They lay in the darkness of the cave for a few moments more before they separated and gathered up their discarded clothing. The lantern had gone out about two hours ago, but they hadn't really noticed. They'd been too involved with discovering the others bodies to really worry about it, but now the pre-dawn light was creeping into their sanctuary, and it made them hurry. Nessa threw on her robe and was putting the towel between her hair and her shoulders when Adam grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. He lowered his mouth to her ear, wrapping his arms around her middle in an intimate hug, "No regrets?" She smiled and pressed against him, relishing his response, "I could never regret you." She kissed him gently, then stepped out of his reach and left the cave. As she moved she knew she would be sore most of the day, but it didn't feel any worse than being in the saddle all day for a round – up. She'd made do about that before, and she'd do it again.
Adam waited until her footsteps disappeared from the creek, then another minute before leaving the cave himself. His mind was racing with ideas about how to see her again today..and then it hit him. He had a small gift that he wanted to give her, something to accompany the book he'd already given her. He smiled as he hopped over the fence separating the Governs' property from the road, and let his hand drop to where his gun should be. It wasn't until he realized that he hadn't taken it into the cave with him that he wished he had. It was just a feeling, but he'd yet to be led astray by his instincts.
He could have sworn he was being watched.
Vanessa crept back into her room and shut the door as gently as she could. It hadn't been hard to explain her sudden appearance in the kitchen, after all her hair was still sopping wet and the towel helped her little story about going down to wash up for the day. The maids had hassled her for leaving while it was still dark, but she'd shrugged it off. Now she was just grateful that she wouldn't have to side step any pestering from her aunt or cousin. She leaned against the door and put a hand over her heart, breathing deeply. 'What did you just do?!' she demanded of herself. 'you never give in to impulses, and admit it, that was an impulse!' Then her mind continued to think, something she didn't want it to do right now, 'what if you get pregnant?' She swallowed hard as the hand on her heart dropped to her belly, and she closed her eyes, 'Then again...would that be such a bad thing? To be carrying Adam Cartwright's child?' She tried to count the number of times they had...but it was impossible. Each one bled into the other, the whole night was just a fog of kisses, touches and pleasures that she hadn't known existed until now.
She blew out her breath and went to the vanity. Sitting down on the padded stool, she winced and adjusted to be more comfortable. What she really wanted was to crawl under the covers of her bed and relive every moment from the cave. But that would be impossible, even if she could get this riot of hair to obey a hairbrush. It was wet, knotted, matted against her head and she was sure she would find some very small rocks and clumps of mud when she was through. Resigning herself to the task, she picked up her brush and went to work. "Ow." she whimpered, but she didn't regret a thing. A knock came to her door, and she asked who it was. Her aunt opened the door and poked her head inside, "I hear you went for a swim in the hot spring this morning." Vanessa met her eyes in the mirror and nodded, "I did. Do you object?" Sarah shook her head and stepped into the room, closing the door behind her, "I think you might need some help though. Vanessa glanced at her reflection again and smiled ruefully, "I suppose so. Who do you think would help me at this hour?" Sarah shook her head, "You've got your father's wit, you know that?" Vanessa winked at her aunt and handed her the brush.
Adam snuck into the hotel room, and was about to remove his clothing again when his father stirred and spoke, "you've been gone for quite a while. Where were you?" Adam swallowed, thinking fast, "Nowhere in particular." Ben nodded, and swung his legs over the side of the bed, shaking his head to wake up quicker, "Well, the next time you do that, take your gun with you. The last thing I want is to hear about you being dumped in one of the swamps around here for opening that mouth of yours." Adam chuckled to himself, 'Pa, you don't know that half of what trouble my mouth has gotten me into lately.' Ben raised an eyebrow at his son, but ignored the silent response. He knew something else had happened, it was obvious in the way that he walked around the room, preparing for the day. Adam splashed some cold water on his face, and grabbed for the shaving kit the hotel had provided. "What are your plans for today?" Ben asked, nudging his son over so that he could do the same. Adam shrugged, and set the blade to his throat, "I was thinking about heading over to the Governs place. Giving Nessa that bookmark I made." Ben glanced at him in the mirror, "You sure that's wise? After last night and what Vanessa said?" Adam smiled, and wiped his face, now smooth. "I have an odd feeling that Nessa's mind has changed a bit in that department." Ben took a deep breath and shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about, but if you plan on making a fool out of yourself for her, I'm not going to stand in your way." He pulled a shirt over his shoulders and kept talking, "I was thinking about heading that way myself, mind if I go along?" Adam's reaction was shocking, "NO!" he swallowed quickly at his father's surprised face, "What I mean is...um, I had thought about giving this to her alone..." Ben chuckled and clapped his son on the shoulder, "I think I can arrange that. I hear her aunt is a stickler for propriety, and won't give you a moment alone with her if she can help it." Adam nodded, grateful that his father was willing to help. As they left the hotel, Ben had to ask, "How much longer do you plan on wearing her down?" Adam thought it out; he couldn't just say that he'd already won her, but the again he couldn't just say some large number either. "I'm not sure. This visit might tell me more." Ben nodded. It was a calculated response, but not quite the one he'd been expecting.
