of supplies to the corrals. Adam followed, leading his own cutting horses. He passed the reins to the drive wrangler, and then rode up next to Shiloh, directing several men to move the supplies from the back of the wagon over to the chuck wagon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish you\u2019d let me go,\u201d said Shiloh. \u201cI could help with the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMove over,\u201d said Adam, stepping across from his horse onto the seat next to her. \u201cWe went over this last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

She crossed her arms and looked away. \u201cIt will be six weeks before I see you again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart, you haven\u2019t been feeling well.\u201d<\/p>\n

She leaned against him so that only he could hear her. \u201cI told you, it\u2019s the normal discomfort I feel just before I have a monthly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStill, a cattle drive is hard work, even if you\u2019re just helping with the horses. You\u2019d be sleeping on the ground every night, and there is no time for a bath\u2026at all. Besides that, you\u2019ll be singing in Salt Lake City about the time we arrive. You\u2019d be exhausted if you came with me on the drive.\u201d She sighed heavily, and he put an arm around her, leaning her back in the seat with him. \u201cHoss, Joe and Pa will take turns supervising the cutting, the milling and the teamsters, so you don\u2019t have to worry about the timber camps. I\u2019ve hired a driver for your coach, so you don\u2019t have to worry about tickets for the stagecoach, and I\u2019m also sending two of the men guarding the mine with you. You\u2019ll leave from the house. The plans for the Salt Lake City project are on the desk. Remember to pack those in your trunk. And Hoss will be coming by to check on you.\u201d She looked at him with big, round, blue eyes. He looked out over the roiling mass of beef in the corrals, and then turned back to her, kissing the side of her head. \u201cBelieve me. I\u2019d much rather ride with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they said their goodbyes, Shiloh hugged him tightly as if she wasn\u2019t going to let him go. \u201cI have to go, Sweetheart,\u201d he said, kissing her one more time before he stood and stepped back over to his horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, wait.\u201d She reached under the seat and pulled out a brown paper package. \u201cI made you some cookies.\u201d<\/p>\n

He grinned and moved his horse closer to the wagon. \u201cCan you put them in my saddlebag?\u201d Leaning in, he gave her another kiss. \u201cI\u2019ll see you in Salt Lake City.\u201d Turning his horse around, he rode toward the front of the herd, looking back one more time and waving. Shiloh stayed until they were so far off, she couldn\u2019t tell which of the riders was Adam.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Over a week later, Shiloh sat in her bed, waiting for the doctor to come by at the insistence of Hoss. When that didn\u2019t work, Hoss recruited Ben, who came to the Flying W ranch house and sat in a chair next to Shiloh\u2019s bed while Hoss went to town for the doctor. Shiloh was so mad, she refused to speak to her father-in-law so he sat, contentedly reading a book until Paul Martin arrived.<\/p>\n

When Paul walked into the bedroom, he shook Ben\u2019s hand. \u201cNow, Ben, if you\u2019ll excuse us, I\u2019ll try to determine the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul, are you sure you want me to leave? She\u2019s not been in a mood to listen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul chuckled. \u201cIt\u2019s alright, Ben.\u201d Ben reluctantly left the room, closing the door behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss tells me you\u2019ve been sick, but he couldn\u2019t tell me how. Would you like to explain?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Martin, it\u2019s just my normal discomfort before I have a monthly. You know I don\u2019t always have one, and when I do, I\u2026hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny nausea?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA little, but nothing I haven\u2019t had before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand. Why are Hoss and Ben so concerned?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh sighed. \u201cBecause Adam\u2019s not here, and they\u2019re cosseting me. He and Micah are on a cattle drive to Salt Lake City, and I won\u2019t see him for another five weeks, and I\u2019m not\u2026I miss him. And it\u2019s not just him I miss. He includes me in things he\u2019s doing. Before he left, he made sure someone else was taking care of everything, and that left little for me to do, except exercise my hand and train horses, and I\u2019ve just not been in the mood to do either.\u201d She got out of the bed and walked to the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you been eating? Hoss said he took you to the Ponderosa for dinner, and you barely ate?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss\u2019s idea of barely eating is what I normally eat.\u201d She turned around to an unamused face. \u201cYes, I\u2019m eating.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cNot very well, but I\u2019ve never slept well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul sat down next to the night table and began writing on a piece of paper he took from his bag. \u201cI\u2019m going to give you some instructions, and I want you to follow them. If you do, five weeks will have passed, and Adam will be home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s not coming home.\u201d Paul snapped his head back toward her. \u201cOh no, Dr. Martin, I didn\u2019t mean it that way. I\u2019m meeting him in Salt Lake City. I have a performance there, and then in Denver City before we come home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Handing her the note, he closed his bag and stood. \u201cI\u2019m going to send Ben and Hoss home. I want you to start on that list this afternoon, and if you need to go into town to get the brandy, you can tie your horse to my buggy and ride with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh read the list, and a smile crept over her face. \u201cSo you want me to do what I did on the ranch before I married Adam, come home and take a hot bath, and have a brandy before I retire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the gist of it,\u201d said Dr. Martin, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I have hot water and brandy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about adequate food?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I don\u2019t eat, Ming Lin tells Hop Sing, and Hop Sing comes over and stands over me while I eat Ming Lin\u2019s chicken pot pie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul laughed. \u201cHop Sing always did dote over you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for coming, Dr. Martin. I\u2019m sorry to have bothered you with this,\u201d said Shiloh, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright. You know, you\u2019re lucky to be in a family who cares so much for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. If you can\u2019t get them to leave, tell them I\u2019ll be down in a few minutes. I need to change into something I can ride in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Paul excused himself and went downstairs to the parlor were Hoss and Ben were waiting. \u201cBen, you and Hoss worry too much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is she?\u201d asked Ben, standing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong, other than she misses her husband. She said she\u2019d be down in a few minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben grunted. \u201cAre you sure? She\u2019s not been herself, and she said she wasn\u2019t feeling well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, she\u2019s fine. I gave her some instructions to follow, and she\u2019s about to get to them. My advice to you is to let her. Now, I need to get back to town. No need to walk me out. I know the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Paul.\u201d Dr. Martin waved as he walked to the front door.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, what do you suppose he\u2019s got her doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, maybe I ought to stay and make sure she\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, you heard what Paul said. We need to let her do them, whatever they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men stepped out of the parlor when they heard Shiloh trot down the stairs. \u201cI told you both there was nothing wrong with me,\u201d she said, smiling. \u201cNow, if you two will go home, I have work to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWork?\u201d asked Ben.<\/p>\n

