Summary: Part six of Home
Word Count: 8100
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Chapter 1
Ponderosa Ranch
Nevada Territory
Winter, 1847
As he worked at his father’s desk, Adam found himself listening for the sound of the grandfather clock near the door, waiting for it to strike twelve. At noon he had to give Little Joe the medicine that his father had left for him. Maybe then he could stop for dinner and spend a bit of time with his baby brother. The ranch paperwork was hard going but Adam was making good headway towards completion. The record keeping was the part of ranching that his Pa liked the least, and was the one chore that Adam felt he could best help with while he was stuck in the house tending to Little Joe. Adam had a certain satisfaction in adding the columns of numbers and making all the entries tallied perfectly. He had already caught up most of the pages his father had left for him and hoped to make the ledgers up to date by the time his father got home for supper. There was only one stack of bills that had to be entered and he would be done.
The seventeen year old had spent the morning trying to pull together the ledgers for the ranch and doing barn chores so he could be near his sick little brother. Their father had been gone a bit too long for Joe’s taste and Adam wasn’t sure what he should do next. Hoss was out with the men moving tending to the cattle. Adam was hoping the boys would not make too much of a fuss missing Pa and that by bed time their father could be home to say good night to them.
Ben had been staying in Virginia City during the murder trial helping Sheriff Coffee keep a lid on the tension that was building up in Virginia City. Ben told Adam that Miss Barbara of the Altamont Saloon needed his support during the trial and had made sure Levi Victor was her defense attorney.
”Adam, come play with me. I miss Pa and Hoss. I’m so lonely,” Little Joe called from next to the fireplace. He had spread all his tin soldiers and wooden animals around and was stacking pieces of firewood around to make fences. “You can be the army or the pirates, either one.”
Adam looked up from his father’s desk, “Can’t Buddy, I got to get this work done before Pa gets back.”
“I’ll even let you have some of that sparkly gold stuff Otis Massey gave me if you come and play with me for a while.”
“That worthless stuff? Keep it, Little Joe. Its called Fool’s Gold and it is just worthless sand.”
“Tell me some stories then, Adam,” the small boy asked. “Please.”
“Can’t, I got too much work here. And don’t go sitting on the drafty floor. Go sit on a chair or the settee where it is warmer.” Hop Sing hadn’t allowed Joe outside in the last week. The five year old had been sick for weeks. Adam and Hop Sing were afraid the wet freezing weather would give him pneumonia. Joe was trying hard to escape his capture in the house. Joe hadn’t been allowed outside enough to suit him and every time he ran around the house someone told him to be still and rest.
”Then let me go out side to the barn and play. Just for a little bit.” Joe pleaded. “I want to check the horses. I am sure they really miss me.”
”No, it’s too cold. You just play by the fire and keep me company. The horses are fine. Hoss should be back to eat soon. They should be done moving the cattle to lower pasture by the end of the week and then he will be around more after school.”
They both heard the sound of men approaching outside and heavy steps on the porch.
“Seems like we’re takin’ risks we don’t have to be taking “ Shorty complained as he walked in the door.
“What do you mean?” Adam put his pencil down and walked across the room.
“Do you think thirty head or more just wandered off, Adam?” Shorty sounded pretty angry. He had spent most of the last two days freezing days riding the High Pasture and claimed there was no trace of them. “Frank Dayton is missing cattle and so is Duprey on the Circle D.”
“I’m not saying that. It’s just we would have seen some tracks or something. It’s a few missing cows from each of us.” Adam answered.
”Maybe it was them dang Indians. “ Shorty said. “Some one needs to go out and teach them Paiutes a lesson.”
“It’s been a hard, cold winter and we got along way to go until spring. They must be hungry.” Hoss said. He was chilled through from the freezing rain and sleet and the seemingly fruitless search for the missing cattle. He took off his wet coat and hat and hung them up on the rack near the door. “Is dinner ready?”
“I could go, Adam, Maybe I could find the lost cattle. Pa said I have very sharp eyes.” Little Joe had moved onto the settee and was playing with his tin soldiers and the little wooden horses his brothers had carved for him. He balanced a line of troops across cushion.
“The snow filled in the pass pretty early on and the Cavalry has been pushing the Paiutes out of the low lands.” Adam said. “John Dayton wrote home from Fort Mead that they had been fighting pretty fierce with Ka-Pusta and his renegades. Frank told me last time I saw him.”
“Can I go help?” Little Joe repeated and no one paid any attention to him.
“I know your Pa left you in charge Adam but that don’t mean you know anything,’ said Shorty.
Adam sighed and turned red. “Shorty I know what I am saying and I want you to go back out their tomorrow with Shecky and Zeb and bring the cattle in before the snow is so deep that we can’t bring them down to the lower pasture. All of them.”
