A Cause We Believe to Be Just

Book 11 of A HOUSE UNITED series

By Sarah Hendess

 

Ponderosa Ranch
Nevada Territory
May, 1864

 

            “I still think you should run, Ben,” Sheriff Coffee said, sipping his beer as the two men relaxed at a table in the saloon.  “You know you’d have the votes of everyone in Virginia City.”

            Ben chuckled.  “The Ponderosa is all the responsibility I want, Roy.  I’ve got enough going on what with Adam’s wedding next month and my first grandchild on the way.  I don’t need to be the first governor of Nevada, too.”

            The sheriff raised an eyebrow.

            “Besides, we don’t even have statehood yet,” Ben pointed out.  “And no guarantee when we’ll get statehood.”

            “Oh, it’s coming, Ben.  Sooner rather than later, according to your oldest boy.”

            Now Ben raised an eyebrow
.
            “Yessiree,” Roy said, leaning back in his chair.  “Just the other day Adam was telling me how he thinks we’ll have statehood before the year is out.  Something to do with all the Union sympathizers wanting to give President Lincoln more support in the election this fall.”

            “That sounds like Adam.  Always thinking at least two steps ahead.  Probably why I haven’t beaten him at chess since he was twelve.”

            The men laughed, and Ben rose to leave.  It was about time to meet back up with Adam, who was at the church with Molly going over wedding details with Reverend Lovejoy.  Ben bid farewell to the sheriff and stepped outside.  He basked for a moment in the bright warmth of the mid-May sun.  The weather so far this month had been quite pleasant, and Adam was now only days away from finishing his and Molly’s house well ahead of schedule.  Ben would soon be helping him fill it with all the furniture he’d ordered from San Francisco.  Patience’s pregnancy was going well – she’d finally gotten over her terrible nausea – and in a couple weeks, Hannah would arrive for Adam’s wedding.  Ben grinned contentedly as he headed down the sidewalk toward the church.

            His grin vanished as he approached the telegraph office.  A crowd grouped around the door and chattered excitedly.  Ben’s heart sank – he knew what must have happened.

            “Every time I walk past this building…” he muttered as he nudged his way into the throng.

            A few moments’ listening proved his theory: The Union and Confederate armies had clashed again in Virginia, not far from where General Stonewall Jackson had been killed the previous year. 

            “They’re callin’ it the Battle of the Wilderness, Mr. Cartwright,” Morris said.  The young telegraph operator’s eyes were wide.  “Guessin’ about seventeen thousand Union casualties!”

            Ben’s heart leapt into his throat.  “Any messages for me?  Or Josie?” he croaked.  He and Josie had both been half sick with worry ever since they’d heard a few weeks ago about the two armies gearing up for another major clash.

            Morris’s eyes softened.  “No, Mr. Cartwright.  ‘Fraid not.  I’ll send a rider out to the Ponderosa if any come in.”

            Ben thanked the young man and slipped back out of the crowd.  The sunshine no longer seemed so cheerful, and Ben blinked against the glare.

            “Please be all right, Jacob,” he whispered as he trudged toward the church to meet Adam.

******

            “Josie’s not gonna take this well,” Adam said an hour later as he and Ben rode home.  He and Molly had had a successful day setting up the final wedding details with Reverend Lovejoy, and he’d thought nothing could break his cheerful mood – until Ben showed up and filled him in on the war news.  “She’s taken every battle a little harder than the last.”

            “Yeah,” Ben agreed.  “And with no word from Jacob or Hannah to give her…”

            Adam frowned.  “I’m sorry, Pa.  I know this has been hard for you, too.”

            Ben tugged the brim of his hat lower over his brow.  “Been hard on the whole country, son.  We don’t get to claim any special consideration.”  The set of his jaw told Adam the conversation was over, and father and son rode in silence the rest of the way home.

******

            Josie appeared to take the news a lot better than Adam had predicted.  He and Ben broke the news to her and Little Joe over dinner that evening, and while Josie’s fork clattered onto her plate and she didn’t finish her meal, she raised her chin high and insisted that her father would be all right.

            “Telegraph lines are down all over the South,” she said, absently stirring her green beans.  “He probably hasn’t been able to get word out to us.”

            “I’m sure you’re right,” Ben said, patting her arm.  Their eyes met, and Josie gave her uncle’s hand a little squeeze.

            Ben didn’t finish his supper, either, and Hop Sing muttered about wasting food while he cleared the table.  In an attempt to placate him, Josie started to help, but a knock on the door distracted her.

            “I expect that’s Jesse Hatcher,” she said, shaking her head.  “I’ll go get my bag.  Tell him I’ll meet him out at the clinic.” 

            The young rancher had come into Josie’s clinic earlier that day with his hand bleeding profusely from a bad cut on his palm.  He’d refused to let Josie stitch it up, so she’d bandaged it tightly and sent him on his way with instructions to come back if it started bleeding again.  Taking a page from Hop Sing’s book, she muttered her way up the stairs to retrieve her medical bag.

            Adam swung the door open to reveal not Jesse Hatcher but Fionn O’Connell.  The young man’s face and clothes were streaked with dirt and sweat as if he’d come straight from working in his fields.  Adam’s stomach lurched.

            “Fionn!  Are you all right?  Is Molly all right?”

            “Sure, sure, we’re both fine,” Fionn said, trying to peer around Adam into the house.  “Is Josie all right?  Molly told me about the battle, so I rode straight over.”  Behind him on the porch, Conall let out a happy yip as Pip appeared in the doorway next to Adam.  The wolfhound slipped past Adam, and he and his son trotted off together across the yard.

            Adam smiled as his fear subsided.  “Between you and me, I think she’s more upset than she’s letting on.  It was really thoughtful of you to ride out here.  Come on in.”  He stepped aside to let Fionn into the house while Little Joe hollered for Josie to come back downstairs.

            “Long day on the farm, Fionn?” Ben asked, the twinkle returning to his eyes.

            Fionn glanced down at his grimy appearance as he unbuckled his gun.  “Yes, sir.  Sorry.  Molly told me about the battle as soon as I came in from me fields, and I didn’t stop to wash up before I came over.”

            “Don’t worry about it,” Ben said.  “Like Adam said, it was very thoughtful of you to come see about Josie.  You two say hello and then you’re welcome to wash up here.  We’ll scrounge you up some grub, too.”

            “You don’t have to do that, Mr. Cartwright.  I’m all right.”

            “You eat!” Hop Sing called from the dining room where he was just finishing clearing up.  “Cartlights no want eat, so O’Connell will!”  He stormed back into the kitchen, his long queue swinging behind him.

            “Supposin’ I better eat,” Fionn said with a grin.

            “Fionn!”  Josie exclaimed as she rounded the landing on the stairs and descended the rest of the way to the ground floor.  “Oh my goodness, are you all right?”  She raced over to him, her hands reaching out to examine him.  Fionn pulled her into a hug.

            “I’m all right, Hey, You,” he whispered.  “I heard about the battle, and I was worried about you.”

            All three Cartwright men suddenly remembered important chores they had left undone and slipped quietly out of the house.

            Ignoring the stench of Fionn’s long work day, Josie buried her face in his shirt as the tears she’d refused to shed in front of Ben rose to her eyes.

            “We haven’t had any word from Papa,” she replied.  “I’m sure the telegraph lines are just down in Virginia, but…”

            Fionn kissed her forehead.  “I’m sure you’re right,” he said, echoing Ben’s earlier statement.

            “Oh, Fionn, thank you for coming.  This has been so hard on Uncle Ben, too, that I worry about getting upset in front of him.”  The tears spilled over, and Josie snuffled into Fionn’s filthy shirt.  Fionn held onto her tightly, not saying a word while Josie wept quietly.  When her tears at last subsided, he took a step back and tilted her chin up.

            “Better?” he asked.

            “A little.”  Josie gave him a watery smile.

            Fionn leaned down and gave her a lingering kiss.  Josie wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him.  They both jumped when Hop Sing thundered in from the kitchen.

            “Mr. Fionn go wash up!  Hop Sing have plate ready!”

            Fionn laughed and ran a hand through his hair.  “That’s an order I’m not inclined to disobey,” he said.  He kissed Josie’s nose and bounded up the stairs to wash up.  Josie narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Hop Sing, who gave her a smug smile and then strutted back into the kitchen.

            By the time Fionn reappeared downstairs, Adam, Ben, and Little Joe had returned from their urgent chores.  Joe joined Josie and Fionn at the table while Fionn polished off the supper that Josie and Ben hadn’t wanted.  When he finished, he sighed happily and leaned back in his chair.

            “Hop Sing, you sure can cook,” he said, patting his stomach.  “I don’t think these Cartwrights appreciate you nearly enough.”

            Hop Sing beamed.  “No, they don’t!” he agreed.  “Hop Sing cook and cook, but Cartlights complain and complain!”  He jabbed Little Joe sharply in the ribs as he swept past to refill Fionn’s coffee cup.  Fionn laughed as Little Joe yelped in protest.

            “Soon as I have the money, Hop Sing, I’ll hire you away from these scalawags, don’t you worry,” Fionn told the cook.  Even Ben chuckled as Hop Sing shot him his second smug smile of the evening.

            “Planning a big crop this year, are you?” Adam asked with a grin.  “Maybe charge that buyer in Reno more for your corn?”

            Fionn laughed again.  “No, that buyer gave me a good price last year, but I’ve got other plans for me corn this summer.”

            “What would you do with corn besides sell it?” Josie asked.

            “Oh, I’ve got a few tricks up me sleeve,” Fionn replied vaguely.  “Now Hop Sing, have you got any dessert lyin’ about?”

            Once Fionn had polished off two of Hop Sing’s famous powdered doughnuts, he joined the family in the great room, where Ben poured a round of brandy for everyone.  As he tended to do, Fionn lightened the mood considerably, kibitzing with Adam and teasing Little Joe about his current lack of love interests.

            “I got plenty of interests!” Joe protested.  “Just a shame none of ‘em are interested back.”

            The family roared with laughter, and Fionn turned to Josie, who, despite Fionn’s stinky shirt, was leaning against his chest as they sat together on the floor.

            “Your Mam should be here soon, shouldn’t she?” he asked.

            “Two more weeks,” Josie answered.  “She and Aunt Rachel should be reaching Panama any day now.  I expect I’ll have a telegram from her soon.”

            “That’ll be grand,” Fionn said.  “Didn’t have the pleasure of officially meetin’ her last year.  Think I’ll make a good impression?”

            Little Joe barked out a laugh, and Fionn stuck his tongue out at him while Ben and Adam snickered.  Josie giggled and kissed Fionn’s cheek.

            “You’ll do just fine,” she said. 

            As the evening wore on, Adam caught Fionn stifling yawns and fighting to keep his eyes open.  He shook his head.  Fionn had obviously put in a full day of hard work on his farm before riding over, and surely he had an early morning and another long day tomorrow.  Adam stretched his arms over his head and yawned.

            “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m beat.  I expect Fionn’s had a long day, too.  We should probably let him get home before Molly sends out a search posse,” he said.

            Fionn glanced at the grandfather clock.  “Aye, supposin’ I should get along home.”  He rose and bid goodnight to Adam, Ben, and Little Joe and then ambled over to the sideboard to gather his hat and gun.  Josie followed him and slipped her arms around his waist.

            “I wish you didn’t have to go,” she whispered. 

            Fionn kissed the top of her head.  “Aye, me, too.  But I’ll come back tomorrow night.  And the next night and the next, as long as you need me.”

            “You can’t do that, Fionn.  Not with all the work you have on the farm this time of year.  It’s too much.”

            “Nothing’s too much for you, Josie.”  He leaned and kissed her in full view of the rest of the family.  Then, with a final nod to the men, he slid out the door, latching it quietly behind him.

            The glow from Fionn’s visit vanished with him, and after just a few minutes of sitting somberly in the living room, the Cartwrights bid each other goodnight and went off to bed.  Adam wasn’t surprised when only a few minutes after he blew out his lamp, his bedroom door opened and Josie padded softly into the room.  Nothing needed to be said.  Adam scooted over to make room, and Josie crawled under the covers next to him.  He wrapped his arms around her as she laid her head on his chest, and the cousins drifted off to sleep.

******

            Fionn was as good as his word and showed up at the Ponderosa every evening for the next two weeks – though he started eating a quick supper at home before riding over.  The Cartwrights were generous, but Fionn wasn’t about to let himself eat them out of house and home.  Ben, Adam, and Little Joe found themselves looking forward to Fionn’s nightly visit almost as much as Josie did.  Adam guessed that Fionn was running himself ragged working a full day on his farm and then spending long evenings on the Ponderosa – a suspicion he confirmed one night when he secretly followed Fionn home and witnessed the younger man falling asleep in his saddle only minutes after riding out of the Cartwrights’ front yard.  He wanted to say something to Molly, to see if she could talk some sense into her brother before he made himself sick with exhaustion, but he couldn’t bring himself to.  They’d still had no word from Jacob, and both Josie and Ben were losing weight from not eating well.  Fionn’s visits were the one bright spot of their days.

            All the Cartwrights tried to distract themselves from their worry by throwing themselves into their work.  Adam cheered up when the furniture for his new house began arriving, but this just made things harder for Ben and Josie.  Not only were they worried about Jacob, but now they had a tangible reminder that Adam would soon be moving out.  Josie slept every night curled up next to Adam – both for comfort and to squeeze out every last second with Adam before he left home.  As often as not, she woke in the middle of the night, panicked and crying for her father.  Relying on skills honed during years of Little Joe’s childhood nightmares, Adam held her close and stroked her hair until she fell back into a restless sleep.

            Their spirits lifted a bit, however, as they and the O’Connells celebrated Adam’s thirty-fourth birthday with a big family dinner.  Then, as May drew to a close, they began preparing for Hannah’s and Rachel’s arrival.  Since Hoss had moved out, no one had to sleep in the bunkhouse to make space.  Hannah would take Hoss’s old room, and Rachel would take the downstairs guestroom again. 

            His house finished and his ranch chores caught up, Adam took the day before his aunts’ arrival off and rode out to the O’Connells’ farm to take Molly for a ride.  She was enjoying her new horse, Breezy, and had been more than willing to close her shop for a day when Adam suggested they ride out to Lake Tahoe for an afternoon.  She’d offered to bring the picnic lunch, and Adam hoped that lunch would include barmbrack.  Adam had never had the sweet bread before meeting Molly, but he’d fallen head over heels for it when Molly had first served it to him last fall.  She said it was traditionally a Halloween food, but Adam loved it so much that she usually made a loaf when she knew he was coming over. 

            When Adam arrived on the farm, Molly greeted him with a long, deep kiss that made his insides roll. 

            “Well hello,” he said when they finally parted, breathless and tingling. 

            “Missed you,” Molly said with a smile.

            “Missed you, too.”  Adam grinned back at her.  It had been only two days since he’d last seen her, but lately even the shortest separation was agonizing. 

            “Three and a half more weeks, my love.”

            Adam smiled again.  “Still counting, are we?”

            “Every second until I walk down that aisle.”

            Adam kissed the tip of her nose.  “Come on.  Let’s go on that ride.”

            Two hours later, they reined their horses to a stop on a secluded section of lakeshore near their new home.  They hobbled the horses to graze without wandering off too far and then spread out the picnic blankets Adam had brought along.  Ravenous after their long ride, they plowed through the picnic lunch in record time.  Adam ate half the loaf of barmbrack all by himself.  Then, their bellies and their hearts full, they cuddled together on the blankets and watched the gentle waves of Lake Tahoe lap against the shore.  To the east, they could just see the roofline of their new house, now filled with furniture and waiting for them to move in.

             “Adam, I’m so happy,” Molly sighed as she leaned against his chest.

            Adam smiled and kissed the top of her head.  “Me, too.  I never thought I could know contentment like this.”

            They sat quietly for a time before Molly spoke up again.  “Your aunts still arrivin’ on the stage tomorrow?”

            “Yeah.  I can’t wait to see Aunt Hannah.”

            Molly giggled.  “No love for Rachel?”

            “It’s always good to see family.”

            Molly giggled again.

            “I do love my Aunt Rachel,” Adam said.  “She’s just hard to take in large doses.  I’m hoping Widow Hawkins keeps her occupied most of the time.”

            “Widow Hawkins isn’t the only one lookin’ forward to seein’ her.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Sheriff Coffee’s been talking about her for weeks, sayin’ how lovely it’ll be to have a fine lady in town again.  Brings it up every time I see him.”

            Adam’s eyebrows shot up.  “Does he now?  Well, maybe Aunt Rachel won’t have time to hassle me after all.”

            “Be charitable, Adam.  She’s comin’ all this way for our weddin’.”

            “Yes, ma’am.”  Adam kissed Molly’s cheek.  “And since you feel so kindly towards her, I’m sure you’ll be delighted to join us for supper tomorrow night.”

            “Oh, well, I, uh, I don’t know,” Molly sputtered.  “I’ve got a lot of work to do, what with finishin’ me weddin’ gown.  And Fionn’s suit needs a few final touches…”

            “Be charitable now, Molly,” Adam teased.  “Aunt Rachel’s coming all this way for our wedding.”

            Molly sighed.

            “Besides, Hoss and Patience will be there,” Adam continued.  “And Fionn’s invited, too, of course.  He’s bound to keep things interesting.”

            “Aye, that he is.  All right, we’ll be there.”

            “Thank you.  Truly, thank you.”

            “Care to show me how thankful you are?”

            Adam laughed.  “You ARE in quite the mood today!”

            Molly kissed him.  “You goin’ to take advantage of it or not?”

            Adam did.

******

            When Adam returned home that evening – with a big smile on his face – Little Joe met him in the barn.

            “Hey, Adam, I think maybe you’ve had some luck with Ruckus and Scout,” he said.  “I tried putting them together in the breeding corral this afternoon like you asked, and Scout reared up and wouldn’t let Ruckus anywhere near her.”

            Adam grinned even more broadly.  “That’s great!”  He ambled over to Scout’s stall and patted the Appaloosa’s nose.  “Guess we’ll know for sure in a few weeks if you don’t go into season again,” he said.

            “You know, Adam,” Joe called from the front of the barn.  “You should probably talk to Josie.  She’s still going on about giving you her share of the foal.”

            “Oh, yeah.”  Adam frowned.  In all the hubbub over the battle, plus his wedding plans and Hannah and Rachel’s visit, he’d completely forgotten to tell Josie she didn’t have to pay him back for bailing her out of the Genoa Jail.  “I’ll talk to her tonight.”  He strode to the front of the barn and draped an arm around Joe’s shoulders.  “Come on, Little Brother.  Let’s see what Hop Sing has cooking.”

            Little Joe grinned as the brothers headed out of the barn.

******

            Once again, Josie was disinterested in her supper.  This time, at least, she was glowing with excitement over her mother’s arrival rather than brooding over the lack of word from her father.  She tried to protest when Adam told her she didn’t owe him for the bail money, but Adam wouldn’t hear a word of it.

            “Your mother would have killed me if I’d left you in that jail, so I consider it an investment in my personal safety,” he said. 

            Josie wrinkled her nose.  “All right,” she grumbled good-naturedly.  “Thanks, Adam.”

            “Anytime, kid.  Oh, and Molly said she and Fionn will be here for supper tomorrow night.”

            Josie beamed.  She couldn’t wait to show Fionn off to her mother.  As for Aunt Rachel… Well, Aunt Rachel would be unhappy with any man Josie chose, so it was best not to even consider her opinion.

            The Cartwrights hit the sack early that night since they had to be up early the next morning to meet the stagecoach.  Adam lay awake for some time, unable to fall asleep.  Something was nagging at him, but he couldn’t figure out what.  He rolled over twice to get more comfortable, and he finally realized what it was: For the first time in two weeks, Josie wasn’t cuddled up next to him.  He swung his legs out of bed to go check on her when he heard someone fumbling around downstairs. 

            “Probably Hop Sing doing some last-minute straightening up,” he muttered to himself as he stuck his feet in his slippers.  There was no love lost between Hop Sing and Rachel, but Adam knew the Chinaman adored Hannah and wanted everything to be perfect for her arrival.

            Adam side-stepped the creaky floorboard outside his door and crept to Josie’s bedroom.  There was no light coming from under her door, so he opened the door a crack and stuck his head in.

            Josie’s bed was empty. 

            Just then, he heard a clatter from downstairs followed by a soft curse.  He chuckled and headed the other direction down the hall and then down the stairs.  He found Josie in the kitchen, picking up a dozen spoons that she’d dropped on the floor.

            “Oh my goodness, I’m sorry, Adam,” she said, her face flushed, as she snatched up the spoons.  “I didn’t mean to wake you.  I couldn’t sleep, so I was going to make myself some tea, and everything just went wrong.”

            Adam glanced around the kitchen and saw the spoons weren’t the only casualty of Josie’s culinary endeavor.  Loose tea was strewn across the kitchen table, and the sugar bowl had tipped over, scattering its contents on the counter.

            “How did you manage all this?” he asked, trying unsuccessfully to hide a smirk.

            “No idea,” Josie said, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes.  “One minute I was reaching for a spoon, and the next I’d spilled everything in the kitchen.”

            Still smiling, Adam helped Josie collect the remaining spoons and sweep up the tea and sugar.  Then he sent her to the living room while he prepared her tea.  He carried the tea into the living room and placed it on the coffee table in front of Josie.

            “Not having any?” she asked with a grin.

            “Definitely not.”  Adam poured himself a brandy from Ben’s decanter before settling on the settee next to his cousin.

            Neither of them said a word as they sipped their drinks.  When Josie’s tea was gone, she scooted close to Adam, who put his arm around her shoulders.  She leaned against his chest and soon fell asleep.  Leaving her tea cup and his snifter on the coffee table, Adam picked her up and carried her upstairs to her room.  He tucked her into bed and then patted the space next to her.  Pip leapt from his spot on the rug and hopped onto the bed next to his mistress.  He flopped down with a big sigh, and in her sleep, Josie threw an arm around him.

            “Good boy, Pip.  You keep the monsters out of her dreams tonight, ok?” Adam whispered.

            Pip thumped his tail on the bed, and Adam gave him a scratch behind the ears.  He kissed Josie’s forehead and then slipped out of the room.   

******

            Like they had on the day of Hannah’s arrival the previous year, the Cartwrights woke early the next morning and could hardly down their breakfasts.  They were out to door and headed for town well ahead of schedule.  Josie and Ben rode in the buggy, and Adam and Little Joe followed along on horseback, with Pip trotting alongside.  Josie giggled as she remembered Aunt Rachel’s reaction to Pip last year and couldn’t wait to see the look on her aunt’s face when Fionn brought Conall over that evening.

            They arrived in town nearly an hour before the stagecoach was due, but Hoss and Patience met them at the depot, so the family spent the time catching up.  Everyone was disappointed that Patience’s belly hadn’t started to poke out yet, but they all had a good laugh when Hoss patted his own midsection and said “Sure!  Get excited about her belly, but you’ve been complainin’ about mine for years!”

