Chapter Five

"Adam? Could you help me with something, please?"

Adam turned around from where he was drying dishes. Fionn was in the doorway, and he looked unusually sweaty for December. Adam hoped his fever wasn't returning; he'd pitch a fit if he wasn't allowed to go the wedding. Adam handed his dish towel to Josie and ambled over to Fionn.

"Whatcha need, Fionn?"

"Oh, I, uh, just needed some help packin' up me things."

Adam chuckled. "You're a big boy, Fionn. I'm sure you can handle it."

Fionn sighed and dropped his head, and something clicked in Adam's brain.

"But then again, I am an architect. If anyone can fit all your clothes in your carpetbag, it's me. Let's go." He grabbed Fionn's elbow and led him into the guestroom, where he plopped into the armchair. "Out with it, boy."

Fionn was every bit as direct. "Can I court Josie?"

"Well, this certainly is a red-letter day. All we need is for Little Joe to turn up pregnant."

"Adam, please just answer me question. I'm dyin' over here!"

Adam grinned. "Of course you can. Can't really say no considering I'm proposing to your sister tonight, can I?"

Fionn relaxed and broke into a smile, too. "I promise I'll be good to her."

Adam pulled a serious face. "You better be. I still owe Simon a beating for breaking her heart."

"You and me both, Cartwright."

Adam grinned and clapped a hand on Fionn's shoulder. "Come on. We better get you packed up. We've all got a wedding to get to!"

Fionn grinned again as Adam helped him stuff his clothes into his carpetbag.

Before she let him leave the house, Josie bundled Fionn up in his coat, hat, gloves, two scarves, and three blankets. Then she peeled all the layers off of him so she could peek down his shirt collar and see that he really was wearing his long johns as he'd promised. Fionn's face burned as Little Joe giggled at him.

"I'll be fine, Hey, You," he protested as he shrugged back into his coat. "I promise. And I'll see you this afternoon at the weddin'."

Josie sighed as she wrapped one of the scarves back around Fionn's neck. "I'm sorry. I'm worrying too much."

Fionn smiled, and before Josie could start wrapping the second scarf around his nose and mouth, he kissed her in full view of her entire family. Hoss and Joe's jaws dropped; they hadn't yet been informed of Josie and Fionn's new courtship. Even Hop Sing, who had just emerged from the kitchen, dropped the hot potatoes he'd been bringing for Molly and Fionn's coat pockets.

"Punch him! Punch him!" Joe urged Josie.

Josie giggled, her eyes still locked on Fionn's. "No, I don't plan to ever damage this face again." She gave Fionn a peck on the nose and then wrapped the scarf around his face. After wrapping Fionn back up in his blankets, she gave him a little push out the door. "Bye," she whispered.

Fionn's farewell was muffled by his scarves, but his eyes smiled as he pulled his blankets tightly around his shoulders and headed out to his waiting wagon.

Adam had already given Molly a brief goodbye kiss – anything prolonged, and he worried he'd drop to one knee right there in the entryway. As Molly followed Fionn out the door, Adam crammed his hands in his pockets and bit his lower lip.

The door closed behind the O'Connells, and the five Cartwrights stood in the entryway, rocking on their heels.

"Well!" Ben said at last, clapping his hands together. "We're leaving for town by noon, so everyone make sure you have everything packed up that you'll need for tonight."

Hoss and Patience's wedding was scheduled for five o'clock with a big dinner and party afterward at the International House. They all expected the party to last late into the evening, so Ben had booked rooms at the hotel for everyone but Hoss – he and Patience would head to their new house after the reception.

Still flushed from Fionn's kiss, Josie tore off upstairs ahead of her brothers. Adam wasn't far behind, though, as the terrible thought that Molly's engagement ring might somehow have slipped out of the pocket of his suit jacket of its own accord flitted through his mind. He dashed away after Josie and into his room.

"You have got to get a hold of yourself, Cartwright!" he muttered to himself after plunging his hand into the suit pocket and feeling that the ring was, indeed, still tucked inside. He threw together an overnight bag in a matter of minutes and then plopped into his armchair, thinking that noon would take an eternity to arrive. He never even noticed himself dozing off.

