The stagecoach was filled to capacity, and unfortunately, at least as far as Scott was concerned, one of the other passengers happened
to be a woman who talked. And talked. And talked some more.
Johnny, who appeared unaffected by the non-stop chatter, leaned back and took a nap. Since one of the men traveling rebuffed any attempts
to pull him into conversation, that left the second woman and Scott to contend with the talker.
It wouldn't be so bad, Scott thought to himself, if the woman was attempting conversation about something of value. But, to him, it seemed
like meaningless, nonsense words. However, because he'd been raised to be a gentleman, he answered her questions with politeness, trying not to
show his irritation. He wanted to be left alone, in quiet, for the remainder of the ride. Sleeping, or attempting to sleep, on the hotel floor the
night before, had resulted in a backache and a feeling of fatigue.
Eventually, the second woman seemed to tire, also, and turned her attention to reading a book that she took from her valise.
Before he even quite realized what was happening, Charlie was engaged in conversation with the chatty woman. Scott sat back a little,
watching, and listening. Charlie was respectful, and articulate in her answers to the woman. Scott closed his eyes, thinking that he could rest now
without appearing to be rude, though he was still keeping a casual ear to the conversation between the woman and Charlie.
When the conversation turned to more personal things, and the female passenger asked Charlie her name, she
said politely, "Charlotte."
"That's a beautiful name."
Instead of her usual laments about her name, Charlie said only, "Thank you."
When one of the next few questions was about Scott, as in, "And you're traveling with? Is this your brother?"
Just the slightest hesitation on Charlie's part. Scott had to admit that he was curious about what she might say.
"No. He's not my brother," Charlie said, slowly.
"Oh, my. Your father, then? My goodness, he's young to be your father."
A longer hesitation from Charlie this time. Scott, feeling as though he should break the pretense that he was napping, and
come to Charlie's rescue somewhat, heard Charlie say, "Yes. He's pretty young."
And she didn't correct the mistaken assumption about him being her father. Something inside of him tugged, emotion-laden.
Thinking now how awkward it would be if he were to suddenly let his eyes pop open, he kept them closed.
"And your mother? She's waiting for you at home?" the woman questioned on.
"My mother died," Charlotte said, in truth.
"Oh, poor little one," the woman said, clucking her tongue in sympathy.
Somehow, even with his eyes closed, Scott knew with certainty that Charlie was looking up at him. Most likely, to see if he
was truly napping, or possibly listening to this conversation.
"And you're traveling to your home?"
"To the ranch," Charlie stated. And at this, Charlie launched into a vivid expression of Lancer, and how beautiful that it was, rolling green hills, and
the cattle, with their large gentle eyes. And the smell of the hay in the barn, and how the barn loft was the best place to play
with kittens. And about Murdoch, and how learned of a man that he was, and kind. She talked as if her words were
something like a poem in a book.
"It sounds as though you have a wonderful home," the woman said.
After a pause, Charlie said, "The ranch is the most wonderful place on earth."
"He seems like he's a fine man," the woman said, and Scott assumed she was referring to himself.
"He's the finest man that I know," Charlie said, fervently, and Scott felt another one of those heart-wrenching moments.
The stage was rounding a curve, and jerking more than a bit. Scott sat up, straighter, opening his eyes, and immediately he
sensed the change in Charlie. She looked up at him, her face guilty.
"Our journey's nearly over," the woman said, with a smile at Scott.
"Yes, ma'm."
"I've been having a lovely talk with your young lady here," she went on.
Scott had no intention of disclosing that he'd heard the majority of the conversation. At least, not at that moment. He wouldn't embarrass
Charlie that way.
"Good," he said, in response.
When the stage pulled up, and came to a jerking halt, the passengers began to disembark. Scott had to give Johnny a nudge to wake
him.
When he'd stepped down, Scott reached up to lift Charlie to the ground. She stood beside him, as he helped the other two women
down, as well.