            As the laughter faded, Ben suddenly ducked behind Hoss.  The big man opened his mouth to ask his father what was going on, but he promptly clapped it shut when he spotted Widow Hawkins sashaying her way across the street toward them.  Ben must not have leapt out of sight quickly enough, because as soon as she reached them, Clementine reached behind Hoss and yanked Ben back to the front of the group.

            “Oh, Ducky, I can’t tell you ‘ow excited I am to be seein’ your sister again!” she gushed as she gave Ben’s cheek a hard pinch.

            “Good morning, Clementine,” Ben stammered, trying to step backward out of the widow’s grasp but succeeding only in treading on Adam’s foot.  “And yes, we’re all very excited for Hannah to arrive.”

            Clementine threw back her head and laughed.  “Now, Ducky, you know we’re all excited to see ‘annah, but I was talkin’ about Rachel!”  She threw a sideways glance down the street.  “And it seems I’m not the only one.”

            All six Cartwrights followed the widow’s gaze down the street and saw Sheriff Coffee striding towards them.

            “Good morning, everyone!” he said when he reached them.  “Fine morning for a stagecoach isn’t it?  By sheer coincidence I thought I’d greet the stage this morning, and here your family’s arriving today!”

            The Cartwrights each greeted the lawman in turn.  They all had to avoid making eye contact with one another for fear they’d burst out laughing at the sheriff’s “coincidentally” deciding to meet the stage that morning.  But at least Roy’s arrival had distracted Clementine’s attention away from Ben as they settled back down to wait.

            When they spotted the first dust cloud of the approaching stage, all the Cartwrights leapt to their feet, Josie and Little Joe hopping from foot to foot with excitement. 

            As the bright-red stagecoach rolled to a stop, Ben stepped forward and opened the little door.
As she had the previous spring, Rachel Stoddard filled the doorway with a voluminous hoop skirt.  She blinked in the bright sunlight as she extended her hand to Ben, who helped her step down to the ground.

            “So good to see you, Benjamin!” she proclaimed as she gave her brother-in-law a demure peck on the cheek before practically launching herself at Adam and Josie. 

            Josie gave her the quickest of hellos before passing her off to Hoss and pushing her way through the throng of Cartwrights to the stagecoach door.  Adam followed and extended his hand just as Hannah appeared in the doorway.

            Hannah took Adam’s hand but barely gave her beloved nephew a hello before throwing her arms around Josie.

            “Mama!” Josie cried as tears ran down her cheeks.  She clutched her mother tightly as Pip bounced happy circles around them.  “Oh, Mama, I-” 

            Hannah stepped back and grabbed Josie’s shoulders in a tight grip.  Her eyes were wild.  “Josie, have you any word from your father?”

            Josie blanched.  “No, Mama, I haven’t.”  Her chin quivered.  “I was going to ask you the same thing.”

            The color drained from Hannah’s face, too, and Josie gripped her mother’s elbows for fear she would collapse.  Hannah bit her lip, unable to reply, and for the first time in her life, Josie looked to Rachel for an answer.  Rachel let go of Hoss and turned to Josie.

            “We were already aboard ship when the battle was fought,” she explained.  “We didn’t even hear about it until we reached Panama two weeks ago.  Your mother’s been frantic ever since.  We were hoping Jacob had wired you.”

            The family’s excitement died in an instant.

            “No,” Josie whispered.  “I haven’t heard a thing.”  Adam saw her begin to tremble, and he stepped behind her and put an arm around her shoulders.  She leaned into him as if he were the only thing keeping her upright.  Ben stepped over to Hannah, whose eyes were about to spill over with tears.  He pulled her into his arms in a warm embrace.

            “Welcome back to Nevada, Hannah,” he said, kissing her forehead.  “As I’ve told Josie, I’m sure we’ll hear from Jacob soon.”

            “Ben, it’s been a month,” Hannah replied.

            “I expect he’s just having trouble getting word out,” Ben said.  “I read that General Grant’s men are tearing up railroad tracks and telegraph lines and just about everything as they move south.  We just have to be patient.”

            “Yeah, Aunt Hannah,” Little Joe said, stepping over to her.  “I been tellin’ these clowns that for almost a month.  Uncle Jacob’s fine.  He’s just busy beatin’ up on General Lee.”

            Hannah gave Joe a watery smile and then grabbed him up in a huge hug.  “I’m glad to see you back on both feet,” she said, patting his cheek.  “Been staying out of trouble?”

            “Oh, yes, ma’am!”

            Adam and Hoss barked out a loud “Ha!” in unison, and Little Joe and Josie both shot them a withering gaze.  Hannah was ignorant of their arrest in Genoa, and Josie hoped to keep it that way.

            Ben extended an arm to Hannah and suggested they’d all feel better after some lunch.  Hannah took Ben’s arm with one hand and Little Joe’s with the other, and the trio started down the street toward the International House.   Adam turned to offer his arm to Rachel, but she’d already grabbed the sheriff’s arm and taken off after Ben, Joe, and Hannah.  Adam shrugged, put his arm back around Josie’s shoulders, and escorted her to the restaurant.

            If not for Clementine Hawkins and Sheriff Coffee, lunch would have been a subdued affair.  But the widow and the lawman were so excited to be reunited with Rachel that even Hannah and Josie perked up a bit.  By the time dessert arrived, Adam had elicited a small smile from Josie by pulling goofy faces every time Roy fawned over Rachel – which was often. 

            Spirits were higher on the ride back to the Ponderosa.  The Cartwrights managed to jettison Widow Hawkins at her boardinghouse on the basis that there was no extra room in the buggy, but Roy rode along on his own horse, claiming he needed to visit some people in that direction anyway.  Adam’s wedding occupied much of the conversation on the ride home.  Rachel was relieved he was being married in a church, and everyone else was relieved that the subject of Molly’s Catholic baptism never came up.

            “Adam, I’m so happy for you,” Hannah said, smiling up at him as he rode alongside the buggy on Sport.  “I didn’t get a chance last year to get to know Molly well, but she seems like a wonderful young lady.”

            “Indeed,” Rachel agreed.  “And I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you’re finally settling down.  I’d begun to despair for the future of the family!”  Roy joined in Rachel’s laughter, but everyone else rolled their eyes.

            “Well, you know Aunt Rachel,” Hoss piped up from his and Patience’s wagon, “I ain’t no Stoddard, but at least we got the future of the Cartwright family comin’ right along.”  He reached out a meaty hand and gently patted his wife’s belly.

            Rachel beamed at him.  “I cannot wait to hear all about the little one when she arrives,” she said genuinely.  “I only wish I could stay long enough to meet her.”

            “How do you know the baby’s a girl?” Little Joe asked.

            Rachel glanced over at him and blew out an impatient puff of air.  “Women just know these things, Joseph.  I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

            Little Joe sneered at the back of Rachel’s head and mimicked “I wouldn’t expect you to understand” in a very soft, high-pitched voice.

            Hop Sing was waiting in the front yard when the family rode in, and he hustled over to the buggy to greet Hannah and Rachel.  Ranch hands materialized to unload the luggage and take care of putting up the horses and wagons so the Cartwright men could go inside and enjoy their family reunion.  Once the ladies were settled in their rooms, everyone relaxed in the living room to catch up.  Rachel and Hannah had little to report from Boston apart from war news – though away from the fighting, the city had, like all other major cities, mobilized to provide their share of soldiers and supplies – so the Cartwrights caught the ladies up on Ponderosa news instead.  Josie told them about traveling to Sacramento with Adam the previous fall, very neatly leaving out the part where she and Adam captured the bank thieves.  She decided her mother already had enough to worry about.\

            As if sensing Hannah’s anxiety, Pip sat next to her chair all afternoon, his heavy chin resting on the armrest.  Every so often, Hannah would scratch the wolfhound’s ears.

            “You’re such a good boy, Pip,” she said.  “And I can’t wait to meet your son tonight.”  She turned to Josie.  “Fionn will bring Conall, won’t he?”

            “Absolutely.  Conall won’t let Fionn go anywhere without him.”

            “Oh joy, two of them,” Rachel muttered, casting a sideways glance at Pip.

            Little Joe saw his opportunity to get back at Rachel for her earlier snide remark to him.

            “Don’t worry, Aunt Rachel,” he said with a wicked grin.  “Conall’s not a pure wolfhound like Pip.  He’s got a lot of actual wolf in him.  That’s what happens when you get one of the Paiutes’ dogs into trouble.  Chief Winnemucca drops by the ranch, says you have to take responsibility…”

            Josie giggled as Rachel’s jaw dropped, but before she could reply, the family heard a commotion from the front yard.  The men and Josie leapt to their feet to investigate.

            “Mr. Cartwright!” two voices shouted from outside.

            “That’s Molly!” Adam said.

            “That’s Fionn!” Josie chimed in at the same time.

            “They’re early,” Ben said, glancing at the grandfather clock as he hurried to open the door.  “I hope everything’s all right.”

            The family spilled onto the porch as Fionn helped Molly down from their wagon.  Conall tore into the yard moments later, but even Rachel paid him no heed as the family hurried over to them.  Having been at the front of the pack, Ben reached the wagon first.

            “Molly, Fionn, what is it?  Is something wrong?”

            “Telegram for you, Mr. Cartwright,” Molly said, thrusting a slip of paper at Ben.  “Morris heard I was comin’ out here tonight, and he stopped by me shop askin’ if I could bring it to you.  Had a feelin’ you’d want it right away.”

            Ben scanned the message and nearly collapsed backward into Adam.

            “It’s from Jacob,” he said, his hands trembling.  “Well, from one of his aides, anyway.  Says he’s all right but the Army’s in hot pursuit of General Lee and he may not be able to get word out to us again for quite some time.”

            Hannah and Josie burst into tears and fell into each other’s arms.  Patience squealed with delight and hugged Hoss and Little Joe, while Adam laid a hand on his father’s shoulder until he was sure the older man was steady.  Even Rachel ran a hand down her face and dabbed at one corner of her eye.  Roy tentatively reached an arm around her shoulders and grinned when she didn’t protest.

            Once she’d collected herself, Hannah snatched the telegram from Ben and read it a dozen times.  Meanwhile, Adam zipped over to Molly and gathered her into his arms. 

            “Thank you for bringing this,” he whispered in her ear.  “Thank you so much.”

            “Thank Morris,” Molly replied.  “He brought it to me.”

            While everyone finished exchanging relieved hugs – even Hop Sing got caught up in one of Hoss’s bear hugs – Josie fell against Fionn and buried her face in his shoulder.  He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.

            “It’s all right, Hey, You,” he whispered.  “Your Da will come home to you.”

            Josie nodded.  “You should meet my mother.  Officially, anyway.”  Fionn had met Hannah at the Cartwrights’ party the previous year, but as Josie had been courting with Simon at the time, their introduction had been brief.  Josie dusted a bit of the trail off the front of Fionn’s shirt before looping her arm through his and leading him over to her mother.

            “Mama!  I’d like you to meet Fionn.”  Her chin high, Josie beamed as she gave Fionn a little push toward her mother. “Fionn, my mother, Hannah Cartwright.”

            Fionn smiled and extended his hand, but Hannah pulled him into a big hug.

            “It’s so wonderful to meet you, Fionn,” Hannah said.  “Josie’s told me so much about you in her letters.”

            “Likewise, ma’am,” Fionn said, blushing slightly.  “Not in her letters, though.  She’s told me about you in person.”

            Hannah laughed and released Fionn as she turned toward Rachel.  “Please, meet my sister, Rachel Stoddard.”

            “Ma’am,” Fionn said, extending his hand to Rachel.  She pricked one eyebrow and briefly clasped his hand.

            “Josephine tells me you’re a farmer?” she said.

            “Yes, ma’am.  Own me own farm about an hour from here.”  Rachel continued to stare appraisingly at him, and Fionn stared right back, smiling but never breaking eye contact.  “Might say I’m a self-made man like Mr. Cartwright.  Or your own fine father, from what Josie and Adam tell me.”

            Josie caught Adam’s eye, and the cousins grinned at each other as Rachel’s other eyebrow raised.

            “Your farm’s as big as the Ponderosa, is it?” she asked, the corners of her mouth twitching upward.  Josie could have sworn she saw the hint of a twinkle in her aunt’s usually steely eyes.

            Fionn chuckled.  “Not yet, ma’am.” 

            “Well, Mr. O’Connell, I like a man with ambition.”  Rachel cast a gaze at Roy Coffee when she said this.  “And thank you for bringing us our good news.  Though do be careful driving around at breakneck speed, would you?”  To Josie’s great shock and relief, Rachel smiled at Fionn.

            Fionn smiled back.  “Yes, ma’am.”

            “Especially with my fiancée in the wagon,” Adam said, grinning as he stepped forward with Molly on his arm.  “Aunt Hannah, Aunt Rachel, I think you remember my bride-to-be, Molly.”

            Hannah pulled Molly into an embrace just like she had with Fionn. 

            “Molly!  So good to see you again!  Business going well?”

            “Yes, ma’am, Mrs. Cartwright,” Molly replied.  “After that first gown I made for Josie, I’ve been very busy.”  She turned and clasped Rachel’s extended hand.  “A pleasure to see you again, Miss Stoddard.”

            “Lovely to see you again, dear,” Rachel said.  “So glad to hear your business is thriving.  Now, let’s all go inside where we can talk properly, rather than standing around in this dusty yard.”

            In minutes, everyone was settled in the great room, chattering away with one another in various combinations.  Rachel monopolized Molly’s time, asking her for all the wedding details Adam had already given her and occasionally casting sideways glances at Roy.  Josie, Fionn, Little Joe, and Patience crowded around Hannah and told her all about the library.  Adam soon gave up trying to get a word in edgewise to Hannah and turned to Hoss to discuss their plans to bid to provide lumber for a railroad trestle to be built over Humboldt Canyon in the northern part of the territory.  Ben just sat quietly in his armchair next to the fireplace, staring at the telegram that Hannah still held, turning it over and over in her fingers as she asked polite questions about the Virginia City Library.

            Adam smiled as he gazed around the room at all the Cartwrights, Stoddards, and O’Connells gathered in the big house.  He smiled a little bigger as he imagined the addition of a tiny Cartwright that fall, and hopefully, another one by spring.  He glanced at Josie and Fionn and hoped that maybe by this time next year, they’d even be planning another wedding.  He stepped over to Molly and planted a kiss on the top of her head.  She looked up and smiled at him, reaching behind her to squeeze his hand.

            Their adoring gaze was broken by Hop Sing calling them all into the dining room for supper.  Adam choked on a bark of laughter as he saw that Hop Sing was wearing the tuxedo Rachel had bought for him last year.  Rachel, in fact, was the only one who didn’t find it funny.  While everyone else swallowed their laughter, she lit up with joy and complimented Hop Sing on looking like a proper gentleman.

            Hop Sing, as usual, had laid out a feast, so Ben quickly blessed the food, throwing in extra thanks for the news of Jacob’s safety, and everyone dived in.

            “Molly, Adam tells me you’ve been to Boston,” Hannah said as she cut into her roast chicken.

            “Yes, ma’am, we landed there when we first came to America,” Molly replied.

            “It’s a wonder you didn’t stay,” Rachel chimed in.  “There are thousands of your countrymen there.”

            Fionn’s knees hit the underside of the table as his spine stiffened, drawing everyone’s attention.  Josie cast him a puzzled look as Molly caught his gaze and shook her head.

            “Our Da wanted to come west,” she said quickly.  “Had dreams of the opportunity on the great frontier, he did.”  She gave Rachel a tight smile.

            “A common ailment among men,” Rachel said, shooting a glance at Ben.

            “Have you had any trouble in Boston, Miss Stoddard?” Roy asked as he poured gravy over everything on his plate.  He was so busy staring at Rachel that he didn’t notice the gravy was about to spill over the edges of his plate.  Hoss snatched the gravy boat away from him just in time. 

            “Trouble, Sheriff?”

            “I heard there was some trouble with riots in New York City last year.  Didn’t know if you’d had any problems like that in Boston.”

            Fionn gripped his fork so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

            “Oh, yes, those dreadful riots!” Rachel said, shaking her head.  “Unfortunately, yes, we did have trouble in Boston, just as Hannah and I were returning from our visit here, in fact.  Though I suppose no one could really be surprised given all the-  well, given the assortment of Boston’s population.”

            “Just say it, Miss Stoddard,” Fionn spat, his eyes blazing, all traces of his and Rachel’s earlier congeniality gone.  “Given all the Irish.  That’s what you were goin’ to say, isn’t it?”

            “Unfortunately, it was the Irish in both Boston and New York who rioted.  It is nothing personal, you understand.  I find you and your sister most agreeable.”

            “How good of you.”

            “Hang on,” Hoss cut in.  “I’m confused.  What riots are you talkin’ about?”

            While Fionn decimated his chicken, Ben sighed and explained.  “Last year, the government started drafting men into the Union Army.  It didn’t go over so well in the big cities, and a lot of the people rioted.  Things got worse when the police tried to put it down.  I read that the riots in New York lasted four days.  Police were being beaten to death all over the city, newspaper offices were burned.  Even the Negroes were attacked.  More than a hundred people were killed.  Unfortunately, most of the rioters were Irish immigrants.”  He cast Fionn a sympathetic gaze.

            “Why were they attackin’ the Negroes?” Hoss asked.  “Seems like they’d go after the Army offices.”

            “This war is about ending slavery,” Patience observed.  “Negroes represent everything people are getting drafted for.”

            “And at least the Negroes have the charity of the abolition societies on their side.  The rest of us are left to rot,” Fionn added.

            “But to kill innocent people-” Rachel protested.

            “I’m not condonin’ what they did, ma’am,” Fionn said.  “Just sayin’ I understand why they were angry.  Can’t expect a man to be happy about goin’ off to die in a war to save someone else’s children when his own are left to starve in a filthy tenement.”

            “But why was it just the Irish rioting?” Little Joe asked.

            “Because it was just the Irish gettin’ drafted to fight a war for a country that doesn’t even want us here,” Fionn seethed between clenched teeth.

            “That’s not true,” Rachel contended.  “People of all ethnicities were drafted.”

            “But it’s mainly the Irish who ended up goin’ to war.”

            “My dear boy, the Irish had the same opportunity as everyone else to pay the fine and avoid going into the Army.  If they chose not to take that opportunity-”
            “Chose not to take the opportunity?”  It was only Adam’s hand on his shoulder that kept Fionn from leaping out of his seat.  “The fine was three hundred dollars!  Where’s an Irishman supposed to get that kind of money?”

            Rachel set her shoulders and poked her chin high in the air.  “The same way as everyone else: hard work and frugality.”

            Adam wracked his brain for a way to defuse the situation before it completely ruined the meal, but he came up blank.  He cast a frantic glance at his father, but Ben looked just as stunned as he felt.  Hannah was chewing on her lower lip, and tears streamed down Molly’s face, but it was too late to stop Fionn’s reply.

            “We’d love to, Miss Stoddard,” Fionn said, his voice dangerously low, “but the good people of America have made that impossible.  My family would have loved to stay in Boston, but me Da couldn’t find work.  Everywhere he went he ran into signs that said ‘No Irish Need Apply.’  Stayin’ in Boston would have left us no better off than we were in Ireland durin’ the famine!  That’s why we came west.  Not that the West has been much better.  Da was a master beer crafter.  He should have been able to find good work anywhere in the country, but as soon as people heard his brogue, they sent him packin’.  It’s a miracle we didn’t starve on our way west, and then we had to work for pennies on the docks in San Francisco just to keep food in our mouths.  It was only Molly’s dressmakin’ allowed us to put away enough to buy our farm.  Course that was after Da died of consumption because he wouldn’t let us spend money on a doctor.  But sure, Miss Stoddard, the Irish could just pay the fine.”

            A hush settled over the table, and Adam had to sit on his hands to keep from applauding Fionn’s monologue.  Everyone sat still as statues, their eyes darting between Fionn and Rachel.  Adam silently willed his aunt not to say anything further.

            “I will remind you, Mr. O’Connell,” Rachel began, “that it was the politicians in Washington who passed the Enrollment Act.  If the Irish are so upset over it, perhaps they should consider such issues when they vote.”

            Now Fionn did leap to his feet.  “You can’t be serious!” he shouted.  “Vote?  We’d love to vote, ma’am, but most of us can’t because your dear politicians have made it damn near impossible for us to become citizens!”

            “Aren’t you an American citizen, Fionn?” Josie asked, her eyes wide.  “You’ve certainly lived here long enough.”

            Fionn glanced down at her, his face red.  “No, me love, I am not.  Nor do I have any hope of becoming one any time soon.  I can’t afford the court fees, despite all me hard work.”  As if suddenly remembering himself, he looked around the table at all the shocked faces.  His shoulders slumped, and he jammed his balled-up fists in his pockets.  “I’m sorry, Mr. Cartwright,” he said to Ben.  “Supposin’ I should see meself out.”  He turned to leave.

            “Sit down, son,” Ben said gently.  “Finish your supper.  You’ve done nothing but give everyone some much-needed perspective.”  Rachel looked ready to protest, but Ben cut her such a sharp look that she clapped her mouth shut.

            Fionn swallowed hard and dropped into his chair, slouching down as much as possible and meeting no one’s gaze as he shoveled his meal into his mouth.  Adam gave his shoulder a squeeze and then turned to Molly, who was wiping her eyes with her napkin.  He leaned close to her ear.

            “I told you he’d keep things interesting,” he whispered and then gave her cheek a quick peck.  Molly smiled through her tears.

            “Aye,” she whispered back.

            No one spoke for the rest of the meal, creating such an uncomfortable silence that Adam was eternally grateful to Hop Sing for choosing that night to serve pudding flambé for dessert.  The appearance of a dessert set afire delighted everyone and helped to dissolve the dark cloud that lingered over the table.  But as soon as the plates were cleared away, Fionn excused himself, muttering something about needing to check on his horses, and darted out of the house.  Adam knew he’d find reasons to stay in the barn until it was time to drive Molly home.  His heart sank for his soon-to-be brother-in-law.  Fionn had wanted so badly to make a good impression on Hannah, and Adam knew he thought he’d ruined it.  If only Fionn had looked up from his plate after his diatribe.  He would have seen the triumphant smile on Hannah’s face.  Adam glanced over at Josie, and his heart sank further.  Suddenly finding herself without Fionn next to her, she looked about to burst into tears.  Adam sighed and started for the door, but Ben laid a hand on his arm.

            “You stay here with your aunts,” he said softly.  “I’ll see to Fionn.”

            Adam gave his father a grateful smile and settled himself on the settee next to Molly while Hoss helped Hop Sing pass around brandy and coffee.  He patted the space on his other side, encouraging Josie to sit with him, but she plopped into an armchair next to Hannah’s and laid her head on her mother’s shoulder.  It seemed that another awkward silence was about to beset the family when Patience saved the day.

