The morning sun was streaming through the window when Fran woke up. Adam was still asleep, and Fran carefully slipped out from under his arm. She washed and dressed quietly and quickly before making her way downstairs. Hop Sing was in the kitchen and heard her as she came downstairs. He greeted her, "Good morning, Mrs. Adam, I hope you slept well."
"Yes, Hop Sing, I slept very well. Is anyone else up?"
"Mr. Cartwright and Hoss are outside doing the barn chores. Everyone else is still asleep. What would you like for breakfast?"
"I'll have the same as you prepare for everyone else. Captain Stoddard usually has oatmeal, and if you have honey and milk..."
"I do, and I have an herbal tea that is good for those who have been ill. I would be happy to prepare it for the Captain if you think he would like it."
Fran smiled a little ruefully. "He won't like it, Hop Sing. He says he doesn't like being treated "like an invalid," but that's what he is for now. He can't see how much progress he's made in a short time. If you'll make him the tea, I'll try to get him to drink it."
"Very well, and what does he have for dinner."
Fran thought for a moment. "He tried to eat the same as Adam on our trip out, but we found that beef and pork were hard on his stomach. Chicken and fish - roasted or baked, not fried - seemed to be best for him. And, of course, soups, broth, and custards, but he growled about those." Fran unconsciously shivered as she remembered the old man's reactions.
"I will prepare oatmeal for him, then," Hop Sing decided, "and we will try the tea this morning."
Hop Sing returned to the kitchen, and Fran looked around for something to do until breakfast was ready. She saw china and cutlery laid out on the sideboard, and went into the kitchen to ask Hop Sing if she could set the table. She was amazed by what she saw - the kitchen was modern by any standard. A pump stood over a sink, and a cookstove stood on the other side. Pots, pans, bowls, knives, and spoons hung in order along one wall. A table was in the middle of the room, and Fran saw that its legs were on wheels so that it could be moved easily. Hop Sing smiled when he saw her surprise. "Mr. Adam planned this kitchen, and thought of many modern improvements. Mr. Cartwright objected at first, but became quiet when Mrs. Cartwright exclaimed over his ideas, and said that it would make cooking easier for the both of us."
"It's as nice as the kitchen in my parents' home." Fran was sincere in her admiration. "I came in to see what I could do to help you - perhaps set the table?"
"It is not necessary, Mrs. Adam."
"I can't just sit and do nothing," Fran told him. "Not while everyone else is working."
Hop Sing smiled. "If you wish, the china and flatware are on the sideboard. Thank you, Mrs. Adam. Perhaps later today we might go over the menu for the party Mr. Cartwright plans to give for you, Mr. Adam, and Captain Stoddard tomorrow."
"Certainly, Hop Sing." Fran went back out to the dining table and quickly set it.
Ben and Hoss came in just then, and smiled when they saw her. "Well, you're up early, Fran. Did you get enough rest? I was hoping you and Adam would sleep in today."
"I think Adam might still be asleep," Fran said, "and I haven't heard anything from Grandfather's room."
Hop Sing came out just then with a tray holding the coffeepot and breakfast dishes. Ben held Fran's chair for her, and they sat down while Hop Sing poured coffee for everyone. Ben noticed that Fran took small portions of everything. Hoss seemed concerned, and finally said, "Miss Fran, is that all you want? You don't eat enough to keep a bird flying. Even Joe eats more than that."
Fran smiled at him. "Hoss, I just can't eat like you and your father and brothers. And, please, call me Fran - not Miss Fran or ma'am. I know you're being polite, but I'm your brother's wife and your sister. Miss Fran and ma'am are for use by those who are outside our family."
Hoss looked a little abashed, and said, "Yes, ma'am - um, Fran."
Ben looked at his new daughter and said, "Well, that brings up an interesting point I'd planned to discuss with you. I wondered if you'd like to call me something besides Mr. Cartwright. You could call me Ben or Pa, perhaps?"
Fran bit her lip. "I could never call you by your first name, sir, but I wondered if I might call you Papa as Mariette, Adam's adopted sister, does. Adam introduced us in Boston, and we took her out from her school on several occasions. She talked about you often, and always referred to you as Papa."
Ben smiled. "That would be fine, darling. I've missed hearing it since she's been away."
There was a clatter on the stairs, and they looked around as Joe came running into the room. He slid into his chair between his father and Hoss, and looked at them reproachfully. "What did I miss? Where's Adam and Grandpa? What are you going to do today, Fran? I think I should stay home from school and help guide you around so you won't get lost here."
