Chapter Thirty-Six

Shiloh's first full day at home in bed turned out to be the worst day in her entire life, or so she thought. There was just no way to sit without putting pressure on her back. Even lying on her stomach offered her little relief.

Etta and Adam kept Abel out of the bedroom during the day. The first day, Adam prepared Abel's play blanket, placing his toys around him as Etta looked on with a smug smile. He turned away for just a moment, and when he looked back Abel was gone. His stomach lurched for a moment before heard a buzzing sound coming from behind the settee.

When Abel saw his father peering around the sofa on the far side from him, he squealed, rolled back on his bottom, and headed in the opposite direction, buzzing as he crawled away at a furious pace.

"Oh no you don't," said Adam as he quickly followed and scooped the little boy up. "Mama could have warned me you can travel now," he said as he lifted the boy up above his head and wiggled him.

The baby laughed again, that unmistakable laugh of a small child which delighted Adam and Ben, who was drawn out of the kitchen by the sounds.

"Adam, you'll have to keep a close eye on him. He's an explorer," said Ben with a wide grin. "The good thing is he sounds like a bee whenever he's on the move. It's easy to find him."

Bringing the baby down into his arms, Adam said, "So this is what Shiloh wasn't telling me."

"I suppose she wanted it to be a surprise." Looking around the floor, Ben added, "We'll have to be mindful of what's on the floor. He tends to taste everything he can get his hands on."

xxxxxxxx

The day finally arrived when Shiloh wanted to venture down the stairs to take her meals at the dining table.

Adam doted, and Shiloh allowed him to, though she was inwardly feeling too coddled. She insisted that her first trip down the stairs be done by herself, and she gave him a stern look when he reached out to take her arm, earning a look from Adam that was somewhere between perturbed and hurt. She continued down slowly, methodically taking one step at a time in an attempt to avoid jarring her shoulder. Letting out a long sigh when she reached the table, she eased into her chair, closed her eyes and finally let her body relax. From there, each day became easier until she was ready to use her arm if Annie would allow it. In reality, it had only been a week since Shiloh had been shot.

"I think you should give it more time," said Annie. The wound hasn't completely healed yet."

Shiloh sighed, "Why would I need more time than the men? They're usually up and around in a day or two."

Sitting at his father's desk, working on a drawing, Adam listened to the ladies' conversation in the sitting area. "We don't generally get shot in the back. Hoss was down for three weeks when he was shot in the back."

"When was that?" asked Annie.

"Before Shiloh came home from school," said Adam. "And Shiloh, you are with child. You should take the extra time to recover." Looking down at the drawing, Adam decided he'd reached a good place to stop, rose from the desk and entered the sitting area, seating himself on the hearth. "I spoke to Roy yesterday. The trial will start in two days. You'll have to be there for most of it, so I thought we'd get a room in town so you don't have to travel back and forth."

Shiloh shifted and winced. Looking away, trying to hide the pain showing on her face, she blew out of her mouth. When she looked back, both Adam and Annie were glaring at her. "I didn't say it doesn't hurt. I'm just saying it probably doesn't hurt any more than any of your wounds."

"Little gal, you don't know what you're talkin' about," said Hoss, coming into the sitting area from the kitchen. "I've been shot all over, includin' in the back, and the back hurt a whole lot more than the rest of 'em. You just give yourself extra time. If you don't, it's gonna take a lot longer for you to get to where you can do all the things you wanna do." Sitting down on the low table in front of Shiloh, Hoss smiled at her. "I spoke to Pa about helpin' you with Haggin's horses. You already started some of 'em. I'll help you finish 'em."

"Who's going to help Joe with the chores, the herd, the horse breaking and the logging camps?" asked Shiloh. "And the cattle drives."

"We'll all still do our share," said Adam. "But Pa hired a foreman. He'll be here this week, and once he gets familiar with the way we do business, we'll all be able to take a little time off."

Shiloh felt better each passing day, and in two days, Adam drove her into town early so they could get settled in their hotel room and give Shiloh time to rest before the trial started the afternoon.

Adam had been right. The trip to town had been tiring for her. Knowing they had several hours before they were to be in the courtroom, Adam helped her out of her dress and tucked her into bed in her drawers and camisole with little argument as she was asleep almost from the moment her head touched the pillow.

Etta also put Abel down for a nap. She and Adam knew the trip had been quite exciting for the baby as he had much to say, very little of it comprehensible and involving a great deal of pointing and squealing. His mother had not been able to enjoy much of her son's discoveries. She had been concentrating on getting through the trip without throwing up.

Settling himself at the desk in the sitting room of their suite, Adam had just begun to concentrate on the drawing he'd been working on for the last few days when there was a knock on the door. He raised his eyes toward the sound and glowered at the door, resenting the interruption so soon after they had arrived.

Pulling the door open, his scowl slowly changed to a slight grin. "Sam," he said, extending his hand. "Come in." Stepping aside for Sam Clemens to enter, Adam moved a finger to his lips and added quietly, "Shiloh's resting. The ride here was hard on her."

"She's still not well?" asked Sam.

"She's doing well for being shot in the back, but she tires easily. My sister-in-law who's also a doctor says that's to be expected."

"I remember Miss Walters who was going to be a doctor. She's…ah…now your sister-in-law? There has to be story there. I'm surprised DeQuille hasn't written one," replied Sam as Adam invited him to sit down.

"It's not as if he hasn't tried." Adam wrinkled his nose. "You know DeQuille. He tends to write first and ask permission…or forgiveness…later. He's been warned to stay out of our business."