She handed Ben Paul\u2019s note. When the corner of Ben\u2019s mouth went up, she tiptoed to kiss his cheek. \u201cThank you for worrying about me, Pa. But I\u2019m fine. Really. Come on. I\u2019ll walk you two out. I have a corral fence to get built and winter preparations to get started since Hank\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam stopped the drive at a watering hole for an extra day, sending a scout out to check the next few on a map they had made on a prior drive. So far, all the watering holes on the map were there, but the water levels were down. He feared that the farther they went into the desert the watering holes would be dry. He had prepared somewhat for that possibility, bringing two wagons each with six barrels of water and troughs to water the cattle. He also brought two wagons of densely packed hay in the event they couldn\u2019t find forage. But the water and hay would only buy them one day if they had to be used. He had hoped they could be replenished at the towns or settlements along the way.<\/p>\n

Now he sat, using the back of the chuck wagon as a table, poring over the map, looking for alternatives if his scouts returned with bad news. Micah looked over his shoulder, and pointed at the map. \u201cAdam, what if we turned here and came up to Salt Lake City from the south?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d have to find a pass through these mountains. We can\u2019t run the cattle over them. They\u2019ll lose too much weight. And there are no settlements in that area, so if we have trouble, we\u2019re on our own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if we go further south and can find a pass, we can go into Ruby Valley and let \u2018em graze a couple a days. Then another two days past Ruby Valley, we can follow the river. Why don\u2019t I scout that direction? It\u2019ll take me a couple of days of hard riding to get there, but if Jed and John come back with bad news, it\u2019s gonna be our best bet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. \u201cMicah, we don\u2019t know anything about that area. What if we get past the river and can\u2019t find water? By then, we can\u2019t turn north. We\u2019ll be right below the salt flats.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way I see it the only alternative is to turn back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sighing, Adam pursed his lips, then propped an elbow on the table and held his chin in his hand, studying Micah; thinking. \u201cLet\u2019s see what Jed and John find before you go running off.\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Adam stood squinting to the south in the direction Micah had gone early the day before. He didn\u2019t expect to see anything, but it was better than staring at a map that did him no good. His scouts came back with news that all three watering holes they had found were all but dry; certainly containing inadequate water for three hundred head of cattle.<\/p>\n

Adam had a choice. He could turn back with the confidence that he would get back with healthy beef, but also knowing that the credibility of the Ponderosa and Flying W would suffer. Or he could follow Micah, and hope he found water. If he did, they would probably make it all the way through, but if he didn\u2019t, he was faced with the same damage to the Cartwright name, but also the loss of the cattle. The herd\u2019s bellies were full, and they had had plenty of water where they were. He had an extra day of water and hay in the wagons.<\/p>\n

\u201cHank,\u201d said Adam, calmly.<\/p>\n

Hank had been waiting patiently by the chuck wagon for Adam to make his decision. One could never tell with Adam Cartwright whether he was confident in his decisions or not. He was always calm. But Adam was not a man to second guess himself, so Hank decided confidence had nothing to do with it. He just chose a path and went. With Adam, it seemed as simple as that.<\/p>\n