Ben frowned at his youngest son. "That was no way to enter a room, young man. You will not refer to Captain Stoddard as Grandpa. It is disrespectful. He is Adam's grandfather, not yours, although he has always been generous in his attentions to you and Hoss. And you will go to school today."
Hop Sing brought out a glass of milk for Joe who was looking at his father with wide eyes. The boy put his napkin in his lap, and was quiet while his father served his plate. He began to eat while Hoss buttered a biscuit for him and put it on his plate. Joe looked over at Fran who gave him a sympathetic smile.
They looked up as Adam came downstairs. He greet them with a general "Good morning" before going to knock on his grandfather's door. Captain Stoddard called "come in," and Adam opened the door and slipped inside. In a moment they came out. Captain Stoddard walked without his cane, holding onto Adam's arm. Adam seated the old man next to Fran, and took his place at the end of the table.
Hop Sing came out with a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of tea, and placed them in front of Captain Stoddard. He looked around at his family, and groused, "The worst thing about being ill is having to eat like an invalid."
Fran added honey and milk to his oatmeal. "See if that doesn't make it taste better, Grandfather." The old man took a bite while Fran watched him anxiously.
"That's very good, my dear," he said and Fran smiled. He looked at the tea Hop Sing had brought. "What's this?"
"It's an herbal tea, Grandfather. Hop Sing and I thought it might help you recover faster."
Captain Stoddard sniffed it and then took a sip before drinking it in one long swallow. He looked at Fran. "Now may I have coffee?"
"Certainly, Grandfather. I'll get you a cup." She rose and went to the sideboard where she took a clean cup and poured his coffee for him.
"Did you sleep well, sir?" Ben asked.
"I slept very well, thank you, Benjamin." Captain Stoddard picked up his spoon and began eating the oatmeal. "This is very good, much better than that pap they served on the train" he noted.
"Adam, what are you and Fran going to do today?" Ben asked.
Adam scratched his head. "Well, I thought I'd hitch up the buggy and take Fran and Grandfather for a ride around the Ponderosa unless you need me to do something."
"Why don't you leave Captain Stoddard with me and Hop Sing today? We'll help him, and you and Fran can go out for a ride..."
Captain Stoddard interrupted. "First of all, I'm right here, Benjamin. Boy," he looked at Adam, "You will spend the day with your bride, not with me. After today, you will find her a good horse - something spirited and surefooted - I noticed these rough roads you have out here, Benjamin - and I'll pay for it. Second, I heard you correct your youngest here about calling me Grandpa. Your two youngest boys do not have a living grandfather, and I'm happy to serve in that role." He looked at Hoss and Joe. "You will call me Grandfather as Adam and Fran do."
Hoss and Joe quickly answered, "Yes, sir."
Captain Stoddard turned back to Ben. "Finally, young man, you and Hop Sing will not change your schedules to babysit me. I am perfectly capable of entertaining myself while you work. When you have finished with your business - and only then, you may hitch up a buggy and take me for a ride if there's enough light left in the day. Are we all clear?"
There was a chorus of "Yes, sirs," and everyone became very busy with their breakfast. Captain Stoddard ate his oatmeal and glanced at Fran. Her eyes were still wide from his lecture, and he reached under the table and squeezed her hand. She looked at him, and he winked. She gave him a small smile, but he felt her relax. He appreciated his family's good intentions, but the sooner they stopped behaving as if he were going to drop dead, the better off they'd all be, including him.
When the meal was over and everyone had taken their plates to the kitchen, Joe came over and stood next to Captain Stoddard. "Grandfather, wouldn't you like me to stay with you today and show you around? Pa says I have to go to school, but..."
"But nothing, young sir. You'll not be playing me against your father. He's a fine man and he's right about your education. Now get your books and slate or whatever you have and go to school."
Joe's eyes were huge as he turned and went quickly up the stairs. He was back down in a minute and out the door.
Ben heard the exchange between his youngest and the Captain, and he smiled to himself. Having Captain Stoddard here was proving to be a good experience for them all.
...
Fran and Hop Sing were at the kitchen table discussing the party menu and decorations when Adam came looking for her. "Am I interrupting?"
"No, dear, we were just discussing the arrangements for tomorrow's party," Fran told him.
She was settling in faster with the family than he'd expected or hoped, and Adam was relieved. "I thought I'd saddle a couple of horses, and we'd go for a ride."
Fran stood up. "Of course - it will just take me a moment to change." She left the room, and Hop Sing stood up. "Wait," he said to Adam as he went into the pantry. Adam heard him moving things around, and he was out in a minute. "A small picnic for you and Mrs. Adam," he said.
"Thank you, Hop Sing, you think of everything," Adam said.
"I try." The small man bowed, and Adam went out through the kitchen.
