LESSONS IN LOVE
by
Lynne C.

It was the first cattle drive that young Joe Cartwright had been on,
without his father being along, and it had been a great experience for
the 16-year-old. He and his oldest brother, Adam, had made good time,
delivering the herd, and Adam decided that they deserved a couple of
days off, being starting out on the trip home.

Mind you, there had been some disagreement about how that time off was
going to be spent. Adam suggested a spot of fishing and hunting, but
Joe was keen on staying in town and doing some different kind of
hunting, chasing after the young ladies, who worked in the saloon.

They did stay in town, long enough, to have a bath, a shave, in Adam's
case, and to get their clothes laundered, but, after a few beers, Adam
insisted it was time to move on.

"If I let you loose with the young ladies in here, little buddy, Pa'll
have my hide, when we get home. He thinks you're far too young to be
indulging in such practices, and I am inclined to agree with him. In a
couple of years, I'll take you to Julia's Palace, I promise you. It
will be my birthday treat, on your 18th. I did the same for Hoss; it's
one of the perks of being a big brother, guiding the younger ones
through the maze that makes up a female. You've still got a lot to
learn and some growing up to do, before you are emotionally ready to
handle such activities. Trust me, I know what I am talking about."

Joe treated Adam to one of his first class pouts.

"I reckon I know more about women, now, than you do," he said,
sneeringly. "You know what the gals at school were like, they were all
over me, like a rash. They couldn't keep their hands off of me. And
now that Pa lets me go to the saloon, with you and Hoss, on a Friday
night, there's plenty of gals in there, who would be happy to spend
time with me, if you'd only let me off the leash."

"You are a very handsome boy, little brother," said Adam, putting his
arm around Joe and steering him out of the saloon. "But, like I've
already said, you're not ready, yet, to take things beyond flirting."

Despite spending the rest of the evening, sulking, Joe couldn't get
Adam to change his mind, and they left town, the following morning.

However, Joe wasn't ready to give up on the idea of spending time with
a woman. As soon as Adam was settled on the bank of the river, fishing
pole in the water, and hat over his eyes, to shield them from the sun,
Joe waited for his chance to slip away.

It soon came, as the sound of Adam's breathing, deepened, indicating
that he was asleep.

Joe saddled up Cochise and returned to town. The bonus that Adam had
given him was burning a hole in his pocket, and he headed for the
saloon. He had a bit of difficulty getting served, but eventually he
was sat at a table, in the corner of the room, nursing a beer.

That one beer led to several more and things started to become a bit
blurred, to the boy. He did remember asking a young lady to join him,
at the table, and he's pretty sure she took him to her room, but after
that, he remembered nothing, until he woke up in an alleyway, with a
raging headache, and with all his money missing.

When his mind cleared a bit, he knew he was going to have to go and
catch up with Adam, and eat some humble pie. He couldn't stay in town,
without money, and although his father held an account at the bank,
Joe wasn't able to draw money out of it, as he wasn't yet twenty-one.

He dunked his head in a nearby water trough, collected Cochise, and
began the ride out to where he'd last seen Adam. He didn't think that
his brother was likely to have moved on, seeing as Joe wasn't with
him, so he was surprised that Adam wasn't at the river.

"He's gotta be around here somewhere, Cooch, but where?" said Joe, to
his horse.

When Adam woke up and realised that Joe was missing, he knew just
where the boy had gone. He saddled up Sport and began riding back to town.

`And when I catch up with him, that boy is gonna be mighty sorry,'
thought Adam. `I'm gonna give him a tanning that he'll still be
feeling the effects of, when we get home, next week.'

But, before Adam got to town and was able to carry out his threat, he
met a young woman, who was sitting at the side of the road.

"Good morning, ma'am," said Adam, tipping his hat. "Can I be of any
assistance, or are you okay?"

"No, I am most definitely not okay," she said, standing up, and
limping, as she made her way over to Adam. "I was riding a rented
horse, and the stupid animal spooked and threw me off. Then to add
insult to injury, he headed off back to the livery stable from where
he came. Riding boots are not made for walking in, especially when you
have twisted your ankle."

"I'll be happy to give you a ride back to town," said Adam. "I'm
heading that way, as I'm looking for my little brother. Sorry, should
have introduced myself, the name's Adam Cartwright, from the Ponderosa
ranch, in Nevada Territory."

"That would be most kind of you, Mr Cartwright, but could I ask you to
make a slight detour, first? You see, I was supposed to be meeting my
brother at a cabin not far from here. John wants to buy some land, out
this way, and he asked me to go and have a look at it, with him. He
was riding in from Silver City, so we planned to meet at the cabin,
rather than him coming to town and then having to ride out, again. I
just need to check if he's there, yet. My name is Amelia, Miss Amelia
Clifford. "

Adam really wanted to get to town, as quickly as he could, and track
down Joe. However, Amelia was a very good looking woman and he could
hardly refuse her request, not when she was looking at him, with her
beautiful, big blue eyes, framed with impossibly long lashes. She also
had this delicious habit of licking her lips, in such a way as to send
shivers of anticipation down Adam's spine. In order to keep Joe out of
trouble, Adam had foregone his usual visit to a young lady, at the end
of a cattle drive, and a stirring in his loins was reminding him of
that fact.

"No problem, ma'am, now allow me to help you up on my horse."

Amelia was soon settled behind Adam, and she placed her arms around
his waist, her hands resting on his belt buckle, causing even more
shivers to course through his body. If she was aware of them, she said
nothing, but just chattered on about the area and her brother's plans
for the land.

They soon arrived at the cabin and Adam was rather glad to discover
that her brother wasn't there. He helped her down, and then
dismounted, hoping that she wouldn't be able to see how the proximity
to her body had caused his, to react.