\u201cYessir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet the men ready to leave. We\u2019ll be heading southeast.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Micah hadn\u2019t seen a soul since he was out of sight of the herd. He did find a watering hole his first day out within a day\u2019s travel of the herd. He had left a second watering hole within the second day of the herd. Now, he was looking for an easy pass over the mountains and into Ruby Valley where they could pick up a river to follow for several days.<\/p>\n

The pass he was in was narrow, but it sat low between two ridges with an easy elevation. He rode all the way through, looking down into the valley. The eastern slope was steeper, but they would be going downhill, so the effort for the cattle would be minimal.<\/p>\n

Riding into a settlement on the west side of the river, he stopped in front of a makeshift saloon. It was no more than a tent with a two pieces of wide lumber laid over barrels for a bar. The chairs were sawed-off logs standing on end and the tables consisted of another flat piece of wood atop one of the sawed-off logs.<\/p>\n

Micah walked to the bar. \u201cWhiskey,\u201d he said, tossing a coin down.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ain\u2019t from around here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope. Just passing through.\u201d<\/p>\n

A man sitting at one of the tables had watched Micah enter the tent. He was still watching him as Micah downed his whiskey, asking for another one. Slowly making his way to the bar, the man leaned next to Micah and stared.<\/p>\n

Feeling the man\u2019s stare, Micah slowly put his glass down on the counter. Looking straight ahead, he asked, \u201cYou want somethin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t happen to know a fella by the name of Mort Williams, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Every hair on the back of Micah\u2019s neck stood on end, though to see him, a person wouldn\u2019t be able to tell he was mentally cursing himself. He hadn\u2019t shaved in more than a week. Someone out of the Dakota Territory would likely recognize him.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t say I do,\u201d answered Micah coolly.<\/p>\n

The man turned and faced forward. \u201cWhere you comin\u2019 in from?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cComstock.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo luck, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLuck had nothin\u2019 to do with it.\u201d Micah turned to leave.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister, you sure you don\u2019t know Mort Williams?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stopping, Micah slightly turned his head back. \u201cNever had the pleasure. But from what I hear, I wouldn\u2019t want to. That man\u2019s just plain mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Shiloh had Johnny, Tom and Billy working on the corral fence for the new pasture for the horses. Once she checked their work each morning, she took paper and pencil and began inspections of the rest of the fencing, the sheds and the outbuildings. Since the herd Adam and Micah were driving to Salt Lake City were split between the two ranches, the men were as well, so she had a bigger than normal compliment of ranch hands than she normally would during a cattle drive. Leaving half the remaining men on the herd, she gave the other half their repair assignments each morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Cartwright, at the rate we\u2019re going we\u2019re gonna have all this work done before you leave for Salt Lake City. What\u2019re we gonna do then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be getting ready to move the herd down to the lower pastures, and then you\u2019ll be helping Ben Cartwright with his repairs and herd. Hoss will be leaving for the winter while I\u2019m gone, and that means there will be extra winter preparations to get done at the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fine by me, Ma\u2019am,\u201d said one of the men. \u201cI\u2019ll work as long as I can. Every little bit helps me make it through the winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe won\u2019t be letting any of you go for the winter. There\u2019s only two of you married, and for the rest of you our bunkhouse is home. You\u2019ll be taking on some of the work that Adam and Micah have been doing. They\u2019ll have their hands full elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once Shiloh\u2019s work list was complete, she organized it in the ledger so that Adam could look it over, putting the ledger with his drawings for the building he designed in Salt Lake City. He had asked her to send the Jackson Square drawings to Robert, and the day she sent them, he received another envelope. She added those to the Salt Lake City drawings, thinking Adam may want something to do in Salt Lake and Denver City while she rehearsed and performed.<\/p>\n