Vanessa was sitting in the parlor of her aunts home, her fingers dancing over the keys of the grand piano. There wasn't any music in front of her, but she'd played her mothers lullaby so many times, she didn't need it. As she played the verse, she hummed along, but once the chorus arrived, her voice rang clear through the house:
I am the voice in the wind and the pouring rain
I am the voice of your hunger and pain
I am the voice that always is calling you
I am the voice, I will remain.
She continued to sing, but quieter as Elizabeth walked into the room, a small book in her hands. "You're in a good mood today." she observed, catching Nessa off guard, "Excuse me?" she asked, continuing to play, now moving on to another piece that she'd written herself. Elizabeth motioned to the piano, "You almost never play that thing, and when you do it's never something that upbeat. Nessa smiled, and looked down at her hands, "I suppose I never had reason to." Elizabeth sat on one of the settees and raised an eyebrow at her, "And what might that be? It can't be that Adam Cartwright. I remember you being rather angry when you found out he was in town." Nessa winked at her cousin, "I know, and I'm sorry about that. Adam and I have a long history, and I forgot that you don't know him as well as I." 'Most definitely not now.' she thought to herself, shifting on the bench and beginning another tune, Fur Elise by Beethoven.
It was a pretty picture, and Sarah hated to ruin it. Nessa had chosen to wear a loose sleeved gown of red satin, the skirt folding and tucking away from her waist and pulling away from the front to show another skirt of white. The neckline was lower than her usual, was of a rolled white fabric, to match the underskirt. The sleeves fell away from her elbows, leaving her hands open. It had taken the two of them a full ten minutes to get the mud and rocks out of Nessa's hair, and when it was done, Sarah had insisted that they put it up. Nessa had allowed her to braid it around her head, but had asked that some be left down around her shoulders. It was a comfort thing, Sarah knew, and had obliged her niece. Now she was wondering if she should have, Nessa was a vision in that red dress. The piano was next to the window, and with the morning sun pouring through the glass, she looked no less the angel. Then there was Elizabeth, almost the complete opposite to Nessa bot in demeanor and appearance; where Nessa had a full thick head of cinnamon hair, Elizabeth's was fair and not quite as thick. Nessa had intense blue eyes that shifted in color between blue, grey, and green depending on her mood, while Elizabeth's were a steady green. While both girls were thin, Nessa looked a bit more willowy and had a confidence built in that came from years of being in charge of a ranch. Elizabeth came from Sarah's sister, and while Nessa had been learning to ride horses and mix herbs to heal various wounds, Elizabeth had been taught how to mend tears in clothing and care for a home. It wasn't that Sarah doubted in Nessa's ability to do so, but ranch life was different than city life...and Sarah feared that Nessa's spirit was being stifled here.
There were noises outside, as though horses were coming up the front lane. She hurried with her doorman to the front hall, and nodded to him to open it as footsteps crested the porch. There were two men standing there, neither of which she recognized. The older was barrel chested and had a weathered look about him. His face was open and honest, but Sarah could see that there was a powerful strong will behind this man. He had the look of a gentleman rancher that wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty, and reminded her of her dear departed brother, Nicholas. The other man was younger, and had a darker complexion, but there was a fierce gentleness to him that Sarah appreciated. They both removed their hats when she appeared, and the older was the first to speak, "Ma'am. My name is Benjamin Cartwright, and this is my son Adam. We were hoping to see your niece, Vanessa Warrick." Sarah eyed them carefully, but confident in her ability to read people, she smiled warmly, "Of course! Please, please, come in!" she stepped aside and waved them inside. Ben came in first, closely followed by his son. "She's in the parlor, here." Sarah led them to the doors, and moved so that she could see their faces as they glanced at the scene.