Hoss looked at his older brother wishing he could think of something to help him.
“Look Adam, I’m not goin’ nowhere or doing nothin’ till your Pa tells me what to do. You may be the boss’s son, but you’re just a kid.”
Adam sucked in his breath. “What are you saying? While my father is off the Ponderosa, you take your order from me.” He stood tall and glared at the man trying to imitate his father’s demeanor.
”I take my orders from your Pa or Hays Newkirk, the Ponderosa owner or the Ponderosa foreman not some wet behind the ears boy.”
The front door swung open and Hays Newkirk walked into the front hall. He also was wet and cold. He had spent the morning in Virginia City with Ben sitting at the trial and was in no mood for foolishness. “Is there some problem here Shorty?” His lake blue eyes were flashing. He pulled off his hat and shook the wet snow off it. Hoss was glad to see him and smiled broadly. Hays would know how to back up Adam.
”The kid seems to think he can tell me what to do, Hays.”
”Do you mean young Mr. Cartwright? Don’t you think you should call your boss Mr. Cartwright? “ Hays was in no mood for Shorty’s snotty, lazy behavior. “And since when do you call me Hays? Maybe you should just settle up your wages and ride out of here!” Hays hollered.
Hoss and Little Joe had never seen Hays so furious. Little Joe ducked down behind a chair clutching one of the tiny wooden horses in his hand.
”No sir, Mr. Newkirk. I don’t want to do that. Mr. Newkirk. Just with Mr. Cartwright gone…”
”Which Mr. Cartwright? Mr. Ben is in town but I see Mr. Adam Cartwright standing right in front of your darn fool face. Maybe you should tell him that you are sorry and get back to whatever work he was telling you to do. Or go pack up and get off the Ponderosa.”
”Yes sir, Mr. Newkirk. Sorry Mr. Adam.” Shorty put his hat back on his head and stomped out the door of the ranch house and headed out to the barn to put up his horse.
“Thanks Hays.” Adam smiled.
”Don’t go thanking me. Now what was all that about, Adam? Your Pa left you in charge and I came back here to some sort of mess.”
“No, everything is really ok. Shorty thinks we are missing some cattle.”
”Shorty just can’t count without taking off his boots and he is too damn lazy to ride off up into the hills to find some strays. Don’t pay him no mind. He’d rather blame the Indians.”
”Thanks Hays.”
Hays sighed tiredly. “No problem, Mr. Cartwright.” It was the first time Hays had ever called him anything but Adam.
Adam smiled proudly at the respect Hays had shown him. “Thank you Mr. Newkirk. How is Pa doing?”
“We got much bigger problems to deal with than a few head of cattle or even a few dozen head…Hoss you go in the kitchen and get me some hot coffee from Hop Sing. Little Joe you go with him.”
Adam looked at Hays. Something was clearly going on in Virginia City and Hays wanted to talk to Adam alone. Hoss didn’t move. “Don’t just stand there, boy. I am froze through. Go get me some hot coffee.” The two younger boys ran into the kitchen.
“Your Pa wants you to come into Virginia City with Shecky and Zeb and give him and Sheriff Coffee a hand. He wants me to take your brothers over to my house until this is all done. It don’t look real good Adam. The Paiutes are shifting around up in the hills too.”
Hays went on to explain that the trial was winding down and if Levi Victor didn’t convince the jury and the townspeople of Miss Barbara’s innocence it looked as if they might try to hang her.” Imagine, they want to hang a woman? Don’t matter how she earns her living, Adam. There is talk that they don’t even want to wait for the jury to make a decision. The judge is having a bad time keeping order.”
Tensions were running high and Roy was fearful of the town erupting in a riot and a lynch mob. Ben Cartwright was helping to guard Miss B and needed Adam to come in and help stand by his side. They were afraid that some of the men in town might even ride up to attack the Indians too. She was accused of the murder of a drunken miner. His body was found in the alley behind the Altamont Saloon. Earlier that day, the man had shot an innocent Indian woman who was just walking along in Virginia City. Miss Barbara was immediately arrested and the circuit judge had arrived a week later for the trial.
”Roy wired the major at Fort Mead to send some men around and he refused claiming they were too busy and he was too short handed. Your Pa almost put his fist through the wall when he read that wire, Adam. It’s that Major Chadwick’s job to protect this area of the territory. Roy was fit to be tied too. “
”The major refused? He can’t do that!”
”Levi managed to get help from the fort near Phoenix. The major there is going to send a detachment of men. They won’t be there for a few days and Roy and your pa are afraid some of them drunks and yahoos might disrupt the trial or try to attack the Indians or go out for Miss B.” Hays walked over to the gun case near the stairs. He started pulling rifles out and loading them. “Your Pa said to come armed and I should make sure the hands were ready for trouble here too.”
