Harmony sat on the bed in her guest room, letting a wave of dizziness pass. She hated this whole thing, hated what her life had become, hated that her father had been so weak as to sell her to the saloon owner, but most of all, she hated this growth in her belly. If she was pregnant, it meant that no man would or could ever love her. She was damaged goods now...not that after having worked the saloon for as long as she had that it would have made a difference. Sighing, she stood back up and went to the mirror that Vanessa had made Joe bring up. She wore one of Vanessa's old gowns, a blue number that showed off her still slim waist and un-mothered hips. 'That will soon change.' she thought to herself, putting her hands over her stomach and grimacing. Yes she was pregnant, how could she not be, and there wasn't man in the whole world that would take her into his home, let alone call her wife. The problem that lay before her now was, how could she get Vanessa to help her with her problem?
Vanessa put Hannah in the cradle in her and Adam's room, then turned to her little boy. "Nathan, come here." Nate shook his head and raced for the door. He was still just too short to reach the handle, but he sure could run fast. "No, Mama no!" he squealed as she hefted him into the air and carried him over to the wash basin. "Now hold still, you little rascal! This goes quicker when you do..." she stopped talking as he splashed his hands in the water and drenched the front of his clothes. She swallowed her laugh, knowing that by laughing he'd keep it up. Instead she tightened her grip on him and grabbed his hands, "Nathan..." her voice wasn't as angry as she'd like it to be, but her boy stopped squirming. Once he was clean, she plopped him on the bed and grabbed up a clean outfit. "I guess I should be grateful that your sister hasn't started joining in with your shenanigans yet." she rubbed his belly and sat him up, now clean and freshly dressed for supper. She shook her head, "the sad thing is that you're not going to stay this clean for five minutes." Nathan giggled and started squirming to get down. His feet had barely touched the boards when the door opened, "Nessa?" It was Adam, "Just don't let..." Adam opened the door, his legs blocking Nathan's path out and he bent to pick up his young son. "Whoa there young man! What's got you all in a hurry?" Nathan started jabbering away in his baby talk, the only words that the adults could understand were Mama, dinner and clean. Adam laughed and hugged the little boy, "I see." he looked over Nathan's head to Vanessa, "Uncle Hoss and Grandpa are waiting outside, can I talk to your Mama for a moment?" Vanessa nodded, and Adam set Nathan on his feet, moving out of the doorway. Faster than his parents could blink, Nathan was gone.
Adam smiled and shook his head, turning back to his wife, "I trust the Jefferson's got here safe enough." Vanessa nodded, wiping Hannah's face and checking her diaper. Adam went to the wash stand and splashed water on his face, "Is there anything I should know about them?" Vanessa took a deep breath and raised an eyebrow at him, "What do you want to know?" He shrugged, trying to be nonchalant about it. Vanessa smiled, "Don't try that on me, I know you better than you think, Adam Cartwright." he grinned again and said, "Fair enough. Let's start with who they are." Vanessa sat on the bed, holding Hannah on her lap, "Their names are Harmony and Lerato Jefferson, they're twins and the same age as Joe. Their father used to be good friends with my father, then Harmony's mother died in an accident. Zachariah blamed Papa, but it wasn't his fault." Adam's brow knit together, "Zachariah Jefferson...isn't he the one that led Johnston..." Vanessa nodded, "Yes that's him." Adam blew out his breath, "That's something I'll never understand about you, Vanessa Cartwright. You're more than willing to overlook the faults of someone to help them." she looked at him, "I'm not overlooking anything. Lerato and Harmony were barely a few months old when their mother died. They had no control over what their Pa did." Adam nodded, taking their daughter from her, "And what's this about her being sold?" Vanessa shook her head, "That's a longer story. And a sadder one."
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Supper that night was uneventful, save for the fact that Nathan nearly upset the table when he decided to grab the tablecloth and pull. Adam had moved fast, tucking the imp onto his lap and holding his hands until he had finished his plate. After that, dinner was just about done. "I'll wash him up." Adam said, taking the rambunctious boy into the kitchen. Vanessa smiled, and followed her brothers in law into the main room, where the whole group sat around the small table. Ben sat in his chair, "So, Lerato. Why don't you tell us more about you and your sister?" Lerato looked at Harmony, now seated next to Joe on the settee, playing with Hannah. "What would you like to know?" Ben took a sip of coffee, "Well, let's begin with how you know Nessa." Vanessa shrugged when Lerato looked at her, seated in the rocking chair next to the fire. "Either you tell them or I will. They're my family now." Lerato nodded, and opened his mouth.
