It was the Saturday evening of the spring barn dance. Joe had taken much care to look immaculately and perfectly tuned up for the occasion. A new green bandana was covering the little scar at his throat and he was rather pleased with his own appearance. His voice still sounded a bit husky, but he liked this side effect.

As he was going to fetch Charlie he took the buggy while the other Cartwrights - including Adam, who had avoided such events lately - would ride into town. "I'm driving off" he yelled upstairs, as loud as it was possible for him "you can all go on dawdling around, I have an appointment to keep, see you in town!" and off he went.

Being honest to himself he was really nervous, more than ever before. This was of course not the first evening he was going to spend with a nice girl. This time however his companion was not exactly a girl, but a rather grown up woman, so probably he was entitled to a little tension.

At the Martins house Charlie came out shortly after he knocked. "My Joe, you are looking great tonight, I will be the most envied woman this evening, which is rather reassuring for me because..." she smiled a bit embarrassed and blushed "... I have to confess that I am downright irrationally nervous." "You? Charlie, you look absolutely wonderful, you will surely be the belle of the ball! No need for any nerves at all."

"Thank you Joe, but you see, this is my first social event here and I wonder whether I will make a good impression on the townsfolk. This would be so important for Paul and me." "I am sure you will impress everybody in the best possible way!"

Charlie looked really beautiful to him, she always did, but he could not help the thought, that her dress was rather unusual for such an occasion: The girls he knew had always worn lovely clouds of fabric in light pastel colors with many pretty trimmings and decorations. Charlie however wore a dark green dress without any frills or gathers but with a very high neckline. Maybe it did not make her looking that maidenly sweet like Maryann Watkins, when he had taken her to the last barn dance at Valentines day, but she looked decidedly very elegant and distinguished. The plain clear shape of the dress emphasized her tall and slender outline to the best advantage, whereby it did not hide how delectably rounded she was at the right spots. Even her hair seemed to be tamed tonight, there were only very few curls hanging loosely around her face. Joe felt really proud to take such an outstanding and special beauty to the social tonight in front of all the folks of Virginia City.

The barn dance was already in full swing when the other Cartwrights arrived. Joe and Charlie had already shared a couple of dances and were now standing at the punch bowl and talking to some people, Joe had introduced to Charlie before.

Joe felt really good in Charlies company, he enjoyed very much that she did not want to talk all evening about her dress or other dresses. She asked him with genuine interest about details of his work on the ranch, especially about the horses, which made him feel quite important. However there was missing something: He was used to some more adoration by his companion for the respective event. The girls he usually escorted looked at him like he was their knight in shining armor and did not get tired to emphasize what a great dancer he was and that he was the best looking guy of the evening.

Charlie was different. She was of course kind and amiable, but whenever Joe started to whisper sweet nothings in her ear or tried to take her outside for a moonlight stroll, she changed the matter and had a new question about the horses at hand. Charlie on her part could not help but notice that some of the gazes, other women sent to her, were not too kind, probably because Joe was escorting her. Apparently quite a number of girls were disappointed seeing him in Charlies company the whole evening so far. She had just considered sending him to dance with someone else, in order not to create any rumors, when she became aware of the newcomers from the Ponderosa.

"Look Joe, your family has just arrived; shall we go over and greet them?" "No, not now, let the line-up go by first." "The line-up? What s that?" A bit unwilling Joe began to explain: "Well Adam usually does not ask a special lady to escort her to a social. In case he does there come up rumors about a marriage at once. Therefore whenever he appears on such occasions there will be a whole bunch of girls and women fawning on him to catch his eye. Of course he heartily hates such ado, but none of the womenfolk ever seems to realize that. Moreover he avioded most of the towns socials lately so they will be probably glad to have him 'back'. But please do not tell him that Hoss and I did realize that, one does no want not to feed elder brothers ego any further!"