            “Miss Stoddard, Hoss and I are beginning to set up our nursery, and I was wondering if you could tell me what’s fashionable now.  I’m afraid it takes us a while to get that sort of news way out here.  Living in Boston, I’m sure you’re much more knowledgeable.” 

            Adam could have kissed her.

******

            Neither Ben nor Fionn ever revealed what was said between them in the barn that night, but Ben returned with the young man only fifteen minutes later.  Josie perked up and sat so close to Fionn that she was nearly in his lap.  Fionn and Rachel made a point of ignoring one another, but Hannah quickly swept Fionn up in lively conversation by asking him about his beloved Ireland.  The young man soon had everyone laughing with tall tales about chasing leprechauns across the Boyne Valley.

            Everyone but Rachel managed to forget the unpleasantness at dinner.  When the evening drew to a close and the O’Connells bid the Cartwrights farewell, she bid Molly a fond farewell but barely looked at Fionn as she gave him a crisp “Good evening, Mr. O’Connell.”  Sheriff Coffee received a much warmer goodbye.  Rachel took both his hands in hers as she said goodnight, and for a moment, Adam was horrified that she was going to kiss him.  It was odd enough to think of his matronly aunt falling in love.  He didn’t want to witness it in his own living room.

            When all the guests, including Hoss and Patience, had finally cleared out, the Cartwrights returned to their seats in the living room for a few more moments together before bed.  Josie gave Ben his armchair next to Hannah’s and settled on the settee next to Adam.  He was about to remark on her unusually stiff posture when he saw Rachel’s flinty stare locked on Josie, and he wondered if he should shield his cousin with his own body.

            “Well, Josephine, your beau certainly has his opinions, doesn’t he?” Rachel asked, her voice cold.

            Adam wanted to leap to his feet and defend Fionn, but he didn’t have to.

            “Yes, ma’am,” Josie replied crisply, never backing down from her aunt’s stare.  “The two of you have that in common.”

            Little Joe choked on his brandy, and for the second time that evening, Adam wanted to applaud. 

            “Well!” Ben exclaimed, jumping up from his armchair.  “We’ve all had a very long day, and I expect you ladies are worn out from your journey.  I think it’s time we all went to bed.” 

            “Yes, I think that would be best,” Rachel agreed.

            The family rose from their seats and wished each other a good night, Adam giving Josie an extra-long hug and a kiss on the forehead.  He and Ben lingered in the living room as the ladies and Little Joe made their way to their bedrooms.

            “Well, that was exciting,” Adam said once he and his father were alone.

            Ben chuckled and laid a hand on Adam’s shoulder.  “You know something, son?  I like Fionn a little bit more every day.”

            Adam joined in quiet laughter before wishing Ben goodnight and heading upstairs.

******

            Ben had been fighting exhaustion ever since Molly and Fionn had shown up with the good news about Jacob.  Once he knew his younger brother was all right, all the stress from the previous month drained from his body, leaving him limp and depleted, like he’d been working in the hot sun all day with no water.  He washed up quickly and collapsed into bed, falling asleep almost the instant his head hit the pillow.  When he next opened his eyes, he was surprised that his bedroom was still dark.  It was nowhere near time to get up, and nature wasn’t calling.  He stared into the darkness for a moment until he heard a rustling from downstairs.  He chuckled to himself.

            “No matter how old they get, you always start at the slightest sound in the night,” he muttered quietly, shaking his head.  Most likely, Little Joe was rummaging around for a midnight snack.  Ben rolled over to go back to sleep, but he couldn’t drop off again.  After a few minutes, he realized the noises from downstairs weren’t his youngest son – or his eldest, for that matter.  Either of the boys – especially Joe – would have clomped around more.  The footsteps from downstairs were much too soft.  Ben frowned and swung his legs out of bed, wondering why Josie didn’t seek refuge with Adam if she was restless.  He belted his dressing gown around his waist, stuck his feet into his slippers, and headed downstairs.

            “Hannah!” he said, checking his surprise just in time to keep his voice low. 

            His sister-in-law stood in front of the fireplace, poking at the last of the glowing embers.  She started and spun around.

            “I’m sorry, Ben, I didn’t mean to wake you,” she said.

            “It’s all right.  Do you need anything?”

            Hannah shook her head and stared silently into the fireplace.  Ben took a step forward and laid a hand on her shoulder.

            “What is it?”

            Hannah looked at him with red-rimmed eyes.  She held Jacob’s telegram in one hand.  The edges were soft and frayed, as if she’d been worrying the slip of paper between her fingers since its arrival.

            “I can’t do this any longer, Ben,” she whispered.  “I just-”  Her voice caught, and tears streamed down her cheeks.  Ben gathered her in his arms and held her close while she cried silently into his dressing gown.  When her tears subsided several moments later, he kept an arm around her shoulders and led her to the settee.

            “I’m sorry,” she gulped, as she dabbed her eyes with the back of her nightgown sleeve.

            “Don’t apologize,” Ben said.  “This war, it’s… it’s gotten to all of us.”  He swallowed a hard lump in his throat and pulled Hannah tightly to his side.  “Fionn was right to say what he did to Rachel tonight, but he shouldn’t have had to.  None of us should ever have been in this situation.”

            Hannah rested her head on his shoulder.  “No, we shouldn’t have.  Jacob thought he was getting me away from the war when he sent me to Rachel’s, but Boston’s caught up in the war, too.  Sure, we’ve been far away from the fighting, but everywhere I turn there’s another fundraiser for the cause, or a recruitment poster.  You wouldn’t believe how many businesses are shuttered because the owners are away at war.  Most of those still open are being run by wives and sisters, many of them wearing mourning black.  I didn’t even go to the burying ground with Rachel to tidy up the family graves this year, Ben.  I just couldn’t stand the sight of all those fresh mounds of dirt.”  She broke down into tears again.

            “Hannah, I’m so sorry,” Ben said, running one hand consolingly up and down her arm.  “I thought we’ve had it bad out here worrying about Jacob, but I never considered how much worse it must be for you back East with reminders all over the place.”

            “You have no idea how refreshing it was to arrive in San Francisco,” Hannah hiccupped.  “People were talking about the war, of course, but nowhere near as much as back home.  By the time we reached Nevada, you could almost pretend there was no war.  I’m so glad Josie’s been here with you, Ben.  I’m so glad she hasn’t been in Boston.”

            They sat silently for some time, Ben’s mind churning.  Surely Hannah would turn him down, but he had to offer.

            “Stay here,” he said quietly.

            Hannah looked up at him, her brow wrinkled.  “What do you mean?  For good?”

            “Until the war’s over,” he said.  “Don’t go back to Boston.  Just stay here with us.  We’d all love to have you, especially Josie.  I worry about her now that Adam’s moving out.  She’s always leaned on him, and he’s not going to be so available to her.  And it would be better for you.”

            “I can’t, Ben.  I need to be there when Jacob gets leave again.”

            “I don’t know how likely it is that Jacob will get leave again until this is all over, Hannah.  The Army is chasing down General Lee.  Jacob said he might not even get word to us again for quite some time.  They could be laying siege to Richmond any day now.  Even if he did get leave, he’d have to walk out of Virginia.  The Army hasn’t left a train depot standing.”

            Hannah’s tears flowed once more.  Ben felt terrible for making her cry, but he couldn’t sugarcoat the truth. 

            “I’m sorry,” Hannah apologized again as she brought her tears under control.  “You’re right, though.”  She paused.  “All right, Ben,” she said at last.  “I’ll stay.”

            Ben leaned down and kissed her forehead.  “Good.  It really will be better for you.”

            “I don’t know how I’ll tell Rachel, though.  She’ll be furious at having to make the journey home alone.”

            “I’ll find her an escort,” Ben said.  His face lit up.  “Clementine Hawkins!” he exclaimed.  “She’d love to see Boston.”

            “She has her boardinghouse to run,” Hannah pointed out.  “Do you think she could leave her business that long?”

            “I’ll pay for someone to run it while she’s away.”

            “That’s awfully generous of you.”

            Ben bit back a laugh.  “Not as generous as you might think,” he said, imagining several widow-free months in Virginia City.  Hannah looked up at him quizzically, and Ben cleared his throat.  “It’s awfully late.  Think you can sleep now?”

            “I think so.  Thank you, Ben.”

            “Not at all.”  Ben smiled down at Hannah and then helped her to her feet.  He folded her into his arms for a final hug and escorted her upstairs, where they bid one another goodnight.  As Ben crawled back into his own bed, his heart was still heavy for his sister-in-law, but a smile flitted about his lips.  It would be good for everyone to have Hannah on the Ponderosa.  Josie had missed her terribly these past three years, and now the two of them would have each other’s comfort as they waited out the remainder of the war.  Hannah and Little Joe had always shared a special bond – Hannah looked on Joe as the second child she’d never been able to have, and Little Joe returned that affection, viewing Hannah as a surrogate mother.  As did Adam and Hoss, come to think of it.  And of course there was the benefit to him.  He’d worried about how empty the house would feel once Adam left and it was just him, Little Joe, and Josie in the big house.  The additional presence would certainly be welcome. 

            They just had to figure out how to tell Rachel.

******

            In the end, Ben and Hannah opted not to tell Rachel until after Adam’s wedding.  She was certain to put up a fuss, and neither of them wanted any dark clouds on Adam’s wedding day.  They waited until Roy took Rachel out for a buggy ride a few days later and broke the news to Adam, Josie, and Little Joe while Rachel was away.  Adam broke into a wide smile while Little Joe hooted for joy.  Josie screamed so loud that Ben feared for the windows.  Five minutes later, Josie was still wiping tears from her eyes.

            “What did Aunt Rachel say?” she asked.

            “Josie, do you remember at your graduation how we decided to wait until the last possible minute to tell Rachel that you were coming out here rather than going to Boston?” Hannah asked.

            Josie laughed.  “Good idea.”

            “You’ll be here for my birthday!” Little Joe said brightly.

            Hannah smiled and patted Joe’s cheek.  “And if you’re a very good boy, I’ll help Hop Sing bake you a big cake,” she teased.

            “Have you thought about how you’ll spend your time?” Adam asked.

            “There are always books to read,” Hannah replied with a light laugh.  Adam grinned.  He understood this all too well.  “But I thought I might get back to nursing.  Jacob trained me himself before Josie was born, and I used to do a good deal of midwifing.”

            “You’re more than welcome to help in my clinic,” Josie said.  “And I’m sure Paul would be happy to have you help in town, too.  Especially this time of year.  We get all sorts of minor injuries during roundup season.”

            “Hey, maybe you’ll still be here when Hoss and Patience’s baby arrives!” Joe said.  His face darkened.  “Well, I mean, I hope you won’t be ‘cause that would mean the war is still going on, but, well, you know what I mean.”

            Hannah patted his hand.  “I do know, sweetheart.  And while I wish for nothing more than a quick end to this war, I’m looking forward to the baby, too.”

            “How about the end of the war, though, Mama?” Josie asked.  “If you’re way out here, Papa will come home to an empty house when the war ends.”

            “We thought about that,” Ben answered on Hannah’s behalf.  “But with the number of casualties this war has produced, it will probably be several months after peace is declared before the Army musters out its surgeons.  I expect your mother will have plenty of time to get home before your father returns to Washington.”

            Josie nodded, satisfied with this answer, while Adam slipped into the kitchen and pulled a bottle of wine from the pantry.  Beckoning to Hop Sing to follow him with wine glasses, he carried it into the living room, where the family toasted Hannah’s decision to stay on the Ponderosa.

******

            The next couple weeks flew by as the family scurried to complete the last preparations for Adam’s and Molly’s wedding.  Molly and Fionn were frequent visitors to the Ponderosa – Josie was serving as Molly’s maid of honor and needed the finishing touches completed on her dress, and Fionn insisted he couldn’t possibly let his sister make the hour-long journey alone so close to the biggest day of her life.

            “I’ve taken care of her this long.  Can’t go disappointin’ Adam by lettin’ somethin’ happen to her now,” Fionn told Ben one afternoon when he and Molly arrived yet again on the Cartwrights’ doorstep.

            “Yes, I can see you’re really looking out for Adam’s interests,” Ben said as Fionn spotted Josie in the living room and darted over to her.

            Fionn and Rachel had given each other a wide berth since their disagreement over dinner that first night, but with so many people buzzing in and out of the house on wedding business, avoiding each other was pretty easy to do. 

            Adam felt pulled in every direction at once as he tied up the last loose ends with his new house, visited with his aunts, and tried to spend as much time as possible with Josie before he moved out.  His cousin’s spirits had brightened after the family received the word that Jacob was safe, but he could still see the stress etched on her face.  It was the same pained expression that Ben and Hannah both wore when they thought no one was looking – and Adam worried about how she’d do after he left.  If he was honest with himself, he felt a bit guilty.  He’d promised Jacob that he would take care of Josie, and now he was abandoning her when she seemed to need him the most.  Adam never expected to harbor such a sentiment, but he caught himself thanking God for Little Joe.  Ever since the Battle of the Wilderness, the youngest Cartwright brother had stepped up, offering reassurances to the rest of the family, and keeping a special eye on Josie.  Josie had returned to sleeping in her own room since her mother had arrived, but on more than one occasion, Adam had woken in the dead of night to Joe’s footsteps in the hallway and the soft creak of Josie’s bedroom door, followed a few moments later by Joe’s retreating footsteps.  He never mentioned it to Little Joe, but Adam was grateful to him for looking out for Josie.

            A week before the wedding, Adam and Josie wandered out to the barn to check on Scout.  If the Appaloosa was going into season again – which she should be about now – she should be getting a bit ill-tempered.  But Josie had reported no crankiness, and Adam was hopeful that Ruckus had done his job.  Sure enough, the mare showed no signs of being in heat, and when Adam and Josie put her into the corral with Ruckus again, Scout reared up and wouldn’t let the stallion come near her.

            “I think we might have it, Josie!” Adam said, squeezing his cousin’s shoulders.

            Josie grinned.  “What color do you think the foal will be?”

            “Hard to say.  I’ve never bred an Appaloosa before.  Either gray or black.”

            Josie looked at the dapple-gray stallion and her little black mare and pinched the bridge of her nose.  “No kidding, Adam.”

            Adam laughed.  “I guess that’s obvious, isn’t it?”

            “A bit.  It’s like saying the foal will either be male or female.”

            “What are you hoping for?”

            “Gosh, I don’t know,” Josie said.  “I hadn’t thought about it.  Does it matter?”

            “Not really, so long as the foal is healthy.”  Adam propped one foot up on the fence rail and stared across the corral at the horses.  Josie narrowed her eyes.

            “Are we still talking about horses?” she asked.

            Adam grinned at her, his eyes twinkling.  “Far as I know.”  He chuckled.  “At least for now.”

            Josie rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand.  “Well you’re not going to make any progress on the other issue standing around the corral.  Let’s finish packing up your bedroom so you’re all set for that wedding.”

            Despite nearly being buried in an avalanche of old rolls of drafting paper that rained down on them from the top shelf of Adam’s wardrobe, the cousins had Adam’s remaining things packed up in under an hour.  He’d be taking only about half of his books with him – Josie had squirreled the other half away in her bedroom, insisting they couldn’t leave the house until she’d had a chance to read them.  Just as they were about to close the last box, Josie told Adam to hold on, and she dashed into her bedroom.  She returned moments later with a worn copy of Frankenstein, which she tucked into the box.

            “Not that I’m hoping you get sick,” she explained.  “But just in case.”

            Adam smiled at her, and as their eyes met, tears began to slide down Josie’s cheeks.  She turned her head to try to hide them, but it was too late.  Adam folded her into his arms and held her tightly against his chest.  Josie buried her face in his shirt.

            “I’m really gonna miss you,” she sniffled.

            Adam took a deep breath to ease the tightening in his throat.  “I’m gonna miss you, too, kid.  But I’m just down the road anytime you need me.  And I mean that.  You believe me?”

            Josie nodded, keeping one ear pressed against Adam’s chest so she could hear his heart beating. 

            “Besides, I’ll be over here plenty.  I wasn’t about to try moving that blacksmithing anvil to the new place, and Pa and I will still have to discuss ranch business all the time.  Not to mention I have to keep an eye on Scout now that she’s in a family way.”

            Josie smiled, and Adam felt the tension in her shoulders relax a bit.

            “And if Little Joe gets too obnoxious, there’s a room at the end of the hall at my new house with your name on it.”

            Josie let out a little snort.  “I expect it will be a while before you and Molly want visitors intruding on your privacy.”

            “Just knock before you come in.”

            Josie giggled, and Adam took a step back and kissed her forehead.

            “It’s still you and me taming the frontier together, Josie.  I promise.”

            “Okay,” she said with a little smile.  “So long as you promise.”

            Adam kissed her forehead again, took her hand, and led her downstairs to where Hop Sing was hollering at everyone to come to supper.

******

            As his wedding day neared, Adam found sleep harder and harder to come by.  An odd mixture of excitement and nostalgia kept him awake into the wee hours the night two days before the wedding.  He couldn’t wait to begin his new life with Molly, but fourteen years of memories in this house haunted him.  He smiled as he remembered the long hours he’d spent during his final year in college drawing up the plans for the big house.  His roommate, John Quincy Adams II, grandson of the former president, had complained mightily about the flickering light from Adam’s oil lamp keeping him awake at night as Adam sketched out his plans.  John hadn’t really been upset, though – he and Adam got on famously, and John just liked to give his friend a hard time.  It was a pity John couldn’t make it for the wedding, but he was serving on the staff of Massachusetts’s governor and couldn’t get away.

            Ben had been so excited when Adam showed him the plans for the house, but not as excited as Hoss and Little Joe had been when they’d discovered they would each get their own bedroom.  The three boys had shared one small room in the old house, and by the time Adam came home from college, it was a tight squeeze with all three of them in there.  Little Joe was only eight years old at the time, but at fourteen, Hoss was already man-sized and still growing.  Joe especially had pontificated about how wonderful it would be to finally have his own room like he should have all along, according to him.  But when they moved into the new house, Little Joe had been so spooked to be alone in a big bedroom at night that he’d spent the first month and a half making up excuses for why he needed to sleep with Adam.  Adam hadn’t minded.  Joe wiggled in his sleep, but after three years away, it was nice that his baby brother still needed him.

            Adam stared at the ceiling as the memories from this house continued to flood his brain: their first Christmas when he and Hoss convinced Joe they’d heard reindeer on the roof; the first party they’d held when they realized the living room was big enough for dancing if they moved the furniture; and his own reluctance to let anyone stay in the upstairs guestroom for too long because that room had always been meant for Josie, just waiting for her to return to the Ponderosa, as Adam knew she would.

            Two days before the wedding, Adam woke before dawn and after a quick breakfast, stumbled, sleepy and bleary-eyed, out to the barn to saddle up Sport and ride into town.  He had a very important stagecoach to meet, and he didn’t want to miss it.  About halfway there, he stopped under a small stand of trees at the intersection of the road that turned off toward the O’Connells’ farm.  His timing was right.  Within just a few minutes, Fionn trotted up on his dapple-gray mare, Conall by his side.

            “Top o’ the mornin’ to you, Adam!” the young man greeted him with a cheerful wave.

            “And the rest of the day to yourself,” Adam replied as Molly had taught him.

            Fionn grinned.  “Which I’d love to spend chattin’ with you, but we’ve got a stage to meet.”

            Adam chuckled and nudged Sport down the road toward Virginia City.

            Two hours later, after stopping at Widow Hawkins’s to arrange some accommodations, the two men were seated outside the coach line office, waiting for the stage from Sacramento.  Fionn was bouncing with excitement, bouncing the entire bench along with him.  While it helped keep him awake, Adam tolerated the jolting for only a couple minutes before he pressed a hand onto Fionn’s left knee.

            “Please stop,” he said.

            “Sorry,” Fionn replied.  “Just haven’t seen me mates for over a year.  Awful good of you to hire them for the weddin’, Adam.  They’re incredible.  Best Irish band in America.  You won’t be disappointed, and Molly will be thrilled.”

            Adam smiled.  “Seemed like a good opportunity to treat her to a little taste of home.”

            “Aye, me, too!  I may not be much for waltzin’, but I plan to dance me feet off on Saturday.”

            Fionn suddenly jumped from his seat as he spotted a cloud of dust rise up on the horizon.  “Is that it?” he asked.

            Adam stood, too.  “Think so.”  He started bouncing on the balls of his feet.  Fionn wasn’t the only one expecting someone special on this stage.

            When the stagecoach rolled up in front of them, Adam stepped forward and opened the door before the driver could even jump down.  Adam wasn’t disappointed.  Elizabeth Pearson leapt from the coach directly into his arms.

            “Adam!” she squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

            “Hey there, Elizabeth!  How was your trip?”

            “It was fun!  There’s these four men on the coach with us.  They all talk funny, but they told me the funniest stories all the way here!”

            Adam chuckled as he realized she must be talking about Fionn’s friends.  He peered around her toward the stagecoach door as a tall man in a neat suit stepped out into the sunshine.

            “Hello, Adam!” Walter Stewart, Elizabeth’s uncle, greeted him, his hand outstretched.

            Adam shifted Elizabeth to his hip to free up his right hand to shake Walter’s.

            “Good to see you again, Walter,” he said.  “How are Peggy and the new baby?”

            “Doing very well, thank you.  Little Thomas is growing fast.  I’ve never seen Peggy so happy.”

            Adam smiled.  “Please thank her for me.  She didn’t have to let you go long enough to bring Elizabeth out here.”

            “I will, but she wasn’t about to let Elizabeth miss your wedding.”

            “Yeah, you hafta have a flower girl!” Elizabeth chimed in.  Both men laughed, and Adam turned to introduce Elizabeth and Walter to Fionn, but the Irishman was already pulling his friends out of the stagecoach.  Adam caught only about every third word as the five excited young men greeted each other, jabbering away in a mixture of English and Irish.  Conall bounced around the group, accepting scratches behind the ears from each of Fionn’s friends.  Walter, Elizabeth, and Adam watched in amusement for several minutes before Fionn remembered himself and presented his friends to Adam for introductions.

            “Adam, please meet me mates.  This is Aengus Doyle, Cormac Fitzgerald, Murphy Graham, and Seamus Maguire.”

            Adam shook hands with each young man in turn, knowing he had no hope of keeping the four of them straight.  Except for Murphy.  His flaming red hair set him unforgettably apart.

            “Appreciate you hirin’ us, Mr. Cartwright,” one of them – Aengus?  Cormac? – said.  “Never gotten to travel for a gig before!”

            “Never gotten paid for a gig before!” another one added.

            Everyone laughed, and Adam suggested they get some lunch before heading to the boardinghouse where the band and Elizabeth and her uncle would be staying.  It was a boisterous group of seven men and one little girl who descended on Annie’s Café.  Elizabeth took most of Adam’s attention, telling him all about her new baby cousin, but Adam was periodically able to listen in as Fionn and his friends caught up on each other’s lives over the past year.  They spoke mostly in Irish, but with the amount of laughter Adam overheard, he guessed that his wedding reception would be quite lively.

