Bonanza
“
A King’s Ransom ”
By:
Jane
Linnegar
c.
2014
Bonanza
“
A King’s Ransom…”
The young woman sat alone at the beer
stained table, in the busy saloon - one
of several, in
Her current surname was from her first
husband, now deceased, who was also Peggy’s father. She’d actually been married
again, for a short time, to Will Cartwright - Ben’s nephew - after a brief
engagement with Adam Cartwright had been terminated, by her, after she’d
fallen, instead, for Adam’s cousin, Will. When she and Will had gotten
divorced, after a year of marriage, she’d changed her name back to ‘
Sam had soon returned with the bill, and
placed the small sheet of paper onto the
table top. Laura perused it, then, reaching into her small purse, grabbed a
collection of coins, then tossed them onto the table top, in his general
direction, thanked him, and left quietly.
********************
The next morning, Adam was awakened by
the sound of ‘raspberries’ being blown onto a tiny tummy…He opened his eyes to
see Beth, as she went through her morning routine of feeding, changing and
dressing the triplets, to begin their day. He smiled as he sat up, and swung
his legs over the side of their bed. Standing up, he reached for his jeans, and
pulled them on.“ Why didn’t you wake me up, Beth ? I could have helped you with
all that…” She smiled back at him. “ You just looked so peaceful, Adam. I
thought I’d let you sleep a bit longer. But, you still can be a bit of a help.
Can you change Rosie for me, and get her dressed ? I’m running a little late.
If you can look after her, I can get Sarah up, and get breakfast started.” Adam
leaned to kiss the foreheads of each of his baby sons, and his beautiful wife,
as Beth stood with their baby boys in her arms.
“Sure, sweetheart. We’ll be downstairs before you know it.” He ambled to
his wash stand, and started to shave, as Beth left the room with the boys.
After he was done with his razor, he headed for his wardrobe armoire and
removed a black shirt. He pulled it on, then
buttoned it, and tucked in the shirt tails, before reaching his tiny daughter
out of her cradle. Adam laid her against his chest, as he tenderly patted her
little back. “ How’s my little ‘Rosie - dosie - doe’, today ?” He glanced down, at that sweet
little face, framed in light auburn, wavy hair, and could have sworn she smiled
at him. Then again, at only a few weeks old, it was probably just a little bit
of gas…
Rosie was already a bit of a ‘Papa’s
girl’. In their first week, after they were born, Beth realized that the baby
girl – being that little bit smaller than her two brothers – was having some
trouble nursing, after all. When the good Dr. Martin examined the baby, he
decided it was just a matter that breast feeding was hard, and very tiring work, for such a tiny baby, and she’d have an
easier time of it being fed her Mama’s milk, from a bottle. For now, anyway.
Well, that happy chore had mostly fallen to Adam - when he was home - to help
Beth, and save a bit of time : feeding three such young babies could prove to
be a monumental task, especially through the wee early hours of the night, when
most folk would have preferred to be just sleeping…
Adam laid Rosie on their bed, and,
holding her securely with one big, gentle hand, reached a clean diaper off the
pile on the bedside table. He removed the soiled diaper, cleaned her up with a
fresh wash cloth, then re-diapered the little girl, like the expert he was
rapidly becoming… “So, what do you
want to wear today, Rosie ? How about a nice pink sleeper ?” Adam grinned at
his daughter again, as he picked her up, and
carried her to the triplets’ new armoire, and threw open the door. It
was filled with several shelves that, in turn, were filled with tiny outfits
– and he pulled one down. He held it out
at arm’s length for their inspection. “ This one looks just fine - don’t you agree
?” The little girl replied by sticking her thumb into her mouth, and starting
sucking it vigorously, so Adam smiled again. “ I love that you’re SO agreeable,
Rosie…” He soon had his daughter dressed, then headed downstairs.
On reaching the bottom of the staircase,
he looked around the great room to a scene of controlled chaos. Sarah was bustling
around the dining room table setting knives, forks, and spoons where they
needed to be. Wyatt and Shane had been propped up in the large winged leather
chair, that backed onto the dining room area. Adam watched as Wyatt had started
to whimper, as Shane had just accidently hit him in the face, as he’d been
merrily swinging his arms around. Adam heard Beth calling to Sarah, from the kitchen,
albeit a bit impatiently, “ Sarah, can you see what’s wrong with your brothers,
please ?!” Adam half smiled, as he saw Sarah roll her eyes, before heading for
the chair. He met her there. “Here, Sarah. You take Rosie - I’ll look after the
boys.” He reached his youngest daughter into her sister’s embrace, then scooped
up Wyatt and Shane – one in each arm. Adam chuckled softly, as Wyatt’s cheek
rested against his chest “ Now, what’s going on here, you guys ? There’s
nothing to fight about, here !” Adam soon strode into the kitchen, the boys
nicely calmed down again. Nothing like being held in your Papa’s arms to have
that affect. Beth raised one hand, to remove a wisp of hair, that had fallen
across her face, then grinned as Adam
reached her. “ Welcome to the ‘crazy new world’ of the Cartwright family…” Adam
grinned in agreement. “Yeah – only about twenty more years to go, before we get
back to ‘normal’, I guess…” A smile spread across Beth’s face, again, as she
reached up to kiss his cheek. “ If that was supposed to make me feel better,
Adam, it didn’t work !”
A few minutes later, the triplets were
laid, side by side by side, safely ensconced in the big winged chair again.
Adam had spun it around, so their parents could keep an eye on them, as they
ate. The platters of scrambled eggs, bacon and home fries were passed between
the three older Cartwrights, as they loaded up their
plates. Adam took a sip of the steaming fresh coffee, then lowered his cup to
its saucer again. “Beth, I’m heading into town this morning, to pick up the new
washing machine – is there anything you need?” She nodded. “I especially could
use a couple more dozen diapers. The babies seem to go through them so fast. I
can barely get them washed and dried before they almost run out of them again…”
Adam nodded his head in agreement. “True enough. If you make a list of
everything, I can get it done in one trip. Do you want to come along – get some
fresh air?” Beth smiled slowly. “No thanks, Adam. The babies are due to be fed
again, shortly, and I’ve got enough to do to keep me busy around here. You can
take Sarah, though, if she wants to go. I think she’d enjoy the break.” Beth
glanced to her eldest daughter, who had been such a good, patient little helper,
since the babies had arrived. Sarah’s face lit up. “Yeah, I’d really like to
go, Pa.” Adam finished the last of his coffee, then smiled in reply. “Fine,
Sarah. I’ll head outside to feed the stock, and hitch up the team.”
********************
Laura Dayton turned the door knob of her
front door, and swung it open. It was the first time she’d been home, to her
small ranch, since the accident in San Francisco, two weeks before, that
had claimed her young daughter’s life.
The year long visit,
to her Aunt Lil’s, had meant to be a happy extended holiday, away from
her ranch, after leaving the running of her ranch in the capable hands of her
trusted foreman. The visit had meant to
culminate in the celebration of her Aunt Lil’s fifty fifth birthday. Instead, it had turned into a tragedy, when
Peggy had drowned in the river than ran by Aunt Lil’s home. As Laura walked
numbly through the living room, just about everything in it reminded her of her
late daughter : A pair of her small shoes sat by the fireplace, and a cherished
dolly, of Peggy’s, sat propped up in the gold upholstered chair, in the opposite corner. An oil lamp with a green, tulip-shaped shade,
sat on the small table, beside the fireplace. Beside that lamp sat an ornately
framed picture of Mother and daughter –
two happy, smiling faces… Laura tried hard to fight back her tears, as she
dropped one of the two suitcases she was carrying. She lost that fight, as her
tears started to flow : the dropped suitcase contained Peggy’s things. She climbed
the stairs slowly, with the second suitcase - that contained her belongings,
that had to be put away again - still in her hand . Peggy’s things would have
to wait – she just couldn’t face even seeing them again, let alone touching
them : All the pretty garments that had once been worn by her young daughter.
********************
Much later that day, Adam pulled the
team to a stop in their barnyard, after their shopping trip. He and Sarah hopped
down, then headed for the back of the large buckboard, and flipped down its
tail gate. He glanced to his daughter. “ Sarah, can you start taking some of
the things into the house for me, please ? Better start with that big package
of diapers, for your Ma !” Sarah grinned, as she reached over the tailgate, and
grabbed the package. “ Okay, Pa !”, then hurried off towards the house. Adam watched her, as she
scurried away, and shook his head. “ Be careful you don’t trip there, Sarah !”
He heard a cheerful, “ I won’t trip, Pa !”, over her shoulder, as she reached
the porch overhang, and headed for the doorway. Adam grabbed the sacks of flour
and potatoes, one under each arm. Once they’d been put away in the kitchen, he
returned to the buckboard, and grabbed the large wooden crate containing the
smaller sacks of coffee, tea, sugar, salt, a selection of spices, and other
assorted kitchen items, not the least of which was a large container of clothes
washing soap. With three young babies, they certainly went through a lot of
THAT stuff…
When everything had been put away, Adam
returned one more time to the buckboard to lift down the new fangled ‘clothes
washing machine’ for Beth. It was the latest thing in ‘clothes washing
technology’- and had had to be ordered in from Sacramento, California. It was a
generous sized wooden barrel-style tub, held tightly together with three
bright, shiny, brass barrel hoops, with a hand operated wringer at the top, and
a hand operated ‘agitator’ inside of it - that did the actual ‘washing’
apparently… A ‘truly, time saving device’ - and it sure beat a wash tub, and
scrubbing board, in both Adam’s AND Beth’s eyes. Especially Adam’s, since he’d
been helping out in that area, too, some days, once he’d finished his ranch
chores, and had returned home for the day.
As a few more weeks went by, Adam and
Beth were pleased when they realized that the boys’ eyes were turning the same
light hazel shade as their father’s, and older sister’s. With their dark,
lightly waving hair, little ‘cupid’s bow’ mouths, matching dimples on each of
their cheeks, and light hazel eyes, they looked even more just like their Pa.
Rosie’s blue eyes – who, like her brothers, were quite a dark blue at birth -
slowly grew to be a lighter, brighter blue colour,
like her Mother’s eyes. With her light auburn, wavy hair, bright blue eyes, and
very fair, pink complexion, she was just like her Ma. Those Cartwright triplets
sure were ‘crowd pleasers’, since it was uncommon enough for twins to survive,
but triplets were even much rarer.
Whenever the whole family occasionally made the trip into town, “Ooos !” and “Ahhs !”, were all
around, as they entered each store, picking up any supplies they needed.
On one such trip, Adam smiled as they
ran into Widow Hawkins, in ‘Cass’ General Store and Emporium’. She was
practically bubbling over, as her Cockney accented, raucous voice, just filled
the store. “Oh, my dear Adam. Didn’t you
and your loverly wifey do
well ? Three at a time - ’magine that - ’ow DID you manage it
?! Ain’t that jus’ ‘ducky’ ?!” Adam tossed a sideways glance, and a little
smirk, to Beth, then barely, perceptively, shook his head, ever so slowly. “
Now, me and me late ’usband ,’arry,
never was blessed with children. Tried ’ard, we did…” The woman sighed, and had a distant look in
her eyes, at the memory. “But, it tweren’t meant to
be, I suppose .Now, if I’d met your father first, Adam. My, could ’ave given ’im three more sons,
I’d wager! Probly a coupla
girls, too !” She winked, then threw her head back, and just laughed
uproariously, at her own comment. Adam’s blood just ran cold, at the very
thought of it all… She then reached for Rosie, and practically tore the baby
from Beth’s arms. “And ’ows me littl’
Rosie doin’? What a bonnie wee gal – and don’t she look
more, just like ’er Mum, every day?” The older woman
raised the baby to her face, and laid a big, slobbery kiss, on one of her
little pink cheeks. Beth realized that, at that point, Rosie’s face was
starting to crumble into a pout, bordering on a crying jag, so gently retrieved
her daughter, from the woman’s arms. “ Yes, we were very lucky, Miss Hawkins.
Thank you.” The older woman turned her attention to Wyatt and Shane – who were
safely cradled in their Pa’s arms. “ And I’ve never seen a finer selection of
two littl’ gentl’ mens, either. Just like their ol’
Pa, they is – no doubtin’ who their father is
–probably be right littl’ ‘lady killers’, too, just
like their ol’ Pa, whens
they grows up !” and she winked very conspiratorially, as she reached over to
chuck both Wyatt and Shane under their little collective chins. Adam smiled
patiently, and politely. “Yes… Well… We have to go now, Widow Hawkins. Just SO
nice seeing you again - ’bye!” He
hustled Beth and Rosie out of the door – in front of him, and the boys – and
barely made it to the buckboard, that was parked just a couple of doors down
the street, before he burst out laughing. “ I’m so sorry, Beth, I guess my
‘Widow Hawkins Sixth Sense’ wasn’t working today. She means well, I know, but
she can be a little - shall we say - ‘overbearing’ - from time to time ?!” Beth
smiled, as she nodded in agreement. “Yes – we’ll just say that… ‘Ducky’…I do
feel sorry for Mr. Cass, though. I’ve never known anyone who can clear a room,
as fast as that woman… As fast as a skunk, at a Sunday school picnic…” Adam
threw his head back , and just laughed out loud. “ I agree, Beth ! But look, I
have a bill to pay at the feed store. How about I meet you, and the kids, at
Baxter’s Restaurant, in a little bit ? Maybe grab some lunch, before we go
home?” Beth smiled in agreement. “ That sounds like a fine idea, Adam.” He
reached Wyatt, Shane, and Rosie, into the back of the buckboard, where Sarah
had been waiting for them, then helped Beth up onto the seat. She turned the
buckboard around, and Adam waved them off. He turned on his heel, and started
to whistle, as he headed for the feed store.
********************
He’d walked about a block, or so, when
he heard a familiar woman’s voice behind him. “ Adam, is that you?” He turned
around to see Laura Dayton. Not the Laura Dayton he remembered, though - this
one looked somehow older, than her years. “Yes, it’s me, alright ! I haven’t seen you in ages, Laura. It must be
a year, or so, at least…” Laura smiled up at him. “Yes, it is. I’ve been away –
in San Francisco. Staying with my Aunt Lil. I got back a few weeks ago.” Adam
shook his head and smiled. “ Must be nice being able to take such a long
vacation – especially since you own a ranch ! I sure couldn’t do it…So, how are
you ? How’s Peggy ?” At that point, Laura’s expression just fell, and a torrent
of tears starting falling as she, literally, collapsed into Adam’s arms. “Oh, Adam. Peggy… She’s dead…” Adam looked at
the woman helplessly, as he realized he was the only thing stopping her from
falling to the ground, altogether. “ Oh, Laura, no – not Peggy. Come on, let’s
go have a drink – you can tell me all about it…” He reached one arm around her
shoulders, to help support her, as he steered her towards the saloon, just a
few doors further down the street. On reaching the saloon, they took one of the
more private tables, in a back corner area. A low dividing wall, topped with a
short blue curtain, hanging from a brass curtain rod, kept the corner private,
and free from prying eyes. He caught the attention of Sam, the bartender, and
signaled for one bottle of wine, and two glasses. Once Sam had delivered the
items, Adam poured them each a glass. He was more than a little surprised when Laura
drained her glass – in several gulps – then held it out, again, to be refilled.
Adam took the first sip of his drink, then lowered the glass to the table top
again. “What happened, Laura ?” As she sat there – looking into his eyes – the
memories came flooding back. Not only of Peggy, and how he’d practically become
like a second father to her, during their courtship, but of her and Adam. How
could she have been so foolish to let him go ? Leaving him behind for his
cavalier, devil-may-care, cousin Will? A relationship that had ended in
divorce, a mere year after it was begun. Adam was surprised when she reached
for his hands, and took them, oh-so-tenderly, into hers. “ She drowned, Adam. It was just so
horrible…” She paused, then searched his face for several moments, before
continuing. “Oh, Adam. I was such a fool – leaving you, for Will. Couldn’t we
just …” At that point, Adam pulled his hands free, from her grasp, again, then
held up one hand, to silence her. He leaned back in his chair, with a sigh, and
just looked at her, as he finished her sentence for her. “ ‘Take up where we left off ’ ?” He just
shook his head slowly. He took his time, as he studied her face -with those
hazel eyes of his, that gave nothing away - before he continued. “ The short answer is ‘No’… A lot has
happened since you left me for Will, Laura. I’m older now, and I’ve matured a bit more. I like to think I’m
a little bit wiser, too. And I have a life, now. I found out Sarah is my daughter,
and we found her Mother again : my old college girlfriend, Beth. That’s a long
story, but we got married a year ago, come the fall. We’ve also been blessed
with triplets – two boys, and a girl. We built our own home, on the Ponderosa –
right on the shores of Lake Tahoe, at ‘Bourne’s Meadow’. Beth and I couldn’t be
any happier together, than we are right now… So, no. I’m sorry, Laura. You did
have your chance… We could never be any more than friends, now.” Laura felt –
in her mind, at least – that she’d been, somehow, strangely betrayed, and was
filled with sudden rage, at his rebuff, but did not show it on the outside,
however. She smiled very demurely. “I do appreciate your honesty, Adam. Thank
you for that. A woman needs to know where she stands.” She held out her glass
again, and Adam, reluctantly, refilled it, then stood up once more. “I am so
very sorry about Peggy, Laura – she was a wonderful little girl. But, if you’ll
excuse me, I do have to be going. My family IS waiting for me. I guess I’ll see
you sometime? ” She nodded in reply, and watched as he walked away from her.
She tipped down the drink that Adam had just poured, then refilled her glass,
yet again…How could it be that Adam Cartwright had found all the happiness that
a person could ever hope for, in the whole world, and all she had left was
- nothing…
********************
After paying the feed bill, Adam made
the three blocks walk, to Baxter’s Restaurant, and spotted his young family
seated at a table in a back corner, as he entered through the doorway. He had
to smile at the sight. Sarah was sitting with Rosie, bouncing on her lap, and
Beth had the boys. At least – he thought she did. Shane sat on his Mama’s lap,
and – for just a moment - Adam wondered what had become of Wyatt. As he got
nearer to the table, he realized that Wyatt was stretched along the wooden
bench beside his Mama, fast asleep, his little thumb stuck into his mouth. Adam
lifted the small boy – oh so carefully – then rested him against his shoulder,
as he gently rubbed his back, and took a seat. Beth smiled at them. “All done,
Adam ?” He grinned, as he continued cradling his still sleeping son. “Yeah.
Sorry it took so long. I met an old friend. Laura Dayton. I haven’t seen her in
ages. She just recently got back from
San Francisco. Sorry to say, but she lost her daughter, apparently, in an
accident, there.” Beth just shook her head sadly. “That poor woman. I just can’t imagine that…
Weren’t you engaged to her, for a while, a few years back ?” Adam raised his
eyebrows, momentarily, as he nodded his head. “Yeah, I was. One of the ‘follies
of my youth’, as it turned out - she left me for my cousin, Will. And you know
what, Beth ? She’s really changed. I can’t quite put my finger on it… Oh, I
know. I’m sure you’re bound to, if you lose a child, but, it seems to me, it’s
much more than that, somehow…” Beth could see how the meeting , and the sad
news, had truly affected him, so she reached out a gentle hand, to pat his.
“Perhaps what she needs is our friendship, and not our judgment, Adam.” He
turned his eyes to look at her again, as he’d found himself gazing off into the
distance. “Yeah. I suppose you’re
right.” Just then, a waitress arrived at the table, to take Adam’s meal order.
********************
Later that afternoon, Laura steered her
horse off the main dirt road, and headed down a weed filled, narrow tract. It
was to be a trip down memory lane, for her… She pulled her horse to a stop, and
climbed down from her buggy. She approached the overgrown, skeletal like, frame
structure remains, of a small house. The wood
had gone gray, with age, over the years, and a couple of the unprotected
roof beams had fallen in. A rusted hand saw sat abandoned across a saw horse,
and a small crate of rusty nails had been tipped over, its contents strewn
across the ground. A sturdy field stone fireplace - built by Adam’s own hands -
sat in the middle of one of the still-open walls. She glanced up to see an old
hammer - still hanging from a cross beam - right where Adam had left it - just
before he’d fallen, to the ground… Laura collapsed to her knees, and started to
cry. It was to have been her and Adam’s home – a home he’d been working on, as
a surprise for her, when he’d fallen from a ladder, that fateful day. The day
she and Will had ridden out to tell Adam that their engagement was off – she
had chosen Will, instead. “Oh, Adam, I’m so sorry. I threw it all away…” Laura
pulled herself to her feet, and, walking back to her buggy, climbed up into the
seat. She turned her horse around, and headed back to the main road again.
********************
Beth chuckled as she watched Adam
attempting to bath Wyatt. He’d wrapped one strong arm around his son, to
support him, and was washing him with the other, when Wyatt began joyously
laughing, and splashing his Pa. “ Now you know what I go through, everyday,
Adam !” He didn’t really mind, and joined in the laughter. “It’s alright, Beth.
It’s kind of fun, actually !” A few minutes later, he lifted the dripping baby,
from the small tub, and laid him down on the towel-draped kitchen table. He
dried him off quickly, then Beth looked on, in concern, as he finished. “Now,
be careful, Adam…” He held up one hand, to patiently silence her. “There’s
nothing I don’t know about looking after babies, Beth. I AM the older brother,
of two much younger brothers, remember. Why, I practically helped Pa raise both
Hoss and Joe, after their Mothers died…” Beth just nodded in agreement, as she folded
her arms casually across her chest, just waiting for it… As he reached across
his young son, to grab a fresh diaper, a warm, little stream suddenly hit him
in his chin. Beth just about convulsed into laughter. “Yes, so I see…” Adam
grinned, as he wiped off his face, and started diapering Wyatt again. “ Okay. I
admit it. I guess I’d forgotten – for a moment – that ‘little detail’ of ‘baby boys’…Though, I remember diapering
Little Joe – back in the day. I swear: He’d do the same thing, occasionally, on
purpose. He always had that devilish little grin of his, on his face, right
after he’d done it, too... I’d be thankful, Beth, if you didn’t tell him I told
you that story, though...” He glanced over to her, a twinkle in his eyes, as he
winked at her. She smiled at her husband.
“Ah, don’t feel bad, my love. Those boys of ours have caught me - off
guard - a couple of times, too, just like that. First rule : Keep them covered,
till the diaper is safely in place…” She
reached for Wyatt, then passed Shane to his Pa : the next member of the
‘Cartwright clan’ that needed a bath. As they finished with Shane, Adam called
to Sarah. “Sarah - we’re ready for Rosie !” He quickly dumped out the small
tub, and refilled it - again - for the next ‘customer’. Sarah walked in from
the great room, where she’d been looking after, and playing, with her baby
sister. To her parents, she suddenly looked so grown up, with the baby wrapped
in her arms. “Ma, may I bath Rosie?”