Charlie could not help but notice, that Joe had been right: There was forming a crowd around the Cartwrights, whereby Adam seemed to be the center of attraction. Joe watched the scene rather grumpy. "Let us have another glass of punch first; later there will be time enough to see them." When Charlie wanted to take her first sip from the punch, she felt a push from behind and her drink was spilled. When she turned around to see the responsible person there was an attractive young woman with dark hair and wearing an opulent pink dress looking at her rather provocative: "Oh, I'm sorry!" whereby her voice did not sound regretful at all.

"No harm done, I am fine. It is just the table that needs to be cleaned." Charlie responded and Joe introduced: "Charlie this is Miss Patricia Calston, her father runs one of the silver mines around here. And Miss Patricia, this is Doctor Charlotte Mathews, the new physician in Doc Martins practice." "Yes, I remember having heard people talking about that, whereby I did not give much attention to it. Who would have ever heard about a female doctor? What makes you think you could do such a thing?"

"Maybe my licensing from College to practice medicine has something to do with that. Just a hint!" and Charlie tried her most radiant smile before she turned her back to that insolent girl. Joe drew her away from the punch bowl. "Do not listen to that one, she is the most puffed up girl we have seen here for ages. She thinks because she had lived in New York nearly everything and everyone here is far below her."

"I have been insulted much worse Joe, do not worry about that, I just hope, the rest of the town is ready to give me some more credit." "Sure they are, we have been pretty busy tonight spreading the story how you saved my life." "You are right, you made sure everybody who heard about that, considers me some kind oft miracle healer." "This is exactly, what you are to me!" Charlie smiled: "You are an incurable flatterer, aren't you?"

The next moment her eyes were caught by Miss Calston again. The eye-catching color of her dress was now to be seen near the entrance of the dance hall, where she apparently took part in the line-up as well. "Look Joe, the sophisticated New York girl seems at least to be interested in your family!"

Against all reason Charlie felt a sting. "Are you sure your brother hates all that? To me it looks as if he would be quite enjoying the attention." Charlie felt a lump in her throat when Adam, today not dressed in his usual outfit but in a dark blue suit, which suited him incredibly well, how she noticed completely uncalled for, smiled at Patricia Calston. "He hates silly fawning, that much is for sure but of course he does not really object being surrounded by pretty girls and oozing his usual highfaluting Shakespeare-poetry-stuff to the bunch of them. However that Miss Patricia ... oh no, how does he dare, not Maryann Watkins!"

Adam was now speaking with a pretty blonde girl, while he held her hand. Joe seemed to become really mad about that. Charlie told to herself that all this was nothing she should have spent the slightest thought on, but could not help feeling relieved that the line-up was moving on. At least she could do Joe a favor and therefore proposed: "Joe, I need a bit of fresh air, why don't you go and spend some time with your friends, I have claimed your company tonight already much too long exclusively for me." "No I can't do that ... it would be very rude and impolite ... or do you really think?" He looked hopeful at Charlie. "You would do me a favor Joe, seriously!" And off Joe rushed towards the line-up and a few moments later he drew away pretty blonde Maryann away for a dance.

Charlie enjoyed the fresh crisp air and the silence outside the festival hall, but very soon she felt a chill. So she went back inside and wondered whether she should go home. Joe would surely not miss her, judging from the happy expression on his face when he looked at the fair-haired Maryann. Then her eye was caught by the big figure of Hoss Cartwright, who stood at the edge of the dance floor, looking not too happy.

Charlie went up to him: "Good evening Hoss, why are you hiding yourself here, you must not disappoint all the girls that are waiting for a dance with you!" Hoss blushed into his usual shade of pink: "Well Miss Charlie, I'm just not much of a dancer and the girls are probably not very keen to dance with a big ox like me."

"Oh Hoss, what a terrible nonsense is that! You are one of the most amiable and pleasant men I have ever met and frankly, I don't believe you would not be good at dancing! Your feet were tapping the rhythm all the time, I suspect you are a rather fine dancer! I'm sure many of the girls here would be over the moon to be asked by you, starting with me for one!"

