Storms

By Marion

Rating: G

Disclaimer: The Ponderosa and the Cartwrights are not mine (except for Annie, of course) Thank you to Mr. Dortort for allowing me to play on the Ponderosa for a little while. This story is purely for entertainment and is not intended to infringe on the rights of anyone else involved with Bonanza and Ponderosa.

Special thanks to Nancy and to Kierin. Their efforts were so valuable I feel like I should list them as co-authors. Thanks to both of you for telling me what I had done wrong (and what I had done right!) You guys are worth your weight in Pirate Booty!

Adam looked around, glad to be at the dance finally. He'd been waiting all week for a chance to see Ro Johnson again and when he had arrived in town yesterday, he had been pleased to find out that she had no escort for the dance. He had quickly asked if he might have that privilege. She had agreed and now the two of them were standing at the buffet table. The hall was crowded and noisy; most of the people within a two-hour ride of Eagle Station were in attendance.

The only drawback was that his father had said he wasn't feeling well and couldn't attend. It was nothing serious; Pa was just tired and needed some rest. That was bad for two reasons: first, Adam truly hated it when his father was ill; he couldn't shake the age old worry that something would happen to Pa, and Adam would be left alone. Second, and more rationally, Adam hated being the one to watch over Joe and Annie. Annie was no problem, but Joe was a mischief magnet. No matter how hard Joe tried to avoid trouble, trouble always found him. But, Adam was used to being the oldest and he wasn't about to complain to his father. If Adam didn't agree to watch over Annie and Joe, they wouldn't be allowed to the dance and he didn't want to disappoint them.

Fortunately, Ro understood. She had two younger brothers and she had been responsible for them all her life as well. That was one of the things Adam liked about Ro, she understood what it was like to be oldest. Plus, she was intelligent and enjoyed the same books and plays that he did. That she was tall, dark-haired, buxom and very pretty hurt not at all.

Adam and Ro made a striking couple and people smiled to see them together. Several of Adam's friends were worried that Adam never had seemed to be interested in women after Isabella left. In fact, Ro was the first girl in which he had showed any interest since news of Isabella's marriage had reached Eagle Station. Adam had buried himself in the ranch work and his family, and had ignored the pointed glances and outright overtures from the eligible women in the area.

They had danced several dances until finally Ro pleaded exhaustion. Adam filled two plates, one for himself and one for Ro and directed her over to the tables where they could sit. They had both been reading Shakespeare's sonnets and Adam was anxious to discuss them with her. They had just finished their fried chicken when Adam noticed something that made him frown.

Annie had been dancing with a boy that Adam didn't know. That wasn't what made him frown. Annie was one of a few unmarried girls in Eagle Station over the age of 10 and as a result, she generally was asked to dance by many men. What made Adam frown was that the two were standing in a darkened corner and the unknown boy had his arm draped over her shoulder. The action was too familiar for Adam's liking and he glanced over at Ro.

"Do you know the boy Annie's with, Ro?"

Ro looked up from her plate and squinted. "Yeah. He's come to my father's shop. I believe he works for Jack Wolfe as a kind of tough; he throws people out when they get out of hand. He's no boy, though. I think he's about your age."

That did it for Adam. He excused himself and strode purposely to where Annie and the man stood. He gestured for Hoss to join him and the two reached Annie just as she took a flask from the man's hand.

"What in blazes are you doing?" Adam's voice, unlike his father's, tended to get higher when he was angry. Annie was so startled that she almost dropped the flask. The man stood in front of her possessively.

"What business is it of yours? You got your own girl, I seen you with her."

Adam looked appraisingly at the man. Ro was right. The man was about his age, but a little smaller. Adam reached around and grabbed Annie's arm. Hoss quickly stepped beside his brother as the stranger backed away from Adam's fiery expression.

"She's not my girl, she's my cousin. She's fourteen and I'm looking out for her."

"Fourteen? She told me she was seventeen. Look, I don't want no trouble." The man grabbed the flask from her hand and practically ran from the room.

Adam turned to Annie, who was looking at her feet. "What do you think you're doing? If Pa had been here, he would have had your hide." He gave her a shake. "Look at me when I talk to you."

Annie looked from the tops of her eyes, but didn't raise her head. Suspicious, Adam put his hand under her chin to force her head up. His frown deepened and he dragged her towards a light, Hoss following behind.

"What's this on your face? Annie?" He suspected that the flush on Annie's cheeks had nothing to do with the heat or her embarrassment at being caught. Her lips seemed more red than usual, too. "Annie, did you put paint on your face?"

Annie didn't say anything; she just pulled her arm out of Adam's grip.

Hoss whistled softly. "Annie, Pa's gonna wear you out."

She looked up then, panic written all over her face. "You aren't going to tell, are you? I'll wash it off. Please, don't tell."

Adam thought for a minute. Pa would be furious when he saw what Annie had done, and Hoss was right, Pa would punish her. Adam hated to see Annie get into trouble. Then he thought of her standing with that man, accepting the flask. That frightened him and he knew it was more than he could accept responsibility for. He shook his head. He was sorry for her, but she had made her own trouble. "Annie, I can't keep this from Pa."

Annie grabbed his arm. "Please, Adam, I won't do it again. Adam, I'll get an awful whipping. Please, you can't tell him." Her voice became shrill, insistent.

"Annie, I'm sorry, but…."

Now Annie looked angry. "Adam Cartwright, if you tell on me, I'll get you back."

Now Adam's temper flared and he turned to Hoss. "I'm taking her home right now. You'll have to take Joe home. Please hold onto her while I say good-night to Ro."

"I hate you, Adam." Annie stomped her foot and glared at her cousin.

Adam watched Hoss lead Annie outside and then made his way back to Ro. He quickly explained what had happened.