            When lunch was over and their guests deposited at the boardinghouse, Adam and Fionn rode together back toward their homes.

            “Don’t forget,” Adam said.  “You keep your mouth shut about the band.  I intend that to be a surprise for Molly at the reception.”

            “And when have I ever given away a secret?” Fionn asked with mock indignation.  Adam smiled.

            “Never, to my knowledge.”

            “All right, then.”

            When they reached the turnoff for the O’Connells’ farm, Fionn reined up alongside Adam and extended his hand.

            “All right, Cartwright.  I’ll see you Saturday mornin’.  Don’t you go leavin’ me sister at the altar now.”

            Adam grinned and shook Fionn’s hand.  “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

            As Fionn and Conall headed toward home, Adam, muttered, “And don’t you go leaving my sister waiting too long to walk up to that altar herself.”

******

            In later years, Adam would remember nothing about the morning and afternoon before his wedding.  They passed in such a flurry of activity that no one moment was ever able to etch itself in his memory.  Josie told him a few weeks later that he’d made Little Joe try on his new suit four times to make sure it fit properly.  He would have accused Josie of pulling his leg if Hannah hadn’t backed up her story.  All he could focus on all day was Molly.  She hadn’t let him see her wedding dress, and he kept trying to guess what it would look like.  Would it resemble the gown she’d made for Patience, or would it be a new design entirely?  Josie’s emerald green maid of honor dress was stunning, and Adam could only imagine that Molly’s must be even more spectacular.  He stumbled through his day, going through the motions but paying attention to nothing.

            That evening, exhausted by their preparations, the family sat around the living room, sipping coffee and brandy, and trying to relax before the big day ahead of them tomorrow.  Except for Adam, they’d all be staying in the hotel the next night like they had after Hoss’s wedding, so everyone had had to pack an overnight bag.  It was only eight o’clock when Hoss announced that he and Patience had better get home.

            “Don’t want to oversleep and miss the whole thing tomorrow,” the big man said, grinning at his older brother.

            “I’ll help you hitch up your team,” Adam replied.

            The brothers rose and slipped outside to the barn.  As they hitched Hoss’s horses to his wagon, Adam grabbed his elbow.

            “I know it’s my turn to stay home from the cattle drive,” he began, “but I was thinking about it, and really, you should be the one to stay back this year.  You shouldn’t leave Patience alone in her condition.”

            Hoss wrinkled his brow.  “I’d thought about that, Adam, but you’ll only be married a month by the time we do that drive.  I can’t imagine leaving my wife for so long only a month after our wedding.  I was figurin’ I’d ask Pa if Patience could stay here with Josie and Aunt Hannah while I was gone.”

            Adam smiled.  That was just like Hoss, thinking of everyone but himself.  “I appreciate that, Hoss.  But please, let me trade you.  I’ll go this year, and you can go next.  Molly can stay with Fionn.  I’m sure he won’t mind if I send her home for a few weeks.”

            The brothers stared at each other for several moments, each waiting for the other to back down.  Hoss smiled at Adam, who just raised his eyebrows.  Finally, they started to laugh.

            “All right, Older Brother,” Hoss said, slapping Adam’s back.  “You win.  I’ll stay home.  You may have a baby of your own on the way by next summer anyhow.”

            “Sooner than that, if I’m lucky.”

            “Hey, speakin’ of next summer,” Hoss said, his eyes bright.  “You hear about that big horse race they’re doin’ in Virginia City on the Fourth of July?”

            “Yeah, it’s supposed to be a big sweepstakes.  What’s the prize, about fifteen hundred dollars?”

            “Sure is!  Now, we ain’t got time to do anything about it this year, but what would you say if next year we got ourselves a real thoroughbred racehorse?  We split the cost, we could afford a fine animal, and we’d win that prize money for sure!”

            Adam’s eyebrows shot up again.  “That sure is tempting,” he mused.  Then his expression darkened.  “But I don’t know.  You know how Pa feels about horses that can’t earn their keep, and you’re talking about a real hayburner.”

            “But he would earn his keep, Adam!  We could get a horse for less than that fifteen hundred dollars and make a tidy profit when he wins the race!  Besides,” Hoss’s eyes sparkled mischievously, “you and I got our own barns now that Pa don’t ever go into.”

            Adam’s face split into a wide grin.  “You’re too clever for your own good sometimes, you know that?  All right, soon as we’re through with my wedding and that cattle drive, we’ll start looking for a racehorse.”

            Hoss slapped Adam’s back again, and, excited by weddings, babies, and racehorses, they finished hitching up Hoss’s team in high spirits.

******

            Strangely, Adam dropped right off to sleep that night.  He’d expected another restless night, but, worn out from the excitement of the past few days, he fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit his pillow.  Josie and Ben both lay awake instead.

            Ben stared up at his ceiling for two long hours before getting out of bed and creeping across the hall to Adam’s room.  Carefully, so as not to wake his son, he tiptoed into the room and settled in the armchair next to Adam’s bed.  Moonlight filtered through the open window, casting a silvery glow on his sleeping son’s face.  That rogue forelock had drooped over his brow, and Ben reached forward and brushed it back.  Adam stirred but did not wake, and Ben spent the next few hours watching him sleep.

            He felt Adam’s departure more keenly than he had Hoss’s.  He loved all his sons equally, but there was no question that he and Adam shared a special bond.  Apart from the loss of his parents, Adam had been the one constant through every tragedy of Ben’s life.  He was the only thing that had kept Ben going after Elizabeth’s death.  So many times on their long journey west, Ben had wanted to give up, to admit defeat, to return to Boston with his tail between his legs, but one glance into those intelligent hazel eyes had been all he’d ever needed to find the strength to keep going.  Ben didn’t think he could have raised Hoss and Little Joe without Adam’s help.  He certainly couldn’t have built the Ponderosa without him.  He was so proud of the man Adam had become, but on the eve of Adam’s wedding, Ben couldn’t help but mourn the loss of the little boy he had been.

            Adam had been so small at birth that he was no longer than the space between Ben’s wrist and elbow.  Ben held up his arm to his son and smiled to see that the same distance now didn’t even reach from Adam’s head to his shoulder.  As he withdrew his arm, he bumped Adam’s shoulder.  Ben held his breath, hoping he hadn’t woken his son.  Adam stirred again and rolled over with a little sigh that Ben remembered well from nights spent in their covered wagon as they crossed the continent.  Until Ben had married Inger, he kept Adam close to him at night, both for warmth and comfort.  More than one well-intentioned woman on their wagon train had warned him that he would spoil the boy if he didn’t make him sleep alone, but Ben had ignored them all.  After everything he’d lost, he’d wanted to hold onto his son as long as possible.  He still did.

            “Guess I can’t complain,” Ben thought.  “I got you for thirty-four years.  I suppose it’s high time I shared you.”

            With one last glance at his son’s sleeping form, Ben rose from his chair and slipped out of the room.

            Meanwhile, Josie lay awake in her own bedroom.  She wanted to crawl into bed next to Adam but thought that he might prefer to have his final night in his old bedroom all to himself.  She lay there feeling lonelier than she ever had until her door creaked softly open.

            “Joe?” she asked, squinting in the darkness.

            “Sorry, Josie,” Little Joe whispered.  “Thought I heard a noise and wanted to see if you were all right.”

            “Can’t sleep?” Josie asked.

            “No.”

            “Me either.  Might as well be awake together.”  She scooted over and patted the bed.  Little Joe slid under the covers next to her and stretched out.

            “I think your bed’s more comfortable than mine,” he said.

            “That’s because I don’t jump up and down on mine.”

            Joe snickered and wrapped his arms around his cousin.  “I know I’m a poor substitute for Adam, but I’m always here for you, Josie.”

            Josie smiled and nuzzled her head against Joe’s shoulder.  “Thanks, Joe.”

            Little Joe kissed her forehead, and with nothing more to say, the cousins eventually drifted off to sleep.

******

            The house exploded at dawn. 

            Rachel was up with the rooster, barking orders at everyone, including Pip.

            “Make yourself useful and go wake up Ben!” she told the wolfhound.  Pip took up off the stairs with a happy yip and was soon heard scratching at Ben’s bedroom door.

            By nine a.m., everyone had eaten breakfast, gathered up their things for the next two days, and were on the road to Virginia City.  Adam barely had time to cast a last glance over his shoulder at the house as he rode out of its yard for the last time as one of its residents.  The next time he was here, he would be a guest.  Josie reined up alongside him – she was riding Betsy into town and would change out of her jeans at the hotel.  It was one of those times that the cousins needed no words between them, and they rode quietly, just enjoying their time together.  They’d said all they needed to the other day when they’d packed up Adam’s bedroom.

            When the family arrived in town, the men took the horses and Pip to the livery, while the ladies went up to their rooms at the hotel to start getting ready.  The wedding was at four p.m., but the gowns and hairstyles would require several hours, and of course, they all had to bathe after their dusty ride from the Ponderosa.  Breathless with excitement, Molly joined Josie in her room to prepare.  She swept Josie up in her enthusiasm, and before long, the young ladies were chattering away like birds as they bathed and pinned up each other’s hair.

            “I can’t believe how many people are comin’ today,” Molly said, grimacing as Josie tugged a comb through a knot in her hair.

            “It’s a big event,” Josie said, glaring at the stubborn knot.  “Not every day the eldest son of the owner of the biggest ranch in the territory gets married.”

            “Suppose not,” Molly agreed.  She grew quiet, the sparkle fading from her eyes.  “I just wish me Mam and Da were here.”

            Josie swallowed hard.  In her worry over her own father, she’d never stopped to consider that Fionn and Molly had lost both of their parents.  Even if something did happen to Jacob, at least Josie would still have her mother.  She reached down and held up Molly’s left hand, where the emerald Claddagh ring sparkled.

            “They’re here with you, Molly.”

            Tears sprang to Molly’s eyes, and she dabbed them away with one of the lace handkerchiefs Fionn had given her for Christmas.

            “Aye,” she whispered.  Then she cleared her throat and glanced at the clock.  “We better start getting dressed.  These dresses have a thousand buttons, and I wouldn’t want to be late to me own wedding!”

            In the end, Josie had to enlist Hannah’s and Rachel’s help with the gowns.  Both gowns had wide hoop skirts that required assistance to get into, and then there were all those buttons.  Josie’s room got crowded fast with all the women and crinoline, but even Rachel was in a good mood, and the four ladies laughed as they finished dressing.

            Down the hall in Ben’s room, Adam was fussing with his tie.  No matter how many times he tied and retied it, he couldn’t get the darn thing straight.  Ben had run downstairs to check that everything was in place for the reception, so Adam found himself alone in his battle.  He had just flung the tie to the ground in frustration when there was a knock at the door.

            “Come in!” he growled.

            Little Joe stepped into the room.  He took in the scowl on his brother’s face and the crumpled tie on the floor and snickered.

            “Having trouble, Older Brother?”

            Adam glared at him.  “What do you need, Joe?”

            “Pa just wanted me to tell you that everything’s all set for the reception.  The band knows to hide out at Widow Hawkins’s until we’re all in the church.”

            “Good.  Thank you.”

            Little Joe reached down and picked up Adam’s discarded tie.  He threaded it around his brother’s neck and started tying it for him.  Adam’s scowl melted.

            “This is a role reversal if I ever saw one,” he chuckled as Joe finished up, getting the tie perfectly straight on the first try.

            “Figure I owe you for the last twenty-two years.”

            Adam reached up to muss Little Joe’s hair, but stopped himself.  For once, Joe’s curls weren’t springing around everywhere.  He must have spent an hour and a whole bottle of hair tonic taming them, and Adam didn’t want to ruin his hard work.  He felt he should say something wise and philosophical just then, but he couldn’t come up with the right words.  Instead, he pulled his youngest brother into a tight hug.

            “Thanks, Joe,” he whispered.

            “Anytime,” Joe replied.  “Now be careful, or you’ll mess up your tie again.”

            The brothers were still grinning at each other when there was another knock on the door, and Hoss poked his head into the room.

            “Pa says it’s time to head over to the church!” he announced with a wide smile.

            Adam blew out a deep breath.  “All right, let’s go.”

            As they headed down the hallway, Hoss leaned in to Adam’s ear.

            “You know what you’re doin’ tonight, Adam, or do you need some advice?”

            Adam let out a bark of laughter.  “I’m fine, Hoss, but thank you.”  He and Hoss broke out laughing, and Little Joe turned around, narrowing his eyes at them in suspicion.

            “What’s so funny?” he demanded.

            “We’ll tell you when you’re older, Little Brother,” Hoss replied, setting Adam to laughing again.

            In Josie’s room, the ladies listened at the door as the brothers headed down the hall.  Patience had joined the group, and, making sure Molly was well out of sight, she stuck her head into the hall.

            “All right, they’re gone!” she announced.  “We’ll give them ten minutes to get down to the church, and then we’ll go, too.”  She dropped into an armchair and fanned her face.  “Goodness, it’s hot today.  I hope it’s cooler for the reception this evening.”

            Josie furrowed her brow.  “Are you feeling all right?”

            “Oh, yes, I’m fine,” Patience said, waving a hand.  “But I’m glad we’re having this wedding today.  I’m not sure I’ll still fit into this gown a week from now.”

            Josie smiled.  Patience’s belly wasn’t glaringly obvious yet, but she was down to only two skirts that still fit.  Rachel poured her a glass of water and handed her a folding fan.

            Ten minutes later, Patience checked once more that the coast was clear, and then the ladies took off for the church, Josie and Hannah holding onto Molly’s train to keep it out of the dust.

            Fionn was waiting for them in the narthex when they arrived.  He was even more fidgety than usual and looked like he’d just swallowed his tongue when he got his first glimpse of Josie in her gown.  Josie giggled.  She’d never seen Fionn in a suit before.  He’d even slicked back his hair.  He was dashingly handsome, but Josie had never seen him look so uncomfortable.  She knew he had to be longing for his usual shirt and trousers.  She moved to greet him, but before she could, he got his first view of Molly in her lacy wedding gown.  His eyes welled up, and he chomped down on his lower lip.  He gave Josie a quick peck on the cheek as he passed her on his way to his sister.  He wrapped his arms around her and touched his forehead to hers as he whispered something in Irish.  Molly sniffled and murmured a reply before kissing his cheek.

            Ben and Sheriff Coffee slid in through the door from the sanctuary just then and announced it was time for everyone to get lined up.  Patience and Josie nearly knocked heads as they tried to maneuver around each other to get in the proper order, and Elizabeth in her frilly pink flower girl dress zipped around underfoot.  Shaking his head, Ben offered his arm to Hannah and escorted her into the sanctuary and to a seat in the front of the church, where she sat as the honorary mother of the groom.  Roy escorted Rachel, who glowed as she made her way down the aisle to her seat.

            At the front of the church, Adam craned his neck to see through the door at the back into the narthex, and Hoss jabbed him lightly with his elbow.

            “Be patient, Older Brother.  Any minute now,” he whispered.

            “Yeah, Adam, you’ve waited this long.  Couple more minutes shouldn’t kill ya,” Little Joe added.

            Once Hannah was settled, Ben rejoined his sons at the front.  He was serving as Adam’s best man, but Adam had wanted his brothers next to him as well.  It wouldn’t have been right for the four of them not to stand together.

            Ben’s taking his place was Widow Hawkins’s cue, and she launched into “Ave Maria.”  Adam’s stomach jumped as the narthex doors flew open and Patience Lovejoy entered wearing a green gown similar to Josie’s and clutching a bouquet of daisies and clover.  Josie entered a few steps behind her carrying an identical bouquet.  Adam smiled the same sad smile he always wore when presented with a reminder that his little cousin was all grown up.
A titter coursed through the congregation as Elizabeth entered next, flinging her rose petals into the air rather than scattering them on the floor.  Adam chuckled, but his laughter was cut short as he realized Molly would be next down the aisle, and his throat tightened.  Ben gave his shoulder a reassuring pat as all eyes turned to the back of the sanctuary.

            As Widow Hawkins switched to “The Wedding March,” Molly stepped into the sanctuary on Fionn’s arm.  Adam’s breath caught as he watched her float down the aisle toward him on a cloud of white lace.  Her hoop skirt was so wide there was barely space left in the aisle for Fionn, but after all his speculation, Adam hardly noticed her gown.  He was too focused on her face.  She caught his eye and smiled shyly, and he broke into a wide grin.  Time stood still as they gazed at each other, and yet before he knew it, she was next to him at the altar.  As he and Fionn shook hands, Fionn whispered, “Take care of her.”

            “I will.  I promise,” Adam replied. 

            Fionn smiled sadly and pointed a warning finger at Adam, eliciting another light chuckle from the congregation.  Then he placed Molly’s hand in Adam’s and stepped aside to take his seat in the front pew.

            Adam took both Molly’s hands in his and stared into her eyes.  Reverend Lovejoy’s words sounded small and far away as he began the ceremony.  At last they reached the vows, and a single tear slid from Molly’s eye as she and Adam each said “I do.”  Then they were kissing, and Reverend Lovejoy presented Mr. and Mrs. Adam Cartwright.  The congregation burst into applause, and Widow Hawkins began the recessional.  As Adam and Molly started down the aisle to exit the church, he saw that there was barely a dry eye in the entire church.  Josie, Patience, Hannah, Rachel, Hoss, and Ben were all wiping their eyes, and Fionn was chewing on his lip so hard Adam was sure he’d start bleeding.  When the wedding party reached the narthex, there were hugs all around before the guests came through the receiving line.

            “Congratulations, Cousin-Cousin,” Josie whispered in his ear as she laced her arms around his neck.

            “Thanks, Little Sister.”  He kissed her forehead and then turned toward the guests now exiting the sanctuary.

            It took nearly thirty minutes to get all one hundred guests out of the church and through the receiving line.  By that point, everyone in the wedding party was half starved – in all the excitement earlier that day, they hadn’t eaten lunch.  They rushed across the street to the International House, Josie and Hannah once more holding onto Molly’s gown to keep it clean.  It was a good thing there were no obstacles in the street because Adam wasn’t watching where he was going – his gaze was fixed on his bride on his arm.  She’d done up her hair in the braids that crisscrossed behind her head the way she’d worn it the first time he’d kissed her at that party on the Ponderosa just over a year ago.  Molly stared back up at him with a big smile.

            “Why hello there, Mrs. Cartwright,” he whispered.

            Molly beamed at him through happy tears.

            Their guests applauded again as Adam and Molly stepped into the restaurant at the hotel.  The tables had been moved to the perimeter of the room to leave a wide space in the center for the dancing that would follow the meal.  Adam and Molly led the rest of the wedding party to the long table at the front and took their seats.  Before dinner was served, Ben stood and asked for everyone’s attention.

            “On behalf of the entire Cartwright family, I’d like to thank you all for celebrating with us today,” he began, “especially since most of you did this with us just six months ago!”

            As the guests laughed, Ben turned to Adam.

            “Adam, it’s hard to find the right words.  We’ve been through Heaven and Hell together.  We crossed a continent, we built a ranch, and we’ve managed to keep Little Joe alive for twenty-two years.”

            The guests laughed again as Little Joe rolled his eyes.

            “Seriously, though, son, nothing I have today would have been possible without you.  You kept me going during the darkest times of my life, and you’ve always been there for your brothers when I couldn’t be.  I’m sorry you didn’t get to enjoy being a little boy as much as they did, but I’m so proud of the man you’ve become.  Your mother would be, too.  I can’t wait to watch you build your own family, and I know that one day, I’ll be leaving the Ponderosa in good hands.

            “Molly, my dear, we are overjoyed to have such a lovely and kind young woman joining our family.  I wish you and my son years of happiness.”

            He raised his glass.  “To Adam and Molly!”

            The guests raised their glasses, too, and toasted the bride and groom.  Ben and Adam both wiped their eyes as Ben squeezed Adam’s shoulder and sat back down.

            At long last, the food was served, and the famished wedding party dug in, finishing their meals in record time and then staring hungrily at the towering wedding cake on a corner table.

            Adam saw Josie lick her lips as she ogled the cake, and he laughed.

            “I think we better get that cake cut and served before Josie dives in head first,” he told Molly.

            “Fionn, too,” Molly said, tilting her head toward the table where her brother sat with Hannah, Rachel, and Sheriff Coffee.  He was drumming his fingers on his thigh as he, too, stared unblinkingly at the wedding cake.

            Adam rose, offered Molly his hand, and led her over to the cake.  Together, they cut the first slice, and Adam poked a small bite into Molly’s mouth, being careful not to get any icing on her face.

            “Do it!  Do it!” Little Joe muttered under his breath.

            “Do what?” Josie asked him.

            Little Joe didn’t have to answer.  Molly picked up the rest of the slice from the plate and smashed it into Adam’s face.  Adam jumped backward in surprise, his mouth hanging open, and white frosting smeared all over his face.  The guests roared with laughter.

            Josie turned to Joe.  “How did you know she was going to do that?” she demanded between peals of laughter.

            Joe grinned wickedly.  “Me and Fionn mighta paid her off.”

            Josie glanced over at Fionn, who was wearing an unmistakably triumphant expression.  He caught her looking at him and blew her a kiss.  Josie turned back to Little Joe.

            “Thank you for that.  I will remember this for the rest of my life.”

            Little Joe kissed her cheek and skipped over to the cake table to get them each a slice.  He paused when he got there, withdrew his handkerchief from his pocket, and handed it to Adam.

            “Got a little cake on your face there, Older Brother.”

            Adam tried to glare at him but discovered that he couldn’t be serious with frosting all over his face, so he accepted the handkerchief and cleaned himself off.

            “I know you were involved, Joe,” he said as he wiped off his nose.  “I can’t prove it.  I’ll probably never be able to prove it.  But I know you were involved.” 
Joe grinned and headed back to the table with cake for himself and Josie.

            After the cake was served – and Adam was sure his face was clean – he turned to Molly.

            “Ready to dance, my dear?”

            Molly glanced around the room.

            “I’d love to, but, Adam, there’s no band.”

            “Oh yes, there is.”  He beckoned to Fionn, who scampered out of the room and returned seconds later with Aengus, Cormac, Murphy, and Seamus, all bearing their instruments.  Molly shrieked and flung her arms around Adam’s neck.

            “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she said, bouncing up and down. 

            Adam chuckled.  “Thank Fionn, too.  I asked him if he knew any Irish musicians, and he set the whole thing up.”

            Molly glanced up at her brother, who called out, “Hey, Molly!  Look who I found!”  Throwing one more smile at her new husband, Molly dashed over to Fionn and hugged him.

            “Thank you, Fionn!  I can’t believe this!”  She greeted all the band members before they took their seats to play.  Fionn turned to collect Josie for dancing, but Aengus called out to him.