“Of course you can, Sarah. Your Pa and I could use the help.” Sarah just
beamed, as Beth tossed a little wink to her husband. Adam and Beth sat at their
kitchen table - one on each side - and supervised as their eldest very tenderly, and carefully,
bathed her little sister. She, too, broke into gales of giggles, as Rosie
splashed happily in her tub. By the time
bath time was over, it was about seven o’clock, and the babies were due to be
nursed again, before being carried upstairs, to be put to bed. Beth prepared a
bottle of her milk for Rosie, which she passed off to Adam, then they moved
into the great room, to feed their young family. Beth took her usual place in
the winged chair – that backed onto the dining room – then raised her young
sons to her bosom. They were soon nursing contentedly. Adam took his place on
the settee – his left arm resting on the armrest, his littlest daughter cradled
in that same arm. He smiled, as he looked down at her. She sucked away
hungrily, and gazed up at her Pa, her blue eyes locking with his. After a few
moments, she gave out a little sigh and, just for a moment, released the nipple
of the bottle. Adam was so pleased as she smiled up at him. Then she grabbed
the nipple again, and continued her meal. A few moments later, Sarah – who had
sat beside her Pa, to watch - tugged at his sleeve. “ May I feed her, Pa
?” “ Sure, Sarah. ” He stood with Rosie
in his arms, as Sarah scooted over to his place, on the settee. He reached his
‘youngest’ into the arms of his ‘oldest’, then passed her the bottle. “I guess
I can go check on the stock, then…” Adam grinned to himself, as he exited their
home, and headed for the barn. He’d never felt happier, in his whole life, than
he did right now…
********************
Laura watched - from the end of the
long, corral lined, laneway - as Adam ambled slowly across the barnyard. It was
such a peaceful sight. The snow capped mountains, on the opposite shore of Lake
Tahoe, behind the great home, were the perfect backdrop to the large ranch
house. The windows glowed an opaque amber-yellow, through the light coloured curtains, in the early dusk. She could hear the
soft, distant whinnying of the horses, in the barn, greeting him, as Adam
pulled the door open. At that moment, she pulled her horse’s head around,
angrily, and laid her whip on his back. The horse lurched forward, onto the
dusty roadway again, and galloped off. Adam’s head snapped around, suddenly, as
he’d heard the loud crack of that whip. He squinted down the long laneway,
through the dusky gloom, and caught the sight of a small, single hitch buggy,
hurrying off down the road, and also caught – just for a moment - a
glimpse of blonde hair, on the
driver of that rig. He just shrugged, then walked into the barn, to finish his
chores for the day.
********************
Much later that evening, Adam and Beth
lounged back, together, in their bed. The moon shone through the large, opened
window of their master bedroom. The light breeze, blowing in off Lake Tahoe,
fluttered the lacy curtains, in its wake, which adorned that window. Beth
rolled over to check on the triplets, whose three cradles were lined up near
their bed. Wyatt lay peacefully - flat on his back - his little mouth and
tongue moving contentedly, like he was nursing. He raised his right thumb,
lazily, up to his mouth, and stuck it in. He let out a little sigh, as he
started sucking it. His long, full, curled-up eyelashes brushed against the
tops of his little pink cheeks, and his dark, wavy hair, curled across his
forehead, and framed his face. A little strand of hair hung down, stubbornly,
in the very middle : much like that strand of Adam’s, that often did the same
thing… Shane, too, was making good use of his thumb. Rosie had rolled onto her
tummy, and tucked her knees up, under herself, which made her little diapered
derriere stick right up. There were looks of absolute bliss, on all three of
their little faces…Seeing that the babies were still happily asleep, Beth
rolled back over. Adam looked as peaceful as their babies. He’d flipped back
his covers, in the late summer’s warmth, and lay there, mostly just in what God
had given him. He’d reached up his right arm, and his hand lay – palm up – on
his pillow, beside his head. She watched as his broad, muscular, hair covered
chest, rose and fell, with each deep breath that he took. His left hand rested
easily on his stomach. His long, lean, muscular legs – made that way from years
of riding, and working, on a ranch -
stretched to just about the bottom of their bed. Since soon after the
arrival of the triplets, he’d taken to wearing a pair of very short, black
briefs to bed. When Beth had questioned him on that, he’d just commented “Well,
Beth, I don’t want our babies to think their Pa is ‘uncivilized’…” When she’d
shot airily back at him “ How about what I want ?!” he’d cheekily countered
with, “ I know what YOU want, Beth !”, and he’d winked at her. That had
elicited a rambunctious tickle fight, initiated by Beth, between the two of
them, which had ended very nicely, as she remembered… Beth smiled at that
memory, then reached her arm around
Adam’s broad chest, and nuzzled against it. The lovely, musky scent, of his
cologne – that he’d sprayed on after his
bath, earlier that evening - still lingered there. She moved to kiss him tenderly, then settled her cheek
against his shoulder. She heard Adam sigh, as he’d just awoken, again, then
gently kissed her forehead. “Comfy, sweetheart ?” She brushed her lips lightly across his
shoulder, then replied sleepily “Uh huh..” Adam moved his right hand to gently
caress - what he called – her ‘Mama tummy’. A few months on, from the birth of
their triplets, and Beth was just about back to her pre-pregnancy size - except
for that little bit of a ‘tummy’, she still had, and that Adam just loved.
“Hey, Beth. I was just thinking. How about taking a couple of days holiday ?
The babies are pretty much sleeping through the night, now, and I’m sure that
Pa and my brothers would take care of them, and Sarah, too. I think we could
both use the break, and we never did have a honeymoon – What do you think?” She
reached up to kiss him once more “ Uh huh…The babies are asleep - we could
always start the ‘honeymoon’ right now…” Adam smiled cheekily, as he took her into his embrace, then she
heard his throaty little chuckle. “ I just love it when my lady gets ‘frisky’…”
Adam had to say his goodbyes, to his
family, the following morning : He’d be gone for close to a week. With the
cattle drive coming up, the Cartwright men had to check the herd, and decide
who would be going to market, and start rounding them up. By the time seven
a.m. rolled around, Adam was just
reining Sport to a stop in the barnyard of the other home on the Ponderosa. A
few of the ranch hands were just tacking up their horses, for the day’s work
ahead, as he wrapped Sports reins around the hitching rail, and headed for the
doorway of the home. When he threw it open, and entered the great room, Ben, Hoss and Joe were still seated at the dining room table,
having their breakfasts. Ben glanced up, and smiled at his eldest son. “ Ah –
the prodigal son has returned.” Adam smiled at his Pa, as he sat at the table –
in his old, usual place. “ That coffee sure smells good !” A spare cup and
saucer, along with the coffee pot, was passed down to him. He’d soon filled it,
and was savoring his first sip : Hop Sing really did make some of the best
coffee in Nevada. He lowered his cup to its saucer again. “ I saw some of the
new ranch hands out the front, when I
arrived”. Ben nodded. “Yeah – they seem
to be a good crew. With the round-up and cattle drive, we’ll sure need them.”
Adam nodded in agreement. “True enough. Pa, I was wondering something…” Adam
paused. He really didn’t like asking his Pa for any special favors, when it
came to his young family, but he, and especially Beth, really needed a break.
“Well, the babies are four months old now, and Beth and I never did get a
honeymoon, and, well, we were just wondering…” Ben smiled at his son, as he
finished his question for him. “If your Pa and brothers, could take the kids
for a while, so you could have a bit of a break ?”Adam just nodded. “ Yeah – in
a nutshell, Pa. Just for a couple of days, though.” Ben glanced around the
table to his two younger sons. “Well, what do you think, boys ? Could we help
out your brother and sister-in-law, here ?” Hoss
looked to Joe, and Joe looked to Hoss, then they both
looked to their Pa, and Hoss grinned. “ I reckon we
could do that for ya, Adam.” Ben smiled in agreement.
He didn’t have the time to visit his grandchildren as often as he’d like to –
with a ranch to run, and all - so to take them for a couple of days really sat
well with him. “When were you thinking of
taking those days, Adam ?” He considered
that for a moment or two. “How about this coming weekend ? That way it won’t
interfere with the cattle drive, the following week.” Ben nodded in
agreement. “That would be fine, son. Are
you bringing them here, or do you want us to go there ?” Adam smiled again. “
We’ll bring them here, Pa. We don’t want to put you out too much. That way we
can drop them off on our way out, then pick them up on our way home.” Ben
smiled – he was actually looking forward to it. “ Sounds fine. You can drop
them off Friday afternoon, after the round-up.” Adam grinned again. “ Thanks,
Pa.” Adam glanced around the table to everyone’s heaping plates. “By the way –
that bacon sure smells good…” Joe smiled to his eldest sibling, then winked, as
he passed him the platter. “ Dig in, big brother !”
The next few days would be spent
inspecting the herd, and deciding which members were at their peak weight, and
would be driven to market. That chore usually fell to Ben and Adam, as they
were the most familiar with the various blood lines, of the massive herd. They
knew which members to sell, and which ones would be kept, as valuable breeding
stock, for the following seasons’ crops of calves. The herd members that were
to be sold would be driven – by the ranch hands - to the north end, of the
large ranch, then held in massive corrals, where they would then be driven onto
California – a state that loved Ponderosa beef.
The four Cartwright men rode out that
day, followed by the ranch hands, to start cutting out the cattle, that were
going to market. They started in the south end of the large ranch. It was hot,
dusty, hard, time consuming work. As each of the older steers were cut out, the
hands would herd them away to a smaller, separate ‘market herd’. Any of the
actual ‘cows’, that were to go to market, were at the discretion of Ben and
Adam. They knew whose breeding days were over, and who to keep. And so it went.
Hallelujah, their trail cook, greeted them at the chuck wagon, as the sun shone
down at high noon. “ I got beans and biscuits, boys. And hot coffee. Gather
round !” He slopped a large, generous ladle full, onto each of their plates,
and the men settled down, in what little shade there was, to eat their noon
meal. Once they were done eating, it was right back to work again. The ranch
hands didn’t complain, though. The Cartwrights were
known for paying their cowboys fairly, for a good day’s work.
As the days wore on, the ‘market herd’
was getting larger, and larger, as they made their way across the range land of
the large ranch, making their selections. By the time Friday morning came
around, they’d been working for about a week. They were all dirty, and tired,
but the herd was ready to drive to market, in just a couple of more days, after
a final check, and count, of their numbers. With enough grass in the several
massive, adjoining, ‘holding corrals’, and a small river twisting its way
through them, there was enough to keep the herd fed, and watered, for a couple
of days. So, on that Friday morning, several of the ranch hands took control of
the herd, to watch over them for the weekend. The Cartwrights
rode back to the main ranch house, to prepare for the arrival of the kids, and
Adam rode back to his own home, to tell Beth of his surprise, of a ‘holiday
weekend’ for them, before he had to leave again, to help drive the herd to
California.
He rode into their barnyard at about
noon time. Dismounting wearily, he led Sport to the barn, where he removed his
tack, then turned him out into one of their grassy, shady paddocks, to graze.
He patted the dust from his clothes, as he walked to the house. As he opened
the door, Beth was just coming in from the kitchen, and she reached her arms
out to him. “Welcome home, sweetheart.” Adam gave her a quick hug, before
removing his hat and holster. “ It’s good to be home, Beth. Where are the kids
?” Beth smiled at him. After about a week on the trail, he sure didn’t look
like her ‘regular Adam’. He looked to have several days worth of scruffy growth
of beard, his clothes were covered in dust, and grime, and he was, too. “Sarah
went for a ride, and the babies are upstairs having a nap.” Adam nodded, as he
headed for the kitchen. “First things
first, Beth. I really need a bath, and a shave…Come on with me – you can fill
me in on the family news…” Beth had heated up several large cauldrons of water
– in anticipation of Adam’s arrival home that day – and Adam soon had the hip
bath filled with nice, hot water. He stripped off his dirty clothes, and
lowered himself in. It felt so good…Beth held his shaving mirror for him, as he
wielded his straight razor across his face. By the time he was done shaving, he
was looking more like himself already .As he shampooed his hair, Beth told him
how Wyatt was starting to sit up on his own, and both Shane and Rosie were trying
to. As he washed, she also told him how they were getting more used to the
cereals they were starting to be fed, and even were getting a liking for the
fruit and vegetables she was also starting to offer to them, too. Except Wyatt
didn’t seem to like broccoli – which was okay, in Adam’s eyes : It wasn’t his
favorite vegetable, either. Beth offered to wash his back for him. It was that
gentle motion that made Adam realize how much he’d missed her, so he reached up
to kiss her, and told her as much. Beth smiled at him. “I missed you too,
sweetheart.” Adam stood up, and, stepping out of the tub, reached a towel
around his waist. He pulled an eager Beth into his arms. “ I have a little
surprise for you, sweetheart. Pa and my brothers have offered to take the kids,
for the weekend, so we can have a bit of a holiday. A day or two in Virginia
City – catch a play, have dinner, have some ‘us time’, and just spoil
ourselves…How does that sound?” Beth answered the question with a kiss. Adam
grinned. “ I thought you might approve…”,
then he kissed her back.
An hour later, Sarah had returned home from
her ride, and the younger Cartwright family home became a hive of activity, as
Adam and Beth packed the needed items for three young babies. Adam stood at the
bottom of the stairs, and called up to his eldest child. “ Sarah – you need
enough outfits for two days – how long does it take ?! Come on, we’re on a
schedule here, you know !” She soon appeared, lugging along a good sized
suitcase. “ I have to take some of my toys and books too, Pa. I want to have
something to do at Grampa Ben’s !” Adam smiled at
her. “I was kind of hoping you’d give your Grampa a
hand, Sarah. It’s been a while since he had young babies around the house…” He
placed his hand tenderly, on the back of her pig tailed head, as she reached
the bottom of the staircase, then steered her towards the front door, of the
great home. Beth dashed in, breathlessly, from the kitchen, a good sized wooden
crate in her arms, full of milk
replacement – in case they ran out of her own milk - bottles, bottle brushes,
and other assorted items. That wooden
case also contained tiny jars of
preserved fruits and vegetables she had prepared for the babies. She
dumped it all onto the side board, by their front door, then drew the back of
one hand wearily across her forehead. “I think that’s about it, Adam. You
already loaded their diapers and clothes
into the buckboard, and our two bags – we just have to get the babies up
from their nap.” Adam nodded in agreement, as they headed for the stairs. “ The
babies, AND their cradles. Can’t forget those…” A short while later, the
young family was finally ready to leave.
The horses - that weren’t being used that weekend - had been turned out into
the roomy, grassy paddocks, to ‘camp out’ for those couple of days. Adam had
made sure that all the troughs in those paddocks were filled, to their brims,
with fresh water, to last through their ‘holiday’. Adam had harnessed up Beau
and Belle, to pull their large buckboard. As he turned the team around in their
barnyard, to head down their long laneway, Sarah grinned in anticipation, as
their harness jingled merrily. The buckboard creaked and groaned, as they
transitioned from the laneway, to the dirt road that would take them to Grampa Ben’s house. When they reached their destination, it
was a case of ‘all hands on deck’ as the
buckboard was unloaded again. Ben offered them the use of the much smaller, two
seated buggy, and his mare, Betsy, for their actual trip to Virginia City, and
Adam gratefully accepted. After Beth had stopped to nurse the babies, one last
time, Ben and the boys, and Sarah, waved them off, as Adam and Beth began their
trip to Virginia City, to begin their ‘holiday’. Once they’d entered the house
again, Ben smiled as he took Wyatt into his arms. As he gently rubbed his
little grandson’s back, he remembered his own sons, when they were this size.
It was going to be SO much fun…
Adam and Beth pulled into Virginia City
at about six thirty that evening. As they drove down the main street, they were
aware that it seemed to be a little more crowded than usual. They soon found
out why. A large banner – hung from the second floor balcony, above the main
entrance of the International House - proclaimed a convention : “ International
Association of Buggy Whip Manufacturers” . Adam turned to Beth, in surprise.
“They have an ‘association’ ?!” Their
worst fears were realized, when they entered the hotel, and asked for a room. “
Sorry, Mr. Cartwright. We’ve been booked up for this weekend – solid – for a
few weeks now. You might try the ‘Palace Hotel’ - they may have some rooms
left.” So, try they did. They too, were booked solid. The next stop was the
rooming house – run by Agnes – where Beth had first lived, on her arrival in
Virginia City. She, too, had to reluctantly tell them that she was full, also.
All hope was not lost, however, as Beth suggested Widow Hawkins Boarding House.
Adam turned to her with wide eyes “ Widow Hawkins ?! Ah, Beth…” She tucked her
arm around his. “ It’s either that, or we find a nice place to ‘camp out’ on
the edge of town…Or we could just go home again…” By her expression, Adam could
tell that THAT wasn’t an option here, so he gave her a very defeated look, and
sighed deeply. “Oh, alright…” Then he muttered quietly, under his breath. “How
bad could it be ?” They drove the couple of blocks, then pulled the horse to a
stop in front of the small boarding house. Adam hopped down, then took Beth’s
hand, as they walked to the door. On opening that door, they entered the
familiar lobby. Widow Hawkins’s late husband’s bar bells still sat – dust
covered – on a small side table, in one corner. Several of his carnival posters
– with him, scantily clad, in his weight lifting outfit – still adorned the
walls. Adam glanced up at the ceiling :
much to his surprise, the widow still hadn’t installed a flying trapeze
– the one thing, he’d once mentioned to his Pa, that the room really was
lacking…
At that moment, Widow Hawkins entered
the lobby from a small side office. “ Oh, Adam – ow’s
you and your lovely wife ? What can I do for you this lovely evening?!” Adam
smiled at the woman, then said a silent prayer… “We need a room for the
weekend, but I guess you don’t have one, with the convention in town, and all…”
Her old, blue eyes lit right up. “Oh, but I do. If you don’t mind a single bed
– afraid all the double rooms is taken, they is…I’m sure a young couple like
you won’t mind – nice and cozy, it is !” Then she winked broadly. Adam glanced
to Beth, and knew there was no way out here. “We’ll take that room, Widow
Hawkins.” After he’d signed them in, they trudged up the stairs to their room.
As they opened the door, they realized that – in Widow Hawkins’s world – ‘cozy’
equated to ‘miniscule’. Once Adam had returned to their buggy – to take their
bags, up to their room - they headed off for dinner. The first restaurant – one
of the finest in the city - had a line up, right out the door, with people
waiting to be seated. Adam signaled down the street to the Baxter’s Restaurant. On checking, it too, was full to
capacity. Adam glanced down to his wife.
“How hungry are you Beth ? Do you want to wait?” She just shook her
head. “I’m starved, Adam.” He nodded. “
Well – the ‘Bucket of Blood’ it is…” They’d soon entered the saloon, and took a
table. When the server arrived, they were advised that only sandwiches were
being served, at that hour. So, once they’d arrived at their table, they sat,
grimly eating them…Once their meal was finished, they headed out onto the
street again. Adam thought that all wasn’t lost – it was still a pleasant
night, and he thought they could talk a walk around the town, and get some air.
They were enjoying their time together – doing a bit of window shopping, as
they ambled along the board sidewalk. Then Beth heard the cry of a young baby,
just down, and across the road, from them. Her lactating body responded to that
little cry, and she felt her milk starting to flow. Adam heard her whisper :
“Oh, no…” and he glanced down at her. Two small, damp patches, were appearing
on the front of her blouse, and his eyes widened, as he reached a handkerchief
from a jacket pocket, to mop her off - cover her up – do something ! “What’s
the matter, Beth?!” She frowned slightly. “ It’s the baby crying down the
street – I’m afraid it’s one of those things, I can’t control, Adam...” She
looked up at him, helplessly, and he understood. He pulled off his suit jacket,
very gallantly, and pulled it around her shoulders. “ Come on, sweetheart.
Let’s get back to Widow Hawkins place…”
When they arrived back in their room,
Beth rummaged around her suitcase, looking for her breast pump. It wasn’t there
: She’d forgotten to pack that one, important item. She looked to Adam
forlornly. “Can you go buy me one, Adam?” He rolled his eyes. “ Oh. Alright.
I’ll be right back…” He ambled down the stairs…
He checked Cass’ General Store and Emporium,
first, and couldn’t see one, so quickly exited out of there, and went into the
next general store he came across. Several women were shopping in the tiny
store, so he sidled up to the counter, and spoke to the elderly shopkeeper, in
a low whisper. “ Do you have any breast pumps?” The shopkeeper held his hand up
to his ear. “What’s that, sonny ?” Adam repeated it again, in a slightly higher
volume. “ I need a breast pump - do you have any ?” The old man shook his head.
“ Sorry, I don’t even know what a ‘test lump’ is…” Adam rolled his eyes, then
shook his head. “No, not ‘test lump’ – ‘breast pump’ - Breast Pump - BREAST
PUMP !” With each repetition, his voice had gotten louder, and louder, and the
women in the store just turned, in absolute shock, to stare at him, and one of
them commented, very brusquely, “ Well -
I never !” The old shopkeeper was also totally taken aback. “No need to yell,
sonny. I ain’t totally deaf, you know. If you needed
a breast pump, why didn’t you just say that, in the first place ?!” He reached
under the wooden counter, and placed the item, impatiently, onto its glass top.
Adam was so embarrassed – at that point - he just reached into a pocket,
grabbed a five dollar bill, and just hurled it at the man. “ That should cover
it – thanks !” He scooped the item up in one hand, and left the store at a
gallop... “Hey, Mister, don’t you want
your change? They only cost fifty cents!
