XXIV
While Hoss, Joe and Hop Sing were fussing over the preparations for Adam and Nell's departure, Adam sought out his father.
"I hope you're glad about the news, Pa," Adam said. "I mean the child."
Ben put a hand on Adam's shoulder. "I am happy. It's my first grandchild. I only wish your mother were here to share it with us."
"Tell me—honestly-do you think she would have loved Nell?"
"Because you do, I'm sure she would have."
"That's not much of an endorsement, Pa." Adam smiled faintly.
"Your mother was a different type of woman, very practical, especially for being so young—she was younger than Nell even. I would tease her and call her a child but she was actually mature having to manage things on her own after her mother died and your grandfather would go to sea. But I think she would have taken Nell under her wing and tried to help her."
"This may be an odd question…and I suppose I have no right to ask, but do you care for Nell?"
"She's going to be the mother of my grandchild."
"Good equivocation but tell me the truth; would you grant me that?"
"If you had asked me this question a few weeks ago, I would have to say that I had no particular affection for her but in the three weeks she's been here, I've become fond of her. She's been trying very hard to fit in—after you left she began to spend more time downstairs with us and participate in life here. Do you remember when you were about 11 and the stray cat, the calico, began to hang around the barn?"
"Are you comparing Nell to a stray cat?" Adam was amused at the comparison.
"No," Ben said chuckling, "not in that way—just that, it had been so afraid, wouldn't come to us when we offered food. So I told you and Hoss to leave the food and step away and wait. And then the cat would creep up and take the food. Each day I told you and Hoss to inch a bit closer until finally she would let you stroke her head and back while she ate."
"I remember. What of it?"
"Well, that's how Nell was. She had to become used to us inch by inch but when she finally joined us fully, well, she won my heart. Nell is a charming girl—I mean woman." Father and son chuckled together. "I pray that all turns out well, Adam. I'll have to come visit my new grandchild."
"Thank you, Pa," Adam said and hesitated. Then he pulled his father to him and the men awkwardly held each other before separating.
"I hope the child looks just like Nell—as beautiful as she is." Ben said.
"Yes," Adam replied. He thought of how Joe looked like Marie and had the same joie de vivre. But both men knew what they were really saying about children and their mothers—and the father. Adam remembered an old saying that he had heard in town once—"Mama's baby, papa's maybe." He had laughed at the time
"I really do wish you could stay longer though," Ben said. "Joe packed all your Christmas gifts in the buckboard." Ben sighed deeply. "You can put them under the tree and open them Christmas morning. Pretend we're there."
"I haven't any presents yet for you three—or Hop Sing. We'll manage to send something. But we do have to go back. I mean there's the business and then Nell wants to see her own doctor. It seems that she was a bit embarrassed when Paul examined her….".Adam stopped. He remembered Nell had said, Only you've touched me that way. He hadn't paid attention to it at the time but Nell was truly discomfited by the physical exam with Paul Martin. Would a woman who had a lover be so modest? And her remarks hadn't been contrived—she had been sincerely upset. Adam turned toward the stairs, looking up.
"What is it, Adam?" Ben asked.
Adam, grinning, turned back to his father. "The baby's a Cartwright, Pa. I know I expressed doubts about Nell's fidelity but I'm sure now that she's been faithful. It's my child—I know it." And Adam pulled his father to him again and hugged him. Ben didn't know what caused Adam's epiphany but he suddenly felt the worry that had plagued him drop away, especially when he saw Adam's smiling face after they pulled away from one another. "I need to get Nell if we're going to make that stage." And Adam took the stairs, calling out for Nell.
Ben was surprised by Adam's unexpected turn but he found that he wanted to whoop with joy at the prospect of another generation of Cartwrights. So grinning, Ben went out to the yard to join Hoss and Joe who were to drive Adam and Nell into town.
"What're you grinning about, Pa?" Joe asked.
"Why shouldn't I grin? In a few months, I'll be a grandfather." Ben practically swaggered. "And if Adam is like his old man, well, maybe we'll have a whole passel of new Cartwrights in a few years."
"You never know, Pa," Hoss said grinning. "But from the way baby brother takes on, some of your grandchildren may come from Joe there, that is iffen he don't learn to keep it tucked in."
"Don't worry about me, older brother. I know what I'm doing." Then Joe turned to his father. "Honest, Pa, Hoss is just teasing. Honest." Joe had been severely reprimanded many a time when an irate father of a young beauty had shown up at the Ponderosa, a shotgun in his hands and fire in his eyes.
And Hoss and Ben laughed, then stopped when Adam and Nell came out, trailed by Hop Sing. "Now, Nell, you take care of my grandchild," he said, "and yourself. As for Adam, he can fend for himself."
"Thanks a lot, Pa, for being so concerned about me," Adam said, grinning.
"I will, Mr. Cartwright. I promise." And Nell tip-toed and kissed Ben's cheek. "Thank you for everything—everything."
Ben blushed and felt emotions begin to overtake him. He told himself it was just the discussion of Elizabeth that had brought his emotions so close to the surface. But Hop Sing broke the tension with his fussing as he carried a basket of food for them to take, filling the basket they had brought with them a few weeks ago.
"Now you take care Missy," Hop Sing said as Adam lifted Nell up beside Hoss on the seat while Joe jumped in the back of the buckboard.
"I will, Hop Sing. Don't worry about 'Missy'." Adam took the basket and placed it in the back warning Joe not to eat anything. And Nell waved to Ben and Hop Sing as they left the yard, looking back until the two men were out of view. She broke into tears. Adam, sitting on her other side, put his arm around her. He noticed that Nell wore the rose brooch on the lapel of her suit jacket.
"Why are you crying?" Adam asked, both amused and concerned.
"Yeah, Nell," Hoss said, "Don't go cryin' none. Iffen it's because you'll miss us, well…." Hoss looked over Nell's head at Adam and winked, "Well, I guess you can take Joe home with you two. Pa and me's been lookin' for a way to unload him on someone else for a while so's we can get some rest."
"Hey," Joe protested. "Unload me, is it?" But Joe recognized that Hoss was just trying to cause Nell to stop crying and it worked because Adam laughed and even Nell smiled.
And on the ride back to the Ponderosa after seeing Adam and Nell off, Hoss and Joe remarked how very light-hearted Adam was, how he seemed "…downright happy. I mean ol' Adam seemed happier than I've ever seen him," Hoss remarked. "You know he ain't no cheerful type—always so serious and such—but didn't he seem—joyful?"
"Yeah, and Pa too," Joe said. "Strange, isn't it, how everyone seems lighter now, happier somehow—even me. Maybe it's Christmas coming, I don't know. Maybe it's the New Year but…even I want to smile and there's no pretty girl in sight."
"You're just happy 'cause you didn't get a load of buckshot fired up your ass when you climbed out of Maddie Wainwright's bedroom window last night."
Joe grinned. "Yeah, well, her pa's a bad shot. Good thing he didn't recognize me!" And the two chuckled the rest of the way home while Joe regaled Hoss about the details of his time with Maddie.