Adam nodded “Sounds like this is pretty bad.”
“They say the dead squaw was Ka-Pusta’s sister and he’s out to take revenge.”
Hays frowned and continued loading a rifle. “Adam, just be careful. It takes an awful lot to shake up your Pa and I never saw Ben this worried.”
Chapter 2
Carson City, Nevada
1861
In the shadowy office, Danny Lowell moved to gather up the large bundle of printing plates, but was stopped by a rough hand on his arm. He looked up to see Bob Harrison glaring down at him. “Don’t even think about a double-cross, boy. I’ll make sure you live to regret it.” The threat hung in the air, but Danny didn’t flinch. He had been threatened too often in this life and was not going to be threatened any more by Bob Harrison. He also knew Will Cartwright was standing in the shadow behind the office door.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Harrison. I’ll take good care of this stuff. It will go just where Governor Flanagan wants it.” He opened the lid of the small metal strong box and placed the papers inside.
”Where’s Will?”
Danny shrugged and continued gathering up the stack of forged documents and packets of counterfeit money. Will held his breath praying that Harrison didn’t turn around and see him standing in the shadows with his gun drawn. “Guess he’s still down meeting with the men from the land office. We have been doing the job for more than a year now and I am sure he knows what you need done. Will had to pay them all off and double check that they had switched all the files you wanted and put in the deeds that you had… that you had.”
”Corrected? Amended? Is that the word you need, boy?” Harrison smiled benignly. “Tell Will that I was looking for him and make sure he comes to see me when he gets back.”
Danny held his breath for a minute trying to calm his own nervousness. He needed to sound very casual or else Harrison would know he and Will were cutting out on him and leaving with the counterfeiting plates and a stack of the forged documents and phony money. “Yes, sir.”
Flanagan had no idea that Will Cartwright and Daniel Lowell had decided to get out of this dangerous scheme while they could still get out alive. They had seen too many men getting killed for Flanagan and Harrison’s greed. Will suspected there was much more going on with the gang but had no idea the extent.
A few nights earlier, as Danny and Will returned to the offices they heard an argument while they were tying up their horses. Through the window, the two men had witnessed Harrison shoot the engraver of the counterfeiting plates. Harrison didn’t know they had seen him commit the cold-blooded murder and both of them had quickly ridden off before Harrison realized they had been there.
Will suspected this was just the beginning of troubles for the two of them. He had convinced young Danny that they both needed to break their ties with their employers while they still could. Will was going to dispose of the plates for the money and Danny was taking care of the box of forged documents.
“Where are you going to go, Kid?” Will had asked him as they stood in woods a few miles outside of town making the plan for their get away. Will rolled a cigarette and lit it up.
“My sister Andrea just got married to some old miner, Otis Massey, and they live up in Elm Grove. She’s the only family I have left. I’m gonna head up that way with the papers and hide out for a while. Don’t want Flanagan or Harrison looking for me. What about you Will?”
”Don’t rightly know. I just want out of this bunch while I still can. I need to figure out how to go to the authorities and turn them in without getting myself hung for my efforts.” He blew some smoke into the still air.
“Flanagan is the territorial governor. Who is going to believe you and me? We’re just two saddle tramps. I don’t owe nobody nothin’. No one ever did nothing for me. I’m going to ride out of here and to hell with the authorities arresting Harrison and Flanagan. I got to take care of my own hide.” Danny Lowell spit out bitterly.
Will wasn’t quite sure what he could do. He certainly didn’t want to get killed by Harrison or Flanagan but deep inside he knew something had to be done. He remembered something his Uncle Ben had said the last time he had been on the Ponderosa. They were discussing the murder trial of Miss Barbara, the owner of the Altamont Saloon. Years earlier, she was accused of killing a miner in her establishment. The man had murdered an Indian woman and was later found shot in the alley behind the Altamont Saloon. Ben had said his friend, Miss Barbara would have hanged if the witnesses had not come forward and the good citizens of Virginia City stood up to protect her from a lynching. Ben had said that the people who stand silently by when they know evil is being committed were just as wrong as the criminals.
“Perhaps they are even more evil and wrong, Will,” Ben had sermonized. At the time, Will thought his uncle was just spouting pious nonsense. Today he thought different. He took a drag on his cigarette and flicked the ash onto the ground. Will laughed to himself.
“What is so funny, Will?” Danny asked looking around nervously. For a minute he feared Harrison’s men had found them or that Will had set him up. Danny had little trust for anyone.