Mister ? ” His voice had gone unheard…
Adam just charged back down the street,
rushed through the boarding house’s front door, flew across the lobby, then ran up the stairs – two at a time – to get to the
second floor. He dashed down the hallway, then threw open the door to their
room . It closed behind him, as he leaned against it, then he slid slowly to
the floor, totally out of breath. He turned his eyes up, to look at Beth, then
he held out his hand, as he practically panted, “Here’s your breast pump…”
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, there was
a scene of chaos in Ben Cartwright’s
great room. Even though Beth had told him the babies would be happy with just a
bottle at bedtime, the three Cartwright men had decided to take it upon
themselves to feed Wyatt, Shane and Rosie some ‘real food’, before settling
them off to bed. How hard could it be, right? For each spoonful of food that
was offered to each tiny mouth, about half of it came back out again. Ben
patiently scooped it up, and just shoved it back in, like the seasoned Pa that
he was. Hoss was totally amazed by it all, having
never fed a baby before. “ Dadburn it Pa. Was I ever
like this ?! I can’t believe I ever spat
out everything, the way Shane here does…” Joe was struggling to feed Rosie. She
was far more interested in her Uncle Joe’s nose, and ears, and kept grabbing at
them. Each time Joe protested, the baby girl just went off into gales of
giggles: Joe was so easy that way… By
the time they’d each managed to get about two thirds of the meals, into each of
the babies, Ben decided they were probably nearly full, and suggested just
giving each of them their bottle. Sarah offered to get them, and soon returned
from the kitchen, carrying the three tiny, nippled,
vessels. They each settled back in their chairs, and the babies were soon each
drinking contentedly. Hoss looked up at his Pa, and
just grinned. “ I could have one of these, Pa…” Ben just smiled at his son. “
Hopefully, one day, you will, Hoss…” Joe looked to
his brother, and there was a teasing tone in his voice, when he spoke. “ You
need to get married, to do that Hoss. Do you have
anybody in mind ? ” Hoss looked to his little
brother, and blushed. “ Ah, you know what I mean, Joe. They’re so doggone cute,
ain’t they?” The big man bent his head, and gently kissed his little nephew on his
forehead. A while later, once each of the babies had been changed, and had
their little faces and hands washed, the three Cartwright men carried the three
Cartwright babies upstairs, to their cradles, in Ben’s room.
Back in Virginia City, Adam and Beth had
decided to call it a night, too. Once they’d both gotten undressed, and Beth
had pulled on her nightgown, they sat down on opposite edges of the little bed.
Adam glanced around. “ Do we sleep ‘left to right’, or ‘right to left’, on this thing ?” Beth just
laughed, as she laid back. “ I don’t think it really matters – but we’ll be
turning in unison, for sure – or we’ll both end up on the floor !” As Adam lay
down beside her, the bed gave out a loud squeak. As if testing it, Adam made a
few more subtle moves. With each move he made, the bed squeaked loudly. He just
sighed. “Oh, great. ‘Sound affects’…” He heard Beth’s soft laughter, beside
him, in the darkness of the room. “This
isn’t the way I envisioned our ‘holiday weekend’, Beth…” She just reached her
arms tenderly around him. “ Come here, ‘cowboy’ – let’s make our OWN ‘sound
affects’…..” “ YAA HOO !!! ”
Ben was awakened, the next morning, by a
baby’s cry. His eyes popped open and, for just a moment, he thought he was
dreaming – then he remembered. He rolled over in his big bed, and peered over
its edge. It was Wyatt. Within moments, he’d woken up his two siblings, then
they all cried in chorus. Ben had barely gotten out of bed, to attend to his
grandchildren, when his door was thrown open, by Hoss.
“ What’s up, Pa? Why are they crying so loud
?!” Ben reached Wyatt into Hoss’s arms.
“Babies sometimes cry, Hoss. That’s why. Give me a
hand, will ya?” Joe was the next family member to
amble into Ben’s room. He scratched his tousled head, and yawned, as he rubbed
his stomach, sleepily. “ What’s going on ? Can’t a guy get some sleep in this
house?” That question was answered by Ben, thrusting Shane into his arms. “Not
when there’s three hungry babies in residence – let’s go !” Ben reached a
sobbing Rosie into his embrace, and
gently patted her back, as they all headed downstairs, to begin their day…It
was five a.m.
Ben led the way to the settee. “ First
things first, boys - we have to change them…” He glanced around to see one
shocked face. Joe just groaned. “We ‘changed’ them last night, Pa – isn’t that
good enough? Heck, we only clean the horse’s stalls once a day…” Ben looked at
his son in absolute disbelief: that boy’s education really was lacking, when it
came to some things. “Joseph – get a clean diaper, and just change him –
alright ?” Ben muttered under his breath, as he laid Rosie down, to change her,
and Joe - thinking that taking the ‘high road’ was the way to go here - just
did as he was told… Hoss – who had witnessed the
whole conversation between his Pa, and younger brother, was practically reduced
to tears, as he tried to cover his laughter…
Back in Virginia City, in Widow
Hawkins’s boarding house, the morning was starting well, in Adam and Beth’s
room…Adam had been awakened by the soft touch of Beth’s lips, on his. “ Good morning, sleepyhead.” He
looked up into her blue eyes, and just smiled, as he kissed her back. He’d
taken her into his arms, and her hair had fallen down his chest, as they kissed
again. It was just getting ‘interesting’ - a minute or so later - when their
door suddenly flew wide open. Adam’s head shot up, and he blinked in the sudden
harsh light, from the hallway. “ WHAT THE… !!!”
As his eyes focused, he recognized the Widow Hawkins, standing in their
doorway, surrounded by the glaring light – like some kind of weird halo - and
she held a massive serving tray in front of her. “ ’Mornin, folks.
Can’t begin our day on an empty stomach, can we now ?!” She barged into the room,
as Adam scrambled to cover himself, in absolute disbelief of the woman. She
hustled over to Adam’s side of their bed. “Sit up straight, my son.” Totally bewildered, he did what he was told,
and could only manage to blurt out “ But
- WIDOW HAWKINS !!!” She shook her head.
“Now, now, no need to thank me, Adam. Just a little service I provide
for me first time guests...” She plunked the tray onto his lap. “ We seem
to ’ave a lump
in the bed…” she commented, and pounded the tray a few times, to get rid of it.
Adam’s eyes were the size of saucers – and Beth just couldn’t say anything. She
just collapsed into fits of laughter.
After a few more moments, of ‘pounding adjustment’ - the Widow seemed satisfied the ‘lump’ was
almost gone…“ Ah – that’s much better ! Got you a nice full English breakfast
’ere – nice big sausages, blood pudding, ’aggis and a
nice big pot of tea ! ’ope you enjoy it !” She flounced out of the room again,
then closed the door. Adam’s eyes had returned to their normal size, again, as
he guardedly raised the bed covers, to check for any ‘damage’… “ That
woman…I’ll live, I guess… But I don’t even like tea –and what the hell is
‘blood pudding’ and ‘ ’aggis’, anyhow?!” Beth grinned at her husband – with her
Scottish roots, she knew. When she explained it to him, he just rolled his
eyes. “I think I’ll just stick with the sausages, thanks…” and, reaching for a
fork, he jabbed the end of one, into his mouth, and took a big bite. Beth tried
hard not to smile at him, again…he’d been through enough, already.
As they finished their meals, a few
minutes later, Adam glanced to Beth as she reached for the breast pump, and one
of the empty coffee cups. He suddenly realized how tired she looked. “ Didn’t you sleep well last night,
Beth? I slept like a baby…” Beth nodded in reply, then yawned.. “ I slept just fine, when my body
wasn’t waking me up, to feed three hungry babies. This pump was put to good use
last night, a couple of times…” Adam considered her statement for a few
moments, then felt a bit guilty. “We can go home today, Beth, if you want to. I
realize, now, it must be hard for you…” She looked to her husband, and her eyes
softened. “ It’s not just the whole nursing thing, Adam, and having to use this
pump every few hours. I just really miss them...even more than I thought I
would.” Adam reached his hand out to gently caress her cheek, then leaned to
kiss her. “ I know what you mean. I kind of miss them, too. How about we just
head home, later this morning ?” Beth smiled, and then nodded in agreement.
********************
Laura Dayton drew her horse to a stop at
the end of Adam and Beth’s drive, early that morning. As she drove her buggy between the paddocks,
that lined each side of the laneway, the horses in them would amble over to
greet the strange, visiting horse. Some of them would reach their heads over
the top railings, snuffling a greeting, while a couple of the horses trotted
up, then spun, and just kicked out with their hind legs – in defiance – then
wheeled away again, snorting and bucking, as they left. When she pulled her
horse to a stop, near the doorway of the large home, it was very quiet. She
hesitated, but for just a moment. It seemed like no one was at home. This fact,
all at once, suited her just fine…
She climbed down from the buggy, and
approached the entrance cautiously, as she glanced around. She tapped lightly
at the door, and when she got no answer, went inside. She walked through the
great room, picking up items here and there : a picture of Adam and Beth
–obviously on their wedding day. A tiny, pink, stuffed elephant sat in one of
the leather winged chairs. She reached for it, then raised it to her face. It
was scented like a baby, freshly out of her bath. One of Beth’s shawls was
draped over the back of the chesterfield. She lifted it up – perused it
momentarily - then discarded it, absently, onto the floor. She continued on
walking around the large, great room –picking up, then carefully replacing
items, here and there - taking in every detail of them, as she did so. Then,
she glanced to the stairs. In a moment, she was climbing them, as she made her
way to the second floor.
She walked along the carpeted hallway, and
peered into each room. Two of them were already set up, ready to be used by the
babies, once they were old enough to leave their parents room, and move into
their own. The first room was definitely set up for a little girl: with pink
gingham curtains, and matching gingham quilt, on a tiny child’s crib, that had
been painted sparkling white. Several stuffed toys sat on a small shelf, on one
wall. In the second room was a set of beautifully carved, wooden cribs – no
doubt, by Adam’s hands – already made up for two little boys, in warm,
homespun, earth tones. When she got to the second last bedroom, at the end of
the long hallway, she realized it belonged to their eldest child, Sarah. The
furnishings were simple, yet tasteful. The window was draped in light blue
curtains, that matched the mostly blue toned quilt, which covered the bed. The
ribbon Sarah had won, and the accompanying trophy, from the Championship Barrel
Race win, the previous summer, was still proudly displayed on top of the chest
of drawers. She realized that each of the previous children’s rooms had family
portraits in them of Adam, Beth and their four children, and this room was no
exception, as far as that went. As she exited Sarah’s room, she noticed the
last room at the very end of the hallway had an impressive double doorway. She
pushed them open to reveal the opulent Master bedroom suite. A large,
comfortable looking, darkly and richly stained ‘sleigh bed’ sat off to one
side, and a brass and crystal oil lamp chandelier hung, suspended, from the
middle of the ceiling. A large
fieldstone fireplace sat installed against one wall. There was a generous sized
sitting area, at one end of the massive room, with two large, over stuffed,
leather arm chairs and a low coffee table. On that coffee table sat the same
framed family portrait she’d seen in the children’s rooms. She reached her hand
out to it, tentatively, then, reactively, just knocked over that picture of
those six smiling faces. Each of the chairs had a small side table, and an
opened book rested casually on one of them. Matching, darkly stained armoires,
bracketed the large bed, and a small mirrored vanity table sat off to one side.
She pulled each armoire open, in turn. One was filled with Beth’s clothes and the other was filled
with the familiar, mostly black wardrobe, of Adam’s. She reached for one of the
black shirts, and ran one of the heavy, black cotton sleeves of the garment,
lightly across her face. It smelled slightly of his cologne…A third, smaller
armoire, sat against another part of the wall, to one side. She opened it to
reveal several shelves filled with stacks of tiny outfits, apparently lovingly
arranged into ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ outfits. She looked longingly at them, then
ran one hand thoughtfully across a stack of tiny pink sleepers, picked one up,
then closed the doors, with a sigh. Laura walked to the large window of the
room, pulled the lacy curtains to one side, and looked out over Lake Tahoe. The
sun shimmered on the surface of the lake. The snow capped mountains, with their
pine tree covered lower slopes, on its opposite shore, stood like silent
sentries. The breeze, that brushed past her face, through the opened window,
was pleasantly cooling. The lovely view should have made her feel good – it
only made her feel suddenly angry, and resentful. She headed downstairs again
and – as an after thought – reached for that tiny,
pink, stuffed elephant, to take with her, too…
********************
Ben, the boys, and Sarah, had managed to
get the babies fed that morning, without too much trouble. Once they’d been
safely propped up, in Ben’s large winged chair by the fireplace - for ‘safe
keeping’, and so they could be easily supervised – the rest of the Cartwrights sat down to eat their breakfasts. Joe had gone into the kitchen, to get the
cream. In all the rush, of the busy morning, it had been forgotten, when the
table was laid. He grabbed a small glass jug out of the pantry, and headed back
to the dining room with it. As he sat down again, he reached it over his coffee
cup, and poured in a generous amount. Just as he was raising the cup to his
lips, Sarah glanced up. She looked to Joe, then looked to the familiar small
jug. He had already taken several large gulps, and lowered his cup to his
saucer again, as he continued his meal. Sarah wasn’t sure if she should say
anything or not, but… She excused herself from the table, and grabbed the tiny
jug, to take with her. She disappeared into the kitchen, then soon returned
with another small jug, filled with cream, and plunked it down by Joe, again.
“Thanks, Sarah. But the other cream was just fine…” Sarah just looked to her
Uncle. “That wasn’t cream, Joe. It was my Ma’s breast milk.” After shooting off that cannonball, she sat down again, and
calmly continued with her meal. Ben and Hoss just
grinned, at Joe’s reaction : the colour had started to slowly drain from his face. A moment
later, he leapt up from the table, and suddenly bolted outside…The grins turned
to laughter, as Joe closed the door behind himself. When he returned – a few
minutes later - he looked to be pretty well back to normal. Discretion being
the better part of valor – no one said anything to him. He grabbed a fresh cup,
then poured himself some more coffee. He took it black, this time – just in
case…
When Adam and Beth reached Ben’s place,
early in the afternoon, and entered through the front door, Wyatt, Shane and
Rosie all turned in recognition of their voices. The trio was sat, playing with
Sarah, on the runner mat, just inside the doorway. Three sets of happy little
arms reached out for their parents, and there were smiles, and giggles, as
their parents scooped them up, into their embrace. Beth lifted up Rosie, and
Adam had grabbed the two boys – one in each arm – as the rest of the Cartwrights had heard their return, and started to reappear
from various areas of the house. Sarah joined the happy group, as she hugged
each of her parents. As they made their greetings, Wyatt was suddenly drawn to
his Pa’s hat. He pulled it off, and plunked it down onto his own head. Adam
laughed out loud, as the hat drooped low enough to completely cover Wyatt’s
whole face, which made the young baby giggle, even more. Adam lifted the hat
off, and tossed it casually onto the side board, as he grinned at his sons.
Rosie was interested in one thing, and started pushing her little mouth against
her Mama’s bosom. In the last few weeks, Beth had been able to make the
transition from ‘bottle fed’ to ‘breast fed’, as the baby had gotten much
stronger, since she was born, and was able to nurse easily, now. Beth smiled as
she gently kissed the little girl. “Adam, how about I go nurse the babies,
while you get their stuff ready, to go back home again?” He nodded in reply, as
he carried the two boys to the guestroom, for her, then closed the door quietly behind him, as he left them there.
Ben smiled at his son. “How was it ? Did
you have a good time ?” Adam smiled slowly. “ Well, if you call dried out
sandwiches for dinner, me scrambling
around Virginia City looking for a breast pump, then spending the night in
Widow Hawkins’s Boarding House – the two of us, in a single bed - a ‘good time’ then, yeah, we had a ‘good time’…” Ben’s eyes widened a
little. “ Widow. Hawkins. Boarding. House.? Why THERE ?!” He’d made the statement, like each
word was a complete sentence. As Adam explained about the convention in town –
‘International Association of Buggy Whip Manufacturers’ - and how all the hotels
were booked solid, because of that, Hoss just tilted
his head thoughtfully, to one side. “They have an ‘association’ ?!” Adam just
sighed, and replied “Exactly…and their numbers are legion…” Then he glanced
around to his Pa, and brothers. “How did
you all make out – no problems, I guess ?” Ben just shrugged. “No - No problems at all.” Hoss and Joe just looked to their Pa, and smiled knowingly.
With that comment, they all got busy gathering up the babies’ things, and
loading them onto the buckboard, as Adam hitched up his team of Belle and Beau
once again, before they headed home. Adam and Beth both decided that – due to
the young age of the babies – that Sarah would stay home, for this cattle
drive, to help out her Ma. This was met with some resistance, on Sarah’s part.
Her hazel eyes had the same fire in them, that Adam’s had, when he was angry,
when she was told of the ‘change in plans’. “That’s not fair Pa ! You always
said ‘nothing would change’ – that I’d always be your best helper ! Why can’t I
go ?!” Adam glanced to Beth, then looked to Sarah again. “Sometimes things
change, Sarah. We can’t control that. This is one of those times.” Sarah looked
from her Pa to her Ma, in exasperation, and headed for the stairs. She ran up
them, towards her room. Adam shook his head slowly, as he followed her. “That’s
child’s temper, sometimes…” When he got to Sarah’s room, and opened the door,
she sat with her back to him. “Look, Sarah. It’s different now – you have your
Ma, and three siblings, to consider. Plus all the live stock. Helping to look after
all of them is more important than any other job you could do, on this ranch,
right now. Now, please, just do as I
ask.” He turned to go, and heard Sarah’s little voice behind him. “Can I go
next time?” He paused, then without
turning around, he replied, simply. “Yes.” He suddenly felt his daughter’s arms
wrap around his waist. All had been forgiven, apparently. “Okay, Pa”.
Adam rode over to ask Hop Sing if he’d mind helping Beth out, while they
were all away. Hop Sing agreed that helping to look after babies, and keeping
Beth company, was probably an easier job than dealing with a lot of ‘cowhands’
complaints about the chow.’ Adam had to agree, there.
Early
on that Monday morning, Adam said his final goodbyes, and gave the final hugs,
to his young family, then set out for the northern end, of the large ranch,
where the ‘market herd’ was
contained, in the massive corrals, waiting for the drive to begin.
There was a light mist that had settled,
and still hung, in the lower lying, valley areas, of the ranch, as he rode
along. The sun had barely risen over the distant hills, as he reached the
holding corrals area. Adam and his Pa took their regular places – to ride
‘point’ - ahead of the large herd, while
Hoss and Joe fell back to help control the flanks.
The order was given to open the large gates, of each corral, and move the herd
forward. A grand total of three thousand head –approximately two thousand, two
hundred and fifty tons of ‘beef on the hoof’ – started to swarm into a
‘mooing’, earth pounding, and dust-cloud-raising, mass. With
Sport ‘dancing’ a little, under him - feeling the excitement in the air - Adam
stood in his stirrups, as he shaded his eyes with one hand, to survey the
massive herd, which seemed to practically stretch to the horizon. His lifted
his hat - with that silver studded hat band, of his - and raised it, as high
into the air as he could reach, and gave it a wave. The early morning sun
glinted, on each of those silver studs, as he did so. Then he gave the single,
shouted order : “ HEAD ’EM UP -
MOVE ’EM OUT !!!” He heard the faint echo, of that command, as
it was repeated - over and over again - as the instruction was passed down the
flanks of the herd – to each cowhand – till it finally reached the back of that
mass, to the last of the drovers, that were ‘bringing up the rear’. The cattle
drive had begun…
Beth was relieved to see Hop Sing arrive
just after lunch, that day, as he reined old Betsy to a stop, in the barnyard,
then dismounted. When she was first back with Adam, the previous fall, and had
moved onto the Ponderosa, her and Hop Sing had become fast friends. She found
that he would share his kitchen - a little -
if she didn’t get too ‘territorial’ about it… On entering their home,
Hop Sing was greeted by Sarah with open arms. Since her time living with her Grampa Ben, Pa and Uncles, he really had become like
another Uncle to her, in many ways. He could be a strict man, yes, who would
take no nonsense from her. But he was not above giving a special little treat
to her, either, of whatever he’d been baking, while she was at school.
Beth had just come downstairs, after
putting the triplets down for a nap, when Hop Sing arrived. “I’m so glad you
could come, Hop Sing – it sure will make my life a lot easier, while Adam’s
away.” He smiled broadly. “Hop Sing want to help good friend. And Mister Adam.”
She escorted him to one of the guest rooms, and left him to unpack, while she
got busy in the kitchen, washing the dishes. After he was unpacked, and settled
in his room, he’d soon joined her, to help out, as he reached for a tea towel.
As they stood working together, the conversation got around to Adam’s meeting
with Laura Dayton, in town, just a couple of weeks prior. As Beth told him of
Laura’s daughter’s death, Hop Sing shook his head sadly. “That sad. Miss Peggy was nice little girl - Miss Laura, not so much.” Beth was surprised
at that statement. Hop Sing usually kept his thoughts to himself when it came
to discussing the Cartwrights’ friends and
acquaintances. Hop Sing could see the
surprise, in Beth’s face, as he looked to her. “Miss Laura hurt Mr. Adam. She
startle him - make him fall from roof – could not walk for while. She leave him
for Will. He not good man, like Mister Adam. Hop Sing not trust her…” Beth
considered that for a few moments. “ Love can be complicated sometimes, Hop Sing.
I’d like to have her over to visit, though. I think that when a woman has lost
a child, she needs friendship, and support, not judgment.” Hop Sing shook his
head. “ Love not so ‘complicated’, Beth
– if you not love anymore, you tell person. You not go behind back…”
Another week went by. The Cartwrights, and their ranch hands, had driven the herd
about halfway to their destination of Sacramento, California. Mile upon mile of
unrelenting dust and heat. They were doing well, though. They moved the herd slowly,
yet deliberately – not wanting any of the cattle to lose any more weight than
they had to .They’d only lost one older cow, so far, carried off in a raging
river crossing, and one bandy legged yearling calf - who broke a leg, going
down a steep embankment – which, at least,
provided fresh meat for the men : a welcome change from the usual ‘trail
grub’. As long as they had ample grass, and water, at the end of the ‘trail
day’ - and their good fortune, and luck, held out – the return on the sale, of
the herd, would be quite lucrative. Beth and Hop Sing had settled into a
routine of looking after the babies, together, with Sarah’s help. They were all
getting on well – though it went without saying that his young family did miss
Adam.
Beth had suggested, on that first
Monday, following the beginning of the drive, that they go into town to get
some much needed supplies, and fresh air. Hop Sing hitched Belle and Beau to
the buckboard, then Beth loaded up the triplets, in the back of the large
wagon, with Sarah, before they set off. After a long drive, they pulled to a
stop in front of Cass’s General Store and Emporium. Once she dismounted from
the driver’s seat, beside Hop Sing, Beth reached the babies out – one each into
the arms of Sarah, Hop Sing and herself. Mr. Cass smiled, and looked over his
reading glasses at them, as they all entered his store. “ How are you, Beth,
and how’s that lovely young family of yours doing ?” He moved to gently ruffle
the hair, of each of the triplets, and they smiled, and cooed at him, as he did
so. He turned to Sarah. “ And how are you, young lady?” She just grinned, in
reply. Beth reached the list of the needed supplies to him. “ We’re all fine thanks, Mr. Cass. But
this family of mine surely goes through the groceries fast, even though Adam’s
not even home, right now. He’s out on a cattle drive, for a few weeks. We have
a pretty lengthy list, of what we need !” A young blonde woman, in the store,
over heard the conversation, and turned to look. It was Laura Dayton, and she
recognized Hop Sing. “Hop Sing, how are you?” she asked, extending her hand. He
ignored her hand, and just looked away, so she turned quickly to Beth. “ You
must be Adam’s wife, Beth. I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure, have we ?”
