Ben decided to take his son's advice. After all, nature must take its toll. Hunger would compel him to eat. But it did not sit easy with him. With each missed meal he became more and more concerned. Jamie said nothing. He took to disappearing whenever he could. He was diligent in his work and icily polite. He used this courtesy as a weapon. With polite words his facial expressions said it all. There was sheer, murderous hatred in his eyes and such fury it made Ben cold to his heart. But his special loathing was towards his boys, particularly Joe. He could barely breathe the same air as him. The young man blithely ignored him but Ben knew it was rattling him. He often said he understood Joe better than Joe knew himself.

Jamie grew paler and paler. Weaker and weaker. He fell several times although the Cartwrights knew nothing of it. As the third day passed into the fourth, Ben felt the pressure mounting inside of him, becoming more and more intense. He cursed the boy for making him feel that way. He had punished his own children several times and none of them had reacted this way, even Adam, who he used to say could sulk for the territory. If that was the case, Jamie could sulk for the entire country. He tried to talk to Jamie but the boy would stand, staring at the wall, answering in monosyllables. Ben did not know how Jamie was still working. He seemed frail, as if he would collapse at any minute. Ben knew it could not go on much longer.

On the sixth day Ben could take it no more. It was a Saturday and as usual Jamie had risen early and was out of the house before the others had got up. Ben asked Hop Sing if any food had gone missing from the kitchen. He knew his old retainer kept a close eye on the food and knew where every morsel went. Even Ben felt uncomfortable going to eat outside of mealtimes into the kitchen. He chuckled. It was his own kitchen, his own food, but he felt like a small boy asking for snacks. Hop Sing ruled the kitchen with a rod of iron, or as far as the children had been concerned, a wooden spoon. It was like having a quick-tempered dragon in the house, although he was quick enough to feed them when they were hungry.

"No food missing, Mr Ben."

"Are you sure?"

"Hop Sing sure. Hop Sing know all."

"Well, I know that. You have eyes in the back of your head. You're positive Jamie's taken no food since last weekend?"

"Hop Sing sure," he repeated.

"And he came and went this morning as usual?"

"Boy will be ill."

"He already is."

"He get worse."

"I know." He stared glumly at his sons. They returned his gaze and Joe finally spoke.

"I was wrong, Pa, I'm sorry."

"That's alright, Joe. I'm sure we all thought the same, that he would eat when it became unendurable for him." He paused. "So you care now?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were so adamant a few days ago that you couldn't care less."

"I was angry, Pa. I still am. There are people who don't have enough to eat – whose kids are crying out for food, and there's that spoilt brat doing it on purpose. I feel like slapping him, tanning his hide again."

"If you want to lose him completely go right ahead, Little Joe. He's already proved it doesn't work. I'm still not sorry I did it but..."

"I know, Pa."

"Well, that does it. It cannot continue one more day. One more hour. That boy is going to eat if I have to tie him to the chair. Joe, would you mind going to find him? You can take a sandwich with you."

"Sure, Pa."

Stuffing some bacon between two slices of bread he began to scour the yard. He would have loved to know where Jamie went. Eventually he had to call him and he heard a rustle in the hay loft when he was in the barn.

Oh, so that's where he hides, Joe thought grimly. It's a wonder he doesn't fall off the ladder.

"Yes, Joseph?" Jamie said coldly. The hate was still there, burning in his eyes.

"Pa says you're to come in for breakfast."

"I'm not hungry."

"You know, I'm getting sick and tired of hearing the same old thing over and over again."

"Why - if it's true?"

"It's not true and you know it," Joe snapped. "Your body is screaming for food. What are you trying to do, boy? Kill yourself?"

Despite the kid's self-control, he was panting. He leaned against the wall and Joe could see the sweat running down his face.

"You're coming in for breakfast."

"Is it an order?"

"Sorry?"

"Is it an order from your father? I'm here merely to follow orders, nothing more. I'm not here to rest, sleep, eat or anything. Only to work."

"You know, I could slap your face."

"It's your right to commit violence on me. I can do nothing to stop you and it wouldn't be the first time."

Joe lost his patience. "Get in there!" he cried, grabbing his arm to march him across the yard. As his skin met Jamie's, he jumped. "You're like ice."

"Please take your hands off me. I don't want any of you to touch me ever again."

"I'll do more than touch you if you don't get in that house."

Jamie moved like an old man. He was limping and several times he wobbled and Joe thought he would fall. He automatically reached for his arm. Jamie jerked away with all the strength he had and stared at him in utter detestation. "I said, don't touch me, Joseph!"

Even Joe in his frustration took a step backward.

Jamie stood in front of the table, his features like iron. "You called for me, sir? Is there something you'd like me to do?"

"Yes, sit down and eat some breakfast."

"I'm not hungry, sir."

"Jamie, you're a very silly little boy. You're going to be really ill if you continue."

"Excuse me for saying, sir, but my welfare is not your concern. As long as I work, that's all I'm here for."

"Of course your welfare's my concern!"

"Why, sir? I'm a stranger to you. Before last week, you had never met me. And in fifty-four days you will never see me again."

"Your stubbornness will kill you in the end. Sit down here. Now. And eat."

