A couple hours later, Adam and Hoss returned with the clothing along with Mrs. Shaughnessy to help the girls.

"This bag is for the oldest, this one for the other one," Mrs. Shaughnessy told the boys.

Adam and Hoss both nodded, and Adam took the bag for the older girl and followed Hoss inside.

The second they entered, they heard, "LET ME OUT OF HERE" from the wild girl, "LET ME OUT!"

Adam looked at Hoss. "You get her."

Hoss chuckled and went up the stairs to help the screaming girl.

Adam followed and knocked lightly on the door to the room Maria was in.

Maria opened it and a light smile came to her face.

"These are dresses and other clothing for you. I'm Adam, by the way," Adam told her.

"I'm Maria, and thank you," she said softly.

"You're welcome, Maria. If you need help, our friend, Mrs. Shaughnessy, will help you and I'll help also," he replied.

"Okay, since she's busy with my sister could you at least unzip this dirty dress for me?" she asked.

"Would you like to get a bath in first? I could have my brothers bring up the tub and place it in here so it'll be private?" Adam suggested.

"Oh, okay, sounds good," she told him.

"I'll be right back," he told her.

"Okay," she replied softly.

Adam closed the door and went downstairs where Joe and Hoss were. "Hoss, can you take the tub up to Maria's room?"

"Maria?" Hoss asked.

"Yeah, the older of the other two, she told me that's what her name is," Adam said.

"Oh, okay, yeah. Joe, help me, please," Hoss said, and the two boys went to fetch the tub.

Adam went upstairs and knocked on Maria's door.

Maria slowly opened it. "Uh, hello," she greeted, moving out of the way so he could enter.

"Hello, I came up to let you know that my brothers are going to bring up the tub for you," Adam told her.

"Okay, thank you," Maria replied with a slight smile.

"You're welcome," he replied, "oh, and if you want, I could be the one who brings the water up for you," he suggested.

"Okay thank you, um, Adam, right?" she asked.

"Correct," he replied.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, Adam went over and opened it.

Joe and Hoss brought the tub into the room.

"Thanks," Maria told them.

They nodded and then left.

"I'll go and start getting you water," Adam told her.

She nodded and watched him leave the room.

Willow was in her room throwing a fit because she didn't want to be there. "LET ME OUT!" she hollered. She hated to be locked in one room and to get cleaned up. She just knew the men who had her and her sister were about to get her into a tub of water. She could hear the men as they came and poured some water into a tub for her.

There was yet another knock on Maria's door, she opened the door and saw Joe there.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hi, I got some water for you; Adam's bringing up two more buckets," he told her.

Maria nodded and allowed Joe to enter the room.

Adam came in a moment later and she nodded in greeting.

"How much more do you think you'll need?" Adam asked.

"Um, enough to cover my body," she said with a smile, making Adam smile in return.

"Okay, Joe, go and get some more water," Adam ordered.

Joe left, closing the door as Adam looked over at Maria. "Do you need help unzipping the back of your dress?"

"Sure, you can help me," she told him and turned her back to him.

He unzipped her dress and then untied the corset.

"Thanks, Adam," she said softly.

"You're welcome. I can turn my back to you and hand you the water," he offered, "or I can send Mrs. Shaughnessy in."

"I'd rather have you; I don't really know Mrs. Shaughnessy. Heck, I hardly know you but I'd rather have you help me," she told him.

"All right, want me to turn my back to you?" he asked.

"Just until I get in; with the bubble type stuff you won't see anything," she told him.

He nodded and turned his back.

She quickly got undressed and stepped into the nice, hot water. Once she was sitting down, she took the small towel and covered up. "You can turn back."

Adam did. "Comfortable?"

"Yes, I am; this feels good, to be honest," she admitted with a smile.

He smiled back and just as he sat on the bed there was a knock on the door; Adam got up and opened it and Joe came in and poured the two buckets of water into the tub.

"More, Maria?' Joe asked.

Maria nodded with a sigh.

He nodded and left the room to get more water.