            “O’Connell!  Get over here!  We need your lovely singin’ voice!”

            Fionn grinned at him.  “Oh?  And you’re plannin’ to split your fee with me, are ya?”

            Aengus laughed.  “Not on your life.”

            “I’ll join ya later, shams.  Got a lass waitin’ for me.”  Fionn winked at the band and took off for the head table and Josie.

            Adam’s eyes shone as Fionn swept Josie from her seat and pulled her to the dancefloor just as the band struck up a lively jig.  He hesitated before collecting Molly, distracted by the band’s instruments.  He recognized the fiddle Aengus played, but the others were only vaguely familiar.  Molly caught him staring.

            “That’s a bodhrán,” she explained.

            “I’m sorry?”

            Molly pointed to Cormac’s drum.  “That’s called a bodhrán.  Seamus has a tin whistle right now, but he’ll switch between that and the flute.  Murphy’s the real star, though, with those uilleann pipes.  They’re sort of like Scottish bagpipes, but a bit quieter.  Murph’s the best piper there is outside of Ireland.  Now come on!  Let’s dance!” 

            Molly was right.  Murphy’s pipe skills were impressive, and before long, his infectious tunes had coaxed everyone onto the dancefloor – even Rachel, who laughed as she bounded around with Roy Coffee.  After two songs, Fionn deposited Josie, breathless and laughing, in a chair as he grabbed a beer and joined the band.

            The only time any of the Cartwrights had heard Fionn sing was the evening of hard cider the previous fall when he, Josie, and Little Joe spent the rest of the night vomiting all over the house.  Josie had been too drunk and Adam too shocked to appreciate Fionn’s talent that night, and they were both taken aback now by his smooth tenor as he joined his friends for a rousing rendition of “The Wild Rover.”  Everyone applauded and demanded an encore when he finished.

            “All right,” he conceded.  “But just one more.  Can’t leave me girl sittin’ around all night.”  He gulped a second beer.  “Here’s an ode to true love.”  He winked at Adam and Molly, but his eyes locked on Josie as he launched into a ballad:

            Come over the hills, my bonnie Irish lass
            Come over the hills to your darling
            You choose the road, love, and I'll make the vow
            And I'll be your true love forever.

            Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows
            Fair is the lily of the valley
            Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne
            But my love is fairer than any.

            'Twas down by Killarney's green woods that we strayed
            When the moon and the stars they were shining
            The moon shone its rays on her locks of golden hair
            And she swore she'd be my love forever.

            Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows
            Fair is the lily of the valley
            Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne
            But my love is fairer than any.

            It's not for the parting that my sister pains
            It's not for the grief of my mother
            'Tis all for the loss of my bonny Irish lass
            That my heart is breaking forever.

            Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows
            Fair is the lily of the valley
            Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne
            But my love is fairer than any.

            A hush settled over the crowd as Fionn’s last note died away, and then everyone applauded once more.  Fionn took a series of exaggerated bows before grabbing another beer and zipping back to Josie’s side.

            “Fionn, that was incredible,” Josie said.

            “Aw, that were nothin’,” he said modestly.  “Let’s dance some more.”

            The dancing lasted for hours, with everyone trading partners every few songs.  Adam danced with Molly, then Hannah, then Rachel, then Josie, then Elizabeth Pearson, and then back to Molly before claiming Patience for a song.  Josie was dizzy from flitting among Fionn, Ben, Little Joe, Hoss, and Adam.  When the band struck up yet another tune, she turned to find Ben again, but discovered that he hadn’t been quick enough and was trapped in the arms of Widow Hawkins.  Giggling, she turned around to find Fionn, only to see him bowing grandly to Rachel and leading her to the dancefloor.  Josie found her mother instead, and joined her at the table where she was catching her breath after being whirled around by Little Joe.

            Josie pointed at Fionn and Rachel.  “This can only go well.”

            Hannah’s eyes popped wide as Fionn and Rachel reeled past with Rachel laughing merrily.  “Your uncle should hire him on at the ranch.  It would appear he’s quite good at mending fences.”

            Adam collapsed onto a chair next to them, breathing hard.  He’d sent Molly to rescue Ben from Clementine and took the opportunity to rest.  His jaw dropped when Josie pointed out Fionn and Rachel.

            “Well, that’s one way to go,” he quipped.  He offered his hand to Josie.  “Care to dance before we hold the funeral?”

            Josie relished every second of her dances with Adam.  He’d even asked the band to play them a waltz.  They didn’t know any, but as Aengus said, “What we don’t know, we can make up,” and they did quite a competent job of creating one on the spot.  As the faux waltz ended, Adam drew Josie into his arms.

            “I’ll always save some dances for you, Little Sister.”

            Josie smiled into his shirt.  “I know.  And I’ll try to save a few for you, too.”

            Adam chuckled and told her to scoot along and reclaim Fionn before Rachel stole him away.  The pair had danced twice more since their first song, and Rachel was now singing his praises to anyone who would listen.

            “He’s a landowner, you know,” she bragged to Abigail Myers.  “And he’s cared for his sister for the past two years since their father died.”

            Adam glanced at the clock and couldn’t believe that it was already ten o’clock.  It felt like they’d been dancing only a few minutes, though his aching feet said otherwise.  He spun around, looking for Molly, and found her chatting with Patience. 

            “It’s getting late, and we have a long drive,” he said.  “One more dance before we depart?”

            “Hold on!” Patience said.  “Molly, you haven’t thrown your bouquet!”

            Molly quickly gathered all the unmarried young ladies into the center of the floor.  Josie found herself elbow-to-elbow with Hope Lovejoy and Sally Cass.  She tried to hide behind Sally – she hated being singled out like this – but Molly’s bouquet came right at her head.  Sticking her hands up to catch it was a matter of survival.  Josie blushed as the ladies cheered and the young men ribbed Fionn.

            After a final dance, Adam and Molly bid their guests goodnight.  Little Joe and Hoss elbowed Adam and winked at him, but Josie gave him another tight hug.

            “Don’t be a stranger around the old homestead,” she whispered.

            “I won’t.  I love you, Josie.”

            “I love you, too.”

            Adam kissed her forehead and then shook Fionn’s hand.  “I’ll look out for your sister if you look out for mine.”

            Fionn smiled and took Josie’s hand.  “It’s a deal.”

            Satisfied that Josie was well cared for, Adam slipped an arm around his new wife’s waist and led her to their buggy outside.

            Everyone waved to the newlyweds until they were out of sight and then went back inside for a bit more dancing before heading home, but Josie and Fionn lingered on the hotel steps, staring down the road.

            “It’s gonna be awful lonely at home,” Fionn sighed.

            Josie put an arm around his shoulders.  She’d been thinking the same thing, but at least she had Joe, Ben, her mother, and Hop Sing.  Except for Conall, Fionn would be truly alone on his farm.

            “Are you driving home tonight?” she asked.

            “No, I’m stayin’ at Molly’s shop.  It’ll be strange without her there, but at least I get the bed and not a pallet on the floor, right?”  He grinned, but there was no joy in his eyes.

            “No one’s expecting you, then,” Josie said.

            “No.”  Fionn raised an eyebrow.  “Why?”

            Josie dropped her gaze, grateful that the dark night prevented Fionn from seeing her blush.  “I’m in room six.  It’s at the end of the hall on the second floor.”

            Fionn tilted her head up and kissed her.  “I’ll see what I can do,” he promised.  Then he took her arm and led her back inside.

******

            Down the road, Adam put an arm around Molly as he drove them to their new house.  He’d let her see the outside since he knew it would be dark when they arrived home for the first time, but the inside was still a surprise.  They rode quietly, neither of them wanting to break the magical glow that surrounded their buggy.  Adam glanced at Molly from time to time, hardly believing she was real.  He expected to wake up at any moment, alone in his old bedroom in his father’s house.  But in seemingly no time at all, the miles had melted away, and he was pulling into the yard of his and Molly’s new home.

            It was a two-story home with a tall, gabled roof and lots of windows on all sides.  A covered porch ran the length of the front of the house and boasted a large porch swing – a handmade gift from Hoss.  Molly beamed up at Adam as he pulled the team to a stop.

            “It’s beautiful, even in the dark,” she said.

            Adam smiled and kissed her softly.  “Stay here a minute.  I’ll go put on some lamps.”  He jumped down from the buggy and hurried inside to light the oil lamps in the living room.

            The interior of the house was a bit smaller than Ben’s but still spacious.  Adam had kept the open floor plan he’d used on the original house, allowing his living room, office, and dining room to flow together.  Instead of a downstairs guestroom, Adam had expanded the kitchen and added a larger walk-in pantry – if there was one thing Hop Sing liked to complain about, it was the cramped quarters in Ben’s kitchen.  Upstairs were five bedrooms, including a large master bedroom and a washroom with indoor plumbing.  Adam grinned as he lit the lamps.  The new furniture had cost him a small fortune, but looking around his cozy living room, he decided it was worth every penny.  Still smiling, he dashed back outside to retrieve Molly.

            “Ready?” he asked as he led her up the porch steps.  Molly nodded, and Adam swept her up in his arms and carried her across the threshold into their house.  Molly squealed with laughter and nuzzled her head against Adam’s chest.  Once inside, he set her down, took her hand, and led her on the grand tour.  She loved the large kitchen and the wide, squashy settee in the living room, but it was the upstairs that took her breath away.  The master bedroom was beautiful with a huge mahogany bed – plenty of room to roll around, as Adam had promised – and matching wardrobes and chests of drawers.

            “Josie came by earlier this week and put away the clothes you’d sent over,” Adam said, showing her which wardrobe was hers.  “She helped me set up one of the other rooms, too.  Would you like to see it?”

            Molly nodded, and Adam took her hand again and led her to the bedroom next to theirs.  He made her close her eyes as he opened the door and lit a lamp inside.

            “Ok, open them!” he said.

            Molly’s eyes popped open to see her new sewing room.  Shelves of fabric and notions lined two walls, a new dress form stood near the center, and in front of a wide window was a brand-new sewing machine.

            “I thought since you were so much farther from town now you might like to be able to do some of your work right here at home,” Adam said, his eyes glowing.  “Do you like it?”

            Tears streamed down Molly’s face.  “Adam, this is all so wonderful,” she said in a trembling voice.  “I don’t deserve it.”

            Adam gathered her in his arms.  “Yes, you do,” he whispered.  “You deserve so much more than I could ever give you.”  Molly wrapped her arms around his waist, and they stood there, clinging to one another, for several long moments before Adam stepped back and dabbed at her eyes with his handkerchief.

            “I have to put the team up,” he said softly.  “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable, get into your nightgown.  I’ll only be a few minutes.”

            Molly giggled through the last of her tears.  “I’d love to, darling, but I can’t get out of this dress by meself.  Have you seen the buttons?”

            She showed Adam her back, and he laughed at the row of tiny buttons that ran all the way to the base of her spine.

            “Dare I ask how long it took to get into this?” he asked, still laughing.

            “We didn’t watch the clock.  Would have been too depressin’.”

            Adam kissed her and caressed her cheek.  “Well, sit down at least.  I’ll be more than happy to help you out of this as soon as the horses are in the barn.”

            While Molly stood in front of the mirror in their bedroom and took down her hair, Adam raced outside to get the horses settled.  Anxious to get on with his wedding night, he never unhitched a buggy so fast in his life.  Molly jumped in surprise when he burst back into the bedroom, much sooner than she’d expected.

            “Sorry,” he said, tugging off his boots.  “Just couldn’t wait to get back to you.”

            Molly rose from her chair, stepped over to him, and gave him a long, lingering kiss.  Adam pulled her tightly against him.

            “Shall we make this marriage binding, Mrs. Cartwright?” he whispered in her ear.

            “Yes, please.”  Molly squeezed his hand, and together they walked over to the bed.

            Afterward, tears streamed down both their faces as they clung to one another, legs entwined.

            “I love you, Molly,” Adam whispered.  “And I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”

            “I love you, too, Adam.  Forever and always.”

            Then, exhausted from the day, they fell asleep.

******

            As Adam and Molly were arriving home, the party back at the International House was winding down.  Everyone groaned when the band announced their final number – given their popularity that evening, Josie had a strong suspicion that the boys would be invited back to Virginia City for future engagements.  Rather than ending with a waltz or a slow dance, Aengus struck up another lively reel.  Fionn twirled Josie around the dancefloor until she was pink-cheeked and dizzy.  Nearby, Ben spun Hannah, as Roy and Rachel whirled next to them.  Little Joe had coaxed Hope Lovejoy onto the floor, and Hoss had persuaded a drooping Patience to have one last dance. 

            When the dance ended and the last guest had departed, the Cartwrights, Fionn, Roy, and Clementine surveyed the room and declared the evening a success.

            “I think that was the most fun I have ever had at a wedding,” Hannah said, still flushed from the last dance.

            “Agreed!” Rachel said, beaming at Roy.

            “Tell you what,” Fionn said, looking around at the tables covered in discarded napkins and empty beer mugs, champagne flutes, and water glasses, “I’m glad I don’t have to clean all this up.”

            “Didn’t you know, Fionn?”  Little Joe said.  “Family of the bride has to clean up after.”

            “In that case, I give Molly to you with my compliments,” Fionn replied.  He swept a hand around to indicate the mess.  “Have fun.”

            Everyone laughed, and Fionn said his farewells to them all.  Rachel surprised everyone by clasping his hand in both of hers and saying that she very much hoped she’d see him again before she and Hannah departed for home.  Josie bit her lip and shared a nervous glance with her mother – they hoped Fionn had the wherewithal not to mention that Hannah wasn’t leaving.  Fortunately, he did.

            “Yes, ma’am, Ms. Stoddard.  I’m sure you’ll see plenty of me.  Goodnight.”  He turned to Josie and gave her a quick hug – opting not to kiss her in front of Aunt Rachel.  “Is your room on the front or the back side of the building?” he whispered in her ear.

            “The back,” Josie whispered back.  “Why?”

            “Just wonderin’.  I’ll see you soon.”

            With a final wave to the family, Fionn departed for Molly’s shop.

            Claiming exhaustion, Josie said her goodnights to everyone and scurried upstairs to her room.  Hannah followed to help her out of her gown and hairpins.

            “That was a wonderful party!” Hannah said as she dug the last of the pins out of her daughter’s hair.  Josie grimaced as she tugged it free.

            “It certainly was.  I’ll miss him terribly, but I’m so happy for Adam.”

            “Me, too.  He’s put the family ahead of himself for way too long.”

            “Not as long as Aunt Rachel has.”

            “True, but perhaps that’s changing too.”  Hannah smiled at Josie in the mirror.

            “Is there something you’re not telling me, Mama?”

            “No, I just have a sneaking suspicion that a certain sheriff may be finding his way into an old spinster’s heart.”

            Josie caught her mother’s eye.  “When are you going to tell her you’re staying here?”

            “Tomorrow.  Or the next day.  Maybe the day after that.”

            The ladies laughed.

            “Have Hoss tell her,” Josie suggested.  “She likes him so well she won’t argue with anything he says.”

            Hannah smiled.  “No, I’ll tell her tomorrow when we’re all back at the ranch.”  She kissed the crown of Josie’s head.  “That’s all the pins.  Sleep tight, sweetheart.  I love you.”

            “I love you, too, Mama.”

            Hannah patted Josie’s shoulder and left the room. 

            Already in her nightgown, Josie glanced around, wondering when Fionn would arrive.  He’d promised to see her soon.  Fifteen minutes went by, but still, no Fionn.  Heavy with disappointment, Josie crawled under the covers of her bed and settled in.  She’d no sooner closed her eyes than she heard a tapping at her window.  At first she thought it was just a bird, but it seemed odd that a bird would be tapping on her window at one in the morning.  Curious, she snatched her Derringer off her nightstand and crept to the window.  She pulled back the curtain and swallowed a scream as a face peered in at her.

            “Josie!” Fionn’s voice was muffled through the glass.  “Let me in!  I can’t hold on much longer!”

            Josie threw open the window and stuck a hand out to Fionn, who was clinging to the frame, his feet planted against the building, nearly twenty feet from the ground.  He took Josie’s hand, and she helped him haul himself into the room.  He collapsed flat on his back on the floor, panting and massaging his cramped fingers.  Josie dropped to her knees next to him and took over rubbing his hands.

            “Fionn, for goodness sake, there’s a staircase, you know!”

            “Too risky,” Fionn gasped.  Josie gave him a minute to catch his breath, and he sat up.  “There’s a clerk at the front desk.  Couldn’t let him see me comin’ up here, could I?  Your family finds out, I’m as good as dead.”

            “That’s true.  But you could have warned me you were going to scale the building!”

            Fionn sat up.  “Wasn’t sure I could do it until I tried.  Anyway, I’m here now.”  He pulled Josie to him and kissed her.  Setting her Derringer on a small table, Josie wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back.  Something was off, though.  Fionn’s chest was oddly squashy.  She pulled away and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt.  Reaching in, she withdrew a nightshirt.

            “Hate sleepin’ in me trousers,” Fionn explained with a shrug.

            Josie laughed and kissed him again as she unbuttoned the rest of his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders.  She sighed and ran her hands down his bare chest, making him shiver.

            “I love you so much,” she said.

            Fionn grinned and kissed her nose.  “I love you, too.  How about you get back into bed while I change?”

            Josie slipped under the covers and faced the wall while Fionn shucked his trousers and pulled his nightshirt over his head.  She smiled as he crawled in next to her and wrapped his arms around her.  She turned over and kissed him again, and he rolled onto her, their nightclothes leaving nothing to the imagination.

            “Easy there, Fionnie, it’s not our wedding night, you know,” she teased.

            Fionn looked hurt.  “Aw, Josie, you know I’d never pressure you like that,” he said.  Then he smiled.  “I’ll kiss you lots, though.” 
Josie sighed as he kissed her again, and her hand went wandering.  Fionn gasped, and his eyes flew open.

            “Not our weddin’ night, remember?” he panted in her ear.

            “I remember.”  Josie frowned and dropped her hand to her side.  She stuck out her lower lip.  “Stupid morals.”

            Fionn chuckled and kissed her nose before rolling off of her and curling up against her side.  “I like your morals.”

            “I think you just like knowing you’re first in line.”

            Fionn laughed again.  “Not goin’ to lie, Hey, You.  It is nice knowin’ that if I get the chance, I’ll be explorin’ uncharted territory.”

            Josie snorted.  “I’ll have to call you ‘Meriwether O’Connell.’”  She pressed back against him and nuzzled her head into the pillow.  “At least Adam and Molly are sure to be having a good time tonight.”

            “Don’t remind me,” Fionn groaned.  “I know they’re married and all, but I still want to kill him.”

            “I’m happy for them,” Josie giggled.  “This has been a long time coming for Adam.”

            “Aye, Molly as well.  I’ll miss her, but I am happy for her.  She’s married into a good family, a good name.”  An unspoken weight behind Fionn’s words hung heavily over the bed.  “It’s important for a woman to marry into a good name,” he said at last.  “Could ruin a reputation if she goes marryin’ someone with a black mark on him.”

            “If I see a girl about to do that, I’ll warn her,” Josie replied.  She rolled over and kissed him.

            Fionn smiled sadly.  “You’re too good to me.”

            “Probably.”  Josie kissed him again.  “We should get some sleep.  You want to protect my reputation, we’ll have to sneak you out of here early.  You mind going out the way you came in?”

            “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

            Josie reached over to the nightstand and set the alarm clock for five o’clock – sadly, only three hours away.  But Josie and Fionn were grateful for any chance to snuggle up together, and they were both soon sound asleep.

******

            Adam woke around five a.m. the next morning, just about the time that in town, Fionn was climbing down the side of the International House and darting back to Molly’s shop.  Adam smiled as his eyes fluttered open and he grew aware of the warm body pressed against his.

            His wife.

            He lay there watching Molly sleep, hardly able to believe they were married.  He ran a hand through her auburn waves, and she sighed as her eyes fluttered open.  She smiled up at him, and he kissed her softly.

            “Good morning,” he whispered.

            “Good morning.”  She stretched her arms over her head.  “What time is it?”

            “Just after five.  No need to get up yet.  Go back to sleep.”  Ben had given Adam two weeks off from ranch duties, and Adam smiled as he looked forward to thirteen more lazy mornings with his new wife.

            “I will,” Molly said with a coy smile.  “In a moment.” 

            Fifteen minutes later, Molly curled up against Adam’s side again and wrapped her arms around him.

            “Now we can go back to sleep,” she whispered, kissing his cheek.

            Adam nuzzled his face into her hair.  Cozy in his wife’s arms, he closed his eyes and let sleep take him once more.

******

            As Adam and Molly slumbered, the rest of the Cartwright family drove home to the Ponderosa, all of them a bit sleepy from their late night.  Josie had hated saying goodbye to Fionn that morning.  It was so lovely, waking up in his arms, and she wished they could lie together the entire day.  It occurred to her that Fionn now had a house all to himself, and she wondered how many excuses she could come up with to go over there before her family caught on.  With Aunt Rachel on the Ponderosa for another week, Josie guessed only one.

            It was strange without Adam at home, but Little Joe made good on his promise to be there for her and spent extra time with Josie, playing cards or checkers in the evening and going out for rides when his pre-cattle-drive duties allowed.  He even passed up the opportunity to take Hope Lovejoy out for a buggy ride because he’d promised to help Josie sweep out her clinic.

            Hannah spent those first few post-wedding days avoiding Rachel.  Despite what she’d told Josie, she hadn’t yet said anything to her sister about staying on the Ponderosa, and Rachel was starting to ask questions about their plans for when they returned home.  Their abolition society in Boston was holding a fundraising bazaar in September to support wounded Union soldiers, and Hannah had committed to working at one of the booths. 

            “Which booth would you prefer, Hannah?” Rachel asked three days after the wedding when she finally cornered her younger sister in the living room after supper.  “We need someone to help sell the baked goods, but you might have more fun manning one of the games.  What about the milk bottle toss?”

            “Oh, do I need to decide right now?” Hannah asked, trying to hide her face behind the shirt she was mending.  Ben had had to coax a cow out of a thorn bush that afternoon, and his shirt was a bit worse for wear.  Hop Sing usually did the family’s mending, but Hannah had hoped that Rachel would leave her alone if she looked busy.

            “Just tell her already, Mama!” Josie huffed.  She’d had a long day treating one of their ranch hands for a stomach bug.  The young man would be all right, but Josie had spent the afternoon scrubbing vomit off her clinic floor, and her patience was spent.

            Little Joe and Ben fell silent over their checkers game in the corner and gazed across the room to watch the drama unfold between the Stoddard sisters.  Sheriff Coffee, who had joined the Cartwrights for supper yet again and was waiting to play the victor of Joe and Ben’s game, suddenly became very interested in a loose thread on the knee of his trousers.

            “Tell me what, Hannah?” Rachel asked, her hazel eyes wide.

