A/N: Tonight is Little Girl Lost, hopefully more of a light-hearted comedic type episode after the outside threats of the last few. The biggest problem here is a miniature version of Annie without the cool head and spoiled rotten to boot.
A word in advance: if Annie comes off initially as cold or unfeeling towards Samantha, that's by design. She recognizes herself in the girl and knows what can happen when a child is allowed to run wild – especially after seeing Jeremy Romans a couple episodes back. She is not going to cut Samantha any slack. As for later, you'll see what happens. Personally, writing her trying to mother a pint-sized version of herself was amusing. Plus, we get a few good Annie/Candy scenes so the relationship is progressing.
I don't own Bonanza, if I did, we'd already have the entire series on DVD by now. Entertainment only here. Drop me a review if you liked it, or even if you didn't. I don't know something doesn't read right to you unless you tell me. Enjoy!
Added line breaks 2-19-21
"Pa, I got the mail and they had a copy of this week's paper so I –" Annie stopped dead in her tracks half in and half out the front door. Her saddlebag slid down her arm and hit the floor. "What did I miss?" She eyed the strange little girl in boy's clothes sitting between her pa and Hoss in front of the fireplace. Joe hopped out of his chair and hurried over, draping his arm over her shoulders.
"You're just in time, sis."
"For what?"
"Who's that?" The little girl demanded in a sassy voice and Annie blinked.
"Who are you, little girl?"
"I'm not a girl, I'm a boy, and I asked you first." The child hopped off the fireplace and stomped over, blond braids swinging. Annie's eyes narrowed.
"I live here." She turned to Joe. "What's going on and who is this?"
"This is Samantha, her mother is Pa's cousin. She sent her out here from San Francisco."
"And?"
"And she's going to live here for the time being." Annie folded her arms, her head on a tilt, eyebrows raised. His smile slipped a notch and he swallowed hard, glancing over at their pa, who held out his hand, offering Joe the honors. "We figured you'd … uh … be happy to take care of her."
"I wrangle cattle, not children."
"It can't be that hard."
"You say that after teaching school?" She snorted. "What horse kicked you in the head? Pa, what's going on?" She bent and picked up the saddle bag and carried it over to her pa.
"Thank you, Annie. Was Candy on his way in?"
"He was putting Scout up in the barn when I rode in, offered to take care of Reno, too." She paused. "Did he know about …?" Ben nodded and Joe smothered a giggle.
"You gonna ignore me or what?" Samantha pushed in between her and Joe. "I said I don't wanna be here."
"Then you know what?" Annie crouched down to her level and turned her around. "There's the door. But you'd better get a move on, San Francisco is a mighty long trip." The door opened and Candy walked in.
"I see you've met your cousin." He grinned and held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, but I was under orders not to say a word. Hop Sing made apple pie and I don't intend to lose my piece." She straightened and fixed them all with a glare.
"What makes anyone in this room think I know the first thing about raising kids?"
"Well …" Joe shrugged. "You are a woman."
"Who grew up on a ranch, the baby among three brothers. I preferred horses to dolls even at five years old." And she avoided children as much as she could. Children meant being tethered to the house instead of working the ranch. Even if she'd wanted any of her own, a husband came first and that was about as likely as hogs flying.
"Anne."
"Pa, why me? Why can't you get someone from town to watch her?"
"I'd just run away, like I did the old woman Mommy hired to watch me." Annie turned.
"You'll notice no one is blocking your path to the door. Go on. Scoot." Ben got up from his seat and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Anne." She gritted her teeth.
"Pa."
"I'm asking you to look after your cousin."
"But, she's –" His eyebrows rose.
"Yes, I noticed that. Exactly why I want you to do it." He squeezed her shoulders. "How much trouble could she be?"
"She's a Cartwright."
"Yes, that, too." Hop Sing walked in from the kitchen.
"Mistah Cartwright, supper is ready." Their cook glanced down. "You better wash your dirty little face, little boy."
"You can't make me." Samantha crossed her arms and stuck her chin out.
"No wash, no eat." He shook his ladle in her face. "We no feed dirty little boy here."
"I ain't hungry."
"Then don't eat." Annie put her saddlebag on the old sideboard near the door and made her way to the table.
"You still have dirty face. Come, Hop Sing wash and you wipe."
"I can wash my own face." There was a noise, then Hop Sing started yelling in Chinese. Annie turned and found him hobbling back towards the kitchen on Samantha's heels. They all raised their brows and sat down.
By the time Samantha returned from the kitchen with her face clean, they were already eating. The little girl cleared her throat. Ben and her brothers glanced up, but Annie didn't. Candy eyed them and swallowed his bite of dumpling.
"Hello, Sam."
"Sam." Hoss swallowed. "Better get something to eat before it's all gone."
"I ain't hungry."
"Then don't," Annie said between bites. Ben raised his eyebrows and she shrugged. If he wanted her to watch the girl, she'd do it the way she thought best. And unless she missed her guess, little miss Samantha had somehow gotten a double dose of the Cartwright stubbornness, which could only be dealt with one way. As he should know after dealing with all of them for over thirty combined years.
"Why don't you sit at the table anyway?"
"I ain't tired." Annie drew in a breath and bit back the retort climbing past her teeth before she reached for a second helping of peas. The rest of them continued eating and dishing up supper. "I ain't gonna sit nor eat as long as you keep me here."
"Well, suit yourself." Ben handed Hoss his refilled plate, passing it right in front of Samantha's nose. Annie watched her eyes tracking the heavy dish.
"I think I will sit, but not at the table." Arms folded, she stomped over and sat in the spare chair behind Hoss. Joe glanced up and hummed in enjoyment.
"Sure is good." Annie fought the urge to roll her eyes. Hoss nodded.
"I think these are the best dumplings I ever tasted."
"Delicious," Ben agreed.
"I can't wait for that pie," Candy added. Annie rolled her eyes. The kid would eat when she got hungry enough.
"I'll starve myself skinny."
"Suit yourself," Annie said through a mouthful of dumplings, earning a frown from their pa. Hoss studied the serving dishes.