“I was just thinking of my self righteous uncle and how he was always telling me to do the honorable thing. Guess maybe I should get in touch with old Ben Cartwright and give him a visit on the Ponderosa.” He stomped out his cigarette with his boot heel.
Danny Lowell turned pale. “The Ponderosa? You from those Cartwrights?” There was no way that Danny was letting on that as small boys he had been the best friend of Little Joe Cartwright. That was before the Lowell family fell apart. His mother had shot Danny’s abusive uncle and the family had run off in the night. Life had taken a desperate turn for Daniel and his sister after that.
Danny had actually stolen the fancy rifle he carried from the Ponderosa. When anyone asked why Daniel Lowell had a rifle with BC on the stock he claimed he had won it playing cards and had no idea to whom it had originally belonged.
”Yup. I’m kind of the poor relation and black sheep of the Cartwright clan. Maybe my Uncle Ben will have some idea how to get my sorry tail out of this situation.”
“Just be careful, Will. If they know you have those plates, they are gonna come hunting for you.” Danny wanted no part of this mess but Will had been good to him in the year they worked together and the young man didn’t want his friend killed.
”I can fix that.” Will unwrapped the soft blue cloth from stack of engraving plates. He laid the stack on the dusty ground and drew his revolver. Placing the pistol directly against the stack of metal plates he fired a shot through them into the dirt. Then he fired a second bullet through the engraved plates. “Guess no one is gonna be printing any twenty dollar bills with those plates.” Will smirked. He rewrapped the plates and put them in his pocket.
“Good luck kid. Take care of yourself. Maybe we will cross paths again.” Will shook hands with Danny.
“Maybe, maybe not.” Danny turned his back on Will Cartwright and checked the strong box he had tied to his saddle. He climbed onto his horse and rode off towards the north and Elm Grove without saying goodbye.
Chapter 3
Nevada
1872
Even though it was bitter cold, the sky was brilliant vivid blue. The sun shined so brightly that the reflections off the ice patches on the hard ground were almost blinding. The frozen coating around some of the branches looked like silver glass etched against the cloudless sky.
Pierce Winslow and Joe Cartwright were about the same age and had known each other since they were small boys. The two men were like oil and water. Each time the two ranchers spent any time together; they faced off over something real or imaginary. No matter what efforts Joe had made over the years, Pierce Winslow bristled at him. Now that Meg Thackery had left him for Joe Cartwright things were even worse.
The Winslow family had lived in Virginia City briefly when Joe and Pierce were small boys. Joe usually wound up hiding behind Hoss or Adam every time the Cartwrights and the Winslow’s got together as Pierce was a year older and much taller than Little Joe. They were both the babies in their families and the pets of their older siblings. Both boys were pretty much used to getting their own way. Unfortunately Pierce’s way of handling it was to beat up on Little Joe as much as he could.
Pierce would punch Joe or knock him down just for touching one of his fancy toys or because he wouldn’t play how Pierce told him to play. Once he snatched Joe’s favorite wooden horses that Hoss had carved for him. Pierce wouldn’t return them until Little Joe hit him in the stomach and knocked him over in the mud. Usually, however it was Joe who got the worst of the fighting between them. More than once Pierce’s pretty older sisters pinched pieces out of him for the way they saw him mistreat sweet Little Joe when he came to visit.
The Winslow girls would pick Little Joe up off the ground. They would kiss him and hug him and smooth his curls. Then Pierce was even more furious that his own sisters sided with Little Joe Cartwright over him. Joe usually made so much of those occasions to the point that Adam and Hoss were sure their little brother was exaggerating half his injuries just to get a few kisses from the pretty Winslow sisters.
While looking for strays, Adam had discussed their theory with his father who laughed and asked Adam if he was jealous “Leave it to Little Joe to know how to get on the right side of a pretty girl. Maybe Joe can give you some lessons on how to get a pretty gal to kiss you, Adam.”
Adam was indignant at his father’s foolish remark. “I’m sure not going to ask a six year old child advice on how to act with a lady, Pa. You and Hoss just better keep your eyes on that little scamp while I’m in college.” He kicked his horse into a gallop and rode off over the rise. Ben sat on his horse laughing at Adam’s dust.
Mr. Winslow owned a successful silver mine and eventually moved his family to a big spread on the other side of Nevada Territory. On occasion, Ben sold cattle or horses to the Winslows and brought his boys along to help out. He would enjoy the Winslow’s hospitality, but Pierce and Joe never got along.
During one visit, a year after Adam came home from college, Hoss noticed that Mr. Winslow brow beat his only son by telling him he was lazy and stupid. Mr. Winslow pointed out how clever and hard working Ben Cartwright’s boys were. He brought it up as the Cartwrights rode back home to the Ponderosa.
