Geneva
They were curious from the very first letter. Hoss never got much mail. Didn’t know too many people from other parts like Adam and Pa did. The other thing was the letter. The envelope was pink, and it smelled faintly of roses. Adam was the one to bring the letter home, and there had been something about the scent that was familiar; something that felt nostalgic. It wasn’t that distinct, and he chalked it up to memories of girls in pretty dresses who held onto him primly during the Virginia Reel.
Joe snatched it out of his hand on sight. He’d never seen a pink envelope before. He breathed in the scent and then batted his eyes at Hoss who blushed up past his thinning hair. The big man had few strategies for handling embarrassment other than a basic seek and destroy approach. Joe was hard to catch but not impossible. The boy always went a step too far; he played his hand a moment too long and Hoss grabbed him over Pa’s favorite high-back leather chair leaving behind them a trail of overturned chairs and tables. Adam watched from Pa’s desk, his arms folded. He’d long ago given up trying to referee their tussles. The fact that Pa was merely on the front porch never seemed to register once they started their roughhousing.
Hoss picked his brother by his collar and pulled the letter out of his hand. He then let Joe fall to the ground just in time for Pa who stood in the open doorway of his home with his hands on his hips. Adam squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the bellow.
His mouth opened, but no sound came out at first. Hoss spotted him first and froze. Joe was poised to leap at Hoss’ legs when Ben found his voice. “What in the name of all that’s holy is going on here?!”
“Aw, Pa, we’re sorry.” Hoss couldn’t meet his eyes. The big man always had the hardest time disappointing his father.
“You can’t do this outside!?”
Joe scrambled to his feet. “Sorry, Sir, it’s my fault.”
“Please! Boys! Leave the furniture alone!”
Hoss hung his head, the pink envelope in his hand. Ben looked sideways at him. “What do you got there?”
“I don’t know, Pa. I still gotta’ read it.”
He nodded. “You do that, son. Joe’ll clean up for you.”
Hoss nodded and strode past his father. Joe frowned as he surveyed the room. He looked ready to protest the circumstances, but Adam beat him to it, and began turning up chairs. Joe took the hint, and took care of the rest of the room.
Hoss didn’t return until his family was in the middle of a roast beef dinner with sweet potatoes. As incredible as it was for Hoss to get a pink letter in the mail, he rivaled it by not displaying much of an appetite once the food was passed to him.
Other than furtive glances, no one spoke a word until Ben finally put down his fork and sighed deeply, “Son, did you receive bad news? Is there something we can do to help?”
Hoss glanced up. “Reckon not, Pa. I guess I’m going to have to figure this one out all by myself.”
Joe could no longer be contained. “Come on, Hoss. It’s good to share your problems. We can help. We haven’t let you down yet, have we?”
Hoss looked at Adam for a moment, then frowned. “Naw, this is something I gotta’ figure out for myself.” He looked down again as if eating required all of his concentration. Joe pointed his fork at Hoss to say something, but Adam shook his head sharply, and so the boy slumped back into his seat. Being left out of something in Hoss’ life was a real change for Joe, and he sat back, arms folded, no longer interested in his meal.
Hoss finally looked up. “Pa, I was thinking about the fence line on the north end of the property. Wouldn’t hurt for me to go up and work it for the next couple of days, would it?”
Ben dabbed at his face with his napkin. “Well, we’ve been meaning to get to that, but I was thinking maybe we’d send Tim or Santos. It’s too far to get there and back in a day. Whoever goes is going to need to camp a couple of nights.”
“Yeah, I was thinking on that, and a few days up there riding fence sounds just about right for me.”
“Got some thinking to do?”
Hoss nodded.
“I’ll go with him, Pa.” Joe threw his napkin on the table and pushed his chair back.
Hoss smiled. “Sorry, Little Brother, not this time. I just got to think this out on my own. Don’t you worry none. It ain’t nothing serious. Just a thing a man has to figure out on his own.”
Adam shook his head and pushed away from the table. In Hoss’ shoes, he would have snapped at the boy for pushing so, but Hoss seemed to have an endless well of patience. Sometimes it rankled him how Hoss never really held Joe accountable. It was only an hour ago that Joe was refusing to give him his personal property, waving it around like he had a right to it, and now the big man was comforting him. There were times when Adam got frustrated with Hoss for his endless patience, but there were more times that he prayed to God that he be given some of his brother’s tremendous store.
***********
A month later another letter came, same kind of envelope, same scent. Joe brought it home this time, and it took every ounce of will the boy had to keep from opening it. He put it on the dining room table and sat down in front of it. Adam found him there half an hour later, leaning over the table his chin propped on his knuckles.
Adam sat across from him quietly and waited.
“It’s not fair,” Joe mumbled.
“I think we’ll find that this letter is much less exciting than you’re making it out to be.”
“One way to find out.”
“Yeah, but clearly you would have already opened it if that was your plan.”
“What’s your guess?”
Adam sighed and sat back. “Well, I think Hoss is corresponding with a young lady.”
Joe rolled his eyes. “Obviously! But why won’t he talk about it?”
“Hoss doesn’t like to talk about his lady friends.”
“No, no, if it was just a love letter, Hoss would’ve blushed and acted all squirrelly, but he had a worry crease in his forehead and he distinctly said he had some thinking to do.”
“Maybe he’s thinking of asking her to marry him.”
“Hoss! That’ll be the day. Besides, when Hoss gets all moony over a girl, he talks about it. And, he’d be picking out a horse for her and greasing his hair back all slick and wearing clean shirts and stuff like that.”
Adam raised an eyebrow. Joe had a point. For awhile, they just sat opposite one another and regarded the pink envelope. Joe jumped when the front door opened. Ben Cartwright walked in, and cocked his head at the sight of two of his sons sitting at the table in the middle of his day. Then he spied the letter on the table. He pushed his hat back on his head and scratched his forehead. “Is it alive? Are you worried it’ll bite?”
Joe wrinkled his brow at his father.
Pa shrugged. “Just wondering why one innocent little letter would need two men to watch it?”
Adam sighed. “I can take a hint.” He got up and reached for his hat. Joe wasn’t so easily swayed. He folded his arms snugly and regarded his father. “So what you think is going on with Hoss?”
“It’s none of our business, Joseph.”
“Aw come on, Pa.”
Ben wagged a finger at him. “You seem to have forgotten what it’s like when you feel crowded by your brothers, when you feel they’re getting into your business.”
“Okay, Pa, I get your meaning.” Joe waved his arms in surrender as he walked out the door.
Ben shook his head and sat down. For a few minutes he did nothing but stare at the envelope. Then looking around to make sure he was alone, he picked it up, looking at it closely, back and front. Unsatisfied, he put it up to the light. Holding it at different angles did nothing to illuminate him. Finally he put it down, and walked out of the house.
***********
Hoss read the letter, and disappeared for six days. He made it as normal as possible telling Pa that he had to visit an old friend, but he kept it vague; too vague as lying didn’t come naturally to him. Ben Cartwright didn’t say much to him. His son was a man, and he had to make decisions for himself.
