First of all, I want to thank my beta readers, Vickie Batzka and Larkspur1, for their invaluable assistance. I must also thank Fan d’Adam for her help in providing me with French words and phrases and then checking to make certain I used them correctly. Finally, I want to thank Lis for her suggestions about teenage Adam and the fair sex.

Note: If you read Part 1 of this story, you remember that I operate on the premise that Adam built the ranch house after he returned from college so the Cartwrights in this story are living in the cabin Ben and Adam built when they first settled on the Ponderosa. Just as in all my stories, I have tried to achieve a compromise between American history and “Bonanza” history by moving events forward six years, which means Adam was born in 1836 rather than 1830. This story takes place in 1853, five years after gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill and six years before the Comstock Lode will be discovered. (There are some miners living around Sun Mountain, prospecting for gold and complaining about the blue stuff they find, not knowing it is silver.) There is a permanent settlement in the Carson Valley: Mormon Station (later renamed Genoa), which was founded in 1851. Virginia City, however, will not exist until 1859.

To be honest, I forgot that Adam said he met Edwin Booth in college, and it worked perfectly for them to meet in San Francisco since Edwin Booth was performing there during this story’s timeframe. I hope I can be forgiven for this error.

A GENTLEMAN AND A SCHOLAR
PART 2
by Deborah Grant
March 2006

Chapter 1
Eleven-year-old Hoss Cartwright sighed loudly. “I shore wish Pa and Adam would hurry up and get here ‘cause I’m really hungry.”

“They not come soon, throw suppuh out!” declared Hop Sing. The Cartwrights’ Chinese cook had worked hard chopping vegetables, making the stock and stirring the soup as it simmered in the kettle that hung over the cabin’s fireplace, in addition to stirring up a batch of johnnycakes and baking a gooseberry pie in the spider.

“Mr. Cartwright and Adam will be home soon,” Marie Cartwright said soothingly, hoping to calm the volatile cook. Then she turned to her stepson. “Hoss, why don’t you and Little Joe play catch outside while we’re waiting for them to get here.”

“C’mon, Hoss! Play!” three and half year old Little Joe shouted, tugging on his older brother’s hand.

Marie smiled at her boys as they ran outside and then she returned to sewing a new pair of trousers for Little Joe. He had been so happy when he received his first pair of trousers on his third birthday and proudly informed his two brothers that he was a big boy just like them. Marie had cried as her little darling received his first hair cut and Little Joe had screamed as though he was being scalped.

~ ~ ~

“You know, Little Buddy,” Adam said to the crying child, who was sitting on his lap while Ben snipped his golden curls, “big boys like me and Hoss don’t cry when Pa cuts our hair.”

“Yeah, Little Joe, me ‘n’ Adam don’t cry when we get a haircut,” Hoss added. “Only babies cry.”

“Not baby!” Little Joe said angrily through his tears. “Hoss bad!”

“Don’t tease him!” Marie said sharply to her two stepsons.

“We’re not teasing,” Adam retorted. “We just don’t want him to grow up to be a little crybaby.”

“Adam,” Ben said sternly.

“Sorry,” Adam muttered, but his tone was not apologetic; however, Ben decided to let it pass since he shared his older sons’ sentiments.

“Now, Joseph, if you won’t let Pa cut your hair, then you will have to start wearing frocks again. Grownup boys who wear trousers have short hair. Which is it to be? Do I cut your hair, or do I take away your trousers?”

Little Joe’s lower lip came out in a pout, and Marie said, “Oh, why must you cut his hair? It’s beautiful.”

“He looks like a little girl,” Adam retorted. “We want him to look like a little boy.”

“Not a girl!” Little Joe shouted, scowling at his oldest brother.

“Well, you sure look like one with all those curls,” Adam replied and Hoss added, “Yeah, you do look like a girl, Little Joe.’

“That will be enough out of you two,” Ben said firmly. Then he turned to his youngest. “Well, Joseph, do I cut your hair, or do I take away your trousers?”

Little Joe’s lower lip and chin quivered, but his pa looked at him sternly so he said in a quavering voice, “Cut hair.”

“Good for you, Little Buddy!” Adam said with a big smile. “Now you really are a big boy.”

“Yeah,” Hoss agreed. “Now you’re a big boy.”

Little Joe smiled through his tears because he idolized his older brothers.

~ ~ ~

It wasn’t long before Marie heard the sound of a horse’s hooves, laid down her sewing, and hurried outside. She saw her husband rein in his buckskin gelding as the two boys ran to greet him.

“Howdy, Pa!” Hoss said with his wide, gap-tooth grin and Little Joe squealed, “Howdy, Pa!”

“Adam not back yet?” Ben asked after kissing first Marie, then Little Joe, and tousling his older son’s hair.

“I see him!” Hoss called and, looking where he pointed, the others saw Adam approaching. Ben tightened his hold on his youngest so he couldn’t dash in front of Adam’s rather skittish chestnut mare.

“Howdy, Adam!” Little Joe hollered.

“Was there any mail?” Marie asked her older stepson eagerly as he rode up.

“Just a letter for Pa,” Adam replied as he swung easily out of the saddle. “It’s from Mr. Townsend. I sure hope it’s good news about our investments.” Ben and Marie shared a smile at that remark. Ever since Adam’s first cattle drive two years earlier, he’d given the majority of his wages to his father’s friend and banker, David Townsend, to invest for him. He’d keep a out a little to buy Christmas gifts for his family, and anything left, he deposited in his bank account to draw interest.

“You’re certainly a typical Yankee, son,” Ben teased.

“And proud of it,” Adam replied with a wink.

That evening after supper while Ben sat on the settee and read his letter, Adam and Hoss set up the checkerboard at the table and Marie sat in the rocking chair with Little Joe on her lap looking at one of Adam’s old picture books. Ben finished the letter and neatly folded it before clearing his throat. Adam and Hoss looked up from their game, their expressions curious, and Little Joe slid off his ma’s lap to sit by his pa. Marie closed the picture book and looked at her husband expectantly.

“Mr. Townsend would like to discuss some business matters with me, and he and Mrs. Townsend have invited all of us to visit them in San Francisco. Mr. Townsend writes that his wife is very anxious to see Adam and Hoss again.”

“They know me?” Hoss asked in surprise.

“That’s right, son. Mr. and Mrs. Townsend were on the wagon train with me and Adam and . . .” he paused and shot a sideways glance at Marie, “your mother.” He saw his Hoss’s face light up at the thought of meeting people who knew his mother. I should talk with Hoss more abut Inger, just as I should talk more with Adam about Liz. At first it hurt so to talk of them, and now it seems disloyal to Marie. Well, Opal was a good friend to Inger, and she’ll be happy to talk with Hoss about her.

Marie spoke up then. “I think you and Adam and Hoss should go. However, it is too difficult a journey for Joseph.” She didn’t want to expose her precious boy to any unnecessary danger, but that was only part of the reason behind her decision. She was very reluctant to meet people who’d known Hoss’s mother and to hear them talk about her, as it was inevitable they would with Hoss there. Ben had told her that Hoss had his mother’s sweetness and loving nature. Indeed, on the rare occasions Ben had spoken of his second wife, the picture he painted was of a woman who had been a veritable saint. Marie was afraid Ben’s friends would compare her to Inger and find her lacking in every way. That had certainly been her older stepson’s initial reaction and it had been months before he finally began to accept her as part of his family.

“Can we go, Pa?” Adam asked, his face alight with enthusiasm, and Ben was pleased to see his reserved first-born express such eagerness. “When we saw Mr. Townsend in Sacramento last August, he was telling us how they’ve been rebuilding after the last fire. And the city is growing. There are over 20,000 people living in San Francisco. Can you imagine that?”

“Gosh!” Hoss exclaimed, “that’s more people than our cattle and the McKarens’ and the Marquettes’ all put together!”

“That’s right. Close to thirty times as many,” Adam said with a grin, watching his younger brother’s eyes open very wide as he tried to imagine it.

“Gosh! Pa, you ever been anywheres with more people than that?” Hoss asked, amazement written all over his expressive features.

“Oh yes. London, Paris, and Amsterdam are all much bigger than San Francisco.”

“New Orleans is much bigger, too, mon petit,” Marie added.

“And so is Boston, where I was born,” Adam said. “Of course, I don’t remember it,” he added with a lopsided grin.

“You’re sure you don’t want to come with us, Darling?” Ben asked Marie, who nodded quietly. “Well, all right, then I guess Adam and Hoss and I will plan on visiting San Francisco.”

“Me, too!” Little Joe said excitedly. His face crumpled when his mother said gently, “Non, mon ange. You are staying home with me.”

“We’ll bring you back a present from San Francisco, Little Buddy,” Adam said placatingly.

“Yeah, we promise,” Hoss added, and then turned to his father. “When do we leave?”

“I think we can probably leave the day after tomorrow,” Ben replied. “This is the best time of the year for us to be gone. I know the hands can manage without us for a few weeks, especially since we’ve finished cleaning the debris out of that creek.” The Ponderosa’s herd had increased over the past year, and Ben had hired two new hands: Will Regan and his son, Carl, who was the same age as Adam and Ross Marquette.

Marie hated the thought of her boys looking like country bumpkins, but there was no reason for them to have the type of clothes city boys would wear. Hoss probably wouldn’t mind, she knew, but Adam was another story. However, there was nothing to be done. If Adam had stopped growing, then she would suggest that they buy him his first suit while he was in San Francisco. However, he was still growing so Ben would never agree to the expense of a suit that would only be worn a few times before he outgrew it.

“It’s a lucky thing Hop Sing did the laundry today,” she commented. Then she said briskly, “Boys, I’ll need you both to watch Little Joe tomorrow so I can be busy ironing all your shirts and trousers and getting them packed.”

“I don’t want you to exhaust yourself, Darling,” Ben began but she cut him off.

“I will not have our boys looking like a pair of . . .” she paused and searched for the English word. “Ragamuffins!” she exclaimed triumphantly. “Oh la la! I hope your boots are not too tight, Hoss.”

“We gotta wear boots?” Hoss said in dismay.

“I’m afraid so, son,” Ben replied with a smile. “Why don’t you bring them down here and try them on now? If they’re too tight, I guess we can buy new ones in San Francisco.”

Hoss scurried up the ladder and Little Joe wriggled off the settee and ran after him shouting, “I get my boots!”

“Be careful, mon ange,” Marie called as she anxiously watched her precious boy climb up the ladder behind his brother, and Adam got up and said, “I’ll be right behind him,” as his long legs quickly covered the distance. That was another change that Little Joe’s third birthday had brought about. Ben and Adam had moved his trundle bed up to the loft so now he shared the space with his brothers. Ben was delighted to have their bedroom all to themselves, but Marie had found it difficult to accept Little Joe sleeping with his brothers.

~ ~ ~

That first night the toddler had been eager to be sleeping upstairs with his brothers. The two older boys had gone upstairs early so Little Joe wouldn’t be alone. After Ben had heard Little Joe recite the Latin prayer Marie had taught him and tucked him in with a kiss, Adam and Hoss had quietly played checkers, setting the checkerboard on their bed while they perched on either side. When it was time for them to go to bed, Adam blew out the candle and they got under the covers just as they always did. Hoss had been known to sleep through thunderstorms, but Adam had always been a light sleeper so the sound of Little Joe’s hiccupping sobs woke him. He reached for his flint and steel and carefully lit the tallow candle on the bedside table and then he slid out of bed, automatically slipping his feet into the moccasins he used as slippers. The older boy padded over to the little trundle bed under the loft’s only window, the full moon highlighting the tears on his little brother’s face.

“What’s wrong, Little Buddy?” he asked, as he knelt on the cold floor by the bed.

“Want Ma,” the little boy managed to get out between sobs.

Adam thought for a moment and then said softly, “We don’t wanna wake up your ma; how would you like to sleep with Hoss and me? You could sleep right in the middle between the two of us. Would you like that?”

“Yeah,” the toddler replied with a watery smile.

“Okay. Now, the floor’s kind of cold so I’ll just carry you.” He scooped up his baby brother and carried him over to the larger bed and set him down. “Now, you get over by Hoss ‘cause this is gonna be crowded, okay?”

“’Kay, Adam,” Little Joe said. The toddler moved to the center of the bed, near to Hoss, who had not moved an inch during the exchange. As soon as Adam got back in the bed, the little boy snuggled up against him and fell asleep almost immediately.

Adam never mentioned what happened those first few nights and now Little Joe spent the night in his own bed. Every morning Adam woke him up and after Adam helped him get dressed, Little Joe would sit on his little bed and watch his older brother shave. He was so fascinated with the razor and strap that Adam had built a little shelf out of his reach and kept them there.

~ ~ ~

It didn’t take long for the three boys to scramble back down the ladder, with Adam carrying Little Joe’s boots so both Little Joe’s hands were free to grasp the ladder. The two older boys always had Little Joe go down the ladder between them, so one could help get him started down and the other could catch him if he missed a rung. As soon as he climbed down he demanded his little boots and sat down on the cabin floor to pull them on, which caused his parents to smile, as he did so without any need for socks.

“All right, Hoss, try yours on,” Ben said to his older sons while Little Joe struggled with his.

Hoss struggled, his expressive features twisted up in a grimace. “I feel like one of them stepsisters in that story about the gal with the glass slipper.” Then his face brightened and he said, “We still got some of Adam’s old boots in the loft. Maybe I could wear a pair of them?”

“Adam’s foot is so much narrower that I don’t think that would help a bit. It’s too bad we don’t have any pairs of your pa’s old boots,” Marie said with a little frown as Hoss finally managed to cram his feet into his boots. “Come here and let me feel how tight they are.” She looked anxious since the poor boy was obviously in pain as he walked across the room, and she frowned as she felt his feet in the boots. “Ben, he can’t wear these!”

“Maybe he could wear his moccasins until he can have a new pair made,” Adam suggested as Ben felt the tightness of his middle boy’s boots.

“Well, that’s a better solution than going barefoot,” Ben agreed while Marie sighed, worried about the impression Hoss would make with his plain clothes, wearing moccasins like an Indian. I’m sure Ben’s friends will think I am a terrible mother to our boys.

“Look!” Little Joe exclaimed then. “My boots too small!"

Adam reached over and felt. “No, they’re not,” he laughed.

“Too small,” Little Joe said, sticking his lower lip out and glaring at his big brother.

“Let me see, Joseph,” Ben said with a smile for his youngest.

Little Joe scowled ferociously at Adam, who only grinned, and then walked over to his pa. “Well, Joseph, I am afraid your brother is correct. Your shoes aren’t too small.” Seeing the angry scowl on the little face, he added gently, “but I’m sure in the fall you’ll be needing new ones.” Then he turned to the others. “I almost forgot. Mr. Townsend writes that they have hired a tutor for their son, Davy, and that he would be happy to teach Hoss and Adam while they are visiting.”

Hoss’s happy expression wilted just a little at that news, and he said, “But Adam don’t have lessons no more.”

“Maybe this tutor could give me some lessons in Latin or mathematics,” Adam said, and Ben and Marie both saw the longing in his eyes.

“We’ll find out when we get there,” Ben said quietly. He had really hoped that the past two years of working as a ranch hand would have made Adam forget all about his dream of college, but now it was clear that the dream was still alive.

The next day the three boys went on a picnic by the lake. Little Joe was as proud as could be sitting in front of his big brother on his horse. They went to their favorite picnic spot, one that Adam and Hoss had discovered by accident years earlier. They had gone wandering on their own against their pa’s strict instructions; Hoss was too young to know any better, but Adam had received a tanning for his disobedience. Later he showed Ben the location and the three of them would go there in the summer and just relax for a while. As the years passed, Ben gave the two boys permission to go there on their own as long as they told him so he’d know where they were. This was the first time they’d ever taken their little brother.

Hoss dismounted first so Adam could hand Little Joe down to him. They let Beauty and Sugar graze. Adam removed Beauty’s saddle first, while Little Joe watched excitedly. He wasn’t allowed in the barn with the horses although he could watch them while they were in the corral, and if one of the adults held him, he could pet them. (Hoss had ridden bareback, as he usually did in the summer, since it allowed him to go barefoot.)

“Well, Little Buddy,” Adam said with a grin, “how would you like for Hoss and me to teach you how to skip stones?”

“Okay,” the youngster said smiling brightly.

“You taught me, Adam, so I wanna teach Little Joe,” Hoss said firmly and Adam nodded.

“Yeah, that sounds fair. Go ahead,” and he flopped down on the sandy lakeshore, stretching his long legs out in front of him, taking off his boots, and wriggling his bare toes.

“Now, you watch me, Little Joe,” Hoss said firmly, “and I’ll show ya how to skip a stone.” He picked up a small, rather flat stone, walked to the edge of the shore, and sent it skipping four times along the cerulean waters of the lake.

“Me! Me!” Little Joe shouted, jumping up and down in excitement. He picked up the biggest stone he could see, ran almost into the lake, put back his arm and threw the stone, which promptly sank.

“No, Little Joe, ya don’t throw it; ya skip it,” Hoss explained. “And ya don’t want a great big stone. Ya want a little one that’s kinda flat like this,” and he held one up. Little Joe promptly snatched it up and chunked it into the water, where it vanished from sight.

Seeing the matching scowls of frustration on his younger brothers’ faces, Adam jumped up. “Hey, Little Buddy, how about I help you skip a stone. That be okay?”

Little Joe’s lower lip was still sticking out in a pout as he nodded. Hoss picked out a stone and then Adam stood behind Little Joe, leaned over, and placing his hand over Little Joe’s, managed to make the stone skip twice along the rippling surface of the lake.

“I did it! I did it!” the little boy squealed in excitement.

“That’s right, you shore did, Little Joe,” Hoss said with his beaming smile.

“Here, why don’t we do another one,” Adam suggested.

After doing a few with his big brother, Little Joe was able to make the rock skip at least once entirely on his own. “Lookee, Adam! Lookee, Hoss! I skip good as you!”

“Oh, ya think so, huh?” Hoss asked, his blue eyes twinkling. “Well, I can still tickle better ‘n’ you!” He reached around and tickled his youngest brother until he was rolling on the ground.

“Hey, Hoss,” Adam said with a devilish glint in his eye, “I think you forgot that I’m the master tickler!” He pounced on the younger boy and had him laughing so hard he was crying while Little Joe managed to do a little tickling of his own. Finally, all three boys lay panting on the sand.

“I’m gettin’ hungry,” Hoss announced. “Whata about you? You hungry?”

“Sure. Let’s see what Hop Sing sent along for our lunch,” Adam agreed, and went to get his saddlebags. He plunked back down on the sand and pulled out the food Hop Sing had carefully packed. “We’ve got slices of ham, hardboiled eggs, pickles and lots of doughnuts.”

“Oh boy, I love doughnuts!” Hoss exclaimed. “You like doughnuts, don’t ya, Little Joe?”

“Yeah!” Little Joe shouted.

“Well, we gotta eat some ham and eggs and pickles first,” Adam said. Seeing his youngest brother’s pout he said quickly, “Little Joe, you know what’ll happen if I tell Pa that you wouldn’t eat your ham or a hardboiled egg or a pickle.”

“Nec’s’ry talk,” Little Joe said worriedly.

“That’s right,” Hoss said. “’Sides, Little Joe, Pa and Adam smoked this ham and it’s good. And so are Hop Sing’s pickles.”

“Yeah, I like Hop Sing’s pickles almost as much as I like his doughnuts,” Adam added, and then proceeded to bite into the largest one the cook had packed.

The three boys polished off the ham, eggs, pickles and doughnuts and Adam leaned back against a pine tree, stretching his legs out in front of him. “I am stuffed,” he said, rubbing his stomach.

“Yeah, stuffed,” Little Joe piped up, carefully mimicking his brother by leaning against the tree and stretching out his little legs. Hoss, who was sitting on Adam’s other side followed their example.

“I wish there was one more doughnut,” Hoss said wistfully, and Adam shook his head and chuckled.

“Hey, how about if we sing some songs?” he suggested. “I’m too full to do anything else.”

“Sing Alouette,” Little Joe said excitedly.

“Okay,” Adam replied and the brothers sang the French song that Marie had taught them and songs that Adam and Ben had sung on their journey west. It didn’t take long for Little Joe to fall asleep, just as Adam had known he would.

“Hey, Adam, whata ya think this San Francisco is like?” Hoss asked quietly.

“If it’s like Sacramento, then it’ll be loud and smelly. Since there are more people, it’s probably louder and smellier. It’s by the ocean though, and I’ve always wanted to see the ocean. Oh, I guess I probably saw the Atlantic when I was really little and lived in Boston, but I can’t remember. Grandfather loves the sea and he’s told me that the Stoddards have been sailors for generations.”

“Whata ya mean?” the younger boy asked, crinkling his nose in puzzlement.

“It’s a fancy way of saying my grandfather, great-grandfather, and even great-great grandfather were all sailors. And of course, Pa and Grandfather Cartwright were sailors, too.”

“Do you want to be a sailor?” Hoss asked curiously.

“Naw, I don’t think so; I would just like to see the ocean.”

They were both silent again and then Hoss asked, “What are Mr. and Mrs. Townsend like?”

Adam thought for a minute and then said, “I don’t remember Mrs. Townsend very well. I mostly just remember her and Mama and Mrs. Simon talking in the evenings after supper when the wagons were circled up for the night. Mr. Townsend was nice the times we met him in Sacramento.” He stopped and grinned broadly. “If he could hardly believe how much I’d grown, he’s sure gonna be surprised when he sees you!”

The two boys chuckled, and then Hoss said, “Wish I didn’t have to have lessons with that . . . What did Pa call it?”

“A tutor,” Adam replied, with just a hint of a grin. “I think it’ll be wonderful.”

“It may be fun for you ‘cause you’re so smart, but I hate lessons!” Hoss said. “I can read and write and I can do sums; don’t know why I have to learn more.”

“You gotta at least learn how to multiply and divide,” Adam said earnestly. It troubled him that his younger brother disliked something that he loved. He knew Hoss wasn’t stupid, but for some reason he struggled to learn concepts that to Adam were as natural as breathing. No one he knew, not even Pa, liked to work with numbers the way he did. He knew instinctively there was more to learn, but he didn’t know anyone who could teach him. Maybe this tutor could, and maybe he could give him some ideas about how he could learn things on his own, especially since college seemed to be just a pipe dream now.

“Yeah, that’s what Pa says,” Hoss repeated gloomily. He was silent for a moment and then said, “I wish Ma and Little Joe were comin’. Little Joe’s gonna miss us.”

“I’m surprised Belle-mère doesn’t want to come,” Adam remarked. “I thought she’d be thrilled to visit a city. I know that it won’t be as refined as New Orleans, but sometimes I think she really misses living in a city and having neighbors that are close by. And, well, she’s not friendly with Ross’s ma the way she was with Todd’s.”

“Yeah,” Hoss said thoughtfully. “She’s gonna be awful lonely while we’re gone.”

Just then Little Joe woke from his nap and so the three brothers played catch with the cloth ball that had been passed down from Adam to Hoss and from Hoss to Little Joe. Then Little Joe wanted to play ring-a-round-a-rosy. Marie had asked them to keep Little Joe busy until it was time to do their evening chores, so when Little Joe tired of the game, Hoss suggested they go for a ride and show the youngest member of the family more of the Ponderosa.

When they returned late that afternoon, Marie had their clean shirts and trousers pressed and packed away in Ben’s carpetbag along with clean underwear. Supper that evening was unusually quiet for everyone but Little Joe was thinking about their upcoming separation. When they finished eating, Marie suggested they sing. She got her guitar and accompanied them as they sang all their old favorites. She and Ben allowed Little Joe to stay up past his bedtime, which meant that Ben had to help the drowsy child climb the ladder, and his brothers soon followed.

They set out the next morning right after breakfast. Little Joe began to wail when he saw Hoss ride off with his pa and Adam. Marie was so occupied with comforting him that she only had time to wave a quick goodbye as the three rode out of the clearing.

Hoss had been much too young to be able to remember his journey from Sutter’s Fort to the shores of Lake Bigler. As they approached the Sierra Nevada, he was enthralled with the scenery and the wildlife. The two older Cartwrights exchanged smiles as the younger enthused about all the new wonders he encountered. As they drew near Hangtown, now known as Placerville, Hoss’s eyes opened as wide as they could. Ben smiled to see the astonishment on his young son’s face at the dirty, scraggly mining town, with its wooden buildings and tents.

“Gosh, I never seen so many people,” he said wonderingly.

“Oh, Sacramento is much bigger than this,” Adam added in a tone that was only slightly patronizing.

“And San Francisco will be even bigger than Sacramento,” Ben said quietly.

Ben decided they would push on to Sacramento; since they were traveling by horseback, they could make much better time than when traveling with mules hauling a wagon. They arrived at the outskirts of Sacramento just before dusk. Adam thought his brother’s eyes were going to pop out when he saw the city that spread out along the juncture of the American and Sacramento Rivers—all the buildings and the traffic on the wide streets lined with young trees. As they rode along, the eleven-year-old kept turning his head so he could see in every direction.

“Look at all the buildings!”

“There’d probably be more if it weren’t for the floods,” Adam said. “See, Hoss, they built the city too close to the rivers and they’ve had terrible floods. They built levees,” and he pointed with a sweeping gesture, “but the river just gets too high.”

“It’s not gonna flood while we’re here, is it?” Hoss asked nervously.

“No, Hoss,” Ben said reassuringly, while frowning at his first-born, who only shrugged.

They spent the night at a hotel. Hoss wasn’t sure that he liked having so many strangers all living so close by. If San Francisco had more people, he had a feeling he was going to like it even less. Adam, on the other hand, was looking forward to seeing San Francisco. The last time he and Pa had met Mr. Townsend in Sacramento after a cattle drive, he’d told them how the people of San Francisco were rebuilding after a series of terrible fires had ravaged the city.

“So many businesses and other buildings, including the First Baptist Church where my wife and I are members, were destroyed. The new buildings being constructed downtown are of brick or stone rather than wood. We have recently moved to a new brick townhouse in South Park. I know I shouldn’t brag, but it is a lovely house and we have a small stable and carriage house in the rear.”

The Cartwrights traveled four days until they reached the ferry that would take them across the bay to San Francisco.

“Is that the kind of boat you and Adam’s grandfather sailed on?” Hoss asked as soon as the ferry came in sight.

Ben choked back a laugh before he replied, “No, son. That’s a ferry boat; Adam’s grandfather and I sailed on a clipper ship. When we get to San Francisco, I’ll take you boys to the harbor and you can see the kind of ships we sailed.”

“Hurrah!” Hoss shouted while Adam said with shining eyes, “Grandfather will be so pleased when I write him that I’ve seen clipper ships.”

“Now, Mr. Townsend enclosed a map with directions to their house,” Ben said as the three of them disembarked and viewed the buildings of wood and canvas that lined the streets before them. “And we have quite a ways to go yet before we reach this South Park where they live.”

As they drew closer to the area where the Townsends lived, Adam noted that the wooden buildings began to be replaced by brick and stone just as Mr. Townsend had mentioned, and they were two and three, even four stories high. Ben smiled as he noted that his oldest son was now showing as much curiosity as his younger brother, as Adam’s eyes took in every detail of the newly constructed homes. Ben had to hurry them along towards the end since he hoped to reach their destination well before dark. Finally, they approached an oval of green grass ringed by elegant brick townhouses with high, vertical windows overlooking the common, with a wrought-iron fence that encircled them.

“Here we are, boys,” Ben said, “and that is the Townsends’ house,” he added, pointing to a four story house with a bright blue door.

“But, but it’s as big as the hotel where we stayed in Sacramento!” Hoss exclaimed in disbelief.

“Mr. Townsend said he’d done well for himself,” Ben commented, “and it appears that he didn’t exaggerate. C’mon, boys. We don’t want to stand here gawking.” As they approached the stairs leading to the front door, Ben said, “Adam, why don’t you hold the horses, while Hoss and I knock on the door?”

“I’ll help Adam watch the horses,” Hoss said, feeling shy about meeting the people who lived in such a grand home.

“I don’t think your brother needs any help,” Ben said with an encouraging smile. He swung out of the saddle and handed Buck’s reins to Adam, and reluctantly Hoss did the same with Sugar’s.

They walked up the steps and Ben used the brass knocker on the door. Almost immediately, it was opened by a pretty young woman wearing a black dress and starched white apron. She looked at them disdainfully and said with a sniff, “The tradesmen’s entrance is down those stairs.” She pointed to a steep flight of stairs behind the wrought-iron fence.

Hoss looked at his father timidly and Ben replied firmly, “My name is Ben Cartwright and I’m here at the invitation of Mr. and Mrs. Townsend. If you would be good enough to tell them I’m here with my sons, Adam and Eric.”

“Oh, yes, Mr. Cartwright,” the young woman said, now sounding nervous. She glanced over Ben’s shoulder and added, “Would that be your older son, sir?”

“Yes. That’s Adam,” Ben said. “We weren’t sure what to do with our horses.”

“I’ll send the stable boy for them. If you’ll please come inside, sir, I’ll tell Mrs. Townsend that you’re here.”

She opened the door, revealing an entrance hall with a lovely faux marble floor in a design of black and white squares, and at the other end an elegant, curving stairway leading upstairs. As the maid hurried up the stairs, the Cartwrights looked around.

“Gosh, Pa,” Hoss said in a whisper, “this looks like where them kings and queens live in Adam’s stories.”

Ben smiled and put his arm about the boy’s shoulders. “It certainly is elegant,” he commented.

The maid returned almost immediately, just a little breathless. “If you’ll follow me, please,” she said.

When they reached the next floor, they followed the maid into a large room with a high ceiling painted with garlands, and very tall, narrow windows that were set back in alcoves. The walls were painted pale blue while the Adamesque moldings were white. Opal Townsend was seated on one of a pair of blue and white striped settees, and she smiled as Ben and Hoss entered the elegant room. Ben thought the years had been kind to her. She had grown plump and was dressed much more stylishly, but otherwise looked very like the young woman who had been such a good friend of Inger’s on their journey west.

“Hello, Ben. We weren’t sure if you’d be able to accept our invitation but I’m so glad that you did,” she said, extending her hands to him. Then she looked at Hoss and said incredulously, ‘Don’t tell me this is Inger’s baby boy?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m Hoss. I mean, Eric,” Hoss got out, his face scarlet.

“I shouldn’t be surprised. Your mama said you were going to be a big man just like her father,” and she smiled at him. “So you go by Hoss, not Eric?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Hoss said with a shy smile.

“You may remember that Adam was pretty determined to call him Hoss,” Ben said, placing one hand on Hoss’s shoulder.

“Where is Adam?” Mrs. Townsend asked, and as if on cue, Adam appeared in the doorway.

“My goodness,” Mrs. Townsend exclaimed, one spread hand moving to her chest. ‘I’m not sure which of you two boys has changed the most.”

Adam bowed as Marie had taught him and said, “It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Townsend.”

“Let’s sit down and get reacquainted, shall we?” she suggested, so the three of them sat on the settee with her. The maid lingered unobtrusively in the doorway, and after a glance at her, Mrs. Townsend turned to Ben. “Would you like some coffee, Ben?” He nodded and she turned to Hoss. “And would you like a glass of milk?”

“Yes, thank you, uh, ma’am,” Hoss said.

“Well, Adam, would you prefer milk or coffee?” she asked with a smile.

“Coffee, thank you, ma’am,” he replied, and smiled slightly.

Mrs. Townsend turned to the maid then and said, “Molly, have Mrs. Samuels prepare coffee and a glass of milk, and also some cucumber sandwiches. And then prepare the rooms for Mr. Cartwright and his sons.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the maid said with a curtsey, and she headed for the kitchen. She found the cook and scullery maid enjoying a cup of tea before beginning to prepare supper.

“Mrs. Townsend wants you to make some cucumber sandwiches and then I’m to take them and coffee to the drawing room. Oh, and a glass of milk.”

“A glass of milk?” the cook repeated, her eyebrows arching up.

“Yes, that Mr. Cartwright and his sons have arrived. I thought they were tramps the way they were dressed. But the older son . . . Oh, he is the most handsome young man I’ve ever seen.”

“Really,” the young scullery maid asked eagerly.

“Well, it’s no concern of yours, Patsy, for you’ll never set eyes on him. You get busy trimming the crusts off the bread and slicing the cucumbers while I make the coffee.’

“And I’ve got to air their rooms so I must fly,” Molly said, hurrying up the backstairs with Ben’s carpetbag.

“I take it your wife and youngest son aren’t with you,” Mrs. Townsend said after the maid left.

“She felt the journey was too arduous for Joseph,” Ben replied quietly.

“Oh, well what a pity. But Mr. Townsend and I are so glad that the three of you could visit. Davy, our son, has heard stories about our journey west and he’s been looking forward to meeting you. He’s a year younger than you, Er-I mean Hoss. He’s nowhere near as tall as you though. I believe my husband wrote that you and Adam may join Davy’s lessons.” She turned to Adam, “Now that I see you, Adam, I suppose you are too old.”

“Well, ma’am I was hoping your tutor could give me some lessons in Latin. My grandfather sent me a grammar and my stepmother knows a little Latin and she’s tried to teach me, but we haven’t gotten very far I’m afraid,” Adam said diffidently.

“Of course. Davy is learning Latin and I know Mr. Atherton would be happy to teach you as well,” she replied with a warm smile. Then she turned to Hoss. “I am so happy to see you have your mother’s beautiful blue eyes.”

“I do?” the boy asked with a beaming smile.

“Oh yes. Your mother was such a wonderful woman. I think she was the kindest, most generous woman I’ve ever known.”

She was reminiscing about Inger when Molly arrived, carrying a large tray with the silver coffee pot, cream pitcher and sugar bowl, three china cups and saucers, a glass of milk and cucumber sandwiches.

“Thank you, Molly,” Mrs. Townsend said, noting with a frown the way the young woman stole glances at Adam as she sat the tray on the coffee table. “That will be all,” she said sharply and the young woman curtseyed and left the room with alacrity. “Do you take cream and sugar, Ben?’

“Black, please,” he replied and she asked Adam the same question.

“I’d like a lump of sugar, thank you,” Adam answered.

Hoss was glad he’d had practice holding a plate on his lap at the McKaren cabin, and so was Ben. He said a silent prayer that Hoss would remember not to speak when he had food in his mouth. Opal Townsend smiled as she watched the two Cartwright boys eat all the tiny cucumber sandwiches. They were just finishing when they were joined by young Davy and his tutor. Adam noted that the tutor was dressed in a brown frock jacket and fawn trousers, a white shirt and black cravat while nine-year-old Davy was attired in a short black jacket, gray trousers and a shirt with a large, stiff white collar. Seeing them, Adam felt self-conscious in his collarless shirt of light blue chambray and dusty trousers.

After the introductions were made, Davy, a thin boy with freckles and slightly protruding teeth, pointed at Hoss’s moccasins and asked, “What are those?”

“Davy!” Mrs. Townsend exclaimed, her cheeks pink. “Apologize to Hoss this instant.”

“Sorry,” he muttered to Hoss, whose face was scarlet with embarrassment.

“Those are moccasins,” Adam answered, his thick black brows drawn together in a frown. “The Indians wear them and they’re more comfortable than boots,” he added in a disdainful tone as he glared at the younger boy who had embarrassed his brother.

“When we got ready to travel here, we discovered Hoss’s boots were too small so I plan on having some new ones made here. In fact, I was hoping you or Mr. Townsend could recommend a shoemaker,” Ben said to Mrs. Townsend.

“Yes, of course,” she replied.

Ben nodded and continued, “I’m afraid that ranch work and formal clothes just don’t go together.”

She had been taken aback by their clothing, but now she realized she was being a snob. Of course they wouldn’t have need of frock coats and cravats.

“You have a rancho?” Mr. Atherton inquired politely. He had been startled by the Cartwrights’ appearance, although their manners were excellent.

“That’s right,” Ben replied with a smile. “In western Utah.”

“The Ponderosa,” Hoss interjected. “We named it that ‘cause of the ponderosa pines. I’m gonna be a vaquero when I don’t have no more, I mean any more, lessons.”

“But vaqueros are Californios or Mexicans,” Davy said in surprise.

“No, they ain’t,” Hoss retorted. “Adam’s a vaquero and so’s our friends Ross ‘n’ Todd ‘n’ Carl.”

“Hoss,” Ben said sternly.

“Sorry,” Hoss muttered.

“Actually, Master David, as more Americans own ranchos, it stands to reason that more vaqueros will be Americans as well,” Mr. Atherton said in a voice of mild reproof. He turned to Adam then saying, “I take it then that you won’t be joining our lessons?”

“Well, sir, I was hoping that I could, that is, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Mr. Atherton replied, thinking Teaching someone who is genuinely interested in learning will certainly make a nice change. He then asked Ben, “It must have been quite a journey from western Utah, Mr. Cartwright.”

“Yes,” Ben replied. “Traveling through the Sierra Nevada was the hardest part of the trip, but it was much easier than driving our cattle to Sacramento. Placerville is growing so this year we may just drive the herd that far. We used to get our supplies in Sacramento, but now there’s a little settlement in the Carson Valley, Mormon Station, and we can get our supplies there.”

“Are there a lot of Mormons where you live?” Mrs. Townsend inquired.

“Well, yes, but there are about as many Gentiles. That’s what they call us,” Ben replied. “So far they’ve been good enough neighbors, and they’re entitled to their beliefs.”

“That’s a very tolerant view,” Mrs. Townsend remarked.

“Well, after all, my own ancestors came to this country seeking the right to practice their religion as they saw fit. It’s only fair that I grant others that same right,” Ben replied earnestly.

“History would certainly have been less bloody if more were of your mind, Mr. Cartwright,” Mr. Atherton said. “No Spanish Inquisition and possibly no Thirty Years War, although I believe that was as much about politics as religion.”

“Oh my!” Mrs. Townsend exclaimed then, as she spied Hoss trying to suppress a yawn. “I have been such a bad hostess. I was so happy to see you again after all these years that I forgot you would want to rest after your journey. I’ll have Molly show you to your rooms. We dine at seven, and tonight we’ll dine en famille.” She stood up and walked over to a bell pull and tugged on it. A few minutes later, Molly appeared and Mrs. Townsend said, “Please show our guests to their rooms. Then I would like a word with you.”

Molly nodded and then said to Ben, “If you’ll follow me, sir.”

“What’s on fameel mean, Adam?” Hoss whispered as they followed their pa up two floors.

“It means as one of the family, but I’m not sure what that means,” Adam replied.

“Master Eric, this is your room,” Molly said, opening a door and revealing a room with long vertical windows overlooking the small garden at the back and containing a low post bed, a bedside table, a highboy and a secretary desk.

While Hoss gaped at the room, Molly opened the door to the room across the hall, saying to Adam, “And this is your room, sir.” Adam saw his room was similar to Hoss’s except his overlooked the common and had a high post bed. The two boys shared a glance; Hoss had never had a room of his own and Adam only briefly when he and Pa and Inger lived in her house in Illinois. Molly, meanwhile, had quickly opened the door of the room next to Adam’s, which was Ben’s. That done she hurried back to the drawing room for her meeting with Mrs. Townsend. Her stomach was in knots for she was sure Mrs. Townsend had noticed that she couldn’t keep her eyes off Adam Cartwright. She prayed she would only receive a reprimand because she needed this job.

Opal Townsend’s normally cheerful countenance was censorious and she frowned at the young maid, who swallowed convulsively. “Molly, I am very displeased. When I hired you I made it clear that I wanted a young woman of good moral character, and yet today I see you trying to catch Adam Cartwright’s eye.”

“Oh, no, ma’am,” the young maid protested. “I would never . . . It’s just that he’s the handsomest young man I’ve ever seen. But I know it was wrong to stare at him and I won’t do it again.”

Mrs. Townsend’s expression softened slightly. “He is very handsome,” she said with a hint of a smile. Then she said sternly, “But this is the only warning you’ll receive, Molly. If I catch you trying to flirt with Adam Cartwright, then you will lose your position.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Molly said gratefully and Mrs. Townsend added, “I am going to the music room. Please clean up in here.”

“Well, boys,” Ben said briskly, “the first thing we need to do is wash off this trail dust, and then I guess we’re to rest.”

“You mean take a nap like Little Joe?” Hoss asked.