Beth smiled at the woman. “ No – I dare say we haven’t. And you are ?” Laura
shook her hand. “ Laura. Laura Dayton. How do you do ?” Beth gripped the
woman’s hand warmly. “So nice to finally
meet you, Laura. Adam told me of the recent loss of your daughter. I am so very
sorry.” Laura’s eyes gazed off for a moment or two, then she turned them back
to Beth again. “Yes, it’s been very hard. But you have to go on, don’t you?”
Beth nodded in agreement. “ I suppose you do…” she hesitated, then “ Laura, how
would you like to come to dinner on Saturday, with us ? We don’t get many
visitors out our way, and I’d enjoy the company. Do you know how to get to my and Adam’s home ?” Laura just nodded. “ It’s at
‘Bourne’s Meadow, by the lake, isn’t it ?” Beth nodded, then smiled again. “Yes,
that’s right. Shall we say Saturday, three o’clock ? That will give us some
time to visit, too.” Laura nodded once. “ Three o’clock is just fine. I’ll see
you then !” With that, Laura left the store, and Hop Sing just shook his head
at Beth. He didn’t even have to say it….
The few days before the dinner went by
quickly. The day before, Beth had been kept busy baking – she wanted it to be
special for Laura. When Saturday afternoon rolled around, Beth greeted Laura
warmly, when she saw her pull her buggy to a stop in the barnyard. “ So glad
you’re here, Laura. Won’t you come inside ?” She led the woman into the great
room. Sarah and the triplets were seated in a long row, on the settee, to greet
their visitor. Laura went down the row, starting with Wyatt and Shane. “ Oh, my
! Don’t they look just like Adam!” She
was practically gushing, then she saw Rosie. “ She really does look more and
more like you, Beth, every time I see her ! May I pick her up ?!” Beth just smiled
proudly at the woman. “ Of course – she loves being made a fuss of. ” Laura
picked up the tiny girl, then turned to Sarah, who had been just sitting
quietly, beside her younger brothers and sister. “Any how are you Sarah?” The
young girl studied the woman for a few moments – she’d overheard who she was,
and also what she’d done to her Pa, in the past and – frankly – she just didn’t
like the woman, based on that. “I’m
fine, Miss Dayton. Thank you.” Beth looked to her daughter, and gently
corrected her. “It’s ‘Mrs.’
Dayton, Sarah.” Sarah just frowned. “ But she’s a widow, Ma. How can she still
be a ‘Mrs.’?” Beth looked a little embarrassed, at that comment, and her cheeks
had flushed a little, when Laura suddenly stepped in, with the answer to her
question. “That’s very true, Sarah. But I prefer ‘Mrs.’, none the less.” Beth
felt it was time to change the subject. “Can I offer you some tea, Laura ? I
just made a fresh pot.” Laura’s gaze went from Sarah, to Beth’s face again. “
Yes please, Beth. That sounds lovely.” The two women left to continue their
visit in the kitchen, just as Hop Sing came down the staircase, with his arms
full of laundry, and then glanced to Sarah.
“ Miss Laura - she arrive ?” Sarah nodded.“ Yeah – just a couple of
minutes ago. My Pa always told me not to judge people too harshly, but I just
don’t like her, Hop Sing.” She turned
her hazel eyes up to him, and he gently cupped her chin, momentarily, in his
hand, then nodded. “Your Pa is wise man, Miss Sarah, and often right – but Miss
Laura make it easy for people to judge her, based on past.”
Beth watched as Laura fussed over Rosie,
and played with the little girl, between sips of her tea. “ Laura, have you ever considered getting
married again? You seem to be so good with children - it would be a shame to
perhaps deny yourself the chance of having another child.” Laura smiled slowly,
and got a far away look in her eyes, as if
remembering. “I have thought of it Beth, yes. But it’s hard to find the right
man, isn’t it?” Beth smiled. “Yes, I suppose it is. I was lucky – I met Adam in
college. We’d been courting for several months, and wanted to be married, when
I got pregnant with Sarah. I’m afraid my parents ruined it for us, though. I
believed their poison about Adam, and they sent me away, in their anger, and Adam
and I lost contact. I actually gave Sarah up, to my Aunt, to take care of - a
move I regretted, just about from the first day…” Her voice trailed off, at the
memory of it all. “ But, by a stroke of luck, fate – whatever you want to call
it – Adam and I eventually found each other again, and we couldn’t be happier
than we are right now. It could be that way for you again, Laura, I’m sure.”
Just at that moment, Sarah walked into
the kitchen, carrying Shane. “ Ma, Shane and Wyatt are starting to fuss a little.
I think they may be hungry.” Beth glanced to the clock on the mantle, above the
kitchen’s fireplace. “You’re right, sweetie – I lost track of the time. Can you
get Wyatt for me please, Sarah – I hope you don’t mind, Laura?” She smiled, as she gave Rosie a warm hug. “
Of course not –babies have to be fed, don’t they?” Within a very few minutes,
three hungry babies were eating. The two boys, at their Mama’s bosom, and Laura
was feeding Rosie, from a bottle. As she fed the baby, and looked into that
sweet face, with those bright blue eyes – softly framed by her auburn hair -
she got a sudden, very familiar, yearning…
When their own dinner was finished, a
couple of hours later, Laura helped Beth feed the babies their dinner, too.
Laura was completely taken by the triplets, and couldn’t stop from smiling, as
she spoon fed Rosie some cereal. As fast as she put it in, the baby was
giggling, and gurgling, and dribbling it out again, as she was far more
interested in playing with Laura’s long, blonde, hair. Beth had sat Shane and
Wyatt side by side, in their high chairs, beside her. She laughed, as she raised a spoonful up to
Wyatt’s mouth. “ That Rosie – I’m surprised she grows at all, some days. To
her, most mealtimes are play times ! You should see Adam with her, though. For
some reason, despite all her playing, he seems to be able to get most of her
meal into her!” In her mind’s eye, Laura
could see Adam – her handsome ex, feeding his baby girl – and she got that
familiar, yearning feeling, all over again…
Another
week went by, and Laura and Beth were becoming quite good friends, after having
dinner together a couple of times, and visiting back and forth. The Cartwrights, and their ranch hands, had safely delivered
the herd to Sacramento and, after only losing a couple of head of cattle, to
accidents, had received a bank draft worth forty five thousand dollars – a good
return, for sure.
The
four Cartwrights sat in one of the many saloons, of
Sacramento, and were each enjoying a nice, cold beer, after the two week drive.
A piano was tinkling in one corner of the busy saloon, and several of their
ranch hands were drinking, and socializing, with the saloon girls. Adam sighed,
as he lowered his beer mug down to the table top, again, and noticed Little Joe
noticing every girl in the saloon. “Now, you better be careful, Joe. There’s
not a woman in here, that wouldn’t eat you alive…” Ben and Hoss
both grinned in agreement, but made no comment. Joe shoved his hat back on his
head, a little, as he made eye contact with one of the lovelies. “ Aw, you’re
just jealous, Adam. I know just what I’m doing…” He went to stand up, and Ben
reached out one strong arm, to stop him, and hauled him back down into his seat
again. “I don’t want you getting into any trouble, in this town, Little Joe.
You’ll finish your beer – have some dinner – then an early night. It’s still a long ride home, remember…” Joe
heard both Adam and Hoss chuckle softly, at him, at
their Pa’s comment. “ Can’t a guy have any fun, Pa ?!” Adam just shook his
head, and smiled broadly. “ It appears not, little brother.” Joe was practically pouting, as he raised his
beer one more time, and took a swig. “ It’s okay for you, Adam – you’ve got
Beth, at home, waiting for you…” Adam just grinned at his young brother. “Yeah
– I know.”
They made an early start of it the following
morning. A ride that had taken them two full weeks – driving the herd of three
thousand cattle, down a specially selected trail – took them considerably less
time, going back home again. Adam rode into his own barnyard at about noon time
of the sixth day. He swung down off of Sports back, then led him into the barn.
Sarah was there, cleaning stalls. She propped her
pitchfork, and ran to her Pa, on seeing him. “ Pa, I’m so glad you’re home !”
Adam hugged his girl. “It’s good to be home, Sarah. How are you ? And how are
your Ma, and the babies ? Hope you looked after all of them, for me...” and he
winked at his daughter.“ Oh, I did, Pa, and I’m fine… But, Ma’s made a new
friend…” Adam stood Sport up in the aisle, then flipped the saddle’s fender
over the saddle seat, and yanked the cinch knot undone. “ Oh ? A new friend,
hey ? Well, that’s good – I’m sure she gets a little lonely out here,
sometimes, for another woman’s company… Is she anybody I know ?” Then he heard
the answer from behind him. “ Yeah, Pa. It’s Mrs. Dayton.” Adam just rolled his
eyes, as he yanked the cinch leather undone : of all the names Sarah could have
mentioned, that was the one he hadn’t wanted to hear. He hauled off Sport’s
saddle, and after turning him out into one of the paddocks, headed for the
house. On entering their home, he pulled off his jacket, and holster, then
tossed his hat on the side board. He
glanced around the great room, then called out. “Beth ?” He heard her voice
float in from the kitchen. “In here, Adam !” He entered the kitchen to see Beth
wrist deep in bread dough. He kissed her cheek, as he reached her. “ I hope you
have lots of hot water – I sure could use a bath.” She smiled at him, then
nodded towards the fire place at a large, black, steaming cauldron. “ With three babies, don’t I always ?!” He grinned,
as he pulled the hip bath from a small alcove, then started filling it. Once it
was filled, he stripped off his dirty trail clothes, and lowered himself in.
After hearing all the latest on the family, and on the triplets: they were all
sitting up on their own now, and were even trying to crawl – though they didn’t get more than a couple of
‘strides’ before collapsing again, being still kind of small to do that. And they seemed to be all starting to cut
their teeth, too. Adam smiled. “ That’s great, Beth. I did miss them…I missed
all of you.” He glanced up at her, and she smiled down at him. “ And we missed
you too, sweetheart. They’re upstairs napping. I’m sure once you’ve finished
your bath, they’ll be awake again.”
After Adam had finished bathing and
shaving, and got dressed again, they crept upstairs. On entering their bedroom,
Adam was surprised at what he saw. It seemed to him that they’d grown, just in
the three weeks he was away. He reached one arm gently around Beth’s waist, as
he gazed down at the three of them. “ It looks like they’ve just about outgrown
their cradles, Beth…” She sighed. “I know. I’ve thought that for a while, now…”
Adam knew he would have to be the one to ‘make the suggestion’. “Well, you know
sweetheart – we do have their cribs, set up in their own rooms. Maybe it’s
time…” She just looked up at him hopefully. “Yes, I know… One more night?” Adam
took her into his arms, and smiled, as he kissed the top of her auburn haired
head. “ Oh, okay – ‘one more night’ it is..”
********************
Laura read the first paragraph, for the
third time, on the page of the book she was holding. Tossing it down onto the
small table beside her chair, she sighed, then stood, and walked to the window of her living room. She pulled
the curtains to one side, to see the sunset over the hills, in the distance,
and imagined that view - of that sunset - from Adam’s bedroom… She shuddered a
little, as a thrill ran up her spine. Releasing the curtains once more, they
fell across the window again, obscuring the view. She walked aimlessly around
the room, lost in her thoughts, till she noticed the tiny pink elephant, with the
matching pink sleeper, which she had borrowed from Adam’s home. Raising the
items to her face, she enjoyed the fuzzy, extreme softness of them against her
cheek, and the light baby-like scent of them. She closed her eyes, and let that
scent envelope her, to her very soul. She was not surprised to feel sudden
tears in her eyes, as she said, very softly.
“ Oh, Adam…why….” A moment later, she held the items at arm’s length
again, and smiled at the little pink sleeper. She found herself taking very
tentative dance steps, like the sleeper was her tiny partner. As the dance
continued, she danced in swirling circles, and she found herself laughing,
giddily, out loud. What any normal person would have considered to be a very
dark thought, indeed, suddenly – for Laura - blossomed into a very viable plan…
********************
Another week went by. Hop Sing had
returned to the ‘other home’, on the Ponderosa. The triplets had been
successfully moved into their new bedrooms. Sarah had settled back into the
school routine, again, after a couple of weeks of being back there. Adam fell
back into his own routine, also, after the long cattle drive, doing his various
chores around the large ranch, shared with his Pa, Hoss,
Joe and the ranch hands. Most of the work, in that very early autumn season,
entailed riding the fence lines – to be sure they were still secure - and
checking the line shacks, to be sure they were in good repair, and were well
stocked in firewood, and non perishable food supplies, in case they became
needed – in an emergency - during the long winter ahead. The remainder of their
cattle herd was moved down into the lower pasture areas, of the large ranch,
where the grass was still pretty plentiful, and the land was more sheltered,
from the possible winter storms ahead.
Beth had invited Laura, again, for
dinner, that Friday evening. Although Adam had his own thoughts about the
woman, he kept them to himself. He realized that Beth needed her own friends,
as much as he needed his, so he thought it was better to just let sleeping dogs
lie.
Adam glanced up from his book, he’d been
reading, by the great room’s fireplace, as Laura knocked at the door that
evening. Before he could even stand up, to answer it, Beth rushed in from the
kitchen, drying her hands in a tea towel. She threw the door open, and greeted
Laura warmly. “ Hello, Laura – so glad you could come – won’t you come in ?”
Laura tossed a long, lingering glance, to Adam, and he caught it… “ Oh, I
wouldn’t miss it, Beth – I do so enjoy our time together !” Adam snapped his book closed, and stood to
walk over to the two of them. He bowed his head, just for a moment, in
acknowledgment, “ Laura…”, then turned to Beth. “ I’ll go get the babies up,
sweetheart.” As Adam headed for the stairs, he felt he was being watched. He
glanced back, just for a moment. He hadn’t been wrong. Beth had turned, to head
back to the kitchen once more, but Laura had lingered behind, and was watching
his every step. He found himself shuddering, a little, as he mounted the
stairs, and headed for the triplets’ rooms. When he made his second trip down,
carrying Rosie, after already carrying down the boys, Laura rushed over to him.
“ Oh, Adam – let me hold her. She and I get along so well…” She gazed up into his face, and her look told
Adam it was more of an order, than a request, somehow. She reached the young
baby into her arms, and took a few swirling dance steps, with her. Beth had
joined them again, and chuckled at the scene. “ Adam does that too, sometimes,
Laura. Rosie does love her Papa !” Laura glanced to Adam again, and the look
she gave him, a somehow yearning, hungry look, suddenly made him feel very
uncomfortable. He walked to the woman, and reached for his daughter again. “
Yes. Well … How about I start getting the babies fed, while you finish up with
our dinner, Beth ?” He cast a dark look to Laura, and headed for the
kitchen.
In
a very few minutes, he had Wyatt, Shane and Rosie seated in their high chairs,
and was patiently spooning the shredded meat, and peas, into each of their mouths, in turn.
Beth entered the kitchen again, and approached him. “ What was that all about
?” Adam turned an innocent expression to her. “ What was all what about ?” Beth
tilted her head to one side. “You know - snatching Rosie off of Laura, like that ? She is our guest, and my
friend, Adam. And I think you behaved very rudely.” He just nodded in
agreement. “ Yeah, she’s your friend Beth. Not necessarily mine – and you know
just why.” He turned his gaze to her, and she saw just a trace of anger in his
eyes. “Look - I know you have a history
with her, Adam, but perhaps it’s time to let it go. I don’t question you on any
of your friends. I’d appreciate that same courtesy.” She turned on her heel,
and Adam watched as she strode, seemingly angrily, from his view. He slammed
down the small jar of ground up peas, he’d been serving up, and the triplets
all giggled merrily, as a large blob of the green concoction splashed back, and
hit him on his cheek. He reached for a tea towel, to wipe himself off. “ Yeah,
it’s all right for you guys to laugh…” he mumbled, then he grinned, as he
picked up the jar again, then aimed a tiny spoonful, towards Wyatt. His big
hazel eyes were just shining, and his mouth was opened wide, in anticipation -
that little son of his really loved his peas…
Beth entered the kitchen again, just as
the triplets were finishing up their meal, minutes later. Adam hesitated,
before he stood, and walked over to her. “ Look, Beth. I can’t help how I feel
about the woman.” She sighed, as she turned to face him. “ And I can’t help how
I feel either, Adam. Laura has become a good friend, to me, over the last few
weeks. Can’t you at least be civil, towards her ? I’ll try to visit her more at her place,
instead of her being here, if that’s what it’ll take. We can compromise on that,
can’t we?” Adam just sighed deeply. “ I suppose so.” Beth just nodded. “ Fine.
Dinner’s ready – I’ll serve it up.”
As they all sat around the table, Adam
still had a very uncomfortable feeling. Whenever Beth was distracted by one of
the babies – who they’d carried in, in their high chairs, for easier
supervision – Laura was casting seemingly longing looks at him. She seemed to
also be putting away quite a bit of wine, with her meal. When the evening was
drawing to a close, Laura seemed to be quite drunk – in Adam’s eyes – so he
offered – reluctantly – to drive her home, if only for her own safety. He also
thought it would give him an opportunity to have a nice, long, meaningful
conversation with her….
********************
Little was said on the three mile drive,
back to Laura’s ranch. Adam had saddled Sport, for his ride back home, and the
gelding trotted along behind them, tied to the buggy. Adam kept his eyes
focused on that spot right between the horse’s ears -who hauled that buggy -and
the road ahead.
He was just trying to be a friend,
getting another friend home, safely. Laura, though, had other plans…
When they reached her ranch, he suddenly
felt a feminine hand, tracing its way up the inside of his right thigh. He pulled the horse to an abrupt
stop, and brushed her hand away, as he turned his face to her. “Stop it, Laura. Perhaps Beth can’t see
what’s going on, with your ‘friendship’, but I think I can. I’m neither stupid,
nor blind. I saw those looks you were giving me – practically from when you
first arrived, at our home…” She just smiled strangely at him. “Come on now,
Adam. We’re both adults, here. We could be discreet…” He looked at her in
absolute disbelief. “ ‘Discreet’ ? Don’t
make me laugh – other than the fact that I’m just not interested – there’s not
a ‘discreet’ bone in your body, Laura.” He pulled the horse to a stop by her
porch, and hopped down, then walked to her side of the buggy, and held out one
hand, as she climbed down, too. Adam suddenly realized she could barely walk,
as he helped her to the door. He wasn’t sure if it was partly an act, or not,
and he sighed as she opened that door. He knew he had to do the right thing,
here : to get some coffee into her, to
help sober her up, if only so she wouldn’t end up hurting herself, after he’d
let. He steered her towards the small gold chair, in her parlor, and sat her
down, then commented, “ I’ll make some coffee …” and headed for the kitchen.
He’d filled the kettle with the hand pump,
then placed it on the stove, and had lit that stove, when he became aware of a
presence in the room. He turned quickly, to see Laura standing there. She’d
removed her clothes, and stood in just a camisole and a short pair of briefs.
He was in absolute shock, as she rapidly closed the gap between them. She was
suddenly all over him, ripping open his shirt, pulling at his belt, devouring
his mouth…he just gasped, as he grabbed her by the arms, and pushed her off,
but she persisted. “No - no, Adam… You DO love me…I want your baby…”
She just threw herself at him, again, in her passion, and Adam pushed her off
once more. “ No, Laura. Don’t…” He just
stood there, holding her arms tightly, to keep her at bay, as his own heart
pounded in his chest, and his breath came in ragged gasps, at the rawness of it
all. “ I’ve already told you, Laura – I’m married to Beth. She’s the only woman
I want, and love – her, and our children. NOT you.” He felt her relax a little,
in his grip - almost like in resignation - so risked letting go of her, so he
could re-button his shirt, and re-buckle his belt, again. His hazel eyes never
lost contact with hers, as he finished dressing, then “Go put your dress back
on. The coffee will be ready shortly …”
There was absolute quiet in the parlor,
minutes later, as they each sat, drinking the beverage. Laura wouldn’t even
look at him, each time he refilled her cup. Once Adam thought she’d had enough
coffee, he stood, and then reached for his hat. He placed it solidly onto his
head, once more, and then pulled on his tan jacket, as he headed for the door.
“ I’ve got to get going, Laura.” She started to stand, and Adam stopped
her. “No, don’t bother getting up. I can
see myself out. He paused, as if collecting his thoughts, and then his hazel
eyes locked coldly, with hers. “ Laura, you are the most manipulative
person I’ve ever known. And you use people, merely for your own benefit.” He
continued gazing at her, for several long moments, before making his final
remark. “There’s one more thing, Laura – I want you to stay away from me, and
my family. If I ever catch you, near any one of us again…” He just shook his
head, and his voice trailed off, at that point, as he pulled the door open, and
stepped out into the darkness. Laura stood, and rushed to the doorway, to watch
him leave. He strode to the buggy, and pulling Sport’s tethered reins free,
swung up into his saddle, and, digging in his heels, loped off into the
moonlight, that illuminated the dusty roadway, that would take him home. As
Laura watched him go, she decided that ‘Plan B’ would take affect…
********************
Once the babies had been bathed, nursed,
and put to bed that night, Sarah continued to help her Ma with the dishes. Beth
carefully washed each dish, then passed it on to Sarah, to be dried, and put
away, again. They’d moved into the familiar routine, of that job, when Sarah
suddenly spoke up. “ Ma, can I ask you
something ?” Beth smiled as her daughter. “ Of course you can, Sarah, what is
it ?” Sarah laid the tea towel down, then sidled over to a small stool, by the
counter, and perched on it. “ Why do you like Mrs. Dayton ?” Beth considered
that for a moment. “ Well, we both like children, and seem to have some other
interests in common, too. Why do you ask ?” Sarah frowned a little. “ How can
you like someone who hurt Pa, so much, in the past ? I couldn’t like anyone who
hurt you, or Pa. It just wouldn’t seem right to me. If she was hurtful before,
she could be just as hurtful again.” Beth turned to look at her daughter once
more. “Sometimes, we have to put things behind us, and get over them, Sarah.
