Cartwright Identity Crisis
by
Christy Gleason
Adam sank down on the porch steps, his legs having given way beneath
him at his father’s words. “What did you just say?” he asked
hoarsely.
Ben looked at his son, who was staring wide-eyed as though he’d
just been handed a death sentence. He rolled his eyes in
exasperation. “It’s not as bad as all that, Adam. Don’t
be so melodramatic.”
”Melodramatic? Are you kidding
me? I’m not
doing it,
mean it. I’m not two years old, and you can’t make me.”
”No, you’re not two years old, Adam. That’s the problem.
You’re not getting any younger.”
”Ain’t that the truth.
I just aged twenty years in the last
five minutes!”
”Look, it’s all arranged. You’ll just have to accept
it.”
Adam’s face darkened as his mood changed from shock to anger.
”Why does it have to be me? Why can’t it be Joe? This is
right up
his alley. He’d be happy to do it.”
Joe’s eyes grew wide at his older brother’s words. “Oh
no you don’t, Adam. Don’t even think of pawning this off
on
me. If you
can’t face the thought of it, give it to Hoss.”
”Huh?” Hoss started in surprise. “Nope.
Pa
says
it’s up to Adam, and anyway, he’s the one Mr
Baker
specifically asked for.
He’s the one with the college education.”
Ben ignored the comments of his two youngest boys, his attention
still on his eldest. “Adam. I have given you thirty-four
years
to do this on your own. You have failed to manage it.
Therefore, as
your father, I’ve decided to take this into my own hands.”
Adam tried a different tack. “Don’t you want me to be happy,
Pa?”
”Yes. Of course, I do. Every father wants their children to
be
happy. And I can tell you from personal experience, that nothing
brings a man greater happiness than a wife and children.”
Adam dropped his head into his hands. An
arranged
marriage with the
daughter of a new acquaintance of his father’s. The horror
was
just too much to take in.
”Adam,” Ben laid a hand gently on his son’s shoulder.
”She’s a delightful girl. Bright, intelligent, educated.
You’ll
make a
lovely couple. Besides, she’s the only daughter of a very
wealthy businessman. Financially, this will give you a nice start
in
life.”
”Why do I need money? We already have the Ponderosa!” One
of Adam’s jobs was balancing the monthly accounts, and he knew their
cattle
ranch to be solidly profitable.
“Yes, but you boys don’t inherit that until I die.”
”That contingency may come sooner than you think,” Adam
riposted nastily.
Ben’s eyes narrowed. “You need to learn to be more discreet
in your comments, Boy.”
”I am being discreet!” Adam snapped. “You ought to hear
what I’m thinking!” Suddenly a new notion struck him, and he
looked up at
his father in suspicion. “You say you met Mr
Baker last time you
went to
never said a word to me in all that time?”
Ben snorted. “Of course not. If
I had told
you as soon as I got
home, you would have had two months to flee the Territory. I
wasn’t about to take that chance. Now, Jason Baker and his
daughter will
be
arriving on the stage this afternoon. Go hitch up the buggy and
get
cleaned up. Then head into town to pick them up.” He looked
once more at his eldest son, noting the pallor beneath the deep summer
tan. “Hoss, I want you and Little Joe to accompany your brother
to town. Make sure he gets there. I don’t want him taking
any
sudden detours to
house, leaving his three stunned children in his wake.
Joe and Hoss sank down on the steps next to their stricken
brother.
”We’re awful sorry ‘bout this, Adam,” Hoss offered.
Adam groaned.
”Look, maybe she won’t like you...” Joe put forth.
”Maybe she’ll think you’re a grouch.”
Adam shot his brother a sideways glare. “Thanks a lot.”
”Well, it’s just that you...” Joe broke off at the look
on his brother’s face. He cleared his throat. “Come on, Hoss,
let’s go hitch up the buggy.”