“No wonder he has it in for Joe, Pa. Mr. Winslow picks on that boy and tells him to be like Little Joe.” kind hearted Hoss shook his head as he told his father.
Adam laughed so hard that Little Joe thought he would fall off Sport.“Pa, Mr. Winslow is using Joe as the model of hard work and industry? He should see how well that ambitious boy can sleep sitting on the back of a horse hunting up strays or in mid swing while he is chopping firewood. Those naps rival the ones he takes in church.”
“Unless of course there is a pretty girl sitting in the next pew and then he manages to stay awake,” Hoss laughed.
“Pa, next time we go there I ain’t going.” Joe griped. “First I get smacked by Pierce and on the way home, my own brothers pick on me.”
“Mr. Winslow is afraid that his only boy grow up to be the spoiled son of a rich man. I hate to have my sons held up for Pierce to hate.” Ben commented.
Eventually Joe filled out a bit and was more than able to defend himself against Pierce Winslow on his own. He also managed to avoid being the one to do Ponderosa business with the Winslows, much as he managed to have Adam handle the Ponderosa business with Fischer Mines.
Chapter 4
Nevada
1872
As Joe waited for Meg to check some horses in the corral, he sat in the Thackery Auction Office. He and his brother Adam had arrived in town late in the afternoon to do some business for a few days.
Joe hoped to take Meg to dinner at the finest restaurant in town but had not really discussed that plan with her yet. His strategy was going to be just to show up at the auction and charm her into spending the evening with him. It had usually worked in the past with other attractive young ladies and Joe was certain it would work just as well with Meg Thackery.
Joe was looking forward to being alone with Meg having not seen her for close to a month. He was pouring himself a cup of coffee from the tin pot on the black iron stove when Pierce Winslow opened the door and walked into the office.
”Joe, I need to finish this out with you once a for all.” Pierce stared at Joe. “It’s about Meg and you.”
“Haven’t we gone over this enough times?” Joe tried to give the taller man a friendly smile. “You sure got in your licks. Lets call it done and finished. Want some coffee?”
”No.” Pierce stared at him angrily. His jaw was set in a hard line.
The tiny smile on Joe’s face twisted into a frown when he saw that Pierce was not backing off. He was in no mood for another brawl. “Pierce, we are grown men,” Joe started.
“And?” Pierce wasn’t letting go of Meg so easily.
“So quit already.”
”No,” he spit out. It was the same tug of war they had over toys and pieces of cake when they were boys. Pierce was not letting go and neither was Joe Cartwright.
A small smile curled at the corners of his mouth as he spoke. “Hey Pierce, what can I say? She isn’t going to marry you.” Joe scooped some sugar into his cup of coffee and leaned his hip against the battered desk. Joe watched Winslow gauging his reaction. He saw Winslow’s muscles in his jaw working overtime as he attempted to control his rage and anger. Then he launched his usual litany accusing Joe Cartwright of stealing Meg from him.
Joe sipped his coffee and remained silent as he listened to his yelling about how much Pierce had counted on marrying Meg. He griped about what a miserable woman stealing crook Joe Cartwright was and how things between him and Meg were perfectly wonderful until Joe Cartwright put his sorry nose into their business. Joe let him rage on but watched carefully for Winslow to go for his gun or step forward to belt him. Pierce had done that enough times over the years.
“I’m going to marry Meg Thackery.”
“You were, but not any more you aren’t,” Joe had him really on the run now. Pierce was steaming and Joe was grinning and sipping coffee.
“You look surprised that I’m angry at you, Joe.” Pierce looked out of the window hoping Meg would be back.
“No, not surprised at all. Seems to me, Pierce, that I’m the first one you blame when anything goes wrong in your life. It’s been that way since we were kids.” Smiling smugly as he finished speaking, Joe sat down behind Meg’s desk, rocked back in the chair and brought his booted feet up to rest on top of the desk. He took another sip of the steaming hot coffee. For once, Joe Cartwright had the upper hand and he was having fun needling Winslow.
A few months earlier they had slugged it out in the auction yard and Pierce had knocked him cold with a piece of a fence rail. Joe was bruised for weeks and swore he would never let Winslow win again. No, Joe Cartwright decided that the hand of Meg Thackery would be his and he was not going to give in to Pierce ever again.
“Well mark my words Joe, Meg’s going to drive you crazy too and she’ll never marry you neither.” Pierce walked out of the office and slammed the door behind him so hard that the windows rattled.
Joe finished the coffee and decided he would go find Meg. He hoped Pierce had left the property and had gone back to his own ranch to sulk. He didn’t want another fistfight when he was looking to convince Meg to go out for the evening.