It’s the adult thing to do.” The young girl just shook her head. “I’m sorry,
Ma. But if being an adult means having to do that – I don’t want to grow up…I could
never get over how Mrs. Dayton hurt my Pa – and I don’t think he can, totally,
either…” The young girl suddenly rushed off, as she felt tears starting to form
in her eyes. Beth took a step towards her daughter. “ Sarah – wait !” But she’d already left the kitchen, and Beth
heard her footsteps, as she ran across the floor of the great room, and
continued on, up the stairs.
Moments later, as she left the kitchen,
to follow her, Adam walked through the front door. He removed his hat and
jacket wearily, and tossed his gun – which he’d carried with him - onto the
sideboard. He looked to Beth, and just saw a sad face. “What is it,
sweetheart?” Beth just shook her head. “ I’ll tell you later - can you help me
finish the dishes, please ?” Without even waiting for a reply, Beth turned to
go back to the kitchen. Adam just shrugged, and followed her there.
By the time they’d finished the dishes,
extinguished each oil lamp on the lower level of the great home, and climbed
the stairs, Adam could tell that Beth was really troubled by something. They
looked into each bedroom – to check on each of their children – as they made
their way along the long hallway, to their own room. Rosie’s was the first one.
She lay, curled up under her pink gingham quilt, her little thumb stuck in her
tiny ‘rosebud’ mouth. They each gently stroked her little auburn haired
head...Next was Wyatt and Shane’s room. The two boys each lay peacefully in
their cribs, covered by their light brown and gold leaf patterned homespun
bedspreads, their dark hair curling softly over their foreheads, their long eye
lashes brushing each little cheek. Beth turned to Adam, and smiled, then held
one finger, to her lips, before they quietly left that room. The last room was
Sarah’s. As they entered, they realized she’s kicked off her bedclothes. Adam
grinned, then whispered. “ That’s my girl – never could keep herself covered at
night…” He reached to tenderly pull the light blue patterned bedclothes back
over her.
When they got to their own room, Adam
pushed the double doors together, then walked to the bed, and sat down, to pull
his boots off. Beth looked to him, and thought the time was right to tell him
what had happened that evening with Sarah. “ Adam, Sarah and I had a very
interesting discussion tonight.” He reached his boots to the end of the bed,
then pulled at his belt buckle. “ Oh
? How ‘interesting’ ?” Beth sat down at her vanity table, as she started to
brush her hair. “ She sort of
chastised me for befriending Laura. Can you imagine ? She mentioned how she’d
hurt you in the past, and how could I like her now, based on that ? I mentioned
that adults have to learn to forgive and forget some things.” Adam undid the fly buttons of his jeans, and
pulled them off, then just stood there in his black shirt, and short black
briefs, as he leaned against the footboard of their large sleigh bed. “I see…
What did she say to that ?” Beth sighed loudly. “ She said, basically, that she
didn’t want to grow up, if it meant having to forgive someone, who had done
something to hurt someone else, that she cared about…. Then she mentioned that
perhaps you hadn’t gotten over it, either, Adam.” Beth’s eyes shifted from her
vanity’s mirror, to look at him, once more. He just hung his head for a moment,
then shook it sadly, before he walked towards her. “Ah, Beth… Our little girl
can be very intuitive sometimes, can’t she ? She’s partially right… You can
lose those feelings of love for a person, and forget the details of the things
they’ve said - but you’ll never really forget the way they made you feel. Good
– or bad…” He paused as he placed a hand on each of Beth’s shoulders, then
looked at the two reflections in her vanity mirror, that looked back at them.
“I need to tell you something, Beth... Laura’s been using you…” He felt her
back stiffen a little. “Now, please, hear me out, Beth, and you’ll see. Laura
is nothing more than a manipulative woman, who uses people to her own ‘ends’...
Do you remember a few weeks back, when I met her, in town, after you and the
kids had left me, to go to the restaurant? Well - She made a pass at me, Beth.
I rebuffed her, and thought that would be it. I must admit when I heard you had
become friends with her, it didn’t feel right to me, but I didn’t say anything
– I thought you needed to have your own friends, the same as I need some of my
own, too…” He paused, for a few moments, as if collecting his thoughts, and
then he continued. “… and then there’s tonight…she’d been giving me ‘the look’,
several times, throughout the evening. I took her home, anyway, so she’d be
safe - trying to be the ‘concerned friend’…started to make her some coffee, to
help to sober her up, a bit…Next thing I know, she’d taken most of her clothes
off, and – well – she tried to seduce me, Beth. Seems she wants nothing more
than to have my child – and she used you, basically, to get to me, again…Look
what she did to me, Beth…”Adam slowly unbuttoned his shirt, then pulled it off,
to reveal six long, deep, scratch marks, right down the front of his chest :
three down each side They reached from
his collar bones, right down to his navel area. There were little congealed
spots of blood, all along their pathways. Beth spun around, as she stood up
again. “Oh my god, Adam ! She did that
to you ?!” He just nodded, as she reached her arms around him. He reached right
back. “ Yeah. She did… Once I figured out, just what had been ‘going on’, I
warned her to stay away from me, and my family. I had to, Beth. I hope you can
see that.” She just nodded her head, then looked up into his hazel eyes. “ I
can see that I’ve been a damn fool, Adam, and I’m so sorry.” He lowered his
arms again, then reached for her
hand. “Come on, sweetheart – it’s been a
hell of a day – let’s just go to bed…”
It was a rather sullen Sarah that joined
her Ma, Pa, and siblings, at the dining room table, the following morning. She
just sat down quietly, at her place, and her eyes were down cast. Beth glanced
to Adam, then looked to her daughter. “Scrambled eggs, Sarah ?” She just
nodded. “Yes, please.” Adam half smiled at Beth, as he reached the platter of
bacon towards her, too. “Bacon, Sarah?” She just nodded again, without raising
her eyes. “Yes, please, Pa…” He reached for the jug of milk. “Would you like
some milk, with that?” Again, she just nodded, “Okay. Thank you.” After filling
her glass for her, Adam rested his chin on his hands, as he propped
his elbows on the table. “ Hug, Sarah ?” She suddenly looked up again. “ Pardon
me, Pa ?” Adam patted his lap. “Come here for a minute, Sarah.” She pulled herself
up, from her seat, then ambled to his place, at the head of the table. “Your Ma
and I had a long talk last night, about the whole Laura Dayton ‘thing’. You
were pretty much right in your assessment of me, Sarah. Sure - some of the hurt
is still there – at least, the memory of it - though I have shoved it, to the
back of my mind, after all these years. Your Ma was right - you do have to
learn to do that, Sarah. Sadly, you’ll probably find that out, in your own
life, one day.” He reached a big, strong arm, around his daughter, and gently
kissed her cheek, as he held her, there. Beth smiled at the two of them. “ I
was so wrong, sweetie. I let a new friendship sort of ‘blur the lines of
loyalty’, between my own family, and a so called ‘friend’. I won’t let that
happen again. And you won’t be seeing Laura Dayton visiting here, anymore, or
me there, at her home, either. I learned a very valuable lesson last night,
Sarah, from both you, and your Pa.” Beth held out her arms, and Sarah rushed
into them, and hugged her Ma. Suddenly, out of Adam’s peripheral vision, he saw
Shane reaching for a piece of bacon, off his Ma’s plate, as he sat beside her,
in his high chair… “Look out, Beth - I think at least one of our sons is hungry
!” The baby quickly raised the crispy strip to his mouth, and took a big bite,
followed right away by a broad, two toothed grin, as some of the bacon
crumbled, then tumbled, down his chin. There was sudden laughter, from the
other family members, around the table. Beth reached out one hand, and very
tenderly ruffled the baby’s dark, wavy hair. “Who’s his Mama’s little
scallywag, Shane ?!” That one word –‘scallywag’- suddenly struck the other two
babies as one of the funniest things they’d ever heard, and they all started to
giggle happily away.
Another few weeks went by. The Cartwrights had seen neither hide nor hair of Laura – which
suited them all just fine. It was a bright Saturday morning, when they made a
trip into town, to pick up some supplies. Adam suggested he wait in the
buckboard –with the kids – while Beth went into Cass’s store, to arrange for
what they needed. Beth entered the store to a cheery greeting from Mr. Cass.
“Good morning, Beth ! Family not with you today ?” Beth grinned at the friendly
old shop keeper. “They’re all waiting in the buckboard with Adam, Mr. Cass.
Sometimes it’s easier, and faster, to shop when your arms aren’t filled with
babies !” He laughed, as he looked over his glasses to her, again. “I know what
you mean – what can I get for you today, Beth?” Just as she handed over the
list, Laura Dayton walked into the store. It seemed like the temperature
dropped about ten degrees when she did. The two women eyed each other, for
several moments, and then Beth approached the other woman slowly. “ Good
morning, Laura.” The other woman just nodded, then looked away, and started her
own shopping. Beth took one more step towards her. “ Laura Dayton, I have
something to say to you. I thought we were friends. I welcomed you into my
home, and even into my life, in some ways. Adam told me what you got up to.”
Laura turned around again, and looked Beth up and down, for several long
moments. “ Humph…So, Adam chose you – and I just can’t figure out why…” At that
comment, Beth felt the hair on the back of her neck just bristle. “ No – I
don’t suppose you can, Laura. A self centered woman, such as yourself, probably
never could. Adam chose me because he loves me, and our family. That’s the one
thing you just couldn’t accept, could you ?” Beth shook her head in feigned
pity. “ One more thing, Laura…” With that, Beth raised one hand, then slapped
the woman, as hard as she could, across her face. “Like Adam told you, Laura
: just stay away from us.” Laura looked
at Beth in absolute shock, and disbelief, and then hurried out of the store
again. Adam was parked just outside, and from his high perch, on the large
buckboard’s seat, had seen the whole thing, through the store’s lettered
window. He smiled, as Beth finished their shopping, and then came outside
again, a few minutes later. He hopped down to help her up onto the buckboard’s
seat, then climbed up beside her, as Mr. Cass put their purchases into the back
of the buckboard, beside the kids. Adam stifled a grin, as he slapped the long
lines on the backs of the team of horses, and the vehicle lurched forward. “I
saw what just happened in there – um, feel better ?” Beth just turned to him,
with a sly wink. “Much. Thank you.” Adam started to laugh heartily, as he
reached one arm around her shoulders, then kissed her forehead tenderly. “That’s my beautiful wife: ‘woman of fire’…”
********************
Laura looked at her reflection in her
bedroom mirror to see that the red slap mark, from Beth, was still visible,
hours after the fact. She now resented her former friend – even more than
she had been before, if anything - if
she were completely truthful to herself. It seemed to Laura that Beth had it
all : she had Adam, and a lovely home.
And she had lovely children, too…
Laura gathered up her shawl, and several blankets, and then reached for
the tiny pink elephant that had been borrowed, weeks before, from Adam and
Beth’s home. She shivered as she headed outside into the cool mist, of the
early dusk. Once the horse was hitched to her small rig, and a small cradle had
been placed on the vehicle’s small back deck, she climbed very purposefully
onto the seat. She took the long lines into her hands, and then laid the whip
across the horse’s rump. The horse lurched off, as Laura steered him towards
Adam and Beth’s home.
********************
Adam grinned, as he balanced himself on
his haunches, and watched as the triplets crawled across the plank flooring
towards him, with Sarah cheering them all on.“ Come on, Wyatt – Shane’s
catching up, and here comes Rosie, right behind !” All three babies were giggling away – each
trying to be the first to reach their Papa. Rosie – being the smallest of the
three – was the first to tire, and pull out of that race. She plopped herself
onto her little bottom, and just reached out her arms to Adam, and whimpered a
little. Adam stood, and took a few steps towards his tiniest child, and scooped
her up into his arms. Like her beautiful Mother’s, Adam just couldn’t resist
those big blue eyes, of Rosie’s, especially when they suddenly looked so sad.
“It’s okay Rosie. Papa’s right here…” He rubbed the little girl’s back
tenderly, then kissed her forehead, as
she laid her cheek against his broad chest, and popped her thumb into her
mouth. Meanwhile, as the race ended, Wyatt and Shane just sat beside him, one
on each side, each grabbing onto one of those big legs of his, and grinned up
at him. Beth walked in from the kitchen, where she’d been washing the dishes,
after a late dinner. “Come on Adam. Time for bed – for all of us – we’ve got
that early church service to get to, tomorrow morning, remember…” Adam sighed,
as he passed Rosie to her, then reached down to pick up Wyatt and Shane. “I
know, Beth, I hadn’t forgotten.” Once
all the oil lamps on the main floor were safely extinguished, the young
Cartwright family climbed up the stairs. The first stop was Rosie’s bedroom,
where she was kissed goodnight, by all the other family members – including her
two brothers. A little nightly ritual that Adam and Beth had recently started –
once the babies had learned how to kiss… Then the group moved onto Wyatt and
Shane’s room, where hugs and kisses were once more exchanged and finally, to
Sarah’s room, where there were a few more warm ‘good night’ hugs, and kisses.
Once all their children had been lovingly settled, into their own beds, Adam
and Beth crept quietly into their own room. Adam walked to their large window,
to close it for overnight. November was about two thirds done, and although it
still remained quite mild for that time of year, all the house’s windows were
closed up tight, at night, to keep the home as warm as possible. They each
quickly undressed, and slipped under the covers. Adam smiled, as he felt Beth
reach an arm around his broad chest, then settle her right cheek onto his left
shoulder – one of those loving, comfortable rituals, she had carried on, since
the day they were married. Indeed, since they’d been sharing the same bed
together, the previous fall. He reached one arm around her, too, as his lips
found hers, and they kissed. “G’night,
sweetheart” “G’night,
Adam” They were soon both asleep.
********************
Laura had watched from the end of Adam
and Beth’s long laneway, for some time. She watched as each light was
extinguished in the great home – first downstairs, then upstairs. She then sat
quietly, looking for any signs of life, from the large home. Once she was sure
that the whole family was asleep, she steered her horse and buggy quietly
towards it. The mist continued to thicken – swirling in off of Lake Tahoe. It
billowed, and filled the land around her - as she drove her way between the
corrals on either side of her. The only sounds she could hear were the light
jingle of the horse’s harness, the creek of the buggy’s wooden wagon wheels,
and the excited pounding of her own heart. Once she’d reached the front
entranceway, she turned the buggy around in the barnyard, to face down the
laneway once again. She yanked the hand brake against the wagon’s wheel, then
climbed down silently, and headed for the doorway. She placed her ear against
that door for a few moments, to be sure she couldn’t hear anyone, or anything,
then slowly lifted the latch. She pushed the door open to reveal that the only
light, in the great room, came from the fireplace, and the reflections of the
low flames, dancing across the walls. The sudden hourly, Westminster musical
chime, of the grandfather clock, startled her, a little, and when it was done,
she counted each hour’s gong. It was eleven o’clock. She stepped towards the
stairs, then slowly climbed them. Getting to the top, she stopped again, and
listened. It was absolutely silent, save for the continuing tick tock of the
grandfather clock, downstairs. She crept towards the first bedroom and silently
opened the door. The moon shone through the window, and its beams of light
washed across Rosie’s crib. She walked towards that bed, and gazed down at its
tiny occupant. The pink gingham quilt covered the auburn haired, little girl.
She was curled up under her covers, in a little ball, and was sound asleep.
Laura reached out her arms, and quickly grabbed the sleeping baby, wrapping her
in the small blanket she’d carried in with her. The baby continued right on
sleeping, as Laura made her way down the stairs again, hustled across the great
room, and quietly closed the front door behind them. She rushed over to the
buggy, and laid the baby in a small wooden cradle – that had once belonged to
her now deceased daughter, Peggy - and climbed into the seat beside it. The
small pink elephant was laid beside the sleeping child, then she glanced back
towards the house, one more time, as she released the buggy’s brake, and then
slapped the reins on the horse’s back. The house was still in total darkness,
as she headed down the long laneway.
Laura smiled to herself - Rosie was now her baby…
********************
Adam rolled over, sleepily, as he heard
a muffled whimper from down the second floor hallway, then looked at his alarm
clock. It read just before six o’clock. He glanced to Beth, who was still
sleeping peacefully. He kissed her forehead gently, and then swung his legs
over the side of the bed. Since he was already awake, anyhow, he’d look after
the babies this time…He pulled on his jeans, and headed down the darkened
hallway to the boys’ room. He smiled, as he entered their room. The two were
both sitting up, and rocking their cribs back and forth, in unison. “
’Morning guys. Are you ready for some
breakfast?” He quickly scooped up the two babies, into his arms. “Let’s go see
if Rosie is awake, hey?” He ambled down the hallway, to the next bedroom, and
opened the door quietly. He walked into the dark gloom of the room, and
approached the tiny white crib. He pulled back the pink gingham quilt, and she
wasn’t there. “I guess Sarah has her, hey boys ?” It wasn’t unusual for Sarah
to be the first one to wake up, and often take one, or more, of the babies,
back to her room, to play with, so her parents could sleep in a little. Adam
ambled back down the hall, a baby in each arm, and tapped at Sarah’s door,
before he opened it. When he got no reply, he opened the door slowly, then
stepped inside the dark room. “ Sarah, do you have Rosie in here? Sarah?” He
walked to the bed, and pulled the covers back a little. Sarah rolled over, and
rubbed her eyes. “What’s up, Pa ? Is it time to get up ?” Adam was suddenly clutched by a cold
fear, right in the pit of his belly. “ Sarah – you don’t have Rosie ?” She just
shook her head. “ No, Pa. I haven’t seen her since last night…” Adam just
slowly lowered the boys down to her bed. “ Oh, my god – Sarah, look after your
brothers for a few minutes, will ya ?” He rushed back to his own room, and threw the doors
open. “ Beth – wake up!” She opened her eyes abruptly, and sat up. “ What’s
wrong, Adam ? What’s going on ?” He reached for his shirt, “Rosie’s missing…”,
and pulled it on, then pulled on his boots. There was a look of absolute
disbelief on Beth’s face. “ WHAT ?!!!
Missing ?!!” She leapt out of bed, and rushed to him. “ Oh my god, Adam
– HOW ?” Adam found himself absolutely shaking. “ I don’t know, sweetheart. I’m
going outside to look around…” He kissed her forehead absently, as he ran one
hand gently down her cheek, then headed for their door, with Beth right behind
him. They were met by Sarah, just exiting her own room, carrying the boys. “
What’s the matter, Pa ?” He looked somberly at her, as he reached one hand to
gently cradle her pig tailed head. “ Rosie’s missing, Sarah ”, then he jogged
towards the stairs. Beth and Sarah were both in tears, as Beth reached Wyatt
from Sarah’s arms, then they both headed for the stairs, right at Adam’s heels.
He rushed across the great room, and pulled the front door open. He literally
ran out into the barn yard, at full speed, then spun around, and called out her
name, in absolute desperation.“ ROSIE ?!!” His voice echoed across the empty,
mist filled barnyard, and seemed to bounce back to him, from right across Lake
Tahoe, itself. He ran his hand helplessly across his face – she was gone. As he
glanced down to the dusty ground, he saw a fresh, single set of buggy and horse
tracks. He raised his head slowly, and traced their track, with his eyes, and
saw that they disappeared off down the laneway. As he slowly took cool control
of his emotions, once more – knowing he would have to be completely focused, to
get their Rosie back - he went into
almost detective mode, as he glanced around, looking for clues, and suddenly
realized there was a set of very small, feminine looking, foot prints. They led
from where the buggy had obviously been parked, to the plank walkway that led
to the doorway, and then back again. He knew there could only be one person
that would do such a horrendous, cruel thing, as kidnapping one of their
children – and her name was Laura Dayton. Adam turned dejectedly, and headed
back to the house. On entering, he found Beth and Sarah huddled together on the
settee, Wyatt and Shane sitting on each of their laps. He just shook his head
sadly. “ I found the tracks of a single hitch buggy out there – and what appear
to be the small tracks of a woman’s foot…” Beth’s mouth opened to say
something, but Adam said it for her. “ It has to be Laura, Beth. Who else has a
reason to do this ?’ She just shook her head slowly, as the tears started to
well in her eyes again. “No one, Adam…” He approached his young family, and
wrapped his arms tenderly around them all. “I’m saddling up Sport, Beth –
follow the trail for a bit – see what I can see. Get the kids ready to go into
town, okay ?” As he stepped back from them again, he gently cradled Beth’s
chin, in one hand, and their eyes met.
“ We’ll find her, Beth.” He turned on his heel, and headed for the
doorway again. He pulled on his hat and coat, then buckled on his holster. He glanced back one more time, “ I won’t be
too long...”, then stepped through the door, and closed it behind him. His
shoulders were hunched over, in the chill of the early morning mist, as he
walked across the barnyard. He soon had Sport tacked up, and ready to go. After
leading the big chestnut horse from the barn, he swung up into the saddle,
pulled his head around, and laid his heels into the horse’s flanks. He just
flew down the laneway, and onto the road, following it to the main road. He
reached that main road about a mile later. The buggy tracks he’d been following
disappeared amongst the many tracks, on the busy roadway, that wound its way to
both Virginia City and Carson City. He pulled Sport to an abrupt stop, to
consider his next move. The decision was made – he turned his horse, and headed
for Laura’s ranch.
He made it there in record time, and hurtled
down off his horse, when he arrived. He wrapped Sport’s reins around the
hitching rail, and in four long strides, had reached the door of the home. He
raised one strong fist, and pounded it, angrily. “ LAURA – LET ME IN !” He pressed his ear against the door,
and could hear nothing. Un-holstering his gun, he stepped back a couple of
feet, then, raising one booted foot, kicked the door in. He absolutely leapt
into the small parlor, then pivoted, his gun leveled, checking every corner of
the room. No one was there. He walked slowly, and purposefully, towards the
kitchen, his eyes and ears carefully attuned to any sight, or sound. When he
reached the kitchen it, too, was found to be empty, so he decided to check the
upstairs. He climbed the stairs cautiously, and quietly, and then checked each
room. Still no one. When he got to Laura’s bedroom, he threw open the closet,
on a hunch. There wasn’t a stitch of clothing in it. As he glanced around the
room one more time, before he left, he suddenly saw it. There, on the light
pink bed spread, was a tiny pink sleeper. An item his eyes had missed during
the first fast, visual scan, of the room. He stepped to the bed, and reached
for the tiny item of clothing, and recognized it to be one of Rosie’s older
sleepers – now outgrown. A sudden sob escaped his throat, as he raised it to
his chest, and just held it there, for a few long moments. It was all the
evidence that he needed : Laura had
obviously had the plan in place for some time, and had planned it all very well
: she’d left no forwarding address…Tucking the sleeper carefully into his
pocket, Adam walked wearily back down the stairs, and out the door again.
Mounting up, he headed back home.