In no time, the boys found themselves on the road to
Joe driving the four-seater buggy, Adam
sitting
beside him and Hoss
riding alongside. The three were silent, each lost in his own
thoughts. When they arrived outside the stagecoach office, Adam
pulled himself slowly from the buggy, his tread heavy, his mood
black. He was just savoring a mental picture of his father at the
church altar reciting “I do” with Widow Hawkins at his side,
when the sound of the coming stage diverted his attention. He
tried to
make a
quick bolt for the saloon on the other side of the street, but Hoss
grabbed him by the collar and stopped him.
”I’m real sorry ‘bout this, Adam, but I cain’t
face
Pa if’n I let you escape. So you’re
just gonna hafta
stay put and confront
th’
inevitable.”
Adam’s shoulders sagged, and he waited, along with his younger
brothers, off to the side, as the door to the stagecoach opened.
A
well-dressed gentleman with gray hair alighted and looked about
himself with satisfaction. He caught sight of the three boys and
gave them a quick glance before turning back to help a young lady out
of the stage. She was about twenty-two, with blonde hair and blue
eyes. She was perfectly ordinary looking, except, perhaps, for
rather more nose than was ordinary for a head her size.
Adam took a deep breath, shuddered involuntarily, and stepped
forward. “Mr Jason Baker, I presume?”
He turned
to the lady.
“Miss Madeline? I’m...” He broke off as he caught
sight of
the
look of pity on Little Joe’s face, and suddenly remembered his
near-marriage to Abigail Jones, all due to his younger brother’s
incessant
interference in other people’s lives. Sudden inspiration struck
and he smiled broadly. “I’m Joe Cartwright. This is my
brother,
Hoss. But, of course, it’s not the two of us you’ve come to
see.” He gestured towards Little Joe. “May I present Adam
Cartwright?”
”What?” Joe and Hoss yelped in unison.
Adam smiled again at the Bakers. “Will you excuse us a moment,
please? I forgot to mention some slight item of business to my
brothers. Just take a moment. Then we can gather your
belongings
and return to the ranch to get you settled in. Do forgive us.”
He took each of his brothers by the arm and dragged them out of the
Bakers’ earshot.
”Adam,” Joe began, angrily. “What you think you’re
doin’?”Adam looked affronted. “Well,
I thought
I was doing you a favor.
I saw the way you were looking at her with those big puppy-dog
eyes. I
could tell you were interested in her, so I thought I’d do the
gentlemanly thing and step aside and give you a chance.”
”That ain’t it, and you know it! You
just don’t
wanna
marry up with her. So you’re stickin’
me with
the task of spending time
with her, and talking to her, and I’ll end up marryin’
her. Well, I
ain’t doin’
it!
Besides, ain’t no way in a million years
I’d
pretend to be you! I’d die first!”
”You will so, do it. Or I’ll tell Pa
what I
caught you doing
at the saloon Saturday night.”
Joe let out a squeak of terror at the thought, and lapsed into
silence.
Hoss quickly took up where Joe had left off, protecting his little
brother. “Adam, you best not to be tryin’
this. Pa’ll
be right sore when I tell him what you done.”
”You’re not going to tell him.”
”Oh, yes I am, too. You cain’t do
this to
Little Joe!”
”Hoss. You remember last Sunday when Hop
Sing made
that apple pie
and
all those powdered doughnuts for the church picnic and you were
carrying them out to the buckboard and one of his pigs got out of the
pen and ran into you, knocking everything out of your hands and into
the dirt where they were all ruined?”
Hoss looked at his brother warily. “Yeah...”
”How do you suppose Hop Sing would react if I told him how that
never
actually happened, and how I saw you eat all that pie and all those
doughnuts yourself? You think he’d quit? Or just make sure
to
burn
every meal for the next month?”
Hoss winced as he thought of the diminutive cook raging in one of his
famous tempers. He glared at his brother. “That’s
blackmail.”
Adam smiled sweetly. “Yes. Isn’t it? Now, let’s go get
the Bakers, and head back to the ranch.”