“We could talk,” Ben replied with a smile. “After you’ve washed up and put on some clean clothes, why don’t you come over to my room?” and the boys nodded. “First, I guess we’d better take your clothes out of my carpetbag so you can put them in your rooms.”

As Ben removed the clothes Marie had so carefully packed, Hoss looked around his pa’s bedroom. “What’s that, Pa?” he asked pointing at an object on the bedside table. “There’s one in my room and in Adam’s,” he added.

“Oh, that’s an oil lamp, son,” Ben replied. “When your brother and I lived in Boston, we used oil lamps to light a room rather than candles.”

“How come we don’t use ‘em at home?” Hoss asked.

“Whale oil was plentiful in Boston, but we’d have to haul it over the Sierras from California to use it at home. It’s easier just to make our own candles,” Ben replied with a slight smile. “The lamps make a brighter light than candles though,” he added.

Adam took his clean clothes back to his room and put them in the highboy. Then he poured water from the porcelain pitcher into the matching washbowl, and used the soap, milled and scented, to wash. When he finished, he changed into a clean chambray shirt and his other pair of trousers. Finally, he ran a comb through his curls, doing his best to tame them. I wish I’d thought to ask Pa to cut my hair before we left the Ponderosa he thought as he glanced at his reflection in the shaving mirror that hung over the washstand.

He exited his room and knocked on Hoss’s door. Hoss didn’t answer, so Adam turned the knob and went in. He saw with a sigh that his brother had dumped his clean clothes on his bed and had already headed for their father’s room. Adam put the clothes neatly in the highboy before meeting the rest of the family .

“C’mon in,’ he heard Pa call out, and he opened the door to find the others dressed in clean clothes with Pa combing Hoss’s hair. He smiled when he saw Adam. “Well, we all look more presentable now,” he said, giving Hoss’s shoulder an affectionate squeeze.

“But we aren’t dressed like the others,” Adam replied, still feeling very much the outsider amidst all the finery.

“No, but I reminded our hostess that living on a ranch we don’t dress as formally as is done here,” Ben said. “I brought my old frock coat and cravat. I fear they are sadly out of fashion but I’ll wear them to dinner tonight.”

“Those little sandwiches was real good, but I shore wish there’d been more of ‘em,” Hoss commented, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Hey Pa,” he added as Adam sat beside him while Ben sat on the intricately carved side chair, “how come that lady who brought us the food kept lookin’ at Adam?” He was surprised to see his brother turn red while his pa looked uncomfortable.

Ben cleared his throat and, taking care not to look at his first-born, he said, “Um, I, uh, think she noticed that your brother is, uh, a fine-looking young man.”

“You mean she thinks he’s pretty?” Hoss said in surprise.

“No!” Adam blurted out. “Men and boys aren’t pretty.”

“That’s right, Hoss,” Ben said quickly. “Men and boys are handsome.” He looked at his oldest boy and smiled faintly before adding, “Your ma told me that Adam had become a very handsome young man; I guess that’s not something a father or brother would notice. Probably only a woman would.”

“This sure is a beautiful house,’ Adam interjected swiftly, wanting to change the subject. He’d thought the pretty maid was looking at him, but had told himself he was just being conceited. However, if Hoss and Pa both noticed it, then it wasn’t his imagination. She was the prettiest girl he’d ever seen. Of course, she was really the only girl he’d seen if he didn’t count that saloon girl in Sacramento. The dark brown hair under her little cap looked so soft and she had such a pretty mouth. He’d never understood why Pa always kissed Mama and Belle-mère on the mouth, but now he realized he would like to kiss the maid—Molly, Mrs. Townsend had called her—that way. And he’d like to unpin her hair and watch it tumble down . . .

“Adam,” his pa’s voice said, a little sharp.

“Oh, uh, s-sorry, Pa,” he stammered.

“Adam was woolgathering,” Hoss said with a chuckle. “Weren’t ya?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Adam replied, keeping his eyes downcast, and he forced himself to stop thinking about Molly.

They remained in Ben’s room talking until it was time to go down to dinner.

“We don’t know where their kitchen is,” Hoss said worriedly.

“Oh, they won’t eat in the kitchen, Hoss,” Ben said, with just a hint of a smile. “A house like this has a room that’s used only for eating meals; it’s called a dining room.”

“A room just for eatin’?” Hoss asked, his eyes round.

“But we don’t know where it is,” Adam said anxiously.

“I think if we go back to the drawing room, we’ll probably find the others,” Ben said reassuringly. Then he added, “I’m not sure how formal dining en famille is, so if you aren’t sure what to do, just look at me.” At that, Adam and Hoss exchanged nervous glances.

The boys discovered their pa was correct and the Townsends and Mr. Atherton were all gathered in the drawing room. Ben felt a little embarrassed at how old-fashioned his frock coat was compared to the other men’s but any self-consciousness the Cartwrights might have felt soon disappeared due to the warm, friendly atmosphere. Although Dave and Opal Townsend had obviously done very well financially, they had not forgotten where they came from. They were just as friendly and genuine as they had been on the trail west, and Ben found himself wishing Inger could be here to enjoy this reunion with their friends. After a few minutes of animated conversation, they all adjourned to the dining room, which the Cartwrights learned was the room to the right of the entrance hall.

Adam and Hoss were impressed with the dining room. It had a beautiful marble fireplace and an elaborate chandelier. The walls were painted a dark maroon and the rectangular dining table was the largest the boys had ever seen. When they saw the number of spoons and forks at each place setting, they looked at each other nervously and then they looked at their pa, who smiled and winked at them. They smiled back, feeling more confident knowing that they could watch him to know what to do. They noticed several silver chafing dishes on the sideboard and they soon discovered that they contained their supper. One chafing dish held veal cutlets and another, fluffy mashed potatoes. Peas, carrots and asparagus were also available, and while they were filling their plates, Molly brought in a basket of hot dinner rolls and set it on the table.

As they ate, Mr. Atherton said to Adam and Hoss, “Lessons begin promptly at nine o’clock. We use the morning room as our schoolroom.” He paused and then said, “I know that you live in a remote area; is there a school that you boys attend?”

“No, sir,” Adam replied. “Our stepmother is our teacher. We have all five of McGuffey’s Readers and The American Spelling Book and she teaches us from those.”

“Ma is a good teacher,” Hoss said loyally. “She’s learnin’, I mean teachin’, Adam to speak French.”

“Eh bien”, Mr Atherton said, "Je suis impressionné qu'un jeune homme tel que vous puisse parler Français.”

“J'ai la chance que ma belle-mère parle couramment Français, ” Adam replied. “J'ai aussi un peu appris l'Espagnol.”

The others all looked at them blankly, so Mr. Atherton said with a smile, “I think we had better restrict our conversation to English.” Turning to the others, he said, “I told Mr. Cartwright that I was impressed a young man in his circumstances could speak French.”

“And I told him that I was fortunate that my stepmother speaks fluent French, and I can also speak a little Spanish,” Adam added with just a hint of a grin.

Mrs. Townsend said then, “Mr. Townsend and I have arranged for all of us to attend the theater on Friday evening. Mr. Edwin Booth, the son of the famous Junius Booth, will be performing Shakespeare’s Richard III at Maguire’s Opera House.” Adam’s eyes opened wide and he felt more excited by that offer than anything he could recall.

“That is very generous of you both,” Ben said and Adam added enthusiastically, “Yes, thank you so much. I’ve always wanted to see a play performed.”

“Thank you,” Hoss added. The idea of seeing a play didn’t appeal to him as nearly as much as the lemon custard that was being served for dessert.

When they had finished supper, Mrs. Townsend said, “Why don’t we have our coffee in the music room. I thought that perhaps we might sing.”

“That would be lovely,” Ben replied. “The boys and I love to sing, don’t we?”

“Shore do,” Hoss said, nodding his head vigorously.

“We couldn’t bring my wife’s piano when we traveled west, but I bought her a new one, and she is quite accomplished,” Mr. Townsend said with a fond smile.

“Oh, Dave,” she said, her cheeks growing pink.

The music room proved to be on the same floor as the drawing room. Adam noted that they were the only rooms on that floor. The music room was papered in pale green with a floral design, and the two settees were upholstered in pale green brocade. The tall narrow windows, like those in Hoss’s bedroom, overlooked the tiny garden in the back.

“Hoss, what would you like to sing first?” Mrs. Townsend asked as she seated herself at the piano and the others gathered on the two settees.

“I like Pop Goes the Weasel,” Hoss replied bashfully. Davy added, “I like that one, too,” and the boys shared a smile.

“Oh, Adam, you have a lovely voice,” Mrs. Townsend commented when they finished. “Why don’t you choose our next song?”

“Ash Grove,” he suggested, pleased by her compliment, while Hoss whispered to Davy, “Adam likes sad songs.”

They had a very pleasant evening singing all their favorite songs and when they retired, Adam and Hoss were too tired to think about the strangeness of sleeping in a room by themselves. The next morning, Adam shaved and put on the shirt and trousers he’d worn the previous evening. He noticed that his dirty clothes, which he’d left folded on the side chair in his room, were gone, and that surprised him. He rapped on his younger brother’s door and a sleepy Hoss, still in his nightshirt, opened it.

“Mornin’, Adam,” he said, yawning.

“Good morning. Hoss, you’d better hurry up and get dressed,” Adam said as he entered the room. He rolled his eyes when he saw Hoss’s shirt and trousers flung carelessly over the side chair instead of neatly put away in the highboy. Hoss started to put on his shirt but Adam said firmly, “Wash up first, younger brother. With soap.”

“Why? I didn’t get dirty last night,” Hoss complained.
.
“You’re supposed to wash up every morning,” Adam said firmly, and with a sigh, Hoss complied. He was just finishing getting dressed when there was a knock on the door.

“Are you ready to go down to breakfast?” they heard their pa ask, and Adam opened the door.

“He’s almost ready,” Adam replied, adding, “Pa, our dirty clothes are gone.”

“Yes, mine, too. I imagine they were taken to be laundered.”

“I’m ready,” Hoss announced.

“Not quite,” Ben said with a smile. “Let’s run a comb through your hair first, hmm?”

They were the first to arrive in the dining room, but after a minute or two, Molly entered, with a little cart loaded with silver chafing dishes, looking astonished to see them. Adam thought how pretty she looked, admiring the way her black dress and white apron emphasized her trim figure.

“I’m sorry we startled you,” Ben said gently.

Molly was flustered. “I’ll have everything ready in just a moment,” she said apprehensively to Ben. Then she turned to her cart and started to lift one of the chafing dishes to carry it to the sideboard.

“Here, let me help you,” Adam said, covering the distance quickly on his long legs. He took the dish from her and as his fingers brushed hers, he felt her tremble.

“Here, I’ll help, too,” Hoss said. He picked up another dish and Ben picked up the third.

“Please,” she said anxiously, “if Mr. or Mrs. Townsend saw . . .”

“They can’t expect us to just stand around and watch you work,” Adam said incredulously.

“Of course they can. It’s my job—what I’m paid to do,” she replied firmly.

Ben saw Adam was about to disagree, so he said quickly, “I understand. Tomorrow morning we won’t come down so early. What happened this morning is our little secret. Agreed?”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir” she replied, relief written all over her face. “I’ll just go get the coffee and some milk for the young man.” She bobbed a curtsey and hurried from the room.

“Well, boys, let’s see what we have for breakfast,” Ben said, noting the way his first-born stared after the young maid. He couldn’t blame the boy. She was a pretty girl, and Adam had had few opportunities to see pretty girls. In fact, Ben realized, he didn’t have any opportunities since there weren’t any unmarried young women his age in Carson Valley.

The Cartwrights helped themselves to scrambled eggs, bacon, and popovers. They were nearly finished eating when Mr. Atherton entered the room.

“Good morning,” the tutor said with a pleasant smile as he moved toward the sideboard. “I see you also enjoy the early morning hours.”

“At home we have to feed and water the stock before breakfast,” Adam replied.

“Ah, yes. Of course. I am afraid city dwellers do not follow Dr. Franklin’s advice about early to bed and early to rise.”

Adam pulled out his watch then and said, “Since our lessons don’t begin for an hour, would it be all right if Hoss and I went for a walk, Pa?”

“Why don’t we all go,” Ben suggested. “I hope you don’t mind us deserting you, Mr. Atherton?’

“Not at all,” Mr. Atherton replied. “I’ll let Mr. and Mrs. Townsend know that you’ve gone for a walk.”

Ben knew Adam considered himself grown, but he was also aware that his sons were mountain boys, and he didn’t feel comfortable about them being on their own in a strange place. Left to their own devices, they might wander into an unsavory part of the city. He’d heard that there were press gangs operating around the waterfront, and Adam was just the type of strong young man likely to find himself shanghaied.

The Cartwrights walked around the South Park common and then headed north up Second Street, admiring the elegant red brick townhouses of Rincon Hill. There wasn’t much traffic on the broad streets at that hour, except for some tradesmen making deliveries. Ben knew they weren’t far from the ocean since he could see sea gulls in the distance and could smell the crisp salt air for the first time since he had sailed The Wanderer with Captain Stoddard. Knowing that their time was limited this morning, Ben decided that when the boys’ lessons were finished for the day, they could walk to the wharves and see the clipper ships bringing people to the California gold fields from as far away as Sydney, New South Wales.

They arrived back at the Townsend’s home a little before nine. Mr. Townsend had already left for the bank, but Mrs. Townsend was waiting for them.

“Good morning,” she greeted them. “Mr. Atherton and Davy are waiting in the morning room, and I’ll show you boys the way.” Ben bid them farewell, having already reminded them both to mind their manners during their early morning stroll.

Adam was interested in the design of the house, and he noted that just as the floor immediately above had only two rooms—the drawing room and the music room—this floor held just the dining room and the morning room. He could understand the design. Since the townhouse shared a support wall with the homes on either side of it, windows could only be placed in the back and front. Of course these floors could have two rooms at the back and two at the front, just as the floor where their bedrooms were located, but since the drawing room and dining room were for entertaining, he reasoned that the Townsends wanted those rooms to be larger. He surmised their bedrooms were on the floor below theirs, and he wondered if there were four rooms, or only two.

The morning room was not as large as the dining room, which Adam was sure was the largest room in the house, By comparison, the morning room actually seemed cozy. It had the same tall, narrow windows and high ceilings as in the dining room, although it overlooked the little garden at the back of the house. There was a tall bookcase against one wall and four leather armchairs arranged in a semicircle facing the windows. By the side of one chair was a small table with an inlaid checkered board. Adam thought that was a very clever idea. Close to the window, so as to take advantage of the natural light, was a large partner’s desk. Mr. Atherton and Davy were seated on either side of the desk, and two side chairs had been placed by Davy.

“Here they are, Mr. Atherton,” Mrs. Townsend said and added, “I leave them in your capable hands,” as she took her leave.

“Mr. Cartwright, Master Eric, if you would be seated,” Mr. Atherton said, indicating the chairs on either side of Davy. Seeing Hoss open his mouth to speak, he said, “Yes, Master Eric, I know you prefer to go by Hoss, but I do not allow nicknames in my classroom, and I’ve been told that Eric is your given name.”

“Yes, sir,” Hoss replied quietly as he sat by Davy. His worst fears about having lessons under Mr. Atherton were being confirmed. His spirits lifted a bit when Davy smiled at him. Adam took his seat silently.

“Now, we always begin our lessons with mathematics,” Mr. Atherton continued in a stern, no-nonsense voice. “Master Eric, do you know your multiplication tables?”

“Yes, sir,” Hoss replied nervously.

“Do you know how to divide?”

“Sort of,” Hoss answered honestly, glancing over at Adam for support, and Adam winked encouragingly.

“Sort of,” Mr. Atherton repeated. “You either know how to divide or you do not. Which is it?”

“I mean I make mistakes, sir,” Hoss answered red-faced while Davy failed to suppress a giggle.

“Master David, since you also make mistakes in your division problems, I hardly think you have the right to snicker at Master Eric. Do you?”

“No, sir,” Davy replied, his own cheeks burning.

“All right, I would like you two gentlemen to complete these problems,” the tutor said, setting a slate between the two boys. He waited to be certain they had gotten started before turning to Adam. “Well, Mr. Cartwright, do you know long division?”

“Yes, sir,” Adam replied.

“Fractions?”

“Yes, sir, and decimals,” Adam replied.

“Good,” Mr. Atherton said. “How about algebra and geometry?”

“I know a little, sir, and I would like to learn more,” Adam replied sincerely.

“Enjoy mathematics, do you?” Mr. Atherton said with a hint of a smile and Adam nodded. “All right, I have some problems for you so I can see just how much you know.”

The tutor watched the two younger boys frowning in concentration as they worked on their long division problems while the older Cartwright boy’s pencil seemed to fly over his paper at first. Then he, too, began to frown at his problems. Mr. Atherton waited for Adam to raise his hand and ask for assistance but the frown changed to a scowl before the boy would admit he couldn’t solve the problem on his own.

Adam looked up and saw the tutor was watching him.

“There is nothing to be ashamed of in asking for assistance,” Mr. Atherton said quietly. “Pass me your work so I can take a look at it.” Adam wasn’t used to needing help with mathematics and he was still frowning as he slid his paper over to the tutor. He waited as the tutor examined his work.

“You haven’t studied analytic geometry, have you?” Mr. Atherton asked and Adam shook his head. “Then that’s what we will work on while you are here,” and the tutor was rewarded with one of Adam’s dimpled smiles.

While Adam and Hoss were having their lessons, Mrs. Townsend decided to take Ben on a tour of San Francisco. She had planned on them having lunch with her husband, so they dropped in on Mr. Townsend and the three of them dined at a restaurant near the bank. The Townsends mentioned that they had invited some friends to dine that evening and hoped Ben could join them.

“I am grateful for the invitation, but . . . Well, I am afraid I don’t have the appropriate attire—“ Ben said honestly.

“You know Ben, we’re about the same size and I would be willing to loan you one of my coats,” Mr. Townsend said. “One of the other guests may be someone you know, an Ethan Collins. When I happened to mention your name once, he wondered if you could be the same Ben Cartwright who served as first officer under Captain Abel Stoddard.”

“Ethan Collins! Why, I haven’t seen him since I left Boston,” Ben said with a wide smile. “I think I will take you up on your invitation, Dave.” Then he asked, “But what about the boys?”

“Oh, whenever we entertain, Molly brings Davy and Mr. Atherton their meal in the morning room and they eat there,” Mrs. Townsend replied. Then she got a certain gleam in her eye and said, “Sometime while you’re here, I must invite the Coopers and the Marshalls and the Stevens to dine. They have sons and daughters about Adam’s age, and I think he should have the opportunity to meet some young people while he is here. I imagine he could also borrow one of your frock coats, David?”

“Yes, my dear, I imagine he could,” Mr. Townsend said with a wink.

Ben returned later than he had planned and decided the trip to the wharf would have to wait a day since he needed to shave and get dressed for the dinner. After the dinner guests departed, Ben said his goodnight to Dave and Opal, thanking them for a very pleasant evening, and then went to visit the boys and see if they were asleep. He was surprised to find Hoss still awake.

“How did your day go, son?” he asked with a smile.

“All right, I reckon,” the eleven-year-old replied through a yawn. “We went ridin’ after our lessons this afternoon. A Mr. Bronson came with us. He’s their groom. That means he’s in charge of the horses, ‘ceptin’ they have a boy, Bob, and he’s the one what mucks out the stalls. Davy and Mr. Bronson was surprised when I said I muck out Sugar’s stall and groom her myself ‘n’ take care of her tack.”

“And what did you do this evening?” Ben asked.

“Me and Davy played checkers and he taught me a new game called jackstraws,” Hoss replied. “We had lots of fun.”

“What about Adam?” Ben asked.

“Oh, Mr. Atherton gave him a book about math- math-uh ?”

“Mathematics?” his father suggested with a smile.

“Yeah, that’s it. Anyway, Adam’s hardly taken his nose out of it all evenin’. He didn’t want to play with Davy and me,” he added in a wondering voice.

“Well, Hoss, you know your brother has always loved to learn. Now, how did your lessons go?”

“All right. Mr. Atherton is lots stricter than Ma, that’s fer sure,” Hoss replied. “But I guess he’s fair and it wasn’t too bad.”

Ben smiled at his son. “I’m glad to know you are enjoying yourself and the lessons won’t hurt you. Tomorrow afternoon, you and I and Adam are going to the wharf to look at the clipper ships, and I’m going to introduce you to an old friend of mine. He used to sail with me and Adam’s grandfather. Now, you’d best get to sleep, young man,” and he kissed Hoss on his rosy cheek and carefully tucked him in before going across the hall to his first-born’s room.

He found Adam sitting up in the bed, his back against the headboard, a thick book propped up against his knees, his lamp burning brightly. He was so absorbed in his reading that he wasn’t even aware of his father’s presence until he felt the bed shift with Ben’s weight as he sat beside him. He looked up from the book then and smiled at his father, reminding Ben so strongly of his mother that, for a moment, his heartbeat quickened.

“Hoss told me that Mr. Atherton gave you a book on mathematics. Is it interesting?”

“Sure is. I have to read a couple of chapters of Macaulay’s The History of England, but I’ll have plenty of time to read those in the morning, and I finished my Latin. That was the hardest so I wanted to get it over with first.” He smiled at his father then, a smile that lit up his normally serious and reserved countenance. “Pa, I’m so glad the Townsends invited us to visit. I’m really enjoying my lessons with Mr. Atherton. I want to see if I can find a copy of this book so I can buy it and read it at home.”

“I am glad that you’re enjoying yourself, son,” Ben said quietly. “I met an old friend of mine tonight. Captain Ethan Collins. He was second officer on The Wanderer, and now he’s got his own ship; he sails from Boston to San Francisco. Anyway, he invited me to bring you and Hoss to visit him tomorrow afternoon. I said we would meet him on the Market Street Wharf at four by his ship.”

“That’ll be wonderful,” Adam said with another happy smile.

Ben returned Adam’s smile before saying, “Right now it’s late and I want you to turn in,” and Adam reluctantly nodded.

The next day poor Hoss had a more difficult time than usual concentrating on his lessons since he was so eager for the opportunity to see clipper ships and meet someone who knew his pa when he’d been a sailor. Adam was just as enthusiastic about meeting Captain Collins, but he was also eager to absorb every particle of learning he could from his time in San Francisco. Mr. Atherton marveled at the difference in the two Cartwrights brothers: one a brilliant student and the other barely average. Still, the younger Cartwright brother was certainly a sweet-natured, friendly boy, and he did try. It couldn’t be easy having an older brother who learned most things effortlessly. Latin, however, was proving to be an exception. Mr. Atherton could see the older Cartwright brother was impatient with himself and his mistakes. Yes, this young man is definitely a perfectionist, Mr. Atherton thought. I think if he’d begun studying Latin at an earlier age, he would have grasped the principles much more quickly. Actually, I’m surprised a young man who’ll spend his life as a vaquero on a small rancho wishes to learn Latin. It’s a shame that his opportunities are so limited. It really is.

Finally the lessons for the day were over, and Hoss hurried out of the morning room and bounded up the stairs. Adam was grinning at his brother’s excitement as he followed along only a bit more slowly. They found Pa in his room, writing in his journal. He looked up with a smile at they burst in.

“Lessons over for the day?” he asked with a grin.

“Shore are. Can we go now, Pa?” Hoss asked eagerly.

“I’m ready,” Ben said, standing up and reaching for the frock coat he’d hung over the back of his chair and slipping it on. “Let’s go.”

Just as the day before, they headed north up Second Street until they came to Market Street, and then they turned west. They didn’t have far to walk until they reached the Market Street Wharf, but the ship’s masts were visible long before then. As they approached the wharf and saw the magnificent ships, both Cartwright boys were filled with awe.

“They’re beautiful,” Adam said wonderingly and Hoss could only gape. Captain Collins spotted them and called “Hello, Ben!” and Ben hurried the boys over to meet him.

“Ethan,” he said with a proud smile, “I’d like for you to meet my sons. This is Adam,” he said, placing one hand on Adam’s shoulder, “and this is Eric,” he added, placing his other hand on Hoss’s shoulder. With a quick grin, he added, “although we call him Hoss.”

Captain Collins shook each boy’s hand firmly. “I am happy to meet you boys.” Then he smiled warmly at Adam, saying, “Your father didn’t tell me how strongly you resemble your mother.”

“You knew my mother?” Adam said in surprise.

“Oh yes. She was such a lovely young women. I think all the men who served under your grandfather were half in love with her. But she only had eyes for your father.” Then he turned to Hoss and said with a broad smile, “Now, your father did tell me you were tall for your age, Hoss, and he certainly didn’t exaggerate.” Hoss grinned back at him. “So, what do you boys think of clipper ships?”

“I shore never realized how big they’d be,” Hoss said admiringly. “Do sailors really climb up them ropes?”

“Oh yes. That’s the only way to reach the crow’s nest,” Captain Collins explained.

“Crow’s nest?” Hoss repeated blankly.

“Look, son,” Ben said, pointing. “See that little box way up there?” Hoss squinted and then nodded. “Well, that’s where the lookout stands.”

Hoss’s jaw dropped and then he asked, “Did you ever climb way up there, Pa?”

“A few times. So did Captain Collins. It’s all part of being a sailor.”

“Well, I’m glad I’m gonna be a vaquero,” Hoss said resolutely and the two men smiled.

“What about you, Adam? Have you ever thought of going to sea?”

“Sometimes,” Adam answered, startling his pa. “I think I’d like to take a sea voyage, but I don’t think I really want to be a sailor.”

On their way back to the Townsends’ home, Hoss chattered nonstop about the clipper ships. Ben had to smile because normally Hoss was anything but garrulous. Adam, on the other hand, was quiet, letting Hoss do all the talking. When they reached the South Park common, Ben took advantage of Hoss’s stopping to breathe to ask a question, “So, Adam, do you still think you’d like to go on an ocean voyage?”

“Yes, more than ever,” he replied with just a hint of his dimples.

Hoss broke in then saying, “Did ya see that ship Captain Collins said was from Australia? He said when it’s winter here, it’s summer in Australia, and they got these animals big as a person that hop like jackrabbits! I’d like to see them, wouldn’t you, Adam?”

“Kangaroos,” Adam replied with a smile. “Yes, I’d like to visit Australia some day. I think it would be very interesting.” He said to Ben, “I think I understand a little better why Grandfather loves the sea. I want to write to him this evening while everything is fresh in my mind.”

“Well, if you’re gonna write a letter,” Hoss said, “then I guess I’ll see if Davy will play checkers with me. I beat him twice last night.”

“After you finish your schoolwork, young man,” Ben said, as Hoss suddenly remembered the long division problems that awaited him in his room.

“Yes, sir,” he replied with a loud sigh.

The next day was Friday and while the boys studied, Ben and Opal explored more of San Francisco, and he shopped for gifts for Marie and Little Joe. He bought his wife a beautiful cashmere shawl and his youngest son a toy sailboat.

As they returned to the Townsends’ home, Opal said quietly, “Dave and I were so glad to learn that you had remarried. We worried about you and the boys living all alone in the wilderness. I know you love them, but children need a mother’s love, too.”

“Yes, they do, and Marie loves them as though they were her own. I wish Adam . . .” He let his voice trail off before he said carefully, “Adam resented Marie at first; he didn’t want anyone taking Inger’s place. I tried to tell him that Inger would want me to remarry and give her boys a mother, but it didn’t make any difference.”

“He adored Inger,” Opal said softly, “and she loved him so much. I could hardly believe it when she told me Adam was her stepson.”

“Yes, I used to tease her that she only married me so she could be Adam’s mother,” Ben said with a wistful smile. “Things are better now, and Adam seems to regard Marie as a friend.”

“As a friend, but not as a mother?”

Ben nodded, adding, “Marie tries to pretend that it doesn’t matter, but I know that it does.”

Opal was quiet for a moment and then said softly, “To be viewed as a friend is good. I think a young man might confide things to his friend that he would not confide to his mother.”

Ben smiled wryly, adding, “Or his father. He told Marie that he dreamed of attending college, but he didn’t tell me.”

“Mr. Atherton has mentioned what a brilliant student Adam is,” Opal said. “In fact, he’s told me that Adam is the most intelligent young man he’s ever tutored. Is there no possibility that his dream could come true?”

Ben frowned at those words. “He’d have to go back East to attend college and he’d be gone four years. And then there’s the expense. We are prospering now, but I’m not sure if I could come up with the money to send him to college. And he says he’d have to know Latin to be able to pass the entrance examinations. These few days studying Latin with Mr. Atherton aren’t enough to allow him to do that.”

“Didn’t he mention that his grandfather is back East?” Opal asked. When Ben nodded, she said, “I’m sure he would welcome the opportunity to spend time with Adam, if there is a college near where he lives.”

“There is,” Ben admitted reluctantly.

“Dave is the one who could talk with you about the financial aspect, but we could offer a solution to the problem of Adam being able to pass the entrance examination.”

“What do you mean?” Ben asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Adam could stay with us and study with Mr. Atherton.”

“You’re paying his salary to teach Davy,” Ben said, shaking his head.

“Then you could pay him an additional amount to teach Adam. I know he would be happy to teach him; he’s certainly a better scholar than Davy. And if Adam stayed with us, then he would have an opportunity to experience the type of society he would find back East.” She put her hand on his arm and gazed directly into his eyes. “Just think about it, Ben. That’s all I ask.”

Ben did think about it. When the boys finished their lessons the following day, he took them first to the shoemaker to see about getting Hoss’s new pair of boots. They were in luck because the shoemaker had a pair of boots that the owner had decided he didn’t want and they fit Hoss, which meant he could wear them to the theater that night rather than his moccasins. When they finished at the shoemaker’s, they visited the haberdashery Mrs. Townsend had recommended to purchase fine linen shirts that Ben and Adam could wear to the theater that evening, and Ben also bought Adam a cravat. Adam knew he would still look out of place since the other men would all be wearing frock coats, but at least he wouldn’t look quite as much a country bumpkin. As they walked back, Adam carrying the parcel containing their purchases, Ben asked the boys what they’d learned that day. Hoss had little to say, but Adam discoursed on Elizabethan and Petrarchan sonnets and the differences between them and how to solve (y=x²). As Ben watched the animation in his oldest son’s face and heard it in his voice, he thought Oh Liz, our boy is so bright that sometimes it scares me. He lives in a world of ideas and theories that seems so far removed from the world I live in. I am afraid that if I allow him to go back East, he’ll never want to return to the Ponderosa. Yet, I can’t bear the thought of his staying there with me out of duty while he longs for a world of books and ideas.

That evening they had an early supper since they were attending the theater. As they were eating, Dave said to Adam, “I am going to loan you one of my coats, Adam, so you will be properly attired this evening.” He noticed the worried look on Hoss’s face and said with a smile, “You’ll look fine, Hoss, especially with your new boots. It’s just that Adam is really almost a grown man now, so he needs to dress more formally.”

“And you’ll need the coat tomorrow evening as well, Adam,” Opal added. At Adam’s raised eyebrow she smiled and said, “Mr. Townsend and I have invited some friends to dine with sons and daughters around your age.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” he said politely. His feelings were very mixed. On one hand, it would be nice to meet people his own age, but he was nervous about it, as he was sure they would be much more sophisticated and socially adept than he was.

After going upstairs and changing, Adam checked his appearance in the large mirror placed at the end of the hallway. He thought he looked very elegant in one of Mr. Townsend’s black frock coats and his new snowy-white linen shirt. He attempted several times to tie the black cravat so it would look like Mr. Townsend’s or Mr. Atherton’s, but with no luck. Since he knew it was getting late, he finally decided he needed to ask Pa to show him how it was done.

Hoss flung open the door at his knock, and opened his eyes very wide. “Pa, look at Adam!”

Ben was just making a last minute adjustment to his own cravat and turned. Seeing his first-born in the doorway, he was reminded, forcibly, that Adam was a young man, and not a boy. “Well now, don’t you look fine?” he said proudly.

“Thanks, Pa,” Adam replied with a slight grin, “but I can’t seem to figure out how to tie this thing,” and he held out the strip of black cambric.

“My father taught me and now it’s time that I teach you. Here, let’s stand by the shaving mirror so you can watch.”

“I wanna watch, too,” Hoss said curiously and Adam rolled his eyes, which caused his pa to grin. Adam faced the mirror and Ben laid the fine length of ebony cambric about his neck, and then stood behind his son. Adam was now too tall for Ben to see over the dark curly head so he peered over his first-born’s shoulder as he slowly demonstrated the art of tying a cravat. Hoss stood with his mouth agape, watching his father’s work roughened hands easily tie the material into a handsome knot that finished off his older brother’s attire. Adam was obviously pleased with the result, and he turned toward his father with a heartfelt, “Thanks, Pa,” as Ben silently wished that Liz could see their son just now. How proud she would be of the fine young man he has turned out to be. It was at that moment that Ben made a promise, both to himself and to his first love: If there is any way that I can possibly send him to college, Liz, and expose him to all the wonders of the world that are his for the taking, I will do so.

Ben continued to look at his son and Adam felt a chill run up his spine, as if his father was seeing him as not just his child, but a man, separate and independent from himself. The moment was ended abruptly, as Opal called, “It’s time to leave for the theatre, Ben.” The older man brought himself back to the present as he followed the boys out of his room to join the rest of the group.

Maguire’s Opera House was a three-story building on Washington Street. When the groom stopped the surrey in front of the theater, Adam and Hoss saw there was already a crowd lined up to buy tickets. Hoss felt nervous seeing so many people and stood close to his father. Adam was thankful once again for Mr. Townsend’s generosity since all the other men he saw were wearing suits. Since they already had their tickets, Mr. Townsend shepherded them all into the theater. The lobby was opulent with plush carpeting and an enormous chandelier, and Hoss craned his head back to look at all the flickering candles. Adam was just as impressed, but he didn’t want to appear gauche, so he forced himself not to look around in wonder. Mr. Townsend had rented a box for the evening so the Cartwrights could enjoy the performance in relative privacy.

As the evening progressed, Adam sat enthralled while Hoss and Davy were frankly bored. Hoss wondered what language they were speaking on the stage ‘cause it sure didn’t sound like English. He fell asleep during the second act, but Ben woke him up in time to see Richard meet his bloody end, and Hoss did enjoy the swordplay.

Looking at Adam’s face as the curtain came down, Opal said quietly, “Would you like to go backstage and meet Mr. Booth, Adam?”

“Could I?” he asked eagerly.

“I can’t promise that we’ll get to meet him, but we can try,” she said with a smile.

As they walked down to the backstage area, Opal said to the Cartwrights, “We’ve seen several of Edwin Booth’s performances. He was here in San Francisco with his father, Junius Booth, not long before his death. Edwin Booth’s style of acting is quite different from his father’s, but I prefer his. He makes the characters seem, well, more like real human beings.”

Their party was in luck and they hadn’t waited very long when a slight, dark-haired man emerged from his dressing room.

“Where’s his hump?” Hoss asked loudly and Adam rolled his eyes, but the dark-haired young man stopped and smiled at Hoss.

“It’s back in my dressing room. And see, I don’t have a withered arm either,” he said in a beautiful voice that was almost melodic.

“You mean you was just pretendin’?” Hoss asked.

“Yes, young man, I was just pretendin’. What’s your name?”

“Hoss, I mean Eric, Cartwright. And this is my brother, Adam. He really wanted to meet you.”

“I’m happy to meet you, Eric and Adam. Did you enjoy the performance?”

“I enjoyed it very much, Mr. Booth,” Adam said with a shy smile. “I’ve always wanted to see some of Shakespeare’s plays performed.”

“I liked it when you yelled for a horse, and when you got killed. I mean, pretended to get killed.” Then Hoss added truthfully, “Most of the time I couldn’t understand what anyone was sayin’.”

The actor smiled. “Well, when I was your age, I couldn’t understand Shakespeare very well either.”

Adam remembered that the rest of the party hadn’t been introduced so he said hurriedly, “Mr. Booth, this is Mr. and Mrs. David Townsend and their son, Davy, and our father, Ben Cartwright.”

“I’m pleased to meet you all,” the actor said with a friendly smile. He chatted a few more minutes before other admirers demanded his attention. Adam’s mind was fairly reeling with the events of the evening, and that night, he had trouble falling asleep, as the scenes of the play kept reappearing in his head long after he had turned down the lamp.

Saturday morning Ben decided to visit one of the nearby ranchos while the boys were having their lessons. He was interested in buying a bull to improve his stock. If he found one he liked, he would send Will and Miguel to bring it back to the Ponderosa. All the while he was checking over livestock, at the back of his mind was Opal’s proposal. In spite of the promise he had made the previous night, he was finding it painful to face the prospect of being separated from his first-born. Should I agree to let Adam stay and be tutored by Mr. Atherton? It was obvious how much he had enjoyed attending the theater last night. Perhaps when I see him at the dinner party tonight it will help me make up my mind.

Adam put the upcoming party out of his mind during the morning and afternoon and concentrated on his lessons. He had reached a decision that morning as he’d dressed and when the lessons for the day were over instead of going with the two younger boys, he lingered.

“Uh, Mr. Atherton,” he began.

‘Yes, Mr. Cartwright?”

“Could you tell me where I could find a barber?”

“Certainly,” the tutor replied with a smile, and proceeded to give Adam directions.

He found the barbershop easily and sat in one of the chairs to wait while the barber finished. He noticed a sign with the price of a haircut and a shave. He knew he had enough money for both, and running his hand along his jaw line he could already feel the rough stubble of his beard beginning to form. When he sat in the chair and the barber asked him what he’d have, he said firmly, “I’d like a shave and a haircut.”

The barber was chatty but Adam found he only had to answer a few questions and just let the man talk. It did feel strange to have another man applying a razor to his face and throat, but when the barber was finished and Adam ran his fingertips over his face, the skin was soft with no trace of stubble. The mirror also showed that his short hair looked wavy, rather than curly, and he was very pleased.

When he arrived back at the Townsends, Hoss and Davy were returning from their ride. “Hey, Adam!” Hoss called, “where ya been?”

“I went to the barber,” Adam replied, walking in with the two boys while the groom took their mounts back to the stable.

“Barber?” Hoss repeated while Davy said, “Gosh, your hair is lots shorter.”

“I’m sure glad I don’t gotta go to this dinner and get all dressed up,” Hoss added as they entered the house. “Me and Davy are gonna have more fun playin’ checkers and jackstraws.”

“Yeah,” Davy agreed. “And you’re gonna have to spend time with Louisa and Josie Cooper and Sally Stevens. Girls are stupid.”

Opal had been arranging flowers in the dining room and heard the three boys enter. “David Arthur Townsend,” she said sternly, “I was once a girl. Are you saying that I was stupid?”

“N-no, Mama,” he stammered.

“I don’t want to hear you speak that way again. Do you understand?”

Davy gulped and said, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Molly is going to be bringing your supper to the morning room soon so why don’t you and Hoss go get washed up?” The two boys hurried up the stairs and Opal turned to Adam. “I see you got a haircut. It looks very nice. Now that you’re back, I’ll have Molly prepare your bath.” At Adam’s raised eyebrow she said, “We have a room for bathing next to Davy’s on the floor beneath yours. Molly will show you.” She turned back to the dining room where Molly was setting the table, and gave her instructions before returning to her flower arrangements.

After going to his room and getting clean clothes, Adam followed Molly down the stairs to a small room containing a tub that sat on four claw feet, similar to the one in the bathhouse in Sacramento. “Do you have to carry the water up the stairs?” he asked, not liking that idea.

She smiled. “No, sir. I just turn these knobs and hot and cold water comes out this spigot. See.” And she demonstrated.

“How does it do that?” Adam asked curiously.

“Oh, I don’t know, sir,” she replied regretfully.

“You know, you don’t have to keep calling me sir,” he said hesitantly. “You could call me Adam.”

“Oh no, sir, that wouldn’t be proper,” she replied with downcast eyes. Then she added, “I brought you towels.” She set them down and practically ran from the room.

