Thank you for the kind reviews and I'm glad you are all along for the ride.

Chapter Two

Hoss leaned up against the shovel and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. He replaced his hat and frowned at his little brother. Joe had been distracted all day and his work pace kept dropping off as his mind wandered off.

"We ain't never gonna get this here fence finished if you don't start pullin' your weight, Little Joe!"

Joe startled at the sound of his brother's voice and looked up to see Hoss glaring at him.

"Alright … out with it! What's chewin' at your insides, little brother? You've been grumpy as a springtime bear since breakfast."

"Nothin'!" Joe declared and began digging dirt once more from his hole.

"Sure. Then how come you can't do nothin' but stare off into space?"

Joe kept digging furiously as Hoss continued to watch him. Finally he stopped and sighed heavily as he turned back towards his brother.

"Adam's gonna marry Angelique, isn't he?"

Hoss smiled softly as he recalled his older brother's face every time he looked at the girl. Couldn't blame him really as she was just plum pretty as a daisy.

"Sure seems like it."

Joe scowled and started digging again.

"Now just what's got stuck in your craw? Adam's happy and she's a real good match for him, bein' smart and well read and all that stuff."

"Sure she is," Joe muttered as he kept digging.

Hoss dropped his shovel and walked over towards Joe.

"What's wrong with you?"

"I ain't good enough for her!"

"What in the world are you talkin' about?"

Joe stopped digging and started at his brother. He needed Hoss of all people to understand. He couldn't stand the way his older brother was looking at him and he felt like a heel, but it didn't change anything. He knew what he knew, but he didn't know why.

"Angelique doesn't like me. She disapproves of me and she wants Adam and Pa to send me away."

Hoss licked at his lips as he slowly shook his head.

"Little brother, I've heard you come out with some wild stories before, but this one just takes the cake!"

"It's true! I came down to get a drink last night and Pa and Adam were talkin' about sending me off to college! All because Miss Know-it-all says it's a good idea!"

Hoss stared at Joe and could see the anger in his tense stand. Joe's fists were clenched around the handle of the shovel and the scowl on his face had deepened.

"But you already told Pa you didn't want no more schoolin'. He let you finish up already."

"I know that, but now he's thinkin' on it again. All because of her meddling!"

"Now, Joe, this just don't sound right to me. Maybe you done got it wrong in your head."

"I'm not stupid, Hoss!"

"Never said you were!"

Joe blew out a sharp breath as he shook his head. He needed to keep at least one ally and it seemed that even Hoss was against him.

"I'm sorry, Hoss, but it's true. She doesn't like me and she's trying to get Adam to tell Pa to get rid of me."

"Now, Joe … to be fair …." Hoss sidled closer and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, " I ain't never seen anything from Miss Angelique to make you think that."

Joe shrugged off the hand and went back to digging with a vengeance.

"Forget it! She's got you hooked too."

When it became clear that Joe was done talking, Hoss shrugged and reluctantly went back to work. Every so often he glanced across at his little brother, but it seemed Joe had clammed up and refused to be drawn any further on the subject.

By the time the job was finished, Joe hadn't said another word. Hoss gathered his equipment and loaded it into the back of the wagon while Joe hitched the horse. He climbed into the driver's seat and watched as his brother silently climbed into the seat beside him.

"Joe, you gotta let this crazy idea go. Adam's likely gonna marry that little gal and he don't need you makin' it hard for him."

Joe glared at him. "So maybe I should just go away, like she wants then? Would that be easier for Adam?"

"You don't gotta be a brat about it! I was just sayin' that you …"

Joe clambered down from the seat before Hoss could stop him and began walking across the meadow. Hoss urged the horse to follow and he called at his brother's back.

"Little Joe, get back in the wagon and we'll get on home."

"Leave me alone!" Joe continued to walk as Hoss kept pace.

"Awe come on little brother. I didn't mean nothin' by it. You can't walk all the way home. I'm just tryin' to …"

"Hoss, leave me alone. I can walk just fine."

Hoss finally shrugged one last time and clucked the reins. "Suit yaself!"

It was a long, quiet ride home and Hoss spent the entire time wondering if he shouldn't just turn the wagon around and go back for his brother. Surely his boots must be rubbing now and Joe would be glad to see him. Every time Hoss was about to do so, he thought on Joe's scowl and angry words and he kept right on going.

