Joseph, My Son
Chapter 8
They couldn't hold the wedding under those circumstances, naturally. After Andrew Hood's funeral, his widow sold their home in Sacramento and joined her in-laws in Virginia City. It wasn't until the Christmas season was nearly upon them that either Leandra or Eleanor wanted to even think about any sort of festivities.
Little Joe had been more than understanding. Not only had his fiancé lost her father, but Anna Williams had lost her brother. The big house they lived in had been covered in black crepe for weeks. Mrs. Hood arrived wearing the deepest mourning and kept to it. It didn't seem like anyone could bring themselves out of their depression. Still, it was going on three months, and he was beginning to wonder if the young woman still wanted to marry him.
He had been too young to remember much about the months j ust after his own mother had died. He remembered some of the stories his brothers had told him about how difficult it was for their father to cope with the loss of the wife he'd been married to the longest, and what they did tell him had been thoroughly white washed. Only much later did the truth begin to emerge about how Pa had been unable to cope with, well, anything. Somehow Adam had kept his brothers and the Ponderosa going until Ben returned and was able to function again. Joseph realized that this was what Eleanor, her mother, and her aunt were going through. Nevertheless, with December growing older, it was time to find out if there was going to be a marriage after all.
The Williams and Hood families spent a quiet Christmas Eve. There were no presents exchanged this year, just a quiet meal. Naturally, Joe was there, seated at Eleanor's side. It seemed like an eternity till the young couple could excuse themselves.
"Elly," Joseph looked at her intently as he took her hands in his. "Do you still want to marry me?"
"Of course I do! It's just been so difficult to think about right now. You understand, don't you? "
"Yes, I do, but I also think it's time to pick a new date. The house is ready and all furnished. Your dress was done long ago. We need to start our own life together, Eleanor. How about New Year's Day? "
Eleanor was startled by the date that Joe had suggested. "I don't think Aunt Anna and Mother could be ready that soon!"
"We could do it at the Ponderosa. We've got much more room; Hop Sing is used to cooking large amounts of food and you know Pa would love the idea."
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Jill's pregnancy was progressing smoothly, and Nebbie was also carrying a foal. Mitchy seemed to be doing her best to avoid Jack, and Hoss was contemplating having to assist her. He would cover her eyes and hope with his familiy's help in holding her in place, she would allow Jack to mount her.
Adam and Ben finally had the time to help during the last week in December. It was getting bitterly cold and even wrapped up as they were, they all still hoped desperately that the mare would finally submit so they could all get in front of a warm fire. Prudence brought Jack out to the Clydesdale's corral where he caught Mitchy's scent. The young stallion didn't need any encouragement and rapidly approached, quite excited at the prospect of mating. The mare shied even with her eyes covered and it took all the strength of the three men to keep her from bolting. Pru's gentle murmurs as she approached helped settle her some, but Hoss was not happy that his young wife was so close to the horses at this unpredictable moment.
Despite Mitchy's misgivings about the whole situation, Jack took charge and mounted her quickly and successfully. "Whew!" exclaimed Hoss. "I hope this worked, or at least that Mitchy will be more receptive to Jack in the future."
"I agree wholeheartedly, "Adam said with a nod toward the pair of horses. "They're so gentle usually that it's hard to remember how strong they really are."
"Oh well," said Ben with some tiredness in his voice, "I think Mitchy didn't want you to think she'd fallen out of love with you, Hoss!" He slapped his middle son on the back as he drew his jacket tighter around himself. "Anyway, I have to get back to the house to help the preparations for the wedding. How about you, Adam? Coming back to lend a hand?"
Adam's "no" was emphatic. "And anyway, I should check out the herd in the southern pasture and look out for strays. I'll be back before dark."
As they turned away, Hoss looked at Prudence. "I thought I told you that once you let Jack into the corral, I wanted you to step away and not get too close. You could have gotten seriously injured or even killed. No horse is dainty about mating, even these."