By the time he got back to his own
house, the early morning mist was starting to lift, and the sun was struggling
to shine through. On entering the house, he saw Beth, Sarah, Wyatt and Shane
sitting around the dining room table, quietly having breakfast. Wyatt and Shane
were even more quiet than normal, as Beth fed them their cereal. They each kept
looking to Rosie’s empty chair, and there was sort of a sad, puzzled look, on
each of their little faces. That sight - of Rosie’s empty high chair, seated
beside her brothers’ - was suddenly too much for Adam. He dropped his head,
then reached up, and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and
forefinger, and just stood for a moment or two, as he collected himself again:
he had to stay strong for his young family. He took a deep breath, before
entering the dining room. Two sets of red rimmed eyes looked to him, in
expectation, as he took his place. He reached for his coffee cup, and after
filling it, took a sip, then replaced it on his saucer. “I rode over to Laura’s
and – as I suspected - she wasn’t there. I checked the whole house, Beth. Even
her clothes closet – it was empty. That tells me, at least, that she’s moved
somewhere. And I found this…” He reached into his coat pocket, and pulled out
the tiny pink sleeper, then held it up. Beth gasped. “ Oh no, Adam ! I wondered
what had happened to that sleeper…”Adam sighed. “At least, now we know. She’s
been planning this for some time, Beth. Must have been…And I would say that
last night wasn’t the first time that she visited our home, unbeknownst to us,
either…” Beth shuddered a little, at the very thought of it. “ I agree, Adam.
She never had lone access, to the babies’ armoire, while she was visiting me.
Never. What you just suggested would explain how she got her hands on the
sleeper.” Adam nodded in agreement. “ That’s right. Do you remember that
Rosie’s little pink elephant seemed to just ‘disappear’ some weeks ago, too ?
We thought it may have accidently been thrown out, with the trash, and burned ?
Now I’m thinking that if we find Laura, and Rosie, we’ll find that little
elephant, too.” Beth shook her head slowly. “ Not ‘if ’ Adam – ‘when’…” With
that, Beth hung her head, and wept. Adam rose from his chair, and went to her,
then reached his arms gently around her. “ Yes. ‘When’…Come on, sweetheart – we
have to tell Pa, and my brothers, what’s happened, and we need to get to
Sheriff Coffee to report it, too…”
It was a somber group of Cartwrights, that filled the buckboard, as Adam pulled it
to a stop in front of his Pa’s home, a while later. Ben heard the jingle of the
team’s harness, as they arrived, and rushed outside. “ Well, what a welcome
surprise ! How are you all ?” As he looked to Adam’s and Beth’s faces, he
realized that something was terribly wrong, and he rushed forward. “ What’s the
matter Adam ? Beth ?” Adam climbed down, then helped Beth down, and reached
their three children from the back deck of the buckboard. Ben looked around,
and had a sudden feeling of absolute
dread. “ Where’s Rosie, Adam ?” He just shook his head. “ Come inside, Pa. We
can explain it all there…”
Hoss
and Joe had soon joined the family group, and listened in shocked silence, and
sadness, to what Adam and Beth had to tell them all. Ben stood angrily. “ But
why, Adam ? I just don’t understand any of this – how could she do it?” Adam
sat on the settee – between Beth and Sarah, and had reached one arm gently
around each of them. “ That’s the question of the hour, Pa. I only recently
really realized just how jealous she was. But maybe that – in itself – is the
answer: Jealously ” Joe stood up – with Wyatt in his arms - and started to pace
in front of the fire place. “I vote we all go after her - get all the ranch
hands together - we can find her, Adam !” For the first time that day, Adam had
a sad, half smile on his face. “ That sounds like a good idea, Joe. But it’ll
just spook her into a hiding place that we may never find. And if that happens,
it means we won’t see Rosie again, either.” Beth gasped a little at that
remark, and Adam reached out to take her hand tenderly, into his own. “ What I
mean is – we have to do this properly. That means getting into town, and
reporting it to Roy Coffee. He’ll know how to handle it, and what to do.” Hoss nodded his head, in agreement, as he shifted Shane
from his right shoulder, to his left. “ I’m with you, Adam. We can’t all go off
half cocked - tearing around the countryside, ‘hunting blind’. She could have
gone just about anywhere !” Adam nodded in agreement, with his younger brother.
“ Exactly, Hoss. With Roy’s help, we can send out
alerts to all the stage lines, and way stations, around here, and every town,
too.” Ben nodded his head in agreement, with the common consensus. “ It sounds
good, Adam. What can we do to help, son?” Adam looked to his Pa, and their eyes
locked for a moment. “Just be there, Pa. Like you always have been. And a bit
of prayer wouldn’t go amiss, either.” At that point – and for the first time –
Adam dropped his head, and felt sudden tears in his eyes, as the gravity of the
situation finally overcame his ability to hide his emotions. He wiped his tears
away, quickly, then stood. “ Well, come on. Let’s get into town.” He’d directed
the comment to Beth and Sarah, and was touched when his Pa, and two younger brothers, gathered around him,
and his young family, as they all headed for the door.
The Widow Hawkins knelt reverently by
her late husband’s grave, then reached the small bouquet of red roses she’d
been carrying, and laid them across the small grass covered site. “ Well, ‘arry,
me old love. You’d ’ave
been seventy years old today. And there’s not a day that’s gone by, in the last
fifteen years, that I ’aven’t missed you, me old dear…” The old woman dabbed a
couple of tears from her eyes, then lifted her head, as she heard a buggy
passing on the road, a distance away from her.
She recognized it to be Laura Dayton, and she had young Rosie Cartwright
sitting beside her. She raised one arm to wave at her, and called out, but she
was just beyond ear shot, and rumbled past her, without even noticing her. “
Isn’t that nice, ’arry ? Young Mrs. Dayton looking
after a neighbour’s child ? Such a nice young woman…”
Her voice trailed off, as she headed back to her own buggy. She clambered up
into the seat, and turned to watch Laura as she disappeared down the road, apparently
heading in the direction of Carson City. She steered her horse around, and
slapped the long lines on his old back. “ Come on Dobbin, me old love. Take
your lady home, again !” The horse set a good pace, for his advanced age, and
was soon high stepping it off towards Virginia City.
Adam pulled his buckboard’s team to a
stop outside Roy’s office, and hopped down, then helped his family down, as his
Pa and brothers aligned their horses along the hitching rail, then swung down
from their backs, and wrapped the reins of each horse firmly around the well
worn rail.
Sheriff Coffee was seated at his desk,
catching up on his paper work, when the entire Cartwright family burst through
the door. He lowered his spectacles, and smiled in greeting. “And to what do I
owe this honour to, Ben ? It’s not often I see the
whole Cartwright clan, together, in one
place !” Ben stepped towards his old friend, to shake his hand, as Roy
rose up from his chair, to greet him. “Afraid it’s not a social call this time,
Roy…” Adam was at his heels, and reached out his hand in greeting, too. “ I
wish it was just a friendly visit, Roy. We have some bad news, I’m afraid.
Rosie’s been kidnapped.” Roy’s eyebrows shot straight up, as he sat down again. “ Kidnapped ? When did this
happen ?” Roy gestured the family group to make themselves comfortable, on the
various chairs, scattered around the
walls of his office. Adam perched on one corner of Roy’s desk, then folded his
arms across his chest. “ Sometime
between ten o’clock last night – when we all went to bed – and just
before six o’clock this morning, when I woke up, and found her to be missing.”
Roy looked thoughtful. “Well, this is one thing I’d never thought I’d hear you
say, Adam. Kidnapping – that’s very serious. Do you have any idea who might
have done this ?” Beth had joined Adam, again, and had taken his hand gently. “
We know exactly who, Roy – Laura Dayton !” The old sheriff shook his head
slowly. “ That’s a pretty serious
allegation there, Beth. Why do you think it’s her ?” Both Adam and Beth
began filling him in on the details of
the last few months : the loss of her own child, and the loneliness, and grief,
that that had brought about; the sudden ‘friendship’ with Beth, and her
absolute interest in the triplets, especially Rosie ; the missing baby items of
Rosie’s from their own home, and Rosie’s sleeper found, again, in Laura’s home,
just that day, by Adam; the various ‘flirtations’ with Adam, and her and Adam’s
previous history, together, as a couple. Roy nodded his head in agreement. “ It
sounds like she had the motive, and the opportunity, for sure. I’m assuming she
left no note ?” Adam just shook his head. “ No - not that we found, Roy…” The
Sheriff leaned back in his chair, then clasped his hands behind his head. “Well, I have had some experience with
several kidnappings. I haven’t known one kidnapper, yet, that didn’t leave – or
have delivered, soon after – some sort of note, making monetary demands of some
sort. Either as a ‘return ransom’ or just disguised like that, to help finance
their own ‘new lifestyle’. By what you’ve said, Adam, I’m leaning towards Laura
looking for some money for that ‘new lifestyle’…” Adam felt Beth’s grip
suddenly tighten on his hand. “ You mean – she’s not bringing Rosie back, Roy
?” He just shook his head sadly. “Now, I’m not gonna
lie to you good folks : I’d say not, Beth. She sounds like a very determined
young woman, who wanted one thing : a
child to replace her own. Having said that, I’ll do everything in my power to
help get your Rosie back. Now, I’ll need a full, up to date description of
Rosie – since I haven’t seen her for a couple of months, myself. Everything :
height, weight, number of teeth, any distinguishing moles, birth marks, etc. – and anything else you can think of, that
would help identify her. Then I can wire the description of Rosie and
Laura to every city, town, and stage
line between here, and California, and here, and Kansas…” Sarah had sidled over to the desk, and
suddenly spoke up.“ She’s got the prettiest big blue eyes you ever did see,
Sheriff Coffee ! Isn’t that right, Pa ?” She looked up at her Pa, and Adam felt
a sudden catch in his throat, as he reached one arm gently around her
shoulders, and hugged his girl. “ That’s right, Sarah – she does. Put that at
the top of your list, Roy…” The lawmaker smiled sadly at Sarah, then, pulling
open a desk drawer, reached for the appropriate
‘missing persons’ form, and his quill pen. After removing the ink well’s
cap, he dipped it in, then poised it at the top of the page, and repeated just
what Sarah had said, as he began writing “… prettiest big blue eyes…”
The widow Clementine Hawkins was just
entering Cass’ General Store, the next day, when she spotted Roy Coffee posting
a sign, on the front of the building next door. Being a very curious woman, she
wandered over to read it, and got there just as he’d tapped in the last
tack. “Missing: Lillian Rose
Mariah Cartwright.
Six and a
half month old (female) infant child of the Cartwright family of Virginia
City (
Ponderosa Ranch)
Description: Auburn
haired, blue eyes, approximately two feet, two inches tall, and weighing
approximately sixteen pounds.
Person
of interest, related to this disappearance: Mrs. Laura Dayton of Virginia City,
Nevada.
Description: Female, blonde, blue eyes, slim build, 32 years old, 5’6”
tall. Any
information related to this disappearance, please contact Sheriff Roy
Coffee. Virginia
City, Nevada”
As Clementine finished reading, she
reached out to grab Roy’s sleeve, as he’d started to walk away. “ Oh, deary, deary me, Sheriff Coffee!
I saw Laura just yesterday morning, and she ’ad young Rosie sitting beside ’er, in ’er buggy, she did. I
thought she was just per’aps looking after the little
girl… I was visiting me good ’usband’s grave, I
was. ’e’d have
turned seventy years old yesterday. I do still miss ’im
so – such a wonderful man…” Roy grabbed
her right back, by her arms, and gave her a little bit of a gentle shake, to
stop her from prattling on, and to focus, and to get to the facts of the case.
“ Now, Clementine, you’re sure about this ?!” The old woman suddenly looked a
bit indignant. “ Nothing wrong with me ‘far away’ eyesight, Roy ! Now, I do ’ave to wear glasses for
close-up work, you know: reading, knitting, crocheting, eating – don’t
want to eat the wrong thing now, do I ?!…”
He gave her another gentle little shake. “Please, Clementine – just the
facts about Laura and Rosie ! Where did you see them ? What time ? Where were
they headed ?!” The old woman tilted her head thoughtfully. “ Well, it would ’ave been ’bout nine
o’clock in the morning, I’d wager. That’s such a nice time of the day, don’t
you agree ? So quiet, and peaceful -especially in a graveyard - not much ’appenin’ in there, is
there ?!” Roy just rolled his eyes, and figured she’d get to the
details, in her own good time… “ Now,
as I was saying. It was ’bout nine o’clock, and I spotted ’er
with Rosie on the main road that ’eads toward Carson
City. She seemed to be in such a ’urry. I called out,
and waved, but I guess she didn’t see me…”
Roy sighed deeply. “ Thank you, Clementine, for the information. Would
you mind coming down to my office, to make a statement, for me ?” The old woman
blushed, a little. Truth be told, she had a bit of a crush on the
lawmaker. “ Oh, not at all, Roy ! Shall
we go right now ?” She tucked her arm companionably around his, and hauled him
off down the dusty, main street, of Virginia City, headed in the general direction
of his office.
Adam was just finishing putting in the
last screw, on the second new slide bolt set – one on the inside of each entrance door, of their home - as he
heard someone ride into his barnyard. He turned to see Roy Coffee stepping down
off his horse, so headed towards the man, extending his hand in greeting. “ How
are you, Roy ? Any news ?” The lawman looked into the hopeful face, and half
smiled, as he shook his hand. “ As a matter of a fact, Adam, yes. Can we go
inside?” Adam smiled, too, as he gestured his old friend towards the front
door. On entering, he called out for Beth, and both she and Sarah rushed in
from the kitchen, as Adam practically hovered over the man. “Please, Roy, come,
sit down. Can I get you a cup of coffee?” The sheriff made himself comfortable,
in one of the arm chairs. “ No. No thank you, Adam… I saw Clementine Hawkins
earlier today, and she mentioned seeing Laura with Rosie, in her buggy,
seemingly heading towards Carson City, yesterday, at about nine o’clock in the
morning. Mrs. Hawkins had been visiting her husband’s grave, at the time, so we
know at least that Laura is still in the vicinity. I wired Sheriff Griffin, in
Carson City, to keep his eyes peeled for Laura and Rosie, but he hasn’t gotten
back to me yet. Just to get you all up to date: Every city between here, and
the west coast, and here and Kansas – that is serviced by the telegraph wire -
has been wired, about the kidnapping, with full descriptions of both Laura and
Rosie. I spent the morning putting up ‘missing posters’ all around our fair city,
and suggested the sheriff’s in the other cities to do the same. I know they
will, Adam. They’re a good bunch of men, and I’ve met many of them, personally,
over the years, and can absolutely vouch for their integrity.”
Adam glanced to Beth, and for the first
time, in over twenty four hours, she actually smiled a little. It was a relief,
of sorts, hearing the news which confirmed their own suspicions. Roy went to
stand up again. “ Now, if you folks will excuse me, I need to get back to town.
I’m breaking in a new Deputy…I’ll keep you posted if I hear anything, from
anywhere, or anyone !”Adam and Beth both reached out to shake the elderly
lawmaker’s hand again. A handshake just didn’t seem enough for Sarah, though.
She reached her arms around his waist, to hug him, and just looked up into his
mustached, weathered, friendly old face. “ Thanks, Sheriff Coffee !” He looked
down at the little girl, and smiled, as he gently cradled her chin, in one
strong hand. “ You’re very welcome, Sarah – just all part of my job, after all
!” Then he looked to Adam and Beth, again. “I’ll see you folks later – I’ll
keep in touch !” Adam saw him to the door, and he was soon on his way, back to
town. The young couple just collapsed into each other arms. “Well, at least
it’s something, Beth. We’ll have many thousands of eyes out there, keeping
watch for her…” Beth nodded her head against his chest. “ Yes… But isn’t there
anything we can do?” She looked up at him hopefully, and Adam sighed deeply. “
At least we know that she was spotted with Laura, by the Widow Hawkins…I’m not
sure what else can be done, Beth. We could ride, from place to place, looking
for her, but where would we start ? I already tracked her as far as I could –
and that went just to the main road ! She could have followed that road, that
connected to another road, that could take her just about anywhere…” He paused
for a long moment, as he gazed down at her. “ I’m sure you do realize, Beth,
that there’s a part of me, that DOES want to do that: Just go look for Rosie –
no matter how long it takes, or how far, or even where, it takes me…Then
there’s another part of me that wants me to just stay close, and protect the
rest of my family…” He dropped his head, wearily, then rested his cheek against
the top of her auburn haired head : Adam felt like it was the worst dilemma he
had ever faced… They each suddenly became aware of a young set of arms,
reaching tenderly around their waists, to gently hug the both of them…
A full week went by, and there were no
reported sightings of Laura, or Rosie, from anywhere. Roy had only heard from
Sheriff Griffin, in Carson City, that Laura had been spotted there – that first
morning - stocking her buggy with various supplies. Unfortunately, she had been
noticed by the shopkeeper before the alerts about the kidnapping had gone up,
and she’d simply slipped right out of the town again. Once another day had gone
by, the ransom note that Roy had predicted, appeared, stuck in the front
doorjamb of the Cartwright’s home. It had fluttered to the ground when Adam had
opened the door, that morning, to head off to the barn, to feed the stock. He
reached down to grab it, then tore the envelope open, as he hurried back into
the house again. “ Beth – we have a ransom
note !” He pulled it from the envelope, as Beth hurried to his side from
upstairs, a baby in each arm , then he read it aloud.
“ I have Rosie - she is safe. If you
want to see her again, it will cost you $250,000 ”
Adam looked down in disbelief at the
note, as he turned the small piece of paper over. There was no ‘meeting place’
mentioned for the ‘exchange’, no other conditions – no anything. A desperate
sound, almost like a deep, guttural growl, escaped from Adam’s throat, just
before he looked to Beth again. “Well, it is Laura’s hand writing – I recognize
it. But what damn good is this – we’re no further ahead than we were a week ago
! We just know the ‘cost’, now, of getting Rosie back, and it’s a king’s
ransom… ” He collected himself for a few moments, then: “ She’s playing with
us, Beth. She knows she holds all the cards, right now.” He paused for a
moment, as he considered his next move. “ I’ve got to go see Pa, and tell
Sheriff Coffee about this. I want you to stay here, and bolt the doors,
Beth…I’ll look after the stock.” He
tucked the note into a pocket, then reached for his jacket, and hat, then
buckled on his holster. He gently ruffled the dark, wavy hair, on each of
Wyatt’s and Shane’s heads, then ran one hand tenderly down Beth’s cheek, as he
looked into her eyes. “ I’ll be back
as soon as I can…”
A couple of hours later, Adam was pacing
around his Pa’s living room, like a caged cougar, as Ben read the note, then
looked up to his son again. “ Well – what do you plan to do, Adam ?” He looked
to his Pa incredulously. “ What do you think, Pa ? I want to get our daughter
back !” Ben nodded his head slowly. “ And you think that just handing over a
quarter of a million dollars will reach that end ?” Adam threw up his hands in
exasperation. “I don’t care how much it costs Pa – if we have to sell the
Ponderosa itself…We just want our Rosie back !” Ben looked very somberly, to
his son. “I realize that, Adam – we all want Rosie back. What I’m saying is :
if we give into this woman’s demands, and give her just what she wants, none of us – NONE of us – will ever be safe
again, from people just like her. Not me, not your brothers, not Beth, nor any
of your other children. Not even YOU, Adam. But – we do have to make Laura
Dayton believe that she’ll be getting all that money…Come on, son. Let’s go see
Roy Coffee…”
Roy just nodded his head slowly, as Adam and Ben brought him up to date
with the latest on the kidnapping – that short note… As Roy stepped to his
stove, in a corner of his office, he reached for the coffee pot, and poured
three mugs, two of which he placed in front of Ben and Adam. “That note is a good thing, Adam, if you
want to look at it that way. Keep your eyes peeled for the next note – there
will be one, as I think she wants the money very badly - and I’m sure the next note will fill us in on
all the rest of the ‘details’, as far as her location, and of the ‘exchange’,
goes.” Adam nodded his head thoughtfully, in agreement, as he remembered the
conversation between his Pa, and himself, on the way into town. “Of course,
what she’ll be getting is bundles of ‘paper’, not ‘monetary bills’…” The old
Sheriff smiled knowingly.
“Exactly…bills only on the outside of each bundle, and just paper in the
middle….”
Sure enough, the very next evening,
another note had appeared at their door. Adam was the one to find it again,
this time, as he returned from cleaning out the chickens’ coup, then feeding
their large flock, and collecting their eggs, in their run, behind the barn.
That was usually Sarah’s job but – given the recent circumstances –Adam had
taken it upon himself to do that late day chore… He glanced around the
barnyard, and peered down their laneway. Whoever had delivered it had gotten
cleanly away. Again. He rushed into their home, and yelled out to Beth. “ Beth – we have another ransom note
!” Both Beth and Sarah hurried down, from upstairs, where they’d been putting
the boys to bed, for the night. He tore the envelope open quickly, and read it,
then handed it over to Beth. After reading it, she looked up to him. “ I don’t
understand it at all, Adam ! It doesn’t seem to make any sense. She mentions
about ‘hiding in plain sight’ – just where is that, and what does it mean ?”
Adam reached the note from her hand. “ Let me think about it, Beth…” He was
still ‘thinking about it’, when he and Beth went to bed, a couple of hours
later. Adam walked to their Master bedroom window, and, pulling back the
drapes, peered out into the darkness. The moon shone down, brightly, onto Lake
Tahoe – leaving a broad, silvery streak that reached from shore to shore. He
raised his eyes to look to the snow capped mountains on the opposite side of
the large lake. Then he thoughtfully repeated that one line, from the most
recent ransom note, as he pounded one fist, impatiently, a few times, onto the
window sill. “ ‘ hiding in plain
sight’…Laura hasn’t been spotted in any town, or city, or stage way station
between here, and California, and here, and Kansas…” Adam shook his head
slowly. “ Well - that pretty much leaves the Ponderosa itself, doesn’t it ?!”
He had said it sarcastically, but then he had that ‘eureka’ moment… “That’s it,
Beth ! It would be the last place we’d look – right here, on our own ranch
- ‘ hiding in plain sight’ – don’t you
see ?!! There’s a thousand square miles for her to hide out in. We have well
stocked line shacks all over this ranch – and she knows that, and could be in
any one of them – or even moving from one, to the next, just to keep one step
ahead of us !” Beth just rushed into his arms, in absolute relief. “ You’re
right, Adam – I know you are !!”
