Chapter Ten

Ming Lin next drove Shiloh to the main house. While she visited with her brother, he went to the kitchen to see Hop Sing.

Both men bowed and spoke in Cantonese. "You are well?" asked Hop Sing.

"Yes, Cousin, and you?" replied Ming Lin.

Hop Sing nodded, then turned his attention to the vegetables on his work table.

Ming Lin followed and absent-mindedly picked up a knife and began to peel potatoes. "What troubles you, Cousin?"

"I am not troubled. Spring is a busy time, but this year, the Cartwrights are louder. They yell all the time because there is not enough men to do the work."

"Mrs. Cartwright may have a way for them to have more workers, if Mr. Cartwright will listen to her. That is why we are here. She is speaking with Mr. Micah."

"It would be nice to bring some peacefulness back to life," said Hop Sing. Both men nodded and quietly peeled potatoes.

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After settling Abel in Micah's arms, Shiloh sat quietly in the chair next to the bed.

Micah waited for a time, but curiosity got the best of him. "Whatever's bothering you, just say it, Shy. There's no good or bad time while I'm conscious."

She smiled. "I need your help."

"You wouldn't be here in the middle of the day if you didn't," said Micah, winking, and then turning his attention toward his nephew who had just stretched and yawned.

Abel's eyes were open, and the child was looking up at Micah's face, seemingly deciding whether or not he was happy with his current accommodations. The baby stiffened and cooed, settling down in Micah's arms, content to watch the world for a little while.

"Micah, I don't know how much you've been hearing, but things are starting to fall behind. Actually, they're not just starting. They're already behind."

"I have heard enough to know that. But I don't see any way to avoid it, Shy. Mr. Cartwright said Adam's already hired everyone who wants to work."

"That's true, but I have an idea that would give him nine more men." She sat forward on her chair. "I know Pa didn't want to let the herds run together for legal reasons, but I think the problems we're having right now might just warrant a little risk, at least risk as far as he's concerned."

Recognizing the determined light in Shiloh's eyes, he knew she'd worked through this in her mind every way possible, and had already come to the conclusion that it was worth doing, and, if left up to her, would be done. But this wasn't her decision. She was looking for an ally. He stifled a smile. "Go on. I'm listening."

"If we combine the north and south Ponderosa herds with the north and south herds from the Flying W, Hank says that will free up eight more men. And I can add Johnny to that, so that will give Adam nine more men."

Micah bit his lip, remembering everything that had been discussed the last few days. "Nine more men could make the difference in making the deadlines on those timber contracts. We'd need another team of horses."

"They already have all the Clydesdales, but I could give them Buster and Blue. They might not be as fast as the Clydesdales, but they're big enough to pull logs. We don't have another set of harnesses, but I have to go into town today. I can find out if Mr. Baldwin at the livery might have a set of harnesses, and if not, I can order a set from Miller's forge."

Micah looked down at his nephew who was concentrating on untangling his little fingers. Taking a deep breath, he creased his brows, cocked his head first to one side, then to the other as if weighing the good and bad of Shiloh's suggestion. "What do you want me to do?"

"Talk to Pa. Just lay it all out for him, and convince him it needs to be done."

"I'm sure you realize what a sizable task that's going to be, even if he stops to listen to it. The minute I say the words 'combine herds' he's liable to walk away."

She sat on the very edge of her seat, pleading with her eyes. "Then you have to make sure he doesn't walk away."

Laughing, Micah looked up at the ceiling. "I can't exactly run after him."

She wilted, casting her eyes down. "I'm...I'm sorry, Micah. I didn't mean to..."

"Stop," he said, waving his hand. "You didn't. I'll figure out something."

Glancing back up at him, she smiled. "Thank you. I'll get the harnesses as soon as I can."

She stood to take Abel, and while she was wrapping him in his blanket, Micah asked, "What about Adam?"

Taking the child into her arms, and swaying back and forth," she said, "I'll talk to Adam tonight. I don't think he'll have a problem combining the herds. After all, he owns a piece of both of them. I think he'll be glad for the help." She leaned over the bed and kissed his forehead. "I didn't ask how you're feeling. Is there still a lot of pain?"

He shrugged. "It's nothing for you to worry about. You know the road is gonna be long for me. I just take it a day at a time."