"I'm sorry, Ro, I've got to take her home. I feel badly about leaving you…"

She interrupted him. "I understand, Adam. I know what it's like to have to look out for youngsters. Don't worry, I'll go home with my parents." She touched his arm. "Why don't you come for lunch after church tomorrow and we can talk about Shakespeare then. Pa'll make sure my brothers leave us alone this time."

He laughed. The last time he had called on Ro, Kier and Tex had tormented the two of them until finally Ro had to tell their father. Adam doubted the two boys would bother them this time.

"Thank you, I'd love to come. I'll see you then." He reached out and touched her arm in farewell. He had hoped to end the night with a kiss, but he couldn't kiss her in the crowded hall.

He reached Hoss and Annie just in time to see Annie stomp her foot again.

"I don't really care how that tattle-tale feels. Let go of my arm, you're hurting me."

Hoss towered over his cousin. "Little girl, if I didn't know what Pa was gonna do to you when you get home, I'd take you over my knee and show you just what I can do."

Annie turned towards Adam. Her tone became pleading. "Adam, please don't tell. Please? Why do you have to tell?"

"Annie, you know I have to look out for you."

The moon shed enough light that Adam could see Annie's eyes narrow. "Maybe I am sick to death of you watching over me!"

Adam lost his temper. "Annie, I assure you, no matter how sick you are of me watching over you, I am far more sick of watching over you!"

He grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the horses. It was going to be a long ride home. "Hoss, you take the wagon. Annie'll ride double with me on Beauty. Please tell Joe that Annie and I left."

Annie sat in front of Adam and fumed while Adam wondered how he was going to tell his father. He knew Annie would be in big trouble when Pa found out. He was sorry for that, but he just couldn't hide this from his father. He wasn't worried about what his father would do to him, if he found out, although he knew Pa would have some choice words about Adam keeping secrets. No, seeing Annie with that man and with the paint on her face had shaken him.

When they reached the house, he helped Annie down and then swung himself down. Glory, but he felt tired. He wondered briefly if this was how his father felt sometimes. He sighed as he wrapped Beauty's reins around the post and all but pushed Annie to the house.

She stopped in front of the door. "Please, Adam? Please don't tell?" She was practically whimpering. He just shook his head and opened the door.

Ben was sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace. His feet were propped up on the table and he had a book on his lap and a drink in his hand. He turned as the door opened.

"Back so soon?" His broad smile quickly disappeared when he saw the looks on Adam's and Annie's faces. "What's wrong?" Ben asked as he stood.

Adam pulled Annie along until they were in front of Ben and then he quickly explained what had happened. Ben just stared at Annie, his arms crossed and his expression grim. She fairly wilted under his glare. No one spoke for several minutes.

"Adam, would you excuse us please?"

"Yes, sir." Adam had no desire to hear what was going to happen next and he fairly flew out of the house. He tended Beauty and then spent time in the barn repairing some of the tack. He stayed there until Joe and Hoss came home.

He helped them settle the horses and they all grabbed the baskets of dirty serving dishes from the back of the wagon. Hop Sing's contribution to the dance was, as always, so popular that there were no leftovers.

Joe ran to the house while Hoss held back to speak to Adam. "So, what happened?"

Adam shrugged. "I don't know. I told Pa and then he asked me to excuse them. I haven't been back in yet."

"Yeah. I'm sure it wasn't pretty. Annie's not gonna be comfortable for a long time."

Adam nodded in agreement.

Ben was shooing Joe off to bed by the time they got inside. Once the youngster had closed the door behind him, Ben turned to his two oldest sons.

"Adam, thank you for bringing Annie home tonight."

Hoss snorted. "She was real nasty to him, Pa."

Adam shook his head. "She was worried about facing you and she took it out on me. I'm sure she'll be fine in the morning."

Annie wasn't fine in the morning. In fact, she wouldn't speak to anyone in her family unless they spoke to her first, and she responded in such a forced polite tone that no one spoke to her unless it was absolutely necessary. She stood in the back of the wagon the entire way to church and she shifted around so much in church that Ben had to tap her to sit still. She rushed through meals and asked to be excused long before anyone else.

Annie's silence went on for three days. Finally, on Wednesday, Ben had had enough. Joe stayed home sick from school with a cold and Ben took Annie to school. She wouldn't talk to him the entire way to town. When he got home, Ben told Adam to pick Annie up from school when he went to get the supplies. That afternoon, as Adam climbed onto the wagon, Ben told him to "tell her what happens to children when they sulk after their punishment. I'm sure you remember."

Great. Now Pa was throwing Adam's past misdeeds in his face. Adam frowned. Why was Pa taking this out on him? Was Pa angry because he was the one to bring Annie home? He tried to put those thoughts away by thinking of something more pleasant on the ride into town.

Ro. Now there was about as pleasant a thought as he could muster right then. Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. She certainly was the most beautiful woman in all Eagle Station right now. Adam chuckled. Given the competition, that wasn't really saying a lot. He shook his head. He mustn't think like that, it might slip out at the wrong time. Ro was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, next to Ma. He laughed out loud when he thought back on his first meeting with Ro. He knew of her father's fascination with all things Greek, of course, because Joe had told him Tex and Kier's real names. When she had introduced herself as Ro, he had instinctively asked what it was short for. She had laughed and said "Aphrodite. Except the smith is my father, not my husband." Glory, but he had fallen for her then and there. A girl who knew Greek myths? This was too good to be true. He had started seeing her whenever he could. In the autumn, that had meant not often, but she had understood. A girl who knew myths and who understood that he had other responsibilities? Could a girl be more perfect?

As far as he could tell, her biggest drawback was those two little brothers of hers, Joe's friends. The last time he had seen her before the dance, the two brothers had spent their time spying on Adam and Ro. Every time Adam had tried to be alone on the porch with her, the two brats had kept popping up. It had taken Mr. Johnson threatening to "mind their manners for them" to get the two boys to leave the couple alone.

Adam smiled when he thought back to lunch on Sunday. He had gone after church services, glad to be away from his family. He had figured he would have to contend with Kier and Tex, but they had been surprisingly absent, except at the lunch table. He mentioned it to Ro when they sat on the porch.

