Chapter 30
Ben was drinking his coffee and feeding Ezra bits of bacon when Joe came in.
"Pa," Joe said, "can I talk to you." He looked about at the expectant faces of Fiona and Hop Sing. "Alone." He motioned with his head and stepped out of the kitchen.
Ben followed him. "What is it?" It wasn't often that Joe looked as worried as he did now.
"I went to wake up Hoss and he was gone and so was Adam but that's not all-Sylvia is asleep in Hoss' bed."
"What?" Ben was confused.
"I guess Adam left to track down the men and Hoss went either after him or with him. Do you want me to find them or join the posse?"
"We'll both go join the posse. Hopefully, we'll find the men before Adam and Hoss. I wonder how much time they have on us."
"I don't know. I'll go saddle the horses."
"Thanks. Let me tell Hop Sing…and Fiona that we're going."
"Oh, and, Pa." Ben turned to Joe who was almost to the front door. "I'm hungry. Bring me a biscuit and bacon, would you?" Ben smiled and Joe left the house.
"Fiona," Ben said to her as she rose from her chair. By his face she knew that things were worse than she had supposed. Hop Sing stopped wiping up the floor where Ezra had spilt half the milk from his cup, and listened. He recognized the tenseness about Ben's mouth and the way he seemed to hold himself taller when there was bad news. It was almost as if he felt he could intimidate the bad Chinese gods who out of jealousy and the necessity to show their power brought evil to those who felt too secure in life; man must be kept humble.
"Yes, Mr. Cartwright," she said.
"I have to go into Virginia City. Joe and I are joining the posse to find your brother and Judd and bring them in. I won't be able to take you into town today so would you mind…helping Hop Sing with Ezra and helping Mrs. Cartwright. For some reason, she's asleep in Hoss' room. I'm assuming that she was too weak to…well, it doesn't matter, but if, when she wakes, you'll help her get back to her room and with whatever else she needs, it would be appreciated."
"Yes, sir. I'll help. And would you mind…I know I have no right to ask, but would you see that my brother is treated…not well as I know what he's done was bad but if you could keep him from doin' somethin' stupid and gettin' himself killed…for my mother's sake, it would be a kindness."
"I'll do my best, Fiona."
Adam had dismounted and was squatting down to check tracks. He had ridden to the line shack where they had found Sylvia and easily tracked the riders from that point; they obviously were in too much of a hurry to make an effort to cover their tracks. But now he had reached an area where he was finding it difficult to determine which way the two riders had gone. They were heading west earlier and Adam decided that if he lost their tracks completely, he would just stop in the next town and ask questions. He knew what the men looked like, Darby and Judd, and he had had problems with them. He kept thinking that he should have sacked them instead of giving them another chance and another chance but hands were hard to come by now that another mine had opened but they were poor hands and he had, a few days ago, threatened to let them go. Adam wondered if taking Sylvia was their way of extracting revenge on him. If so, then, he told himself, he was partially accountable for what happened.
He was about to mount up when his horse nickered and there was a response from a horse a short distance behind him. Adam's hand went to his gun and he slowly drew it while turning slightly. Adam waited, listening to determine if another horse or a creeping person was circling around. He saw a rider come into view from around some high scrub and he sighed, partly in relief and partly in annoyance.
"You gonna shoot me, older brother?"
"I should for sneaking up on me like that. Why are you here?" Adam slid his gun back into its holster.
"Lookin' for you. What kinda brother would I be iffen I let you track down them men alone. 'Sides, as bad as you are, you couldn't track a black cow in a light snow storm."
"I got this far, didn't I?"
"Yeah, but now you're stuck, ain't you?"
Adam threw up his hands. "Yeah, I am. I don't know where they hell they went except west and I'm not even sure about that. I thought that I'd stop in Cooperville and ask around. They would go there on their way. My guess is that they may be heading for the gold fields-they could get lost there. You know how close-mouthed and anti-social miners are—always afraid someone is going to jump their claim. Now, you gonna help me?"
"Maybe—it depends on a few things."
"Oh, I see. Pa sent you. I get your help but let me guess—I'm supposed to bring them in unharmed. Right? I'm surprised that Joe's not with you to help ride herd on me."
"Pa did ask me and Joe to go with you but I left this mornin' afore they were up—heard you leavin' just after I'd packed some ham and bread from last night. Joe and Pa are still home, well, they were when I left. They probably joined up with the posse by now." Hoss still sat on his horse. "Sylvia asked me to follow you, to keep you from doin' something' you'd regret."
"Sylvia? I dosed her with laudanum to keep her in bed."
"Well, she managed—barely managed-but she did, to get down the hall to me. I left her tucked in my bed, warm and comfortable."