The three boys returned to the stage, Adam in front, Little Joe and
Hoss slowly bringing up the rear. Adam smiled at the Bakers.
”I understand my father met you in
impressed. And, of course, he hasn’t stopped extolling the
virtues of your lovely daughter since his return. I see he didn’t
come
close to doing her justice.” Adam smiled gallantly at Madeline
before
continuing. “And, of course, Adam’s been counting the days
until you arrived. We’ve barely been able to keep him still.”
Joe produced a faint, sick smile and remained silent.
Mr Baker turned to Joe and held out his
hand. “It’s
a
pleasure to meet you, young man. I must say, you’re younger than
I
expected.
Your father mentioned that you’d returned from college several
years ago, so I was expecting someone older.”
”Yes,” Adam replied, as Joe remained speechless. “Well,
Pa doesn’t like to brag, of course, but Adam here finished college at a
remarkably young age. Around these parts the name Adam Cartwright
is
synonymous with absolute brilliance. And integrity and good
character, too, of course.” He added cheerfully.
”I’m pleased indeed to hear it, Mr
Cartwright.
Aren’t
you, my dear?” he asked his daughter. “Madeline attended
finishing school
in
people,” he told Adam. He turned back to Joe. “Your father
mentioned that you’re fluent in French. That will be so
nice. I
never know what she’s saying when she starts jabbering away. The
two of you seem so well-matched.”
”Yes,” Joe replied faintly. “Isn’t that
wonderful.”
The boys retrieved the Bakers’ bags and got them settled into the
buggy, Joe driving with Madeline at his side, her father and Adam
taking up the backseat, and Hoss again riding alongside. Mr Baker
and Adam chatted amiably throughout the trip, and Adam took great
pains to point out items of interest on the ranch as they drove to
the house. Mr Baker was greatly
pleased at the
wealth of the family
his daughter would be marrying into, and Madeline, herself, seemed
overjoyed at the magnificent beauty of the Ponderosa. Yes, she
thought to herself, she could be happy here. Of the four in the
buggy, only Joe remained silent.
When at last they pulled into the yard, Ben strode out to meet the
guests. He attempted to have Adam accompany Madeline into the
house,
but he and his brothers insisted on seeing to the luggage first.
After their father had returned to the house, visitors in tow, Joe
and Hoss turned on Adam.
”So now what, Genius? Now what’re we gonna do when Pa calls
me Joe, and you Adam? We just gonna
pretend be
each other all night?”
”Yep.”
”Adam, this ain’t gonna
work. You can see that. And Joe
don’t wanna
marry up with
that gal nohow.”
Joe agreed strongly with this. “That’s right, I
don’t!”
”Why not, Joe? I can see the way you’ve been looking at her.
Could hardly keep your eyes off her all the
way home!”
”It wasn’t her I was looking at. It was her nose.”
Adam shook his head disapproving. “That’s a very shallow
view, Joe.”
”It ain’t just the nose, is it Joe?” Hoss
added.
”Remember what Pa said? He said she writes poetry!”
Joe blanched at that. He simply couldn’t live with a wife who
wrote and then recited poetry. He had already had twenty-two
years of
that
from Adam. And while throwing dirt clods at Adam to shut him up
was
frequently successful, he didn’t suppose he could do that to a
woman. Just wouldn’t be right.
”Look,” Adam said. “I’ll think of something. Just
go along with it for now. When someone says
‘Adam’ just
answer.”
Joe glowered. “Don’t either of you ever tell
nobody I
answered to ‘Adam’,” he told them. “I have a reputation to
maintain.” He ducked Adam’s attempt to smack him, and, grabbing a
couple
bags,
entered the house.
Hoss shook his head as he looked at his older brother. “Hope you
know what yer doin’
Adam, ‘cause
Pa don’t like bein’
crossed.”