Hoss walked back in during supper on a Sunday night. There was none of the usual cheer that generally surrounded the big man. He nodded at his family and took a seat as if he’d been gone only as long as it takes to put some hay up for a horse after a day’s work.
Ben tried to feign a casual air when he asked how his trip had been. Hoss shrugged his shoulders and reached for the roast chicken. Adam and Joe looked at one another, and then the youngest Cartwright slammed his fist down on the table. “You’ve been gone a week for God knows what reason, and then you come back and all you do is shrug!”
Hoss stared down at his plate and said nothing.
“Joseph! Leave your brother alone. He’s tired. He’ll talk when he’s ready.”
Hoss pushed food around his plate for a few moments before looking at his brothers and father. His eyes lingered on Adam the longest. “Do you think there’s ever a time when a lie is a good thing?”
Adam blinked and sat back. Hoss could be such an innocent sometimes. It was in moments like these that Adam believed his brother would forever need the protection of his family. He narrowed his eyes at Hoss. “I can think of very few situations.”
Hoss nodded. “So there are times then.”
Ben sighed. “Son, it would help if we had a better understanding of the particular situation troubling you.”
“Sorry Pa, it ain’t my story to tell. ‘Sides, I guess you’ll all know soon enough.”
“Aw Hoss, come on! What does that mean?” Joe’s tenuous control over his emotions was slipping.
Hoss shook his head. “I’m sorry, Joe. I really am. I wish I knew another way.”
“Son, you just tell us what we can do. We can listen or give you space. If you need advice, any one of us is here for you. You know that.”
Hoss swallowed hard. “Thanks, Pa. I’m real sorry about all this. All I can ask of you right now is that you trust me.”
“It’s not you we don’t trust.”
Hoss turned to Adam. “What’s that mean?”
“Someone could be taking you for a ride, and we don’t even know enough to be able to help you out.”
Hoss reddened. “Then, Big Brother, you’ll need to trust that I know what I’m doing. I may not be the brightest Cartwright, but I got a good gut for people.”
“That’s not what I was trying to…“
Hoss put his hand up. “Don’t worry about it. I shouldn’t have bitten at you. You’re just looking out for me and I can appreciate that.”
“Remember that, Hoss,” Ben pointed a dinner knife at him. “You’ll always have the support of your family.”
Hoss closed his eyes. In almost a whisper, he said, “I hope not to test that.”
**********
The next few days were rather anti-climatic. Hoss worked hard to make up for all the chores he’d missed, and while he was just quiet, he seemed to be more of himself. They were almost starting to relax into their familiar routine again when the third pink envelope arrived.
Adam was the first one to get his hands on the envelope, and he carried it home in his breast pocket while the rest of the mail sat in his satchel. The scent from the envelope drifted up, and visions of dances and pretty girls filled his head. One particular face came to mind, and in an instant, he reined in Sport, and stopped dead on the dusty road from Virginia City. He pulled the envelope from his pocket and looked at it carefully. The writing was cramped but not particularly distinctive. The envelope was thick enough so that nothing showed through in the sun. The edge of the envelope was loose, and he sat there contemplating how it would be to pull it open and take a look. It was so loose, he was sure it wouldn’t tear. He’d read it and glue it shut again with the horse paste in the barn. The urge to act on this impulse gripped him until he pulled at the edge a bit to see what it would do. A tiny tear appeared and he stopped. It dawned on him that he was ready to invade Hoss’ privacy for no reason other than curiosity. It didn’t sit right with him. He had a nagging feeling, but that was not the same as knowing something was wrong. He was pretty sure Hoss would never invade his privacy. He carefully straightened the envelope and put it back in his pocket.
The scent on the envelope was the same one she used. Adam tried to still the unease in his gut. The last time he’d seen her was 6-7 years ago, and for much of the time, she was largely forgotten, but when memories of her came, they always left him unsettled in a way that he couldn’t describe. Maybe it was because, even though he squired her to dances for nearly a year, she was still, to him, indescribable.
The first time he saw her was when he came to the school house to save his brother’s considerable back. Adam was just back from college, and his brother Hoss at almost 17 years old, was one of the biggest men in the territory. He could do ranch work with an ease and confidence that surprised Adam. He was no longer the pudgy overgrown boy Adam left behind. He was powerful now, a presence. Hoss was good on the ranch; he had natural skills that earned him the respect of men twice his age and he would have spent all of his time out on the range, tending cattle or riding fence, if Pa hadn’t insisted he finish high school. It was a sore subject at home, and it didn’t help that Adam now carried with him an architecture degree with full honors.
One night soon after Adam returned home, Little Joe had announced at the dinner table that since Hoss wasn’t going to school anymore, he wouldn’t either. Hoss had turned red, and stared down at the table for a long time before he would answer. It turned out that he’d been suspended for throwing a spit wad at Berrie Jenkins, and had been spending his days riding up to Lake Tahoe. Adam had been startled by the vitriol of Pa’s reaction. It had been so peaceful since he’d gotten home, everyone on their best behavior.
Hoss hung his head through the entire tirade, refusing to defend himself. Little Joe looked just as miserable as he’d been the one to tattle on his big brother. When Pa was finished, Hoss looked up and told him that he wasn’t ever going to that schoolhouse again. Pa pointed his finger and pronounced that as long as he lived in this house, he’d follow his rules. With tears in his eyes, Hoss got up, went upstairs, and came down with a satchel. He mumbled something unintelligible to Adam, but Little Joe picked it up and told his Pa he was going to move out to the bunkhouse too. Hoss left and Joe would have followed, but Adam grabbed him by the arm and sat him roughly back in his chair.
Ben stood there open-mouthed as his easygoing middle son moved in with the hands. It took Adam only a few minutes to drag the story out of his youngest brother about how Hoss had been unfairly accused, and how the fastidious schoolmaster had pronounced him an idiot, a disgrace to the Cartwright name, and told him that Adam, whom he had as a student, was surely embarrassed by him. Joe had frowned at Adam after this confession as if Adam might really hold some shame for Hoss. Adam had been a prize student and the fussy little schoolmaster had lauded him to the point of embarrassment, but Adam had been uncomfortable with the attention and comparisons with other students, and he knew this wasn’t the first time the old schoolmaster had unfairly compared he and Hoss.
Once Ben heard this, he marched out and dragged his son back into the house. The last thing his impressionable boy giant of a son needed was to be influenced by rough, uneducated ranch hands that drank hard and knew only women in satin skirts and low bodices. Ben confronted the boy about the story, and the way Hoss stood there, unable to look at his father left Adam as angry as he’d ever been. It didn’t matter how big Hoss got, Adam felt he would always want to watch after the boy. Ben announced that Hoss wouldn’t have to return to that school, and Adam immediately volunteered to go get his books and finish his lessons at home. He was determined that Hoss finish high school just to prove to that old schoolmaster that he could. It was a much relieved Hoss who went to bed that night with Little Joe behind him complaining that he shouldn’t have to go to school if Hoss didn’t have to. Ben and Adam both knew that Joe would never have to face the kind of obstacles Hoss did, so his complaints fell on deaf ears.