Fran changed into her habit quickly and soon joined her husband outside. Hoss was with him, and a lovely little filly wore a side saddle. Adam handed Fran an apple, and she held it out to the horse on the flat of her hand. "Aren't you the prettiest thing," Fran cooed to the horse.
The animal took the apple from her hand and ate it almost daintily. Fran stroked her nose, and praised her. "She's beautiful, Hoss. Did you train her? What's her name? "
Hoss beamed. "Yes, ma'am, I mean, Fran. If you like her, she's yours. I called her Lady while I was training her, but you can change her name if you want. You try her out today with Adam." He held the horse while Adam helped her mount, and waved goodbye.
It had been weeks since Fran had ridden, and it felt good to be on horseback. They walked out of the Ponderosa's yard, and then cantered down the road. Finally Adam left the road and they began riding cross country. Fran longed to urge Lady into a gallop, but she kept herself in check, knowing Adam wouldn't appreciate it if she took off without him.
He pulled a little ahead of her, and she realized they were riding out towards Lake Tahoe. Adam had told her the lake was special to him, and Fran was happy to see he was going to share it with her. When they reached the lake, Adam lifted her down from Lady and ground-tied their horses. He took his bedroll and the bag Hop Sing had given him, and, taking Fran's hand, led her around the shore. They walked slowly and Fran admired the crystal blue color of the lake. "It's so beautiful here, Adam. How could you bear to leave it?"
Adam explained, "I wanted an education; I wanted to get to know my grandfather and learn more about my mother; and, I knew there were some wonderful people and things waiting for me." He squeezed her hand and smiled at her.
"You accomplished all of that, and now you're married and we're at the Ponderosa, and Grandfather is with us." Fran brought his hand up and kissed it.
Adam looked down at her. "I love you so much." Fran smiled at him, and he led her along the shoreline until they came to the mouth of a cave. Adam released her hand, and they gathered kindling and firewood. Adam quickly built a small fire while Fran filled the coffee pot with water from the lake. He brewed coffee while she unwrapped the food Hop Sing had put up for them. It was a simple but filling meal - apples, bread, and cheese. When everything was laid out, she looked around for Adam, but he was gone. "Adam?" she called. "Adam!"
"Right here," Adam crawled out of the cave carrying an old lantern. He checked it, and told her, "There's a little oil left in it."
"What was it doing in the cave?"
"I brought it there years ago. The cave was my special place to go and be alone."
Fran frowned. "You had your own room at the house."
"And I had two younger brothers who didn't understand about privacy, especially Joe. He was a baby, and he would come into my room and go through everything, draw on my papers, pull my books off the shelves, jump on my bed..." He laughed at the memory. "Anyway, I found this place and came here to read, write, pray, think..." Adam looked around. "I wonder if my old journals are still here?" He looked at Fran. "I kept them here so that Marie and Pa wouldn't find them and be tempted to read them. They weren't always...complimentary."
Fran understood. She had hidden her own diary in her closet to keep her mother from finding it. It gave her a place to express her thoughts and dreams without hurting her parents' feelings. They sat down and ate, and Adam talked a little about the early days of the ranch.
"Hoss was only two and I was eight. Pa had planned for us to go to California, but when we came here we stayed by the lake for a few days. It was so beautiful. Pa gave me and Hoss baths and washed our clothes. We fished and ate fresh water clams...it was nice...peaceful. Just like that, Pa decided that we'd found our home. About a week later we took the wagon into Comstock - Virginia City - and Pa filed a land claim.
"The office was crowded with miners - men looking to find gold - and Pa told us to stick close to him, but I was too small and I was hanging on to Hoss...first we got separated from Pa and then we got pushed outside and into the street. I was scared, but I was holding on to Hoss's hand as tight as I could. Mary Coffee, Sheriff Coffee's wife, saw us standing alone in the street, and came out and saved us. She took us to the Sheriff's office, and calmed me down, gave us cookies while Roy went over to the land office and told Pa where we were. He'd just made it to the front of the line, and still hadn't missed us. He got our claim filed, and then came over for us." Adam smiled at the memory. "The Coffees were our first friends here. Hoss was about the size of a four year old, and Mrs. Coffee thought he was slow until she found out his real age. She looked so relieved when Pa told her he was only two," Adam laughed.
"How did you meet Hop Sing?" Fran asked.
