by J. Rosemary Moss
Genre: Slash Fan-Fiction (Bonanza)
Rating: PG-13
LINK TO PART ONE
~
In the interest of time, Adam and David took a carriage to Marty’s residence. Adam settled into the seat with a newspaper and, after frowning at the news on the war, contented himself with reading the latest proclamations from Joshua Norton—the self proclaimed Emperor of the United States and San Francisco’s favorite lunatic.
David took the seat opposite of him and decided to spend his time studying Adam. It was a long standing habit of his—once he discovered that he had a gift for mimicry, he had made a point of observing the people who interested him.
What was it about Adam that was so damnably attractive? His looks, of course, but that was only part of it. It had more to do with that arrogant lean of his, that biting sense of humor and that formidable intellect. His sense of honor didn’t hurt either.
And Adam was accustomed to giving orders. In fact, he would run roughshod over anyone who allowed him the opportunity. Well, David had taken his orders without complaint while he worked as a hand on the Ponderosa—and he would continue to do so if he kept that job. But he wasn’t about to let Adam play a tyrant in their private life.
To be fair, though, Adam’s heart was in the right place. And he did live by that damnably high moral code. It wasn’t quite the same code that society recognized, but it was a code of high standards all the same. So perhaps he had earned the right to an air of command.
“What’s the news on the war?” David asked at last, breaking the lengthy silence.
Adam glanced up at him. “They’ve begun fighting over Petersburg in Virginia. The Union has moved some 30,000 men there. Nonetheless, Beauregard has held them off with a mere 5,000.”
David rolled his eyes. “A Union victory in this war is inevitable—but they’re certainly taking their sweet time about it.”
Adam nodded. “We should have won this war a year ago. Lincoln had best hope for some victories soon or he might not get reelected.”
“You’re still enchanted with Lincoln, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Adam admitted, smiling a little. “He might not be perfect, but he understands what’s at stake in this fight.”
David grinned. “I’ll probably vote for Lincoln myself, but let me play devil’s advocate. Some have accused him, with good cause, of abusing the Constitution when he sees fit. He can be a bit of a dictator—look what he did in Maryland.”
Adam took his time about answering that. “You can argue, convincingly, that Lincoln has taken liberties with the Constitution,” he admitted. “If a lesser man had done so, we’d be in danger. But this is a war we need to win. We have to remain a unified country—not a host of squabbling states. And if we do win this war, it will put an end to slavery.”
David cocked his head at him. “I know how passionate you are about this war. And I know that you’re not afraid to put your life on the line. And you have some basic knowledge of engineering which might have helped you get a commission in the Union Army. Why didn’t you join?”
“Mainly because of Little Joe,” Adam explained. “He, ah, told me in no uncertain terms that he wouldn’t allow me to join up by myself.”
David was surprised at that. “Aren’t his sympathies with the South?”
Adam nodded. “Yes, his mother was from New Orleans. But Joe values family above all else. If I went into the Union Army, Joe swore that he would follow me into the same regiment.”
He paused to sigh and lean back in his seat. “It would have killed Pa to send two sons off to war. Besides, Pa allowed me to go back east to college when the Ponderosa needed me desperately—and when he couldn’t even afford my tuition.”
“And you couldn’t repay him for that sacrifice by leaving him again, is that it?” David asked.
“That’s it,” Adam agreed.
David considered that. “You know, in some ways I envy you, Adam,” he said at length. “You have no reason to doubt your physical courage—you’ve already been tested. You’ve been shot at, I mean, and you know that you’re not afraid to face the bullets.”
Adam narrowed his eyes at him. “Do you doubt yourself in that regard?”
“Sometimes,” David owned. “I didn’t join the Union Army either—for a host of reasons. I don’t think cowardice was among them, but it’s hard to be sure. I’ve never been tested, you see. I carry a gun, but I’ve never been called upon to use it.”
“But you’ve used your fists before, I take it.”
“Yes,” David agreed, “but that’s different. I’ve always known how to defend myself in a fist-fight—that’s a necessity. And I’m a decent enough shot—but I’ve never had someone try to put a bullet in me. I don’t know what I’d do under fire.”
Adam put down his paper and folded his arms across his chest. “David,” he said at length, “you know how serious this is, don’t you? This investigation, I mean. Ed Niles is not to be trifled with. You could be putting your life on the line by delving into Stephen’s death. Will that make you give up?”
“No,” he answered at once. “I have to find out all the circumstances—I have to know what happened. I owe Stephen that much.”
Adam smiled. “Then you’re no coward.”
David returned the smile. “Thank you for that. And thank you for the risk that you’re taking—I know you don’t have to be here.”
But Adam shook his head. “I need to know what happened too. Besides, I think you’d put your life on the line for me.”
It was on the tip of David’s tongue to say that he’d more than willingly risk his life for Adam. In fact, there was very little that he wouldn’t do for him.
But it was too soon to tell Adam such a thing. It was too soon to let on just how deeply he felt about him. Adam needed time to adjust to their new relationship first.
So David merely leaned forward and looked Adam in the eye. “I hope, Adam, that I do get the chance to repay you someday.”
To his surprise, Adam grinned at that. “Don’t worry,” he answered as he leaned forward himself and rested his hand on David’s knee. “Knowing the Cartwright luck, you will.”
LINK TO PART FORTY-EIGHT
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