Chapter 2: For her safety~
Summer came soon and so did Mr. Belmont with his crew. He traveled with four men including his seventeen year old son, an experienced Jockey named Nicholas. Mr. Belmont chose to breed his horses at the Ponderosa, with Adam's approval, keeping the gentleman in Virgina City for the summer months. The City looked promising to the New Yorker and looked upon it as a place of opportunity. He saw men gambling away at the tables in the taverns and the local businesses being strongly supported.
One summer afternoon, Adam was in town with the twins...
"Next stop the blacksmith's shop." Adam and the boys were taking the afternoon off to gather supplies in town when spotted.
"Excuse me, Mr. Cartwright." A voice called from across the road."
"Hey Dad, that man with in the white suit and walking stick is calling for you," Michael pointed out.
"Good day Mr. Cartwright, ...boys." Mr. Belmont said with a nod of his big tall hat. "Adam, I would like to take you up on the invitation to meet your family and have dinner at the Ponderosa. My son and I are available at your convenience, of' course."
Adam extended his hand to the man in a business-like fashion. "That would be great. How 'bout Saturday night Mr. Belmont?"
"We'll be there, thank you. Please tell your wife and family we look forward to meeting with all of them."
"I am not married Mr. Belmont. I live with my father whom you have met and my five children. These are my twins Jack and Michael. Boys say hello to Mr. Belmont."
"Hello Sir", the twins said in unison.
"Oh please, excuse me Mr. Cartwright I was unaware that you were alone."
"I'm hardly alone Mr. Belmont." Adam stated in soft sarcasm.
"Well then I will look forward to seeing your father again and your lovely Family of Five."
Adam nodded gracefully and stepped away.
Later that evening, Adam shared the news with everyone about their upcoming dinner guests. Kate showed the most excitement following up with a line of questions.
"Did you tell him how much I've studied about horse racing Daddy? Does he know my dream of becoming the first women Jockey?" Kate circled around her father as they set the table for dinner.
Adam placed a napkin down with an exaggerated sigh.
"Kate, dear you are exhausting me. I am beginning to have regrets that I even encouraged you to look into this 'Great American past time'".
Kate continued firing questions, missing her fathers deliberate warning.
So Adam took Kate's hands in his and gently pulled them close to his heart, while looking his daughter in the eyes. "Honey, with all the love and respect I have for you, as your father, I give you my word. You will never be racing horses as long as I'm alive."
"Daddy…" Kate gasped in shock. "You can't be so serious to think that I would NEVER race in my entire life."
"Funny, I don't understand why that sounds at all irrational."
"Well", Kate huffed placing herself directly across the table from Adam. A considerable safe distance, at that.
"You men think that you have all the power over woman, but you don't. One day, I will be living on my own and making my own choices. So, If I choose to race, than I shall." Kate's steady gaze soon fell to and from her fathers eyes and her busy hands.
Adam noted his daughters chance at assertion and decided to react in a more playful manner to avoid a power struggle.
"You may think that once you have left my side dear daughter and flown the coupé that your life is all your own, but rest assure, I'm not that easily surrendered. A father such as myself, will tend to meddle at all cost in his daughter's life to keep her safe and sound." He slighted Kate with a passing grin as he left her at the table to finish the task alone.
"Safe? Horse racing is safe enough father, and I intend to prove just how safe it is by being the first..."
"Kate"! Adam bellowed as he plunged up the stairs to retrieve the others for dinner...
"Not another word or I will send you to your Uncle Joe's for the weekend then you will not meet our guest at all." Before giving Kate a chance to respond, Adam cornered the top step and disappeared.
The children chattered about their day during dinner all except Kate. She tried not to show her deep frustrations towards her father but couldn't mask her feelings. Adam felt the heat from his wayward teen and remained quiet as well. He was beside himself knowing that Kate was not easing up on her strong pursuit of racing. It frightened him not knowing how far her rebellion could go possibly threatening her safety.
Typically, Kate was level-headed and well-behaved. Adam would often encourage Kate to give her opinion on matters to strengthen her soft-pleasing personality. The Cartwright men found respect in all people, man or woman, whom held themselves with honesty and integrity.
For the first time, Adam and his eldest daughter were at a loss in agreement and he could not face the situation on pure logic. No, this ran deeper than logic. This situation struck Adam in the gut where a parent fears for the safety of their child sometimes with no just cause. Only Pure instinct.
A place where a parent set on clear boundaries, could only hope and pray the child would Obey...
TBC
Wow! Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews...you guys are awesome! I'm siked and ready to move forward~ I hope this chapter isn't too short. I have more to follow soon, it just seemed to be a good stopping point before the Belmont"s arrive for Saturday's dinner...