The driver tossed their bags down, and the woman straightened her dress, and smiled warmly at both Scott and Charlie.
"You helped the time pass much more pleasantly," she said to Charlie, shaking her hand. "I enjoyed your company today."
"Thank you," Charlie said, quietly.
The woman held her hand out to Scott as well. "You have a lovely little girl," she complimented.
Scott didn't miss the way that Charlie's eyes went to him immediately, looking anxious. She was watching him, obviously concerned about what
he was going to say.
Scott extended his own hand to the woman, shaking it. "She's very special," he said simply, genuinely, not correcting any
misconception about Charlie being his daughter. He was rewarded by Charlie's full smile, dimples and all.
When the woman had gone, walking on down the sidewalk towards the rooming house, Scott picked up his own bag.
"There's Murdoch," Johnny said, with a gesture across the street, reaching for his own bag.
"Oh," Charlie said, and promptly ran across the street, and in her eagerness to see Murdoch, leaving her own bag sitting there on the ground beside the stage.
Both brothers were walking across and in time to see Charlie run to Murdoch, calling to him gladly. Seeing, also, their father
turn to catch the little girl in his arms.
"Think he missed the kid," Johnny observed.
"Looks like it," Scott agreed.
Once headed home, back to Lancer, Charlie sat on the wagon seat, between Scott and Murdoch, while Johnny settled against
the feed sacks in the back.
The conversation was mostly about what had transpired at the ranch the last two days, and with Murdoch sharing the fact
that Teresa had had a young man from town as her dinner guest the evening before.
"Who is it?" Johnny asked.
"Cole Irvin," Murdoch said.
"Humph," Johnny said in response. "I don't know him."
"He's a fine young man," Murdoch said.
"Where did she meet him?" Scott asked.
"At a party that Lucinda and her parents held earlier in the month."
"Why'd she wait until Scott and I were gone to have him to supper?" Johnny demanded. "Like as if she knows we wouldn't take to
him."
"You'll have to talk to her about that," Murdoch said mildly.
"Oh, I will, believe me," Johnny said.
"Don't give her too difficult of a time about it," Murdoch cautioned. "I think she really cares for this young man."
"Well, we'll see," Johnny said, sounding ominous, and Scott had to smile a little, meeting his father's eyes.
"You look tired, son," Murdoch observed.
"I'll be alright after a good night's sleep," Scott told him.
"Scott had to sleep on the floor last night," Charlie shared.
"Well, we'll have to see that he gets to bed early tonight then, won't we?" Murdoch said, smiling at her.
Charlie nodded, smiling in return.
"How have you been doing on your studies?" Murdoch asked Charlie. "Keeping up with them?"
Charlie looked a little embarrassed, but she met Murdoch's gaze.
"I've been reading the books you let me borrow," she said.
"That's good."
"I like the one, 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer', I like that one the best," Charlie went on.
"After supper this evening, you may read to me for awhile," Murdoch told her.
"Yes," Charlie said, looking happy. "I'd like to do that."
"What about your mathematics?" Murdoch went on. "Did you study that?"
"Not so much," Charlie said, vaguely. Then she looked at Murdoch, and said, more clearly, "No. Sir. I didn't."
She went on, "It's just hard to get excited about all those numbers."
"Well, we'll work on it a bit each day," Murdoch told her.
"Alright," Charlie said, not sounding thrilled.
"You've been staying busy, though?" Murdoch asked her then. "Finding things to occupy yourself?"
Charlie's cheeks flamed. She knew with both Scott and Johnny listening, that she had no choice but to tell the
truth of it.
She looked at her fingers, and said something that was in a mumble.
"What?" Murdoch asked.
When Charlie was still, Scott gave her knee a tap. "Murdoch asked you a question," he said.
"I said, some of the things I've done weren't the best," Charlie said, clearly, but still looking at her hands.
Murdoch looked at Scott, attuned to the fact that there was far more to the story.
"I see," he said.
"We'll be having a discussion about it," Scott said.
