As agreed, the four Cartwrights, the Martins with Charlie as well as Roy Coffee went out together for the picnic area. None of them had slept really well, all of them were still under the impression of Charlies tale they heard the night before. So the mutual greetings turned out to be a bit timid, until Joe broke the tension:
"Hey Adam, if you don't have the stomach to kiss Charlie, ask me, I'll do it for you!"
Everybody could laugh upon that and when they arrived at the picnic site the mood had become relaxed and cheerful as it should be at a picnic. When they started eating it turned out that their appetites were not influenced, but as healthy as always.
It was Ben, who raised the topic that had brought them together:
"Now, what can we do to help our dear Charlie to get rid of that scumbag? The objective must be to have her divorced in the end, so that she is free to do whatever she wants, do we agree?"
All attendees nodded.
"So let us define at first what we are going to do: We have to find that guy, agreed?"
Everybody nodded again, but Charlie interrupted:
"Please excuse me Ben, I don't want to spoil anything, I am ways to grateful for your selfless support, but even if we will find him - which I do not dare to think about at the moment - how shall we make him to agree to a divorce?"
"You let me worry about that Miss Charlie!" Hoss' answer came out in such a dark tone, that Charlie jumped up.
"No, this is exactly what I feared for - not only that all of you would put yourself in danger, you also running the danger of breaking the law, I cannot let this happen!"
"Calm yourself dear," Adam embraced her shoulders, "this is why Roy is with us. He can prevent us from breaking too many laws. Besides this I've never would leave the pleasure to smash up profoundly that …. whatever he is, to Hoss!"
"This is no matter to make fun about, Adam!"
"No, it isn't funny at all; we do know that! But do you really think, we could let someone like him go away with a polite 'Good bye'? I want to see him at least spitting some of his teethes into the dust."
"But Charlie mentioned an important issue here" Paul interjected "is there anything we can use to bring that guy to agree to a divorce?"
"I would think that beating up ones wife is leverage enough for that!"
Roy Coffee shook his head: "Do not be too sure about that Little Joe, I am not a lawyer, but I think there is hardly a law against things, happening between husband and wife."
Ben frowned "So we will have to check that with Hiram Woods! You lived in Philadelphia?"
Charlie nodded: "Yes, but we were married in Georgia in Clark county. "Aspenvale", my Grandfathers plantation was - or probably still is - there."
"Hiram should know whether the place of marriage or the place of residence is deciding and whether there are some legal measures that we can use at all. Now to the guy himself; Charlie, do you have any idea where he could be found?"
"I have of course the address of the place where we lived at in Philadelphia, but I have no idea, whether he is still there. He seemed not to be very attached to the house; I always suspected he had just went there with me because of the nearby college."
"Anyway, we should have checked the place by some Pinkerton agents, do you agree? Even if he left and sold the house there should at least be a paper trail which can be followed."
Adam continued: "The next logical clue would be your Grandfather, is he still alive?"
"Sorry, but I have no idea."
"Could all this have happened because of his heritage, my dear?" Jillian asked. "I understood you are his only descendent."
"That's true, yes, but I doubt that there is much left to inherit after the war. I think however he wouldn't have passed a single nickel to me, he heartily disliked me all my life and barely ever spoke a word with me. Besides this there should be enough nieces and nephews, who did not prove to be such a shame for the noble house of Mathews."
"We should however contact him on the search for that guy." Adam stated. "Pa, do you think we could ask that lawyer in New Orleans, I think Singleton was his name, who represented us a couple of years ago and ask him to approach Mr. Henry Mathews from "Aspenvale" officially?" he asked his father.
"This is a very good idea!" Ben agreed and continued: "Would there be any other family member of yours we could approach?"
Charlie shook her head: "I have only known Grandfather and that …. Edwin. I have never seen any other Mathews except Aunt Freddie of course, although there must be a bunch of them. I am probably some kind of pariah in their opinion, in case they would be aware of my existence at all. Aunt Freddie was my family, she and her friend Doctor Robert Simmons but both of them are dead."
Ben summarized: "So we will approach Hiram Woods regarding the juridical background, Mr. Singleton in New Orleans for making contact to Charlies Grandfather and we will hire some Pinkerton Agents to find that Edwin. Anything else?"
Adam took Charlies hands in his and looked serious at her. "You mentioned that you suspected he was still following your trace, is that correct Charlotte?"