Hoss pulled into the yard and eased the horse to a stop as his father hurried up to him.

"Where's Little Joe?"

Hoss thumbed over his shoulder. "Somewhere between here and the fence we was workin' on."

"What? Why would you have left him out there?"

"I didn't, Pa! He refused to come with me and said he was just fine walkin' home."

Ben folded his arms across his chest and waited until Hoss climbed down from the seat.

"What happened?"

"Pa, I just don't know what's goin' on in that boy's head? He's got this bee in his bonnet that Miss Angelique don't like him and wants you an' Adam to send him away to college. But I know you already had that out with him and he don't have to go nowhere!"

When his father didn't answer, Hoss began to wonder if he'd missed something.

"Pa?"

Ben frowned as he looked back towards the way Hoss had come. "How far back is he?"

"Probably a couple of hours on foot."

Ben glanced up at the sun as he estimated how long until sundown. "Then he can have some thinking time."

Hoss shuffled nervously as he held onto the horse's harness. "Pa, you ain't thinkin' of sending him off anywhere, are you?"

"I wasn't, but if this nonsense continues, I just might!"

Ben stalked towards the front door as Hoss went to work sorting the horse and wagon.

"Maybe the military might do the trick!" he muttered to himself as he pulled the front door open.

The sun had set well over an hour ago and Ben couldn't help himself as he glanced out the door one more time. Hop Sing had fussed and complained about supper being late, but Ben had insisted they eat on time as Joe had chosen to miss it. It was a very quiet affair as Adam sat and wondered on the argument Hoss had described. It made no sense to him as Angelique had never shown any hint of animosity towards Joe. Of course, his youngest brother had been known to get the wrong end of the stick once or twice and he was sure that was all this was.

"Pa, I can get the horses saddled." Adam was on his way to the door when he heard footsteps on the porch. The door swung open and Joe found himself face to face with his oldest brother.

"We were just about to come looking for you."

"Why? I don't need looking after."

"Joseph! What is all this nonsense about?" Ben stood at the hearth with his hands in his pockets.

"Nothin'! I just chose to walk home, that's all."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Ben stalked towards his youngest son. "You chose to be childish."

Joe's breath was quickening as he clenched his fists into tight bunches, as he barely kept his mouth shut.

"You want to be treated as a man on this ranch? Then you finish the job you are assigned."

"I did finish the job!"

"Don't you raise your voice to me, young man. The job wasn't finished as Hoss had to come home and clean and stow the equipment. He was left to care for the horse and wagon while you were too busy walking home. And for what? Because you couldn't pull your temper into line."

Joe glared at Hoss as his brother tried to keep his emotion in check. Hoss would never knowingly get his brother into trouble, but Joe sure was making it hard to keep him out of it.

Ben waited as Joe tried to pull himself together. He knew the effort it was costing his youngest and he wanted to encourage it, but he also could not allow such nonsense to continue.

"Joseph, you convinced me that you were old enough and mature enough to finish school and work with the rest of the men. That means taking responsibility for yourself and your decisions. You are paid a wage as everyone else is and you are expected to earn it."

Joe stared at his father; his anger rising once more.

"I do earn my wages! I work every bit as hard as Hoss and Adam and everyone else around here!"

"Son, there are things you have a right to for being part of this family and other things you must earn. How long do you think I would keep a ranch hand employed who did what you did today?"

"You think I'm just another hand?" Joe glared at his father.

"That's not what I said! I'm talking about your behaviour and your attitude. And right now, I'm not liking either of them!"

Joe's gaze dropped to his boots as he struggled to rein in the fury that was rising from his gut. He felt the walls closing in around him as he considered the hole he had dug for himself. What if he really was just being paranoid and Angelique hadn't meant anything against him? Joe began to deflate as he wondered how crazy he must look to his family. He sucked in a sharp breath and looked up to see Hoss watching him and chewing on his lip.

"I'm sorry, Hoss. I had no call to lose my temper at you today."

"It's alright, little brother. I'm just glad you made it home alright."

It was so like Hoss to blow off an offence and restore things so quickly. Joe knew it wasn't going to be so easy with the rest of his family.

