Chapter 13
I got excited at having managed to get my last chapter on the site. Thank for all your good wishes in my endeavours. I should say a big thank you for those that helped me think things through with my formatting, etc. My brain clicked in at last and I managed another chapter. Let's hope it continues. So I'm hopefully downloading another chapter for you today. Enjoy.
Following breakfast the next morning, Adam was preparing to take Julie for a drive in the buggy to his special place, where he planned to offer a solution to her problem.
"How long will you be Adam, Joe asked with a grin.
"As long as it takes."
"You havin' a picnic there, Adam?" Hoss asked, pointing to the basket that Hop Sing had evidently prepared for them.
"Hope that's not the best wine," Joe added.
"You're never going to find out," Adam came back with a retort.
"Let them go, you two," Ben called as he came out of the house. "There's chores awaitin'. See you two later."
"Right, Pa."
Ben noticed Julie seemed nervous, wishing he knew what was going on. …
"I'm taking you to a favourite spot of mine. It's somewhere I like to think. Are you warm enough?"
"Well, this time you really have something to think about. Me. Although I wish you wouldn't, and yes, I'm warm enough."
"I offered to help.
"Insisted more like."
"Don't start," Adam chided. "Today we relax and talk and make plans."
"And will I have a say in these plans?"
"Probably not," Adam laughingly said, and Julie punched him in the arm.
"Be very careful. I always retaliate."
They had been travelling for about a half hour when Adam stopped the buggy.
"Take a look at that view," he told Julie.
She was looking at a huge lake surrounded by fir trees. Such a peaceful place, she thought.
"Magnificent," she said. "It takes my breath away."
"Mine too, every time I come here. Pa calls it 'heaven on earth'."
"If there is such a place," she said.
"You don't believe in heaven?" He asked, a little shocked.
"Not for me, but I hope there is for those who believe."
"You think you're going to hell?"
"Why should I think that. If I don't believe in heaven then obviously I don't believe in hell either."
"No, you said you hoped others would go to heaven, if they believe. Therefore, for you to say that, you must think there is a heaven somewhere and therefore a hell too."
"I'm a good person, I think, but I still don't think there's a heaven for me."
"Well, don't go telling my Pa that or he'll not leave it alone. He enjoys nothing more than a good discussion on theology."
"Then I won't."
"Come on, let's get down and enjoy the day and we'll make plans together."
"Hmph!"
Adam jumped down and walked around to help Julie down, and managed, just in time, as Julie, in a mind of her own, was just about to jump down by herself.
"Hey, a lady should let a gentleman help her down."
After looking around the area, she looked at Adam and said, "There doesn't seem to be one around."
Adam grinned and took hold of her waist to help her down and held her a little too long perhaps, but she quickly took her hands from his shoulders realising she had left them there a little too long. Adam smiled at her and she looked away, blushing.
"You get the blankets and I'll bring the basket," Adam decided.
"We're not eating now, are we?" Julie exclaimed. "I'm still full from breakfast."
"No. I'm just bringing the basket down and we'll walk off our breakfasts."
"Oh, I see. I'm not sure I need the exercise."
"Walking is good exercise for anybody and you need to exercise. But don't worry, we'll go slow and start making plans. Then when we've had enough we return and eat. Okay with you?" Adam asked.
"You've got it all worked out, haven't you?"
"Someone needs to, all you seem to want to do is run away. Well no more."
"You can't determine my life for me. You'll have to let me go in the end."
Julie was placing the blankets down when she heard a quiet "maybe" come from Adam. Presumably she wasn't meant to hear it. He then put the food basket on top, making sure that the lid was firmly closed.
"Come, let me show you around this area," Adam invited with his open hand. Julie, of course, ignore his hand and walked on in front of him. Adam just gave a smirk. He felt sure it was all an act.
'Was there a connection between them,' he asked himself. They had known each other for such a short time, but he was now finding out more about her. Was he feeling sorry for her and just wanting to help, or was there more? He needed to find out. He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Julie speaking to him.
"Sorry Julie, what did you say?"
"I said, tell me about this area."
