Chapter 4

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By the time sheriff Coffee had everyone gathered together, there was quite a few upset men and women inside the jail's office. One by one Sheriff Coffee placed the women in the two cells. It was crowded at first, but as their husbands or fathers bailed them out, the cells became less crowded. There was definitely a lot of yelling and arguing going on as the men and women left the jailhouse.

All the men knew Alissa had been the organizer of this march and had let her hear a few choice words as they left the cell area. Most of the consensus was that the Cartwrights should take her in hand because she was way out of control.

Ali just held her tongue, even though she wanted to tell them what she thought of their opinions and what they could do with them. After about an hour, the only two left were Alissa and Amy. Alissa hadn't seen Adam since she had been put in jail and she figured as mad as he had been, he probably was going to leave her here all night!

Oh what a day this has been Ali thought. It definitely would go down as one of the more memorable ones for Virginia City, that's for sure…..

"Where is she?"

Alissa recognized that voice as she came out of her daydreaming— it was Little Joe.

Joe Cartwright walked through the door with his hat cocked on his head, smiling his usual mischievous grin.

"What have you gone and gotten yourself into this time, Ali gal? You know, I've spent many a night here myself."

Joe winked at her as he came over and stood in front of the cell. The deputy was right behind Joe and when he reached the cell, he quickly opened the cell door. He motioned for Ali and Amy to come out, but Ali hesitated as she gave him a questioning look.

"It's okay now, Ali, you can come out. Adam and Amy's father are out there posting bail," assured Joe after smiling at Ali.

"Maybe I am safer in here than out there," Ali grinned nervously, as she came out of the cell.

"Your brother was not a happy camper when I saw him last," she added, as she came over and stood by Joe.

Joe looked baffled as he asked, "A happy what?"

"Oh never mind, Joe… is he still really mad?"

Ali realized she was holding her breath waiting for Joe's reply.

"Aw, you know, Adam. He gets mad quick, but also gets over it just as quickly," assured Joe, as he put his arm around Ali.

"So he isn't mad anymore?"

"Well, I didn't say he wasn't mad, but maybe not as mad as he was a couple of hours ago."

"That's reassuring," Ali mumbled miserably, as she headed out to meet her fate.

But just before she went through the door, she put her arm around Amy and gave her an encouraging hug as she whispered in her ear, "Good luck with your father, Amy. I'll talk to you soon."

Adam was signing a paper on the desk when Alissa came out into the office. Joe had his arm around her and maneuvered her past Adam and out the front door. He figured it might be best for all concerned if he got her outside. Ali was glad he did and she hoped Adam wouldn't yell at her too loudly with people around to hear.

Joe had Freedom and the buckboard outside waiting for them. Ali started to get up on Freedom, but Joe quickly grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Wait a minute, Ali. Adam wants you to ride with him in the buckboard and I will ride Freedom home. I think he wants to talk to you in private."

Joe gave Ali a look of sympathy as he mounted up on Freedom. Joe knew Ali could hold her own in any argument, but he had been on the receiving end of Adam's temper before, so he felt rather sorry for her. Joe had planned to ride home with them, but Adam had already informed him that they wouldn't be needing his company and he could go on ahead.

"I'll see you at home, Ali."

When Little Joe saw the worried look on her face he added, "Don't worry, he has cooled down a lot since you talked to him last."

Giving Ali one of his easy grins, Joe slowly turned Freedom toward home and took off at a gallop heading out of town.

"That's just peachy. We get to be alone on the way home—out in the wilderness. No one will know where he buried the body!" Ali muttered sarcastically, as she got into the buckboard and waited for Adam.

Eventually Adam came out and got into the buckboard along side Alissa. He slapped the reins on the back of the horses and they started out of town. They rode in silence for about three miles until Alissa couldn't stand it anymore.

"Well, are you ever going to talk to me again?"

Alissa turned on the seat to get a better look at Adam. She was trying to read the expression on his face and wasn't very encouraged when she saw the scowl he was wearing on his handsome face.

"Whoa."

Adam stopped the horses and got down from the buckboard and came around to where Ali was sitting.

"What is your middle name? All this time and I have never known," he said casually, as he looked at her frowning slightly.

Alissa sat there totally confused as she eyed him warily. "Why do you want to know that now?"

"Just answer me."

"It's Marie… Alissa Marie Anderson."

"Marie…that was Little Joe's mother's name. That's a beautiful name. It suits you."

Adam's smiled slightly as he turned and walked to the back of the buckboard.

"Come here," he said firmly, as he stood there with his arms crossed in front of him waiting for her to comply with his order.

Alissa just sat there for a moment debating whether she wanted to get out of the buckboard or not.

"Great, he wants to know my full name so he can put it on my headstone," she mumbled, as she let out a long exasperated sigh.

Finally deciding to get this over with, she jumped down and slowly walked to the back of the buckboard where Adam was waiting. When she got to where Adam was standing, he put his hands on her waist and picked her up and set her in the back of the buckboard. This made her just the right level to see the frown on his face as he faced her.

"Alissa, what am I going to do with you? Every time I turn my back you have gone and gotten yourself in another dangerous situation! This time it is serious. I paid your fines, but I still don't know if Mr. Collins is going to press charges."

"Oh that arrogant…."

"Hush! Not a word till I am finished saying what I have to say. It is taking all of my patience not to take you over my knee right now and give you the spanking I promised you, so don't push your luck!"

Adam started pacing again as he tried to gather his thoughts.