Adam stood silently. "Your bed? Don't make a habit of it." He grinned and Hoss chuckled. "Now haul your ass down here and help me decide which direction they went and give me one of those biscuits."
Sylvia had woken wondering where she was. The room was unfamiliar and her head was fuzzy from the laudanum. Then she remembered that she had asked Hoss to find Adam. She realized she must have quickly succumbed to the opiate. Sylvia sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed which was so high that she couldn't put her feet flat on the floor. She slid further and her knees buckled under her and she hit the floor. She lay on the rag-rug beside the bed, waiting for her head to clear and heard footsteps approaching.
"Mrs. Cartwright." Sylvia felt hands on her arms, shaking her slightly. "Are you all right?"
Sylvia opened her eyes and saw Fiona kneeling beside her. Hop Sing stood behind her in the doorway.
"I want to go back to my room," she said but her voice was a mere whisper. "Help me, would you? Please."
Fiona and Hop Sing helped her up and together, they took her back to her room and Fiona helped tuck her in.
"Adam. Is he here?"
"No, ma'am. The Mister is still gone along with Mr. Hoss. Mr. Cartwright and Joe went to join the posse."
"Ezra."
"He's down for a nap; it's past 2:00 in the afternoon."
Hop Sing felt helpless as he watched. "I bring tea and toast. You eat something. You feel better then." He turned and left.
"I suppose I'll leave now too," Fiona said. "Is there anything you want before I do?"
"No, no, nothing. Thank you for helping me." Sylvia sighed and closed her eyes. "You can open the drapes though. If it stays dark, I'll sleep all day." She heard the drapes being drawn and saw the light of day behind her eyelids. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Anything else I can do for you before I have to leave?"
"No, thank you." Sylvia noticed that all was still; Fiona hadn't left. Sylvia opened her eyes. "Is something wrong, Fiona? Something I should know?"
"No, ma'am. It's just that… did the Mister tell you that I've been dismissed and why?"
"No. No, he didn't." Sylvia heard the blood pound in her ears; she knew there was some terrible secret, something going on that she didn't know.
Fiona took a deep breath. "It's because of the men who took you-one of them was my brother, Darby Flanagan. He and another man, a ranch hand on the Ponderosa, they wanted to take Ezra and hold him for a price. They told me when they saw me outside on Ezra's birthday. I traded you for Ezra in a manner. I should have told, let your family know that they were going to take you but I didn't. I suppose that I really wanted you gone in some foolish hope that I could take your place, that I could be mother to Ezra and…wife to the Mister. The idea is foolish—more than foolish. It's sinful and cruel—I see that now—I guess I always saw it, always knew it but it's too late. I'm sorry about…well, your losin' the baby. If I could take back what I've done, I would. But I can't. I'll stay out of your way but if you need my help, I'll humbly give it and be glad to." Fiona stood for a minute, her heart thumping. She knew that were she in the bed recovering from such a loss, she would be tempted to curse the person who had caused her such misery to eternal damnation, to wander through the world without recourse or succor.
Sylvia pulled herself to a sitting position. If she was going to be Mrs. Cartwright, the lady of the house, no matter how intimidating it was, she had best act the part. "When Ezra wakes from his nap, bring him to me. I want to see him. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Fiona said quietly. "I'll bring him."
Hop Sing came to the door carrying a tray with a small teapot, a cream pitcher, a cup and saucer and a plate with buttered toast, along with a brass bell. He grinned as he carried it to her and placed it across her lap. "Already put sugar in tea. Missy eat. Get strength back."
Sylvia picked up the folded napkin and placed it on the bosom of her nightgown. "Thank you, Hop Sing. I'll eat it all, I promise." She noticed the bell. "What's this?" She held it up and it clanked heavily.
"You call Hop Sing with bell. You ring and I come."
Sylvia smiled and thanked him. Hop Sing left and only Fiona remained behind. Sylvia poured tea into her cup. "You may go, Fiona. I won't be needing you." And that was the worst thing she could have said to the girl standing across from her.
Tears stung Fiona's eyes and she turned and left. Sylvia let out a shuddery breath. She knew that she should forgive Fiona; that was what was always preached. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Judge not lest ye be judged. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. But Sylvia couldn't. She tried to put herself in Fiona's place and consider how she would feel if Fiona was Adam's wife, if Fiona was the one Adam kissed and the one he took to his bed. If Fiona was spoiled and petted by Adam, coddled and protected from hard work and troubles. Sylvia would hate her even more than she did at this moment but she couldn't forgive Fiona. She couldn't. Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. "God forgive me," Sylvia whispered, "but I can't forgive her—I just can't."