He gathered the rest of the luggage and entered the house, leaving
Adam to see to the horses and buggy. When Adam entered the house,
he
found his fathers and brother in the great room. The Bakers, he
discovered, were in their rooms freshening up for supper. Ben
smiled
at his oldest son.
”So, Adam. Not such a bad deal after
all, is
it? I know the two
of you will be very happy.” He patted his son on the back, pleased
with himself.
”
plan that had begun to form in his mind.
The Bakers joined the Cartwrights and they
all sat
down at the
table. Defying convention, Adam sat next to his intended,
Madeline,
and across from Hoss and Joe where he could keep a close eye on
them. Jason Baker sat opposite Ben.
They started with wine, and Ben made a toast. “To the
successfully blending of families,” he said, cheerfully. “To the young
couple.”
Jason, Ben, and Hoss all raised their glasses and drank.
Madeline,
Adam, and Joe did not. Ben noticed that Joe neglected to join in
the
toast. He turned to him.
”Don’t you wish your brother and his fiancée the best of
happiness, Joseph?”
”Yes, Pa,” Adam and Joe chorused, each raising their glass to
one another.
Ben shot Adam a puzzled glance but ignored his son’s odd
behavior, and they began to eat.
”So, Jason, have you given any thought to when we should have the
wedding? I don’t see any reason to wait, now that it’s
settled. You know, there’s a piece of land that Adam’s always been
particularly partial to. If Adam and Madeline drew up some plans
for a
house, we
could have it built while they’re on their honeymoon. What do
you think of that, my dear?” he asked Madeline.
Madeline smiled at Joe. “That sounds wonderful. Perhaps Adam
could take me out and show me the land where we’ll be living.”
”Of course, he will. Won’t you, Adam?”
”Yessir,” Joe replied.
Ben frowned. “Really son. Your
brother can
speak for
himself.”
Adam and Joe exchanged a look. They both nodded silently at their
father.
”First thing in the morning might be a good time to go,” Adam
commented, figuring the comment was vague enough to be accepted.
Jason changed the subject, eager to learn more about his future son-
in-law. He looked at Joe. “So tell me, young man.
What were
your marks like in school? I understand you did amazingly well.”
Ben snorted with laughter at the thought. “Well, the less said
on that subject, the better,” he replied. “And let’s not
even go into his deportment.”
Jason frowned. “I understood Adam to be a brilliant scholar.”
Ben nodded proudly. “Oh, he is. Always was the brightest
student in the class. Every one of his teachers was
astonished. Perfect marks
every time. Even at Harvard he was at the top of his
class.”
Jason gave Ben a bemused look. “But his behavior was
improper?”
Ben looked horrified. He knew Adam was strongly opposed to the
whole
arranged-marriage idea and had no desire to see it occur. What
might
he have said on the ride home? Had the boy mentioned the episode
where he’d broken into the schoolhouse on the weekend, and nailed
all the furniture to the ceiling? Good Lord.
”Adam never received even one poor mark in deportment,” Ben
replied carefully. After all, they’d never proven it was Adam who
had
done it. Even Ben and his leather belt hadn’t been able to get his
son to confess.
Jason looked at Ben in confusion. “But I thought you just told
me...”
Adam interrupted. “Uh, Madeline.
I
understand that you’ve
just returned from finishing school. I’m sure we’d all love to
hear what you most enjoyed studying.”
Madeline turned to Adam, eager to make a good impression on her
future brother-in-law. “Well, aside from Poetry, primarily the
Romantics,” she flashed Joe a winning smile, “Mathematics and
Philosophy, I suppose.” She turned to Joe. “Do you like
Rene Descartes?”
Joe blinked at her for a moment. “Um...I don’t believe
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her...”
Adam choked into his glass. “More wine!” he called out
cheerfully, once he was able to speak. He refilled everyone’s
glass,
kindly
pouring Joe a particularly large portion, which he downed at once.