As she rode to the upper corral to select a horse for Tom to start, she smiled. Paul had been right. She just needed to occupy her mind, though her discomfort had never left. But then, her monthly had never come either. She\u2019d be leaving for Salt Lake City in just a week.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, why don\u2019t you ride over to the Flying W and ask Shiloh to come for dinner?\u201d asked Ben. \u201cWe haven\u2019t seen her in over a week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just about to ride over there to see if she needed anything in town,\u201d said Hoss, fastening his gun belt. \u201cI gotta go pick up another set of harnesses for the Clydesdales. We spread the cuttin\u2019 out a little more, so we don\u2019t take too many of those big trees in one place, and an extra team\u2019ll mean the extra distance won\u2019t slow us down. Accordin\u2019 to Adam\u2019s notes, they\u2019re gonna need all the timber in this contract by the second week of September. I\u2019ll be finishin\u2019 that up before I have to leave for Philadelphia. I gotta buy my tickets tomorrow, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just hope we don\u2019t get caught with half the repairs done before the snows come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, you don\u2019t have to worry about none of that. Shiloh\u2019s got her men almost finished with their repairs, and once they move the herd down, she\u2019s sending \u2018em over here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben moved his hands to his hips and smiled. \u201cShe does, does she? Maybe I\u2019ll ride over there with you and see how she\u2019s doing. She always ran that ranch efficiently. It may be good for her to have Adam gone for awhile,\u201d he said, walking to the entry cabinet for his gun belt. \u201cIn fact, it may be good for both of them. She gets to organize the work\u2026something she\u2019s good at, and Adam gets to see the results. Perhaps he\u2019ll let her take some of the load off of him next year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI kinda got the feelin\u2019 Adam was hopin\u2019 for somethin\u2019 else to take up her time,\u201d said Hoss, grinning as he stepped out the door.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Standing in front of the big, black coach Micah had purchased for her, she hugged Ben and Hoss before she boarded. \u201cHoss, you make sure you pack the gift I bought for Annie, but don\u2019t let her open it until Christmas. You can\u2019t open yours either, so make sure you pack it, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cNow Shiloh, don\u2019t you worry about a thing,\u201d said Ben. \u201cJoe and I will look after the ranch until Hank and Micah get home, and Hoss will be finished with the railroad contract before he leaves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, we\u2019re done cutting. We just have to load the last of it and send the teamsters off. Just make sure you give those ledgers to Adam. I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll wanna go over \u2018em real careful-like.\u201d He snapped his fingers. \u201cI plum forgot, Shiloh. Edvard, that head teamster fella wanted to talk to you about goin\u2019 ahead and buyin\u2019 a couple of your Clydesdales.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Hoss. I can\u2019t sign a sales contract anyway, and he won\u2019t need them until spring. I doubt he\u2019ll be going over Echo Summit after it snows. But tell him I\u2019ll have some ready for him to choose from in the spring.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned, and Hoss helped her up into the coach before he set one of her bags inside the door. \u201cNow boys,\u201d Ben said to the driver and two guards. \u201cDon\u2019t you let anything happen to this young lady.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you worry, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d said the driver. One of the guards tied his horse behind the coach and stepped up into the driver\u2019s box next to the driver. \u201cWe\u2019ll be driving straight through except to stop for meals, and when Mrs. Cartwright needs to stretch her legs. One of us will be sleeping up here on top of the coach while the other two are driving and guarding.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Shiloh, you got a pillow and a blanket?\u201d asked Hoss, looking through the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I do, but I may not need the blanket. It\u2019s still pretty warm for September.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet us hear from you when you get to Salt Lake City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Pa. Bye,\u201d she yelled, waving as the coach pulled out of the Flying W yard.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Micah and Adam rode side by side behind the herd. They had to use the spare water and hay once so far, but were able to resupply at their last stop. Now, they were headed north toward Utah Lake.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you ready to tell me what happened in Ruby Valley,\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThen why did a fella at the bar ask if Mort Williams was part of our outfit? It seemed a little odd that you didn\u2019t want to go with me for supplies.\u201d Turning around, Adam looked for the cloud of dust that had been following them since they left Ruby Valley. \u201cWhat are you going to do when he catches up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot a thing,\u201d said Micah, turning. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t appear he wants to catch up.\u201d He kicked the sides of his horse, sending him into a gallop after a stray.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Early evening of the third day after she left home, Shiloh walked into the Salt Lake House where the theatre had arranged her accommodations. \u201cMay I help you, Ma\u2019am?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I have a reservation. Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

The clerk looked over the register. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Ma\u2019am, I don\u2019t have a reservation for a Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh sighed. \u201cMiss Whitney, then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow Ma\u2019am, you asked for Mrs. Cartwright and picked Miss Whitney when you saw her name on the register.\u201d<\/p>\n

She glared at him. \u201cMy name is Shiloh Isabella Whitney Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd my name is Abraham Lincoln.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I speak with the manager of the hotel?\u201d she said tiredly just as the two guards carried in her trunk.<\/p>\n

\u201cMa\u2019am, you can\u2019t bring that in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m losing my patience. I\u2019ve traveled from Virginia City, Nevada, and I\u2019m quite tired. Now the theatre made arrangements for me here.\u201d The clerk looked past her as the driver brought in the rest of her bags.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to have to ask you gentlemen to take those back out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shiloh steamed. \u201cI insist that you find your manager now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The clerk begrudgingly left, and returned in a few minutes with a rather short, stocky man walking with an air of importance; his nose sticking up in the air. \u201cMrs. Cartwright, my clerk has explained what has occurred, and I\u2019m afraid I do not have any accommodations available.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do I have to do to prove to you I\u2019m Isabella Whitney?\u201d She turned and looked at the driver and guards who were still standing with her trunk and bags, nodding. Then she noticed a small vase sitting on the desk. Moving the vase in front of her, she asked the manager, \u201cIs this crystal? It\u2019s quite beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I believe it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