"Hey, Pa, there any more peas?" Ben glanced up.
"There's some on Sam's plate." Hoss reached for it and the girl jumped out of her chair.
"Hey, wait. That was given to me." Joe looked up, a confused frown wrinkling his forehead.
"But you said you didn't want to eat it."
"Just for that I will." She threw herself into the empty chair at the end of the table, tucked the napkin into her collar, and picked up her fork. Annie kept one eye on the fork. Foot stomping led to throwing things, as she well knew.
Samantha began to eat and the boys grinned at each other. Their pa's eyes twinkled and the meal continued.
"I don't know how you think one woman can take care of that kid." Annie perched on the edge of their pa's desk while her brothers and Ben paced across the main room. Candy, sensible man, had gone upstairs to bed, leaving them to discuss the situation.
"I have to say Annie's probably right," Hoss admitted. "That kid is …" He glanced over at Samantha asleep on the settee. "I-N-K-O-R-R-I …" He frowned and counted on his fingers. "O-R –"
"I know what you mean." Samantha popped up over the back of the settee. "But I can't spell it."
"Well, neither can he," Joe said.
"I know what you're doing," she continued. "You're trying to figure out a way to keep me here." Ben sighed.
"Sam, we're trying to –"
"I don't want to stay here. All you have to do is put me on a stage to San Francisco."
"Lord help whatever driver had to take that coach," Annie muttered. Joe leaned in next to her ear.
"You should have seen Dan when he brought her out here." Hop Sing bustled out of the kitchen, a nightgown in his hands that Annie recognized as one of her outgrown ones that had escaped the scrap bag. He must have been digging around in the attic.
"All right, Sammy, it's time for bed." She eyed the gown like it was a pile of molded potatoes.
"What's that for?"
"This your nightgown." He smiled. "This the best Hop Sing can find, Missy Annie not grow out of any clothes in many years."
"I don't need a nightgown. I sleep raw." Annie choked. This girl was how old? Her brothers exchanged looks.
"Raw?" Hop Sing exclaimed with a horrified glance at them. "You no sleep raw this house."
"I do." He reached for her and she bolted, leading their poor cook a merry chase around the dinner table while Hop Sing ranted in Chinese. Her brothers dissolved into laughter and even their pa cracked an amused smile. "Stay away from me!" She darted into the kitchen. "I'll break all your dishes and your pots!" Hop Sing stood in the doorway, yelling, then ducked a flying bowl that shattered on impact with the floor. He looked at the kitchen, then them, and hurried over to her pa.
"Mistah Cartwright, you the boss! You make her put this on!" More crashes echoed from the kitchen and Annie winced. He was gonna fix that little hellion good, once he had permission. Ben shook his head.
"Hop Sing, she went in the kitchen, the kitchen is your responsibility, and everything in it." Hoss guffawed and Joe chuckled as Hop Sing muttered under his breath and hustled back into the kitchen, accompanied by the crash of dishes and Chinese shouts.
"I won't wear it!" A dish pan flew out the doorway and bounced across the floor. "I won't! I won't! I won't!" More clatter. Hop Sing rounded the corner, flour coating his face.
"Mistah Cartwright, the fire is burnt out!" They only laughed and he disappeared again.
"No, no, no, no!" More crashes and yelling, then Samantha rounded the corner, her borrowed nightgown dragging the floor, the sleeves twice as long as her arms. The look on her face would have curdled milk. "You better send me back." Hop Sing appeared, managing to look triumphant despite wearing half the contents of his flour canister. Lecturing in Chinese, he hauled the girl up the stairs.
Candy appeared not ten seconds later, eyebrows in his hairline. "What was that?" Joe giggled.
"You're sure she's related to us?"
"What in the world makes you think she's not?" Annie snorted. "Pa, if you expect me to turn that into a lady, you need to take out an ad for a saint."
"That happens to be your fourth cousin, so we're going to try."
"Pa." Hoss' brow furrowed. "Can't we do what she wants and send her back?"
"So she can run around the streets of San Francisco again?" Joe threw up his hands.
"Well, what are we going to do?" Candy snorted from the stairs.
"I don't know about you, but I'm going to bed." He turned and vanished. "Night, all." His door thumped closed a minute later. Ben sighed.
"Joe, ride into Virginia City tomorrow and wire our agent in San Francisco to find Martha Dorcas, give her enough money to get here, and after that we'll see what develops."
"Her real problem is she's spoiled rotten," Annie muttered. "What she needs is a good spanking." Ben shook his head, seeming lost in thought.
"I'm not sure what good a spanking would do."
"You sure thought it solved all of our problems," Hoss protested. Joe chuckled. Ben sighed.
"That little gal, uprooted … sent out to strangers in a strange place. Feels all alone in the world. Unloved, unwanted. She's fighting back the only way she knows how I guess. What she needs is not a spanking, but a little human understanding and compassion."
"If I behaved like that, I wouldn't have been able to sit a horse for weeks," Annie muttered.
"Pa didn't say in your hearing he wished you'd been a boy, neither. Hers did." Hoss frowned. "Poor kid."
"Hey, what's that great, big, ugly, old Indian doing outside my window?" Samantha stood at the top of the stairs. Joe leaped up, grabbed his gun off the sideboard, and shot out the door. Annie blinked and took off after him.
Outside, they scanned the roof line, but saw no one. Not that she expected to. You only saw an Indian if they wanted to be seen. Joe lowered his gun and heaved a sigh. "Wonder if it's the same one that keeps creeping out Candy?"
"I guess you'll have to wait until he pops up again and ask." They went back inside and Joe latched the front door. Hoss nodded up the stairs.
"Pa took her back to bed. Poor little mite is plumb tuckered out, though she'd never admit it. He wanted to see you, Annie."
"All right." She climbed the stairs and headed for the guest room. Broken sobs drifted into the hall and she stopped a few feet inside the room.
"I want my mommy."