Ben frowned at Joe. He didn’t want the Madeline and her father
to think she was about to marry into a family who couldn’t stay out
of the bottle. “Easy there, Little Joe. Sip it, don’t gulp
it.”
”Yessir, I’ll remember that,” Adam replied,
his eyes
on
his plate.
Ben turned exasperated eyes on his eldest. “Adam, how many times
have I asked you not to run interference for your brothers?”
”I forget, Pa,” Little Joe answered.
”Forget what, Joe?” Ben asked, perplexed.
”I forget how many times you ask me not to run interference.”
Ben snorted. “Joseph, I’ve never had a need to tell you
that. Adam’s the one with that particular problem, not you.”
Adam stole a quick glance at Jason and winced at the look on his
face. This meal wasn’t going quite as well as he’d hoped.
He pushed his food nervously around and plate, casting his mind around
for a
new subject to introduce.
”Perhaps you could recite us some poetry after supper,
Madeline?” he tried. He caught the looks of mute fury on the
faces of his
younger
brothers and studiously ignored them.
Jason smiled with obvious pride. “That’s a wonderful idea,
Joe. Madeline is quite the poetess. Of course, much of her
poetry
is
romantic,” he winked at Joe, “so I suspect she might like to
recite it to Adam in private.”
Adam smiled at his brother. “I’m sure Adam would enjoy
that,” he said smugly, relishing seeing Joe squirm.
Ben frowned anew. “Adam, why are you speaking about yourself in
the third person?”
”Did I say something, Pa?” Joe asked quickly.
”Joseph, I wasn’t talking to you. What is wrong with the two
of you tonight?”
”Nothing, Pa,” Adam replied.
Ben shook his head. “Well, if you two are done clowning around,
perhaps we could repair to the living room for after-dinner
coffee.”
They rose, and gathered before the fire in the great room. All
three
boys were desperately trying to think of a way to flee.
”I gotta do the barn chores, Pa,” Hoss
volunteered,
practically running out the door.
Ben raised a hand to him as he disappeared. He turned to
Joe.
”Why don’t you go help your brother.”
”Yessir,” Joe answered in delight,
and made
for the door.
Jason frowned. “Now just a moment, young man.
Surely your
brothers can manage without you, for one night. Madeline should
be your
primary concern tonight.”
Adam and Joe exchanged a worried look.
”I’ll go,” Adam tried.
”Absolutely not,” Ben told him firmly. “You’ll stay
right here and visit. Joe, go out to the barn.”
Adam turned and headed obediently for the door.
”Adam, get back here,” Ben roared, finally at his wit’s
end with his boys.
”But you just said...”
”Adam!”
”
Ben threw up his hands and turned to his guests. “I apologize
for my sons’ behavior. It must be the excitement of the impending
nuptials that has them acting so oddly.” He turned back to his
boys and
hissed at them under his breath. “Both of you,
go out to the
barn, hitch up the buggy and Adam, you take Madeline for a moonlight
view
of the lake. Joseph, help Hoss finish the chores.”
”Yessir,” the two chorused once more and
headed out
the door,
leaving their father to smile weakly at their guests.
All the way to the barn the two argued.
”Yeah, this is working really well, Adam. We can’t keep this
up. I’m going to go back inside and tell them the truth!”
”You do, and you know what’ll happen,” Adam warned. Joe
remembered the saloon incident and shrank back in fear. “Look,
Joe, just
take Madeline for a ride. I’m working on a plan.”
”I can’t take her for a ride. There’s not room enough in
the buggy for me, her, and the nose!”
”JOE! I mean it. You take her out, or you might as well dig
your grave right now. You know Pa’ll
skin you
alive when he finds out
what you did!”
Joe sighed and nodded. Then he glared. “This better be a
dang
good plan, Adam!” he warned, as he left to hitch up the buggy.