She took a hair pin from her hair, and tapped the crystal, listening to its ringing. Then she began to sing a scale; low at first, but quickly rising in pitch and volume until she hit and held a high note in perfect tune with the ring of the crystal, reverberating off the marble of the walls and floors and prompting the clerk and manager to cover their ears. Patrons came out of the bar and restaurant to see who was singing that note, and they all watched the crystal vase as it moved, appearing to bend until the very top of it exploded into a hundred tiny shards.<\/p>\n

She closed her mouth and stood looking at them in the sudden silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll show you to your room, Miss Whitney,\u201d said the manager with his nose out of the clouds.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Mrs. Cartwright. My husband will be joining me in a few days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll also need rooms for these gentlemen,\u201d she said, motioning to the men behind her. \u201cWe really don\u2019t have any more rooms available here, but I can make arrangements for them at the hotel across the street.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walking to the front door, she looked across the street. \u201cThat one?\u201d she said, pointing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat will be fine. My coach is outside as well. Would you be so kind as to hold it at your stables? My driver will require access,\u201d she said, indicating the driver.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Miss\u2026Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd see to it that these gentlemen have breakfast available in the restaurant. You may charge it to my suite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be happy to provide meals to your staff gratis.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s very kind of you. And I would like dinner in my room. May I see a menu?\u201d<\/p>\n

The clerk hurried into the restaurant, returning with the menu and setting it down opened on the front desk. \u201cI\u2019ll have the fish with asparagus. And fresh bread. Please make sure it\u2019s hot. And champagne.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there anything else you require, Mrs. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Might you give me directions to your theatre?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s three blocks south on this street.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned to her driver. \u201cI\u2019ll be walking in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis way, Mrs. Cartwright,\u201d said the manager, motioning toward the stairs.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam and Micah walked out of the bank after cashing the bank draft for the cattle, wiring most of the money to the bank in Virginia City. \u201cAre you coming with me to see Shiloh?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. It\u2019s about supper time anyway. I think I\u2019ll go back and pay the men, then get the wagons ready to head home tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know she\u2019ll be upset with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want our new friend to associate me with her, Adam. He\u2019s probably harmless, but I don\u2019t want to take the chance. Besides, we\u2019ve still got all the winter preparations to take care of at home. The quicker I get back, the quicker they\u2019ll get done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright then. I\u2019ll see you in a few weeks,\u201d said Adam, shaking Micah\u2019s hand. \u201cOh. I\u2019ll be sending two of the men who escorted Shiloh back with you, so look for them\u2026and take my horse back, will ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laughing, Micah untied the reins of both horses, mounted up and left. Adam turned up the street with his saddlebags slung over his shoulders. When he walked into the hotel, the clerk hurried from behind the counter. \u201cExcuse me. You can\u2019t come in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked down at himself and grimaced. He was dusty, his trousers were so dirty they were stiff, the bandana tied around his neck stank of sweat as did his shirt, he hadn\u2019t washed his face since the morning, and he hadn\u2019t shaved for several days. \u201cIf you\u2019ll just direct me to Mrs. Cartwright\u2019s room, I\u2019ll get out of your lobby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI most certainly will not. A fine woman like that would never associate with a filthy cowhand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d said Shiloh, stepping through the front door. She ran to him as he dropped his saddlebags on the floor and greeted her with open arms and a wide grin. \u201cOh, I\u2019ve missed you,\u201d she said, rushing into his arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cI missed you, too, Sweetheart,\u201d he said, picking her up against him.<\/p>\n

The clerk stood back, his lip slowly curling in disgust. Shiloh gave him a stern look. \u201cWe\u2019re ranchers. We get dirty.\u201d Adam picked his saddlebags up from the floor and offered his arm to Shiloh, who took it with a brilliant smile, leading him up the stairs. \u201cI\u2019ll bet you\u2019re tired.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMm hm. But my first order of business will be a bath and a shave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t have wash rooms in this hotel. Why don\u2019t you go ahead to the room?\u201d she said, slipping the key into his hand. \u201cI\u2019ll go arrange for your bath.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlocking the door, Adam stepped into the suite. He dropped his saddlebags on the center table and untied his bandana. Smelling it, he scrunched his face up as he blew out at the stench. He unbuckled his gun belt, setting it next to his saddlebags, and then emptied his pockets. Last, he pulled off his boots and stood on the carpet wiggling his toes. He\u2019d only taken them off two or three times in the last six weeks, and it felt good to spread his toes out. Looking around for the bedroom door, he turned and went in search of a robe, clean clothes and his personal items that Shiloh would have brought with her.<\/p>\n

