Adam Cartwright broke the kiss with Michelle Kaufman and looked around for her traveling companion. Where was the cousin? Because the tired-looking woman who had stepped off the train couldn't possibly....but Michelle was bringing her forward and introducing them.
"Betty, this is Adam Cartwright. Adam, my cousin, Betty Kaufman."
The woman smiled wearily and shook hands. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Cartwright."
"My pleasure, ma'am."
"Betty."
"Betty it is. And please call me Adam." He was sizing her up as they spoke. Much taller than Michelle, heavyset, light hair and eyes. There was not the slightest resemblance between the two women that he could see.
Soon the luggage was in the wagon and Adam was helping Michelle into the front. Betty climbed into the back seat unassisted; Michelle had warned that her cousin was just as independent as she was but unlike Michelle Betty would take the offering of assistance as an insult. As they started off Betty inquired, "How long does it take to reach your house from here?"
"About an hour on horseback; somewhat longer this way," Adam explained.
"Good. Wake me when we get there, please, 'Chelle." And with that nothing more was heard for some minutes until a series of resounding snores arose from the back seat. "I thought you said she was a chatterbox and a loudmouth," Adam whispered as not to disturb the napping woman.
"Wait till she's rested," Michelle whispered back.
Only Hop Sing was on hand to greet them when they arrived at the ranch house, the other Cartwrights being out working. Although clearly out of sorts at being awakened a somewhat groggy Betty shook hands cordially with the housekeeper and promptly disappeared into her room, not to emerge until dinner was ready to be served.
She came downstairs last, behind her cousin; having followed Michelle's example of exchanging the traveling outfit for a simple gown. Adam introduced her to his family. Betty shook hands all round and declared, "Well, Mr. Cartwright, you have three very handsome sons."
"Thank you," beamed Ben. "We grow them that way on the Ponderosa."
"Really?" she asked, a gleam in her eye. "What kind of feed you using?"
It took a second for Ben to get the joke, then he laughed heartily.
"Nice to have you with us, ma'am," Hoss put in. "Your cousin's told us about you."
"Well, maybe we can be friends anyway."
The Cartwrights thought that rich. Betty merely smiled.
"Dinner ready!" called Hop Sing. "Come to table now or I throw out!"
Adam hurried to show Betty her place, forestalling his father, who would be sure to hold out a chair. "Why don't you sit right here.......your eyes are green." He sounded so surprised everyone laughed again.
"They always have been," smiled the visitor, seating herself. "Would you like me to change the color?"
"Now Betty," Michelle half scolded, knowing that nothing she said would have the slightest effect on her madcap cousin.
Adam blushed, a rarity for him. "It's just that they looked blue before."
"Perfectly all right. People often make that mistake when I wear blue."
Throughout the meal Betty chattered incessantly; Adam, in fact, had not known anyone other than an auctioneer could talk so fast. "I see what you mean about being rested," he murmured to Michelle.
"I heard that," came a mock indignant voice from across the table.
Adam blinked. He could have sworn his words weren't loud enough to carry, but they had, it seemed.
"Watch out for Betty," Michelle advised. "She has very good ears."
"Do you really?" asked Little Joe.
"What?" she replied, brow furrowing.
Once more the table rang with laughter.
"Is your name really Betty, ma'am?" the youngest Cartwright wanted to know.
"Elizabeth, actually," she admitted.
"Elizabeth!" exclaimed Ben. "That was the name of my first wife, Adam's mother!"
"Oh?" Her tone, though civil, was so lacking in enthusiasm most people would have changed the subject.
"Yes," Ben went on, "I've always thought it was a lovely name."
"The kids at school didn't agree," said Betty and dismissed the whole thing.
Ben blushed.
After earning Hop Sing's undying gratitude for pronouncing the meal "fit for a queen", Betty suggested adjourning to the veranda. "Such a lovely evening." Adam expected her nonstop chatter to continue, but she ceased speaking the moment they were through the door and did not utter a word the entire time they were outside.
"I don't understand your cousin at all," a bewildered Adam said as the group went back into the house.
"Well, what were you expecting?"
"Another you, I guess," he admitted.
"Betty isn't me."
"I'll say."
Like her cousin not being a coffee drinker Betty did not join the family in the special blend, however eagerly indulged in several of Hop Sing's famous sugar cookies. Her voice was not heard again until Little Joe announced that he was retiring for the evening.
"You know what I think is so sweet?" Betty remarked suddenly in a dreamy voice. "My cousins kiss each other goodnight every night."
