Chapter Twelve

Adam and Hoss left for town a little later than they would have liked. Adam had stayed up until the early morning hours working on the timber bid and moved rather slowly this morning. He sat back in the seat of the buckboard and dozed as much as he could through the bumps and jars of the road while Hoss drove.

Hoss stopped the buckboard in front of Mr. Cass's store, and while he went inside and placed their order, Adam walked to the post office for the mail. By the time Hoss came back to the buckboard, Adam was leaning against it, reading a telegram intently.

"Whacha reading there?" asked Hoss, walking up beside him.

Without looking up, Adam answered, "It's a telegram from Edwin Booth."

"You get telegrams from him all the time. They don't generally hold your interest like that one."

"Yeah, well, this one is a little disturbing. Did you see Shiloh come into town?"

"No. She was already here. I saw her comin' out of the tax assessor's office a few minutes ago. Then she met a feller gettin' off the noon stage."

"Which way'd they go?" asked Adam, stuffing the telegram in his back pocket.

"They headed over toward the International House. Hey, you ain't gonna follow her, are ya?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I am," answered Adam, walking away with an uneasy look on his face.

"Will, how long are you staying in Virginia City?" Shiloh asked while they were being shown to a table in the hotel restaurant.

"I'll be on the noon stage tomorrow for San Francisco."

"I see."

After the waiter brought drinks and took their orders, Will lifted Shiloh's hand to his lips. "Isabella, I know you've only been home for a few weeks, but I've missed you terribly."

She smiled warily, taking her hand from him. "Please, don't call me Isabella here. These people only know me as Shiloh." She took a drink. "You need to get past this, Will. I'm not going back to Boston."

He took her hand again. "I had to see you. I have to try to convince you that Boston won't be as bad as you think." Her smile was gone. "Isabella, we can make this work. Anything you need, anything you want, you'll have." Shiloh tried to take her hand away, but he held it firmly.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Adam enter the restaurant, coming toward their table. She looked up at him expectantly, and just as she opened her mouth to speak, Adam held his hand out to Will.

"Will? Will Stewart."

Will released her hand and stood. "Adam Cartwright, how are you? I knew you were near Virginia City, but I never expected you'd be here while I was passing through."

Shiloh bowed her head, lightly rubbing her temple.

"Won't you join us?" asked Will.

"Sure, if the lady doesn't mind," he said, smiling at Shiloh.

She returned a sardonic smile and nodded. "I had no idea you two knew each other."

"Will and I were classmates at college," answered Adam.

"And how do both of you know each other?" asked Will.

Adam answered, "Funny thing. I've known Shiloh since she was two. How do you know her, Will?"

"I spent most of the last year trying to convince her to be my wife." Shiloh paled.

"Your wife?" Adam turned to Shiloh, noticing her discomfort. "And you never told me?"

She managed a sickly smile. How could he have found out? Edwin. It had to be Edwin.

"So tell me, Adam," Will began. "Is that ranch of yours…what was it, the Ponderosa...still taking up all your time?"

"It's a big ranch, so yes, I stay busy."

"I'd enjoy seeing it, but I'll be on the noon stage tomorrow."

"You've still got time to see it. Why don't both of you come to the house for dinner tonight?" Shiloh sat with her elbow propped on the table, her chin in her hand, staring icily at Adam as he spoke. "My brother and I are here to pick up supplies, but I'm sure by the time you've finished your lunch, we'll be ready to go. We can take some time to go by the lake and show you some of the Ponderosa before we get to the house. Will, you can stay the night."

"That's marvelous, Adam. I think I'd enjoy that. I'll arrange for the hotel to keep my bags."

Adam rose, extending his hand to Will. "It's settled then. When you're finished here, meet me at Cass's store." He turned back to Shiloh, smiling knowingly at her irritation. "Shiloh knows where it is." He tipped his hat to her. "Shiloh."

She sat stewing. Great. Just great. Now, he's going to be even nosier.

"Well, fancy that. So do you know Adam well?" asked Will.

"Hm? Oh, yes, I guess you could say that." She paused while their lunch was delivered. "I've known all the Cartwrights most of my life."

"But Adam in particular?"

"He arranged for my college education. He knew my father well. His father and my father were close friends, and he was my brother's…friend," she said, choking the last word out.

"I'm going to be in San Francisco for quite some time. I wish you could arrange a visit," said Will.

"I'll have to wait and see. My ranch keeps me busy. We still have to prepare for winter, and as for travel, winter travel is not very easy in the Sierra."

"But it is done, isn't it?"

She hesitated, but only for a moment. "Yes, it is done though it usually takes longer."

"I believe Edwin has been planning a trip out with his repertoire company. He mentioned stopping in Virginia City to see you. Perhaps you could come to San Francisco with him."

Her interest piqued, she answered simply, "Perhaps."