"Well, the fir trees are Ponderosa Pines, hence the name of our ranch. This particular area I call 'Lake's Edge' and it's where I intend to live and raise a family one day."
"Wow! You have a lady in mind; someone who will obey your every command?"
Adam laughed. "You don't like me, do you?"
"Yes and No."
"Yes? What's the 'yes' part?" He asked.
"Well, your helping me as much as you have, makes me like you."
"And the 'no'?" Adam pressed.
"That's easy. You're so bossy and sometimes a little scary."
"Scary? What's that mean?"
"When you make threats to my person. You seem to be in your element."
"I would never do anything to you that wasn't deserved and what I've said in the past, still goes. And that means no running away! Understood?"
"Yes," Julie whispered, but Adam heard her answer. Then in a clear voice she asked, "Why call it Lake's Edge?"
"It's because of the Washoe native Indians. They called this area 'Da ow, which means lake and Da ow a ga means Edge of the Lake. I'd love to call it by it's native given name but no one would understand or appreciate it, as too many people have hatred toward the native Indians."**
"You care about them, don't you?" Julie asked.
"Yes, as does my family. We've made friends with Chief Winnemucca, and trade our beef with him."
Then changing the subject, Adam explained how he planned to build his own home here some day with the south facing Lake Tahoe, he had told her, and with a veranda all round for sitting out on in the warm evenings, watching the sun set or rise as the case may be.
'What romantic ideas Adam has', Julie thought, more than you'd expect when first encountering him. The house ideas sound wonderful. What a lucky woman his wife would be.
"It would cost a lot to build that kind of house, wouldn't it?" She asked.
"Not too much. Just the materials."
"What? What about an architect and building engineer and a workload of people to build it."
"Actually, I'm an architect and engineer, educated at Harvard and trained in Boston. I was there for four years."
"Nothing like blowing your own trumpet."
"I know it sounds big-headed, telling you like that, but I've dreamed about it for years, ever since Pa offered we three brothers to find a piece of Ponderosa land for ourselves and he would ensure it got recorded through the land office."
"Sorry, I was very rude to say that. I guess one should always have a goal in life."
"Yeah, I think they should, and that includes you."
"Me, no goals, well apart from leaving this country for a new land."
"Still thinking of running away?"
"What else can I do?"
"We've been walking for quite awhile. Let's walk back for our picnic and discuss what to do about your problem."
A little while later, with a decent fire going and water boiling for coffee, and a glass of wine in their hands, Adam asked, "Have you the letters on you?"
"Yes."
"Good, can I see them please?"
"Please look away, Adam. They are in a safe place on my person."
Adam reluctantly looked away as Julie put her glass down and lifted her skirt and petticoat to find her secret pocket in her drawers in which she had hid the letters and her father's watch, the only possession of his that she had.
"Alright, you can turn around now." And she handed Adam the letters. He sat down and opened the envelope marked two.
"Perhaps you should read it, Julie."
"No, Adam, I'm worried that it will not be good news. Please, you read it."
"Very well, "My Dear Dear Alex, If you have already read letter number one, then you have all that I possess and would love that you pass the watch on when you are blessed with a son."
Julie interrupted him then. "I'm sorry I forgot to tell you that my father sent his watch with my first letter. I don't think I mentioned it when I told you of that first letter."
"I'm glad your father left you something tangible. A legacy to pass on down."
"Sorry I interrupted you, please go on."
Adam continued. "would love that you pass the watch on when you are blessed with a son. But, of course you will need to be married first. How I would have wished to see you marry a man worthy of your affections and love and who would love and cherish you, as clearly that is something which you have not received from your parents. I tried my best for you and loved you the only way I could."
Adam paused as he could see what was coming next. Julie looked anxiously at Adam. Then he carried on.
"I now have something unpleasant to have to tell you, I'm sorry, but it must be said. I believed I was
poisoned, a little at a time so as to make it look like illness and I believe, forgive me Alex, but I believe it was your mother administering it. Of course, I have no proof of this. She has been seeing a man, by name Simon Attwell, who may have been the persuader for your mother's actions."