Sarah had taught her nieces well. She knew they had heard the interchange in the hall, but neither had moved, or even made pretense of showing that they knew they were being watched. Nessa's back was maybe a little straighter, and Elizabeth had set aside her book to stand at the piano, taking advantage of the natural light. Sarah turned her attention back to the male visitors, and watched Adam's reaction. His face went from anxious to adoration as he stared at Nessa. She was the true center of attention, seated in the sunlight as she was, and her face was calm as she played a lullaby that Nicholas would often have sung to her. Ben's face was much the same as his sons, although it had a more fatherly look to it than that of a would be suitor. Suddenly the music stopped, and Sarah knew that was her cue. "Girls, we have visitors." she said, and Elizabeth jumped slightly, turning her head to look at the doorway. Nessa didn't move, just raised her eyes from the piano to the door, her face flushing slightly.
Sarah thought she knew why.
Elizabeth pushed herself away form the piano, her cousin appeared frozen to the bench, "Hello, gentlemen. Please, join us." she motioned to the many settees and chairs around the room, and Ben nodded gratefully. His moving forward startled Adam, who hadn't taken his eyes off from Nessa. Nessa smiled lightly, and finally moved from her spot, walking over to Ben and hugging him tightly. "Uncle Ben, it's so good to see you again!" she exclaimed, and he returned the embrace. "it's good to see you too, Vanessa." she smiled and looked at her feet, "I wish someone had told me you were here." she said, risking a glance over at Adam.
He couldn't make himself move, she was too stunning. The red really set off the highlights in her hair, and had taken his breath away when he'd first seen her. Now, as she moved to a settee with his father, all he could think of was how she had sat in his lap the night before during one particularly passionate moment. "Adam, will you join us?" Sarah asked, touching his arm and breaking his reverie. Adam inhaled sharply and smiled down at the portly woman, "Why not?" he let her lead him to a spot across from Nessa. Not exactly where he wanted to be, but it would work until his father could get the other women out of the room. Vanessa sat next to Ben, acutely aware of Adam's eye on her. Elizabeth was talking with him, but it sounded a little too much like flirting for Vanessa's comfort, and for the second time in her twenty two years, she felt the stab of jealousy where Adam was concerned. She ricked a glance over at him when her aunt caught Ben's attention for a moment, and caught him staring at her. Adam winked at her, and she felt a little foolish. After all that they did last night, hoe could she possibly be jealous? The memory made her flush, and look away quickly, but she was still to slow to escape her aunt's notice.
"Vanessa Nichole Warrick, would you like a moment alone with your suitor?" The comment caught both Adam and Vanessa by surprise and made Sarah chuckle happily. "Aunt Sarah?" Vanessa whispered, not daring to get her hopes up. Sarah smiled knowingly at her niece and rose from her seat, "You really think I haven't noticed the looks you two have been giving each other? It's almost as though you haven't been paying attention to a word any of the rest of us have been saying." just to be a snot, Vanessa looked up at her aunt and said, "What was that? I didn't hear what you said." Elizabeth burst out into a giggling fit and Ben smiled as well. Getting to his feet, he decided to take charge and offered his arm to Sarah, "Well then, should we take a walk?" Sarah took his arm and motioned to Elizabeth, "Come along, Lizzie. I know when we aren't wanted." Elizabeth left the room first, followed closely by Sarah. Ben paused for only a second before he gripped the handle on the door, closing to only a crack when he left. Adam waited for their footsteps to fade before he moved from his seat in the chair opposite her, "You're beautiful." he whispered as he sat down next to her, taking one of her hands in his. He ran his knuckles up the inside of her arm and looked deep into her eyes, "How are you feeling?" She looked away briefly, her cheeks red, then turned back to him, "There's little point in denying that I'm tired, but otherwise I'm fine." He brought his other hand to her cheek and grinned, "Nessa, you are a terrible liar." Then he leaned in and let his lips graze her cheek.