Shiloh was back at the front desk, waiting patiently for the clerk to look up. \u201cOh, Mrs. Cartwright. I apologize for my remarks earlier. We don\u2019t allow…a rough looking crowd in the hotel. Might I ask what he was doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe just drove three hundred head of cattle here from our ranch in Nevada.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I see. What may I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like a bath prepared in our room, and I\u2019d like to order dinner in our room as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

The clerk reached under the counter and laid an open menu in front of her. \u201cWhile you decide what you and Mr. Cartwright would like from the restaurant, I\u2019ll arrange for the bath. It will only take a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

She thought about the menu for a few minutes, hesitating to order beef, even though a good steak was his favorite meal. He would have eaten beef cooked over a fire for most of the six weeks they\u2019d been apart. The only break he would have had from beef would have been fish had they stopped near a river or lake. She ordered potato soup, a stuffed chicken, asparagus, corn and hot bread with emphasis on the word \u2018hot\u2019, champagne, and for dessert, his favorite; chocolate cake and a bottle of brandy for later. She also asked that a pot of coffee be brought up around eight that evening.<\/p>\n

When she entered their room, she stopped, expecting to see him in the sitting room. She turned to close the door, and he quietly snuck up behind her, sliding his hands around her waist and burying his face at the side of her neck. She closed her eyes, tilted her head back and let him have his fill, enjoying his touch. He turned her around and kissed her so fervently she had trouble breathing, and when he broke the kiss, he didn\u2019t really move, but rather kept his face against hers with their lips barely apart while he spoke. \u201cI don\u2019t know how I ever lasted that long on the trail. But then I never had someone to miss. God, I missed you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t mind his closeness even though he was dirty and smelly. She didn\u2019t mind that his beard was rough on her skin. She delighted in his embrace, his breath, his touch, and at that moment that was all she cared about.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart, you haven\u2019t touched your breakfast.\u201d She wore a contemplative look. Adam put his fork down and wiped his mouth. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d he asked worriedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember the morning we left San Francisco, I wasn\u2019t feeling well? I told you what it was.\u201d He nodded, looking more worried. \u201cAnd the morning you left on the cattle drive, I felt the same way.\u201d<\/p>\n

He thought. \u201cBoth of those mornings were after we made love.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, well, I\u2019m feeling the same way this morning. It seems to only happen\u2026the next morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShiloh, I don\u2019t like this. We should get you to a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

She winced. \u201cI saw Dr. Martin about a week after you left. Hoss noticed that I still wasn\u2019t feeling well, and he had Dr. Martin come out to the ranch. But Paul didn\u2019t think anything of it. In fact, he wanted me to get out of the house and work, come home and take a hot bath, and drink a glass of brandy before I went to bed. I did that and felt wonderful, and I\u2019ve felt good since\u2026until this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think we should wait to discuss this with Paul again. I want you to see a doctor today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, it\u2019s hard enough to talk about this kind of thing with Paul, much less a stranger. I\u2019d rather wait and see if it passes again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam watched her pick up a biscuit and butter it. \u201cDo you realize you ate almost that entire loaf of bread by yourself last night?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo I didn\u2019t. You ate some.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne slice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd why is that important?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause biscuits are all you\u2019ve eaten this morning, and that\u2019s your third one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it helps settle my stomach.\u201d She shrugged and took a bite. \u201cI don\u2019t have to rehearse today, so I can spend the entire day with you,\u201d she said, beaming at him. \u201cI thought we could go over some things I brought with me\u2026the timber ledgers from Hoss, the repairs we\u2019ve done while you\u2019ve been gone, and a quote I\u2019ve started for a late cattle delivery in Sacramento\u2026like I did before. Oh, and when I took your Jackson Square drawings to town to mail, I picked up another envelope from Slater. I have that with me as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laughing, Adam picked up his coffee and sipped, then continued to chuckle as he placed it back on the saucer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs working your idea of spending time with me?\u201d She poked her lips out and looked away. Pointing his finger at her, he said, \u201cThat\u2019s what you did before we were married. You worked all the time and never took any time off. You\u2019re not getting away with it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The corner of her mouth slightly turned up. \u201cSo are we spending the day in bed?\u201d<\/p>\n

He laughed loudly and stood, walking around the table, taking her hand and pulling her up against him. \u201cNot that I would mind, but no. I thought we could take a ride. The Wasatch Mountains are a bit different from what you\u2019re used to in the Sierra. I thought we\u2019d take a picnic lunch and see what we can find. There\u2019s also a big dairy operation near here. I want to show you the barn and processing buildings.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The entire week of Shiloh\u2019s performances were before sold out audiences who were far from disappointed. She also held a free performance for the ordinary people of Salt Lake, prompting news stories to be sent all over the country calling her the People\u2019s Songbird.<\/p>\n