Hetty lifted the brush and stroked at the long, dark tresses. It was a job she had done every day for many years and she sang softly as she worked. The young woman seated at the dresser smiled as she listened and Hetty slowly worked the long hair into a braid.

"My darling, you did wonderfully today. Adam Cartwright is ready to propose and has no idea anything is other than what you have told him."

Angelique considered the Sunday afternoon buggy ride and picnic in the heights overlooking Lake Tahoe and she nodded in agreement. She had Adam wound tightly around her finger and all she had to do was maintain the act for a little while longer. Let the fool propose and make the announcement public before she took the next step and utterly humiliated him with her very public denouncement of his brother and the whole family.

Reputation was something that Ben Cartwright prized very highly which was strange given he ignored the reputation of his whore before trying to defend her supposed honour. Angelique almost spat out the bile from her mouth as she considered the woman who had no honour and yet paraded herself as a victim to snare men. Oh yes, she would take great delight in destroying her youngest son's reputation in a town that thrived on gossip. Given his age, she may not get him to the gallows, but she could certainly shred his name to tatters. It was all just a matter of time and the best part was that Adam would never see it coming!

"Grandmama would be proud, I hope."

"Oh she would be most proud of you. The Cartwright family brought untold pain to your family and you are the key to restoring the family's honour. Benjamin Cartwright will rue the day he ever rode into New Orleans."

Angelique smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She had spent many hours at her grandmother's knee, hearing the saga that had sullied her family name. Her Uncle Jean had betrayed them all and taken a wanton whore to his bed. He may have run from his disgrace, but that had not lifted the shame from the family. The fact his whore had gone on to produce a child that she dared claim was his had left a dirty trail they had been forced to bury. Angelique had only once laid eyes on the son called Clay, when she knew he had resurfaced from wherever he had been buried. He had dared to turn up to her home and demand an audience with her grandmother. His insolence had been rewarded by two servants grasping hold of him and turfing him into the street where he belonged. How dare he lay claim to the family name! She had no wish to know the details, but her grandmother said she had sent men to deal with the problem and that was all she needed to know at the time. But now, she was the sole heir to the family name and reputation and it all rested on her shoulders.

Hetty watched as the smile slid into a frown and she placed the brush on the dresser and grasped at Angelique's shoulders.

"What is it?"

"Mama told me they would deal with the other son, but I have to wonder. I hope Grandmama can truly rest in peace and not have any more ghosts pop up from the grave."

Hetty leaned down and hugged the girl before smiling in the mirror once more. "That is exactly why we are here, my dear. We promised your grandmother, God rest her soul, that we would settle things once and for all."

Angelique sighed as she turned on the stool and stood up. "I do find this whole thing tiresome, but I made a promise and I intend to keep it."

Hetty laughed softly as she began to lay out the bedclothes across the bed.

"Surely there is some enjoyment in taunting Marie's youngest whelp?"

Angelique nodded as she began to undress. "Oh that part is the only thing that keeps me going. It is such fun driving a wedge between him and his family. It is only fitting after what his mother did to my family with her lies and deceit."

Hetty began to unlace the heavy corset and she smiled as soft creamy flesh spilled out from its bondage.

"It's almost time to take the next step with our ignorant young man. Who could possibly resist that?"

Angelique looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled again as she turned first one way and then the other. Adam was only just restraining himself to a gentleman's standards. What hope indeed did a sixteen-year-old backwoods yokel have against such temptation?

"What will Saint Benjamin say when his beloved son attacks his brother's fiancée?"

Hetty smiled at the question, knowing full well the impact such a claim would have. It would tear at his loyalties, but given the kind of man he was, he would have no choice but to defend her honour.

Clay stared at the rough wooden sign. Twelve miles to Virginia City. It had been a long, meandering route from New Orleans and now that he was within sight of his goal, he wasn't sure anymore about any of it.

What kind of response would he get? Would he be turned out on his ear or would he be welcomed? His gut churned with apprehension and doubt. He had no claim on this family except for one detail. Somewhere out here was a half brother. He ached to know a blood relative who would not disavow him and yet he wondered what the boy would say when he told his story. Would his mother's husband believe him? Or would he call the sheriff and send him packing? Surely the tentacles of New Orleans couldn't have reached this far west to taint his name and try to entrap him once more with lies?