Charlie had gone to the Ponderosa ranch house with the buggy to take some things for the next week with her. When she arrived Adam lifted her from the buggy, kept her on his arms and while carrying her into the house he told his brothers, without tearing his eyes from Charlie:
"You two will be kind enough to take care for my fiancées luggage, will you not?"
"But kissing her you can manage alone, yes? Oh Boy!"
Joe shook his head in desperation
"I am curious whether he will do any chores at all during the next week when Charlie is here or whether they will just bill and coo all the time."
"Give Pa some credit Joe, I am sure he will not tolerate any indecencies under his roof. I think elder brother will not be THAT near to the land of milk and honey as he still might assume!"
And with some cackling laughter Hoss and Joe took care for the horses, the buggy and the luggage.
Adam had carried Charlie up to one of the guestrooms and put her on the bed, where they were still sitting and kissing when Hoss and Joe stomped in each with one bag in the hand.
"We are not looking,"Joe exclaimed when entering the room and holding a hand before his eyes - with his fingers spread apart – "we are not looking at all!"
They all busted with laughter and Adam shook his head and said:
"Now you can get a slight idea how it was to grow up with those nuisances called brothers around!"
"Oh yes, that will be interesting" Charlie said smiling "You will have to tell me everything about your brother, how was he like when you were younger?"
Joe answered first: "He was the nuisance of course, pushing me around all day just because I was a lot smaller."
"Yes sure and because of the triviality that you never did what you were supposed to do! I spent more time in school after college as I did before because I had to listen to the teachers' complaints about you."
"That hurts brother, that really hurts!" and Joe put a hand on his heart in an unmistakably theatrical manner, "the more as you very much enjoyed one or the others teachers attention!"
"Nonsense! What I really had enjoyed was if you had ever given some attention to your teachers' words."
"No, no, do not distract! Hoss, do you remember how eager Adam's always been to talk to the teachers? He even became a member of the school board to have an excuse to see them again and again."
"Bulls eye Joe, whereby Mr. Quince and Ms. Jones have been of course my very favorite objects of adoration!"
"Well maybe those two have not been very typical, but at least we have not been miserable enough to have him as a teacher himself!"
"You worked as teacher?" Charlie asked, apparently there were some surprises left.
"For a few short weeks, but don't ask, that ended in quite a mess! Now guys, are you going to prevent my fiancée any longer from resting with your cock and bull stories or can we all do the most urgent chores and then make up some sleep? I at least could really do with some."
The brothers rose and bid Charlie good bye.
"Have some rest darling!"
xxxxxxxxxx
He was near, she knew it, he was already near and still came nearer. He would catch her the next moment! Oh no, he grabbed her arm, no ...
"Nooooooooooooo...!"
A penetrative cry tore the silence in the Ponderosa ranch house in the middle of the night. When the Cartwrights stormed into Charlies room, she sat upright in her bed, gasping and starring at the men in horror.
"What is it darling?"
Adam took her in his arms. She was shaking all over.
"I dreamed ... of him and of that poor Calston girl. It was just a dream but ..."
"Calm yourself dear, calm, I'm here."
And Adam went on rocking her softly "Just a nightmare, which is over now!"
He hinted at Ben and his brothers that they could leave and so they did. When the door had closed he went on whispering things to Charlie like:
"It is over, all over, I am here..."
After a while, when Charlies heartrate had returned to normal, she straightened up herself, looked in Adams face and stated:
"No, it is not over and you know it, don't you? There are so many things I do not understand yet, so many loose ends to tie in!"
"You mean where Aunt Freddies money came from, why he even married you, why he let you go to college and why he did not kill you right away, correct?"
Despite her confused state she had to smile:
"You are incredible! You thought about all that yourself! When did you intend to speak about it with me?"
"When you had came to that conclusion yourself, I am just sorry that it frightened you so much!"
"At night all our ghosts are set free and come to haunt us ... please, can you stay here tonight? Perfectly decent and chaste of course!"
He looked grinning at her:
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I am, I don't want to be chased away from the place in the middle of the night!"
"So you would dare it in bright daylight?"
"Stop riling me and come here, please!"
"One moment, I'll just close my door."
When Adam returned, he came into Charlies bed, wearing not only his gown, but also some long johns, which had not been there before, how Charlie noticed amused. She rested her head on his shoulder.
"That's good! Hold me tight please!"
"My pleasure! But darling, before I am forced to sleep in jeans and chaps we really should plan the wedding ceremony, don't you think?"
"Yes, sure, tomorrow, o.k.?"