Chapter 5
Joe followed Meg back toward the office shack. It would be good to get inside and defrost near the iron potbelly stove. Meg walked a few paces in front of him reading some bills of sale. She moved with the easy grace of a woman who was totally self confident and sure of her place in the world. It wasn’t often that Joe saw a woman swagger like that and still look so totally feminine. Joe had never met a beautiful woman like Meg who knew as much about horses as he did and still looked so tempting just walking across a corral in the cold.
Joe couldn’t keep his eyes off her. He wanted to taste her. He suddenly felt very warm despite the bitter winter day.
The last few ladies Joe had been involved with had been shivery, helpless females. They were always looking to him to take care of them and for Joe to tell him what to do and how to do it. When he was younger it was extremely appealing to have a pretty girl hang on him made him feel like a masterful grown man. He was going to protect the lady from the hard cruel world and they were going to look up to Joe Cartwright and let him kiss them in return for his heroic manly efforts. Since he met Meg, he realized how tedious all that clinging and swooning was to him and thanked his lucky stars he had never married any of those girls.
Mim Wallace, Katie’s aunt had always teased him and said that he always pursued what she called “ditzy blondes with not a lick of sense or back bone.” Joe could never comprehend what she would get so upset about and she would tell him “Looks fade, Little Joe and stupid and shallow is terminal.”
Joe would nod and help himself to more of her butter cookies and run out the door of her little yellow house in search of a carbon copy of the pretty and stupid girl he just dated the week before.
The woman really knew what she was talking about and Joe wished she were still alive so he could tell her about Meg. Mim would be so happy for him and tell him he finally was using his head for more than a hat rack.
Katie had agreed when Joe told her about Meg. “Better late than never, Joe. You finally are getting some sense in your handsome head. I never thought you would settle down with anyone but some pretty bubble head.”
The more time he spent with Meg, the more Joe could finally comprehend what his father saw in Marie and why his Pa had never remarried. Ben had always smiled when he described how beautiful Joe’s mother was, how her green eyes flashed and how lovely her hair was but he always smiled the most when he told them how she stubbornly stood up to him when she felt strongly about something. He would tell Joe how his mother had helped Ben make decisions running the Ponderosa and how strong she was in hard times. And how she loved him and her boys. Pa had said good times are easy; it’s the hard times that need strength.
That was the kind of woman Meg was; some one who is heart achingly beautiful but could stand next to him as his wife on the Ponderosa in good times or bad.
The only real problem was when they met; Meg was engaged to Pierce Winslow. She insisted she was spoken for but she had still kissed Joseph when she came up to see him in his hotel room. She had kissed him pretty passionately and run out of the room as if she was afraid of staying near him for too long.
“Hmm, your price for those ponies seems a little much to me,” Joe said as he pulled his gloves off and warmed his hands next to the potbelly stove. He tipped back his hat and unbuttoned his heavy coat.
Meg looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. She handed him a cup. “Help your self to the coffee if you want. They are both fine ponies, Joe. Especially that gray one.”
“Maybe if you throw in that saddle and tack.”
”Why don’t you just trade me that horse you told me about. The Palomino. And we’ll call it even.” Meg smoothed her golden hair out of her eyes and sat down at the desk and started to go through some more papers.
“He’s not broke to saddle and bridle yet, but I’ll surely have that done by the time of the spring auction you were holding in Virginia City. We could get together then.” Joe countered. He had figured that he would assure he saw her again. The horse was perfectly ready to be sold today but he wasn’t going to tell Meg that information.
“Tell you what Joe, if you’ll finish breaking that horse for me, I’ll meet your price. Take the pony and the mare and the saddle….”
”And the tack.”
”And the pony tack. And you give me that horse in a couple of months when I get down your way. I know you Cartwrights only sell the best stock, so it’ll be worth it to me to wait and see you again then. Deal?” smiled Meg. She knew she was making out far better than Joe Cartwright. She also insured that she would have to see him again in less than two months. Neither of them realized that they were both plotting the same thing.
“On one condition.”
”What’s that?” Meg pretended she was disinterested in anything he had to say. She was not going to let on that she was interested in him. This was just like playing out a horse trade. If she showed too much interest, she could blow the whole deal. Meg really wanted to see Joe Cartwright more. Pierce was too easy to push around and too boring and too full of his own self-importance on his father’s money. He also resented she knew more about cattle and horses than he did and ever would.
“Come along with me to Elm Grove and deliver the pony to Eric. You can even make it worth your while by selling my sister in law Andrea that string of horses she needs. Remember my cousin Will? He’s working as her foreman now and he is thinking of building up her stock and getting the place operating properly again.”