"Shh," Ben soothed. He held Samantha's hand until her tears eased and she was still. Hoss sure wasn't kidding about how tired she was. Annie didn't think even she could fall asleep that fast. Her pa pressed his lips together and left the bed. He motioned her into the hall, then stopped long enough to snatch the pile of clothes Samantha had been wearing. "First order of business is convince her she is a girl." He held out the bundle. "Burn them. Then go with Joe tomorrow and pick her out some nice things."
"Pa, when was the last time I even looked at a dress?"
"I think it might have been when Enos Blessing arrived in town," he said after a moment's thought. She raised an eyebrow.
"I spend most of my time in clothes like these." She shook the pile. "I don't even know what to get." He patted her shoulder.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." She stared after him as he disappeared into his room and shut the door. Annie huffed out a breath and stalked down the stairs, past her brothers, and halted at the edge of the kitchen doorway.
"Hop Sing." The little cook rushed over, dish rag in hand.
"What you want? Stay out of Hop Sing kitchen." He muttered in Chinese again. Annie held out the bundle.
"Pa wants these burned. And I think she did more damage than Joe and I ever did, and her plenty old enough to know better," she mimicked, just to get a rise out of him.
"You look like lady, but still child inside. Plenty of mischief you cause!" He raised the ladle and she jumped back out of range, a grin splitting her face. "You give husband plenty gray hairs!" He grabbed the clothes, whirled around, and stormed back into his domain, leaving her feeling like he'd dumped a bucket of ice water over her head.
No chance of that, not unless the men of Nevada stopped caring about their prospects more than they cared about the woman they "loved".
"Which one do you think, the blue or the purple?" Annie laid both dresses over the counter with a pleading look. "Please, Kelly, I don't care about fashion and they expect me to turn this little hellion into a lady." It was a stroke of luck she'd run into her old friend in town, she hadn't seen Kelly but once or twice since those outlaws had shot Donnie Buckler and taken over the ranch house. Marriage had kept the other woman busy out at her new husband's ranch.
"Either one, Annie. You say she's blond?"
"Golden."
"Personally, I like the purple better, but like I said, either one would look nice."
"Until she flings it in the dirt because it's not boy's clothes," she huffed. "Honestly, I thought Joe and I gave Hop Sing trouble but you should have seen her last night! I lost count of how many plates he had to throw out. Hoss has a store list as long as my arm."
"She'll settle down, with time and love."
"She needs a knot jerked in her tail." Kelly shrugged.
"Maybe. Oh, you'll know what do." She squeezed Annie's shoulder. "You've dealt with cattle rustlers, bank robbers, and shoot outs, but one little girl is too much?"
"She's a Cartwright. One is all it takes." Kelly laughed and gathered her packages.
"If you need advice, my door is always open."
"I might need it." Annie sighed and waved her hand at the clerk. "Wrap up both of them. Plus the shoes, stockings, and everything else." She paid the bill and waited, her gaze drawn to a lovely dress on display in the store window. She'd noticed it before she came in, had ignored it while shopping for Samantha, but now she had nothing better to do.
She'd always loved that color; not quite green and not quite blue. She touched the sleeve, then let her hand fall to her side. Where would she wear something like that anyway? A party with one of her non-existent suitors? She had pretty gowns for their annual Christmas party and they rarely left their trunk the rest of the year so why get another one?
"Here you are, Ms. Cartwright." She turned and met the clerk who presented her wrapped packages with a smile. "I hope she likes them, the poor dear."
"I hope so, too, Mrs. Johnson."
"If you need anything else, just drop by, dear."
"I will." She left the store and tucked the packages into Reno's saddlebags. "Ready, boy?" The gelding snorted and she swung into the saddle. "Time to bait the dragon in her den."
The grulla's long strides made short work of the ride home and it wasn't long before she pulled up at the hitch rail in the yard. She collected the neatly wrapped boxes and headed inside. "Hop Sing!" The cook met her on the stairs. "The little brat still in her room?"
"He plenty mad."
"He?" She snorted and continued up the stairs. She rapped on the closed door.
"Go away!" Annie rolled her eyes and pushed it open.
"Go away," she mimicked. "It'll take more than that, Samantha." She plopped the boxes on the bed. "Here."
"It's Sam, and I ain't interested."
"Suit yourself." The little girl flopped back on the bed, her pillow over her face. Annie untied the string on the shoe box, then opened the dresses, holding up the purple calico. "This doesn't interest you?" No answer. She reached out and plucked the pillow off Samantha's head.
"What's that stuff for?"
"This, young lady, is what you'll be wearing from now on."
"I ain't a young lady, and I ain't gonna wear that junk." Annie shrugged dismissively and folded the dress. Samantha flung the pillow off the bed.
"Gimme back my own clothes."
"Can't do it, Samantha. Pa told me to burn them." She headed for the door and Samantha hopped off the bed in pursuit.
"You had no right!" Annie turned around and folded her arms.
"Maybe not, but you don't have much choice about what you're going to wear now, do you?"
"I'd rather run around raw." Annie shrugged.
"Suit yourself." She started to pull the door closed, then paused. "Come down whenever you want. Raw, if you wish." She left without another word. She was halfway down the hall when the hinges squeaked.
"Just for that I will!" The door slammed and Annie rolled her eyes. If the little brat actually did it, she'd be surprised. She went back downstairs and met her pa at his desk.
"How'd she take it?"
"About as well as you'd expect." Ben chuckled and held out the ledger in his hands.
"She'll come down when she's ready, let's get to work on the monthly books."
By the time Hoss returned from town, they were almost finished. "I don't know how you can stand that, sis. All them numbers drive me crazy." Lost in a column of figures, she merely hummed agreement. "Hey, Pa, who is that?" She looked up and spied Samantha on the stairs, wearing the purple calico and even the matching ribbons for her braids.
Hm. Wonders never ceased.
"My goodness!" Ben left his desk and leaned against the stair railing. "I don't rightly know, Hoss. I knew a fella that looked like this, but this is a little girl."
"A mighty good-looking one, too."
