Chapter One
Ben Cartwright walked down the stairs and made his way to the breakfast table where all of his sons were waiting for him. He took his place at the head of the table, looking around at all the faces present. "This is a pleasant surprise," he remarked, following with a bowed head and grace.
"What's surprising?" asked Adam, sitting across from his father at the other end of the table.
Ben looked up from his coffee cup as he was taking a sip, and answered as he sat the cup in its accompanying saucer. "Not that you're part of the surprise, Adam, but your brothers here aren't very punctual when it comes to breakfast. It's nice to see everyone on time for a change." As he prepared his plate, he continued, "Shiloh Whitney is coming home today on the stagecoach. Adam is as involved with the Flying W business as I am, and he's kept up with what she's been doing through their mutual friend, Mr. Booth, so he'll be going with me."
"It's a shame she had to come home under these circumstances," said Joe.
Ben moved his eggs around on his plate. "Unfortunately, when you live that far away, it's hard to get back when things turn bad. She just didn't have enough time to get here before her father passed." He raised his head looking at nothing in particular. "Amos sure was proud of her. I just hope he was able to tell her."
"He had reason to be," said Joe. She's one of very few girls from Virginia City to go to college and on top of that, she's made the newspaper. I would never have thought that she'd be a singer, though."
"I don't know why you'd think that, Joe," said Hoss in between bites of bacon. "She always had a pretty voice. Don't you remember her singin' in church?"
"Yeah, I remember. But a singer on stage…that's different than singing in church."
"What do you mean by that?" asked Adam defensively.
"Well, Adam, you know singers. They're not…well, they're…" Joe saw the look on Adam's face and decided not to finish. He smiled nervously and moved his attention back to his eggs.
Adam scowled, pointing his fork at Joe like he was ready to spear him. "She has been scrutinized by a public that can be very gracious or very judgmental, and she's managed to stay on the gracious side. She's seen as a charming, polite, talented young woman, and there's no reason to think anything less of her. Edwin Booth would never have allowed her to be seen distastefully."
"Boys, Shiloh's reputation is not up for debate," said Ben.
"Alright, forget her reputation for a minute. What about her temper?" asked Joe.
Adam rolled his eyes. "I can remember a time or two when you deserved a good tongue-lashing from her."
"Well, I remember when she lit into you a couple of times, too."
"She didn't light into me. We both had strong opposing opinions," he said, glaring at Joe, who snickered. "And those kinds of discussions taught her how to think critically."
"That's enough…both of you," ordered Ben. "Shiloh will be here this evening, and you will all behave as gentlemen."
Ben and Adam arrived in town just as the stagecoach pulled to a stop. They waited on the boardwalk while the stage office clerk placed the step underneath the stagecoach door. A gentleman emerged from the coach first, turning and extending a hand to a woman, helping her out and down.
"Miss Whitney, it has been a great pleasure travelling with you. I've enjoyed our conversation."
"Mr. Miller, the pleasure has been mine."
Mr. Miller took Shiloh's hand and bowed. "I bid you farewell."
Shiloh turned to see Ben standing in front of her. "Mr. Cartwright, it's so good to see you." Ben bent to hug her, and she tiptoed into the warm, comforting embrace she remembered, thinking once again after so many years how alike Ben and her father were.
"My goodness, you've changed quite a bit from the sixteen year old we said goodbye to. It doesn't seem that long ago."
Adam stepped up beside them and removed his hat. "Edwin warned us that we might not recognize you. It's good to have you back," he said, smiling. Shiloh responded with only a polite nod.
Adam studied her. She had grown just a little taller and was still slender, but had filled out in all those places that women do. Her face was less plump, having lost its baby fat, and though she wasn't the most beautiful woman Adam had ever seen, she had become quite handsome, her carriage elegant and graceful, making the whole vision of her one that could easily turn heads. The one difference that struck him most was her ability to look him, almost fiercely, in the eye.
Ben took her hand and escorted her onto the boardwalk where her bags were being lowered from the stagecoach. While Adam loaded them onto the back of the buggy, Ben helped her up into the seat. "I thought you might enjoy dinner tonight at the Ponderosa, and perhaps, stay the night. That way, you can be rested from your trip before you go back to the ranch."
"Mr. Cartwright, that's very kind of you. I remember Hop Sing's cooking as being the best around…and very comforting. Is the Sierra as breathtaking as I remember, or is that just an embellished memory?"
"Oh no. I'm sure home will prove to be just as beautiful as you remember it," answered Ben, smiling.
Adam had finished loading her bags and trunk, and climbed into the back seat. Ben reined the horses in the direction of the Ponderosa, and they were on their way with Shiloh looking all around her, taking in the beauty, the smells and the ruggedness of the Sierra she had remained homesick for during her seven years away.