She had laughed. "I just reminded them that I knew a few stories that they wouldn’t want Pa to know. Like the time I caught them dividing the homework in half. Kier did half, Tex did the other half, then they copied the other's answers. Or the time I found them playing hooky. I simply said if they annoyed you, well, they wouldn't like what happened next. They got the hint. Come now, Adam, surely you've done the same?"

He had laughed and had allowed that he certainly had. "Except I would never actually tell Pa. He'd wonder why I didn't tell him when it first happened!"

Then he had done what he had wanted to do the night before. He had kissed her. For a long time. Memories of that kiss warmed him now, three days later.

He sighed as he pulled up in front of Orowitz's store. He wondered if he had time to see Ro, but one look at the storm clouds rolling in made him realize he'd better load up fast, get Annie and get home. Those were snow clouds and he could tell it would be a whopper of a storm.

The wagon was loaded in record time and Adam headed over to the schoolhouse just as Mr. Taylor was dismissing the school an hour early.

Annie stalked past Adam without even glancing at him. She climbed onto the seat, glanced around furtively and piled a blanket on her half of the bench. Adam turned to see Mr. Taylor come down the steps.

"Adam, a moment if you will?" The teacher followed Adam's glance at the clouds. "Truly only a quick moment. I wouldn't delay you getting home." He reached Adam's side and leaned close.

"Is there a problem with Annie? She hasn't been herself lately."

Adam frowned. "She isn't causing trouble in school, is she?" That's all Pa would need to hear.

Mr. Taylor shook his head. "No, not at all. She's just been very quiet and very sad. I wanted to make sure everything was all right."

Adam ran his fingers through his hair. Adam was uncomfortable discussing family issues even with a close friend like John Taylor, but he was Annie's teacher and Adam guessed he had a right to know what was going on.

"There was a bit of a problem last Saturday and she got into a lot of trouble with Pa. To be honest, she's sulking."

Now it was the teacher's turn to frown. "Adam, I've seen her get into trouble before. I think this is more than sulking."

"Well, it's the most trouble she's been in since she came to live with us. But we've got to hurry. Those clouds are making me nervous. Thank you for your concern."

Adam swung himself onto the wagon seat and urged the horses to walk on. Annie sat in the corner of the seat, as far away from Adam as possible and made no attempt to speak to him.

Adam fought the urge to shake her. That wouldn't do any good for her, although it might make him feel better for a minute. No, it wouldn't do him any good either. He was the adult and he needed to try to mend fences. First things first, though.

"Annie, I've got to warn you, Pa's had as much sulking as he's going to take. He told me this morning to tell you the story of what happens to children who sulk after their punishment." He glanced over at Annie. She had wrapped her scarf over her head so she wouldn't have to hear him.

Just then, a gust of wind shook the wagon and drove all thoughts of talking from Adam's mind. It was all he could do to control the horses and stay on the road. He glanced anxiously at the clouds and said a silent prayer that they would beat the storm home.

Half an hour later, Adam knew his prayer would go unanswered this time. The horses were fighting the wind and they weren't making much headway. The snow hit full force and Adam often couldn't see past the horses' heads. He felt a hand touch his sleeve. He looked over to see Annie peering up anxiously at him.

"Are we near the cave?" He could barely hear her shout over the wind.

"What?"

She leaned closer. "Are we near our cave?"

Adam understood. Annie and Joe had found a cave near the road to town. Fairly sheltered in a grove of Ponderosa pines, it was probably big enough for the horses and them, and maybe even the wagon.

Just as Adam tried to get his bearings, the snow slowed and he could make out the grove about a hundred yards distant. Maybe his prayer hadn't been answered exactly, but it had been answered. Adam said a silent thanks and turned the horses towards the cave.

They both jumped out just before the cave entrance and Adam led the horses inside until the wagon was half in the cave.

"Annie, can you unhitch the horses?"

Annie nodded and started fumbling with the straps. Her hands were shaking, although from fear or cold, Adam could not tell. She led the team to the back of the small cave and turned to see Adam unloading the wagon. She hurried over to help with the smaller goods. When they finally got done, the cave entrance was half blocked by the wagon and by crates and barrels.

Annie groaned as she sat on the cave floor. Adam shook his head.

"Don't sit there, it'll numb your backside."

She gave a weak smile. "That's the best idea you've had in a week, Adam."

He grimaced. "That bad?" She just nodded. Adam looked outside where the storm was raging. "We should be relatively protected in here. Hopefully the crates and barrels will block most of the wind and snow." Adam climbed onto the wagon again and reached into the big chest behind the seat. "Come here. I need some help."

Annie stood and took the firewood Adam handed down.

"Fortunately, Pa's fear of getting caught out in the weather has some advantages." Adam passed down several blankets, a couple of smaller boxes and finally an ax. He leaped from the wagon and opened the boxes.

"We have enough wood for a day or so and then we can break up the boxes and crates. Looks like we have some oatmeal, tins of beans and fruit, some pemmican and dried vegetables."

"Anything to cook it in?" Annie tried peering over Adam's shoulder but jumped back when he pulled out a pot and a pan.

"C'mon, Annie, this is Pa we're talking about." Adam hurried to build the fire while Annie grabbed the tarp that had covered the supplies.

"Adam, I think if we stretch this in front of the wagon, it should block some more of the wind."

After about an hour of work, they had a small camp made. Not a very cozy one, to be sure, but they were out of the storm, the worst of the wind was blocked, Adam had arranged some crates as seats and a table and Annie had supper cooking over the fire. The crate had even had food for the horses and the two animals were munching on their own supper. Adam looked around at the cave, satisfied with their work.

Annie and Adam settled onto their crates and ate their beans.

"Not bad, Annie. Not quite like Hop Sing's meals, or even your meals when you have the stove, but we'll be fine for a few days."

