Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I had a very busy day. Spent the morning and most of the afternoon in town with my sister, and then when we got back we had to get into our costumes, do our hair and make-up for our dress rehearsal for the play we're in. It's an Agatha Christie - so nice to do something where we get to dress up in 40's clothes and do our hair in the old styles!
To islaboe: Thankyou for your message. I love writing Adam and Louise moments, and I think you will notice in this chapter that Adam shows his fatherly instincts a bit. To tell you the truth, I write my stories in one block before I start posting, so this story is actually already complete. I just go over each chapter and make little adjustments before I post. As this is the case, there won't be a portion with Ben going away, or a camping trip with just Adam and Louise in this story. But I had been planning on something like that for a future story, so it shouldn't be too long till I write and post it on here. I hope this is okay, and not disappointing. The only reason I like to write the story before I post is in case I get writer's block - I don't want to keep my readers waiting. I tried writing one story (National Treasure) one chapter at a time, posting as I went, and so far it hasn't gone very well. I have got writer's block, and haven't updated for about a year! Really bad, I know. I don't want to do the same thing with a Bonanza story! Also, sometimes I go back over my work and make changes. I can't do that if I've already posted chapters. :-)
Anyway. Here's the next chapter, and I hope you folks enjoy it!
Chapter 4 – Consequences
"Good afternoon, Miss Munroe," Adam's baritone voice broke the painfully quiet atmosphere of the schoolhouse.
The teacher turned around at the sound of Adam's voice, and smiled. "Adam Cartwright, I'm pleased to see you."
"I hope my brother and sister have been behaving themselves," Adam said, frowning at Joe and giving Louise a questioning glare.
Both children shrank under his gaze.
"Well, as a matter of fact, I have not been at all satisfied with their behaviour today."
"Is that so? I'm very sorry to hear that. What happened?"
"Please take a seat, Adam," Miss Munroe said, ushering him to a bench in the first row. She sat down next to him. "To begin with, I was extremely pleased with your siblings' progress. Louise in particular is a good reader, and seems to enjoy reading. I am impressed with what she can already do – and I thank whoever started her on her studies for doing such a good job and making things easier for me."
"That would be Pa – I would have done, but I've been away at college," Adam explained.
"Oh, yes, of course. Well, anyway, Joseph has been trying hard, but I'm afraid he allows himself to be distracted too much. I had to warn him this morning about whispering in class, as I will not tolerate any sign of disrespect, as I believe inattention is."
"I agree with you whole-heartedly."
Miss Munroe smiled. "Well then, that leads us to recess. I suddenly heard cries of a fight, and hurrying outside, found Joseph on top of Jason Brent. Jason is known for being the school troublemaker, but still, I found out from their fellow students that Joe just ran at Jason for no reason. They weren't even talking together – and I can't get any of the story out of either of the boys. I've sent Jason home with a note – but as I knew someone would be picking Joseph and Louise up, I saw no need to write a note for you."
"I'm sorry to hear that Joe started a fight. He's knows better, and you can be assured that it will not happen again. I can promise you that Pa will see that he is punished for his actions."
"Thank-you, Adam. I think you should know he has already done lines for me. Now, that leads to your sister – Louise. I must congratulate her on her gift. She is certainly very talented at drawing."
"Is she?" Adam said, smiling at his sister.
Miss Munroe went on, "But drawing during lessons is not acceptable."
Adam's smile faded.
"Throughout the whole afternoon I have had to gain her attention three times. Louise was sketching during lessons, and after I had told her to stop, she did go back to her drawing – and finally when I took it away, just stared out of the window. I hate to have a student daydream once – but to repeatedly daydream three times after I have told them not to is sheer disrespect towards me and her fellow students."
"I agree, and Louise will be corrected."
"Thank-you, Adam. Both Louise and Joseph have extra homework – Louise because she did not pay attention, and Joseph because his time was taken up in writing lines for me."
"Right, you can be sure that it will all be done in time for lessons tomorrow. And I can assure you that they will both behave much better tomorrow. I apologize that they have caused such disruptions for you, and especially on the first day back to school. It will not happen again – will it?"
