Better Loved, Part Eleven

by J. Rosemary Moss

Genre: Fan-Fiction (Bonanza)
Rating: PG

LINK TO PART ONE


~

The Widow Hawkins answered the door when Adam knocked the next afternoon. She let him in, but then she shook her head at him.

“Charlotte says she’s not going,” she informed him. “She must have changed her dress twenty times and then she gave up.”

Adam rolled his eyes. “She’s going,” he said. Then he nodded toward the stairwell. “May I?”

The widow laughed as she elbowed him and gave him a wink. “Be my guest,” she said, “second door on the right.”

Adam took the stairs two at a time and knocked on the second door. “Let me in, Antoinette,” he ordered.

“No,” came the muffled response. “And I’m going by Charlotte now.”

“Fine. Charlotte, let me in.”

“I have the headache! I can’t come tonight.”

Adam gave an exasperated sigh as he placed his hand on the door knob. It turned easily. “I hope you’re decent, Charlotte,” he called out, “because I’m coming in.”

She didn’t answer that so he opened the door. The room was strewn with dresses that she had obviously tried on and discarded.

He raised his eyebrows at the careless piles of cotton and muslin. She must be a nervous wreck, for she was usually very careful with her clothes.

And as for Charlotte herself...well, she wasn't a seven year old anymore.

And Adam couldn't help but be keenly aware of it.

Still, she was decent enough. She had her chemise on and he could see her pantalets and stockings peeking out from under it.

“You don’t have a headache,” he said.

“No,” she agreed. “It’s worse. I have nothing to wear.”

He looked at all the rejects on the floor. “There are over a dozen dresses here.”

She made a face. “They’re all shabby.”

“They’re fine,” he assured her as he walked over to her, carefully stepping around the clothes.

He put one hand on her shoulder and placed the other under her chin. “And you’ll be fine," he said gently. "I explained everything last night. Joe is eager to meet his aunt and my father wants to meet his sister-in-law.”

She put her hand on top of his. “You really told them?” she asked.

“I really did,” he confirmed. Then he smiled. “Now come on, my girl. I’m giving you ten minutes before I bring you as is.”

She laughed. “Very well, sir. But as long as you’re barging in on me you might as well be useful. Here,” she continued as she backed away from him and picked up her corset. “You can lace me up.”

LINK TO PART TWELVE