“Well, I don’t know. I had plans for the next few weeks,” Meg lied. “Maybe one of my brothers would be able to go. Maybe Peter or Michael.” Her blue eyes twinkled and she tossed her hair over her shoulders. She tried to smooth and repin her hair as she shifted in her desk chair. Then she pushed some papers around trying to look like she was not paying attention to every move Joe made as he poked around her office. He was terribly attractive and clever.
Joe saw right through her charade and gave her back a double dose of her own medicine. He yawned and stretched and tried to look bored with the conversation. He even took off his hat and put it on top of the papers she was pretending to read. Meg didn’t notice what he had done as she was busy concentrating on his eyes and trying to figure if they were green or hazel.
“Don’t matter much to me Meg. Maybe one of your brothers would be better company and do a better trade for me anyway. Don’t know if Will wants to be buying livestock from a woman anyhow. Maybe Peter should go.” Joe smiled and looked inside the coffee pot. It looked worse than the scrummy sludge Roy Coffee used to serve in his office when he was sheriff.
Joe was quite positive that he got her goat by mentioning the bit about buying from a woman. Joe knew Meg could run the business far better than any or all of her brothers. Fred Thackery had told Joe that weeks ago when he realized Joe was interested in his daughter. Meg’s knowledge of horses was the second thing that fascinated Joe about her. She was breathtakingly beautiful and knew more about horses than any woman he had ever met in his entire life.
Joe picked up his tan hat as if he was leaving the office. “Don’t matter to me, Meg.” He shrugged.
“This isn’t very proper. You know, Mr. Cartwright, I’ve been seeing Pierce Winslow and he intends to marry me.”
”He does? Congratulations. When is the wedding?” Joe twirled his hat on his index finger.
”We haven’t quite set the date yet.” Meg had a petulant look on her face. There was no need for Joe Cartwright to know that each time Pierce tried to pin her down, she avoided firming up the wedding plans. She had strung him along for five years and could easily continue for five more years more or even fifty. She had told him just the day before that she didn’t want to see him. Meg had done that at least a dozen times before and they were still engaged.
“Bring him along.”
”Bring who along?”
”Winslow. Isn’t he your intended? Bring him along, Meg. I’ll be the chaperone for the you two love birds.” Joe winked. He couldn’t resist teasing her. “I’m a very fine chaperone. Excellent eyesight and great hearing too. Both of you come along to Elm Grove if you want. My sister-in law has a huge house and plenty of room for all of us. Your brother too.” He put his hat on and smiled warmly. His hazel eye twinkled green with the fun he was having. He started buttoning his coat and putting his gloves back on in preparation of leaving.
“Mr. Cartwright! I don’t think any of this is your business.” Meg wanted to slap him or throw something at him, but thought better of it. She pushed her hands into her jacket pockets in a decidedly unladylike manner.
“Joe,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
”You called me Mr. Cartwright. Call me Joe,” he smiled and stared at her.
“I don’t think any of this is your business Joe!” she sputtered.
“You know what Miss Meg? I want that pony for my nephew no matter what. I really need two ponies, one for my nephew and one to ship to Boston for my brother’s business partner, Dennis O’Mara, to give his little girl. That is part of why my brother came along with me. They want one for a pulling a cart. Maybe even three ponies. One for my little niece, Elizabeth. Adam’s daughter. You just think about what I said and come tell me. We’re staying at the hotel opposite the mercantile.” He stood up and put on his hat and started out the door. “You just tell me. Let me take you to dinner tonight like I said. You can tell me by tomorrow what you decide about the pony and all. Adam has to head back home the next day so we’ll be leaving by then.”
He shut the door behind him before Meg could give him a quick retort.
Meg picked up a ledger book from the desk and heaved it furiously at the door. Then she tried to decide what dress to wear to go to dinner with Joe Cartwright.
Chapter 6
Massey Ranch
1872
Joe Cartwright rode Cochise down the ranch road of the Massey ranch. Meg Thackery and her younger brother Peter rode along side him on their horses. Peter could not stop gawking at the sights he was seeing. Despite the bitter cold it was clear that the grounds were planted with elaborate bushes and trees. Snow draped statues and bare flowerbeds surrounded fountains. The stable was hexagonal and had ornate iron trim and on the peak of the roof a shiny copper weather vane in the shape of a cowboy on a bucking bronco.
It was strangely quiet for such a large spread but Andrea had stopped operating it as a ranch for a while. There were only a handful of horses in the corral and the only cattle were a pair of milk cows in the barn. Doctor Smith had raised two noisy peacocks that he kept in a pen near the house. He hoped to raise more and when the ranch was back up and running he could let them roam loose on the grounds. He had read that the French kings had peacocks roaming the Versailles Palace grounds and thought Andrea would enjoy the same display in her garden. Right now he was afraid that they would be a dinner for a cougar or coyote roaming down from the mountains and kept them in a pen.