After a few moments Charlie startled raised her head:
"Wait a minute - you would wear chaps in bed for me?"
"Now will you stop riling me woman!"
Smiling they both drifted off.
The next morning Ben came to Adams room, where he was just shaving and caught a rather quizzical gaze from his father. There was not much doubt, what there was nagging on his fathers mind:
"Please Pa, do not worry, I just stayed to calm Charlie. Nothing had happened, what even the strictest governess could complain about!"
Ben nodded visibly relieved.
"You two should however arrange for a wedding ceremony rather soon son!"
"We will Pa, we will!"
At the breakfast table Adam decided to keep the promise and to take up the matter of organizing the wedding. He tended towards Charlie:
"Darling, shall we speak about the wedding, when and how would you like it?"
Charlie hesitated a bit: "I'm not sure to be honest - is there much to organize? We need a reverend of course but ... anything else?"
"Fine, so let us go to the reverend in Virginia City today, there we will got married and everybody is fine."
Having said this Adam took the coffeepot and turned around to Hop Sing.
"Could you please refill this Hop Sing?"
To everybodies surprise the little cook did not bow and jump as usual, but remained frozen beside the table.
"No! No more coffee for Mista Adam and no more jelly for Missy Doctol!"
Charlie, who just wanted to bite into her biscuit with blueberry jelly, froze in the middle of her movement. With five faces looking stunned at him, Hop Sing had the full attention and he gave his anger vent:
"Hop Sing many, many years cook, wash, clean, care for father and boys! You say Hop Sing family! Now son number one finally mally and you do nothing! No feast, no paaty, no cooking, nothing! This not light, this bad luck! Chinese saying says 'A good beginning is half success!' Wedding without feast no good beginning. Hop Sing not stay, Hop Sing go back to China, want not see bad luck when no feast with wedding!"
And grumbling angrily in Chinese he left for the kitchen.
Hoss was the first who found his voice back, desperately looking at the others he demanded:
"Do something!"
"What? I mean what shall we - or I - do?" Adam looked clueless at the others.
"That is not too hard to guess I think" Ben made himself hear and his voice rose with every word: "think about a decent wedding reception! I have not waited that long for at least one of my sons to be married, to content myself now with some hasty 'writing together' at the reverends'! I want you to be married with a gigantic party here on the Ponderosa, with music and dancing and the whole of Virginia City speaking for years about it! Hop Sing is right!"
"Yes!" Hoss agreed "Go and apologize! And tell him that there will be a party! A party with loads of food and the biggest wedding cake ever!"
Joe added eagerly: "Bridesmaids! You must not forget about the bridesmaids! There is also a Chinese saying that the more and the prettier the bridesmaids are, the happier the marriage will be!"
Adam rolled his eyes, made a wry face and looked at Charlie: "What do you think? I wasn't aware that it would become their wedding."
Charlie smiled and replied: "Well, in a way it IS their wedding, I wouldn't be here without them and apparently a girl can't have one of your bunch without taking the rest of it as well. But regardless of all that - to make this one distinguishable from my first wedding in every possible regard, I think Hop Sing is right! On second thoughts I am afraid I'll have to insist on a terrific party here on the Ponderosa with too many guests and too much food and music, dancing and everything else! Can we have it that way?"
Adam smiled and nodded in surrender, while the others at the table literally busted out applauding. As the time for organizing the desired bigger event was too short to have before the fall round-up it was decided to have the wedding celebrated after the round-up instead or together with the annual barbeque. By this there would be held the wedding party without the need to brood about an invitation list, as simply everybody would come anyway. Adam and Charlie apologized to Hop Sing who generously granted his forgiving and started making plans for the food as well as for the cousins he had to fetch to assist him.
After having fixed the date, Adam needed to assess what there still had to be done at their house. Not every room would have to be finished until then, but the most important of course. Hoss and Joe assured him of their assistance.
"No elder brother that's promised, count on us. We could not stand your agony having no suitable bedroom!"
"And the alternative, that you might commit sins under our fathers' roof, is too much for our little brothers virtues to bear!"
"Have you two already considered whom you will make the new subject of your teasings?"
"No, do not worry Adam, to tease you, it will be our pleasure to make over the way to your new house, nothing could keep us from that!"
At the first opportunity, when Charlie had a chance to speak in private with Adam, she took him aside:
"Are you mad about that wedding reception now?"
"Well, I had of course preferred something taking place not only after six weeks"
and he kissed Charlie very very long
"and with less ado, but no! No, I am not mad!"