Oh God Betty, not now-! Michelle thought.
Not much could be heard over Little Joe's cackle.
"Well, um... all families are.... different," Ben felt the need to explain. "One can't expect all brothers to go around kissing all the time can one?" He'd seen his sons exchange kisses on occasion but nothing as casual as saying goodnight. "Or any family members for that matter..." His comments were interrupted by Little Joe, still chuckling slightly planting a big smacker on top of his head.
"Night, Pa." With his father in somewhat stunned silence Joe made the round of the room kissing everyone except Betty whom he did not feel he knew well enough.
This time it was Betty's turn to cackle.
The next morning Adam found Betty in trousers, shirt and boots chopping wood for the kitchen wood box, swinging the ax, pacing herself expertly. Her hair tied back with a ribbon all other pretensions of femininity had dropped away. Adam stared. For a moment she reminded him of his brother Hoss: heft with great physical strength. She seemed to be enjoying herself.
He was so transfixed watching the rhythm of the ax he didn't notice Betty had spotted him.
"Five foot eight." Chop. "Two-hundred pounds." Chop.
"I wasn't..." Adam began.
"Yes, you were," Betty countered. "And don't worry." Chop. "Doesn't bother me a bit." Chop.
There was a brief pause.
"So." Chop. "Adam." Chop. "Since you're here..." Chop "I thought I'd ask...." Chop. "Just what." Chop. "Are your intentions..." Chop. "With my cousin." She split one last log, planted the ax firmly in the stump and looked to Adam.
Adam's response was somewhere between defensive and sheepish. "If you remember correctly she is the one that didn't want to get married."
Betty folded her arms. "Oh, I remember. But you are the one who left her dangling..." When he gave her a puzzled look she explained. "Telling her she'd change her mind in sixty years."
"Oh." Adam's eye flickered with amusement. Then a more serious look spread across his face. "I don't know. I'm starting to think she had the right idea to begin with. God knows I love her but the spark isn't there. You know what I mean?"
Betty nodded. "Don't you think you should talk with Michelle about this."
Now Adam nodded. "I don't want to hurt her."
"You'll hurt her more not being honest."
This time they both nodded in agreement.
The next legs of the visit weren't so agreeable.
At breakfast Ben looked down to notice that Betty had kicked off her boots. "Young lady, in this house we don't come to the table barefoot." He paused to sip coffee and he added, "I would never tolerate that from one of my sons.:
Betty was not the least bit fazed. "Really? Which one?" she inquired punctuating the question with a full throated Nudelman laugh which irritated Adam.
After a strained morning meal Adam and Michelle decided the best thing to do was give Betty a tour of the grounds. The larger Kaufman cousin admired the beautiful scenery. The tour ended in the barn where Betty's attention was caught by the barn cat and her new kittens. Loud, high-pitched squeals alternating with incredibly mushy, gooey baby talk in English, Yiddish and YInglish filled the space, embarrassing Adam. Not an easy thing to do.
At the noon meal in an attempt to get along with the new guest Ben made the mistake of holding a chair for Betty. He was taken quite aback when she snapped, "I'm not crippled, dammit!" He was recovering from the momentary shock when he again noticed and admonished her lack of footwear. For some unknown reason Ben decided to have dinner in Virginia City.
That evening while Betty was in their room doing her ballet exercises Michelle entered and flopped in the chair. Betty stopped mid stretch. "You annoyed with me too?"
Michelle didn't answer. She seemed fascinated by the pattern on the drapes.
Betty stepped closer to her cousin and waved a hand in front of her face. "Michelle," she sang.
"Hmm?"
"I'm talking you."
"Sorry, I didn't notice."
"Okay, now I know something is wrong. It is impossible not to notice me talking."
Michelle laughed slightly.
"Come on," Betty implored. "Tell your favorite cousin all about it... and no jokes about having to go back to Stockton to see Jarrod."
"It's about Adam," Michelle confessed. "He's good-looking, charming, intelligent and I love him but.... I'm not in love with him. He thinks I'm going to change my mind when I'm eighty but I'm not. I have no choice. I have to tell him. Betty nods.
The next morning at breakfast the foreman entered with bad news. One of the men was sick and they were short one for fence mending. Betty downed her last bite and drained her water glass. "No problem. I'll take his place. Done it often enough on my cousins' ranch".
"But... but..." Ben stammered. 'You didn't come to the Ponderosa to do that sort of work... surely?"
"No, I came to sit in the house and stitch samplers," she snapped.