She was standing on the schoolhouse steps when Adam arrived, and, for a moment, he thought she was a teacher. It was only as he got closer that he realized that she was still a girl. She had wild, dark hair, and eyes a color he would forever identify differently, depending where she stood in the light. Her mouth was full and red, and she looked at him with a directness that he had known only with much older women. She wasn’t pretty. That didn’t describe her at all. She was dangerous, and Adam caught himself breathing deep to catch the few she’d stolen from him. Four years of college out East had made him strong and confident, and yet this simple schoolgirl was reducing him to jelly with a mere look. He’d stammered his way past her, and gotten books and supplies from the schoolmaster, but was unable to fully castigate the man with his carefully prepared speech because his mind was on the medusa standing out front. Brusquely he informed the old man that Hoss would continue his studies at home and then left. When he got to the front, she was gone, but he wasn’t worried. Virginia City was a small town, and a girl like that was going to stand out.
A shout broke his reverie and Adam looked ahead to see his father and brothers approaching.
“Did you bring the mail?”
Adam pointed at his satchel and nodded. Hoss narrowed his eyes at Adam’s chest, and Adam suddenly remembered he still carried the envelope in his breast pocket. Wrinkled and ripped, he handed it to Hoss. Hoss frowned deeply. “This has been tampered with.”
Without thinking, Adam said, “Is it from Amelia?”
Hoss shook it at him. “Did you read this?”
Adam shook his head. “I remember her perfume. Couldn’t place it before. Is it Amelia?”
“Ain’t none of your concern.” Hoss turned Chubb sharply and thundered away.
Pa looked at Adam. “You didn’t read it, did you?”
Adam shook his head.
“You’re not talking about Amelia Saunders?” Joe pushed his hat back on his forehead.
Adam sighed. “So you remember her, huh? Actually, I believe her married name was Thompson.”
“That girl you used to run around with?” Pa couldn’t hide the concern in his voice.
Adam almost smiled. Pa could be the toughest of men, but when it came to his sons and women, he was like an old mother hen. Ben Cartwright never felt right about that girl. It used to rankle Adam to no end how Pa would frown every time Adam brought up her name.
“I don’t know if it’s her, Pa. I sure wish I did. I would really like to know who’s got Middle Brother in such a bundle.”
They expected another wait and another letter, but Hoss surprised them all by asking them to gather in the living room after dinner. He disappeared outside, and when Joe went to the window, he saw his brother pacing back and forth in front of the house. Finally the big man headed for the house, and Joe fell over himself trying to get back to a game of checkers he and Adam were pretending to play.
Hoss didn’t drop his hat. Instead he stood in the middle of the room abusing the rim with his fingers. “I got something to tell you all, and I know it ain’t going to sit well.”
Ben had had about enough of the stewing over this mystery. “Well then, out with it, Boy.”
Hoss looked at Adam. “That was old Amy Saunders writing to me.”
Adam didn’t move a muscle on his face.
“She wrote because she needed to correct…an error between the two of us. I...uh…made a mistake, and didn’t take care of it before she left 7 years ago. And, she…uh…let me know…”
“Doggone it, Hoss! What are you trying to say?” Joe reached over and grabbed the ten gallon hat away from him. It was distracting watching him reduce the hat to a shapeless mess. A big hat like that didn’t come cheap.
“Dadburnit! There ain’t no words for this. The plain truth is I compromised her, and she was writing to tell me that a child came of it all those years ago, and it’s time for me to make it right.”
No one moved. Ben sat with his mouth open, and Adam leaned forward his brows furrowed as to make one.
“Aw, come off it, Hoss! You never done that to no girl, and you know it.” Joe had reached the end of his patience, throwing his brother’s hat on the floor.
Adam spoke in a low, even tone, staring a hole through his brother. “This is a ploy to get money, Hoss. That’s all it is. Amelia is not above that and I should know.”
Hoss shook his head. “She got proof. I seen it.”
“You compromised a girl and didn’t do right by her!” Pa was on his feet, eyes blazing dark and furious.
Hoss shrank a bit from his pa’s fury. “Well, see she was with this other guy, and then they got married and I didn’t find out she was pregnant ‘til much later. And even then I assumed that…”
Ben slapped him hard across the face, the sting resounding like thunder through the room. Hoss closed his eyes and didn’t move when Ben walked up to him, hissing at him. “I taught you better than that.” Then he turned and stormed out of the house.
“She was my girl.” Adam stood but didn’t approach.
Hoss raised his head, a slash of deep red growing on his face. “You’d already discarded her.”
“I always thought being brothers meant more to you than this.”
Hoss could no longer face his brother. If Adam had gone over and punched him, there was certainty that Hoss would have done nothing more than stand there, arms at his side. Then Adam did something far worse. He spat at the ground in front of Hoss and followed his pa out the door. Eyes closed, Hoss sank into a chair, a hand delicately finding the place his father struck him. When he finally opened his eyes, he saw Joe still sitting there staring at him. He grunted. “It’s your turn, Little Brother. Say what you gotta; I ain’t going to do nothing.”
One corner of his mouth tugged, but it was another minute before he could say, “You ain’t a very good liar, Hoss. Usually they’re better at seeing it, but you right shocked ‘em with your lies, and they’re too busy feeling betrayed to realize it”
Hoss shook his head. “Ain’t no lie, Little Joe. If you come to town tomorrow, you’ll see for yourself.”
“Why?”
“I’m going to court tomorrow. Going to stand in front of a judge and tell him my mistake. Going to make it right for Amelia and the little girl.”
This was the first mention of the child, and Joe swallowed hard. “She’s going to take you for all your money.”
“No, she ain’t. Got that all figured out.”
“The whole town’s gonna know.”
Hoss shrugged. He sat there slumped in the chair for a while before slowly getting to his feet. “I’m gonna’ stay in town tonight. Tell Pa, I understand if there ain’t room on the ranch for me no more.”
Joe leapt to his feet. “I ain’t gonna’ stand for this. You ain’t going anywhere. This is your home.”
Hoss put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “This is Pa’s home, and I disgraced it. It ain’t my decision to make.”
Joe gripped his arm, and the intensity of it surprised Hoss. “This family is stronger than any single mistake. I promise you that.”
Hoss smiled grimly at his younger brother. Sometimes it was hard to remember the boy was only 18. The two had always felt like contemporaries; Hoss couldn’t imagine a life without his fiery little brother at his side. Gently he pulled away from Joe, and climbed the stairs to pack his things.
**********
Adam tried to be nonchalant with his brother the first time he asked about the girl with black hair, but even Hoss, in all his innocence, couldn’t do anything but laugh at him. Amelia Saunders was on everyone’s dance card. She’d moved into Virginia City when her pa had bought the Gold Coin Mining Company. Rich and beautiful and 19, her father made her go to school even though she’d already graduated because it was the only way he could even begin to control the willful girl during the day.