Annie shuddered. "A few days? You think so?"

He nodded. "I wish there was some way to let Pa know we're safe. He's going to be worried."

Annie looked at her plate. "About you, maybe. Not about me."

Adam shook his head. "No, Annie, believe me, he's worried about us both."

She looked up sadly. "You don't know what he said, Adam."

"I have a pretty good idea."

Annie put down her plate and drew her knees up to her chest. "I think what he said was worse than the tanning." She looked up at her cousin for a minute. "Adam, my father was like yours. He could blister you with his words; between Papa and Uncle Ben, I've been dressed down like a seaman caught sleeping on watch more times than I can count, but nothing was like what your father said to me the other night." She wiped her eyes with her coat sleeve. "Before, Papa and Uncle Ben would always say that they were disappointed in what I had done, but this time Uncle Ben kept saying how disappointed he was in me. Not in what I had done, but in me. Do you understand the difference? He said I had shamed him."

Adam understood the difference all too clearly and he knew he had to tell her a story he had sworn would go with him to his grave. He put down his plate and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Annie, I'm going to tell you a story, but you've got to promise not to tell anyone."

She nodded.

"When I was sixteen, just before we left New Orleans, some of my friends decided that I needed to see the inside of a sporting house, so I snuck out of the house and went with them." He smiled at the shocked look on her face. "I just went to look, that's all." He wondered if she could see him blushing in the firelight. "Anyway, Pa found out, like he usually does and he hauled me out of there. I had been drinking, so he didn't say anything to me that night. Believe you me, he made up for it the next day. He went up one side of me and down the other. Finally he just looked at me and said that he was disappointed in me. He said he was ashamed. A few days later, when I could think clearly again, I realized that I was disappointed in myself, that I was ashamed of myself. Pa had been right."

"What did you do?"

"I talked to him about it. He helped me through it, the way he always does." Adam poked the fire a little.

"So, you're saying I need to talk to him, that we can make it right?" Annie looked doubtful and hopeful at the same time.

"I guarantee you can make it right with him, Annie. He's very forgiving."

Nothing more was said for several minutes as they finished their meal. Annie bent over the fire washing the dishes while Adam got out the blankets.

"Annie, how come you weren't with Mitch at the dance. He was there, I saw him."

Annie stopped what she was doing. "There's a new girl in school, she's older than me and her father lets her go to dances with boys, not just meet them there. Mitch was there with her."

Poor Annie. "Annie, I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "I'm tired, Adam, I think I'll go to sleep now."

A few minutes later, Adam heard Annie roll over. "Adam?" she called softly.

"Yes, Annie."

"I don't hate you."

Adam smiled. "I know you don't, Annie."

Silence. Then, "I'm sorry that I said I did."

"I know you are, Annie, and I accept your apology." Another silence. "Just as I know Pa will accept your apology when you talk to him."

Adam heard Annie roll back onto her stomach. As he sat by the fire, he thought back to that time in New Orleans. He could picture himself, a tall, gangly youth, feeling hung-over, listening to his father's words flow over him. His backside had ached and the hangover had made him nauseous, but it had been his father's words that had made him retch as soon as the man had left the shed. But his father had forgiven Adam, as he always did, as Pa would forgive Annie. Finally he sighed and laid out some blankets for himself.

Adam awoke to the sound of movement. He sat up abruptly and hit his head on a rock overhang just above him. A quick glance towards the cave entrance showed him that the storm had not abated.

"Good morning, sleepy-head." Annie was stirring something in a pot over the fire.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to get coffee made. Want some?" She filled a cup and handed it to him.

"How did you get water?"

"I melted snow, of course. Speaking of water, I have some warming if you want to wash up."

Adam frowned. "You shouldn't be going out in this weather. It's dangerous."

Annie rolled her eyes. "I didn't have to go out. I just went into the wagon."

Adam stood carefully, taking care to avoid the overhang. Sure enough, the part of the wagon still outside had about a foot of snow in it. He could see Annie's footprints in the dusting of snow that had blown into the protected part of the wagon. He turned back to her and accepted the pail of warm water that she handed to him.

"What are you making for breakfast?"

"Bacon and eggs, with a side of pancakes."

"Really?"

She laughed. "No. It's oatmeal."

Now he laughed. "You're making oatmeal?" Annie's hatred of oatmeal was well known in the family.

She shrugged. "Not much choice. It's this or beans and I figured I'd save the beans for lunch. Speaking of which, I've got some of those dried onions soaking in water. That'll make the beans taste a little better. I don't suppose there's any cornmeal in one of those crates and barrels, is there?"

"Actually, I think there is. Why?"

"I thought I might make some tortillas. I found a nice flat rock to cook them on, and the beans might taste better if they're rolled in the tortillas."

Adam picked up his coffee cup and took a sip. "Hey, this coffee isn't bad. It's better than Pa's anyway."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment? Beauty can make better coffee than your father, Adam."

Adam had to allow that this was true. His father was a notoriously bad cook, and his coffee was fit only for, well, Adam didn't know if it was really fit for anything. "At least if I had to get stuck with someone, I got stuck with the only person other than Hop Sing who can cook." He took the proffered bowl of oatmeal from Annie.

"We're going through the wood pretty quickly, Adam. I think we'll have to start on the crates later this afternoon. If you take care of that, I'll clean up after the horses."

"Well there's a first, you volunteering to muck out the stables."

"Yeah, well, don't go telling everyone, all right? I just don't want our little home to smell like a barn."

The two cousins worked quietly for a while, until Annie began to hum a jig. Adam turned at the sound.

"What's the song?"

"One my father taught me. Do you know it?"

"It sounds like one Pa used to sing a long time ago. Do you know the words?"

She nodded and started singing.

Oh, this is the place where the fishermen gather,

With oilskins and boots and Cape Anns battened down;

All sizes of figures with squid lines and jiggers,

They congregate here on the squid-jigging ground.