Adam shook his head, totally confused by her reaction. He’d thought that she liked him, and yet she didn’t seem to want anything to do with him. Perplexed by this contradiction, he quickly stripped and stepped carefully into the tub. Sitting in the hot water was pure bliss. He wanted badly just to sit there and soak, but he knew he didn’t have much time to bathe and dress before the guests would begin arriving. He worked the cake of milled and scented soap into a lather and washed his hair first and then bathed. He towel dried his hair and then dried off and put on his clean clothes, except for socks and boots. When he opened the door, he was startled to see Molly and Pa, who was waiting to take his own bath. Adam hurried up the stairs, barefooted, and then into his bedroom. He put on his socks and boots first and then stood in front of his shaving mirror to comb his hair. He was horrified to see his short damp hair was curling as wildly as ever, and he had to spend some time combing it, but luckily, tonight he was able to tie his cravat on the second attempt. Satisfied, he walked over to his pa’s room and knocked on the door.

“C’mon in,’ Pa called so Adam went in and discovered Pa tying his cravat. Adam sat on the edge of the bed. “Pa,” he said quietly, “may I ask you a question?”

“Of course, son,” Ben replied. “What’s on your mind?”

“Well, you remember how the first day we were here you said you thought that Molly thought I was handsome?”

“Yes, I remember,” Ben replied cautiously, wondering where this conversation was going.

“Well, if she thinks I’m handsome, why doesn’t she like to be around me? And why does she call me ‘sir’ even when I told her she could call me Adam?”

Ben sighed as he finished tying his cravat and then he turned to face his son. “Adam, you know Molly is an employee of the Townsends, just the way Hop Sing is our employee?”

“Sure, I know that.”

“Well, to us Hop Sing is part of the family, but most people don’t view their employees like that. They consider them their social inferiors.”

Adam frowned. “But it says in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal.”

Ben sighed again. This was proving even harder than he’d anticipated. “Yes, Thomas Jefferson wrote that, but the irony is that Jefferson himself was a slaveholder, as were many of the signers of the Declaration. Most people of color that live in the South are considered nothing but property.”

“I know and that’s wrong! Slavery is evil,” Adam declared.

“I agree, son, but many people do not. Now, Molly is not a slave and the Townsends certainly don’t view her as their property. However, she doesn’t eat with them and they would never invite her to attend a dinner party or any other entertainment they might be hosting. They pay her wages for the work she does as a maid, but that is the extent of their relationship. I’m sure Molly knows that if they caught her spending time with a guest like you or calling you by your first name, they probably would end her employment. Without references saying she is a good worker and has a good moral character, she would find it very difficult to gain employment with another household. There aren’t a great many jobs for women and some are much worse than being a maid. It is best for Molly, Adam, if you are polite to her, but nothing more. Don’t try to spend time with her, and don’t ask her to call you by your Christian name. Will you do that?”

Adam looked as though he wanted to argue, but he seemed to realize the futility of that and merely shrugged. “Now,” Ben said with a smile, “it’s time for us to be heading to the drawing room.”

Dave and Opal were already there, and it wasn’t long before Molly ushered in their first guests, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, but Adam had eyes only for the two girls with them. They both had brown hair that they wore similar to the way Belle-mère wore hers, except instead of the hair on the sides being twisted and tucked into the mass of braids at the back, theirs was arranged in soft ringlets that framed their faces. One girl was taller with a figure that could only be called voluptuous. Adam had never seen a female who looked like that and found it hard not to stare in admiration. When he realized what he was doing, he colored slightly and saw she was smiling at him. As he returned the smile, he noticed that her eyes were the same shade of dark hazel as his own. The shorter girl was more slender, but her face was prettier Adam decided, admiring her enormous chocolate brown eyes and cupid’s bow mouth. They were wearing dresses with enormous pleated skirts and bodices that bared their soft white shoulders with just a hint of décolletage.

As Opal performed the introductions, Adam learned the tall girl with the curvaceous figure was Louisa Cooper and the girl with the big brown eyes was her younger sister, Josie. They both smiled at him and fluttered their eyelashes but all he could think of to say was, “I am very pleased to meet you both.”

“So you and your father are just visiting San Francisco?” Louisa asked.

“Yes,” Adam replied, relieved that she had started the conversation. “We have a ranch in Western Utah.”

“My goodness, you’ve come a long way,” Josie said, and then blushed ever so slightly, which made Adam feel decidedly warm.

Just then Molly brought in more guests and Adam was introduced to a Mr. and Mrs. Marshall and their son, Bob, a good-looking young man with silvery blonde hair and eyes that were a cold, grayish blue. Adam thought they were probably the same age.

“Hello, Bob,” Louisa said. “Adam was telling us that he and his father traveled here from their rancho in Western Utah.”

“Are you Mormons?” Bob asked with a sneer.

“No,” Adam replied stiffly, not liking the other boy’s tone.

“Well, that’s good,” Bob said, smiling a little.

“I suppose you don’t have many neighbors,” Josie said then.

“There are two families that have ranches close to ours,” Adam said. “And then there are a few miners camped around Sun Mountain.”

“Miners? Have they found gold on the eastern side of the Sierras?” Bob asked enthusiastically.

“No. Not yet,” Adam replied earnestly. “But they sure think they’re gonna strike it rich. We’ve sold them a steer or two since they’re too busy mining to hunt for their own meat.”

“Your mother must be lonely if you’re so isolated,” Louisa said to Adam, fluttering her lashes.

“Yes, I think my stepmother is lonely at times,” Adam replied, stealing a quick glance down at her abundant charms. “She was raised in New Orleans and so her life is very different on the Ponderosa.”

“Ponderosa. That’s a pretty word,” Josie said with a smile. “It’s the name of your rancho?”

“Yes,” Adam replied. “We named it for the ponderosa pines that grow there.”

“Does your stepmother speak French?” Louisa interjected, wanting the handsome stranger’s attention focused on her. “I’ve always wanted to learn to speak French.”

"Oui, elle parle Français et elle m'apprend aussi à le parler," Adam replied, dimpling, which caused Louisa and Josie’s hearts to flutter.

“Oh, what did you say?” Louisa asked eagerly.

“I said that yes, she speaks French and she is teaching me to speak it,” Adam replied. The adoring looks both girls were giving him made him feel ten feet tall, but Bob looked on with a frown.

“Would you say something else, Adam? Please?” Josie begged.

“Je pense que vous êtes très jolies toutes les deux,” Adam said shyly.

“What does that mean?” she asked, fastening her soft doe eyes on his.

Adam replied quietly, “I said that you are both very pretty.”

“Would you like to come riding with me tomorrow, Louisa?” Bob interjected. He didn’t like the way the Cooper sisters were ignoring him in favor of this interloper.

“All right,” Louisa replied and then turned to Adam. “Do you like to ride, Adam?”

“Yes, I do,” he said.

“Well then, why don’t the four of us go riding tomorrow afternoon after church?” Josie suggested.

“Oh yes, that’s a marvelous idea,” Louisa said, and Bob reluctantly agreed. Just then the last of the dinner guests arrived, and Adam met Sally and John Stevens. They were both short with brown hair and brown eyes; John was plump and Sally wore spectacles.

Bob said quickly, “The four of us are going riding tomorrow. Would you like to come with us?”

“Sure,” John said.

Just then, Opal announced that it was time to go down to dinner, and Adam learned he was escorting Louisa. He glanced quickly at Pa, who was escorting an older widow. (Adam had been introduced, but his attention had been focused on the young ladies so he couldn’t remember her name.) He mimicked Pa and when they reached the dining room, he remembered to seat Louisa first. He discovered he was sitting between her and Sally while John and Josie were sitting across the table.

“Are you enjoying your visit to San Francisco, Adam?” Louisa asked.

“Yes, very much. Yesterday, we all went to see Edwin Booth in Richard III.”

“I thought he gave a wonderful performance,” Sally said. “So deliciously evil.”

Adam smiled. “Yes, I think that’s an excellent description.” He paused and said diffidently “That was the first time I’ve ever seen a play performed. I thought it was amazing. We spoke to Mr. Booth backstage, and it was hard to recognize him.”

“Yes, they do remarkable things with greasepaint and limelight,” Sally agreed with a shy smile.

Louisa had little interest in the theater and wanted Adam’s attention back on her. “I suppose that living on a ranch, you ride a great deal,” she said to Adam.

“Yes, especially on a cattle drive. You spend around eight to ten hours in the saddle.” He saw both girls’ eyes grow very big and round and their lips formed perfect Os. He found himself wishing he could press his lips to theirs, for they certainly looked inviting. “I remember,” he continued, forcing himself to stop thinking of kisses, “how I begged Pa to let me go on my first drive, and then I discovered he was right when he said they weren’t much fun.”

“But aren’t they exciting?” Louisa asked, and he found himself gazing into her hazel eyes, noting how the golden brown contrasted with her dark eyelashes.

“Well, I was almost bitten by a rattlesnake once,” he replied with a wry grin.

“No!” Louisa gasped, and watching her bosom rise and fall had a pronounced effect on his personal anatomy. Using every ounce of willpower, he forced his gaze back to her face.

“Oh yes. One of the other vaqueros drew his pistol and shot off the snake’s head before he could strike. I made up my mind then that I was going to practice my draw until it was as fast as his,” he answered, quirking his lips up slightly.

Bob was sitting on Louisa’s other side, totally ignored, and he now spoke up in a sneering tone. “Too bad you don’t have your pistol with you, or you could demonstrate your skill on the ride tomorrow.”

Adam didn’t like his remark, but said calmly, “I wore my pistol on the trip here. I can bring it tomorrow.”

“Oh, please do,” Louisa said.

“I’ll bring my pistol,” Adam said to Bob, “but could you bring some cans or bottles I can shoot?”

Bob shrugged and said, “All right. How many?”

Adam cocked one eyebrow. “Five. My Colt pocket revolver has a five-shot cylinder.”

“What does one do on a rancho?” Sally asked Adam then. “I mean, besides go on cattle drives.”

“In the spring, we roundup the cattle and brand the new calves,” he replied.

“Brand them?” she repeated in a horrified tone. “What does that mean?”

“Well, our cattle and our neighbors’ stock all graze together,” Adam answered, his expression very intense. “Branding them is the only way we have of identifying them.” Realizing that the branding of stock was probably not the most delicate of dinner topics, he continued. “We place our mark, or brand, on the calves so that we can tell which ones are ours. I suppose it does hurt the calves for a bit, but then they’re fine.” Sally looked a bit skeptical but sensing that the subject was not pleasant, she merely nodded and Adam continued. “Spring is also when we plant our hay and oats and our cook plants his kitchen garden. Then later in the summer, we harvest the hay and oats and the vegetables in the garden. When that’s over, it’s time to drive the cattle to market. As soon as we get back, it’s the busiest time of all: We have to butcher a couple of pigs and a steer, smoke or salt the meat, and our cook and my stepmother make candles and my pa, my younger brother and I chop and cord enough wood to last us through the winter.”

“My goodness, life on a rancho is certainly hard,” Louisa said with a little moue of distaste.

“Well, what is life like here in San Francisco?” Adam asked her, his tone a little defensive.

“Oh, I used to have to spend my days working on my lessons but now that I’m seventeen, I pay calls on my friends and receive calls from them. We go for rides or walks in the afternoon and then most evenings, either my parents are hosting a dinner party or we’re going to one. Or we may attend the theater.”

It sounded tedious to Adam, but of course he didn’t say so.

When the meal was over, Opal suggested they adjourn to the music room. Sally played the piano for the Cooper sisters, who sang two duets very prettily. Then Sally played a piece on the piano. When she finished, Adam asked her what she’d played. “It was beautiful,” he said, his eyes alight with appreciation both for the music and for her talent.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” she said with a shy smile. “It was written by Ludwig van Beethoven and it’s called the Moonlight Sonata.”

Opal then suggested they play charades, and Adam had a marvelous time. He was very much looking forward to going riding with the young people the following afternoon.

Ben had managed to keep one eye on Adam throughout the evening, and he saw with a pang how much Adam was enjoying the company of young people his own age, especially the three young women. (He also noted with a touch of pride that all three girls were drawn to Adam like honeybees to blossoms.) As much as Ben dreaded being separated from his boy, he was beginning to realize that he owed it to Adam to let him attend college and experience existence in the more cultured East. He could only pray that then Adam would decide he wanted to return to the Ponderosa and his family.

Chapter 2
The next morning Adam opened his eyes and stretched, a satisfied smile on his face. Last night had been wonderful! He’d met three pretty girls—well, Sally wasn’t quite as pretty as Louisa and Josie, but she was intelligent and fun to talk with and he had enjoyed listening to her play the piano. This afternoon he was going riding with all the young people he’d met and he would do a little target shooting—and show off his fast draw, which he knew would impress the girls. He smiled again at the thought of their admiration.

He became aware of movement in the room next to his and remembered they were going to church with the Townsends that morning. He washed and shaved hurriedly, but he was still tying his cravat when there was a knock on his door and his brother burst in, followed by his pa.

“Let me help,” Ben said. “We need to hurry because Mrs. Townsend said they eat a light breakfast before going to church.”

As they walked down the stairs to the dining room, Hoss asked, “Is church gonna be like when we go to the McKarens’ cabin on Sundays?”

“Not exactly,” Ben replied. “We will sing hymns and pray like we do at the McKarens, but the minister will preach a sermon and you must sit quietly and listen.”

“I remember going to church with Mama,” Adam added quietly.

“You do?” Hoss asked wistfully.

“Yeah, we would all sit together in the same pew,” Adam said, lost in memory for a moment. “I’d sit between Mama and Pa. Sometimes Uncle Gunnar would sit with us, but he didn’t go to church much.”

“I wish I could meet Uncle Gunnar,” Hoss said sadly. “Or I wish he’d write me letters like Adam’s grandfather writes to him.”

“I’m afraid your uncle just isn’t a letter writer, Hoss,” Ben said, reaching for the boy’s hand. “But who knows? He might come to visit us,” and Hoss smiled up at his pa.

For the first time, they were the last ones in the dining room, but the others had waited for them to arrive before beginning breakfast.

“Gosh, Adam, you sure do look different,” Davy said.

“He looks very handsome,” Opal said with a smile. Then she turned to Hoss. “And you look very handsome, too, Hoss. All the other women are going to be jealous of me surrounded by so many handsome men.”

“If we aren’t going to be late, then we had better hurry and have breakfast,” her husband interjected.

Hoss was disappointed to discover a “light” breakfast consisted of toast and a soft-boiled egg. He sure hoped that his stomach didn’t rumble during church.

“One of the businesses that has been rebuilt allows us to hold services in their building until our new church is completed,” Opal said as the six of them squeezed into the Townsends’ surrey and rode to church. “Ours was the first non-Catholic church in California,” she stated proudly. “We would have rebuilt before this, but so many of our members lost everything in the fire. Our pastor, Rev. Wheeler, resigned and it was nearly a year before we were able to get a new pastor. Rev. Brierly is a wonderful pastor and he has set the goal of erecting a new building. We are working hard to raise the funds, but it is taking time.”

“I am just glad to be able to attend a real church service,” Ben replied. “There is no church within traveling distance so we get together with our neighbors to read from the Bible, pray and sing hymns.”

When they arrived at their destination, Opal turned to Hoss with a smile and said, “You go with Davy to Sunday School.”

“You’ll like Sunday School,” Davy whispered to Hoss. “It’s lots better than having to sit still and listen to the reverend preach.”

Hoss was disappointed to be separated from Pa and Adam, but if Davy said Sunday School was better than church, then he was probably luckier than Adam.

As the others walked into the room used for the preaching service, Adam saw the Cooper sisters, and they both smiled at him. He was pleased when Mr. Townsend led them to the bench behind the Coopers. Adam found himself seated behind the sisters so he had a close-up view of the back of the girls’ bonnets, decorated with feathers, their soft, white necks and the short, wispy tendrils of hair that were too short to be braided. He’d never really noticed anyone’s neck before, but now he was fascinated by the sight. He tried very hard to concentrate on the sermon for he knew Pa would probably quiz him, but his thoughts kept returning to Louisa and Josie. They sang several hymns, which he enjoyed, and the music helped keep his mind off the girls.

After the final prayer, Louisa and Josie immediately turned around, smiling, to greet him warmly. Then they quickly added, “Hello, Mr. Cartwright, Mr. and Mrs. Townsend.”

“It’s very nice to see you young ladies again,” Ben said and then started a conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Cooper.

Adam noticed that today the Cooper sisters were dressed more like Belle-mère in long-sleeved dresses with small cuffs and little round collars but their skirts were much wider than hers and reminded him of a dome. He didn’t think he really cared for the enormous skirts; in fact, he thought they looked rather silly and were certainly impractical. However, all the women, including Mrs. Townsend, dressed that way so he supposed it must be the fashion.

He suddenly realized that he had been staring at them and hadn’t returned their greeting. His cheeks reddening slightly he stammered, “H-hello. It’s n-nice to see you again.”

“You have the loveliest voice,” Josie said, breathlessly. “Do you take voice lessons?”

“N-no,” he replied, his cheeks growing warmer at her compliment.

“What a shame,” Louisa said.

There had been a lull in the adults’ conversation, and catching her daughter’s remark, Mrs. Cooper said, “I agree. You have a beautiful voice, Adam. It’s a shame that you don’t have any formal training.”

“I’m looking forward to our ride this afternoon,” Josie said then, looking at Adam admiringly, as his smile returned.

“Don’t forget that we’re all going to meet in the common at two o’clock,” Louisa added, just before other members of the congregation approached them, wanting to meet the Townsends’ guests. Adam had no further opportunity to talk with the Cooper sisters, although he did meet some other young men and women.

On the way home from church the Cartwrights sat together in the back seat of the surrey and Hoss said happily, “Davy was right about Sunday School. I liked it. A lady told us the story about Samson pushin’ down the walls of the Temple, and we sang. Only part I didn’t like much was learnin’ a memory verse.”

“Which verse did you learn?” Ben asked.

“’Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee’,’” Hoss quoted earnestly.

“Very good, son,’ Ben said with a warm smile for his middle boy. “Now, let’s see if your brother can tell us the text of the Rev. Brierly’s sermon.”

Adam had been sure Pa would ask him that and so he’d listened carefully and answered, “Psalm 19, verses nine and ten: ‘The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.’”

Ben couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from quirking up because he’d suspected that his first-born’s thoughts had been centered more on the young girls sitting in front of him than they had on the sermon. His prudent son had probably realized he’d be asked that question and made sure he’d know the answer. I won’t scold you, Adam, he thought. I remember all the sermons I missed dreaming of your mother.

Just as they were finishing dinner, they heard someone knock at the front door. Molly came and said, “Master Paul and Master Jamie are asking if Master Davy and Master Hoss can come play croquet with them on the common.”

“I’ve never played croquet,” Hoss said anxiously but Davy just grinned and said, “It’s easy. May we? Please?”

“It’s fine with me,” Dave said. “Ben?”

“Go on and have fun,” Ben said with a grin. After they left, he turned to Adam and said, “I understand you’re going riding?”

“Yes, sir. In about an hour,” Adam replied. “I thought I’d do a little reading until then. May I be excused?”

Once Adam had departed, Dave turned to Ben and said, “My wife usually entertains Mr. Atherton and myself by playing the piano for us on Sunday afternoons. Would you care to join us?”

“Actually,” Ben said, “I would like to have a word in private with Mr. Atherton. If you wouldn’t mind?” he asked the tutor.

“Not at all, Mr. Cartwright,” Mr. Atherton replied. “It’s a beautiful day; we could talk as we go for a walk.”

“Excellent idea,” Ben agreed.

As the two men walked around the South Park common, where the young boys were setting up the croquet game, they were both silent at first. Ben felt awkward; he’d rehearsed what he would say, but still the words didn’t come easily. The tutor waited patiently for him to speak.

“I- I want to talk with you about my son, Adam,” Ben began. “From the time he was very young, it’s been obvious that he is very intelligent. My wife has told me more than once that I should consider allowing him to attend college back East.” The tutor said nothing and Ben continued. “He’d never said anything to me, but he confided in her that attending college was a dream of his. For the past two years, he’s worked fulltime as a ranch hand, and I thought the dream had died. I was wrong.” Ben stopped but the tutor simply waited for him to continue.

“The other day Mrs. Townsend told me she agreed with my wife that Adam should be allowed to attend college. She offered to let him live here and let you tutor him in Latin and anything else he needs to pass the college entrance examination. Before I talk with Adam about it, I wanted to ask if you think Adam really has a chance to pass the entrance examination.”

“Oh yes,” Mr. Atherton replied without hesitation. “He would have to work very hard on his Latin and it would be best if he learned a modicum of Greek. In addition, his knowledge of literature is not as strong as it should be, but I have no doubt that by the spring, he would be able to pass the entrance examination.” He hesitated for a moment, and then said, “It’s not my place to say anything; Adam is your son, after all. But anyone who loves learning the way your son does deserves a chance to further his education.”

“All right,” Ben said, an ache in his heart at the thought of the years he would be separated from his son, “I will talk with Adam this evening. Since this will double your workload, naturally I will pay you a salary as well as the Townsends. Let’s discuss what would be a fair amount.”

Adam found it difficult to concentrate on his book because he was too keyed up at the thought of spending time with the Cooper sisters and Sally. He changed into his regular clothes, and then took his revolver and gunbelt out of the drawer where he’d placed them. He quickly strapped on the belt, tied down the holster and then carefully loaded his revolver and grabbed a handful of extra bullets just in case. Grabbing his wide-brimmed felt hat, he took the backstairs down to the stable because he wanted to avoid Pa. He was pretty sure Pa would not approve of his demonstrating his fast draw. In fact, he’d done his practicing in secret and so far he’d never had a reason to use his fast draw so Pa wasn’t even aware of his skill.

The stable was deserted since Mr. Bronson, Bob and all the servants had Sunday afternoon off. Beauty whickered softly as he approached her stall. “Got something for you, girl,” he said. He reached into a pocket and held two lumps of sugar that he’d squirreled away at dinner in his open palm. The mare ate them delicately, and then patting her neck, he saddled her and rode to the common, where he spied the younger boys playing croquet. He watched the game, letting Beauty graze, until he spotted the Cooper sisters and Bob Marshall. Just like Belle-mère, the Cooper sisters rode sidesaddle. Adam was surprised to see that Bob, who rode a bay gelding, wore a coat, cravat and a low topper. It had never occurred to him to wear Mr. Townsend’s borrowed coat to go riding. It doesn’t matter, he told himself. They know I’m a vaquero and this is how I dress. If they think less of me, well then, I don’t want anything more to do with them.

Bob’s lip curled up in a sneer, but Louisa and Josie smiled their greeting. “Oh, you’re wearing your gun,” Josie said excitedly. “I can hardly wait to see you shoot.”

“I’ve got five tin cans in this sack,” Bob said, continuing to sneer. “So that’s how a vaquero dresses to go riding?”

“This is how a vaquero dresses. We don’t ride for pleasure; riding is a part of our job,” Adam replied evenly. “Clothes like yours wouldn’t be very practical if I needed to clear out a drainage ditch or rescue a calf stuck in a mud hole.” Josie tittered at that and Bob glared angrily at Adam while Louisa felt very warm as she stared at the tantalizing glimpse of black curls visible where Adam had left the top two buttons of his shirt undone.

While they had been talking, John and Sally Stevens had ridden up. John was dressed similarly to Bob and rode a docile brown gelding while Sally was mounted on a spirited dapple-grey mare. She had overheard Bob’s remark and said quickly, “Adam reminds me of Lady Caroline Lamb’s description of Lord Byron: 'mad - bad - and dangerous to know’”

Adam flashed his dimples at her, saying, “I promise I’m not mad, and I don’t think I’m bad.”

“But you do look dangerous to know,” Louisa said breathlessly.

“If we’re going to ride, then let’s ride,” Bob snapped, urging his mount into a trot, and the others followed.

Sally drew up along side Adam as they rode down Second Street toward the ocean. “I see you like to let your horse dance loose,” she said. He nodded and she added, “Bob’s not a bad sort, but he’s used to having Louisa and Josie’s attention centered on him.”

Adam nodded to show his understanding, and then he grinned. “I’ve seen how a wild stallion reacts when a challenger approaches his mares.”

She blushed as she giggled, and he stammered out, “Oh, I’m s-sorry. I guess it’s not p-proper to talk that way around a lady.”

“It certainly was an apt analogy,” she said with a little grin, although her cheeks were still very pink.

Bob led them to a fairly secluded area where they could see the charred remains of buildings destroyed in one of the fires that had ravaged the city.

“All right, Cartwright, let’s see this fast draw you were bragging about,” he sneered, as he swung out of the saddle. While John and Adam helped the girls dismount, Bob sat up his cans along a charred wall. Then he paced off what he considered the correct distance and said, “Stand here.’

Adam nodded without saying a word. He took a minute to adjust his gunbelt and make sure the holster was tied down, and then he stood motionless for about 60 seconds before he drew and fired, cocking the gun manually for each shot.

“You knocked off all five cans,” John said with a whistle as Adam stood surrounded by a haze of gray smoke.

“And you were so fast,” Louisa breathed while Josie looked at Adam with shining eyes.

“I was correct, Adam Cartwright,” Sally said with just a tiny grin. “You are dangerous to know.”

“Let’s see if you can do it again,” Bob said. He was sure it was just a fluke.

“Set the cans up again while I reload,” Adam said calmly. When he once again knocked down all five cans, even Bob was grudgingly forced to concede Adam’s skill.

“You haven’t ever shot a man, have you?” Louisa asked.

“No, just rattlesnakes and rabbits,” Adam answered seriously. “Now, when we have to hunt wolves, grizzlies or cougars that are attacking the cattle, I use my rifle.” He grinned lopsidedly as he added, “I don’t really want to get close enough to them to use my revolver.”

John looked at the sun and said, “Sally and I need to be getting home.”

“So do Josie and I,” Louisa added. “Adam, would you help me mount, please?”

He put his hands about her waist—so tiny that he could span it with his hands—and lifted her onto the saddle. For just a moment their eyes locked and he felt his heart beat so fast it felt as though it would jump from his chest, and then he dropped his hands and turned and mounted Beauty. Sally was watching and admired the fluid grace of his mount.

Arriving back at the Townsends’ house, Adam took care of Beauty and then hurried as quietly as he could up the backstairs. He was relieved not to encounter Pa before reaching his room. He cleaned his gun and just as he was putting it away, he heard a tap on the door and Pa stuck his head in so he hurriedly shut the drawer.

“It’s time to head down to supper,” Pa said with a smile while Hoss stuck his head around Pa’s back.

“C’mon, Adam. I’m hungry,” he said.

“Who won the croquet game?” Adam asked, lightly punching his brother’s shoulder as they headed down the stairs.

“Jamie won the first one and then Davy, but I won the third. It was fun,” Hoss replied with a big grin, returning his big brother’s punch, but in the stomach.

“And did you have a good time on your ride?” Ben asked his older boy.

“We didn’t gallop or canter, but it was nice. Sally is a good rider.” He paused and then added reluctantly, “So is Bob.”

Ben grinned just slightly as he said, “Last night, I had the distinct feeling Bob thought the three young ladies were paying you too much attention.”

“I think you’re right,” Adam replied with a tiny, but irrepressible grin. “John seems nice but he’s awfully quiet,” he added.

“I don’t know why you wanna spend time with those girls,” Hoss said, rolling his eyes.

“Just wait a few years, Younger Brother, and you’ll understand,” Adam replied in a superior tone, causing Hoss to stick out his tongue behind Pa’s back.

They spent a pleasant evening, singing hymns with Opal accompanying them on the piano. After Ben told Hoss goodnight, he knocked on Adam’s door and then entered. He found his first-born sitting in bed reading, bare-chested, and noticed that the sixteen-year-old’s chest was beginning to be covered with black curls. “Forget your nightshirt, son?” he asked with one eyebrow raised.

Adam sighed and caught the garment that his pa removed from the highboy and tossed to him. Ben waited until Adam put it on before sitting on the side of the bed.

“I have something important to talk to you about, but I wanted to wait until we could be private,” he said carefully. Adam felt his heart jump to his throat, though he had no way of knowing what his pa was about to say. “A couple of days ago I had a very interesting conversation with Mrs. Townsend. She suggested that you stay here over the winter and be tutored by Mr. Atherton so you could pass the Harvard entrance examination, and so you would have some experience with society. My first inclination was to turn down her invitation, but I’ve talked with Mr. Atherton and he is positive that if you apply yourself, he can have you ready to pass the entrance examination. I’ve also talked with Mr. Townsend about whether we have the funds to cover your tuition, room and board and your books, and he feels it is doable.” He had kept his eyes fixed on Adam’s and now he said, “It’s your decision, son. If you want to stay here and be prepared for college, then you have my consent.”

Adam could feel his excitement building and took a deep breath to steady his nerves. “I-I thought college was just a dream. Oh yes, Pa, I want to stay. How can I thank you?”

“Think carefully, son. If you get homesick during the winter, you won’t be able to come home until spring.”

“I will get homesick. I’m sure of that, but going to college is something I really want,” Adam replied with a quiet intensity, and Ben saw the joy in his son’s golden-brown eyes, coupled with the sheen of unshed tears as the young man contemplated his good fortune and his gratitude for this opportunity.

“We’re all going to miss you as much as you miss us,” Ben said quietly. “I want you to promise to write once a week and let us know how you’re doing.”

“I will.”

Ben wanted to lighten the mood so he said with a smile that he hoped wasn’t forced, “If you’re going to be staying here in San Francisco, then you’re going to have to dress appropriately. Tomorrow I’ll ask Mr. Townsend the name and address of his tailor and after your lessons, we’ll pay him a visit.”

“Okay,” Adam said with a big smile. Ben rose to leave, as Adam spoke again.

“And Pa?”

“Yes, son?”

“I promise I’ll do my very best to make you proud of me.”

Ben smiled wistfully, and said “I already am proud of you, Adam. I know how much you’ve wanted this, and you’ve earned it.” Ben reached across and cupped his hand over his son’s cheek. “Your mother would be so pleased.” Adam dropped his eyes then, veiling his thoughts and feelings from his father. With a sigh, Ben said, “Goodnight, Adam.”

“Good night, Pa,” the boy replied softly.

The next morning, Ben got up early and went to talk with Hoss. He wanted him to know that Adam would be staying with the Townsends before he made the announcement at breakfast.

“Hoss,” he said quietly as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Hoss,” he repeated, a little more forcefully, and shook the eleven-year-old’s shoulder, gently but firmly.

“Mornin’, Pa,” Hoss said with a huge yawn. “Did I oversleep?” he asked as he stretched.

“No,” Ben replied with a little smile. “I just wanted to talk with you before breakfast.” The boy nodded and propped himself on one elbow, looking at his pa curiously. Ben cleared his throat and then said, “Hoss, you know that Adam wants to go to college so he can learn more than what your ma and I have been able to teach him?” The boy nodded slowly. “Your ma has told me more than once that she thinks Adam should be allowed to go and Mr. Atherton thinks he should, too. Mr. and Mrs. Townsend have offered to let Adam stay here until the spring, studying with Mr. Atherton, so he would be able to pass the examination that would allow him to go to college.” Ben saw Hoss begin to frown and his clear blue eyes began to darken. “I asked your brother last night if he wanted to accept the Townsends’ offer, and he said he did.”

“No!” Hoss said loudly. ‘No, you can’t let Adam stay here! He’s gotta come back home with us!”

“Hoss, son, going to college is something your brother wants very much—“

“I don’t care! I don’t want him to stay here. He’d come with us if you said he had to.”

Ben saw the blue eyes—Inger’s eyes—fill with tears and the same pain he was feeling was written all over his young son’s face. “Yes, he would come with us, and all the time he would wish he was back here studying with Mr. Atherton. Is that really what you want, Hoss?”

“Why does he want to go to college? Why, Pa? Why doesn’t he just wanna stay on the Ponderosa,” Hoss demanded as he choked back a sob.

“Only Adam can truly answer that, Hoss. He has a thirst for learning; I don’t have it any more than you do. It’s the way he’s always been, ever since he was young as Little Joe. If we truly love him, then we have to let him do what makes him happy.” He put his arm about the boy’s shoulder and said gently, “He’s promised to write us every week and that’ll be almost as good as having him at home.”

“I guess,” Hoss replied, not sounding convinced.

“Hoss,” Ben said gently, “for Adam’s sake, try not to let him know how sad you are that he’s not coming home with us. Okay?”

“Okay,” Hoss answered with a big sigh.

When everyone was gathered in the dining room, Ben assumed a lighthearted tone and said, “I have an announcement to make.” He turned to the Townsends and said, “Dave and Opal, I have decided to accept your kind offer to have Adam stay here and let Mr. Atherton prepare him for the Harvard entrance examination.”

“Oh, Ben, I am so glad,” Opal said with a radiant smile. “Adam, we will all do everything we can to make your stay here enjoyable.’

“Thank you, ma’am,” Adam replied quietly, but his eyes reflected his joy.

“Since Adam is going to be living here, he’s going to need some new clothes and I was hoping you could give me the name of your tailor, Dave,” Ben said then.

“Of course, of course,” Dave replied. “Before I leave this morning I’ll write directions to Mr. Peters’ shop.”

“Don’t forget, Ben, that Adam will need some waistcoats and gloves. Oh, and he’ll need an appropriate hat,” Opal interjected.

“I think a low topper would be the most appropriate,” Mr. Atherton suggested and Mr. Townsend concurred.

“Yes, but he’ll need a silk top hat for more formal occasions,” Opal added. “He’ll undoubtedly be invited to attend dinners and parties, and he must have a top hat for that.”

“All right,” Ben conceded. “I’ll buy him two hats.” All the while he found himself thinking, I hope we have a very successful drive this year because I know all these clothes are going to be expensive. He turned to the tutor then. “The day after tomorrow, Hoss and I will need to be returning to the Ponderosa, so I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse Adam from his lessons tomorrow because I want the three of us to spend the day together.”

“Of course,” Mr. Atherton said with a smile.

Hoss watched his brother while all this was going on; knowing Adam so well and empathetic by nature, he had no trouble discerning his brother’s quiet joy. He didn’t want to spoil Adam’s happiness so he did his very best to hide his own misery. That morning and afternoon, he just couldn’t seem to concentrate on his lessons, but Mr. Atherton had seen how close the Cartwright brothers were and so he was more patient than he might otherwise have been.

As soon as the day’s lessons were over, Ben and Adam set off to see about Adam’s new clothes. Mr. Townsend’s directions were clear and they found Mr. Peters’ establishment easily.

The tailor, a small man with wispy hair and a thin mustache, frowned when Ben and Adam entered his shop—Ben wearing the old brown woolen frock coat that he’d had since the days he and Adam had traveled west from Boston, and Adam wearing a cream-colored chambray shirt and black twill trousers that Marie had made him. “May I help you gentlemen?” he asked, and his tone was decidedly supercilious.

“Yes,” Ben said pleasantly. “I want to have a suit made for my son, and a friend recommended your establishment.”

“A friend?” the little man said with a sniff.

“Yes. Mr. David Townsend,” Ben replied quietly.

The man’s eyes narrowed and his expression grew less disdainful. “I have some excellent broadcloth,” he said then, and pointed to some bolts of cloth. “You may choose black, brown or bottle green.”

“Which would you suggest?” Adam asked, and his pa smiled slightly.

“Well, it depends. Is the suit to be formal dress, or perhaps a riding coat and trousers?”

“Ah,” Ben said, raising one eyebrow. “Yes, I think he will need one suit for formal dress and then one riding coat and two pair of trousers.” Adam’s eyes widened slightly at the thought of so much new clothing.

“In that case,” the tailor said, “I would use black broadcloth for the formal dress coat and black silk jersey for the trousers. I suggest the bottle green or brown for the riding coat and then buff and fawn twill for the trousers.”

“Adam?” Ben asked.

Adam nodded and said, “I think I would prefer the green for the coat.”

“Very well, we will go with your suggestions,” Ben replied.

The little tailor nodded, and then they went into the back room so he could take Adam’s measurements.

“I’m afraid that it’s going to be impossible to make you really fashionable, young man,” he commented, and both Ben and Adam raised an eyebrow simultaneously, which made the little man blink. “Your shoulders are too broad,” he explained.

“I’m afraid that’s the natural consequence of years spent chopping wood and mowing hay,” Adam said, very seriously, but Ben saw the gleam in his son’s hazel eyes.

“Well, it’s a pity,” the little man commented. “I think you’ll be quite presentable, apart from that.” His tone become more brisk and businesslike as he added, “Come back in a week for the final fitting.”

Ben and Adam managed to contain their laughter until they left the shop. “I hope you’re not disappointed that I won’t be fashionable,” Adam said with a chuckle.

“It’s a crushing blow,” Ben replied with a wide grin, “but I guess I’ll be able to bear it.” He clapped Adam on the back then saying, “Well, we’d better be off to the haberdashery that Mr. Townsend recommended because we’ve still got to buy you some waistcoats, gloves, and hats.”

“Looks like I’m going to have to spend more time getting dressed than I ever did on the Ponderosa,” Adam said with a sigh.

“I’m afraid so, son. I have to tell you that Boston society is even more proper and if you are accepted and attend Harvard, you’re going to have to be accustomed to wearing a waistcoat, cravat, and gloves every day,” Ben said, to which his first-born rolled his eyes expressively.

An hour later they headed back toward the Townsends’ house in South Park, having purchased two striped silk waistcoats, one pair of buff doeskin gloves for day and one of white cotton for evening, a tan wool felt topper and a black silk top hat to wear with his formal suit. Dinner wouldn’t be for another hour, so Adam joined Hoss and Davy in the morning room where they were playing jackstraws while Ben went to the library to write a letter to Captain Stoddard.

The next morning, Hoss woke up cheerful as always until he remembered that he and Pa and Adam were spending the day together, and the next day, he and Pa would be leaving Adam in San Francisco. He felt his eyes fill with tears at the thought of not seeing his big brother for months. Now he’d have no one to go fishin’ or berryin’ with the rest of the summer. Little Joe was too little. Come fall, Adam wouldn’t be there to go huntin’ with him and Pa. Little Joe was even too little to play checkers with and now that Adam wouldn’t be there to help Pa with his ledger, Pa probably wouldn’t have time to play checkers neither. Hoss tried to sniff back the tears, but they just kept rolling down his cheeks. He heard the soft knock on the door and rolled over so his back was facing the door.

“Hey, Hoss, you’re gonna be late,” Adam said as he opened the door, surprised to see his younger brother still in bed.

“I’ll be ready in a minute,” Hoss replied, but his voice sounded funny to Adam.

“Are you okay, Hoss?” he asked, sitting down on the bed and putting his hand on the younger boy’s shoulder. Hoss rolled over and Adam saw his red swollen eyes, tearstained face and running nose. “What’s wrong, Hoss? Are you sick?”

“No. I-I just don’t want you to stay here,” Hoss said, trying very hard to stop crying. “Please, come home with us, Adam. Please.”

Seeing the pain evident in his brother’s eyes and hearing it in his voice, Adam felt his own eyes begin to burn with salty tears. “I’m gonna miss you, too, Little Brother. You and Pa and Belle-mère and Little Joe.”

“Then don’t stay,” Hoss pleaded, but his older brother shook his head.

“I’ve dreamed of going to college for so long. There are things I want to learn, things I just can’t learn on the Ponderosa. Can you understand?”

“No,” the younger boy replied, his voice shaky, “but I love you and I guess that means I gotta let you stay here and then go to college.’

Neither boy had heard Ben enter the room, so they both were startled by his voice. “I promise, Hoss, that when we drive the cattle to Placerville in August, you can be Diego’s helper and ride his wagon with him, and then after the cattle have been sold, you and I will come to San Francisco and visit your brother.”

“Really, Pa?” Hoss asked, his whole face lit up by his joy.

“Really,” Ben replied, reaching out and squeezing Hoss’s shoulder before handing the child his handkerchief. “Now, you’d better blow your nose and get dressed.”

When the Cartwrights entered the dining room, no one commented on Hoss’s red puffy eyes. (Davy might have, but the previous evening Opal had talked with her son about how sad Hoss would be at being separated from Adam, and that he wasn’t to make any comments or tease Hoss.)

“I wouldn’t, Mama. Honest,” Davy said earnestly. “Hoss says his other brother is too little to do the things he and Adam do, and there aren’t any other boys nearby for him to play with. He’s gonna be real lonely with Adam living here.”

“Yes, I think he will,” Opal said, her expression and tone pensive. “Still, he may grow closer to his younger brother, and that will be good.’

“What are we gonna do today?” Hoss asked as the three Cartwrights left the dining room.