"I understand, Eric, but Mitchy needed a little female reassurance. You just have to trust that I know about these things and remember that it wasn't all that long ago that I was a new bride, too. And I paid close attention to what she was doing. You were right there with her and if anyone was in a position to get injured, it was you, Adam, and Pa. If she was really looking to buck instead of just being jittery, I would have stayed back."
Hoss closed his eyes for a moment as he pulled her close to him. Gol darned, if she wasn't just something else! She always sounded utterly reasonable to him, and she somehow consistently managed to get him to do what she wanted of him. Not that what she had in mind was silly or wrong, like some many of the escapades that Little Joe had gotten him into when they were younger, (and not always so young, either). Nevertheless, he admitted, there hadn't been a time so far when he hadn't done her bidding with pleasure. Right now, warming up with her in his arms in front of a nice roaring fire would be terrific, wonderful, and a promissory note for after supper.
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Back at the bigranch house, Hop Sing was trying to convince the young bridegroom that he had everything under control while Ben stood back, observing his cook and his youngest son.
"This not first time I do wedding, Mister Joe! I make everything one hundred percent perfect for you and Missy Eleanor, just like I do for Mister Hoss and Missy Pru!"
Joe held up his hands in surrender. He had no desire to set off a string of loud, angry Chinese. It wasn't the first time that he had wondered, how after all these years, not a single one of the Cartwright's had picked up any foreign words from their cook! "Hop Sing, it's just that the Williams' and the Hood's are very proper. Eleanor's mother and aunt would be upset if things weren't…," he searched his brain for a word that would convey "first class" but not upset the other man. "…just so."
Fortunately, before there could be any further discussion, Adam entered the house. It had begun to snow lightly, and his coat and hat dripped a bit as he hung them up by the door. He walked to the big fireplace, hands outstretched, to gather some warmth in them.
"Hey, Big Brother! How are things in the winter pasture?"
"Pretty normal. Not too many of the herd had wandered away, and they weren't too far. Helping with Hoss's Clydesdales' mating was about as much fun as expected, but now we can hope that Mitchy is with foal."
"Oh, I almost forgot! I picked up a letter for you in town," said Joe as he pulled an envelope out of his pants pocket for Adam.
"Hmmm, it seems to be from Prudence's sister, Sally Ann. It's usually Teddy who writes to me."
"Well, it is the Christmas season. She's probably written to all her acquaintances," suggested Jospeh.
Still somewhat surprised, Adam sat down on the settee, a cup of steaming coffee in one hand and the letter in the other. Prudence's parents had sent Christmas presents to everyone, along with a nice long letter detailing the comings and goings of their good-sized family since they'd visited Nevada the previous summer. They hadn't made any significant note about either Sally Ann or Teddy beyond noting that they were both in good health and performing well in school. The boy had thanked Adam long before about his offer to sponsor his college education but had said that he wasn't ready to commit to it since he hadn't applied, much less been accepted into Harvard. Wondering what Sally Ann had to communicate, he unfolded several pages.
"Dear Adam;
"I hope this letter finds you well. I know that Prudence is so very
busy that it is difficult to write much individually to all of us, but she has
told us about the complications with Joseph's and Eleanor's wedding.
I am very sorry to hear about it. She's also emphasized the opportunity
you are offering Teddy, not only with his tuition but the opportunity to found
a building business together when he has completed his degree. All of the Whitman's have come to know that you and your family are more than generous. It makes me anxious to settle into Virginia City this summer. I am looking forward to it with great excitement.
"However, I have skipped away from the main point of my letter,
which is Teddy (or as he has started requesting of us, 'Theodore').
He has only recently turned seventeen and being the second youngest
child and the one most unlike anyone else in the family, I see him having more adolescent difficulties than my older brother, Prudence or I had
experienced. Papa has tried talking to him, but they have such divergent interests, at the moment they don't have much common ground. I am afraid that Theodore doesn't believe that his father understands or cares sufficiently for him to be someone he can confide in and discuss his adolescent feelings with. Our older brother is concerned, but is also an educator who lacks an interest in the mechanical arts. Additionally, he has his own young family to be concerned with, especially with a new baby arriving in just a few months.