Some are workin' their jiggers while others are yarnin',

There's some standin' up and there's more lyin' down;

While all kinds of fun, jokes and tricks are begun

As they wait for the squid on the squid-jiggin' ground.

Adam almost clapped his hands in glee. He took up the next verse…

There's men of all ages and boys in the bargain;

There's old Billy Cave and there's young Raymond Brown,

There's a red rantin' Tory out here in a dory,

A-runnin' down Squires on the squid-jiggin' ground.

The two of them collapsed in laughter. Adam caught his breath first.

"I wonder who taught them that song?"

Annie shrugged. "We'll have to ask your father. Do you know this one?" She started a sea chantey that Adam hadn't heard before. They spent the rest of the morning swapping songs.

Lunch was burritos and tea. Adam was impressed; he thought he had three days of plain beans to look forward to and instead they were eating almost as well as they would have at home. He said as much to Annie.

"Well, I figured we might as well be comfortable here, or as comfortable as we can. I sure wish I could take my coat off, but I'm too cold. Hey, Adam, how come your father doesn't put brandy in that emergency kit of his? That would warm us up."

"I would have thought you'd been in enough trouble over liquor."

Now Annie blushed deeply. "I wasn't going to drink from his flask, I was just going to pretend."

Adam sighed deeply. "Annie, boys aren't impressed by girls who drink. They aren't impressed by girls who wear paint on their faces either."

"You sound like your father. Anyway, Tom seemed interested."

"Tom. Is that the fella you were with?" Adam scowled when she nodded. "Annie, men like that aren't fit to be seen with you. He won't treat you right; you need a respectable young man. Respectable men want respectable women."

"Like Ro?" Annie giggled as Adam tossed the cleaning rag at her.

"Yes, like Ro."

"You're really gone on her, aren't you, Adam?"

Adam turned away.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't pry. It's nice, though, to see you two together. I like seeing you happy."

Adam turned back towards her. "Now who sounds like Pa?" He started to wash the dishes. Anxious to change the subject, he blurted out "Liquor's the worst thing to have when you're cold."

"What?"

"You asked why Pa didn't put brandy in the emergency kit. Alcohol's bad in this kind of situation. Even though it seems to warm you, it really makes you colder. And, it impairs your judgment and you're liable to do stupid things, take foolish risks."

Annie nodded her understanding. "So what did you do?"

"Huh? I never drank in the cold."

"No." Annie sounded disgusted at his obtuseness. "I meant, what did you do that got you in trouble and then you sulked?"

Adam was confused until he remembered their conversation from the day before. He thought a minute. "I was ten, I think, and I was disrespectful to Ma. I'm embarrassed to say that was nothing new, but what was new was Pa's reaction. I guess he had had enough, because he hauled me outside and gave me my first tanning." Adam ran his fingers through his hair. "I was miserable afterwards and I sulked. I thought he was being unfair and I didn't care who knew it. Well, he put up with that for a day or so and then he hauled me outside again. I only thought the first one hurt…" He grinned ruefully. "So far Hoss decided to learn from my mistake. I'm not too sure about Joe, but you're on the edge of finding out for yourself."

Annie took the wet plate from Adam's hand and dried it. "I think I've decided to learn from your mistake, Adam. I'll apologize to Uncle Ben when we get home."

They finished the dishes in silence. Annie put the plates and pots back in their box and looked around.

"What are you looking for?" Adam looked around to see if he could figure it out.

"A broom. Hop Sing's got it ingrained in me to sweep after finishing the dishes." Annie laughed. "I guess there's no point in sweeping, is there?"

Now Adam laughed. "Think of it as vacation."

"Hmpfh. I think I preferred the times my father and I spent on the beach." Annie moved towards the wagon, peering out into the storm. Adam came up behind her and rested his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Annie. I'll get you home." Annie stepped back towards him and Adam automatically wrapped both arms around her.

"Adam?"

"Yes, Annie."

"Remember when I said that I was sick of you watching over me all the time?"

He nodded.

"I didn't mean that, either. Actually, I kind of like it."

Adam pulled her away from the cave entrance. "That's a good thing, Annie, because I don't intend to stop anytime soon."

They spent the afternoon acting out Romeo and Juliet. Annie had been reading the play, so she had it with her schoolbooks. Annie stood on a rock as they acted out the balcony scene, they fought with sticks during the duels, and had to fight the giggles during the ending. Adam surprised himself with his acting; he would never have behaved so in front of his brothers or even his father, but he always felt more relaxed around his cousin. She understood how much he loved books and plays, that they were more than just old stories to him.

Supper was more beans with some stewed fruit on the side. They went to sleep soon afterwards, their rest disturbed only by the howling of the wind.

The next morning started the same way for Adam. He sat up suddenly and hit his head. He heard his cousin chuckle.

"Keep that up and you might just knock some sense into your head."

"Very funny." He looked at her closely. "You look terrible."

She stuck out her tongue. "I hope you do a better job sweet talking Ro!" She handed him his coffee. "I didn't sleep well. I kept dreaming that Uncle Ben came looking for us and that he was lost in the storm." She sipped her own coffee and looked at Adam fearfully. "Do you think he'll try it?"

Adam knew his father would want to try, but he prayed that Pa would have enough sense to stay put. He put on a brave front for Annie.

"I'm sure Pa thinks we stayed in town. Don't worry, he won't go charging out into the storm." He did his best to believe his own words. Still, Annie seemed comforted by them.

After a breakfast of oatmeal, Annie and Adam quickly performed the few chores that needed to be done. Annie spent the remainder of the morning doing her homework and Adam reread Romeo and Juliet. Once they had eaten lunch, Adam was at a loss for something to do. He wished he had brought a book with him. Desperate, he started to rummage through Annie's schoolbooks to see if she had something interesting to read.

A noise from the cave's entrance drew his attention. Annie was standing there, looking out at the snow, and it sounded like she was trying hard to not cry. He got up and put his arm around her.