Rubbing his jaw, Sam slightly nodded. "I know how that feels." They laughed together. "But I suppose it was deserved considering the damage to…ah…let's see…a field of hay ruined by a stampeding herd of cows, and something, if I remember correctly, about a duck pond."

Adam's laugh woke up Abel who immediately sang out his displeasure which, in turn, had Shiloh up. Just as she reached for the door, she heard two male voices and went back for her robe before she crossed the sitting room on her way to rescuing her son without taking notice of who their guest was. "Really, Adam. There are times when you need to think about how loud you can be."

Raising an eyebrow toward Sam, Adam quickly stood and strode to catch her. "Shiloh, Etta will take care of Abel. You need to rest."

She sighed. "I'm awake now. And as his mother, I should be the one soothing him." Just as she tried to continue on her way, Adam stepped in front of her.

"Sweetheart, Sam has stopped by to see how you're doing."

Her eyes shot up to Adam's. "Sam?" Turning around just a little too fast, she leaned into Adam's waiting arms. She squeezed her eyes closed at the sudden dizziness, and when she opened them again, she smiled. "Sam, it's good to see you." Then she looked sideways at him. "What are you doing here?"

He'd already stood about the same time Adam hurried to stop her. "The trial. I'm covering it for the Alta California."

Her smiled changed to a snarl. "Sam, I consider you a friend. But why is it that you newspapermen have to cover stories where you're not welcome." She grimaced. "Not that you are not welcome, but your newspaper isn't."

Sam glanced over at Adam who's eyes as widened at the same time he pressed his lips into a tight line. "You know, my dear Shiloh, this isn't your trial. It's Adelaide Larue's."

She slumped. "You know what I mean, Sam."

Nodding, he said, "That I do. But Slater is from San Francisco, and he has a prominent brother who is continuing their formerly prominent father's business along with a very respected Virginia City man who designed the San Francisco courthouse, and who just happens to be your husband. And you, Miss Isabella, are well-respected in San Francisco as well. The people of San Francisco feel they have a right to know, and I'd have to agree with them. I'm sure the Enterprise will ask to publish a copy of the article as well."

Holding her pinned-down arm with her other hand, she looked away and sighed heavily.

"Now, Shiloh. Have I ever been unfair to you on paper?"

She glanced up at him from her bowed head and twisted her lips into crooked pucker. "No."

Sam took those few steps that separated them and took her hand. "And I won't be unfair to you now." Releasing her hand, he said, "I should be on my way. I just wanted to say hello before the trial starts. I'm sure you'll have men guarding the victim," he said to Adam.

With both men heading for the door, Adam moved his hand to Sam's back. "Of course. And when court is adjourned for the day, she'll be whisked right back here."

xxxxxxxx

When it was time to go, Ben, Hoss and Joe waited outside the hotel room for Adam and Shiloh to emerge. Shiloh had been spending some time with Abel while she waited for her escorts. She had no idea Adam had arranged for some of Mark's men to keep any crowds away from her, while Mark and the rest of his men assisted Marshal Asher and Sheriff Coffee in keeping the crowds away from Slater, Larue and Slater's men on the way to Maguire's Opera House where the trial would be held in order to accommodate the growing crowd. The trial had attracted a throng of reporters from as far away as Salt Lake City as well as those who were just curious. Virginia City's hotels were full.

Leaving through the back of the hotel, the Cartwright men surrounded Shiloh and Adam who held his wife tightly to his side as they walked across B Street to Maguire's. Once inside the door, the men relaxed a bit, more loosely surrounding Shiloh as they moved up to the front row of chairs where she would be sitting, along with Adam, Roy and Asher. Adam kept Shiloh at his side. When they sat down, Adam was to her right, Ben to her left, and Hoss and Joe sitting behind her. Between them sat Annie. Mrs. Murdock and her husband and Mrs. Gables sat on the second row, Mrs. Murdock and Mrs. Gables having been a witness to the spreading of the rumors. Next was Dr. Martin, who removed the bullet from Shiloh's back.

On the other side of the aisle sat Daniel Slater and Adelaide Larue in the first row, and Slater's three men in the second row. On each end of both rows stood deputized Marshals with rifles. The men who had been detained from the raid on the Ponderosa were in a separate area to the right of the judge's bench, all handcuffed and chained to each other and guarded by two men.

Motions and opening statements took several hours. By the time these were done, Shiloh's head lay on Adam's shoulder. Dr. Martin got the attention of the judge, then nodded toward Shiloh. Banging the gavel down, the judge declared a fifteen minute recess would be taken.

"Adam, follow me with Shiloh," said Dr. Martin. "I've set up a room in back."

Helping Shiloh to her feet and moving his arm around her waist, Adam and Shiloh followed Dr. Martin to a room used as a dressing room under normal circumstances.

When they entered, Shiloh immediately went to the wash bowl and vomited. She took the wet cloth Adam offered and wiped her chin, then went to a cot in the room and sat down. "I don't know if I can hold it again," she said, her skin ashen.

Paul felt her forehead. "A little warm, but it's not unusual for your condition. Did Annie bandage your shoulder this morning?"

"She said it looked fine. And it feels better," Shiloh replied, accepting a glass of water from Adam with a smile.

Answering a light tap on the door, Adam said, "They're ready to start. Sweetheart?"

She blew her cheeks out before she took another sip of water, then held her hand up to Adam who took it and gently pulled her to her feet. "Adam, do you know how long this is going to take?"

Smiling, he kissed the top of her head. "No. Generally, it takes as long as it takes. Based on what Roy and Asher got from Miss Larue, you might not have to testify. Slater and Larue waived a jury, but I'm sure the judge will want to hear everything from the beginning. It could very well be a long trial."