As a courtesy, Adam asked Hoss if he was crushing on the girl, but Hoss had shook his head and mumbled something about knowing better than to play with fire. Adam didn’t take his brother seriously. At the next dance, he saw her from across the room turning down suitors until her eyes found him. In that moment, he realized she’d been waiting for him. Wearing a dark red gown, her black hair piled high, she reminded him everything of a painting he once saw in the National Gallery when he’d visited Washington, D.C. There nothing 19 years old about her. She carried herself like royalty, and took it for granted that he was there for her and for her only. He wasn’t prepared for her intelligence or her knowledge of literature. They spent most of the evening quoting their favorite Keats to one another, never once making it to the dance floor. She consumed him in a way that no woman had before or since.
Pa pulled up alongside him and Adam glanced over to see his father staring straight ahead, a look of abject misery on his face. Joe had told them about the court date and his intention to go. Neither man said anything, but each of them found their way on the road to Virginia City the next morning. Joe rode ahead as if making sure he could stay between his brother and Adam and Pa. He felt like he needed to do whatever was necessary to keep his family from imploding. But most importantly, Joe wanted to protect Hoss. He couldn’t give up on Hoss because Hoss would never give up on him.
***********
Hoss sat in the courtroom staring straight ahead. Various townspeople had gotten wind of something interesting and the room was filling up with people who most likely had better things to do. If Hoss had turned his head, he would have seen his pa and two brothers walk in, hats in hand, and take the only open seats near the back. Hoss didn’t even look at Amelia who sat beside him dressed in deep emerald, a hat perched snugly in her hair. On the other side of her sat one very confused lawyer who had been asked to represent both their interests simultaneously.
Hoss had been too upset to think what to pack for staying at the International House, and he was still wearing ranch clothes. Somehow, he didn’t look so big or imposing sitting up there like a cowhand. Judge Talpert finished reviewing documents and then asked Hoss to stand. “Mr. Cartwright, do you contend that these documents are accurate?”
Hoss swallowed hard. “Yes, your honor. I am taking full responsibility for the…uh, paternity of Geneva Thompson.”
The judge nodded. “And Mrs. Thompson, what evidence have you that Mr. Thompson will not be contesting the paternity of Geneva Jean Thompson?”
Amelia stood, smoothing expensive sateen skirts with her hands. “I have supplied the court with three affidavits which state that, on numerous occasions, my husband, Tim Thompson, denied paternity of my daughter, Geneva. They also show that my husband was unkind to her on several occasions.”
The judge looked at the affidavits for a moment. “Mr. Thompson is not here in person?”
“No sir. My husband does not know that I am here. My husband has threatened to harm us both.”
“This is an unusual situation. Mr. Cartwright, do you harbor any doubts that the child is yours?”
Hoss looked down at the table for a moment before responding. “No sir. I only had to look at her to know the truth.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Both of her parents are dark haired and brown-eyed.”
The judge sighed. “I’m sure you’re aware that the child’s hair color is not a definitive indicator of paternity.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m sure of this, Judge Talpert, and I want to take responsibility. You can’t tell me you get a lot of fellers coming in fighting for paternity.”
“Where is the child?”
Amelia shifted. “She’s in the outer room.”
“Please bring her in.”
Amelia squeezed past Hoss, her skirt rustlings, and disappeared into the room behind the judge. She walked back in holding hands with a little girl. The effect on the room was electric. The child had a halo of blonde curls that defied capture. Round blue eyes blinked at the room from a round face with pink cheeks.
The breath caught in Ben Cartwright’s throat. She indeed reminded him of Hoss as a child. Until he hit ten years old, his hair was white blonde, and with his blue eyes and rosy cheeks, he’d always reminded Ben of a little cherub, and now here was another cherub walking right into the room. Adam took a look, shook his head, and walked out of the courtroom. The murmurs around them agitated Joe to the point that he had to dig his fingers into the wooden arms on his chair to keep from exploding to his feet and telling everyone to shut up.
Hoss stood amidst the whispers, his gaze set on the judge. “You got any questions, Judge?”
Judge Talpert banged his gavel. “I’ll have order in this court or I’ll close this room to all visitors.” The noise died, and he leaned over his desk. “Mr. Cartwright, I am granting your bid for paternity of Geneva Jean Thompson. This court is adjourned.”
Hoss sat down and closed his eyes. He knew everyone was watching, and he suspected that all of Virginia City would be talking about this by the end of the day. He felt a hand on his arm and turned to Amelia. She was talking at him, but he hadn’t been paying attention. He shook his head and leaned in. “What’s that you’re saying, Amy?”
“I need to leave Geneva with you for awhile. I have business I need to do.”
He shook his head. “No way, Amy, we had a deal.”
“Hoss, I need time.”
“You can’t leave Gennie with me. I just met her a couple of weeks ago.”
She gripped him tightly. “I need space to think, Hoss. And she will be safe with you.”
“You promised me you’d get help.”
“And I will. That’s what I’m doing. I just need a little time. Please understand.” Before he could protest further, she pushed Geneva in front of him and backed away. Hoss took the little girl’s hand. The tiny blonde head whipped around as her mother made her way to the door. Her face screwed up and she screamed for her mother.
Amelia pushed past people to get to the front door, and she was almost there when a black sleeve came out of nowhere and pulled her into the judge’s chambers. She gasped as he shut the door, and she came face to face with Adam. He gripped her tightly by the shoulders, and stared at her. It took a moment for him to take her in. She was more beautiful than he remembered. Her face had lost its youthfulness and had become more defined; cheekbones and jawline delicately etched into her features. Those eyes that Hoss described as brown were actually a mesmerizing mélange of gold, green, and brown. He remembered back to days when he had tried to study those eyes for hours on end. But she was also thinner than he remembered and paler; there was a tinge to her skin that reminded him of women who never left their sitting rooms. She tried to jerk away from him, but he held fast. “I can’t believe you’d come to town and not see me.”
“Adam, I don’t want any part of this.”
“You can’t mean that. After all, you’re a member of the family now.”
“This was the right thing to do.”
“What? What is this, Amelia? You and Hoss have a child? I’m supposed to believe that.”
“You saw her, Adam.”
He shook his head. “I saw a blonde, blue eyed girl. That doesn’t make her Hoss’ child.”
“It’s just impossible for you to believe I could do something for the right reasons.”
“Amelia, it’s not about right or wrong for you, it’s about opportunity.”
His grip loosened, and she pulled away. “I don’t need money, Adam. My husband is rich, and my father left me plenty.”
“Then what is it?”
She wheeled around and walked up to his face. “Hoss is her father. I knew it from the beginning, but you can’t blame him for this. It wasn’t his fault. I went after him one night to hurt you. He was only 17 years old, and I was almost 20; he barely knew what was going on.”
Adam shook his head. “That’s disgusting.”
She laughed. “It was…even for me. I lost my stomach for it by the very next morning. Plus Tim Thompson was waiting for me to make the right decision. So I linked arms with him, and we set out for Carson City, and his pappy’s mining operation. I never looked back.”
“So why come back? Why not just ride into the sunset with your husband and your child?”
