The Rogue's Company, Part Nine

by J. Rosemary Moss

Genre: Fan Fiction (Bonanza)
Rating: PG

Link to Part One

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Adam looked handsome and elegant for the soiree—and I take full credit for that. I wouldn’t let him leave his room until I was satisfied with his appearance. He took my scrutiny in good part, although I caught a gleam of amusement in his eyes.

The rest of the Cartwrights turned out decently enough, I suppose, considering that they didn’t have a valet to assist them. They weren’t a discredit to me, at any event. I’d be able to hold my head up in the company of the other servants, I decided.

I dressed well, but not too well. As a valet, I had no livery to worry about, so I settled for something simple that I wouldn’t mind mussing up if they needed a hand in the kitchen.

By now, Joe had reconciled himself to my refusal. He was sore about it for a few days, mind, but he’s not one to hold grudges. Besides, once he understood that I’d have some pretty maids to flirt with I think he accepted my decision.

When we arrived at the Maris residence, I went around through the kitchen entrance and managed to catch the eye of the parlor maid. Her name was Rachel—I found that out quick enough. She was a pretty black girl. That could make things complicated, but if she didn’t care about the differences between us I decided not to pay them any mind either.

Meanwhile, though, I introduced myself to the cook and made myself useful. There was a lot of work to be done that night, but just as I predicted there was plenty of fun to be had as well. We had our own dance and a feast from the leftovers. Best of all, Rachel and I found a secluded spot and about a half an hour to ourselves.

I minded my manners—I swear it. We spent most of the time laughing and whispering. And I took no liberties with her apart from a few kisses. She was a respectable girl, after all.

I was about to bring her back to the kitchen when she placed her hands on either side of my face. I shut my eyes and leaned forward to kiss her again, but she gave me a little shake.

“No,” she whispered. “There’s something I have to tell you.”

I opened my eyes and cocked my head at her. “What’s wrong?” I asked, suddenly suspicious. “You haven’t got a fiancé who’ll be looking to beat my brains in, have you?”

“No, nothing like that,” she assured me, leaning back against the wall.

“Then what’s wrong?” I asked again.

She stared up at me for a moment. “Have the Cartwrights been good to you?” she asked me.

“Yes,” I answered. “But don't get your hopes up. I don’t think they’re looking for a parlor maid.”

She rolled her eyes at that. “That’s not it—Shea, Mr. Maris has a big map of the Ponderosa that he keeps in his safe. It’s got all sorts of marks on it. Marks he doesn’t want anyone but his son and a couple of lawyers to see.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Then how did you see it?”

“You know that folks are careless around the help. Whatever’s on that map, it’s not good for the Cartwrights. I heard Mr. Maris say so himself.”

I thought about that. The Cartwrights own a lot of land—I hadn’t seen a quarter of it yet. If this Mr. Maris wanted a piece of it, he could probably find some legal way of making mischief. If Rachel was telling the truth, that is. I couldn’t see a reason for her to lie, mind, but you never can tell.

“You don’t know what the marks mean?” I asked.

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I’ve only seen the map a couple of times. But Mr. Maris and his lawyer friends sure do spend a lot of time holed up in his study pouring over it.”

“Why would you tell me this?” I demanded in a harsh whisper. “You can’t have fallen in love with me already?”

She grinned. “No—and I’m not going to either,” she said. “I’m sorry, Shea, but I don’t think I have the courage to bring a white boy home to my mother.”

“I don’t know that I’d have the courage to face my Mam either,” I owned with an answering grin. “So why are you telling me this about Mr. Maris?”

She snorted. “Because he’s a nasty man. Oh, don’t worry—he doesn’t bother me. But he makes his wife miserable. And he’s too hard on his son. I wouldn’t mind seeing someone step in his way for once. Besides, the Cartwrights are decent folk from everything I’ve heard.”

I considered that. I still couldn’t see why she would lie about this, so I decided to accept the information and make the best of it. I almost asked her to describe the room where the map was—but I didn’t want to risk that. I think Rachel meant for me to give the Cartwrights a friendly warning about Maris (without mentioning her by name, of course.) She wasn’t thinking of me cracking the safe here to get a look at the map.

I thanked her with another kiss and then brought her back to the kitchen. Then I walked over to a footman who was resting by the fireplace.

“Would you like me to go upstairs for you with a fresh tray of drinks?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “Thanks, but you don’t have a livery.”

I smiled at him. “That’s easily solved—we’re about the same size, I’d wager.”

He stared at me. I could tell just what was going through his brain: he was wondering what had prompted my offer, but deciding that it was a friendly gesture on my part. A Ponderosa servant should be trustworthy, after all. So in the end he shrugged and thanked me.

“Not to worry,” I said as I slipped into his frock coat. “You’ll make it up to me, won’t you, the next time the Ponderosa hosts a soiree?”

He grinned. “Aye,” he said, “I promise.”

I straightened myself up. I wasn’t in the full livery, of course, but the frock coat ought to be enough to pass. The guests here had better things to do than pay attention to me.

I strode into the ballroom of the mansion and skirted the edges of it with the tray of refreshments. After I had made the rounds once, I set the tray down, picked up a lantern and slipped out of the ballroom. It was time to case the house.

I walked past a couple of servants, but no one stopped me or asked me what I was doing. It’s a funny thing, but as long as you walk purposely, as if you know what you’re about, people assume that you’re supposed to be there.

It didn’t take me long to find the study or the safe inside of it. I stared at the safe by the lantern light and nodded in satisfaction. It would be an easy safe to crack—the only hard part would be getting back into this room. I closed my eyes for a moment, wishing I had my tools with me now. But no such luck.

I did glance through the papers and such on the desk, but I couldn’t find anything that concerned the Cartwrights. But I didn’t know what I was looking for, did I? At length I decided not to take anything—I’d wait until I had the safe at my mercy.

I slipped out again and back to the ballroom. I picked up the tray from the table I had left it on, made the rounds again, and then headed to the kitchen.

I went back to the ballroom with fresh drinks twice more. Little Joe took a glass from my tray without even noticing that it was me—see how oblivious people are about servants? But I took no offense. His attention was fixed on a honey-blonde chit.

When I got back to the kitchen again, I took off the livery and handed it back to the footman. Then I put my own frock coat on, just in time for Rachel to grab my hands.

“Listen to those fiddlers in the ballroom,” she said with a smile. “They’re forming lines for the Virginia Reel down in the servant’s quarters. Care to join me?”

I nodded and followed her down. There’d be time enough to worry about the safe later.

LINK TO PART TEN