Chapter Six
Back on the Ponderosa, Adam had retrieved his shingles and nails from Carson City and was happily back at work on his house. He and his hired men had finished the framework and were ready to start hanging the exterior walls. If the weather and his luck held out, Adam would have more than enough time to finish both his house and Fionn's washroom before the wedding in three months' time. He was hammering away at a back wall when Ben came charging up on Buck.
"Adam!" Ben barked before his feet even hit the ground. "Adam! We've got a problem!"
Adam dropped his hammer and raced over to his father, his heart pounding visibly through his shirtfront. "What is it, Pa? What's wrong?"
"Joseph and Josephine have been arrested in Genoa."
Adam dropped his head and chuckled. "Good one, Pa. You really had me going for a second there."
Ben's mouth was a tight line. "Do I look like I'm joking, boy?" he growled.
Sweat broke out on Adam's upper lip. "No, sir. But you mean Joe. Joe's been arrested. Josie must have wired you."
"No. Sheriff Ellis wired me. Joseph AND Josephine are sitting in his jail as we speak. Apparently they've been there since yesterday." He whipped a telegram out of his jacket pocket and shoved it at Adam.
"Joseph and Josephine Cartwright arrested for vandalism and destruction of property," Adam read aloud. "Vandalism and destruction of property? I sent them to buy a horse!" He kept reading. "Bail set at two hundred fifty dollars apiece. APIECE?! What in the world did they vandalize?!"
"I don't know, son, but I intend to find out." Much to Adam's alarm, a vein in Ben's temple began to throb. "And you're coming with me."
"Of course. When do you want to leave?"
"Right. Now."
"Yes, sir." Adam turned to tell his men he was leaving, but the last line of the telegram caught his eye. "Hey, Pa. What do you suppose this is about? 'Bring them clean clothes'?"
Ben snatched the telegram from Adam and read it over. "I don't know. Guess I missed that on my first read-through. Suppose we better comply, though. Nick Ellis must be pretty upset as it is if he threw a woman in jail."
Adam let his men know wouldn't be back until at least the next day and that if they had any problems they should contact Hoss. Then he swung onto Sport's back and followed his father to their house.
Ben didn't say a word as he stormed upstairs and ripped clothes out of Little Joe's wardrobe. Adam ducked into Josie's room and grabbed a clean shirt and pair of jeans from her wardrobe. His face burned as he opened her delicates drawer, and he couldn't bring himself to sort through it. He blindly grabbed a stack of items and crammed them into a carpetbag, hoping that by chance he would snatch whatever Josie might need. In less than fifteen minutes, he and Ben were back on their horses, galloping toward Genoa.
Josie, Little Joe, and Pip had spent a miserable night in a cell in the Genoa Jail. The buckets of water they'd been given were no substitute for real baths, and after a while, Josie and Little Joe grew so accustomed to their stench that the barely noticed it. They only bright spot came that evening when a group of Genoa's ladies, appalled that their sheriff had imprisoned a woman, came to the jail demanding to give the Cartwrights a decent supper. The cousins had enjoyed fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and even some chocolate cake before curling up onto the rough wooden floor to sleep. There were two cots in their cell, but the frames were rusty and the paper-thin mattresses full of bugs. Josie nearly used Pip as a pillow, realized how filthy he was, and rested her head on her arm instead. They woke at dawn, cold and stiff, after only a couple hours' sleep. The dried outhouse spray on their clothes crackled as they moved. They sat side-by-side on the cell's hard wooden bench and waited to be rescued as the ladies of Genoa grouped outside the jail, protesting Josie's incarceration.
"I knew this day would come," Josie said. "Somehow I always knew." She dropped her face into her hands.
"Pa's gonna be real angry," Joe moaned, mimicking Josie's gesture.
"Maybe we'll get lucky and Adam will get the message first."
"That won't be any better, Josie."
"We should have asked the sheriff to wire Hoss."
"Yeah."
Josie inspected her ruined hat. It had saved her hair from the worst of the blast, but the hat was unsalvageable. "Why is it that every time you and I have an adventure, I have to buy a new hat?"