"Adam! Hey, Adam!"

Adam waved a hand to try to brush away whoever was shaking him.

"C'mon, Adam, wake up! It's time to leave!"

Adam's eyes blinked open to reveal Little Joe looming over him.

"C'mon, Adam. Baxter's already got the horses all saddled up. Let's go."

"Go where?" Adam nuzzled deeper into the armchair and closed his eyes again.

Little Joe sighed. "Town, you fool! Hoss's wedding! Remember?!"

"Oh! Right!" Adam jumped to his feet and smacked into Joe, knocking the slim young man to the floor. He stretched out a hand to pull Joe to his feet. "Sorry about that, Joe."

"It's all right," Joe said, brushing off his rear end. "Just glad you didn't hit my face. The young ladies of Nevada would never forgive you for damaging this handsome mug of mine." He flashed a grin.

Adam rolled his eyes. "And which of those young ladies have you got your eye on for tonight?"

"Hope Lovejoy, of course."

"Of course. The maid of honor."

"Well, it was either her or that pretty little seamstress, but I didn't think it would appropriate for you and me to get into a tussle at Hoss's wedding," Little Joe said, giving Adam a cheeky wink.

Adam grinned and caught his little brother up in a headlock.

"Ow! Hey, watch it!" Joe protested as Adam mussed up his hair. Laughing, Adam released Joe and gave him a friendly shove toward the door.

"Go on, tell Pa I'll be right down."

Joe grinned and scampered out of the room.

Ten minutes later, five antsy Cartwrights and one fussing Chinese cook were in the living room doing last-minute checks of their bags to be sure they had everything they needed for the wedding and their night in town. Molly had packed Josie's gown carefully into a trunk, which was loaded in the back of the buckboard along with the men's suits. Adam had checked his suit jacket pocket six more times to ensure Molly's ring was still there before he'd folded up the jacket and placed it in the trunk along with his father's and brothers' suits. He hadn't told anyone but Fionn that he planned to propose tonight, but he had a pretty good idea that Josie had figured it out. She kept glancing at him and giving him sly little smiles.

Everyone was too nervous and excited to eat, but Hop Sing insisted they each force down a sandwich before heading to town. The most nervous of them all, Hoss was the last person to finish a meal for the first time in his life.

At long last, everyone bundled up and headed out of the house. Ben, Adam, Joe, Josie, and Hop Sing scurried to their horses, or in Hop Sing's case, the buckboard, but Hoss turned around halfway across the yard and stared back up at the house. Adam caught his father's eye and after getting a little nod from Ben, he slid off of Sport and went over to his brother. Hoss started when Adam draped his arm around his shoulders.

"Come on, Younger Brother," Adam said. "Greater things await you."

Hoss nodded and lumbered over to his new carriage, drawn by a matched set of beautiful chestnut horses – a wedding gift from Ben. He double-checked that Chubb was tied securely to the back and climbed aboard, and the caravan set off.

The icy air stung the exposed bits of Adam's face like a thousand tiny needles, and he wished his brother had chosen a more hospitable time of year to get married. He kept a wary eye on Josie, but she seemed to be relishing the frigid ride – even though most of her face was covered in scarves, Adam could tell she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Thinking of Fionn," he chuckled to himself. The thought of Fionn made him think of Molly, and before he knew it, he was grinning from ear to ear, too. He glanced down and admired the way the new saddle blanket complemented Sport's chestnut coloring, and his mind drifted to a little red mare he'd seen at the livery a few weeks before. Molly didn't have a horse of her own – she either rode Fionn's dapple mare or took their buggy – and Adam thought maybe he should get her one as an engagement gift.

Despite the cold, the sun shone bravely, and the Cartwrights stopped halfway to town to smudge charcoal under their eyes to cut down on the sun's reflection off the snow.

"Aunt Rachel would be scandalized if she knew I was lining my eyes!" Josie giggled as Adam daubed the charcoal onto her cheekbones.

Adam chuckled. "Aunt Rachel would be scandalized by a lot of things we've done." He blotted a spot of charcoal onto the tip of Josie's nose. "Apprehending a couple of bank thieves comes to mind."

