A BIG thank you to Gaben for help with this chapter. My apologies for the length of time it has taken to update. I have had many issues over the past couple months but things are starting to fall back into place now. I hope everyone had a very Happy Holidays. On to the chapter.
Chapter 7
Adam and Jennifer arrived home just before supper and Jennifer put her new clothes in her room, while Adam enlisted Hoss's help with the supplies.
Supper conversation was limited since, Hoss was still upset that his little brother had left him to do all the fence work, and Little Joe was concentrating on finding a comfortable position to sit but failing miserably. Pa's discussion in the barn still burned in his memory as well as his backside. He was definitely never going to skip out on work again. The cold beer wasn't worth it.
Jennifer picked at her meal, her thoughts consumed with ways to sneak away and to get to Boston. She had decided to leave that night before she got any closer to anyone. She knew it was going to be hard to leave them; for in such a short time, she had grown to love them in her own way. She found herself feeling like she belonged and wanting to stay. But there were things much more important to do. She had to get back to Boston and get someone to believe her about that bad man.
Max and Sara believed her but Sara was just the cook in her grandfather's house and Max was her grandfather's butler. Their opinions were not highly valued by most, though her grandparents tended to value Sara's opinion when it came to Jennifer. They knew that the servants were more apt to have a better idea of what was going on around the estate than they did. Jennifer had no idea how she was going to convince them of what happened, or even if her grandparents would believe her, but she hoped that she could get Sara to help her persuade them that her Mother's death was provoked. She knew Max believed it, but had said it wasn't his place to be speaking out against the man based on his gut feelings. He would need proof. Somehow she needed to get that proof. She had a long time to think about this, and if she could get what she needed not only would Sara and Max help her, but she was sure her grandfather may believe her.
Adam watched his daughter, wondering what could possible make her think so hard and why she wouldn't let him in. He decided to break through her thoughts.
"Jennifer, how about we take a ride around the ranch tomorrow?"
Jennifer looked at her father. I am not planning on being here tomorrow, but he does not need to know that. If I come back after that man is caught, I would like to see the ranch. Maybe he will teach me to ride a horse.
"That would be nice," she nodded affirmatively. "Will you teach me to ride a horse? I don't know how and I think horses are really pretty."
Adam grinned, excited that she had taken the initiative to ask. Maybe she is getting used to us, he mused, oblivious to her true plans.
OoOoOoOoO
After supper, Jennifer procured some paper and a pencil from her grandfather. She was good at drawing and she wanted to draw a picture of her new family, so she could remember them after she left. She also wanted to give them a picture of her, so they wouldn't forget her. She finished her drawings and went to show Ben. She wanted to show Adam too, but she didn't want him to see them yet, in case he started asking questions. She hoped Ben would be less inclined to question them and she planned on giving him the picture she drew of herself and with a bit of luck he wouldn't ask to keep the other one.
"Grandpa Ben, I drew a picture for you," Jennifer said as she handed him her picture. "It's a picture of me. I wanted you to have it, so you don't forget me."
Ben took the paper and stared at it. It was well drawn, and then it registered what she had said. I wonder why she thinks I would forget her. Does she think we are going to make her leave? Ben studied his granddaughter as she shifted on her feet. Hmm something has sure got her skittish. I will have a talk to Adam and ask the boys to keep an extra careful watch on her for a while, just to be sure.
"Honey, I could never forget you. This picture is very pretty. You did a very good job. I will keep it forever. However, I don't need a picture to remember you. You will be here for a long time to come and we will have many wonderful memories that I will keep with me always. Actually this is a good idea, then when you are grown a little more I can look back on it and remember how lucky we were the day you came to us. " he said gently, affirming the child's fear, he prayed.
Jennifer just nodded her head, not sure of what to say, but wishing he hadn't said that. This was going to get harder by the day.
Adam set his book down and went over to his daughter.
"I think it's time for a certain little lady to be in bed."
Jennifer did not want to go to bed yet, but she knew if she was going to leave later that night, she would need all the rest she could get. She also knew the sooner she went to bed, the sooner they would go to bed and the sooner she could leave. She feigned a yawn and followed Adam to her room.
Once there, Adam helped her get into her nightgown, wash and then tucked her into bed.
He brushed her hair away from her face.
"Good night, Jenny, have good dreams and I will see you in the morning."
Adam leaned over and kissed the top of her head. He bent down further to hug the small child.
Before Adam could draw back from the hug, Jennifer grabbed him around the neck and hugged him for all she was worth, not wanting to let go. She held on tight for a moment longer, too afraid the lump in her throat and the tears too close to the surface would appear. She hadn't meant to get this sad. She only hoped she would be able to come back to live with her father.