"Oh good, I am glad to hear that! This is because I have another request: Can we go on a honeymoon trip?"
He looked with a crooked smile at her:
"To Philadelphia?"
"How do you know?"
"The loose ends of course. I already thought about such trip myself. We should also consider to see your grandfather in Georgia. Maybe it's not your favorite destination, but I think we can weave in most loose ends with his assistance."
"You're right again! But you will come with me there, won't you?"
"You are not alone any longer, do you remember? Moreover you will be a Mrs. Cartwright when we'll go there, so I have to take care that you'll behave properly in public!"
"And in private?"
"In private you can behave like you want."
"Oh good, so I can act like a harpy already during our honeymoon?"
"Sure, I do not care, I marry you just for your money anyway!"
"What money?" "You have a house and a trust funds in Philadelphia, remember?"
"Oh yes, that makes sense of course! So I have to thank Aunt Freddie in a way also for that engagement ring it seems."
"Hmmmmmm, and for that..."
After that nothing was to be heard because the couple melted into a passionate kiss until someone behind them cleared his throat.
"Good night you two!"
"Good night Ben!"
"Good night Pa!"
xxxxxxxxxx
Things returned step by step to normality - as far as there was a thing like normality with a house to be constructed and a huge wedding party to be prepared besides the usual round-up preparations. At first however there had to be handled some rather serious, unpleasant affairs: The funeral of Patricia Calston took place three days after the murder at great sympathy of the whole of Virginia Cities' population. Not many people had really known or liked the girl, but of course nobody deserved to die like this. The other funeral - the one of Edwin Mathews and his 'valet' Jeff - took place in secret at sunrise the next day. Charlie had insisted to have still one look at the body of her late husband before the undertaker finally closed the casket:
"I just need a picture of him in his coffin, to be sure for sure!"
Ben and Adam were the only guests, listening to the words about guilt and forgiveness, the minister had found for the souls of the deceased's.
A week later the circuit judge was in Virginia City and the trial against Herb - the only surviving valet - was held. The witnesses' statements, which had already been made at the Sheriffs office, had to be repeated and Herb voluntary confessed how he and the other valet had been engaged by Edwin Mathews explicitly to find and to abduct a female doctor named Charlotte Mathews. An article in a newspaper had led them to Virginia City, where they actually found the woman. At that point the judge interjected:
"With 'the woman' you mean Doctor Charlotte Mathews, the wife of the deceased?"
Herb hesitated a moment before he replied, pointing at Charlie: "Yes her. It was definitely her he was after...but ..."
"But what? You should be as open as possible here, you can't loose much, but win your life!"
"Maybe it's nothing, but Mr. Mathews himself never called her his wife, he only said we shall refer to her so, he himself always called her a cousin."
"I understood, Mr. Mathews was in fact a kind of cousin of yours?" the judge tended inquiring to Charlie.
She affirmed that nodding and with a short: "Yes."
"Then I think this is of no importance for our case." the judge continued and prompted Herb to go on.
Adam had listened to this exchange very attentively, like to the whole trial. After that comment of Herb however he seemed to be a bit absent mindedly.
It didn't take the jury long to come to a verdict: Herb was sentenced to 20 years of hard labor. His confession and that he hadn't killed himself saved him from death penalty, whereby it was rather doubtful weather he would survive his punishment.
As a result of the trial the story of Charlies previous marriage, her abduction and rescue as well as her engagement to Adam Cartwright had got around the whole of Virginia City at a record time. A lot of people came to the practice during the days after the trial and ensured Charlie of their sympathy and congratulated on the engagement. Dolly Graham was hardly able to stop herself from crying when she spoke to Charlie:
"I knew it, I knew it all the time, you two are made for each other! How well you were assorted with one another when you sang that little duet, I knew it!"
Other tasks were fulfilled with much more enjoyment than the trial, so the works at the new house for Adam and Charlie made quite some progress. The Cartwright brothers spent nearly every free minute on its construction, while Ben tried to manage as much of the ranch affairs alone. Hoss and Joe rather easily endured Adams commands, firstly he was actually the architect and the builder-owner and secondly:
"We have to enjoy this to the full Hoss, soon, much too soon, elder brother will leave us and set out into the world to look for greener pastures and other people to boss around!"
"Yes Joe, really depressing perspectives! The more because I doubt that Adam will find in his new housemate such an indulgent object for his bossing ambitions like we always have been!"