"It all started when Harmony and I were just a couple months old, when our mother was killed in a carriage accident. My Pa blamed Nessa's father for it, saying that he'd given him a cursed horse and set about destroying not only his reputation but that of his entire family." Vanessa looked up as Adam walked back into the room, setting Nathan on his feet and letting him run for his toybox. Lerato cleared his throat and kept talking, "It was because of my father that Jennifer couldn't step foot in town with her face uncovered." Adam sat on the hearth next to his wife as she rocked Hannah, "It wasn't really bad until the people started getting after Nessa. She hadn't done a thing to deserve it, but they kept at it, treating her just as evilly as they had Jennifer." Ben sat back in his chair, "I hadn't heard about this." he said, looking pointedly at Vanessa. She returned his look, "It wasn't really as bad as it sounds, Ben. I just couldn't show my face in town after a while." she glanced at her husband, "What I couldn't take were the names." Adam gripped his hands into a fist and glowered at the floor, "They called her the bride of the devil, Pa." Vanessa reached over and held his shoulder, "Adam..."
Lerato swallowed, "I am sorry about that. My father loved my mother very much, and to lose her like that..." he shook his head, "My father started drinking heavily soon after, and for many years the only parent that Harm and I had was our sister Melody." Vanessa nodded, "Melody is only a year or two older than me. I remember my mother talking about how tough it must have been on her, forced to play mother to her siblings from such a young age. It made her bitter, and mean. After a while, Mel stopped acting like she even cared about anything, or anybody." Lerato looked at his sister, "That's not even half of it, Nessa. After she turned eighteen, Melody stopped acting and went along with whatever Pa suggested, even when he..." he couldn't say it. Not again. Vanessa smiled grimly, "Even when he sold Harmony to the saloon." the other three Cartwright men sat up a little straighter, and it was Joe who asked, "He did what?" Vanessa nodded, shifting Hannah to her other arm as she slept, "You heard Lerato say that Zachariah was a drunkard. One day the saloon owner, Mike, called up his bill and Zachariah didn't have the money to pay. Harmony had just turned eighteen, and Mike had need of another girl. They called it an even trade, with Mike taking Harmony's wages until Zachariah's bill was paid." she glanced at Ben, "After that, all her pay went to Zachariah's wallet. I learned about it when I returned to the Summerset a while ago, but there wasn't a thing I could do about it. Zachariah had signed a legal and binding contract with Mike."
Lerato leaned forward and snapped at her, "Nessa! You know there wasn't anything legal about that contract." Vanessa nodded, "Not in your eyes or mine, but you know the law in Johnston. As crooked as a dogs hind leg, and add to that what the people thought about me and my family. I would have been lucky to see Harmony without them riding me out of town." Harmony leaned forward, "So you started sending in your boys to take care of me." Vanessa nodded, "I knew they'd make sure you were watched over. The only thing Mike ever gave a damn about was money, and as long as you were making it for him, then there wasn't anything he could do against me or the boys." Harmony nodded, "I knew it when Caesar came in that day." Vanessa shook her head, "That boy never could hold his liquor." Harmony giggled, then groaned as her stomach roiled. Vanessa caught it, and handed Hannah to Adam, "Come with me, Harmony. I've got something that will soothe that stomach of yours." Adam caught her reference, and watched his wife walk the young girl into the kitchen. Gripping his daughter to him, he blew out his breath and said, "Well, things just got a whole lot worse." Joe looked at him, "What do you mean?" Adam looked at his younger brother, looking pointedly between him and his daughter. Ben caught his son's look and sat forward in his chair, "You don't mean..." Adam looked at his father, "I wouldn't be surprised. I've seen Nessa go through two of them." Hoss and Joe finally caught on, "Adam, you don't mean that that lil gal's..." Joe swallowed, then stood and followed Vanessa. Lerato nodded at Hoss, "It's partially the reason we came out here. Like Nessa said, the only thing Mike ever gave a care about was money. With my sister carrying someone's child, it's not likely that she'd be willing to do her job." He spat out the word 'job', and looked at Adam, "I wanted to get my sister out of Johnston, Mr. Cartwright. Visiting Nessa was the perfect excuse to have Mike let her go. I met her outside the saloon last week and we've been riding hard for the Ponderosa ever since. When we got to Virginia City, I withdrew Harmony's earnings from my father's accounts and rode this way. We didn't mean to trespass, but I knew that if we could get here, Nessa would help her."
