Well it seems we have some contrasting ideas on who is doing what and that's fine since we all see characters differently. As I have said before, if everybody listened and did what they should, we'd have very few stories and they would be very boring. So thank you for still reading and letting me know your thoughts.

Chapter Three

"I dunno how you do it, buddy!"

"Do what?" Joe loaded the last of the supplies onto the wagon and stood back to see Mitch looking at him.

"Not drool every time you see her."

"Don't be stupid!" Joe glared at his friend. "She's gonna marry my brother."

Mitch shook his head slowly as he considered the idea. "Ma saw the announcement in the Enterprise. She said it was about time Adam got himself hitched."

"Hmmpfh." Joe climbed into the seat of the wagon. He knew the town gossips would have been having a field day to know one of the town's most eligible bachelors was officially off the market.

"So when's the party?"

"What?"

"C'mon, Joe! You tellin' me that Adam gettin' engaged isn't cause for a famous Cartwright party?"

"Yeah, I guess so. But we've got the cattle drive to Sacramento first. Speakin' of which, I gotta go and see how Pa and Hoss are going with recruiting hands."

"My pa said it's real tight trying to get enough men to work anywhere but the mines, what with the boom and all."

"Pa says we're still short about seven or eight men. The good news is that means I definitely get to go this year. Pa can't make me stay home when he needs us all on the drive."

Mitch smirked at him as Joe began to pull out from the boardwalk.

"But who's gonna take care of Adam's girl while he's gone? She'll be fightin' off all them other fellas with a stick!"

"They can take her for all I care," Joe muttered to himself. He tried to push aside the ugly thoughts as he drove the wagon across town to where his father had set up a table and chairs in an effort to recruit hands.

He noted a couple of men talking with his father and brother as he sauntered across the street towards them. One of them was a wanderer who seemed to turn up every couple of years or so, but the other looked a little too clean cut to be a ranch hand. His fine tidy moustache was an unusual style for sure and it made him stand out. Joe noted the gun at his hip and idly wondered how good he was with it.

Hoss nodded towards the old hand as Joe approached.

"Hey, Little Joe, Josh is back again for another season."

"You've grown, kid. One day you might just measure up to ol' Hoss here!" Josh slapped Joe on the shoulder as he pointed up at the top of Hoss' hat.

"Not likely!" Hoss leaned on Joe's shoulder as Joe clipped him in the back of the head. "And this here is Clay. Says he's from New Orleans."

The stranger stuck out a hand towards Joe and smiled at him. "Hoss tells me your mother was from there too. Small world."

"Yeah, it sure is."

"Well, I think we've done all we can do here today. Time to head back to the ranch." Ben was already gathering up his paperwork and stuffing it in his pocket.

"Sure, Pa. Are we gonna have enough extra hands for the drive?"

"I hope so. We've still got a couple of weeks before we need to head out."

Hoss lifted the table and two stools into the back of the wagon as Joe climbed back up into the seat. His father stepped up next to him as he nodded towards the two new hands that had just signed on.

"Either of you need to get anything before we head out?"

Josh shook his head and pointed towards his horse. "My life's right there, Mister Cartwright."

Clay had his horse by the reins and was about to mount up. "Same here. I travel light."

"Well alright then. Let's move out."

As the group made its way down the dusty main street towards the edge of town, none of them was aware as Hetty stood inside the mercantile and watched them leave. Her face was pinched and white as a sheet as she stared at the young man who trailed along behind the Cartwright's wagon. As Angelique noticed her strange reaction, she looked out the window to see what had caused it.

"What is he doing here?" She glared at the young man she had presumed was dead or at the very least, had been paid off to disappear for good.

"I have no idea, but we need to move the plan up to tomorrow before he gives us away. We can't afford to have him see you and say anything to anybody. It would ruin everything if he does."

Joe wrapped the reins around the rail and eased Cochise's left hoof towards him. He could feel the tension in the movement and the horse's resistance. As he lowered the leg back down, he noted the beginning of swelling. It was his fault and he knew it, but that did nothing to fix the problem. He'd been galloping across an area his father had warned him not to and Cochise had stumbled in a hidden hole. While he hadn't been thrown, he almost had as the horse stumbled and quickly slowed to a walk. He had climbed down from the saddle and walked his horse home the rest of the way and he was worried at the beginning of a limp in the last half mile or so.

He glanced at the buggy pulled up alongside the fence and scowled at it. Adam's dinner guests were very early. He'd hoped for some time in peace before they arrived, but it was not to be. Given how long it had taken him to walk back, his brothers couldn't be too far behind him and hopefully they could take the brunt of the polite conversation and he could just stay out of the way.

"C'mon, Cooch. Let's get some liniment on that leg."

Joe led the horse into the barn and set about pulling down the supplies he needed. He was oblivious to movement behind him until Cochise snorted and moved sideways. Before Joe could stand up, he felt a hand slide across his shoulder. Warm fingers caressed the side of his neck and he turned to see Angelique looking down at him.

"What are you doing?" He pushed her hand off his shoulder and quickly scrambled to his feet.

"I got here early and just thought … well … I have been thinking about you, Little Joe." Angelique cooed his name like she was savouring it on her tongue and Joe felt his skin crawl.

He stepped backwards as the woman advanced towards him and he felt his mouth go dry as she reached a hand towards him again and began to trace a line down from his chest with her finger.

"Now, I know you have the strange idea that I don't like you. Adam told me all about it."

Joe shoved her hand off him once more and continued to back up until he found himself up against the railing.

"I know you don't like me!"

Angelique reached both hands towards him and leaned closer as she whispered in his ear.