"You two are aware that I will just move in here and go on working on the very same ranch as you? Besides this - when exactly would my brothers ever have been indulgent? Who exactly are you and what has become of Hoss and Little Joe? However, if we will finish the kitchen tonight, I do not care for your identity but buy you drinks and dinner in town next Saturday..."
"Sounds brilliant, boss!"
"Very well chief!"
Charlie came to every Sunday lunch and dinner to the Ponderosa. Due to the construction, the wedding preparations and their normal ongoing work, the bridal couple did not see much of each other except on these occasions. To have at least a little time to be alone together, they continued their Sunday afternoon ride outs, but not to the construction side. Adam had insisted that the finished - or nearly finished - house should be a surprise for Charlie.
Charlie went on with her regular visits at the Halsteads and to her sincere delight Mrs. Halstead had not only recovered from the broken wrist, but seemed to be more self-confident by the day. Some two weeks after the trial Mrs. Halstead asked Charlie before she could have a look at her arm, to sit down for a moment at her porch.
"My arm is fine Doctor, look, I can move the hand perfectly fine and it doesn't hurt a bit. I wanted to speak to you about something else. You can probably guess about what."
"I have an idea, yes!"
"I have been told about what there happened to you, earlier I mean ..."
"You mean that my first husband beat me up regularly?"
It was still a huge overcoming for Charlie to express the fact that clearly, but Mrs. Halstead needed probably some encouragement to unburden herself.
"Yes ... that. And you suspected that the same would happen to me?"
"Yes I did. Although Jeb tried everything to hide the fact, his behavior confirmed my suspicions. He is a great boy!"
A little smile made Mrs. Halsteads face look younger by at least ten years:
"He really is! To tell the truth it is mainly about him and Annie of course, you know...I will go away!"
"You are going to leave your husband?"
Although she had very much hoped for a change of the situation, Charlie was surprised.
"I have an elder sister, living north from here in Oregon, where we both grew up. She also lives on a farm and could use some support, as her husband is not very healthy. When the round-up will have been started, where my husband will take part in, I'll take the children and go there."
"You'll make all the way to Oregon alone?"
"No, please do not worry on our behalf. Ed - I mean Mr. Prentiss - will guard us to Sacramento and from there we can go by train, my sister sent me some money for the trip. She is waiting for us and I am looking forward for a new start."
"Don't you fear that your husband might come after you?"
"No, I don't think so! He always had cold feet when it came to my sister, she figured out from the beginning that there was something wrong about him and warned me to marry him. Well I was young and flattered by his attention - he used to be quite a handsome guy at that time - and did not listen. At the beginning we had quite a good, normal marriage, but then, after Jeb was there, I had not that much time for him as before, and not all his plans worked out and then it started ... you know!"
Charlie just nodded.
"After you had been here because of my arm, Jeb started to mention that the 'accidents', how he put it, must be ended. I realized that he would soon interfere and would be beaten then too. I cannot allow that and contacted my sister, who asked me to come as soon as possible. Why do I tell you all that - I wanted to let you know how important it was for us that you spoke up. It made me realize that my situation was not normal and I had to do something about it. You made me wake up. I am very grateful for what you did for us and I hope that I can do a similar thing to someone in need someday."
Charlie raised and hugged Mrs. Halstead:
"You are very brave yourself and you have wonderful children! All the luck in the world for you!"
When Charlie lay in her bed that evening, she realized amazed how much there had changed during the last months: From an unhappy wife, hiding an being on the run she had become a happy bride and encouraged others to try a change. That night went by without any bad dreams.
xxxxxxxxxx
A couple of days later, Charlie was sitting in her ordination room, doing some records, Jillian knocked and looked into her room:
"Charlie dear, do you have a moment?"
"Yes sure, what is it?"
"Could you come into the parlor please? It won't take long!"
Moments later Charlie entered the parlor and felt as if she had a déjà vue: Just as at the day, when the women's association had asked for her contribution to the festivities, the parlor was filled with about a dozen women of all ages.
"What can I do for you Ladies, is someone ill?"
Mrs. Whittlinger rose and stated solemnly:
"My dear Doctor Mathews! Today we have come here to do something for you! I think you know how fond we all are of you, dear Charlotte, not only because of your splendid performance at our little celebration. We are all looking forward to your wedding with one of the finest young men here from our midst. Now has our dear Jillian here confessed"
Charlie sent a 'what-the-hell-have-you-done'-gaze at Jillian, who deeply blushed upon that.
"that you have ordered for your wedding a dress, looking just like your usual ones. This is not acceptable!"
Charlie was not sure how to answer this politely, her fuse was rather short upon that opening of Mrs. Whittlinger.