"Alissa, just how am I going to keep you safe if you keep getting yourself into all this trouble? It is my job to keep you safe, and sometimes you make that job almost impossible for me to do."

Adam ran his hand through his hair—then his expression slowly softened as he gently reached for her hand and held it in his.

"When I saw that crowd today and then saw you in the middle of it, my heart sank to my knees. I was so afraid you might get hurt with all those men shouting and fighting all around you."

Adam brought her small hand to his lips and turned it over, lightly kissing her palm as he whispered, "I don't know what I would do if you were taken from me. I love you so much that my heart aches sometimes when I look at your beautiful face and know that you return that love."

Leaning forward slightly, Adam gazed lovingly at Alissa's face until their eyes met. As he looked into the beautiful eyes of the woman he loved, his voice was soft and gentle, but confident as he searched for just the right words to tell her how he felt.

"I did a lot of thinking this afternoon and I realized that I want you to be in my life forever, Alissa, so…."

While still holding on to her hand, Adam got down on one knee in front of Alissa. As he looked up into her face with his unforgettable smile, his eyes misted as he caressed her hand tenderly with his long, slender fingers.

"It seems that I have been searching for something most of my adult life. I always felt there was something missing in my life, and now I realize what was missing all along…it was you, my love."

With a twinkle in his eyes, Adam continued on.

"You have brought so much upheaval into my life since you arrived, Alissa, that sometimes I know I lose my temper with you. You certainly have made me learn patience," he said grinning, until his dimples slowly appeared.

"But you have also brought so much excitement, joy and fulfillment into my life, that I don't want it to ever end."

"Besides," he added laughing softly. "I find I am beginning to like all this excitement."

Then his expression became serious as he kissed her hand once again.

"I love you with all my heart, little one, and I want you to share my life. I want you to help me build our own Ponderosa on this beautiful, rugged land. So my feisty, headstrong and loveable, Alissa Marie Anderson, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife…Mrs. Adam Cartwright?"

Adam looked up into her face waiting for her answer. Alissa sat there for a moment, not sure what had just happened. She had been waiting for him to lecture her about what had happened today, or even worse finally act on his threat. But instead, he was asking her to be his wife. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked down into his incredibly handsome face.

"Oh, Adam, I would be honored to become your wife."

Alissa felt a tear slowly slide down her cheek as Adam stood up and took her face in his hands as he captured her waiting mouth with a sensuous kiss. Then he pulled her into his arms and continued kissing her, until she felt her body tremble as she savored the taste of his full lips on her mouth as they shared a deliriously unforgettable kiss. It took her a moment to realize her feet weren't even touching the ground as they continued kissing.

When their lips finally parted, Adam grinned as he situated her in his arms and started to dance around the road. Spinning her around and around until she squealed with delight, Adam couldn't stop smiling as he finally went over and sat on a boulder on the side of the road and positioned her in his lap.

"You have made me the happiest man alive, Alissa Marie Anderson. I have been waiting for just the right time to ask you. I know this wasn't the most romantic of times, but today when I thought you might have gotten hurt, I realized I didn't want to wait any longer to make you a part of my life."

Alissa put her hand gently on his face as she gazed into his eyes.

"I never dreamed when I came on this unusual adventure that I would find someone who would love me, and I would love them back… but I did. And you my drop, dead gorgeous man are my knight in shining armor, my friend, my protector and after we are married…my lover."

Alissa gave Adam a wink after the last statement when she saw him blush slightly. Then she put her arms around his neck as they kissed passionately. Adam's lips were luscious and warm and Alissa became blissfully lost in his kiss as she breathed in his scent of leather and bay rum.

Reluctantly, Adam finally pulled away and stood up and walked with Alissa in his arms to the front of the buckboard and placed her on the seat. He went around to the other side and got in and started the horses into a slow walk as Alissa put her head on his shoulder as they headed down the road.

"Adam, does this mean you aren't mad at me anymore about what happened in town today? Because even though my march was a failure, there will be other days and other causes for me to get involved in."

Adam smiled as he answered, "You know I can't stay mad at you very long. Besides, I know you will settle down a lot after we are married and hopefully stay out of trouble."

Then he grinned playfully as he added, "Or at least it will be my job to try and keep you out of trouble. And I have a feeling that you will probably end up over my knee on more than one occasion because you can't stay out of trouble and will keep putting yourself in danger!"

Alissa started to protest Adam's comment, but decided against it as she found herself smiling while she continued to keep her head on his shoulder, completely content with her new life. As they continued down the road, the sun was just starting to set in the evening sky when Alissa eventually broke the silence of the quiet summer night.

"Adam, I have been thinking. You know that part in the wedding ceremony that says…love, honor and obey?"

"Yes."

"Well, we definitely are going to have to have a long talk about the obey part."

Adam softly chuckled as he said, "We certainly are…little one…we most certainly are!"

TBC

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Well now these two lovebirds are engaged and ready to take on life together. I think they are made for each other. Alissa with her modern way of thinking and her carefree spirit is the perfect contrast to Adam's old fashioned and structured way of looking at things. Their life ahead is definitely going to have a lot of love and excitement in it. I hope you are enjoying this series and where I have taken them in their journey together.

There is a lot more in store for Adam and Alissa in the next story. A character by the name of Percy comes into their lives, and for once Alissa isn't the one finding all the trouble.

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Once again I want to thank all of you who have reviewed this series. It is encouraging to know that you enjoy this series as much as I do writing it, and I appreciate your comments so much! So please keep them coming, so I'll know you want me to keep the stories coming!