"Yes?"
"You see, we can either trace him or make him coming forth himself."
She slowly nodded "That would make me the bait, wouldn't it?"
At that point Jillian interfered: "No, we cannot do such thing, think of what Charlie's already been through! To expose her again to that terrible jerk no, that is too dangerous! Adam you cannot allow that!"
"I see what you mean Jillian" Ben conceded, "but I think Adam is right. This is probably the most effective way to get some grip on the guy."
Adam looked at Charlie again: "You will not be alone this time, not for one moment. A very wise person once told me that if one really wants a thing in life, one had to take risks for that. We will however do nothing in this regard without your consent."
Charlie slowly nodded again: "You are right, although the thought still feels completely wrong. During so many years I have tried everything to escape him, but now it is the right thing to do, I want this agony so much to end. Did you already think of something we can make him to show up?"
"We could ask Dan from the Territorial Enterprise to highlight your role during our Independence Day celebration very much in detail and let him write additionally something about Virginia Cities' lady doctor just as he longed for all the time."
Charlie nodded: "Yes, we should do that. Tomorrow I will go straight to the office of the Enterprise, apologize to him and explain that the Independence Day celebrations put me in such a good mood that I would be honored to read an article about me."
"When we draw the attention on you we need of course to take precautions for your safety." Adam continued "You said you suspected sometimes he had found your trace?"
"Yes?"
"What did you make believe so, what exactly happened?"
"Once my landlady told me that at her sisters, who ran a boarding house as well, some unpleasant looking man, she had never seen before, inquired about a female doctor. That sounded so much like the valets that I left the town the very same day. In San Francisco, where I had been before I came here, the doorman of the hospital I had worked in told me that strangers had asked explicitly for a Charlotte Mathews, whether she was a doctor at the hospital. He denied this, because that dear old fellow liked me somehow and disliked the strangers at first sight."
"Smart guy! So if anything like that happens here, every alarm bell has to ring in our heads! Roy, will you have an eye and an ear on unpleasantly looking strangers making inquiries of that sort?"
"Sure thing Adam! I'll check every incoming query twice whether there was anything fishy about it and tell Clem to be especially watchful about strangers."
"Good, now for the precautions you need to obey: Firstly you must not longer drive around the area on your own. Pa, can we spare a hand to accompany Charlie from now on if I cannot be around?"
"Sure, one of the hands or one of us needs to be with you all the time from now on." Ben agreed and asked Adam: "Do you want to stay in town right away? I think the Ponderosa can get along a couple of days without you. I'll send someone for your relief I case we need you there."
"Thanks Pa. So this is agreed, and we will use the time for shooting lessons, you should not go out from now on without a weapon."
"Oh no, I do not want to shoot!" "
"This is not about what you want, but what you might need to do. Besides this, would you - an independent woman - like to rely on a man when it comes to this or would to rather take care for yourself?"
Despite the seriousness of the topic Charlie had to smile.
Jillian was still not completely convinced: "I cannot help but feeling awfully scared."
"I am scared as well Jillian," Charlie answered quietly "I have been scared throughout the last eight years, and I still am, but now I cannot wait to get rid of this fear! Although nothing has changed yet, I feel so very much relieved. There are no words for expressing my gratitude to all of you."
Adam kissed her hands: "You are completely wrong my dear, nearly everything has changed. You have trusted in us and this is all the change in the world!"
After finally agreeing about the next steps the party split up. Ben kept Adam and Charlie back for a moment:
"Promise me, that you two will still be very careful, will you? We do not know how that guy will react on the request for divorce, what kind of dirt he will stir up in public, so please, do not expose yourself, be careful!"
"Poor Ben, now you have to worry about one person more, I am just increasing your concerns." Charlie said rather sorrowful.
Ben hugged her: "And I have one more person to love and for a change it is not another stubborn, disobedient son, but a beautiful, lovable daughter. Don't you worry my dear, I can stand that!"
Charlie felt flushed away by a wave of comfort and protection, which overwhelmed her completely and made her eyes flooded with tears.
"I am so sorry, I don't know myself, usually I do not cry that easy."
Ben dried her face and kissed her on the forehead: "No problem, we are ready to share also the little catastrophes with you!"
