The New Hand, Part Forty-Four

by J. Rosemary Moss

Genre: Slash Fan-Fiction (Bonanza)
Rating: PG-13

LINK TO PART ONE

~

Ben supervised his men as they stacked the logs that would soon be delivered to the sawmill. It was good to be back at work, he reflected. He had spent Sunday squiring Josephine around the Ponderosa—and he had begun to recognize the danger of spending too much time with her.

She was a fascinating woman; there was no question of that. Ben had thought that he was past the age of having to safeguard his heart, but he’d been wrong. He wasn’t immune to Josephine’s wit and vivacity—or the raw invitation in her eyes.

But he recognized that invitation for what it was. She wanted a dalliance with him, nothing more. She was wedded to the stage—there was no room in her life for a husband and a home. And Ben suspected that if he gave in to the dalliance he would never be satisfied with it.

Josephine presented a challenge, that much was certain. But Ben wasn’t sure that it was a challenge he wished to take on. He didn’t think that Josephine could truly be happy on the Ponderosa. No, she would always live her life on the road, performing at this or that theatre, until she was too old and feeble to continue doing so.

His thoughts came back to the present task when he heard one of his men calling out a greeting to Little Joe, who was riding up to the site on Cochise. Ben walked over to him as he dismounted.
"Any news from town?" he asked his son.

Joe nodded. "A telegraph came for Abby from David."

Ben felt himself stiffen. "Is anything wrong? Is Adam all right?"

"I imagine so—it’s just a personal note, that’s all. ‘Adoptions fine—You run the house—Miss you.’"

Ben relaxed. "Well, that sounds like a domestic discussion. It’s nothing for us to worry about."

He wasn’t shocked that Joe had read the telegraph—there was nothing private about that form of communication. Too many people handled the message along the way. So David must have known that the Cartwrights (and others) would likely view his brief words to Abby.

"I suppose so," Joe agreed. "But tell me something, Pa. Why would they be talking about adoptions? They’re not even married yet—how do they know they can’t have children?"

Ben raised his eyebrows at his boy. "Joe, that’s none of our business," he said, surprised and annoyed by Joe’s curiosity in such a personal matter.

Joe had the grace to blush.

"Besides," Ben continued, "I can think of any number of reasons why they might be worried. Abby had an abusive husband—who knows what he did to her? Or perhaps she’s had miscarriages before and it would be too dangerous for her to bear children. And some people view adoption as a calling. Think how many orphans need a home."

"Yeah, I suppose that’s possible," Joe admitted. Then he paused and looked Ben in the eye. "Pa, I’m worried about Adam. I keep telling myself that he knows what he’s doing—but all the same, I’m going out to San Francisco to check on him."

A thousand reasons to say no flooded through Ben’s mind. He had already lost more than his share of ranch hands—he needed Joe here. Adam was a grown man; he could take care of himself. Besides which, Adam wouldn’t appreciate the interference. And Adam and David might already be leaving by the time Joe got out there—he could even pass them on the way.

But somehow none of those objections made it to his lips. Instead he just nodded. Joe did likewise and hustled back onto Cochise.

Ben sighed as he watched him ride off toward the house. No, Adam would not appreciate this interference at all. But Ben felt better all the same.

LINK TO PART FORTY-FIVE