Chapter 2

Around mid-morning, the stage coach pulled to a jerking halt in front of the Virginia City stage depot. A young boy quickly put a step by the coach then opened the door to begin assisting the passengers down to the street. This time there were only two passengers, a beautiful young woman dressed in an expensive travelling suit, and Candy Canaday, foreman of the Ponderosa. Candy gave a small coin to the waiting lad, but the woman refused assistance from the boy or the cowboy. She was about to request that her bags be delivered to the hotel but the cowboy was blocking the window. She stood nearby tapping her foot impatiently, her dark brown eyes smoldering.

Candy leaned on the counter and ruffled the boy's hair as he gave him another coin. "Here you go Tommy. Would you go ask Jeff at the livery to saddle my horse while I check the mail? Tell him I'll be by in about half an hour."

"Sure Mr. Candy." He eyed the shiny coins. "Gee, thanks."

Candy laughed as Tommy took off on his mission. "Got any mail for the Ponderosa, Zeke?"

This conversation peaked the lady's interest. Not above eavesdropping, she stood silently a few feet away.

"Not a thing, Candy. The mail train's due in about noon. If anything comes in I'll send it out to the ranch. Say how was your trip to Reno?"

"Profitable. Don't worry about delivering it, we're not expecting anything critical. Besides somebody from the ranch will be in town most days this week, most likely Adam or Joe. We're getting ready for roundup and the cattle drive, so they'll be comin' in pretty often to get supplies. I best get going. Gotta get some papers to Mr. Cartwright's attorney. See ya around."

Zeke grabbed Candy's arm and leaned toward him. "By the way Candy, I bet that lady passenger made it a rather interesting trip, right?" Zeke winked at Candy, not seeing the lady standing nearby.

Candy leaned into the ticket window and frowned at Zeke. "I'd rather move a thousand head of cattle through the frozen Sierras in the dead of winter, than ever be anywhere near her. No matter how hot it was on that stage, it's a miracle I didn't get frostbite." Candy held his hands out for emphasis.

Zeke whistled, "That bad huh?"

Candy nodded. "That bad." He cocked his head and headed toward the office of Hiram Wood to leave a contract for Ben.

Zeke shivered just a bit as he watched Candy cross the street. At that moment, the woman was standing in front of the window with an angry expression. She spoke with slow, icy words.

"You would do well to mind your own business, which at this moment is to make sure my bags are promptly delivered to the hotel." She turned abruptly and walked purposefully across the street to the hotel. Zeke watched her enter the lobby and ignore the gentleman holding the door for her.

"Geez, she even snubbed Ben Cartwright. That is one cold-hearted woman."

Just then the telegraph machine began clicking, drawing his attention back to his work. Zeke muttered to himself, "No one talks to ol' Zeke that way. I'll get her bags over there after I deal with this message."

Leaving the hotel after a railroad meeting, Ben Cartwright held the door open for a young woman just entering the lobby. He tipped his hat as she passed by and found himself completely ignored for his services. He watched her walk to the front desk, then he left the hotel in search of Roy Coffee.

After scanning the area to determine where the sheriff could be, Ben walked decidedly down the boardwalk to the Sheriff's office. He swung the door open and found his friend bent over several wanted posters while someone was yelling and complaining from the cell area. Ben couldn't help but smile, and shook his head. He never envied Roy his job. He stood in the doorway with his hands on his hips and chuckled.

"Roy, I swear each time I see you you're in the same position."

"Huh, oh, hello Ben. Yeah, it's these blasted wanted posters. They never stop comin'. You can see my wall's full of 'em and now I got near a dozen more." Roy held his hand out to indicate the chair in front of his desk. "Have a seat. I'll be right with ya as soon as I let those loudmouths outa my jail."

Roy swung around and grabbed the cell keys from the wall hook behind him. He disappeared into the other section and the yelling ceased immediately. After a moment Ben saw Roy manhandling two filthy drifters out the door.

"You two good-fer-nothings get on yer horses quick like an' I don't wanna see you back in my town again." He slammed the door. Turning around to see his friend grinning at him, Roy's scowl quickly became a sheepish grin.

