French Kiss
A Bonanza fan fic
Disclaimer: I own no characters of Bonanza. Only the story is mine.
Chapter Three
Ribbons and memories
Christmas with the Cartwright family was the first one that Mara had celebrated in eight years. She adored the gifts that were given her. She kept her promise to Mr. Cartwright to get a better wardrobe.
The Cartwright men loved her gifts. A new hat for Mr. Cartwright, a new kerchief for Little Joe, a pen set for Adam, and a handkerchief personalized with the name 'Eric' in blue for Hoss.
January blew in with a fury. Before anyone knew it, February was headed in, with an early hint of Spring.
Mara noticed that her birthday was right around the corner. She paid it no heed. She'd never been allowed to celebrate her birthday. Why would this be any different?
The morning of her birthday had started no different from any other day. She got up and dressed. She pulled her hair into the pony tail she loved more than the bun at the nape of her neck. She looked in the mirror and sighed.
"Bon anniversaire" she said sadly to her reflection.
She walked downstairs and began preparing breakfast. Hop Sing was waiting for her, breakfast was already under way.
"Ah you're up! Good morning, Miss Mara, and may I say Happy Birthday to you?"
"Thank you Hop Sing."
"Since you remembered my birthday last month, I've something for you."
He gave her a small package.
"For you, Miss Mara."
"Thank you."
Mara opened the package. It was a necklace that held a jade stone on it.
"Thank you, Hop Sing. It's beautiful. What type of stone is it?"
"Jade. In my country, Jade was used to enhance a woman's beauty as well as bring her love."
"Thank you, Hop Sing. I will treasure it." She put the necklace around her neck. "What do you think?"
"Miss Mara, if you had been born in China, men would fight each other for just a smile from you."
"All that because of a jade stone?"
"You've always been lovely, Miss Mara."
His words brought up another memory of her father.
Her father gave her the birthday present early. Mara opened the gift. It was a necklace that held a heart shaped locket. Inside was a picture of her parents.
"This way, ma petite belle, you will never forget you mother or I"
"Merci Pe're!" Mara exclaimed as she put the necklace on. "Does this make me more beautiful?"
Her father hugged her. "Mara, you will always be beautiful….
Hop Sing pulled her out of the memory.
"You look as if you were in happier times, Miss Mara."
"I was remembering the first necklace I ever received. My father gave it to me years ago on my birthday."
"What happened to it?"
"My step mother took it from me, ripped out the picture of my parents and gave it to my step sister."
Hop Sing put a hand to her shoulder and was surprised when she didn't pull away.
"Things will get better, Miss Mara. You'll see."
Mara smiled as she helped him with breakfast. This family was bringing out the best in her.
{*}
Mara had always loved flowers. She took special interest in a small rose bush just outside the kitchen door. The rose bush was scraggly, however, she'd been tending it since she was first employed by Mr. Cartwright. Now, it had a single bud on it. She had no idea how or even who planted it.
Mara was on her knees, tying the stalk of the bush to a small piece of wood. The rose bush was leaning over. She put her nose to the little bud.
"Beau roses," she said sweetly in French.
She stood up and brushed the dirt off of her light red skirt. "There, she said to the plant. "That will make you feel better."
She heard a chuckle behind her. She turned around and saw Mr. Cartwright standing behind her.
"Oh hello Mr. Cartwright."
"Hello Mara. Happy birthday."
"Thank you, Mr. Cartwright."
"I was wondering, do you love to grow gardens."
"I do."
"Come with me."
Mara walked with Mr. Cartwright to a small piece of land on the south side of the house.
"My wife, Joseph's mother, began a garden here. Sadly it has remained untended to since her death. That's why the rose bush looks like it does. Seeing you tend that rose bush gave me an idea. I'd like to give you this plot of land. You are more than welcome to plant whatever you like. I've got vegetable seeds in the barn. Or you can plant flowers. I'll have Candy to go to the general store for flower seeds."
Mara smiled. Ben saw it. It was good to see her smile. She was putting the pain behind her.
Mara looked at Ben. "Thank you, Mr. Cartwright. I'll always cherish this. You know it's funny. You remind me so much of my father."
Ben smiled. "I met your father one time before. Come to think of it, you were with him."
Mara looked at Ben, trying to remember meeting him. Then it came to her like a candle lighting up a room.
François was holding Mara's small six year old hand. It was her birthday and her Pe're was taking her to the finest restaurant in all of Boston. Suddenly, a man approached them.
"Good afternoon, Francois!"