Josie grinned and wiped off her nose with the end of Adam's scarf. "Maybe we should just leave her blissfully ignorant."

"Yes, let's." He leaned in close and whispered in her ear, "Because I'm proposing to Molly tonight, and I'd like to live to see my wedding." Adam immediately clamped a hand over Josie's mouth to muffle her squeal. "Don't let on!" he pleaded. "You and Fionn are the only two who know. We have to get through Hoss's wedding first, remember?"

Josie bit her lower lip and nodded enthusiastically. Grinning, the cousins mounted back up on their horses.

By the time they reached Virginia City, even Pip was starting to droop from the cold, and they were only too happy to leave the animals at the livery and burst into the warmth of the International House. Hop Sing helped them carry their things up to their rooms and then scurried off to his cousin's house, where he would be staying that night after the reception.

Sally Cass met them in the lobby, her arms laden with a huge garment bag containing her own gown, and she and Josie disappeared upstairs to get dressed and help each other with their hair. Since he wasn't staying the night in the hotel, Hoss followed Ben into his room to get ready, and Adam and Little Joe each disappeared into their own rooms.

Adam had just knotted his tie and was slicking down his hair when he heard a knock on his door.

"It's open!" he called.

He expected Little Joe to poke his head in sheepishly and request to borrow something he'd forgotten, like a razor, hair tonic, or cologne, so Adam was surprised when Hoss stepped into the room. He had his hat in his hands and he was crimping the brim between his meaty fingers.

"Pa driving you crazy in there?" Adam asked with a grin as he ran his comb through his hair one last time.

"Uh, no, uh, I just, uh…"

Adam turned around and set his comb on the dresser. "What is it, Hoss?"

"Adam, I don't know what to do!"

Adam's stomach whirled. "What do you mean? Are you having second thoughts about marrying Patience?"

"Oh, no, it ain't that! Way I figure it, I better hurry up and marry her before she changes her mind!"

"Then what is it? You've lost me."

Hoss's face took on the hue of the bridesmaids' crimson gowns. He swallowed hard and looked down at his polished boots. "It's tonight, Adam. I don't know what to do."

Adam stared at the top of Hoss's blond head for several moments before his jaw dropped. "You mean Pa never had that talk with you when you were a boy?"

Hoss's red face turned purple. "Oh, no, he did! I know the theory, Adam, but I ain't never…"

"Really?!"

Too embarrassed to stand there any longer, Hoss turned for the door. Adam darted over to him and grabbed his arm.

"Hoss, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to make fun of you. I just assumed that you and Lorelei a few years ago…"

Hoss shook his head. "Something just wasn't right between me and Lorelei. I didn't want to get in trouble and end up stuck with her."

"That was good thinking." Adam snatched Hoss's hat away from him before the big man irreparably dented its brim. Hoss finally looked back up at him.

"Adam, what if I get it all wrong? What if she laughs at me?"

Adam smiled. "She's a preacher's daughter, Hoss. I don't think you have to worry about her having enough experience in this area to know whether you're getting it wrong. Besides, you won't. You'll figure it out."

"You sure?"

"Yes. And it will be wonderful, and before you know it, you'll be having gigantic children together."

Hoss smiled bashfully. "All right. Thanks, Adam."

As the door closed behind Hoss, Adam shook his head and turned back to his mirror.

"Well, that should be an adventure for both of them," he chuckled as he checked his hair one last time.

Thirty minutes later, Adam, Ben, and Little Joe were standing alongside a pale and sweaty Hoss at the front of the little Virginia City church. Adam kept one eye on Hoss – if the big man swooned, he could take down the entire wedding party – and one eye on Molly, who sat in a pew next to Fionn halfway back. She wore the same emerald-silk gown that Adam had peeled off of her after her birthday dinner in August, with a white shawl around her shoulders and her emerald necklace gleaming on her collarbone. Adam had to count the baubles on the large Christmas tree at the front of the church to distract himself, lest the entire congregation witness his usual reaction to Molly.