The following morning, as the young
Cartwright family sat eating their breakfasts, they heard the sounds of several
horses arriving in their barnyard. Adam reached a napkin to his lips, as he
glanced towards the door. “ I wonder who that could be ?” He pushed himself
away from the table and, standing, headed for the door, then pulled it open.
His Pa, Hoss, Joe, and even Hop Sing, were walking
towards him across the long, plank walkway, that lead to his door. “Pa? What
are you all doing here, this early ?” He opened the door a little wider, as
they all tromped into the house, and his Pa was the first to speak. “ We came
to help, Adam. It’s what families do – especially our family…” Adam looked at
his Pa a little quizzically, then Hoss reached one
arm around his older brother’s shoulder. “ We all know you well enough, Adam,
that you’d want to go searching for that little gal of yours, since there’s
been no reported sightings, from anywhere. And we also know that you probably
wouldn’t want to leave the rest of your young family, alone, to do that. So -
we’re here to help.” Adam just looked from one member of his family to the next
: His Pa just nodded his head slowly,
and smiled, as his two brothers stood grinning broadly at him, and as a
solitary tear slid down Hoss’s cheek. Adam dropped
his head for a moment, and, when he raised it again, he was grinning.“ You’re
right, Hoss. As a matter of a fact – we got another
ransom note, in our door, just last night…”Adam had soon explained to his Pa,
brothers and Hop Sing what the note had said, and what conclusions he had come
to. The common consensus was in agreement with him. Hop Sing suddenly stepped
towards him, and looked into his face. As Adam returned the gaze, the man’s
face softened, somehow, and he saw a look of love come across the Chinaman’s
countenance. Hop Sing smiled at his eldest ‘adopted son’. “I stay here, Mister
Adam. I look after family for you. You go with Mister Ben, and brothers – find
number two daughter…” Adam was just so touched, by his old friend – a man who
had practically helped raise him, and his two brothers, along with his Pa,
after the death of Joe’s Mother. He reached up, and very appreciatively placed
one gentle hand, on each of Hop Sing’s shoulders. His voice was barely a
whisper as he commented, simply, “Thank you, Hop Sing.”
********************
Little Rosie Cartwright lay quietly, and
stoically, in the cramped confines of the wooden cradle. She was a frightened,
confused little girl. As she looked around her, all she could see were the
rough planks of the wooden walls of an apparent cabin, of some kind. A pair of
slightly faded red and white checkered curtains fluttered in the breeze, which
streamed in through the small, opened window. Just days before, she remembered
falling peacefully asleep, in her own little crib. Her big sister Sarah and her
brothers Wyatt and Shane and her Mama and Papa had cuddled her, and kissed her
‘goodnight’. The next thing she was aware of was waking up, outside, in the
dark, under a black, starry sky, and her Auntie Laura and she were driving
along a bumpy roadway. As the days had gone by, she didn’t understand what was
going on. Her Auntie Laura had started to call her ‘Peggy’ – why was she doing
that ?! She was Rosie ! Every time she cried for her Mama or Papa, just her Auntie
Laura’s face had appeared, looming above her. What had happened to them all?!
Where were they, and why didn’t they hear her crying, and come to her?! She
started to whimper, a little, and the only comfort that she knew now – her own
little thumb – was slipped into her mouth, as she drifted off to sleep again…
********************
Beth had stepped forward, silently, as
Adam lowered his hands from Hop Sing’s shoulders again. “I’m going with you,
Adam. Rosie will need me, when we find her. The boys and Sarah will be fine
with Hop Sing.” The Chinaman smiled, then nodded his head, in agreement, as he
looked to Adam once more. Adam smiled sadly, to his young wife. “Of course
you’re coming, Beth. I wouldn’t have it any other way…” Ben and his sons headed for the kitchen, to
gather some supplies, for the upcoming search, as Beth headed upstairs to
change into her riding clothes. After changing, she sat before her vanity
mirror and twisted her long, auburn hair
into one long braid. Meanwhile, downstairs, Adam sat at his desk, then reached
a small strong box, from a drawer. He removed a handful of paper cash from it,
and then turned to the small pile of newspaper, that was piled against the wall
behind him. Paper that was usually used as kindling, but would now be
transformed into ‘stacks of money’… Once that job was finished, the stacks of
‘bills’ were slipped into a small, canvas sack. Adam stood, then walked to the
opposite wall of the great room, and reached
Beth’s rifle from the wall rack, then
headed out to the barn, to saddle up Sport and Smoky. As the rest of his
family joined him in the barnyard, a short while later, Sarah rushed up to her parents. “ You be
careful, Ma and Pa !” He hugged his girl, as did Beth. “ We will be, Sarah. You help Hop Sing with
Wyatt and Shane, and be a good girl for him, now…” She just nodded in reply.
The supplies were loaded onto Betsy – Ben’s mare, who had been brought along,
as a pack animal, for the search – then the five Cartwrights
mounted up – as one – and loped off. Hop Sing stood silently, his arm placed
gently around Sarah’s shoulder, as they watched their family riding down the
laneway, and onto the dusty road. As the group slowly transformed into little
more than a small cloud of dust, disappearing off in the distance, he said a
silent prayer of good luck, good fortune, and hope, in his native Chinese,
before they turned, to go back into the house.
As they got to the fork in the road, that
would take them to either Virginia City or Carson City, Adam raised one arm, to
signal the others to a halt, as he reined Sport to a stop. His Pa came along
side of him. “Well, what do you think, son ? Where to first?” Adam stood in his
stirrups to look around, as he shaded his eyes from the low November sun. “If
it were me, hiding out, I’d probably head for the line shacks that are the
farthest away from both of our homes.” Joe nodded in agreement. “ That would be
Cathedral Canyon, and Mud Creek.” Adam nodded. “Exactly. Let’s go !” He reined hard to the left, and dug in his
heels. The group all fell into an easy, ground covering lope, as they left the
roadway, and headed off across a large, open pasture, lined with forests down
one side, and clumps of trees, here and there, on the other. Adam, Beth and his Pa led the way, with Hoss and Joe right
behind them, leading the pack horse, Betsy.
They’d travelled along at a lope for some
distance. Adam felt Sport tiring, a little, so the group slowed all their
horses down to a walk, to re-energize. The steam literally rose from Sport’s
sweaty neck, as Adam reached a hand down to give his faithful horse a pat, as
they continued on.
Several more hours had gone by. If they
weren’t on such an important mission, they could have just relaxed, and would
have actually enjoyed the ride through the every changing ranch scenery. They
moved from lush green pasture lands, to higher rocky ground, as the trail to
Cathedral Canyon led them on. When they got there, Adam was struck – like he
always was – with the natural beauty of it. They made their way carefully
through the red-orange coloured columns of sandstone
– many of them sixty feet tall, or more – as they thrust themselves, up into
the sky, like the roof supports of a great, roofless, outdoor cathedral – which
was just how it got its name. The sounds of their six horses’ hooves,
clattering on the hard, rocky ground, bounced and echoed back to them – again
and again – as the sound ricocheted off the surrounding columns, and rock
walls. When they got through the canyon, they came to the small line shack. It
looked like no one had been there since the last time that the shack had been
checked, and re-stocked. The Cartwrights kept all
their line shacks in good repair, and well supplied, with non-perishable food
items, firewood, some basic hand and blacksmithing tools, and medical supplies
– for both man, and horse. On a ranch the size of the Ponderosa, they could
literally mean the difference between life, and death, if a cowhand’s horse
pulled up lame, or the cowhand got injured himself, some way, or even if just a
violent storm moved in, across the plains, as they often did. They were also
used if a cowhand – after a long, hard day of working, and riding, on the
ranch, couldn’t face that long ride to get back to the ‘old bunkhouse’ before
nightfall…They reined their horses to a stop, and Adam climbed down. He glanced
around cautiously, as he peered out from under the brim of his black hat. He
pulled his gun from his holster, and leveled it, as he approached the door of
the small shack. Reaching it, he opened it slowly, and stepped inside. No one
was there. He ambled over to the small pot belly stove, then opened the small
grilled door, to find there were no ashes in it, so it hadn’t been used. As he
glanced around he realized, by the light coating of dust, on the chairs, that
they hadn’t been used for a while, either. Adam re-holstered his gun, and
stepped outside again. “ No luck – no
one’s been here since we checked, and restocked it, I’d say.” He swung up onto
Sport’s back again, then lead the group in the direction of Mud Creek, which
was some ten miles away. Another couple of miles had been covered, as they
wound their way back through Cathedral Canyon, and onto the trail, that would
take them to Mud Creek. Hoss suddenly spoke up. “Is
anyone else hungry ?” Adam grinned to himself. “ Probably not as hungry as you,
Hoss. Is that your belly I hear rumbling, back there,
or is that just a cougar growling?” He’d said it sarcastically, but Joe
suddenly looked ahead of them, on the trail. “ Adam - Look out !”
A large male cougar had just appeared
from behind a tall, craggy rock, just ahead. It looked at the group of humans,
on horseback, for a moment or two, and then Adam heard that loud, rumbling
growl, of warning, one more time. It was just readying to pounce, as Adam
hauled his lever action rifle from its scabbard, loaded it with a loud
‘click-click’, and then swung it up to his shoulder. He took quick aim, and
squeezed off the trigger, just as the large cat leapt towards him. The bullet
caught the large cat in mid air, and it fell, lifeless, to the ground. Adam
slipped his rifle back into its scabbard, then just turned casually to Hoss. “ Now, what was that about ‘food’, again ?” Hoss let out a loud belly laugh, and the rest of the group
joined in : a welcome bit of levity, and laughter, after the stress of the day.
Ben looked from one family member, to the next. “ How about some beef jerky,
just to tide us over, till we make camp tonight?” They all agreed that was a
good idea, and the tasty strips of dried meat were passed, from one rider to
the next, as they continued on their journey.
The sun was starting to get low in the
sky, a couple of hours later, as they approached the Mud Creek line shack. They
smelled it, long before they spotted it : a column of smoke rising lazily from
the stone chimney of the cabin. The five Cartwrights
reined to an abrupt stop, and turned
their horses to hide behind a small copse of trees. There were hopeful looks on
all their faces, as they dismounted. Adam held one finger to his lips, as his
family members hunkered down, low to the ground, so they wouldn’t be spotted.
He approached the shack with great stealth - moving from tree to tree, and bush
to bush, as he slowly approached the doorway. Rushing the last dozen feet, or
so, he raised his gun, then kicked the door in, and leapt into the room. “
DON’T SHOOT- DON’T SHOOT !” Adam let out a loud sigh. “ Brady ! What are you
doing here ?!” Their cowhand looked nothing less than sheepish. “ Sorry, Mr.
Cartwright. My horse took a tumble, and broke his leg – a ways back – I was
just figuring on settling down here, for the night, and thinking I’d hoof it
back to the bunkhouse, starting tomorrow…” Adam re-holstered his gun again. “
That’s alright, Brady. You just took me by surprise – my family and I are out
here, looking for Rosie. You’re welcome to stay the night. We can send out a
ranch hand – with a fresh horse, for you – once we get back to the ranch.” The
man smiled broadly at his boss.
“ Thanks, Mr. Cartwright. Truth be told : I weren’t really looking
forward to that long walk…”Adam ambled, back to the door, then signaled his
family in, from their hiding places.
Once Adam had fixed the door, again, it was decided they’d all stay
there for the night… A meal
was soon prepared, and after it was finished, the playing cards were brought
out, to help entertain the tired searchers. After a few hands had been played,
Beth sighed at length, and asked to be dealt out. Adam watched as she ambled
out the doorway, and closed it quietly behind her. He pulled himself up from
the table, then he tossed his cards onto the table top. “ Deal me out, too,
will ya ? I think I’ll go get some air…” As he
stepped outside, and looked around for his wife, he spotted her standing
quietly beside a clump of trees. Her long auburn braid hung down her back, and
swayed a little, as a sudden breeze caught it. Adam walked towards her, then
moved his arms gently around her waist, when he reached her. She jumped a
little, at his sudden, surprise touch, then settled back into his embrace, as
he reached to kiss her cheek. “ We’ll find her Beth. Come on…” He steered her
over to a large rock, and they both sat down. There were sudden tears in her
eyes, as he took her hands gently into his. “ We can’t lose hope, Beth…she’s
out there, somewhere...” Beth tightened her grip, on his strong hands. “ I know
that, Adam. At least – I think I do. I’m just so worried, and tired… I can’t
imagine what Rosie’s going through – she might even be thinking that I gave her
away…” It had been a sad comment, made in fatigue, and desperation, and Adam
understood that. She was, of course, alluding to how she’d been forced to ‘give
away’ Sarah, on the demands of her stern, controlling parents, years before.
Adam stood again, and pulled her into his arms. “ You can’t think that way,
Beth. As young as Rosie is, she knows just how much you love her – how much her
whole family loves her…” Beth moved her arms to reach around his neck, and her
eyes gazed into his, as she pulled him closer. “Adam, I need you so much…just
hold me…” They kissed tenderly. Adam’s own physical response was immediate, as
it always was, whenever he held his Beth in his arms. He would have done
anything on God’s green Earth, to try to make her happy again, to make the pain
of the worry go away, but he knew she just wanted to be held this sad night :
the same way he’d wanted just that, just the summer before, on their very first
date, together again, at Lake Tahoe.... He wrapped his arms tightly around her,
as he felt her nestle into him, then he rested his cheek against her auburn
hair. He closed his eyes, and prayed that they would find Rosie again, and
soon…
Little Joe tossed his cards down, and
stood to stretch. “ I think I’ll go out and get some air, too…” Hoss chuckled at his younger brother. “I’d have thought,
Little Joe, that you got enough air already today – with all the riding we
done...” Ben looked to his youngest son, from over his handful of cards. “ Sit
down, Joseph. Give your older brother and sister-in-law a bit of privacy, and
space, out there…” He suddenly looked confused. “ But - they just went out to
get some air...” Hoss smiled knowingly, at his
younger brother. “ Ya see, Joe, there’s going out to
get some air, then there’s ‘going out to get some air’ – you gotta learn the difference
there, boy…” Ben tossed his middle son a bit of a dark look, but made no
further comment. Hoss and Brady chuckled softly at
Little Joe’s eighteen year old - suddenly red and embarrassed - cheeks…
A short while later, the four card
players turned, in unison, as the young couple entered the cabin once more.
Adam couldn’t hide the redness, in his own eyes, and Beth was absolutely
distraught, as she dabbed at her eyes with a small handkerchief. Adam guided
her across the floor – one strong arm, gently wrapped around her shoulders –
and headed to the small bedroom, in the back of the shack. He kissed Beth’s
forehead, tenderly, as he commented, simply, “We’re making an early night of
it…” They entered the bedroom, and closed the door silently behind them. Hoss sighed sadly, as he shook his head, and one errant
tear ran down his cheek. “Dadburn it, Pa… I take back
my last comment about ‘getting air’... It was dumb, and thoughtless, too…I just
feel so sorry for them. It’s bad enough for us – I can’t even imagine what Adam
and Beth is going through, right now…” Ben reached out one hand, and patted Hoss’s arm lightly. “That’s alright, Hoss.
It’s been very stressful, for all of us, and sometimes, under those
circumstances, the wrong words just seem to come out… God willing – and us able – we’ll find Rosie again...Hmm… It’s been a very
long, tiring day – how about we all just turn in?” The other three men around
the table agreed, and they were all soon spread across the floor, of the main
room of the line shack, leaning against their upturned saddles, and wrapped
warmly in their bedrolls, and wondering what the next day would bring.
There was still an early morning chill
in the air as Ben and Adam stood beside their horses, the next morning, tacking
them up. Adam was rhyming off the list of the line shacks that were left to
check. “Well, there’s Coyote Canyon, Rainbow Canyon, Lizard Flats, Grizzly
Heights, Geiger Pass, Truckee Trail, Tahoe Rim and Settlers Path – have I
missed any ?” Ben sighed deeply, as he finished tightening Buck’s girth, then
flipped down his saddle’s fender, once more. “You just about covered them, son.
That takes in every other corner of the ranch that we haven’t already
checked... It’ll be a good week’s worth, at least, of riding, and looking…”
Adam glanced around the assembled group, as he mounted up onto Sport’s back. “
Let’s go, family…” They all fell into the now familiar formation: Ben, Adam and
Beth leading the way, and Hoss and Joe following
closely behind, leading their loyal old pack horse, Betsy, as Brady waved them
off, and wished them all good luck.
Sarah stood looking wistfully out her
parent’s bedroom window, as Hop Sing stripped their bed, to put on fresh
linens, again. “ Where do you suppose they are now, Hop Sing ?” She turned to
him sadly, her arms full of the accumulated soiled linens, from the first three
bedrooms. “ Hard to say, Sarah. Could be anywhere. Ponderosa big ranch – must
look everywhere…” She dropped her head, and when she looked up again, there
were tears in her eyes. “ What if they don’t find her, Hop Sing?” He stopped
what he was doing, and stepped over to her, then gently wrapped his arms around
her. “ I know your Pa since boy. He not give up – he stubborn that way… But
stubborn good thing, when look for someone. I not know your Ma long, but she
stubborn, too. Make good pair – they find Rosie.” He bundled Adam’s and Beth’s
sheets under one arm, then took one of Sarah’s hands, into his. “ You not
worry, Sarah. It be alright. Come – help Hop Sing bake cake – make feel better
!” The little girl smiled again, and Hop Sing hoped that what he’d just told
her would come true.
It was finally starting to feel like late
November that day, as there was the first real seasonal chill in the air. Adam
paused partway through the afternoon to yank the collar of his yellow deer hide
jacket up around his neck. He blew warm air into his hands, before he dug a
pair of black leather gloves, from one of his saddle bags, and pulled them on.
Even Beth peeled off her jacket just long enough to put on a pullover she had,
thankfully, thought to bring along. As she pulled her jacket on again, she
looked to Adam. “Can we stop for a bit of a break, Adam? I sure could use some
hot coffee…” He smiled at his young wife. “ I think we could all use a bit of a
break, sweetheart.” They’d already reached, and checked, the first line shack
that day at Coyote Canyon. Like the previous site, it didn’t show any signs of
anyone having been there, since the last time the Cartwrights
themselves had checked it, and restocked it, for the long winter ahead. They
all wearily dismounted, and a small fire was soon burning brightly, and warmly,
as they all crouched around it. Five sets of cold hands were warming themselves
before the flames, as the coffee brewed. Hoss leaned
back against a large rock -after Adam had filled his cup with the steaming hot
beverage - and then looked up to the
northern sky. “I hate to say it, folks, but those clouds - off yonder, there,
in the distance - look a lot like snow, to me…” Joe just grunted in agreement.
“I think you may be right, Hoss.” Adams eyes followed
theirs, and he shook his head at the sight.
“ Well, that’s just what we don’t
need right now…” They’d all sat there for some time, enjoying the warmth from
the campfire, and the hot coffee, as they all took second helpings. Ben was the
first to finish that second cup of coffee, and stood to kick dirt onto the
campfire, to douse it. “ We’d better get
moving, if we want somewhere warm to camp tonight. The Rainbow Canyon line
shack is still several hours ride away…” They all stood up, in agreement, and
were soon remounted, and heading out again.
As they’d been doing for the whole ride
- every time they got to a higher point in the trail -Adam would clamber up to
the highest summit of that point – be it rock, or grass - to look out over the large ranch, for any
signs of Laura and Rosie, in the buggy. They’d gotten about halfway to Rainbow
Canyon when he did the same thing, once more. Leaving Sport with Beth, and his
family, he scrabbled up a huge mound of large
boulders – carefully picking his way – till he got to the large, flat rock, at
the very top. He lay on his stomach, and, shielding his eyes against the
lowering sun, peered out across the open prairie below. He scanned the area for
several minutes, looking for any movement, or abnormality. He might as well
have been on the moon – there just wasn’t any sign of another living animal, or
soul, out there. He cautiously picked his way back down to ground level again,
then just shook his head sadly, as he brushed the dirt from his palms, then
mounted up again.
They reached the Rainbow Canyon line
shack just as it was getting dark. Again, there was no evidence of anyone
having been there recently. Joe took over the care of the tired horses,
un-tacking them all, and turning them out into the small corral. He forked a generous amount of hay, from the shelter of the
shack’s roof’s overhang, and spread it around the corral’s perimeter, for the
hungry horses. Checking the trough, and judging there was enough to get them
all through the night, and into the morning, he headed into the warmth of the
shack. Hoss had offered to cook that night – just
beans and salt bacon. To the hungry searchers, it sounded like a feast fit for
a king, after their long, cold, tiring, day. As they all hunkered down to
sleep, a while later, Beth cuddled up against Adam on the only upholstered
piece of furniture in the small shack : A small, single bed. The rest of the
family was already spread across the floor, asleep – with all the worry, her and Adam were not.
She’d lay there quietly, for some time, just listening to the rhythm of his
breathing, and the beating of his heart, and feeling his soft touch as he
occasionally – and quite
distractedly - ran one hand through her
hair. As she tilted her head back, to look at him, she realized - by his gaze -
that he was miles away. “ I’ll give you a penny for them ?” Adam broke that
gaze, to look at her. “ I was just thinking probably what you’ve been thinking,
too, Beth – what if we don’t find her, on the Ponderosa ?” He paused for a long
moment, as if making up his mind. “I’m
thinking I’d head out to San Francisco – that’s where Laura’s Aunt Lil lives.
If she’d run to anyone, it would probably be her…” Beth was suddenly afraid.
“It’s sort of late in the year to cross the Sierra - Nevadas,
Adam. With the winter snows, coming soon, you could get trapped in one of the
passes, there!” He suddenly nodded sadly in agreement, with her, when he
realized just all he had to lose, by following that perhaps reckless path.“
Yeah – I guess you’re right, Beth. It’s just that this search is turning into a
bit of a ‘vendetta’ to me…” He smiled sadly, at her, as he tightened his
embrace around her, and then reached his lips to kiss hers tenderly.
The days went by slowly. As they did, it
was getting progressively colder, and snow flurries were starting to blow
across the land. Desperation was setting in, as they reached the final line
shack, on the large ranch property, at the northern end of Lake Tahoe. Like the
others before it, there was no trace of anyone having used it in a long time…
On closing the final shack’s door - that
final morning - there were looks of absolute defeat across all the faces of the
Cartwrights. Adam looked to his Pa – he didn’t know
what to say, or do, next, as they were all just exhausted, after days on the
trail. “ Thank you all, for your help – but I guess I was wrong…” Adam hung his
head, as Beth stepped to him, to take his hand. Then he heard his Pa’s voice. “
Son – if there’s anything else we can do – you know you just need to ask.”