Adam had delivered his drawings and specifications for the new building Slater and Cartwright had been contracted for, and he spent several days going over the particulars of the job with the construction engineer since he wouldn\u2019t be travelling back to Salt Lake City.<\/p>\n

When they arrived in Denver City, a crowd followed her carriage to their hotel where Adam and the driver, with the help of the town sheriff and deputies, managed to finally get her inside, and not just because of the pressing crowd, but also because Shiloh was reaching out to them.<\/p>\n

Adam filled his time while she rehearsed by starting on the new plans for the specifications Shiloh had brought with her and reviewing the ranch and timber ledgers.<\/p>\n

It was her last performance that would be the beginning of a fundamental change for both them. She had already held a free concert in a park, and that only served to create a demand for the remaining tickets of her regular show prompting her to do an encore performance.<\/p>\n

The evening went especially well. Shiloh had begun to include the audience even more in her performances, making them seem more intimate. For her last encore of the evening, she sang the same closing song she always sang. Adam had watched all of her performances in Denver City from the front row, and when she made eye contact with him, her words carried a special meaning.<\/p>\n

As she always did, she sang to individuals, bending and making eye contact until the very end when she had to stand up straight, taking in a huge breath in order to hit and maintain that last long note that ended suddenly.<\/p>\n

Tonight it ended suddenly when Shiloh collapsed onto the stage floor.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Adam bolted to the stage, jumping the four feet from the main floor to the stage floor with little effort. He was soon followed by the theatre manager and the conductor as the crowd jumped to their feet. A murmur passed through the hall.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there a doctor in the audience?\u201d yelled the manager.<\/p>\n

In another moment, a man knelt next to Adam. \u201cI\u2019m Dr. Westley.\u201d He felt her head, then her neck for a pulse. She doesn\u2019t appear to have a fever, though she does feel clammy. Why don\u2019t we get her to her dressing room where I can have a better look?\u201d<\/p>\n

The other men tried to help lift her, but Adam moved next to her, lifting her in his arms as he stood. The only time he had ever seen her limp like this was when the tree fell on the house, trapping her underneath. She was as pale now as she had been after Stewart had beaten her. When he got to her dressing suite, he went into the back room, laying her on the chaise.<\/p>\n

\u201cHas she been ill?\u201d asked the doctor.<\/p>\n

The manager and conductor stood in the front room looking into the back, and Adam stood to close the door. \u201cShe\u2019s been complaining of mild pain. She says she normally feels it before her monthly, but she hasn\u2019t had a monthly the last few times it\u2019s happened. And doctor, she doesn\u2019t always have a monthly. She\u2019s been that way since she was young.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd how long has she been complaining of this pain?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first I\u2019d heard of it was the middle of August.\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wallet from which he removed a vial. \u201cThis will wake her up.\u201d He broke the vial and held it under her nose until she began to move her head back and forth, and when she grimaced, pushing the vial away, he moved it away from her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d she asked groggily.<\/p>\n

Kneeling beside her, Adam took her hand. \u201cYou fainted on the stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no,\u201d she said, raising her other hand to her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cSweetheart, this is Dr. Westley.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it Miss Whitney or\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s my wife\u2026Mrs. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCall me Shiloh, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor smiled kindly. \u201cShiloh, your husband tells me you\u2019ve been feeling some discomfort since August. Can you tell me where you feel it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy stomach. It\u2019s the same feeling I have just before my monthly, only I haven\u2019t had one. But then, I don\u2019t always have one normally.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what were you doing before you felt this discomfort?\u201d the doctor asked as he pressed her lower stomach. She winced and turned red, glancing up at Adam, then looked away. \u201cThat\u2019s tender?\u201d She nodded. The doctor looked back at Adam who was pinching the bridge of his nose. \u201cAh. Each time?\u201d Still looking away, Shiloh nodded.<\/p>\n

Dr. Westley stood up. \u201cWell, there\u2019s nothing I can do that time won\u2019t do for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTime?\u201d said Shiloh. \u201cHow much time? We have work to do before snowfall starts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning to Adam, Westley nodded back toward Shiloh. \u201cShe really doesn\u2019t get it, does she?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam was already smiling under the hand that covered his mouth when he started chuckling. \u201cHow long, doctor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI put her at three months, but she should see her doctor when you get back home. Until then, she should do nothing but rest. Since she\u2019s feeling some tenderness and has now fainted, I would suggest she not do more than walk across a room or perhaps prepare a quick meal, but she shouldn\u2019t be on her feet for any extended period of time. You\u2019ll want to discuss that with your doctor. Here, young man.\u201d He pulled out his wallet again and gave Adam two of the vials. \u201cI understand it\u2019s a long way home for you. Break one and hold it under her nose if she faints again. It will revive her. Or if she looks comfortable, let her sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked the doctor out of the room, and while he was out, he asked the theatre manager to obtain the services of a carriage. \u201cIs she alright,\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Smiling, Adam answered. \u201cShe\u2019s fine. That last note just takes a lot of air.\u201d Stepping back into the back room, he stopped at the door when he saw Shiloh up, packing her trunk. He quietly closed the door and walked behind her, touching her shoulders. \u201cDid you hear what the doctor just said?\u201d he asked softly.<\/p>\n