She looked down and Adam remembered how she hated to look at him when she was wrong. He reached out and lifted her chin. She looked at him reluctantly, and for a moment, he imagined getting lost in those eyes again. “Adam, he’s a drinker and he’s mean, and he’s never cared for her. I think he knew from the beginning. He didn’t say anything for awhile, but the marriage started to sour because I didn’t get pregnant again. I didn’t know what else to do.”
Adam rubbed his forehead and looked away.
“I’m telling the truth. I’m just tired, Adam. I think she deserves better, and frankly I do too.”
“Are you going to divorce him?”
She smiled grimly. “The Thompsons don’t divorce.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I just did it.”
“Amelia, this isn’t going to work.”
“It already did.” She went to the door.
“Where are you going?”
She cocked her head at him for a moment. “You know, Adam, you were the only one that ever felt real to me. It’s too bad I couldn’t make the grade. I would have made life interesting at the Ponderosa.” She slipped through the door without another word. Adam stood there, hands on his hips, and stared at the door.
**********
The child hiccupped into Hoss’ chest while he rocked her. “That’s the way, Little Doll. You just listen to old Hoss. We’re going to have a good time, you and I. You just wait and see.”
Someone sat next to him and he turned to see his pa and Joe crouching next to him. Ben looked at him. “Did you know she was going to leave her?”
He shook his head and turned his attention back to the blonde ringlets resting on his shirt.
Joe smiled thinly. “She’ll probably be back in a couple of days.”
Hoss nodded and rubbed the tiny head of hair.
Pa reached over. “Give her to me.”
Hoss wrinkled his nose. “Aw, she’s a little fussy right now.”
“I know all about fussy. Hand her over.”
Hoss eased her off his chest and into his pa’s arms. The little girl seemed too tired to really care. Ben held her. “You just rest, Sweetheart. We’re going to take you to a nice ranch, and you’re going to have a room all to yourself. Joe here is going to get a puppy or a kitty or whatever he can find between here and the Ponderosa. And Hop Sing is going to make you ice cream for dinner tonight.”
The girl held onto his shirt with tiny fists and just listened. Suddenly a little voice emerged. “Does the puppy bite?”
Ben smiled. “No, Joe’ll make sure you get a puppy that doesn’t bite. Did you hear that, son; a puppy that doesn’t bite?”
Joe grinned. “I’m on it.”
Hoss wrinkled his brow. “Are you sure, Pa?”
Ben smiled at his middle son. “I didn’t sleep a wink last night. I’ve never hit you like that before, and it can never happen again. I don’t what’s happening here with this child, but I know that I’m not going to have any better luck until my middle son is back in the house with me.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Pa.”
Ben shook his head. “Let’s not talk about it anymore.”
Hoss nodded. He reached for Geneva, but Pa was already on his feet heading for the street. “Pa, everyone will see you.”
His pa looked over his shoulder. “And they’ll know that I’m proud of the newest member of my family. That sounds about right, don’t you think?”
***********
Joe went straight to Tracy Ledbetter’s place for a pet. The girl was crazy, what with that rifle she was always swinging in every direction, but she knew how to raise dogs. She steered him to the hounds, but he didn’t figure the child would know what to do with one of those raw-boned howlers. Then she pulled him into the barn where a black and white herding dog was lying in the hay, six pups playing around her. He picked out one that was white with black patches on its back and one over its eye. Tracy told him they called that one Bluebeard because of the patch over one eye, and Joe figured they’d shorten it to Blue or something. He stuffed the squirmy pup in his shirt and headed home.
This was an errand that was pleasure to him. The events of the last 24 hours had weighed heavily on the boy, and when his pa told Hoss to come home this afternoon, Joe almost leapt to his feet and started screaming. He knew that his fierce fight for identity within the family made it look like he was trying to break away from the Cartwrights, but the truth was that he couldn’t imagine life without either of his brothers or father. The deeper truth, however, was that if Hoss left, he wasn’t sure if he wouldn’t leave with him. It was that way between the two of them. Hoss had always been there, always believed in him when others doubted. Hoss loved him like a brother, a mother, and a friend. It was as if he was a necessary extension of Joe; the part that exercised caution and patience. In fact, the way the big man fussed over him sometimes, it felt like he still had a mother.
Joe knew that the truth of the situation between Hoss and Amelia had still not come to light, but whatever it was, he figured it was his job to back his brother to the end.
**********
Adam didn’t come home for three days. Ben was all about giving his boys space, but when one of the hands mentioned that Adam was picking fights at the Bucket of Blood, he figured enough was enough.
He stopped first at the jail reasoning that Roy would have thrown Adam in a cell by now, but the sheriff just shook his head, “Ben, I almost jailed him the first night, but once folks realized they needed to keep their snide comments about Hoss to themselves, it got real peaceful like around here. In fact, I would say that having him camped out over there at the Bucket of Blood has been a great deterrent to the fights that have been breaking out over Hoss.”
Ben winced. “People are fighting about Hoss?”
Roy got up. “You know that Hoss has done a kindness for more people than anyone else in the territory. There’s those who’ll defend him no matter what and there’s those who gotta’ judge a man. You got your folk who hate the success of the Ponderosa and everything Cartwright, and you got folks who know that Hoss would give a man the shirt off his back. I haven’t stumbled onto one conversation this whole week that hasn’t been about Hoss being a pa to that little girl.”
Ben furrowed his brows. “People need to mind their own business.”
Roy let out a chortle. “Good luck with that, Ben. People ain’t got all that much to talk about if not each other. Always been that way, always will be. You know that. I myself have had to have a few heated exchanges on Hoss’ behalf in the last few days. I mean, Ben, do you really think your boy fathered that girl?”
Ben glared at his old friend hard for a long minute, and then threw up his hands. “I don’t know.”
“That boy is really in a pickle this time.”
“Yes, well, I’m not here about all that, Roy, am I?”
Roy grabbed his hat. “All right, let’s go see Adam. I figure he’s probably not doing more than just nursing the bottle this time of day.”
“What kind of shape is he in?” It was a beautiful sunny day and people crowded the streets. Ben knew that all eyes were on him, but he didn’t care. A man who’d been through as much as he had in life didn’t take much stock on what people said about him behind his back.
Roy waved at passing folks. “He’s okay. I paid Sally to bring eggs over to the Bucket of Blood every morning and then supper at night.”
Ben reached into his breast pocket. “I’m much obliged.”
Roy put his hand up. “Put your silver away. You Cartwrights are about the closest thing I have to family in these parts. It was my pleasure.”
Ben nodded. They got to the Bucket of Blood, and blinked hard as their eyes adjusted from blinding sunlight to the dusty darkness of the saloon. Ben nodded at Sam, and looked around the room. There, in the corner, sat his son, his head resting on folded arms, a half full bottle of whiskey next to him. “How is he?”
Sam finished polishing a glass. “Same bottle as last night. I reckon his heart’s not in it anymore.”
Ben put a coin on the bar. “Give me the best bottle you got in the house.” Then he gestured at Roy. “And make sure the sheriff here has a full mug of beer for as long as he wants it.”