Little Joe shrugged, and the cousins lapsed into silence. The day passed at a snail's pace, Josie and Joe occasionally catching little snatches of sleep as they leaned against one another. Josie would have killed for a book. Even a boring one. Finally, in late afternoon, they heard a very familiar gruff voice outside.
"Let us through, ladies, please!" Ben beseeched. "The lady in question is my niece. We're here to get her released."
Moments later, Ben barged through the door. Josie's heart soared and then sank at the sight of her uncle. Her knight in shining armor had come to rescue her, but she had never seen him so angry. The vein in his forehead throbbed, and his entire face was flushed. He shoved past the sheriff and strode over to the cell. Pip jumped to his feet and let out a happy bark.
"Josephine, are you all right?" Ben reached through the cell bars and then recoiled like he'd just been stung. "Man alive, what is that smell?!"
Adam burst into the jail just then, too, and screeched to a halt several feet from the cell. He ripped a handkerchief from his pocket and covered his nose.
"I think I've figured out why we were supposed to bring them clean clothes, Pa," he said. Even the handkerchief covering the lower half of his face couldn't hide his smirk.
Ben turned away from the cell toward the sheriff. "Nick, what in the world happened?"
Sheriff Ellis gestured to Josie and Little Joe. "I'd tell you Ben, but the story is so much better coming from them."
Ben turned back to the cell but did not approach it again. "Joseph?"
Joe shrank down, but Josie poked him sharply in the ribs. "We, uh, we blew up an outhouse, Pa," he peeped.
Ben stared blankly at him, eyes blinking. "Come again?"
"We blew up an outhouse, Pa."
From behind them, Adam let out a bark of laughter that he quickly swallowed when Ben turned and glared at him. He bit his lip, but his eyes danced. Josie's mouth twitched upwards. At least Adam wasn't angry.
"Whose?" Ben demanded. "And for the love of all that is holy, Joseph, why?!"
By the time Little Joe finished the story of Fred Smythe's rudeness at the hotel, his leaving them with his supper bill, their dynamite purchase, and the geyser of feces, Adam's face was bright red, his eyes streaming with suppressed laughter.
Dumbfounded, Ben turned to the sheriff. "Nick, clearly this was just a practical joke gone awry. Did you really have to throw them in jail?"
Sheriff Ellis popped up from his seat and threw his hands in the air. "Ben, they drenched half of B Street in crap! What was I supposed to do?"
Adam couldn't take it anymore. He burst into hysterics so hard that his legs gave out. He slid down a wall and sat heavily on the floor. Even Ben's sternest glare couldn't bring him under control, and he laughed until his nose ran and his abdominal muscles screamed for mercy. He dripped and clutched his stomach as he tried to catch his breath.
Ben decided that his best course of action right then was to ignore his eldest son. "Nick," he said, "you've made your point, and I'm sure Joseph and Josephine have learned their lesson. How about letting them out? I'll take them straight home. They won't bother Genoa again."
"Sure thing, Ben," Sheriff Ellis said. "Just as soon as you pay their bail."
"Come on, Nick, you can't be serious about that. They'll compensate the Smythes for the outhouse. Surely that's enough."
"If you think that's enough, Ben, I invite you to walk down to B Street and check out what a clean-up job we've got over there. We don't get enough rain in a whole year to wash away that mess. The good people of Genoa will be out there scrubbing for days!"
From his seat on the floor, Adam burst into a fresh round of laughter.
"The bail stands at two hundred fifty dollars apiece," the sheriff finished.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Ben thundered. He slammed his fist down on the sheriff's desk and immediately winced. He pulled his fist back and cradled it in his other hand as surreptitiously as possible.
"It's fine if you don't want to pay it," the sheriff said. "They're welcome to serve ninety days here in the jail instead."
Josie whimpered and clutched Joe's hand. Tears spilled down her cheeks. Her one night in jail had been misery. Surely Ben wouldn't leave her there? Not for three months!
Adam's head snapped up when Josie sniffled. He sobered instantly and rose to his feet. "I'll pay Josie's bail, Pa. Just give me a few minutes to go get a bank draft." He caught his cousin's eye and gave her a warm smile. "Don't worry, kid. Older Brother's got you."