Imperceptibly turning her head, she answered quietly, \u201cI don\u2019t have time to do nothing.\u201d She continued packing her trunk. \u201cBesides, Dr. Martin suggested that the more I do the better I would feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a dress from her hands and letting it drop to the trunk, he turned her around, and when she didn\u2019t look up at him, he took her face in his hands and turned it up. \u201cShiloh, that was two months ago. He didn\u2019t know. But things have moved along and changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her apprehension took over her face. \u201cAdam, I can\u2019t just sit around. I don\u2019t know how,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t think of it as doing nothing,\u201d he said, touching her forehead with his. \u201cYou\u2019re growing a little life inside you. I\u2019d say that\u2019s a pretty important undertaking.\u201d She giggled nervously, her misty eyes looking into his.<\/p>\n

To Be Continued\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Next story in theTo Everything, There is a Season Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Family Ties
\n<\/a><\/em>Life\u2019s Demands<\/a><\/p>\n

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

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 This is fourth of the To Everything series. \u00a0Shiloh and Adam come home from their honeymoon and embark on a new life together discovering that fitting all their desires in can make for trouble as her past creeps in and as they balance the opportunities that come their way. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 T \u00a0WC 116,200<\/p>\n

To Everything, There is a Season Series, links to all the stories within the series are included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":217,"featured_media":5758,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[14],"class_list":["post-7912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","tag-adam-cartwright","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1990,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Adams-English-Scenic2.jpg?fit=450%2C436&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7899,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7899","url_meta":{"origin":7912,"position":0},"title":"To Everything, There Is A Season #3 – Togetherness (by MonicaSJ)","author":"MonicaSJ","date":"July 20, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 This is third of the To Everything series, the first, Re-acquaintance and the second Falling.\u00a0 Shiloh and Adam are married and are embarking on a new life together discovering that fitting all their desires in can make for trouble as her past keeps creeping in, and as they balance\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Adams-English-Scenic2.jpg?fit=450%2C436&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7842,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7842","url_meta":{"origin":7912,"position":1},"title":"To Everything, There is a Season #2 – Falling (by MonicaSJ)","author":"MonicaSJ","date":"December 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 This is a sequel to Reacquaintance.\u00a0 The Cartwrights welcomed the daughter of a good friend back from college after her father died.\u00a0 She had a long, adversarial history with Adam, but since she\u2019s been back, old wounds have healed.\u00a0 The pressures of her dual life of running a ranch\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7809,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7809","url_meta":{"origin":7912,"position":2},"title":"To Everything, There is a Season #1 \u2013 Reacquaintance (by MonicaSJ)","author":"MonicaSJ","date":"December 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 The Cartwrights welcome the daughter of a good friend back from college after her father dies. She studied for seven years and became a successful singer back east and comes home to her father\u2019s ranch and horse business which is held in trust with Adam and Ben as the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Adams-English-Scenic2.jpg?fit=450%2C436&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13554,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13554","url_meta":{"origin":7912,"position":3},"title":"To Everything, There is a Season #5 – Family Ties (by MonicaSJ)","author":"MonicaSJ","date":"January 12, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Adam and Shiloh are in their seventh month of marriage and have been busy learning the boundaries of married life and how to live with each of their busy schedules.\u00a0 They think the ghosts of the past are gone. \u00a0The worst is behind them, \u00a0In life, things can change\u2026","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\/05\/Adams-English-Scenic2.jpg?fit=450%2C436&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13711,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13711","url_meta":{"origin":7912,"position":4},"title":"To Everything, There is a Season #6 – Life’s Demands (by MonicaSJ)","author":"MonicaSJ","date":"September 19, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Even as Adam and Shiloh celebrate the birth of their first child, a son, trouble is eminent with Hoss still partially blind, Micah fighting for his life and more work than one man or woman can handle.\u00a0 This is a story about setting limits while raising Cartwrights. Rating: PG-13\u00a0\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Adams-English-Scenic2.jpg?fit=450%2C436&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":63278,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=63278","url_meta":{"origin":7912,"position":5},"title":"Cartwright Saga #30 – A Premature Birth (by Lyn Robinson)","author":"Lynrobinson","date":"September 13, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Adam is very grateful for his brothers and their wives as Carole goes into premature labour. 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