            Hannah sighed.  She stared down at the mending in her lap.  “I am not going home with you, Rachel,” she said.  She looked up at her sister.  “Ben has invited me to stay on here until the war is over, and I’ve accepted.”

            Rachel raised an eyebrow and shuttled her gaze between her sister and her brother-in-law.  The family waited on tenterhooks for her explosion.

            “But what about the bazaar?” she said at last.  Josie slapped her forehead, and Little Joe swallowed a laugh.

            An amused smile flitted about Hannah’s lips.  “I guess you’ll have to find someone else to set up the milk bottles.”  Rachel said nothing, but Hannah read her face.  “Jacob won’t be getting leave again until the war is over,” she said in response to the unasked question.

            “I suppose if you can’t be with your husband, then you shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to be with your daughter,” Rachel said after a suspenseful pause.  “No sense being without both of them if you don’t have to be.”

            Everyone let out a relieved sigh as the tension dissipated.  Everyone except Little Joe, that is.  He looked disappointed.

            “Thank you for understanding,” Hannah said, taking her sister’s hand.  “And Ben has offered to arrange an escort for you so you don’t have to make the journey home alone.”

            “No need for that,” Rachel said.  “As it so happens, you’re not the only one with news.”

            Little Joe and Josie exchanged an incredulous look, and Josie wondered if she’d be riding out to Adam’s the next morning to boggle his mind.

            Rachel turned her attention to the sheriff.  “Roy?”

            Roy caught Ben’s eye and shifted in his seat.  “No use beating around the bush,” he said.  “Ben, I’m retiring.”

            Ben’s jaw dropped.  “Roy, don’t be silly, you can’t retire!”

            “I most certainly can, and I will.  Sheriffing is a young man’s game, Ben, and I’m three years older than you are.  I say I’ve earned my rest.”

            “No one will argue you there, Roy, but who will be the sheriff?” Ben asked.

            “The city commissioners will have to appoint someone, but I expect they’ll take my recommendation and name Clem.  He’s been a good deputy for ten years now, and he’s more than man enough for the job.”

            A silence settled over the room as Ben processed this.

            “So, uh, how does this relate to Aunt Rachel not goin’ home alone?” Little Joe asked with a wry grin.

            Roy blushed.  “I’ve decided to do a little traveling,” he answered.

            “Beginning in Boston?” Ben prompted.

            Roy straightened up in his chair.  “Yes, as a matter of fact.  And Miss Stoddard has been kind enough to offer to show me around the city.”

            “I bet she has,” Joe muttered.  Josie giggled.

            “We’ll certainly miss you, Roy,” Ben said.  “Virginia City won’t be the same without you.   There’s no question about how much you’ve done for the town.”

            “I appreciate that, Ben.  But you all will be in good hands with Clem.  He’s a good man.”

            “That he is.  And I appreciate you accompanying my sister-in-law home.  We’ll all rest easier knowing she isn’t journeying alone.”

            “The very least I can do,” Roy said modestly.  Little Joe caught Josie’s gaze and rolled his eyes, setting her to giggling again.  Rachel shot daggers at her, and she swallowed her laughter.

            Hannah opted to change the subject. 

            “Well!” she said.  “What are everyone’s plans for the Fourth of July?”

******

            Two nights later, Adam and Molly came up for air long enough to go to Ben’s for supper.  It was only two days before Little Joe’s twenty-second birthday, so the whole family was together to celebrate.  Josie pounced on Adam as soon as he and Molly slid off their horses in the front yard.  Adam’s eyes bugged out as she told him about Roy’s upcoming retirement and his plans to accompany Rachel back to Boston.

            “Pa must be disappointed not to get rid of Widow Hawkins,” he said.

            Josie laughed and kissed his cheek.

            As the family relaxed over chocolate birthday cake – a nice big one, as Hannah had promised – they chatted about the upcoming Fourth of July celebration in Virginia City.  Everyone was looking forward to the big horse race, and Adam promised Josie lots of dances in the evening.

            Before they left, Hoss pulled Josie aside.

            “Josie, thought you should know.  I was in town yesterday, and I saw Simon.  I expect he’ll be there on Monday.”

            Josie’s heart leapt into her throat.  She tried not to let her apprehension show on her face.  “I guess he came back early for his sister’s wedding,” she said.

            “Guess he did.”

            She gave Hoss a tight smile.  “It’ll be fine.  He’s been gone a year.  No reason for there still to be hard feelings between us.”

            Hoss patted her shoulder.  “He gives you any trouble, you just come find me.”

            Josie’s smile turned genuine.  “Thanks, Hoss.”

            The cousins hugged, Josie nearly disappearing in Hoss’s meaty arms.

******

            The Cartwrights arrived in Virginia City early on the Fourth of July, all of them excited for the festivities.  Josie found Fionn almost immediately, and the pair and their dogs took off across the meadow to be first in line for ice cream.  Adam and Molly arrived soon after, and they stood chatting with Ben and Hannah under a large oak tree.  All of them broke into wide smiles when Ross, Delphine, and four-month-old Giselle rolled up in their wagon.  The little girl was sprouting blond hair just like her mother’s, but her big smile was all Ross’s.  The Marquettes smiled as they greeted the Cartwrights, but as Molly and Hannah cooed over Giselle, Ross pulled Ben aside. 

            “Ben, we need to talk,” he said, gesturing to a small cluster of men under a nearby tree.

            “Sure, Ross.  What’s wrong?”

            “Let’s go talk.”

            Ross beckoned to Adam, and the two Cartwright men followed him over to the group.  Adam recognized several of their fellow ranchers, including Bud Johnson and Peter Croft.  Standing next to him was Simon.  Adam still wanted to pummel the young man for breaking Josie’s heart, but something in Ross’s tone told him there was a more pressing issue at hand.

            “Ben, have you lost any cattle lately?” Bud Johnson asked, not wasting time with greetings.

            Ben glanced at Adam, who shrugged.  He’d been off work for the past week and a half and was a little out of the loop with the ranch business.

            “Hoss’s count came up twenty head short the other day, but he said he expected they’d just wandered off,” Ben said.  “He and Little Joe were planning to go after them tomorrow.  Why?”

            “Because we’re all missing about twenty head,” Peter Croft said.  “We think someone’s skimming cattle in small numbers, hoping we won’t notice.”

            “They been doin’ it slowly, too,” Bud Johnson said.  “You remember those cattle I lost in April?”  Ben nodded.  “Well, Peter’s disappeared about a month later, then Ross’s a couple weeks later.  Merle and Jeb here said theirs disappeared in the past few weeks.”

            Ben rubbed the back of his neck.  “Any idea who they are or where they’ve gone?”

            “My boy said he thinks they’re on Ponderosa land,” Peter said.  All eyes turned to Simon.

            “It’s true, Mr. Cartwright,” Simon said.  “I followed tracks right onto your land just yesterday.”

            “It’s possible, Pa,” Adam said.  “Where better to hide stolen cattle than on the biggest cattle ranch in the region?  There are a thousand places they could hide on the Ponderosa.”

            Ben sighed.  “We’ll start searching first thing tomorrow.  Those rustlers won’t be able to get away before then.”

            The other men nodded. 

            “You let us know what you need from us,” Ross said.  “I can send my brother and a hand or two to help you look.”

            “I’ll let you know,” Ben said.  “I think it would be best if we started small.  I don’t want these thieves to know we’re on to them.”

            The ranchers agreed, and Ben suggested they all try to enjoy the day, and the conclave broke up.  With a last hard glare at Simon, Adam headed back to Molly, plastering a smile on his face as he walked.

            The horse race went off at ten o’clock, and the Cartwrights all cheered for Matthew Marquette, who won the big prize with a three-year-old colt he’d raised himself.

            “We coulda beat him,” Hoss muttered to Adam.

            “You bet your boots we could have,” Adam agreed.  “Just wait until next year.”

            The family enjoyed a gigantic picnic lunch together, requiring four picnic blankets to accommodate all eleven of them – eight Cartwrights plus Fionn, Rachel, and Roy.  The sheriff had announced his retirement, and while the townspeople expressed disappointment, they all agreed that Roy Coffee had earned his rest.  Clem Foster had been named sheriff and would take over from Roy at the end of the week when Roy and Rachel departed for Boston.

            After lunch, Josie, Fionn, Little Joe, Sally Cass, and Joe’s friend Mitch stood around waiting to watch the children’s three-legged race.  They were all laughing at a bawdy joke Mitch had just told when Josie felt Fionn stiffen beside her.

            “What’s wrong, Fionn?” she asked.  He didn’t reply, and as Josie followed his gaze across the meadow, her stomach lurched.  Simon was striding toward them.

            “Hey, Simon!  Long time, no see!” Mitch greeted him.  Simon grinned and slapped his old friend on the back.

            “Good to see you, Vogel,” he said.  “Sally, Joe,” he greeted each one in turn and then hesitated.  “Hey, Fionn.”  He extended a hand.  Fionn clasped it for only a second before stepping closer to Josie.  “Hi, Josie,” Simon said softly.

            “Hi, Simon.”  Josie’s heart raced, and she grabbed Fionn’s hand.  He gave her hand a little squeeze.

            “Congratulations on the library, everyone,” Simon said.  “I stopped in the other day.  It’s really impressive.”

            “How’s the furniture business?” Joe asked.

            “It’s great!” Simon replied.  “I’ve learned so much from Mr. Tobin.  I’m opening my own shop in the fall.”

            They congratulated him, but then the conversation died, a weight hanging heavily over their heads.  Sally rocked back and forth on her feet while Fionn cleared his throat.  All around them, the people of Virginia City carried on with their games, oblivious to the awkward silence under the large oak tree.  Finally, Simon huffed out a heavy breath.

            “Josie, could I have word, please?” he asked.  He glanced at Fionn.  “In private?”

            “Of course,” she said.  She squeezed Fionn’s hand and gave him a peck on the cheek before following Simon to the shade of a tree partway across the field.  Pip followed along and sat down next to her when she stopped.  She laid a hand on his head.

            “It’s really good to see you, Josie,” Simon began, running a hand through his blond hair, which was as shaggy and unruly as ever.  “I’ve missed you.”

            She smoothed her skirt and said nothing.  Simon swallowed hard.

            “I heard Adam and Hoss both got married.  Your uncle must be really happy.”

            Josie held up a hand.  “Simon, please just say whatever it is you brought me over here to tell me.”

            Simon drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.  “All right.  I love you, Josie.  I never stopped loving you, and I want you with me in San Francisco.”  He took her hand.  “Please give me – give us – another chance.”  He caught her gaze, his dark brown eyes filled with hope and those little gold flecks Josie had loved.

            A spark like a tiny lightning bolt shot through her, and she snatched her hand away.

            “Simon, I told you in my wire last fall that I can’t leave my family.  Maybe if we hadn’t had that falling out… but even then.  All those years I spent missing everyone – especially Adam – I’m not about to leave.  You should have known that.”

            Simon hung his head.  “I suppose I did.  Guess I hoped San Francisco would be close enough.  It’s just a stagecoach ride.  Not like Washington or Boston.”

            “But it’s not Virginia City.”

            “No.”

            “And I’m with Fionn now.  We’ve been courting since Christmas.”

            Simon gazed across the field to where Fionn stood with their friends.  Mitch had reengaged the group in conversation, but Fionn wasn’t paying attention, instead staring intently at Simon and Josie.  Simon’s eyes narrowed.

            “Yeah, I heard,” he grumbled.  He turned back to Josie.  “Josie, he’s a dirt farmer.  I’m a craftsman.  By the end of the year, I’ll have my own shop.  I can give you so much more than he can.”  He reached forward and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.  Josie took a step backward and crossed her arms across her chest.

            “That’s not the issue,” she said.

            “What is?”

            “I love him.”

            Simon winced like Josie had slapped him.  “And you don’t love me anymore.”  He said this as a statement, not a question.

            A heaviness settled in Josie’s chest, and she cast her eyes down to Pip.  “A little part of me always will,” she admitted.  “But it could never be like it was.  We lost the opportunity to fix things when you had to go to San Francisco.  When you made it clear you weren’t coming back, I had to let you go.”

            A muscle jumped in Simon’s jaw as he nodded.  “That’s it, then.”

            Josie looked up and met his gaze.  His eyes were watery.  Hers filled with tears.

            “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

            Simon looked across the field again to where Fionn was still watching them.

            “Is he good to you?” he asked softly.

            “Yes.”

            Simon clenched his jaw and nodded again.  “Then I wish the two of you the best.  Truly, I do.  Goodbye, Josie.”  He leaned in and kissed her cheek, his lips lingering on her skin for a moment before he pulled back and walked away.  Tears spilled down Josie’s cheeks as she watched him mount his palomino and ride off.

            As soon as Simon had cleared the area, Fionn and Conall tore across the field to Josie and Pip.  Fionn’s eyes flashed as he saw Josie’s tears.

            “What did he say to you?” he demanded, half-turning in the direction Simon had departed.

            Josie wiped her eyes and summarized the conversation for him.  He wrinkled his brow.

            “If he wished us well and said goodbye, why are you cryin’?”

            “I hate hurting people.  I’m a healer, and I just hurt him.”

            “Didna give you much choice, did he?”

            “I guess not.”

            Fionn kissed her forehead and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  “You did what you had to do.  Come on, Hey, You.  Let’s go watch that three-legged race.  I’ve got a bet with Joe that a pair of girls will beat everyone.”

            Josie smiled and let Fionn lead her back to the group.

            Simon must have ridden home because Josie didn’t see him again the rest of the day, nor did he reappear in the evening for the dancing and fireworks.  She felt bad that he missed the party, but she was also relieved.  Simon’s absence made it possible for her to relax and enjoy dancing with Fionn.  When Adam caught her up at the end of the evening, she forgot all about Simon as Adam whirled her around the dancefloor.  If not for the unpleasant conversation with her ex-boyfriend, Josie could have declared it a perfect day.

******

            Though Adam was still off work for the rest of the week, he rode out with his father and brothers the next day to look for signs of the cattle rustlers.  Adam wanted to enlist the help of the ranch hands, but Ben didn’t want to tip off the thieves by sending out a huge search party.  So each Cartwright man went a different direction to look for tracks or other signs of cattle being held on the property.  They searched all day but came up blank.

            “Maybe they’ve moved on,” Joe suggested at supper that night.

            “Perhaps,” Ben said.  “But I don’t think so.  No, I think they’d wait until everyone else is driving their cattle to market.  They’d blend in better.”

            “With cattle bearing a half dozen different brands?” Hoss asked.

            “That I can’t explain,” Ben said.  “Maybe they’re planning to change the brands.  Or maybe they’re just hoping no one will notice.  In any event, you boys keep your eyes open.  You see anything suspicious, report back right away.”

            “We will, Pa,” Adam said.  “We’ll tell the other ranchers to do the same.”

******

            At the end of the week, the Cartwrights returned to town to see Rachel and Roy off on the stagecoach.  Ben was disappointed he wasn’t getting rid of Clementine Hawkins as well, but his disappointment was mitigated by not having to say goodbye to Hannah.  Josie reflected how different this departure was from the one a year ago when she had to say farewell to her mother and then go home to tend to Little Joe who was laid up with a broken leg.  Fionn surprised everyone by showing up at the coach depot that morning to say his goodbyes to Rachel.  The eldest Stoddard sister beamed as Fionn bowed grandly and kissed her hand.

            Half the town had showed up to say goodbye to their departing sheriff, and after the coach drove away, Adam, Hoss, Little Joe, and Fionn followed a group of men to the saloon for an early beer.  Molly went off to her shop and Josie to Dr. Martin’s clinic.  Patience told Hoss he could pick her up at Ben’s later and took Rachel’s vacated seat in Ben’s buggy.  With a wave to boys, Ben slapped the reins on the horses’ backs and drove away with Patience and Hannah.

            “Nothing to do on the farm today, Fionn?” Adam asked as they reached the Bucket of Blood.

            “Plenty.  But it can wait a round or two.”

            The four men breezed through the doors and grabbed a table before the men of Virginia City claimed them all.

            “First round’s on me, gents,” Fionn said, jingling some coins in his pocket.

            “Yeah, with my money,” Little Joe grumbled.  Fionn laughed and headed for the bar.  He’d won that three-legged race bet with Joe on the Fourth of July when two tiny six-year-old girls made fools of the rest of the field.

            “Four beers, please,” he told the bartender.  As he waited for the drinks, he glanced to his left and recognized the man sitting there.  “Oh, hi there, Croft.  Didn’t expect to see you in town today.”

            Simon looked up at him, his eyes hard.  “Well here I am.”

            Fionn smiled, determined to keep things light.  After all, Simon had conceded regarding Josie.  No reason the two of them couldn’t be cordial.  “Figured your da would take advantage of havin’ you home and put you to work.”

            Simon swirled the dregs in the bottom of his beer mug.  Two empty glasses sat on the bar next to him. 

            “He has.  I got some supplies to pick up soon as Will Cass has them ready.”  He gulped the last of his drink without looking over at Fionn.

            “Let me buy you a drink before you go.”

            Simon’s shoulders stiffened.  “Why?”

            “Because it’s a hot day.  And because I appreciate what you said to Josie the other day about wishin’ us well.”

            “I didn’t say it for you.”

            “I know it.  But I appreciate it all the same.”  Fionn laid a hand on Simon’s shoulder.  “Let me buy you that beer.”

            Simon shrugged Fionn’s hand away.  “Don’t touch me,” he growled.

            Fionn took a step back, his hands raised to show he meant no harm.  “Sorry.  Just tryin’ to clear the air between us.”

            “Don’t talk to me, either.”  Simon slid from his barstool and swayed on his feet.  Fionn nearly stuck a hand out to steady him, but thought better of it.  “No secret I’m sick of you, Fionn.”  He slurred his words.  “Bad enough you attack Josie, but now for whatever reason, she’s chosen you.”

            Fionn hung his head and sighed.  “I shouldn’t have kissed her last year, I admit,” he said.  “But I wasn’t tryin’ to attack her.  It was a misunderstand-”

            “Just shut up!” Simon hollered.  “And get the hell out of my way.”  He put his hands on Fionn’s chest and shoved hard.  Caught by surprise, Fionn staggered backward into the row of barstools.  He and three stools crashed to the floor.  The saloon fell silent, and all eyes turned to the young men at the bar.

            The blood pounded in Fionn’s ears, and his limbs tingled with adrenaline.  He leapt to his feet and shoved himself in Simon’s face.

            “I’m gettin’ awful tired of you jumpin’ me when I’m tryin’ to explain meself, Croft!” he seethed.

            “What you gonna do about it, O’Connell?”  Simon gave him another little push.  This time, Fionn shoved back.  A nasty grin spread across Simon’s face, and he swung his fist, catching Fionn in the jaw.  Fionn responded with a blow to Simon’s left eye.  In a flash, Simon jumped on him, and the two men were tussling on the floor.  Chairs scraped as the other patrons left their seats to watch the fight and egg the young men on.

            “I got five dollars on the Irishman!” a man called out as Fionn landed another blow to Simon’s face.

            Simon sank his fist into Fionn’s stomach, and Fionn doubled over, gasping for air.

            “I’ll take that bet!” another man responded.

            Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe sprang from their chairs and dashed over to the brawl.  Little Joe cried out “Get him, Fionn, get him!” but Adam and Hoss dived into the fray.  Hoss grabbed Simon, Adam grabbed Fionn, and they pulled the two apart.  Fionn clutched his stomach, and Simon pressed a hand to his bleeding nose.  Black eyes were rising on both their faces, and a trickle of blood ran from the corner of Fionn’s mouth.

            “Think it’s time you ran on home, Simon,” Hoss said, pointing him toward the door.

            “I was here first,” Simon slurred.  “Make the dirty Mick go home.”

            “Boy, you’ve got about two seconds to get out of here before I lay you out myself,” Adam snarled.  He pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it to his brother-in-law’s bleeding lip.

            Simon glowered at him as Hoss marched him to the saloon doors and gave him a little nudge.  Cramming his hat on his head, he staggered outside.

            “You all right?” Adam asked, checking Fionn’s lip.  It was still bleeding, so he reapplied the handkerchief.

            “Aye,” Fionn replied.  “I’ve had worse.  Least I gave as good as I got.”

            “You sure did!” Little Joe said.  “What started all that anyway?”

            “Tried to buy him a beer,” Fionn said.

            Adam checked Fionn’s lip again.  It had stopped bleeding, so he tossed his ruined handkerchief aside.  “I think you’ll live,” he said.  “You want us to take you to the clinic just to be sure?”

            Fionn shook his head – an action he immediately regretted.  His head throbbed everywhere Simon had hit him.  “Don’t want to upset Josie.  She’s had enough on her mind lately.  I’ll just go home.  Got a lot of work to do anyway.”

            The Cartwright brothers walked Fionn outside, where he climbed onto his horse and headed for home, wondering how he’d make it through his work that day with his head still throbbing.

******

            Josie heard about the fight anyway.  Morris from the telegraph office had been in the saloon and barged into the clinic to tell her all about it.  She rode out to Fionn’s farm that afternoon in tears to check on him.  She found him in his cornfield and insisted on examining him right there in the middle of the towering cornstalks.  His abdomen was a little tender when she pressed on it, but his head had stopped aching, though it would be a week or more before his black eye faded. 

            “I have half a mind to ride out to the Lucky Star and give Simon a piece of my mind,” she fumed.

            “He was drunk,” Fionn said.  “Think we’re further ahead lettin’ it go.  He and I both have plenty of work ahead of us the next few weeks.  And he’ll be headin’ back to California the beginning of next month.  We’re not goin’ to run into each other again.” 

******

            For a while, it seemed Fionn was right.  Between his work on the farm and Simon’s on his father’s ranch – and Rebecca’s wedding, of course – both young men kept close to home over the coming weeks.  Adam went back to work as well, and Hannah settled into life on the Ponderosa.  Life went back to normal.

            One afternoon at the end of July, however, Simon and his father came galloping into Ben’s front yard.  All four Cartwright men were inside going over the final details for the cattle drive next week and rushed outside to meet them.

            “What is it, Peter?” Ben asked as the Crofts leapt from their horses.

            “The rustlers, Ben!” Peter Croft said.  “We’ve found signs of those rustlers!  Looks to be about six of them.  Tracks leading right off my property and heading this way, just south of the house.”

            “Are they fresh?”

            “No more than a day old.”

            Ben turned to his sons.  “We need more men.  Adam, head over to the Marquettes.  Joe, you go get Bud Johnson.  Hoss, help me get some rifles ready.  Peter, Simon, feel free to water your horses.  They’ll need the rest.”

            As the boys took off and the Crofts tended to their mounts, a wagon clattered into the yard.

            “Hello!” Fionn cheered.  His face fell when he saw Simon, but he turned his attention to Ben.  “Harvested some early corn today.  Thought you might like some.”

            “Thank you, Fionn.  That’s very kind of you,” Ben said.

            Fionn furrowed his brow.  “What’s wrong?”

            Ben filled him in.