"Is that an order, sir?"

"Yes, that's an order!" Ben said sharply, overcome with exasperation.

"Very well, sir. My duty is to obey you."

Ben rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to slap him. Jamie sat down and stared at the opposite wall, his hands on his lap. Ben piled up his plate and put it in front of him. The smell must have been torture to him. Joe and Hoss sat, poking at their food.

"Eat."

"Sir, may I say something?"

"You've not been afraid to speak so far."

"I'm here as a kind of unpaid servant, sir. To work. I don't want anything from you, not food, not shelter, not anything. I respectfully must say what I do when I'm not working is not your concern. As long as I work it matters not one whit what I do in my spare time."

"Why can't you talk properly?" Joe flared.

"Joseph. Jamie, you're wrong. Your welfare is very much my concern. I promised your father I would look after you and if I allow you to become ill through lack of food I'd hardly be keeping my promise, would I?"

"And as we all know, sir, you keep your promises," Jamie snarled, echoing Ben's words of the previous Monday. His anger was so great it hung over him like a black cloud, dampening the others' spirits. "At least as far as your propensity for violence is concerned."

"Violence?" Hoss spluttered. "For God's sake, he gave you a spanking, that's all!"

"Will you shut up, Hoss? Both of you, shut up, will you?"

"Sorry, Pa."

"I'm sorry, too, sir. I was rude. It won't happen again. I don't wish to arouse your anger."

"You've already done that. Your persistent refusal to eat, your stubbornness. You're deliberately riling us while hiding behind a thin veneer of civility. Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You're trying to make me feel bad for the other day and it won't work."

"The other day, sir?"

"You know perfectly well what I'm referring to."

"Sorry, Pa, I must say something," said Hoss. "You know, Jamie, if you don't bend you will break. You're unbelievably stupid."

"Insult me, Eric, I don't care. I don't much care about anything. My only job is to wait out the time I'm here and - "

"If you continue you'll be dead before your time here is up! I believe you would, too. I believe you would kill yourself just to spite me."

"With respect, sir, I was going to say I will be gone and you'll never see me again. Fifty-four days. It'll be best for both of us."

"It's like you can't wait to leave," said Joe.

"I can't, Joseph."

"Why the hell don't you call me Joe?" he snapped.

"Because that's for your friends and your family. I'm neither. I'm just your employee."

"You are our family!"

"Hah! I have no family. I have no-one and nor do I want anyone. I just want to be left alone when I'm off duty."

"Slap him, Pa."

"Joseph, I told you to be quiet. Alright, Jamie, have it your own way. But you will eat that."

"I'm not hungry, sir."

"Eat it anyway."

"I'll be sick, sir."

"Eat!"

"Very well, sir."

Jamie took two very small bites of the food. He was trembling and two tears streamed down his face. He turned his head so the others would not see. The teardrops dripped down onto his food. He then put down his fork. "May I go now, sir? Please? I did as you ordered."

Ben stared at his sons. "What's the use?"

"You know, Pa, if Jamie won't eat, perhaps we should send for the doctor. If an animal - "

"I don't need a doctor!" Jamie cried, showing emotion for the first time.

"- was ill we'd send for a vet."

"I'm not an animal although I realize you see me as one. I'm not ill, I don't need a doctor."

"We'll have to send for one soon."

"May I go now, please, sir?"

"Oh, very well!"

Jamie limped out.

"Well, you two were a great help."

"We're sorry, Pa," said Hoss. "He's so dad blame aggravating."

"Yes, he is. I'm surprised he hasn't collapsed. You're right, Joe, we need a doctor."

"We could force him."

"What, every mealtime? We don't have the time, what with checking the fields after the thaw. I was thinking...what if one of us talked to him? I mean, really talked to him in depth? Find out what's wrong?"

"He wouldn't tell us, Pa."

"Well, we could try."

"Count me out," said Hoss.

"Yeah, and me," said Joe. "I'd wind up losing my temper."

Ben was silent. "Actually it was you I was thinking of, Joe."

Joe was stunned and then started to laugh. "Me? Me?! Pa, he hates my insides. He hates me far, far worse than you or Hoss."

"You're also the closest to him in age. You're only eight years older than him. I'm ancient in his eyes and Hoss is almost as bad. You're much closer to your childhood than us - "

"Pa, if I'd acted like him you'd have skinned me alive - "

"I did skin him alive if you remember."

"Pa, it just wouldn't work. I'd lose my temper and make it worse."

"You wouldn't have to lose your temper. I have faith in you even if you don't. We have to get through somehow. I can't think of anything else."

"Anyone'd be better than me. A stranger off the street of San Francisco."

"We are strangers to him," Ben said sadly. "But I have the feeling we're running out of chances. It's so bad his life could depend on it. I know you care, Joe, even though you say you don't."

Joe took up his habit he had acquired recently of playing with the salt cellar. He tipped a tiny pile on the table, then brushed it onto his plate.

"Be careful with that," said Hoss, "or we'll get bad luck."

"We've already got it. We've got him."

"So will you do it?"

Joe groaned and watched the others stare at him intently. "I'll think about it. That's all I'm sayin'."

None of them were to know there would be a crisis the following day that would change Jamie's life forever.