"Ladies, I am really flattered about your concerns, but..."
"No, my dear, please listen to us. We know that this is a little encroaching, but an intervention was absolutely necessary!" Dolly Graham looked that urgently begging at Charlie, that she could not other than surrender:
"Alright, I'll listen! But as soon as a patient comes, I'll leave"
Jillian looked that satisfied at these words, that Charlie suspected there had been a reason for her empty practice room today.
"this does not mean, that I will follow your ideas, but I will listen! Go ahead!"
Mrs. Whittlinger nodded benevolently: "That's not more than fair! Now: Dear Charlotte, we came here because we all are convinced that you would regret one day wearing a 'normal' dress at your wedding. You are the first who caught one of the Cartwrights! Don't you think you owe that special occasion a special dress?"
"But I will have a special dress, a new, white one!"
"But darling, it will be in the very same style, all your dresses are and as beautiful as you look in them, it is not that special as it should be!"
Jillian summarized her concerns. That was true, however ...
"You know that there is a reason I am wearing only dresses like that, I will not present myself with a deep cleavage!"
Mrs. Whittlinger took one of Charlies hands and said much softer than usual:
"We know and understand that dear Charlotte, but we do think there must be a way to have both: a real bridal dress for you, which however covers the parts you do not want to be exposed."
Charlie was honestly touched, she had never seen before Mrs Whittlinger that compassionately. There was however a little resistance left:
"Are you afraid that Adam would have finally second thoughts at the altar when I wear the wrong dress?"
"Nonsense my dear!" Dolly Graham was very determined: "This is not about men at all! Young Mr. Cartwright will take you also in dirty, stinking cowhand clothes; this is completely out of question! It is solely about you my dear! We want you to feel really like the queen of the day. And for that we think you must wear a dress, into which you have not been forced by a sad past!"
There was quite some truth in Miss Grahams words. Considering that and feeling so many eyes, looking full of expectation at her, Charlie could not other than give up her opposition:
"Alright ladies, I'll give in. I gratefully accept your kind help to find me a real bridal dress. What exactly do you have in mind?"
At first everybody jumped up, applauded and tried to hug Charlie. It was Mrs. Whittlinger who called back to order:
"Ladies, please!"
Then she disclosed: "My husband has returned from New Orleans lately. There are always available some French fashion magazines, which he usually brings along for me. These are less than a year old, which is rather brand-new for everything coming from France! Because of these magazines we dared to intrude here today! Based on the sketches in them we do think you will be able to find your special dress and Mrs. Hobbs, our best seamstress here in these parts, will make it for you, we already asked her!"
"French fashion magazines, that's really something very special!" Charlie was honestly impressed.
After an hour of animated conferring: "What do you think of this kind of skirt my dear?",
discussing "Do you think those sleeves would also look good if they were a little longer Dolly?",
rejecting "No frills Ladies, absolutely no frills! I cannot stand that!",
suggesting "That lace would fit the silk we favored wonderfully, wouldn't it?"
and finally agreeing "I think we have it now Ladies!"
there had been produced a sketch of the dress, Charlie should wear at her wedding. It consisted of a very simple lining made of ivory silk with a little boat neckline, disclosing nothing of her violated skin and a huge crinoline skirt. The cover fabric would be some crisp white lace, which followed the lining both for the narrow upper part as well the enormous skirt. Charlie was happy because the outline was completely simple and the women's association was happy because the lace cover gave the dress a 'real bridal appeal'. Suddenly Charlie realized that her happiness did not come from the dress alone! It was just a symbol. The real thing went deeper, the women here did care for her, she was one of them, she belonged here! Yes, it was the right thing to celebrate her wedding with the whole of Virginia City for sure!
At the Ponderosa Hop Sing took care for the wedding preparations. He had to set up all plans in detail before the round-up was to begin. His cousins would take care for the realization during his absence.
Adam looked forward to escape these excitements when being away but Hoss and Joe took care that he was not able to forget the upcoming events for one minute and teased him endlessly - very much to the amusement of the hands - about 'making the most of your last days in freedom' or whether the word 'husband' was deduced from 'house bound'. Adam swallowed silently or just with rolling his eyes most of the remarks.
One night, while he was trying to find a comfortable position on the ground, he realized, that he was still brooding a lot. It was however different than before, now his musings were circling around the new things in his life, whereby in the past they mainly referred to things he should or could have done otherwise - useless stuff. Apparently marrying Charlotte was the right thing - not that he ever had doubted that at all.