The church did not have an organ, so precisely at five o'clock, Widow Hawkins sat down at the piano and struck up Bach's "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring." As the opening notes drifted down the aisle, the doors in the back opened, and Sally Cass stepped into the sanctuary and began her slow progress down the aisle. A few measures later, Josie followed her. Sally had pinned up Josie's hair in a neat chignon with wispy tendrils left down to frame her face. Josie, too, wore her birthday necklace from Adam, and it sparkled against her pale skin. She blushed as she made her way down the aisle, clutching her bouquet of silk roses. Roses were hard to come by in Virginia City to begin with, and in the middle of winter, downright impossible to obtain. To everyone's delight – especially the bride's – Hop Sing and one of his cousins had crafted gorgeous imitations out of scarlet silk they'd had sent in all the way from China. Josie ducked her head and nearly started to giggle, and Adam glanced back into the pews and saw Fionn grinning at her. He caught Molly's eye and gave her a wink.

Hope Lovejoy followed Josie, and then everyone stood as Widow Hawkins launched into a rousing rendition of Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" and Patience entered the sanctuary on her father's arm. She was resplendent in a white gown trimmed in lace and a veil that reached her fingertips. Adam shot a sidelong glance at Hoss, and for a moment he thought his brother was going to burst into tears. But after a pat on the shoulder from Ben, Hoss broke into the biggest smile any of the Cartwrights had ever seen.

As Reverend Lovejoy and Patience approached the altar and the Reverend handed Patience over to Hoss, Adam glanced at Molly again. This time, their eyes met, and they exchanged small smiles.

Afterward, none of the Cartwrights would remember much of the wedding ceremony itself except that it was "lovely" and Ben had to keep dabbing at his eyes with his handkerchief. Adam's mind took flight during the Reverend's brief sermon as he imagined himself and Molly standing together at an altar, and he slipped a finger into his jacket pocket to check on the engagement ring once more.

When Reverend Lovejoy tearfully presented "Mr. and Mrs. Eric Cartwright," the congregation burst into applause, though Little Joe and Josie exploded in laughter. Even Adam had heard Hoss called by his Christian name only a handful of times, and then only when his brother was in big, big trouble, and something about the sound of the name struck the two youngest Cartwrights as hysterical. Even Ben's sternest glares couldn't quell their giggles as they processed down the aisle behind the beaming bride and groom, and Adam had to bite his lip to keep from laughing, too.

Due to the confined space at the front of the church, Hoss and Patience had opted to have their receiving line at the International House as guests entered for the reception, so the wedding party exited the church and crossed the street to the hotel. As the guests filed in one after another after another, Adam thought his hand would fall off from having been shaken so many times. He and Ben nearly knocked heads as they tried to hide behind each other as Widow Hawkins made her way forward in the queue. Adam breathed a sigh of relief when Clementine set her sights on Ben.

"Oh, Ducky, you must be so proud!" she gushed. Ben answered in the affirmative, and the widow leaned in close to his ear. "And don't you worry none. I'll be standing front and center to catch the bridal bouquet!"

Adam caught Little Joe's eye, and the two of them nearly had to excuse themselves. Fortunately, Molly came up right behind Clementine and distracted Adam's attention. She gave him a quick, demure kiss.

"You looked so handsome up there," she said as she batted her eyelashes.

Adam chuckled at her coy silliness. "You looked beautiful back there in your pew." He threaded one arm around her waist and drew her to him before remembering the long line of people waiting behind her. He sighed and let her go. "Sorry, my love. Duty calls."

With a warm smile, Molly patted his cheek and moved down the line to greet Ben.

An eternity later, the last guest had filed into the hotel, and the wedding party could finally sit down in the restaurant with everyone else. Small round tables lined the perimeter of the restaurant – the center was left open for dancing – and a long table had been set up at the front for Hoss, Patience, and the six attendants. Adam was a bit put out that he couldn't sit with Molly, but she and Fionn, along with Hoss's friend Jeremy Fitch and his wife, Catherine, had secured a table near the wedding party. Adam chuckled as he watched Fionn make silly faces at Josie, who worked so hard to keep from breaking out in hysterics again that her face soon matched the color of her gown.