He directed the last part of this speech to his siblings who instantly jumped to their feet and cried, "Oh, no! It won't, Miss Munroe. Honest!"
Miss Munroe thanked Adam, said goodbye, and saw them out of the schoolhouse.
They climbed into the buckboard and Adam started the horses forwards.
A painful silence followed.
Finally, Adam spoke.
"Well? Who first?"
Neither of the two children wanted to volunteer to speak, but Joe realized that Louise wouldn't speak until he had, so he relented.
"Oh, Adam, it wasn't my fault!"
Adam pulled a wry smile, "That's what they all say."
Joe frowned, "No, I mean it! Jason Brent is a bully, and I was teaching him a lesson!"
"You know what Pa says about fighting! He doesn't allow it."
Joe glared at the back of his brother's head. "You don't understand, Adam!"
"Why did you fight? They said you weren't even talking? Surely you didn't just start a fight for no reason?"
"He was bullying Louise!"
Adam turned his head and saw Joe's sulky expression – and Louise's sad face.
"About what?"
Louise shook her head adamantly at Joe and whispered to him, "Don't say!"
"Don't say what?" Adam repeated slowly.
Louise's eyes grew wide as she felt the buckboard come to a stop. She pursed her lips and put her hand on Joe's leg as a reminder not to say a word.
"It's okay, Lou!" Joe said softly. "He was wrong about what he said!"
Louise shook her head again, and remained silent.
Adam sighed. He motioned her over, and when she stood up and walked over to where he sat, he reached down and swung her up and over the back of the buckboard seat. Sitting her next to him, he said, "What did Jason say to hurt you?"
"I don't want to tell you!" she whispered.
Adam's heart rang with pain for his little sister – bullied, and on her first day at school.
"Please! I'm your brother – you tell me everything!"
Louise hesitated, but decided that it wouldn't hurt if Adam knew. "He said … he called me Mousy, and said I was a … a left-handed freak!"
Adam pulled her close, "Well, you're not! Yes, you are quiet, and you are left-handed, but there's nothing wrong with that – and you're not a freak!"
"Adam – I know a freak's bad. It's awful bad, I can tell. But … but what is it?"
Adam smiled at her innocence. "A freak is a not very nice name that some people use just to poke fun at some people being different. But nobody is a freak. Everyone is special. Remember that. No one is strange. We are all unique!"
"What's a you … you nick?"
"Unique! It means everyone is different in a special way! You're special – and don't you ever forget that." He chucked her nose and she laughed.
Suddenly his face grew serious again. "Louise," he spoke with disappointment in his voice. "This was your first day – and you got into trouble!"
"I'm sorry, Adam. It's just I wanted to be outside and …"
"What were you drawing?"
Louise beamed, "Salt!"
Adam sighed. He might have known. "Louise – don't you ever be inattentive in your lessons again!"
Louise shook her head decidedly, "Oh, no, Adam! I won't!" Then she frowned, "What does inattentive mean?"
Adam ran his hand down his face, "It means not paying attention. You know, thinking about other things when you should be studying!"
"Oh," Louise said, and then fell silent. Her quietness soon melted away when she remembered all of the questions that she had been meaning to ask Adam. "How's Salt? Has he missed me? Is he sad? Have you seen him today? Can I ride him when I get back? Will you let me canter?"
"No to the cantering, and yes, Salt's fine – but I'm not finished with discussing both of your behaviours today!"
Adam flicked the reins on the horses' backs, and the buckboard rolled forward again.
"Joe – I realize you were standing up for your sister, but you know how Pa feels about fighting. You know what he's gonna say."
"Adam, do you think he'll tan me? I … I didn't mean to disobey him, it's just I couldn't stand for that good-for-nothing bully to say those things, and then not do anything about it!"
"I understand your motives – and I'll speak to Pa myself. But I'm telling you, Joe, you're pushing it. You got in a few too many fights last year, and Pa's not gonna go easy on you."