"Maybe he did the same to my mother, when he found out none of the estate was coming to her, except for a small monthly allowance," Julie stated. "Go on, Adam." Julie was now very interested to find some proof of all this discovery.
"Be careful of them, sweetheart. Try and keep yourself safe. Attwell does not know of my Will and some day you must go to Denver and speak with my Attorney, Alfred Manson, who knows the full story and being my attorney, and under Attorney–client privilege, means he duty bound to a client's right to refuse to disclose and to prevent any other person from disclosing confidential communications between the client and the attorney.
My love to you, as always. I wish you a long and deserving happy life. Goodbye, my love. Keep me in your heart as I will ever keep you in mine, wherever I may be.
Your loving father, Benjamin Bridgeman."
Adam folded the letter and put it back in the envelope, his mind ever turning over. He saw Julie in tears and put his arm around her and she unthinkingly collapsed into Adam's chest.
"We will find a way around all this," he said. Your father cherished you and thought only of you. That is something to keep in your heart."
"Yes," she whimpered. And started to recover when she realised where she was and immediately broke away from Adam. "Sorry, I didn't mean to do that."
"Not to worry. I'm glad I was here to hold you." He pulled out a handkerchief and passed it to Julie.
"Thank you," she said and blew her nose. "Well, we have a lot to work out, but I really don't want to be a burden to you."
"Now, no more talk like that. I'm going to help you because I want to."
"Should we open envelope number three?" Julie asked.
"Yes, you should know all there is to know before we can make final plans."
"Then you do it and read it like before." Julie then handed the third envelope over to Adam.
"Dear Miss Bridgeman,
I am writing on behalf of your father Benjamin Bridgeman. I am Alfred Manson, your father's Attorney and work at the First Bank of Denver.
If you have read the first two envelopes I gave you some while ago, then you know of your father's thoughts and wishes. But I have to relate sad news to you to say your father died just two months after retaining me as his Attorney. And according to his wishes I have made myself, with his permission, to be your Attorney also. In that capacity, I ask that when you are able to come to Denver and see me to discuss your father's Will, I will be available to you forthwith.
If it has taken you a long time to have read these letters and I am in a retirement state and alive, the bank will tell you where I am as I've left instructions with my secretary to guide you to me. Even if in retirement, I am still covered under the Client-Privilege law. I only hope you will not take too long in coming to Denver. If, in the event of my death, I have left instructions with the bank to hold a safe deposit box in your name and I enclose the key and receipt for the box in your name."
Adam could see there was a smaller envelope inside the main envelope and took it out and sure enough this held the receipt and a small key. He showed Julie and put them straight back in the envelope and handed it to her, saying to keep it in her secret pocket when he wasn't looking. They both smiled at each other.
"Is there anything else, Adam?"
"Just a few closing words, "I wish with all my heart to see you one day and be able to carry out your father's wishes. Here's hoping you are keeping well. Yours faithfully, Alfred Manson, Attorney.
"That all happened a long time ago," Adam stated, thinking all the time.
"Yes, I was about twelve when Mr Manson called with the envelopes. That was roughly fourteen years ago. I'm twenty-six, in case you wondered."
"It was a question on my mind, yes."
"Mr Manson wasn't an elderly gentleman, if I recall, but not too young either. So maybe he'll still be working at the bank."
"Well, let's hope so, it would make contact a lot easier. But of course he's not likely to recognise you."
"Maybe if I showed him my father's watch."
"Yes, that's a good idea, as he would have handled it at the time of dealing with your father's estate. I'll just turn around while you secretly hide the letter and key."
"And so you should, it's not proper for you or gentlemen to watch."
"More sass, I see. I'd be careful if I was you." Adam waited a few minutes, then said, "Now, are you decent?"
"I'm always decent, but yes, I am."
With that Adam turned back around and said they should finish their wine, have lunch and discuss plans.
**The Lake was originally call Lake Bigler in 1853 after the third governor of California. By the end of the 19th century, usage of "Lake Bigler" had nearly completely fallen out of popular vocabulary in favour of "Tahoe." The California State Legislature reversed its previous decision in 1945, officially changing the name to Lake Tahoe.