There were a couple of tears in Adam’s eyes, as he raised his head again. “
Thanks, Pa. We’ll let you know.” Ben, Hoss and Joe
reined their horses around, to head for home, leaving the young couple standing
there, alone with their horses, in the gusting wind that blew in off Lake
Tahoe.
Sheriff Coffee reined his horse to a stop,
at Adam and Beth’s home, and hurriedly dismounted. He crossed the section of
their barnyard - between the hitching rail and their front door -quickly, as
the snow flurries swirled around his head. He was relieved when Hop Sing
answered his knock. “ Well, howdy Hop Sing - is Adam about ?” The Chinaman
opened the door wide, to allow the old family friend to enter. “ No – He not
home. He go with family - look for Rosie. Look all over ranch – check line
shacks !” The Sheriff nodded his head. “ I see…Do you know when he’ll be back
?” Hop Sing smiled. “ Should be today. What wrong, Sheriff Coffee ?” Hop Sing
gestured the man to make himself at home, on their settee. “ I was just out, on
business, to visit the Andersons’ ranch. When I rode by old Jeb Johnson’s
place, I noticed smoke coming from the chimney. I wondered if Ben had rented
the place out, or if just a few of your ranch hands were perhaps holding up,
there. Can’t be too careful, with the squatters in the area, too – I just
thought I’d let Adam know…” Hop Sing considered that for a moment. “ Adam be
glad you come. I just make lunch - you have some ?” The Sheriff smiled – it had
been a long time since breakfast. “ Why, thank-you, Hop Sing - don’t mind if I
do !”
They’d sat there for some time, enjoying
their meal. Roy was amused watching Hop Sing and Sarah feed Wyatt and Shane,
but there was also a pang of sorrow, at not seeing Rosie sitting there, with
them. The meal was just about finished, when the ranch house door was flung
open. A swirling mass of snow flakes accompanied Adam
and Beth, as they stepped wearily through the doorway. Hop Sing and Sarah leapt
to their feet – and grabbed Wyatt and Shane, in each of their arms – as they
headed to the doorway. The young Cartwright family just fell into a large,
emotional, group hug, at the joy, and relief, of just seeing each other again.
But that joy was tempered with great sorrow, as the greetings were made, and it
was realized that Rosie hadn’t been found. Adam stretched his hand out to Roy,
in greeting. “What brings you out this way, Roy ? Any news of Rosie ?” The
sheriff smiled slowly. “It didn’t start out that way, Adam. Just out on
business. Till I saw some smoke, coming from old Jeb Johnson’s chimney…” Adam’s
eyes just lit right up, in his sudden excitement. “ Jeb Johnson’s old place ?
You don’t think…” His voice trailed off - like in saying, what he was thinking,
would make it somehow not possible… The Sheriff nodded solemnly. “ Hop Sing
told me about that second ransom note – the whole ‘hiding in plain sight’ –
well, it could be that’s just where she’s at…” Adam and Beth just hugged the
three of their children, which were there, and hoped against hope that Roy was
right. “ Let’s go, Roy !” Adam pulled his hat back on, as he opened the door,
and then headed for the barn, with Beth at his heels, to re-saddle their horses
again…
As they cautiously approached the old
Johnson homestead, Beth suddenly noticed something, lying at the side of the
road. There, partially covered by the long grasses, that had been bent over, by
the wind, was a very familiar, tiny stuffed toy : a little pink elephant. Beth
leapt down from Smokey’s back, and fell
to her knees, as she lifted the little
toy to her face, then turned hopefully to Adam. He turned to Roy, and said
simply. “ She’s here…” The words had come out in almost the tones of a low
growl, and the feelings of anger in the air were almost palpable, to the
Sheriff. “ Now, Adam, we have to be careful. We don’t know what she may be
thinking, or how she might react when she sees us.” Adam had already swung down
from Sport’s back. He’d taken the tiny elephant in one hand, along with sack of
the ransom money, and then had handed
Sports reins to Beth, with his other. “Let me handle this, Roy. I’ve dealt with
crazy people before…” He strode off,
before Roy could stop him. He was, of course, alluding to the ‘wannabe
Minister’, Mr. Johnson, who had killed an ‘evil woman’, the widow Baker, then
stolen ten thousand dollars from her, to build his church. He had tried to lay
the blame on one of the Ponderosa’s own ranch hands, Danny Morgan. It was Adam,
alone, who had proven their ranch hand to be innocent…
********************
Laura had just stood, to retrieve a
drink from the kitchen, when she noticed a solitary figure walking up the
laneway of the old Johnson homestead. She pulled the lacy curtain a little, to
one side, as her eyes strained to see who it was, through the swirling snow,
buffeted about by the blowing wind. He was a tall, slender, yet muscular
looking man – all in black, wearing a black hat, with a matching black studded
hat band, and wearing a yellow jacket. His walk, and body language, was all too
familiar to her : She recognized it to be Adam, so she smiled to herself. Her
ransom notes had worked : ‘hiding in plain sight’. Now she, and Peggy, would
have a man in their lives again. She would have a husband, and Peggy would have
a new father…It was all working out, just like she’d planned : Adam was coming
back to her…
********************
The walk to the front door of that house
seemed – to Adam, at least – to be the longest walk he’d ever taken. As he
moved cautiously forward, through the swirling snow, it would momentarily block
his view of the house as it disappeared, then reappeared, again, with the
twisting, changing directions of the snow, and wind. He paused at the front
door, and tucked the small sack of ‘ransom money’ into the front of his coat.
Unbeknownst to him, his approach to the door hadn’t gone unseen by Laura. She
reached a revolver into her skirts - just in case she needed it, to convince
him of her plan - as he knocked at the door. “ Come in.” Adam opened the door
cautiously, as he glanced around the small parlor. His mind raced, and his
heart pounded, as he was still figuring out just how to handle this all
important moment. He was no fool – he knew that Laura would be smart enough to
be armed. He smiled, as he reached the tiny elephant towards her. “ I found
this out by the road – is it yours ?” Laura smiled broadly. “ Oh, no, it’s not
mine – it’s Peggy’s ! She must have
tossed it out of our buggy. Thank you for finding it, and bringing it back,
though. She hasn’t been sleeping very well, since we lost it, a few days
ago...” Well, that wasn’t quite the answer he’d expected, but it proved to him just how far down Laura had
spiraled, mentally. And how they’d wasted their time, combing through the whole
ranch, looking for her : it would seem that Laura had possibly been here the
whole time – ‘hiding in plain sight’… Adam gestured to a chair across from her,
and she signaled him to sit down. “ I guess you’ve heard about Rosie’s
disappearance, Laura ?” She smiled broadly. “ Oh, my, yes. How sad ! How are
you making out without her ? I can’t imagine losing my Peggy…” Adam nodded in
agreement. Her first ‘Peggy’ had obviously not only been replaced by Rosie, but
Rosie had taken her name, too, in Laura’s twisted little mind. “Yes, Laura. It
has been very hard. We all miss her -
terribly…” Laura stood, suddenly, and started walking quite erratically
around the small room, plumping cushions, re-aligning books in the bookshelf,
adjusting lampshades on the various oil lamps, around the room : almost like
Adam wasn’t even there. He noticed she did it all with one hand, keeping her
other hand carefully hidden in her skirts. Confirming, again –to Adam, at least
– that she was armed. Laura suddenly turned to him again. “ Did you bring the
money ?”Adam simply nodded. “ Yes .” Laura threw her head back, and just
laughed out loud. “That’s very generous of you, but it’s also not necessary…
I’ve decided I don’t want it anymore – I have everything I need right here – in
this room – and also back there, in the bedroom. ” She nodded towards a small
room, off the parlor. Adam didn’t really understand everything that she’d just
said, but he did realize that his and Beth’s little girl was only steps away
from him. He also realized that Laura was so deranged, that she wouldn’t
hesitate to use a gun, on him, if he tried to get to his daughter. He decided
to take a different tact. “ Who is Peggy’s Father, Laura ?” She frowned
slightly, as she took her seat opposite him again. “Oh – he’s dead. But I’ll
get another Father for her – one day…Would you like to see her ? She should be
awake by now !” Adam’s heart just took a leap, but he was in complete control
of his emotions, so answered quite flatly. “ Yes - I’d like that.” He stood
slowly, and as he walked towards her, his suspicions about her being armed were
proven to be correct, yet again : by the way she very carefully followed him –
a few steps back from him, with one hand behind her back. She followed him
through the bedroom door, which was just off the main room, of the small home.
As Adam approached the small crib, he heard a very familiar little giggle. When
he reached the side of the crib, he
looked down into the beautiful face of his little daughter. When Rosie spotted
him, she just thrust her arms up eagerly towards him. Adam held back – he knew
he had to. “ That’s a very cute baby you have there, Laura. But she does need a
Father…” Laura looked down sadly, as she nodded her head in agreement. “ I’ll
find another Father for her, one day…” Adam just leapt in at comment - perhaps
taking a chance, he shouldn’t have. “ I could be her Father, Laura…You know, I
never really stopped loving you…” He turned to face her, and his eyes locked
with hers. Although he’d practically choked on the words, which had just come
out of his mouth, they seemed to have worked. For Laura, it was suddenly like –
at that very moment – that all of her dreams had come true : Adam DID love her,
and wanted her again, and she moved
suddenly into his arms. “ Oh, Adam – I’ve waited so long to hear you say that…”
As she reached her arms around him, he heard the unmistakable sound of a gun
being dropped, as it clattered to the floor. He glanced down quickly and,
spotting it, kicked it under the small crib, and out of the way. In one
movement, he’d grabbed Laura by one arm, and twisted it behind her back. He
drew his own gun, from its holster, and raised it up, point blank, to her face,
as he smiled at her. “ I changed my mind, Laura. I don’t love you. And that
isn’t ‘Peggy’ in that crib. It’s our Rosie. She’s MY baby - mine, and Beth’s…”
His smile was gone again, just as fast as it had appeared, as all the anger he
felt towards her – for what she’d done to his family, and to Rosie – took
complete control of him. Laura heard an ominous click, as he cocked his gun.
“You should be happy I don’t just blow your head off, as you stand there !” His
breath became ragged, in his sudden rage. Adam felt his own heart just
pounding, as he peered into her face, for a few more long moments, as he saw
the sudden fright in her eyes. Then he very coolly un-cocked his gun, and slid
it back into his holster. He shook his head slowly, and a half smile formed on
his lips, as he re-took control of his emotions again. “You’re just not worth hanging for, for doing
that, though, Laura. Hell - you’re not even worth the price, for a piece of
rope, to do it with! I’ve got a life, and a beautiful family, to live for. Now,
get movin’ !” He wrestled her towards the door, then
threw the door open. A moment later,
she’d somehow wrenched free from his grip, and just ran, pell
mell, towards her buggy. She leapt up onto the seat,
and reached for the gun, that was hidden there. She twisted around, and took
sudden aim at Adam. In Laura’s heart, and mind : if she couldn’t have him – no
one could…
It all happened so fast - there was a blast,
and Adam grabbed at his own shoulder - but he hadn’t been hit. The bullet had
planted itself into the wooden pillar, supporting the porch’s roof, right
beside his left ear. He’d quickly drawn his own gun, to return the fire, when
he heard Roy Coffee’s voice, as he yelled out. “ Laura Dayton - this is the law
! Drop your gun, or I’ll shoot !” Laura
just spun around, again, and fired off another shot, towards the sheriff.
That’s when Adam heard another ominously loud blast. Laura suddenly lurched
backwards, off the wagon, like some sort of strange, out of control marionette,
suddenly cut free of her strings, and fell onto the snow covered ground. Roy
Coffee lowered his still smoking rifle, once more, and walked slowly forward,
as Adam holstered his own gun again. Beth just ran, as fast as her legs could
carry her, to Adam’s side, and threw her arms around him. The emotions of the
moment made it hard for Adam to even speak, as he realized just how close he’d
come to dying, right on that very spot. He moved his arms around Beth, and
pulled her tightly against him. His voice was barely a hoarse whisper, when he
finally found it again. “Rosie’s inside,
Beth – and she’s okay…” They rushed in, and crossed the small parlor in a moment,
then entered the bedroom. Their little Rosie had pulled herself into a sitting
position, and just sat there, her big blue eyes just sparkling, as her auburn
curls framed her face, and her arms were spread wide, reaching for her Mama and
Papa. There was a big smile, across her little face, as her parents reached for
her, and took her between them, lovingly wrapping her into their mutual
embrace…
It was all over – Rosie was safe, and
sound, and she was going home again, where she belonged – with her own family!
They wrapped Rosie warmly, in a couple
of the small blankets, from the crib,
and then Beth tucked her inside of her coat, before they headed outside,
once more. They saw Roy standing over Laura Dayton’s dead body, as they reached
the covered porch. He shook his old head
sadly. “I didn’t want to have to do that, Adam. But she gave me no choice…
How’s Rosie doing?” There was a look of absolute relief on Beth’s
face, as she looked to the lawmaker. “ She seems to be just fine, Roy. We’ll
have Doc Martin check her out though, just to be sure.” Adam looked from the
happy faces of his wife and child, to the specter of Laura’s body, stretched
along the snow covered, blood splattered, ground. “ You’ll need her horse to
take her back to town on, Roy. I’ll give you a hand, and unhitch it.” The
sheriff nodded in agreement. “ Why – thank you, Adam. I reckon the sooner I get back into town, the better…”
Adam solemnly unhitched the horse, as Roy headed to the barn, in search of a
tarp, to wrap her body in. Adam was soon helping the lawman get the tarp -
wrapped body onto the horse’s back. He and Beth watched as Roy mounted his own
horse, then lead the second horse away from them, and back towards Virginia
City. Beth shuddered a little at the
sight. “ In a way, I can’t help but feel a bit sorry for her, Adam. She could
have gone on with her life, after losing her own daughter…” She looked to her
husband, and he nodded in agreement. “ Yeah – she could have - in time…She just
didn’t realize it, Beth…Come on. Let’s take our daughter home.”
After the snowy ride was over, and
they’d gotten back to their own home again, there was a real welcoming
committee waiting for them. Adam threw the door open, and some of the snow came
swirling in behind them, as Beth entered ahead of him, holding Rosie
triumphantly, in her arms. Hop Sing grinned broadly, as he held Wyatt, and
greeted them. “ You find ‘number two daughter’ – Hop Sing very happy !” Adam
reached for Wyatt, as Sarah rushed over with Shane. There were tears of
happiness in her eyes, and all she could manage to say was “Oh, you found her –
you found her !” She passed Shane up to her Pa, so she could hug both her parents, and all three of the triplets. As
they all stepped back again, the best reaction of them all took place. Both
Wyatt and Shane leaned forward, from Adam’s embrace, each of them reaching
towards Rosie, and she joyously reached for them, too. Adam just grinned at the
triplets. “ Well – how about that !” Beth lowered their little girl to the
floor, and Adam did the same with the two boys. They just giggled, and crawled
towards each other – then the three of them huddled together, on the rug
runner, their thumbs in their mouths – as they looked happily up at their
parents. The ‘Three Musketeers’, of the Cartwright clan, had been reunited…
The babies were picked up, once more,
and lovingly sat down, again, in one of the big winged, dark leather, chairs –
right on their Mama’s soft, warm lap, as Hop Sing served up dinner. As Beth
cuddled their three babies, Adam very gently, and tenderly, traced one hand
down her cheek, and their eyes met. He then gave her a slow wink, and a broad
grin : He’d just said it all, without saying a thing. A moment later they heard
Hop Sing’s voice “ Dinner ready for Cartlight family
– come, sit down !” Beth and Adam reached the babies into their high chairs,
then the rest of the Cartwright family took their places, around the large
table. Adam hesitated, for just a moment, as he glanced to Hop Sing, then he
reached for a spare chair, from against the wall, and pulled it up alongside
his own, just around the corner of the table, from him. “ You’re a member of
this family too, Hop Sing. Please – won’t you join us for dinner ?” The man
looked quite overcome, then he smiled at his ‘adopted son’. “ Hop Sing proud to
join Mister Adam’s family.” Adam led his family in saying grace that evening.
He was reminded of another meal, when he himself had been found in the desert,
by his family, after his ordeal with Peter Kane. He wondered if Rosie – on some
level – felt the same way he had, during his first meal together again, with
his family : It had been the most joyous meal any of them could remember, as
the steaming platters of meats, and vegetables, had been passed around. To
Adam, this meal wasn’t so very different : a loving family, together again.
When the meal was over, and the dishes
had been washed, and put away, they all retired to the great room. Hop Sing had
letters to catch up on, so retired to his room, for the night. Adam headed
outside, again, to look after the stock. He made sure all the horses were
brought in, then fed, watered, and shut up safely in their stalls, in the warm
barn. On entering the house again he, Beth, and Sarah, all piled onto the
settee, one of the triplets in each of their laps. Sarah leaned her head
against her Pa’s arm, as she cuddled Shane.
“ Pa, what’s going to happen to Mrs. Dayton, for kidnapping Rosie ?”
Adam glanced to his left, where Beth was nursing Rosie, and she just sadly
nodded her head : They both knew he had to tell his young daughter the truth.
“We don’t have to worry about Laura Dayton anymore, Sarah. She made the fatal
error of firing a gun at me, then at Sheriff Coffee. Sheriff Coffee returned
that fire, to defend all of us, and she was killed.” Sarah considered that for
a few moments, as she glanced down, then she tilted her head, to look up to her
Pa, again. “ Oh… Is that a ‘good thing’, or a ‘bad thing’ ? I know I didn’t
like her – but not enough for her to be dead, Pa.” Adam shifted a sleeping
little Wyatt, to his left shoulder, before he leaned to kiss his very
empathetic eldest daughter. “ She was a sick woman – mentally sick, in her
mind, Sarah. When it came right down to it, your Ma and I didn’t want to see
her die, either – we wanted her to get the help she needed, so she could move
on, with her life, and find meaning, and happiness, in it, again.” Sarah nodded
her head in agreement, then “ Do you
think she could have, Pa ?” Adam sighed deeply, as he smiled sadly as his girl.
“ That’s the one thing we’ll never know, Sarah…But, I do know that your little
brother, here, is just about ready for bed, and looks like Shane is, too.”
Shane glanced up to his Pa, on hearing his name, his little thumb stuck in his
mouth, as he looked to Adam through very sleepy, hazel eyes. Beth continued
nursing Rosie, as both Adam and Sarah
stood, a baby in each of their arms, as they headed upstairs, to put the boys
to bed. As they crossed the great room, and mounted those stairs, Sarah looked
up to her Pa. “ You know what, Pa ? I think I’ll go to bed, too…” Adam smiled
at his daughter. “ I know we have an early start, in the morning, to go visit
your Grampa, Hoss, Joe and
Hop Sing, but you don’t have to go to bed yet, Sarah. It’s only seven thirty.”
She sighed. “ I know - but looking after a young family is very tiring, Pa. You
and Ma can do it for a while, now…” Adam stifled his smile, and just glanced
back to Beth, who had heard what Sarah had just said, also. She was just
grinning from ear to ear, at her daughter. Adam reached a very understanding,
and empathetic arm, around Sarah’s shoulder. “ You’re right, there…and, yeah,
we can do that. Say, for the next twenty years, or so ?” Sarah nodded just
once. “ Okay, Pa.” Once Adam had settled the three of their children, in their
beds, he headed back downstairs again, and sat down, with a deep sigh, beside
Beth, once more. “Is that daughter of ours still nursing, there ? What a great
appetite !” Beth smiled, as she gently stroked her daughter’s soft pink cheek.
“ No… She finished eating a few minutes ago. She’s just re-bonding with me
again…” Beth turned to Adam, with tears of happiness in her eyes. He smiled, as
he reached his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her close. “ I see - ‘Mama
the pacifier’, huh ?” Beth nodded. “ Yes
- something like that…” She soon stood carefully, Rosie still in her arms. “ I’m going to give her a bath, Adam. Help
relax her, and welcome her home.” Adam rose, to go with her. “ Sounds like a great idea, sweetheart.”
He followed her to the kitchen and reached the small tub – that was the
triplets’ – from atop of their pantry cupboard. He soon had it filled with just
the right temperature of warm water, as Beth undressed their little girl.
Rosie’s little face was just alight with all smiles, and giggles, as her Mama
submerged her into the warm water. Adam pulled up a chair, at the side of the
kitchen table, to watch the ritual. It didn’t take long for Rosie to start
splashing happily – the way she always did - as Beth bathed her, and washed her
hair. She gently sculpted it straight up,
Mohican fashion, with the foamy suds, and they each smiled at the cute
hairdo. Bath time was soon over, and Rosie was dried, diapered, and dressed in
one of her light yellow sleepers again, and all ready for bed. Adam hovered
lovingly over his little daughter. “Who’s her Papa’s little girl ? ‘Rosie-dosie-doe’ !
” He gave her a little tickle, then blew
a few ‘raspberries’ onto her tummy, and all the time was making funny faces at
her. She always just loved that, as much as her Papa did… The baby reached up,
and grabbed Adam’s ears, as she started to pull his face towards hers. As Adam
looked into the unforgettable big blue eyes of his daughter’s, she reached out
to lay a big wet kiss, right on his kisser ! Adam grinned at Rosie, as he took
her up into his arms, and his eyes were just glowing. “That’s one of the things
that I really missed, Beth – those great big wet kisses of hers !” Beth reached her arms around the both
of them, in an all enveloping embrace. “Yes, me too, Adam – me too !”
They soon crept up the stairs with her,
and lay the now sleepy baby into her crib. Adam and Beth stood for some time,
arm in arm, just looking at the little miracle that was their daughter, in the
dim light of her bedroom, as she lay half asleep under that pink gingham quilt
of hers. They were just about to leave her, when Beth caught Adam’s sleeve, and
looked imploringly up to him. “ I really want her with us, Adam – right in our
room. Just till she knows she’s safe again…” Adam smiled at his young wife, and
reached his arms around her. “ Sure. I can move her crib back into our
bedroom…” And so he did.
Rosie awoke again, a few hours later,
with a bit of a start, and she wondered where she was. She looked through the
fancy turned spindles, of her crib, and she recognized her Mama and Papa,
cuddling together, under their covers, in their own big bed, right beside hers.
It made her feel happy, and safe – she was home again, and she knew it - so she
started to talk, and gurgle, to herself, in her own little language of
celebration. Adam and Beth were still awake, and heard their young daughter’s
little voice. Beth had cuddled into Adam’s broad, warm back, so he turned his
head slightly, and grinned at her. “You know what, Beth ? It doesn’t really
take a trained linguist to know just what she’s saying, does it?” Beth chuckled
softly. “ No – it certainly doesn’t !”
The End