"He didn't last year, either," Joe muttered.
"Will Joe get in trouble because of me?" Louise turned watery green eyes on her eldest brother.
Adam's heart melted, but as he didn't know, he answered honestly, "I guess that's up to Pa."
Ben walked out of the house at the sound of the buckboard pulling up in the yard. He smiled warmly, looking forward to hearing about his youngest children's day. Hoss wasn't far behind him.
"Well, how was it?" Ben asked, giving Adam a questioning glance when he saw how subdued Louise and Joe were as they scrambled out of the buckboard.
"Alright, Joe and Louise, go to your bedrooms now!" Adam said firmly.
Ben frowned as he saw the two children instantly obey and run into the house. He turned on his eldest, his eyes beginning to look thunderous
"Was that a black eye? Did Joe get in a fight?"
Adam sighed. "Now Pa, why don't you sit down, and we can talk about this calmly. There's no reason in getting worked up."
"I think there's every reason to get worked up if my two children have been misbehaving in class – and on their first day back to school, too."
Adam noticed Hoss slink away into the barn. Out of the heat – as usual!
"Listen, Pa – it's not as bad as it seems. Jason Brent, the school bully, started taunting Louise because she's left-handed. He called her a freak! Joe wouldn't stand for someone bullying his little sister, and starting hitting Jason."
Ben sighed in frustration. "He should have gone to his teacher. We've talked about things like this."
"Yes, but maybe he would have let a fight go, like you talked about with him, if Jason was bullying him. But here it was a question of standing up for his little sister. He felt he had to guard her. I know it was wrong – you know it was wrong – but up in that room is a boy who thinks he did right, because he defended Louise!"
Ben sighed. "I see what you mean – but it doesn't mean I'll let him get away with it."
"You won't tan him – will you?"
Ben's eyebrows shot up, "I don't know. No – maybe not. But I will if there's a next time – and I'll make sure he knows that."
Adam smiled in relief – glad that he had saved Joe's hide this one time.
"As for Lou, Pa …"
"Louise got in trouble, too?"
"Oh, she did really well in school – and Miss Munroe was really impressed. It's just that Louise daydreamed three times – she was drawing during lessons, even after her teacher told her not to."
"I see," Ben said, taking a deep breath. Why couldn't his children stay out of trouble?
He turned towards the house.
"Hey, Pa," Adam said. "You might want to take into consideration the fact that Joe had to do lines for Miss Munroe – and they've both got extra homework."
Ben nodded his head.
"Another thing, Pa – before you speak to them – wouldn't you like to know what Louise was drawing?"
"Does it matter?"
"I think it might help you decide what her consequences should be."
"Oh?" Ben's eyes looked puzzled.
"She was drawing Salt."
Ben nodded his head as the light dawned. "Right! Thank you, Adam."
Ben paused for a moment before entering Joe's room – just enough time to take a deep breath, and then release it slowly. Once done, he opened the door and took in the scene before him.
Joe was sat on the edge of his bed, his clenched fists at his sides – his bruised eye swollen and causing him to squint.
"Joe."
That one word – full of love, disappointment, something of pride – made Joe's shoulders slump. He looked up at Ben as the tears filled his deep green eyes.
"I didn't mean to make you disappointed in me, Pa! I did it for Lou! She was being bullied – and you know I swore I wouldn't get into a fight again if Jason taunted me! But I also swore I'd look after Louise. I couldn't stand for what he said about her! It was the same sorts of things he's said to me – but I wouldn't let him say them to her. I just couldn't. You can tan me if you want to – but I still believe I was right!"
Ben smiled at his son as he sat down. "I am very proud of you for wanting to defend your sister – and in keeping your promise to me in looking after her. Fighting is not the answer though – and I don't want you to include it in our bargain of you guarding her. The same agreement that you won't fight if you get bullied goes if Louise gets bullied. You can speak to Miss Munroe – or even use words to fight Jason. Words can often be stronger than blows – and I'm not saying that so that you say something that you will one day regret. But I want you to remember that talking through something with someone is a much better answer than fighting with them. If they don't want to listen, then just walk away. You remember that we've talked about this before. You understand, don't you?"