Her arms erupted with gooseflesh and a shiver ran up her spine. "Adam," she began, but he put a finger over her lips, "I have something for you." he pulled an oblong box from his coat pocket and placed it in her hand. She shifted slightly to catch the light, and he edged closer to her, resting his chin on her shoulder. When she opened the lid, she gasped, and put a hand over her mouth, "Oh, Adam.." It was a silver bookmark, hammered out into a gentle swoop, and engraved onto it was a design of leaves and vines, similar to what had been on his mask the night before at the ball, "Adam, I can't possibly..." he chuckled and let his lips brush against her neck, "Oh yes you can. You accepted me didn't you?" She drew a shuddering breath, "Adam..." he brought a hand around her waist and held her to him. "Nessa...marry me. Here, now, in New Orleans. We can go home together to the Ponderosa and be together." She leaned away from him, "You're serious, aren't you." he nodded, and whispered, "After last night, I couldn't live with myself if I knew that...that you..." she raised her eyebrows and pushed herself off the settee, walking to the piano. "So that's it then." he was confused, "What?" she turned on him, her face dark, "You're asking me because of...that." she waved towards the creek and put her hands on her hips, "Out of sense of duty rather than love." her voice got soft as she turned her back to him, and protectively wrapped her arms around her middle.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Now I didn't say that." She spun around, her loose hair fanning out behind her, "Then what did you mean?" Before he could answer, Elizabeth came tearing into the room, her face alight. Vanessa went to her, ignoring Adam completely, "Lizzie, what...?" Elizabeth couldn't hold it back any longer, "It's Mary Wallace. Her maid Laura just came through the gate a a flutter and she's asking for you. She says that Mary's having difficulty and needs your help." She finally took a breath, but Vanessa was already walking down the hall, and out the back door. Elizabeth looked at Adam and hastened to follow her cousin, "Vanessa wait! You know full well that you can't..." Vanessa slammed the back door open, and it cracked against the side of the house. Sarah was trying to calm Laura down when Vanessa emerged, and Laura was having none of it. She picked up her single skirt and raced to Vanessa, "Mis Nessa, it's Ms Mary. She..." Vanessa held up a hand and nodded knowingly, "I heard, Laura. Can you help me?" the young girl bobbed her head excitedly and grabbed the small rooksack that Vanessa kept on the porch cupboard. Elizabeth finally came out of the house and stood next to her aunt, "Vanessa you can't be serious about going there!" Vanessa was ignoring her cousin, hopped the small fence around the herb garden and just set about removing raspberry leaves, and placing them in a small handkerchief. When Laura got to her, she placed the kerchief in the sack and moved through two other plants before answering her cousin, "Do I lok like I'm joking around?" She glanced at her aunt and asked, "I'm going to need that St. John's Wort oil I made last fall, can you get it for me?" Sarah was about to protest, but the look that Vanessa gave her sent her scurrying off into the house.
Elizabeth came to the fence and fretted at her cousin, "Nessa, I'm serious, you can't just head down to the boardwalks without an escort!" Vanessa snorted and raised an eyebrow at her cousin, and before she spoke she whistled loudly, "I've been down there before, and you know that Mary's a good friend of mine. I won't let that butcher deliver this child!" As she spoke, Jupiter exited the barn, tossing his mane and his eyes rolling. He was chased by a stablehand, apparently the man had barely had just enough time to put on the bridle on the beast when Vanessa had called for him. The man was followed by another carrying the saddle but Vanessa waved him off. "Don't worry about it Hank." She glanced at Laura, "You didn't bring the house's pony along did you?" Laura shook her head, no. That caught Vanessa, "You ran the whole way here?" Laura nodded as though she was being chastised, Vanessa shook her head in wonderment, "Definitely won't be needing the saddle now, Hank."
Sarah came back out with the jar in hand, but Adam intercepted her and took the jar from her, "Nessa, I don't like this." she smirked and took the jar from him, "I don't care at the moment." That riled him and he grabbed her arm before as she walked past, "Vanessa." It was meant to come out angry, but came out more of a hiss. She stopped, but nodded to Laura who scurried over to Jupiter's side to have Hank help her onto his back, "Vanessa, you didn't answer my question." Vanessa gave him a crooked grin and glanced back towards the creek and hot spring cave, "I thought I had." she pulled her arm from his grips and went to the fence. Jupiter followed her, and when she stepped up on the rail, she leapt onto his back, bringing her legs astride and whimpering slightly. She grabbed the reins around Laura's frame and turned the horse around to the front walk, "I don't have time for your worrying Adam. I told Mary to call for me only if it was a breech, and I gave my word I would help her." He came up to her and grabbed her calf, "Nessa." She pulled her leg from him, and dug her heels into Jupiter's flanks, making the horse rear back and take off at a gallop.
Ben turned to his hostess, "Where's she going?" Sarah drew a deep breath and looked hard at Adam, "Mary Wallace is one of Madame Maria's ladies."