Charlie's eyes swept up to his face, and she looked anxious yet again.
When they reached the house, Jelly came walking from the barn to greet them.
"Decided to find your way back here, did ya?" he said to Charlie, as she jumped from the wagon to the ground.
"Hello, Jelly!" Charlie said, and gave the old man a sudden hug.
"Here now," Jelly said, flustered, but obviously pleased by the greeting, "Don't knock me off my feet."
"Have you been taking good care of the kittens, like you promised that you would?" she asked Jelly.
"I've been doin' as well as I'm able to," Jelly said, gruffly. "A body only has so much time in a day."
"But they're alright? Even the furry one?"
"They're just dandy. Always underfoot," Jelly blustered.
"Can I see my horse now?" Charlie asked, tugging at Johnny's hand.
"I suppose now's as good a time as any," Johnny said lazily.
When the long-awaited horse was brought up, Johnny insisted that Charlie hide her eyes until he appeared.
With fits of excited giggles, Charlie covered her eyes, and then put them down when instructed to do so.
Her eyes widened, and her face lit up with happiness. But, instead of speaking, she was silent, reaching her hand
out for the horse to smell.
"Well?" Johnny asked her.
Charlie only looked at him, seeming overcome with emotion, and then gave him a fierce hug around his waist.
"The kid's speechless," he said, sounding amused. "So, pequeno, do you like him or no?"
"I love him!" Charlie found her voice. "He's the most beautiful horse that I've ever seen!"
Only a few minutes later, the horse had been saddled, and Charlie was mounted, riding him around the large
corral, while the family of doting men sat atop the corral fence, watching her.
"She rides well," Murdoch said, in observation.
"She does," Scott agreed.
"Seems like a lot of horse for such a little gal," Jelly threw in.
"She can handle it," Johnny said, sounding confident.
After a time, Charlie cantered over to where they all sat. "He wants to really run," she said, sounding breathless. "I'd like to give him his
head."
"You're doin' fine," Johnny told her.
"Could we go for a ride, though?" she asked. "A real one?"
"Manana. Today is about the two of you gettin' acquainted, remember?" he said.
Charlie eyed him, and then said, in resignation, "Yes, Johnny."
Eventually the men went about their business. Jelly, back to his chores. Murdoch and Scott inside for a talk, while Johnny gave Charlie
a while longer to ride her new horse. After another hour had passed, he waved Charlie over to the fence.
"Let's get him cooled down, and groomed," Johnny told her.
"Already?" Charlie asked, in disappointment.
"Yeah. Already," he told her with a grin. "It's been near two hours since you got on his back, pequeno."
"Truly?" she asked, looking surprised. "It seems as though it's only been a few minutes."
"I understand that," Johnny said.
After Charlie had walked the horse until he was cooled, Charlie led him into the barn, and Johnny showed her how to brush him down, and
then the correct amount of oats to feed.
"It's your responsibility every day to brush him, make sure he eats, and has plenty of fresh water to drink," Johnny told her.
"I will, I promise," Charlie said. "And his feet, too, right? I need to keep watch on his feet? Like you told me?"
"Yeah. That's right," Johnny said, with a pleased smile at her. "It's good that you remember."
"I want to take the very best care of him, the best that any horse has ever had," Charlie said, with fervent feeling. She pressed her face
against the horse's neck.
"What are you gonna call him?" Johnny asked, as he lifted the saddle up onto the saddle rack.
"I'm not sure," Charlie admitted. "I want it to be the best name for him. The perfect one."
"Well, you can think on it for awhile," Johnny said. "I think the man I bought him from called him Dandy, if you want to keep that."
"Do I have to?" she asked.
"Course not. He's your horse. You can call him whatever you want."
Charlie turned to look up at Johnny. "That's a silly name. I mean, such a special horse should have a name that's-" Charlie hesitated,
thinking. "A name that's dignified. Regal. Do you know what I mean?"
"I do," Johnny said, reaching out to run his hand down her cheek.
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