"We'd been here about a year. Pa and I had built a little cabin and set up a trap line. Pa's plan was to get enough furs to sell, and then buy some stock with the money. We ran a trap line, and I taught Hoss to set rabbit traps, little as he was. Anyway, we finally had enough furs for Pa to sell, and he was headed to town to see if he could get a woman to come out and stay with Hoss and me while he was gone. Some men had caught Hop Sing, beaten him, and were going to hang him. Pa stopped them. Hop Sing was hurt pretty bad, so Pa put him in the wagon and brought him home, took care of him. A couple of days later I woke up early, and Hop Sing was bending over the fireplace making breakfast for us. He's been with us ever since. Pa went on to sell his furs, and Hop Sing stayed with Hoss and me. He planted our first garden, took me and Hoss out to gather herbs and plants and started teaching us what he knew. Best of all, he took over a lot of Hoss's care for me and made sure I had time to study."
"Why did those men attack him?" Fran asked.
"Because he was Chinese. You know how bad the Irish are treated in Boston?"
When she nodded, he told her, "Well, the Chinese were and are treated worse."
They had finished their meal, and Adam lit the lantern and picked up the blanket. He led Fran into the cave, and spread the blanket. He sat down and pulled her down next to him. "This is where it started," he said. "My dream for more education. Reverend Wheelock came to preach once a month, and he always brought news of what was going on in the world. He'd bring newspapers, magazines, information about schools and scholarships..."
He shook himself and looked down at his wife. "That was a long time ago."
Fran looked rueful. "Not so long ago - only a few years. While you were working hard, building your home, settling a new part of our country, I was taking music lessons, sewing samplers...doing things that didn't matter."
Adam lay down and pulled her on top of him. "You were becoming you, and everything you did mattered." He kissed her, gently at first and then their kisses grew more passionate. Neither of them noticed when the lantern went out.
...
Captain Stoddard was on the settee with The Territorial Enterprise when Hoss came in. "Grandfather, I've finished the barn chores, and I need to go to town for the mail and to pick up some supplies for Hop Sing. I wondered if you might like to ride with me?"
Abel looked around at the young man. "Yes, I believe I would." He stood up carefully, and took up his cane. They went outside and Hoss helped the old man up to the wagon seat. Hoss climbed up beside him, and slapped the reins across the horses' backs. They rode in silence for a while until Hoss suddenly stopped and pointed silently into the woods. The Captain followed the direction of his hand and saw a stag standing near the road . The deer stared at them for a moment and then bounded away through the trees. Abel looked at Hoss, and the two exchanged a smile. Hoss whipped up the horses again, and Abel asked, "Hoss, did you never want to go to college like your brother?"
Hoss shook his head. "No, sir, I was never booksmart like Adam...and...I love the Ponderosa. I never want to leave." He looked at Abel shyly. "I like to learn. Adam sent me books about animals and plants, and Pa let me work a lot with Hop Sing. I guess that sounds dumb."
Abel shook his head. "I don't think it sounds dumb at all. I felt that way about the sea. I never wanted to leave her, and, when I was forced to, well..." he broke off, lost in his own memories for the moment.
They rode the rest of the way in a companiable silence. Hoss pulled up in front of the mercantile, and came around to help the Captain down. They walked into the store together, and John Spencer, the mercantile's owner, came around the counter. "Hello there, Hoss, got your list?"
Hoss dug into his shirt pocket and pulled out a list. "Here you go, John. I'd like you to meet Captain Stoddard. He's Adam's grandfather, and he'll be staying with us out at the Ponderosa."
John smiled and shook hands with the Captain. "I'm happy to meet you, sir. If there's anything special you want in the way of tobacco or anything, let me know. I'll be happy to keep it in stock for you."
"That's very kind of you, Spencer."
Hoss moved towards the back of the store where the Spencers kept a small post office. Sarah Spencer was behind the grille, and she smiled when she saw the big man coming towards her. "Good morning, Hoss."
"Good morning, Miss Sarah. I was just checking on our mail."
"Yes, I think you have quite a bit." She picked up thick envelopes and tied them together to make them easier to carry.
"We're looking forward to the party tomorrow, Hoss," she told him. "I know you're all glad to have Adam back home."
"Yes, ma'am, and he brought a bride and his grandfather. We're glad to have them here, too."
"That's wonderful, Hoss. Your family is growing in the best way."
"Yes, ma'am." Hoss looked around and saw that John Spencer was carrying out large sacks of flour, sugar, salt, and coffee. He hurried over to help him, and the two men soon had the supplies loaded.
Captain Stoddard was stuffing a couple of small sacks into his pockets when he joined Hoss. "Did you find something, Grandfather?"
Abel smiled. "I got some candy for Fran and Adam. She loves chocolate drops and hasn't had any since we left Boston. Adam likes peppermints, so I got some for him." He offered an open sack to Hoss. "I understand you like licorice."
Hoss grinned and helped himself. "Thank you, Grandfather."