"Do you have something to keep you busy, at least?" she asked, brushing his hair behind his ear.

Flipping the hair from behind his ear, he said, "I hate that. I have enough to do, thank you. Mr. Cartwright's letting me do the ledger, and Adam brings over the books from the mine. The rest of the time, I don't generally know my name." He raised a brow, snorted and looked away.

She slowly sat down and found his hand. "What can I do for you?"

"Shy," he whispered, bowing his head. "Can you get me out of here? I mean, outside, out of the house. Can you get me home?"

"When's the last time you saw Dr. Martin?"

"Just a few days ago." He nodded toward his feet. "He says they're still too raw. He doesn't want to take the chance of infection because it could destroy the skin that's..." he let his head drop again. "Left."

"Micah, the best I can do is take you home with me. And that might take some time. There's a room downstairs, but it's not finished."

"It's got four walls, doesn't it?"

She chuckled. "Yes, but that's about it. Besides, it won't necessarily get you outside. We have a porch that's at least five steps high. It's a lot easier to roll out on this one and you can go further." Her offering didn't bring him out of his depression. "Hey, I'll talk to Hop Sing...show him how to prop your legs up so your feet don't touch. Then you can roll around inside and out all you want." She noticed the lines forming on his forehead. "It's time, isn't it? Do you need help?"

"No," he said, smiling. "I can do it. But I want you to go before I take it."

She started to smile, but didn't quite make it, barely avoiding tears begging to escape. "All right. I'll see you in a few days. When I come back, I'll show Hop Sing how to keep your feet up in the chair." Standing and leaning in again, she pressed her cheek to the top of his head, gave him a quick kiss, and left.

The last thing Micah heard before he succumbed to the laudanum was the buggy leaving the yard.

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Adam and his father walked through the front door, removing their guns and hats, and then continuing to the living room. Adam poured both men a drink. "Good thing we went by the main house first. If I had come home and Shiloh and Ming Lin were both gone, I think I might have been just a little disturbed."

Ben noticed the edge in his son's voice. "Now Adam, surely you don't expect her to give you a detailed itinerary whenever she needs to go to town. She's a big girl."

Adam had just gotten his glass to his lips and hesitated. "She is. But she has a small baby with her. She should have let me know." He finished his sip of whiskey and drew in a slow breath to cool the burn. "And it's almost dark, and she's not back." He seated himself heavily on the sofa.

"Well, we know what she's up to. From what Micah said, she's already making arrangements for another set of harnesses," said Ben.

"You have to admit, Pa, it's a good idea."

"No, I don't," answered Ben, crossing his legs. "I'll not risk the Flying W by getting it tangled up with the Ponderosa.

Just then, Shiloh and Ming Lin came through the front door. Shiloh froze when she heard voices in the living room.

Ming Lin took the package she carried, and excuse himself at the same time Adam appeared next to her.

"Thank you, Ming Lin," she said, and then turned to her husband, who took the baby from her.

"Pa's here," he said, walking back into the living area and laying Abel down in the cradle there.

She followed, clasping her hands in front of her when she entered the sitting area. "Hello, Pa. I didn't expect you. Have you had dinner?"

"No, but Hop Sing is expecting me back." He stood. "I just wanted to tell you that Micah spoke to both of us...and the answer is no."

She had done a lot of thinking while riding as a passenger in the buggy Ming Lin was driving to and from Virginia City. Knowing what the answer was going to be, she had come up with her own argument.

"Fine. Since you feel that way, then I'm afraid we need to move all the timber camps cutting wood for the Crocker contracts to Flying W land. You see, I won the Crocker contracts for the Flying W before I married into the Cartwright family. And since you don't want to mix business between the two ranches, it's only right that those camps be moved, and we deal with the problems they're causing. That way, the Ponderosa won't be involved when the contracted dates are missed."

Adam scratched his head and then rubbed his temples. "Shiloh..."

Ben held his hand up calmly and gave Adam a glance that stopped him. "Let's...let's hear what she has to say. She's obviously given this some thought."

She had been standing there very stoically, but softened as she walked to her father-in-law, taking his hands and looking up into his eyes. "Pa, I thought you considered Micah and me part of the family."

He smiled. "I do."