Joe entered the kitchen and saw Vanessa talking softly to Harmony. "Nessa, can I talk to you?" he asked, glancing at Harmony, nodding to her. Vanessa looked between him and Harmony, then nodded. "Let's talk outside," she said, patting Harmony's shoulder and walking to the side door. Joe followed her outside, then grabbed her shoulders to look into her eyes. "Is it true, Nessa?" Vanessa's brow wrinkled, "What do you mean?" Joe wanted to shake her, "About Harmony. Is she pregnant?" Vanessa's shoulders dropped and she walked away from him, "Joe, I don't see how that's any of your business." she glanced over her shoulder at him. He had that same look on his face that Adam got when he was being stubborn; legs braced, arms folded across his chest and glaring at her, "I asked you a question, Vanessa. Is Harmony pregnant." She sighed and turned back to him, "I'm taking her into town to see Doc Martin tomorrow, just to be sure. But she's young enough, I wouldn't be surprised if she is." Joe lowered his gaze, and kicked at the dirt, "But she's no older than me." Vanessa smiled and walked over to him, putting her hands on his arms, "No she isn't, but she's had a hard life, Little Joe. She hasn't known anything but pain ever since the moment she was born." she glanced back at the barn, then turned back to him, "You know why her horses name is Regret?" Joe shook his head, "Zachariah paid my father to let his best stallion sire a colt on his best mare. That stallion was Hades, my horse." Joe wasn't following, "What's this have to do with Harmony?" Vanessa patted his arm and continued, "That colt was born just before Harmony was born, and then their mother died. Zachariah named him Regret to spite my father, then gave him to Harmony so that her entire life she would know that her father regretted her." Joe was confused, "Regretted her?" Vanessa nodded, "Harmony's mother was on her way to meet with my mother, to see her about helping Harmony and Lerato's teething. Zachariah drank himself into believing that if the two of them hadn't been born, Josephine might still be alive."
Joe blew out his breath, and kicked at the ground again. "What can I do?" Vanessa chuckled, "Don't tell me you've fallen for Harmony." Joe shrugged, "Maybe..." She smiled, and put a finger under his chin, "She is pretty isn't she?" Joe grinned, "Yeah." Vanessa glanced back at the house, "Why don't you come with us tomorrow. It'll give you a chance to get to know her a little better." Joe grinned again, "You know, I just might do that."
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The next morning found Joe saddling Jupiter, Regret and Cochise as Harmony and Vanessa came out of the house, dressed in another of Vanessa's old dresses, a brown split skirt and tan top. Vanessa was in her favorite blue riding skirt, with her black shirt and hat to hold back her freshly braided hair. They reached the barn just as Joe was finishing up with Cochise. Harmony led Regret out of the barn, and Vanessa was about to follow when Joe grabbed her arm, "Are you sure about her riding? I mean, I remember the fight Adam gave you when you insisted on it with Nathan and Hannah." Vanessa looked over her shoulder to where Harmony was just getting up into the saddle, "I'm not going to tell her what she can or cannot do. She's had enough of that in her life, besides," she turned back to him, "We aren't even sure that she is carrying a baby. Until then, I'm not going to insist on anything." They walked out after Harmony. Vanessa let Joe help her up into her saddle, then looked at Harmony. "You ready?" Joe piped in, "I'm not planning on racing down that road like you were yesterday." Harmony grinned, her good night's rest had helped her temperament, along with her upset stomach. Vanessa had given her a tall glass of ginger tea for it, and had made her drink every last drop, 'It'll do you good.' she'd said, handing over the clothes she could wear today, 'especially for the ride into town.'
Joe set a slower pace, letting herself get into the rocking motions that Cochise had, and glanced over at Harmony, "You doing alright?" he asked, letting Regret pull even with him. Harmony nodded, "Regret's an easy to please one." she grinned mischievously and said, "He's nothing like his pa." Vanessa heard the comment and looked over at Joe, "Hades sure would be hating this pace, wouldn't he Harmony?" the girl nodded, and finally smiled brightly. "He'd be tossing his head like nobodies business just to get into a nice canter." Vanessa nodded, then turned her head back to Joe, "You think we can go a little faster?" Joe shrugged, "i would like to see what kind of rider Harmony is." Vanessa chuckled, "The Jefferson's were born riders, Joe. I wouldn't be surprised if Harmony beats that little nag of yours for a mile." Joe shook his head, "Oh no you don't. I've seen the way you goad Adam into a race." Vanessa smiled wickedly and nodded, "and yet he falls for it everytime." Joe winked, "I have half a mind to tell you that he lets you win." Vanessa scoffed, "Oh yeah? I'll show you just what beats your brother." Harmony laughed at their jokes, and kicked Regret a little bit faster, "C'mon now Joe, I've seen Vanessa ride. I'm sure she can beat your brother." Joe raised a hand, "Alright, I give up. But you just ask him about it, Nessa, the next time you talk him into one. You watch that face of his, and you'll see. He's letting you win." Vanessa glowered at him, and kicked Jupiter a little faster. "Very funny, Little Joe Cartwright. Very funny." Harmony wrinkled her brow, "Little Joe? Why'd they call you that?"