"Sorry 'bout that Ben. Them two drifters got drunk at the Bucket o' Blood last night and almost tore the place up after they didn't like the way a card game went. I've been listenin' to their caterwauling all morning." Roy shoved some posters of wanted men and women away from the corner of his desk and hitched one leg up to sit on it. "Now what can I do fer ya this fine day. Hope there ain't nothin' wrong at the ranch."

Ben smiled and held up his hand to forestall any further questions. "No Roy. Everything's fine out at the Ponderosa. I had about an hour before meeting Hiram so I wondered if you'd like to join me for lunch. And seeing that you've had a rough morning, you pick the place and I'll buy."

Roy jumped up and slapped Ben on the shoulder. "Just let me get my gun and lock up the place."

A few minutes later the two old friends were heading to the International Hotel for some "good ole' Ponderosa steaks" as Roy had put it.

After they sat down, the hostess showed a formally dressed young woman to a table nearby. Ben and Roy observed her for a moment to see if a gentleman would be joining her but none did.

"Now that's a bit strange ta see a woman dressed as fine as she is sittin' all alone."

Ben agreed, "Maybe she's travelling. I held the front door open for her a bit ago and she acted like she didn't see me, then she went to the front desk. It is the hotel restaurant after all Roy, so it wouldn't be too unusual."

Before anymore could be said their steaks arrived and the two men were absorbed in friendly conversation.

"So you say Emily's threatenin' to leave Adam ifn he don't let her have some choice in her activities?" He laughed heartily. "Ben, I bet he'll be fit to be tied when that baby does make an appearance. How long you say it'll be now?"

"Oh, about August, maybe September. And no Roy, I didn't say she was going to leave him but she's already asked me three times to talk to him. Adam had her stop working for Hiram last month and won't let her go back. Paul says everything is fine and she and the baby are healthy." Ben paused and stared at his friend, "In fact she came over last night nearly in tears begging me to talk to him again. I told her I sympathized with her and said I'd talk to him. After a while Adam showed up. They talked and Emily eventually offered a truce of sorts. The problem is, Roy, he knows he needs to back off but just can't bring himself to do it. I just wish I knew why." Ben sighed and stabbed his fork into his slice of apple pie.

Roy just laughed at his friend's predicament. Through the years he'd been through life, injury and almost death with the Cartwrights but he found this situation with Adam and his expectant wife to be most entertaining.

As he finished his pie, Roy checked his watch. "Ben, did ya say you were meetin' Hiram?"

Ben hastily swallowed his last bite and wiped the crumbs from his lips. "Yes, Roy. I guess we best get going." Ben laid some cash on the table to cover the meal and tip, then both men left the hotel, Ben heading to the attorney's office and Roy back to his office and those wanted posters.

At the table nearby, a cold smile crept across the woman's face as she stood to leave. Her dark, hooded eyes followed the two men as they left the lobby. She headed to her room to change into less identifying clothes. She was looking forward to getting to know the people of Virginia City a little bit better.

By late afternoon the woman had visited several shops and the bank. With some vague but well-placed questions, she had discreetly learned a lot about the largest ranch in the state and the family who owns it. Managing to confirm the information she had about who killed her brother, she also was able to get a description of him. Now she was ready to make him pay dearly for what he had done. Thinking about how she would do that she headed to a cemetery on the edge of town.

Gloved fingers caressed the flat, cold stone, outlining the letters carved into it. The setting sun cast long shadows across the wild grass which buried the stone as much as the grave, both already faded from the town's memory. However, memories flooded her mind unwillingly - a weak mother who hated her life so much she ended it in front of her two young children; a drunken and abusive father who worshiped his illegal shipping business over his family and was killed in a mutiny on one of his ships; her young brother whom she promised to protect no matter what. Her cold heart could feel no pain, no sadness; only pure hatred for the man who had put her only sibling, the only person she ever cared about, in this place.

One last time she traced the letters: J. L. She fumed at the inscription, "They couldn't even put your full name on it," she spat out with a hiss. "I promised you, Jason, that I would protect you, and I will. The man who did this to you will pay dearly for taking your sweet life. And after I have finished with him I will make sure you have a proper stone. No one will forget the name of Landry ever again. Especially, Adam Cartwright!"