CHAPTER EIGHT

Philadelphia and Ponderosa Ranch
April – December 1861

Despite their busy final exams schedule, Josie and her classmates kept a wary eye on the situation in Maryland. Josie, especially, was terrified the state would secede, so she was relieved when on April 29 the state's legislature voted against leaving the Union. Meanwhile, the troops who had been delayed in Baltimore finally reached Washington, alleviating fears that rebels would overrun the capital.

Josie received a second telegram from Adam when he reached Panama City at the end of April. Then during the first week in May, just as the graduating medical students finished their last exams, they got word that Arkansas had seceded and Union General Winfield Scott was fortifying the high ground around Washington, DC. Michaela's fiancé was sent with the troops who went to Arlington Heights, just outside Washington. Now that the medical students were finished with their exams, they had ten free days before graduation in which to watch and worry. Josie was eager to beat west and get away from the collective anxiety.

The morning of May 15 felt like it would never end. Adam's ship was due in port that afternoon—he was able to sail directly to Philadelphia this time rather than disembarking in New York City—and the first half of the day crawled so slowly that Josie checked all the clocks in the dormitory to make sure they were still ticking. When lunchtime finally arrived, she was too excited to eat much, despite Michaela's cajoling. After lunch, Josie, Michaela, and Katherine headed for the wharf. Josie's parents and her aunt were unable to get a train from Boston until tomorrow, so Josie's friends were more than happy to accompany her to meet this cousin they had heard so much about.

An eternity later, a ship steamed into the harbor. By the time it docked and the gangway lowered, all three young ladies were bouncing with excitement. Adam spotted them from the main deck where he was standing next to a lawyer, Lucas Powell, whom he had met on the journey and with whom he had shared many long conversations about the legal ramifications of the Southern states' secessions.

"There she is!" Adam said to Powell as he pointed out the bobbing gaggle of young ladies. Along the way, he'd told Powell why he was traveling east and about the younger cousin he was taking home with him.

Powell squinted at the collection of young women waiting for Adam. "A blonde, a brunette, and a redhead! Not bad, Cartwright."

Adam chuckled. "Only the brunette is mine. I don't know who the blonde and the redhead are, but I think I might like to find out."

Powell chortled and slapped Adam on the back. "Best of luck to you!"

"You, too." The men shook hands, and then Adam took off toward the gangway.

Josie shrieked when she spotted him. She sprinted toward the ship, leaving her friends behind. Adam caught her as he hopped off the end of the gangway onto the dock. He snagged her around the waist and swung her in a circle before pulling her into a tight hug. Josie wrapped her arms around his neck and burst into tears.

By then, Michaela and Katherine had caught up to Josie, and they caught their breath as they watched the cousins' reunion, Josie clinging to Adam as if he were the only thing keeping her alive.

"My goodness, they could be brother and sister!" Michaela whispered to Katherine, who agreed.

Josie and Adam broke apart, and Josie turned to her friends. "Michaela, Katherine, this is my cousin, Adam Cartwright. Adam, these are my friends, Michaela Quinn and Katherine Addison." She gestured to each young woman as she introduced them. Michaela and Katherine suddenly realized what a very handsome man they were meeting and smiled goofily as they smoothed their dresses and hair.

Adam tipped his black hat to them. "Ladies," he said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Michaela said. "Josie's told us so much about you and your brothers."

Adam sighed. "Oh dear. And here I was hoping to make a good impression." He flashed a smile.

Katherine and Michaela giggled.

Josie rolled her eyes. "Let's get you off this dock and over to your hotel. I expect you would like to wash up before supper."

Adam arranged with the porter to have his trunk delivered to his hotel, and offering Josie his arm, he led the quartet off the dock.

Over supper that night at Josie's favorite restaurant, he filled her in on the details of his trip. It had been uneventful, though the journey from Cristobal to Philadelphia had taken two days longer than usual because the ship's captain had to cut a wide path around the southern ports, particularly near Fort Sumter. Most of their conversation, however, focused on their upcoming westward journey.

