I do NOT own Bonanza or any of the original Cartwright characters.
I should say Jamie is introduce later on in the story, not right away.
Star's Hope
Chapter Two
Star sat between her father and mother as they drove the wagon down the streets of Virginia City. Hoss and Candy followed on their horses. Little Joe and Rosa were supposed to meet them at the churchyard; that's where some of the children's' games were being held and, what with Rosa's niece, Margarita, staying with them for a few weeks, that's the first place Little Joe had said he and his wife would be. Ben had agreed it was a good place to meet as Star and Hannah were sure to have fun together.
Ben couldn't help but notice there were more strangers than usual in town; the celebration had to be the reason for the extra people. At least, it had always been the cause in the past. He just hoped none of the strangers would cause any trouble; trouble and strangers had gone hand in hand in the past. Then again, it wasn't always a stranger causing the problems. No, if he was to be honest, being human alone gave you an inborn heritage of problems to deal with. He hadn't met one person yet who could get away from them, problems that is.
Ben bristled when Jason Mitchell, a local rancher who had never approved of the marriage between the Ben and Brooke, due to age difference as well as her mixed blood, stumbled out of the saloon, looked at Brooke and hollered, "When ya gonna get wise and tell that young squaw to leave!" Ben would have stopped the wagon and fought it out with the man only Hoss beat him to it.
"Ya don't talk about Miss Brooke that way!" Hoss planted his fist across the man's face and knocked him out cold, and more than one applause was heard throughout the streets. Since her marriage to Ben, Brooke had actually gained the respect of the majority of the citizens in Virginia City, for they'd learned quickly she was a hard working, God fearing and honest woman. Besides, no one really cared for the drunken rancher. In fact, they kept waiting for himself earn himself a vacation to the state penitentiary.
"He bad news." Brooke glanced over her shoulder as a couple of men carried Mr. Mitchell away. She felt sorry for the woman who had to put up with him; and he had just gotten married. She'd never met the woman; she'd just heard about her, a young woman who was only twenty years old. In Brooke's eyes, that gave the thirty five year old Jason Mitchell no room to complain about the years between Ben and herself. Okay, Ben had more years than that on her; still, it didn't matter.
Ben shook his head. He'd known the small time rancher for a number of years. Mr. Mitchell had been young and eager at that time, even polite. Sadly, over time, he'd turned bitter and to alcohol. No one really knew why; they just knew the facts. The once loveable young rancher was now fighting for the position of the town drunk or so it seemed. "I'm afraid he will always be bad news, unless something happens to wake him up."
As they approached the church, the Cartwrights could hear the sound of music floating through the open windows and open door. People were both entering and leaving the building. There were some families standing around visiting, while others played the games the citizens of Virginia City had set up. Over all the people attending the celebration centered at the church seemed to be quiet happy.
Ben stopped the wagon, climbed down and then helped Brooke and Star down. Hoss and Candy, having left their horses at the livery stable, walked up to where Ben and Brooke were now talking with Little Joe and Rosa; Star was having fun playing with Little Joe's and Rosa's four year old niece, Hannah, who had been left in Uncle Joe and Aunt Rosa's care.
"I hear there's going to be a children's play later on. Is Star in it?" Rosa looked at Brooke and asked, as the two young girls ran round in between the grownups. Seeing how sick the child had been just the previous week, Rosa was unsure whether or not to watch for her niece.
Brooke watched as the two seemed to be oblivious to the grownups talking. Of course, any child at play would choose to ignore the adults around them. At least, that was the case as far as Ben and the others were concerned. "No," she answered, "They practice, Little Star sick. She watch today." How Brooke wished it could be different, only life was life. Brooke was just happy to see the young child playing.
As the family continued to visit, they made their way towards one of the picnic tables that had just been vacated. They wanted to continue to visit and were happy to see the space become available. After all, there'd be plenty of opportunity for standing in the hot sun later. For now they preferred to visit sitting down underneath the shade of the huge pine tree that had grown quite tall through the years. The tree had given more than the Cartwrights shelter from the heat; it had done its best to provide many citizens of the town shelter from a storm now than and then. Once in awhile, a stranger also found refuge underneath its branches.
"Whoa!" Little Joe caught his step-sister as she about tripped over his feet; she'd was, of course, trying to get away from Hannah.
"You're not supposed to catch me," Little Star looked up at her brother quizzically, "You're not it." That made everyone laugh. Little Joe let her go and chuckled as the two children went back to play.
"She sure has got energy. How do the two of you keep up with her?" he said the words before he stopped to think. He wasn't surprised when his father, and everyone else, started roaring with laughter, nor was he surprised by his father's answer.
"If I kept up with you young man, Brooke and I can keep up with Star." Ben was continued laughing, as did the rest of the family.