Roy smiled and sidled up to the bar. Ben grabbed the whiskey Sam handed to him and headed over to Adam. Adam was lifting his head before Ben could sit down. “Came to haul me back to the ranch?”
“No,” Ben unscrewed the bottle and poured one for Adam and for himself. “I figured if you were going to drink, you might as well get the good stuff. It’s easier on the head in the morning.”
Adam pushed the glass of whiskey back to his father’s side of the table. “I think I’ve done enough damage for quite awhile.”
“You still mad at Hoss?”
“I guess I am.”
“Son, I’m not sure what to believe about this, but you have to know that Hoss had his reasons.”
Adam snorted. “Hoss is not that child’s father. If he’d done what he said he did, he wouldn’t be able to look me in the eye. He’s not capable of it. It took three days and two bottles of whiskey to see that.”
Ben shrugged. “I don’t know another reason why he’d…“
Adam slapped the table angrily. “He did it because he thought he could save Amelia or maybe the child. I don’t know which one, but it’s what Hoss does. And usually, I just play along while gangs of strangers get put up at the house or he stops doing ranch work for a week because some neighbor needs his help or he almost gets the lot of us swindled out of everything we own. Usually, I can ride out one of his rescue missions pretty well, but this time it took a toll and I don’t want to encourage it anymore. And you know, Pa, you are the worst when it comes to that.”
Ben raised his brows at Adam and waited.
“You let him get away with all of it. He’s got a big heart, you’ll say. If he wants to hire good for nothings or misfits or whatever, it doesn’t matter ‘cause you’ll go along with it. If he wants to ruin the family name because Amelia Thompson asks him to, you’ll go along with it.”
“I didn’t know you felt this way.”
“I didn’t either. It’s another thing two bottles of whiskey clarified for me.”
Ben swallowed his drink and poured another. “I don’t know what to say.”
Adam rolled his eyes. “There’s nothing to say. I just want him to think things through before he disrupts all of our lives. It happens every time, and the fact that he does it for noble reasons is supposed to excuse the craziness that results. Believe me, Pa, this circus is only getting started. I mean, Pa, what is the plan? Are we raising a little blonde girl now? Is she a Cartwright? I bet you Hoss didn’t know that Amelia was going to take off like she did. When is she coming back or even, is she coming back?”
Ben sighed deeply. “I see your point.”
Adam grunted. “No, you don’t. I don’t have a point. We will all continue to allow him to try and fix every problem he sees. Even I know that. I won’t be angry forever, and there will always be a part of me that knows that Hoss is just doing what the rest of us oughta’ do.”
“Okay?” Ben contemplated a third glass from the bottle. Maybe whiskey would give him clarity too.
“This thing with Amelia will not end well.”
Ben waited for a moment before saying what he knew his son didn’t want to hear. “I didn’t realize that you still cared for her. I imagine we all thought she was never someone serious.”
Adam’s face clouded over and Ben steeled himself for an angry response, but the young man took a deep breath. “Honestly, Pa, I don’t know what I’m feeling, and I don’t really want to talk about it.”
Ben nodded. He expected nothing less from Adam. His eldest always kept his feelings close to his vest.
“How’s she doing?”
“Huh?” Ben blinked.
“The little girl, how’s she doing?”
Ben smiled. “Well, her name is Geneva and she’s very shy. She follows Hoss around like a puppy which, by the way, is what she now has. Joe got a little shepherd puppy from Tracy Ledbetter. They’re calling it Blue, I think.”
“Hoss has got a way with kids, doesn’t he?”
“Which is good because she was very upset when Amelia left her. Hoss has been working in the barn so he can stay close to the house. She doesn’t let him out of her sight. He even sleeps on the floor next to her bed.”
“Tell me more.” Adam rested his head on his chin.
“Hop Sing adores her and makes ice cream every night which has Hoss tickled silly. And last night, Joe and Hoss were telling her a bedtime story and I walked in as they’re telling her about some calf stuck in the mud being stalked by a timber wolf. I had to jump in, and explain that little girls shouldn’t have scary stories like that at bedtime. I mean, they claimed that it was going to have a happy ending, but come on, she’s 6 years old. But you know, they don’t know, and frankly, I don’t know either. I have to remember to go to the mercantile today to see if they might have some books of fairy tales; something a little more appropriate for a little girl.”
Adam nodded and pushed his hat back on his forehead. “Chet had some in. I saw them yesterday. Actually I saw them and bought them.” He reached under his chair and pulled up a few thin, brightly colored books.
Ben shook his head, sat back and regarded his son. “Okay, so what now? You going to bring these books home with you anytime soon?”
“I was just thinking of heading out when you showed up.”
“Do you know what you’re going to say to your brother?”
“I’ll know what I get there.”
“Fair enough.” Ben picked up the bottle of whiskey and followed his son. At the bar, he put it down in front of Roy who tipped his hat at his friend as he walked back out into the sun.
**********
When he and Adam rode into the yard that afternoon, there was no emotional reunion. Hoss looked up from where he was shoeing a horse and nodded; the big man knew enough to give Adam his space. Adam tipped his hat and slid off Sport. Hoss secured the horse and waited. Adam looked around the yard. “I hear you got a new shadow; one that’s considerably prettier than you.”
Hoss couldn’t stop the broad grin spreading across his face. “She hid in the barn when she heard the horses. Just hold on a sec.” He turned his head and yelled, “Gennie, you come out now!”
Ben frowned. “Why is she hiding?”
Hoss shrugged. “I don’t know, Pa. She won’t tell me. She just skedaddles every time she hears a new horse.”
The little girl emerged slowly, a squirming puppy in her arms. She ran over and stood behind Hoss, gripping his pants leg tightly. Hoss reached around and picked her up. “Hey now, ain’t nothing to be worried about. This is Adam. Remember me telling you about him. He’s my big brother.”
She peeked at Adam out of the corner of her eye, the puppy struggling mightily in her arms. Adam reached over carefully and took the pup. “Can I meet Blue? He is a cutie. Looks like he’s acting a little squirrelly there.”
Adam rolled the pup over in his hands, and gently started to massage its belly. The rambunctious beast immediately settled down and let its limbs go limp. Geneva leaned forward in Hoss’ arms to get a better look. She wrinkled her brow and looked up at Hoss. He chuckled deep in his throat. “He’s just giving Blue a little nap. Ain’t nothing wrong. Dogs like getting scratched on their bellies.”
Adam knelt down. “Do you want to give it a try?”
Hoss put her down gently and urged her to reach out. The little girl did, and Adam took her hand showing where and how to scratch the puppy. Ben stood back and watched his boys. They were strong men, respected and sometimes feared, but they were also kind and gentle, and he felt proud that they weren’t afraid to let that part of their character show in a country where few men recognized the value of it. Joe sauntered out from the house, and joined his brothers and Geneva on the ground just in time for the puppy to stage a revolt, nipping Adam, and taking off across the yard. Hoss lunged for the dog, but ended up with a face full of dirt, Joe tripping over his brother’s arm in an effort to do the same. Geneva stood up and regarded the two men lying on the ground. Then she gingerly stepped around them and trotted off after the puppy. Adam threw back his head and laughed, “Girl’s got common sense. You two jaspers could take a lesson from her.”