"I thought you might like to travel up to Boston for a week or so to visit some of your college friends before we head home," Josie said as they finished their main courses.

Adam smiled at Josie's reference to the Ponderosa as "home," but he sighed and leaned back in his chair. "That was my original plan, but with the blockades going up at the southern ports, I think we better depart sooner rather than later."

Almost as soon as the war had broken out, General Scott ordered a blockade of all southern saltwater ports and intended to stop all commerce on the Mississippi River in the hopes of choking the life out of the Confederacy. It was a bit slow in setting up, but Adam wanted to be well clear of the South by the time the blockade was complete in case the Navy made it difficult for passenger ships to get through.

"Are you sure?" Josie asked. "Aunt Rachel will be so disappointed!" She gave him a wry smile.

Adam chuckled. "She'll just have to get her fill of me over the next three days. How did she take the news of you coming back to the Ponderosa with me, by the way?"

Josie hesitated. "W-e-ll… we may not have mentioned it to her yet."

Adam cocked an eyebrow as a smile spread across his face. "What have you told her, then? Isn't she expecting you in Boston after graduation?"

"We haven't told her anything. I expect she assumes I am coming to Boston, but we never said I was. Mama thought it might be better to wait as long as possible to tell her, so she has less opportunity to make a fuss."

Adam laughed out loud. "Your mother is a smart woman," he said as their coffee and dessert arrived.

The cousins dug into their chocolate gateau with enthusiasm. As they ate, they agreed that since there was a ship departing Philadelphia for Cristobal on May 20, the Monday after Josie's graduation, there was no sense in waiting to depart. Josie beamed.

"We will be home in time for Little Joe's birthday!" she declared.

"He'll be thrilled to have you there. He's missed you. We all have. Even Hop Sing was excited to hear you were coming."

Josie smiled at the mention of the cook. True to her promise, she had never uttered a word to anyone—not even to Adam—about Hop Sing's ability to speak perfect English.

"He's probably hoping I can help keep you all in line," she said.

"He's going to be disappointed."

Josie shot Adam a wicked grin, which he returned. He pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. "I better get you back to your dormitory. We wouldn't want you breaking curfew three days before you're set free."

Josie pulled a face. "That curfew is ridiculous. The men at the Pennsylvania Medical School don't have one."

"I bet you get a lot more studying done."

Josie grinned, and Adam beckoned for the bill. Once it was settled, he escorted Josie from the restaurant and walked her the few blocks back to her dormitory. Josie wished she could invite him up to see her room and meet more of her friends, but the house mothers had a strict ban on men in the dormitory. Only the students' fathers were allowed inside. She bid him goodnight on the porch with a handshake rather than a hug. He looked at her inquisitively.

"In case one of the dormitory mothers is watching, which they most likely are," she explained, tipping her head toward the window that took up most of the upper half of the front door. "Too many of the girls have used the 'he's my cousin' story for them to believe it even when it's true. I would rather get to bed without a lecture about minding my proximity."

Adam threw back his head and laughed. "The life of the American woman is far more complicated than most men realize."

"You have no idea. Goodnight, Adam."

"Goodnight."

Josie spotted the mischievous twinkle in his eye a second too late. Adam wrapped an arm around her back, dipped her deeply, and planted a big, sloppy kiss on her cheek. When he straightened again, he looked directly into the window and winked before leaping down the front steps, out of range of Josie's wrath. He hit the sidewalk laughing wickedly.

"Thanks a lot!" Josie shouted as she wiped her cheek in rage.

"Goodnight, my darling!" he called in a mocking falsetto as the front door swung open and one of the dormitory mothers leapt out.

"Josephine Cartwright!" she screeched. "Just because you are graduating in three days does not mean you can go around throwing yourself at every scoundrel who tips his hat to you on the street!"

Adam missed the rest of the tirade as he scooted down the sidewalk. He laughed all the way to his hotel several blocks away.