“Well, I thought we’d ride out of town and visit one of the ranchos. I think I may have found a bull we could use to improve our herd. He’s from the original Spanish stock and crossbred with Galician cattle brought over more recently from Spain. Don Alejandro told me Galician are excellent beef cattle and the original Spanish stock are very hardy. I wanted to see what you boys thought of the bull before I make up my mind.”

“How’ll we git him to the Ponderosa?” Hoss asked.

“Oh, I’ll send Will and Miguel to fetch him if we decide to buy him,” Ben answered. “Actually,” he added, as the thought suddenly occurred to him, “with Adam staying here and then going to Harvard, I need to hire another vaquero. Maybe Don Alejandro could recommend one, or even two.” He opened the front door and they saw Bob standing in front of the house, holding their horses’ reins.

“I hope we haven’t forgotten how to saddle our own horses,” Ben said with a wink, causing Hoss to chuckle and Adam to grin.

As they traveled toward Rancho San Miguel, they were silent much of the time; none of the three were garrulous and today in particular they avoided small talk. Adam and Hoss were both impressed with the rancho. Adam noted the large two-story ranch house with verandahs that encircled the house on both stories. He wished that he could have seen the interior as well. He and Hoss both approved of the bull that Ben was interested in, and so he purchased the animal and made arrangements for his vaqueros to bring it to the Ponderosa after the cattle drive at the end of August. Don Alejandro recommended a couple of vaqueros to Ben and he ended up hiring both of them. He gave them directions to the Ponderosa and they promised to be there to help round up the cattle for the drive.

The Townsends’ cook had prepared some sandwiches, hardboiled eggs and cookies the Cartwrights could pack in their saddlebags, so they stopped at a bluff overlooking the ocean to eat their meal.

As they munched their food, Adam said, “I’m glad I’ll be living so close to the ocean. It’ll help me not to be homesick for Lake Bigler.’

“I think Lake Bigler’s prettier,” Hoss said, almost daring his brother to disagree.

“Yes, I think the lake is more beautiful,” Adam said slowly, “but the ocean has a vastness and a grandeur no smaller body of water can match.”

“They each have their own beauty,” Ben agreed quietly. “That’s true of most things. For example, I’ve lived in cities like Boston and New Orleans and I’ve lived in our little cabin. I prefer the natural beauty on the Ponderosa, but I admit that cities have their own charm.”

“I like looking at all the different buildings,” Adam said slowly. “The townhouses on South Park, Maguire’s Opera House, the warehouses on Montgomery Street, and the house at Rancho San Miguel. I’d like to learn how to design buildings like that, or how to design bridges or levees or roads.”

“Maybe you could design us a big, fancy house where you ‘n’ me ‘n’ Little Joe each had a room of our own,” Hoss said with a grin.

“I just might,” Adam replied, his expression serious. “Maybe when I go to college, I’ll study engineering. I’d like to study architecture but I don’t think it’s offered at Harvard. I guess that’s something I will have to investigate once I’m enrolled.”

His son’s words made Ben uncomfortable; architecture and ranching didn’t go together. Engineering sounded more useful on a ranch, but even so, he feared Adam might be drawn away from the Ponderosa to a life back East. ‘Sufficient unto the day,’ he reminded himself.

“Say, Pa,” Adam said, after swallowing a mouthful of sugar cookie, “Hoss and I promised Little Joe we’d bring a gift back for him. Do you think we’ll have time to look for a gift when we get back to San Francisco?”

“I believe so,” Ben replied with a smile. “When I was seeing the sights with Mrs. Townsend, I saw a store full of toys. It had dolls for little girls, rocking horses, toy soldiers—everything a little boy or girl could wish for.”

“Could we go there, Pa? Please?” Hoss begged.

“Sure, son, but we need to be on our way,” Ben said.

“’Kay, Pa,” Hoss said, stuffing his remaining cookie in his mouth, causing his older brother to snicker, as the three of them swung into the saddle.

Neither Hoss nor Adam had ever seen so many toys and they both entered the little shop with expressions of wonder. After much discussion, they finally decided on a little wagon that their packhorse could carry along with the sailboat Ben had bought Little Joe.

“That Noah’s Ark wasn’t as nice as ours,” Hoss commented as they rode to the Townsends’ home.

“It didn’t have as many animals,” Adam agreed, “and it didn’t have Noah’s wife like ours does.” Adam grinned then and said, “Hey, Hoss, when you come back after the drive, you can see me in my fancy new clothes.”

“I bet you’ll look funny,” Hoss said with a chuckle.

“I’ll look very elegant,” Adam replied with a wink, reaching over and punching his brother’s shoulder lightly.

That evening at supper, the atmosphere was melancholy and seeking to lighten the mood, Opal said, “You know, I’ve been thinking. Adam has such a lovely voice; I think that he should take singing lessons. Would you like to do that, Adam?”

“If it’s all right with Pa,” Adam said tentatively, glancing at Ben.

Ben considered. Voice lessons would be an additional expense, but Adam did have a beautiful voice, and he had done without so much in his childhood. Ben made up his mind and said enthusiastically, “I think that is a wonderful idea. Do you have a teacher in mind?”

“I was thinking of talking with Mrs. Cooper about the teacher she’s hired for Louisa and Josie,” Opal replied.

“Well, Dave, I am empowering you to hire the teacher and withdraw funds from my account to pay for the lessons,” Ben said, pleased to see his oldest son’s pleasure at the news.

Everyone tried very hard to be cheerful that evening, and knowing the Cartwrights loved to sing, Opal suggested they spend the evening singing all their old favorite songs. That night, sleep didn’t come easily to Ben or Hoss as they contemplated their journey home without Adam.

Chapter 3
The air in the cabin was stifling and redolent of the spices Hop Sing was using to make pickles from the latest batch of cucumbers he’d picked, so Marie brought Little Joe out on the front porch to play with the Noah’s Ark while she worked on her mending. She saw the cloud of dust on the horizon and said happily, “I think that might be your Pa and your brothers.”

“Where? Where?” the little boy asked excitedly.

“Look, mon ange,” she said, picking him up and pointing. “I think their horses are causing that dust cloud. We will just have to wait and see.” As the riders drew closer, she could only make out two and she felt the muscles in her stomach begin to clench. The tightness only increased when she made out Hoss on his blue roan pony, and Ben on his buckskin gelding. There was no sign of Adam and his chestnut mare.

“Where’s Adam?” Little Joe asked as the horses drew closer.

“Your Pa will tell us,” she replied with a calmness that she didn’t feel.

As soon as Ben and Hoss rode into the yard, Little Joe darted off the porch so quickly that Marie was barely able to grab his hand and prevent him from dashing in front of the horses. “Howdy, Pa! Howdy, Hoss! Where’s Adam?” he yelled.

Ben dismounted, scooped up his youngest, and lifted him over his head to squeals of delight before turning to his wife. He sat their wriggling child down before taking Marie in his arms. When their kiss ended, he saw the worried look on her face but before he could open his mouth, Hoss blurted out, “Adam’s in San Francisco. He ain’t comin’ home.” He looked ready to cry and Ben saw the confusion and fear in Little Joe’s green eyes, so he said quickly, “Adam is coming home, Little Joe, but he is visiting the Townsends for a while first.” He turned to Hoss and said, “Take care of our horses, all right, son? I want to talk with your ma.”

“I help,” Little Joe exclaimed excitedly.

“No,” Marie said firmly. “You can play on the porch until Hoss has finished.”

“No, help Hoss!” the child yelled, stamping his foot.

“You will do as your ma tells you,” Ben said firmly, swatting his youngest son’s bottom. With a yowl of protest, the youngster stomped off to the porch.

Marie and Ben walked out of earshot and then she turned and asked quietly, “Just how long will Adam be visiting the Townsends?”

“Until the spring,” Ben replied and heard her little gasp. “Let me explain, my love. The Townsends’ tutor was very impressed with Adam, and he told me the same thing that you have been telling me: Adam deserves a chance at a higher education. Dave and Opal offered to let Adam stay with them so Mr. Atherton—that’s the tutor—could prepare him for the Harvard entrance examinations, and I accepted their offer.”

“Tu aurais tout de même pu me demander mon avis!” she exclaimed angrily. Seeing his blank look, she translated, “You should have asked me my opinion!”

“I know, but you weren’t there to ask, my love, and I needed to make a decision then,” he said placatingly.

“We could hire a tutor to teach Adam,” she protested.

“I’m not sure we could get one to come live in such an isolated area. Yes, we finally have a permanent settlement, but there are still less than 200 people living in the Carson Valley. Opal reminded me that if Adam stayed with them, he would have an opportunity to meet young people his own age and experience society as he will back east. We can’t provide that, which is why I agreed that he could stay with the Townsends. Opal promised she would write us regularly to let us know how he is doing and I told Adam I expected regular letters from him as well.”

“I suppose it is best for Adam,” she said slowly, her anger abating as she say the wisdom in her husband’s words, “but his brothers are going to miss him terribly; we all will.”

“I know,” he said with a sigh. “Hoss hasn’t said much to me, but I know he’s cried himself to sleep every night since we left Adam in San Francisco. It’s going to be very hard on him.”

“It’s not going to be easy for you either,” she said with a sad smile, and gently caressed his cheek.

“I miss him terribly already,” he said forlornly, “but I want what is best for him. You, that tutor and the Townsends have persuaded me that means letting him attend college.” He smiled ruefully. “I wish you could have seen his face when I told him he was staying with the Townsends so he could prepare for Harvard. I don’t think I have ever seen him so happy. I only pray that after he goes to school, he won’t decide to stay back east.”

“No, his life is here, mon bien aimé. I do not think he will want to settle in the east.”

He smiled wistfully and put his arms around her, drawing her close, as he said, “Anyway, I promised Hoss that he can come on the cattle drive and then after we sell the cattle in Placerville, we’ll travel to San Francisco to visit Adam.”

“But what about us? Little Joe and I want to visit him, too,” she said anxiously.

“I know, but there’s no way you and Little Joe can come on the drive. I’m going to have Hoss ride on the supply wagon with Diego and be his helper, but even that would be too rough for you and Little Joe. I’m sorry, my love.”

“I understand that the cattle drive would be too rough, but surely there is some way Little Joe and I can visit Adam,” she replied

“I don’t see how,” Ben said regretfully.

“Then you will be the one to explain to Little Joe why he cannot see his brother,” she replied tartly. She had already endured a fortnight of her little boy’s pining for his big brothers and pa.

Ben sighed and then said, “Let me go help, Hoss, and then we’ll tell you all about our trip.” (He hoped that would take both his younger sons’ minds off their absent brother.)

Ben’s ploy met with limited success. Hoss became so caught up in describing meeting Captain Collins and Edwin Booth that he forgot about missing Adam, but most of the time his story was peppered with mentions of what he and Adam had done. When he finished, Little Joe, who was sitting on Ben’s lap, turned to his pa with tear-filled green eyes and said in a quivering voice, “Want Adam home.”

“Me, too,” Hoss said, his blue eyes also filling with tears. “I don’t see why he wanted to stay with that tutor instead of comin’ home with me ‘n’ Pa.”

Ben looked at Marie imploringly. She sighed and then turned to Hoss and said gently, “It’s not that Adam doesn’t want to be here with us, Hoss. You know that he loves all of us. But if he stays with the Townsends, then their tutor can help him prepare for college. And you know attending college is something he wants to do very much.”

“Want Adam home,” Little Joe repeated, beginning to cry in earnest, while Hoss asked, “Why? Why does he wanna go to college? Why don’t he wanna be here with us?”

“Oh, mon petit,” she said slowly with a sad smile, “you know that Adam is very smart and he loves to read and learn things from books, n’est-ce-pas?”

“Yeah,” Hoss admitted reluctantly.

“Well, Adam knows that if he goes to college, there will be more books he can learn from than we have here. And he’ll study under professors who have spent years studying subjects he is interested in and who are happy to share their knowledge with him and the other students.”

“But why does he wanna learn all that stuff in books?” Hoss asked plaintively while Little Joe continued to sob in his pa’s arms.

“Because that is the way God made him,” Marie said softly. “Just as he made you want to help every stray animal and bird you find. Do you understand, mon petit?”

“I guess,” Hoss replied, gulping back a sob, and wiping his nose on his shirtsleeve.

Ben didn’t scold him. He merely handed the boy his handkerchief.

“Want Adam,” Little Joe continued to sob brokenheartedly, and Ben smoothed his tousled curls, thinking how they were very like his oldest brother’s at the same age, except for the color.

“Adam has promised to write to us every week,” he said quietly. “I’ll ride to Mormon Station next week, and there should be a letter from Adam.”

“I almost forgot!” Hoss exclaimed then, his cheeriness sounding forced. “Adam ‘n’ me bought you a present, Little Joe. Jest like we said we would. It’s out in the barn.” He jumped up and dashed out the door and Ben shook his head, knowing Hoss would need help prying open the wooden crate containing the sailboat and the little wagon. “Little Joe, you stay here with your ma, and I’ll go help Hoss get your present. All right?”

“P-present f-from Adam?” Little Joe asked, between sobs.

“That’s right. It’s a present from Adam. I’ll be right back,” Ben replied, setting the little boy on his mother’s lap and then ruffling his curls.

A few minutes later, Hoss returned with his pa, carrying a little wagon that had been painted bright red. Little Joe opened his eyes very wide at the sight and his mouth formed an ‘O’.

“Mine! Mine!” he shouted joyfully as he scrambled off Marie’s lap.

“Here ya go, Little Joe,” Hoss said, his face nearly split by his wide grin. “Me ‘n’ Adam picked it out for ya.” He put the wagon down and said, “You git in and I’ll give ya a ride.” The little boy climbed inside and his brother began to pull the wagon around the cabin until they ran smack into the table where Hop Sing, who had listened with interest as Hoss told of the visit to San Francisco, was now busily chopping meat for the rabbit stew they were having for supper.

“Why don’t you boys go outside where there’s more room,” Ben suggested before the cook began to scold, so Hoss pulled Little Joe and the wagon out the cabin door. “I bought a sailboat as a Christmas present for Little Joe,” Ben said to Marie. “I bought Hoss a new bridle for Sugar as his.” He sat down on the settee by Marie while Hop Sing continued to prepare the stew. “I explained to Adam that his new clothes were an early birthday and Christmas present. I’m looking forward to seeing him in his sartorial splendor when we visit him,” he added with a grin. “Dave loaned him a frock coat to wear to the theater and when they invited some young people his age to dinner.” His expression quickly grew more sober as he added, “I was proud of the handsome young man he’s become.”

“I told you he was handsome,” she said with a little half smile. “Tell me, how did the young ladies react?”

Ben grinned smugly. “Well, the Townsends’ maid could hardly take her eyes off him at first and it was pretty much the same with the three young women he met at dinner.” His smile changed to a little frown as he added, “I hope it doesn’t go to his head.”

“Adam is very, oh, what is the expression? Level-headed. I don’t think he will become conceited,’ she said with a smile and then kissed his cheek. “So you met someone from your sailing days,” she said then, resting her head on his shoulder while he put his arm around her.

“Yes, it was good to see Ethan again,” he replied. “He sails from Boston to San Francisco, so he promised to tell Captain Stoddard that he’d seen us. He enjoyed meeting the boys, especially Adam.”

“Why especially Adam?” she asked curiously. “Because he is Captain Stoddard’s grandson?”

Ben smiled slightly and shook his head. “More because Ethan was sweet on Liz,” he answered. She turned to look at him then in surprise. “Oh, I think it was just calf-love; Ethan was barely eighteen when Liz and I married. He was taken by surprise when he saw Adam. It made me conscious of how much he resembles his mother. When he was a baby and a young child, I was very aware of the resemblance, but as he grew older, I noticed it less.” He smiled. “Adam’s appearance is very masculine now, but he has his mother’s eyes, her smile and her hands.”

Marie was silent. She thought she’d accepted the knowledge that she did not have Ben’s whole heart—that she would always have to share it with Elisabeth and Inger. However, when he spoke like this, she was forced to admit that she was jealous of the two women Ben had loved and lost. The knowledge that if Elisabeth had not died giving birth to Adam, and if Inger had not been killed in the Indian attack, she would never have known Ben’s love was as bitter as gall.

He seemed to sense her mood and said anxiously, “I’m sorry, my love,” but she put her fingers on his lips.

“No, you don’t have to be sorry, mon bien aimé,” she said softly. “I do understand that Elisabeth and Inger will always have a place in your heart. It’s just that I love you so much that sometimes I can’t help wishing . . .” Her voice trailed off and she said quickly, “But then we would not have Adam and Hoss, and I promise you that I love them as dearly as I love our Joseph.”

“I know you do,” he answered before capturing her mouth with his, forgetting the cook who was busy chopping vegetables for the rabbit stew and keeping his eyes averted from the loving couple.

Supper was a very subdued meal, for they were all thinking of their absent loved one. Little Joe ate very little of his stew, but neither Ben nor Marie could bring themselves to try and encourage him to eat more because their own appetites had deserted them. Even Hoss only managed to eat one bowl. Normally, Hop Sing would have scolded the family, but he, too, was missing Number One son.

By mutual consent, no one suggested singing after dinner; singing without the sound of Adam’s velvet baritone was just too depressing. Ben suggested a game of checkers to Hoss, and Little Joe sat on Marie’s lap while she read Puss in Boots, remembering to use different voices for all the characters as Adam did. When it was time for Little Joe to go bed, Ben heard him say his prayer and tucked him into his little bed. When he came downstairs, he and Hoss began another game of checkers while Marie darned socks. It was so quiet that they soon became aware of Little Joe sobbing above them in the loft.

“Maybe Little Joe wouldn’t feel so sad if he could sleep with me, the way me ‘n’ Adam always did,” Hoss suggested quietly.

“I think that is a wonderful idea, mon petit,” Marie said, smiling at her thoughtful son.

“I could go up now. I don’t mind,” the youngster replied and Ben said, “That’s fine, Hoss. I’ll come up with you and get you boys tucked in.”

“Goodnight, Ma,” Hoss said, getting up and walking over to give her a hug and kiss and receive the same from her.

Little Joe heard their footsteps on the ladder, and as soon as he saw his pa, he jumped out of bed and ran toward him with outstretched arms.

“Want Adam,” the little boy sobbed.

“I know you do,” Ben said gently as he lifted the boy into his arms and patted Little Joe’s back soothingly.

“Hey, Little Joe,” Hoss said then. “You wanna sleep with me like Adam used ta?”

Little Joe stopped crying and nodded his head vigorously.

“All right. You can sleep on Adam’s side of the bed,” Ben said, putting Little Joe back on his feet. The little boy ran over to the bigger bed and yanked back the covers and climbed in. Meanwhile Hoss took off his shirt and britches, hanging them on the pegs the way Adam had taught him, and slipped into his cotton nightshirt. He knelt down on his side of the bed and said his prayer before climbing under the covers. Ben kissed each boy on the cheek and then headed back down the stairs.

When he reached the bottom of the ladder, Ben found Marie sitting at the table with pen, ink and paper.

“Writing a letter to Adam?” he asked, and she nodded.

They did not have any of the new-fangled envelopes that she had used in New Orleans, so when she finished, she folded the letter and then folded another piece of paper as the cover. She copied the Townsends’ address from their last letter onto the cover and then dripped a little candle wax to seal it shut. “There, now it is ready for you to take to Mormon Station,” she announced to Ben.

“Not quite,” he said with a faint smile. “When we were in San Francisco, I bought some of these new postage stamps the government has come out with—some for us and some for Adam. Dave said that using the postage stamps is less expensive than paying collect. Since it’s less than three hundred miles between here and San Francisco, a one or two page letter costs one 5 cent stamp.” He pulled out his wallet and took out one stamp, bearing the likeness of Benjamin Franklin, and carefully affixed it to the letter.

“I think I’ll suggest that Hoss write a letter he can include with mine. It will help him feel closer to his brother,” he commented and she nodded her agreement. He then said with a smile, “I’m ready for bed, Mrs. Cartwright. How about you?

“Oui, M. Cartwright,” she replied with a saucy grin.

“Ma! Pa!” Hoss hollered as he scrambled down the ladder the next morning.

“What’s wrong, Hoss?” Ben asked worriedly as he exited his bedroom, still buttoning his shirt, while Marie followed, her hair unbraided and flowing down her back.

“Little Joe won’t let me help him get dressed. He just keeps cryin’ and sayin’ he wants Adam,” Hoss replied, his countenance puckered in an anxious frown that changed to one of distaste. “And he wet the bed. He ain’t done that in a long time.”

“You get started on your chores,” Ben said. “Haying begins today and we must be ready when the McKarens and Marquettes arrive. I’ll go see to Little Joe.”

“Okay, Pa,” Hoss said and headed out the door while Marie went back in the bedroom to braid her hair.

When Ben’s head poked above the floor of the loft, he saw his youngest sitting on the floor in his damp nightshirt, sobbing as he clutched the jumping jack his oldest brother had made him for his second birthday.

“Joseph, I know you miss Adam,” Ben said, walking over and hunkering down by the child, “but you must get dressed and come down to breakfast. You may bring Jack with you,” he added, “but you need to put him down while I get this wet nightshirt off.”

The child only clutched the toy more tightly, so drawing a calming breath, Ben said, “All right. Pa will see if he can take it off anyway.” He managed to get the nightshirt off the arm not holding the toy, and then persuaded Little Joe to switch it to his right hand so the nightshirt could be pulled over his head. “Now, take off those dirty drawers,” Ben commanded and Little Joe tugged them off, using his free hand. “Come over here by the washstand and let’s get you cleaned up.” (Once Adam was old enough to shave, he’d made a washstand for his own use, and Ben had bought another earthenware pitcher and bowl in Mormon Station along with a shaving mirror so Adam could shave in his room.)

Little Joe stood still, clutching Jack tightly, as Ben used the tepid water in the pitcher, Hop Sing’s soft soap and a wash rag to clean him up. After he’d dried the child off, he got a clean pair of drawers and handed them to Little Joe.

“Put these on,” he commanded, and Little Joe, whose tears were now reduced to sniffles, pulled up the drawers with his free hand. While he was doing that, Ben took his shirt and britches off the pegs where he’d helped his youngest hang them the night before. Little Joe managed to put his britches on with one hand, but Ben had to help him with his shirt since he refused to relinquish the jumping jack.

“I think I’ll let your ma comb your hair,” Ben decided, because getting a comb through the mop of thick curls was such a chore. Ben often wished his youngest son preferred his curls short like his oldest brother because Adam’s curls had always been easier to manage than Little Joe’s longer ones. “Now, Joseph, I will carry Jack downstairs for you.” He saw the little boy’s lower lip begin to stick out in a pout and said firmly, “I will give Jack back to you as soon as we’re downstairs, but you know you must climb the ladder with both hands.” Little Joe handed the jumping jack over with the greatest reluctance and then climbed down the ladder. When Ben came down, Hop Sing was handing bowls of scrambled eggs and fried potatoes plus plates of bacon and biscuits to Will and Carl Reagan. (After Ben hired the Reagans, he realized it was just too many people to crowd around their table so he and Adam had built one for the hands so they could eat in their cabin. Hop Sing fixed enough for everyone and a couple of the hands would come and fetch their share.)

“Mornin’, Boss,” Will said with a grin. “Hoss explained there was some trouble with Li'l Joe, so I had Carl do your barn chores fer ya.”

“Thanks, Will,” Ben said, returning the smile as he handed Little Joe his toy. Then he turned to Will’s son—a dark-haired, dark-eyed boy about the same age as Adam—and asked, “Carl, have you ever mown hay?”

“Sure,” the boy said with a shrug. His father elbowed him in the ribs and he added, “Mr. Cartwright.”

“Well, I’m gonna need you to take Adam’s place. In fact, Will, I think I’ll use you to help with the haying as well. José, Diego and Miguel can take care of rounding up the cattle.”

Will nodded and then Carl asked curiously, “Where’s Adam?”

“Adam is going to be staying in San Francisco with our friends, the Townsends, until the spring,” Ben replied, noting the surprise on both their faces.

Just then Hop Sing scolded, “Take food now or be too cold to eat!” so the Reagans headed over to their cabin. Hoss came in a minute later and washed up while Marie finished combing Little Joe’s hair and Hop Sing began setting the platters of food on the table.

The four Cartwrights and Hop Sing sat down at the table, Little Joe still clutching Jack, and Ben said grace. Marie carefully spooned some scrambled eggs on her son’s plate and added a piece of bacon and half a biscuit.

“Now, you must eat all the food on your plate, mon ange,” she said firmly.

“Want Adam,” Joe said pitifully as tears pooled in his eyes.

“There must be some way that Little Joe and I could come to San Francisco,” Marie then said to Ben, her voice taking on a distinctive icy edge.

“I’ve already said it’s impossible,” her husband replied, and both Hoss and Little Joe were uneasy at the sharpness in his tone. They all were startled when Hop Sing spoke up.

“Mr. José or Mr. Will could lead cattle drive. Mr. and Missy Cartwright travel to San Francisco with Hoss and Little Joe to visit Number One Son.”

“Oh yes! What a wonderful idea, Hop Sing,” Marie exclaimed while Ben said slowly, “I suppose that would work since our two new vaqueros will be here for the drive. Thank you very much, Hop Sing, for the suggestion.”

“Go see Adam!” Little Joe said excitedly dropping his spoonful of eggs.

“That’s right, Joseph. After we’ve finished harvesting the hay and the oats, then we’ll all go see Adam.”

“See Adam now!” Little Joe declared and his lip came out in a ferocious pout when his ma said gently, “Non, mon ange, we cannot go now. You must be patient. While your pa and Hoss are harvesting the hay and oats, you can help me and Hop Sing pull up the carrots and pick the beans. Then we’ll all go see Adam.”

“’Kay,” Little Joe said reluctantly.

As they were finishing the meal, Ben said, “Oh, Hop Sing, I’ll need your help getting the boys’ mattress outside. It will have to be scrubbed and aired,” and Hop Sing nodded. They had just carried the mattress out behind the house when Andy and Todd McKaren arrived.

“Howdy, Ben, Hoss,” Andy said, a happy grin lighting up his face. “Good to see you back.” Then looking around, he asked in surprise, “Where’s Adam?”

“Adam is staying with the Townsends so he can study with their son’s tutor,” Ben explained. “Then, the Good Lord willing, in the fall he’ll be sailing for Boston so he can attend Harvard College.”

“He’s really goin’ to college?” Todd asked, astonished. “I mean, I know he wants to go, but he told me that he couldn’t.”

“Well, his mother and the Townsends’ tutor have convinced me that he should have his chance,” Ben said with a wistful smile. “And since Harvard is just across the Charles River from Boston in Cambridge, he’ll be able to visit his grandfather.” He added, “Adam is Captain Stoddard‘s only grandchild and I always wished there was a way the Captain could see what a fine young man his grandson has become.”

Andy nodded his understanding, for he wished there was a way Todd could know his grandparents.

“I wouldn’t want to go to college, but I wouldn’t mind spending time in San Francisco and Boston. I’ll bet there’s lots of pretty girls there,” Todd commented.

Ben grinned and said, “Adam’s already met three. They all seemed taken with him,” he added proudly.

“Three!” Todd said enviously. “That Adam has all the luck.”

“Why do you ‘n’ Adam wanna meet girls anyway?” Hoss asked.

“Oh, you’ll understand when you’re sixteen,” Todd replied in a superior tone.

“I won’t want to meet any old girls,” Hoss replied, frowning at Todd. His frown only deepened as the older boy and the adults all shared a smile. “I won’t,” he muttered under his breath, but then the Marquettes arrived, so it was time to head to the hayfield.

By the end of the next week, they had begun mowing the hay at the McKarens’ place. Ben sent Hoss off with the Reagans and rode to Mormon Station to see if they had a letter from Adam. He arrived back at the cabin not long before Hoss returned with the Reagans.

“Did we get a letter, Pa? Did we?” the boy shouted excitedly as he rode into the yard and saw his family all waiting on the porch.

“We sure did,” Ben called and Will said, “I’ll take care of Sugar for ya, boy. You go listen to your pa read your brother’s letter.”

Hoss’s whole face lit up at his pa’s words. He dismounted and ran toward the porch. “Hop Sing,” Ben called, “c’mon out here so you can hear Adam’s letter.”

The three adults sat on the bench Ben and Adam had made so many years before while the two boys sat cross-legged on the wooden floor facing them. “I see Adam must have bought some of those new envelopes,” Ben said as he carefully opened it. He pulled out two sheets of paper and began to read:

July 23, 1853

Dear Pa, Belle-mère, Hoss, Little Joe (and Hop Sing, too, of course),

Today is the end of my first week in San Francisco, and I have missed you all terribly. But I should hasten to add that the Townsends have been wonderful to me.

Mrs. Townsend talked with Mrs. Cooper the very same day that you left for home, and I had my first music lesson the next day. As soon as my lessons with Mr. Atherton were over for the day, Molly came to the morning room to tell me that my music teacher was waiting in the music room. When I walked in the room, I saw a dark-haired man with a barrel chest sitting at the piano. He introduced himself as Mr. Williams.

“Now, Mr. Cartwright,” he said, “I would like you to sing for me.” I thought for a moment and then I sang ‘Ash Grove’. When I finished, Mr. Williams smiled and said, “Yes, I think you definitely have potential. The first thing I am going to teach you is how to breathe.” I must have showed on my face how funny I thought that sounded but he only smiled and said, “You’ll understand what I mean soon enough.” And I did!

Hoss began giggling at that. “Ol’ Adam has to take lessons on how t’ breathe!”

“Now, mon petit,” Marie scolded, “breathing is different when you are singing. Sometimes you have to hold a note for a very long time, and if you don’t know how to breathe properly, you will run out of breath.”

Hoss still looked skeptical, but since his pa was frowning at him, he managed to stop giggling and Ben continued reading.

. . . He explained what the diaphragm is and how good singers use it. Then he had me do breathing exercises. First, he had me put my hand on my belly button and breath. He said if I was breathing correctly, then I should feel that expand first. It didn’t, so he had me lie flat on my back, with my fingers pointing toward my belly button, and take a slow, deep breath. Then I had to breathe out slowly as he counted to five. He had me repeat the exercise ten times. I have to do this exercise for five to ten minutes every morning before I get up and every night before I fall asleep. That was only my first breathing exercise. Next, Mr. Williams played a note on the piano. (He said it was an F below middle C, which is in the baritone’s vocal range.) He told me to sing that note as I breathed out very slowly and not to change the pitch or volume. He had me do that five times except I had to change the pitch each time.

Finally, after all the breathing exercises, I had to sing scales. He had me practice singing arpeggios (that’s where you sing up and down a scale) and singing short notes (known as Staccato). I can’t even remember how many I sang and every day I’m to practice singing scales with three octaves. When I finished the scales, Mr. Williams explained to me how to read music. Learning that is proving easier than all the breathing exercises. Once we finished the lesson on reading music, Mr. Williams said he would see me next week and to make sure I did my exercises and my scales faithfully. “But aren’t you going to teach me a song?” I asked. “Oh, you’re not ready for that just yet,” he replied. I only hope that when you and Hoss get here in a few weeks, I’ll be able to sing a new song for you.

I am going to close now. I’m looking forward to receiving your letters. Belle-mère, please give Little Joe a hug from me and tell him that his big brother misses him very much. . . .

“Adam misses me?” Little Joe asked and his parents smiled at him.

“That’s what he wrote,” Ben replied.

“Lemme see!” Little Joe said excitedly so Ben showed him. “Lookee, Hoss. See! It’s says Adam misses me!” he exclaimed, holding the letter in front of Hoss.

“It shore does,” Hoss replied. “Oh, he wrote ‘and tell Hoss that I miss him, too, and I can hardly wait until I see him in late August or early September.’”

“Why don’t you finish reading the letter, Hoss,” Ben suggested and the boy grinned.

I also wanted to tell Belle-mère that I am speaking French with Mr. Atherton so I don’t forget what she taught me. I wish she and Little Joe could come to San Francisco with Pa and Hoss.

Affectionately yours,
Adam

“Go see Adam now!” Little Joe exclaimed when Ben finished reading.

“Non, mon ange,” Marie said gently, “Your pa and Hoss must still must help M. McKaren and M. Marquette with their hay.”

“And we gotta harvest the oats,” Hoss interjected.

“And Hop Sing need Little Joe help spread food to dry so we have to eat this winter,” Hop Sing added.

“We’ll be on our way to see Adam before you know it,” Ben said reaching down and tousling his son’s curls.

“Yeah, and Adam shore is gonna be happy to see you and Ma, too,” Hoss said, his face lit up by a huge grin.

That night after the boys had gone to bed and Hop Sing had gone to his room, Marie and Ben sat together on the settee. She turned to him and asked, “Did we get a letter from Mme Townsend?”

“Yes. I thought we could read it together,” he said, pulling the envelope out of his pocket as she snuggled close.

July 23, 1853

Dear Ben and Mrs. Cartwright,

Adam’s first week with us has come to an end. The first few days after you left were hard on him. He would excuse himself in the evenings after we dined, saying he needed to work on his lessons, but Dave and I were sure that he just wanted to be alone so we didn’t press him. Thursday evening, he let himself be persuaded to join us in a game of charades and Friday evening we all went to the theater.

Mr. Atherton is very pleased with Adam. He is working very hard on his Latin. (I think you know it does not come as easily to him as mathematics.) I imagine that Adam has told you that he has had his first singing lesson. He practices his scales every morning faithfully after breakfast; I hope his diligence continues after the novelty wears off. After their lessons, he and Davy go for a ride with our groom.

Well, I will be writing you again in a week.

Yours truly,
Opal Townsend

P.S. Adam went to Mr. Peters’ shop yesterday afternoon and picked up his new clothes. He looked very dashing last night at the theater wearing his new dress coat and trousers and black silk top hat

“Oh I want to see Adam dressed to the nines, as you would say,” Marie said with a mischievous grin.

“Little Joe is too young to attend the theater and I don’t think Hoss actually enjoyed it very much or Davy either, so I imagine they’d just as soon stay at the Townsends’ and play jackstraws instead. We could even let them stay up an extra hour as a treat” Ben said and she nodded her agreement.

Suddenly Marie’s expression changed to one of consternation. “Oh la la! All my dresses are four years out of date! I don’t even know what the fashion is in San Francisco!” She turned to Ben imploringly. “Oh, mon bien aimé, can you tell me how Mme Townsend and the other ladies you saw dressed?”

“Oh, my love, I never pay attention to what other women are wearing,” he said with a teasing smile, but seeing her beseeching look, he searched his memory and said, “The only difference I remember from the dresses Opal Townsend wore and the way you dressed in New Orleans is that the skirts seem bigger, rather ridiculous actually.”

“Well, perhaps if Hop Sing could put more starch on my petticoats that would suffice,” Marie said, more to herself than Ben. “I am so glad I kept my blue satin and rose silk evening gowns and my scarlet taffeta walking dress and my blue moiré and printed linen morning dresses; I think they will do.”

“Darling,” Ben said gently, “we can’t take all those dresses. The boys and I can pack all the clothes we’ll need in my old carpetbag, but you can’t pack all those dresses plus petticoats and undergarments in yours.”

“No, I can’t,” she said with a sigh. “Well, I will take the blue satin, the scarlet taffeta and the printed linen, and this maid who can’t take her eyes off Adam can press them for me when we arrive. Oh, how did Mme Townsend wear her hair?”

Again Ben wracked his brains trying to remember and replied a little uncertainly, “The young girls flirting with Adam wore theirs in ringlets along the sides, but all the women wore theirs the same way you do.” He captured her mouth in a long kiss then, and when they broke apart he said in a husky voice. “I didn’t see any women in San Francisco who could hold a candle to you, my love. I think it’s time we retired, don’t you?” and she nodded.

~ ~ ~

Adam examined his appearance critically in the full-length mirror and was satisfied. His new frock coat, which had been tailored for him, looked much better than the one Mr. Townsend had loaned him since his shoulders were broader and his chest was deeper than the older man’s. If only he didn’t have to wear the high starched collar and cravat. The clothes he wore as a vaquero were certainly more comfortable, but these clothes did have an elegance that his working clothes lacked.

The Townsends were hosting a dinner party and Adam was looking forward to seeing the Cooper sisters and Sally Stevens this evening. Mrs. Townsend had told him that she’d invited a young man—Charles Seaton—who was planning on attending college back East, so he hoped he might make a new friend here because he was missing not only Hoss, but Ross, Todd and Carl. Davy was a good kid, but he was just a kid.

After a final glance in the mirror, he went down the stairs to join Mr. and Mrs. Townsend in the drawing room. The Seaton family arrived only a few minutes later, and Adam saw Charles Seaton was an inch or so shorter than he was and as skinny as Ross Marquette. His hair was a dark auburn and his eyes were the same bright clear blue as Hoss’s. His skin was pale and spotty and he had a pronounced overbite. When they were introduced, he was clearly nervous.

“Mrs. Townsend tells me that you are also planning on attending college,” Adam said, trying to put the other young man at ease.

“Yes. William and Mary,” Charles replied with just a hint of a soft drawl. “My father and my grandfather and great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather all attended William and Mary. It’s the second oldest college in the United States, you know, founded in 1693.”

“I’m hoping to attend Harvard,” Adam said with just a hint of a grin. “And I’ll be the first in my family to attend a college. My ancestors on both sides are sailors.”

“Ah, Harvard is the oldest college in the United States, founded in 1636,” Charles replied.

Adam pursed his lips and gave a low whistle. “I didn’t realize it was that old. That’s 200 years before I was born!” He grinned lopsidedly then saying, “I picked Harvard because my grandfather lives in Boston and I can visit him. That, and because of the Lawrence Scientific School.”

“I plan on studying the classics, and then after I graduate, I’ll work in my father’s bank.” Charles lowered his voice and said, “I’m not really looking forward to that. I hate working with numbers.” He hesitated and then asked in a diffident tone, “Do you like music?”

“Very much,” Adam replied with a warm smile. “My stepmother taught me to play the guitar and now I’m taking singing lessons.

“I play the cello,” Charles said. “Music is what I really love; that and reading.”

“I love to read,” Adam replied with a warm smile. “My pa complains about it, telling me that all the reading I do is going to affect my mind. Never had the nerve to tell him that I hope it does. He just doesn’t understand why I want to read about places where I can never go or the thoughts and ideas of people who died long before I was born. Asks what use is all that in running a ranch?”

“He sounds a lot like my father,” Charles said with a shy grin. Then he added tentatively, “I imagine it must be very different living here in San Francisco than living on a rancho.”

“Yes,” Adam replied. “I’m enjoying my studies but I’m surprised to find I miss my chores. I suppose it’s not the chores I miss but the physical activity.”

Mr. Seaton had walked over in time to hear Adam’s remark. “I’d like to see Charles engage in more physical activity. I’ve bought him a barbell and a punching bag, but he’s never used them. Perhaps you could encourage him and that way you could get some excise as well. What do you say?”

“Sure, I’m game,” Adam replied. “That is if Charles is interested,” and Charles nodded, a little reluctantly.

“Why don’t you stop by on Monday around 3:30, and I’ll show you how to use the bag and the barbells?” Mr. Seaton said. Just then Molly announced the arrival of the Stevens family. Sally and John greeted Charles politely but then turned their attention to Adam.

“Would you like to go riding again tomorrow, Adam?” Sally asked, a little nervously.

“Sure,” Adam replied. Then he turned to Charles. “How about you, Charles?”

“Oh, I’m not a much of a rider,” Charles said hesitantly.

“That doesn’t matter. We’re not going to race, or do anything fancy, right?” he said, turning to the Stevens.

“Oh, right,” John said. “Uh, why don’t you come with us, Charles?”

“Well, all right, I will,” Charles said. “Um, did you hear that they caught the two bandits, Murietta and Garcia?”

“Yeah,” John replied. “They cut off Garcia’s hand and Murietta’s head as proof.” He suddenly remembered his sister was standing there and added, “Oh, sorry, Sally,” while Adam and Charles looked uncomfortable.

Sally said quickly, “Did you bring your cello, Charles?”

“Yes, I put it in the music room,” Charles replied.

“Oh good,” Sally said with a smile and a sidelong glance at Adam. “We can play the Beethoven cello sonata we’ve been practicing.”