Michelle tried to smooth things. "I thought you'd join Adam and me for a picnic."
"Three's a crowd," Betty said standing and heading for her boots which were at the door. Hoss and Joe shrugged but followed the woman out the door.
Michelle had been a mainstay at the Ponderosa long enough for everyone to learn never to say a woman can't do something so that ended right there.
Adam devoured with great fervor the food Michelle had packed. He was now reciting from Matthew Jefferies' new poetry book. Michelle reached out her hand to halt his recitation.
"I thought you loved when I recite," Adam teased.
"I do," Michelle responded. "But we need to talk." She paused. "And you know we need to talk."
Adam set the book aside. "Guess we've avoided it long enough, haven't we?" There was another pause. "You're not in love with me are you?"
Michelle shook her head. "I think we made one of the most classic faux pas mistaking deep love of a friend for romantic love, assuming that's what it had to be because we are a man and a woman."
"I've known it for a while too. I just didn't want to admit it."
"So you realize I'm not going to marry you in sixty or seventy years," Michelle joked as she tugged the ring from her finger. She presented to Adam.
Adam took the offered ring and in turn slipped it on her other hand saying, "Keep it. Wear it as a symbol of our friendship." When Michelle began to protest he added, "I gave this ring to you because I love you. The fact that I love you hasn't changed.
"I love you too, Adam. You're a great friend."
Michelle and Adam returned to find his father again unhappy. Although Betty worked well with Hoss and Joe upon returning she had taken a dipperful of water and dumped it over her head just as the men had. "Why can't she behave in a more ladylike fashion?" Ben complained to his eldest as if there was anything he could do to alter the situation.
"What do you mean she got into a fight in town?" Ben demanded the next day. He thought with the young woman in town things would have remained peaceful for him.
Adam shrugged. He wasn't quite sure himself. It started when a couple of drunk cowboys made suggestive comments to Michelle. Michelle had wisely chosen to ignore this. Her cousin rose to her defense causing the cowboys to make not so kind remarks about Betty's size. A frenzied yell, a few quick moves of which the Marquis of Queensbury never approved and the men were lying on the ground, gasping. Sheriff Coffee who had seen the whole thing ran up and hauled the drunks off the jail. That was it really, except for Betty announcing to the crowd that had gathered, "Next time I'll be angry."
It was much later when Ben announced to an arguing Joe and Hoss that he could still wield a belt.
"Say, did I ever tell you about the time I stopped my Uncle Tom from whipping my cousin Jarrod," Betty said from behind her book.
Ben made a silent moan. For just a short time the young woman had been quiet.
"How'd you stop him, " Hoss wanted to know.
Betty lowered her book and gave and evil grin. "Broke his nose with one punch." She threw and imaginary blow, making a popping sound with her tongue.
Ben rose white-faced and muttering something about barn chores left the house, neglecting to close the door behind him. Adam followed doing his best to soothe his father.
"Why does she have to be so radical?" Ben fumed when they reached the barn.
Adam pointed out mildly that Michelle held the very same views.
Ben sighed, "Well, at least she knows when to keep quiet about them."
Adam's mind drifted back to the day he made the near fatal mistake of telling Michelle of the exploit's of his and Joe's trip to San Francisco. He'd sat in sheepish, almost stunned silence as she raised an eyebrow and rather accusingly said, "You... did... what?"
A chill ran through him from the icy stare. "Well, I was thinking..." he tried to explain.
Michelle interrupted. "If you had been thinking you would not have done what you did."
"What else could I have done?"
"You could have tried talking to him."
Adam attempted a shaky defense. "Oh, come on. You know Little Joe. Words don't get through to him...."
"It was precisely words that got through to him," she countered. "It wasn't your belt. It was when you told him how much it would hurt you if something happened to him."
Adam reflected a moment. "He wouldn't have listened."
"Did you even try?"
Adam relented. "No," he sighed. "I was too busy losing my temper." There was a pause. "But, he accepted what I did."
"No. My guess is he accepted your reason. And he made the joke about more licks because he was trying to prove he was a tough guy." Michelle looked him in the eye. "Do you understand what you did wrong?"
"Yes" Then Adam thought to himself. "I never should have told you about it."
'You keep thinking that,' Adam thought to himself his mind returning to the present.
Two weeks into the visit brought a lazy rainy afternoon. Hoss and Little Joe played checkers. Ben sat reading his paper. Michelle did needlework and quietly chatted with Adam. Betty sat with them reading. The patter of the rain was cut by Hoss accusing Joe of cheating. (He was).