Ben grunted his satisfaction and headed for the house. Whatever was coming would be manageable now that his sons were together again.
***********
Geneva was a listener. She quietly paid attention to everything they said. Adam watched her from the window in Pa’s study. She seemed perfectly content to follow Hoss with her puppy, and listen to him all day long. Hoss, for his part, kept up a steady of facts and ideas about ranch life.
Adam discovered that bringing her books was definitely the way to her heart. She held them carefully and would kneel on the floor, resting the books on the couch and slowly turn the pages for hours. At bedtime, he’d suggested reading one to her, and she’d quickly picked out one with a girl in a red hood on the cover, and came straight over to him. It was the boldest thing he’d seen her do. Not having had fairy tale books when they were young, Hoss and Joe had an inordinate interest in these tales as well, and he found that he was reading to all three of them at night. Getting Hoss to stop interrupting with constant questions and worries about the characters proved to be Adam’s greatest challenge.
It turned out that she’d had no schooling yet so Adam picked up a primer and gave her simple lessons on the alphabet. It amazed him that a six year old child could work so diligently for such a long time, carefully copying letter after letter on the paper he bought for her. Despite her easy, quiet nature, Adam knew she was a very unhappy child. He wondered if it went beyond Amelia abandoning her. There was no way to know because questions to her about family went unanswered, and the discomfort she displayed went asked taught them all to avoid the subject.
Adam heard horses, and saw the tiny girl pick up her skirts and disappear into the barn; the little puppy chasing after her. He walked out of the house in time to see Hoss greet Regina Gant in a dusty old wagon. Regina was a fine woman married to a rancher named Jason Gant with a small spread north of the Ponderosa. Together they had four children. They struggled to make the mortgage every month and always looked tired, but seemed to carry the deep satisfaction that folks had who felt true meaning to their lives. Regina was not a beautiful woman, but her goodness gave her a warmth that made people smile. The fact that she was Amelia’s little sister never failed to amaze Adam.
Hoss lifted her off the wagon and steered her toward the porch. She smiled at Adam and took the seat he offered. Without preamble, she looked up at him, “I’ve come to see my niece.”
“Well, she’s hiding from you right now. Hoss went to get some refreshment. We’ll wait ‘til he comes back. He sort of has the touch when it comes to that little girl.”
Hoss appeared as if on cue. “Hop Sing will bring out some lemonade straight off, Miss Regina.”
“Can I see Geneva?”
Hoss nodded and turned to the barn. “Come out, Gennie. Got somebody I want you to meet.”
For a moment, there was nothing, but finally the little girl slinked out of the barn and trotted over to Hoss who picked her up and sat her in a chair next to Regina. Regina took her little chin and looked her over carefully. “I haven’t seen you since you were a baby. Your mama had me out to Carson City when you were first born. I stayed for a good couple of months. Brought my two girls, but I’m sure you don’t remember any of that.”
The little girl blinked at her but said nothing.
Regina sat back. “We were getting along back then, Amelia and I. She was lonely, and I was happy to be there.”
“You haven’t talked to her since?” Adam asked.
She shook her head. “I tried, but you know Amelia. She can be quite stubborn. When is she coming back?”
Hoss took off his hat and scratched his head. “I don’t rightly know, Miss Regina. She never said. I wish I knew. I think Gennie misses her something fierce.”
Regina raised an eyebrow at that last statement. “In any event, I’m glad she’s here with you.”
Hoss blushed and looked down at the floor.
She smiled. “Did you know that my husband married me for my brains? He said to me, ‘Regina, a wise woman is worth a lifetime while a pretty one is only worth the time it takes for her looks to fade. If I’m going to marry one, I might as well get the lifetime model.’ I’m not here to judge. I don’t know if you are the father -- I have my own theories on that -- but I’m glad that she is somewhere safe. I’ve prayed for her every night for six years.”
Hoss gently pulled Geneva off the chair and deposited her on the ground. “Go on, Gennie. Blue needs a walk. Go circle around the fence with him like I showed you.”
The little girl looked at him briefly, then put the puppy on the ground and trotted off.
The three of them sat quietly for a moment, unsure of where to take the conversation. Then Adam said, “I don’t know what you mean, Regina.”
She looked down at her lap. “She’s a drinker, he’s a drinker. Neither was much interested in that little baby of theirs. I guess I said something wrong ‘cause she told me to pack up one day. I offered to take the baby, but Amelia wouldn’t let me. Her pride couldn’t handle it.”
Adam took note of the fact that Hoss wasn’t saying anything.
“The truth is that I don’t want to cause any trouble; I just want to see the child. I want my children to know their cousin. I want to see if she knows how to smile.”
Hoss nodded. “Miss Regina, you and your kids are welcome here any day. I think it would be good for her to have other kids around. She’s gotta’ be getting tired of trailing around after me all day.”
“I think Amelia will get mad.”
Hoss shook his head. “Well, she ain’t here to squawk none about it so we’re not going to worry about that.”
“Can I bring them tomorrow?”
Hoss grinned. “I’ll have Hop Sing make us up a picnic lunch. We’ll have a grand ol’ time.”
***********
Ben was having as much fun as anyone. It had been years since he’d had kids running around the yard, and watching Regina’s kids chase around the yard brought him back to times when Joe and Hoss would tear around like for hours until they literally dropped from exhaustion. Geneva had been shy at first, holding Blue tightly, but these children were a happy, hardy bunch. They were tickled to have a cousin, and treated her like a little princess. Eventually this wore down her defenses, and soon she was chasing around after them, although Ben was pretty sure she was lost as to the purpose of it all.
Regina sat beside Ben sipping lemonade and laughing. His sons were out on the range, this marking the first time Geneva had let Hoss out of her sight since she’d come to the ranch. He thought she might get scared, but they had to try it sometime. Right now, she seemed to be doing okay, but Ben knew that it was best he stay where she could see him in case she started to worry.
Regina sighed. “I wish Lottie could have come. She’s closest to Geneva in age, but she was feeling kinda’ peaked this morning so I thought it best she stay back. Jason is working close to the house so he’s keeping an eye on her.”
“I thought we were short a Gant child.”
She smiled. Tom, the oldest boy, came running up to his ma. He all but barreled into her as he reached around her neck to give her a hug. “My head hurts.”
She frowned at him and felt his forehead. “Maybe you should rest a bit.”
The dark eyed boy considered his options for a moment before wriggling away from his mother and running back into the fray. Ben chuckled, “Boys are like that. Tell them to rest and all of a sudden, they’re feeling just fine.”
She nodded, but kept a worried eye on her son. “I hope the children aren’t coming down with something. I would hate to expose Geneva to anything.”
He waved away her concern. “They’re fine. Kids and runny noses just go together is all.”