“I’d love to hear it, especially if it’s as beautiful as the piece by Beethoven you played last week,” Adam said with a grin that caused Sally’s heart to flutter. She noticed a curl had fallen forward on his forehead and she wished she could smooth it back, could see if his curls felt as thick and soft as they looked. Instead, she smiled at him and said, “It’s amazing to me that Beethoven could write such beautiful music even though he was going deaf.”

“Yes,” Charles said gravely. “It didn’t seem to affect his work as a composer, but it ended his career as a pianist. I heard that when his Ninth Symphony was performed, one of the singers had to turn him to face the audience so he would know they were applauding.”

“I wish I could hear a symphony,” Adam said wistfully.

“You never have?” Sally said. “I attended the New York Philharmonic a few times before we moved and I heard Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Mozart’s 40th and Handel’s Messiah.”

John was frankly bored by all this talk of symphonies and orchestras and, wanting to change the direction of the conversation, said, “Adam here is quite a marksman, Charles. And he’s fast. Last Sunday he gave us a demonstration of his fast draw. I didn’t think a person could draw and fire a gun so quickly, or so accurately. Sure wish you could teach me, Adam.”

“I could,” Adam said, “if you really want to learn.”

“I sure do,” John said enthusiastically. “I’ll bring some cans with me on Sunday.”

“Oh, you won’t need any cans yet,” Adam said, the corners of his mouth quirking up just slightly. “When my pa taught me how to shoot a revolver, we didn’t use ammunition. Good thing, too, or I’d have shot my own foot. It takes time to master drawing the gun from the holster and firing it without shooting yourself. Then you work on accuracy. Speed is the last thing you work on.”

“Oh,” John said, visibly disappointed. “Well, you’re the teacher.”

“I could teach you, too, Charles,” Adam said, turning to the other young man. “If you’d like.”

“Uh, all right,” Charles said. He wasn’t really interested in learning to shoot a revolver, but he knew his father would be pleased he was interested in something more manly than his music. He’d also be pleased that he was spending time with Adam Cartwright, who Charles could already tell was the epitome of his father’s ideal son.

Just then the Cooper family arrived. Adam was surprised to note how perfunctorily Louisa and Josie greeted Charles.

“Now, what were you all talking about when we arrived?” Louisa asked, and she stood so close to Adam that he could smell her lavender-scented cologne.

“We invited Adam to come riding with us tomorrow afternoon and he’s promised to teach Charles and me how to shoot a revolver the way he does,” John said enthusiastically.

“Uh, John, I said tomorrow I’d show you how to draw the gun from the holster,” Adam corrected. “Remember?’

“Oh yeah,” John said sheepishly. He turned to the Cooper sisters. “Of course, you’re invited as well,” and they smiled at him.

“Oh, that will be so exciting to watch,” Louisa gushed. “I hope you’ll demonstrate your fast draw again, Adam.”

“Okay, if you’d like to see it,” Adam replied and John added, ‘I’ll bring the cans.”

“You’ll dress like a vaquero again, won’t you, Adam?” Josie asked, turning her big brown eyes on him.

“Sure,” Adam replied with a grin, and all three girls felt their hearts flutter at the sight of his dimples.

“Bella Matthews’ birthday party is in three weeks. Josie and I have talked to her about you and so I’m sure she’ll invite you,” Louisa then said to Adam.

“And she told us that there’s going to be dancing,” Josie added. “I love to dance. Do you like to dance, Adam?”

“Uh, well, I haven’t done it very often,” he replied, feeling his cheeks grow warm. He certainly wasn’t going to admit he’d only danced with his stepmother when she’d taught him the polka and the Virginia Reel.

“I just love to waltz,” Louisa said, and leaned closer to Adam. He couldn’t stop himself from sneaking a peek at her abundant charms, for tonight the three girls were once again wearing dresses with a hint of décolletage. Then he realized in a panic that he didn’t know how to waltz. Maybe Mrs. Townsend could teach him.

After dinner, they adjourned to the music room. Once again, Louisa and Josie sang a pretty duet. When they finished, Louisa said, “Won’t you sing for us, Adam?”

“I- I just began my lessons with Mr. Williams this week. He said I wasn’t ready to learn a song yet,” Adam replied.

“Oh, you’re just doing breathing exercises and scales,” Josie said with a smile. “That’s all we did the first lesson.”

“I’m sure in a few weeks Adam will be able to sing for us,” Opal said. “Now, I believe Charles and Sally are going to perform Beethoven’s Cello Sonata No. 3 in A for us.”

Adam sat enthralled as he listened to the warm, rich sound of the cello combining with the piano. He was so engrossed in the music that he forgot everything else, which did not please the Cooper sisters. John had enjoyed Louisa and Josie’s singing but had little interest in instrumental music and was frankly surprised that Adam obviously did. It seemed very odd that anyone who could ride and shoot a revolver the way he could should actually enjoy listening to music like this.

“That was beautiful,” Adam said when the sonata was finished and everyone clapped—most politely but Adam and Opal with enthusiasm. “It must take lots of practice to play like that.”

“Yes, it does,” Sally replied and Charles nodded. “But to sing really well also requires practice, doesn’t it?” she asked the Cooper sisters.

“Oh yes,” Josie replied, “and Louisa doesn’t practice as often as she should.”

“Oh pooh! I’m not going to be an opera singer so I don’t think I need all that practice,” Louisa said, tossing her head.

“I think you sing beautifully,” John said, earning a warm smile. He liked Louisa, but with fellows like Bob Marshall and Adam Cartwright around, Louisa seldom noticed him.

After the guests departed, Adam turned to Opal and said nervously, “Uh, Mrs. Townsend, Louisa told me that I might be invited to a party with dancing. I know how to dance the polka and the Virginia Reel, but she talked about waltzing. Could- could you teach me to waltz?”

“Of course, Adam. Tomorrow evening when you return from your ride, I’ll teach you,” Opal replied with a warm smile.

That Sunday during church Adam was able to do a better job of focusing on Rev. Wheeler’s sermon. Just as he had the previous Sunday afternoon, he took the backstairs down to the stable, hoping to avoid any questions about his gunbelt and revolver, and saddled Beauty. He discovered that Charles and the Cooper sisters were already at the common. Charles’ face registered his surprise when he saw Adam in his collarless shirt of blue chambray, twill pants and wide-brimmed felt hat.

“I almost didn’t recognize you,” he said as Adam joined him and the Cooper sisters. “You look so different.”

“He looks dangerous, just like Sally said,” Louisa stated, fluttering her eyelashes.

“I hope Sally and John get here soon,” Josie remarked and almost immediately Adam exclaimed, “I see them,” waving an arm in greeting.

As the six of them rode to the same isolated place they’d gone the previous Sunday, Adam noticed that Charles rode a horse with the same placid temperament as Molly, the gentle draft horse that had pulled the old farm wagon he and Pa had traveled west in. Even so, Charles seemed ill at ease and sat the horse with his legs swung too far forward and had his toes sticking out instead of keeping them parallel to the horse’s sides. When they rode at a trot, Adam could see Charles did not know how to post and bounced in the saddle, looking very uncomfortable.

“Why don’t we canter?” he suggested since there was no other traffic on the street, and without waiting for a response, he urged Beauty to the faster, smoother gait. He looked back and saw the others were right behind him, with Charles bringing up the rear. When they were nearly there, they slowed the horses to a walk and Louisa and Josie maneuvered their horses until they were on either side of Adam.

“You are such a good rider, Adam,” Louisa said coyly. “Better than John, and much, much better than Charles.”

“Well, I doubt they’ve spent as much time on horseback as I have,” Adam replied, uncomfortable with her fulsome praise.

“Oh, Charles is hopeless when it comes to any type of sport,” she replied, her tone contemptuous. “He’s not even good at croquet.”

“Well, maybe he’s not good at sports,” Adam replied, and she heard the censure in his tone, “but he plays the cello beautifully.”

“Yes, he does,” Josie agreed, and was rewarded with a smile while Louisa pouted.

John set up the cans on the charred wall while Adam loaded his revolver. They all were quiet as he adjusted the gunbelt on his hips and then flexed the fingers of his right hand before drawing his gun from the holster with lightening speed and shooting all five cans off the wall.

“Isn’t that something!” John exclaimed. “Sure hope I can learn to shoot like that.”

“It just takes practice,” Adam replied. “You wanna have the first go?” and John nodded eagerly.

“Okay, buckle on the gunbelt and then tie down the holster,” Adam said, handing him the equipment. John was much heavier than Adam so he had to use the last hole and even then could barely fasten the gunbelt. It felt strange and the holster, weighted down by the Colt pocket revolver, felt even more alien.

“Okay, now grasp the handle of the revolver with your thumb ready to cock the hammer and your finger ready to pull back the trigger,” Adam explained. He examined the other boy’s hand and said quickly, “No, don’t actually put your finger on the trigger until the gun clears the holster.”

John nodded, but the first time he tried to draw the gun, he learned why Adam had told him not to touch the trigger until the gun was out of the holster.

“The same thing happened to me the first time I tried to draw,” Adam said with a grin.

It took several attempts but John finally succeeded. “You’re next, Charles,” Adam said with a smile. The other boy fumbled nervously with the gunbelt, and he had to tighten it as far as possible, and even then it sat loosely on his hips.

“You’ll do fine,” Adam said quietly, “just relax.”

Charles smiled gratefully, and to everyone’s surprise but Adam’s, he caught on much more quickly than John had. (Adam knew the dexterity Charles had displayed in his cello playing would serve him well in drawing the gun.)

“It’s getting late,” Adam said, looking at the position of the sun, “so I think you can practice firing the gun next Sunday. Besides, I’m going to have to buy more ammunition.”

“I sure wish Mrs. Ghirardelli & Co was open today ‘cause I’d like one of their chocolate bars,” John said as they rode back to South Park.

“Chocolate bar?” Adam repeated.

“You’ve never had a chocolate bar?” Louisa asked. “Oh, they are delicious. You must have one. The shop is at Kearny and Washington; some afternoon after your lessons are over, go there and buy a chocolate bar.”

“They really are delicious,” Charles said and Sally and Josie added their agreement.

“All right,” Adam said with a grin, “I’ll try a chocolate bar.”

When he arrived at the Townsends’ townhouse, he rode Beauty to the stable in the back and hurriedly groomed her before sneaking up the backstairs. He was glad that the staff had Sunday afternoon off because that way he didn’t have to worry about encountering Mr. Bronson or Molly while wearing his revolver. He changed hurriedly back into his “city” clothes and then headed for the music room. He could hear Mrs. Townsend playing the piano and realized she was as accomplished as Sally. He entered the room quietly and sat on the settee across from Mr. Townsend and Mr. Atherton.

When Opal finished her piece, she said to Adam, “Did you have a good time?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied. “On the way back, they all told me I must eat a chocolate bar. I forget the name of the shop, but it’s at Kearny and Washington.”

“Oh yes, Mrs. Ghirardelli & Co,” Opal said. “I think you’ll enjoy the candy. We all do. Now, it’s time for your dance lesson. If you gentlemen could move the settees against the walls, please,” she requested.

After they had moved the settees to one side, the two older men excused themselves and Opal said, “Why don’t you take off your boots first.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to hurt your feet,” Adam said with a shy grin as he pulled them off and then set them in the corner.

“All right,” she said, taking his right hand and placing it on her waist. “The first thing you should do is place your hand on your partner’s waist just like this. Then you extend your left hand, palm facing your partner.” She studied him critically then said, “Bend you elbow just a bit.” He moved his arm slightly and she smiled at him encouragingly. “Perfect. Now, you hold your partner’s hand loosely and she’ll put her left hand on your right shoulder like this.”

As they stood facing each other in position, she continued saying, “The waltz is danced to a triple beat. I’ll count, ‘one, two, three; one, two, three’ until you are comfortable with the steps.” He nodded and she explained the steps as he listened intently. When she finished, she said with a smile, “See. It’s not difficult. As we dance, you need to turn us slightly to the left. Let’s give it a whirl, shall we?”

“Okay. I sure hope I don’t step on your feet,” he said nervously but she only smiled.

It didn’t take Adam long to learn the steps (only stepping on Opal’s feet a couple of times) and then to execute them gracefully. They whirled around the room a few times with Opal counting, “One, two, three; one, two, three.” After they caught their breath, Opal said, “Now I think we should try it while I hum the music.” Again, he stumbled once or twice but soon was whirling her about the floor with élan. Unknown to Adam, Dave Townsend and Mr. Atherton were watching from the doorway, and when the waltz tune ended, they both began clapping. Adam colored slightly but Mr. Atherton only said, “Well done, Mr. Cartwright.” Dave added, “Yes sir, Adam, you are going to be very popular with the young ladies.”

“Oh, I just thought of something,” Opal exclaimed. “Have you been taught about the proper etiquette for a ball?”

“Belle-mère told me that if I ever attended one, I mustn’t just dance with the pretty girls; I must dance with the young ladies other men ignore as well.”

“That is excellent advice but here are a few more things you need to know: You must not sit in an empty chair by a lady if you don’t know her. If you do know her, then you must ask her permission first.”

“All right,” Adam said. “Is there anything else I need to know?”

“You must wear your white gloves while you are dancing,” Dave said. “You only take them off to eat supper.”

“That should be easy to remember,” Adam responded.

“You’ll do fine, Adam,” Opal said with a warm smile.

Adam and Davy always began their lessons with mathematics. Adam was doing so well with analytical geometry that Mr. Atherton planned on introducing him to calculus by Christmas. After mathematics, they studied Latin. (It was the one subject where the younger boy was more advanced but since Davy had only been studying it for about six months, Adam was catching up to him in mastering the basics of Latin grammar.)

Those two lessons took up most of the morning. Just before lunch, Davy would have his reading lesson while Adam worked on the geometry problem Mr. Atherton had assigned him. The previous week, Adam had studied history and composition in the afternoon. (Mr. Atherton combined the two subjects by having Adam write essays about his history lessons. Adam enjoyed that more than simply memorizing dates and the names of presidents and kings.) Mr. Atherton had discovered Adam’s knowledge of ancient history was practically nonexistent so they had begun studying about ancient Greece.

After his history lesson the Monday of his second week in San Francisco, Adam expected to write an essay on what they discussed so he was surprised when Mr. Atherton asked him if he had a favorite poem.

“Yes, I do,’ Adam replied. “I haven’t read very many, but my stepmother has a book of poems written by different poets, and there is one I especially like. I like it so much that I memorized it.”

“Would you recite it for me?” Mr. Atherton asked, and Adam nodded.

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

“Excellent choice,” Mr. Atherton said with a smile. “It’s one of my favorites as well. Now, what type of poem is it?”

“A sonnet,” Adam replied. “The rhyme scheme is . . .” he thought and then said hesitantly, “abbaabbacddcee. At least I think it is. ‘Eternally’ and ‘die’ don’t really rhyme.”

“Well, Donne’s poem was written over 200 years ago, and the pronunciation of some vowels has changed since then. Perhaps they did rhyme in the 1600s,” Mr. Atherton commented. “Now, tell me what the poem means.”

Adam looked thoughtful and he started hesitantly. “He begins by talking to Death as if it were a person.” He saw Mr. Atherton nod, pleased that the boy understood the concept of personification even if he might not be familiar with the term. Adam continued, feeling more confident. “I think he must be talking about the resurrection when he tells Death that the people he thinks he conquered aren’t really dead. Then he compares resting and sleeping with Death. I think what he means when he says Death is a slave to Fate, chance, kings and desperate men is that Death has no control over whom it comes to. Some people die because of an accident or an illness they contracted and that’s what he means by Fate and chance. Others are executed by the government, which is what he means by kings, and still others are murdered and hence the reference to desperate men. He says Death shouldn’t be conceited because poppies and charms help us sleep better than Death does. That part has always confused me.”

“The drug, opium, is made from poppies,” the tutor replied, “and it can help someone in pain to sleep.”

Adam nodded his understanding and continued. “When he says one short sleep past, he means when we die. Then he says we will be resurrected and Death won’t exist any longer—at that time, Death will die.

“Excellent, Mr. Cartwright,” Mr. Atherton said with a small smile. “In addition to Latin and mathematics and history, we are going to spend some time studying literature. Every educated man should be familiar with great poetry, drama and prose.”

The Seatons lived on Rincon Hill, which was so near South Park that Adam decided to walk. The door was answered by a pretty young woman dressed in black with a white apron just like Molly wore. She led Adam out the backdoor to a small building built next to the stable where Charles and Mr. Seaton were waiting.

“You’re punctual,” Mr. Seaton said briskly. “Good. I despise tardiness.” He gestured toward a bag suspended from a beam that ran the width of the ceiling. “All right, boys,” he said, “the idea is to hit the bag with short, quick jabs, and move around like this.”

Adam watched the older man carefully and when Mr. Seaton asked if he’d like to try, he nodded.

“Now, in a gymnasium,” Mr. Seaton said, “you’d wear tights, but I think you and Charles will do fine if you just take off your shirts.”

“All right,” Adam said and Charles nodded. Both boys unbuttoned their shirts, and as Adam removed his, Charles stared enviously at the well-developed muscles of his new friend’s torso. Seeing Charles’ skinny arms and chest, Adam was grateful for all the hard work he’d done over the years, even if he hadn’t appreciated it at the time.

He jabbed at the bag with his fists. It took a few tries before he developed a rhythm, but once he got the hang of it, he began to enjoy it.

“All right, Charles, now you give it a try,” Mr. Seaton said, “while I show Adam how to use the barbells. I’ll start you off with 120 pounds, Adam. Now, watch me, and then you can try.”

Adam watched the older man and copied what he did. “Let’s try you with 140 pounds,” Mr. Seaton said after Adam’s first attempt. Charles had stopped punching the bag and was watching Adam lift the barbell.

“You are really strong,” he said admiringly as Adam lifted the barbell for the final time.

“Well, living on a ranch requires a lot of hard work,” Adam replied with a friendly grin after setting the barbell down. “I’m sure glad you’ll let me come and exercise with Charles, Mr. Seaton.”

“I recommend you and Charles come and exercise every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Make it a routine,” Mr. Seaton suggested. He was very glad the Townsends had introduced the Cartwright boy to his son. This Adam Cartwright was as studious as Charles, according to them, but he also appreciated physical exercise. Hopefully he would inspire Charles to exercise his body as well as his mind. “Well, I’ll leave you lads to it then. Don’t overdo or you’ll be too sore and you won’t want to exercise again on Wednesday.”

As soon as his father exited, Charles said despairingly to Adam, ‘I’ll never be as strong as you.”

“Sure you will,” Adam said encouragingly. “You’ve just gotta work at it, that’s all. I’ve been chopping wood and swinging a sickle and a cradle since I was a kid. If we exercise three times a week, then I bet in a month you’ll start feeling stronger.” He smiled at the other boy and said, “Now, start punching that bag.”

When they finished exercising, Charles said, “It’s still light. We could walk to Mrs. Ghirardelli & Co. and get a chocolate bar. If you’d like.”

“Sure,” Adam replied with a smile. “I’ll admit you’ve got me very curious about them.”

On the third Friday afternoon of Adam’s stay in San Francisco, when he returned from exercising with Charles, he noticed there were two letters sitting on the small table by the curving staircase. He’d been hoping to hear from his family and sure enough, both letters were addressed to Mr. Adam Cartwright. He picked them up and hurried up the stairs to his room, easily taking two steps at a time with his long legs. He sat down at his secretary desk and hurriedly broke the wax on the letter addressed in his pa’s handwriting.

July 28, 1853

Dear Adam,

Hoss and I arrived home today. I’m afraid your younger brother was bitterly disappointed that you did not return with us. It’s very hard for a little boy his age to understand why you are staying in San Francisco, but he’ll accept the idea eventually. I must admit, son, that I miss you as much as your brothers, but I finally understand how much a college education means to you, so I don’t regret my decision to allow you to study with Mr. Atherton.

I’ve talked with José and everything went well in our absence. We lost a couple of head to wolves but Carl and Miguel killed three of the pack and they haven’t killed any more steers; José thinks they’ve moved up into the mountains. Tomorrow we begin mowing our hay. Next Friday I’ll go to Mormon Station and hopefully there will be a letter there from you.

I love you, son, and I hope all is well with you. Please give my best to Mr. and Mrs. Townsend.

Your Pa

juli 29 1853

deer adam

pa said i should write you a letter to me and littl joe sure miss you littl joe is sleepin in our bed the first night i got home he cried a lot cause he missed you and i asted him if he wanted to sleep with me he did and he stopped cryin he wet the bed tho he carys the jumpin jack you made him all the time and takes it to bed we started mowin our hay today mr wil is takin your place and carl helps me and tod with the rakin
yur brother
ma read my letter and said we are gona work on my captlzion and puncation so my next letter wil be esier to read

Adam smiled. Yeah, little brother, you definitely need to learn about capitalization and punctuation. Spelling, too. His expression sobered as he thought about what Pa and Hoss had written about how Little Joe had taken the news of his absence. Big brother is sorry he made you cry, Little Buddy, and he misses you, too.

He turned then to the second letter. He didn’t recognize the handwriting but he had a good idea who had written it. He scraped the wax off with his fingernail and took out the sheet of paper.

July 28, 1853

Mon Cher Adam,

I was so surprised when your pa and Hoss returned from San Francisco without you. My feelings are very mixed. I am happy for you that you have this wonderful opportunity to study with M. Atherton and to spend time with other young men and women your own age. Your pa has told me how the young ladies you met found you fascinating. He may have been surprised, but I was not. Je ne t'ai jamais dit que tu es séduisant car je ne voulais pas que tu deviennes prétentieux. . . .

Adam stopped and frowned a little, as he mentally translated the sentence, but then he grinned as he realized she had written ‘I never told you that you are handsome because I didn't want you to become vain.’

I hope you have great fun flirting with all the girls you meet, but I must speak seriously to you. Les jeunes filles tomberont facilement amoureuses de toi; tu devras faire attention de ne pas leur briser le coeur. . . .

Once again, he frowned in concentration as he translated ‘Young girls will find it very easy to fall in love with you, so you must take care not to break their hearts.’. Hmm, he thought, maybe it isn’t just my imagination that Sally really likes me. But I’m sure she doesn’t love me just as I don’t love her. She is fun to be with even if she isn’t as pretty as Louisa and Josie. But they’re rather silly. I’d like to meet a girl who is pretty and fun to be with. But I can’t imagine being in love the way Pa loves Belle-mère, and the way he must have loved Mama and my mother. He forced his mind off the subjects of girls and love, and turned his attention back to his stepmother's letter.

But I know you won’t, for you are a good boy with a kind heart.

As happy as I am that you have this wonderful opportunity, mon cher Adam, I must tell you that we all miss you so much. Little Joe was heartbroken when his grand frère did not return. Your pa and I miss you just as much as your brothers do and we are eagerly looking forward to your first letter.

Je t'embrasse
Belle-mère

Adam decided to answer his letters right then. He pulled out his watch and saw he only had fifteen minutes until he needed to join the Townsends and Mr. Atherton in the drawing room before supper. With a sigh, he poured some water in his wash basin and quickly washed his face and torso before putting on a clean shirt and his riding coat. He hurried down the stairs as quickly as he’d gone up, but he still found the others waiting for him.

“You saw your letters?” Opal asked with a smile, and he nodded, his countenance reflecting his joy at hearing from his family.

“Yes, ma’am, and my pa asked me to send you and Mr. Townsend his best wishes.”

“Well, I expect you’ll want to write your replies after supper,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am, if that would be all right,” he replied.

“Certainly,” she said, smiling at him fondly.

“I trust your family is well,” Dave interjected.

“Yes, sir,” Adam replied. “Pa wrote that Little Joe is having a hard time understanding why I didn’t come back with him and Hoss, and Hoss said he cried. I feel bad about that. I thought I’d write him a letter that Pa or Belle-mère could read to him. Maybe that would make him miss me less.”

“Well, I think that is an excellent idea,” Opal exclaimed. “He will know that his big brother hasn’t forgotten him.”

As soon as the meal was over, Adam hurried back to his room. He sat at his secretary desk, pulled down the panel making a writing surface, and then opened one of the drawers and took out a sheet of paper and got his pen from another drawer.

August 5, 1853

Dear Little Joe,

I felt really bad when Hoss wrote me that you cried when I didn’t come back home from San Francisco. I miss you, too, Little Buddy. I am glad you are sleeping with Hoss so he won’t be so lonely. I hope you liked the wagon that Hoss and I got you. There are different kinds of stores here; it’s very different from Mormon Station where there’s just Mr. Cass’s general store. I’ve been to a store that sells nothing but candy. And not just any candy. This store only sells chocolate candy. I’m not sure if you’d like it because it’s not sweet like peppermint drops. I like it though and my friends do, too. When I come back home I’ll bring a chocolate bar that you and Hoss can share.

I miss you, Little Buddy, and I can hardly wait until I’ve finished my studies and I can come back home to the Ponderosa and see you again and give you a ride in your wagon.

Your brother,
Adam

Adam carefully set the sheet to one side so the ink could dry before pulling out another sheet and dipping his pen into the inkwell.

August 5, 1853

Dear Hoss,

It sure was good to get a letter from you. I know you must be just about finished mowing the hay and about ready to harvest the oats. You’re going to think I’m crazy, but I kind of miss the haying, especially when we’d all trample down the hay that Pa and Mr. McKaren and Mr. Marquette pitched into the hay-rack. As I wrote in my last letter home, I go to my friend Charles Seaton’s house three times a week to exercise with the punching bag and barbell, but I’d rather be swinging a scythe or chopping wood. At least that exercise is accomplishing something. It seems very odd to be exercising just for the sake of exercising.

On the days that I don’t exercise with Charles, I go riding with Davy. On Sunday afternoons, I go riding with the Cooper sisters, Sally and John Stevens, Charles and sometimes Bob Marshall. I’m afraid Bob and I just don’t get along that well. Before I came along, all the girls liked Bob the best, but now they like me, too, and Bob resents that. I get along just fine with John and Charles. Actually I guess I get along best with Charles. He likes music and he’s a better musician than I’ll ever be. He doesn’t like mathematics the way I do (in fact I’d say you and he have a lot in common in that area) but he loves to read as much as I do and he’s had the opportunity to read more books than I have. Mr. Atherton has me reading a book called Pride and Prejudice because he says it’s an excellent way to learn about life in England at the beginning of the century. Charles has already read it, and so I can talk to him about it. He knows more about history than I do so he’s helped me with that.

I miss you a lot, Hoss, and I think about you and what you must be doing. I am counting the days until you and Pa should be here in San Francisco.

Affectionately yours,
Adam

With a smile, Adam put aside Hoss’s letter, picked up a fresh sheet of paper and began a letter to Pa.

August 5, 1853

Dear Pa,

I wrote Hoss that I know you must be finished mowing the Marquettes’ hay and ready to begin harvesting our oats, and that means in about a fortnight you’ll be here in San Francisco. I’m looking forward to seeing you and Hoss more than I can say. I never realized just how homesick I’d be. The Townsends are just as nice as they can be and I’m really enjoying my studies and spending time with my new friends, but I miss all of you and my old friends so much.

I don’t want to disappoint you and Belle-mère so I am studying diligently. Latin is my most difficult subject. I’ve never had to struggle so hard to learn something. I guess now I can understand at least a little how Hoss feels about lessons. I may not be enjoying Latin, but I am enjoying studying analytic geometry, history and literature very much. I am also enjoying my singing lessons. Mr. Williams is pleased because he told me he can tell I am faithful in doing my breathing exercises and my scales. I am working very hard now on a song and I may have time to learn another before you arrive.

I have made a real friend in Charles Seaton. I know his father is pleased that I exercise with him. Charles doesn’t like it and at first he was very self-conscious because he’s not at all athletic. Well, to be honest, he’s never going to be very athletic, but I am doing my best to encourage him. I told him that he’s probably going to be wiry rather than muscular so not to worry about whether or not he has big muscles. The point is that he feels stronger since we’ve been exercising together, and he admitted that he does. I’ve tried to give him some tips on his riding and he’s improved a bit. He just doesn’t like horses very much. He is very well-read and we have some interesting discussions. Sometimes they get a bit heated. You see, Charles and his family moved here from Richmond and he is trying to convince me that Negroes are better off as slaves. He says that since slaves are valuable, they are well-cared for; they don’t suffer the terrible poverty of the “wage” slaves of the Northern cities and manufacturing districts. He says the masters provide their slaves with shelter and food; the men, women and children who work in the great cities work as hard if not harder than slaves, but their employer may pay them so little they can’t afford decent shelter or enough food. I thought he was exaggerating, but when I spoke to Mr. Atherton about it, he said that it’s true. Most large cities such as New York or Boston or Philadelphia have slums where people live in appalling poverty. Even so, that doesn’t make it any more right for one man to own another and consider him as nothing more than property. I feel very naïve right now. I just never realized how much injustice there is in the world. We fought a war with Mexico so we’d have an excuse to take the land we wanted, and both Mexico and the United States are stealing the land from the Indians. Right now we’re living in peace with the Paiutes and the Washoes, but what if many more people decided to settle in the Carson Valley? Then I’m afraid our way of life will clash with the Indians.

But, I know I shouldn’t borrow trouble. Next week I am invited to a birthday party where there will be dancing. The Cooper sisters were telling me that they like to waltz (I guess they were hinting that they would like to waltz with me). I asked Mrs. Townsend if she could teach me to waltz, and she did. I am looking forward to dancing with Louisa and Josie and Sally. And I’ll meet some other girls at the party and that will be nice.

Oh, before I forget, I wanted to mention McCormick reapers. I’ve been reading about them, and I think we should get one. The machine only needs two men to operate it: a man to ride the horse that pulls it and another to rake the cut grain from the platform. It cuts as much grain in one day as four to six men can cut with a cradle or twelve to sixteen men with a scythe. They are expensive, but I bet we could go in with Mr. McKaren and Mr. Marquette and buy one we all could use. If we didn’t need as many men harvesting the hay and oats, we could use them to round up the cattle and start our drive a few days earlier.

I will be counting the days until your visit. I wish there was some way I could see Belle-mère and Little Joe, too.

Affectionately yours,
Adam

The letter to Pa joined those to Little Joe and Hoss, and he got a sheet of paper to begin a letter to Belle-mère. His lips quirked up in a smile as he dipped his pen in the inkwell.

August 5, 1853

Chère Belle-mère

So you think I’m handsome? Well, I think Louisa and Josie and Sally think I am, too. No, seriously, I promise that I won’t become vain although if I’m honest I must admit that it is nice that the young ladies I meet seem to enjoy my company. Louisa and Josie Cooper like to flirt; at least, I guess that’s what they are doing when they bat their eyes at me. Now, Sally Stevens doesn’t act that way, and I think I actually prefer her company. She can talk about a wider range of topics than the other two girls. I’m sure none of them is in danger of falling in love with me though.

I wrote Pa that next week I have been invited to a party where there will be dancing. I found out from the Cooper sisters that they love to waltz. (I think they were hinting that they would like to dance the waltz with me.) I asked Mrs. Townsend to teach me how. Since you’d already taught me how to do the polka, I picked the waltz up pretty easily. I am looking forward to the party even if I’m a little nervous about meeting a lot of new people.

I wish there was some way that you and Little Joe could come visit me here when Pa and Hoss do. I miss all of you very much, but I am so grateful that Pa let me stay here and study with Mr. Atherton. You always told me not to give up on my dream of attending college, and you were right. I am so excited to think that I really will be able to attend Harvard.

Bien amicalement
Adam

He placed the four sheets of paper in one of the envelopes Mrs. Townsend had given him to use and sealed it. Then he carefully addressed the envelope to the Cartwrights of the Ponderosa Ranch near Mormon Station, Western Utah, and affixed one of the postage stamps Pa had given him. Mr. Townsend had promised to drop it off at the post office when he went to work the next morning.

Six days later was the night of Bella Matthews’ birthday party. As soon as his lessons were over, Adam walked to the barbershop for a shave and a haircut. When he returned to the Townsends, he bathed and then dressed carefully in his new black dress coat and trousers, black-and-white striped silk waistcoat and white cotton gloves. When he came down the stairs, he discovered Dave and Opal waiting in the drawing room.

“Turn around and let me see,” Opal commanded, coming to stand in the entrance hall. “Yes, you look very fine,” she said with a smile. “Let me just straighten your cravat a little,” and standing on tiptoe she made a slight adjustment. “Your mama would be so proud if she could see you—all your mamas I should say,” she added, and then surprised him by kissing his cheek. “Now, have a wonderful time, and don’t break any hearts.”

“I won’t,” he added with a grin while mentally shaking his head and wondering why Mrs. Townsend and Belle-mère seemed convinced that he was going to break some girl’s heart.

As the Townsends’ surrey drove up to the Matthews’ townhouse on Rincon Hill, Adam was startled to see it was lit up as bright as day. While part of him stared in wonder, the practical part wondered how many candles and oil lamps it took to create the effect. He felt very nervous and shy as he got out of the surrey and was greatly relieved to see John and Sally Stevens getting out of a surrey just behind his.

“Hello, Cartwright,” John said and Sally added, “Hello, Adam.”

John’s attire was identical to his own except that his waistcoat was crimson, which had the effect of making him seem even stouter. Sally was dressed in a short-sleeved ball gown of cornflower blue silk and just a hint of décolletage with some lovely white roses pinned in her hair, and her brown eyes sparkled behind her spectacles. Adam thought she looked prettier than he’d ever seen her as he returned her greetings.

They walked up the steps together and the maid took the young men’s silk top hats and directed them to the drawing room. The sofas had been moved against the wall and the rug taken out to provide a suitable space for dancing. Adam saw several other young men and young women. Most of the young women wore gowns with much deeper décolletage than Sally’s and their shoulders and bosoms shone white and fair. (He had no way of knowing that was due to the application of rice powder.) Some wore flowers in their hair as ornamentation while others were bedecked in jewels—bracelets, necklaces, broaches and earrings. He looked for the Cooper sisters but couldn’t see them.

“Let me introduce you to the guest of honor, Adam,” Sally said with a smile. She thought he looked as handsome as one of the Greek gods she’d read about with his skin tanned a golden brown, his thick curly black hair, beautiful hazel eyes and manly physique. When she gazed at his broad shoulders tapering to a slim waist or heard his deep rich baritone, she felt as if she were melting. The feeling might be strange, but it was also very pleasant.

“Thanks, Sally,” he replied and then they walked over to a short, plump girl with sandy hair and bright blue eyes dressed in pale pink.

“Bella,” Sally said, “allow me to present Adam Cartwright.”

He bowed slightly as Marie had taught him and Bella batted her eyes and said with a simper, “I declare, Mr. Cartwright, you are even more handsome than Louisa and Josie told me.”

Adam was nonplussed and he could feel the heat rising in his cheeks. “I- I hope I may have the honor of a dance, Miss Matthews,” he said.

“Of course, Mr. Cartwright,” she said, extending her dance card. He wrote his name down on the first opening on her dance card, and then Sally said, “Well, Bella, I must introduce Adam to some of your other guests. Please excuse us.”

“I- I hope I may have a dance with you, Sally,” he said as they walked away, and she nodded, her cheeks growing very pink. He looked at her dance card and said, “May I claim two dances?”

“If you’d like,” she replied with a shy smile.

She introduced him to several people, but the one that impressed him the most was a small, slender, dark-haired girl whose head barely came to his shoulders. She wasn’t as beautiful as Louisa or Josie, but there was just something about her that attracted him.

When the dancing first began, he was anxious, and very glad he must wear his gloves since they hid the fact that his palms were sweating with nervousness. However, it didn’t take long for him to relax and enjoy himself. He remembered his stepmother’s instruction and made sure he danced with some of the plain girls, never realizing what it meant to them to dance with such a handsome young man. He did dance a waltz with both Louisa and Josie but they were very popular young ladies and so he only danced once with each. He danced a waltz with the dark-haired slip of a girl, who was very graceful. He couldn’t explain why, but somehow dancing with someone so diminutive seemed especially pleasing.

His second dance with Sally was toward the end of the ball. When he went to claim her, he saw the little drops of perspiration on her upper lip and how her face was slightly flushed and feeling the sweat trickling down his own back and armpits, he said, “It’s awfully warm in here. Would you like to go outside for a moment? It’ll be cooler there.”

“All right,” Sally said, even though she knew her mama would not approve of her going off with Adam unchaperoned, not because she thought Adam would misbehave, but just because it wasn’t proper.

They managed to slip off to the little garden behind the townhouse with no one the wiser. “Oh, what a beautiful moon,” she said, looking up at the luminous white globe.

“Yes,” he replied, “and the stars are so bright. When I was little and my pa and I were traveling west, he taught me about the constellations.”

She looked up at him, questioningly and he smiled down at her upturned face. “That’s the North Star,” he said, pointing. “You can use it to navigate by. And that’s the Big Dipper.” He moved closer and was aware of the scent of her rosewater. She looked up at him, her face alight with curiosity and intelligence and he found himself saying, “Would you take off your spectacles? I’d like to see what you look like without them.”

Her cheeks grew pink as she took them off. Her velvety brown eyes reminded him of a doe’s and she had such long dark lashes. Much longer than he’d realized. As she looked up at him in the moonlight, he could see the black pupils begin to grow larger. Her lips parted slightly and he found himself wanting to discover if they were as soft as they looked.

“Sally,” he said quietly, “have you ever been kissed?”

“No,” she replied, her voice barely audible.

“Me either,” he said, and felt his cheeks grow warm. “I- I wondered if maybe I could kiss you. If- if you wouldn’t m-mind,” he added in a rush.

“I wouldn’t mind, Adam,” she said, and he noted she sounded almost breathless. He tried to remember what Pa did when he kissed Belle-mère. Oh yes, he put his arms around her and hugged her to him and then he put his mouth on hers. Sally was shorter than Belle-mère so he was going to have to bend over. He moved closer and put his arms around her gingerly because he wasn’t sure how tightly he should hold her, and felt a frisson of pleasure as he felt her arms slide around him. As he bent toward her, she tilted her head up. Her lips were soft and moist and he pressed a little harder, enjoying the feeling very much, just as he enjoyed feeling her soft, round body pressed close to his. His heart was racing and he was beginning to feel a little breathless so he pulled away, still holding her in his arms.

“That was nice,” he said shyly. “Would you like to do it again?”

She nodded and leaned closer. As he bent down, he felt her arms slide around his neck and her fingers began moving through his curls. He put his mouth on hers and pulled her close. No wonder Pa likes kissing Belle-mère! He was losing himself in the kiss and all the pleasant sensations it created so that his body’s reaction to their kiss took him by surprise. He broke it off and stepped away, hoping she hadn’t noticed.

“Oh, Adam,” she said breathlessly. “That was wonderful!” Then she looked back at the house and said, “But I think we’d better go back before we are missed. I’m sure the dance is about to end and our partners for the next will be looking for us.

“Yeah, you’re right,” he agreed as she put her spectacles back on. Taking her arm, they hurried back inside and managed to escape detection.

“There you are, Sally. I’ve been looking for you,” Adam heard a young man say, and he spotted his own partner, who was looking very anxious.

As he danced with other girls throughout the evening, he found himself remembering what it felt like to hold Sally in his arms and kiss her. Is this what it feels like to fall in love? He was glad Pa would be here soon because he needed to talk to him.

Chapter 4
“All right, Mr. Cartwright, while Master David diagrams his sentences for me, I would like you write an essay on the three most important contributions of ancient Greece to our civilization,” Mr. Atherton announced one afternoon in early September. Adam had only written one paragraph when Molly entered the morning room.

“Excuse me, Mr. Atherton, but Mr. Cartwright has company waiting for him in the music room and Mrs. Townsend asks you to excuse him from his lessons for the rest of the afternoon.”

“It must be your father and Hoss,” Davy said with a grin.

“You may go, Mr. Cartwright,” Mr. Atherton said, allowing himself a small smile, “but if you can, try and finish the essay and get it to me by tomorrow morning.” Adam nodded and hurried out the door past Molly and up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. Through the open doors of the music room, he could see Pa and Hoss sitting on one of the pale green settees, but then he heard a high-pitched shriek of “Adam!” and a curly-headed missile launched itself at him.

“Little Joe!” he exclaimed joyfully as he snatched up his baby brother and held him over his head while the child screamed in delight. Adam turned his head and saw his stepmother smiling at him just before Hoss ran over and wrapped him in a bear hug.