Little Joe's eyes widened as Adam slipped out the door. "Hey! Hey, Adam! What about me?" he called. But Adam was already making his way through the crowd of women outside the jail.
Ben shook a finger at Josie. "I hope you know how much you owe him, young lady."
"Yes, sir," Josie whispered, ducking her head.
"Hey, Pa," Joe said. "What about me?"
Despite the stench, Ben crossed the cell and stood face-to-face with his youngest son. Joe had never been so grateful for the iron bars containing him. "What about you, Joseph? Sounds like you were the chief architect of this little scheme. Now, you tell me. What should I do about you?"
"I'll pay you back, Pa, I swear. Please don't leave me here."
"Pay me back? Where do you intend to get that sort of money?"
"Enos Milford needs help breaking some horses. I was gonna use the money to get a stallion like Adam's got, but I'll pay you back instead. I promise."
Ben glared at him, letting the young man sweat for a moment. "All right," he huffed at last. "I'll be right back. Looks like I have to get a bank draft, too."
In less than an hour, Adam and Ben had settled Josie and Joe's bail, and the youngest Cartwrights were released from their cell. Josie tried to fly into Adam's arms, but he stuck out a hand and kept her at bay.
"Sorry, Josie, but you smell awful."
Josie glanced down at her filthy clothes. "Oh. Right."
Adam chuckled. "It's ok. Let's get you two over to the bathhouse. We brought you clean clothes. You get cleaned up, and Pa and I will go over to the livery and get the horses."
"I can't thank you enough, Adam," Josie said, blushing. "I'll pay you back. May take a while, but I promise I'll pay you back."
"I'm sure we can work something out. Come on. Let's get you cleaned up." He gave her a little nudge out the door of the jail.
The good ladies of Genoa, still holding vigil outside the jail, sent up a cheer as Josie emerged, filthy but smiling. She waved to them and thanked them all for the wonderful meal the night before. Several of the women backed away from her stink, but they all applauded as Adam escorted Josie away from the jail, Little Joe slinking along behind at Ben's prodding.
"I have to ask, Josie," Adam muttered as they headed down the street toward the bathhouse. "How did you two manage to create a geyser?"
Josie giggled. "One of the charges accidentally dropped into the privy hole..."
Adam groaned. "And ignited the methane," he finished for her.
Josie nodded, trying not to laugh too loudly lest she anger Ben further. He was still red-faced and scowling, and Josie knew better than to press her luck.
Adam nearly choked. "That must have been quite a spout," he croaked out around swallowed laughter.
"'Bout a hundred feet," Josie said with a grin. "It rained down for a good thirty seconds."
Adam stuffed the collar of his jacket into his mouth until he was sure he had himself under control. "I'm sorry I missed that." The wind shifted just then, and he caught a fresh whiff of his cousin. "Then again, maybe not." The cousins laughed quietly together as they walked the rest of the way to the bathhouse.
Fionn laughed for five solid minutes when Josie told him about her arrest in Genoa. Between Fionn's springtime busyness on the farm and Josie's trip to Genoa, they hadn't seen each other in two weeks. Everyone in Virginia City seemed pretty healthy at the moment, so Josie had taken an afternoon off from her clinic to ride out to the O'Connells'. Molly was at her shop in town, so Josie and Fionn were cuddled up in Fionn's bed as Josie told him all about her and Little Joe's adventure.
"Oh, I wish I could have been there to see the looks on your faces!" Fionn cackled. He rolled away from Josie and curled up in the fetal position as his stomach cramped from laughter and tears streamed down his face.
"Be glad you weren't there to smell us," Josie said, shaking her head. "I've dealt with some pretty gruesome effluence in my day, but this took the cake. Thank goodness for Adam. Uncle Ben was so angry, I think he might have left me to rot in that jail."
Fionn roared with laughter again.
"Aw, don't worry, Hey, You," he said when he noticed Josie scowling at him. "You know if Adam hadn't come to the rescue, old Fionn would have bailed you out."
"My bail was two hundred and fifty dollars!"
Fionn's eyebrows shot up. "Oh. Well in that case, you know if Adam hadn't come to the rescue, old Fionn would have broken you out."