"I am embarrassed to ask this of you, but since you and Theodore
seemed to have developed a good relationship, would you consider
creating an opening for him to correspond with you about some of the
things he is experiencing now in his adolescence? You have a much
better understanding of the boy at this time than any of us do. You would
have my deepest gratitude if you took on this task. Of course, it is understood that nothing would be said to my parents or intimated to my brother
about this request if you agreed.
"I am eternally in your debt.
"Sincerely,
"Sally Ann Whitman".
Adam was nothing if not shocked by the request. Even though he had been in his mid-twenties when Little Joe entered his "difficult years", he had only been an occasional sounding board for the boy. A boy he'd known since birth, he added to himself. Yet, he couldn't help feel for young "Theodore". The Whitman family was pretty much all cut from the same cloth, except for the him. Perhaps the best course of action would be to mention it to Pru and see what she had to say. But more than that, Adam had to admire Sally Ann's gumption and devotion to her younger brother. "These Whitman women sure have a spine of steel when the need arises!" he concluded to himself.
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It had snowed on New Year's Eve but not so much that the wedding was jeopardized. If it had been, Joseph would have torn out his hair, but as Ben reassured him, they would have merely hitched up Hoss's Clydesdale, Jack, to the big sleigh and brought the bride and her family to the ranch from town, along with Preacher Hamilton. As it turned out, all the guests were able to make their way to the large Ponderosa ranch house on their own.
Ben turned over his bedroom to Eleanor, her mother and aunt, with Prudence as Matron of Honor supplying whatever they needed. Joe had his father and brothers with him in his bedroom. Unlike Hoss, he was as nervous as a polecat looking at a greased tree trunk in front of him and a hungry mountain lion behind. Not only could he not steady his hands enough to tie his string tie, but he was also bouncing and shifting from foot to foot so much that no one else could tie it on him either. Finally, Hoss stood behind him and wrapped him in a bear hug, Adam pulled his shirt collar up to his ears and Ben ducked around his oldest son and got the darn tie finished up.
As he had at the previous wedding, Ben had a decanter of brandy and a platter of glasses set up on Joe's dresser. He poured the drinks out and then held his glass high. "Joseph, may you know only happiness in the rest of your life. To you and Eleanor!"
Leandra Hood and her sister-in-law Anna Williams had lightened their mourning dresses to dark gray and lavender. In contrast, Prudence's new best dress was a cheery dark pink. At her throat she wore an elegant cameo that Hoss had brought home from Milwaukee for her. Now that she was a married woman, she wore her lustrous dark hair in an elaborate bun which allowed her grandmother's pearl earrings to be seen.
With the time for the ceremony all but upon them, Ben and Adam escorted
Mrs. Hood and Mrs. Williams downstairs to the great room with Thomas Williams staying behind to stand in for Eleanor's late father. The sound of the piano drifted up the staircase as first Hoss and Prudence made their way down to be followed by Joe. When he reached his place in front of Preacher Hamilton, the piano rang out and the bride and her uncle descended. Eleanor was radiant in a dress of white satin, old English lace, pearls, and dancing crystals. There was a collective intake of breath from the guests and groom alike. The youngest Cartwright's eyes filled with tears at the splendor of the young woman in front of him. He was trembling and Hoss briefly put a hand on his shoulder to steady him before the recital of his vows.
"Do you, Joseph Francis Cartwright take this woman to be you wife?"
"I do." He was surprised at the strength of his voice.
"And do you, Eleanor Catherine Hood, take this man to be your husband?"
"Yes," she replied in a shy voice.
Joe actually didn't wait for Preacher Hamilton to declare them married; he swept his bride into his arms the next moment as he pulled the wedding veil over her head.