“Oh, I missed you, Adam,” Hoss said, blinking back his tears. “I missed you somethin’ awful.”

“I missed you, too, Buddy,” Adam said in a choked voice. He moved Little Joe so he could hold him with one arm and hug Hoss with the other. Ben waited a minute before walking over saying, “All right, boys, now it’s Pa’s turn to hug Adam.”

Hoss reluctantly stepped away but Little Joe resisted being set down so Ben hugged his oldest and his youngest together. Then Marie came over, and standing on her tiptoes, she kissed her older stepson’s cheek. Then she stepped back and gazed at him appraisingly.

“You look very debonair,” she said and they shared a smile.

“How come yer all dressed up?” Hoss asked. “You ain’t goin’ to church or to see a play, are ya?”

“No, this is just the way people dress in San Francisco,” Adam explained. “I wear my old clothes when I go riding though and no one minds. I think Louisa and Josie and Sally actually like it,” he added with a grin and his parents exchanged a look of amusement.

“Well, why don’t we all sit down,” Ben said then, gesturing at the settees.

Adam sat in the center of one settee, holding Little Joe on his lap. Hoss and Ben sat on either side of him while Marie managed to squeeze in beside her husband.

“You shore was surprised to see Ma and Little Joe,” Hoss said with a chortle.

“Yes I was,” Adam replied with a big grin. “I still am. Surely you and Little Joe didn’t come on the cattle drive, Belle-mère,” he said, looking at her in disbelief.

“No,” Ben answered for her. “Hop Sing pointed out that José could lead the cattle drive so the four of us could travel to San Francisco. We knew we’d get here as quickly as a letter, so we just decided to surprise you.”

“I am afraid we surprised Mme Townsend as well,” Marie said, “but she was very gracious and said she was happy Little Joe and I were able to come. She knew we would want to be alone, so she told us she would see us tonight at dinner.”

“Well, you sure surprised me, and it’s a wonderful surprise,” Adam said, his countenance radiating the joy he felt at being reunited with his entire family.

He listened attentively as his brothers told him about their trip. When they wound down, Marie said, “Seeing the piano reminds me of your music lessons. Have your learned a song you could sing for us?”

“Yes, I have,’ he replied, grinning. “Sorry, Little Buddy, but you’re gonna have to sit with Pa while big brother sings.” Little Joe pouted a bit, but allowed Adam to set him on Ben’s lap. “Since Mrs. Townsend isn’t here to accompany me, I’ll sing a capella,” Adam stated, before taking a deep breath and beginning to sing.

Early one morning, just as the sun was rising
I heard a maid sing in the valley below
"Oh don't deceive me, Oh never leave me,
How could you use, a poor maiden so?"
Through yonder grove, by the spring that is running
There you and I have so merrily played,
Kissing and courting and gently sporting
Oh, my innocent heart you've betrayed
Thus sang the maiden, her sorrows bewailing
Thus sang the poor maid in the valley below
"Oh don't deceive me, Oh never leave me,
How could you use, a poor maiden so?"

“C’est magnifique, Adam!” Marie exclaimed, clapping and Ben also clapped and said, “Bravo, son!”
.
“Dadburnit, Adam, now yer even singin’ about girls,” Hoss complained while Little Joe copied his parents and clapped his hands as loud as he could.

“Maybe you’ll like this song better,” Adam replied with a grin. “My music teacher’s family came here from Wales, and he taught me this song that his father taught him.” He took a moment to ready himself and then his rich baritone filled the room again.

Men of Harlech, march to glory, victory is hov'ring o're ye,
Bright-eyed freedom stands before ye, hear ye not her call?
At your sloth she seems to wonder, rend the sluggish bonds asunder,
Let the war cry’s deaf'ning thunder ev'ry foe appall.
Echoes loudly waking hill and valley shaking:
Till the sound spreads wide around, the Saxon's courage breaking:
Your foes on ev'ry side assailing, forward press with heart unfailing,
Till invaders learn with quailing, Cambria ne'er can yield.

“That’s a song!” Hoss said, his grin going from ear to ear. “You need to learn more songs about fightin’, not girls.”

“Ah, but your brother may wish to serenade a young lady, and she would not want to hear about battles,” Marie said teasingly. Noting the look of understanding on Adam’s face, she knew he was filing her suggestion away for future use, which pleased her.

“I’m not sure if a song about a young woman who’s been abandoned by her lover is the best song with which to woo a young lady,” Ben interjected, with just a hint of a grin.

“That is true,” Marie said thoughtfully. Then she grinned and said, “I have it. I shall tell your teacher that you should learn ‘Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes’. That is a beautiful love song that will win any girl’s heart, particularly when it is sung by a handsome young man with a lovely voice.”

“Do we have to talk about girls?” Hoss asked plaintively.

“Non, mon petit, we do not have to talk about girls,” Marie replied with a smile. Just then Molly appeared in the doorway.

“Excuse me, but Mrs. Townsend asked me to tell you that supper will be in an hour and she thought you might want to freshen up first.”

“Oh la la!,” Marie said. “I will need to have my dress pressed.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Molly said. “If you could follow me to your rooms, then you can give me your dress. Mrs. Townsend thought Master Hoss and Master Joe could share a room.”

“I wanna sleep wiv Adam,” Little Joe said pugnaciously and Adam smiled at him.

“Sure, you can sleep with me, Little Joe,” he said. “Say, you want big brother to give you a piggyback ride?”

“Yeah!” Little Joe shouted. “I wanna piggyback ride!”

“Not so loud, mon ange,” Marie scolded as Adam lifted his little brother onto his shoulders and then they all followed Molly up the stairs to the floor where their bedrooms were located. Marie found her printed linen dress and handed it to Molly, who promised to return with it as soon as possible. Ben opened his carpetbag and gave Adam some clean clothes for Little Joe to wear and handed Hoss his other pair of trousers and a clean shirt. The boys all gathered in Adam’s room to wash up, leaving Ben and Marie alone.

“I will look quite dowdy next to Mme Townsend,” Marie fretted as she unbuttoned the jacket of her riding habit.

“You will look charming, my love,” Ben said, taking her in his arms for a kiss. “I think the Townsends would be astonished if you were dressed in the height of fashion since they know you live on a ranch,’ he added after they broke apart.

“I suppose so,” she admitted reluctantly. “Would you help me brush my hair? I saw that Mrs. Townsend wears her knot lower than I do, and so does the maid for that matter, so I want to redo it.”

By the time Molly returned with Marie’s dress, neatly pressed, Ben had changed into a clean shirt and his old frock coat while Marie had redone her hair so the knot was almost at the nape of her neck, as she had noted Mrs. Townsend wore hers. As she changed into her dress, she said to Ben, “I think you should have Adam’s tailor make you a new frock coat, mon bien aimé.”

“I think you’re right,” he said slowly. “This coat is as old as Adam; it really should be replaced. And Mr. Peters certainly did do a fine job on Adam’s new outfits. He looks quite the dandy.”

“No, there is nothing of the dandy about our Adam,” she corrected him with a smile. “But he does look very elegant.” She added very softly, “Elisabeth would be very proud of the young man he’s become.”

“Yes, she would,” Ben replied gently, “and I know that she would be grateful to you for the love and the guidance you’ve given him.”

They were sharing an embrace when there was a loud knock on their door and Hoss called, “We’re ready ‘n’ I’m hungry.”

They shared a smile as they noted that both their younger boys’ faces were scrubbed clean and their hair was neatly combed. Their oldest saw the smile and winked at them.

Little Joe insisted on another piggyback ride so Adam walked into the drawing room with Little Joe on his shoulders and Hoss at his side. Dave Townsend and Mr. Atherton both rose to their feet when Marie entered the room on Ben’s arm. Dave and Opal shared a quick glance. As they had dressed for dinner, Opal had told Dave that Marie was not what they’d been expecting. Dave saw immediately what Opal meant. This exquisitely beautiful young woman seemed very different from their friend, Inger. Opal knew that while Marie’s dress was a few years behind the fashion, it had once been à la page and the cut showed it had been designed by a fine couturière and sewn by an exquisite seamstress. But there must be more to her than a beautiful appearance, Opal reminded herself. You are not being fair to her. Inger would scold you for judging her without even getting to know her she thought to herself.

“My dear,” Ben said, “please allow me to present Mr. Townsend and Adam’s tutor, Mr. Atherton. Gentlemen, my wife.”

“I am delighted to meet you gentlemen,” Marie replied as they both bowed. “My husband and I are so pleased that you and Mrs. Townsend are willing to assist Adam in achieving his dream of attending college,” she said to Dave.

“It is our pleasure, Mrs. Cartwright,” Dave replied, adding, “I’d like to introduce our son, Davy.”

“Hello Davy,” Marie said with a smile as the boy bowed stiffly. Then she gestured to Little Joe, who was still sitting on Adam’s shoulders. “This is Adam’s youngest brother, Joseph.”

“Howdy,” Little Joe said with a big grin.

“Now, aren’t you a handsome little boy,” Opal said with a smile. “I can see you are going to grow up to be just as handsome as your big brother,” and she and Marie shared a smile. Then she said, “I’m sure these growing boys are starving, so let’s adjourn to the dining room, shall we?”

Marie was impressed by the obvious wealth of Ben’s friends and the understated elegance of their home. She felt a little ill at ease at first, knowing she was being compared to Inger Cartwright. She was also anxious about Hoss and Little Joe’s table manners since it was her job as their mother to instill good manners in them.

“Lookee, Adam,” Little Joe said loudly, pointing to where he’d mixed his peas in with his mashed potatoes. “See, don’t fall off my plate.”

“Uh, yeah, that’s real clever, Little Buddy,” Adam said quickly. “Um, why don’t you try some roast pork and applesauce?”

“’Kay, Adam,” Little Joe agreed.

“I had already invited the Seatons, the Stevens and the Coopers to dine with us tomorrow, and now I’m so glad that I did,” Opal said to Marie. “It will give you an opportunity to meet them, and although Ben met the Stevens and Coopers on his earlier visit, he hasn’t had a chance to meet the Seatons.”

“You are very kind,” Marie said. “I had hoped to meet Adam’s friends and their families.”

“Good,” Little Joe announced loudly through a mouthful of pork and applesauce, which caused tiny pieces of pork to spray across his plate.

“Joseph,” Marie scolded, her cheeks hot, “you know you are not to talk with food in your mouth.”

Little Joe swallowed his mouthful and stated rebelliously, “Hoss does.”

“I do not!” Hoss exclaimed, his face even redder than Marie’s.

“It is so hard to teach a boy Joseph’s age good table manners. I remember how hard I had to work with Davy,” Opal said with a friendly smile, which Marie returned with gratitude.

“Oh now, you two had it easy since you have Dave and me to help. I had to teach Adam all on my own,” Ben said, ignoring the way his first-born rolled his eyes.

That ended the tension in the room. The three younger boys concentrated on their food and Mr. Atherton told Ben and Marie how happy he was with Adam’s progress.

“He’s doing so well that a few days off won’t interfere with his progress,” the tutor concluded with a smile.

When Little Joe finished eating, he turned to his oldest brother, who was seated between him and Hoss, tugged on his sleeve and said, “Wanna play jackstraws wiv you, Adam.”

“I told him how you and me and Davy played jackstraws when we was here before,” Hoss explained.

“As soon as we’ve all finished, we’ll go to the morning room so the boys can play,” Opal said. “Did you all have a chance to hear Adam sing?”

“We shore did,” Hoss answered, and then reddened, realizing that he’d spoken out of turn, but the adults all smiled at him.

“Mr. Williams is as pleased with Adam’s progress as Mr. Atherton,” Opal remarked and following Hoss’s example Davy interjected, “He practices every morning. He goes “Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah and Me-me-me-me-me-me-me.”

“That’s funny!” Little Joe giggled. “Do that, Adam.”

“You can hear me practice my scales tomorrow morning,” Adam replied with a grin while Opal frowned at her son.

“Can I listen, too?” Hoss asked eagerly.

“Sure, if you want,” Adam replied, shaking his head.

Mr. Atherton excused himself after dinner but the others all gathered in the morning room. The four adults played whist while Adam played jackstraws with the younger boys. After about an hour Little Joe was clearly fighting to stay awake but when Marie got ready to take him upstairs he whined, “I wanna go wiv Adam.”

“I’ll come up with you,” Adam said quickly, wanting to head off a tantrum. “I want to finish my history essay anyway and I can work on it while Little Joe is sleeping.”

“Piggyback, Adam” Little Joe said sleepily, reaching up his arms to his big brother, who sat him on his shoulders with a grin.

“You wanna play a game of checkers?” Davy asked Hoss quietly as Adam and Little Joe exited the room.

“Shore,” Hoss said, summoning up a smile. He liked Davy and he figured Little Joe needed some time alone with Adam.

“All right, Little Buddy,” Adam said, putting Little Joe on his own two feet in his bedroom, “let’s get you in your nightshirt.” Pa had given him Little Joe’s clothing while Marie was changing, so Adam got the striped cotton nightshirt out of his highboy while Little Joe wrestled with the buttons on his shirt and trousers. Adam waited, trying to be patient, but finally he said, “Here, let me do them.”

“No!” Little Joe exclaimed, batting his brother’s hands away. “I do it.”

“Okay,” Adam said with a sigh, sitting on the chair by his secretary desk. When Little Joe finally managed to undo his buttons, he looked around for pegs to hang his clothes on as he did at home.

“They don’t have any pegs; I always just hang mine over the back of the chair,” Adam said, understanding his little brother’s confused expression. “You give me your clothes and then put this on,” he added, holding out the nightshirt.

After Little Joe put the nightshirt on over his head, he looked at his brother expectantly. “Now you,” he announced.

“Oh, I’m not gonna get ready for bed just yet,” Adam replied but seeing his brother’s face assume the mulish expression that he remembered very well, he sighed and said, “Okay, I’ll put on my nightshirt, too.”

As Adam unbuttoned his shirt and took it off, Little Joe scrutinized him carefully. Then as Adam got his nightshirt from the highboy, the little boy spoke up. “How come you gots hair here?” and he pointed to his chest.

“Because I’m not a little boy anymore. I’m becoming a man like Pa. Pa has hair on his chest,” the older boy replied, putting on his nightshirt and sitting on the side of the bed by his brother before pulling off his boots.

“Not as much,” the youngster insisted as he watched his brother remove his trousers and then fold them neatly and place them over the back of the chair.

“Well, I don’t know why. I just do,” Adam said.

“Me too when I’m big?”

“I don’t know. My friend Charles doesn’t have any, and you might be like him,” Adam answered.

Little Joe reached up then touched the hair that was exposed since Adam hadn’t buttoned his nightshirt all the way. He grinned and said, “Adam a bear.”

“Oh, I am? Well, little brother, you know what bears do to little boys?” The youngster giggled and shook his head. “They squeeze ‘em,” the older boy said before pouncing on the little boy and hugging him tightly as he giggled loudly. “Now, I’d better stop or Belle-mère will scold me. She and Pa will be up to hear you say your prayers in a few minutes.”

“Why d’ya call Ma Belle-mère?” the youngster asked as his brother sat down at his desk to work on his essay.

Adam turned around slowly and faced his brother, choosing his words carefully. “I call her Belle-mère because she’s my stepmother. My mother is in heaven.”

“With the angels?”

“That’s right.”

“Ya miss her?” the child asked, looking at his brother with big wondering eyes.

“I was just a tiny baby when she went to heaven, Little Joe, so I can’t really miss her. I wish I’d had a chance to know her though,” Adam replied wistfully.

Just then there was a soft knock on the door so Adam called, “Come in,” and Ben and Marie entered. “I’m going to go talk with Hoss while Little Joe says his prayers,” Adam said and quietly exited the room.

“He shouldn’t be walking about in just his nightshirt,” Marie said, starting to go after him, but Ben put his hand on her arm.

“There’s no one else on this floor but Mr. Atherton, and he’s already retired,” he said and she nodded.

Little Joe knelt by his bed and recited his prayer, and then his parents tucked him in before kissing him goodnight. “Pa,” he said after Ben had kissed his cheek. “Why’s Adam’s ma in heav’n?”

Ben and Marie exchanged a glance before she slipped quietly from the room and Ben sat on the bed. “When I was a young man, not very much older than Adam, I met a beautiful girl named Elizabeth. We fell in love and got married. We were very happy when we found out that we were going to have a baby. Elizabeth just knew it was going to be a little boy and she told me that we should name him Adam,” he said quietly as Little Joe kept his eyes fixed on him, listening intently. “Now, son, do you remember the calf that Hoss raised this summer?” he asked gently.

“Yeah. Bully,” the child replied with a smile and his pa smiled back and ruffled his curls.

“Do you remember why Hoss took care of Bully and fed him?”

Little Joe thought for a moment and then said, “’Cause Bully’s ma went to heav’n when he was born.”

Ben nodded and then added gently, “That’s what happened when Adam was born.” He saw his youngest’s eyes open very wide and he continued. “For a long time I tried to be a pa and a ma to Adam, but then when he was about a year older than you are now, we met a real nice lady,” and he smiled remembering that was how Adam had described her, “named Inger. Adam and I loved her and she loved us and wanted to be Adam’s ma. We were all very happy and we decided we wanted to come live on the Ponderosa so we set off in a wagon train. On the way here, Inger told me that we were going to have a baby—a little brother or sister for Adam. When he was born, we named him Eric for Inger’s pa, but Adam wanted to name him Hoss because Inger’s brother had asked us to. I told Adam we’d give him both names and see which one stuck.”

“Hoss! Hoss stuck!” Little Joe shouted with a big grin.

“That’s right,” Ben replied, “Hoss stuck. We were a very happy family but then there was a fight with some Indians, and Inger went to heaven, leaving me to take care of Adam and Hoss. We built our cabin and we were happy, but I knew there was something missing. One day I took a trip to a place called New Orleans and I met a beautiful lady there—your ma.” Little Joe smiled at him and Ben said, “We fell in love and she wanted to be a ma to my little boys, so we got married and came here and pretty soon we had a little baby and Adam and Hoss had a new little brother—you!” Little Joe smiled sleepily and Ben kissed him one more time before walking out, closing the door quietly behind him. As he walked across the hall to Hoss’s bedroom, he could just make out his older sons’ voices. He knocked softly on the door and then stuck his head in.

“Time for bed, Hoss. You and Adam can talk more tomorrow,’ he added, seeing the disappointed look on his middle son’s face.

“Goodnight, Hoss,” Adam said, walking toward the door and Hoss called, “Night, Adam. Night, Pa.”

“Goodnight, son,” Ben replied, and then he and Adam walked into the hallway, closing the bedroom door.

“Don’t stay up too late working on your schoolwork,” Ben said, smiling at his eldest.

“No, I won’t,” Adam promised. Then he added in a rush, “Pa, c-could you come with me for a walk before breakfast? I- I want to talk with you about something. Just me and you.”

“All right, son,” Ben replied, curious as to what Adam wanted to discuss privately. He told Marie of Adam’s request when he joined her in their bedroom and she was also curious.

“I wonder if it could have anything to do with one of the girls he’s mentioned in his letters,” she speculated.

“He hasn’t written anything to indicate he’s developed a particular liking for any of them,” Ben replied, amused by her instant assumption that Adam might be romantically involved after only a few weeks in San Francisco. “No use guessing. I’ll find out tomorrow.” He smiled then and pulled her into his arms. “Now, Mrs. Cartwright, have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”

“No, M. Cartwright, I don’t believe you have,” she replied just before he captured her mouth in a heated kiss.

Afterward as they cuddled together, she said quietly, “Do you think your friends approve of me?”

“Approve of you?” Ben queried, raising his eyebrow.

“Do they think I am a suitable successor to Inger?” she asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but he knew her too well.

“I think Dave and Opal may have been a little surprised at first since you look very different from Inger, just as she was very different from Liz. But once they got over their surprise, I could tell they liked you. They certainly know that you’ve been a good mother to Hoss and Adam.” He hugged her and said gently, “But it really doesn’t matter what they think, my love. Hoss, Adam and I love you, and that’s what’s important.”

Little Joe was not as sound a sleeper as Hoss, so he woke when Adam got out of bed the next morning. “You don’t need to get up this early, Little Buddy,” Adam said as he prepared to lather his face. “Breakfast won’t be ready for another hour or so.”

“Wanna watch ya shave,” Little Joe announced with a sleepy yawn and Adam said with a grin, “Okay, if that’s what you want.” He’d missed their morning ritual himself. When he finished, he and Little Joe dressed, Adam in his bottle green riding coat and fawn trousers.

“Pa and I have an errand, so you can stay with your ma until it’s time for breakfast,” Adam said to Little Joe.

“Wanna go wiv you ‘n’ Pa,” Little Joe said, smiling winningly at his brother.

“Not this time, Little Buddy,” Adam replied, “but we’ll do something after breakfast. Maybe we could all go see the clipper ships. Would you like that?” he asked and the child nodded vigorously.

Ben was taken aback to see Adam dressed in his new clothes and the boy said nervously, “I always dress this way except when I go riding on Sundays. I guess it’s just become a habit.”

“Naturellement,” Marie said quickly while Ben put on his cravat and tied it. “I was just telling your father that he should visit your tailor and have a new frock coat made while we are here.”

“All right, I’m ready,” Ben said, slipping on his frock coat. “We’ll meet you all in the dining room in about an hour.”

“Pa, how old were you when you met my mother?” Adam asked, casting a sidelong glance at his pa under his lashes as they walked along Second Street.

Ben was startled; he hadn’t been expecting that question. Adam seldom spoke of his mother, and that was probably his fault. For such a long time, talking about Liz was too painful. Oh, if Adam asked him a direct question, he’d answer but he never brought her up on his own, and that meant that Adam seldom spoke of her either, knowing that it upset his pa. Oh Liz, I’ve done you an injustice but I’ll make it up to you and to Adam. And I know when he’s at Harvard and visiting the Captain, he will talk to him about you.

He smiled a little sadly at his first-born before saying, “I was a bit older than you are now. I was eighteen and the new third officer on The Wanderer. Your mother was only fifteen. She’d come to greet your grandfather when our ship docked back in Boston. He invited me and the second officer, who was only a year or two older, to have dinner with them. The other young man had a sweetheart he wanted to see, so he excused himself but I accepted your grandfather’s invitation. Your grandmother had died the year before but your mother managed the household very efficiently, and she was a wonderful cook. I remember thinking that she was the prettiest girl I’d ever seen,” Ben said, unaware of his dreamy expression, but his son noted it.

“After we ate, your grandfather suggested we go for a walk in the common. I was shy and tongue-tied; luckily, your mother wasn’t and she started the conversation. That gave me courage. Oh, we went for a long walk and talked about so many things.” He stopped then and gazing into Adam’s golden-brown eyes—so like her eyes—he said, “Your mother was a very intelligent woman, and she loved to read, just like you do. I know she’d be so proud and pleased that you’re going to be attending Harvard.”

Adam smiled a little wistfully at that and added this scrap to his meager store of knowledge about the woman who’d given him life at the cost of her own. Then he returned to his task. “When did you know, really know, that you loved my mother?”

“I don’t think there was one defining moment,” Ben said slowly. “I think our love grew gradually as we got to know each other. I walked to church with your mother and your grandfather and he would usually invite me home to dinner afterward, and then in the afternoon, your mother and I would walk in the common. As we walked, we talked—about anything and everything. We talked about our hopes and dreams; your mother was the first person I ever told about my dream of building a home in the west. We talked about what it had been like growing up with our fathers away at sea most of the year, and we talked about our mothers and how we missed them now that they were gone.”

Ben smiled then, lost in memory and Adam watched him. Then he came back to himself and said to his son, “When it was time for The Wanderer’s next voyage, the first mate had a ship of his own so the second mate became the first mate and I became the second. I thought about your mother all the time I was away, and when we returned to Boston, I began spending time with her again. She was only sixteen and I knew Captain Stoddard wouldn’t allow me to truly court her but we went for long walks and she invited me to come with them when they went to the theater. All too soon it was time for me to leave again and when I returned, there were other young men courting her so we had less time to spend together. When The Wanderer sailed again, I was first mate and when I returned from that voyage, I finally had the courage to declare myself, and I learned your mother had been waiting and hoping that I loved her as she loved me.”

“But how did you know that you really loved her?” Adam asked earnestly and Ben gave an inner sigh.

“When you’re in love with a woman, you want to be with her, to share your thoughts and your dreams or just to be close to her. When you aren’t with her, then you think about her. You want to do things that will please her or make her happy. And here is the real test, son. When you truly love a woman, then you put her happiness above your own.” He looked his son intently and asked, “Adam, are you in love with one of the girls you’ve written us about?”

“I don’t know,” the young man said honestly. “I know that I kissed her and I liked it, and I’d like to kiss her again.”

“There’s a lot more to loving a woman than wanting to kiss her, son,” Ben said, his expression serious.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Adam replied, dropping his eyes and tugging on an earlobe.

“Adam, I hope you treated the young woman with respect,” Ben said, resisting the urge to take hold of Adam’s chin and make him look him in the eyes, the way he’d done when Adam was a boy.

Hearing the intensity in his father’s voice and the unspoken question there, Adam naturally raised his head and gave his father a sure, steady look. “Yes, I did, sir, and I asked her permission before I kissed her.” He hesitated slightly before adding, “I- I think she liked it, too.”

Ben listened to his boy’s guileless confessions with increasing alarm. “Adam, I think you need to decide which is more important: going to Harvard or being with this young woman.”

“Going to Harvard is more important,” Adam said without hesitation.

“Then you shouldn’t be kissing her. You may be raising her hopes that you do love her and want to marry her.”

“I- I never thought of that,” Adam said candidly. “I sure wouldn’t want to hurt her but I don’t want to get married!”

“I’d say at not quite seventeen you are definitely too young to be a husband,” Ben replied with a relieved grin, playfully cuffing his son’s shoulder.

When they arrived back at the Townsends’ house, they found the rest of the family waiting for them in the dining room.

“I’m shore glad you’re back,” Hoss said emphatically. “Ma said we couldn’t eat until you was here, and I’m just about starved.”

“You don’t look starved to me, younger brother,” Adam replied with an enormous grin.

“Boys,” Ben said, “let’s say grace and then we can all eat.”

Not long after the Cartwrights had begun eating, the others joined them and Dave asked if they had any plans for the day.

“See ships!” Little Joe proclaimed excitedly.

“Oh, I told Little Joe that we could go see the clipper ships today,” Adam said. “I hope that’s all right.”

“Certainly,” Ben said and then turned to his wife. “Do you want to come with us?”

“I would rather do a little shopping,” Marie replied. “Mme Townsend, would you mind recommending some shops where I could buy cloth and a few little things we cannot make for ourselves on the Ponderosa?”

“I have a better idea,” Opal said. “Why don’t I come shopping with you?”

“I would like that very much,” Marie said with a smile.

“Before we go to see the ships, I have to practice my scales,” Adam said then.

“Oh good!” Hoss replied with a chuckle. “I wanna hear you do that ah-ah-ah and me-me-me.”

“Yeah, me, too!” Little Joe shouted.

“Hey, can we watch ya do them breathin’ exercises, too?” Hoss asked eagerly.

“Sure, if you want to,” Adam said, rolling his eyes just a little.

“You know, if it’s all right with Adam, maybe we’ll all listen to him practice his scales,” Ben suggested, “and then we can head for the wharf.”

“It’s all right with me,” Adam said with a shrug.

The Cartwright men set off on foot while Marie and Opal traveled in the Townsends’ surrey. As they rode along, Opal said quietly, “I am so glad of an opportunity to meet you, Mrs. Cartwright.”

“Marie, please. It seems strange to be formal when you are looking after one of my sons,” Marie said with a smile.

“Thank you. And you must call me Opal,” the other woman replied with a matching smile. “As I was saying, I’ve been eager to meet you. When Dave and I and Ben and his family traveled west by wagon train, we all became very close, and I was especially close to Inger. Hoss is so much like her—he has the same sweetness, the same gentleness. Everyone on the wagon train grieved when she was killed, leaving Ben with those two boys to raise. When he decided to take the boys and go live in an isolated area with no other white men and women, we all worried about them. Some of us tried to persuade Ben to leave the boys with us, but he refused. When Dave told me that he’d met Ben in Sacramento and Ben had told him the boys were fine and that he had a new wife, I was very glad. I know how much Ben loves his boys, but children need a mother and a mother’s love.” She paused and then said, “Of course, at the same time I was a little worried. Sometimes stepmothers don’t get along that well with their husband’s children, especially if they have children of their own; however, when I met Adam and Hoss again, I could see for myself that you loved them just as Inger had loved them.”

“Yes, they are my sons just as much as Joseph,” Marie said quietly. “I only wish . . .”

Opal said gently, “Ben told me that Adam thinks of you as a friend, rather than as a mother, but he does love you. I am sure of that.”

Marie managed to smile a little at that. “Merci. I think perhaps if he’d been younger when Ben and I married. . . But I am happy that I can be his friend, and I will always think of him as my son even if he does not think of me as his mother.” She smiled then and said, “Ben told me about the reactions of the young ladies Adam has met here in San Francisco. It was so amusing. He seemed surprised that they were so taken with him.”

Opal laughed softly. ‘Oh yes. Louisa and Josie Cooper are little flirts, but I don’t think there is much danger of either of them breaking his heart. But I’ve seen the way Sally Stevens looks at Adam and I’m afraid she may be falling in love with him.” She added hurriedly, “I’m sure Adam doesn’t realize it. I doubt Sally does either. They are both so young. Boys and girls fall in and out of love so easily at sixteen.”

“Yes, they do,” Marie agreed. “I don’t think any young lady can compete with Adam’s desire to attend college,” she added with a smile and Opal nodded in agreement.

They had a very pleasant morning shopping for cloth, thread, pins and needles. Marie asked Opal where she bought her soap and then bought several cakes for herself. “The soap we make is so hard on my skin,” she confided to Opal. After Opal thought they were finished, Marie surprised her by asking where she could find a bookshop. Marie recognized the surprise on her new friend’s face and said with a little grin, “I want to buy a birthday gift for Adam, and a Christmas present. Ben said that his new clothes would be his birthday and Christmas gifts from us this year, but I can’t bear the thought of his having no gifts to open on those special days.”

“Oh, I should have thought to ask before,” Opal said then. “When is Adam’s birthday? I know it’s not in the spring or summer since we didn’t celebrate it on our way west.”

“November 14,” Marie answered.

“Well, we shall plan a celebration for him. A birthday dinner, perhaps,” Opal said enthusiastically.

“Oh, that would be so lovely for him,” Marie exclaimed.

“We will give him a birthday to remember,” Opal said. “Now, let’s go to the bookstore. We only have one and I’m afraid it doesn’t have a large selection.”

Everyone returned to the Townsends’ house for dinner, and then while Little Joe took his afternoon nap, Ben went to see Mr. Peters and the others went for a walk. When they returned, Ben and Marie played jackstraws with their boys until Adam remembered it was one of his days to exercise with Charles.

“Could I come watch? Please, Adam,” Hoss begged and Little Joe immediately chorused, “Me, too! Me, too!”

“Do you think your friend would object to your brothers and me tagging along?” Ben asked Adam.

“I don’t think so,” Adam said. “And on the way back, we can stop at Mrs. Ghirardelli & Co and get a chocolate bar and share it.”

“Hurrah!” Hoss shouted, but when he saw Marie’s reproving frown, he lowered his volume and added, “Sorry, but I wanted to try one of ‘em.”

“Well, we need to get goin’ right now,” Adam said.

Charles was surprised when Adam walked into their little gymnasium with a golden-haired little boy on his shoulders, accompanied by a tall, broad-shouldered man whose hair was more grey than black and a tall, snub-nosed boy with bright blue eyes and a big grin.

“Pa, I’d like for you to meet my friend, Charles Seaton,” Adam said with a big grin. “And Charles, this is my pa and my younger brothers, Hoss and Little Joe.”

“Howdy!” Little Joe shouted from his perch on big brother’s shoulders as Charles shook Ben’s hand.

“Howdy,” Hoss said shyly. “We come to see Adam punch that bag and lift the barbell.”

“I hope you don’t mind, Charles,” Ben said, “but we’ll only get a few days with Adam so we want to spend as much time with him as we can.”

“Of course it’s all right,” Charles said. “Adam’s told me about all of you and I’m really glad to meet you.” He turned to Hoss and said, “You’re really only eleven?”

“Yup,” Hoss said with a shy grin.

Charles turned to Adam then and said, “Gosh, you were sure right about Hoss being tall for his age.”

“I’m tall, too!” Little Joe asserted and the older boys just grinned.

Charles looked around the room then and said nervously, “We don’t have any chairs here.”

“Me ‘n’ Little Joe can jest sit on the floor,” Hoss answered. “Right, Little Joe?”

“Right!” the youngster replied enthusiastically, so his brother lifted him off his shoulders and set him down.

“And I don’t mind standing,” Ben replied with a friendly smile.

“Well, let’s get started, Charles,” Adam said, unbuttoning his shirt. “Do you want to punch the bag first, or lift the barbell?”

“Uh, I think I’d rather punch the bag,” Charles said. He felt self-conscious removing his shirt in front of Adam’s family until he saw their eyes were fixed on Adam.

“I wanna do that!” Little Joe shouted after watching his big brother lift the barbell with 160 pounds. He jumped up and ran over to the barbell and tried to tug it.

Adam laughed. “That’s about four times what you weigh, Little Buddy.” Little Joe scowled at his brother, who continued to laugh. Charles stopped punching the bag and joined in Adam’s laughter until he saw Mr. Cartwright’s frown, and then he quickly resumed punching and dancing around the bag.

“Can I try, Adam?” Hoss asked eagerly.

“Pa?” Adam asked, managing to hold in his laughter. “I could change it to 50 pounds and show Hoss how to lift it.”

“No, me!” Little Joe insisted, stomping his foot in a temper and then smacking his older brother’s leg.

“Stop it, Little Joe!’ Adam snapped, his eyebrows drawn together in a frown, and Ben said sternly, “Joseph, come over here and sit down or we’re going to have a necessary talk.”

“No! Adam mean!” Little Joe screamed, so Ben snatched up the child and swatted his bottom three times and took him outside. Over his shoulder he called, “You can show Hoss, but be very careful.”

Hoss jumped to his feet and said eagerly, “I bet I can lift more than 50 pounds, Adam.”

“We’ll start you off with 50; Pa said we gotta be careful. Remember?”

“Okay,” the younger boy said reluctantly.

“First, watch me real carefully and see how I do it,” Adam instructed and Hoss watched him intently. “Did ya see how I did it?”

“Yup. I’m ready to try, Adam,” Hoss said earnestly. Charles stopped punching and walked over by the barbell. Both the older boys watched carefully as the younger one hefted the weight.

“Not so fast, Hoss. The idea is to do it slowly,” Adam cautioned.

“That’s right,” Charles interjected. “My father says doing it slowly makes your muscles work harder.”

When Ben and Little Joe returned, Charles was lifting the barbell and Hoss was punching the bag, while Adam called out his encouragement.

“Adam,” Ben said, “Little Joe has something to say to you.”

“I sorry I hitted you,” Little Joe said, looking down at the floor.

“And I’m sorry that I laughed at you. That was mean,” Adam said. “Forgive me?”

“Yeah,” Little Joe said, and flung his arms around his brother’s legs and hugged him.

“You wanna punch the bag?” Adam asked then, and his little brother nodded vigorously.

As Adam and Charles put their shirts back on and buttoned them, Charles said to Adam and Ben, “Well, I guess we’ll see each other again at dinner.” Then he turned to the younger boys and said, “It was real nice meeting you, Hoss and Little Joe.”

“Yeah, it was nice meeting you, too, Charles,” Hoss replied while Little Joe grinned.

“Now for Mrs. Ghirardelli & Co,” Adam said as they stepped out on the street and Hoss smiled.

“I don’t know if we have time, son,” Ben said. “We’ll need to dress for tonight.”

“We can do it if we hurry,” Adam assured him.

“Whata ya mean we have to dress for tonight, Pa?” Hoss asked, scrunching his face up in puzzlement.

“Well, Mr. and Mrs. Townsend have invited some friends of Adam and their parents to dinner tonight so your ma and I can meet them,” Ben replied as the four them set off at a brisk pace.

“Oh, we aren’t all gonna have supper together,” Hoss said sadly.

“Not tonight, son. You and Little Joe will have supper with Davy tonight,” Ben replied.

“I wanna have supper wiv Adam,” Little Joe said.

“Not tonight, Joseph. I’m sorry,” Ben said, reaching down to ruffle his youngest’s curls. “This supper is just for grownups.”

“But you’ll still get to sleep with me tonight,” Adam added. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Little Joe sniffed.

“Hey, you wanna piggyback ride to the store?” Adam asked, and Little Joe nodded, his face brightening.

“I like this chocolate,” Hoss announced around a mouthful of it and copying his older sibling Little Joe added, “Me, too!”

“It is delicious,” Ben said after swallowing his bite.

“More, Pa!” Little Joe begged but his pa shook his head.

“No, Little Joe. The last bite is for your ma. Besides, I don’t want to spoil your appetite for supper. Now, we’ve got to hurry so I think you’d better let Adam give you a piggyback ride home.

When they arrived home, Marie had already bathed and dressed in her blue satin and was braiding her hair. Ben knocked on the door, and when Marie called, “Come in,” he and the two younger boys entered while Adam headed to the floor below to take his bath.

“Here, Ma. We saved ya a bite of our chocolate bar,” Hoss said, holding out the remaining piece of the candy while an enormous grin split his face. “It’s really good.”

“Yeah. Really good,” Little Joe said excitedly.

Marie accepted the bite and exclaimed, “C'est délicieux.” However, Ben could see that she really didn’t care for the candy. It didn’t surprise him since she hadn’t much of a sweet tooth.

Marie then said, “Hoss, please take Little Joe to your room and you can both wash up there. Then you need to go to the morning room. You’re going to have your supper there with Davy. Then Little Joe, you can stay with Hoss in his room until Adam comes up to bed.” She saw the pout starting to form on her little one’s face and said with a bright smile, “You and Hoss and Davy will have fun, mon ange. Much more fun than you would listening to the grownups talk.”

Little Joe still looked a little sulky but he went with Hoss without fussing. Marie turned to Ben and said, “While Adam is taking his bath, would you help me braid my hair, mon bien aimé?” and he nodded.

Marie was slipping on her wrist-length white silk gloves and Ben, who was wearing a frock coat he’d borrowed from Dave, was tying his cravat when Adam knocked on the bedroom door.

Marie opened the door and her face lit up. “Oh Adam, comme tu es séduisant. Fais un tour sur toi même pour que je puisse t'admirer.”

Smiling, Adam did as she asked and turned so she could see him from every angle. Ben had moved to the doorway and now said with a proud smile, “You look quite the man about town, son.”

Adam’s dimples deepened but then he said, “I just wish these clothes were as comfortable as the clothes I wear at home.”

Marie smiled and, making a slight adjustment to his cravat said, “Oh, Adam, we must all suffer a little to look fashionable.”

She was a little depressed when Opal entered the drawing room, for she saw that all the starch in the world wouldn’t give her evening dress a huge domed skirt like Opal’s. Opal sensed her discomfiture and said with a smile, “What a lovely dress.”

“I’m afraid it is sadly out of date,” Marie replied. “Adam is the only one of the Cartwright family who is à la page.”

“Oh, but we all understand that living on a remote rancho you have no reason to follow all the latest fashions,” Opal said firmly. “Besides, if the truth be told, I know we aren’t wearing the latest fashions in New York City or Philadelphia or Boston— let alone London or Paris.”

“And you would look lovely in rags, my love,” Ben said, placing his arm around her shoulders and hugging her.

Just then Molly announced the first of their guests so all talk of fashion ceased. Opal had arranged the seating so the young people were all seated around the foot of the table where they could have their own conversation, while their parents had a chance to meet and get to know one another. At first, the parents discussed neutral topics such as the weather. Then Mr. Seaton turned to Ben, who was seated on his right, and said, “Your Adam has certainly been a good influence on our Charles.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Ben replied and shared a smile with Marie.

“Yes, he’s got Charles exercising with the equipment I bought. Now I will admit I was concerned when Charles told me that Adam was teaching him how to shoot his revolver, but I spoke to Adam and he told me that you’d taught him how to use it when he was fourteen, and he is such a serious, steady young man that I decided it would be all right.”