Jennifer let go and quickly buried her head in her pillow. Adam, a little perplexed at the extra show of emotion from the child, yet warmed to the heart of his soul by it, blew out the lamp before returning to tuck her snuggly. He stayed a moment longer, caressing the small head and Jennifer's silky fine curls until he could hear the soft purring of her asleep. He walked quietly to the door and left, heading to his own room. He was tired after such a long day and couldn't wait to get to bed.
As soon as Adam left, Jennifer flipped over and lay in her bed listening to the sounds of everyone going to bed. She started going over all the details of her plan in her mind. She knew she needed to get them as straight and detailed as she possibly could; and it was a good way to pass the time, while she waited for everyone to fall asleep. I gotta get to town by morning, so I can catch the stage. I need to find the road that Uncle Little Joe and I came in from town on. I will have to have a good story for the stage or they won't let me on. When I get into Boston, I will be safer. I know my way around, so I shouldn't be found too easily; at least not until I find a way to prove that Mr. Steven Crane did what he did. I gotta talk to Max and Sara, they will help me. For the determined 8 year old, it sounded like as good a plan as any. For now though, all she had to do was stay awake.
OoOoOoOoO
Ben hadn't got a chance to speak with Adam before he went to bed. As Joe and Hoss finished their game of checkers, he walked to the fire and emptied his pipe ashes onto the smoldering embers of the big fire. He turned to glance up at the stairs before turning back to his two younger sons.
"You boys notice anything strange about little Jenny tonight?" He asked tapping the pipe softly in the palm of his hand.
"Not really Pa, though I thought she was a little quiet, I guess," Said Joe.
"Why did ya ask Pa, what's worrin ya?" Frowned Hoss.
"Oh, it's probably nothing. She… Well, it's just that she gave me a drawing to remember her by."
"Remember you by? Why'd she do that?" asked Joe.
"I'm not quite sure. I thought maybe she might be feeling a little insecure."
Hoss scratched his head. "Gee I hope she don't think we'd send her away or nothing."
"Hmm, yes, I wondered if that's it," said Ben.
"Maybe she's jist a little homesick, pa" said Hoss, "she's still jist a speck of a thing; she's probably still missin her ma something fierce."
"Yeah, that makes sense Pa , remember mama , I used to go on all alright fer months and then all of a sudden I 'd remember her, miss her ,then I'd feel all guilty because I'd forgotten her for a while. She might just be feeling like that." offered Little Joe.
"Joseph, you may be right. We better keep an eye out for her, she was definitely a little melancholy, she may be homesick, if it's bad enough she may even think of taking off."
"Hey, yeah Pa, remember that time Little Joe missed Adam when he was off at College. And he decided ta walk ta Boston ta tell him about his new pony."
"I do remember, indeed I do, had us worried sick for hours, before we found you, sad and sorry for yourself," smirked Ben.
"Only sorry after ya burned the seat of my pants when you got me home," scoffed Joe.
The three of them laughed as they headed up the stairs and a reminder from Ben to watch out for the child.
OoOoOoOoO
Jennifer woke with a start. She looked around and realized she was still in her room. She didn't know how late it was, but she knew it was later than she wanted. She mentally kicked herself for falling asleep. She quietly rushed to gather her clothes and other items she had collected in a bag and hidden under the bed before tip-toeing out of her room. After listening to make sure everyone was still asleep, she made her way to the kitchen to grab some food for the trip. She grabbed a potato sack and put her clothes and things into the sack, along with the food. She tied a knot in the top and made her way outside. Looking around, she decided to use the main road, hoping that would take her to town. She was glad for the full moon; it cast enough light for her to see properly. She walked through the large gates completely oblivious to the pair of eyes following her from a bedroom window.
After a good couple of hours, Jennifer started to get very tired from all that walking. She wiped at the sweat falling down the side of her face and looked at the sky. Realizing that the sun was beginning to rise, she quickened her pace.
I am never going to get there at this rate. I wish I knew how to ride a horse, that would have made it a lot easier to get to town in time. Hmmm, that looks familiar. She stooped to look at a drawing in the dirt. She recognized it as the same drawing she had scratched into the dirt over an hour before at one of her rest stops.
I thought I was going the right way to town, but I have been walking around in circles. I am never going to get to the stage on time and I don't know how else to get back to Boston. I can't tell anyone, they would never believe me. Nobody ever believed me before; they always said I was lying. I may miss this stage but maybe I can figure out when the next stage is coming.
Jennifer continued to walk on the dusty road. After a couple more hours, she began to get worried. She had passed the "drawing spot" three times already and it was getting later in the morning. The sun was peeking into the sky shining bright and hot; which only succeeded in making her thirstier. She had already eaten the food she brought with her and failed to remember more than a small cup of water, thinking that she would have been in town long before then. Realizing she was lost, she sat down against the trunk of a tree and started to cry.