Adam returned to the house and stood just inside the door, surveying
the three sitting in the great room staring silently at one another,
the silence obviously strained. He cleared his throat, then
spoke. “It’s a lovely night for a ride. I should think
there aren’t two people in the world that would
enjoy a ride
more than a newly-
engaged couple.” He looked at Madeline. “My brother
is
hitching up the buggy. Would you care for a look at the lake by
moonlight?”
Madeline nodded happily. She thought of her intended’s curly
brown hair and big green eyes. Yes, a moonlight ride would just
fit the
bill. She took Adam’s proffered arm and departed with both Jason
and Ben looking happily after them.
Adam led her to the buggy and waved goodbye to a delighted Madeline
and a sullen Joe. Then he moved back to the porch and sat at the
table. Soon Jason came out of the house, carrying two cups of
coffee. Ben had challenged him to a game of chess, but Jason had
been nonplussed at the man’s behavior all night and wished to
question one of his boys about him. He was delighted to find Adam
sitting on the porch, and immediately joined him, offering him one of
the cups of coffee, which Adam gladly accepted.
Jason cleared his throat occasionally, as though he wanted to
approach some delicate subject, but was unable to figure out how.
Finally he spoke.
”Uh, Joseph...your father. I don’t
mean to step
on any toes
here, but his behavior...”
Adam nodded cheerfully. “I know, Mr
Baker. He’s really
having a good day, today, isn’t he?”
”A good day? But it seemed to me that
he kept
getting you and
your brother mixed up!”
Adam laughed. “Oh that’s nothing. On some days, he gets
himself and Hoss mixed up. On his bad days...” Adam broke
off and
shook his
head sadly.
Jason looked appalled. “But why?”
Adam spread his hands beseechingly. “Well, of course, under the
circumstances, you have to expect it.”
Jason started. “Circumstances?
What
circumstances?”
Adam frowned and sipped at his coffee. “Pa didn’t tell
you?” Then he looked abashed. “Of course, he
wouldn’t. He
does so want
Adam to marry well. And he doesn’t really understand he has a
problem,
anyway, which makes it that much harder.”
Jason narrowed his eyes. “Just what’s wrong with him?”
Adam flapped his hand disinterestedly. “He’s insane, of
course. Runs in the family.
Pa’s onset was
rather late, fortunately, so
he was able to manage quite a bit of productive work before his mind
went. Built the Ponderosa. Much better than poor Agustus
Cartwright. ‘Useless Uncle Gussie’ the family called him.
Not really fair to name him that, honestly. He had a much more
fertile
mind than a lot of other family members did. I remember Pa
talking
about an uncle of his. According to Pa, everyone always called
him
Mad Monty. Used to think he was a fish, and everyone was
always
having to rescue him from drowning in the pond.” Adam
propped
his chin on his hand as he stared reflectively into the night.
“Then
there was Auntie Bertha.” Adam laughed. “That’s always
been a favorite family story. She used to wander around the hills
at
night
in her nightclothes claiming she was the George Washington about to
cross the
man who was convinced he was King George III.” Adam frowned
suddenly. “Actually, that didn’t turn out so well...”
Jason was listening to Adam’s recitations with mounting
horror. “But...surely not all the Cartwrights
are mad.”
Adam shrugged. “Well, I guess maybe not. I mean there’s
kooks that don’t turn out like everyone else in every family, aren’t
there? But most of us are destined to become barking
loons.” Adam
brightened then. “My brother Adam is drawing up plans for an
insane
asylum
right here on the Ponderosa. You ought to get him to show you the
layout. It’s really wonderful. He’s very talented, you
know. He’s going to make sure we each have our own cells with
plenty of
light
and air.”
”But your father never mentioned any of this...”