Everyone was hungry, but before the food was served, waiters came around and poured champagne for each of the fifty-three guests. When everyone had been served, Adam and Little Joe rose to their feet and asked for the crowd's attention.

"Now I know it's traditional for the best man to give a speech right about now," Little Joe began, "and don't worry, Pa, you'll get your chance. But Adam and I didn't want to be left out." He paused to let the crowd chuckle before turning to the bride and groom. "Patience, I'm not sure whether to offer my congratulations or my condolences." The guests burst out laughing, and Joe had to wait a few moments for them to quiet down. "So I guess I'll just say 'Welcome to the family'' and 'Good luck.'" Joe's devilish grin vanished as he turned to Hoss, and he chewed on his lower lip for a second before continuing at a gallop. "And Hoss, well, the house is gonna be awfully quiet at night without your snoring." Joe accepted a second round of laughter from his audience and dropped heavily back into his chair.

Adam cast Joe a glance out of the corner of his eye. This wasn't the heartfelt speech Joe had shown him a few nights earlier. Little Joe reddened as he scuffed one boot on the floor, and Adam dived in to rescue him.

"Hoss," he said, "twenty-eight years ago, one of the most beautiful women who's ever lived showed compassion to a grubby little boy with a sore throat and an empty belly. Only a couple months later, she gave him the greatest gift he'd ever received: a mother. Just about nine months after that, she gave him another gift. You. Now, if my six-year-old self had known what sort of shenanigans would eventually ensue, I might not have been quite so excited about that." The crowd laughed again. "Hoss, in all the ways that mattered, Inger was my mother, too, and I miss her every day. She was a real nice lady." Adam paused and winked at Ben, who smiled through misty eyes. "But every time I look at you, I know she's still with us. You have her kindness and her compassion, and I couldn't be more proud to call you Brother. Congratulations, Younger Brother. May you and Patience have many, many years together." He raised his glass. "To Hoss and Patience!"

By now, the guests were all dabbing at their eyes, but they raised their glasses and echoed Adam's toast. Ben hid behind his champagne flute for a moment before standing to give his own toast.

"Hoss, your brothers didn't leave me much to say, but I've been hoping for a daughter-in-law for some time now, and you have given me the loveliest one a man could ask for. After your mother died, I didn't know if I could handle raising another baby on my own, but despite my failings, of which, I am sure, there were many, you turned out better than I could ever have dreamed. I am so proud of the man you have become, son, and I know you'll continue to make me proud. To Hoss and Patience!"

Tears streamed down Hoss's face as everyone raised their glasses to him and his bride once more. Deciding Hoss had endured being the center of attention long enough, Ben announced it was time to eat. As the waiters materialized with heaping platters of food, Adam discovered an advantage to being forced to sit apart from Molly: The wedding party got served first. All he'd had since breakfast was a cold sandwich, and his stomach felt like it was trying to digest his other internal organs. When a waiter set a huge plate of roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, and biscuits in front of him, Adam nearly wept with joy. He inhaled his food in record time and stared longingly at the massive wedding cake on a small table in the corner. Having finally relaxed and regained his own appetite, Hoss leaned around Ben and muttered to Adam.

"Don't you go gettin' no ideas about that cake there, Older Brother. Me and Patience get the first bites."

Adam grinned. "Well be quick about it. I'd hate to have to fight you at your own wedding." He glanced down the long table to where Josie sat toward the other end. She, too, was staring wide-eyed at the cake. "And I might not be your only contender."

Hoss followed Adam's gaze and laughed. "Better eat quick, darlin'," he said to Patience. "The family's gettin' mighty antsy for that cake." Patience giggled and quickened her pace.

At long last, everyone had finished their meals, and Hoss and Patience headed over to cut the cake. Hop Sing had given them a beautiful silver knife and cake server that he'd custom-ordered from a silversmith in Boston, and Hoss and Patience held the knife together as they sliced into the cake. Hoss very neatly poked a small bite of cake into Patience's mouth, and everyone laughed as Patience blotted a dollop of icing on Hoss's nose before reciprocating.