“He’s teaching Charles to shoot his revolver,” Ben said slowly and Marie felt a frisson of alarm at Mr. Seaton’s words.

“My daughters are very impressed with his skill,” Mr. Cooper said with a grin. “They say he never misses and that I wouldn’t believe how fast he can draw his gun from the holster.

Mr. Seaton added, “Yes, Charles said the same thing. Now, I did tell him that I don’t want him learning how to do a fast draw like Adam. I don’t think that’s a skill he’ll need.”

“No. No, and it’s a skill I don’t really think Adam needs either,” Ben said very quietly. “In fact, I don’t think he really needs his revolver here so I’m afraid there won’t be any more lessons on how to shoot it.” The other fathers nodded their understanding.

“I, uh, didn’t mean to get the lad in trouble,” Mr. Seaton said awkwardly.

“I understand that Charles is quite an accomplished cellist,” Marie said quickly and Mrs. Seaton replied immediately, “Yes. I may be prejudiced, but I think he is very talented. We brought his cello so he and Sally Stevens can perform the cello sonata they have been practicing.”

“Oh, we will be looking forward to that, won’t we, Ben?” Marie said.

“Yes, very much,” he replied and the conversation turned to other topics. Marie knew her husband very well and she knew he was only temporarily diverted from his displeasure with his eldest. He forgets that Adam is still a boy; he expects him always to act with a man’s judgment.

Meanwhile at the other end of the table, where the young people were not paying attention to the conversations of their elders, Charles remarked, “Your stepmother certainly is beautiful, Adam. It’s hard for me to picture her living on a rancho out in Western Utah. I see her as the mistress of a great plantation, spending her days in the lap of luxury.”

“When Pa first brought her to the Ponderosa, that’s how I saw her,” Adam said, “but I was wrong. She’s no Curlylocks, spending her time sitting on a cushion and sewing a fine seam.” He grinned then adding, “She does sew a lot though. She makes my brothers’ clothes and she’s had to spend a lot of time mending them. Mine, too.”

“She must be a very remarkable woman,” Sally commented, “to go from the life she must have known in New Orleans to life on your rancho.” Adam smiled at her, which made her feel warm all over. She knew it was probably wicked but she couldn’t stop thinking about what it had felt like to be in Adam’s arms and to be kissed by him. Oh, how she wished he would kiss her again.

“Yes, Adam has been blessed in both his stepmothers,” Opal inserted quietly.

“Both?” Louisa said, her eyebrows arching up in surprise.

“My brother Hoss’s mother was killed in an Indian attack on our wagon train,” Adam said quietly.

“Oh, that is so sad,” Josie said.

Even after all these years, Adam resolutely quashed any memories of that horrible moment when he’d seen the arrow in Mama’s back and watched her die in Pa’s arms while he held his baby brother and tasted the saltiness of his tears as they trickled down his cheeks.

“I won’t to be able to go riding this Sunday because I’ll be spending the day with my family,” he said quickly, changing the subject.

“Perhaps they would like to join us,’ Charles suggested. “Oh, I guess Little Joe is too young to ride.”

“I let him ride with me sometimes,” Adam said. “I’ll ask Pa and Belle-mère and see what they say.”

Louisa and Josie exchanged glances—they didn’t want to go riding with Adam’s parents and little brothers. Bob Marshall would probably be happy to go riding with them and he’d ask a friend so they’d be a foursome. They’d been neglecting Bob lately. He was as handsome as Adam, plus he would rather spend time with them than with his family.

“Oh, I’m glad you reminded me, Adam. I’m afraid Josie and I won’t be able to go riding this Sunday either,” Louisa said then.

“I’d like to meet your brothers,” Sally said quickly. “I hope that they can come with us.”

John wasn’t sure he wanted to go riding if his sister was going to be the only girl in the party and they’d have children tagging along. However, he didn’t want to miss practicing with Adam’s pistol and maybe it wouldn’t be too bad.

“I always wished I had a little brother,” he commented.

“Thanks a lot,” Sally said with a grin.

“Oh, you know what I mean,” he said with a matching grin.

“Adam’s littlest brother is a pistol,” Charles said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, he looks like a little angel, but he’s really a little devil,” Adam said, grinning. “He’s the reason my pa’s hair is grey.”

“Oh, I imagine you and Hoss had something to do with that,” Opal, who was sitting next to Adam, interjected with a smile, and Adam’s smile grew broader.

After dinner, they all gathered in the music room. Opal said, “Charles and Sally are going to perform another of Beethoven’s cello sonatas but first I thought we’d ask Louisa and Josie and then Adam if they would sing for us.”

After the girls finished, Adam stood and walked over to the piano. “I would like to sing a song that my pa and I learned from the immigrant families who bought supplies from us before they headed over the Sierra Nevada.” He turned to Opal, who had accompanied the Cooper sisters. “I’ve never seen any sheet music so I’ll just sing a capella.”

Did you ever hear tell of Sweet Betsy from Pike,
Who crossed the wide mountains with her lover Ike,
Two yoke of cattle, a large yeller dog,
A tall Shanghai rooster, and a one-spotted hog.
Singing too-ra-li-oo-ra-li-oo-ra-li-ay.
The alkali desert was burning and bare,
And Isaac's soul shrank from the death that lurked there.
"Dear old Pike County, I'll go back to you"--
Says Betsy, "You'll go by yourself if you do!"
Singing too-ra-li-oo-ra-li-oo-ra-li-ay.
They soon reached the desert, where Betsy gave out,
And down in the sand she lay rolling about.
Ike in great wonder looked on in surprise,
Saying, "Betsy, get up, you'll get sand in your eyes."
Singing too-ra-li-oo-ra-li-oo-ra-li-ay.

Everyone was smiling when he finished and Sally said, “Oh, you do have a lovely voice, Adam. Would you sing something else?”

“Why don’t you sing Early One Morning?” Opal suggested and Adam nodded. Marie and Ben took note of the way Sally gazed adoringly at Adam as he sang. Oh dear, Ben thought. I imagine this is the girl that he kissed, and she certainly shows every indication of being infatuated with him. Marie smiled just a little as she thought, Oui, Opal, I can see that this Sally has formed a tendresse for Adam. I do not think that he realizes it, and I’m not sure if I should say anything to him. No, he is almost a man and he must learn to handle affairs of the heart. He is a good boy and a gentle one so I know he would not knowingly hurt Sally.

That night when the three Cartwrights reached their bedrooms, Ben said quietly to Marie, “I need to speak with Adam, so please check on Joseph and Hoss.”

“I think perhaps I should be present when you speak with him,” she said firmly, ignoring his scowl.

“No, I wish a private talk with Adam,” he said in an ominously quiet tone both his wife and son recognized. With a shrug, she turned and opened the door to the room Adam and Little Joe were sharing, and Ben gestured for Adam to enter his room. He closed the door carefully behind them and then turned to face his first-born, who was looking at him with a mixture of puzzlement and apprehension.

“I learned something tonight that made me very disappointed in you, son. Is it true you’ve been teaching your friends how to shoot your revolver?”

The boy dropped his eyes and reached up to tug on an earlobe. “Yes, sir.”

“Kindly do me the courtesy of looking me in the eye when you speak to me,” Ben said, his tone sharp.

Adam raised his eyes to meet his pa’s and repeated, “Yes, sir.”

“When I gave you your revolver, I told you it wasn’t a toy, didn’t I?” Ben asked quietly.

“Yes, sir, and I’ve not treated it as one. Honest,” Adam replied earnestly.

“No? When I hear you are teaching two boys who have no need to carry a sidearm, it sounds to me as though you are.”

“I taught them the same way you taught me, and I didn’t let them use any bullets until I could see they could safely draw the gun from the holster,” Adam said, his hand moving from his earlobe to scratch the back of his head.

“And then I learn you have mastered a fast draw,” Ben continued, ignoring Adam’s comment.

“I just wanted to be able to draw my gun as fast as Miguel. Then maybe I could save someone’s life the same way that he saved mine,” Adam replied, and Ben frowned at his defensive tone.

“All right.” he said, “but that’s not why you demonstrated it for your friends, is it? You were showing off, weren’t you?”

Adam tugged on his earlobe again before saying slowly, “I guess I was. They were all impressed. Especially Louisa and Josie and Sally.”

“Oh, Adam, I am so disappointed in you,” Ben said, shaking his head. “I’ve already announced that you won’t be giving any more lessons, and now I want you to go get your revolver and bring it to me. I’ll be taking it back to the Ponderosa with me.”

Adam’s shoulders slumped dejectedly as he exited the room and Marie entered a few moments later.

“Adam looks so miserable. What did you say to him?” she asked, and Ben heard the indignation in her tone.

“I told him I was disappointed in him, using a dangerous weapon as a way to showoff to his friends,” Ben said sternly.

Before Marie could say more, Adam entered the room and silently handed Ben his revolver, and she noted that his posture betokened his utter misery. He turned to leave as silently as he’d come but Marie said softly, “Bonne nuit, Adam.”

“Bonne nuit, Belle-mère,” he replied and then added more quietly, “Night, Pa.”

“Good night, son,” Ben replied.

As the door closed behind Adam, Marie turned to Ben—her eyes flashing green fire—and snapped, “You were too hard on him. What did he do that was so terrible? He showed off a little for his friends. I suppose when you were sixteen you never did the same!”

He scowled at her. “A revolver is a dangerous weapon. I told him when I first gave it to him that he must never treat it as a toy.”

“And I am sure he did not! M. Seaton trusts Adam’s judgment—why can’t you?” She yanked open a drawer in the highboy and pulled out her nightgown, and then turned toward the door.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded, grabbing her arm.

“Unhand me,” she commanded, glaring at him, and reluctantly he dropped his hand. “I am going to ask Adam to sleep with Hoss and I will sleep with Little Joe.”

“Marie, you are overreacting,” he began, trying to speak in a calm, reasonable tone.

“No more than you,” she retorted. “You always expect so much from Adam, and he tries so hard to please you, to be the perfect son. Now he made a mistake, an error in judgment, and you make him feel that he’s committed some heinous crime. Don’t you see how miserable he is, knowing that he’s disappointed you?”

Ben started to reply but then the memory of Adam leaving the room moments before, looking utterly dejected, flashed into his mind. Maybe Marie is right; maybe I do expect too much of Adam. He’s always been so dependable, so mature for his age. I forget that he is still just a boy.

“You’re right,” he said slowly. “I don’t want to disturb him and Joe tonight, but I promise first thing in the morning I’ll talk with him.”

She still hesitated, but then she nodded. However, when he started to take her in his arms, she shrugged away. With a sigh, he began to get ready for bed.

He didn’t sleep well that night and woke well before dawn. He dressed in semi-darkness so as not to wake Marie, and decided to shave after speaking with Adam. He knocked gently on the door and Adam opened it. He was shirtless, his face half lathered and he held his shaving brush in his free hand. Little Joe was sitting on the edge of the bed, still in his nightshirt.

“Mornin’, Pa!” he called when he caught sight of his father.

“Good morning, Little Joe,” Ben said with a smile. “I need to talk to your brother, so why don’t you go see if Hoss is up yet. Okay?”

“’Kay, Pa,” the little boy said, jumping off the bed and hurrying out the door that his pa held open for him, while Adam wiped the lather from his face.

“Adam,” Ben began, “I wanted to tell you that I realize I was too hard on you last night. It’s true I do not approve of your teaching your friends how to use your revolver or of your showing off your fast draw, but it was just a little error in judgment. If you were older and had more experience, then I’m sure you wouldn’t have made it. And it’s not true that I’m disappointed in you. When I listen to Mr. Atherton say how hard you’re working and how pleased he is with the progress you’re making, or when Mr. Seaton tells me how much he appreciates the fact that you’re encouraging his son to exercise his body as well as his mind, I am very proud of you, Adam. You are a son that any father would be proud of.”

Adam dropped his eyes, not wanting his pa to see the tears glistening there but Ben knew so he squeezed his son’s shoulder and said, “I’ll let you finish getting dressed. I still have to shave myself and we need to decide how we want to spend today.”

The five Cartwrights enjoyed themselves that day, exploring the countryside on horseback. On the way back to the Townsends, Adam told Ben and Marie of the suggestion that they all come riding with his friends the next day. “Louisa and Josie said they can’t come. It would just be Charles and John and Sally.”

“I would like to get to know your friends better,” Marie said and Ben nodded his agreement.

Hoss was disappointed; he didn’t want Adam’s attention diverted from his family but he liked Charles so he decided it might be all right.

“May Little Joe ride with me then?” Adam asked.

“Ride with Adam,” the little boy begged, for riding with his big brother seemed more of an adventure than riding with his ma. Marie preferred that he rode with her, but he looked at her so beseechingly that she couldn’t refuse him.

When they returned to South Park, Davy’s lessons were over for the day so he joined the five Cartwrights in a game of croquet on the common. (Adam “helped” Little Joe with his shots.) The Townsends had already accepted an invitation to dine that night; Opal thought they should send their excuses but Ben and Marie assured them they didn’t mind spending the evening with their sons and Davy. After supper, Ben and Marie joined the boys in playing jackstraws, Blindman’s Bluff, Pass the Slipper and Squeak, Piggy, Squeak! (which was Little Joe’s favorite). As they headed up to bed, Davy told them it was the most fun he’d ever had.

Although Marie would have preferred to attend mass, she went to church the next day with the Townsends. After a pleasant dinner, the Cartwrights went to their rooms to change for their ride—Marie in her habit and her men folk in their work clothes. They didn’t have to wait long before they saw the others approaching. Marie saw that Sally rode a mare as spirited as her own and with as much skill but her brother was only an average rider and poor Charles obviously did not enjoy riding.

“Sally and John, I’d like for you to meet my brothers—Hoss and Little Joe.”

“I’m happy to have a chance to meet you,” Sally said with a smile. “Adam has told us a lot about his little brothers.” She turned to Adam and smiled. “Something tells me that Hoss won’t be your little brother for much longer though.”

“I think you’re right,” Adam replied, grinning at his younger brother, who smiled radiantly at his brother and Sally.

“I’m four,” Little Joe said loudly, wanting some of the attention for himself.

“No, you’re not,” Adam chuckled. “You won’t be four for almost two months.”

Seeing the little boy’s pout, Sally quickly said to Little Joe, “My goodness, you’re a big boy, too,” and was rewarded by a big grin.

“Where shall we go?” Charles asked. His father had told him Mr. Cartwright was putting an end to their shooting lessons and that Adam’s father hadn’t been very happy to learn about them, so Charles knew Adam wouldn’t want to ride anywhere near where they used to practice.

“Why don’t we ride to where they’ve started building the fort?” John suggested.

“That’s a good idea,” Adam said. He turned to his family. “The government leveled the old Spanish fort and the bluff it stood on, and now they’re building a new fort made of brick.”

Once John had learned from his father that there would be no more shooting lessons, he’d wanted to get out of the ride but Sally begged him to come with her since she knew her parents wouldn’t let her go riding with the Cartwrights by herself, and he’d reluctantly agreed. He suspected she was sweet on Adam Cartwright and felt sorry for her since she couldn’t compete with Louisa and Josie anymore than he could with Bob or Adam.

They started off with Hoss riding by Adam but Sally almost immediately maneuvered her mount so she could ride on Adam’s other side, which left John and Charles riding together. Ben and Marie rode behind them and Marie raised her voice a little and asked, “John, are you planning on attending college like Adam and Charles?”

“Uh, no, ma’am,” John replied, turning back to look at her. She sure looks too beautiful to be Adam’s stepmother he thought. She looks too beautiful to be anybody’s mother. “I work at my father’s business. He owns a wharf. I started working there fulltime when I turned eighteen in July. I never cared much for lessons. I like my job but if I were Adam, I’d be happy working on your ranch.”

“Well, Adam assures us he will be learning practical things that we can use to improve the Ponderosa,” Marie said, smiling at the young man.

“Yes, he said he had written to you about buying a McCormick reaper,” Charles said, joining the conversation. “He was telling me that you could double the amount of hay you could harvest, and the reaper would pay for itself in only a couple of years.”

“Yes, well, Adam has always been enthusiastic about gadgets,” Ben said.

“Oh, these reapers aren’t gadgets,” Charles said. “I’ve read about them. They are revolutionizing farming the same way the cotton gin revolutionized growing cotton.”

Marie saw her husband’s nonplussed expression, but wisely said nothing. She remembered when he’d read Adam’s letter how quick he’d been to scoff at one of his first-born’s newfangled notions, refusing to discuss it with Andy and Dan. Oh, Ben, mon bien aimé, if you truly want Adam to stay on the Ponderosa, you must be willing to at least consider his ideas. If not . . . but she refused to finish her thought.

The next few days passed much too quickly for the Cartwrights, knowing that when they left, they would not see Adam again for six months. On their last day in San Francisco, they played croquet on the common in the morning and paid one last visit to Market Street Wharf so Hoss and Little Joe could see the clipper ships. They dined at a little restaurant and as they walked back to South Park, Hoss asked if they could buy a chocolate bar.

“Yeah, I wanna choco bar,” Little Joe said excitedly.

“All right,” Ben said. “I’ll buy you a chocolate bar and you can split it between you.”

“I am not really fond of chocolat,” Marie said. “Adam, would you walk with me while your pa buys your brothers une tablette de chocolat?”

“Avec plaisir,” he replied with a smile, offering her his arm.

They walked along the street, enjoying each other’s company, when suddenly a shabbily dressed man who wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings walked into Marie. It was only Adam’s firm grip on her arm that stopped her from losing her balance.

“Pardon me,” the man said. Then his eyes narrowed and with a sneer he said, “Marie De Marigny. I didn’t recognize you at first. Didn’t expect to find you anywhere but New Orleans.” He looked at Adam then and said, “You’re catching them even younger now I see. I warn you, young fella, if you associate with her, she’ll soon have you gambling away all your money.”

“I suggest you apologize to the lady immediately,” Adam said in an icy voice.

“I see I’m too late and she’s already entrapped you in her pretty web,” the man sneered.

Marie tightened her hand on Adam’s arm. “Just ignore him please, Adam, and let’s go.”

“Oh, you don’t want the boy to know how you charmed and beguiled me into losing my inheritance at your cousin’s establishment,” he said in a voice dripping with venom. He gazed at Adam then with a mixture of pity and contempt. “She lures innocent young men like you, flatters and charms you into gambling until the next thing you know you’ve lost everything. She’s done it to me and plenty of others, and she’ll do it to you.”

Adam looked at his stepmother with growing dismay and she said quickly, “Your father and I will explain, Adam, but let’s go now. Please.”

He nodded, and they walked away at a brisk pace. As they walked back to Ghirardelli’s shop, he was silent, looking straight ahead, refusing to glance at his stepmother. Ben and the younger boys were just exiting the shop as they approached. When Ben saw his wife’s pale face and his first-born’s stony visage, he knew there was something wrong between them.

On the walk back to the Townsends while the younger boys munched on their chocolate bars and chattered happily, Ben noted his wife’s cheerfulness was forced and she kept glancing at Adam. Adam made sure he was as far from his stepmother as possible and was silent unless asked a direct question. It was nearly suppertime when they returned so they all went to their rooms to get ready.

As they changed clothes, Ben said quietly, “What happened between you and Adam?” Marie hesitated and he said more forcefully, “Marie.”

“We encountered a man who used to frequent Edouard’s salon. He,” and she faltered but then steadied her voice and continued. “He told Adam that I enticed innocent young men into gambling away everything they owned. He- he warned Adam that I would do the same to him.”

“Adam believed all that rubbish?” Ben asked angrily.

“The man was very convincing,” she said slowly. “And it is not rubbish. Edouard did use me as an enticement; you know that he did.”

“I also know you did not encourage anyone to gamble. That was their own choice,” he replied firmly. “Later, when we can be private, we’ll straighten Adam out.”

Ben and Marie were able to act normally that evening, but Adam was unusually quiet and withdrawn. When they gathered in the music room and Opal asked him to sing for them, he chose Barbara Allen. When he sang the words ‘hardhearted Barbara Allen,’ Marie felt his eyes fixed on hers and she dropped her own, unwilling to see the anger and contempt in his.

That night as the boys started into their bedrooms, Ben said quietly, “Adam, please wait.” The boy halted while his brother went on inside. “We’ll help Little Joe get ready for bed tonight. I’d like for you to wait for us in our room.”

Adam didn’t say a word but did as he was told. When Ben and Marie entered the room, they saw he was staring out the window at the night sky. He turned slowly and faced them.

“Adam, we need to talk with you,” Ben began.

Adam ignored his father and stared at his stepmother accusingly. “Is what that man said true, Belle-mère? Did you lure young men into gambling away all their money?”

“It’s true that I did work as a hostess at my cousin’s salon,” she began. “I was paid to be charming to the men who came to gamble there, but that is all. I swear it, Adam.”

“I believe her cousin’s establishment was dishonest,” Ben said quietly, “but your mother didn’t realize that.”

“Adam, try to understand,” she pleaded. “When Jean left me, I was penniless. His mother despised me, but at first, when I was carrying Jean’s child, she had me live with her. Then the baby died and she turned me out onto the street. My parents had died of yellow fever when I was a young child and there was only enough money to pay for my schooling at a convent. My cousin Edouard was the only person to help me then. He offered me the opportunity to work as a hostess in his salon and I took it so I could rent a room and buy food.”

Adam said nothing so in desperation she continued. “Perhaps I should have discouraged some of the very young men from gambling,” she said, slowly, “but I’m not sure it would have made any difference. In fact, I think they would have resented it very much.” She looked at Adam imploringly. “I was young then and still naïve. I trusted my cousin, and I did not guess my trust was misplaced. Can you understand?”

He was silent and Marie was terrified that he would revile her. She had worked so hard to win his love and his trust; was it all to be lost because of a chance meeting?

“‘Let he who is without sin’,” Adam quoted slowly. “I know I’m not so I won’t condemn you, but it’s hard to accept that my father’s wife was used to entice men into a gambling den so they could be cheated out of their money.” He started to leave the room and then turned back. “I hope Hoss and Little Joe never find out.”

Ben’s expression became thunderous and he started after Adam, but she stopped him. “No, please, mon bien aimé. Don’t.”

“I need to straighten him out,” Ben said angrily.

“By straighten him out, I suppose you mean to make him see it your way?” she asked softly.

“That’s right,” he barked.

“He never will, and he is right. Hoss and Joseph must never find out because it would be even worse for them.”

“No, no. Adam has blown everything out of proportion. You didn’t cheat those men and you didn’t know that your cousin was cheating them.”

“Didn’t I?” she asked sadly. “Perhaps not at first, but after a time I did begin to suspect, but I told myself I was imagining things because I didn’t want to believe that Edouard was guilty of such perfidy.” She looked at him with tear-filled eyes. “Oh, Ben, how would you feel if you learned your mother had behaved as I did?”

He was silent for a moment and then, taking her in his arms, he said, “I would still love her because she was my mother. But it doesn’t matter anyway. It was in the past, and we’ll never speak of it again, nor will Adam.” He kissed her passionately and then held her close. “Adam will understand, Marie,” he whispered. “Just give him time.”

Adam sat at his desk, his Latin grammar open in front of him, but he couldn’t concentrate. He saw that man’s sneering face and heard his accusing voice: “She lures innocent young men like you, flatters and charms you into gambling until the next thing you know you’ve lost everything. She’s done it to me and plenty of others, and she’ll do it to you.” Oh, Belle-mère, how could you? To use your face and your body to ruin men! It’s despicable.

Then he saw his stepmother’s white strained face and heard her voice pleading with him. “I was young then and still naïve. . . . Can you understand?” No, I cannot! Mama would never have behaved so. Never! And my mother—I don’t believe she would have either. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold back his tears. How could you be that kind of woman and still love Little Joe and Hoss and me? Then images flashed through his mind: Marie rocking Little Joe and sweetly singing a lullaby, tenderly kissing Hoss’s finger when he’d accidentally slammed a drawer on it, patiently showing Adam himself how to strum chords on her guitar. He saw her with needle and thread, bent over, as she worked mending their old clothes and making new. The hands that he remembered had been soft and white when she first arrived had grown rough and red as she helped Hop Sing wash the dishes, worked with him in the garden, helped him make candles and soap. She’d left that life of comfort and luxury in New Orleans to live with the man she loved in a remote wilderness with few comforts and she had done her best to be a good mother, not only to her own son, but to her stepsons.

I don’t understand how you could have done what you did, Belle-mère, but you are not that kind of woman now. The past belongs in the past; I understand that now.

He didn’t want to leave things between them as they were so he went across the hall and knocked softly on his parents’ door. His father opened the door and frowned at him.

‘I don’t want you upsetting your mother any further, Adam,” he said sternly.

“That’s not what I came to do,” Adam replied quietly, and looking over his pa’s shoulder, he saw his stepmother.

“Come in, Adam,” she said in a low voice.

“I- I just want to tell you, Belle-mère, that whatever you did in the past, I know you are not that kind of woman now. I- I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

“Merci, Adam,” she got out, her voice catching in a sob. “I was so afraid I had lost your respect and your affection.”

“No,” he said quickly. He hesitated for a moment and then briefly enfolded her in his arms and allowed her to kiss his cheek before dropping his arms and stepping away. He looked at her and his father earnestly before adding quietly, “I do think it’s better if Hoss, and especially Little Joe, never find out about your past.”

“I agree,” she replied with downcast eyes. “I will stay on the Ponderosa from now on; no one from my past will find me there.”

“I don’t want the Ponderosa to be your prison,” Ben said then.

“Oh, it wouldn’t be,” she said with a smile. “My visit here has shown me that I am happiest there with you and our boys.” She smiled at Adam then. “I am going to miss you, mon cher Adam, but I will be happy to return home.”

Chapter 5
For the first few days after his family returned to the Ponderosa, Adam was very quiet and withdrawn, just as he had been after Ben and Hoss left the first time. However, it wasn’t long before he settled back into his routine. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays after his lessons, he exercised with Charles. He attended the theater with the Townsends most Friday evenings. They usually entertained once or twice a week and Adam always attended their dinners, and he was included in the dinner invitations they received. On Sundays after church, he went riding with his friends. Adam had been in a quandary as to what to say to his friends after his father took away his pistol. He didn’t want to appear to still be a child under his parent’s control, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to lie to the group either. He merely said that he and his father agreed that he didn’t need a side arm in San Francisco and his father had taken it back home with him.

Louisa and Josie decided they’d rather ride with Bob, but Sally invited her friend, Kitty, the diminutive dark-haired girl Adam had danced with at Bella Matthews’ party, and another friend named Pansy that she knew her brother John liked. Pansy was rather shy but she was fond of John so she readily accepted Sally’s invitation. John missed the shooting lessons, but was glad of an opportunity to spend more time with Pansy. She might not be as pretty as Louisa and Josie, but she didn’t ignore him the way they usually did.

Adam found himself drawn to Kitty, whom he discovered loved to read novels. She’d read and adored all of Jane Austen’s novels and had recently discovered a new English novel titled Jane Eyre, and although it was very different from any of Jane Austen’s, she was enjoying it and eager to talk about it.

“What I like best about Jane Eyre is that Jane is not impossibly beautiful like some heroines. In fact, she’s very ordinary looking. Mr. Rochester is so different from Mr. Darcy or Mr. Knightley or Captain Wentworth. I’m not sure that I like him,” she said to Adam as they rode along.

“How is he different from Mr. Darcy?” Adam asked. “I’ve read Pride and Prejudice but I’m afraid I haven’t read any other of Jane Austen’s novels.”

“Well, they are both proud,” Kitty said thoughtfully. “But Mr. Darcy is a gentleman. I don’t think Mr. Rochester is. You see, Jane is the governess for a little girl who is Mr. Rochester’s daughter, but he wasn’t married to her mother.”

“No,” Adam agreed, “he doesn’t sound like a gentleman.”

“My goodness,” Pansy interjected, “I’m surprised your mama lets you read such a book.”

“Well,” Kitty said, her cheeks growing very pink, “she hasn’t read it.”

Adam, Charles and John laughed as did Sally, while Pansy looked scandalized.

“I think I actually prefer Jane Austen,” Kitty said then. “You should read Persuasion, Adam. It’s my favorite after Pride and Prejudice. I could loan you my copy.”

“All right. Then we can discuss it,” he answered, smiling.

Adam enjoyed the rides with his new friends very much. The only difficulty was that Sally and Kitty both directed their attention to him and tended to ignore Charles. Adam did his best to include Charles in the conversation as they rode along, but Charles wasn’t much help since he was so shy.

“I wish I could talk with girls the way you do, Adam,” he said wistfully one afternoon after they’d finished exercising.

“You can. You and Sally must talk when you practice together,” Adam replied, trying to boost his friend’s confidence.

“Only about the piece of music we’re playing. As soon as we finish, she’s in a hurry to leave. She never looks at me the way she does at you. Kitty, too.”

“I don’t think they look at me in any special way,” Adam said, feeling uncomfortable.

“Oh, yes, they do. It’s because you’re handsome,” Charles replied. “Girls are never going to look at me that way.”

Adam wasn’t sure what to say. The time they’d spent exercising had broadened his friend’s shoulders and chest a bit, but his skin was still spotty and he had that pronounced overbite. However, he was also very intelligent and well-read with a droll sense of humor. .

“I think you’re being too hard on yourself. When you go back East to school, I bet you’ll find plenty of girls who’ll be interested in you,” he said.

“I hope so,” Charles replied, not sounding convinced. “I don’t blame the girls. I would rather be with a pretty girl than a plain one. Wouldn’t you?”

“Yeah,” Adam admitted reluctantly. Then he added slowly, “although I’m beginning to think I’d rather be with a plain girl who can talk about things I’m interested in than a pretty girl who can only talk about herself.”

“You mean like Louisa Cooper?” Charles said with a grin, and Adam nodded, his eyes twinkling.

~ ~ ~

“Happy birthday, Little Joe!” Hoss said as he threw back the covers.

Little Joe’s eyes blinked open and then he grinned. “My birthday!”

“That’s right. You’re four years old,” Hoss replied with his big gap-toothed grin.

“Presents?”

“Yup. Hop Sing’ll make ya a birthday cake and we’ll eat it after supper and then you get to open your presents.”

“I wanna open ‘em now,” the younger boy said excitedly.

“I guess you can ask Ma and Pa, but me and Adam always open ’em after supper.”

“Adam here?” Little Joe asked excitedly.

“No, I didn’t mean that. Adam’s in San Francisco until spring. Remember?” Hoss said, sounding wistful.

“Want Adam here,” the four-year-old said emphatically.

“Me, too, but it ain’t gonna happen, Little Joe. C’mon. Let’s get dressed and see what Hop Sing’s made fer breakfast.” Hoss changed his demeanor so as not to dampen his little brother’s spirits, especially on his birthday.

They dressed hurriedly and climbed down the ladder. Marie was setting the table and greeted them with a smile.

“Happy birthday, Little Joe,” she said, coming over to pick him up and hug him. “How is my big boy?”

“I’m four!” he announced and she said with a smile, “Yes, you are. You’re growing up so quickly.” She kissed his cheek and then frowned slightly. “Hoss, did you and Little Joe wash up before you came downstairs?”

“Uh, I, uh, I guess we forgot,” Hoss said, dropping his eyes. “But we ain’t dirty, Ma. Honest.”

“Hoss,” she said in a warning tone and he sighed. “You can wait and wash up when you finish your chores,” she added, and he put on his coat and hurried out the door.

“Wanna open my presents, Ma,” Little Joe said then, squirming to get down.

“We always open birthday presents after supper,” Marie replied firmly as she set him on his feet. “Now, let’s get you washed up and you can help set the table.”

“Wanna open presents now!” Little Joe said loudly.

She ignored him and poured water into the wash basin and began to wash his face and ears while he squirmed to get away, yelling he wanted to open his presents. Once her little boy was clean, she went back to setting the table. The birthday boy sulked for a few minutes, but since he’d learned early on that sulking or tantrums didn’t bring him what he wanted, he asked his ma if he could help set the table. She smiled at him and ruffled his hair, and he smiled back, once more her cheerful little boy.

That evening Little Joe was too excited to eat much of the birthday supper Hop Sing had prepared and he was more interested in his presents than his cake. After he had opened the gifts from his parents and Hoss, Marie said with a smile, “And here’s a present from Adam.” She held out a paper parcel to Little Joe, who took it eagerly.

“Lookee, Pa! Lookee, Hoss! Lookee, Hop Sing! Present from Adam!” He ripped the paper away to reveal a wooden whirligig. The edge of the wooden disk had been cut in a sharp, sawtooth pattern. He stared at it, looking totally baffled.

“It’s a whirligig,” Ben replied with a grin. “Here’s how you play with it. You hold the ends of the string between your thumb and finger, like this, and then twirl it.” Ben demonstrated, adding, “And now I pull the string tight and watch what happens.

Little Joe’s face broke into a huge grin as he saw the disk whirl and listened to the loud buzzing sound it made. “Me! Me!” he shrieked.

As he watched his brother play with his toy, Hoss said quietly to Marie, “I shore do miss Adam.”

“I know you do, and so do I. So do we all,” she added, putting her hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze. “But he should be back in April, May at the latest. That’s only five months away.”

“Five months,” the eleven-year-old said despairingly, “and then he’s gonna go off ta college.”

“Yes, but he’ll be with us on the Ponderosa for at least three months before he’ll need to sail for Boston,” she said with a faint smile. “We’ll have most of spring and summer to spend together.” And she saw his clear blue eyes light up at that.

~ ~ ~

Adam woke to the sound of rain beating on his bedroom window and a loud clap of thunder, followed by a flash of lightening. As he lay in bed listening to the rain lashing against the window pane, he thought, I wonder why it always seems to rain on my birthday? It seems appropriate today though. A birthday is just like another day if there’s no one to celebrate it with. He put his hands behind his head and stared into the darkness. I wonder if they’ll be thinking of me today, wondering how I’m spending my birthday. Well, Little Joe won’t know. He’s too little to even know when it’s his own birthday. Hoss might remember though. I know Belle-mère will and Pa. Of course, Pa remembers what else happened seventeen years ago today.

Gradually, the steady sound of the rain pounding on the roof and window lulled him back to sleep. When he woke, the rain had stopped but the sky was leaden and there was a chill dampness in the room. He hurriedly shaved and dressed, then headed to the dining room. He helped himself to the bacon, poached eggs and popovers that Molly was putting on the sideboard as he entered the room. She returned a few minutes later with a pot of coffee and set it on the table in front of him. He didn’t dawdle over his breakfast and finished before any one else put in an appearance. He went straight to the music room to practice his scales and a new song Mr. Williams was teaching him.

After he finished, he went to the morning room. He was checking over his Latin assignment for errors when Mr. Atherton and Davy entered.

“Well, you certainly are industrious this morning, Mr. Cartwright,” Mr. Atherton said with a small smile. “Master David, I have some division and multiplication problems for you to work on while Mr. Cartwright and I look at his math problems.”

All during their lessons, Adam kept catching Davy looking at him, but the moment their eyes met, the younger boy would quickly look away. Adam wasn’t sure what to make of Davy’s atypical behavior. After their lessons, he got ready to go exercise with Charles since it was Monday. He was startled when Opal called to him from the dining room just as he put his hand on the front door to open it.

“Yes, ma’am?” he asked, walking to the dining room doorway.

“We are having some friends over for dinner tonight, so would you mind coming home a half an hour early? That will give you plenty of time to bathe and dress for dinner. Please wear your formal attire and be sure and come down to the drawing room promptly at seven o’clock.” Adam replied, “Yes, ma’am,” and turned back to the door. “You had better take an umbrella,” she added. “It looks like it might rain again.”

He nodded, and took one of the umbrellas from the stand in the entry. He was about halfway to the Seatons’ house when the rain began to fall again. Luckily it was just a gentle, soaking rain and the umbrella kept him dry. When he arrived, Charles greeted him by saying, “Oh, Adam, I’m afraid we can’t exercise as long today. I have a dinner engagement and I’ll need to time to get ready.

“That’s fine,” Adam replied, setting his umbrella down. “Mrs. Townsend asked me to come home early tonight because they’re having guests for dinner.”

As soon as Adam walked up the steps, Molly opened the door. “I’ll draw your bath now that you’re here, sir,” she said, and hurried up the stairs.

Adam followed her, stopping to check the table by the staircase. He saw a fat letter addressed to him and recognized his pa’s handwriting. He snatched up the letter and then took the stairs two at a time to his bedroom. He gathered up his black silk jersey trousers, one of his new linen shirts and a clean pair of drawers and headed for the bathroom. Molly had filled the claw foot tub and the hot water felt good after the chill rain. He bathed hurriedly because he wanted to have time to read his letters before it was time to go downstairs for dinner. As soon as he’d finished dressing (except for his cravat), he sat at his secretary desk, broke the wax seal and removed the cover, revealing three letters. He eagerly opened the one on top.

Deer Adam,

Happy burthday! Littl Joe says to tell you happy burthday and you shuld come home.

Guess what? Remember them miners camped ron Sun Mountin? They built thereselfs a bowling ally bowlings this game where you roll a big ball and try and knock down a bunch a woodun pins. On Sunday after dinner me and Pa and Tod and Mr Mkaren and Ros and Mr Market all go over and bowl with them miners. Its fun and Im gettin good at it to.

I hop you have a happy burthday.

Hoss

The next letter was written in his stepmother’s flowery script.

Mon Cher Adam,

Bon anniversaire! It is difficult for me to believe that nearly four years have passed since I first met you. You have grown from a boy to a fine young man and by this time next year, you will be a student at Harvard College. I didn’t know how it would happen, but somehow I just knew your dream of attending college would come true. Just as important, you can spend time with ton grand-père and he can tell you about ta maman. I know you must be curious about her; I remember how much I wanted to learn about mon papa et ma maman but there was no one who could tell me. You are more fortunate.

Hoss told me that he wrote you how he and your pa go bowling with the miners. They are strange men. They live in such primitive houses, little more that huts actually, of stone, canvas and boards with no chimneys—only a hole in the roof. They spend their time trying to find gold and would eat no fresh meat if your pa and M. McKaren didn’t sell them an occasional steer. The building that houses the bowling alley is also a general store and a saloon. Your pa and M. McKaren say that every Saturday night they have a grand ball at the saloon, but since there are only one or two women that actually live there, many of the men tie a kerchief around their arms and dance the woman’s part. Comme c'est étrange!

Adam smiled as he read. Oui, Belle-mère, that is very strange.

I certainly hope by the time you return from college we have some suitable young ladies living here. Or perhaps you will return from Boston with a bride, n’est-ce-pas? I think your pa would be happy to be un pépé but I’m in no hurry to be une mémé.

I hope you have a wonderful birthday, mon cher Adam, and know that we are all thinking of you on your special day.

Je t'embrasse
Belle-mère

Adam started to open the third letter, which he knew must be from Pa, but realized he needed to check the time. When he pulled out his pocket watch, he saw it was only a minute or two before seven o’clock. Reluctantly, he put Pa’s letter down, tied his cravat, and hurried down the stairs to the drawing room. As he approached the entrance, the room looked deserted, which was odd since Mrs. Townsend had made such a point of telling him to be here at seven. As soon as he entered the room, his friends and Davy rushed toward the center, shouting “Happy birthday, Adam!” causing his mouth to fall open in astonishment.

“Gosh, we sure surprised you!” Davy laughed and was joined by everyone else.

“Yes, you did,” Adam replied, with a dimpled smile that made both Sally and Kitty feel very warm. “I didn’t even realize anyone knew it was my birthday.”

”Your stepmother told me when they were here visiting,” Opal said with a smile. “I wrote your parents about what I was planning and got their suggestions. Now, Adam, would you escort me to dinner?” (Both Sally and Kitty looked disappointed that Adam wouldn’t be escorting them.)

Adam’s face lit up when Molly entered the dining room carrying a platter containing a pot roast with potatoes, carrots and onions. Opal saw his smile and said softly, “Your parents wrote me that pot roast is your favorite food.”

As they began to eat, Charles said, “I was scared to death I was going to give the surprise away when you came over to exercise. I was so nervous about trying to act natural.”

“I did think you were acting a bit odd,” Adam said with a grin, “And I kept catching Davy staring at me during our lessons. I was curious about that, but I never suspected anything like this.” He explained, “I’ve never celebrated my birthday with anyone but my family.”