"Don't you laugh at me, and I ain't neither a girl. I'm a boy. And I hate you and I hate everybody!" And they were back to that. The girl bent and scooped up a vase off the stairs. Annie winced as it went flying into the main room. Hoss caught Samantha as she darted past him.
"Oh, no, you don't, young lady."
"Well, I guess it's time for that paddling," Ben said with a sigh.
"It's like you said, Pa, a little human understanding and compassion." He picked Samantha up and handed her over. Ben carted her to the chair and sat down and turned her over his knee. Annie counted the swats and winced. A five striker; he was serious. He let her go and Samantha's chin wobbled.
"It didn't hurt … much. And it didn't make me cry." But it would. "It took two of you great big men to beat up on one poor little girl." She swallowed a sob and ran for the stairs. Ben stared after her.
"It had to be done," he said slowly. "She can't continue to be spoiled like she was." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I just hope I didn't hit her too hard." Annie snorted.
"That wasn't hard enough to raise dust." She picked up the ledger she'd dropped and thumbed through the pages to find her place. The Ponderosa didn't run itself, after all, bratty cousin or not.
"Annie, can you finish the books? I need to run out and check on those horses the boys said looked under the weather."
"Hey, I'll come with you, Pa." Hoss collected his hat from the sideboard. Annie blinked.
"And what about that?" She flung her hand at the stairs and almost dropped the ledger. Hoss chuckled and Ben sighed.
"I don't know what to tell you. Do the best you can. If she won't come around, she won't come around." The door closed behind them and Annie settled in behind her pa's desk. The clash of pots and pans echoed from the kitchen and before too long, delicious smells began to drift out of Hop Sing's domain. She was almost tempted to wander in and figure out what he was cooking, but thought better of it.
She was on the last column of numbers when the stairs creaked. Annie glanced up and Samantha froze, her foot hovering above the bottom step.
"I don't like you, or your brothers, or your pa." The little girl folded her arms and glared, her face streaked with dried tears. Annie closed the ledger and sat back in the chair.
"Guess we're even, Samantha. I don't like snotty, disobedient brats."
"You're mean."
"This isn't San Francisco. We don't have time to humor a spoiled brat who causes a scene every time she doesn't get her own way. If that's what you call mean, fine. I'm mean." Annie tucked the ledger back into the desk and stood. "Now, you get into that kitchen and apologize to Hop Sing for making a mess last night. He works too hard to have to clean up after a child old enough to know better." Lord knew they'd given him enough trouble themselves.
"I will not." Samantha tried to pull away, but Annie wasn't letting go. She grabbed her by the arm and marched over to the kitchen doorway. Hop Sing turned around, ladle in hand.
"Missy Annie, you stay out of Hop Sing kitchen!"
"What do you say, Samantha?"
"I'm sorry for making a mess," the little girl muttered, bringing her foot down but Annie was faster, and she stomped nothing but floor.
"Hop Sing, if she gives you any trouble, serve her up with lunch." She pushed Samantha into the kitchen and turned to go. Maybe a ride would clear her head.
"How's it going?" Candy looked up from repairing the fence as she rode up. She sighed and let Reno drop his head to graze.
"I haven't killed her yet, if that's what you mean." She swung down and leaned against the fence beside him. "I can't believe Pa thinks I'm the right person to handle that little … hooligan. I don't know the first thing about raising kids." Candy put down the wire and turned, squinting against the sun.
"Seems to me that's something you learn, not something you're born with."
"And you know that, how?" He shrugged, a grin taking over his lean face.
"I've been to pretty much every town there is west of the Mississippi. I've seen good parents and some not so good parents. You're doing fine, Annie."
"How?"
"Well, like you said, you haven't killed her yet," he said with a laugh.
"It's been tempting." She slammed her hands down on the fence and whirled around. "If any of us dared behave like that we wouldn't have sat down for a month of Sundays. Did you see what she did to the kitchen? Half a canister of flour wasted, like it's nothing. Seven plates, two mugs, a tea pot, and the butter dish, destroyed. And Pa's worried he spanked her too hard!"
Candy held up his hands in a calming gesture. "I know you fuss about me comparing you to a horse, but if you were one of those mares in the corral over there, your ears would be flat back and threatening to kick."
"Thanks a lot."
"Truth's the truth, sweetheart."
"I left her with Hop Sing. He'll straighten her out in no time, he sure could fix us." She sighed and propped a boot on the bottom rail. "How can someone let their daughter run wild like that?"
"Doesn't seem to have done you any harm." Her eyes narrowed.
"I was never like that."
"You've both got spirit." He leaned in close. "Just watch, she'll be imitating you before too long." She threw him a sideways glance.
"You mean threatening sheriffs and tearing off across Paiute country?" His face twisted.
"You did do all that, didn't you? I don't think the Ponderosa could handle another you, even if she is miniature." Annie punched his arm and he laughed.
"Just for that, I won't call you for lunch." She stalked back to Reno, accompanied by his laughter. "Just for that, I will!" Heaven help them.
He was right.
She swung into the saddle and glanced back over her shoulder. "Come on, Canaday. Race you to the house." She put Reno to a gallop before he could respond.
"I had an interesting conversation with Samantha when she and Hop Sing brought us lunch." Ben motioned for her to hang back as the boys headed for bed that night. He nodded at the chair across from his and she sat down.
"I noticed she seemed to have straightened up at supper."
"She told Hop Sing she'd behave while she was here. He's made her chief assistant cook and head bottle washer." He sighed. "She still wants to go back and wait for her father and I told her we'd work it out in time."
"He deserves a raise, Pa."
"Yes, he does. And he'll get it. She told me that other children on her block didn't mind getting spanked and I told her that they knew their fathers loved them."
"And what did she say to that?" A small smile touched his mouth.
"She asked me if I spanked her because. And I said yes."
"Because?"
"Because." He leaned forward and patted her hand. "Get some sleep, six o clock comes awful early." He stood and headed for the stairs. She leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest, one boot propped on the center table. Because? "Feet off the table, Annie." She jumped, her foot dropping automatically, and looked up, but he was already past the landing.