She jumped like she'd seen a mouse and she looked up at him. He was surprised to see the tears welling in her eyes.

"Annie? Come away from the entrance. It's too cold here."

She wiped her eyes. "Not much warmer by the fire."

"Annie, come away from the entrance." His voice was gentle, but firm, as he led her towards the fire.

They sat side by side in silence for a little while until Adam could stand it no more. "What's wrong?"

She sniffed and wiped her eyes again. "Adam, are you sure your father will forgive me?"

"Well, he's forgiven me more times than I can count."

"But you're his son. I'm just…"

Adam was stunned. After all this time, she was still worried about her place in the family. "You're just what, Annie? Surely you don't think Pa treats you any differently than he treats us?"

Annie was silent. Finally Adam leaned over and touched her arm. "Annie?"

"Adam, when your Pa married Joe's ma, I know you weren't very happy. Did Uncle Ben ever say he was going to send you away?"

Adam didn't know what to say. Certainly tensions had been high when Pa had first married Ma, but Pa had never even hinted that he would have considered sending Adam away. Adam was sure that Ma would never have permitted it anyway.

He said as much to Annie. "Why would you ask a question like that?"

"Did you know that my father almost remarried when I was not quite eight?"

Adam shook his head; he'd had no idea and if Pa had known, he had never told Adam.

Annie nodded slowly. "She was the devil in a dress, Adam. She ensorcelled my father and turned him against me." She half smiled at his vehement denial. "No, it's true. She hated me from the moment she met me. Papa thought I was behaving as you had, when your father first met Tante Marie. Papa would yell, he would punish. She would tell him lies and he would believe her. When he wasn't around, she would slap me and call me awful names. He wouldn't believe me and finally I stopped telling him things. When she hit me on the face with her riding crop, I lied and said that a branch hit me while I was riding. Finally one night, I overheard her talking to him. She was saying that for all our sakes he should send me to the Sisters at the convent in Carmel. Adam, I didn't know what to do." Annie's voice had become ragged. "I remember feeling abandoned and so alone."

She took a deep breath. "The next morning, Papa told me that the three of us would go for a ride together. I said I would not. Adam, I had never willfully defied him before; Papa was much like your father, and even at seven I knew the consequences of defiance. But his next words hurt far worse than any spanking could have. He dragged me to my room, sat me on my bed and yelled that perhaps Eloise was right and that I should go to the Sisters. Then he stormed from my room, slamming the door so hard that the house seemed to shake."

Adam didn't know what to think. He would have been devastated if his father had longer wanted him around. Even in their darkest days, Adam had never believed his father would send him away.

"I cried for hours. When I finally stopped, I was determined to run away. I thought I could find my way to New Orleans and live with your family. I was actually packing some bags when my father came into my room."

Annie drew her coat closer to her. "He was very apologetic. He begged my forgiveness and he started to cry. That really frightened me. Then he told me that Eloise was no longer welcome in our home, that he could never truly love a woman who did not love me." Annie sniffed back her tears.

"A few days later, we heard that Eloise was wanted by the authorities. She had been nicknamed the Black Widow and she had married four rich men and then killed each one for their money. Well, Papa was told. I overheard him talking to his attorney, Herr Levy, about it.

"Then Papa started drinking. I had seen my father drink, I had even seen him in his cups before, but I had never seen him like this. Concetta and Jose would keep me away from him when he was drunk, but I could hear him throughout the house. He wasn't funny, like Uncle Ben and Uncle John were that time. He was scary. Do you know what it's like to see your father as a drunk?"

Actually, Adam did know. Pa had given into despair after Inger had died, before they had moved to New Orleans and he had met Marie. That had been a frightening time in Adam's life, but even that hadn't been as bleak as the picture Annie was painting.

"Finally he stopped drinking and he started paying attention to the ranch again. He started paying attention to me, too, and I forgave him. I still loved him, of course, but for a long time I remember feeling like I had better behave or he would send me away."

Adam wrapped his arms around Annie and she cried on his shoulder while he stroked her hair and told her it would be all right. As Adam held her close, he listened to the storm rage outside. After a short while, when she had calmed down, he lifted her chin so he could see her face.

"Annie, that's why you're afraid Pa would send you away, isn't it?"

She nodded. "You know, Adam, the funny thing is I hadn't thought of that incident for years. But when your father told me he was ashamed of me, I could see my father telling me he was going to send me to the convent."

"I think you should tell him the story. It would help him understand."

"I can't, Adam. You've heard him talk about my father. I don't want to ruin the good memories he has of his little brother."

"You won't, Annie. Believe me, Pa knows that people aren't perfect. If you catch him in the right mood, he might even admit that he's not perfect." Adam's joke had the desired affect – Annie smiled slightly. "Annie, you won't be taking anything from him. Brothers - and cousins - have a special bond which cannot be broken by arguments and mistakes."

Annie smiled then and pulled Adam's head towards her so she could kiss him softly on the cheek. "Thank you, Adam."

Annie rested her head on Adam's shoulder and dozed while Adam wondered what he should do. He felt Pa should know about Annie and her father, but he wasn't sure it was his job to tell. Finally, as what little daylight there was began to fade, Annie stirred in his arms and announced it was time to make supper. They ate quickly and went to bed as soon as they were done cleaning the dishes.

Adam found he wasn't tired. He sat up and poked at the fire, trying to eke out a little more warmth. He thought back to Annie's story.

"Adam?"

Adam startled. He thought Annie was asleep. "Yes, Annie?"

"Adam, I don't want you to get the wrong idea about my father. He was a good man and he loved me very much. I miss him every day. I hadn't even thought about that woman for a long time. It's just, well, it was a bad time for Papa and me, and hearing Uncle Ben say he was disappointed made me think of it again."

"Annie, trust me, I know about bad times. So does Pa. He'll not love your father less if you tell him."

