Thursday morning as Hoss was hitching up the buggy in preparation for Sally's visit to Clara's shop, Adam came into the barn. "Off to town, I see."

"Yeah, Sally's gonna go see Miz Clara and get fitted for some clothes ta get her through the rest of her...uh...time." Hoss yanked uncomfortably on a strap.

Adam smiled initially at his brother's discomfort, but then went directly into the reason he had come to the barn. "Hoss, there's something you need to know before you head out."

"Huh, what's that?"

Adam mindlessly pulled a piece of straw from the pile nearby. "Joe and I had a little run-in with Tom Harmon the other day at the Silver Dollar."

"Harmon? Still mad 'bout bein' let go, huh?"

"Yes, but it's how he's doing it that's the problem."

"I'm listenin'."

Adam drew in a deep breath. "He made a nasty comment about you and Sally."

Hoss scowled and dropped his head, but said nothing. "I had a little discussion with Mr. Harmon about running his mouth….but you and I both know that's not going to put an end to it."

Hoss ran his hand along the harness strap. "Yeah, I know. Dadburnit, Adam! He can spout off all he wants ta 'bout me, but he best not be botherin' Sally or so help me, he'll wish ta goodness he hadn'ta!"

"Well, you just watch your step while you're in town and try to keep out of his line of fire. Ya hear?" Adam poked the straw he was holding into his brother's big chest.

"Yeah, I hear ya."

Once in town, Hoss drove Sally straight to the dressmaker's shop. She was nervous about the appointment and wished that Hoss was going to be with her even though it was a silly thought. Hoss sensed that she was worried and tried his best to reassure her that Clara was as good-hearted as a woman could be and would take good care of her. With a plan to return for her at noon, he left Sally in Clara's capable hands and went off to do some errands.

Tom Harmon and his cohorts were loitering near the saloon, keeping an eye on Hoss as he made various stops around town. The ranch hands had been working at odd jobs of late. This gave them enough money to eat, but only allowed them an occasional trip to the saloon, something they greatly resented. Seeing a member of the well-to-do Cartwright family walking here and there around Virginia City making purchases only fueled their already bad attitudes.

Hoss was sure that Sally would be hungry after her busy morning. He could tell even after only a few days of regular meals and a sufficient amount nourishing food that Sally's health was improving. Though not sickly, the young woman looked thin, except for her bulging belly. She had been forced to sneak food while in captivity, constantly fearing that if Bolton or his hired men ever went away from a meal hungry, she would have been beaten. She had known from her mother's pregnancies that she should have been eating more, but usually she went to bed feeling starved. Hoss made sure that Sally received the proper care she needed, and though he would have loved to take her to the International House for lunch, he had the good sense to know that a high profile establishment was not the best place for them to be seen. He opted for a small cafe where he knew that the food was good and there would be plenty of it. What he did not realize was that Tom Harmon and his buddies were following them at a distance as they walked from Clara's shop to the cafe.

Just as Hoss opened the door for Sally to enter the cafe, Harmon called out. "Hey BIG man! Takes a really BIG man to do that to a LITTLE gal, don't it boys. It's a wonder she survived!"

Sally's head jerked around to see the other two cowpokes laughing hysterically at Harmon's cutting, vile remarks as they sauntered away.

"Don't pay 'em no mind, Sally." Hoss gently nudged her inside. "Jest go find a table. I'll be back directly."

Hoss closed the door behind her and moved down onto the street. Side-stepping horses, a buggy and the water trough, he jogged to catch up to Harmon and his buddies. It was too late to avoid being caught unaware by the time they heard Hoss' boots land heavily on the boardwalk. He reached out and nabbed Harmon by the back of his collar. Hoss then spun him around and grabbed the troublemaker by the front of his shirt so that the toes of the man's boots were barely touching the boardwalk.

"Call off yur friends or I'll bust yur head." Harmon coughed and did as Hoss said. "Now I'm only gonna say this once. If you say anything filthy about that little gal or bother her any more, yur gonna wish ya never been born! Got that, Harmon, and that goes for yur no-account friends, too!"

Hoss flicked his wrists to release Harmon as if flinging something disgusting from his hands. He watched the three men grumbling as they moved along down the boardwalk, then Hoss hurried back to cafe.

Meanwhile Sally waited nervously at a table near the door. The proprietor's look of disbelief when she mentioned that she was waiting for Hoss Cartwright along with the fact that the cafe was filled to capacity only further exacerbated her anxiety. Sally felt guilty for putting Hoss in the difficult position of having to defend her. She prayed that nothing bad had happened to him. There was obvious relief on Sally's face when Hoss came walking through the door. He forced a grin hoping to allay her fears.

Tears were building in Sally's eyes. "Hoss, are you ok? They didn't hurt, did they?"