How did he always know?
"Hi." Annie rolled her eyes and exchanged glances with Candy. Two weeks, and he'd been dead on with that prediction. She couldn't leave the house without Samantha tagging along like a baby duckling. She glanced towards the road. Maybe Joe would bring some news back this time.
"Don't stand so close. If the wire breaks, guess who will get cut." Samantha eyed them both.
"You want me to go away?"
"Uh-uh," Candy said. "Just don't stand too close. Like she said, it's dangerous." He moved past Annie and started to work on the next post. She gathered the tools and followed him, listening for the sound of little feet.
Nothing.
She turned at the next post and found Samantha perched on the fence rail, watching them innocently.
"I don't like you." Candy looked up and shrugged.
"I don't like you either."
"I like Hoss. When I grow up, I'm gonna marry him." Annie fought the urge to roll her eyes again. Candy glanced sideways with a smug grin, then turned back to Samantha.
"You are, huh?"
"Little Joe, too."
"Both of them?" Candy's eyebrows rose and he headed for the next post. She growled under her breath.
"You can only marry one man at a time, Samantha."
"I know that, Aunt Annie. I'll marry Hoss first, then Joe later." Candy burst out laughing, the sound morphing into a cough when her eyes narrowed.
"She's just like you, sweetheart." He checked the rails, then moved on to the corner post. Annie glanced behind them and sure enough, Samantha was working her way down the rails.
"But I ain't gonna marry you, though." Candy looked up.
"That's a deal." She looked at him a minute, then frowned.
"Why don't you like me?"
"Maybe because you don't like me."
"That's why I don't like you: you don't like me."
"Kind of a Mexican standoff, ain't it?" Samantha studied him and tilted her chin.
"I think I do like you. Kinda." He tilted his head and pretended to think, making Annie shake her head.
"I think I, uh … I like you, too. Kinda." They stared at each other in silence. Samantha broke first and held out her hand.
"Shake."
"Shake," Candy agreed, and held out his hand, blinking when Annie snatched the pliers he was about to offer the little girl instead of his hand. They shook, then Candy stiffened, staring over her shoulder. Annie whipped around, hand on her gun.
An Indian watched them from behind a tree at the edge of the yard. Samantha looked to see what they were looking at, then glanced up at Candy. "That's the Indian that was outside my window." Candy swallowed.
"Just don't go wandering off by yourself. Understand?" He tapped her nose and gathered his tools. "Where to next, sweetheart?" Annie rolled her eyes.
"The back corral. Pa said Dude noticed the post near the gate was loose."
"He don't miss much, does he?"
"Kinda like you, you mean?" They were almost to the barn when a tiny voice called after them.
"Hey, wait for me." Footsteps scuffed in the dirt and Samantha hurried up. Candy grinned and held out his hand. Samantha claimed his, and reached out for hers. Candy's eyebrows rose; Annie sighed inwardly and took the little hand. The three of them walked off, Samantha skipping along between them.
Her chest tightened. Why couldn't there be a man out there who would be content with this moment – her and their child – and not care about the money her family had, or their influence? Surely there had to be one somewhere who would want Annie instead of Anne Cartwright, heiress to an empire.
"You okay?" She blinked.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"I don't know, you went kind of pale there for a second."
"You almost broke my hand, Aunt Annie." Samantha pulled hers free and shook it.
"I did not." Annie reclaimed the child's hand. "I just thought of something I have to do later, that's all."
"Anything I can take care of?" Her throat closed.
"No," she said softly and drew in a breath. "Let's get the corral finished and see if Hop Sing has supper ready."
"If it's not, can we go for a ride first?"
"We'll see."
"Come on, Auntie. Take the kid for a ride." Candy said with a smirk. Annie narrowed her eyes, a silent conversation zinging back and forth in seconds.
You're not helping.
What's it gonna hurt?
"You'd let two women go riding alone when there's an Indian lurking around?" He laughed again.
"God help the Indian that came after you, sweetheart. I've seen you work, remember? But if you really want me to come along, I will." Samantha tugged on his hand.
"Please come, Uncle Candy, please!" He sighed and looked at Annie, a pitiful expression on his face.
"Well, what do you say, Aunt Annie? Are we going for a ride or not?" Why did she bother? Annie threw her hands in the air.
"All right. Finish the post and let's go. I'll saddle the horses and you can help, little miss, since you came up with the idea." She took Samantha to the barn and tied Reno in his stall. Samantha's eyes went round.
"He's really pretty."
"And he knows it." Annie patted the grulla's shoulder. "Thinks he can get away with anything." The gelding nosed her shoulder and nickered. "Yes, I see you."
"Aunt Annie?"
"What?"
"Do you want to get married? Uncle Joe and Uncle Hoss said they might."
"I don't know, Samantha. I'd have to find a man I liked well enough first." She brushed Reno and threw the saddle over his back, then reached for the cinch.
"I'm not going to marry Candy, and you like him." Annie dropped the cinch and Reno snorted when it bounced against his leg. She soothed the annoyed horse, tied the cinch, and turned around.
"I'm afraid marriage isn't that simple, Samantha. You have to have more than just liking someone or you're liable to regret it down the road. You'll understand someday."
"Why do grownups always say that?"
"Because it's true." She slipped the bridle over Reno's ears. "And don't mention any of this to Candy. Keep it between us girls, alright?"
"Shake."
"Shake." They shook hands and Annie handed her Reno's reins. "Hold him while I saddle Scout." By the time Candy joined them, both horses were ready and Annie sat in the saddle, Samantha balanced in front of her. "Took you long enough, Canaday. I thought about leaving without you." He grinned and took Scout's reins from her.
"Well, I'm here now. Let's go." They rode out at an easy walk, a smile lighting up Samantha's face. Candy noticed it first and quietly pointed it out. Annie stuck out her tongue and he chuckled under his breath.
"Can we go faster? Please?"
"I don't see why not, but it's Aunt Annie you need to ask since you're borrowing her horse."
"I did ask her, but you answered."