Joe glanced at Vanessa and looked away quickly, "It's an old nickname." he muttered, keeping Cochise's gait even with the girls. Harmony looked at him, "A nickname huh? How'd you get a nickname like that?" Vanessa chuckled, then hid it behind a cough as Joe gave her a look, "My older brothers gave it to me." Vanessa smiled, then winked at Harmony, "It's a sore story, one that he doesn't like telling." Joe shifted in his saddle, "Now Nessa, when I agreed to come along on this little adventure of yours, I didn't bargain for this teasing." Vanessa giggled, "Ah come now, Little Joe." she put stress on the name and Joe hunched his shoulders, "Alright fine." he said sourly, half glaring over his shoulder at her, "I'll tell the story." Harmony came even with him, with Vanessa on his other side. "I got the name when I was a kid." he started, shifting again in his saddle and Cochise reacted, pulling a out a little ahead of them. Harmony moved to reach him, and once they were again three across, Joe started talking. "When I was about three years old, my brother Adam started calling me Little Joe. Cause I was so much shorter than everybody else...even Nessa here." Vanessa started giggling, and winked at Harmony again, "Ah now Joe, you know there's more to it than that." Joe shook his head, "Oh no there's not and I'll be obliging to you to stay out of it!" Vanessa threw back her head and laughed, "tell her the rest, Little Joe. Or I will." Joe turned quickly to look at her, "You wouldn't." Vanessa raised an eyebrow at him, and opened her mouth. Joe reared back on Cochise's reins and glared at her, "You wouldn't dare."
Harmony giggled, and interrupted, "I hate to be the voice of reason here, but how much farther is it to Virginia City?" Vanessa glanced around them, then answered, "About another hour." she looked back at Joe, "Should be anyways." Joe nodded, and kicked Cochise a little faster, "Not if we hurry it up a little bit."
They pulled their horses up in front of Doc Martins house, Joe dismounting first to help Harmony down. Vanessa watched as he gripped her gently around her waist, carefully helping her down to her feet. Vanessa dismounted on her own, and tied of Jupiter to the hitching post as Paul came out his front door, "Vanessa, Little Joe. Well this is a surprise." he paused momentarily, "there's not anything wrong is there?" Vanessa shook her head, "No, not this time. I actually brought an old friend of mine," she glanced to Harmony, "This is Harmony Jefferson." she said, making the introductions quickly, "I was hoping you could do me a favor." Paul nodded, "Of course, of course, come on inside, I've got a pot of coffee on." Vanessa looked at Joe, then to Harmony, "you go on in, I'll be right there." Harmony let the doctor lead her inside as Vanessa turned to Joe. "Maybe you'd better go into town, check our mail, do something other then wait around here." Joe was about to protest when she shook her head, "Harmony's a really private girl. She'll not be wanting you to know about this, at the very least not yet." Joe nodded, and climbed back into his saddle, "I'll be back in an hour." Vanessa bobbed her head and went inside.
Later that night, as Adam came riding in for the day, he saw his wife sitting forlornly on the front porch, her head in her hands and her shoulders slumped. Jumping down, he hurried over to her and sat down next to her, "Nessa? Nessa what's wrong?" She raised her head, and stared blankly at the yard. "There's a young girl inside who is in some real trouble." Adam pulled her in close to him and kissed her brow. "You thought that was going on. What else is wrong?" she sighed and put her head on his shoulder, "Adam, she's asked me to do something I don't know if I don't want to." Adam took a deep breath and held her tighter, "What are you planning on doing about it?" she shook her head, "I don't know Adam. I told her I had to read about it, make sure I was giving her the right stuff." Adam nodded, "You don't have to, do you?" she smirked, "One of the few benefits of having a madame as a friend, I learned a few new tricks." Adam kissed her forehead again, "And? You aren't the kind of person that hesitates like this." she took a deep breath, "Adam, the mother in me is screaming at me not to. But..." he sighed and lifted her chin to see her eyes, "But what?" She sighed and buried her head in his shoulder, "I don't know if I can't. She's so young, unmarried and had such a rough go at life, the last thing she needs is to be straddled with a child." Adam took a few deep breaths, then put a finger under her chin to look in her eyes again. "Nessa, I've known you most of your life, right?" she nodded, ignoring the small tears that appeared in her eyes, "Not once in all those years I've known you have you had such a hard time in a choice about helping someone." She smiled, "Well it's nice to know you understand the situation." he ran a thumb over her lips, "I love you, Vanessa Cartwright. I'll support whatever choice you make, you know that." she nodded, "And I also know that whatever you do decide, it'll be the right one." he helped her stand and pulled her in for a tight hug, "Now, what did Hoss leave me for supper?"