"Ye-es," Joe said. "But, Pa – what if Jason ever hit Louise."
Ben inwardly winced at the thought. He could not bear for his daughter to ever be hurt. "It's a difficult one, Son, I agree – but my rules apply to all instances. No fighting – get Miss Munroe. And I can assure you that if anything of the kind ever happened I would pay my respects on the Brent family, and insist that Jason was severely punished for hurting Louise. A boy should never hit a girl. Girls are not as strong as boys – though don't tell Louise that, or she might just bite your head off," he smiled, " – and a boy could hurt a girl, perhaps even more than he meant to, if he ever hit her."
Joe nodded in agreement. There was a pause during which Joe fidgeted uneasily, and then he looked Ben in the eye and said, swallowing nervously, "Are you gonna …"
"No," Ben said. "I'm not. But if there's a next time, then I will. I will find extra chores for you to do, though."
Joe nodded, "Yes, sir."
Ben pulled Joe close for a hug, and was relieved when his eleven year old did not resist. "I love you, Joseph."
"I love you, too, Pa."
"Louise Marie!"
Louise looked up at the full use of her name, and looked down again nervously.
"Look at me."
Louise obeyed the command as Ben sat on the bed next to her. She was squeezing a pillow to her – a sure sign that she was nervous.
"I'm sorry about what Jason said. Has Adam spoken to you about it?"
Louise nodded her head.
"Was there anything else you wanted to discuss about it?"
Louise shook her head.
Ben sighed. "Answers please!"
"Um – no, sir!"
Ben noted immediately that Louise had called him 'sir'.
Louise quickly went on to explain, "Everything's fine now. Adam said I'm you meek!"
Ben frowned. "Pardon?"
"You meek. Adam's smart! He knows a lot of big words."
"Right," Ben said, still frowning in puzzlement. "Well then, let's move onto your inattentiveness."
Louise looked down at her lap.
"Look at me," Ben reminded.
Louise obeyed.
"Well, I hear you drew during lessons. I'm glad to hear you enjoy drawing – but I'm not pleased to hear that you drew when you should have been paying attention to your studies. That was rude!"
Louise looked tearful so Ben realized that he had better draw this conversation to a close if he didn't want her to end up in tears. Louise was a very sensitive girl, and he often realized how differently he had to handle her from his sons.
"Well, I guess we'll leave it there, if you understand not to be inattentive again!"
Louise brightened up, "Oh, yes, Pa! I won't! Not ever!"
Ben smiled, "Alright then." He stood up to leave. "But, Louise, if you do daydream in class again, I will have no choice but to not let you ride for a week. This is your warning – don't make me take away your enjoyment!"
Louise nodded her head seriously, her eyes wide at the thought of not being able to ride her precious Salt!
"Can I … can I ride today?"
Ben paused a moment as he considered her request. "We talked about you behaving, and this was your first day, and you didn't – so not today, Louise. But you can ride Salt tomorrow – just so long as you don't daydream in class!"
Ben smiled at his daughter, wiped away a few tears that had fallen at the dreadful news that she couldn't ride, and then left the room.
Hoss and Adam were sat together in front of the fireplace. Ben ambled down the stairs and joined them.
"Have you talked to them?" Adam asked.
"Yes," Ben said.
"They alright?" Hoss asked.
"Yes," Ben replied. "They are now that they know that I'm not mad at them." He paused and then remembered that he wanted to ask his eldest son something. "Oh, Adam, Louise mentioned something you said. Now what was it? Oh, yes! She said that you told her that she was you meek? What was she talking about?"
"You meek?" Adam repeated. He started laughing. "You meek! Oh, bless her – no, I said she was unique!"
"Oh," Ben said, smiling. "That explains it."
As a little girl, I always used to mix my words up, and often had my family in stitches over what I came up with! I thought Louise would probably do the same! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review - and thanks for reading! :-)