"Well, excuse me, ma'am." He swept out his hand. "Ask away."
"Can we, please?" Annie sighed.
"All right. Hang onto your hats."
"But, I don't have a hat."
"Hang onto your braids, then." She bit back a smile when Samantha tugged her braids together under her chin and held onto the saddle horn with her other hand. She clucked to Reno and nudged his sides, urging him to a lope. The gelding leaped forward eagerly. Samantha giggled, the sound becoming a full laugh as the wind blew through her hair and pulled at her dress.
Candy looked over and grinned. Annie grinned back and gave Reno his head, letting the little Mustang shoot forward into a full gallop. Samantha whooped and Annie's heart squeezed.
They were just alike. Proof that Cartwright blood wasn't easy to thin down.
"Can we ride again tomorrow?" Samantha asked for the third time as they unsaddled the horses. Her hair was windblown, and Hop Sing would no doubt explode over the grass stains on her dress, but she wasn't throwing a tantrum.
"I don't see why not. As long as we aren't too busy." The barn door creaked open and Hoss stuck his head inside.
"I thought I heard voices."
"Uncle Hoss!" Samantha ran and jumped into his arms. He swung her up and sat her on his shoulders.
"Come on, I smell supper cooking." They all left the barn and strolled up to the house.
"I went riding with Aunt Annie and Uncle Candy."
"Did you?"
"Um-hm. But I like you, too."
"Cause I'm a better horse."
"Than Reno?" Annie threw him an incredulous look. "Never." Hoss chuckled and set Samantha down at the porch.
"Come on, supper's bound to be ready and I'm starved." Hoss rubbed his hands together. Samantha giggled and grabbed for hands, catching Candy's and hers. They walked into the house three-wide.
"We had a lot of fun, Uncle Ben," Samantha announced. "We –" Her eyes widened when she saw the woman in a green traveling dress seated beside Ben. "Mommy!" The woman stood in a rush and hurried over, scooping the little girl into a hug.
"Samantha."
"I told Uncle Ben you wouldn't come back. Oh, Mommy." They embraced. Ben caught their eyes and nodded towards the kitchen. The three of them followed him, Annie a tad hesitant since they were headed into Hop Sing's domain.
"I see she made it." Hoss spoke first.
"Yes. She arrived a few hours ago. Martha told me she's a waitress in a saloon, but that's all she does. Her father-in-law didn't believe that, though, and turned them out when her husband brought her to his house." Ben scrubbed a hand over his face. "Then, her husband left and she didn't know what to do, so she sent Samantha here." He sighed. "And we may have a problem."
"What kind of problem, Mr. Cartwright?"
"Joe came back from town and said there was a man looking for Martha. A man named Calvin Dorcas."
"Her father-in-law." Annie perched on the edge of the kitchen table, glad Hop Sing wasn't there to see her.
"Yes."
"But what would he want now?" Loud banging filled the house and they whipped around. Ben sighed.
"I have the felling we're about to find out." Someone opened the door, then a loud, angry male voice filled the room.
"Thought you'd get away with it, did you? So that's Samantha. She doesn't look like a Dorcas." The door closed sharply and heels clicked on the floor.
"Mr. Dorcas, things have changed."
"Ain't got time to talk now. Come on, you."
"Who is this nasty old man?" Samantha's voice rang out in disgust. Annie choked off a laugh. Yep. Just like her. That Cartwright blood was strong.
"Pa?" Hoss whispered. "What do we do?"
"Give it a minute, we may not need to intervene."
"I'm your grandfather, Calvin Dorcas. And you're a Dorcas too young lady, and you're coming with me whether you like it or not."
"I ain't a Dorcas, I'm a Cartwright!"
"We'll soon fix that. Come here, come back here, you!" Running footsteps scuffed the floor and Samantha darted up the stairs.
"Now, Pa?"
"I said come back here!"
"Yes, now." Ben led them out of the kitchen just as Martha blocked her father-in-law's path to the stairs.
"Get out of my way!"
"Sir." And he had that tone to his voice again. Any smart man would listen, but Annie was betting Dorcas wasn't smart, just supremely arrogant. "Wait a minute." He started over, the three of them flanking him on both sides. Dorcas eyed them with obvious contempt.
"Who are you?"
"Ben Cartwright. I own this house." He joined Martha and Dorcas at the foot of the stairs. "Now who are you?"
"I'm Calvin Dorcas and I've come here to get my granddaughter."
"Strange," Annie commented. "You didn't care about her before. What changed?" The old man eyed her like she was no better than a saloon girl, then turned back to Ben.
"I've got a court order placing her in my custody and don't you dare try to tell me it ain't legal. I had it confirmed here in Virginia City by Judge Davis." He dug out a piece of paper and shoved it triumphantly at Ben.
"Mr. Dorcas, I want to say something to you. Things have changed. I"m going to try and open a little dress shop here."
"Oh, you changed your line of work, huh? That's a joke," he spit. "You're a saloon girl, consorting with every manner of drunken bum."
"Now that's enough of that kind of talk." Ben turned around, looking up from the order. Dorcas shook his finger at her pa.
"You can talk yourself blue in the face, Cartwright, but I still ain't gonna leave my granddaughter with that woman."
"What have I ever done to you?"
"You took my son from me," he snapped. "The only thing I had left to live for. You dragged him down into the gutter with you."
"You shut the door in his face when he tried to come home."
"Because he had you with him." The old man circled Martha and Annie's temper flared. "With the smell of the saloon on you, and the mark of who knows how many men on you!" Ben stepped into the middle.
"Mr. Dorcas, I've warned you about that kind of talk. Now stop it, and take your hat off when you're talking to a woman." He snatched the man's top hat and tossed it on a chair. "Now you shut up and listen to me."
"Me shut up?"
"Are you hard of hearing, old man?" Annie couldn't stop it from slipping out.
"Anne." Ben's eyebrows rose. "Now, you listen, Dorcas. Martha didn't drag your son into the gutter. The gutter's where she found him. Your son from everything I hear about him –" Dorcas shot out of the chair Ben had shoved him into.