“Never?” Kitty said incredulously.

“No,” Adam replied quietly. Before Mama came into his life, he wasn’t sure he’d ever celebrated his birthday. He didn’t blame Pa for that and at the time he hadn’t even realized he was missing anything. But that fall and winter he, Pa, Mama and Uncle Gunnar had spent together in Illinois, Mama had baked him a birthday cake and she’d knitted him a new scarf and mittens. The next year when they were at Sutter’s Fort, Pa had given him a whistle he’d carved and he’d had the lady who looked after him and Hoss bake him a cake. That cake had made him sad though, for it reminded him of the birthday cake Mama had made him. The next birthday had been spent on the Ponderosa with just Pa and Hoss. No birthday cake that year or the next several until Hop Sing became part of their family, but Pa had always given him and Hoss a gift to commemorate their special day even if they didn’t have cake.

“But you’ve told us you don’t have very many neighbors and they don’t live that near, so I don’t think it’s surprising that you’ve never had a birthday dinner like this,” Charles said loyally.

“Oh, I forgot,” Kitty said, her cheeks turning very pink. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right,” Adam replied, while thinking how pretty she looked, her pale ivory complexion flushed with color. Pa had said he shouldn’t kiss girls if he didn’t intend to marry them, but he sure would like to kiss Kitty. He remembered how delicate and feminine she’d felt in his arms when they’d danced.

“Adam’s woolgathering,” he heard Davy’s voice say with a laugh and collected his wits.

“I’m s- sorry,” he stammered and Opal said with a smile, “I just asked if you’d read the letters from your family yet.”

“I read the ones from Hoss and from Belle-mère, but not the one from my pa. Belle-mère wrote me that the miners at Sun Mountain have a dance every Saturday night but since there aren’t many women, some of the men have to dance the woman’s part. I can’t imagine dancing with another man,” he commented with a chuckle.

“Speaking of dancing, I thought after dinner the young people might like to dance. We can roll up the rug in the music room and I could play music for you to dance to.”

“Oh that would be lovely,” Kitty said, glancing at Adam under her lashes, while John and Pansy exchanged smiles.

“Yes, thank you,” Adam said, delighted at the prospect of dancing with Kitty and completely oblivious to the eager looks Sally was giving him.

The two older men helped the younger move the furniture and roll up the rug and then they left. While John was asking Pansy to dance, Adam turned to Kitty,

“May I have this dance?” he asked, and dimpled when Kitty replied, “Yes, you may.”

Neither of them noticed Sally but Opal and Charles saw the pain in her eyes. “I- I hope I may have this dance, Sally,” Charles asked softly, knowing he was not her choice of partner.

Sally blinked back the tears that she could feel filling her eyes and said in a voice that only shook slightly, ‘Yes, I’d be delighted.”

“Could we have a waltz, please, Mrs. Townsend?” Adam asked then.

“Certainly,” Opal replied. As she played, she watched the way Adam and Kitty gazed into each other’s eyes as they danced and the anguished glances poor Sally kept sending their way. When the music stopped, Adam turned to Sally and asked with a smile, “May I have this dance?”

“Yes, if you like,” Sally replied quietly.

“Of course I would,” Adam said, puzzled by her response.

“Do you remember the last time we danced?” Sally said softly as they waltzed. “Or rather, didn’t dance.”

“Yes,” Adam replied slowly.

“I wish we could sneak away to the garden now,” Sally said. “But I suppose our kisses didn’t mean anything to you.”

“Of course they did. But, well, I’m going to be leaving San Francisco in the spring.”

“Then we should remember what Robert Herrick wrote: ‘Gather ye rosebuds while ye may . . .’”

“‘Old Time is still a-flying,’” Adam finished the quote for her. “I don’t know, Sally.”

“So you don’t want to kiss me again?”

“Of course I want to kiss you,” he replied, very earnestly, “but I don’t think we should.”

“You mean you’d rather kiss Kitty,” she said, and couldn’t keep the tremor from her voice.

Oh no! She couldn’t be falling in love with me, could she? I don’t want to hurt her, but she’s right; I would rather kiss Kitty.

“Sally, I enjoy your company very much and I enjoy Kitty’s company, too. I hope we’re all friends,” he said carefully.

“Yes, of course, we’re all friends,” Sally replied, her voice trembling a little. “I thought perhaps you wanted to be more than friends, but I see I was mistaken.”

“I’m sorry,” was all he could say. Oh Pa, you were so right. And you too, Belle-mère. I think I have hurt her.

The young people danced two polkas and then Opal said, “I’ll play one more waltz and then I’m afraid the evening must come to an end.”

Adam was uncomfortable as he approached Sally for the final dance, but she acted like her old self, to his enormous relief, never realizing that she was hiding her pain.

Adam bade his guests goodnight and then thanked the Townsends for the birthday dinner.

“You are very welcome, Adam,” Dave said with a grin.

“Your stepmother left a gift for you with me. I had Molly put it in your room during the dinner,” Opal added.

“But my new clothes were my gift,” Adam said, surprised.

“She wanted you have something from your family on your special day,” Opal replied gently. “She loves you very much, Adam.”

He nodded, embarrassed, and then headed up the stairs to his room. When he opened the door, he saw a book on his bed. He picked it up and read: The Grecian Orders of Architecture by Stephen Riou. When he opened the book, he saw an inscription on the flyleaf in Marie’s elegant hand: To the budding architect of the Cartwright family on his seventeenth birthday.

How did you know, Belle-mere? he wondered. I suppose Pa or Hoss must have mentioned my interest. Well, I will treasure this always. Then his eye fell upon his pa’s letter on his secretary desk where he’d left it. Untying his cravat and unbuttoning the top button of his shirt, he sat down and picked up the letter.

Dear Adam,

Happy birthday, son! It is hard for me to take in the fact that you are turning seventeen. Sometimes it seems like only yesterday that I held you in my arms for the first time, wrapped in the comforter your mother had crocheted for you. Until you hold your own firstborn, you can’t understand how I felt at that moment—holding an impossibly tiny being, the fruit of the love Elizabeth and I shared. I was grieving for her loss, but at the same time, I rejoiced that a part of her lived on in you. And I was so glad she had a chance to see you. She exulted in your birth, son. Weak as she was, as soon as I entered our room, she asked me if I had seen you. I remember that she told me you looked like the cherubs on her music box.

I said that at times it seems like only yesterday since I first saw you and held you, but at others, it seems like a lifetime ago. There were those years traveling west in that old farm wagon, just we two. I still feel guilty at how poorly I provided for you, but there were good times, too. I remember the Schneider family, and how happy you were playing with the children, and the kind seamstress who made you your first pair of britches, and how proud you were of them. Unlike Joseph, you were delighted to have me cut off your curls. I can still see the indignation on your little face when the youngest Schneider told you that you looked like a little girl. . . .

I’m glad I don’t remember that, Adam thought, not knowing he had the identical expression of indignation on his face now that he’d had at age three. Then he grinned at himself. I know my hair is even curlier than Little Joe’s so if it was long and I was still wearing frocks, I expect I did look like a little girl.

Then there was our visit with your Uncle John and his family. Your Aunt Agnes tried to mother you, but you were shy and stuck pretty close to me at first. Gradually, you relaxed and I enjoyed watching your cousin Will teach you how to play marbles with him and watching the two of you sliding down your uncle’s haystack, laughing boisterously. You didn’t laugh much then, and that was my fault.

But then we met your mama, and she taught you to laugh and smile by her example. Taught both of us. Oh, Adam, son, I would watch you with her, seeing you behave as a carefree little boy—not the solemn child I had traveled with, and I thought my heart would burst with joy.

All too soon, we lost her, but just as a part of Elizabeth lives on in you, a part of Inger lives on in Hoss. Those first years on the Ponderosa were hard, but I will always treasure them. So many fathers are removed from their children but being both a mother and father gave me a perspective few fathers ever know. Then I returned from New Orleans with a new mother for my boys, thinking you would both love her as I did. How angry you were with me and how you resented her. She was so patient with you. More patient than I was. I don’t think you realized how many times she saved you from a tanning. It meant so much to both of us when you finally accepted her as part of our family. And I am sure your mother and Inger also rejoiced that you opened your heart to her.

These last four years have been good ones for our family. I’ve watched my boys growing up, and now, you—my firstborn—have almost left childhood behind. Even when you are a grown man, Adam, you will still be my little boy, and that’s something else you won’t understand until you become a father yourself. I am so proud of you, son. You had a dream and you didn’t give up on it, even when I know it must have seemed impossible. Soon, you’ll be leaving your family and stepping out into the world on your own. I can’t help worrying, but at the same time, I have faith in you and I know you’ll do just fine.

God bless you, my boy, and never forget that your family loves you.

Love,
Pa

Adam felt his eyes burn, and blinked back the moisture as he carefully refolded the letter and placed it in the drawer with the others he received since he’d left home. I love all of you and I always will.

Sally found she couldn’t bear not to go riding with Adam on Sunday afternoons since it was the only time she could see him. She loved to watch him ride Beauty, letting the spirited mare dance loose. She found herself gazing at his strong, sinuous fingers holding the reins or at those thick, springy black curls, remembering how it had felt to run her fingers through them. However, the rides were also torture because she’d see Adam laugh at something Kitty said or see them exchange smiles. If the six of them stopped and dismounted, it was always Kitty that Adam helped, putting his hands about her waist and lifting her down effortlessly as they smiled at each other. Sally had to settle for Charles. He knew his friend didn’t return her feelings and he pitied her. He’d read poems about unrequited love, but observing Sally’s pain, he began to understand the depth of emotion the poets hoped to convey. He wished there was something he could do for her, but he didn’t think she would welcome his sympathy so he pretended he wasn’t aware of her feelings.

The days grew shorter and the weather more chilly, but not the numbing cold of the high country. In fact, it was hard for Adam to believe it was nearly Christmas. He’d taken some money from his savings and sent a crate back home with his gifts for his family, and he’d purchased small gifts for the Townsends and Mr. Atherton. At home, they would be selecting a Christmas tree, but he discovered the Townsends had never heard of them.

Since the Townsends didn’t have a Christmas tree, Adam wondered where they placed the gifts. When he asked Opal, she told him the presents were piled on top of the desk in the morning room so Christmas Eve just before supper, he took the gifts he’d bought for Mr. and Mrs. Townsend, Davy and Mr. Atherton and placed them on the desk. To make the packages more festive, he’s used his pen to draw pictures on the brown wrapping paper. He’d drawn a fat jolly St. Nicholas on Davy’s gift, and for the three adults, he’d sketched a Christmas wreath decorated with a big bow. He saw some packages for Davy and a couple for him already on the desk. One package had his name written in Belle-mère’s handwriting. Looking at the gifts on the desk made him so homesick that he had to blink back the tears that began to burn his eyes. How he missed their Christmas tree, gaily decorated with the little animals he and Pa had carved so many years before, the little red bows Belle-mère had made from the scraps left over from their curtains, strings of popcorn and paper chains he and Hoss and Little Joe had made. Last year was the first Christmas Little Joe was judged old enough to help make the paper chains. He’s gotten Hop Sing’s paste all over himself and the table, but he was so happy to be able to help his big brothers decorate the tree that Hop Sing didn’t scold him. Soon, Adam knew, his family would be gathered around the fireplace. Since he wasn’t there, Pa would probably have Hoss read A Visit from St. Nicholas.

“Ah, there you are, Adam,” Opal said, breaking his reverie. “It’s time for supper.” He nodded and walked with her to the dining room.

After their meal, they all gathered in the music room, where Opal had placed the family’s crèche on one of the small side tables. Adam was drawn to the hand-carved figures.

“It’s been in my family for generations,” Mr. Townsend said quietly. “My great-great grandfather carved it.”

“It’s beautiful,” Adam said.

“Shall we sing some carols?” Opal asked.

“Let’s sing Deck the Halls,” Davy said immediately, causing Adam to smile, for that was Hoss’s favorite carol.

At first, Adam joined in the singing with spirit, but the more carols they sang, the more he missed his family. The Townsends noted his sadness and so Opal asked gently, “Adam, is there a Christmas carol you would like to sing, one that your family would be singing now?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, taking a deep breath to steady his voice. “There is one. When I was just a little boy, Pa would sing it at Christmas, and when I was old enough, he taught me the words. Then we would sing it together, and when Hoss was old enough, we taught him the words.”

“Please sing it for us,” Opal said and Dave, Mr. Atherton and Davy all smiled at him encouragingly.

He stood up and closed his eyes, seeing in his mind his own family, gathered around their Christmas tree. He began to sing softly, hearing his father’s dark bass and his brother’s slightly off-key alto in his memory:

Remember Adam's fall,
O thou man, O thou man!
Remember Adam's fall
From heaven to hell!

Remember Adam's fall,
How we were condemned all
To hell perpetual,
There for to dwell.
Remember God's goodness,
O thou man, O thou man!
Remember God's goodness,
And promise made!

Remember God's goodness,
How His only Son He sent
Our sins for to redress,
Be not afraid.
Give thanks to God always,
O thou man, O thou man!
Give thanks to God always,
With heart most joyfully

Give thanks to God always,
Upon this blessed day,
Let all men sing and say:
'Holy, holy!'

“I remember singing that carol when I was a boy,” Mr. Atherton said softly. “Thank you for bringing back so many happy memories.”

Adam smiled shyly and said, “Pa told me that when I was about Little Joe’s age, I asked him why we were supposed to remember when I fell.” The adults all smiled and Davy chortled with glee.

“Well, now,” Dave said when the laughter died down, “I think it’s time for us to read the Christmas story. I’ll read Luke’s story of how Mary and Joseph couldn’t find a room at the inn, and of the angels appearing to the shepherds. Adam, I’d like you to read Matthew’s story of the Magi, who followed the star, and how the angel came to Joseph in dream and warned him to take Mary and Jesus and flee from Bethlehem.” Adam nodded. As he listened, it was not Dave Townsend’s voice he heard, but his pa’s. When he took the family Bible from Dave and began to read, he pictured himself in the snug little cabin with his family, gathered around the fireplace, which gave off the only heat in the room.

“Now, boys,” Dave said as they all prepared to go to their rooms, “Mrs. Townsend and I will tell you when it is time to come down to the morning room.” They both nodded, Davy with great reluctance.

~ ~ ~

When Hoss woke on Christmas morning, he lay quietly in the dark beside Little Joe and squeezed back the hot tears that filled his eyes. This was the first Christmas morning in his whole life that he hadn’t awakened next to his big brother. Adam always woke up before him and they’d lie together in the bed beneath the mound of blankets and quilts, speculating in whispers about what Santa Claus might have brought them, as they waited for Pa and Ma to tell them they could come downstairs. Last year, he remembered asking Adam very hesitantly if perhaps it was Pa and Ma who really provided their Christmas gifts. He couldn’t see his brother’s smile in the dark room but he could hear it in his voice. “Yeah, but don’t let on you know. I remember when I figured it out, Pa told me not to say a word to you, and we don’t want to spoil it for Little Joe.”

“I won’t say nothin’,” he’d whispered back. “It don’t matter ’cause Christmas is really ’bout Jesus bein’ born, not Santa Claus bringin’ us presents.”

“That’s right little brother. You’re pretty smart for a kid, you know that?” and Hoss had felt so warm and happy at that praise from his big brother.

Now he felt his little brother stir beside him. “Santa Claus!” Little Joe exclaimed excitedly and started to fling back the covers.

“Wait, Little Joe,” Hoss said softly, putting his hand firmly on his brother’s shoulder. “We gotta wait until Ma and Pa say it’s okay to come down.”

“I wanna see what Santa brought,” the younger child said, trying to wriggle away.

“No, we gotta wait, Little Joe. Jest the way me ‘n’ Adam use ta wait.”

“Adam here?” Little Joe said excitedly.

“No. No, Adam’s still in San Francisco. We wrote him letters telling him ‘Merry Christmas.’ Remember?”

“Oh,” Little Joe said in a small voice. “Wish he was here.”

“Yeah, me, too, but at least you and me and Pa and Ma are all together. Adam’s all by himself ’cept for Mr. and Mrs. Townsend and Davy and his teacher. I bet he really misses us.”

Just then, they heard their pa’s voice call up to the loft. “Boys, get dressed and then c’mon down and see what Santa Claus brought you.”

They flung back the covers and then, as their teeth chattered in the cold, they quickly yanked off their flannel nightshirts and put on their twill trousers and flannel shirts over their wool union suits. Then they put on heavy wool socks, and last of all, their boots. Once they had their boots on, they scurried down the ladder. Under the gaily decorated Christmas tree was a small mound of gifts. Little Joe made a beeline straight for them, but Ben said sternly, “Joseph!” and the child stopped in his tracks.

“You and Hoss sit on the settee, and your ma will bring you a gift to open.” Reluctantly, the four-year-old complied while his older brother sat down, and smiled in anticipation.

Both boys received a new shirt and a new pair of trousers from their parents. Santa Claus brought Little Joe his sailboat, which he wanted to take to the creek and float immediately and was not happy to learn he must wait until the ice melted. (“Ice is dangerous, Little Joe, and sailors try and avoid it,” his pa told him very seriously.) Hoss was delighted with Sugar’s new bridle. When they had opened those gifts, Ben said with a smile, “A package arrived from San Francisco a week ago and I hid it in the barn. Boys, if you look behind the tree, you’ll find some gifts for each of us from Adam. Now, Little Joe, you let Hoss pass out the gifts since he can read which gift goes to which person.”

The boys scurried behind the tree, whooping joyfully when they spied the gifts. “Here, Little Joe, this one says it’s for you,” Hoss said, handing his brother a flat, rectangular package. He spied the one addressed “To Hoss” in Adam’s neat handwriting but first he gathered up the ones addressed to “Pa” and “Belle-mère.”

“This one’s fer you, Ma,” he said, handing Marie a little wooden crate, “and this is yours, Pa,” he added, giving Ben the smallest package before sitting by Little Joe on the settee.

“All right, Joseph, you may open yours first,” Ben said to the four-year-old, who was wriggling in excitement.

Little Joe ripped off the wrapping paper, which Adam had decorated with an ink drawing of St. Nicholas in his sleigh drawn by reindeer that looked suspiciously like antelope. “Lookee! It’s a book!” he exclaimed. Hurriedly turning the pages, he shouted, “Here’s a giant! Lookee, Hoss! A giant!”

“Yeah, he looks mean, too,” Hoss said with a grin.

“What is the name of the book, Hoss?” Marie asked.

“Tom Thumb’s Picture Book,” Hoss read. “I’d like to read the story with the giant in it.”

“You can read it to Little Joe after breakfast,” Ben said with a smile.

“Oh, there’s a note!” Hoss said excitedly. “Want me to read it to you, Little Joe?” and the younger boy nodded vigorously. “Dear Little Joe,” he read, “Merry Christmas! I hope you like these stories. I remember Pa used to tell me stories about Jack the Giantkiller when I was your age and I loved to hear them.”

“He sure did,” Ben said with a smile. Then he turned to his middle boy. “Now, why don’t you open your gift, Hoss?”

Hoss had already looked at the ink drawing of the Magi on their camels that Adam had made to decorate his wrapping paper, but he liked it and so he carefully removed the paper without damaging the drawing. He discovered Adam had given him a book. “Cur-i-os-ities of the M-“ He stopped, his face puckered up. “I can’t read this word.”

“Curiosities of the Microscope,” Ben read. “Well, I think this is a book you and your ma can read together as part of your schoolwork. See, son, this is a picture of a microscope. Microscopes let us examine things that are too small for us to see with just our eyes.” Hoss thought the drawings looked interesting and maybe the book would be as well. Ben smiled at the curiosity on his son’s face and said, “Adam wrote a note to you, too.” Then he handed Hoss the folded piece of paper.

“I’ll read it out loud,” Hoss said, with a grin so wide it really did seem to stretch almost from ear to ear.

Dear Hoss,

I hope you like this book. I know the words are hard, but Belle-mère or Pa will help you with them. I thought you’d like to see the drawings of what different things, such as insects and plants, look like under the microscope. They’re pretty amazing.

I hope you have a very merry Christmas. I’ll be thinking of you and everyone else on the Ponderosa.

Affectionately yours,
Adam

Marie opened her gift next. The little crate was full of excelsior but carefully cushioned in it was a small, exquisite glass bottle. Marie carefully opened it and smelled the fragrance of jasmine. “Oh, he bought me parfum, uh, perfume,” she exclaimed. Then she spied a note in the excelsior and held it up.

“What does it say?’ Hoss asked.

“I’ll read it to you,” she replied with a smile.

Chère Belle-mère

I wasn’t sure what I should get you as a Christmas gift, so I asked Sally and Kitty. They both suggested that you might like perfume. When I told the storeowner that I was mailing it to you, he packed it in excelsior for me so it should reach you unbroken. I hope you like the scent. It reminded me of you.

Joyeux Noël.

Bien amicalement
Adam

“Can I smell it?’ Hoss asked and Little Joe immediately echoed, “Me, too! Me, too!”

Marie dabbed a little on each wrist and then carefully replaced the stopper. Then she held out her wrists, saying, ‘Here, what do you think?”

“It smells real purty,” Hoss said with a smile. “Like flowers.”

“Yeah, pretty,” Little Joe echoed.

“Now it’s your pa’s turn to open his gift,” she said, ruffling her baby’s curls.

“I help,” Little Joe said and tore the paper, revealing a small pouch.

“Now, you must let your pa open his gift,” Marie said firmly as she put her arm around Little Joe and drew him close to her.

Ben opened the pouch and discovered pipe tobacco. He sniffed it and grinned appreciatively.

“What is it, Pa?” Hoss asked curiously.

“It’s tobacco for my pipe,” Ben replied. “But I don’t seem to have a letter.”

“Oh, I wonder,” Marie said. She dug in the excelsior and triumphantly handed Ben another folded piece of paper, this one addressed to “Pa”.

Dear Pa,

When I told Charles that I was thinking of buying you some tobacco for your pipe, he told me about a tobacconist here that sells fine tobacco from Virginia. I hope you enjoy it.

It will be very strange not spending Christmas with my family. I discovered that the Townsends have never heard of Christmas trees and not decorating one is something else that I will miss. I can barely remember what Christmas was like before we had a Christmas tree. I can remember all the times you and I and Hoss went to choose our tree. Then as I grew older, you let me help chop it down. Did Hoss get to help chop it down this year? I know I was a couple of years older than he is now, but on the other hand, he’s lots taller than I was when I was eleven.

Ben stopped then and said with a smile, “Well, Hoss, you’ll have to write your brother and tell him that you did help me chop down our tree.”

Another thing that will be different about Christmas in San Francisco is the weather. It doesn’t get cold here and instead of snow, we get rain.

I will close now, and in my next letter I will tell you about my Christmas here.

Affectionately yours,
Adam

Ben carefully refolded his letter and then said cheerfully, “C’mon, Hoss. We’ve got chores to do. The animals are all hungry.”

“Yes, and I cannot make our cocoa if you don’t milk Blossom,” Marie added with a smile. (The family’s Christmas present to Hop Sing was letting him sleep late while they prepared breakfast. Marie’s oatmeal was a trifle lumpy and her bacon a little burnt, but no one complained. She did make delicious hot cocoa.)

~ ~ ~

Adam woke up early on Christmas morning. Force of habit, he told himself, grinning just a little. He got up, washed, shaved and was dressing when there was a knock at his door and Dave said, “You may come down to the morning room, Adam.” He hurriedly finished buttoning his shirt and stuffed into his trousers, than yanked on his socks and boots. He ran down the stairs to find the others waiting for him, Davy in his nightshirt, robe and slippers.

“C’mon,” the boy ordered, “we can’t open gifts until everyone’s here.”

Everyone was pleased with their gifts. Opal thanked Adam for her lace trimmed handkerchief while Dave and Mr. Atherton both appreciated their new leather wallets. (“Made from a Ponderosa steer,” Adam told them proudly.) Davy was delighted with his new marbles, made of polished marble. “These are lots better than my clay marbles,” he declared. “Thanks, Adam.”

Adam was pleased with his gifts as well. The Townsends had given him a box of fine stationary engraved with his name and Mr. Atherton gave him a copy of Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Latin. “I know your Latin isn’t good enough to read it now, but someday it will be,” his tutor told him with a smile. Marie’s gift was another book, Examples of the Processes of Differential and Integral Calculus.

“May I see it?” Mr. Atherton asked. As he glanced over the pages he said, “This should be very helpful, and I was thinking that it’s time to begin teaching you calculus.”

The last gift Adam opened was from his grandfather. He’d sent him a new set of shaving accessories: a razor with an ivory handle, a leather razor strap, a new badger bristle shaving brush, and a shaving mug. “He enclosed a note saying these are for me to take to Harvard,” Adam said proudly.

He saved his grandfather’s letter until that night when he was alone.

November 14, 1853

Dear Adam,

Well, even though I know you’ll not be receiving this until Christmas, I want to wish you a happy birthday. The last time I saw you, you were still wearing frocks and now you’re almost a grown man. From your last couple of letters, it sounds as though you are discovering the fair sex. Well, we have plenty of pretty girls here in Boston and Cambridge as you’ll discover soon enough.

You inquired about my health. It’s good for the most part. I feel the damp more and my joints become stiff and swollen, but that’s the price one pays for a long life. At least my hearing is still good and I still have most of my teeth even if I do have to wear spectacles to read. Which reminds me: I would appreciate it if you could try and write larger. Your hand is very neat, but rather small.

I hope you like your combined Christmas and birthday gift. Since you wrote me you have all these new clothes, thought you might like something else new.

The other day I found this paper in your mother’s handwriting and I wanted you to have it. She had written out a poem that I remember she and your grandmother both loved. On Christmas Eve, before I would read the Christmas story in the New Testament, your grandmother, and later your mother, would read this poem.

Adam looked at the other sheet of paper, growing yellow and brittle with age, written in a neat, clear script, and began to read:

Jesus Christ The Apple Tree
The tree of life my soul hath seen,
Laden with fruit and always green:
The trees of nature fruitless be
Compared with Christ the apple tree. . . .

Adam put the piece of paper down very carefully. So you liked poetry, too, Mother. I guess I should have known that since Pa told me you loved to hear him read “Paradise Lost”. And Pa told me that I get my love of numbers from you. I wouldn’t want to not have known Mama or Belle-mère, or not have Hoss and Little Joe for brothers, but I can’t help wishing that I could’ve known you. I wish you could have held me and sung me to sleep the way Belle-mère did for Little Joe when he was a baby and the way I remember Mama did for Hoss. Maybe you would have held me on your lap and read stories to me the way Belle-mère does for Little Joe or baked me currant buns the way Mama did when we lived in Illinois. Even after all these years, it hurts Pa to talk about you, but I hope that when I’m at Harvard, Grandfather will tell me about you.

~ ~ ~

Weeks turned into months as Adam worked on his studies with renewed vigor, yet Opal made sure he didn’t totally bury himself in books and accepted dinner invitations and even an invitation to Bella Matthews’ Valentine’s Day ball, which he enjoyed immensely. He and Charles continued to exercise together and to discuss current events. John began courting Pansy so the two of them no longer rode with the others on Sunday afternoons, but Sally and Kitty’s parents decided the other four young people could continue to ride together.

February turned into March and at the end of the first week, Mr. Atherton asked Adam to stay after lessons were over.

“You have been an exemplary student, Mr. Cartwright, and I think you will be able to pass the Harvard entrance examination. Your weakness, as you know, is Latin, so I think you should continue working at your grammar after you return home. You could mail me your work every couple of weeks and I will check it over. However, even though your knowledge of Latin is less than young men who’ve been studying it for several years, I am satisfied that you will be able to pass that portion of the examination and you should do very well on the rest. You may write your family that you are ready to return home whenever it is convenient.”

“Thank you, sir,” Adam replied. “I don’t have the words to tell you how much it has meant to me to have you for a teacher these past months.”

“It’s been my pleasure,” the older man said. “Now, be off with you.”

~ ~ ~

As soon as Ben walked in the cabin, Hoss asked, “Can I have my letter? Please.”

“Adam only sent one letter,” Ben replied. “Let me take my coat off, and then we can all sit down and I’ll read the letter.” He looked over at the Chinese cook. “All right, Hop Sing?”

“Dinner can wait,” Hop Sing agreed, “until hear Number One Son’s letter.”

The four Cartwrights gathered on the settee while Hop Sing sat at the table, all waiting impatiently as Ben opened the envelope and took out Adam’s letter.

March 4, 1854

Dear Family,

Mr. Atherton told me today that he is satisfied I will pass the entrance examination and I can come home whenever it’s convenient.”

“Adam’s comin’ home!” Hoss yelled. “Hurrah!”

“Adam home!” Little Joe exclaimed, looking around.

“Not yet, mon ange, but he’ll be home soon,” Marie said.

“We can’t leave until I’ve checked to see if the pass is clear,” Ben said.

“That is true,” Marie said, seeing the crestfallen expression on the younger boys’ faces. “We want Adam to come home safely, n’est-ce-pas?”

Reluctantly, Hoss said, “Yeah. I guess he can’t come ’til we know we can get through the mountains.”

“I’ll go check first thing tomorrow,” Ben said, “and if it’s clear, then we’ll set out the day after.”

“Me, too?” Hoss asked excitedly and his whole face lit up when he saw his father’s nod.

“Me, too!” Little Joe shouted but Ben said softly, “No, Little Joe, Adam can get home faster if Hoss and I go by ourselves. You can keep your ma company so she doesn’t get lonely.”

That night when he and Marie were alone she said, “I want Adam home but I don’t like the idea of you crossing the mountains now. You could still get caught in a storm.”

“We’ll take a packhorse loaded with plenty of supplies and wood,” he replied, putting his arm about her and drawing her close. “And we certainly won’t go if it looks like it’s going to storm, but so far, it’s been a mild spring.” He kissed her and then said, “Don’t worry, my love.”

“It will be good to see him again,” she said with a dreamy smile. Then she giggled. “And he’s grown another half inch. I’m glad that tailor was able to let out the hems in his trousers. It appears he’s going to be taller than his pa.”

Ben grinned proudly. “Yup. And it’s surprising because Liz was such a tiny thing.” He was silent then and Marie knew he was thinking of his first love.

Oh Elisabeth, I try not to be jealous of you, but it is so hard. You’ve been nothing but a memory for seventeen years, but I think he loves you as much as ever. I know he loves me and I know he loved Inger, but you were the first and you had his whole heart. We both had to settle for a piece of it.

Ben was positively beaming when he returned for the noon meal. “Looks like we’ll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning, Hoss,” he said, grinning.

“Hurrah!” Hoss yelled, jumping into the air. Then he turned to his little brother. “Jest you wait, Little Joe, in few days, Adam’ll be comin’ home.

“Won’t that be wonderful, mon ange,” Marie said. “Adam will be back home with all of us soon,” and she smiled at how his little face lit up at the news he would see his brother again.

~ ~ ~

The day after Mr. Atherton’s conversation with Adam was a Sunday, so when the four young people met to go riding Adam told them that he had an announcement to make.

“Mr. Atherton told me that he believes I can pass the college entrance examination. I wrote my pa and I’ll probably be returning to the Ponderosa in a few weeks. I just wanted to tell you how much I’ve enjoyed spending time with all of you. Your friendship has really meant a lot to me.”

“I’ve enjoyed your company,” Kitty said. “I’ll miss discussing novels with you.”

“I’ll miss you, too,” Sally said quietly, hoping the others couldn’t see how much his news hurt. Even if he hadn’t returned her feelings, she had at least been able to see him, hear his voice, talk with him. Now she wouldn’t have even that consolation.

“And I’ll miss you,” Charles added. “I won’t have a Yankee to argue with,” and he and Adam shared a grin.

“I’ll be here for at least a fortnight. It’ll take about a week for my letter to reach home and then it’ll be at least a week before my Pa arrives. Depends on whether the pass through the Sierra Nevada is open.”

“You must be looking forward to being home again,” Kitty said. “Sometimes I still miss my old home and friends back in Ohio.”

“Yeah, I really miss my family. More than I ever realized I would. It seems like forever since I saw them, not five months.” He stopped and grinned lopsidedly. “The last time my pa wrote, he told me Hoss had grown two inches over the winter. He’s five foot, ten inches now.”

“Oh my goodness,” Kitty and Sally both exclaimed.

“Hard to imagine an eleven year old boy could be as tall as I am,” Charles said, “or it would be if I hadn’t met Hoss.”

“I know when I come home from college that he’s gonna be even taller than I am,” Adam said, shaking his head at the idea of his little brother becoming his “big” brother.

Adam continued to attend classes while he waited for his father’s arrival although as the days passed, he found his thoughts turning more and more to his reunion with his family. Two and a half weeks after he’d mailed his letter, Molly burst into the morning room one afternoon.

“Mr. Cartwright! Your father and your brother are in the music room!” she exclaimed excitedly and Adam jumped up. He ran past Molly, who turned to Mr. Atherton and said hurriedly, “Oh, I’m sorry, sir.”

“Understandable,” the tutor replied and then turned to his other pupil. “Master David, name the seven continents and locate them on our globe.”

Adam ran up the stairs two at a time and heard his brother’s excited voice shouting, “I hear him, Pa!” Then he saw his brother—tall and stocky, his face reflecting the same joy that he felt. The minute his feet left the stairs he felt Hoss’s arms encircle him in a fierce bear hug.

“Whoa, Hoss! You’re gonna break my ribs,” he got out, his voice both a laugh and a sob.

“I’m sorry,” the younger boy said, dropping his arms as his face turned crimson.

“I didn’t mind the hug. Just not so hard,” Adam said with a little grin, lightly punching Hoss’s shoulder.

Hoss grinned back at his brother and took a playful swing at his midsection.

“Brother, you’ve not only gotten taller, you’ve gotten stronger,” Adam said with a chuckle as he rubbed his stomach.

“And he’s not the only one who’d like a hug,” said a deep rumbling bass and Adam saw his pa then, standing in the doorway. Without a word, he walked over and hugged Pa hard. Ben would have held his son longer but reluctantly dropped his arms when he felt Adam stop hugging him.

“It’s so good to see you, son.” He stopped, suddenly realizing Adam could look him in the eye. “I think you’ve grown more than just a half inch.”

“Yeah, I think I have,” Adam replied, quirking up his lips slightly. “I expect Little Joe has grown too.”

“Some,” Ben agreed. “I don’t think he’ll ever be as tall as you and Hoss. He’s matured in other ways. You’ll find his vocabulary has grown and he’s becoming more independent.”

“He still don’t like havin’ his hair cut,” Hoss said with a chuckle, as the three of them moved into the music room. “He’s really excited that your comin’ home. Wanted to come with me and Pa ta bring ya.”

“What’s been happening since your last letter?” Adam asked as they sat down side by side on a settee.

“We got some new neighbors,” Hoss said.

Ben saw one of Adam’s eyebrows arch and said with a slight grin, “The day before we got your letter a new family settled just south of the McKarens. The Johnsons. The husband’s a few years younger than I am, the wife is about your ma’s age and they have a little boy about a year older than Joseph.”

The three of them talked until they all suddenly realized the room was growing dark. Adam pulled out his watch and said, “Oh, dinner is in 15 minutes.”

“Hoss and I have to wash up but we’ll hurry.”

The Townsends welcomed the Cartwrights and they spent a pleasant evening together. When it was time to head for their bedrooms, Ben said, “We’ll need to say our goodbyes now. The boys and I will be leaving right after breakfast. The rest of the family is eager to see Adam.”

“Of course,” Dave said. “We’re going to miss you, Adam. You and Mrs. Cartwright have done a fine job with him, Ben.”

“I hope you’ll write us sometimes, Adam, just to let us know how you’re getting on,” Opal said.

“I will, ma’am, I promise,” Adam replied earnestly. “I want to thank you for the hospitality that you’ve shown me. You treated me like a member of your family, and I’ll never forget that.”

“And we won’t forget you,” Opal said, and, standing on tiptoe, she kissed his cheek lightly. “We wish you all Godspeed.”

“Thank you,” Ben said, shaking Dave’s hand and then kissing Opal’s cheek. “Thank you so much for taking care of my boy.”

As the three Cartwrights approached the clearing and could see their cabin, smoke puffing from the chimney, and make out two figures on the porch, Adam reined Beauty in and began to sing in a true, clear voice:

Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble there 's no place like home!
A charm from the sky seems to hallow us there,
Which, seek through the world, is ne'er met with elsewhere.
Home! home! sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home!

Ben reached out and squeezed his firstborn’s shoulder, “I hope you never forget that, son,” he said in an uneven voice.

“I won’t, Pa. I promise.” Then Adam turned to Hoss. “C’mon, little brother, I’ll race ya.”
Epilogue
Ben came down the ladder after tucking in Little Joe and Hoss and hearing them say their prayers. He saw his first-born sitting on the settee in front of the fireplace, staring into the flames. Ben just gazed at him for a few minutes, trying to memorize what he looked like at this moment in time: the breadth of his shoulders, the long slim legs, the thick black hair that that was brushed back in an effort to control the exuberant curls, the familiar profile with its short straight nose and firm cleft chin. Ben sighed slightly and Adam turned to face him.

“Hoss and Little Joe in bed?”

“Yes. I’m afraid they’re too keyed up to sleep though,” Ben said with a faint smile. “Especially Joseph.” He paused and then said quietly, “He’s so excited about the trip to San Francisco. I don’t think it’s hit him yet that after you get on the ship, he won’t see you for years. Now, Hoss understands, but he’s trying very hard to think only of how much going to college means to you, and not how much he’s going to miss you.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t go now. I could wait a year,” Adam said softly. “It’s so soon after losing Belle-mère.”

“No, we’ll manage,” Ben said gently. “She wanted you to go to Harvard this fall and I intend to see her wish is fulfilled. Besides, I want you and your grandfather to spend time together, and next year might be too late for him.” Adam nodded slowly and then dropped his eyes. Ben moved closer and placed his hand on Adam’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I think we should turn in as well. We need to get an early start, and we have a long day ahead of us.”

Adam nodded and then stood up. He started to walk to the ladder, but suddenly turned and embraced his pa and said softly, ‘I love you, Pa,” before heading up the ladder to the loft.

“I love you, too, son, and I pray you’ll come back to us,” Ben whispered, making no effort to check the tears that ran down his cheeks.

References:
For information on San Francisco in the early 1850s, I used Historic San Francisco: A Concise History and Guide by Rand Richards.

For information on San Francisco’s First Baptist Church, I used to web sites:
http://www.fbcsf.org/about/history and http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist5/churches.html

I used several sources for Adam and Charles’ differing views on slavery but my main source was The American Pageant: A History of the Republic by Thomas A. Bailey

The music of Men of Harlech was first published in 1784 but the lyrics weren’t published until 1860. However, since there are numerous versions of the lyrics, that makes me think they must have existed before 1860 and so I think Mr. Williams could have taught Adam the version of the lyrics that his father had taught him. I used the lyrics found at the web site below:
http://www.castlewales.com/menhar.html

I used the lyrics to Early One Morning found at:
http://www.contemplator.com/

I used the poem/lyrics of Jesus Christ the Apple Tree at http://www.gracechurchcharleston.org/music/Christmas03.htm
Originally, this was going to be the Christmas carol that Adam sang for the Townsends and Mr. Atherton, but then I learned the lyrics come from Divine Hymns or Spiritual Songs, published by a New Hampshire minister named Joshua Smith in 1784, but the tune I am familiar with wasn’t written until the 20th century. Therefore, I decided to use the words as a poem, which Elizabeth Stoddard and her mother certainly could have been familiar with.

I got the lyrics for the Renaissance Christmas carol Remember O thou man at http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/remember_o_thou_man.htm

I found the lyrics to Home Sweet Home From the Opera of "Clari, the Maid of Milan" at http://www.bartleby.com/102/14.html

I discovered information on the McCormick reaper at: http://www.vaes.vt.edu/steeles/mccormick/harvest.html

The information on the miners living around Sun Mountain, including the bowling alley and the Saturday night dances, all come from The Roar and the Silence: A History of Virginia City and the Comstock Lode by Ronald M. James

The books Marie gives Adam as gifts and the ones Adam gives his brothers are all books available in the first half of the 19th Century.

Finally, I used Fashion in Costume: 1200-1980 by Joan Nunn as an aid in describing clothing.

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