Chapter 2

Adam was woken by Julie's crying the next morning. He got himself off the cot and went over to her.

"Julie, what's wrong? Are you in some pain?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. And no I'm not in any pain."

"What's wrong. Are you in trouble. Maybe I can help you."

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm okay." She had stopped her crying by this time. "I need to get dressed. Is it still raining?"

"No, it seems to have stopped. Look I'll go outside while you dress. Call me when your ready."

With that Adam made his way outside. Once Julie was sure that Adam was outside, she tentatively got out of the cot, wrapped tightly in the blanket. She turned to face the door and walked over to the window to see where Adam was and saw he had walked a little distance away from the shack. Feeling safe to dress, she made her way over to the dying fire and her clothes. It took a little while for her to dress as she found herself to be rather stiff in her shoulders and arms. But dressed she was and thought she could start a fire going and make some coffee.

Adam knocked on the door and called. "Are you decent? Are you okay?"

"Oh yes, come on in."

Adam entered the shack and saw Julie making up the fire. "Hey, I'll do that."

"Sorry I took so long to dress. I was a bit stiff from the business yesterday, And no, it's alright. I'm fine. I'll make the fire and coffee."

"Well, if you're sure. While you're making the coffee, I'll take a look around to see if there is anything that needs repairing."

"Alright. I'll call you when it's ready."

"Fine. But make sure you don't overdo it. I don't want you ill again."

"Okay. Now go and do whatever it is you need to do."

Adam just smiled at Julie and thought it's no wonder she came through her ordeal, she seems a strong character, possibly a bossy one. He chuckled to himself as he left the shack.

…

Adam found the roof needed a little repair, thankful it was sturdy enough not to have let the rain in during the night. It just required nailing back a few loose slats,which once he'd organised the tools he got to work, after shouting to Julie he would be hammering above her.

"Thanks for warning me," she called back.

His task had not taken too long when Julie called him to say breakfast was ready. Adam made his way inside to find that Julie had indeed cooked some bacon and biscuits and were ready waiting on the table.

"Wow, I wasn't expecting this and I certainly wasn't expecting you to be doing the cooking."

"It's not a problem, it's the least I can do in payment for your looking after me last night."

"Payment was not expected. I would help anyone in trouble, if I could. This breakfast looks good," Adam praised.

"Thank you. I hope you don't mind that I went searching through your supplies?"

"No, not at all. It's all to be left here. It's what I've been doing for the last couple of weeks, riding to each line cabin, making sure they are in good working order, the building and food supplies, that is."

"You seem to be a hard working man."

"The Ponderosa is large and needs a great deal of hard work to keep it going."

"I suspect you have a lot of hired men working for you."

"Yes, we do, but technically, they work for my father."

"Oh, I thought from the way you spoke, that it was your ranch. So, if there are numerous hands available, why are you on your own out here, doing ranch hands work?"

"Well…"

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's none of my business and shouldn't be asking you personal questions." Julie started a coughing fit, but it didn't last long.

"Are you alright? You're not feeling ill are you?"

"No, I'm fine."

Where had Adam heard that before. "Are you sure? You haven't eaten very much. Here, drink some water," he said, rising to get his canteen.

"I'm fine, please don't fuss." She took a drink from the canteen. "There, that's better. Alright now. You were telling me about the Ponderosa. But there again, I shouldn't be asking."

"No, it's alright. My father owns the Ponderosa and he and my two brothers work with him, keeping the ranch running."

"You have brothers? And their wives, no doubt."

"Actually, we none of us are married."

"That's a shame. Too busy running the ranch, I expect."

"We're a family of bachelors," Adam told her, with a grin on his face. "Is there any food left, I feel extra hungry this morning."

"Yes, but not much." Juliet rose to collect the last of the food for Adam's plate. "There you go, it's all gone now."

"What about you. You really haven't had much."

"I've had a nibble before you came in, and I certainly wouldn't be eating all of your food. I'll just finish my coffee. It's enough. Thank you."

"That's not enough to keep you going all morning."

"Yes, it is. Please don't worry. I'll eat again when I get to the nearest town."

"I don't think so. I'm sorry, but I don't have time to take you to Virginia City. I need to get home. And besides, you need a decent rest and food before you go anywhere. And you need to see a doctor."

"Oh no, I'm fine," Julie lied.

Adam chuckled and said, "That's what I say when in fact, I'm not really fine at all."

"Well, I am, and will be making my own way to this Virginia City, as you call it, and will not be bothering you at all."

Adam's eyebrow raised, and in his well known authorative voice said, "I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to do that. You have a stubborn nature, like me, and I think I can be more stubborn that you."

"What! You're going to force me to go with you?" Julie was beginning to lose her patience.

"If need be. You're certainly not well enough to walk all the way to Virginia City. I promise you have nothing to fear from me or my family and would love to have you as a guest until you're fully recovered. Then I'll take to Virginia City."

"You are obviously a very bossy man and won't tolerate defiance. Therefore, for the moment there seems to be nothing I can do about it."

"That's correct," Adam said, with a smile. Then stood and reached for the last biscuit and presented it to Julie. "Eat it, please."

Julie said nothing, but ate it, giving Adam a look that said she was not pleased.

Once they had finished breakfast, Adam went to saddle Sport while Julie cleared up inside the cabin and they met again at the cabin doorway.

"Ready?" Adam asked.

"Perhaps you'd like to check inside before you go."

"Sass doesn't become you."

"Learn to live with it."

Adam just stared at her, thinking she is all bluff and hiding her true feelings, something he knew well about.

"Let's go," he said, as he walked towards Sport. "Let me give you a hand up."

"We're riding together?"

"Yep."

"I don't think so. Why can't I ride the pack horse. He's not carrying anything now."

"Because I don't trust you to not ride off."

"Such a lack of trust and after I said I'd go with you."

"Actually, you said, 'there seems to be nothing I can do about it'."

"Oh, you're a real pain in the ass."

"Lovely, coming from a nice young lady. And believe me, if you were mine you wouldn't be able to sit comfortably on my horse."

"Who said I was. And as for being yours, that will never happen."

"Was what?" Adam said, teasing her and trying to lighten the situation.

"A nice young lady."

"So, you aren't a nice young lady." But before Julie could retort, Adam had grabbed her and put her up on Sport and quickly mounted up behind her.