"How dare you?!"
"I dare because I know it's the truth." Ben shoved him back. "He didn't have the guts to accept responsibility, so he ran away. Now why he didn't have the guts, I don't know. Maybe that's the way he was born, although I doubt it. But I'm just a little tired of hearing you tell the mother of his child that she's responsible for everything that happened to him!" Candy whistled under his breath and Hoss shifted his weight. Annie wanted to yell a few things at the conceited old man herself, but he wasn't worth peeling several bushels of potatoes in exchange.
"Mistah Cartwright!" Hop Sing appeared on the stairs and they all spun. "Sammy gone, she run away!"
"She went up to her room," Ben said.
"No, she go down back stair. I see her running into the woods." Martha gasped and started for the door, but Ben grabbed her sleeve.
"Wait. You stay here, and don't worry, we'll find her. Let's go. Hoss, get Joe, will you?"
"You got it, Pa." They headed outside and made their way into the woods behind the house. At first, there was no sign of anyone having come that way, and soon, they reached a split in the trail. Ben sighed and gave directions.
"Hoss, go up over the hill. Joe, you go off that way. Candy, you go over there, and Annie go up that way. I'll look over here."
The sky slowly darkened as time slipped past with no sign of her. They'd meet back up every now and then with nothing to report. Annie's heart sank with every minute that passed. It wouldn't be long before they'd have to give up for the night. It was difficult enough to search in daylight, but once it was full dark, it'd be nigh impossible.
She stopped and bent over to catch her breath. Candy scanned the surrounding area, squinting into the gloom. "Anything?" she asked between gasps. He shook his head.
"We'd better cover the lake. You take that side, and I'll head …" he trailed off and she looked up, a frisson of fear tingling down her spine. He was staring at something on the lake shore. She followed his gaze and choked on a gasp. They rushed to the water's edge and she scooped up the tiny little shoe on the bank. Candy silently fingered the frayed rope floating in the water and swallowed hard. They exchanged a knowing glance, dread pooling in Annie's stomach, then stared out over the dark water. Tears stung her eyes and Candy touched her shoulder as she clutched the shoe to her chest.
He nodded slowly and helped her up in silence, pulling her against his chest. She threw her arms around his neck and hung on for dear life, her chest unbearably tight. He rubbed her back and she choked on a smothered sob.
Suddenly, he stiffened, and she raised her head, following his line of sight to something over her shoulder.
The Indian stood several feet down the trail, Samantha cradled in his arms. She looked back and Candy and they broke, racing up the embankment towards the silent Indian. The man set her on her feet and backed away into the trees. Annie dropped to her knees and scooped Samantha into a tight hug.
"Sam, are you all right?" Candy asked from her other side. The little girl rubbed her eyes.
"The Indian's a nice man. I'm sleepy." Annie choked again and picked her up, balancing the little girl on her hip. Candy wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they walked home through the dark woods.
"How is she?" Ben met Martha at the foot of the stairs. Their cousin smiled.
"She's fine. Fast asleep." Annie covered a yawn with her hand and leaned back against Candy on the settee. Joe's eyebrows rose and she tossed him a dirty look. He pulled a face and looked away. Hoss sighed in relief.
The door creaked open and they all turned to find Calvin Dorcas stumbling into the house. Where had he been all this time? He looked terrible. "Anyone find her?" Ben and Joe rushed over to help the man sit down. "Anyone find her?" he repeated.
"Yes, we found her."
"Oh, thank heavens. Is she alright?" He collapsed into the chair, looking dazed.
"She's fine, she's fine." Ben glanced over his shoulder. "Joe, get some brandy."
"Thank heavens she's safe."
"She's fine," Ben reassured him again. "What happened to you?"
"Oh, I'm all right, I just … I just fell in the river. It was dark out. I searched and I searched … I couldn't find her anywhere." Annie took a peek at Martha, still standing on the stairs. She didn't look like she believed a word of it. Oh, he had fallen in the river, or at least some kind of water, anyone could see that. But as for caring about Samantha?
Nope, wouldn't buy that lame horse.
He sipped at the brandy Joe offered and coughed harshly. Ben took the glass. "Let's get him upstairs, he's all wet, get him some fresh clothes."
"You're sure she's all right?"
"She's fine, come on." Hoss and Joe helped him up the stairs. Martha stepped aside, not even looking at him as he passed. Ben paused next to her. "Here's his coat." She glanced it, then looked away. "Help him. He needs help."
Oh, he needed something, but she wasn't too sure that help was it.
Martha looked up at Ben and the cousins shared a speaking glance. She sighed and took Dorcas' coat, then followed the boys upstairs. Ben sighed heavily and turned around, rubbing his neck.
"I'm glad you two found her." She looked back at Candy and he nodded. She drew in a breath and looked down at her hands.
"That Indian found her and brought her to us." Candy shifted and sat up.
"We didn't exactly want to say that in front of Martha."
"Probably best you didn't."
"So now what do we do?" Ben sighed again.
"I guess we wait and see how everything plays out."
"Is he going to be all right?" Annie glanced over at the worried face peeking over her shoulder and laid the bridle she was mending on the table and opened her arms. Samantha crawled into her lap and hugged her. "Mommy said he was really sick."
"Yes, he is."
"Mommy said her father got really sick and died. Is he going to die?"
"Everyone dies eventually, Samantha. Sometimes, it's expected, and other times it's sudden. No one knows when their time will come." She drew in a breath and, unable to resist the dig, added, "personally, I think your grandfather will hang around as long as he can just to irritate the rest of us."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Oh. Okay." She nibbled on her lower lip, glancing up at Annie through her lashes. "Can I ask you something else?"
"What?"
"If you don't like Uncle Candy enough to marry him, why did he hold you that night? Only married people do that."
"Well … uh … plenty of people hug that aren't married. I hug my brothers and Pa all the time."
"Uncle Candy isn't your brother."
"I seem to recall we've already been over this, young lady." Annie tapped her nose. "What did I say then?"
"That I'd understand someday."