At first he looked surprised at her but then replied quite cheery: "Sure, Miss Charlie, it is my pleasure." and he offered her his arm. After a few rounds they decided to take a break. "Oh Hoss, I think I have enough for tonight, but do me the favor and go on dancing. You will make quite some girls happy when you ask them." "Do you really think so, I mean ...!" "Find it out Hoss! The worst thing to happen was a 'no' but I do not believe many girls will be that silly to refuse you." Hesitantly but steadily Hoss moved towards a bunch of girls and soon went, a pretty girl on his arm, to the dance floor.

Charlie felt she had enough society for one evening and decided to go home. Leaving the festival hall she cringed as on the porch of the building a dark shadow seemed to jump at her. Adam Cartwright slowly stepped into the light and Charlie yelled at him: "For heavens sake, you scared me to death! What are you doing here, outside and alone? You are probably missed very much inside there!"

"No need to worry, I am surely not missed. Maybe a target, a prey to be caught would be missed, and what a prey, one of the rich Cartwrights! I am really sick and tired of that!" "Oh, are we cantankerous today? Anything in particular or some general world weariness? Oh, of course you do not have to answer; this is hardly of my business!"

He had sat down on one of the porch benches. "Do you want me to leave you alone?" "I would very much like you to stay" he replied and pointed to the space beside him, "but then Joe will probably kill me, where is he by the way?"

"Dancing with pretty Maryann Watkins I suppose." "Did he leave you alone?"

"I asked him to do so and he was - let us say - not too appalled by the idea. Now - what about you?" "Nothing in particular, it is just .. well I do not feel comfortable inside there."

"Nonsense! Are you going to tell me you would be shy? Hoss is shy and even he is dancing right now." "He is? Well that is great, I hate it when stands alone somewhere, feeling poorly, he is such a fine guy!"

"Do not change the topic, what in the world would you have you fear in there?" "I've told you, I do not want to be a target, a catch." Charlie chuckled a bit before she went on: "Poor lamb, or shall I rather call you a hypocrite? Which man does really suffer from being desired by women?"

Adam rolled his eyes: "It is not me they desire, they are just interested in a third of the Ponderosa, and this is what I suffer from." "I think you are unfair about this. Look, this is just what you are! Can you really blame the women in there for taking you for what you actually are?"

"What is that supposed to mean; am I a land deed or rather cattle and horses?" Charlie smiled: "What I mean is that you are undeniable one of the Ponderosa scions. This is something you have in your veins, something you cannot set aside even if you wanted to. Probably unwittingly, but in everything you do, every step you make - in the saloon or here at the dance floor or anywhere else - you do it with the visible self-assurance and the special demeanor of Adam Cartwright of the Ponderosa. Tell me, could you dare to walk around always dressed in a kind of gunslinger uniform if your background wasn't that strong and immaculate as it actually is?"

At that point Adam seemed to feel caught and looked like a bashful schoolboy how she realized amused. "So do not blame those who you've impressed by such behavior for being impressed." "So does this mean I have to accept that women just take me for something or someone who is providing them with wealth?"

"You need to be aware that your familys wealth will always play a role. It can impossibly be excluded, because it is there as a matter of fact. You just have to find the woman that also appreciates what you have to have to offer besides being the heir presumptive of your fathers empire." "Yes, that is of course the easy part."

"Nobody said it would be easy." Charlie went on rather serious. "If you really want a thing in life, you have to take risks for it, that much is for sure. Or is it more comfortable for you to bewail the status quo instead of risking something and accepting the possibility of failing?" He looked amazed at her: Do you think I am a coward?"

"I don't know, are you?" "Wow, you could really teach my father how to get me a dressing-down! You cannot be blamed for beating round the bush, I give you that."

"No, surely not, as this would be a pure waste of time and we never know how much time we have left. Look, I have no right at all to teach anyone anything or the like, these are just my two cents. Forget them if you want or think about it, it is absolutely up to you!" "You seem to be wise much beyond your years Charlotte Mathews!"