Adam remembered a time when he had had a lot of trouble with Pa, back in New Orleans. Adam had come to the realization that his father wasn't perfect, that Pa made mistakes. That knowledge had been disconcerting, and eventually Adam had decided that if Pa were imperfect, then there was no reason for Adam to behave as Pa had ordered. Pa, of course, had not seen it that way, and he had punished Adam with extra chores and loss of privileges, all designed to give Adam time to think. And Pa would talk. Pa always talked. Adam had slowly realized that Pa didn't expect Adam to be perfect, Pa only expected Adam to be the best man he could be, just as Pa was the best man he could be. Pa had understood that Adam wouldn't always measure up, but he had still loved Adam. Just as Pa would understand that Ed didn't always measure up, but he would still love his brother.

Adam woke before Annie the next morning. It wasn't yet light when he built up the fire, but he could tell that the storm had stopped. Once he got the coffee brewing, he stepped over to the cave entrance and almost wept at the glorious sight. Stars twinkled in the sky overhead and an almost full moon lit up the new fallen snow. But for the fact that they had been trapped for almost three days, he would have marveled at the beauty of nature. He moved a couple of crates and stepped outside the cave for the first time since they had arrived.

The trees had protected the area around the cave and there wasn't as much snow as he knew there would be in the open areas. The deep snow would make it tough going with the horses, but he thought they had no choice. He wasn't sure how much longer the food for the horses would last and they needed the horses in good shape to make the journey home. If it had been only him, Adam knew he could walk home and probably make it, but he felt that Annie wouldn't be able to survive the long trek on foot.

His decision made, he turned towards the cave. He was surprised to see Annie standing in the entrance. She was wrapped in a blanket, watching him.

"We're going to try for home, then?"

"Yes. I want to get home before Pa starts looking for us. We know where he is, but he doesn't know where we are." He stood in front of her. "It's not going to be easy."

"You think living in a cave with you for three days has been easy?" She ducked as he threw snow at her. "C'mon, your coffee is ready and I have some food cooking. Are we going to wait until dawn?"

They sat down and Annie handed Adam a bowl. He kept talking while he was eating his oatmeal. "I'd like to leave now. The moon's casting enough light and I think we'll make good progress. The sky is clear as far as I can see, but I don't want to get caught out in another storm." He leaned over to pour more coffee for himself and Annie. "Can you ride bareback?"

She shrugged. "I've only done it on Jove, and I didn't fall off. I'll have no problems."

Adam blew out the breath he was holding. "All right. I wish you had trousers to wear, though. Those stockings won't keep you warm enough. It's still pretty cold and if the wind kicks up we'll have to worry about frostbite. "

Annie looked down at her legs and laughed. "Can I tell Uncle Ben you said I should wear trousers to school?" She thought a minute. "What if I wrap the blankets around my legs. I can tie the blankets with the rope. We can wrap the extra blankets over our heads, like shawls."

"That'll help. C'mon, finish up. We'll have to stack the supplies away from the cave entrance. Hoss and I can come back to get them when the weather clears."

They hurried through their preparations and soon were ready to go. Annie couldn't walk well with the blankets around her legs, so Adam had to carry her outside to the horse and put her on the animal's back. He turned to mount his horse, then looked back at her.

"Are you going to be able to ride like that?" He frowned at her blanket-wrapped legs, which were sticking out at a strange angle.

"Of course I can!" Annie looked insulted, or so Adam thought. She was so covered up he couldn't really see her face.

"Annie, this isn't the time to act all cocky. If you fall off that horse and into a snow bank, I won't be able to warm you up. Are you sure you can ride?" She nodded. Satisfied, Adam pulled himself up onto his horse, wrapped a blanket over his head and they headed off.

Once they left the sheltered area and headed back to the road, the going was slow. The snow was high and the horses balked at walking. Talking was impossible; the extra layers muffled their voices and blocked their ears. Adam made Annie ride in front, so he could keep watch.

The snow started falling about a half hour after they left the cave. The flakes, soft and gentle at first, quickly turned to sleet. Adam wondered how far they were from home. Under normal conditions, they would be within sight of the house after a 30-minute ride. He couldn't really get his bearings, however. The landscape looked so different in the snow and the sleet blinded him every time he looked up. He could barely make out the shadowy shape of Annie riding ahead of him. His hands were numb, and the reins were getting harder to hold. The ice crystallizing in his three-day old beard was freezing his cheeks.

He could feel his horse's hooves slipping slightly as they rode down a small incline. Suddenly he heard a shout and he looked up just as Annie and her horse tumbled onto the ground.

Adam was off his horse and by Annie's side before he even understood what had happened. Annie was lying on the ground, looking dazed.

"Don't move."

"I'm fine, Adam. Nothing's broken."

"How can you be sure?" Adam tried to feel her legs, but the blankets were too thick.

"Which one of us broke her leg last winter? Really, I'm fine. The snow broke my fall. I'm wet, though. Help me up." She reached out and grabbed his hand. As he steadied her, she looked over at her horse.

"Oh, Lazarus. Adam, is the leg broken?" The horse was lying on its side. Annie moved to kneel by the horse's head and to stroke its muzzle. "Shhh, Lazarus, it'll be all right."

Adam started to kneel by the suspect leg but fell back as the horse scrambled to its feet. A quick glance at Annie reassured him Lazarus's sudden movement didn't hurt her.

Adam knelt again, Annie standing behind him anxiously. He ran his hand up and down the horse's leg, but he could feel no break. He shook his head in relief. Adam had been worried that Lazarus's leg had been broken, and that he would have had to shoot it. That would have been a pointless loss of a good animal.

"I think he'll be all right, but I'm not sure of the leg. You'd better ride behind me." Adam turned his attention to his cousin. "Annie, you're soaked and I'm not much dryer. We've got to keep going before we freeze to death. I think we're almost home." Adam climbed onto Meg and held his arm down to Annie. She gathered up Lazarus's reins and clasped Adam's arm as he pulled her onto the horse's back.