"And you will." Annie set her down and nudged her towards the stairs. "Go check on your grandfather. I'm sure he'd love to see you if he's awake." And maybe she could irritate the man right off the Ponderosa while she was at it.
"All right." Samantha didn't sound very enthused, but she did leave. Annie picked up the bridle again, but she couldn't concentrate on the stitches. The front door opened.
"Mr. Cartwright catches you with that in here, he'll have you peeling potatoes again."
"It's clean." Faint yelling drifted down through the ceiling and she glanced up.
"What's going on up there?" Candy draped his coat over the settee's back and propped his hands on his hips. "Sounds like a battle."
"Probably is. I sent Samantha up to check on her grandfather." She glanced up again. "Maybe she'll get rid of him for us."
"Our luck tends to run the other direction." More yelling reached their ears, rising and falling into a muted hum.
"You're mean! You're the meanest man in the whole world!" They both looked up and Candy shook his head, an amused grin tugging at his mouth.
"She's got spunk all right."
"Proof she's a Cartwright."
"Go get your mother! Go on, get her!" Footsteps rushed across the ceiling and then back. Muted voices hissed, then a familiar voice rose high in irritation.
"Grandpa!" More humming voices, then, "Grandpa!" Another furious round of muted voices, then absolute silence descended. Candy frowned.
"Sounds like they worked it out."
"Or he worked himself into a heart attack and they need help hiding the body."
"Annie."
"What? He's an old man."
"If that old man wants to know how she's going to turn out, all he has to do is watch you for a day." She tossed the bridle in his face and he burst out laughing, bringing confused frowns to everyone else's faces when they walked in the front door. Ben took one look at the bridle and scowled.
"Annie, what have I told you about mending tack in the house?" She shrugged and he hung his coat up, then sat down behind his desk. Samantha scurried down the stairs and jumped up on his desk, settling her skirts nicely. "Hello, Sam. Where's Mom?"
"She's upstairs talking to Grandpa." She grinned. "Me and Mommy are going to live with him up in San Francisco."
"Well, now, isn't that wonderful?" Ben brightened and looked around at all of them. Samantha raised her chin.
"I'm going to be assistant chief cook and bottle washer on Grandpa's ranch." Her smile dimmed. "Oh, Uncle Ben …"
"Oh, come on, now. What's the matter, huh?" She scrambled across the desk and into his arms.
"Yeah, what's the matter?" Joe pushed off the secretary against the wall. "I thought you'd be happy about that."
"I am." She pulled her face out of Ben's vest. "I'm … happy-sad. Grandpa's ranch is a long, long ways off and I won't see you. I won't see any of you ever again."
"Hey, I come up to San Francisco all the time," Candy said.
"We'll stop in and see you while we're up there," Joe added.
"Sure," Ben said. "And then you'll come and visit with us, won't you?"
"Gee, it'll be like having two homes, won't it?" A hint of her smile returned.
"Yeah."
"That's right." Hoss smiled back. "Just like having two homes, Sam." She hopped out of Ben's lap and Hoss picked her up.
"And don't forget, Hoss, you either Little Joe, about when I grow up." Annie snickered at the look of confusion on her pa's face.
"Oh, no."
"Mm-mm. No, we won't forget."
"What's … what's this about when you grow up?" Joe shrugged.
"Oh, it's just a little arrangement between Sam and Hoss and myself." Ben nodded slowly. Samantha hopped off Hoss' lap with a smile and squeezed behind Ben's chair.
"Candy, too." Candy smiled and picked her up.
"Thought you'd forgot about me." Ben spun his chair around, his brow furrowed. His voice rose.
"Candy, too?" Candy shrugged.
"Look, she proposed, I didn't."
"Oh."
"We sort of worked things out."
"You worked things out? Well …" Annie bit her lip to stop the laughter begging for a release. Then, Hoss chuckled, Joe giggled, and Ben shook his head on a laugh. She laughed herself, and Candy kissed Samantha on the cheek. Annie shook her head.
She was going to miss that little hooligan.
"Samantha, come on!" Dorcas hollered, then continued more softly, "dear." Annie took the little girl's hand, Candy took the other, and all six of them walked outside. Dorcas and Martha waited at the buggy, Ben beside them. They all said their good byes, then Samantha pointed a finger at Hop Sing.
"Hop Sing, don't forget about when I grow up."
"Hop Sing no forget," their cook promised. Joe snorted.
"What, you too?" Hop Sing drew himself up.
"Who teach her how to make biscuits?" Laughter rippled through the group and they walked the last few feet to the buggy. Samantha hopped up into Ben's arms.
"Good bye, Uncle Ben. And thanks for everything."
"You be a good girl now, and take care of yourself." She nodded and he set her on her feet, then Joe helped her into the buggy. Dorcas snapped the reins over the horses' backs and the buggy rolled out of the yard while they waved.
"Hey!" Candy's shout snapped her head around in time to see him dart over to a tree and grab the Indian by his arm. "Wait, wait, wait! Friend, friend." He tugged the man out from behind the tree. "We want to thank you for bringing Sam back."
"Yeah, we sure do." Ben rushed over.
"Thank you," Annie said hoarsely.
"Sam my friend," the silent man said.
"Well, you have many more friends here now," Ben announced. "What's your name?"
"My name …" he continued with a mouthful of gibberish that she was sure must mean something to his own people. Everyone frowned.
"What? What?"
"It mean see more." The man waved his hand out to encompass the yard.
"Oh," Joe said. "Well, See More, come on in the house and have some lunch." After a few half-hearted protests, the man accepted the invitation, and they all headed for the house.
Well, that could have gone a lot worse. She was just glad Samantha hadn't said something about taking Candy since "Aunt Annie" didn't want him. The thought of their discussion becoming public knowledge sent a shudder down her spine.
They were friends, best friends, and she couldn't stand the thought of anything ruining that. In a way, he was the only real friend she had. If Samantha's careless words had made him think he wasn't wanted … well.
She'd track him down and drag him back if she had to ride a thousand miles to do it.