He raised and took her hand: "You gave me plenty to think about for one evening. Would you now be kind enough do me the honor and have at least one dance with me tonight?"

A voice in her head screamed 'Refuse it, run away!' but she heard herself say "It would be my pleasure."

There was played a waltz just when they returned. After a few turns Adam took down his left arm, which had been outstretched before quite correctly and rested it on his shoulder, placing and keeping Charlies hand there as well.

She looked inquiring at him and he explained: "Well you need to know I had a dislocated shoulder recently and I have still to go easy with it." She suppressed a smile and replied "I see, does it still hurt?"

"Like hell, I have to relieve it." he confirmed perfectly serious. "You should have seen a doctor, a real one I mean."

"Oh, I had been at a doctors, an extremely capable one by the way, and she told me to rest it as much as possible." "If you need some rest we can stop dancing if you want."

"No no, I rather will handle it according to the Doctors advice!" And he drew her nearer. There was that smile again and those dimples and this time they were so close, right before her face. It seemed to her as if the illumination of the dance hall would be dimmed by the amber colored gaze and this smile. Charlie felt she was blushing; she really should end this! But it felt so good, so incredibly good being kept or rather embraced like this and she swore to herself 'Only once, just tonight, just once...'

Adam inhaled the scent of her hair and wished not for the first time to bury his face as deep as possible in those strawberry-blonde curls. He realized however - again not for the first time - that musing about such a thing lead to absolutely inappropriate results for public places.

A lot of eyes were following the couple, among them those of Ben Cartwright and Patricia Calston. Both of them were not too happy about the picture.

"Look at this Pat! Now you are not so sure about Adam Cartwright becoming your devoted suitor sooner or later, are you? Not only that he barely ever speaks a word with you, he seems to be interested quite otherwise!" These words were hissed into Miss Patricia Calstons ear by one of her friends, Melissa Anderson.

But Miss Calston did not sound discouraged at all when she replied: "Phhhhh, don't be that bitchy Melli, it doesn't suit you, makes your nose look even longer! I'm not afraid of that cow at all! Who has ever heard about a woman doctor, dealing with blood and diseases and even more disgusting stuff? Adam Cartwright is a man of taste and will be revolted by that rather shortly, you mark my words. Besides this - look at that shameless attitude! One can hardly call that dancing! No real lady would behave like that."

"Well maybe he does not care for real ladies, have you considered that? The man of your dreams is rather known to be a kind of desperado, who was already up to be hanged! My mother says if there ever was a villain it's him and in the end his fathers money will not be able to save him, no one can escape his fate! I would not give too much credit to such guy's taste if I were you!"

"And if I were you Melli Anderson, I would be careful about that doctor cow as well! Haven't you seen her flirting with your favorite Cartwright guy, that Little Joe before? Take care of your own business; there is plenty enough of it I'd say." And with a majestic - or so she hoped - swing of her chin Patricia Calston turned around to discuss the matter with a less snarky friend.

When the waltz was over, Charlie forced herself back into reality and broke free from the embrace. "I would like to go home now!" Adam nodded: "I'll take you there." and slowly they made their way over to the Martins place.

When they arrived at the porch of the house Charlie quickly stretched her hand towards Adam who kissed it softly. "Good night Adam and thank you very much for the evening. Please give my regards also to Hoss and Joe; I have very much enjoyed their company as well." "I think I have to thank you for everything tonight, including the talking; I have enjoyed every minute and every thought of it. I think I owe you again some fresh insights." Charlie nodded and rushed inside without looking back.

Jillian Martin did not sleep yet and watched the little scene in front of their home. She was rather pleased with the apparent result of the evening: Another, much more appropriate Cartwright had brought Charlie home, this was a really promising beginning. Later that night she believed to hear a sound from Charlies room as if someone was crying there. 'No' Jillian Martin decided 'I must have dreamed that. Why should a young woman cry after such an evening. I have certainly imagined that.'