Josie tried to hold onto her scowl but couldn't. She cracked a smile just before Fionn stuck a finger in her ribs, and she shrieked with laughter.
"Seriously, though," she said once she'd successfully swatted Fionn away. "I don't know how I'm ever going to pay Adam back. Best I can do is give him my share of Scout's foal."
"She expectin' already?"
"It's too early to tell, but Adam said she and Ruckus got along real well."
Josie instantly regretted that statement. Fionn's face lit up with a devilish grin, and he rolled on top of her.
"You know, they're not the only pair in these parts that could get along real well." His brown eyes glittered, and Josie felt him stir under his trousers. She smiled back at him and playfully shoved him off of her.
"Little different for horses, isn't it?" she said. "They don't have to worry about shame." She tried to keep smiling, but her face fell. She snuggled up next to him and rested her head on his chest.
Fionn wrapped an arm around her and kissed her forehead. "Don't see how it's shameful if two people love each other."
Josie's heart quickened. "It shouldn't be, should it? And yet I was taught my whole life that it's just not something nice girls do before they're married."
"Aw, I know plenty of girls who didn't wait, and they're still nice girls." Fionn blushed instantly. "Oh dear! That's not how I meant it! Just, you know, acquaintances who I happened to find out later had… I mean, you know, word gets around, and-"
Josie giggled and laid a finger over Fionn's lips. "It's ok, Fionn. You're a twenty-four-year-old man. I figured you probably had by now."
Fionn blushed so deeply his face matched the violet fabric in the quilt they lay under.
"What's the matter, Fionn? It doesn't bother me."
Fionn turned his face away. "Actually, Josie, I, uh, I, well, I've never…" He cleared his throat.
"Really?!"
"Not for lack of opportunity, mind you! There are plenty of ladies out there who realize just what a catch young Mr. Fionn O'Connell is!"
"I have no doubt about that." Josie gave him a kind smile.
"Just was never in a position where I could afford to go sowin' any oats, as it were," Fionn continued, staring at the wall, the ceiling, anywhere but at Josie. "When me and Da and Molly were comin' west from Boston, it was hard enough keepin' food in our own mouths. I couldn't risk creatin' another one. Same thing even when we reached San Francisco. Things eventually started gettin' better, but then Da died, and I had Molly to think about. And then, well, things got real bad." He sighed, and Josie brushed his hair from his forehead. He glanced at her and gave her a weak smile. "I know there are places a man can go for that sort of thing, but that never felt right. Not for me first time. That should be special, with someone I love."
Josie turned his face toward her and kissed him. "I love you so much, Fionn," she whispered. "And when the time's right, it will be very, very special."
"I love you, too, a chuisle." He pulled her in for another, lingering kiss. When they pulled apart, his wicked grin had returned. "So I think it's about two o'clock right now. What time did you have in mind? Three? Four?"
Josie giggled and batted at his nose. "I already told you, I was taught to wait for my wedding night."
Fionn wrinkled his brow. "So you never have, then?"
"Of course not!" Josie huffed.
"Didna mean any offense, Hey, You. I'm sorry, I just assumed you and Croft… You two seemed so serious."
Josie's face darkened. "No. I mean, we were serious, but Simon and I really only courted about two months, and I was recovering from typhus for the first of those. You and I have gotten more interesting than Simon and I ever did."
Fionn's grin could have illuminated the entire Nevada Territory. "You mean I'll be your first?"
Now Josie blushed. "If we reach that point, yes."
"I'll have to be careful not to mess things up, then. Make sure we reach that point." He caressed Josie's cheek like he was about to kiss her again, but then he chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Josie's eyes danced, knowing Fionn's answer would be an amusing one.
"Just imaginin' it. The two of us, tryin' to figure out what to do…" He snickered again, and Josie joined in.
"I'm sure we can figure it out," Josie assured him. "I'm a doctor, after all."
"Thank the good Lord for that." Fionn reached under the blankets and adjusted his trousers. "I'm thinkin' maybe we should get out of this bed for a bit. Would you like to see those lambs I bought?"
Josie swallowed hard. "I think that would be prudent, yes."
"I love when you use fancy words."
Smiling at each other, the pair rolled out of bed, put their boots on, and headed hand-in-hand out to the barn.