"Ah! Good afternoon, Ben! How fortunate it is for Lumeire Mills to do business with the great Ben Cartwright?"
Mara looked at Ben Cartwright. Why was he great?
Ben looked Mara. He took off his hat. "And who is the beautiful angel?"
Mara spoke up, "Mara Douglas, Monsieur. It's my birthday today and Papa and I are celebrating. Pe're, may I invite Monsieur Cartwright?"
Ben looked at Francois with a comical grin. He stooped down so he could look Mara in the face.
"I would be honored to accept a dinner invitation from such a lovely young lady…."
Mara gasped. She looked at Ben. "You had dinner with Papa and I when I was six. I wonder why I didn't remember that until now. I can't seem to remember my father's face," tears were in her eyes. "Does that mean I have forgotten my father, Mr. Cartwright?"
Ben wiped a tear away, surprised she didn't jerk away like she had a few months ago.
"No my dear. It means that you've had so much ugliness in your life and it has covered your good memories. Now your good memories are trying to shine thru. Let them shine thru. You'll be able to laugh again."
"How did you get to be so wise, Mr. Cartwright?"
"Raising boys and reading the Good Book."
{*}
That afternoon, after lunch had been served, Mara had attacked the laundry with a passion. She was hanging a pair of pants on the laundry line when Adam approached her. She held the utmost respect for Adam, largely due to the fact that he'd filed papers for her freedom. She was free because of this man.
"Hi Adam. How are things in town?"
"The usual. I thought I'd tell you that Monroe has been expedited back to France."
"What does expedited mean?"
"Oh, it means that he broke the law in France. He will be sent back to France to stand trial and serve prison time."
"Oh," said Mara, drying her hands on her apron. "What about the French Kiss?"
"It has since changed hands. A man from the East Coast has bought it. It will now be a new restaurant for Virginia City."
"That's good."
"I wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday and give you this." Adam handed her some folded papers.
Mara gasped. "Is this what I think it is?"
"Your declaration of freedom. In the eyes of the law and this country, you are a free woman."
"I can't thank you enough, Adam. My freedom didn't seem real. I wonder why these papers make it real?"
"More than likely because the papers are something tangible. Freedom can't be seen. Maybe a lot of us take our freedom for granted."
Another memory surfaced in Mara's mind.
Mara had been sitting at the top of the stairs listening to her father, whom she called King Francois, talking to the Mill partners.
"I'm sorry, mes amis, but I will not use slave labor to run Lumeire Mills. We are able to afford to pay people to work. Besides, this war won't last forever."
Later that night, Mara got up in her father's lap. "King Francois?"
"Yes Princess Mara?"
"What is a slave?"
"You've been sitting on the top step haven't you?"
Mara smile sheepishly. "Yes Pe're."
"A slave is a person who has no rights. They work for free."
""Is freedom important?"
"Very much so, ma petite belle….."
She looked at Adam. "I'm sorry. You've caught me wool gathering. I was thinking about what my father said about freedom. How it was important."
Adam smiled. "That it is, Mara."
"I'm thankful, Adam. You and your family has never treated me as a slave."
"Pa never believed in slaves. Candy, Hop Sing, and you are more than his employees. You are family."
"I'm blessed for that fact, Adam."
{*}
After the laundry had been done, Mara was looking for something to do. Hop Sing recommended her to go out to the corral and see what Little Joe and Candy was up to.
Mara took Hop Sing's advice and walked out to the corral.
Little Joe and Candy were trying to train the stallion that had sprained Little Joe's ankle. So far, the two had succeeded in getting a saddle on his back and a bridle in his mouth. Little Joe was in the middle of the corral running the horse in circles around the corral on a lead rope.
Mara leaned against the boards of the corral and looked at Little Joe. He was very skilled with the horses.
"There's the birthday girl," said Candy. "How does it feel to be a year older?"
"I don't feel any older."
I have a birthday gift for you. It's not much." He handed her a bouquet of black eyed susans.
"Candy, they're beautiful. I love them"
As I said, Miss Mara. They're not much."
"But they came from the heart. That's what makes them special."
Candy gave a goofy grin when Little Joe walked over to them. He looked at Mara.
"Happy birthday, Mara. I was hoping to give you my birthday present."
Little Joe, you didn't have to."
"I'd like you to name this new stallion."
Mara looked long and hard at the buckskin stallion. "What about Forte?"
"Forte?"
"Yes. It means Strong."
Little Joe grinned. "Forte. It has a nice ring to it."