Adam looked at her and chuckled.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing, you just looked like you are about to fall asleep," he told her.

Just as she chuckled, Maria heard a splash followed by a scream that came from the direction of the room her sister was in.

"Sounds like the other tub is in your sister's room," Adam said, chuckling.

"She hates cleaning up," Maria told him. "Me, on the other hand, I'd rather be clean than dirty."

"AAAAAAHH! LET ME OUT OF HERE!" they both heard and Maria started laughing like crazy.

"What's funny, Maria?" Adam asked.

"Just my sister and how she's throwing this huge fit. It's like she's being killed or something," Maria said.

Adam started laughing and opened the door since there was a knock.

"Thanks, I, I think this'll be enough," Maria shyly told Joe as he added the water.

"Okay, but if it's not, just let Adam, here, know and he'll send me to get more," Joe told her. Receiving a nod from her, he smiled and left.

"You look extremely comfortable right now," Adam told her.

"I am, this water feels good on my back . Sleeping in the wagon didn't do the muscles much good," Maria told him.

"I bet not," Adam replied, causing Maria smile. He smiled back. "I'll be right back, alright?"

"Okay," she said softly and watched as he left the room.

He went down stairs but his Pa stopped him. "Adam, can you ride back to Virginia City and pick up these few things Mrs. Shaughnessy said she needs?"

"Yeah, I can do that for her," Adam said as he picked up his poetry book so he could some reading as he and his horse named Sport made their way to Virginia City. He then put his coat and hat on.

"Adam, is everything all right, son?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, why?" Adam asked in reply.

"Well, the smile on your face is why I was wondering," Ben said.

"I'm just in a good mood. I'll be back later," Adam said and left the house before Ben could say anything else.

Ben shook his head as Mrs. Shaughnessy came down. "That girl is crazy," Mrs. Shaughnessy told him.

"Which one?" Ben asked, just wondering.

"Willow or whatever her name is," Mrs. Shaughnessy replied. "Maria, I think is her name, is polite but shy."

"Yeah, I think my oldest may like her," Ben replied, making Mrs. Shaughnessy smile, "he's been in with her since he went upstairs. He came down here with a smile on his face."

"He's in love then, possibly," Mrs. Shaughnessy replied and went back up to the rooms. She knocked on Maria's door.

"It's open," Maria softly replied.

Mrs. Shaughnessy entered the room. "Hello, Maria, how's the bath?"

"Feels good," Maria replied with a smile. "Would you mind helping me try to get this junk out of my hair? I have no idea what it is, but Willow used it on my hair."

"Yeah, I can help you," Mrs. Shaughnessy said, going behind her and helped her get whatever it was out of her hair.

A while later, Mrs. Shaughnessy had the stuff out of Maria's hair. "Thank you, Mrs. Shaughnessy; it was hard to get the grease out."

"You're welcome and it was hard to get that stuff out of your hair," Mrs. Shaughnessy replied. "Maria, do you need help zipping your dress after you get out?"

"Yes, please," Maria replied and went to stand, but her left leg was a little numb. "Okay, leg, wake up already."

Mrs. Shaughnessy chuckled as she helped her stand; between the two of them she was wrapped up in a towel and sitting on the bed.

"Thank you, my leg must have fallen asleep or something," Maria replied with a smile.

"You're welcome dear. Now, how about this pink and white dress?" Mrs. Shaughnessy asked.

"It's pretty, and a good pick," Maria said, thinking, I hope Adam will like it.

Mrs. Shaughnessy smiled and helped Maria get dressed. After Maria put her shoes on, she sat down in front of the mirror and started to do her hair. Mrs. Shaughnessy gently took the hair brush and did her hair for her.

"Before you ask, your sister is all dressed with her hair brushed, but she ran out the door when Joe was looking for his pa," Mrs. Shaughnessy said.

Maria rolled her eyes. "Sounds like Willow," was all Maria could say.

Mrs. Shaughnessy chuckled as she watched Maria put her hair up humming softly as she was trying to figure out what to do to her hair.