Betty asked quickly if they have ever heard the story of Atalanta, the maiden hunter from Greek mythology. Both shook their heads.
Betty set her book aside and began, "Once upon a time there ruled in Arcadian Tegea a proud hearted king named Schoenus. A tamer of horses was he... On his wedding day he swore a great oath and called upon all the gods to witness it. 'Never,' he swore in his pride, 'shall a maid child live in my halls. If a maid is born to me she shall die ere her eyes see the light and the honor of my house shall rest upon my sons alone..."
Hoss and Little Joe soon lost interest in the lengthy tale and returned to their game. Ben returned to his paper. But Betty went on reciting from memory the longest and most beautiful version of the ancient myth Adam had ever heard. He was engrossed in the tale. Betty finished with, "Such was the winning of Atalanta. As for the golden apples, she guarded them jealously all her day. as a memorial of the race she had failed to win."
Betty went upstairs to wash for dinner. Adam looked at her book and was not surprised to see that she had not seemed to have made any mistakes. "Quite a memory, " he remarked.
"Yes, Betty's always been good at that, " Michelle said. "Her mother always like to hear her recite the classics, especially poetry.."
"You know, that first evening I thought she was a bit of an airhead," Adam confessed.
"Appearances can be deceiving, can't they?"
Adam and Betty found themselves having lengthy discussions on everything under the sun, both with and without Michelle. Betty spoke earnestly about women's suffrage and the Seneca Falls Declaration of Rights and Sentiments. She talked of art, music, literature, history, religion, wildlife, her travels in Europe. It seemed, Adam decided, that the cousins had much more in common then he had at first thought.
One day at lunch Ben reprimanded Little Joe for what he considered to be disrespect. "Don't raise your voice to me, boy."
"You know," Betty remarked casually, "I've done a lot of traveling, and if there's one thing I can't stand it's people who *demand* respect from others without giving any in return. So very unpleasant, don't you think?" She looked inquiringly toward Ben.
"Certainly," he agreed readily. Michelle and Adam tried not to choke to death.
One evening at dinner Betty finally lost her patience- such as it was. She slammed her fork down and yelled, "Gott in himmel! Criticize! Criticize! Criticize! Morning, noon and night all you ever do is criticize me!" And she clapped her hands over her ears, squeezed her eyes shut and screeched so the whole territory could hear: "ENOUGH!" Swiftly she gathered up her plate and glass and stalked into the kitchen. The Cartwrights remained in their chairs, stunned by the sound wave. Hop Sing put his head into the room to growl, "Mr. Cartwright bother Missy Betty one more time, Hop Sing go back to China!" Only Michelle continued eating placidly. She was used to her cousin's outbursts.
From that moment on Betty appeared unaware of Ben's existence; if he spoke to her, she acted as though she hadn't heard. This was more frustrating than anything she had previously done, for if there was one thing Ben could not stand, it was being ignored.
Betty continued to upset Ben with her unconventional behavior and Little Joe was upset because his father was upset. Not surprisingly the bighearted Hoss was more tolerant: "It's just her way. She ain't hurtin' nobody." And every time Ben had words with their guest Hop Sing threatened to return to China. Michelle wisely kept out of it, leaving Adam in his usual role as mediator
The Kaufmans were to stay at the Ponderosa for three weeks. One week after their return to Stockton would be Laura and Gene Barkley's first wedding anniversary. A lavish party was to be held at the Barkley mansion and of course, Adam had been invited and had accepted.
One day toward the end of the visit Michelle was doing some mending in the bedroom the cousins shared when Adam came in the open door without knocking, seated himself and began a conversation without preamble. "You've known Betty a long time."
Amused, Michelle managed to keep from smiling. "Yes."
"Has she always had such a temper?" Adam demanded irritably. "And why does she have to be such a loudmouth? And why does she have to curse- it upsets Pa! And why does she have to be so stubborn about everything? And why does she have to have that annoying laugh? And why does she have to crack those silly jokes?"
After a while the complaints began running together in Michelle's mind so that all she really heard was "And why, and why, and why." Having unburdened himself, at least for the moment, Adam got up and left the room. Michelle watched him depart, a satisfied smile on her face. "Yep," she said to herself, "he's got it bad!"
On the last evening Michelle and Betty sat on the veranda listening to Adam play the guitar, occasionally joining in on the choruses. Michelle had a beautiful singing voice and Betty's was strong, if untrained. Adam played an instrumental. He gazed at the two women seated side by side, eyes closed, enjoying the music. They looked and acted so differently but in truth they were very much alike. The sturdy independence he admired so much in Michelle was positively fierce in Betty. She didn't look for trouble; she simply didn't like being interfered with.