Hoss spluttered. "Shucks no, Sally. Them three are as yeller as a buncha daffodils. I jest needed ta kinda encourage 'em on their way."

She could not help but smile at his description of the ne'er-do-wells, but then grew serious again. "That's good, cause I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt because of me."

Hoss patted her hand. "Don'tcha worry none 'bout me, Sally. I kin take care of myself."

It took some time, but Harold Peters, the proprietor, finally came and took their order. It was another fifteen minutes before they got there food.

Mr. Peters was quite apologetic as he set their plates on the table. "I'm real sorry it took so long to bring out your food. The gal that had been helping my wife in the kitchen up and ran off to marry some guy that came in here a couple of times last week. Martha's doing the best she can on her own."

"That's alright, Mr. Peters. Hope ya find somebody to help ya real soon. The food's always real good here. Be sure ta tell Miz Peters for me."

"Thank you, Hoss. I'll do that. Enjoy your meal."

Sally had been studying Harold Peters' face while he spoke. She had been a bit frightened by him when she first entered the cafe, but now she thought he seemed more kind and caring. Her mind immediately began to churn. In no way did Sally need a job. The Cartwrights had cashed in the gold that Josiah Bolton had stashed away and divided it between the poor souls who had been working in the mine and her, with Sally receiving a double portion. Still, she could sense the struggle that Ben and Hoss were having about what to do with her. Of course nothing had been said to her directly, but she had noticed the hushed voices that quickly came to an abrupt stop when she entered a room. Though in a way she hoped that Sheriff Coffee would successfully locate some of her distant relatives, she understood that the likelihood of someone wanting to take her in was not high. Even in the outside chance that did happen, she could not imagine what it would be like to travel halfway across the country with a baby. If her pregnancy proceeded to term, she still had over two months before the child arrived. It was unbearable to think of spending all that time idle. Her thoughts and concerns about the future were taking a toll on her as it was, and though the Cartwrights were being very gracious, she knew that they had a ranch to run and could not afford to devote a large portion of their time to her. She needed something to help her pass the time; so she decided to throw out her idea to Hoss.

"Hoss, I'd like to help Mrs. Peters." Catching him totally off guard, the big man looked at her with surprise. Sally went on laying it all out quickly so that hopefully he would not interrupt. "I know how to cook. My Mama was a very good teacher. I'm a hard worker. I don't need their money; so they could just pay me in food and a room."

Hoss quickly scanned the people at the tables nearby and kept his voice low. "But Sally you hadn't oughta be workin' in your condition."

"Hoss, my Mama worked day in and day out til she delivered me and my brothers and sisters. It's just a woman's lot in life." Hoss gulped and put down his fork. Seeing his discomfort, Sally gave him a sweet smile. "You and your family have been so kind to me, but I can't just sit around and do nothing until this baby comes. I'll go crazy with worry." There was sense of pleading in her last words.

"I don't know, Sally. I mean…" Hoss was afraid to say that he was thinking that the Peters might not want her to work for them.

"Would you ask Mr. Peters for me? Please?"

Hoss could tell that she was not going to be dissuaded. He had been around her enough to know that underneath her sweet and somewhat fragile appearance, there was real backbone. Otherwise, she would never have survived her horrible time of captivity. He also remembered his discussion with his father about being open to possible opportunities for Sally that would give her contact with an older woman. Mrs. Peters' children were grown and out on their own. Hoss also knew that the Peters were fine people that could be trusted. What he did not know was how they would react to such a proposition.

Hoss sighed. "I'll think on it while we finish our food."

His eyes went down to his plate. He picked up his fork and moved the remaining meat and potatoes around as he contemplated what Sally had said. They sat in silence for the remainder of the meal. When she finished, Sally carefully wiped her mouth with her napkin and laid it beside her plate. Hoss could feel her eyes on him before he looked up.

"I'll go have a talk with Mr. an' Mrs. Peters." Hoss pushed his chair back and moved toward the entrance to the kitchen. Thinking that he had been immediately turned down, Sally's sad eyes met his when he returned to the table in a matter of minutes.

Hoss offered the young blonde a weary smile. "They wanta talk with ya in an hour or so when it's not so busy."

Instantly bright-eyed, Sally's response was filled with warmth. "Thank you, Hoss! Thank you!"

It took the soft-hearted Mrs. Peters only moments to convince her husband that it was a winning situation for all. Hoss had confirmed things in her mind when he assured the Peters that Sally had a home at the Ponderosa no matter when the baby came. The young woman's help would buy the owners of the cafe time to find someone else to work in the kitchen. The fact that Sally was not going to be paid and her willingness to stay on even if they got a new hire only sweetened the deal. With the Peters' approval, Sally wanted to start immediately. This left a bewildered Hoss to ride home alone after having promised to return and deliver her few earthly possessions to the cafe.