            “Lend me a saddle horse, Mr. Cartwright, and I’ll go with you.”  He pulled a rifle from under his wagon seat.

            “What do you care, Fionn?” Simon asked.  “You don’t own any cattle.”

            “No,” Fionn replied calmly, “but the cattlemen buy me crops.  Their business suffers, so does mine.  Besides, my sister’s a Cartwright now, isn’t she?”

            “Take any horse you like from the barn,” Ben said, ignoring the tension between the two young men.  “Just not Scout.”

            Fionn abandoned his corn-filled wagon in the yard and took off for the barn, Conall hot on his heels.

            Within an hour, men started arriving at the big house.  Attracted by the noise, Josie and Hannah wandered down from her clinic.  Hannah had been helping tend to patients, and when the clinic was empty – as it was today – the women enjoyed spending their time chatting.  After so many years apart, it seemed they could talk forever without running out of topics.

            “What’s going on?” Josie asked.

            “Crofts think they found the rustlers,” Little Joe said.  “We’re goin’ after them.”

            “Shouldn’t we get the sheriff?” Hannah asked, laying a hand over her heart.

            “No time,” Ben said.  “It’s a miracle they haven’t gotten away already.”  He turned to the group.  “We’ll fan out, try to surround them. Bud, Hoss, you’re with me.  We’re going west.  Peter, you and Simon have the best idea of where these thieves are, so it’s best if we split you up.  You take Ross and Little Joe and loop around to the east.  Adam, that leaves you with… oh.”  Ben glanced uncomfortably at the last two men waiting to be assigned a group: Simon and Fionn.  He looked behind him at the other men, trying to decide whom to trade.

            “We don’t have time for this.  It won’t be a problem, will it, gentlemen?” Adam asked, giving Fionn and Simon a hard stare.

            “No, sir,” Simon answered.

            “Of course not,” Fionn added.

            “All right then.  Simon, you lead them south to where you saw the tracks,” Ben said.  “Hopefully we’ll surround them.  Three shots if you find anything.  Come back here at seven o’clock if you don’t.  Saddle up, everyone!”

            “Hang on, Adam!” Josie said.  “It’ll only take me a minute to saddle Betsy.”

            Adam stepped in front of her as she tried to make for the barn.

            “You’re not going.”

            Josie rolled her eyes.  “Do we have to go through this every time?  I’m coming with you.”  She tried to sidestep him, but he blocked her path again.

            “Josie, this isn’t just a search.  We could be facing a firefight.  You’re not going.”  Josie opened her mouth to protest, but Adam motioned to Hop Sing, who had come outside to see everyone off.  The cook grabbed Josie from behind and held her fast while the men mounted up.  Adam kissed her forehead.  “I love you, Little Sister.  We’ll be back soon.”

            Josie looked around at the heavily armed, grim-faced men, and the gravity of the situation landed heavily on her shoulders: Now all the men she loved would be headed into battle.  If not for Hop Sing’s strong grip, her knees would have buckled under her.  “Adam, no!” she shrieked.  Fionn came over and kissed her swiftly.

            “I love you, a chuisle,” he whispered and then mounted up.

            Desperate, Josie screamed, she cried, she stamped on Hop Sing’s foot, but she couldn’t break the cook’s hold.  As she watched the men disappear around the barn, she sent the only gift she could.

            “Pip!” she hollered.  “Pip!  Go with Adam!”

            The wolfhound barked twice and took off in pursuit.

******

            Down the road, the posse had split up, and Adam, Simon, and Fionn headed south as directed.

            “We didn’t follow them very far,” Simon explained as they rode along.  “But we think they were headed for the high country.”

            “It’s inconvenient to get to, but there are plenty of places to hide up there,” Adam said.  “Keep a weather eye, gentlemen.” 

            Trotting along next to Fionn, Conall yipped happily.  All three men turned to see Pip bound up to them and fall into step alongside.  Adam chuckled.

            “Looks like Josie found a way to come along after all,” he said.

            Simon shook his head.  “I’ve missed that dog,” he said with a little smile.

            They rode for an hour to reach the spot where the Crofts had spotted the tracks crossing onto Ponderosa land.  Adam jumped down from Sport to get a closer look.

            “You’re right.  Looks like six of them headed into the high country with some cattle,” he said.  He mounted back up.  “Let’s go check it out.”

            “Aren’t you goin’ to signal the others?” Fionn asked, toying with the butt of his rifle.

            “No,” Adam replied.  “We haven’t found anything new.  Besides, any signal to them is a signal to the rustlers.  I don’t want to lose the element of surprise.  If we spot them, we’ll ride back a ways and then signal.  Let’s go.”

            They ascended into the high country for an hour, the trees growing thick along the trail, providing blessed shade from the beating sun.  Suddenly, Pip and Conall stopped dead in the middle of the trail, hackles raised.  The men reined up behind them, and Adam pointed to some broken branches on the nearby trees.

            “Someone brought cattle through here,” he said, dropping his voice low.  He pulled his rifle from its scabbard, prompting Fionn and Simon to do the same.  “Pip!” he hissed.  The dog turned to look at him, and Adam gestured toward the woods.  Pip took off in that direction, and Conall looked to Fionn.  The Irishman pointed the same way, and Conall followed Pip into the trees.

            “Look sharp, men,” Adam said, redirecting their attention.  “We go slowly from here.”  He nudged Sport and continued up the trail.

            They hadn’t gone more than fifty yards when a rifle shot rang out.  A searing hot pain tore through Adam’s left arm, and he toppled from his saddle into the dirt.  Fionn and Simon both hollered his name.

            “Get down!” Adam called back, clutching his injured arm.  He crawled for cover behind a wide Ponderosa pine.  Fionn and Simon dived from their saddles as four more rifle reports sounded.  Simon managed to scuttle over to Adam, but Fionn landed thirty feet away on the other side of the trail and didn’t dare risk trying to reach them. 

            “Adam, you all right?” Simon asked.  He pried Adam’s hand away from the wound and tore off the shirtsleeve around it.  “Pretty deep crease, but at least you don’t have a bullet in you,” he said, untying the bandana from around his neck and cinching it over the wound.  “Bet that hurts like hell.”

            “It does,” Adam confirmed through gritted teeth.  “Simon, how many are there?”  He leaned back against the tree and panted, fighting a wave a nausea.

            Simon tentatively stuck his head around the tree, sucking it back in as more bullets whizzed in their direction. 

            “Five,” he reported. 

            “Are you sure?  I counted six sets of tracks.  I know I counted six.”

            “It’s five, Adam.”  He pulled his rifle to his shoulder and returned fire.  “Make that four,” he amended with a crisp nod.

            “Where’s Fionn?”

            “Pinned down on the other side of the trail.  I don’t think he could make it over here even if we covered him.”

            Adam nodded and pulled his gun from his belt, wishing his rifle hadn’t landed in the middle of the trail.  He peeked around the tree and confirmed Simon’s count.  Four men took cover on a ridge a hundred feet away.  Behind that ridge lay a small valley, and Adam would have bet his last nickel that was where the missing cattle were.  A bullet whistled past his ear, and Adam fired his gun, grunting as the recoil sent vibrations through his body that set his injured arm to screaming.

            The two sides exchanged fire for ten interminable minutes.  Fionn narrowly avoided taking a bullet to the brain and retaliated with a shot that caught a bearded man in the kneecap.  The man dropped out of sight behind the ridge.  The pain was too great for Adam to fire off more than a couple shots, but he managed to take out one of the remaining three men.  Simon soon dropped that number to two.  Adam, Simon, and Fionn actually had better cover behind their trees than the rustlers had on their narrow ridge, and before long, Fionn pulled off a shot that took down one more.  The last rustler standing focused his attention on Fionn.

            “I think I can get him from here,” Adam said, drawing a bead on the last man.

            Simon nodded and glanced across the trail at Fionn, who was also taking aim at the thief.  As he watched, a sixth man stepped out of the trees only twenty or thirty feet behind Fionn.

            “FIONN!” Simon hollered.  “Behind you!”

            Fionn spun around and pulled his trigger, but the rifle jammed, and the shot didn’t go off.  His eyes widened in terror as the leering man cocked his gun and leveled it at his chest.  Simon scrambled to his feet and tore across the trail.  He tackled Fionn just as the man’s gun sounded.  The thief cocked his gun again, but Pip and Conall suddenly sprang out of the underbrush and knocked him down.  The man let out two sharp screams and then fell silent.  A handgun shot from the other side of the trail was followed by a triumphant “Ha!” as Adam felled the final rustler on the ridge. 

            On his back in the dirt, Fionn looked up at Simon, who was sprawled across his chest.  “Thanks for that,” he said with a relieved laugh. “That was close, eh, Croft?”  Simon stared down at him, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.  His chin trembled as he gasped for air.  “Croft?”  A wet warmth spread across Fionn’s chest.  “No,” Fionn whispered.  “Oh no.”  He rolled Simon onto the ground and knelt over him.

            “Fionn?”  Simon’s voice was weak and trembling.  A bright red bloom spread across his shirt.

            “Adam!” Fionn screamed.  “Adam!  Simon’s hit!”  He ripped open Simon’s shirt to find the wound and groaned when he found it.  A yawning hole just below Simon’s heart spurted blood with each heartbeat.  He futilely pressed his hands to the wound, blood gushing between his fingers.

            Adam heaved himself to his feet.  Dizzy from pain and blood loss, he staggered across the trail and dropped to the ground next to Simon and Fionn.  Simon’s glassy eyes focused on his face.

            “Adam, I’m shot,” he whimpered.

            “Do something!” Fionn begged, the pitch of his voice rising.

            Adam needed only to glance at the wound to know there was nothing anyone could do.  He looked at Fionn and shook his head.

            “It’s all right, Simon,” Fionn said, his hands still pressed to Simon’s chest.  “You’ll be all right.  We’ll get you back to Josie, and she’ll fix you right up.”

            “Josie,” Simon whispered.  He reached up and grabbed a fistful of Fionn’s shirt, locking his eyes on Fionn’s.  “Promise me, Fionn.”  He swallowed hard and licked his lips.  “Promise me you’ll take care of her.  Make her happy.  She loves you so much.”

            “Simon, I-”

            “Promise!” Simon gasped.

            “I promise.”

            Simon released Fionn’s shirt, his hand dropping heavily to his side.  He shifted his gaze to Adam.  Beads of sweat sprouted on his brow.  “Adam, do you believe in Hell?” he asked.

            “You’re not going to Hell, Simon,” Adam answered.  “I’m sure of that.”

            Simon nodded.  “I’m still scared.”  Tears slid from his eyes as he struggled for air.  “Hold onto me, Adam.”

            Adam grabbed Simon’s hand.  “I’ve got you, boy.”

            “I’m sorry I hurt Josie,” he whispered.  He swiped weakly at Fionn until he caught hold of his shirt again.  “I hope I made up for it.”  A wet, gurgling sound came from deep in his throat, and he dropped Fionn’s shirt.  Then the light faded from his eyes.

            Adam sighed sadly and murmured a quick prayer as he reached up and closed Simon’s eyes.

            “A Dhia,” Fionn bleated.  “Oh my God.”  His eyes bulged as he looked up from Simon to Adam.  Adam laid a hand on his shoulder.

            “Fionn, listen to me,” he said.  “We still have to deal with the rustlers up on the ridge, and I’m not much good,” he indicated his injured arm. 

            Fionn looked back down at Simon.  “We can’t just leave him here.”  His voice trembled.

            “We won’t.  We’ll be right back for him.”  Adam whistled for Pip and Conall, who trotted over, their muzzles smeared with blood.  Pip padded over to Simon and nudged his cheek with his nose.  He looked up at Adam and whined.  “Stay, boy,” Adam said.  “Keep an eye on him.”  Pip lay down next to Simon’s cooling body and laid his head on his chest.  Conall sat next to him.  Fionn scratched his dog behind the ears, took a deep breath, and got to his feet.

            Before heading up to the ridge, Adam and Fionn checked on the man who had shot Simon.  Fionn retrieved some rope from Sport’s saddle to tie him up, but a quick glance proved that wouldn’t be necessary.  Even Adam, who had seen some pretty gruesome injuries in his life on the frontier, gagged.  The man’s head was torn almost completely from his neck.  The dogs had ripped out his throat.  Fionn turned and vomited into the underbrush.  Adam patted his back.

            “I’m all right,” Fionn said, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.  “Let’s get this done.”

            Four of the five men on top of the ridge were dead – the only one who survived was the bearded man Fionn had shot in the knee.  The man was barely conscious, but he managed to spit at Fionn as he bound his hands behind his back.  Fionn punched him in the face, knocking him out cold.  Adam shook his head when he saw the man’s leg.  Fionn’s bullet had shattered his kneecap, and his lower leg hung at a right angle to his thigh.  Adam had a terrible feeling he knew what the treatment for that injury would be.

            He trudged to the far side of the ridge and looked down into the little valley beyond.  Sure enough, nearly two hundred cattle milled about in a crude pen.  Dizzy again, he sat down heavily in the dirt.  He was glad to recover the cattle, but the price of recovery had been too high.  He rubbed his temples.

            “Should we tie him to his horse?” Fionn asked.

            Adam spun around, his stomach churning with the sudden motion.  “I’m sorry?”

            Fionn pointed to the bearded man.  “Should we tie him to his horse?”

            Adam spotted six horses tied to a tree branch just beyond Fionn.  “Yeah.  Here, I’ll help you.”  He swayed as he stood but managed to steady himself.  Together, he and Fionn hauled the unconscious man into the saddle of one of the horses and tied him in place.  The effort made Adam’s arm start bleeding again, and by the time they led the horse off the ridge, he was breathing hard.

            “Sit down,” Fionn said dully.  “I’ll tend to Simon.”

            Adam stared hard at his brother-in-law’s dazed expression.  “Are you sure?”

            “I owe him that much.”

            “Take this.”  Adam untied a bedroll from the bearded man’s saddle and tossed it to Fionn.  His energy spent, he dropped to the ground beside the trail and leaned against a tree.

            Fionn grabbed the reins of Simon’s beloved palomino and led her over to her master’s body.  He knelt next to Simon, and as he gently wrapped him in the bedroll, Adam heard him murmur, “May the road rise to meet you.  May the wind be always at your back.  May the sun shine warm upon your face.  May the rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”  Fionn lifted Simon and draped him across the back of his horse, lashing him in place.  He looked over at Adam, who nodded and rose to his feet. 

            Beside him, the bearded man stirred to consciousness and swore up a blue streak when he realized he was tethered to his saddle.  Adam drew his gun and leveled it on the man.

            “Our friend is dead because of you and your cronies,” he snarled.  “I’d shut up if I were you.”

            The man clapped his mouth shut.

            Adam heaved himself into his saddle and grabbed the reins of the rustler’s horse.  Fionn mounted up, too, and took the palomino’s reins, and they began the long ride back to the house.

            Adam kept an eye on Fionn as they rode along.  His brother-in-law stared straight ahead, hardly blinking, and never looking back at the blanket-wrapped bundle draped across the horse behind him.  When Adam asked him a question, he had to repeat it two or three times before Fionn grunted a reply.  Meanwhile, Adam had to grit his teeth against the pain in his arm, and more than once he wondered if he would make it all the way back to the house without passing out.  The wound may not have been too serious, but he had lost a lot of blood, and it was getting harder and harder to fight off the dizziness.  The sun sank in the sky, and they missed Ben’s seven o’clock deadline.  But there was nothing to do but keep plodding along.

******

            As eight o’clock came and went, the group at the house grew increasingly worried.  Hop Sing had sent a ranch hand to fetch Molly and Patience and another to get Sheriff Clem Foster.  Word raced through town that the ranchers were going after some rustlers, and by suppertime, men began arriving on the Ponderosa, including Dr. Paul Martin, Reverend Lovejoy, and Isaiah Jenkins.  Ben and Peter Croft’s groups had returned by seven, and everyone waited anxiously for Adam, Fionn, and Simon.  Molly and Josie sat next to one another on the porch and stared across the yard.  Molly twisted her Claddagh on her finger.  Hannah paced up and the porch behind them.

            “You think we should ride out after them, Pa?” Little Joe asked.

            Ben checked his pocket watch for the third time in five minutes.  “Yeah.”  He looked around at the assemblage.  “Hoss, stay here in case they come back while we’re gone.  Joe, Ross, Peter, you’re with me.”

            “I’ll ride with you,” Clem said.

            “Me too,” Isaiah said.

            Molly started to weep softly, and Josie put her arms around her.

            “They’re all right,” she whispered.  “Pip and Conall would have come for us if something had happened.”  Josie wished she could believe her own words, but at least they seemed to bring Molly some comfort.

            As the men were about to mount up, the wolfhounds trotted into the yard.  Josie’s insides twisted as she and Molly leapt to their feet.  No one breathed as they peered across the darkening yard toward the barn and the road that led to the house.  After several agonizing seconds, Adam and Fionn rode in, leading the other two horses behind them.  Josie and Molly shrieked and tore across the yard toward them.  Hannah sank into a rocking chair on the porch and started to cry while the men hooted and hollered for joy.

            All the men except one.

            “Simon!” Peter Croft sobbed.  “Please, God, no!”

            Bile rose in Josie’s throat as she realized who was wrapped in the bedroll draped across Simon’s mare.  She clapped a hand to her mouth, but then she got a good look at Fionn and Adam and screamed for Joe to bring her medical bag.  Adam’s bare left arm was streaked with blood, and even in the dim twilight, Josie could tell he was white as a ghost.  But Fionn’s entire shirt was soaked with blood, so she grabbed him first.  She paid no attention to the barely conscious prisoner on the horse behind Sport.

            “Fionn, where are you hit?” she demanded.  Buttons flew as she ripped his shirt open.

            Fionn stared at her with glassy eyes that didn’t focus.  “Hit?” he repeated.

            “Yes!” Josie shrieked as she ran her hands over his chest, looking for a wound.

            “I’m not hit.”

            “But you’re covered in blood!”

            Fionn looked down as his shirt, now hanging open, as if he had no idea what Josie was talking about.  “Oh,” he said at last.  “That’s not mine.”  He glanced over his shoulder.  Ben had helped Peter take his son’s body down from his horse and lay him in the yard.  Reverend Lovejoy knelt over Simon and muttered a prayer.  Fionn turned back to Josie, his eyes still unfocused.  “Adam.  Adam’s hurt.  He needs you.”

            Josie looked to her right and saw Adam sitting on the porch, his good arm around Molly, who sobbed into his chest.  Dr. Martin had gone to tend the rustler, so Hannah was untying the bandana from her nephew’s left arm.  A pang shot through Josie’s stomach.  She ordered Fionn to sit down and then rushed over to her cousin.  Little Joe came out of the house just then with her medical bag and handed it to her.

            “Molly,” Josie said when she reached Adam.  Molly looked up at her, tears still streaming down her face.  “Fionn’s not hurt, but I think he’s in shock.  He needs you.  I’ll take care of Adam.”

            Molly peered around Adam to where Fionn sat a few feet away, staring blankly across the yard.  Conall sat next to him with his head in his lap.  Molly kissed Adam’s cheek and dashed over to her brother.  Fionn barely registered her arrival, but when she put her arms around him, he leaned his head on her shoulder.

            “I’ll get him some brandy,” Hannah said.  She patted Josie’s and Adam’s shoulders and disappeared into the house.

            Josie bit back tears as she cleaned Adam’s arm and inspected the wound.  Adam growled softly as the silver nitrate set his arm on fire.

            “I’m sorry,” Josie said.  “I know it hurts.  You want some chloroform while I stitch it up?”

            “No, just do it.”  Adam took a deep breath and grunted as Josie poked her needle through his skin.

            Ben hustled over to them while Josie stitched the wound.  He brushed the hair from Adam’s forehead.  “Son, what happened?”

            Adam sighed and related to Ben how the rustlers had surprised them on the trail, including the part where Simon tackled Fionn.  Josie let out a little whimper, and all three of them looked over at Fionn.  Molly still had her arms around him, and Hannah was coaxing him to drink some brandy.  For the first time in his life, Fionn O’Connell was refusing a free drink. 

            “Pa, it wasn’t Fionn’s fault,” Adam said.  “He was pinned down by the man on the ridge.  There’s no way he could have seen that sixth man sneaking up on him.  It’s a miracle Simon spotted him before he took out all three of us.”
Ben patted Adam’s good shoulder.  “I’m glad you’re all right, boy.  Stitch him up good, Josie.  Think I’ll go check on Fionn.”

            As Ben lumbered away, Josie tied off the last stitch and wrapped a bandage around Adam’s arm.  Tying two more bandages together, she fashioned a sling to keep his arm still and looped it around his neck and arm.

            “Thanks,” Adam said and kissed her forehead.

            “I’ll give you some laudanum to take tonight.  Just a little to dull the pain and help you sleep.  You won’t be groggy in the morning.”  She made a point of not looking at him while she repacked her medical bag.

            “Hey.”  Adam put his good arm around her.  Josie crumpled against his chest and let her tears flow.

            “Did he really take that bullet for Fionn?” she sniffled.

            “Yeah.”  Adam paused.  “Josie, you should know Simon’s last words were of you.  He said he was sorry he hurt you and he hoped he’d made up for it by saving Fionn.”

            Josie choked back a sob.  “He didn’t owe me his life,” she whispered.

            “No, he didn’t.  So all we can do now is honor his memory.”

            Josie nodded.  “Yeah.”  She looked up to where Ben was now standing next to Fionn with a hand on his shoulder.  “Poor Fionn.  I can’t imagine how he feels.”

            “Come on, son,” they heard Ben say.  “Let’s go for a walk.”

            Fionn stared into the glass of brandy Hannah had forced into his hand.  “No thanks, Mr. Cartwright.  Think I’ll stay here.”

            Ben grabbed Fionn’s arm and hauled him to his feet, brandy sloshing onto the ground.  “That wasn’t a question, boy.  Let’s go.”  He dragged Fionn the first few steps and then draped his arm around the young man’s shoulders as they headed toward the barn.  Conall followed along.          

            Hoss jogged up to them just then.  “Josie, Doc Martin wants to know if you have a bone saw.”

            “Of course I do,” Josie said, wrinkling her nose.  “What’s he need that for?”

            “We’ve got that rustler Adam and Fionn brought in over in your clinic.  Half his leg is nearly blown off.  Doc says it has to come off.”

            “I’ll come help him.”  Josie sprang to her feet and kissed Adam’s cheek.  “Sit still for a while and drink lots of water.  Don’t leave until I get a chance to look at you again.”

            Adam promised he’d stay put and watched Josie dash across the yard, averting her gaze from where Peter and Reverend Lovejoy were lifting Simon’s blanket-wrapped body into the back of a wagon.  He rubbed the back of his neck.  It was amazing how quickly life – or death – could turn on a dime.  Molly came over and sat next to him, and he put his arm around her, reassuring her that he was all right.  Hannah soon joined them with a plate of cookies and a tall glass of water.  She handed both to Adam, and he obediently began eating.