Adam finished the song with a flourish; "Bravo!" said Michelle, laughing. Betty jumped up and rather to Adam's surprise turned a graceful pirouette before settling down again. "I didn't know you could dance," he remarked, mildly interested.
"She had lessons," Michelle said proudly.
Adam looked at Betty, who replied, "I went to ballet school when I was eight and studied for two years. I was ready to go on pointe when they threw me out- said I was 'too plump' to have any future as a dancer." She shrugged. "Anyway, I've kept up my exercises and practice since then."
"Why?" Adam was bewildered.
Betty looked at him as though he were not very bright. "Because I love it," she explained patiently.
To cover the awkward silence that followed, Michelle coughed and rose to her feet. "I'd better go upstairs and finish my packing. Coming?" she asked her cousin.
One of the barn kittens chose that moment to jump up into Betty's lap, mewing happily. Betty laughed and stroked the soft warm fur. "In a little while." She lifted the purring kitten to her cheek.
Adam held the door for Michelle and followed her inside. Hop Sing had gone to bed. Ben was smoking his pipe and reading the newspaper. Hoss and Little Joe were absorbed in a game of checkers. Adam followed Michelle upstairs and went to his room to put away his guitar while Michelle went to her own room. She'd hardly begun on the task at hand when Adam appeared in the doorway. "Michelle? Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Here it came. Aloud she said, "Of course, come in."
After a glance over his shoulder to make sure no one else was coming upstairs, Adam entered and took the proffered seat. "I think I'm falling for Betty and I don't know what to do about it," he blurted.
Michelle was silent.
"Three weeks ago I wouldn't have thought.......but there it is, and I don't know what to do."
Michelle leaned forward and looked directly into her friend's eyes. "Try telling her."
Adam shook his head. "I can't. She's too much of a free spirit. She'll never want me or any man." And with that he rose and left the room.
Oh great, Michelle thought.
Later, after the cousins were in bed and the lamp had been put out, Betty said suddenly, "Chelle, can I tell you something in confidence?"
Michelle braced herself. "Sure."
"I'm attracted to Adam," Betty confessed. "Heaven knows I've seen good-looking men before- they're a dime a dozen- but Adam is different somehow. I like him very much. And in time, I believe I could learn to love him." She was silent for a moment, then shook herself impatiently. "But it's no use even thinking about it. He'd never want me, that's for sure. Good night." She turned away from her cousin and shut her eyes.
Michelle stared into the dark, thinking words she would never have uttered aloud in polite company.
The next morning the cousins said goodbye to Hoss and Little Joe. Betty gave Joe a gentle hug and kiss, leaving him scarlet-faced. By contrast Hoss returned the hug and willingly bent down for his kiss. He colored slightly, but looked pleased.
During the ride into town Adam concentrated on his driving while Betty appeared wholly fascinated by the scenery. Michelle and Ben exchanged one or two remarks, other than that it was a silent journey
At the train while Adam and Michelle embraced each other goodbye Betty shook hands formally with Ben, thanking him for his hospitality in a very correct way. Relieved, Ben responded in kind. Betty turned to Adam but did not offer her hand. "So we'll see you next week at Laura and Gene's party."
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Adam replied with perfect truth.
"Good. Till then." Betty turned to follow her cousin. The two women climbed into the train. As usual, Michelle accepted the conductor's hand up, as usual Betty waved the hand away and hopped up herself.
It so chanced that the Kaufman's compartment was on that side of the train. Adam walked forward, close to the window; behind him Ben turned politely away. As Betty was settling into her seat she glanced down and caught sight of Adam. Their eyes met. A most extraordinary expression appeared on her face. Then she turned quickly away and did not look toward the window again.
Adam was stunned. What the-
The whistle blew, puffs of smoke came from the steam engine and the train began its slow pull out of the station. As soon as he judged Betty to be safely out of earshot Ben heaved a gusty sigh. "Thank goodness. I hope that's the last we see of *that* young woman!" Noticing Adam's distressed look he added, "Oh, not Michelle son. She's always welcome here, you know that. I meant that cousin of hers. I hope I never see her again if I live to be a hundred!" Just then Ben noticed a railroad employee he needed to discuss some business with. He clapped Adam on the shoulder and hurried off.
Adam stood as though rooted to the spot, staring with unseeing eyes after the slowly but surely disappearing train.