Just after Eric was born Andrea had decided to sell the Massey ranch and run away from Nevada with her precious baby. She had convinced herself that Hoss’s family would try to wrench her child from her because of her terrible past.
She was totally wrong but did not realize it at the time. Eventually the Cartwrights persevered and found her. Andrea and the Cartwrights developed a cordial, loving relationship despite the earlier difficulties. Andrea was thankful that they had pursued her. The love they gave her son Eric was precious.
Ben Cartwright was a wonderful grandfather and told her how much Eric resembled Hoss, his late father. Andrea really appreciated hearing about Hoss and hoped Eric could grow up to be just like his father. Now she was back living on the Massey ranch. Ben had convinced her that she would be able to get the ranch back up and running by spring with their help.
”It’s such big place, Joe. And so unusual.” Meg looked at the ornate iron gate and the house on the rise in front of them. Everything was painted pink and turquoise and purple, just the way Otis Massey had designed it years earlier. Over the years the colors tempered by the sun and wind, the vivid colors had faded into an iridescent pastel rainbow.
“I told you it was a big place and there were plenty of rooms.’ Joe smiled. “I told you to bring Pierce along and I could be a fine chaperone and everything would be on the up and up. Told your brother that too. Didn’t I Peter?”
“Yup, He did Meg. He said bring that big dunce Pierce along. That’s just what Joe said, the exact words.” Peter Thackery definitely liked Joe Cartwright much more than Pierce Winslow. His sister’s former on again off again fiancé was too easy for her to boss around. Pierce sulked and complained like a small child. Joe looked much more able to hold his own against Meg and certainly was going to be much more fun as a brother in law than Pierce and his whining.
She laughed. “And you knew I wanted to be alone with you.”
”Did I? I never even thought about that.” He lied.
“Not even once?” She stared at him totally disbelieving everything he was saying. She kicked her horse into a trot as they passed gate leading to another empty corral.
“No M’am. I’m not that kind of man. I’m a polite gentleman.” He hollered after her. Joe and Peter bother started laughing so hard that they could barely stop.
After the last night on the trail by the fire, even with her brother by her side, he knew he couldn’t resist her. And she knew it too. The physical attraction they had for each other was driving them both crazy. Too bad Peter slept so lightly and had planted himself right next to his sister. Joe had no opportunity to catch Meg alone and offer to keep her warm.
Originally Michael Thackery, the youngest brother was supposed to ride along but Fred Thackery had sent Peter in his stead at the last minute. Just as Joe had the family reputation of being able to sleep through a cattle stampede or a thunderstorm, Peter Thackery had never slept more than two hours in a row since he was born.
”Daddy said that Peter would wake up from a butterfly landing on a daisy in the pasture down the road when he was a baby. All of a sudden, Michael had to help Daddy with some paper work but Peter is free to join us.”
”Imagine that Meg. Can’t believe my good luck.”
”Our excellent luck,” Meg agreed. She really didn’t want any brothers keeping her company but there was no way she could tell her parents that.
Joe looked around the ranch as they rode. “It’s awfully quiet. I wonder where everyone is?” He pulled the reigns of the pony to get it caught up with Cochise.
“Looks like it going to be snowing tonight” Meg stared and the gray sky. “It’s getting cold.” She pulled up the collar of her blue wool coat. Her cheeks were pink from the wind that was gusting up and whipping down from the mountains.
“I know how I can keep you warm.” Joe started and then realized Peter Thackery was looking at him.
”How do you plan on that Joe?” He smiled devilishly. “I know my sister is very interested and probably chilled from her long johns to her.”
”Peter Thackery you just mind your tongue!” Meg glared at him. Then she smiled at Joe Cartwright.” You can tell me later.”
”I’ll be glad to show how I can warm you up while Peter here takes care of the horses. Right Peter?”
”Gee, don’t know if I can trust my sister around you Joe. I thought I was supposed to protect your virtue.” He looked at Joe, not his sister.” Daddy said make sure that Meg don’t take advantage of Ben Cartwright’s boy.”
’Yeah, Peter, don’t want your sister taking advantage of me like she tried last night on the trail.”
Meg pulled hard her reigns.” Joe, Let’s get moving. It’s getting cold. I want to get these horses put up.“ Joe reached out and grabbed her horse bridle to keep Meg from riding off following this remark.
Peter laughed as they rode up to the front door “Joe is that a naked woman over there? Or is it your sister in-law?”
”No it’s just a statue. There used to be a lot more but Andrea got rid of them when Eric started walking around.”
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