"I have some supplies with me, so let's go inside and make some
coffee," said Adam.

"Oh, that would be lovely, thank you," she said. "I, too, brought some
supplies with me, but I lost them when that darn horse ran off. Let's
go inside and see what the place is like."

It was rather basic in the cabin, but there was a decent stove, some
cooking utensils, a table and a couple of hard-backed chairs, and a
bed. Adam handed over the coffee and food he'd brought with him, and
then collected some wood from a box outside the door. Amelia set to,
and soon had the water boiling to make the coffee. She set out the
cups and plates on the table, after cleaning it with a cloth she found
in a drawer.

"Well, it's nothing fancy, but better than nothing, and once that
horse disappeared, I thought I'd go hungry, until I got back to town,"
said Amelia.

Adam sat on one of the chairs, but couldn't keep his eyes off the bed.
There was something about Amelia that was arousing all the most basic
instincts in the young man, and he chided himself for feeling like
that about a decent young woman.

`I'm lusting after her like she was a whore in a bordello,' he
thought. `If she knew what I was thinking, she'd about have a fit, and
faint on the spot.'

As they enjoyed their coffee and sandwiches, Adam told her about his
family, and especially his youngest brother.

"So, you see, he's a real handful, and I really should get on my way
to town, to try and save him from getting into all kinds of trouble.
However, I don't like the idea of leaving you out here, alone."

"If he's as handsome as you are, Adam, I would think you are going to
be too late to save his virtue. The saloon girls will have taken him
to their hearts. They don't often get such good looking clients."

As she said this, Amelia reached out and stroked a finger across the
back of Adam's hand. It was the one in which he was holding his cup,
and he very nearly dropped it.

"Thank you, ma'am, for that compliment and yes, he is a handsome boy,
but my father and I would prefer it if he remained a boy, for just a
bit longer, if you know what I mean?"

"Oh yes, Adam, I know what you mean," said Amelia. "I am a woman of
the world. After our parents died, John and I were left a fair amount
of money and we have travelled extensively, so I am not your usual
stay at home young woman, with no idea of what goes on beyond her
garden walls."

"I didn't think you were," said Adam, and he smiled at her, showing
off his dimples.

Amelia stood up and made her way around the table, so that she could
stand behind Adam's chair. She leaned over his shoulder, giving him
the opportunity to take in the smell of her. She was wearing a
perfume, which had a musky, earthy fragrance to it, and it made Adam
feel quite light-headed. When she gently kissed him on the cheek, he
thought, for a second, that he was dreaming, but then her hand began
to make its way inside his shirt, and he knew this was for real.

Before he had time to think much about what he was doing, he and
Amelia were lying on the bed, feverishly removing each other's
clothes. The next couple of hours flew by in a frenzy of love making,
the like of which Adam had never experienced, before.

Eventually, they fell asleep, completely worn out, and Adam remembered
nothing else, until he felt someone shaking him, by the shoulder, and
calling his name.

"Adam, wake up, I've been looking all over for you. What are you doing
here, and with no clothes on?"

Adam recognised his little brother's voice, and he quickly jumped up
and covered his naked body, with a blanket off the bed.

"How did you get here? I thought you were in town?"

Joe removed his hat, ran his fingers through his hair, and returned
his hat to his head, before answering Adam.

"Well, I did go to town, but I got into a bit of trouble and lost all
my money, so I came back to find you, and you weren't at the fishing
spot. I've been looking for you, for ages. Ah, good, you still have
some food with you, I'm starving."

Joe sat on one of the chairs and began to eat the last of the sandwiches.

Adam stood up and started looking for his clothes. There was no sign
of Amelia, and he did wonder if it all had been a dream.

"Did you see anybody hanging around, close by, as you arrived here?"
asked Adam.

"Nope, no one, but you haven't answered my question, yet," said Joe.
"Why are you butt naked? I mean, if you just decided to have a nap,
you don't usually remove all your clothes."

Joe then sniffed the air, and snapped his fingers.

"Wait a minute, I smell woman. You met a girl here, didn't you?"

"What if I did?" said Adam. "I'm a grown man, I'm allowed to spend
time with a woman. But that isn't the case with you. Just exactly what
were you doing, when you went to town?"

Joe sighed and decided he best come clean. He told Adam about going to
the saloon, having a few beers, and then about waking up, minus his money.

As he was talking, Adam was dressing, and at the mention of money, he
put his hand into the back pocket of his pants, and discovered that
his pocket book was missing.

"Looks like both of us were robbed, little buddy," said Adam.

He checked out the entire cabin, but didn't find his money, but at
least he was relieved to see that Sport was still tied to the hitching
rail.

"Her brother must've come by and collected her," said Adam, more to
himself than to Joe.

"Brother? She had her brother in on this, did she?" said Joe.

"It would appear so," said Adam. "I guess I may as well tell you the
whole story."

Adam made some more coffee and then told Joe all about meeting Amelia
on the road.

"She was really something, Joe, a real beauty, and I was completely
taken in by her."

"Mmm, it would appear that I'm not the only one not ready for adult
relationships, yet," said Joe, once Adam had told him what happened,
well, except for what went on in the bed.

Despite losing his money, and feeling pretty foolish, Adam began to laugh.

"I guess not, buddy. Look, fortunately I'd banked the money I got for
the cattle, so I've only lost my own cash. Therefore, I don't think
it's necessary to tell Pa about what happened, do you?"

"No, I don't, just as long as that means you're not gonna tell him
about what I did, either. At least I didn't do anything with my gal.
She just robbed me and had someone dump me in an alleyway, and I was
fully clothed, if a little grubby."

"Okay, it's a deal, you don't tell him about me and I won't tell him
about you," and the two brothers shook hands.

THE END
Little Joe forever
Lynne
October 9th 2006

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