            “Poor Mr. Croft,” Hannah said as the bereaved father drove slowly out of the yard.  “This must be such a nightmare for him.”

            Adam grunted in agreement.  “How’s Fionn?

            “Stunned,” Hannah said.  “I don’t think he caught more than every other word I said to him.”

            “Adam, d’ya think he could come home with us tonight?” Molly asked, wiping a tear from her cheek.  “I hate the thought of him goin’ home to that empty house.”

            Adam groaned inwardly at the thought of riding home.  It was already nine-thirty, his arm throbbed, and he knew he’d be dizzy again the instant he stood up.

            “Of course,” he replied.

            The trio sat quietly for a time as Adam ate his cookies and the men left for home.  Sheriff Foster came over and took Adam’s deposition on what had happened with the rustlers.

            “Sounds pretty open and shut,” Clem said.  “That last man will be charged as an accessory to the murder of Simon Croft.  I’ll take some men up to that ridge tomorrow and clear away the bodies.  You all don’t need to worry about that.”

            Adam thanked him, and the sheriff moseyed down the road to sit on the porch of Josie’s clinic until the doctors finished the amputation.  After tying Chubb to the back of a wagon and helping Patience into the seat, Hoss ambled over to Adam.

            “You all right?” he asked, gesturing to Adam’s bandaged arm.

            “Will be.  Josie took good care of me.”

            Hoss smiled.  “That little gal always does.  But it looks like I’m goin’ on that cattle drive after all.”

            Adam’s heart sank.  Hoss was right.  The cattle drive was only a week away.  There was no way he could help drive the herd with his arm torn up.

            “Hoss, I’m sorry,” he said with a groan.

            “Not your fault, Older Brother.  You just get better.  And keep an eye on all our ladies while I’m gone.”

            Adam promised he would and shook Hoss’s hand.  With a final nod to Molly and Hannah, Hoss joined Patience in the wagon and drove off.

            Little Joe joined them after a few more minutes, and finally Ben and Fionn strolled back into the yard.  Ben still had his arm firmly around the younger man’s shoulders, but Fionn’s head was up, and he nodded as Ben spoke to him.  When they reached the porch, Ben patted Fionn’s back and pointed at the front door.

            “Go on inside.  Hop Sing will get you that sandwich.”

            Fionn nodded again, gave the rest of the Cartwrights a tight smile, and darted into the house.

            Ben turned to the group.  “Fionn’s going to stay here tonight.  Joe, would you lend him nightshirt, please?”

            Little Joe nodded and zipped inside.  Ben turned to Adam.

            “Why don’t you and Molly stay here tonight, too, son?  Give that arm a chance to quit throbbing.”

            Adam immediately accepted, grateful both to avoid getting back on his horse tonight and to Ben for looking out for Fionn.  He was about to get up and see Hop Sing about a sandwich when Josie and Dr. Martin strode toward them from the clinic.

            “How’d it go?” Adam asked.

            Josie shook her head.  “He didn’t make it.”

            Adam turned to Ben and explained about the rustler’s leg.

            “He’d lost too much blood from the wound before we got to him,” Dr. Martin added.  “It’s amazing he survived the ride here.  Clem said if he could borrow a wagon, he’d take the body into town with him.”

            Ben went to the bunkhouse to get a hand to hitch a wagon while Dr. Martin said his farewells and left for home.  Josie went over to Adam, took his chin in her hand, and turned his face toward the light emanating from the house.

            “You’re still awfully pale,” she said, frowning.  “I don’t like the idea of you riding home tonight.”

            “Molly and I are staying here tonight,” Adam told her.  Josie’s face lit up.  “So is Fionn.”

            Josie’s eyes grew wide, and a flash of something like a revelation darted across her face.

            “Fionn’s staying?”

            “Yeah, he’s inside having a sandwich.”

            “You should join him,” Hannah said, patting Josie’s arm.

            “I will!” she nearly shouted.  “I just, uh… I forgot something in my clinic.  I’ll be right back!”  She spun around and took off running toward her clinic.

            Adam wrinkled his brow.  “That was odd.”

            “We’ve all had a long day,” Molly said.

            Adam agreed and got slowly to his feet.  After a couple deep breaths to make sure he was steady, he led Molly into the house.  They headed into the kitchen, where Fionn was sitting at the little table finishing off a roast beef sandwich, a clean nightshirt on the table next to him.  His ruined shirt still hung open on his shoulders.  Molly let out a sob when she saw it, and she ripped it off him and stuffed it in the stove.  She stared into the stove as the bloody garment blackened in the flames.  Fionn got up and put his arms around her.

            “I’m all right, Deirfiúr,” he muttered.

            Molly turned and buried her face in his bare shoulder.  She stood there for a few moments, her arms wrapped around her younger brother.  “You smell terrible,” she hiccupped as she pulled back and wiped her eyes.  “Haven’t you been usin’ that washroom you and Adam built?”

            “Sure I have.  Just not today.  Had a lot happen.”

            Adam had just suggested that he head upstairs and take a bath before bed when they heard the front door bang open and thundering footsteps pound their way through the living room and up the stairs.  Seconds later, the footsteps stampeded back down the stairs, and Josie burst into the kitchen, her cheeks flushed and her hair falling out of its braid.  Her eyes locked on Fionn’s, and for a second, Adam thought she might tackle him.  But she pulled up short and glanced nervously at Molly and Adam.  She cleared her throat.

            “You all right, Fionn?” she asked, her voice unusually high.

            “Aye,” Fionn replied.  He stepped to her and folded her into his arms.  Josie sniffled and buried her face in his chest, not complaining about the smell.  Grabbing a sandwich off a plate on the table, Adam beckoned to Molly, and they slipped out of the kitchen.

            “Let’s go to bed,” he said.  Molly nodded, and he led her upstairs to his old bedroom.  As Molly put on a nightgown Josie had left on the bed, Adam sat in the armchair and tried to take his boots off.  It was impossible to do one-handed, and he immediately regretted trying to engage his injured arm.

            “Let me help you,” Molly said.  She knelt on the floor and pulled off his boots and socks.  “Stand up,” she ordered.  Adam did, and Molly unbuckled his belt, unbuttoned his fly, and steadied him while he stepped out of his jeans.  His lower half had its usual response to Molly undressing him, but Adam mentally told it to bug off.  He was so very tired.  Molly helped him take his arm out of the sling so he could take off his one-sleeved shirt.  He sucked in a breath as his wound sent a pang of pain down his arm.

            “Maybe you should take some of this,” Molly said, studying the dosing instructions Josie had left alongside a small bottle of laudanum and a spoon on the nightstand.

            “I’m all right,” he said.  “Just tired.  Let’s go to sleep.”

            They climbed under the covers, Molly on Adam’s right so she wouldn’t jostle his injured arm in the night.  Adam loved his bed at his new house, but there was something very comforting tonight about being back in his old, familiar bed in his old room.  He wrapped his good arm around Molly and pulled her to his chest.  Molly sniffled as she draped an arm across his chest.

            “It’s all right, sweetheart,” he whispered.  “Fionn and I are both all right.”

            “I know,” she said in a trembling voice.  “I was just so scared.  When Danny picked me up and told me what was happenin’…”  She buried her face in his chest.

            Adam stroked her hair.  “I’m sorry.  One of the risks of being a rancher, unfortunately.  But if anything had happened to me, Pa would have taken care of you.  You don’t ever have to worry about that.”

            “I wasn’t worried about meself.  I’ve been in sticky situations before.  I was worried that-”  Her voice caught, and she swallowed hard several times.

            “Worried that what?”

            Molly took a long, shuddering breath.  “Worried that our baby would never know his father!” She began sobbing again.

            Adam’s stomach flip-flopped around his liver, and he sat bolt upright, nearly knocking Molly out of bed.

            “Our…” His voice failed him.  “Baby?” he said at last.

            Molly looked up at him with a watery smile and nodded.

            Adam’s eyes welled with tears, and he stared at her open-mouthed.  “When?  I mean, how long have you known?”

            “Only started really suspectin’ it a few days ago.  I’m two weeks late, and I started feelin’ sick on Tuesday.  I was plannin’ to come and see Josie tomorrow.”

            Adam wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, ignoring the shooting pain in his left arm.  “Oh my god, our baby,” he whispered.  Molly slipped her arms around his waist, and they clung to each other for several long moments as Adam let the news sink in.  When they at last broke apart, they lay back down, Adam holding Molly close.

            “What I said still goes,” he said.  “If anything happens to me, I want you – and the baby – to come here to Pa.  He’ll take care of you both.”

               Molly nodded.  The motion jostled Adam’s left arm, and he couldn’t cover his gasp of pain.  Molly sat up and grabbed the bottle of laudanum.

            “Adam, please take some of this,” she pleaded, her eyes filling with tears again.  “I can’t stand knowin’ you’re in pain.”

            Adam sighed and sat up.  “All right.  But just a tiny bit.  Josie’s drugged me with that stuff before, and I was fuzzy for the whole next day.”

            Molly measured out half a spoonful, and Adam swallowed it, grimacing at its bitterness.  The medicine took hold quickly, and he laid back down with barely time to kiss Molly goodnight before sleep descended on him.

******

            Next door in her bedroom, Josie listened as Fionn came up the stairs and drew himself a bath.  Her hands trembled as she unclasped her medical bag and withdrew the little box she’d run back into her clinic to retrieve.  She set it on her bed and stared at it while she undressed and put on her nightgown.  Then, her stomach fluttering, she sat down in front of her mirror and took down her hair.  She always brushed it carefully before bed – she woke up with horrible knots if she didn’t – but tonight she spent several extra minutes combing through the soft waves until they shone in the light from her oil lamp.  She heard Fionn leave the washroom and head back downstairs, and she took a deep breath.  As she peered into her mirror to check that there was nothing caught in her teeth, she spotted her perfume bottle on the dressing table, and she dabbed a few drops onto her throat.  After a big swig of water from the glass she kept next to her bed – her mouth had gone unusually dry – she put on her dressing gown, stuffed the little box into a pocket, and, with a motion to Pip to stay put, crept out of her room and down the stairs.

            Trying to make as little noise as possible, she opened the guestroom door without knocking.  Fionn was just climbing into bed, and he whirled around when she entered. 

            “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, you gave me a start!” he said, clutching his chest melodramatically.  Conall wagged his tail at her.

            “Sorry,” she whispered.

            Fionn smiled at her and opened his arms wide.  Josie rushed into them and clutched him to her.

            “It’s all right, Hey, You,” he muttered in her ear.  “Your Fionn’s all right.”  He swallowed hard.  “I’m sorry about Simon.  I didn’t know that he was goin’ to-  I mean, if I could have stopped him-”

            Josie laid a finger on his lips.  “Adam told me what happened.  There was nothing you could have done.”  She paused.  “I just wish I could tell Simon how grateful I am that he saved you.”  Tears streamed down her face for what felt like the hundredth time that day.  Fionn leaned down and kissed them away.

            “Come on, Josie,” he whispered.  “Let’s go to bed.”  He untied her dressing gown sash, slipped the robe from her shoulders, and draped it over the armchair. 

            He flipped back the bedclothes, lifted Josie in his arms, and laid her gently on the mattress.  Climbing in next to her, he pulled the covers over them both. 
He leaned over and blew out the oil lamp, but moonlight filtering through the curtains cast the room in a silvery glow.  Fionn bent over Josie and caressed her cheek before kissing her.  Keeping her lips pressed against his, Josie wrapped her arms around his waist and tugged gently, and Fionn rolled on top of her.  She ran one hand through his hair, still damp from his bath, and inhaled the fresh scent of Hop Sing’s homemade soap that clung to his skin.  He sighed and buried his face in her neck.

            “You smell wonderful,” he whispered.

            Josie smiled and turned his face with one hand so she could kiss him again.  He kissed her lips and then trailed kisses down her throat to the collar of her nightgown, his pelvis rubbing against hers until she groaned.

            Fionn slid a hand up to cup her right breast through her nightgown while his kisses climbed back up her throat, and his lips settled next to her ear.

            “I love you, Josie,” he breathed.

            “I love you, too.  So much.”  She paused and took a deep breath.  “Make love to me, Fionn,” she whispered.

            Fionn’s lips froze mid-kiss on Josie’s left ear. 

            “I’m sorry, I don’t think I caught that.”         

            Josie turned his face so their eyes met.  “Make love to me, Fionn.”

            Fionn’s eyes popped wide, and he ripped off his nightshirt and flung it to the floor.  His hands dived for the buttons on his undershorts, but then he took a deep breath and stopped himself. 

            “Steady, O’Connell,” he muttered.  He met Josie’s gaze again and caressed her cheek.  “But Josie…” He licked his lips.  “What if I give you a baby?  You deserve so much more than a shotgun weddin’.  I can’t disgrace you like that.”

            “You won’t.”  Josie stretched out her arm and fumbled for the pocket of her dressing gown on the armchair next to the bed.  She extracted the little box and handed it to Fionn.  He held it up to the moonlight and squinted at it.

            “Pro-phy-lac-tics?” he sounded out.  His eyes bulged again as he realized what he held.  “Oh, sweet Lord,” he moaned.  “But Josie, I thought you wanted to wait for your weddin’ night.”

            Josie bit her lip.  “That’s just the problem,” she said, her voice trembling.  “Life doesn’t wait.  It sneaks up on you suddenly, sometimes violently.  It doesn’t care what your plans are.”  She took a long, shuddering breath and ran a hand down Fionn’s bare chest.  “If anything happened to you, I don’t know how I could live the rest of my life never knowing what it was like to love you completely.”

            Fionn’s eyes softened, and he slipped the box back into the pocket of Josie’s dressing gown.  He crawled off of her and wrapped his arms around her.  She sniffled as she nuzzled her head onto his chest.

            “But you do love me completely, a chuisle,” he whispered.  “You love me more completely than I ever thought anyone would.  You don’t have to give me your body for me to know that.”

            Josie’s face grew so hot she was sure she’d burn a hole right through Fionn’s skin.

            “What’re you thinkin’?” he asked at last when she didn’t reply.

            “I’m so embarrassed,” she whimpered.

            Fionn chuckled.  “You think you’re embarrassed.  I’m the one lyin’ here in naught but me shorts.”

            Josie smiled.

            “Seriously, though, don’t be embarrassed,” Fionn continued, stroking her hair.  “I was mighty tempted by your offer, especially after everythin’ that happened today.  Expect that’s what prompted it in the first place.”

            “Yeah.”  She ran a finger lazily up and down his bare chest.  “Would you like to put your nightshirt back on?”

            “No, it’s hot.  And I like what you’re doin’.”

            Josie laid her hand flat on Fionn’s chest and caressed him with her whole palm.  He let out a contented “Mmmmmm” and nuzzled his face in her hair. 

            “You better set the alarm clock,” Josie reminded him. 

            Fionn reached over to the nightstand and set the alarm for four-thirty. 

            “Wish I could spend the whole night with you,” Josie murmured.  The day’s stress having passed, she could now barely keep her eyes open.

            “Someday you will.”

            Josie never heard Fionn’s last statement.  Her breathing had evened out, and she was sound asleep in his arms.

            Fionn stared at the top of her head, wrestling with himself.  At last he sighed, knowing what he had to do – what he’d wanted to do ever since he met Josie.

            “I promise,” he whispered into the dark room.  “I’ll take care of her.”

******

            Josie stumbled blearily back to her room at four-thirty and slept for another three hours, well past the time when she usually rose.  But everyone else had slept in, too, so she didn’t miss breakfast.  After yesterday’s events, no one spoke as they unenthusiastically shoveled food into their mouths.

            Hannah tried to lighten the mood.

            “What are your plans today, Josie?” she asked as she stirred cream into her coffee.

            “I need to scrub my clinic.  Amputations make an awful mess.”

            Little Joe curled his upper lip and pushed aside the ketchup he was about to pour onto his home fries.

            “I wish we could have saved him,” Josie continued.  “I would have liked to see that bastard stand trial.”  She gripped her fork so tightly it was a wonder it didn’t snap in two.  Fionn reached under the table and squeezed her knee.

            “Maybe it’s better this way,” Ben said.  “I can’t even imagine what it would be like for Peter Croft to have to sit through that trial, reliving his son’s murder day after day.”  He swallowed hard as he glanced from Adam to Little Joe.  “I’m taking a couple hands and riding out there today.  Want to return Peter’s cattle.  See if they need anything else.”

            “I’ll go with you,” Fionn said quickly.  “Me corn can wait on the stalks another day.  If there’s anythin’ I can do to help Simon’s family…”

            Ben nodded and gave Fionn’s shoulder a squeeze.

            “I’ll ride along, too,” Adam said. 

            “You most certainly will not,” Josie said.  “You lost too much blood yesterday.  You’ll pass out in your saddle.”

            “I’ll be fine.”

            “Fall off your horse and crack open your thick skull, and then I’ll really have my work cut out for me,” Josie muttered.

            Ben looked at Adam, who was about three shades paler than normal.  “Stay here at least through supper, son,” he said.  “Josie’s right.  You should rest.”

            Molly patted his hand.  “Please, let’s stay,” she said.  “Get some more sleep, and I’ll help Josie in her clinic.”  Something flashed between Adam and Molly, and Josie narrowed her eyes but accepted Molly’s help all the same.

            “Looks like I’m outnumbered,” Adam sighed.  “Fine, I’ll stay.”

            After breakfast, Josie cleaned and re-bandaged Adam’s wound.  She tried to send him back to bed, but he insisted on accompanying Ben and Fionn to the barn while they saddled horses to ride out to the Lucky Star.  He thought Sport might have picked up a stone in his hoof in all the chaos yesterday, and he wouldn’t be able to rest until he knew his horse was all right.  Josie rolled her eyes and told Adam that if he wasn’t in bed when she came back in for lunch she’d chloroform him into next week.

            Borrowing a shirt from Little Joe, Fionn followed Ben and Adam out to the barn.  He patted his draft horses, promised them they’d go home soon, and then grabbed tack for the sorrel gelding Ben told him to ride.  His stomach churned, and he opened his mouth three times to speak, but his throat was dry, and he couldn’t croak out any words.

            “Sport’s ok, Pa,” Adam said, crossing the barn to where Ben had cross-tied Buck.  “Guess I better go back to bed before Josie attacks me.”  He glanced over at Fionn, whose jaw was working up and down.  “What’s the matter with you?”  Ben looked up, too.

            “Yeah, boy,” he said.  “Cat got your tongue?”

            Fionn let out a little squeak, and Adam wondered if he needed to run for Josie.  Fionn had seemed to recover from yesterday’s shock, but maybe there were residual effects.  “Speechless” was never a word he would have used to describe Fionn O’Connell.  He and Ben waited, their eyebrows raised.

            “It’s Josie!” Fionn finally blurted out.  Adam’s heart leapt to his throat.

            “What’s wrong with her?” he demanded.

            Fionn fixed his gaze on Ben.  “You have to let me marry her, Mr. Cartwright!  Please, sir, I’ll die if you don’t!” 

            Ben’s face lit up, and he turned to Adam with a huge grin.

            “Fionn, this is wonderful!  I had hoped this was coming.”

            Adam wrinkled his brow.  “I thought you planned to wait another year,” he said.  “See how the farm did.”

            Fionn dropped his gaze and ran a hand through his hair.  “That’s just the problem.”   He scuffed his boot through the straw on the floor.  “Waitin’.  Life doesn’t wait, does it?  Sneaks up on ya.  Doesn’t care what your plans are.”

            Adam smiled at his brother-in-law.  “No, it doesn’t,” he agreed.  “Made that pretty clear yesterday, didn’t it?”

            Fionn nodded without looking up.

            Ben laid a hand on Fionn’s shoulder and looked over at Adam, who nodded, his face beaming.

            “Of course you can marry her,” he said, giving Fionn’s shoulder a squeeze.  “You have my blessing, and I’ll give you her father’s, too, on his behalf.”

            “And mine!” Adam added.

            Fionn’s shoulders sagged, and he looked up at the Cartwrights with a sheepish grin.

            “Thank you, Mr. Cartwright, Adam.”  He shook their hands.  “I promise I’ll take good care of her.”

            Ben smiled back at him, his eyes shining.  “I know you will, son.  She’s over in her clinic.  You can go ask her now.”

            Fionn’s face fell, the corners of his mouth dragging down like they were caught in an undertow.  “I can’t ask her right now.”

            Ben glanced at Adam, who shrugged.  “Why not?” he asked.

            “I’ve got nothin’ to offer her.”  He spread his hands wide, palms up.  “Me hands are empty.  I’ve no hope of gettin’ her an engagement ring, but I at least want to have a weddin’ band to show her.  Won’t have the cash for that until I sell me crops this fall.”  He rubbed the back of his neck and gazed toward the far end of the barn.  “Maybe the man I bought the lambs from would buy them back…”

            “Don’t do that, Fionn,” Adam said.  “You’ll get more for the spun wool from those lambs than you would selling them.  You’d be able to get her an engagement ring AND a wedding band.”

            “Won’t be shearin’ them until at least April.  I’d like to be married by then.  No, I’ll just have to sell them.”

            Ben turned to his son.  “Adam, when you were shopping for Molly’s engagement ring, did you happen to notice how much plain gold bands were going for?”

            “Ten or fifteen dollars.”

            “I think we could find some work around here for Fionn that’s worth ten or fifteen dollars, don’t you?”

            Adam grinned.  “I’m sure we could.”

            Fionn blew out a heavy breath.  “I appreciate that, Mr. Cartwright, but it’s all I can do to keep up with me own work this time of year.”

            “I’ll front you fifteen dollars, and you can work it off over the winter, like you did with the supplies for your washroom.”

            “I don’t want credit, sir.  If I can’t afford to buy the ring outright, I have no business askin’ Josie to marry me.”

            “Then I’ll buy three of your lambs off you.  That should be worth about fifteen dollars, shouldn’t it?  Then if you like, you can buy them back with labor come winter.”

            “Sheep?  On the Ponderosa?”  The corners of Fionn’s mouth twitched upward once more.

            “Baby sheep.  Hannah will love them.”

            “That’s pretty thinly veiled credit, Mr. Cartwright, but thank you.”

            Ben grabbed Fionn and pulled him into a hug.  “Welcome to the family, son.  I’ll get you the money when we get back from the Crofts’.  You can bring the lambs by another day.”  He looked up at Adam.  “You get back to bed.  Josie sees how pale you are, she’ll tan both our hides.”

            Adam smiled and slapped Fionn’s back.  “I know of a jeweler in Carson City.  I’ll write his name down for you.”

            “That would be grand.  I’ll drive up there in a day or two.  Please don’t say anythin’ about this to Josie.”

            Ben and Adam swore they wouldn’t, and then Ben and Fionn mounted up to ride out to the Lucky Star.  Adam saw them off on their solemn errand, still marveling at how quickly life could change.