Adam and Molly grinned at each other across their narrow divide as the waiters set tall slices of the chocolate wedding cake in front of them. The last time they'd eaten chocolate cake together at the International House, the evening had ended quite nicely. While Adam didn't expect they'd have that sort of opportunity tonight, he still intended the evening to end auspiciously.

When the cake was gone, a band assembled on the side of the dance floor, and Adam was about to spring from his seat and grab Molly when Ben placed a hand on his elbow.

"Bride and groom get the first dance," he reminded him.

Adam sighed and dropped back into his chair.

The wait wasn't as bad as he'd feared. He got to spend the next few minutes watching his younger brother sweep his new bride around the dance floor. Hoss had always had a sunny personality, but he shone more brightly this evening than ever before as Patience gazed up at him in adoration. Adam cast a glance at Molly and envisioned her in a white lace gown.

When the song ended, Adam sprang from his chair and darted over to Molly. He bowed low to her and extended his right hand.

"Miss O'Connell?"

Molly smiled and took his hand. "Aye, Mr. Cartwright."

As Adam led Molly from the table, he caught Fionn's eye, and the two men shared a knowing grin.

Adam and Molly danced the evening away, breaking only long enough for Adam to share a dance with his new sister-in-law while Molly danced with Ben to save him from Widow Hawkins for one song. Clementine had sunk her claws into him at the first opportunity, and Ben hadn't been able to get free. Adam worried that Josie might feel abandoned, but every time he glanced over at her, she was either dancing or sitting with Fionn, so enchanted with him that she noticed nothing else.

Fionn was worlds better than he'd been the night he and Molly had shown up on the Cartwrights' porch, but he was still recovering, and he could dance for only short stretches before he needed to rest. He insisted on dancing the Virginia Reel, however, and by the time the song was over, his cough had flared up. It had moved out of his chest and was now dry and throaty, but Josie knew he could still relapse if he wasn't careful, and she made him sit down.

"Sorry, Hey, You," he gasped as he sipped some water. "Guess I'm not back to meself just yet."

Josie smiled and kissed his forehead. "That's ok. I'm just glad you're here at all."

"Aye, me, too." Fionn took a long, shuddering breath, trying to quell another round of his hacking cough. His eyebrows shot up as Josie reached beneath the hem of her dress and started fidgeting around under the layers of silk and taffeta. "If you need some help there, I'd be happy to assist you."

Josie giggled and extracted what she'd been looking for – a small silver flask she'd strapped to her calf with a garter. She unscrewed the cap and handed it to Fionn. "Whiskey," she said as he sniffed its contents. "Thought you might need some to get through the evening."

Fionn grinned at her and took a swig. "Thanks, Hey, You." His eyes sparkled with mischief as he returned her flask. "Got any other surprises up that dress of yours?"

Josie slapped his hand as she snatched the flask and took a quick sip before tucking it away under her skirt. "We're taking this slowly, remember?"

Fionn pretended to take offense. "How dare you accuse me of bein' inappropriate!" he said melodramatically as he laid a hand over his heart. "Here I was hopin' you'd squirreled away a slice of cake, and you assume I'm makin' advances!" His eyes met Josie's, and he couldn't keep a straight face. They both broke out laughing, Fionn's joy cut short by a sharp stab of pain from his still inflamed chest muscles. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, won't that ever go away?!" he moaned as he massaged his ribcage.

"It will," Josie assured him as she took hold of his hand. "But it's going to take a long time. You really did a number on yourself, Fionn."

"Aye."

They sat quietly, side-by-side, for a few songs while the whiskey kicked in and Fionn's lungs settled. As they rested, they saw Adam and Molly slip past and head for the door. Their eyes widened.

"Do you suppose he's about to-?" Josie asked.

Fionn hesitated. "About to what?"

"It's ok, Fionn. Adam told me he's proposing tonight."

"Oh, aye. I don't know. Awfully cold out there."

"Yeah," Josie agreed. "But it's not exactly private in here, is it?"

"I suppose not."

They fell silent for several seconds before Josie spoke up again.

"I have to admit, I'm fighting the urge to eavesdrop."

Fionn chuckled. "Glad it's not just me. C'mon, let's dance again." He grabbed her hand and led her back to the dancefloor.