Annie grabbed onto the sides of Adam's coat and they continued in silence. Adam would periodically rap Annie's leg to make sure she was all right and she would tap his back in reply.

The dawn was just breaking when they reached the top of the hill leading down to the house. Adam took a deep breath as the tension left his body. Never had home looked so welcoming. The curl of smoke from the chimney told him someone was awake and starting the day. Meg picked up his pace, anxious for the warm barn and food. Lazarus limped behind.

Adam caught sight of his father coming onto the porch just as they rode into the yard. He could see Pa stare for a minute and then lift his eyes to the heavens in thanksgiving. Adam smiled; he had been saying that particular prayer the entire ride home.

Ben turned to call into the house and then hurried down the steps. He met them just as Adam reined in the horse in front of the porch; Ben reached up to take Annie from behind Adam. He clasped her close to him as she wrapped her arms and legs around him and buried her head in his shoulder. Ben grasped Adam's leg.

"I thought I'd lost you both."

Hoss came from behind his father and helped Adam down. Adam felt so cold, like he'd never be warm again, and he gladly fell into his brother's arms. Joe grabbed the horses' reins and headed toward the barn as Hoss half-carried Adam into the house.

Ben already had Annie sitting in front of the fire and he was pulling the blankets and stockings from her legs. He started rubbing her legs vigorously as Hoss helped Adam sit. Hop Sing hurried over to help Adam with his boots so that Hoss could help Joe with the horses.

An hour later Annie and Adam were dressed in warm dry clothes and eating the hearty breakfast that Hop Sing had prepared. They took turns telling the story, often interrupting each other.

Ben listened to every word. "Thank God you're safe."

"Yes, sir, I have, many times." Annie smiled and winked at Adam. "Of course, right now I'm just thankful that we're not eating oatmeal or beans!"

Adam and Annie slept for much of the day, waking only for supper that evening. Annie returned to bed after supper; a short while later, Ben excused himself to check on her. Joe and Hoss played a couple of games of checkers but soon headed off to bed. After all, as Hoss told Adam, the two of them were tired because they had had to pick up Annie and Adam's chores while Annie and Adam were vacationing in the cave.

Adam sat on the sofa staring into the fireplace for at least an hour after saying good night to his brothers. The storm had started again shortly after they had arrived home, and he was lost in thoughts of what might have been, had they been caught in the storm. He stood when he heard his father close his cousin's door.

"You were in there a long time, Pa."

"We had a lot to talk about, Annie and I."

Adam smiled. "She apologized, did she?" He accepted the glass of brandy his father handed to him and sat back on the sofa.

"As did I." Ben settled next to Adam. "The whole time that storm raged all I could think was that I would never see the two of you again and I had parted on bad terms with each of you." He lifted his hand to silence Adam. "I should never have allowed Annie to go that long after her punishment without speaking to her."

"She wasn't sulking, Pa."

"I know that now. No matter how many times I tell her that I would never send her away, she's still insecure. At least now I know why." He shook his head. "It doesn't make her behave better, to be sure, but I could no more send her away than I could send you boys away."

Ben leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. "Eddie had written to me about that woman, but he never told me that he had threatened to send Annie away." Ben stared at the glass he was twirling in his fingers. "Adam, you need to understand my brother. He had a frightening temper."

Adam found himself needing to lighten his father's mood. "Worse than yours?"

Ben grinned as he sat back. "Worse than yours even." He sipped the brandy. "Ed had the worst temper of anyone I have ever met. And it was a fast temper. Before you knew what was happening, he would lay you flat with words or fist. Five minutes later, he was your best friend and he couldn't understand why you were cross with him or why he was in trouble with Father, or later, with the Captain."

Ben leaned forward to refill his glass. He lifted an eyebrow when Adam also leaned forward, glass extended, but he refilled the proffered glass. "I remember Father and Mother struggling to teach him to contain his temper. Your Grandfather Stoddard finally taught him to keep rein on the worst of it, that first year Eddie was at sea. Then, when Ed came to New Orleans, I could see that Kathleen had really calmed him. I can only imagine that Eloise's deceit unleashed his demons again, and poor Annie bore the brunt of it. What she needed to realize was that she was also his lifeline, just as you and your brothers have been mine. He would never have sent her away. He said that in anger. I think she eventually understood that. I know she understands it now."

Ben leaned back on the sofa and put his feet on the table. His look challenged Adam to say something. Adam decided to keep silent and gestured for his father to continue.

"I told Annie that Ed loved her very much, and she told me that she knew that. I think I'll give her all of his letters. That way she'll have something to remind her of the good times and to drive away the dark memories if they should ever come back."

"I also told her that sometimes people, even fathers, say words in anger that they would never say if they were calm. That's why I made it a rule to never punish you boys while I was angry. I broke that rule the other night when you brought Annie home. That's why I apologized to her. I wouldn't have changed her punishment, but I wouldn't have said what I did."

Neither man spoke for several minutes until Adam broke the silence.

"Annie didn't want to tell you about what Uncle Ed had said. She didn't want to diminish your memory of your brother."

"She told me that, too, and she told me what you told her, about brothers and cousins." Ben sighed as he looked at his eldest son. "Adam, I kept thinking that the last words I spoke to you were to remind you of trouble you were in almost thirteen years ago. I'm sorry for that; I was taking my frustration with Annie out on you, and that was wrong."

"That's all right, Pa. I understand."

"No, son, it's not all right. Sometimes I take your understanding for granted. I don't mean to, but…"

"I think I've taken your understanding for granted once or twice over the years. Pa, what I said to Annie, about brothers and about cousins, I think it must be true for fathers and sons as well, don't you?"

Ben grinned. "Glory, but I have raised a wise man."

Adam, shrugging off his father's praise, stood and walked over to the window. "Pa, I think the storm is finally passed."

Ben stood beside his son and draped his arm over Adam's shoulder, smiling as he felt his son relax. "Yes, I think you're right. We've weathered another one."