"Oh, but I do."

Joe felt his body react of its own accord as she began to place her hands in places they had no business being. He tried to push her away once more and she laced her fingers into the buttons of his shirt. As he tried to step sideways, she grasped hold of the fabric and ripped the top button free.

"Oh, I like you very much. More than you know. It's why I've had to fight so hard to resist. And I know that you want me too."

Joe felt the heat rising up his chest as he stared at what she had done. Her words made no sense as his blood pounded in his ears. He couldn't help but notice the plump creamy flesh that was thrust into his face and he stood frozen to the spot for a moment. It was like some kind of crazy nightmare unfolding in broad daylight as his mind went to war with his body.

Angelique's hands began to toy with him once more and before he knew what was happening, she leaned in and kissed him hungrily. Joe took a moment to regain his senses and he shoved her backwards.

"Get off me!"

Angelique fell against the railing and smirked at him as she pulled herself upright.

"Don't tell me you didn't enjoy that because I know you did."

The sound of horses in the yard carried across to them both and Angelique laughed at the look on Joe's face.

"Wouldn't want big brother to know what you've been up to, would we?"

She reached for her left sleeve and began to tug at the fabric until it sheered away at the shoulder. Lace from her bodice hung free and Joe could see exposed flesh. She reached to pull a few pins loose and begun to muss her hair in an almost seductive fashion. As Joe stood, mesmerised, Angelique let out a high-pitched scream.

Joe began to edge towards the door while keeping his eyes locked on the mad woman who had dramatically sunk to the floor, but he had no idea that Adam had appeared in the doorway behind him, followed closely by Hoss.

"What the hell are you doing?" Adam roared as he charged towards his brother and spun him around before planting his fist into Joe's jaw. Adam glared at him as he fell to the floor, but Angelique chose that moment to begin sobbing loudly.

Adam rushed towards her and scooped her into his arms as she flung her arms around his neck. He lurched towards Joe and seemed as if he was about to kick him where he lay sprawled on the ground.

"Get out of here before I kill you!"

Joe scrambled sideways out of his brother's reach before pulling himself upright against the railing. He watched in stunned disbelief as his brother carried his tormentor out the door towards the house. It took him a while to shake off the stupor that had overcome him until he realised what Adam had said.

Hoss seemed torn in two as he stared in disbelief at his younger brother while following his older brother towards the house. Joe's mouth hung open with no words to speak of what had just happened. He watched helplessly as Hop Sing held the door open and his two brothers stalked inside.

Cochise stood staring at him and Joe reached for his reins before suddenly realising he couldn't ride him at all. Instead, he rushed across the yard and grasped at the nearest reins before he vaulted onto Sport's back and charged out of the yard.

He had no idea where he was headed or what he would do next other than putting as much distance between himself and his brothers as possible. He could only imagine what twisted tale Angelique was spinning and he closed his eyes as he recalled the evil grin on her face. He couldn't make sense of any of it, but what he did know was that he needed to get away. As far away as possible.

Miss Hetty had been sitting on the couch, sipping her honeyed tea and keeping an eye on where the cook was. It wouldn't do for him to leave the house and spoil the plan. He came running from the kitchen at the sound of a commotion outside and threw the door open.

Adam stumbled across to the couch with Angelique in his arms and Hetty leapt to her feet and rushed forward.

"Angelique! What happened?" She reached for the girl's arm as Adam laid her onto the couch, but Angelique clung to his neck and continued sobbing.

"Adam! Don't let him near me! Please! Don't let him hurt me again."

Hop Sing paused, unsure if she meant him, but was left even more confused as Adam responded.

"It's alright. Joe won't ever touch you again."

Hop Sing looked at Hoss and saw the anger on his face.

"Little Joe?"

Hoss slowly turned towards him and Hop Sing saw confusion mingled with the anger.

"Little Joe done this to Miss Angelique. I just can't figure why!"

Hop Sing's mouth was moving but no words were coming out as he tried to make sense of the situation.

Hetty drew upright and pointed at her charge. "He dared lay hands on her in such a vile fashion?"

Angelique tried to stifle her sobs as Adam dabbed at her face with a handkerchief.

"It's alright. You're alright now."

Nobody heard the front door open and none of them realised Ben had returned home until he stepped in beside Hoss.

"What on earth happened here?"

"Pa …. Little Joe done lost his mind!"

"Joe?"

Hoss shook his head as he haltingly relayed the events, as if he still couldn't believe what he'd seen.

"Joe attacked Angelique, in the barn." Adam looked up towards his father and saw the same confusion on his face as he felt in his own gut. It was so very out of character for his brother, no matter what. There had to be some explanation, but he simply couldn't find one to fit the evidence before him.

Ben leaned over the side of the couch and noted the girl had slipped into an exhausted sleep in his son's arms. The state of her dress and hair wasn't lost on him, but he truly couldn't reconcile what he was seeing with what he was hearing.

"She told you that?" His tone was incredulous.

"I saw him, Pa! Joe did this!" Adam barely growled the words at his father. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have struggled to believe it too.

Miss Hetty was pacing beside the couch as she stared at Ben.

"She simply went out to see if young Joseph would like to take some tea with us! That boy has had it in for her since we came her, but Angelique thought it would blow over. It was just childish jealousy she said! But obviously not. Mister Cartwright, I will be pressing charges! And I want him horsewhipped!"

Ben was floundering for something appropriate to say. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but three people were all saying the same thing and all of them had seen it happen.

"Oh believe me, Joseph will be giving an account!" He turned for the door and tugged at Hoss' arm. "Son, you'd better ride for the doctor."