”Well, of course, he’s a proud man. Doesn’t
like to air
the family laundry in public. Add to that the fact that
he’s
convinced that
he’s escaped the family curse, and you can see why this might be
a touchy subject for him.” Adam frowned. “Of course, he’s
getting worse. I keep telling Adam that we’re going to have to
start
building that asylum pretty soon. Pa’s taken to having dizzy
spells lately. At first he attributed them to that fall from his
horse,
but
now he pretends he never fell at all, and just denies he has any
dizzy spells, even when he has them.” Adam took a sad sip of
coffee. “It’s not easy to see a brilliant mind deteriorate
so badly. He used to be nearly as bright as Adam, you know, but
now...” Adam sighed, the thought of
his father
sitting in an
asylum slowly losing what remained of his mind clearly affected
him. Then
he brightened. “Still, we boys have a while to go before...”
Jason stared, horrified. Just then Ben came out of the house and
found his eldest son, whom he’d been convinced
was
still out
riding with Madeline, sipping coffee with Jason.
”Where’s Madeline?” Ben asked, perplexed.
”Out riding,” Adam replied nonchalantly.
”Well, why aren’t you with her? She can get lost all
alone,” Ben snapped.
”Oh, it’s fine, Ben, your son Adam is with
her,” Jason
assured the man.
Ben stared at the man. “No he’s not. You can see Adam’s
sitting right here in front of you.”
Adam gave Jason a nearly imperceptible wink. Jason nodded his
understanding, and changed the subject. “Won’t you sit down
with us?”
Ben smiled at him, despite how angry he was at his son for ignoring
Madeline. “Thank you.”
Just as he began to sit, Adam pushed Ben’s chair back with his
foot, moving his own chair at the same time to cover the noise.
Ben
attempted to sit, but as there was no longer a chair under him, he
fell heavily to the porch.
”Pa!” Adam cried out, jumping up to help up
his
father.
”What happened? Dizzy spell?”
”Certainly not. I must have misjudged
the
distance. I don’t
have dizzy spells.”
”Of course you don’t,” Adam replied soothingly.
Jason looked at Ben worriedly. “Ben, if you have these sorts of
spells often, you might want to see a physician. Falls
from a horse
can be dangerous.”
Ben stared at Jason in confusion. “I haven’t fallen from a
horse.”
Jason looked at Adam who was standing behind his father after having
hauled him back to his feet. Adam shook his head sadly, and Jason
pursed his lips.
”Uh, Ben, I hope you don’t think I’m intruding into a
family matter,
but as we’re soon to be related, I think it might be acceptable.
Doctors are much better at treating the kind of problems that seems
to plague your family then they used to be. Perhaps...”
”What problems?” Ben asked in bewilderment.
”Well, I hope you don’t think I was being forward, but Joe
filled me
in, and...”
”What did that scamp tell you? Where is he? When I get my
hands
on
him...”
”Ben he’s right behind you!”
Ben turned, looking behind Adam for his recalcitrant youngest
son. “Where?”
”Right there!” Jason exploded.
”I’m sorry, I just don’t see him...”
That was the end. Jason stormed into the house, and up to his
room.
He packed his and his daughter’s things and began to carry them
back down. Adam helpfully offered his services, and just as Joe
and
Madeline returned from their ride, the Bakers were ready to go.
Jason practically threw Joe out of the buggy, and threw the baggage
in.
”That’s it!” he shouted at Ben. “There is no way
I’m allowing my daughter to marry your son! Get yourself some
help if you
like, but
you and your boys just stay away from us! I’ll leave the buggy
in town. Good-bye!”
He slapped the reins, causing the horses to take off at a fast
run.
The four Cartwrights stood on the porch
and watched,
openmouthed, as
the buggy disappeared behind the barn.
”What on earth was all that?” Ben asked in astonishment.
”You know, Pa, I don’t like to gossip,” Adam began.
”But Jason was just telling me. Insanity runs very strongly in
his
family.
Probably just as well I didn’t marry her, don’t you
think?”
Ben nodded, aghast, reflecting on the near-miss his son had just
suffered. “Boys, I promise. From now
on, no more
matchmaking
for me.” He turned and walked back into the house, quietly
shutting
the door behind him.
THE END