“Do you know that Amelia named Geneva after me?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“It was a gesture, I guess. She wanted us to be close. I had married Jason against my father’s wishes, and so I was out of the family as far as he was concerned. I think she admired my gumption. Of course, the truth was it was nothing but pure survival. Our father was neither an easy nor a nice man. It wasn’t brave really. I just didn’t want any part of his world. Since my father was still alive, she named her Geneva; Gennie for short. Gennie is short for Regina. It was her compromise, and I was really touched.”
“You must miss her.” Ben filled her glass with more lemonade.
She shrugged; her eyes still on the children. “I grew up with her, but I never really knew her. I think I miss what we should have been. She was beautiful and smart, and always trying to get Papa’s attention. She didn’t have much time for me. I just sat back and watched. I think people thought I was jealous of her, and I would be happy to admit it, but the truth was she was never satisfied. She always wanted what was beyond her reach. She was so miserable all the time that it was hard to be jealous. God gave her beauty, but he gave me contentment. I knew from the first moment I saw Jason that he was the one for me, and I’ve never felt any different. No amount of money will ever make her feel that. I think I feel sorry for her more than anything else.”
Ben was just thinking about what a wonderful woman she was when the sounds of hooves erupted. Hoss, Joe, and Adam came thundering in, scattering the kids to the porch. He was about to get cross, but he could see that they were aware of the kids and were doing it to play with them more than anything else. Geneva jumped down and ran after Hoss, grabbing his pant leg tightly. He chuckled and hoisted her up onto his shoulders. Horses tethered; the three of them headed for Pa and Regina.
Regina stood up. “I reckon if your boys are home for supper, my Jason is starting to think the same thing.”
“Howdy, Ma’am, did you have a nice day here?”
“I did, Hoss. I was just telling your father that my youngest, Lottie, wasn’t able to come, and she’s a bit heartbroken. I’m hoping that we could do this again soon or Lottie will drive me right crazy asking after her.”
Hoss nodded. “Well, how ‘bout after church on Sunday? Gennie and I will come over and she can play with them all afternoon. If I remember right, Jason said he’s got a bull he wants me to see. It’d be a right good opportunity to get both of those things done, don’t you think?”
“Sounds perfect. I’ll see you then.” She let Adam help her into the wagon, her three kids being hoisted into the back by Little Joe.
As they left, Geneva squirmed out of Hoss’ arms and jogged after them to wave good-bye. She’d only made a few steps when she tripped on a rock and fell to the dirt. Joe went over to pick her up. He noted a big tear in the back of her stockings, and as he was looking at it, he saw something that made him gasp. The girl in his arms, he whirled around to Hoss and shouted, “Who did this to her?”
***********
They had all crowded around, and everyone got a good look at red lines faintly etched onto the back of her thighs. Hoss rescued her from their midst, and walked off with her down the trail to the meadow behind the barn. It was an odd response; he didn’t attempt to explain anything. Ben watched him disappear with her down into a meadow. Joe looked at him; shock still etched on his face and Ben shook his head. “Hoss will tell us later.”
“He’d better,” Joe muttered.
“Don’t worry, Little Brother. I’ll crack his head if I have to, but he’s talking.”
Adam stood, arms folded, and stared off at the meadow long after Ben and Joe went inside.
Geneva was used to being at the center of attention at the Ponderosa, but that evening she was nothing less than a princess. They all sat with her that evening, watching her page through her books; the room quieter than usual. She sat in Hoss’ lap for a long time with her Jack and the Beanstalk book. He challenged her to tell him the story, and she went through it page by page, remembering most of the words by heart. The Cartwright men couldn’t help but smile as she adapted a deep voice when the giant came on the page. She even let Joe pick her up and take her to bed without Hoss. It was clear that she was starting to feel safe with all of them.
Hoss seemed to know he wasn’t going to bed without an explanation. He sat in front of the fire with hands folded until Joe came back downstairs. He sat up and turned to his family. “She’s not my child.”
Adam snorted. “We didn’t wait all evening for you to tell us what we already know.”
“Why would you lie? I don’t understand.”
Hoss looked at his father. “I’m sorry, Pa. I didn’t know another way. I figured none of you would have let me go through with it.”
“You think?” Adam carried a dangerous tone.
Ben sighed. “You better start from the beginning.”
“She sent me a letter. She said she needed help for her and her little girl. She said I was the one she could count on. She said that she and her little girl were being hurt by her husband. I went there after the second letter to see for myself.”
“What did you find?”
“She wasn’t expecting me. The house was dark, and when she answered the door, the smell of brandy just sort of hit me. I never saw the husband. Geneva was there playing with a doll; just a shy little splinter who hid from me most of the time. Amy told me that her husband never believed the girl was his. She reminded me of the night she’d tried to…um…be with me, and said that if I said I was the father, Thompson would believe me. She said she would be able to leave him without him coming after her and using the girl to get back at her if I said she was mine. I told her I didn’t think it would work, and I didn’t want to get mixed up in it.”
“Great. At what point then did your common sense leave you?”
Hoss could feel the anger rising off Adam, and knew his brother had been bottling it for sometime. “Amy fell asleep, I guess you could say, in the middle of the afternoon. The cook came and got the child for a bath. The child started screaming ‘cause the woman was being rough with her in the tub, soapin’ her and dunkin’ her and such, and when I ran in, I saw the lines on her, all the way from her thighs up her back. It was clear to me that somebody had been hitting that child too hard. The cook wouldn’t answer questions, and later Amy just said her husband did it, but she wouldn’t look at me. It just didn’t feel right.”
“You thought Amy did it?” Ben was leaning toward him, his brow furrowed.
“I don’t know, Pa. Truly I don’t. I mean, could a mother really strap her child such that the marks would scar for weeks or months? It just seems so mean. I ain’t ever known no woman like that.”
Ben sat back. “Drinking can change a person. We’ve all seen men who go from gentle souls to mean animals with too much whiskey. I don’t know why it can’t be the same for women.”
“I was bound and determined to get away from that house. I figured that getting involved in this would come to no good, but she started crying and begging and then there was the little girl; I couldn’t get her out of my head. Finally I told her that I would do it if she got some help for the drinking. I told her she could stay out at the ranch with us until all those urges had passed and she was feeling in control again. She agreed, but then she switched up after the hearing, and now I don’t know where she is.”
Adam pushed himself out of his chair and started pacing. “Well, of course she was going to renege; I can’t believe you were so dumb you didn’t realize that.”
“Adam, I didn’t think…“
“If you had come to me -- the one person who really knows her -- and asked me about this, I would have told you this is what she would do.”
Hoss got up and walked over to his older brother. “You got a right to be mad, Adam, and I’m sorry for hurting you and Pa and Little Brother, but you might as well know the bigger truth here. I ain’t sorry I done it. I’m glad she’s here. She don’t talk none about missing nobody. Just today she asked if she could stay here forever. Dadburnit, she’s starting to smile; she’s starting to be a happy little girl. I ain’t ever going to let her go back to Amy or Thompson or anybody unless I know she’s going to be safe.”
He started to walk away, and then whirled around at the foot of the