Miss Calston, who had come to the picnic with her father, watched the proceedings in the Cartwright party rather displeased. The evening before - despite her disappointment about the highly acclaimed duet - had ended much more satisfactory; she hadn't seen Adam Cartwright dancing with that Doctor cow but later it was rumored at the celebration that Adam had been arrested because of a brawl, so apparently it did not go not very well between the two of them.
Now it seemed that he was not only out of jail but additionally more attached to her than ever, he barely let one of her hands go - disgusting! Who knew in what kind of horrid slime those hands had been sticking before! What in the world did he see in that pesky woman? She was not even pretty with that messy hair, the old-maidish clothes and all that busy fussing - probably there were other attractions, she was able to offer a man...
Yes of course, surely she did those unspeakable things, which a reputable lady would have never done, except with her husband of course! Patricia would find some interested listeners here at the picnic for sure! Hell-bent on realizing her scheme she looked back at the doctor cow and had to gasp for air because of what she became aware:
'Now look at that! Not enough that that cursed bitch had laid her claws on the eldest Cartwright son, apparently she was after the father as well, judging from how old Mr. Cartwright had just hugged her.' Well that was juicy stuff to spread! Eagerly she went over to her friend Melissa Anderson, who was just talking to some guy.
"Melli, Melli, come with me, I have something to tell you!"
"Pat please, don't you see that I am just talking to someone else? This is Mike Prentiss from the Shadow Ridge ranch and this is Miss Patricia Calston."
Melissa tried to introduce them to each other but Patricia did not listen.
"However, can we go? I have something to tell you!"
"I must not uphold you Miss Melissa if your friend has something important, but may I say what a pleasure it was talking to you, thank you very much and good buy!" "
"Good buy Mr. Prentiss, it has been all my pleasure!" Melli was hardly able to draw her eyes away from the young rancher, which was commented by her friend rather nastily:
"Phhhh, Melli Anderson, are your standards that low, that you make sheep's eyes at a grubby peasant like that?"
"He is a rancher and he is not grubby and my standards are surely not of your concern! What was so urgent, that it could not have waited?"
"I have watched something you won't believe! That doctor woman, she has laid her claws not only on all the Cartwright boys, but now on the father as well. Probably she has found out that the old man is not that old but still quite lively and that the money will still remain in his hands for a while. Surely she is going to marry not only a third of the money but all of it and probably when she has a child with old Mr. Cartwright she will chase away the sons to have everything for herself and her child! My word Melli, she will tore that whole family apart!"
To Patricias surprise Melli was not that impressed as she should have to be.
"You have seen all that? Doctor Mathews is trying to land all three sons and the father? Does she do this one by one or at the same time? And the future you have seen as well? Pat Calston, I am sick and tired of all that invented venom you are spreading around. You are just envious of Doctor Mathews, who had never done any harm to you. She is a kind person and a good Doctor, I know this, I have been at her office recently. And you are nothing but jealous and malicious and don't you dare ever again to disturb one of my conversations because of such mischief. The sooner you realize that Adam Cartwright is not interested in you, the better for you!"
and she turned around and went away. Patricia had considerably to fight to digest this; she had considered Melissa Anderson to be one of her best friends! In her world this was a girl, listening and agreeing to everything she spoke out. But who cared whether that stupid small town girl did believe her or not, she would take the bull by the horns and clarify the issue once for all times!
As Adam Cartwright had just gone alone from the picnic site to the place where the carriages stood, she ran over to him and shouted
"Hey Adam, wait a minute!"
He turned around and looked at her frowning. "A good morning for you as well Miss Calston, how can I help you?"
He had a fresh wound at his eyebrow and a bruise at the chin.
"What happened to you?"
"Nothing serious, how can I help you?"
"Well …. errrrr …..I just wanted to remind you that you owe me a dance!"
"I do what?"
"Yes, you see, because this barbeque at the Ponderosa did not take place and you had already invited me and yesterday you did not dance with me as well, and therefore you owe me a dance!"
Adam pinched the bridge of his nose, took a deep breath before he was able to answer after that:
"Look Miss Calston I do not want to be impolite but I do not owe you a thing. You informed me that you would come to our barbeque, which we've never intended to host by the way, we usually do it after the round-up in fall. What I did or did not yesterday evening was surely none of your business. Now you will please excuse me, I am expected back at the picnic ground."
And he began to search the Cartwright buckboard for the blanket he had promised to fetch. Patricia had not expected such a blunt rejection at all, which made her completely loose her temper:
"Expected by that doctor cow or what?"