The horse, as if knowing it's name walked towards Mara and sniffed her. Mara rubbed and patted the stallion's nose.
"Belle fort une," she said gently. Then to Little Joe, she said, "I've never named a horse. Why a strong name?"
"Many times a horse will live up to it's name."
"I see. Well, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I promised Hop Sing that I would make a peach pie."
As Mara walked back to the house, another memory surfaced.
Mara was in tears when she ran into her home. She had no idea that King Francois was home.
He heard her crying. He followed her to her room. "My Princess, why are you crying?"
"I got teased because of my name. I hate my name. Marguerite. Who ever heard of such a name?"
"Your mother loved that name."
Mara felt guilty about what she had said about her name. "What is my middle name, Papa?"
"Renee."
Could I be called that?"
Why don't we call you Mara. A combination of your first and middle names."
Mara hugged her father…..
{*}
Mara was in the kitchen kneading out the dough for the pie. She loved cooking. She was singing a French lullaby. She was startled by footsteps behind her. She turned around. She smiled. "Hello Eric."
"Funny that you are the only person on the Ponderosa to call me by my given name."
"Eric is such a strong name. Hoss is a good name, but I love the name Eric. It doesn't offend you, does it?"
"Not at all."
Mara finished the pie and stuck it in the oven. She grabbed two coffee cups and poured coffee into both of them. She sat down at the small kitchen table opposite Hoss.
"First of all, Happy Birthday."
"Thank you, Eric."
"I had this ordered for you."
He gave Mara a small brown package. Mara carefully opened the gift. Inside were hair ribbons of every color.
"I figured you've been putting your back and it would look mighty pretty with colored ribbons it."
Mara gasped and began sobbing. Hoss became concern.
"Is everything okay, Mara?"
Mara stood up and walked to the oven and removed the pie. She set it on the window sill to cool. She dried her tears and began to speak in a soft voice.
"When I was eleven, after my father married my step mother, he asked me what I wanted for my birthday. My step sister Jacqueline had the prettiest black hair I'd every seen. It was as black as night. She had ribbons of every colors. I asked Papa for ribbons like Jacqueline's. That afternoon, I got a tangle in my hair and asked my step mother if she'd help me brush it out. She took a pair of scissors and cut of my hair. She told me that if my father found out what actually happened, he'd send me to an Orphelinat. Of course I believed her. So I lied to my father and told him that I cut my own hair so he wouldn't have to worry about getting me anything for my birthday." She began sobbing, harder. "She was so cruel."
Hoss walked towards her. "Mara, you really need a hug."
Mara let the big man hug her. These arms around her made her feel safe.
"Thank you, Eric." She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.
It left Hoss speechless.
{*}
That night as supper was served, an extra place had been set at the table. Mara was confused.
Ben stood up. "Mara, today is your birthday. You've served us, so tonight, we, the Cartwright men, serve you. Will you join us?"
Mara smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Cartwright."
Hoss pulled out the chair and Mara sat down. She'd almost forgot what it was like to have a conversation with a family at a dinner table. She felt like she was a princess out of the fairy tale book her Papa used to read to her. Hop Sing told her to go relax. He'd clean the kitchen. Mara went upstairs and changed into her nightgown and climbed into bed. So much excitement had tired her out.
{*}
Hoss stayed up late talking to Ben.
"Pa, I think I have a problem."
"What's the problem, Eric?"
"I think I'm developing feelings for Mara. I don't think it's a good idea?"
Ben's eyebrow shot up. "Because why?"
"Because of the Cartwright men's problem with women, Pa."
"You mean the infamous Cartwright curse?"
"Yes, Pa. That's what I mean."
"Eric, I'm only going to say this once. There are no such things as curses. If the Good Lord deems it right for you and Mara to be together, He'll make a way. Do you understand?"
"Yes Pa. Thank you and goodnight."
"Goodnight, Son."
Ben looked at his middle son going up to his room. He wasn't blind. He'd seen something budding between Mara and Hoss. He thought it was wonderful. He didn't want his boys to be as lonely as he was. Hoss was a good man. Maybe one day, Mara would be part of the Cartwright family, not as an employee, but as a daughter in law.
{*}
a/n French Definitions
Bon anniversaire - Happy Birthday
Merci Pe're - Thank you Father
Ma petite belle- My little beauty
Beau Roses- Lovely Roses
Monsieur- Mister or Sir
Mes amis - my friends
Belle Fort une - Beautiful strong one
Orphelinat Orphanage