"Micah and I are willing to take the risk, and the risk is ours to take. It's a good risk. If something comes along and we lose everything, we lose everything together. We start over together as a family should."

Ben's brow creased as he thought. She was right. The Ponderosa was always at risk. And though it was his intention to leave the ranch to his sons, he was willing, at times, to put it all at risk when the risk was worth taking. He did considered Micah and Shiloh part of his family, another son and daughter. "Nine men?"

She smiled. "Nine men."

"Team?"

Chuckling, Shiloh tiptoed and kissed Ben's cheek. "Buster and Blue. And Mr. Baldwin is delivering a set of harnesses tomorrow."

Ben squeezed her hands and kissed her forehead. "Good night. Adam, will I see you tomorrow?" he asked as he headed for the door, taking his hat and gun belt off the entry table.

"Sounds like I'm delivering a team and some extra men to the timber camp tomorrow. So probably not." He stepped up to Shiloh, moving a hand to her shoulder, and as soon as the door closed behind his father, he spun her around. "Don't do that again."

"What?"

Adam pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why didn't you tell me what you were going to do? And why didn't you tell me you were going to town?"

She cut her eyes up and away and took a deep breath before she answered. "Because you weren't here when I decided to do it." She took a step back away from him. "In fact, you're rarely here when I'm awake. I was just trying to help," she finished, backing away toward Abel and lifting him out of the cradle. "I'll go see about dinner."

"Shiloh," Adam said, stepping in front of her as she retreated. "Shiloh." Moving his hand across her shoulder to the side of her neck, he said, "You didn't go to town for harnesses."

"No, I didn't even think about the harnesses until after I spoke to Micah. I went..." she glanced up at him. "...to see Paul."

He pulled her into him. "And what did Paul say?"

"He said I'm fine. That I should still take some time to test what I can do. Go slow."

"Test?"

"You know. Like maybe sitting on a horse to see how it feels and get used to that before I go for a ride."

"Uh huh."

She stepped closer, holding Abel to one side. "He said I'm fine," she whispered.

"You see, that's something I would have liked to hear for myself."

She gave him an angry scowl. "You think I'm lying?"

"No. Not exactly."

Huffing, she pushed away. "Not exactly?"

"I just think that...sometimes...you leave out important details...when it suits your purpose."

"I haven't lied to you. But since you think I have, whether by an outright lie or a lie of omission, why don't we just drop it until you find the time to ride into town to talk to Dr. Martin for yourself." She turned and started to walk away, but stopped and looked back over her shoulder. "I'll say good night now. I'll arrange for your dinner before I go upstairs for the evening."

Adam stood with his hands on his hips, the muscles of his jaw flexing as he watched her go. But he let her go without saying anything else. Once she was out of sight, he turned back to the living area and poured himself another whiskey, drinking it slowly while staring into the embers glowing in the fireplace.

Shaking his head, he asked himself what he had expected after telling her he didn't trust her to tell him the truth when it came to her health. He could have said that a little better. It probably wouldn't have mattered anyway. With any question he'd posed, any comment he'd made, it would have turned sour. They were both on edge, Shiloh because of her confinement and her inability to get back to work. She was never very good at having time on her hands to do nothing. And he was more on edge than ever after the morning's conversation with his father about the Crocker contracts, after his father questioned his judgment. Maybe after the work was caught up and running smoothly...maybe it was time to start thinking about making a change. He wasn't about to tell anyone his true feelings about his work with Slater, nor was he going to tell anyone that he was beginning to feel that work was more important. He'd worked it all out over and over in his head. Joe, Hoss an Pa could handle the Ponderosa. Micah could run the Flying W with Hank as foreman, even from a wheelchair. Shiloh could still have her horse business and her music in San Francisco. And that would put him where he wanted to be, doing what he wanted to do.

He bent and began to rebuild the fire that would keep the house warm during the chilly night. He couldn't tell anyone. He couldn't even begin to think about leaving until things were right at both ranches. And getting them there could cause clashes and conflicts all the way around if he wasn't careful.

As he was thinking while staring at the new flames lapping at the logs, Shiloh had come back out of the kitchen and quietly ascended the stairs with Abel. She turned around once at the top and thought to say good night one more time, but decided against it. He'd insinuated she had lied. She didn't feel very charitable at the moment.