Adam turned around to look at her and asked in the dangerously quiet tone that still was feared by his brothers:
"I beg your pardon?"
"Why her? What do you see in her, she dresses like an oldish governess and only god knows what ghastly things she touches all the time, when she is practicing medicine! My gosh, can't you see that she is only shoving her weight around with that and that she is flirting with your father right behind your back?"
"I can see that you are just shoving your weight around with much less than that, actually with nothing and my father loves her as the daughter he never had. Besides this I can vouch for Doctor Mathews' professional abilities, because she already cured me once - although absolutely nothing of all this was of your business!"
"Cured? Phhhh! What kind of treatment did she do to you, probably what no decent woman would have done!"
Adam had to take a deep breath and count to ten.
"You are very lucky Miss Calston, that you are a girl, otherwise I would have slapped you right here and now!" and he turned around to leave the place, that girl was more than he could take. Patricia couldn't believe she was ditched like that and cried after him in desperation:
"No, you must not leave like this; I always thought we would marry?" Adam looked completely stunned at her:
"What? Are you kidding?"
"No, of course not, I would not make fun of that matter!"
"Why in the world should we marry, I mean we did not exchange even a dozen sentences before today and have apparently not the slightest liking in each other!"
"But we would have been the perfect match! You are the most eligible bachelor around and I am the most eligible girl, it would be only consequent if we'd married!"
Against his will he felt a little pity for that girl, apparently she did not know anything about real life - or she did not care for it.
"I will attribute this rather strange view to your lack of life experience, but to marry just because the - randomly assumed - level of the social status would be even, is in my mind a new all-time-low to base a marriage on. You really should grow up Miss Calston!"
Patricia was actually rooted to the spot. Never in her life she had been rejected that forthrightly. Who did that filthy cowboy think he was? That was not the end of it, nor for him and neither for that concubine of his! One would see…...
When Adam returned to the place where his family and the Martins had placed their food on he was still fuming. When he saw Charlotte - now actually his Charlotte - smiling at him when he approached, his mood improved considerably.
"Here is another blanket, are you still cold?"
"A bit, I think that is the missing sleep from last night." She looked inquiring at him
"Anything wrong? You look annoyed somehow."
"You won't believe what just happened. That arrogant Calston girl did rather baldly request me to marry her and do you know why? We are a great match because we are equally eligible."
"Oh, I did not expect that she was so serious."
"What does that mean, did you know anything about that nonsense?"
"Well Patricia Calston hates me; you have seen how she behaved during the rehearsals. In part it is probably just her personality, but of course her special dislike of me seems to come from the assumption that I am an obstacle to her marrying plans."
"At least she's right with that!"
"Do not underestimate that girl, she is cunning in a way, we should not give her any leverage point to plot against us."
"I think plotting is her occupation for the better part of most of her days, but again, you do not need to have so much fear, we will take care for you."
"I know, just let me get used to that step by step."
"Hhhhmmmm ….. step by step …." he mumbled and let softly sweep his fingers from the wrist of her hand along the inside of her arm up to the shoulder and the face, leaving behind a track of invisible little flames, where the finger had touched her bare skin. Charlie trembled about that.
"Are you still cold dear?"
'Quite the opposite' she thought and continued hearable: "Yes, I'd like to go home now, it's becoming chilly, would you be kind enough to take me there?"
"Well, it is an awful burden of course, but I think I will be able to bring myself to it!"
At the Martins' house they sat a while in the parlor, and enjoyed being alone and out of side.
"We could go up to my room you know, I would not mind", Charlie whispered while she blushed considerably.
He sighed deeply: "No, darling, no! Although you have no idea what it costs me to stay civilized right now, this is too important. I want to do the right thing. Not as long as you are legally bound to your … well …. as long as you are bound. Believe me my angel, I am making atonement for all my sins and also for some I still have to commit!"
When Adan lay in his hotel bed in the evening of that day he felt to his own surprise more cheerful and composed than on many other occasions before where he had not atoned but rather committed a kind of sin in Virginia City. Smiling he remembered the words he sung together with Charlotte on stage hardly twenty-four hours before, what now somehow seemed to belong to another life of his; 'the painful joys of love!*' 'Did you mean that Signore da Ponte?'
* Don Giovanni Mozart/da Ponte Act I, duet Don Giovanni / Zerlina
