by J. Rosemary Moss
Genre: Fan Fiction (Bonanza)
Rating: PG
LINK TO PART ONE
~
Liam hadn't wanted to go back to his own cot. He had wanted to come sit by Adam's side instead. He had even leaned up against Adam. Most eleven-year-olds, in Adam's experience, ran for their lives from any hugs or tactile displays from adults--but Liam seemed starved for affection.
Maybe the kid was afraid that Adam meant to withhold his affection from him after what happened. Adam sighed. That might have more of an impact on Liam's behavior than another tanning, but he wasn't going to deprive the kid of much needed warmth just to teach him a lesson.
And so Adam had sat up with Liam for a while before sending him back to his cot. Liam fell asleep soon afterwards, but Adam was still up thinking as morning broke.
He sighed as he considered the few dollars that Liam had stolen from him. So the kid wasn't even thinking in terms of fifty or a hundred dollars when it came to figuring out what he could get from Adam. A few stolen dollars that he could add to periodically reperesented 'security' to him.
There'd be no point in showering the boy with gifts immediately--he wasn't ready to receive that much. It would take some time to teach him that he could earn more from life than a few stolen dollars here and there.
Adam had already bought him two new sets of clothes; that would do for now. The best gift he could give the boy at the moment was the time he spent with him.
And with that in mind, Adam decided to bring Liam with him to the one meeting he had today. He couldn't leave the boy to his own devices--that much was obvious. Besides, the kid was probably geting cabin fever. The novelty of the hotel suite was already starting to wear off.
Liam stirred on his cot, interrupting his thoughts. He opened his eyes and let out a loud yawn.
"You still angry? he asked Adam, looking up at him apprehensively.
"Yes," Adam answered, giving him a half smile.
Liam frowned. "Are you going to give me a tanning?" he asked.
"Don't you think you deserve one?"
"It was only three dollars--I checked to make sure," Liam insisted. "I know my numbers."
"The amount you stole from me isn't the point," Adam explained. "If you wanted the money, you should have asked me for it."
Liam thought about that. "Can I have three dollars?" he asked.
Adam smiled outright. "If you'd asked me before attempting to steal it, I would have arranged to give you some kind of allowance," he said. "But now you're going to have to come up with a way to earn it."
To his surprise, Liam's eyes lit up. "I know what I can do!" he said excitedly.
Adam felt a stab of apprehension, wondering what Liam had thought up. "What?" he asked.
"I'll be your valet," Liam told him. "That's the kind of servant that gets your clothes ready and polishes your shoes and shaves you and brings your paper and such..."
Adam couldn't help but laugh as Liam continued to describe the duties of a valet--partly from relief that the job he wanted was fairly innocuous. Where had he heard about a valet, though? He even gave it a British pronunciation, complete with the 't' on the end. Either his sister was a servant somewhere, or Nancy and Molly had explained a valet to him.
"All right," Adam agreed. "I suppose I can use a valet."
Liam sat up eagerly and looked at Adam's stubble with a critical eye. "Do you want me to shave you?"
But Adam wasn't quite ready to trust Liam with a strop and razor. "That's all right," he said. "I'll shave myself. But I'll find a few things you can do today as my valet--and plenty more once your leg is healed. After we see to your punishment, we'll discuss your wages."
Liam gave Adam a very solemn look. "If you let me out of the tanning, I promise I won't steal from you again--ever."
"No deal," Adam said. "That implies that if I don't let you off, you'll still try to steal from me. And I don't intend to put up with any thieving on your part."
Liam bit his lip as he considered that. "I'm sorry Adam--I won't steal from you again, even if you do tan me. I swear it to God and Jesus and Our Lady and St. Michael and St. Christopher and..."
"All right," Adam said, cutting him off before he could go through a litany of saints. "Just don't give me cause to regret being lenient with you," he warned. "Now let's discuss your wages and duties."
LINK TO PART THIRTEEN
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