"There is no way I can get to Boston now. Besides that I ain't got no water and no food, I'm lost," She cried and wiped at her runny nose. "I don't understand it, I been going in a straight line, I'm sure I have, now where do I go, there are lots of different paths, why don't they have signs or something. I'm probably gonna die out here all because they don't have a simple little road sign. I ain't gonna see anyone agin. I'll probably be food for some other animal. Maybe proving Mr. Crane was bad after all and caused the death of momma ain't worth all this. I thought I was big enough ta do this. I feel big enough ta do this, I shoulda at least been able ta get town. But no, now I'm lost forever. I'm never going to see anybody or my daddy again." she laid her down and sobbed uncontrollably.
All that walking had given her plenty of time to think about how much she would miss her family when she went back to Boston. All she wanted now was to be safe in her father's arms. Little did she know that she had been spotted leaving and her family was now frantically searching for her.
OoOoOoOoOoO
Hoss had been certain they would catch up with Jennifer long before first light. But it had been hours since he spotted the child from his bedroom window and alerted the others.
Hoss had gotten up to get a snack in the middle of the night. He noticed the kitchen was in slight disarray, not at all how Hop Sing kept the kitchen. He heard a small rustling outside and when he went to investigate, he saw a little shadow moving quickly down the path. Thinking it had been a small raccoon or animal; he shrugged it off, grabbed his sandwich and went back to his room. It wasn't until he stood at the window taking the last bite of his midnight snack did he notice the small form leaving the yard. His father's words rang in his head as he bolted to Adams room and burst through the door.
Ben and Little Joe arrived at the door, woken by the ruckus Hoss had made. Adam tried to make sense of the garble that Hoss was spewing out but it came out as a jumble of words. The only words that any of them caught were "Jennifer" and "gone".
"Hoss! Slow down. Swallow whatever you're eating; we can't understand a word you are saying. What about Jennifer? Where is she?" Adam shouted. He had no idea what was going on but he was sure it wasn't good and it was causing him to panic.
"It's jest like I told ya. I came down to get a sandwich and I heard something outside. I thought it was an animal. When I came back to my room and looked out the window, I saw her runnin down the path. I just now figured out who it was. I thought ya might like to know so that we can go get her." He finished, exasperated and a bad case of indigestion coming on.
Adam ran to Jennifer's room to see if she was indeed gone.
Ben went pale at the thought. He knew better than anyone the dangers of being out in the open alone, especially at night. He just hoped they could find her before anything serious happened. He knew it would be really hard to look for anyone at night but the full moon would cast enough light that it shouldn't be too difficult. He just hoped she hadn't gone too far.
"She's gone, Pa. She's gone. Why would she leave? Everyone get dressed as quick as you can. We have to go get her. Damn it, Hoss, why did you wait to tell us? How could you just let her get away like that? Why didn't you go after her?" Adam seethed. He, too, was worried that something serious may have happened to her. He, like his pa, understood very well the dangers the land held for unsuspecting victims. Everything was so beautiful and breathtaking that it screamed to be explored; however, in doing so, it could create serious problems to the clueless adventurer.
"Calm down, Adam. It is not going to do anyone any good to stand here and yell what could have been done. The fact remains now that we need to go look for her before anything happens. Let's all get dressed and saddle the horses. The sooner we can do that, the sooner we can start looking." Ben had to get them all moving; he did not want to stand around while a fight broke out between his two oldest boys.
Everyone quickly scrambled into their clothes and ran to the barn to saddle their horses.
"Hoss and I will take the main road to town. Hopefully she decided to go to town or, at the very least, stay to the paths. Adam, you and Joe look around here and widen your search anywhere you think she might go on the ranch. Fire 3 shots into the air when you find her. If she isn't found by sun up, come into town and we will get Roy to round up a search party. If you haven't done so, grab some food and water; she may need it. Good luck."
Ben mounted Buck and rode off. The boys looked at each other and quickly jumped on their horses to follow.
They rode in silence for a while, Adam too consumed with thoughts of what could happen to his little girl, and Joe too worried about his niece to carry on good conversation. Other than the occasional shout for Jennifer, the rode in silence, figuring it would better enable them to hear small noises from a distance.
Ben and Hoss faired about the same. Both concerned about the welfare of a certain 8 year old to do much other than just listen for any sound that could lead them to their wayward explorer. Daylight began to show its colors, making it easier for the men to see longer distances. Even with the added help of daylight, as each minute passed, the worry among the Cartwright's grew at an alarming rate.
Author's Note: I plan on having the new chapter up within the next week. I am almost done writing it. The next chapter is a little tougher than I thought it would be. I will not reveal anything (hehe) but a BIG secret comes out in the next chapter, so be on the lookout *wink* Please R&R. I love seeing the comments and suggestions. They help me with ideas and write better.
